The Old Time Way

I'm kind of new to this computer business and new to this forum. In the couple of days I've been here, I've learned considerable.

I have also become distressed at what appears to be a great drifting away from Biblical teaching and principles amongst the people known as Baptists.

I will repeat here some of what I posted under the subject of hair as I reckon some won't read that post.

The time was when it meant something to be a Baptist. Folks kind of knew where you stood simply by saying, "I'm a Baptist" Now they didn't need to know if you were SBC ABC BBF BGC GBC PB or whatever, it was enough to say we were Baptist.

Now, however, so many Baptists are trying to be Protestants. That is, they are trying to be mainline. We've taken in all the moderninsm of the Methodists, Presbyterians, Lutherans, Congregationals, and the like.

What has happened to the old time gospel?

Where are our old time hymns?

Where are our old time convictions?

The time was our women looked like women and our men like men. We were a simple but hard working people. A people who loved the Lord, His Word, and seeing lost people won to the kingdom.

We used to preach heaven sweet and hell so hot you could feel the heat. How long has it been since you've been to a good old fashioned revival meeting? How about a brush arbour or tent meeting. My now we have to stay in our airconditioning. We have "programs" and don't go to the church house but we have "campuses"

We have screamed LEGALISM! And GRACE! as a license to sin, and not do what God's word tells us we ought to do.

Remember when we didn't go to dances, worldly amusements, gamble, drink alcohol, smoke, etc.. Remember when we didn't go to picture shows, and some of us didn't even have a devil vision, I mean a TV in our homes? (Now I know Baptists are as different as various kinds of insects. There were always some groups of Baptists that perhaps allowed one of the above "past times" as they were called) It was sinful then same as now, but now we all have gotten to where we think it's ok.

It seems we like everyone else are worried about being politically correct. We've accepted the teachings of liberals and have neglected THE BOOK.

Some times I feel like the prophet that "I only I am left" I wonder, am I banging my head against a wall, or are there any old time Baptists left out there?:BangHead:

Now I'm sure some of you all are ready to bash me, and go for it. I preached just this morning that anytime someone calls me narrowminded or old fashioned, I count it as a compliment. God is narrow minded and old fashioned.

I know it was long ago at an old fashioned meeting with some old fashioned people who met in an old fashioned way with old fashioned singing, praying, and preaching, I met Jesus and the old fashioned gospel and did an old fashioned thing and got saved in the old fashioned way. I went down into the water in the old fashioned way and have been striving to live by the old fashioned Book in the old fashioned way ever since.

Did not the Prophet Jeremiah say: Find the old path which is the good way and walk therein and ye shall find rest for your souls? Yet the people today are like those in that day and have said: We will not walk therein.

Old fashioned Dan

 

Skypair,

Well put. In my life it seems that Calvinism raises its head every so often to give folks a license to sin. It's a hoot and yet sad to see how vehemently people fight against taking any kind of stand against the world.

I don't recall saying anything against AC but I noticed a few people are all het up about air conditioning as if I mentioned it.

Now I wouldn't mind having it but can't afford it, so we take what wind blows through the window at home. The same is true down at the church house, most of the members have it, but are "old fashioned" or should I say, "tight" enough they can come down and sweat several times a week, that is except for these soft young folks. When the weather is sultry it seems about all they can put in is two hours on Sunday morning, but you'd be hard pressed to see them on Wednesday or Sunday night. Yet no one's a volunteering to pitch in and buy the church an air conditioner but they have them in their cars and homes.

 

To you all who've welcomed me and who've wished me happy birthday, thank you all kindly. To those like NeptunePluto who no doubt would as soon I was dead, I DO TOO, Far better to be absent from this body and present with the Lord, than to see what is happening in the name of Christianity. Oh, how I wish people would wake up before it is too late. The time was when liberal ways were the ways of the UCC or the UMC. It seems they were the first to welcome the world, or perhaps some Lutherans but not Baptists!

And then there was even a time when the Methodists and the Congregationalists weren't liberals like they are now and you could actually hear how to be saved in one of their churches.

Land sakes, we were in Mo. about four years ago. We drove through a small town and were going to stop and go to church. My fifteen year old son said, "Oh Dad, don't stop there. That church looks pretty high" So we drove on hoping to come to some good old country church. Well we went about 30 miles and came to a larger town with a number of fine looking uptown churches. Well of course we passed up the churches we knew were going to be liberal and came to FBC of _______ville. I surmised it would no doubt be SBC but we needed to go to church as we were running out of time and it would soon be noon.

We walked into this huge church and sat down. People were dressed casually (I don't care if you come to church in bib overalls, God looks at the heart) The place was about half full, probably about 600 people there. A mixture of young and old, but there was some band up front playing these Jesus jingles and few people were singing along. Most people were irreverently visiting during the music time. They had a moment to greet eachother and no one came over to greet the "hick strangers" in their midst except a couple of lovely down syndrom fellows. I noticed the folks who had been visiting like crazy during the poor excuse for singing wouldn't even shake hands with eachother.

Finally the preacher mounted the pulpit dressed like he was going to a ball game and gave an inspiring talk. I was so disappointed. If I had not been saved already, I sure wouldn't have learned how that morning. I was saddened for my children who had never been in a congregation of over sixty people in their life. I was saddened for the poor people of that church, and for any poor sinner off the street who would wander into that place.

I get a charge out of folks who think if you are "old fashioned" it must mean you are narrowminded and don't love folks. Well I can tell you, there was no joy and love in that mess.

When we got into the car, I asked my six kids what they thought of the big up town church. Jeremiah replied that it was "too high". I said what was missing?
My children replied: "what was there?"

I said, why they had a fine building, air conditioning and soft seats so you'd be comfortable, modern music, why you didn't even need a hymn book because the words to the jingles were up on the wall.
"But Daddy," they said. "There was no singing like they meant it. The words were shallow and didn't teach anything. It didn't even sound like praising the Lord, and no one said anything about how to get to heaven or about how to stay away from hell."

We all agreed that we had felt like we hadn't been to church at all.

I said, "Wouldn't you like to go to a modern church? Why it seemed they had a lot higher percentage of twenty and thirty some year olds than we do at home.

"No, Daddy," they replied. "At least the folks in our church love eachother."


Well praise God, we old fashioned nuts love eachother!

I learned this poem over thirty years ago shortly after I was saved. It was true then and is even more so now. :




THE CHURCH WALKING WITH THE WORLD

The Church and the World walked far apart
On the changing shores of time,
The World was singing a giddy song,
And the Church a hymn sublime.
"Come give me your hand," said the merry World,
"And walk with me this way!"
But the good Church hid her snowy hands
And solemnly answered "Nay,
I will not give you my hand at all,
And I will not walk with you;
Your way is the way that leads to death;
Your words are all untrue."

"Nay, walk with me but a little space,"
Said the World with a kindly air;
"The road I walk is a pleasant road,
And the sun shines always there;
Your path is thorny and rough and rude,
But mine is broad and plain;
My way is paved with flowers and dews,
And yours with tears and pain;
The sky to me is always blue,
No want, no toil I know;
The sky above you is always dark,
Your lot is a lot of woe;
There's room enough for you and me
To travel side by side."

Half shyly the Church approached the World
And gave him her hand of snow;
And the old World grasped it and walked along,
Saying, in accents low,
"Your dress is too simple to please my taste;
I will give you pearls to wear,
Rich velvets and silks for your graceful form,
And diamonds to deck your hair."
The Church looked down at her plain white robes,
And then at the dazzling World,
And blushed as she saw his handsome lip
With a smile contemptuous curled.
"I will change my dress for a costlier one,"
"Said the Church, with a smile of grace;
Then her pure white garments drifted away,
And the World gave, in their place,
Beautiful satins and shining silks,
Roses and gems and costly pearls;
While over her forehead her bright hair fell
Crisped in a thousand curls.

"Your house is too plain," said the proud old World,
"I'll build you one like mine;
With walls of marble and towers of gold,
And furniture ever so fine."
So he built her a costly and beautiful house;
Most splendid it was to behold;
Her sons and her daughters dwelt there
Gleaming in purple and gold;
Rich fairs and shows in the halls were held,
And the World and his children were there.
Laughter and music and feasts were heard
In the place that was meant for prayer.
There were cushioned seats for the rich and gay,
To sit in their pomp and pride;
But the poor who were clad in shabby array,
Sat meekly down outside.
"You give too much to the poor," said the World.
"Far more than you ought to do;
If they are in need of shelter and food,
Why need it trouble you?
Go, take your money and buy rich robes,
Buy horses and carriages fine;
Buy pearls and jewels and dainty food,
Buy the rarest and costliest wine;
My children they dote on these things,
And if you their love would win
You must do as they do, and walk in the ways
That they are walking in."
So the poor were turned from her door in scorn,
And she heard not an orphan's cry;
But she drew her beautiful robes aside,
As the widows went weeping by.

Then the sons of the World and Sons of the Church
Walked closely hand and heart,
And only the Master, who knoweth all,
Could tell the two apart.
Then the Church sat down at her ease, and said,
"I am rich and my goods increase;
I have need of nothing, or aught to do,
But to laugh, and dance, and feast."
The shy World heard, and he laughed in his sleeve,
And mockingly said, aside-
"The Church is fallen, the beautiful Church;
And her shame is her boast and her pride."

The angel drew near to the mercy seat,
And whispered in sighs her name;
Then the loud anthems of rapture were hushed,
And heads were covered with shame;
And a voice was heard at last by the Church
From Him who sat on the throne,
"I know thy works, and how thou hast said,
'I am rich, and hast not known
That thou art naked, poor and blind,
And wretched before my face;'
Therefore from my presence cast I thee out,
And blot thy name from its place."

-MATILDA C. EDWARD

 

Oops,

I sincerely apologize for not getting the right planets in the right order.

As for reading, you no doubt know that we old fashioned Baptists are uneducated so book learning has never been high on our list of priorities!

You know, we're kind of like the dinosaurs and I don't reckon they were too good at reading either.

And no doubt, the last dinosaur felt sorry for himself too, at least I seem to remember he felt that way. I've been around so long I should remember! :laugh:

I have gone back to read what SaturnNeptune said and not trying to rely on my "photographic" memory. (You see I really do have a photographic memory, it's just the camera is out of film)

You're right, our liberal friend doesn't wish me and my kind dead, just extinct. Now isn't that kind of the same thing?

I find more and more in commone with the prophets of the Old Testament the longer I read here! Oh well, guess I'm in good company.