The Gospel Messenger--Feb 1891

DEAR BRO. MITCHELL AND BELOVED BRETHREN: In as much as many brethren have availed themselves through our “cheap medium of correspondence,” THE GOSPEL MESSENGER, to speak to the dear saints, and as I have been much comported and instructed in reading the editorials and communications found in the MESSENGER from month to month, I feel a desire to pen a few thoughts this morning. “They that feared the Lord, spoke often one to another,” etc. I feel sure, that which comforts or instructs the dear saints here, will be profitable for the same people in any portion of God’s vast domain; for all, everywhere, are taught of the Lord, and should be governed by the same infallible rule; that rule, or law, given by Him who is too wise to err, and who knew perfectly well what His people would need clear down through the annals of time.

 All it seems to me to be presumption for men to claim that the law that governed the apostolic church in primitive Christianity, is not sufficient to govern a church now. Human governments may rise and fall and their laws change to suit carnal men, but God’s rule of government is as immutable as He is who rules all things by the word of His power. For men to even try to add one single thing to the rule of His government is a dire reflection upon his wisdom. We know that it is often said that the religion of Christ must be progressive, as the people are so much wiser now than they were a thousand years ago, and must have a progressive church-one that is up in every particular to the spirit of the age-and their rules be such as are adapted to their broad, liberal and scientific views. They are not willing to come under the jurisdiction of a tribunal that strips them of all glory.

Primitive Baptists are often censured with bigotry, fogyism and narrow mindednessness. One hundred years behind Hardshells, and other names that tend to embarrass the young Christian. But I would say to all such, Be of good cheer, for thus they spoke of Christ and the early disciples. We should prefer to follow the “Ancient Land Marks” and receive the taunts of men, rather than form a confederacy with the world, with all its shining allurements; for in so doing we could only expect to receive the applause of men, and not God’s approval. Again, young Baptists are told that the Missionary Baptists are the original Baptist Church, and the Hardshells will soon be numbered with the things past; that it is only fifty or sixty years old, and hence can have no connection with the apostolic church. Such arguments coming from the oily-tongued advocates of the modern mission system, are likely to-put young Baptists to their wits’ end.

With love to all and malice to none, I want to write a few things that I think establishes our claim beyond a doubt, although it is already established by the New Testament:

“The Church,” Dr. Buck says, in his Lexicon of Theology, “is a congregation of faithful men and women, in which the true word of God is preached, and the sacraments duly” (and lawfully, I add) “administered according to Christ’s ordinances, in all those things that of necessity are requisite to the same.” These faithful men and women, having been born of an incorruptible seed, prefer to be governed by the laws of Christ, although the anathemas of men be heaped upon them mountain high. I am here speaking of the church militant. Notice the simplicity and equality of the early saints. They “Had all things common,” not being burdened with so much surplus lumber that would have tended to clog the wheels of Zion, and have impeded her progress. They were of “one mind and one heart.” Who, with any knowledge of the history of the Old School, or Primitive Baptists, can have the effrontery to say that in every age of the world, these people have not been nearer of one mind; preaching and practicing what they find taught in the New Testament. They are not divided upon the subject of Missions, Sunday-schools, Theological schools, and institutions of various kinds, founded upon the wisdom of men, since the separation of the Baptists fifty-four or five years ago. Our Missionary friends are. We find no such things taught in the Scriptures, or practiced by the church in her incipiency, and hence we stand aloof from all such, and claim this as one of the many proofs existing that our claim is well founded. We had better be called bigots, fogies, one hundred years behind, etc., and have the. Scriptures ought to support our principles than to be divided in sentiment or have the praise of men in view rather than the glory of God. Again, the church is illustrated as a city compactly built a perfect square building, and resting upon that sure foundation-Christ the chief cornerstone-and built of select or chosen material. The design of the building was drawn by the Great Architect of the universe in which He never made a single mistake. If so, all may be  mistaken, apostles, prophets and all. The foundation of a building may be ever so good, but if we erect a structure thereon of wood, hay and stubble, or other inferior material, such an edifice is likely to be overthrown by the winds that may beat upon it.

The many plans concocted by our Arminian friends to swell their ranks, that they may boast of their great numbers, are sure to bring in the wood, hay and stubble. If our Missionary friends are not as much divided in sentiment as any people on earth I am much mistaken. One reason is, that their order, as claimed and admitted by some of their own people, is largely composed of wood, hay and stubble, or unconverted material, and hence the evidence is against them.

Again, if this building is perfectly square, as we are informed, how is it possible for us to add one single thing to this grand structure without throwing it off a square, or casting reflection upon the Great Architect?

Who has added Sunday schools as helps to the church, to assist in training up children, or preparing them for membership in the churches? Echo answers, not we.

It makes no difference how harmless these auxiliaries may seem to men and women, if not according to the Scripture, they are wrong, and we know they do not authorize any such. Such have a tendency to place the inventions of men-inventions of a modern date- above the atonement of Christ. I prefer to remain a thousand years behind such theories, and be called by all the hard names possible, rather than to advocate, or be identified with them.

Again, our city is a city of solemnities. The church is often spoken of so lightly, with so much irreverence, one is ready to conclude that it is no more than any other body of men gathered together to transact the common affairs of life. The true church feels, when gathered together, that they are in the Sanctuary of God, presided over by Him that purchased their redemption with His own blood. It is too solemn and sacred to do anything that would cast reflections upon His adorable name; too solemn to do anything her Head and Husband has forbidden. I cannot believe that the true church, in the face of all this solemnity, could be induced to organize church fairs, masquerade balls, weighing parties, kissing parties, auctions, where young ladies are pat up and sold to the highest bidder, and numbers of other schemes, cunningly devised by men, all for the purpose of raising money for “church purposes.” No, I cannot think the church would consent to such, so derogatory to the solemnity of this city. Neither do I think her ministers will indulge in unchaste language, slang phrases, funny anecdotes, in order to charm the audience and gather the multitude. Again, I prefer to he two thousand years behind all such, carried on in the name of religion.

May God save us from modern priestcraft.
 Stroud, Ala. W. R. AVERY.

REMARKS-Lest some reader might think that the picture which Eld. Avery has given of religious fairs, festivals, auctions and picnics, is rather overdrawn or too highly colored, we will here append a brief extract or two from Hassell’s Church History (page 584). Speaking of some of the corruptions of worship in this nineteenth century, we find the following, viz:

“The multiplication of almost all worldly amusements in connection with the so-called ‘churches,’ for the retention and entertainment of the young members, who, having no spiritual life, cannot partake of Spiritual food, and raising money for pretended religious purposes, such as strawberry and ice cream festivals, oyster suppers, concerts, burlesque hymns, comic songs, Sunday-school excursions, picnics, and banners, and emblems, Christmas trees, Easter cards, charity balls and church fairs, with their rafflings or gamblings, mingling sham trade with sham charity, obtaining money under false pretenses, teaching the selfish and thoughtless how to be benevolent without benevolence, charitable without charity, and devout without devotion, and how to give without giving, and to be paid for ‘doing good,’ thus attempting to serve God and mammon, and turning what is claimed to be God’s house of prayer into a house of merchandise and a den of thieves.”

The historian in the above extract is simply stating facts as he finds them; and on page 600 we find the following candid admission from a Presbyterian minister:

“Mr. Alfred E. My as, a Presbyterian minister, of Owasco, New York, says, in his pamphlet on the Sociable, the Entertainment and the Bazaar: ‘A church which has recently received a number of young people into active membership, is the scene of humorous entertainment. A stage is laid over the pulpit platform and over the place lately occupied by the communion table, and there the young converts, with others, are required to perform for the benefit of the church. At another entertainment, a group of young men go through the form of selling at auction a young lady to the highest bidder. At another of these diversions, and in the presence of people of education and refined taste, a professional musician renders a roistering drunken song, with startling energy. Clergymen and their wives figure in costume as George and Martha Washington; one minister reads humorous selections, another sings comic songs, others make droll speeches. The pulpit is sometimes removed and Santa Claus and his chimney occupy the platform. Again, in just such a position, along with other attractions, we have an organ-grinder with a wealthy, middle-aged citizen sustaining the dignified position of the monkey, passing the hat for pennies. The superintendent of a Sunday-school, chalked and painted, poses as an ancient king, and teachers amuse an audience with a semblance of stage embraces. Under the auspices of a Sunday-school, a college glee club provokes great merriment. In the ‘Old Folks” concert, solemn hymns are sung in a drawling style, to raise a laugh.”’

The foregoing extracts, with others that could he given, are candid admissions of the shameful and sinful pollution of worship in which every sect professing Christianity, whether Protestant or Catholic, are directly or indirectly engaged, except the Primitive Baptists. They are indeed more than eighteen hundred years behind all these desecrating things, and it is hoped and believed they will remain so until the second coming of Christ. They know the voice of the Good Shepherd is not in these church entertainments, and a stranger they will not follow.-M.