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~ THE CHRISTIAN INDEX,
PUBLISHRU EVERY WEDNESDAY MORNING
AT MACON, GEORGIA.
BY A COMMITTEE OF BRETHREN,
FOR THE
GEORGIA BAPTIST CONVENTION.
TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION,
Two Dollars in advance: or paid within the year.
If suffered to overrun the yea>\ Two Dollars and
one-half will be charged in all cases.
SAMUEL BOYKIN, Editor.
VOLUME XXXIX.)
New Series.—Volume XXVIII. f
POETRY.
Darkness and Light.
BY HATTIE E. SMITH.
In bitterness of spirit I viewed life,
And it was joyless—deep, dark wretchedness ;
A burden it seemed, grievously heavy
To my soul, for sorrow had made me weak ;
And in agony of heart, as the future
Moved up before me its bleak, dreary page,
I asked “ for what is life, why must I be ?
I willed not my own existence, then why,
Ot Great Creative Power, not recall
The word that gave to me soul and being ?
But an atom in the wide creation
I am, at best, then sweep that atom off,
’Twill not be missed. Let me as nothing be:
• * * * *
And when I thus had askod, my soul stood still
For the sound of a mighty voice was heard
Saying, “darest thou unto Deity #
Say ‘wipe out what thy hand hast made, for good
It seemeth not ?’ Thy will made not thyself,
But Divinily formed thee, and kindled
In thy form life’s flame. Then dost thou, O! man,
Because thou didst not mould thy being, say
In thy presumption, ‘ undo God’s work ?’
Would He place in His grand mechanism
One nseless spring, one atom to be lost?
Can the will of Divinity ever
Be swept away, or into nothing melt ?
Creature from the hand of God, ofUlis word
Born, thy birthright is a precious thing.
Life is thine. Thou art God’s, thou cans’t not die.
When the corridors of Time have long since
Echoed not the tramp of marching ages,
Thine will still be a living soul ’mid all
The strange mysteries of Eternity.”
Eternity!—as inceivable
To man as the face of Divinity ;
Vainly my soul strove at the conception,
Dizzy with the mighty effort, I sat
Peering in the shadows rolling round me,
When from their mist came forth a picture dark
And terrible —a region of misery ;
Woe and dismal gloom made the air thereof,
Hosts and myriads of souls writhed in
And out the darkness, (starless night was there.)
And they howled and wrung their hands in anguish;
Hope lit up no future in that abode,
They measured not time, looked for no end
To wretchedness and bitter agony ;
This life we now live was finished long since,
And the despairing wretches would look back
To the world they had left, which rolled an orb
Os beauty, far from the dismal region,
And with howls, and pain-distorted features,
Wring and clutch their fiend-like hands toward it;
And ’mong them venomed serpents of remorse
Hissing twined, and darted their flaming tongues
Through hearts racked with their stings of agony;
And the wretched beings called ever—Death—
Called—knewing it could never, never come,
But mocking, one to another, they said—
How long! How long? And each rolling age that
Thundered by, would echo foreve, and
Forever. Quaking, my soul turned away,
And the voice said, “they despised theirbirthright;
And now in everlasting torments learn
How fearful it is to lightly esteem
The gifts of a God both merciful and just,”
And the awful dream of darkness passes by.
*****
But hark ! Did the winds bring that melody?
And whence? There certainly swept by
A gush of richest harmony like the mellow
Sound of harp-strings heard playing afar oft’;
And piles of rich, gorgeous morning vapors,
Fierced and scattered by golden darts shot forth
From a rising sun, are something like to
Those billowy clouds, now heaving up, flushed
With tints of royal grandeur, then melting
Away as at the uprising of some
More glorious scene ;
Aye, and a scene of glory doth uprise.
All earthly splendor seems bleakness compared,
Then can words of man picture its richness?
Bring all your fancy paints of loveliness,
Dream of the beautiful city with its
Pearly gates, and jewelled streets; till your soul
Is dazzled with its supernal splendor.
Spread out those plains bathed in celestial light,
Where fadeless flowers bloom, and rivers flow
In crystal purity to the chime of
Golden harp-strings ; and seraphic beings
Pass through it all with their snowy pinions
Glittering in the radiant air filled
With their glad songs of blissful happinesss ;
Yet the brightest dream young fancy brings
Equals not its transcend&nt loveliness;
Yet the beautiful city—those regions
Os bliss— yea, and the angels, were all there,
And the angels played on their harps and sang—
Sang of their glorious home, and way off
Methought to the sin-cursed planet where the
Fallen children do weep and sigh for rest,
Rest from their sorrows and wearisome toil,
Echoed the sweet songs of love and mercy,
And the angels smiled one to another
As some poor burdened soul almost fainting
On its earthly pilgrimage, but catching
The clang of the harp-strings looked up and saw
That dear home of rest, delicious rest,
And life, whose deep charm is Eternity.
And this is the home where the workers rest;
Whe're thirsty souls chafmg ’gainst the fetters
Os fallen humanity, drink knowledge
From fountains, sweet fountains filled by God,
And none but workers, and workers for God,
Patient and faithful can entor therein.
Warrenton, Ga.
Waldensian Emigrants. —A colony
of 300 Waldensian emigrants have es
tablished themselves during the year
1856-8, in South.Ainerica, at Monte
veido. It is said that they exert a
most beneficial iniinence upon the in
habitants, who are chiefly Catholic. —
Complete religious toleration has been
secured to them. They are too poor
to support a pastor or school teacher.
| ♦
Tabernacle Baptist Church, Phil
adelphia.—Twelve candidates were
baptized into the fellowship of the Tab
ernacle Baptist Church of that city,
on Sabbath evening by Rev. Dr
Brautly, in the presence of a large con
gregation. A hopeful state of feeling
and interest still pervades this people.
Returned. —Rev. A. B. Cavaniss,
missionary of the Southern Baptist
Missionary Board, arrived in the ship
Eastern States last week, from Shang
hai, China.
Triumph of the Gospel in India.—
Fron? different parts of India comes
the cheering intelligence that the re
ligion of the gospel is making progress.
CONTRIBUTIONS.
Dear Bro. Boykin : In a recent is
sue of your paper, you chronicled the
favorable opening of Mercer Universi
ty. Our number has increased some
what since that date. Os our whole
number, sixty-eight are members of
the church. Os the remainder, a very
large majority are high-minded, hon
orable young men, whose correct de
portment, and good scholarship would
do credit to any institution. The eve
ning prayer meeting is well attended.
One young friend of the Academical
Department, has, 6ince the commence
ment of the term, indulged, we trust,
a good hope in the Saviour. Others,
it is thought, are inclined to be serious.
May our dear brethren throughout the
State, implore the Divine blessing up
on the preached gospel at Mercer Uni
versity !
My special object in writing, how
ever, is not to talk about the College ;
but to call attention to a subject of
even greater importance. Our Lord
commanded his disciples to pray, that
laborers might be sent into his harvest;
because the harvest is gieat and the
laborers few.
What was true then, is true now.—
Theie is a great want of ministers of
the Gospel. We need them for our
own country. Thousands of our own
people are destitute of the word of life.
Why is it so? Simply because there
are not preachers enough to “possess
the land.” Often have our Executive
Committees, with funds in hand, called
in vain for men to labor in the dark
places within the bounds of our own
Associations and Conventions. Even
many churches are wdtliout regular
preaching ; and a still larger number
are restricted to one Sabbath in the
month. So far does the supply of min
isterial labor fall short of the demand
even in this, our highly favored coun
try.
But what shall we say of the heath
en world ? After all, it is undeniable,
the reason, why our great foreign en
terprise progresses so slowly, is the
want of men. Considering the num
ber engaged, their success is wonder
ful—demonstrating that it is indeed
the Lord’s work. We have not want
ed money as much as we have wanted
men. lias it ever occurred, since the
day that the cry of Judson .first came
over the waters upon the ears of Amer
ican Baptists, that any properly quali
fied man, who desired to devote him
self to the heathen, was unable to grat
ify his wish for the want of money ?
If not, how significant is this fact?—
Our great want is men—properly
qualified men.
Can any thing be done to supply
tliis want ? Our Saviour commands
us to pray that God *would send forth
more laborers. Have we obeyed this
command ? Let every Church mem
ber, before God, answer that question.
Faithful prayer never fails to put in
exercise the best efforts of God’s peo
pie for the advancement of his purpo
ses. I pretend not to understand the
mystery —but there is a nexus, which
the Lord has established between pray
er and effort. With what efforts, then,
are we seeking for an increase of min
isters ? If none, then we are not pray
ing for it.
Will brethren ask, what shall we do
to promote this object? To answer
this question fully, would make this
article too long. But I would call at
tention to a single fact, At this time,
there are, perhaps, scores of excellent
and pious youths in our churches, who
often feel deeply impressed to preach
the gospel. With proper encourage
ment they would gladly devote them
selves to the work. But they are not
encouraged. They are neglected in
the Conferences, and in the prayer
meetings ; or, what is worse, their
churches, perhaps, have no prayer
meetings, or Sabbath schools, or any
system of exercises, whatever, calcula
ted to bring out the latent gifts of her
pious young men. But should these
discouragements not exist, it may yet
be true, that these dear youth, who
would rejoice to do their Maker’s work,
are kept back by the consciousness that
they have not the requisite education.
They know that to teach others, they
must first be taught. The time is past,
in this country, when it can be expect
ed that many young men can be in
duced to face our intelligent congrega
tions without adequate culture. But
these young men are poor, not able to
meet the expense of a residence at Col
lege. Here, then, is the work which
opens plainly before us, viz : To pro
vide means for the education of pious
young men, who are approved by their
Churches , and who give evidence that
they are called of God to preach the
Gospel.
Thanks to the benevolence and fore
thought of those noble men, who found
ed Mercer University, there is an edu
cational fund in the hands of our Ex
ecutive Committee, the interest of
which is designed for this very pur
pose. And it is worthy of note, that
nearly all the good accomplished by
Mercer University, since its organiza
tion down to the present time, in af
fording instruction to young men en
tering the ministry, has been effected
by the aid of that fund. What would
we have done without it ? Almost
nothing. I speak what I know the
history of the College will verify.—
Hence we have in the results of this
fund, a practical and conclusive test of
its importance. But it is limited.—
With all their care the Committee can
not sustain more than ten or twelve
students if they were charged with the
, whole expense of each one. By af
fording only partial aid they may help
a few more, But partial aid is, in ma
ny cases not sufficient. 1 have no
doubt that there are young men who
would gladly come to the College, in
pursuit of that preparation which they
need, if they could. But having no
means of their own, beyond the avails
of tneir daily employment, they cannot
provide for any portion of their expen
ses. Hence the partial aid of the Com
mittee does not meet the necessities of
this class. Whether this class be large
or small it ought to be provided for.— *
Is there in all the land one single
yonth whose heart glows with the love
of Christ, who is willing to give him
self up to his cause—but who is~kept
back, and held down by the hard hand
of poverty from those means of im
provement which are now so abundant
in our Colleges and Theological Semi
naries ? Such an one claims onr deep
est sympathy. What boots it to him
that so many noble institutions of
learning bless our land ? Their classic
halls he can never tread, Their stores
of learning are hoarded up for others,
they are not for him. Oppressed with
his sense of want, he may look, and
wish, and wish and sigh. Reader, how
do you know but there is just such a
young man in your church ? There
are such young men. They are in
some of the Churches. Where are
they ? Have you made any effort to
find out such an one in your Church ?
If not, I beseech you do not delay an
other week; make diligent search,
and if you find him, rest not till you
have found means to meet his wants.
Here is a work which many a single
church member may accomplish,whose
moral results shall reach through eter
nity. How many brethren are there
whose ample incomes would enable
them, without inconvenience, to sus
tain a young minister the time neces
sary to complete a full course of study
at the Seminary ? Such an investment
would pay. O! it would pay. It
would be clothing the Saviour when
naked, feeding him when hungry, vis
iting him when sick, ministering to
him when bound—not in the person of
a single saint, but in the influences
upon the church, and upon the world,
of that whole life of piety which his
liberality, had, under God, been the
means of qualifying for its career of
labor and of usefulness. If a cup of
cold water shall not lose its reward,
what glory shall not crown the head of
a benefactor like that!
Again, this work is one in which
whole churches may combine. Nay,
Associations may take hold of it. All
praise t<s those Associations which have
assumed the support of one or more
missionaries in the Foreign field. This
is well. But for about one third the
amount a student may be supported at
the Seminary. Let, then, all our church
es, at once, resolve to send up funds,
according to their ability, to the next
meeting of their Associations, designa
ted to this special work* If the Asso
ciation can find, in its own lxmnds,
one or more who would be glad to
spend some time in study, let the As
sociation send them forward, and thus
disburse- its own funds. If not, let
them send the funds up to the Execu
tive Committee to augment the educa
tional fund in their hands. It will thus
be turned to good account. Not one
dollar will be lost, and the cause- of
ministerial education be advanced. —
This scheme would in two years time,
I verily believe, place fifty young men
in our Theological Department.
S. G. HILLYER.
Mercer University, March 7, 1860.
Indian Missions. —Series 3d.
Q. How do the Indians dress ?
A. The more enlightened dress like
the whites. Others dress old style,
viz : with buckskin leggins, and plain
buckskin moccasins, a shirt which
hangs loose, and over it a coat or gown,
generally made of calico, a large shawl
or handkerchief tied around their heads
leaving the top bare, completes the
dress of the men. The women rarely
wear shoes or even mocasius, but wear
a dress made similar to the whites, and
a handkerchief over the head tied un
der the chin.
Q. Are they fond of jewelry?
A. very, and wear it whenever
they can, in abundance.
Q. Are they neat and.tasty in their
dress ?
A. In general not very. Some are
very filthy in their habits and dress.—
Red is the popular color.
Q. Are they kind and hospitable in
their houses ?
A. They are a very hospitable peo
ple indeed.
Q. How long have you been among
the Indians?
A. Something over two years.
Q. Do you speak the language ?
A. Very little, indeed.
Q. Dow do you preach or communi
cate with them ?
A. Through an Interpreter. The
language is acquired by few whites. —
All the Missionaries preach through an
Interpreter. Some have been here for
10, 12, and 15 years, and can talk lit
tle more than when they first came.
Q. Why is this; is it so difficult of
acquisition ?
A. It is difficult to be acquired; but
that is not the only reason, indeed
there are several. Ist. There are so
many Whites to communicate with in
English, that the necessity for talking
Creek is not felt as in other heathen
countries. 2d. There are so many in
tepreters, that it is probably cheaper
to hire an interpreter, than to spend
time and money in studying thft Jaip
guage. 3d. There are several dialects
MACON, WEDNESDAY, MAKCH 21, 1860.
in this nation, and after having master
ed one, a person would then be under
the necessity of getting an interpreter
to talk to the others. Different tribes,
too, have entirely different languages,
There is as much difference between
the language of all the tribes, as there
is between Greek and Roman—quite
as much.
Q. What does an Interpreter cost ?
A. Some more and some less. About
S2OO a year.
Q. In what manner do you preach ?
A. Make a short, complete sentence
in English, the Interpreter, then, who
stands right beside, repeats the idea
or expression in as pretty and forcible
Creek as he can.
Q. Does not this plan seem tame
and without animation ?
A. To some extent it does, but when
one gets used to it, and has a good In
terpreter, lie can put in a good deal of
vim and vigor.
Q. Are the native preachers pretty
good speakers ?
A. Some of them are very fine speak
ers indeed.
Q. Are they intelligent ?
A. Some are.
Q. How many are there in the Creek
Nation ?
A. I think there are nine native or
dained Indian preachers, and perhaps
fifteen or twenty licensed.
Q. Are there not enough to supply
the field ?,
A. Ten more white missionaries could
find more work than they could do.
Q. What are the expenses of living
out there ?
A. Very great. Most everything
is high. i. board at an Indian house
and have to pay very high. House
keeping is still more expensive. We
are obliged to give away a great deal
to objects of charity, contributions,
church houses, and for supporting
camp meetings.
Q. Are the Indians great beggars ?
A. They are, many of them.
Q. Are the church houses comforta
ble ?
A. They are not, excepting three or
four, (in this Nation.)
Q. Why have camp meetings ?
A. Because the people live so far
apart sometimes, that they cannot at
tend a protracted meeting, and from
experience and custom camp meetings
seem necessary.
J. S. MURROW.
Little River, Creek Nation, Ark.
[ To be continued .]
++*
Should Females vote in Our
Churches ?
Bro Boyle in:
In the Index of the Bth inst. is an
article upon the right of females to
vote in our churches, by Rev. S. Lan
drum. I was much pleased to find
that our good brother’s feelings had be
come interested upon that particular
subject; for it is lamentably true, as
remarked by Brother Landrum, that
a large portion of our ministers have
failed to give this subject a thorough
examination; or, at least, I fear so.
The question is truly one of vital inte
rest to our denomination, and in look
ing at it we should try, at least, to view
it in the light of revelation. lam in
sentiment agreed with brother Lan
drum in every position he has taken
upon this subject; and in addition to
the passages of Scripture referred to
by him to sustain his views, as found
in Eph. 5. 2. “Wives, submit your
selves unto your own husbands as un
to the Lord.” Ist Cor. 14: 34. 35. “Let
your women keep silence in your chur
ches, for. it is not permitted unto them
to speak; but they are commanded to
be under obedience, as also saith the
law. And if they will learn anything
let them ask their husbands at home,
for it is a shame for a woman to speak
in the church.” Ist Tim, 2: 11-14.
“Let the women learn in silence with
all subjection ; but I suffer not a wo
man to teach, nor to usurp authority
over the man,” &c. And it is
further said, Eph. 5. 24., “Therefore,
as the church is subject unto Christ, so
let the wives be to their own husbands
in everything.” Many passages be
sides these might be referred to, but
we think the above quite sufficient for
our present purpose; and it is as clear
to our mind as the noon-day’s suh that
females have no right to vote in our
churches; yet, that they have this
right is asserted by the editor of the
Baptist Champion , and in defending
this right to my mind he has made a
most splendid failure. Just- here we
would most respectfully invite the at
tention of the reader to the portions of
Scripture referred to and relied on by
Bro. Walker to sustain him in his po
sition. The first of these is to be found
in Matthew 12. 50. “For whomsoever
shall do the will of my Father which
is in Heaven, the same is my brother
and sister and mother.” If this pas
sage proves the right in question, I
must confess I cannot see it; for 1 un
derstand this passage to mean simply
this (in the language of an eminent
minister:) The persons spoken of in
the text were as dear to Christ as such
are to those to whom they stood thus
related in the flesh, and these natural
relations serve to convey some idea of
that relation, union, nearness and com
munion there are between Christ and
his people ; nothing more, nothing less.
The next is a passage in Gall. 3. 28:
“There is neither male nor female, for
ye are all one in Christ Jesus.” Dr.
Gill, in commenting upon this passage,
says: “We are all one in Christ in this
sense: All being alike, chosen in him,
united to him, redeemed by his blood,
justified by his righteousness, regene
rated by his spirit, the children of God
by faith in him, and we are all one in
point of heirship, all heirs to this same
rich inheritance.” It seems never to
have entered the mind of Dr. Gill that
the right of females to vote in our
churches was designed by the apostle
in the text referred to.. If the fact that
we are all one in Christ Jesns proves
the right of females to vote in our
churches, it is clear to my mind that
it confers upon all, whether bond or
tree, (so that they are in Christ Jesus
by faith) the same right, and more.—
l pon this principle females would be
just as much entitled to preach as to
vote ; and as much entitled to hold an
office in the church as a male member.
For the life of me I cannot so under
stand the teachings of the Scriptures.
The editor of the Champion says, in
reply to Bro. Landrum, that a Scrip
tural warrant or an example is de
manded, and that we have both in the
first chapter of the Acts of the Apos
tles; that there is a record of the first
disciple meeeting that took place after
our Lord’s ascension. The number of
the names was one hundred and twen
ty, among whom were women, with
Mary, the mother of Jesus, at that
meeting. An apostle was elected by
the joint suffrages of males and females,
and it would he as easy to prove that
the former did not vote as that the lat
ter did not. That the election of this
apostle was by the joint suffrage of
males and females, with the editor I
beg leave most respectfully to differ.
The record shows no such thing. This is
a bare assertion on the part of our edit
or, and as a stand off I will give you
the opinion of Dr. Gill in this regard.
He says it'should seem that the wo
men were not reckoned into the num
ber of the one hundred and twenty
here addressed; and the Syriac version
calls that number the number of men.
But again, the sixth chapter of Acts is
referred to as proof upon this subject,
and a similar remark is made in regard
to the election seven deacons to that
of the election of an apostle, that those
deacons were elected by the united
votes of males and females, will our
editor please point out the verse, for I
must confess, that in giving it a care
ful perusal, I have entirely failed to
find it. My good brother, if you
please, rely a little more on proof, and
not quite so much upon bare assertion.
Bro. Walker says we cannot regard
the voting of females in the churches
as a usurpation of authority over the
other sex.
As an illustration, let us suppose a
case (and one, too, that came under
the observation of the writer.) A case
comes up in church meeting for action;
the husband and the wife entertain
views entirely opposed, the one to the
other. The vote is taken; the hus
band is found voting with the minori
ty, the wife with the majority. The
husband, being in the minority, sub
mits to the wishes of the majority.—
Reader, do you think that wife obeyed
that injunction of Holy Writ which
says, “Therefore as the church is sub
ject unto Christ so let the wives be to
their own husbands in everything ?”
‘Nay, verily, our editor remarks further
that all the females have not husbands
to ask at home. This may be, and is
so, that al have not husbands. Well, in
such an event, we think it entirely com
petent for such to inquire of their pas
tor or deacon privately; and those who
have husbands are bound by the Scrip
tures to inquire of them at home, for a
woman must not speak in the church,
whether married or unmarried.
When women thus act, it may be
said in truth that their rights are ex
ercised in the proper direction in this
regard. But we are told that in Vir
ginia church property has been saved
to the regular Baptists by the votes of
females.
In reply, my opinion is that we had
better give up church property than
compromise truth—far better lose it
than violate the teachings of God’s
word to retain possession of it.
Bro. Boykin, by your permission I
will assign one reason for being op
posed to the principle under contem
plation, formed upon facts aside from
scripture. In the History of all the i
Denominations in the United States,
by Winebranner, on page 59, he says
that Mr. Jefferson learned the first idea
of governing these United States from
a Baptist congregation. Now, as fe
male voting was not incorporated in
to our system of government, I must
think it was not the custom ,in that
church at that time for females to vote.
If, however, it was their custom, Mr.
Jefferson must have believed it wrong
—contrary to Scripture and incompat
ible with that modesty that will ever
adorn and beautify the female char
acter.
In conclusion, I regret to have to
differ upon this subject with my bro
ther, for whose opinions, on many sub
jects, I entertain very high regard.—
But I am persuaded that Gill, Mercer
and B. M. Saunders, together with
many good brethren still living, held
and do hold that females should not
vote in our churches.
A GEORGIA BAPTIST.
Use the world without abusing it,
the relations of life without idolizing
them, the truth of God without per
verting it, and all means, friends, in
struments, without trusting any.
Wales. —The progress of the work
of God in some parts of this principal
ity is very delightful.
Rev. C. 11. Harvey, a Methodist E
piscopal clergyman in New Y ork, was
formally received into the Baptist
church last Sunday week.
Sonnet.
(Written after a walk in the woods, ih winter.)
BY E. S. W.
Let those who lore the city, love it still!
For me ; —my love is for these woods and trees,
These moaning pines—yon lofty, sun-brow’d hill
Kissiug the skies ; while this pure healthful breeze,
Tossing my hair about my face and brow,
Thrills me with such a sense of joy, I bow,
In adoration of the Almighty One,
Who made the world so fair and beautiful;
And here amid this grand old forest lone,
My heart is filled with feelings dutiful,
And I go forth refreshed and vivified,
Strengthened to do my part in life’s broad field,
To breast in Faith the strong opposing tide
Os sin; and all my soul in worship yield.
Lumpkin, Jan. 1860.
Notes on Pronunciation.
Bro. Editor :
I was much interested in perusing the
articles on pronunciation which ap
peared in your columnssome time ago,
having for their object the correction
ot those errors so frequently heard from
the pulpit and in the tamily circles of
the less pretending and less educated.
An incorrect pronunciation of our
words sounds unpleasantly in the ear
of refinement at any time, but espe-,
cially when heard from the lips of the
minister when reading the Iloiy Scrip
tures from the pulpit. It lias been
well said by a distinguished author,
on this subject, that nothing furnishes
a better proof of scholarship than for
a gentleman to be able to pronounce
his own language correctly. It is to
be regretted that so small a share of
attention has been given to this sub
ject in our common schools and colle
ges.
It is my purpose, by your permis
sion, to notice the letters c, h, and g, as
heard in many words of common use.
Walker and Webster both inform us
that c has but two sounds ; first, a hard
sound before a, o, and u ; the other a
sibilant precisely like the sound of s,
which occurs before e, i, and y. The
hard or close sound in this vocabulary
is distinguished (says he, in his large
dictionary,) by c, which may be cajled
Tee. If this be so how should we pro
nounce the word cart? If we follow
his books we must undoubtedly pro
nounce it he-art; the words “car,”
he-ar “card” he-ard, “carpet, hearpet.
Jesus was said to be the he-arpenter's
son. The “carnal mind” is pronounced
the he-arnal mind. It would sound
prodigiously uncouth to hear a minis
ter read to intelligent audiences about
the fatted cah-aff, instead of fatted
Tce-aff.
The letter c has a hard sound, similar
to its sound in “cut,” “cat,” “cap,”
“cow,” which is nearly like the sound
made by the letters cuh , and not cah,
in any instance whatever. “Card” is
not therefore, to be pronounced cahrd,
but with the sound of Tee , that is, heard.
“Carrion” would sound ridiculously if
pronounced cahrion ; nor could we
pronounce it cuh-rion, sounding the c
as in “cup”— he arrion isthe proper
sound. “Carry” must not be pro
nounced cah-ry , but he-arry.
There is an exception to this rule ;
for before o and u the letter c docs Dot
sound like he; for instance, “cow” is
not to be pronounced heow , nor
“count” heount , as the cracker Yan
kees do. The c sounds in the words
precisely as it does in “cut,” “cap,” &c.
But when the letter u is long, the c is
to be sounded like he, as in “enpid,”
“curious, ”j“curate.” With respect to
the letter g, we have a few things to
say, when it sounds hard, as before a ,
o, and u. It has two sounds; one like
gee , the Greek word for “our earth.”
The other sound is hard, as in “got,”
“gun,” “gust,” &c. When it sounds
like gee, it is hard, as in “garden,” pro
nounced gu-arden. To. illustrate this
sound, Walker says, “a garden” sounds
like egg garden; “a garter,” like egg
garter ; “a garment,” like egg garment.
Webster says, respecting the word
“garden,” “the first syllable is the
Saxon word geard, hence, the word
‘garden’ is to be pronounced as above
by Walker, the g sounding like the
Greek name for our earth.
The letter c has, in its connections,
two hard sounds, the sound of he, as in
“cart,” pronounced he-art &c. It has
also another sound, as indicated by the
letters cuh in cut, cup, &c. It never
has the sound of cah in any connec
tion. “Carriage” is to be pronounced
hear-riage, and not cah-riage. “And
after three days we took up our carri
ages and went to Jerusalem.” Acts 21
15. How pedantic it would sound in
well educated ear to hear a minister of
the Gospel read this verse and pro
nounce cah-riages instead of he-arria
ges.
Os the things which we have said
this is the sum: We should study the
ortheopy of our language closely, and
practice it in our daily conversation,
that we might express ourselves in
such away in the pulpit as to give no
offence to the ear of the truly educated
—always remembering, however, that
no correctly educated gentleman or
lady will feel at liberty to criticise the
language of those who have unfortu
nately never enjoyed the advantages
of education. Let us all, however,
covet earnestly the best gift, and never
forget that there is a more excellent
way. It is not good to show” learning
without showing love. Philom.
Common swearing argues in a man
a perpetual distrust of bis reputation
among his fellows.
Awful Affair. noon on Friday last,
says the Sun, of yesterday, a daughter nine
years of age, of Mr. and Mrs. Roquemore, at
Upatoie Post Office, in this county, while lift
ing the kettle off the fire, caught her clothes on
fire, and before help could reach her, was burnt
so badly that she died that evening. —Comer
Stone.
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NUMBER 12.
SABBATH SCHOOL COLUMN.
Sabbath Schools.
It is needless for us to say anything
specially in favor of this “nursery of
the Church.” All Christians in heart
love the Sabbath Schools, and in eve
ry way endeavor to promote their pros
perity. Though not authorized by
namein the Bible, their usefulness and
propriety are so perfectly apparent
that all admit their necessity. In truth,
catechetical instruction was one of the
first methods used in the world to ex
tend the knowledge of divine things;
and from the time of the Father’s un
til now, obedience to the injunction to
bring up children in the “nurture and
admonition ot the Lord” has always
been followed by blessings. We are
taught that if children are trained up
(margin catechised) in the way in
which they should go, when thej r are
old they will not depart from it. Now
we are instructed that the way of God’s
commandments is the way in which
Christians should run. Surely then to
lead children in these ways—the ways
of peace and pleasantness, ought to be
one of the highest aims of the Christians
heart. If Abraham was commended
for training—instructing, (catech ising)
his servants; if Hannah was blessed
in having a most Godly son whom she
dedicated to God in youth ; if Timothy
was instructed from a child in the ho
ly Scriptures ; if Christ said, “suffer
little children to come unto me, surely
we have every encouragement to # pro
mote Sabbath schools. Look upon a
child ! He is a being formed for eter
nity : his soul shall live and suffer, or
enjoy forever: his influence will be
felt after suns and moons are blotted
out: 110 is an “arrow in the hand of a
mighty man two generations depend
immediately upon his proper culsure ;
and the happiness of many for time
and eternity hang upon the moral for
mation of his character. Shall that be
neglected ?
THE SUPERINTENDENT.
He should be a man of piety, vivac
ity, and “apt to teach.” He should
have patience, good sense, good hu
mor, and chould love-children. It is
not necessary that he be eloquent, but
he should have a certain flow of lan
guage, so as to be able to interest chil
dren. After gaining their confidence,
his great duty must be to interest them;
and unless he can do this he had as
well resign in favor of one who can.
It is his duty to interest them, and se
cure a generous emulation for sacred
knowledge in every breast.. In doing
this he will beget a love for the Bible,
for the school, for the Sabbath, for God
and for all holy things in their hearts;
and thus we will really benefit them.
He should open the school with read'-
ing a few verses of the Bible,, singing
a short hymn and offering up a short
prayer. In prayer lfe should not speak
too loud, lest children be induced to
inquire of their mothers “if God is deaf
or far ofand he should be brief,
simple* and plaiu. We read once of a
little S. S. scholar who, wearied by a
long prayer, of the superintendent,
pulled off his coat, bundled it up, and
slipped it under his knees, ejaculating,
“Here’s at you till morning.”
At the close the superintendent
should address the whole school, gen
rally endeavoring to foster the lesson
tor the day in their minds, and often
asking pointed questions, insisting
npon an answer. It were well always
at such times to teach some general
truth, as “God sees me.” During
school hours he must preserve order,
see that each class has its teacher, su,
pervise the instruction as he passes
around; and at least once a month re
view the entire school in the lessons
of the four past weeks.
Robert Raikes.
This projector of modern Sabbath
schools was born in Gloucester, Eng
land, September the 14:th, 173 C ; and
the first intimation of such schools ap
peared in a paper edited by him, in
November 3d, 1753. The first estab
lishment of these schools was owing to
an accident. Being led one morning
into the suburbs of Gloucester, he “was
struck with concern at seeing a group
of children, wretched and ragged, at
play in the street.” On inquiry he
lound that on Sundays they “spent
their time in noise and riot, and play
ing at chuck, and cursing and swear
ing.” _
Raikes immediately engaged four
women at twenty-foui cents a day, to
instruct as many children as he would
send to them “in reading and in the
church catechism.” A clergyman a
greed to lend his assistance by “going
round to the schools on a Sunday af
ternoon to examine the progress that
was made, and enforce order and deco
rum.” This was the commencement
of Sunday schools.
From such beginnings let the friends
of children’s religious instruction be
hold what has grown up at the present
time. All honor to Robert Raikes.
Aliss Catharine Beecher, a woman of
great ability, sister of the Rev. Henry
Ward Beecher and of several other dis
tinguished Beechers, has published a
theological w<srk, inquiring how sin
came into the world. There are mat
ters of more practical importance than
the inquiry. If there is a pig in your
garden, you had better busy yourself
in driving it out than in speculating
as to how it got in.— Prentice
At tha Commencement exercises of the
Virginia Medical College, at Richmand, Va.,
the following Georgians were among the gradu
ates; Bayard L. Mclntosh, N. Bayard Sadler,
and George W. Thomas, Jr.