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18, 1849.]
THE INDEX.
Thursday Morning, January 18, 1849.
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Meteor. —A large and brilliant meteor passed over our
village on Wednesday evening, 10th inst., about an hour af
ter sunset. Its direction was southwest.
WHAT DO 1 OWE ?
My merchant has sent in his account. The amount is
greater than 1 had expected. On examining it, I find charges
ot articles, the purchase of which I cannot well recollect.—
On the whole, however, I conclude that it is a correct ac-'l
count. J have received his goods, and have appropriated
them to my use. It is right that I should pay him for them;
and to refuse or delay payment would be the part of dishon
esty.
Various accounts have also been presented by mechanics.
Though no one of them is of large amount, they make an ag
gregate which exceeds my expectation. Shall I dispute the
justice of their claims? these men have labored for my con
venience and advantage, and are entitled to an adequate re
muneration. I must pay them what I owe.
My physician has sent his account. I scarcely remember
that there has been sickness in my family within the past
year. But an examination of his account brings to mind';
that I have had occasion for his services. Perhaps his skill
has saved me from heavy affliction. Let me reward the
services which 1 have found it so easy to forget.
These accounts which ore before me have reminded me of
obligations that it is my duty to acknowledge. But am 1
not under other obligations equally binding ? Am Ia debtor
to those only who present their claims in formal calculations
of dollars and cents ? Having found it so easy to forget my
indebtedness, it becomes me, in those cases in which lam
not reminded of my obligations by a presentation of ac
counts, to examine with the greater care in order that I may
find out how much I owe, and to whom I am indebted.
Do 1 owe my pastor nothing? He has labored for my
benefit. I have received his spiritual things, and shall 1 re
fuse to minister to him of my carnal things ? He hns toiled
from week to week to feed me with the bread of life: slmll,
he not receive in return a portion of that bread which a 1
bountiful Providence has permitted me to gather from the!
fruits of the ground 1 Shall the physician who labors for
“ftrenealth of my mortal body be rewarded; and sball the!
pastor whose toils and anxious cares are directed to the sal-!
vation of my immortal soul, be unrequited ? It is true, that;
my pastor has not presented his account: but I am the more
bound for this reason, to remember and acknowledge the jus.
lice of his claim. If Ido not pay him what I owe, I shall be
ungrateful and dishonest.
Do I owe nothing to the poor ? God has made me his
steward. To him belong all the goods which he has placed ,
at my disposal. He has commanded me to use them for his
glory ; and he tries my faithfulness, by sending to me the
hungry whom he has required me to feed, and the naked;
w hom he has required me to clothe. Have I honored the
drafts which my Lord has thusdrawn upon me? Earthly,
courts wiil not enforce the payment; but there is a tribunal
before which I must appear to give an account of my stew- ;
ardship.
Do I owe nothing to the heathen ? Paul acknowledged
himself to be a debtor both to the Greeks and to the Barba
rians. Am I not a debtor likewise? Has the God of grace
enriched me with his glorious gospel for my own exclusive 1
use ? Does he not require me, to the utmost extent of my !
power, to diffuse its blessings to the dying world around me?!
Am I not a debtor to this dying world, until I have convey
ed to them the precious gifl committed to me for their bene-!
fit? Until the gospel has been preached to all nations—un-;
til the Bible has blessed every habitation of man—until the
lamp of life has enlightened the path of every human being
lam a debtor to my race. At the bar of God I must meet
them, and then the account must be settled. Let me hasten n
to pay them what I owe, before that day arrives. L.
HOWARD COLLEGE.
The Treasurer’s report to the last meeting of the Board
of Trustees, states the funds of this Institution to be,
For Theological instruction, , S2O 000
For Literary do 20 000
Cost of premises,. 18 000 1
Apparatus?. 2 000
Total 58 600/
They have six members in the Faculty of instruction.
Rev. Joshua S. Callaway requests all correspondents
in future, to address him at Milner P. 0., Pike Cos., Ga.
“Ktsfrr t*
Give joy or grief, give eate or pain,
Take life or friends away;
But let me find them all again,
In that eternal day.
Evil and few are the days of our pilgrimage on earth. —
Sin is in the world; and where sin is, perfect happiness can
neither be enjoyed nor expected. Sorrow finds many ave
nues to the heart; and joys are ever on the wing to take
their flight. Verily it is a gloomy abode; and the longer
we remain in it, the more our pains and cares are multiplied,
our relish for its few and fleeting joys becomes less, and our
conviction that there is nothing solid and substantial below
j the skies, is most abundantly confirmed.
] When such reflections ns these crowd on the mind, and
when the spirits are overhung with gloom and darkness, how
delightful is the thought of another and a better world ! It
is a ray of light that bursts through the gloom, and dissi
pates the sadness that oppresses the heart. Faith descries a
bright prospect before us, and sees the intervening clouds
begin to disperse. The afflictions of the present lif become
light, when compared with the far more exceeding and eter
nal weight of glory which it beholds. The griefs and pains
that attend our earthly pilgrimage, are perceived, in all their
duration, to be but short-lived and momentary; and, in all
their number and weight, to be unworthy of comparison wtth
the glory that will be revealed. And the friends whom death
removes from us, are seen at the heavenly gate, with palms
of victory, and in robes of white, entering the celestial city,
and inviting us to follow.
A further relief to the sufferings of the present life, is
; found in the belief that they come to us from the hand of
God. It is he who gives, or takes away, at his pleasure.—
|To those who love him, who are the k called, according to his
purpose, all things work together for good, under his wise
idirection and omnipotent control. The very afflictions
which lie sends, are blessings. Let us, then, with our hope
laid up in heaven, and with our faith firmly fixed on the
| wisdom and goodness of Almighty God, pursue our appoint
[ed course with joy, and welcome the trials and tvibuiations,
which arc designed to prepare us for our inheritance above.
L.
GOLD!
The character of Jesus Christ was remarkable in his “apt
ness to touch.” Unlike many of the learned, whose dis
courses are above the comprehension of the multitude, the
.Saviour takes his illustrations from the every-day occur
rences of life, and appeals to the prominent, ever active prin
‘ciples of human nature. “The kingdom of heaven is like
unto a merchantman seeking goodly pearls: who, when he
ihad found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that lie
I had and bought it.” How fit the illustration, and how ap
plicable to the unchanging desires of our race. The hun
dreds of years that have hearkened to the Saviour’s teach
ings, have each felt that the language was addressed to them.
I ho deep-rooted covetousness, the insatiable avarice of man,
affords the teacher an immovable foundation for the exhibi
'tion of eternal truth.
The violence of the gold epidemic, now raging in our
country, has turned our attention not to Californian coasts, but
i to that jewel more precious than earthly mines boast. How
many seek the gold that perishes—how few the riches of the
eternal mansion ! How excited by the vain and often base
less hopes of earthly treasures—how unmoved by the pro
miscs of never-ending wealth ? Our newspapers are full of
the “gold news,” and every body is talking about California 1 j
and the mines. Many are actually going to seek their for.j:
tunes among the adventurers who will crowd to the land of ;
‘hope. Men of family, settled in life, are breaking up to
| hunt for the gold in western wilds. Professors of religion
.are captivated by the reports which they hear, and all are
agog for El Dorado.
It strikes us ns a remarkable coincidence, that the gold
news and the cholera should be simultaneous in their preva
lence in our country. It seems as if the Almighty designed
to give us the bane and antidote at the same time. That!
i which men most love, and that which they most hate, money
and death, are placed right before them* that they may be
warned.
Beware, reader, lest in searching for “jewels of the mine,”
death should find you, and the priceless jewel of the soul be
lost—forever
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NEW PUBLICATIONS.
The Social Psalmist; anew selection of Hymns for Confer
ence Meetings and. Family Worship , by Baron Stow, and
S. F. Smith. Published by Gould, Kendall fy Lincoln,
Boston.
The Psalmist has been before the public several years,
! and an opportunity has been given to form an opinion ol its
: merits. To those in-whose eyes it has found favor* the pre
sent publication will, we presume, be acceptable. It is a
selection of the best hymns of the Psalmist, to the number of
about 280; with an addition of nearly 70 from.other sources.
It is a neatly printed volume of 196 pages; the type and size
of the page being the same as the 18mo., or pew size of the
Psalmist. The Hymns are mostly such as are in familiar
use, and are adapted to cultivate a. devotional spirit.
THE- MOTHERS’ JOURNAL.
It will no doubt be gratifying to many of our readers to
learn that the Mothers Journal and Family Visitant will still
be continued to be published, notwithstanding the lamented
death of its late Editor, Mrs. Eliza C. Allen. We have
just received the first number issued by its new Editors,
Rev. Ira M. Allen, husband of the deceased, and Mrs.
Elizabeth Sewell. It may be interesting to those who do not
receive the Journal to read the address ot the new Editors
which wo publish in our present number. * M. *
Editors Address. —lt is already known to the Patrons of
the Journal, that the excellent and talented lady who, for the
last nine years, has filled die office of editor, has boen recent
ly called from her earthly labors. How faithfully and ably
she has performed its duties, though almost constantly under
the pressure of i:l health, need not be told here. The pages
of the Journal, and the favor with which it has been received
by the Christian community, are her best eulogium. The
arrangements for continuing the work have also been com
municated to the public in the closing number of the last
year.
The Journal has now reached its fourteenth volume. It
was commenced in the hope of aiding that large class of
mothers, who are conscientiously desirous to discharge the
duties which they owe to their families, but have little time or
opportunity to consult books on the subject of domestic edu
cation. The object was to present, in a cheap and simplo
form, suited to the means and comprehension of all, sugges
tions on the various topics of mental duty, and practical in
formation in regard to early physical, intellectual, and reli
gious training. The favor with which the experiment was
immediately received, not only by those for whose special
benefit it was originated, but by many more favorably situ
ated proved that it met a want extensively felt in the commu
nity. Young people and children also became interested in
it; and in adapting itself to its different elusses of readers, the
work has gradually assumed a somewhat more comprehen
sive and varied character, and lias become, to some extent, a
family Magazine. The additional name ol “The Family
Visitant” was, on this account, given to it by its late editor.
No modification of the charaotor or objects of the work will
bo made by its present conductors; and though the ready
pen, which bus so long given interest to its pages, will no
doubt be greatly missed, yet wo believe that its practical and
literary character will, with the aid of the contributors
whose regular services we have been so happy as to secure,
be fully sustained. Nopnins will be spared to make it worthy
of continued and increased patronage. As much variety as
possible will be studied, both in matter and in form. Direct
suggestions to mothers will, as heretofore, be mingled with
general information of a literary, scientific, and religious
character, adapted to furnish pleasant and instructive read
ing, or to suggest topics of conversation in the family circle.
Short essays, tales, poems, &c., will diversify our pages in
due proportion. VVe hope thus to avoid the monotony to
I which periodicals, devoted to any one object, however good,,
are liable; and also to make the work attractive to the young.
If we can win the ear of childhood and of youth, and thus be
enabled to exert a direct influence on the formation of early
principles and habits, we shall feel that we nre doing greater
service to our maternal readers, than by devoting our pages
exclusively to themselves. As the choice of books for the
young is, in our view, a subject second in importance to
scarcely any other within our sphere, we shall direct special
attention to this point; and shall endeavor to keep our
readers apprised of whatever comes from jhe press, which
.may be useful to themselves or their families,
i In conclusion, we would bespeak from the friends of the
all the influence which they can use in its behalf.
Its subscription list is still much smaller than it should be.
I Are there not yet many, many mothers who greatly need
the help of such a work, and who would gladly avail them
selves of it, were it properly presented to their notice? If
each subscriber would make it a point to secure one more for
Yhe present year, the usefulness of the Journal would not
only be greatly extended, but its intrinsic value much in
creased ; for the pecuniary ability to secure the best efforts
of first-rate contributors, is essential to the life and prosper,
ity of a periodical. Friends, will you make the attempt ?
Published by Rev. Robert Seweil, No. 116 Nassau street,
New York. Price $1 in advance,
MINUTES OF ASSOCIATIONS.
The Maryland Baptist Union Association was held in the
meeting-house of the Seventh Baptist Church, Baltimore.
Churches, 22; number baptized, 184; whole number of
members, 2004. This appears to be an active missionary
body. The report of the Executive Board and the Sabbath
School Report occupy a large part of the minutes.
| The Rehoboth Baptist Association was held at Midway,
:Bibb county, Ga. Churches, 24; baptized; 95; whole num.
jber of members, 1793. The Treasurer’s account amounts
•to $861.50, only a small part of which appears to have been
within the past year.
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