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Joseph s,. baker— Editor.
VOL. XI f.
TERMS PER ANNUM.
W” The Christian Index, published
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trons tnd agents are requested to notice this.
Every Agent (and all Baptist Ministers
are particularly solicited to become agents)
who procure and pay for five copies of the
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pensation for his trouble.
letters oil business, or communications,
must be ad tressed to the Editor, post paid.
Advertisements may be inserted on usual
terms, at the discretion of the Editor.
I'oiihsMuns or Declarations of Faith:
The Duty of Churches to make a public.
Declaration of their Faith considered ’
and maintained.
Section 3.— The Dutv aroued from
CERTAIN PROHIBITIONS OF SCRIPTURE.
We are instructed in the sacred scriptures,
not to receive any into the church who hold
doctrine*.contrary to the gospel of Christ,
(1 Tim. vi. 3—;5. 2 Jno. x. ii. etc.;) and
churches are severely censured for holding
such in fellowship, (Rev. ii. 14, 15—20 )
Before receiving a member, then, ii is our
duty to learn something | his doctrinal
views and practices; and in order to do
this, we must interrogate him and elicit his
views. But rights, privileges, and duties
are reciprocal. If ! have a right to inter
rogate anothei. touching anv matter, lie has
the same tight to interrogate me; and if it
is his duty to reply to my interrogations, it
is equallv mine to reply to his. Moreover,
it is as much his doty to acquaint himself
with my views, before he proposes to unite
with me, as it is mine, to acquaint myself
with his views, before l receive him: for if
he unites with me. while I hold- doctrines,
or advocate practices unwarranted hy the
scriptures, he becomes partaker of mv sins.
For the passages of scripture to which we
have already referred, and others of a like
import are binding nit individual members
as well as oil individual churches. It is
just as impossible for an individual who is
sound in the faith, to unite with a church
which is unsound, and maintain his inno
cence, as it was, iiinler ill • Levitical law,
for the clean to Imld communication with
the unclean, and retain his purity. (Nunt.
xix. 22.) (Hag. ii- 13.)
Here the question recurs. How is the
individual applicant to learn the views of
the Individual church, if that church has
no declaration of its views to which he
may turn! The conclusion is obvious. It
is the duty, which the cliiiro.li owes to oth
ers to have a public record of her views, to
which those may he directed, who may de
sire to acquaint themeelyes with her faith
and practice, previous to seeking her com- 1
imimon. To deny this is. in effect,’ to
sanction the anti-scriptural views af those
who represent, that tt is a matter of little
importance what are the particular doc
trines or rites observed in a church, provid
'd! tlrot church is sound in the main—that
is, provided it a knowledges that salvation
is to he obtained through the Lord Jesus
Christ, and through him atone. We con
tend, on the contrary, that an individual
who feels it his duty to unite with the
church, should feel it a duty equally impe
rious, to unite with that, church which is
most strictly conformed in its doctrines
and practices to the constitution and ip.nlel
of a Christian chiirch. as presented in titer
New Testament. If we are right in this,
it must be important that every church
should first examine and decide what .are
the leading doctrines inculcated in the word
of God, and what are the rites and cere
monies institut'd and commaded to he ob
served by the Christian church; and sec
ondly. to make the result of her examina
tion known,.bv a public declaration of her
views, that **he that runs may read,” and
may he left inexcusable, should he neglect
his duty in this important matter.
It is by hanging out our lights that the
darkness of others is made manifest. By
a public declaration of our views, if those
views be corret, the errors of otheis are
exposed, attention is directed to them, the
world is admonished, is put upon its guard,
and is excited to engage in the search of
truth. Does not the church, then, that ne
glects thus publicly to promnlge her views,
hide her light under a bushel? Does site
not neglect an important means afforded of
contrasting truth with error? of commend
ing the one and repioving the other? of
calling to the sons and daughters of.inen,
“This is the way. walk ye'therein?” Is
it surprizing, if she refuses to hold out her
light, that they should be led astray bv the
false lights of those who have departed froni
the faith? But a more solemn inquiry re
mains to be made—ls those who are en
ticed from the paths of truth and holiness,
perish in the evil ways in which they are
led. mav it not, with propriety, he said to
the church that has veiled her light, as was
said of old to the murderer Cain. “The
voice of thv brother’s blood crielh unto me
from the ground.” (Oen. iv. 10.)
An argument involved in the preceding
remaiks, we would embody in a somewhat
different form, and again present before the
reader. A confession of our faith is ne
cessary. in shield, others from the conse
quences of the misrepresentations of those
THE CHRISTIAN INDEX.
who differ from us. That those who op
pose the views of a particular church often
do attribute to it sentiments and practices
that are pernicious and absurd, and repug
nant alike to the doctrines of the gospel,
to the dictates of common sense, and to
the views and practices of the chinch, as
really entertained anil followed, is a fact of
too hequent orctiirence to admit of a denial.
It is also a fact, as true as it is lamentable,
that lit is is often done, for the exptess pur
pose of deterring individuals (rum seeking
a connexion with a church, towutds which
they feel impelled, hy a sense of duty.—
S ch a course of conduct cannot be too se
verely reprobated, for it is at variance with
the common principles of honesty. But
while we reprobate it, we should also us?
all lawful means to pievenl its recurrence.
It will probably be asked, do you suppose
that a confession of faith would prove a
safeguard against this evil? We answer,
wejlo believe that it would lessen the evil,
first, hy causing it to recur less frequently;
and, secondly, by obviating, in a considera
ble degree, its effects, when it did occur.—
Our reasons we proceed to give, 1. Indi
viduals would be less likely to resort to
such false representations, when they knew
that the means of disproving them Were at
hand. 2. When such representations were
■made, an individual would have it in his
pow er to ascertain, with certainty, and with
but little trouble, whether they were cor
rect or not. Some will sav, he might do
this as effectually by consulting individual
members of the church. This will not do
—The serpent is “more subtle than any
beasi of the field ” If you respond that A
and B. members of the church, had repre
sented facts differently, he will make anoth
er coil, and then, as he did in the days of
Adam, make a leap in the face of truth.—
He will boldly affirm, that “A and B. good
anil honest men as they are, know nothing
about the matter. They very probably
hold the views which they h.ve ascribed
to the church, hut—vott mav rely upon
what l sav—-they know nothing about the
matter. I have had belter opportunities
than they have had of learning the faith
and practice of the church. Whatever
may he the views of a few individuals.
the church, in general, believe and act as 1
have stated.” He lavs a peculiar empha
sis upon the words “in general,” and, with
a significant look, seems to sav, ‘•You had
Tietter take mv word for it, for you mav re
ly upon it. I know much more than I think
propet. to express.” Out with yonr lights,
then, we would say to the churches, that
the youthful pilgrim may discern the cloven
foot of the wily adversary, and make his
escapo, ere his feet be taken in the snare
that is spread for him.
Ii is evident, that the misrepresentations
to which we have al'luded. must also exert
a delete ion* influent'',’ upon the church it
self. If, therefore, a public declaration of
her views would tend to prevent thesp mis
representations, or expose their falsity,
when made, a time respect for her own char
acter should lead. h“r to make sm It a decla
ration. But this remark more properly ap
pertains to a branch of our subject over
which we hfivn already passed. We ab
stain from fit riher retrogression.
Let it be noted, that our arguments go to
prove, not that it is expedient, but that it is
the duty of churches to make a public dec
laration of ti err faith. We know that ob
jections will arise in the mirtds of many,
and. thin ihostt who are opposed to confes
sions off faith will seek to ensconce behind
those, objections, and thus endeavor to
shiehl themselves from the convictions,
which the views we have exhibited may he
calculated to produce. Many seem to think
it sufficient to justify them in rejecting a
truth, or neglecting a duty, to he able to
rttise some plausible objection against it.—
lit matters of mere expediency, it is not
only allowable, but necessary, that we
should weigh well the objections to any
preserib and course, and dec'de for or against
it; according as the advantages preponder
ate. But it is not so in cases of duty. If
a duty he clearly demonstiated,- we are
bound to yield to it, whatever disadvantages
may appear to be therewith connected.—
And, whether it he demonstrated bv a soli
tary argument,’or hy a series of arguments,
objections to it can avail nothing, unless
they involve an impossibility. The ques
tion in such a case is not, what are the ben
efits to result from this course, blit does du
ty require us to pursue it? Thecalls of flu
ty are imperious. She speaks but to com
mand, and commands but to be obeyed. If
we resist her calls, we do it at our petit.—
Let this distinction between matters of’du
ty and matters of expediency be borne in
mind, and before any reject the conclusions
to which we have been led, in the examina
tion of the subject beloie us, let tlrem •at
least show wherein our premises or our ar
guments have been defective, or wherein
our conclusions have been illogical.
For the Christian Index.
To “A Particular Bcptist.”
Dear brother —ln No. 11 of the Index I
have found an article over your signature
relative to a subject which I had previously
htonght to the notice of the public, and now
proceed to examine vour examination of
the subject. Your admission (hat there is a
wrong is well, but that it is wrong lororrlplain
of the tough and unseemly garment which
truth may sometimes be made to wear we
can by no means admit. Our views on this
FOR THE BAPTIST CONVENTION OF THE STATE OF GEORGIA.
PEN FI ELD, GA, MAY 17, 1844.
point are given in our last article. We for
bear repetition and heartily concm with you
that 11 the Bible is the standard of ortho
doxy,” yet a work of infinitely lower au
thority is used by some as a standard, if we
mistake not. Your examination of the Ar
ticle was but partial, and we had hoped that
in a subsequent number you would finish
what had been commenced. As this has
not been done, we can but go with you as
far ns you have gone. So far as my knowl
edge extends, you have labored under a mis
take in the very outset, in supposing that
the words eternal and definite contain all
that is objectionable in the portion of the
article quoted, iV And we can but express
oursurptise that you should have taken so
much pains to establish that which there is
no controversy about, viz : that God is
eternal in all his purposes and designs, and
that a definite number ol the human family
will finally be saved. Among those who
are said to he dissatisfied on this subject we
know <d none who object to these truths ;
indeed they are in the abstiact altogether
unobjectionable. Yea further, that Uml
had an eternal choice is freely admitted and
forms one of the strong pillars of the Chris
tian’s hope. But, Oy Brother, it is the in
discreet and unauthorized use made of these
wort’s to which we object. When we are
mhl that eternal election is unconditional,
this idea is associated with the communica
tion ; that Gotl in the exercise of his sov
ereign v\ ill set his love upon a part of the
human family, ami adopted measures which,
should he specially calculated to effect their
salvation without the possibility of failure,
and that the remaining part, though crown
ed with blessings and loaded with benefits
through light of day and gloom of night,
are tmt the special objects of his love; that
no special provision has been made for their
salvation, hut merely a general one, which
although in itself sufficient (this is general
ly admitted) is rendered insufficient in effect
on account of its rejection, the knowledge
of which rejection was as eternal and cer
tain as was the knowledge of the plan.—
We cannot then understand the plan. God
is love, and the perfection of his nature for
bids the idea of his acting inconsistently,
and as it would be inconsistent for him to
love an unworthy object, and as we have a
plain demonstration that He loved man, the
conclusion that man is worthy of his love
is irresistible. We speak of man in his
primeval state, as he came forth from the
hands of his maker in his own image. The
only worthiness, however, that can he as
cribed to him is the perfection in which he
was created and the exalted station which
ho is permitted to occupy, a mere passive
worthiness which God was pleased to be
stow upon him. We hold then, that inas
much'as it hath pleased God to elevate man
to the highest station occupied hy animated
matter on earth, he is consequently the ob
ject of the highest degree of love from his
Maker. We might offer as an additional
reason why man should so pre-eminently
share the favor and love of his Creator, that
he only, of all hi* works, was selected to
constitute the link as it were between hea
ven and eat th, the only tenement of clay
permitted to enjoy the indwelling of an im
mortal spirit. Perceiving then from the
light of reason as well as from revelation,
that man is the peculiar object of his Crea
tor’s love, it necessarily follows that that
love would be so exercised as to benefit
man in the greatest possible degree. In
deed, to suppose the contrary would he an
admission that God might devise an imper
fect plan, which is an impossibility. Inas
much then as God is love, and man is an
object of love, and as a perfect plan has
been devised sot the exercise of this love,
man will be benefitted iit as great measure
as it is possible for him to derive benefit
from this plan or the exercise of God’s love.
Now as this plan makes requirements and
proposes conditions that must be complied
with in order to be beneficial, and as it is
general in its provisions, addressed to ali
the sons? of men, it follows fiat all to whom
it is addressed, by the aid of the Spirit, can
comply or they cannot. If they cannot
comply, the plan is defective, wliioh is im
possible, therefore they can comply ; yet
the very fact that terms are ptoposed and
compliance made necessary to derive bene
fit, shows conclusively that rejection is pos
sible. We arrive then to the ultimatum of
our argument thus: God loves all his crea
tures according to the degree of worthiness
he has bestowed upon them ; man, origin
ally a unit, had this worthiness bestowed
in but one degree ; his progeny, the de
scendants of a common parent, alike con
stituted and alike fallen, can have it in but
one degree: His love therefore is the same
to all, and He could not have had-a pecul
iar ail'd distinguishing love for the persons
of a part only, a doctrine which I under
stand you in common with many others to
advocate, and which seems,, lo the writer
ol this article capable of being, supported
only by a Tirced construction of scripture,
and a subversion of the principles of sound
argument, j | Wie tfpHSve in the doctrine of
eternal elecimr., in the peculiar manifesta*
tion of God’s love to his peculiar people,
who are those that obey the gospel of his
Son. But we cannot find authority nr rea
son for basing this eternal choice and this
peculiarity of love upon his partiality’for
persons ifrespective of obedience. As to
the sovereign will of man spoken of by you,
we have only to say that we know of no
authority'fit ascribing to man that which
belongs alone to Deity.
Y-.tt's in love,
INQUIRER.
For the Christian Index.
An Essay on the Christian Religion.
Sec. V. — Temple of Christianity—the In
struments used in rearing the structure.
Got! in His infinite wisdom and good
ness has conferredupon men the honor of
being the instruments in llis hands by which
the work of salvation is carried forward ;
they ate the tools used by the Great Archi
tect in rearing the structure of the Temple
of Christianity. There are various ways
in which these instruments are used, and
various kinds and degrees of lahor assigned
to each. Every power and faculty which
God has conferred upon man is designed
to be employed in this great work ; as see
ing, hearing, reasoning, judging, reading,
writing, &c. ! : but two great means are more
especially ifenjoined—praying and preach
ing, Thtf'prayer of faith and the sermon
of truth ure essential to the promulgation of
Chrislianjty ; they hand it from heart to
heart, spread it from community to commu
nity and fiom land to land. No country
has ever been christianized except hy these
means ; no people have been changed from
idolatry to the worship of-the living anil
true God except by the means and through
the instrumentality of His Ministers.—
Hence the Minister of the Gospel may be
said to occupy the most responsible, the
moat honotable anil the most useful office
among m'4n*; he receives his authority rroitt
God, and goes forth in the “power of His
might,” to do battle in His cause against
.the enemies of Truth. If God calls some
men to engage in the advancement of His
work, is it not reasonable and scriptural to
conclude that He designs that others should
aid bv affording the wprldly means which
He has given them ? The minister and
the laymember.'the wealth of the world and
the world itself, are His, anil should he de
voted to His setvice. lie knows and ot
ders all things, and designs that all things
shall promote Ilis glory, and the good ol
His creatures. This is shown by every
work of His hands ; it appears in the super
latively wise dispensations of His provi
dence , in the glorious work of redemption;
in-the regulation and preservation of Ilis
people in every age of the world. These
things should tench us to admire and love
Him ; to trust and confide in him ; to raise
our prayers and praises to tlis throne ; and
to how with submission to His will.
How greatjis the Love ofOod for his crea
tures ! How wise His designs and arrange
ments for their happiness ! How dear the
gift of His Son to die for, and redeem them
from death! How kind the glorious reve
lation of His will, and the promises he has
made them ! llow awful His punishment
of their enemies ! Oh, how wise, dear and
kind are all His actions towards them !
-Then, as instillments in His hand for the
enlargment of His dominions, are they not
bound by gratitude, by love, and by their
interests, both temporal and eternal, to he
ever actively, universally engaged in the
great work ?
Sec. Vl.— The Excellence of the Chris
tian Religion.
The excellence of Christianity may be
shown by a consideration of tlie following
heads: l. The Character of God, as at
tempted to he pointed out in the foregoing
Section. 2. The character of man, as a
reasonable and accountable cieature. 3.
What is required of man by his Creator, as
obedience, love, confidence, reverence, &c.
4. The plan of pardon, as made through
the atonement of the Saviour. 5. The for
mation, nature and ptogress of the church
of Christ, as shown by the scriptures, and
hy daily observation and experience. 6.
The resurrection of the dead, as establish
ed by the resurrection of Christ. 7. The
rewards and punishments, that await the
conduct of man, in a future state, as laid
down in the word of God; There is noth
ing in the Religion of Christ that is calcula
ted to make the soul revolt from its env 1
brace , nothing that is unholy, impure, or
immoral; nothing is required by it that is
not beneficial to mankind ; nothing is for
bidden hy its precepts that is not injurious;
nothing is in it that does not lend both to
belter our temporal condition, and to impart
hope and confidence for Eternity. It i? the
fountain from which flow the streams o!
charity, of benevolence, of filial ohedienee.
of parental kindness, and of brotherly love :
it gives freedom to nations, security to so
cieties, harmony to families, and liberty ol
conscience to individuals. These excellen
cies of the Christian Religion arc strong ev
idences of its Truth, and arc calculated to
make it sought after and cherished by eve
ry rational mind. How can nten, who
know these things to be true, reject it ?
(The reader is recommended to peruse Pa
ley’s of Christianity.”)
The excellence of Christianity appears in
its advancement. Scorn, derision, torture
and death have been in vain attempted to
cheek its march. Thousands upon thou
sands of its followers, of every age. sex and
condition, have been consumed in the rag
ing storms which have been taised against
it by its enemies ; still.it has been, and is.
onward ; nothing can stop the advancement
ofTruth, defended by Almighty power.—
At our day it flies from heart to heart, and
ftoni land to land, and its folio wets now,
like the Israelites of old, increase more rap
idly as scorn and persecutions are heaped
upon them. The frozen regions of the
North, the burning plains of the South, the
mountains covered with the snows ofa hun
dred winters, the valleys glittering in the
robes of everlasting spring—aii, resound
with the prayers and the praises of Chris
tians. Though religious persecutions have
not eeasei!, yet Christianity advances, and
the Kingdom of God is enlarged. Corrup
tion begins to tremble-upon her throne, for
Truth in its power is approaching her do
minions.
Will persecutions against the humble fol
lowers of Christ never cease ? “Is there
in he no change in this tragic, this direful
scene of blood and slaughter? Shall bro
therly love and cordial affection never be
come universal; and peace never wave her
white banner throughout the earth ? Is
there no durable institution, (minded in vir
tue, and permanent as the eternal rules of
jtldtlrß 1 1 thru: wiH<lvn yroiwis* i
- rock, on which Truth and Reason may
build a fabric, that shall never fall ? Yes ;
there is a Kingdom ; its foundations were |
laid of old ; its King is the God of Heaven;
its Law is Perfect Love ; its Dominions
are wide, for they extend to the wise and
virtuous in all worlds ; and its subjects are
safe, for they are defended by Almighty
Power.; and they shall rise to eternal pros
perity and glorv, when all earthly king
doms shall vanish like a shadow or a
dream.” (Whclpley’s Cotnpend of His
tory; vol. 2, p. 81;)
There is one sublime anti glorious thought
connected with the present advancement of
Christianity, that makes the heart of the
true believer bound with joy ; and that is
the contemplation of the time, when the
Religion of Christ in its purity shall be uni
versally acknowledged and embraced by
men.
For the Christian Index.
Silver Run. Ala., April 24, 1844.
Fro. Faker —Spring with all its beauties
nnw surround us, (he weather is delightful,
it is a business doing time, our wheat crops
promise an abundant harvest, our seeds are
sown. Vegetation is springing rapidly a
round us. The whole vegetable kingdom
bespeaks life and animation in our midst.
Alas ! Alas ! When we turn our eyes to
the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus, dreary
winter with all its chilling winds, and fro
zen icicles surround us. Surround ns did
I say 5 O if this were all! Indeed the
purge has been so great that our affections
have felt its power, its keen wilherisg winds
have tonched our hearts, our sins separate
between us and God, our Great Spiritual
Sun shines upon us obliquely, consequently
we seem to be approaching near to the free
zing point. I tremble for the ark of God.
Truly this is one of the most trying times I
have seen in Alabama. Is it thus with you,
my dear Georgia Brethren ? Let us adopt
the language of Hog. 6 : 1, “Come and lei
us return unto the Lord.” Come brethren
of Geoigia and of Alabama, let us return.
It is time, yea, high time to return. I want
to see another revival, I think sometimes,
that if called to die, I should not be satisfied
unless I could see another tevjval, 0 Lord
revive u*. In the'churches here where we
have had such great revivals, there ate some
(and thank God hut few) difficulties, now
rnd then one returns to his bottle and is ex
cluded. We-try to maintain a wholesome
and strict discipline among us ;an 11 tejoice
and thank the Lord that drunkenness, and
ignorance is passing away front the Baptist
denomination.
Ooe thought in relation to the Index. I
am exceedingly fond of the paper, and feel
Publisher— BENJ. BRANTLY
that 1 can turn its pages and converse with
my brethren and old Iriends and he edified.
But I do most seriously tegret its change
of form, and all the Alabama subscribers, as
lar as 1 have seen, regret it deeply. lam
sorry for it, for two or three reasons. Ist,
The matter it affords, often is worth a se
cond, a third, and even a.tenth reading.-—-’
Many of us here were exceedingly careful •
in filing it away, and marking in a little
book, many excellent and superior things
in it, the Vol. No. page and all. So that it
could he turned to in a moment. 2nd. I
intended to make it a part of mv library,
not only for my own benefit, but lor my
children after me. When a Newspapei is
dentloras wrapping paper,-even thechildren
would tell each other you must not get or
tear an Index, Pa, you know wants them.
I he out edges of the paper were cut off',
and each No. carefully filed away, and each
particular or good-thing well marked.
Now when I am gone my children exam
ine my papers, they come to this, see it so
well fixed, and its pages every now and
then marked, it must attract their attention,
and will be another source of improvement
to them. I know as it is it may be hung
upon a rope or a siring in the midst of the
dust, where it would take from a half to an
hour to find any thing you wished to see a
second time, and the children after would
say, O its nothing but some Newspapers,
and they are thrown away. I know 1
might get them bound at the Index office,
hut then there is a deal of trouble,.and more
expense, and besides all Ihe good places
are not marked. 3d. I regret it from the
fact that the hard labors of a good Editor
with all liis perplexities and troubles to ben
efit his brethren and the world, are thrown
under the table .so soon as one scans them
over, as lost and good for nothing. • If oare
tiillv tiled !,nd hound, his labors would not
be lost, anti we profited by it. See present
V;d. No. 12, 22d March, 1844, what a good
piece thete, well worth a dozen readings,
entitled “The Christian's directory, extract
ed Dom an old author.”* Observe an old
author. The Indent may contain more mat
ter as it is, but who would not prefer to
have less .matter, and it trneatedlv accessa-
Ide, than to have more matter a mill trou
hlesomely and hardly acressable. Lastly,
I have been married to the Index long since,
but she has changed the lorin of her wed
ding garment, it has blunted iny affections
exceeding’)’, and even the thought ofa di
vorce troubles my mind. However if the
paper as it is, is best for the whole or a ma
jority 01. the subscribers, I calmly submit,
lor 1 go for the good of the whole.
Respectfully,
S. G. JENKINS.
‘This is No. 5, of the series of Tracts is
sued hy our Publication Society in Phila
delphia-
A great proportion of our oldest sub
scribers prefer the octavo form, but the
number of these, are hot sufficient to sustain
the paper. Taking our subscribers in the
general a large majority of them prefer the
present newspaper form. The new sub
scribers obtained since tlje change of form,
have been to those obtained previous to that
change, we arc disposed to think, nearly as
ten to one. Could the Index circulate as
extensively and excite the same interest
generally in its old form as in its new, we
too would prefer the old form. But the
fact is, the paper, while published in the
octavo form, sunk money. It has so far
this year more than cleared expenees, and
if our friends continue their efforts in its be
half, we have no doubt tlrat it will eventu
ally add to the lands ol the Convention
from 500 to SIOOO per year. At all events
we would not deem it any hazard for an in
dividual, to assume the responsibility and
insure the Convention SSOO a year.
For the Christian Index.
Talbotton, May 5, 184-4.
Dear bro. Faker— I (eel that it is the
duty of someone, to answer the request of
a *.* Lay-Member” more fully, for the hon
or of religion, and the cause of Christ. I
regret that you Jiati not been more pointed
in your answer. I have received commu
nications from various sources, requesting
my opinion on the conduct of such immor
al practice of professors, engaged in such
amusements. And I have thought, under
all circumstances, it was best to give my
opinion in the Index.
Paul’s exhortation to us is not to be con
formed to this world. This is a general
exhortation, adapted to a great variety of
occasions. It affords an excellent rule for
the ehristian’s conduct, which lie may read
ily apply, when tempted to follow the
course of this world. It is easy to know
what the world loves and pursues, and it is
easy to remember that the Christian must
take a different course. Hie way of the
world is the broad way to destruction ; th*
NO. 20.