Newspaper Page Text
For the Christian Index.
('knslilulioiiof ditmhc.s mid Associations.
T!u; prevalent |>rarlicc of Churches and
•\ssoeiatinns, in adopting certain articles of
faith, founded (hv supposition at least) up
on Scripture, U of such long standing, ami
lias received the approbation of so many
wise and great men, that it may appear pre
sumptuous now to raise a voice or wield
our pen against it. This, therefore, we
will not do at this lime, but content our
self bv introducing the subject to Hapti.it
ivadeis, trusting that some of those who
lecl capable of throwing light upon the sub
ject will feel it their duty to do so.
The Georgia Association, looked upon
as a standard, has furnished a Constitution, j
or Articles of Faith, to other similar bodies |
and churches in great number. We say
not aught against that Association, its doe- j
trine, or its practice; we believe it an or- j
tliodox hotly;—but we do dissent from the j
practice of doing what others do on account
’uf their standard excellence anil knowledge.
To Clinic, however, exactly to the point
in view, we copy Art. IV. of the Rcliohotli
Association, taken from the Georgia Asso
ciation:
“ We believe in the everlasting love of
God to Iris people, and the eternal election
of a definite number of llic human race to
grace and glory: and that there was a cove
nant of grace, or redemption, made between
the Father and die Son, before the world
began, in which their salvation is secured,
and that they, in particular, are redeemed.”
And now, without saying that this arti
cle is not scriptural, wo would ask the
question, Can it lit: expected that llaptists
of almost every grade of intellect and spi
ritual attainment, old and young, male and
female, white and black, can come together
for religions association, and consistently
and understanding!y say, before tire world,
in the piescneo of God, and to one another,
“We believe,” Ate. as aboye? Without
waiting a reply, we know they cannot,
they ito not. Is this saying too much?—
Go to your church members and ask them,
one by one, and you will find that the state
ment is true. Is there not, then, something
wrong in adopting an nrliclfi which lire
weak cannot understand and believe, as do
the strong? Why not adopt the* scriptural
language oil the doctrine of election, which
till ehristiam. will believe and he taught
sufficiently to understand? What would
he the sacrifice? The exchange of unin
spired for inspired language. What would
he gained? “ Much every wav.” Dispu
tations on this point would measurably
cease, ami professors would cease to be
lieve each other hypocrites, for disbelievin'!
their \rtieles of Faith, which upon coming
together they had s.ud they believed. In
stead of wasting time upon the pioliabili
■ ies or improbabilities of iho soundness of
our brethren, we would probably be more
united in practical piety.
Enough, however, for the present, Will
brother linker mil ollteis throw light upon
this subject?
INQUIRER.
For the Christian Index.
Dene Ilea. linker. —ln the 17tli No.
o! the (’liristi.m Index, I noticed the Que
ry of bro. Vamlivere of Franklin Cos., and
am sorry to say tlm brother Iras been un
fortunate in the formation of his querv. In
the first place, in not presenting the nature
ol the crime; and secondly, the course pur
sued by the church, for want of which, the
remarks of the editor are liable to be irre
levant, llie individual seeking information
misguided, and an undue colorin ; given to
the ease in the minds of the reader of your
papers. Having a knowledge of the histo
ry of the case alluded to, I would propose
an amendment to the query. Suppose a
Minister ol the Gospel was charged, on
oath, with lire crime of rape, by a young
woman, a'member of the Baptist Church,
and he was arrested and a court of enquiry
called, but before coming to trial be suc
ceeds in making a compromise and stops
the prosecution by giving Iris bond for a
certain sum of money, lire payment of
which Ire afterwards avoids bv pleading
before the court that it was given while a
prisoner ami therefore of no effect. The
said Minister brings the ease before lire
church on their tiook, liisl from report,
with rape; secondly oilier iinprnpiiclics—
helps me called for, from three other church
es; they, with .1 coinmillee of the ehlirch,
retire in company with the accused, and
the accused mad • the only witness in the
ease, while at the same time the eluireh
knew that there was evidence at hand,
a Baptist, one or more, ready and willing,
yea, desirous to bear testimony against the .
accused ami yet were not called upon. The
accused tells his story, they return to the
house, do report is made to the ehuivli hv
(lie committee. The accused rises in the
conference, acknowledges ilia! lie has done
wrong, ami petitions Jo withdraw from the
church. A tuition is made to grant his re
quest which is carried. Some time thereat
ter ho thus addresses the church, front
which lie was permitted, to withdraw:—
Brethren, you know me, and knots’ my
case, 1 should ha very glad if you could
feel to receive me into, the church again.
Whereupon he was resulted. Not long
lifter, * s set forward by the church to
preaching in (he church, and afterwards
occasionally to one or two other cjiurclie* in
the neighborhood, lit conclusion, 1 will
now adopt the latter part of bro. V’s query.
“Now bro. Baker, would it Ire Gospel or
der to set this man at full lHierty in his of:
lice? or would it he Gospel order for any
other power to have the matter torn up
from the start, and try him over again for j
the same crime for which he gave (ill! sat
isfaction some lour years ago?”
Now, bid. Baker, I have no doubt but I
tlfere area good many of your readers and !
others that would like very much to have
your views upon the above query.
A Baptist. 1
W e deem it but an act of justice to give
the above a place in our columns, though
we regret that the subject lias ever been in
troduced in our paper. The writer is a
much respected minister of the Gospel. In
a private letter, accompanying the above,
lie requests out views upon, “1 The na
ture ol the offence; secondly, The trial,
wilhtlrawtiienland restoration; thirdly, The j
right of any other power to interfere.” i
In a ease like that supposed by “A BapA)
list,” it appears to us, there could lie but j
little diversity of opinion. All would ad
mit the offence to be very heinous; the tri
al fce., to be irregular and nnscripturai; j
and the right of others (individuals, church- j
cs or associations,) to interfere, so for as to
set upon such conduct the seal of their dis
approbation, absolute and unquestionable.!
But let it bo observed, that -the eases sup- j
posed by brother Vamlivere and “A Bap-j
list” arc very ‘different in their character.
Extract of u letter from a lady in Teens
’ to her j inter in Georgia.
“We - have no church to go to. We
have heard but two sermons in this place
since we came here, (more than a year.)—
I'he nearest Baptist church is 70 miles.
I had no idea of, nor can you imagine the
wickedness ol the people, where the Gos
pel is not pieaehed. I do not think there
is a place in the world where a missionary
is more needed than lu re, particularly on
account of the servants. Our neighbors
are all slave holders, and they disregard the
Sabbath, affil go to work, as on any other
day. Soni ■do all their grinding, butcher- j
iug. sending on errands, Air. on Sundays. \
Some will h ive a wolf chase in the morn-)
ing, get home to dinner, and then have mu- j
ste on the piano, by their daughters in the 1
evening. It is common hoic for ladies to I
play all sorts of tunes on the Sabbath.—
V on know not how it pains me to see those |
who arc kind and good neighbors, going on
in this way. 1 ’ When you lire enjoying;
your Sabbath and church privileges, I hope
you will remember this destitute country, j
and p.utieularly this place. If the church- j
es could realize the many blessings they j
derive from tlm Christian Sabbath and the
preaching of the Gospel, they would try to |
semi it to this perishing people. lam al
ways glad to get the Index. 1 can then j
hear ol the piogrexs of the cause of our I
I'lciMM-d Minium . Nov.
flow do Christians in Georgia feel on j
account ol the manner in which many and |
even some prof ssofs of religion, spend i
their Sabbath, in this gospel favored, and j
enlightened country? It is truly to he la- 1
men ted that the desecration of the Sabbath i
has become a crying sin even in many eota
inunilics professedly religious. And among
its various abuses there is perhaps none
mote common than Sabbath feasting.
For the Christian Index.
Jan. Kith lft ft.
Buotmiu: Baui.u; —1 hope you will give
this sliml notice a place in the Index, that
our brethren ol the Talapoosa association
may see our anxiety to effect a friendly
correspondence with them, (ami all liberal
Baptists,) they having appointed a commit
tee to meet with a committee of the United
association, in order to deliberate on the ‘
subject ol < ‘hi respondenee. We respond i
to our hiothreii and appoint a meeting lor \
that purpose, on Saturday before the filth j
Sabbath in March next, til Bethel Church,
in Campbell Comity, six miles S. E. of
Canipheilton, on tno tSandtovvn road.
We hope the brethren generally will at
tend, and may the Lord grant.that a spirit of
Christian love and fellowship shall abound
in our council to the glory of God, in the
promotion of his cause and kingdom; and
that the grace of God may abound more
and more in believers’ hearts, till all pie
posterous errors shall give way, and all
who bear the cross of Christ shall unite in
love and fellowship on the basis of the
word of God.
(icorgia Association.
The Executive Committee of this Asso
ciation would invite the attention of the
churches to the Oth and llitlr articles of the
minutes ot the last session. They will he
reminded, that the churches are there re
commended to collect and send in funds, by
the Ist ol March, to the Executive Com
mittee, for the purpose of procuring reli
.gious hooks, to lie sold principally within
the hounds of this Association. Some of
the members who there pledged them
selves to various amounts to raise said
fund, have already sent up their stibscrip
tioils. Those who have not done so.
arc invited to pay them over to two. ('. M. 1
Irwin in Bowel ton or to It. M. Samlets in
1 Vntield. It is also hoped by the Com. that
the recommendation of the Association will
meet the hearty approval of every member
of every church, ami that a liberal contri
bution will be made for so desirable an ob
ject. The pastors of the churches are par
ticularly invited by the Committee to inter
est themselves in this subject.
The Kith article requests the Ministers
and Deacon's to ascertain, as far as praeti
i cable, the destitution of t.he Bible in the
I hounds of their respective churches and re
port to the Executive Committee by the
Ist of May. Jt is also hoped by the Com
| mitfee llrat if there should be found any
families unable to pay for a Bible, that the
neighboring churches will provide the
means for their supply.
B. M. SANDERS, .j
W. 11. STOKES,
J. S. BAKER.
D. O. DANIEL,
C. M. IRWIN,
Ex. Committee.
January 25th, I*o4.
From the. N. E. Puritan
Stntistirs of (Iriinc ami freed.
Rev. Hugh Slowed, an Episcopal cler
gyman ol Manchester, England, has un
dertaken to show that the proportion of
crime is far less among Churchmen, than
among Dissenters.•twin stated publicly,
4k’ ol 3(53* under 17 years of age,
i committed'Vi one year to the jail in Mau-
only 117 belonged to the church,
[while 243 were dissenters. This statement, |
t as we learn from the Congregational Maga-j
/.me, provoked investigation, which reveal-j
|ed a widely different result. The number i
|of juvenile offenders, felons and others,
| under 17 years of age, dfrinniittetj, to the
New Bailey from October 1839, to Orto
j her 184*3, is 975. Os these 457 belonged
i to the Established church; 278 are Roman
I Catholics; (51 profess to belong In no rftli
! gious persuasion; of 8, it is stated that
their religion is unknown; 2 are Socialists;
I is a Jew; leaving to Protestant dissenters,
ol all sects, only 101: that is to say, about
one-sixth of the total number.
’J'liis discussion at Manchester led loan
examination of the creeds of criminals, in
general, at some other prisons. Edwaid
Dawson, Esq., of Aldelilfe Hall, obtained
the returns of prisoners confined in Lan
caster Castle, from January, 1812, to April,
1813. which was published in the Patriot
as follows:
Episcopalians, 171
Roman Catholics, lu7
Dissenters. 81
‘File returns of the chaplains of Preston
House of Correction, printed in February
last, are equally unfortunate for Mr. ISto
wcll’s argument;
Episcopalians’ 2(5(5
Roman Catholics, 111
Dissenting, 52
Another eb iieal witness lias been sum
moned from the House of Cotreetion at
Kirkdalc Lone, in the same county, to give
evidence on the question; anti the result of
his statistics are not more favorable to the ;
pre-eminent goodness of the teaching of the j
church of England. At the assizes, tes
sions, and special commissions of 1812,
there were, it seems, 795 prisoners. The
following classification will tell the result:
Episcopalians, 510
Roman ( hit holies, 180
Dissenters, (53
Flic Middlesex House of Corretnioit!
supplied, three or four years ago, the fol-1
lowing returns:
Episcopalians, 719
Roman t latholies, 137
Dissenters, 25
The ii.isloti -Merchant.
Even those who are familiar with the
name ol N. K. Cobb, may be benefited by
a recurrence to his example; and of the j
tens of thousands who read this little sheet, I
there may be many lain Ireds who have!
never-heard ids mane. We copy the fol-j
lowing passages from his history.
11l November, 1821, he drew up and sab-1
scribed die following document. . j
.-“ By the grace of God i will never he
worth more than $59,000. . j
“ By tile grace of God I will give one
fourth’ of the net profits of my business to !
charitable ami religious uses.
‘•Ill am ever worth 820,000, 1 will rive
otto half of my net profits ; and if I am
ever worth $30,000, 1 will give three
fourths, an I the whole, after $50,000. So
help me (kid, or give to a more faithful
steward, and set me aside. X. R. Come
November , 1821.”
To this covenant he adhered with con
scientious fidelity. lie distributed the
1 profits of bis business, with an increasing
ratio, from year to year, till he reached;
the point which he had fixed as a limit ofj
his property, and then he gave to tin
■cause of God all the money which In
earned. At one time, finding that Ids
property had increased beyond $50,000, lie!
at once devoted the surplus, $7,500, as a
foundation for a Professorship in the New
ton Theological Institution ; to which, vve
i may add, lie gave, on various occasions.
duriirg his life, at least twice that sum. So
; scrupulous was lie in his adherence to the
covenant which In- had made, that when
peculiar circumstances required him to re
tain in his possession more than $50,000,
ho consulted judicious friends, whether he
might do so consistently with the spirit of
Ins pledge, provided he always held thei
surplus as really belonging to the cause ul
Coil.
On his death-bed, lie said to a friend, in j
allusion to the resolutions quoted above,—
•* By the grace of Cod, —nothing else,—bv
the grace ol Cod, 1 have been enabled, un
der the influence of those resolutions, to
giveaway more than $40,000. llow good ;
, the Kuril lias been to me!”
I A number of friends to the I'ree Dro-
I testing Church of Scotland met in Canon
i mills Hall,at Edinburgh, on the 14th tilt..;
|to hear reports from the deputations that I
had recently visited England. Mr. Twee
die stated the committee had divided Eng
land into twenty districts, to be visited
by dift'erem deputation. In spite of much j
[ vituperation and opposition, those depu
■ tations had everywhere been well received. |
; Altogether a sum 0fX'25,000 bail been re
alitrted from the former and recent visits, 5
and some of the deputations were still pros
ecuting the work. Mr. Camllish regret
j ted that their Evangelical brethren of the t
Church of England did not show them
| much countenance.
i At Glasgow'City Hall, on Tuesday
week, a public meeting assembled, to con
! sider the conduct of the Peel Ministry in
| their interference with the tight of public
meeting and petitioning in Ireland. Reso
j Unions were passed,, condemning that in*
terference as a tyrannical encroachment
|on the people’s rights and piivileges, and
i declaring it the duty of all. reformers to sup
port the Irish people in vindicating their
rights; especially as Government, if sue
: rcssful in Ireland, might extend the same
! coercive measures to the sister kingdoms.
The'ancient palace of Holy-rood House
at piesent shows some of the splendor
which formerly rested upon it when it was j
the abode of royalty. For some time past
die Duke ami Duchess of Hamilton, the
j Marquis of Douglas, and the Princess Ma
ria ol Baden, the Countess of Lincoln,
with a numerous retinue of servants, have
taken up their residence in the palace; ami
:on Tuesday last the Marquis and Marchi
; oness of Breadalbane also arrived there,
with the intention of making some consid
j cradle stay. The residence ot these no
j ble families, with the retinue of each, j
| makes a daily stir in the neighbourhood, j
| and throws some gleams of its former
splendor on the long deserted CanoFgatc.
Change of Clews* —The Record, of
I’hiladelphiu, informs its readers that Elder
Bennett has accepted an appointment from :
the North Carolina Convention* having be- i
conic a convert to the mission cause. Tbis-j
lias led to his exclusion from the church in
which lie had his membership. Elder 15.
was the founder, and for some years the I
editor of the Primitive Baptist, the organ i
of the KehiiUeeiles in North Carolina and j
other Southern slates. — Richmond Herald, j
The Result. —A brother writes that a ;
Methodist Preacher, in the interior of the
stale, has been preaching zealously against ;
Apostolic Baptism, ami that in consequence !
thereof, nineteen of his members nave ask- j
ed for certificates of membership, in order
to union with the Baptist Church.— Raj:.
Ih corJ.
Bupli it i in .V /’ Cork, —The statistics j
of our churches in the Empire State, as !
just published, with the minutes of the I
State Gonvenlioii, aie as follows: Forty- I
one associations; eight hundred and three
churclies; seven hundred anil twenty-three
ordained, one hundred am! twenty-three
licensed clergyman; fifteen thousand seven
hundred and ninety-four baptised during j
tbe year. Total number of communicants, j
.Ninety seven thousand six hundred ami j
nine.
Mr. Girard directed by his will that no
Minister ol the Gospel “should ever lie ad- !
milted for any purpose, or as a visiter, with- i
in the premises” of his Oollego. The ap- j
parent ill success—if not entire frustration
of his scheme, seems to indicate that God
is rebuking bis impiety. “Except tin
lord build die bouse, they labor in vain
that build it.”
Newspapers. — Ilmv often have vve heard
some people say, “1 would give any sum.
if my children were inclined to read ami
study as vvi II as others are.” Well, why ;
is it that some children are’ more inclined to
read than otlters? It is generally because j
their parent* have taken some pains to have ! :
their bouses supplied with newspapers— ;
Strange it jp, tliatjsome would give so much i
if their children were .studious—-yet cannot
alliird to pay a small trille Jor a paper that
would be the means of forming that desira
ble habit. 1 know of no plan that induces ,
ehiidton to read like that of having papers
and petiodicals come into the family; and I
have also observed that children thus habit
uated .are not so much inclined as others to
vicious habits.— Morning Star.
Machines versus Men. —lt is even so—
we have seen—vve have heard a machine
talk ! We heard it say, “ .Mr. .Speaker,” ;
m a tone so distinct and startling, that no
Speaker could have foiled to lie attracted by
it ; ami then it wept on, now in German,
now in English, then in Latin—and to its
longues there need be no end—to utter
whatever was ijpsired. Wfc assure our
readers that this thing of wood and paint,
coutehoue anil keys, did distinctly articu
late as though having trachea, larynx, glot
tis, and epiglottis; tongue, palate,-auii
gums—each acting as in the living human
subject. The tone alone was not natural,
but die syllables and words entirely so;
and there beside it sat its ingenious and pa
tient German inventor, Mr - Faber, playing
as on a piano on the sixteen keys —no
more—which cause the utterance of all lan-
guage.
Tor fourteen veais this unwearying me-:
ehanieian lias labored at this invention.—
The letter E was that of which lie found it \
most difficult to give the sound. He devo
ted to the accomplishment of that
sound, seven years ! and* lie has nccoiu-.
plisheil it. By long continued anatomical ‘
investigation, lie first niasletcd all the phys
! ical minulite of the organs of speech, and j
then, mainly out of India rubber—prepared
’ so as to resist the changes of temperature—
he imitated all these organs, and by springs
; moves the parts as they are mined in life.
1 So far as talking is characteiislic of man,
lie has made a man.—.V. T'. .Imcriccin,
Dyspeptic Chairs. —Among the novel
ties of the day, we notice the announcement
by Mr. llaisled of New York—the origina
tor of the chauipooing system—of the in
vention of a chair designed for the bene
fit of dvspeptie persons. It is so construe
led as to give the pdrson seated in it, the
peculiar kind of joiling which is experi
enced when riding ou • liorsekack. -The
• Chair is provided with arms and cushions
—may he operated by the [individual scat
jedinit—nnd without noise! So that the
invalid “stir up the elements” at pleasure,
i nnd enjoy the luxury of a ride on horse
i back, without exposure to the weather, or
even leaving the room!
V E NFIE LD.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 1544.
To Subsrribfrs.
If the moneys sent us are not promptly
’ or correctly credited we will be grateful for
early corrections. Owing u> tbe recent
freshets in seme parts of the country, and j
the consequent irregularity of the mails,
we fear that vve may have sustained some
loss. As some of our subscribers are two
or lit tee-years in arrears, vve expected con-;
i lidenily to have heard from them about the j
i first of January*, We hope that such will ■
| relieve us from our anxiety by sending us
i an early communication.
Changes. —The correspondents of Rev.
James Davis and Mr. J. V. Davis will
please take notice that their present Post- j
Office is Enon Grove, and address ‘ them !
accordingly.
Rev. Etisiiio Kincaid.
It is with much pleasure vve announce i
[to our readers that this devoted missionary, !
| whose labors have been so signally blessed ;
jin India, will extend his tour in the South |
as far as Georgia. ll* is expected to be in
Penliehl, Tuesday an.l Tuesday night,
20tli , Greensboro’, Wednesday night ; ]
Madison, Thursday and at night; Bartles
ville, Saturday; Forsyth, Lord’s day* 25th;
Macon, Tuesday ; thenre to Savannah.
Brethren from the surrounding country, |
who can, would do well to attend his mee- j
ting's and listen to his thrilling narrative of:
scenes in missionary life. Wherever he ‘
has been, his hearers have evinced the in- :
terest they felt by liberal contributions for
the spread of the gospel in heathen lands.
It is probable that brother James B. Tay
lor, jiastor of the 3rd Baptist Church in j
Richmond, Va., will accompany brother K.
W ill nut the Rail Road Companies,and the
proprietors of Stages on their route allow ‘
them to pass free of expense ? This priv
ilege was a Horded by the Central Rail Road \
! to tic: Methodist .Ministers who attended
j the (’.inference in Savannah last .year.—
1 Methodist (‘oaf u emvs assemble annually.,
hut a missionary from India will not he
| likely to visrl.ua once in twenty years.
Ui'Ci'ipis for Indigent Ministers.
From Bro. I*. A. I.awsoa $3 Ot)
eid i ted to R>v. S. G, Fry, of t'-.o Western
Association—o:c that wa know to be de
serving. From Miss I’lpjw, of ibis place,
$1,00; Rev. J. (J. West, s>„>:). Bro. D.
I‘aschal sent $2,5J for brother McCall.—
As another has paid for him wo shall return ,
the m mey when instructed through what
channel to send it. We are at a bus to de
cide to whose credit to apply the Inti,ls re
j reived, as application Ins been ma la, at
I different tim is, for an imbCr of indigent ‘
; ministers, with whom vve are not personal
ly aequ lint • I an I who-*: l*. O’s vve do not
; now rem ‘ n’> r. Fi o ititb in *to receive
the he befits of these conliib itiuns it is ne- 1
cessery, l That he !>c a pious; a. live ami
useful iiiinist -r, 2. That lie lie -really in
needy cir.vi us'o vos; 3. Thai t lie brethren
| among wh en he labor* be also indigent and
! unable to asdst him. Will brethren ac-
I quaint us with such? *
George Ren z and Mrs. N. Cain, $2 50
each, for brother Al’i'all. As bro. Al'G.'s
! subscription has been paid, lii money will
I lie held subject to tbe nr,! •r-of tlce donors.
! An anonymous correspondent, at Bros pert
j Ridge, l’ike.enmity, Ala. sent $2 00, for
j the same purpose.
Ad,: i *o;i in (Joicity Line C’hotoh, Tal
bot, informs’ u* ih at their former pastor,
brother Rowel, h s moved away, aml broth
er Walton Birry been elected in his |>lac.*.
[lndirect* us to send the latter, the In lex
upon his ovn r >q> msihility. Here, breth
ren, is a good example—follow it.
We have remitted by mail to brother
I McCall $2,50, contributed l>v R v. J. (j.
West to enable him t i procure a pair of
saddle bags.
(Jib* Editorials.
j They are necessarily written in haste.—
We cannot seat ourself at our fireside, like
many of our correspondents- and write at
our leisure. We are liable to interruption
every moment, and, hi consequence ol
these, egery’ line that \vu write is written
under apprehensions of such interruption.
Sometimes we have to drop our pen in the
i midst of a .sentence or a word; sometimes
| just as some important idea presents “itself
|to the mind- fader such circumstances,
we are ever liable to commit errors; but wc
; are always ready and willing to correct j
1 errors when wade sensible of than. Our j
i columns abound with evidence of this fact, j
If the views of any one are, at any time
misrepresented by trs, it is always done uu
intentionally, and, therefore, our columns j
are always open to the communications of
| such as think that their views have been j
| misrepresented, piovided they are couched
lin respectful language. But we would
: have all to know and remember, that we
are not to be intimidated by threats, oi to be
influenced in our course by any one man or j
set of'men—not even by our Executive
Committee. They never have interfered,
.and we do not believe they ever will inier
fere with our private rights, and dictate to
us what we shall or shall not write. Were ;
they to do this—to us they would do it but
once: for, as we have said once before, we
arc determined to bi* an independent editor,
orno editor. The Executive Committee
leave the risrht to displace us, if vve are tin
: faithful to die trust reposed in us, hut they
have.no right to shape our editorials fonts.
It is due to the Committee,-as well as our-*
; self, that these facts be borne in remem
-1 brattcc by our readers.
Criitiftiiiy Refuted.
We hare received along communication
from Air. John. T. Merely, professedly it?
reply to our remarks mi his pamphlet enti
tled as above, which he requests us to pub-,
fish. With this request we are unwilling
to comply; for
E Jirstice does not. require it. Mr.
Alosely thinks we did him injustice', in our
remarks on one of his interrogatories, which
appeared to us to be a reflection V- the*,
whole Baptist Denomination. We think
it will he doing him ample justice to state,-
j that he disclaims, any such intention amb
contends, that other parts of his pamphlet!
, aught to hare been sufficient to satisfy utr
that he had no such intention. We receive
his assurance as satisfactory on that point
and exonerate him from, intentionally re
| fleeting on our ‘denomination. We should
1 have been better satisfied, however, had lie
informed us whet was the intention of the
■ interrogatory.
2. Much of his-communieation is a viii-*
dication of himself, not from any tiling
that has appeared against him in the Index,
; but from tiie charges, expressed or implied,
!of Mr. Baltimore and others. As vve have
! not admitted these in our columns, justice
cannot, in our opinion, require that vve ad
mit Mr. Moseley’s defense.
3. By far the greater pari of Mr. Mose
ley’s communication consists of statements
and arguments designed, apparently, to im
peach the conduct of Mr. Litlimorc ami
the churches in .Mississippi. .Mr- Moseley
appears to be a tnati of sense: vve therefore
1 fee! persuaded that lie will readily see, dial
were vve to publish his eiumriiiuiraiion wo*
should be morally bound to open our rol-
; limns to replies front .Mr, hnttimore and hi*
friends. Mr. Letimore would hue to lie
; tried again in our columns, and owing ti>
the. distance of the parlies Iron us, die tria 1 ,
! perhaps, might luvu to lie continued for
| years. It would he carried on, too,’ he lore
:i triluiN:il tlnit ecitoinlv ei,u!d not hen*
competent to •!•,-; !:■ on the merit* of the
’ ‘‘ :,se ere the churches tun! citizen* of
M i'-i-■ i■o i, who ore persowdly : i'<jll;ii nled
with t:.c parties om! with the character of
the witnesses. !he testimony on ihrs east!
i* as contradictory as ;( we!! ran he, llow
| toe editor, or In* renders would know
witom to-hclieve we ;;rent n loss toeonceive,
‘■ ‘* e repent, therefore. the expression of our
unwillingness to admit the dt.-ciissinn of
Mr. T.ittinmr: s guilt or iuiinrcney io our
rolumns. We will only remark, that tin?
virulence ol .Mr. T.itltinoreV opponent.*
oui lilt; anxiety they manifest to have him
arraigned in distant papers—the Phil, Oh
servi,, Ala. Hapiist and C, Index, is well
I ealeulated to weaken the form of their tes
lliliuuy and to frustrate the deinanils ol jns
tiee, it .Mr, 1,, ho indeed the eriuiinal thrv
represent him to he. W mild it not lie the
j height of presumption in ns, n stranger to
Mr. h. ami to his “aeon, ers, to dotumnee
Mr. I,ittiniorc, and thus to oondemn diet
whole churches, Associations and a state
Conveniioit, that sustain'liim? Is it possible
1 that Mr. Moseley. Mr. Newton, or any
J other, ran expect us ,to repose more onnfi
denee in the suitenfcnts of a far iiulividn
als, unknown to us,.’ than in the nets of
ehurelies, associations, fce that have been
known to us bv character for many veaisT
rite Judge of till the earth will do right, if
Mr. I„ lie tlic guilty-being .Mr. Moseley
ami Mr. Newton represent him to lie, hi*
guilt w ill s loner or later lie made manifest;
if he be innocent, bis enemies will be con
loan led. (iod forbid that we should ever
seek to screen the guilty, or a fiord facilities
fir assailing the innocent.
Mr. Moseley, in the conclusion of his
communication, says, “I should for the pre
sent, court rather than slum die denuncia
tions of all the presses and of all the fools
in the land.”
“The Doctrines of liracc.”
The Christian Index—a Baptist paper—
says, “ we design to give a series of edito
rials on the doctrines of grace.’ 1
.May we not hope the editor will
keep in mind at least two important items.
1. That the Bible never says any thing a
: bout doc!rim s, except in a bad sense. We
have in dial book the doctrines of men and
;devi!s; but never the doctrines of grace, of
Cod or of Christ.— Messenger of (Had Ti
| dings.
The above affords a fair specimen of the
biblical knowledge of Mr. Shehane, asso
ciate editor of the Messenger of Glad Ti
lings, a Universalist paper published in
Wetumpka, Ala. W ill Mr. S. presume to
affirm that the term doctrine is used “ in a
hail sense” in the following passages:
“ Whom shall he teach knowledge? and
whom shall he make to understand doc
trine ? them that are weaneiMroin the milk,
| and drawn from the breasts.” Is. 28. 9.
.See also v. 19 and 29. 24; 53. 1.
“ And it came to pass when Jesus had
ended these savings, the people were as
tonished at his doctrine.” Mat. 0. 28.
“ lie taught and said to them in his doc
trine.” Mark 4. 2; 12. 38.
*• If any man will do his will lie shall