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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,