Vol. 3. NEW-VERNON, ORANGE CO. N. Y. JAN 7, 1835. No. 1. (Beebe)

 

SIGNS OF THE TIMES.

DEVOTED TO THE O. S. BAPTIST CAUSE.

“The Sword of the Lord and of Gideon.”

Vol. 3. NEW-VERNON, ORANGE CO., N. Y. JAN 7, 1835. No. 1.

The Signs of the Times, devoted exclusively to the OLD-SCHOOL BAPTIST CAUSE, is published semi-monthly.

GILBERT BEEBE, Editor.
To whom all Communications must be addressed.
For Terms see advertisement under the editorial Head.

Circular Letter.

The Ministers and Messengers composing the Kehukee Baptist Association, now sitting at the Cross-Road Meeting house, Edgecombe County, N. C., the 4th, 5th, and 6th days of October, 1834, to the several Churches they represent, send you this epistle of ours; as usual, in which we shall call your attention to a RELIGIOUS TRAFFIC.

DEAR BRETHREN:—The origin of simple and honest commerce is of a very ancient date; and the practice of it is not censureable in a civil point of view, for from it man derives benefit; but religious commerce is impious fraud, and an abomination in the sight of God. By civil commerce, man finds a competency, and more than this, interest and duty forbid him to desire. Wanting was given him in Paradise, not to covet, nor eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil; formed for a religious creature, he was not to crave, nor use any thing that was not needed; the boundary would far surpass his powers, and the eating would be followed by a curse; but he desired, he eat, and it to him were the consequence. In this ancient incident, we find something akin to religious traffic, being as gods, knowing good and evil, (religion and alienation) Every act of religious traffic, from that period to the present, has been of the same character; the selling or forsaking of obedience to God for advancement of some way contrary to God, and as often as it is practised it finds reproof from the word of God, and is followed with chastisement, curses, and judgments. Abraham was to leave his land and kindred; thus signifying, that the family of God must have no carefulness for the treasures of this world, they being dangerous to the most godly; nor was Canaan (which was given to him to be sold for his former land,) from which we gather, that no part of the gospel inheritance must be sold for mammon or lucre. Korah and his company attempted to usurp the priest’s office, and were taken down alive into the earth. A remarkable case of pious or rather impious traffic was that of Balaam; he pretended he must not act without consulting the Lord, nor go beyond the Lord’s commandment, but he was deceitful, for the angel of the Lord opposed him in the way. Peter calls his transgression an error, and Jude says that he loved the wages of unrighteousness; reproved by the ass, and warned by the angel, he still sought the promised reward, and fell among the Midianites warring against Israel, not without causing Israel to bring a curse upon themselves, (while he was unable to curse them,) by intermarrying with Midianitish women. Saul is a fearful example of fraud or deceit in destroying the Amalekites; he and the people spared Agag the king, and the best of the oxen and sheep, pretending they were reserved to be offered in sacrifice to the Lord. This was punished by taking from him the kingdom, by leaving him the remainder of his days in adversity, and by bringing him and his sons to a miserable death by the hands of the Philistines. Uzziah, king of Judah, became strong, coveted, and invaded the priest's office, and was smitten with leprosy for life. The adversaries of Judah and Benjamin sought to unite with Zerubbabel in building the house of the Lord, professing to seek his God as he did, and to sacrifice to him, and on being rejected, opposed him all the days of Cyrus. The prophets in the days of Micah, engaged in the work of gains by their office and compelled the people to pay them. “Thus saith the Lord, concerning the prophets, that make my people err, that bite with their teeth and cry peace, and he that putteth not into his mouth, they even prepare war against him; they build up Zion with blood, and Jerusalem with iniquity. The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, the prophets thereof divine for money; yet they will lean upon the Lord and say, is not the Lord among us? none evil can come upon us.” Micah, iii, chap. 5, 10, 11, verses. “For this Jerusalem was destined to become heaps, and Zion to be plowed as a field.” In the time of Zephaniah, this complaint is heard: “Her prophets are light and treacherous persons, and her priests have polluted the sanctuary.” Holy trade has been extended even to human bodies. “Joseph was bid off at twenty pieces of silver.”—and our Saviour at thirty; the former was sold by his own brothers, the latter by one of his twelve apostles—the one was sold for envy, the other through love of gain and profanity. “Israel sold the righteous for silver, and the poor for a pair of shoes,” for which the Lord declared he would not

turn away the punishment thereof. Amos, ii, 6. Pharaoh and Nebuchadnezzar had their magicians, Ahab his prophets, and the men of Philippi their soothsayers, all serving for hire. Ananias and Sapphira would buy the honors of religion for all their lands, and attempted to pay with part of the price. Simon wished to be qualified to communicate the Holy Ghost by laying on of his hands, and offered money for this; the apostles bid his money and him perish together. Some of the circumcision at Crete taught things which they ought not, for filthy lucre’s sake, whom the apostle calls “liars, evil beasts, slow bellies,” whose mouths must be stopped. Some coveted money, and erred from the faith, and pierced themselves with many sorrows. Peter warns his brethren of false teachers, who would bring in damnable heresies, whose pernicious ways many should follow, and who with feigned words should make merchandise of the saints; whose judgment, he tells us, was not lingering, nor their damnation slumbering. Jude warns the saints that there are some crept in unawares, walking after their own lusts, having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage. A woe is pronounced upon them, resembling their fate to that of Sodom and Gomorrah. The first implicit account of seeking religious office for gain is found (if memory serves) in that of Simon. The believing of the gospel fills the heart with charity, this prepared the saints in the days of the apostles to be liberal, and this liberality allowed the idle and covetous among the unregenerate to increase. But as their liberality was only in proportion to the needs of the saints and apostles, few for the sake of it would endure the persecutions and sufferings they underwent; this accounts for the purity of the Christian religion, previous to the church of Rome, and the corruptions that ensued upon its establishment. The civil law put a stop to persecutions, and established salaries and benefices; and like a hawk hovering over a chicken, or the wolf fostering a lamb, extended its kind protection (sure destruction) over the church, by teaching the flock to buy its food, and the shepherds not to feed them without pay. To make sure of all the money and goods in the empire, the Pope was declared to be without fault, and not liable to err; and that church was pronounced to be the true mother church of all the world. Greedy of the gold and silver of other countries, the spirit of conquest raged, and although they professed to have put an end to persecution, yet in the course of time they drenched cities and countries with human blood. They might justly term it a mother, for she was the first corrupt church of any magnitude in the Christian era, and almost all nations, savage, barbarous, civilized, and enlightened, have felt her influence. She is the parent of all corrupt and false churches, and upon her forehead was a name written, Mystery, Babylon the great; the mother of harlots, and abominations of the earth; Rev. xvii. 5. From her sprang the first missions in the sixteenth century. Xavier and Dominic were among the first missionaries; they visited Spain, Portugal, and other parts, and through all their tours, superstition and cruelty were their handmaids. From her too emanated the order called Jesuits; Ignatius Loyola was its founder. They agreed to draw no expenditures from the Pope and his government; whithersoever he should bid, they would go; and whatsoe’er he should command, they would do. Amongst other vows, they took that of poverty. They petitioned the Pope, and he confirmed the order. They asked permission to trade with the nations, to which they should carry the gospel, and other places. They taught the South American nations to hate the Spaniards, and cut off, as much as possible, all intercourse between the two nations. They sought to erect Paraguay into an independent empire, subject alone to their order. They interfered with the civil government of China, established warehouses in various parts of Europe, and became wealthy and powerful. They frequently solicited the See to absolve them from the vow of poverty, and were eventually successful. Their growing wealth and might, together with the secrecy of their policy, became sources of alarm to the civil powers of Europe; and by joint co-operation of the latter, the order was extinguished at the beginning of the seventeenth century. But missions did not cease with the extinction of the Jesuits. While under the mask of piety, the Pope and clergy were practising all the multifarious forms of religious traffic within the borders of the Papal dominions, they were endeavoring to extend it to other countries by means of missions. Most of the Catholic States were at some period engaged in the work. At length, it found its way among the Protestants. A few, perhaps, were invited by benevolent feelings, while many were doubtless moved by the same design that actuated the Catholic church. Near the close of the last century, it crossed over into the United States. It is worthy of remark that its character has not changed; only circumstances have altered, while its principle continues the same. They anticipated their reward, with commerce with the nations, the acquisition of territory, and the extension of dominion; with the last, from money solicited from churches, state, previous to entering on their mission, if it be a foreign; but from the promise of it, if a domestic mission. Thirty or forty dollars per month has been the regular pay for domestic missions. Travelling among their own countrymen, and in their own native States, where they have no reason to doubt that (if called of God,) the gifts of the minister exercised with zeal and devotion, and strengthened by a Christian deportment, would procure them an exemption from suffering. Considerable traffic has been carried on in the form of Bible Societies and Tract Societies. Donations have been received to defray the expenses of Bibles, with a promise to give the Bibles away to the poor, and afterwards they were sold by agents of the society at what could be had for them. Among the instances of religious trade may be classed Theological Seminaries. In these, the student has amused himself with a view to eminence and distinction, to preferment and good salaries. Temperance Societies have been instituted to subserve the others, as giving in some measure, a fair prospect of success. Connections have been formed between the fraternity of the Freemasons and ministers of the gospel, under the expectation of the latter to gain, and to become more popular, as they were told it would add to their knowledge of the scriptures, and to their usefulness, and liberal donations withal had been made to ministers united with them.

The scriptures furnish no account similar to the above, notwithstanding the advocates thereof profess to rest them upon biblical authority. The support of the ministry and spread of the gospel have furnished pretexts to these societies. They urge that every true minister of the gospel is a missionary; that the apostles were missionaries, and that even Jesus Christ was a missionary; that the word missionary is derived from the Latin word mitto, [to send], and the word apostle is from the Greek, apostillo, [to send out or from]. But as a man could not be an apostle unless he had seen Christ (see 1 Corinthians, ix. 1,) we should think they would not presume upon that name, and yet the epithet is applied to the first missionaries and also to some of late years. But the established name is missionary, it can be derived from the word mitto; and it may be remarked that the Latin words, emissarius and emissaria, are translated into English, missionary, adversary (see Ainsworth Dictionary, English into Latin) But grant that it be derived from the Latin word, mitto, the Roman church spoke that language; and this again speaks missions to have originated in that church. Again, admitting the word to be scriptural, and, without objection, (and we think there is no reasonable objection to the word itself,) yet names cannot change the nature of things nor prove the practice of missions to be less or more than religious traffic.

The Head of the church who tells us his kingdom was not of this world, informs us that he came not to be ministered to, but to administer; his apostles were reminded that they had freely received, and commanded freely to give; they were charged to provide neither gold nor silver, nor brass in their purses, adding, ‘the workman is worthy of his meat,’ (not of his money;) and that they should take nothing for their journey. The seventy that were sent forth received the same instructions. It may be thought by many that these instructions were reversed, or countermanded, in Luke xxii. 35, 36; but this is a mistake. They were not admonished to procure a purse, but if any had one, to take it. The time had come when Judas, who held the purse of bag, (for all) was about to desert them; so that each must carry his own purse for himself. Again: if each were directed to obtain a purse, each was also commanded to get a sword, and so to go armed with a carnal weapon; whereas the Saviour, when told there were two swords, said it was enough; and he reproved Peter for using the one he had. All the scripture authority ministers have now to preach is contained in the commission, after Christ’s resurrection. The phrase—I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world—shows this commission to be binding on all subsequent ministers of latter times; the instructions with which they were sent are also binding upon the present ministry. This commission enjoins, ‘Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.’ There is no injunction, nor even an example, nor anything in the commands of Christ and practice of the apostles, that will justify these societies, or countenance any species of religious traffic. When ministers of the gospel would have the sum specified for preaching, it is much like Judas: " How much will you give, and I will sell him to you? When they cannot go without provision previously made, it savors somewhat of Demas, who forsook Paul, having loved this present world; or Balaam, who loved the wages of unrighteousness, and served Balak for hire. When they evince a determination to carry their favorite schemes, at the risk of divisions and offences, contrary to the doctrine which they have learned from scripture, the word itself declares, “they serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own bellies, [their own lusts.] Paul declares his reward to be, [see his own words,] “that when I preach the gospel, I make the gospel of Christ without charge; that I abuse not my power in the gospel.” When they abuse the power by begging the churches beyond their free offerings, and are persuading the world into contributions and membership in their societies, we are forced to consider it merchandise. Moses, the prophets, John the Baptist, Jesus Christ, and the apostles will be consulted in vain for a warrant to such societies and practices. According to New Testament information, the sole intention of contributions was to relieve necessity. Instance: “Ye did send once and again to my necessity.” A certain contribution was made, “for the poor saints which were at Jerusalem?”—“ye ought to support the weak”—sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need”—“and distribution was made unto every man, according as every man had need”—“and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you”—“distributing to the necessity of the saints.” It may be thought that ministers should live by the gospel, but the scripture says not by the gospel, but “of the gospel,” and this implies only the relief of want; for the apostle speaks in the same chapter of “suffering all things,” and this amongst other things, gave rise to the complaint, and freedom of speech to the church at Corinth, who had a right to expect the relief of his necessities; yet observes that it “were better for him to die,” than to insist so strenuously upon this “as to make his glorying void;”—that not “at this time your abundance may be a supply for their wants, that their abundance may be a supply for your want”—“he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack”—for the administration of this service not only supplied the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God”—“the laying by on the first day of the week was for the poor saints of the church at Jerusalem;” 1 Cor. xvi. 23.—Romans, xv. 26. The word charity is nowhere used in the New Testament, as touching the ministration of our substance. Is God the author of missions and of all the traffic? It is written, “God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.” Originating and conducted under the Pope and his clergy, it has spread strife, divisions wherever it has gone, splitting asunder families, churches, associations, and communities, and often leaving in its train a breach never to be healed. If it be the offspring of a covetous and wicked spirit, will God own and bless it? The devil often mocks or imitates the work of God, but has God imitated and fallen in with the work of satan? How different is the conduct of these gospel vendors from that of the apostles. The apostle “rather than make the gospel of none effect,” (himself and his office reproachful or censureable, and consequently unsuccessful,) exclaims, “I have coveted no man’s silver, or gold, or apparel, yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered to my necessities, and to them that was with me.” He worked for himself and his companions. Thus the disciples of that day, with fired devotion and godly zeal, and burdened with the salvation and care of souls; deeply impressed with the love of Christ, and crucified to the world; feeling their responsibility to God, and submitting to the loss of all things, bearing the gospel of life and peace, and spreading joy and comfort in the midst of tribulation; and directing the curse whithersoever the spirit called them, made their way “through patience and afflictions, through necessities and distresses, stripes and imprisonments, tumults and labor, watchings and fastings; approving themselves, as the ministers of God, by pureness, by knowledge, by long suffering, by kindness, by love unfeigned, by the word of truth, by the Holy Ghost, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness, on the right hand, and on the left, by honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, yet living; as chastened, and not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing yet possessing all things.” They went at the call of the Holy Ghost, and when their brethren craved they were in want, they sent to their necessities—they waited not for a contribution. It needs not be urged that this was a day of miracles; the ceasing of miracles destroyed not the duty of ministers, nor changed the manner of supporting the ministry, nor of spreading the gospel; the sufferings of the preachers, when the Reformation took place in Europe, were much like those of the apostles; they were persecuted, whipped, imprisoned and burnt. The sufferings of the faithful were the same through all the persecutions of Rome. The early Baptists of our own country suffered a similar treatment, and it still continues to be as the word declares, “they that will live godly in Jesus Christ, shall suffer persecution.” But even time, men have been found under the character of ministers of the gospel, who serve their own lusts, and following after filthy lucre, have been unfaithful in the word; and such have uniformly escaped persecution. Sooner than the ministry should be blamed, the apostle would hunger for the bread which it was the duty of the church to give: But what do we now see? Ministers frequently leaving churches, either because the church can no longer satisfy their unrestrained cravings, or because their ministry is blamed, and blame-worthy; while they are so often changing positions, and sometimes too it is well known for what they term (more ample support) our thoughts are forced upon the scripture, “wandering stars.” The primitive ministers, who were not fed by miracles, labored in an age and quarter when and where they as much needed providing for beforehand, as any ministers since; and yet, agreeably to the word, as expressed, when they started the church, only lifted up their prayers to God for them. If a lot of missionaries and preachers are cast among their own countrymen, and they answer the characters of “ambassadors of Christ,” we feel assured their bread shall not fail them. If the Lord indeed sends them to heathen lands, the heathen’s substance shall sustain them. As evidence, Paul was sent by God, his preaching was successful, and immediately after Lydia’s baptism, she invited him, ‘come into my house and abide there.’ So the jailor, when he had brought them into his house, ‘he set meat before them.’ The Jews, the Macedonians fed them; and our ministers, though Americans, (if sent of God,) shall be fed by Burmans, Hindoos, Chinese, barbarians, jailors, merchants, men, and women.

Were we to consider missions, and the various connections therewith, to be the second beast spoken of in the xiii. Chapter of Revelations, it would not make it so, provided it is not the beast, but we are inclined to think it is. The above-mentioned book, from the beginning of the iv. The chapter to the end contains a prophecy respecting the gospel church, and the church of Antichrist, from the time it was written to the end of the world. In this book are described two beasts: the first, “rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his head the name of Blasphemy,” &c. This, it is thought, has reference to the church of Rome, which rose out of the Christian church by changing the doctrine and ordinances of the gospel. The second, “coming up out of the earth, which had two horns like a lamb, and spake like a Dragon,” &c. This, in point of time, was to succeed the first beast; and the last great enemy described, with which the church of Christ on earth has to struggle, the church of Rome, was no more the church of Christ but of the earth, or the world, and from this sprang missions, earthly and sensual in their motives and ends. From its beginning, the publishing and loud proclaiming of the good it has done, is like the voice of the Dragon; its influence over saints and sinners, men and women, individuals, families, churches, and countries, is like the power of the Romish church; the professions of benevolent institutions, and of the great sacrifices they make, and like the horns of a lamb their drawing money from men with the promise of a heavenly reward, is like causing the earth and its inhabitants to worship the first beast, by sacrificing to the god of gains.

The reign of Popery, which was deeply wounded by the Reformation, appears to be healed by missions. The wonderful display of conversions is like fire coming down from heaven, in the sight of men; the accounts are often miraculous and deceptive. The characteristic of the first beast was gained by religion; so an image of the same is already made. The activity and vigor given to missions is life given to the image; and in its advocates, speaks and condemns, as covetous and unchristian, those who will not worship, or love the cause of missions. Publishing the names of members and contributions is like causing them to receive a mark in their right hand or forehead. The power of the two beasts is united in warring against the Lamb, but the Lamb shall overcome them. The destruction and judgments of both will take place together, for the beasts and the false prophets were taken and cast into the lake. It is believed that many of the children of God are bowing to the image of the beast: let us call your attention, brethren, (who are friendly to missionaries,) to be careful that every step you take be on scriptural grounds; and you, brethren, who are opposed to them, continue to examine diligently by the same word, whether we be right or wrong; if we are right, be not disheartened nor faint in all the war. Amidst all the distresses caused by missions, the divine presence will not forsake you, till the Lamb, with his called, and chosen, and faithful, shall shout you with victory home to heaven.