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CHRISTIAN INDEX AND SOUTH-WESTERN BAPTIST.
VOL. 49-NO. 12.
A RELIGIOUS AND FAMILY PAPER,
PUBLISHED WEEKLY IN ATLANTA, Q-A
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Ashamed.
I know a woman, weak, and old, and poor;
Her hair is gray, her eyes are dimmed with tears ;
Hor lot has beet! to work and to endure.
For mauy long, and dark, and dreary years.
Down in an alley, gloomy and obscure,
Whore want abides and misery has her home,
She lives, shut out from all things good ana pure;
Scarce has she seen the blue of heaveu’s dome.
She never stood in grasses wet with dew,
Nor saw the flowers of the early spring
The yellow buttercups, and violets blue —
Nor heard the wild birds in the woodlands sing.
She never breathed the sweets bevond compare
That come in June, from swaths of new mown hay ;
Nor that with fragrance loads the sultry air
Where roses bloo.n, an<? honeysuckles stray.
No grace or beauty has her sad l fc known, • .»
No kindlv influence has around her been ;
'Hardships'and sorrow has she called her own,
Yet she has kept herself aloof front sin.
To thankless drudgery her days were wed,
And now, when seventy weary years have passed
In ceaseless industry, she still roust dread
Starvation may o’ertake her at the last.
In steep and rugged ways her feet ht-e trod,
And all lite’s ills combine her trust to prove;
And vet this woman keeps her faith in good,
And more than that, believes that God is love.
And thinking of her humble faith and trust
Who in lire’s blessings has so little share,
I bow my forehead to the verv dust,
Ashamed, and peniteut, and tull ol prayer.
Reminescence of a Primitive Preacher-
Elder Hemy Petty.
I have a kindness fur the Primitive Bap
tists. I heard their preachers often in my
boyhood, when, indeed, all the Baptists near
ly were of that faith and order, the division
not then having taken place. They were
earnest, godly men, of simple and pure lives.
A wholesale dry goods merchant of Mobile
once told me an incident of this sort. A
stranger from the country above Aberdeen,
Mississippi, came to Mobile, to buy goods for
a country store. He proposed to purchase
from my friend. He had letters referring to
the wi 11-known firm of Boykin & McCray
The merchant took the letters and stepped
over to the business place of that firm, ihey
said, upon inquiry, “Yes, we know the gen
tleman; he is a good and honest man, and a
Primitive preacher.” “That will do,” said
the merchant; “ifhe is a Primitive preacher,
lam not afraid of him.” He added that he
had sold goods some years up country, and
neither there nor in Mobile, had he ever lost
a dollar due by a “Hardshell.” Similar
testimony have I often heard of this people.
Hyper-Calvinistic, many of them were, some
'times tinctured with AntinomianUm, but ever
honest and true.
Mr. Petty used to be their leader in West
Alabama. He had been the founder of a
very large number of their churches, was a
mail of gifts, and made to rule. He was
con-tantly the Moderator of his Association,
and came very near doing all the business of
the Association, from the Moderator’s seat.
When the mission question came up, he op
posed it and led a wav most of .
with hint, into apenllanen fd ivi si on. I was
the pastor, seven or eight years, of a church
at Clinton, Greene county, Ala., organized at
first of seven members, by Elder William
Manning, out of fragments left after nearly
everybody had gone otT into anti missionism.
The church gradually grew pretty strong, and
even numerous, alter iny time, under the la
bors of a brother Webster. Mr. Petty re
mained in charge of the neighboring churches
for many years, until his death, about 1855.
When seceding from the. missionary Baptists,
he said “ he had drawn his sword and thrown
away the scabbard.” And he did, for a good
many years, fight his missionary brethren on
all occasions. A remarkable fact is, that
from the time of his separation, his success
as an evangelist —very great before —almost
entirely ceased, and he was understood, at
length, to fall into apprehensions that he was
wrono. Tiie many and flourishing churches
that he had built up,dwindled away with the
generation then on the stage.
1 once had a long and most interesting in
terview with the old man. He was very
cordial, and even affectionate. He told me
that he had baptized twenty-five hundred per
sons during his ministry, in Tennessee, Ala
bama and Mississippi. One incident im
pressed me exceedingly. He said that, con
templating removal—from Tennessee, I think
it was —he travelled, horseback, with a neigh
b >r, in o Mss ssippi. At the time, he was
harrassed with douots, as several times in his
life, about the genuineness of his call to the
ministry, and had pretty well made up his
mind, if he could get to anew country, not
not to make himself known as a preacher.
He had, therefore, charged his friend to con
ceal the fact on their travel. They went on
their journey. One day about noon, they
arrived at a place where people were met, as
it turned out, tor worship; and being a little
tired, they concluded to stop and hear what
was to be said. Taking their seat ju-t within
the door, at the opposite end of the house
from the pulpit, they observed tsvo men in
the pulpit. Presently one rose to begin the
■worship, t>ut he hud no liberty; indeed, could
not proceed at all, and so took his seat. His
companion then rose, and found himself in
the same difficulty, utterly destitute of liber
ty. He looked around awhile and said,
“ You see, friends, neither of us can preach.
I am sorry for it, as there seems a disposition
to hear; but 1 am convinced that there is
somebody in the house who can preach. 1
believe the Lord has a message for this peo
ple. And, I trust, if such person is here, he
will make himself known.” Said Mr. Petty,
“ 1 could stand it no longer; the fire burnt in
every bone, and I rose up and exclaimed, ‘here
is Jonah !’ and going into the pulpit, poured
Out my soul to the people. The Lord won
derfully blessed us. I staid there a week,
and a church was organized.” lie told me
of many heart-stirring occasions, where the
Lord had, as it were, opened the windows of
heaven, in connection with his labors. 1
knew it all to be true, as I had heard of many
of them from the lips of others.
I at length said to him, “ Brother Petty,
have you not often become anxious for the
people in anew and destitute country, and
had no rest in your spirit until you went and
preached the gospel to them ? Have you not
gone, at what you regarded the call of God,
and preached, and has not God blessed your
ministry?” “ Often, often,” said he. ‘That
is the way I think the gospel is to be preached
everywhere.. “Well,” said f, “if cn some
of those occasions a devout neighbor had
participated in your solicitude, and proffered
you the means of travel, would you not have
thought it a very Christian act?” “Certain
ly,” said he. “I think the churches ought
to sustain their ministers.” 1 proceeded to
recite to him the beginning of the missionary
movement in this country, in the solicitudes
for heathen lands, awakened in the hearts of
Rice and Mills, and their companions, and
said to him, these men—some of them, hal
gone forth at the apparent bidding of the
Holy Spirit, as he had done—had preached
the gospel, souls had been converted and
churches founded. His sole reply was,
“ Brother Teague, it takes a very good theo
logian to distinguish between God’s power in
providence and His power in grace.”
At night, on the day of this interview, he
preached, by request of some friends, in tov\n
—Eutaw, Alabama. I went to hear him.
He came to rny seat as he went up the aisle,
and besought me to go into the pulpit with
him. As, however, he had not invited me
into the pulpit when once or twice 1 had been
ft services in one of his own churches, the
deacons merely inviting me to take a seat
uiider the pulpit, I declined. The house was
crowded with anxious listeners, who had
turned out to hear ‘a harp of a thousand
strings’ performance. They were greatly
deceived. Taking some text that led to a
fescription of the pilgrimage of a saint
through this world, he Araced an elaborate
tnalogy between such pilgrimage and the
travel of Israel from Egypt to Canaan. If
there was a mistake, it was, perhaps, in the
supposition which he possibly intended, that
the Holy Spirit had designed sdeh an use of
the analogy, though he did not say so. The
illustration was made most masterly. The
whole story was at his fingers’ ends. Tne
track of thought was most luminous. The
discourse was full of unction, and power,
tlis erect, ruddy, rotund person, was all aglow
from head to foot. His bearing and elocu
tion noble. I have rarely heard a greater or
more edifying sermon. His eloquence was
towering, imposing and tender. No man
could doubt that he was a servant of Jesus,
and largely imbued with His Spirit. No
man of more power has ever appeared in
West Alabama.
Rev. Mr. Morris, of Mississippi, related to
me once, how, on parting with the old man
to go up to Columbus, Miss., where Mr. Pet
ty thought there was too much fancy for fine
declamation, this so-called fine preaching, he
took Mr. M. by the hand and said : “ I charge
thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ,
and the elect angels, that you preach some
common sense to the people of Columbus.”
The errors of such men, when they are
gone, become, in a candid estimate, like the
du*t of the balance. 1 should joy to sit at
the feet of a man like Henry Petty, a hun
dred times. E. B. Teague.
The Autobiography of an Old Pilgrim.
( Continued.)
We read in the sacred Scriptures of one’s
travailing and bringing forth wind. Many
instances of misconceptions and false birth-,
occur in the natural world. Analagous to
these are the spurious conversions that occur
in the moral world. As my first conversion
—supposed conversion—furnishes an instance
of the latter kind, I shall proceed to narrate
-orne of the circumstances connected with it.
The narrative may serve to illustrate and
attest the truth of what the Scriptures teach
in reference to a merely formal profession of
religion, unattended by a change of h^art —
—a conformity to the outward rites and cere
monies of religion without a conformity of
our will to the will of God, or our spirit to
the Spirit of Christ. Remember, reader, it is
written in God’s unerring word, “If any one
have not the Spirit of Christ, he, is none of
His.” A solemn declaration ! Have you the
Spirit of Ofwi't? Search and see.
la my twentieth year, I entered the prepar
atory department of a college in Virginia. I
became the room mate of a half brother, who
was some ten or twelve years older than my
self. He was pursuing a course of theological
studies, and was in the last year of the course.
He was a‘ remarkably pious man, and usually
spent an hour, morning, noon and night, in
reading and meditating upon the record of
God’s will concerning man ; but he was re
tiring in his disposition and habits, and natu
rally inclined to be taciturn. Ido not remem
ber that he ever inquired into my spiritual
condition, or my Dopes for eternity* His
sanctity made me to feel that there was a
difference between us, but did not incline me
to seek to be like him.
There were a goodly humber of other young
men in the college, engaged in a course of
studies with a view to prepare themselves for
the work of the ministry. Some of these
were far advanced in their studies; others,
like myself, were just beginning a course of
collegiate studies. Some were older and some
younger than l. In the piety of some of them
I Rad confidence; in the piety of others I
lacked confidence. They were in the habit of
holding a weekly prayer meeting, and of hav
ing prayer every night, in the room of one or
another of their number. These meetings for
prayer I usually attended, but derived no
pleasure, and but small profit, if any, from
doing so. The reason is obvious: I had not
the love of God in mo, and, consequently, had
not any relish for the duties of religion. I
make these statements to prepare the way for
the report of an important fact.
The example of these pious students was
the means, in the hand of God, of making the
first permanent conviction in my mind of my
need of salvation, of exciting the first un
quenchable dpsire to become a Christian, of
inducing the first firm resolve to seek the con
solations of the gospel, and of affording me
greater encouragement than 1 had ever before
received, to seek the converting grace of God,
and an inheritance with llis spiritual Israel.
1 had previously frequently felt concern about
iny soul’s salvation, but my impressions were
more or less transient. -Like morning dew
and the early cloud, they soon vanished
away.
In the community in which I had been
raised, it was a very rare thing, at that time,
to see a young person come forth and enlist
under the banner of the cross. Not one of
my youLhful associates had ever, within my
knowledge, made a public profession of reli
gion. The consequence was, I drew the hasty
and unwarrantable conclusion, that the reli
gion of Jesus was not adapted to the young
—that it was designed, mainly, for persons of
mature years—especially for the old and the
afflicted —that the young needed it not, unless
called to an early grave, and, in that event, it
was time enough to seek its consolations in a
dying hour. (Oh! the fallacy—the deceitful
ness of sin !) Now the Lord, in the merciful
dispensation of His providence, had placed
before me visible evidence, not only of the
adaptedness of religion to the young, but of
the benign influence it exerts on their tem
pers and habits, and also of God’s willingness
to bestow upon them its blessings and conso
lations. This evidence was not afforded in
vain.
I had not long been connected with the col
lege before I resolved that 1 would endeavor
to become a Christian. 1 took up my Bible,
read it daily, and attended regularly all the
meetings held for religious purposes. I
sketched out, in my mind, the routine of du
ties required of a Christian, and endeavored
to get through them all. 1 labored to reform
my acts, but neglected to correct what was
wrong in my heart—in its thoughts, affec
tions, desires, etc. Evil thoughts might come
and go; they troubled me not, so long as
they did not lead me to the comtn'ssion of
some outward evil act. My evil desires 1
sought only to restrain, not to suppress. 1
agreed with Pope—though I knew, at that
time, but little of Pope or his poetry —that
“His creed could not be wrong whose action’s
FRANKLIN PRINTING HOUSE, ATLANTA, GA., THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 1870.
m ihe ris»ht”—a declaration just as true as
that made to mother Eve in Eden, “Thou
shalt not surely die,” but not a whit more
true. By the way, there is another declara
tion, that Satan some times prompts even
Christians to make,Ahat is just as false as the
two just quoted. It is this : “If the heart be
right, it is no matter what one’s acts are, or
what church one joins.” These are the teach
ings, not of the Spirit of God, but of that old
arch deceiver, Satan, the father of lies. But
I digress.
I made but slow progress in my way to
ward the kingdom of Christ. Some times I
would seem to myself, like the Jew's in the
wilderness, near the promised land, but again
I would find that, instead of advancing, I had
retrograded, and was at as great a distance
from it as ever.
At the close of the summer session, I went
into the Shenandoah Valley to spend the fall
vacation with a half-brother, who was settled
as the pastor of a Presbyterian church in Har
risonburg, Va. While 1 was there, tlie church
had a communion season. Uo Saturday, the
day before the eomfnunion, my brother inter
rogated me in reference to iny.spiritual state,
and extracted from me a confession of my
faith, feelings, etc., in substance as follows:
1 believe the Bible to be a revelation from
heaven of God’s will concerning us.
I believe that 1 am a guilty sinner in the
sight of God, and am justly condemned by
llis righteous laws.
1 believe there is salvation only tiirough the
Lord Jesus Christ.
I believe that He will save all w ho trust in
Him and obey Him.
1 believe He has given us the Bible to serve
as a rule by which we are to regulate our
conduct through life.
I am determined to study it and to seek to
conform to its requisitions, through life.
“Then,” said my brother, ‘ if such be your
views and determination, you ought to join
the church.”
The remark produced both surprise and
pleasure. “Is that all ?” thought. I. “Then
I rejoice. I ba I thought l had to do some
thing more than 1 have done, and to feel more
and differently from what 1 have ever done.
But rny brother is a good man, and a minis
ter. authorized to expound God’s w ill. I know
I believe Jesus to be the only Saviour of sin
ners, and know that it is my present purpose
to endeavor to follow the teachings of His
word in all things. If to join the church is
all that remains to insure peace ol conscience,
I am sure 1 am very willing to do that. Once
I was ashamed of Christ—would have been
ashamed to be known as a Christian ; now, I
am willing to be reproached as a Christian :
yea, to do and suffer much more, if I may
thereby secure peace with God, aud save my
soul.”
Alas! poor frail human nature! How
blinding is sin ! Probably, in this day, most
professors of religion would deem such a con
fession as the one I made, fully sufficient to
justify a church in receiving a candidate into
its household of faith ; yet that confession
was radically defective. Look at it, reader,
and see if you can discover its defects. For
fear your moral vision may be as dim as was
mine and that of my brother, 1 will point
them out to you. In the first place, there is
nothing in it that implies a discovery of* the
evil nature of sin, and a loathing of it, on ac
count of its evil nature. 1 had seen, deplored,
deprecated and dreaded the evil const queoees
of it.
“I mourned, not that from sin I could not cease.
But that 1 could not sin uud live iu peace.”
In the second place, there is nothing in my
confession that indicated the love of Jesus
shed abroad in my heart. I was influenced
by a slavish fear, and not by the constraining
love- of Christ.
“I’d still delight sin’* morsel sweet to roll
Within my lips, could I still safe iny soul.”
There had been a change of purpose in my
mind, and a corresponding change in my out
ward acts, but my heart remained unchanged.
It still loved sin an I was averse to holiness—
sensual, se!fi-h, devilish.
I was sincere in my confession, such as it
was, and signified to my brother a willing
ness to unite with the church, if he thought 1
had complied with all the prerequisites of the
gospel. He handed me “a token,” (a small
piece of metal, usually distributed, prior to
communion, at the Lord’s table, to those who
desire irticip ite in commemorating the
death of the Saviour, and are entitled to do
so,) and told me that would entitle me to a
seat at the Lord’s table the next day. A re
port of the results I defer for the next nurn
her. . Abdiel Nekoda.
To the Baptists of the South.
The undersigned were appointed, by the
Foreign Mission Board of the Southern Bap
tist Convention, a Committee to address the
Baptists of the South in reference to the
pressing wants of the cause. The report of
the Secretary to the Convention in Macon,
showed that we had in China brother Craw
ford and his wife, brother Yates and his wife,
brother Hartwell and his wife, and brother
Graves. Brother Graves, after a ten years’
absence, has consented to take a furlough and
return home to recruit his impaired health.
Brother Yates has lost his voice, and his phy
sicians forbid absolutely his-preaching. The
small band is thus seriously diminished and
crippled. While we should have fifty mission
aries to occupy the inviting field that is open
ing, we are reduoed to the painful and alarm
ing alternative of considering the possibi ity
of an abandonment of all foreign work. Our
churches may as well confront the facts as
they exist. Our missionaries must be rein
forced, or our operations suspended. It is
physically impossible that four or five men
and women can keep up stations that are
hundreds of miles apart. We need, we must
have, and speedily, more laborers.
The question of vital moment is, How are
they to be obtained? We suggest three
modes of accomplishing the end :
’ First . The churches should diligently use
all the means in their power for ascertaining
whether there are not young men of their
membership who have been called to preach
the gospel without limitation, it is to be
feared that ihere has been lamentable neglect
in inquiring for such men and preparing them
for the accomplishment of their work. Chris
tiuns with proper gifts, or gifts capable of
cultivation, are doubtless to be found, who
need to have their hearts and minds directed
towards'the millions who perish for want of
knowledge. Is there not a sad lack of conse
cration? Do we not look upon those who
go far away as zealots and enthusiasts? Do
we regard them as patterns of self-dental, as
truly reflecting the spirit of our Master, as
embodying His love for souls? Have we
brought ou-selves to an appreciation of, —a
willingness to adopt their high standard of
duty? Do we feel that there is no stronger
obligation on Yates and Crawford and Hart
well and Graves than on us, to preach the
gospel to every creature? If we could be
full of the Spirit‘of Christ, —if ‘for Jesus’
sake and the gospel’s’ was the constraining
motive of our actions, would we not industri
ously seek out young men and earnestly in
struct them as to duty and privileges.
Secondly .* Our young Christhms should
prayerfully inquire as to their personal obli
gations. There should boa candid and faith-
ful examination of their conscience, and <•'
the claims of the gospel upon their time and
talents. It is too mucivthe habit to regard a
call to the an irresistible compul
sion. It is too common to select avocations
in life without a serious effort to ascertain
what the wilt of the’Lord is. The hardships
and the perils of hhe lifeof a foreign mission
ary have been vtyjly pictured, while its
privileges and and triumphs have been
kept back. Carey, Judson, Marshman, Ward
and Boardinan rGyced in their work, and
our devoted brethren and sisters in China
count it all joy tflfct they are permitted by
God’s grace to labo, in His service. Tw the
hundreds of vbmstiSn young men in our col
leges and we would commend the
propriety of a jaoat solemn inquiry into the
demands of the heathen world, and the need
of a more thorough Consecration.
Lastly. VVe invite general, united and per
severing prayer. harvest truly is plen
teous, but the laborers are few; pray ye,
therefore, the Lord of the harvest that he will
send forth laborers into His harvest.” The
harvest is not less rjenteous than when our
Saviour spake th and gave thi»
command. Laborers are*" needed now most
urgently in Asia, At'r;\p Europe and Amer
ica. God desires tb'Le s<>ug‘ht unto for them.
He prescribes the prayer to be offered. Will
He not answer what-Hle has dictated? He
makes the asking a condition precedput. In
the economy of Ills' grace He makes the
beatowrnent conting- -rx on our supplications.
The preseut deficiency is attributable to our
unfaithfulness. The wasting away of our
missions, the abandonment of fields once oc
cupied, is the result, iu part,of our sins. No
more certain or fearful sign of God’s dis
pleasure is to be found than in the indiffer
ence of the churches, to the spread of the
gospel. No surer e\ hie nee of our declension
in piety could be given than the refusal t<>
execute our Saviour’s farewell commission.
GroWih is the law of Christian life. Love of
neighbor and enemy. is one of the tests of
love for C irist. There can be no love for the
heathen without self denial, sacrifice and earn
est efforts in their behalf.
The monthly concert for prayer furnishes
opportunities for speehd addresses, imparting
information about missions and stirring up
sympathy and faith and offerings. Biogra
ptnes of eminent missionaries would serve
well to stimulate interest and zeal. The cir
culation of the Home and Foreign Journul
would keep constantly.in mind the labors and
wants of those whom v>e have sent abroad,
witli vows to sustain. With emphasis and
urgency, under a piofound'sense of the orisis
in our denominational history, we implore
our churches to cultivate that disposition and
habit of prayer, which, will so surely secure
laborers lor old and new fields.
-T. L. M. Court,
„ B. Jeter,
J. A- CIJA!4BUS3.
The RoL' Call.
They oarried him gently to the rear,
Thu bravest of the brave ;
“Mortally ivouiided.'jf the surgeon said;
“Notniug his life e u sajo.”
Darkness had shroud'd the Held in gloom,
Whore many a l<t£*iy*ne slept,
And tearful eir Wading low •
' 0 or many forms bus wept.
Suddenly up from the couch where he lay,
At midnight Cijpn and clear,
Thu voice of the wouOtded boy was heard
To answer loudly, “here.”
“What can I do ?” the surgeon said,
And quickly rushed to his side.
“Nothing, Doctor, they were calling roll
In heaven, aud I replied.”
He turned his head, his eye grew dim,
Not a sign, nut a stifled groan,
But when the surgeon whisp -red again,
llis spirit had sweetly flown.
Curie. Register.
An Unsuccessful Ministry.
There is always sadness ini reflecting upon
life as a failure, no matter in what pursuit it
may have been spent. The reason fir this is
obvious: a man lives but once, and during
that time, however contracted the space of
his existence, his work must be accomplished,
if done at all; and if the season should pas'
away and the great ends of life remain unful
filled, the failure is irreparable. If the failure
of life in its ordinary pursuits, is sufficient to
shed a gloom over the scene, how melancholy
must appear the close of an unsuccessful min
istry ! For a man to have entered the work
with the flash of youth upon his cheek, arid
the light of hope in his eye, and, after bearing
the burden and heat of the day, to come
down to an old age seamed by the cares of
unprofitable labor, is certainly a lot to be
deprecated ; and yet, such is the fate of some,
as far as appears to human sight. But if the
apparent failure prove to be real, and one
bearing the ministerial .office should, at last,
finish his career, having doine nothing accept
able to God or profitable to men, there are
no tears copious enough to wash out the foul
disgrace. A failure here is no common one,
but such as might excite, the commiseration
of all holy beings, and the scorn of unholy
ones. To succeed, then, in his chosen life
work should be the earnest, prayerful aim of
every one who feels called to minister in holy
things; and hence all the meins of success
should be carefully considered.
And—
First. Those who undertake this work .should
settle it well in their minds that they have
received a divine call. Impulses may be right,
but they are not always to be trusted when
important questions are to be settled by us ;
and we should require other evidence before
committing ourselves to any chosen pursuit
of life. A man may attract attention —may
excite admiration for his talents and charm,
by the purity of his and ction and the beauty of
his elocution, and yet be destitute of the very
first requisite for a minister of the gospel
of reconciliation. He may find, as the shad
ows of the evening of life are gleaming over
his future, that he had run without being sent
—that he had entirely mistaken his vocation,
Especially should young men be cautious in
entering the ministry now, as it is beginning
to be looked upon as one of the learned and
honorable professions of life, and they might
be tempted to commit theinselves*to it from
mixed, if not from improper motives. Asa
rule, no one should euter the work who thinks
he hi;s any other alternative, He should feel
that a dispensation of the gospel has. been
committed to him, and that he can fulfilFthe
great object of life only by preaching the un
searchable riches of Christ to dying men.
Secondly. No one should enter the ministry
is feeble or doubtful. One who
does nut live in habitual communion with
God, will find the work of the ministry any
thing but agreeable to himself or profitable to
others; and though he may go on through
life, clinging to the choice once made, iu the
end his “root will be as rottenness and his
blossom will go up as dust.” He that bears
the vessels of the Lord’s house must have
“clean hands and a pure heart,” and must not
“lift up his soul unto vanity."
Thirdly. One who undertakes this blessed
work must have a growing piety. If he should
find himself satisfied with present attainments,
it is evident that he has not appreciated the
naiure of his high calling. The language of
his earnest soul should be, “forgetting the
| things which are behind and reaching unto
those which are before, I press toward the
mark for the prize of the high calling <>t <•’ “
in Christ Jesus.” The Saviour has promise and
the aid of His Spirit to help our infirmities,
and we should prav for His presence with
more earnestness than the homeward boun
aud becalmed sailor prays for a propitious
breeze to waft him to his native shore.
Fourthly. But, finally, he who enters this
work -hould be a man of supecor attainments
in knowledge. If superior knowledge did no
more for the ministry than to give them ac
cess to the ear of the public, it would cer
tainly be desirable ; but when we consider it
as an element of power in grasping and pre
senting truth, its importance cannot he over
estimated. The effect of knowledge is to ex
pand, invigorate and liberalize the min I, giv
ing both breadth of comprehension and inCi
sivenessof thought.
The ap-stle did not undervalue human
learning when he said, “I determined to know
nothing among you save Jesus Christ and
Him crucified;’’ but he magnified divine lore
and exalted the science of salvation.
All knowledge may be sanctified by the
blood of Jesus and by prayer, and then it
ina\ be consecrated to the service of thffniin
dst.fy wifch powei»*and effect. Butin his study,'
the minister should a*bove all things,
“to know the love of Christ” by bringing his
own soul into earnest contact with it until
it shall melt and glow like gold in the re
finer’s fire, and then he may , perchance , pre
sent to other heart* some just conception of
his theme. H- C. H-
Communion.
The glimmering sunbeams no longer lin
gered on the distant hill-tops; the languid
flush of evening spread over the city, while
the gentle night dews fell tenderly over trres
and flowers, enlivening tfle green leaves, and
unfolding the delicate petals that the heated
rays of the sun had left drooping and folded ;
the white moon hung like, a \apor in the
cloud less sky ; a passing breeze sported among
the branches of the live-oak, making low, wild
music, as Jesus and His disciples were wend
mg iheir way to the -house designated for the
passover, where, for the last time, they would
eat it together. The passover was a type of
ihe redemption to be wrought by Jesus, to be
fulfilled and completed by his death apd resur
rection. The time was now near at hand
.vlieii He would pass through the ordeal <>f
that unknown anguish in expiation for a guilty
world. And while they were eat ing the pass
over, Jesus instituted the l’,uly supper —that
commemorative ordinance as a substitute,
without the shedding of blood, of redemption
to be made in the fulness of time. In that
quiet and solemn hour, when darkness envel
oped the whole hemisphere, when the stars,
in their sober light., hung over the city of
Jerusalem, as to keep watch over its silent
slumbers, the disciples sat with Jesus hearing
Him declare in unfaltering tones, that it would
be but a little while that He would be with
them, nor 'rould He again celebrate another
like feast among them till they would have
met in heaven and partaken of those joys
which where wont to be figuratively expressed
by new wine. He commanded His disciples
' to meet together in (Its name, and in love [ ne
w/fnother, amt with- prayer, and praise, tvnd
thanksgi ving,to keep this ordinance in reinerti
brance of Him. His soul was oppressed by
the mighty weight of divine wrath that had to
be appeased for the inconceivable guilt of upr
fallen race. He murmured not at the fate be
fore Dim. Burdened with a sadness that no
language could exhaust or interpret, he pi ay
ed to His Father, “If it be possible let this
cup pass-front me: nevertheless, not as I will,
but us Thou wilt.” Ah, cheerless and deso
late was that dark and gloomy hour, when
i>y fiends deserted and by God forsaken,
nothing but divine wrath, in all its bitterness,
flowing through His troubled soul. When
we gather around the communion table, will
we not remember ourSiviour on the cross?—
remember that holy oblation offered for our
redemption, and in singleness of devotion to
that blessed Redeemer, cherish the sacred em
blem and make God our sole worship?
* * C,
Alexandria. Ala.
The Pastor’s Wife.
There is a clads of people in our land that,
it seems to me, has not hitherto received that
attention and sympathy that it deserves. 1
refer to pastors’ wives. And what l shall say,
has especial reference to the wives of country
pastors. Those noble, self-sacrificing women
who, if they are true to their calling, are
nearer our idea of “guardian angels” thafh any
creatures on earth, seem r.everto have gained
the attention of benevolent thinkers and wri
ters. Many have “taken in hand to set forth
in order” the many noble deeds of country
pastors, who, week after week, must bid adieu
to home, wife, children, and all that is lovely
and sweet that clusters around home, to go
and preach the Word of life to others ; but
who has ever called attention to the little
group h L * left behind him? If you, kind
reader, have never thought of the pastor’s
wife, let us go now and witness one of those
scenes that wears a sad charm—that makes
the leading character a heroine worthy of
your admiration* ’Tis Friday eve; the pas~
tor hns called the little home flock together to
give a few parting words of instruction, in
order to leave home for several days. The
church is fifteen miles distant; the meeting
may protract, and many things at home, will
claim attention before the pastor returns to
this charge. He rehearses the order of busi
ness aa regards the farm, the stock, and last,
b it not least, the management of the family.
These instructions being given, an affection
ate farewell is taken, and soon the husband
and father is gone, leaving a widowed family
for the time. IJut.did you notice the wife?
She casts a lingering look down the road till
its curve behind the grove hid the object of
her sight. Now, with a sigh, she turns her
eyes and thoughts on things around her. She
might say ; “The bgrdcn of my own domestic
affairs is enough for one of my delica'e
health, with so little help as I have; but here
is the burden of all my husband’s affairs to
care for ; and oh ! how can I bear and do so
much !” But she does not say this. With an
air of cheerfulness that would gladden an an
gel’s face, she goes to her charge, cleaning
and brushing house and furniture; for, “help
ing husband off” has delayed these matters.
The busy days and lonely nights glide by.
The pastor returns and finds that lovely crea
ture, not fretful because of his absence and
her burden of care, but ready to greet him
with a welcome smile and an anxious inquiry
about his health and comfort. He finds all
about the premises going on in order, and all
at wife's expense ! Is she not a guardian an
gel? Does she not deserve the sympathy
and prayers of all good people, and the hap
piest seat in heaven? Ood bless (he pastor's
wife.
But this scene only presents one feature of
the subject. It sometimes happens that an
adverse train of circumstances sets in, A
storm throws the fences and timbers down,
stock get into the farm, etc.; or sickness be
falls the family, and neighbors seem to know
an l care but little for the poor wife’s trials,
and she is left alone—not “in her glory,” but
like a lone ship at sea in a storm, a world of
trouble within her breast as the troubled
-crew in the ship, and the ocean of stormy
waves without. Oh! how her frail nature
quakes and threatens to give way under the
terriole pressure ! How she prays for hus
band’s return ! With what gratitude she re
ceives all the little attentions given by a kind
neighbor, if she has one. Does an y one regard
this as an overdrawn picture? If so, let him
visit the home? ofeountry pastors during their
absence, and be convinced that the reality is
only dimly colored. But these kind creatures
ofidh pass through a thousand varying scenes
of this kind, with but little to cheer them in
this life but the consciousness of having done
their duty, and the approving smiles of their
returning husbands. But the kind, observing
eye of Heaven is looking down, and will not
let such patient, untiring toil in His vineyard
go unrewarded.. The pastor's wife is entitled
to, and will share in heaven at L-a-t half the
laurels that grace her husband’s brow. W
say again, God bless the pastor's wife.
A Oguntkv Pvtok.
Reply to “B,”
I trust l shall ever Le, ready to respond to
questions respectfully asked, and which iu
Yolve matters of greatinterest to the cause ol
Christ. 1 will quote the paragraph of “8.,”
so that his questions may fairly appear:
“The next writer I wi.-h to interrogate, is
11. E. T. in an article in the la-t Index, In
says, “If there were Ne v Tfstament piety
enough among Baptists to propagate the go
pel, as the apostles and their brethren did, I
should suggest the demolition of all Board-.
Conventions and Associations, as both uii
scriptural and useless.’ I would ask him it
the.-e instrumentalities are ‘utiscrip ural and
useless,’ under the conditions t amed by him
ought not they to be abolished anyhow, in
order that we might return to the. apostoln
mode of propigating the gospel? Again, it
piety is wanting in our churches, have w«
any warrant for adopting any plan that is
unscriptural?”
The stock of piety is so poor that nothing
comparatively, would be done towards evan
gelizmg the world upon the apostolic plan, tin
it required then more love to God and soul
than is now possessed by the churches, and
required more sacrifices and labors ihan they
are now willing to make and to perform
Something should be done for the conversion
of the world, and it is better to use the pres
ent “instrumentalities” tha . that nothing
should be done, If l could believe that th
“demolition” of these good man made in
strumentalities would make the stock of piety
rise, I should insist upon their instantaneou
abandonment. But it would have no effect
upon the market; probably lower it. Run
these schedules in good earnest, for then
demolition would not cure the evils now in
our churches.
I am quite despondent upon the subject of
an increase of piety. It never can be done
with our imperfect church Organisations, ll
this is treason, let those who dislike it, make
the most of it. As long as Baptist churches
believe they are scripturally organiz'd, and
in direct descent in such organizations from
the apostles, they can never be reformed.
Taking it for granted that they are all right,
they will never read the, BH»le for more ligtn
upon the subject. My capital Stock of ore
dulity is too weak for me to believe that
Scriptural church organizations would pro
duce spell results as are. everywhere to be
seen in Baptist churches. And matters are
growing worse. Before missions can be car
ried on spostolioally, the churches must be
organized upon the New Testament plan.
Begin the work of reform at the right place;
where the great evil exists. Most of Baptist
churches are without pastors, elders, evan
gelis's, etc., and instead of meeting every
week, meet “ once a mouth,” and do nothing.
A Baptist church is unworthy the name wh*
has not, iu its own body, every officer named
in the New Testament churches. And lam
not hound to respect one that has not.
“ B.” must put up, for the present, with
this little response to his interrogatories. He
is leafing me into trouble, for many will say,
“ these are hard sayings,” and will be upon
me. But they will find that many are think
ing upon this subject, and that I shall not be
alone. H. E. T.
Baptist Traditions.
Here isr an apparent contradiction, for Bap
tists, by the very necessity of the law of
their denominational life, are presumed not
to have any traditions. It enters into the
very idea of their existence, as Baptists, that
they have cut loose from the traditions and
commandments of men, and are built upon
the foundation of the apostles and prophets,
Jesus Christ being recognized as the chief
corner stone. And have not Baptists every
where been the champion’s of Christ’s su
preme headship in and over His church, and
of the Holy Scriptures as the only rule of
faith? Have they not contended for this,
suffering the loss of all things, enduring the
contempt of the world, and sealing their te«-
timony with their blood? Where then the
plaoe for traditions among sui-h a people?
There is a manifest inconsistency in the idea;
but the world is full of incongruities, and
why should Baptists be an exception?
We are true Baptists only when we hold
ourselves ready to test our belief and prac
tice, in all things, by the Word "f God, and
are ready to follow our conviction of what it
commands or forbids, whithersoever it may
lead us. We may be Baptists even though
our praotiee may in some respedls vary
from our recognized standard, provided
we are constantly searching for truth, are
open to conviction, and possess the spirit of
obedience. Absolute perfection is not attain
able on earth, but perfection should be our
aim, that is, full conformity to the rule and
example "of Cnrist. This is whit constitutes
one a genuine Baptist. Names are nothing.
Men may be Baptists simply from tradition,
not at all from personal conviction; that is,
they may be such in name. But they have
no place in the Baptist household. They are
merely appendages, dry branches, having no
vital connection with that glorious company
who, in all ages since Christ’s day, have con
tended for the faith once delivered to the
saints. As individuals and churches, it be
comes us to try ourselves, whether we are
loyal to Christ, or whether we are sticklers
for opiuions and forms because they came
down to us from the “ fathersbecause they
have received the consecration of long usage,
of cherished associations, of li'e long habit.
Let us inquire whether we are ready to re
consider them, and, if they cannot stand the
test of truth, to abandon them. Truth is
one and eternal, but the human apprehension
of it can only be approximate, and is ever
capable of becoming more clear and complete.
Robinson, in 1(120, really spoke as a Baptist,
when, at Leyden, he said to the departing
Pilgrims, “ if God reveal anything to you by
any other instrument of His, be as ready to
receive it as ever you were to receive any
truth by my ministry ; for lam verily persua
ded the Lord has more truth get to break forth
out of His Holy Word." It was by proceed
ing in a line with that noble sentiment, em
bodying the true idea of Christian progress,
that- so many of the descendants of the Pil
grims, including such men as Backus, became
Baptists. Let Baptists take up the sent!
raent, as having lost nothing of its fores, and
WHOLE NO. 2482.
ascertu n in ihe light of it how much among
us, as to our creed, our ohuroh order, our
arrangements for public worship is at vari
ance with it. There is such a thing as pro
gress, not by leaving the Bible; but by a
closer conformity to it? spirit and principles.
Have we as Baptists nothing to learn? Do
we in all things follow Christ? Have we at
tained the full measure of knowledge?—
Watch. dk Ref.
The Well of Sychar.
Sweet was the hour, 0 Lord, to The*,
Xt S.vchar’s lonely well,
Whon a poor outcast beard Thee there
Thy great salvation tell.
Thither she came; but, 0, her heart,
All fill’d with earthly care,
Drram’d n<*t of Thee nor thought to find
The Hope of Isrel there.
Lord, ’twas Thy power unseen that drew
The atiay one Ui that plact,
In solitude to learn from Theo
The secrets of Thy grace.
There Jacob’s erring daughter found
Those streams unknown before,
The w iterbrooks ot life that make
The Weary thir*t uo more. •
And, Lord, to H 9, as rile as she,
Thv gracious lips hire told
That mystery of lure reveal’d
At Jacob's well of old.
In spirit, Lord, we’re sat with Thee
Beside the springing well
Os life and peace, and heard Thee there
Its healiug virtues tell.
Dead to the world, we d-eam no more
Os earthly pleasures now;
Our deep, divine, unfailing gp-iug
Os grace aud glory Thou.
No hope of rest in aught beside,
No beauty, Lord, we see;
And, like Samaria’s daughter, seek
And tind our nil in Thee.
—Sir Edward Denny.
The Discipline of love.
It was an hour of prayer; young converts
ml come with fresh testimony; all hearts
turned as we talked and sung of Jesus. Not
least aglow were the aged couple under whose
roof we had met to comfort and bless them
L’lnir hearts were full. With all its ardor,
yet so long had they known Jesus and so
true had Ho proved, theirs was a stronger
than first love. To them He had been a
riendinmel. They had seen dark hours
uid many, but Jesus had been n* ar; and
how preeious! He had seen their afflictions.
But these had been their best good, and they
loved Him for this, loved Him the more.
Indeed, in darkest hour He had been nearest
md dearest. “ When God's hand is upon me
then I love Him most.” Love to one who
sends us pain. Love the warmest when the
smart is keenest. Singular testimony.
Yet the godly woman spoke from experi
ence. Life had been many-sided. Affliction
often had been hers, the dark waters some
times seeming about to engulf her. Life had
been long too, eighty four years, and nearly
seventy iu the Master’s service. Surely, then,
she had felt God’s hand, felt it often and
heavily. Then she knew whereof she spoke,
md meant what she affirmed. In truth, her
declaration, to which her aged consort'em
phati cully subscribed, was the intelligent,
sober conviction of a lotig, checkered, devoted
life.
And was her remark strange? Is it not a
fact in Christian experience that the more
God disciplines llis child the more intense
tnd holy is the love given Him in return?
Witness many a sick bed win re acutest suf
fering has developed a faith, love, assurance
never known before, perhaps bringing back a
wanderer and making his last hours fragrant
with heaven. Sobbed a mother, as she laid
away suddenly her oldest boy,—“ U, how
nard ! Yet Jesus is so precious.”
A widow kissed the cold clay that one
month before was her strong support, saying,
—“ I cannot murmur; his sickness brought
him to Jesus; I shall never cease to bless
God.”
A saintly woman was reviewing nearly
live long years of close confinement, when,
forgetting tie pain, she exclaimed, —“Yet it
has been sw< et, it has brought me so near my
Saviour.” Did the disciples ever love their
Master more than when they heard above the
tossings of the storm, It is I?” D.d Paul
ever so enjoy his Lord as when under the
harrowings of a Roman imprisonment he
could say, “To live is Christ,” and before
martyrdom itself, “Yea, and if l be offered 1
joy and rejoice?” Did not the very darkness
of the valley of death m ake njore real to
David the “rod and staff” of his support?
And what but deepest love in view of his
own helplessness and God’s strength could
enable Job to say, “Though He slay me, yet
will 1 trust Him?”
And must it not be so? Is not discipline
ihe doing of love ? “ W horn the Lord loveth
He correetelhAnd is not its purpose to
bring us nearer Him? ’Tis the bitter that
reveals the sweet. But for the Garden and
the Cross, where were the conquest over
death and the ransom of souls? And did
not our Heavenly Father by discipline prove
our poverty and need, we should tail to dis
cover His mighty power to sustain and save.
Only when we have no other support is there
room for His everlasting arm. Believer, it
is your privilege to attain “ unto all patience
and long suffering with joyfulness. ” Does
chastisement bring love ?— Rev. L. Q. Barrett,
in Watch, dk Ref.
Infant (?) Baptism.
“A Young Pastor” The Advance:
“At what age does it become improper to re
gard a child as a fit subject for imant bap
tism?” and says, in explanation, that “this
qnestion is suggested by a practical case of a
child twelve years old.” The Advance re
plies: “The idea of infant baptism is, that the
child is so included in the family life, as that
the character of the parents presumptively
attaches to the child. Hence the ordinance is
allowable and is ordinarily used up to such
age as clearly takes the child out from under
that supposition, by the weakness of parental
influence and the ceasing of parental control.
It is not customary to baptize children over
twelvo but on their own profession.” As any
comments of ours might mar the beauty and
force and clearness of our contemporary’s
statement, we prefer to let it stand just as it
is. An “infant” ot twelve years !
Work Faster. —Bishop Simpson, in a
speech at the Methodist Missionary Anniver
sary in New York, made a curious statistical
slaiemeut. He said there were 700,000,000
persons still out of the pale of Christianity,
and at the rate the work is going on, the eu
lire world .would not be converted in less*
than 3,000 years.
Early Christian Activity.—l think it was
Dr. Tyng who said that “every young con
vert who is allowed to remain in the hive six
months without being employed, will become
a drone.”
Private Prayer. —The Liberal Christian.
(Unitarian) says that “we owe it to Pu
ritan private prayer that we have this repub
lic to day.”
Weekly Gifts.—lt is said that twenty oul
of the twenty-eight Episcopal churches in
Maine are supported by Suuday collections.