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VOL. 45 NO. 2 Cfjc Christian snkt. A EELIGIOUB AND FAMILY PAPER, Published Weekly, in Atlanta, Ga. J, J. TOON, - - - Proprietor. Rev. If. 11. TUCKER, D. D., - Editor. PUBLICATION OFFICE: Alabama Street, near Whitehall. Franklin Steam Printing House AND BOOK BINDERY. TERMS: For twelve months $5 00 For four months and a half, (or IS Nos.) 2 00 For two months, (or 8 Nos.) 1 00 fa? Subscriptions invariably in advance. ADVERTISING RATES. One square (8 lines) one insertion $2 00 For a longer period than one month, a discount of 33J per cent, will lie made. Ju no case toill advertisements be inserted with out payment in advance Persons at a distance wish ing to advertise can mark the number of squares they wish to occupy, and remit the money accordingly. To Correspondents.—All communications for the paper, and all letters on husittess. must be addressed to J. J. Toon, proprietor. A enter from Dr. Boyce. Greenville, S. C., Nov. 23, 1805. Dear Brother Toon: I see in the Index an inquiry about the Southern Baptist Theo logical Seminary located at this place. Please state to your readers that we are again in op eration. We re opened on the first Monday in November. All of our Professors are present, and we are giving the. same course of instruction as before the war. We have four students, and have heard of others coining; so that we expect about ten. If we could collect the notes and bonds given us before the war, or even the interest due on them, everything would be well. Although we re ceived, during two or three years of the war, payment in Confederate funds, of monies due us, we have preserved three fourths or more of our fuiAts, unimpaired, in the notes and bonds originally given. We hope to be able j to collect these; and if so, can afford to await j a day of greater prosperity in the land, be- j fore attempting to complete our endowment. : Meantime our Professors have assumed their ! places, trusting that the brethren who owe the Seminary, will pay of the large amount of j interest due, enough, if not to pay their sala- i ries, at least, to give them a support, though scanty. Yours truly, James P. Boyce. Ordination. The Baptist Church of Christ, at Millstone, Ogbthci ,>* couUty, Georgia, having called brother John G. Gibson to ordination for the work of the Ministry of the Gospel, set apart the twenty-third day of November, 1865, and invited the following brethren, P. P. Butler, L. R. L. Jennings, L. W. Stephens, B. M. Callaway, J. P. Rowe, J. N. Coel, G. M. Campbell, who assembled on the day appointed to engage in the solemn work. After form ing the Presbytery, brethren L. W. Stephens being appointed Moderator, and G. M. Camp bell, Secretary, they proceeded to the work as follows: Ordination sermon by L. R. L. Jennings, from Ephesians iv: 11. The church examined relative to candidate’s character, by the Moderator, L. \\ . Stephens. Candidate examined on Christian experience —call to the ministry—faith and doctrines of the Gospel, by P. P. Butler. Prayer by J. P. Rowe, and imposition of hands by the Presbytery. Charge and presentation of the Bible, by R. M. Callaway. Right hand extended by the Presbytery, followed by the church. Benediction by the candidate. On motion of brother L. R. L. Jennings, Resolved, That our Secretary furnish a copy of these proceedings to the church; also one to the Christian Index for publication. G. M. Campbell, Sec. Tlic Biblical Expositor. A pamphlet of thirty-two pages, with the; above title, devoted to the dissemination of biblical and historical truth , and cultivation of our spiritual affections, will be published monthly by the undersigned, as soon as the necessary arrangements can be made, at *O.OO per annum, payable on delivery of the first number. The Expositor will contain articles doctrinal, exegetical and historical; first principles in theological investigations and discussions; expositions of popular errors; a series of brief articles on church discipline; solutions of cases of conscience; counsel for the godly and ungodly ; words of comfort for mourners; instruction for doubting and inquiring chris- i tians; hints for ministers; miscellaneous ar ticles, and a brief summary of religious in telligence. All unpleasant and unprofitable controversies and all obituary and marriage notices, exceeding ten lines in length, will be excluded. As an afflictive visitation of Divine Provi-’ dence has incapacitated the proprietor for : pleading the cause of Christ from the pulpit, j he appeals w ith confidence to his friends and brethren to aid him in doing so through the press. Communications may be addressed to him at Quitman, Georgia—his present temporary residence —until otherwise directed. Jos. S. Baker. Letter front Rev. A. Sherwood, D. I). St. Louis, Mo., Nov. 21, 1865. Dear Brother Campbell :’ Sherman’s raid injured me so much that I could not make a crop. I sold my furniture, rented my farm, and returned to this region the last of Sep tember. I have a little left here, and all my children around me, except one married dau;,’ ‘er in Charleston. The climate is not so pleasant nor healthy as that of Georgia. More money may perhaps be made by the PEh I jHjjß n gig s-S ran ISira Ist.’ V Cpß Smß Sis V WiM *qKV?^ young, but I advise all who can get bread, to remain in the South. Anew Constitution for Missouri was rati fied by the people, in June, requiring an oath from ministers, lawyers, doctors, etc.; but prescribes that even sympathisers with the re bellion may not vote. Most of Baptists, Presbyterians and Catholics, refuse to take it. Some have been indicted and fined for ex ercising without it. It is hoped the Legisla ture, now in session, will modify or afford re lief in some way. The churches have been torn up both in this State and Illinois by parties; i. e., some approved and some opposed the war; some ministers preaching Jesus, and some and the war ! It is sad to name such things. * ***** * The Baptist churches here,.five or six in number, have good congregations, and Mission Sabbath Schools, out w est in the suburbs, but revivals are much needed. We had some blessed meetings in Butts county, Georgia, in July and August. I preached nearly every day at Towaliga, Lib erty, etc. At the latter, twenty were bap tised. ******* Alton College, where I labored for years, has now over two hundred students'—fifty looking towards the minstry. Truly as ever your brother, in hope of a better country, Adiel Sherwood. I.elter from Greenville, S. C. Congratulation — Tneologi al Seminary—Ejec tion—New Sunday School Paper—Sun day School B-oks. Greenville, S. C., Nov. 23, 1865. Dear Brother Toon: Let me congratulate you upon your successful debut, as command ing officer of the good ship Index. Most gal lantly has she left her moorings, and I venture to predict fir her a voyage worthy of the good cause for which she is freighted, and the noble State to which she belongs. May her patrons always “raise the wind,” that her sails may be kept well filled. We have no Baptist paper in South Carolina yet. Br ther Mason promises that the Confederate Baptist shall be revived in January. We hope he will be successful in his undertaking. I see that you have not yet heard of the re opening of our Theological Seminary. It is in full operation again, under the care of its four Professors—Boyce, Manly, Williams and Broadus. Such a combination of excel lence and talent will command success. It has but few students yet, but we have good reasons to expect a considerable increase. I hope that the Empire State will send us some students. Affairs here are quiet. Our election for Congress took placeon yesterday. It is thought that Col. James Farrow, our former represen tative in the Confederate Congress, will be elected. The number of votes polled is very small, for our people, though “ harmonized,” do not take much interest as yet in Federal polities. The Sunday School Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, located at this place, have felt it their duty to publish a paper for Sun day schools, at a price which places it within the reach of all. They had been appealed to for this purpose, and the object seemed desir able and obligatory upon them. Arrange ments have been made for issuing such a pa per, tin the first of January next, to be fur nished monthly at ten cents a year. No subscriptions to be received for less than t°n copies. It is named “ Kind Words,” for the Sunday school children. The pens of several competent writers have been engaged to suo ply its columns, and it is hoped that it will prove a valuable auxilary to the board in the prosecution of their work. Specimen copies of the January number will be sent to any superintendent who will express a desire for them. Communications for the paper should be addressed to Kind Words, Greenville, S. C., and orders for the paper or remittances, to Mr. G. G. Wells, Mailing Agent, Greenville, S. C. We hope that Georgia will aid us lib erally, both with pen and purse. Our board have a number of question books, hymn books and primers on hand, hieh they will sell lower than they can be purchased elsewhere. Yours truly, C. J. Elford. I l To tlie Brc lireu <T tlic Washington t asocial ion, Georgia. Culpeper C. 11., Va., Dec. 6, 1865. Dear Brethren: After several abortive attempts to obtain communication with you through private channels, I have adopted the present mode. I regret that the condition of the country and the absence of so many of the brethren in the summer of ’63, prevented me from having more conference with you at that time. Since then, I saw several of the absent members in the army, and though they were surrounded by all the circumstances of war, they were as warm-hearted and as devoted to the cause of Christ as ever. Two of them, brothers Duggati and Latimer, I left danger ously wounded in Richmond, just before its ! fall, but they endured their sufferings like j Christian heroes. I have since learned that they died. Peace to their ashes! They were j gentle as lambs, but brave as lions. My object in writing this letter is to inform you that I do not purpose returning to Africa for the present; and for the sake of the mis sion, I desire to plainly state my reasons for not returning. First of all, I would impress upon your minds, that it is not because I suspect the practicability or success of the mission. The fact that white men can live in Africa has been fully demonstrated. So well am I persuaded of this fact that I would have been willing last summer to return to Africa for several j years without my wife, if it had been allowa j ble. The success of this, like all other mis ! sions, depends entirely upon our faith. If I ! could be persuaded that we have no sincere ; and earnest Christians among the converts of FRANK LIN PRINTING HOUSE, ATLANTA, GA., SATURDAY, JANUARY 6, 1866. our Yoruban mission, then I could believe that none could be found in the world. We often have to contend with the same propen sities among some of the converts over which the Apostle Paul so often lamented. What church has not had its corrupt members? Should we expect more of heathen than en lightened converts ? Again, it is not because I doubt that the Lord called me to the work. If I was a sub ject of delusion in this matter when you sent me forth in ’SB, I still remain one, and expect to remain so as long as I live, whether I re turn to Africa or not. Nor is it because I dread the dangers, afflictions and privations attending the work. As the Lord knows my heart, 1 can truly say, “ None of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the Gospel of the grace of God.” Beds of languishing and of pain, days of care and sorrow, and nights of terror and peril, your very memory is | sacred ! It is not because I do not love my mission- | ary brethren, the native Christians, and the j cause. Whether it will ever be my privilege J to return to Africa or not, it will always be, 1 hope, as it has heretofore been, one of my chief pleasures to think of and pray for them. Distressing changes which have occurred in my family since my return from Georgia, in ’63, have brought me to this conclusion. All j my brothers perished in the late civil war. My father’s plantation was swept with the besom of destruction, and a recent destructive fire has left him, my mother and two sisters homeless and destitute for the present. The health of my wife, who, with two sisters, has recently become an orphan, also offers a very serious impediment. Under such circuin stanc'-s, it seems my duty to remain in this country for the present. This descision has cost me many an earnest prayer and anxious thought, and though I here resign the commis sion which in the providence of God you gave me, I hope you will not cease to pray for me, that I may know the will of the Lord in all things, and have grace to do it. 1 purpose opening in this place a female school, but 1 hope I shall never forget tnat my principal mission is to win souls to Christ. Why does not brother Jennings write to this wandering sheep his flock ? Why does not brother Reed let me know where he is? * Yours in Christ, R. 11. Stone. P. S.—The sqm of fourteen hundred and forty-two dollars, which I received from the Association in ’63, was transferred to brother J. B. Taylor with the other money received for Foreign Missions drawn no sala ry since returning from Africa, I made a complete report of the sums received from individuals, churches and associations to the Corresponding Secretary of the Board, broth el Taylor. I would have sent a copy of this report to the Index at the time, but the dis turbed state of the country prevented me from doing so. I will yet do so. R. 11. S. The Death of tlie Good. We watched a summer’s sunset. As the grand luminary, his beams mellowed down from their midday fiercenes, sank slowly to wards the horizon, there was not a cloud to obscure his splendor, not the slightest stirr ng of a breeze to disturb the serenity of the scene. As the last glittering rim of his dise was hidden behind the hills, a roseate tinge of light diffused itself over the whole sky. At first the tints gloweu in varied richness, and then slowly faded, until darkness had envel oped all the landscape, ere we were aware of its approach. With all this there was a si lence—a solemn, impressive, but pleasing stillness, awakening emotions so holy that a voice of rarest melody would have seemed a sacrilege. Such, thought we, is the death of a good man—calm, beautiful, sublime. The cold, dark vapors that obscured his morning’s dawn have long since rolled off; the burning rays of his noon have allayed their heat, and the clouds, thunder and rain of his evening have passed away. The youthful folly that led to wild excess has been replaced by the wisdom of experience; the fiery blood of manly pas sion has been cooled by prudence, and all murmurs of impatience have been .stilled by the spirit of Christian resignation. He awaits the stroke that shall free him from the tempt ations and ills of earth with serious, hopeful calmness. When at last it falls, he receives it, not with the forced laughter of the a* heistical fool, nor with the craven tremblings of the hypo crite, but with the quiet firmness of well grounded faith. The death of the righteous is always serene. It may not take place amid external peace and quiet. It may be like that of the gallant Gar diner, in the midst of the peals of musketry and the shouts of enemies. It may be like that of the great Cromwell, attended by the fierce ragings of contending elements. It may be like that of Judson, far off from home on the billowy deep, where the hoarse singings of the waves fall on the dying ear. But in every case, the mind diffuses a serenity around whichmakesthespot hallowed, whether it beon a field of battle or on a ship’s quarter deck. There is w.thin a peace above all understand ing, which external circumstances have not produced, and no cutward influences can de stroy. Cheerfulness. —Cheerfulness and a festi val spirit fill the soul with harmony; it com poses music for churches and hearts ; it makes and publishes glorifications of God ; it pro duces thankfulness, and serves the end of charity ; and when the oil of gladness runs over, it makes bright and tall emissions of light and holy fires, reaching up to a cloud, and making joy round about: and, therefore, since it is so innocent, and may be so pious, and full of holy advantage, whatever can min ister to this holy joy does set forward the work of religion and charity. The Duties of tfie Hour. A heavier burden of duty was never im posed upon any people than that which now rests on the people of the South; nor was the demand for the duty ever more j imperative. To repair the ravages of a four ‘ years war which devastated fields, laid cities in ashes and scattered peffliry broadcast over the land, would have been a task attended with much difficulty had the circumstances been most favorable. But the results,of the war have renderel the circumstances not only not favorable, but decidedly the reverse. We have difficulties in our way which nothing but the soundest judgment and the most enduring i patience will enable us to surmount. If, how i ever, these qualities be duly exercised, we | trust, under the blessing of God, that we may | overcome all obstacles and render our coun try once mure prosperous and happy. The most immediate dflf? before us is to establish our agricultural interest-- or <•. se cure basis. In order to do this, it ne cessary tc organize a system of labor which shall supersede that which has just been W moved. This is a practical Question,...and must be met in a practical w theorii sand visionary speculations w'r no avail. We must n,ot viait tUtPmWh upon legislation either; for whijk- good and whole some laws may do much towards remedying the evils under which we labor, much will he left to be done by individual effort. The Leg islature may say that the afeedman must gain his living by honest industry; but it rests with the individual to give him employment, and with generous kindness meet him half way in his efforts at self-support. It is our duty, by dealing with them justly and in good faith, to disarm that class of that profound distrust which they have lately conceived for the white Southron. When this has been done, one difficulty in the way of procuring an abundance of efficient and reliable labor will have been obviated. It is not merely a fondness f<>r being idle but the fear of being cheated that keeps the freed men from work. When convinced that thgre is not an intention, on the part of his former owner, to defraud him of the fruits of his labor, it may be that he will return to the field with his wonted cheerfulness. But this conviction must be forced upon him by individual conduct. Another duty incumbent upon us iu con nection with this race, is that of doing ail in our power to afford them religious and moral instruction. Self-interest should prompt us to do this, did not philanthropy enjoin the same course. In the relation which they formerly sustained to us, while it reflected much discredit upon us that so little was done for their elevation, their ignorance and sensu ality did us comparatAK? little harm. Not so now. Should they, ItMne new position to which they have been suddenly elevated, re remain as ignorant of the laws of morality as they have hitherto been, the effect upon society cannot fail to be injurious. If we wish for the advancement of our com mon country, we should labor for their im provement. We have nothing to fear now from their learning to read. Let them every where be stimulated to make arrangements for their children to acquire the rudiments of an English education, and let them be encour aged and assisted in building houses of wor ship for themselves where they may hear the truths of the Gospel expounded in a style adapted to their comprehension. All this is required of us by simple patriotism, leaving out of notice that far higher consideration, the advancement of the Redeemer’s kingdom on earth. A renewed and increased attention to the education of youth is one of the prime duties that devolve upon us now. For the last four years, our institutions of learning have lan guished. Even common schools have been suffered to go down in many communities, and all interest in the subject seems to have died. Owing to these causes, thousands of girls and boys have been suffered to grow up in igno rance, and if a change be not speedily made, the rising generation will be far behind the present in learningand culture. Besides, there are thousands of war-made orphans, who are unable, without assistance, to secure the ad vantages of education; and these appeal loudly to our sympathies. Here individual effort may do much; every man should earnestly strive to have a school established in his neighborhood. At the same time, our Gen eral Assembly should feel it incumbent on them to devise some plan by which a common English education would be placed within the reach of every child in the country. While due attention is given to common schools, the higher seminaries should not be neglected. These have suffered immensely. Some have been forced to suspend from want of patronage, and some have had their reve nues wholly swept away by the failure of the securities in which they had invested. Here is a wide field for benevolence, in which all may- exert themselves. If every man would contribute to such an object, to the full mea sure of his ability, our colleges might soon be re-endowed, and placed on as secure a basis as ever. Unless this is done, most of them will be compelled to close doors, and our young men who desire liberal advantages will have to seek them elsewhere. Such a state of things is much to be deprecated, and we trust our people will bestir themselves active ly to prevent its occurrence. “Come.” —l verily believe there is not a sweeter word in the Bible than the word “come.” lam sure that when it fell from the lips of Jesus, when the Spirit and the Bride uttered it, when it was echoed by the tongues of apostles and saints, and in all these cases was addressed to the weary and heavy-laden— to those who were athirst with spiritual needs—it was so full of grace and truth that it could not be exceeded in preciousness by any word in human speech. And this word “come” is the key-note of the gospel. “Come,’’ with whatever thirst you faint, “come and drink; come and take the water of life freely.” -The late Rev. W. A. Callaway. This esteemed and exemplary brother de parted this life in June last, but, in consequence of the suspension of our religious journals, no suitable notice- of his life and labors has been taken. The hand of a friend, who knew and appreciated him, would now compensate as far as may be this regretted delay. This tribute is the more earnestly attempted in consideration of the instructiveness of his life and opinions. Brought to a knowledge of the truth in early manhood, he soon consecrated himself to the service of the Master in the work of the ministry. Endowed with good abilities and unusual solicitude for souls, he overcame, in great measure, the deficiencies of early in tellectual training by making full proof of his ministry in unwearied and incessant labors, lie will be long remembered in middle Geor gia, as the modest and amiable coadjutor of such men as Sherwood and Dawson, in the many labors by which lhey sought to build up the in the central arid uqkb.hoi^MflpHsfn >i>. Not the least of the ||pwb>good man, was the nerve man advocacy of the scriptural inde ;.c d'the churches, assailed at one time in ti/ht region by the influence of eminent brethren. Though but a licentiate, he exhibi ted the calm courage of a veteran. It is in teresting to read, in this connection, the spe cial blessing of God on his ministry, in the midst of obloquy and reproach. At a later period he labored with much earnestness and success in western Georgia. Few men have been the instrument of winning a larger num ber of souls to Christ. • His theory always was, that a man must take care of his family, and that the necessary secularization is not incompatible with, o,r op posed to, the successful prosecution of the great work of preaching the Gospel. Accor dingly, he provided well for a very large fam ily, and preached more than most men do. The estimable character of that large family is testimony to his uprightness, sincerity and wisdom. Perhaps most ministers, towards the close of life, if they do not endorse yet look with leniency on this theory. Unfortu nate, with all the rest of us, of late years, Ills life and labors had so conciliated his acquain tance that we trust his children, who are yet young, and his beloved wife, will never want friends or a helping hand. Brother Callaway was a man of marked traits of character. So sensitively tu.re and conscientious was he that any apprehension that his fellow-laborers were actuated by questionable motives, so damped and fettered him that he was unmanned. He read men’s motives with unerring accuracy. On the hand, kindled him intoil^PßHßM^rsr^ He was in theology a moderate Calvinist, and singularly free from all extravagance of views on all subjects—eminently a safe and prudent man. No man was more instinctive ly discreet in all things; he rarely or never did anything imprudent or ill-timed. Consti tutional modesty often induced him, in our larger gatherings, to withhold the assistance for which his eminent wisdom fitted him. He was, therefore, less widely known than he de served to be. In protracted meetings and as sociations he preferred a subordinate place, delighted if he might occupy himself in hor tatory discourse after his brethren had preached, or, when occasion offered, in the conference and prayer meetings. On these occasions he often became the soul of the ■ meeting, enchaining the riveted attention of his brethren, and going right home to the con science of the impenitent by the simplicity, fervency and affectionateness of his address, backed by a confidence, on their part, that knew no limits. No temptation could ever induce him to offer any strange fire before the Lord. He always spoke and acted just as he i’elt, in the pulpit and out of it. If cold, you could scarcely wrir.g a word of exhortation or a sermon from him; if in season, he manifested the utmost alacrity. HearOessness and form froze up his spirit and sealed his lips. He felt powerfully that God is a spirit and seeks such to worship Him as worship in spirit and in truth. His pulpit abilities were good ; his address grave, decorous and tender. We often heard the. remark,that “he was in preacher shape. ’ With early training, exclusive occupation in the ministry, and extensive reading, he might have been great. But he is gone—gone up to join the general assembly and church of the first born. Dis trustful of himself, and feeling the effects of late years, as he often said, of relaxation from the ministerial work, in consequence of the partial failure of his voice, and nervous de rangement, he was much comforted during the last six months of his life, especially du ring his long and painful illness, by clear and precious views of the adaptation of the Saviour to all our wants. Retired upon his farm, in a neighborhood somewhat out of the way, he interested himself very actively in the spiritual wants of his neighbors. They had become greatly attached to him. He was, indeed, beloved wherever he lived, confided in to the last degree, a living epistle, known and read of all. He passed away in quiet and holy triumph—lingering in memory with the brethren with whom he had labored, and to whom he was fondly attached. The wri ter records with inexpressible feelings, the prayerful and tender interest manifested in him and his. May the spirit of the father imbue his two sons in the ministry, Revs. S. P. and J. M. Callaway ! Alas, my brother! very pleasant hast thou been to me. E. B. Teague. A man whom Dr. Johnson reproved for following a useless and demoralizing business, said in excuse: “But, Doctor, you know I must live.” “I don’t see the least necessity for it,” re- I morselessly answered the brave old hater of j everything mean. [Communicated.] Our Necessities. * * * The Index is a necessity to our denomination. It has been so for thirtyj'eats, But it was never more needed than now. The whole country is in a transition state; None can foretell its condition three•tyeafs-hence. It cannot fail ,to strike even the careless ob server, that every body is oppresied with in tense anxiety for the future. Hence the all absorbing passion for personal, welfare, and for individual safety, which now possesses every heart. Under the sway of Ibis passion, ca dilation's of selfishness control every ques tion, whether political, social; or religious. The country is demoralized. Men have in a great degree forgotten principles*, which they had long cherished^-and'which were ‘thought to be well established. Witness ijie preva lence of drinking, card playing, dancing, theatre-going, etc n -among the professed peo ple of God. Witness ffie number of'tninis tcrs’who are forced by want to embark In secular pursuits. But I forbear. Under the condition of things thus briefly sketched, what is the mission of the Index 1 , As to politics, it should be cautious and reserved", and yet not altogether silent. There is a work-to be done for our country, which the religious press may at least help to do. It is to create a correct public opinion as to the use and power of the ballot-box. Here tofore it has been abused, it has been made the instrument,of ambitious men ; it'has been prostituted to subserve the schemes of polit ical aspirants. , How much we are indebted to this fact for our present calamities, I pre tend not to say. But one .thing is certain: the ballot box is likely to be the only power left in our hahds for the protection of Our rights, arid for the redress of opr grievances. To lje available feir these high purposes,'it must be free—if must be pure. It must ex press really and truly the will of the people. And it should elevate to office only the wise, the good and the brave. Can the religious press contribute aught to qualify the ballot box for these high functions 1 I would hope it can. If so this is a part of its? mission. But especially and chiefly the Index is the exponent of Bible truth. Hence it should advocate a pure and spiritual religion. I need not dwell upon this point, for you know it belter than I can tell you. I will only say let its voice be heard loud and clear like the horn which calls the dispersed and wandering sheep back to the shepherd’s tent. Oh! that the fold of Christ were indeed gathered close around the great “ shepherd and bishop of their souls!” i This letter is already too long, yet I w-ould beg leave to suggest my opinion upon one topic which perhaps may soon engage the at tention of our people. 1 allude to the inter ests of our domestic and foreign missions. 1 am a Missionary Baptist. I am intensely anxious that our denomination should not abate one jot from the efforts we were making for the benefit of mankind. To this end let us support our own conventions and boards. Ambitious. —A highly esteemed friend, giving wide scope to his aspirations, writes as follows from one of our most thriving South ern cities : “ If I had the means I should like to run from the same establishment, situated here, a morning political journal, an evening news paper, a weekly literary, a weekly religious, a monthly magazine and a massive critical quarterly. This half dozen, embracing all subjects of current human interests and re flections, would soon control the public senti ment of the South, and command their pecu niary homage. With complete business sys tem and order, and thorough organization in all departments, affairs would go smoothly and powerfully. In such an establishment a man could feel like he was living to some purpose. The journalism of the South is im proving, but it is yet wretchedly defective. It waits money thrown into it, and business capacity, and then the brains will follow.” Guay Heads seen in It.—A writer in the Christian Times says, in his allusion to the Sabbath schools, “ the Bible class, under the leadership of the pastor, is large and interest ing, and some gray heads may be seen in it.” If there were more of the “ silvery lock ” brethren seen in our Bible classes, or as teach ers in Sunday schools, we would have more lively hopes of the future of our churches. It is very doubtful whether a better little book can be had for the juveniles at home, or in our schools, than Browne’s Arithmetic for beginners. Published at the Franklin Printing House. Procure a copy and give it a trial. Wealth does not secure from death: “ How vain are riches to secure Their haughty owners from the grave.” We should strive for a better inheritance than can be possessed in this life. “ Now I esteem their mirth and wine, Too dear to purchase with my blood ; Lord, ’tis enough that thou art mine— My life, my portion, and my God.” The publisher of this sheet has “ Index on the brain,” and is determined that (he paper shall become an “ Institution,” whether the present editor’s connection with it be long or short. He is possessed with the conviction that there are as good fish in the sea as ever were caught out of it, and is even audacious enough to suppose that there may be some a great deal better. One thing the readers of the paper may rely upon, and that is, if there is any writing talent in the country, the pub lisher intends to avail himself of it. Question Book for Beginners. —Primary Bible Questions is highly approved and is being used to great advantage by Sunday School teachers in their infant classes. Those who have not given it a trial might do well to procure a copy and test its merits. To be had at the Franklin Printing House. WHOLE NO. 2272 Showing Him a Miracle. Ernest Renan having said, in his Life of Jesus, that the proper Way of proving the reality of a..ipimcle is to shqw one, a paqj-„ niileteer ‘'-shows’’-him oneTn'a letter * Upon the Establishment 6f the Christian Religion, as fbrhiws: - ‘ ‘ ‘ : Sir :• Permit mq. to day* tc> .draw,youi? at tention .again to the ‘establisnTnent of the Christian religion, afa6t upop which natui ally drfier-in opinion. Lik£j[ou I have striven to Identify its cau.se with the mere fbices .ot mans I have failed in my. endeavor. -The supernatural, then, lips been tKe only conduct mg thread which ha§ helped me to escHpe ftoni the labyrinth..wherq I see you continually, seekingW iMptlly ymtrseJf,-'witboiit..ever ; floittg'.; it, aq,d condemned to eccape th'eretrorh ofdy when you shall have prwved tnat there is no thing mirations in the -establishment of cffi-istkfnity. . Pardon little v go straight to called the Christian, ‘” Whose foundry was Jesus, named the Christ. This religion has. lasted eighteen cer turie's,.apd <which calls it self ofthflt Judaism which ascends near to the cradle of the world, had the ’apostles foe its propagators. Wltfn these men wished to establish it. they bad for adversaries: “ ’ ’ The n tional pride of Che;jews; The implacable hatred off the ‘llatfhf drirn; The brutal despotism’ of the Roman Em perors ; The railleries and attacks of the philoso phers; t’ The libertinisM and caste-spirit of the Pa gan priest ‘ '"A-v-. The savage- and “cruel ignorance of the masses^ The fagot and bloody games of the circus. They had an enemy in Every miser; Every debauched man ; Every drunkard; ‘< Every thief; _ / , o \ Every .murderer ; • ~ V Every proud man; Every slanderer; Every liar. , ? Not one of the vices, ’ n fact, whjch abuse .our poor humanity, which did not constitute itself their adversary. To combat so many enemies, and surmotmt so mauy obstacles, they had only Their ignorance; - -“i Their poverty; ; Their obscurity; Their weakness; Their fewness; The Cross. If you had been their the moment when they began their work, and Peter#ad said to you : “Join with us, for we are going to the conquest of the world ; before our word Pagan temples shall crumble, and their idols shall fall upon their faces; the phi losophers shall be convinced of folly ; from the throne of Cassar we shall hurl the Roman , eagle, and in its place we shall Uross; ; ■ we shall be the teachers of ; the’ ignorant and the learned, them selves our disciples ! ” speak thus, you would have said, “Be silent, imbe-’ cile ! ” And as you are tolerant from nature and principle, you would have defended him before the Sanhedrim, and have counseled it to shut up the fisherman of Bethsaida and his companions-in a niiiii-ltwuse. And y*, sir, what you would have thought a notable mad ness, is to-day a startling reality, with which I leave you face to face. m f i> m Fossil Remains in Vermont. —The tusk of a fossil elephant was found in a muck bed, about five feet below the surface, on the farm of D. S. Pratt, in Batt'eboro’, Vermont, on Saturday, September 2d, by a workman who was digging muck. The tusk is forty-four inches in length, and eighteen inches in cir cumference at the largest end, and eleven inches at the smallest. It is in a fair state of preservation, although some parts of it crum bled after being exposed to the air. The tusk belonged to a species of elephant long since extinct, that inhabited the northern part of North America, having wandered across the Siberian plains to the Arctic Ocean and Behr ng s Straits, and beyond to this country, south to about the parallel of forty degrees. Their bones show them to have been about twice the weight and one-third taller than our modern species. The remains of one (>f these elephants were found at the summit of the Green Mountains, at Mount Holly, in ’B4B, by workmen engaged in building the raiiroad from Bellows Falls to Rutland. Anew Sect in Germany.—A new sect has recently sprung ,pp in Germany, under the the whimsical name of “ Cogitants.” The founder of the sect is a Dr. Edward Lowen thal, who has published a book about his opin ions, which he calls a religion without a con fession. The Cogitants have also es ablished a magazine, which bears the following motto: “Our knowledge is our faith; our dignity is our morality ; our worship is life; and our religion is—our secret.” There is nothing very religious in their doctrines. They hold that neither fraud nor theft should be punish ed with imprisonment. All good Cogitants are to have a good dinner for nothing on Christinas day. Easter Sunday and Whitsun day. The head of the sect is to wear a black camlet cloak with upright collar ornamented with three silver stars. Among the rules of the order is one which we fancy will not meet witn the concurrence of the German police. It is that when a Cogitant is buried, only a portion of the coffin is to be covered with earth. The reason for this absurd regulation is not apparent; but nothing is too absurd for a radical German philosopher.— Examiner db Chronicle. Rice Crop — Affaius on the Coast.— From a Jacksonville letter in the Journal of Com merce, we take the following: The rice crop this year amounts to little or nothing. Oil the Savannah river, where for merly 800,000 bushels were raised, there are this year 10,000. On the Altamaha, where 600,000 were raised, this year 6,000, &c.— But all this is not to be wondered at, w hen a man could not go into the field without risk ing his life at the hands of the cowardly guer rilla. General Howard made a speech the other day in Savannah, in which he said that the sea-islands were to be restored to the original proprietors on the Ist of January. This has disconcerted the darkies. He gave the darkies much good advice, and told them that the government will give lands to neither blacks nor whites, and that if the colored pec pie wish to own lands, they must work, acci. mulate money and buy them.— Journal db Messenger. Holiday Presents.— There were imported into New York in one week, $152,174 worth of toys and other holiday presents. Expen sive times—these. With the quantity and quality of the read ing matter contained in the Index, no one can say that $5 00 is too dear for it for a year. i