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him in love. Eph. i. 4. if any could know
that he is elected, it would certainly be a,
great encouragement to aim at every grace j
which God has purposed to require and j
bestow. But none cun know that Ueis’
not elected. This, God has not'indicated; j
nor can men or devils show. A possibili
ty, to say the least, exists, that any partic
'ulat individual may be saved: and we j
know that, in urgent cases, where much is
depending, a bare possibility is sufficient
to ensure the most ardent unrelaxing exer-:
lions, —increasing, within certain limits, as j
(he possibility is obscure or doubtful; and ;
employing all the energies of nature.
It may he objected that this doclrince re
moves the blame worthiness ol sin. For,
voine will say, if the slate of men is deter-!
‘mined by God's purpose, which cannot!
fail of its execution, ••why doth he yetl
find fault?” lie has his will; what would 1
lie have more? To this, it is answer
enough to say, that God does actually ex- !
ercisc his sovereignty over men, in the lull-1
est sense, yet considers vice, always crimi- j
n.d, and finds fault with sinners ; —thus,
leaving Him tojustifyhis own conduct, and j
them to answer for their complaints and j
their crimes, shortly, at his tribunal. But, ’
for reasons befoie mentioned, we may ar
gue the matter with objectors. The objec- I
lion supposes that the person is satisfied in
sin, prefers that course; yet shifts the;
blame of it from himself, because God suf-1
fers him to do what he prefers: i. e., as if !
he should say, it is my fixed purpose, my j
chosen course, to persist in rebellion against j
Heaven; and if God does not stop mein
my career, and change my put pose, how i
can he consistently blame me ? (soil’s ha-j
tred of crime does not oblige him to pre
vent it. Transgressors sin freely, with no
constraint thereto fiom him. To lake an
extreme case, as of Judas, though their
sins be even foretold, and as to tho fact,
fore-determined, he lays no necessity on
the individual doers : He simply does not
determine to prevent them from following
out their own Iren choice
[‘‘And God sent me before you, to pre
serve yon a posterity in the earth, and to
save your lives by a great deliverance.” — 1
Gen. xvi, 7
‘Him, beingtlelivcred by the determinate |
counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye
have taken, and by wicked hands havecru
cilictl and slain,” —.lets ii. 23,
■"For of a truth, against the holy child
Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Her
od and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles,
and the people ol Israel, were gathered to- j
gether.”— diets iv. 27.
“For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy
•counsel determined before to he done,” —
Acts iv. 28.]
The power which sinners abuse In doing
wickedly is derived from God,
["For in him we live, and move, and
have our being.”— diets xtii. B.]
he docs not prevent this power Irotn being |
so exercised : yet this does not excuse l-heir |
sin.
["Jesus answered, Thou eoiildst have
no power at all against me, except it were
given thee from above : therefore he that
delivered me unto thee hath the greater
sitr.”— John, xix. 11.]
We are not bound to decide, for any practi
cal purpose, whether a different course ol]
conduct, under the circumstances, would I
‘have been moie agreeable to him : it is
sufficient that God commands all men lore,
pent, places before them the inducement
and mentis of repentance, and leaves them I
without excuse. For satisfaction sake,
however, wo may say that a different course
of conduct in tile wicked will always he
more acteeabie to God: his declarations on
this subject arc sincere: his willingness to
save, ami his reluctance tu’punish, are real,
notwithstanding ho docs not besto'w, on all,
that grace which practically brings 4 thcm to 1
salvation. The unwillingness, it is true, is
somewhere; —either the sinner is unwill
ing to be a ehiistian, or God is unwilling I
that he should be. The Almighty declares,
with a solemn oath, it is not in Him,
[•‘Nay unto them, As I live, saith the
Lord Gotl, I have no pleasure in the death
of the wicked ; but that the wicked turn
from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye
form your evil ways ; for why will ye die,
O house of Israel I”— h':c. xxxiii. 11.
“And the Spirit and thehride say, Come.
And let him that henreth say, Come. And
let hint that is athirst come. And whoso
ever will, let him take the water of life
freely.”— Jicv. xxil. 17.]
Shall he have no claim to sincerity or
kindness until he exert also some direct
and arbitrary force on the sinner’s will?—
A parent may know that the peculiar ad
vantages he provides for his child will not j
make him learned; yet he may have the
best reasons for not increasing them ; as 1
■wc'l as for not taking them away till trial
he fully made. It is sufficient for parental j
duly that the child is so placed that ho may
do well: it is not required that the parent 1
make his situation such that he shall. If j
the force of this argument be opposed by the ‘
■suggestion, that earthly parents are limited j
in power, have not all means at their com
mand—especially the means of influenc
ing the heart and feelings ; while our Hea
venly Parent has : it is answered, that
.God’s power and resources do not extend j
to contradictions and inconsistencies. If his
power is not sufficient to do any, thing in- j
consistent with wisdom and goodness, this
does not diminish his claim to our adora
tion or reverence, hut enhances it. Wei
know too little of his great scheme, of the j
dependence of one part on another, and of]
the great reasons support the whole, to 1
judge of what lie can do—of what would,!
and what would not, be inconsistent with
that scheme. If we determine not to wait
for the explanation, in another state of he- 1
ing, of wiiat ts inscrutable in this point, ’
there are many things like it, of which we
must equally demand the immediate solu
tion. For example, why does not God re
duce the enormous amount of pain and suf
fering endured by mortals ? Why does lie
giot wholly prevent all crimes among men?
The reasons, could they lie given in hu
man language, aie too uuwieldly and vast
for our minds. Certainly, Isis not acting
! in these cases is not from the want of phy- 1
i sieal power, of wisdom, or of goodness.— j
ilf we presume that the restrictions under j
j which he acts, here, are wise and good ; 1
’ why not. as to the oilier ? lie that can ‘
■ answer one of these questions can answer |
the whole-
It has been supposed that election in- j
volves reprobation. Sinners are passed by ‘
jin their impenitency, i - e. left, to their own I
free choice : does that reptobate or doom
! them to that impenitence? Dishonest or j
j profane men might as well charge IhcOrea- 1
tor with dooming them irrevocably to their!
vices, because he does not induce them to |
refrain front those habits? Election throws
no obstacle in any one’s way which would |
not exist without it. A person not elected ;
1 is only in the saute condition (no worse) in ‘
1 which all mankind would be, supposing the
| doctrine not true. Could it be proven false, :
! nothing is gained to any human being.—
1 For, while we hold this doettine, it is still
| true that men aie free agents, that atone-’
; ment for sin has been made, that salvation
jis freely offered, that all may come to
iChrist if they will. No man's condition
iis altered for the worse, by’ (soil’s purpose
jin Election ; the condition of some is bet
ter. yV liat is there in this doctrine to trou
i hie a man? Unless his name is in the book
lof life, lie is just where lie would have
j been if the doctrine were false. Or, what
|is there in reprobation to discompose ns?
j Reprobation leaves a part of mankind to
their own free choice. But objectors for
j get that this is the sense in which they
suppose God has reprobated all mankind,
1 themselves included; i. c. determined to
j leave them to their own free choice. There
is no other reprobation taught in the Scrip
tures; none which destroys liberty
or impairs the sinner’s natural power,
which limits the offers of mercy ,or bars
the gates of Heaven against any man who
is disposed to enter; and there is no impe
diment to salvation, of any kind, but the
want of a right inclination. If men com
plain of (licit Creator for not bestowing
this inclination, it is because they consider
| their degeneracy as their misfortune mere
ly, not their mine; they think they are
only to be pilieit, not blamed. This, itt
j deed, is the real source of all the objections
against the doctrine of election : and of all
the irreconcilialion, repining, and complaint
against God, in tho world. This is a radi-
j cal and fatal error, which no arguments can
I care. Let such know, however, that sin
j and ruin arc not reuiM® necessary and
] imavoidablcjby any predetermination of God
|He does not produce impenitence. The
fallen angels are now hopeless reprobates ;
but their sin originated with themselves:
men arc reprobated ; but it is because they
voluntarily continue in sin, and refuse the
remedy which clitistianiiy offers. Every
man feels this: he has not become a Chris
tian hitherto, because he has not wished to
he; and, in pursuance of the same free
j choice, lie will continue what ho is. Thus
>it is that men become reprobate, and are
lost. And “what will they say, when
God shall punish them ?”
Such, brelliten, in brief, arc our views
on this deep and mysterious subject. In
stead of replying and complaining against
j God ‘or the exorcise of his sovereignty, let
jus wonder and adore and accept the grace,
jltis a hopeful sign of an interest in this
i great blessing, when a poor creature, in his
deepest distress and fears about his own
salvation, reverentially acknowledges this
great mystery, and prays to be made a
i sharer, on the ground of the everlasting
! covenant . Lot us try to answerourdoubts,
whether we were given by the Father to j
Christ, bp giving ourselves to Christ. — !
There is no hand, In Heaven or Earth, to |
whom wo can intrust ourselves, but bis; j
being convinced of bis power, skill, and j
grace, let ns daily bring our helpless souls I
to Jesus Christ, and lay and leave them on :
Him that speaketh in righteousness, ‘
MIGHTY TO SAVE. /set. 62. 1.
Thus shall wo make our calling and elec
tion sure.
[“Wherefore the rather, brethren, give
diligence to make your calling and election
sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall
never fall.”—'2 Peter, i. 10.
“Kemenibering without ceasing your
work of faith, and labor of love, and pa
tience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in
the sight of God and our Father,”—
1 Thcs. i. 3.
“Knowing, brethren beloved, your elec
tion of God—l 7'hes. i. 4.
“For our gospel came not unto you in
u'ord only, but also in power, and in tbe
Holy Ghost, and in much assurance as ye
know what manner of men we were among
you for your sake.*’—l 7'hes. i. 5.]
And Id no sinner stay away. The Gospel
is authorized to be proclaimed to every
creature, in all the world. The provision
is large and free. “. hid the Spirit and
the Jlrule sap, come; and'let him that
lietireth sup, route : and let him that is
athirst come : and whosoever wilt, let him ‘
take the water of life freelp." —Rev. 22. >
17.
Art. ?. U'c believe that God's elect
shall be called, regenerated, and sanctified
bp the Holi/ Ghost,
Having spent so much time on the pre
vious article, but little space is left for this.
Autl indeed, it is not necessary; since, if
that he established in itstproper connexions,
this is involved in it. What we have yet to
say, shall be in the words of a confession
adopted by many congregations of Chris-,
lians. in England, baptized on profession of
their t.iith, in 1681); adopted, also, by the
Philadelphia Baptist Association in 17-12,
and bv the Charleston Baptist Association
I in 1767.
“Those whom (lot! hath predestinated
i unto life, he is pleased in his appointed
’ and accepted lime
( “Morovcr, whom he did predestinate,
them he also called ; aud whom he called,
them he also justified; and whoinhejus
| tilied, them he also glorified,"— llom. viii.
30. “That in the dispensation of the ful
i ness of times, he might gather together in
tone all things in Christ, both which are in
heaven, and which are on earth, even in
him.— l' /ill. i. 10. “In whom also we
have obtained an inheritance, being predes
tinated according to the purpose of liitn :
who worketh all things after tire counsiof
his own will.”— Eph. i. 11. “But wJLie
bound to give thanks always to Guitfor
you, brethren, beloved, of tire Lord, be
cause God hath from the beginning chosen
you to salvation, through sanctification of
the Spirit, and beliefof the truth.”-2 Thes.
ii. 13. “Whereuntohe called you bvour
gospel, to the obtaining of the giory of out
Lord Jesus Christ.”—2 Thes. ii. 14 “,
effectually to call by his word and spirit,
out of that stale of sin and death in which
(hey are by nature, to grace and salvation.,
you hath he quickened, who
were dead in trespasses and sins. “VVitere
in in time past ye walked according to the
course of this world, acaordingto the [tince
of the power of the air, the spirit thalnow
worketh in the children of rfisobediew.—
“Among whom als > we all had out crW’er
, sation in limes past in the lusts ofonvflish,
tulfilling the desires of the flesh and'oC the
mind : and were bv nature the children of
wrath, even as others. “But God, .who is
; rich in mercy, sot It is great love wherewith
|he loved ns.” “Even when we weredead
in sins, hath quickened us together with
j Christ; (by grace ye are saved
hath raised us up together, and made us sit
J together in heavenly places, in Christ Je
i sus.”— Eph. ii, I—o,]
!by Jesus Christ: enlightening their minds,
1 spiritually and savingly, to understand the
things ol Cod,
| [“To open their eye*, and to tur t them
! from darkness to light, and from the power
of Satan unto God, that they may receive
forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among
litem which are sanctified by faith that is in
me.” —diets xxvi, 18. “That the God of
our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory,
iav give unto you the spirit of wisdom
and revelation in the knowledge shim:
“ I’lie eyes ol yout understanding being
enlightened ; that ye may know what is
the hope ol his calling, and what the riches
of the glorv of his inheritance in the saints.’
—Eph. i. 47, J B.]
taking away their heart of stone, *
[“A new heart also will I give yotl, and
anew spirit will I put within you; and I
> will take away the stony heart out of your
| flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh.”
— Ezek. xxxxi, 20. j
j and giving unto them an heart of flesh ; re
viewing their wills, and by his almighty
power determining them to that which is
good,
[“And the Lord thy God will circum
cise thy heart, and the heart of thy seed,
to love the Lord thy God with alrthy heart,
and with all thy soul, that tlnfti inayest
live.”— Dent. xxx. 0. [“And 1 will put
my spirit within you, anil cause you to
walk in my statutes, and ye slial keep my
judgements, and do them.”— Ezek. xxxvi.
27. “And what is the exceeding great
ness of his power to us-ward who believe,
according to tho working of IV, s mighty
power.”— Eph. i. 20]
and effectually drawing them to Jesus
Christ: yet so, as they come most freely,
[“Thy people shall a be willing
day of thy power, in the beauties oWhili
ness from the tvomb of the morning: thou
hast the dew of thy youth.”— Pa. ex. 4.
“Draw us, we will run after thee, ’i’lie
King hath brought me into his chambers:
wc will be glad an.l rejoice in tliee ; we
will remember thy love more than wine:
the upright love thee.”— Song, i. 4’ ]
being made willing by his gruce.”
“They, who are united to Christ, effect
ually called, and regenerated, having anew
heart and anew spirit created in t ihem
through the virtue of Christ’s death and
resurrection, are also further sanctified,
[“And now, breihtcn, I commend yon
to God, and to the word of his gl are, which
is able to build you up, and to give you an
inheritance among all them which arc sanc
tified.diets xx. 32. “For if we have
been planted together in the likeness of his
death, wc* shall also be in the likeness of his
resurrection: “Knowing this, that our old I
man is crucified with him, that the body of j
sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we j
should not serve sin.”— Horn. vi. 5, 6.]
really and personally, through the same !
virtue,
[“Sanctify them through thy truth : thy
word is truth,” — John xvii. 17. “That he j
would grant you, according to the riches of 1
his glory, to be strengthened with might by 1
his Spirit in the inner man t “That flirist!
may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye,
being rooted and grounded in love. “May
be able to comprehend with all saints what
is the breadth, and length and depth, and
height; “And to know the love of Christ,
which pnssetli knowledge, that ye might
he filled with all the lullness of God.”—
Eph.'ut, 16—19. “Prove all things: hold
fast that which is good. “Abstain from all
appearance of evil. “And the very God
of peace sanctify you wholly: ami 1 pray
God your whole spirit, and soul, and body,
be preserved blameless unto the coining of
our Lord Jesus Christ.”-—1 Thcs. v. 21-
23.]
by lus word and spirit dwellingyin them ;
the dominion of the whole body of sin is
destroyed,
[“For sin shall not have dominion over
you; for ye me not under the law, but un
der grace 1 ” — llom. vi, 14.]
and theseveral lusts thereof are more weak
ened and mortified,
[“For all the law is fulfilled in one word,
even in this, Thou shall love lliy neighbor
as thyself. “And they 1 that are Christ’s
have crucified the flesh, with the affections
and lusts.”— Gal. v. 14, 24.]
and they more and more quickened tint!
strengthened,
[“Strengthened with all might, accord
ing to his glorious power, [unto all patience
and long suffering with jovfulness.”— Col.
i. n]
in all saving graces, to the practice of ail
true holiness,
[“Having therefore these promises, dear
ly beloved, let ns cleanse ourselves front all
filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting
holiness in the Icar of God.”—2 Cor,
vii. I.]
without which no mail shall sec the Lord.
—Deb. 12. 14,
“This sanctification is throughout, in the
whole man,
[“And the very God of peace sanctify
wholly: am! i pray Got! your tvt.olo
s{W-it, arid soul, and body, be preserved
blameless unto the coming of our Lord Je
sus Christ.”—l Thes. v. 23,]
yet imperfect in lliis life,
[“For I know that in me (that is in my
flesh) dwelleth no good thing: for to will
‘is present with me; but how to peiform
that which is good, I find not. “But I see
another law in my members warring a
’ gainst the law of my mind, and bringing
me into captivity to the law of sin which is
in my members.”— Horn. vii. 18, 23.]
there abideth still some remnants of corrup
tion in every part, whence ariseth a contin
ual and iriecoucilable war,
[“For the fleeli iusteth against the Spir
it, and the Spirit against the flesh, so that
ye cannot do the things that ye would.”—
Gal. v. 17. “Dearly beloved, I beseech
you, a 3 strangers and pilgrims, abstain
(tooi fleshly lusts, which war against the
soul.”—l Peter ii. 11.]
the flesh lusting against the Spitit, am! the
Spirit against the flesh. In which war, al
though the remaining corruption for a. time
| may much prevail. (Rom, 7. 23.) —yet
1 through the continual supply of strength
! from the sanctifying spirit of Clrrist,
[••For sin sh ill not have dominion ovei
you ; for je are not under the law, but un
der grace,”— Hum. vi, 14.]
the regenerate part doth overcome ; and ao,
the saints grow in grace, perfecting holi
ness in the fear of God— Eph. iv. 15, 10;
2 Cor. iii, 18; 2 Cor. vii. 1, pressing af
ter a heavenly life, in evangelical obedience
to all the commands which Christ, as Head
and King, in his word hath prescribed to
them.”
Finally. Brethren, “hold fast the form of
sound words, which ye have heard, in faith
and love, which is in Christ Jesus ;” “and
grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our
Lord stid Saviour, Jesus Christ. To Hint
be glory, both now and forever. Amen.
U AL S. MEEK, Mod.
John Thomas, Clerk.
Chinese Etymologies.
A writer in the Courier, who takes the
] signature Cliootig Kwoii, says:
When the thirteen stripes and stars first
! appeared at Canton, much curiosity was ex
cited among the people. News was circu
lated that a strange ship had arrived from
the further end ol the world, beating a llag
j ‘as beautiful as a (lower.’ Every body v, cut
j to see the kwa kee chuen, or ‘dower flag
j ship.’ ’( his name at once established it
■ sell in the language, and America is now
j called kwa kee kwoh, pin —‘dower flag
| countryman’ a more complimentary desig
-1 nation than that of ‘ red headed barbarian’
] the name first bestowed upon the Dtilch.
| It is <vell s known that alt proper names in
; Chinese are significant, every character in
die language expressing a tiling nr an idea,
■as well as a sound. 1 here are, consequent
ly, no unmeaning names in Chinese, cor
’ responding loTom, Dick,and Harry,Jones,
I Davis, and Jenkins : buta man’s name must
| be something like House or Baines, White
lor Brown, Flood oi Stone, Wood oi Wa
| ters. Foreign names, however unmeaning
originally, acquire, when written in Chi
; nese, a significance which is ollenly strik
iugly curious.
Yankee Doodle and Washington are the
| most remarkable of these etymologies,
which have yet come under my nolice.—
i The two Chinese characters, Vang kee,
signify ‘the flag of the ocean’—a most ap
piopiiale name lot the banner which is now
to bu seen wherever there is blue water.
The Chinese have no D, and ‘Yankee
Doodle” would be written Yankee too-to
lee the dag of the ocean, sovereign people
of the world ! This is an omen sufficient
ly flattering, and if the Chinese do notsus- >
peel there is ‘something in it,” we must
give them credit for being less superstitious ;
than many other people.
‘Washington’ is no less happy in his
transition into Chinese, for ll'o-s/iing-tung,
as it would be written, signifies no less than
‘rescue and glory at last’—could the name
of the Father of his country be expressed
with more felicitous truth ?
The Chinese attach great importance to
expressive and high sounding names ; and
an ambassador to the Courtof Pekin, whose
name has not something imposing in Chi
nese, would be received pretty much the
same way that llubb Doddinglon anticipa
ted when he thought of going minister to
Spain. The commissioner fiom the Uni
ted Slates is vdry luckily gifted in this re
spect, for Cashing means ‘ancient glory’
—a name that will satisfy the most fastidi
ous courtier at the Mcaou Tang, and au
gur a prosperous issue to the ‘whole pig
eon.’ as the Chinese would say.
Chinese has been said to be a language
almost impossible to be learned by a for
eigner. This, the writet pronounces a
monstrous exaggeration, and affirms that it
is more difficult than Greek or German.—
He adds, that China is full of books produc
ed by a literature which is three thousand
years old ; that hooks there are as cheap ns
newspapers here, and he suggests that the
liberal Boston merchants would ship a few
books from America along with their car
goes of tea.— Eve. Post.
Death anil Sleep-
FROM THE GERMAN OF KRI'MACIIER.
In affectionate brotherhood, the angels of
Sleep and Death, wandered over the earth.
It was evening, and they stretched them
selves upon the hill not far from the abode
of man. The evening bells of the distant
village were hushed and a melancholy still
ness prevailed around.
Peaceful and silent, as is their custom,
j embracing each other sat the beneficent Ge
nii of mankind, ftightgradtially approach
ed.
Then arose the angel of Sleep from his
mossy couch, and scattered with light hand,
unseen seeds of slumber. The evening
; wind bore them to the dwellings ol the wea
! ry husbandmen, and sweet sleep fell upon
the dwellers of the rural cottages, from the
aged who walketh with the staff, to the
suckling in the cradle. The siek forgot
their pains, the afflicted their sorrows, and
jnjur itieir csrC’S. ah ncic stiui.
Alter having finished Ins task. the benev
olent angel of Slumber laid himself again
beside his serious brother. “When the
morning dawns,” tried he in innocent glad
ness, “mankind will praise me as their
friend and benefactor. O what joy and sat
isfaction to do good unseen and secretlv !!
How happy are we, the invisible messen
gers of the great and good Eternal ! How
beautiful our noiseless duty !”
Thus spoke tiie friendly angel of slum- 1
her.
The angel of Death answered him in deep
sorrow, white a tear, such as the immortal :
only weep, stood in ifis large dark eye.—
“Alas!” said he, “I am not as thou art, no j
glad thanks rejoice me. They of the earth I
caii me their foe, and the disturber of their j
joys.”
“O, my brother,” replied the angel of
Sleep, “will not the good at the great awa-;
kening recognize in thee their friend and j
benefactor, and thankfully bless thee? Are
we not brothers, the messenger ofone com
mon Father?”
Then the eve of of Death was
clear and bright again, and the brotherly I
Genii tenderly embraced each oth< r.
J> E N FIELD.
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 1844.
To Correspondents.
We have credited J. T. Berry, Summer
ville, Ga., to June’4s—is that right’—The
money sent by hrn. Manning, a few weeks
since, has been applied to the credit of W.
C. Williams, and extends it from Feb. ‘4O
to Feb. ’4 1 : see receipts for his own.—C.
AL Fort, Ftekensville, Ala., is in arrears
for six months only : his paper will be stop
ped as requested.
We hope hro. L. 8. will pursue the
course suggested in our last letter to him,
t ) obtain what lie desires : that will secure
what he desires, and at the same time re
lieve ns from a responsibility which we
feel unwilling to assume.
lViifirltl Female Academy,
We learn, Irom one of the Trustees of
this institution, that the Rev. I. L. Brooks,
who has faithfully discharged the duties of
Principal lor the last two or three years,
has resigned his office; and that the Rev.
8. G. lldiver, of Alillcdgeville, has been
; elected to supply the vacancy. We are
gratified til being able to add, that Air. II i!I
----[ yer has accepted the appointment of Princi
pal, anil will enter upon his duties at the
! commencement of the mxt term.— Air.
II illy or lias been long and successfully en
gaged in conducting female education, and
has established his reputation as a teacher,
not only hi the denomination with which
he is connected, but in the community at
large. W Idle, therefore, the patrons of the
School may regret the resignation of Air.
Brooks, we are persuaded they will rejoice
that the services of Air. 11 illyer have as a
successor been secured.
The present Principal, we have reason
to believe, highly approves of the selection
that has been made.
When an indiiiduul subscribes for a pa.
per, he is always considered as pledged to
take it a year, unless there is a special un
derstanding to the contrary, had with the
editor at the time of subscribing. The law
also leaves it optional with the editor wheth
er to stop a paper or not, when requested
so to do, before arrearages are paid. A
subscriber, w hose name was sent us in Au
gust, and for whom we published an ndver
tisement gratuitously, from the 23d of Aug.
to tbe ‘2sth of Oct. inclusive, returned our
number for the 15th ins:., with the request,
under his name, wiitten on the margin,
“ Please send no more.” This is a viola
tion of the I*. O. law ; and, had that law
been enforced, would have subjected our
temporary subscriber to a heavier loss than
lhat'lo which he ha.* subjected—not us, but
the Baptist Convention of the State ol Geo.,
by subscribing for the Index, taking it three
months, and then stopping it without paying
for it.
We have received, also, an anonymous
communication from Florida, signed, “ A
Baptist,” for which we had to pay 18] cts.
postage. How is the Index to get out of
debt, when Jlaptists subject us to such
losses ? We are persuaded, when brethren
act in that way, they do not think of the
loss to w hich they ate subjecting the de
nomination. Good brethren, as we doubt
not those alluded to are, are liable to act
sometimes without due reflection. We im
pute to them no intentional injustice.
The Home Mission Society.
In another column will he found a com
munication from our beloved brother and
worthy predecessor, Rev. W. H. Stokes,
in reference to the action of this Society.—
He expresses the feelings of ninety-nine
one hundredths of our subscribers. Bre
thren of every rank, and in every State and
territory in which our paper circulates, ex
press themselves ready to sustain us in the
position we have taken. There are some
few, we admit, that would censure the
course pursued by our Executive Commit
tee, if they could hope to lead a party with
them ; but they see— they Jeel that the cur
rent is against them, and that it is irresisti
ble. Wc have no need for harsh and e.\-
citing language to atouse cur people to a
sense of the injustice done them. They
are wide awake. Tlierr voice may not be
tieaid through the press—they will speak
by their acts. We have been, in the lan
guage of one of our correspondents, “kick
ed out of company.”. We will deserve to
be kicked out again, if ever again we entet
the precincts of a Society that will suffer
such injustice to be done us. So think we,
Tite Mrlhodist Conference.
The Conference of the AI. E. Church,
for this State, is to meet in Eatonton, we
learn, on the 15th of next month. If they
decide on a sep,nation from their Northern
brethren, we hope they will also decide in
favor of expunging those articles of their
discipline, which declare slavery to be,
what the Bible does not declare it to be, “ a
great evil,” and a disqualification for the
gospel ministry. If the one is done and
the other left undone, they will remain lia
ble to the charge of gross inconsistency ;
and their motives for seceding will not be
obvious to the community generally.
A Desideratum.
(We cheerfully give place to the follow
ing communication, and that it ;n ly not es
cape the observation of cur Eastern bre
thren, we insert it in our editorial columns.)
Brother Editor —l have thought for
sometime, that a commentary upon the Epis
tle of Paul t) Philemon, Prepared some
where down east would do good. Perhaps
some ready scribe, in or about the “Athens
ol America,” might be induced to under
take such a work. Will you be so good
as in publish this, that rny desire (and I sup
pose that I am not alone upon this subject)
may he known ill that quarter. The point
upon which I desire licit! particularly is
this: Paul, with was ii good Christian, re
turned a run away servant to his master,
whilst in this euiigliteil day, many who
would be thought the best of Christians, do
all they can to induce servants to run ajc'uy
jrom their masters. Q.
We have received, from the Home Mis
sion Rooms, a slip containing an interest;
ing communication from brother Trvon,
which we are compelled to defer for our
next number.
Support of tlic Gospel.
On our first page will lie found an article
:on this subject. No duty is more express
ly enjoined in scripture, than that of contri
buting of ourca t'dy suhsiance to those who
minister tons in spiritual things. 1. Cbr.
ix. 11.—The Lord has “ordained, that
they which preach the gospel, should live
of the gospel.” 1 for. ix. 14.
The duty is obligatory upon all. Some
are not to be burdened that others may be
released. “ For I mean not that other men
he eased, and you burdened ; but by an
! equality,” &c. 2 for. viii. 13, 14.—N0
one is to be excused from this duty, w ho is
not himself an object of charity—depend
ent upon others for the means of subsist*
: once. Even poverty affords no available
excuse, where there is health and strength
of body to labor. The poor should “la
bor, working with his hands the thing
which is good, that he may have to give to
him that needed).” Eph. iv. 28 ; 1 TheS;
iv. 12—Acts xx. 35. —He is not to with
hold his contributions, as many do, from a
view of his own necessities, or a fear that
!he may thereby be reduced to want. To
obviate such a fear, lie is assured that “ God
is able to make all grace abound towards
you, that ye always having all sufficiency
in all things, may abound to every good
work.” ‘2 Cor. ix. B.—“He that giveth to
j the poor shall not lack.” I’rov. xxviii/25.
lie is not only insured against loss, ott
account of his contributions, but is assured
that he shall receive an ample reward;
“ Give, and it shall he given unto yoni
good measure, pressed down, and shaken
together, and RUNNING OVER, shall
men give into your bosom.” Luke vi. 38.
—“ The liberal soul shall be made faf, ant!
he that watereth shall be watered also him
self. ’ Prov. xi. 25.- His reward shall
he proportioned to his liberality: “he which
soweth bountifully, shall reap bountifully.”
2 Cor. ix. 6.
We are moreover warned of the const
quence of withholding more than is meet.
“ There is that scattpreth, and yet increas
eth ; and there is that withholdeth more
than is meet, but it lendeth to poverty.”
Prov. xi.2-f.—“ He which soweth sparing
ly, shall reap sparingly.” 2 Cor. ix. 6.
A rule is also given to regulate the
amount of onr contribution. We are to
give according to the ability which God
giveth. “If any man minister, let him do
it as of the ability which God giveth, that
God in all things may be glorified through
Jesus Christ, to whom be praise,” &c. 1
Pet. 4, 11.—“ For if there be first a willing
mind, it is accepted according tolhatamau
hath, and not according to that he hath not.”
2 Cot. viii. 12. i-“ Upon the first day of
| the week, let every one of you lay by him
in store, as God hath prospered him, that
there be no gatherings, when I come.” 1
i Cor. xvi. 2.—“ The poor widow, who cast
in her little solitary mite, was commended
by the Saviour as having, ‘cast more in’ than
all they which have cast into the treasury.”
Mark xii. 43 : Luke xxi. 2.
In the same sense in which the widow
was said to have cast in more than others,
who cast in of their abundance, may many a
i