Salutatory
Elder Daily's Introductory Article Upon Becoming
Editor
June 1898, Vol. 37, No. 6
Under a realizing sense of our unworthiness, and greatly
distrusting our competency, we have consented to accept the
responsible position of Editor and Publisher of Zion's Advocate. In
assuming the responsibilities of this new position, we trust we
actuated by a sincere desire to glorify the precious name of our
divine Master, and to edify and comfort his dear children. Any
service rendered to the Lord, to be acceptable, must be unselfish.
His penetrating eye looks through the surface of all our actions,
and sees the very motive that prompts us. If we have in view our
own promotion and glory, we may rest assured that our service is
displeasing to him. Desiring to be prompted by disinterested love,
and to be clothed with the garment of humility, we now enter upon
the work before us, praying that God may bless our feeble efforts
to the good of His cause and the glory of his name.
In our attempts to step along in the pathway of duty, we have desired to keep this great and noble end in view. We have no idea that anything we may say, or write, or do, will result in the eternal salvation of a single sinner, or exalt us to the right hand of God. His grace alone can save poor sinners like we are and not one particle of the glory of this salvation will ever belong to mortals.
"Grace all the work shall crown
Through everlasting days;
It lays in heaven the topmost stone,
And well deserves the praise."
Zion's Advocate is a magazine dear to the hearts of many of the Lord's children. To hundreds of them it has long been a precious, welcome visitor. The name of its founder, Eld. John Clark. is still a household word in many homes. We hope to continue to make it what its name imports and what its respected and beloved founder intended it to be an advocate of the cause of Zion. To this end it is our purpose to contend with earnest and unabating zeal for the long cherished Abstracts of Principles found on the second page of its cover. These we believe to be taught in God's work, and confirmed in the life and experience of all his heaven born children. The self- existent, immutable, omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient character of Jehovah, with his eternal perfections, is the unshaken support of all his foreknown, chosen, and redeemed family. In this everlasting and neverfailing rock they find a shelter and a support that defies the combined powers of existing foes. This to them is a refuge amid the tempest, a security against the scorching flames. This is the inexhaustible source of all their supplies, and the rich fountain of all their comfort.
Such is our God, who has been pleased to give us by inspiration the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as a standard of faith. This teaches us all we ought to know, or believe, or practice religiously. Being thorough in its instructions it is the only infallible correct book that has ever been written. As it furnishes us with all good works, whatever we practice religiously not found in it, cannot be reckoned in the catalogue of such works. As it is the only standard of our faith, anything we believe not contained in its teaching, is erroneous. In conducting Zion's Advocate we propose to keep these important facts constantly in view, for we are sure that this course only will tend toward drawing the Lord's children together, and building them up in our most holy faith. We desire to make this paper a blessing to the cause of our beloved Zion, and wish to avoid publishing anything that will sow the seeds of discord and produce confusion. It will not be therefore, the organ of those heretical doctrines that have disturbed the peace of God's people, prominent among which is the Absolute Predestination of all things in the sense that God has predestinated wickedness just as he has the good that results from his own doings. That doctrine we do not believe, and the only reference allowed to be made to it will be the exposition of its fallacy. Whatever is so difficult to explain that few if any of God's children can understand it, had better be omitted entirely, as a paper of this kind is designed to benefit them, and nothing can benefit them that cannot be explained or understood.
We urgently solicit our readers to write for publication in the pages of our advocate, thus aiding us in making it a welcome visitor to all our homes. The evidences of christianity as taught in christian experience is especially desirable reading matter, while your views upon the teaching of God's word, when in harmony with the general tenor of the same, will be gladly accepted. If you wish your manuscripts returned please enclose stamps for that purpose.
Finally pray for us that grace may be given to enable us to unfurl the banner of truth to the joy and consolation of the precious saints of God, and the glory of his adorable name.
John R. Daily
Copyright c. 2003. All rights reserved. The Primitive Baptist Library.
