Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1839-11-28
WIN. B. JOHNSON.

from the Minutes of the Edsefeld Bap-
lis, Association.
WIN. B. JOHNSON.
The Commitlee. to whom were refer
red the letters from the Churches, report
]. On the snhjec, Of the letter from The
Edgeheld Church -
This Church states, that. no,wlthstand'
ing the addition Of several hundred, since
The revivals of | 53l by which much wealth
and many Young men oftaients. ednca''on'
and properly have been brought into the
Churches nf the Association; yet the spur
iruali,y OF The Churches has not been I'M
proved-the contributions for benevolent
sbjec1s have been very little multiplied
and the ministry diminished, rather than
augmented in numbers. The Churches
,.oues,. that the Association will prayer
fully inquire into the cause and The remedy
of this state Of things.
Your Committee, having taken the sub
iect into serious consideration, are OF op'n
ion. ,ha, the cause of this state OF things is
70 he fouud in departure of the Churches
from the scnpraral manner OF spending the
Sabbath and in their failure to coutr,hute
aiberally for The support of the InIIastry'
and the cause of Cod.
In relation TO the first particular, your
Conmi,les observe. thar they regard the
command to keep the Sabbath Day holy,
rs no, relaxed at all under r'he Gospel DIS
pcnsa,ion, but strengthened; that ou this
dav no work is allowed, except work OF
nece.si,v, such as preparing necessary
food; Of mercy, such as lifting an OK out
of the ditch; Of piety, such as attending
upoa the duaies of religion. They are OF
oninion. that the Churches are bound, in
imitation ofthe examples set in the New
Testament, to assemble as Churches on
every Lords Day, and to engage in The
duties of reading the Scriptures, singing,
PRAYER, exercise of gifts. &C., for mutual
edi6cation and growth in brolherly love.
and in the grace Of our Lord Jesus Chns'.
The primitive Churches contributed. on
this day. for the pour saints. These du-
lies should not interfere with the public
preaching of the Gospel, there being suffi-
eient time in the day for The whole. Now,
your Committee are Of opinion, tina, as The
Churches do not assemble statedly on eve.
nv Lords DAWN their appropriate charac-
ter, for the observance of tho duties AS sta
ted above,lhey arc not acting contormahiy
TO the Divine Will; that they are dePrIvins
themselves of the spiritual privileses.which
they nigh, enjoy on this day, the ris sht ex-
ercise of which would, under the Divine
blessing, increase their faith. and elevate
their spirituality. The general customs
Of having preaching on one Lords Day i"
the month, or two at most, has tendency
to benet in the minds of the members a
disregard Of the other Sahbaths, as days,
on which duty lays no claim for str'c. re
i;oious service, SO that those days, il Is
feared, arcspent in iudoleuce, travelling
or visiting.
Your Committee recommend, that tn.
Churches be advised TO consider this sub
;ec, in prayerful examination OF the New
Testament, by which means they may be
,ed 10 return 10 the observance of primitive
example. and consecrae the Sabbath as :;
day holy to the Lord; that on each reIur"
ofihis holy season. they may be found as
body. in the Sanctuary of God, to he 'lesscd
with its spiritual privileges, 10 60 forth
from them with renewed strength Tor ih"
trials and duties Of The following week.
In relation 10 liberal contributions. for
the support of the ministry and the cause
of God, your Committee are of opinion.
,ha, there iSno duty more explicitly com
nanded in the word Of God than The duty
OF such contributions
]. God has ordained, ,has they, that
preach the Gospel, shall live of the Gospel
that they. wwhu are taught in the word, shall
communicate 10 them, that teach in all
good things. Aud this duty is commanded
M the righteous principle, that the laborer
is worthy Of his hire.
The too general practice Of Withholding
liberal support(rom the Ministers OF the
Gosnel, is direct disohedience to ,he Di-
vine command. ltinvolvcs in II a rohbIrg
of God. for as G,M calls the Ministers To
preach the Gospel. s. give tneir time who'll
iv 10 the work, and has required hlsChurcbes
n provide for their support, when 'ney
fail 70 obey this requirement, they obligc
,he Ministers re engage in some worldly
avocalion for the support OF themselves
and their families; and thus God is robbed
of The services of his Ministers. ltinvolves
in it rnbbing of the Minister; Tor when
his comnensation is not adequate to his sup
port, he must make extraordinary efforts tc
serve the Churches. For these extraor'
diuary efforts, he receives no compcnsa.
,;on. |, manaclcs the officers OF Gods
host. and uufrs them for appearing like
workmen that need not be ashamed. II
rohs the Churches themselves, as ii pre-
vents the Ministers from devoting them
selves to their work, in such manner as 10
do the Churchesrhe greatest good. ltnour-
isles the spirit of cOvetousnesS. which IS
idolatry; for his sin consists not only in
graspins a, more than is lawful, but in re-
tanning of that which is gotten, moro than
is meet.
W.. ro~,n;,,eo ynro,nmpnd that The