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42 fudex mI gapiyt. J. J. TOON, . ■ » • Proprietor. Her. D. SHAVER, D.D., Editor. THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 186 7% TERMS: For one year, (50 No*, in a volume) $4 00 For six months •••• 2 00 For three months.» .. i To any Minister ol the Gospel we will send the paper one year for $3. SubsrriptUrh* invariably in advance. Remit tances carefully made, at the risk of the Proprietor. ADVERTISING RATES. One square (8 lines) one insertion ...$1 00 For a longer period than one month, a discount of 33J P er cent, will be made. ngf' In no ease mill 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 business, must be addressed to J. J. Toon, proprietor. “ Historical Justice.” A writer in the Examiner and Chronicle mentions Alton, I!!., “as the place where Lovejoy was murdered by a mob of despera does, enraged at his persistent, though mod erate, opposition to slavery ; ” and then states as “ a remarkable example of historical justice ” —that during the war, twelve hundred Confederate soldiers died in the military pris on of that city ! The altar smokes, and “ slavery’s lost defenders” perish by heca tombs, to avenge the fall of “ slavery’s first victim ! ” “ The cause for which they fought,” says this writer, “ drew its inspiration from the great evil, in opposing which, more than a quarter of a century before, Lovejoy fell a martyr ; ” and that is the link with which he joins the two events together. This sublimated casuistry manifestly ex isted, with its author, in the state of' vapor, impairing the transparency of the mental at mosphere, that he might not discern the mon strous general principle which lies enwrapt in it. With due deference, we clear away the fog for him, and for the Northern journals that have deemed his “ historical justice ” not an unmeet contribution to the Ethics of their col umns. If his language means any thing—in the light of the incidents he recalls, it means that each and every adherent of slavery is righteously obnoxious to the forfeiture of life for all the crimes perpetrated in its interest. No matter though the evil deeds were wrought before their birth—wrought half way “ across the continent” from them —wrought by men to whom, as strangers, they had given no countenance —wrought, perhaps, with their earnest reprobation. None the less may “ Retribution” smite them with the blows of a dire, remorseless punishment, until to atone for a single murder, twelve hundred lives, among those who had no share in it, shall pine in bondage, waste with disease, and expire in agony. If this be “justice,” v?e crave allow ance to enter an humble petition, that injus tice may mete out our portion to us. We can not fare worse in its hands ; we may per chance fare better. At any rate, we will risk it. Since the year began, we neara uus just yriter preach in a Southern pulpit, to the of a Southern church. The pas tor whom he displaced for the time, and the great majority of the hearers who sat before him, were (according to the views which, with the help of the press, he sows broadcast through the land) as guilty of the ‘ martyr dom ’ of Lovejoy as the Confederate soldiers that perished in the Alton prison. The death that slew these had an equal claim on them. “ Historical ’’—that is, providential—" jus tice” marked all alike as its quarry. No re pentance for the sin of supporting that “sum of all human villainy” which Abraham prac ticed, Moses confirmed and Paul regulated, had absolved them from this guilt; and with, out repentance, vengeance lives beyond our mortal life, to prey on the life immortal.- And yet —nor sermon, nor prayer, uttered a note of warning. Not the faintest shadow of this gross criminality and tremendous peril was suffered to flit across the supplications of the one or the instructions of the other. Were the services, then, a mockery, like the “ pernicious nonsense” of “ the Performance Company ? ” Did he who took the chief share in them, play false with his own instinct of right 1 ? Either in what he failed to say then, or in what he afterward wrote, he must. The conviction, to which the death of certain adherents of slavery stands as a righteous ob lation to appease the manes of slaughtered Abolitionists, and the charity, which worships with others not less guilty, as a church of “ the called, and chosen, and faithful,” can not both be true and right. Their orbits clash, and in the fierce collision, the one or the other must go to wreck. Which shall it be ? Every honest man ought to decide the question, and ‘square his life accordingly.’ We can not accept this writer as the morn ing star of a reformation in the science of morals. He is not sufficiently consequential —in the, logical sense. The general principle on which his language (if it is not a “baseless fabric,”) involves the special in stance in doubt. 4 Slavery ’ had earlier 4 vic tims ’ than Lovejoy. Has our author forgot ten the horrors of “ the Middle Passage?” forgotten how 4 poor Africans,’ torn from their country and kindred, to cross “ the high seas” in American bottoms, died there, as if by wholesale butchery ? If his novel ‘ retribu tive’ theory is to win acceptance, who shall say that the twelve hundred deaths at Alton were not endured in recompense for these ? ‘Justice,’ we are sure, seems but the more grandly ‘ historical ’ when it smites after the lapse of a half-century or more, and deals, in the heart of a continent, the blow which avenges crimes committed far out on the trackless waste of ocean ; thus testifying that no lapse of time can bribe its rigor to forget fulness, and no interval of distance elude the flight of its shaft! We commend this view to the critical acumen of our brother, when he furnishes his next contribution toward the solution of the question, “ Is there a Science of History?” Perhaps , the twelve hundred victims fell, for the fault of belonging to the same nation with Northern ship-owners, and seeking to preserve ‘ the patriarchal institu tion ’ which they fastened on the country ! Who knows? We refer to this subject, against the con viction of our own judgment, when we first saw the article in the Examiner and Chroni cle. Northern religious editors, however, are THE CHRISTIAN INDEX AND SOUTH-WESTERN BIPTIST: ATLANTA, GA., THURSDAY, MARCH 7,1867. transferring it to their columns, as 44 a strik ing instance of that retributive justice that sometimes, in this world, overtakes individu als and communities; ” and we notice it for their sake. They have undertaken the benev olent task of ‘educating the Southern mind up to the point of embracing New England ideas.’ If these ideas are true, we wish them abundant and immediate success in the effort. No captious objection of ours shall hinder a fair experiment. We think it not impossible, indeed, that when the 44 fitful fever ” of preju dice breaks, (from Alton to Atlanta,) and Northern and Southern minds travel side by side over the questions that have estranged them, sounder conclusions may be reached than either could attain under the goading of acerb antagonisms. But let that be as it may, these editors ought to see that, from their own point of view, they have been caught tripping in the matter to which our strictures allude. Have they lost sight of the truth that 44 strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age ” —to those who have passed through the successive stages of a wisely graduated tuition ? Do they forget that we of the South at present, are 44 such as have need of milk ? ” Is it necessary to tell them that sentiments acceptable only to extremists in their section, are not adapted to win the ear or mould the convictions of those whom they would secure as pupils in ours? Does it require a prophet to convey the assurance that such perversions of all moral instincts, under the name of “historical justice,” simply revolt us, and must whelm their effort toward 4 the educa- tion of the Southern mind * in ignominious because merited failure ? Aeolus must fill our sails with a gentler and more equable breeze, if he hopes to bring us to the‘desired haven:’ and we beg his 44 blustering godship ” to put the noisy wind-power under more reasonable check. The painter should remember that his 44 colors do better incorporate with oil ” than with aquafortis. Hereditary Traits. Our Baptist fathers were a persecuted race. The world was neither worthy of them, nor willing to have them. To use the phrase of King James, it sought to 4 harry them out’ of itself. Under these circumstances, conceal ment was necessary to that self-preservation which is a law as well of grace as of nature — though not the first law of either. They were obliged to meet for worship, in rude, out-of the-way buildings which wore no aspect of religious uses, or in the depths of the forest, or on the wild mountain-side. Not to be found —that was a prime principle of the policy forced on their observance by necessity. The alternative was, the dungeon and the stake. We honor these fathers. Not the least ground of our pride is, the ecclesiastical ances try to which we may look back —or (since they have reached the realms of light) to which we may look up. To inherit their simplicity of order is something; to inherit their inflexi bility of zeal would be more. We maintain the one, and seek the other; blessing their memory for the healthful influence it distils on us, when their 44 short and simple annals,” for they were 44 poor,” pass under review. But may it not be that the policy adapted to seasons of persecution, has survived among a portion of their descendants, who cling to it when the cause that occasioned its adoption and constituted its justification has long ago ceased. It appears to us that the old-time usage, when it should 4 lie mouldering’ (like 4 the body of John Brown’) with “the dead past,” still keeps up a show, here and there, as if the old-time necessity were even now (like ‘John Brown’s soul’) 4 marching on’ and making havoc of our people. How successfully, for example, do Baptists sometimes hideaway their houses of worship ! We have been, now and then, in villages, where, enquiring for the “ church ” of our brethren, we learned that it stood in some lane or alley of the outskirts, as far from the bulk of the population as human ingenuity could place it—or, even beyond the limits in w hich the crier was wont to lift up his voice, at some point between the town and the country, as though, like the culprit suspended between heaven and earth, it was 44 worthy of neither.” And then, how frequently they secrete their institutions of learning ! setting them off from the great thoroughfares of travel; shutting them out from the vital centres of social influ ence. A man might traverse North Carolina a score of times, without finding Wake For est; and Georgia quite as often, but never light on Mercer. Even Sherman, we believe, failed to strike them, when 44 mowing his wide swath ” —to the delight of Christian spec tators at the North! Is this an instance of that transmission of hereditary traits, which perpetuates manners and customs after the reason for them has passed away for generations ? We commend the question to those who are versed in mat ters of historical enquiry. Perhaps, with their aid, all Baptists may be brought to see, that (whether they build colleges or churches) it can not harm them to be found—and found easily. Maimed Souls. It is a sad sight—a sight only the more sad for its frequent recurrence, the last few years —this large number of men, on our streets, who have lost a limb. We shall never grow indifferent to it. Our heart aches as often as it meets our view. Among the multitude of thoughts to which it has, at times, given oc casion, there is one that we feel disposed to sketch just now; not because it deserves re cord more than others —probably it is less deserving, we rather fear it is—but simply because “ fancy, bred, Or in the heart, or in the head,” points that way. If our readers, then, grant us gentle tolerance, we shall, this once, indulge a liking finds its only reason in itself: — and who is always proof against the plea for such indulgence in his own bosom? Perhaps, these men, whom, on the thronged thoroughfare, passers-by most incline to pity, might better give commiseration than receive it. If the laws of vision, by which we see the bodies of our fellow-mortals, while their souls are hidden from us, were reversed—if it should come to pass that their bodies were hidden, and we saw their souls—what a spec tacle would flash its unsuspected revelations on the eye! The change would strike us startlingly. Bodies, with all their members j complete, faultless in proportion, and elastic with vigor, would fade from the view ; and in their stead would stand maimed souls —souls with many of their nobler powers lopped away—souls marred and mutilated by the forfeiture of high, heavenward faculties. We would see then what angels see daily, when earth is made their scene of ministration. Men are continually losing parts of their true selves—the inner, the spiritual. The Scrip tures speak of certain, as 44 without under standing : ” understanding then is lost —as respects its sublimer scope, its grasp of God and the things of God. Os certain, too, the Scriptures speak, as “past feeling:” feeling then is lost—in its sensibility to love, under the manifestations of Divine grace, and to fear, under the foretokenings of Divine wrath. Ah; what is the loss of an arm, or a leg, to this maiming of 44 the hidden man of the heart ?” this rending and tearing of the soul ? this truncation of its religious capacities, which are as well its divinest—without which it can not rise from the mire of sin, and run the race of life, and reach the goal of glory ? No ! Ye who have been called to surrender a limb through the mischance of War 1 much as we grieve for you—ye, if still spirit-whole, are not the men most worthy of our grief! Let us rather feel that the supreme sorrow, is the sorrow due to those, whose outward man retains all parts and powers, while the ruth, less mutilation of Iniquity mangles, more and more, their inward man ! It may be that we should not press this figure farther; but it beckons, and we follow. Unlike the maimed body in the present life, the soul maimed by sin may be made whole. It may regain its lost powers; may get back once more the faculties which have been wrenched away. There is a resurrection power in Christ which restores them all to the true seeker. Awakened sinners, then, are men in quest of a Saviour indeed, but also men in quest of themselves. And they find themselves only in finding the Saviour. ‘The Son of God gives them an understanding, that they may know Him that is true.’ He 4 puts within them a heart of flesh ’ —a heart alive to fear, not in the servile form, but filial—a heart kindling with love to Him because He first loved them. O blest experience ! more blest than if limbs cut from these mortal bo dies might be reknit to them, and feel afresh the pulse of life, and take a quickened share in the activities 44 so full of buoyant-spirit.” But this experience, alas, men thrust from them—men, who would sell all that they have, cross continents and seas, and do ser vice as Jaccb did for Rachel, to regain lost limbs, but who submit themselves to the maiming of the soul and even love to have it so! Can this folly end but in the total and eternal loss of themselves, —the loss of body and soul, in hell forever? 44 How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity ? and the scorners delight in their scorning? and fools hate knowledge ? ” Our Southern Zion—in Our Exchanges. Alabama.—A’ correspondent of the Christian Herald states that a meeting of the preachers of Tuskegee Association is £o be held at Tuskegee, March 31st.—A Baptist minister of Russell county has given up the two churches which he served, and moved away, for want of adequate support: a fact in relation to which a writer in an exchange says: 44 The prevailing tendency with us all is to magnify our poverty at all times, especially is it so when it comes to paying the preacher.” He mentions also a church which could pay its pastor only “ about SIOO, more or less,” but which pro posed to give a school teacher a salary of SI,OOO. Arkansas. —Rev. E. L. Compere, writes to the Christian Herald that he expects a visit from his father, Rev. Lee Compere, who is 44 in his seventy seventh year and has been in the ministry more than half a century. Few men living, have preached more sermons —built up more churches organized more associations —and received as little remuneration from the churches." This ven erable man, who has labored in South Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi and Arkansas, and whose body is now a complete wreck, would be glad to hear from his old friends. His address is Fort Smith, Ark. District of Columbia.—The Baptists have six white and 13 colored churches, and several sta tions beside, in the District. Os the colored churches seven have been organized during the last three years, and the white churches are as well attended and as prosperous in general ways as churehes in Philadelphia and New York. The additions to the Island church, Washington, during the recent work of grace amount to 111. Kentucky. —A new church, of 23 members, was constituted, Feb. 17th, in a destitute portion of Simpson county.—Twenty additions have been made to Scoffold Cane church, the result of a meeting of six days.—There were 50 accessions to Shady Grove church, (near Franklin,) last year; 16 or 18 converts at a point a few miles North of it recently; a church constituted at Middle Fork school house, in the same section, about New Year’s day, which received 7 candidates for bap tism, during the meeting following its constitution. —ln a meeting, lately, at Bethlehem church, three miles north of Scottsville, 20 persons professed faith in Christ. A writer in the Kentucky Bap tist states that the pastor of this church, Rev. M. F. Ham, is also 44 pastor of five other churches.” He must be a Baptist “ circuit rider.” Louisiana. —We never receive the Louisiana Baptist , but learn from an exchange, that it is urging the formation of a Ministers Institute in that State. The-effort deserves success. Maryland. —The First church, Baltimore, Rev. Dr. Williams pastor, is holding special services, with tokens of Divine blessing.—Two of our churches in Baltimore are without pastors, High Street and Lee Street.— Rev. A. G. Harley preaches to the churches on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, which were rendered vacant by the removal of Rev. T. P. Warren to Baltimore. Mississippi.—Rev. A. A. Lomax writes to the Herald that “ many freedmen believe that Christ and God are dead.” He rides 18 miles every month to preach to them, and several other min isters of his acquaintance are laboring among them. Missouri.—The Monthly Mirror is the name of anew paper started at St. Louis, in the interest of colored Baptists.—Rev. A. P. Williams, D.D., of Cambridge, announces that he has on hand a few copies of his work, “ Campbellisra Exposed,” for sale at $1.50. —There have been 28 additions to Old Wyaconda church, Lewis county; 18 at Free dom, Morgan; 12 at Walkerville, Shelby; 35 at Providence, Marion.—A church was constituted at Mexico, Audrain county, Feb. 9th. —At a recent meeting at Providence church, Morgan county, there were 10 hopeful conversions. North Carolina. —Rev. J. B. Marsh, last year, travelled 4,000 miles, preached 140 sermons, de livered 35 Sunday school addresses, organized and aided 40 Sunday schools, and baptized at Mills River church 42, at Boylston 25, at Enon 37. Rev. E. N. Gwyn has removed from Elkin toOlin. —Rev. A. Weaver has charge of Rockford Semi nary, which has opened encouragingly.—The W il mington church has expended above $40,000 on its new house of worship, and its completion will require SIO,OOO more.—The Biblical Recorder thinks that Rev. J. B. Hardwick, of Goldsboro, is better supported than any pastor within the circle of its acquaintance, though his people are by no means rich in this world’s goods. South Carolina. —A letter writer from Barn well C. H., indulges the hope of better times to our cause there, first, because the pastor’s salary has been promptly paid, and, secondly, because the attendance at prayer meeting has increased from a dozen to 50 or 60. Tennessee.—Rev. Duncan H. Self, who recently sold out his interest in the Female College, Dan ville, Ky., has been elected to the Presidency of Union University, Murfreesboro. He has not yet signified his acceptance of the office.—Our church at Murfreesboro is at present without a house of worship or a pastor. Texas.—Rev. J. 0. Keeny has gone to Texas, to represent the interests of the Foreign Mission Board.—Sixteen persons have been and 11 more are to be baptized, in connection with Bethel church, organized, last Fall, at Robinson Academy, McLennan county.—Since the assumption of the pastorate by Rev. DrC Howard, the Galveston church has received 15 additions, expended $2,000 for church and"study wnairs, and determined to build a parsonage, on a [dan by which from six to seven thou sand-dollars will be secured for it. Rev. C. J. Teas has accepted an agency to raise $15,000, to erect the centre building at Waco University, which hasfftnatriculated 197 students the present session* and r added to its faculty, Rev. W. L. Foster, «( Alabama, as professor, and Prof. A. Boggers as adjunct professor of Mathematics and Civil Engineering.—A letter from Jasper county to the S. C. Baptist says : “ Our churches are small, but active and liberal, when compared to those of our acquaintance in the old State, and hence wielding a telling influence in their respec- tive localities. One member frequently pays more for the support of the Go6pel here than a whole church formerly did in some places.” Virginia.—Thirteen have been baptized, and 12 others received for baptism at Modest Town, Accomac; Rev. G. Bradford pastor.—ln this SJatc and the Greenbrier Association of West Virginia, the Domestic Board, Marion, has 25 missionaries and the State Board, Richmond, 28.—The effort to rebuild the parsonage and meeting house at Hampton progresses slowly. Rev. G. F. Adams, pastor, collected for this Mrpose recently in Bal timore a little upwards 081,000. West Virginia.—The and Messenger notes a revival at Adamstße, with 17 conversions and 12 baptisms; and onßt Koon’s Run church, with 15 conversions and Wbaptistns. (glimpses offltg ffiimes. Ungallant ORDER.-HHenry Ward Beech er, in his Cooper Institifyie lecture on Univer sal Suffrage, advocated “■ the extension of suf frage to every one, regardless of color, race, or sex—negroes, Indiaiit Chinamen, foreign ers and women.” It lßks discourteous to put negroes fifst and wMien last, in such an enumeration ; but proceeds, we sup pose, on the rhet.orici^^^^ciple —when your subject calls you an unseemly eas i tween which leaves the impression upon the mind; in other first the physic, then the bonbon. “ Forbidding to MaTrt.” —According to the London correspondent of the Presbyterian Banner: “ Among the djoctrines now practi cally taught by Ritualistjs, is that of celibacy being a more holy estaie than married life. Dr. Pusey has been conjvicted, as a matter of fact, of having as a confessor, given over a lady to a life of celibacy. I myself, last sum mer, saw a lady of rank, who had surrender ed all her property to the notorious Tractari an priest, Mr. Bennett, <>i Frome, in Somer setshire, and who, as a celibate, has devoted herself as 4 A Sister of Charity,’ to carry out the designs of that daring conspirator against truth and liberty.” What would the world lose, if the whole Ritualistic party should act on this rule, and thus cut off the succession for the next age ? A Frail Hope. —The Archbishop of Ren nes builds his hope of the stability ot the Papacy for ages, on the ground that Pius the Ninth, by making the immaculate conception of the Virgin Mary an article of faith, has made her a debtor, and she will be faithful to the obligation. Such absurdity can hardly plead the benefit of Cicero’s remark, that 44 not every sort of mistake should be called folly.” Sabbath Desecration. —A writer in the Southern Presbyterian says, with reference to the ministers and elders of that denomination: “ It is not an uncommon thing to see them assemble at a church on Wednesday or Fri day, at a meeting of Synod or Presbytery, and go from the church to the houses of hos pitable friends, to which they have been as signed, until Sunday morning. On that morn ing a goodly numoer ancfsometimes the whole batch of these good mefi will appear at church, with all their trappings, ‘ bag and baggage,” and after the communion is over, they will set out, not for the houses at which they have been staying, nor for any others in the imme diate vicinity of the cHWch, but for some other houses which stand at a distance of from eight to eighteen mileson the road home.” Steady Growth. —There has never been a communion season in the history of the Wal nut street Presbyterian Church, St. Louis, says the Missouri Presbyterian , without en couraging additions being made to its mem bership. Drunkenness. —Archbishop Cullen alleges that almost all the crimes of Ireland are trace able to drunkenness, which can never be re pressed until the public houses are closed on Sabbath. Pastoral Support.— The Episcopal bishop of Western New York-says : “ Those who do not offer the wages of a respectable mechanic to their pastors, are often found to be the most exacting. They want a man as eloquent as Apollos, and as meek as Moses—for six hundred a year, and that stipend—without a parsonage!” There must be some mere “ mouth-made vows,” where such things find place. Woman. —One of the Massachusetts Uni tarian Conferences, adopted a resolution earn estly inviting the “ sisters ” to present their views and feelings on the various topics of discussion. —According to Bishop Thomson, 1 the Chief Eunuch in ‘he harem of the Sultan is said to keep order with the whip. Hope for the Worst. —With reference to a revival at Norwich, Conn., Rev. Dr. Graves writes: 44 A hopelul and beautiful feature of the work among us, is the returning of many old and almost inveterate backsliders.” And Rev. Theron Brown, with reference to a revi val at Canton, Mass.: 44 Twenty seven years have passed away since the Lord last refresh ed His people in this wicked town, by a special outpouring of His Spirit.” Did the Christian poet speak over-strongly, when he said that true “ Hope blossoms almost on the verge of hell ” ? Protestant Reformers. —The Church Times, the London organ of the Ritualists, says: As to the martyrs of the Reforma tion, 44 you go back at most three hundred years, to men whose characters and motives can not stand the test of historical criticism, to cowardly traitors like Cranmer, to coarse, illiterate, persecuting bullies like Latimer, to sour dullards like Hooper.” Well; Dr. South, who ought to be good authority among Episcopalians, long ago informed the world, that 44 as there are mountebanks and quacks in physic, so there are much the same also in divinity ;” and why should not the Times, by its example, prove that this is truth as well for our age as for his ? Constantinople.—Bishop Thomson, in his recent lecture on this city, said that it has 9 lunatic asylums, 200 hospitals, numerous soup Houses, and (claims to have) 5,000 houses of prayer. Persecution. —A Baptist minister, in a no tice of a recent revival at Bethany Church, Ohio, says: “Among the converts was a young man, a 4 Catholic,’ who can never re turn to his parents’ house, because he has em braced Christ as a Protestant.” —The Free man's Journal, N. Y., to justify the recent expulsion of Protestant worship from Rome, 44 took the ground that the Roman Catholics had bought a large piece of ground, the whole of the city of Rome ; that it had been 4 blessed ’ (?) or consecrated as a great cathe dral, and that no form of worship but the Ro man should be allowed there.”—A dissenter on returning from a high church recently, hav ing expressed his astonishment that such sen timents as he had heard should be taught church of England, a female mem.ber avowed her wish that “all the dissenters Wight'b£ burnt at the stake !” •*’ Short Pastorates. —A writer in one of our exchanges forcibly remarks : 44 Instability, in the pastoral office is unfriendly to the de velopment of the social character of the min istry. I once heard a Presbyterian minister, who was giving the charge to a candidate for the clerical office, charge him most solemnly not to trust to the affection of his people too fondly .”—Some ministers know, also, too well, how much wisdom would have lain for them in this counsel, if they had acted on it when called to serve churches, where “ Precedence went in truck, And he was competent whose purse was so.” Ministerial Authority. —The American Christian Review assumes this extreme posi tion : 44 In the entire code of the New Institu tion there is not a prohibitory clause forbid ding any Disciple to preach the gospel or teach the law of the ft) the Extent of his ability. By virtue of being a Disciple, any one has authority to preach and baptize. There are questions of propriety to be consulted— such as relate to ability, suitableness, etc.; but so far as relates simply to the right and authority, all have it.” Whether this be a “ wise saw,” or not, we make no question that the Review can produce, among the adherents of the 44 spick and span new ” institution to which it devotes itself, a sufficient number of 44 modern instances,” in which men had (or at least exercised) the right and authority, with out the ability and suitableness. Lay Representation. —A writer in the North - Western Christian Advocate gives this as the state of the question among Methodists at the North : 44 Twenty-five years ago there was not a periodical to advocate Lay Delega tion in the M. E. Church. There was not a bishop or presiding eider that favored it; not a minister that openly advocated it; nor were there any laymen known to fayor it. It is now advocated by all the official organs of the church, besides a great many which are not official. All the bishops are understood to favor it. If ministers now oppose it, they constitute the exception, and not the rule. There can be no doubt that the next General Conference will take action on the subject, and the measure will prevail, unless the laymen resist it, of which there is no probability.” Fashionable Music. —ln a recent lecture, Freeman Clarke expressed his wonder that “ young ladies indulged in Italian screams and German moans, under the pretence of sing ing, and did not sing some of the beautiful melodies which abound in our language.” Amusements. —Nightly, in New York, ac cording to the World, 10,000 persons visit the theatres and the more respectable places of amusement, and 15,000 the concert saloons. —Rev. Dr. Rice, in a recent sermon, called on the ladies of New York to refuse to go to the theatre, and thus accomplish a reform of incalculable gain to the cause of morality. British and Foreign Bible Society.— This Society was formed in 1804: it has 9,- 616 Societies in connection with it. Then there were about 50 translations of the Bible, in whole or in part: the Society has aided translations in 173 languages and dialects. It has distributed 50,285,709 copies of the Scrip tures, and other Societies, aided by grants from it, have run up the total to more than 86,000,000. It carries on its work in lan guages spoken by 600,000,000 of the race. Expenditures, £5,948,601 16s. 2d. Ear Marks. —The members of the Ritu alistic congregations in London are as much in the habit as Romanists of saying, “ I have been to high mass; ” “ 1 am going to hear low mass.” Some of them style their pas tors, “.Father John,” “Father James,” or whatever else their baptismal names may be. These must be lineal descendants of Stilling fleet’s antagonist, of whom that divine said, “ He can creep in at a mouse hole.” “Still humming on, their drowsy course they take.” “ Stumbling.” —A colored preacher in Sa vannah, not long since, in reference to his de fective reading, invited the congregation *to stumble with him through the third chapter of John.’ A New Holiday. —ln New Jersey, the birthday of Abraham Lincoln has been made a legal holiday. A Contrast. —In Austria, a pamphlet has been published by a devoted 44 Catholic, de signed to show that the connection between Church and State is disastrous to the formei. llow strange by the side of this appears the recent declaration of the Roman Catholic Bishop of St. Louis, that Romanism is neces sarily intolerant. Yet. on second thought, this is not very strange ; since none are so blind as those who are blinded by the light. Negleot of Worship. —As Rev. Dr. Thurston, of Searsport, puts it, Maine, with perhaps 100,000 Christians, has or six hundred thousand men who, from indifference, do not go to church. The Old Drift. —Says a letter from Ire land to a Southern Methodist journal: “ Irish Presbyterianism rid itself of Unitarianism may years ago, but several of its ministers are now publicly propounding views very nearly akin to Unitarianism.”—The London correspondent of the Presbyterian Banner says : 44 The one subject of paramount inter est now is Ritualism. The very atmosphere one breathes is ritualistic. Even the extrem est of the dissenters feel it. It is among us Presbyterians. Our young people are carried away with the feeling and spirit of the times. Every where among us discussion turns on 4 improving our modes of worship our music-, is b/ul -, our hymnology is bad ; our whole form is bad ; it is repulsive; we must have it renewed —reformed —brought more into conformity with the spirit of the times. And hence, all over our Presbyterian Church, the only questions that are debated with a real hearty earnestness are questions touching ritualism in some shape or form—hymnology, music, chants, chorales, anthems, three or tour shorter prayers, shorter sermons, more music, and the like.” Free Church Sittings. —Grace Church, (Episcopal,) Sacramento, began the year with the experiment of free scats for all, to make trial of it until the close of the year. A Fault. —A writer in the Evangelical Lutheran says: 44 Some men who are nomi nally Lutheran take secular papers —some as many as two or three—but no Lutheran pa per. This is wrong.” Os course it is. We hope there are no Baptists who treat their ■.church papers after this illaudable fashion. Reception- of Members. —Jhe Christian Times and Witness, explaining the difference vbetween receiving members 4 by baptism’and 4 by experience,’ says: 44 The latter phrase is used to indicate those cases where member ship in some other church has been lost, through absence or any other cause, and so no letter can be presented to the church where application for membership is made. As there can be no letter, the experience of the person,*as related to the church, and the per sonal acquaintance of the church itself, are ac cepted in place of the customary testimo nials.” Ciiurchship. The Presbyterian Index says : 44 The Presbyterian church, while main tabling that, in order, as well as in doctrine, it is preeminently the Church of Christ on earth, and that all who differ from it by so much as the breadth of a hair, are just so much in error, has never put forth exclusive Claims. It has ijever claimed to be the only Church of Christ. Other churches are in er ror just in proportion as they depart from the scriptural model, which is realized as nearly as possible in the Presbyterian church. Yet their mistakes need not be fatal to their claims to be the Churches of Christ.” Sunday Funerals. —Says a Philadelphia letter in the Episcopalian: 44 The members of the different churches in Columbia, Pa., have passed a resolution declaring against the pro priety of Sunday funerals, except in cases of real necessity, and have asked the undertakers to discourage the practice. This is an excel lent movement, and worthy to be followed in our city. Many persons will keep a dead body in the house nearly a week for the pur pose of getting up a grand display on the Sunday following, and we regret to say that the occasion is frequently made rather one of hilarity than of mourning’and sorrow for the departed.” Church Music. —A writer in the Provi dence Journal alleges that 44 now-a-days the organ is often a greater attraction than the preacher, and churches compete with the the atres in the price paid professional vocalists.” Consistency. —W riters in the Nonconform ist call on the Independents, if they would consistently oppose ritualism, to abandon the Geneva gown, which the Bishop of Oxford, in a recent charge, proved to be of Romish origin. The Negro. —The Christian Observer ap pends to a paragraph referring to the Ameri can Colonization Society, the following state ment : “ In a private interview with one of the officers of the Society, several months since, we endeavored to ascertain what progress the colonists in Liberia, (now fifty years old,) were making in civilization, and in the intel ligence, arts, and enterprise of civilized life. In answer to our inquires, he remarked that they were getting on comfortably—but their • civilisation- was negro civilization.' ” Spurgeon. —The Nashville Christian Advo-' cate, in its notice of “ Morning by Morning,” says : “ It is perhaps the best of Mr. Spur geon’s productions —which, by the way, we do not much affect; they contain so much twaddle —old Puritanic divinity revamped, and patched up with something very like Ar minianism ; making a queer theological hy brid.” Sunday Cars. —A convention of the dif ferent, denominations in Mass., recently adopt ed a resolution “ that the course of the sever al railroad corporations in the State, which run their cars on the Sabbath, is a violation of God’s law, and an offence to the Christian public.’’—The Pennsylvania legislature has, a second time, referred the petition for a law permitting the Philadelphia horse cars to run on Sunday, to the Committee on Vice and Immorality. A Request. —Rev. J. Wm. Jones, of Lex ington, Va., who is preparing “ The Religious History of the Army of Northern Virginia,” writes that ‘ the Georgia and Alabama chap lains of that Army have not responded to his call for materials as he could wish,’ and re* quests us ‘to stir them up.’ Will the breth ren suffer the work of the Lord, under their labors, to pass without record? We owe it to ourselves and posterity, to the cause of truth and the Redeemer’s glory, to show how “ His good hand ” was on us in the dark days of War. Please write at once, and fully, to brother Jones. ®or respondents Our Richmond Letter. llow wide the differences sometimes be tween doctors of divinity ! The revised ver sion hath 1 John v. 19, in this form : “ And the whole world is lying in the evil one.” Brother J. A. B. in the Religious Herald says this is right, that “ the preceding verse has the phrase *and the evil one touches him not (where the original is unambiguous) and that makes it proper to take the present verse in the same sense.” “In the Lord’s prayer (he continues) the same ambiguous expression is found, and may mean, deliver us from the evil one, or deliver us from the evil, the latter being there more probably correct. So also in John xvii. 15, “ that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.” Thus far J. A. 8., who writes as if he knew, who ought to know, and 1 do not doubt his sincerity in believing that he does, ith him, in 1 John v. 19, to ponero, mean “ the evil one;” in John xvii. 15, tou ponerou mean “ the evil.” What does Alford say ? Alford, perhaps, the best critic in N. T. Greek now living, who writes in English, the editor of the Greek Testament, at once a monument of his indus try and his zeal for truth. Alford was a Bachelor of Divinity when he began his Greek Testament. He is now the Doan of Canter bury and a Doctor of Divinity by the bestow ment of an English University, a man of no mean repute. In his commentary on John xvii. 15, he uses this language: “Not from the evil as the English version, but from the Evil One.” The capitals are his. He con tinues: “See the usage of our apostle in 1 John ii. 13, v. 18, and compare iii. 12, 2 Thess. iii. 3.” Perhaps some of your readers will be industrious enough to heed the advice to compare these passages. It they do, they will possibly reach the same conclusion. Difference Number One. But Alford agrees with himself. In his little book “ How to study the New Testament,” (by the way a charming little book it is,) p. 101, he says, Johnch. xvii. ver. 15: “For the evil, substitute the evil.one.” Robinson , in his Greek Lexicon, word pon eros, agrees with J. A. B. in his interpretation of John xvii; : ls, but differs both with J. A. B. and with Alford, in the interpretation of 1 John v. 19. He does not find (it seems) in the unambiguous use of ho poneros in the 18th verse, a guide to the same meaning of to ponero in the 19th. While he admits that the passage is construed by some as J. A. B. has construed it, his own view is different. Difference number two. I might cite more, but these are enough for the present. Possibly, Alford may be pre ferred for his eminent learning, his almost un equalled industry, and, too, for his consisten cy of interpretation. But is it certain that he is right, and both J. A. B. and Robinson wrong ? I have been in the habit of looking to Alford as the ultimate arbiter on most Grecian questions ; but I am staggered. I must confess to a division of opinion ! lam in the condition of the justice who was ” —“ Both are right, sir ; both gentlemen are right.” But how can\;hat be ? asked an inquisitive lawyer. You will probably infer from all this that the Revised New Testament is no favorite of mine. That is a mistake. The revised ver sion hath its uses—not the least being the de gree of attention it has already drawn, and will succeed hereafter in drawing, to the orig inal scriptures. But before “ the Revised Version” is published as a finality, let it be thoroughly canvassed, and let its authors and its admirers treat criticisms upon it with con sideration and respect. Let there be (if pos sible) an utter absence of the odium thcologi cum. I confess to loving the Common Ver sion with “ an exceeding great love,” and I do not wish to part with any portion of it with out very sufficient reasons. But when there are paramount and controlling reasons for the change, let us all prefer the word of God to the word of man. lam most happy to say that in this I am following the lead of Alford. See his “ How to Study the New Testament,” pp. 22, 23. The passage is worth copying, if yOU have the space. I intended calling attention in my last letter to the “ Madison Avenue Lectures,” published by the American Baptist Publication Society. I have read three of them : “ The Bible the only Standard of Christian Doctrine and Duty,” by Dr. Ilovey ; “The Obligation of the Church Respecting the Holy Scrip tures,” by Dr. Fish ; and the “ Mission of Baptists,” by Dr. Jeter. These are fully equal to the best writings of their authors. The work must do good, if widely circulated, despite a little thing which a Southerner would have changed if he could. It hardly strength ens the argument of Dr. Boardman on “ Bap tism as a Symbol,” to make reference to the recent civil troibles and identify the symbol of baptism with the flag of the Union, (p. 135.) Are you not tired of intellectual preach ing—not of hearing it, but of hearing of it? Our churches, with one consent, are clamor ous for intellectualities. Nothing else will dov What they want with them, Heaven only knows ; for if they succeeded, every one of them, in securing the services of a really in tellectual man, a severe thinker, who among them would understand what the preacher would be at? Intellectualities are not the need of the churches, but spiritualities ; and we have good reason to fear that so long as they are running post haste after the first, they will forget, or nearly forget, the last. The fact is, that the preaching we have in the cities, as a general thing, goes over the heads of the people. Our preachers have not learned to “ fire low.” Hence, in great part, the success of inferior men (I mean inferior men, intel lectually,) who have learned the way of reach ing the masses of hearers by simple and earnest discussions of gospel truth. Intellect ual giants (if we have them) are engaged in such lofty work as to omit, in great part, the true purpose of the gospel—.the salvation of souls. Let me say somewhat of my own experience in this regard. I think it has a wholesome moral attached to it. I have had but three pastors, Jeremiah B. Jeter, Edward Kingsford, and A. B. Smith, all of them in tellectual men, and two of them certainly men of elegant culture, yet none of them in tellectual preachers. Ido not remember ever