The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1893-09-27
who are the Preachers that Preach
the Gospel taht now Saves
Souls Aifve7
For "The Friend"

TIC VOBPCA "o"
Souls Aiive7
For "The Friend"
CTbe article which follows, some
what abridged, was received from
Friend residing In Australis, who, In
an accompanying letter, informs that
II he was O member of the so-called
"Church of England" and was con-
vinced of the Truth by reading some
of our early Friends writings. He
desires that the Lords blessing may
rest upon Friends in this land, and
upon all who sincerely love and follow
the principles held by those dear ola
fathersn in the Truth.-ED.
1t is now nearly two thousand years
since the apostle said he was not a.
shamed of the Gospel of Christ, because
it was the power of God unto saliva
ton; yes, it came home to all who be-
lieved it, with power from Christ to
save, and to baptiza into the Spirit.
Do we see this power exercised by the
preachers in this day? The world
never needed it more than at this pres.
ent time. It was by the foolishness OF
preaching, one time, that it pleased
God to save them that believe; but
now preaching Is science with mauy
profession costing much time and
money to be educated up to the ortho-
dox standard of preaching; and what
they preach is not the Gospel as 1t ls
delivered to them by the Spirit, or im-
mediate revelation, but their own
studied matter from books or the Script
ures. The Gospel of which Paul was
not ashamed was the power OF 900
unto salvation to all that received IL,
and walked by its rule, and II TINS
power does not attend the preaching
Of men now,. then it is not the Gospel
delivered by Christ inwardiy to them;
The Society of Friends once; had
this gift and power of the Gospel de-
liyered unto them, and thousands were
converted by their preaching. They
were enabled to show people very
plainly, that they could be saved,
That hone can justify themselves, or be
: accented in the sight of God, by the
virtue of Christ's sufferings aud death,
inn puted to them, nor by any OF their
own works, traditions or ceremonial
ordinances, nor by affecting their bod
les in q voluntary humility, by even
abstaining from one or two luxuries
for week now and then, so as to have
some money to give as sacrlnee lol
some religious services, or for the poor,
nor by even conforming to the letter OF
their laws laid down. from Scripture,
whilst they vet remained in sin. They
of old preached growing In grace
unto perfection, free from the old man
of sin, having obtained new 6irth
unto Righteousness, and not TO oe al
ways sitting under a priest or pastor
from seven years of aye, up to seventy,
and never being saved from their sins
Those are the true ministers of Christ
who preach his Gospel, by his .constrain
ING love, not for hire or reward or
knowing they were worthy to be put
Into his ministry and all receive tieii
penny per day; no degrees In rank,
70 riyht reverend fathers, no doctors
of divinity and lord bishops, but free
Iaborers for the love of souls, and right.
leous government in the land, thai
Christ may reign in the hearts Of men
instead of the prince Of darkness, who
now rules in the world, by drawing
people,s minds away from. the Truth,
aud making them believe that all thell
religions are right, that it will all ot
the same in the end, 30 long as tney
obey their ministers, and means ol
Grace offered to them In their different
churches, but must always. reckon
themselves sinners, not SAINTS.
Paul says, except CHRIST be In you
We are reprobate. Such cannot posi-
bly preach the truth, for even the
Scriptures would be a lie in theil
mouth, while still living in sin. The
minister of Christ must be IN possess
ion of the Spirit of Christ before ht
can baptize others into Christ, ny the
power of his preaching. :,
There is scourge of small CORDS
ready to whip and drive all hlreiing'
out of the temples they have set up 1r
Christ's name 80 that the Gospel q
Christ alone shall be preached by
Christ through faithful men and Wo
men in that power that was given q
the beginning of the Christian era
Satan was only to reign for Il limited
time in the churches, or heavens, se
up by man; his end Is coming, anC
) when it is accomplished. those thai
are alive shall see thousands upon
: thousands praising God in white raj
ment. dressed in clean robes OF Saints
not singing with grand organs, hut
oratorios and chants, in dirty llnen-
rags of unrighteousness..
Oh, the blindness of this great IN
telleetual age, they are just getting e
the top rung of their ladder how shall
. | plead with some before it is too late
to 70 and give themselves up entirely
to serve God, aud let Him alone dc
with them as He sees fit, and not trust
any more in man, only as they wit
ness the Spirit of Christ in Him; this
will help to hasten the day that right
eousness shall cover the earth, rs the
waters cover the deep.
Now when the Gospel Is preached
by those only who have received the
; amounting, the life-giving Word OF God
will be sufficient to lead men unto
righteous lives, and right worship OF
the Almighty, without such works as
Good Teinplars, Blue Ribbons, Ser
vices Of Song, and all other reform
torches.
If the old established Protestant
churches, of all kinds, with their zeal,
.. oratory aud magnificent services and
grand buildings, well-regulated orders
OF government, with millions OF mon.
ey to keep them up. respectfully, and
assist their poor little, cannot con-
vert the world, and cause them to give
,, up drink, gambling over-specu ulatlon,
race meetings, prize figh ting, theatrl'
cal and dancing assemblies then how
can these things be done by any other