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JOSEPH’ S. BAKER —Editph. VOLUME XII. TERMS I<ER ANNUM. v&- The Christian Index, published I tin Friday in each 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. iC3“-Post-Masters, where the Index’ is taken) ite 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 live copies of the Index, shall be entitled to a sixth, as a com pensation for his trouble. Letters on business, or communications, inust be addressed to the Editor, post paid. Advertisements may be inserted on usual terms, at the discretion of the Editor. The Rise & Progress of the Baptist in Scotland. From the Circular Letter of the Bap ( list Union for Scotland, 1843. ■ Christianity was introduced into this island at a very early’ period of the gospel tlispeusatiph, and it is'evident that the first Christian missionaries, whatever their hon ored names, \vho planted the . standard of the cross on .the British shores, held, in common with the, piitnitive church, the dis tinctive principles of the Baptists, and that these print iples were maintained by.the Christians of this laud for several hundred years. This is rendered abundantly mani fest from two historical facts; namely, that the immersion of Christians, and. not of childteii, was practised till the introduction of popery in the seventh century, and that, t'ven alter the bestowment of jbe ceremony upon children, immersion ilsejf, was re tained till the reformation. Origin of Infant Baptism in Britain. The ancient British church did not prac tice the immersion of children, or even of minors. When Austin, the Romish mis sionary. with olhers, visited the island at the close of the sixth, and beginning of the seventh cenlurv, through their instrumen tality, thousands of the-Saxons were dipp ed in the rivers upon a profession of faith. He however found Christian churches ti mnugsi the • ancient Britons who. did not , baptize children, and being anxious to bring Them into tbe Kmnislt church, lie made three demands of them, one of which was to give baptism to their children, hut they would not yield. A crusade was afterwards undertaken against them, which was attend ed with 9 cruel .massacre. At this period, immersion in the Romish church was ad ministered to children seven yeats of age, and so continued for cenjories; these were called minors; and it was to this the Bri tons would not submit. A fierce contro versy followed, which- lasted about a hun dred years, not as to the mode, for all im mersed, Inti as to the subjects, whether they should, he believers or- children. A Sax-’ on prince, named Jua, Lit the eighth century, brought the controversy to n summary dose, not by appeal to the word of God, but by a law requiring children within thirty days old to be dipped) tinder a penalty, of 80s. equal to £’3o .now, and if the chilli died undipped,’ the personal estate was to lie forfeited. Thus the baptism of children came to be general in litis country The ancient Scottish records were destroyed by the English, biit the British and Saxon memorials abundantly prove that the first Christians in this island were Baptists, and so continued for centuties. Moreover, the power of the pope and the errors of pope ry did not extend to the northern part of the island till some time after they were estab lished in the south. Origin of Sprinkling in Britain. Immersion continued in use, both in Scotland and England, till the reformation. In the canons of councils held afPeath, in the years 1242, and 129.6. one of the ap pointments in the administration of the or dinance was, “that before, the immersion, the aforesaid words should be pronounced.” The brazen font, in which the children of the kinu's of Scotland were dipped, was ta ken away from Holyrood chapel by the English in 1544, anti was. afterwards de stroyed in the days of Cromwell. In the Edinburgh Encyclopaedia it is candidly as serted, that in this country. (Scotland) sprinkling was never practised in otdinary cases till after the reformation; but that Scottish exiles, who had renounced the au thority of the pope, having fled to Geneva.- from persecution in England, implicitly ac knowledged the authority of John Calvin. At Geneva, a book was published in 1556, containing forms of worship, approved by Calvin, and, amongst other things, the ad ministrator of baptism is enjoined to take water, in his hand and lay itupon the child’s’ forehead. For this authority, these exiles, returning to their own country with John Knox at their head, in 1559 established sprinkling in Scotland, from which it made its way into England. These facts, ob tained from the highest literary authorities, afford abundant evidence not only that the first Christians were Baptists, but also the first Christians of Great Britain. The first traces of the Baptists in Scot land, after the reformation, occur in the time of the commonwealth. Having al ways been the avowed and distinguished friends of liberty—mental -and corporeal, civil and religious—the distinctive peculiar ities of the Baptists both attracted great at- THE CHRISTIAN INDEX, lention, anil gained many converts during that memorable age of the march of free dom. But we regret to say that the bigo try of the religionists in Scotland, and their fennente.d ardor for presbyterian and cove nanted, uniformity, were.so powerful, that independency and anabaptism were almost as much dreaded antFscorned by the lead ers of that age as black prelacy. The re sult was, that the Baptist movement of that day was mainly English—a circumstance of itself enough to blind the eyes of the Scottish people. Moreover, the move ment was made'entirely by men. belonging to tile army; and the very lact that, they, bad conquered, and were in the country for the purpose of keeping the in’sub jection, was enough to prevent any im pression either as to immersion or iudepen tlency. eaftists in cromwell’s akmv. The English army under Cromwell came to Scotland in 1650, and many of the sol diers and officers were Baptists. These kept up the worship of God in the regi ments, preached the gospel, and immersed those who from among them received the love of the truth. Some of the troops were stationed in Leith and Edinburgh, and the Baptists had a church there. In 1653, they printed and published at Leith, a fourth edi tion of the Confession of Faith, drawn up by the London Baptist ministers. At that same time they immersed a considerable number in the water of the Leith, among whom, it is said, was Lady Wallace of Cragiei At Cupar, in Fife also, there was a troop ■ stationed, in which there was a Baptist preacher named Browne, who both preached the Gospel, and immersed sever al of the'regimeni in the river Eden. A considerable impression seems to have been, made on the minds of many. At a minis ter’s meeting-held atEdinburgh, as earlvas October, 16- I, some of the assisting elders ventured to give it as their opinion, “that children should not receive the sacrament <>l baptism, till they could give confession of their faith.” Some ministers also em braced Baptist views: Alexander Cornwell of Linlithgow, and Thomas Charteris of Stenhouse, are said to have “baptized old people, maintained anahaptism, and would not baptize infants.” But when the Eng lish troops left the country upon the restor atiqn of the profligate Charles in 1660, till traces of the Baptists in Scotland, seemed to have vanished—a fatal termination was potto tin: progjess’of their principles, ami to the loign of civil and religious freedom. Rkv. Sir Wm. Sinclair. The next trace of the Baptists in Scot land is to Ire found in one Sir William. Sinclair, ol Kiess, in Caithness, who lived it) the early part of the eighteenth century, was •immersed in England, came home, preached the gospel, immersed those who through his instmnentality were brought to a knowledge of the truth, anti formed a Baptist church on his own estate; and lint withstanding his rank, lie suffered much from persecution. Ati did man, who had heard him, one who was the pastor of- the church formed by him, was alive in 1829. Some Scotsmen, likoSjrWm. Sinclair, became Buptisls-in England, hut either they never thought .of spreading their views in their native land, or they lacked opportuni ty. Among these was John McGowan, the celebrated author of “The Shaver,” “Dialogues bf Devjls,” and who was pastor of the Baptist church in Devonshire Square, London. Origin of Edinburgh Baptist Ciiurch. No permanent effort was made to estab lish the denomination in Scotland, till 1765, when Robert ‘Carmichea! and Archibald Maclean were immersed, and a Baptist church was fmmed in Edinburgh, consis ting at first of nine persons, having Carmi elteal for their pastor. Maclean was cho sen his colleague in 1768, after which time Baptist views rapidly spread into various parts of Scotland. The jubilee of 1765 was 1815, and probably it was forgotten amid the din of war and AVaterloo. But its centenary must not be forgotten. Let 1865 be a jubilee to the Lord; let it be characterized by anew and vigorous im pulse given to the exertions and liberality, of the Baptists in Scotland. But let it not be said that tve are to Wait for two-and twenty years, and then to be gin and do something. No, by that time many of us may be sleeping in the dust of death, or unable to share either in the toils or the spoils which may then be our lot.— The voice of wisdom To evety Baptist in Scotland, is, “Whatsoever thy handfindeth to do, do with thy might, for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wis dom in the grave whither thou goesf” A great work is to be done for God, and for truth, and for souls. Our substance, Our tune, our exertions, and our hearts are all needed, and are all demanded by the Head of the church. We have already seen that our distinctive ptinciples existed in this is land for hundreds of years at an early pe riod of the Christian dispensation- We verily believe that they ate again to spread and to fill the whole land; artd that infant sprinkling, and every semblance of popery arc destined to give way before them. Let us be strong in faith; let us be cemented together in holy oneness for the .work.— Now is the lime to be up and doing, so that when 1865 arrives we may have -doubled oj trebled our present strength, filling eve ty cornet of our beloved land; and then we and our cliildre.il shall be able to accom plish still more for the Lord our God. FOR THE BAPTIST CONTENTION OF THE STATE OF GEORGIA. PF.NFIELD, GA., FEBRUARY 9, 1844. nolE MISSION DEHRarST. For the Christian Index. ILLINOIS. FROM A MISSIONARY. Encouragement. Need of a Meeting House. Infidelity, once Prevalent, notv Declining. . Never a Revival. The prospeelsxif the Baptist Churches in this county are, at present, very good. Ours in this village is greatly encouraged., by the appropriation of the Home Mission Society. We arc in great need of a meeting house, though at present we occupy one owned by another denomination, whose pastor is un able to supply the pulpit on account of ill health. ‘This place is the grand nucleus around which all the infidelity in this Stale seems to cluster. Universalism has carried a high head here untif lately, but I think it is now on the down-hill course. There has never been a genuine revival of religion in this village, hut the frequent prayer ol Christians now is, that we may enjoy an outpouring of the Holy Spirit. I would ask all our Christian friends, who 1 may hear ol our circumstances, to pray for us. . FROM ANOTHER MISSIONARY. Immigrant Professors neglect to use. their Letters. A missionary needed to search them out. Importance, of curly action. Many members of Eastern churches re move into this country, bringing with them good letters of dismission hut, for various reasons, neglecting to present tlwin when first arriving, and becoming coldhearted in religious things, they suffer themselves to remain out of the church for years. We need a missionary for this, county, a principal part of whose duty it should he to search out those wandering sheep, and lead them into the fold. This is work which I cannot attend to, except to a very limited extent, on account of the stated la bors which already occupy my time. Such a missiotinary, however, would find work enough. lie would have school houses to preach in, and with the usual blessing of the Lord, besides other good results which would follow, several churches would soon be organized. We must have more men for the West— more for this comity', and what is done should he done quickly. Others are ahead of us, and rapidly advancing. Besides several evangelical denominations, the Univorsalists, Mormons, and Roman Cath olics are at work, and we feei that we also should he tip and doing. ANNUAL REPORTS WANTED. The subscriber respectfully requests the secretaries of the following missionary bo dies to forward him, bv mail, at as early a date as consistant alter publication, the Annual Reports of those bodies for 1843, viz.; Baptist conventions of Vermont, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, North and South Carolina, Alabama anti Michigan. General Association of Kentucky. Also brief reports of all the Primary Aux iliaries of the Home Mission Society, with the.names of presiding officer, secretary and treasurer, as soon as possible after their respective anniversaries. Benj. M. Hill, Cor. Sec, Letter of Rev. Ileorge Scott, Missionary to Sweden. Gravesend, England, ) Nov. 30,1843. 5 Rev. II . A. tlullock, Sec* Dear Brother,—'The delay in replying to your kind letter of May 27, handed me by our beloved brother Baird, has been oc casioned by tny having to wail for full in formation from Stockholm, as to the. dispo sal of that pait of the money left by me there. Our good friend Keysersent me in August a financial statement, hut he only gave me Nos. of the .'Tracts printed alter :ny leaving, and I had to write again for the titles. 1 greatly regret the delay, as it ap pears our dear friends in Sweden are much in need of farther aid, and 1 am certain your Committee will be most willing to extend that aid. Our chapel is still closed against us, and as the king has in council confirmed the sentence of the governor, there appears no probability of my being allowed to return to my much long-for scene oflabors, nor is it likely that any Foreigner will again be permitted to introduce divine service in the Swedish language, at least until reli gious freedom is better understood in Swe den than is now the case.. Meanwhile the devoted voting man who took a kind of charge after me in.the capital, sends me the most cheering accounts of the progress of God’s work in the hearts of the people; not merely the poorer clases, but several of rank hear him gladly, and seem concerned for their souls’ salvation. In the mysterious providence of God, some of the converted persons have had to leave Stockholm and settle in provincial towns and villages. ‘They have carried with them the light and power of God’s truth, and have found many prepared of the Lord to listen to the word with all readi ness of mind. Several pleasing instances of Turning of God have been the conse quence, and my name cast out as evil, is generally, whether correctly or not, con nected with the movement, while the car- nally minded with scornful indignation e daim. “This is all that ’Methodist Scott’s doing,” But 1 cry out with itnvaid rap ture while perusing the animating details, “This is the Lord’s doing, and marvellous in our eyes.” An unceasing desire to obtain the Scrip tures appears on evety hand, and the gene rosity of the Amenoan Bible. Society has enabled the ftiends .tn to pul an additional number of Copies *w. the hailuM ol the very'poor, more particularly those who go down to the sea in ships. A Colporteur, (a pious peasant,) whom’ I had tlie.piivilefee of engaging ere I left the country, haFbeenlhe instrument of one of the most remarkable revivals ever known in my one parish in Sweden. Not con trn w : ;!t offering the.book for sale, lie gath • ert or-ihe people’ together to tell about ils contents, anil while thu*. engaged in this parish above 100 miles west of Stockholm, the spirit ed'the Lord was poured forth in a marvellous manner, so that scarcely a house could be found, where someone ‘oV more ol the family were not concerned about their souls. The good man was brought up before a juatice and charged with travelling about as a vagrant without a passport, he not hav ing brought one from the local authorities, hut when he presented • one obtained for him at head-quarters by the Bible Agency, they had no more to say on that point. They declared however, that his” passport only sanctioned Ins hawking Bibles for sale, and; offered no excuse of his talking to the people as lie did, which he mugt therefore give Tip, .To which he responded, “Who ever heard of a hawker being prohibited horn expatiating oil the excellence and use- Itilttess of the works he ofleis for sale? How could he hope to effect a sale without doing so? Like other hawkers, 1 tell the peop’ ; the excellence of the works I have to dispose of, and the necessity there is for their possessing them; and in order to in duce them to purchase, I produce a few specimens, showing their richness, value and suitability, and in this I- certainly do no more than other licensed hawkers are always allowed to do.” ’The Justices were silenced, and after straitly charging him, let him go. The most popular papers are constantly employed in attacking icligion by argu ment, and sarcasm, anti anecdote, so that our I .-lends feel the great importance of sent ient very plentifully the good seed, and M'-wrtbTitrtittg ‘'4’rncts iit\ yinrmenv can be presented, are delighted if they are steely received and perused. I dc hope your Committee may be induced to help, and help liberally. You may either address to me, or to Mr. Keyscr, Stockholm: he reads English, and can reply in German if that would suit you. With affectionate remembrance for all who may love to remember me, believe me, dear Brother, yours in love unfeigned, George Scott. For the Christian Index. Contributions of a Country Schoolmaster. No. 4. The Funner:—part second. Having in the last paper spoken of the improvements in the art of cultivation, the writer designs in this to notice the improve ments that might he made in the condition and character of the farmer himself. The latter involves considerations of far more importance than the former, and is, indeed, the true-source from which all improve ments in Agriculture must proceed. It is admitted that this is a great art, and that its advancement requires the work of the highest powers of the iniud. As it involves the most subtle operations and deepest mysteries of Nature, it certainly, more than all other subjects, presents matter for intellectual inquiry; and it should he the aim of the farmer to acquire a knowledge of the real nature ol his great calling, that he may place it where it belongs—among the most exalted Sciences. And Agriculture, while it presents matter for the investiga tion of the most improved talents, is ever worthy of their application; and is second to no pursuit in usefulness, honesty and in trinsic respectability. It is not a mere calling for physical labor, butu Science; — one of the highest branches of intellectual phylosophy; and its perfection (if it can reach to perfection) is more dependant upon knowledge and skill—age, and ge nius, too, —titan any other art or science that can be made the subject of man’s pow er. It is true; —and painfully—that this sub ject is generally'regarded in a different light; but it is encourageing that in some places public opinion is undergoing a happy change. Men are beginning to discover that justice has not been given to this art and that their sentiments need reforming and strengthening; and it is hoped, that the day is not far off, when Agriculture will occupy the place among the liberal and intellectual.arts, to which it belongs. Stu dy and mental inquiry, alone, can give it what it deserves, and they will produce the same advantages in this, as in any other objects to which they may be applied. The cultivation of the earth is generally consid ered as a means of subsistence or of gain ing wealth; and no other is more honest or more certain, for what the earth yields im poverishes none while it enriches all. But that man who’regards the atSctAmriation of wealth as the great business of life, has yet to learn the first principles in the philoso phy of human ‘ happiness. The rights of men are equal and tlie duties they owe to other are correspondent, and every member ofa community is hound to labor for his own good, and, at the same time, for The good of the coin'niuniiy.’ To this end, the hands and the head must both be employed, and in order to produce the best effects, the labors of both should he united. Either of these forces, when employed in dependent of the other,, usually weakens and degrades life; hut when acting In con cert they strengthen and ennoble our ex istence. The glory of man is his mind. While his animal structure is curious and wonder ful, his intellectual nature is transcendent and divine! It places him above'all other created things; it contains tlie germs of moral growth; and is the source of that power which places the most useful ele ments of the physical world under his con trol. And where is there more occasion for the most searching inquiries of philos ophy, than in an art which involves till the wonderful operations of nature?—.an ml presenting even to the casual observer', a succession of miracles in vegetable and ani mal growth? To the careless observer, the deposit ofa seed in the earth, its germina tion, its after cultivation, its progressive growth and ultimate maturity, are matters ol such every clay occurrence, that they create no surprise, and are seldom remar ked. But they are all replete with won- ders, which in their solution have hitherto defied to a large extent the most subtle in quiries of the most subtle minds. Where does life repose in this dried kernel, so small, and to all appearance so utterly in ert? What secret agency swells and pro-, trudes the germ? By what power does it fotce its way above the surface, and .gradually expand its leaves, :mj put forth its flowers and mature its fruit?” ‘ Can any person read these enquires and say [ that education of the highest order is not. necessary for the farmer? Has he not the greatest use for knowledge, and cannot his mind of how exalted soever a character it. may be—find continual work to perform? Is his profession a matter of mere servile and animal toil, and does it form an excep tion to any olhet? The farmer in this country has great ad vantages. llis relaxation from toil—for which theie are many times—furnishes him with excellent opportunities for rea ding and inquiry; his labor is not so in tense or his application so constant as to prevent him from often .storing his mind with knowledge quite foreign from his immediate occupation; he may commune with nature while toiling over his hoe; he may leflect upon God and his wonder working Providence while following his plough; and he may often in his fields, “hear the deep voice of a divine philosophy speaking to his soul, as the shepherds heard a message from. Heaven, while they were counting the stars and watching their sleeping flocks upon the plains of Baby lon. Besides all these, the farmer has another singular advantage, which is not ■ generally found in the occupations of life, His labors are all attended with health. From his being generally in the open air his lungs are free, his limbs are strong and elastic, and consequently his mind fresh and ever ready to receive the knowledge that is presented to its view. With all these great advantages, he is perhaps the happiest of men, and were his occupation but advanced to that high station to which it belongs, how doubly happy would be his lot? How far superior in every respect to those village dandies and city exquisites, that look upon his rough labor and honest face with disgust! To render, therefore, the profession of Agriculture respectable, arid to further' 1 its improvements, the farmer must attend to the improvement of his mind. He must pursue knowledge with as much diligence as lie does Ins plough; and he may thus con vert what has hitherto been regarded, as a degraded calling, into one of the most ele vated branches of philosophy. And this education must not be limited to what is taught in the Schools; —it must be practi cal —experimental before it can accomplish the desired end. He should read, he should inquire,—he should observe,—and more than all—he should try. He will theivfind, like the traveller among the Alps, “that other and loftier peaks, as he ascends, present themselves to his view, showing their bright summits, glistening in the sun- Publisher— BENJ. BRANTLY. NUMBER 6 beams', stimulating his geneiotts ambitiofi “'ll’ an irrepressible impulse, and inviting him onward to bolder triumphs.” Ghe of the greatest inducements to en gage in the profession of Agriculture is, that it is ftiernlly to virtue and piety, with out which no business of life can have anv tine honor. Reverence touches that heart which is admonished'daily and hourly to commune with God, in the changes of tlie seasons and in return oftlay and night,’ The blessings which it enjoys seem so come not through any secondary means, but di rectly from the Divine Hand; and rt is fil led ’.Villi wonder and. love when it secs etery where springing up the ceaseless provision lor the'wants of the lymtMV fam ily. Beech Spring. Missionary operations in Mississippi, Extracted from a letter, dated Lexington, Mi. Dec. 27, ’43. , I will attempt.to give you, so far as my knowledge goes, a brief history of onr-do mestic operations. If I mistake not, in 1841, the Zion Association, wishing to do something for tlie building up of churches and spreading the eanse of Zion, chose one minister, and agreed’ to sustain him, provided he would devote his time to tra velling and pleaching in the hounds of said Association. At the next meeting of said hotly, in 1841, his report was received anti the. Association then compensated him for his services. 1 lie minds ol the brethren appeared to be enlarged *and expanding. Wishing to still do more, if possible, for the destitute, they determined to sustain an itinerant, or missionary, in each Association district; consequently appointed one for each dis trict, with the understanding, or direction, that those itinerants devote their time to the destitute regions of country, exceplso much as would he necessary for the assisting, wheu called tin, in protracting of meetings, annulling Associations, &c. During the past year, it so happened, that Iron) providential causes and other rea sons, probably, our itinerant in this district was prevented from tfoyoting much of Ins I time ill the destitute legions nt our country 1 . ; which seemed to defeat the prime object intended. Consequently, at the last Asso ciation, the brethren composing said dis trict, petitioned for an Executive Commit tee, consisting of one member from each church, who shall assembly quaitcrlv, &c. to watch over, meet and direct all obstacles which may arise, and to direct and assign tlie field ol labor to their itinerant, appoint ing of the same, <fcc. 1 hope, brother Baker, this ip n wise mea sure, for we know these brethren will, by frequent consultation with churches and their frequent meetings, lie better prepared to meet and carry out the views of the chinches, than under our former arrange ment; provided the brethren will he punc tual in coining together, which 1 do not doubt, knowing the energies ofa great ma ny,—yes, I may say, of the Mississippi Baptists generally. I have, for some time pas!, believed that the cause ol'onr not succeeding better with our domestic operations, is owing to defect in our plans: We appoint our itineran-t; he devotes his time—and how? By . going to the churches already supplied by Pastors of their own choice, who set back as list eners while they should lie working also; and at the end of each year the destitute have not been supplied.—One church, a favorite of the itinerants, probably, has had most ol his visits; while otiier churches jealously look on, say we have not had as much of his services as some other, conse quently we have no right to contribute as much, and tiie small, I may say, a large por tion of the Lord’s money is kept hack until they sec a more favorable way of using his money. Brother Baker, I love my ministering brethren, hut the cause of God lies nearest to nie; and before, we can flourish and shine, as is our duty and privilege as a de nomination and as Christians, we have to know no brother, only as we see the glory of God shining around him and in all his acts. Yes, brother Baker, we should en- deavor to look at our brethren and their acts through the gospel glass only. Yours in gospel bonds, A. E. WHITTEN. Mdancthon unci Luther. —When Me lanethon arose to preach on some occasion he took this text: “ 1 am a good shepherd.” On looking round upon his numerous and respectable audience, his natural timidity entirely overcame him, and he could only repeat the text over and over again. Lu ther, who was in the desk with him, at length impatiently exclaimed, “ You are a very good sheep and telling him to sit down, took the same text and preached an excellent sermon from it. — Chris. Watch.