Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1860-10-31
CIRCULAR LETTER,


cuar letters to you has been of long standing and
almost every subject of practical Importance to the
| church has been laid before you. We fear, there
FORE that a repetition of any of them would, II
laid before you, be attended with no better results
than heretofore; consequently we feel at much loss
for subject of interest at this time, not that the
duties heretofore pointed out and recommended have
been so fully attended to to supercede the neces
sty of again recommending them, but because they
have been almost entirely neglected This we re-
greet for sure that much Of the distress which
has come upon churches or individual christians,
may be properly traced to neglect of duty, Fur
thermore then we beseech you, brethren, and eX-
hort you by the Lord Jesus that ye have received
of us how we ought to walk and to please God, SO
We would abound more and MORE Ihes. C.
and v. Let the foregoing admoniton be strictly
attended to by every one that "nameth the name oil
| Christ"
At present, we call your attention to the following
portion of Scripture: Tim. G c., ], 2 3, and
VS.. LET as many servants as are under the yoke
count their own masters worthy of all honor that
the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphem-
ed And they that have believing masters, let them
not despise them, because they are brethren, but
rather do them service because they faithful and
| beloved, partakers Of the benefit. These things
teach and exhort. If any man teach otherwise and
consent not to wholesome words, even to the words
of our Lord Jesus Christ and to the doctrine which
is according to godness, he is proud, knowing no
thing utdoting about questions and stres OF words
whereof cometh envy, strife ratings, evil surmlS-
| ings perverse dsputings of men of corrupt minds
and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is
godiness; from such withdraw thyself" The
eminent Apostle Paul, in his several epistes to the
churches, manifested commendabe zeal in laying
before them and intoxicating the various duties per-
tanning to the household of faith Not only the
duties of husbands and wives parents and children,
brother towards brother, and man to his neighbor,
or even to his enemy, but also the duty of masters
| e a. 1a.~ octnr
and in his letter to Timothy, whom he calls his
"Son in the Gospel" exhorts and instructs him
what to do and teach, that he should preach the
word be instant in season, out of season, reprove,
rebuke with all long suffering and doctrine. Fore
seeing as he did that the time of his departure was
at hand, and that after his departure grevous wolves
would enter in among them, not even Sparing the
flock, made him the more jealous to point out every
duty, and to incucate every prccept which would
promote the peace and prosperity of the Zion of God
In that portion Of his epistle which we have
lected, he speaks of servants who were under the
yoke, much as to say that there are servants in
different ways Jacob who served seven years for
Rachel Gen. 30 c., 90 v. Or as those Israelites
who forsook the worship of God and served strange
gods &c, &c. But the servants here spoken of are
under the yoke of legal bondage, such as Abrahams,
lsaac'S, Jacobs, and others either inherited
bought with their money. Legal servtude being re-
cognized not only by the Pariarchs and Prophets,
not sentence in all the book of God prohibting
the Apostle Paul, instead Of encouraging insubortl-
ination and rebellion exhortS servants to be ODE
dent unto their own masters and to please them
well in all things, not answering again, not puroin-
ing but showing all good fidelity, that they may
adorn the doctrine of God Saviour in all things"
Titus c., and 10 vs. 0ncsimus, a fugitive and
runaway from his master, Philemon, is apprehended
by Paul at Rome, and converted and returned to
his master servant before improbable, but now
profitable What striking contrast is this between
Paul and those mad fanatics North, who under the
garb Of religion inculcate into the minds Of servants
principles of nSubordination, rapine and blood
Paul brands such teachers cOrruptOrs of the doc
trine of God as "proud, doting about questions
whereof cometh envy, strife, railing, evil surms-
ingS and as men Of corrupt minds and destitute of
the truth" The effect is visible producing its
unhallOwed fruit arrayng section against section,
class against class, whilst every denomination Of
Protcstants, except the Old School Baptists, stand
divided and bounded by sectional lines between
North and South. Beloved brethren YOU as a de-
nomination are the only people who know no North,
no South no East, no West division line
Your ministers can 90 north and proclaim the I'M
searchable riches of Christ and Old School Baptist
ministers from the North and do come Sonth,
and exhort servants to count their masters
worthy of all honor that the name of God and his
doctrine be not basphemcd-to be obcdent to
them that are masters according to the flesh with
Christ; not with eyeservice men-pleascrs, but
as the servants of Christ doing the will Of God from
the heart" Eph. 6 &C, 5, VS.. The question may
be asked, why is it so? We answer that such must
always he the case with all who take tho word of
God for the man of their counsel, and have been
taught by him, as you may read: Isaiah "a c., Is
V. "And all thy children shall be taught of the
Lord; and great shall be the peace Of thy children"
PS. II c., II v. 80 God thou hast taught me from
my youth: and hitherto have declared thy Won
drous works" THY watchmcn shall lift up the
voice. with the voice together shall they sing for
they shall see eye to eye when the Lord bringcth
again z on Isl. So, Sv.
The Limits of circular will not permit us to en-
large upon this part Of our subject, our object be-
ing more particularly to call your attention to an
other part of subject, which is that of "dsput-
ing about words to no profit" This is given as one
mark Of those who destitute of the truth
The Scriptures furnish the only rule for the chris
tian's faith and practice. A strict construction of
them therefore must and will lead to unity in doc
trine and unity of faith. "All scripture is given by
inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine,
for reproof, for correction, for instruction in
righteousness, that the man Of God may be perfect
thoroughly furnished unto all good works" 2 Tim.
) c., 16, II VS.. A latitudnous construction must
and will lead to strife and confusion, in which men
of corrupt minds engage with warmth and zeal
hence the various iSms which have sprung up to
divide and distract if possible the church of God
Peter says, there shall be false teachers among
you, who prvily shall bring in damnable hercsies,
even denying the Lord that bought Them" &c. And
John says, they went out from us, but they were
not OF us; for if they had been of us they would
no doubt have continued with u.s. but they went out
that they might be made manifest that they were
not all of u.s. B. 2, l, and l John 2, 10. We
would admonish you brethren, to a dilgent and
prayerful examination of the scriptures which are
able to make you wise unto salvation, and be
tious speculative and aretched opinions, such
the doctrine of Eternal actual union" an eternal
devil, the non-resurrcction of the body, and what
is commonly called two seed doctrine" Such are
only speculative ideas sprung upon the church by
such as would be considered smart but in point of
fact, are striving about words of no profit Chris
tlans are not edited thereby while the weak of the