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JOSEPH S. BAKER —Editor. VOLUME XII TERMS BER ANNUM. Tub Christian Index, published on Friday i beach week, (except two in the year), will be furnished to each subscriber at $2 50 cents, in advance; or $3 if not paid within the year. tCT* Post-Masters, where the Index is taken, are requested to forward remittances for subscribers at their respective offices, according to a decision of the Post-Master General as to their right to do so. ’ All pa trons and agents are requested to notice this. Every Agent (and all Baptist Ministers are particularly solicited to become agents) who procure and pay for five copies of the index, shall be entitled to a sixth, as a com pensation for his trouble. Letters on business, or communicatio.ns, must be addressed to the Editor, post ptiiil. Advertisements may be inserted on usual terms, at the discieiion of the Editor. For the Christian Index. Contributions of it Country Schoolmaster. No. 2. “ Recollections of l ift;/ Fears Since.” It is pleasant as well as instructive to hear the old repeat the chaiactcr and condition of the world in by-gone days, and as the writer has been favored with such a dis course, he proposes to notice it very brief ly, for the gratification of such as have not had the pleasure of reading this tribute to the memory of “ days lang syne.” This article is headed with the title of a Lecture dehveted before the Young Men’s Aasoeia tion of Utica, New York, by Hon. Eze kiel Bacon, a distinguished citizen of our country, once at the head of one % of the De partments at Washington. Judge 1!. Ins for many years been an invalid sit tiering under the most painful afflictions and pass ed down with disease and infirmities. Bill being possessed of such,high hopes ami soaring aspirations as can resist the decay both of body and mind, he stiil labors, in the decline of life, to he useful; and in the Lecture before us, has brought forth many interesting “ recollections” of other days, and interwoven the whole with many ster ling truths and searching inquiiics that might be of lasting benefit to the young of the present day. Though the Lecturer admits our ad vancement during the last fifty years in manners, taste and fashions, and duly ac knowledges our social and scientific pro gress, he still hesitates not to declare that our moral advances have not been so con siderable, and that in this respect at least, we may learn lessons of w isdotn from the past. This is, indeed, but too true; for in morals the last fifty years have rather retro graded than advanced. Out yearnings after other objects of gain, far less valuable, have crowded all higher attainments from the soul, and in patriotism, morality and virtue we are inferior to our ancestors. All things considered, this is a humiliating truth, and one that should strike to the heart of every one who feels an interest in the welfare of his country. The history of the past should be a warning to Americans; for wherever voluptuousness and extravagance have taken the place of industry and econ omy, they have been attended with a train of vices, individual and national, that have proved most fatal in the end. That there has been, within the last half century, a decided falling oil’ in that disinterested spirit of public patriotism, private probity, and some of the moral virtues which once prevailed in the generation now passing away, cannot, it is believed, be justlv ques tioned. The Lecturer first touches upon the sub ject of Education, and proves that “ every generation grows wiser and wiser,” —for we are told that fifty years since the whole amount of a common school education was derived from “Dillworlh’s Spelling Book,” “ The Psalter” and “ Pike’s Arithmetic ;” and that the knowledge obtained from Col leges and higher seminaries was very much corresponding with this, “ both as to the extent of learning and the mode of instruct ing.” Os course, nothing was known of the sciences which are now considered most useful and practical,—as Chemistry, Mineralogy, Physiology, Political Econo my, Geology, &c, they have attained to their present maturity since that period.— Many of this generation will not hesitate in coming to the rational conclusion, that in these respects, at least, they have “ Grown wiser than their fathers were.” But whether they could with propriety ap ply to themselves the other line of Watts’ distich— “ And better know the Lord,” is a matter of uncertainty,—at least, with the Lecturer. The improvements made within the last fifty years, for personal transportation and for trade, have indeed, been great. Judge Bacon tells us that about that time there was but one line of public stages run upon die American continent; and that one was upon the seaboard between Boston and Philadelphia. The Lecturer very gravely remarks:—“ they made progress in two days, with good Inch, fiom Boston to Springfield, not quite a hundred miles.— But they often fell short of this when the roads were bad, and took part of the third day to effect it.” The same rout is now passed over in a little less than five hours. In the articles of dress there lias been a decided advancement, though, perhaps, the improvements have not been for the better. Alas! how we need the simplicity, the neatness and lhe economy which clurac.Ut tzed the dresses of our ancestors ! Many of their fashions, however, are justly es teemed extremely absurd, by our fashiona bles of the present tame, but it is highly proliabje that we wmdd have appeared stiil more ridiculous fifty years since. Then the clergy wore their “ white broad bot tomed wigs,” and every man who aspired to respectability mounted one of the far lamed “cocked hats,” —and civil officers equipped themselves in “redscailet coats and cloaks.” There is a decided difference between the condition and character of Ministers in the past generation and at the present time.— The clergyman, fifty years since, when once established in a parish, generally re mained till death removed him ; while at the present day the Minister is scarcely ac quainted with his congregation before he is called to some other quarter, ’i’liis shows a want of firmness—a fwkle-mindcdncss-r ----tiol known in the former century, and must be inconvenient and unpleasant to Minis ters. In one respect there has been a great improvement in the character of the clergy. Fifty years since, the clergyman and bis deacons were accustomed to use the tank ard or flagon and pipe—toddy and tobacco —regularly; while now, all unite in put ting down these dangerous practices. This is, truly, a blessed improvement! The last improvement Hhentioncd by the Lecturer is that of the min if of man, which, fie adds, “s.eems from some quarter or otlvr la have received some new uclive ami irrepressible impulse. It has discerned new and startling powers and faculties, heretofore but faintly dreamed of; giving it new relations, both to itself and all around it, or in the most remote portions of the universe.” Then gl nritig at some of the modern opinions and discoveries,—with a sound blow at popular humbugs, lie clo ses with a few “broken and brief bints to Young Men,” of the most excellent char acter and worthy of being read and treas ured in the heart, but too lengthy for this sheet. After perusing Judge Bacon’s Lecture, the idea naturally enters the mind, that if the condition of the world has been im proved during the last half century, the moral condition of man has remained sta tionary or made a retrograde motion. It is a painful conviction, but nevertheless a true one, that the continual strain after improve ments for out physical benefit is too apt to employ the mind to the neglect of objects of higher importance. Our ancestors, with their simplicity and comparative want of perception, were far superior to ourselves in those noble qualities which honor and adorn human nature, and well would it be if we could but heed the lessons their con duct teaches us. The Lecturer, whose performance has been noticed, said truly that such changes as have been, and are gradually taking place, may yet prove fa tal to tile prosperity of our country; anil through ilio long lapse of years past the mouldering ruins of Greece and Rome have raised a warning voice to the Nations of the Earth. Beech Spring. For the Christian Index, Love. What is love ? Wc feel but little doubt, that this is an inquiry in which all classes of Adam’s posterity will feel deeply inter ested. Says the Poet and Novel writer, “ The course of true love never did run smooth.” “ True love.” What do they mean by “true love?” If we have not misjudged the matter, “ true love,” my dear readers, is not what most of your nov el writers have represented it to be. A description of “true love” is not that which incites tlio lovely rosy cheek girl to eat chalk and magnesia, and to sleep till after breakfast, for the purpose of removing that lovely tint from her cheek, and substituting in the place thereof, a death-like line, for the purpose of exciting the pity and sym pathy of her superficial upstart befit.— Sympathy and love are two different things. Sym hi hy, mis-denominated love, has al ready pretty nearly, or quite, ruined the world. When we look around on society, and take under consideration the numerous FOR THE BAPTIST uONVENTIOjKJXLvTHE STATE OF GEORGIA. PENFIELD; GA„ JANUARY 20, 1844. host of young men that arc thrown upon the world, entire nuisances to society, when, at the same time, they should be the pillars of our government and of our church es, we are necessarily constrained to look out for a cause. And when we look to the young ladies of our country, with a hope of beholding in them a flattering prospect of substantial mothers in Isiael, and find them to be meagre, slender, pale-faced, sickly creatures, that cannot ride to church and back without being reduced to the necessi ty of taking their beds, with the sick head ache, or some other disease, arising from litir. of constitution, wc are not fitly,, constrained to search for a cause, but we are stitick with alarm for the safety of our species. But, says one, you have digress ed from the subject. Has love any thi/fg to do with these matters ? Mis-dcnontuia ted love, if we are not grossly mistaken, will, on a close search, be found very close ly attired with these imperfections nit the present generation of the human family.— Have you ever been in our nursgri.es, and observed the lnameuvriug of the mothers of our race? But stop! We hive already excited the indignation of a mother. We hear her tongue. Sir, says she, why do you first point out the mother in this mat ter? For one of the best of reasons, my dear madam: that is, because the first training of a child is, unquestionably, the office of the mother; and Solomon says, “ Train up a child (or catechise a child) in the way he should go, and when lie is old ho will not depart from it.” I‘rov. xxii. G. We have heard some say, that “ Solomon knew no more about it than other people.” Believing that Solomon wrote under inspi ration, we have no hope of benolitting any one of these by our labors, for il they would not believe Solomon, we are sure they would not believe us. But, if they will excuse the harshness of*a Seiipture phrase, we will sav to them, “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: J>ut lie that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.” Prov. xii. 15. Well, go on sir; let us hear what you have seen in our nurseries. My pen would fail to describe, liuu my sheet would fail tojiold the hundredth part of the inis- v niangemcnt that I have seen in the nurse ries of the human family, both on tlie part of the father and the mother; hut my pre sent design is simply to expose what we have heard erroneously called love. “God is love,” and of course is capable of exer cising trite love towards the creatures that he has made. What does he say, with re gard to the exercise of true love? “As many as I love I lebukc and chastise.” Rev. iii. 19. “ For whom the Lord loveth he chastencdi, and seourgeth every son whom lie receiveth.” lleb. xii. (>. See also verses 7,8, 9, 10 and 11. Does the mother say so? No. Oh! the precious little creature is too little—is too sweet to be chastised, or even to he rebuked. When it is larger, says she, I will correct it and teach it its duty. But alas! when it is larger it is 100 large. She can’t control it. The mother has too much mis-denoininated love for it to remember, that “just as the twig is bent the tree inclines.” She lias too much mis-denominated love for it to rc strain its evil passions, when she lias it in her power to control them. She possesses too much misdeiioniiuatcd love for it to force upon it habits of industry and useful ness ; and hence you see vvliat the human species is coming to. But, no doubt, you think by this time that I have harangued you long enough on the subject of tnis-de llOtninateil love, ami that it is time for me to tell you, if I intend to do it at all, what is true love. Well, as I have already suggested, “God is love” and “God is truth;” therefore God is true love. And whenevi r you sec the smallest spark of genuine god liness existing, either in the heart or actions of a human being, you may take it for granted that that being possesses true love. Love is tire touchstone by which to try our relationship to God. By this may every man judge of his true situation in relation to eternity. Let him examine his own heart impartially and form a righteous judg ment thereon; and if lie can say, of a truth, do I love my brethren in the Lord, yea, I do love all conditions of man ; 1 do not only pity my enemies, but 1 love them, and pray for them ; then may be known of a truth, that he has passed from death unto life. Says one, I have carefully examined my heart and do honestly believe that 1 do love my brethren, but the human heart is so treacherous ; how am I to really ktniw that my heait has not deceived inc? Dost thou really sympathise with, pray for, and pity the vagabond whom thou hast beheld rolling in the filth of drunkenness ? Dost thou raise thine eyes and heart to heaven, and let fall a tear on behalf of the pooi wretch whom thou hast heard calling upon the God who made him, and who sustains I * T f “ - 1 a—— — uj—__i__ lus-UU, to damn his own immortal soul, or the ol his fellow-creatures, without ever reflecting on what he is saying ? Dust vion sincerely pity and prav lor the broth.* or sister who has fallen into trails- it, and who has sinned against a graciu is Gad ? And dost thou seek an op porlui ity to help up that brother or that sister Iw.ho has fallen under transgression ? Or dost thou take pleasure in whispering his OT-jrer laults to the world, and m ma king a great flame of that which might only haM>pcn a spark? Dost thou heartily foit'ivc and pity the faults of those who Jw? Jf.mv time trespassed against thee? vhou love thine enemies bless them that cuVsQ.'theo, do good to them that hate thee, and pray for them that despitefully use thee and .persecute theo? If thou eanst honest ly ans-v‘er the foregoing questions in the af lirmath we think thou hast the promise that thou mavest be the children of your Father which is in heaven: “for he maketn his situ to rise on the evil and on lhe good, and scmlcth rain on the just and on the un just. _ For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye ? do not even the pub licans the same ? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect,” and we shall have a heaven on eafth. Yours in the Lord, KIDUON. Tii -mson, Jau. 1!, 1813. Tiic Practical Working of the Colporteur System. The following extracts from the letters of Colporteurs, received by the Am. Tract So ciety during a single week, will give some insight into the practical workings of ibis system, and will furnish some conception of the need there is of such an operation, if our whole population ate ever to be evangelized. Needy 50 oilier Colporteurs, about one third of whom are Germ tuts, are success l’ully engaged in the same labors. . Rhode Island. A Kilter from Air. John Clark, who lias distributed some 30,000 volumes in Ithode Inland, says, “ 1 have been in the wilder . nn- 1 R. I. for i lung time, and find much to encourage as well as much to try me.— > My sides do not amount to much from week to week in these destitute towns; but the books go to the very place where they are • most needed. You would be surprised to ; visit fifty families in succession, and not I find as many pages of religious reading of aify kind in them all, unless it be of the sort alluded to T>y one man, who, when 1 L asked him if lie bail any religious books, said, “ lie had the History of the French s War This in New England ! Michigan. 1 Mr. Elijah Clark, who is laboring as a i Colporteur in S’. Michigan, explains fully : the reasons for granting so many books , the region in which iie is at work being re . centiy settled, and the people destitute of ( money, and mostly of religious books of any kind. In his journal arc found nicmo -1 ramli like the following: “I called on a I newly-formed family, both parties irreli i gious; no Bible ;no books ;no money.— Gave them Baxter’s Call and a few Tracts. The next family was in the same condition. Called on Mr. 15. and wife, backsliders; too much in debt to buy r books; gave them appropriate Tracts. The next family, which was numerous, has recently’ emigra ted, and were mostly professors of religion: had a part of a Bible and a few other pages of religious truth. Gave them a book, Al manac, and a few Tracts. The houses in this region are from half a mile to two miles apart, and there are many tedious crossings and dismal mud-holes. The work is a self denying but blessed one.” Illinois. Mr. ('harles . .Spring reports Ills Ui l orsAtr the month in visiting 150 scattered families in Northern Illinois, embracing 103.1 persons, with most of whom he con versed on spiritual things. They were nominally connected with thirteen denomi nations, while thirty-seven families ptofess cd no sympathy with any religious sect.— The amount of sales during the month was $37 25, and 191 volumes were distributed gratuitously to the destitute, “ 1 have met with five families in four hours,” says Mr. !S. “destitute of the Bi ble, and on another occasion, three in suc cession had not the word of God. A few days since,” he continues, “ 1 made two barter trades on your account. For four volumes ol Bulwer’s Novels I gave Bogue and Practical Piety; for ‘ the Devil on two sticks’ and two other pernicious works I gave ‘ two sticks’ which have often foiled the prince of darkness—Baxter and Pay son. When 1 get the trash in ;ny posses sion I burn it, so thfit no more mischief mav be done. I am fully convinced that, under certain eirouinstances, in a country like this, where every book is read by all die neighborhood, a quiet supplanting of had books in this way will be greatly hon oring God and doing incalculable good.” There is only space for a single extract from his glowing journal: Game near to a very humble hut: found a young woman with a child in her arms. No sooner did I allude to the tldlign of eternity, than her lip quivered and the silent tear told the emo tions of the heart. When ltei husband came in, 1 prayed with them. They had no Bible nor any other good book : 1 gave them a Bible,’ a large volume of Tracts and Baxter’s Call, and went on my way re joicing,” Kentucky. Mr. Milton 11. Starr, whose field is S. Kentucky, gives an amusing account of bis adventures with bad roads, swollen streams, <kc - —having been often complete ly covered with mud, and in crossing swamps, compelled, for fear of drowning, to feel his way along with a stick, up to the arms in water—remarking, that alter one ol these adventures “ a horse never shone so mudily, or a starr so dimly, as did the Colporteur and his beast, that whole day!” Mr. Starr has sold and granted to destitute ism, lies, publications to the amount of $2,- 000 in the last fifteen months. From his letter we make a single extract. “That you may have a more distinct idea of the spiritual wants of some portions of this country, follow me through a journey of two weeks. During this tour l held eight meetings—collected S9O on lhe wav for hooks, and left a Tract or book in more than 200 families, in all of which I had some religious conversation or prayer.— The majority of these families w .c very indigent: more than half said they hail .ot money enough to buy a ‘bit book,’ cts.;) live families, from five to ten souls’ in each, were wholly unable to read, and t 40 others could read but imperfectly ; near- ! ly fifty families were destitute of either Bi ble or Testament. No agent of the Bible Society or Sunday Sfchool Union was ever through this count)’. On one occasion several persons told me they had, not attend ed church for many years, and that others in the neighborhood were in the same con dition. One woman said “ her son was 13 years old and never heard but one ser mon—and that was tl thing!” Tennessee. Air. Samuel IT. Slebbins, writing from Tennessee, speaks of an exclusion of four days, during which his sales amounted to more than SOO. The gentleman who ac companied him generously advanced S3O for books for families who had not then the means for paying for them. At one little village, “ a ventriloquist had given notice of an exhibition for the evening: I mana ged,” says Mr. S'., “ to have notice given j lor an opposition meeting: and while the ventriloquist had -only the inn-koopc.” and his family for customers, my room was filled,’ and some good was done. A few days afterwards 1 attended a muster : sold some books to the people who were assem bled: went to the stores, groggeries and houses and talked to most whom I saw on the subject of religion, in as brief and point ed a manner as possible. Such awful pro fanity I think 1 never heard—and such drunkenness and lighting ! It seemed as if the spirits of the pit had escaped their dun geons. 1 longed to drive out in all the country round and hunt up these wretched souls and try to do them good. During these two and a half days I circulated over 100 volumes.” Arkansas. Air. Rhea Wallace is laboring among the destitute population of Arkansas ; and re ports about 500 families visited in Jackson and Independence counties. Os these ser enh/five were destitute of the Bible and all oilier religious books. He distributed publications to the amount of SIOO among them. He found a family of a father and two sons, in Blackmonr swamp, Arkansas, 20 miles from any I‘ost-oflice, hopefully converted by means of some books given to the father at New Orleans, by Mr. Pack ard, our faithlul Colporteur at that place, lor the raftmen and boatmen on the Missis sippi river. Alsssouri. Mr. Alfred liclknap reports his labors among the Missouri lead mines, near l’o tose. 11c visited a neighborhood in which “ but one sermon had been preached for the lust four or live your#;” made :iu address in the evening, and next day went out to converse with the people and give them books'.’ To li is surprise they all purchased. Many seemed solemn and thoughtful. “It is about four weeks since 1 left,” writes Mr. B. “ and they are now enjoying a most in teresting revival of religion. Sonic 15 have already expressed hope in Christ, and others are bowed down under a sense of guilt and danger. Religion is now the all absorbing theme.” Deplorable Ignorance. A Colporteur of the American Tract So ciety in one of the most destitute parts of the West, writes that his sales had amount ed in two months to about 500 volumes and his grants to more than two hundred. “Many of the people,” he says, “ate as ignorant as the heathen. I have found ma ny whole families in which there was not a single individual who conld read: and a great many who can read have no hooks except the Bible and some old song book. I have found some fifteen or twenty fami lies without the Bible: but what is even more to lie lamented, there are many, even in the church, who have the Bible but do not read it. For instance, I called on one of the first families in a village named TANARUS., which consisted of the parents and six or seven children, who could read—some of them members of the church. While con versing on some points of Bible truth, the storv of David and Goliath was alluded to. The old gentleman remarked, ‘I have never heard of that!’ ‘Nor I,’ said the old lady. Publisher— BENJ. BRANTLY. NUMBER 4- 1 took my Bible and read the narrative, which was listened to with bieaihless atten tion. 1 also gave them lhe narrative of Samson, and Moses, and then commenced a sketch of Joseph’s life, when the old man remarked, ‘lhave hcarn tell oj that!’ —of the other stories not one in that large family had ever heatd or read ! 1 have of ten seen tears flowing Ireely, when rising Irom tny knees, in cabins where the voice of prayer had then been heard for the first time : and that heart must be stone which would not be moved by such indications;” I believe God hours Prayer. * A few years ago there was a battle fought on the ocean. ’Ou the deck of the ship, which was commanded by Capl. James Haldane, a company of poor soldiers lay munfflcd, :unj bleeding, and dying. Their limbs were tori i from their bodies, and sent tcred about the ship. The battle, hovVfcver, bail just begun, and the captain ordered another company to be called up from be low ; as they came up oil deck, and saw the bodies ol their companions, the pale and gastiy countenances of the dying, and the dead, they manifested, a3 was very natural, some emotions of fear and alarm ; at which the captain was dreadfully angry, and swore a horrid oath, imprecating the vengeance of heaven ou the trembling raa:- iners. One of lhe soldiers being a pious mail, was shucked and grieved at the pro faneness of tite captain, and remarked, ta king oil’ his hat at the same time, out of respect to the commanding officer, “Cap-’ lain,” said he, “ 1 believe God hears pray er. and if he were to hcar.vbui prayer now, wlrat would become of us ?’* The battle was fought, and when, the captain became more calm, Jie thought of what the pious sailor had said to him.— The result was, lie lclt ofl’ swearing, anu was ever after a pious man. When he re turned to his home in Scotland, lie called on his brother. Robert Haldane, and told him whet the Lord had doite for his soul. Ills brother was a very wealthy man, but not religious; lie had heard of his brother Jam converrion, and was very angry with him on account of it. lie ordered him to leave his house and never come into it again. James accordingly left; but as he turned aivw, be said to his brother, I “ Robert though you forbid me your house, ! you can’t prevent my prtiying for you, and : 1 ivill pray for you as long as we both live.” This expression Went like an arrow to liie heart ol Robert. He thought how unkind he had been to his brother, and how wick ed he was in the sight of God, to be so an gry because his brother had become a Chris tian. lie wept, and went away by him self and fell upon his knees in prayer, and begged that God would have mercy upon his poor soul. The Lord , heard his pray ! ers, and ho became an eminently pious ; man, devoting his influence and wealth to the cause ol Christ. He made a visit to Geneva for the purpose of conversing with tire young men there, who, under the in fluence of Voltaire’s and Rousseau’s wri tings, had imbibed infidel principles. He took a house in the bosom of the most en chanting natural scenery, on the margin of the beautiful lake of Geneva, and beings man of wealth and general intelligence, as well as humble piety, many of the stu dents came to visit him. 11c conversed with them on the subject of religion, rela ting to them bis own experience and told them how sad it was that young men of tal ent and literary acquirements should de grade their minds and throw away their ac* (positions in the cause of irrcligion and in fidelity. The result was, that some of these young men became religious, and a tnong the number the now celebrated Dr. Merle D’Aubine, who has written the his tory of the reformation, and is now at the head of a {theological iiistsiution which is educating a large number of pious young men for the Christian ministry. All these glorious results wc trace back to that pious sailor who, on the bloody deck, said to his profane captain, “ I believe God hears prayer.” — S. S. Treasury. Effects of the Gospel in a Heathen Family. When Mr. J. Goadby was in India lie well knew Boleram, a converted Hin doo. Boleram was the father of two little girls : the elder about five or six years old, the younger just able to talk. On one oc casion Boleram came to bis European friend and said he had something pleasing to tell him. He went on to state that lie heard someone apparently talking in one ol his outbuildings. Attracted by the sound he listened, and soon perceived the voice of his little daughter, and he foTind that she was teaching her youngest sister to pray. Let children who pray not mark this ! Let parents who teach not their cl il dreir to pray mark this! A little Hindoo !>iri whose father not long before was a heathen, now teaching her infant sister to pray ! A Native Wish. —At one of tire Free Church breakfasts in Glasgow, Dr. Chal mers asked a French gentleman, whether he wished “ to be helped to some kippeted salmon.” The Frenchman enquired the meaning of “kippered,” and on being told that it signified “ preserved,” lie was help ed to a portion, and seemed to relish it much. On retiring from the hall, and ta king leave, he was heard wishing the Doc tor that he might “ be long kippered to the Free Church.— Ayr Advertiser,