Arminian Antics #53

Past Meets Future

Cotton Adams - Home At Last

April 26, 1761

Pastor Finn,

Thank you for the kind words in your letter. Even though, we haven't seen each other in more'n fifteen years, I still feel the friendship and brotherly love from your pen.

You asked about the time I saw the famous circuit riding Calvinist, Cotton Adams.

I will never forget the day he rode into our town. It caused quite a stir among the townsfolk of Sandy Ridge. To this day, people jaw about the foggy, Sunday morning when Cotton Adams appeared on horseback. The bridge over Sims Creek looked as if a cloud just decided to lay down on the river. It almost seemed like he was coming from Heaven, the way the clouds covered his horse, Calico, up to his knees.

Cotton Adams was quite famous in these parts, and we were all expecting his arrival that morning. Mr. Adams was to preach in the new Sovereign Grace Church building. The pastor, George Truman, was an old friend of Cotton's. Fact is, the Church was started because of Mr. Adams' strong sermon series on Heaven and Hell. He was returning to bless us with his spiritual leadership and promised to help with the selection of deacons. 

I can understand why our pastor broke into uncontrollable tears and moaning when he went to help Cotton down from his horse that early morn. You see, Calico had brought into our town, the lifeless body of a man who had sacrificed his worldly treasures for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Cotton Adams must have gone to be with the Lord just hours before.

He had a well-worn hymnal in his hand, as was his habit of singing to the Lord as he traversed the acres of forests and farmlands between towns. He had hand-written one hymn that was found tucked in his saddle:

Depth of mercy, can there be

Mercy still reserved for me?
Can my God His wrath forbear?
Me, the chief of sinners, spare?
I have long withstood His grace,
Long provoked Him to His face;
Would not hearken to His calls:
Grieved Him by a thousand falls.

Chorus:
Depth of mercy, can there be
Mercy still reserved for me?
Bow Your ear, in mercy bow;
Pardon and accept me now.

There for me the Savior stands,
Shows His wounds and spreads His hands;
God is love, I know, I feel,
Jesus pleads, and loves me still.
Why to me this waste of love?
Ask my Advocate above.
See the cause in Jesus’ face,
Now before the throne of grace.

If I rightly read Your heart,
If You all compassion art,
Bow Your ear, in mercy bow;
Pardon and accept me now.
Now incline me to repent;
Let me now my fall lament:
Now my foul revolt deplore;
Weep, believe, and sin no more.

Cotton Adams, I only wish I could have heard your voice once more. Your singing alone, would bring conviction on the hurting souls who listened. Your presence seemed to be like one who had been with the angels of God. I know you are worshiping the living Savior, face to face now.

The township has decided to publish his journals and distribute them at cost. Preachers, of course, get a free copy to inspire your work in the Lord. My prayer is that they will bless many and remind all that our life is His and His alone!

Your friend,

Thomas Sawyer

Two-Fisted Pastor

To get the smashing full effect, please click on the picture.

Awkward Encounters

Jim Pemberton said in a previous post...

Before I joined a Southern Baptist congregation, I was a Lutheran. I had joined when my dad married a Lutheran after my mom died although my ecclesiological sensibilities were Baptistic having been baptized a couple years earlier in an anabaptist church. As such, I was taken in by a less-than-traditional independent Baptist family who added me as a tenor to their musical group. The pastor of one particularly fundamental church we sang in found out I belonged to a Lutheran church and exclaimed, "If I knew he was a Lutheran, I would never have let him sing here!"

This triggered a memory of the time I was baptized. I had been saved only a few weeks. I had been a drug-using, rock musician with hair down to my shoulders. I had my hair cut, but not enough for an independent Baptist little old lady. After my baptism, I was being congratulated by many in the congregation, who were expressing their love and blessings for God's mercy and grace on my behalf. This little lady, who I remember had an angry look on her face, came up to me and said, "Why do you wear your hair like THAT!" I didn't know what to say, I just stammered while my joy was punched in the stomach. 

Have you ever had an "awkward encounter" with a Christian or an unbeliever?

Once is Enough

Have you ever visited a church or just gone into a service, sat down and wished you could get up and run out?
In Mesquite, Texas, fifteen or sixteen years ago, my wife and I entered a church that started an hour later than our home church. (We were so late that we decided to visit that church instead of slinking into ours in the middle of the sermon.)
The first thing I noticed was that none of the men had a beard or mustache. Fact is, no male there had sideburns that were more than half an inch in length. The pastor had a "throne" type chair where he continually stared at me and my wife. The only person who said anything to us was the lady we sat next to. The songs were sung at a faster speed than normal and the invitation the pastor gave lasted longer than his sermon. I had also brought the wrong translation. I don't think anything other than the KJV was welcome, even if you were just a guest. I felt a little like the guy in this comic panel...

Have you ever had an uncomfortable experience while visiting a church? 

Giving