Christian Messenger. (Bonham, Tex.), Vol. 13, No. 24, Ed. 1 Wednesday, June 29, 1887 Page: 4 of 8
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CHRISTIAN MESSENGER.*
THE MESSENGER.1 baptists the kingdom.
T. R* BTONETT, | .....Editors.
C. M. WILMETH,
J. R. JONES, - - - Associate Editor
H. A. SMITH,
Field Editor.
WEDNESDAY. JUNE 29, 1887.
MEETING AT COOPER.
The senior editor of the Messenger
preached several nights the past week
at Cooper, Delta county, but apparent-
ly to very little purpose. The reason
of the failure is not so apparent. It
may be the preaching was not what it
should have been, or that the people's
minds were occupied with other sub-
jects at the time, and they could not at-
tend to the word that was spoken.
There was a show in town two nights,
a prohibition meeting one night
a social party one night, and preach-
ing at the Methodist church on
Lord’s day. We had good audiences
two or three nights during the -week.
The Christian meeting-house is situated
out of town somewhat, and this makes
it dificult to obtain a hearing. The
congregation is not in very good work-
ing order, though it keeps up the regu-
lar weekly meetings. Bro. J. M. Nor-
wood preaches once a month, and lives
in the town. Bro. N. J. Chance lives a
few miles east of Cooper, and spends
all his time preaching in Delta, Hunt
and Hopkins counties. Bros. J. C
White and L. Gough live eight miles
west of Cooper, and do a good deal of
preaching in the county. There are
several congregations in the county,
but a vast amount of unoccupied terri-
tory where the gospel should be preach-
ed sand established. Cooper is the
Although Bro. Burnett has utterly
failed to notice the point made * against
his “new birfli” argument, I will for the
benefit of his readers write again. His
unjust charges and personal reflections
are unworthy of notice. They only
demonstrate the extreme strait into
which our lively debater has fallen for
something to say.
“Now we ask Bro. Jackson for the
tenth time, to tell us whether a man
who believes that Jesus is the Christ is
begotten of God, and if so, what is nec-
essary to this begotten child but to be
born or baptized ?” Yes sir, I believe
that “whosoever believeth that Jesus is
the Christ is begotten of God,” and that
this begotten child must be born in
order to salvation. Is that satisfactory?
Now, Baptists do not believe that Jesus
is the Christ the Son of God. They be-
lieve that Jesus is the very and eternal
God, and do not teach or believe that
he is the Son of God, the Christ, the
Lord of all. ~
man acquainted with Baptist teaching j all right at Eureka. Since the “oppos-
1 • . . . ' jt •_! _ . TVT___I oilman!-” ___i.______J .V. _
knows it to be a denial of fact. Now,
dear brother, if you have anything to
offer in defense of your position, or in
opposition to our argument on the new
birth, in all conscience bring it out. Do
not be guilty of firing off such another
squib as the foregoing piece. We are
growing heartily ashamed of the cham-
pion of this new doctrine. You ought
to defend it, or abandon it forever.
B.
ARKANSAS.
Eureka Springs, Carroll Co., June 2.
—We report one more addition to the
church at this place by statement last
Lord’s day. The church here is not on a
boom, but we are enjoying a steady,
healthy growth. We have recently plac-
ed in the church a splendid new organ,
all paid for, which adds materially
___j________,________________to
Furthermore, they do not the character of our music. The con-
believe in Jesus the Christ, as they de-1 gregation has labored under many dis-
ny the Words of Jesus, consequently (advantages because of an opposing ele-
they are not begotten of God. Again,
Jesus says, “He that believeth and is
baptized shall be saved.” Baptists de-
ny this, and say that a man is saved
without baptism. An honest-hearted
Baptist is one who believes and obeys
Baptist doctrine, denies the New Testa-
ment doctrine of the new birth, and
this is well known to Bro. Burnett.
Then why seek to prop up the tottering
walls of the Baptist Babylon by your
endorsement of their teaching ? In so
doing you weaken your own hands, and
virtually barter away the truth of God
for a human plea.
J. W. Jackson.
If anybody is guilty of propping up
the tottering walls of Babylon, and bar-
tering away the truth of God for a hu-
•l
man plea, it is this confused champion
of the unscriptural re-baptism theory.
Not only has he denied numerous pas-
sages of Scripture, and made utter non-
sense of them, but he now denies a
plain matter of fact in regard to the
Baptists, which everybody in thjs land
ment, in part, which placed us on the
roll of non-progressives, and conse-
quently many who would have identi-
fied themselves with the work were
slow in doing so; but in this respect
our condition is materially improved.
And I do hope that in the future when
our band here is put in the balance,
it will not be fouud wanting in those
things that make a church eminently
successful. And now in this connec-
tion, let me suggest to the preaching
fraternity, that you are, unquestiona-
bly, the leaders in all matters of church
work, and because of this fact you are
held responsible for so much of the in-
difference and apathy now prevalent in
many of our churches. I believe it to
bn the duty of every preacher to see to
it that his church places itself in the
very front rank of the age, to the end
that it will command the respect and
admiration of the community in which
it exists, and of which it forms a part.
And let me say, here, that if we would
do this we must, by some means in-
duce the entire membership to become
readers of our best religous papers, and
amongst them I would recommend the
Standard, whose large circulation so
fittingly represents the thoughts of the
best and most learned of our own
brethren, and also brings within the
mental grasp of all the - religious
thought of the age in which we live.—J.
S. Becknell.
ing element” has been put out, and the
“splendid new organ” has been put in,
and the “many who would not identify
themselves with the work” (because
they could not worship in a church of
Christ) are now in fellowship, the
church will not be found wanting. All
who go to Eureka Springs, to drink the
healing waters and recuperate their
wasted energies, can also have their
spiritual strength renewed by listening
to the dulcet tones of the “splendid new
organ” and watching the improved
performances of the improved brethren.
Great is progression, and g^eat is the
hired pastor!
BELIEVE AND DO.
The writer of the foregoing para-
knows to be a fact! He denies that
cotmty-seat of Delta county, and a very I Baptists believe that Jesus is the Christ,
thrifty place, but as yet has no rail-i gays they do not believe or teach
road. In fact there is no railroad in thei^at he is the Son of God!! Now, Bro.
county„we believe, except the Santa Fe, Jackson, we are sorry you penned that
which merely touches it on the north, slander against the Baptists. You can
Dr. J. K. P. Smith has settled in Cooper, j no^ fjn(i a single one in Texas who does
and Bro. J. E. Bills and Bro. Wm. no^ helieve that Jesus is the Christ, and I graph, J. S Becknell, is the hired pas-
Wheat live there all zealous disciples we challenge you to the contest. If we tor of the Eureka church. He has
of the Lord, and ready to aid in every haq support our position by such di- learned that preachers are responsible
good work. Bro. J. W. Denton will rect misrepresentation, we would drop for the indifference and apathy of the
hold a protracted meeting for them the 0ur quill and never pen another line for churches, and that they are the leaders
present summer, when it is expected a newspaper. It does not matter how in all matters of church work, such as
the cause will be revived. imuch error Baptists hold, you have no putting in organs and driving out the
“ ^ " 7 | right to slander them in regard to what non-progressive fogies who may desire
Q°f TiS<<oC°^1U!‘ truth they hold. Christians have been to worship God as the apostles did. He
tist,” but was not much Christian, misrepresented so frequently by secta-1 believes it to be the duty of each one
Now* he has ceasdd to be a Baptist, and rians, that it makes us sick to see! to see that “his church” places itself in
is altogether a “Christian,” and. I can|a Christian debater take up this old “the very front rank of the age,” (on
tbanhe was whence was6 a Baptist! sectarian weapon and begin to wield it. the machinery question,) to the end that
This is confusing!—R. T. Hanks in Take it back, Bro. Jackson, before it it will “command the respect and ad-
Texas Baptist Herald. (gets cold, and say you made a slip that miration of the community.” In order
Yes, this man Hanks is confused, time. Everybody in this country knows to success in this line, it is suggested
He is the knottiest, tangledest piece of that Baptists believe that Jesus is the that the “entire membership” become
thread we have seen. He is a Hank of Christ, and you know it too. If the readers of “our best religious papers,”
knots <and confusion—in fact he is two ] tottering walls of your new Babylon especially the Christian Standard,
Hanks. He thinks if a man is a Chris- can not be propped up with something which will thoroughly furnish them un-
tiin he ought to wear the name Baptist, better than that, you might as well let 1° all good works—which are not found
and if he is a Baptist he ought not to them fall. Nor did you ever hear a in the Bible. Bro. Becknell is growing
wear the name Christian! This confus- Baptist preacher require a convert to very fast. He has outgrown the apos-
ion Comes from the fact that he and his confess that he believed Jesus is* the tolic clothes, and they will not fit him
church wear the wrong name. If we very and eternal God, and not the Son at all. Not one of the apostolic church-
oould untangle the kinks of this Hanks of God. This is another slip. And es had a hired pastor, to be the “leader
a little, we would explain that a man see what you charge against Bro. Bur- in all matters of church work,” and not
may be a Christian and wear the name nett—that he endorses “their teach' one had an organ to “materially aid the
Baptist, but he will be a letter Chris- ing”—when you know he does not en- character of its music,V and of course
tian if he will wear the name the Lord | dorse their teaching at all. Bro. Bur- utterly failed to attain the “front rank
t
has given him. How it could make a
man a better Christian to wear the
name Baptist, we can not imagine. A
tangled hank alone could unravel such
a conundrum. There is no confusion
about the name, except among people
who wear the wrong name. Lay down
your unscriptural name, and all of the
•confusion will go with it.
nett endorses Bible teaching, and he de- of the age.” What a pity they could
fends it, whether found among Baptists not “command the respect and admira-
or anywhere else. He affirms what tion of the community,” but had to
John said was true, that, “whosoever plod along in the old apostolic way,
believeth that Jesus is the Christ is be- simply because divine wisdom failed to
gotten of God,” and Baptists holding supply them the necessary improve-
this faith are begotten of God. Bro. ments, and they did not have access to
Jackson, not being able to meet the ar- “our best religious papers” wherein
gument, flatly denies the fact, and every these new things are found. But it isj
1. A man (sinner) is not bom of
God by not believing that Jesus is the
Christ. 1 John 5. 1, and John 3. 5.
This is the reason he can not enter the
kingdom of God.
2. A man (Christian) is not born of
him by not doing righteousness. 1
John 2. 29, and Gal. 5:19, 20,21. - This
is why he shall not inherit the king-
dom of glory. \
If we (deceived Christians) confess
our sins, he is faithful and just to for-
give us our sins, and to cleanse us froi
all unrighteousness. 1 John 1.
We (disobedient sinners) do not real-
ize the joyous promise of remission of
sins, together with the H&ly Spirit,
without the preaching of the gospel of
peace, hearing or reading it, and belief
of it, repentance of sins, confession of be-
lief with all our heart that Jesus is the
Christ who died for our sins, was bur-
ied and was raised for our justification, *
and baptism into the name of the Fath-
er and of the Son and of the Holy Spir-
it.
We (disobedient Christians) do not
realize the more joyous promise of eter-
nal life without the word of exhorta-
tion concerning our duty to pray, “our
work of faith, and labor of love, and '
patience of hope in our Lord Jesus
Christ, in the sight of God our father, *
* * Knowing in yourselves that ye have
in heaven a better and enduring sub-
stance. Cast not away therefore your
confidence, which hath great recom-
pense of reward. For ye have need of
patience, that after ye have done the
will of God, ye might receive the prom-
ise.”. Heb. 10:1-39.
“A new commandment I give unto
you, that ye love one another as I have
loved you. By this shall all men know
that ye are my disciples, if ye have
love to one another.” John 13.
Believers in Christ or Christians par-
take of the Lord’s supper in affection-
ate remembrance of him: for as oft
\ 7
as they eat pf that bread and drink of
that cup, they do show forth his death
till he come. 1 Cor. 11. *
Christian union is mentioned in John
17, Gal. 3, Eph. 4, Mat. 11.
If people are Christians, they are not
Catholics, Baptists, Presbyterians,
Methodists, or any other sectarians.
It is impossible to unite sectarians,
while they hold different faiths, doc-
trines and names. Christians are unit-
ed in the same faith, produced by "the
word of God. Sectarian faith is pro-
duced by the word of men. Christian
union is the only hope of success;
without it the world will never be con-
verted. If we can not learn what we
ought to do from the word of the Lord,
how shall we learn it ? Beloved breth-
ren, do you understand t
I am old, and may not write again.
P. H. Nkilsoit, Deaf Mute.
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Burnett, Thomas R. & Wilmeth, C. M. Christian Messenger. (Bonham, Tex.), Vol. 13, No. 24, Ed. 1 Wednesday, June 29, 1887, newspaper, June 29, 1887; Bonham, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth913506/m1/4/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Bonham Public Library.