Newspaper Page Text
JOSEPH S. BAKER— Editor.
VOL. XII.
t TERMS PER ANNUM.
The Christian Index, published,
on Friday in each week, (except two in the
year), will be furnished to each subscriber
at $2 50 cents, in advance; or $3 if not
paid within the year.
Posl-Mastt-rs, where the Index is
taken, are requested to forward remittances
if or subscribers at their respective offices,
according to a decision of tile Post-Master
General as to their right to do so. All pa
trons and agents are requested to notice this.
Every Agent (and all Baptist Ministers
are particularly solicited to become agents)
who procure and pay for five copies ol the
Index, shall be entitled to a sixth, as a com
pensation for his trouble.
Letters on business, or communications,
must be a 1 iressed to the Editor, pout paid.
Advertisements may be inserted on usual
terms, at the discretion of the Editor.
III I mil ■! II !■ !!■! Bill I ■!■ IJBIIMII I 1"^
The Exmitivr Committic of the Georgia
Baptist I'utivrnlioii, lu the Baptist Uoaoiuiua
tiun of the Uuitrtl Slates.
Dear Brethren—On the -ml of August
last, the Execiuiv. Comitiiiiceol die Georgia
Baptist Convention applied n* die Execu
tive Board of the American [‘ajit—! Hume
Mission Society, in appoint Rev. James E.
Reeves a Missionary to itinerate ill die
hounds ol the Tallapoosa Association ill
Georgia. On tin: I tlli ol the same mnfilii
the Secretary of the Board replied to die
application, taking exceptions to a part and
asking explanations on a partol the said ap
plication. To this the Oliairman ol the Ex.
l out. of the Geo. Baptist Convention re
plied midei date of Aug. 20,and from which
reply die following is an extract:
••Application was made to the Gto. Bap.
Convention at its last annual meeting in
M ay, lot missionary aid, it! the bounds ol
the Tallapoosa Association, in anew set
tled part of the State, m the lute Cherokee
Country—the object was mainly to have
itinerant preaching in those portions of it,
where there were no churches and no preach
ing. The Convention heard the statement
of respectable Brethren, selling forth this
destitution, and in a resolution on their min
utes, commended their situation to the con
sideration of its Ex. Com. The Commit
tee, on examination of their fund, found
themselves unable to appropriate anything
like a sufficient amount to meet the neces
sities of this destitution, and by the author
ity and in the name of die Ex. Com., as
their Chairman, 1 applied to tire Am. Bap.
11. Mission Society to appoint Bro. James
E. Reeves, a iiiinisl<?i of long and well
known good standing in the bounds of said
Association, tilt itinerant preacher, in
lite destitute places of that section of
country embracing a large portion of
the late Cherokee nation, and to have al
lowed him a salary of 620 per month.—
W ilk regard to payment, three individual's,
subscribers to the Home Mission Society,
wislr their subscriptions to be applied to that
Mission, and will leel themselves deceived,
if they are forbidden the liberty of giving
direction to its application. The simple
statement that Bro. Reeves is a slaveholder,
was made, not because our Ex. Corn, sup
posed for a moment, that it would make it
necessary for the Board to discuss the sub
ject of Slavery, for they supposed that the
decision of the Society at its last meeting
settled that question, and that slavery men
and anti-slavery men all occupied the same
position ; in a word, that those principles
in the estimation of the Society, would nei
ther be for, nor against, au applicant. It
was made not even because the enemies of
the Society have doubled that the Board
would make it an objection, for the most
that they pretended to say was, that the
Board u ould find some pretext to refuse the
appointment. Fully believing that with the
resolution of the Society before them, the
Board would no', feel themselves at liberty,
even if disposed, to discuss the question,
but would make the appointment without
hesitation, and the months of their enemies
here be stopped, we made the suggestion.
With these views entertained by our t om
inutee, and entertained 100, as wc know ,
even by Abolitionists themselves, what must
be our stirpiise to be told, that such an ap
plication will make it necessary to discuss
the subject of slavery.”
B. M. SANDERS,
Ch. Ex. Com. (leo. Hap. Con.”
Reply of the. Ex Board of the Am. Bop.
I lime Mission Socle y.
.Under date of Oct. 7. the Ex. Board of
the Home Mission Society makes the ltd
lowing reply :
American Baptist Home Mission }
Rooms. Now York, Oct. 7 1844. j
The Executive Board of the American
Baptist Home Mission So iely. having ex
amined the application of the Executive
Committee of the Georgia Baptist Conven
tion for the appointment of Elder James
E. Reevps, feel ii their duty to stale that, in
addition to the information required of ap
plicants. this communication contains a
statement that Mr. Reeves is a slaveholder,
and that fact is offered as a reason for his
appointment, in the following terms : “Wc
wish his appointment so much the more, as
it will stop the mouths of gainsayers. I
will explain. There are good brethren a
inong us, who, notwithstanding the transac
tions of your society at Philadelphia, are
hard to believe that you will appoint a slave
holder a missionary, even when the funds
are supplied by those who wish such an
appointment.” The application, therefore,
is an unusual one.
At the last anniversary of the Society,
the following Preamble and resolutions
were passed, viz :
“Whereas, the question has been pro
posed—whether the Board would or would
not e...p10y slaveholders as missionaries of
this Society ; and whereas, it is important
that this question should teccive a lull and
unequivocal answer, therefore
Resolved, That as the Constitution of
the Home Mission Society clearly delines
its object to be tne promotion of tke Gos
pel in North America, and as it is provided
by suck Constitution that any auxiliary So
eietv may designate the object to which the
funds contri uted by it shall be applied, and
may also claim a missionary or missiona
ries, accotdittg to such funds, anil select the
tie and w here such missionary or missiona
ries shall reside,
“Therefore, Ist: That to introduce the
subjects of slavery or anti-slavery into this
hotly, is in direct contravention olthe wit (e
letter and purpose of the said Constitution,
and is. u.oreovci, a most unnecessary agita
tion ol topics with ivhie.lt the Society has
no concern, over which it has no entitl'd!,
and as to which its operations should not
he le tered, nor its deliberations disturbed.
“2; Pliat tlttt Home Mission Society he.
ing only ;ui agency to disburse the funds
j confided tit it, according to the wishes ol
the contributors, therefore, our ro-itpera
iion in this limit docs not imply any sym
pathy cither w ith slavery or anti-slavery, as
to u hifli socii tit sand individuals are lelt as
free and uncommitted as it there was no
such co-operation.”
We disclaim attributing to our Georgia
brethren a design to disturb the delibera
tions of the Board by introducing the sub
ject of slavery through the medium of
their application, hut such, evidently, is its
tendency. In the opinion of several
members oftlie Board, the application seeks
the appointment, not in the usual manner,
merely of a missionary, but of a slavehol
der, and is designed as a test whether jhe
Board will appoint a slaveholder as a mis
sionary, and thus (in the language of the
Society’s resolution) “in direct contraven
tion of the whole letter and purpose of the
constitution,” introduces the subject of sla
very. They, moreover, believe that if the
application were entertained by them it
would, consequently, introduce adiseussiott
oil the admissibility of a missionaty of the
Society being a slaveholder ; from which
they ate restricted by the vote of the Socie
ty which declares it to be a topic “ over
which it has no control, and as to which
its operations should not be fettered, nor
its deliberations disturbed.” To such an
alternative they should not he driven. The
Constitution, the “Circular” ol the Board,
published in 1841. the Resolutions of the
Society at its last anniversary, and the har
mony of the Board,all forbid il.
The appointment of missiouariet, con
stitutionally eligible, and recommended ac
cording to our established rules, without
the introduction of extraneous consul- ra
tions calcc.hu and to disturb our deliberations,
the Board are, during the period of their ap
pointment, sacredly bound, in equity and
justice, to make, to the extent of their pe
cuniary ability—keeping in view a fair ilis
nihution throughout the Held, of the funds
committed to their trust. But when an ap
plication is made for the appointment ol a
slaveholder, or an abolitionist, or anti-sla
very man, as such, or for appropriations to
fields when the design of the applicant is
apparently to test the action of the Board
in respect tu the subjects of slavery or anti
slavery, their official obligation either to act
cm the appointment or to entertain the ap
plication ceases,—Therefore.
Resolved, That in view of the preceding
considerations it is not exp client to intro
duce the subjects of slavery or anti-slavery
into our deliberations, nor to entertain ap
plications in which they are introduced.
Resolved, That taking into consideration
all the circumstances of the case, we deem
ourselves not at liberty to entertain the ap
plication for the appointment of Rev. Jas.
E. Reeve.
Resolved, That the Corresponding Sec
retary transmit a copy of the loicgoiug
views and resolutions to the Chairman ol
tkie Executive Committee of the Georgia
Convention.
Bv order of the Executive Board,
BENJ. M. HIRE, Cor. Sec.”
To this reply, which has been printed in
New Ymk, m a form filled for circulation
by letter, is appended by the Secretin y, the
lotlotviog remarks: “Allow me to say that
the subject ol’slavery lias not for a moment
been discussed by tlie Board; nor has the
fact of Bro. Reeves being a slaveholder, led
to the decision. The decision was made
siru-tly on the principles set forth in the fore
going proceedings —principles which I be
lieve are conscientiously held.
“1 trust your Board will be disposed to
receive it, as ours intend it, with fraternal
feeling, and a desire to preserve union.
Y r ours w ith Christian regard,
B. M. II.”
REMARKS.
In the grief aud mortification which we
feel, we scarcely dare mist ourselves to
make any coinmeiilim this communication:
yet, having earnestly besought the guidance
anj control of the Divine Spirit, we shall
endeavor to say what the occasion seems
to us to demand.
1. Our first remark is, that the Executive
Board have confounded two questions,
which are, in their nature, totally distinct.
One of these questions relates to the
FOR THE BAPTIST CONVENTIOV.OF THE STATE OF GEORGIA.
PENFIELD, GA, NOVEMBER 1, 1844.
morality of slavery. On this question,
there is much diversity of opinion. Some
persons regard it as a benevolent institu
tion, which, having existed, with the Di
vine approbation, in all past ages, may be
expected to continue to the end of time.—
Others regard it as a system of aggravated
wrong, offensive in the sight ol Heaven,
and not to be tolerated in human society.
Between these wide extremes, thereareva
i ions grades of opinion. Whether it was
wise, lor persons differing on so important
a question of morals, to attempt a eu-oper
lion in the enterprises of Christian benevo
lence. may pethaps become doubtful: but
it is certain that the attempt has been made.
Slaveholders and non-slaveholders, with a
lull knowledge of each other, united In the
organization of our Triennial Convention,
and ol similar institutions which have since
been lormt and. Slaveholders and non-slave
holders have continued to be members and
officers of these societies : and, until with
in a.low \eais, no dilliciilly in tlu-ir co-op
cram.ii has arisen; aud the question as to
the morality of slavery , about which tin
men.bers oi these societies were known to
iliffi-r widely, ne’er disturbed their harmo
ny, or entered into their discussions.
A second question, wholly distinct from
the former, respects the rchilioii which
slaveholders hear to these societies, and
their e igtbilily to offices in them. Go
this last question, there has been, so far as
wc have known, but out opinion. Slave
holders have evei continued to co-operate,
with the foil conviction that they were ail
milted as members oil equal looting w ith
others, and that they wore eligible to any
oilire which the societies could bestow.
The two questions which we havejusl
stated, were regarded its distinct, by tin-
America i Baptist Home Mission Society,
at its last anniversary, ill the very ptoceed
ittgs to which the Executive Board now re
fer. Nothing can be clearer than this.—
Os one question it says, “it is important
that (his question should receive a full, and
unequivocal answer:” but of the other,
that its introduction “is in direct contraven
tion of the whole letter and purpose of the
Constitution.” The question as to the
morality of slavery, the Society would not
attempt to decide; but, on the contrary it
declares the very discussion inadmissible.
Bill so far from declaring the other question
“whether the Board would or would not
employ slaveholders as missionaries of this
Society,” to ho inadmissi
ble; it declares, that il deserves an une
quivocal answer. Yet to the latter ques
tion, the Executive Board apply the deci
sion of tho Society which was made with
respect to the former. “It w ould,” say
they, “introduce a discussion on the ad
missibility of a missionary ol the Society
being a slaveholder; from which they were
restricted by a vote of the Society, which
declares it to be a topic over which it has
no control, and ns to which its operations
should not he fettered, nor its deliberations
disturbed.”
2’ We remark, secondly, that the Exec
utive Board have not only misapplied the
resolutions of the Society, but they have
also violated the instructions therein given.
We need not here insist on the fact, that
these resolutions, both by Southern mem
bers of the Society who voted lot them, and
by Abolitionists who voted against them,
and who immediately on their passage
threatened to leave the Society, were under
stood to determine the admissibility of a
slaveholder’s becoming a missionary. The
resolutions speak for themselves. The
preamble slates the design for which they
were adopted; “Whereas the question has
been proposed—whether the Board would
or would not employ slaveholders as mis
sionaries of this Society; and whereas, it
is important that this question should re
ceive a full and-unequivocal answer.”—
Moreover, let it be remarked, that it was
not an absirat t question which was tube
determined, but a question of duly—ufdu
ly fur the Executive Board; “whether the
Board would &c.” This is the question to
which the Society proposed to give an un
equivocal answer; and for this purpose
adopted the resolutions ihailullow. •• 7 here-
Jure, resolved.” tn these resolutions, the
equal rights of slavery and anlt-slaVery
men are affirmed, and based on the consti
tution; slid me obligation of the Board to
make appointments, irrespective of slavery
and amt-slavery,are mu-quivocallv set lortli
Vet these instructions the Board have vio
lated, in relusntg to appoint James E.
Reeves.
3. In the third place, the reasons alleg
ed or the refusal, utterly fail to justify it.
On this topic, we believe that toe occasion
demands plainness of speech.
The first reason alleged, is, that otir ap
plication, though not designed to disturb
the deliberations of die Board, evidently
Itad this tendency, “by introducing tile sub
ject of slavery.” The Board had biffine
the.n the example of the Society at its last
anniversary. The question, whether a
slaveholder should be appointed as a mis
sionary, was proposed to tlie Society. The
delibetalious became disturbed; and the
question of slavery and anti-slavery was in
troduced. What did the Society do? It
entertained and answered the lawful and
constitutional question , and rebuked the
introduction of the other. So ought the
Board to have done. If the perverseness
of individual members would disturb their
deliberations with a foreign topic, because
we asked them to do their duty, the tenden
cy to disturb, should be ascribed to that
perverseness, and not to our application ;
aud the rebuke should have been applied
where it was deserved*
Ihe second reason alleged, is, that in
the opinion ol several members, the appli
cation was designed as a leM; In the pub
lication ol their proceedings, the Board
have quoted the language of our appli
cation but in part. Our views were luily
staled in the explanatory letter of which a
huge pari has been given above, and, from
which we repeat the Ibllowing extract.—
•‘The simple statement that Bro. Reeves
was a slaveholder, was made, not because
otif Executive (J out mince supposed fora
nnlinent that it would make n necessary
lonihe Board to discuss the question ofsla
vcffi-ffior-thr’.- supposed ill/.i -the decision
of aue Society at its last meeting settled
dun question, anil that slavery men and
anil slavery men all occupied the same po
sijiiMiji in a word that those principles in
liiQ estimation ol the Society, would neith
er be for nor against art npplicytil. It was
made, not even because the enemies of the
Society) here doubtid that the Board Would
make it)an objection—for the most they
pretended tu say, was, that the Board would
hud snnte pretext to reluse the appointment.
Fully btllievmg dial with the itsuhiiion ol
die .Society before them, the Board would
not leel themselves at liberty, even if dis
posed, let discuss the question, but would
make the 1 appointment without hesitation,
and die mouths of their enemies here tie
s hipped, wc made the suggestion.’ i\ow,
to our surprise at and mortification, the Board
have fulfilled the prediction ol their ene
mies. They have luuiul a pretext, and
one of a most extraordinary diameter. It
is, that out application was designed as a
lest. They must not he tested. They
ate honest men,and faithful public-servants.
’k'imsy know their duty well, and they
mean to do it honestly. Blit their honesty
il-nst not be tested ; else their obligation to
by hottest ceases’. In our judgment, the
iyinesly which shrinks from being tested,
deserves not to be trusted.
To expose the llimsitiess of this pretext,
we will suppose that the question respect
ed politics, instead of slavery, Had a prom
inent officer of the Society imprudently
published, that no Democrat, known to be
such, bad ever received an appointment;
and had we, to quiet the spirit ol party
thereby excited, requested the Board to ap
point J. E. R. the rather, because, being a
democrat, his appointment would stop the
•m Drab's of gaht-suyers: would the Board
have shrunk Irmn being tested on the ques
tion ? Would they not lather have rejoic
ed in an opportunity to show their superi
ority to till party inllueiiee ? Yet they
might with equal propriety have disdained
to be tested, and declined to entertain our
application, on the plea that it tended to dis
turb their harmony, by introducing politi
cal discussions into their hotly.
Wo do not understand the statement,
that our application was an unusual one, to
be a reason assigned by the Board for re
jecting it. An unusual application may
deserve special consideration ; and there
may be found in it unusual fitness and pro
priety. We stated a reason, which, in out
judgment, added force to all the other rea
sons for the appointment that we sought:
but this reason, the mere mention* of it, in
the logic of the Board, nullifies all other
reasons ; and, in the ethics of the Board,
entirely absolves them from their “ official
obligation,” Such logic, such ethics,
we profess not to understand. If we
should ask an appointment for a mis
sionary to preach to a colony of Jews, we
must he careful not to mention that lie is a
soil of Abraham. Such an application
would he an unusual one, and might, in the
opinion of several members of the Boatd,
be designed as a test; anti might introduce
an extraneous consideration, calculated'to
disturb tl)£ Board with the question, wheth
er in Ulirist Jesus there he circumcision or
uncircn incision.
tn every view which wc have taken of
tlie reasons assigned fur rejecting our appli
cation, we are no less astonished, than
grieved, that intelligent and clear-sighted
Christian men, should be willing to exhibit
to the world a dereliction of duty, under a
covering so thin. Ii such morality prevail,
debtors may refuse to have their honesty
and punctuality tested: and, when pay
ment of just claims is demanded, they may
indignantly repel the alliont, so disquieting
to titeir repose ; and may regard the suspi
cion of their integrity, as canceling all obli
gation to make pa monl.
4. Fourthly, the rejection of our appli
cation goes lar to evince the necessity of a
Southern organization for our benevolent j
operations.
We make this remark with fear am! trem
bling. We have clung, fondly clung, to
tlie hope of preserving union among Amer
ican Baptists. We have done this, amidst
difficulties, discouragements, and mo, (idea
tions. We have been aware, that many
in tiie North have regarded us as unworthy
* It is not the fact that Brother Reeves is
a slaveholder, bin the mention of the fact,
which disquiets the Board. Tlie Corres
ponding Secretary writes to us; “Nor has
tiie fact of Bro. Reeves’ being a slaveltol
dei led to the decision. The decision was
made strictly on the principles set forth in
the foregoing proceeding.” After tlie Boartl
have, by so significant a procedure, invited
us to deceive them, if we should now ob
tain from them, by concealment, the ap
pointment of a slaveholding missionary,
would we or they be most guilty oftlie dis
simulation ?
of their Christian fellowship. We have
examined their complaint against us, pray
erfully, and .with our Bibles belore us.—
We feel that wedeseivc not their reproach
es. As in tlie North, the duties of the
husband, the lather, the citizen; so, in the
South, together with these, those of the
master, are doubtless perMrVtied with much
imperfection : and, both North and South,
among slaveholders and non-slaveholders,
far too little is done to meliorate the condi
tion of the dependent and degraded portions
of our race. But that the relation of mas
ter is in itself unlawful, and that all who
sustain it are worthy, not of honor, but of
reproach and excommunication, we do not
believe. Oat the contrary, in Ru circiyn
slances in which many of us are placed,
we hold it to be a solemn duly to sustain
this relation, and to fulfill its obligations to
the best of our ability. On this question
ol duty, our Northern brethren have nota
greecl with us in judgment: yet we have
honored them, and loved them, and rejoic
ed to co-operate with them in woiks ol
Christian benevolence. Hut the day ap
proaches, we sadly tear, when our co-oper
ation must cease. There may he some ti
nning us, who might he willing to contin
ue their conn ilnitiotis to Northern Boards,
even though those Boards should openly
declare our ministers and t Inin lies severed
Iroin their Christian fellowship : but the
number of such contributions would he
small. The present action of the Lx en
tire Board of the Home Mission Society,
will go lar to destroy among our people, all
confidence in Northern Boards: and, un
less other agents lor the management of tiur
chiislian charities be provided, the amount
of our contributions will be lamentably di
minished.
5. Our last remark is, that our only hope
lor the preservation of union, rests on tlie
attachment ol’otir brethren to the principles
ol chuich independence.
The Executive Board, in their Citeular
ol Feb. 10, 1841, have clearly recognised
these principles, and their application to the
case in question. They say, “The wish
has been manifested that voluntary socie
ties, our own among the number, should
act upon this question, cither by disapprov
ing the civil institutions of the South, or
censuring the course of those at the North
who impugn these institutions. The Ex
ecutive Committee believe that voluntary
Societies have no such right. It would he
travelling out of the records to allow the
introduction ol the question, or admit it as
a subject of conference in the Society—
We must, in doing so, act uncommission
ed ; and trample upon the ruins ol our con
stitution, to arrive at ike question. It would
he again a violation ol our first
as Baptists, recognising no disciplinary
powers beyond the individual church, and
no legislation out of the lids of the New
Testament. And it would be the creation,
in the most objectionable form, of a synod,
one ol that class of institutions whose usur
pations laid the basis of tlie Romish apos
tacy.”
Although the Board have, in action, a
bandoned these their professed piinciples;
yet the Society may devise means for car
rying them into effect. We will therefore
still hope that at its meeting’ in April next,
something may be done, tliut will avert the
disasters which our depressed spirits fore
bode. If cut off from this last topic; if
our church independence be not acknowl
edged ; and if our ministeis be declared
unworthy of the sacred office: we must
then commit ourselves, and the interests of
religion, to Him who stilleth the noise of
the waves, and the tumults of the people.
B. M. SANDERS,
Chairman Ex. Committee.
Titos. Stocks, Secretary.
Oct. 22, 1844.
For the Christian Index-
Colportugc iu Germany.
The following highly interesting letter
shows the field which God is opening for
evangelical labors among the dead churches
of the continent of Europe.
Hamburg, Aug. 6 1844.
Rev. W. A. Ilallock, Sec. Am. I r. Soe.
My Dear Brother. —Allow me to oiler
to yourself and the Society tlie grateful ac
knowledgements of myself and the breth
ren associated with me, for your and their
attention to our wants. But lor the gener
ous support received from your Society,
our efforts in the Tract cause must have
been very limited. More than 100,null
perishing sinueis have heard of the tiailte
of Jesus during 1843, through your instru
mentality, many of whom, 1 doubt not,
will have to testily iu lliegreat day tn judg
ment, that the Tracts given them at that
time were the instilments by which God
led them to his dear Son. Our issues iu
1843 amounted to 250,250 copies.
SIGNAL IILESSINO UPON TRACTS AND COL
PORTEUR LABORS.
Our labor has not been in vain in the
Lord ; —we have had a year of blessings.
God has owned this part of our work in a
signal manner. The instances o( conver
sion brought to our knowledge were more
frequent than before. We had about 60
conversions in the city and vicinity, and
out of these about one fourth were in the
first instance instructedfrom our Tracts,
or by the brethren who distributed them.
The last case of this nature was stated
to me last Tuesday, the day appointed to
converse wilh.inquirers. A woman called,
living outside of the gates of the city.—
Publisher— BENJ. BRANTLY
She came to thank me for the instructions
sliej had received at our place of worship,
as alsd for permitting Iter children to attend
our Sunday School. On inquiring what
hqd brought her to our preaching, “'she re
plied, “One oi the young men who bring
us the little books.” I (bund that she had
read the tracts with great attention; that
Iter husband, a tailor, had given up all work
on the Lord s day ; that both attended reg
ularly on my ministry, and that their chil
dren attended the Sunday School. From
the interview I had with her, I am led to
cherish the hope that the truth has reach
ed her heart, and that ere long she will
openly’ confess Jesus as her ‘Lord and her
Go< ’- <- *"”
FronT other parts of German v and Den
mark we have been encouraged with equal
ly interesting information; and from the
whole 1 am led todravv the conclusion, that
as by the wickedness of man we are pre
vented Irmn preaching the blessed Gospel,
Goil is pleased to accompany the circula
tion of Tracts with a gi cuit r blessing iu
these countries, iliiin it; “those win re these
resitietimts do hot exist, and where the ver
bal testimony for Christ is the primary
means to gather in his elect. The Lord
can thus frustrate the designs of hell and
earth, aud overrule the wrath of man to his
own glory.
labors amono roman catholics, and
CONVERSIONS.
Among our converts there are not a few
horn the Roman Catholic part of Germany,
who have resided at Hamburg for some
time, and after being settled in the faith of
God’s elect, frequently return to their na
tive place will tat he view to spread the truth.
These clear brethren could, comparatively
speaking, efiert little, if they were not well
supplied with Tracts. On their long jour
neys, frequently Upwards of 500 miles,
which they make on foot, they have many
opportunities to sow the good seed. And
as they could not carry all the Tracts, we
have a connected chain of small depots
from Hamburg to Stuttgart in Swabia, from
which their wants are supplied. One of
these brethren has just now left ns for Ba.
den, near the Bodensee. Another left us
a few weeks ago lor Bavaria. Another is
spreading the truth at a place near Dantzig.
among the Romanists ; and another is ac
tively engaged ill Silesia, on the borders of
Austria. All these brethren were formerly
papists,and they arepunv surrounded by the
devotees of the church of Rome, and are
testifying that there is but one Mediator be
tween God and man, and that lie who be
lieves iu tlie name of the only begotten of
the Father has eternal life
The brother (Ignatz Sltube,) near Lan
deek in Silesia, has ereatad a great stir with
his Tracts among the Roman Catholics.—
Iho priesthood have been aroused against
the Tracts-; they have gone from house to
house and have attempted by the threat of
purgatory to obtain tlie Tracts. Some have
returned them, and these have been tom
milted to the flames, but a considerable
number could not be induced by any threat
to give them up. Our brother has already
some fellow-laborers in this good work in
Landeck. including one person in authority.
Brother Sirube lias venttirned once or twice
beyond the frontier into Austria, but it is a
hazardous adventure; for if he is caught
by the gendarmes, they will make him feel.
We have also at present two dearbreth
ren out on a missionary tour up the Baltic,
and from-thence up the Vistula. The in
telligence received from them has filled our
mouths with gratitude to the Lord- Their
testimony has been every where well re
ceived, and they will have distributed by
tins time about 15,000 IT acts. Our breth
ren write that the harvest is ripe, and that
it only requires faithful laborers to gather
the precious sheaves into God’s garner.
Our efforts in Hanover have considerably
increased by tlie appointment of another
evangelist at Eimbeek, The opposition of
the authorities has however been mote vio
lent than before. Ail religious meetings and
Tract distribution have been prohibited,
some of the biethren have been and are
probably still imprisoned for refusing obe
dience to these unreasonable injunctions ;
blit in tlie midst of it all Christ carries on
bis victories, and many immortal spirits are
snatched as brands from the burning.
The opposition here has not been so vio
lent, llinnoli in 1843 one of the brethren
was distrained for having bent found dis
tributing Tracts. The Lott! is giving us
rr-t as a church from the bands of our en
emies Blessed be his linlv name.
I remain in tlie best bonds, voor brother.
J. G. ON’CKEN.
Fur the Christian Index.
Good morning neighbor B. Having a
little leisure. I thought I would come over
and have a little, friendly chat, on a subject
that has engaged my mind a good deal of
late.
Thank you, neighbor M. I should be
glad to exchange thoughts, on any subject,
that would be mutually beneficial. As for
Politics, civil liberty, etc. etc. though very
valuable and highly important, they are not
ALL important, as the subject of Religion
is. Whether Polk or Clay shall be our
next President, is not of so much conse
quence. as whether you and 1 be saved or
not. But pray, on what matter, have you
lately been pondering?
M. Whether man, as ke now exists, is
NO. 44.