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38 Jula ami ffurtfel J. J. TOON, - - - - Proprietor. Rev. D. SHAVER, D.D., Sditor. THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 1868. The Op'eh Conkmunion “Fiasco.” It turns out precisely as we expected. The Church Union recognizes the open commun ion service, with which Rev. Charles Howard Malcorn and his flock closed ‘the Week of Prayer,' itt Newport R. 1., as the beginning of the movement, before whose march the “ restricted ” practice of our denomination “ must skulk hack to the dark ages whence it came.” This , then, is the first peal of the “ thunder all around,” which is to startle, if not to stun us, before the year ends! We are sorry even to seem discourteous, but ne cessity is laid upon us. Our “New York and Brooklyn” contemporary —(a single city, a ‘pent-up Utica,’ would ‘contract its pow ers,’ we suppose)—must be remanded to its elementary instructors in the Philosophy of Mind. Has it forgotten that “the rumbling of a cart at a distance may be mistaken for thunder,” and may ‘ produce an equal feeling of sublimity’ as long as the mistake lasts? That is just the state of the Union at pres ent; and when the illusion leaves its ears, it will smile, as we do now, over the ludicrous blunder. The Union does not blunder, however, as ludicrously as some others of our contempo raries. It avoids, for example, the snare which took thefeetof the Nashville Christian Advocate, when it characterized the leader in this movement as “a learned and distin guished Baptist minister, the Rev. Dr. C. H. Malcorn!” It speaks of him as “educated at Princeton indeed, but as “yet a young man ” —too young, we may add, either to have won or to have deserved a title—such a young man, in fact, as “ we have by the dozen,” (always baing the hereditary oddness which turned his steps astray in this matter.) But why, we may ask, was the inauguration of the movement left to him, if the Union told us truly that “a large number of leading Bap tist divines are convinced, the time has come to move?” Were these divines ‘talking, or pursuing, or in a journey, or asleep,’ that they suffered the wreath of glory encircling the inception of this “solemn,” “ beautiful” (and “trenchant”) “Catholicity,” to be spirited away out of their reach, and twined around the brow of one who never has been and never can be a leader? The Union steers clear, too, of the incon clusive reasoning of the Independent, which argues from this case, that “an increasingly large number of Baptists” prefer (what that paper styles) “the whole-hearted Christian fellowship of their great apostle, Spurgeon.” (Is not an open communion “apostle,” by the way, taken, of necessity, from modern times —because the earlier ages, and their Christianity, knew nothing of that sort?) The Union frankly confesses that ‘the New port congregation was left open communion by Choules,’ and that the present pastor ‘ ha3 quietly followed the practice for years.’ So, then, there is positively no increase of its ad herents in this instance! Quite different is the hope of the Union, in this passing stage of things—the hope, namely, that there will be an unmasking of those who have been its secret favorers now of a long time—that Rev. Mr. Malcorn “ will be sustained by hosts of men in the Baptist denomination whom the Sanhedrim of that sect count upon as their own !” He is to play the part, then, of Rod erick Dhu, at whose shrill whistle, " On right, on left, above, below, Sprang up at once the lurking foe” until Fitz-James found himself girt about by “full five hundred” armed warriors, in what had seemed a “solitary glen.” Well: he has made trial of his power; and from his own city, Newport, comes back the answer, that “ the First and Central Baptist churches, together with the Shiloh church, adhere, with fidelity and firmness, to ‘restricted commun ion.’” The tide is called for, but not the faintest ripple betrays the flow of its first wave. We wish the Union a merry time, as it waits for the coming in of the flood which is to sweep over the wh<4e land, and wash away the bulwarks qf Baptist consistency everywhere! But after reducing the blunder made by our “ Tale(-teller) of Two Cities ” to its least dimensions, enough remains to answer as an illustration of the usual infirmity attaching to men of “ one idea or of one sentiment, rather. They pile mountain on mountain, to scale the heavens, after the fashion of the Homeric giants; but not with the sound judg ment of their ancient prototypes. For Pelson, though the least, is placed at the foundation of their structure* and Ossa, the larger, sur mounts that; and this, in turn, is crowned with Olympus, the largest. Now, on the supposition that the misshapen bulk should not totter and fall, who can scale its heights, (capped, alas, with clouds,) except the builders lend them the wings of their own wild imag ination, (in which case, the winds, full likely, would evern>ore toss them to and fro within the folds of the cloud-cap aforesaid)? To vary the figure—these men are great in*the building of pyramids; but they uniformly invert them; j,)ie sharp pointed apex is made to serve as the base, and the huge breadth of base towers in the air as the apex. They topple, of course, on the heads of the luckless architects, ai)d bury them in the debris for life, or crush out the faith of the soul and be come to it a grave of that spiritual death which no resurrection'visits ! We roust do the Union, however, the jus tiee of saying that it has not erected this pyr amid of prevalent open communion, without at least an undefined, dim consciousness that the apex-base needed some widening to fit it for its purpose. Hence, about the time when the Grand Exhibition of (Pseudo-) Catholicity came off at Newport, Rev. Mr, Malcom pre pared an article pleading the cause of the laxity he practiced, and the Union, through its “ mammoth extra of one million, two hundred thousand copies,” sowed it broadcast through the land. But this seems to have been merely adding toes of clay to the image —if, indeed, the image is not constructed of that material throughout! The only effect produced by the article, so far as we are ap- THE CHRISTIAN INDEX AHD SOBTH-WESTERN BAPTIST: ATLANTA, GA„ TH URSDAY, MARCH 5,1868. prised, is—the offence which it has given to Pedobaptists. It says, for instance, that our denomination has “never persecuted other bodies of Christians;” and the Nashville Christian Advocate twits it with “ignoring certain ugly passages of Anabaptist history ! It affirms, also, that, demanding “ a thos Baith the Lord for every belief,” our people have “ become the Protestants of Protestant ism and a correspondent of the Union re bukes it for ‘glorifying the Baptists’ and ‘holding them up as the beau-ideal of Bibli cal perfection,’ in “statements not only dog matical, but very invidious and presumptu ous!” Will this, then, further the interests of open communion—this proof that even when we surrender the fortress to its enetnies> there can-be no peace for us, but on condition that we cover over in silence the memory of its illustrious defenders through past ages, and the justice of the cause in whose support it was reared? The Inaugurator of the New Era is greeted with unfraternal admonition that to do full work as an open communion ist, he must no longer even speak as a Baptist, whether for his fathers or his principles. The Union, for aught we know, may think there is some gain for the movement toward laxity j n that— for it is largely endowed with the imagination of the Irishman, which, with no strain to itself, stretched “the month of Au gust” through “six long weeks,” and extor ted the incessant cry, “Water! Water!” from lips all the while “ speech less?’ But whatever the gain, that paper is welcome to make the most of it. War Rhetoric since the War. It is matter, now of amusement, now of pain, according to the variations of one’s mood, to notice how certain religious writers of the North, lard their productions with il lustrations and allusions, borrowed from the facts—and especially from the fictions —of the recent conflict between the two sections. They overlay the path of every high enquiry, ethical and theological, with a grotesque mo saic, to which, in lieu.of more seemly mate rials, the war contributes a marvellous supply of ‘small pebbles, Cockles and shells,’ but slightly tractable under the hand of Taste. Dr. McClelland once said, of a popular preacher, that he ‘was never in his company fifteen minutes, but his vanity not only peeped out, but boldly carne forth, flapped its wings and crowed :’ an apt figure for the part which the misapprehensions and animosities, the preju dices and pretences of our unhappy strife play ir. the case of these writers—flapping their wings and crowing from every page and paragraph! As an instance of th« trait to which we refer, the reader will accept one or two sen tences from an article in the Bibliotheca Sa cra for January, by Re’v. S. C. Bartlett, D.D., of Chicago, on “ the present attitude of Evangt lical Christianity toward the promi nent forms of assault.” “Scepticism, like some rebel army, has often had its transient jubilee, and made its short-lived panie. But step by step has abandoned stronghold after stronghold, and seems now to be looking more anti mo’re dili gently for the ‘last ditch.’” “And now that in the neighboring capital of literature and of liberalism the lance is exchanged for the lancet, the too fervid argu ments of departed Doctors of Divinity for the icy sneers of lively Doctors of Medicine disguised as Guardian Angels of hazardous maidens; we remember how the boasts of the rebel capital too were never louder than just before her great leader adorned himself with female attire.” We do not suffer such things to ruffle us. They, by no means, tempt us to adopt the style of the Massachusetts Baptist (of whom Gov. Briggs was wont to tell,) a prominent leader in the circles of prayer, who, during a season of neighborhood misunderstanding, in troduced his public supplication for an offend ing brother, with the words, more emphatic than fraternal, “ Thou knowest, O Lord, that is a great liar!” The only question in our mind is, whether we should deal with them in the spirit of the laughing, or of the weeping philosopher—should smile, with De mocritus, at the personal weaknesses betrayed by these writers, or sigh, with Heraclitus, for the hurt and wounding they inflict on the cause of “ Evangelical Christianity ?” “ That is the question who will help us to solve it? Several incidental questions may be stated, meanwhile, as bearing on the solution. “ There is a “magnanimity that naturally follows victory.” But souls are found, at times, of too ignoble a cast to feel it. Is this the secret of the course which these wri ters pursue? Quinet tells us that the Spanish clergy, during the war with Napoleon, “ responded to the spirit of the country and the times; but when the battle was over, their lips, ac customed to the hymn of hatred, could no longer speak the words of peace and recon ciliation; and in the Christ cursing, they could not find again the Shepherd of the world.” Have these writers, then, so warped their better natures by the indulgence yielded to malign passions, through years of bitter ness, that now they cannot purge the bosom of the terrible perversion? Shall “Evan gelical Christianity” show itself as impotent as the effete formalism of Spain, for the ex pulsion of this venom from the blood ? Charles Dickens, in his “American Notes,” said : “Quiet people avoid the question of the President, for there will be anew election in three years and a halt, and party feeling runs very high; the great constitutional fea ture of this institution being, that directly the acrimony of the last election is over, the ac rimony of the uextone begins.” And is it in this acrimony that the spirit of these writers roots itself? Are they draggling ethical and theological discussion in the heat and spleen and falsehood of the war, for the sake of partisan success? Will they not suffer the smoke of battle to clear away even from the atmosphere which fills the temple and floats around the altar of the Lord, that under cover of the. haze (darkening the vision of His truth and love) their own school of politi cians may make a pathway for themselves to the Presidential Chair, and cement the union, not of the country, but of their “following,” with “the cohesive power of public plun der ?” If this be so, then Scepticism may well consent to look for a ‘last ditch’ and lay its body in it; for, by strangest transmigration, its soul has already taken to itself anew body—even a section of the “ Evangelical ” church and ministry ! But enough. We forbear to expostulate . with these writers. The tide of our prefer ences does not set with sufficient force in the direction of impossibilities for that. It the grand and touching presence of the most holy truth—the presence of Him whom the truth brings with it—cannot avail to charm away the evil passions kindled by the torch of war, they must be no less impervious to remonstrance and entreaty than John C. Calhoun himself, though he had been (as a Northern statesman once said he appeared to be) “made of nail rods!” Even Sidney Smith who supposed that a surgical operation might get a joke into a Scotchman —an achievement whi b, in facetious hours, he pronounced otherwise impracticable—would have thrown up this case as hopeless: he would have seen at a glance that to get into these writers feelings respecting the South at all consonant with personal spirituality, or with charity toward others, is a (ask passing the power even of surgical operations. Let them hold on their way, therefore, without fruitless attempts to check them. But we do incline to ask, whether there are not at the North clearer-headed and larger hearted Christians, who can at least give dis countenance to this mistimed War Rhetoric? Are there not those who will train popular sentiment to a just perception and warm ap preciation of the truth, that to show how much we love God by showing how much we hate our brethren, is not the “ more excellent way ?” Frankly, we think it is time for such to speak out. They harm themselves and us by silence. The cause of Christian charity - takes detriment from it. It fans no spark of awakening fraternity, at least—it quenches no brand of discord. Our Zion—in Our Exchanges, etc. Georgia. We regret to learn that Rev. A. P. Woodfin, pastor of our church at Rome, is disabled by ill health from, the discharge of pulpit labor, and is now on a furlough ot three or four weeks, as a means of more speedy and effectual recovery. Alabama. Rev. Jos. Shackelford has purchased the entire interest in the Christian Herald Printing office, and proposes to enlarge the paper, reducing the subscription price, umil thje enlargement takes place, to $2.50. We shall rej'oice in his success. Arkansas. A Presbytery, ordaining a deacon recently at Pleasant Hill Church, has published a card advis ing ministers and churches to demand, as qualifi cations fur the office, the custom of holding family prayer, a readiness to conduct the meetings of the church in the pastor’s absence and to look after the wants of the poor, and abstinence from the “social glass.” It also calls upon all deacons in office who cannot or will not do these things to resign. Kentucky. Rev. J. W. Jolly reports fifteen additions to Pleasant Ridge Church, and fifty-nine to Flag Spring, both in Campbell county; and Rev. W. T. Underwood eleven at White Oak Valley, “ three of Methodist families and one from a Methodist church.” Louisiana. The First Baptist Association of New Orleans, (colored) reported at its last meeting nineteen churches, and has organized 36 since, making a total of 55; to the membership of which 1,398 persons have been added by baptism and 338 by experience, running the aggregate up to 5,224; with a church property worth $9,854. Missouri. Rev. J. T. Williams has disposed of his school at Louisiana, to devote his entire time to the min istry.—A new church was constituted, Feb. Ist, in Davies county, with the name, “White Oak;” and another in Monroe county, Feb. 3rd, with the name, “ Mt. Airy.”—Rev. A. P. Williams, D.D., reports a revival in Miami ClTurch, following the dedication of their new house of worship, with twenty-four accessions; and Rev. W. Cleveland, a revival at Mt. Pleasant Church, Lewis county, with thirty.—Rev. Norman Fox is associated with Rev. A. A. Kendrick, in the editorial conduct of the Baptist Record, St. Louis. North Carolina. The Tuckasiege Association, at its last session, recommended two Indian candidates for the min istry, as beneficiaries of W ake Forest College. James Telegeskah and John Elarchea—The Bibli cal Recorder mentions a Baptist church in the State, of which not a single member has, for some years, taken a religious paper; and thus describes the (natural) result: “The poor, unfortunate church has grown smaller by degrees, until now it neither contains half so many members nor enjoys half so much religion as it did ten years ago. The pastor of this church, an able minister of the Word, a faithful feeder of his flock, has not receiv ed from his people salary enough to feed the horse he rides. Is it any marvel that this church is in a sad consumptive state ?”—Rev. J. F. Hard wicke has removed from Virginia to Person county. —Rev. W. L. Fitcher becomes pastor of Shiloh Church, Chowan Association. South Carolina. A missionary of the American Baptist Publica tion Society reports two colored churches “on the way” in Fairfield District; for one of which the son of a man who onced owned seven plantations and over five hundred slaves, gave a piece of ground, the privilege of cutting timber, and the use of his wagons.—The pastor of our church at Yorkville writes: “Six months ago, our infant church, few in numbers and poor in worldly goods, had neither house to worship in, nor money, nor credit Now we have a house nearly completed, for which we are thankful to God and grateful to our helping friends.” Tennessee. The pastoral care of Cherry Street Church, Nashville, has been accepted by Rev. Lewis Dupre’, from North Carolina.—Our churches at Fall Branch, Jonesboro, Zollicoffer, and other points in East Tennessee are “working,” and our church at Bristol gains ground daily.—Our Col lege at Mossy Creek is about to be revived by Profs. Bryan and Harris, who have a school their of 70 students.—“ Chronic dyspepsia, of the most dis tressing character,” compels Rev. A. B. Cabaniss to relinquish the Presidency of Brownsville Fe male College, for some pursuit requiring air and exercise. Virginia. Anew church was constituted, Feb. 23rd, at Glen Allen, Henrico county, ten mites from Rich mond ; Rev. A. H. Sands, pastor. —Rev. P. Warren has resigned the care of his churches in Accomac county.—Rev. G. Gray becomes pastor of Mill Creek Church near Fincastle. Our Sabbath school in Fredricksburg has 400 children in it, a larger number than in all the other schools of the city —Rev. G. W. Leftwich, of Bedford county, died Feb. 21st. West Virginia. The church at Webster has had a revival, for the third successive year. Nineteen accessions were made, and ninety-five per cent, of the adult population are now professors of religion.—The Flemington Church reports eleven baptisms; and has suffered somewhat from a “raid” of the Free- Will Baptists, under the leadership of Rev. David Powell, an Arminian pastor of the church in days gone by.—Rev. J. B. Hardwicke, recently of North Carolina, has entered on his labors as Correspond ing Secretary of the State Mission Board, preach ing “ with fine effect.”—Rev. J. Stump reports four- teen additional baptisms at Little Creek, Roane county, and a revival in progress at Mt. Pisgah, Gilmer county, with eight baptisms—Rev. J. Swiger, reports 14 baptisms at Ebenezer Church* Jackson county. (Slimpes of tfe <§intes. BAPTIST. Folly. —ln prayer recently, Spurgeon referred to our refusing God’s mercies, and said: “ Lord, we are fools.” Communion. —A late sermon by Rev. E. J. Good speed, Chicago, contains this statement: “Not long since, an intelligent Presbyterian layman said to me, ‘ Ijlong ago ceased to have any ill feel ing against your practice of communion, for I learned that we all stood on the same platform, and that you could not be consistent to hold your views of baptism and do otherwise than restrict your invitations to the communion to immersed believers of orderly walk.’ ” A Faulty Custom. —A correspondent of the Evangel , San Francisco, says that the practice of immersing believers in behalf of Pedobaptist min isters and into Pedobaptist societies is “not very uncommon,” and says of it: “We believe im mersion to be the initiatory ordinance into the Church of Christ. What right, therefore, have we to immerte into bodies whom we do not con sider as true churches of Christ? Or, do we re gard Pedobaptist bodies as such ? What right, then, have we to remain separate, thus making a schism in the body of Christ? ’ Union. —In the London Freeman, Rev. Charles Calder urges a union of all the members of the great Baptist family, a£jgr the pattern of the Pres byterians. Does he think that consistent Baptists are parted from open conimunionists, for example, simply by “the assertion of the Englishman’s divine right to be as anarchic as he pleases”—the ground on which a letl£r-writer from London of another denomination seems to place it? If this be hris view, he has not yet caught even a glimpse of the problem which he aspires to solve. The Communion Question. —The Examiner & Chronicle says: “For*every American Baptist who goes over to the p£jcticeof open communion, we are very sure that twenty Pedobaptists come into the close communion fold; and the commu nion question agitation, in the form of scolding newspaper paragraphs,#nd things of that sort, is kept alive by the Pedobaptist press.” PRESBYTERIAN. Missionary Standing. —Says an lowa corres pondent of the Presbyterian Banner: “The Old School Presbyterian Church has lost her standing as a missionary church. She has become a by word and a reproach. This, at least, is my sor rowful conviction, and fiferhaps that of every Old School Presbyterian minister West of the Missis sippi. A church may lose her standing even while progressing, by moving so slowly as to al low others to pass her by. Ours has called a halt, and is even now retreating.” Let Baptist churches at the South consider this language well, and look to their own reputation as friends of mis sions. Pafer-Walls or Defence A correspondent of the Central Presbyterian calls for “popular and readable adapted to the capacity of those on whom” Episcopalians and Baptists “prey, and exposing plainly the preposterous pretensions, and the spirit in which this, work of proselytism is conducted.” Clearly, he wants to see no or Judsons, No els or Fullers, coming efier to uS, because none of the gifted class to whicljt he belongs interposed to preserve their “ capacity” (humbler, of course,) from being made a .Just as clearly he wishes to reserve the “piepostwjMs* ? ' and “unchris tian” work of “ proselytism !, men as the zealous intjjviduftl Yurk Sunday School Teachers’ Institute, a week or two since, distributed gratuitously* a reprint oi Willison’s Catechism, Baptism” as “A sacred washing, op sprinkling with water, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” A Blunder. —The Synod of Alabama, in its Memorial of Rev. Dr. Sparrow, says, with respect to the failures»f his churches to give him the com petent support they promised: “He believed that the Christian men and women composing these churches were honest, and meant what they said. It is to be feared that in this our brother committed a most grievous blunder; and the blunder seriously Jaiaeged his usefulness as a minister.” Are there any of our churches, of whom men are warranted to use such language as this, because they keep back “the hire of the laborers” in the vineyard of the Lord ? Soundness. —An advocate for Presbyterian union says that the younger ministers from the New School institutions at Auburn and New York are generally “ Presbyterian in doctrine and polity;” but that a present consummation of the union is undesirable, because many older minis ters of that School retain the laxity that led to the separation. Blasphemy. —The New York Observer thinks that if the fine prescribed by law were collected for every oath of profane swearers, it would pay off the national debt! - Communion. —The Oid and New School Presby terians in Cincinnati held recently a union com munion—the first instance of the kind since the rupture nearly thirty years ago. This was a long reign of practical close communion between them —while all the time denouncing close communion as Baptists observe it! Strong Drink. —Rev. Dr. Cuyler, in a recent speech, referred to “the use of intoxicating drinks as one of the alarming and growing evils of our times; as hindering the extension of Christianity, and causing more backsliders than any other one thing.” He urged, as a means of prevention, proper instruction on the subject of temperance in Sabbath schools, and the formation of Temper ance Societies among the children. EPISCOPAL. Amusements.—A writer in the Church Journal ascribes the greater growth and prosperity of the Methodist denomination, as compared with the Episcopal, to the fact that the communicants of the latter are among the foremost patrons of the theatre and kindred amusements. Let every church know that it loses spiritual power and moral influence, in proportion as it becomes known as a church addicted to worldly diver fcons. •Episcopal Dissensions. —The Nashville Chris tian Advocate says: “ The parties, real schisms and irUeconclable differences, now existing within the Protestant Episcopal Church, are equalled only by th«x state of things among the Campbell ites, man hath his doctrine and his interpretation to suit himself. One of its ablest weeklies, the Southern Churchman , confesses its inability to reduce ‘the variations of Churchman ship’ to a reasonable number of classes,” But tiie Advocate anticipates a reduction of their num ber, on this wise: “The day is not far off when the evangelical element of the Protestant Episco pal Church will find a home in our church, and right welcome will they be.” Natural Development. —There is a rumor in the public prints that “Slippery Sam” Wilbcr force, Bishop of Oxford, has gone over from the English to the Romish Church—that is, bodily, for in spirit he went long ago. We hardly credit it, as he was a more efficient helper of Romanism without. “Calling Names.” —“The Synagogue of the Libertines” is the title given by a correspondent of the Churchman to the signers of the recent Declaration against the Romanizing and Ritualis tic perversions of the High-Church party. Fraternity(?) —As a parallel to the declaration of Rev. Dr. Tvng, of New York, some months ago, that he would as soon put “his foot in hell as in one of the Ritualistic churches,” Rev. Hugh McNeile, D.D., known for years as a prominent Evangelical leader in the Church of England, wrote, not long since: “I am so conscientiously persuaded that what is called the high celebration of Sc. Alban’s, Holboin, is idolatry, that I could no more consent to share in it than I could to he wilfully guilty of Sabbath-breaking, adultery, or theft.” “Wisdom.— The Archbishop of Canterbury, in a recent ‘ pronunciamento,- praises “the cautious wisdom” of the framers of the Liturgy in refer ence to the Eucharist, as well as otherwise. This, we suppose, is in comparison with the Commu nion office of the Scottish Episcopal Church, “which, in its language, endorses transubstantia tion with even greater emphasis than Rome. CONGREGATION ALIST. An Active Church. —On the return of New man Hall from this country, he found no less than one hundred converts who, during his brief visit here, had been brought to Jesus through the labors of his church members. “A living church works , and a working church lives.” Written Sermons.— “ The New York Inde pendent hopes Congress 4 will lay as high a tax on | sermon paper as on whiskey—in conformity with I Napoleon’s rule that the vices should be taxed high.’” A Wonderful Change. —Since the days of President Dexter, an extraordinary change has passed upon New England, if we may believe, with the Congregationalist, that “a minister may be in good and regular Congregational stand ing, who does not see his way clear to Pedobap tist views.” Dismission. —Baptists have been denounced “for not granting clear letters to all sorts of associa tions calling themselves churches.” What shall be said, then, of the following ? A correspondent of the Congregationalist asks: “Can a member of a Congregational Church, in Boston, for exam ple, claim a letter of dismission and recommenda tion in this form : ‘To any evangelical church in Boston with which he may see fit to connect him self,’ not specifying what church he designs to join ? In the case supposed, the member contin ues to reside in the same place, and seeks dismis sion for other reasons than change of residence?” And the Congregationalist answers, “No; such a letter is always irregular, and never ought to be given.” METHODIST. Itinerancy. — Zion's Herald finds a plea for itinerancy in its agreement with the American custom of “ rotation in office.” A Baptist Leaven.— The Canadian Baptist, rebuking the Guardian, a Methodist journal, for its “wit and sarcasm” with reference to baptism, asks: “Is it because there is scarcely a class meeting in your connection, but contains one or two who reject infant sprinkling and hold to be lievers’ immersion ? Is it because every now and again Methodist ministers have to immerse their converts or lose them?” Deliberative assemblies.— Bishop McTyeire, writing of the East Texas Conference, says: “ Pi ety is better than parliamentary law, in facilita ting business. Who has not observed the influ ence of Sunday’s demotion upon Monday’s pro ceedings? Naturally, there is an impatience at the heel of a session, and seeing through creates a desire to get through. Yet, a hard and tangled question, an important motion, is more easily dis posed of on Monday than on any other day. Who has not observed in individuals and the entire body the prevalence of that heart-state most favor able to a righteous verdict, and even to business dispatch ? There is patience in doubt, delay in assertion, a conciliating temper, and mutual sub jection and forbearance, with a clear mental vis ion, purged of passion.” Want of Hospitality. —A writer in the South ern Christian Advocate says: “I have heard 6ome of Georgia’s ablest preachers and best pas tors say, that they have often been compelled to solicit invitations at their country appointments, or go home dinnerless. And, on one occasion, Georgia’s noblest and most honored divine rode twenty miles to an appointment where no Metho dist would offer to entertain him; and he was compelled, if I remember cprrectly, to seek lodg ing with a poor widow, a member of another church.” ROMANIST. The Sckiptores. —Archbishop Purcell, of Cin cinnati, purposes to join the Bible Society and to aid in the circulation of the Scriptures: so, at least, an exchange states, though we can hardly credit so strange a movement on the part of a Rotnish dignitary. Freedom from Caste. —The Catholic Telegraph claims that “only in the Roman Catholic Church is found true practical religious equality. There no distinction, because of race, or color, or nation ality, is made or permitted. This is demonstrated at the Propaganda in Rome, on whose benches, on terms of perfect equality, sit clerical students from all quarters of the globe, representing all existing races and colors. An Ethiopian last year carried off one of the highest prizes in this insti tution.” UNITARIAN. Orthodoxy. —The Christian Register says: “ Orthodoxy in New England is one thing, in New York, another, while in the West it is something still different from either—and who shall describe the hard, inhuman, heathen Orthodoxy which has prevailed in some parts of the Southern States?” Creeds. —Rev. J. F. Clarke, in a recent sermon said: “I have sometimes thought, that if I were going to have a creed (and l do not intend to have any creed at present), I would take the two para bles of the ptodigal son and the good Samaritan. I should be satisfied with that creed, and should believe that I had in it about the whole essence of Christianity; for one of those parables would give me all of Christian piety, and the other all of Christian morality.” DISCIPLE (“ CAMPBELLITE.”) Not A Church.— The American Christian Re view decides that Baptist churches are not of “the kingdom of God.” It says f“A body founded on a human creed, with a name derived from an or dinance, that does not receive its members on Christ but on experience, and narrows its commun ion down, not to those in Christ , but to those wearing the same sectarian name and having the same sectarian order, is only a party, or schism, and not the body of Christ, nor even ‘a Church of Christ.’ Nothing is a Church of Christ, not founded by the authority of Christ, and he never authorized any man to found a Baptist Church.” This is refreshing, for the fun of it. Generally reputed as straying “out in the cold” itself, the Review seeks the not very ennobling pleasure of demolishing its neighbors’ houses—to bring them down to its own level! MISCELLANEOUS. Meeting the World more than half way. —A secular paper of this State, referring to a fair in progress to obtain aid in building a church, says: “Among the grand prizes offered, will be one for the Minister of any denomination who shall re ceive votes to the amount of $200; a Fireman’s trumpet; and a raffle for SSOO in gold.” We grieve and blush to read it. Slander.— “A brother, wellknown and reliable,” according to the Standard , "a former resident of the South and now again residing near Washing ton, Ga.,” writes: “The spirit of the white people here is very much of old ; religious feeling is a little changed ; for now indeed they do not preach up slavery, but they do hold up in nigh every ser mon and prayer the old slave-holders as the per secuted people of God. As for that gospel which is good will to all men, they never yet have had a glimpse of it. And as for the colored people in th?s vicinity, oh, how ignorant, how poor, and how friendless. It is even a boast that no man here cares for a negro.” It is precisely by such atrocious slanders that the breach between the two sections is kept from healing. Areeven Christian men when they become politicians, equally obnox ious with others to thecharge preferred by Wilkes' Spirit of the Times: “There are many of them, of course, who will not steal, hut experience does not justify us in believing that there areany who, under strong party pressure, would hesitate to he. That is a leading branch of the machinery of party politics.” “Model” Wit.— An unmarried clergyman of Brooklyn, N. Y., Rev. S. A. Hunt, received on Christmas day from the members of his church, an India rubber model of a young lady stinted with SSOO in greenbacks. Without Wine. —Schuyler Colfax, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Washington, has revived Gerrit Smith’s practice of giving official dinner parties without wine. The Modern ' tandard. —“‘One thing, young men,’ said a prolessor to his students, in one of the Northern Seminaries, when they graduated, ‘you may be pious, but j-ou must he smart, to get an eligible position in New England.’ That man was the author of one of the best devotional tracts in the language." New Books. —The English publishing houses brought out, in 1867, against 410 novels, 849 re ligious essays and pamphlets. Rum in New York. —•“ It was recently stated in a public address, that the ruin shops of the city, if placed in line, would extend on both sides of Broadway from the Battery to Central Parjt ten miles of death—six stories high—four above and two under. The estimated earnings of these slums of distilled damnation is not far from $20,- 000,000 per annum." Over-eating.- Dr Dio Lewis presents the follow ing rule as a remedy for this vice : “ Before you take the first mouthful, place upon your plate all you are to eat, and eat but twice a day.” The N. Y. Evening Gazette , however, says: “There is a better rule yet—the only natural and effectual rule—which may be told in two words, eat slow ly.” <tyorre&jond«nq. Items from South-West Georgia. Death of Deacon Willis Curry. Returning from my field of labor in Macon county, to visit an aged mother, the writer met, in the city of Macon, a worthy young brother trying to procure a coffin for our estimable broth er, Deacon Curry, of Barnesville Baptist church. Being one of my best friends upon earth, I hasted to the home of his family to “ weep with them that weep.” And on the evening of the 18th of February, joined with that faithful Soldier of the Cross, brother Jesse M. Wood, in paying some tribute of respect to the memory of our departed brother. Deacon Willis Curry was born in June, 1798, and died at his home in Barnesville, on the morn ing of the 17th of February, in his 70th year. About 1835 he professed faith in Christ, and was baptized in Wilkes county, by Rev. Sylvanus Gibson. Soon he moved to Houston county, where his prudence, piety and zeal gained for him such a hold upon the confidence and affec tions of his brethren, that they honored him with the office of deacon. And truly may he be said to “have used the office of a deacon well.” He was violently attacked with Pneumonia, and being old and very feeble, in spite-of the best medical skill and attention, he soon sunk in death. In the first of his illness, he told his aged com panion, that he could not recover. He said, “it is a great thing to be a Christian “he believed every man ought to have his business so arranged to-day, that he may be ready to die to-morrow.” He endeavored, repeatedly, to comfort his affec tionate wife, when he saw her weeping by his bedside. And when she saw he was fast sinking, she said to him, “ husband, you are almost gone —will soon be in heaven ;” and raising his cold, trembling hands high up toward heaven, he ex claimed, “Yes, I’ll soon be in Heaven, sweet Heaven.” And, on the morning of the 17th, he died in the triumphs of faith in Christ. He leaves an aged, worthy, pious wife, two daughters, one living son, and many friends to mourn their loss. Truly can we say, “ Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord.” The church and his country favored him with offices of trust and honor upon earth, but he is gone, I believe, to wear a crown of unfading laurels in Heaven. Why TnE Pastor is not Supported. So much has been said and written upon this important subject, with but little effect, that it may seem useless to add another thought. But the writer believes the subject is not exhausted. The Ministry claims a.support for Pastors: the churches readily admit the claim. There is no disagreement upon this point. Both parties stand upon the same great platform. “Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.” 1 Cor. ix. 14. Christians have the spirit of the Lord, are mem bers of the body of Christ, and desire to do their duty ; and will do it , when made to know and feel it. Why is the duty not performed ? If the Bible makes it a duty for churches to support their pastors, and that duty is not performed, “sin lies at the door” somewhere. Numerous articles have appeared in the Index, and in other religious papers, goading the churches up to their duty, but very few have been written exposing the faults of the clergy in this matter. Now while it must be admitted that the churches are not innocent, the Pastors, in our humble opin ion, are more guilty. How ? Ist. Because the great mass of so-called Pastors are neglecting the churches, and have gone out into the world to make money. And some of them are sharp as a brier at it, too —the world even calls some of them “sharpers.” Some are teaching school to make money, others are planting to make money, and complain bitterly that the church does not sup port her pastor. “Like Priests, like people.” Who is to blame ? The writer does not condemn the profession of teaching, planting and writing, but he feels that Pastors should not blame the churches when they themselves are guilty of the very same thing. “A word to the wise,” etc. 2. Another reason why Pastors fail to get a support, is, that they will not “condescend to men of low degree.” They will not visit the poor as they ought, nor will they let the wife and chil dren do it. They prefer to visit families that move in the upper circles of life, where sumptu ous dinners are furnished, costly apparel displayed and splendid halls decorated with the richest tapestry. The poor see they are neglected, and feel it, too. And soon or later the weight of their influence will be felt by the Pastor. The number of contributors to his support grows distressingly small, and his congregation dwindles down to a favorite few. If he would win the hearts of his congregation, let him imitate the example of his Lord, who as cheerfully partook of a frugal meal with a poor Laz arus, as of a sumptuous dinner with a rich Zaccheus. Or, do like our worthy missionary, brother Morrow, who, in a circle of Indians, sips soup from a common spoon, if necessary. 3. Again, some Pastors are too exacting—too contentious. They seem to forget that they “are ambassadors for Christ,” and that, “in Christ’s stead,” they must teach a dying world by exam ple as well as by precept, the Christian virtues of patience, meekness and love. They sometimes contend for rights, when they should “rathef take wrong. Why do ye not rather suffer your selves to be defrauded ?” 1 Cor. vi. 7. A Pastor not long since sued a brother for the sum of sl3. The claim was righteous, but the preacher was injured in the struggle. He sold his influence too cheap. In another place a preacher became obstinate; refused to pay the small sum of sd. His brother sued him and recovered the claim. In this trial, the preacher was charged with lying and fraud. His influence in that community is ruined. His reputation for truth and honesty was worth a thousand times that paltry sum. He, too, sold his influence for a “ mess of potage.” It is very unfortunate for Pastors to get in a “tangle” with freedinen, and be brought up by them before Bureau Agents. All such are in dan ger, like the man spoken of by the prophet, that got among the pots, of getting smutted. Better compromise—better “take wrong.” All those things work heavily against a Pastor, If he is the victim of these follies, he need not complain that his church does not support him. llow to Support a Pastor. The Pastor and his congregation are all poor together: now how is he, with a large family, to be supported ? Brother Editor, will it be out of place to give you the result of our experiment in this matter, down here in the piny woods? Last (all two neighboring churches in this county decided to try to engage the whole time of a Pastor. They made known their wishes to him, and he heartily approved the move. Quite a number of the members of tbe'church, however, thought the people were too poor, and endeavored to discourage the project. They even advised the Pastor not to risk it, for many of the brethren would subscribe but never pay. But an amount was promptly subscribed which was thought to be a reasonable support, and the preacher resolved to trust his brethren and the good Lord for a sup. port. Accordingly, he moved into their midst with a large family, early in January. The brethren were told that the Pastor and his family were frail and erring, just like other people; lived on the same kind of diet; wore the same kind of appa rel, and had feelings just like other people; that he h»d moved into their.midst to do them all the good he could, and no harm whatever. Now he and his wife are laboring in good earnest for the religious welfare of the people, and they, thus far, are doing their duty. The brethren say they are “broke,” “have no money,” “can’t do anything,” and all that, but they are support ing their Pastor, handsomely. Let him give you a transcript of his diary for a couple of weeks in January: Lord’s Day, Jan. 19.—Tried to preach. Text: Job vi. 15,1(5, 17. Subject: The Pictures of Life a Grand Panorama of Disappointment. Religion sure. Monday.—Much rain. Rec’d from brother 0. a bucket of 12 lbs. butter. Rec’d from W. S. TANARUS., cash S2O. Tuesday.—Rec’d from brother Dr. T. G. C., 1 sack meal. Rec’d from friend, 1 sack peas for cows. Wednesday.—Rec’d from Judge B. (not a mem ber) a lot of nice potatoes. Thursday.—Rec’d of brother, Dr. I. G. C., 485 lbs. peas and corn ground together for milch cows, llec’d of sister C., 2 doz. eggs—poor sis ter. Friday.—Pretty day : devoted to pastoral visits. Saturday.—Rec’d of Mrs. M. one sack of tur nips—nice. Sunday.— Text, Rev. xx. 14.: Death and Fune ral of the Soul. Monday. -Rcc’d of sister L. M. F. one largo bucket full of lard. A few days before, a large waiter loaded with fresh ribs and sausages. Rec’d of brother John C. a keg (5 gal.) of syrup. Rec’d of brother S. (Methodist) a lot of potatoes. Tuesday.—Rec’d of brother B. M. (J., marriage fee, $lO. Rec’d of sister Sp. (Meth.) waiter full of sausages. Wednesday.—Rec’d of Mr. S, W. (not a mem ber) cash $35. Snow nearly two inches deep. Thursday.—Cold. Studied sermon for next Sunday. Friday.—Sister L. M. F. presented a double gown to little daughter Josie. Saturday.—Engaged in Pastoral work. Sunday.—Text, Matt. xxv. 48. Seldom a day passes but the Pastor’s family is remembered, and a nice present comes to supply their wantg. Now, cannot other churches do likewise? w. c. w. February 2G, 1868. Report of Sunday School Missionary. By the blessing of God, I have been allowed to do much as Sunday School Missionary, during the year commencing March 1, 1867, and ending February 29, 1868. At one time it began to look as if my work on earth was nearly over. In Oc tober last, I had two congestive chills, in twenty one hours of each other. It required care and skill to keep off the third. But by the kindness of God, and good nursing, it did not come. Death was apparently near. I remembered God’s prom ises and felt that all was well. There are now many assurances of God’s kind care and protec tion over me. During the year I travelled 4,000 miles, circula ted 5,000 volumes, and 40,000 pages 6f tracts; preached 109 times, delivered 125 addresses, vis- ited and labored with many congregations, Sun day schools and families. Sunday schools are greatly on the increase. Only two persons have said in my presence, that they were opposed to them —one an ignorant woman, the other a drunk en boy. Find no trouble to organize a school whenever I can find a congregation that has none. The great trouble is to get suitable superinten dents, teachers, choristers and fast friends to the cause. I am an advocate for every church to have a pastor, and every pastor a church, and not four churches. When a church cannot sustain a pas tor, we recommend them to do as the brethren at Traveller’s Rest and Marshallville have done. During the past year I visited Traveller’s Rest, Macon county, Ga., an old church, in the country. They have recently agreed with the church at Marshallville, to sustain their pastor, (Rev. W. C. Wilkes, a well known and gifted laborer for Christ,) at a salary of eleven hundred dollars, each church to pay five hundred and fifty dollars, the pastor to divide his time equally between the two churches. We aided in the organization of a Sunday school at Traveller’s Rest. They bought two libraries, one for the Sunday school and the cither for the church. Small and large, young and old, joined the Sunday school. It is hoped that many other churches will follow' the example of Traveller’s Rest, and purchase a library for its members. By doing so, its younger members may be greatly improved in piety and church history. Allow me, in conclusion, to tell one Baptist story. A teacher told me of an incident which occurred some time since. He is a man of truth, and vouches for the correctness of the statement. At a Sunday school in which he was a teacher, there was a little boy whose parents were Pedo baptists. The little boy lived with Baptist rela tives. The teacher gave to his little pupil a copy of the New Testament. Ho carried it to his home at his relatives’ house. At a subsequent time, the little boy came with the book to the teacher and said, “ Here, you may take this book,” hold ing up the Testament, “it is a Baptist book, and I don’t want it” When the teacher met the mother, he told her that her son was far ahead of her, for he had found out that the “Testament is a Baptist book.” F. M. llaygood. Macon, Ga., March 2, 1968. Brown University. —Rev. Dr. Caswell suc ceeds Dr. Bears as President of this Institution.