Christian Experience of Elder Benjamin Coats
A note by his son, Elder Abner Coats, in the Primitive Monitor, 1888, page 518, says that Elder Benjamin Coats was born March 5, 1807, and died Dec. 2, 1880. He was licensed to preach Feb. 27, 1830; ordained to the full functions of the gospel ministry Aug. 28, 1830; chosen pastor of Salem Church, Clay Co., Illinois, September 1842, which he served until his death.
Richland County, Ills., 1850.DEAR BRO. LONG:--We have received the first number of the Evangelist. I here enclose to you one dollar, Indiana paper, and as I have a few moments leisure, I will inform you how I came to know the Lord: I was brought up by Methodist parents, and never heard a Baptist preach, until I embraced a hope in Christ in the year 1828. Although I was a member in the Methodist church for some time, I never to my recollection heard a christian experience, until the evening before I was baptised; I had often heard of the Baptists, but nothing good about them. In the summer of 1828, I was in New Harmony, on the Wabash river; it pleased the Lord to set the earth to trembling, and as I walked up the street, I plainly discovered it by looking at certain objects. My mind, with awful solemnity, began to reflect on the mighty power of God, in governing and controling the universe, reminding man in various ways, of His awful power, that cannot be withstood; and soon I should have to stand before this Almighty Judge and there pass the solemn test. I began seriously to think of my condition; I saw that all was not right before God. Out of the heart proceedeth that which defileth the man, and were I called away in this condition, I should meet an angry God, who is angry with the wicked every day.
I began to cry to the Lord for mercy, and to inquire what he would have me to do to secure a happy resurrection. I could meet with no relief, and being exceedingly distressed in mind, I no longer could contain myself here with my wicked associates. I left Harmony and came home, but found my case no better. I found my heart to be desperately wicked and deceitful above all things; who could know it? No person that I could meet with was any company for me; I wandered in the lonesome woods - my best prayers were mixed with sin, and when bowed upon my knees to implore God's mercy, my mind was like the fool's eye, roving over the vain things of the world, - my heart was hard - tears ceased to flow from my eyes, and I verily thought there was no mercy for me. One Sabbath morning I got up with such an awful weight of guilt and condemnation that I concluded I could not live - that the Lord was showing me my lost and undone condition, and then would cut me off and appoint my portion with the hypocrites and unbelievers. Late in the evening I came in from wandering to and fro, here I found several sitting in the yard jesting and laughing, seemingly enjoying themselves well; I could not stay there, it was a place of torment to me. I had come to the conclusion that I was guilty of the unpardonable sin. About sun set I thought I would try to offer up my last prayer, for I tho't it was a sin for me to try to pray. Just as I got to the place where I designed bowing before God, ere my bending knees reached the ground, these words with joy, power, and peace, rushed into my mind: "the Lord having once loved his own that were in the world; he loved them to the end." My chains seemed to fall off - the awful cloud of darkness was removed - joy sprang up in my soul that my poor mortal tongue will never be able to describe. I then thought that all my troubles and sorrows were gone forever, and perfect peace and joy of soul would be with me my remaining days. But O how I afterwards longed and desired that burden of guilt back again, that I might know that I was not deceived. But dear brother I never have gotten it.
I must come to a close, I have written more than I expected when I began. May grace, mercy, and peace be with you.
BENJ. COATS.
- Copied from the "Western Evangelist," 1850, edited by Elder Peter Long, Greenville, Illinois.
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