Newspaper Page Text
126
fiultx awl gaytisit.
J. J. TOON, - - - - Proprietor.
Bgv. D. SHAVER, D.D., Editor.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 19, 1869.
Mammon in the House of God.
We wrote an article, several years since,
in opposition to an arrangement prevailing,
more or less extensively, among the Baptists
of New England. The views expressed then
are confirmed by a recent correspondent of
the Boston Christian Era, who denounces the
arrangement as “radically wrong”—as “most
unscriptural”—as making the church “only
an appendage to a worldly business corpora
tion !” That our readers may perceive the
simple justice of this representation, we give
his statement of the case :
“The church has no more control over the
church edifice, the singing, the general ex
penses, than have people outside. When a
house of worship is erected it is solemnly
dedicated to the service of God, and then
the pews are sold, being appraised at about
the total value of the edifice. In a house
costing SIOO,OOO, having 100 pews, the aver
age cost of a pew would be SIOOO. At the
sale, the pews are struck off to him who bids
the largest sum over the appraisement. These
pews may all be bought by unconverted peo
ple, but the holders of pews form the corpo
rate society. If only ten pews are sold then
ten men compose the society. If a hundred
are sold the society is larger of course. The
society in many-a Baptist church in Boston
and vicinity counts less than 50 persons.
In some large congregations there are not
more than 20 pew holders. The house may
have in it 200 pews, but these 20 pew own
ers constitute the society. Every pew may
be rented, and the man who rents, may pay
as much as the pew owner, but he has no
voice in the management of the finances or
the control of the house. This society has
the charge of everything but the settlement
of the pastor, and even in that it can veto the
action of the church. The plan is for the
church to vote on the settlement of the pas
tor, and then the society confirms or rejects.
If the society rejects, the church must call a
new man. The society, limited to the little
clique of pewholders, fixes the pastor’s salary,
decides what kind of singing shall be em
ployed, engages the sexton, and generally at
tends to all the temporal offices. If they
please, they can vote to shut up the house of
worship against the church, let it to an infi
del or sell it at auction. The only safety the
church has is that it may be largely repre
sented in the society. . . . The fact that
it is an old New England arrangement, is not
an argument in its favor. The fact that the
church aud society seldom come into collis
ion, is not sufficient to justify .the relation.
The fact that the society is often composed
very largely of members of the church, is not
a sufficient source of safety. On looking
over the names of the members of a certain
society lately, composed of 31 pew holders,
we found 9 members of that particular church,
7 members of other churches, and 15 non
professors. Sometimes pews change hands
until a majority of the pew-holders are non
resident of the place or parish where the
house of worship is located. . . . Then
there is no justice in the arrangement. Pews
in a church edifice may be appraised from
SIOO to SIOOO each. The tax on these pews
may be te*, per cent. The man who buys
the SIOO pew, pays $lO toward the support
of worship ; the man who hires the SIOOO
pew, pays SIOO per annum. Yet the former
can vote in calling the minister, in fixing his
salary, in deciding* on the singing, and all
other matters, while the latter who pays ten
times as much has no voice in any of these
things.”
As an illustration of the manner in which
this iniquitous arrangement —this subjection
of the house of God to the supremacy of
Mammon—may work, take a case occurring
not long since among the Congregationalists,
(from whom, we suppose, our people bor
rowed the custom.) At a properly-notified
and well-attended “church” meeting, called to
act in regard to the settlement of a minister,
as pastor, a majority voted against the
measure. Thereupon the “society” convened,
and decided to hire that same minister, as
supply, for the term of three years—whether
the church should concur or not!
This is a species of “open communion”
with the world—an enthroning of wealth in
Zion, since if ruled by her sons, they rule not
in that character, but simply as yroperty
holders—a sale of the separateness and
independence of the churches for “filthy
lucre,” since property-holders may control
them, though outside of their membership,
alien from their spirit and hostile to their
Lord. If called to act on a Presbytery of
Recognition, we could cast no vote acknowl
edging a body of believers that takes the
yoke of this arrangement upon it, as thor
oughly, or even truly a Baptist church.
When will our New England brethren see
that the New Testament confesses and
suffers no such invasion of the sovereignty of
Christ over His house and in His kingdom ?
Since the foregoing paragraphs were writ
ten, we have learned that this custom, “so an
tagonistic to the genius of our church-life and
our convictions of church-right,” reaches, un
der a modified form, still farther Southward,
and binds its yoke upon the 97,000 Baptists
of New York. A writer in the Examiner <6
Chronicle characterizes if as follows:
“According to the present arrangement,
we have the anomaly of a double-acting or
ganization—a church and a society in one a
church to govern itself in spiritual 4 matters,
with a society, represented by the ‘trustees,
to govern the church in all temporal affairs.
A Baptist church is popularly supposed to be
independent—to have the right to manage all
its affairs without hindrance or interference
by any persons not communicants in the body.
But the church, as such, cannot hold or con
trol the house it has paid for and worships
in. Nor can they control the trustees who
hold it; neither put them out of office if they
misuse their trust, nor authoritatively direct
them in the use of it.
In all matters pertaining to the use of
church property, the trustees are wholly in
dependent of the church. If they do not
misuse their powers, and wrong the church
it is not because they cannot do it. Very
little harm, thus far, has come to our denom
inational interests, from its precarious tenure
of holding church property. BuJ, in the
very nature of the case, peril impends. As
a general thing, the trustees elected are mem
bers of the church, and not inclined ordina
rily to act contrary to the prevailing wishes
of a majority of the members. But cases
do occur where they assert their rights, and
hold the rod over the church, having the law
on their .side. .
It will be observed that not the church,
but the society, elects trustees. Any person
of ‘full age,’ who has been an attendant'on
worship, and a contributor—in however small
a sum—to its support for one year, is entitled
to vote for their election. Formerly, the
THE CHRISTIAN INDEX AND SOUTH-WESTERN BAPTIST: ATLANTA, GA„ THURSDAY, AUGDST 19, 1869.
right to vote was restricted to male persons.
But by an act passed April, 1867, the word
‘male’ was stricken out. it would not be
difficult, should vexed questions of doctrine
arise in any of our churches, for a faction,
with the aid of outside voters, to place trus
tees in office who might not only disturb the
peace and embarrass the worship of the
church, but absolutely deprive them wholly
of the house of worship which they had built
and paid for. The well-kr.own history of the
Unitarian controversy in New England, and
the dispossession of the Orthodox party of
their church property, is an illustration. The
same thing has already occurred in England
among Baptists, where the open-communion
faction has dispossessed the close-communion
party of its house of worship. Other cases
will probably transpire there; and should
that question ever come to divide our own
churches, the same thing will occur here, with
even more disastrous effect.”
Are these the churches of the New Testa
ment—these, surrendering their separate and
independent right of action in temporal af
fairs—in control of the property which gives
them a “ local habitation,” a place of wor
ship and a centre of influence and enterprise
—to a society created by human law alone, —
a society in which their convictions of right
and of duty may be over-ridden by “outside
voters,” mere attendants on the services and
contributors to the fund*? We must needs
hesitate long before returning an affirmative
answer to this question.
The fact that the recent references to this
anomaly in Northern denominational jour
nals, have been,’ as our extracts show, sharp
ly condemnatory, is, we hope, a prophecy of
growing dissatisfaction with it and ultimate
reformation from it. This hope is strength
ened by the constitution o f a Second Church
in Braintree, Mass., in relation to which a
correspondent of an exchange says :
“ One feature of the new organization is
worthy of special notice. The church has
entered into no unnatural alliance with a
‘parish’ or ‘society.’ It regards such union
as incestuous, and wholly abnormal to the
true idea of a Christian church, which is a
spiritual body, under the headship of Christ,
and competent, in its reliance on His grace,
to perform its legitimate functions. We
therefore rejoice that the new church has freed
itself from this worldly entanglement, and
stands upon the New Testament platform.
And we trust that the example so worthily
set by this young body may be imitated in
the case of at least all new organizations
throughout the State. We have suffered
enough already from a practice wholly for
eign to our principles, as a denomination, and
which tends to secularize our spirit and com
promise our influence.”
Thought for the Church of Christ.
“Mr. and Mrs. Gladstone, while out riding,
recently, narrowly escaped a serious, if not
fatal accident. A Paris paper represents the
lady as speaking thus of the occurrence: ‘I
never thought of William ; I never thought
of myself; I never thought of my children.
1 only thought, what on earth will become of
the bill relating to the Irish church !’ ”
A feeling kindred to this, should glow in the
breast of the Christian always. He should
be profoundly and sublimely stirred by in
terest in the church of Christ, as the body of
the saved, who also seek to save others.
Whatever conies to him, to his country, or to
his age} should chiefly affect him, in view'of
its influence on the peace of Zion and her
prosperity. Oh, what a change would be
wrought in the spiritual aspects of our de
nomination and our times, if this remem
brance of the kingdom of God on the earth,
with zeal and love, possessed and ruled us!
What work would languish then, for want Os
laborers or funds, of sacrifice, and toil, and
prayer? If (the true) Jerusalem were pre
ferred to our chief joy—if personal sorrow
touched us less than her calamities—we
should, (in the emphatic language of the
apostle Peter,) “ hasten the coming of the
day of God.” We should see, for we should
bring in, the Millennium.
Loose Communion Extraordinary.
A ministerial correspondent of the New
York Evangelist, from Salt Lake City, men
tions the preaching of a sermon in the Mor
mon Tabernacle, the day before he wrote, by
a “ bishop of the Methodist thureh.” This,
we suppose to be Bishop Kingsley, who has
recently travelled in that direction, on an
Episcopal tour around the world. “At the
close of his discourse,” continues the writer,
“the sacrament was administered in bread
and water. Brigham Young arose, and after
passing the elements to the bishop, said ”
what we do not care to cumber our columns
with. Now, it is not stated whether the
bishop received the elements when passed to
him : but if he did—and the matter is worth
looking into—we have here a signal warning
against the spirit of loose communion w hich
has gone abroad through our land. Can the
“ sentimentality ” which leads to a participa
tion, with such communicants, in such a
change and perversion of the divine ordinance,
afford safe guidance or rest on scriptural
grounds?
A Correction and a “Homily.”
In the “ Philadelphia Correspondence ”
of the Nashville Christian Advocate, there
appeared, June 26th, a statement that “not
a little social comment ” had been caused in
the “circles” of the former city, by the
dancing—‘report did not say how gracefully,
but religious people thought disgracefully ’
of George H. Stuart, at the “ Grand Ball ”
of the Annapolis Naval Academy. A month
later, July 29th, —no contradiction of the
statement having been made by our ex
changes,—we transferred the alleged fact
(without the strictures on it) to our columns;
appending the enquiry, whether that gentle
man was not ‘carrying loose communion for
ward to its perfection ?’ The (Philadelphia)
Presbyterian is “ authorized to say that Mr.
Stuart took no ‘part in the dance’ on the
above occasion, for the very good reason that
he was not in Annapolis at the time, but at
his home in Philadelphia;” and we cheer
fully make the correction.
The Presbyterian, also, indites a “ homily ”
for our benefit, on “ the sin of him that ‘ taketh
up a reproach against his neighbor,”’ ‘when
it helps to brfbg discredit on opinions which
he dislikes.’ Now, why did our contemporary,
by silence, suffer this reproach to lie on his
neighbor, through all the weeks during which
it stood before the public only in the columns
of a loose communion journal, on the author
ity of its loose communion correspondent?
This fact casts something of a “Joseph Sur
face ” air over his eager homiletic correction,
when we simply reprint the statement, which
had been allowed to pass without challenge :
it looks damagingly like a readiness to * bring
discredit,’ if possible, with or w ithout reason,
on an advocate of the strict communion
‘opinions which he dislikes !’ “ Stop thief,”
is not a cry that deceives even the most stu
pid of policemen. If we are unwittingly be
trayed, at times, into the publication of erro
neons statements, when loose communionists
disparage loose communionists without let or
hindrance from loose communionists —it is be
cause they abuse our confidence; and mutual
exhortatious to truthfulness would be mores
appropriate on their part, than disguised as
saults on us for lack of charity.
Christian Giving.
“In the Kaffir land, they have a custom
founded on the theory that everythin" be
longs to the king or sheik ; the land, the cat
tle, the people, everything. Accordingly,
when they kill a creature for food, they send
a part of it to the king as a recognition of
his ownership in the case, or of his right to
all. And their method of selecting the part
to be sent to the king, is a little curious, and
perhaps instructive. They cut from end to
end of the creature, and through the best
parts, beginning at the ear.”
How much more seemly is it, that we
should recognize the ownership of God in all
our possesions—that we should render back
to Him a part, in token of His title to the
whole—rand that what we devote to the fur
therance of His work on the earth, should be
of the best!
How to be a Fool. —lndulge habitually
the suspicious, resentful, malignant feelings,
and the work is done—no matter what stock
of native mental force and of culture you
needed to overcome to effect it. And the
work will be so thoroughly done, too, that
all who take knowledge of you, whatever
may have been your former reputation for
sound judgment and for piety, will soon re
cognize it.
Our Zion—in Our Exchanges, etc.
Georgia.
As the result of a recent series of meetings
with Bethsaida church, Fayette county, Rev. J.
S. Dodd pastor, 19 additions were made to its
membership; 16 by baptism, 2by letter and Iby
restoration. —An interesting meeting, resulting in
the hopeful conversion of several persons, (num
ber not reported,) has been held with Enon church,
Campbell county; Rev. G. R. Moore pastor.—
Meetings of interest are in progress at Barnes
ville and Tanners.—Rev. W. T. Brantly, D.D.,
has gone Northward, on leave of absence for six
weeks. He will visit the Virginia Springs, Phil
adelphia and New York before his return. —We
regret that bodily indisposition detained us from
the Ministers’ Institute, at Rome, last week. We
regret still more that so few brethren were in at
tendance, as to prevent an appointment for a
meeting next year. None of the Essayists were
present except Rev. R. W. Fuller, of Atlanta,
whose essay on “ Preaching ” has been reported
to us as of high order.
District of Columbia.
The new edifice of Calvary church, Washing
ton, is more beautiful than before, and the beloved
benefactor of the church, Hon. Amos Kendall,
'has given $5,000 more towards its Completion.
He is also about to build a chapel for the use of a
flourishing mission which the church sustains in
a destitute neighborhood near the Long Bridge,
and promises to build yet another tor a mission
he desires to see established in the north-eastern
part of the city.—The N. Y. Observer says that
“ higher education at Washington is being anima
ted and in a measure controlled by Columbian
College.”
Florida.
H. B. McCallum, a photographer, of Madison,
proposes to take, gratis, a few hundred photo
graphs of any or all of our foreign mftsionaries, to
be sold for the benefit of our Board at Richmond.
Kentucky.
Mrs. Elizabeth Bayliss, Madisonville, proposes
to publish the biography of her late husband,
Rev. W. H. Bayliss; and wishes anyone that has
materials for such a work to address them to her
at that place.—A meeting at Blue River Island
church, Meade county, resulted in 10 baptisms ;
one at Lebanon church, Franklin county, in 25 ;
one at Mt. Pleasant in 15; one at Newman church,
Estill county, in 5; one at Doctor’s Fork in 6.
The West end of the State, “Jackson’s Pur
chase,” has about 170,000 inhabitants. The
Baptists are the leading denomination of Chris
tians, numbering as many as all others combined.
We have 72 churches, with a membership of
some 4,000, from 20 to 30 preachers, two mission
aries and one evangelist
Missouri.
Rev. P. H. Evans, in the employ of the Ameri
can Baptist Home Mission Society, formed a
church at Altona, Bates county, August Ist.
South Carolina.
Rev. W. D. Thomas, pastor of Greenville
church, baptized two converts, on the eve of bis
present visit to Virginia.—John Earle Bomar
writes to the Richmond Herald : “We have here
in Spartanburg an elegant church edifice, with a
membership of something near one hundred and
sixty-five; but we are without a preacher, and
have been in this condition for the last eighteen
months, in consequence of our inability to raise a
sufficient salary for the support of one. Os the
number mentioned, about forty-eight are colored,
and unable to contribute much towards the sup
port of the ministry; and, in fact, they have
manifested very little or no interest in the affairs
of the church since they were emancipated. Os
the remaining one hundred and seventeen, many
have removed from the bounds of the church, and
the active members are too few and too poor to
pay a large salary. We could, however, with a
little effort, raise some five or six hundred dollars;
and, if we could get an active, working man, one
who would not be content with simply composing
and delivering a sermon or two a week, but in
addition to this would also discharge faithfully all
the other duties of a village pastor, I feel quite
sure that the amount would be from year to year
steadily increased. There arfe about twenty-five
or thirty (white) Baptist families residing in the
town, most of w hom are members of this church.”
Texas.
Mt. Zion church, at Crockett, has been dis
solved, on account of difficulties and neglect of
discipline, and anew church constituted.—New
houses of worship are in process of erection in
Caldwell and Lexington.—A church has been
constituted at Liberty, Ellis county.
Virginia.
Rev. J. B. Taylor, D.D., is on a visit to the
White Sulphur Springs, having been in quite fee
ble health for some months.—Rev. C. Tyree re
signs the pastorate of his churches in Powhatan
county.—The Richmond Herald says: “A Bap
tist residing near Winchester, Va., paid SIOO to
the erection of the church, and a few weeks
after said to the pastor, ‘I have made 160 bush
els of wheat more than I expected, and will give
that too to the church.’”—Of the 48 churches of
the Potomac BaptistAssociartion, 46 have Sunday
schools; one has three; and six have two. —Rev.
W. C. Hall reports a meeting in progress at Wil
liamsburg, with 11 baptisms.—The return of Rev.
R. H. Stone, our missionary in Africa, to his
home in this State, (which we announced a month
ago,) was caused tacks of brain-fever, which,
medical advice represented as necessitating a
change of climate. He is now convalescent.
Reviejgp and Notices.'
The Office a>-d Wqjk of the Christian Ministry.
By James M. Hopjßn, Professor of Homiletics and
Pastoral Theology in Yale College. Pp. 620. New
York: Sheldon & Cos. For sale, Atlanta, by J. J.
If S. P. Ricbardsr^p-.,
Prof. Hoppin* has performed a needful work,
and pet formed it well. Whether preachers be
long to the onjer of intellect or to the order of
love, —(the two classes into which Pascal divides
them,) —they will Jind much, in this volume, to
refresh their ideal 5f the ministerial office and
work, and to aid tfllfeh in their effort to actual
ize it. Designed as a text-book in Homiletics and
Pastoral Theology, it is largely condensed and
analytic, in its statement of principles and of the
rules flowing fronNakem. The Introduction dis
cusses “ the Greatness of the work of the Minis
try.” The first half] of the volume is devoted to
“ Preachingy.”—its .history, object, difficulties,
faults, methods of composition ; the analysis of a
sermon into its coiSonent parts —the text, intro
duction, explanation proposition, division, devel
opment and conclusion; the application of rhet
oric to the art, on the study of
language, invention and style.
The last half of treats of the “ Pastoral
Office” aS fotpH| alike in nature and Divine
institution, witheT true conception of it, the
call to it, the trial Jand rewards in it; the spir
itual qualificationAand intellectual and moral
culture of “ the PaStor as a Man ;” the Pastor in
his (domestic, social and public) relations to the
community at largfe, and in his special relations
to the church, as respects public worship, and the
care of souls in private labor. While dissenting
from some of the opinions of the author, we
commend his its general judiciousness,
its perspicuity, its happy quotations, its earnest
evangelical spirit.
Willie and Lillie :4>r, What Children can do. Pp.
193, with 4 full page illustrations.
The Little Peat-OUtters : or. The Song of Love.
By Emma Marshall. Pp. 176, with 4 full-page
illustrations.
Teddy’s Dream : or, The Young Sweep. Pp. 180,
with 4 full-page illustrations.
These three volumes are issued by the Ameri
can Baptist Publication Society, Philadelphia, and
are designed for the young. They are interesting
stories, enforcing, under different aspects, the
same lesson —namely, that scenes of poverty and
affliction may be cheered and blessed by piety,
with its sense of the love of God and its faithful
discharge of duty. There is one blemish on the
first, however; it speaks of “ the Southern ar
my ” in the late as “ the rebel army ” —a
title which we hold needlessly reproachful to our
people, and false in fact and principle. With
this reservation, we commend the three volumes,
as pleasant additions to our juvenile literature.
Twenty-Sixth Catalogue of the Officers and Stu
dents of Hollins Institute, Botetourt Springs, Va.
This Institution, under the management of
Charles L. Cocke, Esq., assisted by a competent
Board of Government and Instruction, occupies,
in our judgment, the foremost position among
those with which we have personal acquaintance.
The most prpminent educators of Virginia unite
to commend it;. aaSiLreceives higher encomiums
even from its rival*' than many institutions are
able to secure from their own adherents. The
advertisement, in another column, does no more
than ‘deliver a round, unvarnished tale,” as to
its claims on public patronage, and may be ac
cepted without grains of allowance.
The 'Westminster Review. New York: The Leon
ard Scott Publishing Company. Terms, $4 a year ;
with Blackwood, $7; with the London, Edinburgh
and North British Reviews, sl2; with these Re
views and Blackwood, sls.
Contents for July. —l. India Railway Reform.
2. The Four Ancient Books of Wales. 3. Labor
and Capital. 4. Patents, Patentees and the Pub
lic. 5. Mr. Mill’s Analysis of the mind. 6.
Prostitution in Relation to the National Health.
7. Contemporary Literature.
Edinburgh Review. (Publishers and Terms as West
minster.)
Contents for July —l. The Unpublished
Works of Guicciardini. 2. Leckey’s History of
European Morals. 3. Victor Jacquemont’s Let
ters. 4. Shakspearian Glossaries. 5. John Bull’s
Alpine Guide. 6. Mrs. Somerville on Molecular
Science. 7. The Ring and the Book, by Brown
ing. 8. Freeman’s History of the Norman Con
quest. 9. Forster’s Life of Landor. 10. The
Marriage Law of the Empire.
Letter from Greenville, S. C.
You must come to Greenville one of these
summers. It is a delightful summer climate.
Not only during the present very cool sea
son, but every other, there is scarcely a sin
gle night when one does not want a blanket
towards morning. That reminds you of the
mountains of Virginia. We are in quite too
elevated a region for cotton or for chills and
fever. You ought to have been with us yes
terday at a family picnic on Paris mountain.
This is five miles from town, and its summit
commands a wide and beautiful view. The
distinguished Gen. Waddy Thompson, who
had a summer residence there, was fond of
comparing it to the view from Monticello.
In a year or two, 1 hope, you can come to
see us very easily upon the Air Line R. R.,
which is already creeping out from Atlanta,
and which is expected to come by Green
ville.
STUDENTS COMING TO THE SEMINARY.
But there is no Air Line yet. Students
from North Georgia sometimes come across
the country. It is only some 30 or 40 miles
from here to the Savannah River. But most
of the brethren coming from Georgia and
Alabama, will of course take the route by
Augusta. Unless there has been a change
since May, the best plan will be to leave At
lanta in the morning, and at 4, p.m., take, at
Augusta, the night train of the South Caro
lina road, (by Branchville,) to Columbia.
One will thus connect next morning at Co
lumbia with the road to Greenville ; and be
here in 36 hours from Atlanta, without hotel
bills. If h$ leaves Augusta in the morning,
he must spend a night in Columbia. Coming
from Millen or any point beyond, do not
take the day train, for you get to Augusta
at 6, p.m., and must stay one night there and
the next night at Columbia. But from Mil
len reach Augusta in the morning, and you
lose only the one night at Columbia.
Is this consuming too much of your space
in order to save some expense to a few stu
dents? Well, the writer has occasion, from
his own student recollections, not to speak of
present circumstances, to sympathize with
those young brethren who find it necessary to
economize.
PECULIARITIES OF OUR SEMINARY.
A brother recently asked : “ What is there
so peculiar about the Seminary at Green r
ville, to occasion the frequent allusions to pe
culiarity ?” TKe matter is large, and can be
but imperfectly stated in a letter.
We believe in the Baptist theory of the
ministry, by which it includes men of all
grades of general culture. The attempt has
been repeatedly made in Baptist Theological
schools, to provide a lower course of theolog
ical instruction for those who have not had a
Wf i
college education ; but these attempts have
never succeeded to any considerable extent.
We wished not merely to have two courses,
one for college men, and a lower one for oth
ers ; we desired to afford every man the op
portunity of making out a course suited
to his age, general education, and other cir
cumstances, expecting, of course, to give ad
vice, and, perhaps, to exercise some control,
as to what subjects of study should be
selected.
Furthermore, we wished to have the stu
dents of different grades of general culture
working in the same classes as far as practica
ble. If there are two grades of students in
the same institution, one of them pursuing
a separate and inferior course, the position of
inferiority will be so uncomfortable that few
will long endure it. Our plan is, not to have
regular classes for college men, and special
classes for a lower grade, but to have regu
lar classes for all together, and special classes
for the particular subjects which only the
well educated will pursue. This makes quite
a difference. The proper self-respect of stu
dents is thus violated by no invidious dis
tinctions. The men who study the original
Scriptures and Latin Theology also belong to
the larger classes which study the English
Bible, and Theology with only an English
text-book. The less highly educated find
that sense and labor will tell; the more high
ly educated see that they must work to hold
a respectable position. Brethren learn to
respect each other. The relations of our
students have been thoroughly pleasant.
The experiment of having all in the same in
stitution is a decided success.
And meantime, two other advantages at
tend upon the plan, only the first of which
was anticipated.
To study the Scriptures largely in the Eng
lish Version, is highly advantageous to those
who are also studying Hebrew and Greek.
In the English alone can they take broad
views of the connection of discourse, and the
contents of entire books, and there is noth
ing which students for the ministry need
more than this. In the English they can do
a much larger amount of actual Scripture
study in the same time, while in the original
languages they work out the minute and de
tailed examination of selected passages.
This plan of having the best educated also
study the English Version has received the
high commendation of some able instructors
of other denominations, and a leading Pres
byterian Professor stated, two years ago, his
intention to establish a similar class.
The other advantage was not anticipated.
As the students who work at the original
languages are learning much exegesis in the
English classes, they can in these others, de
vote more time to the critical study of He
brew and New Testament Greek, that is, of the
languages themselves, than is done in most
Seminaries. Moreover, as only a portion of
the students attempt to study the originals,
and only those who have some turn that way
are apt to enter the Senior classes in those
languages, it follows that these Senior classes,
composed of picked men, can go much far
ther in those more erudite studies than is
possible in Seminaries where the course is
the same for all. Accordingly, our recent
Senior classes in Hebrew and Greek, and the
class in Latin Theology have carried their
studies-farther and higher than, so far as I
learn, is done in any other Theological
school, of whatever denomination in Amcri
ica. It is because this results from the plan
of the institution, that I feel at liberty to speak
of it. The statement involves no compari
son at all as to instructors, but only as to the
opportunity which the plan affords for the
best students to do their best. Any Pro
fessor must limit his course, not by what he
eould teach, but by w,hat his class, the aver
age of them, can learn.
Thus an arrangement which provides theo
logical instruction for those having only an
English education, is found not only compat
ible with more learned instruction for college
men, but actually does better for them, in
two highly important directions, than would
otherwise be the case.
We urge all who can possibly do so to
complete the course, (which requires three
or four years,_) and the number of full grad
uates will steadily increase. But it can never,
without an immense educational change in the
country, form more than a moderate propor
tion of the whole number of students. 'The
entire course ought to be more than the mass
of students can accomplish. Let it be well
understood, then, that a man’s failing to com
plete the course here is no reproach, while
his doing so is a high distinction. We were
published this summer as having two gradu
ates, while many of the students were gradu
ates in particular schools, and some of them
in a large portion of the course. We were
supposed, at a distance, and very naturally
at the North, to have sent out only two men
this year to the work, while of the forty-six
students, over twenty will not return; and
though some of these were here but a short
time, and cannot be very thoroughly fur
nished, others are men of high talent, thor
ough mental training, and really good theo
logical education.
These statements have seemed to me due
to our students, past and future, and to the
friends of the Seminary, who ought to know
what it is doing. People are so apt to con
clude that an institution which admits stu
dents without classical education must have
a low grade of scholarship throughout, that
it is necessary to state the facts. And as no
body except the Professors has yet had op
portunity fully to understand the case, I have
concluded just frankly to say things in com
mendation of our plan, which would come
more gracefully from some one else. Our
brethren who are anxious to see theological
instruction extensive and thorough, need not
fear that we are lowering the standard.
Any person wishing information about the
Seminary is invited to send for a Catalogue.
Students ought, by all means, to be here on
the first day of September. See advertise
ment in this paper. J. A. B.
Greenville, S. C., Aug. 12.
Times of Refreshing'.
I have still a pleasant time in my field of
labor. The good Lord is still adding to our
little church. I have baptized four since I
wrote you, and two are now waiting baptism.
There are still others saying, Pray for us. We
have now a protracted meeting going on in
our little church, and the prospect is truly
encouraging. I trust that many will be
brought in. I have been with brother A. P.
Norris, at Graniteville, S. C., and the Lord
has done great things for that people. Some
fifty, and upwards, have been baptized. 1
also went to brother S. D. Sawyer’s church,
at Williston, S. C., where the presence of the
Lord was with us, and some five or six were
added to the number there. And then I
w'ent to another church that brother Sawyer
is serving, (Healing Spring,) and the power
of God was manifest there. I have not yet
learned how many professed conversion, as 1
had to leave before the meeting closed. 1
have also been with brother Lucius Cuthbei t
(of Aiken, S. C.,) at one of his churches,
(Town Creek,) where we again witnessed the
power of God displayed in the conversion of
souls—ten having been received for baptism,
and others saying pray for us. May the
good Lord continue to add to the number
such as shall be saved, and to Him be all the
glory. H. A. Williams.
Augusta, Ga., August lltk, 1869. '
Lay Work. —The Pacific Advocate men
tions a camp meeting held recently, end with
great success, in Oregon, without the aid or
presence of a pre'acher!
Alabama Revivals.
In this part of Alabama there have recent
ly been seasons of refreshing from the pres
ence of God among the churches. I cannot
report with precise accuracy the work of
frace in all these meetings, for some of them
did not have the opportunity to witness.
I may allude to the following places in
Calhoun county, viz.: At Mt. Zion church
(brother Gordon Mynatt, pastor,) the breth
ren met for several days. The church was
refreshed, and sinners presented themselves
for prayer. At Hebron church, (brother T.
P. Guin, pastor,) the services were protract
ed for a week. There was a gracious revival.
Nine were received for baptism. Others
were converted. Brother Guin also has a
good work mow in progress with his church
at Post Oak Spring. Also, at Mt. Gilead
church, (brother E. T. Read, pastor,) there
is, at this time, a revival in progress. In
the church in the town of Oxford, (brother
E. T. Smyth, pastor,) there is now in pro
gress a series of meetings that have already
lasted more than a week, with constantly in
creasing power. Seven have been received
for baptism. It is believed there will be
many others, as quite a number have been
converted, and a large number are crying lor
mercy. Some days this meeting closed every
business house in the place, at 11 o’clock a m.
They crowd the house at every hour’s service.
Brother Smyth himself, has dune most of the
preaching.
In Talladega county there have been good
meetings at the following places, viz.: At
Cold Water church, (brother S. G. Jenkins,
pastor,) the meeting lasted for a week. Eight
or ten were baptized. It was a good time.
At his Antioch church, brother Jenkins has a
good work in progress at. this time. At
Refuge church (brother Wm. McCain, pas
tor,) there has been a good revival. Some
ten were baptized. At Pleasant Grove church,
(the writer pastor,) in a meeting of several
days, the church was revived. Two were
received for baptism.
I do not yet know of other revivals in this
region. These have made us greatly rejoice.
They make us “ remember the former mer
cies of God,” and remind us that the “ Lord’s
mercy is not clean gone forever.” It looks
like the good old days of our Zion were re
turning. These meetings have all occurred
within the last four weeks. There are others
appointed, with other churches. For these,
“ our expectation is from the Lord.” Blessed
be His name for His great grace. The min
isters mentioned above, are noble men of
God. They had some assistance from other
brethren, but it is a note-worthy fact that
these pastors did most of the preaching at
their respective churches.
In May 1868, a terrible tornado passed
through our county. The house of worship
of Hephzibah church was destroyed. The
church erected another neat and commodious
house. A few weeks since, they asked me
to preach them a dedication sermon. At
their first service in their new house, brother
Henry Clay Taul, —a young Cumberland
Presbyterian minister, —offered himself for
membership, and was received, and will be
baptized next Sabbath. Brother Taul is of
one of the best families in the county, comes
to us without a spot, and is well educated
and of decided promise. The venerable Wm.
McCain is pastor of this church. Brother
McCain is now spending most of his time as
our Associational Missionary. He is a host.
His praise is in all the churches in this sec
tion. 1 trust I may have other good news to
communicate to your readers soon.
J. J. D, Renfroe.
Ordination.
At the call of Spring Hill Baptist church,
Pickens county, Ala., the following brethren
met on Saturday before the fourth Lord’s
day in May last, for the ordination of brother
Lewis M. Stone, Jr., to the gospel ministry,
viz: Elders J. H. Cason, 1. W. Taylor, G.
M. Lyles, J. P. Lee, J. M. Land, A. M.
Hanks. The Presbytery was organized by
the appointment of J. 11. Cason, Chairman,
and A. M. Hanks, Secretary. Services con
ducted as follows: Prayer by the Chairman.
Brother Stone related his Christian experi
ence and call to the ministry. Examination
on doctrine, conducted by G. M. Lyles. Ser
mon preached on Sabbath morning, to a large
and attentive audience, by J. H. Cason. Or
daining prayer by A. M. Hanks; charge de
livered by J. W. Taylor; presentation of
Bible by J. P. Lee; welcome to the minis
try and presentation of brother Stone to the
church, by J. M. Land. A hymn was sung,
and the right hand of fellowship given by
the Presbytery and members of the church ;
after which, benediction by the candidate.
The services were solemn and edifying.
Brother Stone is a young man of much prom
ise, beloved by all who know him, and bids
fair to be a zealous and useful laborer in the
vineyard of the Lord. A. M. Hanks.
PickensviUe, Ala., August 10, 1869.
Baptisms at Bethlehem.
Some of the readers of your excellent pa
per may probably like to hear from old Beth
lehem church again. Though we have not
much of refreshing news to communicate,
we have enjoyed some refreshing from the
Lord, I hope. During the last two meetings,
1 had the privilege of leading six willing souls
down into the water. Several others profess
hope, but have not as yet connected them
selves with the church, from various causes.
Many others are enquiring the way of life.
Our next regular meeting commences on
Thursday night before the second Sunday in
September. The exercises of the church are
as follows : Preaching services twice a month,
—4th and 2nd Sabbaths; prayer meeting
once a month, on the first Sunday ; and Sab
bath school every Sunday. 1 hope the day
is not far distant when all the churches (and
at least the Baptist) will see the importance
of meeting together on every Lord’s day, as
was done in the Apostles’ times.
Please change my postollice through your
columns, from Tennille, Ga., to Dublin, Lau
rens county, Ga. J. M. Smith.
Taylorsville , Laurens county , Ga., Aug. 12th, 1809.
Merciful Visitation.
The Lord has once more visited His church
at Bluff Spring, Chattahoochee eouijty, Ga.,
with the mighty outpouring of His Holy
Spirit, and many have been able to rejoice.
Our much beloved and efficient pastor has
been able to hold forth gospel truth, while
the Lord was adding to the church daily such
as should be saved. On Sunday morning,
the Bth day of August, and the eighth day of
the meeting, brother W. A. Whipple, our be
loved pastor, baptized fifteen. The meeting
continued up to Tuesday morning, when
twenty more were baptized. Two remain to
be baptized next appointment.
A Brother in Christ.
A Revival.
The Baptist church at Elam, Coweta coun
ty, Ga., commenced a meeting on Friday,
July 30th, with the members and an old
worn out minister. Large congregations
were in attendance, day and night, and the
Lord shook the whole audience, from centre
to circumference. The church rejoiced,
mourners were converted, sinners alarmed,
and some interesting exhortations delivered
by young members. Several persons were
baptized. One elderly lady, who had been
sprinkled some R 0 years ago, rejoiced in be
ing buried with the Saviour in baptism. The
meeting* continued 10 days. Brother R. H.
Jackson, pastor, reached the meeting Wednes- <
day niglit, and labored with zeal and ability. <
One in Attendance.
ft:
North East Georgia.
We have a large and comparatively desti
tute district of country in Northeast Georgia,
to which it may not be inexpedient to call
the attention of the brethren of the more
highly favored sections of our beloved State.
Tnis district embraces Hall, Habersham,
Banks, White, Rabun, Towns, Union, Fan
ning, Dawson, Lumpkin and Cherokee coun
ties. In these counties, and others that lie
adjoining, the organization and establishment
ot Sabbath schools has been much neglected,
as well as the dissemination of our denomi
national books and papirs. But the religious
prospects of this country, as well as its ma
terial, are beginning to look up —the latter
especially. The Air Line Railroad which is
now being built, runs through and borders
upon a great portion of this country. The
contemplated road from Athens to Rabun Gap
will likewise pass through a large scope of it.
This enhancement of its material interests,
(which must inevitably have a bearing upon
its moral and intellectual interests,) together
witn a spirit of religious improvement which
is generally manifest, make this an auspicious
time for the introduction and maintenance of
an active and efficient missionary in this large
and inviting field. I have been expending
my humble labors within its limits through
the greater part of the year, and that with
but an exceedingly scant remuneration for
services rendered. lam willing, however, to
continue ; but if the brethren can lind a more
efficient man, which 1 doubt not they can do,
I am quite as willing to contribute of my hum
ble means toward a compensation necessary
for his support—to do unto him as 1 would that
others should do unto me. Let the Macedonian
cry but meet a hearty, prompt and cordial
response: I ask no more. J. K. Cowen.
Gainesville, Ga., July 21th, 1869.
Missouri Baptist General Association.
The Baptist General Association of Mis
souri has just closed its session with our
church in this beautiful inland city. It ha§/
been one of the most pleasant and delightful
ever held in the State. Brotherly love, con
cord and unity characterized all its delibera
tions. The meeting was very large, the
largest, it is believed, ever held in the State ;
delegates and visitors swelling the number to
about 500 persons. Dr. Burrows, of Va.,
Sumner, of Ala.. Stone, from .Granville, ().,
and Patterson, of ShurtlefF College, were
present, and added very greatly to the inter
est of the meeting.
The Baptists of Missouri number 60,000,
and possess a great power in the land. Their
ministers number 600. They have their
share in the fertile prairie and woodland of
this great and flourishing State. They have
it, and what is better, they give of it to ad
vance the cause of the blessed Redeemer.
They finished endowing the Sherwood chair
to the amount of 25,000, and Dr. Rain haul’s
hands are now untied, and his seat awaits his
coming. A fund of $2,600 was raised for
the benificiaries of William Jewell College.
What the churches sent up with the contri
butions to the Foreign and Domestic Boards
and other collections, make the amount raised
for this year near $30,000, One dear good
brother, who has already given over $6,000
to William Jewell,|proposes to make this col
lege his heir. He is worth about $50,000,
with no children or dependents. lie intimates
that he is not done in the good work, but is
confident that at the close of this year, the
Wm. Jewell will have an endowment fund of
SIOO,OOO for the literary department. Brother
Vardeman, the good brother alluded to
above, is the son of brother Jeremiah Yarde
man, the great pioneer of Mo., who bap
tized his 12,500. This devoted body is going
to try during the next year to raise $30,000
for Missions in their own State.* At the Sun
day School Convention, which held its session
after it, $1,300 were raised for that work.
During the meeting we learned with pleasure
that another Presbyterian divine had followed
the example of A. Judson and L. Rice, viz:
had read the Book of God without his father’s
spectacles. Rev. W. S. Post, D.D., of St.
Louis, related his Christian experience to a
house teeming with eager listeners. He told
us that he had been troubled upon the sub
ject of baptism for years ; that he had read
the Bible more attentively within the last
five years than he had ever done in his life,
and that he has been troubled in regard to
what he now believes to be the errors of the
Pedobaptists. Though convinced as to the
one mode of baptism given in the New Testa
ment, for fear of the severe persecution of
his Pedobaptist friends, he remained in his
agony of mind until now’. He at one time
related his conviction of duty to a minister
of his church; but the only encouragement
he received was, “ cease to investigate the sub
ject any farther, for it is not policy .” And
this is a powerful argument with the Pedo
baptist world. The idea is, “give yourself
no trouble upon the subject, for as sure as
you do you will go and follow Jesus down
into the water and unite with the Baptists.”
This is the safe course for all to pursue who
do not wish to come into the Baptist church.
Cease agitating the subject, and conscience
will, after a while, be lulled into a calm re
pose. He was received by the church for
baptism; has been buried with the yielding
wave, and to-morrow is to be set apart for
the work of the ministry by the imposition
of hands here. With an approving con
science my he enter the vineyard and labor
with great acceptance to Him who has been
calling to him, saying, “1 am the wav—follow
me.” G. W. G.
Columbia, Mo., Aug. 7, 1869.
Salary*.— The salary of the Secretary of
Missions of the Methodist Episcopal Church
South, is $4,000 a year.
“The Envelope System.” —“Since the in
troduction of the envelope system into St.
James’ church, Milsvaukee, Rev. J. Wilkin
son, Rector, the annual income from the
church, containing only seventy-eight pews,
has for the last three years averaged * nearly
three thousand dollars. The pledges ranged
from ten cents to ten dollars. The people
once trained in the system of joining their
‘prayers and their alms,’ as act of worship,
will give for any other object with the same
free and ready liberality. Evidence of this
is afforded in this parish by their raising and
paying out within the last fourteen months
over $38,000, without selling or leasing a
foot of the new church, or even having re
sorted to a fair or any other expedient.”
Infallibility. —Archbishop McCloskey, of
New York, says, of the approaching (Ecu
menical Council at Rome; “ Whatever may
be the decisions of the Council, indorsed by
the living Head of the Church, we know that
they will be inspired by the Holy Ghost, and
will eventuate in the spiritual well-being of
mankind.” We shall have some sound Bap
tist theology then, from an unexpected quar
ter. We suspect, however, that it will be,
in this case, as Bishop Andrew Dudith, a
member of the Council of Trent, said it was
in that: “ With this meeting the Holy
has nothing to do. Here are are simply hu
man schemes to aggrandize Rome. From
Rome we obtain the oracles, as from Delphi
or Dodonain other days. The ‘spirit’ which
is represented as guiding the meetings, comes
in the postman’s bags frotfi Rome, and
must wait at every swollen river by the way
till the waters abate. O, monstrous folly !”
Near of Kin. —An Indiana paper has two
columns of idigious news and comment, the
one edited by a Romish priest and the other
by an Episcopal clergyman.