Newspapers / The Biblical Recorder (Raleigh, … / May 28, 1852, edition 1 / Page 2
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T HIS - MIS IL II (DAIi M D (DIE ID ISM. THE BECOKDER :1MJEiIS2ISHII. (Dr F II I D A Y i II A Y 28i 1 8 5 & We leara fronTa ' corrtspondent that seven persons hare been united to the Milton Baptist church by experience and baptism. ' As an appendix to bur answer to the Query of May 14th, we fire the following, which we hare found inineiMew-i'orKKecorder: . ; -. In Rensselaer county, New-York, a tavern-keeper nau aoandoned the traine in aiconoi alter Having been several years engaged in it. Whenever the subject xt his selling liquor was referred to, he was observ ed to manifest feelings of deep regret and sorrow.- A mend one day inquired tne cause. 1 will tell you,? replied he ;,anu opening his account-hook, said "Here are forty-four names of men who have been all customers, most of them for years: thirty-two of these to my certain knowledge now lie in the drunkard's grave! ten of the twelve remaining are now living con firmed sots! These are ihe fruits of this, dreadful and degrading business." Who would be willing to engage in it for the paltry wages of a few pence ! wu man iouow uus irauuc ana oe a i-nrisuan s Re?. Dr. Ilice. W had lately the pleasure of-hearing this dis tingnUhed preacher in the Presbyterian Church in' this city. " He has occupied several eminent positions in different parts of the country, and is now pastor of the church at Hampden Sidney College. i His fore noon discourse was on jamuy government. He re marked that the present state of things in this country made a sermon on this subject peculiarly appropri ate. He drew a lively picture of the wide spread in fluence of infidelity and popery in our American Union the contempt of law and Order the ferocious passions and sanguinary rencontres which digrace and defile our land, and as one specimen ot the dan gers to which our country was 'exposed thro these Uagoverned passions and thus trampling on the ma jesty of law. he stated that very lately in Virginia, the Governor of the State was in danger of being mobbed and his house threatened with being torn down, for exercising his pardoning prerogative in a case where it was justified by every consideration of clemency and by respectable public petition. - ; : He traced these evils to the neglect of family govern ment, and showed that insubordination, begun there, would,as its natural results, finally convulse the State. He made many just remarks on the reciprocal duties of husbands and wives and .re-instated the former in their long lost rights on the solemn authority of God Knowing that the ladies would not easily resign their long possessed dominion over the homestead, he did full justice to the plausible arguments in their favour. He admitted that it often happened that the greater degree of intelligence was on the wife's side, and supposed the question to be put indignantly by her offended dignity : ' What! shall ignorance rule over knowledge, and folly have the sway over wisdom, merely because these inferior qualities belong to a larger and stronger body V To this the Dr. replies : So God has ordained wherever there is a collision of I opinion, and if the female party feels herself aggriev ed, she has only herself to blame for marrying a man less smart than herself; and must abide by her cho sen destiny. The Dr. did not consider the lady's possible rejoinder, that in these times' when boys throw away their opportunities of education and girls im prove them, smart men are so scarce that a lady would have to wait a good while ere she would find her masculine superior!- ' Un the whole we thought the discourse full of strong and useful matter, and highly orthodox on this delicate subject, tho we are aware of the risk we run of incurring the irown of some in " highi places." There was only an expression now and then escaping from the preacher, which breathed rather strongly of the Old Vtrginny" spkit, as where he'said.that the head of the family, it he or she ever inflicted punish ment in a passion, deserved to have the punishment turned upon themselves I And that in school govern raent, if a parent should bring a boy to school and say to the teacher: V You are not to lay your hand on this boy Sir" he would refuse to receive the pu p3 and he had seen the time when such applicant might thank his stars if he himself got away without chastisement, for offering such an insult ! The afternoon's discourse was on the text : We are the circumcision who worship God in the spirit and. rejoice in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh." e. " Much of the sermon was quite to- our taste and calculated to be useful to all. But in speaking on the last head, the preacher we thought, very unnecessari- ly ana irrelevantly to his argument, indulged in re marks invidious, and offensive to other christians, many of whom were" present. The coarse of, his ar gument led him to speakof those who had confidence in the flesh which he considered as embracing all whs pnt any trust for salvation In aught but Christ Jesus. He ranked among these the ancient pharisees who reposed a dangerous confidence in the rites of the Mosaic law the modern - papists who tru st ; to their own invented ceremonies the high church Episcopalians who attach such a- charm to baptism and ordination descending lineally from an Apostolic Origin and finally the Baptists who require immer $ion in order to constitute Baptism and confine the IMiar dapper to sue a immersed believers. Now it is not our part to fight their battles for the Romanists or Puseyites and they may both look to their own corieerns. 'But we have a word to say in defense of 1 " T- : V I . 1 1 1 t. ly the excellence of many Baptists and his fraternal affection for them. But these he said did not have confidence in the flesh did not trust in these their! peculiar dogmas ; leaving it to be supposed that the others khe body at large did trust tor salvation in baptism, and not exclusively in Christ. The fallacy in this argument is, that we are obliged to trust tot salvation, in any opinion we. may hold which distin guishes as from the genera body of Christians. conscientious christian feels himself bound to obey whatever he believes to be the law of Christ's house as we2 in externals as in Utemals, and because , he believes that the immersion of a believer in water in the name of the Trinity alone constitutes Baptism, he is no more to be'eharged with placing a dangerous reliance on that ordinance, without other proof, than his Presbyterian brother is to be charged with placin; . a. dangerous reliance on bis presbyteries and syn od Or in insisting that the wine shall be given to the laity as well as the clergy in the Lord Sapper, v Tena- aious as many of our denomination may be of the Importance of the peculiar tenet which distinguishes it, there- is not one who would not disclaim the least reliance ea it as constituting a foundation for hope. They well knew the , distinction between what the soul ought to rest on-as its Rock of Salvation and those duties the performance of which according to its best anderstanduag is the preper evidence of its ' union to . Christ and love for him. Might we not turn the ta ties upon our attacker and say t the language of your standards would warrant people in putting more con -fidenoe in. Baptism than any which we use. Turn to Confession of FaithChap. 2S, See, : A1 tho t s.a great sin to contemn or neglect this ordinance raping yet grace" and salvatien are- not so insep erafcly annexed unto it, as that no-person can be re- "--riiea or fiYca wunoui ii, or iaai au mat are I --tlzei are uudouktedly regenerated.' Now, would z:t te natural interpretation of such language as this be that the blessings, of grace, regeneration,. and salvation , were generally but not always connected with baptism 7--that the happy cases are the rule, the unhappy casesi the exception t This Interpreta tion is confirmed when uken in connexion with the following section. -, Sect. VI. The efficacy of baptism is not tied to that moment of time wherein it is administered ; yet notwithstanding, by the right use of this ordinance, the grace promised is not only offered, but really ex hibited and conferred by the Holy Ghost, to such (whether of age or Infants) as that grace belongeth unto, according to the counsel of God's own will. In his appointed time." Now it does appear to us that this mode of expres sion encourages the belief and hope that there is a virtue, an effieaey towards the salvation" of the soul, inherent in baptism, but not tied to the time of administration that it will, however, come sooner or later to those to whom such grace belongeth, as certainly as the sum due will be paid in due time by a faithful man' who gives his bond therefor.' .This is making more of baptism than we Baptists make of it. We should not choose to use the expression efficacy ; of baptism at all ; lest it should convey a wrong idea or inspire taeramental presumption--that very here sy against which: Dr. Rice and his church, as well as ourselves, so strongly revolt and loudly protest. And this difference of views between us coincides with onr difference of opinion as to the proper recipientsof this sacred sign. . With us it is no promise "or pledge of something now promised and hereafter to be bestow ed, but merely the insignia of an adopted child the appointed costume of Christ's flock, which, when they put it on, the Baptized are constantly instructed to think, may bo and often is worn by wolves ; and therefore it is to them not a seal of salvation then be stowed, or a ticket of promise, but an expressive out ward memento of their professed death unto sin and resurrection unto holiness and a badge of our having confessed Christ before men ; to wear which will be our comfort if we are conscious of sincere loyalty to him, but a source of secret shame . and remorse " if our heart condemn us," as being none of His. hell, possess the power to be as holy as the angels of heaven Thus sophistcalty shifting the terms of the proposition, he involves himself in the following syllogistic absurdity VHoly character is power, and natural ability is power j therefore holy character is . The argument of Videns again proceeds upon the supposition, that God cannot justly punish any being J for disobeying his commandments, unless he give him power to obey them j that is, he cannot punish a sinner for his sins, unless before he punishes him, natural ability : which is as good reasoning as toi makes him.hoty. And as it is certain, that God For the Recorder. . Yidens. , Perhaps I should be discourteous, were I to over- ook the new knight, whose eagerness for the tour nament has hurried him into a 'combat which, for the time being at least, more properly belongs to an other; and who, in the ardour of his chivalry has drawn his sword upon a combatant, while engaged with another antagonist. Intermitting therefore my regular contributions to the Recorder, I devote the present communication to the claims of Vidkxs. In doing so, I shall speak plainly because the occasion requires it. From the boldness with which' he has committed himself to the battle, and the spirit with Which he has assailed his adversary, -Videns will have no right to complain, if in self-defence, and in defence of truth, Tdiscuss freely the merits ofTus communica tion. While speaking however what is due to truth, I shall not forget what is also due to a christian brother. : " "' " ' 'V- : It may be seen, by referring to the communication of Videns, that nearly the whole of (what in a spirit of controversial courtesy I will call) his argument consists of sundry exclamations of " wonder," at the "astonishing declarations of W; H. J. t But Videns ought to remember, that to exclaim and to stare at a person, though it may in some cases incommode his modesty, is not the same thing as to disprove his posi tion. Truth may sometimes be stared out of counten ance but not so easily out of being. He ought also to remember, that a thing may be astonishing," and yet very true. It would not ; be unworthy too, of - his consideration, that what may be "astonishing" to him, is not therefore so, of .necessity, to. all others. It will not either, I am persuaded, be considered by Videns a disparagement of his attainments, if W. H. J. respectfully ventures to suggest, that there are.ma ny "astonishing" things, which probably, as yet, he may have never learned. ' ; ' Videns commences his strictures, by informing us that-" the following astonishing sentence may he found penned by V. H.'J. And as it is admitted that all are not willing to believe it follows that God does not give to all men the power to believe.' " Up on this statement he enquires 7" Does pur esteemed brother intend to preach the doctrine, that God will eternally damn an immortal being, for neglecting to do what he has not the power to do?" This ques tion, embracing several different points, requires, to doit justice, separate answers!' That Videns may consider them to better advantage, I will submit them in order. 1. There might be some excuse for this language, if W. H. J. had not so ! fully - explained himself, as not to . admit of . misapprehension, supposing in his reader only ordinary intelligence, together, at the same time with a moderate degree of candid atten tion. As it is, there b none, t Either Videns does not understand, which after all that has been' said, would be inexcusable ignorance, (pardon good Yi dens a necessary plamnness) thai by want of power in the sinner, WJ H.J. means want of trttf, or holy character; or he denies such want of holy character, in the sinner : or otherwise, he denies that the want of this character is properly denominated a want of power. 11 ne uemes either tne want 01 such moral qualifications in iht sinner, as incapacitate him : for believing the gospel, or that the tranf of such quali ficationsis properly called a want of power, we must despair since the authority of the Saviour will not satisfy him of dislodging him from his 'position He has been referred to the language of Christ "no man can come unto me, ' except . the Father 'which have sent me draw him," In the same - connection our Lord says ;" every man that have heard, and learned of the Father coraeth unto me."-- So that if they do not come to Christ, they have not heard and learned or, which is the same thing have not been drawn, by the Father: and if not drawn by .the Fa ther, they cannot come to Christ. The Savior too, says again to the Jews," if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins." lie first tells them, they cannot believe in him, and then tells them if they do not believe in him they shall perish. So that the language of Videns-" does pur brother in tend to preach the doctrine, that God will; eternally damn an immortal being,, for neglecting 5 to do, what he has not the' power to do" is not less applicable to our blessed LORD, than to the poor sinner W, H. J. And yet Videns' seems determined- hugging a barren and shrivelled hag, as though it were an ob ject of celestial beauty sacking a stone, as though it yielded him the Very juice of life he seems deter mined upon the superanuated sophistry, of confound ing two plainly-different and 'clearly-defined wnses, in which the term power is employed ia this discus sion, as well as recognized in the Scriptures. He reasons from this term in a sense, which he knows or if he does not, he ought to know, is different ftom that, in which it is employed in the proposition he denies. It is armed that man has not power in the sense of holy teUt, or morolf cJiaracter, to believe'the gospel.; Videns denies the - proposition, by'aSrming that man has such power in the sense of natural abU. ity f .that is in the sense, in which the' inhabitants of say, a man is an animal, and a horse is an animal j therefore a man is a horse. Notwithstanding these statements in explanation of our views, Videns asks, asif the 'Jnterrogation contained something very original and very forcible, if W. H. J, intends to preach the doctrine that God will damn an immortal being for neglecting to do, what he has not the power to'do." Of what use is it, to explain our views, if those for whom we write, cannot or will notjunderstand what we say . Discussion with a person appreciating our viewspromises some benefit, and is not'without its satisfaction.' But to be doomed to repeat and repeat again,-the same things, only to be misunderstood and distorted, under pretence of being refuted, is an intolerable burden, more hope less and revolting than the task of Sisyhus. ' ; 2. Videns intends of course, from the form of bis question, to controvert the proposition of VV, H. J, that " God does hot give to all men -the power to be lievers Why then does he not' disprove it I The proposition is the conclusion of an. argument. Why does he not meet that argument and expose the falla cy of the conclusion 1 . Wi( I. J.'haaffirmed, that if there be any other inability in the sinner, to believe the gospel, than a want of wiZ?, or of shoral character, unbelief would be excusable. Will Videns object to this statement 1 . Ife again afilrmedthat God did not give all men the will to believe.: Will Videns deny this position He then concluded,if the want of will be the want of power, and Gol does not give the will, he does not give the power. Can Videns invalidate this conclusion 1 He does not even at tempt it. And yet he exclaims at the "astonishing' declaration Of W. H. J.; finding, I suppose, exclama tions cheaper than arguments ; and supposing, per haps, that, it would be. concluded,-as a matter of course, that when there is a loud report, there must certainly be some execution. - 3. If then God will not punish a; sinner for not do ing, what he has not the power to do, he will not punish him'or heing a sinner. ' For to say. that he is a sinner is to say that he is destitute of the power of f. loving and obeying God: unless the same being, can at the same time, both love and hate God ; or unless he who hates God, can by an act of his will, love him ; and thus by an act of his will, do what is con trary to his will j which is the same as to be willing and not willing to do the same thing. It is impossi ble to will to do one thing, when ihe will with alu its power inclines to an opposite . thing. And it is impossible that the will can act contrary to the af fections, or to our moral character. The will is not the master of the affections, but their servant. A good man cannot will to do wickedly; and a bad man can not will to do good.- As moral beings are good or evil. We cannot by an act of the will, hate what we love and love what we hate. For fuch an act of the will is itself impossible ; : for we- cannot will to hate what .4 we love, and love what we hate. And we love or hate objects as they, agree or disagree with our own character. . The good love the good. The wicked love the wicked. Nor can it possibly by any act of the " will, be otherwise ; any more, than a sentient being, by an. act of the wll can love pain and hate ease.' For as such ageing, will of ne cessity love that, which is adapted to the gratifica tion of his sentient nature, and hate that which is contrary ; so, in like manner, will it be with a mo ral being, .with respect to his moral nature. The sinner therefore who hates God, can never will to love him until he undergoes a change, con forming his character to ihe character of God ; that is until he becomes a new creature. . He can theie- fore, in fact, never will to love God, before he does love him. For the will obeys the affections, not the affections the will. " It is not of him that willeth, or of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mer cy." Born" "not of the will f-the flesh" " but of God." " ! I To say then, that God will not punish the sinner or want of power," to love and obey him, is to say that he will not punish him forjin. 7 For in this con sists his want' of power. r His want Of power is his sin. His sin is his want of power. ' Sin is. want of holy power. "Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin." "0 ! generation of vipers, how can ye being evil, speak' good things.1' " The carnal mind is enmity aeainst' God : for it is not subject to the law of Gfod, nehher'indeei can be." If then, according to the supposition, God will not punish a sinner, for not doing what he has not the po w. er to do, he will punish the unbeliever for not com ing to Christ the adulterer who cannot cease from sin and those who hate him, for their incurable and helpless opposition to his law. If too, as the objec tion of Videns evidently supposes, God -will not do this, because in so doingj he t would be' unjust, then does it follow, that he would.be unjust in punish ing the unbeliever, the adulterer, and his implacable enemies. 1 For the same reason, also, it would be un just in God to leafe the fallen race of Adam to per ish in their sins. . Hence the gospel, instead ' of be ing a glorious display of -rod's frei grace, becomes an act of the highest moral obligation. The grace of God is no longer " hts own , with 'whichrhe jnay 1 11 t Minn . 3 v l ....: ao wnai ne win, out a uxuo a , a oei, 01 ; inaemnuy against the injurious action of hiiown law,, which God is bound, under obligations the-most sacred, and imperious, to pay to the sinner. -. And' as r the inabili ty of those unhappy beings, who. in the righteous judgement of Gol are chained down to everlasting darkness and despair, is still greater than that of man, the Almighty is chargabie, in their punishment with a proportionably greater injustice. The objection of Videns supposes again that in all cases, and in every sense, ability and obligation are commensurate; ; But if this be true, all that is neces sary in any ase to absolve a creature,' equally, from all moral obligation, and all penal liability, is that he shall become a sinner.- With the cessation of his love to God, ceases atl obligation to love him. Only so long as heC is holy, is it his duty to be holy. llie necessary consequence of this position is, that the deeper a creature sinks himself in depravity, the more secure he becomes from punishment. With his increasing crimes, Justice guards him with? increas ing vigilance against all injury j and bids him riot with a continually-increasing 'impunity, in all the excesses of a continually-increasing depiavity. He must not be punished for fifs crimes, because he is so wicked, that he. cannot help acting wickedly!; I think it probable, if Videns m" counsel ? for "such a client, were to ply the Judge with this kind of logic inax nis uonour would be lively to reply--True sir your client cannot help being a villain ; and for this very reason, I cannot help putting 'z. halter around his neck. It bonly ia what relates to out du ty to God, that we deceive . ourselves with ques tions, of this .kind. In all other matters, ; these principles are perfectly plain, and lie level , to the comprehension; of Ihe humblest understanding. In theology only, tnea part with conimori eense."1" 1 ' will not punbh a holy being even though his holi ness amount only to a sincere desire for his favour the supposition involves a denial of the justice of God, in punishing his creatures in any case; and lays him under an obligation in all. cases to deliver them from sin : and hence the obligations of the Al mighty to transgressors, increase in the degree of their enmity and rebellion against him. In fact the position of Videns lands him on the ground of infi delity; and seats him by the side of : BolingbroQk, Voltaire and Paine. - . . -' Will brother Videns permit me to ask him, if there were never a time, when he felt, he had not power to do what nevertheless he knew it was his duty to do ? Has he not felt, in the conviction and pain of a guilty and burdened conscience, that it was his duty to believe in the testimony of God, concerning his dear Son, and to accept of his proffered mercy through the blood of the atonement, while painfully conscious at ; the same time, that bis dead, blinded, foolish, wicked, unbelieving heart was absolutely. and altogether dependent upon the light and power of God's free spirit, to enable him to perform this ne cessary and sacred duty 1 Do you" not nov, brother Videns, groan, being burdened with sin Do you not in the misery and helplessness of your case, cry to God for deliverance 1- Would you not this happy moment, if you could, be as holy as the angels of God t Is it not, dear brother, your daily lamenta tion, that you cannot obey God's most holy law, with a perfect heart; and in a flame of pure and seraphic devotion, consecrate your soul and body, a living sacrifice to Him who died to redeem you from hell 1 Do you not feel ajjd lament these imperfections, as your grief, and shame, and tin? Are not these things with you matters of personal experience t Oh ! bro. Videns, God, I am persuaded, has taught you these things. " I marvel," then, w that you are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ, unto another gospel." v - -; The position of Videns, it will be seen, contains the very core of the rankest Arminianisra ; namely, that men naturally have all the power which is ne cessary to enable them to believe the gospel But upon this supposition, what need is there of the Spir it of God to regenerate the soul 1 ' Faith is all that is necessary to salvation : and if without the Spirit of God, we have the power of believing, without the Spirit of God we have the power of being saved : and so, if all men can of themselves believe the gospel, all men .can of themselves save their souls. Let us now attend to a declaration of Videns, which he utters with a solemnity and emphasis, which as sert a claim upon our special.attention. uIdo now" he says " most solemnly avow, that if I believed the doctrine held in that quotation, I would suffer my rigid arm to be severed from my body, before I would preach t." This is a serious matter brother .Videns. We accept it as such. Be patient therefore if you please, while we discuss this point with you, with the gravity which the subject demands. First ; then my good brother, permit me to ask you of what im portance, is it to the. discussion, what you would do or for what reason, you would or would not, suf fer your right arm to be severed from your body 1 Or what does it add to the argument, " though you most "solemnly avow" in the premises. The case of Dr. Miller might have taught you, that in matters of religious tiuth and duty, something more is nec essary to satisfy the public mind, than the solemn assurances, even of great men. ' I am willing, how ever to believe that you, brother Videns,' may be some venerable Father, whose hoary head matured piety and rich stores of wisdom, entitle you with oracular air, to tell us all what you would do, as the rightful means of settling at once, every question of theological truth or Christian duty. You may es pecially be so superior in every intellectual and moral qualification to your humble opponent, as to render it altogether fit and becoming, that you should proclaim with vociferous exclamation his alarming statements and astonishing'! declarations ; and all this, without any impeachment of your own modest y, or reflection upon your christian humility. Supposing such to he the case rather than that you are some juvenile defender of the faith, whose only qualifica- uuu lur icacmng oiners, is your opinion 01 your own importance I submit to your magisterial rebuke, with the humility and reverence, it becomes me to do.5 " Still I hope vou will not be diseased, if I ven ture to prefer the example of an Apostle who has informed us, that he "shunned hot to declare the whole counsel of God to your own who have said that sooner than you would preach what, r neverthe less, you believed to be the truth of God, you would suffer your right a,rm to be severed from, yourbody- l must hope again for. your indulgence, if I - prefer also the authority of the same apostle, who teaches us that " all scripture is profitable" to that of your self who declare that a nortion of this same Sprin r ture being such by your own admission-" would not benefit a single sou), or advance in the . least degree our Master's kingdom on earth.". My brother! with this evidence before me, I can easily believe, inde pendently even of your own testimony that you "are a frail mortal," "liable to err." , I " wonder" not wheth er.you d id see but that you did nof see, that such a declaration involves an impeachment of the 'wisdom and goodness of God ; and as such is bold impiety, hi which none, professing to believe , in a revelation from God, and to bow to its supremacy, ought to be found guilty.,. A few hasty words only, can be devoted .to what Videns says, every one must see" to be obvious and inevitable conclusions" from VV. H. J.'s positions, Videns represents W. H. J. as aslg,how caXwe be said to have power to do, what we mis unwilling to dq 1" But W. II. J. has asked-no such question! Look again; if you please, Videns, and you will find that the "astonishing question" is-your otcn.- - The question of W. H. for which' you substitute your own as identicalis yery differenuXTo be uQwiniiig w w a. imng ana 10 nave no power to will to do : it, permit me to inform you, are very far from being identical proposiUons.. Still less is W. H. J. resnon sible for the gross' conclusion 1 you impute to him. that ".to be unwilling to do a thing," is a T sufficient t"v6j " uv uumg ui iv. , Auomer 01 me oovious and inevitable inferences," w as every one must see,'1 from W. H. J. positions, is thus stated. " All who do not believe, have hot the power to believe, ' an j are consequently excusable for not believing." ' An obvious conclusion,", as I think "every bneT, way "see," from this statement of Videns is, that he has attained, no iaconsiderable skill, at least, in one, of the arts of logic that, namely, of begging the cues tion. w. We have then" he proceeds " by fair de- auction, tne astomshing doctnne, that unbelief "is positively innocent." "Fair deduction indeed ! Such fair deduction, will prove at any time," without the least Acuity whatever,' that a man is an alliga' tor; or that the way to California is through the moon. "Hence,, again infers Videns for W. H. J. "God will eternally damn the unbeliever, for .obey ing his" will." Let me ask Videns, whom did he ever h:tr rpnresentin? the unbeliever, as "obeviner the ' L (J ' w will of God." Both the phraseology and the doctrine are his ownj obedience and disobedience are terms which relate to law. They imply of course a knowl edge of law, and a purpose ot mind concerning it An act which has no relation to a law, and which will not be rewarded or punished by such law, can not be an act of obedience or disobedience as judged by this law. Yet Videns supposes men to obey a law, of which they have no knowledge, concerning which they have no purpose, and by which they will never be judged j to which therefore they sustain no responsibility. For God's will (except so far as it is revealed, and is mandatory) is no law to man. This startling f conclusion" depends entirely for its exist ence upon the sophistry of confounding the decrees of God,' with his law. God will 1 nof condemn the sinner nor is any such inference deducible from any position of W H. J. for obeying, but lot disobeyin, his will. If.be accomplishes a purpose of glory, to hhnself in the conduct of the sinner, be it ithat it may, this consideration has nothing to do With the sinner's just obligations, his sin, or his destruction. The sovereign purpose of God of no importance to the question of moral obligation is of gieat and essen tial importance to the character of God himself. " f I must not conclude without answering an tion of a moral lmpor- tant question of Videns. ; "I wonder,? he says, "if it has occurred to brother W; H-J. that he "is preach ing fatalism 3" . No ! brothers Viuens it has not. But I will you tell what has occurred to him. ; It is f Aw that you Videns though you be-rlo not see all that you think you see. , , . I must now,brother Videns, take my leave of you for other engagements. You. will not likely hear from me again. ' Enemies can be generous, and I think at parting I can give you some good advice. Be not too confident of your own abilities.-You have yet much to learn. Excuse me for. telling you,-that in undertaking to discuss the subject of your commu nication, you have, ventured 'upon" a task, beyond your present ability. More reflection upon the char acter and government of God, more prayer, and study of the Scriptures, may better befit you for its per formance. Read and stud v then God's holy word, and submit your mind and heart implicitly to its dic tates. Read too a few good authors, such as Andrew Fuller, Joltn Bunyan, Thomas Scott, and Jolm New ton. Avail yourself of all opportunities for increas ing your knowledge, from conversation ; with ; wise and good men. Especially lift up your heart in con tinual supplication to the Father of lights, for the Spirit of his grace, to teach you, the knowledge of his truth, to lead you into the practice of his will, and to prepare you for that bappv world, .where all the imperfections of our present state, shall vanish in the light of a glorious immortality. J Warrenton, May 17th, 1852. W. II. J. 1 s- For the Recorder." - ; Dear Bro. To bet : It 1 affords me pleas ure to give you a brief sketch of the proceedings of the 46th anniversary of the Chowan Associa tion, held with the Church at Piney Grove Gates County, N; C, on Thursday, May 13th to Sunday 16th inclusive, ! 852'. f All the Churches were represented in the' As. sociation, ' with a single exception i Two new churches were recieved into the connection j two licentiates sent np fr ordination, 956 reported baptisms number of communicants 9960. Among the brethren the ministry visiting were -Elders J. B: Taylor. Reynoldson, Reubin Jones, : Cabaniss,' -Young, Wm Jones, and we hoped to add the name of Bro. Purify, but regret that 1 he nor an v other renresentative of Wake Forest College was present.-5 During the year past five of our churches were ' dismissed, to aid in the formation of the ' Pamplico Association, so that now, we number 43 churches : 33 ordained ministersj and 13 licentiates.' The introductory was a well-timed ' effbrfc on the necessity, of en tire consecration to f work of the ministry, on the part of ministers, and a competent support, and to the success of the gospel, founded 1 Cor. ix 13. 14.. : . ' The funds sent tip from the churches, for tHe support of a missionary to China, were transfer red to Rev J.B. Tayler, and we are happy to learn,- that in excellent young ministertwhose praise is in all tha churches is sariously revol ying in his mind, his duty in reference to entering the Chinese field, as the Missionary of the Ch6- wan Association. . As soon as oar dear brother can decide this question, so that his name can be pub licly announced, those churches which retained their funds may remit them enee to Rev. : A. J. Spivey (Treasurer of our China Mission Board,) Windsor, indeed no time should , be lost in sen ding the funds to Bro; Spivey,' for they will probably be needed as soon ai they can be placed in nis nanas. Money sutncient tor the 1 sup port of a Missionary was pledged at the last As sociation, and it was gratifying to see that many of. tho churches, " instead of almost complying with their obligations, went nobly beyond them, and paid m more than they pledged s Never in my life did I witness a scene that so strongly reminded me : of a circumstance I had bo often read of, in the Old Testament, where it is said that the priest gave notice to the peopta, that no more money was needed. - The report of the Board of Home Missions was a very interesting document. Under the auspices of H: M. ef forts, the - deserts around ns ' begin to' blos som as the rose," and our hands are encouraged in the blessed worlc. Z . ; - i 1 ,r , No department of religious 'effort, presents a more delightful aspect than our educational op erations. The Chowan Female Collegiate In stitute at, Murfreesboro' continues in the full of successful operation. Its hew edifice will be .completed in a few weeks, ' and wUl ' constitute an ornament to our country Fand an honor to the Baptists. -The writer,' no longer connected with that institution trill not be accused of adu lation, or undue "partiality in saying, that after having visited many of our best Female Semina ries, North and South, he has 6een not one that combines all the advantages, to be found at the Chowan Institution. ; Perhaps ho enterprise Ii which our venerable Association has engaged will ever-reflect such credit on its founders.- The corporation of the Institute by pursuing the great object cf their embodiment, tla : the erec fa Seminary of first cUrT : influence, is winnins tJJll who ence affected to look down every -one, and commahdin the i who incA t ? TPeCtcfi - oucb! Our; stitute has already accomplished had iginated under Baptist auspices. (V, are abundantly. remunerated in k.C times the amount, contributed fi, but we have only begun to eathpr i thefirtfmit,. ;i : While the . subject cf the W C3 Male Seminary in our bound -?r.n Forest College was in agitation wl?!! sociation, a xsommittee of gentiemenV the vicinity of Piney Grove, cirenkS 5i" senption, and an amount was subset soon, sufficient to enable them to pron Association, the donation of alarffa?,10 Hall thoroughly furnished iu everj g cases fcc.,&c, and 10 acres of knd10aai of the location of the Seminary near thel " The committee proposa to erect ampie houses, and to put the price of board y? that, youths eyen in indigent circninstaa , shall hot in future be deprived of a gooded tion on account of! the expense. . '. The report on Publications - and Tracts, the discussion, which. tool: place on the 01 11a auopuon, preseniea a ncn entertainment such as a christian delights to dwell upon. Foal were coniriDutea on tne spot, for purc denominational books and . tracts to be tiifV disseminated through the land, a Board was stituted to mature and conduct the Publicat and rTract operations, and : Murfreesboro rii selected as the seat of the Depository. - The report of thestanding committee on 1 N. C. Baptist State. Convention elicited fo an animated discussion, especially when proposition was submitted to form an Eastc Convention. No Association in tbe State ha felt a deeper interest in the welfare of the C05. vention than has ours, and even this year, te have given good evidence of that feeling; foj we feel that our Feelings have been disregards You remember well, the course of the Boii of Managers at the last Convention ; thennda prominence sought . to be given to one femk, school in - the ' State,, and : that a younger aad a smaller school, than others, has given offence, and it is to be hoped that if our. brethren yiIb our union and co-operation in the Conrenfifla, to say nothing of fraternal feeling, they wile more guarded in future. We are oppoiedu secession,, butelf-respect may induce us tore- sort to a remedy, which in contemplaUoa mr be as painful to some of ns," as to others. Tho next session of the ' Association will be held with the church at Meherrio, near Mur freesboro1, when and . where we hope to mset t large delegation. , : Yours ijaternally - 1 : s. j. WhEELEa. P: S. Some of the churches expressed through their delegates that their minutes shsall be sent te them by mail. - Such churches cai lie ccive their minutes in this way, by writing broth er Tobey and enclosing postage stamps or nss ey about 2 cents for each copy. f ' - 4 For the Recorder. Board of tho North Carolina Baptist m Couvention, The third Quarterly or Semi-annual mcetinf of the Board of the North Carolina Baptist Stx Convention, was held at the : office of the Sect' tary on Saturday the 15th of May, 1852. Ktt. J. J. James one of the Yice President m tw Chair. f - A very encouraging letter or report dated kJ 1st. was received from Rev. -Robert BJai Missionary to the Valley of the Catawba. iJnw- er Jones states 'I amHquite well fat and in fine spirits, so many encouraging circai; stances have occurred since I made my las R: port that I feel much elated. My labors art w beinz abundantly blessed, ihere are mors uM tbirty serious persons at tho different pkca and have - received two others to whom I 1 . . . : 1. - - rfA ' - thrift soon aaminister. tne . oruinance. : une, - iNewton, nas proiessea a nope in uu my ministry I expect to baptize her wbes I next visit that places We have estabEAela arm of the Olivet church at (Smyrna, iw North-east ; of "Newton ; received six meB12 by letter- one on . a profession of . faith, y-1 "Pf io,uapiue several wuea i ue ybi y . , '4 1 expect to constitute a church ten mik terest in that section. - Yesterday I preacjiw Long Creek church,: and was elected thai tor for the remainder of the year; I hnt?r dficidfld wbptrier I shall aceenL,, 1 i i - 14 have manjr mducements'to KrJ section. ; I hope Providence will rule aW. for good.: -1 do not wish to leave ror- na. 1 will not do it if I can be support, have been travelling in a portion of ccudhj I did visit last year., -I am surprised to seD f the people turn out during the weeK-t': have also been surprised to see the ifJ that pervades a great portion of the C.0BD great many sincerely believe that J5!Z their sins to tbeir preacher he can renui I a mat tne wine ana oreaa is tne ww; ur Christ-that infants have faith and to them they seem astonished. laD7'ftnirf heard? aiBaptistibefbre. I The Ji Baptists of .the.CatawbaAssocUtronexCT.i me more than a brother's welcome." - . : No answer has yet been received fjjjr Hume of Covington Kentucky, inrebhoj tTVf?fltnnt a SalisbaiTr.f Mocksvflle W jt Plains. 1 His acceptance is - considered o It ia important that these places as i i pen sionary to ride in the western section ot lah Association should be obteincd. suitable persons be recommended by -jjiaf of the Convention or tender .then seri ( . these important fields of labor. . - 0ii-" I The Circular to Pastors of churches era, issued by brethren Lacy, Plm 3 $1 as a Committee of ihe Board; was spP, directed to be destribuW. '1 '. tt W ' The Board 'then adjourned after Ftr Elder J.J. James.; Next Qwte Wa ' be held on Saturday before tkewirdj 0 September, by. hicb time it is exp reports will be received from all of tne arieshf the Convention, preparatory; nual Report of tho Board to the Convex October next.-. - . - - tsitrt .Nathaniel J. Palmib, w -. 3 lit , - t 1 f ' -o. f ,3
The Biblical Recorder (Raleigh, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
May 28, 1852, edition 1
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