Neither Cast Ye Your Pearls Before Swine (Gilbert Beebe, 1800-1881)

Matthew 7:6

“Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.”

 

This text is found in the closing part of what is familiarly termed, "Christ's Sermon on the Mount," in which he taught them privately, and gave them lessons of instruction, which are the greatest importance to the saints in all subsequent ages. These instructions should often be examined and re-examined by the children of God, as they are given for their special benefit, and contain admonitions and precepts of the most vital importance. From the rich cluster of golden maxims and rules laid down for the observance of the disciples of the Redeemer in this sermon, we are requested to give our views on the text written at the head of this article, to which we will call the especial attention of the readers.

"Give not that which is holy unto the dogs." The things which were holy under the ceremonial law were the things which were especially consecrated, or sanctified (set apart) for holy purposes, as were the tabernacle, the ark, the altar and the consecrated things of the inner temple of the Lord in Jerusalem, The tribes themselves, being solemnly set apart from all the families of mankind, were ceremonially holy, and forbidden to intermingle with the other nations of the earth, and as a consecrated and holy people they were to live on consecrated and holy food; they were forbidden to eat that which was common or unclean. Of all the beasts of the field, none but those which divided the hoof and chewed the cud were set apart by the special enactment of the Lord as the consecrated or holy sustenance of the consecrated tribes of the Lord, and these consecrated things must not be polluted by contact with other things which were not set apart; no mixture with anything else was allowed. All this was undoubtedly to signify to us that God's chosen and redeemed people, who are born of God, receive from him spiritual and immortal life, which must be fed and sustained on spiritual and immortal food. This lesson is taught us in all the types and shadows going before. For instance, when God had created man out of the dust of the ground, He provided that the food necessary for man's subsistence should grow out of the same dust of the ground. His nature and composition being of the earth, earthy, his subsistence must, to be adapted to the support of his earthly nature, be also earthy; and when man had transgressed the law of God and fallen under the curse, the earth out of which he was to subsist was also cursed for his sake, that it might be still adapted to his nature as a fallen, sinful earthy man. So in the figure, we are taught that in the spiritual creation in Christ Jesus, they who are born of the Spirit of God must be sustained on spiritual things-, as their spiritual life is in God, so is all their spiritual food and sustenance. The productions of the earth cannot feed and sustain the inward man, nor can all the joys of the Spirit, which do feed and sustain the new man, prevent the old man, the earthy nature, from requiring its earthly nourishment. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that flesh is of the earth, earthy, and cannot be sustained without that food which is produced from the earth, and he that is born of God, although he might possess all the produce of the earth, would starve if he were not fed on that bread which cometh down from heaven. Except we eat the flesh and drink the blood of Jesus, we have no spiritual life in us, for spiritual life can live on nothing else. Those who are thus born of God are a "chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people," etc., chosen, consecrated and set apart, "sanctified by God the Father," "elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit," etc., cleansed and washed, purged and justified, they shall be called the holy people, and as a holy, consecrated people, they are made partakers of the divine nature, and qualified to eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Son of man, who is the true bread which came down from heaven.

Then the things which are holy are appropriated exclusively to a holy people, a people whom God has cleansed, and which, we are forbidden, to call common. This sanctified people are called sheep, lambs and doves, and by many other figurative names, but they are never called dogs or swine. A dog is a very different kind of animal from a sheep or lamb; he neither divides the hoof, nor does he chew the cud, he is therefore unclean. His disposition is also very unlike that of the sheep or lamb; he is ferocious, quarrelsome, vicious, and, like the wolf, it is his nature to worry, scatter and kill the sheep. His food, or that on which the dog subsists, is not that which would feed the sheep and lambs, nor can the sheep and lambs subsist on what the dog can feed upon. The dog would starve in the richest pasture field, where the sheep would fatten, and the sheep starve if fed only on what dogs delight to feed upon. Dogs are dangerous animals, and we are admonished to beware of them. Some of them are said to be dumb dogs that cannot bark; sleepy dogs, lying down, loving slumber, and greedy dogs that can never have enough. In Revelation 22:15, they are classified with sorcerers, whoremongers, murderers, idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.

The admonition of the Lord in our text then clearly means that his disciples shall not give, nor minister the gospel, or its provisions, its promises, its comforts, its ordinances, or any of its commands, to any who are thus designated dogs, or who are in nature, disposition, practice or appetite as unlike the regenerated and spiritual people of God as dogs are unlike and inimical to the sheep and lambs. The gospel is food to the saints, because it is Christ; the preaching of the gospel is preaching Christ, and it is food to the spiritual, and hence the ministers of the gospel are commissioned to feed the sheep and feed the lambs; to feed the flock of God which he hath purchased with his own blood, but charged to give not that which is holy (and the gospel and all its ordinances are holy) to dogs. Dogs have no use for holy things, they can do them no good, for they are not adapted to their nature or suited to their appetites; besides, it is a desecration of holy things to give them to dogs or to swine. It is true, that the Gospel is to be preached to every creature, to all nations, and in all the world, for a witness to all nations, but only those who have ears to hear can hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. The ministers of Christ have nothing but the Gospel to preach, and that they must preach wherever God is pleased to open a door for them to preach, and its effect will be to discriminate between the living and the dead. All who have been pricked in the heart by the life-giving power of the Spirit will gladly receive the Word, as did the quickened on the day of Pentecost, while all others will mock and reject the testimony. But what we understand as being intended by this admonition, is that we are forbidden to attempt to Christianize unregenerated men, by teaching them the letter of the Word, and applying to them the ordinances of the Gospel as a means of salvation, by Catechisms, Bible classes, Sunday Schools, etc...as though we could so improve their carnal minds as to make them acceptable to God, without being born of the Spirit.

According to our understanding of the subject, every effort to apply the things of the Spirit of God to unregenerated men, is to give that which is holy to dogs. Theological institutions for giving ministerial qualifications to graceless youths for preaching, and to unrenewed children and adults for church membership, and for evangelizing the world by humanly devised plans and schemes, is an attempt to give that which is holy to the dogs, and is clearly a transgression of the authority of our Lord, and an open violation of the words of our text: "Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine." It is not in the nature of swine to appreciate the value or beauty of pearls any more than it is the nature of dogs to relish the rich pasture on which the sheep feed. The children of God are in possession of jewels of inestimable value, which none but the children of God can appreciate or enjoy. Their spiritual privileges, their Christian love and fellowship, their gifts and graces, their experimental joys and peculiar exercises, their knowledge of divine things, are all pearls of great value to them, but their excellency cannot be known or appreciated by those who know not God. There is a fitness and utility in exhibiting these pearls among those of like precious faith, but those who have never possessed them would rudely trample on them if cast before them, as swine would trample upon the most costly and precious jewels.

Christians are greatly edified and comforted by speaking often to each other of all the way in which the Lord has led them; they can talk freely one to another of their joys and sorrows their conflicts and victories, but should they make these things the theme of their conversation in the streets and market places, or in the synagogues of Satan, they would be treated roughly; infidels, Arminians, will-worshipers, like swine, would trample them under their feet, and turn and rend the child of grace. The psalmist said, "Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what He hath done for my soul." They who fear the Lord can understand the language, they know too well the value of such precious pearls to despise or trample on them. But those who have only religion of the world neither divide the hoof nor chew the cud and like swine , serve only their swinish appetites, their god is their belly and their glory is their shame. The swine seem to have but one desire, and that is the gratification of their ravenous appetite-, cast before them the most costly and splendid gems, or pearls, and as they cannot eat them, they have no other use for them, and they would as soon trample on them as on the most common earth, and they will turn again and rend you, determined to obtain something that they can eat; so when the Christian attempts to display the glorious things of the kingdom of Christ to unbelievers, they will sometimes be surprised to find that those with whom they labor cannot appreciate those experimental things of which they speak. Expostulate with them, and demonstrate what you say by the most clear and positive Scripture authority, and they will disregard your testimony and your Scripture, and trample both under their feet, and then assail you again with as much vigor and determined violence as though you had not exhibited to them your pearls.

Sheep, swine and dogs are not suitable companions for each other, they cannot live in good communion together, nor should unnatural amalgamation be attempted, but let the sheep be associated with sheep, and let them "beware of dogs," and avoid the society of swine, and they will be more pleasantly and comfortably situated. The great and good Shepherd has told his flock, Ye "are not of the world, even as I am not of the world." He has chosen them out of the world, and called them to be a separate people. Let us then heed the admonition of our Lord, and give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast our pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend us.

The Preceding Classic is from the November 1, 1862 edition of the publication "Signs of the Times" founded and published for over 45 years by Elder Gilbert Beebe.

https://www.mountainretreatorg.net/ 

The Autobiography of Elder Gilbert Beebe

Gilbert Beebe  (1800 - 1881)

Founder, Editor:
Signs of The Times
1832-1881

Mr. Saluson: In fulfillment of my promise, I will state some of the most important incidents of my life. I was born in the town (now city) of Norwich, Connecticut on the 25^th day of November, 1800. At a very early period, and as far back as my memory extends, I was seriously impressed with a solemn conviction of my sinful and lost condition as a sinner, and of the necessity of being "born again," to qualify me to see the kingdom of God. When I think from my best remembrance of the date, I was made to hope and rejoice in God as my Savior, and to feel his love shed abroad in my heart. I think that at that tender age I was taught of God to know what no other being could teach me, that "Salvation is of the Lord." From that hour I have had no confidence in the power of men to effect or help in the least to effect the salvation of a sinner. In 1811 I was baptized by Elder John Sterry, and received as a member of the Baptist Church in Norwich. This was many years before the division of the Missionary or Fullerite Baptists from the Primitive order, and before any organized religious societies or institutions were known or tolerated in the Baptist denomination in our country.

In 1816, I came to the city of New York, and afterward became identified, by letter, with the Ebenezer Baptist Church, where I was called to exercise my gift, and was finally licensed to preach the gospel; this was about the year 1818. I then traveled in several states as an itinerant preacher, and supplied the Third Baptist Church in Baltimore three or four months in about 1821-22, but it suited my mind better to be traveling. I never failed to find places where I was well received, and without any support from missionary arrangement I was fully sustained, so that I could say as did the disciples whom Jesus sent out without purse or scrip, when they returned, that I had lacked nothing.

In 1823, February 4, I was married in the city of New York, and in the same year was ordained to the pastoral care of the Baptist Church of Ramapo, in Rockland County, N.Y., and continued with them until May, 1826, when I accepted a call to the pastorate of the Baptist Church in New Vernon, N.Y. This church was constituted about 1786, and my predecessor, Elder Benjamin Montanye, had served them as pastor thirty-three years. He died in December, 1825, and I succeeded him the following May. So it will be seen that this ancient church has been supplied for the last eighty-three (now eighty-eight) years by but two pastors. During the fifty years of my connection I spent the principal part of three years and a half in Alexandria, and Upper Broad Run, Va., and the Shiloh Church in Washington, D.C., but continued to visit New Vernon regularly during the time, and finally removed to New Vernon in April, 1840.

For about forty years I have also served the Middletown and Wallkill Church, in connection with my labors in and with New Vernon.

During the half century all the members of both churches have been called to their inheritance above with the exception of about four or five. The two churches contain a membership now of about one hundred and eighty, nearly all of whom have been gathered into the fold, besides many others who have been called away, since I have been with them.

The division, or separation, of the Missionary Baptists in these parts, from those of the old order, took place about forty years ago. I stand today rooted and grounded in the faith and order on which the whole Baptist denomination in our country stood when I united with them sixty-five years ago. I have found no occasion to depart from either the faith or order of the Church of God, as organized on the day of Pentecost. I cannot find by sixty-five years of careful and prayerful searching of the Scriptures that those primitive saints who gladly received the word at Pentecost and continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, had any religious organizations as auxiliaries to the Church of God, existing among them. No Mission Boards for converting the heathen or for evangelizing the world; no Sunday Schools as nurseries to the church; no schools of any kind for teaching theology or divinity, or for preparing young men for the ministry; no pious rehearsals of the "Melodies of Mother Goose" or "Jack Horner" or the "cow jumping over the moon," among the institutions of Christ or his apostles. I am content to be considered all of eighteen hundred and forty-three years behind the progressive religious doings of the more popular religionists of the present time. I have never been identified with, nor have I had any fellowship for any religious rites, forms, fashions, or customs which cannot be found in the laws of Christ, and practice of the apostles and primitive saints. I do not denounce those who differ with me in regard to these things; to their own masters they stand or fall; nor do I dispute that there are among them some of God’s quickened children; that is not my province. "The Lord knoweth them that are his," and he can bring them out of their idolatry in his own good time. But while I live I expect to protest solemnly, soberly, but not with unkind or malicious feelings, against their spiritual wickedness in high places.

The Signs of the Times, as you are aware, has been published by me nearly forty-four years. During all this time it has been devoted to the defense of what my eternal destiny rests upon as the truth as it is in Jesus. My warfare is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, and against the rulers of the darkness of this world.

My race is nearly run. I am now in the seventy-sixth year of my age. My voice will soon be silenced in death, my pen will pass into the hands of another, and I hope, abler writer, but the eternal truth for which I have so long contended will be lasting as the days of eternity. And when all the deceptive and luring doctrines and institutions of men shall be exposed, and all who have trusted in a refuge of lies shall bewail their folly and call for rocks and mountains to hide them from the face of him that sitteth upon the throne, and from the presence of the Lamb, those who know and love the truth shall in the truth rejoice for evermore.

Elder Gilbert Beebe.
Middletown, N.Y.
April, 1876.

http://www.mountainretreatorg.net/

What is the Gospel, and to Whom is it Addressed (Gilbert Beebe , 1800-1881)

        There is, and long has been, much controversy between legalists and the disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ, not only as to what the gospel is, but also in regard to whom it is or should be addressed. If all the parties engaged in the controversy could understand the scriptural signification of the word, those who are now zealously contending for a universal application of it to all mankind indiscriminately, would desire rather to restrict than to extend its application, as they have ever exerted themselves to suppress its publication. What they call gospel differs very widely from what Christ and the holy apostles proclaimed in the primitive days of the gospel church. Our Redeemer encountered the same class of zealous fanatics, who compassed sea and land to disseminate their false gospel, but a perversion of the gospel of Christ; and exposing and denouncing their hypocrisy charged them with teaching for doctrines, the commandments of men. The voluntary religious institutions originated and enjoined by men without any divine authority from God are now very widely taught and greedily received by graceless men, and such teaching is by them dignified with the name of gospel. Their preachers may entertain conflicting opinions in regard to what is contained in the Scriptures, for the doctrine of the Bible and the laws and institutions of Christ are regarded by them as minor points, while opposite sects can freely unite in opposing the doctrine of Christ, and in the propagation of any or all of the inventions of men. They can and do, with much seeming cordiality, take each other by the hand, and with wonderful reciprocity compliment each other as "truly evangelical," while in truth there are but two points in which they are really agreed among themselves; the one is that salvation is attainable by works, and the other is in denouncing the Old Primitive order of Baptists. As to precisely what works will secure salvation, and by what mode of warfare they should fight the Old Baptists, they may differ widely without interruption of fellowship. What they call gospel may be obtained in any quantity from the schools of men, in which every man is engaged in teaching his brother and neighbor, saying, "Know the Lord." From Infant and Sabbath Schools, and Bible Classes, as well as from Theological Seminaries; from books and tracts, and various other sources, they can procure all of that kind of delusion which they call gospel in indefinite quantities. We would by no means misrepresent them; but we have failed to understand their language, if what they call gospel is not with them an article of commerce. Do they not propose to send it to the heathen; to Burma, Hindostan, and to all the distant islands where they can find a profitable market? They gravely tell us, in a business way, what amount of capital must be invested, what number of men and amount of money, how many ships and seamen must be employed, and how long it will take to supply the world.

        What of their falsely called gospel they retain for home consumption, if we may judge from ruling prices, ought to be superior to what they ship to foreign markets, as those who retail it from their pulpits at home frequently amass large sums by this traffic.
To make their false gospel salable, they must, of course, adapt it to the taste of all. Those who have no ears to hear what the Spirit saith to the churches, have no difficulty in hearing the doctrines of men; hence there is a great cry about preaching to sinners. Their doctrine is precisely what unconverted sinners can feast upon; for instead of being told that they are condemned already and the wrath of God abideth on them, they are told that they are probationers, free agents, and have ability to move by their prayers the power that moves the world. Instead of being told that "No man can come to the Father but by Christ," and that "No man can come to Christ except the Father draw him," they are told that they can do a great deal for the Lord. And this is profanely called preaching the gospel to sinners. While with an air of affected superiority, they charge the Old order of Baptists, that we do not preach the gospel to sinners, while they themselves do not preach a word of gospel to saints or sinners. It is not gospel to utter falsehood in the name of the Lord; there is no gospel in telling men what they can and must do, or be damned. To call on dead sinners to repent and believe the gospel implies ability in them to do so, whereas the gospel proclaims that Christ is exalted to be a Prince and a Savior, to give repentance to Israel and the forgiveness of sins. It is as exclusively the work of our exalted Savior to give repentance as it is to forgive sins, and the dead sinner can no more do the one than the other. True repentance which is unto life and needeth not to be repented of, must proceed from life. If the repentance be spiritual it proceeds from a spiritual source, and must be preceded by the quickening Spirit of God. The sorrow of the world worketh death; but godly sorrow worketh repentance unto life; and to be godly, in distinction from the sorrow of the world, it must come from God, it must be given by the exalted Prince and Savior. Faith is also the gift of God, Jesus Christ is the author and finisher of it, if it be genuine; for it is not the faith of the creature, but it is the faith of the Son of God, and without it no man can please God. Paul says, It is not of yourselves; it is the gift of God; not of works, lest any man should boast. To preach the opposite to what the inspired Scriptures teach, is not preaching the gospel to saints, nor to sinners.

        But we propose to show how the Scriptures define the word gospel. Compare Isaiah 61:1, with Luke 4:18, and you will see that what is by the prophet called good tidings, is by our Lord rendered gospel, and to prevent any caviling, the good tidings in the prophecy, and the gospel in its fulfillment, are defined to mean, good tidings to the meek - "to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and opening of the prison to them that are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all that mourn. To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified." Observe who these meek, poor, broken-hearted, prisoners are, and what gospel is preached to them. The Spirit of the Lord God qualifies those on whom it is poured, to follow the blessed Savior in preaching good tidings, or gospel, to the meek; not to the proud, haughty, and self-righteous. It proclaims liberty, not to free agents who were never in bondage, who have all the religion they live for, and could have as much more if they pleased to work for it. The poor broken hearted, helpless prisoner hails with joy the tidings that proclaims his release from prison. But how could the same tidings be joyful, or gospel, to those who are not poor, nor captive, nor broken hearted, nor meek? When Jesus said to the poor dying thief, "This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise," we cannot doubt it was good tidings to him. But would the same words, if spoken to his murderers who were reviling him, been appreciated as gospel tidings? The gospel is discriminating; it finds out the "humbled sinner in whose breast a thousand thoughts revolve." You who complain of the Old Baptists, that we do not preach the gospel to sinners, would you have us, if we meet a band of robbers, pirates or murderers, say to them, in gospel terms, "Fear not, little flock; it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom?" Or to a company of Atheists, "Let not your heart be troubled; ye believe in God, believe also in Jesus?" If this is not what they mean by preaching the gospel to sinners, how far short of this do they come, when they address the most blessed and sacred assurances which Christ gave to the meek, the poor in spirit, the pure in heart, the peace makers, and the persecuted saints, to unconverted sinners, as an inducement to them to "get religion," saying to them, Seek, and ye shall find; Knock, and it shall be opened unto you; Ask, and it shall be given to you? Not one of these gracious promises were ever addressed by our Lord or any minister of his to any but to quickened subjects of his saving grace. Instead then of preaching the gospel to saints or sinners, they pervert the gospel, in attempting to give the children's bread unto dogs, in direct defiance of the special command of Jesus Christ, who positively forbid that that which is holy should be given to the dogs. By their artful misapplication of the Scriptures, they are charged by an apostle with "turning the truth of God into a lie," by making the Scriptures seem to say what they do not say; and so by handling the word of God deceitfully, they not only lead the blind into the ditch, but frequently perplex and worry many of the unsuspecting honest hearted enquirers after truth. We have at this moment a case before us that is in point. An esteemed and dear friend who has long been held in captivity among the New School Baptists, has recently withdrawn from their communion, writes us that there is still one point of difference in which she cannot yet feel satisfied that the Old order of Baptists are right, and that is the point which we are now discussing; namely, that our pastors confine their addresses to the churches, or in other words, do not preach the gospel to sinners, and she refers us to the parable of the king's son as favoring her position, or as being in the way of her accepting the views supposed to be held by us.

       Without digression from the theme of this article, we will examine the objection to what is supposed to be our views, and the bearing of the parable upon the subject.

    First, we will correct a misapprehension of the position and practice of the ministers of our order. While we believe and preach the gospel, as Christ and his apostles did, wherever a door is open for that purpose, openly addressing our preaching to every one within the sound of our voice, the gospel which we preach discriminates between the living and the dead. It is a savor of life unto life, to those who are quickened by the Holy Ghost, and a savor of death unto death, to them that perish. It is "to the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness; but unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God." And if our preaching is not a savor of death unto death to the ungodly, and a stumbling block to the Jews, and foolishness to the Greeks, and if it be not a savor of life to the quickened, and if it be not to them that are called, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God, then it is not apostolic preaching. Who ever knew an Old School Baptist to refuse to preach the gospel to any but saints? We cannot search the hearts or try the reins of those to whom we preach; but the word which we preach makes the discrimination; for it is quick and powerful, sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart; neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight; but all things are naked and open unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. Hebrews 4:12,13. The gospel which we preach is good tidings to the meek; but if any part of our audience are not meek, it is not gospel, or good tidings to them. All who have an ear to hear, are more than welcome to hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. But if any have not hearing ears, the preachers cannot supply them; for the hearing ear and understanding heart are of the Lord. The Son of God alone has power to cause the dead to hear his voice and live; for the words which he speaks to them, they are spirit, and they are life. Therefore his sheep hear his voice, and he knows them, and they follow him; for he gives to them eternal life, and they shall never perish. He, and he alone has power over all flesh that he should give eternal life to as many as the Father has given him. All this the Old Baptists preach to every creature. But we do not give the children's bread to any but the children, nor do we give what belongs to the dogs to the children.

    But let us examine the parable of the marriage of the king's son. Matthew 22:1-14. Unto whom, and for what purpose was it spoken by our Lord, and why spoken in parable? The context will show that it was addressed to the Jews, including the Pharisees, who were so much enraged on hearing it, that they went and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk. See verse 15. As whatsoever God speaks is certain to secure the object for which it is spoken, see Isaiah 55:11. What was accomplished by this parable shows conclusively for what purpose it was spoken. And the reason why he spake to all but his saints in parables, is given in his own words to his disciples, in Luke 8:10. "And his disciples asked him, saying, What might this parable be?" Alluding to the parable of a sower, "And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God; but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand." We must reject Christ's own explanation of his reason for using parables, or admit that this parable was spoken expressly to discriminate between his disciples to whom was given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, and all others from whom that gift was withheld, and by the inscrutable purpose of God all but the disciples, in seeing should not see, and hearing should not understand. Instead of his parables being used to elucidate, illustrate, and make the mysteries of the kingdom of God clear and plain to the understanding of the ungodly, they were designed to make them the more obscure, that they might be a stumbling block to the Jews, and folly to the Greeks. "Therefore Jesus rejoiced in spirit, when he said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hidden these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father, for so it seemeth good in thy sight." Perhaps our esteemed friend will perceive that neither this nor any other parable, correctly understood, will sustain the position taken, that the address of the ministers of Christ should be indiscriminate. The same gospel preaching which elucidates the mysteries to the saints on whom the heavenly gift is bestowed, involves them in parabolic obscurity to all but such. Still the question may return, What does the parable mean? We have already shown that it was intended like all the parables to baffle the wisdom of the scribes, pharisees and work mongers of that and of all subsequent ages, and bring down their lofty imagination, humble the pride of man, and cause that none should glory, only in the Lord. It was nevertheless full of wholesome instruction to those to whom it was given to know the mysteries of the kingdom. The kingdom of God, which in this parable or similitude is compared to a king who made a marriage for his son, embraces Christ and his people in both the legal and then prospective dispensations. The marriage of the king's son represents the public espousal, and marriage of Christ and his bride, the church, which was then about to be consummated, according to prophecy. The oxen and fatlings, representing all the sacrifices under the law, had been killed, and the Bridegroom had come to redeem his bride from under the law, that she might be identified with him in his resurrection from the dead. The marriage festivities, or feast, was now about to be spread, in the opening of the gospel dispensation. The Jews, as a nation or people, had been notified and bidden to the marriage by the prophets, and they had professed to be anxiously awaiting the coming of the Bridegroom and announcement of the feast. "The law and the prophets were until John." John the Baptist had announced the advent of Christ as the Bridegroom, saying, "He that hath the bride, is the Bridegroom; but the friend of the Bridegroom rejoiceth because of the Bridegroom's voice: thus my joy is fulfilled." John's mission was to make ready a people prepared of the Lord. Seventy servants had been sent to announce to the commonwealth of Israel that the feast was prepared; but they were not ready to leave Judaism, nor had they any disposition to embrace Christianity. These servants had been forbidden to go with this proclamation to any but those Jews which had been bidden by the prophets. "Go ye not in the way of the Gentiles," nor into any city, even of the Samaritans were they not to enter, but to go exclusively to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. "But they made light of it." He came to his own, and his own received him not. He grew up among them as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground; he hath no form, nor comeliness; and when they saw him there was no beauty or attraction for them to desire him. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Isaiah 53:1-3. Again other servants, the apostles, were sent out, with the same charge to go only to the Jews which were bidden; but they made no serious matter of it; and they slew the servants. This was literally true of the disciples and apostles which were sent with this message to the Jews; they not only rejected their message, but put the messengers to death. All this preceded the wrath which was brought upon the Jewish nation, when nationally they were destroyed, and Jerusalem and other cities were terribly destroyed.

    Then said the king to his servants, or ministers: The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden, the carnal Israelites, were not worthy. The law could make nothing perfect. Their legal self-righteousness was but filthy rags, and would not answer for a wedding garment. They with all their filthy rags, or legal works, were now utterly rejected, and the decree of the king is published, that none of them which were bidden, or to whom the prophets had been sent, should taste of the supper, the gospel feast. And now the servants are sent forth to the Gentiles, who had not been bidden to the feast as were the Jews. Comparing the version of Luke 16 of this same parable with that of Matthew, we perceive that when those who were whole had declined the feast, the servants were instructed to gather from the streets and lanes of Jerusalem, or Israel, the poor, the maimed, the halt and the blind; quite a different description of guests; yet the very description to whom the gospel is good tidings; and of this description there were gathered by the apostles from the secluded lanes and streets of Israel all the original constituent members of the gospel organization. And the apostles reported to their Lord, saying, "It is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room." Poor, helpless, halt and blind sinners who felt their poverty, and had no works or merits of their own to plead, were gathered to the gospel feast; but those of that character called from the Jews did not exhaust the provisions of grace, and the gospel proclamation is by divine command extended to the high-way and hedges of the Gentile world. "Go ye," the ministers of the everlasting gospel, who had received a "Go ye" from their King, "and as many as ye shall find bid to the marriage." Certainly not as many of the self-righteous work-mongers, but as many as they should find of the character already gathered into the marriage, of the poor, lame, broken hearted, helpless and guilt-stricken; bid them welcome, in the name of the King to the marriage. But none others should partake of the feast, as we see how he fared who came in not having on the wedding garment. The broad phylacteries of self-righteous pharisees would not do; the guest must be clothed with garments of salvation, as sinners saved by grace alone, and covered with the robe of Christ's own righteousness, that is the wedding dress; and a profession of religion without it will avail nothing. All who come in without God's grace will be thrust out without his favor.

        Again, permit us to ask, What is there in this parable that can be justly construed to favor an indiscriminate address of the gospel ministry to all mankind?

        The work of the gospel ministry is very clearly and fully stated in the words of our risen Savior to the apostles immediately before he ascended to heaven. "And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth." This is a most vitally important introduction to their commission. If there are any sinners who have power to resist his will, or to secure their own salvation, or to prevent their own salvation, then all power in earth is not in him. If ministers have power to save souls, to quicken dead sinners, or to prevent their quickening and salvation, then there is power besides what is vested in him. Or if Theological Schools have power to prepare men for the gospel ministry, or Mission Boards have power to commission men to preach, then that power is not exclusively found in him. The fact is not only in itself important, but it is also important that all who are called by him to the work should know it; for it is upon this very therefore that they are commanded to go. Go ye therefore, or from this consideration. It does not allow the alternative, to them to tarry at home, and send somebody else. "Go ye therefore." And what? "Teach all nations." He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords, having all power in both worlds, has a right to send them over every state, territory, and division of the universe; and no king, potentate or ruler of the earth has any legitimate right to forbid, or throw impediments in their way. All nations. The command of Christ is no longer restricted to the Jews; now the middle wall of partition is taken down, and the messengers of Christ are commanded to go into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. For God has a people in every tribe and nation, and his gospel shall search and find them out, and call them out; baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. That is as was understood and practiced by the apostles, baptizing all who gladly receive the word, and who believe with all their heart on the Lord Jesus Christ. Thus by baptism adding them manifestively to the apostles, and to the apostolic church. "Teaching them." They need instruction, and Christ has by his supreme authority authorized this manner of instruction, by and through the diversified gifts which he has received for and given to them. But what are they to teach them? Not the arts and sciences of this world; for in the knowledge of them the ministers of Christ are generally quite limited themselves. But the orders of the King are very plain and definite. "Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you." No new lessons that Jesus has not commanded the apostles. No progression beyond the commands of Christ. Nothing that he has commanded may be omitted. Nothing that he has not commanded may be added. If any man shall add to the words of the book of this prophecy, or instruction, God shall add to him the plagues written in this book; and if any man shall take from the words of his instructions, he shall be expelled from the church of God, the communion of the saints, and from the privileges of the Holy City, New Jerusalem. But, "Blessed and happy are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. For without are dogs."

        We have been the more particular in showing what the gospel is, by whom, and to whom Christ has commanded it be preached, that not only our friend, but all who read may see that very much of what passes currently for gospel at our day, is but the teaching for doctrines the commandments and institutions of men, instead of the all things whatsoever Christ commanded his apostles to teach. In conclusion of this extended article we wish to add a few words in regard to the object and utility of the gospel ministry. The apostle, who is commanded to teach us, defines it thus: "Feed the flock of God, which he has purchased with his own blood." Jesus commanded Peter, saying, Feed my sheep, and feed my lambs. None but the flock of God can feed upon the gospel; none but they can live on every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. The beloved disciple and inspired apostle John says, "Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. They are of the world; therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. We are of God; he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error." I John 4:4-6. Finally, as the sun in the heavens can only be seen in its own light, so the light and glory of the everlasting gospel can only be discerned in its own divine radiance. Until God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, shines in our hearts, we cannot comprehend the light of the knowledge of the glory of God shining in the face of our Lord Jesus Christ.

This article is from "Signs of the Times," -February 15, 1869.

The Autobiography of Elder Gilbert Beebe

Gilbert Beebe  (1800 - 1881)

Founder, Editor:
Signs of The Times
1832-1881

Mr. Saluson: In fulfillment of my promise, I will state some of the most important incidents of my life. I was born in the town (now city) of Norwich, Connecticut on the 25^th day of November, 1800. At a very early period, and as far back as my memory extends, I was seriously impressed with a solemn conviction of my sinful and lost condition as a sinner, and of the necessity of being "born again," to qualify me to see the kingdom of God. When I think from my best remembrance of the date, I was made to hope and rejoice in God as my Savior, and to feel his love shed abroad in my heart. I think that at that tender age I was taught of God to know what no other being could teach me, that "Salvation is of the Lord." From that hour I have had no confidence in the power of men to effect or help in the least to effect the salvation of a sinner. In 1811 I was baptized by Elder John Sterry, and received as a member of the Baptist Church in Norwich. This was many years before the division of the Missionary or Fullerite Baptists from the Primitive order, and before any organized religious societies or institutions were known or tolerated in the Baptist denomination in our country.

In 1816, I came to the city of New York, and afterward became identified, by letter, with the Ebenezer Baptist Church, where I was called to exercise my gift, and was finally licensed to preach the gospel; this was about the year 1818. I then traveled in several states as an itinerant preacher, and supplied the Third Baptist Church in Baltimore three or four months in about 1821-22, but it suited my mind better to be traveling. I never failed to find places where I was well received, and without any support from missionary arrangement I was fully sustained, so that I could say as did the disciples whom Jesus sent out without purse or scrip, when they returned, that I had lacked nothing.

In 1823, February 4, I was married in the city of New York, and in the same year was ordained to the pastoral care of the Baptist Church of Ramapo, in Rockland County, N.Y., and continued with them until May, 1826, when I accepted a call to the pastorate of the Baptist Church in New Vernon, N.Y. This church was constituted about 1786, and my predecessor, Elder Benjamin Montanye, had served them as pastor thirty-three years. He died in December, 1825, and I succeeded him the following May. So it will be seen that this ancient church has been supplied for the last eighty-three (now eighty-eight) years by but two pastors. During the fifty years of my connection I spent the principal part of three years and a half in Alexandria, and Upper Broad Run, Va., and the Shiloh Church in Washington, D.C., but continued to visit New Vernon regularly during the time, and finally removed to New Vernon in April, 1840.

For about forty years I have also served the Middletown and Wallkill Church, in connection with my labors in and with New Vernon.

During the half century all the members of both churches have been called to their inheritance above with the exception of about four or five. The two churches contain a membership now of about one hundred and eighty, nearly all of whom have been gathered into the fold, besides many others who have been called away, since I have been with them.

The division, or separation, of the Missionary Baptists in these parts, from those of the old order, took place about forty years ago. I stand today rooted and grounded in the faith and order on which the whole Baptist denomination in our country stood when I united with them sixty-five years ago. I have found no occasion to depart from either the faith or order of the Church of God, as organized on the day of Pentecost. I cannot find by sixty-five years of careful and prayerful searching of the Scriptures that those primitive saints who gladly received the word at Pentecost and continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, had any religious organizations as auxiliaries to the Church of God, existing among them. No Mission Boards for converting the heathen or for evangelizing the world; no Sunday Schools as nurseries to the church; no schools of any kind for teaching theology or divinity, or for preparing young men for the ministry; no pious rehearsals of the "Melodies of Mother Goose" or "Jack Horner" or the "cow jumping over the moon," among the institutions of Christ or his apostles. I am content to be considered all of eighteen hundred and forty-three years behind the progressive religious doings of the more popular religionists of the present time. I have never been identified with, nor have I had any fellowship for any religious rites, forms, fashions, or customs which cannot be found in the laws of Christ, and practice of the apostles and primitive saints. I do not denounce those who differ with me in regard to these things; to their own masters they stand or fall; nor do I dispute that there are among them some of God’s quickened children; that is not my province. "The Lord knoweth them that are his," and he can bring them out of their idolatry in his own good time. But while I live I expect to protest solemnly, soberly, but not with unkind or malicious feelings, against their spiritual wickedness in high places.

The Signs of the Times, as you are aware, has been published by me nearly forty-four years. During all this time it has been devoted to the defense of what my eternal destiny rests upon as the truth as it is in Jesus. My warfare is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, and against the rulers of the darkness of this world.

My race is nearly run. I am now in the seventy-sixth year of my age. My voice will soon be silenced in death, my pen will pass into the hands of another, and I hope, abler writer, but the eternal truth for which I have so long contended will be lasting as the days of eternity. And when all the deceptive and luring doctrines and institutions of men shall be exposed, and all who have trusted in a refuge of lies shall bewail their folly and call for rocks and mountains to hide them from the face of him that sitteth upon the throne, and from the presence of the Lamb, those who know and love the truth shall in the truth rejoice for evermore.

Elder Gilbert Beebe.
Middletown, N.Y.
April, 1876.

https://www.mountainretreatorg.net/

ELDER GILBERT BEEBE

So far as we know, there has never been a book compiled, giving the essential facts of the Baptist separation in 1832. Such a work, if ever completed, would reveal that one certain man, more than any other, was instrumental in clarifying the issues, which resulted in the division; that man was Gilbert Beebe. With limited space in one quarterly, we can give only a few highlights of this minister's life and the cause in which his life labors played such a great part.

Those who identify themselves today with the Old School Baptists ought to have some knowledge of the cause for their origin. History shows, even in this short sketch, that the real issues in any given moment are soon forgotten, and those who follow after are ignorant of the original issues. If the few who do have some historical knowledge, it is usually in the letter only. They can and do parrot certain phrases and words which were used in the early controversies, but the understanding of what was involved is limited indeed, if not even perverted.

It is not possible to acquire the same "faith" of our fathers by merely reading their biographies or their sermons and statements of be. If we - the living - ever possess the faith possessed by the dead, we must receive it from the same source they received it, namely, from God alone. We must also experience for ourselves what they experienced, and "through much tribulation."

BLACK ROCK ADDRESS

The difference that developed in the churches over the modern innovations culminated in a formal break between the parties of the New School and Old School Baptists. This division was spelled out in a declaration called "The Black Rock Address." A meeting of "Particular Baptists" convened at Black Rock, Maryland, September 27, 1832.

In this famous address the issues were named and the reasons given for the action taken. The issues outlined were mainly, Tract Societies, Sunday Schools and Bible Societies, Mission Boards and societies, salaried ministry, theological schools, colleges or seminaries. Gilbert Beebe is credited with drafting the essentials of this address, which resounded through the churches throughout the United States.

At ten minutes before four o'clock p. m. on Monday, May 2, 1881, Elder Gilbert Beebe received his discharge and was called home to receive the crown laid up for those who have fought the good fight.

Elder Gilbert Beebe, at the time of his death, was the only surviving minister who was present at the notable convention at Black Rock, Md., in 1832, when the separation took place between the Missionary or New School and the Old School or Primitive Baptist churches. He oppose the innovations of the Missionary element at the gathering, and has ever since been the leading defender of the Old School Baptist cause. It was to further this cause that in the fall of 1832 he established at New Vernon the Signs of the Times, which was for many years the only organ of that faith.

AUTOBIOGRAPHY

Mr. Slauson, - in fulfillment of my promise, I will state some of the most important incidents of my life. I was born in the town (now city) of Norwich, Conn., on the 25th day of November, 1800. At a very early period, and as far back as my memory extends, I was seriously impressed with a solemn conviction of my sinful and lost condition as a sinner, and of the necessity of being "born again," to qualify me to see the kingdom of God. When, I think, from my best remembrance of the date, I was not more than seven or eight years old, I was made to hope and rejoice in God as my Savior, and to feel His love shed abroad in my heart. I think that at that tender age I was taught of God to know, what no other being could teach me, that "Salvation is of the Lord." From that hour I have had no confidence in the power of men to effect or help in the least to effect the salvation of a sinner. In 1811 I was baptized by Elder John Sterry, and received as a member of the Baptist Church in Norwich. This was many years before the division of the Missionary or Fullerite Baptists from the primitive order, and before any organized religious societies or institutions were known or tolerated in the Baptist denomination in our country.

In 1816 I came to the city of New York, and afterward became identified, by letter, with the Ebenezer Baptist Church, where I was called to exercise my gift, and was finally licensed to preach the gospel; this was about the year 1818. I then traveled in several States as an itinerant preacher, and supplied the Third Baptist Church in Baltimore three or four months in about 1821-2, but it suited my mind better to be traveling. I never failed to find places where I was well received, and without any support from missionary arrangement I was fully sustained, so that I could say as did the disciples whom Jesus sent out without purse or scrip, when they returned, that I had lacked nothing.

...The division, or separation of the Missionary Baptists in these parts, from those of the old order, took place about forty years ago. I stand today rooted and grounded in the faith and order on which the whole Baptist denomination in our country stood when united with them sixty-five years ago. I have found no occasion to depart from either the faith or order of the church of God, as organized on the day of Pentecost. I cannot find by sixty years of careful and prayerful searching of the Scriptures, that those primitive saints who gladly received the word at Pentecost and continued steadfastly in the Apostle's doctrine and fellowship, had any religious organizations or auxiliaries to the church of God, existing among them. No Mission Boards for converting the heathen or for evangelizing the world; no Sunday Schools as nurseries to the church; no schools of any kind for teaching theology or divinity, or for preparing young men for the ministry; no pious rehearsals of the "Melodies of Mother Goose" or "Jack Horner" or the "cow jumping over the moon," among the institutions of Christ or His apostles. I am content to be considered all of eighteen hundred and forty three years behind the progressive religious doings of the more popular religionists of the present time. I have never been identified with, nor have I had any fellowship for, any religious rites, forms, fashions or customs which cannot be found in the laws of Christ, and practice of the Apostles and primitive saints. I do not denounce those who differ with me in regard to these things; to their own masters they stand or fall; nor do I dispute that there are among them some of God's quickened children; that is not my province. "The Lord knoweth them that are His," and He can bring them out of their idolatry in His own good time. But while I live I expect to protest solemnly, soberly, but not with unkind or malicious feelings, against their spiritual wickedness in high places.

The Signs of the Times, as you are aware, has been published by me nearly forty-four years. During all this time it has been devoted to the defense of what my eternal destiny rests upon as the truth as it is in Jesus. My warfare is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, and against the rulers of the darkness of this world.

My race is nearly run. I am now in the seventy-sixth year of my age. My voice will soon be silenced in death, my pen will pass into the hands of another, and I hope abler writer, but the eternal truth for which I have so long contended will be lasting as the days of eternity. And when all the deceptive and luring doctrines and institutions of men shall be exposed, and all who have trusted in a refuge of les shall bewail their folly and call for rocks and mountains to hide them from the face of Him that sitteth upon the throne, and from the presence of the Lamb, those who know and love the truth shall in the truth rejoice forevermore.

- Gilbert Beebe
Middletown, N. Y., April, 1876

- From the brief autobiography of Gilbert Beebe, written at the request of Mr. Slauson, a newspaper editor, published after his death in the Signs of the Times, May 15, 1881. Also appears in Hassell's History, p. 934.

Elder Gilbert Beebe, of Middletown, N. Y., has had few equals, since the days of the apostles, in natural and spiritual abilities, in bold and faithful defense, both by tongue and pen, of great fundamental truths of the Scriptures, and in the extensiveness of his ministerial labors. During his long ministry of sixty-three years he is believed to have preached about 10,000 sermons and traveled about 200,000 miles - sent forth, not in the manner of the nineteenth century, by "Missionary Funds," but in the manner of the first century, by the God of grace and providence, who supplied all his necessities; thus exhibiting to this materialistic, unbelieving age, a life of divine faith and support.

-Statement by Sylvester Hassell in his Church history, p. 822.

Through its [Signs] columns Elder Beebe's vigorous intellect and ready pen controlled the thought of the church, and held the wavering steadfast to the bulwarks of the faith. It is impossible to over-estimate the extent and power of the influence that he exerted, and it is safe to say that this great power could have been in no safer hands, for he knew no other motive than the right, and trusted implicitly in God for light and guidance.

His life was wholly consecrated to his Master's service. He was interested in and cared for nothing but the cause of Christ. During all the years of his pastorate he preached without salary, and so thoroughly was he absorbed in his higher and more important duties that his business interest often suffered by neglect. The amount of work that he performed was prodigious. It is estimated that in his ministerial work he traveled at least ten thousand miles a year...For nearly fifty years he preached regularly twice, and often three time on every Sunday, and often during the week; and nearly fifty years of this time he was sole editor of the Signs, preparing for its columns an amount of original material greater than is published in any other religious paper. He complied a hymn book, the first edition of which was published in 1859, and which has commanded a sale of 30,000 copies.

-Excerpt from an editorial obituary in the Middletown Daily Press.

I have heard many eloquent men. But I regarded Elder Beebe when at his full liberty as the most eloquent speaker I ever heard. I have heard him when the power of his eloquence was so overwhelming that it seemed as though nothing could stand before it. It was not merely in manner and language. It was in depth and breadth and truthfulness of thought.

- Silas H. Durand

As we said of a statesman of the past generation, so I feel to say of him; He was such a man, take him all in all, as we ne'er shall look upon his like again. It has been my privilege to serve with him as a son with his father nearly thirty-four years. Truly a great man has fallen in Israel; and he fell at his post, still feeding the flock, and still valiant in battle for their defense.

- E. Rittenhouse

Following are a few excerpts which are typical of Gilbert Beebe's ability to discover the evil and refute the errors of the whole of the Arminian trend.

PREFACE TO EDITORIALS

From the earliest settlement of our country by the Puritans in New England, and the Church of England in the Southern colonies, whose religious supremacy was established by law in their several localities, the Baptists, and indeed all other dissenting orders, suffered great oppositions by proscription and oppression from the dominant parties. The Baptists, perhaps, more than any other, were violently treated, and suffered the most cruel persecution. Disfranchisement as citizens, fines, confiscation of property, incarceration in prisons, and banishment for nonconformity, to which was added corporal punishments, public whippings at the stock, cropping of ears, boring their tongues through with hot irons, tying their heads and feet together, and torturing them in the most barbarous manner for days and nights, and in many cases they were put to death for their persistent and inflexible adherence to the faith and order of the gospel by which they were distinguished from all other orders. In those days of trial there were no worldly inducements offered to attract the worldly-minded to connect themselves with our churches, and there was harmony of sentiment and uniformity of practice among the Baptist churches throughout the whole breadth of our country.

When the violence of persecution began to abate, and by the interposition of the British Crown, and subsequently by the prevalence of more liberal views which were entertained by the patriots of the Revolution, the powers of the Puritans in the East, and of the Episcopalians in the South were so far curtailed as to prevent further corporal severities; still for many years after the establishment of our federal and state governments, the Puritans of the New England States were patronized by their state legislatures, and allowed to collect parish taxes from all within their parish limits. Afterwards dissenters, by procuring certificates from religious denominations to which they belonged, certifying that they were paying to their own respective orders, were released from the burden of parish taxes, and finally the whole legal distinction in favor of the Puritans was abolished. Under all the trials and persecutions thus far experienced, the Baptists were a humble, meek, loving and harmoniously united people throughout our country. But as soon as this oppressive yoke was broken, Satan was ready with other elements of discord to bring trouble and divisions into our churches.

No sooner were the Baptists of America relieved from the galling yoke of Puritanic and Episcopalian priestcraft than the doctrines of Andrew Fuller were introduced with the professed design to raise up the Baptists from the dung-hill, to rank respectably with other religious denominations. All who were inclined to the doctrine of Arminianism, with many others who had been led but sparingly into an understanding of the cardinal doctrine of salvation alone by grace, were ready to embrace the plausible and deceptive views of Fuller, and became at once ambitious for the promised elevation. At this period, which is still fresh in the recollection of the editor of the Signs of the Times, there was not known among the Baptists of America a single organized institution in connection or under the patronage of the Baptists. Theological seminaries on a very small scale then began to be talked of, and a small school of this kind was started in Philadelphia, under the direction of Dr. Staughton, to give some grammar lessons to a few illiterate preachers, and soon a college was founded in Washington City, and another educational and theological institution at Hamilton, N. Y., and similar schools began to spring up in various directions. Simultaneously with these, missionary enterprises were set on foot, both domestic and foreign, and Sabbath schools and Sabbath school unions, in which various anti-Christian denominations were recognized as hand and glove with Baptists in building up these unscriptural nurseries for the church, as they were modestly called. Then followed the Bible Societies, to give a semblance of piety to the whole system of religious machinery, followed in turn by Tract Societies, Temperance Societies, Mite Societies, Magdalene Societies, and a host of other equally unscriptural institutions under the name of Benevolence and Religion, until, to bring up the rear, the Abolition Society which had for a time been struggling into life and power under the patronage of a few New England fanatics, was with due ceremony let in and adopted as a pet institution.

While these innovations were being made upon the faith and order of the Baptists, true enough, the Baptists began to rise, according to the prediction of Andrew Fuller, and soon came to be regarded as unsound and as a respectable as any other of the worldly churches of this degenerate age. The Baptists were now no longer obliged to pray the Lord of the harvest to furnish preachers; they could supply themselves with a more refined and educated class from their own schools. Converts could now be made to order, and the churches supplied with members from their nurseries and other institutions. Their machinery was no so complete that grace was no longer needed to make their members orderly; for they were supplied with societies to keep them sober and benevolent; and if perchance many of them should lose their piety, their machinery was so ingeniously geared that they could run through again, and re-converted and re-constructed as often as might be thought advisable.

It was during the prevalence of these abominations that the Signs of the Times was commenced. The new order of Baptists had many religious newspapers in the field, which without an exception advocated these institutions named in the foregoing, and the general impression was entertained that there were no churches or preachers left that had not enlisted in this new enterprise for worldly popularity and respectability. A few were found here and there, isolated and despised, who sighed and groaned on account of the prevailing abominations. Yet few as there were, and far between, we were denounced violently as illiberal, inert, slothful, behind the spirit of a progressive age, and enemies to the spread of the gospel, and opposed to all that is good.

Feeling deeply the need of a medium of correspondence, and excluded from the columns of the so-called Baptist papers, after much deliberation it was concluded to attempt to make ourselves a paper devoted to the case of truth, and through which we could enter our solemn protest against all the innovations, new theories and new institutions which, under the name of Baptists, had so greatly prevailed.

- From Introductory Preface to Gilbert Beebe's Editorials, 1868

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY AND CHURCH CREEDS

Since the Apostles of the Lamb have finished their course with us in the flesh, no history of the church of God should be allowed to lure us from the doctrine which they taught, the judgments they have recorded, the ordinances they have enjoined; nothing is to be added nor aught diminished from the perfect standard of faith and order they established, which is confirmed by all the valid authority of earth and heaven. What they have bound on earth is bound in heaved, and what they have loosed on earth is loosed in heaven. The question with us now is not or should not be, What was believed or practiced in the church one hundred or a thousand years ago? but, rather, What was the faith which was once delivered to the saints? We are not now to ask, Are our ministers by succession or ordination, through the dark ages of papal abominations, traceable to the apostles? but rather let it be asked, Are they such men as the Holy Ghost commanded the church to separate to the work whereunto He had called them?

...Not even in the history of the first century of the gospel church are we to look for a perfect rule for our faith and practice as disciples of our Saviour Jesus Christ; for while the apostles were still in the flesh, carnality was detected in the church at Corinth, heresy and witchcraft in the churches of Galatia, and dissensions at Antioch; and in the days of the Apostle John there were many antichrists which went out from the church because they were not of them. And Paul, Peter and Jude admonished the saints that many should depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils. And even of the Elders who wept and feel on Paul's neck, because he had told them they should see his face no more, should men arise and speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. The primitive saints could only abide in the Apostles' fellowship as they continued steadfastly in their doctrine; they were allowed to follow no man only so far as they followed Christ. Can it then be safe for us to accept the usages or traditions of the church, or of any organization claiming to be the church, as a standard of faith or rule of practice, which have existed since the time the Apostles were in the flesh? If in the days of their sojourn on earth no church was perfectly free from defect, at what period from that to present time have any of the churches surpassed the primitive churches in purity? We have a more sure guide and directory. The doctrine, examples and precepts of God, alone are reliable. To them only are we exhorted to give heed, as unto a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns, and the day star arise in our hearts.

-Extracts from an Editorial on Ecclesiastical History and Church Creeds, Signs of the Times, August 15, 1881. This was also the last editorial written by Gilbert Beebe. It appears on page 937 in Hassell's Church History.

We readily admit our opposition to the present system of Bible Societies as religious institutions for the conversion of the world; but we are so far from being opposed to the gratuitous circulation of the Bible, (without note or comment), that in the preceding number we have offered to supply a whole country at our own expense. We are opposed to Tract Societies, and we are ready to give reason of our opposition; but we are not opposed to the circulation of the Bible truth in pamphlet, tract, newspaper, or any other form, gratuitously or otherwise.

We oppose such mission societies as are independent of the church of God, which we hold to be the only divinely authorized religious society upon earth; but we have, through the columns of a former number of this paper, offered to support the Lord's ministers or missionaries to the utmost of our ability, even to the dividing of our last loaf with such of them as go out without purse or scrip, relying upon the sure mercies of David, without waiting to get the Lord's promise endorsed by a Mission Board. We feel disposed to let such as have hired themselves out to Missionary Boards stand or fall to their own master, knowing that his servants they are, to whom they yield themselves to obey. We consider all that a kind Providence has put into our possession belongs to the Lord, and as His steward we are ready to deal it out to His servants according to His word....

- Editorial Remarks, April 10, 1833

How astonishingly rapid is the advancement of priestcraft and clerical power among the Baptists of the present day. Never, until the present, has anti-Christ appeared so conspicuously to flourish under the Baptist name. Never, until the present, have the saints so fully and fearfully realized the apostolic prediction, "Even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways, by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they, with feigned words, make merchandise of you; whose judgment now a long time lingereth not." (2 Peter 2:1, 3) Can it be doubted that these men who assume to be teachers, divinely authorized to teach young men the science of preaching, and the arts of modern machinery, are pointed out by the apostle as false teachers? Or who can doubt that these are teaching damnable heresies, who in the second of the above resolutions are teaching that "it is the duty of every disciple of Christ to make temporal sacrifice to promote the eternal salvation of men!" This sentiment, glaring as it is, is set down as a given point with them, and seems to be the very ground and pillar of their faith; remove this pillar and down their entire system must fall.

Now if it be the duty of the disciples of Christ to promote, or aid Jehovah in the eternal salvation of men, we ask, On what page in the Bible is the obligation recorded? Or in what respect, or respects is God deficient that we should need the aid of His saints in the promotion of eternal salvation of men? Will the diviners of the Ministerial Conference inform us what proportion of eternal salvation is of works, and what of grace? How much depends on the saints, and how much the Lord intends to do Himself? Should those learned sages condescend to answer our enquiries, they will please to recollect that we have been in the habit of believing that the eternal salvation of me, i.e., all that God ever designed to save, was beyond the reach of being promoted by our temporal sacrifices.

We read that God "hath saved us and called us with an holy calling; not according to works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus (before the world began)." Hence it appears to be quite too late for us to promote that which was accomplished before the world began. We would have them inform us to whom these temporal sacrifices are to be made? They cannot be of God, for He is full of burnt offerings; and "sacrifices and offerings He would not, " says the Lamb of God, "because He has no pleasure in them." He also said, "Go ye and learn what this meaneth, I will have mercy and not sacrifice." Hence it cannot be our duty to disobey God, and offer sacrifices to him in violation of His express command.

Is it then divine justice that calls for temporal sacrifices to promote eternal salvation? If so, how much must be added to the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ, which through the eternal Spirit He offered up to God, in order to secure the eternal salvation of the elect? But should we be told that the sacrifice of our Lord secured the eternal salvation of the elect, and that He by one offering or sacrifice (not temporal) hath forever perfected them that are sanctified. Heb. 10:14. We would ask those knowing ones of Hamilton Theological Seminary how many of the non-elect can be eternally saved by the offering of temporal sacrifices? Again, since it is written, "There remaineth no more sacrifice for sin."

For what are these temporal sacrifices to be made? And how are they to promote the eternal salvation of men? If the eternal salvation of man may be promoted by our temporal sacrifices, surely the cattle upon a thousand hills would be a glorious offering, and ten thousand rivers of oil would be an offering of great magnitude. But perhaps these ministers will say we have mistaken their design, and misinterpreted their sayings, and that their object is only to awaken the saints to a sense of their duty touching the temporal concerns of the church. If this be all, why tell them to make temporal sacrifices "for the promotion of the eternal salvation of men?"

Is salvation of the Lord? And if it is, can that eternal salvation which is of the Lord be promoted by men? And if it can, why did the apostle say, "By grace are ye saved, through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not of works, lest any man should boast," etc. (Eph. 2)

- Editorial Remarks on the Ministerial Conference, Sept. 25, 1833

HOLY ALLIANCE

Under the above head, the editor of the Repository - has informed his readers that there exists an alliance between God and His people, and that God has laid aside that power which works without means, and has devolved upon His people a course of duty, etc. This doctrine of "Holy Alliance" has been preached before. But that God has laid aside His divine omnipotence, or that "power which works without means," and has substituted in the room thereof the duty of His people or allies, is truly astonishing; but we are told that this change in the immutable God is intended for a glorious and magnificent purpose - nothing less than the conversion of the world. How astonishing! that the immutable God should at this late hour undertake the conversion of the whole world, when a portion of them are already suffering the vengeance of eternal fire; and still more strange, that just as He is about to commence this new enterprise He should dispense with His omnipotence, immutability and truth, laying aside the former, and violating the two latter, in order to give the mighty creature man an opportunity to help his God. This doctrine is as new as it is strange, and as strange as it is false and blasphemous. He further tells us that God has said to His people, "Occupy till I come; Go preach the gospel to every creature; I send you not alone, you are an ally, and lo, I am with you always; and while you are preaching and praying, My grace shall be sufficient to sustain you, and My Spirit shall give efficacy to the word of salvation. In what part of the Bible, or by what manner of revelation he has collected his authority for this doctrine, he has not informed us.

The words, "Occupy till I come," are a part of one of our Lord's parables. But this scripture no more implies the doctrine of the "Holy Alliance" than the commission given to the apostles by our Lord Jesus Christ, "Co preach the gospel," etc. applies to all the people of God indiscriminately. The words, "You are an ally," and "while you work, I will work," are not recorded in the volume of truth; but they have been added to the words of prophecy of God's holy book, in all probability by him of whom it is written, God will add unto him the plagues that are written in the book. (Rev. 22:18)

From an editorial on the subject of "Holy Alliance" by Gilbert Beebe, April 10, 1833.

"The wind bloweth where it listeth," in spite of all the exertions of a means-using generation; it is sovereign in its course; none can change it, nor effectually resist it. Who will dare say that the natural wind is more powerful or more sovereign than the Holy Ghost? The Holy Ghost has listed in the work of quickening all the elect of God. 'It is the Spirit that quickeneth," etc. Not all the power that can be, can alter the course of the divine Spirit from the elect of God to the reprobate part of mankind. As it has listed, so it does, and so it will continue to quicken every one that is born of the Spirit, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.

Again, the Spirit in this work is sovereign, as it relates to the individual on whom it operates. He speaks the word, and it stands fast; He commands and it is done. Not as some would blasphemously represent the Spirit, in the attitude of a beggar, or a supplicant before the sinner's heart, wooing, beseeching, and striving to get the sinner's consent, and in many, or in any ease, getting discouraged and abandoning the undertaking. Would this be blowing where it listed? Surely not. They can possess no adequate idea of the Spirit, or of its work, who suppose that the number of the quickened shall be in proportion to the amount of means employed by mankind, or that protracted meetings, anxious benches, submission chairs, benevolent religious societies, (so-called), or any other human inventions can change the sovereign course of the eternal Spirit from any of those on whom it has listed, or engaged to apply the atoning blood of Jesus experimentally, or add one to the number of those originally "ordained to eternal life"; "predestinated to the adoption of children by Jesus Christ unto Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will." If, then, we admit the sovereignty of the work of the Holy Ghost in the new birth, why talk about the use of means to produce it? If it depends upon the performance of conditions, or the use of means on our part, theme the Holy Ghost ceases to be a sovereign in the work, and all must turn at last upon the pivot of works, and our Bible must be forced to read, It is of him that willeth, and of him that runneth, and not of God that sheweth mercy. Could anything be more absurd?

Editorial on the New Birth, Sept. 11, 1833.

A NEW TRANSLATION

Forasmuch as the world is making rapid progress in arts and sciences, and the old-fashioned doctrine of the cross is left so far in the background, and as the style, and more particularly the principles, of the Old and New Testaments are so poor and vague, and so illy suited to the refined taste and feelings of this enlightened generation, and as there is noticing recorded in that book in support of the doctrine and practice peculiar to the present day, and as the ambitious and learned of our age are put to great inconvenience from time to time to prove that they are of God, or employed in His service, and as we cannot reasonably expect that the learned, wealthy and great men of this world will be willing to embrace the religion of Him who was meek and lowly in its present form. Therefore we have been led to suggest a few alterations and perversion of that holy book; which would, in our opinion, greatly subserve the cause of those who lie in wait to deceive.

BOOK OF PERVERSIONS, Chapter 1

1.   Be ye conformed to the world, and be ye not transformed

2.   If the light that be in you came from Theological Seminaries, how great is that light!

3.   Go ye into all the world and beg money; he that believeth on you and giveth liberally shall have his charity sounded far abroad in the newspapers.

4.   Say ye to him that giveth current money, It shall be well with him; but woe to him that giveth not; call him an Antinomian, a covetous fellow, a publican and a sinner.

5.   Go ye into all the world and establish Sunday Schools; and in them mould the minds of the children to your views, and so prepare them for the polls of your country, that succeeding generations may be provided with rulers, from the President down to the past-master, whose religious characters have been formed in your Sunday Schools; and then verily you shall have your reward.

6.   Go ye into all the world and circulate tracts, and take up collections for the support of Tract Societies, and so enable the officers and agents of that institution to fare sumptuously every day.

7.   Go ye into all the world and plead for the Missionary cause But when ye go, take with you purse and scrip, and many coats, and splendid outfits, with men servants, and maid servants, and horses, and chariots and plenty of money.

8.   Say ye unto the people, The race is unto the swift, and the battle is unto the Strong.

9.   Tell them the Lord's temple must be built by might, and by strength, and by the use of means, and not by the Spirit of the Lord.

10.   Tell them that the want of money is the root of all evil; and that the heathen may be evangelized and saved for three dollars each.

11.   Say unto them, Ye are redeemed with such corruptible things as silver and gold.

12.   It is of him that willeth and him that runneth. For the Missionary Societies have willed, and their hirelings have run; and it is not of Him that sheweth mercy.

13.   Receive ye honor of one another. Be ye called Rabbi, Doctor of Divinity, Master of Arts, Reverends, Presidents, Vice-Presidents, Secretaries, Treasurers, Agents and by all flattering titles; for the laborer is worthy of his hire.

14.   And when there cometh into your assemblies one who is rich, with costly apparel, say unto him, Come up hither; peradventure he will give you of his abundance. But if a poor man come in, tell him to sit down there on your footstool.

15.   Be ye active in forming all manner of societies, in the name of religion; and sell ye birthrights for money and for price.

16.   Tell the people (and make them believe it if you can), that you have charge of the Lord's treasury, and that He has sent you to collect funds for Him; and that He is at present greatly straitened for want of cash to carry on His purposes.

17.   And when you get the people's money, in the Lord's name, be ye mindful and divide it among yourselves; for ye must have your reward.

18.   True religion, and undefiled before men like yourselves, is to visit the widow and fatherless, and to extort from them the last farthing they possesses, and then make your boast of it in public prints; so shall ye glory in your shame.

Editorial by Gilbert Beebe, Oct. 9, 1833.

ELDER GILBERT BEEBE

So far as we know, there has never been a book compiled, giving the essential facts of the Baptist separation in 1832. Such a work, if ever completed, would reveal that one certain man, more than any other, was instrumental in clarifying the issues, which resulted in the division; that man was Gilbert Beebe. With limited space in one quarterly, we can give only a few highlights of this minister's life and the cause in which his life labors played such a great part.

Those who identify themselves today with the Old School Baptists ought to have some knowledge of the cause for their origin. History shows, even in this short sketch, that the real issues in any given moment are soon forgotten, and those who follow after are ignorant of the original issues. If the few who do have some historical knowledge, it is usually in the letter only. They can and do parrot certain phrases and words which were used in the early controversies, but the understanding of what was involved is limited indeed, if not even perverted.

It is not possible to acquire the same "faith" of our fathers by merely reading their biographies or their sermons and statements of be. If we - the living - ever possess the faith possessed by the dead, we must receive it from the same source they received it, namely, from God alone. We must also experience for ourselves what they experienced, and "through much tribulation."

BLACK ROCK ADDRESS

The difference that developed in the churches over the modern innovations culminated in a formal break between the parties of the New School and Old School Baptists. This division was spelled out in a declaration called "The Black Rock Address." A meeting of "Particular Baptists" convened at Black Rock, Maryland, September 27, 1832.

In this famous address the issues were named and the reasons given for the action taken. The issues outlined were mainly, Tract Societies, Sunday Schools and Bible Societies, Mission Boards and societies, salaried ministry, theological schools, colleges or seminaries. Gilbert Beebe is credited with drafting the essentials of this address, which resounded through the churches throughout the United States.

At ten minutes before four o'clock p. m. on Monday, May 2, 1881, Elder Gilbert Beebe received his discharge and was called home to receive the crown laid up for those who have fought the good fight.

Elder Gilbert Beebe, at the time of his death, was the only surviving minister who was present at the notable convention at Black Rock, Md., in 1832, when the separation took place between the Missionary or New School and the Old School or Primitive Baptist churches. He oppose the innovations of the Missionary element at the gathering, and has ever since been the leading defender of the Old School Baptist cause. It was to further this cause that in the fall of 1832 he established at New Vernon the Signs of the Times, which was for many years the only organ of that faith.

AUTOBIOGRAPHY

Mr. Slauson, - in fulfillment of my promise, I will state some of the most important incidents of my life. I was born in the town (now city) of Norwich, Conn., on the 25th day of November, 1800. At a very early period, and as far back as my memory extends, I was seriously impressed with a solemn conviction of my sinful and lost condition as a sinner, and of the necessity of being "born again," to qualify me to see the kingdom of God. When, I think, from my best remembrance of the date, I was not more than seven or eight years old, I was made to hope and rejoice in God as my Savior, and to feel His love shed abroad in my heart. I think that at that tender age I was taught of God to know, what no other being could teach me, that "Salvation is of the Lord." From that hour I have had no confidence in the power of men to effect or help in the least to effect the salvation of a sinner. In 1811 I was baptized by Elder John Sterry, and received as a member of the Baptist Church in Norwich. This was many years before the division of the Missionary or Fullerite Baptists from the primitive order, and before any organized religious societies or institutions were known or tolerated in the Baptist denomination in our country.

In 1816 I came to the city of New York, and afterward became identified, by letter, with the Ebenezer Baptist Church, where I was called to exercise my gift, and was finally licensed to preach the gospel; this was about the year 1818. I then traveled in several States as an itinerant preacher, and supplied the Third Baptist Church in Baltimore three or four months in about 1821-2, but it suited my mind better to be traveling. I never failed to find places where I was well received, and without any support from missionary arrangement I was fully sustained, so that I could say as did the disciples whom Jesus sent out without purse or scrip, when they returned, that I had lacked nothing.

...The division, or separation of the Missionary Baptists in these parts, from those of the old order, took place about forty years ago. I stand today rooted and grounded in the faith and order on which the whole Baptist denomination in our country stood when united with them sixty-five years ago. I have found no occasion to depart from either the faith or order of the church of God, as organized on the day of Pentecost. I cannot find by sixty years of careful and prayerful searching of the Scriptures, that those primitive saints who gladly received the word at Pentecost and continued steadfastly in the Apostle's doctrine and fellowship, had any religious organizations or auxiliaries to the church of God, existing among them. No Mission Boards for converting the heathen or for evangelizing the world; no Sunday Schools as nurseries to the church; no schools of any kind for teaching theology or divinity, or for preparing young men for the ministry; no pious rehearsals of the "Melodies of Mother Goose" or "Jack Horner" or the "cow jumping over the moon," among the institutions of Christ or His apostles. I am content to be considered all of eighteen hundred and forty three years behind the progressive religious doings of the more popular religionists of the present time. I have never been identified with, nor have I had any fellowship for, any religious rites, forms, fashions or customs which cannot be found in the laws of Christ, and practice of the Apostles and primitive saints. I do not denounce those who differ with me in regard to these things; to their own masters they stand or fall; nor do I dispute that there are among them some of God's quickened children; that is not my province. "The Lord knoweth them that are His," and He can bring them out of their idolatry in His own good time. But while I live I expect to protest solemnly, soberly, but not with unkind or malicious feelings, against their spiritual wickedness in high places.

The Signs of the Times, as you are aware, has been published by me nearly forty-four years. During all this time it has been devoted to the defense of what my eternal destiny rests upon as the truth as it is in Jesus. My warfare is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, and against the rulers of the darkness of this world.

My race is nearly run. I am now in the seventy-sixth year of my age. My voice will soon be silenced in death, my pen will pass into the hands of another, and I hope abler writer, but the eternal truth for which I have so long contended will be lasting as the days of eternity. And when all the deceptive and luring doctrines and institutions of men shall be exposed, and all who have trusted in a refuge of les shall bewail their folly and call for rocks and mountains to hide them from the face of Him that sitteth upon the throne, and from the presence of the Lamb, those who know and love the truth shall in the truth rejoice forevermore.

- Gilbert Beebe
Middletown, N. Y., April, 1876

- From the brief autobiography of Gilbert Beebe, written at the request of Mr. Slauson, a newspaper editor, published after his death in the Signs of the Times, May 15, 1881. Also appears in Hassell's History, p. 934.

Elder Gilbert Beebe, of Middletown, N. Y., has had few equals, since the days of the apostles, in natural and spiritual abilities, in bold and faithful defense, both by tongue and pen, of great fundamental truths of the Scriptures, and in the extensiveness of his ministerial labors. During his long ministry of sixty-three years he is believed to have preached about 10,000 sermons and traveled about 200,000 miles - sent forth, not in the manner of the nineteenth century, by "Missionary Funds," but in the manner of the first century, by the God of grace and providence, who supplied all his necessities; thus exhibiting to this materialistic, unbelieving age, a life of divine faith and support.

-Statement by Sylvester Hassell in his Church history, p. 822.

Through its [Signs] columns Elder Beebe's vigorous intellect and ready pen controlled the thought of the church, and held the wavering steadfast to the bulwarks of the faith. It is impossible to over-estimate the extent and power of the influence that he exerted, and it is safe to say that this great power could have been in no safer hands, for he knew no other motive than the right, and trusted implicitly in God for light and guidance.

His life was wholly consecrated to his Master's service. He was interested in and cared for nothing but the cause of Christ. During all the years of his pastorate he preached without salary, and so thoroughly was he absorbed in his higher and more important duties that his business interest often suffered by neglect. The amount of work that he performed was prodigious. It is estimated that in his ministerial work he traveled at least ten thousand miles a year...For nearly fifty years he preached regularly twice, and often three time on every Sunday, and often during the week; and nearly fifty years of this time he was sole editor of the Signs, preparing for its columns an amount of original material greater than is published in any other religious paper. He complied a hymn book, the first edition of which was published in 1859, and which has commanded a sale of 30,000 copies.

-Excerpt from an editorial obituary in the Middletown Daily Press.

I have heard many eloquent men. But I regarded Elder Beebe when at his full liberty as the most eloquent speaker I ever heard. I have heard him when the power of his eloquence was so overwhelming that it seemed as though nothing could stand before it. It was not merely in manner and language. It was in depth and breadth and truthfulness of thought.

- Silas H. Durand

As we said of a statesman of the past generation, so I feel to say of him; He was such a man, take him all in all, as we ne'er shall look upon his like again. It has been my privilege to serve with him as a son with his father nearly thirty-four years. Truly a great man has fallen in Israel; and he fell at his post, still feeding the flock, and still valiant in battle for their defense.

- E. Rittenhouse

Following are a few excerpts which are typical of Gilbert Beebe's ability to discover the evil and refute the errors of the whole of the Arminian trend.

PREFACE TO EDITORIALS

From the earliest settlement of our country by the Puritans in New England, and the Church of England in the Southern colonies, whose religious supremacy was established by law in their several localities, the Baptists, and indeed all other dissenting orders, suffered great oppositions by proscription and oppression from the dominant parties. The Baptists, perhaps, more than any other, were violently treated, and suffered the most cruel persecution. Disfranchisement as citizens, fines, confiscation of property, incarceration in prisons, and banishment for nonconformity, to which was added corporal punishments, public whippings at the stock, cropping of ears, boring their tongues through with hot irons, tying their heads and feet together, and torturing them in the most barbarous manner for days and nights, and in many cases they were put to death for their persistent and inflexible adherence to the faith and order of the gospel by which they were distinguished from all other orders. In those days of trial there were no worldly inducements offered to attract the worldly-minded to connect themselves with our churches, and there was harmony of sentiment and uniformity of practice among the Baptist churches throughout the whole breadth of our country.

When the violence of persecution began to abate, and by the interposition of the British Crown, and subsequently by the prevalence of more liberal views which were entertained by the patriots of the Revolution, the powers of the Puritans in the East, and of the Episcopalians in the South were so far curtailed as to prevent further corporal severities; still for many years after the establishment of our federal and state governments, the Puritans of the New England States were patronized by their state legislatures, and allowed to collect parish taxes from all within their parish limits. Afterwards dissenters, by procuring certificates from religious denominations to which they belonged, certifying that they were paying to their own respective orders, were released from the burden of parish taxes, and finally the whole legal distinction in favor of the Puritans was abolished. Under all the trials and persecutions thus far experienced, the Baptists were a humble, meek, loving and harmoniously united people throughout our country. But as soon as this oppressive yoke was broken, Satan was ready with other elements of discord to bring trouble and divisions into our churches.

No sooner were the Baptists of America relieved from the galling yoke of Puritanic and Episcopalian priestcraft than the doctrines of Andrew Fuller were introduced with the professed design to raise up the Baptists from the dung-hill, to rank respectably with other religious denominations. All who were inclined to the doctrine of Arminianism, with many others who had been led but sparingly into an understanding of the cardinal doctrine of salvation alone by grace, were ready to embrace the plausible and deceptive views of Fuller, and became at once ambitious for the promised elevation. At this period, which is still fresh in the recollection of the editor of the Signs of the Times, there was not known among the Baptists of America a single organized institution in connection or under the patronage of the Baptists. Theological seminaries on a very small scale then began to be talked of, and a small school of this kind was started in Philadelphia, under the direction of Dr. Staughton, to give some grammar lessons to a few illiterate preachers, and soon a college was founded in Washington City, and another educational and theological institution at Hamilton, N. Y., and similar schools began to spring up in various directions. Simultaneously with these, missionary enterprises were set on foot, both domestic and foreign, and Sabbath schools and Sabbath school unions, in which various anti-Christian denominations were recognized as hand and glove with Baptists in building up these unscriptural nurseries for the church, as they were modestly called. Then followed the Bible Societies, to give a semblance of piety to the whole system of religious machinery, followed in turn by Tract Societies, Temperance Societies, Mite Societies, Magdalene Societies, and a host of other equally unscriptural institutions under the name of Benevolence and Religion, until, to bring up the rear, the Abolition Society which had for a time been struggling into life and power under the patronage of a few New England fanatics, was with due ceremony let in and adopted as a pet institution.

While these innovations were being made upon the faith and order of the Baptists, true enough, the Baptists began to rise, according to the prediction of Andrew Fuller, and soon came to be regarded as unsound and as a respectable as any other of the worldly churches of this degenerate age. The Baptists were now no longer obliged to pray the Lord of the harvest to furnish preachers; they could supply themselves with a more refined and educated class from their own schools. Converts could now be made to order, and the churches supplied with members from their nurseries and other institutions. Their machinery was no so complete that grace was no longer needed to make their members orderly; for they were supplied with societies to keep them sober and benevolent; and if perchance many of them should lose their piety, their machinery was so ingeniously geared that they could run through again, and re-converted and re-constructed as often as might be thought advisable.

It was during the prevalence of these abominations that the Signs of the Times was commenced. The new order of Baptists had many religious newspapers in the field, which without an exception advocated these institutions named in the foregoing, and the general impression was entertained that there were no churches or preachers left that had not enlisted in this new enterprise for worldly popularity and respectability. A few were found here and there, isolated and despised, who sighed and groaned on account of the prevailing abominations. Yet few as there were, and far between, we were denounced violently as illiberal, inert, slothful, behind the spirit of a progressive age, and enemies to the spread of the gospel, and opposed to all that is good.

Feeling deeply the need of a medium of correspondence, and excluded from the columns of the so-called Baptist papers, after much deliberation it was concluded to attempt to make ourselves a paper devoted to the case of truth, and through which we could enter our solemn protest against all the innovations, new theories and new institutions which, under the name of Baptists, had so greatly prevailed.

- From Introductory Preface to Gilbert Beebe's Editorials, 1868

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY AND CHURCH CREEDS

Since the Apostles of the Lamb have finished their course with us in the flesh, no history of the church of God should be allowed to lure us from the doctrine which they taught, the judgments they have recorded, the ordinances they have enjoined; nothing is to be added nor aught diminished from the perfect standard of faith and order they established, which is confirmed by all the valid authority of earth and heaven. What they have bound on earth is bound in heaved, and what they have loosed on earth is loosed in heaven. The question with us now is not or should not be, What was believed or practiced in the church one hundred or a thousand years ago? but, rather, What was the faith which was once delivered to the saints? We are not now to ask, Are our ministers by succession or ordination, through the dark ages of papal abominations, traceable to the apostles? but rather let it be asked, Are they such men as the Holy Ghost commanded the church to separate to the work whereunto He had called them?

...Not even in the history of the first century of the gospel church are we to look for a perfect rule for our faith and practice as disciples of our Saviour Jesus Christ; for while the apostles were still in the flesh, carnality was detected in the church at Corinth, heresy and witchcraft in the churches of Galatia, and dissensions at Antioch; and in the days of the Apostle John there were many antichrists which went out from the church because they were not of them. And Paul, Peter and Jude admonished the saints that many should depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils. And even of the Elders who wept and feel on Paul's neck, because he had told them they should see his face no more, should men arise and speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. The primitive saints could only abide in the Apostles' fellowship as they continued steadfastly in their doctrine; they were allowed to follow no man only so far as they followed Christ. Can it then be safe for us to accept the usages or traditions of the church, or of any organization claiming to be the church, as a standard of faith or rule of practice, which have existed since the time the Apostles were in the flesh? If in the days of their sojourn on earth no church was perfectly free from defect, at what period from that to present time have any of the churches surpassed the primitive churches in purity? We have a more sure guide and directory. The doctrine, examples and precepts of God, alone are reliable. To them only are we exhorted to give heed, as unto a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns, and the day star arise in our hearts.

-Extracts from an Editorial on Ecclesiastical History and Church Creeds, Signs of the Times, August 15, 1881. This was also the last editorial written by Gilbert Beebe. It appears on page 937 in Hassell's Church History.

We readily admit our opposition to the present system of Bible Societies as religious institutions for the conversion of the world; but we are so far from being opposed to the gratuitous circulation of the Bible, (without note or comment), that in the preceding number we have offered to supply a whole country at our own expense. We are opposed to Tract Societies, and we are ready to give reason of our opposition; but we are not opposed to the circulation of the Bible truth in pamphlet, tract, newspaper, or any other form, gratuitously or otherwise.

We oppose such mission societies as are independent of the church of God, which we hold to be the only divinely authorized religious society upon earth; but we have, through the columns of a former number of this paper, offered to support the Lord's ministers or missionaries to the utmost of our ability, even to the dividing of our last loaf with such of them as go out without purse or scrip, relying upon the sure mercies of David, without waiting to get the Lord's promise endorsed by a Mission Board. We feel disposed to let such as have hired themselves out to Missionary Boards stand or fall to their own master, knowing that his servants they are, to whom they yield themselves to obey. We consider all that a kind Providence has put into our possession belongs to the Lord, and as His steward we are ready to deal it out to His servants according to His word....

- Editorial Remarks, April 10, 1833

How astonishingly rapid is the advancement of priestcraft and clerical power among the Baptists of the present day. Never, until the present, has anti-Christ appeared so conspicuously to flourish under the Baptist name. Never, until the present, have the saints so fully and fearfully realized the apostolic prediction, "Even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways, by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they, with feigned words, make merchandise of you; whose judgment now a long time lingereth not." (2 Peter 2:1, 3) Can it be doubted that these men who assume to be teachers, divinely authorized to teach young men the science of preaching, and the arts of modern machinery, are pointed out by the apostle as false teachers? Or who can doubt that these are teaching damnable heresies, who in the second of the above resolutions are teaching that "it is the duty of every disciple of Christ to make temporal sacrifice to promote the eternal salvation of men!" This sentiment, glaring as it is, is set down as a given point with them, and seems to be the very ground and pillar of their faith; remove this pillar and down their entire system must fall.

Now if it be the duty of the disciples of Christ to promote, or aid Jehovah in the eternal salvation of men, we ask, On what page in the Bible is the obligation recorded? Or in what respect, or respects is God deficient that we should need the aid of His saints in the promotion of eternal salvation of men? Will the diviners of the Ministerial Conference inform us what proportion of eternal salvation is of works, and what of grace? How much depends on the saints, and how much the Lord intends to do Himself? Should those learned sages condescend to answer our enquiries, they will please to recollect that we have been in the habit of believing that the eternal salvation of me, i.e., all that God ever designed to save, was beyond the reach of being promoted by our temporal sacrifices.

We read that God "hath saved us and called us with an holy calling; not according to works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus (before the world began)." Hence it appears to be quite too late for us to promote that which was accomplished before the world began. We would have them inform us to whom these temporal sacrifices are to be made? They cannot be of God, for He is full of burnt offerings; and "sacrifices and offerings He would not, " says the Lamb of God, "because He has no pleasure in them." He also said, "Go ye and learn what this meaneth, I will have mercy and not sacrifice." Hence it cannot be our duty to disobey God, and offer sacrifices to him in violation of His express command.

Is it then divine justice that calls for temporal sacrifices to promote eternal salvation? If so, how much must be added to the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ, which through the eternal Spirit He offered up to God, in order to secure the eternal salvation of the elect? But should we be told that the sacrifice of our Lord secured the eternal salvation of the elect, and that He by one offering or sacrifice (not temporal) hath forever perfected them that are sanctified. Heb. 10:14. We would ask those knowing ones of Hamilton Theological Seminary how many of the non-elect can be eternally saved by the offering of temporal sacrifices? Again, since it is written, "There remaineth no more sacrifice for sin."

For what are these temporal sacrifices to be made? And how are they to promote the eternal salvation of men? If the eternal salvation of man may be promoted by our temporal sacrifices, surely the cattle upon a thousand hills would be a glorious offering, and ten thousand rivers of oil would be an offering of great magnitude. But perhaps these ministers will say we have mistaken their design, and misinterpreted their sayings, and that their object is only to awaken the saints to a sense of their duty touching the temporal concerns of the church. If this be all, why tell them to make temporal sacrifices "for the promotion of the eternal salvation of men?"

Is salvation of the Lord? And if it is, can that eternal salvation which is of the Lord be promoted by men? And if it can, why did the apostle say, "By grace are ye saved, through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not of works, lest any man should boast," etc. (Eph. 2)

- Editorial Remarks on the Ministerial Conference, Sept. 25, 1833

HOLY ALLIANCE

Under the above head, the editor of the Repository - has informed his readers that there exists an alliance between God and His people, and that God has laid aside that power which works without means, and has devolved upon His people a course of duty, etc. This doctrine of "Holy Alliance" has been preached before. But that God has laid aside His divine omnipotence, or that "power which works without means," and has substituted in the room thereof the duty of His people or allies, is truly astonishing; but we are told that this change in the immutable God is intended for a glorious and magnificent purpose - nothing less than the conversion of the world. How astonishing! that the immutable God should at this late hour undertake the conversion of the whole world, when a portion of them are already suffering the vengeance of eternal fire; and still more strange, that just as He is about to commence this new enterprise He should dispense with His omnipotence, immutability and truth, laying aside the former, and violating the two latter, in order to give the mighty creature man an opportunity to help his God. This doctrine is as new as it is strange, and as strange as it is false and blasphemous. He further tells us that God has said to His people, "Occupy till I come; Go preach the gospel to every creature; I send you not alone, you are an ally, and lo, I am with you always; and while you are preaching and praying, My grace shall be sufficient to sustain you, and My Spirit shall give efficacy to the word of salvation. In what part of the Bible, or by what manner of revelation he has collected his authority for this doctrine, he has not informed us.

The words, "Occupy till I come," are a part of one of our Lord's parables. But this scripture no more implies the doctrine of the "Holy Alliance" than the commission given to the apostles by our Lord Jesus Christ, "Co preach the gospel," etc. applies to all the people of God indiscriminately. The words, "You are an ally," and "while you work, I will work," are not recorded in the volume of truth; but they have been added to the words of prophecy of God's holy book, in all probability by him of whom it is written, God will add unto him the plagues that are written in the book. (Rev. 22:18)

From an editorial on the subject of "Holy Alliance" by Gilbert Beebe, April 10, 1833.

"The wind bloweth where it listeth," in spite of all the exertions of a means-using generation; it is sovereign in its course; none can change it, nor effectually resist it. Who will dare say that the natural wind is more powerful or more sovereign than the Holy Ghost? The Holy Ghost has listed in the work of quickening all the elect of God. 'It is the Spirit that quickeneth," etc. Not all the power that can be, can alter the course of the divine Spirit from the elect of God to the reprobate part of mankind. As it has listed, so it does, and so it will continue to quicken every one that is born of the Spirit, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.

Again, the Spirit in this work is sovereign, as it relates to the individual on whom it operates. He speaks the word, and it stands fast; He commands and it is done. Not as some would blasphemously represent the Spirit, in the attitude of a beggar, or a supplicant before the sinner's heart, wooing, beseeching, and striving to get the sinner's consent, and in many, or in any ease, getting discouraged and abandoning the undertaking. Would this be blowing where it listed? Surely not. They can possess no adequate idea of the Spirit, or of its work, who suppose that the number of the quickened shall be in proportion to the amount of means employed by mankind, or that protracted meetings, anxious benches, submission chairs, benevolent religious societies, (so-called), or any other human inventions can change the sovereign course of the eternal Spirit from any of those on whom it has listed, or engaged to apply the atoning blood of Jesus experimentally, or add one to the number of those originally "ordained to eternal life"; "predestinated to the adoption of children by Jesus Christ unto Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will." If, then, we admit the sovereignty of the work of the Holy Ghost in the new birth, why talk about the use of means to produce it? If it depends upon the performance of conditions, or the use of means on our part, theme the Holy Ghost ceases to be a sovereign in the work, and all must turn at last upon the pivot of works, and our Bible must be forced to read, It is of him that willeth, and of him that runneth, and not of God that sheweth mercy. Could anything be more absurd?

Editorial on the New Birth, Sept. 11, 1833.

A NEW TRANSLATION

Forasmuch as the world is making rapid progress in arts and sciences, and the old-fashioned doctrine of the cross is left so far in the background, and as the style, and more particularly the principles, of the Old and New Testaments are so poor and vague, and so illy suited to the refined taste and feelings of this enlightened generation, and as there is noticing recorded in that book in support of the doctrine and practice peculiar to the present day, and as the ambitious and learned of our age are put to great inconvenience from time to time to prove that they are of God, or employed in His service, and as we cannot reasonably expect that the learned, wealthy and great men of this world will be willing to embrace the religion of Him who was meek and lowly in its present form. Therefore we have been led to suggest a few alterations and perversion of that holy book; which would, in our opinion, greatly subserve the cause of those who lie in wait to deceive.

BOOK OF PERVERSIONS, Chapter 1

1.   Be ye conformed to the world, and be ye not transformed

2.   If the light that be in you came from Theological Seminaries, how great is that light!

3.   Go ye into all the world and beg money; he that believeth on you and giveth liberally shall have his charity sounded far abroad in the newspapers.

4.   Say ye to him that giveth current money, It shall be well with him; but woe to him that giveth not; call him an Antinomian, a covetous fellow, a publican and a sinner.

5.   Go ye into all the world and establish Sunday Schools; and in them mould the minds of the children to your views, and so prepare them for the polls of your country, that succeeding generations may be provided with rulers, from the President down to the past-master, whose religious characters have been formed in your Sunday Schools; and then verily you shall have your reward.

6.   Go ye into all the world and circulate tracts, and take up collections for the support of Tract Societies, and so enable the officers and agents of that institution to fare sumptuously every day.

7.   Go ye into all the world and plead for the Missionary cause But when ye go, take with you purse and scrip, and many coats, and splendid outfits, with men servants, and maid servants, and horses, and chariots and plenty of money.

8.   Say ye unto the people, The race is unto the swift, and the battle is unto the Strong.

9.   Tell them the Lord's temple must be built by might, and by strength, and by the use of means, and not by the Spirit of the Lord.

10.   Tell them that the want of money is the root of all evil; and that the heathen may be evangelized and saved for three dollars each.

11.   Say unto them, Ye are redeemed with such corruptible things as silver and gold.

12.   It is of him that willeth and him that runneth. For the Missionary Societies have willed, and their hirelings have run; and it is not of Him that sheweth mercy.

13.   Receive ye honor of one another. Be ye called Rabbi, Doctor of Divinity, Master of Arts, Reverends, Presidents, Vice-Presidents, Secretaries, Treasurers, Agents and by all flattering titles; for the laborer is worthy of his hire.

14.   And when there cometh into your assemblies one who is rich, with costly apparel, say unto him, Come up hither; peradventure he will give you of his abundance. But if a poor man come in, tell him to sit down there on your footstool.

15.   Be ye active in forming all manner of societies, in the name of religion; and sell ye birthrights for money and for price.

16.   Tell the people (and make them believe it if you can), that you have charge of the Lord's treasury, and that He has sent you to collect funds for Him; and that He is at present greatly straitened for want of cash to carry on His purposes.

17.   And when you get the people's money, in the Lord's name, be ye mindful and divide it among yourselves; for ye must have your reward.

18.   True religion, and undefiled before men like yourselves, is to visit the widow and fatherless, and to extort from them the last farthing they possesses, and then make your boast of it in public prints; so shall ye glory in your shame.

Editorial by Gilbert Beebe, Oct. 9, 1833.

https://asweetsavor.info/