Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1842-04-12
For the Southern Argus
MR. EpIroR.-

| NH 1DIIORs-
l see some remarks in the 'CoLuMBU
DEMOCRAT" of the 9th inst, over the sigma
ture Of "ENQUIRER," which my friends think
should be noticed, and rs that Journal will no
be out for severo days, | must ask the privi
lege OF being heard through your columns.
Controversy, either oral, or written, con-
ducled in bitter unkind spirit, has ever beer
the source of much evil; but unfortunately fol
our age, the great mass of partisans in religion
are exceedingly fond to pervert and misrepre.
sent the views OF others; and open, manly and
| dIgnlhed Argument, is not always their wish.
They must know their cause is bad one.
| when they tell Us they s'diSlike coutr0persy. ,;
bit let them he shielded in the dark, and their
darts are hurled with the greatest venom.
| | here NAV be some noble exceptions in the
Sectarlan bodies, but this is the general mode
| OF their warfare
The piece before me, consider a pretty
tar specimen of party argument alton, and
party zeal; and it is but one more evidence 10
| the world, Of the corrupt tendencies ofthe Sec
| tartan Religions of the times. | have long
noticed most of the Jealous advocates of the
"mystical religion" the people "get' without
| faith ID, or obedience to Gods word. neither
| puzzles the heart, or improves the manners of
It's pOssessors. Hence, their weapons ale
carnal, -sneers, ridicule, and misrepresenta-
| tons, are most usually employed. AS proof,
| If a man prefers taking the Bible alone to
| human creed, and obeying from the heart tie
| commandments of God, to the wild magma
| tons of corrupt mind, he must be branded as
| a CAMPBELLITE, and repr, scented as most un-.
| worthy. Is this an exemplfcation andsdenon-
StrGtf0a Of religion" which is known by the
| spiritual testimony" Of which Mr.. ENQUIRER
boasts! If so, Heaven save the people from It.
| But to see the unfairne5s Of the writer more
fully, let Us make a few more quotations. He
| says "aIl that is required, is simply to believe
historically, ard let Campbete preacher
| immense you, and all will be well, and you will
never have doubt of your salvation, never
| have to mourn over your unfaithfulness, and
backsidiDgs." | would not say the writer
knowingly, told what is not true; but l viii
venture there is not a candid, unprecedented
| man who has listened in Columbus, that does
| not know TO the contrary. The teaching has
ever been, belief with the heart unto righte-
| o:2.;oss, . Cody sorrow unto repentance, con
| fession and baptism In the name of Christ "for
remission Of SINS" IS Peter directed, Acts, &C.
| 3SV. and perseverance unto death in order to
| receive the crown. Is there man IN the
| community, so destitute of reverence to God,
| or regard for his truth, ag TO assert, he that
| does sthe commandments" will not enter
through the gates into the city! Rev. y, IA.
| Surely not. Our writer wishes 'to know,
| whether these new teachers, claim the APos-
TIE PAUL as one Of their (our) oraces! To
| be sure, Paul spoke as the Spirit gave him Ut
| teraDce. Again, he says, paul could not have
| been Campbelte!" Neither is there man
| living on earth, that processes CamDbellism,
| but if we prefer the Bible to human govern
ments, the Church of Christ to a sect, and
the names disciples OF Christ, Christians, and
other designations OF the New Testament,
! to party appellations, as did Paul, and all good
men anciently, none should IN nv Judgment,
| oppose it.
But the writer perverts the meaning ofthe
Apostle, by quoting partially. His insinuation
| is that Paul was no advocate for Babtism; be-
cause he s aid Cor. l, IL, Il thank God that
| I baptized none of you (Partisan Cornthiaas)
| hut Crepus and Cams" "also the honshhold Of
| Stephanas" aud what reason does lie assign
verse Is Lest any should say had baptized
in my own name" That Paul or any other
man since John UdS sent as a bagtizer. no one
contends; still there is no proof church was
planted or Christian made il the days of the
Apostles without Baptism.
| End, Our writer, thinks it would be quite con.
trary 10 our belief, TO admit the expression O.
Paul. Cor. ID, Is, "By one spirit are we all
baptized into one body part of our teaC hing
--Byno means; for al! christians, we rejoice 10
believe, are led by the same spirit; stRl It Is not
"duEab spirit of enthusiasm; but the spirit
which "speaks expressly and whose voice is
heard in the Bible. If the writer is fond of a
Commentator, let him hear what Dr. Clark
says this verse, ''the church of Christ IS In
formed and Influenced By one spirit" But if
the writer supposes he has been baptized by the
spirit as were the disciples on Penticost, and
the Gentles, when they "spate 10itt tongues
and he is not able to "speak with tongues as
they did, he is eth dsluded or attempting TO
palm deception upon us.
Bird, The writer sUnH0ses we can not"glorV
in the cross as did Paul; but why; am not
able to see, and ne attempts to give no reason.
TAX in the air Is too empty for a christia n
man.
4th, The writer quotes, " the letter killeth out
The spird, giUeth life" 2 Cor. 3, e. triumphantly
asserting this cannot be our doctrine. Does
the writer imagine, Paul means by "ihe letter.
"the Gospel and "Spi1it" something else?
There is not a school boy ten years old in the
city, who will read this verse, that will not see,
Paul calls the ministers Of the New Tesla
ment" the ministers of the SPIRIT and the 'min
listers offhe law of Moses verse T. stcritien and
eHgrdJen on stones, ministers Of the letter. "
"Read the connection-and no more is neces-
sary."
But why Mr.. Editor should trouble yo1
further; every effort partisans make 10 sustain
theiriottering fabricks, exposes them the more
in the eyes of an intelligent, and unprejudic ed
community.
VIII the EDITOR Of the DEnocRA T, be 80
kind as to insert this reply in his next paper,
and Ipray the Editors in Columbus, if any
wish to misEepresent me and my brethren
again, that nothing may be published, but with
responsible signatures. Willingly would
). answer any difficulties, that might be pre-
scented, but it is not fair and christian Ike, tc
state things which every body knows to be IN
true, and yet the offender feels so conscious o.
his own inability, to overthrow the truth, and
so sensible of his own depravity, that he is
ashamed to. show his face to the world. AMEN
love darkness rather than light because their
deeds are evil"
Respectfully,
II. TANNING.
g7Colulnbus, Miss. April II, 1912.
/ CITY LOTS AT AUCTION.
ERTILL be sold to the highest bidder
w in front of the, Court House in
; Colunhus on