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CHRISTIAN INDEX AND SOWTH-WESTERN BAPTIST.
VOL. 46-NO. 40.
A RELIGIOUS AND FAMILY PAPER,
Published weekly in Atlanta, oa.
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Thoughts on Example.
“ Let your light shine.”
Every day of our lives we have verified to
us the old adage, “Example is better than
precept.” A,-thousand learned discourses on
charity, our duty to our fellow-men, etc., will
not move the heart like a simple act of kind
ness. It profiteth nothing that we say, if we
do not. Actions are more powerful than words.
We are all creatures of imitation. Look at
. that little child; how hard it tries to walk in
“ father’s footstep, or do as mother does.” O,
ever through life’s journey we are but chil
dren, following the path “father and mother”
trod. Go to the votary of fashion, watch her
in her eccentric movements, ask a reason for
them, and her answer, “O, I must follow the
fashion,” helps to prove our position. The
literary aspirant for fame, as he treads the
rugged, thorny path up the hill of science,
consoles himself for its roughness with the
reflection, that he pursues the way which all
who have reached the lofty dome, the pinna
cle,of fame, have trod before him. Not only
here, but in every scene of life, do we see the
force of example. How important, then, that
it be good, especially in Christian life! Would
s that we could ever bear this in mind. Well,
Avell do I remember, in the early days of child
heod, ere a ray of light from the day-spring
on high had visited my soul, with how strict
an eye I weighed every word, every act, of
those who had put on a profession of Chris
tianity. Alas! how many, when weighed in
the balance,' were found wanting!
I know a little child—a simple, loving child—
who might put many a professing Christian to
♦he blush with her sweet prattle. Once she
went to a friend of mine and said: “ Mr. ,
jw ho do you love best V ’ He told her .
Don’t you love the good Lord best? You
fought to love him better than any body.”
|.Another time, when just through her evening
j • r ’hyer, she. came to me, saying: “Auntie,
GiaVe you said your prayers?” “ Not yet,” I
Mf.swered. “Auntie, ai.n’t you going to say
them?” “After a while, darling.” “Well,
Auntie, answered the sweet little prattler, “if
you want the good Lord to take care of you,
.you must say your prayers every night.
'Ain't He a good Lord ? Don't you love Him
better than any body ?” “ Yes, darling, I do
love Him better than any body.” “ Where
is your pa, Auntie?” “In heaven, darling.’
“My pa’s in heaven with the good angels,
too; and if 1 am a gooß girl, and love the
good Lord, He’ll take me to heaven when I
die.” Thus she is ever prattling, and ques
tioning all she meets, “ if they love the good
Lord best?” Is it not a sweet example? Who
will not say that “of such is the kingdom of
Heaven,” and feel that “out of the mouths of
babes He has ordained praise ?”
I know another —a maiden in the bloom of
youth, surrounded by all that makes life at
tractive beautiful, talented, courted by
fashion ; all the glittering temptations of the
broad way spread themselves around her:
but steadfastly she turns her back to them,
her face toward Mt. Zion. How sweetly, into
every conversation, does she introduce the
theme of redeeming love ! To her, those who
seek the way to Zion’s hill, gladly go to learn
of Jesus. Her’s is an humble lot, as the world
counts it, but glorious in the sight of God and
His angels —glorious w ith deeds of noble phi
lanthropy and self-sacrifice. Wherever there
tis pain and suffering, she is there, a minister
ing angel. Her hand guides the little ones
onward and upward ; her sweet voice cheers
thetraveer in the dark valley. Gently she
masses on her w T ay down the stream of time,
dispensing blessings to all—a gift of charity,
A gentle word of counsel, a cheerful smile.
All who need her, are her friends.
“ She lives for others, and has found
Herself most blessed when all are blessed around.”
•The prayers of the poor, the blessings of all
who know her, are her crown of rejoicing.
“ Her children rise up and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praiseth her.” I
saw one when her shattered bark had well
nigh sunk beneath life’s stormy sea. First,
bodily affliction came—the glorious light of
day was shut out from her darkened eyes.
To her no more came the sweet voices of
spring-time, for deafness, too, was her’s. Then
her sons, the stay of her old age, were smit
ten down by death ; her earthly gains swept
away; and last, her chosen life companion
taken home. 1 heard her speak of all these
trials, and it almost seemed as if the burden
was more than her crushed heart could bear;
but He who “ tempers the wind to the shorn
lamb ” gave her strength to bear it all. She
found His grace sufficient, and was enabled
triumphantly to say, while her dim eyes
lighted with love: “ The Lord gave, and the
Lord hath taken away ; blessed be His holy
name i” Peacefully she passed on, and over
the river, to the city of our God. She has
gone, but her example can never die.
“ She is Thine! Almighty Father!
Sure of love and mercy now :
Os such spirits is Thy kingdom—
And Thy seal is on her brow.
Three-score years she walked among us,
With a gentle, upward tread;
Were time marked by deeds of goodness,
Centuries had crowued her head.
Little children, poor, forsaken,
Ever in her heart had place:
They will miss her werd in season—
They will miss her kindly face.
Many a weary, foot-sore pilgrim,
She hath cheered along Life’s road—
Treading still the narrow pathway
That hath led her up to Gdd.”
FRANKLIN PRINTING HOUSE, ATLANTA, §l., THURSDAY, DECEMBER 12, 1867.
Do you recognize the picture? I have tried
to portray some whose lovely examples have
touched my own heart. Beautiful, Christian
womanhood ! Tis but what we may all be,
if we walk, as they walked, in His steps, “ who
was given as an example for us.” Study His
character, follow his footsteps: “so shall your
light shine more and more unto the perfect
day.”
Each one has an influence; none so insignifi
cant as that they may say : “ My light is too
feebie to do any good.” An acorn is a little
seed, but it makes a mighty tree; so a little
deed may bear great fruit. Avery young child
may be very useful; a little taper, trimmed
and burning, is of more use than a great lamp
unlit. Who knows how many his light may
benefit ? Let none of us carry dark lanterns;
but as you pass through life, at home, abroad,
wherever your lot may. be cast, show that you
love the truth: let none but true and loving
words ever pass your lips. Remember, that
the way to be happy is to be good. Try it!
If thus you live, light will go out from you,
and many a one, perhaps, will be greatly ben
efitted by it. Some may follow in the path
your light reveals, whom you know not, and
never shall know till you meet them in the
light and glory of the world above.
O, the incalculable effect of a true and noble
example! Have you a loving, womanly sis
ter, a noble brother, whose example influences
you for good? Be you such a brother or sis
ter in the great human family of brethren.
Each one has a mission to fulfill—a work to
perform. The little germ of truth you drop
by the.wayside will not be lost, but, guarded
by angels, will bear fruit—if not on earth, in
heaven. Words of counsel, spoken in love,
will never be forgotten; but, treasured as
precious seed in the store-house of the mem
ory, planted in the good ground of the heart,
will bear abundant fruit many days to come.
A look of kindness, an act of love, is never
thrown away. “ Live, then, to make some
impression—to act some part well—to in
crease the happiness of some being—to im
prove thy own mind—to win thy own salva
tion.”
“ Work for some (rood, be it ever so slowly;
Cherish some flower, be it ever so lowly ;
Labor, all labor, is noble and noly:
Let thy good deeds be thy prayer to thy God.”
Augusta.
Fashionable Amusements.
I am pleased to see that your most excel
lent paper furnishes an occasional reproof to
the church for its tendency to worldliness, as
manifested in the encouragement of fashiona
ble amusements. Yet, I think the general
interests of the church and the well-being of
society demand that the subject be thoroughly
discussed and positively settled.
In years gone by, the denomination did not
hesitate to pronounce dancing an evil, and.
they dealt with it as such. Now, however,
it is looked upon “ with some degreq©f allow
ance,” to say the least; and in many Instances
it is encouraged, and even engaged in, by koine
who claim to be of the fold. In a great many
churches, the members who dance are not dis
ciplined as transgressors; and if a censure is
administered at all, it is done in a way that
leaves on the mind great doubt as to its pro
priety. The evil has stolen upon us uncon
sciously, and presented itself in such grace
and stately dignity, supported by so much
intelligence, culture and religion, that we can
not get up the moral courage to pronounce it
an evil and expose it. Hence, it is a lament
able fact, that this error is allowed to take
deep root in the heart of the church, and
spread its contagion in all our communities,
simply because we are afraid to denounce it.
Whatever may be the opinions and demands
of society to the contrary, from close observa
tion, 1 am thoroughly convinced that dancing
is the fruitful parent of evils, that are wick
edly criminal in themselves, and incalculably
pernicious in their influence—rendered so be
cause the thing is patronized by what is known
as the first society and the aristocracy of the
church.
It was rny pleasure, a few months since, to
listen to a conversation between a party of
ministers of different denominations, in which
they bitterly denounced dancing. I was struck
with the caution with which they expressed
themselves —exceedingly afraid lest their pri
vate opinions should become known to others
who were near, and whose night’s revelry had
occasioned the conversation. Ministers, whose
business it is to define the truth and defend it,
it occurs to me, ought, in the fear of God, and
with a view to the coming judgment, to meet
their whole duty.
The circumstances of the church in this par
ticular are indeed unfortunate. If dancing is
an error, let us know it, and get about its cor
rection ; otherwise, let us encourage it as the
thing it claims to be—the great moral combi
nation of all that is social, graceful and gen
teel. lam aware that a thorough discussion of
the subject would evolve much that would be
shocking to modesty and refinement: this,
however, is a necessity with all unclean things;
and if in this case it is necessary to the devel
opment of truth, in the name of humanity
and religion, I say, let it come. Surely, those
who so far forget themselves as to engage in
so immodest an indulgence, can possibly bring
their minds to look at what they repeatedly
do; and those whose religion and gentility
have lifted them above so corrupting a prac
tice will, 1 am sure, exercise a becoming
charity towards the reformer, who will use
any honest effort to revolutionize society and
the church upon a point so radically wrong.
There are various reasons why the effort
should be made. The hold which the evil is
getting upon society and the church is suffi
cient in itself. We may regard the day as
not far distant when those who have not
learned “to trip the light fantastic toe” will
be shunned as coarse and vulgar —epithets by
no means to be desired by ladies and gentle
men of intelligence and general culture. In
addition to the general encouragement given
to it as a necessary social pastime, it is being
embodied in the general regulations of a num
ber of our schools, and is being made an ele
ment of education. As such, Baptists encour-
age dancing, not simply by the patronage
extended the schools, but that which is given
to the dancing feature especially. Baptist
ministers are guilty of this charge. “ Hand
ignota loquorf Church members, whose con
sciences will not allow so great an inroad at
once, indulge their children in a social dance
at home, under the superintendence of a very
dear friend, that they may learn that grace
and elegance of manner so necessary to an
introduction into polite society. A number
of Baptist ministers in the State and out of it
encourage this social feature, as not only al
lowable, but-desirable. At least one religious
denomination bas done the next thing to em
’ bodying it in their creed. Altogether, 1 think
there never was such a state of unrest —people
struggling with their consciences and duty.
These facts are surely enough to demand the
truth. We are miserably in the dark. “Sive
dolo, sen jam sic fata ferebant Some body
is greatly in error, and it is high time for us
to know who it is.
1 hope, for the good of the church and the
information of the people, you will invite men
of authority, by reason of their intelligence
and illustrated piety, to settle this matter, and
let us know at least how far the “ hugging
institution ” can be patronized without “ the
least appearance of evil.” N.
Protracted Meeting's.
Th : s subject is just now claiming the atten
tion of a large number of our brethren, espe
cially in our chuisches South; and many
articles have appeared in the religious press,
strongly opposing and denouncing as injurious
in the extreme, the whole protracted meeting
system. The principal objection, and the
only one, indeed, of special importance, is the
very objectionable manner in which such
meetings are sometimes conducted; and
which every one must see is not an argument
against the system or practice itself, but sim
ply against the abuse of what otherwise might
have proved, as it has done in so many in
stances, a very desirable thing, and a very
great blessing. If the abuse of any thing is
to be regarded a sufficient reason for its re
jection and total abolishment, then it may be
asked with great propriety, what blessing can
be retained? for have not all our privileges
and blessings, and many of the instrumental
ities placed in our hands fordoing good, been
miserably abused by us? This point is too
plain to need elucidation. All can see and
understand it.
But, it is urged that the protracted meeting
system is of very recent origin; that such
was not the practice of the primitive churches,
or of those of more recent date, until within
the past few years. Admit this, for the sake
of the argument, and what does it prove?
Why, simply this; that every expedient or
agency for the accomplishment of gpod, which
has not been practiced from the days' of the
apostles till now, must be rejected as highly
injurious to the success and permanent pros
perity of the churches. But, this can avail
the objector nothing at all, for it proves too
much. Admit the argument, and it would
apply with equal force against our colleges,
missionary boards, Sabbath schools, and many
more of our most important denominational
enterprises; for they have not always exist
ed, nor have they been fully and always
sanctioned since their adoption. Have not as
many objections been urged against our col
leges, boards, Sabbath schools, etc., as are
now being urged against protra< ted meetings X
But these agencies have been continued, and
the Divine blessing has continued to rest upon
them—and why ? Simply because they have
proved great blessings to the churches—glo
rious instrumentalities for the accomplishment
of good. And here we ground our argument
for their support. We need not go back to
the primitive churches, or the churches of any
subsequent time, to ascertain what measures
or expedients we shall adopt for the success
ful prosecution of our work, so long as our
practices violate no command, precept, or
ordinance enjoined in the teachings of the
only King in Zion. If we find that the prim
itive churches convened in private houses, in
the wilderness, in caves, or other places, we
shall by no means regard this as an argument
against our custom of building houses, set
apart, for the public worship of the Almighty.
The great Teacher did not object to preaching
in the temple, or Paul in the syuagogues.
They preached in private and in public places.
And when the disciples were scattered abroad
by persecutions, “they went everywhere
preaching the gospel.” Be it remembered,
also, that they held protracted meetings: es
pecially did the apostle Paul, the great evan
gelist, hold such meetings, some of which
seem to have been protracted to great length—
much longer than any modern meeting of the
kind of which we have any knowledge. But,
if it still be urged as an objection, that the
present system of protracted meetings is of
recent origin, let it be remembered that our
present system of public worship, preaching,
etc., is not of very ancient origin ; and if we
are anxious to find objections, after we have
done with protracted meetings, we may turn
our attention to this and other matters of
equal importance. There need be no end to
them, if objections are what we are after.
But surely our time and talents can be em
ployed to better advantage.
The question to be discussed is this: Are
■protracted meetings a curse or a blessing to the
churches? What is the experience of our
brethren in the ministry on this subject?
There are, doubtless, instances where pro
tracted meetings have been so conducted as
to prove curses to the churches; but are not
these exceptional cases, or are such the usual
results? Where these meetings have been
wrongly conducted, or abused, of course the
results have been injurious; but are such
meetings usually conducted in such a manner
as to result in evil and not good? What say
our brethren ? Will not their testimony show
that in nine cases out of ten, or ninety-nine
in a hundred, protracted meetings in their
churches have resulted in great good, and
proved lasting blessings to the cause ? And
if we will but make a few inquiries and ob-
servations, we shall be astonished at lie pro
portion of the membership of all our churches
brought in during protracted or r*#fijal sea
sons.-•
But as the whole system is held to be a
mere expedient, a means or agenpy, which
may be adopted or not, at the any
of our churches, the matter might & e rest,
if it were not repeatedly urged that it wtould
be better, infinitely better to dispense with
the practice altogether, and to rely esausive
ly upon the ordinary services of the-Churches
for the accomplishment of all the ’Results
proposed to *be effected through special or
protracted efforts. This depends entirely
upon circumstances, and cannot, as a matter
of course, be made of uniform application.
In some cases it might be better, in others it
would not. In some of our city churches,
where services are%eld much ofteoer than in
the country, the necessity for protracted jpeet
ings may not sp great. but U&.,
them such meetings have proved.very t’g'fful,
and in very many others they are ffdfr giftotly
needed. Every church with its pastor 'scout
petent to decide when it is proper
meetings, and just how long they shall ©rip
tinue, and no other church or minister has
the right to interpose -the slightest objection,
so long as “ass tilings are done decent H-and
in order,” no law or ordinance of our holy
religion being violated.
The propriety, however, of such meetings,
their advantages and disadvantages, can ®nly
be determined by comparison. Are the
churches more prosperous under this system
than they were without it? This is the ques
tion to settle. What is the experience ofthe
brethren ? Let them speak. And let them
remember anti-protracted meeting time* as
anti-missionary times, when many of our
churches were opposed to colleges, Sabbath
schools, etc., and then say whether the church
es have been more prospered without or \ith
the protracted meeting system.
It is easy enough to ridicule the
thing—to cry out against the clapping of the
hands; loud and boisterous exclamations, >tc.,
as if these were the peculiar character! tics
of protracted meetings, when they are in fact
the exceptions to the rule, and the abuse <*f a
means God has owned and blessed in the
salvation of hundreds and thousands of pre
cious and immortal souls.
A. B. Millerl
Memphis, November 29, 1867.
“Trust in the Lord.”
“ Can’t you trust, Mary; can’t you twst
Him /”
“ Oh! I wish I could: I wish I had your
child like, implicit faith in God. How jid
you ever learn to be so confiding, so full of
trust?”
“By every day experience; by >f.
God at all times and under all circumstances*
and never, in the whole course of my Chria
tian life, have I found Him once to fail me.”
“You don’t mean, dear friend, that when
you go to God, your trouble is removed, or
your burden, whatever it may be, is lifted ?”
“ No, my dear, 1 do not mean that: I do
not expect God to remove the trouble or lift
the burden. He has said : ‘Call upon me in
the'day of trouble and I will deliver thee,’
‘Cast thy burden upon the Lord and He shall
sustain thee,’ —and He does just what He
says. He delivers by causing us to pass
safely through the trouble, whatever it may
be; and He sustains us under the burden by
giving us strength to endure. What I mean
by passing safely through, is that our spiritu
al nature is unharmed; we are delivered from
all evil consequences, and the trouble, instead
of hardening, has a wholesome, sanctifying
influence upon the character and life. Per
haps if I were to illustrate from some circum
stance in my own experience, you would
better understand my meaning, and before
doing that, it may be as well to let you a
little into the history of my every day, inner
life.
“ It is my custom to go to God with every
thing that tries me, whether it be great or
trifling; indeed, I often find little trials re
quire stronger powers of endurance than
heavier ones. If some slight act in a friend
has wounded me; if an unkind, thoughtless
word on my part, has alienated a friend ; if
my purse is low, or if I am in want of funds
for some necessary purpose, no matter what,
I take all to God, and always find rdief, sup
port, and comfort just in proportion to my
necessities. His boundless skill meets every
care. On the other hand, whatever pLases
me I take to God also. As I go with my
troubles, so I do with my joys, for it is just
as necessary to have strength to bear pros
perity, as it is adversity. In my case it re
ally seems more so, for while the one makes
me lean upon, the other inclines me from
God.
“ Well, some time during last summer
there came upon me very suddenly a most
heavy, bitter trial. So unexpected was the
blow, so severe, that for a time l was com
pletely crushed and bowed to the earth; but
no earthly friend could comfort me, and I
rose up and carried my trouble to my Father.
I knew it was His hand had dealt the blow,
and though I could not see why, I felt there
must be some reason for it—some purpose in
view, and I prayed Him just for strength to
bear it. I was most wondrously delivered,
not by having the trouble removed, for noth
ing short of a miracle could have undone the
mischief that caused it; but delivered from
the dread of whatever bearing it might have
upon the future; delivered from the bitter
sting, and I came out from the night time of
that sorrow a better, a wiser, and I trust an
humbler woman. But that was not all. My
trust in His power to deliver was strength
ened, so that each succeeding trial found me
more ready to rely upon Him. It is your
privilege, Mary, to have this implicit trust in
God, and not your privilege only, but it is
your duy, and now is the time to exercise this
trust. You are troubled about your future
prospects; you say every thing looks dark ;
that times, instead of getting better, will
grow worse, and sometimes you actually fear
you and your little ones-will want for bread.
Now, if you believe that God overlooks all
things-: that He directs all your ways, has a
hand in every occurrence of your life, and
moreover, is fully able to take care of you,
then you have no right to indulge in these
gloomy apprehensions.”
“ I know it is wrong; f feel it to be so, but
when I see every thing going against me;
when the very friends I put the most confi
dence in fail me, and I am left to battle and
struggle alone, it seems almost impossible to
look up and trust.”
“ Yes, it does seem, and no doubt is, hard
to do, from the fact that you look to every
other source for comfort, before you turn to
God. You lean upon this prop, and that one,
and find them all to be broken reeds, and then
because man fails, you fear to trust your
heavenly Father. You forget His unchanga
ble nature; that His love depends not upon
the good that is in you, or the consistency of
your daily walk, but comes through Christ,
and is the same ‘yesterday, to-day, and for
ever,’ You must not look so far ahead. Do
your duty for to-day, and trust to-morrow
and next week in God’s hands. If you will
first commit all your matters to His care, He
will* firing every thing right; your pathway
will be smoothed along gradually, and what
in the distance appears like a huge mountain
of trouble, a burden too tremendous for your
puny shoulders, on nearer approach will sink
into insignificance. Try to trust God for
every day’s support, and lean upon him every
step you take. Consider yourself as a little
child being led by a Father’s hand. The way
is rough and thorny, but your kind Guide
knows every step. Whenever it is necessary
He will pick the smoothest path : when not,
you must still follow on, and your torn and
bleeding feet will be no evidence that He has
let go your hand. Trust Him all the time,
when the clouds lower and when the sun
shines. Don’t waste your time, my dear
child, mourning over what is lost in the past,
or sighing about the future and the gloomy
prospects in store for our children. All God
asks of us is to perform our duty, and leave
-Results to Him. Let us act our parts well,
do every thing with an eye to Ilis glory, and
then trust the future to His care. I think
one reason why it is hard to exercise trust, is
that our wills are unsubdued. We want
that our wills are unsubdued. We want
thiugs to turn out a certain way, and if God’s
will in the matter coincides with ours, we can
trust, but if He sees fit to order otherwise,
we are unwilling to submit, and therefore
can’t trust Him. Trust and submission go
together. When you go, Mary, with your
cares, anxieties, and perplexities to God, try
to carry with you a submissive spirit, a dis
position to be reconciled to His will, whatever
that may be, in ordering the result. Keep
thie matter- m your mind; think about -it*?
talk of it, read every portion of Scripture
that bear upon it, and you will soon find it
to be an easy, pleasant task to trust in God".
‘Blessed is that man that maketh the Lord
his trust.’” Aunt Edith.
Christ, aud Christ only, Saves.
Take a familiar illustration, familiar to all
of you. Look at that locomotive as it snorts
like a giant war-horse to its place in the station
at the head of the train. You have in that
engine, power of amplest capacity to drag at
swiftest pace the far-stretching carriages. Boil
er, tubes, pistons, fire, steam —all are in perfect
order; and that broad-browed, lamping-eyed,
a dust man gives assurance of tried ability to
guide the charge .committed to him. You
look : carriage after carriage is filled, the hour
has struck, the bell rung, and yet there is no
departure, no movement, nor would be till
‘crack of doom,’ if one thing remained as it
now is. Aha! the lack is discovered: the
uniting hooks that bind engine and train to
gether were wanting. They have been sup
plied. Like two great hands, they have
clasped, and -a screw has so riveted engine
and carriage that they form, as it were, one
thing, one whole; and away through the dark
sweeps the heavy-laden train, with its freight
of immortals. Mark, no one ever supposes
that it is the uniting-hook, or link, or coupling,
that draws the train. A cliild knows that it
is the engine that draws it. Nevertheless,
without that hook, or link, or coupling, all the
power of the engine were of no avail; the
train should stand still forever. Exactly so,
my brethren, is it in the relation of faith to
Christ. It is not our faith that saves vs, but
Christ that saves us. Yet must faith lay hold
of Christ, else Christ avails nothing. It is a
wonder and a sorrow, that what is so palpa
ble in ordinary affairs should be so darkened
and confused in the momentous matter of the
salvation of the soul. Blessed be our God,
this is so needed hand, this ‘grace’ that ap
propriates Christ is, with Christ Himself,
‘the gift of God.’ Christ, and Christ only,
saves you. — Orosart.
Ministers’ Widows.
A rare feature in Scotch Free Church gov
ernment is a tax on ministers; and, by way
of making American theologues contented, it
may be well to speak of it. Every pastor,
upon his ordination, is compelled to pay fifty
dollars, and when he gets married, a farther
supplement of fifty dollars is demanded.
This goes to the widows’ fund. After and in
dependent of this, he must yearly contribute
thirty eight dollars to the same fund. The
married and unmarried contribute alike, so
that a life of celibacy would not exonerate
from the burden. Upon the death of any
minister, his widow is entitled to so much a
year, in addition to an allowance for each child
during minority. When a deceased minister
leaves a large family, as is most frequently
the case in this country, the income is quite
a handsome one. It surley tends to make
ministers less concerned about the future of
a helpless and dependent family, and gives
him that ease of mind and serenity necessary
to the full accomplishment of the Master’s
work.
Uses of Temptation. — When a founder has
cast his bell, he does not presently fix it in
the steeple, fiut tries it with his hammer, and
beats it on every side, to see if there be any
flaw in it. Christ does not, presently after
he has converted a man, convey him to heav
en : but suffers him first to be beaten by
many temptations, and then exalts him to hi
crown. — Arrowsmith.
Self-Government. —When we are alone,
we have our thoughts to watch, in the family
our tempers, in company our tongues. — Han
nah Moore.
Duty to Pastors.
The Circular Letter of the Washington
Baptist Association mentions, among the
requisites to acceptable prayer “to the Lord
of the harvest that lie would send forth labor
ers into His harvest, a readiness to receive
laborers on the conditions under which they
are sentand then proceeds:
One of these conditions is, that they be
received with love and esteem. Every true
minister of Jesus Christ should be held in
honor because of his calling, and not simply
because of what he may be in his own per
son, The apostle enjoins this duty upon the
Thessalonian brethren, saying: “We beseech
you, brethren, to know them which labor
among you, and are over you in the Lord,
and admonish you, and to esteem them very
highly for their work’s sake.
'Such a regard for those whom God hath
appointed to the work of the ministry, would
'lead to the second condition of acceptance —a
submissive and cooperative spirit. The work
of a Christian minister is such that he must
of necessity admonish, reprove, exhort, and,
in a measure, direct. The people of God must
be the rank and file of the forces with which'
lie is to make successful or unsuccessful war
fare for the cause of the Redeemer. He must,
in a measure, have the rule; and in order to
success, those who are on the Lord’s side
must obey, and be ready and valiant to per
form the work to which he calls. On this
point, also, the apostle saw fit to exhort the
Hebrews, to “obey them which have the rule
over you, and sufimit yourselves; for they
watch for your souls as they that must give
account.”
The last condition we shall mention on
which the Master sends His laborers into the
vineyard is, that they are to live from the
vineyard; or, in other words, that those to
whom they are sent arc required to make
prompt and adequate provisions for their sup
port.
In the Mosaic economy, the tribe of Levi
were prohibited from having any inheritance
in the land of Canaan; but the Lord said :
“ Behold, I have given the children of Levi
all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance for
their service which they serve, even the
service of the tabernacle of the congrega
tion.” Even so, in the Gospel economy,
the Great Head of the church “ has ordained
that they which preach the Gospel should
live of the Gospel.” They are set apart from
the various avocations by which men obtain
a livelihood and gain wealth, to the peculiar
work of preaching Christ, and are to live by
those to whom they minister. If, then, this
fundamental condition be violated, there must
as a necessary xesult be both a withdrawing
and withholding of ministers. This was clearly
illustrated in our Saviour’s instruction to His
apostles, when He sent them out to preach in
all the cities whither He himself would come.
He told them: “ But into whatsoever city ye
enter and they receive you not, go your ways
out into the streets of the same, and say,
Even the dust of your city which cleaveth on
us we do wipe off against you.” Now, it is
but too evident, that there is among our
churches an alarming negligence with respect
to this condition of the ministry. Exceptions
there are, and honorable ones: yet the pinch
ing poVej'ty of a large part of our pastors
testifies that this condition of our Lord is’not
fully met. Its effects can not be better de
scribed than by quoting a recent writer in the
London Baptist Freeman. He says : “ This
poverty works evil to the ministry and the
churches in many ways. It makes otherwise
bold men cowardly, and clothes them with
shame-faced ness. A thread-bare coat, and
other garments to match, exert a depressing
influence upon the wearer, and move the on
looker to pity, rather than to respect. The
pastor’s wife and children go ill-clad, and the
cast-off raiments of ‘ the chief families ’ at
the chapel reappear on the members of the
minister’s family : with what effect upon the
gay and thoughtless need not be pointed out.
* * * Many a library has been thinned
by advancing years, sickness, or school bills,
or some other extra, involving calls which
can only be honestly met by selling the best
volumes on the book-shelves. This is not the
worst. Credit is given by the friendly grocer.
* * * Occasionally some exceptional ex
pense absorbs a whole quarter’s income.
Debt is the necessary result of this state of
things. The debtor is servant to the creditor,
and the creditor, when his claim is of long
standing, is strongly tempted to look unfavor
ably on the debtor. How can there be a
healthy relation between the indigent preacher
and his shop-keeping hearer when the bills
are unpaid, and the balance against the pastor
increases year by year? Debt crushes the
life out of many a poor minister, hangs like
a mill-stone about his neck, paralyzes his
power, and is the source of innumerable evils
both to him and the church over which he
presides.”
Now, the result of this is that the minister
is broken down, and obliged to leave in dis
graceful poverty for a more lucrative field.
And it does not compass the evil to say that
they preach for money, and go where they
can get the most of it, because a personal ne
cessity compels them to obey the Divine in
junction, “ When they persecute you in one
city, flee ye to another;” for while the people
of God increase in goods, their ministers are
forced to leave because they can (?) no longer
support them. While they dwell in finished
and furnished houses, the pastor can often find
no place to shelter his family. And then, when
through such privations his life has been
spent, and the vigor and strength of manhood
are gone, he is called “ too old ,” and rejected
by the churches—obliged to enter some other
occupation, or spend his last years in want
and poverty.
Brethren, we write not thus upbraidingly,
but sadly, feeling that while such are the re
sults to the ministry, it reacts with fearful
effect upon the churches themselves. Breth
ren and sisters whouire destitute of the means
of grace, set apart of your substance: make
provision for the support of whoever may
come to break unto you the bread of life;
and then wait in prayer to see if the Lord
will not hear you, and answer your request.
Churches having pastors, bring in your tithes
and offerings; give them the means to remove
the debts which so crush their spirits, and fill
them with anxiety and shame, and you will
impart new life and courage to them, and
they will minister at God’s altar with more
tenderness and love.
There are no Trifles. —“A few drops of
water, more or less,” says Victor Hugo,
“ prostrated Napoleon.” lie meant that the
battle of Waterloo was begun at eleven o’clock
in the morning, because there was rain on the
previous night, and Napoleon could not move
his artillery over the heavy mud plain until
near noon, and that five hours’ delay turned
the fate of Europe; for Blucher did not ar
rive with his allies till the forces of the Iron
Duke were all but defeated.— Foss.
Prayer. —lt seems to me that Payson
caught a glimpse of the value of prayer when
he said, as he stood near the kingdom of glory,
that if he was permitted to return to the earth
again, he would spend the half of his life in
prayer.— Stuart.
WHOLE NO. 2360.
The Unprofitable Servant.
In a napkin smooth and white,
Hidden from all mortal sight,
My one talent lies to-night.
Mine to hoard, or mine to use,
Mine to keep, or mine to lose;
May I uot do what I choose ?
Ah! the gift was only lent,
With the Giver’s known intent,
That it should be wisely spent.
And I know He will demand
Every farthing at my hand,
When I in His presence stand.
What will be my grief and shame,
When I hear my humble name,
And cannot repay His claim 1
One poor talent—nothing mores
All the years that have gone o’er
Have not added to the store.
Some will double what they hold,
Others add to it teu-fold,
And paj back the shining gold.
Would that I had toiled like them 1
All my sloth'l now condemn ;
Guilty fears my soul o’erwhelm.
Lord, O teach me what to do!
Make me faithful, make me tiue,
And the sacred truJ, renew.
Help me, ere too late it be,
Someth ! ng yet to do for Thee,
Thou who hast done all for me..
-—Advocate and Guardian.
Christ. —The following beautiful and de
vout apostrophe of praise, as addressed to the
Saviour, is from the recently published lec
tures of Rev. Mr. Liddon, and delivered at
Oxford in defence of divine worship to Christ:
“ Eternal Jesus! it is Thyself who hast
bidden us either to despise Thee or worship
Thee. Thou wouldest have us to despise
Thee as our fellow-man, if we will not wor
ship Thee as our God. Gazing on Thy hu
man beauty, and listening to Thy words, we
cannot deny that Thou art the only Son of
God Most High; disputing Thy divinity, we
could no longer clearly recognize Thy human
perfections. But if our ears hearken to Thy
revelations of Thy greatness, our souls have
already been won to Thee by Thy truthful
ness, by Thy loveliness, and by Thy love.
Convinced by these, Thy moral glories, and
Thy majestic exercise of Thy creating power,
we believe and are sure that Thou hast the words
of eternal life. Although unveiling Thyself
before Thy creatures, Thou dost stand from
age to age at the bar of hostile and sceptical *
opinion, yet assuredly from age to age, by the
assaults of Thine enemies, no less than in the
faith of Thy believing church, Thou art justi
fied in Thy sayings and art clear when Thou
art judged. Os a truth Thou art the King of
Glory, O Christ; Thou art the Everlasting
Bon of the Father.”
A, Word to City Churches. —Rev. Mr.
Wells, one of the Scotch delegates to the
Presbyterian General Assemblies last May,
made the following remarkable and instruc
tive statements with reference to city evan
gelization in Scotland; “In all our large
cities no church is considered as having done
its duty until it hits planted a congregation in
some degraded district within its jurisdiction.
With them parentage is the measure of honor.
Every church must be a motherchurch. And
these mission churches are not small. One
that I am acquainted with has now 1,110 on
its list of membership, while seven years ago
it had but 110. And what is more, this
church has become the parent of another
church which has now a membership of JWO:
The city of Edinburgh, with a population of
140,000, has nine churches established in this
manner. Glasgow has 58 free churches, of
which number 15 were established by mis
sion work. One of these has been the parent
of three others, with an aggregate member
ship of 2,500. This work has been the sheet
anchor of the Free Church of Scotland.”
A Needed Meeting. —Dr. Way land seems
to have thoroughly understood the philosophy
of the Christian life, both personally and col
lectively, as identified with service for Christ.
As remarked in his memoir, he often alluded
to the fact, that in most of our churches one
evening in the month is devoted to hearing
an account of the labors of Christian people
in heathen lands for the conversion of souls,
and that this is usually the most interesting
meeting. “Why,” he asked, “do we not
meet to hear what we are doing for the cause
of God at home ? Why do we not, at least
once a month, learn from our own members
what labors they have engaged in to save
their neighbors, to reclaim the vicious and
wandering, etc. ?” What an “ institution ” a
monthly concert of that sort might be ! Sup
pose some of the churches try it. — Christian
Secretary.
Praise. —The pastor of a large church lately
said, “ If forced to avow what is my growing
conviction, it would be this: we never shall
know the joys of the sanctuary until there be
poured out upon us anew baptism in regard
to fellowship of adoration, love and praise.
How new a face would instantly be put upon
our solemn gatherings, if whole assemblies,
as the heart of one man, were touched with
the apprehension of a present God, and not
only individually, but jointly, were sending
up the volume of sanctified harmony, some
times in tender moanings, like the dove,
sometimes in the profoundest awe, sometimes
in rapturous joy, but all together and all ac
cordant, not a heart unmoved, and not a voice
silent!” Oh for such pre-libations of heav
enly bliss, where all is lofty, joyous, and
perpetual praise!
A Right Motive.t-You have seen a stag
nant pool covered with green slime and the
home of noisome things. Suppose you set
up on one side of it a reel of the finest silk
and carefully conduct the silk through the wa
ter, and then, standing opposite the reel, you
draw the fine thread to you. You will thus
make a current very slight indeed, but suffi
cient, if you continue it, to bring, little by
little, every part of that pool into line with
your thread, and by such motion make the
waters more healthful. Sometimes our life
is stagnant. It is always so in the absence of
some controlling motive. If you can get
that motive, if you can put a purpose fine as
silk through your life, you give it what shall
make it better.
A Question. —Dr. Way land was a pupil
of Prof. Stuart, at Andover. Professor Stu
art had urged with much emphasis the state
ment that the form of baptism is entirely im
material, and that the temper of heart in the
subject is the only matter of moment. “If
such is the case,” asked the pupil, “with what
propriety can baptism be administered to
those who cannot be supposed to exercise any
temper of heart at all, and with whom the
form must be every thing?” a question we
venture to suggest, which will bear asking a
great many times.
Reading the Scriptures. —Suppose you
have only a few moments every day. One of
the holiest men I ever knew, never read more
than five or ten verses at once. Every verse
had so broad and many-sided a signification,
that a few words gave him as mental
food as he could bear at one time. Through
out the day they came upon him in all th«r
various applications and shades of meaniug,
as circumstances placed him now in one posi
tion and now in another.