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CHRISTIAN INDEX AND SOUTH-WESTERN BAPTIST.
VOL. 49-NO. 23.
A RELIGIOUS AND FAMILY PAPER,
PUBLISHED WEEKLY IN ATLANTA, GA
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Lines Under Affliction.
Afflicted I am— it’s all rifjht:
I trust in Thee, Father, Most High;
Thou robest the lily in white,
Thou heedest the young raven’s cry.
Though keen are the pangs of distrees,
How numerous soever they be,
They’re fewer in number, and less,
Than are my gross sins against Thee.
Much good I’ve received— I not
In meekness reproof receive too?
0 ! make me content with my lot,
In weal and in woe to Thee true.
Contented to write here in pain,
If needful, through life’s fleeting hour,
Assured that with Thee I shall reign,
When Death is'disrobed of his power.
A heart that is broken for sin,
A spirit that’s fully contrite,
Thou’lt welcome Thy kingdom within,
And clothe it with glory and light.
Then let me a penitent lie,
My Lord, in the dust at Thy feet,
Till bidden “Ascend up on high,
And take at my right hand a seat.”
Abdiel Nekoda,
“The End.”
“It is finished /” O, man! what more
wouldst thou require at the hand of God ?
He has here warned, counselled, entreated and
commanded, and now only waits for thee to
“ repent and believe.” Why, oh ! why dost
thou persist in sin; thus, by thy own free
will, going down to everlasting misery, when,
by “ believing in Jesus," thou mightst obtain
the priceless blessing of “ eternal life?"
Why wilt thou be forever blinded with the
« va il of unbelief,” so that thou cast not be
hold the beauty and glory which are revealed
in a Saviour's love?
Why, in mad ingratitude, still close thine
ear to all the tender pleadings of His devoted
life, and all the soul-toueßing and undying
eloquence of His mysterious death ? Why ?
O, fellow-mortal! haste quickly to accept
this work of sovereign love, wrought for thy
unmerited salvation. Lift now thine eye to
the cross; centre its wondering, eager gaze on
the gracious Victim, bleeding there for thee!
Behold Him, meek, though mocked and re
viled ; silent and resigned, though taunted and
buffeted by His cruel and daring persecutors;
willing and merciful to forgive, though
tortured by the untold agony of His illegal
crucifixion! Ah, look again. Behold the
depth of His heavenly love, the deathless
power of His grace, the wondrous magnitude
and strength of His God-like will, the glori
ous authority of His sovereign word when a
dying penitent turns to Him a pleading eye,
and cries from a broken heart, “ Lord, re
member me.” Ihe soul had felt the misery
of its guilt, and in the extremity of its woe
was forced to make one last, strong effort
after life. But conscious of its weakness, now
earnestly sought help; and found it, as it
looked with faith to Jesus. The answer came
with life-giving power in the joy of pardon :
“This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise."
Oh! who can describe the sweet thrill of
gratitude, the delightful calm, the of
joy and love which now flowed, like a stream
of life, through the pardoned soul? Now, it
could go before the great J udge and feel no
fear; for all the conscious guilt of crimes
and native sin was washed away, and the soul
made fit for its impartial trial, in the blood
of the spotless Lamb, and robed in the right
eousness of the eternal God.
O, my soul! is it thus with thee ? 0, world !
O, universe of souls! hear the gracious gos
pel; come to the cross; behold “the Lamb
slain from before the foundation;" accept the
great work of redemption ; believe in. the Lord
Jesus Christ and be saved, to the glory of God
the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, and
your own everlasting happiness in the place
He has gone to prepare for all those who love
Him and keep His commandments. “And
the Spirit and the bride say, “come," and let
Atm that lieareth say, “come,” and let him
that is athirst come, and whosoever will, let
him take the water of life freely."
“Can any Good Thing come out of Naza
reth.”
It is thought by some, that there is noth
ing in a name—that nature is all. But do
not names often indicate the nature of the
things symbolized by them'? Would any
one be likely to think of down when he saw
the word thorn? or of sugar, when he saw
the word quinine?
If names mean things, then there is some
thing in a name. Again, if ail people were
accustomed to go beyond mere words, and
obtain a notion of things, then it might be
true that there is nothing in sound ; but un
til that millennium shall arrive, words will
govern mankind. Multitudes of people, hav
ing vivid imaginations, do not reason, but
they make up in feeling what they lack in
judgment, and hence a catch-word is of suffi
cient potency to move them to the utmost of
their capacity.
Nathaniel is a specimen of this class. Hon
est, faithful and true, he was ready to peril
all for any cause to which he had once given
his adhesion; but any new truth he met with
the curt inquiry, “Can any good thing come
out of Nazareth?”
Wrapped up in this simple inquiry is prej
udice sufficient to make philosophy stand
aghast; but may not this indicate the wisdom
of the great Father in giving even the .ignor
ant a safe guard against innovation? When
men are unable to reason, they would be at
the mercy of every novel-monger, but for the
conservative influence of their feelings and
predilections. Words, or names, serve their
purposes more effectually than the Organon
of Bacon, or the Logic of W hately ; for, to
them, words are things, and there is an end
of the matter.
Prejudice, however, like almost everything
else, may be good or bad, according to the
use made of it. When it stands a break
water against restless and reckless innova
tion, it is more valuable than reason, because
reason might be overborne by stronger rea
sons; but prejudice is not to be ousted by
lomc, or by logicians. It stands “ like a
stonewall,” and whoever assails it by the
legitimate weapons of argument, is apt to be
driven ingloriously from the field. When
prejudice is on the right side, then we cry
“good;” but not so when it stands in the
way of progressive truth. Good can come
out of Nazareth, and prejudice itself must
admit the truth, however unwilling at first.
Jesus came out of Nazareth, and all good is
bound up in Him; but such as Nathaniel
must see for themselveq or else they will not
be convinced ; and Philip showed his discern
ment when, instead of loud disputation as to
the Divine mission of Jesus, he simply said,
“ Come and see.” This was a short, but
effectual method, and from it all may learn a
lesson, who are laboring for the salvation of
souls.’ We may reason with people without
effect- but if we can persuade them to come
to Christ, the Great Teacher, He can remove
every objection, and fasten conviction upon
the heart. H.C. H.
FRANKLIN PRINTING HOUSE, ATLANTA, GA., THURSDAY, JUNE 9, 1870.
The’ Autobiography of an Old Pilgrim.
[Continued.)
A few nights after my conversion the Lord
imparted to me, through a dream, those pure
and lofty conceptions of His divine attributes
and of the glories of his heavenly kingdom,
which I have represented, in a former article,
as constituting a “ vision of glory.” It would
be utterly futile—and worse than futile, pre
sumptuous in the extreme —to attempt to de
scribe the scenes presented to the eye of faith,
or the rapturous emotions produced by them.
“ As well an artist might essay to paint
A flitting zephyr, or an odor faint,
As one o’er whom the Spirit casts its spell.
The rapturous transports of his soul to tell.
A week had not passed, however, after my
conversion, before I was led seriously to
doubt the genuineness of my conversion ; for
I had adopted the idea, which I have repre
sented as generally prevalent, that, after one s
conversion, he would never more be inclined
to do evil, or be disturbed by what the_ apos
tle Paul designates as “ motions of sin m the
flesh” —an idea the falsity and evil effects of
which I have already labored to expose.
I deem it worthy of particular notice, that
the views presented, and the feelings excited
by all the visions of glory which I have re
ported, appear to have been similar in all
respects, though these visions were imparted
to different individuals, of different ages, of
different sexes, at different times, and in dif
ferent sections of the country.
There is another fact it may be well to re
port and treasure up in the storehouse of
memory : I have never known one of these
visions to be imparted to one a second time.
He may have other visions, but they will be
visions of other things, as in the case of my
nephew. He had two visions the same night,
it will be remembered, with an interval of
only an hour or two between them. I have
also had a second vision. Whether it will
tend to my justification or my condemnation
at the bar of God, I cannot tell. I pray it
may have a tendency to the former; but
sometimes, when the influence of my carnal
nature seems to predominate, I awfully fear
it may tend to the latter—that, like other
abused mercies, it may prove “ a savor of
death unto death,” and not of “ life unto life.”
This second vision was of so singular a char
acter that 1 will report it with its attendant
circumstances. ' .
Not very many years since, I was laboring
as an evangelist in a State adjoining the one
in which 1 now reside. One evening, at a
late hour, I entered a village through which I
had never before passed, and applied at Its
hotel for lodgings ; but there was no room
for me in the inn. After a time 1 succeeded
in obtaining lodgings in the house of a gentle
tlerr.an of the world in the outskirts of the
village. I went to bed that night with no
enviable state of either body or mind. The
former was jaded by my day’s travel, and
the equanimity of the latter somewhat dis
turbed by the difficulty 1 had encountered in
finding a place where to lay my weary head
for the night; but I was awakened in the
morning by the rapturous emotions produced
by a dream or vision. There appeared be
fore me
« A glowing mass of radiant, living light, _
'That paled the sun, but dazzled apt tlje sight.
I recognized it as the same that had appealed
to Saul on his way to Damascus, and, there
fore, had no need to ask, “ Who art Thou,
Lord ?” I lost .nil consciousness of my con
nection with a body ct flesh arid blood, but
became conscious of a spiiitual incorporation
with the light that had appeared before me.
Asa drop is lost and merged in the waters of
the ocean into which it falls, so it seemed that
I had been merged in the Saviour—but not
lost; for, in some mysterious way, I seemed
to retain a consciousness of my own personal
existence, as well as of my incorporation with
Him. The union was perfect. 1 became, as
it were, a part and parcel of my glorious
Redeemer —1 in Him and He in me—one
with Him as He is one with the Lather. 1
seemed to become a partaker of all His quali
ties or attributes. His holiness, His happi
ness, His wisdom, power, glory, all were
mine—and O, rapturous thought !•—mine for
ever ! The union was also an indissoluble
one. No power in heaven, earth or hell could
ever dissolve it, save the Power that formed
it,'and He, the everlasting God, changeth
not, but is the same yesterday, to-day and
forever. His love is eternal, His wisdom and
power infinite, His faithfulness insured the
perpetuity of that union.
No language known on earth can convey
the faintest idea of the blissful feelings pro
duced by this vision. They vanished not
with the mists of the morning. I proceeded
on my journey, after breakfast. The sun
seemed to shine but dim, the scenes of earth
faded, and the earth itself seemed as some-
foreign to me—that in which I had no
longeran interest. I was only passing through
it to my home in heaven. So uncongenial
were the scenes of earth to my feelings, that
I concluded the Lord was about to call me
•away from them, and had sent me that vision
to prepare me for a transit from them to the
eternal world.
The ever-varying visible objects that pre
sented themselves to my view, as I proceeded
on my journey, necessarily arrested my at
tention, and drew off my thoughts, mere or
less, from the spiritual objects that had wholly
engrossed my mind in the morning. My
spiritual feelings subsided. Natural objects
presented to the eye suggested evil thoughts,
and revived carnal desires. The consequence
was, that the day which found me at its
dawn on my feet, erect and praising God for
unmerited tokens of love, left me at night on
my knees, confessing my sins and bewailing
the corruptions of my frail human nature !
Well may we exclaim with the Psalmist,
“ Lord, what'is man that Thou art mindful
of him,” etc.
That the Lord frequently seals instruction
to the children of men through dreams or
visions of the night, no believer in the Bible
will deny ; for it is therein expressly so af
firmed. But the visions of glory of which l
have been speaking, and the particulars of
some of which I have detailed, differ from or
dinary scenes in tw o particulars at least:—
1. They are imparted not to all, but to a se
lect few of God’s children. 2. They convey
to the mind ideas, and to the soul feelings, of
which we had never before the least concep
tion. In ordinary dreams the recollection of
old familiar truths is revived and spiritual
feelings which had previously been realized
are renewed. The difference is a material
one, worthy to be noted down in the book of
memory. The inference I would draw is, that
in the latter case, our dreams are shaped un
der the ordinary operations of the Spirit upon
the mind ; and, in the former case, by its ex
traordinary influence. The ultimate end God
may have in view in granting extraordinary
visions of glory, we may not now know, but
we shall know hereafter.
When I reflect upon the various manifesta
tions it has pleased God, at different times and
in different ways, to make of Himself to me,
and of the sins I have subsequently commit
ted, I often have exceedingly awful feelings.
The thought, the painful thought sometimes
occurs to me, possibly God may design to
show, through me, how mudi of mercy one
may abuse, how much of divine illumination
one may receive and yet fall short of heaven.
With that thought comes the remembrance
of the woes pronounced against Chorazin,
Bethsaida and Capernaum, and I am filled
with fear and trembling. I feel like a sinking
Peter. I raise my eyes aloft, catch a view of
Jesus, stretch forth my hands and cry “ Lord,
save, or I perish.” A ray of hope springs up
in my soul. I indulge the hope that it may
be the purpose of God to show under what
aggravating circumstances sins, gross sins,
may be committed and yet be pardoned
through the merits and intercession of the
sin atoning Lamb of God. I lay hold of that
hope —I grasp it with the eagerness of a drown
ing man grasping the rope that is thrown to
him while struggling with the foaming billow.
“ To that with a grasp nnrelaxing I’ll cling,
•Though death its dark billows shall over me fling
When sinking at last o’er the grave’s icy brink,
Still clinging, fast clinging to that will I sink.”
In short, 1 resolve with Job, “Though He
slay me, yet will I trust in Him.”
Abdiel Nekoda.
Why So?
I have been particularly interested in the
editorial, “ A Frequent and Hurtful Mis
take,” and the communication of an occasional
correspondent headed “ The Secret of Mr.
Earle’s Success,” iri your number of May 26.
“ R.” deprecates the tendency to connec f the
conversion of Sunday school children so wholly
with the instructions there received, to the
exclusion of the influence of the church and
ministry. A Bible Baptist accounts for Mr.
Earle’s success by attributing it mainly to
his great plainness of speech. With every
thing in the former article I entirely agree.
In whatever other ways God may convert
souls, special importance is in Scripture at
tached to preaching. “It pleased God by the
foolishness of preaching to save them that be
lieve.”
“ I say the pulpit, (in the sober use
Os its legitimate peculiar powers.) [stand,
Must stand acknowledged while the world shall
The most important and effectual guard,
Support and ornament ofVirtue’s cause.”
It is, however,becoming fashionable, not only to
attribute the conversion of Sabbath school chil
dren io-theYabors of Sabbath school teachers
mainly or entirely, but to remove the chil
dren from the pulpit instructions of the pas
tor, as unnecessary after the Sunday school.
At least, I know, in many cases, pastors
rarely have opportunity to preach to the chil
dren at all. Confined in the Sunday school
an hour and a half, the children do not feel
like returning to the church auain after a brief
Access, nor do their parents think it necessary.
Teachers themselves are often tired by the
labors of the morning, until they do not re
turn. Some means ought to be devised to
prevent any conflict between the claims of
the Sunday school ar.d the pulpit.
I do not think your correspondent’s opin
ion as to the secret of Mr. Earle’s success sat
isfactory ; nor do 1 agree with sundry sug
gestions offered in connection therewith. He
says “ The secret of his success is, of course,
in the attending blessing of the Holy Spirit.”
Why not accept this conception, when fuUy
developed, as a complete account of the mat
ter? Why not resolve the comparative sue
cesl of good men into sovereignty ? Does it
not please God to give “ some evangelists,
and some pastors and teachers ?’’ Are there
not ‘ diverse operations, but the same Spirit ?’
Can we be sure that we are judges of com
parative success? The late C. D. Mallary
was unexcelled in piety, of c fine abilitiftfl, of
extraordinary faith, but not remarkable tor
“ success,” as that word has come tq be used ;
that is, he did not receive into his churches
as large numbers of members as many other
men. But was he, therefore, in the true sense
of the term, unsuccessful ? May not his holy
example, his able and sound teaching, his un
failing faith, in one way or another, directly
or indirectly, have contributed as largely to
the conversion of souls as those of any other
minister, however distinguished for winning
accessions to the churches ? Do we know
that the previous labors of Woodfin, or Gwin,
or Landrum, have had anything less to do
with the recent revivals in Mobile, and Mont
gomery, and Savannah, than those of Mr.
Earle ?
We have a long time heard of preaching so
as to be understood. I think there is much
misapprehension on this subject. I think our
preachers are understood, almost without ex
ception. There are themes above the under
standing of the children, but I have heard no
body who is hard to understand unless on one
of these profound themes, such as Paul often
deals with, and with which every one, who
would declare the whole counsel, must some
times deal. I was no way remarkable for
early intelligence, but I remember to have
understood the preacher when a very little
boy. I have been a schoolmaster, and I think
those who have not, under-estimate the under
standing of children. They don’t like to be
talked to in the baby style we sometimes
hear, nor do the “ illiterate.” A word here
and there for whose meaning they have to in
quire pleases them, and this is all the mistake
our preachers make. Their offence is, that
they expect people to think,
E. B. Teague.
A Letter to Young Preachers.
Dear Brethren: I write unto you because
I love you, and because I love the Redeemer’s
kingdom. Now, in taking heed to yourselves
you should see to it that you love souls and
desire their salvation.
The example of our blessed Saviour, as
well as his extensive teachings, ought to be
powerfully influential on these two points.
How He loved souls! How He desired
their salvation ! Hence it is written in the
Bible : “ This is a faithful saying, and worthy
of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into
the world to save sinners.” What more conclu
sive proof could He have given of His love
for souls, and of His earnest desire for their
salvation? He came into the world of sor
row. Came whence ? From heaven ; giving
up His glory; though rich, becoming poor,
and at last, pouring forth His precious blood.
The depth of His Jove for the souls of
men can never be adequately comprehended
by our finite minds. It would require a full
appreciation of the glory He had with the
Father before the world wlis, as well as a
thorough knowledge of the awful sorrows of
the cross. His ardent love for souls, and His
desire for th.eir salvation, made Him willing
and anxious to suffer and die. And the teach
ings of Jesus Christ in word, accorded with
the lesson taught by His example. Amid
the sin of the worldly generation in which
He lived, he said, “ What is a man profited
if he shall gain the whole world and lose his
precious soul?” His doctrine was that the
soul is the infinitely noble part of man, des
tined to survive the body's return to dust—
destined to survive the word’s destruction —
the adjudication of the final judgment —and
then live in bliss or woe through endless ages.
How vain appear all worldly interests as
compared with those of the deathless soul ?
I don’t think any man fit for the gospel min
istry who does not ardently love souls. Ido
not say every man who loves ought to be a
preacher; but I do say it boldly, that no man
ought to be a preacher who does not ardently
love the souls of men.
The love to which I have reference, is in
separably conjoined with a desire for the sal
vation of immortal souls. The desire grows
out of love. . And here, I may say that a
preacher can iuTfilge no rational expectation
of instrumentaffy saving souls, unless he
loves them. A; tsy ? Because, if he does not
love them, he t il not and cannot desire their
salvation, and if he does not desire their sal
vation, he wi]i 4 £Tt and cannot pray for it as
he ought, and i he does not earnestly pray
that the souls of bis hearers may be saved,
hope of their station, if indulged by him
at all, is, I think, gratuitously indulged.
The annals of ministerial biography will
at once show th.i those ministers most dis
tinguished for success of their labors,
have been thosejpho, in the language of some
one, have had “‘a passion for souls.” God
will bless the easiest labors of His ministers.
I frequently thiik the pulpit of this genera
tion very much jeficient in love for souls, and
in desire for the ip salvation. Brethren, think
about it. I you, there are very few
preachers who* l*He the Apostle Paul, warn
their hearers and day, and with tears.
A preacher wee- over a congregation, and
begging and entreating sinners to come to
Jesus, has eve; “Leen to me the most im
pressive object, 1 have ever seen. I now can
think of brti.n * -n the ministry whose eyes,
once almost p’WJgal of tears, will never—
no, never —weep jgain. They had no litera
ry titles —were called D.D. They were
not scholars. They read very few books ex
cept the Bible; vet they were eloquent men,
because they wen- in earnest, and they were
in earnest became they loved the souls of
dying men and women. Their tears flowed
rapidly, sometimes almost in streams, while
they spoke of tlu e Saviour’s love and entreat
ed sinners to accept salvation. If I ever
cease to reverencr the names of those men,
“ let my tongue cleave to the roof of my
mouth.”
There is a greatjjeal of preaching now, which
indicates very love for the souls of men,
and very little desire for their salvation.
The message of the gospel is delivered, it
may be, but who would infer, from the man
ner of its delivery, that its reception or re
jection is a matter of eternal life or eternal
death? How few preach as if they were
about to step fron the pulpit to the Supreme
Tribunal to give of their ministry ?
How few go fru.n the pulpit to the closet,
and, falling down say, with aching hearts,
“ Who has believe ! our report, and to whom
is the arm of the Lord revealed ?” How few,
like the Apostle to the Gentiles, have great
heaviness and continual sorrow in their hearts
on account of theVrnpenitent? Why is this?
I think, because } eachers now do not love
souls as they shou and do, and consequently, do
not adequately de-ire their salvation.
If asked what is the remedy for this state
of affairs, 1 answer, such piety, such, spiritu
ality of mind aw will keep the hearts of
preachers in vital Sympathy with the purpo
ses of the cross. Awake! awake! ye heralds
of the cross, and, as brother A. B. Earle says,
“ Have faith in God while you work.”
Affectionately years, W. O. Darsey.
Savannah, Ga., M&v 17 ill, 1870.
The Yoice of Jesus.
I heard the voice of Jesus say,
“ Come unto ltie and rest;
Lay down, thoi%*earyior)e, lay down,
Thy head up of! my breast,” •
I came to Jesus ys I was
Weary, and win. and sad;
I found in Him a resting-placo,
And He has made me glad.
_ . . , JP*..
. J , ...t'-dT, -JV* • - v i
“ Behold I freely give
The living water—thirsty one,
Stoop down, and drink, and live.”
I came to Jesus, and I drank
Os that life-giving stream;
My thirst was quenched, my soul revived,
An 4 now I live in Him.
I heard the voice of Jesus say,
•• I am this dark world’s light,
Look unto Me, thy morn shall rise,
And all the day be bright.”
I looked to Jesus, and I found
In Him my tftar, my Sun ;
And in that light of life I’ll walk.
Till pilgrimage is done.
History—l.
This word seems to be derived from a
Greek word which, according to a lexicogra
pher, (Donnegan,) means “ the knowledge of
facts and events acquired by personal obser
vation and research;” also, “examination,
investigation, or inquiry in order to obtain
the knowledge of facts or events;” lastly,
“ the narrative of facts and events,”
With regard to this last sense, a writer
i Bolingbroke) observes: “The love of histo
ry seems inseparable from human nature, be
cause it seems inseparable from self-love.
We are fond of preserving, as far as it is in
our frail power, the memory of our own ad
ventures, of those of our own time, and of
those that preceded it. Rude heaps of stones
have been raised, and ruder hymns have been
composed for this purpose, by nations who
had not yet the use of arts and letters. To
go no further back, the triumphs of Odin
were celebrated ip runic songs, and the feats
of our British ancestors were reporded in
those of their hai‘d3. The savages of Amer
ica have the same custom at this day; aod
long historical ballads of their huntings and
their wars are sung at all their festivals.”
The writer from whom we have just quo
ted defines “history” as “ philosophy teach
ing by example.” By history, we do not
mean simply an account of battles, a list of
the names of kings, or a biography of the
prominent ones that have figured on the arena
of life. History is more than this. It has
to do with the causes of wars and of changes
in a nation’s government, and of manifesta
tions of peculiar* features in the character of
men. Much benefit may be derived from
attention to this^study.
It is greatly conducive to the proper dis
charge of the duties of life,
“The great moving causes of. social pro
gress,” it has been well observed, “lie be
yond the mass of confused events,'and must
be sought for in the depths of society, as the
diver goes through turbid waters to bring up
the pearl of the ocean.” History shows to
us the springs of action. Those revolutions
that shake the world to its centre, may fre
quently be regarded (and if understood aright,
must always be regarded) as a map of human
nature. In these revolutions Is delineated
the character of the human heart. After
Polvbius had given an account of the defeat
of Regulus, he says: “ 1 have recorded these
commentaries that men may be rendered bet
ter by them, for all men have two ways of
improvement —one arising from their own
experience, and one from the experience of
others. Since the first of these ways exposes
us to great labor and peril, while the second
works the same good effects and is attended
by no evil circumstances, every one ought to
take it for granted that the study of history
is the best school, where he can learn how to
conduct himself in all the situations of life.”
(As quoted by Bolingbroke.)
We do not, however, take the ground
that the study of history is the best study for
the kind of instruction alluded to, yet it is
certainly one of the best. Next to the Bible,
and books of a didactic character, based on
the Bible, it would be difficult to find a study
more useful for the direction of man in the
various duties which engage his attention.
“ Nature’s clear mirror; life’s instructive guide,
Her wisdom soured by no perceptive pride!
Age from her lesson forms its wisest aim.
And youthful emulation springs to fame.”
Hayley.
We do not deny that other studies may
raise the heart as high in reverence for a Su
perior Power.
The Naturalist, as he observes the means
by which myriads of living creatures are pre
served, may be led to adore and love that
Great Being who “opens hii* hand and sup
plies the wants of every living thing.” The
Botanist, as he roams through the vegetable
kingdom, as he admires the forms and tints
of the flowers that meet his eye, as he ana
lyzes, arranges and classifies these flowers,
exclaims—“ He hath made everything beau
tiful in his season.” The Anatomist, as he
examines the smallest insect, sees enough to
lead him to say, “ O, Lord, how manifold are
thy works? In wisdom hast Thou made them
all.” The Astronomer, as he gazes upon the
starry heavens, may feel his own insignifi
cance, and understand something of the
grandeur of a God. Lost in the contempla
tion of such a subject, he has cause to wonder
and adore. “ When I consider thy heavens,”
says the Psalmist, “the work of thy fingers,
the moon and the stars which thou hast or
dained, what is man that thou art mindful of
him, or the son of man that thou visitest
him ?”
But the studies which these men are pur
suing, tell us nothing of the feelings common
to man. and of the feelings which we should
cherish towards the human race. They give
to us no intimation of the danger resulting
from cherishing some feelings, and of the
advantages resulting from cherishing others.
The lessons which history gives are easily
remembered, and firmly impressed on the
heart.
If it be said that some system of Moral
Philosophy—some set of roles—is as useful
a directory as the study of History, we reply
that, as important as anything of this nature
is, Moralists differ with regard to premises
laid down, or conclusions drawn from premises.
But not pressing this, we remark that men
have not the same disposition to study princi
ples, as to read examples illustrating these
principles. The Bible—the History of our
fallen world—the History of the plan of
man’s redemption from sin and death—the
Bible, “containing the literature of heaven,”
abounding in precept? the most salutary, and
in doctrines the most pure, abounds, likewise,
in examples and illustrations of its precious
truths.
“A few persons through their wisdom,”
says Tacitus, (as quoted by Bolingbroke,)
“discern good things from the bad, useful
from the injurious; but more are taught by
that which happens to others.” Seneca also
says: “Men believe more with their eyes
than with their ears; the journey is long
through precepts; through example, it is
short and effectual,”
God could, if He had seen fit, have given in
His word assertions without facts, and argu
ments without illustrations; but He has, to
a considerable extent, dealt with man accord
ing to what is pleasing to the laws of the hu
man mind. B. W. Whii.dkn.
Marshallville, Ga.
Baptist and Pedobaptist Success Compared.
I.
Dear Brother Renfroe: When I speak of
comparing Baptist success with Pedobaptist
success, do not understand me as attempting
to show that Pedobaptist success in carrying
out Christ’s purposes and Baptist success in
thp samp cause, are to be compared, or ran
be compared. I simply mqin to compare
their success in whatever they undertake,
with Baptist success in whatever they under
take.
It is a very common thing to hear Baptists
complimenting Pedobaptists, by saying “They
should be an example to us,” and “Their ex
ample ought to make us ashamed of our
selves.” When we consider the resolution
with which they commence a work, and the
zeal and perseverance with which they work
at it, I concur in the opinion that they should
be an example to us, and that their example
should make us ashamed. And I have been
asking myself how many Baptist pastors and
ministers ought to be made ashamed by the
example before them. lam forced to aay at
least, a very large proportion, Aqd I conclude
that the brethren who love to often use terms
so highly complimentary, are the very ones,
often, who ought to be most heartily ashamed
of themselves. Instead of simply admiring
the causes of success, and denouncing the sue
cessful cause, they sometimes compliment
the success, denounce their own brethren for
thier want of zeal and energy, instead of en
deavoring to encourage them to work, and
thus lend a helping hand to the cause of error,
while their own neglected cause bleeds at
every pore from the wounds inflicted by the
very sucoess they so much admire.
It is our purpose, in this letter, to show
that the causes of Pedobaptist success deserve
to be complimented, and that this successful
use of these causes should be emulated by
Baptists. Some might suppose that the first
cause deserving our attention is the preaching
of the gospel. But not so. If we are narrowed
down to a strict use of the term gospel, as
good news, as tidings of peace, we say this
has nothing to do with the peculiar tenets of
any denomination. All denominations, con
sidered evangelical, preach this gospel, and
the success is not the success of that denomi
nation, but of Christ’s spiritual kingdom or
spiritual church. All believers, in whatever
denomination or wherever found, are, or
should be, successful in preaching the gospel,
in this sense. All believers are ministers of
the gospel, in this sense. B.gt not al| are
ministers of the New Testament. To be a
minister of the New Testament is to minister
not only in publishing the glad tidings, but
also in all the ordinances and doctrines of the
New Testament. If we are required to use
the term gospel in its widest sense, (as it gen
erally is now,) we see at once that this cannot
be considered a cause of their success; be
cause the preaching of it would at once “ chop
off their own heads”—it would be the cause
of-their complete overthrow, instead of suc
cess. Now, it is the purpose of Pedobaptists
to strengthen their respective churches (so
called.) We have seen that the simple
preaching of the gospel cannot do this.-* Hence,
we give, first, in order, as a cause of suc
cess—
1. Their zeal in teaching their doctrines to
young converts.
W hen a person has been converted to the
religion of the Saviour, through the instruraen
tality of any one person there is aprompting to
love that individual. It is the same a9 to a so
ciety or chprch. W hen a person is converted,
through the instrumentality of a Pedobaptist,
and yet is doubtful as to the correctness of
the church tenets, does the Pedobaptist indi
vidual or pastor permit the advantage thus
gained in influence to pass unimproved? No.
They talk with them from day to day, and
visit them time and again, talking with them
every opportunity on their church doctrine.
They employ every argument they can com
mand in attempting to convince them. If the
inquiring mind is not satisfied, all the litera
ture of the Pedobaptist denominations is
placed in their hands, and thus they are caused
to understand the arguments of that denomi
nation. The minister lectures from the
desk, around the hearth stone, and in private
conversation on his church tenets. In this
manner hundreds and thousands are brought
into their ranks and their churches strength
ened.
2. Their zeal in indoctrinating their mem
bers.
Observe that Pedobaptist pastor on a pas
toral visit. He speaks to the children of their
soul’s salvation, to the old people of their
spiritual welfare and growth in grace, and
prays with the family. And is this all ? Is
he content with this? No. He talks to all
the family about their denominational tenets,,
brings forward arguments to support tb«tn,
and tries to adduce Scripture authority for
them. He also encourages the children to
attend Sunday school. Meet him bn the
street, and he has a book or a tract in his
hand. What is it ? It is a strong work on
Pedobaptist doctrine, perhaps on church polity
or communion, or possibly on baptism, and
he is carrying it to some member of his con
gregation to read. .He loans another to that
young gentleman over there, and another to
this young lady. Observe him as he draws
aside this young gentleman, or that young
lady, and engages in a long, earnest conversa
tion. He is teaching them doctrine. Go to
his church and from Sabbath to Sabbath hear
his sermons, each one with a clause or sen
tence, and often a whole section of doctrine in
it. Attend the conferences and quarterly
meetings, and a certain hour on Sunday
morning is devoted to indoctrinating the mem
bers by the elder or bishop. Thus every one
of their members understands fully the points
of doctrine on which they are most likely to
be attacked, and is fully prepared with argu
ments to meet such attack. An opportunity
to indoctrinate their members is never per
mitted to pass unimproved. But this does
not stop here.
3. Their zeal in indoctrinating their chil
dren.
From the day on which the child is sub
jected to the “ room of circumcision” and the
mark of the beast left in its forehead, it is
trained up in the way they would have it go.
Parents at home teach them doctrine. They
are placed in Sunday schools where union or
Pedobaptist books or catechisms are given
them, and taught by Pedobaptists.
Thus taught at home, in the social circle,
in the Sunday school, and from the stand,
orally and by literature, many of their chil
dren, at twelve years old, know more of the
peculiar doctrines of their church (?) and the
arguments which support them, than many
Baptists know of theirs at forty years old.
Beiug thus taught and trained, every mem
her, and even many of the children, are sol
diers in their cause. Hence their member
ship is constantly being increased and their
societies strengthened. Does any one longer
ask for the secret of Pedobaptist success ?
Behold it in their zeal in teaching their doc
trines. J. M. Robertson.
English Puritans.
There must boa reason, apart from the
character of the governing power, why Puri
tans within the church have never succeeded.
The reason is probably to be found in the
fact that they never essentially differed from
the dominant party. Both were almost equal
ly intolerant. Parker and Whitgift persecu
ted the Puritans; but if Cartwright had been
in Whitgift’s place, he would have dealt out
equal persecution to Baptists and Indepen
dents. They, who had suffered imprison
ment on account of their opinions,’actually
remonstrated with statesmen for releasing
Roman Oatholi< s from Confinement. They
held a purer doctrine than ihejr opponents
held, but none the less did they require it to
be enforced by the “ authority of the magis
trates.” It seems strange that men who de
voted so much time to the study of the Scrip
tures, and whose knowledge of them was as
extensive as it was profound, should have
missed the one study which, to a Christian,
would seem to be the most obvious, the life
and character of the Founder of their reli
gion and the nature of His mission. But,
habits of thought are more tyrannical than
habits of action; and the habit of theological
thought was then, as for generations after
wards, essentially dogmatical. The best of
the Puritans looked to the Scriptures for rules
rather than for principles; for propositions
rather than for examples. Christianity was,
with them, merely an historical development
of Judaism; and therefore, while they be
lieved in the sacrifice of Christ, they equally
believed in the laws of Moses. The Sacred
Writings were rough materials out of which
they might hew their own systems. The
stones were taken in equal parts out of the
books of the Old Testament and the New,
the latter being dug for doctrine and the for
mer for precept. Amongst all the works of
the early Puritans, there is not one on the
life or character of Christ, nor one which
gives any indication that they had even an
imagination of the wholly spiritual nature of
His kingdom. Whatever that kingdom might
be in the place Heaven, on the place Earth it
was to be fenced and extended by pains and
penalties, threatenings and slaughter. They
denied the supremacy of the civil magistrate
in religion, but it was only in order to assert
their own supremacy. They pleaded with
tears for liberty of conscience, and would
have denied it to the first “Anabaptist”
whom they met. It wa3 no wonder they did
not gain their end, and no wonder that they
scarcely hoped to gain it. — Sheats 1 History of
English Free Churches.
Prayer Meetings.
I have known two instances of a prayer
meeting carried on in the way following, from
year to year, with the best success. The
pastor was always present, and always con
ducted it. He always read each hymn sung.
He always called on person's to pray by name.
He always read and commented on a portion
of Scripture, as the leading exercise. He
then gave opportunity to others to speak;
and sometimes they did, and sometimes they
did not —just as they felt. Now, these meet
ings were attended for two years, each by
more persons than oomposed the respective
churches to which they belonged ; and for ten,
and in one case twenty-five years, never flag
ged in interest or attendance; the numbers
present in a church of from one hundred run
ning to three hundred and fifty, being from
eighty to two hundred and fifty. That is the
most successful prayer meeting ever known
to this writer. And yet with other people,
in other conditions, it would he advisable to
vary it considerably, A wise man will use
all the tools he has, in the best way he can.
Infant Baptism. —“At the baptism of
Prof. Doremu’s child, recently, when Mons.
Catacazy, the Russian minister, and other dis
tinguished guests were present, the whole
house and the gardens were illuminated with
the ox-yhydrogen gas.” A friend at our
elbow suggests that no oeremony stands in
more need of a new light: the Scriptures give
not a ray or gleam to it.
New Denomination. —When the Evangel
ical Alliance was formed, Archbishop Whate
ly objected that it was virtually establishing
a ohurch. The “American Chapel ”in Paris,
established under the direction of the Amer
ican and Foreign Christian Union, has now a
church organized in connection with it, hav
ing (or its confession of faith, “ the creed of
the Evangelical Alliance, issued at their
meeting in London, in 1846.”
WHOLE NO. 2493,
A Name in theiSand.
Alone I walked the ocean utrnnd;
A pearly shell wan in my hand.
I stooped and wrote upon the sand
My name, the year, the day.
As onward from the spot I passed,
One lingering look behind I cast —
A wave came rolling high and fust,
And washed my lines away.
And so, methought, ’twill shortly be
With every trace on earth of me;
A wave from dark oblivion’s sea
Will ridl across the place
Where I have trod the sandy shore
Os time, and been, to be no'more—
Os me, my day, the name I bore,
To leave no track nor trace.
And yet with Him who counts the sands,
And holds the waters in His bands,
I know a lasting record stands
Insc-ibed against my name,
Os all this mortal part hath wrought,
Os all this thinking soul hath thought,
And from these fleeting moments caught
For glory or for shame.
—Hannah F. Qould.
'lnvestigating the Baptismal Question.
When in Florence, l had for my travelling
companion a young clergyman of the Congre
gational order. We had avoided all those
points which were of a controversial character
between our respective churches. But on one
Sabbath afternoon, he suddenly turned upon
me and said : After all, the views of your de
nomination on the subject of the communion
are an insult to Christendom. That is a plain
statement of your position, I replied. Now,
as I have taken no offence at your utterance,
you will take none, I hope, at mine. It is
simply this : You have necessitated our prac
tice by introducing a rite which is an insult
to Jesus Christ. There was a half minute’s
pause in our conversation, and he added : I
have never examined the question of infant
baptism, and for all I know or care, you may
be right. The only thing I object to is close
communion. Yes, I rejoined, but it cannot
be an immaterial point, whether baptism is
to be administered on a profession of faith or
without it. For if you are right, we are
wrong. The unity of the doctrine of baptism
cannot be broken. As I told you, he contin
ned, I have never examined the subject. On
this we at once dropped the discussion, and
started for our usual evening stroll.
In this conversation I am reminded of two
other conversations I had with men who had
studied the subject. Both were professors in
the University of Gottingen. Prof. B ,
one of them, had invited me to take a walk
with him, and to criticise his sermon on bap
tism. The objection I have to offer, I began,
is, that you were not consistent. You did .
not harmonize your views of regeneration
with your views of infant baptism. To be
frank, Professor, I believe there are but two
classes who are consistent—the Catholics and
the Baptists. Yes, ho said, 1 see your point.
1 must admit that I have found great difficulty
in reconciling our doctrines of grace with the
baptism of unrenewed souls. I could not help
admiring his frankness.
Prof. K , another of them, had invited
me to take a cup of tea with him and a few
of his friends. In the course of the evening,
he observed : Weil, you ere right. The New
Testament is with you. The argument is all
<m one side, but you will not succeed. Why?
I asked. Because, he answered, the mothers
are against you. But, 1 replied, we receive
infants into our human fellowship, just as
Christ did, without baptism. It is not enough,
he rejoined. There must be the public bless
.ing i>vpr*>s««d in a formal way. Yes, I con
tinued, the custom of coilsecrating our.chil
dren to God is practiced bv_ some Baptists,
and i.t may become universal, and° that, too, *
without abandoning any of our principles.
With this the conversation closed.— Ex. and
Chron.
Practical Arithmetic.
1. If each of nine families, belonging to a
congregation, has a monthly income of SSO,
and contributes one-tenth of it, they respect
ively retain $45, and are able to offer $45 to
their minister, who then receives precisely as
much as the families of his brethren —name-
ly, $540 per annum.
2. Do $45, with the accompanying blessing
of God, not go further than SSO, nay, than
SIOO, without the Divine blessing? Try it
once. Let us have the result of your expe
rience.
3. If twenty families respectively have an
income of SSO per month, and the tenth part
of it amounts to SIOO per month, they can
afford to give to their pastor SBOO per annum,
and besides, within three years pay $1,200 for
a church.
4. What is the amount of losses and afflic
tions and misfortunes allotted to God’s chil
dren, that they are unwilling to spend for
charitable objects? Malachi, iii: 7—12 and
Haggai, i: 7—ll, and ii: 16—20, you will
find the answer to the question.— Lutheran
Zeitschrift.
11l Manners.
I have heard a Christian man say that a
man could be a gentleman without being a
Christian, but that no Christian could fail to
be a gentleman without doing violence to his
Christian character. When the pastor of a
church invites another minister to preach for
him, it is an offence against good manners and
Christian courtesy for the members of the
church to absent themselves or go elsewhere
to hear preaching. It is disrespectful both to
the pastor and the invited guest, and yet it is
a very common offence. When Prof. Rob
inson filled the Ninth Street pulpit, Cincin
nati, he made it a matter of special request
that if any of the church or congregation
should at any time want to hear other city
ministers, they should go when he was in the
pulpit, and not when some invited minister 1
preached for them. — Cor. Jour, tk Mesa. *g
Christ, a Servant.
Some years ago two German theological
students, on a journey, lodged at night in the
same room. One of them heard the other,
in the night, talking in his sleep, and using
the following language, quoting from Phil, ii:
7 : “And took upon Him the form of a ser
vant.” All created beings are the servants
of God, necessarily, and by the fact of crea
tion. But here is a personage of whom it is
said: “He took upon Him the form of a
servant.” Then He took a place He had not
before; and if he was not a servant, from
what condition could He have come to that
position, but that of the true and proper
Godhead; and here is testimony for the Di
vinity of Christ.” On being reminded the
next day of the language he had used in his
sleep, he affirmed he was totally unconscious
of it, saying that his mind had been previ
ously exercised respecting that doctrine, but
that he would joyfully accept his own uncon
scious reasoning, and felt confirmed by it in
his belief in the supreme Divinity of his Re
deemer,
Works. —The character is not formed by
passive impressions, but by voluntary actions,
and we shall be judged hereafter, not by what
we have felt, but by what we have done.—
Robert Hall.
Human Godlessness. —Abbott, the Radical
seceder from Unitarianism, ventures on the
following definition: “Religion is the effort
of man to perfect himself.” We thought i»
is the binding of man back again to God, at
the only source of perfection.