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About Christian index and South-western Baptist. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1866-1871 | View Entire Issue (April 14, 1870)
VOL. 49-NO. 15. A RELIGIOUS AND FAMILY PAPER. PUBLISHED WEEKLY IK ATLANTA. OA rHUMS.—CIubs of Four, ($3.00 each) per annum...sl2 00 Clubs of Three, ($3.33 each) per annum... 10.00 Clubs of Tiro, (3.50 each) per annum 7.00 J. J. TOO N - , Proprietor. * A Morning Hymn. Son of tbe Father erer blest, The equal of thr Father’s might, Thou very God of verv God, And very Light of Light! * Lo, night retires, and now appear The beams that usher in the dawn, Purpling the sky and earth; from all Tbe vail of dark is drawn. But the thick night of ignorance Unmoved upon my soul doth rest. And under error’s mists my heart Hath well nigh sunk opprest. Rise, then, thou Sun ot R'ghtenusness, Give to the world the wiahed-for day, And lightening my benighted mind, Chase error's shade’s away. Soften the rough and frost-bound soil Within mv heart, and let it be, Before thy kindly light and beat, From poisonous earth-damps free. Then let tbe fertilising dew Drop from on high upon the field, That at the last the heavenly seed An hundredfold may yield. —Fi con the Latin of George Buchanan. Harvest Home. CHAPTER XV. “The testimony of the Lord is sure making Wise thq simple."— P». in. As may be inferred from what I have said, the Montmaries kept open house during Christmas; so, also, did their neighbors and friends. Gay parties assembled, morning, noon and night, in the different houses, and Ihe merriment was universal. In the midst of it, the Errendorfs returned, and were warmly greeted by a large circle of friends. Christine, as she and her mother had intended, soon had a troop of admirers tn traine. Without beauty of either face or figure, she was a belle, insignificant in appearance, quiet and reserved, though perfectly easy in man ners. No one was struck with her at first, and no one conversed a half hour with her without seeking earnestly the earliest oppor tunity to converse with her again. Then, the discovery was made that her smile was the sweetest that ever illumined a face, the scar let lips, (not luby or crimson,) though thin, were beautifully shaped, and owed their bright color to the transparent skin —not to the arts of the toilet. In fact, she had learned that the perfection of art is simplicity. She wore no ornaments, rightly judging that their use would exaggerate into positive ugliness a form and features which, if not majje promi nent and conspicuous, would be only not pretty, at the first glance, and afterwards, as opportunity occurred for the judicious dis play of a beautiful hand, and luxuriant hair, with that rare smile I have mentioned, strange lv attraitive. Fred had the same fair corn piexion and brown hair, giving, usually, more want of character, to a man’s appearance, than a woman’s; but his' was decidedly mas culine, in spite of being a bjonde—still re markable for size, but no longer clumsy or awkward. His moustache, foreign and stylish, and the whole effect handsome and distingue. The pres : nco*-of the brother and s.stci be came presently a necessity, at every gay as semblage, whether impromtu or otherwise, and so New Year’s eve came before anybody expected it, and brought the period of Emile’s return to College very near. ‘•To-morrow will be the last day, Montie,” said Helen, coming up behind him, as they were all chatting gaily round the fire, at night fall. She dropped her head on his shoulder as she spoke, to force back the tears, or to hide them. “And the pleasantest, little sister. Don’t you try to spoii it. We are to have a grand sleighing party, to set out at ten in the inorn ingl_(jnve to the Lake Hotel, dine there, return in the afternoon to Mr. Errendorfs, who entertains us all by special invitation, for the evening. Clara, Lucy, and you, Helen, wipe your eyes and listen. Get all your artillery ready—curls, smiles and every woman’s weapon, tor the most reverent knight is to be brought to his lady’s feet on that occasion, and made to yield himself captive, ‘rescue or no rescue.’ We are to go in pairs or in companies, according to inclination. Mr. Fred. Errendorf humbly solicits that he and Miss Montmarie may form a duet in a handsome turn-out of his own, arranged most conveniently for the accommodation of two. He pledges himself to careful driving. I promised to be his euvoy, and deliver the message personally. What answer shall 1 return ?” “ Miss Montmarie accepts,” said Clara, an swering his look. “And Mr. Stanley ?” “ Will provide himself with agreeable company, no doubt.” “Then I dismiss all uneasiness on that score. Hartly and 1 will attend these other young ladies, in a large party or a small one, as we may decide to morrow, only stipulating that they shall look their very best, which a lady can so seldom be persuaded to do.” “No s trcasins or libels on ladies, sir, if you desire to be permitted to wait on Lucy and I." retorted Helen, who had regained her composure. “By no .means; your ladyship misunder stands me quite.” “ You should say,” suggested Lucy, “ that you have not succeeded in expressing your self clearly.” “ Thank you; that is what I would say ex actly, only not being used to complimenting, I get the ideas reversed. Well, at any rate, be sure and appear en grand* toilett* for a ride l •* How stupid you are, Emile!” “There! i have made a worse mistake than ever. Hartly, can’t you help me out of the scrape?” “ Yes, by taking you off to bed,” said his brother, taking up a candle and laying hold of Emile’s arm. Saying goodnight, they they made their exit. The sleigh ride and the soiree followed each each other duly. Mr. Stanley was the life of a large company that filled a sleigh drawn by four horses; but in the midst of witticisms and shouts of laughter, he cast many a glance at the couples coming more quietly on be hind —was at Clara’s side to assist her out the moment they arrived, and yielded his place to her escort only when civility abso lutely required it. Fred was quite capable of asserting himself, and did it so coolly that the manoeuvres of the two were quite amu sing to spectators, and decidedly annoying to Clara. Mr. Stanley was fast losing the self control he had felt so assured of. None knew better than himself the wisdom of caleula ting remote probabilities, in laying out plans, yet he had entirely overlooked, in the project of bowing Clara Montmarie’s pride, any dan ger of his own, he fell, unawares, into a fit of abstraction, during the ride home. “When did I allow to any man the advantage of making me feel his rivalry ? or to a woman tbe power of paining me by neglect? Am I actually fool enough to be jealous ? and of that heavy-witted German clown?” A gay remark from one of the company recalled his ■-■ - ■ ■ ■ —— 1 „ • SSSSIII AND SOUTH-WESTERN BAPTIST. j attention, and he resumed the conversation they had been engaged in. When Clara en tered Mr. Errendorfs parlor, that evening, leaning on Fred’s arm, she had never looked so lovely. Whispered exe'amations were made on all sides, “ What a handsome pair ! how beautiful she is to-night !” There was a striking contrast between them, favorable to both. Clara wore white, which made her dark eyes and hair, and rich color, more brilliant. Besides, the state of excitement she had been in all day, (for the day had been exciting,) heightened her color, and brightened her eyes. “She seems perfectly satisfied, too,” mut tered Mr. Stanley, between his set teeth. (He must have been, as he suspected, slightly jealous.) Christine Errendorf had the ab sorbed attention of Hartly Montmarie. Mr Montmarie had prudently concluded the sleighing party gayety enough for Helen and Lucy, in one day, so Hartly, and Emile, and Clara, were obliged to appear without them in the evening. Fred was succeeding in mak ing himself quite agreeable to the latter, yet she was not, as Mr. Stanley hastily concluded, perfectly satisfied. Her thoughts wandered, if she dared not allow her eyes to do so. The warm friendly interest she had always felt in the Errendorfs,and the really entertaining and sensible canversation she was listening to, would made her enjoy his society at an other time; but just no-v. Yes, she could not conceal from herself, just now, she want ed very much to exchangfe a few words with Mr. Stanley.. The Autobiography of an Old Pilgrim. . ( Continued .) The report of my past experience, as given in my last three articles, may serve to illus trate how God, in His infinite wisdom aud mercy, oftimes deduces good from evil. I think I may lay it down as an incontroverti ble proposition, that “ The Lord never permits an evil that he docs not design to overru.e for the advance ment of His own glory, and the consequent good of His faithful subjects, in every part of His dominions.” As the happiness of His subjects is made to depend upon the perfection of the Divine attributes, it must necessarily be enhanced by whatever tends to the development of their perfection. But it is not my design to dwell upon the general proposition laid down above, but to descend to particulars, and specify several important Scriptural truths that are attested by what I have reported of my con nection with the church' in an unconverted state. It attests, 1. that it is unsafe—exceedingly danger ous —to rely on the testimony ot others as to what is taught us in the word of God. All men arc fallible. They are liable to err in their interpretation of Scripture, through the influence of prejudice, education, or self interest. While we have access to the foun tain of all truth, if, through indolence—<»r any other cause —-we receive it at second’ hand, adulterated by the carnal inclinations of men, we shall not be held guiltlesrin the day of judgment. A holy prophet, of old, lost his life by relying upon the testimony of a brother prophet, as to what God would have him to do, instead of acting according to the instructions he had received directly from heaven; and I, Abdiel Nekoda,'ay for more ■ thati two years under the withering power ol the Almighty, for confiding in the statement of a brother as to my duty, instead of seek ing to learn it from the unerring word of God. Be warned, reader, and ever hence be careful to observe the Divine admonition, Take heed how ye hear.” 2. Ignorance will not be received as a valid plea in behalf of the erring who have access to the sacred Scriptures. 3. Sincerity, or good intentions, can never justify one in the sight of God, for departing troin what He has revealed of His will con cerning us. What is recorded of the holy prophet, to whom I have already referred, of Saul, the son of Kish, and the narrative of my own past experience, all attest this truth. In elucidation and attestation of my general proposition, I will now proceed to state, hri. fly, some of the good effects that the Lord has caused to result to myself and others, from the evil into which 1 fell. Not the least of these is, 1. The impressing upon my own mind so deeply the truths to which I have re ferred, that I not only sought ever to be in fluenced by them myself, but, in my subse quent ministry, have labored repeatedly to impress them also upon the minds of my hearers. 2. It led me not only to assent to the fact, but to feel the truth that “ the heart is a great deep,” which none but God can fathom —“deceitful above all things and des perately wicked,” and, consequently, caused me to scan its operations more carefully when called upon to act—in religiou3 matters especially. 3. It has caused me to exercise more caution than 1 should, probably, other wise have done, when called on for counsel by persons in doubt in reference to their spiritual condition, and in the examination of candidates for baptism. In all such cases, I endeavor to exhibit the spiritual evidence of one’s having experienced anew birth, and to impress upon their minds the truth that no one can read their hearts as well as they can themselves; consequently, thafi||ho opinion of others about their spiritual state is worth less—they, and they only, can truly decide whether they have within themselves Scrip tural evidence of having passed from death unto life. 4. It led me to feel a deep sym pathy for, and an abiding interest in the sal vation of a class of individuals as much de spised, perhaps, as are infidels —and whose case is as hapless and hopeless as theirs —and to make special efforts to arouse them from their state of insensibility or despondency, and convince them that there is hope in Christ even for penitent hypocrites. Thanks to God ! I have the best of reasons to believe that, in the first year of my ministry I was instru mental, in the hand of God, of leading more than one member of a church to renounce their former hopes and seek anew for evi dence of their acceptance with God. Some of the cases were interesting indeed. A min istering brother, referring to them, remarked, more j'icularly than reverently or wisely, “ Others convert people, and you go and un convert them.'’ Should i live to complete this series of articles, I purpose, if the Lord permit, to follow it with a series of “ Reminiscences,” confirmatory of gospel truth, and illustrating the operations of divine giace on the hearts and lives of others. There is a second proposition, suggested by this narrative of my past experience, that is fully as true as that already given. Note it, reader, and revolve it in your mind till you are brought to rejoice in a full assurance of the truth of it. It is this: “The Lord never permits an evil on earth without providing for it an infallible rem edy.” The visitation of serpents, from which the Jews suffered so severely in the wilderness, was a great evil, but a remedy was provided in the brazen serpent, which the Lord caused to 1»e reared in full view of the congregation of Israel, that they who looked thereon might live. Sin-—the introduction of sin on earth — was, and is, the greaiestof evils; but in Him pvho was typified by the brazen serpent in FRANKLIN PRINTING HOUSE, ATLANTA,. GA, THURSDAY, APRIL 14, 1870. the wilderness, —in the Lord Jesus Christ who was elevated upon the cross on —crucified for our sins—an all-sufficient reiA,* edy has been provided for the sin of a guilty world. If any, therefore, parish in their sins, they cannot justly charge their death on their great Creator. Through eternity they must and will charge upon themselves all the guilt and shame, and sorrow and interminable w<»es, the results of sin. la their pride, and folly, and unbelief, they refused to apply the remedy provided for sin—refused to look to Jesus, to believe in Him, confide in Him. “And ye will not come to me that ye might have life,” says the Saviour. The remedy provided for sin through the Saviour, is for sin of every grade and char acter. “The blood of Jesus Christ, His -Son, cleanseth from all sin.” The sin of hypocri sy is not excepted. Invitations are extended to every class of sinners who desire deliver ance from their sins. The hypocrite is not excepted. The promises of mercy and par don are to all who are penitent and willing to forsake their evil ways. “ Let the wicked forsake his way*, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return unto the Lord, and He will have mercy upon him, and unto pur God,and He will abundantly pardon.” If the hypocrite be a wicked ar.d unrighteous man—as he certaily is—then to hiru is the language just cited addressed. But 1 fancy 1 hear some mourning, trem bling hypocrite say, “My sins are of the deepest dye.” Very true; bat remember that it is to those whose sins are of the deep est dye, the call is made, “ Come now and let us reason together, saith the Lord : though your sins be as scarlet, they shall bo made white as snow ; though they' be red as crim son, they shall be as wool.” The Saviour assures you that He “will in no wise cast out any that come to Him.” If you say, He will cast me out, if I go «to Him, for | am a hypocrite, you add to the sin ot hypocrisy the sin of charging with falsehood a compas sionate, true and faithful Saviour. Beware, I beseech you, of the consequences, and im peach not the veracity of Him who was faith ful even unto death. But the impenitent hypocrite, willing to justify himself—in his own eyes, at least— may say, have you not already cited the de duration, in one of your former articles. “The hope of the hypocrite shall perish,” and would it not be questioning the truth of that declaration, if I sought for salvation? By no means. The hope of every hypocrite, living content in his hypocrisy , is destined to perish. Happy will it be for the hypocrite if that hope perish while he may lay hold of the “better hope” set before him in the gos pel. The impenitent hypocrite indulges a hope—an indefinite and undefinablc hope— that he may, in some way or another, escape the just consequences of his guilt. Until that hope jerishes, he will never look to Je sus (or salvation, nor forsake his hypocrisy. To all who are in Israel, but have no part or inheritance in common w ith God’s spiritual people, and who are deploring the fact, I would say, I stand before you a living witness to the truth, that there is hope in Christ for the vilest of hypocrites who confesses his guilt, forsakes his hypocrisy and relies on Jesus, and Jesus only, for salvation. I know “ the measurement and the scant ling” of, the impenitent hypocrite’s hopes, and the height, and' depth, and length, and breadth of the contrite hypocrite’s anguish of ski’l, and, therefore, I would beseech all such as are in the situation in which I once was— in the church, but not of it—to abandon all their vague and vain hopes, and cast them selves, unreservedly and unconditionally, at the feet of Jesus, and God’s word, not mine, is pledged that ih-y shall not perish, but shall have everlasting lit’-*. Do this, and tile very sins which have hitherto possessed yoursoul, will he converted, by the grace of God, into a kind of nutriment. The remembrance thereof will serve to keep you humble, hwh ken gratitude, promote your growth in grace, and perfect in you the love of Jesus. * Abdiel Nekoda. “Kind Words” vs. “The Young Reaper.” 1 like brother Dickinson’s remarks in the Religious Herald, and re published in the In dex and Baptist, and I thank him for them. They'are just such words as 1 have for a long time been wanting him or some one to say to the Southern baptists ; and I am rejoiced that all our Biptist papers, with remarkable unanimity and concern, have re-publushed them. I hope they will, with similar una nimity and Kindness, re-poblish this article. 1. Brother Diokmson says that “the Amerioin Baptist Puolication S >ciety has never, in any manner, interfered with the work of the Southern Baptist Convention.” 1 most heartily commend it for such a course, and hope the same course will be maintained, and that it will oontinue to occupy the posi tion that “for no considerclion, would we do anything which can be fairly construed as an tagonistic to your (our) own chosen agen cies.” It would be a pity, surely, for South erners to incite them to do that to which they are so seriously disinclined. Especially at this time, when we are trying our best to obtain a circulation for Kind Words that will war rant its issue weekly , it would be criminal to advocate a rival paper, which has so large a field already, as to be able to secure several hundred thousand subscribers. 2. The Young Reaper “ has a very large circulation in the Sunday schools of the South.” Surely that is in some measure “ detrimental” to the interest of Kind Words ! And if one of our best men and writers, with pen and voice, advocates the Reaper , surely that will be “detrimental” to Kind Words; and yet?brother D. says it “ was believed” that a Southern co-editor who would induce Southern schools to subscribe for the Young Reaper “ would not be detrimental to any existing interest.”* 1 ara of a different opin ion ; so much so, that 1 hope the Sunday School Board will immediately elect Rev. A. E. Dickinson Associate Editor of Kind Words, and secure his pen and influence in favor of our paper. I feel very sure that he ought to be as willing to aid and build up the paper of the Southern Biptist Convention as to assist the paper of a Northern society, that already has an enormous circulation. I hope he wont insist on extending the circulation of that paper, because it is cheaper than Kind Words. 3. But 1 especially thank brother Dickinson fur several thoughts presented in his article. 1, however, see a remedy in another course ot action than that he advocates. He says : “ One of the wisest of our super intendents, as the result of much refLc'.ion and observation, states that the cheapest and best means of supplying children with suita ble literature, is to give each of them a paper every Sunday .” My reply is, Lei Southern Baptists enable us to publish Kind Words weekly, with a monthly and semi-monthly edition, for schools too poor to take a paper. He says: “ Unless something is done, and that speedily, the papers of these Union So cieties will have a very large circulation among the. Baptjst schools of the South.” Let the Baptists of the South suyp >rt Kind Words so liberally and generally that we can afford to issue it as cheaply as any other paper is published. lie says: “ We cannot afford to remain in active at such an important crisis.” Let all the Baptists 1/ thej&ptk unite vigorously in supporting Kind Words, then. (Let all thle I people say Amen !) He says: “ Eww=y legitimate influence must be exerted to make Baptists of the chil dren of Baptists, and surely one of the most potent agencies this is tp place Baptist literature in their hands.” Most true! Will not toe Baptists of the South , then, including brother Dickinson , unite , heart , hand , voice, pen and purse, in enabling us to put Kind Words in SfejMnd* of every South ern Baptist child t He says: “ Avery large proportion of the Baptist Sunday schools in the South do not take a Sunday schoiil .paper. Two thirds ol them, we may do not. This is not due to any failure on the part of the ex cellent men who have in charge our paper ai Memphis.” My ivpJy' still is, L-t all the B iptists of the S >uth subscribe far Kind Words Tne “ men” who have charge of our paper are Baptists and brethren. He “ insists the has come when Bap tist Sunday school in-our iinpover ished section sbgjjdd»*oi-aider whether th cause of truthlmay promoted by avail ing ourselves of the aip*whieh is offered us by the Reaper .” CousidL*. 1 «>w much better and nobl'er it will be to build tip our own paper and pul it in every S uthern Bjptist family, b> contributions from Baptists them selves ! I add, Stand Up W ords ! Then “ poor schools can be supplied with it on terms so favorable that even those which arc patronizing the Union papers will find it to their interest (pecuniarily) to take” it. Stand Up for Kind-Words ! Then *‘ hun dreds of mission schools, which are unable to secure a paper wij atYfnce be supplied with out money and without price.” Stand Up for Kind Words! “which is fully and thoroughly denominational.” Stand Up for Kind Words! “ because it is published by a Board dT our own Conven tion.” Stand Up for Kind- VYords ! Give us the money to make*it a weekly paper, inferior to none in excellence and execution, and help us with pen and voice. S. Botkin. The Sure Refuge. Tjl- ' 0, I know the Hand that is,guiding; me Through tbe shadow to the light, And 1 know that all botidi; g me Is ineted out aright. I know that the thorny path I tread Is ruled with golden line, And I know that the darker life’j tangled thread The brighter the rich de.:ijn. When faints and fails each \rilderness hope, And the limp of faith buna dim, O, I know where to Hud thtr'honey-drop Oil the bitter chalice brim ; For I see, though veiled fro. i my mortal eight, God’s plan is all complete, Though the darkness at present be not light, Aud the bitter be not sWet t. I can wait till the day-spring shall overflow, The night of pain and care; For I know there’s a blossir.x for every woe, A promise for every priV'Aa Yes, I teel that the Hand wtiocb is holding me Wiil ever hold me fast, And the strength of the ante iiiat are folding me W -ll keep me to the last. Qrmedton. Brother Brewer's Article. In the Index of February 24th, I notice',™ article from m.v mue brother and *ld friend, OiC E. “The Sufferings of (Jurist.” At once of course, 1 was eager to hear what brother Brewer would say, as to whether the Divinity of Cnrist did or did not sufF r on the crois; and if brother Brewer had confined h mself to giving his views as to whether lx did or did not, 1 should not have no matter which side of the quesioVhe had taken. But brother B. does not enter,into a discussion of the rjuatter at all (if he is done, and I suppose, from the ending of his aiticle, that he is) —and but for what he says in a tew lines at the close, one w .ni l never imagine that the subject of the Divinity of Christ suf fering, or not suffering on the cross, had en tered into his mind. Indeed, the division and treatment of the subject, from beginning to end, carries all over its face, unmistakable evidence that brother B. is but giving hi* views of the nature and application of the atonem-nt, without reference to the Divinity suffering, or not suffering. I think brother B’s view of the atonement is incorrect; nence, his whole theory of reasoning about it is erroneous. His theory, as found in his ar tide, and as l have more fully heaid it from his own lips, is, that Christ off red His soul for the elect, and His body for the world. Brother 8., by making this double atone ment, causes a part of his article to suggest rather a strange idea. He says—-and wants it particularly noticed—that in pouring out His soul unto death, there was no outside power, but “He was tit officiate in making -he offering;” that is, He off-red His soul Himself. Brother B. then asks: “Dd He -.ffer the body Himself?” and concludes that He did not; for he says if He did, “Peter was wrong when he charged upon Pilate and the Jews that they, by wicked hands, had crucified and slain the Lord of glory,” He says, “ the Romans and Jews put His body to death.” It all this be true, it ra'her fol lows, then, that Christ officiated in the soul offering, as a ransom for the soul; and Pilate officiated in the body offering, as a ransom fur i he body. It seems to me that the soul atonement will have to borrow some of the body atonement, to get up the body of the elect from the grave; for the Scriptures tell us that the body of the saints is to be raised as well as the body the sinner. Shall Christ borrow of Pilate? 1 think not. Nor does brother 8., for I know him to be all gold, and love him as I love but few men; but such are the difficulties into which he has been dragged by attempting to sustain a wrong vievv of the atonement. The advocates of this theory have substantially this view of the atonement: Ist. That the offering of Christ on Calvary was salvation to a chosen number, without regard to any other consideration ; and this necessarily suggests the next in order, viz: 2d. That Chri-t bur* the pirticular and real sins of this elect number on the cross, and died the death that they were doomed t » die—that is, “ paid their debt;” and hence they are saved, because it would be unjust to require them to pay what “ their surety had already paid on the cross ; and this necessa rily suggests the next point: 3J. That after the vfrtue of the atonement shall have been exhausted, the rest of the world are necessarily reprobated. They will not say this last mentioned, but will har rangue you for hours to show you how it is; but the entire talk will* be a mere play on words; for if their second article be true, “ That Christ bore the particular and real sins of the elect,” etc., it of necessity follows that it will be exhtus ed. Now, the holding of such views as these in regard to the atone ment, is the very thing that originates—when ihey read, “He is the propitiation for our sins, and not lor ours only, but also for the whole world—the idea of a body! atonement; for they conclude that if this, and many other Scriptures, cannot be understood by this sort of iut rpretation, universal salvation n-cessarily follows. All these views, to my mind, are but a modern presentation of the old “ eternal vital anion” doctrine, the doc- trine of reprobation, the old “ two seed ” idea.! AH these errors had their birth in a wron view of the atonement. But the advocat of this fatal doctrine will ask,-What others view of the matter can we have that does not violate the word of G->d ? I answer— -Ist. The off-ring upon the cross was made to Divine Justice—it was a transaction that placed G >d in such an attitude to ginful man. as that He could pardon him, though a rebel, and yet the dignity of His government would not suffer ; because the offering of Christ on the cross was an exhibition of God’s hatred of sin—His determinatin'- to sustain unsul lied the dign ty of His government, and also a grand exhibition of Ills inexpressible love f or poor, wicked, fallen man. We read in God’s word: *‘ For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son to die, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” The atone-, ment is not salvation to any, but is the rnedi um of stl vation. It is the satisfaction off red to Divine Justice, which, when it is plead in our behalf by Jesus Christ, and accepted, by (he Father, will cleanse every one of G' d’s leot, and would not be insufficient to cleanse them were they a billion times more numer. •*us than they are. • vt oJM 2nd. Christ was a substitute in this for sin on the cross, and His Suffrings we>.- substituted sufferings. His swtlerings were not proportioned and weighed out aec irdng to the amount ol sin that had been, and would be committed by the elect, and which must r>e remitted by the offering He was about to make; but it was an offering, the dignity of which was equal to the dignity of the broken law, and the grand results that were to flow from it. It is by this great remedial system that the world stands. It is by it that the sun is kept in its place. It is by it that we “ live, move and have our being.” It is by it that Divine Justices satisfied and the elect of God, from one side of the earth to the other, are saved from the “ second death.’ The value of the atonement does not arise from the amount of suffering on the cross, but from the character and dignity of the sufferer. We said, His sufferings were substituted suf ferings. We say, thai they were not the suf ferings due to us at all: they were radically different. A sinner suffers from the conscious ness of ha\ ing done wrong. Did Christ so suffer f We say not. it is impossible for Him to have suffered on this wise, for He never committed any wrong. He suffered the Just for the unjust. The penalty doe to us was eternal banishment from God, in hell. Did Christ enter into this order of debt pay ing ? We say not. If He did, then would He be paying the debt to-day, in hell, and would have to continue there as long as the eternal ages should continue. This is quite ridiculous, to our mind; but yet, it is a legiti mate child of that erroneous view, th'at Christ suffered the identical amount of punishment due the elect, and hence they are saved ; and He did not suffer for the world, and hence the world is not saved. 3rd. The sinner is lost, not because there was no atonement for him, but more espe dally is he lost because of the atonement. When it is said that “ lie is,the propitiation for our sius, and not for ours only, but also the sins of he whole world,” it is but saying that the offering op tlie cross was a sufficient off. ring, made to Divine Justice for the life of the whole world; and that if it shouid be applied to all men, it would save them. The rea-on why all men are not saved, is because ihe “ blond of Oarisi” is not applied to them —not because there was no atonement for them. Hciein consists the speciality of the atonement. When it is said, “By the grace ,f God He tasted deaih for every man,” it i meant that IT- made an atonement sufficient, in the eyes of Divine Justice, for the redemp tion of a world—one that, it applied to ttit* orld as it is to the believer , would save it — one that provides a way whereby the Fa her may justify every one that belieVeth, and yet do no violence to the dignity of llis throne in the eyes of the universe. 1 see no neces sity, under this interpretation, of Universal isin pouting in, nor even dropping in. It is on the broad b sis of a world-wide a'onerneiu that we are commanded to repent. ‘ God com inandeth all no n every wheie to repent. ’ But brother B. and others would tell me that this command was based upon the body atone rnent. Grant it. What are they to repent for? Who will enable them to repent? Does the body sin, if abstracted and consul red as a body? Can the body * xist at all by itself? I have not so learned to divide man, nor the atonement. Brother B , under his body redemption, says : “ Through the offering of His body He purchased the world, and the bodies of all men, with their flowers. These exist alone by His grace; therefore, He has a right to dispose of them as He will, and to use them for His own purposes, in that way most prtimotive of His glory.” This, taken in connection with brother B’s idea <>t the atonement, seems to mean that it is for the glory of God for man to sin. “To use them for His own purposes.” What purpose of His glory is it that is subserved, when God uses one man to kill another 1 Is it for the glory of God for men to sin at all ? If so, now? 1 acknowledge .that the final punish meat of the wicked in hell will be for the glory of God ; but why ? Because it will be an exhibition of His inscrutable justice and judgment; and especially will it be His glory, because that punishment is a just award measured out to them for acting conAs*>y to the righteous orders of the Saviour. But how His glory w-ould appear in splendor, and shine over that miserable hell, the torment of which passeth understanding, filled with screaming, tortured victims, who had been sent there because they had done according to His “ own purposes,” I cannot so well see. AH things that are transpiring in the world are not according to God’s will. If so, then I must begin anew to understand the genius of God’s government, and the moral respon sibilities of man. But I have said much more than 1 intended. [ have not written what t have for the pur pose of controversy. I close what I have to say with this paper, and shall not again speak of the subject unless absolutely forced to do so. I love brother Brewer so much that nothing but the stern dictates of duty oould induce me to differ with him. I know him to be a very good thinker, thinking and act ing in harmony with his basis. It is on tha account that he has thought up this theory to support his view of the atonement. I hope he will review carefully the whole ground, that he may discover what 1 consider his error. If I am wrong, I hope brethren will explain to me wherein l am .wrong, that I may be corrected as soon as possible; for 1 do not want to remain in error, and 1 know that i am fallible, and may be in er or about the very thin>' of which I am most confident; and l know, further, that there are many brethren able to teach me, and they ou-»ht to do so. I promise to hear them. May God bless Z on, is my prayer. John P. Shaffer. County Lint , Ala., March 10 1370. Economy and the Pulpit. —-Rev. John Hall, D.D., says: “ Let fore'gn critics blame us with wasting money on art, on dress, on equipages, and what not; we can look the world in the lace, pomt to our pulpits, and reply fearlessly, ‘At least we have kept down tha cost of preaching 1’ ” r Reminiscences. The first Board of Trustees of Mercer Uni versity eleoted by the Georgia Baptist Con vention, met in the Phi Delta Hall, at Pen field, on the 10th July, 1838. Present, Jesse Mercer, Chairman, John E. Dawson, Secre tary, C. D. Mallary, V. R. Thornton, M. Johnston, Wm. D. Cuwdrv, J. ft. T. Kilpat rick, A. Janes, J. M. Porter, R. Q. Dickin son, William Richards, Thomas Stocks, T. G. Janes, L J. Davant, F. W. Chee rey, E. ff. MaCoii/Wm. Lumpkin, M. A. Cooper, W. H. Pope, J. Davis and S.G. Hil lyer. Os this number, how few remain on this side the river! Four or five only. Cheap Board.— The priceof board atPen fi-td in 1840 for students, was seven dollars per month. The amount allowed students for manual labor was five cents per hour. U*u ally, two hours a day—from 4 to 6 o’clock, r. m.- —were devoted to labor on the farm. A Petition of the Seniors. —In February, 1841, the Senior class at Mercer peti-.ioned the B aid ot-Trustees to exempt them from labor during their last term. The reply was a liule cool: “ Resolved, That the Secretary inform th-m that we consider it ineKp-dient,.” Meetings. —The Trustees of 1 r‘uuiVersitWtfiirty years ag >, believed | mee&ings, as do also the gradu al*,-and prt-s/X Ti s'ees. In 1840, there was *his j-etnarkable action by the Board: “ Resolved , To have a religious protracted meeting, to commence in the Ohap-L the first Wednesday night in February—adjourned to meet the first Wednesday in February.” Would it not seem a little strange for the Board to resolve now to open their annual meeting by holding a protracted meeting? Many remember that in former times several days’ meetings were held at the beginning of the L-rms, and generally with very good re sults. But then there was a larger commu nity, a good church, holding weekly prayer meetings and exerting a controlling religious influence upon the College. S. L. “Apostolic Succession.” Brother 11., in his reply to my remarks on the above subject, thinks it a ‘ mania’— —“harmless epidemic among ino-t of the sects”—a kind of 4 patrician blood in the State, making one very respectable and or thodox.’ Very well: let this be as it may, there is not a sect beyond the pale of the Baptist church that can show an origin back to apostolic days. And does it not, to say the least of it, do very great injustice to the church of the Redeemer, to place her in her rightful claims to apostolic succession in the same category with mere human instituti ns, originated principally by Boniface, Luther, Calvin, Wesley and others? My worthy brother and friend TI. provoked me to a smile when I read in his editorial : “We had the. mania once about twenty five years ago, and preached —-veil, not a very profound seimon or two in which it figured pretty largely.” Now it occurred to me that brother H. being a Baptist, held to the doc trine of the final perseverance, and though the righteous fall seven times, «ret shall he rise again; and that was a long time to be in a (alien state ! ■> Says brother II.: “ The truth stffcms to be clear enough, if it would only befteupported by evidence.” Then, a philosopher would say , it is u seif truth, aui rs-n-s nut admit of evidence fas we say the sun shines, who can prove ifc "Vet he says, 4 let the records be produced.’ What records? Logically, the evidence of a self-evident thing ; t. e., up -stolic succession. But as brother H. has concluded not to ‘ muddle” his “ brain” in a contest upon the apos.olic succession question, which, indeed, gave rise to my artiem, I pass, therefore, to review the strictures upon my communication by the editor-in chief, which, by the way, i one of the most ingeniously written critic sms 1 have tn-t with of late. At the suite time, it is one of the most singular —singular be cause it requires me to prove certain propo sitions, and in the event I do it, nothing is gained, and if 1 fail to do it Ilyse my cause. ILarhim: “The controversy has respect to a particular mode of church continuation, namely; continuation by means of ‘organic and visible’ succession.” In another [the s line] paragraph: 44 It W.T. R. proves tnat Ciurcnes have existed in every age since New Testament times, and that they have existed by means of organic and “visible succession, he proves jest nothing at all against the views of the brethren whose postion he assails They, can accept these points,” etc.” It seems to appear Irom these quotations from the editor, that he is indouht as to ‘organic and visible’ succession, yet he can accept it, it proven without affecting his positiy^—to my mind, the very question in debate, near him toward the conclusion ot his article: “Can W. T. R. show, then, that this crushing of wit nessing bodies or churches could not. ajoord ing to the boriptures, involve in any instance a breach of succession as respects its organic and visible form ? He must do that or logi cally lose his cause.” Now can the reader tell how it is that 1 logically lose my cause unless I show there has been no breach in the organic and \ isible succession of the church, and at the same time prove nothing against the position of the brethren I assail ? Another feature in this paper is, that lam required to prove a negative. Such a requirement is no where demanded in foren sig discussion. lam asked, in what respect lam required to prove a negative? In this, that Divine Soveieignty i.i the Scriptures bound itself not to raise up new churches by the word and Spirit alone, without the inter vention of the old. Now, brother editor, I guess the onus of proof will fall upon your able pen in this case. For, surely, you would not have me to prove all affirmatives and negatives too to gain a cause. Let tie editor show when and where the crushing of the witnesses made a breach in the church to such an extent as to destroy its organic and visible form, if indeed it has occurred. Dr let him show, as brother H. has it, “spiritual succession,” The dogma of a spiritual church without organisation and visibility, is a doc trine very smgular and peculiar in its charac ter. Ecclesia, the Greek word from which church is derived, essentially embraces the idea of visibility of form. Its acts are mul titudinous, executively. The position, there fore, that Divine Sovereignty origimt-s new churches by its word and Spirit only, where old ones are crushed by the beast, or are raised up where none existed before, as is claimed of Roger Williams’, will, as in the case of Williams’ church, drag out a few months’ existence and expire as a root out of dry ground. Will our accomplished editor attempt to prove that such is the pan history of the church in respect to its perpetuity ? Then will we measure visibility link by link with it. 1 will now state what 1 understand apostolic succession to etgbraoe: Ist. That the Lord Jesus, while upon earth, set up His church for perpetual existence until the eud of the world. Snd. That visibility or organic form was one of the indispensable characteristics of said church ; that its light (visibility) was not to be put under a bushel, (abrogated,) but set ou a candlestick that it might give light (sh »w) to all. It Would be as lutile to attempt to trace the wanderings of angelic spirits through the ature maxes of illimitable WHOLE NO. 2485. space as to descry a spiritual succession of the church without visibility. Visibility of form, is a necessary consequence growing out of spiritual life or existence. 3rd. That however many individual churches might have b *en disbanded, by the power of the beast, yet, there were otnera left with visible form fully empowered, through a regular chain from the apostles, to raise up new ones. For, doth not history teach that in the lion days of the persecution of the beast whole churches arose and fled from his bloody hand, into caves afid dens, and into the wilderness, where thiiy lived in obscurity, hid from the eye of the beast? lam of the belief that, in the grand morning of the resurrection of the church, t[ie entire line of successive churches will waye around the. grand assize link in link, encom passing the great white throne with her bride groom in the midst of her, and she leaning as an unbtoken wreath hanging upon the arm of er beloved, shouting halielujffi, glory and honor unto Him that hath so wonderfully preserved her throughout the perils of relent ess persecution. W. T. R. La Fayette, Ga., March 29, 1870. Following Christ. • Jest/, gth varan. Jesu, day bv and iy Lend us on life's Way; Nausrht ot dangers will we reckon. Simply haste where Thou dost beckon; Lead by the hand To our fatherland. Hard should seem our lot, Let us waver not: Never murmur at our crosses, In dark days of grids and 1 -ssea; 'Tis through trial here We must reach l'hy sphere. When the heart must know Fain for others’ woe, When beneath its own 'tis sinking, Clive us patience, hope unshrinking. Fix our eves, 0 Friend, On our journey’s end. Thus our path shall be Dailv traced by Thee; Draw Thou nearer wheirHis rougher, Help us most when most we suffer, And when all is <der. Ope to us Thy door. —"The Christian Singers of Germany." The Promise of the Future. A writer in the Christian Era says: I have been a Baptist minister lor nearly thirty years, and am pretty well acquainted with the denomination. But I see nothing either in Europe or America that indicates in the least a tendency among the Baptists to embrace the views of “ loose communionists,” as to the celebration of the Lord’s supper; but the tendencies are all in the opposite direction, most decidedly. But there is “promise” in another direction. Other denominations are coming to see that they have no more right to dictate to us how we shall observe the sup per, than they have to say how we Shull bap tize our converts or organize our church ; and they are becoming more lenient, tolerant and charitable towards us. In this way the hearts and hands of the Christian "world are uniting. When each Christian cornea to be willing that his brother Christian shall speak, pray, ’sing, or commemorate the Lord’s death just just as he. honestly beieves he ought, the hearts of Christians will be united. But so long as some will insist that all other Chris tians must accept their, views in relwtum to the nent of Christ to commemorate Hi- death, aMd must come and *sit at their table and receive the bread and wine Irom their hanJs, true Christian union can never be had. Doctrine of Baptism by Hae zer, 1529'. “ First mark this about baptism. Baptism should be given to all those who have learned repentance and change of life, and believe in the truth th it their sins have been taken iway ; and to all those who wish to walk in the rei-urrection of Jesus Christ, and wish to be buried with Him in death that they may arise with Him; and to all tho£e who desire it of us in such an opinion and demand it ihrough themselves. Herewith infant bap tism is excluded, the highest and first abom ination of the Pope. Os such you have the foundation and testimony of the Scriptures and the custom of the apostles; Matt, xxviii; Mark xvi; Acts ii, viii, xvi, xtx. We wish to hold simply hut firmly to this and be as sured of it.” Standard. Episcopal Pulpits. —A Presbyterian con gregation of Elizabethtown, Ky., being with out.a house of worship, applied to Bishops Smith and Cummins, of that Episcopal dio cess for the use of Christ’s church. Both replied that they had no power in the matter, but would warmly approve the action of the vestry there, should they consent to the prop osition. The former wrote: “There is no law or general custom of the Episcopal church which would hinder the granting of vour re quest, and certainly the law of Christ, which is the law ot love, should incline, us all, if not more, yet at least as much a* doing to others as we would that they should do unto us.” Baptists on the Pacific. —The Evangel gives the following summary of fnemberstnp and baptisms on the Pacific Coast for the past year, as reported at the several Associa tions: Membership. —San Francisco, 2,103; Pacific, 725; Southern California, 100. To tal in Calitornia, 2 928.—Williainette, 322; Corvallis, 222; Central, 1015: Umpqua, 120; Total in Oregon, 1,679, and on the Pa eilie Ci ia5t,4,607. Baptisms. —San Franciaoo, 106; Pacific, 11; Southern California, 35; Total, 142. Williamette, 10; Corvallis,4l; Central. 132 j Total, 183, and on the Pacific Coast, 325. Church Benevolence.— The late Dr. Be thuue wrote to his consistory these memora ble words: “We can never despair of a church that puts the cause of mercy first and itself second.” Again he says: 44 1 would as soon try to cultivate a farm without rain, as a church without benevolence,” and 44 1 hate to be economical with the Bread of Life.” The Daptisteky. —Rev. J. F. Rowe, asso ciate editor of the American Christian Re~ view, ‘has never been satisfied with the intro duction of this innovation.’ ‘On every occa sion where he has been called upon to immerse in a baptistery, it has troubled his conscience some.’ A correspondent well reminds him that “ the three thousand at Pentecost were most likely immersed in artificial basins not very dissimilar to our baptisteries.” Union with the Church —A. Texas cor respondent of the Baltimore Episcopal Me(h~ odist says: “Joining the chur- h, if we arc not born in ii,) remaining in the church, or retiring from the church, are voluntary aots of a Iree people.” Tnen there are those in the church •a ho are there with no “ voluntary act’’ of their own, and who to that extent are a people not free! Infallibly.— Pope Pius If, before his promotion to the Holy See denied and op. pm-ed the infallibility of those who hold that position; but afterwards he said : V It is only rtquired to place the tiara on the foreln al of a man, To render him infallible, even though he had been a perjurer, robber, sodomite , mur derer, and marked wilh the seal of the beast.”
