Resolution of Mt. Carmel Church, Luray, Virginia
Luray, Va., Oct. 21, 1890.
DEAR BROTHER WILTSHIRE:
I will give you an account of the proceedings of our last regular meeting which was held last Saturday, the 18th inst. Brother J. H. Menifee preached an excellent sermon for us; subject - the two covenants and concluding with an excellent exhortation and admonition to the church to discard all of the new theories and innovations that have crept into the church, thereby causing strife and division in the church, and showing that the gospel never divides God's children, but when divisions come, it is always caused by something averse to the gospel. We then elected a Moderator and Clerk, after which we read and adopted the following resolution by a vote of twenty-two to eight:
WHEREAS, The Scriptures plainly teach that God is the only creator, the only law-giver in nature or in grace, that the natural man is dead to spiritual things, that the Gospel is to the natural man foolishness, and the savor of death unto death, that to living saints only is it the power of God, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That we, the members of Mt. Carmel Church, assembled, do hold that the doctrine, as held by some who style themselves Primitive Baptists, that the Gospel is the means or instrument by which sinners are quickened into life, is a heresy, and that the means introduced therewith, such as, Sunday-schools, and Missionary Societies, are unscriptural and detrimental to the saints, in that it subverts the great purpose for which the gospel was given; namely, to bear glad tidings of salvation to such as are made alive by the Spirit, that the righteousness of God be revealed from faith to faith; we do besech such of our brethren as have been entangled in this Arminian net, to prayerfully consider and boldly retract such heresies, that we may walk in fellowship, giving all praise to God. We hereby declare non-fellowship for all who hold these heresies, and close our doors against them. We do this only in the fear of God. Our natural feelings certainly do not prompt us to this act, for many of them are very near and dear to us in social bonds.
We then proceeded to elect a pastor, when Elder T. S. Dalton of Illinois was put in nomination and elected. We then adjourned.
May heaven's blessings rest upon us if we are right and upon all the scattered flock. I am yours in hope of a brighter world.
J. W. GROVE.
Copied from "Zion's Advocate," 1890, pp. 250-251.
