A home bright with the joys of domestic love and harmony, when youthful recollections are fresh and present in the tender ministries of an aged mother; when the light of confiding, growing, wedded love flings its soft radiance over the scene; when the prattle and play of little ones give variety to the gladness -- all suddenly wrecked, and solitude and sad silence reign where songs and laughter echoed -- this is amongst the saddest of life's experiences. In those days of darkness I watched Graves with a fellow-feeling. I too had known sorrow. I had seen the wreck of all the labors and savings of years. I too had watched the painful breathing of the dying dear ones, and stood over the grave when the loved and lost were laid to rest. I too had mused in the desolate home and seemed to hear amid the sad silence the echo of the voices hushed in death, while forms of beauty passed again before my sad fancy, only leaving me to muse in deeper sadness on their loss.I studied the man in his loneliness and his heart-struggles; and as I may have before written, the symbol of Holland expressed his condition and resolve. A lion struggling with the breakers, with a pennant between his lips, inscribed: Surges et immergo -- "It surges, but I shall emerge."
Graves rose like a giant from amid the ruins. The storm fearfully, appalling, had passed over him, but he stood like an oak, riven but not uprooted. He had a mission and a message -- a life work to do, and he met the crisis and faced the front with a faith that did not shrink nor waver on the brink or in the waves, of the deepest earthly woe. A short time after his bereavement he preached in Memphis a discourse to the recently -- and they were, oh, so many -- bereaved, full of consolation, on the "victory of faith." It was equal to any effort of his life.
As an illustration of the principle, or life-theme which had the mastery of this man's great mind, I give this incident. It was the second Sunday after the death scene already described. He had attended my preaching in the Central church, and accompanied me by previous engagement to the villa-like home of a sainted woman -- Mrs. Turley, to whose maternal care I had committed the youngest child. Dinner over, four of us sat in the library, and the past week's and present distress was, as might be expected, the topic of conversation. The names of the dead and of the recovered were spoken of with tearfulness. The son of sister Turley1 took but little part in the conversation until some word said or thought suggested the death of the Divine Man as an atoning sacrifice. Graves held somewhat peculiar views of the twofold nature of the Lord Jesus -- views with which I could not agree. He supposed that the soul, or spirit of the man Christ Jesus, was not a human soul, but the Deity incarnate, and as a consequence that "the travail of His soul" involved suffering in the Deity. Of this I shall write more at length in another chapter. It is only introduced now to show the earnestness and the tact of the man. He avoided the direct question of the logician, young Turley, and gave this graphic illustration of the redeeming work of the Lord: A merchant is involved for a large sum. He applies to his debtor; he gathers up all his resources; he applies for help, but all in vain. The day has arrived for payment and the hour when the bank will close is approaching. He must go to protest, and this is hopeless financial ruin. It is two o'clock. The bank closes at three. The man whose life has been one of self-security, is in silent despair and agony. Just then, a man of whom he has heard much, but cared little, whose resources are unlimited, enters his office. "Friend," he says, "you are in trouble, on the brink of irreparable ruin. Your debts run into the thousands. How feel you in this crisis?" "Broken-hearted and hopeless," is the reply. "Here, friend, is my check on the bank where your debts are due, for far more than the amount; will you accept it as a friend, and in return follow my guidance, and trust in my word?" The man's heart leaps to his lips, in confession for neglect, and for insults even, of this benefactor. He accepts with tearful gratitude the check. He presents it to the bank. His debts are canceled forever. He walks home a new man -- saved and safe.
"This," said Graves, "is my view, is the scriptural teaching of salvation by grace, through faith. Church and baptism have nothing under heaven to do with this transaction. It is between the Lord Jesus and the soul; and neither priest or preacher, church or ordinance can come between the sinner and his Savior to make or to mar his salvation by unmerited grace through faith and faith only."
He warmed as he spoke. There was heartfelt power in his looks and words, and as he closed I noticed the servants had crowded about the door to listen and left with the response of an old negro: "Dat's the gospel jest as Jesus Himself told us and dis old heart has felt. So glory be to God."
DEBATE ON SPIRITISM. Soon after this he held a friendly debate with a man of extensive reading, of high character, and of evident piety -- Dr. Watson. He had been the Methodist presiding elder of the Methodist district, and was greatly respected. But he was visionary in everything, and with this inclined to the grossest materialism. He thought the human spirit was a body -- in nearly everything resembling the natural body. That this spiritual body after death could range round the universe with lightning speed, could appear in material form and could converse with men on all kinds of topics.
The discussion took place in the large Opera House, which was crowded every night. Graves admitted a great deal of the alleged appearances and communications but affirmed it was fallen angels who carried on these deceptive contrivances. So fully did he believe this that he proposed to the writer to spend an appointed time in special prayer, and then have a known medium present and command in the name of Jesus that the evil spirit come out of him.
However, in his discussion with Dr. Watson, he turned the tide of spiritism in Memphis and his opponent was silent about it ever afterwards.
We have thought that during this discussion, which lasted six consecutive nights for two and sometimes three hours each meeting, originated in his mind his theories of "The Middle Life" afterwards published in a book. It shows great ability and searching thought, but its conclusions are most questionable.
I shall notice more fully his writings further on; here I would merely say that the only glance was have into the state of the dead is that given by our Lord in the parable of the rich man and Lazarus. The curtain is lifted for an instant and then falls over the scene. The Romanist purgatory, the "limbo" of the "fathers" (as they are called) with all the superstitions and falsehoods attending that human invention, are the result of the unwarranted effort to detail what God has not disclosed.
But to return to this debate on spiritism. Graves showed with masterly discrimination that angels of both the sinless and the fallen, were in their original or normal condition, and powers of action and conversation. They are now in their natural state as they were created. With the dead the reverse is true. They were created body and spirit. A complete union of this is their normal condition. At death this is disrupted. The body is in the grave; the spirit in the invisible world. With body and spirit united action and communication were possible and natural. Wit[h] body and spirit disunited --- each imperfect, abnormal and in a temporary condition or what we may term derangement, action and communication are impossible of either body or spirit; and therefore all pretended spirit communications, -- table rappings and the like -- are absurd, impossible, false.
REUNIONS AND RENEWED ACTIVITY. I have referred to the sad difficulty between Dr. Howell, a great and good man, and J. R. Graves, his equal, and in some things his superior. This had alienated many of the brethren of Middle Tennessee, from that portion of the State lying between the Mississippi and the Tennessee rivers. There were three general associations or Conventions in the State, and the church at Nashville occupied an independent and somewhat isolated position. A general union of these bodies was proposed and urged -- championed principally by Tiberius Graccus Jones, of revered memory, who filled the pulpit once occupied by Dr. Howell.
The fact is, the pastors of that church, Dr. Samuel Baker in the fifties, W. M. Bayless succeeding him, and Dr. Howell himself, were pronounced successionists. In this they did no differ in the least with Dr. Graves.
Here are Howell's words: "I assert that the Baptist church has existed in a comparative purity, connected with neither Papists nor Protestants, in every period since Christ, and that in this sense God has not left himself without a witness" (Communion, 248).
He follows this statement with some ten pages of proof, and J. R. Graves was never more pronounced in his affirmations that Baptists and Baptist churches had existed through all the ages than was R. B. C. Howell.
Dr. Skinner, who was Dr. Howell's immediate successor, held similar views -- though we know of no expression of them in print, and the same is true of C. H. Strickland. But his successor preached with clearness and historical proof and perpetuity of Baptist churches in a discourse before the West Tennessee Convention from the text, "On this rock I will build my church," and embodied his views in these words: "Baptists claim a real succession and continuity * * * on the ground of truth and historical fact. The sum and substance of the Baptist claim to continuity from primitive times until the present, is simply this: That in all the intervening ages there have been persons more or less numerous or conspicuous, existing as formally organized churches, or as scattered individuals, assembling from time to time, as their enemies allowed them opportunity, for the worship of God and for mutual edification -- persons who, if now living, would be universally recognized as Baptists." -- Origin and Continuity of Baptists.
The First church at Nashville, from its constitution up to some ten years since, stood, through its eminent and stalwart pastors, an avowed witness for the existence of Baptists -- churches of immersed believers -- through all the centuries since Christ. And to intimate that one who holds the views held by J. R. Graves in regard to the meaning of Matt. 16 and the perpetuity of baptized churches, as unfit to be pastor of that church, is to insult the memory of those true, able and godly ministers of Christ.2
It was not, in any way, doctrinal differences which kept the different portions of Tennessee apart. The union of all these conventions was consummated, and during the centennial year that union was cemented through the labors especially of George A. Lofton and the influence of T. G. Jones and J. R. Graves; and it continues in harmonious working power.
GRAVES' REMARRIAGE From this excursion I must return to personal matters. Graves was a lover of home, and was "given to hospitality." He delighted in the society of his children and lay all else aside to enjoy their presence and company. But they were scattered. He was homeless and returning from his preaching tours to the city, a deep sadness, approaching melancholy and heart-distress, possessed him. Seated in my own study, after a rather silent supper time, having invited him to spend the night with his family, I dared to enter upon very delicate ground, and said in substance to him: "Brother Graves, you are sad. I don't wonder. Your children are scattered, and you miss the light of home to which you have been so long accustomed. Besides those children, parted as they are, cannot, if this continue, have the same love and interest for each other, they would have if reared together. That tender and joyful recollection of home, sweet home, will be almost unknown to them. My brother, I believe it is your bounden duty to marry."
He sat silent. A sad cloud seemed passing over his soul. Then a light seemed to play upon his feature. The sternness and sadness left him, and he unbosomed himself to me, as I suppose he would not have done to any one else.
He communicated to me this thought, his wish, his choice, and then, as though then and there formed, his determination. More than this need not be said, but some three months after that conversation, and about that length of time after the anniversary of the death of the mother of his children, he was married to Miss Georgia Snyder, of Mississippi -- the youngest sister of his departed wife.
Again there was a home. Again the children were together with a mother that loved them with devotion. Again songs of joy, family prayer, holy happy family felicity were his -- and till he passed away his wife and children by his bedside, few happier, brighter spots than the home of J. R. graves could be found upon this earth.
_____________ Notes
1 T. B. Turley, present United States Senator from Tennessee, one of the noblest of men -- as he was one of the most loving of sons.
2 A private letter was written a short while ago to the son of Dr. R. B. C. Howell, who is a member of the first church at Nashville, protesting against the call of an eminent and stalwart minister to the care of that church because this minister held views in harmony with J. R. Graves in regard to the passage, "On this Rock I will build my church" -- or the continuity of Baptist churches. And it is supposed that similar methods and influences have been used in other churches, and against other useful and eminent ministers.
====================== [From Ford's Christian Repository and Home Circle, June, 1900, pages 349-355. Scanned and formatted by Jim Duvall.]
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