The Christian Messenger. (Bonham, Tex.), Vol. 2, No. 47, Ed. 1 Wednesday, November 29, 1876 Page: 2 of 4
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VOL. II.
Christian Messenger.
No. 47.
THE MESSENGER.
BONHAM, TEXAS:
WstiSESDAV, SO rEMBER 1876
C\ms. Carlton ft T. R. Barnett
• Editors,
ASSOCIATE editors:
C. Kendrick, J. M. Biard,
1. Elgan, B.C. Horn,
II. B. SlMONDS.
Thoro were fifty preachers pres-
ent at the last Christian conven-
tion in Nortfl Carolina, and over
5,000 member* reported. Over 500
were baptized the past year.
The Messenger of this week is
not so foil of interest as usual.
The editor is at Dallas, attending
the Caakey-Price debate, but will
be at his poet next week, and our
next issue will make up for the
lack of editorial and news items.
**Doing the best we can/’ is a
▼•ry common remark. Often its
truthfulness may be questioned
without any lack of chanty. Who
is really and constantly doing the
best be can f C. K.
The brother who reported 165
members, and added, that for his
part, he would be willing to swap
off 150 of them for 15 real workers,
need not expect a trade in these
parts. Why, the fact is, Satin him-
self would not have non-workers!
His servants all work. C. K.
If you wonld subdue Satin, you
mast f*c him squarely, and g*^^T"ing ^ and ft^Vanxiety J^cTed
Oil the Wing.
About the hour of midnight on
Thursday night of last week, we
boarded'a Texas and Pacific coach
for Texarkana, Jefferson, Marshall.
Dallas, and all intermediate points.
The run to Texarkana was not at
all interesting, as a semi-waking,
semi-sleeping, jostling, jolting
snooze in a car-seat becomes pain-
fully monotonous in a short time.
Day dawnod upon us amid the
black-jack bills of Bowie county,
and although we were approaching
the celebrated city of Boston, (it is
called New Boston now,) we could
see nothing very inviting any-
where within the visual angle.
Texarkana is situated in a “ howl-
ing wilderness,” as it were, far
awnv from the habitation of man—
that is to say, away from any set-
tlement except those within its-own
corporate limits. This place stands
upon the corner of three states,
and from thence derives its name—
Tex ark ana. It formerly consisted,
it is said, "of simply an old black
pine stump. Where the wolves
used to howl, the locomotives now
scream. The town consists mainly
of railroad switches and poor lunch
houses. We attested the virtues of
one of the latter, in our simplicity,
and “ enjoyed ” a spell of sickness
in consequence. Here is where
the two branches of the Texas and
Pacific connect with the Iron Moun-
tain road from Little Rock, and re-
ceives the great floods of immigrants
that pour fnta Texas from the
north-eastern states. Immigrants
by the hundred—men, women and
children, with arms full of baggage,
him to- understand that yon mean
no compromise. He will soon u»-
derstand yoa. Parley with him,
and he will come a<ratn. “ Resist
the devil and he will flee from you ”
—he leaves in haste. C. K.
When energy, wisdom, patienoe,
education and general intelligence
are given as lrapor^Bt for Sunday
school superintendents and teach-
ers, how many say at once, “ I am
not fit; I can’t do this work.” Now
no more is meant than that here, as
elsewhere, we should improve our
opportunities. Let each learn as
he can, and do what he can, and be
not discouraged. It was not meant
to discourage you—any of you!
C. K.
m ■ m ■
^ Painting across the street, he
said: “ I don’t want anything to
do with that man. He pays his
debts 50 cents on the dollar.” But
thie ie better than some do—a good
deal better I Some do not pay any-
thing, and some pay 20 cents; and
this only after long waiting and
many disappointments and broken
promises. And, after a little reflec-
tion, I doubted whether the speaker,
himself, paid to God even 50 cents
to*the dollar. Perhaps he had not
thought of this. Zealous for the
rights of man, and careless Of those
belonging to God L Duty to God,
and duty to man conntitutes pure
and undefiled religion. Do we ren-
der lb God the things that are
Godaf C. K.
Just Beyond.
When amid the silence and calm
of night I permit my thoughts on
eager wing to pass to the “ bourne
whsnee no traveler returns,” I am
lost In profound meditation.
Though seeming alone, yet in fan-
cy’s wide domain, I meet my com-
panions who have crossed the Jor-
dan ol death, in glorioas reunion
around the throne of God.
Those with whom we became
fondly associated—whose life-labors
were common with ours—melhinks
I see them advancing to welcome a
brother home ! How glorious the
thougbt that divine harmony is
there! That there’s no more pain
nor anguish, sorrowing nor crying ;
bnt that God will wipe away all
tears, and that the spirits of the
just are there made perfect! That
the saints of all ages shall in har-
mony meet 1 Truly we do not see
the joys that await the final and
faithful. u For eye hath not seen,
nor ear hath not heard, neither has
it entered into the hearts of men
what God has prepared for those
who love and serve him>
W. T. 3.
Povham, Ttx., Nov. 19, 76.
on every lace—“going to Texas.”
Almost every day mistakes are
made, and persons, with tickets in
their hand for Sherman and the
wost, board the train for Marshall,
and never know the difference until
they have sped onward many miles
down Into the pine forests of the
lower country. Conductors have a
hard time. It is hard to have to
put off the poor unfortunates at the
roadside with a ticket in the hand
for which they baro spent their
money. But we believo Tom Scott’s
two road* have arranged a system
of exchange, that meets the emer-
gency. It is often remarked that
railroad conductors are a merciless
set of fellows, and that they delight
in torturing people over their mis-
fortunes, while en-route, but a slight
observation of the surroundings
will convince any one that they,
too, have their trials. It is a won-
der to us that they are even as pa-
tient as they are. The officers of
this road are generally affable and
kind, and we learned that the con-
ductor on the Texarkana and Dal-
las express is a good Christian man,
and reads his Bible much. To our
mortification we found that our
pass. M to Jefferson and return,”
would not return us to Bonham by
way of Dallas, and we had cither
to come back home through the
pine hills or pay tare onward, or
else stop off at Marshall and have a
“coupon” attached to the pass,grant-
ing further “ rights and privileges.”
To come back was disagreeable,
to pay fare onward was also disa-
greeable, and so when the conduc-
tor called out, “ Twenty minutes
for supper,” at Marshall, we ran off
to headquarters and had an amend-
ment passed upon tho pass that
would not pass us over the road
any further, and returned just in
time to not get any supper, but to
gain the train going wostward, and
reached Wills’ Point, the place of
our (then) destination at the hour
of midnight. One dollar in money
secured a good bed and breakfast,
at the Mehaffy House, and early
Saturday morning we were out in
search of the “ lost sheep of the
houso of Israel.” Learned that
there were only three Chrisitans in
that town, (who wear the name,)
hut that there were some over in
the timber four miles east of there.
3ro. Brown furnished transporta-
tion to the neighborhood, and Bro.
J. W. Daniel carried us around tho
neighborhood, and assisted in ad-
ding*new subscriber to the list of
the Christian Messenger. A good-
ly number wa» raised. On Satur-
day night we spoke in tho school-
house to a small audience, and on
Sunday to a good congregation of
interested hearers. This is ihc
home church of Bro. E. G. Gray,
and he speaks for them once a
month. He has another appoint-
ment or two, and is doing much for
the cause in this soction, as he can
spare time from his farm. He is a
preacher of good ability, and pop-
ular with the brethren. On Sun-
day night we spoke to a fine con-
grcgition in the Methodist church
at Wills’ Point. The Baptists and
Methodists are both strong at this
place, and have good houses of wor-
ship, and are not as illiberal as are
their kinsmen in some places. They
open their doors to our brethren,
and attend their meetings. We
lodged at the house of Bro. James
Brown, who keeps a good hotel at
the Point, and at 10 o’clock Mon-
day morning boarded the train for
Dallas, tho scene of the on-coming
conflict. Wills’ Point is a thrifty
little village of several hundred in-
habitants. Has a number of large
business houses, a newspaper, and
several saloons—of course. High,
dry and sandy, and located in the
first good section of country on the
Texas and Pacific west of the tim-
ber region, it bids fair to become a
thriving town. B.
Dallas, November 27, ’76.
The combatants bavo arrived,
and expectation is on tiptoe. Do-
bate will be hold in the Methodist
(Northern) Tabernacle, on Elm
street. It is a large brick building,
capable of seating some six hun-
dred people. Efforts are now be-
ing made to secure a stenographer,
and discussion will not begin until
to-night. The disputants are botli
in good health, and good humor,
and “eager for the fray.” Bro. Wil-
meth is here, ani a number of
stove-piped, broad-clothed gentle-
men from the Methodist side. The
intention is to have the debate pub-
lished in book form. B.
Bonham, Fannin Co., Tex., )
November 28, ’76. j
Brothers C. & B.:
I see in your last isbne a commu-
nication from Bro. W. F. Smith, of
Donalton, Hunt county, Texas. It
seems from what flro. Smith says,
that the Rev. fl. C. Rogers has
been figuring in that section of
country, and, among other things,
it seems he said he knew of a case
where a distinguished preacher of
our brethren was to be tried, and
that an elder of the Christian church
carried Mr. Campbell’s Christian
System with biin to the trial, and
tried the preacher by it; and named
my umble self as the elder. This
is indeed news to me, never having,
in all my life, been at the trial of
one of our preaching brethren.
Some years since, Bro. Tom. Gale
and myself were sent as delegates
from the Bonham congregation to
meet with bietkren from other
counties, at Mantia, Collin county,
Texas, for the purpose of trying to
heal dissensions that had sprung up
in the congregation at that place,
about old Bro. Hall; but not to try
him. He, 1 belive, was subsequent-
ly tried by another commission,
ngroed upon by the brethren. 1
never have known of any person
being tried by the book referred to,
nor have I ever heard of any con-
gregation, in this or any other
country adoptu.g it as their discip-
line or guide, or rule of action. I
remember some years since, this
same Reverend gentleman, while
attending camp-meeting at Mmnt
Pleasant, sent a young man to me
to borrow tfie book, and told him
he was not going to refer to it on the
ground, or on that occasion, but
wanted it for the purpose of posting
himself for another occasion and an-
other place. Of course I loaned
him the book. Before the close of
the meeting he mude the statement
that tho Christian church had a dis-
cipline in the same sense that tho
Methodist had, and that ho had been
so fortunate aa to secure one, and
pulled it out of bis bosom and ex-
hibited it to the audience, myself
and the young man boiore mention-
ed, being present.
This was the only time that I
ever saw or heard of any person be-
ing tried by tho Christian System,
and it was only a trial voluntarily
entered upon, 1 suppose to see
whether or not he could tell the
truth. But alas 1 for poor, frail hu-
man nature, lie done what he
said he would not do.
R. W. Holland.
One© More I
More Cheering ^ewe.
From the pen of our esteemed
Bro. Elgan, I read the following:
“ I deny that there was ever any
change effected in our original na-
ture hy the fall of Adam.” I pur-
posely leave out the word ‘ disposi-
tion,’ as he denies that there is an
original ‘disposition,’ and I do not
know in what sense he uses the
word ‘disposition.’ His conclusion
is: “Man’s nature is not weaker in
consequence of the fall. The child,
when born, is m its original facul-
ties, just a9 Adam was before the
fall.” Fully satisfied that our moral
faculties suffered by the fall, I offer
the following, rather as a sugges-
tion than criticism :
If Adam had resisted the disposi-
tion to sin, he would have been vir-
tuous and remained so. But he
yielded to tho desire (without this
desire ho could not have been
tempted) and deliberately purposed
to take the forbidden fruit. The
desire was not the sin, it was what
caused him to*le tempted; the
wicked purpose in his heart, which
was expressed by the act, was sin-
ful. The faculty from which sprang
this desire, was an original faculty,
without which man could desire
nothing. The judgment enabled
man to distinguish between right
and wrong; his will enabled him
to choose. Desire or sensibility
pleads for the fruit; judgment and
conscience says it is wrong to take
it; the will hears both sides and
then surrenders to desire. Thus
conscience is wounded, and judg-
ment dethroned, and man becomes
the slave of his appetite, which lac-
alty is rendered abnormal by ille-
gitimate exercise. As long as he
kept appetite in obedience to the
law of God, he was a good man ,
when he failed, he lost that good-
ness, and to that extent the image
of God ; and though ho still pos-
sessed God like power of mind and
heart, his faculties were never again
in a normal condition. The stream
could not rise above the fountain,
and no flight ofthe imagination can
give them Edenic uprightness, or
restore them to the normal condi-
tion of Adam before the fall. True,
Adam could desire evil things be-
fore he fell; but that fact does not
disprove another. What has that
fact to do with the transmisjsion of
weakened and sinful natures from
father to eon? The notion that a
man can make a beast of himself
and not entail his abnormal facul-
ties upon his progeny, may afford
some comfort to those who believe
that God will send to an eudless
hell, countless millions of beings,
for the unavoidable misfortune ot
not having the gospel. But it har-
monizes very poorly with that
Scripture which sayeth, “ God hath
counted all under sin, that he might
have mercy upon all.” Bro. Elgan
thinks children (I suppose tho very
small ones) are alt right m their
original faculties, therefore fit lor
heaven. But that pagans are all
wrong in their faculties, therefore
they must go to hell. What about
grown up Christians ? Aro they
sinless as to their original faculties ?
D>»es my brother claim to be a* sin-
less as “little children, and Adam,
before the fall?”- I know Bro. E.
will admit that he is not, but will
claim that he is doing (pretty near-
ly) his best, under the light and
help that God has given him; and
therelore, he hopes for mercy, not
through his sinlessness, but through
the grace of God. Now, I ask, may
not some heathen bo doing thoir
best, even better than you or I,
considering the light and help they
get? If so, may they not have
mercy through Christ’s blood, since
ho is the propetitiou for the whole
world ? God is not willing that
the wicked should perish, much
loss the helpless. One man (Adam)
lost the world. One man (Christ)
redoemed it. Man is responsible
for his own sins. “ Where there is
no law, sin is not imputed.” “ Lit-
tle given, little expected.” But if
wo do our duty, Christ will restore
us fully, at the right time and in
the right way. As to the heathen,
“ the Judge of all the earth will do
right.” “ Thy heart, soul, strength.”
And every man will be rewarded as
his works shall be.
Affectionately,"
J. J. Williamson.
Brother Kirk Baxter wrote the
following cheering news from Kauf-
man, Texas, to Dallas, on Monday
last: ^
Kaufman, Nov. 27, 1876.
Dear Bro. Caskey :
I suppose the debate commences
to day. I regret very much that I
cannot be there. 1 came here sev-
eral days ago, fully intending to be
at home on Saturday last—indeed
I was ready to leave on Friday, but
some ot the prominent citizens of
this place, not members of the
church, insisted that I should stay
and preach that night. We had
two confessions the night before
and I concluded to remain another
eight, at which time seven- more
came forward for baptism, and as
there was so much interest mani-
fested, I could not getaway. Have
had additions every night—four
last night—nineteen in all since the
meeting began, and interest increas
ing. Will get home just as soon as
I can. Hope you will have a good
lime. I am anxious to be with you,
and yet I feel that it would be
wrong to close under the circum-
stances. May the Lord bless you
in your efforts to defend and sustain
the cause.
Your brother in Christ,
Kirk Baxter.
Moody and SiHnkoy in
Chicago.
BY T. J. SHELTON.
I have been id attendance at the
Moody and Ban key revival, iu Chi-
cago, twice each day tor the last
week. It may be of interest to your
readers to know just how their
work looks as seen by a Disciple’s
eyes.
First, the place. The meetings
are held in a gigantic tabernacle,
built for the purpose. Its dimen
sions are 190x160 feet. To the
main floor there are four wide
double entrances. This floor will
seat four thousand five hundred
people. To this gallery there are
six entrances by flights of steps
twelve feet wide, entirely separate
from the entrances on the main
door; thus enabling the great hall
to be filled or emptied in about five
minutes.
The roof, which is thirty feet
high, is bupported by heavy posts,
standing on the ground. The walls
are of brick and the front is of iron.
Everything, as far as it goes, is after
the manner of a first-class whole-
sale store. The ball is lighted by
two rows of windows along the
whole length of the north and south
sides. At night it is lighted by
gas and heated with steam. Just
oack of the speaker’s stand, and
over ths choir, are gas jets repre-
senting the words *‘ god is love,”
which makes a splendid effect. Mr.
Sankey is supported by a picked
choir from all the churches of about
five hundred singers,
The men. Mr, Moody is a plain
looking man, stoutly built, and
rather of an ungainly appearance.
There is nothing of the orator about
him. He speaks very rapidlj, and
never talks longer than thirty min-
utes. He speaks with great ve-
hemence and earnestness but not
like a demagogue or ranter. He
pleads for men’s lives with all the
ardor of his great soul. He is not
a camp meeting ranter and nothing
like it. He does not speak good
English. Although his sermons are
carefully written, they are full of
errors in the simplest rules of gram-
mar. The secret of his power is in
using the Word of G» 1, and his un-
bounded faith in God’s promise. I
never saw such a child like faith in
all my life. He preaches the first
part of the commission with power,
but never says a word about bap-
tism. He preaches fiilh in God’s
word and repentance stronger than
any preacher I ever heard. He
seems to be burdened with the sor-
rows and sins of others.
By preaching the great cardinal
truths of the gospel, he gets the co-
operation and support of all denom-
inations. The subject of baptism is
left to each one’s conscience and the
Word of God. Who will say that
this is not better than to have a
perpetual quarrel over the action of
baptism ? All the great men of the
earth have differed on the subject
of baptism, and shall we keep up
the confusion and muddle by in-
sisting that the quarrel shall go on ?
While men are perishing for Christ
we are spending our time m a never-
ending dispute about the action of
baptism! Get Christ into the heart
and the wrong will soon be made
right.
“ It is all excitement. There is
no lasting good accomplished.”
That is what the skeptical say.
Well, I said that once, but I will
take it all back. There is no ex-
citement at all. Everything is con-
ducted in a cool and deliberate
manner. The appeal is always to
the Word of God. Bibles and Tes-
taments are being sold by the thou-
sands, yea, tens of thousands to sup-
ply the demand arising from thee*
meetings. As soon as Mr. Moody
begins to read you will see every
one near him, and very many in
the audience, take out their pocket
Bibles and Testaments. So far as
permanent good is concerned, it is
like the parable of the Savior. Of
coarse in scattering the seed broad-
cast among thorns, briars and stony
ground, we do not expect every seed
to take root and bring forth fruit.
No man can tell all the good that
this meeting is accomplishing. Why,
the Democratic candidate for the
vice-presidency spoke in Farwell
Hall while I was there, and with all
their advertising and the bands of
musie, they made no effect upon the
Tabernacle audience.
Mr. Sankey is not a great singer.
We have many men among us who
aie his superior. He discards ail
rules o5 music, and makes long
notes and short ones, slurs and
pauses just to suit himself. His pow-
er h in speaking the worda clearly,
distinctly and forcibly. He prays
God’s blessing upon each song, and
sings solemnly and pathetically.
You have heard'stngers sing grand-
ly, Jand jvhen they were through
you felt like applauding, but when
Mr. Sankey is through singing you
feel like reverently and solemnly
saving, “Amen.” 1 Ho makes the
serviee^of song as solemn as any
other part of the meeting. And,
that is the secret of soceeas. We
have had too much of this sirging
for amusement and to tickle the
ears of the ungodly.
These evangelists are working
among^tbe “publicans and sinners”
of Chicago. I was at a meeting
specially designed for drunkaids.
Hundreds of them were there. I
can not describe the meeting. I
never had my heart so stirred in say
life.
---......
Carlyle oe Darwin.
A correspondent of the Hartford
Courant, who has been paying a
visit to Carlyle (now in hia 82d
year), gives the following as the
expression of his views in regard
to a certain class of modern scien-
tists in England:
' “So-called literary and scientific
classes in England now proudly
give themselvea to protoplasm,
origin of species, and the like, to
prove that God * did not build the
universe. I have known three
generations of the Darwins, grand
father, lather, and son; atheists all.
The brother of tho present famous
naturalist, a quiet man, who live*
not far ;frora here, told me that
among his grandfather’s effects he
found a seal engraved with this
legend: ‘Omnia ex conchia,’ every--
thing from a clamshell! I saw the
naturalist not many months ago;
told him that I had read bis ‘Origin
of the Species,’ and other hooka;
that he had by no means satisfied
me that men were decended from
monkeys, but had gone far toward
persuading me that he and his so-
called scientific brethren had
brought the present generation of
Englishmen very near to monkeys.
A good sort of man is this Darwin,
ana well-meaning, but with very
little intellect. Ah, it la a sad and
terrible thing to see nigh a whole
generation of men and women, pro-
fessing to be cultivated, looking
around in a purblind Ikehion and
finding no God in this universe. I
suppose it is a reaction from the
reign of cant and hollow pretense,
professing to believe what in fact
they do not believe. And tbia is
what we have got. All things from
frog spawn ; the gospel of dirt the
order of the day. The older I
grow—and I now stand upon the
brink of eternity—the more cornea
back to me the sentence in the cat-
echism, which I learned when
a child, and the fuller and
deeper its meaning becomes —
‘ What is the great end of man ? r
‘ To glorify God, and to enjoy him
lorever.’ No gospel of dirt, teach-
ing that mon nave descended from
frogs through monkeys, can ever
set that aside.”
fiuooi
of als© Oaui
Cave Spring, Mo., 15 additions.
W. B. Cochran, preacher.
Yates Center, Kaaaaa, II addi-
tions. J. W. Shively, preacher.
Chapin, Illinois, 28 additions. J.
W. Ballinger, preacher.
noge’e Chapel, Va^ 80 additions.
Wmgo and Bolin, preachers.
The papers say that an old man
at Giddings married a Mrs. Alliga-
tor Moore, and when the * bojf ”
came to charivari the couple that
night, Mrs Alligator let lose o a
them a volley of bird-shot and oth-
er missiles of destruction, and
wounded twenty of them. And
now they say there was not a hit
of fun in that chan ran.
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Burnett, Thomas R. & Carlton, Charles. The Christian Messenger. (Bonham, Tex.), Vol. 2, No. 47, Ed. 1 Wednesday, November 29, 1876, newspaper, November 29, 1876; Bonham, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth974431/m1/2/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Bonham Public Library.