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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 TERMS.—CIubs of Pour, ($3.00 each) per annum. ..sl2.oo Clubs of Three, ($3.33 each) per annum... 10.00 Clubs of Two, (3.50 each) per annum 7.00 Single Subscriber j. J. TOON", Proprietor. 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.”