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(’HWSTIAiYiMtiiX AND SOUTH-WESTERN BAPTIST. VOL 46-NO. 35. A RELIGIONS AND FAMILY PAPER. PUBLISHED WEEKLY IE ATLANTA. GA. j. J. TOON", Proprietor. TEEMS: For one year. (50 Nos. in a volume) $4 00 For six months For three months '.«*'* V, 1 To any Minister of the Gospel we will send the paper one year for $3. . Subscriptions invariably iu 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 33i per cent, will be made. ggf lii no case will advertisements be inserted witn ont 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. Early Baptists of Tennessee. —No. 13. CLAIMS OF TENNESSEE ASSOCIATIONS. I proceed with a sketch of the claims of the Associations of Tennessee. Twice had the church united with the Concord Associa tion, and twice had it withdrawn from that membership. It now remained apart four years 5 and again, upon application, reunited with it as a member, at West Station Camp, Saturday before the first Lord’s Day in Sep tember, 1831. The record of this event is very brief, both in the church and in the As sociation. In the proceedings of the church, it is simply said, under date of August 10th: “The church agreed to send a letter and mes sengers to the ensuing Concord Association, with a view to join said Association.” In the proceedings of the Associations the record is equally brief: “ Nashville Church took her seat under the former Constitution.” By a casual reader this record would not be understood. It is therefore proper here to add, that by the former constitution is meant, not really that the Association had 4jjlopted any other constitution than the origi nal one, but that the church united with it expressly upon the conditions agreed upon at Overall’s, September 16th, 1826, upon its second union with Lnat body. The Associa tion, therefore, now again bound itself by solemn contract never, under any circum stances, to interfere with the order, doctrine, government, or practice of the church, and never to attempt to lord it over the church, that is, to govern it, or in any way to infringe any of its “ internal rights.” The church now felt happy in the confident belief that all its conflicts with the Association were over. Unfortunately they had scarcely commenced. Five years only brought the church into another battle with the Associa tion much more desperate than any it had bofotre fought. A brief account of^. which mustjnow be submitted: “ Its meeting for 1830 was held at McOrory’s Creek, in Davidson county, commencing on the 3d day of September, and continuing four days, during the whole of which the conflict raged fiercely. The letters from four or five churches in Rutherford and Sumner counties, and from corresponding Associations, espe cially the Red River, complained bitterly of the leniency of the Concord towards missions, and missionaries generally. They charged the friends of the Baptist State Convention with being guilty of all manner of corrup tions and misdemeanors, and called upon the Association to “ cut off,” as individuals, all the ministers of its body that favored it, and to expel all those churches who harbored its aiders and abettors. The session was or ganized in the usual form ; it was then an nounced that the business could not proceed until it had been purged of its missionary leaven. A committee was therefore appoint ed to bring in resolutions on this subject; the committee retired, and in a few minutes re. turned with a paper, evidently previously prepared. The report recommended that the Association should do all that was demanded of it by the malcontent churches and Asso ciations in their letters referred to. The ques' tiou of adopting the report at once came up, and, of course, the expulsion of the ministers and churches favorable to missions generally, and to the Baptist State Convention especially. The debate commenced, and it was soon per ceived that the opposers of missions were very greatly in the ascendant as to numbers, but that nearly all the talent of the body was on the other side. If, at any time, a direct vote could have been reached, the exscinding report would have been adopted by a very large numerical majority. The friends of missions had, however, the constitution .of the Association in their favor, since it provides iu Art. 15 as follows: “ All questions before the Association shall be determined by a majority of the members present, except in the reception and exclusion of churches, which shall require the concur rence of two-thirds.” Still they considered it more safe to pre vent, if they could, a direct vote. The report was brought in on Saturday morning. The discussion continued through the whole of that day. On Monday morning it was re newed, and kept up with spirit until late in the evening, w hen it was laid upon the table to give way for a preamble and resolutions prepared by the majority themselves, which they liked better than they did the report. During these two days the debate was upon the merits of the missionary question, and took, therefore, a very wide range. It was participated in by many members on both sides. The arguments were those which are common. In addition to these, it was shown in a speech of two hours on Monday by Dr. Howell, which was heard with the profoundest attention, not by the Association only, but also by an immense congregation in atten dance, that the adoption of the report would be a flagrant violation, not only of the “Arti cles of Union” contained-in the Constitution of the Association, but also of the solemn pledge and contract made to the First Bap tist Church in Nashville, never to interfere in FRANKLIN PRINTING HOUSE, ATLANTA, GA., THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 1867. its “ order, doctrine, government, or prac tice.” How this contract effected the subject need not be further explained. The Con stitution in the Third Article provides as follows : “ When an offence may be committed by one church against another, it shall be the duty of the church so offended, to labor for satisfaction, and if she fail of success, she shall call in the aid of two or more churches in the Union to assist in the labors, and ifi finally, satisfaction (in the estimation of the helps thus called) cannot be obtained, then the aggrieved church may bring the case be fore the Association, who are bound to act on it, and the Association shall take cognizance, of no case of the above kind until the above proceedings have been had thereon.” It was well known to the Association that West Station Camp, Providence, and the other churches that professed to be offended, had taken no steps of any kind with the churches at Nashville, at Mill Creek, and the rest —the alleged offenders ; that tfcey had, nevertheless, impeached them before £he Association ; that in doing so, they had violated the Articles of Union, and that by its constitution, the Asso ciation was expressly prohibited, as the case then stood, from any final action ; that the attempt to induce The. Association to act upon these cases by a presentment in general terms, but intended to have a specific application, was an effort to evade the law, and could not be countenanced; that the Association was bound, in honor and truth, to be governed by its own organic law, the scriptural character of which was not then under consideration, but which, whether scriptural or not, its mem bers had covenanted to observe; and that if these churches were convicted of the sin of preaching the gospel to the poor, and of meet ing together to consult as to the best means of accomplishing their purpose, all of which they confessed, their opponents, should they adopt this report, would incur the guilt of violating all their own most solemn associa tions! covenants. The anti-missionary party seemed now to be convinced that the adoption of this report would be disastrous to themselves, and on mo tion of one of their own leaders, it was unani mously laid upon the table. Mr. Buford, of the Cumberland Association, another champion of the party, then introduced the following paper, prepared by Mr. Washington Lowe,of whom mention has been so often made in these arti cles, and who was a messenger from Red River Association: “Concord Association having assembled at McCrory’sCreek, Davidson county,Tennessee, on Saturday last, the 3d inst., for the purpose of transacting her business, as usual; and, whereas, there seems to be a great want of harmony, union, and concert of action among its members; in short, whereas, there is a manifest division apd separation of feeling in heart among them in consequence of the Ten nessee Baptist Convention, members of which are also members of said Concord Associa tion ; and, whereas, we find, after having la bored for two or three days, under a state of the greatest confusion and excitement, that we are unable to come to any satisfactory under standing or adjustment of conflicting opinions; therefore, Resolved ls£, by us, the undersigned con stituting a majority of the delegates elected, and sent from the several churches, that we consider it most expedient and practicable, under existing circumstances, and for the rea sons aforesaid, that the constitution of our Association (if sanctioned by a majority of our churches) be, and the same is hereby de clared to be dissolved, null and void, and of no effect. Resolved 2d. That we recommend to the churches that we represent, (if our present act be sanctioned,) with such other churches as may wish to join us, to meet by letter and delegates at Ridge Meeting House, Wilson county, Tennessee, on Saturday before the fifth Sunday in October next, for the purpose of uniting in the forming and organizing of another Association, to be wholly disconnect ed from the Baptist Convention. Resolved Sd. That Elder John M. Watson be requested to superintend the printing and distributing of one thousand copies of the foregoing among the churches as soon as pos sible.” The course of the debate was now changed, but the excitement was not diminishe 1, and the Association adjourned until Thursday morning. When on that morning it assem bled, it was soon found that by the introduc tion of this measure the opponents of the Convention had, unwittingly, cast themselves still more completely into the hands of its friends. Still, they advocated the measure proposed with great pertinacity and consider able ability. By the former plan the attempt was made to expel, by resolution , a large pro portion of its churches and ministers. In this the Association found itself arrested by the failure of their accusers to preserve the pre liminary measures demanded in the “Articles of Union,” contained in the third Article of the Constitution. Now they had abandoned their resolution, and sought to gain the same end by dissolving the Association. This measure was opposed by many brethren ably. Dr. Howell especially combatted it by pre senting the following considerations: “That if they desired to form anew Association, into which no friend of missions ever should be admitted, they could do so without dissolving the Coucord, since it was their right to with draw from it Whenever they saw proper, and they would be at liberty to unite in any other similar organization that might seem to them expedient; that to destroy the Association because, they had determined to quit it was like pulling down a house upon the heads of one part of the family, who wished to remain in it, by the other part of the family, because they intended to leave it, and had the power to demolish it; that the Association could not be dissolved by the process which they proposed, since it required the same power to dissolve that it did to organize an Associa tion : consequently the most they could do was to propose by resolution to the churches to call a convention and dissolve the Associa tion ; but to dissolve it themselves by a reso lution of their own was a work wholly be yond their p nver, and therefore, their resolu tions, even if adopted, would be extrajudicial, and, therefore, wholly nurgatory; that their object, being confessedly the exclusion from the Association of certain churches and min isters, favorable to the Convention, ought to be sought by direct constitutional means, and not by these indirect methods, which, while they were really unconstitutional and illegal, were not reputable to those who introduced and defended them; that there were several features in the measure proposed, even if they were otherwise legal, which would require for their adoption a majority of two-thirds of the votes in the Association, since they looked to the expulsion of members of the body, which, according to the fifteenth Article of the Con stitution, could not be done the con currence of “two-thirds” of the body ; and it also proposed to act upon the Constitution, to do which the seventeenth Article demands, as follows: ‘Amendments may be made at any time to this plan or form of government, with the concurrence of two-thirds of the members present;’ and that, therefore, plainly, the pre amble and resolutions ought not to be adopted, because they were unnecessary to the end proposed; because they were evidently ma lignant in their purposes; because, if adopted, they could not accomplish the end designed; because to pursue the end sought by such in direct and deceptious means, as every one knew those to be, was not reputable, and ought not, by that body, to be countenanced; and because the whole proceeding was extra constitutional, and illegal, and, especially in a religious body, unbrotherly and mischievous.” At a late hour in the day the question was taken by yeas and nays. Thirty-seven votes (all the other members having gone home) were given. To adopt the preamble and res olutions, twenty-iive votes were, therefore, re quired. Upon counting the votes, it was found that twenty-two only were cast for the preamble and resolutions, and fifteen against them. They were, therefore, lost. Four days had the struggle continued in the Association, and this was the only vote had up to that time; but it was a decisive one, and would to the friends at a distance have appeared much more so if the votes could have been weighed instead of being counted. Os the voters on the above paper , fourteen were min isters — five only of whom voted for it, and nine voted against it, and these nine embraced nearly all the talent and strength of the body. The whole number of members reported that vear, in all the churches, was two thousand, one hundred and twenty-seven. Os these, thirteen hundred and twelve belonged touthe missionary churches, and had only fifteen del egates in the Association ; and eight hundred and fifteen only belonged to the anti-mission ary churches, and were represented in the Association by twenty delegates. This dis crepancy grew out of the fact that the mis sionary churches had a much more numerous membership than the anti-missionary, and the constitutional provision that each church should have two, and only two, representatives. Their churches, and, consequently, their rep resentatives, were the most numerous. The actual numerical majority, both of the ministry and the people, was, therefore, with the Con vention. Having signally failed in their purpose, the opposition left the house in confusion, and re turned to their homes. They issued, how ever, the circular proposed ; met at Ridge Meeting-House at the time designated in the resolutions, and organized the Stone’s River Association, which still, it is believed, lingers in feeble existence. The Moderator and Clerk and organization of the Concord Association were, therefore, retained. Those present pro ceeded to close the business of the session, when the body adjourned in the usual form, to the time and place of its next annual meet- mg. Thus it will be seen that the Concord Asso ciation, sice its first organization, had divided into three different bodies : First, the separate Association, that went off from it; second , a large number that formed themselves into a schism, and subsequently united with the Campbellites; and third , the anti-missionary body, known as Stone’s River Asssociation. During the twenty years next succeeding, this Association, having been taught a lesson so salutary, made no further essay to discip line ministers and churches, and, therefore, proceeded in harmony and union. During this period of peace and prosperity one achievement of great importance was accom plished, which in this article it would not be proper to omit. The original Baptist churches in Robertson, Sumner, Wilson, Rutherford, Davidson, Williamson and Maury counties had now divided into four denominations— the Campbellites, the Separates, the Anti-Mis sionaries, and the United Baptists. The Camp bellites were unassociated-; the Anti-Mission aries were organized into the Stone’s River Association; the Separates into the Concord Association of Separate Baptists; and those who retained their original integrity, into the Concord Association of United Baptists. These all occupied the same ground. As these rev olutions proceeded, the factious elements in the Separate Concord Association gradually w'ent off to the Campbellites, and those in the United Concord Association to the Anti-Mis sionaries. No good reason now existed why these two Concord Associations shouldmot again unite. Incipient measures, looking to this end, were adopted by the United Baptist Concord Association, at its meeting held at Rutherford’s Creek, Maury county, commenc ing September 5,1840, and transmitted to the Separate Baptist Concord Association, then in session at Knob Spring, only a few miles dis tant. They were met cordially, and in the same spirit, by that Association. A convention was recommended to the churches, respectively of each, by both Associations, to arrange the terms of reunion. Th#r churches of both ap proved ; they all appointed messengers; and these messengers met in convention at Rutland’s church, Wilson county,Wov. 18, 1842, where the reunion was harmoniously and satisfacto rily arranged—the doctrinal principles being restated and explained, but the original Con stitution remaining, nnfortunately, as before. To consummate the design, a meeting was appointed and held at Enon, Rutherford county, in August, 1843, where the churches of both Associations met by their messengers, and the reunion was complete. The results were, for the time being, most happy. Intercourse was resumed, not only in the Concord, which h.td been suspended for many years, but also tuetween most of the United and Separate Associations in the State, and henceforth these two denominations ceased to be distinguished fron? each other. In all the benevolent operations of the Baptists of Tennessee, they minglecr together freely, ap parently forgetful that tlAry had ever belonged to different denomination®. In this great work, the First church in NjLshville, which had always, in its proceedings, refused to make any distinction between |these two classes of Baptists, led the way, ajid its influence was paramount during the process. Suwani. ■ Uncaused Uncaused Being is thanecessary condition precedent of all caused#being. All caused being has a beginning, g It was not before it was made to be. Anfr how far soever we may trace back its orighg, we are constrained at last to admit that it in an uncaused cause. This is a necessity. The uncaused is self-dkistent. These are but two forms same idea: that of a being whose existence depends upon nothing without itself. The self-existent is eternity/** With all caused being we iue\®ably associate the idea of time. It began ta be, and just as in evitably, when we thinklff self-existence, we endeavor to rid ourselveJbf this idea, and to conceive of it as with-it beginning. The mind cannot conceive of Itothing. The term expresses a mere negation of thought, as of existence. Still less, if that were possible, can we conceive of nothin® as becoming some thing. But the notion ft self-caused being involves this impossibilitiy. It was not be fore it caused itself. b| a cause is always something that exists. being, therefore, can be the cause of its o>f n existence. Self existence has no beginning. It is uncaused, without beginning, and s|erefore from eter nity. The self-existing is self-efficient. Possess ing, from eternity, an urJj|rived and idepen dent haing, it issl f- And as it is ttiius independent of ; S from with out, it must continue, not Viable to change or decay. Hence the self-fxisfcent is eternal, not only from eternity, but to eternity. That which is self-existing, self-sufficient, and eternal, it is difficult, if not impossible, to conceive of as less than infinite. Men sometimes speak of matter as eternal, but they lose sight of certain ideas which are necessarily implied in predicating eternity of any existence. These ideas are of life and power. Life and power, not received from without, but of the very nature and essence of the being itself; not dependent, but self sustained and unchanging. Now, this life and power the mind cannot limit. Limita tion must be either in the being itself, or from without. If from the being itself, theu the conception of self-existencilis an impossibili ty. An imperfect self-exigence is an impos sible conception. If from fwithout, then the existence is a dependent orfe, and consequent ly not self-sufficient. But*the eternal must be self-sufficient. We conclude, therefore, that the self-existing, self-sfffficient, eternal, is infinite. The Infinite is One. There can not be two infinites. The infinite is all-comprehending. To suppose two infinites, is to admit the idea of comparison. But the idea itself, of comparison, implies limitation. The different objects must be conceived <£ as separate, and distinguished by distinct qualities or propor tions. 4 We speak of infinite duration, infinite space. We may, with as*much propriety, speak of infinite numbers. All our ideas of time are periodic; of space, numerical. In finite space and infinite duration can be pred icated only of Him who is “ from everlasting to everlasting.” The Infinite One is the Wuse of all caused being. It is in our search after the origin of the phenomena of the universe that we arrive at the conviction of an uncreated infinite Being. Such a Being meets all the demands of the case. Hence we seek no further. We ascribe to the Infinite One the origin of all caused being, as the Great and only Crea tor. A. M. Poindexter. Church Discipline. J have for some time been of the opinion thal an error prevails in our churches in our discipline. It is frequently the case that ob jections or complaints are not raised against a brother or sister until thsy call for letters of dismission. We live in the church to gether, commune together,-and express our fellowship one to another, in all our public exercises, for months, and**even years, and yet when a letter is called for, complaints are made and the letter is refused, and often the member is dealt with and excluded. Is this proceeding right ? I have long believed, and still believe, that no complaint should be entertained by the church when a letter is called for in the regu lar business ‘of the conference. Let us exam ine this subject for a moment. The confer ence opens by reading the minutes of the last meeting. References are then atten ded to. Then the peace of the church is called for. Here is the proper place for all complaints and charges against mem- bers. The church is often reported to be at peace, by which we understand that the fellowship of the members is undisturbed, and yet immediately thereafter, under mis cellaneous business, a letter is called for, and objections are raised. Is this consistent? The record of the church has been declared clear, the brotherhood at peace, and yet on the same page charges are entertained against a brother or sister who asks for a letter of dis mission. I am of opinion that in regular conference, when an opportunity, under the proper head of business, has been given for all complaints and these complaints are not then presented, they ought not to be enter tained when the letter is called for. Many persons will express dissatisfaction when members are about to leave a communi ty, who would not do so if they remained. They would have continued for months and years in the same church without any public charges, and yet when a letter is called for, they refuse to give it on the ground that the fellowship is not complete. Here is a species of hypocrisy. A lives with Bin the church, communes with him, and when B calls for his letter, A objects. Would A ever have raised his complaints against B if B had continued in the church? Now, if A has fellowship enough for B to live with him and commune with him, has he the right to refuse to B his letter ? I now go farther in discipline, and contend that when a member has reasonable time and sufficient opportunity to make known any complaint against another, and fails to do it, but on the contrary exhibits, by public asso ciation and acts fellowship for the offending member, thereafter his charges are not to be entertained. When conference after confer ence has been held, and again and again the church has been declared to be at peace, it is inconsistent for a member then to charge an other with something he has known for months, and yet hold his peace until circum stances give him an advantage over his brother. The churches should require that complaints should be made known within a reasonable time, or otherwise they will not be entertained. The fellowship of the church demands such a course. I write this view of discipline without reference to any particular case. I have no particular case in mind, but refer to what I have often seen. G. T. Wilburn. Fragments and Reflections. I know a worthy brother, a very modest, retiring man, naturally, who connected him self with the church at a somewhat advanced age, with an interesting, growing family, to which he is much devoted. This brother felt it his duty to institute family religion, erect a family altar, but the Devil taking advantage of his refSiLg, self-distrustful nature, hindered him from -fallowing the promptings of the Spirit, except in part. lam told he reads the Word of God to his family, and then they kneel together and pray silently. Now, is not this little occurrence very suggestive? 1. Christian father, professedly so, tell me truly before God, have you never felt it your duty to have family worship? You say not? Then you have good reason to fear you are not a Christian. You have felt you ought, you say? But you have not done it? Oh! my brother, will you not try? Never! Your children never hear you pray / 2. Timid brother, can’t you commence by degrees ? Read and sing—kneel together in silent prayer. Yes, bow together. Can’t you make a little start? Have you ever tried ? Will you say you can't before trying? You may tell a falsehood. You don’t know till you try. 3. The brother referred to above, and oth ers who will follow his example, have only to persevere awhile in a partial service, to be able to pray aloud. And how happy they would be! What a triumph has been gained ! How much it would be worth to you when a sick child asks you to pray for it, and when you have to die. W. N. Chaudoin. Tlie Truth as it is in Jesus. The “truth as it is in Jesus” is a most living thing. It sings with angelic melody. It lies in the dependent feebleness of the manger. It flies for a moment from the wrath of a wicked king only to return in its native majesty and confound the doctors in the temple. It discourses with equal dignity and simplicity with a solitary woman at the well of Sychar and before the assembled thousands of Capernaum. It rebukes the self righteous Pharisee, and pities and pardons the penitent sinner quivering with her shame. It confounds Nicodemus with a startling aph orism, and cheers the Pagan centurion with words of priceless consolation. It unfolds the doctrine of divine providence through the twittering notes of a sparrow or the sponta neous perfume of a lily. It describes the nature of the imperishable kingdom by a bit of leaven or a grain of mustard-seed, and portrays the dignity of a Christian in the person of a little child. This truth, radiant with superhuman beauty, shines upon the rayless orbs*of the blind so that they see, not knowing how they were made to see, and warms the cold limbs of the paralytic, until they dance with wondering and grateful ec stacy. Tenderer, deeper, stronger than hu man love, this truth baptizes the grave of Lazarus with tears of compassion, soaks the sod of Gethsemane as with drops of blood, and at length wraps the gory cross with a splendor which eclipses all the light of prece ding ages, and lifts the eyelids of the eternal morn upon anew dispensation, having a glory that excelleth. Yea, so mighty is the truth as it speaks in the oracles of our faith, that, obedient to its voice, we see the rocky sepul chre give way, its sealed stone roll from its face, and we hear (he shout of the Conqueror : “O Death! where is thy sting? O grave! where is thy victory?” Zeal and Prudence. The late Rev. Charles Simeon thus aptly illustrates zeal and prudence: Two ships were aground at Lon don Bridge. The proprietors of one sent for a hundred horses, and pulled it to pieces; the proprietors of the other waited for the tide, and with sails and rudder directed it as they pleased. Baptism and Church Membership. Some friend raises a question thus: “A young man of twenty —call him George Fox— of good talents and disposition, is apparently converted. His experience seems dear, his views of truth in general, sound, and his whole character and position such as to com mend him to confidence and love. But his birth and education were among Quakers, and, in spite of ail argument, his early im pressions are still dominant. He asks to be admitted to the church, saying: 1 heartily accept all in your creed and covenant except that which relates to Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, which l expect to observe with Christ in the spirit, but which I can not accept as outward ceremonies. Can he be so received, upon a frank, publicstatementof his position ?” We should think not. “Can two walk to gether except they be agreed?” Baptism is the seal of the oneness of believers in Christ, and the Lord’s Supper is an expression of it; how can he who ignores both, be one with them ? Suppose his parents had been seventh day Baptists, and he insists on having his public worship on Saturday in the empty church, and keeps his anvil ringing steadily all day long within sound of the open win dows on Sunday; can they walk together? The fact is, that something more than the hope that a man is a Christian, is needful to entitle him to membership in a particular Christian church—viz.: that he be such a Christian in essential particulars, as the church is, so that they may “ be perfectly joined to gether in the same mind and in the same judgment.” If they walk “in the same spir it,” like Paul and Titus, they will also walk “in the same steps.”— Congregationalist. “Heaven, and How to get There. We find, in the Christian Secretary , the following report of a sermon, preached re cently in Hartford, Conn., by Rev. Newman Hall: Regarding the Transfiguration scene as a representation of the heavenly kingdom, he took his text from Luke ix. 30, 31, “ Behold there talked with him two men which were Moses and Elias, who appeared in glory, and spake of his decease which he should accom plish at Jerusalem.” The lessons deduced were, 1. The personal consciousness of de parted saints. 2. They are in glory. 3. This glorious state may be very near to us. 4. The saints are together there, however sepa rated by time or space here. 5. They are distinguishable and recognizable by each other. 6. They are with Jesus. For an answer to the question, How to get there? revert again to the text. What was the theme of con verse? The Saviour’s decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem. By faith in this sacrifice Moses and Elijah came to glory, and there is no other way for us. Finally : are we in the way to heaven ? Let the text sug gest the answer. What were Moses and Elijah in character and life? Moses declined the honors and pleasures of earth, to cast in his lot with the people of God in affliction and trial; Elijah, in a dark and degenerate age, stood up for God and his worship, against all opposition and all halting between two opinions. Thus they were fitted for heaven. Are we like them ? Adopting Children. It want a pretty sto£y that I heard of a lady friend the other day. Gtfd tuuk home hop beautiful little boy—her only son. The mother heart in her yearned for an orphan child as near his age as possible, to take his place. She ordered such a child by express from an orphan house. The order was filled : the child came. She took it to her heart—is raising him as her own son. Already a great comfort in the family, he bids fair to be a blessing to society. Why has it ever been so rare among us for small families to adopt a child? It was a common practice among the Jews, the Greeks, the Romans. To take an orphan to train it up properly, is one of the best ways in the world for those without children to serve themselves and their race. A vast army of orphans now covers the land. Want, vaga bodism, crime, ruin, certainly await them if neglected. How many shall be rescued by the kind hand of adoption ? We have a re spectable list of heads of families who pre side at tables with but a few plates at them, and none for children. Let all such look up an orphan boy or girl and bring it up for the Lord. Without knowing it, they may be preparing a strong staff to support their de clining years.— Southern Presbyterian. Universalisin in a Nut-shell. I have often seen Universalism reduced to an absurdity. But seldom, if ever, has it been better "done than in the following, which I beg to recite for the benefit of any who may need it: “I am a Umversaiist,” said G. K., boastingly, “and you orthodox are not fair in saying that our system is inconsistent with reason.” This he addresed to one who held »n opposite system. “But I will prove the irrationality of your system,” said his friend. “You believe that Christ died to save all men?” “Yes, ldo.” “And you don’t be lieve there is a hell?” “No, I do not.” “Yoif don’t believe there is any punishment hereafter?” “No, I do not; men are pun ished for their sins in this life.” “ Well, now let us put your “ ratiotial" system together, if you can. It amounts to just this, that Christ the Savior died to save all men from nothing at all! Not from hell, because, ac cording to you, there is none. Not from punishment in a future state of being, for he receives his whole punishment in this life. Yours is the absurd spectacle of ropes and life-preservers thrown at an immense expense to a man who is on dry land, and in no dan ger of being drowned ! Let me tell you that your religion is stark infidelity. If you heartily believed the Bible you could not be lieve Universalism.— Central Presbyterian. Public Worship in Holland. The order of worship is very formal". Take, for instance, a certain country church which I have in mind. The middle class and aristo cratic families sit in large square-walled pews, each bearing the name of the family resi dence “ Rose-dale, “ Pleasant-view,” or some such title. The peasants sit upon a lower level, in humbler seats. A reader and precentor gives out a Psalm. The congrega tion toil on after him in the slow task of singing. Then comes the Invocation by the minister. After this the reader reads some portions of the Old and New Testament. Then a Psalm is given out by the minister, and sung by the congregation. After this comes a sort of introduction to the sermon— generally hortatory. Then singing again. After this the body of the sermon—explica tion, argument, etc. Often continues an hour. Then singing to rest the people. After this comes the applicatory part of the sermon. What could be more formal and unrhetori cal? Finally prayer, singing, and benedic tion. It is evident that Dutch worship is long. But the people have marvelous endu ranee. They are generally docile listeners, and, I am told, follow out a close argument well. WHOLE NO. 2855. God and the Seal. The soul whereiu God dwol?— What church can holier t; * Becomes a walking tent Os heavenly majesty. How far from here to heaven ? Not very far, my friend, A single hearty step Will all thy journey end. Though Christ a thousand times In Bethlehem be born, If He’s not born iu thee, Thy soul is still forlorn. The cross on Golgotha Will never save thy soul, The cross in thine own heart * Alone can make thee whole. Hold there! where rimnest thou? Know Heaven is in thee, Seek’st thou for God elsewhere, His face thou’lt never sue. Ah, would thy heart but be A manger for his birth, God would once more become A child upon this earth. I don’t believe in Death; If hour by hour I die, ’Tis hour bv hour to gain A better life thereby. Go out—God will go in; Die thou and let Him live; Be not, and He will be; Wait, and He’ll all things give. O, shame! A silkworm works And spins till it can fly, And thou, my soul, wilt still On thine old earth-clod lie. Angiitis Silesius. 1620. Lore. They sin who tell us love can die. With life all other passions fly, All others are but vanity. In heaven ambition can not dwell, Nor avarice in the vaults of hell; Earthly, these passions of the earth, They perish where they have their birth; But love is indestructible; Its holy flame forever burneth, From heaven it came, to heaveu returncth; Too oft on earth a troubled guest, At times deceived, at times opprest, It here is tried and purified, Then hath in heaven its perfect rest; It soweth here with toil and care, But the harvest time of love is there. Oh, wnen a mother meets on high, The babe she lost in infancy, Hath she not then for pains and fears, The days of woe, the watchful night, For all her sorrow, all her tears, An over-payment of delight? 7i. Southey. , Baptism in the Sunday Magazine. In the August number of the Sunday Mag azine, edited by Dr. Guthrie, there is an arti cle entitled “ Philip's Mission, by Isa Craig, with an illustration,’' which is certainly a re* markable production. The story of the bap tism of tho Eunuch by Philip, is told in verse, of which the following is a specimen : “ There stood the chariot still, By the stream, where descending, As they stood in the midst, Philip poured, On the dusky head bending, The water baptismal.” The illustration shows up Philip and the Eunuch (after having waded out some way into the stream) standing with water barely over their ankles. The Ethiopian with bowed head, is holding up his garments ahxiously with both hands; and Philip, standing at the utmost stretch of his arms from the candidate, lest a drop of water should spatter on his own robe, is pouring a cup of water upon the Eunuch’s head !! Altogether the picture, as a conception and a work of art, is beneath criticism, and as a religious emblem it ia&lae. False, not only to the Baptist’s, and the schol ar’s idea of the ordfunuce, but nl»o to the idea of Christian denominations generally. Who ever heard of two men wading away into a stream, merely that one should pour a spoon ful of water upon the head pf the other 1 ? The Ethiopian, of whom it is said, “Stiff were his garments with gold And with jewels his vests shone,” would have preferred to be poured upon by the side of his chariot, if pouring was the thing to which he was to submit. Poetic license is claimed for poets, and sometimes for artists, but I protest against either being allowed so to represent things that the truth of God’s word or of his ordin ances is concealed or perverted. And I won der that a man like Dr. Guthrie should have allowed such a caricature to go forth, to mis tify or deceive tens of thousands. The Shepherd’s Toice; or, “It Is I.” A lady walking on some downs the morn ing after a terrific thunder-storm, met a shep herd. She asked him what his sheep had done during the storm. “Ah!” he replied, I folded them as usual in the evening; but when the storm came on I thought of the poor things, and went out to look after them. When I got a little distance from the fold, I saw them jumping about in the greatest alarm; but the moment they heard my voice they were quite quiet.” J ust so, storm and tem pest may break over the believer; but only let him hear the Chief Shepherd’s voice say ing, “ It is I,” and there is a great calm. The Chapel in the Heart. In your retirement make frequent collo quies, or short discoursings with God and thy own soul. Every return of the heart in these intercourses, is a going to Him, an ap pearing in his presence, and in representing Him present to thy spirit and thy necessity. This was long since called by a spiritual per son “ a building to God a chapel in our heart.” It reconciles Martha’s employment with Ma ry’s devotion, charity and religion, the neces sities of our calling, and the employment of devotion. For thus in the midot of the works of your trade you may retire into your chapel—the heart—and converse with God by frequent addresses and returns.— Jeremy Taylor. The Last Caution. Dr. Sarles in his Madison Avenue Lecture says, “ The venerable and excellent Pengilly is now the paster of a Pedobaptist church .” Thirty years ago, Pengilly’s Scriptural Guide to Baptism was the favorite manual of Bap tists, and to this day it is one of the best. But the author, through the adoption of the one error of*open communion, has destroyed the church of which he was chosen to be pas tor or pillar. Make open communion the rule of your churches and you destroy all Baptist churches, and leave the ordinances which Christ instituted, without a witness on earth. Who will be a party to this great wrong ?— Evangel. A Self-Denying Prelate. A recent circular of the Cardinal Archbish op of Besancon, France, to his clergy, ex horting them to make efforts to obtain dona tions from their flocks for charitable purposes, contains this curious passage: “ I have com promised my present and future. I give to the poor and to churches, and, secretly or openly, to a host of people in distress, as much as I can, even more than I can. Ido not keep a carriage. I wear shoes with tales in them, and my cassock is patched. You have seen more than once my patched sleeves I laugh at all that. God knows why Ido it. I am anxious to save in my pecuniary expen diture for the service of my Master, and am content to wear his livery.”