Newspaper Page Text
ers drink it, and although some of us are
grieved to the heart, because our brother
will make whiskey, the minister tells us we
must not bring such cases before the church
es or associations, lor fear of a division.—
Titus lire few warm hearted members that j
are to he found these cold times are paral-!
ized in the amalgamation with others of a
different temperature. Hence, I conclude,
unless there can be a radical change effect
ed in the minds of the pastors of some of j
our chinches, such as will prompt them to
try to make us all practical, living, doing
chrieiians, all the year round, we had bel
ter again take up our old auxiliary system,
which will unite together volunteers of one
heart and one soul, where there is nothing
to paralize them.
Thus, brother, with a burdened heart, I
linvc made the above suggestions, not to en
list controversy, but to invite investigation.
Yours in Christ,
JAMES WHITTEN.
For lhe Christian Index.
Montgomery, Ala., March 4,1814.
Dear bra. Junes —l have paid a short j
visit to your State as the Agent of the Am-!
erican Indian Mi ssion Association. I de
signed to have visited Penfteld, both to have
received the benefaction of the brethren
11 mji c.tVBtT a regular com
mission as the Agent of your Convention,
which is auxiliary to the Indian Mission
Association. Hut learning that you had
just contributed to the Bible Society, and
the Home Mission Society, and that Bro.
Kincaid was about to pay you a visit, 1
thought it best to turn my course ami pur
sue another route. I would be pleased
however to report to you the labor perform
ed, ami amounts received, the same as
though 1 was your appointed agent.
I diil Inti little at Savannah inasmuch as
Bro. J{, Fuller was there collecting some
means toaid in eroding his Church at Bean
fort, and bro. C. M. Fuller was present
urging the claims of the 11. M. Society.
The 2d coloted Church gave me a col
lection of 312 2dels , and the Rev. Dr. An
drew .Marshal, Pastor of the Ist colored
church, 2 50.—11 73.
Augusta.—Dr W 11 Turpin, 20; F W
Freeman, 3, \V J Freeman, 2; Jesse
Walton, 3; Susan Walton, 2; Amelia
Moore, 1; Mis* N Stewart, 50cts.; Eli
Muslin, 2; II II Hickman, 1 ; I, Cress, 2;
D K Muslin, 1 ; W E Barnes, 1; J F
Turpin, 2; M M Dye, 1 ; D R Wright, 2;
Rev W J Haiti, 2 ; I) Bttllioin, 1 ; J R
Rhodes, 1 ; R McNdly, SOcts ; M Benja
min, 1 ; ST Daniels, 1 ; Rev W T Brant
ley, 2.—352
I’oivelton collection, $lO 25.
Macon “ ©29 35.
Mulberry Church.—llev G Cranberry,
BOcle. ; bro. Gibson, 1 ; bro. Wood, 25cls;
Sister Gibson, 25 t bro. Miles, 25: D W
Gasatvay, 60; J B Fitzpatrick, 50; bro.
Henderson, 50.—@3 75
Talbotton.—W R Neal. 2; II FSmith,
25c; W I, Walker, 1: Martha Beall, 00c;
Susan V Beall, 50c; Rebecca Altaway,
60e ; Various friends, 60c , M A Moyer,
50c.—$5 85
Columbus.— Rev A Williams, 3 ; Dr A
M Walker, 10; J B Slade, 1 50; AK
Ayer, 5 ; I) J Ilcese, 25c ; W M Freeman,
1 ; Wm Gray, 2 ; E Midway, 1 ; J L Wal
ton, 1 ; II S Estes, 1 ; R Gray, 25c; R
Hooker, 5; T Shivers, 1 j T A Brannon,
I ; Will Ainoss, 2; .1 P llgrs, 50c; J E
Jones, 30c; L Clark. 50c; J J McKen
drec, 50c; Elizabeth Redd, 2; Nareissa
Boykin, 5; Dr A J Robinson, 2; E C
Bowen, 50c ; James Kirvin, 1 ; A J Ab
bot, 1 ; It F Brannon, 1 ; J M Smith, 60c;
H J Smith. 50c; F C Johnson, 25c ; John
G Winter, 5; B Shivers, 1; N R Lewis,
1 50; Mrs S Dancer, 1 ; Dr II A Thorn
ton, 1.—560 05.
La Grange.—Rev J E Dawson, 2 ; P
II Green, -1 87 ; B B Ainoss, 2; Miss
Deering. I ; Mrs Poythcss, 5 ; J K Redd,
2 ; collection, 8 31. —325 18. Aggregate
$2Ol 16.
My expenses while traveling in the State
have been 37 40 leaving a balance in favor
of the Convention of 3193 76, for which I
scud you a receipt.
1 should lmve been exceedingly glad to
have visited other churches in your State,
which 1 know feel a deep interest in the
welfare of the Aboriginal Tribes. 1 doubt
not but what they would have contributed
liberally to this great and good work. But
I trust that they will send.up to your Con
vention, their contributions although
no Agent visits them.—Your minis
ters ant! people are intimately acquain
ted with the Indian character as they have
but lately been removed Jftom your
State. The only point on which I would
say a word, is die piescnt improved condi
tion of the Indians. The Choctaws have
voted the 18,000 dollars that they receive
as their annual annuity for educational pur
poses. Beside this, 12,000 dollars tire em
ployed for the same purposes. They have
requested the Government to permit 40 of
their youths to he educated in 4 Colleges in
tire United Stales. This request has been
granted only in part. One half the num
ber, 20, are to be taken first as on experi
ment. One high school is to he establish
ed which shall assume the character of a
Cullfcge, They have a regular Govern
ment, consisting of a Governor, and two
houses of Legislators, all elected by the
people. They have Courts of Justice jo
every part of the Tribe, and trial is had by
jury. There are nearly 1000 Baptist pro
fessors.
’Fhe Creeks are still somewhat hostile to
teligion, but the Lord has been blessing
that opposition of late to the advancement j
of his cause. They have threatened loj
publicly whip all persons that should at
tempt to preach without:! license from them,
and at the same time refused to grant any
licenses. But of late many of the Tribe
have been hopefully converted. Bro. Per
ryman has lately baptized 88 Creeks, and
bro. Smedly, 60, part Creeks and part
blacks owned by the. (’reeks.
The Cherokees are but little behind the
Choctaws, anil it is hoped that they will
follow the good example set them by their
brethren. They still retain the semblance
of Chieftainship which is entirely abolish
ed among the Choctaws, but in most oilier
respects follow them closely. There are
750 Baptist among the Cherokees.
1 should like to state more particularly,
circumstances of interest connected with
other Tribes, as well as of the Putawatoin
i ies, Ottawas, Shawanoes, Miamies, llela
: wares, Kickapoos, Azc., but time and space
will not admit. I will only add that the
W ynndots left Ohio of their own freewill
last July, and were conducted by their
Chiefs to the (iithati Territory at Govern
ment expense. Their deportim nt was so
correct that they were every where received
with expressions of pleasure by the citizens.
The Choctaws that are still in Mississippi,
to the number of about 0000, have volun
tarily proposed a removal this spring. We
have already evidence that this movement,
of placing the Indians by themselves, is one
of the best projects ever devised. It is re
sulting in good both to the Red Man and to
the Wlt.le. Yet the harder lot is to be en
dured by them. They have been injured
in a thousand ways and at best find redress
only’ in forsaking the graves of their Sires,
and leaving the land of their Fathers, But
there is one door open still for their benefit.
I allude to the gospel. This has elevated
us, and made us what we are, It lias pow
er to elevate the Indian also, and place him
high in the scale of nations, and if the Gen
tiles were debtors to the Jews, Rom. 15:
27, are we not debtors to the Indians ? W'e
have their land, we have brought on them
evils, and introduced among them vices that
have brought them well nigh to annihilation.
Who is tltera then that would refuse to give
them the gospel in return ? But what is
done must be done speedily. The Baptists
are engaging in the work with great zeal.
The tide of emigration is rollinjfnn ail'd the
lhdian must be elevated before it fully reach
them, or the abuses of the whites will lead
them again to murder our wives and chil
dren, and then the cry of war will he heard
and 50,000,000 more will be expended in
their extinction, when one ijuartcr of a mil
lion would with the blessing of God elevate
them so far in civilization as to enable us to
welcome them as brethren.
We. would be pleased if the Convention
would again vote us an appropriation from
their general fund.
Yours affectionately,
B. C. MORSE.
Christian Mourning. —A Discourse
delivered at the funeral of Rev. Lucius
Holies, I). /)., lute Secretary of the Bap
tist Hoard of Foreign Missions; by Dan
iel Sharp, pastor of the Charles Street
Church, Boston.
This discourse is published in pamphlet
form by Gould, Kendall and Lincoln, of
Boston. We have been favored with a pe
rusal ol it by a friend. The following no
tice of it from an esteemed brother, will,
we hope, commend it to the attention of
our leaders.
For the Christian Index.
Mercer University, March 11, 1844.
To the Editor of the Christian Index’
Dear Brother: — l have just finished the
perusal of Dr. Sharp’s “Discourse deliver
ed at the funeral of Rev. Lucius Holies,
I). D. Late Secretary of the Baptist Board
of Foreign Missions.” You will do well
to recommend this excellent discourse to
the attention of your readers. It contains
many judicious remarks on Christian Mour
ning, its lawfulness and benefits, ami the
limits within which it should be confined;
and then, with becoming simplicity and fi
delity, spreads before the reader the life and
character of the deceased. After contem
plating the useful life and happy death of
this good man, how valuable Christianity
appears! How very near does that world
I seem, into which he has entered; and how
! absorbing do its interests become! O for
| more of that heavenly spirit by which lie
] was governed and blessed; and by which
jhe became a blessing to others. Happy
j would it be for our churches, if they about)-
| ded in such men; —men of whom it might
I lie said with truth:
“Never, 1 presume, have you seen him
angry. Never did you ascertain, that, by
any unkind or invidious remarks, or breach
of confidence, he was sowing discord a
mongst his brethren. Never, I imagine,
did you see him do an indiscreet act, or
hear him speak an indiscreet worth Not
only has no charge of immorality ever been j
brought against him, but I have yet to learn,!
that lie was ever accused of one act of im- 1
prudence, during a public and very active |
and responsible course of forty years.- 1
And then Id* goodness was not simply of a
negative character. He was rich in good
works. Ilis house was the home of many
a destitute and pious wanderer, and o! some,
1 fear, who were not very pious. He was
the patron of everything that was worth
patronizing, in the denomination. He was
a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men.
He was a peacemaker. No man made
greater sacrifices of his own feelings, and
submitted to more discomforts, for the sake
“I peace and union among brethren, than
he did ”
Among the papers in the library, be
queathed to this Uuniversity by the vener
ated brother whose name it bears, the fol
lowing letter was found, which I should
think worthy of a place in your columns if
it served merely as a memorial ol two great
and good men. But the allusion Which it
makes to this Institution, is to us, peculiar
ly interesting: and the sentiments which it
expresses, in relation to the importance of
an enlightened ministry and the rich bene
fits conferred by such a ministry on the
Churches- are worthy to be had iu everlast
ing remembrance. * D.
Baptist Missionary Rooms, )
Boston, Jan. 30, 1833. y
Rev, Jesse Mercer.
My dear Brother. —l am always grati
fied to receive a letter from you and ihf£h
the essence'of'flrPTnibrination contained iu
yours of the 26 ult, had reached us by way !
of Lincoln and Edmonds, 1 feel obliged by i
the perseveiance which lias now procmed
lor us particulars. We are not disappoin
ted in the result, but wished to do our duly
that nothing should be lost for want of at
tention.
The great accession made to the churches
in S. Carolina anil other places in that dt
icciion, shew the increased responsibility
thrown on ministers of the gospel and the!
absolute necessity ol their speedy multi
plication. In this view, the new Institu
tion in your Stale may he viewed as prom
ising much usefulness. Experience has
taught us that the character of the churches,
reflects strongly the chaiacter of the minis
try under which they live. If the latter is
enlightened, benevolent and active in the
cause ol Christ, the former will partake ol j
the same spirit, but if otherwise, the worst
influence is exerted and the worst fruits and
effects follow. Wc doubtless have much !
reason to he encouraged, since the number i
of young men is daily increasing who, not
only give themselves up to serve the church
of Christ, hut who labor for preparation to!
do it, in the most efficient way.
I rejoice to perceive that while you mean
to aid new methods of doing good, it is not
to he done at the expense of old ones. Co
lumbian College must be preserved to us,
and as to out missionary operations, the
astonishing increa.-e of oar missionaries
within the last nine months, will render the
most spirited exertions of all tho brethren
necessary, to sustain them. But I need
not enlarge on this point as 1 trust my letter
will be handed you bv our much esteemed
treasurer, Heman Lincoln Esq. who (will
fully explain what we arc doing. The
death of his relative Bro. E. Lincoln lias
been deeply affecting to him, and affective
to us all, but his end was emphatically
“peace.”
Tho state of our political affairs is try
ing indeed to the lover of his country, and
should arouse Christians to betake them
selves to their strong holds. We have tin- !
questionably been too little regardful of do-!
pcndcncc on God, and have not sought
him enough by prayer. If these dark J
omens should serve to correct us in this
particular, I trust the present clouds will
pass away for this time, but we should be
deeply admonished for the future. I think
there is no reasonable sacrifice but what a
true patriot would make or submit to for
the sake of his country’s peace, and hope
the spirit of cotnpiomisc will yet possess !
the bosoms of partisans.
Wishing you my beloved brother much
of the best blessings,
I remain truly yours
L. BOLLES,
P. S. Feb. 1 Your letter is still open
and I avail myself of it to say that this
morning 1 received a letter from Bro. Dun
can OBriant dated Dec. 13, post marked
the2oth, at which time he anti his family
were in health anil I should hope in a way
to do good. lie speaks of his mind as
more than usually impressed with tiie duty
and importance of prayer. Let him but
feel this aright and he will soon begin to
perceive the fruit and effects.
The Principles of Church Government.
I.'—OK THE APPLICATION OF THE WORD
CHURCH,
The. word rendered church, (eccfesia) is
used in several different senses in the New
Testament. It is used
1, To designate any assembly of persons
gathered together, it ithoitt reference to the
object for which they are convened. Thus
it is applied to the congregation of the peo
ple of Israel in the wilderness. Acts. 7.
38, “This is he that was in the church in
the wilderness,” <fec., and to the labble
that was excited against Paul, by Demetri
us, the silversmith, Acts 19. 32. “Some
| therefore cried one tiling, and some anoth-
I cr: for the assembly (ecclcsia) was con
! fused.”
2. Ilis applied in general to the faithful
on earth. “Feed the church of God which
he hath purchased with his own blood.”
Acts, 22. 28, “Concerning zeal, persecu
ting the church,” (fee. Phil. 3. 5. “And
he is the head of the body, the church,”
&c. “For I am the least of the apostles, I
that am not meet to be called an apostle, be- i
cause I peisecuted the church of God.” 1. j
Cor. 15. 9.
*3. To the redeemed both in heaven and !
Eph. 5. 25—27—“ Husbands love;
yoWr wives, even as Christ also loved the !
cliuich, and cave himself for it, that lie;
might sanctify and cleanse it with the wash- ’
water, by the word; that he might
present it to himself a glorious church, notl
having spot.” <fcc. “But ye are come, I
<fec„ to the general assembly and church I
of the first born which are written in hea
ven,” Ate. H< b. 12. 22—23.
4. To a congregation of believers wor
shiping in one place. Thus we read of the
clnpch at Jerusalem. Acts, 8. 1; the church
aißabylon, 1 Pet, 5. 13; the cliuich at An
tioch, Acts 13. 1; the church at each of (he
following places, Ephesus, Smyrna, Perga
nuts, Tliyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and
Larrdicea, Rev. 2. 1, 8. 12, 18; 2. 1,7, 14
—i. Uor. 1. 2; Col. 4. 15. We also read
of churches in the houses respectively of
Pi seilla and Aquila, Rom. 16. 5; i.Cor.
1£ 19; of Nymphas, Col. 4. 15; of Pini
on on, Pluleiii. 2.
II. —OF particular churches.
jl'he opinion prevails, with some, that
f e was no regular organization of dis
t and separate churches; iu the days of
apostles—that the a|mstf!Js baptized all
L
evers iu any place* constituted the church
;to that place; and that to remove one’s re-
I ■'iileuce from one place to another, was all
dial was requisite to remove one’s member
j slup. To this opinion we dissent, for the
loiiowing reasons:
L W e read ol churches acting as cor
porate bodies, electing officers, and appoin
ting certain of their number to the perlorin
a ice of eeitain services in their behalf.—
■ fl hey elected an apostle to supply the place
ol Judas, Acts 1. 23, 26; chose deacons,
16. 3.5: chose messengers, Acts 15.2, 2d
Cor. 8. 19, 23; sent out missionaries, Acts
11. 22; and 13, 3; assembled to hear their
report, 14. 27; deliberated and passed re
solves, Acts 15; exercised jurisdiction,
Mall. 18. 17, 18, Ist Cor. 6. 4,5, &c.—
I hey also performed many other acts, in
dicative ol a regular organization under ap
piopriate officers and established rules.
2. They had slated places of worship
and assembled all in one place, as is evi
dent from several of the passages to which
;we have already referred. But see also
j Acts 2. I; 1 Cor. 11. 20; 14. 23.
3. Rules arc given lor the reception and
rejection of menibeis. One that preached
j dm trines contrary to what the apostles had
taught, was not to he received, 2 John 10.
Those that were weak in the faith, hut
otherwise correct, were to be received,
Rom. 11. 1; see too, 3 John 8. Those
i guilty of immoralities, and other specified
offences, were to he delivered over unto sa
tan, 1 Cor. 5. 5: cut off, Gal. 5. 12; avoi
ded, Rom. 16, 17. dec.
4. Paul represents their jurisdiction as
being confind within definite limits, 2 Cor I
5. 12.
5 The same apostle speaks ofPhebe as
a member ol the church at Cenchrea, Rom.
’ 16. 1: and o| Onesimus and Epsphras as
member! of the church at Colosse, Col. 4.
9. 12.
6. It appears, from sundry passages,
that persons passing from the boi’inds of
one church into another, received and ear
tied with them lettt-rs of commendation;
2 Cor. 3.1; Romans 16. 1: Phil. 2.29;
Col. 4. 10, die.
7. Paul, alter he was baptized, could tint,
like many in the present day, rest satisfied
out of the church, he therefore n;sayt and to
join himself to the disciples, but was at
first repulsed. Acls 9. 26.
8. In the record of what occurred in Je
! rusalem, on the day of Pentecost, seperate
j mention is made of the baptism of those
1 who believed, and of the number of those
j who were added to the church; thus affor
ding just ground for the inference, that the
act of baptism and the act of adding to the
chinch wet e separate acts, and that admis
sion to the fellowship of the Church was an
act performed sii/iseijuenl to that of bap
tism. Acts 2. 41. 4?.*
9. We read of churches in the plural, as
of the churches of Judea, Acts 9. 31; Gal.
1. 22; of Syria, 15, 41: of Galatia, 1 Cor.
I 18, 1; of Asia, i. 19: Rev. 1,4, 11, 26,
; of Macedonia, 2 Cor. 8. 1; of the Gentiles,
Rmn. 16. 4; of Christ, v. 16, and 1 Gor.
‘ll. 16; of the saints, i t ot. 14. 33; of
God, 1 Tlies. 2. 14; all of which indicate
that there were separate and distinct
churches. Were there but one church,
consisting of ail the believers in Christ,
theie would he a manifest impropriety in
speaking ol the several parts of this one
church as of many churches.
*Tlie practice of extending the right
hand of fellowship to candidates forndinis
; sion into our churches, though not univer
sal, prevails to too great an extent among
j our churches in the country, and particular
ly at the South. It is not only unauthor
ized by the word of G“d, hut it is directly
opposite to what is recorded of die practice
of the primitive disciples. It is also in
consistent with our professed reverence for
the word of God, and with our belief and
practice in other particulars. We hold,
that a member received into the fellowship
of the church is entitled to all the privi
leges of the church, until It ■ forfeits his
I right to those privileges l>v improprieties of
{ conduct. To carry out this principle, in
conjunction with the practice to which we
have adverted, we may be constrained to
ulinit unbaptized persons to communion,
and tltus repudiate that article of our faith,
which represents baptism to be an indispen
sable prerequisite to the Lord’s supper.—
| The practice contradicts what is implied m
j out name. We are called Baptists be
cause it is supposed that our churches are
composed wholly of persons duly baptized;
: but if persons are admitted to church fel
: lowsip prior to baptism, this is not true f
I us. We have known a number of install
j ces in which persons were received for bnp-
I baptism and never baptized. In some in
stances. those who had been received
| moved Sway before baptism was adminis
■ teted. This is not unfrequently the cdsfe
j with servants. In other instances cirditm
i stances have been developed, which affac
’ ted the inoral character of the individual,
! and the church was unwilling to admit him
:to baptism. In all such cases, great are
; the difficulties in which we become involv
ed and lasting is the reproach which we
bring upon omselves. Our enemies exult,
j but wc aie covered with shame. Wo are
j willing to extend our hand to an individual
\ received for baptism, in token of his recep
tion as a candidate for baptism and of our
Christian fellowship; but we would not ex
tend him our hand in token of his admis
sion into the fellowship of the church for a
rigid hand ora righicye, oreven to save life.
The practice of which we are speaking,
probably originated at a period when minis
ters and churchps were, like angels’ visits,
“few and far between.” The minister
met his congregation in the wilderness,
preached, he ml experiences, baptize i, and
went on his way. There being no consti
tuted church near, there was no formal ad
mitting to the fellowship of the church
those who had been recently baptized:
They, remained unconnected with any par
ticular church until their number was suffi
ciently increas and to form a church. The
ceremony, which was omtued at first from
necessity, ivas subsequently omitted from
habit; and the act which at first was consid
ered as only significative of Christian ftl
laws hip, became ultimately to he consider
ed indicative of one’s admission to church
fellowship. We ate happy to know, that
there are many chinches* in which the
practice we have ment oned never prevailed,
and that many, who have adopted it, are
now abandoning it. The more strictly we
conform to the rules of scripture and the
practice of the apostles, the better ivill it be
loj us and the cause of Christ. We pro
fess to be gorernetl, not by the usage of
men. Inn by the rule of God's word , Let
us afford evidence of this in all our acts.
A Donation Richly Refunded.
In a retired country town lived pious
and happy pair, who were blessed with a
moderate portion of the bounties of Provi
dence. Sickness laid the good woman on j
Iter death-bed, about the period when the I
iiiissioii jry cause was first attracting public
notice. Just before her death she called
her daughter to the bed-side, ami said with
all the solemn but elevated feelings of a dy
ing Christian: “Here are twenty pounds.
1 wish to give it to the missionary cause,
it is my particular desire that, after my
death, you give it to that cause; and, de
pend upon it, you will never have any rea
son to be sorry lor having given it.” The
daughter cheerfully obeyed the dying com
mand of her mother.
This daughter had a son, who became
exceedingly profligate, and brought heart
rending trouble upon his mother. Having
become utterly unmanageable, lie forsook
his friends and entered the army. The
| providence of God led him id India; there
he was found by a Christian missionary,
who became the instrument of his conver
sion. lie himself became a missionary to
the heathen. Ills mother rejoiced over
the intelligence, nor did she forget to praise
the Father of mercies who had thus return
ed into her bosom, a hundred fold, Iter
mother’s gift.
But this was not all, A second son had
gtoivn up before the news, just adverted to.
had reached the mother: Ins career also,
had been one of iniquity. lie also entered
the army, and singularly enough, was led
to India. I libit', seized bv illness, be was
affectionately attended by the missionaries
of the neighborhood where lie lay. and by
lltt-ir instrumentality was converted. Ilis
elder brother, who resided several hundred
miles (rofn him, aud did not even know
that he was in India, was led at that very
time to visit the statoin; heard from the
missionaries the interesting facts of his con
version: and. on going to visit him, discov
ered. what he had before not ewii suspect
ed. that the sick but penitent youth was his
own brother. They convetaed Sir many
■Jays with much profit anti joy on the things
of God, when the younger one died peace
ltd in Jesus, and the elder continued to la
bor in the missionary service. Tlras was
the mother doubly rewarded.— Anecdotes
of Christian Missions.
The Bible in the Public Schools. —The
Directors of the Public Schools at the
Tenth Section, (Kensington) Philadelphia,
met on Ftitlay afternoon, and alter a pro
tracted debate, the following resolution ivas
passed:
Resolved, That the principal teachers of
the several schools in this section, be au
thorized to read, or cause to be read, at the
opening of their schools in the morning,
such pm lions of the Bible as they deem
proper, provided that no notes or comments
upon such portions of the Bible shall be
made ot lead by such teachers; and farther’,
provided that none of the scholars shall he
compelled to give their presence at sueh
exercises against the wish of their parents
and guardians, or contrary to their own in
clination or desire.
Some ol the citizens tlid not approve of
this resolution, and a pnblic meeting of the
people of the section was to be held last
evening.
Auful death—Good out of Evil. —A
man in the town of New Lisbon, ()., who
had united some tivo years ago with the
Temperance Society, recently went into a
grocery in that place, drank freely, and be
came very much intoxicated. He started
home in that state, and the night being very
cold, was frozen to death on the toad. This
awlul event of course produced much ex
citement among the people of the place and
vicinity, and a meeting was held, anti reso
lutions wete adopted. As to the grocer,
we ran readily imagine the state of his feel
ings. And we are told that he signed the
temperance pledge on the coffin of the sui
cide. burnt his liquors, and presented to
the widow his note for (iflv dolhns. This
dteadful case, we learn, has had the effect
of banishing the accursed pest of society
entirely from the place.
__ PENFIEtD.
FRIDAY, MARCH 2s, ,1844.
Communications. Several for which we
are thankful, have been deferred, other mat
ter being in type before they were received.
Some responses to Correspondents are also
deferred.
Mr. Woodbury on the Tariff.—We ac
knowledge gratefully our indebtedness to
the Hon. Howell Cobb for a copy of Mr.
Woodbury’s spee h on the Tariff, deliver
ed in the Senate of the U. S., Feb. 7 and 8.
The subject is one that has excited and will
continue to excite a deep interest, not only
in our legislative halls, but in the commu
nity’ at ialge. May kind heaven impart to
our legislators that wisdom and virtue which
is necessary to regulate aright not only’ the
tariff but the action of the government on
every subject that may require its action.
Ilis Strange! — What is strange?—lt is
strange—and passing strange—it is sur
prising that any one, who is willing to pay
from ten to twenty-five cents for the plea
sure of perusing a letter from a friend,
should be unwiillingto pay five cents, (a
houLlHfe cost of this sheet.) lor the pleasure
ol jicrffsing the many communications that
appear in our paper, from beloved Christian
brethren, in different sections of out coun
try.
It is strange that men who are willing to
P ;, V and pay dearly too—for information
affecting their worldly interests, should be
so reluctant to pay a few cents for informa
tion calffrfoted to confirm their faith in God
and hrs promises, cheer their drooping spit
:!*,• re”ire theii languid affections and
strengthen within them all the graces of tho
Holy Spirit.
It is strange that professing rhristiant,
who are willing to contribute liberally to
aid in diffusing a knowledge of the merits
[of their favorite candidates for civil offices,
i should be so unwilling to contribute any
tiling to make known the merits of that
Saviour, whom they profess to revere above
all others, to whom they are morn indebt
ed than to anv other living being, and on
whose elevation and final triumph over the
prince of the power of the air their ever
lasting ALL depends.
Are not these strange things? Reader,
ii there he any good brethren in your neigh
borhood who do not take and read religious
papers hand them this article and ask them
the question we have asked you. Are not
thess things strange? Can a consistent
chtislian act so strangely? If they object to
the Index , or its editor, plense inform them
that the Index is not the only religious paper
published in the United States, nor is iu
editor the only teligious editor. If they
will not take the Index, urge them to sub
scribe for some other religious paper.
Those most opposed to the Index are those
who subscribe for no religious paper; on
the other hand, those who read religious
papers most, arc ever our warmest friends;
for they ate the most sensible of the im
portance of sustaining the Index. We
could name some half dozen brethren tm-
Vromptu, who take some halldozen pa
pers, and who would s, >oner pay, out of
the fru t of their own labor, ten dollars a
year than that the Index should lail of sup
port and be soppiessed.
Can a pastor faithfully discharge his du
ty to his flock without informing them of
the importance of religious periodicals to
the advancement of their own spiritual in
tercets and the interests of the cause of
Christ? Brethren, what think you? Your
lips may keep silence, but your actions will
speak. God grant that you may not bear
false witness in this case.
Query. —What should a church do with
a membei who is retailing aident spirits ?
and what is the difference in selling it and
buying it and drinking it ? Will you let us
hear front you on this subject.
W. L. T.
In answer to the first query, we reply,
that it appears to he an established princi
ple, among Baptist churches of the mission
aty order in our State, that no one engaged
in retailing ardent spirits shall be retained
in fellowship. We state ihefact without
any expression of our own views on tho
subject.
In repfy to the second query, we say.
that the evil of retailing spirituous liquors
cannot be less titan that of buying and drink
ing them. Jhe drain-drinker does an inju
ry to hiinsetf and family ; the retailer, to
scores of individuals and families. The
Scriptures require us to he fifteour Saviour
— “harmless, t mdtjiled and separate from
sinners." —There is no doubt about that.
The only quest on then is. Is it Christ-like
to sell grog ?—to furnish a fellowtnan, for
filthy lucre's sake, with the means of de
stroying himself and involving his family
in disgrace and wretchedness?’ That is a
question we will leave to others to answer.
So notorious is the fact that missionary
Baptists do not tolerate the use of intoxica
ting liquors, thalan Antimissionary Baptist
lady, riding from meeting with a much val
ued brother, a domestic missionary in Wes
tern Georgia, replied to a remark relative
to the division between the Missionary and
Antimissionary Baptists, “ Well. I’m an
Antimissionary; I drink my grog and I
don't care who knows it”— thus identify
ing the drinking of grog with being an
Antimissionary,