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J.J. TOON, ■ - • * Proprietor.
Editor: R«?v. D. SHAVER, D.D.
CORRESPONDING EDITORS:
Rev. J. J. D. REMFROE, Talladega, Ala.
Rev. 3. HENDERSON, D.D., Fayetteville, Ala.
THURSDAY, JANUARY 20, 1870.
Our Humble Bow.
“And some said, What will this babbler say ?’’
Well, we do not expect to be a setter-forth of
strange gods, nor of new doctrines; but we as
pire to aid, in some humble sort, the promotion
of the Redeemer’s cause in Alabama.
The propriety of the writer’s connection with
the Index and Baptist, as Corresponding Editor,
may be questioned by some good brethren—we
have questioned it ourself. To all, however, we
desire to say that we have consented to this, in
the hope that we might, in this way, render some
additional service to the Master and the churches.
Other brethren have thought that we could; and
the Editor and Proprietor have thought the same.
Therefore, in association with Dr. Henderson, we
have entered into this arrangement with a deter
mination to do our best.
At this writing, justice to ourself requires that
we should say, that we have not at any time sup
posed that the editorial force of the paper needed
reinforcements. Nor have we imagined that we
could add to the interest and life of a paper edited
by Dr. Shaver.
Since the war our Slate Convention has uni
formly adopted this paper as the organ of its en
terprises, and pledged its support; and now the
most necessary thing to preserve this obligation
in good faith, is, that Alabama Baptists will learn
to feel that it is their paper. Our Georgia
brethren are anxious that we shall practically re
member that they and we have a common inter
est in the paper.
We are perfectly aware that there are other pa
pers circulating in our State, whose circulation
will continue here. We do not object to this.
But it is vastly important that our brethren should
concentrate on some one paper: however many
others they may take, one ought to be recognized
universally as the medium of communication on
subjects relating to our denominational enter
prises in the State. This would greatly conduce
to our union and co-operation, and to a more thor
ough organization of Baptist strength in Alabama.
We would thus be kept informed of our State en
terprises, and would be familiar with the efforts
of our brethren throughout the State.
Now, it strikes us as very clear, that no odier
paper now existing can so easily reach these (Stda
as the Index and Baptist. If we could but seer
the fact, we would realize that Atlanta is as suit
able a location from which to issue a Baptist pa
per for Alabama, as any city in our own State.
By way of Columbus, West Point, and Rome,
Ga., and Chattanooga, Tenn., there are four lines
of railways leading from Atlanta directly through
the body of our State, so that in a few hours the
paper may be transmitted throughout the State.
My paper frequently reaches me at Talladega be
fore the printer’s ink is dry, and in 24 hours
more it would go to the western border of the
State.
These things being true, may we not expect
that our brethren will make an earnest effort to
give the paper a good circulation over the State?
May we not ask that every subscriber in Alabama
will at once attempt to send at least one new sub
scriber to the paper? We know that many will
be much pleased to see again the name of Dr.
Henderson connected with this paper, and we
trust that many will not object to our position
and efforts. Then, brethren, let us make a fair
test of this matter. J. J. D. R.
Short Sermons: Study of Truth.
Rev. H. P. Liddon, the Batnpton lecturer on
“Our Lord’s Divinity," has been pronounced the
foremost preacher of the British pulpit. We no
tice in one of our exchanges a statement, that his
hearers, while usually content with discourses
but five minutes in length, grant him patient au
dience for the space of a full hour.
Now, is not this a marvel ? A company of
deathless spirits, approaching the verge of an
unalterable decision and an eternal destiny, are
willing to follow, for sixty minutes , the most
eloquent man of his age perhaps, in a discussion
of the great and vital themes on which hang all
their hopes forever and ever! We are surprised
—astounded —to hear it. Not because their at
tention can be detained, for this length of time,
by the disclosures of a divine revelation and the
proffers of an infinite mercy; but because the
fact should be deemed worthy of special note, in
virtue of its rarity. There is a terrible indict
ment of our race in it. For what stronger proof
of inborn and “ desperate ” depravity can there
be, than this indifference to the truths of “ the
salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal
glory”—an indifference from which men are with
such difficulty wakened, and into which they re
lapse with such instant haste ? It is the voice of
human godlessness that, burdens the air with
the outcry for short sermons.
The principles of the law and the facts of the
gospel, which fix their roots in the infinite depths
of the nature of God, and unfold their issues
through an immortality without change or end
are they short ? The needs of our ignorance, to
which the whole spiritual universe is at first an
empty void and afterward a chaos of vague or
presumptuous imaginings, and the consequences of
our probation, which must glow with heightening
splendor, or darken into denser gloom, when
this universe of matter, “ waxing old as doth a
garment,” shall perish—are these short? Why,
then, should we demand short speech concerning
these things from those who come, as messengers
from Jehovah and witnesses for Jesus, to deal
with us, in their stead, on the question of salva
tion from sin? Why should we bestow on these
things short thought, when yesterday the world
engrossed us, or passion blinded us, or we lay in
the stupor of carnal unconcern—when to-morrow
we may have passed from the sphere of trial, and
seen the face of the Judge, and heard the sentence
of award, and sunk into the abyss of despair ?
Oh, there is, there can be, no solution of this fol
ly, except that which our guilt and corruption
6upply. We are prisoners whom the deliverer
finds in the midnight of the dungeon; but we
hate the light which he brings to shine on the
way of our feet and make escape sure, and we
close our eyes against it. That is the sad and
frightful secret of the whole matter.
Men act toward no other truth as they act to
ward saving truth. It is for this they reserve
their especial indifference and disgust. Contrast,
for example, the congregation yf Liddon with
the naturalist, John James Audubon. “Discov
ering a little wren that so resembled, in tint, the
bark on which it *at that it was difficult lo ob
iseiveit, he watched the bird until he found n
flair that were building a nest • theo, going into
the woods with a telescopic microscope, he lav
upon his back on a bed of ir.oss and observed its
‘•habits daily for three weeks. After that he felt
that he knew the bird, and was satisfied to have
purchased exact knowledge at such a price.”
Would men but give something of this patience
£*id enthusiasm in study to the mighty verities of
THE CHRISTIAN INDEX AND SODTH-WESTERN BAPTIST: ATLANTA, GA., THURSDAY, JANUARY 20, 1870.
Scripture! But, alas, what multitudes pass
through life, without devoting to the themes in
which “ the manifold wisdom of God ” has em
bodied itself, and out of which are the issues of
eternal bliss or eternal woe for them, so much
time and thought, in the whole course of their
years, as this student of nature expended on the
habits of a wren 1
No wonder, then, that an Infidel publication
should represent “the teachings of the Bible as
having lost tluur interest for the public mind.”
No wonder Ihsit the opponents of definite doc
trinal belief, exult in the persuasion that clearly
outlined creeds arc among the things that were,
and no longer sway the mass of men. Truly to
know “ the things that make for our peace,” and
rightly to appreciate them, —to have them stand
out before the mental vision as substantive, grand
realities, and to feel that they lay bold of us with
an arm of power,—there must be thought: there
must be continuity of thought Without these,
our conceptions of divine truth are necessarily
indistinct and shadowy. We cannot sharply de"
fine it, or live within the sweep of its potency,
without these.
We protest against the clamor for short ser
mons, therefore, as unfriendly to the thought, and
especially the continuity of thought, without
which the truths of Scripture can neither be
known, nor felt, „i> the fullest and best sense of
the terms.
It is at war, too, with the precise function of
the pulpit, as leading in what may be styled, (by
way of distinction from other branches of reli
gious service,) the worship of God with the in
tellect. But on this point we cannot dwell at
present.
A Jewish Witness.
We are indebted to Rabbi Isidor Kulisch for the
information, that “all Christians are astray on
the form of baptism.” He holds that, for ages
before the origin of Christianity, this rite was ob
served as “a sign of admitance to Judaism,”by “the
submersion of the whole body of the proselyte in
water, in an entirely nude stateand that when
John the Baptist and the apostles transferred the
ceremony to the religion of Jesus, they “surely
performed it in the same way and manner as the
Jews.”
We can hardly concede, on the strength of this
traditional argument,that our denomination—“the
imitators of John the Baptist and the apostolic
church,” as the Rabbi, if we rightly construe his
language, terms them—have departed from the
“ original and proper form” of the ordinance, in
not combining the nudity of the body with its
submersion in water. For the Scriptures bear
witness to the submersion, but ate without a token
or trace of the nudity.
But in the discussion between Baptists and
Pedobaptists on the form of the ordinance, the
Rabbi is an impartial witness, so far as regards
the exegetical and philological argument. Hos
tile to both parties alike, no bias towards either
warps his investigations. And, in reference to
the primitive baptismal act, he says, in the Chris
tian Union: “There was no sprinkling of water,
as can be seen by a description of the baptism
which was performed by John. (See Matt, iii: 6,
16; Acts viii: 36.) The Greek expression, bap
tisrna, used in the New Testament, shows clearly
that submersion of the whole body is required.’’
We commend to the thoughtful this testimony,
which, at least lies open to no suspicion of sec
tarian prejudice.
Church Government.
“ Caleb Cushing once remarked that there were
but two church governments in the world worthy
of the name—one was the Papal and the other
the Presbyterian, or the despotic and republican.
He seemed to icgard the English, or Episcopal,
as ‘neither one thing nor the other,’ lacking the
efficiency of both.”
This sounds well enough, if men only ignore
the teaching of the Scriptures, that the only
Christian church, as a n organization, isjhe church
“particular,” or “the congregation of faithful
men;’’ and that each particular church governs
itself under the law of Christ, and regulates its
own free co-operation with other churches accord
ing to His will, without the intervention of au
thority from abroad. The organization of “church
es ” in any other sense is the work of men, and
their “government,” of course, must be. We
are quite willing, therefore, that Caleb Cushing
and all others who repudiate the Independency of
the New Testament, should speak as though it
were not “ worthy of the name of church gov
ernment.” It is the Divine provision and protest
against all forms of intermeddling on the part of
human unwisdom with the structure of the king
dom of Christ. It is the safeguard appointed of
Heaven, against the very existence of any organ
ized churches except the particular, and against
the “governments” which override the rights
and crush out the liberty of these.
Such language, we repeat, is allowable, where
Scriptural Independency has first been disowned
and rejected. But we view the matter differently
when those who profess to embrace this system
permit themselves to say, like Rev. Dr. Duryea,
a year or two since, that ‘Congregational churches
are types of the church of the Millennium, be
cause under the personal reign of Christ there
will be no need of government either in State or
Church, and the Congregationalists have next to
none.’ Next to none, indeed! So far as they
really adhere to Independency, they have the
most complete and perfect of true church gov
ernments —for they have the one which Christ
himself instituted, and the only one which He
will acknowledge in the last day.
But the truth is, that American Oongregation
alists, (for whom Dr. Duryea speaks,) were led,
as far back as 1648, through the unhappy alliance
of Church and State established in New England,
to depart from strict Independency, and to repu
diate the term. This natural consequence of en
tanglement in the meshes of politics, taken in
connection with the membership of infants and
of unregenerate adults as brought in by Pedo
baptism, vitiates the claim of that denomination
to he recognized as maintaining the Scriptural
church government Baptists alone are Jest to
occupy the ground of Divine appointment in the
matter of ecclesiastical polity; and we hope they
may always have grace to say with Zwingle,
“Out of man’s devices any may feign what they
list: w e rest in the Holy Scriptures.”
Baptismal Questionings.
We give the following from a list of “ doctrinal
queries,” by a correspondent of the Memphis
Christian Advocate , as illustrating the unrest
which, extensively, disturbs the peace of our op
ponents.
“ 1. Was spiritual life embraced in the promises
of the Abrahamic covenant, and was circumcision,
the seal of the covenant, a sign of an inward work
of grace upon the heart, or did it have reference
only to temporal bles&ings ¥
2. When a child received circumcision, the
seal of the covenant, by divine appointment, and
thereby became a member of the church of God,
whs circumcision a sign unto the child that it
was in a justified condition before God, or was it
merely a sign that the child was embraced in the
promises of the covenant ?
3. Did the Abrahamic covenant possess all the
yjr.tyes of the gospel of Christ, and were men
;;aved through its promises in the same way, and
through the same means, as they are under the
gospel dispensation ?
4. Was baptism instituted in the place of cir
cumcision, and is it the seal of the same covenant
of which circumcision was the token ?
5 When a child is baptized, does it thereby
become a member of the Church of God, and is
baptism a sign unto the child that it is in a justi
fied condition before God, or is the baptism merely'
a sign that the child is embraced in the promises
of the covenant ?”
Simply to inquire is to put Pedobaptism in peril.
When the mind wakens to doubt and determines
to investigate, the sceptre of that system is half
broken. As an instinct of seif-preservation, it
ought to hate interrogation points , and wage a
relentless crusade against them. Their presence
in books ought to stand to it, as prima facie evi
dence of heterodoxy.
8. S. B.
We invite the attention of our readers to the
fact that brother Boykin, Macon, Ga., is District
Secretary for the Sunday School Board, and that
he will receive money for that Board, and for
Kind Words. Thatexcellent little paper deserves
a very extended circulation.
Reviews snd Notices.
The Debate: A Religious Discussion, which took
place Aug. 31st and Sept. Ist, 1869, between Rev.
G. A. Coulson, of the United Baptist church, Hod
genville. Ky., and Rev. S. A. Kelly, of the Chris
tian Reform church, Horse Cave City. Ky., on the
following propositions:. 1. The New Testament
Scriptures leach that a man is a child of God,
justified, saved, before he is baptized. (Coulson
affirmed, Kelly denied:) 2. The New Testament
Scriptures leach that all the power is in the gos
pel necessary to quicken the sinner. (Kelly affirmed,
Coulson denied.) Being a verbatim report by Mor
ris E. Jones, Phonographic Reporter. Louisville,
Ky.: Jno. P. Morton & Cos. Pp. 93.
The title page sufficiently- describes the char
acter of this pamphlet. What we have had leis
ure to read creates the impression, that the de
batants scarcely possess the analytic power which
strikes through the intricacies of a subject to its
decisive principles. They have not untied the
Gordian knot of controversy on the propositions
discussed.
Death in Old Age. Funeral Sermon of the late Rev
William P. Farit h, preached in the Baptist Church,
Cha-I llesville, Va., Nov. 7th, 1869, by Rev. J. C.
Long. Pp. 16.
The name of the author is a sufficient guaran
ty, that (his is an appropriate tribute, to one who
was eminently successful as a man of business,
yet earnest as a Christian, and in later years use
ful as a minister. Bro. Farish was an admirable
specimen of what is called, with more or less cor
rectness, the “ lay preacher and we wish that
the class were greatiy multiplied among us.
“Why may not farmers, merchants, lawyers,
physicians arid mechanics, who have gifts for
speaking, exercise these gifts in the service of
the Master? They are none the less consecrated
because, like Paul, their own hands minister to
their necessities.”
Lay Preaching. Sermon by Rev. Wayland Hoyt,
Pastor of the Strong Place Baptist Church, Brook
lyn. At the First Anniversary of the “New York
Baptist Lay Preaching Association,” held in the
Madison Avenue Church, N. Y., Sunday Eve
ning, Nov. 14lh, 1869. With an Abstract of the
Proceedings of said Anniveisary. Philadelphia:
American Baptist Publication Society. Pp. 23.
This discourse forcibly presents, as “ the New
Testament ideal, the whole church a royal priest
hood, and so the whole church a preaching
church." It deals strong blows against the idea of
“ any essential distinction between clergy and
laity,” and urges weighty pleas for engaging in
“this much'forgotten duty of lay preachers,”
as necessary to make it no longer true “ that
not more than one-fifth of all who bear the
name of Protestant Christians add anything of
perceptible importance to the efficiency of the
church in the work of the world’s conversion.”
We regret, however, that the sermon is not free
from the vice of political allusion and of imagery
drawn from the recent war. Thus, we are told
that, while “slavery is dead and buried, thank
God,” “a yet darker tyranny is marshalling its
forces, to contest the dominion of this fair Amer
ica of ours,” and that, “already in Cincinnati,
in the casting out of the Bible from the common
schools, you have heard the boom of the first gun
against the Sumter of our Christian liberties
manned and aimed by Rotnish hands.” A more
pretentious passage of this kind, and one liable
to the comment that it is an unconfessed but pal
pable (and halting) imitation of Dr. Way land’s
stirring paragraph, in his sermon on the Chris
tian Ministry, with regard to the reception in
New York of the tidings of peace between Great
Britain and the United States in 1815, we quote
in full:
“I remember on that Sunday night, in Cincin
nati, the other year, when the news broke in up
on us that Richmond had been taken, how all
were the commissioned messengers of the glori
ous tidings; how everybody told it to everybody ;
strong men weeping for very joy as they grasped
hands in ecstacy —how the trumpets blared it,
how bell flung it clanging on to hell, how flame
flashed it back again to flame. J* was every
body’s news and joy; everybody was its preach
er. When Christ died on Calvary, God sent
ringing through the world, the glad tidings that
the kingdom of Satan had fallen, that now the
gates of heaven stood apart for entrance through
Jesus Christ the Lord. It was everybody’s glad
tidings. Apostle sent it to apostle, believer sent
it to believer, father sent it to child, child to father,
king to subject, subject to king, master to slave,-
slave to master, until the Roman Empire so re
sounded with it, that all the hoary gods of heath
endom tumbled in the concussion. What was
everybody’s glad tidings then is everybody’s glad
tidings now. Let us also try it—everybody,
everywhere. Thus shall we win the world for
Christ.”
The First National Baptist Sunday School Con
vention of the United States. Under the auspi
ces of the American Baptist Publication Society.
St. Louis, Nov. 2-4, 1569. Pp. 92. Price, 25 cents.
This publication embraces the valuable essays
on Sunday school matters read in the St. Louis
Convention, with abstracts of the discussions on
points of practical importance. It conveys many
weighty and fruitful suggestions, and we would
be glad to know that our schools were ordering a
copy for each officer and teacher. Where this is
done, it is furnished at ten cents a copy.
Thf. Baptist Quarterly. Rev. H. G. Weston, D.D.,
editor. Philadelphia: American Baptist Publica
tion Society. Terms: $3 a year, invariably in ad
vance.
Contents for January : Vol. IV, No. I.—l.
Christ’s Exaltation and Second Coming, by Prof.
A. C. Kendrick, D.D. 2. Spectrum Analysis, by
\V. C. Richards, Pb. D. 3. Conception of Christ
and Christianity in “ Ecce Homo,” by S. R. Ma
son, D.D. 4. The New Dominion, by Prof. J. E.
Wells, M.A. ,5. Baptism in the Greek Church,
by Prof. A. N. Arnold, D. D. 6. The Three
Methods of Preaching, by Prof. J. A. Broadus,
P.D. 7. Exegetical Studies. 8. Book Notices.
“The pearl among Quarterlies,” as this is
styled by the Congregationalist, presents an in
viting table of contents for the opening of the
fourth volume. We advise Baptists, and espe
cially Baptist ministers, to forward their order
for it early.
General Howell Cobb : A Memorial Volume. Ed
ited by Samuel Boykin..
J. B. Lippincott & Cos., Philadelphia, announce
to be published early in the present month, with
this title, a crown Bvo volume of about 300 pages,
elegantly printed on toned paper, ant} illustrated
with two portraits on steel. It will include, be
sides a variety of other articles, a biographical
sketch by Gen. Wm. M. Browne, a discourse by
Rev. E. W. Warren, a Funeral discourse by Rev.
Wm. T. Brantly, D.D., a friendship’s offering by
Rev. J. L. M. Curry, LL.D., etc. Price, cloth,
gilt top, $3 ; half Turkey, marble edge, $4.50;
English Turkey, gilt, $6. There needs no com
mendation of such ft IJeiporial of the lawyer,
statesman and soldier, to Georgians.
Cosmopolitan Monthly. Wm. Henry Wylly, Editor.
Atlanta. Terms: $4 a year; single copies, 35
cents.
This is the successor of Scott's Monthly, and
the January number gives excellent promise for
its future. Among the original articles we notice
“Major Martinet; or, thus- Lost Half-Hour,” a
serial by Win. Gilmore Simms, “ Words, Words,
Words,” by I. W. Avery, “the Ocean Waif,” by
Mrs. B. M. Zimmerman, and “Sketches of Southern
Character and Scenery,” by Rev. E. B. Teague.
We hope that the friends of a home literature wir
evince their desue to promote it, by a liberal
patronage of the Cosmopolitan.
Our Zion—in Our Exchanges, etc.
Georgia.
Rev. B. W. Whilden writes to us privately
from Marshallville: “Thanks for your wishes
that I may have a pleasant pastoral connection.
I have every reason to expect it. We arrived
here Friday, Dec. 31st. Warm hearts greeted
our arrival and working Hands had done every
thing in their power in advance, to anticipate our
wants in our new home. I expect to preach in
Marshallville on every Sabbath.” —Friendship
Baptist church, Atlanta, (colored) should have
been credited with 720 members, not 159, in the
Minutes of the Ebcnezer Association.
District of Columbia.
Rev. John Berg writes to the Richmond [Jerald
that the property of Columbian College, Wash
ington, previous to the war, consisting of lands,
college edifices, houses, ejc., amounted to $337,-
000 ; and that since the about $122,000 have
been added, in buildings JLid grounds. It needs,
he says, an endowmentiwnd which should give
an income of a fund equfcl to at least $150,000;
anew edifice which shall rank with the noble
edificce of the national capital; an increase of the
library ; an addition to the philosophical and
chemical apparatus, etc. —Rev. P. Warren, of
Navy Yard Church, Washington, has recently
baptized six persons ; among them two of his
sons.—Several promising youth connected with
Columbian College, among them the son of Rev.
Dr. Cuthbert, have been baptized at the Calvary
and First Baptist churches ; and some who had
the law in mind as their profession, are now turn
ing to the gospel ministry.
Kentucky.
Rev. W. W. Gardner, after a pastorale of twelve
years, resigns charge of our church at Rus
sellville, on account of enfeebled health. He will
still reside at that point, and preside over the
Theological department of Bethel College.—Rev.
J. M. Harrington reports 350 baptisms under his
labors, as evangelist, from Aug. 9th, to Dec. 30th.
—New Wiland church announces that “Elder J.
A. M. Stone, now preaching in Illinois,” is in dis.
order, having been excluded from its fellowship
for unchristian conduct."—Madison Street church,
Covington, has been completed at a cost, of S9V
-000 : all paid except $1,200.
Maryland.
Os a Bible class of twenty-five members, at
Sater’s church, Baltimore county, twenty-four
have been baptized within three years. —Among
the recent accessions to the First church, Balti
more, were the two daughters of the pastor, Rev.
J. W. M. Williams, D.D.
, Missouri.
Rev. J. T. M. Johnson begins, in Barton county,
the Banner of Truth ; a paper in the interest of
virtue, sobriety, morality and religion, without
respect to denominational differences. —A meeting
at Richland, Boone county, resulted in twenty-six
accessions to the church*—A church has been
organized at Mt Zion, jjioone, with thirty-two
members dismissed from f*7Sasant Grove, and nine
accessions since.
North Carolina.
Our' house of worship at Thomasville, nearly
completed and worth about $1,200, is likely to be
sold for a debt of S4OO.
South Carolina.
Rev. J. P. Boyce, D.D., was in our office, a few
minutes last week, and reports 58 students at our
Theological Seminary, Greenville, with others
on the way.
Texas.
The church at Sabine Pass, organized a little
over a year ago with five members, has had re
cently an accession of 16—Rev. 11. F. Buckner,
in reference to the proposition of Friendship As
sociation Ga., to support him, says, in the Hous
ton Herald: “ Their offer is generous and satis
factory, only I am a Board man as well as an Old
Landmark Baptist. I hope when I hear from the
Executive Committee all will be satisfactory.”—
Rev. Josiah Leake, writes to the Houston Herald
from Chatfield Point : “ Errors in doctrine are
injuring some of our churches and Associations,
such as open or mixed communion, infant holi
ness and justification, final apostacy, etc.”
Virginia.
Henry Williams, Jr., has commenced, in Peters
burg, with the title The Shiloh Herald, a paper
devoted to vital godliness and sound morality, and
issued for the interest of the colored Baptists of
Virginia.—Rev. W. H. Williams reports our
church at Staunton, organized not more than fif
teen years ago with a mere handful of members,
as numbering over 200. Since he took charge of
it, Sept. Ist, there have been additions by letter
or baptism at each monthly communion season,
and the Sunday school has been growing every
Sabbath.—Rev. J. L. M. Ourry, LL.D., in a pri
vate note, says: “The Index, like good wine,
improves by age. The editorials are sound, dis
creet, masterly. May God long preserve and
abundantly reward you, as a Defender of the
Truth in Jesus.”
Illinois.
The St. Louis Baptist gives the following, from
the Northwestern Advocate, as a rare case in the
history of our people: “Rev. E. B. Fairfield, ex-
President of the Hillsdale (Baptist) College, a po
litical speaker of acknowledged ability, a popular
lecturer of some repute, and a Baptist minister,
has recently, with his wife, united with the Oak
Park Congregational church, near Chicago. Rev.
M. W. Fairfield, his brother, is pastor of the
church.”
China.
Dr. R. 11. Graves, of Canton, as a note from his
mother informs us, expected to leave that city,
yesterday, for San Francisco, and will remain in
this country about a year, or until his health is
re established. His plan is, to spend two or three
months among the Chinese in California, and from
thence tQ go to the Louisville Convention, expect
ing to reach Baltimore about the first of June.
We are gratified to know that he said in one of
his letters to his own family: “I have no ac
quaintance with Bro. Shaver, but have learned to
love him from his editorials." Next week, we
will lay before our readers a communication from
his pen.
Ordination.
On Saturday, before the second Lord’s day
in January, (Jan. Bth 1870), at Canton Bap
tist church, Cherokee county, Ga., brother
M, B, Tuggle wijs ordaifed to the ministry
of the Gospel, Sermon by YV. M.
Examination of candidate by J,R. Westbrook.
Ordaining prayer, by W. M. Reese. Charge
and Presentation of Bible, by W. H. Dean.
Right-hand of fellowship, by J. R. YV est brook,
followed by the Presbytery. Benediction, by
the newly ordained minister.
J. R. Westbrook, Moderator.
A Case and a Query,
The sisters in our church have a Sewing Soci
ety. The members of this Society (like myself)
are opposed to raffles and to other methods re
sorted to by some professing Christians, for the
purpose of raising money for religious objects.
There is amapg the articles w-hich they have on
hand, a ricffquiit which they regard as worth a
hundred dollars. By raffling it, they can very
easily realize this sum and probably more. From
Christian principle, they are opposed to parting
with it in this way. It is for sale, but they can
not get its worth by selling it. They have told
me that they will be governed by any suggestions
that I may make. YVhile it is pleasant for a pas
tor to have the confidence of his people, he is
sometimes afraid to give his individual counsel,
lest he should give that kind, the following of
which, may not be for the glory of God. Please
publish this communication, and give us your
opinion or any suggestions that may occur to you.
Some of the members of the Society have
thought of the following plan : Let the members
make up among themselves the money that the
quilt is worth, and let the money be the property
of the Society, to be devoted to the object of its
formation, which is the building of a parsonage.
Let each member draw for the quilt; then who
ever obtains it, will sell it for the highest price
that can be realized. The money thus raised will
then be either divided among the members, to re
imburse them (as far as it will go) for what they
have paid out, or it will be put into the treasury
of the Society.
Something of this kind I thought of, as soon
as they stated their difficulty, and I mentioned it.
I then found out that we had thought, in sub
stance, alike. It has occurred to me that what
has been thought of, would be nothing more than
members of a family drawing for a piece of pro
perty, in which each has a share of ownership.
As far as I am aware, there is no member of the
Society, that has any desire to get the quilt for
her own use. All that is wanted, is some plan
not opposed to the spirit of the Bible, by which
time and labor spent for a good object, will not
be lost. These sitters desire to abstain not only
from evil, but from all appearance of it.
A Pastor.
Georgia , 13 th January , 1870.
plan proposed clearly obviates the chief
objection toalottery, orraffle, —namely, theappeal
to cupidity through the prospect of getting more
than the worth of one’s money,—the risk of a
small sum, in the hope of realizing a greater
without paying an equivalent for it, while other
sharers of the risk lose all. But just as clearly
there lies against the plan, the objection that it
resorts to chance to determine the right of prop
erty, where no necessity for such a step exists—
ignoring, for the time, the only proper basis of
acquisition, in our industry, skill, labor, or fair
payment, etc., —and tending to unsettle wholesome
habits of thought and action, and to stimulate
the imagination with dreams of easy and speedy
gain without corresponding effort, (which is the
germ from which gambling developes.) A raffle
with these restrictions, then, works toward raflles
without them ; and the mass of observers will not
appreciate the difference, but will regard the action
Society as endorsing and countenancing
uWbstricted raffles. The wise rule in morals, that
nothing of doubtful propriety should be done,
except where greater doubt encompasses the op
posite, concludes against the plan. Sell the quilt
for what it will bring, with the understanding that
the members of the Society will make up
the difference between that sum and what
the quilt is worth. This will cost them less than
the plan proposed, and, at the same time, avoid a
measure which, to say the least, is questionable.
S, S. B.
This is to certify that Rev. S. Boykin is
duly appointed District Secretary of the Sun
day School Board of the Southern Baptist
Convention, for Central, Southern and Eas
tern Georgia and Florida, with full power to
make collections for the Board, arrange for
the establishment and maintenance of Sunday
schools, within his District, and aid in the
circulation of Kind Words, dtc.
May the blessed Jesus, who manifested
His love to the little children, in the days of
His flesh, abundantly bless the efforts of
brother Boykin in his labors of love, in their
behalf! Thos. C. Teasdale, Cor. Sec.
Memphis, Tenn., Jan. 4, 1870.
In accordance with the above, I assume the
position of District Secretary, and ask all the
Pastors and Superintendents of my district
to correspond and cooperate with me, in the
interest of the Sunday school cause.
Will they be so kind as to answer, for me,
the following questions:
is the state of Sunday schools in
are the name and numbers of the
schools, with which you are acquainted I
3. How many and which Sunday school
papers do they take ?
4. What is their system of lessons?
5. How many copies of the Baptist Teacher,
are taken ?
5. How many conversions took place in
the Sunday school last year?
7. How many libraries and Sunday school
books, in your Sunday schools?
8. Are the teachers, scholars and superin
tendent generally regular or not?
9. Are more Sunday schools needed, and is
their organization possible?
Please send the name and address of all
Sunday school men.
Those sending me their address shall re
ceive, gratis, anew Sunday school paper
which 1 mean to publish in furtherance of my
objects.
PUBLICATIONS RECOMMENDED.
1. The Christian Index and South-Wes
tern Baptist, Atlanta.
2. Kind Words, the Child's Delight, Mem
phis.
3. Home and Foreign Journal, Richmond.
4. Baptist Teacher, Philadelphia, for Sun
day school teachers, monthly. Price 75 cents,
clubs 50 cents,
5. Lesson Papers, of American Baptist
Publication Society,
6. The Sunday School Teacher, Chicago,
111., 81-50.
7. The Sunday School Blackboard, Newark,
N. J., 81.00
8. House's Hand Book, Pardee's Index, Eg
glestons Manual ,
Specimen copies of the above periodicals
will be sent free, on application to the pub
lishers. 1 will act as agent for any of the
above publications, and remit for them on re
ception of the money.
1 am agent, too, for all the many excellent
English magazines and Sunday school papers,
about which those desiring information may
write me.
My object is to promote the great Sunday
school cause. Brethren, help me. Contribu
tions for the S. S. B. may be sent me, and
the receipt will be acknowledged in the Index.
S. Boykin, Maaon, Oa.
Alabama News.
On the last Sabbath of the old year, our
beloved Secretary of the Sunday ■ School
Board, was with us and preached most earn
estly and eloquently the “ Ti uth, as it is in
Jesus.” afternoon, although the weather
was and cold, he held a mass
meeting iWPichools of Tuskegee, and gave
the children a' very happy lecture. The at
tendance was good, under the orcumstauces,
and at the conclusion, he asked all to take his
little envelopes and'raise the Board a New
Year’s Gift. Quite a number, indeed almost
all, took, the envelopes, and have been very
active in canvassing the town. Brother T.
remained with us three days, and made a good
impression upon our people, and won golden
opinions, both for himself and neglected cause.
On Christmas Eve one of those pleasant
episodes of pastoral life which make glad the
heart of the creature man, occurred with us.
The good sisters of our church and congrega-
tion surprised us, very greatly, by calling at
the door of the pastor, in the person of a
committee, bearing, m their train loads of
good and acceptable things. “ When it rains
it pours,” is an old ada r e we never appre
ciated before; but we do-How, as we look into
our well-filled larder, smiling faces
of our responsibilities J The charge was made
and the out posts carried, with baskets and
bundles, waiters and jars, boxes and wheel
barrows, little servants and big servants, all,
all, anxious to serve us with the many good
things and sweet things, substantial things
and unsubstantials, which they bore in, de
spite our remonstrances, and finally left with
us. But we can’t tell the half of what was
done to us. Suffice it to say, that our foot
fall is now hushed, by the softness of the car
pe . We are warmed and fed, and at night
our wearied limbs rest ainid the delights of
comfortable blankets. After this we had im
posed upon us some of the “ root of all evil,”
and, as a New Year’s remembrance, a very
handsome silver pitcher.
But we took up our pen to say how much
pleased we are with the new Baptist Teacher
and its lesson papers. We think them the
best aids to our work of Sabbath school in
struction we have ever seen, and sincerely
hope they will be instroduced into every
school in the State. We are delighted with
both Teacher and papers hero, and expect to
adopt them at once.
How fortunate, too, the union of the Child's
Delight and Kind Words. Now, let us all
follow the good example and unite to sustain
and upbuild our schools throughout the State.
The children, as well as grown people, are
“ perishing for lack of knowledge.”
A. C. B.
Tustegee, Ala.
Manly Hall.
At the Alabama Baptist State Convention,
a sermon memorial of Dr. Manly, was
preached by Dr. Henderson. In addition to
that tribute of affectionate remembrance, it
was determined by the Convention to testify
in more permanent form their respect for the
memory of a great and good man, and to
erect a building at Greenville for the use of
the students, to be called “ Manly Hall.”
Rev. E. B. Teague, of Selma, a pupil and
friend, was appointed to collect funds for car
rying out this honorable purpose.
Nations, in all ages, have built monuments
to the memory of the illustrious dead. Apart
from recognition of merit, and thereby stim
ulating worth and patriotism, and cultivating
a taste for the fine arts, these monuments
serve no specially valuable purpose. By a
happy conception, the Convention wisely re
solved to combine utility with gratitudet,—o
erect a substantial memorial of personal and
denominational love—to stamp enduringly a
revered name upon a tasteful, architectural
structure, and, at the same time, contribute to
the increased usefulness of an Institution,
which had the entire confidence and warmest
attachment of him whose virtues are thus
sought to be kept in lasting remembrance.
No enterprise, which Baptist liberality has
devised, enlisted more warmly the prayers
and gifts of Dr. Manly, and it will be a beau
tiful regard for his known preferences to
identify his name with the Southern Baptist
Theological Seminary.
J. L. M. Curry.
Richmond, Ya.
To tlic Lovers of Jesus in the South.
Anew year is begun. How manifold are
the blessings with which the old year was
crowned! Who has not a thank-offering to
bring to the Giver of all —not only the fruit
of the lips, in praises to him, but also some
offering which involves self-denial and sacri
fice.
The Board of Foreign Missions are enter
ing upon their last quarter of the fiscal year,
and must have the means to forward to their
brethren in Foreign lands. They must have
them soon. I believe they will come. The
churches will not disregard the claim. I now
ask every Baptist of the South for a thank
offering, in the shape of a contribution for
Foreign Missions. I beg each church for its
offering. May not this little appeal be at once
read to the congregation, and then an oppor
tunity given to each one to give something to
the cause of Foreign Missions ?
I have refesred to the blessings of the past
year, and the goodness of the Lord in bring
ing us to see the year 1870, as a motive, But
there is a higher consideration. The Apostle
Paul, in a most pathetic and moving appeal
for money, crowns his argument by the ex
clamation, “Thanks be unto God for this un
speakable gift.” This motive, dear brethren
and sisters in Christ, I press upon your hearts.
Who will make a thank-offering, in view of
the love of God in giving His Son—in view
of the love of Christ, in coming to save us.
On behalf of the Foreign Mission Board.
Jas. B. Taylor, Cor. Sec.
Rechmond, Va., Jan. 4,1870.
Letter from Baltimore.
I forward, herewith, a short account of the
doings, religious, and otherwise, of the Mon
umental City. Although so far olf from the
State of Georgia, yet being the border land,
and so much intercouse necessarily existing
between the two States, an occasional com
munication may not be uninteresting to your
readers.
It is well known that, since the war, Balti
more has rapidly improved, in population
and commerce. The city numbers now more
than 350,000 inhabitants. Several great tho
roughfares are being made by widening streets.
Handsome buildings are taking the place of
the old ones, and improvements are in pro
gress which will involve an outlay of many
millions of dollars.
I hope, also, there is some little advance
morally. The slumbering church appears to
be waking up to devise means for reaching
the masses, who attend no place of religious
worship. Probably, in our city of churches
and religious activity, there are more than
one hundred thousand persons who never
cross the threshhold of any religious temple,
and twenty-five thousand children, who attend
no Sabbath school, This is a fearful state of
religious destitution. How would the weep
ing Prophet, or the Apostle to the Gentiles be
stirred up, at beholding this spectacle ?
“’Tis impious to be calm,”
with such a scene as this before us.
But one grand and hopeful feature of this
third quarter of the nineteenth century is,
that Christians are beginning to cast a tearful
eye over the moral destitutions of this sin
blighted world, and to devise means for its
recovery. This is the case, somewhat, in Bal
timore. All departments of Christian effort
appear to be reviving, and putting forth new
energy.
For the last four weeks, Rev. Mr. Earle,
a distinguished Evangelist, has been laboring
in our midst with great success, He preached
at all the Baptist churches of the city, but
labored chiefly, at Dr. Euller’s and the First
Church, Dr. Williams’. Hundreds have been
converted, and the work is still going on,
Mr. Earle, however, has left, this day, for his
home, in order to rest, and recuperate, that
he may be fitted for more labor during the
winter,
It is the intention of Mr. Earle t > go South,
and remain there during the winter. He
will, probably, visit New Orleans, Mobile
and other cities in Alabama and Georgia. I
have no doubt he will be the means of doing
great good in the South. He is undoubtedly
a safe man. Though a native of the North,
he is free from politics, eccentricities, or clap
trap. He preaches only Christ Jesus,and Him
crucified. Without any startling flights of
oratory, or attempts at grandiloquent display,
he appeals earnestly to the consciences of
men, beseeching them to be reconciled to God.
Nor does he labor in vain. Success seems to
attend him, wherever he labors. In Rich
mond, Washington, D. C., Baltimore and
other places, of which I have heard, the same
results are found. In California his converts
were numbered by thousands. He has left
a fine impression in Baltimore, and ! felt that
it was due to him, and to our dear brethren
South, to write thus much in reference to this
distinguished Evangelist, who will shortly
visit them. They may safely give him a
hearty welcome, in the name of the Master,
whose servant he is. John Bkko.
Baltimore, Jan. 11 th, 1870.
Second Baptist Church, Macon.
I have just had the pleasure of paying
$2lO 50 towards liquidating the debt of our
church, and I hope, hereafter, to pay a simi
lar instalment every few weeks. This money
is the result of a consultation of two Com
mittees, appointed, one by the First Baptist
Church of our city, and one by the Rehoboth
Association, to examine into the condition
and prospects of our Church, and inaugurate,
if possible, some plan by which the building,
which was mortgaged for the debt, might be
preserved to the denomination, and the
church itself saved from extinction. lam
proud of the nobleness with which the brethren
of the First Church have come up to our help
and hope as much from the churches of the
Rehoboth when I shall visit them. But why
need they, or any of the Georgia Baptists,
wait for me to visit them? They ought, to
know that it is for the interest and honor of
our denomination that this position, which
has been acquired by much labor, expense
and sacrifice, should not be abandoned. Why,
then, not come up to our help 1
A small donation from each one who reads
this, would free us from this incubus to our
church, and permit us to start off vigorously
and prosperously. Until this debt is paid, 1
fear our church will not prosper. Therefore,
I make a special appeal to the churches of the
Rehoboth, (which 1 was invited to vis t by
the Committee, brethren Tharp, Lawton and
Ross), and ask them to lay the matter before
their churches, put down the names of those
who are willing to give us from 50 cents to
$5 per month, and remit the list and money
received to me, at Macon. All the money
shall be sacredly appropriated to the pay
ment of this debt. I call the special atten
tion of the following brethren to this matter,
and beg them, in the name of Him who said,
“Bear ye one another’s burdens,” to present
our case to the churches: S. G. Hillyer, W.
J. Moorcock, Dr. J. S. Lawton, W. C. Wi 1 Ices,
W. J. Collins, B. F. Tharp, B. L. Ross, A. L.
Moncrief, D. H. Moore, John A. Jackson,
W. W. Ferguson, W. H. Richardson, J. H.
Weaver, W. 11. Rice, G. W. White, K. B.
Murchison—all good then and true.
Very truly and fraternally, theirs and yours,
S. Boykin.
Nashville Tidings.
The First Baptist Church has re called, by
a unanimous vote, Rev. Dr. Skinner, to
the pastorate of the Church, and he has ac
cepted the call. So this Church has now a
regular pastor, and is in fine working order.
It has had six accessions in the past fortnight,
three by baptism and three by letter. Its
Sunday School is its “Crown Jewel;” and
under the guidance of brothers Thomas and
Pohlman, is going along finely on the road of
progress. Brother John W. Thomas, the
Superintendent, is also the Superintendent of
the Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad, and
knows how to run both institutions “ to a dot.”
Brother Pohlman is a Jewelry Merchant, and
can detect a gem in the animal as well as the
vegetable kingdom. lie is peculiarly fitted
for the Sunday School work.
Brother G. W. Inrnan commenced his la
bors as pastor of the Cherry street Baptist
Church, the first Sabbath in this month. We
all hope that both churches will soon be
greatly blessed, now that they have regular
pastors. Dr. Skinner’s labors it is confidently
believed, will be productive of more good in
the future than heretofore. His pulpit min
istrations are of the first order. He stands
deservedly high as a minister and a man.
Senola.
Nashville , Tenn., Jan. 13, 1870.
Albany Letter—Appeal.
The Church in this place is much afflicted
—the whole community is —by the death
of Mrs Judge Vason, wife of our much loved
brother D. A. Vason. She died yesterday
forenoon, most calmly and sweetly, yet tri
umphantly, for her confidence was unshaken,
and hence, through Christ, her way was clear.
Brother Editor, you or the Proprietor,
come to our meeting in Albany. Rather you
would—think it will pay. Our people know
the “ Index man,” but not the editor so much.
The Bishop may have invited you, but if not,
all the same, come and welcome. We want a
good turn out, and a good meeting, so come.
Will you not? Say yes! We learn that
Dr. Teasdale will represent the Sunday
School Board, and it’s possible some one will
the Domestic Mission Board, and brother
Bailey’s large heart takes in all, and he will
speak perhaps for the Foreign Board, and we
want the “ Pointer” to point us which way to
g°-
We must have brethren from various places
—Cuthbert, Lumpkin, Dawson and Americus.
Fort Gaines is “honor bound” to come
en masse, or very largely, for we give them
the Association next time.
Wm. N. Chaudoin.
Cottage Home, near Albany , Ga.
, We shall be happy to attend, if Provi
dence permits, but cannot decide tho question
just now.
Rev. G. A. Lofton. Rev. George A.
Lofton was called to ordination by this church
two years ago, and has been serving us ns
pastor since then, ably, faithfully, and accept
ably. lie having been called to the pastorate of
the Dalton church, and having accepted the
call, we desire to express through tho col
umns of the Index, our deep regret at losing
a pastor we all love, and whom we would
willingly have continued. Duty calls him
from us; and we earnestly commend him to
the brethren at Dalton, aud congratulate
them upon securing so able and efficient a
worker as brother Lofton. Our loss is their
gain. Adopted in Conference at Antioch, Lee
county, Georgia. Jas. D. Green, C. C.
Dec. 4th, 1869.
A Sad Affair.
A young man, aged about sixteen years,
named Thomas Wilcox, died at his father’s
residence, a few miles from this place, on
Sunday evening last, from an injury received
during Christmas week. Young Wilcox,
with some of his companions, were at a neigh
bor’s house. One of them wishing to have
some sport at his expense, filled a pipe nearly
full o {powder, putting some tobacco on top
of the powder, and gave it to young Wilcox
to smoke. The powder soon exploded, burn
ing his face and mouth dreadfully ; and the
flame went down his throat, and burned him
internally, so severely as to cause his death.
Let those who seek amusement at the ex
pense of others take warning from the fate of
young Wilcox. W. M. R.
Woodstock, Cherokee Cos., Ga., Jan. 13th, 1870.
Rev. J. E. Dawson—Last Appeal.
Mrs. A. P. Hill being about to publish her
sketch of Dr. John E. Dawson, once more
requests the use of such private letters of her
brother as any of his friends may still have
in their possession; and she hopes they will
kindly search, and if any are found, send them
to her by mail, at Atlanta, Georgia. *