The Common Salvation - Silas Durand

Fragments: The Common Salvation

Written by Silas Durand

This expression is used by Jude, and does not occur elsewhere in the Scriptures, This inspired writer addresses his epistle "to them that are sanctified by God the Father, preserved in Jesus Christ, and called." To them he says, "Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints." There is but one salvation that can be called common, that is, common to all the sanctified, or elect, of God, and that is the salvation of our Lord Jesus Christ, that salvation from sin and death unto eternal life, which is the theme of all the inspired writers. That this is that salvation which the apostle designates as "the common salvation," is clearly evident by the reason which he gives for the necessity of writing to them about it.

"The faith which was once delivered unto the saints," is not that grace of faith which "is the fruit of the Spirit," but that doctrine and order of the gospel in which the salvation of God is made known to the saints in the world. This is that "mystery which hath been hid from ages and generations, but now is made manifest unto his saints," and this mystery "is Christ in them the hope of glory." (Eph. iii. 5; Col. i. 26, 27.) This doctrine of salvation by grace, and the order of the gospel, was delivered unto the saints on the day of Pentecost, when the gospel church was established. The apostles were charged with the authority to teach it to the saints, and to set all the commands of Jesus concerning the church in order, as judges sitting upon thrones, to judge the twelve tribes of Israel. All this gospel system is made known to the faith of God's people. It is not understood by the natural mind, but by an understanding especially given for this purpose. (1 John v. 20; Eph. i. 17-23.) This doctrine of God is spoken of as "the faith of the gospel." Paul uses the word faith in this sense, as a system of faith, in Romans i. 5; xvi. 26; Gal. i. 23, and in other places. This faith, or doctrine, in which the eternal salvation of the saints is declared and made manifest in the world, is of the utmost importance and value to the saints. It is more than all the world to them. It sets forth and declares "the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory."--I Cor. ii. 7. It declares the ways and wisdom of God in salvation, as contrasted with the ways and wisdom of men. It was once delivered unto the saints in the morning of the gospel dispensation, and it is needful that they earnestly contend for it, for the whole world, and all the influences of the world, are opposed to it.

I have said that there is no other salvation which is common, either to all men naturally or to the saints. Natural salvation, as salvation from wounds or death in battle, from shipwreck, from loss or destruction by earthquake, fire, flood or disease, from misfortune or affliction of any kind, cannot be called a common salvation, for all are not saved from these things. Nor can that salvation of the Lord's people from error, from a fleshly walk and the loss or death that results from it, from stripes on account of transgression, which may be called a time salvation, be called common, for all are not saved in this sense. Some do walk after the flesh and die; some do transgress, and are visited with the rod. This liability to wander from the right way, and yield to temptation in some of its many forms, and so suffer, is referred to by all the apostles, and is made the subject of faithful, earnest and tender admonition and exhortation. But some do yield to the temptation for a time, and suffer the sad consequences. There is an experience of the weakness of the flesh on the part of all of the saints in some measure, so that every one who is received is scourged and chastised. (Heb. xii. 6.) All must learn that they are dependent entirely upon the care and grace of God for the orderly walk which shall secure to them this time salvation, so that they shall not depend upon themselves, i as Peter did, but upon the Lord. They must learn that "we have the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God who raiseth the dead." Some, through the faithful of brethren,' are saved from death. (James v. 19, a0.) Ministers, faithful labor in the gospel, save themselves and them that hear from false doctrine and practice. (1 Tim. iv. 16.) All this is the work of grace. But some are left to see more fully, and more deeply, the corruption, depravity and untrustworthiness of flesh, even going so far in an ungodly walk that they are "deliver unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may saved in the day of the Lord Jesus."

All for whom Jesus died are saved with an everlasting salvation and shall finally be restored from all their wanderings, healed from their backslidings, and brought home to glory, to the praise of the riches of God's grace. This everlasting salvation is common to those who are sanctified, set apart, chosen, by God the Father. These who are the elect are preserved or saved in Jesus Christ, as the eight souls were saved in the ark. In him they were buried by baptism death, and so satisfied the law. In him they were raised up from death and so death has no more dominion over them. In God's own appointed time each one of them is called by grace to a knowledge of this salvation, which is wrought in them.

A common inheritance, or an inheritance in common, is one in which each heir has an undivided part of the whole. It cannot be divided it; it all belongs to each one. It may be illustrated by the light in a room full of people; the whole light belongs to each one in the room. No one can have a right to more than another, though one may be in a condition to enjoy more than another. So with this salvation, one of those who are called has a right to all of it. It is the common salvation, common to the whole family of God. They are joint-heirs with our Lord Jesus Christ to this inheritance, and shall finally, all them, be conformed to his image, and enter upon the full realization of this common inheritance in glory.

But the enjoyment of this common light, this common salvation, while here in the flesh, is more in some than in others. To enjoy an inheritance which cannot be divided the heirs must be as one, must be of one mind and one soul. And so it is with the Lord's people when they are in the Spirit. Then they dwell together in unity, the unity of the Spirit, and find how good and how pleasant it is. (Psalm cxxxiii.) But when the flesh prevails in the case of any, and they strive to walk by sight instead of faith, then their right to that salvation is not fully enjoyed. Sometimes their birthright is sold for some fleshly good, and they are deprived for a season of the light and comfort. But they cannot dispose of their inheritance, though they suffer loss in their daily experience. It was needful for them, therefore, that the apostle should exhort them to contend earnestly in their daily life, in their walk and conversation, for that faith, that doctrine and order of the gospel church, unto the obedience of which they have been called, and that they attend with care to all that pertains to the church of the living God, seeking first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, above all worldly things. The grace which brought them salvation taught them all this proper gospel walk. (Titus ii. 11, 12.)

The salvation which is eternal, and the salvations of various kinds which are experienced by the saints in time, bear the same relation to each other which the sun in the heavens and his beams upon the earth bear to each other. We know nothing of the Sun till his light falls upon us; we know nothing of Jesus, who is our salvation, and the Sun of Righteousness to us, till his healing beams are felt in our souls. "In thy light shall we see light." It is by and in our daily experience that we learn all that we can know here in time of our eternal salvation. In every experience of suffering, of tribulation, of stripes, and of salvation from these evils, we learn more of this salvation, and only in tribulation do we learn anything concerning it. Whatever Jesus tells us is told us in the darkness, but we speak it in the light. Jesus is our salvation here in time, and to eternal days.

March, 1900.

Solomon: One who had also fallen into manifold faults - James Durham

Solomon was a Great Man, rich, wise, yea, an elect saint; yet one who had also fallen into manifold faults, whom the Lord allowed to die, without recording expressly any thing of his recovery, though we make no doubt of it. (look up reference here) We shall endeavor to make this clear from these considerations:

First, from the Lord's promises to him, 2 Sam. 7:14,15. where these three things are observable which the Lord undertakes concerning him, 1. That he will be to him a Father. 2. That he will correct him with the rods of men, if he shall sin: which says he would not eternally punish him. 3. That he would not do with him as he did with Saul, whom he rejected; he would not take away His mercy from Solomon, as he had done from him: and if no more were in these promises but what is temporal, there would be no great consolation in them to David (whose consolation is one chief part of the intention of that place.) Beside, these promises, Psalm 89:31,32,33. (which are the same as these, 2 Sam. 7.) are looked upon as special evidences of God's Love, and particular promises of His saving-covenant.

2. When he is born, the Lord gives him his name, yea, sends Nathan, 2 Sam. 12. with this warrant, to name him Jedidiah, because the Lord loved him; which cannot be a love arising from any thing in him, as if he had been well pleased with his behavior, (Solomon had not yet done anything good or evil) but it must be a love prior to his works, and so not arising from his good deeds, and therefore not cut off by his sins. This is similar to the love God had to Jacob, before he had done good or evil, Rom. 9:11. and must speak out electing-love, as it doth in that place.

3. He is made use of by the Spirit to be a Penman of Holy Writ, and a prophet of the Lord; all which are by our Lord, Luke 13:28. said, to ‘sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and the kingdom of heaven.' There is no reason to exclude him, seeing that universal assertion (all the prophets, &c.) would not be a truth, unless he were there. Although some wicked men have prophesied, as Balaam did, yet are they never accounted prophets of the Lord, as Solomon was, but false prophets and enchanters; neither were they Penman of Holy Writ; who were, as Peter calleth them, 2 Peter 1:21, ‘Holy men of God, speaking as they were inspired by the Holy Ghost.'

4. Neither are the particular privileges and he was admitted unto to be forgotten; by him the Lord built the Temple, by him the covenant was explicitly renewed with God, I Kings 8:9. And his prayers are often particularly mentioned, to be heard; yea after his death, some testimonies are recorded of him, which cannot agree with his rejection: see 2 Chr. 11:17. There the ways of Solomon are put in, as commendable with David's, though there were defects in both; and this being immediately after Solomon's death, it would seem he left the worship of God pure, and so had returned from his idolatry, though all the monuments of it were not abolished. And especially in this, he was singularly privileged, that, in a most lively way, he was the Type of our blessed Lord Jesus, in his intercession, reign, and peaceable government: beside, that by a particular covenant, the kingdom of Christ, and his descent from him, was established to him.

5. It's of weight also, that it seems more than probable, that Solomon wrote Ecclesiastes after his recovery; it being neither amongst the Proverbs, nor Songs which are mentioned, I Kings 4:32. And in it, he speaks out of experiences he had both of folly and madness, and the vanity he had found in all created things, even when he had finished his experiment of all the possible ways of attaining, either the knowledge of their perfections, or satisfaction in the enjoyment of them.

The Scriptures therefore, hath not left his recovery altogether dark; yet, as to any historical evidence thereof, the Lord hath so ordered that he passeth away under a cloud, for these good ends:

First, thereby, Solomon is chastened with the rods of men (even after death) upon his name; for his failures are set down expressly, but his recovery (as to any direct testimony thereof) is passed over.

2. By this, the Lord makes his displeasure with Solomon's failures always known; though he had favour to his person, and gave him his soul for a prey.

3. And thus the Lord would warn others from declining, and hereby teach his people, to be afraid to rest upon gifts; yea, or upon graces, seeing he hath left this matter so far in the dark, as might yield an occasion (as it were) to question the eternal condition of Solomon.

4. It may be also, that Solomon after his recovery, did never recover his former lustre, nor attain to such a profitable way of appearing in God's public matters, for which formally he had been so observable: for so it is taken notice of David, after his fall, that his following life is stained, as different from what went before; therefore it is the accommodation of Jehosaphat, 1 Chr. 17:3. that he walked in the first ways of his father David, which certainly, it is not done to condemn David's state after that time, but to leave that mark (as a chastisement) on his failings: and seeing Solomon's were greater, therefore may this silence of his recovery, be more universal as to him.

The Common Salvation - Hassell commenting on Silas H. Durand

The Common Salvation Written by Sylvester Hassell ADVOCATE AND MESSENGER Williamston, N. C., October 1924 "Brethren, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it is needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith that was once delivered unto the saints" (Jude 3). Elder Silas H. Durand, who was born in Bradford Co., Pa., June 5, 1833, and died at Southhampton, Pa., Nov. 12th 1924, was one of the ablest ministers and writers that ever lived in the United States. He often attended the Kehukee Association, and was heartily welcomed by our members. His preaching was very deep and experimental, spiritual and comforting. More than twenty years ago he published his early writings in a book called "Meditations on portions of the Word"; and since his death, his two surviving daughters, Mrs. Mildred Durand Gordy of Southampton, Pa., and Mrs. Edith Durand McCall of Winnipeg, Canada, have published his Autobiography and later writings in a book of 353 large pages, called "Fragments by Silas H. Durand," which his daughter, Mrs. Mildred D. Gordy, sends post paid for $2.50. Elder Durand was a strong predestinarian, and no one who knew him well and heard him preach and read his writings would ever charge him with the slightest taint of Arminianism. On pages 73, 74, and 75 of his "Fragments," is published an article of his on the above subject, "The Common Salvation," which was first published in the "Signs of the Times," at Middletown, New York, in March, 1900. It is a masterly and accurate exposition of the third verse of Jude, and his views are the same as those given in my article in "The Gospel Messenger" of June, 1897, and republished under the title, "Salvation," in "The Gospel Messenger" of Jan., 1921. For the information and edification of our readers, I will now give some extracts from this article of Elder Durand’s, as well as some similar extracts from other parts of this interesting volume. He holds that the "Common Salvation" of which Jude speaks, is the gracious and everlasting salvation from sin and hell, by the atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ, of all the elect – a salvation common to the whole family of God. And he says, "There is no other salvation which is common, either to all men naturally or to the saints. Natural salvation, as salvation from wounds or death in battle, from shipwreck, from loss or destruction by earthquake, fire, flood or disease, from misfortune or affliction of any kind, cannot be called a common salvation, for all are not saved from these things. Nor can that salvation of the Lord’s people from error, from fleshly walk or the loss or death that results from it, from stripes on account of transgression, which may be called a time salvation, be called common, for all are not saved in this sense. Some do works after the flesh and die; some transgress and are visited with the rod. His liability to wander from the right way, and yield to temptation in some of its many forms, and so suffer, is referred to by all the apostles, and is made the subject of faithful, earnest and tender admonitions and exhortation. But some do yield to the temptation for a time and suffer the consequences. There is an experience of the weakness of the flesh on the part of all the saints in some measure, so that very one that is received is scourged and chastised (Heb. 11:6). All must learn that they are dependent entirely upon the care and grace of God for the orderly walk which shall secure them this time salvation so that they will not depend on themselves, as Peter did, but upon the Lord. They must learn that we have the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God who raiseth the dead. Some, through the faithful labors of brethren, are saved from death (James v: 19, 20). Ministers, by faithful labor in the Gospel, save themselves and them that hear them from false doctrines and practice (1 Tim. iv: 16). All this is the work of grace. But some are left to see more fully, and experience more deeply, the corruption, depravity, and untrustworthiness of the flesh, even going so far in an ungodly walk that they are "delivered unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus." All for whom Jesus died are saved with an everlasting salvation, and shall finally be restored from all their wanderings, healed from all their backslidings, and brought home to glory, to the praise of the riches of God’s grace. This everlasting salvation is common to all those who are sanctified, set apart, chosen, by God the Father. But the enjoyment of this common salvation, while here in the flesh, is more in some than in others. To enjoy an inheritance which must be divided, the heirs must be as one, must be of one mind and one soul. And so it is with the Lord’s people when they are in the Spirit. They then dwell together in unity, the unity of the Spirit, and find how good and how pleasant it is (Psalm cxxxiii). But when the flesh prevails in the case of any, and they strive to walk by sight instead of faith, then their right to that salvation is not fully enjoyed. Sometimes their birthright is sold for some fleshly good, and they are deprived for a season of the light and comfort. But they cannot dispose of their inheritance, though they suffer loss in their daily experience. It was needful for them, therefore, that the apostle should exhort them to contend earnestly in their daily life, in their walk and conversation, for that faith, that doctrine and order of the Gospel Church, unto the obedience of which they have been called, and that they attend with care to all that pertains to the Church of the living God, seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, above all worldly things. The grace which brought them salvation taught them all this proper Gospel walk (Titus ii:11, 12). Jesus is our salvation here in time, and to eternal days." On page 178, Elder Durand says: "There can be no turning aside by any of His people from the way of holiness, and from the truth of God’s salvation without an experience of pain. The chastisement will surely be felt for every transgression." And on page 270, he says: "Of course the Lord does not regard sin in the same way that he regards holiness. Of course His attitude toward it is not the same. How could one have such a thought? He hates and abhors sin: His infinitely holy nature is absolutely and forever opposed to it; is obnoxious to Him, and abominable in His sight." I desire to add two remarks: The Lord, our Heavenly Father, does not unmercifully chastise His children (Psalm 103:13, 14; Isa. 3:9). And sometimes He suffers His obedient children to walk in darkness to teach them solemnly the sinfulness of their natures, and their entire dependence upon Him (Isa. 50:10; Job 2:3; 8:25-27; 9:30,31; 14:4; 40:4; 42:6). S.H.

Our Time Salvation [Gospel Rest] - A Dialogue between W.M. Mitchell and D. Richardson

Our Time Salvation

Written by W.M. Mitchell

The Gospel Messenger—May 1897

With regard to the controversy that has been going on for some time in several Primitive Baptist papers concerning what is called our “time salvation,” as to whether it is conditional or unconditional, I have not felt, as yet, inclined to engage in the contest.

But I will say this, that during nearly all my re­ligious life I have been trying to learn two short lessons so perfectly that they might abide with me con­tinually, by day or by night, in trouble or in joy.

One is that “salvation is of the Lord,” and the other is “that I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Phil. iv. 13. It strikes me at this moment, while I write, that these two texts clearly set forth the true principles embraced in the whole subject of controversy as to eternal and time salva­tion. That our eternal salvation is wholly and en­tirely of God from first to last, it seems to me, there can be no question among Primitive Baptists. The subjects of eternal salvation are entirely passive in that great and glorious work. They are “without strength.” They are guilty, condemned, and dead in sins. Salvation from all these things is of God. The revealed and written word of God declares this, and the experience of every one who is born of God testi­fies to the same truth.

But now, when one is born of God he is born into the kingdom of Christ and is under law to Christ in His kingdom, and he is commanded to “take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you shall find rest unto your souls.” Our brethren all believe this, but some say here is a conditional salvation, or a conditional rest promised to the obedient one. Well, it is evident that the poor child of God has something to do here in the way of dutiful obedience to find rest, and he has the principle of that obedience written in his heart inclining him to do the very things he is commanded to do, and the very thing that he most de­sires to do. “To will is present with me,” says one, “but how to perform that which is good, I find not.” Rom. vii. What a terrible struggle there is here be­tween right and wrong, good and evil, flesh and spirit!

But here comes in the other little short lesson that I have so ardently desired to learn in my every-day practical life: “I can do all things through Christ, which strengtheneth me.” And here come in the blessed words of Jesus to His disciples, “without Me ye can do nothing.” Ye can neither pray nor sing in the spirit of true worship, preach or do any other Christian duty, only as Christ strengthens you for the work. Salvation is by grace, and grace carries its own conditions and qualifications in itself; it de­mands nothing of its subjects but what it furnishes. It writes the law of the new covenant in the new heart, and puts it in the mind and gives the poor soul a will and desire to do the very things commanded to be done. And when he has done all that is commanded, he is taught by the Spirit and grace of God, as well as by the written word, to feel and say, “we are unprofitable servants; we have done that which was our duty to do.”

And now I feel inclined to say no more on this line at present. I have written in great haste. But let us ever try to keep in memory that “salvation is of the Lord,” and also remember that “we can do all I things” required of us, only as Christ the Lord shall strengthen us for the work assigned to us.

W. M. MITCHELL.


Time Salvation - Again 

Response by D. Richardson

The Gospel Messenger—July 1897
MAGNOLIA SPRINGS, TEXAS, April 25, 1897.

DEAR BROTHER MITCHELL: While lying upon my bed last night I was thinking of you and others, and I felt like I wanted to write you a short letter. Through your writings I have learned to love you for the truth’s sake.

But the subject chiefly on my mind to write now is ‘Our Time Salvation.” You and Elders Chick and Bartley have all written upon the subject, and though you all three are favorite writers to me, somehow I am not quite satisfied with any of you on this point.

Do not time blessings come to us when we do those things that please God? And, on the other hand, does not the chastening rod come upon us when we fail to do them? If so, is not the doing of them the condition? I do not mean that we are our own keeper by the doing of these things: nor do I believe for a moment that any of God’s children can finally be lost or perish. They are kept by the power of God. But consider such Scriptures as, “Take heed unto thyself and to the doctrine; continue in them, for in doing this, thou shalt both save thyself and them that hear thee.” 1 Tim. iv. 16. I understand this saving to be in no other sense than a saving from troubles that errors bring upon us: but that is salvation, and I can see it in no other light as et but what it is conditional. Another Scripture reads, “Save yourselves from this on toward, generation.” Another says. “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” I notice, in all your writings on the subject, you all speak of those who have lived obedient lives in the church and who have had the sweet fellowship of the church and that you feel to give God all the glory, which, indeed, is right and you feel that you have done nothing (meritorious). Yet dear brethren, you have done what some others of God’s children have not done, viz., you have obeyed the Lord’s commandments while some others have not.

I now think of two brethren who once were lively church members, and I believe they are God’s children. But both of them so gave way to the thirst and influence of whiskey and bad temper that the church cut them off from church fellowship. Both of them seemed to become more and more worldly minded, and one of them so much so as to allow a dance in his house. Now, are such not lost to the gospel rest that they might now have been enjoying had they been obedient? Is this salvation not conditional?

I read in the GOSPEL MESSENGER of May, 1897, a letter from F. M. Hearndon, which also goes far to prove to my mind that his view is correct. He says: “I am now seventy-five years old, and I humbly hope that thirty years ago I was enabled to rejoice, in Christ Jesus as my Saviour, the chiefest among ten thousand and altogether lovely, and this is my only hope yet; but feeling so unworthy, and fearing I might be wrong or mistaken, I never united with the church till last August, when I was baptized into the fellowship of the church at Mt. Paron, Walton county. Ga., and since that time I have enjoyed more than ever before, and have found that rest that is found in obedience —found in wearing the yoke of Christ and learning of Him in obedience we have the application of some of the promises and can claim them as ours.

“Dear brethren and sisters, you who are halting and hesitating let me admonish you not to do as I have done, but labor to enter into that gospel rest that remaineth for the people of God, even in this time state. And again, ‘Take heed lest a promise being left you of entering into rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.’ I have come short, but, thank God, I hope I now enjoy that rest.”

I have given the above extract because of its clearness to my mind on the subject. And, my dear and precious old brother, does not this set forth a conditional time salvation or gospel rest, and is it not true? Somehow I am of the opinion that all this seeming difference results from want of understanding each other, but I think all can get to a better understanding of this subject soon.

You can publish this with a reply in the MESSENGER. I hope it will tend to a better understanding on the subject.

Your brother in bonds of love, D. RICHARDSON

Remarks By Elder Mitchell—Most heartily I agree with the sentiment of Bro Herndon ‘s letter front which Bro. Richardson has taken an extract (see MESSENGER, May. 1897), and I also agree with the concluding remarks of Elder Richardson that “all this seeming difference is for want of understanding each other.” It is evidently (in most instances) “strife of words to no profit,” from the very fact that there is no essential principle of gospel truth or doctrine ignored or set aside by the disputants on either side. And why should we make a man an offender for a word when there is no gospel truth set aside or perverted?

I have long believed, preached and written that the eternal salvation of sinners, from sin, death and hell is wholly of God from first to last: and I have also believed, preached and written that there is a peace of mind, a rest of soul and joys of God’s salvation, more fully realized in this present time state by faithful and obedient Christians than ever can be realized in this life by the un­faithful and disobedient. If others think best to express the same thing by the use of the words “conditional” and “time salvation, “ let them do so—I shall not contend about words to no profit, where there is no essential principle of difference involved. But if by the use of an unscriptural phrase such as “Conditional time Salva­tion,” or ‘‘Absolute predestination of all things,” hearers and read­ers are thereby confused and led astray by a strife of words, would it not be better and more in accord with the letter and spirit of the gospel to discontinue the use of such terms and endeavor, if we can, to express tile same truth in words ‘‘easy to be understood by the hearer so that the church might be edified’’ by what is spoken or written?

For many un scriptural terms and phrases which have caused much contention among brethren during this century, no higher authority can be claimed for them than the ‘‘tradition of the fathers,’’ and to continue their use at the sacrifice of peace and fellowship among the saints would be wrong, and possibly might perpetuate a mere human tradition for generations to come. Extremes in either religion or politics are always hurtful, and when once inaugurated, factious parties spring up, heated controversies arise, and in the end there is frequently more strife for the mastery and to obtain a victory over each other than there is to edify or promote peace and unity among brethren.

Another evil is, that if a preacher or writer maintains a calm, unbiased position in the “old paths” of the gospel, and does not fall in line with one or the other of the extremists, and adopt their peculiar manner of expression, he is soon regarded with suspicion and distrust by both parties “Let us search and try our ways, and turn again unto the Lord.” Lam. iii. 4o.—”Take heed to thyself and the doctrine, continue in them; for in doing this (not for doing) thou shalt both save thyself and them that hear thee.” I believe this and every other text Bro. R. has quoted as fully as he, but may not choose his way of ex­pressing the same truth. Can he bear with me? W. M. M.

Time Salvation by Merideth Hodges

Written by Merideth Hodges

Dear Friends,


Below is an article on Time Salvation by Elder M. (Meredith) Hodges of Tennessee.
Elder Hodges was raised in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, but upon searching the Scriptures, he could find no validity for the infant baptism that they practiced. He left the Presbyterians and joined the Primitive Baptists in 1823. In 1839, he was ordained to the ministry. He had a long and fruitful life and passed away in 1888 in his 95th year.


David Montgomery

Zion’s Advocate-May 15, 1858

Time Salvation

To the readers of Zion’s Advocate.

DEAR BROTHERS AND SISTERS.-It seemed good to me at this time to address a short epistle of love to you to stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance, that you stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free. Relieving that much of our spiritual enjoyment in this life depends upon our conformity to the admonitions and precepts of Christ and the apostles; that there is a Time Salvation to be enjoyed in obedience only. The humble and faithful child of grace that devotes itself to the duties laid down in the New Testament will be more spiritually minded than the careless negligent one; to such the cross will be easier and the burden lighter, he or she will have the answer of a good conscience and peace of mind, enjoy fellowship with Christ and his people, and be able in a good degree to resist the temptations of the devil, and to mortify their own fleshly lust. While we live in a careless indifferent state, we are sure to grow carnally minded, which will be succeeded by blindness, coldness, indifference and darkness, which will give the enemy the advantage of us, and we pierced through with many sorrows, lose sight of our acceptance with God, and perhaps the fellowship of the saints, and become as salt that has lost its savor. How important then that we watch and pray, take up our cross daily and follow Jesus through evil and good report; be careful to maintain good works at all times and in every place, that we watch ourselves with constant guards. Then would our light so shine that others seeing our good works would glorify our father, which is in heaven.

Dear brethren and sisters let us take the admonition of St Paul to the Philippians “Work out your own salvation with fear and with trembling, for it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” This is not God’s salvation that saves souls from death. God’s salvation was wrought by our Lord Jesus Christ on Mount Calvary, and by his holy spirit wrought in his people in the work of regeneration, and is that which worketh in us to will and to do of his own good pleasure and which qualifies us for working out our own salvation with fear and with trembling. As before hinted, our own salvation here mentioned is a time salvation, and we must work it out or go without it. God has only in the gospel, commanded his people to do that which they can do by his “working in them the will and to do,” and if we do it not then we may expect the rod with many stripes. But if we work it out, we honor God and our Lord Jesus Christ, and save ourselves from the evils that we are subject to, and that are incident upon a wayward life. This is a delightful work when we are in the right frame of mind for it, and to be in the right frame we must go to work (not to the law but to the gospel) and in performing our duty, our minds become spiritualized enough for another and so on throughout the whole.

One great duty is prayer, both secret and family prayer, another is giving attendance at prayer meetings, especially monthly meetings, but no light excuse keeps us away from meetings. Another duty is attending to the ordinances in due season, another is cultivating love with the brethren and watching over them for good (not for evil) and especially watching over ourselves, endeavoring to shun every appearance of evil. I do not believe that by anything we can do, will alter our relation with God as parent and children. But by obedience, we draw nigh to God, and he draws nigh to us with an approving smile. While the disobedient child lives under his frowns and the sore chastisements of his righteous and just rod.

In conclusion, dear brethren and sisters, permit me to say what I understand close walking with God is, simply taking Bible directions; therein we honor God and realize the benefits ourselves.- Finally read the scriptures, which are able to make us wise unto salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. Amen.

M. HODGES.

Fountain Head, Tenn., March 11, 1858.

Time Salvation - Dalton, Tolbert S.

Obedience to God, is one of the absolute essentials to Christian life. A most beautiful lesson is taught us in 2d Peter 1st chapter, in which Peter first sets forth the work of God in giving us ALL THINGS that pertain to life and godliness, such as faith, repentance, remission of sins, and a blessed assurance that we shall at last be delivered from the power of sin, into the glorious home of the blest, and then changes the subject by saying, "besides this," which shows very conclusively that there is something else separate and apart from the work that God does for us. "Besides this giving all diligence, add to your faith, (not add faith but add to your faith) virtue." One of the most beautiful Christian graces that ever adorned one of Adam’s fallen apostate race, that is, live virtuously to the Lord as your only husband. Suppose that we, for instance, were married to a lady, and we leave her and go into a far country to prepare for her a home, and after we had been gone for some time we at last return, and inform her that all preparations are now made, and I am now ready to carry you to that delightful home I have prepared for you, and lo! and behold she has married several other men while we were gone, would you think that she added virtue to her pretended faith in me? Methinks you would say "no," and we doubt not that you would AT ONCE enter suit for divorce, and never live with her again, on earth. How my brethren, let us remember, that Jesus, our husband, has gone to prepare a place for us and said he would come again and receive us unto himself, that where he was there we should be also. Now suppose, when he comes he finds us, (his bride) married to every little institution in the world, instead of devoting our whole life to him, and endeavoring to show forth his praise, can we expect to receive his smiles? Can we expect Him to bestow upon us His precious jewels? Surely, we can not expect it. What else could we look for but to receive the chastening of His hot displeasure? Could we expect Him to bestow upon us the great blessing of temporal, or timely salvation? Surely we can not expect it. But was it true that Jesus was a changeable being, as we are, he would sue for divorce and have us to sink down to irretrievable woe and misery; but blessed be His holy name, He is not as one of us, for he declares, "though my children forsake my laws, and keep not my statutes, then will I visit their transgressions with a rod, yet my loving kindness will I not utterly take from them nor suffer my faithfulness to fail." Therefore seeing the great and unchangeable love our husband and Saviour has for us; Oh! how diligent we ought to be to obey all of his commands, and observe all of his precepts, and not go out of the church into the world and join the institutions, and marry and intermarry with all the abominations of earth, for when we do this we show our disregard for our husband. Should you wish to observe the rules of a Masonic fraternity, observe the rules Jesus has laid down for the government of His church, and you have it in full. Should you wish to be a temperance man, observe the laws of the church of God, and you have all there is in any temperance institution. Therefore we can see no need of a church member joining any secret order, in order to do good in the world, or to enable him to let his light shine, for if he does what the Lord commands him as a member of his church, he has all that is claimed for any secret order on earth, therefore we would say as did Peter, "Add to your faith, virtue," and don’t stop here, but add to virtue, knowledge." Suppose we were to leave our wives, and go into a far country, and before we left, we write a long letter, giving them full directions about how we wanted everything attended to while we were gone, and after we were gone she should lay it away in the desk, and never take it down to read, and see what we instructed to be done while we were gone, but would depend on some one else to read it, and tell them what to do, and then they do not know whether they have told them correctly or not, but they will depend upon them and do as they say, right or wrong, and we return and find everything different to what we instructed, and we ask, did you "add knowledge," to your faith? "Well no," I didn’t have time to read your letter of instructions, and let one of our neighbors read it, and tell me how to do, and I done as he said; I thought that would do. Do you suppose that we could smile in love upon them and say, well done my love? We imagine that almost any of us would fly into a rage and perhaps discard our companions because they had no more respect for us than to treat our letter of instructions with such disregard.

Jesus has left us a book (or letter) of instructions and has commanded us to search it. While he is gone, and thereby to "add to our faith knowledge." Shall we treat it with disregard, and lay it aside and follow our own notions, or conscience instead, or shall we hire a preacher to read for us, and tell us what it says, and then let him tell us what to do, and do as he says right or wrong? Or shall we obey the command of our Saviour and husband, and search it ourselves, and thereby "add knowledge" to our faith, and show our regard for His Word and live under His continued smiles, and save ourselves from the lash of a guilty conscience? As for us, we would join in with Peter, in saying, "Add to your faith knowledge, and to knowledge temperance," not by joining some institution but add this as one of the Christian graces, that should necessarily grow out or a renewed heart, "add to temperance patience;" that is, learn to be patient in whatsoever condition of life you may be placed, realizing that "all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." Therefore, we ought to "Glory in tribulation, knowing that tribulation worketh patience, and patience experience, and experience hope, and hope maketh not ashamed, because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us." Therefore let us "add to our faith patience, and to patience Godliness, that is to be God-like in our everyday deportment, and to "Godliness add brotherly kindness." That is, should we see a brother over-taken in a fault, or in an error, let us not take him by the throat and demand full payment of all that he owes, but let us treat him with brotherly kindness, and try to restore him in the Spirit of meekness; and to brotherly kindness, "add charity," for if we see a brother have need, and shut up our bowels of mercy, and not administer to his necessities, how dwells the love of God in us? Therefore, let us consider that one of the important features in working out our time salvation is to "Add to our faith charity." "For if these things be in you and abound, they make you that you shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and can not see a far off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins." Oh I how often we hear Christians say, "I am so dark and gloomy. Surely, it can’t be that I was ever purged from my old sins. If I was a Christian it would not be thus with me. Now my brother, you have only failed to add to your faith the above mentioned Christian graces, and therefore fail to enjoy the time salvation that God has promised on condition that you do these thing; therefore you are blind, and have forgotten that you were purged from your old sins." Then Peter came forth with his exhortation, "Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure, for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall."

You will observe that he does not tell them to elect themselves or call themselves, neither to act in away to get the Lord to elect them or call them, neither are they to make it sure to the Lord, for He knows all about it already, but make it sure to yourselves, and to your brethren, by adding all of the above named Christian graces, and if they do these things they shall never fall." He is not talking about falling from grace, but the Christian that does all of these things is never to fall into these dark old gloomy places, in which we are so often found, but by doing these things we are to enjoy the blessings of this time salvation, and to live in the enjoyment of the sweet presence of the Holy Spirit, and be able to rejoice continually in hope of heaven and immortal glory at God’s right hand, and not only so, but Peter says: "For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lords and Saviour Jesus Christ."

From this we draw the conclusion that the obedient Christian, that is the one that has been diligent in "adding to his faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge, and knowledge temperance, * Godliness, Brotherly kindness, * Charity, will, when he comes to press a dying pillow, have a more abundant entrance into the everlasting kingdom of God, than the one that neglects these things. We have heard some say when they carried to meet death, "that I have but one thing to regret, that is, I have not done my duty while I lived; I look beyond death, I have nothing to fear, but on this side, I have not added to my faith as I should have done. Therefore the obedient Christian has the more abundant entrance, Let us then endeavor to discharge our whole duty as followers of the Lord in this life that we may enjoy the sweet blessings of the time salvation, and when we come to die, we may have that abundant entrance into the everlasting kingdom of the Lord.

A very striking lesson is given us in the epistle of Jude. He begins the epistle with this language: "Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God, the Father and preserved in Jesus Christ and called. Mercy unto you, and peace, and love be multiplied. Beloved, when I gave all diligence, to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that you should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the Saints."

This Jude spake to his brethren in view of the fact that none could enjoy this common salvation except those who strictly observed and contended for the faith which was delivered to the Saints. Not that Jude would teach that everyone must believe in some doctrine here in order to be saved in heaven, but this common salvation grew out of their strict observance of the truth of the faith (or doctrine) which was once delivered to the saints. And this Paul had reference, when he said to Timothy: "Take heed unto thyself, and the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee."

Of course, Paul would not teach Timothy that he was to save himself with an eternal salvation, nether was he to save his hearers with an eternal salvation, for Paul had just taught him differently; he said to him: "Be thou therefore not ashamed of the testimony of the Lord, nor of me, his prisoner, but be thou a partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God, who hath saved us, and called us not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which, was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began." And surely Paul would not now turn and teach Timothy, the very reverse of that, and tell him that by giving heed to himself and to the doctrine, that he would thereby secure to himself the very same salvation that Jesus worked out for him while he was here on earth. We presume that none will believe that, therefore we must conclude that Paul had reference to time salvation when he said: "Take heed to thyself and to the doctrine, continue in them, for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself and them that hear thee." And none of us would presume for a moment that Timothy was a Saviour and could save his hearers with an eternal salvation for we have shown in, previous articles that this was alone the work of God. And Paul says in Eph. 4:10-11-12-13-14: "He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens; that he might fill all things. And he gave some apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists; and some pastors and teachers. For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.

Till, we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of, the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.

That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the slight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive. But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in alt things, Which is the head even Christ.

All of the above Paul wrote as the object for which God gave his ministers, and not a single word said about them saving sinners with an eternal salvation, but a great deal said about their tenaciously contending for the true faith which was once delivered to the saints, that God’s people might be built up and established in the true faith of the gospel, and no more as children tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine, whereby they lie in wait to deceive. Hence the preaching of the gospel, and their strict adherence to the faith, was to save them from the many lying wonders, and false signs, and cunning traps set by men of design to ensnare the poor unsuspecting child of God, Oh! how necessary then that the ministers of the Cross of Jesus be particular, about what they preach, lest they teach some erroneous doctrine, and thereby cause some dear little child to be entrapped by some false theory, and in the event come short of the enjoyment of this time or common salvation, We are living in a fast age, and an age in which we have many lo heres and lo theres, and if there ever was a time in the history of the world when God’s ministers should deal in plain, simple matters of fact, it is now. Look around you, dear reader, and see how many you can call to mind that you have every evidence to believe they are children of God, that are ensnared in the clutches of Arminianism, and are thereby failing to enjoy the blessings of that time salvation. What is the matter? Is it true that God sent them there? Surely it can not be true that God by His Holy Spirit has influenced one of His dear children to disobey Him, and join in with some other sect, and now calling for them to come out. He says: "Come out of her my people, that ye be no partaker of her sins."--And He commands us again to "touch not, taste not the unclean thing of which all are to perish with its using." Surely, God does not influence His dear children to go contrary to His commands. Nay, but some of us have got so straight, that we are like the Indian’s tree; we lean back a little, and instead of exhorting God’s people to a full discharge of their duty, we have rather told them to "stay away from the church just as long as they can," and never come to the church and discharge their duties as long as they can possibly keep from it, and many of the dear saints have been discouraged by such talk as this, and gone to other sects, because they thought the Old Baptist did not want them.

Now, my dear brethren this is wrong, you are not thereby contending for the faith which was once delivered to the saints, but it is rather denying the doctrine taught by Christ and his Apostles, and causing many of the dear saints to fail of the enjoyment of the blessings of this time salvation, Therefore we fail to save ourselves and them that hear us. Oh! my brethren, let us be careful how we teach, let us be found faithful in exhorting God’s people "to love and good works" let us endeavor with the ability that God gives us to show them the blessings that grow out of our obedience to the commandments of our dear Lord.

T. S. D.