COMMUNICATION FROM ELDER BOWEN 1841 (Bowen)

FOR THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES.

Southampton, Pa., Nov. 16, 1841.

BROTHER BEEBE:—Feeling inclined to converse with those of our Father’s children who read “the Signs of the Times,” I send you the following, and would write much oftener were I not ashamed of my poor scribbles.

When faith presents the Savior’s death,
And whispers, “this is mine.”
Sweetly my rising hours advance,
And peacefully decline.

It is good news to the poor and afflicted saints when they hear of the revelation of the salvation of God to his chosen and redeemed people, and of their deliverance from the bondage and condemnation of the law—when faith is wrought in them, and they, as the sons of God, enter into gospel rest, and are enabled in the spirit of adoption to cry, “Abba Father!” It is also esteemed as good news when such have wandered far and widely from the fold, and have been associated with those who have a name to live when, alas! They are dead, are reclaimed, and return with songs to Zion. If the spirit that now directs the religious movements of anti-christ be the spirit of Christ, as is by that part of its pretended, the church, Christ must be divided! Albeit, He was not divided in the days of the Apostle Paul. Daily occurrences do clearly prove that neither Andrew Fuller’s gospel, nor Pelagian heresy, nor Universalism, nor Socinianism, nor Arianism, nor even John Wesley’s God dishonoring doctrines, as developed in the mongrel creed of the New School Baptists of the present day, will serve to unite permanently, the people of God with the new-light converts of their anxious bench production, which are born of the flesh, and of the will of man, and not of God. So sure as it is written, “The son of the bond woman shall not be heir with the son of the free woman,” so surely shall God draw the line of separation between them, and call his children out from Babylon, that may have wandered thither, and cast forth from Zion all such as have entered in, not by the door. Blessed be his name, he is even now bringing out some from their captivity. God is evidently sanctifying his great name, which has been, and still is profaned among the heathen of our day, and that too, before their eyes, by taking his people from among them. “How good is the word of the Lord?” “Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord.” He says, “I am God, and beside me, there is no Savior.” Yes, precious believer, he will do all his pleasure; and his dear Son, our elder brother, has said, “Fear not, little flock, it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” By one of his prophets who had lodged in the den, and who witnessed the divine protection of his God, in looking at the prowling jaws of the ferocious lions, he has said, The kingdom shall be given to the saints of the Most High.

Although proud Babylon may raise her towering head, in this highly privileged land of freedom, her inevitable doom awaits her; for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. How things are going to work—whether brother Beebe’s fears are to be realized, or the more comfortable hopes of some that claim kindred with the family, is a question which I cannot, and probably, in my day, shall not be able to determine, as I feel that my poor, crazy, shattered bark is ripening fast for the grave. Ripe as the body may seem for dissolution, I often feel as though my soul was not ripe for heaven; but there are other times, when I feel as though I was permitted with Paul, to rise and sit together with, and in Christ, in the heavenly places. How delightful is the contemplation, that Christ is set down at the right hand of God, having finished the work of redemption, and we, after finishing our works, our legal bondage, when we have worked ourselves out of materials, and have become weary and heavy laden, are permitted to sit with him—where he is; and seek and enjoy those things which are above, where Christ sitteth, &c. Dear brethren, we should have worked on and perished in our sins till we had been given to the blessed Jesus and by him redeemed from the wrath to come.

“O glorious morn, that rescues souls
From sin’s degrading curse and shame;
That makes the trembling sinner whole;
Who else can bear his precious name?”

I would inform brother Trott, and the brethren in general, that Elder John Thompson, (a sister’s son, of the late Elder Thomas B. Montanye) who has been preaching for some time past, at Lambertville, N. J., has been treated in such a manner by the leading members of that church, for his faithful defence of the truth, as to compel him to withdraw his fellowship from them, and from that church for their bitter opposition to the doctrine of salvation by sovereign grace alone. He has withdrawn from those people, and united with the church at Kingwood; and for the truth’s sake, has rejected the popular institutions of the day, and has cast himself and family upon the providence of God. I would hereby introduce him to the kind and Christian regards of the brethren who may feel a sympathy for brethren under such circumstances. He continues to reside at Lambertville, N. J.

Brother Beebe, we have received several persons, in the course of the past summer, who were convinced of their errors and have left the New School and united with us upon experience and profession of faith.

Yours in gospel fellowship,
JAMES B. BOWEN