Saturday, January 17, 2026

INFRASTRUCTURE IN DOCTRINE

INFRASTRUCTURE IN DOCTRINES

FOREWORD
INTRODUCTION
HEBREWS 6.1-2
SO WHAT ARE THE IMPORTANT DOCTRINES IN ORDER?
WHAT WERE THE OPINIONS OF BEEBE & TROTT ON THE IMPORTANCE OF ESCATAOLOGY

FOREWORD

Kill Your Sin - Founders Ministries (Sasntamaria)

[This article was written by Tom Ascol, Pastor of the Pastor of Grace Baptist Church in Cape Coral, FL since 1986. Prior to moving to Florida, he served as pastor and associate pastor of churches in Texas. He has a BS degree in sociology from Texas A&M University (1979) and has also earned the MDiv and PhD degrees from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Ft Worth, Texas. He has served as an adjunct professor of theology for various colleges and seminaries, including Reformed Theological Seminary, the Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary, African Christian University, Copperbelt Ministerial College, and Reformed Baptist Seminary. He has also served as a Visiting Professor at the Nicole Institute for Baptist Studies at Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando, Florida. Tom serves as the President of Founders Ministries and The Institute of Public Theology. We do not agree with him. But this will be a part of a new series where, based on the writings of Elder Beebe, we formulate what would have been his response - ed]

Moody & Sankey 1875 in London (Santamaria)

Moody’s London work (especially the big Moody–Sankey campaign in 1875) drew real-time criticism that it produced unhealthy side-effects, even from people who weren’t denying that some good also occurred.

ORIGIN AND PERSONAGES OF CONDITIONAL TIME SALVATION (Santamaria)

Elder J.R. Respess (1840–1927) was a prominent Primitive Baptist preacher and writer, widely respected for his contributions to the Primitive Baptist publications and theological discussions. Here is a list of his significant writings, with a focus on his contributions to the Primitive Baptist movement:

📚 Key Writings of Elder J.R. Respess:

1. "The Primitive Baptist" (1877–1927)

Contributions: Elder Respess was a regular contributor to The Primitive Baptist paper, which was a major publication for the Old School Primitive Baptist community. He wrote extensively on salvation, church governance, and the Christian walk.
Key Focus: Much of his writing emphasized the importance of obedience and faithfulness in the Christian life, while affirming God’s sovereign grace in salvation.

2. "The Kingdom of God."

Summary: This work delves into the concept of God's Kingdom, focusing on the spiritual reign of Christ in the hearts of believers.
Key Themes:
- The nature of Christ’s kingdom as a spiritual and invisible kingdom.
- Obedience as a central aspect of life in God's kingdom.
- The relationship between church life and the Kingdom of God.

3. "The Absolute and Conditional."

Summary: In this book, Respess outlines his views on the difference between Absolute predestination (God’s sovereign election) and Conditional Time Salvation (obedience and faithfulness for temporal blessings).
Key Themes:
- Eternal salvation is unconditional (solely by grace).
- Time salvation (blessings in this life) is conditional on the believer's obedience to God’s Word.
- Explores the doctrinal division between Absoluters and Conditionalists within the Primitive Baptist movement.

4. "Salvation: By Grace, Through Faith, and Works."

Summary: This treatise emphasizes the relationship between grace, faith, and works in the believer’s walk.
Key Themes:
- The role of faith as the channel of grace.
- Obedience and good works as the fruit of salvation.
- The proper understanding of grace that leads to a godly life.

5. "The Scriptural Doctrine of Election"

Summary: Elder Respess elaborates on the Biblical doctrine of election, with a strong emphasis on God’s sovereign choice in salvation.
Key Themes:
- The eternal election of the saints by God's grace.
- Election is unconditional; however, experiential salvation depends on the believer's obedience.

6. "The Great Commission."

Summary: In this work, Respess discusses the Great Commission given by Christ in Matthew 28, emphasizing the church’s role in carrying out the gospel mandate.
Key Themes:
- Evangelistic duty of the church to preach and baptize.
- Importance of church discipline and maintaining godly order.

7. "The Sovereignty of God in Salvation."

Summary: A significant work where Respess outlines his views on the sovereignty of God, especially in the context of salvation.
Key Themes:
- God’s absolute control over salvation and eternal life.
- Emphasis on the unconditional nature of salvation, affirming God's grace.
- The relationship between sovereignty and free will, in which free will is acknowledged but God’s plan prevails.

8. "The Faith Once Delivered."

Summary: In this work, Respess defends the historic teachings of the Primitive Baptists and urges adherence to biblical doctrines that were passed down through the church.
Key Themes:
- The preservation of biblical faith through the generations.
- Importance of staying true to the teachings of the apostles.
- A defense of Primitive Baptist tradition and its distinctive beliefs.

9. "Christ's Mission on Earth."

Summary: Respess examines Christ's earthly mission, focusing on the purpose of His coming and the nature of His work.
Key Themes:
- Christ’s work as Redeemer and Savior.
- The spiritual transformation that believers undergo in Christ.
- Christ’s sacrifice and its implications for the believer’s life.

📚 Other Contributions:

In addition to these specific works, Elder J.R. Respess also contributed to various sermons, articles, and periodicals throughout his life, particularly in the publications of the Primitive Baptist denomination. Many of his writings emphasized the sovereignty of God, the importance of Scripture, and the necessity of faith and obedience for experiencing God's blessings in this life, while affirming that eternal salvation was always by grace alone.

Tuesday, January 13, 2026

CIRCUMCISION (SANTAMARIA)

The Jews (Israelites) were not circumcised in Egypt for several interrelated theological, historical, and practical reasons, as suggested in Scripture and interpreted by Jewish and Christian traditions. Here's a scholarly explanation:

The question of whether Jewish priests (Levites or Aaronic) were circumcised while in Egypt is an important one, particularly because of Joshua 5:5, which states:

"All the people who came out of Egypt were circumcised, but all the people born in the wilderness during the journey from Egypt had not been circumcised." (Joshua 5:5, NIV)

This suggests that those who came out of Egypt, including Moses, Aaron, and the priests, were circumcised. Let’s break this down into historical, textual, and theological evidence:

1. Scriptural Evidence that Priests Were Circumcised in Egypt

a. Moses was circumcised (or obligated to circumcise)

Exodus 4:24–26 records the incident where God sought to kill Moses for not circumcising his son. Zipporah then circumcised the child and averted judgment.

This passage implies that circumcision was still expected and enforced by God, even in the period following Egyptian slavery.

Moses’ failure to circumcise his own son seems to be an exception, not the rule, and may reflect the influence of his Midianite marriage rather than Israelite custom.

b. Aaron and the Levitical Line

No passage in the Old Testament ever indicates that Aaron or the Levitical priests were uncircumcised.

In fact, participation in the Passover was strictly limited to the circumcised only (Exodus 12:48):

“No uncircumcised person shall eat of it.”

Aaron and the priests participated in the original Passover in Egypt (Exodus 12), which confirms that they had to be circumcised to partake.

Thus, logically:

Only circumcised males could partake of the Passover (Ex. 12:48)

Aaron and Moses partook of the Passover

→ Therefore, Aaron and Moses were circumcised

2. Priestly Line Continued Without Disruption

Levitical and Aaronic duties, once instituted in the wilderness (Exodus–Leviticus), assumed a pure lineage and obedience to covenantal signs.

Since God chose Aaron and his sons for the priesthood, they would not have been allowed to serve while in an uncircumcised state.

Ezekiel 44:7 (later, during exile) criticizes priests who allowed the uncircumcised in heart and flesh into God's sanctuary—implying that both external and internal circumcision were expected.

3. Historical Interpretation

a. Jewish Tradition

Rabbinic sources (e.g., Midrash Rabbah, Mekhilta de-Rabbi Ishmael) affirm that circumcision was practiced among faithful Israelites in Egypt, though it declined or ceased for others.

Some traditions say tribes like Levi remained more faithful during Egyptian bondage (cf. Exodus 32:26), suggesting the Levites may have preserved circumcision more strictly.

b. Theological Logic

The sign of the Abrahamic covenant (Genesis 17:10–14) was circumcision, and failure to circumcise meant cutting off from the covenant community.

For Israel's deliverance to be based on God's covenant with Abraham (Exodus 2:24–25), there had to remain at least a core of circumcised Israelites, especially among the leaders.

Conclusion:

Yes, the Jewish priests in Egypt were circumcised, and this is provable through:

Scriptural deduction: Passover participants had to be circumcised (Ex. 12:48), and Aaron and Moses participated.

Priestly qualifications: Aaron could not have served as high priest if he were uncircumcised.

Covenantal continuity: God honored His covenant with Abraham, implying at least partial continuity of the covenant sign.

Historical Jewish tradition: The tribe of Levi was more faithful than others during Egypt and likely maintained circumcision.

Would you like sources from Jewish commentators or early church fathers as well?

1. Biblical Reference:

In Joshua 5:2–9, we are explicitly told that the generation born in the wilderness had not been circumcised. The reason is given:

“All the people who came out of Egypt had been circumcised, but all the people born in the wilderness on the way after they came out of Egypt had not been circumcised.” (Joshua 5:5, ESV)

So, two facts are clear:

The original Israelites who entered Egypt were circumcised.
Their descendants stopped circumcising either during slavery or in the wilderness.

2. During Egyptian Bondage:

There is no direct biblical record of Israel practicing circumcision while in Egypt. Several theories explain why:

a. Oppression and Cultural Suppression:

Egyptian slavery may have made religious practices like circumcision difficult or dangerous. As foreign slaves, Israelites likely had little freedom to perform rituals. Egyptians also practiced their own form of circumcision, typically partial and at puberty—not infancy—so Israelite circumcision may have been seen as foreign or threatening.

b. Spiritual Decline in Egypt:

Ezekiel 20:5–8 strongly suggests that the Israelites fell into idolatry while in Egypt:

“...they rebelled against Me and would not listen to Me. They did not cast away the idols of Egypt.”

This spiritual compromise may have led to the neglect of the covenant sign (circumcision), since it symbolized faithfulness to God's covenant with Abraham.

3. In the Wilderness:

Even after the Exodus, circumcision was not resumed during the 40 years in the wilderness. This seems to be an act of divine judgment or consequence:

a. Sign of Covenant Withheld:

God may have withheld the covenant sign from the disobedient generation that would not enter the Promised Land (cf. Numbers 14). The delay in circumcision parallels the delay in entering the land. Only after the wilderness generation died off did Joshua resume circumcision at Gilgal.

b. Re-covenanting at Gilgal:

Joshua 5 presents the circumcision at Gilgal as a national renewal of the covenant, once the new generation was poised to inherit the land. God says:

“Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.” (Joshua 5:9)

This implies that lack of circumcision had left them under spiritual reproach, which was only removed once they re-obeyed.

4. Theological Symbolism:

In a deeper sense, circumcision symbolized separation, obedience, and identity with God's covenant. Neglecting it during Egyptian bondage and the wilderness symbolizes:

Israel's loss of identity under oppression
God's displeasure with their unbelief
The need for renewed obedience in the new land

Summary:

The Jews were not circumcised in Egypt likely due to a combination of:

Oppression and loss of religious freedom
Spiritual compromise and idolatry
God’s judgment during the wilderness period
A divine plan to renew the covenant only upon entering Canaan

This neglect was reversed in Joshua 5, when circumcision resumed as a public recommitment to God's covenant with Abraham.

Would you like the Jewish rabbinic view or early Christian interpretations (e.g., in the Church Fathers) as well?

It is very likely that some Jews (Israelites) in Egypt were not circumcised at the time of the first Passover, and therefore did not participate in the meal.

Why?

Because Exodus 12:43–48 explicitly forbids any uncircumcised person from eating the Passover:

Exodus 12:48 –
“No uncircumcised person shall eat thereof.”

This law applied not only to foreigners or servants, but to Israelites themselves. Participation in the Passover required circumcision as a covenant sign.

Historical Context:

During the centuries in Egypt, the Israelites fell into neglect of circumcision, especially during their slavery.

Joshua 5:5 –
“Now all the people that came out were circumcised: but all the people that were born in the wilderness... them they had not circumcised.”

This suggests that only a segment of Israel maintained the practice, and likely only those who obeyed God's command were circumcised before the first Passover in order to participate.

Therefore:

✅ Some Israelites were circumcised before the first Passover and ate it.
🚫 Some were not circumcised and were therefore excluded from the meal.

There is no mention of mass punishment for uncircumcised Israelites at that moment — only that they could not participate in the covenant meal.

Conclusion:

There were likely Israelites in Egypt who were not circumcised at the time of the first Passover.
They would have been excluded from eating the lamb, according to God's command in Exodus 12:48.
Only those who obeyed and were circumcised took part in that foundational covenant meal.

The uncircumcised Israelites were not automatically killed by the angel of death unless they disobeyed God’s specific command to apply the blood of the lamb.

Let’s break it down carefully:

🔑 Exodus 12:12–13 – What prevented death?

“When I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you…”

God's judgment passed over houses marked with blood, regardless of who was inside — circumcised or not. The protection was based on obedience to the instruction to kill a lamb and apply its blood to the doorposts.

🔍 So what if an Israelite was uncircumcised?

If an uncircumcised Israelite lived in a house where the blood of the lamb was applied, then that house was passed over.
Circumcision was a requirement to eat the Passover lamb (Exodus 12:48), but not explicitly a requirement for deliverance from the plague.
The judgment came to the firstborn in homes without the blood, not to individuals based on personal circumcision status.

🧾 Summary:

Condition	Consequence
Blood applied to the doorpost	Death angel passes over the house
No blood on the doorpost	The firstborn in that house dies
An uncircumcised person in a protected house	Likely spared, but excluded from eating the lamb
Uncircumcised, disobedient, and did not apply blood	Firstborn likely perished

Final Thought:

God's instructions were very clear. Those who believed and obeyed applied the blood, and their households were protected. The issue at Passover was not primarily circumcision, but faith shown through obedience (Hebrews 11:28).

Hebrews 11:28 – “Through faith he kept the Passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them.”

So, while circumcision determined who could eat the lamb, it was the blood on the doorposts that saved the firstborn — and this was the dividing line between life and death that night in Egypt.

Monday, January 12, 2026

Application of the Prophecies Contained in Daniel From Chapters 8 to 11,

Remarks designed to show the proper and extended application of the prophecies contained in Daniel from chapters 8 to 11, inclusive, with a particular reference to the texts chapter 8.13-14 And 12.7-12.

“Let no man deceive you by any means; for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition.” – 2 Thessalonians ii, 3.

“Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led astray with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness.” – 2 Peter iii, 17.

THE BRIGHTER EVIDENCE (SMOOT)

Dear Brother Beebe & Sons: – From the reading of the obituary of Mr. Ebenezer Alden in the last received number of the SIGNS, I have felt like offering a few thoughts upon this subject.

THE WHOLE CREATION GROANS (SMOOT)

Reply to Brother Cory

Brother Elijah Cory of Moorland, Indiana, has requested our views on the following Scripture:

“For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.” – Romans viii, 22, 23.

With old odd ends stolen forth from holy writ / And seem a saint when most I play the devil." (Santamaria)

"And thus I clothe my naked villainy / With old odd ends stolen forth from holy writ / And seem a saint when most I play the devil."

And pious action we do sugar o'er The devil himself." (Santamaria)

"We are oft to blame in this,—'Tis too much proved — that with devotion's visage
And pious action we do sugar o'er
The devil himself."

A BRIEF BIOGRAPHY OF ELDER SAMUEL TROTT (Santamaria)

Elder Samuel S. Trott (1783–1866) was a prominent American Baptist preacher and a foundational figure in the Old School Baptist movement, also known as Primitive Baptists. His theological perspectives and leadership significantly influenced Baptist practices in the 19th century.

Early Life and Ministry

Born in 1783, Trott's early life details are sparse. He initially joined a Presbyterian church, where he described himself as a "pretty strict formalist" and a "legalist." Over time, his theological views evolved, leading him to embrace Baptist principles. On December 22, 1810, he was baptized by Elder William Parkinson in New York City. By 1816, Trott had moved to Ohio, where he engaged in teaching and preaching.

Leadership in the Old School Baptist Movement

Trott emerged as a leading figure among Baptists who opposed the modern missionary movement and other "new measures" being introduced into Baptist and Protestant churches during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Alongside Elder Gilbert Beebe, he was instrumental in articulating the principles of the Old School Baptists, emphasizing a return to what they viewed as the original doctrines and practices of the church.

The Black Rock Address of 1832

One of Trott's most notable contributions was his involvement in drafting the Black Rock Address in 1832. This document delineated the distinctions between the Old School (Primitive) Baptists and those adopting new practices such as mission societies, Sunday schools, and theological seminaries. The address articulated the Old School Baptists' commitment to traditional Baptist ecclesiology and their rejection of what they perceived as unscriptural innovations.

Pastoral Roles and Writings

Trott served as the pastor of the Welsh Tract Baptist Church in Newark, Delaware, a congregation with historical significance among Baptists. He was also a prolific writer, contributing extensively to publications like the "Signs of the Times," where he addressed various theological topics, including the doctrine of predestination. His writings often emphasized the sovereignty of God and the doctrinal positions of the Old School Baptists.

Elder Samuel S. Trott lost a son in the Mexican-American War. His son, William Trott, enlisted and served in the war but tragically died during the conflict. William Trott was a soldier in the United States Army during the Mexican-American War (1846–1848), a conflict that arose between the U.S. and Mexico after the annexation of Texas and territorial disputes in the southwestern U.S. Death in Battle: William Trott, who was likely in his late teens or early 20s at the time, was killed in battle during the war. The exact details of his death are not fully documented in the sources, but it is known that many young men, including soldiers from various backgrounds, lost their lives in the intense and bloody conflict.

William Trott’s death deeply affected Samuel Trott, and it is noted in some of the biographical accounts of Samuel's life. The loss of a son in such a tumultuous and significant war was a personal tragedy for Trott and highlighted the difficult realities that many families faced during this period of American history.

Later Years and Legacy

In his later years, Trott continued to minister and write, remaining a steadfast advocate for the principles he had long championed. He passed away in 1866 at the age of 83. His contributions left a lasting impact on the Primitive Baptist tradition, and his writings continue to be referenced by those within the movement.

Tuesday, January 6, 2026

IT IS NOT THE THINGS THAT COME INTO A MAN...(SANTAMARIA)

Jesus’ statement—“There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him”—is not a clever slogan. It is a doorway into the Bible’s whole doctrine of sin, purity, and the only real cleansing. And Scripture backs the logic at every turn.

LET THE DEAD BURY THE DEAD (Smoot)

“Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about Him, He gave commandment to depart onto the other side.” “And a certain scribe came, and said unto Him, Master, I will follow Thee whithersoever Thou goest. And Jesus saith unto Him, the foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay His head. And another of His disciples said unto Him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. But Jesus said unto him, Follow Me; and let the dead bury their dead.” – Matthew viii, 18-22.

Chariot of Israel a type of the Church” (Smoot)

“My father, my father! The Chariot of Israel; and the horsemen thereof.” – II Kings 2:12.

SELECTED FROM "THE SECTARIAN" (Smoot)

Occoquan, VA, August 1913

THE ISREAL OF GOD (Tolbert)

Due to the tender mercies of God, opportunity has been granted me to write some things for the consideration of the saints. May the Lord bless us with the ability to consider and, in considering, may it be done in light of the "true and faithful sayings of God."

“MY PRESENCE SHALL GO WITH THEE” (Smoot)

“My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.” – Exodus xxxiii, 14.

What a precious and assuring promise is this! And how full of deep interest and unspeakable comfort the connections in which it stands!

The apparently insurmountable difficulties in his pathway loomed up before the sorely tried Moses, the man of Divine appointment, and in the work to which the God of Israel had most surely sent him. The consciousness of his own weakness pressed heavily upon him, and the idolatry, murmuring, bickering, unthankfulness, perverseness, and wickedness of the Israel which he was to lead through the terrible wilderness filled him with alarm.

He had already evidence of their unbelief and idolatry, their murmurings against him, and the difficulties which thronged the pathway over which he was to go. He could not rely upon them, for some of the worst enemies to confront him were to rise up out of their midst. He must look alone to the God who had sent him, to give him the ability to withstand the enemies within and without the camp, and his own evil spirit as well.

Truly, was there need to look anywhere else, for a fullness of wisdom, strength, and every needed grace was there. No power short of Divine could prepare him for his work, as no power short of this can qualify the ministry of today; “our sufficiency is of God.”

He was conscious of his own inability to successfully encounter the trials of the way, and hence he must bring his case to Him who had most surely called him to this great and exalted work. “And Moses said unto the Lord, . . . . Now therefore, I pray Thee, if I have found grace in Thy sight, shew me now Thy way, that I may know Thee, that I may find grace in Thy sight.” – Verse 13.

What a wonderful prayer! How distrustful of self! How needful of that supporting grace that could alone lead and keep him in the long, laborious way over which he was now to pass. No power but that of God could sustain him, no wisdom but that of God could direct him.

To the cloudy pillar by day, he must look, the flaming fire by night, as his Guide and Protector. He must look away from all human help, for he had been taught its utter vanity, and look to God alone. Hence, he could well say, “If Thy Presence go not with me, carry us not up hence,” verse 15. True indeed did he know that he and those with him were doomed to fall by the way without the Divine Protection. Hence, in fervent prayer, he calls to God, and Oh! What an assuring answer! “My Presence shall go with thee.” What boundless comfort this precious assurance! No doubts or contingencies are in the promise. “My presence shall.” Already, he must see by faith the flowing fields of Canaan, the goal of the long pilgrimage, the Divine victory in every conflict, and triumph over every obstacle. And what, dear saints, of this to us? As ministers of Gospel grace, we have a similar assuring testimony: “Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” – Matthew xxviii, 20. What blessed power in this assurance as it comes direct from the heavenly throne, as it is spoken in our hearts, as we feel its magic and divine Presence, for “the chariots of God are twenty-thousand, even thousands of angels” The Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the holy place.” – Psalm lxvii, 17.

When worn and weary, hard pressed by foes without and within, when sore trials press upon us, and the billows roll in upon our soul, then do we find Him “a very present Help in trouble.” – Psalm xlvi, 1.

“While the raging billows roll,

While the tempest still is night.”

And when we are fast reaching the end of our mortal pilgrimage, and the waves of death tower high about us, shutting out every earthly object from our sigh,t then does this blessed Presence dispel the awful gloom of death, and open before us the pearly gates of our immortal home, for the text continues, “I will give thee rest.”

It is probable that more special reference is here made to the rest given Moses in the toil and trial through which he was to pass, but this could not be the full meaning of the promise, and the connection in which it stands indicates a far more glorious sequel. ‘Tis a blessed thing to rest here in our labor and toil as children of grace, to experience the truth of the testimony, “I will give you rest. . . . For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.” – Matthew xi, 28-30. To rest in the arms of God, to bask in His smiles; dreary, desolate beyond expression would the world be without such “heavenly places,” for

“Beneath His smiles my heart has lived,

And part of heaven possessed.”

It has been perhaps nearly thirty years now since our attention was first directed to these words. It was on the threshold of a long and laboring journey of nearly a thousand miles, beset with difficulties from which our flesh shrank. Again we desired once more to ask the Lord for His divine guidance and protection, the cry had been in our heart for days in anticipation of the journey, but the morning for the start had now arrived, and deepening in our heart arose the cry, similar we trust to that of Moses: “If Thy Presence go not with me, carry us (me) not up hence.” Our mind turns back over the waste of years, and as vivid as on that eventful morning, we hear the wondrous words, and our heart feels the thrilling power of that blessed assurance: “My Presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.” We went out of the chamber of prayer to face the dreaded journey. It was a bright and beautiful day. The sun shone high in the heavens; the earth was full of His praise, while our whole being was filled with an unspeakable calmness, a quiet resting in the arms of our God.

Yea, and all through the long and tedious travel, the power of this assurance filled our hearts, making it a most delightful journey. Here indeed was rest we trust, in the Presence of God. But there is a fullness of rest beyond all these changing scenes of time, and of which this is a delightful foretaste. “I will give thee rest.” It is not then dependent upon earthly obligations; it comes as the gift of God.

It comes from His boundless mercy despite our rebellious, vile, carnal complainings and murmurings, our wanderings and perverseness, our sins and iniquities, “if we believe not, yet He abideth faithful: He cannot deny Himself.” – 2 Timothy ii, 13. In the same school where Moses learned the lesson of patient waiting upon God and the enduring and supporting nature of His Presence, so do the ministers of Christ learn to look unto Him who has promised to be with them “always, even unto the end of the world.” In this severe school, they are tried “as by fire.” It was said of Joseph, “the archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him. But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob.” – Genesis xlix, 23,24.

The subjects of their ministration are prepared through similar scenes to receive the word of truth, to appreciate and rejoice in the Gospel, and the ministration thereof. “Blessed is the man whose strength is in Thee; in whose heart are the ways of them, . . . They go from strength to strength, every one of them in Zion appeareth before God.” – Psalm lxxxiv, 5,7. It is the Divine Presence alone that sustains the children of Gospel grace in their pathway through time.

It is the promise of rest unending that dispels the gloom of the grave, that overtakes its dark portals in rays of light eternal. “I will give thee rest.” Surely such a rest in its fullness can never be found upon mortal shores. Well indeed may it be said with reference to all this, as was declared to Israel in days of old: “Arise ye, and depart, for this is not your rest: because it is polluted, it shall destroy you, even with a sore destruction.” There is no rest to children of grace in houses and lands, in wealth or in fame, in mortal relationship, or in anything that bears the impress of time or mortality. Away from all these, we look by faith to climes unclouded by mortal woe, undimmed by earthly night, untainted by mortal pollution, and forever free from sin and death.

“Oh sacred rest for thee we groan,

And bid the wheels of time roll on,

To bring that hour, when we shall rise

To join the chorus of the skies.”

It was said of Israel, “In all their afflictions He was afflicted, and the angel of His Presence saved them: in His love and in His pity He redeemed them, and He bare them, and carried them all the days of old.” – Isaiah lxiii, 9. It is this blessed Presence of God that upholds, protects, defends, and sustains the children of grace here, and until faith stretches her pinions for the immortal flight; “For this God is our God forever and ever: He will be our Guide even unto death.” – Psalm xlviii, 14. “Nevertheless, I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand. Thou shalt guide me with Thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.”

Then of what we have written, this is the sum that the guiding, sustaining Presence of God shall be made manifest in all the pilgrimage of saints here, and open before them the portals of endless rest hereafter:

“For grace shall guide and glory crown,

The happy objects of His care.”

“My flesh and my heart faileth; but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion forever.” – Psalm lxxiii, 26. “Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings hast Thou ordained strength because of Thine enemies, that Thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.” – Psalm viii, 2. “As for me, I will behold Thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied when I awake with Thy likeness.” – Psalm xvii, 15.

Elder William M. Smoot,
May, 1905

Wednesday, December 31, 2025

Blessed Are The Poor In Spirit (Smoot)

“Blessed are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” – Matthew v. 3.

The Departure of the Unclean Spirit (Smoot)

“When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished.

It our pleasure to inform all of you that Beebe's paper still lives! Founded in 1832, it has been in continual circulation until now!

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Monday, December 29, 2025

GOSPEL TRUTH OUR UNFAILING DEFENSE (Smoot)

“Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.” – Hebrews xi, 12.

The Gospel Ministry (Smoot)

“No man taketh this honor unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.” Hebrews 5:4.

GOD IS LIGHT (Smoot)

“O send out Thy light and Thy Truth: let them lead me; let them bring me unto Thy holy hill, and to Thy tabernacles.” – Psalm xliii, 3.

Has No Pleasure in the Death of the Dying (Smoot)

God

Dear Brother Smoot: Will you please give your views on Ezekiel xviii, 32, and oblige an inquirer after Truth. May the Lord bless you in your labors, is the prayer of your unworthy brother,
James V. Wright.

WHO ARE MEANS BAPTISTS? (Smoot)

In using the term “Means”, we have reference to its modern usage among Baptists, having direct bearing upon human effort to assist the eternal God either to devise or execute (sometimes both) His eternal purposes of love and mercy toward His chosen children.

WE HAVE NO ABIDING CITY (Smoot)

There are few more solemn reminders of the fast-passing nature of all that is mortal than the swiftly recurring anniversaries that mark the close and opening of each fleeting year of our earthly pilgrimage.

THIS GOD IS OUR GOD FOREVER (Smoot)

“For this God is our God forever and ever; He will be our guide even unto death.” – Psalm xlviii, 14.

SUNADAY SCHOOLS: NURSERIES OF THE CHURCH (Santamaria)

SUNDAY SCHOOLS THE NURSERIES OF THE CHURCH

FOREWORD
Sunday Schools
The Old School/Primitive Baptist critique (the Absoluter wing, historically)

So… are Sunday Schools “good” or “bad”?

Outsourcing discipleship:
Moralism/decisionism drift:
Age segregation:

NURSERIES OF THE CHURCH

Older Christian usage: “nursery” = a seedbed for future church life (often clergy-training).
Puritan / early-modern household theology: the family as the church’s nursery.
19th-century Sunday School movement: the phrase becomes a rallying cry.
Who used “nurseries of the church” in the Sunday-school world?

John Angell James (England),3 very early and very explicit (1816/1817).
Early movement rhetoric also used “nursery” language even when it didn’t say “of the church.”
The American religious press used the exact wording by the 1830s.
Later 19th-century Sunday-school “how-to” literature repeats it as a stock slogan.
The American Sunday School is basically the church’s “learning hour.”

What happens inside a Sunday School depends on the tradition, but the usual DNA looks like this:

Structure: superintendent, opening exercises, then classes (often age-graded).
Curriculum: Bible stories → doctrine/catechism → “life application,” sometimes synced across many churches (“uniform lessons”).
Social function: it’s not just teaching; it’s membership training, culture-passing, and (in many settings) an outreach funnel.

The Old School/Primitive Baptist critique (the Absoluter wing, historically)

The Black Rock Address (1832)

More on the Black Address & Sunday Schools

Outsourcing discipleship:
Moralism/decisionism drift:
Age segregation:
Institution creep,

FOREWORD

COMFORT IN AFFLICTION (Smoot)

During the past few months, I have met with several cases of deep affliction among our brethren, which have awakened within me a desire to write a few thoughts to the poor and afflicted in Zion.

CONCERNING THIS SECT, WE KNOW THAT EVERYWHERE IT IS SPOKEN AGAINST.” (Smoot)

“But we desire to hear of thee what thou thinkest: for as concerning this sect, we know that everywhere it is spoken against.” – Acts 28:22.

THE GOVERNMENT OF CHRIST’S CHURCH (Smoot)

Written by: Elder William M. Smoot, Dec. 1908

Very Dear Brethren in the Lord: – One year ago, in the Circular Letter which we addressed to you, we called attention to the organic life and character of the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ; in our present Circular, we desire to call attention to the government of that Church. As a testimony for our guidance, we direct attention to the Scripture recorded in Matthew v, 19: “Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the Kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the Kingdom of heaven.”

FELT MANIFOLD TEMPTATIONS

I have felt, of late, a desire to write again a communication for the SIGNS again, but have felt my own inability to write in comparison with the many able communications contained from time to time in its columns.