30
Zion’s Landmarks: Wilson, N. C.
low him. I followed but the path
was very rough. I trembled with fear
until I got about half way : then the
^ path was in a better condition and I
could walk with more ease. I kept
in sight of the Savior, thinking if I
crossed over I would be in heaven.—
I followel on until I got to the end
of the path, when I saw the prettiest
place that I ever saw in my life. I
w'oke up perfectly happy. This
dream bore heavily upon my mind.
My troubles grew heavy after this
about my soul’s welfare, so great at
nines that I could rest neither day
nor night. My cry was. Lord, have
mercy ! Sometimes I would be care
less and unconcerned—loving the en
joyments of the world, going to par
ries and other places of amusement.
November 1862 I was married :
then thought I would get clear of rny
old troubles. I married contrary to
my father’s wishes. My husband
S'xm returned to the war, then my
troubles were greater than ever. I
thought lather would never forgive
me for what I had done, and thought
i had added sin to sin, for to disobey
parents is to disobey God also. I
Uigan to feel that everybody looked
on me as the greatest sinner in the
world ; so, I cared not to be in con
versation with any one. It even
seemed that ray sister, wliom I had
always confided in, had forsaken me.
The only friend I had in the world
was gone to fight for his country—
I thought I should never see him
again. My life was no pleasure.—
My heart was alw^ays lilted up in
jirayer to God. At last my father
luai to go to the battUi liclds. I had
never had courage enougJi to ask his
forgivenefs, wdiich added more to my
uoubIc.s.
July 1864 I heard that my dear
husband was dead: then I felt that I
had not a friend in heaven nor on
earth. Oh, why had God dealt with
me thu.s, to deprive me of my com
panion ? Perhaps it was because I
loved him more than I-did him (God).
1 must learn to worship God more
than anything on earth. Gh, the
trouble I was in. My case was an
outside and unpardonable one. I
wished to die, but feared death.
In the Spring of ’65 my father re-
torncd ; I went to him several times
i .itending to ask him to pardon me for
for dLsobeyuig him, and ask him to
pray for me; but, my heart failed me
every time so that I could not speak
on the subject. I feared I might tell
him what a condemned sinner I felt
myself to be and that it would cause
him great trouble—I did not want to
i:au.se him and mother any more trou
ble than I had already done.
In June, of the same year, my
troubhs about my condition became
so great that I found rest neither day
nor night. At night I would cry until
my pillow would be wet with tears—
in the day I wmuld strive to conceal
my troubles from the family.
^ Before the war father was a sub-
sfiriber to tX\e Signs of the Times. I
often read tlie experiences contained
in them, and their case was al>out as
mine, until they would find pardon
and feel relieved of their burden; but
there was no pardon for poor me—I
thought I had to die in my sins and
go to helh X read the Bible but
found no comfort there, till about the
first of July: one night, after pray
ing all day for pardon, as I went to
bed, I said, “Lord, I give myself to
thee, ’tis all that I can do!” and closed
my eys; but was afraid to go to sleep.
I don’t think I was asleep when it
appeared that these w'ords were spoken
by some one, “Come unto me,all ye
that labor and are heavy laden, and
I will give you rest j take my yoke
upon you and leani of me for I am
meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall
find rest unto your souls: for my
yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
In tlie twinkling of an eye my bur
den was gone. I then wanted to tell
some one that I had found a Savior,
that Jesus was my Savior. Sister,
whom I had always confided in, was
away from home, so I thought I
would tell my parents; but, when
morning came I feared to tell them,
thinking, perhaps I was deceived.—
But that seemed like a new day to
me, for instead of praying it was
praising.
In a few days I was in trouble
again. I wanted to be baptized, but
was afraid I was deceived, and that
I might deceive the Church of God.
August 26th, 1865 I went to
meeting at Antioch Church, Stewart
County, Ga., and one of my old
school-mates went forward. When
she went forward 1 felt that I could
not stay away; and, the first thing I
knew I was there .seated beside her.
I was afraid to tell what little I had,
for fear ofmy parents feeling ashamed.
I had no idea the Church would re
ceive m(^ but when old brother Oats
asJ^^hpjjyjiyP^i^the^alings of tlw^'-
tion of what I have here written,
and, to my surprise, was received
without a question being asked me,
and was baptized the following day
by Elder J. Oats—August 27th, 1865-
Your unworthy and weak sister in
hope of eternal life,
Akaretta C. Davenport.
Zion’s Landmarks,
P. D. GOLD, Editor.
PUBLISHED SEMI-MOHTHLY
—( at )—
^ILSON, jlo^TH pAF^LINA.
Two Dollars Per Annum.
forward a remittance, and watching
the receipts. Some subscribers are
very prompt in keeping their sub
scriptions paid up. I have to pay
cash for all the outlays and expenses
of the L.4NDMARKS. If all will pay
up promptly this will not be so hard
on me. Let me hear from those that
are behind. It will be a favor. I
hope none will stop their papers.—
Any who are not able to pay, and re
quest it, have their papers sent free—
even the postage paid by me.
I hope that the circulation will be
much increased this year.—[Ed.
A NEW YEAR.
JANUARY 1st, 1876.
I
1 h i I a t i a
f “ Remove not the ancient land-1
\ mark, which thy fathers have set.” |
NOTICE!
My needs are .such that I must orge
on those of my .subscribers who are behind
with the Landmarks to send forward their
dues as .soon as possible. Any wlio do not
remember how they stand, if diey will .send
forward a remittance and notice the Receipts,
can soon learn. Many owe for one or two
years. True, their amounts separately arc
small—but put together they will enable mo
to pay some debts now due, which I desire
very much to pay.—[Kd.
Request!
I have been sending Zion’s Land
marks for one or two years to a num
ber of subscribers who are behind.
Will they-please send forward what
is diie ? If any know not how much
tiiey owe they can learn by sending [
This year, 1876, is the Centennial
Anniver-sary of American Independ
ence. On July 4th, 1776, our fore
fathers gathered in Philadelphia,
stinging under the burdens of British
oppression, and resolved to be free.—
The seven years of war that followed
were the price jiaid down for that
boon. It was a great deliverance.
But poorly have we, their offspring,
used this freedom. To-day, we are
a set of degenerate sons and daught
ers. Our officials are often corrupt.
It is difficult to find men fit to be
trusted. Extravagance, show, dis
content and corruption fill the land.
An enormous debt hangs over the
country.
One great reform in business should
be speedily made. Let there be more
farmers, and let these farmers pro
duce more breadstuffis, such as corn,
wiieafc, oate, &c,. and raise thei'* own
meats at home. This, with ’a pru
dent frugality in ]>urchasing, and a
hearly return to the simplicity of bet
ter days of the past, would restore
better times to us.
Does any one think that we as a
people are making any honest gen-'
nine progress ? Do we see .as much
honesty between man and man, as
much love towards each other, as
much confidence as in days gone by ?
It is folly for people to flatter them-
selve.s, though it is natural. The
young people of our country do not
exhibit the modesty and reserve, the
obedience to parents, and deference
for age, tlie industry and frugality,
that people ought to have who are
soon to be citizens of the country.
There is a great need of the culti
vation of a better feeling towards the
colored I’ace on the part rf some.—-
All other denominations of men have
separated from the negro and sent him
off to himself. Baptists are the only
people now showing that God has a
church and people taken out of every
kindred, nation, color, &c., that live
together in unity.
The command is, go ye into all the
world, and preach the gospel to every
creature, baptizing every believer. It
does not say baptize only white people,
&c. Baptists are the only people
now fellowshipping all colors,making
no difference. But, where evidence
is given that the Lord has cleansed
them, we receive-them. True, social
relations are not changed on that ac
count For, when a child believes he
remains as much the child of his
earthly parents as he ever did. When
a wife believes she remaias as much
a wife as she was before. When a
sa'vant believes he remains as much
a servant as he was before. Earthly
relations are not at all changed. A
negro rental ns as much a negro after
believing as he was before, and is to
be content with his lot as such. God
has put a difference—fleshly—be
tween the two races, and grace does
not remove that in time. It remains
for needful and wi.se purposes. Nor
should we seek to remove or isrnore it.
o
Let each man remain contentedly
where God has called him, and abide
in his calling. A poor man when he
becomes a Christian has no risht to
claim that he can enter the rich man’s
house, and be bis equal socially, and
share his riches. But he is to abide
in his lot.
Religion does not disturb, or change
the natural and social relations of hu
man life ; such a.=‘ the relation of hus
band and wife, father and son, mas
ter and servant, ruler and subject
but it regulates these relations by
putting a principle in the ImsbanJ
and wife to love each other more, hy
inclining the parent to govern hi.s
child in kindness, and causing the
child to more willingly obey his par
ents. It also teaches the master to
show necessary good will to his ser
vant, and leads the servant to hon
estly serve his master’, that God may
be glorified thereby. Hence true re
ligion corrects the evils in corrupt
men, and inclines them to se’vemore
faithfully in whatever station of life
they may be placed. Brethren, we
should see that we do this. . Let us
render to the colored man due kind
ness in his place. It is not the black
or white skin that we feiib'wsiup, but
it i.s Je.sus in the man. I am glad to
see a negro come to the church when
he comes beai'ing good fruit, and giv
ing evidence of his spiritual calk Irr
that spirit I fellowship him, but in
his place as a negro he remains where
the Lord has put him : he is not to
be despised. I am to .show him kind
ness and bear with his infirmities.—
AVhen such transgre.ss the law of
Christ they should be dealt witli in a
faithful desire to save them if it can
be done scriptnrally.
The man who says such cannot he
fellow.shipped unless we accord to
him all the privileges that we do to
our own children, would abolish all
the protections set up for the securi
ty of families, and the preserva
tion of society. For, when one begiiw
to pull down such safeguards there is
no end but in communism. If mv
Brother baptist is not fellowshipped
by me unle.ss I receive him into the
fullest social equality, he can take my
house, and ray wife, and my children,
and I can take his. Religion dcK«
not destroy these safeguards of socie
ty, but teaches men to regard and
honor them. It especially leads men
to be humble and content with their
lot. To the colored members I would
say: that it is your duty to prove
your religion to be genuine, by liv
ing ill honesty and humility. If your
religion puffs you up, and makes you
desire the white man’s skin or posse.s-
sions, or inclines you to defraud him
in your labor or tran.sactions, it is
vain religion, and the less of it yon
have the bettter. Be content with
your wages, and do violence to n*