Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1860-10-31
CIRCULAR LETTER,

BELOVED BRETHREN The custom OF sending cir
cular 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 repetition of any of them would, If
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 fully attended to as to sGpercede the neccs-
sity of again recommending them, but because they
have been almost entirely neglected. This we re-
greet for sure We are 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 yc have received
of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so
We would abound more and more."-1 Thes. C.
and v. Let the foregoing admonition be strictly
attended to bv every one that "nameth the name of
Christ"
At present we call your attention to the following
portion of Scripture: Tim c., l, 2, 8, and
VS.. "Let as many servants as are under the yoke
count their 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 godlness, he is proud, knowing no.
thing butdoting about questions and stres OF words
whereof cometh envy, strife, ratings, evil surmis-
ings perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds
and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is
godliness; from such withdraw myself" The
eminent Apostle Paul. in his several epistes to the
churches. manifested commendable 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,
l.. - he, hos
or even to his enemy, but also the duty of masters
to their servants and of servants to their masters
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 grcyous wolves
would enter in among them, not even sparing the
flock made him the jealous to point out every
duty, and to inculcate every preccpt which would
promote the peace and prosperity of the Zion of God
In that portion Of his epstle which we have Sc
lected he speaks of servants who were under the
yoke, much as to say that there are servants in
different ways, Jacob who served years for
Rachel. Gen. 30 c., GOV. Or those lsraelites
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,
ISaacs, Jacobs, and others either inherited or
bought with their money. Legal servitude being re-
cognized not only by the Patrarchs and Prophets,
but also by God himself Christ and his Apostles,
not sentence in all the book of God prohibiting;
the Apostle Paul, instead Of encouraging nsubord-
ination and rebellion, exhorts "servants to be obc-
dent unto their own masters, and to please them
well in all things, not answering again. not purlon-
ing, but showing all good fidelity, that they may
adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things"
Titus l c., and 10 VS.. Onesinus fugitive and
runaway from his master, Philemon, is apprehendcd
| 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 incucate into the minds of servants
principles of INSTRUMENTATION, rapne and blood
Paul brands such teachers corruptors of the doc
trine of God; proud, doting about questions
whereof cometh envy, strife, railing evil surmis-
ings, and of corrupt minds. and destitute of
the TRUTH The effect is visible, producing its
unhaowed fruit arrayins section against section,
class against class, whilst every denomination of
Protestants, except the Old School Baptsts, stand
divided and bounded by sectional lines between
| North and South. Beloved brethren, you as de-
nomination are the only people who know no North,
no South, no East no West as division line
Your ministers can go north and proclaim the I'M
searchable riches of Christ and Old School Baptist
ministers from the North can and do come South.
and cxhort servants to count their own masters
worthy of all honor that the name of God and his
doctrine be not basphemed-to be obcdient to
them that masters according to the flesh with
fear and trembling in singleness of heart unto
| Christ; not with eye-service men-pleasers but
as the servants of Christ doing the will of God from
| the heart" Eph. C, 5, 6 VS.. The question may
be asked, why is it so? Wcanswer that such must
always be the case with all who take the word of
| God for the man of their counsel, and have been
taught by him. as you may read: Isaiah "a c., 13
v. land 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 laugh me from
my youth: and hitherto have declared thy Won
drous works" "Thy watchmen shall lift up the
voice. with the voice together shall they sing for
they shall see eye to eye, when the Lord bringeth
again Zon.' Isl. s., Sv.
The Limits of circular will not permit US to en-
large upon this part Of our subject, our object be-
ing particularly to call your attention to
other part of subject, which is that of disput
ing about words to no profit" This is given as one
mark Of those "who are destitute of the truth
The Scriptures furnish the only rule for the chris
tians faith and practice. strict construction of
them therefore must and will lead to unity in doc
trne 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
8 c., 16, II VS.. latitudinous 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 Cod
Peter says, there shall be false teachers among
you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies,
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 US, but they went out
that they might be made manifest that they were
not all Of u.s. 2 B. 2, l, and l John 2, 10. We
would admonish you brethren, to diiigent and
Prayerful examination OF the scriptures, which are
able to make you wise unto salvation, and be eau
tous of speculative and farfetched opinions, such as
the doctrine of Eternal actual union" an eternal
devil, the non-resurrection of the body, and what
is commonly called two seed doctrine" Such are
only speculative ideas sprung upon tn. church by
such as would be considered smart but in point Of
fact are striving about words of no profit Chris
fianc zaoto diHod 4horahs