CHRISTIAN l\i.„. .Nil SOUTH-WESTERN BAPTIST.
• ' - r .Ajfc Aft
VOL. 49-NO. 14.
A RELIGIOUS AND FAMILY PAPER,
PUBLISHED WEEKLY IN ATLANTA. OA
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The Last Voyage.
By the shore of Time, now lying
On the wavtles* flood beneath,
Silently, thou soul undying,
Waits for thee, the Ship of Death.
From her mast no signal flying,
To denote from whence she came,
Ob, she’s known unto the dying—
Azrakl, her commander’s namel
Ifever ere a word was spoken,
On that and irk, untathnmed sea )
Silence there is so unbroken,
She a spectre seems to be.
De who on that ship embarketh,
Sailing from the haunts of tnen,
To the friends from wbo.n he parteth,
Never more returns again
Voiceless thus, in darkness ever
Sails the soul that ocean o’er ;
But the wings of angels waft her—
Waft her to tht blistful thort / R
tth Avenue, N. T. Feb.. IS7O.
Sev. James Franklin Swanson.
The subject of this sketch was born it
Mor. •an county, Ga., January 27th, 1825;
•• boni again,'” in the town of Madison, in the
same county, in the fail of 1848; and still
had another birth into the heavenly world,
departing this life on the 28th of Oct. 1869,
near Cedar Town, Polk county, Ga.
A short review of his life and character
CTiay bring h‘>»or to the grace of God, which
was so signally manifested in him. Let u»
T.ew him,
In the World.
lie was bom, as would be commonly said,
of a good fatally. He would have said,
“ But higher far my fond pretensions rise,^
The sou of pareuls passed into the skies.”
Nothing special is noted of his boyhood,
beyond the ‘act that it displayed the manli
ness, modesty, generosity and thrift, which
chaiacterized him when grown. When about
twenty y cars of age, he left the parental roof,
and out on the journey of life held his anx
i«,us way. Relying upon his own resources,
he entered the town of Madison. In 1848
after several years of energetic toil, he raised
himself t<» a partnership in a prosperous mer
cantile business, which was conducted for
eight years under the firm-name of Fears &
Swanson. His failing health compelled its
abandonment. By his request, that firm was
never by “public advertisement” legally
dissolved. Death, only, dissolved the unions
which he decreed. Subsequently, he was en
vu o-d in teaching. In the later years of his
life, when his physical infirmities demanded,
Ins time was partly employed in the cultiva
tion of land, in teaching, and as agent for an
incorporated society. In all these dealings
with men, he impressed them with his scru
pulous honesty, his unswerving fidelity, his
high toned candor and his practical good sense.
His partner says of him*: “ He never, in all
his life, was known, in his business contracts,
to give an undje coloring to his'side.” Ac
cordingly, tho deepest affection or respect of
his pupils and patrons, his employers and
employees, his associates and his neighbors,
was constantly excited towards him.
In the Church.
In the fall of 1848, during the first year of
the pastorate at Madison of Rev. C. M. Ir
win, a gracious revival of religion occurred,
and brother Swanson was led into the faith
and obedience of Christ. He was baptized
du October of that year.
With the heartiness and promptitude of an
earnest man, he entered upon his duties as a
Christian. His voice was consecrated in song,
in prayer, in exhortation, in instruction, and
iu conversation. Many remember the influ
ences then sent out from the choir of which
he was the leader, from the Sabbath school,
of which he was successively teacher and
superintendent. The true, pure fragrance,
even of this germinal period of his life, was
hallowed to the benefit of old and young, ot
white and black. He never lost sight of the
necessities of his own soul, though immersed
in the most anxious labors for others. Very
well known and appreciated was the truth,
to do good to others, we must first be good
Ho felt that wherever he was directed to set
his foot, God gave him the land. Every
movement revealed his deep sense of personal
responsibility to the truth as it is in Jesus,
aud to ail with whom he came in contact,
and hence he approached men with greater
success through private or personal, than
public or professional channels. What a
revenue of strength does character bring!
Bacon says, “Knowledge is power,” but in a
truer sense, Character is power.
In the Family.
In December 1854, he was married to Miss
A. C- Stone, a highly accomplished Christian
woman, who conferred on him the heritage of
great happiness. This union was never
marred by a misunderstanding, never chilled
by neglrct, never threatened by a collision.
No union could be more pure, more couge
n ia! or more productive of spirituality and
usefulness. No children blessed it, but he
was to her husband, brother, lover; she
to him, wife, sister, comforter. Each was the
complement ot the other. Called into the
fellowship of protracted suffering, while death
ever and anon flapped his dark wings over
the couch, now of one, now of the other, they
were alternately nursing, watching, strength
ening each other. And yet there was a pain
ful interim when others were appointed to do
these things. How sore the trial of their
faith, how deep the anguish of their hearts,
when, the wife having' been carried to New
York for her health, they were separated,
through unavoidable circumstances, from Dec.
’6O nil the summer ot ’65?
During this time, we find him in
ihe family of brother Marcus H. Bunn. In
the family is turn-shed the test and the quali
ty of a man’s religion. His true character
is revealed at home.
As the Lord blessed the house of Obed
edom because of the ark of God; as Puti-
Jhar and Pnaraoh were prospered because of
oseph, so brother Bunii’s family was blessed
b cuiiMi of brother Swanson. In the lan
guage of Laban to Jacob, brother Bunn
could say to brother Swanson: “I have
learned by experience that the Lord hath
blessed me for thy sake.” For months and
years he moved before them, a sacred inoar
uatiou of the power of grace. Every one of
brother Bunn’s children was led to Christ.
Dear ones, how he loved you ! —how you
loved him ! On the shining shore he is siug
ing to J.sus just as he did around yout
hearthstone—singing while he is waiting tor
you!
In the Ministry.
Many Southern men have been led into the
ministry through their labors for the colored
people. Many preachers, ordained by no
ecclesiastical court, but anointed from on high,
did for years, and do now, break to these the
bread of life. Every Agency which the geni
m of healthful Obrfaiinuity anywhere recog
nizes or employs iu the elevation of the
menial tslass, was subsidized in {he proclam*
FRANKLIN PRINTING HOUSE, ATLANTA, GA., THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 1870.
tion of the gospel to that race, and wnere the
statistics of labor can be collected and calrqly
compared, there will be found as great—in
some instances greater —success here as in
other localities. Previous to the war, while
preaching exclusively to this class, one of the
most distinguished theologians received his
doctorate, and a lawyer of the highest culture,
in the midst of an onerous practice, found his
chief delight. The writer’s first impressions
to preach, were produced In this way.
Very early after his conversion, brother
Swanson began work for the salvation of the
negroes, and continued it with so great ardor
that an unquenchable desire to preach the
gospel to ail men was developed. His breth
ren, confirming the convietion of his heart,
suggested that he identify himself with the
full woikof the ministry. He w-as a.-c'-rd-
on the 13th of March, 1859,
it Madison. Brethren H. H. Tucker, A. T.
Apalding, N. G. Foster and Geo. Y. Browne,
constituted the presbytery. While teaching
at this place, in the Georgia Female College,
ne preached to country churches, and in des
ntute neighborhoods. During a visit to the
North, in the Spring of 1860, he received,
but declined, a call to the pastorate of two
churches near the city of New York. He
next supplied the Second Baptist church, in
Augusta, Ga., for twelve months, preaching
frequently for the Fir.->t church. A long and
severe illness compelling him to decline the
charge of the Sec »nd church, he settled, with
i view of securing health, in N. W. Georgia,
near Cedar Town. In March, 1862, he be
came pastor of the church in that place, and
in Cave Spring, giving two Sabbaths a monih
to each. In Jan. *63 he resigned the Cave
Spring church, because the tax was too ureat
upon his constitution. He remained pastor
•t Cedar Town till the close of 18H5.
1. Asa preacher. If required to give con
cisely an accurate description of our brother
—Cowper supplying the words—
“l would express him simple, grave, sincere;
Iu doctnue uucurrupt; in luuguajje plain,
And plain iu luuuut-r, decent, solemn, chants
And naturul in geaiure; much impressed
llimself, as conscious of his awlul charge,
And anxious mainly that the flock he feeds
May feel it too; uffectionate iu look,
And tender iu uddress, as well becomes
A messenger of grace to guilty men.” -
The essential qualification of every minis
ter of Jesus is Piety. How can a man utter
-piritual truths effectively unless he realizes
them in his own experience? No one doubt
ed the regeneration of brother Swanson.
None failed to discover in him a heart-whole
consecration to Jesus. True charaoter and
sound theology are not only evoked by prayer,
but revealed in it. Who that listened fre
quently to his devotions was not convinced
that his presence was a power and was felt —
then his countenance was elevating, inspiring,
consoling. The features displayed in his
ministry, wrre piety, benevolence, prudence,
firmness, common sense and crucifixion of
self and the world. Few had so vigorous
faith, few such wealth of practical holiness.
His faith, not his works brought this to him.
He loved the doctrines of grace, the dear
Pauline faith, unfolded more particularly in
Romans and Galatians. He Was unusually
clear in the statement of his propositions, and
they were fortified by a sound, judicious ar
gument. He had a great aversion to clap
trap, no relish for sensation, for novelty, for
eccentricity, but a genuine regard for tender,
earnest, true emotion. His style was plain,
but strong; his delivery full of solemnity
and unction; his manner quiet and selfpos
sessed, his great soul boutniing through all.
Ue was eminently catholic and qpHQgelical.
fn his intercourse with others he never offen
sively thrust his opinions forward. He loved
doctrine, but not because held by a sect. He
was no dogmatist, no partizan. No social,
denominational, or geographical bands girded
the affiniiies of his soul. So truly honest, he
would not rashly assail the tenets of sincere
Christians, nor offer to others what his own
faith had not appropriated, nor urge to a
course of conduct which his own life had not
illustrated.
2. Asa pastor. Though his labors as a
pastor were brief and frequently intermitted,
they were very useful. He felt that his min
istry had been specially blessed to Christians,
notwithstanding there had been many con
versions. But, in truth, we know very little
about results at present. The love, and not
the reward of the work, was his stimulus to
action.
In the pastorate, his influence was wide
spread and abiding. He moved from house
to house as a godly man, warmly welcomed,
greatly beloved and gladly leaving his bene
diction upon all. Such benedictions were
never a drudgery to him who looked upon
them as a part of his service to Christ. It
is impossible to calculate their influence.
In matters of discipline, he was firm and
faithful, candid and loving, rigid, yet not
rapid. Nothing was allowed to barricade his
path of duty. He loved a small, but pure
church, with more fervor then a large, world
ly one.
Many tears will fall on the cheeks of dear
saints of God as they recall his cheerful face,
his practical talks, his unotuous prayers and
his timely advice, alt combined in hours of
mellowed communion. How gentle, how ap
propriate, how satisfy ing, was the warmth ot
bis faith, the depth of his sympathy, the coun
sel of his heart. A successor in the pastoral
office says: “ Ho was a model Christian and
a model preacher.” The worthy Treasurer of
the Ga. Bap. Con. says: “In the course of
my teligious life of thirty six years, I have
known but few Christians more devoted and
consistent than brother Swanson.”
In the River of Death.
For years he suffered with a pulmonary
affection, often brought to the very brink of
the grave, yet ever calm, ever trusting.
When weak and languid because of hemor
rhages from his lungs, he lay on his bed, half
on earth, half in heaven, while beloved Chris
tians gathered around, bow eloquent, how
direct, how real was his preaching. With
what patience he yielded to his Heavenly
Father’s treatment! How submission gilded
the crown of faith !
Into his room the smallest child would
glide with confidence, and, greeted by bis
smile, would honor him with the gift of sweet
flowers, as symbolic of his spirit. Into that
roum —during the war it was an “ upper
room” —it is remembered well—so well!
how often have loved ones gathered, and
voiced iu melting music the sustained harmo
nies of his own soul ? O, the pathos, the
power of a scene like that 1
In July, 1869, he had a severe illness, from
which he never fully recovered, though by
September he was able to take exercise, to
sit up most of the day, and to visit to some
extent. “ But before he had gained much
strength, he was attacked with inflimmation of
the glan Is of the throat, terminating in a
series of abscesses, which drained his lifeaway,
or made him a prey to many ills. He had a
cough, too, which troubled his rest at night.”
During this time, his usual cheerfulness bios
somed in rich fullness.
“On Saturday morning, October 33rd, be
had a slight hemorrhage, but felt it a great
relief, arid all day was very happy, saying,
afterwards, that it was one of the happiest
days of his life.” There were slight attack*
if the same on that and the next night. But
ha was comparatively oomfortabia till W adnes*
day, whets, having lain all morning, weak anu
still, he felt his pulse and said to his wife:
“If this prostration is not the effect of an
anodyne, I am very near to death.” Tnb
was their first premonition.
‘•After a sin King spell in the afternoon, the
physician and friends were sent for only to
find that a severe pneumonia was upon him/
All that night his frail, patient, loving wit
sat by him to help him, to refresh him, to
comfort him, and to pray for him.
During Thursday , Oct. 28fA, he frequently
said; "It is all right —right and wise. My
Father knows what is best, and His will lx
done. Through Jesus I have the victory , even
in His righteousness. Not in myself, but u.
Him is all my hope.” Again, “ I leave it all
with Him. ‘ Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’ ’
“ I have not one pain too many.” “If 1 havi
no eestacies, I have great peace." Late ii
the afternoon of that day some friends ful
filled the idea of Addison, as he on his death
bed said, "Came, see a Christian die." H
welcomed them, and said presently, “ Open
the door !" and, that instant the angels opened
the door of paradise, an 1 calmly, trustfully.
peacefully, he went over the tide to dwell
*‘l« ths Christian’s bomb in olory.”
“Much of his life talking of heaven, try
ing to lead others there, loving it, living for
it, now he has it —really is in heaven. Isn’t
that grand? and an earnest for us too?”
Faith sees him there—sees him
“ Walk down the golden street,
And ground bis arms at Jesus’ feet.”
Os the lost trial, his d-ar wife spoke: “O
that hour of surges!” But they
“Shall meet berond the river
Where the surges cease to roll."
Yes,
•‘ Beyond the plowing and the sowing,
Beyond the gathering and the atrowiug,
We i»hall be soon :
Beyond the w irking and the weeping,
Beyond the seeding aud the reaping,
We sh ill be Soon;
# Lore, Rest and Home,
8 Watt hope Lord tarry not, but come."
By the banks of the Coosa, iii the beauti
ful cemetery on the hill that overlooks the
city of Rome, Ga., his body sleeps. Ilis
soul, whose triumph is a legacy to believers
a witness to infidels and a joy to angels, is
*• hid with Christ in God.”
Brother, goodnight; the morning will
COME. D. W. Gwin.
The Autobiography of an Old Pilgrim.
( Continued.)
When I hear ministers of the gospel, from
the pulpit, urge those who are seeking th<
salvution of their souls to “join the church,”
as a means to seoure the object of their search,
I shudder and am sorrowful—exceedingly sor
rowful. I shudder at the temerity of thus
who presume to direct inquirers in a way so
different fiom that marked out in the char
given us by our Lord arid Siviour, to serve
as a guide to the kingdom of heaven ; and I
sorrow for those who give heed to their teach
ing, and
“fearfn’ly mistake
Tht- way us life, aud that of ruio take.”
I impugn not the motives of any who teach so
contrary to the teachings of God’s word ; I im
peach not their Christian jjhar cter; but this
I say : if they are brethren in Christ Jesus,
tliev ere brethren in error—fearful error.
Their conduct in this matter is more nearly
assimilated to that of the “evil angels” and
“fa'se prophets,” of whom we read in the
sacred writings, than to that of Christ and
Ilis inspired apostles. The conduct of John,
also, the harbinger of Christ, was directly the
opposite of theirs. lie denounced as “a gen
eration of vipers,” and s-nt away mu t tudes
who sought to be baptized by him, (and con
sequently lo join his church,) and bade them
first “bring forth fruits meet for repentanee.”
They who, instead of counselling the con
vict'd sinner to repair immediately tof’hrist.
fall at the foot of Ilis cross, submit to Him,
believe in Him, and plead Ills merits alone
for acceptance with God, urge him to join
the chbrch, do, whatever they m ty say, think
or intend to the contrary, act the part of
emissarie sos Satan. They direct the sinner
away from Christ, and not to Him, and urge
him to act according to the will of Satan, and
not according to the will of God, in two par
ticulars at least: 1. In deferring to surrender
to Cnrist to a future time: 2. iu seeking to
gain some merit of their own, to cast into the
scale with the merits of the Saviour, when
weighed in the scales of eternal Justice.
Speak I not truly ? Search and see, ye in
quirers after the way of life eternal. The
matter peitains to you. It involves your
eternal interests—eternal weal or eternal wo !
God requires y<>u to submit yourselves, unre
servedly and unconditionally,to Him—-when?
Now. He requires you to turn from the
evil of your ways —when? Now. He com
mands y«>u, and all men. everywhere, to re
pent — when? Now. He requires you to
believe in Jesus aud rely upon Him, and on
Him alone, for salvatiou from sin as well as
from the curse of sin. Believe in Jesus—
when ? Now, says the Eternal Spirit. Not
now, says Satan ; and not now, repeat his
emissaries. First join the church, they add,
and acquire some merit, by observing the out
ward forms and ceremonies of religion.
“Good 1” says Satan. “The churoh, that is,
these emissaries of mine, will help to spread
a piast r for your ulc-rated heart,” 1 fancy he
says to the sinner, but adds, aside : “1 know
well that plaster can never cure their gangren
ous ulcers, nor hide them from the all search
ing eye of God, but it may serve to oonoeal
them from their own eyes; and that is ail I
wish to do—nay, I will that it may also ag
gravate their ulcers, and make what is offen
sive, more offensive still; and this lam sure
it will do.”
As it is with the commands of God, so is
it with His invitations of mercy : they are all
limited to tbc present lime. “Come unto me,
all ye that labor au l are heavy lai«n—»all
that are athirst—whosoever will, let him
come.” Cornel, When ? After you have
joined the ohuruh, say S itan and his emissa
ries. “Now,” says the Spirit, “is the accept
ed time: Now is the day of salvation.” “To
nxv, it a<:y man hear his voice, let him uot
harden his heart.”
There is no command for to morrow, no
invitation for to-morrow, no promise predi
cated upon a future obedience. Let the uncon
verted sinner, who may chance to read tnis
article, remember this, and remember withal
tne fearful alternatives set before him in the
word of God. What are they ? Hear them,
and fly, without delay, to the outstretched
arm of a compassionate Saviour, who only
can shelter you in a coming day of vengeance.
They are: Turn or die; repent or perish;
believe or be damned. Satan may say to
you, as he said to Eve, of old, “Thou shall not
surely die,” though thou turn not, repent uot,
believe not. God declares what He has pro
mised He will p-rforin, what He has threat
ened He will execute. Whom will you be
lieve, God or Satan I—He who seeks to save,
or he who seeks to destroy 1 Decide now ;
defer not tor to-morrow ; “To morrow’s sun
may shine upon your grave.”
The report of my own experience, as made
in tny last two numbers, is sufficient, I should
think, to convince any who believes the facts
repurted r that.an unconverted person can de
rive no spiritual benefit from conneeting him
self with a church, while he remains in an un
converted state. He cau gain nothing there-
from but grteCjj&yoquflf heart, remorse of
conscience, and an ®f guilt. But
I now proceed to report a little more of my
experience as a pxeiwfo-oonvert.
In my case, with the church
in an unconverted state-not only failed to ex
pedite my progress to heaven, but tended
greatly to retardTTt. Instead of facilitating
the way of life, it interposed formidable bar
riers in that way*and thus blocked it up.
Often did i the Scriptures to see if
there *was any hope held out tothe hypocrite;
but I found n me, Bot one. On the contrary,
I read, “The hope of the hypocrite shall per
ish.” In Uie listened witn atten
tion to those appointed to proclaim the gos
pel to every creature; but they proclaimed
no glad tidings to' (he hypocrite. I read and
heard of woes to the hypocrite, but could not
rind or hear opmefinviution iff mercy to the
hypocrite. I hea|fr,ta/td read invitations to
sinners, but Any wo*«trieken and unbelieving
heart would say,'" v Ah ! they are addressed to
sinners—common sinners; I am no common
sinner—l am a Vtttr hypocrite; lam not in
eluded in the invitations. When I heard or
read the promisgs of.the gbspel, I would say
to myself:- is faithful. He will
fulfil His pnmu.n-s’l but all the promises are
to Christians, i am a piofessor of religion,
but no Cnrislian. t|am * hypocrite, and there
is no promise tohypocrite *bnt that ol
wrath, tribulation,- anguish and wo.” i knew
rfiat the way to lay by the mercy
seat, but when I won?". 1 attempt to approach that
mercy seat, to se<£s;%dniis* o i • y the cross of
Christ into the naiyow way of life eternal, 1
would find my way blocked up by the threat
enings of God’s w. rd—all of which seemed
levelled against* ary guilty soul. I blamed
myself for j .mtf. Jthe church in an uncon
verted state, blamed my brother for his
agency in this matter, and even sought to lay
my guilt upon Gui, for having allowed one
of His ministering servants to mislead me.
Thus I hard ned my heart against the AI
mighty, sat down iu gloomy and sully discou
tent, and sank into sin’s deadly and uore
freshing slumber,disturbed by frightful dreams
of untold evils. Oh! what a mercy that I
was awakened frot* my slumber, not by the
blast of Gabrid’siti umpet, nor by the then
lermgs of Jehovah’s wrath, but by the gentle
much of 11 fn whose torn h of old aroused from
he sleep of death-the widow of Nain’s only
son!
There are two or three things 1 wish to say
! or the benefit of those who may now be wan
lering in the “crooked ways” through which
he L >rd permittee*Satan to lead me in days
i hat are past; but I fear to tax too heavily
the patience of my readers, lest they cease to
read my future articles, which I ex peetto con
tinue to the day my death, and which I
have undertaken to write for their benefit as
well as my own. I w..uld record 'he pas'
dealings of the Lord with me, as David did
.f old, that my o*n s >ul may be refreshed by
the recollection thereof, aud that others may
be lead to love,obey Him, and make Him their
“all in all.” In my next article I will en
deavor to show that there is hope in Christ,
even for the hypocrite —the awakened and
penitent hypoorite. Abdiel Nekoda.
Christ Comics ■in His Kingdom.
KttPLv'ro U'* TIILLVEK NO Vl.*
Brother If. claims that his views “explain
so much of this wonderful prophecy ot our
L rd as Ms The explana
tion accords with Ml the sacs of the case, and
orings all the evenis foretold within the pe
riod of that generation. Hence, it removes
all difficulty arising from the next verse. By
the parable of the fig tree, He teaches His
disciples that the events foretold in the pre
ceding verses should positively occur before
that generation should pass away. And this
he confirms by a kind of oath :” ‘Heaven and
earth shall pass away, but my wur Is shall not
pass away/ “So certain was it that Ilia pre
dictions should be fulfilled, and equally cer
tain was it that the time allowed for their ful
fillment was limited to that generation.” Has
it not been shown that the \iews of brother
H. do not “explain as much of this wonderful
prophecy of our Lord as has been examined,”
and that they do not “accord with all the facts
of the case?” Will not the reader agree to
this? Have not arguments beeu adduced
enough, to say the very least, to'make his
views in the highest degree improbable, and
facts that, in some points, make it positively
certain that those views are not oorrect?
Nor do we believe that it is certain that all
the “events foretold should positively occur
before that generation should pass away ;” or
that Christ “confirmed it by a kind of oath.”
We appeal to the reader if it has not been es
tablished that from the 29th verse, the Saviour
begins to declare tho things that are to appear
towards the end of the world—or age? If
the position and teaching of the xxi: 24v. Luke
be kept in mind, this oannol be doubted.
Then “these things” of the 3rd and 34th vs.
24th chap. Mat. cannot refer to what was said
of the siege and destruction of Jerusalem;
hut to the things mentioned in the 29th v.
Tne grammatical construction requires as
much. We think it is a mistake to decide
that the parable, of the fig tree teaches that
“these things” Should occur in that generation;
it can have no Reference to that point, but was
introduced by the Saviour to show that His
coming—see Mark xii: 31, to vvhioh “it” in
33rd v. must refer —will follow “these things”
sis quickly—the necessary changes being made.
—as the summer follows the appearance of the
leaves upon the" fig tree; is not this clearly
the meaning ? When “these things” come to
pass, His coming is close at hand. They will
not appear till Jerusalem ceases to be trod
d*-n down, and the “ times of the Gentiles be
fulfilled.” The«34th v., —‘Thisgenerationshall
not pass, till dll things be fulfilled’ —
has been the stumbling block in the interpre
tation of this entire chapter, and will continue
to be, so long as “generation” is made to
mean the ordinary period of human life—
those alone whom the Saviour addressed. The
arch-inlidel,; Gibbon, falling into the same
error, seiz s upon what he deems a failure of
the prophecy of Christ, and makes it the oe- .
casion of sneering at the hope or he early]
Christians i “It was universally believ>d that'
the end of the world, and. the kingdom of
heaven, were a'f hatiJT. The near approach of
this wonderful event hai been predicted by
the apostles; the t-adilion (?) of it was pre
served by their earliest disciples, and those
who understood ill their literal sense the dis
courses of Chris t*Hi tnself, were obliged to ex
pect the secoira and ulorious coming of the
Son of man ifi the clouds, before that genera
tion was totally extinguished, which had be
held his hlikable condition upon earth, and
which might still be witness of the calamities
of the Jews under Vespasian or Hadrian. The
revolutions of seventeen centuries have in
structed us npf to press too closely the myste
rious language; of prophecy and revelation.”
The tern? generation, in this connection, must
mean racejpedple; this makes all clear. This
is the primary meaning of the word. See
meaning of the word in the original; and
Smith’s Dictionary of the Bible.
In some texts it cannot mean only the peo
ple living at a giveu time. Luke i; 48, ‘hence
forth all generations will call me blessed
here it must Ihtau jeoples. See ps. Ixxii: 17,
which is Messianic: 'all nations shall call
Him blessed;’ also Luka ii: 31, 'Which Tbou
prepareclst before the face of all peoples .’ Luke
xvi: 8, ‘the children of this world are, in their
generation, wiser than the children of light
here ie-’obviously means people. Ps. lxxi(;l7
and Luke ii: 31, are not given as instances in
which the term generation is used ; but the
first as the original from which Luke i: 48 is
probably quoted, the last as a comment upon
Luke i: 48. Sec Mat. xxiii : 36, ‘verily f say
unto you, all these things shall come upon
this generation ;’ this cannot mean alone those
who were then living, for they did not slay
Zechariah. The charge was: “whom ye
slew.” That generation did not slay Zecha
riah. He must have spoken, to them as a
people. It must, therefore, mean the Jewish
people. Adam Clarke, whose scholarship was
far lea* questionable than his theology, says
ifi he.. that g‘ iteration, means race ; that the
“Jews should not cease from being a distinct
people till all the counsels of God relative to
them and the Oentiles be fulfilled.” Authori
ties could be easily multiplied in support of
the above meaning ; but fear of wearying
the reader, l venture to quote only one other,
viz, Dean Alford. After referring to Luke
17: 25, Mat. 17: 17, Luke 16:8, Acts 2: 40,
and Phil. 2: 15 he says : In all these places,
yenea is equal to genos, or nearly so, having,
it is true, a more pregnant meaning, imply
ing that the character of one generation
stumps itself upon the race, as in this
verse also. T«e .continued us*, of parerrho
mai, pts« away, in v*wses 34*and 35,24 th
ch ip. Mat., should have s ive>l the commenta
tors from the blunder of imagining that the
then living generation was meant, seeing that
the prophecy is by the next verse carried on
to the end of all things; and that, as a mat
ter of fact, the apostles and ancient Christians
did continue to expect the Lord s coming after
that generation had passed away;” which
would have been without reason, if they had
understood the prophecy to refer exclusively
to the destruction of Jerusalem. To tliei
above mav bo added the learned Lange: See
him in he.
Tne 37th verse is made by brother H. to.
apply to the destruction of Jerusalem also :
•But as the da) sos Noah were, so shall also
ihe coining of the Son of man be.’ No inter
pretation o uld be more violent. The condi
tion of the antediluvian world, and that of
Jerusalem, before »*n t at the time of its de
struction, could- not be more unlike! The
country had been ravaged by war; the vieto
rious armv of Titus had now “encompassed’
the city, and its destruction hourly threatened.
How anxious were they ! how confused and
distressed ! how different the antediluvians !
Their indulgences were those of undisturbed
sensuality. No alarm of war, no fear of the
fl iod. Thoughtless, they continued their
worldly enjoyments “until the 0 »od caine and
took them all away;” “a world in wick-d
ness; warned, but heedless; doomed, but
reckless, rushing on to meet its ruin.” We
have before seen that the “ coining” of this
verse was parousia. meaning the personal
coming of Christ, and cannot, therefore, be
applied to the destruction of Jerusalem. This
we think, is settled, and ought to be coifce
ded. Though coming as a “ snare on all them
that dwell on the face of the whole earth,’
how profoundly asleep arid infidel is the world
upon this subject! It defiantly asks, Where
is. the isijin of his coming? To it, all things
continue as from the days of the fathers. Le>
such tie ware; for though Sou of man is
as a man taking a far journey—he has been
gone eighteen centuries —“ in such an hoUi
as ye think not, He will come.” And it wouln
be well for those who are teaching that all
these prophecies are fulfilled, and are there
fore without meaning in the future, thereb)
strengthening the hands of the infidel, to seri
ously consider their ways, and awake from
their sleep that Christ may give them light.
Are not such “walking in darkness,” and may
not “that day overtake them as a thief?” L*i
U3 be “children of light” on this subject; lei
'us not sleep as others, but let us watch and
be sober. Gfio. F. Cooper.
Americus, March. %2d. _ _
A Simple Prayer.
Be Thou my guide to-day,
My arm whoreou to rest,
My sun to cheer me on mv way,
My shield to guard my breast.
From Satan’s fiery dait,
And men of purpose base,
And trom the plague of my own heart,
Defeud me by Thy grace.
— Btrridge.
A Shadow.
Even the snow flake lets a shadow fall,
As to the earth it softly sinks to rest:
So may the whitest, sweetest souls of ail
Seem sometimes wrong to those who know them
best.
‘‘Vox Populi, Vox Dei.”
Is this true? The Saviour while on earth
was often confronted by public opinion. The
foundations of his kingdom were laid amid
the opposition of all men, save the very few
disciples who forsook all and followed Him.
He denied the supremacy claimed for public
opinion. He repudiated its assumption to be
a guide for individual opinion and action.
He established the rule that men must do
right —that in doing so, they should stand
alone.
But He did more than this. He patiently
and perseveringly endured all that publio
sentiment inflicted for His disregard of its
mandates. Odium was heaped upon Him.
Scorn and contumely were His reward. He
was ostracised, despised and hated. He was
persistently persecuted. Wrongfully accused,
unjustly condemned, He was put t < death.
His life and death testify in language ex
plicit and unquestionable, “ that the senti
ment, “ Vox Populi, Vox Dei,” is but little,
if any, les3 than blasphemous. In His case
the voice of the people was directly opposed
to the voice of Ood. God said, “This is my
b, loved Sort, hear ye him .” Tne people said
with one voice, “Away with such a fellow
from the earth."’
Christ is our example. In the light of His
life, death and testimony, we are assured
that, in matters of moral ad religious duty,
public sentiment is not, and while the ma
jority of men are alienated from God by
"'wicked works, public sentiment cannot be a
safe guide.
•To move counter to the sentiment of the
community in which we live, is n » easy m»t
ter. It should not be undertaken, except for
reasons which cannot be aet aside. B.it when
duty calls to the work, no good soldier of
Jesus Christ will fail to do it.
There is a disposition in public opinion to
assume despotic power, and to eru-h those
whom it cannot control. We speak ad
visedly. When once it has set its mark of
disapprobation upon an individual, even for
reasons in no sense implying ci iminality on
ihe part of the marked victim, he is not alone
shuuned and defamed, but every one who
dares to offer sympathy or succor in any
form, is also made to feel its power. And
to this fiat church fellowship and covenant en
gagements are required to yield. Conscien
tious convictions, such as the victim of public
odium dare not resist or slight, are not al
lowed as a plea in justification. And that
Christian liberality which, permitting honest
difference of opinion on, the most important
subjects, gives friendly recognition to the
person while discarding his views, is regarded
I tvs offence to be punished.
The religion of Christ does not authorize
» professors to yield to such requirements
these. Theexample and teaching of Christ
pronounce such yielding to be sin. In ail
such oases, we are safe in following the exam
pie of our blessed Lord. The ctiurch needs
in the present day, a large infusion of the he
roism possessed and manifested by the early
witnesses for the truth. In meeting for prayer
we sing,
“Must Jesus bear the oross alone.
And all the world go free?
No; there’s a crosi for every one,
And there’s a oross for me.”
And when the cross is presented, we fail
to recognize that as the “cross for tne.” If,
in the duty presented and pressed upon us by
conscience, the honor and glory of Christ are
in any way involved, we may bo sure that
that is the “ cross for me.” And- this cross
we should bear, though all the world oppose
Our allegiance is due solely t<> Christ and
His'bause. God’s voice proclaims. Hear ye
Him. A Bible Baptist.
A New Way of Putting It.
It is possible that at the approaching S. B.
Convention.the ridiculous id» a of “unificat-ou’
rnav be presented; by which I mean, the turn
ing over to Northern Societies the Home and
Foreign M ssionary Work, and Sunday School
labor, now carried on by Southern Bap
tists. ! call it “ridiculous,” and my designs
tion will be speedily verified to-any one who
ehoosls to make the experiment of offering u
resolution to the effect above specified.
It is indeed simply ridiculous for us to in
dicate that we are not capable ot* carrying on
our own work ! To turn that over to others;
to send them money to accomplish that which
is simply our work, is the heighth of ridicu
lousuess. It would be worse ; for it would
be culpable supiueness and remissness.
Let us consider the Sunday School Work
for a moment. Cannot Southern Baptists or
ganize and put in efficient operation u systen
of labor which shall e-tablisb Sunday School
and gather children within the influence o
gospel teaching ? Must we go to a Northern
Socie'y aud say :
“Here are <*ur children, our members, out
money, our church buildings, but we are to.,
inefficient to use them for the sniritual benefit
of the young; come you in and occupy ?”
Shall we say :
“To be sure, we have faintly essayed to
build up the great Sunday school cause, and
originated an organizition which now ha.*
ramifications all over the South, but we lack
the energy, the zeal and the ability to sup
port and direct it; therefore, and > you come in
and occupy ? We abandon all to your wi»
dom, energy and ability.”
Shall we say: *
“Our people are eminently a missionary
people, but somehow we lack the wi-dom and
ability to oarry on Foreign and Domes-i<
Missions ; therefore, do you come in and dc
the work for us ?”
Shall we say:
“ We are in a sadly crippled state, finan
cially, and, ihercfi.re, not able to give much ;
but what we can give, we prefer should g
into your hands, so that all the responsibility
and trouble of its management be removed
from our shoulders?”
Perish the thought!
Breihreft, the Baptists of the S-u-h have
their own work to do, and they can no more
'shift it to other hands, than they can shift
responsibilities to other shoulders.
What we need is, to have the Baptist mind
and heart tutored into an apprehension ano
appreciation of their great responsibilities a*
followers of Jesus, and then the work— the
great work of gospel evangelization—will only
seek an outlet, a channel of operation. Lei
us tutor the mind and heart of the rising gene
ration of Baptists ; let us f <rm the habits and
create the desire for giving and doing in tht
cause of God, atid then the great difficulty to
wards accomplishing evangelisation will be
overcome.
Preaching the gospel is the duty of the
church. This'duty can be successfully in
stilled into the mind in youth only. Tnat is
the aitn and ohjeor of Sunday school labor
Therefore, build up, support, stand by, en
courage, make efficient your Sunday School
Board. S. B.
Denominational Readings.
The word of God is denominationally read
and studied in this sectarian age. Every sect
wrests the Scriptures to prop its creed, and
the Divine Word is forced to speak every
Ashdod dialect in the World. Somebody is
wrong, else the Biule is a senseless parrot;
and every denomination should prayerfully
enquire, “Is it I 1 ?”
As it is not my business to lecture other
communions, 1 take the liberty of saying a
word to Baptists: You are guilty of the some
practice , of reading God's word to sustain
your creed. In doing so, you have assumed
two positions: that Baptists are Scriptural in
faith, and in organisation. If the positions
assumed are true, Baptists shojld real the
Word denominationally; but if not, what i»
the result 1 ? The maintenance of error and
its perpetuation.
Without affirming that Baptists are wrong
in faith, or in organisation, l most earnestly
request them to prayerfully examine whether
their organization is Scriptural. Begin with
the Acts ot the Apostles, and read all the
epistolary writings of the apostles, and read
them to understand “ what the Spirit saith
unto the churches.’’ Take nothing for grant
ed. “ Prove all things, and hold fast to that
which is good.” This suhj ot must be inves
tigated. Many wise and pious brethrtn be
liuve that the Baptist church government is
too rudimeiital, and that we should not a! ways
deal in “ first principles,” but should go on
“to perfection," in a manhood organization,
in all things like the apostolic churches. It
these brethren are correct, we never will
grow up to “the perfect stature of a man”
in church government while we assume that
we are already perfect. This “dead lock’’
among Baptists will never do; there is some
thing wrong soinowhere: Where is it? is
the important question. The world has never
seen and felt Baptist unity ; We have lought
the enemy more like pickets and skirmishers
than well organized armies. We have hud
the forces, but have never brought them into
the field in solid column. The pickets and
skirmishers do all the fighting. Let all the
forces be brought up, according to apostolic
tactics, then our denomination will be, “fair
as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as
an army with banners.” H. E. TANARUS,
Progress of Error. —Rev. R. L. Collier,
Unitarian, in a recent volume of sermons, has
oue on “the Folly of Converting the Jews,”
in wnich he takes the ground “ that rational
istic Judaism is nearer in its tenets to primi*-
tive Christianity than the Christianity of the
Orthodox churches.” Lucy Stone, Radical
Unitarian, professed recently to have been
satisfied long ago, that Jesus was a man only,
and if he was a man, then alt men have the
possibility of becoming as good as he. And
Mi D. Conway, of the saute school, iu his late
repudiation ot the Christian name, said that
“ Christianity ” is to Unitarians what “ Church”
is to Catholics, “Bible” to orthodox Pro
testants ; and all are what the Fetish is to its
worshipper.
WHOLE NO. 2484
Weary of Bin.
Wwiry of »in, 0 God,
i Wurrofain;
Thangh from Thy ohsttoning rod
M, flight begin.—
Yet <Uro I not deiny.
Seeking through tea re the way,
Through blinding tear* my way,—
Weary of ain.
Oft by Thy loving hand
Beckoned I’ve been.
Back trom the enchanted land,
'Wildrred by eln;
Now in the dark I yearn,—
Knowing not how to turn,
Knowing not where to turn,—
Weary of ain.
So if it need* Thy rod,
Back from mr tin,
To Thr dear fold, my God,
To drive me in :
Its present pain shall be
Blessing and balm to me,
That brings me back to Thee, —
Weary of Sint
—Examiner f Chron.
Further Queries for “H. E. T.”
As brother H.*JS. T. has so kindly respond
'd to my queries, (for which I cordially thank
him,) I will take the liberty of rexpectfulljr
propounding two or three more. But before
loing so, I desire to say that,,! am always in
• crested in what he * rites, and fully sympa
thize with him in lamenting the lack of piety
md activity in our churches. I was especial
ly grained at the Christiun spirit manifested
by him in his reply to certain brethren who
had been discussing the matter of protracted
neetings. Would that all contributors to
fdr religious press, like hinf, had learned the
'isetessness of “flinging mud.” Why is it
hat Christian brethren, discussing sjlj-nts
pertaining to our holy religion, will some
times use expressions and epithets which
-hould never be heard outside of heated po
litical Contests? It is no sin to diff-r with
>ur brethren upon points of doctrine or poli
cy, but it is, in my opinion, a sin to give ex
pression to these differences, in other than a
Christian spirit. ‘‘Truth is like a torch—the
n->re it is shaken the brighter it burns.”
Mud and soot only begrim and blacken those
who handle them.
But to the queries. Ist. If our churches
ire imperfectly organized, as you believe,
why should there be any apprehension of be
ng charged with treason for saying so? Bap
tists, above all people, profess to want to
Know and practice the “truth, the whole
ruth, and nothing but the truth,” then why
-h «uld we hesitate to declare boldly (but
modestly ) what we believe to be the truth.
Cannot the matter of church organiz ttion, or
my other, be discussed temperately and dis
passionately, without injury to the denomina
tion ? A distinguished brother of our State
(Alabama) said to me, not long since, “I
vish you would take some notice of brother
Teague’s articl-s through the columns of the
Index and Baptist.” I said to him, “Why
1 lon’t you do it?” He replied, “I don’tcare
o do it.” This brother agre< s fully with
brother Teague. You intimate that “many”
ire dissatisfied with our present status. Why
should they not let their thoughts come to
ight?
2nd. You say, “A Baptist church is un
worthy the nume which has not., in its own
>ody, every officer named in the New Testa
ment churches.” Now, I know some so called
churches that have not in them a member
qualified for a deacon, to say nothing of pas
tors, elders, evangelists,etc. What will you
do with them ?
3rd. Some pastors (!!) are now serving *9
many as four churches. If a pastor devotes
ill his time to one, supposing that one could
or would support him (which is an unreason
able supposition,) what would become of the
ihree others*?
Lastly, (if you will allow me one mefre
question.) May not our improper church or
ganization be the eff-ct, instead of the oause..
of the present low standard of piety ? B.
Items.
Growth of Romanism.—A good deal has
been said about the increase of Roman Cath
olics in this country, but the whole number
of Roman Catholics in the United States is
not more than half the increase of population
from 1860 to 1870!
Dfi Fob.—Daniel De Foe—says a writer
in the Christian World{ London) —originated
the Independent Chapel in Tooting. Another
writer in the same paper, says that De Foe
was a member of Little Wild Street Baptist
Cnapel, Lincoln’s Inn Fields.
The English Reformation —Mr. Froude
has packed into a single clause the whole phi
losophy of the English Reformation. “They
preferred,” he tells us, “the incongruities of
Anglicanism to a complete reformation, and
a ‘midge-madge’ of contradictory formula
ries to the simplicity of the Protestant faith.”
And so the Low-churchman appeals to the
articles, and the High-churchman to history ;
neither having any difficulty in persuading
himself that he is true to the Church ot Eng
land. This is a blow that “ hits home and
hits hard.”
Higher Christian Life. —There is a reli
gious experience in which the soul may rise
above temptation, trial, sorrow, —even meet
them with joy. We can look lorward to an
experience when duty, instead of a burden,
shall be a joy.
Succession. —Baptism ia.the immersion of
a believer in the name of the Father, theS-nt,
and the Holy Ghost, and as order is of rnu'ot
importance in Christ’s church, provision has
been made by the Head of the church for a
specially called and qualified ministry. A
Baptist church ever recognizes the right of it*
pastor to take the lead, not only as 11 teacher
and preacher, but also in administei i»g the
ordinances ; but apostolic succession in their
mini-try they never look for.~ Canadian
Baptist.
Creeds. —Rev. Dr. Stebbins, (Unitarian,)
says: A creed is for two purposes : to put in
form our faith at the present time, that the
world may understand us and be drawn to us
if they accept it; or to shutout and condemn
all who do not think as we do from Christian
fellowship and Christian ordinances. The
tortner is a good use of creeds, the latter a
bad use. For the former we contend with all
the cordiality of acceptance; against the lat
ter we protest with all the energy of entire
di-seut.
Not a Ministry —“ The pastors of the Ir
“ Primitive Methodists” have neither
themselves, nor at any time have the*
recognized by their people as miniate
full ecclesiastical sense of that ti
rather as lay preachers. They have
preuchtd,ufid expounded, but havei
t.ieircongregations to the E-tablis
to receive baptism and the commi
Hatred of the Truth —Rev..
in a recent discourse in Boston, sat
demonstrates the fact that there arv
able millions of systems of stars,
them so remote that it must have take,
a thousand millions of centuries to react.
Think of that fact and then think of the Crea
tor, the builder of all this, b <rn as a man,
lying in a cradle, hanging on the breast of a
mother, and then expiring on the cross 1 It
is the most monstrous absurdity that erefr
entered the imagination of man.” He feels
quite sure that, a huudrej years hence, thel
church of Christendom will deny that it evei
believed it.
