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’ THE 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 advance: or paid within the year.
If suffered to overrun the Two Dollars and
one-half will be charged in all cases.
SAMUEL BOYKIN, Editor.
VOLUME XXXIX.)
New Series.—Volume XXVIII. f
POETRY.
“I Rise to seek the Light!”
L. S. D. REF.SE.
I saw a little blade of grass
Just peeping from the sod,
And asked it, why it sought to pass
Beyond its parent clod?
It seemed to raise its timid head,
All sparkling, fresh and bright,
And wondering at the question, said—
“l rUe to seek the light!”
I asked the Eagle why his wing
To ceaseless flight was given,
As if he scorned each earthly thing,
And knew no home but Heaven?
He answered, as he fixed his gaze
Undazzled at the light,
Upon the sun’s meridian blaze:
“I rise to seek the light!”
I asked the planets, why they kept
Still on their circling ways,
Nor tempted by ambition,
Swept far into boundless space ?
They answered : “ ’Tis yon glowing Urn
Restrains us in our flight,
And iji all our wanderings we turn,
To drink his floods of light.”
I asked my soul, what means this thirst
For something yet beyond ?
What means this eagerness to burst
From each earthly bond ? w
It answers, and I feel it glow,
With fires more warm, more bright,
All is too dull, too dark below,
“I rise to seek the light!”
ORIGINAL ARTICLES. -
An Incident.
THE POWER OF PRAYER.
On Sabbath morning, after Mr. C.’s
powerful effort, I attended the morn
ing prayer meeting at the stand. The
arbour was densely crowded before
8 1-2 o’clock, the hour appointed for
the prayer-meeting to commence. All
who led in prayer seemed to pray “with
the spirit and with the understanding.”
When the meeting was about closing,
bro. 1)., the pastor of the church, de
livered a short, but effective exhorta
tion, requesting all who felt the need
,of prayer to manifest it by kneeling at
their seats at the close of the by inn
they were then going to sfng ; and re
quested brother to lead, and to
pray especially for those persons who
seemed to have no wish or desire to be
remembered at a throne of Grace by
any one whatever. At the close of the
mn all bowed with the exception of
three young men. When the brother
leading in prayer mentioned the cases
of those young men, lie was so deeply
affected for some moments that his
speech failed him. After praying for
them all generally, he mentioned es
pecially the case of his poor
ed seemed, “Gallio like,
caring not lor God nor any of these
tilings.” lie continued, “ May God
have mercy upon him before it is too
late.” His heart was too full to
anything more. The congregation seem
ed to sympathize deeply with this bro
ther.
On Tuesday morning following, just
as the meeting for the reception of
members was closing,a horse was heard
approaching the meeting house at a
rapid rate. In a few moments a young
man entered the house in a great hur
ry, and fell upon the neck of the bro
ther who made the closing prayer on
Sabbath morning preceding. He seem
ed greatly excited, and said aloud,
“ Bless the Lord, my soul is happy in
Jesus.” After he became quiet he
made the following statement to the
Church : lie said, “On last Sabbath
morning I was at the stand, and while
the prayer-meeting was going on, Mr.
C. and the brother of that gentleman,
(pointing to the brother who made the
closing prayer on Sabbath morniDg),
and myself were making sport of the
meeting. Mr. D., the pastor of the
church, saw us, and that was the rea
sn he asked Mr.— to pray especially
for those wicked young men. When
Mr.— made the closing prayer I was
standing with my arm around the body
of his brother, and one of his around
my neck so as to be convenient to talk
to each other. When Mr.— prayed
so feelingly for his brother, his brother
cubed upon God to d—n the soul of his
brother for praying for him, for said
he* “I can pray for myself when I need
prayer.” llis cursing his brother so
alarmed me that I at once withdrew
my arm from around him and left the
stand, and from that time until a lew
minutes since I have suffered a thous
and deaths. But now my soul is hap
py in the love of Jesus. I can claim
him as my own.”
After the right hand of fellowship
had been extended, Mr.— rose, deep
ly affected, and asked all the brethren
to engage in prayer for his poor wick
ed brother. Dr. S. lead in prayer, and
never did I see him so deeply affected
before or siuce. When he mentioned
the name of the wicked young man
his speech failed him, and he faltered
and wept like a child. His feelings
seemed to electrify the whole congre
gation, and as a wicked man said, “it
was a weeping congregation.”
On the next Sabbath morning about
8 o’clock, a single horse was seen ap
proaching the house of bro. —, (the
brother of this wicked young man,) in
great haste, and soon brother was
on his way to (as he thought) the bed
side of his wicked dying brother. (I
prefer, Bro. Boykin, that bro. shall
give the sequel. Said he, “ when I ar
rived at the house of my brother, I
found him prostrate, and as helpless as
a child, yet without fever. He took
me by the hand but could not speak.
It seemed that the foundations of his
heart were broken up. After some
time he was somewhat composed, and I
asked him what was the matter. He
griped my hand rather convulsively
and with deep emotion exclaimed,
“Oh, my brother, I am lost! lost!!
lost!!! No mercy for me the great
est sinner in all tne laud.” “I have
sinned,” said he, “ against light and
knowledge. Oh, lam the chief of sin
ners. There cannot be mercy for me,
no ! no ! ! No mercy for me.” Broth
er, said he, “Will you, can you feel in
your heart to forgive me. On last
Sabbath morning when I saw the tears
falling from your eyes, your lips quiv
ered, and when I heard you falteringly
pray for your wicked brother, I cursed
you from the bottom of my heart for
it. Do forgive me. I feel lam going
to die, and 1 could not think of dying
without asking your forgiveness. Will
you forgive your deeply repenting
brother?” 1 told him 1 would from
my heart forgive him, and Jesus, my
brother, will forgive you too if you will
but ask him in true penitence and
faith. I then asked him to tell me all
about his feelings. Said he, “I will
try,” He said, “On last Tuesday
morning I was sitting on the fence
near where my hands were at work,
and all at once I seemed to be over
„shadowed with a cloud, and my feel
ings were awfully strange. It seemed
that all my past sins were before me
as plain as my bands were. And for
the first time in my my life I felt the
sensation of fear. I thought I was go
ing to die. I went to my house, took
up my Testament that you gave me,
and went to the vv?sods. I tried to
pray for the first time since I have been
grown. I read, but all to no purpose.”
lie seemed at this time deeply affect
ed, and while he was composing him
self I took up the Testament and exam
ined it, and it seemed to be literally
bathed all over with tears, Said he,
“brother, siyce that morning I have
eat nothing at all, 1 am too miserable
to sleep, too unhappy to eat, not pre
pared to die. Lord, have mercy upon
me.” I endeavored to console him as
well as 1 could. Said he, “ brother,
1 would give a world if 1 had it at my
disposal, that I were a Christian. But
there is no mercy for me. I resisted
those melting appeals of Mr. C—’s ex
hortation, when every other man and
woman desired prayer but myself and
my two comrades. 1 stood it out. 1
cursed you aloud for praying for me,
and can I expect mercy after all this ?
No, no, no. lam lost! lost! ! lost!!!”
He seemed iike going into spasms. —
I said, my brother, Christ is able and
willing too. O look to Him as your
only hope for salvation. “Brother,”
said he, “I have prayed my last time,
will you pray for me, and all I want
yon to ask for me is, that the Lord’s
will be done. I feel to submit all into
his hands.” Prayer was made, his
soul was released, and for years he has
been following his Lord and Mastpr.
My dear bro. Boykin, this is no tale
of fiction. It is true. Both those bro
thers are now living and both praying
men. God is the same. lie will an
swer prayer—lie loves to answer pray
er. Oh, let us all pray for the ap
proaching Convention, and for each
other, that it may be one long remem
bered by the out-ponring of God’s Spir
it upon all his children, is the desire
and prayer of
A FEEBLE MINISTER.
[We hope our brother will forgive us
for not inserting this artiele prior to the
Convention.] —Ed.
To a “ Feeble Minister.”
Dear Brother ;
You are pleased to make a kind al
lusion to myself in the Index of April
lltli. You are mistaken in some of
the facts connected with the meeting
to which you allude. I was not in the
prayer-meeting in the woods. Such a
meeting was held by Travis, Campbell
and others, but several brethren re
mained in the house and sought need
ed rest. I was with the sleepers. —
Alas ! what a sleeper I have been and
am yet. The meeting was a glorious
one in its results. Allow me, dear
brother, to assure you, that so far as
my interest in the cause of truth is con
cerned, I am not conscious of abate
ment, to the contrary I have hoped
that it was gradually increasing as the
world recedes. I have never felt it
my duty to say much about my pray
ing, it is a delicate subject, and one
between my own soul and the Master.
I have said and done so many foolish
things in prayer,that I often fear I have
never learned the way to the mercy
seat. My pen has been quite brisk for
some months, but whether in the di
rection you desire is uncertain. Some
praise me, some blame me, and call
me by ugly names just as they did in
the days you allude to, but I suppose
the good master, whom yon seem to
think was then with us, will dispose
of me as seemeth good to him. You
seem to be very anxious about the
peace and union of the churches, this
is a very popular feeling; but, my
good brother, have you forgotten that
the very meeting you speak of was pre
ceded and followed by the most exten
sive division of the Baptist denomina
tion that has ever occurred in the
South ? Nay, more, but for that divi
sion you would not have seen the glo
rious meeting you describe. Just as
long as the friends of truth attempted
to preserve the union by compromises,
the churches slept, and the cause of
Christ suffered ; but the moment that
noble little band ol churches, (just 8,)
planted themselves on the principles
of the Gospel, and re-affirmed the doc
trine of “ Church Independency” God
poured out his Spirit upon them, and
prospered them as few have been pros
pered. But mark, my brother, pros
perity came when God’s people sacri
iiced all for truth and principle. There
yet live in Georgia men who will testi
fy to these things. You have not for
gotten them. The principles now in
volved are precisely the same they
were then, they are more formidable
now than then, and require a more de
cided and firmer opposition. I stand
now', my brother, just where I stood
then. First protect the principles and
polity of our churches—keep God’s
truth in the ascendant and then God
w r i 11 bless you. Sacrifice these for the
sake o t maintaining a hypocritical
union, and affliction w r ill follow’ afflic
tion. The very men w T ho fought thro’
the sore conflict wdiich resulted in the
formation of the Central Association,
even the men who held those night
prayer-meetings, not at Antioch only,
but from neighborhood to neighbor
hood, they were the men wdio pour
ed forth their lives and substance like
water for the spread of the Gospel
and the salvation of sinners. A few
of them yet live. May they meet in
Macon, not to compromise, but again
to vindicate our principles, and rebuke
the arrogance which now threatens our
peace. Affectionately,
J. E. DAWSON.
i■<•<■- ..fc-
Circulate tlie Index.
Bro. Editor :—lt is essential to the
spread ot the Gospel, that its advocates
be made thoroughly acquainted with
the demands made upon them for the
promulgation of its truths. They should
learn more of the utter destitution of
many portions of our enlightened land.
Furthermore,“it is important, that they *
know something of the wretched con
dition of those of our fellow mortals,
over whom the mountains of heathen
ism, have Jung their deep shades, and
upon whom, that sun which “lighteth
every man,” has not cast its benignant
rays.
And w'hat better agent for the ac
complishment ot this desirable object,
than the “Christian Index?”
Through its columns, a Murrow tells
us that the red men of the West, are
looking with anxious gaze to us for
instruction in those truths on which 1
“hang eternal things.” A self-sacrifi
cing Reid, as he treads the burning
sgmds of Africa, moved by the sympa
thy produced by the scenes of wo and
misery, daily surrounding him, grasps
his pen, and through the Index, in
forms us that Rthopia’s sons are
starving for bread, while we (Georgia
Baptists) have plenty and to spare.—
Through this efficient medium, we
learn from an indefatigable Ilaygood,
that even in our very midst, there are
scores, wdio have not the Bible to read.
The Heralds of the cross, whose busi
ness itfjs to do the missionary work of
the different Associations, direct our
minds to a locality here, and another
there, all over Georgia, w’here the sane
tnary of God is not seen, and the truth
which makes men free is not heard.
But it would be infinite to uisdant
upon the merits of this valuable paper.
It is sufficient to say, that it calls our
attention to the necessity of being
aw'ake to the many duties devolving
upon us as tiie friends of Foreign Mis
sions. By it, we are made sensible of
the obligation resting upon us, to apply
ourselves to the work of defending and
sustaining the B. C. S. And to give
ourselves cheerfully and untiringly to
the support of our Associational Mis
sions.
Through its columns, pathetic ap
peals are made to the benevolent. Ar
guments, strong and convincing in de
fence of Baptist principles, are present
ed to the sceptical. Its mission is to
spread Baptist principles—build up
Baptist interests, and sow broad-cast,
the seed of brotherly love.
This being the case, should there not
be an effort made to give it a more ex
tended circulation? There certainly
should, but the question arises—on
whom does this task devolve? Is it to
be left to the “Index Committee” to
present its claims, or the editor to urge
its acceptance by the reading commu
nity ? By no means, sir. What then ?
Why may not every Baptist do some
thing in this way ? How many of them
who do not read it? Strange to tell,
bro. Editor, there are scores of our
brethren in Georgia, who do not even
know that the Christian Index is in ex
istence. This state of things should
not longer be permitted to remain, but
how is the evil to be remedied ? My
plan is this: Let some brother of every
church, at their regular meetings, lay
the matter before the brethren, and
upon them the necessity of extending
their patronage to this medium of light.
Acting upon these suggestions at the
last Conference of Millstone Church,
the writer, (after a few remarks on the
propriety of Baptists supporting their
organ,) saw the efficiency of the plan
demonstrated, by nine good brethren
handing us their money and address,
sayiDg, “I want the Index.” Let oth
ers go and do likewise, and they will
be astonished at the result. Let the
Christian Index be read in ever}'fami
ly ; weekly prayer meetings establish
ed in every church, and the spirit of
benevolence will grow apace, the
strong holds of Satan will be loosed;
vital Godliness will prevail, and the
name of the Lord be wonderfully mag
nified by all his people. May the good
Lord aid in the prosecution of the good
work, is the desire ot
J. G. GIBSON.
Point Peter, Ga., April 6, 1860.
Sin is like a river, which begins in
a quiet spring, but ends in a tumultu
ous sea.—[Nonsuch Prof.
MACON, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25, 1860.
Pulpit Pronunciation.
Bro. Boykin : —“K.” feels very sor
ry, that his little articles, on the above
subject, seems to have been the inno
cent occasion ot some very “heterodox”
sentiments from your worthy corres
pondent, “Philom.” Now, while the
kindest regards are tendered to the au
thor of “Notes on Pronunciation,” it
hardly appears meet to extend the
same courtesy to the “Notes” them
selves. True, a pretty strong suspicion
forces itself upon the mind, that Phi
lom has, in a mischievous freak, given
us nothing more than a good-humored
burlesque; since, however, the proba
bilities are against this desirable con
clusion, lienee the present communica
tion.
It is not for a moment supposed,
that persons of true scholarship, will
be in danger of conversion to Philom’s
system ol Orthoephy: all however, are
not ol this character. Many good breth
ren have never had the advantages of
education, and are therefore liable to
be inliuenced ; tor such, it is hoped,
“these presents” may not be altogether
untimely. In his brief articles that
appeared some months since, K. failed
to notice the error that has now found
an advocate in Philom ; only, howev
er, because he had no evidence that it
was likely to become current, but on
the contrary, that it was fast going in
to disuse.
The pronunciation ke arnel, ke-ar
penter, ke-art, ke arpet , dec., dec., for
carnal, carpenter, cart, carpet, dec., is
so preposterous, that it seems unwor
thy of a formal consideration. This
unnatural conceit ol Walker’s has long
since received the seal ot disapproba
tion from common sense people, wheth
er learned or unloarned. Even Wal
ker hirqsell, did not have courage to
carry out his own teachings, for in
comparatively few instances only, has
he given the pronunciation* required
by the “Principles.”
As Philom alludes to Webster in
such a way, as to make the impression
that this eminent lexicographer favors
this singular pronunciation, it may not
be inappropriate to present a few ex
tracts from the introduction to his la*ge
Dictionary,
“The same cause has given rise to
the pronunciation of e before the vow
el in such words as guide, guard, kind,
guise. This is precisely similar to the
vulgar pronunciation of cow, gown,
county , town, diec., that is,
keounty. teown —a pronunciation for
merly common in New England, and
not yet wholly extinct. This vicious
pronunciation, in all words of this kind,
whether countenanced by men of low
life, or ot fashionable life, ought to be
carefully avoided,” p. 63. Again, “it
is an affected pronunciation, which
Nares calls ‘a monster, peculiar to the
stage. Indeed, this slender sound of
e before another vowel, is incompati
ble with that manly pronunciation
which is peculiarly suited to the geni
us of the language. Perry and Jame-.
son have rejected it.” p. 65. Still
again, *‘The attempts * * * to intro
duce the sound of e before i and u, as
in kind, guard, duty, dec., ought to
be resisted, as injurious to the manly
character of the genuine English pro
nunciation,” p. To,
If this authority is not satisfactory,
the merits of the case can then be pre
sented. K.
Mission Letter.
Creek Nation, April 3,1860.
Dear Brethren :—Allow yne once
more, and finally, to call your atten
tion to the subject of Translation into
Creek.
I can now appeal to you with great
er confidence, as my manuscripts have
passed the ordeal of trial by an exam
ining committee, and have been pro
nounced correct. You may be suie
that it has been no light task to pre
pare sueh manuscripts, in a language
that has no standard but its usus lo
guendi. I knew that my translations
wer qfaithf ul, and in the main correct
as to language ; but I had many rea
sons to fear that a committee of sever
al would disagree in the choice of words,
as we had no written or printed stand
ards. I was agreeably surprised, there
fore, at the unanimity of the commit
tee, after having every word of my
manuscripts (except the Ilymn Book,)
uuder review. Ido not say that I feet
proud, but I trust that I feel humbly
thankful to my Heavenly Father for
so favorable a result.
I am sure, now, that I can get just
as many vouchers for the correctness
of my translations as I wish. You
need not fear to contribute tor the pub
lication of* these works. A more intel
ligent committe cannot be found in
the Creek Nation.
Will the Baptists of the South rally
to the publication of these manuscripts?
Remember, that Pedo-Baptists here,
have had thirteen years the start of us
in publications of the kind, and now
it is certified that my manuscripts are
better than anything that has ever ap
peared in Creek. 1 begun just thir
teen months ago (March, 1559,) to cor
recc the Creek alphabet, and to trans
late. If you will publish my manu
scripts in good style,and soon, we will
be in advance of all other denomina
tions in this good work. My Creek
Grammar is the first thing of the kind
that was ever attempted, so far as I
can learn.
Read the subjoined repprt, and then
please forward a contribution to the
Marion Board, to publish the manu
scripts.
Affectionately,
H. F. BUCKNER.
R. S, It would oblige me much, if
brethren would forward to Marion, a
list ot all the Indian names of creeks,
rivers, places, <fce., as I wish, one day,
to publish their English meaning.
Creek Translations—Committee’s
Report.
\Ye, whose signatures are annexed,
take pleasure in certifying that we have
carefully examined the manuscript co
pies ot the Creek Grammar, and trans
lation ot the Gospel according to John,
by H. F. Buckner and G. Ilerrod, and
find, that in our judgment, tney are
more correct than any thing ever pub
lished in the Creek language; and that
they are as nearly correct in all res
pects, as it is possible to make them at
this stage of the language. Moreover,
the changes which Mr. Buckner has
made in the Creek alphabet are impor
tant, and a decided improvement upon
the old one.
Signed,
Motz Kanard, Principal Chief,
D. N. Mclntosh, National Clerk,
Chilly Mclntosh,
Jas. M. C. Smith, Superintendent of
Bublic Instruction.
All members of the Creek National
Council.
Creek Nation, March 26th, 1860.
From J. il. Campbell’s Georgia Baptists.
JOHN MILNER, JR.
[Condensed from a sketch prepared by Rev. J. S.
Callaway.]
To write the biography of one, who
was more highly valued in all the re
lations ot life, by those who knew him
best, or whose death was more lamen
ted by a numerous circle of friends
and acquaintances rarely falls to the
lot ot man. The writer exceedingly
regrets that this worthy man has left
so tew materials in writing to aid in
making out this sketch of his life and
labors.
lie was born October 17th, 1775.
llis father was a licensed p/eacher, of
the Baptist denomination : his mother,
a member of the same church, and a
most godly woman. Old Mr. Milner,
who was a staunch whig in the revo
lution, suffered much from his tory
neighbors. On ope occasion, while
his wife was absent in the neigbor
hood, two of them came into his Held,
took two of his best horses from the
plough, gathered together all his ne
groes and drove them off before his
face, threatening to shoot him down,
if he spoke a word. They had not pro
ceeded far, when they met Mrs. Milner
returning home. The negroes cried out
in great distress, “Oh mistress, de to
nes takin us all oft’. Oh, mistress, what
shall we do ?” She answered, “Why,
go back, every one of you. You shall
not go off a step. Go right back home.”
“Oh, mistress, dey’ll kill us.” “No,
they shan’t kill you. Go back.” The
tories hung down their heads, while
the negroes turned back with their
mistress. Ills sons, John and Pitt,
once set off to rnaket with a loaded
wagon, very early one morning , with
out having waited for family prayer.
They had not gone far, before their
well-trained team stalled, and they
had to return home for help. Their fa
ther used the circumstance to impress
their minds with the importance of
punctuality to our religious duties, es
pecially family prayer. And he was
so successful, that they seemed never
to have forgotten it. The subject of this
notice took up the cross, and prayed in
his family long before he joined the
church.
Ilis education was limited to the or
dinary branches of English. He was
not one who could boast, that he had
finished his education. He believed,
on the contrary, that a minister of the
gospel should never feel that his edu
cation was completed, but should con
tinue through life to “ study to show
himself approved unto God.” Wo to
that minister and to the people of his
charge, who feels he has no longer
any occasion fox improvement!
On the 24th of December, 1795, he
was married to Miss Eunice Callaway.
Some years after their marriage, his
wife became anxiously concerned about
the state of her soul. Though he made
no pretensions to religion at that time,
yet he kindly invited Rev. Jesse Mer
cer to visit and converse with his wife.
Mr. Mercer complied, and soon after
lie had the happiness to baptize Mrs.
Callaway upon a profession of her faith
in Christ. Several years intervened
before Mr. Milner himself became in
terested about the great salvation. In
a distressed state of mind, he went
some, distance to hear Mr. Mercer
preach. Under the sermon he felt no
relief. His trouble was greatly in
creased. He followed the preacher to
his horse, tilled with awful sensations.
In deep agony he grasped Mr. Mer
cer’s hand, saying, “What shall I do?
lam lost! lam lost!!” Mr, Mercer
calmly replied, “I was once at the
house of a man, (alluding to his visit to
Mrs. Milner,) whose wife was in awful
distress, and when I tried to comfort
her, her husband remarked, if he were
in her place, he would believe in Christ.
Now, I reckon the best way will be to
go and believe in Christ.” And so he
left the poor man in deep waters. Af
j ter a sore conflict, God was pleased to
reveal his Son in him, while reading
the following lines of Dr. Young :
“The ransom was paid down ; the fund of heaven,
Heaven’s inexhaustible, exhausted fund,
Amazing and amazed, poured forth the price,
All price beyond—
And was the ransom paid ? It was, and paid
(What can exalt the bounty more ?) for you!”
He was baptized by Mr. Mercer at
Sardis church, Wilkes county, Februa
ry 22d, 1812. He was first appointed
clerk of the church, then deacon, then
exhorter. In these capacities did he
serve several years before bis ordina
tion, which took place after his removal
to Jones county, say 1825. The pres
bytery consisted of Malachi Reeves,
Benj.-Milner, and Iverson L. Brookes.
His labors were not conhned to bis own
immediate vicinity, but were extended
into remote regions. Ilis preaching
was well received wherever he went.
On one of his preaching tours, he fell
in with a gentleman, (as he believed,
providentially,) from whom ho pur
chased a tract of laud, upon which
Barnesville, in Pike Cos., now stands.
His oldest son made a settlement upon
it, in visiting whom, from‘time to time,
Mr. Milner found a few sheep scatter
ed about in the wilderness, the country
being then quite new. These he gath
ered into the church, now known as
Sardis, near Barnesville. This little
band at first consisted of less than a
dozen members. At the period of Mr.
Milner’s death, 1811, it had increased
to near one hundred and twenty mem
bers. It was in 1827 that he left Jones
and settled near this church. Here
again his zeal impelled him to press
into the surrounding neighborhood,
holding forth the lamp ot life. Other
churches were soon gathered, to which
he ministered. As his bodily strength
declined, his sphere of usefulness con
tinued to enlarge. And, as his end
drew near, his way was “as the path
ot the just which shiueth more and
more unto the perfect day.” No service
was too arduous, no sacrifice too great,
“so that he might finish his course with
joy, and the ministry lie had received
of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel
of the grace of God.” If such exam
ples do not rouse us preachers of these
days to a full sense of our responsibili
ties, it is feared we may be given over
to blindness ot mind and obduracy ot
heart. Oh, let us be followers of those
who, through faith and patience, have
inherited the promises !
While Mr. Milner exerted a good in
fluence in public, his social and private
influence was still better. He was of
ten heard to aflii rn, not boastingly but
with gratitude to God, that he had
never sworn a profane oath, nor gam
bled to any amount, nor purchased a
half pint of spirituous liquors. Such
high toned morality is believed to be
rarely found in the youth of this age of
boasted improvement. lie obeyed
the injunction, “Husbands, love your
wives.” A more affectionate and at
tentive husband perhaps never lived.
Asa father, his example, his counsels,
and his prayers seem to have had a
most happy effect upon his children,
most of them being pious, and all of
them persons of moral worth.
Mr. Milner lived to a good old age,
having died in his sixty-sixth year,
January 21, 1841. For twent} years
he had been a faithful laborer in his
Master’s vineyard. On the Sabbath
preceding his decease lie attended di
vine service at Sardis church, and.
preached from Acts xiii: 38, 39. He
had a slight attack, (an affection of the
heart,) on that day. On Monday even
ing it w'as renewed with such violence
as to baffle all medical skill, and con
tinued till Wednesdayevening follow
ing, when death came to his relief.—
To a daughter he said, “I shall die, but
I am not afraid of death.” To his child
ren he said, “Oh my children, I have
taught you in the way. I have kept
the faith of the gospel.”
Ilis burial was attended by a large
and w'eeping assembly, and the church
convened and expressed by resolutions
the estimation in which they held their
late pastor. The limits of this work
prevent us from enlarging this notice.
From the Sunday-School Times.
DRIFTING.
A Trim little boat that had been
fastened to a stake on the beach, yield
ed to the motion of the v'aves, until
at last, it slipped from its mooring,
and drifted out of the bay towards the
Narrows. -
How gracefully it glides!
On and on it skims over the trans
lucent water, wherever the wind and
the tide may bear it.
Farther away from the friendly shore,
where tearful eyes and anxious hearts
are watching and waiting, it dances
and ripples in the clear sunshine, with
out one thought for those it has
left, without one care for the dangers
that threaten in the ocean towards
wdiich it is hastening.
For the want of oars, and a hand
to guide them, that pretty boat must
meet with sure destruction.
But then it is only a boat!
Flow many of you, my readers, are
like that little boat! At first, the al
lurements of the world have no power
to draw you from your home.
Every night and morning finds you
amid the happy band, who, by precept
and example, are seeking to direct
your thoughts toward heavenly things.
Gradually you yield to the tempta
tions that are thrown in your way ;
every wave is stronger and stronger,
until finally the hold on home and re
ligious instruction is weakened, and
aw'ay you go.
Tearful eyes beseech you to return ;
anxious, loving hearts supplicate in
vain. Blissfully basking in the sun
shine of temporal enjoyments, the past
and the future have no restraining
power over you, the present is the
world you revel in.
How can you return ?
Put the oars of faith and prayer in
the rowlock ; bend every nerve and
muscle to the task. How far have
you floated from God ? It is so easy
to sin, that Satan floats his victims,
his willing victims, along with the
the tide that is bearing them—whither?
Repent!
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NUMBER 17.
Stem the current that is bearing you
away so swiftly. Quick, to your work;
you have not a moment to lose ; lest
with all the weight of unrepentea sins
upon you, you are borne on and on to
the great ocean of eternity, and are
lost furever.
How sad a wreck; when a soul born
for eternity and heaven, is drifted out
beyond the shores of time, and sinks
in endless woe.
SABBATH SCHOOL COLmiK
A SABBATH SCHOOL IN EVERY
CHURCH.
Again, there should he a Sw hath
School in every church, because it pre
vents the children from misspending
thier time. In many neighborhoods
the children are loitering about, -ra-
versing the neighboring hills and fit-ids,
hunting bird nests and grapes, water
melons and fruit, &c. And this can
hardly he remedied without a school.
Their parents may assign them their
lessons on Sabbath, morning, but hav
ing no regular hours tor recitation, they
soon become weary, and finally get
away. And in many cases, the pa
rents are unwilling or unable to in
struct their children. Sometimes , oy
are both unwilling and unable. In ail
such cases, a Sabbath school seems to
be indispensible ; in order to train up
children in the way they should go—
children that habitually misspend their
time, and especially their Sabbaths,
are apt to follow it as long as ev
live. Thus thousands mistake the S /r>-
bath to be a day of recreation, rat r
than a day of rest and spiritual iim
provement. Thisjerroneous opinion pre
vails now to a lamentable extent in al
most alljparts of the country, and will,
until the children are taught different
ly. The Saobath was not intended for
a sleeping day, nor yet for secular bu
siness, but for a day of worship—spir
itual employment. Christ and his
apostles were employed in teachin g on
that day ; so we ought to be engaged
in teaching the youth of tho country
lessons of Christianity. Having con
tracted this industrious habit in youth,
they are not apt to depart from it in
after life.
Once more, there should he a Sabbath
school in every chnrch, because they al
most always result in a revival of re
ligion.
That a well organized Sabbath school
ususally results in a revival, is hardly
disputed by any. And were more such
schools, there doubtless would be more
revivals, and more piety generally.—
The converts to the Christian religion,
are for the most part from the juvenile
class. Yv r ere the doctrines of tho Xew
Testament taught to this class of peo
ple, as early as they might he, there
would unquestionably be an increase
of them to the fold of Christ. While
their minds are young and tender is
the time to teach them the vital r>rin
cipal of God’s word.
Do you desire that your children be
properly taught ? Do you desire that
they form industrious habits early ?
Above all, do you desire that they be
come Christians'? If so, organize a
Sabbath school at your church, or
school house, and there engage in the
delightful exercises which may r< suit
in the conversion of your children.
A. J. KELLY.
BAD BARGAINS.
A Teacher in a Sunday-school once
remarked that li&who “buys the truth”
makes a good bargain, and inquired if
any scholar present recollected an in
stance in Scripture of a bad bargain.—
“I do,” replied a boy: “Esau made a
bad bargain when he sold his b rth
right for a mess of pottage.” A sec
ond boy said, “Judas made • bad b ,r
----gain when he sold his Lord for thirty
pieces of silver.” A third boy ob
served, “ Our Lord tells us that ho
makes a bad bargain who, to gain the
whole world, loses his own soul.” A
bad bargain, indeed!
There are some things which are n ei
ther good noi pleasant; as envy and
detraction. The eclipsing of anou.ers
sun will not make thine own shine with
brighter beams.—[Nonsuch Prof.
Those who have tasted the goodness
of God, can never speak good enough
of God. Reason teaches, that t nose
should bless most, who are most bless
ed.—[Nonsuch Prof.
“To whom much is given, of them
much shall be required.” The bless
ings we enjoy are not the fruit of mer
it, but the fruit of God’s mercy. By
how much the more grace we have re
ceived, by so much the glory we are
obliged to return to the giver.
Reader ! has God made you a vessel
to honour out of the same lump ?
Has he shown himself to you, and not
not unto the world ? And will you
not show yourself for God, and not for
the world.
The Roman censors took such an
utter dislike to the debauched son of
African us, that they refused to let
him wear a ring on which his father’s
likeness was engraven ; alleging, “that
he who was was so unlike the father’s
person was unworthy to wear the fa
ther’s picture*” Thus God wiil never
grant any to enjoy the love of Christ
in heaven, who are destitute of the
likeness of Christ on earth.
The world always presents a deadly
portion in the gilded cup of worldly
pleasure.—[Nonsuch Prof.
Seventy seven thousand eight hundred
and eight letters have been received at the Post
Office in this city, from the Ist of January to the
Ist of April.