Newspaper Page Text
JOSEPH WALKER, Editor.
SAMUEL BOYKIN, Associate Editor.
A OLTJME 31. Series V 01.26.
C KRISTIAN INDEX.
iMBI.ISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY MORNING
At MACON, Ga.,
V A COMMITTEE OF BRETHREN,
fox tjje Georgia 38aptist Contention.
fOETRL~
The fool hath said in his own
HEART, THERE IS NO GOD.—l4th Psalm.
BY LEONARD T. DOYAL.
There is no Qod, the foolish sinner cries,
And in his heart his Maker God defies,
Proud of himself, his thoughts to earth confined,
Whilst wild delusions flit across the mind.
He will not know who made the orbs that fly
In glorious order through the azure sky,
He will not see the countless worlds above
Which through the heavens in wildest grandeur
move.
Who made that twinkling star whose feeble light
Reflects its glory on the shades of night ?
Who bade the moon its nightly run,
And with its sister earth fly round the sun ?
Who made that comet, which erratic pours,
Its silver light on this small orb of ours ?
Who spread abroad the star-lit realms of heaven
And who to them unchanging laws hath given ?
Who made the hills and spread the seas abroad ?
Who reared the mountains, if not nature’s God ?
Ah! tell me who lit up this world of ours
With radiant light, and paved it o’er with flowers?
Did chance enact the laws to nature given—
Unerring laws that govern earth and heaven ?
No, no, vain man, the Christian’s God alone
Decreed and sent them from his lofty Throne.
The ocean’s moan, the wild wind’s solemn wail
The howling tempest, and the rushing gale,
The lightnings flash, the deep toned thunder’s roll,
Heaven’s truth declare, and nature’s God unfold.
CONTRIBUTIONS.
MISSIONARY VOICES,
Oli, SOUNDS FROM CHINA, ARRICA AND
THE WEST.
I.
Two letters from Bro. Reid —Want of
Sunshine —Persecution of new Con
verts —Encouragements.
Ogbomosiiow, Africa,
Aug. 4, 1858.
i >ear Brother Walker —
I closed my last letter to yon
with the hope of writing another by
the same mail, but was not permitted
to do so, from a want ot time. Owing
to the debilitating influence of the
climate and our duty to try to pr/each
to the heathen, we are not able to
write so much, nor as interestingly as
we wish. I sincerely thank you for
sending me the Index so regularly.—
It affords me great pleasure, for it
brings intelligence to me from differ
ent parts of my native State and some
from other States. In this respect it
is peculiarly interesting to me, for, it
is the only medium of news I have,
for my friends, from some cause, do
not write me. Aside from the corres
pondence of the Board, I have receiv
ed but four private letters from home
since I left America, the 7th of last
August.
Nature is still enshrouded in her
cloudy mantle with but little apparent
prospects of it Jpeing removed, so that
the cheering rays of the sun, may again
salute us, with all their genial influ
ence, and hid all tlie gloominess of
dull nature depart. During the last
two months, I do not think the sun
has shone brilliantly more than one
tenth of its regular time. Day after day
have I anxiously looked for a day of
brilliant sunshine, but thus far my
wishes have not been gratified.—
During this time there has been a brisk
wind, almost incessantly blowing from
the South. It is damp and chilling to
the body and must be carefully avoid
ed, and particularly early in the mor
ning, without being warmly clad, or
fever and chills are the result. Dur
ing the time of which I speak the
thermometer has been at 70 and 71 de
grees. I have one thermometer in my
bed room and one of the same kind
hung against the wall, on the outside
in the gallery, where the wind blows
directly upon it and the point of tem
perature of both has been the same
precisely. This, I did not expect, for
the change of my feelings in going
from the room into the wind was 60
great. From the effect upon my system,
I feel well assured, that 70deg here are
colder than 60 deg. in Georgia, or at
least, equal. This may appear incre
dible, but when we take into consid
eration the marked difference of the
porousness of the human system, here
and there, it is not at all strange. —
It is from the same cause, while exclu
ded from the direct rays of the sun, we
feel the heat less oppressive here, than
in Georgia. When clear of chill and
fever there is a free and some times a
copious perspiration going on. This
is one ot the wise provisions of our
Creator, in the distribution of all
tilings. For were this not this Case,
the people here who are exposed so
much to the direct rays of the sun
would inevitably suffer greatly with
heat. As to the general health of the
THE CHRISTIAN INDEX.
natives, Ido not think it excelled in
any country, because God has given
them constitutions peculiarly adapted
to the climate. From this it would
appear that the white man could en
joy good health, but not so; for his
constitution is not furnished with the
necessary preventions against the ef
fects of the poisonous malaria with
which the atmosphere at all times is
more or less infected. By living here
some length of time and using great
precaution in all things, the white man
can perhaps become so acclimated that
he may have tolerably good health. —
I mean one of sound constitution. Let
the above suffice on that question for
this letter. I have had tolerable health
during the last four months, and have
been able to be up every day, but not
all the time feeling well, I think my
general health lias much improved
during that time.
Yours Fraternally,
T.’ A. REH).
Ogbomosiiow, Africa,
Aug. 19, 1858.
Dear Brether Walker—
I closed my last with some re
marks respecting the climate of this
country. There lias been a .slight
change for the better since then, but
little sun and no rain yet; the appear
ance now, however, is, that we will
have rain soon.
On the evening of the 7th instant,
I had the privilege of baptizing two
females, at this station, and my old
friend is waiting baptism, which will
be administered at the earliest oppor
tunity. The two females whom I bap
tized have been much persecuted, on
account of their baptism. One of them
has been tied up and whipped and
driven from her home, by her hus
band. I went to see the Bale of the
compound in which she is now living
and asked him to let her come to
church, as she had been doing, but he
positively refused, ever to let her come
while she lived with him, without her
husband restored her. I then went to
see the Bale of her former compound
the second time, before I saw him, I,
asked him why lie allowed her hus
band to treat her so, after he and her
husband both gave me their consent to
it, before I baptized the women. His
reply was, that the ovishas were much
displeased at what the while man had
done, also, that he did not understand
what I was going to do. I told him
that this was not so, for he remember
ed well, that I explained the whole
matter to them, and they both said it
was good. When I told him these things
he became very much confused and
said, if she returned to his compound,
he would not permit her to come to
church.
The other woman is a slave of the
Bale of her compound, and has also
been much persecuted by all in the
compound. Her husband says he in
tends to sell her as soon as the people
forget what she has done, that no per
son may know, why he sold her. lie
sends her to the farm, or somewhere
else, on the Sabbath, and will not al
low her to come to church. Last Sun
day atternoon, on my return from ser
vices at the chapel, I found her just
inside of the wall of the dwelling
house yard, near the chapel, that she
might hear a little preaching. I call
ed her in the house and instructed her
some and told her of some of the pre
cious promises of the Bible.
It is remarkable with what patience
and humility they bear all their per
secutions. The one that is a slave
comes to see me very frequently, and
every opportunity I have I encourage
her as much as I can. The other wo
man says as soon as her daughter is
relieved from her present feeble con
dition, she intends to come also, to see
me and to church and risk the conse
quences of it. The old man of whom
I wrote you will be baptized as soon
as convenient. I expected to have
baptized him with these females, but
lie wished to postpone it till his son
returned from the farm. His son has
returned and while visiting me, told
me that he would be pleased tor his
father to be baptized and that all their
house were going to quit the worship
ofovjslias and worship God in the
name of Christ. Others attend our
chapel service and listen very atten
tively to the Gospel. The prospects
of good here, are truly encouraging
and I hope there are many that will
soon be influenced by the gospel to
lay aside their idols for the worship of
God. Yours Fraternally,
T. A. REID.
j. s/murrow,
Interesting Association —Si ckn css—
Bro. Buckner.
Micco Creek Nation,
West of Ark., Oct. 8, 1858.
Dear Brother Walker —
A few days ago I returned from
OE.O--A.3ST OF THE BAPTIST OOTST-NTETSTTIOISr OF THESE STATE OF GEORGIA.
attending the of our Indian
Baptist Association, and do not sup
pose it is yet too late to give you an
account of the meeting. ’Twas held
with the Brushy^Creek Church in the
Choctaw Nation. Brother Buckner
was too unwell to go, and although I
had a hard ague followed by fever,
which lasted all day, the day before
I started, yet I could not give it up.—
Bro. Hogue, also, whom I was sure of
meeting there, for some cause was not
present. We had, however, a very
large congregation. I was pleased to
become acquainted with brethren Ful
som, William and Lewis Cass, Simon
Hancock and Mea Sho-nub-bee all na
tive Choctaw ministers.
The meeting was very interesting
indeed. I was permitted to hear sev
eral of the above brethren preach.—
Bro. Peter Fulsom is one of the most
interesting and impressive speakers I
ever heard; of course he speaks in
Choctaw. Although not understand
ing but few words be spoke, yet his
voice and action were such as to make
us all (the Creek delegation) attentive
and interested listeners, and frequent
ly the tears would start ere we were
aware of it. I had scorching fevers
every day, but still I preached once
or twice each day. Twelve were bap
tized and several others joined to be
baptized the next meeting. Over three
hundred Baptists gave the right hand
of fellowship to those were bap
tized.
There is no white missionary in that
district, bro. Hogue being in the low
er district; they need one sadly. Fre
quently did they inquire when the
Board would send them a missionary.
And right here, for the special consid
eration of someone of the many Bap
tist schools in Georgia, I will mention
a request which bro. William Cass, one
of the native preachers, made of me.
lie said he was poor—which is true —
but he earnestly desired that his chil
dren should receive some education,
lie said he had a son about thirteen
years old, though small, whom he was
very anxious should receive some ed
ucation ; the boy was anxious also.—
He was willing and anxious that the
youth should go on to the Stale#, as he
would enjoy many advantifgee there
lie would not here. Bro. (3|l!3?ns&fced
me if I could not assist him in gettfiTg
his son educated. I told him I would
try.
Could not someone of the Georgia
Baptist schools take this boy and edu
cate him ? It would be a charitable
deed, and no doubt hereafter, should
he live, it would prove a blessing to
the Choctaw people.
We have also just passed through the
yearly camp meeting at this church,
North Fork. Here too we had a good
meeting. This is next to the oldest
and largest church in the Nation, the
Muskogee church taking the lead.—
But it perhaps has the least , and the
hardest material to work up of any.—
Five were baptized and others seemed
deeply affected. Best of all, the hearts
of the members seemed to be revived
and kindled afresh, they seemed to
labor in harmony which was very re
freshing to our dear bro Buckner who
has had many a hard time with this
church, spending too, many an hour in
prayer and team over the want of uni
ty amongst the members.
Bro. Buckner’s health is not good,
he is evidently failing. Ten long
years of hardship and exposure in this
unhealthy climate, trials and suffer
ing beyond that amount with which
even imagination usually surrounds
the missionary, are bringing this devo
ted man down to an early grave, not
withstanding a naturally strong con
stitution.
My own health is very feeble. Con
stant and anxious watching, night and
day, with its consequent weary labors,
for five long weeks, with the chills
and lever, which I have been having
now every day for eight weeks, with
an intermission now and then of a few
days, have ruined my health. How
ever, lain still able to preach some,
expect in a few days to start on a long
long trip. I have nothing now to live
for blit to preach. It is indeed delight
ful to preach to these red men.
Will you pray that my preaching
may be of the right kind and profita
ble to this people ?
Your brother in affliction,
J. S. MURROW.
IaF 5 The following letter from Mrs
Crawford, Missionary to China, and
written to a relative, contains senti
ments worthy of attention :
Hickory Grove, Miss.,
Oct. 11, 1858.
Dear Brother ,
Your letter written from Cutli
bert, was received while on a recent
visit to Alabama, and I have been so
constantly busy since with traveling
MACON, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 1858.
from place to place, visiting rein rives j
and friends, and atSendihg-Tnoetiisgs, i
that I have had lmt little time for \v?i- 1
ting. Though my'expectations were
not very high, yet I must- confess to
considerable disappointment in what ,
I saw and heard at many places, he-1
traying, not only a want of interestTp
Missionary operations, but absolutely
an opposition t.o the work. Some of
my friends argued that it was
in me to_reteJ£j knowing as I do, he
.effects of the climate upon my const!-,
tution—persons too, who are injuring j
their own health quite as much by ex
cessive use of tobacco—rich food—
wines, Ac., Ac.,*l grant that it is pro
bable my life may be shortened by go
ing to China—but is it never one’s pri
vilege —nays duty, to risk life in any
cause ? Raul once went bound in spir
it. to Jerusalem not-knowing what’
should befall.him —all testifying .that
bonds and imprisonment awaited him. 1
The command is to go into all tire
world—not only to tiie salubrious,.’
pleasant lajade. Again, they say, I
have been there long enough—let some ;
body else go now. W inch of l hem will
go? Besides. I have only been there ;
long enough to acquire an ea e in the
language and to become i ami liar with
the habits of the people i as. to labor
with efficient Many die before reach-.
ing that point. lam better prepared
to labor in t ot field than any other. •
My who! If art leans towards -that
work, au4 M ‘*m fully persuaded i.t is !
my duty JMI as great joy to go back
there. party argues ■ hat the ,
time ior'Jwkjfatversion of (
not yet opi> t ,.| and that it is perfectly .
absurd foNf oand of mission:n sim-.
ply preaemgg and teaching, to think
of conveE a a nation. These torget
that the foolishness of preaching is the
means appointed by the Almighty
Ruler himself for overturning and re
newing the nations. I have mot with
some who profess to be deeply inter
ested in Foreign Missions in general,
but owing to the few persons who have
been converted, and the ‘arge.propor
tion of hypocrites found among those
who do-Bocome nominal chrisiunsgiie.y
feel interest in the Missions.
ft is true jiiatOiDw teethi-ops have ip
,in .Ohingj
larger proportions, but shut* wfidbom
fore give tbetn up as J-j<dg?9j£f ß • Eet us
not forget our own s*y —our
own gradual conversi.ou n heat neii
ism. Our people do forget that the ;
Christianity of our forefathers was th.o |
result of missionary cnori • .hud that j
they wore not much more premising ;
than the Chinese. 1 fear, that my ar
guments are of little avail, and I do ,
not claim to have convinced ktingle i
person of the wisdom aiid justice o.
my position, but I can say, that all i
have found me equally invulnerable.
I am as fully pursuaded as ever — and
that is saying enough, that the heath
en are to be converted — Chinese as
well as others — that the time is a .ways
at hand—and that it is my individual
duty to go and labor the remainder qi
my life in China.
•My latest dates from my husband
were the latter days of J uny. was
in his usual health—rather enfeebled
by summer, looking out for an oppor
tunity to start home in ;iic fail by way
of California, by this way he will,
get home in a shorter time, t'-uner
way, there is yet a long, long lime to
elapse before I can he .with h iff. I In
to bear ill
ness.
sHeTioxs.,’”
THE FHARIiSEEb,
Extracts from Jones’ Church history :
The Pharisees in point of rwy --
riches, authority mw
precedence of ail Jewish sec- a. . •
as tlihy constantly manifest.:. 1 a tv.• i
traordinary display <4 a- ... , v
apparent zeal for the eun: emu n ■■■■■
piety and brotherly love, and >y i • n- ,
fectation of superior saucuiy n t :
opinions, manners and dress, awe mi In-1
ence which they, possessed over the j
minds of the pe >pie was nnooirnded : !
insomuch that they may ben! most said ‘
to have given whatever direr: : h they
pleased to p-ribbe rivals. Li wm:
t ion able, however, that the religion ;
the Pharisees was, for i'hey m-.sl ; :V , j
founded in consumum ?. pom .w- ; t
and that in reality, they war g.y or- j
ally tlie slaves ci every \ • •. rpi
tite ; proud, arrogant,.and a vuric yu.->, ,
consolingofily thegra;location,of tlqov j
lusts, even at the moi-nem oi ileur, pro
fessing themselves to be eng yeTm.
the service of their Maker. Thsso
odious features in the Pharisees,
upon them the most pointed l efmlse*
from our Lord and Saviour* with mo pc
severity indeed Mum he beatowfe&ffdi
the ‘Saddneees, who although theybhfff
i departed widely from the genuine
i principle * of religion, yet did not un
loose upon mankind by a pretended
sanctity, or devote themselves with in
satiable greediness to the acquisition
iof honors and riches. The Pharisees
| admitted the immortality of the soul,
the resurrection of ‘the body, and a
future state of rewards and punish
ments. They admitted, to a certain
I extent, the free agency of man ; hut
, beyond thethey supposed his actions
ito bo controlled by the decrees of fate.
i.These points of doctrine, however,
; seem not to have been. understood or
‘■explained by all the sect in the same
way, neither does it appear that any
great pains were taken to define and
a: certain them with accuracy and pre
cision, or to support them by reason
ing and argument.
IO . -
THE SADDUOEES.
The Sadducees, if we may credit the
i testimony of Josephus concerning
. them, were a sect much inferior in
l point of number to that of the Phari
sees, but composed entirely of persons
distinguished for their opulence and
1 prosperity. He also represents those
; who belonged to it, as wholly devoid
of the sentiments of benevolence and
com] wards others; whereas
I the Pharisees, accordin g to him, were
: ever read? to relieve the wants of the
indigent and afflicted. He further de-
I scribes them as fond of passing their
lives-in one uninterrupted course of
j ease and pleasure ; insomuch that it
; was with difficulty they could be pre
-1 vailed-on to undertake the duties of
of the magistracy, or any other public
function. Their leading tenet was,
i that all our hopes and fears terminate
I with the present life; the soul being
involved in one common fate with the
body, and like it, liable to perish and
be annihilated. Upon this principle,
it was very natural for them to main
tain, that obedience to the divine law
would be rewarded by the Most High
with length of days, and an abundance
of the good tilings of this life, such as
honours, distinctions, and riches; whilst
the vioh’iors’ of it would, in like man
s her, rind their punishment in the tem
porary suil'erings and afflictions of the
prese?) ine Saddu.ce.es, there,
‘fore always connected the favour of
: heaven with a state of worldly prosper
ity, and could not regard any as virtu
! <>r~, itr the friends mPheaven, but the
! - fortunate and happy; they had no
s i>o'wels of compassion for the poor and
ble; their desires and hopes
centered in a life of leisure, ease, and
voluptuous gratification—for such is
; precisely the character which Jose
■ pirns gives ns of them. And indeed,
it appears to he countenanced by the
inspired writings —especially if, as is
now generally admitted by the learned,
our Lord, in the parable of the rich
man and Lazurus, Lake, ch. xvi. de
signed, in the person of the former, to
| delineate the principles and manner of
| life'of a Sadducee. Considering the
; parable in this point of yiew, we can
not fail to see great force and beauty
in it, which do not appear upon any
other hypothesis. That the rich man
was a Jew is evident, from his terming
Abraham his father; and his request
that d)c latter, would send Lazarus to
his lather's house, for the purpose of
< diverting ids brethren to a belief of
:’ e .. til’s immortality, and the certain
i of a future state of rewards and
wed a as, is convincing evidence
ilmt .wingilia life time he had imag
l h ... .hat *ho soul would perish with
hh w ; and had treated with deri
-hn ;la. doctrine maintained by the
. idwicoor- respecting’ the happiness or
in.; i ,1 a future state; and that the
a. iwo i w uom lie had. left behind en
■.;ned ,iu filar sentiments—senti
j:n,e;i. winch decidedly mark them as
i the v< uwies of hat,impious system to
I video the Siidducees were devoted.
: Wlmre harm- is there in baptizing
IX FAInTS.
• ANSWER.
Ist. It pa ca ls the Gospel. Jesus
Ly > ‘ngdoin is not of this world.”
fl is : dig hip is A •Spiritual kingdom.—
h i. Lead stdio writings of those who
1v: ice in rant baptism, and yon find
•av are forced maintain that Jesus
’ ’ a hie -:n which is of this world,
hh > which water can introduce an un
p( ■ ; c’ a ? babe.’ Jesus says, “That
. \v 1 la L c;i of the flesh is flesh, and
born of the Spirit isSpir
; i .' T AAccp: a mail beboru again, he
(•a. i,,a. sec. Ihe kmgdem ot God.” The
A uvoc.u us of j ui ant baptism teach that
a, chi Id born of the. liesu can enter the
ag.: m of God, by having a little
i.ied on it. This perversion
the go nol is the foundation of the
. and ot the union of
k'Cimreh ami Static in Protestant conn
* ‘trier.
: 2d. It mahs void the command of
h . ■ j • “ “ • - ■ - ‘
GEORGIA TELEGRAPH STEAM POWER PRESS.
God by a human tradition. There is
plainly no authority for baptizing in
fants in the Bible. It is equally plain
that the practice began long after the
Apostles. Onrcellneus (a learned Pe
dobaptist) says, “Pedobaptism was not
known in the world the two first ages
after Christ. In the third and fourth
centuries it was approved by few. At
length, in the fifth and following ages,
it began to obtain in divers places. —
Therefore we observe this rite : indeed
as an ancient custom, but not as an
apostolical tradition. The custom of
baptizing infants did not begin before
the third age after Christ, and there
appears not the least footstep of it in
the first two centuries.” (Crosby’s
Hist. Pref. 66.) This human custom,
but for the Baptists, would entirely
abolish from the earth the baptism of
the New Testament, which is the im
mersion of believers.
3d. Infant baptism attacks and in
sults the mercy of God. For it origina
ted in the horrid impiety, that infants
will be damned without baptism. —
Thus Augustine, (A. D. 410,) says :
“The Catholic Church ever Held that
unbaptized infants will miss, not only
the kingdom of heaven, but also eter
nal life.” (Wall on Infant Baptism,
vol. i. pp. 411, 412.) And it is still
really perpetuated by the same shock
ing doctrine, though its advocates are
now afraid openly to avow it. Their
insinuations about “covenant mercies,’
about infants being “admitted into the
•kingdom,” &c., and their haste to
sprinkle water on a djdng child, all
mean this and nothing else.
4th. Infant baptism dishonors the
Saviour. It cherishes the injurious
idea that liis blood is not enough ; that
our children, dying in infancy, cannot
be saved through his atonement, but
that the parent and minister must per
form some act on them and for them,
besides wliat Christ has done.
sth. I will only add, that this un
spiritual practice does a serious injury
to our children. It nourishes in them
a vague idea that something has been
performed towards their salvation.—
It prevents their searching the Scrip
tures for themselves, when they grow
up. It fosters deeply-rooted prejudi
ces, anQ o.atise them to repel the
thought that their parents could have
been in error. And thus, the very love
which your children bear you closes
their minds against all investigation,
and perpetuates in them, and in their
children’s children, error and disobe
dience, which would at once cease, if
they were left to read the Bible, and
judge for themselves as to this com
mand.—llaynes.
IN WHAT DO YOU TRUST ?
Reader, in what do you trust for the
pardon of your sins and the salvation
of your soul ? I suppose - you trust in
something. You are not a heathen.
You live in a Christian land. Now,
in what do you trust Do yon trust in
sacrament and ordinances 1 They can
not supply you with forgiveness, how
ever diligently you may use them.—
By sacraments faith is confirmed and
grace is increased, in all who rightly
use them. But they cannot justify
the sinner. They cannot put away
transgression. You may go to church
regularly, and yet never go to heaven.
You may go to the Lord’s table every
Sunday in your life, but unless you
look far beyond the sign to the thing
signified, you will after all die in your
sins.
Will you trust in your own works
and endeavors, your virtues and your
good deeds, your prayers and your
alms ? They will never buy for you an
entrance into heaven. They will nev
er pay your debt to God. They are
all imperfect in themselves, and only
increase your guilb “When ye have
done all those things which are com
manded you,” says the Lord Jesus,
say, “Weave unprofitable servants.”
Luke 17: 10.
Will you trust in your own repen
tance and amendments ? “ You are
very sorry for the past. You hope to
be better for time to come. You hope
God will be merciful.” Alas, if you
lean on this, you have nothing beneath
you but a broken reed. The judge
does not pardon the tliiet because lie
is sorry for what he did. 10-day’s sor
row will not wipe off the score of yes
terday’s sins.
Reader, you must put your whole
trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, and
the atonement he made for sinners on
the cross. In him is pardon. Out of
him there is none. 1 lemeinber this. —
It is the very pith and marrow of Bi
ble religion. Put your whole trust in
the Lord Jesus Christ.
Dr. Nettleton adopted the follow
ing as a maxim for the government of
his life : “Do all the good you can in
the world, and make as iittle noise as
possible.”
Number 4 J.
Baptist Church Government.
Many Protestants, as well as Roman
comprehend the sim
plicity that is in Christ; especially in
regard to the Unity and the Govern
ment of the Church. They conceive
of independence as opposed to unity,
and of popular freedom as equivalent
to Anarchy. Not long ago, a Presby
terian divine, on a public occasion,
spoke of the Church Government of
the Baptists contemptuously, as ‘*N4
Government.” Let us look into this
matter.
As it regards Church Government
the Baptists believe in the spiritual
unity of the whole believing Church,
under Christ its Head ; and in the du
ty of making this unity visible by sub
jection to Him in all things. —(John
xvii, 21; Ephes. v, 24.)
Local churches, like those of .1 eru
salem and Antioch, composed of con
verted members, duly baptized, em
bodied under the law of Christ by free
mutual agreement, and maintaining
the truth in love, they hold to he, ac
cording to the New Testament, tho
appointed means, in the first place,
for manifesting this unity. The govern
ment of these churches is Congrega
tional : each body being immediately
dependent on Christ, is therefore
dependent of all others, and is com
plete in itself for the management of
its internal affairs, such as the choice
of officers, declaration of faith, recep
tion, dismisson, or discipline of mem
bers. Each church is a tribunal where
Christ himself presides, ratifying in
heaven whatever is done according t#
his will on earth. (Matt, xviii, 71-20.)
Baptists recognize no higher ecclesias
tical tribunal on earth as constituted
by Christ.
“This principle of independence is,
however, quite distinct in their view
from selfish isolation. It is balanced
by another principle equally dear t#
them —that of intercommunion, or the
Communion of Churches. This inter
communion is the highest form ot visi
ble unity, and is never to be interrup
ted without necessity* On this prin
ciple their churches associate; invite
councils for advice, and organize so
cieties for mutual oo operation in any
benevolent, educational, or missionary
enterprise. But all such Associations
among Baptists, disclaim the slightest
jurisdiction over the churches, and any
attempt to exert ecclesiastical power
would be indignantly repelled.
Baptists make no distinction but
that of office between clergyman and
laymen. Each church is a little spir
itual republic; so every member is en
titled to a vote, and is trained to all
the duties of au active citizen. The’
voice of the majority governs ; but
they seek by fraternal discussion and
prayer, mingled with love and for
hearance, to secure perfect unanimity
according to the will of God. They
recognize no higher church oflicers
than Pastors and Deacons. Elders,
as evangelists and missionaries, after
due trial, are also ordained and sent
out to preach the gospel. Councils
are usually called by the churches to
advise and assist in the ordination ot
ministers, the formation of churches,
and the settlement of serious difficul
ties. Such councils are sometimes
called Presbyteries; but they must
not be confounded with the bodies that
bear that name in the Presbyterian
Church, as they have neither judicial
nor appellate powers. AV hatever be
their difference in other things, Bap
tists all agree in maintaining the Con
gregational form of Church Govern
ment, as one branch of the liberty with
which Christ has made usfree. y Bap
tist Family Magazine.
Anniversary of the Bible Union.
The ninth anniversary of the Bible l nion
has just closed its session. As usual, it
was held in the First Baptist church X ew
York, and the attendance was good
throughout, though the last day unpleas
ant as to the weather. The session was
harmonious in all of its gatherings, and
declared by some of the friends to be very
sweet and heavenly. Those who had A
former meetings caused discord in their
counsels, did not appear, and no cause ot
strife was manifest. The condition ot the
Union was declared to be very prosperous,
and more hopeful than ever. Its j u ogress
*vas slow, too slow indeed to satisfy many
i ‘the people, but that was a necessity, en
dured for the benefit of the cause of faith
ful translations.
The treasurer’s report showed tho re.
ceipts for the past year to have been a
little more than $45,000, while the expen
ditures were about the same. Os this sum
expended, $17,561 went for English
Scriptures, —that is, for tho translation
and revision of the English Scriptures—
and SIO,OOO for agents’ and oflicers, sal
aries and expenses. The publication de
partment on which $3,000 have been ex
pended, has nearly sustained itself.