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quisition. When its walls no longer < echoing the mirth of Bachanalian revelry shall resound with the praises nfthe living God. When the blessings of Education shall he within the reach of the hundreds and thousands who are now enveloped in j the darkityss of ignorance. When all of our citizens may qualify themselves for ; the discharge of all their duties as the free men of a free government. When crime shall be comparatively unknown, and or der, morality, and obedience to the laws shall universally prevail, our work will have been done. Our country no longer enslaved to immorality and vice, will stand erect in the glorious beauty of her emancipation. Superior to the control of bur own passions she shall have removed every obstacle in the way of her prosper- : ity. The mind unfettered in its action ex- ■ ccpt by the most wholesome restraints will bring to light the bidden and unde veloped blessings of a higher civilization and a purer refinement. Our march will then be onward, ever onward to the high destiny for which our inslitulious where projected. JUNIUS A. WINGFIELD. L. I). L \LLERSTEDT. L. L. WITTICH. P. 11. MULL. W. FLINT. “ltcsolcrl, That the Temperance Dnnnernml Augusta Washingtonian hr requested to pub lish the proceedings of this Convention, togeth er with tlie Address hereafter to be made, and that we also extend tins invitation to the differ ent Miscellaneous, Religious, Agricultural and Political papers in the State.” For the Christian hulcx. To the Ministry. No. t. Reverend Brethren, —To aid the effect of your ministry it is necessary that von shall he especially careful in relation to your general demeanor. Maintain, sedulously, in all your inter course with society, the serene and digni fied gravity winch becomes ministers, with the lofty and polished bearing of gentlemen. Destroy not the impressions you have made by your labors in the pulpit, by lightness in your manner, and vain and frivolous con version. I need not say r to you that this is often done. Have we not all frequently seen and lamented such results? llovv true, in its application to the clergy, is the remark of the Mantuan hard: “ Facilis descensus averni.” With the Churches, in all your associa tions, he the warm advocates of higher achievements in knowledge, spirituality, and usefulness. The standard of both Christian and ministerial attainment among 1 us is far too low. We have been too long satisfied that it should so remain. But we cannot, wo must not, longer close our eyes to the injurious consequences. They are painfully felt in the decline of truth, in the tendency to schisms of various characters; in the want, among both ministers and peo ple, of warm brotherly affection, and in our consequent general inefficiency. Upon you, my brethren, fur all this, devolves most of the responsibility. “ I,ike priests, like people,” is the prophet’s declaration, true in all ages. Seek, I entreat you, kind ly, offer tionately, prudently, but (irmly and perseveringly, seek the desired salutary im provement. Promote, not eaptiousness, self importance, and litigation, which lead inevitably to alienation and disunion, but, ! by every means in your power, promote among the churches, fervent piety', humili ty Christian courtesy, unbending orthodoxy, ! firm union, and cordial co-operation, in the j great work of salvation. In your intercourse with your brethren in the ministry, be to all classes missionary and anti-missionary, Calvanisiic and anti- Calvanistic, make no distinction whatever, particularly kind, affectionate, and concilia tory. This course is more especially ne cessary towauls those who are in the hum Met walks of official life. There, as well as elsewhere, you find many noble spirits, whose society and conversation will eheei, lefresh and invigorate the soul. You feel, that they are, indeed, brothers, in the high- ’ est sense. Hut you have been fortunate if you have not found a few of entirely differ-1 cut character. There aie ambitious and litigious men, ignorant in fact, but wise in j their own conceits, whose talents are cir-! cmnsoribed, of bitter spirits, and repulsive i manners, who are the self'Constituted judges i of the orthodoxy of all their brethren, and j who, apparently insensible of the ctiininal tty of schism, are perpetually ready, upon every supposed provocation, and for every seeming variety of opinion, to rend the body of Christ. They are ever fomenting diffi culty, and seeking to lead off'parties. Os these brethren we are admonished in the inspired exhortation to “bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ “ The conduct to bo pursued in relation to them is of easy determination. Act to wards them, always, with the utmost kind-; ness, and ingenious dufference. Gratify them in whatever is indifferent to the pros- i peril}’ of the cause; exercise with reference j to their perverseness, as your master does, ! “ all longstifferingand honor them, and advance their interest, whenever, in consis- j teney with truth and righteousness, you i may find it in your power. Thus you will j never bo overcome by evil, but you will overcome evil with good—you will burn up in the flame of Christian love, every op position, or render its effects nugatory, and ; triumphantly gain every purpose of your ministry. A collateral topic here suggests itself; it i is of great moment; and you will allow ine j to press its consideration upon your atten-1 tion. You are constantly being called upon to ordain candidates for the ministry. Re member, 1 pray you, how deeply, and how | long, our Churches have suffered, and the ■ cause of truth been wounded and dishonor ed, by the incompetency, anti want of fidel ity, of the clergy who have been, thought lessly thrust into the pulpit. Never, 1 be seech you, beloved brethren, never join in the ordination of any man, under whatever circumstances, of whose call, qualifications, or fitness for the office, you have serious doubts. “ Lay hands suddenly on no man” —“ Not a novice, lest, being lifted up with i pride, he fall into the condemnation of the j devil.” Yonr responsibility, beloved breth ren, in this mallei is most fearful. A man who will not devote himself to the work— a useless drone ; of incompatible spirit; who will care more for the world than for | the flock; doubtful in morals, or in ortho jdoxy; an ignorant pedant; self-confident, J proud, pendent, assuming— j “ From such Apostles, 0 ye men of God, | Preserve the Church ! Anti lav not care less hands On sluills that cannot leach, and will not learn.” With sinners, and with inquirers, let your intercourse be such as always to im press the Inrmcr with the excellency of re ligion, and to encourage the latter in the way of holiness and everlasting life. “A statue upon the housetop must be larger than life, or it will appear to he much small er.” So a minister must he much more circumspect than other men, or he will ap pear to bo greatly less so. Like t ’msar’s wife, he must be above suspicion. Fail not in the matter I now submit to your con sideration, as you hope to be able effectu ally “To teach the ignorant soul, to cheer the sad; To give the feeble strength, the hopeless hope, To help the halting, and to lead the blind; To warn the careless, heal the sick of heart, Arouse the indolent, and on the proud And obstinate offender to denounce The wrath of God,” in relation to the pastorship, I will bare ly say that I lament most deeply that, in our day, its tenure has become so frail.— From the frequent removal of minisleis the cause has suffered unspeakably. This re lation is, perhaps, too frequently formed with precipitancy, and without mutual cor diality ; and Churches and ministers have not learned to hoar patiently, if they cannot remedy the imperfections of each other. The pastoral union should not he severed for “light and transient causes.” ,Still I ant constrained to admonish you not to contin ue longer in any one place than you find*- youi labors manifestly productive of advan tage. Hut while the association shall con tinue, in the discharge of all its duties he scrupulously exact, and prompt. Receive members with great carefulness. Maintain a strict, salutary, and scriptural discipline. He faithful in the pulpit and out of it. Dis couragements olicn, doubtless, oppress von. Toils and trials meet you every where. \Y hat you had loudly dreamed were roses you often find a cluster of thorns. Still Impe beams brightly over all. Ho like your Master, l.et it ever be said of you— j watched, and wept, and prayed, and felt for all; | And as a bird each lorn! endearment tries, lo tempt its new Hedged offspring to the skies, lie tried each art, reproved each dull delay, Allured tobrightcr worlds,and led the way.” “ The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ he with your spirit.” Sen ex. For the Christian Index. The Two Ways. The subject, of which we have made | choice, involves doctrines of as much im portance to the human family, as any, per j haps, that we could lay before the world, i Hut, as our craft is light, and our privileges prescribed, we beg that our readers will pardon us, if we pass not the buoys nor | venture out of sight of the main land. I he infallible word ol God, brings to our | view two ways, in one or the other of which, all the human family are represent ed to be travelling, while in a state of pro bation. One is represented to be a broad way and very easy of access; “For wide is the gate and broad is the way, that lead cth lo destruction, and many there be which goin thereat.” Matt, vii—l3. The other is represented to be a very narrow wav, and consequently very difficult of ace ss ; , “ Because straight is the gate and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, and few I there he that find it.” Matt, vii—l 4. The broad way here spoken of, we bc : lieve, we may affirm without the fear of j contradiction, to be the sinful way in which man is inclined to journey through this World; or an ungovernable propensity in j him, to violate the revealed and known will !of the A mighty God, and to arrogate to himself an ostensible knowledge, surpass ing the knowledge of the Deity himself.— For, “ There is a way which scemeth right unto a man, hut the end thereof are the ways of death.” l’rov. xiv.—l 2. We presume it will not be denied, that the way of trans gression “ Summed right unto the first man, Adam,” when he partook “of the fruit of j the tree” of which God had said, j shall not eat of it; for in the day that thou eat est thereof, thou shalt surely die.” ;He seemed to us at least, either to have lost all respect for the truth of the word of God, in relation to the injunction which lie had laid upon him, and to the death with which he had threatened him, or to have regarded that injunction as undeserving of his obe dience ; and that death as something not worthy to he feared, or to have considered only, “ That the tree was good for food;! and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise ;” and, therefore partook of it. One thing we do I know, and no person who professes to be-’ lieve the Bible, we think, will deny it; that he did in the defiance of God’s pleasure or displeasure, do the thing which God com manded him not to do ; and did, thereby, subject himself and his posterity after him, to a curse that he nor they could never re move. By his act of disobedience, he be came unclean in the sight of God; and “ Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? notone.” And moreover,“ God looked upon the earth, and behold, it was corrupt : lor all flesh had cor-, rupted his way upon the earth.” GeiT. vi.—l 2. “Cor/ saw that the tvickciltiess of man was great in the earth, and that ev eiy imagination of the thoughts of his heart was oniy evil continually. And it repent- ■ ed the Lord that he had made man on the earth.” Gen. vi.—s, 6. “ The fool hath said in his heart, there 1 is no God. They are corrupt, they have! done abominable works ; there is none that j doelh good. The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and ! seek God. They are all gone aside; they ‘ are altogether become filthy : there is none that doeth good, no, not one.” “The 1 thoughts of foolishness is sin And “ the ways of sin is death For to he carnally minded is death : And, whatoth-j cr thoughts occupy the breast of fallen man, but foolishness ? The world, with the lusts and vanities thereof—the wealth—the honors—the preferments—the fading beau ties and passing vanities—seems to he the chief end and aim of a vast majority of the human family, even at the present enlight ened age of the world. Is not this foolish ness ? Does the acquirement of these things give the soul any contentment or solid pleasure ? The candid will say, No. But if any say yea : let them contemplate for a moment, the fate of the “ rirli man,” that is brought to our view in the twelfth chapter of Luke, which, we think, is suffi cient to convince every rational mind, of the folly of worshipping the god of this world in every way and manner. You recollect “ The ground ol a certain rich man brought forth plentifully. Ami he thought 1 himself, sav‘lng~Whn( Vnnlf"l do, because ‘ 1 have no room where to bestow my fruits ? And he said this will I do ; I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and then will I bestow all my fruits and my I goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, j thou hast much goods laid up for many years ; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. Hut God said unto him, thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of tliec: then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided ? Unbelief is also included in the compo sition of this broad way, and is one of its most prominent features. “Ye will not come unto me,” saitli the Lord, “ that vc might have life.” And why not? “Tho’ he (Christ,) had done so many miracles be fore them, yet they believed not on him. lie came unto his own and his own te ceived hint not.” And üby not? “Be cause they believed not on ine,” sniih the Lord. “ Becauee, they believed not in God and trusted not in his salvation:— Though lie had commanded the clouds from above, and opened the doors of beat en, and had rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given them the corn of heaven ” And blessed and comforted them in many and various ways ; yet, “ For all this they sinned still, and believed not for his wondrous works.” Hut we have exceeded our limits, and will close our remarks on this part of the sub juet, by referring our readers to the “ (e- Icslial Rail Road,” (see No. 45 and 40 of the Christian Index,) for a better descrip tion of the way, that leads to the internal regions of eternal death, than we, or most writers, have the capacity to give. We will now turn our attention for a few moments to the “ Narrow Way ;” to the way that leads to eternal life ; “Because strait it the gale, and narrow is the way that leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” If I was born possessed of any genius, l am induced to believe it was a mathemat ical or mechanical one. For. things per taining to those sciences, have, Irom the earliest moment of my recollection, made a more forcible impression on my mind, than any other things in life. Consequent ly, the strait gate and narrow way, brought to view in the foregoing text of Scripture, has often occupied my meditations, before I 1 was fairly able lo define the most simple woid in the English language. And never having observed the word strait, to be ap plied in any other sense, than, in opposition to something crooked, 1 have been often greatly perplexed to know what the speak- j cr meant by a strait gate. And, for fear RANDOLPH COUNTY, Ga, December sth, 1843. Dear Brother Baker: —After some delay, occasioned by a crowd of business, I now proceed to comply with my promise. The Bethel Baptist Association was held at Lumpkin, Stewart county, Ga. on the 3d, 4th, sth and 6th Nov., and 1 am happy to say that, notwithstanding a difference of sentiment on some important matters, all our business was transacted in Christian forbearance brotherly love. By a statement below, you will find that the accessions to the churches by baptism, falls very short of what it was last year, and with a few exceptions the churches complained of barrenness. May the Lord enable us to live more devoted ; and to enjoy more of his presence during the ensuing year. Appended you will find a list of the names of the Ordained Ministers 1 and Licentiates to the Bethel Association, with the names of the churches where their membership is and their post-offiie address, | and also the report of the Association’s Committee on the death of Ministers, which you will please to publish by request of the I Association. We have heretofore said a good deal about a Hook Depository and other arrangements for the promotion of Mission ry operations, but from the extreme pressure of money matters in our country, we have accomplished but tilde. We are still ma king the best management we can devise, and with hope, are looking for the time when, as a religious body, we shall be able to j carry out our plans more efficiently for the promotion of the Redeemer’s Kingdom. May the Lord give us success, and may He ! crown your labors with abundant usefulness, is the prayer of Your unworthy brother in Christ, STEPHEN ROWE, Clerk of the Bethel Association. REP CRT of the Committee on the Death of Ministers in the Bethel Association fur the last year. Since our last Association, Death hath committed its ravages amongst the Ministers within our hounds. Bro. James W. Wood wan! has been called away, “like a stioek of corn fully ripe,” from a good old age, ripened and refined by the labors of the Sanc uary, and a long life of holy living, from the scene of his trials and his toils, to bis eternal reward. To incite us onward to works !_>f righteousness, lie has left behind him the remembrance ol his virtues and the brightness of Ins example. Brother Key the younger ] md, while yet a youth, solemnly dedicated himself to God, and had engaged with fervor and with hope in the arduous work of the ! Christian Ministry; when travelling with his father, in dispensing the everlasting Gospel to the destitute and the dying, sustaining ! and aiding him in his labors of love, adventuring as the willing emissary of light, amid the dangers of a sultry and sickly climate, vhere disease was shedding its blighting influence around, he has been suddenly called away, in the midst of his labors, “to a j louse not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” Whilst his revered and lamented father, our brother and Missionary, the Rev. George W. Key, battling with trials and difficulties in a most arduous missionary field, lahoring in the service of your body ! and his Divine Master, in visiting the destitute and neglected regions of our land, and in diffusing “the glad tidings of peace” to me poor, the destitute, the neglected and the misguided of our race, is suddenly cut down in the mid<t of the conffi.-t. with his ar mor fully on him, and summoned away, by the kind and applauding invitations of bis Heavenly Father, to the saint’s everlasting mst. if rich expressions of grateful remembrance arising from regions and from hearts that have been enlightened by his prayers his efforts, can be received as indications of the faithfulness and worth of our deceased missionary, we have them in abun dance, in regrets and Immolations, arising from the scenes where his labors were done. The Executive Committee of your bodyTVhen they called our brother to this great work, saw, or thought tliev saw in him, evi dences of a deep-toned piety, n singleness of purpose, a devotion to the cause of Christ, mol love fur the souls of men, which would induce him to submit to any sacrifice of suffering or of toil, that the Kingdom of the Redeemer might be advanced, ahiT fTiaT j the Kingdom of Darkness might suffer loss. In this estimate of our broth r’s merits die Committee were not disappointed. If i his field of effort and of usefulness was neither so trying nor so arduous as that of a B iardman nr a Brainard, it may justly be said, that in it, with a Boardinan and Brainard he suffered a martyr’s death, and that with them he wears a martyr’s crown. Your Com j mittee would recommend the adoption of the following resolutions: Resolved by (his Association, that in the loss of our beloved brethren Woodward and the younger Key, we have afforded us, on ilje one hand, such an example ot a long life well spent, and on the olh r, of a short life well prepared and begun, as is calculated : ta cheer the aged saint to hold out to the end, and to incite the youthful to the walks of piety and truth. Resolved, 2dly, That in the death of our late brother Geo. W. Key. the untiring, intrepid and devoted Missionary of the Cross, tljis body has sustained a loss, in this trying dispensation, which it will be indeed difficult to repair. But whilst his decease is our kks, we are cheered by the reflection, that to him it is eternal gain. Resolved, That a copy of this preamble and resolutions be lorwarded by the Clerk of this Association to the familcs of the dc ’ ccpsed, and to the Editor of the Christian Index. Lewis Everinoiiam, Secretary. JAMES CLARK, Chairman. TABLE OF MINISTERS, &C. IN THE BETHEL ASSOCIATION. Otdained Ministers. ( hurehts and Counties. P. (). Ad tress. < The names oJ~Uhurchet having a I'rmASoCy. i or S. School, nr both within their bounds. Jonathan Davis, - - Palmyra, Lee. - - - Palmyra. - - j Temperance Societies are n presented by T. James S. Lunsford, - Friendship, Sumter. - - Friendship. - ! S. ai l Sabbath Sjhools In/ S. S. James Matthews, - - Benevolence, Randolph. - - Lumpkin. - - j ! , John Rushing, - - - Richland, Stewart. - - - Lumpkin. - - Abbeville, Henrv. Ala. T. S. Si S. S. Jefac M. Davis, - - Hebron, Lee. - - - Palmyra. - - Albany, Baker, f. S. &S. S. j Lewis Everinghain, - Macedonia, Early. - Blakely. - - A morions, Sumter T. S. William W. Maund, - Starksville, Lee. ... Stnrksvdie. - BethMiein. Stewart. T. S. Ilermon Mercer, - - Pine Bluff, Baker. - - - Albany. - - Columbia, Henry, Ala. T. S. Si S. S. Wjlliam Henderson, - Albany. Baker. ... Albany. - - Fellowship, Lumpkin, Stewart, S. S. ’ Tl/omas Muse, - - Benevolence, Randolph. - - Cuthbert. - - Friendship, Sumter, T. S. William H. Burton, - Mt. Zion, Randolph. - • Cuthbert. - - Macedonia. Blakeley. Early, !’. S. &S. S. Bitch M. Roberts, -i Lebanon, Baker. - - - Albany. - -i Vii. Gilead. R iunolpli, T. S. J.TL B. Shackelford, Albany, Baker. - - - Albany. -- j Ylt. Zion. Cuthbert, Randolph, T. S. Si S. S. David Cox, - - - Sardis, Stewart. - - - Florence. - - j Palmyra, Lee, T. SSiS. S. Liitt YY'arren, - - - Americas, Sumter. - - - IPalinyra. - - iPleasant Plains, Sumter. T. S. R. Y. Lol'tin, - - - Natehaway, Baker. - - - jCnncnrd. - - Richland. Stewart. T. S. Rapsoin YVatner, - - Columbia, Henry, Ala. - - (Columbia. - - Shiloh, Stewart, T. S. jEdpiund Talbott, - - do. do. j do. Sardis. Stewart, T. S. Si S. S. uolin Windsor, - - Bethlehem, Stewart. - - Lanahassee. - Starksville, Lee, T. S. Holm R. Jones, - - Mt. Ararat, Stewart. • - Chenubba. j Stephen Rowe, - - Mt. Gilead, Randolph. - - Ft. Gaines. 11. A. YVilnx.. .-j First Bap. Church, Providence, R. I. Cuthbert. - - v— has 40 Churches. Theophijus Pierce, - Shiloh, Randolph. - - - fc'oilon Hill. - 6 Licentiates; Baptized last Vcar, 272. Ktcliard J nornton, - Mt. Gilead, Kaiulolph. - - Ft. Gaines. - Contributions sent up ’ $2lB 73 Edmund Cody, - - Macedonia, Early. - - - Blakeley. - - Collection on Sabbath. ‘BS 45 John YY. Jackson, - Ebenezer, Sumter. - Pond Town, - ‘ J. U. Fletcher -- - Bottsford, Sumter. - - - Plains ol Dura. Whole amount, s:t()4 |8 ’Having recently removed. that some of my young readers may be perplexed in the same manner that 1 have been, 1 will here undertake to offer an ex planation of the word strait, us applied to the gate ; and also offer a few thoughts, on the idea the speaker intended to convey, by making use of it in reference to himself, uho is the strait gate. The Greek word, front which the word under consideration is translated, is stenc; and means some thing very narrow, a way not broad, a way difficult to pass, a way, through which if one would pass, lie must strive, he must put forth all bis energy ; strait, difficult, and instead of being put in opposition to something ciooked, it is used in opposition to something broad, it is opposed lo citrus, another Greek word, meaning something broad; wide ; far-extended ; spacious ; am ple. The opposite of the latter in all its bearings, is the meaning of the former; therefore, we have brought to our view the broad and narrow ways. Our humble o pinion is, that the idea the speaker intend ed to convey by calling himself a strait gate and a narrow way, was in allusion to the pride and corruption of the human heart. lie himsell is that strait gate and that narrow way, and if we would have eternal life, we must deny ourselves, and embrace him; and when called upon for justification ftom our sins and transgressions, instead of calling up any good deed that we have done, to justify us in the presence of a Holy and Almighty God, we must present him as our propitiator, and must claim life alone, on the satisfaction that he has rendered to law and to justice. Now. every person that has any knowledge of the pride and arro gance ol the human heart, will very readi ly perceive how difficult it is to do this, and how hard it is to give the glory to an other ; which, you know, human nature is always fond to arrogate to itself. It is tru ly a strait gate, a narrow gate, a strait way, a narrow way. But, savs one, does not he who is the gate, and who is the way, say “ Take my yoke upon you, for my yoke is easy, and my burden is light?” And, do we not hear it said, “Christ’s commands are not grievous ?” And again, do we not heat it said, in reference to wisdom which is the fear of God, that “ Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace f” Truly, my dear reader, we do; but these asseriions are applicable only, to the indi-1 vidual who lias been awaken-d to a knnwl- j edge of his lost condition, and is willing I t j receive life as a favor, not as a claim, from j Jehovah. YY 7 1 1 at the world calls wisdom, is foolishness with God. True wisdom is to believe in God, and in Jesus Christ, whom he hath sent. YVe hear it said, “ Blessed are the poor in spirit: Blessed are the meek: Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: Blessed arc the meiciful: Blessed are the poor in heart: Blessed are the peace makeis : Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake; Blessed are ye when men revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my s ike.” But, does die unregenerate heart say blessed are such characters?—No; it looks upon such, as the despised of the world and as the cast off’ of the earth.” And aie they .not despised by the world, and are not their names cast nut as nought ? Yea, 1 will ask you a more serious question ; does not the religious part of the community, at the present day, re gard the poor in spirit, the meek, the groan ing, repenting soul; the succorer of the persecuted; the person that would forsake human customs and inventions, that would forsake the long followed habits of daddy, in religious malteis, 1 mean, and follow the instruction to the letter, of a crucified Re deemer; the person that would take the scriptures of truth for his only guide; the person that is reviled and persecuted, even for the sake of Christ; I say do not they look upon such invividuals with a suspi cious eye, and do th y not shun sucli as unworthy of their confidence ? Methinks I hear you groan in the spirit, and say, these things are too true. But as strait as is the gate, and as narrow as is the way, we must remind you of the admonition of the Lord, “ Strive to enter in at the strait gate : for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.” And to those who have already entered in at the strait gate, I would say, in the conclusion, “ As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, with him And “ Rejoice and be exceeding glad; for great is your reward in heaven.” KIDIION. Thomson, 15th, 1843. Important Questions. An inspired apostle has told us of “ un i learned questions,” meaning, we suppose, I questions that ar- not inte ligenlly stated: and these as well as “foolish questions,” he says •• gender >t ifes”—ai don this point, apostolic teaching is strikingly in accor dance with human experience. llow of ten do men “ strive about words to no prof it ! ’ How often do :hey misapprehend and so unintentionally misrepresent each other. And yet for sober and rational discussion, we have apostolic example. In a council ol apostles at Jerusalem, there was “much disputing.” There was a variety of opin ions, and much interchange of them—vet we suppose the discussion was all sober, kind, and rational, and hnppv in its influence YVe have often thought that more dis cussions of the doctrines of the Gospel a inong religious editors, if properly conduct ed, might l>e healthful and salutary, both to themselves and to their readers. YVe are therefore glad to see a move ment of this kind by our brother YVm. H. Hughart, editor of the Western Baptist, the new paper recently commenced in the western part of Virginia. He has put forth ten questions, all having for their object the development ol the nature of the Christian church. These questions lie proposes “for i lie discussion ol all the editors with whom lu: exchanges.” The tenth question is as follows : “ Are I’edobaptists in the church or out of it?” In order properly to approach this ques tion, several preliminary questions, should first be discussed. 1. YY hat are the specific and distinguish>- ing traits of character by which all tree C hristians differ from the rest of mankind? 2. Are there any Pedobaptists who ex hibits those traits of character by which true Christians are distinguished? 3. YY hat is the meaning of the- word church, in the New Testament? ■l. Are there any true Christians on eartli who yet do not belong to that ehnrch to which Christ is head over all things—ami which he has purchased by his blood ? I here is still another question which it might be well for us as Baptist editors, to keep in view while discussing these mat ters. It is this—ls it quite certain that all Baptists belong to the true church of Christ ? We shall endeavoi to watch for any dis cussion of these matters which may appear either in the “ Western Baptist” or any other of our exchanges. Or if any of our correspondents choose to write on any of these questions, we shall be happy to re ceive their contributions.— Zion's Adv.