May 23, 2013

“Raccoon” John Smith: A Conscience Not For Sale

The conscience, if properly trained and used, will help one to be faithful to the Lord. Once one knows the truth, his conscience helps motivate him to practice it. If he does not, his conscience strikes him with guilt, motivating him to repentance.

Unfortunately, there are many who know the truth, but choose not to practice it. They may feel guilty at first, but eventually they become “seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron” (1 Timothy 4:2). They have forfeited their good conscience and all the benefits of it. Many sacrifice their conscience for such things as riches, comfort, security, and the approval of others.

This was the test put against “Raccoon” John Smith when he left the Baptist church in order to practice and preach the simple gospel of Christ. Yet Smith made it clear that his conscience could not be bought with any earthly enticements.
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May 9, 2013

Robert Milligan: “By the Force of the Bible Alone”

Robert Milligan (1814-1875), like other early figures in the Restoration Movement, was raised in denominationalism and eventually learned the truth and abandoned the churches of men. In the case of Milligan, he was raised in the Presbyterian church. His commentary on Hebrews, which was published after his death, contains a biographical sketch at the end written by J.W. McGarvey. In it, McGarvey explained how Milligan came to learn the truth and leave the Presbyterian church to become part of the Lord’s church:
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April 25, 2013

“Raccoon” John Smith: Hard Preaching

During the time when “Raccoon” John Smith (1784-1868) was preaching, the erroneous tenets of Calvinism were widely believed by those around him in the religious world. Smith himself had believed Calvinism early in his life before learning the truth. After learning the truth, he ardently opposed it in his preaching.

His wife Nancy, however, thought that he was “too hard” against Calvinism. In the following excerpt, Smith explained to her why he preached the way he did.
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April 11, 2013

Aylette Raines: “I Understood the First I Ever Heard”

Aylette Raines (1798-1881) was sprinkled in the Episcopal church when he was four years old, but by the time he was a young adult, had become a Universalist. When he had the opportunity to hear Walter Scott, a preacher of the gospel, he went to hear him so that he might challenge Scott to a debate. In the excerpt below, Raines recalls his encounter with Scott and explains why a debate never happened.
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March 28, 2013

J.S. Sweeney: Sprinkling & Pickling

J. S. Sweeney: Our Aim

There is a lot of opposition in the religious world to the Bible’s teaching on baptism. The Greek word baptizo is where we get the English word baptize. It means to immerse. Yet if you look up the definition of baptize in an English dictionary, it will likely include the act of sprinkling along with immersion. Why? It is because sprinkling is commonly accepted in the religious world, and has been for some time.

J.S. Sweeney (1834-1908), a gospel preacher, was debating the Scriptural mode of baptism with a man named Jacob Ditzler. Ditzler tried to make the argument that sprinkling was authorized and used a dictionary to make his point. Sweeney’s humorous yet brilliant response is recounted below:
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March 14, 2013

B.F. Hall: Choosing Truth Over an Education

B.F. Hall: Choosing Truth Over an Education

Benjamin Franklin Hall (1803-1873), at the age of 18 developed a desire to preach. But he felt that he needed an education in order to do it. His father was not a religious man and told him he could preach under one condition – that he leave home and never come back. So the young B.F. Hall left to pursue the education he thought would be necessary for him to preach.

Leaving home with nothing, Hall could not afford to pay for an education. But he had someone willing to pay for him – his brother-in-law. The only catch was that he join the Presbyterian Church. Hall was unwilling to do this, choosing to hold onto the truth rather than compromise to get something that he desired.
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February 28, 2013

Daniel Sommer on the Foolishness of Atheism

Though many in the world consider belief in God to be foolish, the psalmist declares that it is the fool who says there is no God (Psalm 14:1). In his book, Plain Sermons, Daniel Sommer explained the words of the psalmist and how they are true of the atheist.
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