mill . , . - . .:-..-';....-.
i - 1,111 1 . . 1
a i in mi 1 - - I.- wi-i-i -.i iii. m '" -- i
s
-111 1rn flnrt
lytVthe waste bwket. No exceptions.
rin letter of business, 11 u u--?iJ
rf vour noetofllce addrew In full
. .
wt ' . iha nr villi r iihlivhi
vwrBubecription expires, and also
THE ORGAN OF THE NORTH CAROWA HAPTIST&-DEWTED TO BIBLE' RELIGION. EDUCATION. LITEKA Tutus jusv w-wm.
B7.
RALEIGH, N. C, WEDNESDAY MARCH 2, 1892.
Number 38,.
ie Biblical Recorder
P0BLISHBD
EVERY WEDNESDAY.
OFFICE t
faHn) Fayettevffle Street, Raleigh, N. C.
Tkbmb Of BUBBCMftioh:
t snn
.rr::::::::':::::::::::::.i
. ATtr to sender) w.w
IjJgOI HU - - -
morsel under their tongues, nd felt much
of the old Pharisee sentiment of contempt
for all who were not numbered among the
elect of God.
It must have been a painful task for Mr.
Ross - to ttundee - his pastoral US with, the
people he had known irom infancy, and who
had bestowed on him so many touching
marks of their love and confidence. He had
found peace and been baptized in this very
fold. These people had been swift to per
ceive and encourage his gifts as a young
preacher. His stern but faithful father had
died in the same fold in 1801. But with all
these things to sadden him, Martin Ross felt
in his soul that his work was to lie elsewhere
in the future. Influences beyond his or any
other human Bagacity had tied up and sir
cuuiscribed his Influence in such a way at
Skewarkey that he .was forced to the conclu
sion that jsomeinew man should take the
place he held. It was thus that the great
1 SmurtlepaW In advS. , cumbrance upon his soaring sp rit Passing
over the broad waters tnat mviaea oia Al
bemarle from the more western settlements,
he went to the church at Yeoppim. It was
almost like entering upon a new and higher
stage of exigence. The strong man in all
his genius and power felt how much stronger
he grew with a multitude of sympathetic
souls sharing in his glorious aspirations for
a day of better things among the Baptist
people.
Burkitt and his allies had done great
things for the churches, but there was still
pressing need for advance along other lines.
Not a letter or a delegate had ever been seen
at the Kehukee from Sandy Creek or any of
the Associations that once formed a part of
her constituency. There was not even the
semblance of fraternity, much less any con
cert of action, between the great bodies of
Baptists thus enrolled in separate and al
most hostile camps. "With that keen, natural
which was one 01 Martin nosss
indicate
genres as
r . i.. mnr mrmeV.
ii al TI V wuiua ' 7
r - rrtllHT, IH IHUU 111 buthuv",
AamivaA wvla
?!. Com to whlcb you wish it changed.
dttaaowl must be sent by Registered Letter,
Order Postal Note, Express or Draft
Arni.. Donotaeno
Sketches of Pioneer Baptist Preaohen in
riortn uarouna.
BT JOHN W. MOORE, STATE HISTORIAN.
Memoir VI Kev:' Martin Ross.
CHATTER TWO.
The Rev. Martin Ross did not at once leap
.w Uadprshin and control of religious
Kirs, as was seen in his great friend and
f .. J !l 1 t;tnnir nnltnro I anorniMt.V
tSJi leading features of mind, he selected the re-
tmwrinr wealth and rennemeni oi vuu- i mrircumui.u. ...... . -tupenor
weaiuiiiu the lever to lift the discordant divis
ions of his peoje into unity and fellowship,
all Christendom was ringing wnu
aaciunty. It was inns several year? mm
iitio Ross had begun his career as a min
terof the gospel before we find way men-
sb of him In toe msiory oi m iveuun-
ixTaHrthTB-t tnts modest ana proper
lay on his part in assuming a leaamg pari
iong tne preacnrs auu mjmruvi ?ivw
pnhnnnpd his Dower whea after
am of patient observation and preparation
maHa icnf.wn the mihtv resources of his
n l artnl in the irreat Baoti6t conclave.
iirkitt saw with mach delight that here
debater as skilful as himseit m an me
imDirtf avnthetic and analytic treat
fentof the most exalted and abstruse prob
m of theolotr v. de f u rther recognized in
lie flowing and magnetic elocution, the so
mm tones, the pleading eyes aua synt
hetic bodily movements, elements of power
bt- surpassed even his own resources in
ich respects. That another great religious
ratorhad come to scare nis nuuura uu m-
uence gave the true man of Uod never a
wingc of jealousy or uneasiness. He loved
hMiiwtn wrhichhe had devoted ms me
flw deeply for any such sinful and unmanly
Mmgs to find lodgment in nis uetu . w
n Martin Koss, on tne contrary, wunmc
ving yokefellows in the same great huct
aevelopment and progress ior iuu miou
iple. In all the ettorts lor aavance uuu
her living among the Lord's people these
wo were ever round, witn iujriujiuj
Melds pressing resistlessly on against the
Idvocates of discord and deiay. on.
ke other Baptist preachers pf his day aQa
eneration, was largely given to making
reachins excursions in the different outly
ing sections of country, that were still near
laough to enable him to reacn nome in nine
or Ms regular appointmeats at Skewarkey.
lomfl nt thAto trins were doubly Diessea,
loth the missiohary and the people were the
letter for his visitations, ao me wuipi
ively rich and cultured denizens of the
ounties lying between unowan river aim wo
iiantic, Martin ltoss seemea a b
leaven. They always heard mm giau y,
tad hundreds found the pearl of great pnee
iader his ministry. Many of the wealthiest
Hid exrlusirft familiea that had looked with
fisdshxw Baptist preachers and their doc-
nnes were at last Been numou-g tucui
Wm before the LorcTand casting their fu-
Qre lots with their despised neighbors. .
in such a community Mr, Ross found that
he Baptists were quite a different people
torn the gloomy and iron clad fatalists he
as vainly seeking to lead into a more iov-
ne and ranf mis estimate of their Ureator.
ila fullv areein with the old Baptist
tenet as to predestination aa a necessary
part of Ood'a foreknowledge, be yet reuiem-
the fulness of our hova a oners
mercy to every one who would come and
Mnk of the waters of life. He . could not
down as unmeaning so many of those
gracinnn anA nniimitcri nfFprs of the Master,
jsimplyx because the Apostle Paul, in the
icourse of his argument, had asserted that
iM from the beginning of the world,' had
'ureseenwho would be saved, h
monstrous perversion of the whole tenor of
W Saviour's career of loving benefactions
continual ' forgiveness of injuries and
'', tnat he should in advance aecrc-vuo
?mnatioh of the least of his creatures. But
it was all in vain that Martin Ross reminded
his Skewarkey people1 of the fact that free
Will Who Wt t g avarv tin man oreaturc find
' was thus the fault of . the negligent and.
not that rt anA that m-n frmnd no mercy at
W hands. This church, with those at Kq-(
hQke and the Falls of Tar River, were the,
centres of the baleful hyper-CalvinlstiO fa-
th nil trh
nnnftioiintr cmnme.ntH noon the great work
undertaken bj Dx William Carey, Though
a great impulse was pervading myriads of
christian 60iils in different lands, as yet no
man had gone from America to aid the brave
and godly Englishman who, in despite of so
many opposing influences, had yet begun
the work of saving the souls of men and
women "sitting in the region and shadow
of death." While 11 Baptist traditions and
records showed how, in spite of the most
cruel and bloody laws to the contrary, the
old preachers had passed from land to land,
and though often impiisoned and burnt
at the . stake, these heralds ofj the Cros
were still found --faithfully prosecuting the
work. In America there were not only the
heathen Indians bat many outlying settle
ments in the wilderness to tax ihe best ener
gies and resources of a poor people in the
work of their evangelization. As so much
was yet to be done at home in America, the
other dusky and almond eyed races swarm
ing ou the opposite side of the world, had
not entered at all in the matter of their con
victions of duty. But the Lord was opening
the eyes and hearts of his people to the jact
of the universal brotherhood of mankind,
and Martin Ross was the first man in North
Carolina to urge upon his people their duty
in helping to send the gospel even to the far
off Asiatic multitudes.
It was thus that we find in the session of
the Kehukee Association in 1803 that the
matter was brought to an open issue by the
following query offered by the Rev, Martin
Ross, 44 la not the Kehukee Association, with
all her numerous and respectable friends,
called on in Providence, iu some way to step
forward in support oi mat missionary aym
which the great God is bo wonderfully re
viving amongst the different denominations
of good men in various parts of the world?"
Let it be remembered that Martin Ross,
born and reared in the darkest haunts of
fatalism, was yet the man to take such
ground nine years before Judson and Rice
had started to India. Of course, so impor
tant and exciting a matter was bound, under
all the ruksand precedents, or oia .enue,
to undergo many ordeals before reaching,
anything like approval from the Associa
tion. Mr, Moderator, the Rev, Jesse Read,
referred the whole matter to a very select
committee, including the leading ministers
of the body, with instructions to report at
the next annual meeting their impressions
on the subject. . '
Thia was the beginning of a great work in
Baptist circles in Uorth Carolina. , Its first
effect was a prodigious stirring up of the dry
bones in the congregations beyond the Ro
anoke. Here was another step in advance
proposed as to the Lord's work, and that
was enough to set all the old fashioned con
servatives in solid opposition. The Associa
tion; heM at Meherrin in 1804, not only an
swered the query in the affirmaUve, but ap
pointed delegates to meet others invited
from Portsmouth and Neuse Associations at
Cashie church in Bertie. There was inaug
urated the movement which, long after-wardsr-resulted
in the formation of Ihe
vnrth Carolina Baptist State Convention.
li r ---- -r nAna ma a
the establishment of regular contributions
for Home and Foreign Missions, but made
no formal report to the Kehukee Association
of the results of their labors.xThis grew out
of the fact that When the year 1806 came, the
Chowan Association
to this far more sympathetic organization
the leaders in the work belonged. Elder
Biggs, in his continuation of Bui kitt's his
tory, eays no report eyer reached old Kehu
kee. rnis may oe true, ou we yi uu
her churches sent up funds repeatedly for
missionary purposes to the Oineral Meeting
of Correspondence, year after year, until
their final adumbration in 1837.
Thedebitein the old historic church at
Meherrin must have been one of the most
inspiring ever heard in this country. With
Ross, Burkitt aud George Outlaw to uphold
the cause of missions was to insure a glow
ing and exhaustive presentation of the rea
sons that had led to the. introduction of the
query. It is not astonishing that with buch
advocates the stolid and Inert tide waiters
on the other side pf the question shoull have
but little to my. They were in fact, as a
class, men of very few words on any occa
sion. If they could be inducted to listen to
argument and entreaty, it was to yery little
nnrnnw Tn leason and Scripture, to elo
quence and persuasions they siay opposed
the vh inertia of their moveless natures.
But whatever of grief Martin Rts may
have felt in the want of sympathy of sncn
people with things ro dear and momentous
to him, he was largely compensated in the
spirit so opposite to all this evinced by the
churches of the new Chowan Association.
Unanimity and enthusiasm were, accompa
niments of every appeal, to their souls for
longer interest in the extension of Christ's
kingdom of this world. The zeal and devo
tion which have all along marked and enno
bled the record of this great christian body,
led the people to accept the -plain letter of
our Lord's latest command without ever a
doubt as to their duty in . the premises.
Christ had told his people assembled on
Mount Olivet to witness his ascension, that
beginning at Jerusalem they should preach
the gospel to all nations. Mr. Ross had only
aroused: and fastened their attention on a
plain matter of duty. Like Carey and Fuller
In England, the preachers even bad to be
reasoned with before seeing the full weight
of fealty they owed iu thematter. The tor
por and forgetfulness of God's people in this
great responsibility they owed the heathen
was passing away like a nightmare of the
past, and nations were making ready to be
at the time, and this was the first call of the
kind that had been made, and the fact that
for several hundred years thereafter,?' the
ancient church did not venture in conse
quence of the number here specified to go
bevond-aeven deaons,' would feeem to ?on
firm the "beTOfT,hat thlTW tlnrfirst p
pointment of men to this office in the chris
tian church. It is impossible to speak with
authority as to the reason for the designa
tion of seven as the number. Wejtnow
that seven was considered among the He
brews a sacred number, and signified com
pletion. Contrasting thia with the fact that
the old Jewish cbureh bad but three dea
cons, it would seem that the number carried
with it the suggestion that God's work of
organization for his church was then in the
christian church complete. One commen
tnr rrmanltpd on this SUbieCt SaVS, lt
him that has confidence enough venture a
reason" for the appointment or just seven.
Certainly we know that the christian church
is in advance of the old JewUb churchy
though some of the customs of the Jewish
chun h were by the apostles retained in the
christian church. Such for instance a the
usiogof water as an emblem of regenera
tion and moral cleansing, and such as the
custom of laying oftof hands and the public
reading and explaining of the Scriptures.
The custom of laying ou of hands existed in
the .davs of Moses, as we sea by reference
to Numbers 27: 18 2a, Deot, 34: 9. It was
a foi mal way of setting apart those who in
the church were assigned specific duties.
Dr. Hackett, a learned and distinguished
commentator, says, "The imposition of
hands as practiced in appointing persons
to an office was a symbol of the importation
like-minded with respect to . the matter.
Every Baptist church is independent of all
others, and in such matters can do as it. ,
pleases and no man can say them nay,
(iOh this subject in a foot-note in the Bap-"
tist edition of the Comprehensive Commen-
tanfrf find4h?wise snggestion-hyJacottV-
The right of confirmation as pracucea ny
many christian churches has of ten' been and
still is spoken of as a continuatiou of thd
a'postolical (see Acts .8: 17) imposition of. .
hands, for the confirmation of new converts,
by the Holy Spirit thus given.' But it is far
from evident that this was done universally
by the apostles, or by tnose wno jmmeai- .
ately succeeded them. As, however, mirac
ulous powers, rather than sanctifying grace,
were thus conferred: unless miraculous
powers were now connected with that rite, - '
the parallel must Wholly fail. How far
something of this kind, properly regulated
and conducted, may be rendered subservient
to the ' edification - of ' young persons, is i
Another quesUonvJmt to adyance.jhis ob-
servance into a sacrament, or even above a -sacrament,
(as It certainly is advanced,
when the Holy Spirit i supposed to be con
ferred by imposition of bands, and by using :
words in prayer like, those of Peter and'
John) puts the subject in a very different
light. Doubtless it was at first thus magni-
fled in order to exau tne episcopal wuur w
whom the administration of it was confined. .
as if they were entrusted with apostolicaP
authority; but if miracles are out of the
Suestion, so to follow the apostles' hr faith, .
umility, diligence, in 41 preaching In sea
son, out of seaBon,'' in piety and self-denial, -is
the, only Scriptural or adequate method of "
magnifying otner episcopal or ciencai mce.
of theifts and graces which they needed Assuredly, as this matter is very often con-;
to analifv them for the office. It was of the I ducted, it must ne aiiowea w oe an evu,
to quaniy iqbiu IUI y' I j u Oithorin Kb att.pn?d in another -
auu aw wupuv , -
manner or not atalL; -cvvvs w t
r These seem to be sound and sensible-
words. In this same Comprehensive Com
mentary, (Baptist edition), in a foot note, V
find this statement:
44 The apostles seem to have laid down a
rule that, after being baptized and cate-r"
cbized, the proselytes should hayethe im- -
position or nanos, accompu;u wiu inajr
in order to their receiving the gifts of the
Holy Spirit. Hence Jn Hebvf3vwe find
mention made first of baptism, then of in- .
strucfltig, and finally of imposition of hands,
the last in the primitive ages only, being,
done by the apostles; in process of time
other teachers obtained this power. ? (Keim.)
The nses of imposition of bands in the
Old Testament are three : 1, as a ceremony
noinm nf reaver that God would bestow
the necessary gifts, rather than "pledge
that-they were actually conferred." This
custom was observed by Christ and his
apostles, as you may see by reference to
Matt. 19: 13, Acts 6: 6, Acts 8: 19, 1 Tun.
4: 14. 2 Tim. 1: 6. It was also observed by
the churches after the age .of the apostles,
and is still observed in the Southern States
in the ordination of deacons ana niiniswjra.
But it is not observed m tne JNonn in me
case of deaconsWhy , I cannot tell.
Dr. Strong. President of Rochester Theo
logical Seminary in New York, and Dr.
Hovey ot iNewton, ooin iayur u uium
tion of deacons, as well 88 pastors, in their
works on systematic' theology. The ordinaT
tipn of deacons has the same authority in
the word of God that tne ordination oi miu-
tho vrrvril of (fOl mat tne OrUlIlttUUU vi iuxu- I viu -i , . ,
gm tne new crusaae.agiu. Tterhas aad there ia just as much-need to in prayer? 2, in paternal benediction; .
stones of the swarming millions of the far- urten has, aao tnere JJJJ" . f E tfa j bating offices. And in proportionable
off East. The carof Juggernaut i might still the iAch?S npuM to them many more in the w;l, for
roll on in its deadly course over the crushed people, and JjJer "Ja "J curin diseases; 2, for. absolution of peni-
bodies of his dupes, but the days of such V-JSS' tentsfs. in bleasinathe infants, (brougVtto-
. i iiii:iiiiaiLcuu ouu w v - . . . ...
fotal Ht.lnsinns were numberea. ueiiver
auce long delayed was coming at last.
Ordination of Deacons.
THE MANNERS
AND CUSTOMS OF
FOREFATHERS.
OCR BAPTIST
irfrnaistent
cons. The service, when properly conduct
ed, is well calculated to impress the deacons
and others with a deep sense of their depen
dence upon God for help in their work. The
service can, however, be conducted in such
alight and careless way as to be a mere
farce. I once witnessed such an ordination
in North Carolina. The minister
who assisted the pastor and took the lead
seemed to have no sense at all of. the solem
nity of the service or of the occasion. Yet
he was an eloquent and learned D. D. It is
better not to have an ordination than to
have it thus conducted.
An investigation of this matter of laying
on of hands disclosed the fact' that our Eap
tist forefathers once observed the custom of
laying on of hands in case oi all who came
into the church in a kind of confirmation
,.,.,; i;t that of thtt Euiscopal church.
In the Philadelphia Confession of Faith
put forth by our Baptist forefathers in the
year of 1742 they said 44 We believe that
laying on of hands, with prayer, upon bap-
carefully on the subject of the manners and tized believers, as suen, is wuiuum
careiuuy ou iu- ouwjv v . , i nus a mrht. tr b siihmitted unto by
uueittiiueiB, i vui low, u v"ft"." : ,, , .
all such persons mat are aumiwu i"1,
take of the Lord's Supper, and that the end
of this ordinance is not for the extraordinary,
gifts of the spirit, and the influences, there
of, but to confirm, strengthen and comfort
them in Christ Jesus; it being ratified and
established by the extraordinary gifts of the
spirit in the primitive times, to abide in the
church, as meeting together ou the first day
f rpplr was. Acts 2: 1. that being the
a nt nrahina. christian Sabbath, under
Dear Keeorder:V7e hJve receutly in
creased the number of our church deacons
to seven. We have a church membership
of about four hundred and fifty, and have
had all along but four deacons. For several
reasons it has seemed to be desirable to in
crease this number to seven; therefore, the
increase. Finding that the church deacons
and all the people were ignorant of the
privilege or duty of ordaining deacons, it
being simply their custom to elect deacons
as they elected trustees, for a term of years,
and then do no more with reference to the
matter, and believing it to be wise and ben
eficial to ordain the deacons and give, them a
charae in sight of all the people, ireaa uu
snctnma rif mir tSaDtlSt
herewith submit to the Recorder the result
Rtudv. It is interestincj to study
manners and customs, people and institu
tions. They all have a history; some, hie
the roots of beautiful plants and flowers,
running farther back than others. .The dea
conate in the christian church has an inter
esting history which no one can study with
out being profited. It seems to have a close
connection with God's peculiar love for the
poor and needy ... . ... s., , , . -
Dr. Lightfoot, a distinguished church his
torian, thinks and says: " This office ordea
cons, to whom the care and charge of the
poor Was entrusted, was. transferred fiom
the Jewish to the christian church; for there
belonged to every synagogue three deacons
to whom that charge belonged.'? .
It is impossible to say for certain as to the
exact time when this office came into exis
tence. Historians differ as to that matter.
But the prevailing opinion at this time
seems to be that it came into existence- first
in the christian cnurcn at tne u reieneu
to in the sixth chapter of the" Acts of the
Apostles, 44 in those days when the number
of the disciples was multiplied there arose a
murmuring oi me ureuiaua gu-v, v
Jesus, that he might lay his hands on them,
and nrav. Bant Ed.h 4. ordination of of
ficers of the church; (5, when, as here (Acts
8:17) spiritual gifts were communicated.
Bapt Ed.) - ' ,
Bro. Editor, it seems to me that the only
consistent position to take on this whole
question is that given by Br Hackett, who
says that the laying on of bands waa simply
a symbol of the importation of the. gifts
and graces which were needed, and in the
nature of a prayer that they might -he received.-
If we take this View of the matter
it could be as consistently used in confirma
tion services as in ordinations,. Why not?
It is both wicked and foolish to say that
every man who favors a little more form or '
ceremony in chnrch services than is com
mon in Baptist churches will have to leave
the denomination to get what he wants.
Baptist churches are, free and independent,
and hence it comes to pass that the order of
service is not the same even now ih all Bap-.
tist churches. ; It would shock some of our
friends in North Carolina to go into some of
the large city churches of our denomination
in Philadelphia, New York, Boston, and
other places, and see the Baptist preachers
preaching in long sua gowuo ui
Psalms, and ; having their congregations
stand in prayer. In some sections, I am
told, that they have a special service for
small children and infants. It is what we
might call a dry consecration. . Infants are
brought in and the ministers lay their hands,
on them and pray in imitation of the Sa
nttticr hm hands on little children
t-: r k, u
xne cubwui vauuuu to
O c
P1ms etc... was. Acts 101 0, XO, SO UllS
laying on of hands was, Acts 8: 17-19,- for as
the wnoie gospei was wuuiuw vj ."e.-
and wonders and divera miracles and gifts
of the Holy Ghost in general so every ordi
nance in like manner conferred in par
ticular." ..-.. ,
I mention this ancient or pnmiuve cus
tom of our Baptist people for the instruction
of our younger people in-ottrown Baptist
history, and that they way speak inteUi
gently when they speak In admiration of
Baptist simplicity in worship. t .
jnow, as to tms jtm"u- vv... -
Thia drv conKecration .". is vastly
than 44 infant baptism,,, which is anti-Scriptural
ani subversive of the truth concerning,
baptism. WYet thiay ;4 dry consecrations
might afford great comfort to the.heart of
many fond parents who would like to have
their little ones thus formally dedicated to
God by prayer and the laying on of hands, .
Baptists and the truth of God certainly has
nothing to fear from such a ceremony. And
the same might be said of a form of confir
mation service; U the laying on of hands .
should be explained as Dr. Hackett expluns .
it in his commentary on Acts 8. The rea
sons which the churches in the North give
for not ordaining deacons in some cases are
the same as they give in the South for not
lavin on hands in a confirmation service.
listurbances that the apostles, vine "History or tne i? vmost all Thev say it is not of vital importance, an
poeth ealledumtudeof J& aiiatheNSeat,
i;aninio- nntn them and said.- It it not rea
son that we should leave the word of God to
A a
41B W - . . 1
chosen to preacn tne nk7. -4 .ur7 Kervtobles, wherefore, brethren look ye,
numnraniA ' DDUT CUUfVUCU w
.Jfcw."-" J
third Sunday in June, 180$, and Revs. Lem
uel Burkitt Martin Ross, Aaron Bpivey,
jelse Read and John McCabe were Kehu-
l.v.1i MnnaAnt. t.ivna on the occasion, a no
Convention proceeded to fonnulate plans for
- - i i.
ont among you seven men or nones repo,
full of the He
a1- Ohost and wisdom, whom
we may appoint over this business. " There
may have been deacons in existence before
this in that church. Some think . so; but,
where the record reads as if there were none
,acviatinnAnf this country were formed.
i -tr rtantiet nuntor. therefore, feels that
k HVA morA form or ceremony in
church services, and many of our best pas
tors do feel that way, he nas a penec r u
to have responsive reading of the Scriptures,
singing of Pealma and layingn of hands in
confirmation of all disciples and in ordina
tion of deacons if the church he serves, is
and may be misleading to some people, an J
therefore tney ao not oraam ueawim,
may after awhile on the same ground and
With equal propriety refus-e to ordaia even
ministers by laying on bands. -
.. Is that not equally" true of the V'" "
' '' CONTINUED TO THE rOtJRT3 PAGE.