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SIGNS OF THE TIMES.

DEVOTED TO THE OLD SCHOOL BAPTIST CAUSE.

"THE SWORD OF THE LORD AND OF GIDEON.”

VOL. 65.

MIDDLETOWN, N. Y., AUGUST 1, 1897.

CORRESPONDENCE.

NO. 15.

tists, and that was twenty years ago. Yet she is as sound in doctrine as any GHENT, Ky., May 1, 1897. others, and her faith and hope center in DEAR BROTHER BEEBE:-I am in re- the finished work of the glorious Son of ceipt of a letter which has some rather God. Surely she has been led by the strange peculiarities about it, yet I have Spirit, and not by man, and made by that greatly enjoyed reading it, for it presents Spirit to rest all her hopes of salvation in the travels of one who has been blessed free and sovereign grace. She says that with the spirit of a true follower of Jesus. she has been a subscriber of the SIGNS OF But the peculiarities that attach to it THE TIMES fifteen years, and had read are, that the writer fails to give the post- that paper many years before she became office address, and signs it, "A poor sin- a subscriber. In that way she has learned ner." I am satisfied that it was written to know me, and was led to write to me. by a sister who has been long in the war- But she requested me to give through the fare of the true christian. She addresses SIGNS my views of what is recorded in me as a friend, but my heart would re- Romans viii. 16, which reads as follows: coil at the thought of not addressing her "The Spirit itself beareth witness with by a dearer name than that of friend; our spirit, that we are the children of and in attempting to write her, I shall God." But owing to my extremely feeble take the liberty of calling her sister, al- condition, both mentally and physically, though I know nothing about her, except it is with extreme reluctance that I atwhat she has told me in that letter, in tempt to offer my feeble thoughts upon which she fully expresses that her only hope is in Jesus Christ, as her Savior. She says that she is not a member of the "The Spirit itself beareth witness with Old School Baptist Church, and that our spirit, that we are the children of there is no church of that denomination God." "There are three that bear record nearer than two hundred miles from her, in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the and that she never heard but four or five Holy Ghost: and these three are one." sermons preached by Old School Bap-Then it is evidently the triune God that

that subject, which is the foundation of the hope of all of God's dear people.

bears witness with our spirit, that we are when they are eating freely of those the children of God. Stronger testimony fruits, the Spirit is bearing to them a of this heavenly truth cannot be found knowledge of things holy, heavenly and than that which was given by him who is divine. Among those heavenly revelaunseen. This testimony comes from tions which the Spirit in the new birth above, where all is holy. Therefore the has made to them, is found the ever children of God are born from above. blessed assurance that they are the chilThey are born of the Spirit, born of God, dren of God. This great and ever conborn of incorruptible seed, which liveth soling truth enables them with heavenly and abideth forever. And the Spirit of delight to look away from a vain and which they are born, bears witness with sinful world, and to seek to know more their spirit, that they are the children of and more of the testimony upon which God. In that spirit and birth, Christ their faith and hope rests. They look dwells in them the hope of glory. By not to earth, nor the wisdom of man, for reason of our natural birth, we become that testimony; but the Spirit itself, which heirs to earthly things, and as the stream has an abiding place in them, beareth cannot rise higher than its source, so the witness to them that they are the childescendents of Adam cannot attain any-dren of God. When that witness is by thing higher than that which was pos- the grace of God brought into lively exsessed by their first parents, who were of ercise, they rejoice in Christ Jesus, and the earth earthy. But the children of have no confidence in the flesh. They in God, in their spiritual birth, have the sorrow and sadness have discovered that witness given them that they are the in their flesh dwelleth no good thing. heirs of God, and joint-heirs with the That discovery was not the result of the Lord Jesus Christ; and as heaven is the searching or wisdom of the carnal mind, eternal abode of God, they firmly trust which dwells in them by reason of their that they have had made known to them natural birth, but because the Spirit of something of the greatness and glory of God, which by grace divine beareth wittheir future and eternal home. In that ness with their spirit, that they are the birth faith and hope are freely bestowed children of God, has revealed it unto upon them, and all other fruits of the them. Then, evidently, the preparation Spirit also, and they bear witness to them of the heart in man is of the Lord, as that they are the children of God. Day well as the answer of the tongue. This by day, as they journey onward, they re-train of thought brings the mind into a ceive that witness for which they are wide and unlimited field, where the good journeying in a south land; and as and ever wondrous character of our God Achsah desired of her father, Caleb, arises before us in unlimited greatness and land of springs of water, so they, when goodness and glory. The brightest star pursued by the blasting winds of that that ever shone in the natural firmament, southland (this world of sin and sorrow), is as midnight darkness when compared crave a land of springs of water-a land to the love of God, which he bore from where the fountain of redeeming love the ancients of eternity, to his people. sends forth its life invigorating streams. He loved them with an everlasting love, Those streams are the fruits of the Spirit, and when clothed with humanity, he by love, joy, long-suffering, &c., because the charms of that love, drew them to

earth will no more obscure their heavenly vision, but in rapture they will see their glorious Lord as he is, and be like him, alive for evermore. O happy thought, dear sister and follower of Jesus, that

him. That love caused the glorious Son is less than the least of all saints, knows of God to lay aside the glory which he Jesus, whom to know is life eternal. had with the Father before the world That knowledge is made thus because was, and become a man of sorrow and the Spirit itself beareth witness to the acquainted with grief, that he might have spirit of Jesus' dear people, that they are somewhat to offer as a redemption for the children of God. But when the love his people. That offering was like all of God to his people stands out in the else that pertained to his great and great plan of salvation, in wondrous glory heavenly character. It was perfect, and and beauty, to the admiring gaze of the made perfect those for whom it was redeemed, all his glorious attributes made. "For by one offering he hath stand in close companionship with that perfected forever them that are sanctified." love, and form a galaxy too bright and For they are sanctified by God the Fath- effulgent for mortal eyes to behold. But er, preserved in Jesus Christ, and called. having that witness of the Spirit, the And again, in that heavenly calling, the saints in the exercise of a living, and Spirit beareth witness with their spirit, ever precious faith, long for the day to that they are the children of God. What dawn upon them, "When they shall lay wonders of redeeming love are made their armor by, and dwell with Christ at manifest to the saints when they are en-home." There the clouds and gloom of abled to look upon the humiliation and suffering of the glorious Mediator who, in his individual character, was both the Son of God and the Son of man, and who, as the Son of man, offered himself without spot unto God; and in every the Spirit beareth witness with your step that he moved in that humiliation, spirit, that you are a child of God. Earth he was moved by that love which he bore with all its wealth, all its beauteous glory, to his chosen people before the founda- is but the small dust of the balance, tion of the world. How wondrous is that when compared to the full realization of love when made manifest in the work of glory that will be yours, in your heavenly the Holy Spirit in the new birth, in which home, where you will throughout an unthere is a witness to them that they are ending eternity, enjoy the full realization the children of God. They in that birth of that which is now witnessed by the are made spiritual, and it is to the spirit-Spirit to your spirit, testifying that you ual mind that dwells in them that the are a child of God, and an heir with your Spirit of God bears witness. It is not to ever-to-be-adored Redeemer, to the glotheir natural understandings. The nat-ries of that eternal home, to which you ural powers of man may scan the vast are now journeying. universe of God, and make manifest This dear sister signs her letter "A great natural wonders, but in all their re- poor sinner." In this I realize that I searches they can never develop one have a close relationship to her. Day by spiritual truth. But the weakest babe in day it is my sad experience that I am a Christ, is wiser than any of the ancient poor sinner, and that I am in close comor modern earthly sages and philosophers, panionship to the chief of sinners. The because that little babe who feels that he editors of the SIGNS OF THE TIMES will

please dispose of these feeble thoughts writing you a few lines, if only in acas they may deem best; and the strange knowledgment of your favor, which came sister, if they are published, will please to hand several days ago. You requested regard them as a token of my christian me, when writing, to leave you out, and if I love for her, and all the dear ones who are being led, as she evidently is, in the path that leads to eternal life.

May grace, mercy and peace abound with all such, is my sincere prayer.

H. COX.

write of myself there is nothing good that I can say. Many times since you made the request, I have wanted to write to you, but for some reason not known to me, I have waited until this time. And now I feel so empty of all that is good, that I fear that what I may write cannot interest you. I so much enjoyed meeting with you and sister Chick, and all the dear ones, at the association at Black Rock. I enjoyed that dear meeting more

[SINCE the above was received, we have another short note from our dear, aged brother, saying that he had received several requests from brethren for his views upon different scriptural subjects, but that he feels too weak, physically and than I shall ever be able to tell. It just I shall ever mentally, to undertake the task at the seemed so good to be there. present time. We wish to express our look to that time as one of the bright sympathy for our dear brother in his old spots of my life. The dear Lord is so age. While it has never been our privi-good and so merciful, to permit a poor, lege to meet him, we yet have exchanged unworthy one like myself, to even taste a few letters in the past years, and we of his love, and to eat of the crumbs that have, in common with our readers, felt fall from the Master's table. But does closely drawn to him by his communica-he not sometimes give, even the poorest tions in the SIGNS. We trust that he of his little ones, more than a crumb? may yet be strengthened to write again, Does he not sometimes permit them to as he has in the past. But be that as it drink in the sweets of the precious, joymay, we know that the Spirit has long ful sound, while their whole being seems witnessed in many ways, to the spirit of filled with love, praise, fellowship and our brother, that he is a child of God; thanksgiving for the unsearchable riches and we are sure that the same spirit has, of his grace, and for the precious gifts of through his pen, strengthened the hope the ministry? How sweet, how precious, of very many of the children of God. to be thus permitted to feast upon the May God comfort him in all the remain-good things of the kingdom.

ing days of his life, and minister to him Your kindly remarks, at the close of bright visions of that world to which he the meeting, were so good and approis journeying. Our aged brother may priate. Then dear Elder Beebe's kind feel well assured of the love of all his words of comfort and affection to the brethren, who have ever read from his pen, the wonderful works of God.-ED.]

tried and afflicted ones, sank deep into my heart, and greatly endeared him to me. I felt that I could hardly bear to say good117 EAST CAPITOL ST., WASHINGTON, D. C., by and see him go away, for I felt that June 28, 1897. § I should never see him again in this ELDER F. A. CHICK-DEAR BROTHER world. As we took the parting hand, he IN CHRIST:-This morning I feel like said, I believe I will meet you in heaven,

and then he added, I feel sure that you ister the other day, he said, that some will be there, whether I am there or not. things that the Lord required of us were I thought, O if he only knew, if I could hard to do. After naming other things, only make him understand, that I was he said, It was hard to esteem others betthe poorest, and weakest, and of all, the ter than ourselves. I replied, Sometimes, most unworthy, as I just then felt it my-at least, it comes very easy. (He was my self, he could not feel so sure that I pastor years ago, when I was trying to be should reach that blissful abode. While a Methodist.) He then said, "O yes, I used to feel worried with you, because you always argued that you were not good, and I knew that you were. And

I looked upon him as one of the meekest and loveliest of the little flock, and wholly unworthy of his company.

What is it that sometimes causes our now you see that I knew best, for in hearts to so glow with love to the hum-uniting with the church you professed to ble followers of Jesus, and to esteem be good." What strange language! them as so much better than ourselves? Truly the sheep know not the voice of a Why is it that sometimes, even when stranger. I replied, "No sir, I was not alone, the religion of Jesus seems so good then, and am no better now than I sacred, so precious, and so blessedly was then." He thought I talked very sweet? Why is it that sometimes the strangely, and then wanted to know why preached word sinks down deep into our it was that I never communed with them. hearts, and seems to lift us above all things of an earthly nature? Again we sit under the sound of the same precious gospel, and are so dull of hearing, and our minds wander off on unimportant things. Shall we call this a cold and indifferent state? How deplorable is such a state of feeling. How I loathe myself on account of it. Yet shall we not have all that is in store for us, both good and evil? Then why can we not rest there? The dear Savior of poor sinners has said, In the world ye shall have tribulation, but in me ye shall have peace. O those blessed shalls! How my soul lingers around them! They are precious to every weary one. Truly his yoke is easy, and his burden is light. How easy it is to work out that which he has worked within us. With each command does he not give us the inclination and desire to do the thing commanded? It seems to me that it could not be otherwise. Am I wrong in this?

I told him that I could not explain all that I felt on this subject, but would say this much, If we should go to the communion table together, would not that be saying that we agreed upon the death and sufferings of Christ? He said that he supposed that it would, and that he hoped that we did agree. I said to him that if I understood him, he believed that Christ died merely to make it possible for sinners to be saved, while I believed he died to save sinners, and they are saved, and that not one of them could be lost. He exclaimed, Fatalism, my sister, fatalism! I told him that if that was what he chose to call fatalism, I was quite willing to be called a fatalist. He argued and labored long that (to use his own words) it was only made possible for us to be saved, and that it now depends upon us whether we will, or will not, repent and believe, and whether we will, or will not, love, accept and obey the Savior. But he failed to see that love, faith and repentIn conversation with a Methodist min-ance are all of the Lord, and are just as

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