We must possess the mind of the honest Baptist, to be willing to decrease, that Christ may increase— to be willing for truth’s sake, to be rejected by all, even to be excluded from the society, with which we may be associated, however popular and respectable it may be. The dread of this has caused thousands to shut their eyes against the light of truth, or if received, to conceal it from the view of their fellows. Should this dread of exclusion influence all, the consequence would be, that all the litigant sects would remain— their discrepant doctrines continue, and division and schism in the body of Christ still abide, in opposition to the will of God. Can these things be right? No Christian will affirm it; all acknowledge them wrong. Therefore, the principle, which is the basis of all this wrong, must itself be wrong.
We must be willing to give up all worldly gain or wealth, for the sake of truth. Had Paul been unwilling to count all his gain but loss for truth’s sake, he never had been a Christian. In the present corrupt state of society in many places, it is found that a man of business cannot well succeed in his pursuit of gain, without being in connexion with some religious society, and that, which is most numerous and wealthy. Should a mechanic, a merchant, a teacher, or even a preacher in such a society, begin to open his eyes to truth, and in its light to see himself in error, with what sore temptations has he to struggle. Says the preacher, should I change my opinions, and reject the standards of this church, I must lose my salary, my whole living, and turn out in an unfriendly world, and with my helpless family face poverty and disgrace with persecution. Says the teacher, if I
change my sentiments, I shall lose the patronage of this church; they will no longer entrust their children to my care, and want must be my lot. So the merchant and mechanic— if they change their opinions, their gain must be diminished. “Buy the truth,” is the advice of Wisdom. Whoever obtains it must give gold and silver for it, in the sense I have stated. But surely it excels rubies.
We must learn “to cease from man, whose breath is in his nostrils”— from man, however pious, learned and great he may be accounted. They are all fallible; and their jarring creeds and confessions of faith, too plainly evince this humiliating truth. If we cease not from them, but receive their opposite dogmas as truth, then the schisms of the body of Christ must continue with all their attendant evils. We should follow them as far as they follow Christ, but no farther. We should bring their doctrines to the Bible, and judge for ourselves, as we will at last have to be judged by our own works.
We must believe that the Bible was addressed to rational creatures, and designed by God to be understood for their profit. When we open the Bible with the impression that it is a book of mysteries, understood only by a few learned ministers, we are at once discouraged from reading and investigating its contents. But believing it was written for our learning and profit, and therefore addressed to our understanding, we are encouraged to read and diligently search its sacred pages. The man, who does this, with prayerful attention to its instructions, will find the truth, and walking in it, will find her ways pleasantness, and all her paths peace.
I have now stated what I think necessary to prepare the mind for the investigation and reception of truth, Were we all thus prepared, and were we in this spirit to read the Bible, great and glorious would be the effects. How soon would the dark clouds of error fly before the brilliant rays of truth! How soon would the divided Hock of the great Shepherd, hear his voice and flow together unto him! How soon would they leave the barren, solitary wilderness, where they have been long scattered, and hungry, and enter into the rich pastures, prepared for them! How soon would the world, seeing all Christians united, believe and be saved! O Lord, help, for the glory of thy name!
Barton W. Stone
Christian Messenger,
Volume 1, Issue 1