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158
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J. J. TOON, - • • ■ Proprietor.
Bov. D. SHAVER, D.D., Editor.
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 12, 1867.
The Testimony of an Enemy.
We have a notable example, in proof that
“Liberal” Christianity kindles no ardor fer
the evangelization of the pagan world. A
large proportion of the culture, wealth and
enterprise of New England allies itself with
Unitarianism ; and yet, —while surrounding
denominations have ‘ made this work one of
their very most important agencies, s —New
England Unitarianism has been content with
“a solitary, feeble mission” among the five
hundred million heathens of the human race.
As if to indulge its single standard-bearer,
who is reputed to have “ rather a passion for
self-denial,” in this remarkable peculiarity,
it, quite as remarkably, sends out to him,
from year to year, only “a pittance, which 5
(according to one of the speakers at a recent
Boston meeting) “ would not supply the three
months’ wind for the music of the vesper
service in some of our city churches !” Rev.
Dr. Gannett, at that meeting, said:
“You may speak to our people upon any
other religious enterprise, you may offer to
them any other field of Christian effort, you
may touch their hearts by an appeal to any
other charitable emotion, sooner than you can
inspire them, or, until very recently, could
have inspired them, with confidence in foreign
missionary work, it has been so from the
beginning, and it is a fact not difficult of ex
planation. I need not go over the ground of
the early missionary labors of the other re
ligious bodies, but they were so conducted,
not with the wisdom which we have just heard
they have learned by experience, but with a
sanguine enthusiasm, and a reckless disregard
of circumstances, opinions, prejudices, ob
structions, as to create a strong belief, on the
part of Unitarians, that all that work was
wasted ; and up to this time, I suppose, many
persons, many of our thoughtful, judicious,
cautious gentlemen, who wish to know whith
er their money is going, and how it will be
spent, regard all appropriations for foreign
missions somewhat as they would regard a
scheme for speculation in petroleum grounds,
or in gold mining. Here and there an oil
well may satisfy the hope and enrich the
pocket of those who engage in the speculation,
but the probability is, that the money invest
ed will be a dead loss.' 5
Now, whatever testimony comes from such
a quarter, enforcing the position that evan
gelical missions have been a success, and that
their history “ ought to confirm our faith, not
suggest doubt and create scepticism,” de
serves special consideration. It is the tri
umph of truth over prejudice, in perhaps its
worst form, the prejudice of sect. It bespeaks
the might of the facts which could stir even
unwilling “ souls with the sense of duty and
the belief of opportunity.” Take, then, the
witness borne before that Unitarian meeting,
by Mr. W. T. Brigham, a layman, who has
spent several years abroad, in lands which
have become the scene of missionary effort.
He gives the result of observations made un
der the influence, at the outset, of a bias
against this cause, that might naturally have
shaped his verdict into one of condemnation :
I confess to you that, four years ago, I
believed, as many Unitarians believed, that
foreign missions were useless and absurd ; or,
at least, were only useful to teach people how
to open their purses. I thought that mission
aries were a fanatical, narrow-minded set of
men, who could get no parishes or societies
at home, and went off to foreign lands be
cause they seemed to have no other work.
But a residence of a year and a half on the
Hawaiian islands was enough and more than
enough to undeceive me. I found there a
band of missionaries who, in about forty
years, have raised a whole people from the
lowest depths of barbarism to a civilized con
dition that we might be proud of in New
England. I had heard so many stories of the
deceit, hypocrisy and tyranny that these mis
sionaries practiced upon the unsophisticated
natives, that I really believed them. I did
not know then, as I do now, from what sour
ces those stories came. Since then I have
been in the houses, and have lived in the fam
ilies, ot most all the thirty missionaries who,
with their predecessors, have effected this
great work, and can bear my testimony, and
I do it gladly, and will do it any where, that
I have never met a purer, more devoted and
truer band of men than these same foreign
missionaries, sent out by the American Board.
Os course I need not refer to the work they
have done there. It is the grandest example
of foreign mission work that the world has
ever seen, perhaps, and might be the text for
very many sermons; but I think it is familiar
to all. After that, wherever I went 1 looked
for the missionaries. 1 found the Presbyte
rians, the Congregationalists, the Episcopali
ans, the Baptists, all with their men in the
field. Rome, too, was sending her devoted
bands, working nobly.”
All the speeches delivered at that meeting,
in fact, breathe the same strain of confidence
as to the efficiency and success of missions
under “ Evangelical ” auspices.* And when
those who reject the Evangelical faith thus
recognize its power over the heathen, as a
“great and glorious” historic verity, shall
we who hold that faith, weakly yield to the
spirit of distrust? Shall we question wheth
er, in benighted nations, ‘ souls may be
snatched from barbarism, superstition, moral
ruin and spiritual death, to taste the salvation
that comes through Jesus 5 and brings Jesus
with it? Shall we stand in doubt whether, if
this work is prosecuted with vigor, souls may
be admitted to “ the liberty of the glory of the
children of God,” and ‘gathered intothegranary
of heaven, to welcome us to their own joy and
their Master’s joy ?’ Surely such incredulity
must greatly shame us, when even “ Liberal ”
Christians concede “ the blessed success ”
which has crowned our foreign missions with
precisely these fruits in the past? Away,
then, with misgiving.
Not only so: Unitarians are taking a step
forward in this matter. They are arousing
themselves to renewed interest and effort in
the foieign missionary enterprise. Shall we,
then, relax our “labor of love and work of
faith” —we, who more clearly see the hope
less undoing of the race without the gospel?
Shall we cease to proclaim to the imperilled
*■ Even Dr. Gannett said, of tbe mission to the Sand
wich Islands: “With all the faults that have marked
the history of that mission, with ail the failures that
hare been recorded, with all tbe disappointment which
we still feel in the character of tbe people, with the de
population which has doubtless gone on, still, it has
been a great and glorious work, it has been crowned
with great and blessed success. A nation rescued from
the depths ol heathenism, and Christian churches plant
ed upon pagan soil, which now send over the South
Seas the light of the gospel, and send back to America
contributions to help us sustain our missions on Chris
tran ground;”
THE CHRISTIAN INDEX AND SOUTH-WESTER BAPTIST: ATLANTA, GA„ TH PRSDAY, DECEMBER 12,1867.
and perishing the name of Christ, ‘ the Mani
festation of God and the Model to mao, the
Authority for truth and the Saviour from sin ?’
Shall we repress the sense of that obligation
which is ‘as sacred as the Divine will and as
intimate as personal consciousness’ —at once
a mandate from the Throne, and a law, a
life rather, in the heart? Shall we refuse to
follow the steps of those “ martyrs for God,”
the story of whose toils and sufferings among
the Gentiles “ is a persuasion, almost a com
mand to us, to sacrifice our selfishness in be
half of our fellow-men ?’ All principles and
all impulses that are Christian, unite to forbid
it. It must not be.
May we not say, in your name, Southern
Baptists, It shall not be? To answer, No,
is to run the risk of ‘loosening your whole
religious life from its anchors.’ For, Rev.
Dr. Murdock, though speaking only for our
Northern brethren, spoke what is true for
ourselves also, when he said that “foreign
missions are the very life of the denomina
tion.”
The Sabbath School.
“Jerusalem was destroyed,” says the Tal
mud, “because the instruction of the young
was neglected.” And dark as have been the
fortunes of the South, the past few years, ‘ a
worse thing will come to us 5 if we are guilty
of neglect in this matter. The religious train
ing of our children is, more than ever, a mani
fest and imperative necessity. Society, for
the generation that grows up under the influ
ence of revolution, is ‘like a vast caldron,
filled with glowing and melted matter, 5 which
may boil over and, with desolating tide, sweep
away every structure reared by the patriot
ism or piety of better days, unless a timely
care and an unwearying diligence provide
proper channels for it. The ground-swell,
when the gale has ceased, is more fatal to
heedless craft than the gale itself; and we
might almost say that war and convulsion
strike their heaviest blow after they are over —
for, then comes the growth of manifold mis
chiefs, from the seeds sown by negligence,
amid storms of strife, as to the mental and
spiritual culture of childhood and youth.
With this conviction, it is incumbent on us to
give re-doubled attention and effort to these
interests. We must feel, as the Talmudists
felt, (if we may quote them again,) when they
said, “ Even for the rebuilding of the Temple,
the schools must not be interrupted.”
In the light of sueh views, we have been
struck with the sound practical judgment
evinced by Judge David Irwin, of this State,
who, in his Charges to Grand Juries, has re
commended “ the appointment of a Sunday
School Board, composed of leading citizens,
who should canvass their counties, and, if pos
sible, establish in every neighborhood a Sun
day school.” Recent information warrants us
in saying, that the churches have responded
nobly to this suggestion, though coming from
“without.” In no Judicial Circuit in Geor
gia, perhaps, are Sunday schools so numer
ous, or so likely to prove efficient.
We think it not amiss, too, to call atten
tion to the following fact, furnished by a pri
vate note from Rev. C. C. Willis, of the
Columbus Baptist Association. He writes:
“, I have a Sabbath school at my house. A
fine group of children assemble every Sunday
evening. Myself, wife, and daughters, are
greatly interested in them. I can not get them
together at the church, as that is too far from
the greater number. lam satisfied that the
plan will work well.” We send brother W.
the lot of Primary Question Books ordered
by him ; and beg the brethren at large to
consider maturely the obligation and feasi
bility of instituting, under similar circum.
stances, these Sabbath schools at home. No
sparsely settled neighborhoods, at a distance
from houses of worship, need be without them,
or should be.
This subject is one that claims thought,
prayer, labor, self-denial, at the hands of all
who live under the power of a true love for
the country and the kingdom of Christ. There
may be something of excess in the Talmudical
saying, “The world is only saved by the
breath of the school children.” But every
week persuades us, more and more, that the
children in our Sabbath schools are the only
hope for the salvation of the South. Gather
them in, Christian men and women ! Give
them faithful, earnest, evangelical instruction.
Wrestle with God in supplication for their
early, heart-warm, life-long piety. Spare no
pains in this work; shrink from no toils. Be
worthy of the “ Great Intent,” and Grace
shall crown your endeavors with a Glorious
Issue.
The Southern Baptist Convention.
The Western Recorder, Louisville, and the
Religions Herald, Richmond, raise the ques
tion, whether the Southern Baptist Convention,
appointed to be held in Baltimore next May,
should not be postponed for a year ? The
former speaks decisively in favor of postpone
ment, on the ground that annual sessions of
the body are inexpedient, and expresses the
opinion “ that there will not be one-fourth as
large a delegation from Kentucky at Baltimore
as there was at Memphis.” The latter favors
postponement hypothetically ; that is, if “ the
failure of crops, the low r price of cotton, and
the general depression and despondency,”
leave no “reasonable prospect of a fair repre
sentation from the Southern States.”
This renders the discussion of the question
necessary. In common with our readers, we
should be glad to hear from the President of
the Convention, Rev. Dr. Mell, especially as
to the constitutional aspects of postponement;
and from Rev. Drs. Taylor, Sumner and Bit
ting, the Secretaries of the Boards, as to its ex
pediency—its probable effect on the work with
which they are charged. A prompt decision
is desirable: let it be intelligent as well—a
result most readily reached with the aid of
those whose official relation to the Convention
and official familiarity with its departments
of labor, have put the subject before the mind
in every point of view requisite to the forma
tion of a mature judgment. And, perhaps,
after all, it would be the shortest and wisest
■ course, to leave the question to be decided by
the Boards and the President.
SenßAlx,,n Fiction. “The Anti Slavery
Standard says: ‘Sy I varus Cobb has written
over fifty miles us stories for the AT. Y. Led
ger Yes: and every one of them a mile
sloping downward toward the pit!
Our Southern Zion—in Our Exchanges.
Alabama.
The Christian Herald favors the postponement
of the session of the Southern Baptist Conven
tion.—Rev. A. Van Hoose reports that during a
seven months 1 agency for our Domestic Board, he
collected $4,691.65; of which sum $2,817.40
came from Kentucky, SI,OOO from Alabama and
Georgia, $547.75 from Tennessee, $252 from Mis
sissippi, $25 from Ohio, and $7 from Texas. He
is now without employment, and we commend
him to vacant churches.
Kentucky.
Francis Jessop was ordained, Nov. 23rd, at
Cedar Creek church, Jefferson county.—Rev. N.
Lacy has accepted the pastorate of Little Bethel
church, Union county, and reports twenty-eight
accessions to it.—Rev. J. F. Martin reports twelve
additions to Lockport church; Rev. William Ben
nett, nine to Unity church ; Rev. E. L. McLain,
fifteen to Donaldson’s Creek, Trigg county ; Rev.
L. A. Smithwick, thirty-two to Tompkinsville
church; Rev. P. B. Samuels, thirty-eight to Cox’s
Creek, Nelson county ; Rev. N. Press, seventeen
to Pleasant View, Hardin county; Rev. N. G.
Terry, eighteen to Dripping Springs, Edmondson
county; Rev. j}. W. Harris, twenty-eight at Shel
byviiie, (nearly twenty of whom were from the
Sabbath school.)
Missouri.
Anew house of worship has been built for the
church at Troy, with but two or three male mem
bers; through the exertions of Rev. J. E. Welch,
about eighty years old, and living at a distance of
twenty-three miles. —Rev. A. P. Williams, D.D.,
reports twenty-one baptisms at Bethel, Saline
county ; Rev. W. H. Burnham, seven additions
to Grand Prairie, Callaway, and thirteen to Dry
Fork.—Two churches have been organized by
Rev. J. B. Carrico, in Barton county; Providence,
at Lamar, with twelve members, and Harmony,
with fourteen.
North Carolina.
Rev. E. N. Gwynn has become pastor of Mt.
Vernon and Taylor’s Spring churches, Iredell
county.—Rev. F. M. Jordan reports thirty-three
recent baptisms in his churches.
South Carolina.
Rev. L. R. Gwaltney baptized twelve recently
into the fellowship of the Edgefield C. H. church.
—The churches of Savannah River Association
reported over two hundred additions by baptism,
and many restorations. Its missionary, Rev. C.
A. Baynard, is doing a good work.
Texas.
We are not in receipt at present, (we are sorry
to say,) of the Texas Baptist Herald ; but an ex
change quotes from it the announcement of the
recent death of Rev. S. G. O'Bryan, a greatly use
ful minister, originally of North Carolina.—On
account of the terror of yellow fever, Baylor Uni
versity and Female College, at Independence, sus
pended all exercises. The Baptist State Conven
tion was postponed until Nov. 30th, to meet at
Gonzales.
Tennessee.
The editor of the Christian Herald , who has
recently visited Edgefield, says: “The prospect
for building up a strong Baptist interest here, I
think, is very good, if the brethren will unite
their energies and all work together, and sustain
brother Strode.”
Virginia.
Rev. W. S. Penick has resigned the charge of
the church at Pittsylvania C.H., and Rev. Harvey
Hatcher has accepted the charge of the Court
Street church, Portsmouth.—Rev. VV. S. Briggs
reports sixteen baptisms at Earleysville, Alber
marle county.—Byrne street church, Petersburg,
Rev. J. E. Hutson, pastor, has had a revival with
thirty-one baptisms, mostly of adults. “Professed
Universalists, Infidels, Atheists, and that hardest
class of all, theoretical and practical Nothing is ts,
are among the number. One other most solemn
and impressive spectacle was the baptism of an
entire family (father, mother, son and daughter,
all adults) all, like Lydia’s and Stephanas’ house
holds, old enough to believe, and to be addicted to
the ministry of the saints.”—Rev. J. L. Johnson
is ‘supplying’ Free-Mason Street church, Norfolk.
West Virginia.
Seventeen additions have been made recently
to Mt. Zion church, Parkersburg Association;
three to Old Town; and eighteen to Buckhannon.
(Slunjjseß of the Sftmea.
BAPTIST.
Inconsistency. —A correspondent of the
Canadian Baptist says: “Spurgeon will ad
mit to the Lord’s table those whom he would
not receive as members. He wiil recive un
baptized persons to the Lord's table because
they are members of Christ’s invisible church,
but refuse to receive them into Christ’s visible
church on earth, or give them a voice in the
‘call’ of the pastor who administers the ordi
nance, ora vote in the election of the deacons,
or of the sexton who sweeps the room where
the table is spread. ‘Know ye not that ye
shall judge angels? How much more things
that pertain to this life ?’ ” Is it for such
weakness that the New York letter-writer for
the Richmond Christian Advocate says of
Spurgeon. “ that as a preacher, he would
scarcely rank with those in the Virginia Con
ference who are ordinarily sent to stations;”
and that “ his intemperate eating and drinking
have shortened his days?” Here is either a
poor leader into the ways of open cornmunion
ism, or a sorry illustration of the charity and
courtesy prevailing among open communion
ists: ttfhich is it?
The Stomach. —The Watchman & Reflector
says: “There is more truth than sarcasm in
the proverb, ‘ The way to a man’s heart is
through his stomach.’ We once heard a man
of undoubted piety, whose praise is in all the
churches, say that he could not worship God
until he had eaten his breakfast.” Was He who
appointed, or who sanctioned, fasting in His
worship, ignorant, then, of the true way to
the heart of man, and did He require impossi
bilities from His worshippers?
The Two Sides. —Rev. J. G. Warren, D.D.,
n one of his letters from Germany, says:
“ I am, more than before, a believer in the
religion of the heart, and by all I hear and
see on this side of the Atlantic, am convinced
that our American preachers, Baptists not
excluded, aim too exclusively at the head —at
pure and simple intellect. The German theo
logians have read and thought themselves out
of all piety, most of them. God is about to
restore piety to the masses here, through the
sympathies and the affections, by begetting in
them the love of truth.” On the other hand,
Prof. Lucius E. Smith, in a recent essay, says :
“ A sermon should represent more study than
can be crowded, by the utmost economy of
work, into the week preceding its delivery. It
must be made up, as to its more important
contents, of well-ripened thought. Statements
of doctrine, vital principles, interpretations of
the difficult parts of Scripture, ought not to
be extemporized in the pulpit or in the study.”
PBESBYTEBIAN.
Cumberland Presbyterians. —Rev. E. B.
Crisman claims for this denomination about
1,500 ordained preachers, and 150,000 mem
bers.
Sacrifice for the Cause. —The following,
from the Central Presbyterian, gives some
confirmation to the opinion, that ministers are
more ddbosed to practice self-denial for the j
cause ofchrist than private members are: j
“ We h«re noticed this fall in our Synods and
Presbvjries a deplorable scarcity of lay re
presentfhves. We imagine that in most cases
they aif quite as well able iu pecuniary
strengtLto attend these meetings as their min
isters tfe."
Not’Carkikd Out. —Rev. R. L. Dabney,
D.D.,| the Synod of Virginia, said : “Our I
system Can never exhibit its full vigor, until
our church courts become Presbyterian in
fact as well as in name. The different courts
must actually govern the church, and be the
efficient media of the power delegated to her
by her Divine Head. Ministers and-congre
gationsmiust be governed, as well as individ
ual laymen.” This, we suppose, is tanta
mount to a confession that, warmly as Presby
terians denounce Independency,they never
theless act largely on its principles; as an in
stance of which the Religious Herald refers
to the fact that a Presbyteiy recently decided
that every Session sb wild be left to fix for
itself the age up to which infants may be
baptized- Still more explicit the testimony
of Rev. R. T. Berry : “ There is a malign
tendency to Individualism and. Congregation
alism.” And Ruling Elder T. J. Kirkpatrick
“agreed with Mr. Berry as to existing ten
dency toward Congregationalism.”
Ctos® in theSWfA
ern Presbyterian Review, for September, says :
“Thelermsof communion and excommuni
cation agree so remarkably in the Evangeli
cal chwches that they are really in unity on
this point; and as a consequence, intercom
munion between the members of these bodies
is very generally practised. This intercom
munion among Evangelical churches is perfect,
except in the case °f the Baptists, with whom
the only bar is a formal one, arising from cer
tain views of the sacraments; and in this
case, the different custom is not intended to
convey any condemnation of the character of
Christians in other churches, and is no bar to
Christianfellowship .” This is true and just, “the
sarcasm and invective of the young polemic,”
or of the unscrupulous, to the contrary notwith
standing. But when this writer says, “ Other
denominations have no formal tests even,” is
he not in error ? Have they not the same test
with, ourselves—foregoing baptism? And
does not this fail to separate, simply and only
because they agree in practice as to the bap
tising act and the proper subjects of it?
Pride of Sect. —Of the Presbyterian
Union Convention, Philadelphia, a correspon
dent of the Cincinnati Witness , says: “We
heard not a little (and Sometimes, I am sorry to
say, 6ven in the prayers offered) of the ‘great
Presbyterian Church.’ One would be alnfost
ready to imagine that if the churches would
only unite, she might dispense with the Spir
it’s aid—the influence of a great national
Church would be perfectly resistless.” And
at tb« General Synod of the (Dutch) Reform
ed (jhurch, Judge Bacon said: “The Presby
terian element in this country is the strongest
element within it. Its eight thousand pulpits
are a power superior to any other. It has
greater intellectual and moral and physical
force than any other denomination.”
CONGBEGATIONALIST.
Pastorates. —In a paper on this sub
ject, Yead before the English Congregational
Union Meeting, Rev. Dr. Smith said: “The
practice was common in the purest ages, and
its revival would be of great benefit to the
churches and to the future ministers.”
Tobacco. —The Chicago correspondent of
the Congregationalist says: “ One of our
Christian workers having heard a glowing
sermon, went and called upon the preacher,
and found him smoking. The filthy weed dis
sipated the admonition !” We do not know
whether the prejudice of this ‘ Christian
worker 5 most deserves to be laughed at for
its absurdity, or denounced for its wickedness;
and the reader may determine.
Church Government. —In a recent ser
mon, Henry Ward Beecher said: “It does
me good to hear people talk of church gov
ernment being so necessary to men; and no
where in the world does it do me so much
good to hear them thus talk as in America,
where the fundamental theory of the civil
government is that every man is competent
to govern himself. Men insist that in mat
ters relating to the village or town, it is com
petent to govern itself, that the county is com
petent to govern itself, that the State is com
petent to govern itself, and that the nation is
competent to govern itself; but when they
come down to the church, which is composed
usually of picked men—of the best men in
the community in which it is located—they
say that the church is not able to govern
itself: that it needs a presbytery over it, and
a synod over that, and a general assembly
over that —as if you wanted four hens sitting
on onfe set of eggs.”
Church Building. —The Congregationalists
of Vermont have expended, the past year, over
SBO,OOO in church building and repairs.
EPISCOPAL.
Vermont Episcopalians. —The Episcopal
ians have in Vermont thirty-seven preachers
and twenty-three clergymen—a net gain of
one parish and a net loss of three clergymen,
in twenty-seven years. Is that the style in
which “the church” stands in the way of “the
sects,” as Bishop McCoskry telis us? Does
it stand still ?
The Sects. —“In his recent charge to his
clergy, Primate Beresford designated the vari
ous dissenting denominations as both the
‘weakness and disgrace of the ReformAtion.’”
Instruction of the Young. —Rew. S. H.
Tyng, Jr., at the late meeting of the New
York Sunday School Instilute, said : “ After
making the children Christians, we mean, if
the Lord wills, to make them Episcopalians
too.” Why should not Baptists, then, make
Baptists of their children ?
Bishops. —Rev. J. M. Neale, in his recent
History of England, says of the American
“ Rebellion,” in 1776: “It was in a great
measure the fault of England. We were
right in the dispute; but we had been fear
fully wrong in not supplying those vast regions
with Bishops .”
Church Architecture. The rector of
“ Holy ” church, Brooklyn, in a recent
sermon, “asserted that the architect who de
signed anew spire, performed a greater ser
vice for mankind than the man who invented
a cottoif-gin or a sewing-machine.” Very ap
propriately that rector bears the name of Dr.
Little john.
Ritualists. —An English Independent min
ister describes the Ritualists as “ Roman
Catholic Methodists;” —Romanists in doc
trine, as their “People’s Hymnal” indicates
by “a dozen or more hymns, full of mawkish
sentimentalism, addressed to the ‘ Blessed Vir
gin Mary,’ and thirty-two hymns to different
saints, besides others to angels, virgins, bish-
ops and martyrs—Methodists in spirit, be
cause of their zeal and fervor and working
religious earnestness, as illustrated by the
fact that “ they are wont to ask each other
when thpy meet, “How does your soul pros
per?”
The House of Worship. —Rev. Dr. Dix,
of New York, in a late sermon, denounced
the term “ meeting-house,” when applied to a
“church,” as an affront.
METHODIST.
The Religious Press. —The Memphis
Christian Advocate says: “We know a
preacher, who intends, as soon as he can get
the names in full, to order the Christian Ad
vacate to be mailed for a year to every family
in his charge. Having done this, he will an
nounce the tact to his congregation, and tell
the brethren and friends they can pay him for
the paper, or if they prefer it, he will be
happy to present it to them. He believes
they will, for the most part, refund the money
to him ; but even if they do not, he will be
amply remunerated, not only by the conscious
ness of doing good, but from the increase
in his salary consequent upon the influence of
the paper throughout his charge. In this be
lief we agree with him, and will watch the
experiment with interest, and report in due
time.” The experiment has been successfully
tried by a pastor connected with the Synod
of Georgia, who felt that he could not dis
pense with the Southern Presbyterian as a
helper to himself; and at the recent,session of
that body in this city, he urged all other pas
tors to do likewise. Will our brethren try
the experiment in behalf of the Index and
Baptist ?
Disproportion. —The Columbia Confer
ence (Southern Methodist) reported 102 adult
and 64 infant baptisms; and an account of
revivals on Murray Circuit, Memphis Con
ference, announces 90 adult baptisms and 15
infant. The balance is against Pedobaptist
practice; and was it to draw a veil over this
fact that the North Georgia Conference, at its
recent session in this city, decided to substi
tute, in the Statistical Reports, the “ number
of adults received into the church," for the
“ number of adults baptized /”
“What Makes the Gentleman?” A
writer in the Richmond Christian Advocate
says : “ The dogma that nothing but plunging
is baptism is unreasonable, inhuman, and im
possible. The appeal to antiquity is supersti
tion, cruelty and absurdity.” It is a law in
physics that “ boiling water cannot be made
any hotter by urging the fire;” and we hope
for the sake of this seething writer, that some
such law obtains in the sphere of intellect.
Meanwhile, Baptists can pityingly pardon
him for placing them under the necessity of
saying, in the words of the Spectator: “You
have quartered all the foul language upon us,
that could be raked out of Billingsgate.”
Instrumental Music. —Bishop Simpson, at
the Lay Representation Meeting in Treinont
Temple, Boston, said “that Mr. Wesley
favored instrumental music. He had in his
possession a music-book, arranged by Mr.
Wesley, for the harp, harpischord, and or
gan.”
UNITABIAN.
A Mission without Public Worship. —A
Unitarian speaker at a recent Boston meeting,
brought out and justified the fact, that Rev.
Mr. Dali, of Calcutta, the only missionary of
American Unitarianism in the heathen world,
has no public worship even on Sunday ! He
conforms, it seems, to the habit of the Hin
doos, whose temples are in their own houses,
and whose families worship apart.
Union. —The Liberal Christian predicts
that “ fifty years hence, the Evangelical bodies
of this country will be practically one,” and
that the movement will not stop there—(a
hint that Universalism, or Unitarianism will
then absorb them). We are free to say, as
our calmest judgment, that if the “Church
Union” spirit of the day brings about the
first of these results, the door will be thus
thrown open for the entrance of the second.
DISCIPLE (“CAMPBELLITE.”)
Baptismal Remission. —ln a recent Public
Debate at Caseyville, Union county, Ky.,
Rev. J. B. Lucas, the Disciples’ advocate,
affirmed: “Baptism administered into the
name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, of
a proper subject, is for or in order to the re
mission of past sins.”
Creeds. —An Ohio correspondent of the
American Christian Review is greatly scan
dalized to find Reformers saying: “ Our inter
pretation of the Bible is our creed.” And the
Review, on this subject, says: “We have two
classes of preachers: 1. Those who try to
keep the Lord between them and the people.
2. Those who try to keep themselves between
the Lord and the people. Those of the sec
ond class can not see how a people can under
stand the word of God and use it as a creed ;
but let them come in between God and the
people, and give their interpretation of the
Word of God, then the whole matter becomes
transparent. They can see as clear as sun
beams, after your heart is taken off the Word
of God, and set on their interpretation of the
Word, how you can use that interpretation of
the Word as a creed ! Then, to be charita
ble, they admit that you can be good Chris
tians and not receive their interpretation of
the Word of God.” We think that the only
difference between these two classes of preach
ers among Reformers is, that, while both urge
their interpretation of the word of God, the
former claim for it the name of “ the word of
God,” and refuse to confess that it is only
their “ interpretation” of that word.
SFIBITU ALIST.
A Hint to Autograph-Hunters. —At a
late English “ Convention of Progressive
Spiritualists,” a Baron Guldenstubbe pro
fessed to have received a great many recent
autograph letters, not only from Napoleon I,
but also from old French kings and queens
whose remains slumber in the vaults of St. De
nis, as well as a note from Julius Caisar, and
another in the handwriting of a famous Greek
general who died five hundred years before
the Christian era.
MISCELLANEOUS.
The Negro. —The Christian Register al
leges that “ the prejudice of race is very
strong through the North and West,” and
ascribes the reaction against the Republican
party largely to this cause.
Preacuing. —The Irish correspondent of
the Nashville Christian Advocate says that
Rev. Dr. Halley, of New College, London,
“ is a most clumsy looking man; coarse in
feature, abi upt in manner, awkward in address,
and jerkful in elocution, but he always com
mands attention whenever and wherever he
speaks.” And the Church Union says, of
Rev. Dr. Armitage: “He is incomparably
one of the most successful and powerful
preachers in New York; but his voice is
shocking, his tones high pitched, his gestures
bad, and his manner somewhat of the ranting
order.” It is a comfort to know these
If nature, or disease, has denied us the graces
of the orator, thought and love may supply
the void.
Irreligion. —At a late New York City
Evangelization Meeting, Rev. Mr. Sutphen
said: “It is an extraordinary fact, but well
known, that the Anglo Saxon mind is emi
nently irreligious. There is actually in this
city more religious destitution than in Pekin.
There they have thousands of temples dedi
cated to hero worship, to ancestral, worship,
to Buddhist and Confucius worship where we
have one dedicated to our form of worship.”
“Fkknchy.” —Prof. Gunning writes from
Switzerland to the Congregationalist: “At
Leukabad, where the French go to bathe in
iodine waters, they are so Frenchy that they
sit in the bath, men and women all together, as
if it were a Boulevard, and have their tables
with wine and gossip.”
Munchausknism. —A correspondent of the
Christian Instructor, Philadelphia, professes
to find in South Carolina, “a terrible legisla
tion that condemns a man, when charged with
crime, because he is ignorant. In no State of
the Union are facilities for education so poor
as in South Carolina, and yet a man may be
cleared in court if he can show himself
able to read and write.” It is said that the
original Miinchhausen repeated the same sto
ries of h's travels so often, without the slight
est variation, that he came at length really to
believe even his most extravagant fictions,
and was highly offended if any one presumed
to doubt them. We fear that some North
erners have fallen into just that state of mind,
as regards affairs at the South.
(| omsjjaiuUnq.
Rev. S. Henderson, I).I).
This distinguished brother, so well and so
widely known as a gifted and tireless preacher
and editor, after a twenty years’ incumbency,
has retired from the pastoral relation with
the church at Tuskegee. He returns to the
region in which his youthful ministerial la
bors were expended, to Talladega county. It
is to be hoped that his usefulness may not
only suffer no detriment, but even be increased,
by a release from garrison duty, and more
frequent access to the people in all their varied
character.
The prayers of the church and the good
wishes of the community, will follow brother
Henderson wherever his path may lead. A
spotless reputation, reaching back through
nearly a quarter of a century, connected with
kindest and most Christian offices, in all the
relations of life, has left an indelible impres
sion upon the people. He has been a man
honored and beloved by all, through all this
period. Invaluable the heritage of those who
have enjoyed such a service ! Dr. Henderson’s
preaching is of no ordinary cast. Commenc
ing his great work with nothing more than
fair academic training, indefatigable study has
made him a good scholar and a profound the
ologian. His theological discussions take an
unusually wide range, and assume most varied
shapings. Freshness and originality mark
every discourse. His fault as a preacher is
too much depth and exhaustiveness. Few
men are so edifying. And he will pardon a
criticism when we add, no man is more capa
ble of simplifying, when occasion recalls the
necessity.
Should not such men be “ subsidized ” for
the great places in our Zion—the great cen
tres of influence ? Should we be quite con
tent to allow such men as Talbird, and Stur
gis, and Hillyer, and others, to retreat into
the shade, and lose in some sense and to some
degree their ripe attainments and large experi
ence? If such men, on account of family or
other causes, cost more than their less expe
rienced brethren, is that a good reason why
we should deprive ourselves of the utmost
measure of their invaluable services?
Brother Henderson was permitted to take
his adieu of his late charge under very grate
ful circumstances. A revival of several weeks
in his congregation, resulted in a considerable
addition to the numbers of the church. On
each of the last three Sabbath evenings spent
with his people, he buried in baptism a num
ber of most interesting converts. In the
forenoon of the last of these Sabbaths, at a
special communion service, thirty dear young
converts were welcomed by the retiring Shep
herd. to the table of the Lord. This touch
ing service was preceded by a thrilling sermon,
and attended by words of tenderness one
rarely hears. Then we all sang a parting
song, and took the man of God by the hand,
the last time we may ever do so. Amid a
tearful audience, bent with sadness, he took
his way down the steps of the sanctuary
whose walls had echoed with the sound of his
voice so frequently through many years.
God direct the way of our loved brother!
E. B. Teague.
From Arkansas.
Little Rock, Ark., Dec. 3rd, 1867.
Please find enclosed copies of the minutes
of three Arkansas Associations and our Con
vention.
I only attended one Association—the Caro
line. The deliberations were pleasant and, I
trust, profitable. We (the ministers present)
gave the congregation instruction on our de
nominational peculiarities. The attendance
was not as large as of similar meetings in the
old States east of che great father of waters,
but all seemed determined to rise again and
build the waste places of our Zion. This will
yet be one of those States whose power will
be known in years to come. At this Associ
ation, at Des Arc, I had the pleasure of bap
tizing Frank Blood worth, h former pupil of
mine while I was Professor of Mathematics
in Georgia. He is a son of brother S. W.
Bloodworth, of Griffin, Ga. At the same
time I baptized six others. The meeting was
continued, and seven others were afterwards
baptized. I engaged in a protracted meeting
at Searcy, which resulted in the addition of
twenty to the church by baptism. Brother
T. P. Boone is pastor.
Our community has been greatly blessed
the present year. We have had good crops
and good health throughout the State. I have
only had four funerals this year: one of them
not a member of my congregation, who died
from drink; two were little boys, who died
from imprudent use of fruit, and (he other
from typhoid fever. The rector of the Epis-
copal church, Rev. P. G. Robert, nas only
had six. We have a population of 8,000, and
nine congregations in the city.
Arkansas is now an inviting field for the
emigrant. While travelling through the yet
dense and uncultivated forests of this State,
noticing the rich prairie, and remembering
the untold and undeveloped mineral resources' ‘
and the generous offer of the Government ,
now published in our papers , of a homestead
for every family, 1 am reminded of the old
song I used to hear:
« There’s room for all creation,
And our banner is unfurled ;
Here’s u glorious invitation
To the people of the world!
Then come along, come along,
And don’t be alarmed ;
For Lucie Sam is rich enough
To give us all a farm.”
W. H. Robert.
Sunday School Association.
The Sunday School Association for the
Liberty Baptist Association, met at the Bap
tist church at LaFayette, Ala , on the 2!)thof
November. Rev. C. P. Sisson was called to
the chair, and J. A. H. Cranberry requested
to act as secretary of the meeting. After
singing and prayer, the chairman stated that
the object of the meeting was to form an as
sociation in the bounds of the Liberty Baptist
Association, for the purpose of promoting the
cause of Sabbath schools in said bounds ; to
be auxiliary to the Alabama “ Baptist Sunday
School Association.” The chairman then ap
pointed a committee consisting of Dr. J. E.
Scarbrough, Messrs. Wm. Davis and J. C.
Webb, to prepare a constitution for the Asso
ciation.
During the absence of the committee, llev.
J. F. Bledsoe, by invitation, made an address
highly appropriate to the occasion. The com
mittee reported a constitution, which with
slight alterations, was unanimously adopted.
The meeting then proceeded under the con
stitution to the election of permanent officers
for th£ body, with the following result: Rev.
C. P. Sisson, President; J. A. H. Granberry,
Secretary ; Dr. J. E. Scarbrough, Treasurer;
Wm. Davis, Vice President of the third dis
trict, Liberty Association; W. C. Webb,
Secretary; A. R. 11. Frederick, Vice President,
first district; P. M. Lumpkin, Secretary; J.
T. Seroyer, Vice President, fourth district; W.
R. Dawson, Secretary.
The body appointed the next annual meet
ing to be held at Antioch church, first district,
on Friday, before the fourth Sunday in April
next. It further agreed to send a copy of the
above proceedings to the Chambers Tribune,
and Index and Baptist, with the request that
they be published. C. P. Sisson, Ch'mn.
J. A. H. Granberry, Sec.
Convention of Churches.
Some of the churches of the Tallapoosa and
Flint River Associations, met with Enon
church, Campbell County, Saturday before the
fourth Lord’s day in November 1867. After
preaching by Elder J. S. Dodd, from 2 Tim.
iii, 16; the Convention of the churches was
organized by electing Rev. W. W. Callahan, i
Moderator, and Elder George R. Moore,
Clerk. The body being properly organized,
Elders J. S. Dodd, and J. C. Camp, stated
the causes of the Flint and Western Associa
tions not being fully represented; after which
those present decided to meet with the Fair
burn church, on Saturday before the third
Lord’s day in October, 1868. A committee
of seven were appointed to draft articles of
faith and rules of decorum, for the contem
plated new Association, and report at the or
ganization of the same. Committee, Elders
J. S. Dodd, A. B. Fears, J. C. Camp, James
Rainwater, John A. Smith, George R. Moore
and deacon Nathan Breed. Elder George
R. Moore, was appointed to preach the Intro
ductory Sermon, and Elder J. S. Dodd, alter
nate.
All the churches from the different Associ
ations contemplating being present at the new
organization, and intending to take a part in
the same, are requested to procure their letters
with the proper statistics, funds for missionary
purposes, etc ; so that all may be properly pre
pared to organize the new Association, at the
time and place appointed.
On motion, a resolution was adopted, re
questing the publication of these minutes in
the Index and Baptist.
W. W. Callahan, Moderator.
George R. Moore, Clerk.
A Word of Review and Counsel.
Bowden, Ga., Dec. 2nd, 1807.
I left Marietta in December, 1800, and lo
cated seven miles west of this place, in Cle
burne county, Alabama. I have been trying
to preach to three and four churches up to the
present year, when I was compelled to desist
in consequence of diseased lungs. I have as
sisted in the ordination of W. VV. Scarbrough,
J. Noles, J. Couch, N. Moore, A. B. Mitchell,
Uriah Posey (a relative of Humphrey Posey,)
and George Colquitt, and have baptized about
one hundred and thirty.
I found in this section but very few Bible
readers, and very few taking a religious paper.
Tue people do not act the part of the noble
Bereans to distinguish between truth and
error. I once heard Judge Hill, of Georgia,
remark that nine-tenths of the crimes com
mitted were in consequence of ignorance. It
is certainly so in reference to the laws and
statutes of the Almighty. Where the people
do not read and understand the Scriptures and
discipline that Christ and IPs apostles en
forced, you see error—yea, darkness and con
fusion in churches and communities. Will
not the condemnation of Bible sinners be ten
degrees greater than that of those who are
destitute of the precious truths of Jesus]
1 adopted the following plan to get the peo
ple to read their Bibles : I made an appoint
ment for Christmas day, and informed the
congregation that I would call upon them
twelve months from that day to know ho»'
many of them had read their Bibles through.
At Lost Creek church nine, and at i£den
twelve, responded by holding up their right
hands. 1 then called upon Eden church and
congregation to know how many had read the
Bible through the year previously ; only two
responded, which shows a gain of ten. Will
the pastors of churches and preaching breth
ren try the plan ? Make an appointment for
next Christmas, and preach an appropriate
sermon, and urge the reading of the Scriptures
for 18G8. If we can get the people to read
the Bible, we have accomplished a great work.
They would then lake your excellent paper;