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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.