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nr i-oit;ni-*at ’it tor, post paid. Advertisement? may be inserted on usual terms, at th” discretion oft;. iJT.dittur. - - —■ For the Christian Index. . ’ AN ESMV, In Defence of Strict Con; inn, Ip J. TANARUS,. JUeu, Professor of Theology. Mercer Cniremitjf, 6i, CHAPTER V. AN ALDKtSS. In Dr half of Bap!;s;s who praclis;t Strict femmm’ion 1o (Trisiians es ollirr Denominations. Dkir HKKTmmx,— Ue address you as memtiP's “itlt us of the same ■tntinil family, and children oft he same Father in heat an. We have I ren bought with the same blood, nod regenerated hv the same Spirit. V. e are alike pilgrims and strangers in the earth, and expert to dwell together forever in the hotter country, where we hope soon to arrive. It surely !•< •n- ik. j while we are on the way, to cultivate the-• fi;.’■ • i*n;ii j sympathies and affections which it h our I .ppir.es well ns’ eur duty, to exorcise tov •• rd each ‘ th > * ithotit v. Inch, we must do dishonor to t! • r; I; ‘tori that j wo jj- and the Savior whom we love, i.e* ns. ‘■wall; in hoe, and •• h-w afer de things uliielij unite for peace, end thing, - hi r m h one mny'cd.fvj another.” P ‘baps some of v. -t may Jo surp aed to receive from os an exhort ."rr to I'.i- t fiVl. -.id imvr v fin- ; Can any good thing <••• me out of Air/, a re! li?’ •'.‘•hail the j sect, so notorious for I igotry and exclusiveness, exlmi-t ; US to peace M'.l love? W are aware, brethren, I'm'! rniir. of vi ii have thought us inclined of choice to ua ! h alone, ami averse to the exeicise and cultivation of that j brotherly Ive w hich our common Lord and Master en-j 3* ‘< n-- ■ -VI ins f. I! ii.iitis ns Ihe i!i. ’ n Ishin'• mark id’ .1 _ ....-ctplcslitp. i .l it he assured that our views and feelings on this subject I,a ve been misunderstood, ftiid j that we would grcn'lv rejoice to see every cause ofdi \isi >n and alienation in ilu flock of Christ forever rc- • moved. The statement lias I ren mud'*, that n company o| r ■ 11• :r*al missionaries, from dili’roM ri ‘i’i rr.inationS, Hie met on * lif.i'lien shore, >• oh: to (flscr s liiliy all subjects on wide! :! >•., . and, !.•!* *rt ! ? slton'd enter on the discusso i ■■':!,•..• i! <at wl.icl: they i <hfi'< red ; and !!•;•! tI.L- . ;flitnt, forth- | ie>< rvafi* nol | petire, pave them ample time nnd npjtr>rtitni: v to proseenit d-iir iab<togetlr >• harmoniously. It c.nuld doid : . lie * ell 1.. r os eve, r< nieniLer, that ilie I’oin’s of i-.g!cement between grv.o'uo Christians me fir more numerous nul unportiint limit tlm.se of difleicuri : and-though a prudent examination of the Istirr ought not tube discountenanced or neglected, yet to bestow on them an exclusive or disproportionnte attention, is tin wise and injurious. ~(if the six unities mentioned bv tli Apostle Paul, in Epii- 4, five nitty be predicat'd ofII who love ottr Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. W e have one body, one spirit, one hope, one Lprdpnnd one faith. W I. vc not om- hunt fern; and Ik'iicc, we cannot have one organization of visible Churches, and otic ceremo nial communion. The five points of union to which we have attained nre spiritual; and on them depend our spiritual blessings here, and our inheritance hereafter. The one point to which we have i:-.t attained is ceremo nial, and belongs only to our cat!lily state. The di vision between utherefore, though it is to be lament ed, and ought, ■•’ Tic, to be healed, will be confined to our sojourn m i .rth, red pot even new inter- 1 nipt our spiritual cotnmutiioii. This division lias been caused and perpetuated bv error in us, or in you, or in both. To detect tluit error, and remove thr: consequent j rvil, God has given us His holy word, and promises iL aid of His Spirit. Let ns, w ith humility and !*•;• ness, search that word, and prayerfully imp L.-:• • ! Spirit’s aid, in hope ,r God will r. vi al even (hi. ou’n'. us. In the meant; whercunto wo have n I re,* idv at-! tained. let us walk by the same rule, Ls us Tnd the same tilings. A consciousness ~*• our own liability , r , should make us forbearing toward others, whose opinions and practice differ from ours. It surprises os that you do not see, what appears to us to ho so clearly revealed in the Scriptures, the obligation of believers to ho immer sed upon a profession of their faith. But the charity which thinketh no evil, compels ns in ndm! t! •:* voor godly men, who live in the neglect of this ordiii ; • are, nevertheless, serving God in sincerity, accord:*.!”- foi their convictions of duty. To you, one practice of j strict communion has been offensive ; but v.e cl.Tn f K *J in to act conscientiously towards God, ar.u .i—| ground to he c: ; :W, if not to yo-i- • ;>p- ‘intjon, o’ lea: • to your forbearance. Wo wish you it 11 spiritual bless ings, and rej- ’ a finat we can partake of them with you. As to the forms and ceremonies of religion, p 8 >ut which we ditfer, each of our Churches ought to bo allowed, without offence to the rest, to worship God according ”, i them in every spiritual service of i hope to part ake with them of the spirit ,!1 ’ n, s oJ the upper world. If altainrrenls in hi',, ness were all that we deemed requisite to entitle ( , i( _ t a place at our communion table, we wouid'lad ! v i'iß-iifriai B ‘ ’* •'* T. *-**'■*>r -,f i; Perhaps it appears to you strangely inconsistent, that we do not invito to our communion on earth those whom we consider entitled to a sent at the heavenly table. The charge, of inconsistency is far less grievous than that of ■ li-righteousness, because it may imply nothing more then a n error of judgment. Moreover, consisten cy not Ibe law that should govern our conduct. To m.MKC it so, is to make ourselves our own rule. A so'i i chiido for consistency lias been the prolific multiplier of errors; and ihe* rouhget i.ftiie brood roe ‘often ilie fergci. Ims fiir heit’ i - to follow, wifi: childlike simpli i r ‘!v and obedience, the doctrines and precepts of God’s word. We shall no doubt appear inconsistent in the eyes of many : and perhaps the h.Vrmonv which subsists among the truths which wo receive, and the precepts w hich we nb.ey, rimy he undi*nvern! le even to our | selves. Put God will hereafter make all plain. .Now we I now lmt in v.iirl ; hut what we know not now, wo ■ 1 row hereafter. If the word of God reveals that ail L o- veisin f'hr's! shall he admitted to the Marriage j Sop, r of tty’ T.-irnh, and if the same \Vord <enjoins on ■’ fd.s-:it them to the communion pf our Chord ■<■ j’ u'y O' l •'> I' re-■riled condition—on whom is the in.vn is” •• •.cv j( euv, chn-gealde ? It is our happiness to i bnow licit the God will into heaven j through the atenemeifl and righteousness of Christ, be’ v-i, who have rot on earth perf'ctlv obeyed his ‘• ‘o i-.nn 1 -neiits. God is sometimes pleased to use his j L'li'wly elins’c-emen's to correct their deviations from H - :!i : and il sometimes lie chooses to reprove, hv j : : ”t’ cn gentle as that of some ceremonial p.ivajinti, j the agents whom lie employs to administer this gentV j rebuke, deserve not lobe reward'd v ; (>> en. ■ r-proncfies. j | A oti Have, perhaps, noticed wli.it has appeared to you jto he a still more palpable inconsistency. We admit i your pifachers to our pulpi.s, our prayer-meetings, our fttiniiv, dcvotii ns, and yet not to our communion- If, n li,is “ceouut, we appear vile, we will he vet more | vile. \\ o will not only admit your ministers to nor l pulpits ; lan v.e will, in many instances,boast of them , ,:s fulr bathers in Christ. We listen with rapture to the ! messages of grace which they drifter;/and nre I runs j ;'('!'■ (I to :!ie third heavens win n we unde in their devo i tiomu Ihe truths which they utter are the milk by which (air li.ibcs are nourished llie manna, and the strong merit, of w hieli those ent w lirt are more tiiTvriTiceif in age. Why, then, vou ask, do you refuse to these j very men a cninih of broad at vour communion fable? j ‘ ■ ’ aii-iver, that tliey.thi :ns( Ives have taught us so to” do. ‘Ve prize them I’d .-'lt lift truth’s sake. We receive them into our hearts-, l.i cause they bring with tie in the doctrine of Christ, and the spirit of Christ. But they themselves tell us that they nre men of like passions will) ourselves, fallible and erring ; and that wo should take not them, hut the word of God, for the rule of our conduct. Though they arc our fathers in Chris., lliev ntt f rjy disclaim all papal authority over usj and they enjoin on us, as Paul did on those whom he hr] hr-rot. ,• / O ten ibroogli the gospel, to follow them only so far as they follow (Jhrist. Excellent ns they are, they see er rors in cadi other; which they cannot iri conscience ap prove or imitate. And, if we perceive in them no fault whatever, tine one—and if that on*’ should respect a commandment of Christ, fiir less important than hap ti-in—wo are required, by their instruction, and bv the j authority of Christ whom’they preach, not to wound “ttr consciences and sin against Godi in that tiling. ( H uce it is, that we do riot sit with them at the same eoHjironion table. { ‘LI, meticeof strict communion ‘piny Iqtve appeared , so von v ‘ v objectionable, L'cnnse it dividis those who 1 j tiro uniter: to < ■ It other by natural, as well as bv spir j ilu’d lies. ‘runtime* husbands and wive-, parents and ! children, brothers and sisters, even when partaki rsTtfj the common faith, have not a common table at whichr they commemorate the He: L of their L’ irJ. This is] truly nfihetivo; and there rnurl he wrong soui(.’w iicre j to which the affliction may he traced. With whom is j that wrong ? Which party is ii th.V deserts the rule of j Christ? Whosoever lovctli father or mother more than Christ, is not worthy of Him. It is a trial of Christian firmness, to leave beloved relatives and friends for Christ’s sake, when they nre in the gall of bitterness and the bur. : of iniquity: but He require; it, and obedience Hie, in this particular has often proved the means of! th* ir ’ ation. It is frequently xouelr mverer trial ofi chrician firmne.s*-, to decline union w h brdoved (•hie-. — —. ~aimu ■ J —.i-'tvos, in some sing ; oint in which we IjrliPvc that they deviate Irom tlm law jf Clirist j BuR whatever pangs i‘may cost us, it is bettef or ns> ; I, is b'/ucr for them, that we exhibit, on the one) j|an( ,j h ,j lemurs. ; ,nd tenderness toward them ; and, cii^p 0 , 1 er, if (i’aternunnlion to niltiere s'rictly In whatr hj,'t eve to he the command of Heaven. b iA j 1 ill A, ■ i ode, piepVrid to Ctfntil I ; Mt. “T’ ‘ !C: ’ ‘ ‘'"J iwarls sh. ■•'!(! • nnt/“J . i * l , it* r. 11 y * ‘”• t _ mmsm-wx ’ ■ oil lo theii mtMiig sin- get . ■ | .can world I. .s^aehdly Uv-MlI'V a.a sll o u , p > n ;,*.. x ’ ■nfJJyr.e'nsnlvt . ” l “nimtho a^yqM' :;:,t ’ was dcparliiV .' ou ns as from us. In his judgment, yJu ‘ho principle of strict commit, nion, which he ■T'l'T" 1 - ns ,ru 'y ns do : and so we understand the ■aScAand such we have known to be your practice.+ ministers have sometimes advo cated this doc B nn ’ I'tb n firmness which has been highly honors ,0 l ,Pm 4 Wi, h you, brethren,* we feel that we hav®. po < |uUoversyon this point. Instead • of indulging fecriminnti.ins against each i th or, with respect si -t communion, it heeorues ns to draw more p| ro(^P‘ ,r> ‘ mds of our lirollierhood, and to use our uniii- wv ®j|' l ' n a in r ' onvi “eing those who have departed limb of our common faith. Our oontroverß w ’* y°“ res-peeAs properly nud ex clusively the qu JN on Hhnptvsm. This is the point of unity to which no * altnined. We say to you. in Christian frflnl^ t ' t in our best judgment, you live in neglect of ofir f'avior, in which He oi'p>in(^^H^ !s diseijilcs shf.tild be or iinmersed, in t^^B' n *d tlm haliier, and of tjie Soli, rod of the ‘ v ht we now say in word, v ii'sny in do mean to say. anything c,i l )Vi' r i."n I-’ } ‘‘O real will) us at the Lord's table. TLc*ua-e^^H' e f such nciinn, you understand as ‘* misinterpret it, and suppose v.e ‘b"t <• 1 u! ■ you from omit spiritual nf'ii'e:ttjj^^^^K>' |: l ,:i!|l const i ue wi.uld ‘’ ‘nlness. f eae| the disciples < isfev, in! tin* Holy iScripture> say on this rpi!'s:|^^B”o ,| l “ Itieli we dim r. It-luis been - 11 “T” 1 Si-ii, ni this * ssny, to enter upon any dk-.-Bv’ °i> respecting baptism. Yet, we’ may ask you, have dolie all wliicli your consciences w’l! |lfOiit to do, to heal divisions mi ginating froni.lki-l'ause. admit licit immersion is baptism; a mi? trial! y of you that i> was the primi tive mode; iu>J tWßtthpJe whi.cli*prevail: and almost exclu sively for many edifuries. Ouß- consciences run fine us to this mod:', and /'ours do reject il. Who—ve would af]i..eliotiat.c\l entreat yoft, j,, consider—w ho nre most chargeable v i¥ii manifestl(C.r n disposition averse to union TANARUS” Pwul, wJmM hw l ' o,,sc 'Wncc w rmld permit him, became all things til H nten. #[f W( , | ;now 0 „ r hearts, wo would, consc;( ce permit„ gj |„ v , nsi( j fi (lny p ccl) . .jjagity, in order lo Ante, in g!)n(i W()r j unf | wor | {) with those Lord Jesus Christ. Why, brdlircu, do ye otl^Hrwise? We will add onejßodu'r remark. We do not reject you from our comti.flinion because your parents dedica ted you to God in i.ißfancv. They thought it their duty so to do: and, cithaHr from tradition, or from what wo believe to he a misißrterpr*talion of God’s word, they used Water in this and called the use of it baptism. Now, ground does this parental du ty, whether real or sffipposed, absolve you from the per sonal duty, as disciHjes (if Christ, ri’ being baptized in ’ o was lo their conscien iv can it he, to you also, t toward God, when the •xpressed, were theirs, irr primitive Christians, heir infancy, and who ich infant baptism.does vmUlks- rite, Sdt'iqii-r ----*n a profession of their though circumcised in is ministry for your sal nselfat Jordan to be bap s ministry, voluntarily nos sufferings fo p your oluntarilv baptized for brethren, we make our Do they give for vou a your love to the Sa il - which should subsist you to inquire, v> hethor relation to this subject, firmed. If.any one of ■it the answer of a good irticular, vve say ii him, And now why miriest and wash away thy sins, ” days. v. tin had been edn • 1 1 '.• lined a h-.pe in-Ciinst, r.'ic ui ; slit a*i ,i!mit'oj to ;;rou.r4-t!iat ho . was men*. ,1 which hfoi bonomo indi te, in coiiHDquenc#*, prr- Mp. fhiving no inn ate r to eorvo them f>r n or the stvih? or Georgia ivu mu n, t 845. yt.nuv lc?jus intercourse with tliem, he bee n.., tirquitmti i of ibeir mimts in reti renee to tins qursiiw ■a that the vf ,M ig to is v:c,i^^topdsMjn i, their vl<ju^t^ere.remo'lri:(t* ‘• ‘ ■ ‘ i iisptrst Jiiytitution, lias in _ ong .’'.rtj ie-v Erl frrini - ‘ ipf’ffi i.e baptist eje r cyn lai— tie of thiftvss;iyVtbjiitrtwrptif tai. * UffelßWMfte'to cd’hmushipi* .*■ •* • ( t-’d.'iCi.ivi e. New.vansvii.lK, E. It.a., Feh. 28lh, 1815. Pro. Baker —l feel il my duty, and lam impressed with the belief that it is a duty incumbent on me, to drop you a few tines again for your valuable paper, (the Christian Index.) in oulei to counteract some errors inadvertently made by me in the Index oftliF lOih Jan. last; and, for my satisfaction and the comfort of my brethren of this comity, I beg the favor to give this let ter a place in the Index, which is a substitute fur the original, ft is as follows: Bro. Balter, I should have introduced myself to von sooner, but have been exceedingly busy this war. I was acquainted with your predecessor w hile editor of the Index, acted as agent for the papei, and have i con a constant reader ofit ever since its f>M publication ; hut, as we are strangers, I will give you a hiief sketch ofmv history, and that of the Baptists in this eniinlrv. I was baptized by brother Jacob Kims at Thnnias ton, Ga„ in 1828—removed to Fl,,rdn in iK.'g, ; nd was ordained lo the ministry in IfhhJ. There was then hut one Baptist preacher in all Fist Florida, (viz) 100. Fleming Bates—that is, when I came here. I com menced pleaching; and, with the aid <.f In-othcr Bales. (tlicn almost worn mil, and, as I ohvived, the only j Baptist preacher in Fast Florida, and bad been for ma ny years—and in fact, ;i I ,:ni correctlv informed, l.c j was the’ first preacher and 1 was the second,) we re ceived and constituted never:,l Churches in the wiiilnr, ! or rather in Novembet, 1835. The Indian war osior on, ami broke up eur Church i es. burned our dwellings and l—tmes of worsliin. and I i scattered our people to the four corners of the oar4|i so jto B|Muk 1h n 4“w vents, ot in ’fUV f; ‘■j''), TtTc* ohl j brother died, (Bates) and I was alone. There was not a Baptist preacher nearer than seventy-live miLv, nor! one who come to this part of Fast Florida, with the ex- i eeplion i.f brother James McDonald, who visi r ! the ! comities of Alachua am! Columbia occasionally, hut no j farther South. In fact. ! was the only preacher el any j denomination, who Mood to their post, foi the first and i 1 | second years of t lie war. I remained, and pi cached ‘ many funerals in forts, block-houses, ami in the woods, I (if those killed by the savages. When tlie war abated, I commenced rebuilding Zion ; and had considerable success, aided by brother James; McDonald, (a minister employed by the Baptist Home! Mission Society,) in the constitution of three Ghurchcs, I ordained Deacons, &e. In 1815, an act of Congiers, entitled an m t fur the! armed occupation and settlement of the unsettled put of: the Peninsula of Flotilla, induced inanv of our people to ‘ avail themselves of its benefits, which again scattered litem, and in some degree crippled uur Churches. Ij again commenced itinerant preaching; and, last March, 1 ’ (1844) received a commission from the Baptist Home ; Mission Society, to continue my work. I was called j Soulli, and in the new settlements we had many difii- j cullies to surmount, but our u-utchwonl was onward, i In the scope of country’ which my circuit inclosed, I! found eighty-one Baptists scattered over a vast scope of country, and succeeded in putting them uinlw the watchfulness of each other. In the firs.t quarter ofmv year, I received and baptized only two; second qnaiter six; third quarter ten; and the fourth quarter eleven. In the year which is about to close I have travelled two thousand miles, preached one hundred and eighty ser mons, made two liondreij visits and family prayers, re ceived and baptized twenty-nine: ti e whole number of Baptists at present in my hounds is one hundred and eleven. So you will see that we are gaining; am! per haps doing much good in riehiiminJtnnd keeping in or der old scanned mcinhers/atff in pointing Hauers to th” Lamb ol God, he. Hoping you will pardon the slips and imperfections of the old pioneer of the South, and give him your pray ers, and pray for our Churches, and lor the prospeiitv of Zion everywhere, Yours, in gospel bonds, JOHN TUCKER. nr-■•-•e.-ir.- -i -- - ‘;rtwa HOME MISSION Ml’lirnilTT. For the Christian Index. Arkansas; A missionary in Arkansas, writes that encouraging success attends the labors of Baptist ministers in that State, and the people manifest an increasing desiic Idr their services. This is especially the case in the north ern counties. • • Kentucky. Rev. Joel F. Grace, mission:!.'/ in (sritleiulrn coun ty*, Ky.,Mu a poslcript to s letter ol'.Um. 31:.;, says : “1 have opened my letter lo sav that the Lord is file sing our liters, especially in'the Union (.'htiriii. I baptized 7 persons last Lord's day : two others are now vaitiun for ait opportunity to go forward.—Pikers a,, , ujoving hope to Glirist, and many’are icqniri-ig. •• IVliat shall l do lo be saved.” Publisher— JlENJ. BRANTLY. Illinois. . j Rev. M.*f.. Wisiier, missionary at Dundee, 111., writes that a wofk of grace has • conmienced a tuong the piicple of- fife charge; the church are cfl|aged, and sinners are inquiring the way of salvation: the Baptfst Chwelu.c in all the region rondd'about nre aw'akenfhg to their duty, and God is pouring out life •Spiritupon His people. Wisconsin.—From Rev. ,‘J. Miner, *'. ••Jr., Pcairievillto IV.'T. Our phew of woijoip is so far completed ‘oit we h*c held prayer tlireeorJjurysuLKa past, it. v, HI he fimshmlduring the * present miinih. Although it is large, we trust we shnll not he lonely in it, for our place of w orship lias been un comfortably crowded all winter. I wish our friends who have aided us could attend some of our meetings, and thus become eye witnesses of what God has done and is doing for ns in the wilderness, for they would rejoice in the fruit of their labors. God lias revived life work in a nlo rious manner, in one neighborhood, in the (‘lnirch ; and, last Lord’s day, the indications, to my own mind, were, that il would become cener: !. When I think of the success with which the Lord has ntte <!H my poor labors in this terribly, 1 feel that I have much occasion for humili ty and gralittie.” Rcvicahs. Il is, indeed, encouraging, after so long a time of spiritual declension, be permitted again to boat of vivnl of God’s work churches at the “far west.” > -V;s” ’ aficctionab'ly bespeak for the church es the missionaries supplying them, trie earnest pray ers of God’s people. Jlnnuul Ihp ;r!s iCanted. The subscriber respectfully re quests the Secretaries of the Liloiv i g missionary bodies to forward i him. by maii, :<%soon as convenient, | die Anuuiil lJivports of those bodies i for 1814: lijigiijt G-Oinenlion* °f Vermont, North and Soirth Carolina, and Ala- I liama. j General Association of Kentucky, ; ami Marvlnnd Union Association. ‘ll. M. HILL. Cor. Sec. ok bum a, I Collections by Rev. ('. M. Puller. j Augusta.—James Cotton Ganl ! tier 610, William Stark 10, James ! 5, Mi-s Lucy Ben! 2, j(. a?ff? 25, E. Wimberly 1, I Muslin 1, Joliti iM. Tutiier 1, Pro fessor Wni. Ilarel 2. I). K. AVright 2, John .Mi I ledge 2, Rev. Wm. T. i Brautlv 5 - - $43 25 ’Total, .... $5Bl 10 ’ Less than the receipts of the I corn spending tno. in ’44. 6511 28 K. W. Martin. Treas. J’laicic, Fires. —A letter from i Highland Prairie, W isconsin Terri tory, under date of Jan. sth, savs: i “ I can at the present moment count I ten of these fires m various I appearing like so many moving’ mountains of flame, and panning thu ! whole heavens the color of blood. The nett income nl the Tonatvan- Ida Railroad, during the last year, was 0(30,575. to the Kentucky Legislature, n hill has passed the House of Repre sentatives amen,ling ljic revenue laws so as to put an ad valorem tax on all property. The French Catholic Chinch at West Troy, was destroyed by ino yesterday morning. There appears to lie no doubt mat ii was the work of an inctTidinty. —Albany Dully ’ .ddrertisi t of Saturday A maiden lady noted for doing an ('■'.tensive business at Natchez, Miss., has failed for near $200,000. .She once took a fancy to a male neighbor, and inviting him inJ,o her place of bu siness, put ill his Lands a roll of bank notes, and told him to count them. )lo did so; tliG result was SIOO,OOO, in hills of 1,000 dollars each. $!: told him they were his, provide! he would take her with them. She did not succeed in her scheme of annexa tion.— Newark Adv. Plurality 7.aw at Last. —A hue has been passed by the House of Representatives of Massachusetts, which allows a plurality to elect members of Congress, after two elec-, tinns. in which a majority had mu been obtained. //ffflfc Zealand. —The na tive Indians of New Zealand have ri sen upon “the British Colonists, in tending to exterminate them. It is i aid the war is conducted hv fugitive Englishmen and Anieiinms, w tin ob tained an asylum among the natives, J —London paper. ISO. 12