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THE CHRISTIAN INDEX AHI) SOUTH-WESTERN BAPTIST: ATLANTA,-GA.7 THURSDAY, JUNE 24 1869. 98 Jjafax ail fSaptfet. J. J. TOON, • . ■ * Proprietor. B9V. D. SHAVER, D.D., Editor. THURSDAY, JUNE 24, 1869. “Political Assassination.” In many quarters the statement has been made, that political assassination is ‘the order of the day* in our State, and that a debauched public sentiment shields the perpetrators of the mon strous crime from punishment. This impression is conveyed, for example, by a recent “Letter from Georgia,” in the Christian Era, of Boston. The writer of the letter, as the editor of that paper informs us, is “a New England divine, widely known and universally loved.” This description, for reasons which it is needless to detail here, clearly singles him out for recognition by us : and yet, he professes to withhold his name, as a safe guard against personal peril from the lawlessness of our section ! The artifice is shallow: the affec tation of concealment really renders it more easy to put one’s finger on him in Georgia than in Massachusetts. With this exposure of the insin cerity and subterfuge lying on the very surface of the letter, we dismiss it; reserving its alleged facts for notice the light of cial, legislative, or milijsHfinstigation. jg|C But the general that cotH(HH as well the honor as tho|NHPand prosperlßH our people, and we will wHAt some of itSHI pects. Perhaps, no one can the morals ■! the whole country have from tfjjjl war. If we mistake not, and deeds 4H violence have been more nuEHBUS, both at thH North and at the South, this terrible'- upheaval of society. It is not in our section, in deed, that these outcroppings of blood have at tained greatest frequency : but no right-minded Southern man can have marked their increase among us without profound sorrow and humilia tion. Now, (arguing on the logical principles of “probability” which govern “the calculation of chances,”) it is not unlikely that here,—as has happened, at times, in every nation under heaven, —the evil passions venting themselves in this de struction of life, have been aroused and instigated to their fell work, in some instances, by the con flict of sentiment, interest and feeling, surround ing questions of politics. If such instances oc cur—and let them not be alleged except on testi mony, w'hich defies impeachment and excludes rational doubt—we have no word of apology for them. Assassination for political ends is the last extreme of folly and the lowest depth of infamy. Nothing can be more dastardly in cowardice, nothing more atrocious in brutality. He who commits, or counsels, or conceals it, is, beyond all other men, the deadliest enemy of his people. Let no wretch of so flagitious a stamp find shel ter from universal execration and the utmost rigor of law. We would say these things with empha sis. They express the sense of the great body of our citizens. On this point, there are no parties among us. Asa people, we give no more coun tenance to political murders than to any oth ers which make the course of events unsightly with their crimson blot. Let us, then, admit the probable occurrence of political assassinations. Even in the instances which may be most plausibly represented as bear ing this character, what proof is there that the actuating motive has been political only f (To borrow the current phraseology,) who will assume that “loyal” men have fallen on the single ground of their “loyalty ?” Are there not reputed cases of political assassination, in which the victims have been imprudent, arrogant, coarse, denuncia tory ? cases in which they have adopted a policy of exasperation—have needlessly and wantonly outraged the feelings of others —have covered the past with a cloud of bitter reproaches and the fu ture with a cloud of haughty threatenings—have traduced, insulted, brow-beat opponents, with an air of malignity toward individuals ? Is there not reason to fear that precisely the same line of action on questions altogether apart from politics, would have cost them their lives at the hands of desperate men ? We do not raise these enquiries to extenuate the guilt of the slayer: nothing can do that. But it is obviously just, that the politi cal significance of the crime should be abated, in our judgment, so far forth as personal faults pro voked its perpetration. And has there been, any where among us, a solitary case to which this principle does not, in greater or less degree, ap ply ? Is there not reason, too, to think that this grossly offensive policy has sometimes been spared the retaliation of blood, on account of the political position of the offenders-- that Southern men have forborne to avenge personal indignity, lest their act should be wrongly construed as a proof of sectional enmity, to the damage of our people —and that thus the very party politics which are represented as entailing loss of life have in fact saved it? If political assassinations occur, why look for the perpetrators only among men of “Southern principles ?” These events enure to the benefit of but one class among us —those who favor extreme measures of reconstruction. Is it, then, beyond the range of probability that “loyalists” may kill “loyalists ?” Are there in their number no unscrupulous men— none so void of honor as to welcome any expedient which promises partisan or personal promotion ? We cheerfully absolve the mass of them from such suspicion; but who shall say that there may not be, now and then, (as well in their ranks as among their opponents,) one capable of murder, where murder conduces to the ascendancy of the party, besides putting out of the way a competitor in the prospective scramble for place and pelf? To reject this hy pothesis is to assume, —what the annals of the world cannot parallel,—that we have a series of crimes, committed always by those whom they must injure—committed never by those who alone reap advantage from them 1 To admit that political assassinations may have occurred, and even to affirm that they have, does not authorize us to give this explanation of par ticular instances, in the absence of reliable and explicit testimony. The strongest appearances cannot warrant such a conclusion, without further proof. May not individual malice or revenge wreak itself, for private ends, upon persons po litically obnoxious, with the hope that suspicion will be led off on a wrong scent by the impression that this obnoxiousness induced their murder? Would not the guilty parties in such cases—and in the cases to which the preceding paragraph refers —so order their offence that the time and the circumstances should give the highest color to this impression, and, both before and after its commission, originate rumors or assist in diffus ing statements adapted to make the impression prevalent ? Shall a hasty or blind credulity on our part, help these arts of concealment to dupe us ? But our admission must not be pressed too far. If there have been political assassinations among us, their number has been grossly exaggerated. At the worst, the real stand to the reputed cases, we are sure, -scarcely in the proportion of one to a thousand. Accusation has been wholesale— has transcended all bounds of probability. Take, for example, the statement, put in circulation, some two years since, by a Northern religious journal, that, ‘within a twelve-month, over four hundred Georgia negroes had been butchered in cold blood, without a single instance of punish, ment for the crime.’ Take, also, the more recent statement, that “two hundred and fifly men have been assassinated in one Arkansas district, dur ing the year, for no other cause than loyalty to the nation.” Such allegations bear, on their face, the brand of palpable falsehood: they are sheer impossibilities. Even where this excess of cal umny has received no countenance, many false reports have been set on foot. Political assassi nations have been alleged, w’hcre there has been no murder and no attempt at murder, but the reputed victims are still living, and living in perfect secu rity,—or where the crime has been conclusively traced to other and personal reasons, —or where there has been not a shadow of legal testimony establishing this reason for the crime. In these cases papers have published the original report, but have published no subsequent correction of it: or, where both have been given to their read ers, some have seen the former who have failed to see the latter: or, where the one and the other have fallen under the eye, the spirit of prejudice and “the credulity of hate” have, here and there, discredited the correction and clung to the ground less, exploded report. Through such and such like influences, it has come to pass, that the most egregious over-estimates of the assassinations which may be even colorably ascribed to political reasons, prevail quite extensively outside of our section, —for these things operate to produce at once a liability and a tendency to exaggeration in Jhidgments adverse to the South, w This multiplication of false reports is diieto [fipany causes. Take one. There is advantjjflßb jpnem to a small but dangerous - Bpreconstructionists. In proportion as nßjftpres jtesion is made that the rights and lives ojf|||oyal- HUts” are unsafe here, the hope increases Hkt ex ifseme measures will be enforced and thelscend fikttcy of this party ensured. Here is a strong temptation, with men of lax principle, to foment this impression, per fas et nefas —though right and wrong—by fact and falsehood alike. Have we not an illustration of the force with which the temptation operates, if it be true, as alleged, that the Chief Magistrate of the State, (a member of that party,) notwithstanding his oath of office, has exerted his influence to prevent the Commit tee appointed by the Legislature to investigate reported outrages against “loyal” men, from discharging the duty assigned them, and has offered no proclamation of reward for the discov ery of the perpetrators of the two recent murders so extensively regarded abroad as the fruit of political hatred ? Does not such a course betray an unwillingness to sift these reports, lest they should prove to be baseless, or to bring the full force of the Civil Authorities to bear against crime, lest the issue should refute the charge that no punishment can be inflicted on it? When things like these can be done by men in high place, who can wonder that a thousand rumors born of the same spirit and conducive to the same end should fill the land? Take a second cause for the multiplication of false reports in this line. Pecuniary interest may prompt them. The impression that the lives of loyal men are unsafe among us, depreciates the value of property at the South. Capital from the more prosperous section will not seek invest ment under (what it regards as) the shadow of lawlessness and blood. This impression, there fore, has been worth millions of dollars to the Northern men who have purchased real estate in our section, within the last few years! If Gen. Butler has really bought up, as the papers state, a large body of land in North Carolina, who can doubt that he has been well paid in pocket for all his Blunders of our people, by the lower price at which he was able to buy, on account of the ab sence of those who might have bid or bargained against him, but were deterred from the venture by these very slanders ? Those who know how an unscrupulous money power has interfered with political affairs, —as in the case of the “ whiskey ring,” (not to say the “ bond-holders,”) —will not deem it Improbable that there has been an inter ference from that quarter with the good name of the South for order and peace, and a fabrication of false reports to further sinister aims. Take a third cause. Adventurers have swarmed Southward, since the war. In not a few cases, their enterprise has been greater than their ca pacity. They have lacked that power of adapta tion to society in unfamiliar forms, which would have protected them from personal unpopularity, and that insight into the laws, that foresight of the fluctuations, of trade, which would have secured financial success for them. They have failed therefore, —failed simply for want of what Locke styles “ large, sound, roundabout common sense." Returning to the North, they have been unwilling that their own incompetency should be recognized as the ground of this failure. They have shifted the burden to the shoulders of the Southern people ; representing that their schemes came to nought because of our hostility to “loyal” men and “Yankees”—a hostility ‘disregarding the rights and even shedding the blood of new comers among us, and of those who sympathize with them in politics.’ Out of this fountain, what streams of calumny may not have flowed into the columns of Northern papers? There is yet another cause. An unwise dispo sition has been indulged, in a few communities and on rare occasions, to play upon the groundless fears of sojourners from the North. An “orig inal Union man,” whose “ loyalty,” during the war, cost him a term of imprisonment in Fort Bartow, informed us, recently, that he had known persons of this class “ whistled away.” They have “beat a hasty retreat” from our section, simply because a number of boys stationed them selves, one by one, at intervals, along their accus tomed paths, and whistled as they went by! On reaching their native States, they have not been slow to announce through the press, how they escaped with life “by the skin of their teeth! ” We cannot quote this statement without saying that the pranks of which it speaks deserve sharp reprehension. They may be local sport, but they are national mischief. They may divert a group of youngsters, but they damage the common wealth and the country. Os the grave harm which may flow from them, we may, perhaps, ac cept the recent reports of an “attempt to assas sinate Rev. J. Spilman ” as a striking instance; for the local paper gives that interpretation—we hope, justly—of the incidents which have made so great a noise through the land. But let that be as it may : surely older and wiser heads need no such admonition, to impress them with the obligation and necessity of arresting these ill advised, hazardous, and therefore most weak, ex periments upon the weaknesses of others. Still more decided condemnation should rest on the last of the causes which invite notice from our pen. We refer to representations made to us by a gentleman elected, as a “ Republican,” to high office in the State. He tells us that, in some neighborhoods, there have been, at times, bands of (irresponsible) “ Regulators,” formed “ not for political ends, but for the punishment of theft and depredation.” If this information is correct, it is easy to see, since the offenders are mostly colored persons, and since these colored persons are mostly of one party in politics, how naturally the impression goes abroad that, not their vices, but their votes occasion the pains and penalties inflicted on them, and what is intended for the arrest of crime comes to be regarded as an outrage provoked by their exercise of the right of free political action. The sufferers would readily suggest this explanation as a cloak for their misdeeds; and sectional or party prejudice would as readily lend an ear to it. Nor would the small number of communities where such things have ta- i ken place and the rare intervals at which they have occurred even there, prevent the most sweeping generalizations. Speaking frankly, as we have done throughout this article, we must pronounce such expedients for the protection of property extremely unwise and culpable. “ The remedy is worse than the disease.” It were a hundred times better that*the possessions of a community should melt hopelessly away under the hand of the p;o vler, than that men should usurp the pre rogatives of law, without the choice of their fel low-citizens, the sanctions of an oath, and the sense of responsibility to public sentiment; and should, in the discharge of functions assumed without authority, over-ride those safeguards of justice which give the accused the benefit of open trial, demand that sentence shall come only from lips with no bias of personal interest in the issue, determine the nature of the testimony which may rightfully bring conviction, and prescribe and limit the punishment of particular offences. We doubt whether such deeds are done anywhere in Georgia under the present more settled state of things; but if they are, we would lift a voice against them, “and cry aloud, and spare not.” Every consideration of policy and principle clam ors for the repression of so grievous an error—of a warfare against crime which is itself a crime. The length of this article warns us to close it. But we must say a word or two, in relation to the alleged impunity of the political assassina tions charged against our people. Os course, whatever shows the.likelihood that the great bulk of such reports rest on no foundation of fact, helps to shear this aspect of the question of the huge proportions with which our enemies would invest it. The cases with any air of probability about them become too few to justify the suppo sition that the escape of the offenders from pun ishment betrays a general hostility on the part of our people toward “ loyal ” politicians. Too often, alas, in all sections, the shedding of blood goes “ unwhipt of justice.” We remember to have seen recently, in that excellent monthly, the Galaxy, the statistics of murder in the city of New York for a series of years—from which it appeared that in one-fourth of the instances, the perpetrators of the crime were never even dis covered. In many other instances, doubtless, they were shielded from punishment by flight, by technicalities of law, by false witness, etc. Now, if such things may be in New York, notwith standing the thorough organization of its police under “King Kennedy,” and its freedom from the revolutions which have, at times, suspended or largely paralyzed the functions of the civil authorities at t ie South—is it matter of surprise, that they should happen among the scattered population and amid the convulsions of our State, in the very few cases of assassination which may be presumptively attributed more or less directly to political causes? Let those decide, who seek to obey the Divine mandate, —“Judge not, that ye be not judged.” Our Zion—in Our Exchanges, etc. Georgia. Within the last two or three weeks, seven young ladies have been baptized by the pastor of our church at Athens. Most of these baptisms took place in the baptistery, recently constructed in the house of worship, and before large audi ences, many of whom never before witnessed a baptism. There are others, it is hoped, who will soon profess their faith, and be baptized.—Four members of the Second Baptist church, Atlanta, have subscribed nearly $5,000 toward the en largement and improvement of the house of wor ship. $5,000 more are required; and, we sup pose, will be forth coming, of eourse. Alabama. Antioch Baptist church, Butler county, pub lishes in the Memphis Baptist, resolutions rela ting to “certain slanderous reports derogatory to the character of the pastor, Rev. T. G. Lang.” Having carefully enquired into them, the church says: “While we regret the absence of that pru dent caution and forethought that should always mark the conduct of a Christian minister, yet we fail to detect any criminal intention on his part. Under all the circumstances, we dismiss the mat ter, as requiring no further investigation. We still retain the utmost regard for brother Lang’s integrity as a gentleman, a Christian, and a min ister.”—Rev. M. T. Sumner, of Marion, was quite ill for some days, on his recent visit to Richmond, but is now convalescent.—A private note to us from Eufaula says: “Our new church enterprise bids fair to be a splendid success. The lot is bought and paid for, and we are waiting for plans from our architect to go to work.” Arkansas. Rev. E. N. Chenault, of Columbia county, has recently aided in the ordination of two colored Baptist ministers, and in connection with Rev. Peter Edwards (a colored preacher) aided in re cognizing a colored Baptist church at Magnolia, of twenty-two members, one being an ordained preacher.—The First Baptist church, Little Rock, with the approval of an Advisory Council, has excommunicated Rev. N. P. Moore, for “leaving the city as he did, with debts against him unpaid, borrowing money under false pretences, and taking away with him a valuable trunk (which had been left in his care by Stevenson,) and leaving his own, an old one of little value, in its place.” Kentucky. A Baptist church was constituted, June 12th, at Greenville, Muhlenburg county. —Rev. J. S. Gatton has been called to the care of our church at Elizabethtown. North Carolina. Wake. Forest College, at its recent Commence ment, conferred the title, D.D., on Rev. Matthew Tyson Yates, our missionary at Shanghai, China. —The Baptist State Sunday School Convention, held at Raleigh, June 11th, was largely attended and highly interesting.—The Biblical Recorder states, that Rev. A D. Phillips, our missionary in Africa, was born in Moore county, N. C. “In early life his father moved to Miss., where he joined the Baptist church and was baptized the day he was eighteen years old, by Rev. W. C. Thomas- He lived with his father sometime af terward ; then taught school for a year or two, went to some of the high schools, and then to Mercer University, Ga. While there he was en gaged by the Columbus Association of Ga., to go out as their Missionary. That led to a corres pondence with the Foreign Mission Board at Richmond, Ya. In 1854: he was appointed by that Board a missionary to Africa. He was then kept travelling for the Board nearly twelve months, and sailed from New York in October, 1855. Just before he sailed, he was married to a lady in Ga, who accompanied him to Africa, but who died soon after their arrival at the station in Ijaye.”—Rev. J. Blackwood died at Cleaveland Mineral Springs, June Bth. VIKOINIA. The First African Baptist church, Richmond baptized during the past year 500 persons, and has now a membership of 4,588 persons. The Second African Baptist church of that city has raised over SB,OOO toward rebuilding its house of worship.—Rev. C. C. Chaplin raised $3,500 for the enlargement and improvement of his house of worship, Danville, and the work has been done. Our Sunday school in Fredericksburg has as many scholars as all the other Sunday schools in the city combined.—Rev. T. G. Jones, D.D.,*has accepted the pastoral charge of Freemason street church, Norfolk. Indian Mission. In a recent private note to us, Rev. J. H. Stockton says: I have, <to-day, a letter from brother Murrow, the Rehohoth Missionary to the Indians, which breathes the spirit of encourage ment for the Indian work. He lately saw brother Wm. Eu-fa-10, the preacher alluded to in your columns a week or two since, who is abounding in labors ofrfrtve with the people of his tribe; and tells me that brother Eu-fa-lo is im pressed to build a house for worship in his neigh borhood. Now, if you know’ of any brother (or sister) who feels that we are debtors to the poor Indian, and wants to puj a log in the house, ac cept it from him. You know they will not want an extravagant house. 4 should suppose SIOO will put then: up a house every way suitable. Misapprehensions. In the Examiner and Chronicle of the 3rd of J une, is an article on “ The Present Per plexities,” indicating the same misapprehen sion of the action of the Southern Baptist Convention, at Macon, in reference to preach ing the gospel to the colored people, as ap pears in a communication from “A Georgia Baptist,” in the Index of June 10t,h. It is to be hoped that the readers of the Examiner as well as A Georgia Baptist, may see your editorial reference subject, in the Index of June 10th, in the “perplexities” and “forward movement” are distinctly de fined. A candid ebmsideratiou of your ex planation will certain# correct the misappre hension, and leave n* just ground for com plaint. at the action >f the Convention. A forward movement, so far as increased zeal in laboring f<>r the religious instruction of the colored people is concerned, is certainly to be anticipated,—just as a forward movement in every department of'Christian effort is to be expected as the result of the late Convention ; but such a movement, by organizing new Boards or introducing radical changes in our methods ot labor, is plainly out of the ques tion at present, and it is doubtful whether such “prognss” will ever be desirable. It will be well for us if we do not allow these misapprehensions of what we are doing to diminish our zeal in laboring for the colored people, or to prejudice us unduly against the efforts of others in this same field. May God give us grace to act evermore as in His sight, and so as to secure His approval! The condemnation of othfrs will then be a trifling matter. I may be permitted to state, in this con nection, that during the past few months I have taken part, with other brethren, in the constitution of*two colored churches and the ordination of two colored deacons, besides knowing of the ordination of a colored min ister and the baptism of a number of colored people by white ministers, —all in this neigh borhood. And then* is scarcely a minister in our w hole Association who is not laboring all the time, more or less specially, for their reli gious welfare. The oldest minister in our Association, our venerable brother J. P. Thompson, who has been preaching with great acceptance ana success for more than fifty years, has been devoting the ripeness of his experience to the special benefit of a col ored church within a dozen miles of this place, and but a short time since had more than forty persons to baptize. His failing strength interfering with the regularity of his attendance on their services, he has requested them to procure another to serve them ; and, ot their own accord and suggestion, they have called as th*?i|p>astor one of our latest but most useful ministers, an ex-Confederate officer. # There are some very sad, and'even start ling facts, that I might detail, illustrating the spread of superstition and erroneous teach ings among the negroes in this country; and such is the opposition of their leaders, male and female, to any true enlightenment, that I fear that they are inaccessible to any influ ences we can bring to bear directly upon them. They appear to me So be ripening rapidly as an easy harvest lor Rumish emissaries. Surely any righi-minded man, who can help to resist this tendency, will be welcomed among us. There is a large enough field in which to labor, without interfering with the efforts of any of our people who are already at work. Will this be born., in mind 1 C. M. Tuslca'.oosa, Ala. Tlie “Eufaula Fair.” 1 have been waiting for some more prac ticed pen to give you and your readers an account of this model fair. It was certainly worthy of favorable mention, and I am un willing for it to go unnoticed. I frankly con fess that, heretofore, 1 have been rather op posed to fairs, because I looked upon them as opposed to true piety and sound morality. Many fairs, to say the. least, are very doubt ful auxiliaries to the church and the cause of religion. For if a young man may, at the solicitation of some good efficient brother or pious working sister, take “chances” at a Church Fair, why not in a so-called “Scien tific and Art Association ?” And if* in a gambling concern, v. here all the chances are against him, why not in a game of poker, where the chances are equal and where his skill and practice may avail him something? When we consider the loud and earnest re monstance of the pulpit against gambling, and see how this hydra-headed monster still walketh in darkness and wasteth at noonday, is it not passing strange that it should be clothed in the robes of religion and employed in the service of the church? Surely the heart is deceitful above all things, or profess ing Christians could never be seduced into such inconsistencies. Besides this, I have been opposed to fairs on the score of econo my, as costing more than was realized from them. But my opposition has been over come. I confess myself conquered, and by the “Eufaula Fair.” And, Mj. Editor, just between you and me, not to go any farther, if there be any fair by whom it is an honor for a man to be conquered, it is the fair of Eufaula. And, to tell the truth, this is not the first time I have had to strike my colors and confess myself their captive. The object of the Eufaula Fair was io raise funds for building a parsonage in connection with our new church enterprise which, unde’- the efficient management of our energetic pastor, M. B. Whart n, is succeeding admi rably. The ladies have taken the parsonage under their especial charge, and you may be assured that ther will soon be a beautiful and well-arranged home for the Hapri-t pastor of the Bluff City. What has already been done is a sure pledge of success, for it u as not only well done, but done quickly. The Fair was not only a model ol its kind, but it was a most gratifying success. It was conducted with energy, and skill, and taste, and at the same time with the utmost regard for Chris tian propriety : nolle of those disgraceful ap pliances, such as raffles, “grab bags,” chances, nothing to shock the most delicate religious sensibilities. And, then, the tastefulness with which the tables were gotten up, and the beautiful arrangement of the “Ait Grotto,” could not fail to be a good lesson in aesthetic culture. It was also a most splendid and de lightful social gathering. And in addition to all this, such was the financial ability dis played that, while all felt they had value re ceived for the money expended, there was realized from the enterprise, over one thou sand dollars —a good round sum for these times of monetary pressure. It is to be hoped that the pleasure and profit derived from this will encourage the ladies to give us a similar entertainment, and for the same worthy object, in the fall, when there will be more money in circulation, and then, Mr. Editor, we will send you a ticket, and when you come and see for yourself you will find that “ the half has not been told you,” though enough for the present. A Fair man. Eufaula, Ala., June 14, ’69. Notes of Travel Northward. Will your readers read the scribblings of a wandering Baptist 1 ? If you think so, let them have without extra charge, the follow ing synopsis of some ot the things I have seen and heard among the Baptists since 1 left my little home under Kennesaw : At Louisville, Ky, I found the Kentucky Baptist Association in session, and although a stranger, in a strange land, I felt a kind of hankering to look in upon these brethren, and soon found my way to the Walnut Street church, where I found a large and respectable body of Baptist preachers; and, as usual, found them making speeches, and the subject of their speeches—'“how to secure from the churches the requisite money to sustain the mission cause.” (Fruitful theme for fruitless speeches.) If every Baptist was a reader of your paper, 1 would tell them how to sustain missions easy. Well, I will tell the secret to those who do read it, and they can tell others. Here it is: Let every member of the church, whether boy or girl, man or woman, be called on, personally, by a finance committee, at least every three months, to pay something into the mission fund. This will pay all the present expense of missions and ini tease the number of workers a thousand fold. But 1 have digressed. I was only present a few minutes at this Kentucky meeting, until I saw the pleasant and manly face of brother Boyce, and recognized our much loved Craw ford ; and then, as 1 looked about me, I saw brethren Poindexter, Taylor, of Va., brother Goss, (of Georgia memory,) and began to feel at home. Brother A. T. Spalding Pas tor, Walnut Street church, did me the honor to announce my name, and I was welcomed by the Moderator. Afterwards was most generously entertained in the family of brother Hamilton. These Kentucky Baptists are doing a good work, and in some respects ahead of Georgia. But 1 will not now under take to tell all that they are doing. I will merely add, that in Louisville they have some good Sunday school workers, and I passed a happy Sabbath. The next Sabbath l was with our brethren of the Seventh Baptist church, Baltimore. Went to brother Fuller Crane’s Sunday school, where they have good singing, a zealous Superintendent, a large school, and a good place for a worker, but no place for idlers. At eleven o’clock Dr. Fuller preached a good sermon upon the sub ject of “Christ’s consciousness of his divin ity.” The Doctor insisted with clearness that the abiding innate consciousness which Christ felt and constantly announced, was in the highest sense, a proof of his “Godhood” In the afternoon, by the kindness of brother Hiram Wood, I was permitted to attend a mission Sunday school under his care, where I had much enjoyment, and at night heard brother Taylor preach, and brother Phillips speak on the subject of the African mission. By the bye, this last named brother is a Georgian, and, in my opinion, well adapted fur his work. May God bless him and his mission. The next Sabbath found me in the “Nut meg” State, sitting under the ministry of the facetious and intellectual Dr. Phelps, of the Wooster Street Baptist church, New Haven. This man is a decided Baptist in his preach ing, and in his practice administers the ordi nance of baptism with great solemnity and gentleness, and I felt as they came up out of the water, the Spirit of God was present with his approving sanction to the act as adminis tered by Doctor Phelps on the evening I was at his church. The Elm city, (as I wrote you twelve months since,) has only one Baptist church, but the members are now engaged in the work of putting up another house of worship ; so, then, the Baptists are addiug house to house, and, I hope, are extending the Redeemer’s kingdom. My next presence among the Baptists at worship wasat the church where Dr. Thomas Armitage is pastor. This is the brother who was recently at Macon, and to whom brother W.F. Broaddus said, after hearing him preach, “Brother Armitage, I will give you the hand of fellowship, even if you do say doos for does.” The meeting that I now write about was the occasion of recognition of anew church just formed, called Plymouth church. A sermon, good and sound, was preached by a brother 1 did not know*, Afterwards Dr. Armitage delivered the charge which he be gan by saying, that so much had been said as to principles and doctrines, that it needed not that he should do more than address him self to some of the simple every-day duties and difficulties of a church. There is so much of this part of his charge that I think applicable to every church, that I want to tell you as much as I recollect. His first item of exhortation to the church was “be certain to adapt your church ar rangements, your building, your organiza tion, and all your equipments to the circum stances of the field where your work is to be done. Be neither too high nor too low, too rich or too poor, for those who are around you. Seek not to have a church for Fifth Ave nue, nor for the Battery, (1 give the idea, not the words,) neither for Boston or Charles ton, but make it a point to have a church just suited for the particular place where your church duties are to be performed and your church relations diffused. Watch your finances : don’t do your money work at loose ends. Have a first rate busi ness man for a treasurer, and require him to keep books as accurately for God’s church as he does his own bank account. Let {ill your business matters be attended to with the ut most promptness and even strictness. Keep your temper down. 1 won’t say don’t quarrel; for to tell Baptists not to quar rel is all stuff; they will quarrel. I know you will do this, but then I urge you to doit in a good spirit; don’t let your temper get too high. Let kindness and a yielding spirit of conciliation toward those who disagree with you be prominent in all your quarrels, and then but little harm will follow. “ Once more I exhort you, —keep every member of your church at work. Find out what each can do, and put him at it. Some times, it is thought, some are so crooked and gnarly, so cross and eccentric, that you can find no work for them. Why, 1 went into the navy yard a short time since, and saw there five or six crooked, elbow-shaped sticks fil l of .knots, and very ugly; so much so, that I What in the world will you do with these? Do with them ? said the Super intendent: put them right in the foremost part of the ship, to cut the water. So, my brethren, if you have any crooked slicks in your church, put them right in the front ranks of the hardest work, and make them cut through.” . “Lastly, my brethren, don’t run your church on conscience, but run it on common sense and Bible truth. Many very many churches' are split to pieces on conscience. One man backs himself up in his own partic ular views and vows—he won't move an inch, and says here 1 stand; I am conscien tiously bound not to move. Another goes to the opposite extreme of the same subject, and like a mule, persistently refuses to go for ward, and says he is bound by conscience. I wouldn’t give a snap of the finger, (here the Doctor did snap his fingers,) for any in m’s conscience that was not a conscience taught by common sense, and the Bible. Why, our Catholic friends near us eat a little wafer and drink a swallow of wine, and vow it is the real, identical body and blood of Jesus, and this they do conscientiously. Our Jewish neighbors at the synagogue read from the Old Testament devoutly, and discard all the New Testament with the Saviour it offers, and this they do for conscience sake. John Chinaman over in San Francisco builds a pa goda, puts in it an idol, and falls down to worship it for conscience sake. Our Metho dist brother over the way takes a little water and sprinkles it upon the head of an uncon scious babe, and calls it baptism conscientiously. Brethren, don’t run your church on con science. I met an English brother who told of a church (that l inquired about) that had divided on conscientious differences until it split seven times, and now consists of a man and his wife and sorvaut. I conclude : Brethren, let your pastor alone. Don’t be constantly suggesting to him what to do, and when to do it. He knows what he can do, and can do it better without being told how or when. Let him alone, and let him do his work his own way, and when he can’t do it right, ask him to resign. Remem ber, too, to let his family alone. Don’t both er your pastor’s wife with suggestions. You have no more right to manage her affairs than the affairs of any other woman. You have not called her to the care of your church, and if you are determined to have her do any of the pastoral work, vote her a salary.” Thus I have given you an outline of the Doctor’s charge to the Plymouth church, and 1 most heartily endorse it. W. L. M. New York, June 13, 1669. A Minister's Library. There is in my care a small library, gath ered by an educated young pastor of the South, who was early and suddenly re.ooved by death. His widow and little children need funds, and the husband and father’s books are offered at less than half their value. The cataloge contains over four hundred vol umes of just such books as a young minister who loves study would like to have: Books on Evidences of Christianity, Systematic Theology, Commentaries, Histories, Greek, Latin and Hebrew text-books, and lexicons, etc., etc. 1 hope this notice may be the means of benefitting the widow of a deceased brother, and at the same time enabling some minister to secure books which he needs, at a very low price. The books are boxed, and can be shipped at once. I should be glad to communicate more particularly with any brother wishing to purchase. S. Landrum, Savannah, Ga. Tidings from Heplizibali. On Friday before the fourth Sabbath in May last, the General Meeting of the 3rd district of the Hephzibah Association con vened in the spacious elm pel of the Ilephzi bah High School. Besides the delegation from the immediate churches of the district, there were a number of brethren present from other districts, and from adjoining coun ties. We noticed amoDg the visitors, breth ren Dr. S. B. Powell, of Burke, Cason, Nor ris, and Smith, of Warren, and Rev. Jona than Huff, of Columbia. The latter is the last of our old ministers, and is the only link that laps us back to the times of Pol hi! I, Kay, Kilpatrick and others of the past generation. Father Huff was especially invited by the resident ministers of Biolhersville, as they desired to see his venerable form once more, and were anxious that their children should see and hear the good old man, who, for more than fifty years, has proclaimed the gospel within our bounds, and who has bap tized many of their parents and grand-parents. Father Huff is 89 years of age, but enjoys a remarkable exemption from the usual infirm ities of that period of life. He received, some eight or ten years ago, an accidental in jury on the head, which, for a time, seemed to threaten his intellectual faculties; but from this he appears to have entirely recov ered. He preached a plain, practical ser mon, on Saturday, and lectured the Sabbath school on Sunday morning, 9£ o’clock. There were a number of interesting objects and subjects presented to the consideration of the meeting and of the community ; but the ob ject dearest of all—that which seemed to attract most of the affectionate regard of all, old and young, saint and sinner, was the presence of our aged and beloved father— Rev. Jonathan Huff. He was sent for twen ty miles, and retained for a week, that we might listen to his paternal counsel, and re ceive his parting benediction. We and our children will never forget his visit. Father Huff, at the request of the pastor of the Hephzibah church, acted as Moderator. A committee of two ministers .nd three laymen were appointed to report, on Satur day evening, as to the best means to be em ployed, by which the present numerical and spiritual decline in our churches might be remedied. The following is the substance of the report: Your Committee recommend that your ministers, and especially, that your pastors shall adopt the plan so generally practiced by the ministers of the past gener ation, always, when visiting, especially on Sabbath, the families of the r charges, of praying witn them, and conversing, when practicable, with the individual members of such families, on the subject of personal reli gion ; that Sabbath schools and prayer meet ings be encouraged; that the ministry culti vate a deep sense of their entire dependence upon the influences ot the Holy Spirit; that the undue and avaricious love of the world be discouraged ; that family and secret prayer, now so fearfully neglected, be earnestly in sisted upon; that our entire people be urged by all means to take the Index and Baptist, and such other religious literature as may conduce to their moral and intellectual eleva tion, and enlightenment of their wives and children; that the criminal neglect of the Bible be presented in its true colors to the membership and the world ; that a more thor ough, yet affectionate system of discipline, be exercised by the churches over the fraternity ; that the roll of the membership be called quarterly, and that as each name is read out, the Clerk, or Senior Deacon, shall say whether or not the character of the individual whose name is called, is or is not liable to church censure; and, finally, that we cultivate a more firm reliance upon the promises of God, and a more lively faith in the blessed Redeemer. The members of the General Meeting, as well as a great number of visiting friends and brethren, were very much gratified at the exercises in reading and declamation, in termingled with vocal and instrumental music, which were dispensed on Friday evening as a part of the regular exercises of the school at this place. The llephzibah High School is located at Brothersvilie, Richmond county, Ga., 13 miles South west of Augusta, and is the pet lamb of the Ht-phzibah Associate>n. Under the care of Rev. W. L. Kilpatrick a id Rev. W. 11. Da vis as co principals, and num bering nearly 100 pupils, this school stands unsurpassed in advantages, f.»r tie- moral and intellectual training of the young of t.uth sexes. In addition to its uneivSl• • lit.- my drill, there is held on ev.-ry Nabba'li m ruing in the commodious chapel .>1 m. 1 stitution, a Sabbath school of some 7d or 80 pupils, under the direction of compel nt teachers. One of the mo->t interesting feature s os the Sabbath exercises, is the r•• itation of the Bible clais, composed of about 25 young men and young ladies, representatives of the best and most intelligent citizens of the county. When wn remember that there are, all over our beloved South, a number of Justitu tions with like design and similar appliances, we can but rejoice in the proud hope of the future. With preaching and Sabbath school every Sabbath, to endorse the influence of such men as Kilpatrick and Davis during the week, we may, even amid the gloom of the present, “thank God and take courage.” We neglected to say that, on Saturday night Rev. L. F. MeNorrel preached a warm and stirring sermon, and that, on Sabbath, Rev. W. 11. Davis delivered a sermon which, for its depth of thought, correctness of anal ysis, and beauty of diction, will not be fur gotten by this community for years to come. Random. Kentucky News, It may perhaps be an item of interest to some of your readers, that brother J. Pike Powers, recently of Greenville Theological Seminary, and a member of the church at this place, was ordained on the 10th inst. The services were somewhat different from what they usually have been in this section. Generally, the examination of the candidate is very brief, and occurs at the same time with the ordination services. On this occa sion the candidate was examined Wednesday evening, and the ordination was on the fol lowing morning. For two hours the whole range of Christian doctrine passed in review, enabling the council really to ascertain the fitness of him they were about to set apart, and exhibiting to the congregation an epitome of our views. The ordination, on Thursday morning, wms peculiarly tender and solemn. Brother A. W. Chambliss, of Maysville, re cently from the South, preached tiie sermon. His son, recently of Aberdeen, Miss., and who is visiting Kentucky, made the Brother J. W. Brown, of Miilersburg, in the central part of the State, delivered the charge, and brother C. Keyes presented the Bible. It was with weeping eyes that that hand of welcome was extended at the close. Brother Powers has been appointed to a missionary field under the Board of this, the Bracken Association, and enters immediately upon his labors. The name of brother Chambliss will be recognized by many of your readers, no doubt; 1 having frequently been asked about him on my recent visit among you. The sermon here in de a fine impression, and Dr. Chambliss has been well received in Mays villc. 11 is congregations are large, and his church propose remodelling their house of worship. They are looking forward to bright prospects there. J. M. Bent. Augusta, Ky., June 14 th, 1869. Bethel Church, Muscogee County, Georgia. As you have solicited news from the churches, I will give you a short statement of the work of the Lord at Bethel, Muscogee county, Georgia. 1 have but little dis position to appear before the public in the papers; yet it is right, I suppose, to let the Lord’s people know, through our loved Chris tian Index and Baptist, of the work of the Lord in our respective fields of labor. The good Lord is blessing me and my peo ple, with whom I have labored so long, at Bethel. I have baptized from two to three at every regular meeting, for the colored peo ple, for the last three months. I baptized three last Sabbath, and received two others, whose baptism stands over. I preach one Sabbath in each month to the colored, and two to the whites; but on their day they as semble in large numbers. They are atten tive to the word preached, and treat me with great respect, and Christian kindness. My heart and soul have been much blessed while preaching to the colored people. They are still connected with the whites in their church relations, but hold their meetings separately. Much was said at our late Convention at Macon, respecting our duty, religiously, to the colored people, in our dear Southern land. If we, as Baptist Christians, would meet our obligations to them, let eveiy pas tor, where he can, give them a separate ser vice. Meet them kindly, preach to them Je*us, the way of life; talk to them about Jesus, and instruct them in reference to all the great duties of life. Let them see that you love their souls, and want them to do well in this life, and that which is to come, and they will hear you, when you go to them in God’s name. Duty is ours: results belong to God. Let us not forget that the gospel of Christ is the power of God. Social equality is not involved in the great idea of saving their souls. It is outside of the Bible to talk or think of social equality between the two races. , C. C. Willis. Columbus , Ga.. June 9th, 1869. Ministers autl Deacons’ Meeting. The second meeting of the ministers, dea cons and Sabbath school workers of the Bethel Association, was appointed to take place at Benevolence, Randolph county, Ga., on Fri day before the fifth Sabbath in May. A few of us met at Benevolence on Saturday morn ing. No previous appointment for preaching having been made, Elder W. M. Howell kindly consented to preach the opening ser mon. Brother 11. recently moved to out county from Florida. He is a good man, and we gladly welcome him into our midst. He gave us a very appropriate sermon, from the words: “Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another, and the Lord hearkeNed, and heard it, and a book of re membrance was written before Him fur them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon His name.” Mai. iii: 16. After an intermission of about two hours, we reassembled at the church, and organized by electing brother Howell us Chairman, and brother 11. Hartsfield as Secretary. The most of the afternoon was taken up in hearing from the churches in detail, and in prayer. The exercises were exceedingly interesting. Brethre'. lamented the cold con- dition of themselves and their churches, and a deep and tender feeling seemed to pervade the congregation. A colored brother, Rev. Green McArthur, who was present, being called upon to slate tlie condition of the churches to which lie was preaching, replied in some very pertinent reinaiks. I wish all who are prejudiced against laboring for the salvation of the blacks could have been pres ent and heard him. He begged the brethren to come out to their meetings and assist them. Tie acknowledged that the whites were supe rior to themselves, intellectually. He said the blacks needed the assistance and the coun sel of their white brethren. Ail were pleased with his modesty and humility. The next meeting was appointed to be held at Blakely, on Friday before the fifth Sabbath in August. At night your correspondent tried to preach from the words: “What meanest thou, O sleeper?” Jonah i: 6. Several present'd tin- nselves for prayer. Sabbath m ailing brother Muse, of Cuth bert, joined us. Brother Howell preached on regenmali .ii, at 11 am., from John iii: 8: “The wind bloweth where it listeth,” etc. Dm points presented were: 1, The spiritual iiy ui hristianity, and, 2, The evidence of ti a: spirituality seen in the effects produced. L was a happy effort. The congregation was large, and very attentive. Many were deep ly moved, and a goodly number presented themselves on the anxious seats. May the Holy Spirit bring them all to Jesus. As brother How ell and I are teaching, we had to leave very soon in the afternoon to get home, in order to meet our schools Monday morning. I’he prospects for an interesting meeting were very good. We left our dear brother Muse with them. 1 have nut heard from the meet ing since we left. May the Lord sandfly the occasion to the upbuilding of His cause, the revival of the church, and the conversion of sinners. May the time soon eome win u al( Ills ministers shall be released from secu lar business to devote themselves entirely to their Master’s service. T. FI. Stout. Lumpkin, June lit A, 1869.