\
ions
Landmarks
TO
BiPfiSTO,
“TO THE LAW AND TO THE TESTIMONY.”
viii-No. 11.
Wilson, N. C., April
Wlsole No. 179.
Eioii’s Landmarks,
P. D. GOLD, Editok.
rUIiI.ISnED SEMI-MONTHLY
•—( at }—
]JlLSON, j::Af^]LINA.
VwjO Dollars Per A
nnum
APRIL 15tii, 1875.
NOTICE
of eight suh.ceribers, or a larger
nomber, can have the Lanbma_bks at $1.50
osch, and the olub.s need net be at the same
I'ost OfDce or even in tiie same State, and
irersosis renewing can make clubs in game
W8.V-
Onr brethren and friends are all antliorized
to act as Agents in obtaining snbsei’ibers.—
Tlioir names need not be piLli.slied in the
IJ-st of Agents. Vfe hope they will generally
jtjnke an effort to extend the circulation of the
IjANDMAEKS.
Money can be sent by exg:»o,s3 or oth-
flS-Vr-i.se at my expense. In smns of a few dol-
btjsit can l>e sent at my risk by ordinary let-
trs. 'VVhen money is not receipted please
^ways inform me.
1^^ When convenient always send
Money BY Express or IMoney Orders at
2fY EXPENSE, IF PREFERED.“^^
Eor .a good reason please direct letters to
K»e as follow.s :
A.
Then, why not court affliction
And try to pray for more,
Since it is affliction
That brings me to the door ?
“Knock and It sliall be opened,
“Seek and ye shall find,
“Ask and it shall be given”—
To those of spirit mind.
But Oh ! I am so smful,
So prone from things above,
I seldom find a mind to see
The God I dearly love.
Ofttimes with me tis inidniglit,
And I cannot see my way.
Can’t even hear a chicken crow
To bid me hope for day.
Disappointment, gloom, and sorrow,
Attend me on iipy road—
And not one single comfort
Does this vile world afibrd.
And wlien I come to dig for gold
Kothing I find but dross,
I am forced to go to J esus
IVlib died upon the cross.
Poor, despised, forsaken.
To him i bring my ca.se,
’Tis only in, and through his riams
I approacli a throne of grace.
Now, since }'ou’ve lieard my story,
Dear kindred far and nigh.
Can you have any fellowsliip
For s’udi a one as 1 ?
Dear brethren,“in conclusion,
I’ve one thing more to say :
I hops yoii’ll'iiot forgeffme
' Wlien YOU go to prav.
E. W. Low
Stewart Co., Ga., Dec. 10th, 1874.
» EAK brother Gold and others,
Dear kindred far and near,
Come listen to mv story
About my trials here.
If the Lord will direct me
And unvail liis pleasant face,
Perhaps tins w'ill encourage-
Some clear child of grace.
But without his kind assistance
To guide my feeble hand—
What I may write will only be
Tlie work of puny man.
But witli the blessed nssiirancs
Tliat he is on my sioe,
I’ll run through a Iroop
And over mountains ride.
It matters not where I was born,
Nor how long since its been—
The c.a.se is v’ery clear to you,
That 1 was born in sin.
Deaf and blind, and all unclean,
Such was the case with me—
They told me tliongh, if I would try,
That I could hear and see.
There are many roads to go, they said,
Don’t matter, round or through,
But Jesu.s say.s, “1 arn the W’ay,”
And no other waay will do.
Sometimes, I don’t remember
Precisely the time or date—
I was sonieliow made to consider
I.ly lost and ruined state.
I was led about and instructed
By some mysterious hand,
And 1 found rnyself connected
IVitii the little hated band.
Often am I afilicted,
P>ut in this I am blest,
Eor then it is, dear brethren^
I see my saviour best.
painful or unpleasant it may be, we
are obliged to look this matter square
in the face. What I may liave to
say is not designed to stir up strife
or widen the breach, but rather if
possible to promote’ peace and har
mony among all who love our Lord
Jesus and his cause. One of the
■seven hateful abominations to God is
“he that soweth discord among breth
ren,” Prov. 6 ; 19. Such a charac
ter is described as a naughty person
continually devising mischief. Pro. 6 :
12, 14.
To maintain good works and secure
peace and love among brethren no
new plans are necessary to be devised
by man, but simply to follow the old
landmark of gospel doctrine and
order which hatli been established by
holy men of God who wrote as
moved by the IToly Ghost, and to
walk in these good works which God,
and not man, hath ordained.
“Now we live” says Paul to a
Church, “if ye stand fast in the Lord,”
1 Thes, 3: 8. NTs, we live in peace,
Hi'comfort and joy when our Church
es stand fast and unmoveable in tl
d^'ctriaoiof the Lord Jesus, not
c ;jr,vei'i{a.bout tes.s^l to
ever
wiffd of doctrine.
Opelika Ala., Feb. ISth, 1875.
Brother Gold:—
AM reliably informed that the
new order known as “Patron,s
of Husbandry” or “Grangers”
is troubling some of our
Churches, in certain places, even to
rending them asujider, and forming
two distinct denominations wLich
cannot fellowship each other or com
mune together. One Churcli embrac
ing many members of acknowledged
usefulness and ability has acfually
divided, and it is believed that in the
approaching Association a division is
inevitable. Several brethren of iiigh
standing in every relation of life* and
as church members, both Ministers
and jirivate members, who do not be
long to this new order, are of the
opinion that tlie Clmrch should not
make it a bar to fellowship for her
members to unite with it, considering
it nothing more than any other legit
imate business matter that may be
lawfully engaged in to promote the
secular interest of society generally,
and of the Grangers particularly.
Others, and by far the larger portion
of Primitive BaptisO, take quite a
different view, and think it to lie vi
olative of gospel principles which all
sound and orderly Baptists should
strive to maintain.
la view of these facts, however,
‘I .77 ’
•dei'ght and cunning craftiness of men
V hereby they lie in wait to deceive,”
Eph 4. Alen wlio make it a study
to sow the seeds of discord among
Christians have acquired a great deal
of “sleight” in setting a uet to catch
the unwary and unsuspecting, and
-when they once get them into their
snare it is not much trouble then to
hold them captives at will.
But why is this allowed ? Surely
there is a needs be for it. The Lord
hath determined that the righteous
shall be tried, and that he himself
will do it. Psalms 11; S. Their
faith must be tried as by a hot puri
fying lire. It is more precious than
periibhing gold and it sustains no loss
save of some spuriou.s substance, wEen
ti led by fire. Paul speaks of an uu-
feigned faith” by which we may infer
there is a pretended or feigned faith.
Hence fiery trials make manifest
wii&t
pie of God
thena.selves
whether they have the
sort of faith it is, that the peo-
inay know
principle in
them of suffering for Jesus’ sake.
‘•'Xhere must be” eayg the A.postle,
“'also heresies among you.” And
why it be so? Simply that
“they .which are approved may be
made manifest,” 1 Cor. 11; 19. These
who are approved of God are made
manifest by their steadfastly continu
ing in the Apostles’ doctrine and fel
lowship.smd by thsir opposing ovary
innovation or new thing. No mat
ter how long men may have ajipeared
to stand firm, nor how high in the
estimation of the Church. “God ac-
cepth no man’s person,” Gal. 2 : (>.
He regardeth not the rich or the
learned any more than the poor and
unlearned. And his people should
not have respect of jiersons in judge
ment, James 2: 1,9. God’s holy
word is the infallible standard of our
faith and practice, and no matter how
talented one may be if be “cause di
visions and 'offenses contra)y to the
doctrine ye have learned” of Christ
—marie and avoid him—that is, cut
him off from Church fellowship.
Horn IG : 17.
Primitive Baptists have heretofore
had a long contest and have general
ly become posted as to former secret
worldly institutions. It is therefore
a wise scheme of the old serpent to
present new attractions—the old prin
ciple in new colors, with a few very
popular ingredients mixed to make
it jias.s more currently. This new
is seemingly very oppor-
, when farmers general-
e nece.ssitv of some
ion
lote
sv.^i.eni of fnrt*-.-
cir own interc.st si»
■well as the general jirosperity of the
whole country. Where the love of
money is the ruling princljile such
attractions are well calculated to de
velop that principle, even though
it should be at the eacrince of the
peace and fellov'sliip of the Church
of Christ.
Temptations to do wrong are al
ways pi'esented in a very jdausibl®
way, and at a point most likely for
succe.ss. Witue.ss the temptations
])resented to the Son of God liimeeif.
When lie liad fasted forty days it was
reasonable to suppose that as he great
ly hungered a temptation to oDy
Satan and get bread_ ada])ted to his
hunger would be more likely to suc
ceed than any thing else. Heno#
tliat was the first temptation present
ed—“command that those stonc« b«
made bread.” It Is true that Chriit
had the power to have done this, and
lie really liungcred f >r bread ; but
then it would liave been obedlen^ie
to Satan rather than to God to have
done it. It is equally true that we,
eepecially in the o})pre.s.sod SoiUli,
need bread, but let not cliri.stiaus for
get that “man live.s not by iiread
alone, but by every woi'd t'lat pro-
ceedeth out of the mouth of Goei.”
Though we need broad our heavenly
Father knows it, and we siiould lie
very cautious not to violate his com-
[ mands to obtain it I'h" osly gure