Newspaper Page Text
142
Original.
For the Index.
The Number Seven Contained in the Scriptures
of the Old and New Testament#.
(Concluded.)
In the feast of Pentecost, whieh is the holy feast
of the seven weeks, there was a good dinner pre
pared me, because that she had been married to
seven husbands; thou hast had already seven hus
bands, neither wast thou named after any of them;
my seven husbands are already dead; I hare heard
that this maid hath been given to 7 men; I have giv
en my daughter in marriage to seven men; Tobias’
wedding was kept seven days with great joy; lam
Raphael, one of the seven holy angels; the bouse
of Israel lamented Judith seven days; Sow not
upon the furrows of unrighteousness, and thou
shalt not reap them sevenfold; in the sixth place
he imparted to them understanding, and in the 7th
speech; there ln that buyeth much for a little, and
repayeth it, sevenfold; seven days do men mourn
for him that is dead; the. Lord recompenseth, and
will give thee seven times as much; a man’s mind is
sometimes want to tell him more than 7 watchmen;
such things happen unto all flesh, and is sevenfold
more upon sinners; in the seventh day of the
month, the Chaldeans took Jerusalem, and burnt
it with fire ; So when ye be come into Babylon,
ye shall remain there many years, namely, seven
generations; and after that, I will bring you away
peaceably, from thence; in the den there were
seven lions; upon the seventh day the king went
to bewail Daniel; Lysias sent seven thousand
horsemen to destroy Judah; their vessels being
without victuals, it being the seventh year for the
land had rest ; so in the seventh month, Johna
than put on the holy robe; the tomb of Jonathan
had seven pyramids; seven brethren were taken
with their mother, and compelled to taste swine’s
flesh; the mother saw her seven sons slain in one
day; Judas gathered his host, and when the sev
enth day was come, they purified themselves;
there is in heaven a living Lord, who commanded
the seventh day to be kept.
Then goeth he and taketh with himself seven
other spirits more wicked than himself; and they
said seven, and a few little fishes; and he took the
seven loaves and the fishes, aud gave thanks, and
they took up of the broken meat that was left,
seven baskets; neither the seven loaves of the four
thousand, and how many baskets ye took up ?
how oft shall my brother sin againat me, and I
forgive him? till seven times ? I say not unto thee,
until seven times, but until seventy times seven ;
there were with U3 seveh brethren; likewise the
third also, and the third, unto the seventh; whose
wife shall she be of the seven for all had her; how
many loaves have ye? and they said seven; and he
took the seven loaves, and gave thanks; he ap
peared firet to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he
had cast seven devils; Anna a prophetess, lived with
years; if thy brother trespass
against thee seven times in a day, and seven times
in a day turn again to thee, saying I repent, thou
shalt forgive him; yesterday at the seventh hour,
the fever left the nobleman’s son; look ye out
among you, seven men of honest report; and there
were seven sons of one sceva, which did so; and
came unto them as Troas, and abode seven days;
we tarried at Tyre seven days; Philipi the evan
gelist, which was one of the seven; and when sev
en days of purification were almost ended; at Pu
teoli we found brethren, and were desired to tarry
seven days; Enoch the seventh from Adam,
prophesied of these;
John, to the seven churches; from the seven
spirits which are before his throne; what thou
seest, write in a book, and send it to the seven
churches; I saw seven golden candlesticks; and he
had in his right hand seven stars; the mystery of
the seven stars which thou sawest in my right
hand, and the seven golden caudlesticks; the sev
en stars are-the angels of the seven churches; and
the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the
seven churches; unto the angel of the church of
Ephesus write, these things saith he that holdeth
the seven stars in his right hand; who walketh in
the midst of the seven golden candlesticks; write
these things, saith he that hath the seven spirits of
God, and the seven stars; there were seven lamps
of tire burning before the throne which are the
seven spirits of God; the book that was sealed
with seven seals; the lion of the tribe of Judah
hath prevailed to loose the seven seals; in the
midst of the elders stood a lamb, having seven
horns, and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits
of God; and when he had opened the seventh seal
there was silence in heaven; and I saw the seven
angels which stood before God, and to them were
given seven trumpets; and the seven angels which
had the seven trumpets, prepared to sound; and
when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their
voices; and when the seven thunders had uttered
their voices I was about to write, and I heard a
voice from heaven saying, seal up those things
which the seven thunders uttered; in the days of
the voice of the seventh angel the mystery of God
should be finished; and in the earthquake were
slain of men seven thousand; and the seventh an
gel sounded; a great red dragon having seven
horns and ten heads, and seven crowns upon his
heads;
I stood upon the sand of the sea and saw a
beast come up out of the sea, having seven heads
and ten horns, and upon bis horns ten crowns;
seven angels having the seven last plagues; and
one of the four beasts gave onto the seven angels,
seven golden vials full of the wrath of God; and
no man was able to enter into the temple till the 7
plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled; and I
beard a great voice out of the temple, saying to
the seven angels, go your way; and the seventh an
gel poured out his vial in the air; and there came
one of the seven angels which had the seven vials,
and talked with me; and I saw a woman sit upon
a scarlet coloured beast, having seven heads and
ten horns; and the angel said unto me, I will tell
thee the mystery of the beast which hath the sev
en heads and ten horns; the seven heads are sev
en mountains, and there are 7 kings; and the beast
that was and is not, is of the seventh; and there
came unto me one of the seven angels which had
the seven vials full of the seven last plagues; and
the foundations of the wall of the city were gar
nished with all manner of precious stones, the sev
enth stone was a chrysolite; there were seven resur
rections recorded in the scriptures; and seven peti
tions in the Lord’s prayer;
The word seven, seventh, seventeenth, seven
fold, Ac., occurs in
Geneeies 72 times, Ecclesiastes, 1 time
Exodus, 42 “ SoDgofSol’n, 0 “
Leviticus, 60 “ Isaah, 6 “
Numbers, 75 “ Jeremiah, 12 “
Deuteronomy, 15 “ Lamentations, 0 “
Joshua, 19 “ Exekiel, 24 “
Judges, 17 u Daniel, 8 “
Ruth, 1 “ Hosea, 0 “
Ist Samuel, 7 “ Joel, 0 “
2nd “ 10 “ Amos, 1 “
Ist Kings, 20 “ Gbadiah, 0 “
2nd “ 24 “ Jonah, 0 “
Ist Chronicles, 33 “ Micab, 1 “
2nd “ 29 “ Nahum, 0 “
Ezra, 24 “ Habakkuk, 0 “
Nehemiab, 23 “ Zephania, 0 “
Esther, 10 “ Haggai, 1 “
Job, 7 “ Zachariab, 9 il
Psalms, 8 “ Malachi, 0 “
Proverbs, 0 “
566.
In the Apocrypha
Ist Esdras, 34 times, the Song of the Holy
2nd “ 19 “ children, 0
Tobit, 9 “ History of Susanna 0
Judith, 5 “ History of Bel and
Esther, 2 “ the Dragon 2
Wis'm of Sol. 0 “ Prayer ofManasses, 0
Ecclesiasticus, 7 “ Ist Maccabees, 10
97.
In the New Testament,
Mathew 12 times, 2nd Timothy 0
Mark, 9 “ Titus, 0
Luke, 10 “ Philemoo, 0
John, 1 “ Hebrews, 3
Acts, 8 “ Epistle of James, 0
Romans, 1 “Ist Peter, 0
Ist Corinthi’s 0 “ 2nd “ 0
2d “ 0 “ Ist John, 0
Gallatians, 0 “ 2nd “ 0
Ephesians, 0 “ 3rd “ 0
Philipians, 0 “ Jude, 1
Colossians, 0 “ Revelations, 59
Ist Thesslo’s 0 “
2nd “ 0 “ 104.
Ist Timothy 0 “
In the Old Testament, 566 limes.
In the Apocrapha, 97 “
In the New Testament, 104 “
767.
These are some, though not all, the sevens re
corded in the scriptures.
Seven it seems has always been an extraordina
ry number; and to have been from the ear
best times, significant and peculiar among men.
At seven years of age man sheds his teeth, and
may no longer be called an infant, but a child ;
at twice seven he is a youth; at three times seven
becomes a man, and is entitled to every privilege
of a free citiaen; at four limes seven, and five times
seven, in the bloom of manhood; at six times sev
en mature age; at seven times seven lie is freed
from several duties; at eight times seven begins to
decline; at nine times seven visibly on the decline;
ten times seven or three score years and ten the
natural life of man. Total abstinence from food
above seven days is fatal to man; Thebes bad
her seven gates; she was besieged by seven chiefs;
Greece had her seveu wise men; seven cities
claimed to be the birth place of Homer; the poet
says,
“Seven cities boast the mighty Homer dead,
Through which the living Homer begged his
bread.”
There was the sevenfold shield of Ajax; The
river Nile was said to have seven mouths; Rome
was built on seven hills; her iine ofkings number
ed seven; There was said to be seven wonders of
the world; seven mortal sins; seven senses; seven
months in the year have thirty-one days; There
are the seven stars, and the seven pointers; seven
days in a week; There were seven champions of
Christendom; seven hours has always been thought
sufficient for sleep,
‘Six hours to law, to soothing slumber seven,
Ten hours to the world allot, and all to heaven.”
The stars are said to be grouped in sevens; The
Pleiades number seven; The Greeks in their My
thology, suppose them to be the seven daughters
of Atlas, who being pursued by the belted Orion,
were changed by Jupiter into seven doves, and af
terwards translated to the heavens; In Germany
are the seven springs, and the seven mountains;
In KeDt there is a village called the seven Oaks;
The liberal arts were formerly seven; The hu
man constitution is supposed to undergo radi
cal changes every seven years; All Astrologers
attach pecular potency to the number seven;
There were seven planets in whose peculiar power
they believed; and they measured off the life of
man into periods of seven years, and supposed
every seventh year fraught with peculiar danger
to the individual; Shakspeare says, “There are
seven ages in the life of mart.”
“And one man, in bis time, plays many parts;
His acta being seven ages.”
The number seven is of perpetual recurance in
human history; It is the pivot, of interesting su
perstition; it is the delight of legends and traditions;
Seven years is the term of an apprentice; The
number seven is the favorite of poets. American
Independence was declared, in the seventh month,
in the year seventeen hundred and seventy-six;
The seventh son was formerly considered a doctor;
and the seventh son of a seventh son, was said to
be capable of curing all diseases by laying his
hands on the patient; There are seven primary
colors; and seven sleepers.
For the Index.
A Suggestion.
Mr. Editor :— Every lover of Zion should re
joice in the advancement of the cause of truth.—
God’s cause—God’s truth. A record, therefore, of
its progress should be kept We are all desirous
to know what our brethren in other section are
THE CHRISTIAN INDEX.
doing. The knowledge of this fact must apt as a
stimulous, and should cause us to put forth all the
power with which God has endowed us, for the
advancement of his cause in the corpmunitj 7 , and
in the church and congregation over which the
Holy Ghost has made us overseers. I wish it
was a custom among our brethren to record their
Baptisms, not only on their Church books, which
of course is done, but through the religious press,
for there we could have some insight into each
individual church, and thus be enabled to form
some judgment of its numerical strength* But
as it now stands we must wait until th* year
closes, and then examine the Minutes of tllfe As
sociations before we can ascertain the increase of
the churches. We have a religious
is issued weekly. Its province is not only to im
part instruction, but also to keep a correct record
of the doings of the denomination. I wouldwhere
fore, suggest that a column be set apart Hr this
special object, and that our brethren would for
ward to the Editor an account of their increase as
God may prosper them. The “American Baptist
Memorial” published in Richmond, Virgiqja, has
such as its object, but it must necessarily ?tn
perfect, for most of its records are taken from the
religious weeklies, which record not one tenth of
what we are doing as a Denomination. This sug
gestion, should it meet the approbation of our
brethren, would assist that Journal in making
out its monthly records*
Now I know that several objections will be rais
ed to such a proceeding suggested in this paper.
An objection of this kind I see rising already in
the minds of some, viz:—lt looks like {wide —
a boasting spirit— see what lam doing. Now if
it be pride—if it evinces a boasting to be
zealous in behalf of God’s cause, and to to
obtain a correct record of our denominational bap
tisms, then. lam not ashamed to possess this re
ligious pride. But to an objection of this kind let
me meet right here; and I present this argument
— “Et.il to him who evil thinks .”
I present the above suggestion to the calm
consideration of my brethren. Besides the infor
mation imparted by such a course, it gives more
interest to the paper, and it would be read by
many who now never glance over its long and
sometimes uninteresting articles. Revival notices
are always full of interest—in fact every notice
which records the progress of God’s Kingdom in
the world is calculated to fill the pious heart, with
deep emotion.
In closing these remarks think it not amiss when
1 say, that, it was my pleasure and privilege to
bury with Christ in Baptism at our last commu
nion season twenty-six souls—all colored. Yours
as ever, A. S. MORRALL.
Darien, Ga., Aug. 19th, 1856.
For the Index.
Dear Bro. Martin: —Near one month since I
sent the original of the enclosed letter to the
Editors of the N. Y. Examiner. Up to this date
they have neither published the letter nor discon
tinued the paper. If you have any inclination you
can publish the letter in the Index. There are a
few immaterial verbal alterations in the copy I
send you, notaltering the sense. Your friend
and brother, J. M. CLARK.
Lumpkin, Ga., July 22d, 1856.
Lumpkin Ga., June 27, 1856.
Editors of the Examiner : —I am a subscriber
to your paper (having paid in advance) until the
end of this year. Please have it discontinued as
soon as this notice reaches you.
I am prepared to stand all kinds of abuse and
vituperation from the secular press of the North.
Not expecting any thing else I am not very much
displeased nor astonished when I find their col
umns filled with every conceivable variety of vul
gar denunciation, and heartless anathemas against
my section and the people with whom I live.—
Such is their trade and their means of livelihood—
it suits a vitiated, depraved public taste, aud I
am prepared toplace the proper construction upon
the, motives that irapell all such attacks. I did
hope something in refreshing contrast to all this
in the columns of the Examiner. It is confessed
ly a religious Journal, occupies a commanding po
sition, and, therefore, it would have been expected
that its influence would have been on the side of
moderation and conservatism, instead of widening
the breach between the two section of the Union
and aiding in feeing a sectional flame that may
produce the wildest scene of disorder and ruin.—
It would,have been expected that in its editorial
management it would have excited more of the
spirit of the Church and less of the revolutionary
spirit of the world. But in this fond expectation
lam most sadly disappointed. Whenever you or
your correspondents touch upon slavery and the
South (by no means an uncommon occurrence)
you manifest a spirit of more enmity, and wage a
fiercer warfare than you have yet manifested or
waged against the great energy of souls. You
plunge heedlessly and recklessly into the midst of
an excitement that is only equalled in intesity by
its superlative wildness and insanity. In this I
discover nothing different from the secular p'ess
by whom you are surrounded.
I do not now call in question your freedom of
speech, or your perfect right to discuss these mat
ters as often and just in such a way and with such
a spirit as may best suit your taste. It accom
plishes no unfriendly purpose by stopping your pa
per; for you will know that every Southern sub
scriber lost is a nett gain of more than a score
from your section. Asa subscriber, however, when
I open your paper for religious intelligence and
religious instruction, you must not find fault with
me if I object to having the religious dish that
you serve up so seasoned with fanatical and anti-
Southern condiments as to render it wholly offen
sive and unpalatable. The mixture of such betero
genious compounds does not have a very salutary
effect upon the religious sensibilities of Southern
readers.
You will pardon me for saying that 1... believe
the religious press and the clergy of the North
are doing more to foster the wild, senseless and
uncontrollable spirit of Abolitionism than all oth
er influences combined. Nothing tends so pow
erfully to check the spirit of fanaticism as a firm,
dignified and considerate religious press and pul
pit. Their general influence is always soothing
to the disturbed public mind; their voice rarely
fails to cause the masses to ||flect and to deter
mine in favor of rational counsels. But when
these potent agents for good, so far forget the great
mission to which they are sent as to lead fanati
cism, instead of subduing it, wherein the name of
our common master will you find a power suffi
ciently strong to arrest it. It is sad to realize,
that these sentinels, who are set for the defense
of truth, for the defense of the religion of our bless
ed Saviour—a religion that teaches and includes
everything of moderation and conservatism should
so far forget and utterly ignore their high destiny
as to become the promoters of strife, where all
should be peace, and of discord where all should
be union and harmony. Certainly! certainly they
do not properly estimate their influence over the
public mind, or they would not so heedlessly
launch out into that turbulent, endless and fath
omless sea of strife and confusion from whose
we may gain an “abundant entrance” into that
better world where disagreements will cease,
I remain yours truly, Ac.,
J. M. CLARK.
jiSjiiipr
THURSDAY MORNING, SEPT. 4.
{SST*AII arrearages are charged at £2 50 per annum,
or 5 cents per number. For ill payments in advance
the paper is furnished at S2 00 per annum or 4 ‘-entr
per number
Mercer University.
The Exercises of this Institution commenced on
Wednesday of last week, lhe 37th ult. The Term
has opened with a larger number of Students, we
learn, than is usual at this time, with a full and
harmonious Faculty, and with flattering prospects.
Some twenty-six new Students have been receiv
ed—more, we are told, than usually apply at ths
Term.
And just here we will take the opportunity to
say a word or two to the brethren throughout the
State upoD the duty of patronizing their own
Literary Institution. Brethren—you believe the
religious principles of your Denomination are cor
rect. You believe not merely this, but, if Baptists
not in name only but in principle, you further be
lieve they are the only correct principles. You
believe this, not as the consequence of a sectarian,
bigoted'spirit, we hope; but as the result of a
prayerful study of God’s word and a careful com
parison of these principles with that word—the
only true standard. You therefore naturally and
necessarily desire your sons to imbibe the same
principles. You use all means as parents to guard
them against the adoption of wrong worldly prin
ciples and to throw around them such circumstan
ces and influences as would teach them to form
correct ones. Ought you not to be even more
careful as to their religious principles, by bow
much more religious error is to be deprecated than
any other kind of error, hnd religious truths prized
above all other truths? By sending your sons to
your own Institution, you throw around them such
influences as will best guard them against the
adoption of what you believe to be erroneous re
ligious principles and most favor the adoption of
what you believe to be the only correct religious
principles. By sending your sons elsewhere just
the reverse of this takes place. Nor is it a full
answer to this to say you send them to some State
Institution not Denominational in its influence.
For where will you find such an one ? Every Col
lege, though not denominational in name, is yet
more or less so in fact—necessarily and naturally
giving influence to, and more than tinging the
minds of young men, with the religious principles
of that Denomination with which its President
and a majority of its Faculty are connected. Why
are so many of the sons and daughters of Baptist
parents members of a different religious denomi
nation ? No doubt several reasons may be given
for this; but we believe the most prominent one is
to be found in the fact, that they have been edu
cated under the influence of different religious
principles. If you send your son or daughter to a
Presbyterian, Methodist, Episcopal, Unitarian, or
Roman Catholic School, you may naturally ex
pect their minds to become imbued with the
principles of that denomination. The power an
instructor wields over his pupil in this respect, even
though he may say nothing directly calculated to
influence his pupil and warp his mind towards his
way of religious thinking’, is in all cases scarcely
less than the power of the parent, and in very
many cases greatly more.
If therefore, you would sustain your own De
nomination and promote the progress of those re
ligious principles you believe to be the only cor
rect ones, you ought to sustain by your patronage,
vour own University. Nor is this an appeal to
bigotry or sectarianism. God forbid we should
ever appeal to such a feeling for any purpose. It
is an appeal to your high and hoi v love of truth—
that truth, •!.* m mitenance and success of which
you believe .o b inseparably connected with the
maintenance mid success of a pure God giv^n
Christ iaui'y
Besides —if you do not patronize your own Uni
versity who else will ? Certainly not other deoomi
nations. They are very careful to patronize their
own Institutions or those at which their own re
ligious principles are well represented and exert a
predominant influence. And they are very right
and consistent in this. If therefore, you do not pa
tronize your own University, from what quarter is
it to look for patronage ? And what is to become
of the prayers and efforts and liberality of the ven
erated dead offered and expended in founding it?
Although the present session of Mercer Univer
sity. has opened with a larger number of Students,
and more flattering prospects than any previously,
yet we have thrown out these hints to our breth-
ren to stimulate them to a still greater interest in
its support. Surely, amongst the tens of thousands
of Baptists in the State, it is not saying too much
to say there ought to be three times the number of
students here. Brethren, sustain and cherish your
University. By the interest we hope you feel iti
the cause of education —by the esteem with which
you regard the departed dead who founded it —by
the devotion you feel to the truth and the progress
of those religious principles you believe the Bible
teaches, we urge you to sustain and cherish your
University. Encourage by your prayers and
your patronage the efforts of those who are labor
ing for its welfare. If you have sons to educate,
send them here. A young man who will study
may here acquire as good education, with per
haps less expense, and certainly with less liability
to contract vicious habits than at any pi ce to
which you can send him, within or without the
State. * * * *
Why Discontinue ?
In a late number we announced the action of
the Committee appointed and empowered by the
last Convention, to select some other location for
ceived a few notices of discontinuance on the ground
of the removal. We earnestly beg these good
brethren to reconsider that matter; and if there are
others who are thinking about discontinuing their
subscriptions on that ground, we hope they will
abandon the notion. Why discontinue ? Not.
certainly, because any moral obligation is violated
by the removal. So far as we are informed. Bro
Mercer did not give the paper to the Convention
with any understanding or wish, either expressed
’ or implied, that it should always remain at Pen
field. He gave it to the Convention to !•••
and controlled by it in such way as it mini cm
to the best interest of the paper and consequ*. rly
of the denomination. The last Conventim , after
much deliberation and discussion, decided it would
be best to remove it to some city. They bad the
moral right so to decide. No question of moral
obligation that wo can discover is involved in the
matter, but only a question of expediency : and
in all matters of mere expediency we ought to be
willing to be governed by, and co-operate with,
the majority. We believe that is good Baptist
usage. Then why discontinue? Not, we presume,
because you think the paper will not be as good as
it now is. We hope you now think well of it—
but we are free to admit it ought to be a better
paper bv the removal. The facilities for obtain
ing the latest news and the largest amount
of general information, religious and secular, are
greater in a city than they are here, or can be in
a retired village; whilst the mail facilities are
likewise greater and more certain. Accordingly
where do you look for the best secular papers? To
our large towns and cities. Our subscribers ought
therefore to expect to receive, by the removal, a
better paper with greater certainty and more regu
larity. Then why discontinue ? You may pre
fer the paper to stay where it is: But there are
others of your brethren who prefer its removal.
Suppose it had not been removed, and all those
who prefer it removed had discontined : Would
you think they had done right? Yet it would
be just as right for them to discontinue, because
it was not removed as for you to discontinue be
cause it is removed.
If no moral obligation is violated by a removal,
and if just as good not to say better paper should
be sent to you from Macon, ivhy diacontiue ?
At least, brethren, wait and give the paper a fair
trial‘and its new location, and if you be not sat
isfied it will be time enough then to discontinue.
‘1; Hr *
The Bible Union.
Our readers will remember the letter of Dr.
Maclay (which we published recently) making
some startling statements and preferring some
very grave charges as to the conduct and affairs
of the American Bible Union. The officers of the
Union have made a “reply” to this letter. The
New York Examiner, one of our most judi
cious papers, in noticing this “reply,” says :
“In giving the abstract of I)r. Maclay’s letter,
we ventured to suggest to the parties thus sudden
ly brought to the bar of public opinion, that the
more directly the main issues could be met, the
better it would be for the interests both of truth
and charity. We must now express our regret
that the officers of the Union have occupied so
much space on what most persons will regard as
side issues, and the less important points of Dr.
Maclay’s letter. They make a determined effort
to show that Dr. Judd was the ‘real author’ of the
letter to which Dr. Maclay had affixed his name;
that Dr. Maclay had expressed marked displeasure
at a translation made by Dr. Judd; that the poli
cy against which Dr. Maclay now wages war, was
tiie policy originated or sanctioned by Dr. Cone;
that Dr. Maclay was not cordial to Dr. Cone, and
that Dr. Maclay and Dr. Judd have now conspir
ed together to break down the Bible Union—Dr.
Judd being the prime agitator, and Dr. Maciat
the tool by which the work is to be done Tup
extent to which these new disclosures of di a rw.
inent will tend to restore harmony in tfo
Version movement, is not manifest; and r,
not able to see their bearing on the more
ant charges made by Dr. Maclay. Supp
erv word of his letter to be written by 1 1
and everything in their relations to e
and to Dr. Cone, to be as stated by th< ;li J
Dr. Maclay will continue to be the ••>[> •n>d>ie !
author of the charges, aud the questions wloeh I
particularly concern the public will remain unan
swered by any such course of reasoning.”
£3T In a recent number of the South Western
Baptist we saw it announced, that the Rev. James
H. DeVotie had entered upon his duties as Pastor
of the Baptist Church in Colujnbus. Whilst we
sympathise with our brethren in Alabama in the
loss they sustain by bis removal from them, we
congratulate the denomination in this State upon
the accession of such a man to onr number. We
extend to Bro. DeVotie the hand of welcome, and
hope we may often enjoy the pleasure we frequent
ly enjoyed in the State he has left, of extending to
him the hand of “the flesh.” May the Lord bless
his labors in Columbus. * * *
Clergymen for the South.
“The Southern Aid Society, through their Exe
cutive Committee, have offered to advance the
reasonable travelling expenses of every approved
minister of the North, to visit any portion of the
South or South West, for the purpose of settling
as pastor, and will also furnish the annual sum of
$250 additional to the support contributed on the
ground if needed. Unemployed ministers arc
called on to engage with a missionary spirit in re
lieving the destitutions of the South.”
The above we clip from one- of- our Northern
Exchanges. Can it be, that'there.are no “desti
tutions” of the North to be relieved ? Has the
unadulterated word of God such “free course”
there and is pure religion so widely spread and
generally practiced as that ministers with a -mis
sionary spirit” can find no employment? If it be
so we rejoice over the fact. We are decided I v
of opinion, however, from the accounts we almost
daily read in Northern papers of -the astounding
religious fanaticism, and the crime and squallid
wretchedness there exhibited, and upon no small
scale, that if the only spirit which actuates these
“unemployed ministers” be a “missionary spirit,”
and their only object the relief-of “destitutions,”
they might find more than ample employment at
of travelling several hundred miles to search it
out. We beg leave, therefore, to suggest —sim-
ply, as a matter of economy —a saving of time
and money—that these “unemployed ministers”
be immediately set to work to relieve the “desti
tutions” of the North. * * *
..... ... - ■ m -s|t- 9
Rev. Wm. Wood.
This afflicted brother is now under the treatment
of Dr. January, Murfr< e-boro, Team, for cancer.
He ks in great need of so- to p-y Ins boaid and
other necessary ex \ny friend wishing to
help can coinmunic bun at. Murfreesboro,
Term., or forward t .t t<* Rev. .las. Davis,
Newnan, Ga. We a> id ;•> hear that he is im
proving.
O—
tV-if We see by an advertisement of the South
ern Baptist Publication Society in this paper, that
thirty three thousand three hundred copies of
that excellent Hymn book the Baptist Psalmody,
by Rev. B. Manly, D. I)., and Rev. B. Manly, Jr.,
Lave been sold, and that the Society having al
ready issued one large edition this year—has been
compelled by the constant demand to issue anoth
er edition of four thousand copies. We are very
glad to see this Hymn Book coming into so gen
eral use. We wish all our churches would use it.
It is the best Hymn Book we know of North or
South.
We would call the attention of our readers to
the advertisements of the Publication Society in
the present paper. * * *
JUST The next Session of the Southern Female
College , at LaGrange, Ga., will begin on Wednes
day, the 3d September. See advertisement.
Mgiinis
For the Index.
Revival in Wilkes.
Brother Martin : —The Phillip’s Mil! Church
has just closed an eight days meeting which re
resulted in reviving the church, and an addition
of 7 hopeful converts. Several others professed
conversion and many more were enquiring what
they must do to be saved. For these great bless
ings we desire to give God the author and finisher
of our faith, the praise. Your brother in Christ,
J. R. YOUNG.
For the Index.
Brother Martin : —The object of this commu
nication is not to inform you of the political pro
gress of our community, hut of the great religious
revival through which we have just past. We
commenced a protracted meeting at our Church,
(Flint River) on Friday the Bth ins!., and continu
ed it ten days—during which time we had the
services of able ministers of the ‘Gospel, among
whom were brethren V. A. GaskiH, J. Carter, T.
S. Allen, T. Phillips, and William .Mo.-ely. Ten
persons were added to the Church by experience
and were baptized on last Sabbath in the presence
of a very large concourse of people. We have
preaching twice a month by our much esteemed
Pastor, Bro. William L. Tucker, of Marietta.—
Bro. Tucker is a very able minister, and we have
abundant reason to believe that his labors with
us have been greatly Lies!. Our Church is large,
numbering about two hundred and fifty mem
bers. and at the close of our meeting many, yes
very many were anxiously enquiring the way of
truth and life? Yours in hope of immortality,
J. J. D.
Jonesboro’, Ga.. Aug. 18 h, 1850.
—*e* • -*> a
For the Index.
Dear Broth- Martin • —Revival intelligence
s always eh n- he hearts of God’s people;
1 therefore g.ve , < • • result of a protracted
meeting of ejev* s’ ieu .me, with n y
8 dem Church, Li , Ga. The me* t
<: c •mmenced on i liesec<>ud Lord’s
• a his month yA ■ oseo to day. I
! ‘ --r seen just m c g: there was no
e-< ait, every thu.. m and still; yet
L‘ •a!; went ow ti , u> .day until we
r-< i baptized twenty three, and at the
do- ■ m a ting received one more whose
Hap do re er until next Sunday. All those
th i ‘ ve r. ct-R-. i with the exception of one
old indy, old one young married lady, and two
servants, are young people; among those received
and baptized were Methodist, and one other a
Methodist preacher’s daughter. There are sever
al others who professed hope in Christ that we
expect will join us at our next, meeting. Brother
John Hogan a licentiate of this Church, and my
self were the only ministers present during the
meetmg.
Thus has this Church been blessed with three
revivals in the last six years, and so many gathered
in, that there are but few left in the congregation
September