"Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? Let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God. Behold, all ye that kindle a fire, that compass yourselves about with sparks: walk in the light of your fire, and in the sparks that ye have kindled. This shall ye have of mine hand; ye shall lie down in sorrow.Isaiah. 50:10,11

Brethren, no clearer admonition could be given to a child of God than these words. How can it be that Old Baptists say they reverentially fear their Lord, and have a sincere desire to be obedient servants, but imagine that we shall believe that the problems facing Zion have clean escaped their view? How can an obedient servant not know the trouble in his master's house? If men are in the dark they are in the dark by their own choice. They have enough light to realize that there is trouble. They prefer to avoid it because of what it might mean. The true brethren found in their Lord's service have light. Let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon his God!

No one likes change especially Old Baptists. There wouldn't be an Old Baptist if God didn't make the new creature. Man cannot and will not change on his own. Even the new creature has a part of him that resists change, therefore we have the exhortation "behold all things are passed away, behold all things are become new." Behold, that is look to see that these things are the case! When we were blessed to have a hope in Christ we saw the world and ourselves differently. When we were blessed to see the Kingdom of God and expressed our interest to have a home there we realized that we had to walk differently after being raised to walk in the newness of life. Yet there is still a plague that we all must endure. The flesh lusteth against the Spirit.

One said unto our Lord "Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee. But he answered and said unto him that told him, who is my mother? And who are my brethren? And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, behold my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother." How true! The truth doesn't change it was true then and its true today. "He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me." If those that call themselves brethren of like kindred faith and practice, loves someone more than their Lord; then they shall not be able to rest in the Lord's Church for they shall have a conflict in their affections. I would rather have a home in the Lord's church than be held in esteem by all the men of this world. I pray that I never have a desire to fellowship any brother, no matter how much I once thought of him or how long I may have built up memories with him, that insisted upon walking in disobedience to the Lord.

Brethren the ones that are causing trouble amongst us are those that have changed since they came in amongst us. None would have welcomed them in believing as they do today. These are they that kindle a fire because they lacked the true light. When a man ceases to abide in the vine he ought to be cast out. They have removed themselves from the vine and are only being superficially sustained by their friends. That cannot last long. These men that have kindled their own fires seem astonished when they feel the heat from their own sparks. "Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth. As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle strife. The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly." Proverbs 26:20-23/p>

We have all to some degree or another felt the sickening wounds of these contentious men that kindle strife. They are the talebearers. Let us stick to the old, old story and the old paths where in is the good way. They can have their tales. We wish them no ill will but rather that they would all be converted and repent. The scriptures say that man who abideth not in the vine is cast forth as a branch. He will not leave on his own accord. Only when he is cast forth will he wither. Why are we still gathering with these men? Shall our fond recollections of better days change their course or our own? 10/21/2003 Elder Marty Hoogasian