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CHRISTIAN I w.r.v ami SOUTH-WESTERN BAPTIST.
VOL. 49-NO. 10.
A RELIGIOUS AND FAMILY PAPER,
PUBLISHED WEEKLY IN ATLANTA, OA
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The Master’s Presence.
Where shall we find the Master?
Our yearning hearts entreat;
What service shall we render?
How wash the sacred feet?
A voice speaks out from heaven.
With power our souls to thrill,
“Ye have the poor and needy;
In them ye have Me still I”
Our feet spring up to dutv;
Our bands to tender care ;
The highways and the hedges
Reveal the Master there;
The Master in His children,
Disguised by grief and shame;
0, Christ, ’tis sweet to succor
Because they bear Thy name!
We rather glean TUv harvest
Than reap in earthly spoil;
We haste to seek the mourning,
For love makes glad the toil;
So weak are we ind humble,
The precious trust to hold,
But as Thou lead’s! our footsteps.
We bring them to Thy (old.
We gather from Thy bounty,
And in Thy name dispense;
We lean on' Amman weakness
On Thy oifinipotence;
And when, discrowned and strioken,
Thy royal form appears.
We deem it highest worship
To wash Thy feet with tears.
O, ever-present Master!
We find, where’er we tread,
Such service for sweet ointment
To pour upon Thy head;
We bow with deep thanksgiving
That Thou our work wilt own ;
The jov is ours of serving,
The praise is Thine alone.
Worldly Conformity —V.
In conclusion of my discussion of this sub
ject, 1 add the following general rernaiks.
One mode of testing the religious charac
ter of any principle, or practice, is to com
pare it with the views and conduct of those
who are admitted to be examples of intelli
gent piety. Andrew Fuller applied this
principle with effect, in his “Examination
and Comparison of the Calvinistic and Socin
ian Systems, as to their moral tendencyAs
we may safely infer from the character of a
good man, that his conduct will be good, so,
with equal reason, we may conclude those
practices are not good, which he disapproves
and condemns. Let us apply this principle
to the illustration of the case we are discuss
ing. Let us ask whether the devotees of the
amusements in question, are found among
those w ho are examples of holiness, blessings
to society, lights of the world, and the orna
ments of the church? Who, among all the
different denominations, are those to be found
in dancing halls, at card-tables, or in the the
atre? Not Newton, or Scott, or Leighton,
or Legli Richmond, or Bickersteth, or Ed
wards, or Payson, or Wesley, or Summer
field, or Fuller, or Pearce. Who Would ex
pect to find one of these men at any such
places? As soon should we see the empyreal
eagle brooding and hooting with the bird of
night, or the majestic lord of the forest wal
lowing with the sow in the mire. It there
has ever been a man or woman of distin
guished piety who has been addicted to these
practices, it s one of whom I have r*ever
heard or read. Who would look in such
haunts for Anne Judson, Harriet Newel, Sarah
Boardman, Deborah .Wade, or any of that
glorious galaxy of women whose names are
as odors wafted from a field perfumed with
the breath of the Lord, qnd who p<>ur upon
our pathway a stream of light., imparting to
our souls some sense of the sanctity and
blessedness of the heavenly regions? If, on
the contrary, we were looking fora professor
of religion with “a form of godliness, but
denying its power,” having “a name to live,
but dead,” are not these exactly the resorts
to which we would direct our search ? When
ever I shall find persons distinguished for
piety, men and women of prayer and conse
cration to God, of active and devoted effort
in all the plans of Christian benevolence,
visiting theatres, mingling in dancing parlies,
and addicting themselves to card-playing, it
may serve to modify, materially, my views on
this subject. But when 1 see ihese things, 1
shall no longer be surprised to find grapes on
the thorn tree.
Why, then, if those professing the name of
Christ, desire to justify their profession, and
to “ make their calling and election sure,” if
they are not alarmed by the declaration of
Paul—“ She that liveth in pleasure is dead
while she liveth,” or. by the awful words of
Him who will judge them in the last day—
“ Wide is the irate, and broad is the way that
leadeth to destruction, and many there be
which go in thereat;” why, at least, do they
not propose to themselves, as examples, those
characters who are of unquestionable and
elevated piety, and whose lives illustrate and
adorn their profession? Why not enquire
into their views, study their principles, and
imitate their conduct:
If it shall be found, upon enquiry, that the
advocates and devotees of the amusements in
question, are persons of an inferior, if not a
doubtful piety, such a fact will surely be of
no small weight in deciding the question of
their Scriptural morality. No man fearing
and desiring to do His will, would be willing
to submit to the umpirage or judgment of
such men, a question of Christian casuistry.
Religious duties should not be decided by
feelings and views, indicating a low state of
piety. Such a state forms a very unfavorable
element in which to discern the true nature
of spiritual objects. Tney only can see the
light, who stand in the light: and the Scrip
tural propriety of any practice may well be
doubted, which originates in a low state of
religious feeling, and which is of a nature to
perpetuate and increase such a state of spir
itual dwarfishness, and this may be stated, as
another general principle, applicable to the
case in hand.
How little does the spirit of the Christian
devotee of worldly amusements harmonize
with the character of the disciples of Christ,
as described in the Sacred Scriptures? “ Ye,”
says our Lord, “are the light of the world.”
“So let your light shine before men that
they rnay see your good works and glorify
your Father which is heaven.” “The grace
of God that bringeth salvation,” says the
Apostle, “hath appeard to us ; teaching us
that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts,
we should live soberly, righteously and godly
in this present world, looking for that blessed
hope, and the glorious appearing of the great
God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ, who gave
Himself for us. that He might redeem us from
all iniquity, and purify us to Himself, a pe
culiar people, zealous of good works.” Such
is their character, of whom God has said,
“This people have 1 formed for myself; they
shall show forth my glory.” For them the
Son of God died upon the cross, to “save”
them, as “ His people, from their sins.”
They are the “elect, according to the fore
knowledge of God, the Father, through sanc
tification of the Spirit unto obedience and
sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ.” In
their sahation, God preeminently displays
the perfections of the Godhead. When the
earth and the heavens shall have vanished
away, and every form of material glory shall
J have successively disappeared, they will still
shine, undimmed, and unwasting orbs of light
and glory ; and amid all ages, and among all
the bright hierarchies of God’s eternal do
minions will be “made known in them the
manifold wisdom of God.” Many such
heaven-blessed men and women it has be. n
my happiness to know, but not one of them
have J found in the ball-room, at the card
table, or in the theatre.
Let roe all those who indulge in the
amusements which have been specified, pro
fessing a desire, to do the will of God, and to
secure His favor, whether these practices are
not condemned, as sinful, by an application of
the principles by which they have been tried ?
and whether they are not sensible of the evils
connected with such indulgencies? It seems
to me impossible there should be more than
one answer to this question.
It were vain, I know, to ask those profess
ing Christians who are devoted to pleasure,
and whose determination it is, regardless of
consequences,—“/ will go after my lovers ”
whether .they are conscious of any spiritual
deterioration, as the effect of such indulgen
cies. It would be equally useless to ask such
person?. whether they experience any detri
ment from neglecting prayer, or the service
of the house of God. Without wishing to
be unkind—for my feelings for such persons
are very different from those of unkindness —1
would, in candor and affection, beg leave to
suggest for their serious consideration, the
important enquiry, Whether the reason why
their piety does not suffer from such cause,
may not be, that they have none to suffer ?
That cannot be injured which does not exist.
A man may escape from the hands of a rob
ber, without the loss of his purse, only be
cause he has none to lose. The dead do not
feel.
The solemn issue is before us all. “ Choose
ye whom ye will serve." W hether God or
the world, each one must decide for himself.
But of this let him be sure: that he cannot
serve both. The choice must be made, and
it must be made soon. While you are hesi
tating and lingering, time is departing, and
eternity, with its awful realities, is hastening
upon you. If, unhappily, you shall incur the
folly and guilt of choosing your “good
things” in this life, rather than to wait for
them in heaven, still, bring not upon your
souls the heavier condemnation awaiting
those who, professing to be servants of God,
shall hear the awful doom, “ Depart from me,
)e workers of iniquity, I never knew you.”
What will hypocrites obtain
In dealh : s tremendous hour?”
Oh ! be not deceived ! “If you live after
the flesh, ye shall die.” He that loves the
world, can never see God, in peace. Re
member the words of the Lord Jesus: “if
any man will come after me, let him deny
himself and take up his cross and follow me.”
Encumber not yourselves, votaries of pleas
ure, with the religion of Jesus Christ. His
“service,” to you, “is vain.” You are out
of your element. The world is your place.
You drag your bodies to the house of God,
but your hearts are in the haunts of worldly
pleasure, and in the midst of the vanities of
earth. Why should you profess a religion
which requires a life of self-denial, of conse
cration to God, and a steady direction of our
view to “the things which are unseen and
eternal ?” Oh! unhappy men and women,
why will you deceive yoiwselvev) to vow
eternal ruin’? Has not the Lord Jesus already
told you, You cannot serve God and the
world ? Retire, ye lovers of pleasure, from
scenes and connections uncongenial with your
spirits, from which you derive no profit, and
where you can only remain by contracting
the guilt, and incurring the hazards of A
FALSE PROFESSION! The religion of
Jesus Cnrist is a dangerous thing to trifle
with. Your suffering souls cry out, Spare us
the heavy injustice of forcing upon us a re
sponsibility we cannot meet! Save us from
the fearful door, you are preparing for us in
pretending to the service of God, while your
hearts are wedded to the vanities of earth !
It ought to be remembered, and never for
gotten, that the miserable Dives did not lift
up his eyes in the torments of hell for any
immorality that is charged against him. It
vas the love of the world that ruined his
soul. From a bed of carnal ease and sensual
enjoyment, he sunk into the burning lake.
O ! for a Bunyan, or a Baxter, to flash before
the eyes of worldly-minded and pleasure
loving Christians, the terrors of that doom
they are preparing for themselves.
W. H. J.
Liles v ills, N. C ., Feb. 21, 1870.
Christ Coming in His Kingdom.
REPLY TO DR. HILLYER NO 111.
Now we are better prepared to consider
what the darkening of the sun, etc., is. Bro.
H.says: “By these figures we are to under
stand the powers of civil polity which werestill
possessed by the Jewish people,” etc. Be
cause these predictions have never been liter
ally fulfilled, the “ tribulation ” and “ those
days” are believed to refer alone to the time
and calamities of the siege and destruction of
Jerusalem, and therefore a figurative con
struction seemed a necessity. If we could
be patient, and remember that a thousand
years with the Lord are as one day, perhaps
we might understand that the time for those
phenomena has not yet transpired, nor will
it until the end of Jewish tribulation—the
“ tribulation of those days,” and the “ full
ness of the Gentiles,” when God shall make
an “ end of punishing the nation of the
Jews.”
“Immediately after the tribulation of those
days, shall the sun be darkened,” etc. The
adverb “immediately,” here must qualify
the verb, “be darkened,” which the “Re
vision ” makes appear by the comma after it,
and therefore has relation to what shall occur
in the sun, moon and stars, and.not to the
time between the “ tribulation of those days”
and the phenomena in the sun, etc., and as
the original is susceptible of the translation,
it may be read, suddenly, all at once, the sun
ishall be darkened, etc. The figurative ex
pressions akm to the one under consideration,
most, if not all, have specific meanings at
tached. Take Is. xiii: 9, the record points
out Babylon, the mighty empire of which is
called the world; Is. xxxiv: 4, immediately
Idumea is named; Ezek. xxxii: 7,8, here
the desolations of Egypt are meant; and so
of Dan. viii: 10, and Amos viii: 9. In Joel
ii: 10,11, there is an express statement that it
means a visitation of locusts. But in Joel
ii: 30, 31, we have the same expression
which Jesus doubtless had in mind when he
used the language of the 29th verse of the
24th chapter of Matthew, the connection of
which puts it beyond controversy that it
applies to the time of the “ great and terrible
day of the Lord;” and when He “shall
bring again the captivity of Judah and Jeru
salem.” Tnis is the prophecy quoted by
Peter in the 2d Acts; but he did not say
that the entire prophecy was fulfilled; it
only began to be fulfilled, and as the “ last
days” embrace the whole period between
the two coinings of Christ, so does this
prophecy cover the entire dispensation. Bro.
H. says: “ Up to the time of the siege, they
had their high council, their municipal laws,
their high priesthood and their gorgeous tem
ple services.” How contradictory is this
statement to the record of Josephus of this
FRANKLIN PRINTING HOUSE, ATLANTA, GA., THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 1870.
very time. If the reader will only take time
to examine the 4th and sth Books of the
Jewish Wars, or History of the Destruction
of Jerusalem, he will Sind that, even before
the siege of tho city, there was a state of
“ absolute anarchy, in both civil and ecclesi
astical affairs—that officers and priests were
deposed and overthrownthat the thieves
and zealots “kept all the nobles and rulers
of country in close custody, slow and
consumed the nobdity, and made it their bus
iness to leave none >f the men alive."
The “ priesthood was overthrown, indeed, th#
very families of the high priests by success
ion, were abolished , and the “ whole matter
managed by a diabolical combination of mur
derers and thieves," who “seized upon the
temple, defiled it, turned it into a fortress,
and even occupied the inner court.” They
“trampled upon all laws of men, and laughed
at the laws of God ; and for the oracles of
the prophets, they ridiculed them as the trick
of ju/glers.”
And it wiU be found that this state of
things was not confined to the city and its
precincts; but the whole country of Judea
was laid waste by those wretches, and all
law and order were at an end. And let it be
remembered that all this was little less than
two years before the destruction of Jerusa
lem !
Again: It is, chronologically, impossible
for the sun, moon and stars to refer to the
heads of the civil and ecclesiastical polities of
the Jews. For if we throw out the account
given by Josephus, altogether, then the very
language of the verse in question conclusively
shows that these expressions can have no such
meaning.
It is distinctly stated to be after the tribu
lation of those days that the sun is to be
darkened. If what brother H. says, that
everything continued intact “up to the siege,”
then these State and Church luminaries must
have been darkened during the siege and de
struction of Jerusalem, and not afterwards,
as the inspired record states. So that we
conclude, without much fear of successful
contradiction, that there is no referen. e to
the heads of Jewish polity; but that the
darkening of the suri, etc., are to be actual
and visible phenomena, which will transpire
in their predicted time, as certainly as the
words of Him who spake as never man spake,
shall not pass away; and there can be no
doubt that common readers everywhere so
understand it. I am sure, so far as my ob
servation extends, this is certainly true; but
while this could not be urged as a proof of
the view taken of this verse, it should have
its weight in whatever construction is put
upon it. Gjso. t. Coopkr.
Americus , Ga ., Feb. 58, 1870.
Harvest Home.
CHAPTER XII.
“Soldiers of Christ arise, and gird your armor on,
Strong in the strength which God supplies through
His Eternal Son.”
“ Here is a letter for you, Helen, with a
foreign post mark,” said Mr. Montmarie, on
returning from town one afternoon, a few
days after the wedding; “It must be from
Cnristtne Errendorff.”
“ It is from her,” replied Helen, after open
ing the letter.
“ Have the lamps lit and read it quick,
Nellie,” exclaimed Hartly ; “we are ail mix
ious to hear the news.” . 'j
“ It lias been some time since she wrote
last,” remarked Lucy.
“ Yes,” answered Helen ; “1 was about con
cluding that she had entirely forgotten me.”
Then, as she continued to read lor a few
moments, her bright face clouded.
“ What is it, Helen?” asked her fither;
“you are disappointed. Am 1 right?”
“ Rather,” said Helen, with a sigh ; “ bur
you may judge for yourselves. I will read
you what she says :”
“ I have neglected you shamefully, dear,
but if you are at all like the Helen of our
Ohildish jays, you will be ready to kiss and
iTßlke friends the momeul I say 1 am sorry,
wfiieh 1 am, unfeignedly. The truth is, lam
over-worked. My Aunt,and Madame Bauhme,
our Inverness, have neither mercy nor con
science in the tasks they impose on their two
victims, Catherine Errendorf and myself.
My cousin might rebel, if she would. 1 wonder
she don’t. If I werg’ rich and titled, 1 am sure
I should never take half the pains she does
to become brilliant; but my Aunt says she
owes it to her family. As for me, if 1 dared
to displease my Aunt and Uncle, of whom i
stand in the greatest awe, a look from Mad
ame would petrify me in the act of disobedi
ence. Besides, Mamma writes, the end we
have in view, is worth the greatest sacrifices.
Well, Helen, dear! when I have achieved the
splendid conquest she means me to make, I
shall be at liberty to do as I please, I sup
pose, and then you and I will enjoy ourselves
together in our own way. I pnwnise myself
this. In the meantime, don’t you dare to
forget me, nor to have a lover before me. I
intend to have as many as I please when l
come home. As vigilant as our governess
thinks she is, we manage to read what we
please. I should die of dullness, if" it were
not for this. Fred is off at school, with our
cousins, Louis and Henry. They have just
as nice a time as they wish. When they
make us a visit, it is quite pleasant for Cath
arine and me.”
“ Poor child !” said Mr. Montmarie. But
what else could her mother expect ? sending
her to that German family to be educated—
nominally Lutheran, wholly ir.fidel ?”
“And how much better are the Errendorfs
here ?” asked Clara.
“ Not much, indeed, but Mrs. Errendorf,
from her training, ougnt to be a great deal
better; and the children eould not have failed
to find a purer moral atmosphere in any of
our home institutions, fehe will bitterly re
gret sending them away yet, I fear.”
“ Even if the brilliant match is made,”
said Hartly, with scornful emphasis.
“ Yes, even if it should be made, which is
by no means certain, a woman, utterly desti
tute of religious principle, is ready tor any
fate.”
“ You don’t think that of Christine,” said
Lucy, tearfully.
“ What else can I think, from that letter?
It is the goal she will surely reach, if she has
not already cast the lear of God behind her
back.”
“And yet,” said Helen, “ there is nothing
so very wrong in her letter.”
“No, my dear,” said her father, gravely,
“ only an absence of everything high and
holy, of everything healthy and happy —self
the evident centre of all her hopes.”
His remarks sobered the little group. They
all felt a warm interest in their playmates,
Frederick and Christine; even their long sep
aration had not chilled it, and the hope ot
meeting some day, had been very eagerly
cherished; but to meet, aud find them what
Mr. Montmarie feared, would be more pain
than pleasure.
“ Have you ever forgiven Fred for throw
ing you over, that Christmas day you speut
together here, Lucy ?” asked Hartly at last.
“Oh, yes, 1 hope so,” said Lucy, smiling.
“ 1 don’t think she resented it much at the
time, it was you Hardy,” observed Clara.
Hartly colored a little, and was silent.
Nothing more was said about the Errendorfs.
Occasional visits kept up the intercourse with
the elder members of the family, who con-
linually reminded the young Montmaries
that Fred and Christine would soon be home
now, and the house be made as gay as possi
ble. Meanwhile, Emile Montmarie was
working steadily -ft ’awls the mark he had
set for himself, writing frequent and affec
tionate letters home,j»>c Jfiokmg forward with
repressed but eager anticipation to the Chri't
mas hi lidays. The letters from home had a
good deal in them, about this time, concern
big Mr. Stanley. wrote:
“ Mr, Stanley asked roe to take a drive with
him, the other day. He’s the cleverest fellow
I’ve met in a long tone; don’t put on airs
with a greenhorn, bemuse he has seen the
world, and knows about a horse as
if he had never h»oke. into a book.”
Helen remarked •. Stauley has been
reading the Lady of fne Lake to us. I be
lieve 1 never apprecia and it before.”
is making rapid strut s _in the regard of all
the family. I thinkthe only one who
distrusts him, and I ’*l half ashamed of it;
and yet, when he ui ts some noble senti
ment, it sounds to Gibbon’s praise of
Christianitv —half-iron »ery. ’
Clari was very g-tq “kd : “We have quite
an acquisition jjffcie of acquaintances,
in a Mr. Stanley—at % east, papa thinks so,
and we are all iyclined to agree with him.
“I shall be glad,to iave an opportunity to
form my own judgement of him, mused
Emile. “It is well I Vim going home soon.
He seems far too useful, and too agreeable,
unless he be equally trustworthy. No wolf
shall creep into our toA, my darling mother,
if your Emile can guard it.” And the firm
lips were pressed closely together. He
glanced round the suuibre room, (College
buildings are never home like,) and the long
ing for the dear, absem scenes grew stronger.
With a sigh he bent once more over his
books.
The weeks flew rabidly round, bringing
Christmas nearer. T*o or three evenings in
every week found Mr. Stanley domesticated
with the Montmaries-i Some how or oth£r.
though he was far from presuming, he had
unconsciously glided ,ato tho position of a
confidential friend—unconsciously to himself,
for Richard Stanley wtAvid not have stooped to
artifice, and the frank cordiality of Mr. Mont
marie, as soon as his claim to consideration
was established, was top generous for him to
be willing to take advantage of it by delib
erately abusing his hospitality. Every time
he left the house, the expediency of placing a
longer interval between his visits, suggested
itself; but it was so io,-.gsince he had known
such simple, heart felt njoyment as he found
in the bosom of this charming family, that
lie scarcely knew how. ro deny it to himself.
Clara’s society, especially, grew more and
more attractive; yet, even when he exerted
all his power to please, he could not perceive
that he was making any progress in her regard.
It he did, she was heroine enough to hide it
successfully. Thus he was tempted on his
pursuit, unwilling to believe her entirely in
different, curious to kSow the secret of her
armor of proof, confident that he would find
a weak place sull, in spite of the calm cour
tesy which baffled him thus far, and which
was as sweet and unruffled with Mr. Drum
mond as himself. The.flatter fr-quently at
cached himself to affording no small
to 11« 1 11 v v *Jp,uey b?mld not enjoy
it much, for sympathy with Helen, though
the independent young lady assured her it
was quite thrown away.
“ Now, Helen,” Lucy would reply, “ havn’t
1 heard you ask Clara how she could stand
such an infl.ction as Mr. Drummond’s vis
its?”
“ Certainly, ma chere; I don’t deny that
he’s a bore, but then I don’t need to be pitied
for being bored.”
“ Well, you’re a philosopher,” Lucy re
marked, on one of these occasions.
“ Or a Christian,” added Hartly, earnestly,
w ho happennd to be near.
One evening Mr. Stanley was with them
when a letter was received from Emile.
“Tell me about that brother of yours,”
said the former, turning to Clara- “ Who is
he like among among you.”
‘ Like papa,” she answered, “and yet not
like him in features and figure. The resem
blance is striking; but he is the only one of
us who is not French at all in manner. In
fact, his character is more English than
French. Mamma was of English descent,
though American born.”
“Ah! that accounts for your English firm
ness, Mademoiselle, and your practical turn,
though you are certainly French in manner.
I huve often been struck by the h ippy mix
ture you Creoles present, of American enter
prise and French gayety.”
“ You think them susceptible of flattery, I
perceive, Monsieur,” Helen broke in, her
color rising, and a little brighter gleam thin
usual in the glanc e she directed at the speaker.
“You do my good taste and my penetra
tion equal injustice, to say nothing of the re
flection on my sincerity,” he replied, not at
all disconcerted by the sudden attack.
The Autobiography of an Old Pilgrim.
( Continued .)
So conscious was I of having experienced
a radical change in the views, teelings and
disposition of my heart, at the meeting of
which I have spoken, that I felt, and remarked
to a triend, alter returning to my room, that
nothing less than an audible voice from hea
ven could induce me toifc.’abt the fact of my
having experienced a change of heart. lad
mitted that, like all ot woman born, 1 was
fallible, and liable to be deceived by him who
seeketh to mislead, if possible, even the elect
of God—that it was possible I might be mis
taken as to the nature of the change wrought
in me; but as to ih fiact of my having expe
rienced a remarkable cha ge of heart, 1 could
no more doubt than I could my own corpo*
real existence, or the actual ex stence of any
ot the material objecisaround me. Hobbes,
or some olher philosophizing infidel* has
taught that what appear to us as material
objects have no substantial existence, but are
merely ideas afloat in the mind, or impres
sions made on it. I could as soon have adopt
ed that creed as believed that all 1 had expe
rienced was a delusion, k hallucination of the
mind, the effect of an excited imagination. I
was as cool and collected in my thoughts as
ever 1 was in my life. The studies in which
I had been engaged, up to the time of my
going to the meeting, were such as I could
not have prosecuted successfully with an over
heated imagination or distempered mind.
There was nothing in the sceues around me
to produce an artificial excitement. There
was no confusion, no clapping of bauds or
stamping of feet, no shouting or boisterous
exclamations. A solemn silence prevailed,
broken only by the voice of the speaker and
occasionally by the sobbing, low moaning and
half suppressed cries of dis'ress to which I
have already referred. The scene was sol
emn, not exciting.
The question as to the nature of the change
wrought in me, whether it was effected by
the operation of the Holy Spirit or by some
evil agency, is one that not only occurred to
me then, but one that ever recurs and leads
to serious reflection and prayerful inquiry,
*1 use the terms philosophizing infidel, instead of in
fidel philosopher, because a fool may philosophize as
well as a wise man.
whenever 1 feel within me the lusting of the
flo>h against the spirit, of which theaposile
Paul speaks, or bewail, as David appears
often to have done, the hidings of God’s coun
tenance, or experience seasons of darkness,
such as even they who fear the Lord and obey
the voice of llis servant ate liable to experi
ence, as we learn from Is. L:10.
That my frail human nature has furnished
frequent and abundant cause to justify the in
dulgence of a doubt as to the genuineness ot
my conversion, will be. manifest to the reader,,
if 1 am permitted to complete my report of
the records made by the finger of the Al
mighty on the tablet of my memory, or my
autobiography of my spiritual life.
It may not be amiss here to apprize the
reader that I do not purpose to report, in this
series of articles, the part I have taken in the
transactions of the outer world —the world
around me—but merely to give some account
of w hat has transpired in the inner world—
iu my heart; —to report some ot the many
struggles that, have occurred within it between
the flesh and the spirit, and the triumphs of
divine grace in as evil a heart as ever throb
bed in the breast of mortal man.
Remembrance of the many sins into which
I was betrayed, and of the depths of sorrow
through which I was made to pass, in conse
quence of my ignorance of the nature of true
conversion, prompts me to make an effort to
elucidate the subj-ct, and to point out some
of the quicksands upon w.hich many a voy
ager on the ocean of life has stranded, and lost
his hopes of heaven, his soul, his eternal all.
May that Spirit which guides the believer into
all truth, and illumined tHte mind of Lydia
and made her willing to receive the truth as
it is in Je*u3, guide my pen, arrest the atten
tion of the reader, shed the fight of life eter-.
nal into his soul, and make him experiment
ally and savingly acquainted with the subject
of which I am writing, if hitherto ignorant of
it. May they who have been taught by the
Spirit of God the nature of true conversion,
be confirmed in their faith by what I shall
write, and be led to string anew their harps
to the praise of redeeming love. The subject
is one of vast—of incalculable importance.
It involves interests as high as heaven, as deep
as hell, as wide as the universe. Every son
and daughter of Adam’s fallen race has an in
terest in it. It involves the glory of God,
consequently, involves, to a greater or
less extent, the interests of all the subjects of
God’s moral government; and, <>e it remem
bered, Ills government knows neither end
nor bound. It therefore demands a serious,
prayerful, protracted attention. The reader
will, I trust, permit me to continue the con
sider, nion of it through several consecutive
numbers. If I spent a life time in discussing
the subject, and were thereby made ins'.ru
mental in imparting a correct knowledge of
it to but one soul, I should not feel that I had
lived or labored in vain. To hear, through
eternity, the praises of that one soul rendered
to G.>d for the light imparted to it through
my feeble instrumentality, would be an am
ple reward for all my toil. It would afford
a pleasure which devils in hell might covet,
and for which t,h.ey might envy me; but one
which no ransomed soul in paradise, no bright
seraph, nor angel there, would be willing to
barter away for all the riches, and honors, and
carnal enj .yments of earth.
As 1 am up willing tojaid in crowdin'/ out in- ,
teresling articles from the pens of more able
writers, or in preventing the editor from pre
serving that variety in his columns which is
necessary to enable him to gratify the tastes
of every class of his readers, I will defer
for another number a further discussion of the
subject of conversion. I moreover fear that
many of my readers are more desirous to
learn how to Convert ih-ir sterile lands into
fertile fields, than to learn how a soul dead
in trespasses and in sms may be quickened
into life divine, or translated from a state or
spiritual darkness into the marvellous light of
the gospel of Christ. To justify the expres
sion of such a fear, i will introduce, as an
episode in my autobiography, an item from
the records on the tablet of my memory.
Many years ago, our late venerable and
highly esteemed brother, C. D. Mallary,
wrote a series of instructive articles for the
Index on the subject of “Soul Prosperity,”
which were subsequently published in book
form. While they were in a course of pub
iication, an estimable brother, extensively
known as a..scientific and successful agricultu
ralist, remarked, in reference to the articles
to which l have reference, “I read the first
two or three numbers because they were from
the pen of brother M.; but there was so much
of sameness in them that 1 ceased to read
them.” Years afterwards, that brother, in
the prime of manhood, was laid upon his dy
ing bed, and was lead, by a review of the past,
to entertain serious doubts about his spiritual
state, and to feel concern about his soul’s
prosperity. The author of the overlooked
and undervalued articles was sent for to
counsel and pray for him.
Reader, the voice of God may he heard in
history—it may be heard in this brief record
of a past event. Study now the subject of
the soul’s conversion, and seek to assure your
self that you have been born again, or you
may find at last, to your ever asting grief,
while the scenes of earth are receding from
view, and the shores of the eternal world are
looming up before you, that you have lost
your soul and are undone forever! Alas!
how many, with their dying breath, are con
strained to testify,
“’Tis mv neglect—not Fate—that seals my doom,
And sends me wailing to a cheerless tomb.”
Abdiel Nekoda.
The First Born—The Only Begotten.
In an article entitled “ The Sufferings ot
ChrioT,” in the Index of February 24th, it is
affirmed that the soul of Christ “was the first
created of all things;” and several passages
of Scripture in which Christ is spoken of as
“my first born,” “the first born of every crea
ture,” “the beginning of the creation of God,”
and “ His first begotten,” are adduced as
pr< iof.
The writer of that article appears to have
overlooked the fact that four times in the gos
pel and once in the epistle of John, Christ is
spoken of as the “o»/y begotten” Son of God.
From these passages, in connection with those
cited to prove the affirmation referred to, it
would seem that Christ is the “ first born”
and “first begottei*" in some other sense than
that of precedency to other created beings.
He is the “first born” because he is the “only
begotten” Son of the Father. In the sense in
which Ctirist is the Son of God, He is God’s
only son. If this be so, the passages cited do
not prove that Christ’s human soul, “corres
ponding to ours,’’ was “the first created of all
things.”
In what sense, then, was Christ the “first
born of every creature, ’’ etc.? It will be re
membered that in ancient times the position
of the first born in every family was that of
preeminent dignity, honor and privilege. The
rule in every case was “the first born accord
ing to his birth-right.” Now of all the crea
tion of God, Christ holds the position of the
most exalted dignity, honor and privilege, in
finitely “higher than the kings of the earth.”
Him all the angels of God worship, and to
Hun is given all power in heaven and in earth.
To Him every knee shall bow, and every
tongue shall confess that He is Lord. In this
respect—that of exalted dignity and power—
Christ is emphatically the First Born.
The expression he beginning ol the crea
tion of G»d,” (Rev. v:14), as applied to
Christ, is usually understood of Hifn as b£ing
the Author of the creat'on. All thingSweYe
made by Him. John, i:3.
A Bible Baptist.
Queries to Contributors.
I have read the last four issues of the Index
<k Bapti-t with more than u-ual interest.
Tfiey have been rich in matter for thought.
In reading several articles in the last two or
three numbers, I have felt a desire to be in
speaking distance of the writers, in order that
I might propound to them a few- questions.
As this is impossible! I propose to interrogate
one or two of the writers through tin- same
medium in which th<-ir articles appealed. The
first that 1 shall “put upon the stand” is bro
ther Teague, In his last article lie c!n%s as
follows: “Such a scriptural church, with i;s
two sets of officers, their spheres clearly de
fined, only needs a section of pious and dis
erect females to supplement their labor-, and
pious families ready to succor and encuiage
eiders, deacons and deaconesses, to make it a
most beautiful, perfect und efficient organiza
tion.” 1 would ask him, Ist, to define more,
distinctly ntid fully the Suties of those elders
who do not “labor in word and doctrine.”
2. Are those who ;o “labor in word and doc
trine” merely coadjutor's of the elder or pas
tor in chief, turd, subordinate to him, or do all
rank the same? 3. If deaconesses are. re
-cognized as officers of the church, should they
be ordained by a presbytery, etc.? as the dea
cons are? 4. If a body of professed believ
ers, baptized on a profession of faith, with the
officers named by him, constitute a .gospel
church, have we any right to make issue with
members. any other points of doctrine?
In other words, if a person professing faith in
Christ is baptized, have we any right to ask
wheiherhe believes in election, predestination,
final perseverance or any of the other doc
trines held by us? 5. Are all the churches
to be regarded as unscriptural and in viola
tion of New Testament order that are not or
ganized and maintained upon the principles
laid down by him ?
I do not wish to interfere with brother T’s
interesting and instructive series of articles,
but trust that he will give us an extra article
in reply to the queries above. They are mat
ters of vital importance to us as Baptises, and
if we have been wrong all this time, it is cer
tainly high time that we were put upon the
right track. I know that many of our minis
ters believe that there is some defect in our
organization, but their minds are not fully
made up as to what it is. One thing we all
know and feel, that our churches are by far
too dependent upon what is called the pastor!
Take him away, and what church in our coun
try would maintain its organization twelve
months? Is a church a true gospel church
whose very existence depends upon one
man ?
The next writer that I wish t» interrogate
is 11. E. T. In an article in the last Index, he
says: “If there were New Testament piety
enough among Baptists to propagate the gos
pel, as the apostles and their brethren did, I
should suggest the demolition of all B >anls,
Conventions and Associai ions, as both un
scriptural and useless.” I would ask him if
theSe iuSlf'u'm entail lies. are iptura! ««mi
useless” under the conditions named by him,
ought they not to be demolUned anyhow, in
order that we might return to the apostolic
mode of propagating the gospel? Again, if
piety is wanting in our churches, have w e any
warrant for adopting any plan that is unscrip
tural ?
And now, in conclusion, Bro. E litor, I will
ask you: If the question is put to me, did the
divine nature of Christ suffer? do I not give
a scriptural and sufficient reply, when l say
that Jesus Christ suffered the just for the un
ju-t? B.
ISP” The answer which our correspondent makes to
the question, ‘'Did ihe divine nature of Christ suffer ?”
does not sxhaust the testimony of Scripture in the premi
ses. We hardly think it ‘‘sufficient,” therefore.
The Scriptures tell uawhat suffered, in the personality
of the God-man. They specify the agony of His bu nan
body and human soul—the exceeding sorrow of
the one and the death of the other. Beyond this point
their specification does not teach. Now, here is surely
a case to which the principle applies— expre*sio unius
est exclusio alterius— the naming of one is the shutting
out of the other. The Scriptures mention only the suf
fering of the human nature of Christ, because that alone
suffered. If his divine nature had suffered, would they
not— must they not—have mentioned that also? But ij
opr correspondent hesitates to embrace this view, he
surely cannot hesitate to say, at least, that if there was
a suffering of the divine nature in Chr : st, that suffering
is to us as though it were n»t~ for He who ulone could
have revealed it to us has told us uothing of it! He has
hidden it under the veil ot the silence of Scripture, and
it cannot become, therefore, a matter of Christian faith
or knowledge.
“Pedobaptist Immersions—Apostolic Suc
cession.”
Under the above caption, I have just read
an article from “H.”—one, I suppose, of your
editorial staff. That part of the article refer
ring to Pedobaptist immersions I regard n<»t
only as scriptural, but founded in reason and
logic. The second, referring to apostolic sue
cession, I regard as equally unseriptural, and
illogical. And why ? Ist. (Jnscriptural, be
cause the Old and New Testaments have as
serted the perpetuity of the kingdom and
church of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Dan. ii:44: “And in the days of these kings
shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom,
which shall never be destroyed : and the king
dom shall not be left to other people, but it
shall break ill pieces and consume all these
kingdoms; and it shall stand forever.” Tne
kingdom here spoken of was the gospel king
dom ; see Luke, 3J ch., which was in the fif
teenth year of the reign of i iberi us Caesar.
Christ told Peter, “Upon this rock l will build
my church, and the gates of hell shall not
prevail against it:” M it. xvi:s.
Brother H. asks, ot the succession of apos
tolic churches, “But what is it, afier all?
Why, it so happens that the ‘mother of harlots’
has more of it than all the balance of Cnris
tendom.” 2d. Brother H’s position is un
reasonable in that it awards to the “mother
of harlots” a succession before she had an ex
istence ; for she was not fully organized until
006 of the Christian era. 3d. Illogical to as
sume a conclusion wiihout premises, iter
nonexistence in apostolic days strips her of
premises. Brother H. quotes the cardinal
principle dividing Baptists from other denomi
nations: “The WorJ of God is the only rule
of faith and practice.” Then, is it not clear,
that if the Word of God is the only rule ot
faith and practice, we should believe the doc
trine of church perpetuity, seeing the Word
of God teaches it?
As to brother H’s question, ‘What is it?”
that is, apostolic succession, we reply : There
is this of it, one of two things: either that the
Scriptures which teach it are untrue, or that
those Scriptures that assert it are interpola
tions into the Word of God. The former,
brother 11. will not attempt; and the latter
cannot be made out, so far as I know. Or,
will brother 11. cast anew face upon those
texts I have referred to, and show that the
usual exegesis is incorrect? Again, brother
H. says: “Asa matter of fact , we would not
give a fig for it.” Now, this depends upon
whether the Scriptures teach the succession of
WHOLE NO. 2480.
the church; for if the Scriptures teabb it, it
would be infidelity to reject it. Again, br e
ther Ebsays: “It will not exorci°e a single
devil,rtife will it regenerate a single soul.**
Be it remembered these are not the uses’to be
made of the question. The question is, Does
the Bible t**ach the continuation of the church
ot Christ from its setting up until the days of
tho gflspto dispensation? If there is not a
succession <»f churches from apostolic days, to
my mind the kingdom of Christ has made a
signal failure, which I cannotgrant. The fail
ure of all human governments is attributable
iu m oi’s fallibility, and want of wisdom and
power to maintain them. This cannot be nai4
of a divine government. The church of God
•vas not built with hands, but originated and
•onliuues by the unchanging volition of the
Divine mind. If the ascending Lord, who an
nounced the fact that all power in heaven and
in earth was given into His hands, has not
maintained His government in His kingdom,
lie has been slack in the exercise of authority;
t'.r the judicial is His as well as the legisla
tive.
A st rong man keepeth his» palace, and a
stronger must come in and bind him before
he can destroy his goods, (His church) ; and
if He has not kept H s church all the while,
a'stronger has come in, most assuredly.
In conclusion, 1 lay down this proposition :
That if the church which Jesus Christ set up
to the world has ever ceased to exist, there is
not a church (so called) in the world to-day
that has a l ight to execute His laws, nor a min
ister that has the authority from Him to
preach or administer the sacraments of His
church. * W. T. ft.
LnFayette , Qa., Feb. 17, iB6O.
Penitential Hymn.
As Mary knelt, and dropped her tears,
So, gracious Lord, would we;
And pour the ointment of our hearts,
Our choicest love, on Thee.
Oh! the sweet joys of penitence I
We trust Thee, and adore j
We wonder at Thy gracious word,
“Arise, und sin no more.”
Thou dost forget our sinful past,
Thou takest off the staio ;
Bathed in the ocean of Thy love,
Our souls are pure agaiu.
We come with sad, confessing lips, <
For Thy forgiving touch ;
And Thou dost thrill us with the words,
That we have loeed Thee much.
We raise our tearful eyes to Thee,
And meet Thy smile divine;
Where shall we look, O pitying Christ!
For tenderness like Thine?
We hide our souls in Thee, 0 Lord !
In Thee we seek our rest;
Oh I raise us from Thy sacred feet,
To lean upou Thy breast.
—Zion's Herald.
The Working Man.
The noblest men I know on earth
A-e men whose hands are brown with toil;
Who, backed by no ancestral groves,
Hew down the wood and till the soil;
And win thereby a prouder name
Than follows king or warrior’s fame.
The working men, whate’er the task,
Who carve the stone or bear the hod,
They bear upon their honest brows
The royal stamp und seal of God ;
And worthier are their drops of sweat
Than diamonds in a coronet.
Qod blesa the noble working men,
Who rear the cities of ihe plain,
r vVno dig ihe motes, who build ihe ships,
And drive the commerce of the mam.
God bless them; for their toiling hands
Have wrought the glory of all lands.
Strong Doctrine.
Dr. Thurston was installed pastor of the
Central Congregational Church in Fall River
March, 1849, about six years after its organi
zation, and was its second pastor. There had
neier been a revival of religion in the church,
and only ten additions on profession since its
organization. The effect of his earnest, pun
gent. powerful appeals to the understanding
and the conscience of the impenitent, soon be
came manifest, and a revival of extraordinary
power was the result. Nearly seventy -nvfe
were received into the church, as its fruits.
In the height of the revival he preached from
the text : “Thy people shall be willing in the
day of thy power,” hi inging out in strong col
ors the absolute sovereignty of God in the
salvation of sinners, and the utter impotency
of the sinner without the aid of the Spirit.
One of his deacons, though a Calvinist of the
strictest sect, was alarmed at such an exhibi
tion of the sinner’s total inability to do any
thing of himself, and feared disastrous conse
quences. He went to his pastor and remon
strated with him. but he replied : “You need
not fear the result of declaring the truth. The
sinner must know who, and what God is, in
order to an intelligent and true submission to
Him.” The result of that sermon showed the
pastor was right, and his too timid deacon
wrong; for it gave anew impulse to the
work, and strong men bowed under the hum
bling truth —men who had before remained
undisturbed, trusting in their morality, and
feeling that they were so near the gate of
heaven, they could, at their own option, and
at any time, step in.
The Reformation was a great revival,
and it was advanced through the preach
ing of these truths by Luther, and Cal
vin, and their compeers. The greatest
triumphs of that movement were witnessed
before the Arminian system was embraced by
any Protestants. Two hundred years ago,
John Livingston preached at the Kirk of
Shotts, in Scotland, on the Monday after a
communion Sabbath, a sermon which resulted
in the conversion of nearly five hundred per
sons. The great awakening of the last cen
tury, in this country, was connected with the
fervent preaching of these doctrines. Whit
field, the flying evangelist, carried them every
where; and Jonathan Edwards, in North
arnpton, presented them in their baldest and
driest form, and yet in a way which stirred
the hearts of the people to their depths. He
once preached a sermon on the doctrine of
election, “which was mighty in the conver
sion of sinners.
Advance. —The Friend of India, com
menting on the progress of missions in the
Purijaub—the extreme northern portion of
India—says that it spsaks well for the indus
try of those who'diave there labored for the
industry of those who have there labored for
the advance of the people, that, in a land
where,, thirty years a«go, there was not a
Christia ■, and where, twenty years ago, the
great freebooter king could not even write his
name, with only 40 missionaries for 17,000,-
000 inhabitants, or one to 400,000, there are
now churches with more than 3 000 Chris
tians, and schools with over 10 000 scholars.
Pulpit Plagiarism. =A w liter in the 06*
server <£■ Commonwealth says: We read lately
of a case, where a preacher having lost a
child, called in a neighboring minister to at
tend the funeral, and heard in his own house
one of his own sermons published ten year*
before. In another case, a man copied and
preached another man’s sermon; at his death
a young preacher got the manuscript, and de
livered the sermon unconsciously, where it
was first delivered.
Reading Theology.— A writer in the As
sociate Reformed Presbyterian quotes Rev.
Joseph C. Styles, D.D., as saying “ he
never read a page of theology in his life.