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THE CHRISTIAN TNDEX,
Publishrd kvkrv Wednesday morning
AT MACON, GEORGIA.
BY A COMMITTEE OF BRETHREN,
FOR THE
GEORGIA BAPTIST CONVENTION.
TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION,
Two DoLLARsin advance: or paid within the year.
If suffered to overrun the yea*-, Two Dollars aiG>
otjE half will be charged in all cases.
“SAMUEL BOYKIN, Editor.
VOLUME XXXIX.
STANDING RULES.
AGENTS.
Rev. F. M. Hatgood, General Agent.
All Baptist Ministers are Agents; and any one
remitting |B.OO and the names of four new subscri
bers will be entitled to an extra copy. By Club
bing six persons can procure the paper for f 10.00.
■pg* .Subscribers wishing to have their papers
discontinued, should give express notice to that ef
fect—not by the return of a paper, but by letter. —
They should be sure that all arrearges are paid;
and as far as such payments may have been made
to an agent or agents , they should inform us to
whom, when, and how much.
Persons forwarding their names with pay
ent in advance, will be particular to inform us if
ey wish their subscription discontinued when the
term of payment has expired; otherwise they are
supposed to be permanent subscribers.
JggT Agents and others in ordering the paper,
and remitting payments, should be careful to have
the name and Post Office address of each subscri
ber with the amount paid, DISTINCT AND LEGI
BLE. Our accounts are kept with each subscriber
individually, and not with agents merely.
Persons ordering the direction of a paper
to be changed from one Post Office to another,
should be careful to mention the names of both of
fices, with the County and State.
E3T Bank-notes, if properly secured from de
predation may be sent to us by mail, at our risk ;
provided that, if the receipt of the money is not ac
knowledged in the paper within one month, the
sender shall promptly notify us that the money was
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When the amount is large send by Express, or
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TERMS :— Two Dollars, in Advanck.
NOTICE.—To send money with safety—Seal
the ietter carefully and mail it yourself, saying no
thing to any one about the money, not even the
Po3t Master. Don’t register. Address “ CHRIS
TIAN INDEX,” Macon, Georgia.
REVIEW OF “THE SUPPER IN
STITUTION.”
A New Book , hy Frederick Denison.
BY REV. ROBERT FLEMING,
of Brunswick, Ga.
Concluded from our last.
Having been brought up by Presby
terians, 1 was, as is almost universally
the case, unacquainted with Baptist
books and Baptist doctrines—not be
cause Baptist books were so scarce,
but because <Tf the fact that they scarce
ly ever procure and read any other
books than their own. This is lamen
tably true even among intelligent pe
do-baptists of all grades. I read, how
ever, the 6th chapter of Romans—that
was Baptist instruction enough for me ;
and 1 now take occasion to recommend
that chapter to all serious enquirers af
ter truth on baptism.
But as I did not propose to review’
Paul’s writings, I must confine my re
marks to Denison’s. The fourth chap
ter treats of “The limits ot the Supper
Institution.” That it has been stretch
ed beyond its lawful limits he very
clearly shows in his little book. He
says :
Page 07, Sec. 3.—“ Now very much
as the Passover was committed to Jew
ish families, the Supper Institution is
committed to Christian churches, the
only appointed organization under
the New Dispensation. It seems plain
that the supper was given to churches
as churches.” “Who ever heard ot an
institution that belonged to everybody
in general, and nobody in particular ?
Every institution is put into the hands
of some corporation duly organized and
fully recognized by the legislating
power. But there is no corporation
named by Christ except churches.” —
“So the supper was not given to be
lievers promiscuously, but to an organ
ized or banded company of believers,
under the authority of Christ.”
The above is, to my mind, a very
clear statement of the case, and shows
that the author understands the scrip
tare doctrine on the subject. lie says
that the supper was committed to the
hands of the twelve, and “they were
the first church,” the first ecclesia—
“called out by authority.” “The Apos
tles constituted the frame of the house,
and were so raised ; then, or soon after,
the believers around them were “ad
ded unto them,” and only those that
were “added” that is only the mem
bers of the ecclesia , or company, were
admitted to share in the Supper Insti
tution.” Page OS.
No serious objection can be brought
against the above view ; for there is a
diversity of opinion among our most
intelligent brethren in regard to the
time when ttie first Christian Chur ch
was organized. Some entertain the
view above given—others think it was
organized in “an upper-room” at Je
rusalem when the disciples returned
from Mount Olivet after witnessing
the ascension of Jesus. This is the
first church act recorded ; they chose
oue to till the place “from which Ju
das by transgression fell.” See Acts
1: 12 to 25th verse. But this is not a
point of vital interest. Certain it is
that the church was organized by Di
vine authority, and no human being
or assemblage of human beings on earth
should presume to change or reform it.
Ought the supper ever to be carried
out of the church assembly to accom
modate any of the church members
who may be sick or infirm i To this
the author very properly replies—read
er will you mark it ? “The idea
that tho supper must be received by
those who cannot come into the church
.assembly, and the consent of the
church to carry the Institution to them,
naturally favors, if it does not directly
engender the dangerous notion of sac
ramental efficacy.'’
We have known some instances of
this sort among the churches in Geor
gia. Our excellent brother in Christ,
V. R. Thornton, administered baptism
(Drgait of % (§r. §ap. CrnTbentiim: bekfeb to HJrsswns, Beligwn, anb% Interests of tfje baptist Jenmnination.
and the supper to my worthy friend
and school companion, John Harris,
Esq., of Warren county 7 , in his own
house, a few days before he died. The
church, at the request of bro. H. as
sembled at his house, heard Thornton
preach, witnessed the baptism, and
then united in celebrating the supper.
lor this course bro. Harris used this
argument, “I want to obey Christ be
fore I die.” To this way of doing there
can be but little, if any, objection.—
Still I agree with the author that, “if
from sickness or extreme infirmity, one
is not able to submit to the ordinance
of baptism, he is exempt from its ob
ligations. ’ “There is nothing saving
in baptism or in partaking of the Lord’s
Supper. If the supper has been com
mitted to the church to be celebrated
in the church assembly, let it so be
kept.” Page 76.
Page 85—No unbaptized person
can be a member of the church. This
view of the subject excludes from the
Lord’s Table all who are unbaptized.
Lnbelievers are not entitled to bap
tism, and unbaptized persons are not
entitled to church membership, and
those who are not entitled to church
membershp are not to be admitted to
“the Lord’s table.” Whatever disqual
ifies an individual for baptism disqual
ifies him for admission to the Lord’s
table.
Page 93.—The author quotes from
Neander’s Church History, and says :
“The church in North Africa was the
tirst to bring prominently into notice
the necessity of infant baptism ; so, in
connection with this, they introduced
also the communion of infants—believ
ing this w'as absolutely necessary to
salvation.” Baptists reject such ab
surd views.
It lias always seemed to me to be a
strange thing how other denomina
tions of professed Christians, could ac
cuse the Baptists of making a Saviour
of baptism, or of attaching undue im
portance to the ordinance. But strange
and unjustifiable as it is—unkind, un
conrteous and unchristian-like as it is,
I find in the introduction to a little
hook at my elbow, written by a Rev.
Doctor of Divinity, of the Methodist
church, that is to say, Rev. J. Hamil
ton, D. D., the following language ap
plied to Baptists, of course—“But as
long as misguided men continue to at
tach such importance to the mere
modes of religious ordinances as leads
them to obscure and pervert truth, to
disturb the faith and unsettle the pie
ty of believers, and peril men’s salva
tion, it will be the duty of those charg
ed with the defence of truth and the
care of souls to resist these disturbers
of the peace of Zion.” (See Baptismal
Demonstrations, by Rev. R. Abbey,
“published by the Agents of the Meth
odist Episcopal Church, South.”) Is
not the above a remarkably fine speci
men of heart-felt affection for us? I
would not be surprised if we were U>
be chided for not sitting with them at
the Lord’s table, seeing they hold us
in such high esteem, notwithstanding
we are periling men’s salvation !
I rejoice that the little book under
review administers a death blow to
such false insinuations, even though
they are made by men in reputation
for wisdom. As dead flies always have
caused and always will cause “the per
fume of the apothecary to 6end forth a
stinking savor, so does and so will a
little folly him that is in reputation for
wisdom.”—Eccl. 10 : 1.
Page 96—“ The National churches
and great ecclesiastical establishments
now existing, have inherited many of
their views and practices from the Ro
mish Church.”
Page 97 —“Baptism was raised by
the Papal Power to the rank of a soul
saving or regenerating ordinance, and
then changed in form(to sprinkling) to
adapt it to the cases of such persons
and infants.” “Modern establishments,
calling themselves Protestant, ha*ve in
deed thrown off some of the grosser
corruptions of Rome, but they still
cling to the many things that do not
belong to the New Testament church
es.”
It is an astounding fact, at least in
the estimation of the Baptists, that in
the Episcopalian Catechism the child
is taught to consider baptism and the
Lord's Supper as essential to salvation.
This is worse than the Baptists. They
are as far from looking upon these or
dinances as essential to salvation—4s
the East is from the West.
Our little book is a great truth-teller;
and where he takes in hand to strip er
ror of her long worn and finely tinsel
ed robes, he is apt to let you see that
her boasted garments are too short.
“The Presbyterian and Congrega
tional churches, together with the Epis
copalians and Methodists still cling to
one old error, regarding the supper as
a method of communing with one an
other,” &c. Page 100. This he cor
rectly calls “a sad abuse of the sup
per.” Page 102-3.—“ We love all
Christians of every name, but we love
Christ more. Heuce our close and un
moving adhesion to the scriptures.—
This is our single and sufficient de
fense.” “It has been asserted that in
our refusing to commune with pedo
baptists, and in not inviting them to
commune with us, we virtually de
clare that they are not Christians, or at
least that we have no Christian fellow
ship for them. This accusation is quite
false; for we exclude from the supper
the purpose of exhibiting our fel
lowship for others. Thus we look up
on the supper very differently from
our accusers.”
What a pity our opposers cannot, or
will not, understand us in this.
Page 103.—“1t has also been said
that our position virtually declares that
MACON, GA., WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 1860.
Pedobaptist churches are no churches
at all. To this we simply reply, we
have never asserted that Pedobaptist
churches ard no churches at all; the
accusation is an inference drawn by
the Pedobaptists themselves; with
how much propriety they must judge.”
Well, Bar-Samuel thinks, and so do
I, that it is a far more legitimate infer
ence than that infants should be hap
tized. Indeed Bar-Samuel confesses
judgment without the right of appeal.
Does brother Denison object to have
his name entered, “Judgment by Con
fession.” If he does, then we must en
ter “judgment by default,” as he does
not answer.
Finally. Myself and Bar-Samuel
liave gone through the Review, and
we are fully satisfied that our brethren
would do well to purchase it and read
it carefully, marking it well in all its
rich variety of well arranged argument.
As the book is small, cheap and in
structive, I hope the Depository Agent
will be able to supply a large demand.
R. F.
Brunswick, Aug. 29, 1860.
For the Christian Index.
TO THE BRETHREN OF THE
Bethel Baptist Association, Ga.
Dear Brethren :
In the Providence of God we are
spared to see tjie close of another year ;
your Association will soon meet, and
it becomes my duty to report to you
in relation to the work ofyour mission
aries for the past twelve months, El
der R. J. Hogue, of the Choctaw Na
tion, and Elder James Perryman of
the Creek Nation.
It is now little over two years since
Bro. Hogue bid adieu to his friends at
Aniericus to go among the Choctaw
Indians. It was anew work to him,
but he has seen the red-man and
preached Jesus to him as the way, the
truth and the life. It has been his
pleasure to see many a stout heart
yield to the calls of the Gospel. The
wants of the Indians have pressed
heavily upon his mind, and he has fre
quently applied in warm and earnest
terms for additional help. The follow
ing will show his earnestness : “Some
one must come. Noio is the time.—
Oue is not sufficient. It would be
economy to send three of the right
sort.”
Again he says : “I hope you will not
think me too urgent in my solicitations
for help. Surely there is need for more
missionaries, particularly now as bro.
James Harvey has been called from
his earthly labors to enjoy, as we trust,
the rest that remaineth for the people
of God. On the first day of Novem
ber, 1859, he died, after three days
dreadful suffering. I was with him at
the time, but the effort to talk increas
ed his pain, consequently I forbore
conversing with him. We greatly feel
his loss. By a mysterious Providence,
the native preachers are being taken
away in the midst of their usefulness.
Believing you will do all you can to
send us reinforcements, we will try to
exercise patience, and trust in the
Lord to work all things for good. In a
communication dated June 6th, 1860,
he says: “My health for some time
past has been quite feeble, and I feel
so unwell to day that I am scarcely
able to write. True, I have nothing
very special, but if I felt otherwise I
could say something of.matters in gen
eral respecting our work in this quar
ter. Last Sabbath we had the largest
collection of people that I have seen at
preaching in this part of the Nation at
any time. A goodly number from the
several denominations came out to
hear us. I lstfSored Saturday, Satur
day night and Sunday to the extent of
my feeble strength, which leaves me
more feeble than I was. I feel deeply
interested in the work, and am trying
to do all I can, but as yet there seems
but little effected. 1 have had no in
terpreter this year till the Ist of May,
only as one could be picked up for the
occasion; but I have lost but little
time on that account. There seems to
be more seriousness among the people
just now, than usual. The sickness
that is abroad, the number of deaths,
and the great scarcity of bread-stuffs
are calculated, or ought to be, to make
them serious. If the present crop fails,
I cannot tell what we shall do.”
Brother H. F. Buckner, Oct. 10th,
1859, writing of his visit to the church
es says : “Bro. James Perryman, with
whom I am now staying, is sixty years
old, and quite palsied, and grey. He
will not last long. O ! how sad to
travel the trails that brother ‘Jake’ and
I traveled ten years ago, and find that
so many of the first Christians have
gone hence, and left me to toil on.—
Soon I expect to follow them.” Broth
er P. was sent for to preach at a point
out-side of his accustomed and already
large field. After the sermon, an op
portunity was offered for persons to
I relate an experience of grace with ref
erence to receiving the ordinance of
baptism. Ten came forward and gave
evidence of having passed from death
to life, and were buried with Christ in
baptism. This was the fruit of anoth
er’s labor. Before leaving, three oth
ers joined, and will be baptized at an
early date. He has been much inter
ested in the progress of temperance,
and gives an account of the aunual
meeting of the National Temperance
Society, showing the interest the In
dians are taking in this important sub
ject.
The statistics of these brethren’s la
bors are as follows :
Elder R. J. Hogue supplied 3 chur
j ches, and preached at 1 station; —
* preached 85 sermons, delivered 81 ad-
dresses, attended 14 prayer-meetings,
held a monthly concert of prayer with
one church regularly, traveled in per
formance of labor 1,802 miles, made 39
religious visits to families, restored 1
Indian to fellowship and baptized 6
Indians.
Elder James Perryman supplied 4
churches and 2 stations, preached 113
sermons, delivered 82 addresses, atten
ded 86 prayer-meetings, received 6 by
letter, restored 24, baptized 26 Indians
and 10 blacks, visited 43 families, trav
eled in performance of labor 1,085
miles, 21 Indians coverted through his
labors hut not baptized, secured 24
temperance pledges, sustained 2 Sab
bath Schools with 36 pupils and 3
teachers, 1 teacher converted during
the year and 7 pupils, and $66,21 were
collected during one quarter at pro
tracted meetings which he attended, to
help defray the expenses.
With this we close, and ask an in
terest in the prayers of the Associa
tion that God may continue to bless
his servants, and unite our hearts in
love.
Yours truly, M. T. SUMNER,
Cor. Sec. B. S. B. C.
THINGS DEMANDING REFORM
Among Baptists.
BY REFORMER.
“This is my commandment that ye
love one another as I have loved you.
—Christ.”
Disobedience to this commandment
has greatly weakened the moral and
aggressive power of Christianity.—
Christians set an undue value upon
worldly surroundings aud interests,
and hold religion aud its obligations
as of secondary importance. Its holy
injunctions are held in subordination
to worldly pleasures, interests aud
caste. Its voice is heeded when no
sacrifice is demanded ; and its injunc
tions are obeyed when no self-denial
is required. Christians love one an
other when drawn together by social
or business relations. But the reflec
ted image of Christ in thecharacter of
one but seldom awakens the tender af
fections in the bosom of the other ; for
one is too worldly to produce to the
observer the true likeness of his Mas
ter ; and should he be able to do so, the
other is too indifferent to the pure and
spiritual, to he much affected by it. —
Indifference as to the happiness and
interests of another is the result.—
Neither has au attraction for the oth
er; therefore a meeting together, even
at the house of God, is not particularly
desired : thus the sanctuary loses one
of its attractions, which is discovera
ble in the falling off', it may be one by
one, of those whose preseuce and pray
ers should encourage a pastor and add
much interest to the devotional meet
ings of a church. This want of broth
erly love is the prolific parent of un
told evils to the interests of our belov
ed Zion. We have only to look ont
upon her distracted condition, to read
her weekly organs, or attend on the
convocation of her ministers to be sad
dened with the knowledge ot this
truth.
I propose a reformation in the fol
lowing particulars:
1. That each one, (for we are all at
fault,) cherish for the Saviour a more
ardent love, for his commandments an
instant obedience, for His authority a
more devout reverence: that we use
the world as not abusing it, and that
we refuse to give it the obeisance of
our hearts. In order to do this we
should be found more frequently on
our knees imploring forgiveness for the
past, and beseeching grace for the fu
ture. We should take more time to
“search the Scriptures,” and endeavor
more constantly to set Christ crucified
always before us, that we may imitate
his pure and holy example :
2. That we examine ourselves more
closely in the light of Divine truth,
that seeing our own imperfections we
may more readily extend forbearance
and forgiveness to the wrongs of others,
and that we may extend to erring
brethren the same forbearance and
sympathy that we would desired bes
towed on us, if in his condition :
3. That we be kind, courteous and
loving in our deportmeirt to all the
members of our communion, taking
some pains, whether in sanctuary,
in the social circle, or in thi business
relations of life, to let them know that
we entertain for them an affectionate
Christian regard ; and that this deport
ment shall extend to the poor as well
as the rich, the ignorant as well as the
cultivated : That our interest in our
pastors shall not be hid as a light un
der a bushel, but that by kind and fra
ternal intercourse with him we will
express our sympathy and affection for
him, and our confidence in him.
And in order that we may not be
guilty of any dissimulation in the a
bove manifestations of affection, &c.,
4. That we make special prayer dai
ly for the welfare of our brethren
that brotherly love may prevail, and
that we may all be of one heart and
one mind—that we may be able, from
filled with pleasurable emo
tions, to say, “Behold how good Snd
how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell
together in unity!” Considering our
selves less than the least, and not wor
thy to be called disciples, we will es
teem it a favor above all price to be
door-keepers in the house of the Lord.
We will thus learn of him who was
meek and lowly in heart, and while we
will call no man master, we will be
content to sit at the feet of our breth
ren.
INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.
Number 3.
In Rail Road travelling we become
eye and ear witnesses of many inci
dents. Some of these amuse, some
mortify, and some instruct. Thus it
was during this summer excursion. I
could relate many incidents, which, if
properly clothed and colored, would
be read with interest. But I can men
tion only a few.
Ist. A well over 2000 feet deep .
Seated in front of the passenger cab
in, and watching the noble steamer
as struggling with the swift current,
she made her way up the Tennessee
River, I observed the gentlemen
drawing a liquid from a keg near x by
and drinking it. I supposed it was ar
dent spirits. I, at length, asked what
it was; and was informed that it was
from an artesian well in Louisville,
Kentucky, more than two thousand
feet deep. Through curiosity I tasted
it. It is strongly impregnated with
several minerals, and very disagreea
ble to the taste. I was informed that
a gentleman of that city bored this
well to obtain water to run a paper
mill. He obtained more than enough,
and in addition, water of a medical
quality in a very high degree. It
comes with such power as to force the
stream many feet above the earth.
Many invalids have already tested the
virtue of these waters, and a large
patronage is confidently predicted
when all proper arrangements shall be
made, and the waters become more
generally known.
At the time I supposed this the
deepest well in the world; but I see
that there is one in Columbus, Ohio,
two thousand five hundred and seven
ty-fivefeet deep.
2. A minister of the gospel setting a
very bad example.
On entering the cars at Huntsville,
Ala., on the morning of the (3th of Au
gust last, I observed several persons
whom had seen years ago in Mississip
pi. They did not recognize me, and I
did not make myself known to them.
A geutleman, whom 1 had never
seen, was in company, and, judging
from appearances, I should think he
was deeply smitten with a young lady,
a member of the party. I observed
this young gentleman closely. There
was something about him which in
terested me—though I could not tell
what it was. He was some 28 or 30
years old, spare made aud rather feeble
health. It was evident that he lived
a sedentary life, and was engaged in
some intellectual pursuit. I took him
for a lawyer, and yet there was a soft
mild expression which, under other cir
cumstauQes, would have led me to con
clude that he was a minister of the
gospel. At last I was informed by our
travelling companions, that he was a
minister of the gospel, and was pastor
of the first church in one of our larg
est southern cities. I was deeply mor
tified o.n the reception of this informa
tion. I had seen this reverend gentle
man making brandy-toddy, drinking it
himself, handing it around, and urg
ing all, both ladies and gentlemen to
join him in imbibing the poisonous
drug. I said to my informant that
this was strange conduct for a minis
ter of our holy religion. He defended
the practice of his reverend friend, and
stated that this minister was in the
habit of drinking twice every day;
but, said he by way of paliation, he
drinks only twice a day. We traveled
together to Chattanooga, Tenn. At
the principal hotel in this city the wash
and the bar-room are all the same.—
On entering this room for the purpose
of cleansing the outward man for din
ner, lo and behold! there was my
friend standing at the counter, and
with the common herd which frequent
the place, was again drinking the pois
onous and intoxicating beverage, thus
preparing his inner-man for his dinner.
We eat and parted, and may never
eat again this side the judgment seat.
He may plead ill health, possibly the
advice of one or even many eminent
physicians; but neither the one nor
the other, nor both of these combined
will, nor never can justify such con
duct in a minister of the gospel. The
eyes of the world are upon him wher
ever he goes, and under whatever
mental or physical necessity he may
thus act the cause of Christ is and ev
er must suffer. It is best perhaps to
withhold both the uame of this gen
tleman,and the denomination to which
he belongs; but this much I must be
permitted to say, (and say it with
pleasure,) he is not a Baptist.
3. A man drunk on the cars.
A man who had taken a “leetle” too
much of the “over-joyful” found his
way into the cars. The gentlemanly
conductor, (and I would bear witness
to the polite and gentlemanly conduct
of all the conductors,) as well as the
passengers, soon saw he would be
neither a desirable nor profitable addi
tion to our company. His condition
too exposed him to constant and
iminent peril. The conductor deter
mined to leave him at the next station.
For this purpose he induced him to get
off of the cars. And so soon as he
had gone out of danger, the
moved off. The conductor soon and
easily got aboard. This worshipper of
Bacchus seeing the cars moving and
determining not to be left, threw him
self head-foremost into an open freight
car which was standing near by.—
What speed he made, when he got to
his journey’s end, or how long he re
mained in this freight car, I know not.
4. Another man intoxicated.
Late one evening, tired and worn
out by travel, I was useing every
means to induce a visit from Morpheus.
I had partially succeeded when I was
aroused by a harsh voice, exclaiming
“old friend I should like to have part
of your seat if you are not too much
crowded.” Opening my eyes, I be
held a singular specimen of humanity
standing over me, and holding on to
the seat to prevent his falling. lie
was evidently under the influence of
Alcohol. He had on an oil cloth cap
with a long narrow’ flap in front, and
his clothes were sadlv soiled and full
of holes. Indeed the entire man
looked dirty, and to a decent man, (as
I profess to be,) he was loathsome in
the extreme. After surveying him
from head to foot, 1 deliberately re
plied, “that with him on my seat, l
should be rather too much crowded.”
He passed on and I, falling back in my
snoozing position, heard nor thought
any thing more of him until we came
near the next station. Hearing loud
talking, and turning round I saw my
friend still standing up holding on to
the seats. He and a gentleman near
him were talking, in a loud and
rather angry manner, something about
a debt. The cars stopped and they
both took themselves out, I very soon
thereafter, learned that my friend be
ing either unable or rtnwilling to pay
his passage w r as politely invited to
leave the cars. The two walked on to
gether, still talking in a loud tone of
voice. I watched them as they moved
off, and yet I hardly know why. They
seemed to become more and more ex
cited. When about 100 yards from
the cars they came to blows. My
friend being much the smaller and
doubtless the weaker man, gave back,
and about the 2nd or 3rd blow, fell to
the ground. No sooner down than the
other pounced upon him, and in this
interesting condition w T e left them.
A. Vanhoose.
Griffin, Sept. 21st, 1860.
ELDER STRANGE ON SETTLING
CHURCH DIFFICULTIES.
The Elder was spending an after
noon at the house of one of his breth
ren. Several other brethren were
present also; and all were lamenting
the sad difficulties which now threaten
the peace of the Baptist churches in
the Southern States. One of them,
Mr. P., said he thought the wounds
which had been inflicted were incura
ble, and that division was inevitable.
“That may be for aught I know,”
said Elder Strange, “but of one thing
I am sure, that is, if those who are in
volved in these difficulties were only
willing to do right in all respects, it
would not be long before peace and
harmony would be restored.”
“Why brother Strange-1 Your re
marks surprise me,” said Mr. P., “I
have a better opinion of those breth
ren than you have. I believe they
are God-fearing men, and are not only
willing to do right, but are honestly
trying to do 60. Their judgment may
be at fault, and they may be mistaken
as it regards what is right and what is
wrong; but I must believe that their
intention is to do right at any rate.”
The Elder replied: “I did not in
tend bro. P. to accuse any of those
brethren of hypocrisy, or of disobe
dience or stubbornness of heart or any
intentional wrong doing ; but I still
maintain my position. Right is right
and wrong is wrong, and whether the
will or the judgment is at fault, still
we see that peace is not restored
as it ought to be. There is a fault some
where that hinders the settlement of
the difficulties. And I fully believe
that if all those brethren would actual
ly do right in the fear of the Lord, all
the difficulties would be adjusted be
fore this year would end. There is a
way in which this could be accom
plished if different brethren would act
their part as they ought. Let me
show how this could be done :
“In all church difficulties which
have passed under my observation, I
have noticed that old human nature
has exercised too much control. Pas
sion and prejudice have done theit
part, and seldom, if ever, have I seen
persons, however pious they might be/
become involved in church - difficulties
in which they have not had cause for
regrets and confessions of wrong, eith
er in temper —in words or in actions.
This is so common that I always take
it for granted, when I hear of distur
bances in churches, that all the par
ties concerned have something to an
swer. Hence, in all such cases there
are causes for mutual acknowledg
ments, and mutual forgiveness. Some
persons may have done greater wrong
than others —but, all have done wrong
to some extent. Hence as it is known
to be ‘human to err,’ brethren should
judge each other with charity. They
should not be too exacting, but should
be ready at all times to meet each oth
er wtih a large share ot forgiveness
for any wrongs those brethren may
have done them. And no servant of
Jesus Christ should be backward in
acknowledging and wrongs which he
has committed against others. Now
if all parties had the spirit of their di
vine master, and hearts to do just as
the Lord would have them do, being
more ready to confess than to require
confession—more free to forgive than
to demand satisfaction—and fully de
termined to do the will of God, then
the worst difficulty that ever disturbed
the peace of a church, might be easily
settled. Could our brethren who are
involved in the present difficulties meet
each other in this way, soon the joyful
tidings would go forth, that peace is
restored in Zion and brethren once
asunder are dwelling together in uni-
Terms of Advertising.
I 1 or ail transient advertising One Dollar per squai A
wt ten lines for the tir/t, cents per square for
all subsequent fSiUligatioi^.**
Ipquareof lOjlnes ] r month-- , m $ l
“ “ 0 lines (i 7 00*
“ “*lo lines “ l year* T. 10 oP
These lines are the text advertising lines and the
charge is for the spacs occupied by ten such line a
as are used in the body of an advertisement. Lou
geradvertisementsin the same ratio.
N. S., VOL. 28, NO. 40.
ty. Parties involved in difficulties
should vie with each other in taking
honorable and scriptural steps to settle
their differences. They should not in
sist too rigidly upon mere technicali
ties ; but as the servants of God deter
mined to do right and restore peace,
they should be willing to make every
reasonable sacrifice, and bear any reas
onable burden that judicious brethren
might advise.
“I still have hope left that disinter
ested brethren will tender their friend
ly mediations—that wise counsels will
prevail—and that our divine Savior
will overrule all conflicting elements,
and bring about peace in all our
churches once more. Let us brethren
devoutedly pray to God, and diligent
ly labor to secure an object so desira
ble.”
It is enough to say that the brethren
present were highly pleased with the
Elder’s views; and* Mr. P. was satis
fied after hearing the explanation.
REPORTER.
SABBATH SCHOOLS.
No. 8.
GOVERNMENT.
Let it always be remembered that
rules do not constitute government.—
Those adopted by Sunday Schools
should be designed for teachers rather
than for children. Lach teacher should
be responsible for his class the hour
he has to instruct it. The very best
mode is to interest it. Where there
is want ot intelligence in a pupil and
he is behind his fellows, put him where
a correct and unvarying classification
would place him. The absence ot a
proper aid systematic arrangement of
classes is a fruitful source of disorder.
But when this i6
■■'if ability. I
■
i>; isl.-r *•-}.[ ..
tic ’IV H'rUiflv !1 i:
temperament, let sucIVHHHpP;
do—much to investigate—
Should a pupil be disposed to be vT
cious, private admonition, aud a spe
cial visit to the parent’s or guardian’s
residence will operate beneficially.—
A ever should the hardening process of
public rebuke be administered; a dis
missal privately made is better both
tor the subject of discipline and for
the school. Moral suasion and kind
ness constitute the power of instruc
tors over their scholars. Solemn tones,
solemn
■
11 : ' 1
self; it is found in H
Him because He first
They, as the servants of the Lord, can
not do better than to imitate His spirit
and his examples in winning souls for
Him.
Libraries.
One mode of interesting the young
is the gratuitous amount of reading
furnished them—great care should be
taken in their selection. There is much
pious trash in Sunday school libraries,
whose tendency is to create novel rea
ders, and not Bible students. These
should be promptly eschewed. There
is some difficulty in selecting suitable
books in consequence of their being
confined The
H| BH B
h fated < i ,
(detv are reliable.
5-elect from vari-ue • uai*B§j&Ssty
The teacher should seltUß,^
for the pupil, having spedflMPf
ence to his spiritual conditk r \
Avery good exercise is :• retySH
someone in the class, when
nity admits to give an account of what A
he has read. This plan will not
secure the reading of the
tends to make careful readers. wB
Conclusion.
Teachers should remember that
men nor children are to be converted
by systems. It is “not by might, nor
by power, but by my Spirit, saith the
Lord,” that men are.to be turned unto
Him. The hearts of teachers should
ever be raised to Him, who hath said,
“Paul may plant, Apollos may water,
God giveth the increase.”
* * H* * *
Ask—the Saviour reigps on high ;
Seek —his voice forbids your fears ;
Knock—be knows the sinner’s cry ;
Weep—he loves the mourner’s tears;
Watch —till Christ your Lord shall
come,
Wait—till he conduct you home.
A telegraphic despatch from Fort
Smith. Arkansas, anounecs the destruction by
fire at that place, on Thursday night, of the
City Hotel and the garrison block of buildings,
involving a loss of property estimated at $200,-
000.
An Italian Journal, the Trotatorcs, states that
the number of professional singers, of both sex
es, now in Italy, amounts to 1730.
During the last seven months there have been
1016 cases of yellow fever in Havana, and only
240 fatal cases.
An extensive sugar refinery has been built,
and will shortly be put into operation, in Rich
mond, Virginia.
Scarcity of Silver. —There is a scarcity of
silver coin in several of the Northern cities.
A New York broker writes as follows :
“New American quaters are difficult to be
had at par in ex change for gold. Dimes and
half dimes are not to be had short of a premi
um, as the mint is not coining silver at present’