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JOSEPH S. BAKER— Editoh.
VOL. XII.
TERMS PER ANNUM.
E&- The Christian Index, published
on Friday in each week, (except two in the
year), will be furnished to eaeli subscriber
at *2 50 cents, in advance; or $3 if not
paid within the year.
$C7* Post-Masters, where the Index is
taken, are requested to forward remittances
for subscribers at their respective olliees,
according to a decision of tire 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 communications,
must be addressed to the Editor, fib's I paid.
Advertisements may be inset ted on usual
terms, at the discretion of the Editor.
For the Christian Jin,ex.
Ldtcrs to Youth. — 111.
Improvement of Time.
r One of the first truths that ought to en
gage the attention of the young is their
obligation to improve every hunt, every
moment of time as it parses. The length
allotted to human existence, even though it
he prolonged to an extraordinary d-gr e, is
indeed but short, and the proper duties of
life, sitedt as arc enjoined upon all, will con
sume the whole of it in their performance.
“Youth is not rich in time; it may he poor:
Part with it as with money, sp iring; pay
No moment hut in purchase of its worth;
Ami what its worth? —Ask death-beds, they
can tell.”
I am aware that many young persons
find great trouble in passing ofi’ the hours
which seem to drag heavily by them, and
for which they can find no employ incut that
suits their taste, their greatest desire ap
pears to be to kill the time which; at some
future day, they would give worlds to re
call; and they are really unhappy that the
slowness of its pace should keep them a
wliile from the enjoyment of some antici
pated pleasure. The precious moments of
freshness and delight which the rosy mor
ning yields are spent in slumber, or in turn
ing sluggishly upon the couch of repose,
the hours of the day which should he em
ployed in active labor* of some sort or oth
er, are devoted to lounging listlessly about
the streets of the village or the cottage of
the ounliy; friend* and acquaintances are
sought but to while away the time in idle
discoutse or unprofitable amusements; and
the hours of night return to place them a
guin in unquiet slumbers. During the day
nothing has been learned that can benefit
the mind; nothing has been done that can
give health or vigor to the body; nothing
has been acquired to provide for future ne
cessities; while, at the same time, they ate
so much nearer the grave, so much less pre
pared to meet death! It cannot be always
thus, young friends; in a few more years,
even if your lives be prolonged that far,
you will be surprised at the rapidity with
which you have been borne along by the
wheels of time; it will seem but a few shott
days since you were young, and displeased
at the tardiness of its march; manhood will
have come insensibly upon yon, and the
golden season of life will have gone by ere
you are prepared to enjoy the sweets which
it can yield; while youth is bidding you
adieu, old age will be drawing you into his
stern embrace.
The fulfilment of high and noble objects
wassetapait for you at your creation.—
You wete not made merely to gratify every
idle propensity of the moment; or to pass
your time in running the giddy rounds of
pleasure; or to bask in the sunshine of in
activity and amusement; or to join the gay
and the dissolute that throng around the al
tar of dissipation. Every one is surround
ed with responsibilities, absolute and rela
tive, and to the discharge of these should
every hour he devoted. When every thing
is employed that can be biouglil to beat up
on your duties: when every nerve is strain
ed to fulfil the tasks that are set before ton
as accountable beings; when every faculty
is employed to obtain the wisdom necessa
ry for you lobe possessed of as intelligent
creatures: —still will death come before all
is accomplished: time with you will have
finished its course ere you have performed
e v ery thing which you will see demanding
your attention. It will require a life-time
of constant action to work out your own
happiness; it will take ever hour of your
existence to acquire and keep alive the re
spect, the confidence and the love of your
fellow-men; to sustain,that character for in
dustry, integrity and philanthropy which is
so essential to the happiness of every indi
vidual; to gain that knowledge of human
nature which is necessary to your inter
course with your species. It will require
all your lives to possess yourselves of that
which is of all things the most essential to
ysur present and eternal welfare—a gentt
iue spirit of devotion. The enjoyment of
life, and the love of man„ and the character
for honesty, cannot he compared to that joy
which makes us happy in time, in death,
and in Eternity,—to the love of God.
which is sufficient to sustain us in sorrow
and in trouble, —or to the consciousness of
being a follower of piety and virtue. Ear
ly and unceasing action is essential to the
fulfilment of these great purposes of your
creat on; he that would accomplish such
objects must not be a sluggard; must not
endeavor to iid himself of passing time, or
to make its (light more rapid by employing
it in folly, or vice, or dissipation!
Besides securing your own happiness,
you are called upon to aid in advancing the
happiucs of others. The world lias claims
upon your time which cannot he resisted
with impunity; your hand must he employ
ed in some of the broad fields of labor
which are common to all; your intellects
must he active hi tint advancement of those
arts and sciences which in the end conduce
to the good of the mass; your hearts must
he devoted to the progress of virtue and
morality among your fellow creatures; and
your hands, and vour heads, and your
hearts must all he willing and ever ready
to lessen the burdens of the unfortunate,
and to sustain a due portion of those ills
that are allotted to man. Are there none
around you who ate less fortunate than
yourselves, aqiil whose condition might he
made belter by your assistance? If so, it
is your duty to render them that assistance
without delay, and time should never he
thought dull or slow while such blessed du
ties remain to be performed. Is there a
drunkard among your acquaintances whose
family is suffering ft inn his fully? If there
is, think not von have time to spare while
there is a probability of reforming the one
or benefiiting the other. In short, there
are a thousand instances in which the wants
of others demand your attention, and there,
is not a single hour to lose for the lack of
proper duties to perform.
“Time is money,” and when you waste
it in an unprofitable manner, you are throw
ing away that upon which wealth is based.
Every day of honest labor will add some
thing to the store which should be provi
ded for the future; anil every day spent in
idleness is depriving the system of its vigor,
and laying up privations, instead of com
fort, for the time to come. If the hours
arc allowed to pass bv unimproved now, it
is apt to be the case all through your lives;
if the calls upon your time nmlattention are
not heeded now. they will not he heard
hereafter; if you commence not to work
out vour own happiness in youth, it will
seldom he thought of in after years. Now
is the season to be active, my young friends,
“while it is call and to day,” for he you as
sured “the night commit when no man can
work.” Besides, an inactive youth will
ripen into a slothful manhood
“ Lose this day loitering,—twill be the
sairtP story
To-morrow, and the next more dilatory;
The indecision brings its own delays,
Anil days are lost, lamenting over days.
Arc you in earnest?—seize this very min
ute:—
What can you do, or think you can?—be
gin it:
Boldness lias genius, power and ntngie in it.
Only engage and then the mind grows
heated:
Begin it, and the work will be completed.”
Nothing is more essential Ur your com
fort and to your character than some useful
employment for every hour of your lives;
you must he busy in something good or
your niiiul will naturally turn to what is
evil. “TIIOU SHALT LABOR,” and
that labor must not be of an unprofitable
kiud-
Yott are called upon, not only to work
out your own happiness and to aid in bring
ing it to others, but to advance the glory ol
God. You are 11 is creatures and what can
you do properly but labor in your M ister’s
cause? This can lie done in different ways;
by your conduct, by your character, by
youi conversation, and by your prayers.
This of itself should be the employment of
your whole lives; the business of every
hour; the thought of every moment. No
study should he undertaken without having
this fur its end; no work should be engaged
in with any other view than that of doing
your Master’s will; no friendship should be
formed except such as will extend His
kingdom or receive His approbation, flow
few of you, young liiemls, devote the half
of yotiriime to the performance of the (In
ties required of yon!—duties, that never
fail to carry with them their own reward,
that give a “conscience void of offence;”
that make life profitable and happy, death
welcome, and Eternity sweet beyond de
scription! What excuses can you render
to yourselves, to your fellow creatures or to
FOR THE HAPTIST CONVENTION OF THE STATE OF GEORGIA.
PFNFIGLD, CA., MARCH 22, 1844.
Vour God for this sad waste of 1 jlite?—
Look at your courses calmly and refit.i up
on what is required of you!
T. M. Slaughter.
Leech Spring.
Fur the Christian Index.
Review.—No. 10.
Rev. R. B. Cater’s Consistenc}.
About a year ago, Mr. Cater, ol Ala! jma,
whose sermon on baptism we had review
ed, stated (as we learned through tint col
umns of the Index.) his design to republish
the sermon, with our review and his .t. ‘in
tiers, in a ‘ Kok. J But lie,has uoiyo
-tfirtuu TiMfrdesign ‘so 1 far os we hav&fiy
knowledge on tile subject. As we stated
in our last communication to the Index, so
we now state, that there are many things in
his sermon, which he would not he willing
should go to a re-print. There are so malty
glaring absurdities in it, that his readers
never tan form a high opinion of his taste,
his erudition or his skill us a controversial
ist. It is true he knew how to sting hie.
Chilton (his antagonist in Talladega.) with
sarcasm. But what becomes of his digni
ty as a “ clergyman ,” when lie does it?—
We give a specimen among numerous oth
ers : “ The feelings,” says lie, “ which
brotliei Chilton and some, (not all) of bis
baptist friends, have manifested towards me
and my discourse—feeble as lie pretended
to make it nut—reminded me vety much of
an anecdote w hich 1 once heard of a man,
who had resolved to (log his neighbor; the
question was asked, what for? Whv, said
the man, lie called me a liar. O, said the
oilier, I would not mind that. 11 is calling
you a liar does not make you one. But
ah ! replied the exasperated hero, “ that is
not the worst of it, he not only called me a
liar, but had the impudence to prove it on
me. It is that which hurts me so bad.”
Such language at any time ami at any
place, sounds in utir rustic; baptist ears very
harsh and anti-clerical. But when it
is sounded out from the sacred desk, we
think it is wotse, and when piinted, slili
worse, hilt printed in a book it is shameful.
We think there is no probability that the
seihnon will ever go to the press again, by
Mr. Culer’s Consent, without some exptir
gation and trimming, in argument and in
style. We wish our baplisr brethren, gen
erally, could see the sermon in all its singu
larly original beauties. But whatever may
he Mr. Gater’s wishes with respect to its
re-publication, h;s ministering brethren
will never advise him to re-print it. Tne
ignorant and uninformed among the Pres
byterian laity may probably desire it; but
we think they have more judgment than to
do it.
But we designed to say some few things
in this number about Mr. G.’s consistency.
We have been favored with an extract from
a letter written by a worthy Baptist minis
ter ol S. Carolina to another in Georgia.—
It is as follows :
“ Dear bro. Stokes—ln your last paper
l saw Bar Samuel on Mr. R. B. C’ater's
sermon, (I have not the number,) I thiuk.it
is in the second stricture, where lie notices
Mr. Cater’s expression about ,e sousing
them neck and heels under the water.” It
brought to my recollection an action of Mr.
(J. which l wonder whether he has got for
giveness for. Avery respectable lady of
eoiisid rable properly, Mrs. II n, of
Greenville, S. Carolina, was induced by
him to join the Presbyterian church, but
full it to lie her duty to he immersed ; when,
sooner than lose her, Mr. C. took her, with
an attendant, to the river one morning be
tween day-light and sun rise, and, (as I
suppose lie would cull it,) “ soused her in,
neck and heels.” I should like for liar-
Samuel to know the circumstance, that tie
may ask Mr. Cater, if he saw proper.”
Now, we think it unnecessary to ask .Mr.
Cater about the “circumstance.” We
have no doubt of the truth of the. above state
meats. But the reader may ask—what il
Mr. G. did do, as above stated ? Listen—
listen—ami you will hear uliat he says in
his pamphlet, page ‘it, “ I cannot believe
that the Eternal Cu.l ever imposed upon
his militant church the mode of an ordi
nance so entirety inconvenient, that it
could not be administered at any lime, and
in any place with very little trouble.”
What shall we say now, dear reader ?
Shall we sav that Mr. G. will perform, as
a religious rite, or service, what the Internal
God has not required? There is no garb
ling here, Mi. G. We disdain all such ar
tifice in controversy. Our friend of Garo-
Itna wishes to know if Air. G. has got “for
giveness” for this art. We cannot inform
him. We hope he has.
“O strange how men, wise in their own
conceit, will trifle with the oracles nf God!”
says Mr. Gater, in regard to Mr. Chilton’s
views. See pamphlet, page 42. Ostrange
that “ an old-school Presbyterian clergy
man,” (as he cails himself.) should teach
or practice for “doctrines, the command
ments of men ;” or, which is the same
thing, do what the E'ernal God has never
imposed upon his militant church.
We Baptist preachers, (not clergymen.)
believe the “ Eternal God has never impo
sed” infant immersion, nor infant sprinkling
upon his militant church ; hence we never
baptize nor sprinkle infants. To do it we
contend would be to teach for doctrines the
commandments of men. It would be doing
as Mr. l.'ater di l, (according to his system
of Divinity,) when lie immersed the honor-
Wfl woman in Carolina.
IVe close here. not to in
trude upon the public attention any inure
on this subject, unless Mr. G. should show
himself in his threatened re-print, which
we think he never will.
Bar Samuel.
P. S.—We are glad to hear of the rap
idly rising prospects of Mercer University,
ft is a shame dial some baptists don't pat
ronize it.
For the Christian Index.
Carxesville, Ga., Feb. 28. 1844.
Aly dear bro. Laker —l regret vety
much that you are so troubled with my
poor old query. I see in the Index, No.
I, that a Minister of the Sarepla Associa
tion has written in reference to it, an extrac t
of which you published, and in which he
complains that the case is not fairly pre
sented in said query. I argue that it is,
and that the query precisely suits the case
of the individual since his restoration. As
to the crimes committed and the investiga
tion by the church, they were subjects that
1 had nothing to do with in my query, and
Ido not see how any body else could. 1
must confess, that notwithstanding I had
been in the pastoral services of the church
for 3 vents, I was in considerable ignorance
in relation to his expulsion ; for it was a
thing that I knew but little about till since I
wrote the query.
I see also: luother Baker, in the sixtli
No. of the Index, an article over the signa
ture of “ A Baptist,” in which he states, I
noticed the query of bro. Vandivere, of
Franklin Cos., nod inn soiry to say the bro
ther has been unfortunate in the fotmatioti
of his query. Now, my brother, “A Bap
tist,” if so, why eo unfortunate yourself, as
not to be able to make a query to suit your
own subject, without dragging mine from
where it properly belonged and applying it
to a very different subject ? lam as much
for maimaining purity in the ministry and
chinches as any man. and my query alludes
to nothing else. If Nails Greek Church
erred, 1 am confident that it was an error of
the head and not of the heart, and she stands
ready to he corrected at any time when con
vinced of an error. There certainly is a
mistake about his asking leave to withdraw
from the Church. I have it from the best
authority, that he laid iiis credentials on
the table, took up his hat and walked out,
saying, I am no longer a member of the
‘Jhtirch; and the church, thrown into such
unexpected confusion, just made their re
cord, “suffered him to withdraw.” If they
had gone into full investigation of the whole
matter, and expelled him legally, it would
have been better for all parties and better
for the blessed cause that we profess. Last
June the Nails Creek church, at the insti
gation of two other churches, called a com
mittee of ten ministers and twenty-nine lay
members to examine this individual’s case,
to see if he should he set at liberty. The
lesult was, 17 for and 22 against it. The
church gave up her own keys and did not
act upon it, which if she had, there would
have been a large tnajoiity in favor of it.—
The strength of the Sarepla were present,
and from their conduct, a favorable impres
sion was left upon the mind of the church
that things would come right after awhile.
If these brethren possessed knowledge of
the illegality of his trial, &u:. at the time of
this meeting, 1 think it would have been
much better had they laid their grievances
before the church and endeavored to show
them their error, and not had all this ex
posing bustle in the public prints.
Is it not strange that the Sarepta should
hold’ the Nails Greek church in full union
for four years, under such circumstances,
and say nothing about it till this late period?
But, perhaps, they were like myself, knew
nothing about Ids trial, &e. till recently.—
If the church is the highest tribunal on
earth, holding her own keys, and the. Ass
ociation only an advisory council, how is it
tlint an Assurin’ ion can dictate for a church,
without being called upon according to the
Gonstiiutioii ?
And again, why is it that the Sarepta (ac
cording to her Minutes) debars Nails Greek
from council out of other bodies confining
her to the Sarepta, and she in the hound of
the Tugalo, surrounded with Tttgalo
churches, and her pastor belonging to the
I ttgalo, yet no one allowed to act upon it
but the Sarepla? We are not solicitous to
share in so unpleasant a discussion, but,
brethren, I thought we were one people,
all aiming at the same thing ; to promote
the good cause among us, and we ought to
be neiglibotly.
I have thrown these scattering thoughts
together, bro. Baker, to let my brethren
know where I stand, which I want you to
be sure and publish in the Index entire ;
for as the Sarepta decided that Nails Creek
was in disorder, I, being her pastor, fell
myself in a very awkward condition. 1
thought if the church was in disorder I must
be so too, or at least some might think so,
and not being acquainted so well with the
irial, <fcc , I wrote the query for inforina
lion, not aiming to bear upon any one’s
feelings, and if it has, I am truly sorry for
it: for 1 think I want to live in love and
Christian union with all my dear brethren,
the little time 1 have yet to live on earth.
And l do not want me world any thing the
worse for my having lived, when lan gone.
1 know I have written in a plain and candid
manner, for the emergency ol the case re
quired it, but I have written with-due defer
ence to the feelings of my brethren, although
my language may not so appear. I am
now done with this unpleasant subject, un
less cases of real emergency require it.
Yours in the hope of tmmoitality,
i\J. W. VANDIVERIi.
P. S.—Bro. Baker, is it not proper for
your correspondents to sign their proper
names to their articles?
dJnswer. — We think it is, when reply
ing to a communication over the real name
of the writer. We hope that we shall not
be requested to publish any thing more on
this query case.
For the Christian Index.
Tiis Christian's Directory.
EXTRACTED FR>M AN’ OLD AUTHOR.
The Christian receives Christ Jesus the
Lord in his conversion ; it must, therefore, j
ever be his study to walk in him all the
days of his life ; “ to hold the beginning of
liis confidence steadfast unto the end, al
ways leaning upon the Redeemer, both for
righteousness and strength. To such the
following scriptural directions are affec
tionately presented :
1. Never let the world occupy God’s
room in your heart. Oiien think of that
awakening word (1 John 2* 15.) “Love
not the world, neither the things that ate in
the world; if any man love the world, the
love of the Father is not in him.” This is
the sin that ruins multitudes; they mind
earthly tilings, and they have their portion
in this life. Remember the more eagerly
you pursue the world, the farther your af
fections go from God. You are but a stew
ard, and the larger your possessions are, the
greater account you will have to give to
hint who has entrusted you with them.—
You must answer for your riches, your
riches cannot answer for you. To have a
competent portion of earthly things in this
world rs a mercy ; but to have earthly
tilings for our portion, is a drcadlul misery,
t/ei the business of your soul be the busi
ness of your life. Entertain the same opin
ion of the tilings of the world now, that you
will have of them when you come to die.
You s L e what a low price men set upon
the riches, pomp, and glory of the world,
when they are dying. Had you the same
thoughts of these tilings now, you would
not venture the loss of your soul, the loss
of God’s lavor, and the loss of eternal glo
ry, for a whole world, far less for a small
trifle of it. as many do. Think much of
that text in Mat. 16: 20, “ Wlmt is a man
profiled, if he shall gain the whole world
and lose his own soul ? Or what shall a
mail give it) exchange for his soul !”
2. Be not a stianger to yourself, but of
ten search into the state and frame of your
heart. (Ps. 4: 4.) When others are censur
ing and backbiting their neighbors, be you
living and censuring yourself. Self-exam
ination is a most necessary duly. -‘Exam
ine yourselves, whelhei ye be in the faith :
prove your own selves, (2 Cor. 13: 5.) —
Judge of your eternal slate by your spirit
ual state ; and judge of your spiritual state
by the bias of your affections, the sources
of your delights, ami the allowed actions
of your life. Judge of il by your hatred to
sin, and love to Christ; by the conscience
you make of secret prayer, and reading
God's word.
In communing with your own heart, ask
yourself what are likeliest to he your death
bed thoughts and wishes ? Will they not
he such as these ? 0 that I had loved Christ
more and the world less ! O that I ha.l im
proved gospel opportunities belter! O tha
I had accepted t lirisi’s calls and invitations
more readily! O that 1 had spent more
Publisher— BENJ. BRANTLY.
time tit prayer and searching the scripture,!
O that I had been more spiritual and fer
vent in every duty ! Ask yourself, what
are those sins and practices which will ap
pear most Irightlul when you see yourself
within a step of God’s tribunal! Com
mence with your own heart upon vottr bed,
apply to tiie blood of Christ to wash away
your transgressions; and Ask what is my
present state ? Should I be willing to lie
down and die in the frame and disposition
lam in just now ? And I know not buts
may be as near death this moment, as if I
were struggling with the pangs of dissolu
tion !
3. Put a high value upon precious times,
and devote the earliest and best part of it to
God ant] the iutffrSSTs >/T eu j tiny 1 ; **
Look upon loss of time as a greater loss
than the loss of money, or ariy worldly
tiling. Slum, therefore, idle and unprofit
able diversions. Let the morning of your
youth, and the morning of every day, and
particularly the precious time of the Lord's
day, be employed and improved for God
and the good of your soul. You cannot
consecrate yourself too soon or too entirely
to God and hi3 service. As he demands,
so he deserves the first and the best of your
days. “ Remember now thy Creator in
the days of thy youth,” (Eccl. 12: L) —
Honorable mention is made in Scripture of
the child Samuel’s Ministry before the Lord
—nf young Jusiah’s tenderness of heart—
of Solomon's early choice of wisdom—and
of Timothy’s knowledge of the Scripture*
from his infancy. Allow some time every
day to think of and prepare for eternity 1—
O eternity ! One serious thought of eter
nity is enough to strike a careless soul to
the heart. Man stands every hour at the
door of eternity, and if he step ill while out
oi’ Christ, he is eternally undone ! What
an awful thought is this ? Every one of us
within a step of being eternally blessed, or
eternally cursed—eternally saved, or eter
nally lost! O, if every one did but believe
and consider this ! If we could but all pray
as for eternity ! repent as for eternity 1 hcaf
as for eternity ! and live as for eternity!—
0, let not religion be your diverson, but the
chief business of your life. It is the one
thing needful. “Give all diligence to
make your calling and election sure.” Make
sure your calling, and thus you make sure
your election. If you would make sure
your calling, make it sure that you are uni
ted to Christ, and that Christ is the life of
your souls ; “that when Christ who is your
life, shall appear, you may also appear with
him in glory.” Do not rest in convictions,
nor in tears, nor in prayers, nor in duties,
nor in anything short of Christ. Press
both for an interest in Christ, and for the
assurance of it. Assurance is attainable,
and has been attained by many. And it is
most necessary for cheerful obedience, sot
bearing the cross, rejoicing in the Lord,
giving thanks for redeeming love, and for
performing many other ditties of christian
ity.
4. Employ Christ as your surety in all
cases, and in every difficulty go to hfm for
relief. When you are called to perform du
ties, hear afflictions, resist temptations,
struggle with corruptions, or engage with
enemies, look stilt to Christ, and cry,
“ Lord be surety for me. O Lord) under
take for me.” (Ps. 119; 122. Is. 38 : 14.)
I’ltad his own promise and expect the ful
filment of it. “As thy day, so shall thy
strength be.” C.
For the Christian Index.-
Whitesville, March 7, 1844.
Brother Baker —As the time is drawing
near for the meeting of the Convention,
when we should again contribute to the
treasury of the Loud, I wish to enquire of
my brethren, through the Index, whether
we had hot better fall back to our old auxil
iary system in making our contributions?—
This enqtii y I make, not because 1 think
the churches do not constitute the proper
organ through which we should contribute,
hut because of the peculiar temperature and
motions of some of the ministers who pre
side over some of the churches of whom, it
is expected that all the relative duties of
church members will be pointed out. But,
alas 1 The year rolls by, and the minister
has never told the church of the much land
that is vet to be possessed by the church
in heathen countries ; the great good that
Bible Societies has done and is yet destin
ed to do; the necessity that there is for
them to patronize religious Periodicals, &c.;
to bo an intelligent, religious people t no,
not even to recommend Temperance asso
ciations as promoting the cause of morality
in a community, yet great missionaries!-
Oil, consistency, thou art a jewel.
But they directly or indirectly oppose
some or all of the above associations, which
have for their object to do good. Ilence
some of our members make whiskey, ©th<
NO. 12
4