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. . -i. ... ... “ •—■— ——- V - •. • *... ‘ ■ ii ..I - -= 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. TEB.MS- Fifty numbers in the year are mailed to each subscri ber for $2.50, or $2.00 in advance. Discontinuance may be ordered by the subscri bers at the close of any year, provided all arrearages have bee* paid, or by the Editor, at his discretion, whenever more than one year’s subscription is due. Any person who remits $lO in advance for. five new subscribers, may reeeive the paper for one year. Any minister of the Gospel who remits $8 in ad vance for four new subscribers, may receive the paper one year. Advertisements at the regular charge will be One Dollar per square of ten lines or less, for the first in sertion, and Fifty Cents for each subsequent insertion. All advertisements not specified as to time, will be pub lished until forbid and charged accordingly. A liberal allowed to those who advertise by the year. Communications should be addressed to the Chris tian Index , Macon, Ga. Professional and Business Men. Professional and Business Cards will be inserted. under this head, at the following rates, viz: For three lines, per annum $ 5 00 “ Seven lines, do 00 “ Ten lines, do 12 00 “Twelve lines, do 1® 00 No advertisements of this class will be admitted, un less paid for in advance, nor for a less term than twelve months. Advertisements of over twelve lines will be charged pro rata. Advertisements not paid for in ad vance will be charged at the regular rates. The Office of the Christian Index is on Mul berry Street, over Baptist Book Store, and next door to the Lanier House. Persons having business with the office will find the Editor ready to receive them 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.