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CHRISTIAN INDEX AND SOUTH-WESTERN BAPTIST.
VOL. 47-NO. 49.
A RELIGIOUS AND FAMILY PAPER,
PUBLISHED WEEKLY IN ATLANTA. GA.
J. J. TOON", Proprietor.
FOB TERMS SEE FOURTH PAGE.
Sliall the Work Cease?
T take up my pen in anguish of spirit. Re
cent events, and the facts which surround our
denominational enterprises and the cause at
large, have stirred my feelings, and 1 hope to
be pardoned for pouring out my grief on pa
per.
First of all, it is an abiding cause of la
mentation with us in Alabama, that we are
losing by removal, or secularization, many of
our verv best and ablest men. I have before
alluded to this subject, in terms that in a case
or two appear to have been regarded shin
gent. I have something to say on the other
side ; for not without reason, one of these
dear brethren to whom l expressed my re
grets, replied with a manner peculiarly digni
fied and solemn, “ Necessity knows no law.”
And while Udo so, brethren* at least, who
have sometimes said to me, “ft the fault of
the pastors themseives, that they are not sus
tained—they don’t speak out plainly enough,”
will hear me patiently. Any of these pastors
would content themselves w r ith living like
their brethren, however poorly that might be.
A good pastor is always woith more pecuni
arily, by the harmony, order, and industry he
promotes, than the cost of his living; to say
nothing of his use in spiritual things, the spe
eial province in wh’ch he is called to labor.
Let a community be without the preached
word for a single year, and you will see a
fearful deterioration of morals, and correct
habits in the community. The dullest must
have observed this. But that community im
perils the souls of its people; it has r.o one
with special adaptation to console in the hour
of bereavement; no one to befriend in eases
where all other friends fail ; no “ son ot con
solution,” fraught with the Spirit’s commis
sion to “ comfort them that are cast down ”
with sorrows earth cannot heal. It a single
church cannot care for him as its own peon
liar pastor, certainly two or three are never
too poor to doit, in the degree and way I have
indicated.
What, at present rates, is to become of our
Institutions of learning, literary and theologi
cal ? Are we going to sustain them or not?
Shall religious education pass out of our hands
or not? Shall we turn over our rising fami
lies and our rising ministry to other denomi
nations? Or, what is far more to be depre"
cated, shall we turn them over to the State,
soon, perhaps, to ignore the B.ble, and train
men for the pulpit in the errors of a re-hashed
German rationalism. These are serious ques
tions that must be practically answered right
now, in the affirmative or negative. Our col
leges,are on, the Vecge. some of them, of sus
pension, or discontinuance. Our only fully
equipped theological institution, (tiling up
rapidly to an unprecedented point with young
men, licensed by the churches, and eager to
fit themselves for the great work, is ill iimni
r.ent danger. Its Faculty, consisting of Drs.
B >yce, Broadus, Manly, and Williams, un
surpassed in qualifications, are, if possib’e,
more emphatically the choice of the whole
denomination that when at first appointed.
Their proved adaptation, devotion, and self
denial, have constantly won upon the affec
tions of all good men. TWy are men who,
the moment they should indicate any disposi
tion to give up their places, would eagerly be
sought in far more lucrative and less respon
sible positions. Shall we deseit these noble
men in their noble work ? No !no !! do you
say ? Then say so tangibly. “ Love not in
word nor in tongue, but in deed and in truth."
Does any one say, well the limes are too
hard ; sad as is the thought, we shall have to
let the Furman University, ar.d the Howard
College, and the Southern Theological Semi
nary go? Stop a moment, if you please.
Had not those who have given notes or bonds
to those institutions better pay the interest., a
part of the principal, or even the whole?
Have your other ertditors wholly excused
you? Is it right that they should do SO? Are
you prepared to give up all ante war claims
yourself? Has the Lord prospered nobody
enough to give something outright? But if
all this will not do, how are we to obtain
preachers and pastors for our chut ches? Take
the illiterate men who have done, such “yeo
man’s service ” in days gone by ? Very well;
I wish there were much more of this spirit
than I find. I doubt if God ever raises up a
church w hich has not in its own membership
the means of perpetuating itself, of edifica
tion, of growth and usefulness. But 1 find
that the churches themselves rarely think so.
I have rarely known a church and congrega
tion of any size, these last twenty y'ears, who
were fully satisfied w ith any man not deemed
the very best in all their knowledge; and
this is grow ing more so. The truth is, we
have but a few men, who, particularly in the
towns and villages, are thoroughly accepta
ble. Learning, ability, eloquence, were never
more sought after. These cannot be had
without training—not always, even then.
And there is danger of our losing our hold on
the “ centres of influence,” as they have been
called, as in former years, and retiring entirely
to the country. 1 am far from disparaging
the country. 1 have labored much in it. I
know its people and love them. Nay, I be
lieve that the conservative power of Christi
anity always has been, and will be, mainly
in the country —among the “common peo
ple.” at least, whether in city or country.
But a good city church, kept pure from the
great temptations of such a locality, is a vast
engine for good, and, if it were not, it is not
to be neglected, and the teeming population
left to the tender mercies of error, vice, and
sin.
What shall I say of our papers? Brother
Shaver, or Jeter, or Graves, occupies a place
of far greater responsibility than most preach
ers. The publishers of the |>apers these
brethren edit, are rendering untold service to
the denomination and the cause of saving
truth. No man can make any pretensions
to being an enlightened Christian, who does
FRANKLIN PRINTING HOUSE, ATLANTA, GA., THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1868.
not read religious newspapers, and keep up
with the efforts of Christians to carry out the
great commission; and yet we sometimes
find deacons and leading members without
any means whatever of obtaining such infor
mation. Shall we sustain these weekly mes
sengers, and reap the personal profit to our
selves and families, or choose “ darkness rather
than light?” We can not keep alongside of
our enterprising brethren (if other denomina
tions, without colleges, schools, theological
institutions and religious newspapers. Shall
we decline such holy emulation, and retire
from the work.
Are we too poor? Then so are others.
Are we in danger of want? So says not the
“ goodly apparel ” so generally* worn ; so say
not the costly ornaments many of our daugh
ters wear. Even at this time, the annual ex
ports of the Southern Stages are greater, per
capita, than those of aay other people on earth.
There is yet another topic I wish to touch,
of more magnitude than any that has gone
before. What shall be done with our Do
mieATle and Foreign Missions ? "'Shall 'our
Boards, whose judicious management has al
ways met our approbation, be deserted, be
cause one of them has, for once, miscalculated
the resources of this long-distracted country,
and assumed obligations difficult to be dis
charged ? What individual or business firm
has not done the same thing these last years?
Shall we ever be brought to think of merging
them into Northern Boards? We can not
yet, with becoming Christian sinceiity and
heartiness, so closely identify ourselves with
our Northern brethren. It would be unna
tural : all know this. The country is to<.
large for such union at any future time. It
poverty again be made an excuse, we know
that the churches of tlie first century were
poor as ours, and that they did wonders in
the diffusion of the gospel. r l he problem to
be solved in this connection is indeed a seri
ous one ; but so is the problem <>f provision
for our loved ones at home. We do not, how
ever, expect to abandon them in despair. A
duty once clearly before us, despair is the
worst possible policy. A little courage —a
brief, though it may be a desperate, struggle
—and we may hope to be on firm ground
again. The country will be recuperated un
der almost any auspices. The sun never
shone upon another country of such resources
as ours. A superior population never inhab
ited any country.
But enough for once. I have perhaps al
ready said far more than will be excused. I
am fully awnire that among the most unpar
donable things a man ever docs, is to present
truth unanswerably; that, no suavity of man
ner or spirit can always atone for such an of
fence ; and I have presumed to do this very
thing. It is no boast. The truth lies on th e
Very surface, level to the capacity of the sim
plest. But lam grfjwlng any in the ministry
—have “seen service,” and am not very easily
alarmed. Besides, if mature age has any pe
culiar claims, 1 may begin to plead them. It
all this will not do, “ Strike, but hear me.”
No, brethren ! We lack the love o.' souls.
“The love of Christ” does not sufficiently
“constrain us.”
But, after all, it strikes me that I ought to
beg the reader’s pardon. lain reminded of
prayer meeting lectures and admonitory ser
mons. When you wish to say something to
delinquents, they are not there. You prepare
your lecture, and it falls on the ears of those
who are prayerfully striving to do well, w hom
you desire, on all decisions, to cheer and con
sole. So the Subscribers and readers of your
paper, I persuade myself, little need to be ex
hot-fed to duty. No. It’s those who do not
takeand road a good paper,of whom we stand
in doubt. But how shall they be reached ?
Perhaps as church-going people sometimes
report what they hear to non-church goers,
jour readers may tell their brethren the
things they read. E. B. Teague.
More about Preachers, their Wives ami
Children.
When I read tha piece in the last Index,
written by “ One of Them,” about preachers,
their wives, and children, l thanked her kind
ly for defending our cause. 1 say our cause, for
I, like the writer, am a preacher’s daughter
and a preacher’s wife, and all true preachers’
wives know and sympathize with each other.
Our troubles are about the same. I, like her,
do not believe that preachers select worse
women for wives than other men, or have
worse children than other people. It is true
that they sometimes make a bad choice, but
not because they are preachers. It is only
because preachers’ wives are not much better
than other wives, that they are said to be
worse wives; and it is the same with the
children. People think because they are
preachers’ children, they ought to be belter
than other children, and if they are not really
better than other children, it is said, “they
are the worst children in the world.” Preach
ers, their wives and children, are poor, frail,
erring creatures like other folks, have the
same trials and vexations, that other people
have, and many more. We poor preachers’
wives have to bear the burden of bringing up
the children, almost alone, for pur husbands
are frequently from home, and w hen at home,
much of their time is spent, in their study, and
we try to keep the children, with of their
little troubles and noise, to ourselves, so as
not to interrupt them; consequently they
knew but little about the many trials that
often cause a mother’s heart to ache. Ah!
how- much good the sisters of the pastor’s
flock might do, by frequently visiting their
pastor’s wife, in her loneliness. If they only
knew how much we appreciated these visits
of love, and their words of comfort and cheer !
Yes, when I have, kept a lonely watch by the
bedside of a darling little one, my husband
far away, engaged in the great work of win
ning souls to Christ, not knowing but his dear
ones at home were all well; I say, then I
have so earnestly wished that some friend
would eonre. It would have been like an an
gel’s visit, and appreciated as such.
The pastor’s fl*»ck may all be good friends
of his, yet these little tokens of love mani
fest their appreciation of his servioes, and
their special regard for his welfare. And
there is no telling how much good this does
him. It binds him by tender ties to lus peo
ple, he feels that, they love and care fur him,
and their spiritual interest lies near to his
heart, and he feels encouraged to devote his
time, his talents, his all, to his blessed Mas
ter, and he goes forth strengthened and com
forted. Ah! if the churches would only
think of these things, and oftener manifest
their love and interest for their pastor, how
many times they would lighten his heart, and
cause him to tread the rugged path of life
more cheerfulty. Ruth.
“Tempting G»<l versus Trusting God.”
In the Religious Herald of November 19:h,
there is a j >int article, with the above head
ing, from a “valued friend,” and S. G. Iliil
yer. By one before them, Muller’s book is
declared to be “founded on, and to foster
delusion,” and here we have in the heading,
and the phase, “he is not chargeable with
tempting God, unless it may be when be re
fused to answer inquiries into of
his wants,” a modest intimation -that he did
tempt God. It is quite clear “trust
in God is one thing, and to rely pn that
trust for the accomplishment of what ought
to be accomplished by the use of means
which Gu.l has appointed and placed within
our reach, is a very different thin:;” and that
“the latter is tempting God,” is also clear; but
to say that “ the man neglect in gpfujgbing and
sowing,” when God bus decreed that in the s a cat
of his face he should eat his bread, gives him
the soil, sends rain and sunshine, “ trusts
God” is impossible —he is a sluggard, an
infidel; nor does this case in any point re
sernble Muller’s. The ease of “ the sick man
wh > dismisses his physician for the purpose
of exhibiting his trust in God,” cuts, to say
the least of it, b >ih ways; and if such a step
be tempting God, then the poor woman wb<>
had an “issue of blood” for twelve years, j
and pressed through the crowd to touch Jesus, j
that she might be healed, must have tempted
God; for in going she must have “exhibited
her trust in Go I.” And if she did not for
mally dismiss her doctors, to whom she had
already paid her living without benefit, she
w« nt regardless of them.
“The primary design of George Muller in
attempting the erection of an Orphan House
at Bristol,” is better stated by himself, on
page 145 of his book : ** That l set about the
work for the glory of G >d ;” not to “ prove
to his brethren the efficacy of prayer”—“ i.
e., that there might be a visible proof, by
God supporting, in answer to prayer only, the
necessities of the orphans, that he is the lir
iny God, and mod willing, even in our day,
to answer prayer.” Here, it is man lest, the
glory of God was Muller’s prime object in
es ablishing the Orphan House. And he
claims nothing but v\ It at he cvi-ry w Inuv fioJl
tends is attainable hv every true and humble
child of God. Again, and again, he denies
that he has the “gift *'f faith,” mentioned in
1 Cor. xii.: 9. Y- t it is claimed by the ar
ticle in the Herald, that, in Muller’s case, it is
a “special gift;” and wh le 1 concede the
right of judgment to those who contend that
Muller has the “gift of faith,” 1 think it
safer to take his statement, after a long and
thoroughly sifted experience in “comparing
spiritual things with spiritual.”
It is assumed that “ Muller did not con
clude that it was G id’s will for him to under
take the work, until he had first proposed the
plan to his brethren an! found that they
viewed it with favor.” On page 115 Muller
savs: “I have been every day this week,
very much in prayer concerning the Orphan
House, chiefly entreating the Lord to take
away every thought concerning it out of mv
mind, if the matter be not of I im ; and have
also repeatedly examined my heart concern
ing my motives in the matter. But I have
been more and more confirmed that it is of
God.” And by reading the next page it will
be tound that he consulted only his co-laborer
Craik, simply as a precautionary step, not so
much to decide him in the undertaking, as to
expose any unsinctifi-d motives with which
he might be possessed ; and without further
consultation, thu “ first actual step was taken
in the matter,” which was to call a public
meeting, at which “1 intend,” said lie “to
lay before the brethren my thoughts concern
eerning the Orphan House, as a means of
ascertaining more clearly the Lord’s mind
concerning the matter.” It is asked : “ Did
not Muller err in regarding ali direct appeals
to man for aid, as inconsistent with trust in
God ?” I answer no, in so far as the design
of his undertaking was c mcerned. Why may
not the many orphan homes in this country
claim what Miilfer does for his? Why
should his be singled out above all others as
sustained by the piayer of faith? Who
claims for the one at “ Lauderdale Springs,
Mis-.,” that the orphans are fid, clothed and
educated alone in answer to prayer, or, as
gainsayers will have it, by “indirect appeals
or means,” nevertheless the “ most striking,
shrewdest, sensational and successful adver
tisements ever seen ?” Such a claim would
be too barefaced, and would meet the con
tempt it would j i-si 1 y merit. Dr. Hillyer
asserts that “ Mr. Mix ler does use besides
his prayers, abundant means, which are cal
culated to secure the aid of his fellow-men.
It is true, he may not make a direct appeal to
any individual, but he must, of necessity,
make an appeal some way. An indirect ap
peal is an appeal, just as truly as if it were
direct.” The world, or my good brother,
does not rely upon these “indirect means”
to accomplish their undertakings —build up
their enterprises. And if I should assert that
he, as the head of ihe “Monroe Female Col
lege,” in the annual announcements, was
making “appeals” for money, he would have
jus*, reason to be offended. Muller makes no
appeal in his published reports; he has a
much higher and holier purpose in giving
publicity to the dealings of the Lord w r ilh
him, to strengthen the faith of Christians, and
I do think one’s motives should not be disre
garded in determining the merits of this case.
He further says: If no appeal had been made,
“ha never would have reoeived the first do
nation,” and that it ts morally certain that
the don .tion would never have been made, if
the donor had not known the want of it.” I
think i*. is equally certain the “first donation
was received before his plans were made pub
lic, or he had consulted with any one save
Mr. Craik. This may be learned on page 116.
I would ask if it does not tax one’s credulity
to believe that the means whi h some insist
that Muller used, could have met the many
exigencies of the case—>ent r just in time,
needed supp ies to save the orphans from
Want, and the institution, with its founder,
from di-grace? An annual report of what ]
the Lord, has done, through him, for the or
phans, schools and missionaries, in which
no want is expo-ed, save those that are pa-t,
which h ive been uniformly supplied, and suc
cess attended his operation-, is not an “ap
peal,” nor is it likely to induce many men to
contribute; and it seems to me absurd to
suppose, that the wants of himself and the
Orphan House—of which people were ignor- I
ant Ht /he time—woul<»%sve been supplied, «
or the people so thoughtful, and inclined,
always just in time, to meet their wants and
make good the word of God, upon any other
ground than that God, in answer to prayer,
put it into the hearts of the people to give.
If we were required to say whose faith is
most childlike and honoring to God, most
convincing to the world, and comforting to the
heart, would we not be constrained lo say :
Muller’s ?
There are some reasons why tire “ Life of
Trust” would be unpopular, both with Pedo
baptists and many Bip ists, and it is very
significant that so few of the former have
commended the book. No unbiassed, hone-t,
humble seeker after Truth, can read Muller
without the conviction that the author studied,
prayerfully, Gol’s W u-J; more, perhaps,
than any living person, and above all things,
desired to know and do what it required.
And as he had to be immersed. Pedob.ipt ists
feel that it is a dangerous book to commend
or put into the hinds of their people. On
the other hand, he presents views and exec
utes pians so diverse from those Adopted and
cherished by Baptists—about which much
bitter feeling ha- been engendered, and parties
formed—that many of them feel there is risk
t > these if Mil ler’s hook he commended in
high places,and b ■ widely circn'ate I. “Babes”
live near God, and he designs to “reveal”
things t « them, that are “hid from the wise
and prudent.” G. F. C.
Prayer for Ministers.
Will not our btvthr n generally inaugurate
in their churches, a special prayer meeting for
the ministers of our denomination? Or ar
E ast. pray for them more in the regular prayet
meetings which are already established and
k. pt up? There is no class of Christians
ahtt needs prayer so much as ministers; an I
there never was. a time in in;- -i—ov. J**sW**-,
when they so much needed th .> sy mpatby and
petitions of the saints as at the present.
The ministerial work in the. S mth is of greater
magnitude than ever before, and the tempta
tions of ministers are more numerous, and,
humanly speaking, more irresistible. The
devil seems to be marshalling his whole
strength for a successful attack upon <>ur min
i-try, just where he first unsuccessfully tempt
ed th • Siviour. If 1 at all tmdets:and his
present tactics, it is his plan to drive God’s
mini-ters into secular pursuits in seaieh of
bread. Ills text is, and has been since the
war, “Y’ou must live,” from which he preaches
to ministers. And first, he lias been laboring
to show that man must live by bread alone;
and in the second place, that man can not
have any assuiance of bread, except by dili
genily prosecuting some secular business.
And he has most wonderfully succeeded in
establishing his first proposition in ihe minds
of many of our ministeis, at and quite as many
believe bis second. The consequence of which
is, they have given up their pulpits and taken
upon themselves secular callings; and I great
ly fear many more will be convinced of the
truthfulness of his positions (as he would
have all believ*), and follow the example of
too great a number of our brethren who have
become secularized. Have we not reasons to
fear? How many pastors do you suppose
there are in Georgia who are giving their
whole time to the work, who have not been
tempted to distrust God lor a support, and to
resort to their own personal exertions to pro
cure bread for their families? I venture they
are greatly in the minority.- Just think of
the facts. The great majority of our minis
ters, as a denomination, are already secular
ized, and lo that extent their usefulness is cir
cumscribed; and then a large majority of the
m’mi-trv, who are not thus secularized, are
being severely tempted to divide their time
w ith secular pursuits, and we have reasons to
be alarmed fi»r the ministry. And will not
brethren everywhere pray God to enable His
ministers to say and feel in their hearts, that
“man shall not live by bread alone, but by
every word that proceedeih out of the mouth
of the Lord”? They ou-ht to do it; for
they and their children w ill suffer for spiritual
food, in proportion t<» the success that Satan
has in tempting God’s minisU rs. They ought
to doit ; for there is no human instrumental
itv that would be so efllc ual in pulling a
stop to this sad tendency, as the prayers of
the church and the corresponding consequence
which would follow true piayer, viz.—gieater
liberality in the support of the ministry.
Oh, that our brethren in the country, in our
towns and cities, could be induced to unite in
making this a suEject of constant prayer! 1
feel confident that I only speak the conviction
of every tiue minister’s heart, when I say, if
they could hear their brethren praying for
them —that they might be wholly consecrated
to the work of preaching the gospel of Je
sus—that they should never become entangled
with the business of this world—and see them
at the same time making some effort, some
sacrifice, to keep them and their families from
! actual suffering, the devil would be put to
flight and driven from his strong holds, and
God’s cause made to prosper as it never has
prospered in our day. YYuat a work there is
ibr our church members to do ! Can you not
i induce them to engage in it? F. M. D.
Nm time**. Go-
The Fault ; and Where-It Lies.
My people, with many hundreds of others,
think that they are too poor to purchase any
thing but. the necessaries of life, and unfortu
nately fu* them, they do not consider-reli
gious newspapers and magazines such. These
are classed as luxuries which, in their condi
tion, they feellt would be downright extrava
gance to indulge in. Money must not be
wasted, say they ? for it is the principal thing
in these days. Alas, it has been so all their
dicys Sunday schools require money, there
| fijre they are dispensed wiih. The Index
costs money,’ therHßire. they shut out the
tidings from our general Z <>n, and the cry of
the benighted, “ help us.” The most they can,
or will spend, is a small amount for a parson,
whom they dignify with the name of pa-tor,
to preach once a month. With souls and in
tellect so stinted, you cannot expect aught
but ignorance and its coneomitan’, feebleness.
The mind, like the body, requires a generous
diet for vigorous-and continued «fi ;brt. Chri
stian cßarity,
result from spiritual ami nmutal culture. A
church of but. few members, properly in
structed and educated, is a power that will
accomplish something for Christ. An unin
structed membership, however large, is a
mass of weakness. Its list of communicants
is like the muster roll ot a company of inva
lids. The world would move backward, if
its progress in intelligence and charity de
pended on such as these.
Who is responsible for this state of things
among some of our churches? Unquestiona
bly their preachers. They have not instructed
their people in their DUTY to tueih souls,
TO THKIK CHILDKEN, TO THE WOliD, aild tO the
SAViOUIi. They have not preached against,
the SIN OF WILFUL IGNORANCE; they
have not taught the DUTY OF MEN I AL
AND SPIRITUAL CULTURE; they have
not urged the NECESSITY AND DUTY of
acquainting themselves with, the wants of the j
Master's king Join, and with the opportunities
for extending the territory of Zion. They
have ordained as teachers, men who need to be
taught. They have put into the pulpit, men
who would have been good demons, but who
are poor preachers, because they are not “ apt
to teach.” In this regard, they hive laid
aside the law of Christ for expediency, and
cutsed the churches in so doing. I exhort the
ministry to repent, and for the time to come,
to do their whole duty to their people, and
“lay hands suddenly on no man”—not to
lay hands at all, when the scriptural qualifi
cations do not exist. Let them r turn to the
practice of early Christianity, and we will
have an abler aa I more devoted ministry, and
abler and more devoted churches. “ Like
priest, like people.” Cephas.
“ One of Them.”
I m a com til tin ieiUioH in your i«->ne of
November 26:h, in which “One of Them”
asks the readeis of the Index to review the
list of their acquaintances, and see if minis
ters’ families do not stand as high in the
moral scale as others. Accepting the invita
tion, I began by setting down the number of
ministers and their families with whom lam
acquainted, with the following result; Num
ber of ministers, 29 ; number of children in
their families, 10 years old and upward, 123.
Morals of the children : Three very w ick< and ;
eleven, as the world would say, of an average
wickedne.ss-»-that is, they make no preten
sions to any thing like religion, but are re
spectable, good citizens. Thirty-eight more
make no profession of religion, but occupy
what the world calls an independent moral j
position. Seventy one are worthy members I
of the church. Now, sir, 1 conclude that the j
accusation, that preachers’ children are worse
: than others, is indeed a slander, and should
be so published to the world. I can not find
twenty-nine families of any other class of
men, who have 123 living children, w hose mor
al and religious statistics are so favorable.
Readeh No. 1.
Religions Periodicals.
A correspondent of the Religious Herald,
Cincinnati, says: Four things should be re
q iir and ot a man coming into the church—to
s t his family the example of total abstinence;
to lead them at the family altar ; to take them
to tftc house of God ; and to furnish them
with a good religious paper. The number of
such papers, taken in tha congregation, should
be reported in the New Year's sermon, and
have a column in the statistics ol the Minutes
of the Assembly.
My pastorate begtin with more ihan a hun
dred members. I received afterward more
than a thousand, and our annual reports
counted up such as ha f been st paiated from
us by di-cipliue till approximating forty y ears,
when the number became large. Now in age,
solitude and retirement, my thoughts iuii
hack to the persons with whom I was con
versant in my I letter dais. Os this number
of apostates 1 can hardly think of one who
regularly read <>ur paper. Such facts as this
should hive weight wi h those who would
keep trouble out of the church. On the
other hand, few, if any, distinguished for in
telligence and doing good, are without such
piper.
lie who rt-ads a first class religious paper
a \ ear, takes fifty-two steps'; in ten years,
five hundred step's: and m fifty years, two
thousand and five hundred steps in the march
of intelligence and moral worth. I have been
sin prised to find by written documents and
other ways, how small an amount of school
learning was possessed by some useful, able
and injelligent On Utians. My surprise
passed away when I found that, for halt a
century, they well read an ably conducted
Conducted religious paper. On the other
hand, a person wi*h early a I vantages of edu
cation, by barring the windows of his soul
against the periodicals of the kingdom of
heaven, lives in ignorance, better seen by
others, at and more ridiculous to others, than to
himself.
Old Pastoks and New. — Or. Withington
of New bmy, once, in a charge to the people
at an ordination or installation service, said,
substantially, “ Don’t tell your new minister
when he calls upon you, how much you loved
your old minister. It is very common with
many people when anew minister comes
among them, to keep telling him bow much
they loved their old minister, it makes me
think sometimes of a certain man I knew,
who lost his wife and married another, and he
kept telling his second wife how much he
loved his first one, when everybody knew he
quarrelled her to death.”
The Seng of a Tired Servant.
“ One more day-* work for Jesus,”
One less of life tor me ;
Bui heaven is nearer,
And Christ is, dearer.
Than yesterday, to me ;
His love and light
Fill all my soul to-night.
One more day’s v-ork for Jesus.
How glorious is my King!
, *Tis joy. not duty.
To speak His tieaoty :
My s_ul mounts on the W'ing
At the mere thought
How Christ her life hath bought.
One more day’s work for Jesus:
Sweet, sweet the work has been,
To tell the story,
T.* show the glory,
Where Christ’s floek enter in.
How it did shine
In this poor heart of mine!
One more day’s work lor Jesus:
In hope, in faith, in prayer,
His word I’ve spoken,
His t read I've broken.
To souls faint with despair,
And Imde them Hee
Tu him who-hath saved me.
. One more day’s work tor Jesus:
Yes..’tis a weary day ;
sßc:
And Chnsf it» all
Before ills face 1 fall.
O. blessed work for Jesus !
O, rest at Jesus’ leet!
There toil seems pleasure;
My wants are treasure,
And pain Ibr him looks sweet.
Lord, it I may,
I’ll serve thee more another day.
The Christian at Work
Right.
Low to myself l said the word ;
With deeper thrill through voice and will
II rang as with a shout !
Such power was in it to be heard.
And from that hour my soul grew still,
And put away its doubt.
A battle-cry is in that word
A three to wield on deadliest Held.
Which he who grasps shall feel
As if his hand had drawn a sword,
And triumph were forestalled and sealed
With the first battle peal!
A royal word ! a conquering word !
Which none could speak With lips so weak
But straight they should grow strong;
As if. unknowing, lliey had heard
The mighty hosts of victors speak,
And echoed the new song !
The grand word ! the eternal word !
Given ns whereby to glorily
This daily work and care,
Building our temples to Ihe Lord
Alter the heavenly house on high.
Where the city lies four-square.
And straight and perfect live, do grow—
Whose image is in lorm ot LI is
From heavenly height to height.
So let the Will-be done below ;
Oh, Uniy. it needs only this.
And thou art named Delight.
One Word for Jesus.
One word for Jesus I would speak ;
Dear Lord what shall it be?
My faith is dim. mv voice is weak;
Yel. looking upward. I woo'd seek
To speak one word for lliee.
One net for Jesus l would do,
And vel I know not how ;
But while his bleeding wounds I view,
And all my sinful past review,
1 long to do it itovv.
One song for Jesus I would sing
One hear'.-e»irapturing song
And a-k that Christ, iny Priest and King,
Would lake the tiinelnl ottering
To charm a listening throng.
One line for Jesus I would write
One fine, unlading line
And ask that his unerring sight
Would quicken it with heavenly light,
And Pless the effort mine.
One word : what other word than love?
One act: what act bill prayer?
One look upon his cross above:
(I’d gaze lorever there.)
One song—a blessed, holy hymn
Os his redeeming grace ;
One line—Come ye who re lost in sin,
And seek your Father’s face.
One word, one look, one act. one song—
Jesus in each i-liall be—
One, Put to la»t Ibr evermore ;
Lord, teach them unto me.
Tract Journal.
Pedobaptist Testimony on Communion.
In the last number of The Christian In
structor, the excellent organ in this city of
the United Presbyterian Church, we find (says
the National Baptist, Phil ,) an article on
Baptism and Communion. Alter stating that
each of the Christian denominations seems
just now to be engaged in discussing s«>me
question us special interest to itself, and spec
ifying instances in others, the editor goes on
to sav :
“ In the Baptist church also there is a ques
tion of no less absorbing and eventful inter
est very largely occupying public attention.
It is a< to whether there shall be in it a strict
ly exclusive and clos*, or a general and open
Communion. The theory of this church
has been understood to be that no person can
be admitted to the Lord’s bupper who is not
a member of a church ; that no person can
be a member of a church who has not been
baptized ; that no person can be understood
to be baptized who has not personally pro
fessed faith in Christ, and after that been im
mersed ; and that thus as none but members
of the, Biptist church are understood to have
been thus baptize t, none but such are to be
admitted in it to the Lord’s table. The con
sequence has been, that while the members
of this denomination are among the most
genial, warm-hearted and earnest Christian
men, and of large philanthropic and benevo
lent views, )et as a body and in reference to
Communion, they have been regarded as ex
clusive* and close, and as keeping all others
literally at a distance.”
The discussion among us of the relation of
Baptism to Communion is briefly spoken of,
and the article concludes as follows:
“ Having written thus much, as our atten
tion has been specially called to this subject,
we may add that however much is said about
libeiality nowadays, its desirableness and
the duty and necessity for it at t’te Loro’s
table and everywhere elsp, yet we must say
that with our views of the position of the
Baptist church on baptism and church-mem
bersh'p, no course but the exclusive or close
one can be consistently pursued by it. Asa
church, it mu-t give up its exclusive view of
the mode of baptism, or it must hold fast close
communion. If its members firmly anti truly
believe the one, they must practice the other
—otherwise, as all orderly evangelical church
es regard baptism as a pre requisite to church
membership and communion, and as the
Baptist church believes that only immersing
is baptism, it would follow that, in prac
ticing open communion and admitting per
sons to the Lord’s table who had not been
immersed, they Would beguilty of admitting
persons who had not, in their view, been bap
tized at all. Let this church, then, either give
up its view of baptism, or hold fast its view
of communion. So also let every church
have its profession and its practice agrep.
Union is the proper basis of communion. If
there are differ* nees between men that are
deemed of such importance asri o justify the
existence of separate churches, then let these
differences be freely and heartily laid aside
and open communion follow in all its fulness
—or, if this is not done, if these differences
continue, then let each be coutent with its
own oommuuion.”
iSHOLE NO. 2419.
Two Pictures.
In a scantily furnished chamber lies an aid
Scotch minister with thin, gray hair, and
wrinkled skin. But his brow is high and
broad; his deep set eyes are bright and
piercing; a smile plays round his lips; and
though feeble and dying, he looks calm and
happy. Let us speak to him and say:
“Do you think yourself dying, dear sir?”
He his eyes calmly upon you, and
slowly he replies:
“ Really, friend, I am not anxious whether
lam or not; for il' I die r I shall be with God;
if 1 live he will be with me.”
Now let us step into yonder mansion. En
tering a richly furnished chamber, we find a
dignified personage infolded in warm robes,
and seated in a largo easy chair. He, too, is
feeble and dying; but the. light in his eyes is
unsteady, and he looks like a man ill at ease
with himself. Let us also ask hint a ques
tion :
5‘ Mr. Gibbon, how does the world appear
to you now ?”
The eloquent historian of the Roman Em
pire (for he it is) closes his eyes
.he replies: ' ... .... '
“AH are ftljjThiliiHpfwhit t
kck, I serthey have beeiAeting; when I
look forward, all is dark and doubtful.”—
Protestant Churchman.
Every Longing' Satisfied.
My soul thirsteth for God, for the living
God—Ps. 42: 2. If any man thirst let him
come unto me and drink.—John 7: 37.
Let me not be ashamed.—Ps. 31: 1.
Whosoever believeth in him shall not be
ashamed.—9 : 33.
I am in trouble.—Ps. 38: 6. He shall
deliver thee in six troubles. Yes, in seven
there shall no evil touch thee.—Job 5: 19.
Canst thou by searching find out God ?
Job 11:7. The Lord is with you while ye
be with And if ye seek him, he will
be found of you.—2 Ch. 15: 2.
God be merciful to me a sinner.—Luke 18 :
13. This is a faithful saying and worthy of
all acceptation, that Christ Jesus carne into
the world to save sinners.—l Tim. 1 : 15.
Is his mercy clean gone forever?—Ps. 77 :
8. His mercy is everlasting.—Ps. 100: 5.
The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting
to everlasting upon them that fear him.—Ps.
103: 17. His throne is upholden by mercy.
—Pruv.'2o: 28.
Prayer Under Injury.
Shortly afier his removal to Washington
county, Penn., Rev. Joseph Patterson joined
with a company to buy homesteads from a
Mr. McClure. The title proved to be worth
less. The other members of the company
proposed to employ a lawyer to attend to the
whole case, make the titles good, or recover
damages. “ No,” said Patterson, “ 1 have
read in my Bible of a wonderful counsellor.
Him will [ employ.” The others failed in
their suit, for Mr. McClure absconded. One
day Patterson was passing McClure’s house,
when his wife called him in and handed him
a leather purse containing his purchase money.
“ Before my husband left he told me to be
sure and hand you this money, or you would
pray him to death,” “My counsellor was
the best,” said the old man. “He never lost
a case; will plead without a fee.”- Pretbyie
rian Banner. -<r * V*P**t*
Superstition of Pkd<>baptism. —A writer
in the Preslnyleiian Index says: “In more
than one instance, I have felt constrained, un
der v* ry trying circumstances, to refuse to
administer baptism. A child of ungodly pa
rents lies at the point of death. A minister
of the gospel is called in to baptize it. What
is lie to do? If he remains true to his con
victions he is liable to be charged with bigot
ry and cruelty, but if, through timid fear, he
\ields to the solicitations of weeping friends,
he will give countenance to the dangerous
error, that baptism is essential to salvation.”
And a correspondent of the Baptist Visitor:
“A case once came under my own observation
where lhe child of a Baptist was sick, and
nigh unto death, and there was an Episcopal
lady in attendance on the child, and after
having in vain persuaded the mother to have
her child baptized, as she called it, she watched
for an opportunity and did it herself, in the
absence of the mother, fearing, lest the little
one, dying unbaptized, would be lost.”
Free Churches. —in answer to the ques
tion, “ Why do so many churches fail to reach
the poor?” the Young Men’s Christian Asso
ciation, St. Louis, said, “It was because the
poor, being naturally proud and sensitive on
account of their poverty, misunderstood the
churches, and do not believe that they are
welcome,” and also because “the pastors, of
ficers and members are too selfish in the en
joyment of their religion, and have too little
love for souls.” They also came to the con
clusion “ that the only remedy for the evil is,
first, to build plainer churches, and invite
the poor cordially to them, proving the sin
cerity of this invitation and making it con
sistent by abolishing the system of pew-rent
ing; second, to seek out the poor and carry
the gospel to them.”
A Queer Gesture. —The Irish correspond
ent of the Na>hville Christian Advocate says
of Rev. John Kelly, Liverpool: His invari
able gesture, when excited, is to put his left
hand b< hind his back, and play with the but
ton of his coat. That gesture, if such it may
be called, at once advises the congregation of
the approach of something good. It is the
introduction to a grand burst of solid and
thrilling eloquence.
Christians and the Fashions. —There are
many now that have followed the world and
followed the fashions till God seems to have
given them over to the devil for the destruc
tion of the flesh. They have little or no re
ligious feeling, no spirit of prajer, no zeal for
the glory of God or the conversion of sin
ners; tbe Holy Spirit seems to have with
drawn from them.— Finney.
Choice of Texts. —Rev. Mr. Dew, for
merly of Thompson, Conn., who was some
what peculiar for the selection of curious
texts to his sermons, on one occasion made
choice of this : “ Mo&b is my waskpot,” and
derived from it the doctrine that “God makes
use of sinners to scour saints .”
Trivial Objections to Ministers. A
moustache prevented a minister from getting
a call on the Hudson: We Once heard of a
woman who said she would never vote for a
man wlio did not wear a white cravat, and
others are affected by things as foolish.
Infidel'tt —ls I know anything, I know
this, that the people who talk about the weak
ness of the evidences of Christianity, are
generally persons who never looked into them.
— Bellows.
Cnußcn Music. —Programmes of the mu
sic are printed, and distributed in the pews of
some of the fashionable churches in London.
Aged Ministers. —Dr. Spring, now nearly
ninety, says the best thirty years for work
are after fifty.