MOURNER’S BENCH, The, C. H. Cayce Old Baptists are opposed to mourners benches and effort meetings held for the purpose of getting souls saved, because the very object of such meetings is contrary to the whole teaching of the Scriptures. The eternal salvation of poor sinners does not depend upon the efforts of men. If the eternal salvation of sinners does depend upon the efforts of men, then they are justifiable in engaging in anything men may invent in order to the accomplishment of that end.
And if this be true, then anything may be engaged in, which has that object in view, whether the Bible authorizes it or not. But it is wrong to engage in any sort of religious practice which the Bible does not authorize. “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” 2 Tim. 3:16-17.
The word throughly in this text has become obsolete (gone out of use), and means thoroughly. From this text we learn, (1) that all Scripture is given by inspiration of God; (2) that all Scripture is profitable; (3) that it is profitable, for doctrine; (4) that it is profitable for reproof; (5) that it is profitable for correction; (6) that it is profitable for instruction in righteousness— that is, in right living; (7) that it is all for the man of God— that is, for the child of God; (8) that it is given for the perfection of the child of God— that the child of God may reach a state of perfection in the service of God, not a state of holiness as taught by the modern Holiness people; (9) that it is given that the man of God may be thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
This being true— that the Scripture is given that the man of God may be thoroughly furnished unto all good works then it must be true that the Scripture teaches everything that we ought to believe or practice religiously. If the Scripture teaches everything that we ought to believe or practice religiously, then it is wrong to believe or practice anything religiously that the Scripture does not teach. The Scripture does not teach that sinners are regenerated, or born of God, through the efforts of men, but that regeneration is the work of God alone.
Hence, all such efforts are wrong. They are not only wrong, but are a flagrant denial that regeneration is the work of God alone. The man who engages in such says by his act that he does not believe that “salvation is of the Lord.” His act proves that he believes salvation is of the efforts of men. It is really little better than infidelity. It is not much worse to deny the existence and being of God than to deny His word and His work. It is also presumption to engage in such work; for in so doing, the man presumes to accomplish the work that God has reserved to Himself, and which He, alone, does. The regeneration of the sinner is of God’s own sovereign will and work. See John 1:13.
In that text John denies that regeneration is of the will or work of man. It is not of the will of the flesh. It is not of blood. If it is not of the will of the flesh, the will of men has nothing whatever to do with it. If the will of men has nothing to do with it, then their effort meetings have nothing to do with the regeneration of sinners. They claim to be very willing and anxious to save souls; but they say the thing in the way of the salvation of the sinners is that the sinners are unwilling. But John says it is not of the will of the flesh; hence the will of the sinners has nothing to do with it. It is not of [pg 374] blood; hence it is not the work or doing of men that regenerates the sinner. The doings of men have nothing whatever to do with it. “But of God.”
It is of the sovereign will and the sovereign work of Almighty God that sinners are regenerated or born of God. Sinners are born of God by the work of God, and not by the work of men. Aid societies and efforts of men will not result in the birth of a single heir of promise. “Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.”— Galatians iv. 28. Sarah’s aid and Abraham’s effort resulted in the birth of Ishmael, who was a mocker; but did not result in the birth of Isaac, the promised child. So, their aids and efforts now may result in the birth of Ishmaelites, but cannot, and do not, result in the birth of a single promised child. There is no good reason for such practice, and there is every reason for opposing it.
As to any Old Baptist Church or association declaring nonfellowship for such practice, will say that we know of no Old Baptist Church or association which believes in or practices such. In fact, to believe in or practice such is not to be an Old Baptist. In our articles of faith we have this item: “That the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are a revelation from God, written by inspiration of God, teaching, as they do, all that we ought to believe, know or practice religiously.” This is the second item in the articles of faith or abstract of principles appearing in our columns nearly every week, and which this paper has been pledged to defend ever since it has been published. All our churches have an article containing the same in substance.
The old London Confession of Faith teaches the same thing in the following language contained in Chapter I, Sec. 6: “The whole counsel of God concerning all things necessary for His own glory, man’s salvation, faith and life, is either expressly set down or necessarily contained in the Holy Scripture; unto which nothing at any time is to be added, whether by new revelation of the Spirit, or tradition of men.” This is what the apostle believed; it is what the Baptists believed in 1689, and it is what Old Baptists believe now. If one believes otherwise, he is not an Old Baptist. Hence, if one believes in those effort meetings for the salvation of sinners, he is not an Old Baptist. He is no more entitled to be called an Old Baptist than a bed bug is entitled to be called an angel of mercy.
These confessions show what Old Baptists believe. This is what they have fellowship for. It virtually says that they do not have fellowship for anything that is contrary to this. No person can fellowship a thing and at the same time fellowship another thing that is diametrically opposed to that thing. Hence, no man can endorse the Baptist confession of faith, and at the same time endorse effort meetings for the salvation of souls.
Any member of an Old Baptist Church who takes part in and engages in such effort meetings should be reproved or admonished, and unless he repents, should be excluded from the fellowship of the church. To engage in such is disorderly, because it denies the teaching of God’s word, and every person who walks disorderly should be withdrawn from. “Now, we command you, brethren, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.”-2 Thess. 3:6.
We think the foregoing answers all the questions propounded by the brother. We know that we have been plain. It was not with the intention of wounding the feelings of any person, but because we feel that the question needs to be dealt with plainly. We trust that what we have said may be blessed to the good of some of our readers. The Primitive Baptist, April 27, 1915.
C. H. Cayce We think it is as much wrong to advocate an error through the press as in the pulpit. We should contend against false ways through the press as much as from the pulpit. And we should do this both ways. We think Old Baptists do sympathize with and pray for mourners; but they do not need the modern mourners’ bench revival machinery invented by the world and used by them. The Bible teaches everything we ought to practice religiously, and it says nothing about the mourners’ bench. Neither do we think Old Baptist churches should have organs. Of course if they want them, we cannot prevent them having them. And if they want a Sunday school, or a kissing party, or an ankle show, we cannot prevent that either. But this does not make it right. Because a church wants a thing does not make it right. We do not wish to declare non-fellowship for our brethren who have the organ, but we do not approve of it. May the Lord help us all to lay aside every thing that causes confusion. The Primitive Baptist, June 12, 1906.