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• jf' • * vv* a I***, ' ' * £ * CHRISTIAN INDEX AND SOWTH-WESTERN BAPTIST. VOL. 46-NO. 40. A RELIGIOUS AND FAMILY PAPER, Published weekly in Atlanta, oa. J. ,T. TOON", Proprietor. TEBMS: For one year. (50 Nos. m a volume). 00 i For six months 2 00 ! For three months 1 00 To any Minister of the Gospel we will send the j paper one year for $3. Subscriptions invariably in advance. Remit tances carefully made, at the risk of trie Proprietor. ADVERTISING RATES. One square (8 lines) one insertion ...$1 00 For a longer period than one month, a discount of 33J per cent, will be made. ■» 7r-sf~ In no case will advertisements be inserted with out payment in advance Persons at a distance wish ing to advertise can mark the number of squares they wish lo 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. 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.