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CHRISTIAN I\Dha ai\o SOUTH-WESTERN BAPTIST.
VOL 49-NO. 24.
A RELIGIOUS AND FAMILY PAPER.
PUBLISHED WEEKLY IN ATLANTA, GA
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A Poem.
When the Almighty Sovereign gave the word,
Let heaven and earth from womb of nothing rise—
The earth.emerged, expanded skies
Attend the fiat of thy Lord!
Let there be light, Jehovah wills again ;
The fiery globe of radiant day,
The silver regent of the night.
Thou, Sun, by day in beaming glory reign;
Moon, guide the night with milder ray,
He spoke; His voice the sun and moon obey.
Poising within His mighty hand,
The new-made ball with matchless force
He sent it on its annual course;
It flies at His command.
To give alternate night and day,
He bids the earth on axis roll, *
The globe wheels on its destined way,
As though impatient of control.
Thus time began, the whirling sphere,
By Him went ’round the fount of day
And through the star-bespangled way,
Winds off the fiuished year.
Freighted with varied life, she sails
Through seas of light and genial heat,
And throws her treasures at the feet
Os man, whom nature hails
Her tobies* J-'Vorite son ; . .
For him the mighty voyage is rjn
Os this great ship—with lading all his own.
If Eden’s walls the Serpent’s wily voice
Had ne’er profaned, nor Adam’s choice
Embraced the flattering sin.
Presented by his lurking foe;
Time’s gentle stream would sweetly flow;
Death, king of terrors, ne’er had been.
But, dire reverse of Heaven’s plan 1
Ungrateful, faithless man,
By subtle tempter moved,
Forsook his God, whom once he loved,
Rebelled, and thus became a prey
To pain and woe, and death’s relentless sway.
Now life a certain period knows,
Corrupt its current flows;
A thousand causes hover round
To blast it ere it reach the bound
Os threescore years and ten.
Sure, then, each finished year
Speaks solemn truths in reason’s ear;
Time’s chariot wheels, as on they roll,
Speed us still nearer to the grave,
Which bounds a race ne’er run again.
If in the sacred road,
Conducting to the blessed abode.
We walk with steady, vigorous feet,
Employing all our time
The heavenly mount to climb—
The mount where glory holds her seat—
Each moment, as it flies,
Will waft above the skies
A fruitful seed of joys to come ;
And when the archangel’s trump shall sound,
Unlock the tomb, and raise us from the ground,
The Sovereign Judge of quick and dead
In showers of blessings on our bead,
Shall bring the glorious harvest home.
John Barton Gilbert.
White Sulphur Bathe, Chattahoochee Cos., Ga.
The Autobiography of an Old Pilgrim.
( Continued. .)
There are, probably, many persons occu
pying high positions, in the church and out of
it, who will reject contemptuously the idea,
that there was anything supernatural in the
visions reported in my last two numbers.
They will concur in ascribing those visions to
some febrile, nervous excitement of the brain,
or to some other morbid state of the human
system. At some future time, if permitted,
I purpose attempting to show that the D.D's
in the church (Doctors of Divinity) do virtu
ally give a sanction to the main fundamental
principle upon which the D.D’s out of Che
church (Deistical Doctors) base their princi
pal arguments against Christianity, or divine
truth as revealed in the Bible. At present,
1 will content myself with a brief report of a
- vision granted at nootiday, in a public assem
bly, to an old, stable, unexcitable Scotchman,
who was a member of an Independent Pres
byterian church, that seemed to glory in the
cold, formal, unexcitable manner in which
they conducted all their religious services.
Extemporaneous discourses were not tolerated
by them. They might disturb the equanimity
of their spiritual frames. One of their pas
tors undertook to extemporize one of the two
discourses he was required to deliver every
Sabbath, but the church session, through one
of its elders, requested him to desist from the
practice, and to write out and read both of
his discourses, as his predecessors had done
from time immemorial.
The old Scotchman to whom I refer, lived
remote from the place of assembling, in what
was, at that time, (but not now,) considered
the “ backwoods.” He consequently but
rarely attended the meetings of his church,
except on what they called “ sacramental oc
casions.” He was highly respected by the
whole community as a pious, orderly Chris
tian, and was in good worldly circumstances.
His wealth, however, consisted in large herds
of cattle and swine, but provided one is weal
thy, neither Presbyterians nor any one else
cares much in what this wealth consists.
Money made from herds of cattle will buy as
much, and will consequently command as
much respect, as money vested in bank stock
or in stock in trade.
On a certain sacramental occasion—l re-
member it well, though I was then but a boy
—the pastor, and some of the members of his
church, felt much scandalized by a circum
stance that occurred while they were seated
around the Lord’s table. The good old Scotch
man, of whom I have made mention, in the
simplicity of his mind and sincerity of his
heart, did not think that a rule of his church
requiring his pastor to preach by note, obli
gated him to think by note; he, therefore, al
lowed his thoughts full liberty to follow the
leading of that Spirit which the Saviour pro
mised to send to guide us into all truth, and
to bring to our remembrance all things what
soever he had spoken to His disciples. He
was, therefore, led to contemplate the scenes
witnessed in the manger in Bethlehem, at the
river of Jordan, in the wilderness, in Galilee,
in Jerusalem, at Gethsemane, at Pilate’s bar,
at the cross, at the sepulchre, at the ascension
and glorification of the Saviour in heaven.
He had clearer and loftier conceptions of the
glory of a risen Redeemer than ever he had
before had, and was so enraptured with them
that he exclaimed, not in a loud and boister
ous manner, but with a iow, solemn, reverent
tone of voice, “ Glory ! glory ! glory to God!
Honor, and glory, and praise, and thanksgiv
ing to my Lord and Saviour!’’ His mind be
came so much absorbed in the contemplation
of the glorious views presented to it, that it
lost all command over his physical powers.
He consequently fell back from his seat, but
was caught in the arms of one of his brethren.
The elders of the church, with feelings appa-
rently of mingled surprise and chagrin, has
tened to him and (that their church might not
be reproached by giving even an apparent
sanction to such conduct) bore him out of
the house, and laid him upon the green sward
in the church yard. There he continued to
vent unceasing praise to his gracious Re
deemer, until his physical power to praise was
completely exhausted.
The church of which this good old man was
a member, was a regular descendant, if uot
from apostolic churches, certainly from those
Puritan churches of New England, that were
so scrupulous to preserve due decorum in
public, they would not allow a man to kiss
his wife (on the Sabbath day at least) iu the
street, if he should meet her there for the
first time after a return from a long voyage.*
It is not surprising, therefore, that they should
disapprove of the conduct of one of their
members in presuming, publicly and audibly,
*lt appears, from the chronicles of a Con necticut
church, that a man was actually arraigned and subject
ed to ecclesiastical censure lor the act here specified.
FRANKLIN PRINTING HOUSE, ATLANTA, GA., THURSDAY, JUNE 16, 1870.
to give glory to God as the angels of heaven,
(not being subject to their church rules) had
done before him. But a change has come
over the minds of the people, and the pres
ent members of that church do not scruple to
listen to extemporaneous discourses, to hold
protracted meetings, to invite mourners up
for prayer, and conform to other usages of
Methodists and Baptists, that were once pro
scribed by their ancestors.
Some of the members of the church, sub
sequent to the occurrence reported, sought to
elicit from the old Scotchman an account of
the views and feelings by which he had been
so much excited and overcome; but he was
reserved ; manifesting no disposition either
to boast of the divine illumination he had re
ceived, or to gratify their idle curiosity.
The case I have here reported, appears to
me well calculated to stop the mouths of
gainsayers. It will, at least, puzzle them to
account for the facts as narrated philosophical
ly, while they persist in denying the special
and extraordinary influences of the Holy
Spirit. It will not do to plead that this was
a dream. The man was wide awake, actually
engaged in celebrating the death and suffer
ings of his Saviour. It will not do to ascribe
the facts to an ardent temperament, or a vis
ionary mind. The man had more of a
phlegmatic than an ardent temperament, and
wa9 more practical than imaginative, in all
the transactions of life. His step was slow,
his speech slow, the operations of his mind
slow—all contra-indicating precipitancy, en
thusiasm, or undue excitability. There was
no morbid state of the body : he was in his
usual health. There was nothing peculiarly
exciting in the circumstances with which he
was surrounded, or in the services in which
he was engaged. He was about the last man
in the community that would have been sus
pected of such an overflow of feeling as was
manifested by him on the occasion to which I
have referred. Never before nor since has
he been known to be the subject of a similar
excitement. He was not a leader in the
church, not a very prominent member, nor
did he ever make any pretensions to superior
zeal or sanctity.
Let the reader ponder well and remember
the facts reported in this article, as well as
thos previously reported, as 1 shall have oc
casion, probably, to refer to them again.
Abdiel Nekoda.
Did Paul Fail at Athens?
It appears that Rev. John A. Broadus, of
Greenville, S. C., has been guilty of “sedu
cing” one of the editors of the Religious Her
ald into writing upon the subject of “ Extem
pore Preaching.” With the. articles as they
appeared in the Herald, we were, upon the
whole, decidedly edified, and we read them
all with very great interest. As they seem
now to be ended, we find ourselves, like
Oliver Twist, earnestly calling for more, and
we hope that we shall not call in vain. *
But in one of these articles a position wa9
assumed into which we suspect Dr. Broadus
did not seduce the editor; and even if he did,
we feel confident that it will require all his
ability and learning, together with all the aid
which he can get from his able and learned
colleagues, to sustain such a position.
We are informed that when Paul found
himself among the philosophers of Athens, he
concluded that he must try to talk philoso
phy ; that his failure at Athejis was due to
this circumstance; and that after this failure, (
he went to Corinth, determining" to abandon
philosophy, and stick to the gospel. We are
led to infer that Paul’s failure at Athens was
a source of mortification to him, and served
to disgust him with philosophy, and to make
him take refuge in Christ crucified.
We see nothing, either in reason or in rev
elation, to “ seduce” one into such a position.
In the first place, we have a better opinion of
Paul’s piety and good sense than to believe
him capable of trying to dabble in philosophy,
when he saw the city given up to idols, and
when his spirit was stirred in him at the sight.
Then we have a better opinion of Paul’s
power of speculative reasoning, than to sup*
pose for a moment that he would have failed,
even if he had attempted philosophy. By
some examinttiou of his various writings left
us, as well as by some study of the speci
mens of his sermons and speeches given in
the Acts of the Apostles, we have been led to
the opinion, that Paul was a man of more
than usually philosophical mind, and that, had
he turned his attention to philosophical pur
suits, he would probably have attained a high
reputation as a philosophical reasoner. We
are not sure that he does not deserve such a
reputation anyhow.
But beside, it appears that the unsuccessful
attempt at philosophical speculation resulted
in the converson of Dionysius, a member of
the court of Areopagus; of a woman, the
mention of whose name (Damaris) is a stri
king circumstance; and ot others—we do not
know how many.
Conybeare and Howson say that it “ can
not possibly be determined” what success
Paul had at Athens; but we think the word
failure can hardly be fairly applied to a ser
mon, which produced the results already re
ferred to. We once heard Dr. Fuller, of Bal
timore, preach what we regarded as one of
the most admirable sermons we ever heard.
It was the only time we ever had an opportu
nity of hearing him ; and we were surprised
to hear from one who had heard him fre
quently, that for Dr. Fuller , the sermon was
a failure. We expressed our surprise to Dr.
P. H. Mell, who had heard the sermon ; and
he replied, “ Well, I wish some of the rest of
us could fail that way every time we preach,”
in which observation we most cordially con
curred ; and we may say, too, that we are
willing to run the risk of applying the same
remark to Paul’s failure at Athens.
J. C. Hiden.
Wilmington, N. C.
Timid Christians.
Rev. Dr. Cuyler, in a recent familiar ad
dress to theological students, remarks : “In
dealing with popular sins, you must expect
opposition ; but it will come quite as often
from timid Christians as from wrong doers
themselves.” Every faithful pastor knows
that this statement is true. Timid ones ob
ject to his dealing with these sins and errors
through fear that influential persons in the
church or congregation will be offended, and
trouble may result. Their timidity places
them in a position of antagonism to their pas
tor, and encourages the guilty and the disaf
fected to take offence, and to be bold and out
spoken in the expression of it. The result is,
that the pastor’s influence is crippled ; the
enemies of the truth and of righteousness tri
umph ; the work of Christ languishes; and
joy, which should brighten all the path, gives
place to mourning and sorrow. All this comes
upon the church, not because of the strength
and influence of those who do and defend the
wrong, but solely because of the timidity and
weakness of those who should be, as they pro
fess to be, upon the side of the good, the right
and the true. And this class, too often, hold
the balance of power.
Timidity and fearfulness, when faithfulness
and boldness are called for in the service of
Christ, is nearly allied to treason. The di
vine injunction is, “ Watch ye, stand fast in
the faith, quit you like men, be strong.”
I Cor. xvi: J3, A Bible Baptist.
Woman’s Help in TemperanceDßeform.
One of the most alarming signs of demor
alization which we observe at the present day,
is the very slight censure which society at
taches to drunkenness. A dozen years ago,
the young man who was known to be fre
quently intoxicated, did not meet with much
favor from respectable people. True, the
offence was then dealt with too leniently. It
did not receive that unmeasured condemna
tion which would have insured its avoidance
by all who wished to be well esteemed. But
public opinion was sound on the subject com
pared with what it is now. It was considered
a disgrace for a young man to be seen fre
quently intoxicated ; now, it is scarcely deem
ed a fault at all, and by some it is reckoned
almost a virtue. We know families whose
positions give them the first order of respecta
bility, who are willing for young men of in
temperate habits to be the companions and
even the husbands of their daughters. We
have known mothers who, blinded by the idea
of wealth, or, still more absurdly, infatuated
by good looks and pleasing address, advise
their daughters to encourage addresses from
young men whose characters, if they promise
anything, assuredly presage misery to those
who shall marry them. Society offers no pre
mium to sobriety ; nay, there is rather a pre
ference given to dashing young men who are
fond of tippling shops, ball-rooms and gam
bling saloons.
If women would avoid the society of men
known to be dissipated, and shun their ad
vances as they would shrink from the bite of
a Cobra, we might hope for a reformation in
the matter of intemperance. They are more
powerful in this particular than they seem to
be aware. Would they only contemplate
with the proper degree of apprehension the
misery which inebriates entail on their fami
lies, we feel assured that they would give less
countenance to profligacy. But they seem
smitten with the same blind fatuity in regard
to this that we are to all dangers that are
not immediately imminent. Sometimes, by
the eruption of a volcano, cities are over
thrown, and whole districts are laid waste.
For a time the people are filled with awe, and
shun the fatal spot. But soon the apprehen
sion subsides, and peasants erect cottages and
plant vines on the crest of the mountain
whence the destructive element lately issued.
Thus, when we behold a home desolated by
the fiend of intemperance, we are for a time
appalled by the unhappiness which it has pro
duced. But when it ceases to be fresh, it
loses its impressiveness. The tender maiden
gives her hand to a young man of dissipated
habits, fondly hoping that though others may
havS suffered, she will escape.
Men cannot be legislated into soberness,
though we incline to the belief that good and
wholesome laws might be instituted which
would abate the nuisance of dram shops. But
we feel quite assured that if all women would
unite with the good men of every community
in frowning down intemperance, drunkenness
would become a rare vice. We say all wo
men, because we believe that women suffer
more from intemperance than do men, and
we think every one would feel anxious to les
sen an evil that entails such misery on their
sex. They can help \ery much if they will.
Let them discountenance young men who
come into their presence redolent with the
perfumes of the dramshop. Let them make
it plainly understood that no one of dissipa
ted habits cari hope foij. their favor. * Let vis
all vote it not respectable to drink and gam
ble, and frequent the places of licentious
pleasure, and we opine that there will be a
reformation of manners extensive, if not en
tire. Morality will possess the vantage ground
in almost every community, if its friends will
only unite and stand firmly to their princi
ples. L.
Lights and Shadows.
“ Life is but a day at mo9t,
Sprung from night, in darkness lost;
Hope not sunstiine every hour,
Fear not clouds will always lower.”
How prone we are to extremes ! If it is
sunshine to-day, we seem never scarcely to
think to-morrow may be cloudy. Or if it is
dark to-day, we are inclined to “ fear clouds
will always lower.” Could we poise, or bal
ance ourselves between these extremes, life
would be turned to better account, and our
happiness increased. Let not agents imagine
because it is sunshine now, it will remain so.
The sunshine predominates yet with this one,
and he will not look out for signs of a rising
cloud, and in morbid anticipation or fear, lose
the present joy, or turn its light into darkness.
But enough of philosophising.
Under circumstances dark to sight, I really
enjoyed a bright hour at China Grove, in
Mitchell county. The day was dark, rain
falling, small audience, and hoarse from la
bors of the day before, but faith mounted above
all this and cheered my heart with the fact
that the Spirit could sanctify my words to
that little audience, which listened with even
tearful attention as 1 set forth the union of Christ
and believers. Jesus calls us His “ breth
ren.” When I put my little audience to a
money test, they responded, and gave some
thing to feed and clothe Jesus—in His repre
sentatives, “ His brethren.” And twice has
that church since increased the amount.
Ah ! that was a bright day, when I had my
dear brother Langley at my house. Since we
first knew each other, we have been like
David and Jonathan; have rejoiced, laughed
—or smiled—ate, drank, walked, talked, sung,
prayed and preached together; ye 9, and
wept too, for I have been with him in some
of his darkest hours. Os course l love him —
love him dearly, and had often wanted to feed
him as he had me, and at last I had the pleas
ure of seeing him at my table. It was a happy
hour to me—one of those little events in a
preacher’s life that he loves, and that preach
ers only know how to appreciate.
A similar joy I experienced when I met the
faithful man and missionary I had worked for
so long and loved so much—Elder R. J.
Hogue, missionary of Bethel Association to
the Choctaw Indians for twelve years. A
gloomy shade, however, dimmed the light of
that enjoyment: he was sick. I have a pro
found respect for an humble, devoted mis
sionary ; and if that missionary has labored
on, under afflictions and other disadvantages,
uncomplainingly, my respect increases almost
to veneration. Thanks to my Heavenly
Father for seeing nod mingling or associating
with brother Hogue,
A dark skadow was lifted from Bethesda
church, I thought, about the third Sunday in
March, when I preached for a small audience,
after which it was unanimously agreed to
raise or reorganize the church again. It was
done, and now there is preaching regularly.
Asa counterpart to that, however, 1 assisted
Elders Bailey and Cooper, a few days after,
to disband Palmyra church. I felt sad about
it. I could remember when I preached there
theirs/ time, when brother C. M. Irwin was
pastor. Then, quite a number of active, in
telligent brethren worshipped there, of whom
but one now lives, and he is so dead he has
not been in the meeting house for years.
Able, strong men, living and dead, used to
hold forth the word of life there, and Chris
tians gave money, the Sunday school was
taught, and souls were converted. One mem
ber, sister Woolbright, was in its formation,
I think, and was at its dissolution . I was
never at such a meeting, for such st purpose.
I felt sad when it devolved upon me to say
Palmyra church is m more! It was, how
ever, right and proper This action should be
taken. Death, removal aDd absorption into
the surrounding churches —especially Albany,
so near by—rendered it necessary.
Wm. N. Chaudoin.
The word Prophecy, in ICor. xiv.
The word prophecy, and those derived from
it, as used in first Corinthians and fourteenth
chapter, have very different..meaning from
that usually given in English. When
our Bible was translated into English, one
meaning of the word cw-eohecy was to inter
pret the language of the prophets. Pro
pheteuo, primarily, in classic Greek, meant
to interpret the language of the heathen d«-i
ties; that is, to tell to men-the thoughts
which those imaginary gods were supposed
to have. Hence, Hebrew writers, in using
the Greek language, employed the same word
to signify the will of Cod, conveyed through
men called prophets. But in thefourteeth o.
first Corinthians, this < unnot be the meaning
attached to the word. Let us try a few ex
amples: “ He that pr/ohesieth speaketh unto
men to edification, aruy-x'ru, tation, aud com
fort:” v.3. Again : f that,ye all
spake with tongues, (i&jvarious languages,) but
rather that ye prophesied ; for greater is he
that prophesieth, than he that speaketh with
tongues, except he interpret v. 5. It is
equally as necessary to interpret prophecy,
as it is foreign langujtoes. The Apostle, in
this chapter, is urging'Jie superior excellence
of plain, instructive pr aching, above that of
learned discoruses to an uneducated people.
This kind of preaching is here called prophe
sying. Hence, the Apostle means greater is
he who preaches plain instructive sermons,
than he who deliver*Earned discouses. Let
all ministers rember this.
W. M. Howell.
I Need Thee.
I need Thee, pr ».<ous Jesns,
For I am vqry jot ;
A stranger and pilgrim,
I have no efcrthiv store ;
I need the love of Jesus
To cheer me on B y way,
To guide mv demoting footsteps,
To be my strenjja and stay.
I need Thee, previous Jesus,
I need a friend like Thee,
A friend to soothe and pity,
A friend to care for me:
I ipped the heart of Jesus
To feel each anxirfos care,
To tell my every trial,
And all my sorrows share.
I need Thee, precious Jesus,
I need Thee, day,
To till me witloTby fuWiess,
And lead me ncruiy way;
1 need Thy He»ly.Spirit
To teach me what I am,
To show me more of Jesus,
To point me to the Lamb.
I need Thee, p -ecions Jesus,
And hope to see Thee soon,
Encircled with the rainbow,
And seated on-Tby throne;
1 here, with i’hy blood-bought children,
My joy shall ever be
To sing thy praises, Jesus,
To gaze, my L- ■*!, on Thee.
~
History—ll.
We remarked in q former article, that at
tention to history is conducive to tbe proper
discharge of the duties us life.
This is not of those occupying
private stations. , .oltSician will find the
study ofnistory usef'd?-. 'Casaubon, a trans
lator of Polybius, gave it as his opinion, that
Polybius should hf diligently studied by
kings and rninister*of State.
Politicians have sometimes boldly predict
ed that certain consequences will attend a
certain course of action on the part of Gov
ernment. The following is a prediction made
in 1849:
“If it” (emancipation) “should ever be
effected, it will be through the agency of the
Federal Government, controlled by the dom
inant power of the Northern States of the
Confederacy against the resistance and strug
gle of the Southern. It can then only be
effected by the prostration of the white race;
and that would necessarily engender' the bit
terest feeling of hostility between them and
the North. But the reverse would be .the
case between the blacks of the South and the
people of the North. Owing their emanci
pation to them, they would regard them as
friends, guardians and patrons, and centre ac
cordingly, all their sympathy in them. The
people of the North would not fail to recip
rocate and to favor them instead of the
whites; under the influence of such feelings,
and impelled by fanaticism and love of power,
they would not stop at emancipation. An
other step would be taken to raise them to a
political and social equality with their former
owners, by giving them the right of voting
and holding public offices under the Federal
Government. We see the first step of it in
the bill alluded to—to invest the free blacks
and the slaves with the right to vote on the
question of emancipation in the District [of
Columbia.] But when once raised to an
equality, they would become the fast political
associates of the North, acting and voting
with them on all questions; and by this po
litical union between them, holding the white
race at the South in complete subjection.
The blacks, and the whites that might unite
with them, would become the principal re
cipients of the Federal offices and patronage,
and would, in consequence, be raised above
the whites of the South in the social scale.
We would, in a word, change conditions with
them—a degradation greater than has yet
fallen to the lot of a free and enlightened
people, and one from which we could not es
cape, should emancipation take place, (which
it certainly will if not prevented,) but by
fleeing the homes of ourselves and our an
cestors, and by abandoning our country to
our former slaves, to become the permanent
abode of disorder, anarchy, poverty, misery
and wretchedness.” (John C. Calhoun.')
Politicians do not hesitate to make predic
tions, aud it is frequently owing to the fact
that they are students of history. Thus,
they have learned much of human nature;
they have discovered the workings of certain
principles in the past, and from their knowl
edge of history, reason with regard to the
workings of certain principles in the future.
No wonder, therefore, if, like the prophets of
old, they blow the trumpet and sound an
alarm. They see by the light of the history
of other nations, in past times, the germ of
some fearful revolution in their own land.
While it will not be denied that the politi
cian may foresee the tendency of a principle,
yet we must admit that the politician cannot
always foresee w hat may check the outbreak
ings of a principle. He builds his opinion
and then makes his predictions on what he
regards as well known laws, and well-estab
lished principles. He is governed by what
seems to be probable.
This is in striking contrast with the history
of the prophets, whose predictions are record
ed in the Scriptures of the Old Testament.
Generally, if not always, when they uttered
a prophecy, probability was against them.
A man woifld now be ridiculed for making an
assertion with as little apparent foundation
as did some of the prophets of old. This
may have been one reason why the prophets
were not always believed. They uttered pre
dictions so unlikely to be accomplished, that
those who heard them supposed that they
were uttering falsehoods. The sacred writers
predict an event, not only with its general
outline, but they also mention particulars ;
and they sometimes mention what, to some,
would seem trifling circumstances.
This was the case with the prophecy of
Isaiah with reference to Babylon. Isaiah has
given a plain statemeift of the event, which
.event, since the prediction was uttered, has
taken place in all its particulars. Some infi
dels, we know, have been so puzzled by this
agreement in prediction and accomplishment,
that in order to free themselves from embar
rassment, they have resorted to the untenable
position, that what purpoits to be a predic
tion, was uttered after the event took place.
If Isaiah had been governed by what seemed
probable, there was no ground for the predic
tion. Almost the first thing we read concern
ing theempire, is that itis already in existence,
and has advanced Co.a state of power and grand
eur. All human probability was against the
truth of the prediction when it was uttered,
if the uninspired statesman had then been
asked—will Babylon be destroyed? will the
Empire come to nought? he would probably
have smiled at the questions, regarding the
event as next to impossible.
At the time tfllib Isaiah predicted the down
fall of Babylon, it was not on the decline;
so far from it, it was advancing in greatness;
it jiad not yet reached the zenith of its glory.
It was in view of its brazen gates, its splendid
edifices and lofty towers, that Isaiah predicted
its destruction ; it was in view of the rising
glory of the Empire, that he foretolds its
doom.
The city shall in dust be laid,
Its people numbered with the dead;
And Babel’s glory and her might
Shall fade as visions of the night.
“Surely as I have thought,” says Jehovah,
“ so shall it come to pass, and as I have pur
posed, so shall it stand.”
A writer has remarked : “The true philos
ophy of history is essentially religious. When
we enquire for the causes of things, we find
them all bearing somehow on the kingdom of
Christ. They were all made for Christ, and
He is overruling all for the interests of His
holy kingdom. Much of the past history of
the world has gone to illustrate the necessity
of that kingdom, and to prepare the way for
it; much exhibits the wrath of God against
the oppressors of that kingdom, and the ruin
which hangs over them. The stone cut out
of the mountain is rolling on, and is destined
to roll, crushing everything that stands in its
way, ’till itself becomes a mountain and fills
the whole earth.” And after the angel shall
lift his hand to heaven and swear that time
shall be no more, this kingdom shall stand ;
the immortality of Jehovah is the limit of its
duration, and the moral attributes of Jehovah
its seurity and its strength.
B. W. Whilden.
Baptist and Pedobaptist Success Compared.
11.
Dear Brother Renfroe: In my last, we
found what was the secret of Pedobaptist suc
cess. In this, let us see what is to be accom
plished by Baptists, and how they may suc
ceed.
Now, is it not the purpose of Baptist
churches to strengthen their membership?
It should be. We believe §urs to be the
church of Christ, and if so, it is our duty to
desire to see, and labor most earnestly (4-0 see,
the membership' ot our blessed ReiW-wer’s
church increased, and His cause strengthened
Is it not the duty of Baptists to propagate
the doctrines peculiar to themselves ? Some
good, pious, flinching brother says, “No:
we ought to propagate Christ’s doctrines, and
not our own.” Well, now, my dear brother,
are not Bible doctrines Christ’s doctrines?
And do you not believe that Baptist doctrines
are Bible doctrines? If not, you ought to
forsake them at once, and fall in with Bible
doctrines. You ought to denounce them at
once, and advocate Bible doctrines. But if
they are Bible doctrines, and you do not de
clare them, teach them, every one of them,
you are guilty of sin. Christ says, “Go ye
therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing
them in the name of the Father, Son and
Holy Spirit ; teaching them to observe all
things whatsoever I have commanded you.”
Paul’s qualification for a bishop is, “ apt to
teach not simply the gospel , but as a New
Testament minister, apt to teach all things
whatever, that have been commanded. Why
is this qualification necessary or required, if
they are not to use it? Paul says to Timo
thy, “Till I come, give attendance to read
ing, to exhortation, to doctrine .” With these
Scriptures before us, and believing our doc
trines to be Bible doctrines, how dare any
man refuse to teach them—teach them pub
licly and privately, in the social circle, in the
family circle, in the Sabbath school, from the
stand, in the missionary field, and wherever
he may go, to both children and adults, giv
ing himself wholly to the work. Does any
say a young minister shall not teach them ?
Let him hear Paul to Timothy. “ Let no
man despise thy youth,” yet “give atten
tion,” not only to “ exhortation,” but also
to “ doctrine .” By holding our peace, we
say to errorists, “ good speed,” and “He
that sayeth to another, good speed, is parta
ker of his evil.” Youth is no excuse. Paul
did not excuse Timothy because of his youth,
neither will God excuse the young minister
now. Baptists are not as successful as they
might be, as they should be, because they are
not as zealous as they should be, in propaga
ting the whole of the New Testament. The
sin is at the door of almost every minister in
our denomination —young and old, pastor and
missionary. Why is it that so many of our
members, of late years, must be excluded
from our membership, or reprimanded, be
cause of open communion? Why is it that
so many of our members, of late years, must
be excluded for joining Pedobaptist socic
ties? Has that pastor who, perhaps last
church meeting, excluded a member for some
such offence, preached a sermon on commun
ion, or baptism, or church polity, in twelve
months, or five years, or did he ever do it?
Has he, in his pastoral visits, talked to the
family on these subjects earnestly and prayer
fully, time and again, bringing forward argu
ments to support our doctrines, and showing
them to be Scriptural ? Has he placed books
on these subjects, in the hands of the mem
bers of his congregation, and asked them to
read them? No. Pastor, lay the sin of
apostacy at your own door, You are com
manded to give yourself wholly to the work,
and to be the undershepherd of the flock.
It is your business to look after these things.
You have neglected it. Henceforth let the
zeal of Pedobaptist pastors be an example
before you, and strive to emulate their suc
cess.
But why is it that, so often, the children of
Baptist parents unite with Pedobaptist socie
ties ? Is it not because they have been placed
in the hands of Pedobaptist teachers to re
ceive their mental training, and often in Pe
dobaptist Sunday schools to receive their
religious training? Is it not because Baptist
Sunday school teachers have neglected to
teach our doctrines, neglected to teach the
whole of the New Testament? And are not
our ministers to blame to a considerable ex
tent in this, for not warning parents against
this, and superintending the character of the
instru ctions in the Sunday schools of their
churches ? They not only neglect this, but
sometimes even themselves introduce Uuion
books into their schools, and have Pedobap
tist teachers in them. This is lending a help
ing hand to the propagators of error, at the
cost of our own cause of truth. Let us con
si<Jer well the example set us by Protestants,
and be wise in this matter.
But why is it, when a Baptist minister
is blessed in a revival effort, that sometimes
one-half or two-thirds the converts unite with
Protestants ? Is it not attributable to want of
zeal in the minister in availing himself of the
advantage of influence he has gained? Does
he talk often with the new babes in Christ,
about their duty, their first duty as Chris
tians, and attempt by conversation, literature
and otherwise, to show them what the church
of Christ is, and what is required by the New
Testament, and what is and what is not a ful
fillment of these engagements? No. Then
sin is at his door. He has not given himself
wholly to the work, teaching them to observe
all things commanded.
If a minister will not be zealous in teach
ing one part of the New Testament, will he
be zealous in teaching the other part? Or,
in other words, will a minister be zealous in
preaching the ijospel wlfien he is not zealous
in preaching the doctrines? And can a min
ister be blessed in preaching one, while he
refuses to preach the other? I think not.
God has commissioned him to preach both,
and if he neglects one, I believe God will re
fuse to bless him in the other. (I do not mean
wholly refuse a blessing, but he will not be
as abundantly blessed as he would otherwise.)
Hence the spiritual lifelessness everywhere
complained of among us, may be accounted
for. We are not doing our whole duty.
May not Baptists be said to be the “light of
the world,” and the only true light shining?
How great, then, the sin if we smother a part
of our light ? There is a cause for this want
of zeal in the Baptist ministry. Somebody
is to blame for it.
Brother R —, I believe that cause may be
found in the catholic spirit so much coveted
by many of our brethren. They cry out
that, as with a catholic spirit we should look
across State lines, so with a catholic spirit we
should look across denominational lines.
This is the principle which is demoralizing
Baptist unity and crippling our strength.
Pedobaptists, wrapping the serpent, which
shall nip in the bud the truth of God, in the
cloak of charity, hold up the deadly weapon
and shout, charity! Baptists, catching the
sound, shout in private converse, through the
press, and from the stand, charity ! Charity
is.a very good thing in its place; but does
the word of God manifest the least charitable
disposition on God’s part, towards sin—wil
ful, presumptuous, persevering sin? Has
God, in His word, commanded anything
wrong? If all His commandments are right,
is it not wrong to disobe j them ? And do
we not believe that Protestants are disobey-
|i{ig His positive commands, many of them
willingly and wilfully, and others choosing
darkness rather than light? Certainly we
do. Then how dare we say catholic spirit,
or charity towards them? We have said it,
and acted it, until, being habitually found
partaking of others’ sins by bidding them
“good speed,” we have learned to love it,
and thus our energv and zeal in propagating
the cause of truth has been paralyzed. Now,
what is to come of this? Baptists will grow
less and U'ss influential, anc( Protestantism
will grow more and more so. Within a few
years Roman Catholicism will be in power in
our land, and then her rebellious daughters,
finding their offended parent in power, will
qladly take shelter under her pardoning wing,
and Baptists will be left to fight the battle.
Their ministers, if there be any bold enough
to stand up and “ fight for the faith once de
livered to the saints,” will be sacrificed at
the stake, and the membership driven from
the continent. All this a catholic spirit is
bringing upon us. We are bringing it upon
ourselves, by permitting Pcdobaptism and
Catholicism to steadily increase, and we, in
stead of crying out against their creeds and
pushing our doctrines to the uttermost parts
of the earth, are assisting them by allowing
them to crush the truth, while we have a
Catholic spirit. These two powers, the
mother and daughter, will one day be reuni
ted into one common family. Then Baptists’
blood be upon their own heads.
But a great many object to this system of
teaching. Hence we propose to enunciate
two or three of the principal objections, and
review them.
1. It is wrong to teach our doctrines to our
children, because it deprives them of freedom
to choose.
If this is to be admitted as our argument
against teaching children doctrines which we
believe to be correct, and the only correct
doctrines, then it follows that we must refuse
to teach them principles of morality, which
we believe to be right, because it will deprive
them of freedom to choose. We at once see
that this argument, as an objection, proves
too much. But really, there is no destruc
tion of freedom to choose. They cannot
choose what shall be right, and what wrong,
and it be so. The things are either right or
wrong, and we are to teach them what we
believe—what we know (if plain Scripture is
a knowledge) to be right and wrong. This is
where the choice is found. But it is objected
to teaching our views in Sabbath school, that
we do not know where to introduce them nor
to what extent. Dr. Armitage, in an address
before the Southern Baptist Convention, at
Macon, Ga., last year, said : “ The place for
teaching distinctive Baptist views in a Bap
tist Sunday school, is exactly where it would
be if there were none other but Baptist Sun
day schools in existence.” This little tract
shows clearly the place for them, and it should
be in the hands of every Sunday school
teacher in the land. It costs but about two
cents. Send to J. R. Graves for one of the
40c. packages, and study this subject.
2. The minister or pastor would injure him
self with his own flock , were he to be always
teaching Baptist doctrines.
This objection is made forcible only by his
own teaching. He has all the time neglected
to teach his flock his doctrines, and they are
ignorant of them, and cannot see the incon
sistency of silence on these subjects. He has
even neglected this until his members would
see the Baptist 'cause imposed upon for weeks
before they would attempt to defend it. They
ooujd not defend it, because they are not suf
ficiently versed themselves. Hence they
cannot-see any necessity for talking on these
subjects, pf which they know nothing. The
minister has not only neglected to teach his
doctrines, but has denounced the practice, and
of course his flock will condemn him for the
practice. These facts not only destroy the
objection, but they make the duty more ob
vious.
3. If the minister preaches our peculiar
and distinctive views, he will INJURE the
cause, rather than promote it.
This objection is utterly without founda
tion, and yet seems to be the most plausible
with most objector?. Did any doctrine ever
meet greater resistance than do the pure doo
trines of salvation by in coming in
contact with the sin-immersed soul ? And
because the doctrines are repugnant, do our
ministers refuse to preach them ? No. Do they
WHOLE NO. 2494
come to the sinner denouncing him in harsh
terms, as a thief, a liar, a murderer, wretch,
deserving to be cast out of society, and simi
lar epithets, or do they come teaching these
very same truths in mild, gentle language,
wooing and beseeching him in love to forsake
the errors of his way. Harsh terms would
drive him from the cross, while the same
doctrine, taught in love, brings him to the
cross. So in teaching our doctrines, we may
not expect to succeed by overwhelming our
opposers in our fury and indignation. But
teach our doctrines to our own people zeal
ously in love. Point out errors wherever
found, in love, in such a manner as not to
give offence by our style. The objection
stated above, is to the style, and not to the
truths to be taught. Now, shall all desert
the cause of truth, which has been preserved
for eighteen hundred years, and can be traced
by the blood of those who frefely shed it in
defending the truth, and permit it to be lost
in persecution, simply because a few injure
the cause, not by teaching, but by their style
of teaching? Rather let us, Stephen-like,
die, contending for the faith in love.
J. M. Robbrtson.
Marion, Ala.
Our Burdens.
To conquer pain
And sorrow in our earthly pilgrimage,
We must not seek, because we seek in vain
To cast them from us j but must welcome them
As heavenly messengers in earthly weeds;
And them, as such, home taking to our hearts,
There tend and comfort them, with patient love
And meek endurance, for the sake of Him
Who sends theml So through the darkest vail, at
length,
Should brightness pierce, and we should know the face
Os “ angels entertained unawares.”
Fashionable Church Music.
A correspondent of the Advance furnishes a literal re
port of the rendering of one passage of the hymn, “ Rock
of Ages,” by a church choir. It was as follows :
“ Shoo-boo-hood my-hi-te-hears
For-eh-ever-her flow-ho,
Sboo-hoo hood my-hi-ze-beal
No languor kno-ho,
Thi-his for her si-hin could
No-hot ah-ha-to-hone,
Tbou-how inuh hust sa-have,
And thou-how ah ha-alone,
In my hand no price I bring;,
Simply to thy craw-hoss I-hi cliug.”
A Pastor’s Influence.
A messenger came to a city pastor, request
ing his attendance at a funeral. He accom
panied the messenger at once, and found the
mother of a family lying dead. One child
was clinging to the dead form ; another was
on the floor, and the father, too, stretched out
in beastly intoxication. It was a sight to
fill one with grief and horror. Said the mes
senger to the pastor : “Do you know these
people's” No, indeed.” “Do you remem
ber a wedding at such a place and time ?”
“ Yes,” said the pastor. “ And do you re
member urging the use of wine, saying that
it was a good creature of God ?” “I do not
recollect,” said the pastor, “ but such has been
my view.” “ Urged by you, his pastor, that
bridegroom yielded for once. At a subse
quent wedding he yielded again. The barrier
was broken down. He had been an inebri
ate and had reformed. But from the day of
the second wedding he went down, and here
is the result of your influence.
The scene went home to the heart of that
good man. He returned to confess his sin
and pray for mercy, and thenceforth to set
an example of total abstinence,. judging with
the great apostle that it was good not to drink
wine, whereby his brother stumble.th.
Christ, the End of Philosophy.—Schell
ing, in common with most educated Germans
of the last two generations, was disposed,
through his active manhood, to regard philos
ophy as the sum of human wisdom, and the
only source of truth. But in advancing age
he felt how weak it was as a prop to lean
upon, and became a genuine believer in the
gospel of Christ. At the time we speak of,
a distinguished English clergyman visited
him and spent some hours in his stately
library, discussing the merits of the various
systems of philosophy. At length Schelling
arose, and reaching down the Greek Testa
ment, and turning to Romans xi: 36, read
in the original that immortal text, “For of
Him, and through Him, and to Him, are all
things: to whom be glory for ever and ever.
Amen.” Closing up the 4xiok, he said, with
sublime emphasis : “ That is the end of all
philosophy
“ Gray Hairs and Fifty.” —Rev. J. Q.
Bittinger, in a communication to the Congre
gationalist, announces his disbelief in the
“ Dead Line of Fifty.” He concedes the at
tractions and graces of youthfulness, but ar
gues that young people care little for wrinkles
and white hairs, provided their minister has
a young heart. “ I have in mind,” says he,
“ many gray-haired ministers, who are not
only in the fifties, but are well into the sixties,
who have to-day a stronger hold upon their
congregations than at any period of life; but
they are men of spirit and energy —men who
live in the teeming now, and meet its pres
sing demands,"and who draw out'of the store
house, not the sermon they preached thirty
or forty years ago, but something that has
been thought up in the present hour and for
the present hour.”
A Singular Ground of Change.— Ihe
Irish Correspondent of the Nashville Chris
tian Advocate says : An Episcopalian has just
been proselyted to Presbyterianism by a
horse. The animal thus proselyted : A re
tired Presbyterian minister sold his horse to
an Episcopal neighbor, who harnessed the
animal, and set out on the Sabbath for his
usual place of worship. On heading for the
church the horse refused, and made off at a
high gallop in the direction of the meeting
ho°use, where he brought himself and the as
tonished driver at a stand still. The occu
pant of the vehicle was cordially received,
and has taken a pew in the Presbyterian
church.
Half-Day Christianity. — A large num
ber of Christian people have got in the habit
of staying at homo half a day on Sunday, and
it seems like a great undertaking to change
it. But Christians ought to feel that in going
to church, they are not to suit every whim
and gratify every mood. They ought not to
go to hear this or that preacher, but to wor
ship God, and to worship Him publicly. Such
a service has a marked effect on the individ
ual. It is one of the most important means
of grace, and nothing can take its place. And
even if one felt confident that he could gain
as much good to his own soul by staying at
home part of the Sabbath, he ought to make
a personal sacrifice for the good of others;
for other Christians and irreligious persons
will be influenced by this example.
A Preventive of Church Bickerings.
The human mind is very much like a mill.
As long as the hopper is full, all goes on well
and profitably; |but when the hopper gets
empty, the upper and nether mill stones are
very apt to go to grinding each other. It is
so with church members—while their hands
are full there is unity and concord, but when
they find nothing else to do, there is danger
of their coming into collision with one another
and falling to devouring and biting each other.
Let the members of every church see to it
that their hoppers are always full, and thus
avoid the danger.