The following is from a veteran soldier in the great battle of truth. George Waller is the brother of Edward [Edmund] Waller, and son of William Waller, who, with his brother John, struggled for truth and liberty during the times of persecution in old Virginia. George Waller has been in his life time one of the ablest and most useful men in Kentucky. He came here when it was a wilderness. His earthly youth was spent in forts. With his hymn-book and Bible his only library, he has baptized thousands, and been made the instrument of abundant good. Through all the conflicts that have disturbed our denomination he has passed, and has a vivid recollection of them all. From him I have received most valuable information, together with a sketch of his life and labors, not to be used till he is not more on earth. — S. H. F.
Dear Brethren:
I am now in my eighty-first year, and though I have left the field of labor, and have not been able to preach for several years, yet I read with interest what is going on amongst
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you. I have been distressed at the evident laxity among the rising ministry to a great extent, at least in respect to the doctrines of the gospel. The ability or success of the man has become the criteria by which he is approved, rather than his soundness in the faith. Whatever will draw crowds or swell the list of members seems, to a great extent, the acceptable thing.The influence of protracted meetings, in which arts and inventions are used to awaken periodical excitements, and men even, who are sound in theory, under the strong desire for immediate success, become lax, and inconsistent in preaching and practice. And though much general good may have resulted from this character of meetings, the injury they have done, especially in leading to a declention [sic] from sound doctrine, I fear has been very great.
But I have been cheered by some occurrences — as for instance, the circular letter of the Long Run Association, and the republication, in cheap form, of the Philadelphia Confession of Faith. From these, I draw the conclusion that a blessed re-action is about to take a place among us, and a return to the "old faith." I have some lingering hope that we shall, ere long, get back to first principles. From my observation as I look out upon the fields, brethren, in which you are laboring, I cannot but express the fear, that there is a sad declention of real piety in the ministry, which has been result of such departure from the principles of the gospel, and do hope and pray that my young brethren will return to the old paths, enter, and walk therein.
When I return to the times of Ambrose Dudley, Joseph Redding and John Taylor, with their co-laborers in the ministry, I cannot but compare their preaching and its effects with much of the preaching of the present day. Those were men of one book — the Bible. They spoke in Bible language; and what language is stronger or more beautiful. It is well known they were men of limited acquirements in human learning. But the bold unhesitating manner in which they announced their sentiments, drawing their illustrations from the Word of God, and the common affairs of life, made them acceptable to the learned, and useful to all classes. The weapons of their warfare were not drawn from Shakespeare, or the philosophers, or poets, but the powerful and shining weapons furnished in God's Word — that armory of truth. They believed that the sword of the Spirit was mighty through god to the pulling down the strong holds. They consequently wielded it constantly and faithfully. I hesitate not to say that he is a traitor to Christ who dares to preach anything but the Gospel from the pulpit — Christ in his offices his provisions, his glory. "Woe is me," said the Apostle, "if I preach not the gospel." That is the word, and the only word we are rightly to divide — in season and our of season — Christ and Him crucified. Brethren
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in the ministry, in Kentucky, I passed over the grounds which many of you cultivate, when this was a wilderness, and our churches were feeble and few. I preached several years for the only church then in your great city, when we met in an upper-story. You are all in a different situation now. You are strong, and rich. Are you going to forget the "hole from which you were digged," and the "rock from whence ye were hewn?" In preaching the gospel, you have grown to be what you are. Shall that glory depart?I am old and ready to depart; I read the Repository and rejoice in its spirit. Brethren, pardon these last words from an old soldier, whose armor and weapons are laid by.
Farewell, my brethren, till we meet above, GEORGE WALLER Editor's note: He died in July, 1860.
[From Samuel H. Ford, editor, The Christian Repository, January, 1858, pp. 47-49. - jrd]
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