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178 C|e CJnrinat TELEGRAPH POWER PRESS. JOSEPH WALEEB, Macon, Wednesday, Nov. 11,1857, The Baptists Assailed. “ Men of Israel help !” The Baptists of Macon, with those in the regions round-about are in danger of annihilation. Not from any attack of the “ Philistines,” particularly, but the learning and prowess ofja, Methodist preacher. The Rev. James E. Evans, resi dent pastor of the Methodist Episcopal church in our city, has opened his theological batteries upon them. As the work he has undertaken may occupy more of his time than he at first supposed, since he has called out an opponent who neither asks for nor gives quarter where the law of Christ de mands defence, we will give our readers a description of this new foeman, and first of his personal appearance. He rises about six feet out of his. bootsj has'a robust physique, a countenance radia*P with a somewhat contented glow of Metho dism, and though not an Adonis, is rather good looking. It has been shrewdly hinted bv some of his admirers, that if he fail in logic, they will make an issue, on the symme try and aspect of the outer man. This point, however, his opponent has decided to con cede, without debate. In the next place, to show that the current discussion may be regarded as having the sanction of the entire Methodist society, it may be well just to notice the DISTINCTIVE POSITIONS he has filled to the satisfaction of his denomi nation. He is an ex-Presiding Elder of the Columbus District; an ex-Financial Secreta ry of the Book Concern, at Nashville ; and ex-Pastor of the Methodiss churches in the two cities of Augusta and Savannah. He is very submissive to his Bishop, and goes wherever he is sent, and at the very time when the command is given. It is proper now to pen simply a synopsis of his THEOLOGY. In doctrine, he is, as a thing of course, an Arminian ; and in practice a baptizer of the three-mode type. That is to say, if the mat ter is left to him, he will sprinkle ; if the can didate insists on being poured upon, he will pour ; and if the applicant can neither be preached, persuaded, nor laughed out of im mersion—why, as a dernier resort, he will immerse. Thus he becomes one out of three things to all men. Perhaps the most remarkable indication of his fitness for the herculean task now upon his hands, was his ‘ . for the wordy contest. For more than a month past, the Reverend gentleman might have been seen threading the streets of Ma con in search of books. The Baptist Book store and the Index office were places at which, for a season, he seemed to delight to linger. Theodosia and Grace Truman, appar ently—probably, only apparently—had capti vated his susceptible heart. He did not rel ish so well—or if he did, he did not divulge the secret-Dagg’s Theology or the Iron Wheel. The last wp saw of him was when he left our sanctum with the debate of Camp bell and Rice under his arm. This eagerness for books at length began to attract atten tion, and persons were led to inquire: “ What is Mr. Evans after ?” But he proceeded with his researches in silence, saying, now and then, by his looks : “ Iknow what I’m about, don’t you know I do?” “The citizens of Macon shall soon see what they shall see.” It is seldom that Methodists manifest as curiosity as to Baptist affairs, as did Mr. Evans during our absence at the Bethel As sociation, particularly with respect to the publication of the Christian Index. He had numerous questions to ask of one of the com mittee, such, for example, as these : Who is responsible for the articles in the Index—the Editor, the Convention, or the Publishing Committee ?” “ Have the Index Committee the right to dismiss the Editor?”—and other questions of a similar kind. If his inquisi tiveness was not entirely satisfied, we will now inform him that the Editor alone is re sponsible for the editorials of the paper, and that the Committee have both the right and the power to dismiss him. If then Mr. Ev ans has any complaints to make against the Editor, perhaps —the Committee would give him a hearing of some, kind, at least. Should his curiosity still be in search of news items, we hope some intelligent Methodist will in form him of the exact number of little ants that eat and sleep in Mrs. Partington’s sugar- But we must not omit to advise the reader of Mr. Evan’s SELF CONFIDENCE. Jis is sufficiently illustrated by the fol g card which appeared in the Telegraph of this city about five days since: “ It appears from the published Minutes of the Rehoboth Association, h ® ld m f ors jJJ? Sept., 1856, and in this city,Sept., 185 Vthat the Association by vote, declared that the Baptists ‘ ARE THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE DOCTRINES AND ORDINANCES AS THEY ARE DELIVERED BY CHRIST AND HIS APOSTLES. That it is therefore the duty of the Baptist church, ‘ to withdraw church fellowship and pulpit fellowship” from all other de nominations of Christians. And moreover, that ‘ it should be their purpose to set forth their doctrines and ordinances as clearly and forcibly as possible to those who are in error. Thus plainly avowing the purpose to make all the proselytes they can from other church es to the Baptist church. I deeply regret the necessity thus forced upon me, as Pastor of the M. E. church in this city, to defend the church I represent, from such aggressions. But the responsibili ty is upon me and I must meet it as best I can. The public is therefore invited to attend at the Methodist church in this city on next Sabbath at 3 o’clock, P. M., to hear a review of the position taken by said Association. . J. E. EVANS.” ’ This card brought the astounding intelli fence fairly before the public, and the Rev. . Landrum promptly appended the subjoin ed note : The quotations in the above declaration of public hostilities to the Baptists of this city, are taken from two circulars of an Associa tion, and have no authority whatever over any church. As the Rev. J. E. Evans, feels impelled by a sense of duty to open a war upon the Baptist denomination, of which I am an humble member, I will say that it will afford me pleasure to hear him. I hope all the Baptists of the city will be present. — Should his attack deserve a reply, I will try to make it on the evening of the following Sabbath, commencing at 7 o’clock. SYLVANUS LANDRUM, notes excitedgeneml interest and ex pectation in the community, and the ap proaching Sabbath was anxiously looked for. Mr. Evans called at the Baptist Book Store several times to announce changes in his plan of attack, and submit propositions, but as Mr. Landrum had not taken the initiative, he had nothing to propose or accept. The reader, will, doubtless, wonder why Mr. Evans delayed so long before undeceiv ing his church and the public as to Baptist heresies. The pretence that a circular of an Association in which Baptists claim to be “ the only people who have the doctrines and or dinances as they were delivered by Christ and his Apostles ,” is a mere pretext , to serve a*s an occasion to blind the public : the true reason he unwittingly confessed in part to Mr. Lan drum himself namely, “ The Christian Index and the Baptist Book Store ” have “ unsettled” the faith of his people ! What these agen cies have done, we know not as yet, but that they will “ unsettle” the faith of Pedobaptists and particularly Methodists, is just as certain as that light dispels darkness. Dagg’s The ology cuts up Arminianism by the roots. — Theodosia second overturns’church hierar chies ; Grace Truman settles the communion question, and the Great Iron Wheel leaves to Methodism not even the “ Baseless fabric of a vision.” If Mr. Evans can turn the Mississippi back upon its source —if he can chain the light ning—if he can stay the earthquake, or the Ocean with his hand—then may he arrejst the progress of religious freedom, which fe only the synonym of the spread of Baptist : e above from the consecj utive developments of the week in relation tcf this new phase of Protestantism which Mr. Evans was about to inaugurate in Macon, wo laid aside the editorial stylus to pause for the approaching DENOUEMENT. The people of the city had been fully ad vertised of coming events, and on Saturday night expectation was on tiptoe. Mother earth continued her journey from East to West as if nothing very strange had happen ed, and ushered in the Sabbath in good sea son. The day was singularly adapted to the work that had been allotted unto it. The morning was dark and lowering, as if nature had draped herself in sackcloth to mourn over the obstinacy and rebellion of the hu man heart that could substitute a plain ordi nance of Christ by a human invention.— About mid-day, however, the serial aspect re laxed a little, having found relief from a gen tle flow of tears, which a fertile genius, it is true, might interpret as symbolical of the spray with which Methodists say, the Israel ites were baptized unto Moses, “ in the cloud and in the sea,” or those crytal globules which like pearl-drops, trickle from the bap tized fingers of the administrator, on the virgin brow of the eight-days-old infant; but which we could, with as much reason, ascribe to the out-flow of elemental sorrow on ac count of sectarian disobedience. During the delivery of the sermon, there singular concurrence of agencies at work to intensify the emotions which the speaker was endeavoring to excite in the minds of his audience. The sprinkling ‘ptb.Qut had advanced to copious pouring, as if to illustrate the Genevan theo ry of baptism, while thunder and storm bel lowed round the house, emblematical of the fulminations by which error has often sought to intimidate and silence truth. The darkness which attended this display of ele mental commotions, was strikingly suggestive of that condition of the human understand ing which in this age of science, literature, criticism, philology and thelogical attain ments, impels men to cling to the dogmas and puerile customs of the Romish hierarchy. The preacher shouted for light, a desideratum not easily obtained at that juncture. Finally, a window was thrown open on the lee-side of the storm, which luckily admitted a faint reflection towards the pulpit—the place of all others in the house, where light was most needed. The gas was next put on, but, like a spoiled child, it hesitated and blub bered as if unwilling to illuminate externally, when the rites of the church which the speaker would fain have commended to his audience, had their origin in darkness. But we have to some extent inverted the order of events. The time for the delivery of this discourse had been admirably chosen.— THE CHBIS’TIAN INDEX. Whether it was the conception and arrange ment of a single mind—of one church, or more than one—we will not pretend to de cide, but it happened to fall on the very day and hour which once in three months has bo service for whites at any of the other ch&rches. The consequence was that many of the members of the other Pedobaptist churches vere pres ent, and the Baptists were there inforce. The congregation comprised not less than 1200, and in it was doußtless, a section ©1 the best mind in Macon. We are proud to own, too, that the citizens of Macon, as a -whole, are not deficient either in mental acumen or edu cational embellishments. We jrould have cheerfully given fifty copies of the the Methodist church for one year, if Mr. Landrum could have had the opportunity of following Mr. Evans before that intelligent audience. But the sermon ? demands th(h reader.— What did he do ? —what say ? “Well, he ut tered many words, but if the sermonhad any vital issues , legitimate points, or concltsive ar guments we had not the perspicacity to de tect them. And with entire kiqfl’ ess to wards Mr. Evans, and in. jfeatfce gence of the auditirry, wh muißexpf ess* ‘tmf conviction, that no intelligent mirld present, discovered them. After the flourish °f trum pets that brought the citizens together, they had the right to expect something ; but if Mr. Evans had designed t> inflict on the com-"’ munity in which his church is located, a first of-April hoax, he could not havd succee ded more successfully. For ourself we felt as if “ sold” in the fullest sen si of that word. He spent thirty minutes with preliminaries —fortifying himself against any report of his remarks—claiming to be purely an extempo rary speaker—explaining away sundry un guarded expressions, dropped during his pas toral visits, such as that the influence which had moved a member pf his church to join the Baptists, was “ a temptation of the devil” —declaring that he wfs acting on the defen sive, though his notice to Mr. Landrum was that he felt it to be his duty to attack the Baptists—and affirming the two circulars of the Rehoboth Association to be the ground of his defence. He then, instead of announcing some prin ciple for elucidation, some important differ ence between the sentiments of his people and those of the Baptists, formally, and mag isterially, as we thought, uttered a series of protests against Baptist faith and practice. It was easy to see, that the Rev. Pastor of the Methodist church in Macon, had becbme a convert to the Rev. Albert Barne’s new the ory of Protestanism, as developed in a so phistical argument, entitled “ exclusiveism.” The article is unworthy of the intelligence and scholarship of Dr. Barney. lie taW the ■ V J -‘ U” saeli . Fform of church organization or of baptism in the New Testament, as to give to any one class of Christians a right to exclude otthenT from a claim to be recognized as a part of the true Church of Qhrist.” This noti<sh of Dr. Barnes is in direct conflict with the views on this subject of the last Pastor’s and Peoples Journal, published in this city. See article under the caption of Church govern ment, p. 234. * In view of his notions of Church organiza tion, Dr. Barnes has made various “ demtffi-j” of the Baptists, and the Pastor of the dist church in our city, has—in perfect har mony with the dictatorial polity of the Metho dist system of Christianity—pronounced his “protests.” He was, however, the echo —and a very poor echo at that—of the distinguished Dr. Barnes, of Philadelphb~— If any one will call at the Index office, we will show him, in a little book, the very “ claims and demands,” which Mr. Evani has christened “ protests ” —that were heard hi the Methodist pulpit on yesterday afternoon.— Why did not Mr. Evans give Dr. Barnes credit for his materials? His first protest was against -The claim that the “ Baptists are the only church that PRACTICE THE ORDINANCES OF CHRIST AS THEY were deliverer.” Strange, indeed, did it appear to ns, that he had never learned this-of the Baptists, till he saw it in the circulars,ow two young Ministers of the Rehoboth Asso ciation ! Neither of these Ministers is pet twenty-four years of age ; yet, under the first impulsions of anew life, they at once grasped a principle, which Mr. Evans thicks an “ imputation” on other ehurchc^^'^^f'. the Baptists will defend, even He “protested,” secondly , excluded from Baptist and Baptist pulpits. He represented the Baptists as differing very little from the Methodists— only in the “ form” of baptism—and begged most piteously, to be recognized as a bona fide Minister of a bona fide church. Just at that point, we could not exactly see the consisteii ey of such a small difference, with the decla ration of the Rev. gentleman to one of his members, that the inclination to join the Bap tist church, “ was a temptation of the devv il !! But let that pass. There is a way, if Mr. Evans is really sincere, in which he “can enjoy the fellowship and communion of Bap tist churches—a privilege which he seems sir much to covet. Let him relate to the Bap tist church a good Christian experience, and with brother Landrum walk down into the water, and the end so devoutly wished for, will have been attained. As lie is a good singer, he could he exercised in that depart ment of worship, till perfectly cured of all his Pedobaptist notions,when he might preach the true Gospel of the Son of God. His final protest was against the evil spir it which denying fellowship to the Methodists would necessarily engender. The Baptists never create this evil spirit. They are not re sponsible for it. All they do, is to propagate their sentiments ; place light by the side of darkness; contend earnestly for the ancient faith, aim if Jthis makes proselytes, then the Baptists are, as they ever have been, and as we humbly pray, they always will he, prose lyters. The fact is, they have done too little of this Whd of proselyting, and we trust, that from this time forth, they will do more of it. If their books and their paper are to he pro scribed —if they must suppress their cherish ed principles in their Associations, and in so cial intercourse, because a Methodist preacher may “ happen” (?) to he present, it is time to shake off these shackles of intimidation, and let the world see who and what they are. We shall say no more at present, lest we forestall Mr. Landrum’s reply. After next Sabbath we may have more to say, but till then, we desist. Should Mr. Evansprosecute his attack on Baptist faith and practice, he will be met in a good but firm spirit. But he owes it to himself, his church, the citizens of Macon, and to bis denomination, to use argu bment, arid not mere Reclamation. Bethel Association. On Saturday morning last, perhaps four hours before day, we took the cars at the ► South Western Railroad depot, for Americus. The “ iron horse” having taken a full feed of pine wood, and filled his paunch with several barrels of water—we hope brother Taliaferro will not become nervous at the mention of wood and water —off he darted at the word go, for Fort Valley. By 7 o’clock we were at the hotel in Americus, where our excellent friend, Dr. Cooper, was waiting to receive us. With him and his kind family we break fasted, and then left for Friendship, where the Bethel Association would convene.— While arrangements were making for vehi cles, Dr. Hornady, of Barnsville, drove up, and offered us a seat in his buggy. A de lightful ride of three hours over a good road, brought us to the meeting house, where the delegates from different sections were as sembling. The meeting was called to order, and the numerous letters were read by brethren Ir win, Mallary, and Root. The additions by baptism were 454, and so far as we could judge, the additions by letter were about bal anced by deaths, removals and exclusions. That staunch Baptist and friend to every good work, Rev. W. L. Crawford, was unani mously re-elected Moderator, and Rev. E. W. Warren, a young brother of much pro mise, Clerk. At this stage of the proceedings a rain storm came up, and the congregation as is generally the case at such times—instead of sitting quietly in the houie, were not a cLrop could liu.VG touched thVn, roHe-,_aiun pressed towTtrCtefthe aSOriT m sfricn ‘confusion, that it was impossible to continue with busi ness. After appointing the committees on business and religious exercises, a motion for adjournment prevailed, and the Association dispersed till Monday morning. We depart ed with Dr. Hornady, to the residence of Dr. Reese, an excellent physician in the neighborhood, for supper, after which, ac cording to previous arrangement,we took lodg ing during the sessions with brother Ross. Lord’fr-day came on most gloriously, with a balmy atmosphere and the sweet caroling of birds. Avery large concourse was on the ground by 10 o’clock, when it was found ex pedient to divide the assembly into two con gregations. The Rev. C. D. Mallary preach ed in the meeting-house, and Rev. E. W. Wa*j*en- at the stand. Brother Mallary preached the annual Missionary sermon, in which he ably illustrated the excellency of a knowledge of Christ. In the afternoon, the stand was occupied by Rev. D. G. Daniel, and the meeting-house by Rev. A. Sherwood. At night, Rev. A. E.* Cloud preached in the meeting-house, and on Monday, Rev. C. C. Willis, and Rev. T. U. Wilkes, were the preachers. Rev. J. H. Campbell, who had only arrived ou Monday, preached the last sermon on Tuesday to a very large congre gation. Our Index duties did not enable 11s to attend preaching during the sessions of ■the Association, but from what we heard, the preaching was evangelical and effective.— We should have stated that Rev. James O. Cumbie preached the introductory sermon, in which he warned the churches against con forming to the wfcrld. Tfra various benevolent enterprises claimed the attention of the Body on Monday. The > clajms of the Index were presented by the editor, and he was responded to by a large increase of patronage. If every Association had done as well as the Bethel, the paper would he well sustained, and an annual reve nue might thus be secured for missions. The zeal manifested in behalf of “ our paper,” as it was called there, gave us much encourage ment. Fifty-one new subscribers were obtain ed, and sundry old debts collected. Others not prepared to pay at the time, will remit soon. A few more such efforts will enable the publishing committee to strike off the dead heads” at the end of the year, and make the list a paying one. Some will be of fended if dropped, but it is better to give of fence to those who will not pay, than to keep them in a good humor by breaking the Index office. The subject of Foreign Missions was next taken up, when able speeches were made by brethren, Daniel, Campbell, and Irwin. - The Domestic Mission report was read and followed by an excellent speech by Dr. Coop er, of Am&ricus, and was succeeded by warm and interesting speeches from brethren Scriv en, Mallary, Irwin and others. On a propo sition of brother Irwin, it was agreed to sup port brother Hogue, of Americus, as a Mis sionary to the Indians, and over S4OO were pledged at the time for that object. A small er amount was also pledged to provide the colored people within the bounds of the As sociation, with preaching. The body adjourned till Tuesday morning, when on assembling, an interesting letter was read from brother Clark, Missionary to Cen tral Africa. The Bible and Colporteur So ciety at Macon, received the consideration of the Association. It claims were warmly ad vocated and urgently pressed. This new en terprise evidently took a deep hold on all present, and next year the churches will send up liberally for its support. The Baptists have had to depend on Pedo-Baptist publish ing houses long enough, and there was a gen eral intention manifested to look at home for books, hereafter. At 12 o’clock, A. M., the Association ad journed without day, and when the parting hymn was sung, many a tear glistened in the eyes of brethren. It, was in all respects a most cheering meeting. Not a note of dis cord disturbed the fcarmony of the several sessions. The people of the surrounding neighborhood opened their houses cheerfully, and provided sumptuously for their guests. O! that the Association may prove a bless ing to them all. We met a host of good brethren there with whom it was delightful to take sweet counsel. Brethren Mallary, Perryman, Mur phy, Crawford, Ross, Campbell, Sherwood, and others among the seniors ; and Warren, Cooper, J. F. Dagg, the younger Mallary, Cloud, Wilkes and Daniel among those who are young or in the prime of life, and may yet do much good in the cause of the Re deemer. The Lord preserve and guide them in the right way, that when the lamp of the elders shall be put out, they may be burning and shining lights on the walls of Zion. The next Association will meet in Albany, but how many of those who comprised the one just adjourned, shall live to attend, the good Lord only can tell. Baptismal Controversy. In another column the reader will see that the Baptists in Macon are in the vortext of a Baptist discussion. No Baptist in the city sought or expected this onslaught on Baptist principles and practice. Mr. Evans’ card came upon us as a thunder clap from a clear sky. Not that any one was alarmed by it, but that the entire Baptist Church was taken by surprise. Our only fear, now, is, that having discharged his first gun, he may “ back out,” and escape from the field, amid the smoke of this first discharge of Methodist ar tillery. Brother Landrum’s \ reply on next Sunday night, wg.foqr, urtll mtL&rr* vmpefftant lousiness in some other part of the State, which no Methodist minister can so well attend to as the Rev. J. E. Evans. He is manifestly unequal to the enterprise in which he has vol unteered, but that is no concern of the Bap tists. The old Baptist flag can only wave from one point— the mast head —and there, by the grace of God, it must remain. It shall never trail in the dust while a Baptist lives. — All we ask of our patrons in this emergency, is an increased subscription list, arrear ages paid up, and advance payments. If we do not bring light out of darkness in this con troversy, in connexion with the Baptist Pas tor of this city, it will be because we can neither have readers nor hearers. But we shall have both. [We do not seriously regret the typographical errors of which our correspondent, “ Theophilus,” 1 slightly complains, since they have afforded an occa sion for a display of a little excellent humor. Having detected five misprints in two of his highly acceptable letters—that is to say, two and a -half per letter—he has turned them to good account, and at the same time relieved himself of the “odium” which hg supposed they might bring on a Professor of Belles Lettres and Oratory.” Errors will occur, but since there could be found only five in about two and a half columns of printed matter, we are willing to absolve both the wri ter and the “compositor,” and attribute their occur rence to careless proof-reading. As this is an age of compromises , if our worthy friend will write just a little more legibly, we will try and read more carefully. — However, good has been the result of these blunders, since they have developed the important fact, that “ bacon ” and “ peas” are gogd food for “ fine,” Baptist pastors. The Latin woM ‘“sms,’” whose pri mary synonym is “ swine,” but yhich our friend has elegantly rendered “hog,” is the basis of the discovery. We take pleasure in commending the following article to the reader’s attention. —Ed. Sundry Errata—College Domitories—Finan cial troubles —change of tune—American Tract Society—and explanation. Philadelphia, Oct. 29, 1857. I hope your readers will. not hold me re sponsible for all the bad orthography and bad syntax which appear in my published communications. I have no doubt that in the hurry of writing I am often inaccurate. But I think the compositor in your printing office ought to be willing to share with me the odium which may be heaped on such de fects. In my last, he makes me spell Penn sylvania with a b where the v should occur, and in jubilee he credits me with an e where I gave him an i. In a previous letter I said that there were 11 Jive Baptist Pastors in this city who had been settled in the Southern States.” My friend, your compositor, insisted upon it that there were “fine Baptist Pastors in this city,” &c. Now though this is cer tainly true of some of these Pastors, it would not have been modest in me to have said that they were all fine. In the same letter I men- NOVEMBER 1857 tioned that I was rns-ticating at Bethelem, but your types announced that I was sws-tica ting at Bethelem. Now since sus is the Lat in for hog, and as we had bacon every day for dinner, the statement which you publish ed is true; but lam sure that I said noth ing about the bill of fare. You remind me of a worthy clerk who always on his min utes made the church conclude ’‘inpeas,” in stead of “ peace.” He was wrong ; for the peas did not usually come until after the con clusion and when we were at dinner. Excuse me for referring to these matters. Ido not * hold a grammatical blunder to be a very grave offence; but as I was so many years a Professor of “ Belles Lettres and Oratory,” some people might think that I ought to know how to spell. Talking of Professorships reminds me of a discussion which has been going on in some quarters of late, on the subject of college commons and dormitories. I perceive that the old fashion plan which we imported from Europe, of eating and sleeping in commons is losing favor among some of its former sup porters. After an experience of many years in College both as student and teacher, I am ... thoroughly convinced of the viciousness~of the whole system. I fully concur with Dr. Scott, of San Francisco, that “ he would rath er a son or daughter be deprived of the ben efit of a liberal education than to incur the risk of placing them in an Institution where the pupils eat or lodge in commons.” All that is needed in the way of College edifices to make the establishment complete, is a chapel, library room, and recitation rooms.— The apparatus, minerals, &c., might require, if large, an additional building. The students should be dispersed in respectable families— such as the Faculty approve—and be requir ed to be punctual and studious. No respec table family would tolerate the rowdyism which is common where young men are crowded into buildings without any other restraint upon them than what is supplied by a Tutor, who cannot know a tithe of their delinquencies. At Penfield, I believe, you have one building used as a dormitory. You would be better off without it. But the evil there is somewhat modified, from the fact, that one of the Professors, with his family, lives under the same roof. When at Athens I always advised parents to keep their sons in private families. Their sleeping and study regulations there are as good as anything of the kind can be ; but the system is objectiona ble. I perceive that you are having a taste of the “ hard times” in Georgia. Philadelphia had the honor of setting the first example of the suspensions of specie payments in the present revulsion ; but you must not infer that she is enjoying any privilege in conse quence, There is nn nlmij^^ifcA'BaSpe&i 1 of business of all kinds ; and multitudes of industrious people are calling for work or for bread. The city supports a pauper establish ment which costs upwards of a quarter of a million of dollars annually. Besides this, a much larger amount is disbursed in the va rious private establishments. These, from present appearances, will be taxed to the ut most. if relief does not come soon from some source, the suffering among the labor ing classes will be unparalleled. These sea sons of distress afford a fine opportunity for the display of the Christian virtue of benevo lence- And I must say they are not unim proved. I have been surprised and gratified with the generous distribution made by the wealthy of the means which have been com mitted to them. The present commercial depression has con siderably abated the zeal of a certain class of philanthropists in behalf of the “ down trod den” slave population of the South. Their sympathies, in many cases, are exhausted upon their own sufferings. A gentleman who re cently travelled through a number of the cotton manufacturing towns of New England, where operations have been suspended for want of money to purchase the raw material, and to pay the morkmen, and where thou sands are unemployed, heard on every hand theory “more cotton,”“give us more cot ton.” Last year when he visited the same sections the was “no more niggers.”— The truth is, our Northern negrophilists, (I mean no reproach by the term, for every good Master is a negrophilist) may at any time find, under their immediate eye, the most ample opportunity for the indulgence of their favorite passion. I can see, in the course of a fifteen minutes walk in this city, more degradation and filth, and wretchedness among the blacks than I saw in Georgia du ring a residence of fifteen years. Whilst on the “ vexed question” allow me to say that I think that those Associations in the South which have repudiated the American Tract Society in consequence of the recommenda tion given at the last annual meeting to pub lish Tracts on the “wrongs of slavery,” should, for the present at least, waive their resolves of non-fellowship. The Executive Committee now in office have determined (and so proclaimed it) that they will publish nothing whatever on the subject. They have taken the responsibility of disregarding the expressed wish of that portion of the Socie ty who were assembled at the last Anniver sary. For this step they have been com mended by the more conservative anti-slavery men of the North, and have been severely denounced by the extreme party. Until the present Committee is dislodged or departs from the policy now published, I sincerely hope that the Society will be received with that favor at the South which it has hereto fore commanded and to which so noble an In stitution is justly entitled.