Newspaper Page Text
‘exchange.], and returning, he gave it to him
saying, “Now you buy some tilings for
your wife children,” for tie had u wife
and children w hich lie loved ns we do ours.
nut lie replied, with great feeling, “<> me
money—Jesus Christ's money.—Build
house — school.—wife teach.”
lie hnd seriously contemplated the sub
ject, and as he. would be sustained hv the j
friends of missions on bis return while j
preaching the (Jospel to Ids own nation,
lie had been thinking bow bis wife inight
be employed to do good, and promote the
cause of ('ln ist, and the result was, she
5 b •b’ .itli’ i; a ;•! iinnrnnt Ka
ren children in school, lienee in the spir
it of holv, sell-consecration, he resolved to
devote the few dollars, given for the per
sonal comfort of himself and family, to
build a school house for his wife to teach
in. Hence the expression “No me money
Jesus Christ's money.” O, that \vr
might all leal in view of oaf responsibility
and property, to ay under every circum
stance, “No me money, .lesus Christ’s mo
ney.” “All is yours, and ye are Christ’s
and Christ is God’s.”
TUB: EIBSIVfi'I.V\ I.\i)K\.
Tuesday, I>c't‘iiln*r w, ISttft.
To ('orn'xpniiileiilii.
W ehaxc several long communications
which do not appear this wOek, tor want ot
room. Indeed, we have so labored to send
out the pieces of our friends, that we have
withheld our own editorials. Our readers
must excuse us.
l’oii in i: i’iii:isci in i niiiix.
Till: CLOSING YEAR.
‘fliceternity and uncliungeablcuess ol
I icily, and the frailty and uncertainty of liu
nmn life, arc frequently contrasted in the
sacred Scriptures. Thus the Psalmist v;-•
ry piously expresses himself in jjic. 90th.
Psalm. “Lord, thou hast been our dwell
ing place ii/nll generations, before the
mountains Avero brought forth, or over thou
liadst formed tiro earth and the world, even
from everlasting to everlasting thou art
God. Thou imncst miin'jo destruction;
and sayesl, return, yc children of men.—
For n thousand years in thv sight are but
as yesterday w lien i: is past, and as a watch
in the night. Thou earnest them away
as with a Hood : they are as a sh ip ; in
the morning they are like grass w hich
growetli up. Inthc morning it llourishelh,
and groweth up ; in the evening it is cut
and withetteth.”
is this
i tHonScnwldch
the above passago otforas us of the ex
istence of God. lie, “from everlasting
to everlasting” is man lading and perish
ing like the grass of the field under the
scorching rays of n summer's sun I There
is a disposition in the human heart to for,
iLfrajt.tho meanness of our nature,
we are till h i a A too
me tw'ir time and talents in various
speculations about earthly happiness—ill
pursuits which alibi'd us employment for
the time, but, when accomplished, leave
us “unsatisfied, unblessed.” Now it i ■
evident that persons of this description la
bor under mistakes respecting the value of
life—the character of the world and the
groat moral purposes for w hich wo are pla
ced here. Many place no other estimate
upon human life than as mi opportunity
■afforded them of indulging and gratifying
their animal propensities. Hence, the
pleasures and amusements of the world
claim their nflections and absorb their at
tention—and hence their days are consum
ed w ithout any thing hi mg done towards
the attainment of happiness in a future
state. Strange indeed is the blindness and
ignorance of men! They must he sensi
ble of the fact that they are mortal, that
they eomo under ib-o universal sentence
pronounced against us l>y our common
Creator—dust thou art and unto dust thou ;
shall return.” \ml sun I v the gonsidoru
tion ot this solemn truth, in connection with
another not less so, that they will he re-,
quire and to answer at the tribunal ofheaven, j
should teach them the value ,of time, and :
the necessity of so improving it as to be
able to review their past career with pleas
ing satisfaction. The prayer oftlie Jewish
legislator is as wise as it is pious—"So
teacii us to number our days that we may
apply our hearts unto w isdom.” Few, how*
i vei are disposed to adopt tins petition, ot
to employ themselves in numbering their
days. The stream of time is last bearing
them onward upon its bosom, they never
once reli ct where they ace going ! Year !
after year rolls silently over their heads,
and brings them nearer to the tomb, and j
still no concern about their future destiny
seines their minds, no and sire or resolution
to improve their few r e. :ni;i.. days pos
sesses their hearts —“(> that they were
wise, that tliex would c.-nsidcr their latter
end !” Another portion of time is about
to con:ratio, another ‘'jr of mercy and
long-suffering towards the impenitent will
soon have counted its hist second, and borne
on its wing tlic testimony of God’s good
ness, of the sinner’s impendence. How
loud is the admonition of every closing year
to those who have spent it in the service
of .Satan and the world! The term of
their probation is that much shortened,
and the period of their own death brought
nearer at hand. Such a consideration
should impress the mind oftlie impenitent
and careless, and induce them solemnly to
pause and impartially review the past, sed
ulously prepare for the future. Hut this
they will not do. l’loascd with their past
sinful career, they sec no reason why they
should alter it; their relish for the world
and its vain pursuits become more confir
med, a loose reign is given to their sensu
al propensities, every desire, however inju
rious, is willingly gratified; till, at length,
they become satisfied with the world as
their portion, and their precious moments
are consumed in nought but vanity. How
a Heeling to see an immortal soul thus grov
eling in the dust, unmindful ofits divine or
igin, careless about its best and eternal in
terests ! O let such he persuaded of the
supreme folly of their course. Let them
pause for a moment upon the verge of a
closing \ oar, review their past conduct,and
recount the mercies ofGod, and reflect that
His patience may have reached its bound,
that before the close of another year they
may be numbered with the dead, and re
ceive at the hands of their righteous Judge
the desert of their doing. J. I).
FOR Tin: CHRISTIAN INDEX.
The Central Association—its for
mation.
No. 1.
Brother Editor: —The origin and cause
of formation of this body arc exciting con
siderable interest in various parts ol’ the
.State. A committee, of which ! am one,
you recollect, at the last session of our As
sociation, the Georgia, was raised to an
swer the inquiry of the Ebene/.er, which
had in a very kind and Christian manner,
asked our reasons for corresponding with
the Central. Since reaching home i have
received a letter from a ministering brother
on the stating how much inquiry is
awake west of the F. Kivcr, and how de.sir
ous many syAmtb ascertain whether the
‘(Jen iiivolx yd itself into a dTlli
•eu rrriH Jjueclwn with it. As it will i
be sonic months before the Report of our
Committee can be prepared, I beg leave to
insert in yourtnper, a few statements on
this matter, leisure, in order to
gratify those dtjiitwr-oi'ififonimlioii.
, ‘Die Central Association was formed at
r_l nidiun Creek, Morgan, in February 1831,
of seven cliu relies which had seceded * from
the Ocnmlgee, Flint and Yellow River As
sociations, because they conceived those
■ bodies had violated their constitutions, and
infringed upon the internal rights of the
churches. The original constitutions on
which the churches were formed and on
which they had been considered orthodox
by the older bodies, were presented and
carefully read over and acknowledged:—
the faith oftlie Georgia -was adopted, and
its decorum, except a lew alterations, with
an article approving Missions, Education
-.Ye. an Executive Committee t>* manage its
pecuniary concerns. This Committee has
■ sustained two or three missionaries preach
ing most oftlie time in-rlestiiute neighbor
hoods, and to the blacks. The number of
churches is now eleven, in which, during
the hist association;!! year, wore bapti
zed—they are in ti peaceable -A flourishing
condition A: seem to remember the observa
tion oftlie Apostle, “Ye are not your own,
!ye are bought w ith a price; therefore glo
| rily God in your bodies and spirits which
| are Gods.”
I The Central differs in some respects
, from other Associations, not in faith as we
j have seen, but in practice. Its sessions
, 1K ‘ held to consult about the means and
■ ineasinC s, ° do good, not split hairs about
nbst ruse doci’, r ' nGS- l‘ l does not meet to dis
cipline the churi.. l|cs o' l ' l measure tilts de
fects by a human standard; hut to urge to
duty and the practice of gC°d works. As
j their faith has Keen unquestioned lorn long
J series of years, the sessions arc not fasted
| in discussing useless quotes mid quarre. ■
| ling about “old women's, fables.” The
! messengers bring tip what has bee a -laid
m store” ttvj benevolent objects—plans are
: devised nion ic.f next year Ac, and all go
; to the stand to preach to sinners and prav
■ the spirit to convert them. I attended the
; session in August ISS-iand was delighted
with their spirit and labors. All their bu
] siness was performed in a lew hours, then
i all seemed intent on persuading sinners to
| * One of Hie number, Katonton, had been
w itlidrawn (torn thrnut restoring t'crsons whom
she had excluded.
THE CHRISTIAN INDEX.
seek the Saviour—the meeting lasted ten
or twelve days and abouiJeO
tized. Members from the churches in the
older bodies are flocking to them because
they are at peace and seem to he doing the
appropriate work for Christians. 1 have
conceived that idleness one cause
of difference and quarreling in some As
sociations; let us feel our obligations to la
bor for God as well as pray, and the devil
will not have so much room to incite us to
mischief: we shall not have so much time
to dispute and backbite.
In my next number I shall notice the
reasons for the churches seceding.
One of Tin: Geo. Committee.
FOR THE CHRISTIAN INDEX.
lath Oct. I*3-3.
TEMPERANCE MEETING.
The Jack Creek Temperance Society of
Morgan County, met this ficinw their
annual meeting,and altersingvit and pray
er was called to order by tint President,
and after having got through lift business
oftlie Society, the following wa* unanim-’
ously adopted. •
I laving been accused by our-fcnemies ol
being colleagued with the abolitionists, we
adopt this inode to say that no pamphlet or
paper of an incendiary cast, hasfever been
sent to any member of this Soil *y, and we
disclaim any connection with the abolition
ists w hatever, as we consider there is no
connexion between the objects of our asso
ciations. And w e avow that tliuonly object
we have in view, is to put down the use of
ardent spirits by example and public opin
ion.
And wesay to those of our accusers who
deal in slander, beware lest that come up
on you, that is written in the prophets
Heboid ye despisers ami wonder and perish,
(I ('hap. 1 lab.) And to those who occu
py neuter ground, we also say beware 1> st
that curse fall on you that fell on the in
habitants of Moroz liecause they would not
come up to the help of the Lord against tho
mighty. Judges o. And to those professing
godliness of every denomination ; for it is
those that throw the greatest difficulties in
our way,we say as Gamaliel did to the rulers
of the Jews, refrain from your opposition,
for if this work be of men it will come to
nought, but if it be of God ye cannot over
throw it, lest ye bo found fighting against
the Lord.
<;r.< >. STRKKTE, President.
(•.Smith, Recreiurji.
FOR THU CHRISTIAN INDEX
’* IlivoiTC.”
Its legitimate origin, and saint: ofits con
st queuet:s considered.
In bestowing our utlention upon this sub
ject, we hope the “ fear of God” will occu
py our thoughts, and the w isdom from a
bove direct our inquiries; lest wo be found
among those who, instead of trembling at the
word, handle it deceitfully. And while we
strive to “prove all things” by the unerring
standard of i!i\ ino truth, hope to bo ena
bled, through grace, to “hold fast that which
;s good,”
•4
AS e premise at the very threshold of
our inquiry, that divorce, or (ratting away,
if these terms tire synonimoiis, is complete
ly, unequivocally a provision of the New
Testament dispensation. This assumption
nitty require sonic proof; in default of
which, a host ol sceptics may array them
selves against it—charge us with indiscre
tion, and carry us hack to the olden times.
Our proofs however, are tit hand, and we
proceed to show that such is the fact.
; Our Savior, in discoursing to the inulti
| tildes that followed him, hut more particu
larly w ith his disciples who were nigh, knew
that the period was auspicious, and highly
favorable for the purpose of instruction;
especially in reference to those things per
taining to the kingdom which he was about
establishing; and by contrasting its spirit
uality, with the burdens and rites of the Mo
siac dispensation, showed the superiority of
the one, to that ot the other; embracing
present, future, and eternal results. Hence
the inimitable sermon on the mount; hence,
among other matters presented to the con
sideration of his followers in this spiritually
moulded discourse, divorce formed a promi
nent feature. On this occasion our Lord,
for the first time, and perhaps the only
time, divinely sanctioned the putting away,
or saparation; Abut. 5: 32. —Moreover,
our Lord adds, “ that it was not so from
Hi,’ beginning;” intimating that .Moses Imd
no diviv.’ 1 ’ authority for establishing such a
! precedent, apd that the principle of expe
diency alone gufnpil the great law-giver on
the occasion. “HectiP*‘e ot the hardness
of your hearts Moses sultbPed >’ u ,0 P ul
aw ay your wives.” Matt. 19: S. AA e gave
plainly shown according to our Safair s
exposition oftlie Alosiac law on the subject;
and withal, his own plain am} explicit dec
laration, that the legitimate origin, or sanc
tion of divorce, proceeded from himself,
and amounted only to a sanction.
In the next place we proceed to point
glut what ought to he the consequences, or
the results of such a sanction in the church
es of Chriit; among the saints of the liv- !
ing God; in the ranks of those, who hav
ing come out from the world, have identi
fied themselves with the purity and holiness
of the gospel.
What then is the fact? On what state
of things is this sanction predicated? lias
such a disruption occurred as to interrupt
the harmony of conjugal ties? Does a sc- j
paration necessarily follow ? For argu-J
men! sake, we say they arc again twain, in
liodv only. What alternative has the in
jured party in this case? She is liotc.t a
loss. Turning over the sacred pages, and
asking counsel oftlie Lord, she reads, “And
unto the married 1 command, yet nnt f,
hat the. Lord, let not the wife depart from ;
her husband; hut, and if she depart, let her!
remain unmarried, or he reconciled.” 1 j
Cor. 10, 11. AVe clearly see from the di
vine testimony, that a life of chaste celiba
cy; or in the language oftlie Bible, becom
ing an eunocli for the kingdom of heaven’s
sake should ever be the result ol a separa
tion. This is a hard case, say many. The
disciples of the Lord viewed it as such.
Hear them saying to him, “ if the case of
man lie so with his wife, it is not good to
marry.” Why not good to marry ? AY e
need no argument here, for the subject is
full of light. Is it not evident that had our
Lord permitted marriage after divorce, a
second divorce, and a second marriage,
nay, a third, and a fourth; and all these
contracts and disanntillings being free from
moral obloquy? AVe never should have
heard of that sentiment, “if the cost of the
man hr. so with his wife, it is not goad to
marry.” Matt. 19: 10. It must be remem
bered also, that our Lord discountenanced
marriage with the party divorced, making
such an act, or connection, an adulterous
one. Luke 16:18. The declaration of our
Lord, to ’whit'll allusion is just made in
Luke, comes w ith irresistable force in con
firmation of the views we have just taken,
viz: the guilty, or the party put away,
held in durance-vile; yet, under the mercy
of heaven, tho grace of repentance may he
experienced, and a happy reunion, or re
conciliation the consequences. The guilt
less, or injured party, appreciating the
principles of a virtuous life, and alive to the
command of God’s word, (“AA liosocvcr
(Hiltetli away', and marrietli another com
iniicth adultery.” Luke Hit IS.) is found
in the humble posture ol faith, hope, and
charitv. “ Bearing till things, believing all
tilings, hoping nil things, and
things.” In it necessary to say more?
Here we might safely terminate this part of
our essay, conscious of using the holy
AA ord as our counccllor, n.nd independent
of all adventitious, or eccentric matter,
sought instruction of llim who said, “Learn
of me.”
AA’e propose embodying our Scriptural,
and other evidences against the odious, and
heterodox act of divorce, in our conclusion.
AA’e are so circumstanced however, as to
make necessary a few more remarks. Let
us briefly state them. There are those who
would justify marriage (I am noW specking
of colored members oftlie church ol Christ)
after a separation, if by this unhappy sep
aration, circumstances preclude the hope of
the parties coming together again ; or, in
any reasonable time. Others attach an
importance to distance; the distance how -
ever, undefined, and unequivocal; never
taking into consideration the providence,
the grace, or the purpose of God ; and that
cross-hearing is the peculiar characteristic
of Christians. Surh views as these, would
scarcely challenge a serious consideration.
They are suggested by humane feelings ;
encouraged upon principles of expediency,
and made up of that wisdom which assumes
to he “wise above what is written.”
“ There is neither Jew nor Greek; there
is neither bund nor free; there is neither
male nor female, for ye arc all one in Christ
Jesus.” Gal. 3: 28. Remove tins beauti
ful, this God-like equiformity ; temporize
with the word of God, and give it a Shan
dyan handle, and you make it the rule in
your practice if not in your faith. AA’liat a
door would he opened for sin and licenti
ousness. A candidate might find admit
tance into the church, having at the same
time a wife in Beaufort, another in Phila
delphia, and a third, or a fourth in some
other distant place. The evil dont stop
here; for alas! alas! there are some pro
fessors, as well ns non-professors, who en
tertain and encourage the x iews we have
just stated; for while the owners of the peo
ple thus separated, feel no scruple in part
ing the endeared connection, because the
church to which they belong, permits a se
cond connection (1 cant say marriage);
there are professors who sanction such a
course, from the strange and loose construc
tion they attach to the following passages:
“It is better to many than to burn” —“a
brother or a sister is not under bondage in
such cases.” A strange exegesis is this, if
; not a wicked one? Let tis pass upon tiicse
! (scriptures a short analysis, in hopes of re
ceiving instnictibn, and admiring their har
mony. The term “Bible,” is made as h
i metaphor, &;d in a metaphorical sense, it
; means to be troubled, vexed, or made un
j easv. So in 2 for- * ’ ‘• —“ AA’ ho is of
fended, and I hum Dot;” or, “and l am not
troubled.” This decent sense oftlie word
burn, is the meaning of the Apostle. “A
brother, or a sister not being in bondage,
iVc.” is a part of a verse pointing to the
legitimacy of children, the circumstances
of whose births either made them so, or o
therwise. The term bondage, however,
will be better understood by attending to !
the four verses, lt?tli to loth inclusive, 1
('or. 7tli chapter. AVe would premise here,
that “bondage,” in the 15th verse, is lobe
understood truly in its literal and worst
sense. AVe say in its “worst sense,” in or
der, if we possibly can, to disabuse the sa
cred pages of Holy AA’ril on the subject un
der consideration. To speak of bondage
in tiiat state; the union of which is com
pared to the union of Christ with his bride,
the church. Epli.s: 22, to the end. Strange
indeed! Let us understand the Apostles.
He introduces the case of an unhappy
match; a pair “unequally yoked.” A sis
ter in the gospel married to an unbeliever. ■
From the hands of her companion, she re- j
ceivcs harsh, if not cruel treatment,
removes to this, or that, or the other place;
or threatens so to do, and every principle j
of unbelief braces up bis opposing course, j
The wife, pious soul, endeavors no doubt,
to bring about a better state of things, hut ;
completely fails. He whom she once lov- j
ed, and still loves; on whom she once j
leaned, and looked lip to, and would still j
cherish those passions and tho.-e hopes; |
leaves her, and her homo, penni less and
I heart-broken. W hat is she \) do? The
Apostle .ays, let him de
is ,
i;
a i tnii-t
o/our Gfinstian bretlTen, the foih^nigevi
dences as were proposed. From first,
to the, 1 last hook in the Old Testament,
God declares his displeasure at and
nay, he declared! by his faithful servant
and prophet, Malachi, that He hateth “put
ting'away.” Gen. 2: 23, 24—Mai. 2: 14,
16. For Christian ordinances however,
we must get our knowledge from Christian
history. Here they abound; here they
shine with beams from the Sun of righte
ousness ;~here they are perfect, because
Ciirist, or Master ol the house; wits perfect,
aud because as a son he instituted and sat
in order all tiling pertaining to the liappi
ki"gdon£MWTt*™JSSisiskstolT
—Mark 10: 11, 12—Luke 16: 18—1 Cor.
it 16, 11—Eph. 5: 2->. On the pass'age,
Matt. 19: 5 to 12, we can say a great deal.’
AAc can reason on its peculiarity of grace,
and faith, as long as v.c can understand and
use our language. Here we have the in
stitution ol marriage; here divorce urges
her ploa, and here her authority is thrown
in tho shade. To meet tbo prejudices of
his disciples, and to enlighten them in the
nature of the kingdom he was establishing,
oug Lord condescends to reason after the
manner of men. He presents the major
and nniior propositions; urges the argu
ments, aud by the soundest rules of syllo
gism spreads before his sccjitkal followers,
u ■
yfy
enjoin, (c.mon
who bad put away his wife, should marry
another in the former wile’s life time.
Human authorities, we have none; but
with human opinion, opposed to divorce
and marriage, we abound. The more pi
ous and holy men among the Popes, in
their decretal epistles proscribes these mur
! riages as adulterous. The Latin churches
always taught that the bond of marriage
| subsists notwithstanding divorce. AVick
■ liffe, thagreat reformer, and AV iiitlex - were
quite evangelical. C'nlmet, of great erudi-
I tion, says, though these things (speaking of
I). and M.) were occasionally practised,
they have been edmost always condemned.
That holy man of God, Henry, (by Pal
mer, p. 404.) writes, “Marriage is not an
invention of men, but a divine institution,
therefore, is to be religiously observed; and
the more, because it is a figure of the mys
tical insuperable union between Christ and
his church.” And again, p. 589, “ Christ
will not allow divorce.” And again, p.
404, “God hath appointed them, who are
thus joined together, to live together in love,
till death part them.”
AA e conclude w ith the judgment and opi
nions ot that great linguist and expositor,
Dr. Clark : p. 171, “ Our Lord declares
j that they could not he remarried, while the
| divorced person was alive; anu that those
who did marry, during the life of the di
| voiced person, were adulterous.”
AA e hope w e have stated matters agree
able to tho divine oracles oftnitb, and made
that use ot them w hich our Divine Master
intended ; if so, give God the praise.
“TIMON.”
Beaufort, S. C., Nor. 1835.
Great persons have need to borrow oth
| er men's opinions to think themselves hap-
I pv, lor if they judge by tlfeir own feelings
! they cannot find it, Lord Bacon,
TOR TIIE CHRISTIAN INDEX.
- Richland, Twjg-gs ce. Ga. Nov. 9, 1835.
I'atheT Mercer: —l have often made lheVt-~~
tempt to set before the public, and my brethren
oftlie Georgia and Washington Associations,
the inconsistent acts of oure, to-wit: The Ebe
nezer Association—but have as often failed.
At the last meeting of this body, she received
your Messengers with all apparent kindness ;
and so soon as their backs w'ero turned, a mes
sage was sent, after them, saying, “ AA'e will
have nothing to do with the Georgia and
AVashington Associations, because they cor
respentl with the Central Association. And
the Central Association was made up of exclu
ded Churches, and Churches in disorder.”—
Here is such a paradoxical jargon, that the
world must see jt. For if I have been cor
rectly informed, but a few years since, a
Church was constituted partly out'ot excluded
members, from McDonough church, and now
has a name and a place amongst our Flint:
River brethren. No fellowship lost, on the
part of our Ebcnezer brethren, because her,
sister, the Flint, has been reaching alter the
I keys of Buint Peter.
, Again, nine excluded members from Sharon.
| Church have been received into tho Flint As
sociation. No fellowship broken, no message
-out to the Flint, “ that we cannot correspond
with her because she holds those in tier fel
lowship which are excluded members.” No,
not a word of this. And front the few hints
given, it will not take a Solomon to discover
tiiat it was from some other cause. And may
I not say, it is because our sister, the Georgia,
| so far outstrips us, in talents and every good
work of the Izsrd; that we are trying to cover
i iicr with reproach. It so, we have imbibed in
a great measure, the spirit of our brother Cain,
who slew his brother because lie was more
righteous than himself.
Many of our brethren
for tbo Georgia, bacausc she o>’ the
‘uir.Ttll I
t ~ “ Wfii
SFmr ffll
. acb.
hjiE|
■ Ms
■■ J |
1 ri >ll
. .
‘• ■ ,
i of tiie
s
. not far
• o.til'd and a
it engag^B
\ i
..... nl i'r
A\’ n„ ivater
eerily in w hat he professes, than
■ : tatigable to infuse those principled®
Idc s.'iai Lord, tar and wide. And there
greater cv;.. we that a man is a imssionai®
than to see him constantly engaged in Hie
spread ol the Gospel—inquiring, Lord what
wi;t thou have ine to do.
And, Father; Mercer, I do feci anxujGs for
the world to know, that notwithstanding the
Lnenezer Association dropped her corresrond
ence with the Georgia and AVashington
sociations, it was only by a majority of ond^ —
Four of our Missionary brethren failed to at
tend, no person came in case of failure. Two
Missionary Cliurefes
cmwhicli ’.. lid I('avt9t|.s ten or tne*
tlmt every C lmrcli
Church, will s. M:~
to our next Association.—
There is no doubt but there is a mnjoritv in
fovor of corresponding with our two sister As
sociations. AA’e have many’ good brethren
whose sods appear to ho engaged inthc work,
J and 1 feel hopeful the time is not distant, when
1 wc •■'E'b u°t be t ir behind in the good work of
I ’b e J.ord. If we were to take as deep an in-
I terest in tho circulation of the Index, as our
| brethren do in “ The Signs of the Times,”
J soon, very soon, .should we see ignorance and
superstition give way.—Brethren would cease
; their hostility to the best of causes, and as a
mighty host would come up to the help oftlie
!.<r,l against the mighty. And being fully
persuaded of t!il call upon the good breth
; roti ot Georgia, and every other State, to be
j lI P !ill| l doing. And if we cannot get our
| brethren to take the Index, let us form socie
i -ieo through the State, or States, each brother
| paying tor five or ten Indexes, to bo sent to
| those who will read them. I have named this
: to several ot my brethren who feel willing to
go into it.
One thing I would not forget to mention;
at our last Association our beloved brother R.
Pace was there, and preached a Sermon tiiat
will stand when the worlds are no more. It.
was thought tiiat no discourse ever delivered
before the Ebenczer Association had a more
happy effect in pulling down the strong holds
of error, destroying the opposition to Missions
and the establishing of the cause if our Re
deemer on the ruins thereof. I heard of some
that come there with as much prejudice a
gainst Missions, as the Apostle Paul before his
conversion, Imd against Christ or his followers.
Gut during that sermon, they become the de
cided friends of Missions and went on their
way rejoicing. Another brother told me re
joicing, that lie had become a Missionary.
I now close ray remarks by exhorting my
ministering brethren to follow brother Pace's
example ; visit us, preach for tis, and it may
be that many’ in the morning of eternity will
praise God, that you ever came amongst U 6.
In the strongest ties of Christian love, I re
main your unworthy brother-—farewell.
J. R. HAND.