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About Christian index and South-western Baptist. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1866-1871 | View Entire Issue (March 3, 1870)
■ppm-r ■it ■ • > - ,* # . CHRISTIAN INDEX AND SOUTH-WESTERN BAPTIST. VOL 49-NO. 9. A RELIGIOUS AND FAMILY PAPER, PUBLISHED WEEKLY IN ATLANTA. OA TERMS.—CIubs of Four, ($3.00 each) per annum...sl2 00 Clubs of Throe, ($3.33 each) per annum... 10.00 Clubs of Two, (3.50 each) per annum 7.00 Single Subscriber.... 4.00 jr, J. TOON", Proprietor. Light of the World. Light of the world! to thee I come, All dark with sin am I; Yet is th'- light, my childhood's home, Long lo»t: lu.w through the earth I roam A sti auger, wearily. Though I am dark, thou seest me, And knoweat all my sit) ; I cannot hide one thought trom thee— Nor would 1, Lord ! 0 search, and see All that lies hid within. Unless I know my Father knows The worst that 1 have done, How can I bear the love He showst How take the gift that love bestows Ou such a guilty one? My Father, 10, all doubting dies I I know that thou canst see. Outspread before thy glorious eyes My present, past and future lies; And yet ita.ni Invest met —Sunday Magazine. Worldly Conformity—lV. Let us again, in the light of our premises, consider, in its character of an amusement fur Christians, THE THEATRE. It might be supposed that it was a consid eration, sufficient of itself, to decide, with a pious person, the question respecting the pro priety of attending the theatre, that it has long been regarded by the friends, not of re ligion only, but also of morality, as the very hut bed of vice and corruption. Omitting what may be regarded as the in cidental evils, (which are many and great,) almost, if not altogether inseparable from the theatre, a rudimental principle of corruption exists in the character of its dramatic exhibi tions. Plays, such as are unfit to be read by a modest woman, even in the privacy of her chamber, are performed on the public stage, not by men only, or women only, but by men and women promiscuously, and before an assembly equally promiscuous! And the question we are required to answer is this: Whether an attendance on such exhibitions is a consistent and innocent amusement for Christian men and Christian women? Such a question, did not facts unhappily forbid the conclusion, might be regarded, not only as an insult to the understanding of females espe cially, but an unpardonable outrage upon their modesty. To ask whether such is an innocent amusement tor a Christian woman, is the same as to ask whether a Christian wo man should find a pleasure in witnessing and sanctioning the degradation .of her sex. Strip this practice of the authority of custom, and of the sanction of conventional rule, of the countenance and support which a>sociates in evil affud one another, and it may be saft-ly and confidently affirmed, that NO MODEST WOMAN WILL ATTEND THE THEATRE. The modesty of woman is a peerless gem. No pleasures sullied with a taint of impurity —no tawdry, factitious honors—no exotic praise, of a forced, artificial, hot-bed growth —no clamorous retinue of meretricious fame, can ever atone for the loss, in woman, of this priceless jewel. They all, indeed, when she disrobes herself of the garment in whtiSh heaven lias adorned her, form only a hateful glare, in wh ch is moire distinctly seen her shame. Os all the beautiful objects with which the beneficent Creator has adorned our world, the most beautiful is a modest woman. Female modesty is equally the crown and glory of woman, and the pride and safeguard of man. Whether in the character of mother, wife, or sister, woman, in her native beauty and excellence, as God created her, is, in the hour of trouble, a sanctuary of solace and repose, and in the time of danger, a tower of protection and defence. Unsoiled —unvitiated —undimmed —she is, in her character as woman , the plastic power of the world. In her smile viriue finds her sweetest reward, and vice cowers and is appalled before the majesty of her rebuke. But the secret of woman’s matchless might is in her modesty. With that vanishes all her charms, her light., and power; and the most beautiful, the most beneficent, the most loved and honored of objects, becomes the weakest, the most con temptible and vile. This virtue—the charm and crown of fe male excellence this beautiful “shame facedness,” more conspicuous as it retires— hiding itself, more visible—like the lovely violet, by its fragrance betraying its conceal ment —attracting the admiration it vainly seeks to escape— this is the priceless “ or nament” exceeding India’s richest rubies, with which an apostle teaches women to adorn themselves. But this gem must be sullied amid the foul exhalations of the theatre, and in its licentious atmosphere this pure and heaven-scented flower must droop, and wither, and die. What may we suppose must be the char acter ot' persons who consent to become the agents ot' such exhibitions, and the actors in such scenes? The history of the theatre tells the unseemly tale. Let this question find a significant answer in another: What honora ble man—and much more woman —would be willing their daughter should tread the stage ? or that their son should choose a wife from those who do? We will not say that no play-actress can be a good woman ; or, rather, that every play actress is a bad woman ; but we believe and affirm, without hesitation, that in committing herself to such an atmosphere of infection, she does what no prudent woman Would do; and.that whatever she may be in the beg nnmg, she is in danger of becoming in the end, what a woman should dread more than she would the axe of the guillotine. Yet such are the persons with whom Chris tians are willing to associate in their enjoy ments; whom they choose to amuse them; to whose ministry they look for their accus tomed supply of pleasure, and pander, by their presence and their purse, (much needed for better purposes,) to the immorality and licentiousness of their profession. Whether the stage might be so reformed as to serve the purpose of virtuous instruction, or inno cent enjoyment, is a question 1 have neither the time nor disposition, now, to consider. When exerting myself to drag a man out of a burning house, 1 am but little disposed to sit and discuss with him whether the flame, threatening to wrap him in ruin, might not, under the circumstances, be turned to some good account. Let him escape from impend ing destruction, and assist in extinguishing the devouring element, and he may subse quently consider, to better advantage, what he may safely or profitably, do. Yet such is the delusion to which many commit themselves, in relation to this subject. L’ke a man eating poison with his food, and, indeed, eating the food only for the sake of the noxious stimulant it contains, his pale face and trembling limbs warning him of ap proaching dissolution, who solaces himself with the delusion that the food is good, if it were only free from the poison, repeating his suicidal folly until it terminates in death. So the Christian attendant of the theatre, while suffering from the malign effects of his conduct, lulls his easy conscience into a death like torpor, with the deceitful opiate, that the theatre would be a good institution, reformed of its abuses. Os what importance is the question, What, under conceivable circum stances, the theatre would be, when, in the character in which he is patronizing it, and devoting himself to its pleasure-*, it is the hot-bed of corruption and the whirlpool of ruin? So dream the victims of delusion, un til they awake, too late, to profit by the aw ful dLcovery which meets their opening eyes. It were useless, and, indeed in connection with the foregoing, preposterous, to ask whether the Christian, mingling with the crowds who resort to this temple of vice, reeking, as they are, with worldHness and sensuality, can ask the Lord to accompany him, a id the Spirit of grace to impart His sanctifying blessing to such scenes and en gagements; or, w'ljeri he has retired from the exciting scene, heaied, inflamed and intoxica ted with the poisoned atmosphere he has been nhaling, w hether he finds his soul in a frame for communion w'ith God. Is his spiritual taste purified and elevated ? oris it corrupted and debauched? Is he prepared for a more active consecration of himself to the service of God, and the ministrations of holiness and love? or is his piety dissipated, his spiri ual strength prostrated, and his whole s->ui infla ted with worldliness and vanity? Does he retire from the theatre to mount on the wings of devotion into communion with God ? or mentally to protract the scenes iof sensual revelry in which he has been engaged ? la the Bible as precious, its prornis-s as sweet, and prayer the same sacred and blessed priv ilege as when, in an hour of consecration, dismissing the world with its deceits and flat teries, he opened his heart to the full influence of these agencies of grace and salvation ? These questions admit of but one answer; and that answer pronounces the condemna tion of professing Christians who attend tne theitre. They stand convicted of yielding themselves, in disregard of Apostolic prohi bition, to the tide of worldly conformity, and of acting in violation of the claims and obli gations of their sacred profession. If, then, any practice is a species of worldly conformity, and as such, sinful, on which we cannot, with a good conscience, ask the bless ing of God, and for the enjoyment of which we cannot return Hun our sincere thanks: Which disqualifies us fur religious duty, for prayer, reading the Bible, and those spir itual services which are the means of com munion with God : Which debauches our spiritual taste, de presses the wing of devotion and impairs the vigor of our piety : Then, for each one of these reasons separately, and still more for them all conjointly, the practices of Dancing, Card-Playing and Attending the Theatre, are severally, a species of worldly conformi ty, and, as such, sins against Ood. The Christian professor, therefore, can continue such pleasures only at the peril of his soul. W. H. J. Lilesville. N. C.. Feb. 15, 1870. Christ Coming in His Kingdom. REPLY TO DR. IIILLYER —NO 11. In the close of our first number, we were speaking of the sign of the coming of the Son of man; and while regular order would seem to require the subject continued, we prefer to take up the consideration of another point, and resume that subject where itjs no-j , tiead by,the Saviour* in its place. i J In his third article, brother H. says: “ We are now to contemplate the ruinous effects of that blow” —the tall of Jerusalem—“ upon the civil polity-of the nation. These are set forth in the following verses;” the first of which is: ‘lmmediately after the tribulation of those days shall ihe sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, the stars shall fall from heaven, and jthe powers of heaven ehal! be shaken.’” Jg| He says: “ Now, it is wellfknown that the sun, moon and stars, in oriental imagery, de note the powers of the State, the Bible itself furnishes maDy examples. Hence, by these figures, we are to understand the powers of civil polity which were still possessed by the Jewish people. Up to the time of the siege, they had their high Council, their mu nicipal laws, their high priesthood and Weir gorgeous temple services. These, like the sun, and moon, and stars, shed over Jerusa lem the light in which she gloried. But as she passed under the- yoke of Titus, all this light became extinguished forever.” We will not dispute th#plausibility andeloquence of the that our brother has on his side a long and respectable list of mod ern commentaries; but deny tfie interpreta tion. It is not denied that the Bible furnishes examples of the kiud, both figurative and literal, but that the case under consideration is figurative, and means the “powers of civil, j polity which were still possessed by the Jew-, ish people,” we do not believe. A prime difficulty in the interpretation of this verse, has arisen from the confused and erroneous views as to the meaning of the term “ Those who limit it to the siege and destruction of Jerusalem, are, of driven to a figurati tion, not only of this verse, baJU,!of the re mainder of the chapter. But is it true that the “tribulation” of this verse means only the calamities which befell the people during thej siege and de struetion of their city? Was lie ginning of that tribulation that had Jfong years before been predicted, and said should come upon them fromfrne blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, and which they imprecated upon themselves and their chddren? If the reader will turn to Luke xxi: 24, it will be seen that He im mediately precedes His notice of the signs in the sun, moon and stars, with this language: “And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all natiohs ; and Jerusalem stall be trodden down by the Gentiles, until the time* of the Gentiles shall be fulfilled.” The importance of this verse, it is hoped, the reader will keep in mind; commentators have scarcely given it a pass ing notice. It is a material part of the Sa*| viour’s discourse, and we beg the reader to observe particularly the position which inspi ration has given it, the wonderful events which it links together, and the stretch of the centuries which it covers. And observe. tarel the consecutiveness which is marked out by the particle “and,” thus unmistakably dtHfe] necting it with the 25th verse. The Saviour manifestly includes, in this 24th verse, the entire period from the tall of Jerusalem, to the fulfillment of the “ times of the Gentijtes.” Already eighteen centuries jdf that time has elapsed; and though the dominiou of tha|. unfortunate land—.the true ownership of which now rests in the lew, by the covenant of circumcision—has changed hands not less than six times; the heel of Gfflrlile suprema cy has never ceased to tread dowu Jerusalem, and unequalled sufferings and woes have fut lowed and clung to the Jew in all his wan derings. In the 22J verse of the 21st chap ter, Luke records: “ Because these are the days of vengeance, that all the things which are written may be fulfilled.” Who will say “all the things” of suffering, all the “tribu lation ” written in the Old Testament, were , fulfilled—ended, in the destruction of Jerusa lem ? If so, then the untold horrors and tor FRANKLIN PRINTING HOUSE, ATLANTA, GA., THURSDAY, MARCH 3, 1870. The Autobiography of an Old Pilgrim. ( Continued.) I had been instructed from my early child hood, by a pious mother, in the doctrines of the gospel, as expounded by Henry, Scott, and the so-called divines* of the kirk of Scot land, (m their Assembly’s Shorter Cate chism,) and yielded a mental assent to them all, even to the most inexplicable of them, such as the doctrine of the incarnation of the Son of God, election, predestination, die. At one period of my life, this mental assent was withheld for a short season. Os this I shall speak hereafter. 1 iaunched out into the un fathomable sea of speculation in search of a resting place for the soles of my unblessed feet, but, “like Noah’s weary dove,” found none, and was content to return and settle down again upon the faith of my fathers. At the meeting of which l have spoken, while I sat there at the head of the stairway, a stranger among strangers, brooding over my sins, dreading the wrath of God, seeking comfort but finding none, 1 truly believed that l was a lost sinner—that I lay under the condemnation of God’s righteous law—that I had been justly condemned—r-that God only had the right and the power to forgive “in iquity, transgression and sin”—and that par don would be obtained only through the me diation of the Lord Jesus Christ. That l truly believed all this, the unfeigned anguish of my heart, my use of means to obtain par don, and my inward cries for mercy, all at tested. Why, then, was tit" hurt of my so a I not healed ? An important ~nd interesting in qtnry ! Hear tne answer, ye who may be in a situation similar to that in which I then was. It was simply because I doubted, not the ability, but the willingness ot Christ to inter pose in behalf of such a v.le sinner as 1 felt myself to be, until 1 had done something t>< merit His gracious interposition. Being ig norant of the righteousness which is by faith, 1 sought to work out a righteousness of my B own. I was like an insolvent debtor who has contracted a debt in bank to the amount of untold millions. Judgment has been given against him, an execution has been issued and placed in the hands of the bailiff, with in struciions to collect every farthing of .the debt, or seize tne body of the debtor and cast him into prison, there to remain till he has paid the last penny due,.; He has exhausted all his resources, nothing wherewith to pay, and is filled at the thought of being torn awaaßltijte>-loved ones and in carcerated in a gfipiy prison for life. At this juncture a messenger comes and an nounces the astonishing fact, that a friend of his, hitherto unknown to him as such. whose riches are inexhaustible, moved with compassion for him, has satisfied the demand of the bank, taken up the judgment stayed the execution in the hands of ihe officer of the law, and, of his own free will, now ofrags to enter upon the judgment “satisfied,'’ grant him an acquittance in full, and, moreover, in sure to him at.yple supplies for all his future exigences, provided, only, he (the debtor) will receive the same as a free gift, and not as a matter of right, or merit, consent to become a member of bis benefactor’s household, sub mit, henceforth, to his control in alt things, and rely solely upon him to and pro mote his interests and supply all his wants.. Wonderful favor! From one, too', on whom the debtor had no claims!—from one, indeed, whomjhe had ever considered and treated as "|n enemy ! Surely there must be some mis apprehension of the terms and conditions of the offer—so thinks the debtor. I doubt not the ability of him who makes it—l doubt not he feels compassion for me, and, it 1 could lessen my liabilities-—reduce them, say one half, or one fourth, eleven one tenth—l could believe he might grant a full acquittance for the balance, but my debt amounts to millions upon millions ! T«* assume such a debt, and then grant a free discharge from it, would indeed evince compassion unbounded, infinite, unknown and unconceived of on earth! Such is an imperfect portraiture of my con dition, and of the t houghts and feelings of my heart, on the eventful night of which I am speaking. The meeting' was one of great in terest. Never, before or since, have 1 seen so much feeling manifested at a meeting of mediately around the preachers, a circle of weeping Marys and penitent Peters, from which, ever and anon, there came sounds that indicated sorrow lor sin—a sob, a sigh, a low groan, a halPsuppi essed cry for mercy. Mr. N. first addressed the audience. 1 listened with all the I could command, but < -bis Worils efftered at one ear and passed out at the other, without leaving on the tablet of iny memory the slightest trace of one word spoken by him. Rev. Dr. T. followed with his usual full and commanding voice, but his words produced no permanent infpression on my mind until he uttered one short, plain, simple sentence, that expressed a, truth 1 had heard, probably, thousands of tiines"oefore. That sentence, as it fell from the lips of the speaker, seems to have been daguerreotyped upon the tablet of my memory by a sudden flood of light emitted from the throne of God. It is as legible to day as ever. 1 read it, as I write, as though it were written with a flame of fire. It burnt its way into the very sub *ot like the application of the term “divine” to erring mortal men. ture which the Jew has endured for the past eighteen centuries, are unaccounted for, and if fulfilled in that brief period of time, the subsequent sufferings must be unjust. Among the “ things of vengeance which were writ ten,” we here quote from the 28th chapter of Deut.: “Among these nations shalt thou find no ease, neither shall the sole of thy foot have rest; but the Lord shall give thee there a trembling, and failing of eyes, and sorrow of mind, and thy life shall hang in doubt be fore thee, and thou shalt fear day and Dight, and shalt have none assurance of thy life. In the morning thou shalt sav : would God that it were even; at even thou shalt say : would God it were morning, for the fear of thine heart wherewith thou shalt fear, and for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see.’ - Therefore we conclude—beeau-e there is n<» other view to take—that the “tribulation” only began to be fulfilled at the destruction of Jerusalem, that “those days” and the “down treading” of Jerusalem are conter minous, and that they are not yet ended; but it is to be hoped that dim foreshadowings are gleaming through the thick darkness of those long and weary centuries, during which the “tribulation” was never to cease, and the “ blindness which has happened to Israel in part,” not taken away, “ until the fullness of the Gentiles come in.” “And soall Israe* shall be saved; as it is written: “ There shall come out of Z:on the Deliverer; He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; and this is the covenant from me to them, when 1 shall take away their sins ” We are now better prepared to consider what the darkening of the sun, etc., means; but this would make our present article too long. Let the reader keep up the connection, and be prepared to resume, with us, the dis cussion of this subject in our next number. Geo. F. Cooper. Amertcus, Ga., Feb. 15, 1370. truth, and j *in in one loud anthein of praise for the truth of what is affirmed in that sen tence. Tne sentence was this : “As Jesus never because his SINS WERE SMALL, SO HE NEVER REFUSES TO SAVE ONE BECAUSE HIS SIVA ARK GREAT.” The truth flashed like iig.tning into mv mind, that the magnitude of mg sins is no har rier in the wag of mi/ saltation, if I am will ing to submit to Christ f/H relg on Him alone for salvation,alike from srk and its threatened curse. I believ. and the truth and instantly sur rendered myself unreservedly and uncondi tionally to the Saviour. The moment i did so, all was peace-; the tempest of the soul was stilled, and there was a delightful cairn. My doubts and my fears vanished as sud denly as vanish the visions of the nigh*, when <>ne is ar< used from sleep?*’' “While fearful, tremblin'? at the thought ol death, I felt within the Spint’a qitjtkeriing breath: Sin's dungeon walls were levelled, and the light. With noontide splendor, burst upon my sight.” I was as conscious of thCVnental or spiritual act of surrender to Jesus as ever I have been of any bodily act performed, and, therefore, can never endorse the declaration of those who represent that we can have no satisfac tory evidence of our faith*in Christ, nor right to believe th *t our sins jvi.ye been forgiven until we submit to the ordinance of baptism. No one believes m* than I d**, that it is the duty of all vvfm believe in Jesus to keep the ordinances rjpftr* gospel as they were originally instituted7* nor can I see ho a it is possible for one to be saved who wilfully persists in refusing to submit to immersion, after having been fully convinced that the Saviour enjoins this act &a~ at I who believe in Him. To refuse, under iich circumstances, would be a wilful act of rebellion against Him who was exalted to be a m •nee as well as a Saviour. It would be Virtually declaring that he would not submit to llis reign. Tujj Saviour teaches expressly that ail such will be treated in the last as friends, but as enemies. “Bring hither those mine ene mies that would not that I should reign over them,” dec. While I believe all this, I believe with equal confidence that the condition of those who build their hope of pardon and accept ance with God upon theirsubmission to bap tism, or th<-ir performance of any other out ward act, is more to be pitied than that of the heathen who confid h s future web fare on the offeri* gs p e sen ted to his idol gods. Men can only judg£.of us hy our out ward bodily acts, but God, the searcher of hearts, jud.es of us by uifr inward spiritual acts. Simon, the sorcerer', subnwtted to bap tisrn, but was declared to-be still in the “gall of bitterness and in the'bond of iniquity.’ It is a fartul thing, indeed, to deceive our selves in this matter — for the remis sion of our sins, on our outward acts, w hile *»ur hearts are uncleansecl by the blood of Jesus, and unrenewed by-ihe Holy Spirit, or to rely on <>ur spiritual exercises, while we neglect to perform the duties enjoined up >n us by our Lord and Saviour. We should, therefore, daily search our own hearts, and ask of God to search us, to try our ways, make us acquainted withsuifcc true state, and lead us in the piths of righteousness for His own name’s sake. Awful beyond conception will it be to awake in<thc eternal world and discover, when it is too late to rectify the mistake, that while, we thidght we were build ing our hopes of heaved..*! eternal happiness upon a rock of a lamant*we were building ... 1 v u.i a fjiui^a(ybiaflflH&Dd ! I shudder at the thought of lying upon the bed of death, dreaming of heaven, and waking in hell to writhe forever in torment! Aroosl Nekoda. “He that Loveth Fathar or Mither more than Me, is not Worthy of Me, etc.”— Matt, xi t 37, During my connection with the Baptist church in Perry, Houston county, it was my privilege to baptize a very worthy man, whose wife was a member of the Methodist church. He was one of the best men 1 ever knew, and she an excellent Christian lady, but of a family remarkable for their attach ihent to the Methodist church, their rigid adherence to its peculiar views, and their strong prejudice against the Baptists. She was a woman of strong mind and determined will, and was, perhaps, b.-hind none of her family in her denominational partialities. They lived happily together for years after his baptism, discharging their respective du des to the family and the churches tis Xvfiich they belonged, but m>irf«<-no allusiohs to the difference in opinion which existed between them. vThey were esteemed, respected and beloved in the community as pious and ex emplary membersof their respective churches. Some years after bis baptism, at a regular conference of our church, many were sur prised to see Mrs. 8., the lady alluded t<>, when the invitation to unite with the church was given, take her seaton the bench usually occupied hart hose seeking membership. 1 noticed thfrcshe was w’eeping, but her coup tenance denoted a peaceful, if riot a joyful heart. She had the appearauce of one who had passed, triumphantly, through a severe struggle, and while she shed a tear to the memory of the M*t, the smile upon her countenance indicated a mind at rest, from the ct*sciousness that a duty had been per formed, though at a painful sacrifice. After she became somewhat cg(Pposed, I addressed her as kindly as I could, and inquired if she was seeking 'connection with ahe Baptist church. Her reply waUf i substance, as fol lows: “l am here soy because 1 cannot keep awdy aniwPfcer. 1 would not be here if I could stay a l |ay. I was raised a Methodist—all my kindjfed are Methodists — all my attachments and partialities are with them, and could l remain with them and be at peace, I would never leave them. But 1 cannot. 1 indulge the hope that God, for Jesus’sake, Has pardoned tny sins. I feel that 1 love niy Saviour, and I wish to obey Him in all things. I cannot do this and re main where I am. I must follow Him into the water, and be buried with Him in bap tism. I have lived among you, and love you as brethren,land would not have you suppose that l have any objection to coine among you, further Yhan 1 have stated. And now task to be received into the fellowship of the church.” But one question was asked, and that by my self, and w hen I inquired if the brethren were willing to bid sister B. wel come, the respouse was prompt and hearty, as, with tears in their eyes, they ex*ended to her the right-hand of fellowship. If ve love me, said our L*Wd, keep-my commandments. Can a disobedient spirit tove ? A. T. H. . ■ 1 —— ~ ■ " Poverty of Calvin. —When, in Strasburg, Calvin was compelled to, take boarders to P* make both ends meet.” He had written a number of works, and among others his In stitutes, but his publishers wrote him that tnere was no demand for his books. When he made a journey, or was dunned T*r his house-ient, he was compelled to borrow from his friends. He declared that he was even necessitated to recall the loan of a dollar to the Waldenses! He wrote to Farel: “My condition is such that I eau’t pay a farthing.” Such was his extremity, that he was even compelled to part with his library. But amid all these disparagements, he was happy in his vork, and preparing inure heavy blows for the “ Man of iSin.” Not Far Off I’d follow Thee, but not far off, I’d keep I’hy footsteps near; For if mine were the bitter scoff, Mine, too, the heavenly t-.beer. Thy wav may seem a tearful way, Aad lead to shame and woe; But. still my yearning heart would say, That way. Lord, let me go! I know a cross is at the end. But what is that to me? Uplifted there, Thou 'rt more me Friend, And 1 am more with Thee. Beyond the cross there is a crown, Laid up for me to wear; I tike that way, through scorn and frown, If Thou wilt owd me theie. — Rev. J. E. Rankin,, D.D. Kindness. Kind hearts are the gardens. Kind thoughts are the roots, Kind words are the blossoms, Kind deeds are the fruits; Love is the sweet sunshine. That warms into lile, For only in itarknes!*. Grow hatred and strife. Protracted Meetings. The great instrumentality, in protracted meetings is the “mourner’s bench,” ious seat,” as the practice of inviting iqvaiid sealing persons for prayer and instruction, is variously called ' And to this l am opposed, because it is unsfriplural, without apostolic prerept or example. One of the last utterances of the riser) Mes siah to the apostles, before he ascended, was tlie great commission, “Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every crea ture. He that believeth, and is baptized, shall be saved; and he that belreveth not shall be damned.” No one will accuse the apos ties of not preaching and acting in accord inee with that commission ; and lo fill'd how they preached, and how they acted, the enquirer after truth must go to the “Acts of the Apos ties,” written by Luke, an inspired witness. One of the first sermons rigid Command of the glorified deliv ered by Peter on the daV.uii Pentecost, and the people, being cut to JPre heart, enquired, “Men and Ijjfcbren. what shall we do?” Then said Peteljjnto jthem, “Repent, and be baptized,.every one i>f you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for thfT remission of sins; and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” l'he people believed, obeyed, and were “ad ded to the church,” without the slow, tortur ing process of mourning and pray ing f>r days and weeks, and at hut doing what they should have done 'at first., whichthe mau made modern- plan. . Philip went SamariiiV'and preach ed Christ unto (tfen," .and Luke makes the unostentatious record, “When they believed Philip, preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the MiNnePof Jesus Const, they were baptized, both men and wotiirn.” Not a “mourner” invited, nor a prayer offered, so far as the record goes, but instantaneous work, as the people w-re di rected to the great remedy, faith in Christ. And it is added, “And there was great j >y in that city”—not great mourning. Turn we to the introduction of the gospel among the Gentiles atCesarea, by Peter, and the brief historic facts tell the same story. Cornelius had gathered his friends at his house, and Peter preached Christ to them, without inviting any of them to the “anxious seat,” and “the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word ;” they believed im mediately, and were baptized, Paul and Birnabas were ordained as evan gehsts at Antioch, in Syria, to go and preach to the heathen ; and in the brief history of their labors, there is not. the least intimation that they used such an instrumentality as the “anxious seat.” Tnere is a brief record made of tne results of their preaching at Antioch, in Pisidia, which accords w'ith results every where else : “and as many as were ordained to eternal life, believed.” Paul held a long protracted meeting in Corinth—“a year and six months”—working at his trade with Priscilla and Aquilla every day, and preaching every Sabbaih, and it is summarily recorded: “Many of the Corinth ians hearing, believed, and were baptized.” No modern machinery intimated. From Miletus Paul sent for the elders of the chuieh at Ephesus, and assured them in |the most solemn manner that his preaching to both Jew and Greek had uniformly been, “repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ;” and this he denomi nated “tin* counsel of God.” No allusion is made to any other instrumentality. If the apostle used the present plan, he either neg lecied to name it, or Luke neglected to record the fact. Whieh ? The specimens given of the preaching and acting of the apostles and evangelists, and the results, should satisfy every mind that these is quite a difference between their simple, yfet powerful instrumentality, and the cumbrous and complicated one now in use in revivals and protracted meetings. And the manner in which Luke arid modern revivalists de scribe the way of conducting meetings, and the results, must strike every thoughtful per son as strikingly dissimilar. Nor do I feel that I am bound to discuss a question lengthily which has no authority m the word of God. But I must urge another serious objection to the practice in question, “the anxiou* seat;” It is in direct antagonism to the great Pauline doct'ine of justification before God without works. 1 call the attention of its ad vocates to this position. Justification before God is either by faith alone in Christ, or by works alone, or '« part by faith and in part by works; If it it is alone by faith in Christ, the other two systems are excluded by the law of faith, and l presume my opponents, be ing Baptists, hold that it is by faith alone that the soul is justified before God. If so, let their faith and practice harmonize. Paul held that justification was by faith in Christ, and was consistent in practice. Take the case of the Philippian jailor in proof. He tails down before Paul and Silas, and says, “Sirs, what must Idoto be saved ?” Paul, preach ing under the great commission, and clearly understanding the doctrine x>f justification by laith without works, said, “Believe on the L**rd Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved !” Had he been a “ mourner’s bench”-inan, and knowing the jailor to be a very bad man, and should be prayed over awhile, and should pray awhile himself, that he might be pre pared to come to, and believe in Christ, he would have shouted out, “Brother Silas, let us pray !” But not so. Pray er is not re commended as the remedy, nor is it men tioued in the ease. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.” The jailor believed on the remedy instantaneously, “ and rejoiced in Gud.” Was that tne way then? it should be so now. Works, or to do something by way of merit, is deeply seated in the heart, and snould not be encouraged by teaching or by acting. And 1 subm't, that whoever invites “mourn ers” up fir pray er, and prays for them, ad mits by these acts that something should be done by the “mourners,” and the preachers, to prepare them to come to, and to believe in Christ. The preacher’s acts confirm the convicted persons in their views of works. The apostles never admitted the convicted sinner’s views of works, by precept or ex ample. They knew, and taught, that justifi cation was by faith, and not by works, and that the convicted sinner c*>uld do nothing meritorious and never encouraged him to try. Their uniform testimony was, “Therefore, be ing justified by ftith, we have peace with G*>d, through our L >rd Jesus Christ.” “And as M.-ses fifed up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Sou of man be lifted up, that whosoever lielieveth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.” Analyst this passage, and see how it sustains the doctrine of justification hy faith without works. The Israelites were bitten ; th-y were dying. Moses, at God’s command, erects a braz n serpent as an instantaneous remedy. The people were commanded t*> look and live. They w«ype not commanded t<> pray over, and bewail ttlieif condition, till they were worthy or prepared to look. Nor Were any of the pr'n-sts to “prav with and for them.” Smqly look and live! The analogy is close. * Facts and passages of Scripture, without number, c uld De adduced in proof of my p*> sition, but l will leave the reader who is dis posed to examine this subject without pre judice to supply them. Those who plead fin the instrumeiita'ity in question have never been fully saiisfied with their own Scripture proof. But they found the schedule iu run ning order when they entered the ministry, and they have shewn a per-isteut energy in running it us they found it. The) have urged such passages as these : “Confess your faults one to an* it her. Pr*y with and for one an other.” It surely has occurred to them that such admooitioiis and exhortations were ad dressed to churches —professing Christians. There is not a pas-age in the epistolary w ritings that can be logically applied in proot of the practice lam opposing. It is a per version—a giving uw r ay of the children’s bread to another cla-s of persons. And heie I am earnestly asked : “Should not the sinner,convicted by the Spirit **f God, pray? Does he not pray?” Suppose 1 ad mit that he does pray, and should pray, what is gained ? Praying is not the remedy ; faith in Christ brings salvatjgi. “lie that believ eth on the Son hath life.” Wneii Paul was stricken “Lord, what wilt thou hast do ?” The Lord Jesus did not tell hi in to pray ; “Arise, anti go into the city, and it shill De told thee wha* thou mu-t do.” And when Ananias was told, “Behold he prayeth,” it was to let him know that Saqf was now a harmless man. When Ananias found Siul, prayer, so far as the re erd goes, formed no part of the interview-, but faith and obedience was the order of the service. “Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou earnest, hath sent me, that thou mightest re ceive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost. And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales; and he rec ived his sight forthwith, and arose, and was bap tized.” Tne apostolic plan was, to influence the convicted sinner to embrace the great remedy immediately, and “pray without ceas ing” all his life. Shall we follow their plan, or grow' wiser than they, and make one of our own ? “But look how much g**od the system you are condemning has done.” I trust I shall ever rejoice at the doing of good, a though irregularly done. The holy Messiah was in formed that there were some casting out devils who did not follow them. “L:t them alone.” was the prompt reply ; “they that are not against us are f»r us.” Paul rejoiced “that Christ was preached,” though he did not- approve th.- covrse ptißaueffby ilvne wlvr, preached Him. Can it be affirmed that Pe dobaptist.s have not done great good ? and yet ttiey hold to auJ practice some palpable errors. ~f “Can so many great ar.d good men who have practiced what you condemn be wrong? ’ Drive a Pedobaptist to tne wall on the sub ject of infant baptism, and he will a-k you the same question Tnere is no logic in such questions. What saith the Word? is the question. “But is it not vain arid presumptuous in you to say a word against such a cloud of witnesses?” Not at all. Is it vain and pre sumptuous to believe God s word, proclaim it and be governed by it. If so, 1 need in struetion. 1 am not disposed to array the evils which have followed in the wake <>f the practice 1 am opposing. If it has been proven unsci ip tural, such results are natural. Sow to the wind, you reap a crop of whirlwind. Nor am 1 disposed to pursue this subject any fur ther. 1 have vanity, but it has never prompt ed me to differ, purposely, with my brethren. A word to “M. H.” and “W. D. A.,” and I have done. You have the advantage of me. You have written things of me which 1 can not, I dare not, write of you. Tne insinua tions, to say the least of them, “That I do riot pray for the salvation of sinners, and for the spread of the Redeemer’s k ngdomand “that you will not be surprised t*> see ‘H. E. T.’ the leader of another revolt,” are speci mens of Soph >moric rhetoric which I dui not expect from elders in Israel. I have seen the day that l could us., that sort of mud, Cut be ing now, as “M. H.” truly says, “in the au tumn of life,” I decline in favor of those wh*> can. Why not write, and allude to a bro ther, like good David Lee? And further, brethren, as you both have informed your readers, truthfully, that we have held protracted meetings together, 1 am willing to try it again. As Peter and John “taught daily in the temple” at Jerusa lem ; and as Paul labored with his own hands at his trade during the week, and pr, ached every Sabbath at Corinth, holding a protract ed meeting for “a year and six months” and as none of them ever “called up mourners,” 1 am ready to join you on their schedule. 11. E. T. A Lost Word. From John viii: l, a word has been dropped. It wa3 lost, probably, from its awkward ap pearanoe in the first verse of a chapter. But reading it with the last verse of John vii, the word is very important. The Genevan trans lation, rendering it and, has c*»me nearer the original. Tne word is but. Ic is in the Ger man,»6er; in the Latin, au’ern; in the French, mais ; in the Greek, rfe. It should be, in the English, but. Reading the verse with John vii : 53, “ And every man went unto his own house; but Jesus went unto the Mount of Olives.” The word implies that this moun tain was to Him what others’ homes were to them. “Ho oft-times resorted thither.” While His enemies refreshed themselves at their homes, lie gave Himself to prayer ; while they forgot iheir disputes, He prayed for them; while* Uiey had beds. He had Gelhsemane; while they had houses, lie had not where to I*y His head. That “ but” ex presses a great contrast. It is too significant to be omitted. Will not the Bible Society have it restored ?—/Yes6. Catholicity. —The N. Y. Evening Post, speaking of the meeting ot the Evangelical Alliai ce, in that city, this year, makes a sug gestion which ought not to be grievous to any of our Pedobaptist brethren: Perhaps it would be a good occasion tor the American Bible Society, which was avowedly formed upon au equally catholic ba.-is, to rescind the resolution which has virtually separated the Baptists from its ranks. WHOLE NO. 2479. The Most. Alarming Sin. If l were called to point out the moat alarm* ing sins to-day— those which are most deceit ful in their influence, ami most soul-destrojr ir>jjt in their ulti uate effects—l would not mention drunkenn-ss with til its fearful h ivoc, nor gtmblmg with its craze 1 victims, nor harlotry with its hellish orgt-s; but the love of money on the part of men, and the love of display on the ptrt of women. While open vice sends its thousands, fashionable and favond indulgences send their ten thou sands to perdition. They sear the conscience, incrust the s ml with an impenetrable shdl of worldliness, debauch the aff-> tious from every high and heavenly object, and make man or woman the worshipper of self. While doing all this, the poor victim is flowed by public • pinion to think hunself or herself a Chris tian ; while the drunkard, the gambler, or the prostitute is not deceived by such a thought for a moment. — Dr. Croxky. The Lord’s Sapper. Dr. Hanna, in his “ Life of Cnrist,” speaks is follows of the institution of the Lord’s supper: “But who wouid ever have risked his reputation, his prospect of being remem bered by the ages that were to come, by ex hibiting such an eager ans prern vture desire to preserve-and perpetuate the remembrance of his name, his character, his deeds \ They nave left it to others after them to devise the means of doing so; neither vain enough, nor bold enough, nor*foolish enough to be them selves the framers of these means. But who is this, who, ere he dies, by his own act and deed, sets up the memorial institution by which his death is to be shown forth ? Sure ly he must be one who knows and feels that he has claims to be remembered, such as none other have had ? Does not Jesus Christ, in the very act of instituting in his own life time this memorial rite, step at once ahove the level of ordinary humanity, and assert f’.r himself a position toward mankind utterly and absolutely unique?” Mission Population. The population connected with the Pro testant missions in Africa, was estimated, in 1868, at 685,000. It has for many ye*.rs back increased at a much more rapid rate than the Roman Catholic mission population, and as the whole of Madagascar is likely to be soon gained over, it will shortly number as many millions as it has now hundreds of thousands; and as Roman Catholicism has ni> similar prospect in any African country, it will soon outnumber the Roman Catholic populations. In Asia, the Protestant popu lation is now about 713,000; but there also an addition of millions may be confidently expected. AH signs of the times indicate that a great harvest is in store for the labors of the Protestant missionaries. “ Nothing Sectarian." This has now become quite a popular hob by, both in high and low places, in our pulpits, colleges, and social circles. What may be the true import of the term, in its application to our time and circumstances, it is perhaps bard to tell. But, be this as it may, one thing is evident, it has gone into popular use as equivalent to “ no controversy," eso *ciallv in our pulpits ; or, in other words, “ D »n’t say anything contrary to the views or teachings of others.” Tnis 1 regard as both uureas n able and unsoripiural. 1. It is unreasonable to consent that the most erroneous d octria*>s should be thus honored and lif^this day of superior iight and liberty. 2 It is unscriptural. This must at once appear evi dent to every Bible reader; hence we find patriarchs, prophets, Christ, and all the apos tles, warning ag tirist surrounding errors. And there is no intimation in the Bible that we -.hould c*ase to proclaim and defend any por tion of Divine truth, because its utterance would come in confl ct with surrounding er rors. Instead of this, the Bible tells us, if any man speak, and especially public teachers, let him speak as becometh the oracles of God." This not only implies agreement with these oracles, but comprehends the whole counsel of God.”—Cor. W r ext Chrs. Adv. Personalities in Pkayer.— When Rev. Ed vard Harpur, an Irish Wesleyan, was stationed in Drornore, there was a certain i urate of the Established Cnurch in that town, who was strongly opposed to Methodism, and did what he could to prevent nominal Episco palians from attending the Wesleyan Cnapel. His name was Richard Agar. One Sunday evening Mr. Agar attended the Wesleyau service, to see if any of his professed flock were in the chapel. Mr. Harpur saw him and knew his object. During prayer Mr. H. offered up the following petition : “O Lord, save thy Church from the devil, the Pope, and Richard Agar!” It is not necessary to say that Mr. Agar did not remain for the sermon. Ministerial Study. — Let Christian minis ters study ; give them time to read widely and deeply, and we shall have an educated ministry, able to cope with the evils of the age. On the other hand, keep your minister always on his feet—bid him give to social visiting the time which belongs to his study set a price on him by saying, Fill the pews or leave your post; and you take the surest way of training a class of men narrow, in their range of thought, weak in their grasp of truth, uncertain and dreamy in their doctrinal utterances, frothy and sensational in their pulpit performances. W T e need strong men, studious men, scholarly men, as well as pious men.— Presbyterian. Drunkenne>s and ChiME.—Mr. Haynes, warden of the Massachusetts State Prison, in his valuable book, recently published, says t! at during the eleven yearstnat he has been connected with the institution, tweuty-one persons have been imprisoned for killing their wives, two for killing their fathers, one for killing his mother. Os these twenty-four, all but one were not only habitual drunkards, but actually drunk when they committed the crime; and he also remarks that “ these were not bad men, except when under the influ ence of liquor; and yet justice can make no distinction, but holds him equally guilty who commits crime under such circumstances, as the one who soberly and with intellect un clouded violates the law.'' “Beyond his Understanding.” —Sainte- Beuve once dropped the remark, at a restau rant, that heoouldnot believe in God because it went beyond his understanding. The great Friar Lacordaire happened to be seated near and quickly exclaimed: “M. Saiute Beuve, you say you do not believe in God because you eannot understand Him. But can you understand why the same fire will melt but ter and harden eggs? And nevertheless you are eating your omelette!” Sainte-Beuve dropped his head. Repeating Sermons. — ln a certain Ladies’ Sewing Circle the topic of discussion was, ministers and old sermons. “Pour minister preaches old sermons,” said one lady to an other. “No he don’t,” was the emphatic reply. “ Yes, he does, the fact is notorious.” “ Nn, he don’t preach old sermons. Ilia ser mons don’t get old before he preaches them over.”
