Unchastity in males

It is...common to speak of the animal impulse to these sins (unchastity) as one so strong that it is scarcely reasonable to expect its control; and, indeed, to regard their uncontrollable strength as rather an element of praiseworthy manhood. The shameless impudence of this is sufficiently rebuked by naming such men as Lee and Jackson, men as chaste as Dian, at whose mess-tables, though surrounded only by rough, battle-stained men, no word was ever heard or tolerated that would have tinged the cheeks of their pure and venerated wives and daughters. Had these heroes full manhood? Were they less men, because scrupulously chaste, than the creatures whose chosen trait of manhood is the one which most assimilates them to the ass and the goat? Faugh! He is most the man who can always govern himself. He who cannot is, to that extent, an imbecile.

—Robert L. Dabney, 1868, as reprinted in The Baptist Waymark, Vol. V, No. 1, Jan-June 1997, p. 4

Self-Excuse

SELF-EXCUSE by John Leland (1754-1841)

In the year 1785, there lived in the city of Richmond (VA) a free negro woman who by her parsimony obtained money enough to purchase her husband, who was a slave. The woman being a member of the Baptist church in that city, was complained of before the church, for allowing of lewd conduct in her house. She did not deny the truth of the charge, but excused herself thus, "Pray how can I help it? My husband is the head, and does as he pleases; and I, who am his wife, cannot help it." At the same meeting, another charge was brought against her, for whipping her husband; to which she replied, "I bought him with my own money — he is my legal property, and he shall mind me; otherwise, I will whip him."

As printed in The Baptist Waymark, Vol. IV, No. 5, Sept-Oct 1996, p. 4

Prejudiced Against the Word

A message came to me that a lady wished to talk with me on the subject of baptism. I called at her house. Before I entered the door she began to parade her objections against immersion. I said, "Madam, if you were thoroughly convinced that Jesus was immersed, would you be immersed?" Her reply was: "No, I would not." I simply said, "Good evening," and walked away without entering the house.

—from What Baptists Believe by J. G. Bow, as printed in The Baptist Waymark, Vol. V No. 2, July-Dec 1997, p. 4

Old They by John Leland

The following was written by the Baptist preacher John Leland (1754-1841):

Of all the villains that haunt the world, not one of them is more mischievous than Old They. He is generally treated as a noun of multitude, followed by a single verb, (They say,) which makes it exceedingly difficult to identify the vagrant. Whether ho is an individual, bearing as many titles as a Spanish Don, or a monster, having as many heads as a Hydra, is hard to ascertain.

If a man wishes to spread a false report, to injure his ruler, priest, or neighbor, he has nothing to do, but to add, They say, and all passes currently.

If any, however, are incredulous, and back the evil report, after passing many hands, which gave the report publicity, and drawing the ideal residence of They, he then plays the game of a talisman before them, or dissolves himself in air.

Others, who have been foiled in their pursuits after the fugitive, and yet are in the habit of believing that They has said so, instead of fastening the blame on the infamous tattler, who is retailing the slander, conjecture a substitute for They, and ever afterwards consider the substitute as an enemy, when, at the same time, the poor suspected man, knows not for what. If it will not be considered too dictatorial, I will here suggest a salutary expedient.

When a man begins to retail the libelous reports of others, or vend his own choleric manufacture, on the credit of They say so, if he will not identify his author, hold the man responsible for all be says, and let Old They shift for himself.

As printed in The Baptist Waymark, Vol. IV, No. 3, May-June 1996, p. 4