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TIIE CHRISTIAN INDEX,
PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY MORNING
AT MACON,-GEORGIA.
BY A COMMITTEE OF BRETHREN,
FOR THE
GEORGIA BAPTIST CONVENTION.
terms of Subscription,
Two Dollars in ndvanots: or paid within the year.
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one-half will be charged in all cases.
E. \V. WARREN, Editor,
VOLUME XXXIXI
New Series.—Volume XXVIII. j
POETRY.
Over the River.
Over the river they beckon to ine—
Lov’d ones who’ve crossed to the further side!
The gleam of their snowy robes I see, *
But their voices are drowned in the rushiDg
tide.
Thcre’s one with ringlets of sunny gold,
And eyes, the reflection of heaven’s own blue :
lie crossed in the twilight, gray and cold,
And the pale mist hid him from mortal view.
We saw not, the angels that met him there:
The gate of the city we could not see ;
Over the river, over the river,
My brother stands waiting to welcome me.
Over the river the boatman pale
Carried another —the household pet;
Her brown curls waved in the gente gale—-
Darling Minnie! I see her yet. y
She crossed on her bosom her dimpled hands,
And fearlessly entered the phantom bark;
We watched it glide upon the silver sands,
And all our sunshine grew strangely dark.
We know she is safe on the further -iiie,
Where all the ransomed and angels be ;
Over the river, the mystic liver,
My childhood’s idol is waiting for me.
For none return from those quiet shores,
Who cross with the boatman, cold and pale,
We hear the dip of the golden oars,
And catch a gleam of the snowy sail—
And lo! they have passed from our yearning
hearts;
They have crossed the stream and gone for aye.
We may not sunder the veil apart,
Tin.* hides from our vision the gates of day ;
We only know that their barks no more
May sail with us o’er life’s stormy sea,
Yet somewhere, I know, on the unseen shore,
They watch, and beckon, and wait tor me.
And I sit and think, when the sunset’s gold,
Is flushing river and hill and shore,
I shall one day stand by the water cold,
And list to the sound of the boatman’s oar;
I shall watch for a gleam*>f the flashing sail;
I hear the boat as it gains the strand ;
I shall pass from sight with the boatman pale
To the better shore of the spirit land ;
I shall know the loved who have gone before,
And joyfully sweet will the meeting be,
When over the river, the peaceful river,
The A “gel of Death shall carry me.
CDNTHIBI TjllNs”
Corrective ChurcH Discipline.
NUMBER EIGHT.
The relation the Pastor sustains to
CORRECTIVE DSCII ’LINE.
What relation does the Pastor of the
church bear to corrective discipline—
and what are it is duties in the premi
ses? There is no question more impor
tant this. Often have difficulties been
aggravated, and churches tom to pieces j
because the Pastor did not have a clear i
conception of the relations they sus
tain to cases of discipline. The ques
tion at the head of this paragraph will
be answered Ist, Upon the supposition
that the Pastor is himself involved in
the difficulty ; and 2d, Upon the sup
position that lie is free from entangle
ment.
1. Should the Pastor be involved as
one of the parties at variance,.or be
charged with a public offence, what
should be the course of procedure?—
Answer: Precisely that which is pre
scribed in the case of a private mem
ber of the church. He should lay aside
liis authority as presiding officer, and
take his seat among his brethren ; for
surely no man would assert the claim
to preside in Ids own case. If he has
a private grievance against one of his
brethren, lie is to pursue the ‘‘gospel
steps” prescribed to others ; and if, in
the last resort, lie tells his grievance
to the church, he is to stand aside and
permit the church to appoint tempora- ’
rily an officer in his place. If lie is
charged with a “public offence,” lie is
to be dealt with like a private member,
with the single exception that an accu
sation is not to be received against? him,
except from the mouth of two or three
witnesses. The question whether a
minister can be dealt with and expell
ed without the intervention of a coun
cil, or Presbytery, will be discussed in
a succeeding number.
2. Upon the supposition that the
Pastor is himself free from entangle
ment, what relation does lie sustain to
corrective .discipline.? This question
will be answered Ist, in relation to ca
ses of “private” dealing; and 2d, in re
lation to cases of “public” dealing.
Ist. What is the Pastor’s duty in re
gard to cases of variance between bre
thren ? To this it is answered :
1. instill into bis members in ad
vance, by his ministry, such principles
as to prevent variances, and after their
occurence, to enlighten them with such
instructions from the Scriptures, as to
show them how to manage them ac
cording to the mind of Christ. Min
isters of the Gospel should see to it, —
that their members, young as well as
old, are thoroughly instructed in re*
gard to scriptural polity ; and that in
this they are perfect, thoroughly fur
nished unto all good works.
2. It is liis duty to see that every
case of “private ’ dealing, if brought
into the church at all, be introduced
according to the Savior’s directions.
3. It is his duty to maintain the
strictest neutrality as between the par
ties. Questions of order he is to decide
—principles which are applicable to
to the case, he should announce in con
ference and in the pulpit with bold
ness and plainness. Put as soon as be
begins to decide upon questions of fact,
or to announce as to who, in his opin
ion, is guilty, or who innocent, he
trenches upon the prerogative of the
church, vthich alone lias the right to
decide upon such points. He should
keep profoundly locked in his breast
his opinion of the facts and ot the guilt
of innocence of the contestants. J ust
so soon as he indicates an opinion, he
ceases to be an umpire between those
at variance, and the Moderator ot the
church ; and descends to be the head
of one of the parties which may be
formed or forming in the church. * The
pastoral relation, with ministers who
violate this principle, can never sur
vive more than one serious difficulty.
■l. When all believe that he is in
fact a, neutral as between the contend
ing brethren , the Pastor has it in his
power to bring the pulpit to bear, with
telling effect, upon the adjustment of
the difficulty. And this he should not
fail to do. lie should direct his at
tention, in serious difficulties, to the
accomplishment of two objects :
First , to prevent the formation of
two parties in the church, with the
members at variance at the head of
each respectively ; and second, to make
the combatants themselves ashamed
and tired of their relations. In every
ca-e of variance of long standing, where
both parties are wrong in feeling, and
equally matched in strength, the at
tempt of each inevitably will be'to ar
ray to himself in advance, as many
partizans in the church as possible.—
This the Pastor in the pulpit can pre
vent. It should be bis purpose to iso
late the case —to fence the contestants
off to themselves; and if they must
fight, to make them fight it out alone.
To accomplish this, heshould never in
the pulpit refer directly to the case.—
This would be very mal-apropos. The
Scriptures abound in principles which
he can so discuss as to make the pious
members of the church afraid to in
volve themselves, or by their act to
encourage either of the parties in his
course. The particular case should nev
er be mentioned ; but the remarks
should be so directed as to graze along
by it, and suggest it to the mind of the
hearer. When the members of the
church have been thoroughly drilled
into neutrality and silence, then the
case becomes more simple; and the
Pastor can bring all the artillery of the
pulpit to bear upon the individuals at
variance. To these be should give no
rest, and afford no consolation. They
should not be permitted ever to retire
from the sanctuary without being
wounded and bleeding. They should
be made to feel that the Gospel has
nothing for them but condemnation. —
To accomplish this, no little address is
necessary. The Pastor should never
in the pulpit refer to the case in terms.
This would be a personality and offen
sive. But the contending brethren
should be compelled to believe that,
somehow or other, he is preaching to
no body but to them, and yet they
must find nothing in his remarks to
complain of him about. What he says
must be in the form of principles, e
qually applicable to both in common}
so that the blow levelled may not he
weakened by the suspicion that he is
discriminating for or against either. —
in this way, if they are thoroughly
convinced that the Pastor has not ta
ken sides in the issue between them,
and they are Christians, it will not be
long before they become heartily sick
of the position they occupy, and ready
to hail with pleasure a proposition of
some mutual friend to mediate be
tween them. In the management of
cases of this kind, time, prudence and
faithfulness are all important.
2d. What relation does tho Pastor
sustain to cases of “public” dealing ?
The same principles that are to gov
ern him in private dealing hold good
here. *The reader may make the ap
plication for himseif.lt will be enough
to say, that it is never his duty to ar
raign one before the church , or to
charge him in private with any offence
he has not confessed, unless he (the
Pastor) witnessed the commission of
the act. In the pulpit aud the chair,
the Pastor bears, in many respects, the
same relation to the church in the tri
al of public offenders, that the Judge
upon the bench doesto the court in the
trial of criminals. It is the duty and
prerogative of others to arraign the of
fender, to array the testimony, and to
prosecute to conviction. To the Pas
tor it is reserved to see that the trial is
commenced and prosecuted upon gos
pel principles. From the beginning
to the end he is to intimate no opinion
publicly or privately, of the guilt or
innocence of the accused who pleads
not guilty; but to bold the scales of
justice even. The Savior has devolved
upon His churches, and not upon his
ministers, the responsibility and the
duty of condemning and putting away
from tliem wicked persons. If, how
ever, the church permits immoralities
to be perpetrated by its members with
impunity, it is the prerogative and the
duty of the Pastor —avoiding person
alities —to give a Scriptural delinea
tion of the crimes committed ; to hold
them up to public reprobation ; and to
give the church no rest until it is wil
ling to do its duty. And all this, too,
without saying in terms that the crime
has been committed by any of his mem
bers, or tolerated by his church.
In answer, then to this question,
What relation does tlie Pastor sustain
to a case of discipline ? it is said
1. lie has entire control of all the
principles that are operative in the
case; and he should announce them on
all proper occasions from the pulpit
and the chair.
2. lie has nothing to do with the
facts, or with the guilt or innocence of
parties; and lie should keep profound
ly silent on these —giving no one oc
casion to infer what his opinions are.—
By this means
Ist. lie will be an umpire between
the parties—and he can gain unob
structed access to them for the gospel
principles with which he would influ
ence their judgments and their con
sciences.
2d. He will retain an influence with
all, which he can wield for the good of
the church in the progress of the trial.
3d. He will avoid the formation of a
faction against him, which may em
bitter his existence, cripple his influ
ence, and terminate in the severance of
the of the pastoral relation.
P. 11. HELL,
University of Georgia.
For tlie Christian Index.
SHOULD FEMALES VOTE IN OUR
CHURCHES ?
Bro. Warren: In the last number
of the Index you publish the following
question : “Is it proper and just or not,
for the Sisters of the Baptist Churches
to vote?” You confess that you have
not given the subject a thorough ex
amination. This is also true of a very
large majority of our ministry. Until
some practical difficulty arises, we are
likely to pursue the customs of the
churches around us, without inquiring
very closely into the reasons upon
which they rest. The question is an
interesting one and in these times of
discussions upon Church polity, it may
be well to give it some attention.
1 suppose the chief authority for the
voting of females is found in the first
and sixth chapters of the Acts of the
Apostles, in the election of Matthias
and the seven deacons. With the cus
toms of our times and the practice of
many of our churches before us, I con
fess that a cursory reading of these
passages would leave upon the mind
the impression that they voted ; but
the record does not say so —does not
render it certain. It is less probable
when we remember the customs of the
East in reference to females at the pe
riod when these elections were held.
The inspired Epistles are the best
commentary upon these passages in
Acts. If women voted how are we to
understand Ephesians, 5 : 2, “Wives
submit yourselves unto your own hus
bands, as unto the Lord.” —Ist 4Corin
tliians, IT : 3T, 35 : “Let your women
keep silence in the churches ; for it is
not permitted nnto them to speak ; but
they are commanded to be under obe
dience, as also sait.i the law. And if
they will learn any thing, let them ask
their husbands at home; for it is a
shame for a woman to speak in the
church.” —Ist Timothy, 2:11, IT, “Let
the women learn in silence with all sub
jection. Biff; I suffer not a woman to
teach, nor to usurp authority over the
man, but to be in silence. For Adam
was first formed, then Eve. And Ad
am was not deceived, but the woman
being deceived was in the transgres
sion.” Now can women fail to usurp
authority over the men if in a church
of one hundred and fifty members, one
hundred females vote against the /iews
of the male members ? Ordinarily no
such antagonism arises, but in times
of excitement it has arisen, and it may
do so at any time, if the females vote
on all subjects equally with the men.
In the Appendix to Memoirs of Jesse
Mercer, we find that he gave the fol
lowing opinion upon this subject;
“ From these verses (Ist Cor. IT: 3T,
5, and Ist Tim. 2 :11, IT,) it is general
ly agreed that women are debarred
any participation in the public minis
try, and this is the universal practice
(with one solitary exception) of all the
denominations. But are they not as
fairly debarred participation in any
exercise of authority, or government,
which would even put them on a par
with male members ? There is a sense
in which women are not permitted to
speak in the churches; and yet there
is a sense in which they may speak.—
Now in what may they not speak? In
teaching and governing. For these ob
vious reasons: Ist. The law requires it.
2d. Adam was first formed, then Eve.
This gives man the rule and govern
ment. 3d. The woman being .deceiv
ed, was in the transgression; indicating
her weakness, and affording a reason
ever afterwards, for her being under
obedience -with all subjection. But in
what may they speak ? In praying and
prophesying, (see 1 Cor. 11:5, Acts,
21: 9.) But this prophesying, when
used by women, must not be teaching
but only for edifying . For it is not
permitted to a vjoman to teach. Now
then if women are not permitted to
teach and exercise authority in the
churches, how can they vote in matters
of discipline which is government ?
We are (and have long been) of opin
ion that women are in the verses above
debarred the right of voting in the
churches in all matters of government,
because they cannot use this right
without being on a par witli men, and
in many instances taking the ascen
dency, which is at palpable variance
with the obedience and subjection which
is required of them.
We suspect it is the general practice
in churches of our order to allow wo
men this use. But whenever a case of
this kind has come under our observa
tion, we have noticed an obvious re
luctance in adopting it. And within
the sphere of our administration, they
have modestly declined it. We have
never had any difficulty on this sub
ject with us, and we hope for the sake
of the female Christian character, wo
men in no churches will ever make a
difficulty of it; and if men should at
tempt it, in view of honoring them,
they will have grace enough to rise up
with, one consent, and pour the waters
of pious, modest, and humble contempt
! upon it aud quench it at once.”
Such is the view of a deceased fath
■ er aud distinguished disciplinarian in
I our denomination. 1 will now give the
MACON, ffEMESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 1860.
opinion of a living minister of much ex
perience, and also distinguished thro’-
out the Southern States as a discipli
narian and author. “In my judgment
the Scriptures do not confer on females
the right to vote in the churches. The
right to vote would implj the right to
make inquiries preparatory to voting,
and to vindicate publicly the vote giv
en. To vote without the privilege of
asking questions, or of furnishing rea
sons for the vote given, would be a very
imperfect right. In 1 Cor. IT :3T and
35, and in 1 Tim. 2 : 11, IT, the apos
tle specifically denies to women the
right of speaking, of asking questions,
and of exercising authority in the
churches. 1 interpret these prohibi
tions in the most literal and simple
manner. The exercise of authority,
with the discussions and conflicts to
which its exercise must give rise, is in
compatible with the modesty which is
the ornament and charm of woman.
Nor is any good likely to result from
such an exercise of power. The man
is the head of the woman—in him she
is represented, and well represented.
All her interests will be promoted by
his suffrage better than her own. lie
is qualified by nature and education,
and required by the laws of man and
God, to maintain her rights and inter
ests ; aud they are secure in his hands
so long as the divinely constituted re
lations of father, husband, and brother
exist, and exert their natural influence.
The right of woman to vote in the
church belongs to that class of privile
ges called “woman’s rights” by the
maintenance of which error men of a
certain sort have gained so little in
power, and lost so much in social in
fluence.”
These opinions, taken in connection
with the scriptures on which they are
based, deserve our most thoughtful
consideration.
In our country and village churches
no practical difficulty occurs from the
voting of females, but in the cities it is
different. A large majority of the fe
males in our city churches know but
little of the interests of the churches,
or what is best for their welfare. An
ardent partizan can see them privately,
and secure their votes, and thus carry
a measure, right or wrong. It has been
done in some instances, and very seri
ous results have followed. If it is not
unscriptural it would seem judicious
for many churches to place the govern
ment, wholly in the hands of the male
members. This is so in the churches
of Richmond, Ya., of Charleston, S.
C., and of the church at Savannah, and
I know not of what others.
I have held membership where the
privilege was granted to females, tho’
it was very rarely exercised to any ex
tent, and never so as to control the
male members. Now my membership
is with a church which placed the
right and responsibility ot its govern
ment in tjjje hands of the male members
exclusively. I find no conscientious
difficulty in living under either order;
though I confess that the more I in
vestigate the subject, the more I am
inclined to the opinion, that the scrip
tures do not confer upon females the
right to vote in the churches.
S. LANDRUM.
Savannah, Ga.
The Terms of Salvation, and about
FAITH IN THE GOSPEL.
The Scripture says: a man is saved
by faith, without the deeds of the law.
As the subject of faith has been much
obscured byithose who w T ould make it
clear, I shall not write an essay to ex
plain its nature and office in the divine
economy. It has been well said : all
faith is one in essence —that which be
lieves a common fact, and that which
saves a soul, only different in object.—
He, then, wdio cannot understand what
is meant by faith, by an appeal to con
sciousness, would not • apprehend its
signilicancy, were'one to reason about
it, and illustrate it, infinitely. He who
has the faith of the gospel, believes all
that God has declared, because it is He
that declares it, whether it seem reas
onable or not. He is never skeptical;
but yields unanswering assent, not ex
pecting to comprehend the motives of
the Almighty One. He being terres
tial, does not hope to read clearly the
celestial. He being finite, is lost in
contemplating the infinity of Jehovah,
and, from thehighest sublimity he may
reach, peering: vainly into the unfath
omableness of the Incomprehensible
One, he returns to these low grounds
of sori'ow to believe, and to hope, and
to spend his ephemeral existence in
praying : “Lord I believe, help my un
belief.”
Though we are saved by faith, we
may not infer, that we shall wear the
crown without enduring also the heat
and dust of the strife. The Christian’s
faith is often put to sore trial, in which
he dare not trust to his own powers
and parts. He is ever to remember
that faith is not sight. Abraham is an
illustrious example of victorious faith,
under the most improbable and dis
tressing circumstances. God had pro
mised to multiply him exceedingly.—
Isaac—the promised seed, whose pos
terity was to be “as the sands upon the
sea shore,’’ is born.
God, now, did tempt (try) Abraham,
and said unto him : Abraham : and he
said: Behold, here am I. And He
said: Take now thy son—thine only
son, (what a crushing emphasis this
word “o/iZy” must have had for him)
Isaac, whom thou lovest , and get thee
into the land of Moriah, and offer him
there for a burnt offering, upon one of
the mountains which I will tell thee
of. AVe are all familiar with the thril
ling details of this narrative. How the
innocent youth, accustomed to see his
lather’s sacrifice, when they had reach
ed the. appointed place, put this touch
ing interrogatory to his sorrowing pa
rent : “And Isaac spake nnto Abra
ham, his father, and said, My father,
and he said, Here am I, my son, and
Isaac said, Behold the fire and the
wood, but where is a lamb for a burnt
oflering ?” He answered him indirect
ly, saying : “God would furnish a vic
tim—builds the altar, lays Isaac bound
thereon, and, obedient to his master,
draws the knife to slay him, when an
angel opportunely arrives, and author
itatively pronounces these words: “Lay
not thine hand upon the lad, neither
do thou anything unto him, for now 1
know that thou searest God, seeing,
that thou hast not withheld thy son,
thine only son, from me ”
When God told him to offer his sou
as a burnt oflering, we are not told that
lie murmured, and impudently taunted
God with inconsistency, and asked how
a countless posterity could spring fiom
him who was to be slain, but, in tlie
very next verse, in which the melan
choly command was given, we are in
formed, Abraham rose up early in the
morning, took two servants, and his
son, aud commenced his sad journey.
.Christian, would you know how the
faith of the early disciples was tried,
and how they overcame the world
which persecuted them, and the Devil
who tempted them ? We read, “They
had trial of cruel mockings; yea, more
over, ot bonds and imprisonments.—
They were stoned, they were sawn a
sunder, were tempted, were slain with
the sword, they wandered about in
sheep skins and goat skins, being des
titute, afflicted, tormented ; they wan
dered in deserts, and in mountains,
and in dens and caves of the earth, of
whom the world was not worthy.”—
There were heroes and giants in those
days. Into what insignificance do we
dwindle by comparison!
In later times, too, our own ances
tors have had the honor of suffering
for Christ. They have been impris
oned and cruelly scourged for beiiev
ing and preaching that there is but
“one Lord, one Faith, one Baptism.”—
While loaded with fetters, and suffer
ing every indignity, they have conver
ted dungeons into temples, and have
rejoiced that they were accounted
worthy of afflictions.
Ye timid and shrinking ones, if ye
were put to the test, rather than deny
the Lord who bought you, would ye,
filled with the Holy Ghost, the crown
in view, fear not thedungeon dark, nor
the cruel fire, artfully arranged to pro
long your torture ?
Reader, have you the faith of the
Gospel? If you have, you are, then,
rich indeed—for you are Christ’s, and
all things are liis, and He is God’s:
and presently, you shall enter into the
possession and enjoymentof your splen
did inheritance. If you have it not,
though you possess ail things beside,
you are poor indeed, and you shall
presently inherit “tribulation and an
guish, and everlasting destruction from
the presence of the Lord, and the glo
ry of His power.”
Alas ! have you it not ? Obtain it,
then, I beseech you, and obtain it now.
It is to be had for the asking. Jesus
is waiting to be gracious. Behold his
streaming eyes—his extended arms,
and he crieth : I will save to the utter
most. -Are you one of the uttermost ?
Then He will save you. Whosoever
will, let him come.
Confess your sins and forsake them,
repenting in dust and ashes. Come
just as you are, without any plea, ex
cept that He died for you. He will
accept you now, and glorify you with
his chosen ones hereafter.
W. G. W.
Letter from Creek Nation.
Micco, Creek Nation, )
Jan. Ist, 1360. ‘ f
Although a stranger to you and ma
ny of your readers, you will please al
low me a short space in your columns.
While reading your paper of Nov.
23d, I noticed an article titled “Libra
ry for a Missionary” containing an ex
tract from a private letter from Mr.
Murrow, which was follow'ed by an ap
peal to Georgia Baptists. Our hearts
were tilled with joy at this unexpected
notice of favor and esteem. Like the
desert upon the borders of w T hich we
labor, our life is sandy and waste, but
few* oases spring up to cheer us in our
toilsome life.
Our hearts are ever glad to know
that there are those -who feel and care
for us—who love to strew flowers in
our pathway—who are whiling to cheer,
encourage, and assist us in our labors.
For many reasons our books afford
us our chiefest joys ; unless it be the
consciousness of duty performed. Good
society is very rare here. We need
information as much as any class of
people, and there is but very little op
portunity of obtaining it except thro’
books. Missionaries are compelled to
labor under many inconveniences, and
I do think they should not be denied
the use of books. Because we are
Missionaries our lives should not, ne
cessarily, be a continued scene of un
improvement and inconvenience.
How are w T e to avoid this ( Our sal
aries are limited and small, but this
happy thought occurred to our minds,
we have friends, and those too, who
like us, we trust, possess a Missionary
spirit, and whose prayers we will ever
desire. A trunk of clothes were also
perhaps to be added and sent. Indeed
and truly, dear brethren and sisters,
we do feel thankful for every mark of
respect and esteem shown us by you.
Dr. J. F. Woodbury, Atlanta, Ga., will
please accept onr sincere, heartfelt
thanks for the part he takes in the in
terest and welfare of the Missionaries.
At the time of your notice and ap
peal, you were not aware, perhaps,
that Mr. Murrow had entered into new
arrangements for sharing his joys with
another, and whieh will add another
petition for Georgia liberality. I also
claim to be young and anxious for im
provement, and would therefore mod
estly beg to be considered and remem
bered in those donations.
By the last mail we received a most
cheering and encouraging letter from
Bro. B. F. Tharpe, the tbrmer Secre
tary of the Association that sustains
us. Truly were we rejoiced at the
words of cheer. Tears of joy could
not be restrained while reading them.
May the Lord abundantly bless him.
In his letter he informs us that the
good Ladies of Perry have organized
themselves into a Missionary Society.
This was also very encouraging. There
is much, dear sisters, for you to do.
The Missionaries are not all that
should engage in evangelizingthe hea
then. There is much, very much, for
all to do. lam very happy to know
also, that they are willing, condition
ally, to assist in educating our little
Choctaw boy. I think him worthy of
anything done for his benefit. He is
about IT years old, and can speak some,
and spell and read English pretty well.
In short he is a smart boy. Are there
not other brethren and sisters who are
willing and ready to assist those sisters
in this new work. We are anxious to
have him educated by Georgians.—
Mr. M. being a native of that State,
he is very partial. At this time he,
(the little boy) is at the select Bap
tist school taught by Bro. Green, of
Tenn.
To-morrow we expect to leave this
place for the Little River Station, GO
miles west of this, where we will suf
fer more from inconveniences than
here, owing to the want of a P. 0.
and physician, this being the nearest
point to either. Nevertheless, duty
points us there. There are fewer
whites, but generally the natives are
intelligent.
I will have the care of a Government
neighboihood school at that Station,
which will give me employment and
I trust render me useful to people.
Truly yours,
CLARA B. MURROW.
Monthly Meeting.
NUMBER SIX.
In this article (which may be the
last) we propose answering some of the
objections that are urged against the
practicability of bolding weekly, in
stead ot monthly meetings with our
churches. And
1. We are told that to have worship
at each church every Lord’s day, would
conflict with “sister churches.” Now
if this be true, what dots it prove?—
Simply this—that churches have been
needlessly organized. But the object
or may contend that our weekly meet
ings will unavoidably conflict with a
part of the congregations of sister
churches. Now we may turn the ar
gument against those objectors, and
say, a part (and generally a large part)
of our churches cannot attend the
meetings of sister churches, and hence
are deprived of the heaven-appointed
means of grace. Besides, let those
who live on middle ground, use their
discretien as to where they will attend
public worship. By this means, all
who wish, may be accommodated. —
Thus you see, the above objections are
powerless.
2. Another objection is, that our
weekly meetings will conflict with the
pedo churches.
Do we read anywhere in the wri
tings of Christ or his Apostles, of two
or more distinct sects, all claiming to
be the true church of Jesus Christ ?
Is there any place in God’s word, where
it is written, that two or more distinct
sects, all claimants to be the church of
Christ, still agreed to disagree, and
each be regarded as separate branches
of the true church ? Has any one ev
er seen the place in the book of God,
where it is recorded, that when we
disagree upon a few wow-essentials
(such as baby sprinkling, instead ot
the immersion of adult believers, for
Christian baptism, <fcc.) that it is best
for each to yield a point or two, and
thus compromise, and be as though
they were one ? Where is the record
that shows, that during the days of
the apostles, there existed a people
who differed so widely upon church
ordinances, doctrine and discipline,
that they must be called by distinct
names, and must erect different houses
of worship contiguous to each other;
but still, occasionally they musfc wor
ship and commune together? Do not
the above interrogations (if correctly
answered) prove that either they or use
are wrong, and hence not the Church
of Jesus Christ; and theretore should
not regard each other as such ?
I have written enough in the above
interrogotions to answer the objec
tions urged against the scriptural rule,
of holding meetings at our several
churches each Lord’s day, upon the
ground of pedo societies. Whilst we
are to be firm in contending for the
truth, we are to remember at the same
time, that it is most successfully
commended to the world in the spirit
of love.
3. Another objection urged, is, that
the supply of ministers is too scarce
to meet the demands of each church
for weekly meetings.
We will meet this objection by the
following arguments:
1. That the deficiency may be sup
plied by the Scriptural rule, the King
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S. BOYKIN, Associate Editor.
NUMBER 6
lias commanded us to “ pray the Lord
of the harvest, that He will send forth
laborers into His harvest.” Now to
doubt, that answer to sincere prayer
for more laborers would be granted,
would be to doubt the veracity of
Christ. The means that churches are
to use for a supply of ministers, are in
fallible and sure. Then it follows, that
if there is a deficiency of ministers to
meet demends, that the proper
means have not been used.
2. Again, churches are not only to
pray for more laborers, but they are to
support them. The latter obligation
is equally binding as the former; both
are Scriptural. “Even so hath the
Lord ordained that they which preach
the gospel should live of the gospel.”
Thus writes Paul. 1 Cor. 9: 14. To
pray for more ministers, and tail to
sustain those already in the field, is
certainly a glaring paradox. If our
ministers were all Scripturally sustain
ed, many who are now following secu
lar pursuits for a living, would return
to the vineyard of their Lord, and give
themselves wholly to preaching; whilst
others would be encouraged to enter
the whitening fields.
3. Once more. It is not so clear that
the apostolic churches, during their
Lord’s day meetings, were always fa
vored with ministers. We are told
that “there are diversities of gifts,” be
longing to Christ’s church. These gifts
are to be actively employed in the
Master’s cause. Where is there a
church in which some of her members
may not read the Scriptures, be useful
in exhortation and in singing and pray
ers, Ac. Would it not even be best,
it churches were occasionally to meet
together in the absence of their Pas
tor 1. We have not space to say more.
It we have deviated from the apostolic
waymark, may we return, by taking
God’s infallible word as our only
guide. J. M. S.
Letter from Kansas.
Fort Scott, K. TANARUS., )
Jan. 7, 1860. j
Bro. Editor. —Upon my return to
my family, from my recent fi} 7 ing vis
it to Georgia, I found many matters in
about the same condition as when 1
left; but quite a change in one or two
particulars. The change in one will
doubtless interest you to some extent.
A little over a year ago, about twenty
persons, who held letters of dismission
from Missionary Baptist Churches
widely separated, got together, and
were constituted into a church, taking
the name of the Mill Creek Baptist
Church, of Kansas Territory. The un
settled state ot afiairs in the neighbor
hood, till the past summer, prevented
many meetings, and any particular ef
fort in behalf of the good cause. The
past Summer and Ft.” it been dif
ferent, and some efforts were made.—
Upon my return, I found quite a plea
sant state of feeling among the mem
bers of the Church, and some evidence
that outsiders had become awakened.
Last Sabbath (the first day and the first
Sabbath in the year,) as some of the
fruits of the recent meetings, two
young meh were led into the waters of
the Marinpton, and buried with Christ
in baptism. The day was very cold,
with fine light snow falling. To get
to water, about twenty feet in length,
and eight in width, was cut through
ice, some seven or eight inches thick.
the cold, snow and
ice, the ordinance was performed “de
cently and in order.” While witness
ing this scene, away here in Kansas
Territory, I thought of a remark of El
der Mercer, of your State, made some
thirty years ago, that he “wanted to
see a revival that would last through
the winter.” It was a pleasant scene
to me, being the first baptism I have
seen in five years. There are five can
didates standing over for baptism next
Sabbath (to-morrow) and there is yet
some feeling exhibited in the congre
gations. Elder Keeling, recently from
Missouri, is now the Pastor of the
Church, whose labors appear to be ac
ceptable to the people, and blessed of
the Lord.
We have had an unprecedented
drought in this region, commencing
from last June. Most of the streams
are now dry, and stock are suffering
for water. There has been, also, an in
tensely cold spell of weather. For
some six weeks, there have been occa
sional snows, without much remaining
upon the ground—the Mercury vary
ing most of the time from 20 deg. to 6
deg. below zero.
Yours in the best of bonds,
BENJ. BEANTLY.
No Distribution of Seed this Winter by
tue Agricultural Bureau. —We would state,
as applications are constantly made at the Uni
ted States Agricultural Bureau for seed, that
the office, from the limited appropuation of last
year, has been circumscribed in its operations,
and therefore unable to purchase seed for dis
tribution as heretofore.
American Tea. —We were informed on yes,
terday by a gentleman in the Agricultural Di
vision of the Interior Department that he had
tasted some tea made from the leaves of the
plants grown in the agricultural garden on Mis
souri avenue. He says that the flavor is far su
perior to any he has ever tried, having a rich
oily taste, which is really delightful. The tea,
to be properly tested, must be drank without
milk. — Constitution.
Resignation of the Commissioner of Pat
ents. —The Hon. W. D. Bishop, Commissioner
of Patents, has forwarded his resignation to the
President, to take effect in the early part of
February next He has been impelled to do
this because of private financial affairs.
It is rumored that Samuel Ingham, of Con
necticut, Commissioner of Customs, is to be ap
pointed to fill his position.