For the Signs of the Times. Luray, December 27th, 1836.

For the Signs of the Times.

Luray, December 27th, 1836.

For the Signs of the Times.

Luray, December 27th, 1836.

DEAR BROTHER BEEBE:—As I have not observed in any of the communications published in the Signs from this section of the country, an account of the state of religion, I have thought proper to pen some thoughts upon that subject, if deemed worthy. Indeed, there exists a great diversity of sentiment among those who have means of information upon this subject, but that diversity of opinion I conceive chiefly attributable to the want of capacity to judge of spiritual things on the one hand, and a culpable credulity on the other. Whilst some seem to estimate the prosperity of Zion to be proportionate to the sum collected for the various benevolent institutions; others fancy the confines of the Redeemer’s Kingdom are being enlarged, as men, women and children publicly avow the sentiments of their leaders, and submit to their rituals or ordinances, and thus become members of their churches or societies; but a much greater number of our religionists will appeal to the christian zeal, disinterested benevolence and ministerial devotedness of the leaders, and the tame docility, unbounded liberality, and hearty co-operation of the many ten thousands that are led on by them to “the help of the Lord,” in the most glorious work of spreading the gospel among the heathen, and christianizing the world, as irrefragable evidence of the extraordinary light, life, and liberty, enjoyed in the present day by the Christian Church, (as many are pleased to denominate those and those only who are thus laudably engaged.) If the religion of Jesus Christ consist in this, there is much of it in Virginia, and the Zion of the Lord may not truly be called “an afflicted and poor people,” but if it consist in the influences of the Divine Spirit, whereby we are quickened and transformed into the image of Jesus—love to God, His works and word, and believe in, and obey Him, according to the infallible rule He has given for the government of the Christian’s faith and practice, I fear there is but a “little flock” among the thousands who will inherit “the Kingdom.” If the light, life, and liberty of God’s people are dependent upon the sense of His presence, a revelation of His love, and the shining of His countenance, the present must be a day of darkness, coldness, and mourning. Should you require the evidence of Christian zeal from our modern Christians, will they not reply, “our ministers address themselves so pathetically to the FEELINGS of their hearers upon the necessity of an immediate and entire surrender to the Lord—of devotion to the cause, and upon the high honor and privilege God has conferred upon man to become the means of converting man, (for say they, ‘He always employs an intermediate agency, and never has nor never will convert man but by man,’) and they not only preach with unusual warmth, great length, earnest entreaty, and great solicitude; but they command, exhort and entreat, to try this means and then that, if they will not come to an anxious bench, to kneel in their places; if this succeed not, they will sing a lively vague tune, and give their hands a most feeling and affecting shake indicative of their love for poor sinners, and with unwearied diligence they labor by day and by night, at home and abroad, at camp meetings, in public or private houses, praying, preaching, singing and exhorting, that they may convert sinners and save them from a burning Hell.” And sir, this is not only Christian zeal but pure disinterested benevolence; as further evidence of ministerial devotedness, the servants of God “are now making efforts unknown to other ages of the church in the number and variety of their inventions and schemes by them sought out and sustained for the dissemination of Bible knowledge and the salvation of the world.” Here usually ends the chapter and the “priest ridden” champion of fashionable religion, (if not a priest himself,) with an air of triumph manifests his self-esteem and apparent consciousness of having fully sustained his assertions; but should you seem rather incredulous and quote the words of Jesus, or the Apostles, or Prophets, as superior authority—from his lofty eminence he will look down contemptuously on you with affected commiseration upon you. If you should yet have the effrontery to “contend for the faith,” the champion may honor you by some such epithets as “bigot,” an “ignoramus,” “being wise above what is written,” or a “self-conceited fool,” and may tell you “none are found to oppose the benevolent institutions but the Devil, the Campbellites and whiskey drinking Baptists.” But I thank God “He has left in the midst of us an afflicted and poor people that trust in the name of the Lord,” that have been “taught of him,” and “he that is spiritual judgeth all things” and “judgeth righteous judgment.” These, my brother, are fainting because the bridegroom reveals not his loveliness—a melancholy gloom overhangs the vineyard of the Lord—coldness, timidity, and distrust, characterize the intercourse of brethren, because of the many “shipwrecks” that have taken place through the unskilfulness of those who were esteemed old and experienced mariners, upon the rock of Arminianism or in the vortex of Fullerism. Campbellism has also been efficient in some sections in “winnowing” the chosen seed, and bearing off the chaff and filth, that have been “spots in our feasts of charity,” but the Lord has not employed this “Fan” to “purge his floor” within the bounds of our little despised association, (the Ebenezer;) the few “unfruitful branches” that have been excised from our fellowship and communion, have dropped, withered, and died for want of sap or union to the “True Vine.” Now that the talisman of the wonder-working revivalists is in vain employed to exert its magic influence in begetting and maintaining a “religious excitement,” the gospel of grace is as precious if not more so to “the household of faith,” than when the vernal showers descended so plentifully to refresh and beautify and adorn the garden of the Lord; then, truly, was “the time of singing of birds, and the voice of the turtle was heard in our land” but now when the church is in the “sear and yellow leaf,” the gospel brings life and immortality to light, soothes our sorrows, mitigates our sufferings, and leads the sheep of Christ upon the unalterable decree of God, that “they shall never perish.” Let one enquire, if the New Schoolism, Fullerism, Arminianism, or any other ism, has for a time obscured the lustre of the Christian’s escutcheon by the introduction of wild and ranting enthusiasm, blinded and misguided zeal, false doctrine, unauthorized practices and unsanctified professors in the church, it has not been made to shine more brilliantly through the operation of Him who works all things after the counsel of His will and for the good of “the called,” and throw a hallo of brightness around the “chosen few” who are “steadfast, immoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord,” even amidst the coldness of sin, ignorance and unbelief; whilst with those “of the contrary part” who “oppose themselves,” and cause divisions, when the severity of their doctrines and inventions is lost in familiarity, they awaken no interest; when the excitement subsides, their devotion dies, and many “return to their own company,” and many more through pride and sectarianism retain the form whilst they deny the power of godliness. Thus, it is made manifest that “salvation is of the Lord, and that the gates of Hell shall never prevail against His church.”

The present state of the church forcibly reminds me of the state of things in the fourth and fifth centuries. No sooner had the church the sanction of the law, the patronage of the Imperial power and the sword of the civil authority to defend its interests and enforce its dogmas, then it became glorious in the estimation of thousands, but in very the very crisis of iniquity “the offence of the cross ceased,” and the simplicity of the gospel departed from, whilst ostentatious, pompous and imposing ceremonies, were instituted in its stead, and innumerable rites and ordinances of the Catholic Church imposed upon the unoffending disciples for their observance as religious duties—then, as now, it was not merely approbation, disgrace, contumely, and reproach, to oppose the “mother of harlots,” but in many instances, confiscation of goods, banishment and death—then as now multitudes of religionists, the Pontiff, priest and prelate, contended for the divinity of their practice, and the perfect consonance of their religious sentiment with the word of God—then as now did there exist “schools of the prophets” or seminaries for the attainment of theological knowledge and learning, and talents, so equal at least to many of our D. D’s, were had in requisition to sustain the abominations of “the holy mother”—then as now did the blinded votaries of this splendid superstition and idolatrous worship plead the Christian zeal, disinterested devotedness and ministerial benevolence of their leaders, and with as much truth as in many instances in the present day. If we compare the introduction of monkery to that of the missionary scheme and its associates, as now organized, we may see a strong resemblance. In times of persecution, whilst the heathen raged, and the kings and rulers took counsel together, against the Lord and against his anointed, many true believers, justly accounting that no human happiness ought to come in competition with their fidelity to Christ, and distrustful of their ability to “abide the pelting of the pitiless storm” of persecution to which they were incessantly harassed, took the resolution to abandon their possessions and retire from the haunts of men, that they might in quietness enjoy their faith and hope, exempt from temptations to apostacy, and employ themselves principally in the worship of God. Under circumstances like these the monastic life, and the motive praiseworthy; but when persecution ceased, and the possession of christianity was no longer made under different circumstances, those without blame quitted their retirement and resumed their stations in society; nor did these ever dream of fettering themselves by vows and engagements and wasting their time in idleness, indolence or laborious worship; because by so doing they must have exposed themselves to new temptations and greater dangers. Yet in all probability the idea of monachism was thus suggested, though so widely different from the system of monkery which afterwards became so prevalent: nor do I doubt but that the missionary enterprize had its origin in the earnest desire to glorify God and administer the consolations of the gospel to his afflicted; for the christian is a missionary in his feelings, and love to his master will prompt him to deeds of benevolence; but alas! what christian can consent to give his money or influence to dishonor the cause of God or his liberty by the dissemination of another gospel which is not another, which assumes itself the prerogatives of God, denies the fundamental principles of that holy religion which says the soul with riches’ contribution of which “bellow out bills” owes; makes man and money Almighty, and Jesus Christ a conditional possible Saviour. Such signal sacrifices, as those to which the monks submitted, not only of property, but of all secular pursuits, and the long and painful novitiate, have a lustre in them which dazzles the eyes of the weak, and powerfully engages imitation. If we look to the Egyptian Anthony, who spent almost a century in the dreary wilderness a voluntary exile—Hilarion of Syria, who lived in dreary abode upon a sandy desert between the sea and a morass near Gaza; and the austere penances, which he practised for forty-eight years; or to the more renowned St. Symeon, who is said to have lived thirty-six years on a pillar erected on the summit of a high mountain in Syria, exposed to all the inclemencies of the seasons, in a climate liable to great and sudden changes, from the most chilly blast to the most piercing cold; we certainly have as strong instances of christian zeal, more properly fanaticism, and disinterested devotedness as characterize the excessively religious in the present day.

Would it astonish the reader to be informed that instances of similar fanaticism abounded, and extravagancies the most marvellous, and most frantic, such as dishonored the name of religion, and rendered men worse than useless, were considered as the most sublime attainments in the Christian life in the century before mentioned. Then too it would more astonish to learn that most if not all the “fathers” of that age as they are termed, both Greek and Latin, employed their authority and eloquence in extolling the perfection of monkery—the miraculous influence of the relics of the martyrs and the worship of images—such as Bellarmine, Athanasius, Basil, Jerome, Chrysostom and Augustine: and let me inquire were the many millions expended in the support and dissemination of this antichristian delusion, any proof of its being acceptable to God, was the general acceptance it received from the world; the devotion of its votaries, the learning and authority of its old and honorable defenders; the sacrifices, privations, persecutions, and martyrdom of the hundreds of Jesuitical Friars or zealous missionaries of Catholicism in inhospitable climes; so many proofs of its biblical authority and divine origin? No! You will answer, the demon of superstition under the mask of superior piety prompted all this; and unless better testimony can be adduced in support of “the modern improved” gospel, church, and money system of spreading a spurious gospel, I can no more believe it divine. But in that “golden age” as “holy mother” terms it—the “little flock,” reckless of consequences, withdrew from her communion in obedience to divine injunction, “come out from among her my people and be ye separate,” and the Lord who maketh his ministers angels, and his angels a flame of fire, raised up and himself bestowed the bosom of the blessed devotion with christian ardor and moral heroism to vindicate the gospel, and expose the lies of the “would be” church. A Jovinian and Aerius, a Vigilantius, and many others, who founded churches, administered the ordinances, and “fed the church of God” over which the Holy Ghost had made them overseers, taking heed to themselves and to all the flock.” These unfashionable Old School disciples of course, had to participate largely in the thundering denunciations of the fathers; but God preserved them and their brethren, who counted it all joy to be tried with fiery trials, and persecuted for righteousness sake. Like causes will produce like effects. If any dare to question much more, oppose “benevolent institutions,” the same malignity of temper and disposition exhibits itself; while some now stretch themselves, and the civil authority does not serve the ecclesiastical arm, therefore the shafts of our enemies fall powerless at our feet. Four churches within the bounds of Shiloh Association stand aloof from the modern schemes for making christians, whilst many find beside them “a few names even in Sardis,” or within the bounds of Shiloh and Albemarle Associations who believe the word of God to be the only safe and all-sufficient rule for the government both of their faith and practice. The Ebenezer, Old Ketocton, and Patterson’s Creek Associations stand, I believe, at this time, undividedly opposed to these institutions, as religious or “means of grace” and such one, not a “fifth wheel” any of them.

Though we are now experiencing the “hidings” of our Redeemer’s face, with emotions of joy, we anticipate the set time to favor Zion, with the outpouring of his Spirit when sifting time shall be over. Yours to serve,

WILLIAM C. LAUCK.