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THE CHRISTIAN INDEX,
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VOLUME XXXIX.
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REVIEW OF “CORRECTIVE
CHURCH DISCIPLINE.”
“ Deductions .” “Church Independ
ence
BY A. S. “WORRELL.
Conclusion of JXo. 12.
Let us notice the second proposition
that “the reception of an individual
into the membership of a church, and
his expulsion from that same fellow
ship, are not ‘correlative’ or ‘commen
surate’ ideas.”
When a certain writer advocated, a
few months ago, the doctrine that the
reception of a member into, and his ex
pulsion from, a Church, are ‘correla
tive’ and ‘commensurate’ ideas. Elder
Dawson replied : “What the Doctor
says about ‘correlative terms,’ ‘correla
tive ideas,’ ‘co-exteusive ideas,’ ‘com
mensurate ideas,’throws nolight upon
the subject; as Smith says, they are
‘truisms’ clothed in great swelling
words.”—[S. W. Baptist, December 8,
1859.
Here we see again that these tw r o
leaders in Israel are disagreed. One
says, the doctrine is not true ; the oth
er affirms that it is a “truism.” It is a
little remarkable that two learned men,
on the same side of the question,
should differ so widely. But still more
remarkable is it, that Elder Dawson
should regard the point, we are now
considering, as a truism, and, at the
same time, should endorse Prof. Mell’s
“Discipline,” which regards this same
doctrine as an UN-truistn ! lie says in
a recent issue of the S. W. Baptist:—
“We have examined every position (of
Prof. M.’s series) with care, and ana
lyzed every argument diligently ; and
without claiming for the articles abso
lute perfection, they present the most
faultless view ot the question we have
seen.” I leave Eld. Dawson to recon
cile these positions. Eor my part, I
must say that the ‘reception’ into, and
‘expulsion’ ot a member from a Church,
6eeui to me to be ‘co-extensive,’ or
‘commensurate’ ideas, and susceptible
of as clear illustration as any ‘truism.’
Prof. Mell says : ‘The excluded man
is still (i. e. after his expulsion) the
subject, in a sense, of the Church ex
pelling him.’ But he does not inform
us clearly in what ‘sense.’ True, he
says, ‘the excluded man sustains the
relation (to the Church) of one who is
the subject of its reformatory discip
line !’ The weakest plea (if he will
pardon me) I have ever read !
If the excluded man is a subject of
the Church at all, it must arise from
the fact that his expulsion was only
partial—in which case he is partly in
and partly out of the church, or else
the church may have a subject who is
not within it,and, therefore, the church
has jurisdiction outside of itself!! Ab
surdity of absurdities!
Prof. Mell tries to strengthen this
position by the circumstances, as he
says that the excluded man is not ‘re
ceived again (into the church) in the
same way as lie was from the world at
first. Then, he was admitted by ex
perience aud baptism; now, he must
not be admitted but restored.’ The
man was received ‘at first’ by the ‘vote’
ot the church ; if expelled, he must be
expelled by the ‘vote’ of the church ;
and if restored to the same church, he
must be restored by the ‘vote’ of the
Church. This quibbling about terms
avail you nothing.
But he is still the subject of the
Church’s ‘reformatory discipline.’ But
what, my dear Sir, will you say, when
the excluded ‘is still the subject,’ not
of her reformatory, but of her destruc
tive discipline? You say ‘every church
is bound to obey the commands of the
Saviour.’ So say I. But has the church
obeyed? this is the question. If she
has, all right; but if not, do not try
to make it appear that other chnrches
ought to sustain her in her wickedness.
Let the advocates of the Romish church
have such honor!
1l ou say again, ‘The design of Cor
#rpn 0f % <sa. CtraMimt: toforfto to piss wits, Mgimt, airtr % Interests of tjre baptist Jenmninatwn.
rective Discipline, even in its highest
censures,is not to injure but to reform.’
Then, I suppose, you would not call
that ‘discipline’ at all, which is design
ed to ‘injure.’ If you would not, then
we are not so far disagreed on this
point after all. But suppose a church
should arraign, try, and exclude a wor
thy member with the view of‘injuring’
and destroying him, what, sir, would
you call this ? Please answer.
You contend that the reception of an
excluded member into the fellowship
of another, without the consent of the
church excluding him, is an ‘interfer
ence with its discipline; * * * since
it is designed to prevent the intended
effect of that discipline.’ It has been
shown, in a previous article, that a
church’s independence is not interfer
ed with, in any important sense, so
long as every church is left to vote and
act as she pleases. * If a church should
think an excluded man worthy of mem
bership in the church, she would not
be independent, unless, if she should
choose to do so, she is permitted to
give him membership in her own body.
What do you say of this? Still, it is
not affirmed that one church should
receive au excluded member of anoth
er, when he has been justly aud prop
erly excluded. This would be an in
sult to the Saviour. But if a member
has been wickedly and unjustly exclu
ded from one church, that church, re
fusing to grant him membership on his
application for it, becomes a party to
the wicked and unjust act of exclusion.
A righteous act of expulsion deserves
the respect of all the churches ; an un
rigeteous one, their disapprobation and
disrespect.
But you say further that the recep
tion of an excluded member into anoth
er church would destroy Christian
union. Admitted. But suppose the
man has been unjustly and wickedly
excluded, is ‘union’ with such a church
desirable? ‘Union’ on truth and jus
tice should be sought at all times ; but
‘union’ in or on error, never. Let
‘Christian union’ never be mentioned;
when it must be purchased at the sac
rifice of truth ; let it cease to have a
name, if it can be obtained only by
participating in wickedness!
Prot. Mell’s three ‘Pleas,’ or objec
tions to his position, he does not, nor
can hes satisfactorily answer. They
would be noticed, if it were thought at
all necessary; but as his answers to
those ‘pleas’ can be valid only on the
‘plea’ of Church infallibility, 1 am wil
ling for them to pass.
’ There is one other matter to which
allusion will be made. lam informed
that under Prof. Mell’s pastorate an
excluded member was once received
into the church. The man, if my in
formation is correct, had been exclu d A
from an anti-missionary church lor his
opposition (1 believe,) to ‘Beebeeism.’
The excluded man presented himself
to the church of which Professor Mell
was, and now is pastor, and was re
ceived into the fellowship of the church
without any consultation with the
church that excluded him. Now, it is
supposable —
Ist. That the church believed that
the man had belonged to a church.—
If not, he could not have been receiv
ed without baptism.
2d. That Prof. Mell and his church
believed the man to have been unjust
ly excluded; else they did wrong in
receiving him.
Now, if the body excluding him was
a church, (and it seems that they must
have thought so,) and if Prof. Mell’s
church did receive the excluded mem
ber, it appears that Prof. M. once
sanctioned a deed which he now sore
ly condemns! How is this? If there
is anything incorrect in the above, the
writer will gladly receive the correc
tion. The facts are available.
While on this point, another state
ment will not be out of place. It has
been, so far as I know, the custom of
Missionary Churches to receive, into
their fellowship, members, excluded
from anti-Missionary Churches for at
taching themselves to the Masonic fra
ternity, temperance societies and the
like; it has also been customary, I be
lieve, for Missionaries to receive into
their fellowship, those presenting let
ters from anti-Missionary churches. —
If these two things have been custo
mary, it has been customary, accord
ing to Professor Mell’s doctrine, for
Missionary Baptists, to ‘interfere with
the discipline’ of anti-missionary
churches. Yet I have never heard of
the anti-Missionaries complaing that
their ‘independence has been destroy
ed.’
In conclusion, I ask again, Does
Professor Mell design to teach that
one church cannot rightfully receive,
into her fellowship, a worthy man who
has been unjustly and wickedly expel
led from another ? Please answer ‘Yes’
or ‘No.’
DR. S. G. HILLYER’S EXPOSI
TION.
BY KEY. A. T. HOLMES, D. D.
Math. 10, 19 : 18, IS. John 20, 23.
Brother Editor:
I proposed in my last article to ex
amine Dr. IP's Exposition. Before I
do this, however, it may be proper to
notice Peter’s position in that inter
view with the Savior which is recorded
in Matthew 16-19.
When the question is submitted di
rectly to the Apostles, “but whom say
ye that I am,” Peter promptly replies
for himself, and in behalf of his breth
ren, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of
the living God.” In this answer, sanc
tioned by the Savior as a Divine reve
MACON, GA., WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 1860.
lation, we have explicitly stated, the
great fundamental doctrine of Chris
tianity. Jesus of Nazareth, the son of
Mary, is the Christ, the anointed of the
Father, and this fact must be received
and acknowledged, as the foundation
of every spiritual building, or the su
perstructure falls. 11 is a safe con
struction, therefore, sustained too, as it
is, by wise and pious authority, that
Peter’s confession, or the doctrine it
involves, constitutes that fundamental
truth, respecting the person and offices
of Christ, upon which, as a rock (Pe
tra) He would build his Church This
construction, by a very natural transi
tion, presents Christ Himself, as the
Rock against which the Gates of Hell
should not prevail. “Now, therefore,
(Eph. 2, 19-20) ye are no more stran
gers and foreigners, but fellow citizens
with the saints, and of the household
of God, and are built upon the founda
tion of the apostles and prophets, Je-
Christ, Himself, being the chief cor
ner stone.” In immediate connection
with the Savior’s address to Peter, res
pecting the foundation of his church,
we find the words to which onr atten
tion is called in the exposition under
review. The conclusions reached, in
the language of the Dr., and in accor
dance with his own arrangement, are
thus stated :
“1. These words were addressed to
the disciples then present, as represent
ing a Church.
2. They were designed to confer up
on the Church, authority in cases of
discipline.
3. They were not designed to con
fer infallibility, in the exercise of that
authority.
4. They pledge Heaven to ratify the
decision of a Church, in a case of dis
cipline, whether right or wrong.
5. They do not pledge Heaven to
ratify the decision, in such a sense as
to affect the relation of the expelled
member to God, and thus bar his ad
mission to Heaven.
6. They do give such validity and
force to the sentence of a Church, in a
case of discipline, as to make it im
proper for other Chnrches to receive
the excluded member.
7. They do not give such force to de
cision of a Church, in a case of discip
line, as to make it binding upon other
Churches, when the decision is a cor
rect verdict upon the case.
8. Sometimes different Churches
may draw different conclusions from
its teachings. In such cases, no deci
sion of one is binding upon others,
whether right or wrong, for the simple
reason, that none has received author
ity to decide for the rest in such a mat
ter. When, therefore, one Church do
dares an act criminal, which other
Churches do not believe to be con
demned by the statute book, they may
for that reason, in the exercise of a
sound discretion, disregard such deci
sion.”
I have been careful, Brother Editor,
to use the Dr.’s language, with his dif
tereut articles before me, while I write:
for my object is honest examination,
and I am sure that I have neither pur
pose nor disposition to do him injus
tice. I would examine the Word of
God, in the fear of God, and I would
tremble at my temerity and pre
sumption, did I feel that I was
forcing a construction to meet a case,
or palming upon the Church and upon
the world au interpretation of scrip
ture, the object of which was to foster
and gratify unwarrantable prejudice,
or to subserve the purposes of a party.
God’s Word is too sacred, man’s ac
countability too solemn, and an ap
proving conscience too sweet to justify
such unfaithfulness.
In regard to the first conclusion
reached by the Dr. to-wit: that the
words under consideration were ad
dressed to the disciples, then present,
representing a Church, there may be
some difference of opinion. The in
terviews between the Lord Jesus aud
his Apostles, recorded in Matthew 16-
19 and 18-18, occurred before his
death, while that recorded in John 20
-23, took place after his resurrection.
He addressed his Apostles as such, and
gave them positive instruction as to
the relation they would sustain to Him
and the Church, which He designed
to establish, and the authority with
which, as Apostles, lie was about to
invest them. Their instrumentality is
positively defined, their authority
clearly determined by the directions
imposed, and their subordination re
cognized in the instruction given;
more than this, no unbiassed inquirer
after truth would be apt to discover, or
be likely even to suspect. The char
acter of that instrumentality and the
nature of those directions are very im
portant considerations. Unfortunate
ly for the Dr., he was surcharged with
newly conceived notions of Church
discipline, and hence the obliquity of
his mental vision, as partially discov
ered in his first conclusion.
In the second conclusion, the pur
pose designed to be accomplished by
the “Exposition” is more distinctly de
veloped. The Church which the
“Apostles represented,” had “authori
ty conferred, in cases of discipline.”—
That our blessed Lord designed to con
fer authority is not denied ; but that
He designed to confer authority upon
the Churches, in cases of discipline, is
a gratuitous assumption, unsupported
by the facts stated. If discipline was
involved at all, it was only in a remote
and subordinate sense. When it was
said to Peter, “I will give thee the
keys of the Kingdom,” could the Dr.
see nothing but Church discipline ?
When it was declared that “whatsoev
er thou shalt bind on earth, shall be
bound in Heaven, and whatsoever thou
shalt loose on earth, shall be loosed in
Heaven,” did all other sounds escape
his ear, except the sound of Church
discipline? And when it is farther
promised that whose-6oever sins ye re
mit, they are remitted unto them, and
whose soever sins ye retain, they are
retained, was he sensible of no other
authority bestowed, but that exercised
in cases of Church discipline? It is
said that some men, when very angry,
are blind to all except the object of
their wrath, but him they see with
concentrated intensity. When the
western frontier hunter comes upon a
herd of deer, he selects one from that
herd, and when he shoots, sees only the
victim of his skill. The Dr. is the sub
ject of a “ruling passion” (I trust it
will not be “strong in death”) and he
sees but one deer, though scores are
scampering over the plain—he is con
scious of the presence of but one man,
though hundreds may be pressing
around him. To a man unaffected by
a desire to accomplish a settled pur
pose, having no other object in view,
in the examination of God’s Word,
than the ascertainment of its true
meaning, the scripture forming the
subject of the Dr.’s exegesis would
have suggested some other very impor
tant and interesting considerations. —
It seems very plain to me, that our
Lord was preparing the foundation of
his Church, with reference to its ulti
mate glory and triumph, with his eye
upon the opposition which He knew’ it
must encounter. That He was invest
ing Peter and his fellow Apostles with
peculiar power and authority, to pub
lish, both to Jew r and Gentile, the
principles of the New Dispensation.
That under the infallible direction of
the Eternal Spirit, they should bind
and loose, that is, should forbid and
allow, prohibit and permit, pronounce
lawful and unlawful, as pertaining to
that dispensation. That in the organ
ization of church, they should be in
fallibly guided by Ilis instruction, and
by the teaching of the llol\ Spirit.—
That certain Jewish customs were to
be abandoned, and others should be
continued; that certain rites were to
be appointed and others forbidden;
and, in every case, their decision
should have the f_>rce of Divine au
thority. “Our Lord spoke to the Apos
tler, and to allot* them. The absolute
authority given, was inseparably con
nected with their immediate inspira
tion, and all their successors, whether
pietended or real, from the conclave
of Rome, to an independent Church
meeting, are concerned in
just so far as their decisions, whether
they bind or loose, accord with the
doctrines, precepts and rules transmit
ted to us from the Apostles, and no
further.” The Apostles themselves
were liable to mistakes and sins, in
their own conduct, but they were es
factually secured against all error, in
declaring God’s truth to mankind, in
stating to the terms of salvation, in de
fining the character and experience of
believers, in deciding as to the spirit
ual condition of those who might in
dulge the hope of forgiveness, and pro
nouncing, in virtue of their Divine il
lumination, what God had decreed
should be the final doom of the unbe
liever, the hypocrite and the apostate.
In all this, one thing is obvious—there
will be perfect harmony between their
decisions and the w'ill of Heaven. As
the representatives of Christ, (not of
the Churches) their decisions, on mat
ters of duty and doctrine, should be ul
timate : for being in accordance with
Divine instruction, they should obtain
Divine sanction. The second and
third conclusions, therefore, at which
the Dr. arrived, controlled as he was
by the one purpose which he enter
tained, are not only forced, but strange
ly at variance with the plain teaching
of the text and context. Common
sense, (aud the Dr. has his full share)
and the common principles of inter
pretation, would have led an unpreju
diced man to very different conclu
sions. But objects will assume an ap
pearance corresponding to the medium
through which they are seen, and no
interpretation can be admitted, no mat
ter how faithful, which conflicts with
the design, which, at all hazards, must
be carried out. Poor Haman ! lie en
joyed the royal favor, he was honored
with a seat at the Queen’s banquet;
but all this, and all else that could flat
ter his vanity, or gratify his pride,
availed nothing, so long as Mordecai,
the Jew, sat at the King’s gate.
(Second half No. 2, next week.)
Written for the “Christian Index.”
LABORS AMONG THE CHURCH
es j Antioch in Pike , and Antioch
in Lee ; Incidents and Facts ; the
Central Association.
As some of the readers of the In
dex have seemed interested with one
of my late sketches, I have concluded
to write another. As “Evangelist for
the State at large,” I have an extensive
held, and my labors among the church
es are only as a drop in the bucket. —
Though I may be seldom heard from,
I am preaching almost daily, and re
joice to witness the triumphs of the
Gospel. There never has been a time
in my day, when the Baptist denomi
tion was more prosperous than at the
present. Were it not for the bicker
ings and jealousies which have arisen
in certain sections, it would, for ought
we can see, soon possess the whole
State.
After my return from that “flying
trip to the low country,” I rested but
one day, and then engaged in a meet
ing at Antioch in Pike, of which, you
have already heard from Bro. Allen.
With him I can testify to the gratifica
tion afforded us by the company and
labors of Bro. Lyon, an Bap
tist ” He is a man of good natural
pares, of excellent spirit, and is suc
cessful and useful as a minister of Je
sus Christ. The difference between
such a man and his missionary breth
ren is more nominal than real. A
heavenly influence pervaded the meet
ing throughout. One day especially,
when the time arrived for intermission
the benediction was pronounced, but
the divine unction was so overpower
ing ihat the people could not be in
duced to leave the house. For an hour
or more they remained togethei, pray
ing, weeping and rejoicing ! Verily,
“it was good to be there.” They had
“meat to eat” which the world knew
not of. The fruits of that meeting
will be gathered “many days hence.”
On my way to assist in a meeting at
Antioch in Lee, 1 was gratified to hear
that brethren Langley and Brooks were
conducting good meetings at Fort-Val
ley and Marshallville, preaching at
the former place in the day-time, and
at the latter place at night. Such
tacts as this enable us to account for
the prosperity of the denomination,
above alluded to. There is no class of
men more devoted and zealous, than
the ministers of our own denomina
tion. If our churches generally were
equally zealous and self sacrificing, the
results to our Zion would be beyond
human calculation. The good accom
plished, as a general thing, correspond
with the sacrifices made for its accom
plishment. If other Christians made
as great sacrifices as preachers, the
good done would be much greater
than it is. We have a tew drones in
our ministry, but there are only afew.
Bro. Ilornady had appointed tor me to
preach in Americas, which I did, and
proceeded next morning twenty miles
to Antioch in Lee, where I met my es
teemed friend and brother, Rev. John
11. Clark, pastor. He has succeeded
in gathering together a large congre
gation here, and, for two or three years,
has received many into the church as
seals of liis ministry. But, during the
meeting of five days, the clouds were
not propitious; or, if much was done,
it was not made to appear to the labor
ers. We wore constrained to inquire,
in sorrow and disappointment, “Lord,
who hath believed our report ?” I was
surprised to learn that there is not a
Baptist preacher, of the missionary or
der, residing in Lee county. (This is
said to be also true of Jones.) The ev
idences of good health, even in this
limestone region, and are abundant.
A more healthy-looking congregation
than that of Antioch would be hard to
find in Georgia. I was told by the
oveiseer on Dr. Jarratt’s plantation,
where there are near a hundred ne
groes, that fifty dollars would pay all
Doctor’s Bills for two or three years
past. The seasons have been more fa
vorable, and the crops are better here,
than in most parts ot the State.
Returning, via Macon, a kind friend
took me in hired carriage, free of
charge, to Judge Hardeman’s, near
Clinton, where I spent the night. His
general health is much improved, tho’
he is still an invalid. One of our own
(English) poets has said—“an honest
man’g the noblest work of God.” A
more honest and noble man than the
Judge, in many respects, has never
graced the Bench in Georgia. May he
be prepared, by grace, for a seat in
glory ! He was kind enough to for
ward me on to the Central Association
at Salem, which church was raised up
through my feeble instrumentality,
more than twenty years ago. During
one whole summer I preached under a
Bush Arbor, and the church was con
stituted in Peter Northern’s parlor.—
Bro. Freeman of Jasper, an excellent
young minister, is now its pastor. It
contains many worthy and devoted
members. The joy of former years
was renewed in meeting at this place
some choice spirits, with whom I was
associated in this body in past days.
Others “have fallen asleep !” It was
a melting time when Impressed upon
the vast assembly the solmn inquiry,
“What more could have been done
unto my vineyard that I have not done
in it ?” J. H. Campbell.
Griffin, Aug. 30th, 1860.
INCIDENTS OF TRAYEL.
Number 1.
By the unanimous conseut of my
church, leave of absence was granted
me for two Sabbaths. This time I pro
posed to spend in visiting an only sis
ter and two brothers in Tenn., whom I
had not seen in 7 1-2 years. For this
purpose, on the morning of the 24th of
July, just as old Sol was chasing away
the last lingering rays of night,bidding
my family adieu and with carpet-bag
in hand, I entered the cars. Kind
reader—did you ever enter a car filled
with passengers at such an hour?—
What a sleepy, yawning, woe begone
parsel of fellow mortals you beheld. —
Just so it was when I entered the cars
on the 24th of July last. Soon how
ever, among those whose heads and
faces were visible, I discovered the
Hon. John G. Shorter, wife and daugh
ter, H. R. Shorter, Esqr., and wife, W.
H. Thornton, M. D., and wife, and the
wife of lion. E. S. Shorter, all of Au
faula, Ala., with whom I had been
pleasantly associated as pastor for five
years. This meeting was as pleasant
as it was unexpected. These friends
were started on a trip of pleasure
through the west by the Lakes, Niag
ara and New York, and we would
therefore, travel together for more than
100 miles. Ere our congratulations
were ended, the cry “all aboard ’ sain
ted our ears, and the iron horse, with a
stomach of fire and breath of steam,
stamping his iron feet upon his iron
pathway, moved on at a rapid rate,
puffing &nd blowing as if independent
of “all the world and the rest of man
kind.” Soon we reached the city of
Atlanta. Here we took breakfast, and
my brother, who was to accompany
me, and several other friends from Ga.
and Alabama were added to our num
ber. At Dalton, two of our pleasant
company left us, and took the Knox
ville road, from thence on to Richmond,
Ya. Next we passed through the Tun
nel, at Tunnel Hill—this is about 1400
feet long—it is a wonderful work of
art —it is walled up all the way and
arched over head. It cost one hun
dred and eighty-nine thousand dollars.
In a short time, we reached Chatta
nooga —here we took supper, and sep
arated with our kind Alabama friends.
We (that is I aud my brother,) took
the Memphis Rail Road. This road
runs through some of the grandest
and most picturesque scenery, be
tween Chattanooga and Huntsville,
Ala., of which this world can boast. —
It I should attempt a description of it
I should utterly fail, and then could I
succeed it would be unnecessary, be
cause descriptions of it have been al
ready often written and published.—
We reach Tuscumbia about sun-up on
the morning of the 25th, and eat the
poorest breakfast which ever fell to the
lot of mortals. Then, after a hard
days travel, by rail road and hack, we
reached our brother’s at 11 o’clock at
night; but Owhat changes I every
where beheld. True, I generally re
cognized localities and things; but
still a great change was everywhere
manifest. A great change has passed
over the people too, in regard to reli
gion. During my sojourn here there
was not a missionary Baptist church
in the country. There were a few
Methodist and Cumberland Presbyte
rians. But anti-missionary Baptist
were more numerous than any other.
These people then, as now, opposed ev
erything good, and thus became dark
ness rather than light to the world.—
One of the most influential and weal
thy members kept a distilery, and thus
encouraged that greatest of all evils,
intemperance. Another attended all
musters, elections, and shooting match
es, with his barrel or keg of spirituous
liquors, dealing out poison aud death
to his fellow-men. When professors
of religion acted thus, what could be
expected of those who made no such
pretentions ? And what could we an
ticipate as to the history and end of a
church which indulged its members in
such things ? Evidently that it would
only have a name to live while it ex
isted, and that, like the churches of
Asia, God would sooner or later blot
her out of existence. And this is just
what has happened. This church ex
erted no moral influence for good while
she lived,and she has long since ceased
to have an existance. is now,
in this neighborhood, a prosperous
missionary Baptist church, which is ex
erting a healthful moral influence up
on the people. A. Vaniiouse.
Griffin, Ga.
Written for the Christian Index.
Things Demanding Reform among
Baptists.
BY REFORMER.
Ministerial Example.
This is not less true now than it was
in the days of Hosea, “and there shall
be, like people, like priest.” The
taught generally imbibe the sentiments,
manner of thought and habits of life,
of the teacher. His precepts and ex
ample are the mould in which their
characters are cast. “Be thou an ex
ample to the believers,” said Paul to
Timothy, “in word, in conversation, in
charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.”
Here is an epitome of the Divine in
struction as to a minister’s life. A re
formation is needed then,
1. In the private lives of ministers.
A want of that dignity which belongs
to our “high vocation” is some times
discoverable. Ido not mean, we
should be austere, but gentle; *not
proud, but humble ; not self-conceit
ed, but meek and lowly ; not frivolous
but serious and thoughtful; not mo
rose, but rejoicing in the hope set be
fore us ; not assuming a superiority
either in piety or intellect over our
brethren, but adorning the doctrine of
God our Saviour ; not separating our
selves from social intercourse with our
brethren or with the world, but carry
ing our religion with ns; not declar
ing ourselves better than others, but
by a “well ordered life and a godly
conversation,” endeavor to make oth
ers better; not belo\y the highest nor
above the lowest, but the same at all
times and places, ready to counsel, ad
vise, instruct, pray for and sympathize
with every need of our fallen race.—
Some of us preach what we do not
practice, and practice what we dare
not preach. Some love money too
well, and therefore cannot rebuke cov
etousness in others. Some love the ap
plause of men too well, and therefore
cannot rebuke pride and ambition in
their hearers, indeed they fear to be
faithful, lest they should give offence,
rather than secure applause.
Others among us, love ease and self
indulgence too well, either to study
our sermons as thoroughly as we should
or do the pastoral work which the ne
cessities of our congregations demand,
we cannot, therefore, preach self-de
nial to others, nor urge upon them the
faithful discharge of every duty. Some
are fond of frivolity, jesting and anec-
Terras of Advertising.
For all OnODollatper square
wi ten Hues for the first, square “for
ajl sut>sei}uan^j)ublLpationg.^/
ka-£|o fobqpMßAc^rjineitßTisi.N#.
1 squared 10
“ “10 lines “ 6 “ 4ft
“ “10 lines “ 1 year icultj .
Jf -#• ptfc
These lines are the text advertising lines and t h e
charge is for the space occupied by teirfuoh linc'fc
as are used in the body of an advertisement. Loi, -
ger advertisements in the same ratio. *’
N. S., VOL. 28, NO. 37
dotes in the social circle, and are,
therefore, incapable of fostering a spir
it of prayer or of advancement in a
holy life. Some, alas! too many of us
sadly neglect our closets and the con
sequence is we cannot from a heart
refreshed with its blessing, urge our
brethren to 6ecret prayer. In associ
ating with our brethren and their fam
ilies, we tall into the current of a
worldly conversation rather than giv
ing it a religious direction, we thus
impress the family, children included,
that out of the pulpit we are quite as
worldly minded as others. In the par
ty strifes which have rent our denom
ination, and which have proved a bane
from which we? may not recover in
years, we hsve led the van in acrimo
ny and denunciation, we have foster
ed and fanned the kindling flame and
now look with sadness at its desolating
ravages, we cannot, therefore, preach
forbearance, nor pray to be forgiven—
we have diverted the minds of breth
ren from the practice of godliness to
religious strife, not, perhaps, intention
ally, hut certainly very imprudently ;
and now we are reaping the bitter con
sequences in the coldness, discord and
alienation which are more or less dis
coverable in all our churches. Let us
repent of our past follies, an I reform ;
and we will soon see the face of the
sky once more clear, and feel the bles
sed rays of the rays sun of righteous
ness arise in our souls with healing in
his wings.
A PASTORAL VACATION.
BY REV. J. R. KENDRICK.
Charleston, S. G., Aug. 28, ’6O.
Bro. Index—lt may not be wholly
uninteresting to your readers, to be in
formed how a Charleston Pastor spent
the month’s vacation which his flock
allowed him. (R ought to be noted
here that the flock imposed no restric
tions in the matter of time, but the
pastor did not choose to prolong his
absence.) Leaving Charleston about
the middie of July, I made my way
direct for Limestone Springs, in Spar
tanburg District, the seat of the cele
brated Female Seminary established
by the venerable Dr: Curtis, now in
heaven, and his son William. This
School has proved one of the most de
cided and triumphant successes that
the history of Literary Institutions re
cords. From the first it entered on a
career of prosperity which it has stead
ily maintained, and with .constantly
brightening pros 1 tools. Its his
t<> ‘itjugrajj
tent to
way of founding and
schools, and that there is no real ne
cessity for taxing public liberality for
their outfit and endowment. It is
true that the Curtises were ab\e to a
vail themselves of a very happy com
bination of circumstances in starting
their enterprise. A large edifice which
had been reared for a fashionable sum
mer resort, had proved a disastrous
failure so far as its original design was
concerned, and was obtained by these
gentlemen at a very low figure. Had
it been built under their direction and
to suit their views, it could not have
been much better adapted to their
wants. The locality is pleasant, the
air salubrious, and the water, from
which the Seminary takes its name,
delicious. When I was there, near one
hundred and seventy pupils were in
attendance, with a prospect of increase
beyond the capacity of the main buil
ding. Rev. Dr. Crawley, formerly of
Nova Scotia and more recently ofCin
-cinnati, has just been added to the
corps of instruction, and will, no doubt,
prove an admirable coadjutor to its
present accomplished Principal.
The Commencement Exercises pas
sed off pleasantly, eleven young ladies
receiving testimonials of a e t; factory
.completion of the appointed course of
study. Your correspondent delivered
delivered the annual Address to a large
and attentive audience.
It is delightful to be permitted to
add that a subduing religious influence
has pervaded the School duringthe
present year. Some thirty young la
dies, if my memory is not at fault,
have been baptized, and yet others are
expected, to take this step.
After a most agreeable sojourn at
Limestone of five or six days, I passed
on to Spartanburg Court House, some
twenty miles distant. Here I found a
large and flourishing village, display
ing signs of wealth, refinement and
progress. It was my privilege to preach
on a week-day evening, to a congrega
tion that nearly filled the very spacious
Baptist house of worship. This is a
commodious and imposing brick edi
fice, erected not long since at a cost of
some eight or ten thousand dollars.—
The Baptist Church is a strong body,
the strongest, I suppose, in the place.
The Pastor, Rev. J. G. Landrum, has
long been a sort of recognized bishop
over all the adjacent region. His dio
cese includes Spartanburg District and
even the parts beyond. Would that
all bishops exercised an influence as
powerful and salutary!
This village is the seat of Wofford
College, under the management and
patronage of our Methodist brethren,
and of a Female Seminary under sim
ilar control. Both Institutions were
discribed to me as being in a prosper
ous condition.
Spartanburg seems to be a signally
favored section of our State, blessed
with fountains of knowledge almost as
numerous as the cool and sparkling
water-springs that bubble up in its
green valleys, or burst from its hill
sides.
(Continued on Hh page.)
Jit. m