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CHRISTIAN INDEX AND SOUTH-WESTERN RAPTIST. VOL. 47-NO. 10. A RELIGIOUS AND FAMILY PAPER, ' PUBLISHED WEEKLY IN ATLANTA, G-A. j. J. TOON", Proprietor. FOR TBRMB SKB FOURTH PAGE- Waymarks in the Wilderness. PISGAH. It was a pathetic spectacle, and one not de ficient in the elements of moral heroism, when Aaron, attended by son and brother, ascended in the sight of all Israel to the top of Mount Hor—a lonely peak overlooking the Dead Sea—to lay him down in his last unbroken slumber. What sadness unuttera ble must have filled the hearts of the trio, as one by one the “ holy garments for glory and foi ” were transferred by the haud of M jes from the person of the High Priest, t 'Eleazer, his successor in the sacerdotal office? What indescribable emotions must have filled the bosom of Aaron himself as he gazed downward into the desert below, upon the people whom he had borne upon his great heart for nearly forty years, in the glittering breast-plate of precious stones, —and then upon its Urim andThummim whose mysteri ous counsels and judgments he might never more unfold to the waiting congregation ? But the plains of Moab witnessed a sub llimer scene when, a few mooth* subsequent, the Great Legislator went up to the mountain of Nebo—a grander death was his on the summit of Pisgah! For a period of four decades he had enacted statutes for the gov ernment of the Hebrews, whose wisdom has entitled them to incorporation into the code of all civilized nations, and through success ive campaigns, and under circumstances the most adverse, he had established for himself a reputation which now gives him an enviable distinction among the greatest commanders in the annals of time. Never was there in one person such a union of wisdom and mod eration, of unflinching courage and self-sacri ficing humility. Os a spirit calm, and true, and bold, his character comes down to us— not in the legendary lore of oriental romance, but in the inspired language of “ holy men of God,” who “ spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost”—with but a single trans gression to mar its colossal, yet harmonious, proportions. He had attained to an age when, to most men, life would have been a burden, and to a good man, death would have been an evan gel of mercy, but disease and infirmity had not yet laid their withering hands on the ath letic form of the Great Leader. Mis head may have been “ whitened with the blossom of the almond tree,” but his eye was still undimmed, and his physical strength unaba ted. It must have been peculiarly painful that his death should occur within sight of the promised land, for many wearisome years the goal of his hopes. And tfeeu to die alone —with none of his own household about him —or the great family of Israel, to whom he had so long been as a “ nursing father,” to close his glazing eyes, or to compose his limbs in their final resting place! Ah! who can divine the conflicting sensations which rent his brave heart as he slowly wended his lone ly way to the summit of Pisgah? The long pilgrimage was about to cease. The children of Israel had reached the bor ders of their inheritance, only “ the swellings of Jordan” dividing them from “Canaan’s fair and happy land.” Moses, informed by God of his approaching dissolution, had re peated the law with its blessings and its cur ses—had rehearsed within their hearing, the story of their rebellion—not omitting his own grievous sin, and recounted the manifold exhibitions of God’s long suffering and com passion. Once again the sound of song re sounded in the wilderness—not now attuned to instrumental music as when Miriam the prophetess led forth her sisters with timbrels and with dances—but ‘ thoughts that breathed, and words that burned,’ poured in a full tide of surpassing beauty and pathos from the tongue of the prophet who, although “slow of speech,” was above all others of his gen eration, “ the old man eloquent.” Then fol lowed his parting benediction upon the seve ral tribes —his last adieu ere he was gathered to his fathers. How earnestly must the tent ed hosts have watched his departing footsteps still firm and unfaltering as in meridian man hood, as he went up “to the top of Pisgah that is over against Jericho!” How rever ently, tearfully, must they have gazed upon his receding figure, the countenance still beaming with the enthusiasm kindled by “ the ungovernable thought within,” as the triumphant exclamation sat upon the inspired lips: “ The Eternal God is thy Refuge, and underneath are the Everlasting Arms!” What a magnificent panorama burst upon the enraptured vision of Moses from the summit of Nebo! Above was the vast ex panse of ether, unclouded and serene— * “As blue as Aaron’s priestly robe appeared To Aaron when he took it off to die.” Below gleamed the white tents of Israel, dot ting the banks of the Jordan as it swept on ward with a murmurous sound, “most mu sical, most melancholy,” to the lone spectator whose sandals were not permitted to touch its brimming waters. Beyond its silver tide, stretched the “Sweet fields arrayed in living green And rivers of delight,” upon whose margins waved figs, olives, and pomegranates, more luxuriant than Eliru’s plumy palms, and in whose fertile valleys the purple vintage of Eschol blushed in the sun light. No shadow flecked the horizon to tSrnish the transcendent loveliness of the scene, and yet methinks a nimbus dark as Sheol, whose gloomy portals he was soon to tread, drifted over the saintly visage as the bitter reminiscence of Meribah haunted the chambers of memory. Yet, what a death and burial were his! In the obedience of faith Moses found himself not alone in the last agony of dissolving na ture, but He who had once said to him, “My presence shall go with thee and I will give thee rest,” was not forgetful of His promise in the dying hour. The same Voice spoke to FRANKLIN PRINTING HOUSE, ATLANTA,. GA., THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 1868. him again in accents of gentleness and love, and respondent to the summons, the great Captain ascended from Pisgash’s top “ unto Mount Zion, the city of the living God,” to be seen nevermore on earth until, emancipa ted from his unknown sepulchre in a valley of Moab, he appeared in communion with his Lord-on the Mount of Transfiguration! Not totally dissimilar is this to the Chris tian’s experience. Comparatively few, per haps, while in the vigor of health, attain to such an assurance of faith as to enjoy bright visions of glory; but when the feeble pulse and the failing desires foreshadow a speedy desceut into the regions of the dead —then it is that, like Bunyan’s Pilgrims, they sojourn in the land of Beulah, and the pearly gates of the New Jerusalem glisten in the sun shine. Yet, even in view of the Heavenly Canaan, how many Massahs and Meribahs, forgotten in the pilgrimage of life, may crowd in serried ranks upon the preternaturally quickened memory? The fearful catalogue of sins known only to himself and Him who searcheth the heart, may pass in review be fore the expiring disciple, but one backward look on the bleeding Sacrifice of Calvary, one upward glance towards the Advocate with the Father, and all his iniquities are purged away. All his life Jong his faltering steps may have tottered in the pathway of duty, Rut now', as one by one the “ fetters of the flesh ” drop off, how confident and self-possessed he ap proaches the gates of the grave, leaning upon the strong arm of the Invisible One ! Yes, blessed be God, as the departing saint nears Time’s sunset shore, the shadows are all be hind him! A halo rests upon his brow as the scroll of the Great Hereafter is unrolled before his dimming eyes, and the Dark Val ley becomes radiant by reason of the rising beams of the Sun of Righteousness! To us, as to Israel’s dying commander, there will come a period when we shall need the presence of a Divine Support. Loved ones may accompany us to the banks of the “bridgeless river,” but alone must we de scend into its chilling tide. Would wo have the glorious light from the battlements of the Celestial City shimmer over the surging billow’s, and as the waves rise higher around us, feel ourselves encircled by the Everlast ing Arms? Let us learn now the grand se cret of the life of faith contained in the Apos tle’s glowing eulogy upon the character of Moses: “For he endured as seeing llim wiio is invisible.” “Looking unto Jesus” in the hour of temptation and trial—reclining upon the promises of His word in the day of weakness and woe—relying upon Ilis atone ment and intercession for salvation—these constitute the essentials of that life of trust of which the sequel is, an ‘abundant entrance into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.’ Reminiscences of Sarepta Association. Rev. Miller Bledsdk, long a citizen of Oglethorpe county, Georgia, and a member of Salem church, (now, and for many years past, a constituent member of the Sarepta Association,) was born in Fredericksburg, Va., October 7th, 1761. He entered the ser vice of his country in the struggle for Amer ican independence, at the early age of .fifteen years, under Captain Ambrose Dudley ; who was himself a Baptist minister, and yet felt it his duty in those perilous times to take up arms in defence of his country’s rights. Dudley’s company belonged to the second Virginia regiineut. Mr. Bledsoe was detached, with others, under Col. Lee, and was present in the engagement when that officer captured the strong post of the enemy, called the Hook, in which engagement he received a bayonet wound, and was shot at so closely that he was burned by the powder while searching in the dark for the enemy. He had made repeated promises during the war, if the Lord would spare his life, he would serve Him. In 1788, he obtained a hope in Christ and joined the church in Or ange county, Va., called North Fork, and was baptized by Rev. Aaron Bledsoe, a rela tive. He soon began to preach, and was or dained in 1792, bv a Presbytery consisting of George Morris, A. Bledsoe and John Waller. In 1793 he moved to Georgia. He officia ted as pastor of Salem, Freeman’s Creek, Baird’s, and Big Creek churches, then in the Georgia Association, but contiguous to the Sarepta, in which Elder Bledsoe labored and preached much. Elder George Lumpkin, who prepared an obituary notice of him, thus writes: “ His early removal t.o Georgta ren dered it necessary that he should suffer many privations and encounter many difficulties, all of which he endured and performed without a murmur, and God blessed his labors with many souls. He was an humble, yet hon ored, instrument in building up many church es, and broke the bread of life to a large por tion of the original settlers in three or four adjoining counties. He was zealous for the truth, and earnestly contended for the faith once delivered to the Saints. He was for the last thirty or thirty-five years, pastor and minister of Big Creek church, Clark county, but for the last seven years has been confined to his house and bed, principal y with his youngest daughter and son-in-law, Whitefield Landrum.” Elder B. bore his afflictions with patience. He did not crave to live longer than it was the will of his Heavenly Father to permit him to live and suffer. Elder Bledsoe fought the battles of his country in the great Revo lution, bravely. Asa Soldier of the Cross, he fought the good fight of faith and laid down his armor and enteredMiito his rest on the 19;h day of October, 1844, in the 85th year of bis age. Rev. S. Landrum, of Sa vannah, and Rev. Malcom Landrum, of (Jglethorpe, are the grandsons of Elder Bled soe. A. C. A Pulpit Bully. —Sidney Smith speaks of a contemporary preacher who was “ too apt to put on the appearance of a holy bully, as if he could carry his point against infidelity by big words and strong abuse, and kick and cuff men into Christians.” Tlie Perpetuity of the Sabbath. Prop. —The ordinance of Heaven which im posed originally the duty of remembering the Sabbath day to keep it holy, is still in full force. The truth of the foregoing proposition will be made apparent if we can show that the in stitution of the Sabbath was founded upon the eternal fitness of things, and the immu table relations which subsist between the creature, man, and the Creator, God; and not, like the ceremonies of the Jewish law, upon the peculiarities of a particular people, or the exigencies of a particular period or age. That it was thus founded will appear from the following facts and considerations. I. In consideration of the frailties of human nature, God, in His wisdom and mercy, has ever instituted ordinances to commemorate such events in the dispensation of His provi deuce and grace as it was necessary should be kept in perpetual remembrance by the children of men. Thus, in the beginning of the present gospel dispensation, the Lord’s supper and baptism were instituted to per petuate the remembrance of the crucifixion of Christ and His resurrection from the dead, a knowledge of both of which is essential to our salvation. Under the Jewish dispensa tion, the passover and pentecostal feasts were instituted to commemorate the deliverance of Israel out of Egypt and the giving of the law at Sinai. These events it was necessary the Jews should ever keep in remembrance to enable them to fulfill the purposes for which they were called into being as a nation. But a knowledge of any or all of these events would avail but little without a knowledge of an event that occurred antecedent to them all. I allude to the creation of the heavens and the earth, and all that therein are, by llim who was with Israel in the wilderness, who died upon the cross for man, the crea ture’s sin, and rose again for his justification. Has God instituted no memorial of this first of all events-connected with His reign ou earths He has not been thus improvident. He instituted the Sabbath to commemorate the important event. Just so long, therefore, as it is necessary for us to remember that “all things were made by Him; and that without Him was not anything made that was made,” will it be binding on us to “re member the Sabbath day to keep it holy.” 11. In the institution of the Sabbath there appears to have been a secondary purpose to be fulfilled. The Lord would have us reinem ber Him, not only as our Creator, but as one who knows our frame—its frailties, capacities and necessities—and who has a merciful re gard even lior our temporal welfare. Know ing that a rest of one day in seven would be necessary to the well being of men after the fall, He anticipated their future exigencies, in the memorial He instituted to perpetuate the memory of Himself as the Author of their being and of all create,! g >od. They who have made the human frame the study of their lives have testified, with great unanimity, that man cannot endure in cessant labor—that the. divine provision of one day in seven as a day of rest was a salu tary provision—one that was and is necessary both to the health and longevity of the hu. man race. If these things be so—if man’s nature is such as to require intervals of rest, and if God instituted the Sabbath out of a merciful regard for his welfare in his fallen state, surely the Sabbath should be observed so long as the attributes of God and the na ture of man remain unchanged. Reason, then, as well as revelation, proclaim, “ Re member the Sabbath day to keep it holy.” 111. Divine rites are not. only commemora tive of past events, but are also typical of future blessings held in store for the faith ful. They are, therefore, to be observed un til the blessings typified are bestowed. The shadow (or type) is to give place only to the substance. Now, the Sabbath typifies, foreshadows that eternal rest which remains for the people of God when the wearisome days of their pilgrimage and their labors on earth shall have been closed forever. It is evident, therefore, that the institution of the Sabbath should be observed until the dawn ing of that day which shall usher in the final triumph of the Prince of Peace, and disclose to view the church of the first born assem bled in that temple not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. IV. The Sabbath w’as instituted prior to the giving of the law' by Moses. It is, as has already been shown, as old as the creation:— “ And God blessed the seventh day and sanc tified it, because that in it ITe had rested from all His works.”—Gen. ii. 3. It is not, therefore, to pass away with those ordinances instituted under the Jewish dispensation. It preceded that dispensation, and was evidently destined to survive it. As it was instituted for the benefit of man in his fallen state, and not for Jews only, it is to be continued till man is recovered from that fallen state, through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. V. The truth of our proposition may be rendered more manifest by a consideration of the fact that, when the Lord caused His laws to be written, the ordinance requiring one day in seven to be kept holy was not incor porated with the law of ordinances which were to be abolished, and which were then in stituted for the first time, but with the moral law, which contained a record of preexisting obligations, and which was to continue in per petual force. The command, therefore, “ Re member the Sabbath day to keep it holy,” is as binding as the command, “ Tiiuu shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain and the sin of profaning the Sabbath is of the same character with that of profan ing the name of God, bowing the knee to im ageSj or worshipping idol gods. VI. The Saviour, in the days of his incar nation, recognized as in full force the law re lating to the Sabbath. This is evident from His habitual attendance on the services of the day. “And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up: and, as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sab bath day, and stood up for to read.”-—Luke iv. 16. The same is manifest from His an swer to the Pharisees, who complained that His disciples had violated the Sabbath by plucking ears of corn, &c.—Matt. xii. 1,8; Luke vi. 1, <Sze. In His answer, so far from pleading that the obligation to observe the Sabbath ceased at His advent, He does not even intimate that He had abolished the Sab bath, or had any intention to do so. It is true, He gave them to understand that, as Lord of the Sabbath, (its original institution,) He had the right to suspend or abolish It; but He did not base His justification, or that of His disciples, upon this right, but upon d| principle which they, by their acts, had sanc tioned—one by which David was justified in eating the “ shew-bread which it was not law ful for him to eat,” and ! by which also their priests were justified in doing that which a strict construction of the letter of the law would not authorize them to do. » Observe attentively that the Saviour intro duces the case of David »s one parallel with His own. This being sa it follows—l. As David was justified by the circumstances of the case, so was the Savior. 2. As David’s departure from the letter of the law, in a case of necessity, and the diviue sanction of the act, did not abrogate that law which inter dicted the eating of tbr shew bread by any but the priest, so, by a parity of reasoning, neither did the Saviour, h|r the acts of which they complained, abrogate the Sabbath. If this argument of the Saviour be admitted as valid, it will follow that the law of the Sab bath is still unrepealed and in full force. Again: in His several answers to those who objected, at different times, to His heal ing on the Sabbath da- (See Luke xiii. 15 and xiv. 5, et a1.,) the Saviour proved conclu sively, that the law interdicting labor on the seventh day was limited in its application, by the manifest intent of the Lawgiver, to the ordinary avocations of life and unneces sary acts, and was never designed to prohibit doing good or relieving that day the ne cessities of either man of beasts. This fact the Jews admitted in the treatment of their beasts of burden. Welt, . therefore, might they hang their heads it* alienee, and blush with shame, when He exjpsed their inconsis tency in objecting tt>‘ life extending to the children of men the inejjfe' which they were accustomed to extend domestic ani mals. Will any on&mitend that the Sa viour’s proving that not acted contrary to the intent and .trueTrS&t of the law indi cated a purpose on Bis j|irt to repeal or set aside that law? Surqj||pio reasonable and conscientious man wil^awm Another arguiq»nt#y , < 4e Saviour in His own defence miyr ned up thus : ■“ The Sabbath was made for.nmn”—that is, for his benefit (See 111') But the acts to which the Swg acts of human ity, .welfare : therefore, tiTeyTuFfilled tuft <3eslgrf of The law, and could not xjustly be construed as viola tions of : ,t. thfi infejymi is as before : the Saviour, so far from annulling or repealing the law of the Sabbath, ratified or confirmed it. His apostles were not authorized to re peal it. It is still obligatory on us to observe it. Can any satisfactory reason be assigned why it would not prove as salutary now as formerly to devote one-seventh of our time to the service of Go'd ? Or why that should not be continued for our benefit which was originally appointed for our benefit? Let our anti-Sabbath readers 'answer these ques tions explicitly, not evasively. J. S. B. “Tlie Times are Dark, but God is all Light.” The above expression occurs in a letter I recently received from a beloved and hon ored brother. I was so impressed with the truth and force of it, that I have determined to make it the subject of a short communica tion. Are we not, at this juncture, so thoroughly and painfully convinced <>f the truth of the former part of this proposition that we al most entirely fail to realize the truth of the latter? Or, if we recognize its truth, is it not rather in theory than in practice? A brother deacon remarked, not long ago, in conversation, “that there was a dark cloud all over our present, and future.” “But,” said I, “ there is one glorious consolation to the Christian —he can see a light beyond the cloud.” “Yes,” he said, “I suppose there is a light, but I can’t see it.” And so it is, I fear, with too many of us: we have a sort of indefinite, indistinct idea that there-is a light, but we scarcely see even a feeble ray. -When the blessed Saviour said, VI am the Light of the world,” he did not utter a mere figure of speech, but a glorious truth, which it is the privilege of every believer to realize and ex perience. And it is the privilege of the Chris tian not only to see the light, but to walk in it ! “Divine light is not the light of the moon, to sleep by, but the light of the sun, to walk by.” There is no denial, on our part, that “in His light we shall see light;” nor that there is “ a light to lighten the world;” but we fail to see the light, because our eyes are ‘ blinded by the god of this world.’ As basjj been said, “ What we want in religion is not new light, but new sight; not new but new zeal to walk in old paths.” We no reason nor right to expect God lift up the light.of His countenance upon us,while we “ love darkness rather than light.” We are always too p>one to look beyo_nd our selves for remedies to cure our maladies. ’Tis not always the medicine of the physi cian that cures the disease, but oftener a proper course of diet. Let us, then, not look so much at the darkness that envelopes us, and the thick clouds that hover over us—and which are often more imaginary than real— but rather let us see the pillar of cloud by day, and the pillar of fire by night. Let all of us, who can, go to Baltimore. Let all of us respond to the modest, bat urgent appeals of brethren Sumner, Taylor, and Bitting, and of brother Toon. “ For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory : while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things wh ch are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen arc eter nal.” T. C. B. JeekftiottS. An Element of Church Efficiency. There can be no question that a sense of acquaintanceship and sympathy, prevailing among the members of a church, enters, as an indispensable element, into the character istics which make up the highest efficiency in Christian work. We give, as bearing on this subject, two articles from our exchanges—the first from the Congregationalist & Recorder — the second from the Examiner & Chronicle— and hope our readers will duly ponder them. FELLOWSHIP MEETINGS. We are glad to see that some of our most prominent churches have begun to hold “Fel lowship Meetings,” and with instant, happy effect. On Tuesday evening following the communion, the members assemble in the so cial rooms, or, if there be none, then in the lecture room, where the seats have been so arranged as to make motion and intercourse easy—and there an hour or more is spent in freest Christian intercourse. It is understood, to begin with, that no introductions are need ed. that those who may not have spoken to gether before are expected to take particular pains to find each other out, and that the oc casion is specially intended for Christian in tercourse. This may be interspersed by prayers, hymns and addresses; or, the whole meeting may be given up to an outpouring of brotherly affection and Christian joy—may be made a conference meeting or a praise meeting, or both. It is well that the form should have some variety: but the one end is kept steadily in view—the promotion of acquaintance, of spiritual intimacy, and a blessed sense of our oneness together in Christ. Coming immediately after the communion, this meeting renews its sacred impressions, and furnishes an opportunity for the fulfill ment of some of its promises. Here, too, the newly admitted members of the church are welcomed; and feel, as they are taken by the hand, that they have indeed come into “a brotherhood.” Those, moreover, who had begun to grow a little cold, have their wan ing affection rekindled; and persons of most opposite dispositions and associations become aware of a very precious oneness. Now, w T e profess to have inherited the iden tical church system of the Apostles; and, in theory, our Clin relies are Christian households, like those founded by Paul and John. Is it not time that, throughout the* country, we were trying do realize more worthily these high professions ? It, is clear that we have not been thoroughly true to our own ideas ; that we have by no means made the most of our inheritance. Our churches are not so su perior to others as, by their system and in tent, they ought to be. They are suffering the consequences of a neglect of obvious meth ods for the promotion of love and fellowship. One reason why it is difficult to find persons who are willing to testily to their neighbors in Christ’s behalf, is, that Christians talk so little with one another about these matters. If we cau but make our churches more fra ternal, we shall make them more active. The love and the labor will,help one another. We wish to put the question, therefore, to all the Congregational churches in the land : Have we not, in this Fellowship Meeting , a measure worthy of universal adoption, and excellently suited to promote both fellowship and activity ? SOCIAL LIFE IN THE CHURCHES. We are glad to see that the fusing warmth of social fellowship is coming to the conscious ness of our churches, and that, under vari ous forms, they are beginning to cultivate it. In one, it takes ihe form of the love-feast cr Agapae of the early Christians-—and indeed all are, more or less, modifications of that idea. A social meeting in some convenient apartment belonging to the church —be it par lors especially built and arranged for the pur pose, Sunday school room, or lecture room— some place- where all have equal right, and hence feel equal freedom; agathering brought together simply on the basis of fellowship in the love of Christ, and interest in each other as happy children of a common Father; an occasion for cheerful, unrestrained intercourse with each others’ families, and with the pastor and his family—divested of the formalities of “pastoral visits” or of regulation enter tainments —enlivened by the contributions of those who can give enjoyment by literary, or musical, or any other pleasant social amuse ment which all can enjoy; and, above every thing, a season in which all may be brought into quick and loving sympathy by the cmn mon, united singing of some favorite hymns, and perhaps, at the close, by the few pleasaut remarks which the pastor may feel the im pulse to make to his gathered brothers and sisters, and by the final prayer, which may bind all hearts more closely together. Such genial gatherings as this it is that our church members need, to make them feel the reality and beauty of the tie that unites them in vi tal fellowship. We know of a church which, while large and strong, filled with members, many of whom are of intense individuality and self will, a church containing more elements of spontaneous combustion than could be real ized saive by one who got an occasional view of its inner workings: and yet this mass of apparently discordant elements is compact, harmonious, united, and singularly prosper ous. The main secret is the freedom of in dividual development* allowed, and the com stant, unrestrained, and vivacious social inter course encouraged. From the first, the words “ brethren and sisters” were accepted as if they meant something. And there never has been a time in the history of that church when there was not special and hearty provi sion made for the frequent commingling of its Tamily in happy social intercouse; and that, too, while its members have been, and must continue to be, so far as ordinary worldly so ciety is concerned, of every sort and .condi tion in life. We commend this fact, and the reflections it must excite, to the earnest attention of all our brethren who are lamenting the sluggish ness of their churches. Make the “ household of faith” a bright reality ; not a traditional and empty phrase. Arminianism. —“ Os all the engines Satan has formed against our the most ef fectual is Arminianism—especially so because, while it owns most of the great articles of faith, it goes less feared and mistrusted, and, under the specious pretext of vindicating God’s benevolence and encouraging virtue, and such like, it privately strikes the work of regeneration under the fifth rib, and is usually followed by Socinianism and Deism.”—Mor gan. Action Essential to Happiness.—lndo lence is a delightful but distressing state; we must be doing something to be happy. Ac tion is no less necessary than thought to the instinctive tendencies of the human frame.— Hazlitt. Religious Slatistics of Europe. Rom. Cath. Protestants. Greek Catb. Dissenters. Jews. Moham’d’ng. Prussia | 7,569,000 15,169,700 1,200 36,000 312,000 North Germany (outside of Prussia,) 147,000 5,055,000 3,700 24,000 South Germany 4,660,000 8,659,600 13,800 120,000 Austria, ; 27,500,000 3,500,000 2,920,000 54,000 1,050, 000 Switzerland, 1,023,000 1,477,000 5,900 4,200 France j Great Britain 5,860,000 23,000,000 200,000 40,000 Netherlands, 1,234,000 2,0(17,000 4,000 64,000 Belgium 4,873,5' 0 20,000 . 1,500 Denmark, 1,500 1,585,500 5,600 4,100 Sweden 1,000 4,197,700 400 1,000 Norway, 1,679.000 500 Spain, 15,700,000 (?) (?) Portugal, 3,693,00" (?) (?) Italy,.. 24,923,000 60,000 ~ 45,000 Greece, 3n,000 15,000 1,300,000 500 Russ'a 8,592,000 2,000,000 59,800,000 1,500,000 800,000 Turkey, .. 640,000 10,000,000 .. .' 70,000 4,550,000 — Dr. Huhn and G. F. Kolbe. Religious Parties in Italy. Ist. The Papists, or zealous Romanists. They belong, generally, to the* lower classes of society. They are, for the greater part, ignorant and superstitions villagers, who have not sufficient education to read and write even, and who blindly obey the injunctions of the priests and Jesuits. They yet constitute a great multitude, and create at times, much disturbance in the state. But their influence is diminishing more and more; and in the same proportion as new schools are opened, they become less numerous. The progress of public instruction is destroying the ancient and despotic domination of popery over the popular masses. 2d. The Infidels —the sceptics and impious. We acknowledge with regret, that these ad versaries of every positive belief, of all prac tical religion, have much influence in the Italian Penins ,la. They have established large associations, with regulations which manifest a violent enmity to revealed religion. We are grieved, rather than astonished ; for these materialists, these atheists do not know the Word of God, and they confound Popery with the Gospel. 3d. The Protestants, the disciples of the Reformation, and in particular the Vaudois of Piedmont. They do not number many, at the present time, when compared with the great mass of Papists and Infidels. But they labor zealously for the advancement of the Kingdom of God. The ftleesring of heaven follows them in their pious efforts, and every thing leads to the belief that they will sue ceed in the conversion, Jit&le by little, of cities and entire provinces, to the true faith in Christ crucified. — Congregationalist and Recorder. “A Snake Sermon.” When I came to Washington some of the people were worse than the devil wanted them to be, for he fears reaction. I was vain of my preaching powers, but soon found that I could not affect the people as Marquiss and Macurdy did. 1 needed conversion; so did the whole church. Other churches were re vived, but we were frolicking, drinking, and dancing, through the week, and had very lit tle Sunday religion. Abby Orr used to go daily to a grove near the town, and pray for a revival.., Others were praying, but I could not pray. Something must be done. So I concluded to preach them a snake sermon, from ‘ O generation of vipers,’ etc.; described sinners as contemptible garter-snakes; bold rattle-snakes, giving fair warning before they strike; poisonous copper-heads, and subtle, deadly vipers, etc. To my surprise all the inhabitants of the town were the next day applying to themselves or each other some of my snakes. A prominent lawyer of the place was the vipers, other the rattle-snakes, etc. Some swore that they would run me out of town. Others took my part, heart and soul. Next Sunday the house was crowded. I preached a plain gospel sermon, which God blessed. Abby’s prayers were answered ; a revival came. Preach snake sermons! They will curse you, hiss at you, but souls will be saved.— Dr. Matthew Brown. Baptist Principles. —lt is really cheering and inspiring to read such tributes to Baptist principles as the following, from the pen of the distinguished Moderator of the British Congregational Union—Dr. Brown. In a re cent address before, that body, the eminent Doctor said : “ The prominence given by Bap tists to the personality of the Christian char acter and profession becomes a valuable force arrayed on the side of Scriptural Evangelism against human traditions. It is the direct an titode and antagonist to that official virtue and authority upon which the Church of Borne has based the grand apostacy, and from which neither the Church of England, nor even the Church of Luther, nor any other man-made church, has purged or will purge itself.”. The good Doctor then refers to the same princi ple in accounting for the great Reformation in Germany. He then adds :** In like man ner, it may be expected that in proportion as the sentiments corne into contact with the rank and rampant Popery of Ireland, and other scarce less Popish influences in Eng land, the labors of the Baptist Irish and Home Mission Societies will tend to precipitate the final battle one day to be fought between the phalanxed forces of truth and error.” This is the testimony of one who, though differing from us, yet comprehends both the princi ples by which we stand, and their unmistaka ble mission.— Evangel. The Mind. —Let a man have all Ihe world can give him, he is still miserable, if he has a groveling, unlettered, undevout mind. Let him have his gardens, his fields, his woods, his lawns, for grandeur, plenty, ornament and gratification, while at the same time God is not in all his thoughts. And let another have neither field nor garden—let him only look at nature with an enlightened mind—a mind which can see and adore the Creator in His works, can consider them as a demonstration of His power, His wisdom, Ilis goodness, and His truth—this man is greater, as well as happier, in his poverty, than the other in his riches. The one is a little higher than a beast—the other a little lower than an angel. Paying the Debt of Nature. —No; it is not paying a debt, it is rather like bringing a note to a bank to obtain solid gold for it. In this case you bring this cumbrous body, which is worth nothing, and which you should not wish to retain long; you lay it down and re ceive for it, from the eternal treasury, liberty, victory, knowledge, rapture. — Foster. WHOLE NO. 2380. The Blood that Spcaketh. Heb. xii.: 24. The sprinkled blood is speaking Before the Father’s throne, The Spirit’s power is seeking To make its virtues known. The sprinkled blood is telling Jehovah’s love to man, While heavenly harps are swelling Sweet notes to mercy’s plan. The sprinkled blood is speuking Forgiveness full and free, Its wondrous power is breaking Each bond of guilt for me. The sprinkled blood’s revealing A Father's smiling face, While Jesus’ love is sealing Each monument of grace. The sprinkled blood is pleading Its virtue as mv own, And there my soul is reading Her title to Thy throne. _iie sprinkled blood is owning The weak one’s feeblest plea: 'Mid sighs, and tears, and groaning, It pleuds, O Lord, with Thee. The sprinkled blood is shedding Its fragrance all around, It gilds the path we’re treading. It .makes our joys abound. The sprinkled blood is forming Those mansions bright and fair. Where saints in heaven adoring, Shall serve our Jesus there. Oh wondrous power that seeketh From sin to set me free 1 Ah, precious blood that speukolh! Should I not value theet 0, bleeding One, I love Thee, .1 love Thy atoning stream; Lord, make its power constrain me,— Let Christ be all my theme! —British Herald. Sabbath School Teachers. —ln the Sun day School Institute of New York, Ralph Wells gave to teachers the benefit of his own experience in the correction of common er rors. Do not talk too loud—vociferation is not earnestness. Do not think to rule your scholars’ minds by taking hold of their bod ies. The Sabbath school teacher must de pend for his power on moral influence. Do not go early to school, or stay late to gossip with lady teachers. Confine yourself to your work. Teach your whole class at once. Do not traverse from one pupil to another in your teaching. Make the scholars think. Do not preach to them—teach them, and to that end draw them out. Apply as occasion jus tifies. Do not hang your application on the end of your lesson, like the morals that are tied to ASsop’s fables. Use your own system. If you employ another’s, make it your own. Expect the immediate conversion of your scholars. Work for it. “Succession.” —Rev. Dr. Cariuthers, of Canada, formerly missionary in the Crimea, related, at a missionary meeting in Leeds, an amusing instance of the importance attached to apostolic succession among the Kalmuk Tartars. When at Astracan, Dr. C. visited the church of the Kalrnuks, and saw their High Priest, arrayed in splendid yellow pon tificals, pour some dirty liquid out of a large bottle into a small phial, and solemnly drink it, off. On inquiring why this was done, he was told that bottle contained the ashes of the High Priest’s predecessors, and that it was the custom to burn the body of a deceased High Priest, and then to mingle the ashes with water, a portion of which was drank every morning by his successor, until the whole of the former pontiff had been re ceived really and bodily into the system of the existing pontiff. Pastoral Qualifications. —A correspon dent of the Christian Register says: “When a vacant parish is seeking for a man, the last question is about his piety. Is he eloquent and scholarly and on the right wing in theol ogy ? Will he draw a full house and help pay off the parish debt? And in some places it is getting to be an important question, Is he good looking and genteel and young? These are the preeminent qualifications ; and, if they are just flavored witli piety, not too much so, as to remind the people offensively of heaven when he is met in the street, or at the dance, or when they are called upon at home, he is the model man; the best parish and the best pay await him ; and at all festi vals and anniversaries, it is he who sits at the head of the table and is called upon to make the speech. Family Worship. —l was once asked to conduct the worship in a family in which I was visiting. I read a short portion of Scrip ture, and offered prayer. At the close, a bright little boy, of six years, put his hand on my knee, and, looking into my face, said, “I like to hear you pray.” “Do you?” I said, —“Why?” “Because you are short. Did you ever hear my father pray?” I told him I never had heard hinf. “ Well,” said he, “he is so long—he is terribly long.” Here was a child of only six years who had been worn out with family prayers. He was living in daily dread of them. They were “ terrible” to him. “I Will Attend to it next Week.”— A young man who was employed on a rail road in Indiana, being urged by his friends to attend to the salvation of his soul, replied, “ I am going to quit the road and will attend to it next week.” But, alas, it was too late; for in coupling the cars, he slipped and fell under the wheels, and had his foot dreadfully crushed, so that it had to be amputated ; and the “ next week ” he passed away from earth, to stand in the presence of his Maker. Oh, sinner, will yon not take warning, and take the Saviour at His word ? for He calls to day. Oh come, ere it is too late with you. •* Human Religions. —The Director of the Statistical Department at Berlin, Germany, classifies the population of the earth accord ing to creed, as follows: The whole popula tion of the world is estimated at one billion two hundred thousand, of whom Christians constitute 25.77' per cent.; Jews, 0.38 per cent.; Asiatic religions, 46.15 per cent.; Mohammedan, 12.31 percent.; Pagan, 25.29 per cent. The three hundred and thirty five millions of Christians he divides as follows: Roman Catholics, 50.7 per cent.; Protest ants, 25.6 per cent.; Greek church, 22 7 per cent. Refuge in Trouble. —A little bird, sitting amidst the foliage of a tree, is frightened by some noise beneath. He flies to a higher branch. Again, and he. leaps to a higher. Again, to the topmost bough. Again, and he soars away towards heaven. Just so with the Christian. Disturbed by the commotions and terrors, and troubles, of things beneath , his first impulse is to leap upward. Again, to ascend higher and still higher; and at last, to fly away toward heaven, toward his God,, where, for the time, no distress or adversity can reach him. Remember the Sabbath. —The following statement, communicated by a respectable merchant in New York, is well worthy of no tice : “ I have particularly observed,” says the gentleman, “that those mei chants of New York who have kept their counting-houses open on the Sabbath day, during my resi dence there., (twenty-five years,) have, with out exception, failed.” Meditation. —Meditation turns the prom ises of God into marrow.— Caryl.