"Rev. Spencer H. Cone, living in the city of regeneration, Grace Street - Penitent Alley - at the Sign of the Cross, next door to glory."
He writes to Cone thusly:
"MY GOOD BROTHER CONE, -
I, John, who also am your brother and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the city of Albany last August, where I formed a momentary acquaintance with yourself and brother Maclay. The Christian kindness which you and your elect lady expressed at our parting, fixed a soft affection in my heart, which I wish to indulge in a letter of friendship.
From a septennarian, whose sun is declining on the western hills, you will not expect energy of mind, logical argument, coherent reasoning, nor pomp of diction; but contrary-wise, a sickening dose of egotism.
You will judge best of my health, by hearing that I breathe, in common, twenty-four times each minute, and my pulses beat three times as often: which health and strength I have employed, the summer past, in travelling and preaching; which, by the bye, has been my constant practice for more than fifty-two years, with a few small exceptions. Since the first of June last, I have attended three associations, seen eighty-six Baptist preachers, and tried to preach eighty-one times. In retrospecting my life, I do not much reproach myself for not giving myself to the work, as far as domestic duties admitted; but the lack of divine love - little care for the souls of men - weakness in handling the word of life - mangling heavenly truths with an unhallowed tongue - a proud desire to make God's stream turn my own mill, &c., sink me in the dust, and fill my soul with shame before God and man."
I would that our Hardshell brethren would confess the same!
Wrote Leland:
"It has, in the course of my ministry, been a question of no small magnitude, to know how to address a congregation of sinners, as such, in gospel style. When I turn my eyes to the upper book, (the eternal designs of God,) I there read that God's work is before him, and that he works all things according to the counsel of his own will; that neither a sparrow, nor a hair of the head, can fall without our Heavenly Father; that providence and grace are the agents to execute his purposes. But when I look into the lower book, (the freedom of the human will,) I find that condemnation is conditional: "Oh that thou hadst hearkened unto me, then had your peace been as a river; - seeing ye judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, lo! we turn to the Gentiles," &c. If I do not read and believe the upper book, I impeach the omniscience and wisdom of Jehovah. And if do not likewise read and believe the lower book, I deny the possibility of guilt or blame. I must, therefore, believe both; and where I cannot comprehend, I will adore; where I cannot read, I will spell; and what I cannot spell out, I must skip. If the human mind should be so enlarged that it could solve every difficulty that has hitherto appeared, that same enlargement of thought would unfold a thousand difficulties more, so subtile and minute, that it never felt their weight before; so that there would be no getting through!"
These are similar words to those which would later be said by Charles Spurgeon. It seems that both Leland and Spurgeon would be called "Compatibilists."
Wrote Leland:
"It has been rather trying times for Baptist preachers, who have travelled and labored day and night for the good of souls: like the mules which Agelastus saw, they have been loaded with figs, and feeding upon thistles. What the new order of missionary funds and exertions will do, I cannot say; whether there is goodness enough in men to be pampered without growing indolent and haughty, is a question."
This shows that Leland had sympathies with many of the objections the Hardshells had against missionary efforts but he shows a willingness to be open on the subject and to allow God to show which side he favored.
3 comments:
As a side note, many Independent Baptists can trace their lineage to Missionary Baptists who were pro-missions, but anti-societies. I think perhaps many so called "anti missions" Baptists were not as against missions as past historians have portrayed, but only against "mission societies". Independent Baptists support missionaries directly with no middle man, no "societies" and each missionary must come before the church to give an account of his work and doctrine. I have much sympathy for this idea, as my own church growing up, altho SBC, supported both SBC missions as well as independent missionaries. Many Baptists do not like the idea of sending money, having no idea who it supports or what doctrines they preach. Whether the Hardshells want to admit it or not, EVERY Baptist church was "missionary" as the population moved further south and west. Someone had to go into areas where there was no church did they not? Are there not numerous Baptist preachers who pushed into the wilderness to address the "wild, drunken and unconverted". If men like Shubal Stearns werent "missionaries" then what else could they be called? Also interesting is that Leland addressed his letter to "Reverend H. Cone". "Reverend" is not a term in use at the time among Baptists as far as I know??? Would a Baptist have addressed a preacher of another sect with that term??? Just an interesting curiosity.
I don't know about the history of the term "reverend" for preachers. The Hardshells I heard often denounced the term and they would say "holy and reverend is his (Christ) name," and not, they say, of any man. I think, however, that is pushing things too far. A woman, said Paul, is to "reverence" her husband. (Eph. 5: 33) and Peter said that godly women called their husbands "lord," which is all the same as reverend. (I Peter 3: 6) Surely the men that God sends to be shepherds and elders are to be reverenced, and one way to do that is to call them reverend. So, I have no problem with it and don't want to make mountains out of molehills or strain at a gnat and swallow a camel (which is what Hardshells have done in this line).
Enjoying your writings. Keep moving forward. The time is near.
Blessings,
Stephen
agreed. The term "Reverend" is a term all SBC and Independents use on paper, but its interesting that I have never heard it used audibly. When speaking, the terms pastor, or brother are always used in my experience. I believe the term comes from the latin "revereri" which means "I will rever/respect". So I believe it may have started with a pastor being addressed as such by others, but not assuming the title for himself. I am sure it also became more prevalent as Baptists became more "acceptable" and when a title was needed in order to gain access to hospitals, jails, chaplancies etc.
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