LETTERS FROM THE PAST #3 - HANNAH BENJAMIN MOORE (1807-1888)

[This woman Hannah Benjamin Moore (1807-1888), espoused more sound doctrine in her letter than is contained in many sermons by Old School Baptist preachers - ed.]


Cutchogue, Long Island, N.Y. Sept. 1836

Dear Brother Beebe: - Being confident that it will rejoice the hearts of all the faithful in Christ Jesus, to know that one poor captive soul who has been twenty-five years held fast in chains and legal bonds, in the kingdom of anti-Christ, has been by a mighty hand and outstretched arm delivered from that bondage, and found a quiet home in the church of the living God, it is with confidence which induces me to send you this communication, to publish in the Signs, if you think proper. About three years after I had a hope that I loved Christ and his people, I united with the congregational church of Cutchogue, believing it to be a church of Christ. I loved the members and had, I believe, good ideas of church fellowship, for I had got them from the Bible, and nowhere else; and it was my constant grief that such fellowship as I desired and longed for, never existed among us. Still, I felt content to consider it my home, and never felt the bondage until our preachers brought i. their new divinity, and even went farther in Arminianism than the Methodist Preachers. After I became alive to the subject, I labored to convince them that they had departed from the faith, but to no purpose. It pleased the Lord to lay upon me severe trials while in connection with that church, which was sanctified to my soul's profit; they so humbled me, that all the inhabitants of the world appeared only as grasshoppers - and the greatest doctor of divinity that walked the earth, was to me nothing in comparison with the most humble of God's children who were taught in the school of Christ: for I had known some popular preachers who called loudly for charity, and who was very pathetic and eloquent when begging for money, that would not give a cup of cold water in Christ's name to a disciple. While I was passing through these trials, it pleased the Lord to give a more clear view of the finished work of Christ and his imputed righteousness, than I had ever before seen. I longed from time to time, for I had not so learned Christ. While in this state of mind, I was providentially brought within the sound of a Baptist Minister's voice, where I heard Christ and him crucified preached, the way, the truth, and the life. The preacher was an entire stranger to me, but he had not spoken five minutes before I was sure that we had been taught by the same spirit, and that we should meet in Heaven. It was clear to my mind that Christ had commissioned him to preach his gospel, and in the course of his providence had sent him here; and they who rejected it, rejected the gospel of Christ, as verily as those who rejected him and his doctrine when he was here on earth; for He had said, "whosoever receives one of those little ones in my name, receives me." - Under these views and impressions, I left the meeting where I belonged, and went regularly to hear Brother Brewer. I had oftentimes great consolation from his preaching; still, the trials and conflicts which I endured for several months, were such as I cannot describe: I have sometimes thought and said, they were as great as I could endure in the body, for by this I test the confidence and fellowship of those in the congregational Church whom I loved in the truth - some, who previous to this time would, I have no doubt, have been angry to have heard my word disputed, now put no confidence in what I said - and why? because the Lord had so put his fear into my heart, that I dared not fellowship the workers of iniquities. I now knew that it was to pluck out a right eye or cut off a right hand. - but I had not yet lost my life for Christ's sake. The more I met with the Baptist Brethren, the more I discovered in them a likeness to the Primitive Christians - I thought I could live and die with them, but I could not be admitted into full communion with them without being baptized. Here came the trial - I had made "a covenant with death, with Hell, was at agreement." I had received for doctrine the commandments of men and had never observed all things whatsoever Christ had commanded: my error stated me full in the face; instead of forsaking all for Christ's sake, I had been trying to bring something with me into the his kingdom, for on close examination I found that I felt a complacency in having my children sprinkled and considered as members of the visible church. But it pleased the Lord so to humble and strip me of this complacency, that I realized and felt that the very prayers I had made on occasions, were an abomination to him - to imagine as I did that the Lord would accept me in offering to him an unclean thing, nor did my error appear less sinful, because many eminent saints had fallen into it before me, and had been suffered to imitate them. But when my covenant with death was broken, and I had made known my intention of uniting with the Baptist church, if they would receive me - I gained strength. And the very thing which at first was so humbling to my pride, I know rejoiced in, for I rejoiced in having an opportunity to acknowledge publicly the errors I had fallen into, and bear testimony against them. I cannot describe the peaceful quiet state of mind which commenced with me on the morning of which I was baptized, I do not imagine that I saw the glory of that ordinance as some have, but I felt the presence of my Saviour so sensibly, that when I asked for his presence, I could only thank him that he was with me. How safe to follow the steps of a crucified Redeemer. I experienced no sensation like fear but rejoiced in thus glorying (if I may use the expression) in the cross of Christ. This state of mind was continued for several weeks. My happiness did not consist in contemplating the church of the individual, but in contemplating the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of truth, that truth which by the grace of God I was made to love. Almost every chapter, and sometimes I thought almost every passage in the Bible, alluded to the safety, strength, glory, and beauty of the church: "Beautiful for situation is Mount Zion;" Her walls are salvation;" "Her gates are praise." Many such passages of the psalmist, together with the prophet Isaiah, together with the New Testament, were my meditation by day and by night. I sometimes said with the psalmist, "When I awake, I am still with thee." I thought, if in the course of God's providence, I should be placed in the most remote corner of the earth, I should be equally happy, so tranquil was my mind - I had ceased from my own works and beheld my faith, the glory, and beauty of that rest which the Apostle describes, of which the Jewish Sabbath was only a type.

I saw that the Gospel Church was Heaven - I saw in her light, truth, love, and joy - I could neither conceive of nor desire any other Heaven -
"The saints above, and saints below,
But we communion make"


But on the other hand, I saw equally clearly, the deformity of the Kingdom of Anti-Christ. I now no longer had any desire to heal Babylon for the Lord had prepared me to rejoice in his will, and I could say with a dear brother,


"Thy strong right-hand, Almighty King
Hath on thy foes, confusion poured,
And Zion's captive sons restor'd"


I could see more strength in that union which brought a few despised Baptists together on the first day of the weeks, that I could discover in the whole of Anti-Christ's Kingdom; and could not but desire that my former brethren and sisters with whom I had been united, who were so tenacious for calling the first day of the week the Sabbath could see something of that glorious rest of which the Jewish Sabbath was but a type. If this communication should be read by any of those who have called the Baptists brethren, by way of derision, let them know that it is not mere ceremony with us; we remember that our Lord said, ye are all brethren, and we feel like brethren, we love as brethren, we have one mind, we speak the same things, we have one Lord, one faith, and one baptism. And should this communication meet the eye of any of the children of God who are in prison in the kingdom of Anti-Christ, who groan under hard bondage, as did the children of Israel under their task-masters, and who can find no rest for the soles of their feet - to such I can say, their Redeemer is mighty, he will thoroughly plead their case, and in his own way and time, he will break their bonds asunder, "And then shall they know that I am the Lord when I break their bonds of their yoke." If they desire to heal Babylon, I can tell them so did I, but the Lord has shown me that it is not his pleasure that she should be healed, but that his people should come out of her. And oh, how I rejoice in the prospect of the deliverance of the captive sons and daughter of Zion, for I know that the ransomed of the Lord shall come to Zion with songs, and everlasting joy shall be upon their heads, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.