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JOSEPH WALKER, Editor.
Yol. XXXYI. —New Series, Yol. 25.
Cjjt <£|risfian
PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY,
AT MACON, GA.,
BY A COMMITTEE OF BRETHREN, FOR THE
GEORGIA BAPTIST CONVENTION.
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The Office of the Christian Index is on Mul
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during the usual business hours of the city.
For the Index.
To the Rev. H. G. Hornady , Cor. Sec.
Foreign Mission Com., Bethel Associa
tion.
The antiquities of Africa are involved
in so much mystery and obscurity, that,
in speaking of the traditionary history of
the Yoruba country, I would not claim
an implicit reliance in every statement
from any one. Os the truth or falsity of
heathen tradition, the narrations and the
attendant circumstances must form the
data of our belief. Like most if not all
heathen people, the T oruba has a taint
idea, received from the traditions of his
respecting the creation of the
and the important part they acted
in extending research and in increasing
the population. Tradition relates that
fifteen persons were sent from an unknown
region, accompanied by an only child,
named Aukambi, making the sixteenth in
numbed who volunteered his services,
and was afterwards made King of Yoru
ba. The personage by whom they were
sent out, presented Aukambi with apiece
of black cloth and something tied up in
it; in addition to which he had a fowl, a
servant and a trumpeter, whose name was
O’Kinkin. On opening the gate of an
unknown region, they observed a large
expanse of water through which they were
obliged to pass. As they traveled on,
O’Kinkin, the trumpeter, notified Aukam
bi of his black cloth by the sound of his
trumpet, according to the instructions re
ceived from the above mentioned person
age. On opening the cloth a palm nut
that had been deposited-in it with loose
earth, fell into the water, and springing
forth soon grew to the size of a tree, with
sixteen branches. The traveling party,
weary and fatigued from their journey,
hailed this relief with joy, and mounting
the branches gave rest to their bodies.—
Having recruited their strength, they pre
pared afresh for their journey, yet with
considerable perplexity, in not knowing
whither to go. In this perplexed situa
tion, a certain personage, Okikisi, having
seen them from the region whence they
set out, reminded the trumpeter, O’Kinkin
of his duty, on which he sounded again,
and thus reminded Aukambi of his black
cloth. On opening it the second time,
some earth dropped into the water and
formed a small bank, when the fowl which
was given to Aukambi, flew upon it, and
scattering it, converted the water into
dry land wheresoever it was touched.—
Aukambi then descended from the palm
tree, allowing only his servant, Tehtei and
the trumpeter to come down with him.—
On the urgent petitions of the rest, he al
lowed them to descend, with the under
standing that they were to pay, at certain
times, a tax of 200 counes per head.—
Thus, ay tradition, originated the King-
dom of Yomba, which was afterwards
called Jfch. From this region three
brothers set out for a discovery of better
countries. At their departure, they left
a slave named Adimis —which signifies
hold fast—to govern Jfch in their ab
sence. The above tradition, mentioned
by Mr. Crowther in his introductory to
his Qormba grammar, and with a view,
be says, to show the confused idea of the
Yoruba’s respecting both the Creation and
the Flood, I find confirmed by some in
vestigation and inquiry. The tradition of
the these brothers presents the face of re
ality in the relationship existing between
the three principal chieftains in the King
dom of Yoruba—namely, the chief of the
Ketre tribe, callen Alakiter, said to be
the eldest; the chief of the Egba tribe,
called Alake, said to be the next; and the
King of Yoruba, the youngest, but to
whom the others were accustomed to pay
tribute in former days. Such is the tra
ditionary account of the creation and rise
of the Yoruba Kingdom, whence it is
said, even by the nations of the present
day, all other .nations received their ori
gin. This Kingdom in the days of its
glory, extending North and South from
the Kingdom of Bokgea. to Ijeba, and
East and West from the Ijerba country
to the Kingdom of Dahomey, could not
have contained less than twenty-five thou
sand square miles, nor less than a popula
tion of several millions of people. Avery
decided change however, has passed over
the country within the last half a centu
ry. Tradition says, eighty Kings had rul
ed since the origin of the Kingdom, only
fourteen names of whom have come down
to us. Ghaugs, now deified, is the first in
the list, and now worshiped, on account of
the terror inspired by his reign, as the God
of vengeance and destruction. The date
of his reign is so distant that it is now in
volved in much mystery. The Kings of
Yoruba, it is said, may be safely traced
back to the time of Ajagbo, who reigned
in Arogan—Katango—and died at an ad
vanced age. Abirdme, sixth in the line
from him, enjoyed a prosperous and peace
ful reign, and died an old man, just pre
vious to great commotions that Occurred
a few years afterwards. Scarcely was he
gathered to his fathers when evil machi
nations and treachery brought on such
a desolating war as very few countries
have been permitted to experience. It
may not be uninteresting to mention this
piece of Yoruba history. As well as
can be ascertained, it was about the year
1800 when Arogangan, the brother of
Abindim, succeeded to the throne. Ara
gangan’s nephew, Afobja, born in Harrin,
whose father was a brave warrior, was
made Areh-oba—King’s chief warrior,
and placed in Harrin, with the view to
satisfy any ambitious desires he might
cherish, and curb an insubordinate dispo
sition. The project failed, however, and
soon Afohja was scheming and taxing his
ingenuity to dethrone she King in favor
of himself. Arogangan being aware of
his treacherous designs, under pretence of
offence given to him by the people of
Ive-re, he sent him to war against it, with
the hope that by this means he might be
removed out of the way. A second fail
ure was the result. When Afohja reach
ed Jvoe-re, he declared his intention, un
der the direction of the King, to fight
against them. The town was seized with
surprize at this unexpected declaration,
and Afobja was soon sent back with an
army to demand Arogangan, the King,
and ordered to fight against Arogan-Ka
tonga —in case of refusal to deliver him
up. The King finding himself in such
straits, and dreading the consequences of
falling into the hands of his besiegers,
poisoned himself, and thereby freed the
city from further siege. About this time
the state of affairs became very unsettled.
Several Kings rapidly succeeded each
other, war broke out at Joloha, a very
large town, South-west of Arogan, while
Afohja, chief warrior of the Kingdom,
made use of the passing opportunity to
advance his position by iugratiating him
self with the people of Harrin. The Fe
talas who had hitherto been contented
with living a pastoral life, began now to
distinguish themselves as great warriors.
Just here the account of the outbreak of
Castititus vary a little. The fact seems
to be, that several countries on the East
ern side of the Niger, were called on by
Afohja to assist him in his war against
Arogan. The Fetalas already begining to
be distinguished by their prowess, soon
became the rivals of Afohja, who not be
m
OE.GkA.2ST OF THE BAPTIST COISTVFJITOIOISr OF THE STATE OF GEORGIA.
ing able to reach the throne in any other
way, endeavored, by manifesting friend
ship to the Arogan people, to bring them
in collision with the city of*Harrin. Soon
a war of extermination was carried on,
beyond the utmost wish of Afohja,
who in vain attempted to check the rava
ges of the invaders. His treacherous
plans being discovered this unhappy man
was caught, and publicly burned, his ash
es being exposed for many days. War
rolled like a desolating flood over the
whole land, only made more savage ancT
destructive by Mohamedan fanaticism.—
In the course of a few years a whole
Kingdom was sacked-and pillaged, and
the country that then could boast of one
thousand and sixty towns and cities, can
now show only the bare remnant of four
towns to tell the story of what the rava
ges of war can effect.
[to be continued.]
i i m 1—
For the Index.
Penfield, Oct. 14th, 1857-
Dear Brother Walker : —Will you al
low me a little space in your paper to ex
press my thanks to the delegates of she
Georgia Association for their kind atten
ion to the note addressed to them in be
half of the Baptist church at Brunswick,
in the shape of a contribution of SBO ;
and to ask if other Associations will not
be pleased to follow their noble example ?
Brethren, do not hesitate for the purpose
of inquiring whether the object is worthy
of your support or not. There is no
question about this. It is a remarkable
fact, that in the notable city of Bruns
wick, a city whose history extends back to
the time of Gen. Oglethorpe, there is no
.house of worship. And, what is more re
markable, the Baptists were without a
name there five years ago , and without a
church three years ago. They, however,
with God’s blessing, were th q first to make
an effort to build a house for the Lord,
and they have been the first to lay the
foundation of that house. But their num
ber is small and their means are limited,
and they are now fearful that a failure
awaits them, unless they can get help,
ond strong help, from above. Is there a
Baptist in Georgia with heart so hard, or
soul so dead, or purse so small that he will
permit that little band of brethren, solita
ry and alone, to “ sink or swim, live or
die, survive or perish ?” If not do let
all, with one consent, hasten to the rescue.
The case is an urgent one, and now is the
time for action. Delays are always dan
gerous, but, in reference to this matter,
ruinous. Who, then, will lend to the
Lord in that part of his vineyard ? Who
will gladden the hearts and ssrengthen
the hands of that little and needy flock
of Christ ? Who will follow the example
of the Georgia Association, and of the
church at Lumpkin, and of many indi
vidual brethren, and send on their con.-
tribution to brother James Speir, at
Brunswick, or to me, at Penfield, with
the assurance that what they send shall
be immediately appropriated to a good
purpose ? Hoping to receive many and
long moneyed epistles in reply, and hearti
ly thanking in advance, all who may
speedily and cheerfully commit them to
the mails and to the above mentioned au
thorities, I remain,
Yonrs in the love
and service of Christ,
~ T. B. COOPER.—
Letter from one of the Final
REVISERS.
The following letter from Dr. Conan t
was read, and its spirit was so much liked
that a special vote was taken by the Un
ion, ordering its publication, with the of
ficial doings.
Rochester, Oct. 6, 1857.
To William 11. Wyckoff , Corresponding
Secretarg of the American Bible Union.
I My Dear Sir :—As it is not convenient
for me to attend the Anniversary of the
Union, I take this method of suggesting
some of the thoughts which I might, per
haps, find occasion to express orally if I
were present with you.
?he circustances under which the Un
ion meets, the present year, are full of
encouragement to its friends. The need
of another revision of the vernacular Eng
lish Bible is now felt by many who, at
the time of the organization of the Union
looked on any such attempt with distrust
and aversion. In England, the necessity
of this work is generally admitted among
scholars, and some practicable mode of
‘carrying it into effect is very earnestly
sought. In our country there are proba
bly few, among reflecting men who would
not regard such a revision of the English
Scripture*, *anctioned by icholar* of all
MACON, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 1857.
denominations, as an inestimable blessi n g
to the Church and to the English race.
There are great practical difficulties,
however, in any plan of co-operation in
this work among all the leading sects of
Christendom; difficulties which seem, to
human foresight, insurmountable. The
demand, that the work shall be deferred
till this co-operation can be secured,
amounts to an indefinite postponement.
In the meantime, the Bible Union lias
commenced and is vigorously carrying
forward this work, on principles to which
uo one who admits the right of all men to
‘foreknowledge of God's word, can hon
estly object, and on a plan which secures
every real advantage to be derived from
the official recognition and co-operation of
all denominations. The Union seeks the
aid of individual scholars of every de
nominational connection, and submits the
results of their labors to the criticism of
the learned in all countries ; nor will it
be satisfied till every test of truth has
been applied to the perfecting of its work.
No plan could be devised more compre
hensive and liberal, nor more certain to
secure all that human industry and learn
ing can accomplish.
If, by this method, the sense of the Ho
ly Scriptures is truly and faithfully ex
pressed, in a form adapted to the common
mind, no authority of man can add aught
to its real value, or hinder it from taking
its proper place, in due time, like all pre
ceding revisions of our vernacular ver
sion. On the other hand, no human au
thority can give any value or currency to
a version which is not a true expression of
the Divine word, except as a conventional
compromise. Enough has been done in
the way of compromises. To attempt
anything short of a true and faithful ver
sion of God’s word, is unworthy of the
scolarsliip of the age.
The cost of this method of conducting
the work is proportionate to its efficiency,
and to the certainty of its results. The
aid of many scholars, in other countries
as well as our own, is essential to the pro
per completion of the work; and this can
not be obtained without very considerable
expenditure. But in estimating the val
ue of the results of this expenditure, we
are not to confine our views to the Eng-
Tttsh version. The investigations necessary
for the perfect translation of the Holy
Scriptures into English, are of course the
same that are required in translating them
into any other language. Being placed
in permanent record by the Union, they
are ready for further use whenever they
shall be wanted. Accordingly, this ex
penditure of money, as well as of time
and labor, in revising the English version,
is laying the foundation for an equally per
fect translation of the Divine word into
all the languages of the earth. It would,
therefore, be an unwise economy, as well
as untrue to the principles of the Union,
to spare any pains, or any necessary ex
pense, in ascertaining both the trite form
and the true sense of the original text;
for these, once determined for the English
version, are determined for all the langua
ges of men.
I am, my dear Sir, with great respect
and esteem, your friend and brother,
T. J. CONANT.
For the Index.
Bible Rooms.
Nashville, Tenn., Oct. 1857.
Mg Dear Brethren of Georgia'. We
ask you to enquire as in the sight of Him
who died to save you, and who has charge
of you, to make his Gospel known to eve
ry creature, what you ought to do for the
cause of Bible Distribution. And then
we ask you to consider further wdiat you
ought to do to aid in circulating a sound
and earnest religious literature in your
own State, and send your contribution for
‘these purposes, not to us, at Nashville,
but to Brother Jackson DeLoaclie, at Ma
con, the Treasurer and Depository Agent
of your own State Bible and Colporteur
Society, which is our auxiliary ; and
through which on? work Georgia is
mostly done. , Tha’s society found, last
April, at the meeting ol the Convention at
Augusta, has establishe 1 a depository of
Bibles and of Baptist and other religious
books at Macon. And that it proposes to
supply cheaply and promptly all who
feed them.
It proposes further to send out and
maintain a little army of Colporteurs who
shall carry these Bibles and these books
and scatter them as good seed in every
portion of the State, in the confident ex
pectation that they will bring forth an
abundant harvest for the cause of Christ
and the t.rt h, They cannot do this with
out capital. Yen cannot expect the breth
ren in Macon to take their private funds.
They will look to you and rely on you for
help. Can you not do something f Will
you not do something ? Will yo not do
something now ?
Every days delay will diminish some
thing from the value of your gift. En-
close your money in *a letter and send it
at once to brother Jackson DeLoacLe, who
will acknowledge it in the Index.
Let them have the means to do a great
work, and to begin at once.
Yours in Christ,
A. C. DATTON, Cor.
Sec. of B. Board of S. B. Con.
For the Index.
The Lord’s Supper.—No. 3.
Having disposed of our first proposition
—The nature of the supper; we proceed
in the
11. Place, to inquire as to the design of
the Supper. After all, this is of the great
est moment, to those who are anxious to
obey Christ. To know how to obey him.
Let us take a negative view of this sub
ject. That is, inquire what is not design
ed by the Lord’s Supper.
1. The supper does not teach the doc
trine of transubstantiation. That is, that
Christ’s real body and blood are infused
into the bread and wine used in celebrat
ing the supper. This view of the subject
destroys the idea, that the supper is a
symbolical ordinance ; because it would
be absurd to make the supper both sym
bola and a substance! Again, it involves a
contradiction, to suppose that Christ held
his own body in his hands , when he took
bread saying, this is my body which is
given for you ! This mode of expression
is quite frequent in the scriptures. For
example, in the parable of the sower, we
have this language—“ The good seed are
the children,” &c. But we are told that
the seed is the word of God.
2. The supper is not designed to be a
test of church fellowship. I find amongst
those to whom I endeavor to impart cor
rect principles, gross ignorance upon this
point. In the absence of all scripture,
church fellowship is often made test of
communion. If, therefore, one member
chance to have somewhat against his
brother, he will refuse the elements,
for want of church fellowship. If there
be a want of fellowship between brethren,
the manner of adjustment is pointed out
by the Master. If, therefore, grievances
are not at once settled, the fault must
either rest upon the aggrieved or the
church; as Christ has commanded the
aggrieved first to go to the aggressor, &c.,
and if he fail, then the church must act.
In all this, not one word is said about the
supper, as a test of church fellowship.—
It seems to me, altogether irrelevant to
the design of the supper, to make it a test
of church fellowship.
3. The sacrament of the supper is de
signed as a test of individual fellowship.
This is clearly taught us, from the scrip
tures. Thus Paul writes to the church
at Corinth. “Whosoever shall eat this
bread and drink this cup of the Lord un
worthily, shall be guilty of the body and
blood of the Lord. But let a man exam
ine himself and so let him eat of that
bread and drink of that cup. For he that
eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth
and drinketh damnation to himself , not
discerning the Lord’s body.” Thus you
see, that one of the designs of the supper,
is, self examination. Then it is my duty
before celebrating this solemn rite, min
utely to examine my own heart, and if I
feel that I have a conscience void of of
fence toward God add my fellow men,
then I can participate in the supper.
INFERENCES.
Ist. That it is not the duty of all who
are recognized as members of the church
to partake of the supper. It is quite ap
parent, that all spurious members, who
have crept in unawares, are unfit to cele
brate the supper, because such have never
exercised faith in Christ, and hence, can
not discern the Lord’s body. But may
we not infer that there are times when
those who are true members of the church,
should not partake of the sacrament!
We think so. Therefore the trite expres
sion, that “if you are. worthy to be a mem
ber of the church, you are worthy of the
sacrament,” is not trub in every sense.—
It is presumable that Paul addressed the
church at Corinth upon the subject of the
supper as a company of believers. Thus
Paul writes : “ Let a man examine him
self and so let him eat,” &cc. The little
word “so” in the above quotation means
in such a manner, that is, if after this ex
amination, you feel it to be your duty to
commune, so do, if not decline.* I am not
so strenuous as to think, that every Chris
tian and every member of Christ’s church,
should partake of the supper at every
communion season. But Ido believe
GEORGIA TELEGRAPH STEAM PRES?
that every member is bound to take his
seat amongst the communicants. This
leads us to our
2 Inference.—That it is the duty of the
deacons or someone of the communicants
to take cognizance of all who do not par
ticipate in the celebration of the supper.
And for two reasons, first, that the church
may ascertain the cause of a want of in
dividual fellowship. And secondly, that
the church may either advise, console and
admonish; or if the want of fellowship
with self, be a sufficient crime, that the
church may expel stick an one. In either
case, God’s name will be glorified, and
his kingdom advanced. J. M. S.
*We question if this is the object of the
self-examination.—Ed.
Sacramento, Sept. 17, 1857.
Rev. Mr. Mclntosh , Pres. B. D. M. iS
B. O.:
Dear Brother : Steamer before the last
I received your official letter enclosing an
article from the Tenn. Bap. in reference
to my fraternal visit to the Methodist Con
ference, stating that it was calculated to
prejudice your Board as well as myself,
and asking for information as*to the cir
cumstances. The previous articles of the
same kind in that paper, I only heard of,
but did net see; nor did I learn of the dis
satisfaction among you until after the
meeting of our Association in San Fran
cisco in May last. A word of explana
tion :
When the matter of fraternal messen
gers to three other denominational bodies
was proposed, (I really know not by whom)
at the Association in Oakland, Rev. E.
J. Willis, Moderator, the subject was
agreed to without a dissenting voice.—
Some months after I had visited the Meth
odist Conference, I met a Baptist Minis
ter who strongly disapproved the action
of the Association, but who was not at the
Association in Oakland. For the first
time it then occurred to me that the mat
ter might be both misunderstood and mis
represented. The Association for this
year met in San Erancisoo, I being Mod
erator, and Mr. Gober from the Metho
dist Conference South, presented himself
in good faith on Monday as fraternal dele
gate. He was objected to by an intrud
ing brother, not a member of any particular
church on the ground of his beinga /South
ern man. Others did not wish to receive
him as a Methodist. A number of us saw at
once that the whole matter was likely to
be misapprehended, but as the unanimous
act of the previous Association had virtu
ally invited Mr. Gober to the present
meeting, it was deemed right and proper
that he should now be received with be
coming Christian courtesy, and then all
such matters to end for the future. On
the final vote 44 out of the 47 delegates
voted to receive him. Mr. Gober declin
ed, and very properly too, under the cir
cumstances, to take a seat with us, and
the impression seemed to be unanimous,
that the Association should never again en-
a subject. But let me say, that
it was from the first distinctly understood
by the Association at the Oakland meet
ing, and by the Pedo-Baptist bodies, that
our intercourse was to be purely fraternal
and had nothing whatever to do with de
nominational matters. The writer of the
letter from Santa Rosa knew when he
wrote that letter that the division of the
Association had not the remotest connec
tion with this “fraternal delegate” mat
ter. For more than two years we have
been discussing the expediency of having
more than one Association in California
in order more largely to promote our de
nominational interests. A new r one was
formed a month ago at this same Santa
Rosa: and five days ago delegates from
nineteen Churches met in this city, and in
harmony and love organized the Sacra
mento Valley Baptist Association.
This new Association contains eleven
ordained and four licensed ministers, and
we are all entirely agreed as to the
pediency of having anythina.-tjf'do wiih
this feature of which you Complain. I
know of no minister in our Association
who has the slightest sympathy for Pedo-
Baptist views, as it regards baptism, com
munion, or church government. As to
myself, I could, I am sure, have no possi
ble motive for any such sympathy. Any
harm, therefore, that has been done in this
matter has been done by those who have
tried to make harm out of it.
In regard to what Mr. Graves and oth
ers insinuate about my “committing” or
“prejudicing” the Board and the Church
es in this matter as their “missionary and
representative.” I will just, with all kind
ness and frankness, say, that I am in Cal
ifornia against my individual wishes and
solely as a matter of duty, and the very
moment the Board and the Churches feel
that it is not their duty to sustain me here,
my commission is respectfully at their ser
vice, and most joyfully shall I retire from
this hard and thankless field and give
place to others. Let some of those who
are so ready to find fault, and taking ad
vantage of the press inflict personal inju
, ry, leave their quiet home* and occupy
NUMBER 43.