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THE CHRISTIAN INDEX,
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SAMUEL BOYKIN, Editor.
VOLUME XXXIX.
POETRY. ;
Twilight Hour.
Gen. 3 chap. 8 v.; Luke 24th chap. 29 v.
I love this holy, quiet hour,
When evening sheds her purple light,
And folded is each leaf and flower,
Beneath the smiling stars of night.
Eich bird hath sought its leafy nest;
And cares their wings have folded down,
While thought and fancy in my breast,
Weaves a sweet song my day to crown.
This hour when God was wont to come,
From his high throne and talk with man ;
Devotion draws me nearer home,
Than when the early day began.
I pass my actions in review ;
Etch sinful thought and idle word,
And plead for grace that doth renew
My soul while waiting on the Lord.
Upward I lift my heart to God,
In praise lor all his love and care,
While Jesus from his bright abode,
Comes down to bless my evening prayer.
This cool and pleasant eventide,
For meditation is most meet;
0, Holy Spirit, come abide!
Thy presence brings refreshment sweet.
’Tis sweet to feel how all my life,
Blessings have crowned me undeserved;
How through the angry waves and strife,
Love hast my tiembliug heart preserved.
Then let me dedicate anew,
My life in service, Lord, to thee,
And every evening as the dew,
0 shed refreshing grace on me !
E. S. W.
Lumpkin, April 3, 1860.
Review of “Corrective Church
DISCIPLINE”
“ TREATMENT OF PUBLIC AND MIXED OF
FENCES.”
No. 6.
Tiie article now to be considered,
commences thus : “How should pub
lic olfences be treated? When one
lias been guilty of open immorality,
shall gospel steps be taken ? Is it de
manded that a thief or a drunkard, or
a debaueher, should be approached
first in private, and then in company
with one or two others, before he is ar
raigned in presence of the church?—
Certainly not; for no private repara
tion can atone for or counteract the ef
fects oj immoralities ? ’ (Italics mine )
It is needless to multiply words unnec
essarily. What does Prof. Mell mean
by “ immorality ?” There is a great
necessity fur an accurate and pointed
definition of this term. Websffer says
immorality is “an act or practice which
contravenes the divine command or
the social duties.”
If this definition is accepted, I must
enter my objeetion to Prof. Hell’s doc
trine, by showing that some immo ali
ties may be atoned for in a different
way to the one he suggests. Every
personal offence—sin against a broth
er—“contravenes the divine command,
‘ whatever ye would that men should
do unto you, do ye even so unto them.’
And, in the language of Prof. Mell,
“ When your brother trespasses (sins)
against you, he sins against God also.”
I>ut “where there is no law there is no
transgression.” No one can sin against
God without “contravening the com
mand,” or law of God. According to
Webster, any harsh or abusive words,
spoken by A, against his brother B,
would he an immoral act. Should the
act he regarded as an “immorality °
then, Prof. M. being judge, “no pri
vate reparation can atone for” it. The
Saviour seems to teach a different doc
trine. lie says : “If thy brother sin
against thee, go and tell him (his sin)
between thee and him alone: if he
shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy
brother.” The gr at object is now at
tained—your brother is gained. Don’t
trouble the church or any one by talk
ing of it. “But suppose some of the
members of the church are cognizant
of the difficulty, ought they t. report
the matter to the church ? I answer
no. “But suppose all the church know
it, what then ?” It would be, even in
that case, as well for all to learn from
the parties themselves, or from their
friends, that the difficulty has been
amicably settled, and keep the matter
out of the church entirely. But when
the church, if as a church she inquires
into the matter, learns that the trou
bles have all been settled, she certain- j
ly ought not to pursue the matter any
further. I conclude, therefore, that, if
Prof. M. accepts Webster’s definiE
some “ immoralities'’ ought to be set
tled without being brought into the
church.
But it may he that this definition
Will he discarded. A definition of
umrality is here appended : “Religion,”
says Dr. Dagg, (page 103, Moral Sci
euce,) “implies love to God, and the
attendant affect ions found in the sane
tified heart. It has an external form,
consisting of duties positive and mor
al. Positive duties are those for which
no other reason can he given, than the
will of God made known by express
precept of revelation Moral duties
are those for which reasons may be
assigned, derived from other manifes
tations of the divine will. The chief
coucern of moral philosophy is with
the latter class. To these, the name
morality, especially applies.
The same distinguished writer says,
in the same connection, “ We may as
well seek for a universe without a God,
as for a system of morality without re
ligion.” Again, he says, “As true
morality begins with God, so it ends
with God. and morality, in its rela
tion to God, is nothing different from
religion.”
(Drgan of % Contmitton: hetmfch to Hlissions, Mdtgion, anHlje Inttrfsfs of % flutist gcnMinalwn.
It is easy to deduce from the above
extract, what the amiable and learned
Dr. Dagg would call an immoral act.
Asa moral duty is one “for which rea
sons may her assigned, derived from
other manifestations of the divine will,”
an act which violates a moral duty, is
an immoral act, or an immorality.
According to this doctrine, if A be
comes angry with B, speaks unkindly
to him, and abuses him, A is guilty of
an immoral act, or an immorality.
If this act is an immorality, would
Prof. Mell be willing for such an of
fence (sin) to he settled privately ?
Does not Matt. 18: 15, clearly provide
for all such cases ? So I think.
If he will not accept either of
definitions quoted, will he be so kind
as to define, for himself, what he means
by morality ?
The truth is, if I am able to compre
hend his use of the terms, he has used
morality as quite distinct from relig
ion, and has made morality stand even
higher than religion. In proof of this,
I reter to the fact that, in his view, if
if an act violates God’s law merely, it
may,according to one admission* of his,
he settled between the parties private
ly ; but, from the latter part of the
quotation in the first part ol the arti
cle, it appears that if the act may be
denominated an immorality, it cannot
he atoned for by private reparation.
Religion contains morality, as a
whole contains its parts. “We may as
well seek for a universe without a God,
as for a system of morality without re
ligion.”
Prof. M. shows considerable ingenu
ity, (if lie will pardon me for kindly
saying so,) in mentioning “ the thief,
“the drunkard,” and “the debaueher,”
as the representatives of immoralists.--
Why did lie not use some other terms,
less criminal than these? May not
some other acts be termed “immorali
ties” as well as these ? But let this
pass.
lie says, again : “If the offender is
proved to be guilty of a gross offence
against religion and morality, he
should be at once and without delay,
expelled.” Here, there seems to he
some relaxation of the rigid rule.—
What is a “gross offence?” A great of
fence, ora palpable offence, it is to be
presumed. Would he call all offences
against religion and morality, “gross”
offences ? If not, then what treatment
would he prescribe for such as are not
“giosß ?” He answers this question
himself: “in public offences, not in
volving gross immorality, a milder
course may be pursued ; and correct
ive discipline may be successful and
complete short of excommunication.
This, I think, is.sound doctrine, quite
a modification, however, of that in the
first extract. By gradual concessions,
Prof. M. seems to be approaching the
truth.
Throwing aside a large number of
cases, which would he included in his
definition of'a “public offence,” a con
siderable part of what he sa}’s about
their treatment, may be readily admit
ted.—lst. Not every act against relig
ion, or morality, is a public offence.—
Avery large number of such offences
are personal offences, and should be
settled privately.
2. Not every “act against the church
in its organized capacity,” (a part of
his definition of public offences,) is a
public offence. Some such acts are
public offences; others are even praise
worthy. The former should be treat
ed as public offences; the latter should
receive praise, Many of this latter
class have occurred in the history of
the churches.
I disagree with Prof. Mell on anoth
er point. He says, “No ope should
he condemned without a hearing.”—
The murderer, the man well known to
be living incest, and many such like
cases, form exceptions. What is the
use of citing a mu derer whose black
crime is known to the whole commu
nity, to appear before the church ?
Would his acknowledged prevent liis
exclusion ?
When a church member’s guilt has
been established in the mind of the
community, and the crime is such as
cannot he atoned for, his presence be
fore the church is not at all necessary.
Tbe church should exclude him with
out any formal trial.
“ Mixed Offences.”
It has already been shown that
; “ Mixed offences” are absurdities ; of
course, any treatment for such often
ces is itself absurd. What is said on
this subject deserves no further notice.
A. S. Worrell.
Talladega, Ala., Feb. 22, 1860.
* “When thy brother trespasses (sins) a
gainst thee, he trespasses (sins) against God
also.”
From the Religious Herald.
SUCCESS OF MISSIONS.—NO. 2.
One of the most successful missions
of modern times (if not the most suc
cessful,) is the mission to the Karens;
and yet, in comparing that mission
with our’s to Central Africa, we will
see no cause for discouragement, while
we will he compelled to acknowledge
less success. When, in the year 1831,
the devoted Boardman entered upon
his labors among this remarkable peo
pie, lie found afield already “whitefor
the harvest.” Though so weak that
he had to be carried on a litter to the
Karen jungles, he entered with enthu
siasm upon his work, and at once be
gan to gather in the precious sheaves.
He was soon called by the Master to
“come up higher,” but was permitted,
before his departure, to witness a large
namber of conversions ; and from “the
MACON, GA., WEDNESDAY, MA\ r 23, 1860.
land of rest” he has continued to wit
ness an abundant harvest reaped, by
his successors, from the seed which lie
had sowed. The Karens are now a
Christian people, and are sending out
missionaries to the surrounding heath
en. And yet we have no ground of
discouragement because our missions
show no such results as these. The
Karens could scarcely be called a hea
then people, and were even better pre
pared to receive the gospel than the
hardened sinners of our own land, who
have so often turned a deaf ear to it.
They had no established priesthood or
form of idolatry, hut believed in the ex
istence of God, and a future state of
rewards and punishments, and cherish
ed a set of traditions of unusual purity
and containing many doctrines strik
ingly similar to the truth* of Scripture.
They had also a singular tradition, that
their race would not always he degra
ded, but that “white strangers from
across the seas would come and teach
them the words of God.” When, there
fore, Boardman went amongst them,
they had hailed it as the fulfilment ol
their tradition, and embraced the gos
pel as eagerly as did the Ethiopion
eunuch, when Philip, by divine direc
tion, joined himself to his chariot and
“preached unto him Jesus.”
In our Central African mission there
was no such preparation as this ; hut
from Bowen’s first entrance into the
country, the people have been eager to
hear the gospel; an f d though the mis
sion was only established in 1853, and
has had many difficulties to contend
with, from the death and return of mis
sionaries, Ac., they have reported a
large number of convents, and the
prospects for the future are bright and
brightening. If Southern Baptists will
only discharge their duty in reference
to this field, we may c nfideutly look
for results equally as encouraging,
when it has been in operation as long
as the Karen mission.
And before leaving this comparison
with the missions of Northern Baptists
I am constrained to remind our breth
ren, who speak depreciatingly of our
success in comparison with their’s, that
our fathers helped to lay the founda
tions of these missions, and that South
ern Baptists are entitled to rejoice in
their success up to the year 1845, as a
blessing upon their efforts, and an an
swer to prayers offered by them in
common with those of our Northern
brethren. Yet?! in reading the histo
ry of the early Bunnan missions, we
will not allow that fanaticism which
forced us to relinquish their prosecu
tion, to cause us to forget that we have
an equal right to speak of our Judsons,
and our Boardmans ; but equally with
our brethren of the North, we will re
joice at the success of the gospel in
that dark laud, or drop a tear to de
parted worth upon the graves of those
heroes and heroines of faith who were
the pioneers of American missions.
I shall have time at present, merely
to make a passing allusion to several
missions, which I had intended com
paring somewhat minutely with those
of our own Board. We are frequently
pointed to the success of Romish mis
sions, and are told of the thousands,
and even hundreds of thousands, that
they number their converts by ; but it
is a sufficient reply, that the religion
whicn they have taught the heathen is
but little differtnt from their former
idolatry, (merely a slight change in
their ritual,) and it is exceedingly
doubtful whether their “converts” are
at - all benefitted by the change. And
yet, to gain proselytes to such an emp
ty form, they have put forth efforts aud
made sacrifices which should put us to
the blush, and which, if made in the
cause of truth, would show a far more
flourishing state of things than exists
at present in any of our missions. Sure
ly we have nocause of discouragement
in comparing the success of our mis
sions with those of Rome. Ttie mis
sion of the Moravian brethren to
Greenland has been one of the most
successful of modern missions, and yet
their missionaries labored there for
eighteen years, with the most com
mendable zeal, and perseverance, be
fore they witnessed the first conver
sion. And tlins I might go on, and
take up one after anotheV of modern
1 missions, and show that their ultimate
success has been the result of years of
fruitless toil. In 1816, Judson wrote
to Luther Rice, who w T as at that time
laboring to stir up our churches to
sustain the Burmau mission : “If any
ask what success I meet with among
the natives, tell them to look at Ota
heite, where tiie missionaries labored
nearly twenty years, and not meeting
with the slightest success, began to be
neglected by ail the Christian world, i
aud the very name of Otaheite was |
considered a shame to the canse.of mis
sions ; but now the blessing begins to !
descend. Tell them to look at Bengal, ;
also, where Dr. Thomas had been la- ;
boring for seventeen years, before the
first convert, Krishnu, was baptised.
When a few converts are once made,
things move on. But it requires a
much longer time thali I have been
here, to make a first impression on a
heathen people. If they ask again
what prospect of ultimate success
there is, tell them, as much as that
ihere is an almighty and faithful God,
who will perform his promises, and no
more. If this docs not satisfy them, j
beg them to let me stay and make the
attempt, and let you come, and give us |
our bread ; or, if they are unwilling to
risk our bread on such a forlorn hope
as has nothing but the word of God to
| sustain it, beg them at least not topre
| vent others from giving us bread. And
j if we live some twenty or thirty years,
’ they may hear from n§,”
Thus it appears that a comparison of
the first years of other missions with
the first years of our own, affords us
ground lor abundant gratitude for the
past, and bright anticipations for the
future. *
I had designed enlarging somewhat
on the wonderful manner in which
Providence has opened up missionfields
to Southern Baptists, but I have ex
tended this article so far that I can
now barely allude to it. After Judson’s
fifteen years of toil and suffering, Bur
mah proper was as completely closed
against missionary effort as when he
first entered the field, and though his
unwavering faith could say that the
prospects lor Burmah’s redemption
were “as bright as the promises of
God,” they seemed to his supporters at
home dark indeed. Dr. Morrison (the
first Protestant missionary to China,)
contented himself with the work of
translation, and at the expiration of
twenty years there was no public
preaching ol the gospel, and mission
aries were permitted to reside only at
a tew ports. The history of our ope
rations, in this particular, has been in
deed cheering. So soon as Bowen en
tered Central Africa, it was opened to
as many missionaries as vve might send,
and the natives have been eagerly cal
ling for more men to tell them “God
palaver” ever since. About twelve
years alter our missionaries entered
China,the walls of exclusiveness, which
so long closed nearly all of that vast
empire to the messengers of salvation,
are suddenly broken down, and a per
ishing harvest of four hundred and for
ty-five millions is now inviting us to
put in the sickle. The gates of Japan,
so long barred to foreigners, are thrown
wide • pen just as we are ready, with
the means and men, to enter it. And
Brazil, which Popish bigotry has so
long degraded, now declares toleration
to Protestantism; and opens up a
wide,extended field, which only South
erners can cultivate, and which our
Board has j ust sent the devoted Bow
en to occupy. In reviewing our past
history, then, and comparing it with
that ol other missions, we have reason
to bo grateful that we have been bles
sed tar more than the feeble efforts we
have made gave us a right to expect.
And in contemplating the future, we
may confidently look for the most glo
rious results, it we will only have faith
and energy to “go up and aud possess”
the inviting fields which are spread out
before us.
-. W. —.
South. Bqp. Iheological Seminary,
Greenville , C., April 23, ’6O.
ALBANY, NEW YORK, LETTER.
Albany, May Bth, 1860.
Dear Brother Boykin:
Y our kind “commission” of the 30th
Git., came duly to hand. Be assured
that it will ever afford me pleasure, as
tar as possible, to continue the inter
change ot those Christian courtesies
with my Southern brethren which be
gan with the first day of my profess
ional career, and which I devoutly
pray may never end.
It is my joy that no where in print,
private letter, or most confidential act,
is there the face of any purpose or ex
pression designed to wound the feel
ings or forfeit the confidence of any
patriot or chiistian, East, West, North,
or South. The longer my life is ex
tended, and the more I observe the
movements ot all classes of our fellow
men,the more catholic grows my heart,
and the more comprehensive my re
gards.
But all my ambition, and what lit
tle ability I possess, are absorbed in
parochial toils, and von must not ex
pect much from my pen.
As an earnest of good intentions,
however, please use as you please the
enclosed communication. It was writ
ten by a sister who joined our church
with the dear candidate described, and
wdiose baptism has excited so much
public interest.
In the same mail with this goes
some corrected statements to brother
Walthall, at Raleigh. Herein it is
suggested that yon reprint from each
other, and so allow your respective
readers to know about that “head” so
“gently immersed.”
Yours very truly,
E. L. Magoon.
jjglP Our readers may have seen an
account of a young girl, baptized iu
Albany, N. ~by Rev. E. L. Magoon,
when she was in a helpless condition.
We here present a full account of tfte
; occurrence obtained by special eorres
’ pondence.
I A TRIBUTE TO KATE McROWN.
THE BAPTISM.
On the first Sabbath iu April, in Dr.
Magoon’s church, there were eighteen
candidates for baptism. Before the
ordinance was administered, the Pas
tor stated that there was a young girl,
who had been connected with the fe
male Bible class, past the hope of re
covery with consumption. At her
j earnest entreaty, and with the consent
;of her only surviving parent, which
| she persisted in soliciting until she
could withhold it no longer, he had
consented to baptize her. The Pas
tof told her that he did not think in
her state of Tiealth such an act of obe
ience w’as required of her, and that it
was not a saving ordinance. She had
been tailing for eleven months, was
much emaciatej, she might die in the j
j water. She with a fidelity that par- j
took of the sublimity of faith, and the’
cheerfulness of obedience, determined
to follow the footsteps of her Saviour,
and confess Christ before the church
and world. “ Will the church receive
her to their fellowship? 9 ’ was the ques
tion asked. She was received with
out a dissenting voice. “Obedience is
truly better than sacrifice.” She came
in leaning on the strong arm of her
uncle. There was such love and trust
in her heart that it gave strength to
her feeble footsteps.
She was literally dressed in her!
white grave-clothes which had been
prepared by loving hands as for a bride,
for she might become such by death.
As she appeared from that dense mass
gathered within the church, in the still
ness, sobs as from one great heart broke
forth.
The Pastor secured her in his arms
fiom the frout of the baptistry. Like
a child she lay there. lie pressed his
forehead on her chest, and when they
rose from the watery grave they were
so radiant I was reminded of the trans
figuration.
From the widowed mother a cry
came, wrung from the tried spirit, as
she rushed to the baptistry aud saw
that she was safe, “ God bless my
child.” As I marked the great drops
ot sweat standing like beads upon the
brow of our pastor, I felt that the mar
tyr spirit died not out centuries ago
with the flames which the persecutors
of Christianity kindled. Here was the
servant of Christ, ready at all times,
and under all circumstances, fearlessly
to discharge his duty, “though it led
far from the easier path which thous
ands tread.* 1 I will pay a just tribute
to the Christian heroism of his charac
deeply would he have been blamed.
W nil the intrepidity of the man of God
who follows his master fully, and was
aware that the multitude were as rea
dy to cry “away with him” and to
hurl the first stone at defeat, as they
were to offer warmest congratulations
at his success. Yet he risked the chan
ces, and gave such happiness to that
young believer.
“She was planted in the likeness of
Christ’s death,” and when the hymn
arose “in its full volume of sweetness
above the rich strains of the solemn
organ, in its anthem roll,” “ and see
the place where Jesus lay” died away,
“she felt that she by faith had seen it
in baptism, and was so happy,” and
that the promise of the resurrection
was hers.
She was removed to the psstor’s
9tudy, and several hours after sat down
to the Lord’s supper, and partook tor
tlie first time on earth of the emblems
of the broken body and shed blood of
the dying Lord. To her it was emphat
ically the last supper. Then we sang
a hymn, as they in that upper room
centuries ago, did, and went out, and
Jesus will eat of the fruit of the vine
with her in his father’s kingdom.
They bore her toiler home “ refresh
ed,” and she whispered to the Pastor,
“ I have fought a good fight, I am
ready to be offered up.”
THE FUNERAL.
When May morning dawned, which
brings delight to so many young hearts,
as they go to cull the lovely flowers,
which fade in plucking, to twine about
the brow of the Queen of an hour, she
went forth from the friends who loved
her, from the mother who bore her,
alone, yet guarded by an innumerable
company, crowned with a diadem un
fading as the tree of life, with the im
mortal blossoms in her hand given by
the Saviour himself.
On that day month she bad given
herself to the church militant, and her
name was enrolled among its members,
but now, she was in the church tri
umphant, and her name inscribed be
neath her Lord, the Lamb’s. Again
a vast multitude are gathered within
the temple of the Most High. There
is weeping and lamentation, mingled
with submission and praise. The hand
that smiteth will sustain the stricken
ones. As surely as He lives, who sent
the shaft quivering through the bleed
ing hearts of that mourning mother
and those beloved sisters, Jesus will
heal the wounds which he has made.
Perhaps while her companions sang
the hymns which she loved best, her
sainted spirit was fanning her mother’s
cheek as she sank beside that same
baptistry and uttered such another
cry of anguish for her who lay in her
coffin with the choicest flowers bloom
ing around her.
A month before her child was safe
in life, infinitely safer now in the life
immortal. Well might the angel say,
“she is not here but is risen.” And
while they lay that fair young head
beneath the sod, from which violets
may spring, it is but the crumbling
casket which once contained a jewel.
Jesus needed it for his crown, He only
lent it to her mother.
Spurgeon's Sermons. —T he s e vol
umes are, it would seem, still iu de
mand. At the recent “trade sale” of
books in New York, there were sold at
fair prices no fewer than thirty six
thousand volumes of Spurgeon’s Ser
mons*!
Missions in New Zealand.' —lt is
well known that Missionary effort has
been largely successful m this deeply
interesting section of the world. The ‘
following, however, is painful: The
Wesleyan missionaries are much an
noyed and hindered by receDt politi
cal movements. But a worse evil still
is the introduction of intoxicating li j
quors by European traders. Young
men of promise are arrested in their
course of improvement by this destroy
er ; from drinking they fall into gamb-
ling, !icentionsne?s, and every vice. — ,
The same countries that send mission- j
aries to elevate the people, send rum i
to sink them below the level ot the !
heathen.
BIBLE & COLPOBTEUR WORK.
Way Maries for April.
A travel of more than two hundred
miles on the cars brought me tm
SAVANNAH.
This is the largest city in Georgia.
Is situated on the South Western bank
of the Savannah river, eighteen miles
above its entrance into the Atlantic
ocean. It is built on a sandy cliff,
about, forty feet above low tide. It is
constantly visited by large vessels from
New Fork, Liverpool, and other Am
erican and European ports. The city
is regularly laid out, contains many
beautiful squares and public walks,
adorned with the pride of China
trees, which contribute much to the
ornament and comfort of the place.—
Rev. S. Landrum is the Pastor of the
Baptist church. Their membership is
very large. They have two sermons
and Sabbath-school on Sunday. Pray
er-meeting Tuesday night, and Lec
ture on Thursday night. These meet
ings are oil well attended. The church
and congregation gave me one hun
dred dollars for the Bible and Col
porteur Society. There are four Afri
can Baptist churches here. I only
visited the first. It has about twelve
hundred members. Their pastor was
absent. I tiied to preach to them.
The house is very large, in its most
distant part stood the quoir who lead
the music, or rather they, (white folks
like.) sang for the congregation. Oh ?
how poor is such singing, compared
to the thrilling notes of a whole con
gregation, sending forth praise to God.
The Savannah people are hospitable,
kind and liberal. Long will I re
member a week spent in their midst,
and especially the pastor’s family, with
whom I made my home my
stay in the city. I visited * ° / '*ub
lie Orphan Asylum, for femal in ! e Was
much pleased with its management.
It has 25 children, one Teacher, a
Matron and assistant Matron. The
children do everything about house
keeping;, and are taught many things
about books, Ac. They sang several
beautiful songs for me. All looked
cheerful and are doubtless very hap
py. Hope other places will form sim
ilar institutions for girls and boys.
WALTIIOURYILLE
Is a small town in Liberty county.
Tne Baptists gave me $16,50 for my
cause. They have a beautiful little
meeting-house. Ic is called a Lecture
room, and is owned by the
NEWrORT CHURCH.
This church now worships in a house
about 45 years old. It has about 15
white, and 1,000 black members.—
Spent a Sabbath with it. Truly it was
delightful to meet with, and prea’ch
to the hundreds of colored people pres
ent. The house is large, was dense
ly crowded by black people, the
whites only filling a few seats. Their
singing was led by a colored man.
Nearly ah of the vast assembly united
iu the songs of Zion. I was remind
ed of that day when all will unite
to sing the songs of joy on the other
side of death. How vastly superior
was this to what I had heard in the
organed churches of the beautiful city
of Savannah. Rev. 11. E. Cassidy, is
the laborious and efficient pastor ot this
church, and alternates between it and
the church at Sunbury. A brother
from Riceboro’ gave me $5, one from
Mclntosh sl, also 25 cents from Louis
ville.
CENTRAL RAIL ROAD.
Left Savannah on this road at an
early hour in the night, for Macon, a
distance of 192 miles. When first
seated in the car, thought to myself,
what a long ride, and what a dreary
and cheerless night. Soon a gentle
man and two ladies came in and seated
themselves near where I sat. I had
seen them before, therefore I felt free
to converse with them. The gentle
man read a newspaper and slept, al- j
ternately. One of the ladies was soft
toned and mild, yet very social and |
pleasant. The other lady carried a
light in her conversation. Occasional-
ly she slept, but when not asleep she ;
kept a thrill of interest in the other
wise cheerless car. Her conversation j
was instructive, literary, religious and
entertaining. All on board felt that j
it was good to have her along. About ,
day dawn we had a gentle shower of
rain. While the car stopped for a few
minutes at the station, the birds sang
sweetly without,and the cheerful notes j
of the joyous lady w T ere still sounding
within. Oh! what one person can do
towards making happy a company of
passengers.
THE GEORGIA BAPTIST CONVENTION.
Will not attempt an account of it,
for it has already been given. Re
ceived here for Bible cause, from Au
gusta, S2O, Jeffersonville, $5, Stark
ville, $5, Palmyra, §5, Worthing’s
Store, sls, and sl, each, from Griffin,
LaGrange, Albany, Rome and Macon.
During the month I received for the
Society, in contributions, slßl 25, for
books sold $285 49, and for Index,
$97 20. Bible and Colporteur Socie
ty also held an annual meeting. Du
ring these anniversaries our Society
received, in cash, about $1,400 00.
Beached home, went to the “Twi- 1
light Prayer-meeting. Had a full
house. It is perhaps the oldest daily
prayer-meeting on the continent, hav
ing been kept up by the pious young j
men of Mercer University, for about j
28 years. More anon.
F. M. Haygood, Ag’t. 1
Terms ol Advertising.
For all transient advertising One Dollar per square
of ten lines for the first, and 50 cents per square fer
all subsequent publications.
K ATES FOR CONTRACT ADVERTISING.
1 square of 10 lines per 3 months $ 4 oo
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“ “10 lines “ 1 year 10 00
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charge is for the space occupied bv ten such lir(g
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N. S., YOL. 28, AO. 21.
SABBATH SCHOOL COLt MX.
j THE S. S. AN AUXILIARY - TO
Parental Efforts.
An objection sometimes madetothe
Sabbath Schools is, that it infer- its
with household instiuction. If this
were so—if it took the religious in
struction of their children out of the
hands of their parents —if it occupied
the only time the parent could devote
to this object—if it in any way contra
vened the proper tuition of the fireside
then it ought to be dispensed with.—
For family religious instruction is a
positive ordinance of God, and woe he
to that family in which, for any reas
on, it is not attended to. But it is cer
tain that the Sabbath School never
was designed to interfere with family
instruction, and however plausible the
objection to it on this ground, tacts
will not sustain it. The truth is, that
those very parents who are most alive
to the religious instruction of their
children, and who make the most
strenuous efforts to secure this, wel
come most gladly the Sabbath School,
not as a substitute but as a worthy co
worker. The Sab. School is an arrange
ment that does not weaken proper
home influence, but brings to bear a
stimulus wdiich often times cannot be
secured at home, and adds to the force
ot appeals in favor of religion derived
from a parent’s love and authority, all
that there is in the new interest in the
child’s welfare created in the mind of
the teacher. The teacher may do—
sometimes has done—the very thing
for which the parents have been pray
ing and laboring for yea:s. He may,
through the Divine blessing, drop, in
to a heart prepared for it through the
instrumentality ot the parent, the seed
which shall bring forth the fruits of pi
ety, or give that direction to the im
moral mind which shall carry it on
ward and upward to the footsteps of
the eternal throne.
Sometimes takes the place of a religi
ous parent.
And while the Sabbath School does
not interfere with the instructions giv
en by parents who can impart it, it
renders an immense benefit to those
who cannot give the proper instruc
tion. The opportunities of some par
ents were so limited in early life, and
their acquirements are so slender, or
they may be so occupied with
their children bread, that they either
have not the know-edge or else not the
; time necessary topfepare themselves
to give their children the home train
ing they ought to have. “IIow,” says
an eloquent writer, “is the fat her of'a
! family,who is perhaps possessed of only
the humblest capacity, and whose ed
ucation was of the meagerest sort, who
is obliged to leave his home for the
field, the factory, or the shop, before
his children are awake, and who re
turns exhausted with his labor, only
when they are too drowsy to receive
instruction, and the intervals of whose
Sabbaths scarcely suffice to recruit,
him for his week’s toil; how is such a
one to perform properly and effectual
ly, the office of religious instructor?
Or how can a poor widow, of limited
intelligence, who is obliged to rise ev
ery day with the dawn, and toil with
her needle till the night comes, to pro
cure food and clothing and shelter fur
her children, give them Jine iq on line,
precept upon precept, here a little and
there a little, until their minds are im
bued with the noble and sanctifying,
trn'.hs of the gospel ? And just here
is where the Sabbath School comes in
with one ot its most blessed works, and
does for these parents what thev can
not do, and yet what their own welfare,
and that of their families, the Church
and the State, require to be done.”
Or supplies the place of negligent or
irreligious parents.
But, besides such parents, there are
tliose who, though professedly pious
and well qualified intellectually for the
instruction of their children, yet make
their circumstances an excuse fur al
most, it not wholly, neglecting {.’ is
duty. Their sense of religious obliga
tion is so small, and their worldliness
so great, that they will not rightly at
tend to this matter, and’ unless some
other agency does the wmrk, it will not
be done.
And then, again, there is still anofh
|er c^aßß of parents, larger far than eith
ier or a ’d of those yet mentioned—those
! who are not professedly pious : Ihe ir
; religious and the followers of false re
: ligions. The children of such not on
| ly do not receive any sound home re
ligious instruction, but they are often
| trained in shaine and sin. Sabbaths
such have indeed, but.they are spent
in destructive amusements, idleness,
; and dissipation. Books they may have,
but they are the corrupt stuff that
teems from an idtidel and licentious
press. Meeting places they have, but
they are indeed and in truth the very
| synagogues of Satan. The offspring of
j the vicious poor, or of the sin-hardened
in better circumstances, they are too
literally like lambs scattered on the
I mountains and exposed tosavage beasts
These must be cared for; the church
must care for them. She is not to sav
within herself, “Let the parents attend
them;” or, “Let them perish.” Xo,
no, no! JShe is bound to see to it that,
to the utmost possible extent, the pure
and transforming influences of our Di
vine religion shall be breathed about
them all. Now, observation shows tis
that the instrumentality which most
readily and effectually teaches such
children, is the Sabbath School.
Do unto others as you would have oth
ers do unto you.