Newspaper Page Text
186
Jja&ex ml gaptiist
J.J. TOPS, .■■■ Proprietor.
Bev. D. SHAVER, D.D., Editor.
THUHSDAY, DECEMBER 2, 18G9.
Secular Use of the Lord’s House.
Our sympathies go heartily with those who
maintain that a house set apart for the worship
of God should, on no occasion, be used for pur
poses merely secular. There can be no holiness
in brick and mortar, indeed; but they may be
clothed with holy associations, ns with a vesture,
and this is well. Doubtless, grave evils take root
and ripen under the extreme of superstitious ven
eration for localities and edifices ; but the tenden
cy of the times is not at all in that direction.
The currents of thought flow, rather, toward the
worse extreme of profune disregard for those
sanctities of place which stand a3 outworks to
sanctity of spirit. It is wise to avoid whatever
may help forward this dismantling of the house
of the Lord —this inclination to account it “com
mon and unclean.” We should use it for no pur
pose which may hinder or abate its power to re
call only the Being who is worshipped, and the
truth which is proclaimed there. We should not
give it a divided voice, speaking now of this life,
uow of the life above nature and beyond earth
and tune. Let it lie apart from the temporal, and
awe and attract us as the vestibule of eternity.
A recent public speaker mentioned a distin
guished Georgian, who never passed a church
without taking off his hat and walking by bare
headed 1 Better even thin than the light, trifling,
irreverent spirit, which looks on the church with
no thought of the God whom it declares as the
Avenger of sin, or of the Christ whom it offers
as the Saviour of sinners.
Creeds.
Many influences conspire, in tho present age,
to multiply the opponents of creeds. There is,
first, the “Liberal” school -the great body of
Rationalists, not snfficu-ntly “advanced” as
yet to reject all revelation in name. Thinkers of
this class differ widely. Some go to the extreme
of. maintaining that no teaching is authoritatively
Christian beyond “ the fatherhood of God and the
brotherhood of man.” Others, like Frederick W.
Robertson, content themselves with holding that
“ the Infinite is most truly felt when least named,”
and that “ God is approached more nearly in that
which is indefinite than in that which is definite
and distinct—is felt in awe, and wonder, and wor
ship, rather than in clear conceptions.” But,
whatever diversities part them, they all concur in
wresting from the church the heritage of a faith
that is dogmatic (in the better sense of the word )
True; they often tender us, in exchange, an un
belief that is dogmatic (in the worst sense.) Their
denials are as express, positive and intolerant as
the affirmations of Orthodoxy have ever been.
In spite of this inconsistency, however, they war
against creeds as “a set of formal expressions
which satisfy with husks the cravings of the in
tellect, and shut up the soul.”
Again, there is what has been aptly called
“the Broad Evangelical school”—that wing of
the Orthodox which avoids “ all discriminating
statements of Scripture doctrine.” Very few of
this class may be willing to eoncede, with Presi
dent Fairchild, of Oherlin, that “ the Trinity, the
Person of Christ and the Atonement are open
questions.” But while they accept these points
as settled by the authority of inspiration, they
put them, whether from the pulpit or the press,
only in “a loose, indefinite, undogmatic style,”
which draws no sharp or clear line of distinction
between truth and error. This is done on the
plea—now that Christ and His apostles aimed
less to teach dogma than to awaken spiritual life
—now that peace among the people of God must
foster a higher type of piety than strict theologi
cal statements and the controversy to which they
must lead can secure—now that the merging of
different sects in some form of organic unity, a
thing impossible without compromise on points of
belief which have heretofore separated denomi
nations, is necessary to the fulfillment of the
promise and the prayer of our Lord, Jesus Christ.
In this way, creeds sit more and more lightly on
the consciences of men; become a kind of “ Point
No Point” to the theologian; and make haste,
with many, to be thrust aside.
From all quarters of the religious world, there
fore, are marshalled advocates of Latitudinarian*
ism; and Rationalists and “Evangelicals” unite
their forces against “ the form of sound icords,"
which Paul accounted a necessary embodiment of
the vital spirit oi truth. This isoneof thedriftsof
theage in the wrong direction—and one which Bap
tists need to oppose with steadfast front. In ad
dition to the grand motive to fidelity, based on
the fact that only “the truth as it is in Jesus"
car. make men free from the law of sin and death,
and that this truth is so far a unit as to allow the
excision of no part without detriment and peril
to the whole, they may well be admonished by
the example of “ the Reformation " originated,
partly in their own ranks, years ago, by “A.
Campbell and others.” That movement professed
to renounce creeds; but it betrays more and more,
the truth that the renunciation was rather in form
than inspirit; it gives increasing proof that such
a renunciation cannot be carried out in good faith,
and that the effort to carry it out works mischief
and disaster.
We quoted, some weeks since, the proposition
of‘‘Eider” Jacob Creath, that what William
Ballentine, B. W. Stone and A. Campbell had
written on “ the subject of the ‘pastorate,’ or of
Scriptural episcopacy,” should he published in a
volume which might be “ authoritative with the
brethren—a text-book and a standard work:” a
proposition accompanied with the pledge, on his
part, to “practice what these men wrote !”
Quite recently, the American Christian Mis
sionary Society, in session at Louisville, Ky.,
adopted “ a plan for raising money and spreading
the Gospel,” which was deemed “scriptural and
practical." That plan sets out with the affirma
tion : “As a b isis fur any acceptable and ejffi
dent. system of co-operation, there must be as
sumed some well-defined and generally accepted
facts and principles." This affirmation introdu
ces nine propositions, more or less doctrinal,
which our “Old School” or “Primitive” breth
ren, in their zeal against missions, would pro
nounce—we think, justly—a creed. “The Bible
alone,” then, (to borrow the style of the “Re
formers,”) is not sufficient as a basis of co-opera
tion : and, since every church is a co-operative
society, why should it not, equally with the gath
ering at Louisville, frame a creed to itself, under
the euphemism of “ well-defined and generally
accepted facts and principles?”
One would think that among a people who es
chew cieeds, it might be held, without offence,
that bishops, or elders, are ministers of the gospel,
and, as such, officers in the kingdom of Christ.
But a writer among the “Reformers” has found
to his cost that this impression is erroneous. The
avowal of that opinion, on his part, has subjected
him to intolerant censure as “ restless,” and
*i unsound,” etc. He denounces the effort to in
timidate and silence him by these charges, as an
‘enthroning among them of the creed spirit in its
worst formand proceeds to utter language,
which, as stating the upshot of the boasted expe
riment to dispens* with creeds, deserves to be
THE CHRISTIAN INDEX AND SOUTH-WESTERN BAPTIST: ATLANTA, GA„ THURSDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1869.
printed in letters of gold. He says: "An un
written creed may be just as proscriptive and
tyrannizing as a written one , while it is not near
so safe a guide.” There is nothing, surely, in
such developments, which should persuade Bap
tists to strike hands with the “ Liberal ” and
“Broad Evangelical” schools, in the warfare
against definite, dogmatic belief—simply that
“every sort of doctrine may be proclaimed by all
sorts of preachers, under their banners and with
their sanction.” No ; for what may hinder but
that, in this case, doctrine shall lose, first, its clear
outline, then, its symmetrical proportions, next,
successive members of its body, and, last of all,
its true life ?
“Religion connot survive without a creed,”
says Garbett: “the religious sentiment, deprived
of its natural foundation in dogma, loses its defi
nite shape, evaporates and dies.” Construed so
as to embrace as well an unwritten as a written
creed, this language is true. And what but a
written creed can preserve the unwritten, for
masses, and through ages f
A View Wrongly Ascribed to as.
In the Memphis Baptist , we find a document
purporting to be “a preamble and resolutions”
adopted by “the church of Christ at Mount Zion,"
Talbot county ; Rev. John S. Searcy pastor. Ac
cording to that document, the opinion “had ap
peared in the Christian Index, of Georgia, that
there is no regular succession of the ordinance
from John the Baptist to the present day,” and
the church ‘feit it a duty to express its decided
disapproval of this opinion.’
If the statement made by our brethren of Mt.
Zion church refers to the editorial columns of this
paper, they do us injustice, (of course, without
designing it.) The opinion of which they disap
prove has never been expressed by us. Let us
briefly restate our position on this matter of his
tory.
We have but a single remark to make. Meta
phors and symbols address the same faculties of
mind,-“the pictorial,” as Dr. MeCosh styles them.
Symbols are metaphors in action : metaphors are
symbols in word. Now, if Pedobaptist writers
“when setting forth the atonement and its appli
cation, by faith and the grace of the Holy Ghost,”
make “free use” of immersion as a metaphor, and
“would be sorry” to part wiih it, —if, in this
they not only bear testimony that it is legitimate,
but show that the human intellect and heart glide
naturally into it, and spontaneously answer to its
power of impression,—why should it be thought
a thing incredible, that God, setting forth the
same truths by symbol, should Himself have re
course to immersion ? Why r should that which
is right and proper in word , become improper and
wrong in act t Why should the fact that the ordi
nance of baptism is, or is not, on the tapis, have
power to make immersion now fit and striking,
now meaningless and unmeet, as a vehicle for the
imparting or impressing of truth ?
We have held that ‘the task of “tracing up our
principles and our churches to the apostolic age,”
through bodies of men more or less decisively
Baptistic, may be accomplished, though with dif
ficulty.’ We have held that, notwithstanding
this difficulty, ‘the existence of Baptists in all the
centuries since the aposties, may be made out, at
least presumptively' — i. e., so made out as to
throw the logical burden of proof on those who
deny it. And then, as to the particular point in
volved in the statement of the “preamble,” we
have said :
“Whether an unbroken baptismal succession
has been maintained irom the apostles down to
the present time? is a question which there is no
adequate historical proof to settle, the one way
or the other. No adequate historical proof exists
that it, has, and no adequate historical proof that
it has not."
This is our opinion; and if our brethren of
Mt. Zion church think it wrong, we hope they
will not content themselves with simply ‘disap
proving,’ but will correct it. Just let them ad
duce “the adequate historical proof’ of unbroken
baptismal succession, which has not yet come in
to our possession ; arid we will accept it at their
hands with gladness 1 There are others who will
be as much profited as ourselves, and who will as
gratefully recognize it. Witness, for example, the
following language from the first number of the
Baptist Sentinel, by Rev. A. S. Worrell, who
will be acknowledged as belonging to the “most
straitest” class of Baptists, but who goes so far
as to pronounce the proof we call for, “manifest
ly,” and “from its very nature, impossible.” Ex
amining the question, “What is valid baptism ?”
he says:
“Whether the Baptists can prove a succession
of the ordinance back to apostolic times is not the
point in discussion; nor, indeed, is it a question
wßich admits of absolute historical proof, one
way or the other. We frankly confess that we
cannot prove from history that there has been
such a succession ; nor, on the other hand, can
either we or our enemies prove that such succes
sion does not exist. In either case the proof is
impossible from its very nature. The demand
that we must prove a regular succession of bap
tisms, would require a definite history of the
great mass of baptisms administered within the
last eighteen centuries—just such accounts as are
not made by any church at the present day, and
such too, so fir as we know, as have never been
made, except incidentally.”
As an act of justice to us, we hope that the
Baptist will admit into its columns this correc
tion of the erroneous statement which it has pub
lished with regard to our position.
“Metaphors from Immersion.”
“I have just listened to a discourse on the mode
of baptism, in which the preacher called attention
to an incorrect expression in a familiar hymn.
He was illustrating the typical ‘cleansing’ under
the Jewish ritual, and showing that it was done by
‘sprinkling,’ the idea being carried on still in the
New Testament. Example: ,‘Unto Him that
loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own
blood.’ He said, no man is dipped into the blood
of Christ; but it is called ‘the blood of sprink
ling.’ Then he took occasion to refer to that ex
cellent hvmn—
There is a fountain filled with blood,
Drawn from Immanuel’s veins;
And siuuers, plunged beneath that flood.
Lose all their guilty stains.
He questioned the propriety or pertinency of the
expression, and suggested this form—
There is a fountain— ysa, a flood—
Drawn from Immanuel’s veins;
And sinners, sprinkled with that blood.
Lose all ihe.r guilty Stains.
I think the criticism to the point, and the correc
tion a good one.”
So writes Rev. G. W. Horn to the Nashville
Christian Advocate. The Advocate responds:
“We should be sorry to see the hymn altered,
and especially in the style proposed. . . . Zech
anah (xni. 1) suggests the metaphor. There is
no reference whatever to baptism, and our poets,
who do not consider immersion essential to bap
tism, but prefer allusion, as the more scriptural
mode, feel perfectly at liberty to employ, espe
cially in poetry, metaphors drawn from immer
sion, where the ordinance of baptism is not on
the tapis. Thus C. Wesley :
Cast all your sins into the deep,
And wash th’ Eihiop white.
Again—alluding to the smitten rock:
By faith I to the fountain fly,
Opened for all mankind and me, etc.
Again :
It runs divinely clear,
A fountain deep and wide, etc.
And John Wesley :
By faith I plunge me in this sea, etc.
Again :
P.unged in the Godhead’s deepest sea, eto.
C. Wesley again :
And plunge me, every whit made whole,
In all the depths of love divine.”
Dress.
“ It looks badly for the Sunday school,” says
a writer in one of the papers, “ when the chil
dren come well-dressed.” He means—that, un- j
der these circumstances, the school seem3 to be a
failure, as respects its special mission among the
children who are too poor to dress well.
Whether he is right or wrong in this view, j
there is certainly a point beyond which to be j
well-dressed looks badly for a church. When j
the members complain that they are too poor to I
take a religious newspaper, to contribute to mis- :
sions at home and abroad, or to accord a liberal
salary, with prompt payment, to the pastor,—is j
it not unseemly that, when assembled for worship,
they should present an array, which strikes vis
itors from the more prosperous section of the
country, as betraying a marked and unusual de
votion to “style” and fashion! We hear that
such cases have been—or cases somewhat akin
to this: and if we can get the ear of any parties
to so surprising an inconsistency, we desire to
ask, —Is costly raiment really more than the sup
port and diffusion of the Gospel ? Will you see
it in that light, when the body lies in its grave
clothes, and the soul stands naked under the eye
of God ?
Reviews and Notices.
Thb Office and Work of the Christian Ministry.
By (Rev.) Janies >l. Hoppin, (D.D.,) Professor of
Homiletics and Pastoral Theology in Yale College.
New York : Sheldon & Cos. Pp. 620.
Wo renew our commendation of this work.
Prof. Hoppin holds that the present is a transi
tion period, in which the power of the pulpit is
obscared, because preaching is passing through
new phases and modifications. Much that was ex
trinsic and conventional, and which was adapted
to the peculiarities of a former age, disappears—
to be replaced by that which is no less conven
tional and extrinsic, hut which is necessary as a
means of adaptation to the peculiarities of our
own. Amid this change, however, there are cer
tain essential principles of preaching which do
not vary, and which are always true, for “the
church must light its candle at tho old
lamp;” and it has been the aim of the author to
state these principles, rather than to express pri
vate thoughts and opinions. He has executed
‘this task in an admirable manner, in the first half
of the volume; and the student for the ministry
will find here a well-digested series of clear, judi
cious and suggestive counsels; with which he can
not wisely dispense whether in the study ox the
pulpit. Tiie second half of the volume is devo
ted to pastoral obligations and functions—a point
which has been, perhaps, too much neglected
heretofore in Theological Seminaries, but which
is every way worthy of the careful and minute
treatment our a.uthor gives it. What he has writ
ten is well fitted to aid in securing “ those strong,
hardy, cross-bearing, cheerful, hopeful, wise, lov
ing and single-minded pastors, who are willing to
labor among the poor as well as among the rich
and the educated, who are willing to go anywhere
and to do anything which is required for the
highest good of man—such pastors, in fine, as
Christ will bless as the spiritual guides of His
people into a nobler life in Him.”
There are traces, here and there, of the v.ews
which distinguish Congregationalists from Bap
tists ; but, bating these, we give the work our
hearty endorsement.
Conservative Views. The Government of the United
States : What is it? Comprising a Correspondence
with Hon. Alexander H. Stephens, eliciting Views
touching the Mature and Character of the Goveru
mentof iheUnited States, the Impolicy of Secession,
the Evils of Disunion and the Means ot Restoration.
By J. A. Stewart. Atlanta: Trade supplied by
Ptiilhps & Crew. Pp. 92. Price, 50 cents.
The title page sufficiently explains the charac.
ter of this work. It lies in the political sphere,
and therefore outside of ours.
The Baptist Sentinel. Published monthly in Lexing
ton, Ky. By A. S. Worrell, Editor and Proprietor.
Terms, #2 50 per annum.
The first number of this periodical has come
to hand, and gives indication of the vigor essen
tial to usefulness and the variety essential to in
terest. With sufficient patronage, it will do a
good work in our churches.
Our Zion—in Our Exchanges, etc.
Georgia.
Rev. A. T. Holmes, D.D., who has recently re
moved from Decatur to our city, we are pleased
to find in the enjoyment of excellent health. The
Dr. has rendered good service to our caiue in past
times; and, if we mistake not, there are years of
useful labor in him yet. We should be glad to
know that his capabilities of effective work were
called into full exercise by the churches.—Rev.
Dr. Dixon, we learn, accepts the call to the pas
toral care of the Greene street church, Augusta.—
Mrs. Bettie M. Zimmerman, a Baptist lady of At
lanta, is among “the living female waiters of the
South,” mentioned in Ida Raymond’s new work
with that title.
Alabama.
The circular and appeal of Rev. J. Albert Hill,
in relation to the Alabama Baptist Orphans’
Home, will be read, we hope, with a spirit of
sympathy and “a mind to work.”—Rev. G. E.
Brewer has been on a visit to Atlanta, and occu
pied the pulpit of the Second Baptist church,
(Dr. Brantly’s,) Sabbath night. lie proposes to
relinquish pastoral relations, and give himself
wholly to tho work of an Evangelist.
Kentucky.
Rev. J. S. Coleman, D.D., thinks that anew
organization is wanting among the Baptists of the
State; namely, one to provide for the wives and
children of deceased ministers. —Boiling Springs
church has had 20 baptisms ; the church at Elk
ton, 16, (one of them a “Campbellite,” re im
mersed ;) New Hope, Casey county, 19 ; New Sa
lem, Hardin county, 14.—An interesting work of
grace is in progress among the Sunday school
scholars of Walnut Street church, Louisville ;
Rev. Dr. Spalding pastor. —T. J. Maynard was
ordained to the ministry at Sonora church, Har
din county, Nov. 13th ; sermon by Rev. G. H.
Hicks. As he was a convert from Methodism, the
questions on Bible doctrine were close and point
ed, but answered in a very satisfactory way.—
At Union church, Harrison county, Nov. sth, J.
N. Barbee was ordained to the ministry.—Sever
al pesons were severely injured and one killed
outright, by the giving way of the floor of the
Second African Baptist church, Lexington, Sun
day evening, Nov. 21st.
Louisiana.
“The church at Alto, Richland Parish, has
been wonderfully revived, believers have been
strengthened, mourners happily converted, and
sinners much concerned about the salvation of
their souls. Forty-three persons attached them
selves to the Providence church, 81 by expe
rience and baptism.”—The Louisiana Association,
which met with the Bayou Rouge church, put in
the field a colporteur, supplied with our own
books. —The Sabine Association, meeting with
the Annacoco church, raised funds to sustain a
missionary within its bounds. —Rev. J. L. Blitcb,
formerly of Macon, recently of Dalton, is in this
State ; and has expressed a willingness to locate
in the region around Mt. Lebanon, if a suitable
field of labor is offered him.
Maryland.
Rev. J. W. M. Williams, D.D., of the First
church, Baltimore, has baptized every Sabbath,
since entering the re-fitted house of worship.
Missouri.
Within a little more than two years, the Bap
tists of the State have organized 44 Sunday
School Conventions.—Rev. P. S. Henson, D.D.,
formerly of Virginia, now of Philadelphia, has
been called to the pastoral care of our Third
church, St. Louis.—Slagle Creek church, Polk
county, has received 22 by baptism ; New Salem
church, Lincoln county, 10; Huntingdale church,
Henry county, 14; Mound Prairie church, La
fayette county, 16.
North Carolina,.
Every Association east of the Blue Ridge
Mountains, but one, is co operating with the
State Mission Board>-The Biblical Recorder,
Raleigh, has now a larger number of subscribers
than at any former period. We congratulate it.—
The last number of ffie Recorder contains chap
ter xxxvii, of “A Pastor’s Courtships;” a novel
from the pen, {as we are informed,) of Rev. Jos.
Walker, once editor of the Index.
Texas.
Rev. Jacob Zeigler has been appointed by Re
hoboth Association, -a missionary within it 6
bounds.—Carey Creek church has had 16 bap
tisms.
Tennessee.
A
A meeting at Jonesboro resulted in 12 addi
tions to the church.—The East Tennessee Bap
tist, the new paper at Knoxville, Rev. D. M.
Breaker editor, reports its prospects as “brighten
ing daily.”—Puncheon- Camp church, of the
Northern had a meeting, with 14
conversions; and Mt Lebanon, Blount county,
one with 16 ; Mt. Pleasant, one with 18 baptisms.
Virginia.
At Shockoe church, Pittsylvania county, 22
have been baptized; 10 at Republican Grove,
“the fruits of a Methodist meeting ;” 35 at West
ern Branch ; 20 at BtiSVerdum ; 13 at Alleghany,
Montgomery county.—“ Southland Writers,” the
new work of Ida Raymond, on the “Living Fe
male Writers of the South,” gives a niche to Miss
Sue C. Hooper, a Baptist lady of Richmond. Our
readers have enjoyed the occasional privilege of
effusions from her pen, both with and without her
literary pseudonym, “Adrienne.” She has never
been a professional -author, but we are glad to
learn that her best productions are soon to be is
sued ns a volume. We bespeak the patronage of
our readers for it.
W est Virginia.
At Broad Run church, Greenbrier county, 22
have been baptized.—A Baptist church was or
ganized, Oct. 30th, at Charleston, Kanawha coun
ty, the capital of the State ; membership 12, and
likely to be doubled before Spring. This nucleus
is the fruit of labors by Rev. P. Murray, a young
man.—Baptists are said to comprise about one
third of the entire population of the State. This
estimate must include more than the actual com
municants.—Mt. Zion church, in the Kanawha
Valley, has had 43 accessions, the fruit of a re
cent meeting; Zoar church 21.—There have been
32 baptisms at Big Sandy church, Kanawha coun
ty. —Rev. S. L. Weeks began preaching at Clay
Court house about a-year ago, when there were
only 3 Baptists there; has since baptized 15; and
will organize a church in the spring.—A new
church has been organized at Wicher’s Creek, an
out-station of Slaughter’s Creek church.
A Few Requests of Georgia Baptists.
Dear Brethren: As Agent of our Domes
tic Mission Board, 1 ask your special atten
tion to a few reasonable requests:
1. Will the Clerk each Association, please
send me a copy of the minutes fur this year?
I want one of in the State.
2. I request &\\ .persons, or Churches, or
Associations, contrfbuting to our Domestic
Mission Board, to do so through me, or at
least, let me receipt for them, whether the
funds are sent to me or not. This will not
decrease the amount at all, and will enable
me to report to every Association, the amount
contributed by each Church or person in it;
and I will do so in time for the amount to
appear in your next minutes. Let every
minute show what has been done by the As
sociation during the year. The money may
be sent to meat Albany, Ga.,or to Marion,
Ala., as most convenient, but stating that I
have receipted for it.
3. Will brethren accept my heartfelt thanks
for kind words, acts and cordial invitations to
visit them and their Churches ? My heart has
been encouraged. Brethren, sisters, friends,
accept my gratitude.
4. Brethren, pray for me, for our mission
aries and Boards. Since I have been in Geor
gia my health has not been better than it has
been since l have been in the Agency, and I
do feel that it is in answer to the prayers of
my brethren. But, my dear brothers and
sisters, do pray that I may be a better man.
Spirituality is as necessary as health, to my
successfully doiug all the work of an Agent
and Evangelist.
5. Lastly, I ask every reader of this to send
me a New Year’s present or gift for our cause,
or for either of our Boards, if you want to
divide a thank-offering to the Lord, as the
year closes. Would He not be pleased to ac
cept it ? Has He not been good to you 1 Or
if you have suffered afflictions and losses,
might they not have been worse? Are’you
not in much better condition than others?
Pray over it; don’t lay down the paper and
dismiss my request from your mind, till you
think of the past year prayerfully, and then
if you nave any amount to offer, or feel like
you ought to close the year with a sacrifice,
send it to me in a letter—name the object or
person, if you desire, that its for, and if you
have a kind, encouraging word, wr'te it. Oh !
I want a thousand such keepsakes from pas
tors and families, deeeons, old men and wo
men, young men and women, boys and girls,
from, all who love JVsus, or wish FI is cause
well. Reader, respett my requests, this one
in partiuiar, if you feel like you owe it to the
dear Saviour and His Gospel.
Wm. N. Chaudoin.
P.S.—Just as I was closing my last requested.
bearer handed me a note from my dear, woi thy
co-laborer, Rev. W. H. Cooper, which I
opened and read as fellows: “ Bio. C. I have
just received the sad news of sister Saliie’s
death, at Palmyra, this morning, at 4 o’clock.
Pray for me, for her mother, for her husband,
who has hardly yet received the sad intelli
gence. Omy brother, to lose so dear a sis
ter, is hard. Yours in sorrow.” But not
“ so hard” as if it had been either of the other
sisters, for Sallie was a Christian—is now in
heaven—taken from “the evil to come.”
Now reader, if you live till you see this if
your wife lives, your sister, your parents,
your child, ought you not to express your
gratitude by a “New Year’s Gift,” to our
suffering, working missionaries—the brethren
of our Saviour? W. N. C.
A Good Work.
We have recently closed a meeting of sev
eral days’ duration, at Smyrna church, the
result of which was, thirteen were added to
the church by baptism. This church had
been in a very cold condition for two years;
but at this meeting she became fully aroused
to a sense of her duty. I never witnessed a
more gratifying manifestation of the Holy
Spirit in all my life. The church was per
fectly alive to the work of the Lord. “ Blessed
be the name of the Lord.” Our beloved
pastor, W. A. Overton, did his whole duty
in the Master’s cause, laboring faithfully, both
day and night, and wgs greatly assisted by
brother N. M. Jones, “ but to God be all the
praise.” A Subscriber.
Greensboro, Ga., Nov. 39, 1869.
The General Association of South-Eastern
Alabama.
This body, composed of the District Asso
ciations in this part of the State, held its first
regular session with the Eufaula Church, be
ginning Saturday, the 20th instant. The In
troductory sermon was preached by Rev. P.
M. Callaway, and the Missionary sermon, (a
masterly effort,) by Rev. W. M. Davis, of
Blakely. You may set brother Davis down
as one of the best preachers in Georgia—
head and shoulders taller than many whose
reputations are head and shoulders higher
than his. Rev. P. M. Callaway was re-elected
Moderator, and Rev. J. S. Paullin, Clerk.
The interest of the meeting was no little en
hanced by the presence of Rev. Dr. Teas
dale, Corresponding Secretary of the Sunday
School Board of the S. B. C., Rev. A. D.
Philips, our Missionary, Rev. M. J. Well
born, of Columbus, and Rev. A. R. Calla
way, of LaGrange. The reports on Sabbath
Schools, Missions and Education, elicited
much able discussion, and some effective ac
tion. The contributions sent up for Missions
amounted to about $2,000. The Executive
Committee of the Association was instructed
to appoint an able and efficient Missionary to
labor in the destitute portions of South-Eas
tern Alabama, with a salary sufficient to en
able him to devote his whole time to the
work. Dr. Teasdale preached at our church
Sabbath night, and at the conclusion of his
sermon raised a collection of SIOO to secure
the stereotype plates of one of his books.
The exercises of the Association were deeply
interesting, and a fine impression was made
on our community. The body holds its next
session with the Baptist Church in Newton,
Dale county. M. B. W.
Eufaula, Ala., Nov. 26, 1869.
An account by another correspondent says:
The report on Missions was called for and read;
after which, addresses were delivered by Rev.
M. J. Wellborn, Rev. M. B. Wharton, Rev.
A. D. Philips, Rev. J. C. R. Lockhart, who
told of the destitution in their bounds. A
conversation arose about the direction of
money sent up, some not favoring the sup
plying of their destitution through the Boards
of the S. B. 0. John Gill Shorter give a
very able exposition of the object of the Gen
eral Association of South East Alabama. An
explanation was made by YV. W. Battle,
about the monies paid to the Domestic and
Foreign Mission Boards at the Eufaula As
sociation. All explanations seemed satisfac
tory and the report was adopted.
The Orphans’ Home, Ala.
Taking encouragement from your remarks
at the late Alabama Convention, 1 hope it
may suit you to give our circular an inser
tion in your columns, and a call of attention
from your potent pen, to our noble and much
needed enterprise. What is it we propose to
do? Not only to rescue the loved ones of
our fallen brethren from the haunts of want,
ignorance, vice and consequent misery ; not
only to act the part of a kind foster mother,
“ bringing them up in the nurture and admoni
tion of the Lord,” but also to teach them all
that is great, noble and useful, pertaining, to
their sojourn in life, thereby converting them
into the very best possible material lor the
future development and prosperity of our
own great Alabama; which noble work we
propose to perpetuate, even to the end of
time. Great as is this enterprise, yet how
easy of accomplishment, by each doing but a
little. Suppose we confine it alone to Bap
tists in this reckoning, and average it at one
dollar to each in the State, and the Home for
Orphans goes up. Can this be withheld ?
Banished, forever, be the thought. Can we
forget that we must meet those fallen ones
and their children at God’s Bar? Though a
ptfbr advocate for parlies, I feel inclined, in
this instance, to risk it, and call upon all moth
ers, wives, sisters and daughters, to get up
one grand Alabama Storm Party, for the ben
efit of orphans, and let us put them up a home,
as by storm. And now a request to Clerks
of Associations throughout our State. Will
each of you please send me a minute of your
respective bodies to Selma, Ala, care of Ab
ner Williams. May God help us all do our
duty. Amen. J. Albert Hill.
Selma, Ala., Nov. 25 th, 1869.
Stoue Mountain Association.
Several churches have failed to get their
Minutes, and for their information I will state
that I sent the Minutes fur the churches on
each side of the Georgia Railroad, between
Social Circle and Atlanta, to the Agent of the
nearest depot to the several churches, about
the 15th of’ October. The brethren perhaps
can get their Minutes by calling on the Agents.
Ttiose for the churches above Atlanta, were
sent to the store of brother A. K. Seago.
Permit me, brethren, while on this subject,
to call your attention to another. I refer to
the resolution passed at the last session, in
reference to the delegates at the first meeting
of their churches, endeavoring to raise five
dollars or more, to aid in sustaining the
young ministering brethren in pursuing their
course of studies at Penfield. But four
churches have as yet responded : Stone Moun
tain, Social Circle, Covington and Salem.
Come, brethren, let us hear from you.
Clerk.
New Year’s Gift for the Sunday School
Board, S. B. C.
The Sunday School Board of the Southern
Baptist Convention is desirous of gathering
the neglected millions of the children and
youth of the South into well-conducted Sab
bath Schools; supplying them with the Word
of God and a suitable religious literature;
antidoting the pernicious influence of Infidel
ity, Romanism, Ritualism, Formalism and
Pedobaptism, in their plastic minds, and
planting in their youthful hearts the seeds of
entire truth. But to enable the Board to un
dertake this great work, the requisite means
niu-t be furnished. Sunday school colpor
teurs must be sent amongst the destitute;
the New Testament, at least, must be given
to them ; and in many instances, if not in all,
the circulation of a good Sunday school pa
per, together with religious tracts and books,
will greatly conduce to the buccess of the
work. All these cost money. And yet we
respectluily submit that there is no agency
in our churches, capable of exerting so great
a moral power, that is attended with so little
expense. Think of the tens of thousands of
earnest workers all over our Southern land,
who spend several hours every week in teach
irig, visiting and otherwise seeking to interest
and profit their respective Sunday school
classes. And all this is done “ without
money and without price.” The results of
these voluntary, self-sacrificing toils are, as
we all know, most salutary. How large a
proportion of the accessions to our churches
come from our Sunday schools! How many
of our ministers received their first serious
impressions, and their earliest theological
training, in the Sabbath school! But, as the
utility of well conducted Sunday schools is
now pretty generally understood and admit
ted, we do not deem it necessary to urge fur
ther attention to that particular. What we
desire especially is to enlist the sympathy of
our brethren and sisters in behalf of the des
titute and neglected millions of the dear chil
dren and youth in our midst. Their implor
ing hands are held out to us as they plead for
the Bread of Life. We must furnish this
moral aliment, or they will perish forever.
No others can do this work so well as our
selves. Indeed, we may say no others can
dp it at all, in the present condition of affairs
throughout the South. Shall we, then, re
spond to their imploring cry ?
To meet these exigencies, and to place the
Sunday School Board of the S. B. Conven-
tion in a position that w II enable it to enter
at once on this important work, with the
means of greatly enlarging its operations, we
earnestly entreat the pastors to bring this
subject before their respective churches, and
solicit a New Year’s gift for our Board.
Brethren, you know that our Board has been
hitherto almost entirely overlooked in the
annual benefactions of our churches. We
have not come before them as suppliants for
their assistance. We now feel that the high
est welfare of our country, and the salvation
of the millions of children and youth in our
midst, who are, under God, so soon to deter
mine their eternal destiny, demand this at
our hands. If we can but induce our breth
ren to make us a New Year’s gift, which shall
be equal to ten cents for every Baptist mem
ber in the Southern States, it will furnish us
a capital at once by which we may enter upon
a system of Sunday school work, whose hap
py and abundant results our imagination is
unable to portray.
Please send your contributions directly to
S. C. Rogers, Esq., Depositary Agent, 361
Main street, Memphis, Tenn. Dear brethren,
if it be ever so little, help us some, and help
us now. Thus. C. Teasdale,
Cor. Sec. S. S. Board, S. B. C.
Alabama Baptist Orphans’ Home.
It is known that during the late war, efforts
were made to establish a Baptist Orphan Asy
lum for the State of Alabama, especially for
the children of deceased soldiers, resulting in
the accumulation of funds sufficient to begin
the work, and that a place was purchased for
this purpose. The disastrous termination of
the war before the titles to the property could
be perfected, and the consequent worthless
ness of the currency, combined with the em
barrassments incident to the fatal close, of the
contest, suspended this laudable enterprise.
But in the hearts of many of its friends it was
not abandoned, and it is now proposed to re
vive and carry out the purpose originating in
the conviction that such an Asylum lor the
destitute youth of the land was needed. The
want of such an institution is more apparent
uow, than when the efforts to establish one
were inaugurated. What was then desired is
now imperatively demanded.
At a recent meeting of the Corporators of
the Alabama Baptist Orphans’ Home Asso
ciation, under the Charter granted by the Leg
islature, a Board of Directors was appointed
with instructions to renew the work. The
Board consists of Rev. I. T. Tichenor, D.D.,
President; Rev. Andrew Jay, Ist Vice Pres
ident; Gen. L. W. Lawler, 2nd Vice Presi
dent; Rev. Samuel Henderson, Secretary;
Abner Williams,Treasurer ; Rev. T. C. Boy
kin, Rev. J. J. D. Renfroe, Rev. A. J. Wal
drop.
The Board of Directors have appointed
Rev. J. Albert Ilill, General Agent, to collect
funds, and to represent the interests of the
Association, as will be seen by the certificate
appended, and he is hereby commended to
the benevolent and pious, to whom we earn
estly appeal in behalf of the helpless orphans
of our State, and especially ot those whose
natural protectors have fallen in our defence.
Had they secured the ends for which we strug
gled, we should have shared the inheritance won
by their valor.and their blood. Involved in a
commom disaster by failure, justice, human
ity, and Christian charity alike plead that their
offrpsing may be rescued from the suffering
and vice to which poverty and triendlessnesss
expose them. It is our purpose in proposing
this enterprise to give the children the very
best training within our power, in all useful
departments of life, and although managed
alone by Baptists, it will be alike open to the
patronage of all. Two very suitable sites
have been offered as a donation for its loca
tion, the ope near Montevallo, the other
East of Eiyton, on the Alabama and Chatta
nooga line of Road. The Agent proposes to
keep a record of all contributions and con
tributors, w hich may constitute an interesting
document for future reference. Oh, that God
may give to the people “ A mind to work.
This is to certify that Rev. J. A. Hill has
been appointed General Agent by the Board
of the Orphans’ Home Association of the
Baptists of Alabama, for the purpose of col
lecting funds to build a Home for the desti
tute orphans of this State.
I. T. Tichenor, President.
Samuel Henderson, Secretary.
Arkansas Baptist State Convention.
This body met with the church at Helena,
November 11th, and closed, the 14th, after a
very harmonious session. It was one of the
most important meetings since the war, and
it is to be hoped that a brighter day is dawn
ing upon the Baptists of Arkansas.
The Convention w as called to order by the
former President, Elder W. M. Lea, who,
although published in some of our denomina
tional papers, as having been excommunica
ted, by the First Baptist Church, at Little
Rock, his guilt, as 1 learn, has by no means
been satisfactorily proved, and the conse
quence is, he still lives in the confidence of
the Baptists of the State. Very few believe
that his exclusion was justifiable, and it is
due him to state, that he came to the Conven
tion as a delegate .from his Association. Al
ter the preliminary exercises, the Convention
was organized by electing Elders W. D.
Mayfield, President, (Elder Lea declining re
election,) and J. B. Searcy, Secretary and
Treasurer. The delegation from the differ
ent Associations was small, there being but
four represented in the Convention, out of
eighteen in the State. This is to be attribu
ted, chiefly, to the great lack of transporta
tion in the State, and the low water in the
rivers, at this season of the year.
The most important measures inaugurated
at this session of the Convention, were the
provision for the appointment of three State
Evangelists, which the report on Missions
recommended, whose principal work should
be to build up the waste places, by preaching
and organizing churches ; and an Educational
Board, which is to provide for the education,
both literary and theological, of young men,
called to the work of the gospel ministry ;
also a Ministers’ Institute, during the session
of which, in connection with the Convention,
a series of lectures are to be delivered, by
paid lecturers from other States, that is to
say, their expenses are to be paid,
Th's, in connection with the missionary
work is to be the work of the Convention.
What we want in Arkansas is the concentra
tion of our scattered forces, and a large ac
cession to the ranks of the ministry, of intel
ligent, educated, working men ; and I believe
from present indications, if they are willing
to come, not expecting ton much, they can be
supported. Some have already come, others
are still corning and finding fields. How
many more will come? There are several
important fields that ought to be occupied
right now. 1 have said that our great need
is concentration, and 1 believe it is the opin
ion of the brethren that nothing can more ef
fectually bring us together than the holding
of our Institute once a year, where brethren,
who have not the means, or if they have, are
too old to go elsewhere, can receive instruc
tion in the various departments of theology,
from the lectures delivered. May God grant
us success in these glorious enterprises !
Arrangements were entered into with the
Editor of the (Memphis) Baptist, who was
present at the meeting, for the use of one
page of his paper for Arkansas matter. No
Arkansas editor was appointed, but all who
can, are to write, and the disposal of the
matter to bo left discretionary w ith the editor
in charge. The Convention sermon was
preached on the Sabbath, by Dr. Graves,
who selected a9 his theme, —the Church—its
obligations and prerogatives. The sermon
was delivered with the speaker’s accustomed
ability.
The meeting passed off pleasantly and
profitably, and all seemed to feel “it was
good to be there,” and left for their homes
with the solemn conviction that our cause in
Arkansas, with God’s help, is going to pros
per. The next session of the Convention will
be held with the church at Arkadelphia,
Thursday before the 2nd Sabbath in Novem
ber, 1870. K.
Thanksgiving at Crozer.
I suppose that a lew lines now and then,
from the Crozer Theological Seminary, would
not fail to be interesting to you and to your
readers. The object of this prosperous, and
now rapidly growing School of the Prophets,
is to furnish facilities for instruction for pious
young men of every section of our country.
And although this is but the second session
of the Seminary, the fond hopes of the lib
eral-hearted founders of the school have not
been in vain. The present session brings
young men from North, South, East and
West. A noble band of brethren, and near
ly every one from a different part of this
broad land, have met here for the purpose of
studying for the gospel ministry.
The founders and supporters of this school
are not satisfied with providing only for the
actual necessities of the students who are here
upon their bounty, but they also take great
pleasure in providing for their comfort. Could
you have been here to-day, you would have
had abundant proof of this. Thanksgiving
dinner was given by Mrs. S. A. Crozer, and
after we had all partaken to the full satisfac
tion of the inner man, Dr. Weston, our Pres
ident, led off in a very happy speech, in which
he furnished us, notwithstanding the fulness
of the occasion, a bountiful repast for the
mental man also. Dr. Castle was then called
upon, who, in his pleasant manner of address,/
gave full proof that he occupied an enviable
position as a speaker on such occasions.
Speeches were made by the other members
of the Faculty, and by Dr. J. M. Peridleton,
of Upland Baptist church, and by Mr. Wil
liam Buckncjl, who will be remembered as
having given 125,000 to the Seminary for the
purchase of a library. Thus passed away a
happy day to the students at the Crozer.
And now, as l haye given you an account
of our thanksgiving, I hope it will be no harm
for me to ask, in behalf of the students here,
to be remembered in the prayers of all
Christians who may road this, that we may
all have the blessing of God in our prepara
tion for His service. Georgia Student.
CroMir Thtologiccil Seminary, Thai ksgiving, 1839.
Chapel Hill High School.
Pursuant to previous appointment, the Board
of Trustees appointed to diieet the interest of
Chapel Ilill High School met this day, for
the purpose of effecting a permanent organi
zation. On motion, Rev. G. R. Moor was
called to the chair, and M. Edwards requested
to act as Secretary, for the purpose of organ
ization. The Trustees then proceeded to or
ganize permanently, by the election of the
following officers, viz: Rev. G. R. Moore,
President; J. W. Wingo, Vice President;
Maj. Z. A. Rice, Treasurer; M. Edwards,
Secretary.
The Board being Unis organized, a Course
of study, plan of instruction, rates of tuition
and general rules and regulations were sub
mitted by M. Edwards, which, afar being
duly considered and freely disou-std, were
unanimously adopted, entire. Rev. G. R.
Moor, was unanimously elected Principal of
the school for the ensuing year, with author
ity to employ such assistance as the interest
of the school might warrant. The Trustees
decided to put the school edifice under pro
cess of construction, as soon as practicable,
appointed Messrs. Maj. Z. A. Rice, Capt.
E. R. Whitley, Wrn. M. Allen, J. Hatchett
and Jas. Selrnan, a Building Committee, to
superintend the erection of the edifice. Also
appointed Messrs. J. Hatchett, Wm. M. Allen,
Maj. Z. A. Rice, E. A. Morris and E. H.
Camp, to have arranged a house, temporarily,
for school purposes, until the school edi
fice is completed.
Resolved , That the proceedings of this meet
ing be published in the Index and Baptist
and Constitution, of Atlanta. On motion,
adjourned. Rev. GR. Moor, Chair'n.
M. Edwards, Secr'y.
Chapil IM, GaOct. 3 0th, 1869.
Items.
Weeklv Communion. —Spurgeon, in a late
sermon, said that he had “ broken bread ”
on the first day of every week for twelve
years, and the ordinance had never lost its
freshness to him yet.
Scotland. —There are five Baptist churches
in Edinbu r gh and four in Glasgow. Those
in Glasgow are, all but one, without pastors,
and are feeble bodies. One of the churches
of Edinburgh is an old, numerous and vigor
ous church, with two pastors, both men doing
an aggressive work. The others, with one
exception, are also vigorous churches.
Infant Immerbion. —Dr. Howard Malcorn
saw- a priest immerse an infant in the Cathe
dral at Milan, and anxious to know why it
occurred, he sought an interview and asked
the priest how infant immersion came to bo
practiced in the Papal church, —to which ho
replied, “All this portion of Europe has bap
tized exclusively by immersion since the
Apostolic age.”
Communion.— The Philadelphia Presbyte
rian says: “ We have no special desire to go
to a Baptist table.” Wo did not need to be
told it. We have known for years that this is
true of ninety-nine-hundredths or those who
have most to say about and against our strict
communion.
“Tiie Children’s Sabbath.” —“Rev. Dr.
Wisner, of Lockport, has in his church w hat,
ho calls the Children’s Sabbath. That is, on
the morning of the Sabbath after the com
munion, he preaches upon infant baptism, the
duties of parents to their baptized children,
the promises to those who fulfill those duties,
and similar topics. At this time, also, chil
dren are presented for baptism.” Now,
would not Baptists be upbraided with “mak
ing 100 much of a mere external rite,” if
they should devote a Sabbath monthly, where
where they have weekly services, to thojbaptism
of believers and cognate themes ? Are there
not many cases in which they might well copy
Dr. Wisner’s example—giving to the Divine
institution the time he gives to a human in
vention ?
Unconverted Membership. —The South
ern Christian Advocate says, of the recent ad
ditionstothe membershipof its church: “Some
have joined the church, as seekers of pardon—
not yet fully satisfied that they have received
‘ the adoption of sonship.’ They ought not
to be allowed to remain in this condition.
They should be looked after, encouraged to
persevere, and admonished, instructed and
prayed with, until they receive the full assu
ranee of purdon.” Have Southern Methodists
then, by abolishing probationary membership,
simply provided for admitting mere “Beck
ers,” who make no profession of regeneration,
into full communion, without trial or delay?
And is not this a step backwaid as regards
church purity ?
A Blunder. —A Methodist minister of East
Cambridge, Mass., having some converts to
immerse, made a curious mistake. On the
appointed Sunday afternoon tor the rite, a
large concourse repaired to the Charles River
to witness it. But lo ! the tide was low. Tin
Rev. pastor had consulted an almanac, and
taken the time of the tides at New York in
stead of Boston. He could not very well
immerse in the mud, so the congregation ad
journed to a later hour, when the tides run in.