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TIIE CHRISTIAN INDEX,
PUBLISH RD EVERY WEDNESDAY MORNING
AT MACON, GEORGIA.
BY A COMMITTEE OF BRETHREN,
FOR THF.
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TERMS OK SUBSCRIPTION,
Two Dollars in advance: or paid within the year.
If suffered tooverrnn the yea*-, Two Dollars and
one half will be chained in all cases.
SAMUEL BpYKIN, Editor.
VOLUME XXXIX. \
Nfevv Series.—Volume XXVIII.)
Book Notices.
Amy and Kith : or Trusting Providence. By the
author of Louis Mead, Ac., Philadelphia, Amer.
Pub. Society.
This Society is doing an excellent work in pro
viding children and youth with reading which will
elevate the thoughts and affeciions, w hile it inter
ests the mind. No child can read this little book
without receiving moral lessons of great value.—
We wish the Society success.
Emma Livingston, the Infidel’s Daughter; or,
Conversations upon Atheism, Infidelity, andLni
vcrsalism. By A. C. Dayton, author of Theodo
sia, earnest, &c. 12m0., pp. 371. Graves, Marks
& Cos., Nashville, Tenn.
This is a republieation of a series of articles
that originally appeared in the Tennessee Baptist.
Its design is to meet and refute the practical in
fidelity and Universal ism that lies concealed in so
many hearts. There is just enough of story to
give interest and vivacity to the argument, which
is clear, concise and pointed. Its publication is
timely, for the unacknowledged and most uncoir
scious unbelief which it is designed to meet in a
prevailing feature of the age.
The above expressing our sentiments we adopt
them from the Jour. & Messenger.
The Christian Review.
Under ti e editorial charge of Prof. Robinson,
of Rochester, the Review maintains that high and
scholarly ground in Biblical criticism and religious
literature, which the public had right to expect
from his well known qualifications for the perfor
mance of the duties which his station assigns
him. The contents of the April number, just re
ceived, are : I. Ecclesiastical Miracles ; 11. Moral
Philosophy ; 111. B iden Powell on the Immuta
bility of Physical Laws ; IV. Dr. Edward Beech
er’s ‘Conflict’ and ‘Concord V. The doctrine of
Romans 1 ; 18—22. VI. The defence of Socrates ;
VII. Modern Skepticism and its Refutation.
The Biblical Reason Why, a family guide to
Scripture readings and a hand book for Bilical
students. Dick and Fiizgerald, N. Y., 324 pp.
Si,oo. Sold by J. J. &S. P. Richards.
This is a book of questions and answers concer
ning the Bible, its facts and its truths. It ‘gives
Reasons founded upon the Bible and assigned by
the most eminent Diyines and Christian Philoso
phers, lor the great and all absorbing events re
corded in the history of the Bible, the Life of our
Savior and the Acts of the Apostles.” This Book
is very valuable; for, while we cannot from a cur
sory examination vouch for the correctness of all
the “Reasons” given, yet we will say that no one
can read all the questions and answers of tlii
book without being vastly benefited, not only in
regard to more knowledge of the Bible, but of
many less obvious reasons for circumstances and
facts. Judging from its quotations and its allu
sions to old writers and fondness for traditions, we
would say an Episcopalian was its author ; but
still much information is compressed in the book
and its perusal, together with a sight of its many
cuts, will do good.
The Early Choice : A Book for Daughters—
by the Rev. W. K. Moodie, D. D. Am. Bap. Pub.
Soc., 376 pp.
Extracts fromwts preface will best depict the
character of this book, which from a few hasty
glances is calculated not only to instruct, but to
entertain and benefit. Its historical allusions,
comparisons and examples, are calculated to im
press the valuable lessons inculcated.
“It embodies an attempt to train the you ig to
connect happiness or sorrow with conduct and
character —to impress their minds with the con
viction that, as surely as rivers run downwards or
vapors ascend, sin will end in wretchedness and
holiness in peace.
Adopting that as the wisest, because the most
scriptural mode of teaching, an attempt is here
made toshow the young the blessedness of choo
sing ‘the good part,’ and the woe of turning away
from ‘the Guide of our youth to convince them
that we are happy when we are like minded with
our God, but become the children of sorrow with
out mitigation or escape, when we decline to
choose ‘the good ways of the Lord.’ ”
Lucy Hall : or responsibility realized, by Mrs.
Sallie E. Hughes. Southern Bap. Pub. Society. A
new* work ot 130 pages.
It is a gracefully and naturally told tale of the
school life of a your g girl who earnestly sought
and obtained the pearl of great price, and who,
by a consistent Christian life under temptations
and provocations, evinced her sense of the res
ponsibility resting upon her as a professor of ie
ligion. A kind mother early convinced her of her
responsibility to God, as a sinner; being awaken
ed she consulted the Bible’s sacred page, learned
the way ot life and embraced Jesus as her Savior,
and in a beautiful, gently flowing stream she was
buiied in baptism. Never forgeting the respon
sibility which rested on her daily conduct, ’he
walked joyfully in the path of duty, inspiring res
pect in her giddy companions, and pointing out*
by the contrast of her life to that ■of a worldly
minded professor, the difference between the false
and the true professor of religion.
Review of ‘ Corrective Church
DISCIPLINE”—No. 3.
“ TREATMENT OF PRIVATE OFFENCES.”
No. 4.
It should be recollected that private
offences, as defined by Prof. Hell, dis
fer from public ones in this, that “The
specific character (of the former) is that
the act is not a crime against religion
and morality, and (that) the object of
the act is a brother.” It should he
further remembered that, unless -this
“specific character” of private offences
is strictly observed, there can he no
characteristic difference between pri
vate and public offences—annihilate
this distinction, and they become one
and the same.
How, then, does Prof. Hell recom
mend that private offences (i. e. those
acts, the “specific character” of which
is that they are not crimes against re
ligion and morality) should be treated
as he did ? “lu the treatment of pri
vate offences,” says lie, “the Saviour,
in Mat. 18, gives the course to he pur
sned-commonly called “Gospel Steps.”
I remark —
1. That if the “specific character”
of the act has not been determined,
then the advice, above given, is prop
er; but if it has, and the “offended”
brother decides that the act is, what
Prof. M. would term a private offence
(i. e. ah act against neither morality,
nor religion,) he ought not to “go and
tell” his brother anything about it, un
less he (the offended) has shown him
self to be offended—in thiscase, he
should apologize to his brother for
having become needlessly offended,
and pray to God to give him more
magnanimity and a less suspicious dis
position.
2. I deny that Hat. 18 was designed
exclusively, or chiefiy as the formula
for settling Prof. M.’s private offences.
If one is in doubt as to the “specific
character of the act,” hut is strongly
inclined to believe that it is violative
of some moral or religious law, he
should then “go and tell” his brother,
not his “fault” (for he does not yet
know that it is such,) hut of the act it
self; requesting his brother to explain
what he meant by it. If the act turns
out to he a “private offence,” then,
perhaps, a mutual apology would not
be amiss.
3. It may he inquired—aud I press
the inquiry—how Prof. Mell ascertain
ed that the act—the “offence”—the
hamartia—in Mat. 18: 15, does not vi
olate some moral, or religious law ?
Under what, or whose authority does
he thus interpret the Word of God ?
When Jehovah speaks, let man he si
lent. Shall Ills words he thus tortur
ed, and despoiled ot their meaning by
mortal man ? Let such a daring work
fall to the lot of someone else, hut let
me never, never presume to stop the
mouth of Him, who spake as never man
spake! Let me never presume to af
firm, either directly or by implication,
that that particular word (kamartauo,)
which, as a generic word, is the most
morally, offensive one in the Greek
Testament—let me never try, under
any circumstances, to destroy its mean
ing. If Jehovah wishes to use a term,
denoting a bad moral element, let Him
use jt.
“Tell him his fault,” is the direction
next given.
Is it possible that you have ascer
tained that your brother lias commit
ted a “fault!” If so, what is the “spe
cific character” of his fault? Certain
ly it is not an act which violates mor
ality, or religion ; for then, accoiding
to the definition, it is no longer a pri
vate offence, and it is this class of of
fences we are now considering.
At this point it is proper to state
that there is no word in the Greek cor
responding to “fault,” which occurs in
the 18: 15 Mat. The literal would read
thus: “And if thy brother sin against
thee, go and tell him between thee airtl
him alone.” “Tell him” what ? Not
merely his “fault,” hut his “sin”—his
hamartia (which is the word to be sup
plied, if indeed it is necessary to sup
ply any.) With this word supplied,
the text runs thus : And if thy brother
sin agains thee, go and teil him his
3in between thee and him alone. It
may be that the imperfection of the
common translation lias given rise to
an erroneous interpretation of the text,
quite prevalent of late. Every one
can see that the Savior gave directions
for the offended brother to deal with a
brother who had sinned against him.
The directions were, doubtless, design
ed to embrace not merely imaginary,
hut real sins—not only such acts as
the offended believe to he sins, but
such as he knows to be such. The Sa
viour, I affirm, makes no exceptions to
the rule. He does not say what shall
be the “specific character” of the act,
only that it is a sin against a brother,
“If thy brother sin against thee, go
and tell him (his sin) between thee
aud him alone.” Some may say, “This
is a hard saying,” “Who can hear it ?”
But, it may be replied, “these are the
words of Christ, the only Lawgiver.”
Let his followers, therefore, hear them,
and be silent.
In the next place, it must he appa
rent to every thoughtful reader, that
Prof. Mell is inconsistent.
He says, “You may have miscon
ceived him through misapprehension
or misrepresentation. Your brother
may be able to disavow, or, if he ac
knowledges, to explain, and thus re
move all complaint.” “Acknowledge”
what ? That he lias committed an act,
the “ specific character” of which is
that it is not a crime against morality
or relig ; on ? A strange acknowledge
ment this, truly !
Again : “ Yon may thus be able to
reclaim him.” “ Reclaim him” from
what! From the state in which he lias
involved himself by an act whose “spe
cific character” is that it is not a crime
against morality ot religion?
Next sentence: “He may repent
and make reparation.”
“ Repent” of what ? Repent of an
act, which Violates no moral or relig
ious law ? Anew species of repent
ance, indeed !
Finally : “When your brother tres
passes against you,he trespasses against
God also, aud against his own soul.”
And yet the act is one whose “spe
cific character” is that it is not a crime
against morality, or religion !!
“A little leaveneth the whole
lump.” A. S. WORRELL.
T illadega, Ala., Feb. 6, ’6O.
Blooming in the Grave. —A metallic coffin,
containing the body of a young lady, who had
been buried more than four years, was lately
opened in Memphis, Tenn. The body was in
an excellent state of preservation—the hair,
particularly, was very life like, and, what was
more astonishing, a full blown camelia japonica,
which some affectionate hand had twined in the
tresses of the girl, was remarkably fresh look
ing, the leaves retaining their soft, greenish
hue to perfection.
Forty -two Days without Food. —On the
11th ult., at the residence of her mother, in the
township of Rainsville, Monroe county, Mich.,
Miss Martha Gale .died of cancer of the stom
ach, after lingering forty-two days without ta
king any food (excepting during two or three
days, and then but very little, ard that wis
soon rejected.) During much of th it peril and
she did not even take so much as a glass of
cold Water for days together.
[Detroit Fr## Press.
POETRY.
From the Sunday School Times.
LIGHT OF MY SOUL.
“Unto thee, 0 Lord, do I lift np my soul.”—Ps.
25 : 1.
My God ! why is this soul of mine
So filled with vanity and mirth?
So dead to every call of thine,
Yet busied with the dross of earth ?
This sinful heart can surely be
No true indwelling place for thee.
To all the threatenings of thy word,
To all the promise of thy love,
To every chastening of thy rod,
To each insensible 1 prove ;
In sin’s dark maze my soul seems driven,
And fears she’ll miss the path to heaven.
Forgetful of thy chastening rod,
Forgetful of thy loving voice,
Forgetting e’en thy scourging rod,
Which smote me that I might rejoice,
Oit called, oft chastened, still I’m far
From tnee and joys, which near thee are.
From this dark scene shall I not rise f
Cast off the clogs that bind my soul,
With clearer visions see the prize,
Aud, by thy grace, embrace the goal?
Lord ! when thou gavest my soul her birth
’Twas for a holier home than earth.
O sovereign love, that purposed all my good!
0 love divine that paid my debt of sin !
Light of my soul! My strength, my daily food,
My all in all! Still guard without, within,
Point me each hour to Christ my living Lord,
Nor leave me ever till I reach my God.
Fro.n the Religious Herald.
SUCCESS OF MISSIONS.—NO. 1.
It is very common 1 with many good
brethren who have not given much at
tention to the matter, (and especially
is it tlie case with those who contrib
ute but little of their means to support
the gospel,) to speak despohdingL ot
the success of our missionary efforts.
They look at the results which have at
tended some other missionary organi
zations, and comparing the number of
converts, Ac., reported hj them, with
the reports of our Board, they are al
most ready to say that our missions
have proved a failure, or, at least, that
they have been very unsuccessful. —
Now, a comparison of the success of
cur missions with that ot other Boards,
it fairly made, affords no ground for
discouragement, hut on the contrary,
ample cause of gratitude for the bless
ings which have attended our feeble
efforts. Believing that such a compar
ison would bring out facts, which
brethren who complain of our want of
success are not aware of, 1 propose, in
several articles, to compare the success
of our Foreign Missions with several
of the most successful of other Boards.
On the Bth of May, 1845, there as
sembly! in the city of Augusta, Geor
gia, a Convention of Southern Baptists,
who, feeling themselves forced to with
draw from the old Triennial Conven
tion, were yet determined to continue
an organized effort to promote the
great cause of Missions. The result o
their deliberations was the formatio
of the Southern Baptist Convention.—
I cannot better express the results
which have followed this organization,
than by a brief extract from an ad
dress by the Rev. T. G. Keen: “How
apparently unpropitious at the begin
niug! We were without money, with
out missions, without missionaries,
without men accustomed to manage
such enterprises, with a country sparse
ly settled. Comparatively few of our
churches, scattered as they were, had
been previously reached by the agents
of the Northern Boards. But what has
been already effected! A vigorous
and efficient Board. Under its super
intendance missions have been estah-’
lished on two continents. More than
fifty missionaries, including male and
female assistant teachers, have been
sustained in diffusing the light of the
everlasting Gospel ; and more than
one thousand have been hopefully con
verted to God, and have publicly pro
fessed Christ in the ordinance of bap
tism.” Yes, the history of our mis
sions shows a gradual but steady pro
gress, until there opens up before us
at present a field “white for the har
vest,” scarce equalled in extent and
promise by any other mission in the
world.
But let us enter more specifically
into the comparison with other mis
sions, and see if we have cause for dis
couragement from our comparative
success. And in making this compari
son, it would be manifestly unjust to
compare the present state of our mis
sions wiih that of older Boards, who
had their churches trained to systemat
ic liberality,their officers skilled in con
ducting missionary operations, an ef
ficient missionary torce in the field,
and stations established, with native
converts to help them on in their work,
at the time when our infant Board
commenced its operations, without any
of these elements of success, and beset
with all of the difficulties incident to a
new enterprise. To make tne compar
ison just, we must take some Board
which began its operations about the
time that ours did, or else we must
compare the first fifteen years of the
elder Boards with the fifteen years that
ours has been in existence. I have
not the statistics in hand to enable me
to bring the comparison to a later date
than the first ten years of our Board,
and shall take that period. “ The A
mericau Board ot Commissioners” was
organized inTSIO, and in the year 1820
(ten years after their organization) they
report, “ cash received in donations,
$36,582,64;” they had sent out to the
foreign field (mostly during the previ
ous year) 42 male and female mission
aries, two of whom had died ; they re
port, at this time,’not a single native
MACON, WEDNESDAY, MAY 9, 1860.
communicant; and only about three
converts. The old Triennial Conven
tion (the first missionary organization
of American Baptists) was established
in 1814, and adopted as their mission
aries Mr. and Mrs. Judson, who, by a
change of views had been so prov
icentially thrown upon their hands.—
Burmah was their only foreign field
up to the year 1822, when they estab
tablislied a mission in Monrovia. Pre
viously to tlie year 1824 (ten years af
ter the formation of the Convention)
they had sent out about eight male and
female missionaries, of whom two had
died ; and up to this time only seven
teen natives had been baptized. In
reference to the first ten years of our
own Board, I quote from an article
written by Bro. Poindexter, in July
ISS6 —an article, by the way, which I
would commend to the perusal of those
who think our missions a failure : “The
receipts into the treasury, with such
fluctuations as are incident to such
funds, have increased from $11,7-35.22,
the lii st year of the Board, to $30,066.-
60—the amount reported last year
(1855.) We have sent out at different
times, thirty eight male and female
missionaries, to China and Central
Africa, of whom seventeen are now in
the service of the Board. In China,
ten baptisms have been reported, and
five in Central Africa. In addition to
this, we have sustained missions in Li
beria, as the result ot which, about
eight hundred have been reported as
baptized. We had, at the time of the
last report, twenty-three missionaries
and assistants engaged in this mission.
Thus it appears, that within the first
ten years our receipts had reached
within some $6,000 of the amount re
ceived as donations by the American
Board of Commissioners in 1820—ten
years after their organization—and
that, with smaller means and fewer
missionaries, and notwithstanding our
losses by the death and return of mis
sionaries, (which have been very
heavy,) we have reported more than
one hundred and sixty limes as many
accessions to our communion within
ten years, as both the Board of Com
missioners and that of the Triennial
Convention did within the first ten
yeais of their existence, (exclusive of
their missions among th Indians of
North America ;) and of these it may
he remarked, that not less than one
hundred and fifteen were converts
from heathenism.” A further exten
sion of the comparison, down to the
present time, would show results equal
ly favorable to the success of missions.
I have taken the missions of the Amer
ican Board of Commissioners and the
Triennial Convention, because they
have been among the most successful,
and ate best known, perhaps, to our
brethren. A comparison with other
Boards will show equally favorable re
sults. But perhaps a comparison of
special mission stations would bring
out more forcibly the relative success
of our missions. I propose, in my
next, to institute such a comparison.
—. W. —.
Southern Lap. The. Seminary.
Greenville, S. C.
FOR WIIAT AREYOU SELLING
YOURSOUL?
If not a professed follower of Christ,
you who read these lines are bartering
away the hopes of eternity, and are
selling your soul at some price. You
may fancy it is not so, and think the
cont act may not be absolutely con
cluded, but tiie negotiation is in pro
gress, amLmnst finally he consumma
ted. It may be you are deluded, and
suppose that no such serious transac
tion is taking place, but, your adversa
ry is active and on the alert, and is
cheating you out of your salvation.—
What, then is the price ? Is it wealth ?
If so, it can only he yours a little while.
You are driving a hard bargain. Toil
and labor, thrift and diligence, will
have to he bestowed upon its acquisi
tion ; you may encounter wearisome
days and sleepless nights, before the
point of your desires is reached, and,
after all, fail to enjoy what you have
hoarded up. The desire to heap* up
your gains, will diminish the power of
enjoyment, aud when at last you are
wealthy, you may have no inclination
to enjoy what you have acquired. And
none ot your treasures cau be carried
with you into the next world. All
must be left behind, and as poor as
when you entered into the world, you
must stand in the presence of God. —
Earthly riches cannot purchase you a
title to the kingdom of heaven, or se
cure you a seat there, hut there is a
heavenly treasure you may acquire, by
going to Christ for salvation—a treas
ure which will enrich you here and
hereafter. Oh ! do not sell your soul j
for the perishable gain of this life; for ;
it will yield you no enjoyment in the j
life to come.—[Episcopal Recorder.
I-rael's eye was thus turned to the 1
blood, as the seal of the covenant and
the assurance of reconciliation. The
“shed blood” was Israel’s peace then ; I
and it is our peace now. It has spo
ken to our aud pacified
them. What more do we need to
know for our peace, each morning and
evening, than that this blood has real
ly been shed on earth and accepted in j
heaven ? We receive God’s testimo
ny to it. And as those who know
that God sees this precious blood on
us and deals with us accordingly, we
cast out the misgivings of unbelief;
and rejoice in the sure reconciliation
of the covenant: nay, emboldened by
this blood, we pass in to the sanctuary
and go up to the mercy-seat “ wfih a
true heart, in full assurance of faith.”
(Heb, x. 22.)
SPIRITUAL HEALTH.
HOW IS YOUR APPETITES
Do you relish the word of God ?
Hear what one of the healthy old
saints has left on record—“ Thy words
were found, and I did eat them ; and
thv word was unto me the joy and re
joicing of mine heart.” [Jer. xvi. 16.]
Is it so with you ? Do you “hunger
and thirst after righteousness?” Those
who have a good will count
ot their meal time. Do you long for
the hour ot social prayer ? Do you an
ticipate the return of the Sabbath ? If
1 not you are sickly, and this makes you
dainty —you find all manner of fault
with your minister—he does not dress
the food to your fancy—nor, if he be a
good man and a true, will lie try. Shew
! us a man so sickly that he has lost his
i relish for the word of God, for secret
* and social prayer, and no faithful gos
pel minister can please his vitiated ap
petite ; no, nor an angel from heaven.
The f&ul t is in his stomach ; his soul
is not in health.
HOW IS YOUIt BREATHING?
For the healthy expansion of the
lungs is not more essential to the
strength of the body than is prayer to
the health of the soul. It is true we
have adverte to this in our preceding
enquiry; but it is such a vital point,
that we are anxious to give it a mo
ments separate consideration. A man
who is very sick arid wasted, may, by
clothing and coloring, seem pretty
well when he walks out and appears
in company ; but see him at home, his
real sell, yon would scarcely know him.
Now, are not both ministers aud pri
vate Christians often painfully conscious
that their apparent zeal in the sanctu
ary is not sustained in the closet ? Alas,
it is just here that our spiritual health
begins to decline! And what is the
remedy ? Oh, let us guard against he
big satisfied with periodical devotion.
It is right to have and to observe seas
ons of devotion ; but we should seek
to preserve a devotional spijrit in all
the intervals. How could natural life
be sustained by breathing a quarter of
an hour twice or thrice a day; or to
change the figure, we may say, with
Dr. Payson—“lt requires constant rub
bing and chafing to keep the blood cir
culating in such frozen souls as ours.”
If we walk in the company of vain,
sinful, trifling thoughts all the day, we
shall find some difficulty in shutting
the door against them when, in the
evening, we retire to our closet. If we
are propelled by a high-pressure en
gine of worldly-mindedness for some
twelve or fourteen hours, it i6 too much
to expect that it will stop at a moment’s
bidding, and leave us calm and quiet
for communion with God. But it may
he said—“We cannot always he on our
knees.” True: but we may often on
the wing of ejaculatory prayer. Here
is a safety valve for the sous, through
which we may breathe all day long,
and keep our souls in health.
HOW IS YOUR PULSE ?
How does the heart beat ? Oh, what
a question is that, ‘ls thineheart right?’
There are two signs of a diseased heart
—a feeble, and an intermittent pulse;
there are others, hut we can only en
quire concerning these. If you have
lost the glow of warm and generous
affection to Christ, his ways, and his 1
people, and are faint hearted, it is time
for you to take the alarm; there is
something wrong at the core. Christ
is as precious as ever, for he is “the
same yesterday, to-day and forever.”
Go, then, to the great Physician ; tell
him ail your case, aud beseech him to
‘heal your soul,’and restore unto you
the joys of his salvation. Then a word
about the intermittent pulse. Some
times quick, sometimes slow, and now
and then intercepted. It is a bad sign
when our religion shews itself by fits
and starts. There is a beautiful anal
ogy between the operations of nature
and of grace. llow steadily progres
sive the former, “First the blade, then
the ear, and then the full corn in the
ear,” “The morning light shining more
and more unto the perfect day.” Here
are no paroxysms, no cessations. So
it is with the healthful operation of vi
tal religion. There is a “growing in
grace,” —a “pressing forward” —a stea
dy “perseverance in welldoing”—and
till you attain to this, you cannot en
joy soul prosperity.
THE BOARD SYSTEM OF THE
SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION.
Postulate Ist. If the Board System
of the greater organization he Scriptu
ally wrong, the Board System of the
less must be Scriptually and logically
wrong also. Ergo: The Boards of all
State Conventions,Education and Pub
lication Societies, Associations, Colle
ges, Seminaries and schools, must he
wroDg. •
Pos. 2d. If the only scriptual plan
of Missions is for each single church—
to maintain its own missionaries. Er
go: The support ot one or more mis
sionaries by two, three, or more chur
ches is uuscriptural and a violation of
the spirit and precept of Christiani
ty.
Pos. 3J. If the arguments of anti
missioDaries thirty years ago, were,
unsound, illiberal, and unscriptural,
have the lapse of years —the spread
ing light of evangelical Christianty,
and the force and Spirit of Omnipo
tent truth rendered these same argu
ments, formerly repudiated and reject
ed by those who now employ them,
sound, liberal and Scriptural? Ergo:
Is it not better to retain the old and
well tried superstructure, based upon
the good foundation of long experi
ence, than to surrender it for untried
experiments ?
Pos. 4th. If, in union, there is
strength, is not that union greatly
stengthened by the multitude ot mem
bers enclosed in it ? The more rods
there are in a bundle the harder is it
to break. Ergo: The union of all the
Baptist of the South in one general
organization for the propagation of
Christianity, will be far more useful
than the individual and separated
unions ot small hands of Christians in
separate and distant localities, opera
ting upon remote and tar distant hea
then lands.—[Wm. Carey Crane.
A BAPTIST OUGHT TO TAKE A
BAPTIST PAPER.
Nor can the Christian, who from
convictions of duty has connected him
sell with the Baptist denomination,
dispeuse with a paper which shall
give him information concerning that
branch of Christ’s visible church with
which he is connected. He may and
siionld feel emotions ot love and affec
tion fur all who hear Christ’s image,
whatever may he their church connec
tion ; hut believing, as he does, that
his own denomination comes nearer
than any other to the Apostolic stand
ards, he can not hut feel a special inter
est in whatever concerns it; to him
the news of a revival of religion will
always ho pleasant, hut will occasion
him a still higher joy to know that
the converts are walking in all the
ordinances and commandments of God,
blameless; it will be a source ofgratifi
cation to him to hear that Christian
men and women are visiting the
homes of the poor, the destitute, the
vicious, the fallen, or that they are go
ing forth, as new recruits to God’s sa
cramental host, to battle with hoary er
ror and ancient idolatry ; hut it he can
recognize in these his own special
brethren, he will feel a peculiar inter
est in learning their labors, their diffi
culties, their triumphs, lie is first a
Christian, next a Baptist Christian,
and hence lie needs, and must have,
a knowledge of what his own brethren
are doing for the cause of Christ. lie
has an undoubted right, if he chooses,
and can afford it, to periodicals issued
by other branches or the Christian
Church; hut his first duty is to aid in
sustaining a Baptist paper.—Examin
er.
NO MIDDLE COURSE IN Re
ligion.
Often do we hear remiss professors
strive to choke all forward holiness by
commending the golden mean. A
cunning discouragement; the devil’s
sophistry ! The mean of virtue is be
tween two degrees. It is a mean grace
that loves a mean degree of grace;
yet this is the staff with which the
world heats all that would be better
than themselves. What ! will you he
singular,—walk alone ? But were not
the apostles singular in their walking,
a spectacle to tiie world ? Did not
Christ call for this singularity, what
do ye more than others? You that
are God’s peculiar people, will yo.u do
nopeculiar thing? Ye that are sepa
rate from the world, will ye keep the
world’s road ? Must, the name of a
Puritan dishearten us in the ser
vice of God ? St. Paul said in his a
pology “ by that which they call here-
j worship I the God of my fathers;”
and by that which profane ones call
puritanism, which is indeed zealous
devotion, so let my heart desire to
serve Jesus Christ.
Old Puritan Writer.
READING THE SKY.
‘Come here, Patty,’ said uncle Phil
ip ; ‘and come here, Peter. You have
read your books, and now I will teach
you how to read the sky.’
‘When the sky is clear, it says, ‘Love
God ;’ when it is stormy, it says, ‘Fear
God;’ when it is lit up with the sun,
it says, ‘Praise God ;’ and when one
part is clear and shining, and another
part cloudy, then it says, ‘Love God,
Fear God, and Praise God,’ all at the
same time.’
Little Patty said she would read the
sky every day ; but Peter said, if she
did, she would he sure now and then
to read it wrong. She would fear God
when she ought to love him.
‘Never mind that,’said Uncle Phil
ip ; ‘never mind that, Patty ; for you
cannot be much wrong while you love,
or fear, or praise God.’
BE PREPARED.
No man knows what a day may bring
forth ; what miseries, what liberty,
what bonds, what good success, a day
may bring forth ; and, therefore a
man need every day be in the closet
with God, that he may be prepared
and fitted to entertain and improve
all the occurrences, successes, and e
rnergencies which may attend him in
the course of his life.
Tiie ‘Sister.’— There is something lovely in
the name of sister, and its utterance rarely fails
to call up the warm affections of the gentle
heart. The thoughts that circle round it are
all quiet, beautiful and pure. Passion has no
place with its associations. The hopes and fears
of love, those strong emotions, powerful enough
to shatter and extinguish life itself, find no
home there. The bride is the star, the talisman
of the heart, the diamond above all price, bright
and blazing in the noonday sun ; a sister, the
gem of milder light, calm as the mellow moon,
and set in a coronet of pearls.
S'SF*’ Reader, I invite you in my
Master’s name to come to Christ and
he His disciple, if von want to be
happy. Cease to seek happiness in
the vain things of this world. Give
up pride, the self-will, the sinful stub
bornness of your own ways. Come to
Jesus as an humble sinner, and cast
your soul on Him, and then the rest.
I have spoken ot shall be your own. |
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NUMBER 19.
SABBATH SCHOOL COLUMN.
PUNCTUALITY.
The teachers must be punctual, and
on the spot in time. The children must
be taught to assemble in seriousness
and quietness. They must be in their
places, in readiness for the opening
worship of the school. To atlowa hab
it of heedless, desultory coming, is oft
en to destroy completely the whole
beDelit anticipated from the gathering.
We cannot safely permit teachers and
children to be absent from the wor
ship, or to be tumbling in together, in
a noisy disturbance of the tranquility
and repose of its actual offering. This
must never be considered a subordi
nate matter. Wo have but a short
time for the whole work of the day.—
The loss of any part of it is important.
And the idea cannot be suffered that
the loss of the opening prayer is of less
consequence than any sutisequent por
tion of the privileges of the occasion.
How to open a Sahhath School.
The opening w'ort'hij) should be short,
appropriate and engaging. A hymn
ot praise adapted to the minds of chil
dren, animated and awakening—a few
words ot serious exhortation or ad
dress from the Superintendent to the
teachers and children—a prayer adap
ted also to youthful minds, and ex
pressed in such language and senten
ces as they can perfectly comprehend
and enjoy—these may all occupy ten
to fifteen minutes—in no case to be ex
tended longer. This commencing wmrk
tests the skill and tact of the Superin
tendent. In it his manner and voice
should be prompt and completely au
dible to all. His own real earnestness
should command instant tranquility
and attention. If he be truly quali
fied for his post, he will be heard, rev
eled and loved. Perfect order and si
lence should reign throughout while
he is thus engaged : and the whole as
pect and influence ol the employment
should indicate the presence of the
Lord with his children, and the sin
cerity and spiritual character an'd hab
its of those who are seeking him.
Order and Quiet.
This serious, earnest spirit should
pervade the whole occasion. We are
dealing with immortal beings upon ev
erlasting concerns, and the whole in
fluence and feeling in the work should
be coincident with this commanding
thought. The general spirit of the
place must be earnest and solemn.—
There should be a quietness which is
the very result of this solemnity of
feeling in the minds of all. It is'dis
mal to hear a Superintendent shouting
for silence,, and constantly ringing a
miserable bell, that seems itself to°be
the very sound and Index of disgrace
and iudifference. To have every teach
er running to the library, when the li
brarian can quietly pass around and
collect the old books'and deal out new
ones, is unnecessary. Children and
teachers should be taught to keep their
places and remain earnestly engaged
in learning or instructing until the
School closes.
Vehemence unnecessary.
A faithful and qualified Superintend
ent will carry round with him that gen
tle and gracious authority which re
quires no vehemence ; that personal
character which attracts and governs
by attracting, rather than by any lan
guage of rebuke or displeasure. “ It is
this spiritual, healthful atmosphere
which is wanting first of all, in the
agency of a Sunday School—the at
mosphere of order, of love, of real ear
nestness in the Lord’s work as here ar
ranged.
Conversion of Scholars.
Sunday School teachers deßire the
conversion of their scholars, of all of
them. Do they desire it enough to
devote some of the hours of business to
preparation-to put themselves to some
inconvenience, and sacrifice, even, that
they may win souls ? Do they pray,
and labor, and wait ? Do they teach
with a sense ot their responsibility, and
spend each opportunity as though it
were the last they should ever have to
lead their young charges to the Sa
viour ?
K N O W M O RE THAN YOU
TEACH.
In order that a teacher may be com
petent to his duties, lie should qualify
himself, as well as prepare his lesson.
He should endeavor to be well “up”
in the subjects which he teaches. He
should endeavor to acquire a pretty
full knowledge of all which can illus
trate and throw light upon them. I
would lay it down as an all-important
maxim, that the teacher should know
much more than he teaches. He should
not feel, when with his class, that he
is working up to his full power ; that
another draft upon his mental capital,
in the form of an inquiry from an in
telligent scholar, would meet an emp
ty exchequer, and must be dishonored
because there are “no effects.”
You should fear to offer to your chil
dren that which costs you nothing.—
You should he like bees, continually
gathering honey from every flower, to
bring home to the young swarm in
your Sunday-school hive.
Teach your scholars to turn Scrip
ture into prayer. Christ said, “If you
love me, keep my commaudments,’’
and the end of all instruction is, to
lead our scholars to obey the will of
God.
Dr. Franklin used to say that rich widows
were the only piece of second hand goods that
sold at prime cost