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important considerations suggest them-j
selves to our mind.
1. The field is so vast, that the supplies’
furnished by our Seminaries are as the five |
barley lource and two small fishes, j
many thousands fed by our Lords Out
young men are not enSouragei] to prepare 1
themselves for their work. The churches J
and ministers should urge them to the pur
suit of knowledge, and facilitate their aVqui-!
sitioi: of it.
2. While ministerial support is almost
entirely neglected, many ministers must ol
necessity engage in secular pursuits. The
prodigal waste of ministerial talent and
ability, which at this moment alllicts the
Baptists in the United Slates, especially in
the South aiuf West, is among our greatest
causes ol perplexity and distress. The un
supported-minister,' 1 without fortune, seeks
’that employment for which he is best
qualified, and which promises the greatest
usefulness, emolument and honor. If he is
an educated man, lie of course prefers the
business of a teacher, next to that of pastor
or evangelist, because it is mote congenial
with his taste, and more compatible with
the employment of a part of his time in 1
preaching. Churches ought not to be sat
isfied with mine preaching, hut wish and
obtain pastoral labor, of which preaching
is not onr-fourth. Tlteso very ministers, |
who engage tit schoois v u mime*
sripfiort anu constant employment in their
office, to profitable salaries as teachers. If
they would not, they do not deserve to re-:
tain a license. 11. K.
For the Christian Index.
A Thenic fur the Historian-
Mosheim, Jones, Milner and others, who
have written the History of the Church,
wrote, we presume, without any apprelten- 1
sion that a day would come, in the History J
of the Church of Christ, whan the diffusion
of gospel knowledge, and the consequent
extension of the kingdom of Christ, would j
he strenuously opposed hv the professed ‘
followers of the Redeemer, Hence, their I
comparative silence as to the various means j
employed by Christians in their efforts to
withstand the encroachments and corrup
tions of Rome, and to spread the knowledge
of the gospel among men. The same ig
norance of the future, for aught we know,
may have produced a like neglect, if it be i
such, in their predecessors.
The most spacious objection, which is at
this time used by the Primitive Baptists;
against union and co-operation with the
Missionary portion of the denomination, is
the society system ol the latter.
From the Circular, adopted by the Har
mony Association, at its last session, we
discover that the fact of there being no
regularly organized Society among the
Baptists as a denomination, previous to the
year 1791, Is assumed and taken as a
ground of argument against the benevolent
institutions of the present day.
An article on the Chronology of Mis
sions, Christian Index, vol. 0, p. 140,
shews united .effort on that subject as early
a r}.'Aubinu. jn u.l- u. PP . 44? u.d
----i307-gives hs the history of a noble effort,
made by vatious persons at Basle, to sup
ply France with the printed word of God ,
as early a* 1524. Hot from these we do ,
not learn wlmt connection the Baptists hat!
with them. D’Aubine, it is true, shews
that Luther and his coadjutors consideted
themselves as following, in soutedegree, in
the footsteps ol Wycklitfe, Hubs and others,
who are now looked upon as having been
of our communion : and the rapid sale and
consequent diffusion of the writings of Lu
ther and Melancthon, andof the Sciipiurcs,
wltidji the same author describes as oceui- .
ring in Germany, Switzerland and Franco,
would leave no doubt upon anv mind that
the followers of Wycklitfe, Hitss or Men ,
non, (the Baptists of that day,) shared i
largely and willingly in the benefits arising (
from such efforts. But because these i
Christians are not found, as a denomination,
uniting their efforts in the formation ol So- j
cicties, we are at this day called innova- I
tors. ’ (
We consider it to be a more begging of |
the question, for them to call upon os to i
shew the formation of regular Societies r
among the Novations, Donatists, Pauli- j
ciaus, &c., down to the days of Luther, ,
for the te.ison that our history, as u denotni- i
nation during those ages, is very imperfect; ;
beside which, the persecutions, under |
which they continually suffered, would el- |
factually prevent any concerted and contin- ,
ucd action. As to Tract and Bible opeta- I
tions, common sense vjbttld sutely teach .
any one that they could not be entered up- j
on before printing, as an art, had arrived at, i
a tolerable degree of perfection. The So- ;<
eiety at Basle was established about as ear
ly as such a thing could successfully be ! i
done.
. U.!okOiJd, then, for ns to shew t
that the principle involved in the organiza- |
lion of Societies was acceptable to, and j
acted upon by those win. forsook the cor- i
rnplums of Rome, and stiove against them |
during the dark ages. That principle we ;
conceive }o he concentration of the ef
forts of Christians fur the spread of the \
gospel. As to mere form, we consider it
immaterial, especially for those days.
The object of this communication is to
•licit an article on that subject from some j
one who possesses the necessary books
ami time, the writer of this being ‘without!
either: vet believing that it can be shown
that among those Christians no etlbrts were
spared, but that every thing which it was
in their power to do was done, to fulfil the
commission under which they strove to
proclaim Christ as a Saviour to dying men. |
Indeed, we consider die attempt to show
that they repudiated such efforts, as an at
tack on their name and history, which it
becomes us to repel, if within our power.!
If hrsiory is entirely silent on the subject,
their declarations, being unsupported bv 1
I evidence, mult fall to the ground, and leave |
j us in as safe a position as to that question j
i a * they themselves occupy. We consider
| the only quotations made as a one side
! from the question, having examined the
J authors. . C. H. S. ‘
Castere, Rapides Parish, La., ?
Nov. 23, 1845. $ [
To the Editor of the Christian Index:
! Dear Sir, — Being a subscriber lor the !
; Primitive Baptist, I sent the inclosed ad
| dress to the Editors of that paper for publi
cation. They refused it a place in their
j columns, because its principles are in di
rect couflict with the objects of that paper, j
1 therefore send it to you,] and snottld you j
- think it worthy ol a place in your paper,
you will please publish it.
The following is a copy of the three ar- ;
‘tides commented upon, which you
phase j.fibiish address,
think proper to publish the same.
“10th. We have long viewed wi'h the
de. pest intvrest and regret, the corruption
of tire Baptist ministry, or those who wear
the Baptist name; who are going to and
fro through the country, receiving and bap
tizing on tlteir own responsibility, without
church authority, to the great distress of
the chinches, which practice we utterly ab
hor and detest, and do hereby declare non
| fellowship with all such, and against all
ministers, who are going through the coun
try constituting chinches on their own te
! sponsibility.
llllt. Having for year# past viewed the
distress that the following institutions or
societies have brought upon the churches,
j that is to say, missionary effort societies,
j biblc societies, Baptist State Conventions,
J'emperanco and Sunday school Unions,
tract, ministerial, education societies ; at:d
in a word all the human combinations and
I societies of the day, act up in order to ad
vance the Redeemer’s kingdom, as inimical
to the p- ace of Zion and calculated in their
| nature to cause schism. We therefore de
i dare non-fellowship with all such.
12th. This Constitution and at tides of
■ Faith may he altered or amended by the
unanimous concurrence of the whole Asso
ciation.”
Castere, Rapides Parish, La., >
July 2, 1845. y
To the churches composing the Louisiana
and 7'exas Regular predestinariun
liaptist dissociation.
The undersigned feeling a deep interest
in the union, peace and prosperity of the
predestiriarian Baptist churches, has pre
sumed to address you a few lines, which he
hopes will be received and considered in
the same spirit which he believes has
prompted him in writing. There are sev
eral churches in this and Sabine parishes,
which liave never joined the Louisiana As
sociation, because there were some things
in that Association which they did not like,
and they (no doubt) have all been anxiously
looking forward to a day, when they would
have sufficient strengh to form anew Asso
ciation, wherein they could unite and har
monise, wherein there would be no rule ot
practice established by ecclesiastical law,
which was not plainly taught in the scrip
ture. But they did not have notice of your
intention of organizing ,anew Association,
in tittle to be renr—y.qur, Luu.uju.Ji
did nor despair of becom
ing members of your body. But they, or
at least some of litem were much mortified
on receiving your Constitution : sot instead
of its being a siliten cord to bind together
those of the same lailh and practice, they
view a portion of it as cr niaiiiing such com
bustible matter as will at some time cause
it to explode and scatter to the winds, all
those who may be adhering to it, if not
those who may be keeping at some distance
Irom it. But without extending these pre
fatory remarks much further, 1 will try to
take up the subject which was my main
object in writing. And that is pointing out
what I conceive to be errors in your consti
tution. But first 1 will say ol your articles
ol faith, that I do not think that any preiles- 1
ttnarian Baptist will object to them; neith
er do 1 object to your preamble and consti
tution down to the 10th article. That ar
ticle in my opinion, is not sufficiently ex
plicit, and may he construed without vio
lence to its language, into an abridgement ,
ol tlie commission of our Lord to his disci
pics, Mat. 28 : 19. For in my opinion, 1
the preacher who is regularly ordained, ami
set apart to the work of the ministry accord
ing to gospel order, has a right under this ‘
commission, to receive and baptize, wherev- 1
cr God, in Ins providence may send him, 1
all those whom he believes God has pre- !
pared lor a place in liischurch. And sure
ly no Association or person, has a right to i
non-fellowship him for doing that which he
has a tight to do. But still I think that
where there are organized churches of the
same faith it order, it is inexpedient (1 Cor. 1
G: 12, and 10: 23.) for the preacher to re
ceive and baptize within their bounds with
out their counsel and eoncuirence, as in
multitude of council there is safely, I’rov.
II : 14. As to the responsibility ofeonsti- j
tittiTig churches, it must fall either on the
preachers or’churches, unless there is to
he anew order of things established, and 1
think that in most cases it should fail on the
funner.
The 11 th article is 1 think objectionable
in several particulars. 1 object to it be
cause, in my opinion there is a principle
ingrafted into it, from which there might
j be a remedy extracted to heal or very much
: relievo the deadly wound which the beast
| received in the reformation. Now let me
i with all due deference, ask, from whence
; came the authority for these, almost num
] bet less tests of fellowship contained in this
article ? \\ as it from heaven or of men ?
If from heaven, I should like to see the!
scriptures pointed out which authorise |
them. If tiiis cannot be done, then it must!
be ol men. And then 100 it must he incon- ’
I ststeiu with the latter part of the 2nd arti
| cle of vour faith, which says, the scripture ‘
is the only tule of lailh and practice. 1
I believe that the Baptist churches are and 01,
• r 'pht ought to he independent bodies, hold- j
! ing their own keys and doing their own l
| business. They have iuherenfcjr special
! rights and privileges. And I thjJWtbe ex
perience of the religious world wijlmar me
ont in saying, that they should kHftjLfate
any of those powers to any ‘
they can conveniently exercise
Autl’aa to any le.-ls of
by scripture, they are itn- |
■ portance to the churches, j
conveniently and properly exerctEf by a
church than an association. And^mher,
lam of opinion that whatever is n|de die
duty of a church to do, she has no tight to
authorise an agent to do for heweonse
quentty that the assumption and Tiercise
Iby an association of those test# ojfelloiv
i ship set np in this article even aSiitting
them to be authorised by pcripluWwould
| be an infringement on the ihdepeAnce of
] the churches, and therefor* shaaßmpi he
acquiesed in, nor tolerated h*yrm9^Hpiir-
Ithei object to it, because in it
sets up a ilteoty which, if it had'® ways
been strictly and universally adhewto in
practice, would have kept the work I en
chanced in heathenish darkness. And
wot Id now if univetsally practice?, soon
reduce it to the same condition. It foil-fel
lowships, to u3e its own language,"42ll the
human combinations and societiq of the
day set up in order to advancethe Redeem
er's kingdom. Now 1 will ask there
can be a combination of human beitgs that
is not a human combination? I thjuk not.
And again, can human beings combine
a more woithy object than for the
ment of the Redeemer’s kingdom? Sure
ly not. And if we non-fellowship the more
worthy, can we fellowship'the less worthy.
Now 1 think that the plain meaning'of this
sentence when stripped of its ambigfrity is, j
that they non-fellowship all combinutions. ]
Consequently they non-fellowship the,
combination which they wete th*n organ- j
ising. And again, what is a chujeh but a;
combination of human beings? and what:
its object if it is not the advancement of the ]
Redeemer’s kingdom? Nqw ISbink itj
plain that yonr association presents the in-;
consistency of a combination of anii-dWiioi-:
nets. Further, if we non-fellowsfop a j
combination, can we fellowship thsdlffcct
produced by that combination ? OtT we
fellowship an effect. can we non-fellmvship j
the cause that produced it ? 1 think not. j
Now let me ask, and I hope the qugylion j
will be seriously and thoroughly aonlider- !
ed, What would be the condition of the •
world il deprived of all the advantages, con- i
venienees, privileges, and blessings, which !
have been received orenjoyed by or through
combinations ? The picture would surely
be a dark and siekning one. We aU be
lieve that the scriptures were given .fa* in
spiration of God. but they were writteWoy
many different men at different periods of
time, and in different languages. And now
were the different portions brought and
combined together, and translated into one
language without a combination of human
effort ? and particularly were lliev transla
ted int > our language, without such combi
nation ? Surely all will answer in the neg
ative. And further, who, lias ever “teen
a hible that has been translated, published
and sold, or otherwise distributed without a
human combination ! And if we had nev
er seen a biblc, from whence could we Wave
obtained a knowledge of its contents ?
ttf irJ ilsMi Jwifeirfcrigy, tHII
plunge us into heathenish darkness ?• I an
swer it surely would. Now Ido conscien
tiously think that 1 have fully established
my objection and that all candid, jnd un
prejudiced persons will acknowledge that
the 11th article needs some amendments,
We will now examine the pith article, 1
which says, *• I'his eonsiliimion and arti- I
cle* of lailh may be altered or amended by
the unanimous concurrency
tion.” Now so far as the power to reject
amendments to this constitution is concern
ed, this article is as thoroughly despotic as
it could have been made: for if there
an hundred delegates and 99 of them ware
in lavor of an amendment, one could o*%/
rule them all. But as there were but 12
delegates in the Convention, it may have
been thought that there would be no iliili
culty in making any amendments that time
and experience shew to be necessary.—
Well, l wish I may see it, but 1 have my
doubts, for l am fearful that it is hard to
gather 12 disciples without a Judas among
them ; and if an we may expect him to be
serving his master by endeavoring to to di
vide, harrass and distress those whonyjb
cannot destroy. I also object to this arIWP
because it appears to presume inlalibiliW,
or perfection in the convention’; or a tyran
nical disposition to adhare (or bind their
successors) to what they had done. For,
to suppose that their work would not need
an amendment shews a presumption of
perfection in themselves. Or believing
that it might need an amendment, and leav
ing so little chance for it to be effected,
sutely proves a tyrannical disposition to
fasten this constitution, with ail the imper- !
lections which time might prove it to pos-1
sess, upon their successors, as long as die
association might exist.
Now 1 do think that it would have been
better to have given two thirds of die asso
ciation the power to rule one third, than to 1
have given one man a negative power over
all the rest of the association. Now l can
not doubt but that a large majority of your
members will acknowledge this constitu
tion does need some amendments. And if
so, 1 do hope that you will lake the matter !
into consideration, as soon as convenient, j
and instruct your delegates to the assoer
tion as \ on may think proper.
And now dear friends 1 hope that 1 have
said nothing in this address that will hull
the feelings ol any, for l can conscieiiliousJ
ly say, that it has not been my ileaigu.jjj
So farewell. ‘■w
REES. W. SMART.^I
Salittc Association.—Louisiana ami Arkansas.
Louisiana, Claiborne Parish, >
Nov. 12, 1845. 5
Dear Bro. Baker, —1 have just returned
from the Saline Association, Arkansas.—
They had a full representation, and a very
harmonious session. There was much bn
jainess before the body, and some of rather.
an exciting nature, but so complete was the
prevalence of brotherly kindness, that not a
harsh or unpleasant expression was used ■
by any member in mv hearing, during the
; meeting. You will probably receive a co
;py of their minutes, and I doubt not that
| you will be plaased with the doings of the
j brethren in the West. The meeting was
i held in a mountainous thinly inhabited re
gion of country, but the accommodations
were ample, and the congregation quite
considerable, and the Lord ’abundantly re- j
warded all the labors of love bestowed.—
About twenty persons professed to be con
verted, and a more universal rejoicing a
mong Christians, I have seldom seen.
I will send you'a copy of onr minutes, I
by which you may see wltat we are doing
in Louisiana.
Dear brother, I 6enl you five dollars i
some months ago, and desired you to send .
me a paper, and one to brother Sloan, he
has been getting his papej some lime, but
mine does not come, why is this.
Yours, &c.
GEO. W. BAINES, j
We are very thankful to bro. Baines for
his favors. The money to which he al- i
ludes, was duly received and his name, as
well as that of bro. Sloan, was duly entered !
on our account book by bro. Winkler, who ,
was ovr colleague at the time, and credit
lor one ycur given. Why his name was.
not entered on th direction book weeau-..
not tell. We have now seen it entered,
and in our book have extended j
to Jan ’47. We hope this will prove sat- ,
j isfactory to our brother.
For the Christian Index.
I Arguments against Baptism in lieu ot Circum
cision.
1. Males only were the subjects of oir- j
cumcision. All females were excluded)
from the blessings, if blessings they were,
in the sign of whose flesh a man was clo- :
thed. I aigue that there were no spiritual j
blessings in circumcision, else females had 1
not been at all exc'uded. The God of!
Abraham never would, by a covenant seal,
exclude them from spiritual blessings—
from anything tending to their sanctification
and salvation. Baptism certainly has not
come in the room of circumcision in this j
particular.
2. Adults circumcised themselves, at any
age, whenever they look it into their heads
to become Jews. Do children baptize >
themselves ? To circumcise one’s self’
was a very general practice on sundry occa
sions.
3. Infant males were to be circumcised j
the eighth day. Do they baptize infants
on the eighth day ?
4. Infants were circumcised by either !
parent, as the care might be. You all re
member the case of Zipporah. Why,
then, employ Ministers to baptize, if these
are both seals of the same spiritual church
covenant, and if the churches, JewislTtfnt)
Christian, he identical?
5. A Jew’s ptoperly, in a man or child,
constiained his circumcision. Abraham’s 1
servants, adults and all, because his proper- !
ty, were circumcised. Three hundred
and eighteen warriors belonged, at one
time, to his household. Why do not Pe- !
! dobaplists baptize alia man’s slaves, when !
I lie joins thechurch, on the principle of iden-1
tity.
0. Circumcision was not the doot into !
any church or religious institution. It was
no initiatory rite to any moral institution. |
The Ishmactites, and Edomites, and many j
other nations by Keturah, were circumci-
sed. Into what chwrefi.Mfld they enter?
The Jews werrf members of the politico- 1
?ccleßiastico church by natural bit th. Cir
cumcision was no iuitiatojy rite or door to
them. But none can enter Christ’s church :
unless born again—born from above. How,
then, are the two chinches identical ?
7- The qualification for circumcision I
was flesh. Is that the qualification for bap
tism—for admission into Christ's church ?
8. Circumcision was not a dedicatory !
right. Pedobaptials talk much and often
about dedicating their infant offspring to
the Lord. Now, under the law, females .
were never dedicated, and of males none j
but the tirsf-born. How righteous, over
much, in dedicating both male and female!
The Lind never asked this much from the
Jews. But Pedobaptist dedication is only
nominal. Among the Jews it was real
bona ride dedication. Jesus Christ, being |
the litst born, was dedicated : he was also ,
circumcised and baptized—circumcised the !
eighth day at home, dedicated the fortieth ;
day in the temple, and baptized when thir
ty years old in the Jordan. Are the
churches identical here? What singular
identity !
9. Circumcision, requiring no moral
qualification, communicated no spiritual I
tblessings. Ishmaelj Esau and all the set
| vants of the Jewish nation, were circumcis
ed, on the laith of their masters.
10. Idiots were circumcised,—for not
even reason, intellect, or sanity, was a!
qualification—flesh only. It wag a cote”
Bant in the flesh, and went for preserving
Bfd flesh, till the Messiah, who was made
of the seed of Abraham, and of the family
;of David, according to the flssh, ‘should
1 conie.
I 11. It was a visible, appreciable mark, :
as al'. signs and seals are, is sprinkling so or
j any use of water?
12. It was binding on parents, and not
:on children. The commandment was,
vourchildren ;” but the chtis
ban word rs, “Be baptized, every one of
you.” No one ever found a precept in tbq
New Testament, commanding parents to
baptize their children. Where there is no
law, there is no transgression ; and where
there is no precept, there can be.no obedi
ence, there is, therefore, no transgression
in the neglect, nor obedience in the perform
ance, of infant baptism.
13. The right to circumcision in no case
depended upon the faith, the piety, or the
morality of parents. The infant of the
most impious Jew, had just as good a right
to circumcision, as the son of. Abraham,
David, or Daniel. Why, tlien do Pedo
baptist suspend the right to baptism, upon
the faith of a father or grandfather, or some
kinsman of the infant? Doestheii practice
look like their faitn in the substitution of
baptism for circumcision, or in the identity
of the two churches, the Jewish and the
Christian ?
14. Circumcision, say our Pedo-baptist
friends, guaranteed certain temporal bless
ings to the Jews.— Query—What ttempor
al blessings does baptism secure to infants?
15. It wasuot to be performed into the
name of any being whatever, neither in
heaven nor on earth. Why then, baptize
or sprinkle into any fi]^
“the place of the former!
16. The subject of circumcision, was a
debtor to keep the whole law of -Moses.in
all its institutions : for says Paul, “Whoso
ever among you is circumcised, is- a debtor
to do the whole law,” of which, as before
shown, circumcision was a part. —Query,
—Are those infants baptized, debtors to
keep all the Jewish ordinances ? If not,
how does baptism fill the place of circum
cision. These sixteen indisputable facts
show—that circumcision was peculiar in
its nature, character and designs—that it
was the sign of a national covenant—that
it was the sign ol the same piiviiege to all
its subjects; and consequently, ’neve* the
sign of any spiritual blessing in Christ to
any one ol them. CHEROKEE.
From the Christian Jhlvocale Journal.
Scraps of Useful Information.—Course No. 1.
Mr. Editor. —1 see that many of the
newspapers of the country areeopying into
their columns “ Scraps of Curious Informa
tion,” from the New York Gazette. While
readmg~.lie interesting medley offset* they
embrace, 1 conceived the idea that a few
scraps of mote specific and sober informa
tion, if prepared with unimpeachable fideli
ty to truth, might make a salutary impres
sion on the public mind. Here, then, Mr.
editor, are a lew items of such information,
which l have collected with some care, ar.d
for which 1 would humbly solicit an admis
sion into some corner ol your paper.
The mercantile shipping ol the civilized
world amounts to about 8,000,000 tons,
which is worth, new and old, tliiitv dollars
per ton, and nets, clear ol interest, insu
rance, &cr,‘ ten pet* cent, or twenty-four
million dollars per annum. The appropri
ation to the British Navy for the current
year is thirty-three million, six hundred and
twenty, thousand, two hundred dollars!! Is
not this a sober lact, that the annual expense
of one nation’s navy exceed* the net profit
of all the mercantile shipping owned by
the civilized world !
The war-debts of the European nations
amount to ten thousand million dollars,!
(ten billions.) It would require the labor
of four mil. ions of men. at one hundred I
anti fifty dollars per annum for each man,!
to pay the interest of this sum at six pet !
cent. To pay the principal, it would be j
necessary to levy a tax of at least Ten
Dollars on every inhabitant of the globe!
Another fact, rendering ibis more impres
sive, may be found in the “scrap of cu
rious information,” that no heathen nations
are itt arrears for the butcheries they have
perpetrated on the human race. They pay
cash down lor all that is done for the devil
under limit hands. Christian nations alone
“ go on tick” for that kind of service.
Ftom March 4th, 1759, to June 30th.
1844, our Government expended on the
War Department six hundred and sixty
three million, four hundred and thirty-eight
thousand, eight hundred and fifty-one dol
lars. The interest of this sum, at six per
cent., would build Whitney’s great Railroad ■
from the Lakes to the Pacific, of 2500
miles in length, at fifteen thousand dollars
per mile ; and thus erect a highway for the
commerce amt communion of the family of
nations, which should be reckoned in all
coming time as one of the greatest enterpri
zes that ever blessed the race.
In 1842, there were ptoduced in the ti
nned Stales, 100,000,000 bushels of wheat
and 140.000,000 bushels of Indian corn ;
which, at the rate of one dollrr per bushel
lor the former, and twenty-five cents for
the latter, were worth one hundred and
thirty five million, five hundred thousand
dollars. Fifteen per cent, clear of the in
terest of the capital invested in lands, im
plements, hired and personal labor, is a
liberal estimate of the profit accruing to the
wheat and coin grower. Then the profit
of this amount ot grain would be twenty
million, three hundred and twenty-five thou
sand dollars. The appropriation to the ar
my and navy, dining the same year, was
twenty million, one hundred and fifty thou
sand, five hundreJ and one dollars. In
other wonls, the army and navy ate up the
whole harvest of wheat and corn through
out the Union! Will not the hard-work
ing farmers think on this fact ?
The government, though carrying on ex
tensive armories of its own, has recently
contracted with a private company in Con
necticut for the supply of 30,000 pistols, at
i six dollars and fifty cents each; or 195,-
000 dollars’ worth of those weapons so
much in vogue with duelists and assassins.
The American Bible Society congratulates
itself on receiving, the past year, one him
dred and sixty six thousand, six hundred
and fifty-two dollars, the aggregate of all
that has been given through the Union for
the dissemination of the word of life at
home and abroad. Soil goes; Christen
dom expends more in oneyear on the means
and instruments of human slaughter, than
has been given to the promulgation of the
gospel since Jesus Christ died on the cross!
E. BURRITT.
Worcester, Nov. 18, 1845.
FRIDAY, JANUARY 7 9. 1846.
~ r " T ■ 1 ■ -'■■* ,i. ■ ‘ *'i V 1)^1 ’ ;~.tußi
Our Corrcjpondents.—Bro. Herman Mer
cer’s obliging letter, dated Dec. 18, St. An
drews, Florida, is before us. His paper*
will henceforward be directed as he orders.
We are gratified to learn that this venera
ble seivant of God is almost renewing his
youth in that land of Eden. He says, ‘-‘I
arn now living in this pleasant village,
where nought but health grows—a land of
oranges, almonds, pomegranates, figs and
grapes. The products of the water, too,
are abundant. The creeks abound with
wild and a single haul of a seine, a
few days ago, brought 12,000 mullets, ma
king 30 barrels of superior fish. But if
atiy wish to rermrve hither, let thgiiTfEoirie
first and see the country. Their thoughts
may not be mine, nor mine theirs. The
land i# generally poor, but good in spots.
The residents arc few in winter,,but nu
merous in summer in pursuit of health.”
He adds.that he has two superannuated
preachers with him, with afflicted lungs.
Os himself he sa\s, “after 30 years suffer
ing, 1 am anew man.” Os the moral
qualities of that region, he speaks less fa
vorably.
Our Mississippi correspondent, “ Bap
! list,” expresses precisely our own senti-"’
incuts concerning the sovereignly, and the
electing love of God, in the salvation of
sinners; and we regret that the length of
his article, and the multiplicity of those on
hand and constantly coming, prevents us
from publishing it entire. An abridgement
would be injustice, and extracts but little
better. Hi* discriminations are judicious.
We can neilhei comma.id nor control the
• influences ol the Divine spirit upon our
hearts. They may he res sted, but cannot
,be overpowered. The argument adduced
ion bis fourth page has never been answer-
I cd. and never can he by any Arminia i. It
is an appeal to bis own experience, which
he cai not evade without admitting himself
! a pharisee. “ Whomaketh thee toddler?”
] If God Iras not done that for you. which
I He has nut done for those who are not sa-
I veil, you make yourself to differ. It is,
j iheti, to your credit, and not that of Divine
j grace, that you are saved, while others per
ish. A striking illustration of this is seen
jin the general fart, too much overlooked,
j that Aw unmans in theory are Calvinists in
prayer. “Are you a child of God?”
Y oil say’, “1 hope so.” We summon you
as a witness of toe electing love of God.
I You have been taken from your family,
kindred, friends, companions. Where am
they ? Still dead in trespasses and sin#,
while you are selected and made an heir of
grace. What are you but a sinner saved
by grace? 11. R.
A Peep in at our Neighbors.—’l’lie editor
of the Christian Intelligencer, a Methodist
paper published in Georgetown, Ky., who
has given in his adhesion to the M. E. C.
South, is likely, we think, to prove a trou
blesome member in the camp. In one of
his editorials, he writes:
“ Have we ‘travelled out of our way,’
in saying anything upon the exciting sub
ject of slavery ? Then the Discipline of
the Methodist Church • travelled out of its
way,’ in asserting that ‘slavery is a great
evil!’ and the fathers of our ‘noble’ (oh,
hut we must not use this worth) —then glo
rious Constitution—‘travelled out of their
way,’ ”
In another editorial, in the same piaper,
he thus cautious bis brethren :
“Let every honest-minded Methodist
j belt are how he hows to the Slaveocraey,
u lien he beholds staring him m the face in
bold letters upon his Discipline,
Slavery is a great evil /”
We acknowledge our mistake in suppo
sing that the advocacy of sentiments, like
those in the preceding extracts, would cre
ate trouble in the ranks of our Methodist
; brethren. Since the above was prepared,
for tire press, we have met with the follow-”
ing. in an ‘editorial’ in the Richmond
Christian Advocate :
“We are not pro-slavery—we do not
wish, t.or do we intend to establish a pro
slavery Church. He who charges us with
such feelings or purposes violates the ninth
coinmandmeut. We make these remarks,
that those of our Northern brethren, who
may sec them, may know the creed of
Southern Methodists upon these important
subjects.”
Not Alone.—lt appears from the
ing extract, which we clip from one of our
exchanges, that we are not the only editor
who has to endure buffeting* from those
whom we are laboring to the best of our
ability to serve.
“We have of late received so many
gibes, that we are becoming perfectly indu,
rated to every thing that the brethren can
utter against us : Our hide is becoming as
tough as that of a rhinoceros——so if any aro
disposed to strike, let them strike hard.
“ Whatsoever thv hand findelh to iJa ‘ST 1
| with thy might.” Amen. •