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telegraph powe
JOSEPH WALKER,
MacoV Wednesday, May 20, 1857.
I3F* => Ysurrender our editorial column
this week t<\the interesting letters of brother
Landrurp, fr(Vi Louisville, and our New York
Correspondent!* 4 Oglethorpe.” The infor
mation communicated by the former, will
reach our readers from the Convention;
and that by the latter, settles a question in
relation to which there have- been many in
quiries. These able documents will be read
with deep interest. \
News from the Biennial Convention.
LETTERS FROM REV. S. LANDRUM.
LETTER NUMBER I.
Louisville, Ky., May Bth, 1857.
—Dear Brother Walker: —l wrote from Nash
ville on the evening of the sth inst. After a
very fatiguing Stage-ride of nearly two days
and nights we, (the Georgia Delegation to
the S. B. C.) reached this city at 5 o’clock
yesterday afternoon?
We scarcely slept at all from Sunday night
until Thursday night, with the exception of
four hours in Nashville iu the following cir
cumstances: Brother Scott of the City Hotel
finding us crowded out of all the public houses,
kindly furnished his parlor with pallets for us.
These pallets had no pillows’ hut with our
overcoats we made a pretty isyjd substitute.
We retired at ten o’clock to be called at 2 1-2
o’clock. When the Stage arrived at 3 o’clock,
A. M., a furious storm was gathering and it
v as obvious that one of the passengers must
take the top of the Coach,
who had on the- previous evening agreed to
go outside ifAe weather dAmld be bad, now
all at once/iscovered wife was gick
and that lie I ffiifltr r J on the back
seat ivith her. Brother DeVotie heroically
agreed to face the storm on top of the Stage.
Ihus packed away in and on the Coach we
left Nashville, amidst all the incidents of a
thunder storm. While crossing the river on
the suspension bridge the vibration of the
entire structure for two or three feet, as it
seemed^was rather trying to nervous per
sons. By and by however the storm passed
away and the day dawned upon us disclosing
a most beautiful farming country. Before
reaching the Breakfast-house we crossed a
mountain giving us a walk of two miles prob
ably.
The rains from, Georgia on to Kentucky
have been for a week past very heavy. Du
ring most of the day on Wednesday the 6th,
“vv e had frequent showers and the Toads were
> muddy but not deep. No remarkable
occurred. The companAvere very
cheerful— constant peels of repartee, wit and
laughter kept off all impression of the gloomy
weather without. Late in the afternoon we
reached Bowling Green and stopped for sup
per. Os course the place suggested brother
J. M. Pcxdli:i ( ■ \’s name and labors. We
went at once to see the Baptist meeting house.
It is a large, new, and handsome edifice. The
town contains about two thousand inhabitants
and presents an agreeable appearance. Leav
ing Bowling Green we commenced the long,
miserable night’s .ride which will not soon be
forgotten by any one of us. True, the Moon
shown beautifully, but we were too much
worn and too constantly thrown from side to
side by the rough and jostling stage, to enjoy
much of the beauty of the moonlight night.
About eight o’clock we commenced sing
ing some of the old, familiar songs of Zion.
The effect was most happy upon us all. We
remembered the prayer meetings at home
religious friends; realized our responsibility
to God and his goodness to us.
We passed through a fine country both in
Tennessee and Kentucky. The large fields
of wheat, rye, oats, clover, and blue grass,
with numeious cattle, sheep aud hogs grazing
on them was interesting to us. The wheat
crop is good and promises well, but the sea
son is very late. There was a white frost
yesterday morning here and the trees are still
bare, in many places, almost as Winter. The
season is a full month later here than at Ma
con. The prospect is regarded as gloomy for
the coming Summer. The fitfmers of Ken
tucky are now buying corn, ji nd fifty miles
from Louisville it is -one dollar per
bushel. The stock are now suffering for pro
visions.
We feel that Almighty God has gracious
ly protected us in the entire journev, of
about six hundred miles amidst exposure and
dangers. Though there are eight of us; no
one is sick or injured seriously by the trip.
To God our Saviour be praise and honor and
glory forever.
Truly yours, S. L .
LETTER NUMBER 11.
Louisville, Ky., May Bth, 1857.
Dear Brother Walker: —The first day’s
session of the Southern Baptist Convention
has just closed. The number of Delegates
from all the States is about one hundred and
and seventy-five. There are some distinguish
ed brethren from the Northern States pres
ent. I notice quite a number of denomina
tional editors iu attendance—Dr. Church of
New York, Crowel of Missouri, Henderson of
Alabama and Graves of Tennessee. Dr. Ful
ler of Baltimore and brother Stocks of Geor
gia, and some other older members of the
Convention, are absent.
The Convention was called to order at 10
■o’clock by Dr. Howell. Dr. Howell was-re
flected President; brethren Jeter, Buck,
B elected Vice Presidents;
and George B.
Bfcfetary. Brother Toon
i Treasurer.
were counting votes,
the Convention spent an hour in most delight
ful devotional exercises. A number of breth
ren prayed; and appropriate and impressive
addresses were made by brethren Jeter, Lilly
and Manly. I have no doubt, but the effects
of these exercises, will be most happy and
give the session a devotional character.
The long discussion at Montgomery about
asking ministers of other denominations to
seats with the Convention was happily and
wisely avoided, by simply saying nothing
about it. All persons are invited to ‘witness
the proceedings, but only members of our own
denomination are requested to participate in
the actings and deliberations of the Conven
tion. *
The Reports of the Bible Board and the
Domestic Mission Board have been read and
referred to select Committees. The Bible
Board proposes to move “ the Home & For
eign Journal’’ to Nashville, and release the
Convention from all expense in its publication.
‘f For the purpose of acquaintance, the ladies
of the “ Walnut Street Church” prepared
tea in the Lecture room this evening, and in
vited all the members of the Convention to
accept their hospitality. At six o’clock the
Convention adjourned to the Lecture room,
where long tables were soon surrounded by
gentlemen, and the ladies acting as waiters.
Some were disposed at first to object to this
reversing of the usual state of things, but the
ladies declared it teas the law and must he obey
ed. An hour was thus passed in agreeable,
social, converse among persons from all parts
of our country.
The Anniversary Sermon was preached to
night by Rev. Wm. Cary Crane of Mississippi.
His theme was the “ Mission of man.” The
discussion embraces a number of very singu
lar, and, I think, very inappropriate divisions.
The sermon was so smooth and flowery, that
it had but little point, and ffroduced no deep
impression for good. If brother Crane had
preached such a sermon, as he preaches to his
negro congregations, he would have met the
occasion with much more credit to himself,
and profit to the congregation. God grant
that the day may never come, when such
preaching will be general among the Baptists!
The whole exercises of the evening were
peculiarity formal and chilling. There were
three brethren in the Pulpit, and some dozen
professional singers, with the organ in the
gallery, at the other end of the house. The
minister number one, came to the pulpit,
read a chapter,'and retired into the deep re
cess. Then, preacher number two came for
ward, read a hymn and retired in like man
ner. Then Mime the exhibition in the Galle
ry. N number three offered
prayer. Then, preacher number two deliver
ed a discourse from his well-written manu
script. Finally, minister number one prayed.
I have not written this from any unkind
feeling, but because, I believe such things are
crying evils of the day, w T hich should he abated.
What is our religion without simplicity, de
votion and humility ?
Yours Truly,
Louisville, Ky., May 9th, 1857.
Dear Brother Walker :—There was but lit
tle done to-day by the Southern Baptist Con
vention. After reading the long Report of
the Board of Foreign Missions and referring
it to appropriate Committees, the Convention
adjourned to give place to the Educational
Convention.
This Convention called in reference to the
establishment of a Southern Theological Sem
inary of high grade held a meeting on Wed
nesday the Bth. Propositions and communi
cations were then read and the whole subject
referred to a Committee of fifteen. Brother
DeVotie and myself were members of the
Committee, from Georgia. This Committee
reported yesterday in favor of accepting the
offer of the brethren in South Carolina, and
of locating the Seminary at Greenville.
The brethren of South Carolina propose to
raise SIOO,OOO, provided all the other States
will contribute as much. The Institution,
thus established, is not to take the place of
any existing Seminary not even the Furman
Theological Seminary. The object is to have
one Seminary of the very highest grade which
will do away with all necessity for any South
ern man to go to a Northern Institution.
The SIOO,OOO is to be ready by the Ist May,
1858. The other States are allowed three
years to collect the other SIOO,OOO. A Con
vention is called at Greenville next May for
perfecting the organization, <fcc.
Several Committees have been appointed.
One to nominate suitable men to fill the Pro
fessorships. Another to prepare a plan of
organization. One to prepare an Address to
the Churches, another to bring the subject
before the Conventions and Educational
Boards of the different States.
The Report of the Committee was opposed
by a few brethren—J. It. Graves and Wm.
C. Buck being the chief speakers on the side
of the opposition. Their objections and fears
were so satisfactorily removed that the re
port was finally adopted without a single
voice in the negative.
When the report had been adopted Dr.
Jeter moved that Dr. Manly should lead the
Convention in thanksgiving to God for the
result so agreeable and unanimously attained.
Dr. Manly spoke feelingly of this Seminary as
having been the great desire of his whole
ministerial life and then lead in a most affect
ing, melting prayer.
THE CHRISTIAN INDEX.
The next session of the Biennial Conven*
.tion is to be held in the city of Richmond in
May J 859. Dr. Campbell of Kentuckms to
preach the Introductory Sermon andwTof.
Williams of Georgia is the alternate.
The Board of Domestic Missions held a
mass-meeting to-night. Brethren Boyce and
DeVotie delivered addresses and a collection
of S7OO was taken. I had agreed to speak at
the meeting on Indian Missions bu£ violent
inflammation of one eye kept me in my room.
To-morrow a dozen or more pulpits will be
occupied by members of the Convention.
Very truly, S. L— r .
Louisville, Ky., May 12th, 1857.
Dear Brother Walker : —The Southern
Baptist Convention has just closed its session
in this city. The meeting has been distin
guished for speech but generally the
best of feeling has prevailed. Nd unpleasant,
local questions were pressed upon the considß
eration of the Convention. The Church hertl
and the Kentucky brethren have actedwiljl
great kinth^SH
These greUlH
the denomination in the South ruore clcjeM
to each other. ; ‘
Brother Pearcy returned Missionary flom
China, addressed the Convention
in a very interesting manner upoi the condi
tion of China and our Missions there. Broth
er Pearcy estimates the population as high as
450 or 500 millions.
The Colisseum Place Baptist Church of
New Orleans received a contribution, after
several warm speeches, amounting to about
three thousand dollars. A resolution was
passed to-day requesting the Domestic Board
to employ an Agent to complete the collec
tion for the New Orleans Church and pay his
salary out of the money collected by him.
It is hoped that before the next Convention
this debt will be entirely paid.
A resolution was also passed requesting
Boards of Missions to make a larger use of
the Denominational Press in disseminating
their intelligence. By sending printed slips
to all the papers they could be published sim
ultaneously.
The weather here has been cold enough
for three days to demand winter Wrappings
and heavy overcoats.
I have had no time to visit the city gener
ally and cannot speak of it particulirly. The
lion. Edward Everett delivers his great
speech here to-night. To-morrow at noon
the Georgia Delegation expect to leave for
home by way of Nashville or Memphis.
Yours truly, S. L ■.
From our New York Correspondent.
New York, May 18&7-.
Mr. Editor :—l noticed in your issue ofj-he
22d ult., some strictures touching the theo
logical opinions and practices of Rev. C. H.
Spurgeon of England, which, as they are
rather in the form of questions, I will pro
ceed, according to my knowledge to answer.
I have recently seen an intelligent gentleman
who returned not long since from a visit to
London, and who, w r hile there, conversed
with Mr. Spurgeon on the very points alluded
to in your article. This information, there
fore, proceeds from head quarters, and is re
liable. Mr. Spurgeon is a Baptist and bap
tizes. He is the pastor of the church over
which formerly presided the revered Drs.
Gill & Rippon —two names which suggest
every thing that is baptistic either in theory
or practice, although it does not follow from
that that there may not have been a “ falling
away” since the “ father’s fell asleep.” Still
however Mr. Spurgeon is a Baptist in so far
as immersion administered by his own hands
is concerned. My informant tells me that he
(Mr. S.) baptizes large numbers, and that
every thing as to church order is attended to
in the usual way. *
On the other point, however, is he an open
communion Baptist ? lam sorry not to be
able to answer your question in the negative.
He does practice open-communion. This
error, so common among our Baptist breth
ren of England, is greatly to be regretted, and
the more so in Mr. Spurgeon’s case, whose
“ extraordinary genius,” and I will add, unques
tioned piety, give him an almost unbounded
influence over the minds of thousands. It is
true, as you say, Mr. Editor, and emphatical
ly true is it, that “ the p.nni—l
when those who are sound in dofflne uncT
consistent in practice will have to take then
positions in defence of the truth, and they
will need knowledge to guide them.” In
saying these things, however, I am not to be
understood as detracting from Mr. Spurgeon’s
excellence as an able minister of
Christ. Asa ministet She people he has
perhaps no equal in and his sermons
are rich in evangelical a^Mine.
We are now in the midoTe of what we New
Yorkers call “ Anniversary week.” The gen
eral religious and other Societies are holding
their annual meetings, and the dishes that
are served up at these feasts are suited to
all tastes and stomaches. We have preach
ing and harrangues on all sorts of sub
jects, from the sublimest questions of morali
ty and religion down to the rank and digust
ing infidelity of Wm. Lloyd, Garrison & Cos.
One of the most noticeable features of the
present meetings is the action of the Ameri
can Tract Society on the question of slavery.
It will be remembered that about a year ago
an attempt was made in certain quarters
(chiefly among the Congregationalists) to
force the Society from its neutral position on
this question, and such a furor was raised that
a Committee composed of fifteen of the ablest
and best men to be found in these parts was
appointed “to examine and review the pro
ceedings of the Executive Committee,” on
this and other points. That Committee re
ported to-day, unanimously re-affirming the
Original ground of the Society, and confining
ifs work to the one and single purpose of “dif
fusing a knowledge of one Lord Jesus Christ
a£ the Redeemer of sinners, and of promoting
ie “ interests of vital godliness and sound
morality, by the circulation of religious tracts
to receive the approbation of all
■angelical Christians.” The Report was
Unanimously adopted by the Society, and
thus, it is hoped, one of the noblest Christian
enterprises of our day will be permitted to go
“forth on its mission of mercy without further
“ let or hindrance.”
1 The annual meetings of all our Baptist So
cieties will be held this year in Boston. As
your correspondent anticipates attending these
jneetings you may hear from him from the
ttecene of action if any thing “worthy of special
liotice transpires.
[ OGLETHORPE.
jPoticJt shows that the
begun last yeartby certain ladies of
has not been abandoned. To a
“Fair,” conducted fairly, with articles sold at
“fair prions,” there can be no valid objection,
and we hope our fair friends at “Orang Court
House,” will be liberally patronized. Should
have been glad to have accepted their kind
invitation to be present, had it been practica
ble:
FAIR AT ORANGE COURT HOUSE.
The ladies of Orange Court House propose
to hold a Fair at that place, on the 4th Mon
day in May, to aid in the completion of the
Baptist Church.
Many useful articles have been prepared,
and will bo offered at fair prices. A nice din
ner and otku- refreshments will also be pro
vided. Weiiope many persons will be pre
sent, disposed to aid us by purchasing these
articles.
J. R. Webster and W. 11. Mcln
tosh, of Alabama, and brother James Perry
man and several others, of Georgia, have our
thanks for new subscribers.
UslF* Several Communications were crowd
ed out this week by Convention matters, and
some will be next week for the want of the
writer’s names. Initials don’t quite answer.
W. W. Turner at Tumwold is in
formed that R. 11. Bachelor is on our mail
book, and the paper sent from Macon.
Brother Campbell has made no re
turn of the money named in the subjoined
note. Gen. Warren informs us that he paid
to him, at the same time. Will brother
<2, please report immediately ? ’
Staricville, May 13, 1857.
Mr. Walker —Dear Sir :—I paid Mr. J. 11.
Campbell ten dollars for the Index for myself
and three dollars for Mr. M. B. Haley at our
Court, the last of March last, and I have
seen no receipt for it yet.
JOHN A. BISHOP.
Starkeville, Lee County, )
April 26, 1857. j
Mr. Editor—Dear Sir :—About the middle
of February last I enclosed to you five dollars
and directed you to send my paper to Starke
ville, Lee county, and receipt me for the same.
The paper has never come to Starkeville.”
DUDLEY SNEED.
We are utterly unable to account for the
failure of Mr. Sneed’s paper. His name is on
the mail book, and doubtless leaves the of
fice at Macon, regularly. The fault must
either be in the Starkeville Post Office, or at
some office between here and there.
Rev. A. H. Holmes.
This brother, besides attending to his offi
cial duties in the Central Institute, Ala., is
pastor of the Baptist Church in Wetumpka,
and also of Union Church, in the county
where he resides. His Georgia friends will
be glad to hear that he still officiates in the
pulpit. The Institution under his charge, is
doing well. We should be pleased to be pre
sent when the following exercises shall take
place:
The annual examination will commence on
Saturday the 13th June, and continue three
days. Brother Tichenor will preach our
Commencement ‘SermSn, on Sunday the 14th,
and C. A. Battle, Esq., of Tuskegee, will de
liver the Annual address, on Wednesday the
17th. Our present number is seventy-five,
and the Institution is in a prosperous condi
tion.
U-IF*We clip the following from the New
York Chronicle. It gives an interesting pic
ture [to some] of Mr. Spurgeon’s church.—
Nothing is “to distinguish it as a Baptist
Church’’ except its Baptist Pastor. “Baptism
is to be an open question,” and the officers
are to be chosen by a majority, <fcc., &c. —
This is just the kind of church that ought to
be, (and doubtless will be) acceptable to some
Baptists—we wot of —in this country:
“Baptist Liberality —Nearly £5,000 have
been subscribed towards Spurgeon’s new
chapel. John Ruskin, the celebrated author
of Modern Painters, presented him with £IOO
only the other Sabbath morning, after hear
ing him.
Baptists are always in advance. The van
of every enterprise has been led by them.—
“ The progress of Baptist sentiment in the
last 100 years” has been marked. Chapel
after chapel is rising in many parts, especially
near the metropolis; even the ecclesiastical
platform is of the broadest character. In the
membership of the Church there is to be no
distinction. A Baptist Pastor will have the
right of occupying the pulpit, and beyond
this there is nothing else to distinguish it as
a Baptist church. The last effort in this di
rection goes even beyond this. Baptism is
to be an open question, and the officers of
the Church are to chose by the majority.—
The liberality—the plain catholicity of these
views are the glory of our age. They reflect
the largest honor upon the mover in these
matters. The narrow bigotry of our fore
fathers, of our Brother Fulton and others in
late times, is thrown aside by the more intel
ligent and respectable of our body. Our ad
vances towards extinction are rapid, and pro
bably some increasing light will lead to the
discovery that separate organizations for the
propagation of onr distinctive views in con
nection wirh the great Christian verities with
which they are associated and from which
they necessarily spring, is improper. We
cannot stop. Nor should we. In this direc
tion the tide is set in, and every year aug
ments its influence and increases its power.
Smx will have much to learn from us—
odel these institutions your Stoughtoijp,
in’s, Sharps, and Cones have labored
so earnestly to bring up.” — N. Y. Chronicle.
’CimmfiksttjfM.
For the Index.
Georgia S. S. Convention and its
PRESENT STATUS.-
Some of us, went to the meeting of this
body, at Augusta, the day before the Con
vention, with the apprehension, that we should
[be called upon to perform its funeral obse
quies. At one time, concluding the vital
spark had departed, we bore it, indeed, in the
direction of the place of interment—but it
suddenly showed signs of life, and was resus
citated, and we are happy to say, was left
decidedly convalescent.
But, dropping the figure, let albknow that
the Sabbath School Convention is now on a
better basis than ever.
1. Its friends arc more decided in the con
viction that it is necessary.
2. Its sphere is better defined.
3. Its Agent for the present year, that in
defatigable man of God, Rev. J. E. Sharpe,
is charged with the duty of raising SI,OOO for
the specific purpose of providing books for
Schools he has formed or may form, destitute of
the means of doing so for themselves —question
books, &c., we mean. There are many such
places. %
4. We shall direct our labors especially to
a class of people unreached by any instrumen
tality heretofore in existence. The cities,
towns, and many neighborhoods in the coun
try, need not oitr aid, or that of frmy fotlier
body. When they do, brother Sharpe, will
aid them in any way he can. When the
Agent comes along, hear one of his warm-hearted
discourses, and give him the wherewith to pro
vide some destitute Sunday School with the books
necessary to carry itself on. We doubt not
you will rejoice, ye found places of Zion, to
do so.
5. The formation of Sunday Schools, es
pecially in out-of-the-way portions of the coun
try, in which our agent has been singularly
successful, will be the great work of the good.
6. Facts prove that the State Convention
has enough to do without devoting time to
Sunday Schools, which would demand, at least
one whole day each session.
7. Our books will be procured from the
Publication Society, Charleston—the Deposi
tory, or Atlanta, being, for the present, and
if experience shall suggest it, prospectively,
mainly, an agency through which neighbor
hoods, in remote parts of the country, may
find the way to the Publication Society.
Will not the lovers of Bible morality, of a
Bible—instructed people—the lovers of re
ligion and their conntry, help us. We have
no doubt of it!
E. B. TEAGUE,
President Convention.
P. S. —A considerable amount was pledged
on the spot towards the SI,OOO. Will not
others send up pledges to Rev. J. E. Sharpe,
Indian Springs ? We care not if many thou
sands should be pledged. This will aid the
Agent.
For the Index.
Notice!
There will be a Missionary Meeting held
with the Baptist Church in Lumpkin, com
mencing on Thursday night before the fifth
Sabbath in May. Several distinguished breth
ren from abroad, have been invited, and the
meeting will be continued from day to day
so as to embrace the fifth Sabbath. The
ministers and brethren of the Bethel Asso
ciation are cordially invited to be present and
contribute to the interest of the occasion.
Come, brethren, let us counsel and pray to
gether.
On behalf of the Committee of arrange
ments. H. C. HORNADY,
Sectary, <fcc.
Notice.
Owing to an oversight at the Flint River
Association, held in Griffin, the General Meet
ing for the 2d District, to be held in Jackson,
Butts County, was appointed to commence
on Friday before the fifth Sabbath in June,
which will be an impossibility, there being
only four Sabbaths in the month of July.—
And agreeable to consent of the Church, the
aforesaid meeting will commence on Friday
before the fourth Sabbath in June, in Jack
son Church, J, G,
For the Index.
The Pulpit Question—A Young
MINISTER IN DIFFICULTY.
Dear Brother Walker: —In number 10 of
the “Index’’ I was much pleased with the in
genious manner in which your correspondent
“ A Young Baptist Minister” related the pre
dicament in which he was involved by an un
expected argument of a Pedobaptist friend.
The effect produced upon your correspon
dent, appears to have been similar to that of
a bombshell discharged into an enemy’s camp.
At the first fire he was seized with a panic
and driven to an unconditional surrender. —
A little more experience I apprehend will en
able the young brother to stand such shots
with greater composure. The argument al
luded to is one mainly insisted on by those
brethren denominated “Old Landmark men,”
in discussing what they are pleased to call
the “Pulpit Communion’’ question. Fairly
presented it is simply this: As we (Baptists)
do not invite Pedobaptists to our Church com
munion, on the ground that not having been
legally baptized and initiated into Christ’s vis
ible Church or Kingdom, they are not'enti
tled to Church privileges, therefore is it not
inconsistent in tts to invite them into our pul
pits—thereby recognizing them as uChris
tian Teachers .” This, I apprehend, is the full
extent of the admission involved in the above
mentioned practice. Do we sacrifice any
principle in making that admission ? I think
not. It is certainly consistent with the truth.
That there have been and now are many pi
ous and useful men —yea, Christian teachers,
among Pedobaptists, few Baptists, I trust, are
prepared to deny. If in order to appear con
sistent, we must deny that such men as Presi
dent Edwards, Payson, and Whitfield w6re
Christian teachers, it were, perhaps, better to
appear inconsistent. Have we not in our
churches pious men and women, not a few,
who, having been converted under the teach
ings and exhortations of Pedobaptists, are
living witnesses of the efficacy and blessing
iliat have crowned some of their labors. From
the stand point of Baptist principles, we can
not account for these stubborn facts, except
upon the hypothesis, that Christ has here an
invisible as well as visible kingdom. While
then, there are some, who, by their observance
of the King’s institutions and ordinances in
their purity, are properly enclosed in his visi
ble Kingdom, (such in our opinion are Bap
tists.) Yet Christ has a people outside of
these organizations, whose labors are in some
measure blessed, that the power of Christian
ity might be seen to rest, not so much in the
form as in the essence—not so much in the
letter as in the spirit. Yet forms and ordi
nances are important, or Christ would never
have instituted them.
Whilst, therefore, as Baptists, we are com
mendibly strict in guarding the purity of
Christ’s institutions and ordinances that have
been committed to us in His word, in all oth
er respects we should evince an enlarged
charity to all especially in whom we behold
the reflection of Christ’s moral image. Thus
testifying by love the essence of true religion,
that we have not only the form but the pow
er of godliness. My position upon the “Pul
pit question,” is this: While Pedobaptist
ministers, as such, have no claims upon our
pulpits; yet, there may be circumstances and
occasions when it might not be improper or
inconsistent to invite into our pulpits, those
among them who are in good standing and
are useful, not because they are Pedobaptist
Ministers, but “ Christian teachers”—not be
cause of their ordination by Pedobaptist So-
cieties, but for the reason that their labors
and efforts evince that they are mainly on
the Lord’s side. Let us be careful, then, lest
in attempting to reset old landmarks, we do
so in such a manner as to turn out portions of
the “ Lord’s Vineyard.” If wrong in these
sentiments, I trust I may not be suffered to
remain so. And now, Brother Walker, as
you are a terror to writers of long epistles,
space admonishes me to bring this article to
an end. LUNSFORD.
For the Index.
Dear Brother Walker ; —I sometimes lay
aside the busy concerns of life and devote
short periods to thinking upon matters per
taining to the general interests of our denom
ination. And when thus engaged, you must
be aware that questions will arise in the mind,
some of them trivial enough, but others im
portant. Os late, my mind has been unusu
ally perplexed with such questions as the fol
lowing :
Is it consistent for a mau to claim himself
to be a Baptist who thinks we are wrong in
our views ot Church polity and communion ?
Is it right for a Baptist minister to receive a
salary as the supply of a Pedobaptist Society ?
Is it right for a Baptist Minister to pul on a
gown and read prayers for his Pedobaptist
flock ? Is it right, is it is it hon
est, for a Baptist Editor to write long and
labored articles in his paper against Revision
and the Old Landmarks, and then refuse to
admit articles on the other side? These and
similar questions will arise in the mind, and
will not down at my bidding, so I just send
them to you to see if any one else is troubled
as I am. QUERIST.
■ ■
Notice.
The Churches composing the General Meet
ing of the Ist District of the Tallapoosa As
sociation are hereby notified that the next
meeting of the same will convene with the
Allatoona Church, Friday beforo the Ist Sab
bath in August next.
JAMES PEEK, Moderator.
Miles Edwards, Cl’k.
May 13th, 1857.
MAY, 1857.