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CHRISTIAN iii he* AND SOUTH-WESTERN BAPTIST. VOL. 48-NO. 80. A RELIGIOUS AND FAMILY PAPER, PUBLISHED WEEKLY IN ATLANTA, GA TERMS.—CIubs of Four, ($3.00 eaetal per annum...sl2.oo Clubs of Three, ($3.33 each) per annum... 10.00 Clubs of Two, (3.50 each) per annum 7.00 Single Subscriber 4.00 J". J. TOON, Proprietor. Come to Jesus. Say, poor wand’rer, sadly sirayiug, From thy .Saviour’s arms away, Why, oh ! why ft* long delaying. Why not seek his face to-Oay Come to Jesus, - Seek his loving face to-day. Has not Jesus for you given His most precious, priceless blood 7 „ Bought for you a home in heaven ? Opened up the way to God?' Come to Jesus," Seek the way that leads to Gtjd. Oh ! how can you grieve that SAviour, AHd refuse to hear his voice? Why not now accept his favor, In his pard’ning love rejoice? Come to Jesus, In his pard’ning love rejoice. Through life’s journey he will guide you, And be with you all the way; What a friend to have beside you, Travelling with you day by <ky 1 Come to Jesus, Journey with him day by day. Seasons passing-' summers flying, Time is speeding, oh how fast! All to thee, poor wand’rer crying— "bays of grace will soon be past." Come to Jesus, Ere thy days of grace be past. —.S'. L. Ciithbert In Presb. Ban. A Reminiscence of Rev. John E. Dawson. About the year 1841 or 1842, brother Dawson preached to Providence church, Jas per co., Ga. He made it a rule, I believe, to preach controverted points only once a year, and gave notice that he would preach on the subject of baptism on a certain Sabbath. The day was fine and many were out,. The ser mon was very able and excellent, and ended,, in a sentence and an argument I never shall forget. J ust before the close of his discourse he alluded to the notion that John’s baptism was not Christian baptism. He observed) that the Saviour’s baptism was good enough for him. Then, with a vim indescribable, he uttered these memorable words : “And can VOU BELIEVE THAT THE SAVIOUR SUBMITTED TO ONE KIND OF BAPTISM, AND SENT OUT HIS DISCIPLES TO PRACTICE ANOTHER?” It WaS like heaven’s artillery, quick and powerful. We had been entranced for two hours, but now were electrified. It was like putting the key stone into the arch. If there is an argu ment stronger than this to prove John’s essentially Christian baptism, and only dif fered as to the formula— i. e. in the Name, of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit—l am igno rant of it. William B. Richards. Kai, De ami Te. In the Index of the 10th of June, there is a criticism on the above Greek particles, by brother G. T. Wilburn, in a reply to brother A. Chandler, to prove that the sth verse of the lOtli chapter of the Acts of the Apostles is not the language of Paul, but of Luke, the historian. Brother C., professing to know nothing of Greek, places the opinions of Dr. Gill and A. Fuller against those of brother W., and retires from the discussion. It would seem, however, that if brother W.’s criticism is correct, it settles this vexed ques tion, and is of too much importance to be passed over so unceremoniously. To prove his point, brother W. states that the Greek words kai, de and te are used in the first six verses as connectives ; that de, as is shown by the second,, third and fourth verses, is not used to connect the act or discourse of the same individual; and because it con nects the fourth verse, which is the language of Paul, with the fifth, therefore the fifth is not the language of Paul, but of some other ■person. He further maintains that this posi tion is strengthened by the use of kai, which, without saying it, he claims does connect the discourse of the same individual; that it (kai) connects the sixth verse, which, it is not denied, is the language of Luke, with the fifth ; which, therefore, is also the language of Luke. The final conclusion which he reaches seems to be legitimate, if there is no mistake about the first. But is it true that de does not con nect the act or discourse of the same indi vidual ? Is it not employed in many instan ces in this same chapter, as elsewhere, in precisely the same connections and with the same meaning as kai and te ? Let the fol lowing sentences decide: 6. And (kai) when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them ; and (not in the orig inal) they spake with tongues and (kai) prophesied. 7. And (de) all the men were about twelve. 8. And (de) he went into the synagogue, and (not in the original) spake boldly for the space of three months, dispu ting and (kai) persuading the things concern ing the kingdom of God. 9. But (and, de) when divers were hardened, and (kai) believed not, etc. 10. And (de) this continued, etc. 11. And (te) God wrought special miracles by the hand of Paul, etc. Such is the indis-" criminate use of kai, de and te, in numerous instances throughout this chapter and the New and Old Testaments, and everywhere in the Greek language. Now, if Luke uses de in the above verses to canned his discourse, as lie certainly does, then what becomes of brother W’s first conclusion, that de does not connect the discourse of the same individual? And, as Luke does use it to connect his dis course in verses 6,7, 8,9, 10, 11, etc., why might not Paul employ it to connect his dis course in the 4th and sth verses? Why should de be more accommodating to Luke than to Paul? Will brother W. explain? T. B. Cooper. P. S.: In the sth verse (Common Version) de is translated when. In the original the aorist (past) participle is used, and the verse might be translated, And (i/e) having heard this, etc. In the 4th verse it is translated then, which might he, And (de) Paul said, etc. The third verse is, And (te) he said unto them, Unto what were ye baptized? And ( de) they said, Unto John's baptism. You observe that the connections of the 3rd, 4th, sth and Oth verses are exactly similar to those of the following verses, as quoted above. T. B. C. Conyers, Ga. Goodness. —“ None can be good too soon.” FRANKLIN PRINTING HOUSE, ATLANTA, GA„ THURSDAY, AUGUST 5, 1869. " .. . 4 Moses Translated. “The tradition, sanctioned by several an cient Christian writers, and apparently favored by some moderns, that Moses did not die, but went to heaven alive, as Enoch and Eli jah did,” has obtained, I discover, among some of our Teachers. Moses translated ! This sounds like a “new thing under the sun” if “it hath been already of old time.” Poor human nature ! To sustain a favorite dogma, how it will “strain” at some things, and “swallow” others. What a gulp to receive this tradition of men, with the following in spired obituary and sepulture before us : “So ‘Moses, the servant of the Lord, died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the Lord. And he buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, over against Beth-peor ; but no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day Deut. xxxiv :5, 6. Something must be done with “this Moses,” or his “talking with Jesus,” on the Mount, in the transfiguration, will interfere with the inter mediate-sleep dogma. Why not just have him awake for that occasion? Jude tells us of a contention over the body of Moses, and it seems; with this before us, thata waking, or even resurrection, for a while, would be more plausible than a translation theory. It is to be feared that some of these brethren Jjave permitted their admiration of Whately’s Logic to carry them into his “Future State.” - J. H. H. Newnan. . Short Paragraphs. People do not like to be startled out of their accustomed way of thinkjng. „ They feel as indignant as does a drowsy r3an, when rudely aroused from slumber. Many men are as much shocked by the propounding of anew idea, as'Ahey would be by the explo sion of a bomb. Hence, very original men are not generally popular ones. They dis turb the serene equanimity which delights in platitudes and is always well pleased with itself. Those who have coined the world’s thoughts have not been the recipients of the word’s highest honors. . All the men whom we are accustomed to regard as monsters of wickedness, were not men of bad motives. The conclusions to which men may be led by sophistry, defy all the conceptions of a soundly rational mind. It is no rare thing for people to assign very good reasons for the commission of very bad deeds, and to plead motives worthy of angels for actions which would disgrace demons. Religion is assuredly the noblest of causes; yet to what acts of barbarous cruelty have not men been driven by religious zeal ? Patriotism is an elevating sentiment; yet has it often caused men to disregard the plainest dictates of humanity. Liberty is a word which may well fire in the mind a generous en thusiasm ; yet has it frequently, in the world’s history, been the pretext for the commission of the most horrible outrages on human rights. It is not, perhaps, very unusual for men to perform acts of kindness or benevolence from motives which they would not like to have too closely scrutinized; but it is almost as common for them to do mischievous deeds with good intentions. The life of one consistent Christian will outweigh the logic of a thousand sceptical philosophers, and will silence the witticisms of a thousand scoffers. It is sometimes as serted that Christianity does not make men better; but let those who say this, point out one truly good man who is not in reality, if not in name, a sincere believer in the reli gion of Christ. Every professor of -the Christian faith should strive so to live that his life will be a cumulative evidence of its truth. Shall men, who daily prove themselves ut terly destitute of the spirit of religion, be kept in the church because of a fear that they might become worse if let loose from all re straint? So say some who plead fora lax discipline. We suspect, however, that a church that keeps a discipline of this kind is but little felt in a community —that the standard of morals will sink almost as low as if no or ganization of Christians existed. “ Better,” plead some, “ have a large church, the bulk of whom are decently moral, than have a small church, all of whom are devotedly pi ous.” It is a question about which different views may be entertained ; but we are in clined to think that the small band of pious men will exert the greater power. The love of money is not greatest in those in whom reason would say it ought to be greatest. Men who have large families to support, it would seem, ought to be the most anxious to accumulate; yet men so circum stanced have looser purse-strings than those who have a few or no dependents. Real misers are almost invariably unmarried men, and as a general rule you are.more likely to receive a large contribution from the man who has ten children, than from the man who has only one. The writing of an infidel book is an act of wanton wickedness, compared with which the poisoning of fountains where millions drink would be a deed of benevolence. It is an attempt to take away the only source of con solation, upon which mankind can surely rely amid this world of tempests and sorrows. Were it granted that religion were wholly false, and revelation altogether a fable, a wise man would wish to spread its influence and perpetuate its existence. For were men de prived of the hopes it holds forth, and of the incentives which it furnishes, what would life be worth? Why would not a universal sui cide depopulate the globe? What meant the Saviour when He said that faith, like a grain of mustard seed, would remove mountains? Why, He meant that a sincere conviction of being right would beget an earnestness that can accomplish things apparently as impossible as the removal of Mount Blanc by a word. And the history of mankind justifies His saying. Earnest men •have done wonders in this world, aud few have accomplished auything worthy of note who were not in earnest. Earnestness is the lever of which the Syracusan philosopher dreamed. Even when the cause for which it is enlisted is bad, and the ends for which it strives wicked, it is powerful. How r much more powerful ought it to be, when it is on the side of truth and justice? When we consider how very little many men, of good lives and commendable motives, accomplish, we are painfully impressed with the belief that they cannot be in earnest. Thousands of those who claim a call to preach the gos pel must not be in earnest, or they would surely do more. We fear that many of them dc%noi believe the momentous truths which it is their duty # to enunciate. Oh! if the Bible be true, it is a solemn thing to proclaim it to dying men. It should awaken all the enthusiasm, and inspire all the zeal of which the human heart is capable. He must be in earnest, thoroughly in earnest, who would persuade *jen to eschew evil and love right eousness. L. Making D.D’s. A farm is thought to be a poor concern when it produces nothing for market. On the same principle, it may be, we are to a poor College which can’t make a Doctor of Divinity. If our institutions must carry on this business—if they cannot live, or be big, without it—l suppose we must let them go on with their manufacture. Better have the lion’s skin on the wrong man sometimes, perhaps, than not have colleges. But, really, while ‘the name Dr. may make some men feel much wider and taller than their fellows, occasionally one is found who does not want the name. He may murmur,, complain, protest, or what not, but the thing holds on like Sinbad’s old man of the sea. Now, is it charity to put a name on a brother when he does not, want it? Would it not be better to consult him beforehand ? As one who can never have Dr. put to his name, I make a motion, (considering the whole Bap tist family in Convention on this great ques tion,) that our College people divide the whole country into districts, and get the names of all Baptist preachers who can de cline ego, and consult them, by a travelling agent, (candidates will pay his salary, of course,) on the question whether they would like to be elevated ! In this way, is it not plain that no more such cases as that of dear old brother Baker would occur? Were I a D.D., the feeling produced on me by the great increase of my order would, I think, affect me very much as the freed men of former days were affected by the is sues of the war—freedmen became too com mon a thing—there was too much of a good thifig! Do those who confer Doctorates know that the newly honored are worthy ? How can they know, when the recipients of their titles may be hundreds of miles away —may be personally unknown to them ! The truth is, that America makes a Dr. for Europe sometimes, and vice versa ! This is doing business at long range. If the title of D.D. be “ a good thing," as Beecher says of infant sprinkling, the Bible to the contrary notwithstanding, I make an other motion—that whenever a preacher is ordained, he receive the title D.D. from the ordaining committee! This will save the colleges a deal of trouble. And besides, as freshly ordained ministers feel little, and much embarrassed sometimes, a large title may help them along wonderfully ! Most of us have seen the time when help from almost any quarter would have been acceptable. It may be that a title was the very thing for us. What a pity we could not have it! The list of Doctors is quite a feature in our great convocations now a-days. How grati fying to small vanity to have great kindred! When Baptists were a “ feeble folk,” we heard of brother So-and-so, or old brother So-and-so, but now it is Dr. Are we not going up? Baptists have established a peer age. Does not the king come next? Breth ren who once refused to be called Dr., and fought the name, now seem to rejoice in it. A brother is to preach, or lecture. He is in troduced to the audience, not simply as brother A., or 8., but as Rev. Dr. B. ? One poor sinner, if saved at all, yet “ scarcely saved,” calls another poor sinner in like cir cumstances, Rev. Dr.! Where are Baptists going to? There is one consolation left us, though a poor one: it is easier to say “ Doctor ” than it is to say “brother,” and feel the sentiment that the word brother ought to carry with it. W. M. D. Medley. Some years ago, a Romanist in England ob served to a friend, “lam going to-night to witness a miracle .” “What?” enquired the friend. “Yes: a clergyman prove Infant baptism from the Scriptures alone !” A nian stole an axe and desired of his em ployer time to go to Boston and 'confess : he was advised to restore the axe, but refused, for he might not obtain one so good ; confes sion, in his estimation, would cure all. Con* science plays some queer freaks. Another, living in a free Stale, said he never would cross the river and pollute his feet by walking on slave soil; but not long after, it was ascertained that he had been liv ing in gross adultery and breaking the heart of an excellent wife. Is conscience, unless enlightened .and controlled by the Bible, a safe guide ? 4 Is there not what might be called a secta rian conscience ? that is, one. (hqt clings so closely to our sect that it wifi swallow the most silly fallacies, and think them to be Bi ble teachings and logical arguments? God commanded Abraham, a believer, to circum cise his family, and they became members of the church ; therefore, we have Bible author ity to baptize our children ! Does it not seem to be a logical sequitur , especially when the conscience is jaundiced by sectarianism ? Is there no cure for this disease? We are quite unwilling to try the remedies prescribed. Would not this one be of service, named in xvii Acts, to modify or remove our infirmities? True, a believing perusal of the volume might aid us ; but this, impediment lies in the way: “A man convinced against his will, Is of the same opinion still.” Is there such a word as far-reading ? Well then, there is a far-reading conscience: one that compassionates distant sufferers, that distils its tears of kindliness and feels an ir repressible desire to benefit those afar off; while those near us are overlooked, ignored, disregarded. You see many pity the poor Cuban revolutionists, (not insurrectionists, that is to. harsh an adjective,) and mean to furnish relief, even if it should provoke a war with Spain ; regime of the severest kind is just what other deserve, even if it crush out manhood and extinguish vital ity. Has Politics a conscience? Yes : Politicians have consciences made to order, which sit very easy on you, as the tfiat -rial is an oriental gum, so pliable that they (lever disturb your slumbers nor day dreams. Statesmen have principles —the others meife opinions to suit the times. How does a Catholic and Protestant con science differ ? Very little from the time of old Hal of England till 1869; the party in the ascendant was quite sure to hang and burn their foes; but especially those that tried to follow the N. T. both in the materials and ordinances of the churches. “A refutation of th* doctrine of total he reditary depravity, by Aylett Rains, V. D. M,” issued in a sermon some 30 years ago.- If Mr. R. were now', methinks he would find evidences enough in the conduct of men to overthrow his own views and show much depravity, if not totah Have you ever run over Ecclesiastical History in order to-find the curiosities? What was the color of the Virgin Mary’s hair? Did she understand the Book of Sen tences as published A. D., 1200? Blazing meteors announced th: nativity of St. Dom inic, and heaven hung out two or three ex traordinary suns and moons by way of illu mination ! He fed multitudes miraculously, and turned water into wine in childhood! Mary once secured the entrance into heaven of a wicked monk, wlten Peter and all tlfe saints and martyrs h id,. failed ! St. Peter came down from heavei and consecrated the church at Westminster: Proof, the attesta tion of the ferryman who carried him over the Thames ! The house in which the Virgin was born was transported by angels from Nazareth to Loretto ! The rod of Moses—a feather from Gabriel’s"*-wing—the slippers of Enoch which he wore while fie walked with God—a tear shed over the deceased Lazarus by the Saviour—a flame of the bush which Moses beheld burning—all’ tjiese things and many others me to ifc’Vriund in Yhe Pope’s dominions!!! It is presumed Dr. T. would have been glad to have seen the slippers, be fore his “gospel” in the prophet was com pleted. Morad. Behold, I Make all Things New. Rev. 21 :5. Blesssed promise! Gracious Lord, 2. Cor. 1 : 20. In our souls fulfill this word ; Luke 1: 38. Work in us to'will, to do, Philip. 2: 13. And in truth make all things new. 2 Cor. 5 . 17- Give us hearts by thee renewed, Ezek. 36 : 26. Give us wills by grace subdued, Ezek. 36 : 26. New desires for things above, Col- 3 : 2. New jbedience, and Dew lose. Rom. 7: 6. Thou new comfort canst impart, Zech. 1 : 17. Send newjoy'to every heart, Neh. 8 : 18. Speak new peace to every breast, John 14: 27. New refreshment and new rest. Matt. 11 : 28. Take from us our sin and shame, Ezek. 36: 2. r >. Write upon us thy new name,-, Rev. 3:12. Cause thy love new hope to bring, Heb. 6:19. Teach us the new song to Sing. Rev. 14: 3. Entrance, Lord, to us be given 2 Pet. 1 : .11. Into thy new earth and heaoen ; Rev.’2l: I. i There, when death our souls shall free, Phil. 1': 23,-. We shall live and reign with thee. Rev. 22: 5. —American Messenger. The Cross upon the Grave. “Hail hallowed cross, accursed no more ; Rich tree of life to all our race ; Blest tree of Paradise, which bore The choicest fruit, the gift of grace.” While in attendance upon our State Con vention, at Cuthbert, Ga., I found a home, with other brethren, a real Georgia-Virginia home, at the residence of Deacon R. S. J., M. D. There was a missing one in that house—a void that we, as temporary inmates of the house, could not fill, although we wept in sympathy with the sad family. No ! no ! The angel-form of “Kiltie L.” was missing; her lute-like voice was not heard. Death had claimed her, and on the 24-th of Match, at the interesting age of .nineteen, she died. One lovely morn, accompanied by the father, I visited the grave. Sacred spot! With how much truth may the words of Johnson be written on thy tomb : “Underneath this stone doth lie As much of virtue as could die.” But my attention was attracted by a design on that new-made grave, of a green, growing cross. Ho>f often had I seen that emblem on the neck all breast, suspended from the ears, or attached to a watch guard. Frequently in a city it indicates thfe‘worshipping place of a sect, appreciates the precious truths of which it is th^.synonym no more than others. Often, too, have I seen the same device upon the marble, but ngger was I so impressed as by this cross of beautiful grass growing so soon upon the grave, and right over the heart, of the sweet sleeper. How appropriate this design for Kittie L., who at the age of fourteen felt herself a sin ner, and found relief at the Cross, which she embraced in the arms of her faith, upon which hung her youthful hopes, and realized the sentiment of the couplet, even in great affliction and death, “The Cross ! it takes out guilt away; It bears the fainting spirit up.” Nor was the design less comforting to the designer than appropriate to the sleeper. Gethsemane and Calvary ! let me visit them in trouble. The Cross ! let me fix there my gaze, when sorrows roll high. In the Cross let me glory, when pious friends fall asleep in Jesus. The Cross ! “The balm of life, the cure of woe, The measure and the pledge of love.” “When the woes of life o’ertake me, Hopes deceive and fear a annoy, Ntarer shall the Cross forsake me, Lo 1 it glows with peace and joy.” The Cross ! The Grave 1 Beautiful associ ation of ideas to pious relatives bereaved. Jesus went front the Cross to the grave, but the grave could not hold him. Just as una ble will it be to hold, in “the first resurrec tion,” our dear ones, who by faith go from the Cross to the grave. The evergreen dropped in, or growing upon the grave, is as sociated in our minds with the soul’s immor tality. The floral wreath is emblematic of, and is associated with the wreath of glory, “the crown of life.” But sweetest of all is, the cross upon the grave. Believer, the power that renewed you in the inner man, when you turned the eye of fiiith to the bleeding Cross, was the same that raised Christ from the dead. And the power of the Cross, flowing into and making dead souls alive to God, is the pledge, the earnest, that the same power will also “quicken our mortal bodies.” Tlfe Cross—the grave —and the resurrection. Wm. N. C. Enquiries In the Index and Baptist for July Ist, ap pears a communication under the head of “Faith,” written by W. M. Davis; and I wish to ask him a few questions, as I am anxious for more light on that subject. Ist, What is the true meaning of “believe?” If I say, I be- lieve there is a God in Heaven, and that He gave His Son to die for sinners, is that saving faith ? “He that believeth shall be saved and he that believeth not shall be damned.*’ Now does that mean to say, he that is converted shall be saved, and he that is not converted shall be damned ? It is admitted by all that the Apostles were converted and belonged to the Lord, and yet they believed not at the Lord’s resurrection, Luke xxiv : 41. And Thomas would not believe till he saw the Saviour’s hands and side, (John xx : 24—29, The next question is, —Can a man believe and not be converted, or must he be con verted before he can believe,_or how is it ? 1 might go on further, but this is enough to be understood. Cupio. Progress of Trutli. Among the pleasant and profitable things connected with the late -Ministerial Institute at Chicago, the following was not uninterest ing, at least to the writer: Twdhty-eight. years ago, in a village in Western New York, four persons were dwell ing and acting in their respective professions; one a Baptist minister, another pastor of the Congregational church, one editor of the vil lage newspaper, Whig in politics; the last, but not least, a rising young lawyer belong ing to the Democratic party. While thus act ing and before leaving the place, the editor,- on profession of his faith in Christ, was re ceived into the Congregational church by its pastor, who sprinkled a little water on his forehead,* say ing: I baptize thee, etc. Some mouths later the lawyer also made profession of faith in Jesus, and was baptized by the pastor, of the Baptist church. In a short time all left, the place; qne *t.o the remote East, another to what was thefi the remote West, the other two swinging, pendulum-like, from one to the other. During all these years, the four have never had a meeting un til during the gathering of the Institute. The original Baptist pastor was on the ground first, and is not behind in anything. The editor, editor no longer, came in on Monday, with pleasure greeting his old friend. On Wednesday, his old pastor came in, and du ring the same evening the remaining one of the quartette was greeted by his old friends, and listened with them to the interesting lecture of Dr. Samson, on Bible Lands. Comparing notes, it was discovered that all the old de nominational divisions had given way, and the Baptist ranks acknowledged them all. The old Baptist pastor, still at his post, is the universally known, Rev. H. K. Stimson, of Kansas. The editor is now known as the Rev. J. L. Barlow, pastor of the Baptist church in Dundee, Kane county, 111. The once Congregational pastor, is now the Rev. L. P. Judson,the respected and beloved pas tor of the First Baptist church in Stillwater, N. Y., and the lawyer is now the universally known ex-United States Senator Doolittle of Wisconsin.— Central Baptist. Tlte Baptist and Presbyterian. In one of the villages of Kentucky recent ly, a Baptist minister and a young Presbyte rian clergyman preached in the same house “night about,” both preachers being present at each meeting. One evening the Presby terian, after a discourse on infant baptism, proceeded to baptize several babes. The lit tle candidates made a great outcry, which, of course was noted by the Baptist man. Next day a number of the converts of the latter were to be immersed in the river near by. At the appointed hour a large concourse gathered on the banks, the Presbyterian be ing of the number, and standing close by the water’s edge. After the candidates had been immersed the Baptist took hold of his Pres byterian colleague, and said, —“Now sir, 1 will immerse you.” The latter amazed, de murred. “Come along; lam in a hurry !” replied the damp divine, and dragged his brother into the water. Alarmed and indig nant, the young Calvinist declared at the top of his voice, that he “did not believe in im mersion, was opposed to it, and would not submit to it.” The audience were much ex cited by the scene. The Baptist released his hold, and said, —“Young man, l will not im merse you to-day; but if ever again I see you baptizing little ones against their will, and spite of their cries and kicks, as I saw you do last night, I will dip you into the wa ter as sure as there is a God in Israel. Let us Pray !”— Harper's Magazine for June. * . __ The Trne Position. Correct logic often influences aright in re ligious duty. Honest men forsake their errors, and old associations built upon them, when they see truth ih its proper relations to ordinances and administrators. An instance of this occurred a short time since in the town of Aurelius, Ingham county, which shows the power of right principle. A gra cious revival was enjoyed in the Baptist church in that town last winter, and many are being baptized, among them a number from among the Methodists and United Breth ren. The minister of the latter people con eluded he must try and save his membership, aud if possible gain more. He therefore an nounced publicly to his people that if any of them were dissatisfied with their baptism and wished to be immersed, he would immerse them. Or if any one who had never been baptized wished to be immersed, he would accommodate them. One of his class-lead ers immediately arose aud stated that he had once been sprinkled, but had never been sat isfied with it, and wanted to be immersed. The minister got up and said—“ I was im mersed, but have never been satisfied that it was baptism; and if I was to be baptized again I would be sprinkled.” The class leader said no more, but went to the next covenant meeting of the Baptist church and offered himself as a candidate for baptism, stating that he would not permit his former minister to baptize him, for he did not believe in immersiou as baptism, and therefore he did not consider him a fit person to adminis ter the ordinance. Last Sabbath this class leader, with several others, was to be bap tized. He took the true position in regard to the subject. A man that does not believe in not fit to administer it; and if he does actifi'lhister it he acts dishonestly, and gives the lie either to his faith orJiis deed. — Bap. Tidings. Blasphemous Pretensions of Romish Priests. At the fiftieth anniversary of the first cele bration of the mass by Pope Pius IX, last April, Father Searisbrick, at St. Peter’s, Liverpool, said the power possessed by the priest was so great, so prodigious, that in his exercise of it he spoke not as man, but as and he took the place of God when he said, “ 1 i\J>solv6 thee from thy sins.” Ilis power was greater than that of the angels. The heavenly spirits, though superior to the priest by the excellence of their nature, had nothing at all in their functions which could compare with the function of the priest—they had to look on from a distance with faces veiled and bowed to the altar. The angels adored what the priest held in his hand. The priest was the agent of God; and he it was who bound and unloosed in God’s name. After alluding to the power exercised by Moses and Joshua in prayer, the reverend gentleman said the priest could do still greater things. He could call down from heaven Him who was God in part, equal with the Father, and he became incarnate in the hands of that priest, and allowed himself to be immolated by him, to be placed here or there wherever that man pleased ; to be given to whomsoever he pleased ; and to be done with as he (the priest) liked. Joshua only told the sun to stand still once, but the priest ordered Jesus Christ to come down from heaven to earf' every time he pronounced the words of'<tfo? Gospel. That was the power of the priest. What was it that could raise up a man when he had fallen ? Call upon the angels and archangels, upon St. Michael himself even, the conqueror of heaven, could they say to a man, “1 absolve you from your sins?” No, they could not. Call upon the blessed Vir gin Mary, the queen of heaven and the terror of hell, she could and she would pray for them, and her prayers would have great power before the throne of God, but she could not absolve from any sin. She could not, but the priest could. The responsibility and dignity, and position of a priest were far be yond that of a magistrate, an embassador, a prime minister, or a sovereign, because his duties were far more important; he was the first Lord of of heaven. When was She Poorest? There is a story in the Domestic Annals of Methodism of a woman who was always erous in her gifts for the service of God, while she was poor. She had a fortune left her, which the ministers heard of, and it gave them great joy, because they felt tnat now some good things that had to struggle for a little help would be released. It socm came to pas« that one of them had to wait on her. He knew what she had spared before out of her poverty, and his heart was all aglow thinking what she would certainly give him out of her riches. She gave him just half the usual amount. “ Madam,” the hapless man said, “how is this you gave me so much when you were poor, and this now?” “Ah,” but she said, “ 1 have to be careful now. I cannot give as I could then. Wealth has brought great responsibilities. You must take that or nothing,” and he had to be con tent. Every man is in danger of this paral ysis who is growing rich, but is not maintain ing a steady balance between what he is re ceiving from the good Providence and what he is giving for providential movements and things. Once let the passion to accumulate master the power to dispense, and no man knows where it may land him. The Old Slander. In a recent discussion on Chrfstianity be tween Mr. Linscott, a member of the Bible Defence Association, and Mr. Antill, of Judd Street, London, it was asserted by the im pugner of Christianity that Rev. C. H. Spurgeon had declared that “there are infants in hell a span long.” Mr. Linscott having disputed the assertion, wrote to Mr. Spurgeon for his authority to contradict the statement, and his'letter has elicited the following reply ; “I have never at any time in my life said, believed, or imagined that any infant, under any circumstances, would be cast into hell. I have always believed in the salvation of all infants, and l intensely detest the opinions which your opponent dared to attribute to me. 1 do not believe that on this earth there is a single professing Christian holding the damnation of infants, or if there be he must be insane, or utterly ignorant of Chris tianity. lam obliged by this opportunity of denying the calumny, although the author of it will probably find no difficulty in inventing some other fiction to be affirmed as unblush ingly as the present one. He who doubts God’s word is naturally much at home in slandering the Lord’s servants.” Methodism as it Was. We can recall the time in which there were but two collegiate graduates in our ministry, and not a single title of Doctor of Divinity ; in which a theological seminary would have been considered a fatal, practical heresy; in which there was not a single steeple or cu palo on our churches, and no pews, except in the village of Lynn, Mass., (and that exam ple was denounced, not only by the General Conference, but by the New England Con ference itself;) in which there was but one bell on all our church edifices, and that was at the private chapel of Perry Hall, in Ma ryland, used to call to worship the slaves of the large plantation of Harry Dorsey Gough; the time when Asbury, hearing the second bell, in Virginia,„mourned at the sound, as at the funeral knell of the denomination, and imprecated the curse of God on the innnova tion ; when the sexes sat apart in our congre gations, separating Christian families, and that by solemn prescription of the Discipline ; when the preachers wore their hair in style traditionally sacred, and the people had a costume as rigidly maintained as Quakerism ; when our churches or chapels were built like barns, and architectural taste or ornamenta tion was esteemed worldliness, and tacitly, if net openly, reprobated.— Methodist Paper. Popery in China.— lt is said that the suc cess of Romanism in China is partly referable to the peculiarities o! the Buddhist ceremonials. According to the Journal of the Asiatic Society (vol. xvi., p. 263) Budd hism had already familiarized the mind of John Chinaman with the use of “the cross, the mitre, the dalmatic, the hood, the office of two choirs, the censer of five chains, the ro sary, the celibacy of the clergy, spiritual re tirement, the worship of saints, fasts, proces sions, litanies, holy water, and the benedic tion of the priest by placing his right hand on the head of the faithful,” WHOLE NO. 2450. Nothing Lost. Nothing is lost. The drop of dew That trembles on the leaf or flower Is but exhaled to fall anew In summer’s thunder-shower; Perchance to shine within the bow That fronts the sun at fall of day ; Perchance to sparkle in the flow Os fountains far away. So with our deeds, for good or ill, They have their power scarce understood ; Then let us use our better will To make them rife with good; Like circles on a lake they go, Ring within ring and never stay. Oh! that our deeds were fashioned so That they might bless alway. Call Things by Their Bight Names. If cider and brandy and logwood, With drugs of all degrees, Caa do the human system good By driving out disease; If sugar of lead and beet-root juice, With opium combined, Compose a draught of healing use To sick and sore mankind; Then use it ve with hope and fear Whs in affliction pine; But, in the name of all that’s dear, Don't «all that mixture “Win*.” —Jpnerican Temperance Advocate. Heavenly Hope. Reflected on the lake, I love To see the stars of evening glow ; So tranquil in the heaveus above, So restless in the wave below. Thus heavenly hope is all serene, But earthly hope, how bright soe’er Still fluctuates o’er this changing scene, As false and fleeting as 'tis fair. Good Advice. Do not look for wrong and evil— You will find them if you do ; As you measure for your neighbor, He will measure back to you. Look for goodness, look for gladness, You will meet them all the while ; If you bring a smiling visage To the glass, you meet a smile. Hasting to be Rich. My own observation in mercantile life, of more than half a century, has convinced me : 1. That eagerness to amass property usually robs a man and his family of much rational enjoyment; tempts to doubtful and disrepu table acts; enslaves a man to business and corroding care; injures his disposition and temper; makes him selfish, unsocial, mean, tyrannical, a bad neighbor and but a nominal Christian. 2. That it destroys that calmness of mind and that sound judgment which are requisite to success in business; thfß it tempts men to take hazardous risks which often involve themselves and others in perplexity and ruin ; that it leads to suretyships, which pro duce inquietude and ofteh result in bank ruptcy. . 3. That it leads to neglect of domestic, so cial and neighborly obligations; neglect of children, neglect of prayer and the Scrip tures, and neglect of one’s health of body and soul. 4. That men of this description are seldom, if ever, spiritual Christians, however talka tive they may be on the subject oT religion, or however lavish they may be in occasional charities; and, on the other hand, 5. Men of moderate views, as it rgspects business, snd diligent withal; men of cau tion, industry, economy, contentment; men who are faithful in all the relations of li(e, as husbands, fathers and church member;, jaer who seek first and habitually the kingdom of heaven, and give freely and cheerfully to good objects, as the Lord prospers them, in obedi ence to his commands and in faith in his promises, are the men who have “the prom ise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.”— Tcippun. The Three-Fold Cord. Says Dr. Cramp in his notices of the Bap tist martyrs of the “ Revival Period,” “ They sought Bible truth, spiritual life, soul-free dom. This three-fold cord will guide us in the labyrinthine darkness of the middle ages. Wherever we can lay our hands on it, we find the grace and power of God.” A more complete statement of the ele ments of a New Testament church could not be made; a more distinct outline of the con stitution, guarding and inspiring the faith of our churches and the life of our people, could not be desired,. “ Bible truth ” —rising above tradition, in constant conflict with worldly philosophy and shining amid the darkness of the most corrupt periods. There is one cord, “ Spiritual life ” —such as no priesthood, nor sacraments, nor penances, nor spiritual ances try, nor church alliance can impart: spiritual life, the gift of God—which reveals to us the significance of regeneration, repentance, faith, obedience, and the peace that passeth all un derstanding : spiritual life—the necessary qualification for church membership and the only sign that we are the children of the cov enant. Here is another. “Soul-freedom”—the birth right of every disciple, scorning alike the tyranny of councils and the invasion of the State : soul-freedom secured by the precious blood of our only Prince and main tained by thousands in every century, whom neither power could bribe nor flames intim idate. Here is the third cord, and, together, they make a three fold cord, not easily bro ken. Wherever we lay our hands upon it, whether in the early age of a primitive faith or in the transition period when errors crept into the churches, or in the obscure centuries of priestly servitude, or in the revival and reformation period, when the fires of Rome illuminated the cities and valleys of Europe —there we find the grace and the power of God. There we distinguish communities of faithful men, preserving the ordinances in their purity and maintaining the simplicity of gospel customs; and there, we may add, we find, if not the flames of Rome and the pris ons and fines of State religions, what is scarcely less formidable, the opposition of the world and the secret enmity of false churches. Expense. —There lived, a great many years ago, in Clyde, Wayne county, New York, a man of good education and considerable property, whose besetting sin was penurious ness. He was a sound Presbyterian, but strenuously opposed to all societies requiring contributions of money to keep them alive— not even excepting missionary societies. Once he attended the monthly concert of prayer for foreign missions, when the minis ter asked him to pray. He complied at once, and made a prayer after the usual style, en tirely unexceptionable, until the very close, when his ruling idea came out in these words; “O! Lord, may we all act in such a manner that by our lives we may preach Christ and Him crucified to the whole world, and thus save considerable expense'' Rationalism. —With regard to the of Germany, during the preva lenctSHHfftionalism, “it is said that Christ mas was taken advantage of, to connect the sacred story of the child born in a manger, with the most approved methods of feeding cattle; and the appearance of Jesus walking in the garden, at the break of day on the Easter morning, with the benefit of rising early, and taking a walk before breakfast.” Hate and Fear. —According to Rev. Dr. Musgrave, a Romish priest once said to him : “ We hate the Methodists, but we fear you Presbyterians.”