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JOSEPH S. BAKER— Editor.
VOL. XII.
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Letters on business, or communications,
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Advertisements may be inserted on usual
te<-’n. at the discretion of the Editor.
For the Christian Index.
Letters to Youth. —IV.
Acquisition op Knowledge.
At every period of existence the acqui
sition of knowledge is one if the most
pleasing occupations of the mind; and at
your a<je, my young friends, when the
charm of novelty exists in every thing a
round you, and when the imagination is ev
er awake, it is capable of yielding higher
and nobler enjoyments, Your hearts now
beat high with anticipations of eminence to
which you may in future arrive; with vi
sions of the elevated stations of honor and
utility which you may one day occupy.—
Every thing to which you can turn aids
you in your search, for every thing teems
with wisdom; the earth with all things a
round and under it; the air with every thing
that lives within or is supported by it; the
sky with millions of orbs blazing upon it
by night and the sun pouring his bright
beams from it by day; all, all contain some
thing with which your minds can lie stored,
Men of every class and character are con
tinually before you; their actions,‘tlicii sen
timents, their dispositions, and their hearts
constantly give you an opportunity of stu
dying your own species, of knowing lin
~nan nature. You can have access lo libra
ries fiom which you may gather the wis
dom of ages; learn the opinions of those
who have gone before you and make their
thoughts your own; ascertain the state of
mai tkind f rmn the commencement of time,
and see whit maimer of life, what kind of
habits and what dispositions of mind have
been most conducive to happiness. You
can‘converse with men of every profession
and calling, and know something of their
occupations; discover which is most profi
table and useful; which is best calculated to
promote the interests of mankind; which
is the easiest to he acquired and the safest
to be pursued. You can. reflect when a
lone upon evbry thing around you; every
thing yon see, or read, or hear: you can
meditate upon the laws of nature, the ac
tions of men, the prevalence of vice or vir
tue. the capacities of the mind, you can
commune with yourself and ascertain wheth
er or not you are in the path cf duly; wheth
er you are contracting such vices and fol
lies as you liuve remarked as degrading in
others; whether you are pursuing what will
benefit mankind as well as yourselves; and
whether you are advancing or injuring the
cause of God. These are useful thoughts
that should.find a constant home in the bo
som of every youth; they should he cher
ished night and day, upon the pillow, in
the fields/aiid bv the fireside.
“Nor let soft slumber close your eyes
Before you’ve recollected thiiee
—The tiain of anions through the day.—
Where have my feet chose out the way?
What have I learnt, where'er I’ve been,
Front all I’ve heard, from all I’ve seen?
What know I more, that’s worth the know
ing?
What have I done, that’s worth the doing?
What have l sought, that I should shun?
What du*y have I left undone!
Or into what new folly run?”
It is a capital fault with persons of your
Sge, young readers, that they misapply
wliat knowledge they gain! The first end,
says Alison, to which all knowledge or wis
dom ought to be devoted is to illustrate the
wisdom or goodness of the Father of Na
ture. Every science that is cultivated hy
men. leads naturally to religious ( thought,
from the study of the plant that grows be
neath our feet, to that of the Host of Hea
ven above us, that perform their stated re
volution in majestic silence, amid the ex
panse of infinity, When you approach the
study of nature, you should remember that
yon are not about to examine a lifeless mass
of matter, but that you are to be presented
with the mightv machinery of Eternal
Wisdom: that the works of God in their
power are before you!—the workmanship
of Him, “in whom every thing lives, and
moves, and ha* it* being!” With these
feelings in your bosoms, it will be impossi
ble for you to contemplate the laws of na
ture, without perceiving at the same time
the presence and the Providence of the
Great Lawgiver, attd entertaining senti
ments of the highest, purest devotion.—
Look where you will and God is there!—
I.'pon external objects ami upon your own
minds His power is visible! Then, as
your knowledge is gained from Ills works
—from Himself—lo what ought it to be
employed more titan to the illustration of
His wisdom and power and goodness!
Anotliei end to which your intellectual
■icquiiements should he devoted is the im
parting knowledge to others, As you have
b en benefited from the conversation and
writings of your fellow men, you are hound
to endeavor to return something for such
opportunities. Every science which you
have studied may be made the basis of
some art that is of importance to the wel
fare of men, and while the pursuit of it has
led you In contemplate the wisdom of na
ture’s laws, it demands of you’as a most
sacred duty to follow out the end of its
Great Original in employing and applying
it to the benefit of tltose around you, lit
every sort of learning there is opened a
field of benevolent operation; of good that
may bo done to the world; for “the power
of scientific benevolence is far greater than
that of all others to the welfare of society.”
“The benevolence of the great, or the op
ulent, however eminent it may he. perishes
with themselves. The benevolence even
of sovereigns is limited to the narrow boun
dary of human life; ami not unfrequently
is succeeded by different and discordant
counsels- Blit the benevolence of knowl
edge is of a kind as extensive as the race
of man, and as permanent as the existence
of society,” By pursuing the right course,
then, you may perhaps leave behind you
the means of happiness for ages vet un
born, and become a co-wotker with your
Creator in the improvement of His Crea
tion. And you should also improve, exalt,
ennoble, your own minds with llte knowl
edge yon have acquired; yon should reflect
upon what kind of persons ought pilose to”
be to whom wisdom has opened Iter treas
ures; and you should continually hear in
mind that one of the most painful; unnatu
ral and debasing spectacles that can he pre
sented to the mind is that'of knowledge
with vice united. It counteracts the inten
tions of the Creator in the diffusion of wis
dom; and it makes men similar to those
dark spirits who have fallen from Heaven
to employ their excellence of knowledge in
deeds of wickedness.
11l order to accomplish the great ends
which I have endeavored to point ont,,yon
must he umiritis; in your eflorts to acquire
wisdom, and wisdom, too, that can confer
upon you happiness and honor. It ran
raise the most obscure to the exalted sta
tions of usefulness and esteem; it can give
to the poorest youth the confidence ami
love of society; “length of days is in her
right hand, and in her left are riches end
honor;”—“her ways are ways of pleasant
ness and all'lier paths are peace.” Then,
young readers, be active; he diligent; be
unceasing in your efforts to gain wisdom:-
“Seizeupon Truth wherever *tis found;
Among your friends among your foes,
Oti Christian or on heathen ground;—
The flower’s divine wheiever it grows,”
Seek it in your walks, in the groves, anil
in the fields; draw it from the skies above
mid from the earth beneath; bring it out
from the deplhs-of your own minds: study
nature; study man; study ynurpr.lots. —
Seek it by observation, by discourse, bv
meditation, and, above all, by prayer?—
There is not a moment that passes but leaves
something behind it worthy of your atten
tion; there is not a flower that springs from
the eat th, or a fowl that plays through the
air, that is unworthy of scientific investiga
tion: theiu is not a pebble laying upon the
shore or a star glittering in the sky, that
cannot tell you something of iriutre and of
nature's God! Then, look, and think, and
bear, and feel, and pray, at all times and at
all places, that yon may grow wise! that
you may “get wlsdoin-get understanding!”
Ami when you have acquired it, keep it,
treasure it up in the secret recesses of your
hearts, that you may, at all limes, com
mand it for your own good, for the happi
ness of others, and for the glory of God-
TANARUS, M. Slaughter.
Beech Spring.
For the Christian Index.
Meriwether Cos., March 9, 1844.
Brother Baker , — l have thought for
some time, to give you, and through your
valuable paper, the readers thereof, sotrip
account of an interview with our much es
teemed brother Kincaid. I saw a notice
in the Index of hi* intended visit or flight
FOR THE BAPTIST CONVENTION OF THE STATE OF GEORGIA.
PENFIELD, GA., MARCH 29, 1844.
through a small part of western Georgia,
and Bartlesville being the nearest point that
he would visit, I resolved, hy divine per
mission, to meet hint there, a distance of
twenty-nine miles front me. Having read,
front lime to time, communications from
brother K. in the Baptist Missionary Mag
azine, giving account of the mighty works
which our God is performing by him. to
gether with our other Missionaries in Bur
malt, with deep interest, I felt the greater
anxiety to hear front the lips of our Dear
Brother a history of the Mission ; and 1 de
sire to thank God that he was permitted to
meet us at the time and place appointed.—
We found him a remarkably plain matt, in
apparent good health, most open and frank
in his manners, ready at all times to answet
all and every question in the most kind and
interesting manner, llis appointment was
not generally known, and therefore there
was but a small congregation out to hear
him ; but those that were out were com
pletely captivated with the thrilling account
of the glorious work that the great Head of
the church is carrying on, in the benighted
regions of the East, and manifested llte
teresl they felt, by the liberal contribution
that was made, for so small a congregation.
O it was interesting to hear of the eonver
sion of not only one whose soul is wo'hh
vastly more than all the money and toil that
has been had, hut tens, hundreds, tea, thou
sands of the poor benighted heathen, who
were silting in the awful regions of dark
ness and shadow of Death, having no hope
and without God in the world. But the
time hail come, when God in great mercy
designed to visit the dark habitations of cru
elty, and for this purpose sent the immortal
Judson, together with those who have since
gone, carrying with them the atl-glorious
proclamation made to the Shepherds, on
that ever memorable Morn, that unto you a
Saviour is Born, which is Christ the Lord:
and behold the result! Fifty regular con
stituted churches, containing upward office
thousand members ; filly
continually engaged in carrying the great
Proclamation, unto yon a Savfeur is Born,
untq you a Saviour is Bout. And ‘#?irther,
to hear of the steadfastness of our dear Bttr
inan and Karen Brethren, under the many
and sore trials of persecution, composed of
fines, confiscation, imprisonment and scour
ing; all, all, demonstrates it to be the work
of God.
I was much pleased at the deep interest
manifested by brother James Davis, (the
pleasure of whose company I hail from my
house to Bartlesville and back, he will par
don tne for referring to the circumstance.)
on the occasion, who, among other things,
stated, that he was poor, and had no money
to give, hut that he would do what he could.
He had two sons that were baptists ; them,
lie would give, if the great Head of the
church would call them to the work.
And now, brother Baker, permit me to
say, that it strikes me with great force that
brother Kincaid cannot so well serve the
cause of our mission to the East, as in vis
iting every part of our Zion at Ijotne. II is
manner, his humble piety, the deep feeling
manifested, the often flowing tear, all carry
conviction to the heart of every hearer and
would, of necessity, blow up the latent
spark in many, many bosoms, and fan it
into a missionary flame that would not soon
be extinguished. Funds are wanted to car
ry on this great work, these must abide in
the slop or we cannot he saved. When
was there a time so favorable for the gath
ering funds as the present; the people get
ting out of Debt, money quite plentiful, and
prosperity every where. Brother Kincaid
can make collections that no other man can
do.
1 submit these thoughts, and if you think
they will bo worth as much as the poor
widow’s gift, you can give them to your
readers, if not, consign them to the flames.
Yours in Christian Bond,
A. M. MATHEWS,
We have no doubt, could hrotliet Kin
caid spend some time in the South, that tie
would he able to stir up our brethren to
more zeal ami greater liberality ; but we do
not believe that his arrangements will allow
him to do so. Let us therefore seek to stir
up each other. The meeting of oor Stale
Convention is near at hand. (We were
pleased that brother Whitten referred to the
fact in our last.) (t will afford an opportu
nity to brethren to send up their contribu
tions for the various benevolent objects that
the convention is designed to promote. Go
to work, brethren, and work with all your
might.— E l.
For the Christian Index.
My Fathrr's Praytrs.
Some lime since I was present when a
woman presented herself to the church for
membership. She was the daughter of a
Baptist prcacherof the older settled purls of
Georgia, hut she had married and moved to
Southwestern Georgia : and wliita speak
ing of her convictions for sin, I asked her,
what caused Iter to be first concerned about
Iter lost condition. She replied, “My Fa
ther’s prayers; the many prayeis and anx
ious desires manifested by my father for
the salvation of his children, came fresh in
my mind, which caused me to see and feel
Qty lost condition.” The language of this
Woman, has often reproved my cold and
formal prayers; perhaps it may speak lo
otheTs— Brethren in the Lord, do we all
manifest those anxious desires, in all our
. fatuity devotioiMMs'-And why not? Are
llte souls of our children of so little worth
that we pray for them with but little con
cern ? Parents, how do you leel on this
subject ? Are some ol your children grown
and ready to emigrate to the West to seek
a fortune ? Have your prayers been so
many and been accompanied with such a
manifestation of ilesiie that they may
produce a timely repentance ? And may 1
not fear that there tire some lew that may,
at the bar of God, hear their children say,
I never heard my lather pray ! And ye
dear young men, who have been raised by
godly parents, and who could not lake the
latitude in sin which you wished in your
father’s presence, and rambled olf for the
express purpose of living the prodigal life,
let me exhort you to turn to the Lord while
he is near, and call upon hint while he may
be Ibund. God is always near us witness
ing our words, thoughts and deeds. He is
sometimes near us in his meicv ; he is
sometimes neat us in his judgment, and
sometimes near us in our eternal destruc
tion. May the prayers of parents be sanc
tified to the salvation of their children.
OBSERVER.
Circular Letler.
BV REV. C. D. MALLARY.
Beloved Brethren —ln this, our Annual
Address, we propose, in as brief a manner
as possible, to urge. The importance of a
more extensive diffusion of Religious In
telligence in your families and churchts,
l!y Religious Intelligence we mean, that
winch makes us acquainted with the spirit
ual wants of our country, ajtd the World at
large ; the condition and prospects of the
various Christian denominations; revivals
ol ieligion ; the efforts of the churches to
extend the triumphs of the Gospel in the
earth, with the various measures of success
attending these efforts ; in a word, just such
intelligence as is furnished, from time lo
tune, by a well conducted religious news
paper.
1. Such intelligence will supply us with
intieh to augment our spiritual joy, and as
sist us to praise and glorify the Great Head
of the Church. How can we rejoice in
that of which we arc ignorant ? flow can
we praise God lor ttiat which we do not
know he. bus performed ! If it is desirabie
that our joy should be full, then are we to
value all those means which minister to this
blessed fulness, if it is proper that God
“should be adored and praised for Itis won
derlul works’in the salvation of souls, and
llte advancement of Ins spiritual empire in
the world, then should we diligently inquire
about these wonderful works, and eagerly
welcome to our dwellings that intelligence
winch reverts to us the spreading glories of
the Redeemer’s Kingdom. To him that
lovelli Zion, the cavtnur, ami the souls of
men, wftat cult he a some- of sweeter joy,
than to hear of Zion’s enlargement, the .Sa
viour’s conquests, the salvation of immortal
souls? Tins is intelligence winch dlls ill.
songs, and swells the rupture of the hosts
of heaven. They hear of converted Hot
tentots, and Hindoos,and Karens,ami Clier
okeespand every new item of intelligence
like this, calls forth anew and loud hosan
nah from imiuoiial tongues. Such news
as tins may every Christian family receive
from week to week; and in such joy as this
may every Christian parent participate. —
And yet, strange to tell, liiere aie vast num
bers of our brethren, who seem contented
to remain in lamentable ignorance of what
the Lord is doing to restore the ruins of the
fallen. With intense anxiety do they bend
their ears and their hearts to the reports of
commercial disaster and success, of the
waxing and waning of neighborhood lends
and political squabbles ; hut how careless
ly do they sear. It after that news which in
tere. Is ail heaven ; the history of that Em
pire for which all other empires rise and
and—lor which all nature holds on its
mighty course—which engaged the eternal
counsels ol Jehovah, was founded upon the
groans and blood oi Ins Son; was set up to
unfold the riches of his dory, and is “the
fullness ol him that filleih all in all.”
2. Ileligious Intelligence will aid us as
much in ascertaining our duly to a lust
mortal. If we are not utterly mistaken as
to the atrangemetits and designs of the Sa
viour, one important end for which he con
verts one man, is that he may be the means
of converting others. Such a renewal and
enlightened soul is a part of that light which
is to illuminate the nations: a portion of the
precious leaven which is to pervade and
purify the mass of this woild’s vast and
wide-spread population. ** Go ve into all
the world and preach the Gospel to every
creature,” is a command which imposes di
rectly, or indirectly, the most imperious ob-
iigation upon every believer. Whatever
sacrifices he can reasonably make, whatev
er etfort he can consistently pul (btili for
the entire conversion of the tfr’orld to God,
and fur the elevation of llie'Chiirch to the
highest possible degree of CfficieiScy aiid’
holt .ess, is required at Ins hands, by that
Saviour who has purchased hint with his
blood. But how can a Christian understand
his duties to the church, to any practical
purpose, unless lie is acquainted with the
wants of the church ? How can he meas
ure his obligations to a perishing world, so
long as he js not properly acquainted with
the spiritual necessities of the world ? Tlnj
Gospel clearly unfolds, and forcibly incul
cates the general principles which are to in
fluence and guide us in our efforts to ad
vance the Redeemer’s Kingdom, but the
full bearing of these principles, upon the
matter of the present duty, can only be as
certained front a proper knowledge of the
circumstances with which we are surround
ed. A genetal may learn from the instruc
tions which he has received from his prince,
that it is his duly to use Ins utmost endeav
ors to delettd his country and foil all the
stratagems of the enemy, but certainly a
knowledge of the letritory which is lobe
the probable theatre of conflict, of the num
ber, position, plans, and resources of his
enemy, will he of great importance, that he
may so airange and proportion his efforts
as honorably to In I(i 1 the duties of his office,
and to meet the just expectations of Ins
prince and Itis country. The Gospel re
quires us lo “ be merciful as our Father
which is in il eaveti is merciful—to be stead
fast, immovable, always abounding in the
work of the Lord—to do good unto all men
as we have opportunity but how arc we
to weigh the obligations which these com
mands itnpos •, unless we know something
of the character, condition, and number of
those who have claims upon our mercy,
upon what fields the work .of the Lord is to
be ptoseculed, and wliat opportunities the
providence of God lias tliroivii in our way
to do good to ottr fellow men ? That In
telligence, ol which we are speaking, will
reveal these things to us in noon-day bright
ness, and, in the same clear light, expound
to us our Christian obligations* It will in
form us of the melancholy lack of efficient
and laborious ministers ; of vast numbers
of feeble and destitute churches, which are
imploring the aid of their better supplied
and wealthier sisters ; ol thousands in out
own happy land, that are itiisupplied with
Bibles, and ministers, and churches ; of
millions, far beyond ns, ftpon whose eyes
the beams of the Sun of Righteousness have
never fallen, of many extended fields in
pagan lands which are already while sot the
harvest; and of the many inviting opportu
nities which God is opening, through which
out bounty may find its’ way, laden with
the rich blessings of salvation to those des
olate and long forgotten realms. It might,
be supposed that our churches had long
since become familiar with all these things;
but a very superficial inquiry would satisfy
us, that there is a great want of the proper
information amongst many of our brethren,
who have obtained the title (perhaps im
properly) of etfort Missionary Baptists.—
lienee the views they entertain as to the
vast field of duty, arc indefinite and vague;
and under such circumstances, what better
can be hoped lor than feeble and inadequate
efforts, for the conversion of the world.—
But let no one suppose that God will hold
us excusable for that neglect of duty which
is the result ol needless ignorance. Under
such circumstances a threefold charge stands
written down against us. We are guilty
tit neglecting the means of information
when it is brought within our reach; we
are guilty in t.,e neglect of those duties
which we could have learned with so little
expense and trouble; and we are held
chargeable in God’s righteous arcouiit, with
llte fearful consequences resulting to the in
terests ol Zton, and of immortal souls, from
this criminal neglect.
3. Religious Intelligence will not only
aid us in forming just conceptions of
Christian duty, but it will supply vs with
the most powerful incentive to the dis
charge of duly. It will rebuke the rapaci
ty ol the cliuicltts, encourage their faith,
arouse their Christian sensibilities, and Warm
up their benevolence to vigorous and useful
action. Through the properly opened
channels of r. ligtous intelligence, the pano
rama of Zion's wants and woes rises bright
ly to our vision. The broad field of hea
then ignorance, superstition and misery,
spreads out belore our threshhohls. The
car of the Juggernaut rolls by our windows;
the groans of a world pressed down in spir
itual bondage ; the Macedonian cry from a
thousand lands, vibrates through our dwell
ings. If the love of God and of souls dwells
in our bottoms, these sights ami sounds will
rouse it to action. From the authentic in
telligence ol the diy, we learn that illustri
ous prophecies are in the course of fulfil
ment, and thus our faith in the word of God
gains new strength, and our hope, as to the
future glory of the church, new brightness.
In the spreading triumph of truth, we see
the answer ol our prayers, and the fruit of
our giving; and we are thereby stimulated
lo pray mure fervently, and to contribute
more liberally. In the same way we learn
that the churches which pour out most a
hutulattily the waters of their beneficence
upon the parched deserts of the world, are
themselves the most abundantly watered,
and thus we are pinvoked to press on in a
swift career of holv emulation. We com
mune with Judson, and Kincaid, and Onc
ken, and the persecuted M<vn*ters, and otlt-
PuuLisuER—BENJ, BRANTLY.
er spirits of kindred excellence, scattered
through the broad field of missionary toil,
with the happy, rejoicing coiivcits which
they have guided to the fold and feel of
Glirtsl, and dead, thrice dea'd indeed must
be ridr souls, if such communion as this will
not Warm, rttuse, and iutpr'uvC us'if it will
not elevate our conceptions of Christian du
ty, and at the same time prompt to greater
sacrifices for the salvation of perishing mil
lions;
These views appear so us to be perfectly
rational ;• and what reason would seem to
inculcate, univeAuß experience has confirm
ed. The efforts of the rhurdles to evan
gelize the world have been proportioned, in
a good degree, to the intelligence that has
heeit diffused amongst them. 4he best in-
I'ormed have.generally been the nrrtst liber
al, active ami efficient, the most ignorant
have been the most inert. ‘The impulses of
piety, unless loused and guided by proper
and consistent vieys of things, must ever
be feeble and unfruitful. Knowli dgc is the
proper aliment of faith and love, and where
this material has been wisely and constant
ly supplied, the piety of the churches has
hurst forth with vigorous action. Itis true
that their exertions will often be found to
come short of the knowledge they have of
their duty lo a perishing world; Inn it would
he insanity to suppose that their efforts
would ever go beyond it. Knowledge, e
veil in the hands of the most holv and de
voted, may not do all the good which it
might; hut ignorance can accomplish no
good tiling whatever.
It that kind of knowledge of which we
have been speaking, contiihutes frwmttch to
our spiritual joy , and aids us so muCh in of
fering up a becoming tribute of praise mid
glory to God; if it has such a direct and
important agency in revealing to the church
its tremendous and immovable responsibil
ities, anif the manner in which it ritay avoid
to a vast extent, die enormous sin arWd curse
of neglecting them ; il it furnishes sit much
solid nutriment to faith, and hope, and lo y e,
and prayer, and the spirit of holy, evangel
ic enterprize ; how necessary it appears that
every possible eli’urt should be made to o
pen up to it the channel of universal circu
lation.
To our ministering brethren 1 w s e would
say, encourage the diffusion of Religious
Intelligence amongst your people. To the
churches Wc would say, deliberate speedily
upon this subject, and adopt, at once, some
measures which v/'tjl, if possible, secure the
means of religious information Idr every ono
of your members. Every family should
be induced to take at leirst one religious
newspaper. We think we do not go too
far in saving, that the presence of such u
periodical should he valued in every habita
tion, next to that of the Bible itself. Aside
front the intelligence which it will supply,
it will impart, in its regular and riff-repeat
ed visits, a large amount of ttslffitl instruc
tion upon the various doctrines and duties
of the Gospel i expound difficult texts, give
good counsel, administer timely reproof,
and, to some extent, perform the service of
a commentary, a theological compend, and
a manual of devotional reading. Much
will be found in such a periodical, which
will interest the younger ‘members of the
family ; and with but little effort they will
gather from its pages knowledge that will
greatly benefit them in future life, and es
pecially} (should the Lord convert them,)
contribute to their efficiency as members of
tire Church of Christ.
We have a valuable paper, the Christian
Index, published in our State, under the
patronage of our CotVventibnyaritf well a*
dapted to the wants of our churches. As
deserving as it is of patronage, as necessa
ry as it is to our denomination in the State,
as a vehicle of religions information, it is
nevetiheless compelled, by our apathy, to
run a very crippled and precarious race.—
It should be subscribed for by every Baptist
family, that are not absolutely living upon
the charity of their brethren ; and even
then, ilte charity which supplies them with
bread, should place by the side of their Bi
ble the Christian Index, or som% similar
publication. The head of every family
should say, “If I can procure food and rai
ment for my wife and children, surely, I
Can, with Goil’.s blessing, so manage rts to
take a religious paper.” There are at least
fifty thousand Baptists in Georgia. One
copy of the Index would he a small supply
sot every ten persons, and yet this would
bring into circulation Jive thousand copies
of that useful publication, (more than twice
the amount of its present entire circulation)
and tlie influence of this single agency, in
a few years, would increase to a four-fold
extent the benevolent efforts of our church
es. Ami what is the mighty cost of the
paper ? 7'u'o dollars and fifty cents a
year ! What a formidable expenditure !
Money enough to purchase two coarse pair
ot shoes, or a little hat for one of the chil
dren ! Quite too much, in the estimation
of many of our brethren, to pay for the
weekly visits of that intelligence, which
Gabriel, with swift and untiring wing, is
carrying up to the (bird heavens, and which
is there received with slibuts of universal
joy. Surely there is 100 little of the tem
per and taste of heaven in our bosoms !
To those who might desire to take more
than one religious periodical, we might
name many other valuable publications;
this, however, would he more properly
done in soma other place than in our Circu
lar Letter ; however, we feel unwilling to
close without naming a little Missionary
paper, of much merit and extraordinary
published once x month, at Bos-
INO. 13.