Wait on the Lord.

This does not only imply to patiently wait for a blessing from the Lord, though this is necessary. The Apostle tells us that after we have asked for a blessing, we must have patience to wait for it. This does not imply only, to calmly endure afflictions and troubles without complaint. Though this is our duty, not to murmur, nor complain beneath the chastening rod, this doesn't only mean that we must be perfectly resigned to every dispensation of his divine providence, notwithstanding this is our highest duty. In your patience possess ye your souls. Neither does it simply mean for us to go to church, and wait on him in the public worship, nor wait patiently for death, when we must change worlds. But to wait on the Lord, implies a service. We are not called upon to wait merely in the presence of the Lord. Some professed Christians remind me of an 00034old man of whom it is said that his master told him to take his hoe and go and lay by a piece of corn, meaning to work it for the last time. He took his hoe, and (literally obeyed) laid down under the shade from morning till night. When his master inquired as to how he was getting on, he replied, "I am laying by it." The next day his master called to inspect the job, and found him in the shade, laying by the corn. When he commenced to scold and ask why he had done no work, he informed his master that he was not told to work, but to lay by the corn, which order he had obeyed. So with some church members; they seem to understand this "wait on the Lord," a mere "laying by." Instead of going into the vineyard of the Master and work, they take their tools, "once in Christ, never out" (a good old Baptist doctrine) and "I know the day, and I remember the time," and "lay by" the vineyard of the Lord. They are not working, but every time you call on them, they are laying by the vineyard, with that blessed old tool, "Once in Christ, never out," under their heads, and that other famous tool among us, "I know the day, and I remember the time," laying by their sides. Those who are called to wait on the Lord, must remember that they are called to service. Those who waited upon the king, served his guest. It was just as much their duty to serve his attendants, as to wait on him. We who are called to wait on the Lord, must serve his people. This is a most honorable position, as well as a fearful responsibility. More honorable it is than to wait on earthly kings. A position in which angels are justly proud. They wait in his august presence, willing and ready, at his fiat, to dart as lightning, to execute his command. To wait on the Lord, is to serve his people in every thing that subserves their good. I refer especially to the work of the colored ministry. We are the down trodden people of this country. Our people have served in bondage for two hundred and fifty years. Our people have been taught to be converted, and give their hearts to Jesus and serve their mistresses and masters honestly. They were not taught vital and living Christianity. They were practically taught that adultery was no harm, and that getting drunk was merely an amusement. They were substantially taught that it was a feat of industry to seize every opportunity which presented itself to rival their neighbors even if it robbed them of the dearest objects of their hearts. It is useless for me to consume your precious time to tell you how we were taught these erroneous doctrines. Suffice it, however, for me to state that we were born in ignorance. The only things we knew, we learned by imitation. These were some of the most damning evils that attended the system of slavery in this country. Sometimes many stayed in the same hut, and became so common with each other, that they thereby lost that chastity, modesty and self-respect which is so necessary to refinement and greatness. To eradicate these evils is the work of the colored ministry. Dear brethren, let us feel the magnitude of our work and fearful responsibility. To serve the people is to--Educate Them.

I think we have spent more time clamoring for political supremacy than was allotted us. I think that we should first prepare ourselves to possess these rights. It cannot be denied that 00045we have been wronged and are still being wronged. Neither can it be denied that we have not done what we should have done, nor what we could have done to prepare ourselves to possess these rights. It will always be with us as it is with us, unless we are educated in spite of legislative enactments and constitutional amendments. Nobody can make us respectable. Nobody can make us what we are not. We are just what we make ourselves. The helm of our ship has been placed in our hands. If it wrecks, we are responsible and the irretrievable loss is ours. We should leave no stone unturned to educate our people. We should not depend entirely upon northern liberality to educate and lift up our people. No people should be carried to the summit of intelligence and prosperity without personal efforts. We, as servants of the Lord, and of his people, should be prime movers in this matter. We should not cease to lift our voices in favor of education. We should wage uncompromising war on ignorance, which has so long enthralled our people. We must encourage our people to get an education, or must be content with our woeful fate. In promoting the educational interest of our people, we serve them in a very needed sphere. Education is power. The lack of it is weakness. We should, as leaders of the people, say to them, `educate yourselves, and you will have laid the foundation for future greatness. Educate yourselves and you will have erected a monument more lasting than brass, higher than the regal sights of pyramids, which the voracious winds, or the innumerable series of years can destroy.' Education is what our people need, and as servants of God and of his people, I take this occasion to speak with you about this important feature of our service. Resolving to work, is not working. Resolutions do not make school-houses, or pay teachers. So, dear brethren, fine resolutions are not what we most need. We need work. United work-work of all and for all. We need education, for it is that like gentle snowflakes, which fall from heaven, and accomplish the people's will as the lightning does the will of God.

The Ability of the Servants.

Just here, I would speak of ministerial education. The apostle told the elders to take heed to themselves, and to all of the flock over which the Holy Ghost had made them overseers, to feed the church of God, which he had purchased with his own blood. Here, the ministers, the overseers, are admonished to prepare themselves to guide, guard and protect the church, and to feed the flock. To do which, he must have some education. He cannot discharge the functions of his high office without a knowledge of his work. Those who are called of God to feed his people, are first called to prepare for the work. The people must eat healthy and wholesome food, or they will become meager and blind, pine and die. The ministers who would do most in the service of God, must thoroughly equip themselves for their holy work. The cause demands of us these prerequisites. So much depends upon the qualification of the servants of the master. Our denomination has suffered loss in consequence of incompetent servants. Many of them have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. I do not question their piety. They are earnest and humble men; but all pious humble and earnest men are not prepared 00056to preach. Men should not be put into the ministry simply because they are good men. They should have a practical knowledge of the work. They must be called of God to preach. Too much stress cannot be put upon a divine call to the gospel ministry without which, no one is competent to preach. Our colleges are not expected to make preachers, but they are intended to help preachers who are already made of God. Preaching is not merely a profession. It is the gift and calling of God. However learned and eloquent a man may be, if he doesn't love God, he cannot feed his flock. God first inquires of his servants. "Lovest thou me?" An answer in the affirmative, determines his appointment. Godly piety is, however, indispensably necessary. A consistent Christian life and unqualified kindness play their part.

Intemperance.

This is an inexorable enemy to our work. Until we shall have succeeded in extirpating this invidious foe from our midst, our mission is scarcely begun. Until the monster, intemperance, is banished from our God given homes, and the glorious old temperance flag is unfurled to the breeze, (with the divine insignia, "Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging, and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise, for at the last it bitch as a serpent and stingeth like an adder"), wave over the land of the free, and home of the brave; our success is merely apparent. Until there is a holy sentiment excited against this adversary of God, and destroyer of man, until there is a righteous indignation throughout our entire ranks against this flagitious and degrading demon, our feet have not touched the first round of the ladder of elevation. If there is an enemy that demands the united efforts of the servants of God, that enemy is intemperance. If there is an evil that hinders the march of the army of the Lord and enthralls the soldiers that evil is intoxicating liquors. If there is an evil destructive in all of its works, and defiling everyone who comes within its touch, that evil is malt liquors. Intemperance has its surreptitiously won place in the church of God. To our shame be it said.

Now, dear brethren, to wait on the Lord is to serve his people. This is our work. Let us leave no means unemployed to get rid of this damning evil. We are doing work for 112,000 Baptists, whose representatives we are. Let us be true to our trust. Our work is not done when we come down from the pulpit. We are to mingle with the people and thus bless them in our very lives. We serve the people by preaching to them the simple gospel of Christ. Let us remember that it is our duty to preach Christ to all, and cry in death, "Behold, behold the lamb!" We are to preach the gospel from honest hearts and God will take care of us and the results. We can acceptable serve the people in the Sunday school. To labor in the Sunday school, is to reach those whom the pulpit would fail to reach. The Sunday school contemplates the salvation of the children. We are made custodians of our children, and are, in a large measure, responsible for their salvation. The Sunday school promises richest yield of harvest. It is casting bread upon the water, to be seen and gathered many days hence. All cannot enter the pulpit and preach, but all can enter the Sunday school, either as teachers or scholars, and thus 00067do service in the vineyard of the Lord. Let every man be at his work. If we would only be content to do just what God would have us do, our cause would advance more. It is to be feared that there are too many incompetent and unworthy men in the ministry, whose conversion is dubious, much less their fitness to work of the ministry. Much of the blame rests upon us. We have ordained men whom we knew were incompetent, and whom we did not believe called of God to preach. But their friends urged their claims, and to get out of the trouble, we agreed.

Faith in Waiting on the Lord.

"But without faith, it is impossible to please him. For he that cometh to God, must believe that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.' Our service, without implicit faith in Christ, is an insult to God. We are prompted by faith to look over the short-comings of each other and even insults, however gross they are. When the disciples were told to forgive their brethren seventy times seven in a single day, they prayed, "Lord, increase our faith." As much as to say, we cannot do this without more faith. Faith is necessary to fight against the power of darkness. The arch fiend of hell doesn't dread a doubting Christian. He trembles before the child of faith. Believing souls he shudders to confront. A minister without faith, is a scandal to the cause of Christ. He that preaches should believe the truths which he proclaims. He should simply believe the Bible, because it is a book from God.

Faith in the Church Ordinances.

If he is not sound in this, his preaching will be materially defective, and his church will be largely corrupt in faith, and imperfect in doctrine, and unwholesome in practice. Many of our church troubles are traceable to this one evil. Too much attention cannot be given to this one evil in our denomination. We claim that our Convention is not an ecclesiastical body and therefore, we cannot try church cases. That we cannot settle church troubles, you and your humble speaker are agreed. But we can discountenance disorderly churches. We can say which one is right, (when called upon) and therefore fit to unite with us. In this way we would hinder many splits and confusions in the churches and add largely to the cause of Christ, and advance our denominational interest in the State. Much of the church burning and law suits which have characterized our denomination in Georgia, would stop if we would take a different course. We do not help the cause any by taking everyone who applies.

Obedience.

Faith actuates us to obedience. We should only want to know that the mouth of the Lord has spoken it, and we should obey. Obey without questioning; obey at once; obey precisely; obey continually. Obedience to all the requirements of God is our highest and most sacred duty. When we are wanting in obediences of his church, we must remember that it affects the church very materially, and an eruption is the outgrowth. The leaders should make the people feel that they are always simply obeying orders from headquarters. Let them know that our highest aspiration is to obey the Captain of our salvation. We have nothing to seek in our conduct but the glory of God. "To obey" said Samuel, "is better than sacrifice."

Prayer.

Wait on the Lord in prayer. We cannot work in the vineyard of the Lord without this important weapon. Having all others, without this we would fail. Prayer is the breath of God in man. It touches the heart of God. It brings every blessing from above. With this weapon in hand, Satan trembles. The minister should come from his closet to the pulpit; come from his knees to meet the people. He should pray over his text; pray that God would assist him to tell his message with the power of the Holy Spirit. He should pray daily for his flock, pray for their welfare spiritually and temporally; pray for the salvation of their children; pray for the whole people. He should pray for his countrymen; the officers of our country. It is a glorious privilege to pray for others.

II. BE OF GOOD COURAGE.

Courage is necessary in everything. Without it not much can be accomplished; with it much that appears impossible may be done. Our lives should not be too dear to us to sacrifice for the cause of Christ. Once upon a time, when for two years a pestilence raged in the city of Rome, sweeping away in its ferocity many citizens and paralyzing the industry of all, and the region of Rome was shaken by terrific earthquakes, the Tiber overflowed his bed and flooded the great circus so that games which were then going on were broken off. Very soon afterwards a great gulf opened in the forum as if to say that the meeting-place of the Roman people was to be use no more. Their seers were consulted, who said that the gods forbade this gulf to close until that which Rome held most valuable was thrown into it. Then when men asked what this might be, a noble-hearted young man named Mettus Curtius replied with a loud voice, that nothing so worthy as Rome's brave men could be sacrificed to the gods. Saying this he put on his armor, and mounting his horse, leaped into the gulf, and straight way, says the legend, the chasm closed and became solid as before. This was true courage. Such we must have if the glorious cause which we have espoused would prosper. With such courage the early Christians were imbued. They didn't count their lives dear unto them. They rejoiced when they were called to suffer for Jesus. They smiled at the raging flames and were surprisingly hilarious at the sight of the chopping block and other means of death. They feared not to die, knowing that the suffering of this present life is not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us. Take Felix Mantz, of Switzerland, who was condemned to death, under the terrible rage of persecution of the 15th century under Charles V. He was called to give his life for the gospel of Jesus by being drowned. He said that he rejoiced that Jesus counted him worthy to suffer for him. And just before he was thrown overboard he sang in a loud voice, " In manus tuas, domine, comemndo spiritum meum," in to thine hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit. There is nothing to lose by the servants of God being courageous, but all to gain. They sowed the seeds of the glorious gospel in the hearts of those who were conducting their execution. Seed thus sown are put into good ground, and must bring forth fruit to the glory and honor of God. Only God can know what the early Christians suffered. Yet in all they 00089were courageous and died only to live, as they had lived to die. Read the horrors of the 13th, 14th and 15th centuries, and learn what courage was necessary to hold up under such trying circumstances. Men and women were roasted slowly by the fire until they expired in extreme anguish. They were beheaded, they were drowned, they were buried alive, and on some occasions they were burned in large numbers in the church and other places. Once a ship loaded with humble and inoffensive citizens, was launched and set on fire. They sang glory to God while they courageously died for the glorious truths which they had believed and gladly fostered; thus verifying that blessed truth, "Thy saints in all this glorious war, shall conquer though they die." If they had not good courage, they would have recanted under this sore affliction and great tribulation. When we see the fiery trials through which the servants of God have been compelled to pass we wonder how they could have stood under these. Then the veil is removed, and we see a hand rent and torn, in which is a blood stained flag with the divine insignia, "Sure victory." What may not be accomplished by the courageous. Napoleon was a successful general. The key to his most daring feats of success was due to his courage. It is said a monarch must smile even when his crown of thorns causes the blood to trickle down the forehead that bears it. When at the fearful battle of Moscow, he said to Carelincourt, "this is a serious state of things but rest assured," that "my courage will not flinch. My star is overclouded, but all is not lost." It is said of a certain brave Spartan, who fell in war, that while being weltered in his own blood, he dipped his finger in his own blood and wrote on a rock by his side, 'Sparta shall conquer' This was true courage, good courage. It was only lost upon the margin of eternity, when he breathed his last. We are called upon to have courage in the battle of the Lord. Many are the conflicts in which we must engage, but we must take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit, and stay in the field of battle till the war is ended. Many things will appear to fright us, but if we will only have courage, we shall conquer. Let us with intrepidity stand by the right, then let what will come: "Fearless of hell and ghastly death,I'll break through every foe,The wings of love and arms of faith,Will bear me conqueror through."We must have moral courage, force of mind, fixedness of purpose, or our lives will be a failure. If we would succeed, we must despise "I cannot" and love and embrace "I can, will." Much depends upon our force of will. The man that wills little accomplishes less. The man that sees no difficulties meets with less. The man that believes in ghosts sees most. He who doesn't sees none. The man who believes that he is dying dies. The man who believes that he is sinking sinks. He who believes that he is rising rises. Peter walked on the water as long as he believed that he could, but as soon as his moral courage failed he began to sink, and cried "Lord save me." The man who has courage will despite of encumbrances succeed; and obstacles and difficulties will be vanquished at his feet. Those who engage in the battle of the Lord will not always find themselves sailing on calm and placid waters; at times the surges dash against our moral ship as 000910they heave from the nevermost depths of a tempestuous sea; and defy his steady advance upwards and heaven-wards in righteousness. We need great courage and force of character to hold up under this terrible calamity. The preacher at times finds his church in such a condition as threatens its very existence. If his courage should go under then, the cause would sustain very great loss. He has many shades of mind to deal with in the church. There are those who seek honor, there are those who seek the government of the church, even at the sacrifice of peace and union, there are those who seek to pass ruinous laws to accomplish their sinister aggrandisement at the expense of justice and righteousness. With these classes the minister must contend, therefore, he may well say, "Sure I must fight if I would reign, increase my courage Lord." Sometimes our people leave us alone contending for the truth of the Bible and the order of God's house. Our aereal sky at times gets black with trouble, and we are made to cry, "O when shall I see Jesus, and in his bosom rest?" Oh! if the minister has not good courage, he will find himself unable to take care of the church of God. He should be as bold as a lion and as harmless as a dove. When the church gets cold the members get so that they find no pleasure in visiting the church, and they do not seem to think of God in all of their ways, he feels surely the Lord has forsaken him. Sinners are dying and going to hell, the mission cause suffers, the church is in debt, and the members are unmoved. He examines his Bible to find texts on Christian duty, he exhausts his power on them and yet his church is cold and indifferent. He then feels like folding his arms, and calling upon the Most High to arise and plead his own cause. Then the spirit whispers to him, "O! do not be discouraged for Jesus is your friend, He will give you grace to conquer and keep you to the end." Then he begins to sing, "Sometimes I am discouraged, and think work in vain, but then the holy spirit revives my soul again," and thus cheers the weary traveller along the heavenly road; without courage he is materially lame, and Zion will languish in his hands. He must not be a coward or he cannot serve the people acceptably. There are sins against which he must preach, though it excites the people to heap upon him their bitterest vituperation. Societies now a days are sapping the very life of the churches. We should have the courage to lift our voices against anything that tends to impede the progress of Zion. They promise money after death. We have men who will travel from one end of the State to the other to preach up their eleemosynary societies which promise money after death; and leave Jesus who promises eternal life after death to take care of his own cause. We collect money for the church by nickels, but these societies get it by dollars. The church of Christ is suffering for money, the gospel needs to go, and these societies have the money of the Lord in their treasuries. Will the ministers, god's agents, allow these things to close their mouths, and dare not speak against these glaring wrongs? Be it said to our shame that when one does raise his voice in condemnation of these preludes to evil (if indeed not evil) he is at once unpopular and considered a fanatic. We need courage to warn the people of their sins. We should teach them that to trust God is their most sacred duty while a glorious 001011privilege. God used to take care of widows after the death of their husbands. He has reared fatherless children. He is the same immutable God. Have courage, my brethren, in battling for Zion. Remember that truth crushed to earth and buried in the rubbish of empires will rise again and shine with divine beauty and lustre. If we continue drifting as we are, the next generation will find it necessary to raise up a Martin Luther to sound the reformation trumpet to purify the church from the adulteration of this generation, with the same sanguinary results as of the 15th century. We should teach the people that the church is the ground and pillar of the truth. "Sure as thy truth shall last to Zion shall be given the brightest glories earth can yield and brighter bliss of heaven." Then we will hear them exclaim with earnest hearts: For her my tears shall fall,For her my prayers ascend,To her my cares and toils be given,Till toils and cares shall end,"Until this is the case, that reverence for the church which all of Zion's travellers should have will be wanting, and Zion's borders will not be enlarged. We should not sleep over this fact. Let us admonish: Awake, awake, put on thy strength,Thy beautiful array,The day of freedom dawns at length,The Lord's appointed day."

III. AND HE SHALL STRENGTHEN THINE HEART.

The precious promise that God will sustain us in the field of battle amid dangers and death cheers us every day. Many are the conflicts and troubles surrounding the righteous, but the Lord delivers them out of them all. We must remember that whether we always feel the abiding presence of the Lord or not, he is always with us. "And now I am with you always even unto the ends of the world. When we fear and despair, he is there to say, "Fear not it is I;" when satan inflicts wounds upon our hearts, the Father of comforts strengthens the heart by healing its wounds, he strengthens by driving "each cursed idol out that dares torival him." In darkest hours of trouble he stands closest by. "When troubles like a gloomy cloud have gathered thick and thundered loud, he near my soul has always stood, his loving kindness, O! how good." We cannot discharge the duties of our high office, if the Lord doesn't proffer us his strength. The heart represents the fountain of life, the mainspring of man's conduct, all of man. As a man's heart is, so is he. God promises to strengthen the hearts of those who wait on him. The Lord will not demand anything of us that he has not given us strength to perform. In the battle of the Lord, we are contending with wickedness in high places. In this battle the servants receive many bruises. The heart seems to bleed while the enemy darts his javelin into it, but the Lord heals all of the wounds, and leads his scarred-brow soldier into green pastures and beside still waters. He strengthens the heart by comforting it. When we are in deep water and our souls are disquieted within us, the Lord Jehovah, from the third heaven speaks;"When through deep waters, I call thee to goThe rivers of woe shall not thee o'erflow,When through fiery trials thy pathway shall be,My grace is sufficient and shall be your supply."He gives us strength by showing us brighter prospects. When the heart would faint, he bids it drink the healing water, when it fears, he shows it victory. The Christian's aereal sky often 001112becomes dark with the clouds of adversity and disappointment, then Jesus tell them, "Be of a good cheer I have overcome the world, and as I have overcome, so shall ye overcome." Hear our God declare, "With whom my hand shall be established: my arm also shall strengthen him." --Ps. lxxxix 21. Dear brethren, if the hand of the omniscient God is established with us, his word for it that he will strengthen. I hear him again, "And I will strengthen them in the Lord; and they shall walk up and down in his name, saith the Lord." --Zech. x:12. The Christian's heart would fail him when the thoughts of death steal through him; then the Lord strengthens the heart by showing it victory in death. The Christian always gets strength when he looks towards the end; for then he remembers that if this earthly house of our tabernacle is dissolved and fall, we have a building of God a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. When our hearts would droop, he tells them, "Fear not, I will strengthen thee, uphold thee, and cause thee to stand sustained by thy strong omniponent hand. He bids us not to be weary in well-doing, assuring us that in due season, we shall reap, if we faint not. He whispers to our hearts, "They that overcome shall walk with me clothed in white, for they are worthy." These precious promises are food to the pilgrim. They give him strength to prosecute his journey. They are oases in his desert. They are springs in a dry and thirsty land, and the shadow of a great rock in a weary land. When the child of God comes to the Jordan of death and the angels whisper that the crossing is near, his soul in ecstasy cries out,"Oh come angel band!Come and around me stand!Oh! bear me away on your snowy wingsTo my immortal home."

Then the curtain which intervenes between us and our home will be removed by the fatherly hand of him who doeth all things well. Then we may with joy unspeakable and full of glory sing;"The opening heavens around me shineWith beams of sacred bliss,While Jesus shows his love is mine,And whispers I am his."

Then, and not until then, may we exclaim,"My soul would leave this heavy clayAt that transporting word,And run with joy the shining wayTo meet my gracious Lord."

And lastly, brethren, when our labors on earth are ended, when we shall meet no more in Conventions to devise plans to further the gospel of the Son of God; Oh! when we are summoned to our home by the king of terror, the dark, steel-clad warrior of eternity, death, we shall stack arms at Jesus' feet, and study war no more. When we shall have finished gathering sheaves from the golden fields, for the Master's garner; Oh! when the struggle is over, we shall bind our sheaves together and shout the harvest home. We shall meet beyond the river.Where the surges cease to roar"

Where "No trump shall arouse the rage of war,Nor murderous cannon roar,But peace with her olive crowns,Shall extend from shore to shore."

I think we shall meet the brethren of this Convention who have long since laid their armor, by and rest in peace at home. I fancy that we shall meet Dr. Watts; our lamented president, Rev. Quarles; Rev. Arrington; and Pa Johnson; and Rev. F D. Williams; and others over there, who used to labor with us; and we will make heaven 001213ring with the sweet old story, Oh! what a wonder that Jesus loved us. We shall join the countless number of harpers harping with their harps, to swell the epithilamic chorus of the skies, in exultant praise to the captain of our salvation. Oh! let me urge, "Wait I say on the Lord." Wait till death, and then we will be gathered home, where congregations never break up, and Sabbaths have to end. Amen and Amen!