S3,
What Communion
HATH
LIGHT WITH DARKNESS ?
J, H. ARMSTRONG,
Minister of the Gospel, Member of the Texas Annual
Conference, A. M. E. Church.
" But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth
more and more unto theperfect day."—Pro. iv. 18.
GALVESTON
McKenna & Co., Book and Job Printers.
1883.
Entered According to Act of Congresss, in the Year 18S3
in the
Office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington, P, CL
PREFACE.
FEELING it a duty which I owe to the spiritual
safety and final salvation of many who were some¬
what serious on the subject of religion, to use my
influence as a minister of the Gospel, in every
available way to abate growing evils, which
threaten great injury to the Church and to the
.souls of men.
Believing that the hope of Church success de¬
pends on the doctrine of the Holy ocriptures, with
nothing added, or nothing taken from, and that
the success of the Minister of the Gospel, is in
teaching in word and example the doctrine of the
Bible, (pure and undulterated,) they need no polish,
no sauce, etc.—God's word. While we have been
unable to present anything that is really new, and
•claim nothing. We collect in the shortest space
what we have been taught in early youth—that
has been strengthened by the living words of
many whose bodies have returned to dust but
whose immortal thoughts survive the attack of
years.
IV
Believing that love supreme to God, and equal
love of neighbor, lie at the^ very base of good
government, society, and religion itself. Living
in a day when we are constantly, by unavoidable
circumstances, in close malign influences with thaf
socialistic spirit—which strikes at the very heart
of a pure life, and with ruthless hand would de¬
stroy the most hallowed influence and association
on earth. In the midst of these malign influences
our safety lie in keeping the fountain pure. Our
object has not only to counteract, but to supplant,
as far as possible, the many evils in doctrine and
example, that is immoral in its tendency, fatal in
its result, injuring the purity of all concerned.
We send it now on its mission in the name of
Christ, that loves us and if it serves that end in
turning one back that has strayed from the path
of virtue, I will not regret my labor.
J. H. A.
Galveston, Texas.
CHAPTER I.
The Christian should not compromise the doctrine of the Bible.
Why many Christians are dull aud cold, and have such little
zeal for the cause of Christ.
Should not seek social communication of sinners.
Christians should separate themselves from the followers of
worldly pleasures.
CHAPTER II.
Christians are peculiar people.
Christians should be prepared for all the duties of life.
Vascllating, unsettled Christian is contemptable.
The result of a Christian lady taking the Sabbath day for pleasure.
CHAPTER III.
Christians should not submit to any law or ruling in Benevolent
or Secret Societies that would prevent them from doing
their duty as Christians.
CHAPTER IV.
Having two or more living wives.
Preachers marrying.
Divorced women.
High-handed insults to Church and good Society,
Our Conferences.
vi
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER V.
Deliberations in Conferences.
The General Conference at Atlanta Georgia.
A charge to a young man by Bishop D. A. Payne. D. D. L.
L. D., that he was about to set apart to the work of the
Ministery
CHAPTER VI.
The Doctrine of Christian perfection, neglected and abused.
CHAPTER VII.
How far may be delivered from sin.
CHAPTER VIII.
Members of the church attend the Social Dance
Dancing the Religious Dance.
The Irreligious Dance.
The Opinions of Eminent Religious Men.
CHAPTER IX.
The Training of Children.
How early a child may experience Salvation through Faith in
Christ.
The child should be brought up in God.
Children want to come to Christ.
Children of three and four years can be taught to love parents
they have not seen.
When Mr. J. D. Smith's son found Jesus to be a friend.
A father refuses to give his consent that his young son might join
the Church.
CON TEN TS&
Christian mothers can very early teach their children
Jesus Christ as their Savior.
The Drunkaid's Daughter.
Home Religion is the fountain-head.
Great mothers train their sons to be great men.
CHAPTER X.
The Sabbath day is a Divine Institution.
The Seventh day of the week was observed by the Jewish Church
in memory of the rest of God after the work of Cr. ation
also, their deliverance from Pharoah's tyranny.
The transfer to the first day of the week.
The abolition of the Sabbath would be anti-scriptural. The Sab¬
bath day is grossly violated by the Church members. It
should be held by all as a day of remembrance of the creation
—of thankfulness for the plan and means of salvation—re¬
demption—to cultivate Spiritual Communion with God.
CHAPTER XI.
The Parent responsible for impressions upon the minds of their
Children.
Parents should take an interest in Social Society, connected with
our Church.
vii-
to accept
CHAPTER XII.
The Purpose of Christianity.
viii CONTENTS,
The result of a corrupt religion—False or corrupt religion is of
the Devil.
How we may know a true Christian.
How we may know a false or a pretending Christian.
CHAPTER XIII.
Winning Souls—Settled Faith—Actions—Preachers—What do
Preachers Preach for.
What the-Lawyer does—What the Physician should do.
WHAT COMMUNION
HATH
LIGHT WITH DARKNESS?
CHAPTER I.
What communion hath darkness with light ?
What concord hath Christ with Belial ? or what
part hath he that believeth with an Infidel? And
what agreement hath the temple of the living
God with idols?—2 Cor., iv. 14, 16.
Ye children of light,
Ye sons of truth,
Walk in the light,
In the light of truth.
Ye men of grace,
Ye ministers of* love,
Walk in the light,
In the light of love.
Ye preachers of Christ,
Ye sons of God,
Walk in the light,
In the light of God.
The Christian, or the member of the church in
the proper sense of the word, should make no
2 WHAT COMMUNION HATH
compromise that would affect any part or parts
of the doctrine of the Bible, neither for social or
domestic pleasure,. I am convinced that the time
never will come when a compromise of true
religious principles will profit the compromiser or'
his church. Rather to the contrary, such actions,
are always a hindrance to the highest religious
principles and duties, and destructive to their
domestic happiness. We often hear a good sister
say, " My husband is a sinner, and will not allow
me to come to church." On the other hand, it is
not unusual to hear a good brother say, " My wife
is a sinner, and I am obliged to stay at home that
peace may not be broken. These apologies are
offered by both sexes as a sufficient explanation
why they have become dull and cold, and show
such little zeal for the"cause of Christ.
•Now, if we understand the above Scripture,,
there is to be no truce between the believer and
the unbeliever—the church of God and the doings
of the devil. Some might quote, in opposition to
this statement, the words of Jesus: " Agree with
your adversary quickly while thou art in the way
with him !" While he said those words, he did
not tell us to seek opportunities to get in his way ;
but he says ; " Come ye out from among them."
St. Paul says: " Be not unequally yoked with
LIGHT WITH DARKNESS % 3
unbelievers."—2 Cor. iv, 6, 14. David says, in
his first psalm : " Blessed is the man that walketh
not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth
in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the
scornful.''
Perhaps the question will arise in your minds
as to what we call compromising youf religious
principles. We answer that one of the most
serious is the domestic relation, the uniting in
marriage of Christians with unawakened persons,
and sometimes with avowed infidels and skeptics.
Two cannot walk together in peace without they
agree, and as it is not natural for man to do the
will of God, we cannot expect that peace and
happiness between a child of God and one with
unregenerated feelings, where they are joined in
wedlock, will characterize their lives, without the
submission of one or the other. Our sad experi¬
ence has been gathered from close observation,
that such unions are disastrous to the highest
religious interests. The Christian is generally led
back to the world, or much hindered in growth in
grace.
Not long ago I received a letter from President
Lee, of Wilberforce, stating that his sister-in-law
was once a bright and shining light in the A. M.
4 WHAT COMMUNION HATH
E. Church. Some time since, while conversing
with a friend who had recently talked with her
on the subject of religion, she acknowledged that
once she enjoyed great and satisfying peace and
comfort in Jesus. Bat after she married, her
choice being an infidel, she drifted gradually into
his ways. . Now, she says, I am in darkness. We
have no reference by the above to those who
become Christians after marriage. Paul settles
this matter: I Cor. vii, 12, 16, "If any brother
hath a wife that believeth not, and if she be
pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her
away. And the woman which hath a husband
that believeth not, and he be .pleased to dwell
with her, let her not leave him.
" For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by
the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by
the husband. * "y" * * * * But if the unbe¬
lieving depart, let him depart. -*-*** * * *
God hath called us to peace."
It appears to many professed Christians that
the above subject is a light affair, but I look upon
it as being of vital importance. Our belief has
been strengthened by many facts that have come
under our observation. We also believe that the
following Scripture passage supports our belief :
LIGHT WITH DARKNESS f 5
" And the Lord hath avouched thee this day
to be his peculiar people, as he hath promised
thee ; and that thou should keep all his commard-
ments, and to make thee high above all nations."
Deut. xxvi. 18. " Who gave himself for us, that
he might redeem us from iniquity and purify unto
himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works."
Titus, ii, 14.
CHAPTER II
" But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priest¬
hood, a holy nation, a peculiar people, that should
show forth the praises of him who hath called
you out of darkness into his marvellous light."
1 Pet. ii, 9.
If Christianity is worth anything, it makes the
world better. If the love of God, shed abroad in
the heart, has any effect, it is for good, and the
possessor of this pacifying influence must be
better prepared for all the duties of life than they
were before they were washed and made clean by
the blood of the Lamb. And the least apparent
desire for such amusements, where our Savior
could not be a guest, or a preference for irreligious
company, for social enjoyment, is only denying so
much of the great truth that salvation through
6 WHAT COMMUNION HATH
Christ is abundant to all that fear him. We can
not see where there has ever been anything
gained by compromising the least principle of our
faith either for social or domestic enjoyment, or
worldly profit. On the other hand, observation
leads us to believe that it always works detri¬
mental to church and to individual. There is
nothing so much admired as manhood and ster¬
ling integrity. It honors all professions, whether
secular or religious ; and the sinner, if there be
anything attractive in Christians to him, it is to
see them steadfast in what they confess and true
to their convictions. A vascillating and unsettled
Christian is contemptible in their eyes, but they
give due credit and respect, in the majority of
cases, to those that are firm in their convictions
and uncompromising in their warfare on evil. The
gossip in what is called aristocratic circles, that
ignorant people are the only ones that believe in
a denial of self; that is, to forsake the ways
of the world in self, are mere excuses for
themselves. Generally those who make these re¬
marks or use such arguments are those that make
profession of being religious and are following
after mammon. I am convinced that there is
nothing to be gained by such a policy, but all
LIGHT WITH DARKNESS f 7
loss. Why not stand up for Jesus always and
everywhere, even in your selection of a wife or
husband, and your social company as well ?
It is to be regretted that too many that are
professed Christians are willing listeners to pro¬
fanity of unbelievers, and sit and look on others
while engaged in sinful amusement ; and oftimes,
for fear of offending some favorite sinner, or may
be a lover, they will sanction the wine cup, the
dice, the cards, the billiards and dance.
I-know a lady that once appeared to be very
pious, and lived in strict conformity to her religious
principles, and had great reverence for the Sabbath.
A young man, after making her acquaintance,
appeared to be greatly impressed with her piety,
and often spoke of it. As he saw more of her,
he became almost convinced that she was a per¬
fect Christian. Having but little time for pleasure,
he invited her to take a buggy ride on the Sabbath.
She first refused, but finally consented. From
the first departure from the sanctity of the Lord's
day she grew less careful, but would go to the
theatre and ball-room, play cards and dice, and
drink wine. The result was that the strong con¬
fidence which he had in her religious integrity was
shaken, and his belief in her piety entirely
8 WHAT COMMUNION HATH
destroyed. O, how many there are in this world
who do more to throw disrespect on Christianity
by their conduct than the whole army of skeptics
and scoffers can do.
A young man, not wealthy, but having the name
of being a strict and devout Christian, was quite
infatuated with a very rich heiress. She was as
gay as she was wealthy. She informed the young
man that his financial condition would form no
barrier in the pursuit for her hand. After this
declaration he felt assured of success ; declared
his sincere love for her, and asked her hand in
marriage. She refused, but gave no reason. He
pressed her to explain why she had rejected him,
after having told him that his poverty was no bar
to their union. Her answer was : " You are a
Christian, and I am such a sinner. How could
you be content with me ? He went away
with a heavy heart. Not many days after¬
wards he returned, and informed her that the
obstacle was removed, that he held in his hand
his letter of withdrawal from the church, With
disgust she turned upon him and said : " I am
done with you. If you are so weak, you will not
do for me to lean upon in this life. I had hoped
that you were what you professed to be ; and now,
LIGHT WITH DARKNESS? 9
finding that you are not, I discard you. The man
I marry, as I am so weak, must be such that I can
lean upon through life."
The world, satan and sin only bow to the truth
through its convincing power, as in Christ Jesus.
We can conquer only through him. With his
spirit in our hearts, we can conquer all things and
put the devil to flight. " Get thee hence, satan,
for it is written thou shalt worship the Lord, and
him only shalt thou serve."
CHAPTER III.
The Psalms contain this passage: "Turn away
mine eyes from beholding vanities."-^-Psalms,
cxix, 37. Now, is vanity anything, empty, vision¬
ary, unsubstantial or unsatisfactory to the soul ?
What is there in the dance for the soul of a Chris¬
tian, or in the cards and the many like games?
What consolation is gained for the soul from
the wine cup? Nothing but remorse ! May God
keep our eyes. . Achan saw and coveted the
golden wedge, took it, hid his theft, and was slain.
Another compromise that is now uppermost in
my mind while writing, is Christians submitting
to any ruling in what are generally called secret
societies, that are detrimental to their churcih and
10 WHAT COMMUNION HATH
opposite to their belief. We are not opposed to
some secret societies. We think that they do
Christians no harm to join them for honorable
purposes. But when their society expenses are
so heavy that they are not able to pay their vows
to the church of God, we think it right for them
to come out. It is as much our duty to give of
our earthly substance to God's service to-day as
in the day's of Jacob, David and other ancient
fathers. This is evident from 2 Cor., ix, 6,
7, and other like passages. This is an evil
that hinders the progress of Christianity, Many
times their church and religion are both compro¬
mised. Members sit in societies and allow a fine
to be imposed upon them for non-attendance,,
when they were fulfilling their .religious duties.
Often they ask to be excused upon the ground
that they were at church. The presiding officer,
not always a Christian himself, will refuse to
accept the excuse, saying that society first and
church afterwards. As Christians, we should not
allow anything interfere with our religious duties,,
and when we do so, we that far deny our Savior.
Now, the most of these societies are founded
on correct principles, and to carry out these prin¬
ciples to the letter, it is not only necessary that
LIGHT WITH DARKNESS f 11
you be what is termed a good man or woman,
and acquainted with the laws and ritual, but that
you have a knowledge of divine truth. I do not
say that the presiding officer should be a member
of some church necessarily ; that is not the thought.
But I do say that he should possess all the qual¬
ities that veil the principles of the order. All
members of the church do not possess the requisite
-ability to preside. In short, I believe that the
requisite qualities are more largely found among
church members than elsewhere. My church and
religion preeminently first always. They are not
to be compromised in any way or for any thing.
Neither death, hor life, nor angels, nor princi¬
palities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things
to come, nor heights, nor depths, nor any other
creature, shall be able to separate us from the
love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."—
.Rom. viii, 37-9.
CHAPTER IV.
THE CHRISTIAN MINISTER.
Brief as I may speak on this subject, I shall try
to point out some of those traits that are too
often exhibited by some of our preachers, and
which I do not think tends to the glory of God
12 WHAT COMMUNION HATH
or the edifying of the church. We speak not as
a judge in Israel, but as one speaking his opinion
with the fear of God in his heart.
In the first place, there are preachers in the
church that have two or more living wives, of
whom they have ridden themeelves by divorce.
That causes may arise which would justify them
in'getting divorced I admit, but I cannot see the
consistency in their marrying again, and some¬
times in a very short time after the court grants
them a divorce. St. Paul says, "The deacon
shall be the husband of one wife." Again, he
says: " If a believing husband has an unbelieving
wife, and it please her to remain with him, he
shall not put her away."
He says, in another place, that " They were
bound by the law till death." This, you may
say, has no bearing on the case. Suppose we
admit it has not, and only plead the right for
our brother preacher to a divorce from what we
understood generally to be the cause for a legal
separation and a countermand of the marriage
vow, so sacredly given for better or worse. Then
the general plea is that " the woman is hindering
me in my Masters woik.' 11 S_he is too jealous,
and insults the members of my charge," and like
LIGHT WITH DARKNESS f 13
excuses. I would ask if the sacred Scriptures
authorizesa divorce for any of these? I answer
no. He that is guilty of such, God will hold
accountable in eternity. Not only that, but the
church will make him suffer here. " Whosoever
shall put away his wife saving for the cause of for¬
nication, causeth her to commit adultery."—Matt,
v, 32.
Without saying any more in this direction, I
will speak secondly of preachers marrying
DIVORCED WOMEN.
This is allowed in our church ; but I have failed
to find any passage in the Bible where a woman
could divorce her husband. The only reference I
was able to find that gave even a shadow sanction
to the practice is in Cor. vii, 13. And the woman
which hath a husband that believeth not, and if
he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave
him. Again, in the tenth verse, in the same
chapter, " And unto the married I command, yet
not I, but the Lord, let not the wife depart from
her husband. But if he departs, let her remain
unmarried or be reconciled to her husband." Our
Savior says plainly : " Whosoever marrieth her
that is divorced committeth adultery."—Matt, v,
14 WHAT COMMUNION HATH
32. I find nothing in the Bible to modify this
passage, and therefore my conclusion is that Christ
meant just what he said—that the woman was
bound by the law of her husband as long as he
lived.
Again, we find preachers marrying those of bad
report. Of all mistakes that preachers make, 1
think there is less allowance to be made for this
one than any other. He stands in the pulpit
Sabbath after Sabbath preaching purity and good
morals, yet he will leave the sanctuary of God in
the company of a woman whose character is not
above suspicion. Finally, to complete the drama,
he will lead her to the altar and take her for his
wedded wife, decorated as she is with ill gotten
gold, aud robed in pure white satin, the emblem
of virtue unpossessed. May God deliver us from
such reformers of men and high-handed insults ot»
good society. No wonder mothers are caused to>
blush when they see these pastors sometimes ii»
conversation with their daughters. -
Women at best get but little encouragement
away from home influences to be noble and true J
and I think the minister of Christ should at leas^
LIGHT WITH DARKNESS f 15
acknowledge and give his approval of these qual¬
ities that make her what God intended her to be
in society and in the world.
When the minister will make a companion of
such a woman for a social chat, much less for life,
he brings a reproach on good society. It is time
for the door to close on such doings, and the cur¬
tains to drop and shut out from our eyes such
unwelccpme sights.
Thirdly, without saying anything about the
daily deportment of some of our brethren, I will
venture to say something concerning their assem¬
blages, general and annual conferences.
Our annual conferences are make up of the
traveling and local preachers. Who are these
men ? They are supposed to be at least disciples
of Jesus Christ, messengers of peace, met in coun¬
cil together. O what a gathering of men ! Those
that have been called of God, set apart by the
church to go into all the world to preach the
gospel. They are harmless as doves and wise as
serpents, meek as lambs and bold as lions. What
a council. The Holy Spirit will surely be mani¬
fested greatly in their midst. These are kindred
thoughts would naturally fill, the mind of one
that had read the Bible in regard to the duties
16 WHAT COMMUNION HATH
and responsibilities of the ministry, but had
never come in social contact with them. How
great would be his disappointment, however, if he
were to hear one brother accuse another of break¬
ing the ninth commandment; others outside de¬
manding apologies for injuries received ; two or
three standing on the corner of the street discus¬
sing the merits of the bishop, while still another
is declaring that the bishop has wronged him.
Furthermore, the conduct of some of our
preachers hinder the progress of the gospel and
the advancement of the church. I heard a brother
preacher say, when interrogated concerning his
expected visit to a certain city, in which he held
a charge, he did not have much use for that city.
There are streets in that city in which I would
not go, lest I should meet some one whom I had
aggrieved, on the one hand, or a creditor, on the
other.
Still another fellow-pastor told me that when
he had cause to pass through the same city, hav¬
ing once had a charge there, he made it convenient
to fall asleep in the car, never awaking until the
city was well passed.
This and more I have received from fellow
laborers in the vineyards of the Master. If this
LIGHT WITH DARKNESS ? 17
is for the glory of God, I am certainly on the
wrong side.
A good sister said to me some years ago : " I
have no use for Rev. A who was considered
a powerful preacher by those who knew but little
of his inner life. " He preaches well," continued
she, " but he was not even a gentleman."
Now, while I do not believe every report that
is circulated about the impure conduct of many
in the ministry, there must be some reason for
some of the rumors. It is strange, but neverthe¬
less true, there are many respectable families that
will accommodate other gentlemen with board
and lodging, but always find some excuse for not
accommodating some preachers. Clearly there
must be some cause fbr this. So great has been
the loss of confidence in many that to visit much
is looked upon with suspicion While many
choose to wink at such a state.of affairs, I propose
to condemn it in all its details with voice and pen.
If it do no good, I shall rest content that I did
my duty. The trash maketh no one ashamed
except the culprit who has tramped it under foot.
While I think that currency should not be given
to every vile report, still I think that we have
reached that point where a note of alarm should
be sounded and a more careful inquiry made into
18 WHAT COMMUNION HATH
the conduct of our ministry. I have never tried
to degrade or injure any of my fellow laborers in
the cause of Christ, and God forbid that I should.
While it is true that swine hunt the filth and mire
in which to wallow themselves, lambs oftimes
pass near by, and .inhale the tainted atmosphere.
CHAPTER V,
The conduct of many of our ministers in their
deliberations in conferences is not becoming to
the cause of Christ. I have had some experience
in deliberative assemblies, such as political con¬
ventions, State and National. Especial oppor¬
tunities were offered during my four years in the
legislature. This was prior to my attending a
.general conference of our church. The year or so
previous to attending the general conference at
Atlanta, Georgia, I had been a delegate to the
national convention which met in Philadelphia to
nominate Grant for President.
All the States of this great republic were repre¬
sented there. Regardless of the vast number of
assembled delegates, the}' acted with the dignity
which became the nation's leaders. When I was
selected a delegate to the general conference, I
looked forward to something still grander and
LIGHT WITH DARKNESS $ 19
greater than a political convention, when I should
meet the leaders of our Zion in council for the
advancement <?f Christ's kingdom on earth.
O, how anxious was I for the time to come
when I should drink down the words of truth
and wisdom as they fell from the lips of those
eminent in the church. Greater, thought I, will
be my relish for the things said than at the Phila¬
delphia convention, which met to nominate a
leader for the nation. W{iile there, I heard Gar¬
rett Smith, that old lifelong advocate of human
rights. His oration I now have before me, and
by his words my soul was moved with reverence
for those who, in defiance of all opposition and
popular fury, in those dark days, stood firm
for humanity, and cried that slavery was wrong.
I was moved, and felt my responsibility as a citizen
as I had never felt it before. But at the general
conference I was disappointed. It is a.sufficient
answer to the question why, when I say its delib¬
erations were more like what might be expected
at a political gathering than the one I had met
a year before. I do not mean to say that there
were no refreshing showers from God ; neither to
convey the thought that his spirit was not felt
there ; nor understand me to say that there was
>0 WHAT COMMUNION HATH
"10 display of learning and talent. All these were
present.
In what I am going to say, I 60 not wish to im¬
pugn or to condemn the conference as a body of
Christian ministers. But how did some of them
act in order to accomplish certain ends? They
talked about splitting the church, if their ends
were not carried. It puzzled the presiding officer
and marshals to keep any degree of order. On
the whole, it appeared to me like some of the
political conventions I had attended, in which there
were two factions, each striving t(D rule, so that
they might control the division of the loaves and
fishes, and not a body of men assembled to coun¬
sel for the good of the church of Christ, purchased
by his blood. For my part, I have always believed
that the minister of Christ was a man of peace.
As I have said enough in this direction, I will
turn your attention to his more common life—the
manner in which he should conduct himself, or
show some of these messengers that bring glad
tidings of great joy.
My short experience in the ministry has caused
me to believe that the most of preachers preach
themselves more than they do Christ.
I remember once hearing Bishop D. A. Payne,
D.D., LL.D., say to a young man that he was
light with darkness % 21
about to set anrt to th i work of the ministry:
M Hide yourself behind the cross of Christ so
effectually that your little fingers cannot be seen,"
Instead of following this wholesome advice, the
greater part hide the cross behind them.
I love to see a congregation that love
their pastor, but when they adore Christ, the
church and his cause, I like it better. My
exoerience has been that many members of the
church leave the church when certain preachers
leave. Their service is not the kind that Christ
sanctions, but a blind man worship. They can see
no good in any preacher except the one under
whom they were converted. When he leaves all
they know about Christ is gone.
I remember having heard a young lady in a love
feast, in which a goodly number of young con¬
verts had been speaking, say that she was Elder
's convert. The expression would not have
been so grave if it had not been said to rebuke
the minister in charge. No doubt but she spoke
the truth, for she soon fell by the way, and was
lost sight of in Christian* circles.
We find many preachers trying to build them¬
selves up at the expens^ of the preachers who
preceded them. They find fault with their ad-
22 WHAT COMMUNION HATH
ministration. They not only do this, but they
grossly violate the ninth commandment, if they
think any influence will be gained thereby, and1
enable them to be the "big I am" among th&
people.
I have always believed that if any set of men
o\:ght to be true to each other it should be the
Methodist ministry. I pray that God may keep
me from some of them, f~>r they are as treacher¬
ous as the devil would have them. I knew of a
preacher that envied another, who offered a friend^
of his, a woman, fifty dollars to get up something
immoral on his Christian brother.
These are only a few of the many hindrances
we have in the church—a few of the many that
must be driven out before the church can conquer
the world—before the time comes when there will
not be one to say to another, knoweth thou the
Lord Jesus.
CHAPTER VI.
The doctrine of Christian perfection is, to some
extent, neglected as we'l as abused. It is a com¬
mon saying among members of the church, "You
know the flesh is weak, but the spirit is willing,""
and many like sayings. These I conceive to be
LIGHT WITH DA RKNESS f 23
their excuses for their many short-comings- Now,
it may be that this will safely pass the Christian
through the gates of death a.id land him safe . >n
the shore of bliss eternal But i do not under¬
stand the Scriptures to frame excuses for man's
disobedience. Adam attempted to use Eve as a
screen from the penalty of his disobedience, and
ever since we find man framing excuses to make
allowances for his not doing his whole duty as a
Christian. The doctrine of Christian perfection
is too often made complex by the many ways of
showing in what it consists. One will say I go on
to perfection in this life; another will say it is the
last act of his life. The question with me is, does
salvation through Christ mean deliverance from
si n ?
May a man hope to be free from sin ? Is there
within the reach of us all a state of heart in which
purity shall be all prevailing ? We say, in God's
name, yes. Believing the sure promises of God,
we say, yes. Having fe't of the power of the
Holy Ghost, we say, yes. We survey the grand
purpose in redeeming man, and say, yes. It is
God's will that we be holy, for he says: " If we
walk in tfce light, as be is in the light, we have
fellowship one with another, and the blood
M WHAT COMMUNION IfATH
Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin."—I John, I, 7.
But, one will say, our entire mental and moral
nature is so shattered, and many weaknesses touch
so closely on sin, that purity seems too much to
hope for in this life. Our knowledge of God's
will is progressive. The world around us is so
full of evil that it touches us on all sides. We
must mix with the world, and the devil is there
to tempt us to evil.
How can we, amid these malign influences, be
free from sin ? Another may say, I know men
and women who profess entire sanctification, and
yet there is much in them that seems to me incon¬
sistent. Then we so easily sin through ignorance ;
perhaps a brother's wrong judgment leads to wrong
action. These and many like excuses for sinning
are often made by teachers of the Bible. .
I remember listening to a sermon by a brother,
whom I hope now rests from his labors; in which
he set forth the necessity of a Christian being as
frequently down as upo his feet;' : After the ser¬
mon, I said to another brother, w;hat do you think
of the sermon? His1 reply \vas, "-There was too
much falling in it." ■ : ■■
In speaking to a brother upon Christian perfec-*
tion, he said. " A certain bishop said the men
LIGHT WITH DARKNESS % 25
that are always preaching Christian perfection are
the biggest devils we have." If it is not the doc¬
trine of the Bible we ought not to preach it ; .
and we claim if there* is not such a degree of
grace in thislife, we must sin as long as we live,,
and cannot help it. All Christians agree that we
must have a perfect heart before we can enter the
New Jerusalem ; but many differ in the time, most v
placing the time as being just before death.
Take, therefore no thought of the morrow, for
the morrow shall take thought for the things of
the morrow.-—Matt, vi, 34.
Now. manv persons think they do not sin when
thev do; but this proves nothing in either way.
But are there assertions in the Scriptures that
demands a perfect heart ? I think there are.
Then to the law and the testimony. Let God be
trhe.
For if we have been planted together in the
likeness of His death, we shall also be in the like¬
ness of his resurrection. The old man is crucified ;
that is, the body of sin is destroyed.
Being .then made free from sin, etc. For sin
shall not have dominion over you. The very
least that can be inferred from these passages is
that the apostle was speaking of all Christians
26 WHAT COMMUNION HATH
being made free from outward sin. It may be
said that they do not commit sin as other men do;
that they sin not willingly. In support of this
theory, thev claim that Abraham sinned in deny¬
ing his wife. Moses also provoketl GcyJ at the
waters of strife. David, in the case of Uriah's
wife ; and even Paul says, that I would I do not.
All this we admit. But if you infer from this
that all Christians do and must, we pointedly
deny.
But we say that as long as we live, and while
there is probation, free agency and temptation,
we shall be liable to sin, shall fail in many respects
through ignorance of the perfect law. These are
considerations t-hat we must carry with us ; these
are allowances that we must make whenever we
speak of complete deliverance from sin.
We now turn to the question,
CHAPTER VII.
HOW FAR MAY WE BE DELIVERED.
Shall we say that the real trouble is a propensity
to sin, a sort of gravitation in our hearts toward
it. If that were removed and replaced by its
opposite, all else could be borne—infirmities*
ignorance, temptation. May wje be saved from
LIGHT WITH DARKNESS f 27
this; may the remedy be applied, and how. Let
us again turn to the precious Word of Truth, and
see how far we may be saved from sin.
Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and
ye shall be cleansed from all your filthiness, and
all your idols will I cleanse you. A new heart
also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put
within you, and I will take away the strong heart
out of your flesh, and give you a heart of flesh.
And I will put my spirit within you, and cause
you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my
judgments and do them, ********
I will also save you from your uncleanliness.—
Ez. 36, 24, 27.
To perform the mercy promised to our fathers,
and to remember his holy covenant; the oath which
he swore to our father Abraham, that he would
grant unto us that we, being delivered out of the
hands of our enemies, might serve him without
fear, in holiness and righteousness, before him all
the days of our life.—Luke, 1 72, 75.
Having, therefore, these promises, dearly be¬
loved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness
of the flesh and spirit, pefecting holiness in the
spirit of God,
Looking for that blessed hope and glorious
28 WHAT COMMUNION HATH
appearing of God and our Savior Jesus Christ,
who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us
from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a precious
people, zealous of good works.—2 Cor , 7.
And every man that hath this hope in him
purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
Whosoever commits sin transgresses the law,
for sin is the transgression of the law. And ye
know that he was manifested to take away our
sins, and in him is no sin.—Titus 2, 13, 14.
From these Scriptures, as quoted, I infer that
it is the will of God to deliver us from the de¬
pravity that is within us; that the Lord Jesus
died to procure for us this great salvation from
sin. —1 John, 3, 3-5.
If you ask how God works this deliverance, I
reply: The atoning sacrifice of Christ is the pro¬
curing power. The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth
us from all sin. The Holy Spirit is the divine
agent in the work, since we are sanctified by the
Holy Ghost; whose presence makes man's heart
pure, and who uses the Word as his instrument to
sanctify them through the truth. This is neither
strange nor new doctrine. Wesley declares this is
the great depostum which God has given to the
people called Methodists. To-day we argue not
LIGHT WITH DARKNESS % 39
for a higher standard of religion, for Christ has
hoist the standard ; and it is impossible to elevate
it, and we are not willing to lower it. I there*
fore say to those who are equally responsible and
have an abiding faith in Christ, let us rally to the
standard and live up to the height at which it has
been placed by our gracious Redeemer. We find
the great apostle praying that the brethren at
Ephesus be filled with the fullness of God. This
may appear to some to be a flight after the im¬
possible. But remember, it is not that ye might
contain all the fullness of God ; that would be
more impossible than that our chamber could con¬
tain all the light of the sun ; yet it might be filled
so that there would not remain a particle of illum¬
inated air in the room. So with the follower of
Jesus, the entire man will be taken up with the
spirit of his Master; and the vessel filled up by
God contains no space to be filled by the world,
sin and the. devil. Therefore we can faithfnlly
say, "' It is not I but Jesus that lives witKin me."
If We plead that we have earnestly sought the
' blessing of a pure heart, and yet all our efforts
hive been failures, the reason of our failures has
>;• been plain ; the cause,of ;our,failure yrill be found
• in 'Ohe-^of ftwo* reasons*. Either v.y;ouV!lhave not
touched the tabernacle and all its furniture with
30 WHAT COMMUNION HATH
the consecrating oil as henceforth the Lord s, and
accepted Christ as your one all-sufficient Savior,
or you have not abandoned (all to him, and faced
about from self to Christ. I remember reading
of a m-ither who told her daughter to pick up the
scissors, which she, the daughter, had thrown upon
the floor. The little girl refused, yet had no-rea¬
son for refusing, only she would not pick up the
scissors. She would do anything else for her
mother ; she would go up stairs and get another
pair ; she would gather everything else from the
floor; she would take a deal of pains for her
mother, but would not pick up the scissors. The
mother in her wisdom knew what this meant, and
laid aside her work and told her she must pick up
the scissors. The little girl first became sullen,
then began to cry, and wanted to kiss her mother,
and said that she loved her. But the mother said
no , the scissors on the floor showed that she did
not love her mother, and until they were picked
up she would not accept of the kiss or any other
■caress until the scissors were picked up ; the pick¬
ing up of the scissors was the only thing that
would prove her love. If we would be perfect
Christians, there is something especial that each
ojiee of us must take up—-some cross or other
especially heavy ; with one it may fee the cross of
LIGHT WITH DARKNESS % 3t
self-interest ; with another that of vain glory, of
slothfulness, with all the spirit of worldliness.
I confess, when I look abroad upon the churches
of' to-day, that I fear the time is not far distant
when many of our churches will be minus of that
power and spirit that awakens the sinner ancf
causes him to turn from sin to righteousness, and'
from satan to God. . Paul declares, "Though I
speak with the tongues of men, and have not
charity (love), I am become as a sounding brass or
a tinkling cymbal. And although I have the gift
of prophecy, and understand all mystery and all
knowledge * * * * ' I am nothing."—I Cor. 13.
If the ministry and church would be a power in
tearing down the strongholds of sin and satan,.
Christ and his holiness must be our chief delight.
High upon the banner of the church should be
written holiness unto the Lord. And if we would
bless the world, let us, through Christ, lift our¬
selves up to the standard of holiness that he has
planted.
" O for a heart from sin set free !" a heart in
which pure love reigns supreme.
A heart to God submissive bows,
And whispers he is love,
Where Jesus sits upon his throne,
And speaks and I obey.
I think if there were as much said to the young
32 WHAT COMMUNION HATH
men entering the ministry upon the importance
of living blameless in life and conversation, as
there is said concerning the support of the church
in its various branches, and the study of Greek
and Hebrew, etc., we would soon see a change in
the church for good; their ministry would be
attended with the conversion of many more souls.
I do not wish to be understood as saying too
«r
much importance is placed upon the letter; but
I wish to be understood that we know nothing of
God's love and precious power to redeem by
intellectual art or theological craft, but by Christ
dwelling in the heart. Not in our convictions,
but by faith, being rooted and grounded in love,
we comprehend the teachings of the spirit, which
awakens in our souls the rapture of love. Let
us, then, lift up our hearts and voice, and exclaim,
Lord, I believe.
Faith finds God ; love comprehends God ; the
eye of burning affecticn looks steadfastly in the
dark cloud of the unknowable, and reads the
name, My Father.
We may build magnificent structures for wor¬
ship; we may rear up and endow colleges, so
that every one will be educated. Our ministers
may be Beechers or Spurgeons, and in eloquence
LIGHT WITH DARKNESS t 33
we may have no equal; we may do much in shap¬
ing society; we may send many missionaries to
foreign lands, yet, except we possess the Holy
Spirit—that spirit which is Christ—we will do but
little toward winning souls to Christ. The
preacher that is educated to win souls to Christ
and is at work in this direction, is doing more for
Christ's kingdom than all that are to-day making a
great display of literary attainments and ability,
for the purpose of attracting large crowds and being
called learned.
There are practices with ministers to further their
desires that are not becoming a Christian minister.
I have seen them canvassing for the Secretary of
Conference. I have known them to promise to
present and support measures which, if they were
carried, would be detrimental to the cause of
Christ.
These may be grave charges, nevertheless they
are true, and are the fruits of the neglect of the
church and ministry to keep before it the purposes
of Christ. I write with a heart not unconscious
of the fear of God. There are many things that
transpire, were it not for God's mercy, would call
<3own sudden vengeance upon many of us.
34 WHA T COMMUNION HA TH
CHAPTER VIII.
Having heretofore been speaking of the acts
and doings of church members in particular, I
shall be more general on this subject. My desire
is for the profit and good of Christians, and not to
dictate to the religious. I shall try to keep in due
bounds of my theme. If I should, however, go
beyond its pales, it will be done with the fear of
God in my heart and the love of humanity actuat¬
ing my thoughts.
We purpose here to speak of some of the
\vorldly amusements in which church memb'ers
often participate; such as the social dance, the
theater, attending circuses, etc.
' We concientiously believe that social dancing,
as commonly practiced in our country, is evil in
its inception and irreligious in its tendencies. We
shall not attempt to sustain these honest convic¬
tions by mere denunciations or bold assertions,
but by arguments drawn from the Holy Scriptures,
the mature opinions of sages and saints, and the
uniform utterance of experience and practical
observation.
The Father of Mercies employs no means incon-
LIGHT WITH DARKNESS* 35
sistent with the freedom of the human will to win
men away from sin to a life of holiness ; and we
have authority" to employ only such means as the
Scriptures indicate to accomplish such inestimable
results. Then, after we have done our duty, if
our fellow-man will not be constrained from his
ways, but will seek death in spite of our admon¬
itions, his blood shall be on his own head. But
the success which, under the divine blessing, often
attends the use of Scriptural means in striving
against sin, should encourage us to labor diligently,
even at this point, to reclaim heedless sinners
from their gilded and flowery way to ruin. There
is nothing in the conventional rules of general
society that either enjoins or prohibits dancing;
neither is public opinion uniform on this point.
While so-me zealously contend for it as an innocent
and healty amusement, others, with at least an
equal show of reason, condemn it as an evil, cor¬
rupting in its influence. The opinions and dis¬
ciplinary rules of most Protestant churches are
against the practice; others are quiet on the sub¬
ject. Many professed Christians give countenance
and encouragement to it by being voluntarily
present at dancing parties, or by permitting the
younger members of the family to indulge in. it
36 WHAT COMMUNION HATH
unrestrained. Dancing masters are employed to
train them to be graceful in this so-called elegant
accomplishment.
Others pursue quite a different course. They
not only condemn dancing, as it is commonly-
practiced, as being detrimental to the salvation of
souls and at variance with the prosperity of the
church, but they expel all from their communion
who will not wholly abandon it.
There being such diverse opinions even among
Christians on this point, we find it necessary to
appeal to the Bible to settle the question. " Let
them praise Him in the dance."—Psalms cxlix, 3.
" A time to dance."—Eccl. iii, 3^ We call the
attention of our readers, first, to show that danc¬
ing under some circumstances cannot be considered
sinful, and that the dancing here referred to is
widely different from that~ usually indulged in for
social pleasure. That the dance here referred to
has all the marks of true piety and exalted devo¬
tion connected with it, is evident from the very
tenor of the Psalms. That dancing was often
connected with exalted devotion may be proven
by the following passage :
" And Miriam, the prophetess, the sister of
Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand, and the women
LIGHT WITH DARKNESS t 37
went out after her with timbrel and dances ; and
Miriam answered them, Sing ye to the Lord, for
he hath triumphed grievously. The horse and
his rider hath he thrown into the sea."—Ex. xv,
20, 21.
" And David danced before the Lord with a 11
his might."—2 £am. iv, 14.
We gather from these passages, first, that the
pious sisterhood, overwhelmed as they were with
a sense of the divine goodness, and filled to over¬
flowing with gratitude to the author of their late
deliverance, they praised him with song, timbrel
and the dance.
Second, that King David, after performing
sacrifices at the house of Abinadab. where the ark
of the Lord had been for a time ; a great assem¬
blage of people had gathered from all parts of
Israel to witness the impressive ceremonies and to
assist in transferring the ark of the covenant to a
place prepared for it in the city of David. The
immense concord moved along amidst joyful
strains of music, in which blended the harp and
voice. In the midst of the great religious solem¬
nities, God filled the heart of David with joy and
gladness, and he was not ashamed to express his
sense of the divine goodness by dancing before
the Lord. There are other passages in the Bible
38 WHAT COMMUNION IT ATII
bearing out the idea oF the sanctitty of thoso who
o
indulged in it.
We now invite your attention to Sam. v, 15.
" Our dance is turned into mourning."
" And it came to pass as soon as he came nigh
unto the camp that he saw the calf and the danc¬
ing, and Moses' anger waxed hot ; and he cast
the tables out of his hands and brake them beneath
the mount."—Ex. xxxii, 19.
Here we have an instance of uaiicuig toimcticu
with an idolatrous feast, at which the people sat
down ; after which they began to dance and be
merry, without, perhaps, any thought of God and
his goodness in bringing them that far on their
way. They were determined to seek pleasure and
excitement in their own way. What was the con¬
sequence ? The anger of God waxed hot against
them, and he threatened to consume them. The
original tables of stone, prepared by the hand of
God, were broken in their presence, perhaps to
remind them that they had broken their covenant
with God. In addition to these sad and alarming
tokens of the divine displeasure, they had to
mourn the death of about three thousand of their
brethren. Well may it be said that their dancing
was turned into mourning.
LIGHT WITH DARKNESS? 39
We next refer to I Samuel, xviii, 6, 7 : " And
it came to pass, as they cams, when David was
returned from the slaughter of the Philistines, that
the women came out of all the cities of Israel,
singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with
taberets, with joy, and with instruments of music.
And the women answered one another as they
played, and said, Saul hath slain his thousands,
and David his ten thousands."
As innocent and patriotic as this dance may at
first seem to have been, there was something irre¬
ligious in it. Instead of imitating the pious
Miriam and her associates in praising the special
providence of -God, as manifested in the late over¬
throw of their enemies, they resorted to invidous
compaVisons of men. God was left out of their
minds. In their dances in all the cities of Israel,
they ascribed their victory to Saul and David,
making an invidious distinction in favor of David.
And what was the immediate result of this God-
forgetting and worldly dancing ? It aroused the
jealousy of Saul, and periled the life of David.
It originated a feud in the royal family which
brought on a civil war between Saul and David,
at a time when their united skill and military
prowess were greatly needed for the protection of
40 WHAT COMMUNION HATH
the nation, and which ended with the utter down¬
fall of the house of Saul.
We shall next consider briefly an instance of
fashionable and worldly dancing, as recorded in
the New Testament. Matt, xix, 6 : " But when
Herod's birthday was kept, the daughter of Hero-
dias danced before them, and pleased Herod."
Now, this birthday festival was not kept to
acknowledge the goodness of God in giving Herod
and his tamily life and breath and all things else,
but he kept it to glorify himself. The dreadful
consequences were the immediate martyrdom of
John the Baptist, to gratify the malicious resent¬
ment of the illegitimate wife, and a consuming
curse on himself and family.
Having said, I think, enough in this direction
to prove that where dancing is prompted by irre¬
ligious feelings, "like the flowing of the wicked,"
it is sinful and devoid of all that is holy.
The tree is known by the fruit.—Matt, xii, 33.
Many efforts are constantly being made to show
that dancing is an innocent and healthful exercise.
We will meet this plea of the votaries of ball
rooms with facts well known and read of all men,
to prove that social dancing is demoralizing to
the extreme in its effects on the minds of them
LIGHT WITH DARKNESS f 41
that have truly awakened to a just appreciation
of their spiritual and immortal interests.
Many have made up their minds to flee from
the wrath to come and to seek a saving interest
in Christ. But just as they are setting out on this
all-important enterprise, they are invited and
accept an invitation to attend a social dancing
party. It always proves fatal to their religious
feelings and purposes They withdraw their alle¬
giance from God and seek happiness in the illusive
scenes of earth. But few have escaped who have
ventured on these faithless quicksands, where such
countless numbers have been engulfed. The ball
room and its surroundings are dangerous in every
respect to the religious interests of the soul.
Here are persons who, prompted by sincere mo¬
tives, have manifested true penitence for their
past sins, and have1 often been to the altar, asking
an interest-in the prayers of the faithful. Their
conditions are hopeful. In an evil hour they are
seduced into the giddy dance, whejre every budding
prospect is at once blighted, and their steps are
retraced to the follies and dangers of sin.
Would we could stop here in portraying the
deadly effects of social dancing upon the dearest
jtcrests of the soul.. But we cannot. Truth
42 WHAT COMMUNION HATH
compels us to go further. There are those who
have exhibited all the usual evidences of having
been truly converted, and have run well for a
season, attending to all the means of grace and
giving promise of final success in leading a religious
life. But, as the serpent beguiled Eve, so have
they been beguiled from their, steadfastness and
led off into the exciting and delusive scenes of the
ball room, until they have made shipwreck of
faith and of a good conscience, and have turned
back to perdition. Just in proportion as they
acquire a fondness of this destructive amusement,
■they lose their relish for the various exercises of
religion and communion with the spiritual mem¬
bers of the church.
If we are to know the tree by its fruits, we must
say those who frequent dancing parties are not
producing fruit of righteousness.
"Abstain from all appearance of evil."—I
Thess. v, 22.
We now intend to show that professors of
religion cannot, consistently, attend dancing par¬
ties, circuses, theaters, balls, etc. ; that a Christian
should not only abstain from all amusements for
pleasure that is inconsistent and not in conformity
with the word of God ; and that they should abstain
LIGHT WITH DARKNESS* 48
from such words and deeds that are not allowed
by the discipline of the church to which they
belong, have been generally admitted.
David says : " Thy word I have hid in my heart
that I may not sin against thee."
Paul say : " Whether, therefore, ye eat or drink,
or whasoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
Give none offense, neither to Jews nor to the
Gentiles, nor to the church of God."
Here we are taught to do all for the glory of
God. But who can go through the preliminary
preparation of glorifying God by attending a ball
and dance ?
Pray tell me what Christian ever thought of
glorifying God by going to circuses, theaters and
dancing parties? Not one. Then, if Christians
cannot prepare themselves to attend these places
to the glory of God, it is certain they should
not go
In the same passage we are taught " to give
rone offense." But what church member can
attend these places without becoming a stumbling
block in the wav of sinners and a grief to the
upright in heart ? Then, if it cannot be done
without leading" sinners further from God, and
grieving true Christians, it should not be done at
44 WHAT COMMUNION HATH
all. Further, we find that "whatsoever you do in
words and deeds, do all in the name of the
Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father by
him."—Col. iii, 17. These words are too plain to
be misunderstood : " Whatever ye do, do in the
name of the Lord Jesus.'' Now, what. church
member ever went to a ball or theater in the name
of the Lord ?
Pray tell me one that ever thought of giving
thanks to God the Father for the privilege of so
doing ? If it cannot be done with a heart full of
thankfulness to God, it cannot be done consist¬
ently by Christians.
It may be said by many that go to these places,
that the best Christians engage in many things
for th eir mutual benefit which are not in strict
accordance with their, doctrine, in their usual
business relations. That may be all true. It is
my opinion that every Christian should begin the
day with prayer for the blessing of God to be
with him through the day. He should ask the
b lessings of heaven to aid him in every enterprise
and undertaking. The Christian head of a family
should assemble its members at the throne of
grace every morning, and pray for divine guidance
in all the actions of the day. He should call
LIGHT WITH DARKNESS ? 45
his family together before taking a journey, and
implore a blessing upon them and himself during
the separation.
Again, we find this passage : " To abstain from
the very appearance of evil."—Thess., v, 22.
We have proven that many who were seriously
and fully penitent, and even religious, have for¬
feited their religion and turned back to the world
by attending and cultivating a love for such
amusements.
I lay this down as a principle that all Christians
should abstain from all such associations, as have
not only an evil appearance, but because they are
evil in their effects on their religious feelings and
character.
" If sinners entice thee, consent thou not."—
Prov. i, 10.
We now intend to advance the reason why
professors of religion cannot allow those of the
world to dictate their course. They tell us with
boldness that the ball room and theatre, is more
becoming to refined tastes than our class-meetings,
love feasts, and often our public worship during
revivals ; and as these places are so congenial,
especially to the hearts of the young, they argue
that we ought not to deprive them by church
discipline of these sources of innocent amuse-
46 WHAT COMMUNION HATH
mcnt. To this we respectfully say, that we con¬
sider ourselves much better to judge than they are.
They claim that in youth we enjoy these pleasures.
Truth compells many of us to plead guilty to this
charge. We do it with many heart-pangs of re¬
gret, that in the days of our folly- and forgetful-
ness of God and our own best interests. For a
few brief hours we could drive away the sad and
soul distres?ing thoughts of death and the judg¬
ment of heaven and hell. But the time of sober
reflection would return, and with it a fearful sense
of the uncertainty of life—the certainty and near
approach of death, and an accountability to God
for the deeds done in the body. We then turned
away from these deceitful pleasures and amuse¬
ments of the world, and with true penitence for
our past transgressions, sought and obtained re¬
demption in the blood of Christ and the forgive¬
ness of sin, and to-day—thanks to a forgiving
Savior, I would not exchange one hour of sweet
communion and comfort of the Holy Ghost, of
peace and joy and hope of heaven, for all the
wordly pleasures I ever enjoyed.
We know there are some church members who
have become blind and cannot see afar off, who
have forgotten that they were ever purged from
their old sin. They have lost all love for spiritual
LIGHT WITH DARKNESS f 47
enjoyment, having turned again to the amuse¬
ments of the world, as the sow that was washed
to her wallowing in the mire.
Nothing is more unseemly than to see a child
of God and heir of heaven, descending from his
elevated position amidst the scenes of spiritual
enjoyment, to seek happiness again with the giddy
and gay.
We are told that these amusements are inno¬
cent and can do no harm. Innocent indeed!.
Every Christian who imbibes a love for such
frivolous pastimes, loses his relish for spiritual ex¬
ercises, and the sweet communion of saints and
even God's house; when they turn away from the
ordinances of God and become apostates to the
church. So general is this, that when we hear of
church members frequinting such places is synony¬
mous with hearing that they have left the church
and are henceforth to be numbered with black-
sliders.
Another reason why we cannot permit the ir¬
religious to dictate our course concerning worldly
amusements, is, their knowledge of the Bible which
we take as the guide of our faith and practice.
Manny sinners try to seek a subterfuge in the
Bible when reproved for wrong-doing by Christians.
They flippantly quote the words of Solomon:
48 WHAT COMMUNION HATH
" A time to dance," etc., and turn away with an
air of triumph as though they had proven that
God sanctioned such follies. The same writer says:
"There is a time to kill." Would any murderer
attempt to offer that as a plea for taking the life
of his brother at the bar of justice ?
There is still another reason why we cannot
permit the wicked to judge for us in these mat¬
ters. Paul says : " But the natural man receiveth
not the things of the spirit of God, for they
are foolishness unto him ; neither can he know
them because they are spiritually descerned."
I Cor., ii. 14.
So that no matter how intelligent the uncon¬
verted may be on other subjects, and no matter
how well instructed they may be in the etymology
of the Scriptures, if they have never b.een truly
enlightened by divine inspiration, nor tasted of
the heavenly gift they can know nothing of its
power. There is a deep spirituality in vital godli¬
ness, in experimental religion which they cannot
comprehend in their present state of moral dark¬
ness. Being unregenerated, still in nature's dark
night of sin and unbelief, we must decline adopt¬
ing them as our advisers in Christian experience.
We claim the right, aided by the Holy Spirit, to
LIGHT WITH DARKNESS t 49
judge for ourselves. "Be not deceive?}, r Evil
communications corrupt good manners."—r Cor.
xv., 33. ,
We have not written against the ball rootit and
theatre, because we believe them to be the worst
forms of dissipation and vices; nor because we
believe its patrons to be sinners above ail other
men, for we believe neither. There are other
forms of immorality from which we shrink with
disgust and horror, and which we denounce as not
only being ruinous in their tendencies according
to God's word, but reprobated by all good society.
" With the ancient is wisdom ; and in length of
days understanding."—Job. xii., 12.
We will conclude this chapter by giving the
opinion of men eminent as religious authorities on
the subject of dancing. I will not refer to this
subject again, as there is much that could be said
upon it that would grate harshly on the ear, and
cause most of our modest readers to blush.
We shall widen our sphere of references and
shall quote from skeptic and pagans as well as
from the pious and devout. Saint Ganddentius,
says: " Fly from feasts and dances accompanied
by music. The house in which such disorders are
found presents all the dangers of the theatre.
Let all which relates to the pomps of the devil
50 WHAT COMMUNION HATH
be banished from the houses of Christians. St.
Ambrose, speaking of Herodians, says: "She
dances, but it is the daughter of an adultress.
Let mothers who have chastity, modesty and true
piety, give their daughters lessons in religion and
not dancing." The same holy father calls it the
" choir of iniquities, the ruin of innocence and
the grave of modesty." Tertuliian calls the place
of dancers " the temple of Venus, and the sinks
'of impurity." St. Basil describes t-hem "as the
places of traffic in shameful obscenities." St.
Chrysostom regards them at the " high school of
impure passions," and St. Augustine, says:
" It is better to till the earth on Sunday than to
dance." Rev. Thomas Wilson, in his Bible Dic¬
tionary, after describing with approbation, under
the article on dancing, the religious dancers re¬
corded in the Bible, thus speaks of profane and
worldly dancing : " It is a motion of the body,
seemly or unseemly, stirred up by natural or carnal
joy to please and satisfy ourselves or others. This
kind of dancing is unlawful and wanton, unless it
be privately by one sex only for moderate recre¬
ation."
The compiler of the Encyclopedia, Loudonesis,
after describing quite a variety of dances among
the ancients, concludes thus : "These last in the
LIGHT WITH DARKNESS f 51
original of their institution, had nothing but what
was decent and modest; but in time their move¬
ments came to be so depraved as to be employed
in expressing nothing but voluptuousness and even
the grossest obscenity."
Rev. Jno. Wesley says: " I cannot say quite
so much for balls and assemblies which though
more reputable than masquerades, yet must be
allowed by all impartial persons to have exactly
the same tendency. So undoubtly have all public
dancing. And the same caution obtained among
modern Christians which was observed among the
ancient heathens. With them men and women
never danced together, but always in separate
rooms. This was always observed in ancient
Greece and for several ages at Rome, where a
woman dancing in company with men would have
at once been set down for a prostitute." Again,
he says : " If dancing be not an evil itself, it leads
young women to numberless evils. And the hazard
of these on the one side seems far to overbalance
the little inconveniences of abstaining from it on
the other."
Men of ancient times have spoken in terms
equally as strong as Christians Against the evil
tendencies of social dancing.
Cicero says : " Dancing is the last of all vices.
52 WHAT COMMUNION HATH
One must have run the career of all others—he
must have delivered himself up to all other excesses
before he can yield himself to this. Dancing can¬
not exist save among those whose hearts are
already possessed of every other vice ; for no one
who dances, whether in private or convivial as¬
semblies unless he be intoxicated or a fool."
Demosthenes, when he wanted to make the fol¬
lowers of Philip of Macedon odious in the esti¬
mation of his countrymen, thought it sufficient to
caU their attention to the fact that they were ad¬
dicted to dancing. Ovid styled dancing houses
places of shipwreck for modesty, and the dance
itself the seed of vice.
We have not made the above quotations because
we indorse all that is said in them, or the language
sometime used. The cause of virtue and truth
does not need ultra or extraneous arguments to
support its claims. Of course the saints and sages
saw that the natural tendency was to influence the
appetites and passions to an immoderate degree
and lead its votaries onto dangerous—often des¬
tructive ground. It is demonstrable from the
history, of the world that the lower nations have
sunk into debauchery and libertinism. The more
numerous were their theatres, etc., the more pop¬
ular and wide-spread the social dance.
LIGHT WITH DARKNESS t 53
CHAPTER IX.
In the following chapters, we have spoken,
principally, of the actions of the ministers of the
church, and have spoken but little of the many
omissions of Christian duty; but rather the com¬
mission of sin.
We now propose to speak of duties, almost
wholly, neglected by many members of our church
and begin with the
TRAINING UP THE CHILDREN.
Solomon says: "Train up a child in the way
it should go, and when it is old it will not depart
from it." But, it appears to me, that many Christ¬
ians interpret this passage as meaning ; to train
up the child for future conversion.
The question has been often asked: " How
early may children experience salvation through
faith in the Lord; Jesus Christ?"
I will not attempt to give a definite reply to the
question ; But, I am convinced by the testimony
of eminent Christians that children from three
summers may believe in him as their Savior and
Redeemer.
It may be said that the man of Wisdom only
had reference to the outward habits of virtue and
54 WHAT COMMUNION HATH
vice, and not to spiritual life. In reply I would
say that The Old Testiment does not raise this
distinction as it is raised in the New-.
It places all good upon the right and all evil
upon the left.
And regards a child as trained up in " the way
it should go," when it walks in the way and ful¬
fills all that is included in a virtuous life.
Many persons seem to think that children are
to attain man and womanhood, ere they are
capable of understanding or experiencing a change
of heart ; that they are to be hardened and
bronzed in sin, and after this hardening the church
is to take them captive ; by storming forts of sin.
I have known mothers of the Methodist Church
to be as careful in preparing their daughters for a
a ball, as they would, had they been Catholics pre¬
paring* for Confirmation. And many have been
known to allow their sons and daughters to in¬
dulge in dancing at home even when these sons
and daughters were under the control of their
parents.
It may be that they think that no ill results
come from dancing. I will, at least, be liberal
enough to say so. Yet there are very few balls
that are not attended with wine drinking or dis¬
tilled liquors of some kind.
LIGHT WITH DARKNESS* 55
But may be held by many that there is no harm
in the drinking of liquors; farther on in our argu¬
ment we will try to prove that there is harm in
drinking of liquors.
The Great Apostle says : " Bring up your chil¬
dren in the nurture and admonition of the Lord."
Eph. vi, 4.
Which indicates the existance of a divine nur¬
ture that is to encompass the child and so mould
him in Godliness, that he shall, as it were, be
brought up in God.
A time is fortold as our churches generally be¬
lieve, when all shall know God from the least unto
the greatest; that is all shall know him so that
their shall be no need of exhorting one another to
know the Lord.
Intellectual knowledge is not carried by exhor¬
tation."
As the time "when all shall know Him," cannot
come too soon, it makes the duty more urgent of
parents so instructing their children that they will
grow up in Christ.
CHILDREN WANT TO COME TO CHRIST.
I remember hearing the daughter of Rev. C. H <
Pearce say, when she was quite young, "she wished
to realize that which her mother and father made
56 WHAT COMMUNION HATH
so much fuss about. She was making no effort
to attain it, because she thought that she was too
young, and it was only for people of mature age.
Whether this father in Israel taught his children
to believe this I do not know. But he said to me
a few years after, during a camp-meeting, when Miss
Pearce seemed to be convicted of sin; that "he
wanted her to get religion now, for she was old
enough.'.'
Now if children of three and four summers can
be taught to love parefits whom they had not seen.
Can they not be taught to know and love their
Savior ?
I remember of reading of an English mother
who desired her only child to know and love its
father who was in India, at the time of bis birth,
and being an officer in the army, it was not likely
that the son would know much of his father only
as he was taught by his mother. As soon as the
little fellow began to notice objects, the mother
directed his attention to his fathers portrait, that
was hanging on the wall and would say : " baby,
there is your papa, you must love papa, he is so
good."
When the little fellow began to talk he would
say to those who came into the room at the same
LIGHT WITH DARKNESS f 57
time directing their attention to the portrait upon
the wall. " There is my papa."
When the boy was about three years of age
unexpectedly the father arrived at home, his son
was the first to meet him in the hall. "0 ! my
dear papa!" cried he, "how do you do ? I am so
glad you have come."
It has been said that a little son of Mr. J. D.
Smith's, who was about four years old, while his
father was engaged in a series of meetings for the
children, was very much interested and deeply
convicted of his sinfulness.
He was very fond of singing as were all of the
family. One evening, after returning from the
children's meeting his mother together with his
sisters gathered around the piano and began to
sing some familiar hymns, the little son of four
years singing with the others, finally, they began
to sing the hymn that he had often heard—
" Now I have found a Friend,
Jesus is mine,
His love shall never end,
Jesus is mine."
" Please, mamma, do not sing that hymn,
Jesus is not mine." When the father returned,
they told him of the incident, when he replied.
"Willie is too young to understand these things."
58 WHA T COMMUNION HA TH
"After tea we will sing some selections and
bring in the one to which he objects."
They did s6, and Willie again remonstrated,-
saying, " Mamma, did I not ask you not to sing
that hymn?" "Jesus is not mine yet." "I can¬
not sing it." The father was surprised, but said
nothing.
Next morning Willie did not come down to
breakfast, After waiting for him some time, his
father went up stairs,, and there found him kneel¬
ing by the bed engaged in prayer. When the door
opened he arose and in the most earnest manner,
asked his papa, " when is the next children's
meeting."
Being told, he said, " wont you ask them to
pray for me, that the Holy Spirit may go up and
down in my heart ? so that I can sing with them;"
" Now-1 have found a friend,
Jesus is mine.
At the next children's meeting, Willie was pres¬
ent, drinking in every word. At the close he
pressed his way to his father's side, and putting
his hand in his father's said, " now, dear papa, I
can sing with the others."
"Now I have found a friend,
Jesus is mine."
From that time the little boy lived a consistent
LIGHT WITH DARKNESS t 59
christian life. Being asked some nine or ten years
afterward, when he experienced the love of Jesus.
His answer was: " It appears to fne that I have
always loved him, I cannot remember the time
when I first felt his love in my heart." And he
was not in doubt of the power, when he was en¬
abled to view*the loving Jesus bleeding on Calvary's
Cross forhim, when his heart went out in love and
consecration; and the Spirit of God said unto
him, " Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou
shalt be saved." God grant that every christian
parent'may in like manner lead their children to
the loving Savior.
Thus Lyddia sanctified her house when she had
received the word of God.
Thus the believing jailer gave his household to
the Lord thus:
" Later saints eternal sing,
Thine ancient truth embrace,
To Thee this infant offering bring,
And humbly claim thy grace."
I remember hearing of a boy who asked his
father to join the church, to this request the
father replied: " That he bad better wait until he
was older, then he would understand what he was
doing."
A short time after this occurred, the sky became
60 WHAT COMMUNION HATH
cloudy and there was all the appearance of an
approaching storm. The father said to the son,
" go and gather the sheep and put them in out of
the storm." Having finished the errend, the son
returned, to his father who asked. " Have you
put the sheep where they will b2 sheltered from the
storm?" He replied : "Yes, sir.''
" Have you placed the lambs where they will be
sheltered?" He replied, " no father, I thought I
would leave them out until they were old enough
to understand.''
" Christ said unto Peter, " Feed my lambs."
Fathers and mothers will you bring the lambs to
the fold.
" Suffer the little children to come unto me,
for of such is the kingdom of Heaven."
" See, Israel Gentle Shepherd stand
With all engaging charms :
Hark ! how he calls the tender lambs,
And folds them in his arms."
There is no doubt in my mind but what Chris¬
tian mothers can very early teach their children to
accept Jesus Christ as their Saviour. Children of
six summers so taught have been instrumental in
leading others to Christ.
One evening a little girl of not more than six
years, while bowing beside her mother, and having
LIGHT WITH DARKNESS f 61
finished her evening prayer, looked beseechingly
into the careworn face of her mother, which bore
marks of deep sorrow, and whose life had been
made bitter by the drunkenness of a husband who,
had promised to love and cherish her through life ;
but who had cast a shaddow across her pathway,
and a cloud that caused the shadows to thicken.
That man that was once so loving and kind now
sat in sullen silence, as the effects of the fiery
liquid he had been drinking was gradually wearing
away, and his fired brain was gaining something
like its natural balance.
He looks around that once happy home, he
notices the direful changes he has made in the
home that once possessed all the comforts of life,
but now made wretched by his folly. When the
words ©f his only child, who had been early taught
to trust, and love the Savior, was heard asking—
" mamma, may I now pray for papa ?" Having
received the mothers permission. With clasped
hands, and uplifted eyes, she earnestly prayed ;
" O, God, my Heavenly Father, bless my papa,
for Jesus sake, that he may not drink any more,
and make mamma cry, this I ask for dear Jesus
sake. Amen."
As sweet incense did the humble prayer of the
62 WHAT COMMUNION HATH
child assend to the Throne of God, and quicker
than the decent of the sunbeam did God in mercy
answer the prayer. That father could resist no
longer the power of the Holy Spirit, but instantly
arose to his feet, clasped the child and the mother
in his arms and cried : " I am saved ! I am saved!"
From that time he not only cast aside the cup but
leaned upon the Savior for support in the time of
temptation and died in the full triumphs of faith.
To-day, those who have the courage and the
strength to resist the temptations and openly op¬
pose the vices of this generation, are generally
those, who have been early instructed in the ways
of truth.
Why was Moses who was reared in the court of
Pharoah, cherished as a son by his daughter, true
to the God of Israel ?
We answer, because of the teachings of his
Godly mother, who instructed him in his youth
concerning the God of his fathers.
With me it is no more a question whether the
early religious training of the nursary, the princi¬
pals of virtue there impressed upon the mind, as
the source of the fountain that gently supplies the
channel that time and experience gradually opens
to the great ocean of thought and action ; than
LIGHT WITH DARKNESS t 6S
are'the springs of the north, north-east and the
north-west, the source of the great Mississippi.
And as many contributors, comming from many
different-directions and bringing their own peculiar
characteristic, "all go to make this mighty river,
so do the virtues taught in the nursery, arround
the fireside and the family altar, make the religious
arid christian status of the man.
Abolish these sources and the ever-flowing cur¬
rent of religion at once ceases its flow. The great
barrier over which I could not climb, and which
has kept me from plunging headlong into sin and
iniquity has been, and is, the great principles of
morality, of virtue taught in childhood by a
christian mother and the influence of a home
blessed by her presence.
-To-day in looking back over the path already
come, in noting the dangers, snares and tempta¬
tions through which I have passed, whether upon
the battle-field as a soldier, in the school-room as
an instructor, in the Legislative hall as a law¬
maker, or in the pulpit as a messenger sent from
God. I attribute the possession of a good con¬
science to the training of my childhood.
Napoleon never uttered a greater nor more im¬
portant truth than when he said what France most
u WHAT COMMUNION HATH
needs is Christian mothers To-day while thous¬
ands of dollars are being spent in educating young
men for the ministry, what the world and the
church most needs is mothers; christian mothers
to bless the church and society. The importance
of christian mothers is beyoud estimation "her
price is far. far beyond rubies."
The impressions made by a parents religious
teaching, prayers and examples are the most abid¬
ing that the mind receive. No wonder, wander so
far from a christian home as to be beyond the
reach of its religious associations and influences.
We may take up our abode in a far distant city;
new scenes and duties, engage our attention; we
may plunge into vicious societies and the dissipa¬
tion that surrounds us. But amid all our revelry and
vice, appear the whispers of a christian home ; a
pious mother, and her prayers for our welfare.
While we hear the vicious remarks of our gulity
companions, we can but think how they insult
God, we listen to their licentious songs, but in all
their loud hurrah they are hushed by the sweet
voice of a mother singing a sweet song of child¬
hoods early days. We may take the cup of intoxi¬
cation to drink the fiery fluid, and we imagine that
a loving mother's hand is stretched forth to dash
it from our lips.
LIGHT WITH DARKNESS f 65
At every step of our downward career we
sever some ties or do violence to some tender
association that binds us to our home.
Of the great and good men of to-day, who have
immortalized themselves whose names shall live as
the sun, if we inquire of their history we find that
most of them owe their greatness of church and
state to the influence of christian mothers.
Our blessed Lord acknowledges this sentiment
expressed by the woman respecting himself, who
having seen his mighty works exclaimed : " Blessed
is the womb that gave thee birth, and the pap that
gave thee suck."
In looking over the galaxy of great men, famous
for virtue and truth, those who sounded the first
battle note in the age of Christianity; that threw
down the gauntlet and lifted the standard of re¬
form, we find most prominent, such men as Dr.
Watts, Wesley, Doddridge and many others.
The work of these great men was naught less than
the fruit of the seed that was sown and wanted by
the teachings, the prayers and tears of their sainted
mothers. Great mothers prepare their sons for
great deeds. Thus was Washington prepared to
lead the Colonists in throwing aside the yoke of
Great Britain. It has been said that Wilberforce
66 WHAT COMMUNION HATH
appeared before the Throne of God with the broken
chains of England's human bondage. May it not
be also said, and well said, that Abraham Lincoln,
after having sealed our emancipation with his own
blood, arose before his God with the broken fetters
of four million and a half of human souls. And
what has been said of these men in a measure
should be said of every Christian,'z. They ap¬
peared before God having been instrumental in
doing good to some of God's creation.
" Father, for I know him that he will command
his children, and his household after him, and they
shall keep the way of the Lord to do justice and
judgment that the Lord may bring upon Abraham
that which he hath spoken of him."
When I see the condition of my race caused by
the curse of slavery, which is so well calculated to
crush out every manly principle; when we find
the homes of our people destitute of the examples
of virtue that are so very essential to health and
happiness, and without which no people can be¬
come great and good. When we see that every
tie is broken that secures the purity of society.
When we see the holy ties of matrimony trampled
upon in the church and society in general. My
LIGHT WITH DARKNESS t 67
soul goes out to God in prayer. Oh ! God give
us more christian mothers. Yes, one true christian
mother training her children aright will do more
good than a score of school teachers.
I have been caused to tremble for the future
generation, because of the example of mothers
unequal to the task of rearing children, the free¬
dom allowed their sons and daughters to indulge
in licentious practices.
In this this city', and while I write, there
is a restaurant owned by a young man a member
of my church, though it"is carried on in as a re¬
spectable manner as possible, yet the class of per¬
sons that in this section is driven to such places,
renders them unfit for ladies, young or old to
patronize unless they are accompanied by one of
the family, or a very trusted friend. Yet christian
mothers allow their daughter to frequent such
places without the protection of a brother or father,
and often remain there through the afternoon and
sometimes till late at night, which has been the
cause of the downfall of more than one or two
young women.
Mothers allow men, whom they know to be
given to licentiousness, to visit their daughters
under the mask of intending to marry them.
68 WHAT COMMUNION HATH
May the God of infinite wisdom send us mothers
that will forbid these young men or women
from moving in society with their sons and daugh¬
ters. Light and darkness have no communication.
Mr. R —, a professor of Christianity, said to a
young lady, that he went to the Opera nearly
every night of the past season, and although it is
against the law of the church, yet nothing was
done. The church of which Mr. R. considers him¬
self a mepber, has undergone improvements aver¬
aging between three and four dollars a member.
Taking his own assertions, he has paid not less
than fifty dollars to support the drama, while he
has not paid a cent to the support of the church
and the poor for the last six months, no, not even
the Dollar money, if he paid anything it was du¬
ring the absence of the pastor. With such char¬
acters religion is but a form and virtue and piety
but names.
Family training is the basis of all that is valu¬
able in our secular on religious institutions. Home
government that teaches a reverence for law se¬
cures the National government. Home religion
is the source of church religion that prevails in
every community.
LIGHT WITH DARKNESS t 69
CHAPTER X.
"Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy."
—Exodus xx, 8.
Much has been said by eminent men and able
writers upon this subject—the Sabbath day.
And yet we find as time rolls on, their is a de¬
creased interest in the observance of the Sabbath
as divinely instituted, even among professing
Christians.
Concerning the time when the Sabbath was first
instituted there are different opinions. Though
this will not alter the law concerning, nor change
the solemity of the day, neither the awful conse¬
quences resulting from neglecting it.
There are'many references in the Old and New
Testament to which we might refer, but knowing
how much has been said or written upon this all
important subject, we will call but few to your
notice.
" And while the children of Israel were in the
wilderness, they found a man that gathered sticks
on the Sabbath day. And they that found him
gathering sticks, brought him to Moses and Aaron
and unto all the congregation. And they put him
in ward, because it was not declared what should
70 WHAT COMMUNION HATH
be done with him. And the Lord said unto Moses,
the man shall surely be put to death ; all the con¬
gregation shall stone him with stones without the
camp. And all the congregation brought him
without the camp and stoned him with stones. And
he died as the Lord commanded Moses."—Numbers
xv, 32-36.
Under the Christian dispensation, the Sabbath
is changed from the seventh to the first day of
the week. The reasons for the change, though not
satisfactory to all, we will present for the benefit
of the reader.
The seventh day of the week was observed by
the Jewish church in memory of the rest of God
after completing the work of creation. Also, their
deliverance from Pharoah's tyranny.; so the first
day of the week has been observed by the Chris¬
tian church in memory of the resurrection of
Christ.—Luke xxiv, 1, 3.
" It was called the Lord's day."—Rev. i, 10.
" On this day the Holy Ghost fell upon them to
qualify them for the conversion of. the world."—
Acts ii, 1, 2.
" Upon this day we find Paul preaching at Troas,
when the disciples came to break bread."—Acts
xx, 7.
LIGHT WITH DARKNESS? 71
The early Christian fathers refer to the first day
of the week, as the time set apart for worship.
To the transfer of the day on account of the
resurrection of the Savior. Pliny the younger,
pro-consul of Pontus, near the close of the first
century, in a letter to the Emperor Trajan, re¬
marked, " that Christians were accustomed on a
certain day to meet together before daylight and
repeat a hymn to Christ, as God, and to bind them¬
selves by a solemn bond not to commit any wicked¬
ness." So well known was this custom, that the
usual test question put by persecutors, to those
suspected of Christianity, was ; " Has thou kept
the Lord's day."
While-most believers in Christianity acknowledge
the Sabbath as a day divinely instituted, many do
not agree upon the reasons for the change from
seventh to the first day of the week. While there
is no law in the New Testament warranting the
change, yet the observing of the first day as the
Sabbath, became a custom at so early a period in
the Christian church, and so well established has
it become, that the custom has become a fixed
law. However, it matters not so much concern
ing the precise time, but the manner of observance,
and that one day of seven be observed.
72 WHAT COMMUNION HATH
It is impossible, says Dr. Doddridge, " to deter¬
mine which is the seventh day from the creation,
on account of the spherical form of the other, and
the absurdity of the schemes that supposes the
earth to be one great plain, the change of place
will necessarily occasion some alteration in the
time of the beginning and ending of any day in
question.
It seems abundantly sufficient that there be six
days of labor and one of religioifs rest.
" Remember the Sabbath day to keep it Holy."
This institution is wise in its end; that God may
be worshiped, man instructed, and nations bene¬
fited.
The abolition of the Sabbath would be un¬
reasonable, therefore anti-scriptural.—Exod. xxxi,
17. " It is a sign between me and the children of
Israel for ever."
The non observance of the Sabbath is injurious
to society, to both body and soul, and even the
fruit of creation.
Yet, is the Sabbath day continually violated by
visiting, buying and selling, worldly amusements,
traveling, excursions, picnics, and by members of
the church of Christ. So common has it become
that even they, that stand to declare the word of
LIGHT WITH DARKNESS $ 73
God, accept invitations and attend great dinners
given in honor of them, all upon the Lord's day.
I have known members of the church to attend
Sunday morning prayer-meeting, bringing their
market baskets with them, leave their baskets in
the vestibule, enter the sanctuary, and after a joy¬
ful waiting in the courts of the Lord, go thence to
the public market, as though it were not the Sab¬
bath ; and often purchase an unusual quantity,
because of a large dinner to be given that day.
We often find young members of the church and
teachers of the Sabbath School spending one or
two hours in the Sabbath School, Sunday morning,
then spending the day in sleeping, visiting and
pleasure seeking. Many persons seem not to con¬
sider the Sabbath as a day of rest but as its op¬
posite, adding one day more to the six, that the
beast of burden we possess, have, served so faith¬
fully. These are evils greatly to be lamented,
these*are injuries self-afflicted, these are insults to
Him who instituted one day in seven as a day of
rest. The very fact that we from a physical view
need one day in seven to rest is a logical reason
why that rest should be observed ; not a rest from
deeds of mercy, of charity, but a cessation from
the usual labor and care.
74 WHAT COMMUNION HATH
It should be held by all as a day of remembrance
of the creation, of thankfulness for the plan and
means of salvation so full, for the redemption at
so great a cost, the suffering and death of the
second person in the God-head. As a day of
meditation and prayer, in which we should culti¬
vate the habit of spiritual communion with God.
This is believed by all the Orthodox. And the
following scriptures give us a reason for so think¬
ing. Acts xx, 7.
"And upon the first day of the week, when the
disciples came together to break bread."
" Then the same day at evening, being the first
day of the week, when the doors were shut where
the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews,
came Jesus and stood in their midst and said unto
them—Peace be unto you."—St, John xx, 19.
" Upon the first day of the week let every one
of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered
him."
The observance of the Sabbath is of great im¬
portance to church and society. And the expe¬
rience of the past tells us without the Sabbath and
its observance, any society, state or nation would
fast relapse into ignorance and barbarous practices,
vice of the most hideous phases. It being insti-
LIGHT WITH DARKNESS t 75
tuted on earth by the ordinance of God is indica¬
tive of the fact that there will be an eternal Sab¬
bath hereafter to those who rightly observe it
while on earth.
" This is the Day that God has made,
And claims the fcour his own,
Let men rejoice in every land
A.nd praise his gracious name."
CHAPTER XI.
That parents are responsible for the early train
ing of their children we have attempted to show
elsewhere. As parents, we are responsible for the
impressions that are made upon the mind of the
youth, and we should see that those whom we
permit to aid in their education should be persons
given especial heed to virtue. The.teacher in the
Sabbath School as well as the day-school. Often
in the Sabbath school is employed irreligious men
and women, or members of other churches, be¬
cause of their liberal views with respect to religion,
notwithstanding they spend the greater part of the
Sabbath in pleasure-seeking. All things considered,
we think the material employed in the Sabbath
School of any church should be in harmony with
76 WHAT COMMUNION HATH
the religious doctrine of that church, and we
consider a parent as negligent, respecting his duty
to the children, when he sends his child to a
teacher without knowing any thing of his moral
and religious character. In the act of sending
our children to him, we endorse their good stand¬
ing or show how negligent we are of our duty, for
we can expect nothing more or less than the child
will be impressed with the moral and religious
character of its instructor. When practicable, we
should employ as teachers, persons of our own
church, and are interested in the Sabbath School.
In adopting such a course, I see nothing detri¬
mental to church society, or inconsistent with
Christianity. Neither do we in this exhibit a sel¬
fish or self-righteous appearance, but we only show
our zeal for the cause we represent and the church
of our choice. •
Parents should interest themselves concerning
the social culture connected with our church.
Spiritual culture is undoubtly the bases of suc¬
cess in a teacher of spiritual truth, says Dr. Wise.
If spiritual culture must not exclude the culture
of the intellect, up to a certain point the two can¬
not be separated, inasmuch as the perception of
divine facts and ideas, out of which the spiritual
LIGHT WITH DARKNESS t 77
life grows is an intellectual effort which exercises
the mental powers, enlarges the range of one's
mental vision and strengthens the mind. But be¬
yond these necessary effects of spiritual truths,
lies the duty of special attention to the cultiva-
of the intellect, not only for its own sake, but
also because of its bearings on the growth of the
spiritual mind, that is sharpened by higher culture,
can see more deeply into the things of God, and
enjoy more exquisitely the emotions they awaken,
than it could if the veil of ignorance covered its
eyes, and the dulness of mental inactivity held it
within- the bounds of its narrow world. Hence
the spiritual teacher should deal with men intel¬
lectually and spiritually. There is asocial side to
human nature, which has its appetites, its] needs,
its demands for special culture. God made man
to mingle together, not as oxen.yolked to perform
certain tasks; but as thinking beings for fellow¬
ship of thought, feeling and action. This social
appetite is recognized and fed, so far as fellow¬
ship in spiritual and benevolent works are con¬
cerned, in the class-room and at prayer meetings,
also in public worship and in the Sunday School.
But these do not satisfy its thirst for fellowship.
The social man still craves a more spacious sphere
for its own gratification. Out of this craving Comes
78 WHAT COMMUNION HATH
the social party, the excursion and among the non-
professing Christians the assembling for dancing
and kindred amusements.
From these last mentioned, the Sunday School
teacher, the young Christian is barred by Christian
principles. The former are conducted generally
in either a too dull or too frivolous a manner to
be either enjoyable or profitable. There is no
doubt that the church needs to cultivate its social
life, and more especially in some Southern districts
where we are entirely destitute of pure, lively,
social relations connected with our churches.
While in its strictly religious life, it is more social
than any other denomination, but in sociality
proper it is behind other leading churches, and for
this reason looses many valuable men and women
who go out from us because of their desire for a
higher degree of social culture. And when they
cannot find it among Christians in many instances,
they seek it among the more cultured irreligious,
and many of this last class have stumbled and
gone back into the world.
The dullness of most social gatherings arises
from lack of topics of conversation in which all
have a common interest. Let the leading young
men and women, the teachers of our Sunday
LIGHT WITH DARKNESS t 78
Schools, furnish such topics, and your social parties
will become lively, profitable and interesting.
have witnessed within the last fourteen years
what some would call lively and interesting social
gatherings, but of such a nature were they, that
they failed to satisfy the cultured mind, and I have
often thought as dancing parties, rudely running
about, wrestling, etc., are not the amusements in
which the cultured indulge. Innocent as they
appear they have an immoral tendency. In all
things let us be decent, comely and act with some
degree of culture.
More might be said on this very important sub¬
ject, and which has such vital bearing upon the
well being of church and society.
But we will be content at this time to conclude
by saying a few words to the mothers and heads
of families, which allow young men to give social
parties in their houses and invite whom they
choose. This should not be allowed.
You should be careful to select the company for
your daughters, and by all means honorably strive
to prevent them from coming in social contact
with immoral young men. This cannot be done
where you grant such unlimited liberties. Thus^
many promising daughters have been ruined where
such untrammeled liberties are granted.
80 WHAT COMMUNION HATH
CHAPTER XII.
"Think not that I am come to send peace, but
a sword." ,
" For I am come to set a man at varience against
his father, and the daughter against her mother,
and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law."
Matt, x, 34, 35.
We have endeavored to show that the believer
in Christianity, and professor of the religion of
Jesus Christ, hath no part or agreement with in¬
fidels. That the very purpose of Christianity
places the believer in direct hostility to all evil
work, and a noncomformity to the word of God.
At the fall of the world, or rebellion of mankind
against God, God immediately declared war
against his foes.
u I will put enmity between thee and the woman,
and between thy seed and her seed ; it shall bruise
thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel."—Gen.
iii, 15.
Man originally possessed, and still possesses a
spiritual nature which makes him a religious crea¬
ture, and also a social nature which constitutes
him a social being.
From these two constitutional qualities has re-
LIGHT WITH DARKNESS % 81
suited the universality of some kind of religion,
and social society—government.
In a state of perfection these two principles
would have ultimated in the true worship of God,
and a pure social relation to his neighbor, and
righteous judgment.
It is a noted fact, that when and where the
pure principles of Christianity control man, social
society is pure, and the institutions sustained
necessary for happiness, truth, honesty and virtue,
hihgly esteemed
On the other hand where their religion is corrupt,
every valuable institution intended to secure hap¬
piness is crushed and social relations as far as virtue
and purity is concerned, degenerate into mere out¬
ward forms.
This has resulted from a law of nature, by which
inferior things are controlled by superior, and as
the spiritual nature of man exercises supreme
power over his conduct. To subdue man it was
therefore necessary to subjugate his spiritual na¬
ture first. Hence Paul says : "For to be carnally
minded is death ; but to be spiritually minded is
life and peace."
" Because the carnal mind is enmity against
God : for it is not subject to the law of God, neither
indeed can be.—Rom. viii, 6, 7-
82 WHAT COMMUNION HATH
A physical victory might have resulted in a
moment from the weight of omnipotence, but a
moral victory could not thus speedily be obtained
from the eternal and immutable and self-existent
principles of moral agency.
Now as false religion is the first great scheme
of the Devil. The constitutional principles of the
religion of Jehovah, being love supreme to God,
and equal love of neighbor. The manifestation
of both departments are visible in church and
social society of to-day, and it is plain to be seen
that they are antagnistic, one to the other. All
so-called Christians, that adhere to the out growing
principles of a false religion are in opposition to
the true worship of God and a just treatment of
neighbor, and are not the children of light ; but
are those of darkness.
" Whosever committeth sin is the servant of
sin."—John viii, 3, 4.
"Ye seek to kill me because my word hath no
place in you,"—37.
"If ye were Abraham's children ye would do
the work of Abraham."—39.
"Ye do the deed of your father."—41.
"Ye are of your father the devil."—44.
It will be granted without any argument on our
LIGHT WITH DARKNESS ? 88
part, that the Holy Scriptures acknowledge but
two classes.
" If you are not for me you are against me."
" If you gather not you scatter abroad."
Then, without any argument, we are able to
know what side men are fighting oh, by their ex¬
ample in church, etc.
" Even so every g.ood tree bringeth forth good
fruit, but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit."
Matt, vii, 17.
" A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit."—
18.
" Wherefore, by these fruits ye shall know
them."—20.
"Not every one that saith unto me Lord, Lord
shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he
that doeth the will of my Father which is in
heaven."—21.
It would be hard for the reader to come to any
other conclusion from the above. Then, if we
will be the disciples of Christ, we must do the
will of God. If we would be his followers, we
have no agreement -with the works of the devil.
" Ye are all the children of light, and the chil¬
dren of day ; we are not of the night nor of dark¬
ness."— 1 Thess. v, 5.
84 WHAT COMMUNION HATH
" Walk as children of light."—Eph. v, 8.
As my desire under God, and by the aid of the
Holy Spirit, is to show that there is no truce, no
concord between righteousness and sin. We say
to those equally responsible, push forward the
battle.
In many instances the press spea-ks with greater
boldness against vice, than those that fill the pul¬
pit. Why is this? it maybe from fear that they
might cause offence if we would speak too plain
and rebuke the many vices that are practiced by
members of the church in private and public.
Not long ago Dr. , in speaking of the
Sunday law, being enforced, intimated that it was
wrong to enforce this unjust law, that the people
were to judge of their amusements for the Sabbath;
this may be all true. I do not for a moment ques¬
tion the rev. gentleman's convictions upon this
subject, but merely state the enforcement of this
Sunday law, would compel those men that are
selling to their fellow-man, beer, rum, etc., to close
their doors one day in seven. We will not stop
here to protray the misery ,and woe that this
unholy drink has caused ; it would take too long,
but will only say to those that say they can see
no harm in taking a glass now and then ; that they
LIGHT WITH DARKNESS f 85
see no harm that this practice is doing. I merely
ask have you ever seen a drunkard ?
If you have, you have only seen one of the
many thousands that are the victims of the cup.
But, say brother watchman, can you hold your
peace and be guiltless ?
" The watchman that seeth the sword coming
and warn not the people, their blood shall be re¬
quired at his hands. What say you, man of God?
Will you attempt to excuse yourself by closing
your eyes so you may not see the wickedness around
you ? Can you with your gospel harness on, drift
with the current, when you know that the way is
the way to death ? Or will you, who say you have
been called by God to preach the everlasting
gospel of his Son, give away to the impure influ¬
ence around you, move calmly on, being careful of
nothing but your material interests. Many that
are supposed to be good men in a general sense,,
stand out of the church they say, because, there
is so much corruption in the church.
Mr. , in this city, refuses to allow his wife
to attend class-meeting, giving his reason, that there
were too many bad characters in attendance.
This we may admit, but say, my friend, what are
you doing to make them better ? My experience
86 WHAT COMMUNION HATH
has been that the most of men that make these
excuses, attend balls, and often are found in bar¬
rooms drinking, and sometimes will take a little
social hop with a lady that is not all she might be.
In this city they very frequently at picnics, have
a social glass of beer with those very ladies that
they think ought not be in the church. My friend,
if you are opposed to these characters, why do
you encourage them by paying so much attention
to them. Why don't you influence your associates
to let them alone, and show more respect for those
that are leading a correct life. I have been at
entertainments where there were ladies, both mar¬
ried and single, who were as I believe as pure as
you would find anywhere, yet I have seen them
entirely neglected, while others of somewhat a
suspicious character would want for nothing.
If there is any.hope in the future for a better
society, a pure social selection, it must come
through the church. Close up all the churches,
and we would soon find a state of barbarism as
the result; yet, you are always finding fault with
the church. Many are the charges brought against
the church ; one will say it is nothing but a money
concern, etc. Well, we admit we need money to
carry on this work. Well, you say if the church
LIGHT WITH DARKNESS f 87
was doing any good I would be willing to help.
My friend, you may not see the good that it is
doing, but nevertheless, it is doing a good work.
But pray, tell me what good are the billiard-rooms,
bar rooms, dances and theaters doing ? who ever
reformed by the teachings received therein ? Yet.
some of you pay a heavy tax to these institutions.
Some time ago, several of the members of the
church were gathered in the parsonage, with them
was Bro. , that had been pastor of said
church, a young man being present, that had
joined the church under the Professor—and of
late had become very slothful, being asked by his
former pastor why he neglected his religious duties,
he replied, "he was at work in order that he might
have something to give to support the preachers,
as they were entirely dependent for support from
the members of the church, (such as himself).''
Now this excuse might have satisfied the party,
but it will not do me. What is the fact about this
young Christian ? The truth is, he loves pleasure
more than God ; he could see no good, nothing
entertaining, nothing interesting and edifying in
the church ; the preacher was too personal in his
remarks, there is not sufficient culture about him,
88 WHAT COMMUNION HATH
he is not educated, etc. Will you allow me to ask
where this young man resorted to, that he might
spend his time to more profit ? As he was a
member of the choir, he attended church some¬
times, but this gentleman so cultured, I have been
told by good authority, was in regular attendance
at a variety theatre, in this city, and that he was
in the habit of going out sernading at nights, often
in company with those who would not hesitate to
carry spirits with them. Now as a whole, I believe
but few of the excuses made for the non-attendance
of the church have any foundation, and the truth
is, the authors are destitute of the love of Christ,
hence they are the children of the world.
CHAPTER XIII
Now, in conclusion, you will pardon me again for
inviting your attention to the teacher of religion,
we believe there is too little thought, how we may
be successful in winning souls for Christ. But on
the other hand, how we may appear learned.
The minister of the Gospel needs a thorough
education in the knowledge of winning souls. To-
LIGHT WITH DARKNESS f 89
day people all over the country, in the church, are
telling what they believe. Now if we are settled
in our faith we may be succesful in teaching it to
others, but I often fear that there are not a few
who have no settled faith; they will say there is
a heaven and hell, that God will reward the good
and punish the wicked, and at the same -time they
act as if there is no truth in it. I remember
of hearing a young man say while speaking on
the subject of preaching, " that a preacher's actions
have much to do with his success in winning souls
to Christas evidence of this fact, he referred to
a preacher that most always preached fine sermons.
" He will preach a good sermon, and every body
will be interested, and then comes out of church
and tells so many funny thirgs—runs on with his
foolishness, that all interest in what was said in the
church would be lost." What do we preach for ?
Is it that some private end be accomplished, or that
our congregation be delighted with the able man¬
ner we handle our subject, or the masterly manner
in which we deliver it. We admit this is all well
and in place, but we should aim to convert our
congregation. You will ask, does not all preachers
aim at this ? No, a preacher always has some aim
in preaching, but most sermons were never aimed
90 WHAT COMMUNION HATH
at converting sinners, and if sinners were converted
under them, the preacher himself would be amazed.
I have heard ministers preach when there was
a revival, and I have wondered whether he believed
what he said; if so, was it the knowledge in the
head? I heard a preacher who was quite a revi¬
valist say, when he desired to close a revival he
would send for a preacher that he knew, and a
sermon or two from him would stop all interest
in the conversion of sinners. We should always
deeply feel the subject, and then we will suit the
action to the word, so as to make the full impres¬
sion which the truth is calculated to make ; We
should be in solemn earnest in what we say, re¬
membering, we are God's ambassadors.
We should riot seek to avoid objectional doctrine,
but answer the sinners objections. What does the
lawyer do when pleading befor a jury ? How dif¬
ferently is the cause of Christ, pleaded from human
cause.
It was remarked by a lawyer that the cause of
Jesus Christ had.the fewest able advocates of any
cause in the world.
Does the lawyer go along in his argument in a
regular train, and not explain anything obscene,
or anticipate the arguments of his antagonist ? If
LIGHT WITH DARKNESS % 91
he did so he would lose his case to a certainty.
But no, the lawyer trys to anticipate every ob¬
jection which may be made by his antagonist, and
carefully removes or explains them so as to leave
the ground all clear as he goes along, that the jury
may be settled on every point.
I remember of two gentlemen claiming the
peoples suffrage for the same office, and being
both of the same political party, they entered a
contest before the voters of the party to be de¬
cided who should have the united vote of the
party at the polls. Well, one was a preacher, I
being invited to accompany them in their cam¬
paign did so, the first meeting the preacher came
off victorious. It appeared to me that he had a
decided advantage in every way, his antagonist
being white and an ex-Confederate soldier and also
a Doctor. But I was disappointed—the next day,
at a very large meeting where the people had met
to hear these two champions of their rights. The
Dr said to the preacher, " I spoke first yesterday,
would it not be fair for you to speak first to-day?"
" O, no," says the preacher, " you must speak first,
that was our agreement." "All right then," said
the Dr., "if you will have it so." Well, the Dr.
did speak first, and it was a bad day for the
92 WHAT COMMUNION HATH
preacher. He taking up, one by one, all the ob¬
jections the preacher held against him, and ex¬
plained them. He then taking up all the claims
the preacher had upon them, claiming that they
should vote for him in preference to the Dr., he
would say, now my fellow-citizens, Bro. ,
will say when he comes on the stand—but we dif¬
fer with him.
When the Doctor was through he had made his
antagonists speech and answered it at the same
time, and when the preacher's time came he could
say nothing but what had been said and explained,
and but few were willing to listen. We should, if
possible, learn the effect of one sermon before
preaching another.
What would be thought of the physician who
should give medicine to his patient and then give
it again and again, without trying to learn the
effect ?
I am of the opinion that there is too many
efforts to gain popularity for ourselves, and in
doing so, to some extent, forget that the purpose of
Christ in the preaching of the Gospel, is the con¬
version of sinners.
May God help us to be true to one holy calling.
In the name of the Father and of the Son'and
the Holy Ghost—Amen.
A SOLEMN AGREEMENT.
My prayer is that some one that reads this little
book may be persuaded to consecrate thyselves for
the work of the Lord. We, therefore ask, will
you voluntarily and solemnly agree with us, as
God shall help you ?
I.
1. To observe regular seasons of secret prayer,
at least in the morning and evening of each day.
2. To read daily at least a small portion of the
Bible.
3. To attend at least one prayer meeting every
week, if I have strength to get there.
4. To stand up for Jesus always and every¬
where.
5. To try to save at least one soul each year.
6. To engage in no amusement where my
Savior could not be a guest.
94 A SOLEMN AGREEMENT.
II.
I agree to meet the band, if a member of one,
at the time and place agreed upon, once a week,
allowing no one present but members, and there
renew my pledge as follows:
" Believing that I have been bought with the
precious blood of Christ, and that I am therefore
not my own. I do hereby, most solemnly devote
myself anew to His service.
My heart to be His temple.
My eyes to read His word.
My lips to speak His praise.
My hands to work for Him.
My feet to follow Him."
We close with prayer for help to keep 6^ir
promises.
Yours in Christ,
The Author.
N. B. We would be glad to hear trom you,
that you have subscribed to the above so I nhy
enroll your name on the general roll.