Newspaper Page Text
114
Jjwkt mil {Baptist.
J. J. TOON, - - - * Proprietor.
B9V. D. SHAVER, D.D., Editor.
JULY 29, 1869.
The Administrator of Baptism.
Very loose views prevail, in many quarters,
with regard to the administrator of baptism.
The Congregationalist, for example, main
tained, not long since, that “ the administra
tion of baptism in the regular form of any
Christian, church, is sufficient, if endorsed by
the consenting faith of the recipient;” and
avowed, on that ground, its readiness to ac
cept the baptisms of Romanists. Still more
recently, it has decided that “ the administra
tion of water in the name of the Trinity, by
any person reverently intending a religious
service in so doing, is valid baptism”—even
if that person were a Universalist! With
all this looseness, however, it is not clear that
the Congregationalist is prepared to give
practical recognition to that anomaly—an un
baptized baptizer.
But it is clear, from the following language,
that the Western Christian Advocate, from
which we quote it, regards such a recognition
as wholly out of the question: “ Some of
our Baptist exchanges are still agitated by,
and agitating the question, as to whether un
immersed preachers can administer immer
sion so as to be valid. It is to them an im
portant question, but we wonder that there
is any difference of sentiment among them in
relation to it. On their principles the mat
ter is plain. If there is no other form of
baptism, and if the mode is essential to the
validity of the ordinance, it follows that un
immersed preachers are not baptized, and
cannot administer baptism. Why higgle
over this matter ?” Is it not assumed here
that the unbaptized cannot administer bap
tism—and that, too, not as a principle pe
culiar to Baptists, but as one in which the
Advocate concurs with them?
We know of no reason, then, why our
people should make the recognition, which is
made no where else in the evangelical Chris
tian world, and stand alone in the endorse
ment of the unbaptized baptizer. The near
est approach to a reason to that effect, is thus
put by the Examiner & Chronicle, in a notice
of “ Church Communion
“ In affirming that, to constitute valid bap
tism, the act must be performed by a person
who has himself been baptized (validly, of
course,) and consequently—for nothing less
can be inferred —that no one can prove his
baptism without proving the baptism of a suc
cession of persons from the Apostles’ time,
Prof. Gardner goes beyond the highest Bap
tist orthodoxy in this section of the country.
In these parts, it is generally held to be
enough that a believer is baptized in proper
form by a persona whom he at the time be
lieved to be qualified to administer the or
dinance.”
We respectfully submit, whether the con
clusion alleged by our contemporary follows
necessarily ? Are we shut up to the main
tenance of the doctrine, that baptisms are
valid by succession ? Let us see. Valid ad
miniofcratKOtiJ us UK OlUlliauce WSgEII, IYUIII
the necessity of the case, with an unbaptized
baptizer. But when the churches were once
established, it resulted, inexorably, from their
order, that the administrator should no longer
be unbaptized. Now, if in the course of time
the churches should anywhere become ex
tinct and baptism be lost, why should not the
ordinance, at the demand of necessity, be
restored, as it was first instituted, by an un
baptized baptizer, without vacating, for the
future, the order which calls for and ensures
baptized administrators? To our mind,
there is nothing which breaks the essential
parallel between the two cases. It will be
said, indeed, that the institutor of baptism
had what the restorer lacks —a commission
with inspiration from God. We reply. All
that was indispensable to either case was,
revelation of divine law in the premises. If
this had been provided in the instance of the
institutor, without direct communication with
him and infallible guidance to him, who could
have said that the exigency was not fully met ?
And the institutor received direct communi
cation and infallible guidance, because he was
to be himself the medium of the revelation
of law, and to fix the faith and practice of
men for the time being with authority. On
the other hand, the restorer of baptism was
not to be clothed with authority over the
faith and practice of men, nor to become the
medium of a revelation completed ages be
fore; and therefore, he lacked, because he
did not need, the infallible guidance and the
direct communication. But he had what was
the one indispensable requisite in the prem
ises—he had the revelation of divine law
with regard to the church and its ordinances.
The Scriptures furnished that-, and who shall
say that more was demanded, simply to re
build Zion and renew her services on the old,
heaven-appointed foundations—a work clearly
calling for no new commission, since there
was in it no abrogation of a prior economy
and no inauguration of novel institutes ?
Take a case in point. Crosby, the histo
rian of the English Baptists, tells us that
“the greater number and the more judicious
(•n the seventeenth century) affirmed that,
after a general corruption of baptism, an un
baptized person might warrantably baptize,
and so begin a reformation ;” and that “ they
practiced accordingly.” Now, because they
resorted to this practice under the compul
sion of necessity, were they logically coerced
to continue in it when the necessity existed
no longer—when the only reason for it, there
fore, had passed away ? Why should it not
be with them, under the reestablished order
of the churches, that the baptized admiriis
trator should inexorably displace the unbap
tized —just as it was in the beginning, when
the order of the churches was first instituted ?
This, at least, is the ground we occupy;—
repudiating, on the one hand, the unbaptized
baptizer, and on the other, what Crosby styles
“the old Popish doctrine of right to admin
ister sacraments by an uninterrupted succes
sion.” We are not of the number who say
that ‘ Roger Williams was never a Baptist,’
because in his case, (through “ the general
corruption of baptism ” and the necessity of
‘beginning a reformation,’) he received the
ordinance only from one to whom he had
himself administered it. For, this would re
THE CHRISTIAN INDEX AND SOUTH-WESTERN BAPTIST: ATLANTA, GA., THURSDAY, JULY 2!), 1869.
quire us to <lo, what bur Etigli.vJi fathers of;
the seventeenth conniry said could not be i
done; that is, to prove “ the baptism of a
succession of persons from the Apostles’
times.” That attempt, we conceive, will
scarcely be made by any thinker who has
even the slightest perception of the princi
ples of historical criticism: for who among
us can prove that his own baptism does not
descend from the practice of these very fath
ers on the ground that baptism was “ lost”
and that an unbaptized person might war
rantably restore it? and if this task were ac
complished, how large a portion of the nine
teen centuries lying between us and the rise
of the churches, would still remain to baffle
research? Just as little are we of the num
ber who say that “ if a man were to come to
their church whose ease was precisely such
as Roger Williams’, they would receive him
as a member and a minister.” For, this
would be to hold that an unnecessary breach
of the order of the established churches must
be sanctioned, because something of the kind
was unavoidable w'hen the churches needed to
be built anew and their order to be restored
throughout: Or—if it be a question whether
this necessity was not supposed to exist on
inadequate grounds—this would be to hold
that an irregularity which we know, and which
we can correct, must receive countenance,
because there may have been in the past ir
regularities which lie outside of our knowl
edge, or beyond our power of correction.
In other words, we maintain two princi
ples. First, That where there are false
churches only, “ a true church may be erect
ed ” —that, under these circumstances,a com
pany of believers may assume churchship, in
obedience to the commandments of Christ
with regard to the communion, ministry,
worship, ordinances and government of His
house —assume it on the single warrant of
His word. And Secondly, Chat when this
true church has been erected, there should be
a faithful and scrupulous observance of the
order, which the precepts and precedents of
the New Testament evince as belonging to
the churches when established. From the
first principle flows the recognition of the
unbaptized baptizer, where a true neces
sity calls for it; from the second, the
rejection of the unbaptized baptizer, when
the necessity ceases.
Au Honorable Testimony.
Rev. J. B. Walker, a Congregational cler
gyman, the distinguished author of the “Phi
losophy of the Plan of Salvation,” says, in
his recent work, the “Living Questions of the
Age:”—“To the Puritans, Quakers, and espe
cially to the Baptists , we owe all of religious
liberty that we possess in America.” This
testimony is honorable alike to the (often ill
understood) history of our fathers, and to the
liberality and sense of justice which prompted
the recognition of their important service in
the cause of “soul-freedom.”
Tlie Very Latest Georgia News.
The latest tidings from our State, in the
religious department of the Philadelphia
National Baptist of the 22d inst., is the fol
fowing—which, we dare say, will fall on our
readers as quite a surprise :
“Mercer University has been organized
with the appointment of Rev. B. M. Sanders,
President; Rev. A. Sherwood, Professor of
Sacred Literature and Moral Philosophy : J.
W. Attaway, S. P. Sanford, and 1. O. Mc-
Daniel, Assistant Professors.”
President Tucker must learn with no little
astonishment, that the first occupant of the
office which he so worthily fills, has been
summoned back from the spirit-land to dis
place him ; and Rev. Dr. Sherwood, of Mo.,
cannot but account it stirring information,
that his hands are called now to reknit the
long-severed threads of the work which tasked
their energy and skill in mature and vig
orous manhood. The Baptist is only thirty
one years behind the march of events. The
organization of the University which it an
nounces, was the earliest under the charter
granted by the Georgia Legislature in 1838.
We mail to our contemporary a Catalogue of
Mercer for the current year. He will see
that of the names originally associated with
the Chairs of that Institution, none stands in
this connection at present, but the name of
Shelton P. Sanford, A.M., Professor of Math
ematics, Civil Engineering ancf Astronomy.
Temperance.
Our venerable brother, Rev. Robert
Fleming, writes in relation to a subject,
which, beyond all question, receives less at
tention at present than its importance de
mands. The inroads of strong drink are
strangely overlooked, or seen with strange
unconcern, both by the pulpit and the pew.
“It is high time to awake out of sleep” in
this matter. Bro. F. says :
“Cannot the friends of temperance take the
field and rally their sympathizing brethren to
action, and rescue those who are, gradually
and imperceptibly to themselves, approach
ing the awful gulf of the drunkard ? Has not
the mantle of Rev. D. P. Jones fallen on
some one in Georgia ? Have the ministers of
the gospel lost their former zeal ? Have they
become afraid to breast the tide of immor
ality, to rush forward in the strength of the
Lord God ? I ask to hear from this impor
tant cause in your paper, and hope that it
will not be long before we shall hear of Tem
perance Mass Meetings throughout the
State.”
“A Mother,” also, lifts a voice of warn
ing which we hope will be heeded, and makes
a request which our correspondents are in
vited to bear in mind :
“Will the Christian Index call the atten
tion of Baptists in Georgia to the establish
ment of Total Abstinence Societies for the
safety of our children? Our sons are being
destroyed by the example of those whose
names are enrolled on the church books.”
Giving*.
There are men of such a disposition that,
if they owned what a work before us errone
ously styles the French “hectare” of land—
-2,473,614 acres —the loss of the four acres
would trouble them so greatly as to forbid
rest or enjoyment until they had repaired it.
The change of the last figure in the row to a
naught, would take shape under their eye as
a species of poverty, or a harbinger of it.
May there not be at least a slight germ of
this disposition, as it were a grain of mus
tard seed for size, in the refusal to contribute
toward objects of Christian benevolence, be
cause of the financial reverses of the last few
years? Whereunto may not this refusal
grow, in its narrowing effect on our o-vn
souls, if we yield too long in fulgence to it ?
Let us not risk the experiment—but give,
though we can give only by littles—and give
with faith in Him, with whose blessing noth
ing is or can be little.
“The Freedmen.”
I agree with Dr. Shaver in part, and “A
Georgia Baptist” too, in the matter of reli
gious care for the blacks. No perplexities on
account of present circumstances could be in
the way of grace—that which every one of
us needs—still, to my mind, there is a greater
perplexity than the novel condition of affairs
alluded to; and this perplexity, or rather
barrier in the way of instruction, is growing
daily. I allude to the general prevailing dis
position among them to prefer instructors
of their own color; and until the better
minds among them can be influenced against
the practice, there is, I fear, a darker day
ahead for the negro. It would be far better
for them to remain, many years yet, with
their white brethren. It behooves us, how
ever, under all the circumstances, to do them
all the good in our power—to watch over
and direct them in the way of truth.
So writes a worthy brother. We do not
perceive any divergence, in (he view he pre
sents, from our own position in the premises.
“The perplexities now surrounding the rela
tion between the two races at the South,” as
urged by us, included the very point on
which he dwells. In fact, we laid something
of emphasis on that point, in our former ex
planation. To estrange the colored people
from the Southern Baptist ministry, the nar
row spirit of race has been fomented in
their bosom : and they have naturally turned
to their own ignorance for instruction and
guidance. If our brother does not agree with
us in full, he has failed to show it.
Marvellous Growth (?)
In the Richmond Herald of May 13th, the Bap
tist Sunday schools of that city reported an av
erage attendance, for the previous month, of 1,547
officers, teachers and scholars. The National
Baptist of the 22nd inst., however, gives, as the
strength of Baptist Sunday schools “in Rich
mond,” the very large total of 34,843. This dif
ference of 33,296 indicates the most extraordinary
growth ever occurring in the history of such in
stitutions —unless, indeed, the monthly average
attendance for April was itself, for paucity, the
most unprecedented on record. The total strength
of all the “Sunday schools in Richmond” is placed,
by the Baptist, at 81,863 —a number largely o -'er
the whole population of the city and vicinity at
the latest advices.
The explanation of these marvels is—that the
published statistics of Sunday schools in Virginia,
have been transformed by our contemporary into
statistics of Sunday schools in Richmond.
Our Zion—in Our Exchanges, etc.
Georgia.
Rev. F. H. Ivey, our pastor at Athens, writes
to us : “We are by no means satisfied with our
spiritual condition ; but are encouraged with some
signs of life and growth. Eighteen have been
added to our number during the last two months,
by baptism and letter. We have had no extra
meetings. There are several persons in the con
gregation whom we hope soon to see coming out
on the Lord’s side. Bro. Brown, of Cave Springs,
preached two excellent sermons for us last Sab
bath.”—The Augusta Constitutionalist says:
“We learn that a revival is going on at. the Second
Baptist Church, that promises much good under
the preaching of the beloved Pastor. The house
is crowded every night, and many have to go
away for want of room.” —The Sunday school
teachers, in connection with Kollock street church,
(the Second,) Augusta, hear classes under the
shade trees, for want of room in the house of
worship.—There have been five accessions, re
cently, to Long Cane church, Rev. A. R. Callaway,
pastor.—We spent last Sabbath pleasantly in
West Point; preaching, in the morning, at the
Methodist church, the Commencement Sermon of
the Female College, and occupying, at night, the
pulpit of the Baptist church. The College, we
were informed, is in a prosperous condition,
though President Thompson has been constrain
ed by impaired health to resign the position
which he has well filled. The pastor of our
church, Rev. S. P. Callaway, is not without
grounds of encouragement, in the deepening inter
est of his congregation.—See, in the column of
Special Religious Notices, Dr. Cuthbert’s an
nouncement of the meeting of the Georgia Baptist
Ministers’ Institute, at Rome, August 13th.—At
the recent Commencement of Mercer University,
the degree of D.D. was conferred on Rev. S. M.
Shute, of Columbian College, Washington, D. C.;
the degree of LL.D. on Prof. J. E. Farnham, of
Georgetown, Ky.; the degree of A.M. on R. R.
Smith and Rev. S. P. Callaway, of Ga. The fol
lowing students received the degree of A.8., de
livering speeches on the subjects indicated: Henry
F. Carswell, Latin Salutatory ; R. Ligon McWhor
ter, Success in Life; Thomas Willingham, Ten
dency of Mind to Seek its Level; Frank S. Loftin,
Motion the Law of the Universe ; Wm. J. Alex
ander, Imperialism ; E. Ruthven Carswell, Folly
of Pride; Antoine A. Fluker, Pleasure of Science;
John Robinson, Influence of Literature on Society;
B. Ernest Reese, Pumpkins; Thomas J. Ingram,
Woman’s Sphere; Charles M. Carswell, Steam;
Alex. H. S. Moore, Self-tormentors; Augustus C.
Felton, Disappointment; Henry F. Carswell, A
Plea for Muscles ; Fred C. Foster, The Lawyer;
Wm. J. Alexander, Valedictories. The Thomson
Observer says : All the speakers deserve much
praise. Their excellent declamation made it dif
ficult to decide, not who spoke well, but to name
one who did not attain or exceed the standard
generally raised for the young orator.
Florida.
Rev. P. P. Bishop, General Missionary of the
American Baptist Home Mission Society, writes
from Palatka, to his Board : “The establishment
of a school for the education of colored preachers
is the one great and trying need of the Freedmen 1
Their preachers have unbounded influence over
them ; and it is a deplorable truth that most of
these preachers are exceedingly ignorant, while
many of them are great rascals. lam thorough
ly convinced that there is no hope for the race un
less we can elevate the character of their minis
try.”—Rev. W. W. Keep has been bereaved by
the death of his wife, who died triumphantly,
July 7th.
Kentucky.
Rev. R. Ryland, D.D., formerly of Virginia,
presides with competent associates, over Ken
tucky Female College, Shelbvville. There is no
man in all the country to whom parents may en
trust the education and training of their daugh
ters with more absolute- confidence. Nothing
that sincere piety, incorruptible integrity, untir
ing diligence and long experience can do, to fit
them for lives of usefulness' and happiness, will
be wanting on his part.
Louisiana.
The Baptist State Convention at its recent ses
sion secured “two missionaries to enter the field
at once, —one, our aged and efficient Bro, Elder
John Dupree, who will operate east of Red River,
and the other, our excellent young brother, E. K.
Branch, who will operate west of the River, at a
salary, each, of SI,OOO a year.”
Missouri.
Rev. X. X. Buckner (what do these two X’s
signify?) has resigned, and Rev. A. Machett as
sumed, ti.e Presidency of Libert} 7 Female Col
lege.—There have been 9 accessions to Harmony
church, Prattville, and 14 to Shiloh church.
South Carolina.
The Barnwell Journal says : “A colored Bap
tist church has been organized at Barnwell. Our
colored friends now have their own house of wor
ship, and a colored pastor who seems quite ac
ceptable to them. He comes from Augusta, Ga.,
and brings with him credentials of theUest char
acter. We wish the church peace and prosperi
ty.”—The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary,
Greenville, declines the proposition from the
trustees of Union Univarsity to remove to Mur
freesboro, Tenn. The chief reason is, that the
funds contributed by South Carolina to the en
dowment of the Spminary, were contributed on.
condition that they should, in case of its removal
from Greenville, be turned over to Furman Uni
versity.—Rev. A. P. Norris has recently bap
tized some 50 or mere, at Graniteville, where he
is pastor.—There were, a few weeks since, a
number of accessions, by baptism, to Citadel
Square church, Charleston.
Texas.
The recent session of our Sunday School Col
portage Conventioh, at Bryan, surpassed all for
mer sessions in the number of messengers pres
ent. Its discussions were highly able and profit
able.—The citizens of Independence and vicinity,
at a late meeting, subscribed SSOO and three
bales of cotton, for repairs and fixtures to Baylor
University and Baylor Female College; which it
is thought will in the county, to as
large an amount as may be desired at once. .
7. Virginia.
Rev. J. F. Deans, the new pastor of our church
in Manchester, baptized 12 persons, on Sabbath
the 18th inst. —The Richmond Herald protested,
last week against the proposition to have the cor
ner stone of a Baptist Church, in Winchester,
laid by Masons, on the ground of its incongruity,
as Masonry is not a religious institution and its
officers are not pious men.—Rev. C. H. Ryland
has been re-appointed General Superintendent of
Baptist Sunday Schools in the State. —Cool
Spring Sunday School, Hanover county, “was or
ganized last October, and continued all winter,
the girls occupying a small house, warmed by an
old cooking stove, and the boys out-doors by log
fires.” It recently received a donation of S7O,
the fruit of a Children’s Fair, in the school of
Miss Jane Stanard, Richmond.
To the Baptists of Georgia and Alabama.
Dear Brethren : We cannot address you in
person, upon the great subjects that mutually
interest us as Baptists—that pertain to the
welfare of our common Zion, and the per
manent good of our people; therefore we
employ this medium, and ask your prayerful
attention. This we have never failed to se
cure, and with it your warm and earnest
support. Never has there been a time since
the organization of the Southern Baptist
Convention, when your prompt and generous
cooperation was more earnestly demanded, or
your confidence more fully deserved.
The balance reported to the Convention in
May, as due our former missionaries, is well
nigh provided for, when the Board shall real
ize, as it hopes to in a few moni hs, the sub
scriptions already made, and the legacies of
brethren Robert and McCutchen. When
these are paid'there will remain only about
$2,300 to be provided for, to meet all the lia
bilities of the Board, to May Ist, 1869.
We should, then, feel encouraged, so far as
our past indebtedness is concerned. This has
hindered our \vork, for we have been very
anxious to relieve our brethren that have had
ciaims upon us for past service. This dis
posed of, what prevents*our advance? The
field is white unto the harvest, the laborers
are at hand. It is necessary only that the
means should be at our disposal, with the
blessing of God, to secure the most happy
results. In all the Southern States there are
large tracts of country unsupplied with the
gospel ministry. Many of our brethren and
sisters do not hear a sermon in years. One
great evil of this is, that good men, in order
to have some religious associations for them
selves and families, connect themselves with
other denominations, and are lost to the Bap
tist cause. Is it not our duty to supply their
lack? Gladly would they hail the coming of
an earnest and intelligent minister of their
own faith. The irreligious and profane, too,
have a claim upon our sympathy and labors.
The mission of the Saviour was to publicans
and sinners.
Our attention was specially called, by the
Convention in Macon, to the spiritual wants
of the Indians and Germans, and Freedmen in
our midst. In addition to these, there is an
other class that are likely to constitute a con
siderable element of our Southern population,
the Chinese. Some 5,000 are now, we are
informed, on their way from the Pacific coast
to New Orleans and other points, to labor
upon Southern plantations. Over 100,000
Chinese are to be found in California, and
they are arriving monthly by thousands, to
make America their future home. Does not
Providence indicate our duty? Shall not
provision be made for their education and
religious instruction ? ‘ Otherwise they must
remain in heathenism, and commit their
abominations under the very shadow of our
dwellings.
Have we, then, anything to do, to bring the
increasing thousands gathering annually upon
our American soil, to Christ, the only Saviour
of a guilty race? The red man of the West,
the loreigner in every town and city, the
freedman upon the plantation, and the Chi-
send up their famishing cry for
the bread of life. Will not God bless his
people that help the destitute and make the
disconsolate rejoice ?
Brethren of Georgia and Alabama, the
Board of Domestic Missions will require of
you not less than $20,000, as your quota to
carry forward the woik of the coming year.
If every pastor will read this appeal to his
people, and interest himself in the object,
and then go to work, he will realize not only
a liberal gift for the mission , but .find his
church in a better spiritual oondition, and
exerting q wider influence in the community.
Brethren, remember us at your Associa
tions this Summer and Fall, and let every
church be sure to send something, if but one
dollar, by its delegates, for the Board of Do
mestic and Indian Missions, and to God shall
be all the. praise.
Yours truly,
M. T. Sumner, Cor. Sec.
Marion, Ala,, July 1869.
IsgT’We commend this appeal to the
prayerful thought and liberal co working of
our churches and pastors. Domestic, Indian,
Home-African and (perhqps) Home-Chinese
Missions, are entitled to our liveliest sympa
thy and our most generous contribution. If,
in these two States, we should furnish $20,-
000, during the year, for the prosecution of
these great works, we should be responding
to their claims only with an average of thir
teen and a half cents for every member of
our churches, Is there a pastor who will
not seek to secure at least that sum from his
flock ? Is there a church that cannot, or will
not, lay that sum at least on this “altar of
the Lord,” as an offering of faith and love?
Let us do what we can toward the accom
plishment of that result, at the approaching
sessions of our Associations. Let subscrip
tion papers be put in circulation and gather
ings of gifts be made at once. “ Gifts,” we
say—but can anything which we render up
at ihe call of the Lord’s work be viewed in
any other light than as a payment —a most
inadequate payment of the debt of gratitude
and service due to Him who “ died for all,
that they which live should not henceforth
live unto themselves but unto Hun ?”— Ed.
Alabama Baptist Sunday School Convention.
Brethren of Alabama : Shall we have a
Sunday School Convention ? Does not the
cause demand a Convention ? Can we pro
gress without it? Is not an organization of
some kind absolutely essential? Can we hope
to accomplish anything in the great work of
Sunday schools until we do organize ? An
organization is necessary to all great under
takings. Before armies can be made effective,
they must be organized. Before nations or
States can perforin the g r eat works of a gov
ernment, they must first be organized. Pol
iticians understand the philosophy of this
principle and invariably organize. They are
organizing now all over Alabama, to elect
their men to Congress. Merchants also un
derstand the philosophy of organizations, and
succeed by them. In fact, every great enter
prisa, in order to succeed and prosper, re
quires an organization. Is not the Sunday
school cause a great enterprise ? Then let us
organize—let us have a Convention. Breth
ren, .the politicians of Alabama have their
State, district and county Conventions : the
merchants, Masons, Odd-fellows, printers,
sportsmen —all have their peculiar organiza
tions. Evbn the farmers are beginning to
organize their State and county agricultural
societies. May not our Sunday school men
learn a very important lesson from all this ?
Shall every enterprise in the State be organ
ized, except that of the Sunday school? Shall
the children of this world be wiser than the
children of light? Look at our condition;
then look at our men! What a commentary !
Shall Alabama boast of such men as Hender
son, Teague, Tichenor, Battle, Mclntosh,
Boykin, Manly, and a host of lesser stars,
and Jhave no Sunday School Convention ?
Brethren, it don’t become one of inferior
rank to make suggestions to the wise, but I
hope you will permit me to call your atten
tion to the following resolution, passed by
the Tuskegee Sunday School Convention of
last May: “Resolved, That feeling the im
portance of some State organization, in the
interest of Sunday schools, we recommend
the holding of a State Convention of the va
rious Sunday schools throughout Alabama,
on the day previous to the convening of the
Baptist State Convention at Oxford, in No
vember next.” What do you say, brethren ?
J. J. Cloud.
. A Beautiful Scene.
The sun had risen high on the holy Sab
bath morning, and with his flaming eyes en
tered the region of Nuktos, dissipating the
shades of Tenebris, withdrawing the curtains
from the couch of Somnus, presenting to us
one of the loveliest mornings enjoyed by us
in this bright sun-lit land of the South; while
here and there were seen a few trailing clouds
floating in azure regions profound, to remind
us that He who ascended on high will also
come again in the clouds of heaven. The
gentle breeze was stirring each leaf, from the
tiny daisy to the stalwart oak of the forest,
kissing the tear-drops of the morning from
the delicate flowers. All around, the happy
little birds were singing their Te Devon.
Everything was laboring to turn the wander
ing thoughts of erring man back to Eden’s
forfeited pleasures.
From seven or eight to nine in the morn
ing, large multitudes, from the diminutive
child, young men anil maidens fair, up to
the sexegenary with corrugated brow and
palsied step, were assembling at one of the
loveliest and most picturesque places in all
these hilly regions. The place: who can de
scribe it? Standing on the pebbly, rocky
banks of that beautiful stream, the Hightower
river, washed clean by the swollen floods of
Spring, with the flowing waters before us,
to the left is seen the rustic mill, venerable
with age. Opposite, on the eastern bank,
stretching along the river, rise in the beauty
of sublimity, high inclined ledges of granite
rocks, affording in'ew-seats for a great many,
which are occupied by the lovely and fair,
arrayed in all the rich variety of the Persian
loom. A little farther down, the river is
spanned by a bridge; many have crossed over,
many are still standing on the bridge; all
awaiting, in almost reverential awe, the per
formance of an ordinance brought down from
heaven. The wall of rocks reminded us of
the strong protection God throws around his
people : the bridge, that the stream of time
may be safely crossed by faith in Christ, and
obedience to His commandments: the river,
of the stream of mercy bearing us onward to
the ocean of God’s eternal love.
In the midst of that vast assembly, from
the margin of the river arose the song of
rejoicing. The Lord had revived his work,
and many happy souls were waiting to follow
their Saviour in His holy ordinance. They
sang:
“In this assembly now I stand,
My vows lo Thee I bring.’’
In their songs they again sung,
“Thine ordinance, great Saviour, bless:
Support me all my days,
May I each gospel truth confess,
And walk in all thy ways.”
The song of praise beautifully blended with
the voice of prayer, praise and supplication.
The introductory services having closed,
the administrator, in the grace of humility,
two by two, led the happy converts down
into the curling water, until seventeen, who
believed in Jesus, were baptized into the fel
lowship of Auraria church, Lumpkin county,
in the name of the Father, the Son, and the
Holy Ghost, and arose to walk with Christ
in newness of life. In the meanwhile, those
on the bank sung,
“On Jordan’s stormy bank I stand
And cast a wishful eye.”
When the work was done, having reached
the last stanzas, they “ sang with the Spirit:”
“Filled with delight, my raptured soul
Would here no longer stay;
Though Jordan’s waves around me roll,
Fearless I’d launch away.”
We have thus passed in pleasant review,
one of the loveliest of the lovely scenes that
make glad the militant church, and refresh
the weary herald of the cross. May the
blessings of heaven and the riches of grace
abide upon all those who on this occasion ac
knowledged Christ before men !
J. W. 11.
July I Xth, ’69.
Church Constituted.
On Sunday, the 18th inst., we met accord
ing to previous appointment and organized a
Baptist church, in Bethany, Jefferson county,
with eleven members. There are others that
designed meeting with us, but were prevented
by sickness. We trust much fruit to the
honor and glory of God’s great name shall
be the result. J. M. Cross.
Bethany, Ga.,July 20 th, IsGU,
A Proposition.
To those who are considering the question
of their duty to preach the gospel, I will send
free a copy of my tract on “A call to the
Ministry ,” and to those who wish for infor
mation concerning the Baptist Union Theo
logical Seminary at Chicago, I will smd a
Catalogue. Address your letters lo
G. S. Bailey,
Baptist Theological Seminary,
Chicago, 111,
Colored Church Constituted.
In compliance with a request of the church
at Beulah,Conecuh county, Ala., Rev. Andrew
Jay and the writer met at the house of wor
ship on the 2nd Sabbath evening inst., for the
purpose of constituting the colored members
(who had been previously dismissed by letter
for that purpose) into a separate church.
Those who were present came for <vard and
had their names enrolled. After due exam
ination upon the Articles of haithasset forth
by the Bethlehem Baptist Association, they
entered into a covenant to keep house for the
Lord; upon which they were declared or
ganized, under the name of the Colored Bap
tist church at Beulah, and the hand of church
fellowship extended by the Presbytery. It
was given to them strictly in charge, to main
tain the doctrines and practice of the Baptists.
They have two ordained ministers in their
number. The church has built a partition,
and set apart half of their neat and commo
dious house, to the use of the colored church
during their good behaviour, and the main
tainance of the doctrines and usages of the
Baptists. By this course, the church has
gratified the colored people with a separate
organization, and at the same time retains a
great influence with them for good.
J. E. Bell.
Greenville, Ala., July 22. 1869.
To Whom it May Concern.
In the Baptist church at Salem, Lumpkin
county, Georgia, sundry charges were pre
ferred against Elder C. W. Ash. After an
impartial investigation he was found guilty,
by the church, of grossly immoral and un
christian conduct, and was excluded from
membership. This occurred, April 10th,
1869; and on the Bth of May, at the regular
church meeting, the church called upon him
for his credentials. He refused to deliver
them to the church : whereupon it was re
solved that we publish him to the Baptist
Brotherhood and the world at large, as an ex
cluded minister, holding his credentials.
J. M. Dowdy, Moderator.
C. A. J. Head, Ch. Clerk.
Glimpses of the Times.
CONGREGATIONAL.
“ Unimportant.” —A church of fifty mem
bers, “ bred by C< ngregationalists and loving
Congregationalism,” has been formed .at
Springfield, Mass., with a creed in defence of
which Dr. Holland says: Nothing is said
about infant baptism ; we would leave that
out as unimportant. Not a man in the coun
cil believed that it was an essential doctrine.
Then let non essentials pass.
Indifference. —The N. Y. Independent
says: “We think it a matter of indifference
how the apostles administered the rite (of
baptism,) since their practice is not authori
ty for us, and they have left no clear precepts
on the subject.”
Future Punishment. —The Christian Reg
ister quotes from an exchange: The English
Congregationalists, it is said, are, as a body,
about to declare the Eternity of Future Pun
ishments to be an open question.
Laxity. —Henry Ward Beecher, in a recent
sermon, said : “ In regard to churches, ordin
ances and governments, l take the broadest
ground, and say that they are useful, but that
there is not one of them that is obligatory,
as having warrant in Scripture and no man
can come to us saying, ‘Thussailh the Lord,’
in respect to them.” %
LUTHERAN.
Liturgy.— The Lutheran General Synod,
at its recent session, provided for the publi
cation of a “ Church Book.”
EPISCOPAL.
Revision of the Liturgy.— The recent
Convention of Anti-Ritualists, at Chicago,
decided, by unanimous resolution, “ that a
careful revision of the Book of Common
Prayer is needful to the best interests of the
Protestant Episcopal Church;” and “ that
all words or phrases seeming to teach that
the Christian ministry is a priesthood or the
Lord’s supper a sacrifice, or that regeneration
is inseparable from baptism, should be re
moved from the Prayer-Book.”
Duty (?) —“An Episcopal rector of Chi
cago, recently preached a communion sermon
on the duty of receiving the bread with the
hands crossed, etc.”
Not Unlikely. —“lt is reported in some
of the English papers that Dr. Pusey, the
High Church leader, has been found to be a
real Jesuit priest. The revelation purports
to have been made by a priest on the conti
nent.”
Virginia Episcopacy. “The Virginia
Council of the Episcopal Church, has unani
mously adopted a declaration against the
sacerdotal theory of the ministry, the doc
trines of baptismal regeneration, and of the
real presence in the eucharist, and the so
called ritualistic practices in worship.” The
Episcopalians of Virginia are the best in the
world.
Immersion. —Rev. Dr. Ewer, of New York,
the discoverer of the fact that “ Protestant
ism is a failure,” recently baptized one of bis
children, an infant, nude and by trine immer
sion. It is not the first time that immersion
has fallen into bad company.
Apt Definition.— At the Anniversary of
the British and Foreign Bible Society, Rev.
Dr. Schaff said that “ a Ritualist is a Papist
without the P.”
METHODIST.
Not Binding. —The North- Western Chris
tian Advocate, Chicago, says : “ If it could be
proven, absolutely, that that mode (theexact
mode of baptism practiced by John the Bap
tist and the Apostles) was immersion, that
exact mode would be binding only under
similar circumstances; as, for instance, where
the candidate was in proper health, and the
climate, or the presence of sufficient water,
would allow it.”
The Two Metiiodisms. —The N. Y. Chris
tian Advocate says, in behalf of Northern
Methodists: “Recognizing Southern Meth
odism, not as rejected us God, but disquali
fied for the duty of the hour, we went into
the South at the call of God ; and having
gone there, our work in its relation to the
local Methodism, became of necessity, one of
disintegration and absorption .”
The Laity. —At a June meeting of New
York Methodist opponents of lay delegation,
Rev. Mr. Saxe said : “ Nearly all the troubles
in the church are caused by the interference
of laymen in its management.” Rev. Mr.
Adams said: “ The preachers are such by
‘divine call.’ Is it right that laymen should
sit on the same seats with them, as their
equals and peers'? Are they equal in the
sight of God ?” Rev. James Porter, D.D.,
said : “ Lay delegation would make slaves of
the poor ministers. He would not respect a
minister who would remain a minister under
such circumstances No one wouid respect a
minister who would be mean enough lo stay
under such a government ?”
Perfectionism. —Tue Baltimore Episcopal
Methodist says: ‘, If we understand the Per
fectionist school, they teach and profess full
equality in holiness with the Son of God.”
Baptism. —The East Maine Methodist Con
ference reports 211 adult and 35 infant bap
tisms. The infant baptisms were 11 less the
former year and the adult baptisms 284 more.
Love Feasts. —According to a writer in
the Western Christian Advocate, there are
some who think that Paul had his prophetic
eye directly upon a Methodist love bast,
when he wrote, “Let all things be done de
cently and in order.”
REFORMED.
Giving. —The (Dutch) Reformed church
gave, the past year, to objects of benevolence,
$253,203 14, an increase of #48,710 21, and
for congregational purposes, $798,800 01, an
increase of $84,742 95.
ROMANIST.
“Circus like. ’ —Rev. G. 11. Patillo, in the
Southern Christian Advocate, says: "Not
long since a little Presbyterian boy attended
in the afternoon with his grand mother, who is
a Catholic, the exhibitions of her church.
At the tea-table, the artless little follow de
livered himself as follows : ‘‘Mamina, l loves
grand mother’s church better than 1 do yours,
because, at her church, they do so circus like.”
War upon the Sick. —“The President of
the Sacra Consuha at Rome has, by order of
the Pope, addressed a circular to the medical
profession in that city, enjoining them in no
case to continue their attendance upon pa
tients dangerously ill who have not confessed
within three days after their first visit.”
Panoramic Controversy. Dr. Jessup
writes, from Syria, that “a Romish Padre
has just been at the old business of burning
Testaments and Protestant books, at Mukta
ra. One day he summoned the people to the
Papal church, and exhibited a panorama of
hell. In the midst of the picture was a com
pany of children with Protestant bo >ks in
their hands being tortured by fiery devils
with sharp spears. The effect on the poor
mothers was tragical. They at once obeyed
the Padre’s orders, and brought their chil
dren’s books, and he burned them in the
midst of the church, exclaiming, ‘These I of
fer a sacrifice to Christ!’ ”
UNITARIAN.
The Lord’s Supper Discarded. — The
Liberal Christian says: “The Unitarian
church iu New Bedlord has voted to dispense
with the bread and wine in the commemora
tion of the Lord’s supper. The sacrament
will not be given up, but a suitable memorial
service will be held at the usual time, with
vocal exercises mainly as before, and the
time formerly occupied in the distribution of
the elements will be devoted to meditation
and silent prayer.” The Examiner dc Chron
icle adds: “It is a curious fact that Ralph
Waldo Emerson broke with the Unitarian
body on this very point. He thought—and
he was a good witness, so far as his personal
experience was concerned—that the rite n<>
longer possessed its original significance and
effect, and proposed to the Second church in
Boston to discontinue the bread and wine.
The church was not ready for this step, and
he manfully laid down his ministry, to become
the Pagan philosopher he is.” Is not this
the legitimate issue of the rejection of the
divinity of Christ, and the consequent rejec
tion of his atonement 1
Unitarianism. —The Jewish Times, N. V.,
in reference to the establishment of another
Unitarian church in Chicago, says: “Such
conversions to Unitarianism are of far more
importance than the comparatively few for
mal proselytes to Judaism, and are more
powerful allies iu the work of uprooting
Christian heathenism.”
Sunday Reading. —“ Rev.” John W. Chad
wick, in the Liberal Christian says: “Liter
ature is more religious than theology, Shake
speare is better than Calvin, and Charles
Lamb is worth ever so many Jonathan Ed
wardses.” And in this strain, he advises, as
to Sunday reading: “Read just what you
would on any other day ; if anything differ
ent, something more secular, rather than less.
Keep the religious books for week-days, and
read the essays, the novels, the scientific
works on Sunday,”
Liberality. —ln a recent “Manifesto of
Liberal Christianity,” the Rationalists of
Neufchatel, Switzerland, demand 1. A church
without priesthood or pastors. 2. A religion
without a catechism, or religious teaching.
3. A worship without mysteries, or sacra
ments. 4. A morality without theology - y
i. e., without profession of faith, 5. A God,
but without any system ; i. <?., a God who
has a name merely.
UNIVERSALIST.
Infidelity. —Rev. Rowland Connor, Uni -
versalist, at the last Conference of Free Reli
gionists, Boston, styled “Bible legends and
nursery tales twin brothers,” and said that
“the most important question is not whether
a man shall be saved by the blood of Christ,
but whether his own blood Hows healthily.”
DISCIPLE (“CAMPBELLITE”).
Loose Communion. —The eoitor of the
British Harbinger writing to Americun Dis
ciples, sa_) s : “Open Baptist churches gener
ally ask information as to the piety and char
acter pf the unimmersed persons to whom
they hand the memorial cup, but ‘the mass’ -
of you, according to J. Smith, ask no ques
tion, make no inquiry, but alike present the
cup to the pious and the vile —that is, to who
ever may please to seat himself with the dis
ciples at the time of commemoration—the
known tares and the manifest Judases arc to
partake, if they will, and the word of the
Church is, ‘Let us not, therefore, judge one
another, any more.’ And Bro. Smith adds
—I think 1 can truthfully say that the muss
of disciples in America concur in the views
expressed by me.’ He also quotes Lard's
Quarterly as saying: “Our churches in the
West, lam sorry to say, without exemption
known to me, permit the unimrmrsed to
commune. They do not, 1 grant, invite them
to commune; and yet their language is so
understood by the unimmersed.”
Excess of Zeal. —A writer in the Western
Recorder states that a “current-Reformation”
preaehei recently baptized, for the remission
of sins, a man manifestly deranged, and who,
two days afterwards, was sent to the Lunatic
Asylum, Lexington, Ky.
JEW
Easter and Passover. —Rabbi I. Wise, in
his German Jewish paper, the Deborah, says :
“Let us compare the old Jewish Petsach
(Passover) with the Easter, and see which of
them will have a future. On Easter day a
crucified God is risen from the dead, which
only some few men as yet believe ; while on
Passover liberty is risen up to release man
kind, and this all rational men do believe.
Easter has brought to the world a cross —
Passover the idea of liberty ; and the former
sinks, while the latter ascends in the balance
of reason. Under the former penitents
drink holy wine and sip down their sins, but
under the latter four cups are emptied in
commemoration of the redemption of hu
manity. This sounds quite differently,
there the host is swallowed up in devout
humbleness, and a morsel of Godhead is en
grafted into the peccable stomach ; here they
are eating Alatea-p adding and Matsa dump
ling* (Matseschalck and Matsckloesschen,)
w inch, as is known, bear in themselves great
ideas. Passover, therefore, has, in any case,
a more promising future than Easter.”
EMEND.
Quaker Revival. —At Richmond, lad., —
in spite of the doctrine of birtn right mem
bership held by the Friends, making thorn
nominal Christians from the time they are
born, —a revival has occurred recently in their
congregation, marked by the conversion of
most of their own members never before
converted, and of many of the most promi
nent citizens of the place —some of the most
intelligent men and most fashionable ladies.
3PIIUTUAI6T.
Blasphemy.—At the Indiana Spiritualist
Convention, “Prof.” J. Al. Barnes, said tiiat
“ he wouldn’t give two cents to go to heaven
on ihi merits of Christ, or any other man.”