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THE CHRISTIAN INDEX.
SAMUEL BOYKIN, Editor.
TELEGRAPH TOWER PRESS.
<3rJ±. *
Ws Tuesday, June 27, 1860.
STANDING RULES.
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TIAN INDEX,” Macon, Georgia.
Other Causes Why Revivals Pre
vail Not.
We shall, in this article, allude to four
different reasons why, in our opinion, a re
vial spirit is not prevalent. We use this
form of expression because facts of the
day prove to us that God is willing to
pour us out a blessing; and were we will
ing to receive it, like the dew on Mount
Hermon would it descend and refresh the
arid hearts of Zion.
The t#st cause is the want of fervent,
faithful prayer. Elijah’s fervent prayer
brought famine; and Elijah’s fervent, be
lieving prayer brought rain from heaven.
And is not God as willing to answer earn
est prayer now, as in the days of old ?
Will not earnest, wrestling prayer secure
blessings now , as it did for Jacob in that
night of doubts and fears ?
Did the people pray, did the churches
pray, did the ministers in private and in
public unceasingly supplicate for this sin
gle object, surely God’s ears would, ere
long, be unstopped, and such a glorious
outpouring of grace be vouched us as we
could'not contain. Let each one and all,
unceasingly and everywhere, with the
most ardent desire and expectation pray to
God for a general revival of religion in
our denomination, and it will surely
come.
The second cause to which we will al
lude is, our Ministers do not preach with
sufficient pungeucy, directness, heart
awakening and conscience alarming point
edness. Sinners must be made to see and
to feel their danger: they must compre
hend themselves as in the hands of an an
gry God whom they are daily offending ;
they must have the awful realities of eter
nity plainly exhibited to them; and they
be made to realize that now is the accepted
time—now is the day of salvation.
Gospel truths, including God’s sover
eignty and man’s helplessness, unless he
throw himself on the merits of Christ,
should be plainly upheld ; and the uncon
verted should be made to see the danger
of neglecting the great salvation. Christ,
as the sinner’s sole refuge, should be held
up in prominent view and the avenger
painted as in hot pursuit, thirsting for
blood. Addresses so pointed should be
made that each one shall take it to him
self and, by accepting the terms of salva
tion, flee from the wrath to come. Let
awakening sermons be made common, let
piercing appeals be more frequent and let
fervent exhortations be oft reiterated and,
if the preacher is in earnest, ’.he hard heart
will melt and sinners will be converted.
O, what a position in the economy of
grace, does the preacher occupy—the am
bassador of heaven, the mouth-piece of
Jehovah ! For it has pleased God, by the
foolishness of preaching, to save them that
believe!
The third cause to which we refer is,
the eareless lives oi professors of religion.
A Minister went once to see a dying young
man —and render to him the consolations
of religion. Said the dying person, “Sir,
1 heard you preach once ; and you touch
ed my soul. Solemnity garbed my spirit
and distress, on account of my situation,
took hold of me. I was in a lit state of
mind to receive earnest, serious, solemn
advice. Impressed by the awfulness ol
eternal things, my soul was ready to lay
hold on eternal life.
I walked home with you.
On the way your manner and conversa
tion were so trifling, so frivolous, so full of
levity, that all seriousness was banished
from my mind. Why, thought I, the man
was not in earnest ! Surely, if all he said
was true, he could not act thus! And from
that day to this my uneasiness has not re-
and now I die —I’m lost —my soul
will be datnned—and you are the cause
of it.” Oh, brethren, if such results fol
low the careless lives ot professors, “ what
manner of persons ought we to be in all
holy conversation and godliness ?” Ought
we not to “ let our conversation be such
as becometh the gospel ?”
Does not the Almighty speak the truth
when he says, through David, “to him
that ordereth his conversation aright,
will I show the salvation of God ?”
es, brethren if we would see the sal
vation of God manifested upon those a
round us, we must order our conversation
aright for there is no more powerful ser
than that a man preaches by his own
aeuons. The life of one good man is a j
continued miracle in favor of Christianity ;
and it speaks to the senses louder than
one’s rising from the dead. Asa beacon
light, shining far out upon the dim waters
of life, the Christian’s walk is the guide to
travellers journeying on to eternity. Let
not your light go out nor ever burn dim,
0 Christian, lest hereafter, some soul,
wrecked upon the shores of hell, shall
blame you for its perdition.
We come now to the fourth cause, why
a revival sprit is so much wanting: it is
because the people read the Bible so little
and good books so seldom.
Wb doubt whether there is anything
that awakes so much devotional feeling,
that arouses so much interest in one’s soul
and life, as the perusal of good books. —
The effects they create are genuine; for
one generally reads in private. Mere or
atory may excite, while the subject-matter
of the sermon is comparatively disregard
ed. But let one sit down in the privacy
of his chamber and con the page’s of in
spiration or ponder the thoughts of a Dod
dridge, and that solemnity which spreads
over his soul will not be fictitious. No
man can read tfue life of Payson, and
rise from its perusal with a “ tush ’’ upon
his lips. No one can drink in the solem*
ities of Rise and Progress or the glories of
Saint's Rest , and then feel that religion is
all a sham, and rise up to eat or sit down
to play, with indifference resting upon his
soul.
Ministers know not what powerful co
adjutors good books are; or else, they
would make more vigorous eftorts to dis
■ seminate them among their people; and
we blame the Ministers of our Denomina
tions especially for negligence in this re
spect. In our humble opinion every Min
ister ought to see to.it that systematic and
. persistent efforts are continually being
made in his field, to diffuse a strictly reli
, gious literature. We have been in a po
sition within the last two years to know
something of the amount of evangelical
literature read by our Denomination in
this State; and we must confess that it is
lamentably small. We feel ashamed in
making this confession, but truth compels
us to speak. And we take it to be one of
the surest signs of coldness in our churches
that such books as Mallary’s “Soul pros
perity,’’ “James’ Anxious Inquirer,”
“ Baxter’s Call to the unconverted,’’
Tyree’s “ Living Epistle,’’ “The Harvest
an and Reapers,” “ Rise and Progress of Re.
ligion v ” and Abbott’s young Christian,’’
are not in demand. And when we find
our Ministers ordering these books by the
quantity to sell to the people of their
charge and of their neighborhood, we
shall feel confident that the seeds of a glo
rious revival are being sown—seeds that
bear fruit to be garnered in heavenly man
sions.
We call especial attention of the church
es to this matter, hoping that good breth
ren will take steps to circulate the awken
ing tract and the arousing or instructing
book ; and we do so the more readily be
cause of the facility for procuring the
books in our State.
And now, we are done.
We send forth these lines—a waifupon
the sea of life—to stir up the lukewarm,
awaken and encourage the zealous and to
arouse the indifferent. God grant that
they go forth upon a mission of benevo
lence! God grant that speedily a glorious
time of refreshing shall gladden our State;
and that other States be infected with a
devout enthusiasm, until the whole coun
try shall be in a blazp of religious fervor ;
and not our country only, but all coun
tries of all climes, till every land—
Transported with ecstacy at the thought
Os sure deliverance from eternal chains,
Shall let the song of praise and joy burst forth
And, wave-like, spread from heart to heart until
The dwellers in the vales and on the rocks
Shout to each other: till the mountain tops
From distant mountains catch the flying joy :
Till nation after nation, taught the strain,
Roll rapturous hozannas round the earth.
One Circumcision —One Baptism.
(To he completed in three Numbers.)
Number 2.
In our former article, we arrived at the
conclusion, that since the act of circum
cision is so definite and comprehensible,
if Baptism is its substitute, we must be
living under a darker dispensation than
that of the law, seeing baptism is a rite
so indefinite in its administration, as to be
scarcely understood. But it would be an
impeachment of the divine wisdom and
benevolence, and depreciation of the
clearness of the New Testament teach
ings to entertain such an opinion. Tak
ing the New Testament therefore, not on
ly to be sufficiently clear, but to mean
what it says : we find it declaring, Eph.
4 : 5, that there is one Lord, one faith,
one baptism. We agree with the asser
tion, arguing that there is but one baptism!
Because 1. The only Greek word ever
used in regard to the ordinance, is Bap -
Itzo, one. word only ; neither Lotto, Brecho
nor Rantizo, is ever employed. No scholar
ever did, nor ever dare deny thus. Now,
why should not baptizo as well as peritemno,
have a definite meaning ? If circumci
sion is one, so is baptism. The oldest and
most learned Pedobaptist scholars and
Lexicographers, give immerse d>p, plunge
as the radical meaning of baptizo.
2. We read of candidates going to
streams and rivers, where immersion
could be performed; never “that water
was applied to the candidate.’’ Near all
the early cities, we find streams, rivers,
and bays, for the convenience of the rite :
Ephesus was on the Archipelago at the
mouth of the Cayster: Philadelphia was
near the Hermus: Pergamos on the Cai
cus, aud Sardis on the Pactolus: Phillip- i
pi was situated on a river, falling into the I <
N. W. part of the Archipelago. It was
anciently called Krenides , from its many
fountains. Thesalonica, near Phillippi,
was situated on a bay. Two rivers were
near Damascus : Laodicea was in one and
a half miles of the Lycus, but nearer still
to the two streams, Asopus and Caprus:
I Colosse was on the Lycus, r ot far Irom its
junction to the Maeander: Antioch was
on the Orontes : Corinth on a bay: Symr
na and Caesarea on the Meditterrauean
sea, and Rome on the Tiber; and there
are now over 20 acres of pools in the city
of Jerusalem. God has made rich provi
sion for the obedience of his people, and
for illustrating the action —the meaning
of baptism.
3. In both, the Epistle to the Romans
and to the Colossians, [6 : 4, and 2: 12,]
it is recorded : “We are buried with him
by baptism into death” —“burial with him
in baptism.’’
That immersion is here indicated, most
old commentators astirm —“alluding to
the manner of baptism, which was by im
mersion:” Wesley. “It seems the part of
candor to confess that here is allusion to
the manner of baptizing by immersion.”
Doddridge. “While our bodies are under
the water, we may be said to be buried
w T ith him.” Bishop of Gloucester . “Were
immersed and buried in water.” Arch
bishop TUlotson. “Paul does twice, in an
allusive way, call baptism a burial.” —
Wall. When he wrote the epistle to the
Romans, Paul had not been at Rome.—
Now, if more than one baptism had been
in vogue, could he have averred, “we are
buried, Ac”?
Perhaps the Romans had been sprin
kled arfd not buried; his affirmation proves
1 that baptism was one in his age—not three
or various. If three modes had been in
• existence, and sprinkling was the mode at
Rome, (though it was not at Damascus,
where Paul received the ordinance, else
his affirmation, we are buried <f-c., would
■ have been untrue,) what would have been
the surprise and chagrin of the members !
Would not the apostle’s ignorance been
l the subject of ridicule as keen as is
[ now exhibited, when the truth is preached
to the sectarians of our age ? llow his il
literateness would be pitied ! What lugu
brious lamentations would be made over
1 the Hebrew ignoramus! “Had he stud
-1 ied Greek , he would know that Baptizo
! meant sprinkle, to moisten, or almost any
thing, to accommodate any climate or
i taste ! What does lie intend to imply by
the phrases, Ü bury and plant, in the like
> ness of his death” as seed are covered in
the ground ? We remember the watery
ceremony, the wisp with which we were
sprinkled ; but we know nothing about
, his allusion to an ordinance, that resem
bles burying .”
Yet, as neither Rome nor Colosse makes
any reply, nor expresses any wonder at
Paul’s allusion to bury ing in baptism, we
may infer that it was not new among
them. “As Jesus submitted to be buried
under the water by John and raised out
again, as an emblem of his future resur
rection, in like manner, the baptism of be
lievers is emblematical of their own death,
burial and resurrection.” “The burying
of Christ and of believers, first in the
waters of baptism, and afterwards in the
earth, is filly enough compared to the
planting of seeds in the earth, Ac.’’ Mc-
Ivnigiit: “If ye, then, be risen with
Christ” Ac. “This refers to what he had
said, (2:12) buried with him in baptism,
Ac.’’ Dr. Clarke, on 3d chapter of Col
ossians On this verse, McKnight
makes a similar remark; yet, now it is
common to repudiate the old commenta
tors, and declare that no allusion is had,
to the ordinance, in Romans and Colos
sians.
Obstacles to Pastoral Success.
These are numerous: we cannot, there
fore mention all of them in one article.—
The prayers and sympathy of his Church
may enable a Pastor to overcome some of
them ; and co-operation on the part of his
church-members will assist him in over
coming others.
1. It is a grevious obstacle in the way
of a Pastor’s usefulness that, like his
brethren, who may have attained a less
advanced state of piety, he is imperfect ;
and, consequently, at times his zeal abates,
his faith grows weaker and his love be
comes more faint. There are times when
he “does not enjoy prayer, nor reading the
scriptures, nor religious conversation;
yet, from a sense of duty, he goes out to
see his flock, feeling all the while that he,
himself needs the power of pious influences
as much, or more, than those whose piety
he is laboring to promote. At such times,
and when his heart is in such a state, there
is an absence of that holy unction which
usually commends religion, and lends to
it attractiveness for the lukewarm and
unconverted.
Iu his pulpit ministrations there is a
lack qf that heart-prepation that gives
such power to the preacher : in his pri
vate devotion he is cold and lifeless ; and
in his general deportment he is dejected
and sorrowful. If at such times he wit
nesses any exhibitions of tender love on
the part of his people ; or discovers that
they are fervently praying in his behalf—
or, in some way manifesting an earnest
sympathy, there is a life infused into his
spirit unknown before, and he rises as on
eagle’s wings—he walks aud faints not ;
and soon he is where the Pastor should
be, far in advance of his flock in spiritual
attainments, heavenly-mindedness and
heart-consecration.
2. Financial cares are an obstacle to a
Minister’s usefulness.
He receives a salary that is sufficient to
keep body and soul together, and enable
him to pay sufficient towards his current
expenses to quiet bis creditors ; but every
year there is still left a little unpaid bal
ance, the interest of which is as the drop
ping of water that weareth away stone. —
For each year increases his family expen
ses, but there is no corresponding increase
of salary ; and under this accumulating
weight, his heart grows heavy, his step
inanimate, lines congregate around his
lids and lips, and his lack-lustre eye tells
of the hidden grief.
He has read that “ it is ordained of God
that they who preach the Gospel shall live
of the Gospel;” and, relying upon this
ordination he prays the prayer, “ Give us,
this day, our daily bread.”
He does not complain, nor even indulge
a heart-murmur to his Master or his breth
ren ; nor, do they, surrounded by the
comforts and conveniences of life, know of
the pent-up troubles in his aching heart ;
but there is that there which takes away
the joyousness of life and hangs a leaden
weight upon his every step.
In this state of mind he sits him down
to study ; but study requires the effort of
a mind wholly concentrated; and, in spite
of him, his is divided.
He begins the preparation of his Sab
bath morning’s sermon ; but irf the midst
of his analysis, conscience arrests his at
tention by the query, “ llow will you meet
your debts ?”
What an obstacle is this in his way !
He closes his door, falls upon his knees
and prays for resignation, for faith and for
help : then he continues his studies.
But, on Sabbath, there is a want of ma
turity of thought, expression and plan—a
perceptible lack of careful elaboration—
and his hearers censure; but notone thinks
of curing the evil by increasing his sala
ry-
Verbum Sat Sapient >.
General Association for Virginia.
This wondrous working body met on
the 31st of May, at Staunton, and Dr.
Wm c F. Broaddus was elected President.
We omit all detail aud give only what
strikes us as interesting.
( Sunday School and Colporteur Work.
[ Elder A. E. Dickinson, Supt. of the S.
( S. and Colportage Board, read his annual
( report on Colportage. During the past
• year the Colportage Board commissioned
1 85 colporteurs who labored 10,540 days,
i visited 46,901 families, prayed with 25,-
| 437, found 958 destitute of the Bible, and
1,433 destitute of all religious books ex
cept the Bible, delivered 2,053 sermons
and addresses, gave away $277 95 worth
of Bibles and Testaments, and $1,565 91
- worth of other books; sold $2,506 47
> worth of Bibles and $10,784 18 worth of
other books. Within three years, they
have visited 107,971 families, 2,463 of
whom w 7 ere destitute of the Bible and
3,276 of all religious books except the Bi
■ ble, delivered 5,759 sermons and address
i es, gave away $3,439 50 worth of books
, and sold $32,763 71.
, (Will Bro. Dickinson send us the Re
port when published ?— Ed. Index.)
The report of the Colporteurs were
very encouraging. Their labors are be
ing richly blessed. Numbers of conver
* sions are reported in connction with their
’ lalors. Long may this heaven-owned en
i terprise continue to bless the people of
; our State.
State Missions.
, The report on State Missions was read
by bro. 11. K. Ellyson, Secretary of the
Board. The following is the statement
of labor performed : Sixty-three missiona
-1 ries-were appointed, whose fields em
braced sixty-four countries and thirty-one
! towns and villages. The aggregate time
, given by them to mission work, was
, equivalent to the whole time of thirty-five
men for one year. These 63 missionaries
preached 6,320 sermons, baptized 1,202
converts, aided pastors in meetings in
which 972 persons professed conversion,
made 6,881 visits to families for religious
. instruction and prayer, organized 12 new
churches and 33 new Sunday Schools,
completed 1 new house of worship, and
are engaged in the erection of 13 others,
and distributed 69 Bibles and Testaments,
510 volumes of religious books and 5,336
tracts. The receipts into our Treasury
during the year xvere $15,127 25, and the
expenditures were $15,180 18, showing a
balance due the Treasurer of $42 93.
Foreign Missions.
The Association agreed to suspend the
reading of the report of the State Board
of Foreign Missions, prepared by B. W.
Snead, Esq., the Corresponding Secreta
ry, and take a recess, affording an oppor
tunity for a meeting of the Board of For
eign Missions of the Southern Baptist
Convention. Dr. Jeter presided, and bro.
J. B. Wood acted as Secretary. Elder
•T. B. Taylor, Secretary ot the Board,
read the report, giving a detailed account
of the proceedings for the past year, and
stated that four young brothers had been
accepted as Missionaries for Japan, whose
ordination would take place in the Baptist
church, at Charlottesville, on Sunday, the
10th inst., of which church three of them
were members. Mr. Cabaniss and the
Chinese convert were also there; the
latter created quite a sensation wherever
he went.
Addresses.
Elder W. F. Broaddus delivered an ad
dress. After which, bro. C. 11. Toy, one
of the three young missionaries to Japan,
was introduced, who gave an account of
the reasons which induced him to devote
himself to the Foreign Mission cause, and
why hejhad chosen Jap.n as the field of
his future labors. All young ministers,
he said, ought to become missionaries to
the heathen, unless they could show some
good reasons for the contrary. He gave
quite an extended account of the Japan
ese nation, and said they would become a
great commercial people, and assimilate
their manners and habits to those of the
Western nations. Ilis remarks were lis
tened to with the undivided and unflag
ging attention of the audience. Mr. Roh
rer, Mr. J. L. Johnson, now a student of
the University, and John W. Jones, a
graduate of Greenville Seminary, are the
other young men, who have been accpted
by the Southern Board as Missionaries
for Japan.
Rev. Mr. Cabaniss was introduced, and
for 45 minutes interested the audience in
giving an account of China, and his labors
as Missionary among them.
Indian Missions.
A mass meeting was held in behalf of
Domestic and Indian Missions. Dr. Wm.
F. Broaddns was invited to preside. The
attendence, immense. Remarks on In
dian Character and the progress of Indian
Missions were made by brethren Russel j
Hollman and Buckner, Indian Missionary.
Bro. Buckner has come to the States for
the purpose of having printed a transla
tion into the Creek tongue, of the gospel
of John, a Gramraer and a Hymn book.
A collection to assist him in this work, was
taken up.
The Education Board.
The report of the Education Board
showed that thirty young men had been
aided, during the year, in pursuing their
studies for the ministry. The importance
of a fuller endowment for Richmond Col
lege was discussed with great earnestness,
aud resolutions passed, looking to the re
organization of the College, and the se
curing of $250,000 additional to the per
manent endowment.
Rev Dr Boyce and Rev Dr J A Broad
us, of the Greenville (S. C.) Theological
Seminary, addressed the body concerning
the interests of this institu
tion. Twenty-six students have been in
attendance during its first session. $19,000
ot the $25,000-promised toward the en
dowment of this Seminary by Virginia,
have been secured, and the balance will
be obtained. The full endowmentof $200,-
000 will probably be completed during
the current year.
The brethren in the western part of the
State have leased, and are about to pur
chase, the property at the Blue Sulphur
Springs, for the establishment of a High
School or College. The school has been
in operation since October last, with a
good corps of teachers and some seventy
or eighty students.
Revision.
James .Edmunds, representative of the
Bible Revision Society, made an address
injavor of the revision of the Holy Scrip
tures.
By special request, Elder I*. S. Henson,
Principal of the Fluvanna Female Insti
tate, preached at the Episcopal church.
July Week of Prayer.
We hear little in regard to it. Are
brethren going to neglect tliisj important
matter ? Shall Alabama again put us to
blush in this matter? She has appointed
the last week of July. We suggested
the 2nd. It is a matter of little conse
quence which is occupied in prayer, so
the matter is not neglected. Make
appointments, brethren, and fill them.
The particular week makes no special
difference. We suggest the 2nd or 3rd,
because our Mercer commencement oc
curs on the 4th. What we desire, is that
our brethren meet, and work and pray.—
Why confine your labors, brethren, to one
week ? We say, let the whole summer be
devoted to evangelistic labors; but we
would prefer to set all working at the
same time. And now we will make a sug
gestion.
And first, we will announce, that there
is a correspondence going on among the
ministers of the Rehoboth association, in
regard to an evangelic programme,
which will set in motion every minister of
the association. It will make appoint
ments for them to fill, one after another—
the time at each, not being specially lim
ited throughout the weeks of July and
August. And the design is to prepare the
minds ot the people to receive the minis
terial laborers, and unite with them in
worship at such a time. Such a pro
gramme, we say, is in contemplation, and
all who are willing to join in these labors
—to have appointments arranged for
them, will please express their wishes by
letter to any of the executive committee,
or to the Index. They may address Rev.
Wm. C. Wilkes, Forsyth; and those
churches who desire to be visited, will
please, also, to signify as much ; and see
to it, that, by prayer, united and private,
they prepare their minds to receive the
seed to be sown.
It is contemplated to revive the good
old times of our fathers, who travelled
from place to place, and as they went,
preached. We will, in due time, publish
this programme—it being contemplated,
that in companies of 2 or 3 or 4, the min
isters preach in every locality, within the
bounds of the association, until a general
revival spirit is awakened, and religion be
made to flourish. Now, we commend
this plan, and urge upon all our associa
tions to euter into similar arrangements.
Let a programme be arranged : the Ex.
committee can do this, after correspond
ing with the brethren ; and when the time
arrives, let all the ministers of the entire
association set out, with zeal burning in
their bosoms, to fill their appointments,
and, by the grace of God, bring sinners to
repentance. One week indeed ! It will
not half suffice ! It may be that the stay
at one place shall be prolonged that much.
What say you, brethren ? Will you
adopt this suggestion ? If so, enter at
once into correspondence with* one anoth
er, and let the good work begin in July.
A Donation.
Not long since, bro. Cubbedge sent to
bro. Hogue, Indian Missionary, a dona
tion of books, which we hope, ’ere this,
he has received. They were intended lor
a Sunday school, and no doubt will do
good. Often are such calls made upon
■ our Depository for books to start a
school, or to advance the theological in
formation of some poor minister. But
we tell the plain truth, when we say, that
the society, with every disposition, is not
able to respond favorably to all these
calls. And now, brethren, will you let
such a state of things exist longer ? Will
you not send up to your associations funds
to be appropriated to this special purpose,
“ The Depository Donation Book fund ?”
Then bro. Cubbedge will be able to
keep on hand a larger stock of good
tracts, and precisely the kind of books,
calculated to do good, for the sole pur
pose of giving them away. We repeat, in
the direction of your funds, instruct that
SOME GO TO PURCHASE BOOKS FOR GRATUI
TOUS DISTRIBUTION. Suppose now there
was a fund of such a character, so large as
i to provide a quantity of books, numerous
I enough to meet the demands of all the
Baptist preachers in Georgia, who desired
;to sow thus the good seed of eternal
life, on all sides around them ? Who
could tell the amount of good likely to
result ? See you not brethren, that here
is a great chasm in the schemes of benev
olent operations, which may be easily
filled, by each one sending a small sum to
be so appropriated! How easy it is for the
pastor to give good books ! What good
he may do by a continuous distribution of
them ! But, few pastors can afford to be-1
stow many books gratuitously. Now let
there be a source from whence worthy
and reliable men of God can draw evan
gelical works for distribution, and what
an abundant stream ofbenevolence would
issue from that source! Take the matter
seriously, ye Christians and church mem
bers. Establish a “donationbook find,”
which shall provide books for general, but
discreet and judicious distribution.
History of Latin Christianity.
We have received from Sheldon & Cos.
the prospectus and specimen pages of
Dean Milman’s History of Latin Christi
anity. It is a work to which we look for
ward with pleasure; for the highest
meed of praise has been bestowed on it by
the “Quarterly Review,’’ British
Review,” and “Edinburgh Review.” The
first says, “No such work has appeared in
English Ecclesiastical literature.” The
last says, “No writer of our time could
delineate the several phases of Christian
Historyjwith greater brilliancy and anima
tion, or with sounder judgment and more
solid learning.’’
An array of mighty and memorable
names will be made to pass before us ;
among which, are Jerome and Gregory,
Thomas a Becket and John lluss, Abe
lard and Dante. There will be 8 volumes
of a beautiful crown toctavo size, 600 pp.
each. The paper is excellent and the
type beautiful.
Price in cloth, $1 50 per vol.; in sheep
library style, $2 ; half calf gilt, or antique,
$2 50.
Can the Georgia Baptists be wak
ed Up ?
If they can it shall be done. We mean
to give you no rest brethren; for we long
that fruit abound to your account. Min
isters we will incite, churches arouse, Sun
day school teachers exhort,and our breth~
ren at large provoke to good works. We
mean to bring Missions before the people
and try to induce an enlarged liberality ;
for this we have been preparing, and will
enter soon upon a regular Mission series,
that shall embrace something of History.
Whatever will promote peace and a gen
eral revival of religion, we will advance.
Sin in church members we will rebuke
tenderly but firmly ; and if God gives us
health and strength, the Index shall be an
instrument for good to our Denomination
in the State.
We have an “Index Programme,” that
we will divulge in due time; all we have
to say to our readers just now is, Let
EACH ONE SEND US A NEW SUBSCRIBER.
Passing Away.
The Christian Chronicle believes of the
members of the great Triennial Conven
tion held in Washington D. C., 1823, the
following are the only survivors: Charles
G. Sommers, S. W. Lynd, John L. Dagg,
Howard Malcom, Ira Chace, J. 11. Jones,
Rufus Babcock, William Ruggles, Wil
liam Crane, Samuel Cornelius and Adiel
Sherwood.
Os these, only Dr. Malcom was present
at the recent meeting ot the Missionary
Union at Cincinnati. How impressive the
lesson of this significant fact. The fathers
are rapidly passing away, and the last re
presentatives of those w ho gave form and
shape to many of our great denomination
al institutions will soon enter into their
rest, and others will come forward to take
their places, and enter into their labors.
~ COMMUNICATIONS
Liter® Boreales.—No. 2.
Providence, R. 1., June 9th, ’6O.
Dear Index: —Shift your finger from
the position in which my first letter placed
it, towards a point, a 1000 miles to the
eastward and three degrees to the north
ward of it, and it wall turn to a spot of no
mean historic interest, and of no common
dignity in modern annals. It will point
to the cradle of religious freedom, rocked
two hundred and twenty years ago in the
wilderness, until the young and heaven
born giant within it, leaped forth in
strength of heart and hand, to strike away
in other lands, and eventually in all lands,
the fetters of human conscience in the
worship of God.
I shall make this old and honored city,
the centre of my correspondence with
your readers. From this point, as from a
‘watch-tow T er’ I shall look forth over
England and New York, giving you from
time to time, the results of my observa
tions and reflections.
It is eminently proper that I should say
a word or two, just here, about an inter
esting movement recently set on foot in
this city. It is a plan to perpetuate the
name and memory of Roger Williams, in
a suitable material monument. Ilis no
blest and most enduring, and widely
known memorial is already builded. It
is the great principle of soul liberty,
which not ouly underlies the civil govern
ment of this broad Union of States, but
is incorporated with all its weighty accre
tions of power; and is gradually, but sure
ly undermining, in other governments,
the hoary systems of religious despotism.
Freedom of conscience is the monument
of Roger Williams, wherever it is found,
or will yet be found the round world
over. But Rhode Island owes him a uox
umentcm -eris, and the debt is so old,
that other States may be pardoned, if
they have thought she never meant to
pay it. lam glad to say that she ac
knowledges the debt, and arouses her
self to liquidate the great obligation.—
Only yesterday, a chartered body was or
ganized in this city, under the name of
“the Roger Williams Monument Associa
tion,” with the single aim in view of build
ing a suitable monument to the founder
of this State, and to the framer of thor
oughly free government.
The movement will be successful, if
those who have assumed the direction of
it, adopt catholic measures to promote it,
as I hope they will—to the sacrifice
of all petty and unworthy eliquism.
Dr. Wayland has been placed in the
chair, probably because he is in the
“apostolic succession’’ from the great
hero of “What Cheer,” for he is in no
other succession from him—being neith
er a descendant of the family, nor a native
of the State. He claimed, however, at
one of the preliminary meetings, to be a
“Rhode Islander,” who “like the Irish cit
izen of this country, had the misfortune
to be born in exile from his native land.”
There are sons of Rhode Island in Geor
gia, whose hearts will beat in unison with
this tardy, but still timely measure, and
they w r ill yearn to co-operate with the As
sociation. I cannot doubt their contrib
utors will be received with cordial wel
come, notwitstanding the strong anti-sla
very proclivities of the chairman of the
association. Cotton will easily harden in
to granite for building the monument. —
The “lofty obelisk” w ill not go up inde
pendently of cotton indirectly, if it does
directly.
This has been a stirring week in Provi
dence. Besides the monument organiza
tion, w e have had an important religious
festival—the dedication of a beautiful
house of worship. The Brown Street
Baptist Church, which is the youngest of
nine churches of that denomination in this
city, has, in the course of a few years ex
istence, asserted and established its claim
to purity with the oldest of them. It has
not done this, you may w ell believe, with
out a great struggle. Its brief history is
full of incident and interest. In spite of
opposition and obloquy, it has held its
onw'ard w r ay, and is now socially, intellec
tually and spiritually, equal to any of its
compeers —it has a beautiful edifice in a
most beautiful position—adjacent to the
University. This was dedicated on Tues
day evening, with deeply interesting ser
vices, of which I senci you the pro
gramme.
The house and laud have cost about
forty thousand dollars, an expenditure,
which, although exceedingly reasonable
in view of the social position of society,
alienated from its councils and labors a
great Baptist leader, whose sudden with
drawal added another to many existing
hindrances to the prosperity of the enter
prise. But it has surmounted all these
obstacles, and the Baptist cause in Rhode
Island finds anew element of courage and
hope in this ally. This church, let me
add, en passatit, wms, I believe, the first
city church in New England to adopt con
gregational singing, and since its organi
zation, it has seen the tide of reform in
this part of divine service, stveep through
Baptist and Congregational churches to a
very great extent. It has made no pro
vision for a choir in its sanctuary, and the
organ gallery is behind the pulpit. The
“sabbath hymn and tune book,” (bap
tized by Dr. Wayland,) is the book used
by the congregation, and the singing is
generally pronounced “delightful.” 1
cannot understand the opposition any
where, at least in evangelical churches, to
congregational singing—it seems to me
to be the only true and acceptable mode
of praising God in the sanctuary.
The Baptist Sunday School Convention
ot Rhode Island, held its anniversary this
week at a neighboring town; it was a
pleasant religious and social festival. An
essay there read, by Mr. R. A. Guild,
able Librarian of Brown University, and
Superintendent of the Browm Street Bap
tist sabbath school, in which, among oth
er judicious reforms in Sunday school
w r ork, he advocated the appropriation of
sabbath afternoon exclusively to its in
structions—transferring the afternoon
sermon to the evening. I sincerely hope
that his suggestion will, by and by, be
come a custom, and that the sabbath
school will be thereby increased in interest
and efficiency.
We are a month behind the verdue and
bloom of Cincinnati, of which I think I
spoke; and, I suppose, two months be
hind that of Georgia. For instance, we
have no green peas, no strawberries, no
cherries as yet, in our gardens. We can
buij all these in our markets, but they are
exotic supplies, and we want some days
more of sunshine to ripen our native pro
ducts of this sort. But we havecooldays
and comfortable nights, to make up for a
tardy summer. j
The Piedmont Association and
Brother Perryman.
Bro. Boykin :
Iu your last issue Bro. Perryman says,
“The Piedmont Association is not, and
never has been, a constituent Associa
tion” of the Convention. He says he has
searched the minutes! Surely he needs a
new pair of spectacles. Why did you not
turn to the minutes and give the facts?—
1 have written to Bro. AVood correcting
the same blunder, but as Bro. I*. has re
peated it through the Index, it is proper
again to state facts.
The Piedmont Association has stood
on the minutes of the Convention a;.d
numbered among the constituents, for the
last eleven vears. In 1848, she resolved
to become a constituent, and in 1849 her
name w T as entered as such, by the Clerk.
Her delegates did not attend until 1855
at Newnan. Then, the Association was
formally eeceived, and has been a regu
lar member ever since. She was fully
represented in Savannah, in 1 850, and in
Augusta, in 1859. Now, how passing
strange it seems for an old member of the
Convention, to be so mistaken, as to af
firm that she has never been a member!
It was at the request of one of her
ministers, who sent the funds and letter
of the body, that she was represented by
brethren not members of her churches.
A thing fconstantly done. You, brother
editor, have held a seat in the Convention
in the same way, and I am assured that
Bro. Perryman’s Association appoint
ed a representative at the last Conven
tion, who was not a member of any church
composing the Association. Nothing
wrong about it, nothing unusual. An
Association has a right to choose her own