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JOSEPH WALKER, Editor.
\ olume 3i —jNew Series 01. 26*
CJe Christian Inina.
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Joe tile Gcotflfa Baptist Contention.
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For the Index.
The Path of Life.
The path of life, in early years,
A smooth and flowery way appears,
O’er which, in distant prospect bright,
We catch rich vistas of delight.
But as our journey wc pursue,
Changes ere long surprise our view; ~
Brambles and thorns obstruct the ground,
And clouds aud darkness gather round.
Each day compels us to dismiss
Some cherished dream oi earthly bliss,
Until repeatedly bereft,
We dare not trust the little left.
Friendship, perhaps, extends her aid,
And Hope still glimmers through the shode,
With vain attempt our hearts to cheer,
Where all is sorrow, doubt, and fear.
But Mercy’s soothing voice we hear,
At length, with accents soft and clear,
Directing us to look on high
For those pure joys that never die.
’Tis meet that wc should strive to bear
With resignation every care ;
Contented with the promise given,
The righteous shall have vest in heaven.
Canton, Ga., Jan. 4, 1858. J. D. C. ,
“"COMMUNICATIONS.
For the Index.
An essay on Baptism read by Elder IF.
D. Atkinson before the Western
Georgia Baptist Union on the sth
SaUeath in ATov. 1557. Published
by request of the Union.
The subject assigned me by your
committee, is not anew one. Its
depths of thought, knowledge and ar
gument have been often exposed by
fiie mighty intellects of the past, as
well as the present. How then can it
•e expected that I shall be able to
originate anything new, since every
ream of thought has been traced to
•urce. I shall endeavor to con
: -tit myself by setting forth a few pro
: >ns expressive of my views on
subject. Xotwithstanding that so
E.uch has been published, many of our
people are but poorly instructed
lie peculiar views of the Bible upon
~ subject —so obscuring have been
> sand changes thrown around
* by *or adversaries. Again if we
Hi e ihe truth, it is our indispensable
t’v carry it into every obscure re
* diffuse it with a liberal hand
n- _ ;he sons and daughters of er
: —every where. I trust thefol
*g thoughts may be proiitable to
riiren and friends attending our
meeting
I. The word baptism claims our at
: >:i. Baptism is an watranslated
1 1 reek word with an English termina- j
? : i. The original from which it is
t..k !i is bapiisma orbaptismas. These
w -ds are derived from the Greek verb
]■■ zo which according to the Greek
lexicons and Greek usage, signifies to
• . * • immerse, immerge, plunge. In
- ‘ • *rt of fhis declaration I might ar
ray licfore you the concessions of the
nr. and stingnished leaders and schol
ars ot every Pedobaptist sect in Chris
tendom. Prof. Charles Anthon, of Co
lumbia College. X. Y., in a letter to
I>r. 1 ’armlee, of X. Y. city, stated that
the primary meaning of the word bap
t ixo was to dip, to plunge , to immerse ;
and in its secondary signification, if it
ever had any, has reference to the
same leading idea, and that pouring
and sprinkling are out of the question.
• See Antiion’s letter to Dr. Parmlee
in Dr. Fullers work on baptism.) This
THE CHRISTIAN INDEX.
frank admission of Dr. Anthon, I con
sider worth a thousand concessions
that are daily heralded forth to the
reading public; first, on account of his
distinguished scholarship, and second
ly his Pedobaptist proclivities. It is
conceded by all who know him that if
there is a scholar on the Eastern or
Western continent who knows the
meaning of baptizo and its cognates,
that man is Charles Anthon, the au
thor of the most approved editions ot
the Greek and Latin works used as text
books in our high schools and colleges.
This concession sent terror and alarm
among the Pedobaptists all over the
continent. They, believing t-liat this
concession would Baptists,
greatiy the advantage, requested him
to change his decision on the subject.
But he never can—he never will. His
knowledge of Greek, as an honest man,
will not permit him to do it. Thus he
leaves the sprinklers and pourers not
an inch of ground to stand upon. An
thon leaves them just where the Bible
does with not a word of consolation.
All that has been said by such distin
guished Pedobapiist scholars as An
thon, Moses Stuart, Adam Clark,
Chalmers and others, may be known
by the merest tyro in the knowledge
of the Greek language. But why men
of smaller calibre have been so suc
cessful in perverting the truth is diffi
cult to determine. We may, however,
expect that this perversion of language
and truth will continue until truth
wins her last conquest. From the
signs of the times, that day is not far
distant. Heaven speed its glorious ar
rival.
When we read the common English
version of the Bible without not e or
comment, with a mind unfettered by
bias or prejudice, we can come to no
other conclusion than that immersion
alone is baptism. A distinguished
Methodist Las often affirmed that if
you educate youth to read and under
stand plain English, and shut him up
in a room so as to exclude him entire
ly from human society and every other
influence but the Bible, aud after read
ing the Bible, ask him what is baptism, j
he will not hesitate to say immersion j
alone is baptism. The common ver
sion then is a Baptist version. Who
made it so? I answer, the Spirit that
inspired its original, and King James
and all his episcopal translators could
not make it otherwise. They endea
vored to cover up the truth by leaving
the word untranslated, but they could
not. Read it to your servants without
note or comment and they will all
prefer the creek, the river, the pool,
instead of the pitcher. You have all
heard the anecdote of the Presbyterian
missionary giving his Indian convert
a copy of the Xew Testament with a
promise to baptize him as soon as he
read it through. The minister an
nounced the Sabbath for the baptism ;
the Indian stopped at the creek and
waited for the minister; finally the
Indian arrived at the church, and on
being reprimanded for his delay, he
stated that he had been waiting some
time at the creek. The minister told
hiim there was no need of going to the
creek, the pitcher would do as well.—
The Indian responded, “ Jf what you
say is true, you have given me the
wrong the book to read.” Hence you
observe, the unsophisticated mind of a
savage in reading the book, though
unfaithfully translated by Pedobap
tists, will never dream that any thing
is baptism but immersion. Some of
you have doubtless heard of the well
authenticated fact of the Presbyterian
colporteur who distributed in a desti
tute neighborhood quite a number of
Bibles. The reading of those Bibles
under God’s blessing, lead to the con
version of many of the people, and
without any other light to guide them
than the Bible, they all became Bap
tists in sentiment and sent for a Bap
tist minister to baptize and organize
them into a church. This fact was re
lated by the Presbyterian colporteur
himself. These are startling facts.—
Let them be known.
The places where baptism was per
formed as mentioned by the evangel
ists, aftord a strong concurrent argu
ment in favor of immersion.
Behold our great exemplar, Jesus
Christ, on the banks of the far-famed
Jordan, demanding baptism at the
hands of his harbinger ?
When John consented to perform
the august ceremony, Jesus submitted
himself to bis hands, and when Christ
was baptized he went up straight-way
ont of the water. What proof more
conclusive do you want that our Sa
vior was buried beneath the yielding
waves ? If that was baptism, the same
is baptism now. I have neither time
nor patience to notice subterfuges;
sucb, for instance, as his kneeling in
the stream, and John pouring the wa
ter on his head out of a horn. Such
‘ -■ t\J AJUiUCM Da*. -JJiftiO ..
OZRG-A.JST OF THE BAPTIST CO3STVT33STTIO3Sr OF.TIIE OF GSEOCR<3.I.A. -
MACON, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY li M
perversions only show the desperation
to which a sinking cause is driving its
votaries.
But John was baptizing in Erion,
near to Salem, because there wa6 rnAch
water there. Why did John “"select
Enon ? Some say because of the abun
dance of water for stock, cooking and
drinking, while holding a camp meet,
ing. The evangelist says not a word
about camp meeting, cooking or drink
ing, but simply that John was baptiz
ing in Enon because there was much
water there. Now, if he intended sim
ply to sprinkle water on the multitude
the selections of a place where there
was much water would have been al
together.unnecessary. But there has
been much criticism upon the Greek
“ Polla udata translated much wa
ter. It is contended that this expres
sion signifies many streams or rivulets.
This criticism does not amount to much
for the confluence of many rivulets or
streams would readily furnish a stream
sufficient for immersion ; yet our lear
ned critics must remember that this
“Polla udata” is sometimes put for the
ocean, the Euphrates, and no doubt in
my mind it refers in this passage to
the Jordan, If you will examine the
map of Palestine you will observe ihat*
Enon is situated on the Jordan, and
Salim is near if. Jordan has been said
to be but a small rivulet which might
be stepped over, but modern travelers
have, by their united testimony, set
aside this subterfuge.
When we examine the case of the
Et hiopean Eunuch, we can of course
come to no other conclusion than that
he was immersed. The substantial
facts of the case are these : The Eunuch
of great authority had been up to Je
rusalem to worship, and on his return,
riding in Ins chariot, was reading a
very beautiful and expressive prophe
cy. A Baptist minister by the name
ofPbillip, on seeing him, accosted him
thus: “Understandest thou what thou
readest ?” The Eunuch said, “ How
can I except some man guide me?”
Phillip then joined himself to the cha
riot, and began at the same scripture,
aud preached unto him Jesus. And
when they came to a certain water,
the Eunuch said: “ See, here is water,
what doth hinder me to be baptized?”
Phillip’s response was, “If thou be
lievest with all thine heart, thou may
est. And they went down both into
the water, botli Phillip and the Eu
nuch, (that is, they descended into the
stream), and lie (Phillip) baptized him,
and when they were come up out of
the water the spirit of the Lord caught
away Phillip, that the Eunuch saw
him no more, and he (the Eunuch) went
on his way rejoicing.” But some say
they cannot tell which was baptized,
Phillip or the Eunuch. If any man,
after reading this interesting narrative
will seriously say he cannot tell which
of the two was baptized, I should re
gard him as too much blinded by prej
udice to comprehend the simpliest
train of thought or connection ot ideas.
Some have questioned whether there
was water sufficient’ in the desert to
immerse a man.
Rev. G. W. Samson, of Washing
ton City, lias recently traveled over
the very route through which the Eu
nuch was supposed to be traveling at
the time ot his baptism, and found
plenty of water, and some very con
venient founts for immersing. We
next notice Paul’s epistle to Romans.
Iu 6th chap 4th verse, he says baptism
“ Therefore we are buried with him by
into death, and in Col. 2 ch.l2th, bu
ried in baptism. Here figure is em
ployed to illustrate an event. That
event is the burial and resurrection of
Christ. Baptism is the figure. Could
a more expressive figure have been
selected ? Now let us substitute sprink
ling and pouring for baptism and see
how it leads. Buried with him by
sprinkling. Buried with him by pour
ing. I ask all our candid opponents
if this is not nonsense. Xow, substi
tute immersion for baptism, and see if
we cannot make good sense. There
fore we araburied by immersion. This
is intelligible—any servant can .under
stand this. Mr. John Wesley, the
distinguished founder of Methodism,
says this passage refers to the ancient
mode of baptism by immersion. Here
I might read Pedobaptist authorities
from this passage and others proving
that the primitive mode was immer
sion until the going down of the sun,
had I my library here, and you had
the patience to listen.
Ecclesiastical history furnishes am
ple evidence that immersion prevailed
to the exclusion of all other modes for
13 centuries, and nothing else was con
sidered as baptism, except in cases in
which persons were too unwell to bear
immersion. This, allowed by Novatiau,
afterwards grew into a custom, and
many of the sects that sprang up after
the reformation of the 16th century
adopted pouring and its twin sister,
sprinkling. Desvinguis, “So long as
the Apostles lived, as many believed
immersion, only was used. At length
after the apostles were dead the bap
tism of choice was known when dis
ease or extreme necessity in any case
forbade immersion, sprinkling began
to be introduced.
To be continued.
For the Index.
Sacramental Communion.
1. This ordinance was never design
ed as a test of Christian fellowship,
but as a commemoration of the suffer
ings and death of Christ. “Do this iu
remembrance of me.” Therefore par
taking with, or wiߣ Iding from, oth
ers, is not an expression of confidence
in, or want of fellowship for, them.
2. Xone are eutitled to partake of
this ordinance before baptism. In this
sentiment agree the standard works,
discipline and confessions of faith of
most, if not all Christian communities.
We refer to a few, who at different
times have written on this subject.
Justin Martyr, A. D. 150, says:—
“This food is called by ns the eucha
rist, of which it is not lawful for any
one to partake, but such as believe the
things taught by us to be true, and
have been baptized. 1 ’ Jerome, A. D.
400, says: “Catechumens cannot com
municate at the Lord’s table, being
unbaptized.”
Austin, A. D. 500, urges the neces
sity of giving it to infants, but says:
“Os which certainly they cannot par
take unless they are baptized,”
Bede, A. D. 700, relates the follow
ing incident:. “Three young men,
friends of the east era Saxons, seeing
a Bishop administer the sacred Sup
per, desired to partake of it as their
royal father had done. To whom the
Bishop replied: “If you will be bap
tized in the saltary fountain, as your
father was, you may also partake of
the Lord’s Supper as he did; but if
you aespise the former, ye cannot in
any wise receive the latter.”
Dr. Wall, author of the best work
extant on infant baptism, says: Xo
church ever gave the communion to
any persons before they were baptized;
among all the absurdities that ever
were held, sonc over maintained that
any person should partake of the Com
munion before he was baptized.”
Dr. Dwight says; “It is an indis
pensable qualification for this ordi
nance, that the candidate for commun
ion be a member of the visible church
of Christ in lull standing. By this I
intend that he should be a person of
piety; that he should have made a
public profession of religion, and that
he should have been baptized.”
Confession of faith says, of the Sa
craments : They are to be continued
in the Church of Christ until Ilis sec
ond coming. And of baptism: The
parties baptized are solemnly admit
ted into the visible church. So if bap
tism admits into the Church, and com
munion is to be “continued in” the
Church, then must the former precede
the latter,
A few authorities have thus been ci
ted, none of whom were Baptists, save
Justin Martyr, and perhaps Jerome,
to show that.baptism has always been
considered a prerequisite to commun
ion.
Xow then, if nothing but immer
sion is baptism, it is obvious that none
are entitled to commune but those
who have been immersed.
3. The Baptists believe there is no
Scriptural baptism but immersion;
and no Scriptural subjects but believ
ers. That all authority for infant bap
tism is based upon the doctrines of
men, and that sprinkling - for baptism
is substituting the preference and con
venience of men for the command
ments of God. For years they have
asked in vain for plain precept or ex
ample, in the Holy Record, for infant
baptism, sprinkliug or pouring; but
they have been pointed to the writ
ings and sayings of Calvin, Wesley,
and the time-honored custom of the
churches, which they brought from
Rome. They have been pointed to
Scriptural expressions as far from the
issue as from “Dan to Beersheba,” but
never once to a plain precept of Christ
or an example of the Apostles. While
the Baptists have stood almost alone
in their advocacy of immersion only,
none ever called in question the va
lidity of their baptism. Thus have we
the testimony of all the world that we
are right. Is it, then, surprising that
we adhere so tenaciously to the relig
ion of the Bible ?
Holding these truths—derived, as
they unquestionably are, from the Bi
ble—how can we invite to the Com
munion table of the Lord those whom
He has not authorized to come? If I
say no man shall come to my table till
he wash himself, no one has the right
• • ©
to invite an unwashen man. I have
the right to prescribe the description
of persons who shall sit down at my
1 able. Our Divine Master, has the
same. He has exercised that right by
saying, “Go teach all nations, bapti
sing them and teaching them to ob
scrae all t hings whatsoever,” &c ; Mat.
28. Now* dare I ask my own brother,
if he have not complied? I may be
lieve he is regenerated and pious, put
can Isay r , come without baptism, when
He who said “Do this in remembrance
of me” has given instructions to the
contrary? But the question may be
asked by some, does not the error of
.the Baptists consist in believing that
immei“sion only is baptism? Let us
take a baief Scriptural view of bap
tism. In Mark I: 9it is said, “And
it came to pass in those days that Je
sus came from Nazareth of Gallilee
and was baptized of John in Jordan.”
Now let us ascertain, if we can, which
act John performed when lie baptized
Him; that act was either sprinkling,
pouring or immersion—not all or any
two of them. It should be conceded
by all that baptism is an act, not two
or three, for Paul says “One baptism;”
if baptism is an act, and there is “one
baptism,” then there is one act. The
act, then, winch John performed on
Jesus was one act —either sprinkling,
pouring or immersion, not all or any
two of them. One says it was sprink
lsng. “Jesus came and was sprinkled
of John in Jordan.” Let us test this
view by the meaning of words. Mr.
Webster says sprinkle means to “per
form the act of scattering a liquid or
any fine substance so that it may fall in
small particles,” and I ask, could Je
sus be scattered as a liquid or fine sub
stance, so as to fall in small particles ?
Can this word be applied to solid bod
ies? Then it does not apply to Jesus.
But another says he was poured, Mr.
Webster says pour means “to throw as
a fluid in a stream either out of a ves
sel or into it. It is applied to liquids
or other substances consisting of fine
particles.” I ask again, was this what
John did to Christ? But a third says
he was sprinkled or poured upon, and
that fits the case much better, and is
well adapted to the argument, and fails
in only one point, and that is, ‘Hre
word of God must be “added to” to
make it so. It is if wrinkle
or pour had been the act, the word
baptized would have been applied to
the water and not to the Saviour.—
This philological criticism may be ap
plied to every other case in the New
Testament. Take, for example, Ho
mans VI: 4: “Therefore we are bu
ried with Him by baptism.” Substi
tute sprinkling: “Therefore we are
buried with Him by sprinkling .” It
would have to be rather more profuse
Ilian usual- —“ Buried with Him by
pouring.” We may well conclude
that the hyssop bush which Dr. Hib
bard and otliers think was used by
John, was laid aside before Paul’s day,
and that his Roman, Corinthian and
Collossian brethren thought a more
mighty sprinkling engine was necessa
ry. We may well snppose the horn
with which the English church repre
sents John*as usiug when he poured
Christ into Jordan, had been supplant
ed by a vessel of more ample capaci
ty, since they bad to be buried.
Now all these unholy subterfuges
may be avoided by letting the words
be understood in their plain and ordi
nary meaning—“ Therefore we are bu
ried by immersion.”
E. W. W.
For the Index.
Reply to ‘‘Observer.”
Brother Walker: —Your correspon
dent above named, in Number 50 of
the Index, under the caption of “Prayer
Meetings, has animadverted on the
Baptist ministers of his village. lie
has described the place so definitely
that thousands of Baptists in Middle
Georgia can readily locate it; indeed,
: it is impossible for any one to mistake
the locality.
1. What was “Observer’s design?
If good, why did he not follow the di
rections of the New Testament, and
go to his brethren privately with the
view of correcting their faults? Thus
he would have respected the brethren
for the sake of their office.
2. If his motive was good, why did
he not write over his proper Dame?—
And why did he censure individuals
instead of evils?
3. If his motive was good, why did
he state as true what the writer thinks
was not true? He says there are “five
ordained Baptist ministers,” &c. This
is incorrect. Again, he said there
had not been a minister at the prayer
meeting “a dozen times in as many
months.” This, I am confident, was
incorrect, for the pastor was there, as
I have learned, more than twice a doz
en times, besides visits Irom the other
ministers.
4. He said that on a certain Sunday
night “the weather was a little misty;”
this was not correct, for it “rained a
hard shower.” Several of us poor,
GEORGIA TELEGRAPH STEAM POWER PRESS.
abused ministers started to meeting
on that evening, among whom was
the pastor, but were compelled to re
turn home on account of the fain, the
sth Sunday night, I think it was,* when
we were all glad of ODe Sabbath to
rest. There was no appointment for
preaching, though “Observer” said
there was.
5. The article of-“ Observer” is cal
culated to make a wrong impression
when all the circumstances are not
known. It may even injure the char
acter of his worthy pasior. But he
did not tell you that some of the min
isters alluded to did not feel free “to
join in that delightful service,” not
having been invited by the church,
nor having been recognized by her con
ferences as preachers. You may
ask, “why wait for a formal invita
tion ?” I answer, this church has been
in the habit of giving formal invita
tious, and we, if considered worthy
ol courtesy, expected to be recognized
as Baptist preachers. We felt the
neglect, and had reason to believe
that our presence was not desired.
6. I must say for our pastor, that on
that “misty night,” some of Ills family
ueie sick, and that he has done more
to build up the Baptist interest in our
village than any, if not all of his
church. He has been with us longer
than any other pastor. Why did not
“Observer” state all these facts ? Tru
ly, “facts are stranger than fiction.”
OLIVER.
REMARKS ON THE ABOVE.
Having published “Observer’s” re
marks on “Prayer Meetings,” we allow
“Oliver ’ some words in defence, and
hope, as each has written over a Nom
de Guerre, that here this exchange of
views may terminate. We assure
“Oliver ’ that our remarks had refe
rence exclusively to Macon, for al
though lie thinks that his village must
necessarily be recognized as the place,
yet some have named Macon as the
place meant. The fact is, as we snp
pose, there are more places than one
or two, to which some such remarks
as were made by “Observer” would
be applicable, and we— the Editor ox
the Index took the hint, and went to
prayer meet!ngJn--Macon on ihe nex C
night after they were published. We
did not regard “Observer’s” remarks as
designed to be ceusorious, or we would
not have published them, nor do we
yet think they were so intended. Let
us all ministers and private mem
bers—turn over anew leaf, and, du
ring this year, strive together for the
up-building of Ziou.
Papa is on the Other Side.
When the late Joseph Buckminster
was about three years old, he went on
one occasion with his parents from
Portsmouth, N. H., where they resi
ded, to visit In‘s maternal grandfather
Rev. Mr. Stevens, who lived in Kitte
ry, on the opposite shore of the Piscat
aqua. Tney were to cross the river in
a ferry-boat, and for some reason Dr.
Buckminster crossed first, and left his
wife and little Joseph to follow to
gether. _ While upon the river, Mrs.
Buckminster became very much aim m
ed, and expre.wd her fears in tlie
bearing of her son. Little Joseph’s
brio-bt eyes glanced over the water,
and rested an instant on the familiar
form of his father, who was waiting
for them on the shore. Then spring
ing to his mother’s arms, he exclaimed:
ct Don’t be afraid, dear mamma, don’t
be afraid; only look, Papa is on the
other side.”
llow beautiful is the unquestioning
faith of childhood. It knows no
doubt, and feels no fear in the pres
ence of its be’oved ones. The knowl
edge that “Papa is on the other side,”
was to little Joseph a talisman against
danger, there was no room for fear in
his ypung, trusting heart. He never
questioned for a moment his father’s
willingness or ability to protect him.
By the unerring instinct of childhood
he knew his fattier loved him, and by
the same instinct love cast out fear as
unworthy of itself.
H this undoubting faith it is the
privilege of every Christian to be as
a little child. Oh, why do we suffer
ourselves to be oppressed by anxious
cares and dark forebodings, when our
God is “the faithful God, which keep
eth covenant and mercy with them
that love Him, to a thousand genera
tions.” “I have loved thee with an ev
erlasting love,” is our heavenly Bath
er’s own precious assurance of His
affection. — JSf. Y. Observer.
Five Rules.
The longer I live the more I feel the
importance of adhering to the follow
ing rules, which I have laid down for
myself in relation to such matters :
1. To hear as little as possible what
is to the prejudice of others.
2. To believe nothing of the kind,
till I am absolutely forced to it.
3. Never to drink into the spirit of
one who circulates an ill report.
4. Always to moderate, as far as I
can, the unkindness which is express
ed towards others.
5. Always to believe that if the oth
er side were heard, a very different
account would he given of the matter.
CHARLES SIMEON.
Number 2.
AGRICULTURAL.
The Farmer.
; What a sovereign man- is the intel
ligent, industrious farmer. Within
his own realm of earth he wields a
sceptre to which all must bend. The
balance of the world’s life and com-
fort lie holds in his stalwart hand.—
Neither courts, ’nor camps, nor ar
mies, nor fleets, can exist without his
aid. lie is the feeder—aye, and the
garmenter, virtually—of the race.—•
Cities spring from the traffic in the
products liis industry. Commerce
is born at his bequest. Os the State
he is the “first estate.” Lord of tfie
land, no man has firmer hold of the
essential title of nobility. And he
need be no plodder because he is a
farmer. The day is past when the
soil tiller was confounded with the
clod turned by his plow. The soil is
his servitor; lie smiies it, and lo! the
harvest comes forth. The hoe and
sickle make him music braver than
dulcimers, and sound the march of a
triumph grand as it is peaceful and
blessed. But lie is not forever in the
furrow. For him are broadest fields
of study—fairest fields of delight.
For him are honors linked to beauties
and wisdoms; for him periods of com
munion and rapture, of which tiie
birds, the flowers, the streams, the
stars, aud all wondrous things of the
universe, may bear witness. A brave ,
man art thou, wielder of the mallet
and the plane; and thou, skilfull
worker ot webs; aud thou, deviser of
all machines whereby the labor of
man’s band is speeded or abridged.—
But ye are all second to the farmer.—
He is master of the needfulest of
toils, and the most serviceable pro
ducts. He can live without you, but
you cannot exist for a day without
him. Honor to tlie farmer ; may his
sphere widen and his stature be exalt
ed. And honor to all honest toil, for
of such are ihe fruits that form the
crowning glories of the world. — N.
Y. Ledger.
A Dangerous Teacher.
Many admirers of the Emersonian
school are wont to laud in extravagant
terms the pure morals and unblemish
ed life of this apostle of New England
Pantheism. But if a stern morality
in the teacher is the means of com
mending and enforcing lax morals in
the doctrines taught, 1 lie e\Jl is doub
ly pernicious, and we -StfU” cer
tain That some of jvf opm
10ns, inculcated belli in lectures and
on the printed page, are fatal to social
order and virtue. AVe heard him, in
a lecture, several months ago, advance
the dangerous doctrine that the vices
of young people are tlie soil from
which spring up, in future life, vigo
rous and manly virtues, as Ihe plant
gains strength and nurture from the
manure lying at its roots. Our fast
young men won la take special com
fort in such a doctrine, but it has little
in harmony with the doctrine of the
Gospel, “Asa man soweth, so shall he
also reap.”
In an article on “Books” in the Jan
uary number of the Atlantic month
ly, attributed to Emerson, is the fol
lowing paragraph, which strikes at
one of the chief bulwarks of social or
der, the sacredness and permanence
of the marriage relation. He says:
“The question advanced in Jane
Eyre, in regard to a vicious marriage,
will always be treated according to
the liabit of the party. A person of
commanding in cl i vidnalism wiil answer
it as Rochester does, as Cleopatra, as
Milton, as George Sand do, magnify
ing the exception info a rule, dwarf
ing the rule into an exception. A
person of less courage, that is, of less
constitution, will answer as tlie hero
ine does, giving way to fate, to con
ventionalism, to the actual state and
doings of men and women..”
The plain English of this is, we sup
pose, that great men are at liberty to
cut loose from ordinary social re
straints, and follow the bent of their
own passions or whims. What in men
of “less courage and constitution”
would be adultery and vice, is in them
a virtue.
Avery convenient apology is fur
nished for of sin in the plea
that one has a “strong constitution,”
which inclines him to an infraction of
the laws of God and man. Such apol
ogies may pass current on tlie Panthe
istic system, but will meet a different
fate in the day when God shall try ev
ery man’s work, of wliat sort it is.—
Fortunately for our world, and for the
best interests of the universe, there is
no respect of persons with God.—Re
flector.
Hot Water. —Men are frequently
like tea —the real strength and good
ness are not properly drawn out till
they have been a short time in hot wa
ter.
Are you as particular to keep your
appointments wiih God as with‘a fel
low being ?
In Rochester, New York, women
wlio wear tlie Bloomer Uniform are
warned to do military duty.
The Government camels now at work
in Texas, carry GOO pounds of corn at
a load, and travel three and a half miles
an hour.
If all persons in the United States
would wear their clothes an extra six
months, for one year, $250,000,000
would be saved.