A classic English writer has forcefully and beautifully said:

	        "There's untold power in him who knows a thing's
		Of God's own willing; though doubts may shroud
		In cloud the transient hour."

It is the unmeasured power of belief in what a soul lives by. Give a man faith -- unclouded heartfelt belief -- and though his brain be narrow, and his knowledge small, he will impress and have success, while the man of great intellect and broad culture, who does not know anything as of God's own willing or purpose, will fail. But if such faith dwell in an earnest soul, a clear, strong mind, a trusting, fearless heart, mountain difficulties melt before him, he can tunnel or explode or scale them. He can stand in the very storm center beneath the black clouds and the thunder strokes with uplifted face and fearless heart, and where that faith is in the reasonable, vital, soul-lifting, sanctifying, God-revealed, eternal truth, he is always irresistable [sic]. Fixedness, firmness and fearlessness will mark his course. His spirit will be caught by those with whom he comes in touch, and conviction and acceptance will follow, or else opposition and even hate.

This kind of faith distinguished J. R. Graves, a modest, quiet, unassuming person, reticent in company and not gifted in social conversation, he flashed forth whenever God's truth was attacked, or when it was his opportunity to preach the word.

Here are some of his words, which carry conviction with them to every candid mind that the loftiest impulses controlled him. When charged with perverse notions he replied: "I can only deny this, because I cannot show my heart to my readers, but to my God I can, without fear of condemnation, lay my hand upon it and appeal to Him to believe the rectitude of my intentions. When I obeyed the voice that spoke to my conscience I gave up all the cherished plans of my life to preach the gospel of the Son of God." "Nor did I find the limit to stop at this point, i.e., simply teaching the positive commands of Christ. These words burnt themselves upon my eye, rang with weighty import upon my ear: 'Every plant which my Father hath not planted shall be rooted up.' I am conscious of no other motive. I appeal from my accusers to my Master and Judge."

When he penned these fervid words, he stood before the world as the disturber of religious peace, the foe of Methodists as well as of Methodist -- and other communions, whose erronious [sic] teaching he attacked -- he stood almost alone, and like Luther before the Diet of Worms, said: "I can do other, God help me."

The age, as wrote Carlyle at that very time, with lightning force and glare, too, was called "the age of shams." The age of heroes, according to him, of real genuine men, had gone and in their room had come forth shadows, masks, make-believe, un-realities. All this was to a great extent itself a sham -- a caricature. Yet there is some truth in it. It cannot be denied that then and now much of so-called Christianity is a form -- an image -- a masquerade -- a sham. Alas, there are sham ministers and church members, whose prayers (repetitions of dead men's) is a sham, whose utterances in public worship is a sham, whose contributions to the name of Christ is a sham -- a show, a pretence, a lie; in short, a wicked mockery. What a sham to call the Roman pope and his priestly hierarchy a church, that is, an assembly of believers in Christ Jesus! What a sham to call the general conference "the Methodist church of Christ." What a sham to call the sprinkling of a few drops of water on the face of an unconscious babe, baptism into Christ's death, a burial with Him by baptism, and then call that babe a member of the church! what a sham to say that the eternal destiny of a soul is conditioned upon the action of a mortal man, who gives absolution at the confessional, or the remission of sins in immersion.

These shams stared Graves in the face. He felt called of God to meet them, expose them, and as far as he could do it, banish them from the earth. He had a mission and a message, and steadfast was his aim to fulfill the one and to deliver the other, making no pause, no compromise, whether in the vigor of young manhood or beneath the burden and infirmities of old age.

At that time, be it remembered, the Methodists had a chosen champion who lectured from place to place, attacking with denunciations, and misrepresentations, with unscrupulous attack the principles and ordinances which distinguished the Baptists. These lectures, often mere tirades, were mainly given by an Irishman, of force and sharpness, whose name was Chapman (with several others in different South-Western states). Graves was frequently called to meet these men and meet them he did, with sweeping, over-whelming force. Indeed the swelling tide of Methodism was checked, and the Baptists' cause strengthened and greatly extended by his discussions. He was (as old Brother Sands, then conductor of the Religious Herald, Richmond, Va., said:) "A Sampson amongst Philistines; he felt called to this particular work, and greatly he delights in his calling." Of one of his contest debates we let a competent witness speak:

Major Penn has left his "foot-prints on the sands of time." A lawyer of ability and success, an active member of the Jefferson church, Texas, respected and influential, he abandoned all to become an Evangelist. God blessed his work and thousands were lead to the Lord Jesus through his instrumentality. In his meetings he preached Christ only -- justification by faith, and the Holy Spirit's work on man's renovation and salvation. None was any more free from every thing like ritualism or church salvation than he. But he was the inestimable friend and to some extent, imitator (I may say disciple) of J. R. Graves. He preached, as Graves did, the immediate duty of baptism by every convert; never hesitated to proclaim that the immersion of a believer in Christ, saved persons, was the only baptism known to, or commanded in God's word. In his early life he attended a debate, in which Graves was the Baptist champion. Describing that debate, some fifty years after, he wrote:

"Soon after my conversion I attended for one term the Male Academy in Trenton, and then for a single term the Union University of Murfreesboro, Tenn., of which the distinguished I. H. Eaton, father of T. T. Eaton, of Tennessee, was president.

"About this time we heard of a great debate that was to be in Lexington, a town fifty miles east of us, between J. R. Graves, Baptist, and I. L. Chapman, Methodist. My mother and myself were anxious to attend, and at once decided to go, although it was quite a journey and a one-horse buggy was our best means of conveyance. We arrived the morning the debate opened, and heard the first speech.

"I wish I could describe the grand old hero of Baptist faith. These were his palmiest days. In robust health, eloquent in speech, graceful and attractive in manner, he swayed the multitudes that were in constant attendance during the three days debate. Graves, as I thought, completely demolished the Methodist champion." (Life of Penn, p. 40.)

The debate was adjourned to Canton, Mississippi, and was followed up several times in different places.

In these debates Graves was at ease and always self-possessed. He could not be thrown off his guard and never lost his temper. His intensity at times was overwhelming. Carlyle says some of Luther's sentences had Austerlitz battle in them. The same might be said of the red-hot logic of Graves. His words were like chain-shot from a rifle cannon, and no where, so far as we could learn, but the Baptist cause was aided where these discussions took place.

But, be it remembered, that in the logical and scriptural arraignment and denunciation, too; of the errors he combatted [sic] especially of the unscriptural forms of church government, and of the ordinances, he would always announce and repeat that he did not question the true standing of his antagonist as a believer in Christ. In his last great debate with Dr. Ditzler he said (as was usual with him):

"I may unchurch an organization, i.e., deny that they possess the scriptural characteristics of a gospel church and not thereby unchristianize its members. If my opponent should attempt to make the impression upon you that I deny that you are Christians because I deny your society is a church he will pursue a course both unwarranted and unprincipled." (Debate, p. 927)

But even if he had not uttered this denial of any such charge the whole scope of his writings, his known views, and teachings were sufficient.

That master of pure English, Dr. Channing, has well said: "Human language does not admit of entire precision. It has often been observed by philosophers that the most familiar sentences owe their perspicuity not so much to the definition of the definiteness of the language as to an almost uncredible {sic} activity (in the heart of readers) which selects from a variety of meaning that which each word demands, and assigns such counts to every phrase as the intention of the speaker, his character and situation require."

What meaning does the term kingdom in Graves vocabulary demand? An organization of churches. What does his language demand when he emphatically says: "I may unchurch an organization (that is, deny that it possesses the scriptural characteristics of a gospel church, and hence of kingdom) and not unchristianize its members." "And such attempt is unwarranted and unprincipled."

His whole life, his character, the drift of all his writings, and his denunciation of any such charge demands in all manly fairness that no such meaning be put on his language, or his mistaken view of the kingdom.

If it were done during his life time he would have denounced it, in his own fiery language, as a malicious falsehood. But he has gone. That eloquent tongue is silent. That wonderful instrument, from which every tone of varied music went forth is broken.

	"He hears not, he heeds not, he's free from pain,
	He has preached his last word, he has fought his last battle.
	No sound shall awake him to conflict again."

DEFAMATION AND ENDORSEMENT

As might be expected from all we know of poor human nature that the successful asserter and advocate of principles detested and opposed would be maligned and even defamed. Graves was not only denounced but calumny did its worst to blacken his good name. His detractors was [sic] aided in this by two unfortunate occurrences. The first was the suit for libel against the Tennessee Baptist, as Graves as its editor. It grew out of a very personal and I may say discreditable controversy between R. B. Jones, a Methodist preacher, and E. Collins, a Baptist. It will be seen by the following that Graves really had no hand in it. We believe it was while he was absent holding that great meeting with J. M. Pendleton at Bowling Green, Ky. The whole explanation of the matter and the vindication of Graves is found in the following communication which appeared in the Biblical Recorder of North Carolina.

"Dear Editor: -- As the innocent are sometimes the suffers through the public prints, it is but reasonable and just that they should have a hearing through the same channel, that an impartial public may judge righteous judgment. Be it known, that Elder J. R. Graves, editor of the Tennessee Baptist, Nashville, Tenn., has for and on account of an article in said paper of February 21, 1852, been found guilty of libeling a Methodist minister, and been fined in the Circuit court, Lexington, Tenn., damages of $7,500 and costs of court, which verdict was confirmed in the Supreme court, Jackson, Tenn. Now that Elder J. R. Graves has been so repeatedly and shamefully slandered thought the newspapers in the different states, and public speakers in the garb of ministers' books, etc., I regard it my duty, as the article complained of bears my signature, to give it a statement of the facts in this, and thus disabuse the public mind and show that Elder Graves has been, and is the innocent sufferer. The facts are substantially these: In 1851, the Rev. R. B. Jones, Methodist, published sundry Baptist ministers' most unfavorably, through the Methodist Advocate, published in Memphis, Tenn. Elder Collins, Baptist was the first to reply, and thus the paper warfare began and continued some time between them, each indulging in bitter sarcasms and personal reflections. Finally Elder Collins stated that he 'would wash his hands of the filthy creature and notice him no farther.' Jones in reply taunted the old man and said: 'When Baptists were called to come out, silence was profoundly eloquent.' Collins, believing that Jones had done him great injustice in said article, requested me to reply. I refused, stating that there was no difficulty between Jones and myself, and that he, Collins, was fully able for the fight. 'Yes,' he replied, 'but I tied my hands in a previous communication, and I do not feel at liberty to reply.' I, having lived in Collins' family for two years, and he having acted towards me the part of a benefactor and with the solemn pledge that should any difficulty arise from such article he would bear me harmlessly thorough, accordingly my name was given and the article sent forth as mine. Jones sues me and Collins for slandering him in said article, and Elder Graves was taken in the count by plaintiff's counsel as the editor of the paper, thinking it might strengthen the case. Collins assured Graves and myself, as well as many others, that it should not cost us a dime; that it was emphatically his own fight and he had plenty to sustain it, and we were to give ourselves no uneasiness about it. (In the mean-time Collins died. He was supposed to have no property, and the case went against us, giving damages to the amount of $7,500. The case was appealed and the judgment offered, and the whole of the damages and cost fell on Graves. The writer continues). Certain gentlemen interfered and a compromise was effected on the payment (by Graves) of $1,700 in all. Knowing, as I do, Elder J. R. Graves to be an innocent and persecuted man in this affair, who was, at the time of the publication of the article, in Bowling Green, Ky., holding a protracted meeting, and knew nothing of the article till some time afterwards. I have meet the requested sum (which Graves had paid) and I certify that those who speak or write as though it was Graves' article slander him and do him great injustice.

WM. M. DEAN

Pine Bluff, Ark., June 30, 1856.

We make no comment further than to point out the risk as well as wrong of personal vituperation -- even its truthfulness is no justification. But certainly Graves was fully vindicated.

The second unfortunate affair was a personal encounter with several persons, which took place in the book store of Graves, Marks & Co., Nashville. One Ferguson, an eloquent (and certainly unprincipled, as his after course proved him to be) preacher of Ancient Gospel, pastor of a large congregation of that order in Nashville, mixed up in a very discreditable scandel [sic] in which a lady belonging to a distinguished family figured. The daily papers gave but hints of it. Graves came out with the facts in the Tennessee Baptist. The lady's brothers then came over (one of them armed with a pistol) to Graves' office. They demanded that he take what he had written back. The demand was made in fierce, profane language, with pistol in hand. Graves refused. An attempt was made to seize him. He rushed from them, made for a drawer behind the counter, and rushed fiercely upon the three. He was struck, but he returned the blows with such determined vigor that the three men left precipitately, but Graves stood his ground with nothing but a "scratch" from the encounter. But the Methodist papers announced that he was "disgracefully caned." These are the facts of the case, as we know from the Nashville newspapers of the time, and the statements of Graves and eye witnesses. Pity such a thing should have occurred. Pity he had any thing to do with the affair of Ferguson. But that "magnetic man" was irrecoverably damaged. He became a spiritualist, a medium, and passed soon on to utter obscurity.

The babbling tongues of slander and vituperation became louder than ever, and to mend all this the Baptist[s] of Tennessee, and indeed of the South and Southwest spake out with no faltering voice.

Among these ranks was a man whose worth and ability and great usefulness were comparatively little known during his life, and whose name is almost forgotten.

Matthew Hilsman stood next to Howell, the leading man amongst the Baptists of Tennessee. A clear, logical thinker, a calm, forceful preacher, a gentle manner, with firmness and genial spirit, his influence was extensive and commanding. He was for many years the pastor of the church at Murfreesboro, where the Baptist University was located, with Joseph H. Eaton as its president, and from which church during Hilsman pastorate there went as missionaries Dr. Burton, T. P. Crawford, and J. Gillard. He was an influential trustee of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary until his death. Few men had the confidence and the respect and of the denomination at large more completely than he.

He did not agree with Graves either in his "non-pulpit affiliation," nor with other views of his. But he was amongst the first to do him justice when the surges threatened to overwhelm him. At the General Association of Alabama and Middle Tennessee he introduced the following resolution, sustaining it by a powerful speech, made in vindication of Graves and eulogistic of his character and abilities:

"Whereas, In consequence of his position as editor of the Tennessee Baptist, the character of Brother J. R. Graves has been expressed in various ways. Therefore

Resolved, That we have the utmost confidence in the moral integrity and Christian character of Brother Graves, and pray the great head of the church to prolong his life and increase his usefulness."

Similar resolutions were passed by the East Tennessee General Association, and the West Tennessee Convention.

But not alone by his own state was this expression of confidence in his integrity expressed.

JOHN L. WALLER

To some extent a rival of Graves, a man of positive convictions and of fearless utterance. He was, take him all in all, the greatest mind of all those distinguished names that adorn the Baptist denomination of the West and South. With less vigor and capacity for physical effort and endurance, he could not visit different regions or great gatherings and impress his personality or his teaching on the denomination as Graves did. His plans often failed from sheer physical inertion. His purposes to write were fixed and extensive, but he rarely had anything ready for the paper he edited until his printers were waiting for copy. After turning the Baptist Banner to W. C. Buch [Buck], he projected and published the Western Baptist Review at Frankfort, Ky., a monthly publication. But it took two years to bring out the first volume of twelve numbers and the suspension and renewal followed. It was finally changed to the Christian Repository. In the meantime Waller held a debate with Nathen L. Rice, at Georgetown, Ky,. and Rice admitted, years afterwards that he had an abler man to meet in Dr. Waller, by far, than Alexander Campbell.

Waller had known Graves from his coming to Kentucky. It was by the church which Waller's father had ling been pastor that Graves was ordained. He knew him well, and he differed with him in various points, especially on which the reception of "alien immersions["], on what was termed pulpit communion. Waller lived in Louisville, where the pressure of Methodists was not felt. There was no Methodist paper in Kentucky, and Methodism was nowhere dominant in the state. Very different was the condition of things in Tennessee, the center of Methodist power in the Southwest. Waller was, therefore, in none of those personal conflicts which continually assailed Graves. Yet he could fully realize his situation. I, he wrote, just as these conflicts were at the highest, these work. (Jan. 1852.) "J. R. Graves, our distinguished brother of the Tennessee Baptist, is again at his post after a protracted absence of some months during which he has had full many a logomachic tilt with the champions of Pedobaptism, and in every encounter his opponents were made to bite the dust. Every means and every weapon which wickedness could suggest have been employed for his destruction, but he has escaped without a wound and without a scar."

And again, (July, 1853), appeared the following in the Recorder: "Rev. J. R. Graves, the distinguished editor of the Tennessee Baptist, spent the Sabbath in our city. He spent some hours in our revival, (the present writer was there and took part in the converse) and we had lunch. The interview was every way pleasant and agreeable. We have known Brother Graves long and intimately, and a kinder but bolder heart throbs not in the breast of any man. He combines the meekness of a lamb with the boldness of a lion. He is yet young, but has done great good. May he live long to bless the cause of truth by his labors."

The words, kind but bolder heart we have capitalized. They describe the man for few gentler, kinder men in private intercourse, could be found; and we hold that had any heresy lurked in Graves' teaching Waller must have known it and would have denounced it.

		    For he was a man
		    Who would not flatter Neptune for his trident
		    Nor Jove for his power to thunder.    

He lifted his voice in the defence {sic} of the slandered man, and pronounced the forgoing high eulogy upon his talents, his orthodoxy and his personal character.

Enough. We turn from this to Graves as a preacher.
==================

[From Ford's Christian Repository and Home Circle, January, 1900, pages 39-48. -- Jim Duvall]

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Chapter 5
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