THE ORGAN OF THE NORTH CAROLINA BAPTISTS-DEVOTED TO BIBLE RELWION EhftnATlorf. LITERATURE AND GENERAL INTELLIGENCE.
Volume 155.;
RAlLEiGHR.C., WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY a,,t890.
Number 3t.
The Biblical . Recorder.
PUBLISHED fcVERY WEDNESDAY.
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rr ' " 1 ' 1 i
Short Sketches of Some of the Bap
tint Pioneer ef Eastern .... ., -
CarolinaNo, 3, j-
- John'AapIond.-Morgan Edward. . ,
Benedict says of the North Carolina Bap
t'Mts "they hare had, especially in the low
countries, la the bounds ' of the Kebukee
and Nease Associations and their branches,
many very able and respectable minister
and brethren,; who have,' In addition to
their religions functions, honorably filled
many publlo stations, as magistrates, legist
fetors, &a 'Bat, as their biographies have
been mnoh neglected, little can be said
about them." , , ' '
Morean Edwards Informs us tnatjthere
were Baptists in this : State as far' back as
1S35. Probably isaptlsts were Here even
at an earlier date than that; bat who can
toll who they were or, whence they came?
The troth is. while no State can boast of
riobler, more patriotic, or more consecrated
men than the Baptist ministers and laymen
of North Carolina, who, during the eigh
teenth centarjT helped to lay the founda-
Hons of oar present social and political
blessings and oar wonderful denomina
tional growth and prosperity," yet their
tomes and deeds have been .left either to
tserish. or to be recorded by the hand of
strangers, who, like Edwards and Benedict,
cave gathered, while passing through the
State, such Information as was in easy
reach of them. . Consequently, much of
what has been accomplished has never been
told, and much has been accredited to those
to whom it does not of rtgat belong.
Ol many of the men named - in tnese
sketches, bat little can be said, for the sim
Jle reason that bat little is known of them,
inong these is the name of ' " . - s
to whom belongs a place in these sketches,
because, although of foreign birth, he was
lorn again in North Carolina Aeoordiog
to John Iceland, Asplund was horn In Swe
oen, entered the British naval service, and
during the Revolutionary war deserted off
tbe American coast, making bis way into
thisState. ' - i . ...
About 1782 he made a orofesslon of re
ligion, and was baptized by David Walsh,
He it said to have been a minister of only
ordinary gifts. It was as a statistician that
fce rendered bis greatest service to the Bap
tists of North Carolina ud of the whole
country. In 1791 appeared his first Regis
ter. which was followed by a second. in 1794.
. -1 Aspland was algreat pedestrian. In get
ting op the material for bis Register, be
travelled about seventeen thousand miles
mostly on foot, and became personally ac
quainted .with., seven . hundred. Baptist
preachers. ' 1 - y - 1 - . - - -Hla
first Register shows that In 1790, or
gist one hundred years ago, there were In
orth, Carolina 94 Baptist churches, 162
Preachers (ordained and licensed), and
.742 members. " Now oar' membership is
more than 280,000 -a gain of over 3,600 per
sent. ' " '-
This Indefatigable worker was ' acciden
tally drowned In Fishing Creek, Maryland,
in the year 1807. -
"The Baptist churches of America," says
Benedict, "have reason to respect the mem
ory of this diligent inquirer into their num.
er, origin; character, " Sco.
Here, I feel sure, la the place to make, a
few statements about another statistician,
because of tbe valuable service he has ren
dered to the Baptists of North Carolina, I
mean " , N "f" . (
MOBGAIV EDWARDS,
who came to this State early In 1J72, where
He remained about two years, visiting,
preaching, gathering information about the
denomination, and stimulating the breth-;
.Jen to greater seal for, tbe Master, After
his return home, be wrote a "History of
tne North Carolina Baptists.'! The manu
script is now in possession of H. G, Jones"
Philadelphia. , . . .
Morgan Edwards was born in Wales, May
h, 1721, old style, entered the ministry in
bis sixteenth year, and was ordained Jane
1 1757. - lie arrived In the United States
ith recommendations from Dr, GUI and
other ministers of London, May 23, 1761,'
nd soon afterwards became pastor of the
rst Baptist church In Philadelphia. Hn
ae year 1772 he settled upon a plantation
m Delaware, It was about this date that
&e visited various churches in this Btatei
ad flouth Carolina,' assisting, while among
cMntte organization of some churches
ordination of some men to the goppel
mn' "V. lie died in the State of Dela
warc. Jth Cf January, 1785, in the 73 J
jear cf Ua sje, and was buried in the
aisle of the. First Baptist church, Phila
delpbla. .i-tJxn. k , ', "-'; , -.-y'l
Besides his history of the North Carolina
Baptists he also wrote a history of the
South Carolina Baptists, forty two volumes
of sermons,- and other works, some of which
were printed, which show that he was a
hard-working laborer in tbe Lord's vine
yard. 1 Besides bis ministerial and literary
work, be did a vast deal of travelling In
England, Ireland and tbe United States. -
' , ' JOflff T. ALBBITTOSV -
Mt, Olive, N. O. ' - ..-v
Preaching. .
. My Dear JBro. Bailey :t oat comment In
this week's Reoobdbb on a recent utter
ance of mine is likely to make a wrong lm-
iresslon of what was said, i And you will
et me take tbe opportunity to eommend,
a 'word, to the; serious consideration of
Christian people what has of late taken the
shape in my.nilnd of a profound conviction.,
Of course, your comment ' was made with
what is now called preaching in your mind.
To preaching, as it Is now almost ezclu
sively exercised, I question If a parallel can
be found in the New Testament. Tbe
Apostles knew little and cared less About
meeting-houses. In their time tbe preacher
was a shepherd, a carpenter, a fisherman,"
who knew the Good News, and who, as a
friend, told it to bis neighbor who did not
know It, They were scattered abroad and
went everywhere preaching tbe word.. Fe
ter said to the . whole body of Christians,
Ye are an elect race, a royal priesthood
a holy nation, a people for God's own pos
session, to , declare abroad Jhe excellencies
of Htm who called you 'oat of darkness
into his marvellous light.". (I Pet. 2: 9.)
'That has been a false, an unchristian de
velopment by which tbe simple overseer of
Paul's appointment has come to monopo 1
lize the business of telling the Good News.
It is reversion of the old Jewish regime
when the priest absorbed, in4, himself well
nigh all the offices related to the religious
life of: the people. It has come to pass
pass that thousands of professing Christians
are mere parasites, maintaining no Inde
pendent relation to Christ and no personal
religions activity. There is no more imper
ative demand before the Christian world of
to day than that which requires a return to
tbe Apostolic method under which all. be
lievers were preachers, n The woman of Sa
maria (pray permit the reference) , was not
solemnly appointed by Jesus to "preach",
and to "teaoh"; .but it was not long after
she discovered him to be a prophet when
her whole city was streaming down the val
ley to see and hear him. . .
- A vessel came into New York harbor and
cast anchor. x Soon a boat was lowered and
messengers were dispatched with news from
across tbe ocean. On coming within hear
log of the eager multitude on tbe wharves,
the messengers shouted V Peaee, peace "l
tbe peace of 1812; and within two hours,
every man, woman and child in New. York,
and soon throughout the country knew the
Joyful tidings. , It is nearly two thousand
years since tbe angels said to the shepherds
V Peace on earth, good will to men," and
yet there are millions who do not know it.
The shepherds did their duty we read
" All men did marvel at the things which
were told them by the , shepherds." bat
modern Christendom has gone to sleep in
the delightful consciousness of delegated
responsibility. 4 Attention is directed to the
support of an institution Our church."
"Our minister." Meanwhile, souls are lan
guishing at dor side," whom said institution
will never reach. "Christ eame to earth
himself. He did not send his check." The
world wait on his followers waits to see
him follow his example. . J - . . .
r There are signs in many quarters of a
revival of the sense of individual responsi
bility on the part of Christians. . Godspeed
tbe day when every believer shall be eager
to tell his neighbors and friends how great
things the Lord hath done for bis soul,
r . Fraternally, - t Ejd. M Potbat,
New Haven, Conn., Jan. 23, 1890.
r' V No Ministerial Aia ' ' t
Rev. O. O, Brown, of Sumter, S. O?, is
writing in the Baptist Courier some advice
to young theologioal students, and among
other things, has the following i '
' And , one of these days, after some big
meeting, you are going to write a letter to
the paper, and tell of that meeting. . O, it
was a wonderful meetingl None like it
since the days of Ezra, and the people,
flocked to the church ; the deacons had to
put chairs in the aisles, the house was full
twenty minutes before the , preacher v got
there, so anxious were they to hear him.;
On the first Sunday you stirred the waters
by baptizing eleven, on tbe next Sunday,
forty elx; and after all your saying Is said,
Jrou will wind up with this bright and cher-i
shed utterance an utterance devised for
preachers only-r-"( bad no ministerial aid."
Now, young one, have you sized up those
words t o they remind yoa of anything t
Did you ever read a tender and touching
poem that' tells of Jacky Horner, and with
"what a-smart boy am If" .Now that is
the clear meaning of " I had no ministerial
aid." It is pure and sheer self glorification.!
It says, substantially,.4? Am I not a big onef
I did all this work myeif, - Not a single
fellow stuck in bis bill anywhere," Now
the point Is Jiaeo fabula docet- don't say,
nnder say circumstances, -" I had no min.
isterial aid.".; Send me a letter promising
not to say It, will you I , , , '
- The Fire that Kindle Revivals,
Tbe baptism which Christ brought to his
infant church was a " b-sptistu of the Holy
Spirit and fire." . The fliuu typifies the
warming, purifying, and life giving ibfla
ence on human hearts 1 When, the Holy
Spirit descended npon the assembled eom
pany on the day of Pentecost, there was a
visible appearance as of cloven tongues of
flame playing over every brow. Wherever
there Is a heart Or a church that Is filled
with tbe Spirit of Jesus Christ, there is a
glow of seal and heavenly' love. The lack
of these makes a " eold church"; and what
ought to.be a beat-imparting furnace to tbe
eommunity becomes an -ecclesiastical ice
boose. Tbe warming up of a cold church
Is1 what is commonly known as a revival. "
Certain artificial methods are sometimes
resorted to, which kindle; a blaze like a
burning tar-barrel ; bat such spasmodic ex
citements are apt to end id smoke, and too
often In disastrous results hpon some soqls
tbat are charred into aversion and disgust,
A true revival is kindled by the Holy Spirit.
But the agents employed are human agents,
and the measures employed are similar to
those of the early apostles viz., preaching,
praying, and personal efforts to win souls
to Christ. ' That king of American evange
lists, Charles G. Finney (afterward presi.
dent of Oberiin College), used to begin with
striving to awaken sold -and -benumbed
Christians before be tried" to arouse the im
penitent.- His sermons were often chain
lightning; they burned Into the very cote of
human hearts, and the glory, of Finney's
work, was that it resulted generally in .con
verted characters and Uvea- He strove not
only to melt human 'hearts, but, by the di
vine power imparted through the truth, to
mold them into some resemblance of the
Lord Jesus , Christ. . Many of the noblest
men and women who led in Christian en
terprises and moral reforms were the shining
products of Finney's red-hot ministry The
religion her preached Was not of the ienti
mental and sensational sort which luxuri
ates in the fervors of prayer-meetings and
hymn singings, but has no brawn to stand
the rough weather of e very-day life. " Of
that sore -there-is quite enough and too
much. The only revival worth striving for
in any congregation or eommunity is a
revival of the religion which' speaks the
truth and keeps its promises, which is as
good during the week as on the Sabbath,
which sweetens the home and purifies trade
and politics from roguery and rottenness,,
which "puts a Bible-conscience into every
day life, and wbien consecrates to the Lord
Jesus Christ the "first fruits " of. heart and
brain, and time and purse and influence.
As Prof. Drummond well remarks,, it is not
a large quantity, but a better, quality, of
religious character that is moBt needed. , '
Revivals commonly have small begin
nings. Often the seed ef fire is in a single
godly heart that is filled and inspired with
tbe love of Jesus. ' The Pentecostal work
began with a prayer meeting in an obscure
upper room in Jerusalem. r If there had
been a daily paper in that ehy at that time,
It would not have noticed the little coterie
of " fanatics who met to honor tbe mem
ory of the cruohied Nazarene; - But the fire
kindled in that sacred chamber soon burst
forth over the civilized world. ' After eigh
teen centuries It is burning yet. The seed
of tbe fire which kindled the Reformation
was In Luther's big Saxon heart.. In our
times we have seen equally humble begin
nings of revivals wbiott have spread through
a whole church, and sometimes from church
to church through a whole city, Two young
ladies came home from visiting a plaoe in
which they had been oonverted to Christ.
They brought the live coals in their hearts,
began at once to converse with their uncon
verted friends, and a work, of grace was
kindled which spread, through the church
to which they belonged.. Nearly all the
revivals which I have witnessed in tbe
churches under my charge have commenced
in one or two individual hearts., The first
one began with the faithful talk of a. sweet
young girl to an Impenitent friend. In 1872
Mr. Moody (not yet famous) instituted a
series of prayer-meetings and Bible read
ings in our new mission chapel; but a cou
ple of dozen persons attended them. "This
seems slow work," I said to him. "Very
true," replied the sagacious brother; " it is
slow, but if you want to kindle a fire, you
collect a handful of sticks, light them with
a match and keep blowing until they blaze,
then heap on the wood. .. So I am working
here with a handful of Christians, endeav
oring to get them to consecrate themselves'
fully to Jesus, and if they get well warmed
with divine, a general revival will come and
sinners will be reached and brought in.".
He was right, and his sagacious efforts were
followed by a deep and effective work of!
Eraoe that changed many hearts and Uvea!
et us never despise the day of small
things. - 4 , - j
Everything depends npon the kind of fire,
that is used., Sincere fervent Christ love
shed abroad In even one heart, and accom-.
panied by the Holy Spirit, is a seed of
heavenly flame, then the power is from on;
high. " A luoifer match of '"mere human
effort may start a bonfire of pine-shavings i
but,' as In the ease of Elijah at Mount llo;
reb, "The Lord la not in the fire." Every
thing like reliance upon any man or meas
ure is fatal. Co operation with the Holy
Spirit la the one secret of sure success. ' Re
ligious machinery Is always useless unless
thaj living Spirit is within the wheels.'
That, divine "Spirit works upon and works
with the humblest private Christian ai
with tbe most eloquent, preacher or the
most celebrated evangelist. Don't send for
a man; send first for the Master. When
Christ comes, the dead are raised to life.
God answers honest prayer, and God al
ways blesses honest, unselfish work. This
is a truism that Is too often forgotten.
? Amid, all modern inventions there has
never been any improvement on the meth
ods used In Apostollo times. The "Book
of the Acts" is chiefly the record of indi
vidual labor (fired with the love of Christ)
for aad with individual souls. Philip finds
bis man. Paul fiods his man or woman,
and then tbe work spreads in Samaria
Lystr, Philippl or elsewhere.' Christ's best
work was personal, The danger in oar
churches is in using phosphorus instead of
celestial fire.' Another danger is that indi
vidual responsibility will be lost Sight of,
and each church-member will neglect his
own duty to souls while waiting for the rest
to movers One earnest soul (in a pulpit or
out of it) that is emptied of self and, sat
urated with Christ may kindle tbe souls
next and nearest to him. 'The spiritual
flame thus spreads, and a frigid church may
soon redden into a strong anthracite glow.
Perhaps some brother or sister who reads
this article may drop' the paper and inquire:
"Lord, is it If? Yes, my friend, it is you, if
you will seek a froth baptism of the power
from on high, and then carry your live coal
of love to some one who Is freezing to death.
A single lamp well used Is worth more than
a torchlight procession on idle parade,
Dr Theodore L. Cuyler, in Ziovis Advocate.
Make Full Proof of thy Ministry ,
These words contain Paul's solemn and
impressive-charge to Timothy,, hie son in
the ministry, who lay very near his heart.
He remembered him in his prayers night
and day,, called to remembrance tbe un
feigned faith that dwelt in him which first
dwelt in his grandmother Lois and his
mother" Eunice. Wherefore says he: "I
pat thee in remembrance that thou stir up
tbe gift of God that is in thee.'' ,
"There 'always has been on the- part of
true and faithful aged ministers a feeling
of deep interest in behalf of young men en
tering the work of the ministry. God has
put great honor upon this, the highest and
most noble employment;, hence the great
importance of being qualified for so sacred
an office. There is great danger in these
days of scholastic attainments and abstract
speculation of the Christian ministry being
imposed upon. Human learning is Jmpor .
taut and also a- bright intellect, but these
alone are not sufficient; more satisfactory
testimonials, are demanded: Make full
proof of thy ministry.. How are we to do it,.
First, by giving unmistakable evidence
that we have been called of God, and put
into the ministry by him. The outward
separation by ordination Is man's nrk and
supposes the previous appointment of God.
The Holy Ghost separated Paul and Bar '
nabas unto the work to which they had
been called., Acts 13: 2.
. .Oar sufficiency is of God who bath made
us able ministers of the New Testament (2.
Co S: 5, 6 ) Take heed to the ministry
which thou hast received in the Lord that
thou fulfil it, (CoL 4: 17) There are many
other proofs given, showing beyond doubt
that be whom the Lord would have preach
tbe gospel is called and put into the minis
try by him. He who has not been the well'
tried friend of God and has not been in
wardly moved by the. Holy. Spirit to take
this sacred offioe. and whose, heart has not
been filled with the compassionate love of
Jesus, is not worthy of a place In his min
istry. '" V " i-?' i J -
While we do not eontend that an audible
voice is beard calling us to labor as ambas
sadors for Christ, we do insist that necessity
is laid npon every one whom he counts
worthy, so that he feels intensely from the
very depths of his sowi: Woe is me, if I
preach not the gospel of Christ. ?
-. We should make full proof of our minis
try by preaching the. truth God bids ua
When Jonah was sent to preach to the in
habitants of Nineveh,; the command was
strictly given, ' Go preach tbe preaching I
bid thee."- : ; (
We are not to proclaim creeds and doc
trines instituted and taught, by men nor
proclaim a cherished belief, as the result
merely of our long investigations or our ex
traordinary experience, but upon a " thus
salth tbe Lord." j So spake tbe hoary
headed Joshua, when a prophet oame forth
in Gideon's days and spake to rebellious
Israel: "Thus salth the Lord God of
Israel." If we turn to tbe sacred pages of
Isaiah and, Jeremiah we cannot fall to no
tioe bow often they quote 'the divine au
thority. Oar line of duty is clearly pre
scribed, 'and we have no right to go ben,
yond it. When a tabernacle was to be
built tbe command as given to Moses was,
" See thou make all things after the pattern
showed thee in the mount." Christ,, in
giving the great commission, said to his
disciples, ($o ye into all the world , and
preach . the gospel, - go. teach. ' all nations,
baptizing them in the. name of the Father
ana of the Son and of the Holy Ghost,
teaching them to observe all things whatso
ever I have commanded you."
; Paul earnestly advises Timothy to preach
the word, and in addressing, his Ephesian
brethren tells them to, takejthe sword of
tbe Spirit, which is the word of God. It Is
a fearful thing beyond expression to preach
any doctrine or teach observance of any
ordinance that cannot be sustained by tLe
word of God. "To the law and the testi
mony," If they speak' not according to tLia
word it is because there Is no ;ght in them.
There are some who would pervert the
gospel: "But though we, or an angel from
heaven, preach any other gospel nnto you
than that which we have preached unto
you,-let him be accursed." Gal. 1:8.
We should, niake full proof of our minis
try by a devoted exemplary life. No bright
ness of talent, no superiority of intellect,
no extent of knowledge, no display of ora
tory, will prove a substitute for these essen
tial qualifications. ' A. bit-bop must be
blameless, tbe husband of one- wife, vigi
lant, sober, of good behavior, given to hos
pitality, apt to teacn. moreover be, must
have a good report of them which are with -out,
(1 Tim 2: 2. 7.) When the rulers of
tbe people and elders of Israel saw the
boldness of Peter and John and perceived
that they were, unlearned and ignorant
men, they marveled and took knowledge
(of them) that they have been with Jesus.
The meekness, wisdom and firmness of
these holy men were a stroog confirmation
of the Christian faith.
-. It Is recorded Barnabas that he was a
good man and full of the Holy Gbcst and
pf faith, and as the result much people was
added nnto tbe Lord, a noble testimony; a
sacred influence, extending throo6'h all
time. . , -. ,
Very much depends upon the example of ,
the minister in his walk among the people
of his charge. On a certain occasion, as
Ellsha passed, to Sbnnam, a great woman
said to her husband, " Now I perctlve that
this Is a holy man of God." How impor
tant in all our joumeyings we have an im
pression that we are God's ministers; and
like Jacob, declare that- we have power,
with God and men. Rev. W,,R. Northrop
in Christian Herald. '-
'' The Crown of Thorns, ;
. I submit the following as the probable
interpretation of the fact that our Savior
was crowned with thorns: ,
' In wearing tbe thorns the Eavlor was ect
forth as bearing the curse. One of tLe
marks of the curse was that the " earth
should bring forth thorns and thistles"
(Gen. 3: 18;, and tbe Apostle in Gal. 3: IS, '
says "Christ has redeemed us from the
curse of the law.'belcg made a curse for
ua" The thorns were witnesses of tbe curs a .
of God resting upon the earth, and r"t
upon the Redeemer's bead; they symbolic c.3 -
a. e. , a. 1 a e a. r n .i.
inai mo cures was vurua vy una. n -
be remembered that although the purpie""
robe. was taken off the Savior, the crown
was not. He died with that upon his brow:,
typifying that in his death be lifted the
the prophecy that the earth is to be deliv
ered from the curse, and Even's bowers
shall bloom again, and the rose without a
thorn shall brighten the hills and valleys of
earth. A U. Owen in Central Baptist.
The modern creedlees Baptist Is a pro
duction of the age of shams. ' He has no
predeessor. : May be have no successor."-
Spurgeon. ' - '
We do not think he will have any suc
cessor.. Those who follow him will throw
off the name of Baptist and be agnostics, .
or whatever the infidels of to-morrow may -call
themselves. The man who discards
tbe doctrines of Christianity but hoi is to,
the graces, if be have been trained und -?
the influence of those doctrines in youth,
may maintain to a certain extent thosa v
graces still. His life is not cbacd by t'3
new intellectual attitude. , But his
cesser who attempts to maintain the graco?
without the doctrines on which they ret,
will end in blank unbelief. Dr, Thomas
Arnold, of Rugby, was a " liberal " In his
day, and as a result his son, Llattbew Ar
nold, was almost an atheist.. Christian '
graces cannot long flourish where Christian
doctrines are not believed. It will not
do to say, " No matter what a man be
lieves, so his heart is right," , ;
As well say "No matter what, a man
does, so his heart is right.? True, God
looks at tbe heart, but he also looks at the
head and at the hand. Head and heart and
hand cannot be separated. God has joined
them together let no man seek to put
them asunder. -Western Recorder.
, There is nowhere in the world, from th
political side of the arena, bo grea; a dis
trust of the papacy as In Italy. And what
nation among ths nations is so well iafo: i.a
ed npon the spirit and workings of the pa-
pacyas the Italian nation? If they v. ho
abide io his own house, the very ise;iit-r3
of his family, may not trust him Vtho c"
trarily rules from the Vatican, tL :a '
should venture to repose conH ' 3 i i ! ' ?
Italy may have many foes, atao.-?-1: t" r
tions, but the side of her lila s ,L '
most securely fortifies is that rcoLlr i
the Vatican. Here is the one f . 3 .
fears more than all other for c :
whose stealthy advances e!"-! i ;
protests. An uaoiiatakatle vc '
in the Chamber of Dop-it! i . I
cember 19, 181$, whoi V ,
"depriving the cl r,;yc! t
all charltiea " by a vc m " "
charities of tha n i
administered ly t' . . .
is quota as i ; !
that of th3 j - ! -
of psrr""'
of
1
ItalLxa fcLil . .