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CHRISTIAN IN I)M aND SOUTH-WESTERN BAPTIST.
VOL. 49-NO. 3.
A RELIGIOUS AND FAMILY PAPER,
PUBLISHED WEEKLY IN ATLANTA, OA
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The Prodigal.
To Thee, my Father and my God,
I lift my weeping eyes;
I weep o’er paths which I have trod,
O’er paths Thou dost despise.
Oft have I wandered from Thy ways,
Oft left Thy smiling face ;
Oft spent the brightest of my days
Regardless of Thy grace.
O, Father, wilt Thou not reclaim
Thy wandering one to Thee?
Wilt Thou, canst Thou, the plea disdain,
That Jesus died for me ?
O Saviour, is Thy blood still free
To cleanse the siu-stained soul?
Hast not that blood atoned for me,
The weakest of the fold?
O Holy Spirit, wilt Thou leave
My soul in error’s chain ?
Grant one more effort to retrieve
My my mind from fear and pain.
W. J. M.
The Coming of Christ in His Kingdom—No. 3.
in the lust number we saw Jerusalem fall
beneath 'the blow inflicted by her rejected
and offended King. We are now to contem
plate the ruinous effects of that blow upon
the civil polity of the nation. These are set
forth in the following verses :
“ Immediately after the tribulation of these
days, shall the sun be darkened, and the moon
shall not give her light, and the stars shall
fall from heaven, and the powers of heaven
shall be shaken.”
Now, it is well known that the sun, moon,
and stars, in oriental imagery, denote the
powers of the state. The Bible itself furn
ishes many examples. Hence, by these
figures, we are to understand the powers of
civil polity which were still 'assessed by the
Jewish people. Up to the time of the siege,
they had their high council, their municipal
laws, their high-priesthood, and theirgorgeous
temple services. These, like the sun, moon,
and stars, still shed over Jerusalem the light
in which she gloried. But as she passed un
der the yoke of Titus, all this light became
extinguished forever.
This awful picture is still further heightened
by the words which follow: “Then shall ap
pear the sign of the Son of man in the heavens.
And then shall all the tribes of the earth [i.e.
of* the land, meaning the tribes of Israel]
mourn, and they shall see the Son of man
coming in the clouds of heaven, with power
and great glory.” Some have referred these
words to the second coming of Christ at the
day of judgment. But such a reference is
incompatible with other parts of the passage ;
and would be a violent sundering of the verse
from its connection. If all that goes before
.finds a satisfactory application in the destruc
tion of Jerusalem, and the dispersion of its
people, it would seem that this verse applies
to the same thing. True, the language is
boldly figurative. But not more so, than is
usual in Oriental and Scriptural imagery. The
verse may thus be paraphrased. Then shall
the Son of man be made manifest in his gov
ernment so conspicuously t hat he may be said
to appear in the clouds in great glory. Tak
ing this view of it, how exactly it meets the
facts in the case. Remember, J esus was already
king, at the right hand of his Father: but he
was known only in the dispensations of his
grace. As yet, he had not seized the rod of
his power. He had delayed—he had held
back his anger. But remember, one function
of government is to crush out rebellion.
Hence, it was foretold by the prophets, that
he should smite the nations and dash them to
pieces as a potter’s vessel. Hence, he was
to be manifested, not only as the Prince of
Peace, dispensing mercy'and grace upon his
people; but as the ruler taking vengance
upon his enemies.
Now, in the order of the time, Jerusalem
was the first power that rejected his authority.
Its people had crucified him. They had im
precated his blood upon themselves, and upon
their children. How appropriate, how in ac
cordance with the fitness of things, that he
should settle his controversy with the Jews
first. And how appropriate that this should
be made the time of his manifestation as the
avenging ruler. It was then his disciples saw
him coming in his kingdom. Then was ful
filled the promise, “There be some standing
here who shall not taste of death till they see
the Son of man coming in his kingdom.”
We may therefore conclude, that the de
struction of Jerusalem marks the era, when
Jesus began the manifestations of his govern
ment over the n itions of the earth. If this
is true, the language, though very figurative,
is exceedingly appropriate. It accords with
Daniel when he says: “ I saw in the night
visions, and behold, one like the Son of man,
came with the clouds of heaven, and came to
the Ancient of days, and they brought him
near before him, and there was given him
dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all
nations, and people,and languages should him.
His dominion is an "everlasting dominion,
and his kingdom that which shall not be de
stroyed.”
While I do not claim that this vision re
lates to the same point of time in the history
of Christ’s reign, yet, the description is so
similar, that we cannot overlook it. In Mat
thew his coming is for the destruction of
Jerusalem; in Daniel for the destruction of
Anti-Christ. But in both he is represented
as coming to destroy his enemies—and in
both becomes in the clouds of heaven. How
suitable is this figure. Clouds are symbols
of mercy ; for they carry in their bosom the
fetilizing showers which water the earth, and
cause it to bring forth seed for the sower, and
bread for the eater. But the same cloud
which sheds the refreshing rain, carries in its
dark folds the lightning’s fiery bolt, whose
swiftness none can evade, and whose force, no
human strength can resist. Hence clouds
are also symbols of wrath, and of judgments.
How beautifully do they represent the two
fold functions of that government which Jesus
administers over the nations! We see him
the Prince of Peace, exercising patience, long
suffering, and forbearance—dispensing grace,
and goodness, to thousands that accept his
offered clemency. Then we see him brand
ishing the bolts of divine vengeance, and exe
cuting judgments upon his foes, and dashing
them to pieces like a potter’s vessel. Thus
he did to that stiff-necaed rebellious Jerusa
lem.
That great event attracted the gaze of the
world. Titus scattered the people. He sold
them into slavery, far and wide, through the
regions of the East, and thus made all men
see the overthrow' of that nation. Nor was
this all: the Senate decreed him a triumph,
such as no “ Imperator” had ever before en
joyed. W hen all was ready the conqueror
came, attended by his exulting legions, and
followed by a long train of captives, and of
spoils of silver, of gold, and of precious
stones. As the immense procession filed
through the coy, thousands saw only the
empty honors of a mortal inan. But there
"FRANKLIN PRINTING H#USE, ATLANTA, GA., THURSDAY, JANUARY 20, 1870.
were eyes looking on that mighty pageant
which saw more than the splendors of earthly
power. They remembered what Jesus had
said. They saw the gleaming of that light
ning which shined from the far distant East,
even (o this remote city of the West. By
the eye of faith they could see far above the
dust and confusion of the- vast procession the
form of the Son of man in the clouds of
heaven, as the real, and efficient agent in the
scene which was passing before them. Jesus
the king ! He had come in his kingdom. He
had accomplished this first great event in the
administration of his kingly government over
the nations. It was his will that it should
be remembered. He had used the Romans
according to prophecy as his instruments to
inflict the punishment which he designed. He
then used them as his agents to commemorate
it. A magnificent arch of solid masonry was
thrown across one of Rome’s most public
thoroughfares. The achievements of Titus
were emblazoned upon it, and over the centre
were inscribed these significant words “Judea
Capta.” This structure told to all the nations
of the earth, whose representatives thronged
the impel ial city, the story of Jerusalem.
Nay, more, the same words were stamped
upon the coins of Vespasian (some of which
remain to the present day) and thus through
all the avenues of trade, over Rome’s vast
Empire, men were daily reminded of the
event which had above all others so signal
ized the reign of the Emperor. To the masses
it may have told nothing more. But imagine,
if you please, some Christian in distant Spain,
or Gaul. He reads the 24th chapter of
Matthew. Having laid aside his roll, he goes
out to the market place, and receives in ex
change for his produce a coin. Upon its face
is the image of the Emperor armed with a
javelin, standing over the form of a kneel
ing captive bathed in tears, while around the
margin is distinctly inscribed, “Judea Capta.”
How clearly would that Christian recognize
the fulfillment of his Saviour’s prophecy !
How clearly would he perceive that it was
Christ, not Caesar, who triumphed over Je
rusalem !
The Saviour’s triumph over rebellious Is
rael having been achieved, other like eveuts
were to follow ; for he must reign till all en
emies shall he subdued under his feet. But
having accomplished his purpose in the case*
of Jerusalem, he pauses in the administration
of his judgments. He keeps back fora while
the lightning’s volley, and permits the clouds
to distil their mercies over the earth. This
is beautifully indicated in the next verse.
“ He shall send forth his angels with the
great sound of triumph, and gather his elect
from the four winds, from the one end of the
heaven to the other.” This verse also, has
by some beeu referred to the final judgment.
But in the light of our interpetatiou, no such
reference is necessary. It falls in most har
moniously with the drift of the Saviour’s
prophetic narrative. It is well known that
Angels are messengers, and the term is some
times used to denote Christ’s ministers. The
trumpet is the metaphorical term to denote
the proclamation of the gospel. Hence the
verse figuratively foretells the success of the
gospel in the age following the fall of Jeru
salem ; and history confirms its truth. For
it is a fact that the preached gospel was car
ried with amazing rapidity over all the nations
of the then known world.
These views seem to me to explain so much
of this wonderful prophecy of our Lord as
we have up to this point examined. The
explanation accords with all the facts of the
ease, nd brings all the events foretold within
the period of that generation. Hence it re
moves all difficulty arising from the next three
verses. By the parable of the fig tree, he
teaches his disciples that the events foretold
in the proceeding verses, should positively
occur before that generation should pass away.
And this he confirms by a kind of oath:
“ Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my
words shall not pass away.” So certain was
it, that his predictions should be fulfilled, and
equally certain was it that the time allowed
for their fulfillment was limited to that gene
ration. The day and the hour (see verse 36)
where the blow should be struck, which should
terminate completely the Jewish dispensation,
could not be known —yet it was near at hand,
and this was enough for them to know.
I am aware that this verse, like several
others which we have noticed, is referred by
some interpreters to the day of judgment. It
is supposed that there is an intended contrast
between the pronoun “that” in this verse, and
the pronoun “ these” in verse 33. On this
supposition an argument is founded, that,
according to the proper import of these pro
nouns, the reference here must be to a more
distant time. But if the Saviour had said,
“of this day and hour” these words would
have denoted the time in which he was speak
ing, Hence the words which he did employ,
merely distinguished the time referred to from
the time in which he was speaking; and not
from that of which he spoke in the preced
ing verses. The phase “ that day,” refers to
the same time, which is referred to in verse
29, by its plural “ those days.”
Here I must pause for another number.
S. G. Hillyer.
Forsyth, Ga., Dec. \4th, 1869.
Colosians i; 24.
In the received version (King James’), this
verse reads thus: “ Who now rejoice in my
sufferings for you, and fill up that which is
behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh
for his body’s sake, which is the Church.”
The relative “ who,” has no Greek word
corresponding to it. The Greek verb is first
person singular. How then came the trans
lators to. introduce “who,” in place of “ I,”
as the subject of the verb rejoice ( kairo .)
The object evidently was to connect verse 24
with verse 23, and in this they followed MSS.
D. F. F. G., in which os nuu occur. The
best critics reject os.
But what is here meant by the expression
“ fill up that which is behind of the afflictions
of Christ,” &c. Would not the general reader
get the idea that the atoneineut of Christ was
deficient, and the sufferings of Paul were
necessary to complete it? And can we not
see in this passage the dregs of Catholic doc.-
trine% so representative of King James and
his translators ? They have so translated the
original as to “ prop up plausibly their doc
trine of the merits of the saints, and of the
treasure of good works.”
Murdock’s translation of Peshito Syriac,
brings out clearly this idea. It reads thus i
“ And I rejoice in the sufferings which are for
your sakes; and, in my flesh, I Jill up the de
Jlciencg in the afflictions of the Messiah.”
It is not possible to miss the meaning of
the passage thus rendered. Sawyer, a trans
lator so elegant and impartial, is equally un
fortunate in his rendering of this passage:
‘ Now I rejoice in sufferings for you, and sup
ply the deficiencies of the afflictions of Christ.”
If such language means anything, it cer
tainly teaches that the sufferings of Christ
were deficient, and that Paul supplied this
deficiency. Here is the foundation for that
Jesuitic doctrine, that teaches “ that various
saints, as the apostles, martyrs, and others,
have done and suffered much more than they
required for the expiation of their own sins;
and, as they are provident, thrifty men, lest
these superfluous satisfactions (for so th y
call them) be unprofitably lost, they main
tain that they go into the common treasury
of the churches, where being mixed with the
superabundant sufferings of Christ, they are
preserved for the necessities of the penitent.”
The recent revision by the learned of our
own country, is by no means free from ob
jection : “ Now I rejoice in my sufferings for
you, and fill up that which is behind of the
afflictions of Christ.” This is almost the ex
act language of the common version. Wes
leys “ sufferings” for “ afflictions,” and agrees
in all other particulars.
Beza, in his Latin version writes: “ Reliquias
afflictionum Christi vicissim expleo in came
mea .” The expression “ vicissim expleo ,” is
very happily chosen by Beza. Ostervald, in
his French translation, has missed the idea,
and fallen upon the Catholic doctrine:
“ fackeve de soufrir en ma chair le rests des
afflictions de Christ .” In the term acheve, we
have the finishing, bringing to perfection, the
work of Christ.
Bloomfield gives the passage thus : “ Now
I rejoice at my sufferings (undergone) for you
(Gentiles); and (I consider that) 1 (hereby)
fill up in my flesh what remains of the afflic
tions to be endured by me for Christ’s sake.”
This is also- Bohmer’s view.
Olshausen, following the interpretation of
Luther, Melancthon, Calvin, Beza, Grotius, J.
D. Michaelis, Augustine, Chrysostom,
Steiger, Bahr, and others, nnderstands the
phrase “of Christ,” to refer subjectively to
the mystical Christ; i. e., Christ as filling the
church with his life and being. The plain
English is, that the sufferings of Paul are the
sufferings of Christ in him. Ha would not
be understood as saying that the sufferings of
Paul were vicarious, sin-forgiving, in their effi
cacy, but only an advancement in sanctifica
tion by sufferings. This view is not without
its difficulties.
Paul had endured much for Christ, as af
flictions attended him in every place. He
even gloried in sufferings, and hence he did
not shrink from those which yet awaited him.
He suffered daily, and thus was filling up the
measure of sufferings allotted him. We may
translate then the passage: “I fill up that
which remains to me of affliction to be en
dured in the cause of Christ,” &c. There is
here no merit claimed for the sufferings.
We confess that it is not easy for the student
of the Bible to reach the truth, when the
learned differ so widely. Some will say, study
the Bible alone, and not learned biblical crit
ics, and there wiil be less perplexity. This
advice will do for ordinary passages, butthere
are many difficult texts that we would
comprehend, unless we avail ourselves of the
learning and research of great and pious
minds. The passage we have selected, has
been very aptly designated “ a real crux in
terpretum. G. T. Wilburn.
P. S.—l am serving four churches—Bethes
da, in Sumter county, Union, in Macon coun
ty, the Buena Vista church, and the church
ut Smithville—and yet 1 am compelled to
supplement my salary by a school.
Further Thuoghts on Protracted Meetings.
In my last an attempt was made to show
that the objection of H. E. T. to Protracted
Meetings was groundless. Os the the success
of this attempt your readers must judge.
H. E. T. says it has been about forty years
since Protracted Meetings commenced, and
that it will take twice forty years to obliterate
the evils they have produced. It is strange
that an editor, an author, and a minister of
the gospel, should make such sweeping as
sertions, without giving the unenlightened a
particle of proof. Surely we have fallen upon
strange times. Men are so prone to extremes.
Wo have among us anti mission men, anti
board men, and anti-protracted meeting men ;
and the first thing we know there will be an
other non fellowshipping resolution passed
by some—a fourteenth article, declaring non
fellowship with all who favor the Protracted
Meeting institution, thus engrafting still an
other article on the faith of the fathers; and
I am a little afraid that if the Grace of God
is not wonderfully magnified in my
friend and brother, H. E. TANARUS., he
ccme a leader in the next revolt. nHV
According to your correspondent,"about
forty years ago the Protracted Meetings com
menced, and it is well known that a general
revival of religion commenced at the same
time, and spread all over the country ; that
about the same time the churches were roused
from their death like slumbers on the subject
of missions, Sunday schools, Bible publica
tion, and temperance. Now, when the min
ister enjoys the hospitalities of his brethren,
the decanter and glass are not thrust in his
face as in days of yore, in the good old times
of no Protracted Meetings, no Bible socie
ties, no Sunday schools, but when plenty of
apple-jack and corn whisky abounded. These
reforms and improvements, characteristic of
the nineteenth century, kindred in their char
acter, are worth a thousand years labor. But
I am digressing.
Protracted Meetings have been the means,
under God’s blessing, of turning thousands
to Christ whom the ordinary means of grace
had failed to reach. In all Protracted Meet
ings which are attended with general awaken
ings, a greater or less number of souls are
attracted to these meetings that seldom it
ever attend upon Divine service any where.
It is also well known that numbers of the
most sceptical, profligate and abandoned of
our race are brought to Christ, and as a proof
of the genuinness of their change, they main
tain their steadfastness and make good mem
bers of the church, and some become useful
and efficient ministers of Jesus Christ. In
the midst of these rich displays of Divine
mercy, such men as Layman and H. E. T.
look on in amazement, and exclaim, “Behold
what hath God wrought!” We have wit
nessed the public profession of hundreds
brought to the Saviour through this instru
mentality ; many of whom are in heaven,
and many others are filling important posi
tions in the grand, conquering army of the
living God. We could here particularize,
but our space will not permit. I have known
many churches saved almost from extinction
by means of Protracted Meetings. In one
of the old towns of Georgia, there has exist
ed for many years, a Baptist church which,
through worldly conformity and general neg
lect of the means of grace, was so reduced
in numbers and piety, that they could not
sustain a pastor, and for months ceased to as
semble for public worship. In the midst of
this desolation, a beloved brother, a pastor
of a "neighboring church, visited this church,
and the result of the visit was a Protracted
Meeting, and a glorious revival followed,
which continued to more than
eight weeks, and about baptized,
and quite a number were by letter,
and restoration, and a worldly, inefficient
church restored to a high degree of spiritual
prosperity; and before the meeting closed, a
pastor was chosen and liberal provision made
for his support. This church still lives, and
has enjoyed several years of uninterrupted
prosperity. This is no isolated case, but one
of many. Yet, according to our brother, it
will require twice forty years to obliterate
the evils Protracted Meetings have entailed
upon the church and the world. Surely, our
brother was dreaming.
Not many miles from the spot where I
now write, there is a Baptist church now in a
prosperous condition, with a Sabbath school,
a w'eekly prayer meeting, and all the church
are at peace with each other, and enjoying
much spiritual comfort from the preached
Word, and are devising liberal things for
their pastor, and are laboring to develop a
plan by which the gf*xl old Index and its
more recent associate, the Baptist, may reg
ularly visit every family connected with the
church. You are glad brother Toon, to hear
this last; will be glade-ex’ when it is realized.
But this plan is no chlnera; wait patiently.
Now this church, so fuft of hope and prom
ise, three months ago was in a condition too
deplorable to be mentioned. It was a name
of reproach. the change ? They
have a live minister vie commenced a Pro
tracted Meeting; -the 'Lord added His bless
ing; healed all their breaches; gave them
peace ; and added to their number several
precious souls. Wh.it a blessing ! No.v,
according to. your ctuvesponderit., what a sin
that these brethren diuf not stop the meeting
Sunday night! Wh.t? a pity these people
were called from cultivating their late cot
ton ! What a pity they did not stay at home,
and observe the command to work the six
days of the week ! Bititis to be hoped this
little flock will be par|onyd, as they have not
yet been enlightened y the evils of Protract
ed Meetings in thenuihjes. as we will all be
soon, when brother E. T. resumes the
pen. I begin to think T had better look out
for a hiding place. Brother Layman has
raised the black flag ; brother H. E. T. will
show no quarter. But I hope to be spared,
for wever did two bpvter friends meet than
brother H. E. T. and myself, when we last
met, at a glorious Protracted Meeting near
the margin of the fanfamed Chattahoochee.
W. D. A.
Beauty of Age.
It is not given to youth alone
Life’s choicest gifts to share;
Nor does the bloom of early years
All of life’s fragrance bear.
As, when the flowers of Spring are gone,
And Summer glories fled,
We hail the autumn hues
That seek our h-ve instead ;
So, in the Autumn-tide of life,
And ’mid the frosts of age,
Are yielded, oft, t£e richest fruits
That bless life’s pilgrimage.
The heart that aye for others beats
In kindliness and truth,
Cannot grow old, but wears within
The elemeuts ot*youth.
And, as the gorgeous sunset hours
Our happiest thoughts engage
So, oft, the brightest flowers of life,
Entwine the br. w»of age.
—Liberal Christian .
Elders—Pastors and Teachers, or Bishops.
Pastors and teachers were probably much
the same. Perhaps*sall the eldership of a
church were authorized and recognized teach
ers; some of whom, on account of special
gifts and graces, had prominence, and were
counted worthy of exceptional consideration
and honor. Upon analyzing the 20th chap
ter of Acts, we find ho distinction made be
tween the elders there, as t<} pastoral respon
sibility. “ From Miletus,” Paul “ Paul sent
to Ephesus, and cabled the elders of the
church;” and when they were come, without
distinguishing one above another, he said:
“ Take heed, therefore, unto yourselves, and
to all the flock, ove? which the Holy Ghost
hath made you overseers,-(bishops) to feed
(shepherd) the chum\of God, which He hath
purchased with HisoWn blood.”
The idea that every ordained man is to be
that he may give himself wholly
to prayer and the ministry of the Word, is
not borne out by Scripture. “ The workman
is worthy of his hire.” “ The Lord hath or
dained that they who preach the gospel shall
live of the gospel.” We are aware of it.
But these words, I apprehend, do not imply
that all who can preach a gospel sermon, or
who are instructed to teach and edify, are to
be wholly provided for. Some workmen are
worth more, some less. Some are able and
ready to preach the gospel, on all occasions,
and everywhere. When a church selects a
pastor or pastors, fitted by grace and gifts to.
be constantly useful in his vocation, to visit
the sick, preach from house to house, such
men, of course, are to be supported. It is
reason as well as Scripture. There may,
however, be coadjutors with such men, who
may preach occasionally to edification, ad
minister the ordinances when necessary, and
yet be not of the character who should give
themselves wholly to the work of the minis
try. Attempts, on their part, so to do, have
often turned out disastrously, and left them
in their necessities to contempt, if not dis
grace. Ido not say how far this has been
just; I speak merely of a fact. The world
never excuses a minister when lie cannot pay
his debts. Other men may bankrupt, and the
next year all shall be forgotten, but not he.
In the views of the subject above-taken,
every church might find in its own bosom
the means of its own edification. We should
hear little of pastorless churches. Paul and
Barnabas appear to have found material for
an eldership in every one of the churches
they established in their evangelic labors.
I do not deny the probability of a pastor
by preeminence, or a president of the elder
ship and church. Very likely some such
person is meant in the address to the seven
churches of Asia, by the term “ angel ”
(messenger,) the messengers of the Great
Head of the Church, to those churches. Cer
tain ministers ant elsewhere styled “ the
messengers (apostles) of the churches and
the glory of Christ,” those who are specially
charged with the ’high office of preaching.
But these appear rather to have been evan
gelists than pastors. E. B. Teague.
What We Need Now.
Among the pressing w'ants of the present
hour, is-a Home Missionary Society, so or
ganized as to carry the gospel to every house
in the land. Os the thousands who attend
public worship, but a few feel that they are
addressed by the sermon. One in a hundred
may feel, when the sermon is being delivered,
“ the minister is addressing me.” It is not
improper to conclude, then, that only such as
feel themselves to be the objects of a sermon,
will be benefitted by it. Public preaching is'
directed at people, but to be useful, it must
be to them. The work of the best pastor
needs to be done all over the country anion"
hearers of the Word. A large proportion o°f
our people never attend public worship.
They read no religious books or periodicals.
To reach them requires that the preacher
should go to them—to their houses and places
of business. This plan is taking the war in
to the enemy’s country. It is attacking him
in his strongholds.
To the mind of the writer, the main diffi
culty in the way of this plan, is the want of
proper men for the work. It is thought to
require extraordinary men for the Foreign
Mission work. It requires men not less
gifted, in several elements of character, for
the work here referred to. Devoted piety,
fwpectable information, Bible learning, and’
common sense to use it, fervent zeal, a deep
affection for the souls of men, and a spirit of
self-sacrifice that makes God and His cause
so dear that all privations will be patiently
submitted to for their sake: these are the
elements of character called for. Let men
possessed of such qualifications be sought out.
Let them have Bibles, Testaments, choice
books and tracts. Let these books and tracts
be sold or given away, as the circumstances
may require. Let these missionaries go to
every house in the land—in country and in
town. Let meetings be held in every desti
tute neighborhood. Let Sabbath schools be
organized in every place where practicable.
Such a work as has thus been sketched,
would be of more service to the cause of
Christ in Georgia, than any other the writer
can think of. Can such a work be set on
foot? Can we arrange to put ien men of the
right, character in the field ? They must be
the right men r or they will not do. To such
a cause as the above, the writer, out of his
poverty, is willing to pay annually the sum
of $lO. Are there not nine hundred and
ninety nine other Baptists in Georgia who
will <lo as much for such a cause? If so, let.
them speak. W. M. D.
The Hen Question.
The Home and Foreign Journal publishes
a note from a correspondent, who sent to the
Board one dollar and a half, which a certain
sister’s mission hen had brought her for
missionary purposes; and the writer, not
having done anything for the cause this year,
added fifty cents to make the hen’s contribu
tions even money. The Biblical Recorder
pronounces it a shame, that a man should be
governed in his contributions by the scratch
ing* of “ one sore-footed hen.” The rebuke
is just, and should claim the attention of
many Georgia Baptists. While the amount
scratched up by a “sore-footed hen” should
not be the standard of giving, yet to devote
to the cause of missions the proceeds of a
part of our possessions, is our privilege; aud
according to Old Testament example. A
certain proportion of the poultry, stock and
plantation income devoted to God’s cause,
and religiously paid by each of our white
members owning such property, would make
the report of the Finance Committees of our
Associations decidedly more interesting, and
cause the hearts of our faithful and laborious
Secretaries, Sumner and Taylor, to leap for
joy.
Suppose all of our white people so poor
as that, the proceeds of one hen would be a
good average for each one to contribute, what
would be the result?
The Georgia Association, the oldest in the
State, has 3 343 white members, and in 1868
contributed $1,377 20. If each of these
members had possessed a hen yielding $1 50
per head, a< did the above “ sore-footed ” one,
this Association would have had the sum of
$5,014 50 tor benevolent purposes.
The next oldest is the Hephzibah, with
2,317 whites, and contributed, in 1868,
$419 15. But with a ben, her treasury would
have been swelled with $3,475 50, just a lit
tle more than $3,000 over what she did give.
The Sarepta claims the next position in
age, and at her last session reported 4,289
whites, and for missions, $657 06, but with a
hen she would have reported $6,433 50. „
Next comes the Ebenezer, wit h 1,360 whites,
and $528 30 for missions, but by the hen
policy she would have had $2,040. By the
way, one sister sent up to this Association
from her “Mish” hen, as her little boy calls
her, $3 60. Had each member such a hen,
(whether store-footed or not was not reported,)
the Association would have controlled $4,896.
But enough of this.
However shameful it may be to give but
oce-vhird.as much as a hen, stall the hen is no
mean institution. Who will not vote for the
hen ?
Why is it that each member cannot con
tribute on an average with this “ sore footed ”
hen? They can and will, if our pastors will
do their duty, and induce the people to adopt
some systematic plan, and take the Index.
* * *
Why do not Baptists Co-operate with the
American Bible Society.
What necessity exists fur more than one
great national Society in America, for the
purpose of giving the Bible to all the nations
of the earth? Why can not the American
.Bible Society do all the work ?
ouch are the questions frequently put to
Baptist pastors and other lriends of the
American and Foreign Bible Society, when
appealing for aid to their own society, in their
work of supplying Burmah, and Siam, and
India, and.China, and other lands, with the
translations of God’s word made by their
own beloved missionaries, Judson, and Jones,
and Goddard, and Carey, and Marsham, and
Yates, anifother godly aud learned Baptists,
who have consecrated their lives to the work
of giving a faithfully translated Bible to the
heathen world.
These questions are frequently proposewto
members of Baptist congregations, for the
purpose of inducing them to withhold their
contributions From the American and Foreign
Bible Society, which was established for the
very purpose of sustaining the translations
of their own missionaries, and to contribute
their money to the Society which cast them
oft’ 30 years ago, and which, for all that time,
has steadily refused, and still does refuse to
contribute a single dollar to print the trans
lations of any one of these Baptist scholars
and translators.
In referring to this action of the American
Bible Society, we wish to be destinctly under
stood, that *e write thus, not for the purpose
of censuring that society; but simply to just
ify the course which American Baptists felt
it their duty to take; that is, when we were
not permitted to act with them, — to act by
ourselves. We rejoice in the prosperity and
success of the American Bible Society, and
in the great good it has effected, especially in
the publication and circulation of the English
Scriptures. But, though we thus speak of
that great society, while its present policy in
relation to foreign versions remains what it
is, wc cannot act with it. Why ?
It ought to be regarded a sufficient answer
to the question—why cannot Baptists coope
rate with the American Bible Society, and
pour their funds into its treasury?—to advert
to this well known fact, that that society will
give nothing in aid of the versions of such
Baptist scholars as Judson and Carey, and
their associates ; and that if the fifty thousand
dollars contributed last year by Baptists to
their own society—the American and Foreign
Bible Society—had been every dollar of it
given to that Society, and a request
had been sent by our beloved Bap
tist missionary brethren from India or
Burmah, for a donation of five hundred dol
lars, in aid of Judson’s Burman Bible, or
Carey’s Bengalee Testament, that request
would have been unanimously, peremptorily
tefysed. How, then, is it possible that Bap
tistscan consistently cooperate with a society,
whicn thus utterly repudiates the claims of
their missionaries and of translations made
by them ? And who can doubt, with such a
fact in view, that when this refusal was first
made in 1836, the Baptists of America did
right in establishing a Bible Society of their
own, to do their own work ? and that so
long as the American Bible Society adheres
to the resolution which excluded them from
its benefits, so long it will be the duty of
American Baptists to perpetuate and to sus
tain their own society, in performing their
share of the work in giving a translated Bible
to the world ?
But it will be replied—did not the Baptists
cooperate with the American Bible Society for
may years ? If they are r.ow disunited
from it,
WHO ARK RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SEPARATION ?
We answer, the Baptists are not respons
ible, as the following statement of undisputed
facts will prove:
In the original address to the people of the
United States, by the Convention which form
ed the American Bible Society in 1816, they
say : “Its members are leagued in that, and
in that alone, which calk-up every hallowed,
and puts down every unhallowed principle—
the dissemination of the Scriptures in the re
ceived versions, where they exist, and in the
most faithful where they are required.” This,
for a period of nineteen years, viz., from the
formation of the society till the year 183<|t
was the principle upon which they acted, an#
during all this time, the Baptists cheerfully
and cordially acted w ith‘them, in giving aid .
to different versions of.thp Scriptures; that
is, to “ the received versions inhere they exist
ed, and to the most faithful where they were
required.” While this principle was the rule
of action, there was no difficulty, no separa
tion. American Baptists contributed to the
society regularly and liberally, Baptist trans
lations were generously aided, and Baptist
missionaries were granted the liberty which
they were willing to concede to others, in their
work of translation, of discharging their duty
to God and to their own consciences ; and had
not the Board of the American Bible Society,
by the adoption of *’■
A NEW PRINCIPLE,
in the year 1836, denied to them this liberty,
they would still have cooperated, willingly
and cheerfully with other Christians in that
society, in furnishing the heathen world with
the Bible, leaving every denomination for the
faithfulness of the translations executed by
their missionaries, accountable only to God.
We should offer an apology for the
statement of these historical facts, so
familiar to the older members of our
churches, were it not, that in the thirty
years which have since transpired anew
generation of Baptists have come upon the
stage of action; and it is important that
the younger members of our churches should
also know these facts, that they also m3y
judge for themselves who are responsible for
the separation of the Baptists from the Ameri
ican Bible Society; and also, whether there
was not, at the time, an imperative necessity
for the establishment of a Bible Society of
our own, and whether, since that new princi
ple, then adopted, by which the Baptists were
excluded from the society, is still the rule of
action, there is not still the same necessity
for the continuance of the American and For
eign Bible Society, as the organ of American
Baptists, in the work of giving a translated
Bible to the world.
The new principle adopted by the Board,
February, 17, 1836, was in the following
words: “ Resolved , That in appropriating
money for the translation, printing, and dis
tribution of the sacred Scriptures in foreign
languages, the Managers feel at liberty to
encourage only such versions as conform, in
the principle of their translation , to the com
mon English version, at "least so far that ail
the religious denominations represented in
this Society can consistenly use and circulate
said versions iu*their several schools and com
munities.”
.THE CAUSE OF THE SEPARATION.
The adoption of this new principle virtu illy
expelled the greet body of the Baptist
ination from the American Bible Society. It
cut off, at one stroke, from all further aid, all
the translations made by Baptist missionaries
among the heathen ; and it was faithfully op
posed and urgently protested against, at the
time of its adoption by the late Rev. Spencer
H. Cone and others, then members of the
Board of the American Bible Society.
The circumstances which led to the adop
tion of this new rule of action, were as foi
lows : The Rev. Dr. Carey, the father of the
English Baptist Mission to India, and one of
the greatest oriental scholars that ever lived,
had translated and published eight or ten
editions of the Bible in Bengalee. After Dr.
Carey’s death, the Rev. Dr. Yates, another
learned Baptist scholar, and a graduate of the
University of Aberdeen, in Scotland, revised
and published an edition of the Bengalee
New Testament, which was believed by com
petent judges to be one of the best versions
ever made of the Scriptures in any language.
THE BAPTIST RULE OF TRANSLATION.
In this Bengalee Testament, and in the
other versions made by these learned Baptist
missionaries into the languages of the heathen,
they had acted upon the principle, aftewards
embodied in a resolution adopted by the
American Baptist Board of Missions, at
Salem, in April, 1833 —“ to endeavor, by
earnest prayer, and diligent study, to ascer
tain the exact meaning of the original text;
to express that meaning as exactly as the
nature of the languages into which they shall
translate the Bible will permit; and to trans
fer no words which are capable of being liter
ally translated
In accordance with this Baptist principle of
translation, Drs. Carey and Yates, taking
the inspired original for the standard, and not
the English, or any other imperfect version,
had not transferred into Bengalee the Greek
words for baptism, and its cognates, because
they did not feel at liberty to give the heathen
a Greek word, which they had never heard
before instead ofa word in their own vernacu
lar tongue; but they had translated these
words, as the usage of all the ancient Greek
authors required, and the united scholarship
of the entire world demanded, by words sig
nifying immerse.
In 1835, the Rev. Dr. Yales, uniting with
the Rev. Mr. Pearce, sent an application to
the Board of the American Bible Society, fur
aid in printing arid circulating the Bengalee
New Testament. This request was refused.
And after considerable discussion the forego
ing resolution, embodying the new principle
of the American Bible Society, was adopted.
By this new principle of action the original
Greek and Hebrew of the Scriptures were
displaced as the true standard, so far as the
ordinance of baptism was concerned; pre
cisely as the Romish Council of Trent estab
lished the Latin Vulgate translation as the
standard from which all future translations
should be made by Roman Catholic transla
tors. By this new principle it was, in effect,
resolved that the Bible should be made con
sistent with the creeds of the denominations
represented in it; not that the Bible should
govern human opinions, but that human opin
ions should govern the Bible.
WERE THE BAPTISTS RIGHT ?
We put it to the reader. Were the Bap
tists right in their decision on this question—
that the Bible should govern and control the
human opinions—not that human opinions
should control the Bible—that the sacred ori
ginal should be the standard and not any
human imperfect version? When this new
rule was adopted, a resolution was passed by
the American Bible Board, making on appro
priation of $5,000 to the Baptist missionaries,
upon condition that they would change their
versions, and make them to conform to this
new rule of the Society. It is said of Arch
deacon Paley, that on one occasion, fearful of
displeasing a wealthy patron, he said, “ 1 can
not afford to have a co»scte«c?.”4|jThank God,
our Baptist brethren of that day did not fol-
WHOLE NO. 2473.
low his example. They could afford to have
a conscience. The offer was promptly reject
ed. Were they not right in thus preferring
principle to policy, truth to expediency 1
Yet the Baptists were charged in that day,
and the charge is sometimes repeated in this,
with wantonly and causelessly separatingjthem
selves from the Society, and rending a noble
and Catholic institution in twain. Nothing
could be more unjust and untrue. The Bap
tists were thrust out o; the Society by the
adoption of a principle which they could not
admit without a violation of conscience and
of duty. And when thus unjustly driven from
cooperation with their brethren, are they to
be accused of bigotry* because, rather than
do nothing in the work of translations among
the heathen, they act by themselves? With
as much propriety might a father correct his
son for not remaining in the house when he
himself had turned him into the street and
locked the door upon him.
NO NEW PRINCIPLE REQUIRED BY BAPTISTS.
From the manner in which the advocates
of the American Bible Society sometimes
speak of our Society, and the position of the
Baptists on this matter, it has been well re
marked that “ many good but uninformed
people suppose that the Baptists came to the
Board of the American Bible Society, and
quested them to take some action involving a
new principle, to introduce some new practice
in theiroperations ofcireulatingthcScriptures,
and that the Board very properly and justly
refused such, demand. They suppose, more
over, that.the'Baptists, irritated by this just
refusal, in a vte*y bigoted and unchristian
spirit, broke iy>vay from them, and refused
anyffurther cooperation with other Protestant
Christians in giving the Bible to the world.”
The reader of the foregoing remarks will
perceive at once how widely this differs from
the truth in'this case. It was the American
Bible Society that changed the principles on
which it was originally founded, and oil which
Baptists had acted harmoniously with other
denominations for some twenty years. Had
the Board of Managers adhered to its original
principles, and continued to carry them out
in practice as they had in previous years, the
Baptists of America would, doubtless very
generally, have continued to cooperate with
them up to the present time, reserving to
themselves the privilege of translating the
Scriptures, as they judged to be right, and
tfcving missionaries of other denominations
translate them in the fields of their labor
mscience and duty should dictate. As
oard, however, instead of this, adopted
ifhother rule in which we could not unite
without treason to conscience and to duty,
there was no other course for Baptists to take,
unless they would givo up all share in the
work of giving the Bible to the heathen, than
to form anew Bible Society in v hieh they
could work'consistently with their own con
scientious principles and convictions of
duty.
FORMATION OF TIIE SOCIETY.
This course was taken, and the American
and Foreign Bible Society was provisionally
formed at a meeting held in the Oliver Street
Baptist church, New York, May 12th and
13th, 183(5; and one year aft ewards the society
was fully organized in the city of Philadelphia;
after a full and earnest discussion, and prayer
ful consideration of the whole matter for four
successive days, by probably a larger and
more influential Convention of Baptist minis
ters and lay delegates from every portion of
our country, tb.-in had ever before assembled
together in the entire history of the Baptist
denomination in America.
Os this great Convention of Baptists, the
present honored Corresponding Secretary of
the American and Foreign Bible Socitey was
the President, and the writer of the present
statement was a member. He knows, there
fore, whereof he affirms, when he states that
from that time onwards the Society has
steadily [pursued its course, without turning
to the right hand or to the left, for these
thirty years, through evil and through good
report, ever faithful to the one object of its
original establishment, viz: “To aid in the
wider circulation of the Scriptures in all
lands.”
Friend Sorrow.
Do not cheat thy heart and tell her,
“Grief will pass away;
Hope for fairer times in luture,
And forget to-day.”
Tell her, if you will, that sorrow
Need not come in vain;
Tell her that the lesson taught her
Far outweighs the pain.
Cheat her not with the old comfort,
“Soon she will forget”—
Bitter truth, alas! but matter
Rather for regret.
Bid her not seek other pleasures,
Turn to other things ;
Rather nurse her caged sorrow
Till the captive sings.
Rather bid her go forth bravely,
And the stranger greet;
Not as foe, with shield and buckler,
But ns dear friends meet.
Bid her with a song clasp hold her
By the dusky wings,
And she’ll whisper low and gently
Blessings that she brings.
Household Words.
“ Fashionable Religion.”
I am notan Episcopalian myself, but I take
pleasure in cultivating a feeling of affection
for all evangelical churches, and I was shocked
at the spirit of bigotry which, I think, char
acterized an article in your paper of the 23rd
ult., under the above head. I really do not
think that the members of the Episcopal
church will compare unfavorably with those
of the other churches in regard to fashion, or
morals, or deportment, or efforts to do good,
and I am pretty sure that such good men as
Mcllvaine, and Tyng, and Elliot, and Cobbs,
and a host of others, would, not willingly
“confirm persons in the faith of the daughter
of the mother of harlots,” if they had
sense enough to know it. I also think that
no good cause is ever benefitted by flippant
sarcasms directed against those whose great
est fault is that they “ will not go with them.'
Such “flings” should at least be avoided by
men like “Anti Episcopalian,” whose zeal is
not according to knowledge, even of the
ten commandments. As he places profani
ty under the second, I would advise him to
study them again, and especially the ninth.
Charity.
Montgomery , Jan. 3, 1870.
A Response.
“ Watchman, what of the night ?”
The “ Mother ol Harlots ” is in fine health,
and prospering.
Her daughters, who ape her, and deal in
her commodities, are unable to repel her en
croachments, and are taking shelter in her
bosom.
The Baptists, who are her legitimate oppo
nents, and who hold substantially the truth
of God, are divided in counsel, inefficient in
organization, misers in contribution, cold in
heart, and are not prepared to meet the ene
my in the “spirit and power of Elijah.”
“Arise, O God, and plead thine own cause.”
H, E. T.
Unlawful Money Getting. —“ The Jesuits
are building a church at Milwaukee, to cost
$160,000, and one of the papers says that it
was begun without a dollar, and so far has
been faired, and picknicked, and raffled,, to its
present proportions.”