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About Christian index and South-western Baptist. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1866-1871 | View Entire Issue (June 23, 1870)
CHRISTIAN SOUTH-WESTERN BAPTIST. YOL, 49-NO. 25. {s3 00 A YEAR.} FRANKLIN PRINTING HOUSE, ATLANTA, GA., THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 1870. Is3oo A YEAR. 1 WHOLE NO. 2495. A RELIGIOUS AND FAMILY PAPER, PUBLISHED WEEKLY IN ATLANTA, GA AT $3.00 PER ANNUM, Invariably in Advance. J. J. TOON, Proprietor. The Babe of Bethlehem. ’Twas then Thy potent word, paternal God, The heaven of heavens in radiant splendors drest; And earth and ocean robed in living vest, To angel hosts Thy glories spread abroad. Then sang the morning stars with tongues of flame, Thrones, powers, dominions, tuned the golden lyre, And ecstacy of praise entranced the choir, Who worship, love, adore the Eternal Name. Awhile they pause—the archangel’s harp is still— Wbat mighty wonder wraps the seraph’s mind ! Lo! from übove, to visit human kind, Jesus descends, as dew on Hermon’s Hill, Light, life and bliss, >ea, heaven, is left for earth, And God as man, and formed of kindred clay, Resigns His throne—ihe throne of boundless day— And ’mid the sons of men claims humble birth. Down radiant climes of everlasting light, In worlds beyond worlds above the solar height, Celestial myriads dart the sleepless eye; Behold the Babe—the God whom angels hail, AnH glory kindling round the mortal veil, Awakes to new born praise the hosts on high. And tnen began the soul-impassioned song, Glory to God resounds on every string ; To Thee, the invisible, the eternal King; Unfolding heavens the mighty theme prolong, While to the.r fellows, blissful seraphs cry, And cherubim to cherubim reply, Glory to God on high, And peace for man through Jesus born to die, John Barton Gilbert. Stewart county , Ga., Jane 4:th, 1870. The Autobiography of an Old Pilgrim. ( Continued.) Dreams and visions, like those I have re ported, are doubtless designed for good. They are mercies sent; but, like every other mercy, they are sometimes sadly abused. They are abused when construed as evidence that we are the peculiar favorites of Heaven. They afford no such evidence. As already inti mated, they are imparted, not as rewards of merit, but as tokens of free, unmerited grace, dispensed according to the sovereign will of the Creator, and not according to the merit of the creature. So far from furnishing evidence of any peculiar sanctity on our part, or of our being held in higher esteem in heaven than others, they do not even afford evidence that we have been registered in the Lamb’s book of life as His redeemed. “Search the Scriptures,” said the Saviour to the Jews, “ for in them ye think ye have eternal life, and they are they which testify of rne ” —whom they* persisted in rejecting. There is the same necessity and equal pro priety in addressing that admonition to those persons, in the present day, who rely on their dreams, or visions, or on any past exercises of the heart, for evidenceof their acceptance with God. There are many tests laid down in God’s word to assist us in deciding the all important question, “ Do I love the Lord or no f Am I His or am I not ?” But in neither the Old nor New Testament is it written, By this ye shall know whether ye have passed from death unto life ; have been truly converted, or are indeed the children of God ; ye shall have seen strange sights, had visions of glory, clear discoveries of divine truth, rapturous emotions of the heart, etc. As the Saviour summed up the command ments and reduced them to two, so may I sum up and reduce to two particulars the evidence of our being true disciples of Jesus, viz: that we love God and keep His com mandments. These may again be further re duced and summed up in one: That we have the spirit of Christ; for it is written, “ If any one have not the spirit of Christ, he is none of His.” The spirit of Christ led Him to love the Father, and that love prompted Him to obey His Father in all things and at all times. He tells us that lie came not, to do His own will, but the will of the Father who sent Him. “ Not as 1 will, but as Thou wilt, was His language when called upon to drain the dregs of that bitter cup that was placed in His hands, when lie undertook to satisfy the demands of Justice in our behalf. So concise, so clear and so explicit is the teaching of God’s word, in reference to the evidence of our having passed from death unto life, that no one need remain in doubt on that subject one day, or even one brief hour. If we walk in darkness, it is not be cause there is not sufficient light given to en able us to discover where we are, whither we are bound, or what manner of persons we are, but it is because we will not come to the li<dit. If any shrink from the light —shun it will not come to it —excuse themselves as they may, the truth is, they are conscious that their deeds are evil, and, therefore, fear to come to it, lest their evil deeds be reproved, their conscience troubled, and they compelled to renounce either their evil deeds or their hope of heaven. They wish to hold on to their hope of heaven, while unwilling to cor rect their evil habits and forsake their evil ways. So decides, not the writer of this arti cle, but the Eternal Son of God. Remembrance of my own past experience, my groping and groaning in darkness, — excites within me feelings of sympathy and tender solicitude for those who are now at ease in Zion. O that they were wise; that they would consider the danger of remaining at ease in their present state, open their eyes, turn to the light, and walk in it ! Soon should the day-star arise in their souls, light arise in obscurity, the darkness of midnight be converted into the light ot noon-day, their peace be as a river, and their righteousness as the waves of the sea, ever deepening and widening as it rolled onward to the boundless ocean of eternity. But, dear reader, Jesus feels for you much-more than I do. lie is “ the light of the world.” He bids you, vile, depraved, ungrateful, demented as you have been, “Come unto me.” Obey Him, heed His call, rush into His outspread arms. He will disperse your darkness, relieve you of your doubts and fears, and grant you an as surance of eternal life. I have conversed with—not a tew—but very many—professing Christians, who, when called upon for a reason for the hope they in dulge that they are children of God, would reffr to dreams, to their past exercises, or to some particular tokens of divine mercy that had been granted to them. I will report a few of these cases. 1. A lady reported that she w r ent to bed one night heavily burdened with a sense of her guiltiness before God. During the night she dreamed that she was standing on the bank of a pond and fell into it. lhat while struggling in the water she saw a man upon the bank of the pond ; she cried for help, and the man came and rescued her from a watery grave. She awoke and found her burden gone. That was the entire sum and substance of her narrative. There was no recognition of the Saviour in her deliverer, no allusion to her views of sin, or of the way of salvation from it. She had felt burdened in her mind when she went to bed. Whether the burden she felt was induced by her views of her state as a sinner, or by a defect in the operation of her digestive organs, we had no means of as certaining. The ignorance of Jesus and the way of salvation through Him, which she evinced, when interrogated on the subject, led me to conclude that the relief she experienced was ascribable to one of two natural causes— if not to the combined influence of both : Either to the pleasant sensations induced by her imaginary deliverance from imaginary danger, or to the effect of sleep in promoting the digestion of undigested food in the stom ach. That undigested food in the stomach is liable to produce depression of spirits, and that sleep accelerates the powers of digestion, are facts known to others as well as to physi cians. 2. An old, red faced, dram-drinking dea con related k very good experience. He had been favored with clear views of the evil of his sins, and of the way of salvation ; had ob tained a sudden cheering hope of the pardon of his sins, was sound in the faith, believed in the sovereignty and grace of God, but was not careful to show his faith by his works. To his experience I could urge but two objec tions : one, that it was too antiquated ; the other, that it was barren, yielding no fruit, or other evidence of spiritual vitality. 3. The third case was that of a minister who told of his arduous labors and of the many who had professed conversion under his ministry. He seemed to base his hope of acceptance with God more upon his own works than upon the great work of salvation performed by the Lord Jesus Christ. He seemed to be ignorant of the fact, that it is the truth as it is in Jesus, and not the man who proclaims it, that is made the power of God unto salvation, in every case of genuine con version. There have been instances in which God has blessed the truth to the conviction of a sinner, when it has been uttered by avowed infidels, and that with a view to make a mock of religion, and to hinder rather than to pro mote the salvation of souls. God sets the seal of His approbation upon His truth, by whomsoever proclaimed, and not upon the proclaimer. 1 will conclude this article by reminding the reader, that all the evidence that we are the children God (that is sanctioned in the word of God) is present evidence. There is no promise in God’s word to any one for faith once manifested, for love once exercised, for obedience once rendered, for the spirit of Christ once cherished. To assure ourselves of oar calling and election, we must, there fore, now believe in Jesus, now love Him, now obey Him, now cherish His spirit, now deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow the Saviour whithersoever He may lead us, oppose us whoever may, whether father, or mother, or son, or daughter, or brother, or sister, or husband, or wife, and come what will of it; whether riches or poverty, ap plause or reproach, honor or dishonor, life or death. All who would enjoy the sweet assu rance ofeternal life, be they awakened sinners, penitent hypocrites, contrite backsliders or timid, doubting Christians, must seek it of the same Saviour, as poor, needy, helpless, guilty, justly condemned sinners, who have no merit of their own to recommend them to His favor. Abdiel Nekoda. Mercer University. It is a fixed fact that Mercer University is to be moved from Penfield. The object in moving it, is to secure a better and more commanding location. In selecting the proper location, many things are to be considered. 1. What objections exist against the pres ent location ? The answer is, that it is ineligibly situated. It is too remote from railroads and scenes of activity ; it offers too few inducements to the spirit of progress of the present day to secure the attendance of students. 2! What is now required in its location to make it successful ? The answer is, that it be located at some central point, easy of access by railroads, where it can command health, good water, salubrious and bracing atmosphere; where persons from all sections of the country can resort to spend the summer; where there is life, activity, progress and enterprise; and where there will be offered to students the greatest stimulants to learning, and incentives to virtuous emulation. When such a location as described shall be secured, then will be laid the foundation for an institution of learning, upon which its friends and patrons can build with an assu rance of realizing their most sanguine expec tations. While we will say nothing to dis parage the claims of the many cities compe ting for the honor of having the institution located in their midst, we take the liberty of presenting the claims of Atlanta to the con sideration of those having in charge its loca tion ; and we believe she possesses in an eminent degree all the requisites demanded for success. And if any other city can pre sent as many and as weighty inducements to success as Atlanta, then let the money con sideration prevail between the two, and let it be located where it can accomplish the great est good and reflect the highest honors upon the denomination that should justly feel proud of its triumphs. When that great and good man, Jesse Mercer, and his Christian brethren, selected Penfield as a site for a Baptist University, their object was to incor porate manual labor with mental and religious exercises; and the place was well selected for that day and purpose. They wished to dig nify labor and make it honorable, and believed they could better succeed in the country than in a town or city. But when the manual labor was dispensed with, it was found by experience, that the College was in the wrong place—it was too isolated, and interest in its behalf could not be awakened there. And but for its unfortunate location, it would now be the leading institution of learning in the South. 11 is true that the largest monied consider ation offered will be a great inducement to its location. But while the friends of the Institution should use commendable zeal to get all the money possible, for an endowment, they should consider that, when once located, it will be permanent; and money can never give it the character and patronage which the location will. If it could, why not raise large sums of money and increase its usefulness and elevate its character in its present locali ty ? The fact cannot be denied, that, since the war, we have become a progressive peo ple ; and what answered well enough before, is now cast aside to give place to new ideas and new theories. The man who sends his son to College now, wants him where he can see all that is to be seen, to learn all that can be learned, to hear all that can be heard, and to derive all possi ble advantages by precept and example. He don’t wish his son situated off at some point where there is little to be seen, and where information other than his studies is to be sought at other places; ffiut he wants him at the great head of the State, where the sour ces of information all concentrate, and when he and family v'sit his son, they may also be edified and instructed. Then let us see what inducements the city of Atlanta presents to the friends of the Institution. As to health, there can be no doubt, as every physician here will testify. The water is good except in the heart of the city, which was injured by the wells having been filled with salt, iron and rubbish by Gen. Sherman, when he destroyed the city. The scenery is beautiful and commanding, aud the air pure and salubrious. At a given stand point in the city, you see the beautiful Kennesaw Mountain, which, in after years, will become classic from the scenes of the late war. Again, you see that majestic pile of granite, the Stone Mountain, looming up before you, equalled in beauty and grandeur only by itself; “for none other can be its parallel.” The country around is beautifully undulating, giving ample security against miasma and diseasesarising therefrom. The spires of the numerous churches meet your gaze at every turn, and challenge your admi ration. And on Sabbath morn, when the church bells peal their sacred notes to sum mon the followers of the cross to meet around the sacred altars, the citizens forget the ex citement of the past week, and rejoice that the word of promise is still preached where, a short time since, amid scenes of war, the trumpet’s clangor and the cannon’s roar alone was heard. The march of improvement is progressing here with giant strides. Soon there will be erected here the finest hotel in the South. The Fair Grounds will soon present an ap pearance of beauty taste and usefulness, far in advance of anything of the kind witnessed by the citizens of the State, and will draw at its Fairs from fifty to seventy-five thousand per sons, interested in everything that pertains to the prosperity of the State. There can be enumerated the Supreme Court of the State, the United States Court, and other Courts; and the Medical College of the State, which all young men who wish to make law or medicine their study, can have an opportunity of attending, and will be stimulated to renewed energy. The Capitol of the State is permanently located here, and the Legislature, during its sessions, as well as the Courts, will draw immense crowds from every portion of the State. All of these places can be attended by the stu dents without extra cost or inconvenience. Atlanta is emphatically a live city, and will, in ten years, number seventy-five thousand inhabitants. Already the attention of the people of the State have been directed to At lanta, to make her the great seat of learning. The Oglethorpe College will soon spring up on her confines, and commence its duties. And should the prospect for the success of the Mercer University be better in Atlanta than other places, then let her Trustees select a suitable location near the city, to which street cars can be run, and by a street rail read make the College accessible to all parts of the city. Let surplus funds, if necessary, be invested in the stock. It will pay a good dividend, and the influence street cars, loaded with students, morning, noon and evening, will have upon the public, will secure to the College, at all times, a patronage and inter est that nothing else can. The writer of this article is not a Baptist, but belongs to another denomination, and yet he is willing to aid by all the means at his com mand to establish Mercer University here, and make it a shining and a burning light in the cause of education. He will ever hold sacred the name of Jesse Mercer, whose name so well becomes the Institution, and who de serves to have a cenotaph erected near the College, more lasting than brass, to commem orate his Christian virtues. It is due to the great divine, to the cause of religion and to the cause of the Baptist denomination whose servant he was, and for whom he so faithfully and ably labored, to so locate and manage the University as to make it as useful and emi nent in imparting useful knowledge, as its founder was useful and eminent in preaching the doctrines of the cross. The above facts and suggestions are placed before the public, with the that they may receive the consideration they deserve. Citizen. History—lll. Attention to history is conducive to the love of virtue. Faithful history is an unvarnished tale of facts. It may tell us of tyranny , but it does not always in a direct manner say anything to induce us to condemn the tyrant. It records the deed, but leaves posterity to judge the man. Misery, with imploring look, may raise her cry, and raise that cry in vain ; the people among whom the sufferer lives may neglect him and even add to his sufferings; justice may then appear to have fled from the society of men ; but generations to come will pity his misfortunes and vindi cate his cause. It has been sometimes said that the reading of piratical tales has the tendency to encour age deeds ot piracy on the part of those who are roving and adventurous. A pirate’s con fession on the scaffold has been alleged as a proof of such a tendency. We regard cases of this kind as exceptions with regard to this tendency, not as the general rule. Cases such as we have alluded to may perhaps be accounted for. The young man that is bold and daring is not necessarily one that would delight in taking human life. It is indeed lamentable, that he has read some tale of blood, and that his attention has been attracted to such an awful field for the exerciee of a daring dispo sition ; but, if he is a young man noted for the kindness of his heart, that same disposi tion would have been as willingly exercised had he been called to act as a pioneer in some unexplored region of the world, or had he been called to lead on to the storming of some almost impregnable fortress. His spirit of adventure, (not necessarily sinful) has been an occasion of temptation, the means of leading him astray, just as a cheerful disposition may mislead. Though we have alluded to this subject, as connected with the principle which has been stated, yet we bear in mind that we are not considering the influence of the reading of piratical tales, but the influence of the reading of history. Even though we should admit that all is true that is said of the former, yet we still hold that the influence of history on the feelings of the heart is of the most benefi cial character. It is, however, alleged, that by reading works of fiction the same favorable influence is exerted—that thus we are taught to hate sin. We admit that in works of fiction, vice is brought before us, but too frequently does the author so artfully manage his story that the basest crimes of the hero of the tale are all expiated by himself and all to be forgiven and forgotten by us. That hero, perchance, has performed one liberal act, and for this you must forgive a whole life of crime. That hero possesses tal ent, and you must weep tears of sympathy over him on account of it. That hero has been a sufferer, and you are led to regard his sufferings as a sufficient punishment, and you cannot find it in your heart to condemn him. History, however, makes no such demands as these. She does not call upon us to for give the murderer for his liberality or his sufferings. It is true, that if we read of some that have sinned in a dark age of the world, we can make allowance for want of light; but in the reading of history, w« do not love the miser because he is a scholar ; we do not love the cruel man because he is brave; we con demn that which is dishonorable or vile under whatever circumstances it is found. A writer (Pope) has said “ the proper study of mankind is man.” When one in ancient times said, “ I am a man and feel a concern in whatever relates to mankind,”* the plaudits of the audience showed the estimation in which the §entiment was held. ~ *# * Homo sum, humani nihil a m* alienum puto. (Terence.) t Many years ago, there appeared, \ in a re ligious Review, an article«ntiiled,“The moral likeness of men, an encouragement for mis sionary labor.” Afid this likeness is an en couragement. We have all, in common, de praved natures, yet we have all, in common, human hearts and human sensibilities. It is true that the hearts of some may seem less human than the hearts of others, and the sen sibilities of some more blunted than the sensi bilities of others ; yefc*we shall find man to be man wherever we roam.'. When we reflect upon the struggle of our forefathers for inde pendence, our bosoms anrfilled with indigna tion at the thought of the base, the unnatural conduct of a Benedict Arnold. The same feel ing arises in our hearts, as we behold the cruel, the ambitious Macbeth, in his own house, murdering his aged, his unoffending sovereign. Os such we say, “ O my soul, come not thou into their secret, unto thier assembly mine honor be not thou united ” Our sympathies are aroused, as we think of Columbus toiling in the service of a Euro pean monarch, deprived qf his rights and hon ors, deserted by that monarch and dying of a broken heart. We read of “ The oppressor’s wrong;, the,nroud man’s contumely, The insolence ol'otficA and life spurns • That patient merit of the urtworlhy takes.” The'consideration ofL e.se .things makes us more than ever the enemy of oppression and strengthens the cords of alfcdtion that bind us to the good. B. W. Wiiilden. The Still, Smilll Voice. I have a Friend, a tried and tnjsty Friend; In joy, in grief, in danger, .ever near; And whom He loves. He joVeth to the eud, I cannot see Him now;” .but oft I hear His still, small voice. I wandered up and down, and found no rest; My heart was like a lost and homeless bird : I was a wight forlorn, a wretch unblest; A waif upon the waters —’tyl I heard His still, smalt voice. I heard—and from the dreadful dream of sin Amazed awoke. Old things were passed away; I could no longer be what I had been, All I forsook, and hastened to obey His still, small voice. My Shepherd’s voice! It led me to the springs, The living sprirgs o£God jeSn fields of bliss It led and fed ray soul’s deep hungerings; It was so full of powei aim*gentleness— His still, small voice. And it has led me to this day, and still Doth lead ; a Presence and a Light Thro’ all my way ; and I will fear no ill, Discerning Him, in thickesj shades of night, ■> His still, small voice. Old School Presbyterian. ,r~ A Good Mo^ment. A Christian lady had been absent from the State for some time. On her return home she happened to be till Sabbath afternoon reaching her destination. As she sat on her seat in the cars, the newsboy came round with his books and papers, but she found no reli gious literature—nothing for Sabbath read ing. Impressions were made upon her heart, while thought became active as to what good might be inaugurated to counteract this evil. Calling the little boy to her, she said : “ Are you willing to distribute religious tracts on this train next Sunday, if I will give them to you, and not sell this light literature? Are you willing to try it one Sabbath, and see if you will not sell just as much the ensuing week?” The boy consented.to do so, and report the So the good sister has en gaged to continue to fun tracts so* long as he will distribute the AT. f " * Here is inaugurated a System of colportage that may be rendered very efficient, and at the same time very cheap. Suppose every newsboy were furnished with tracts for the Sabbath, even admitting that many of them would continue to sell their books and papers, yet having religious tracts for gratuitous cir culation, many travellers would accept and read what was offered for nothing. Thus hun dreds and thousands of men and women who have no opportunity to hear the gospel—per haps no inclination to do so—may read some religious truth that, by the grace of God, may lead the soul to Christ. An efficient and zealous power might thus be taxed for the ad vancement of religion, that otherwise would not contribute to, but detract from it. It is suggested to the pious and benevolent as to whether this agency may not be pro perly and profitably subsidized for the ad* vancement of the Redeemer’s kingdom. May it not be that Providence is now opening this door, and bidding us lay our hands on this potent instrumentality for His glory ? Let not unbelief, and a want of wisdom and enterprise, prevent an experiment. VV. Is it Hot So? The fraternal criticism, by E. B. TANARUS., in the Index of June 7, of my communication, “ The Secret of Mr. Earle's Success ,” in the issue of May 26, suggests the following: It was very far from my purpose, in that communication, to depreciate, by contrast, the preaching ability or ordinary pulpit labors of the ministry. 1 had heard much, fur years, of Mr. E’s labors and success in “ bringing in sheaves,” and had also heard various rea sons given for his success. Only recently had I the opportunity to judge for myself wherein his grant strength lieth. For while it is to be acknowledged that in every instance of successful ministerial labor, the Holy Spirit i3 the efficient agent by whose mighty power souls are born into the Kingdom, yet it is undeniable that, admitting each case to be a genuine work of grace, the labors of some men are more abundantly blessed than are those of others. And one reason for this I believe is that these men possess the ability, natural or acquired, not only ot making them selves understood, —even errorists may do this, —but of so clearly presenting gospel truth, that the truth itself is embraced, though in no instance, perhaps, by all who hear. Now, in my humble opinion, Mr. Earle possesses in an uncommon degree the practi cal knowledge of human nature, and the tact for presenting gospel truth, which, with the blessing of the Hulv Spirit, secures success in preaching the gospel. And Mr. E.’s pos session of these gifts has been recognized by Pastor Landrum in a communication to the Index, in.which the opinion is expressed, that Mr. Earle would make a good lawyer. All will admit, I think, that the requisites for a good lawyer are, with grace in the heart, the best qualifications for an efficient and success ful preacher of the gospel. So far as Mr. Earle is personally concerned, it matters not whether the opinion and views expressed are correct or not. My only ob ject in the present, as it was in my former communication, is to point out, if possible, the “ best gifts," that all who preach the word may “ earnestly covet ” them. A Bible Baptist. Patronizing tiie Apostles. —A New York wag says that in a dream he saw Dr. Osgood meet St. Paul in the celestial world. The polite Unitarian approached him in a very patronizing style, and said : “Ah ! this is the Apostle Paul, is it? Well, Paul, I’m right glad to meet you. I used to say a good word for you very often down in the Church of the Messiah.” Praise. —One of the most essential pre parations for eternity is delight in prais God; a higher acquiiement, I think, than eve £ delight and devotadnass in prayer.— Chal mers. Let Error Sun its Course. Men may, by energy and perseverance, ac complish many apparent impossibilities ; but the one thing which neither strength of mus cle nor force of intellect can effect, is the ma king a successful resistance to the advance of Truth. The futikty of such an effort has been demonstrated in a thousand instances. The advocates of error often seem, in the opening of the Struggle, to have alt the ad vantages on their side. Many times they have held the power of the sword, and burned or tortured their opponents without mercy or stint. Many times have they held in their favor all that influence which old systems ac quire by reason of their age. Not seldom have they had wit and eloquence to plead their cause. But despite all these advanta ges, the advocates of error have never suc ceeded in gaining more than a temporary ad vantage. Truth, all the more powerful from its struggle, ha 9 eventually asserted its ma jesty, and borne down all opposition. God, who is her author, is her perpetual upholder; and though, for purposes of His inscrutable providence, He may sometimes permit her defeat, He will assuredly cause her to triumph in the end. jfgjMany who honestly seek the truth, and feel ready to recognize her wherever found, have a cow'ardly fear of error, and sometimes adopt its own weapons for its overthrow. We fear that the rack, the stake and dungeon, have not always been employed to defend falsehood. But those who have sought to uphold some good system by meansso unholy,havecompro misedthe righteousness of their cause, and have had reason to lament their mistake. Persecution'will make a bad cause respecta ble. Give it a martyr, and however abomin able may be its principles, it will have a hold on the he mage of mankind. But let it alone, aud error will die. It is only when resisted that it becomes dangerous. There are many who have not confidence enough in their opinions to listen to what may be said on the other side of the ques tion. They persistently close their ears to whatever an opponent may say. They will not read a book if they know that it contains sentiments adverse to their own. Perhaps this is the great secret of persecution. To minds afflicted with this cowardly dread of error, the thumb screw will seem a more po tent means of conviction than the best con structed syllogism. They will deem it easier to burn an opponent than to refute his argu ments. They find it pleasanter to torture his body than to tax their own brains. They will burn a book that they actually fear to read, thereby betraying the weakness of their own convictions, and a distrust of their abili ty tQ withstand the allurements of what they call error. The right course is neither to fear nor per secute, but to quietly await the development of error which will certainly ensue if it be left alone. Anew theory is sometimes pre sented to us, with strange premises and start ling conclusions. It may be a demon, —it may be an angel. Let us examine before we accept or condemn. If it be a truth, it may bless the world and advance the race, and to fight against it will, in the end, only make us ridiculous. It may, indeed, be well to avoid giving too ready credence; but we should strive to avoid prejudice. But we need not be alarmed about it, whatever may be its na ture. If it he truth.it must and.will pre vail ; if it be falsehood, it will, as'surely as night follows day, develop itself and perish. L. “H. C. H.” and "W. T. R.” The above is the caption of an editorial of Dr. Shaver in his paper of May the 19th. Were it not that I promised in my last, that after my return from the Baptist College, Tenn., 1 would furnish weekly articles to the Index until the discussion between Dr. Shaver and myself, upon Apostolic Succession closed, I would not write a single sentence more: but believing that an explanation is due me and those whose views I have represented in this debate, before laying down rny pen, I write these lines. My explanation is this: When a disputant, either in a written or oral discussion with me, expresses a desire to drop the subject, I have no further disposition to continue it. I did not begin the discussion with my worthy brother, Dr. Shaver, there fore 1 allow him to say when to quit. My last article has not been met, but only alluded to; and in the closing sentences of the Dr’s editorial he says: “When two writers find it so difficult to apprehend each other’s posi tion, what fruit can come of discussion be tween them ? Might they not as well smoke the calumet of peace and have done with pen strife?” “So moteit be.” Withexpressions of respect and a desire for the health, long life and usefulness of my distinguished friend, I subscribe myself his obedient servant, W. T. R. '£?La Fayette, Ga., June B th, 1870. jpgjT* We reciprocate the kind feelings of our brother, and wish him well. But may we say that he began the discussion, if not with us indi vidually, with the paper, and therefore indirectly with us—attacking the position which we had avowed and had been constrained to defend? We do not complain of-this: he had a perfect right to do it. Neither do we complain of even a word that has fallen from his pen daring the discus sion. Stoue Creek Church. This church, located in Twiggs county, Ga., about ten miles below the city of Macon, was constituted in 1808—Micajah Fulgham and Henry Hooten, Presbytery. V. A. Tharp was called as pastor in 1811, and continued in that office till his death, in 1825. Affection ate and honorable mention is made of him as pastor, in the minutes of that date. Impress ive funeral services were held over his re mains, placed before the pulpit. In 1825 Hiram Powell, having started in the ministry, asked aid of the church to con stitute another, in the 6th district of Hous ton county, while yet the Indians were nu merous in the county. For nearly two years after the death of V. A. Tharp, Theo. Pearce and Charnock A Tharp were joint pastors, as it would appear from the record. In those days it seems to have been the custom to have two or three, or more sermons, at the same sitting. About the year 1829, they had the services, occasionally, of Jno. M. Gray, and B. B. Buchannan; the one the most pious and consistent, the other the most eloquent of preachers. About the same time appear as preachers James Lunsford, John Davis, Wade, Austin Ellis, Fort, Adam Jones and Williams. About the year 1834, Rev. A. T. Holmes preached occasionally for the church, while pastor at Macon. So, also, appear Jno. McKenzie, an able expounder of the word of God, and Wilson Connor, a sort of apostolic father in the churches. The name of Abisha Hone appears in 1837. In March of that year, they passed the following: “ Resolved , That we open our doors for the reception of members who may have been, or may hereafter be excluded from anti-mis sionary churches because they are friendly to benevolent institutions; provided there be 'satisfactory evidence that this was the only charge against them.” This was at the time of the division of the great Baptist family upon the subject of missions, and fixes the status of that church upon this subject. It shows, also, their view of the rights ol churches; and the view they entertained ol the right to keep out a member improperly excluded. In 1837, the name of Jno. Hughes appears as preacher. In 1838, that of B. F. Tharp, then a student at Mercer University. In 1839, Lewis Solomon and W. D. Horne com menced the work of the ministry—the latter ordained by Thos. Curtis and H. Ellis. Thos. Curtis, then pastor at Macon, frequently preached, in his wonted eloquence and power, for this church. The church rejoiced in h's occasional labors, and sincerely sorrowed when they learned of his death by the burn ing of the steamer on the Chesapeake. In 1840 the church started anew interest in Jones county, which ended in the constitu tion of a church near Camp Hope? In 1844 C. D. Mallary, then a resident of Twiggs county, frequently preached for the church. Mention is also made of the services of Sher wood and Sanders. In 1850 they bdilt the present elegant church edifice, which was dedicated in Sept, of that year. In 1856 C. A. Tharp resigned the care of the church, because he was no longer able to be pastor; which was read by the church, and a day of fasting and prayer was appointed in view of it. In 1857, S. Landrum was pastor. G. R. McCall'began in 1858, and ended in 1863. Washington Tharp was pastor in 1863 and ’64; G. R. McCall again in 1865, since which time W. 1). Hone has been its pastor. The church has ordained and sent forth several ministers: Hiram Powell, C. A. Tharp, James McDonald, “ the eloquent Irishman,” who died recently, in the up country, Hiram McCullers, W. D. Horne, James Pearson, Theo. Pearce, Jno. Dennis, R. A. Edmonds and Washington Tharp. Other ministers, though not ordained or licensed there, have been the result of the labors of this church. The history of this church furnishes us some matters for reflection. It is an old church, having existed for 62 years. It was long the custom for churches wishing the ser vices of a preacher, a member of another church, to apply for his services to the church rather than directly to the minister himself. That custom, though now abandoned, is found ed in good sense. Like other churches of that age, they practiced feet washing as a church ordinance, which has been long since abandoned. They observed the 4th of July as a day of Thanksgiving and prayer, which was a much better way than to observe it as a day of revelry and sin. They had more occasion to regard it with thanksgiving than we, their sons, who feel that it would have been better to remain under British tyranny, than under the present Radical aule. Dancing and popular amusements are con demned by this church, and members were excluded for these vices—to which practice it is hoped the churches will return. They had frequent revivals during the past half-century, the largest of which was in 1845, when about one hundred were added. For 45 consecutive years this church was under the pastoral care of two men, the father and the son—V. A. Tharp and C. A. Tharp. Few churches can show such a record. The church is located in a rich, landed dis trict, and considerable still abounds. Its record shows that its finances have bgen well managed, and hiinutes .properly pre-' served for sixty-two years. The people wor- # ship at that place for a distance of nearly 20 miles square, are all Baptists of the genuine stamp; and every effort to introduce Pedo baptism, and other errors, have hitherto proved in vain. Altogether, the past of this church is remarkable, and it is fervently prayed that its influence may never be less. Beta. Love for Souls. True Christian love is at once expansive and restricted. It yearns over the race; it fixes with special tenderness of interest on the in dividual. Os a minister who was prevented only by insurmountable difficulties, from de voting himself to the service of the heathen, we are told that he once said, with deep emo tion, in regard to a person who had gone far astray, “ 1 want that man’s soul; I must have him!” The two feelings are born into the heart, of one spirit; and that, the Spirit of God, who is love. Those who feel most truly, deeply, engrossingly, for the salvation of the world, are also those to whom particular cases of sin and impenitence are occasions of the liveliest sympathy and profoundest concern. The bosom that glows with universal love for souls, is precisely the bosom that gives forth, into divine, if not into human ears, the cry of strong desire, with respect now to one, and then another, and yet again another, and an other, “ I want that man’s soul!” To the Christ like, there is always some object of special affection and concern—some individ ual sinner whom they long to bring to Christ. Who stands now in that relation to you, reader ? Never Occurred. The following sentence occurs in the para graph quoted in your last issue from the Morning Star: “If the purest, most useful and self-denying, devoted saint on earth asks to receive the Lord’s Supper at their (the regular Baptists’) hands, they refuse him, unless he has complied with their notion of the order of the ordinances.” Has such a case as is here described ever occurred? or will one probably ever occur? 1 have been in the Baptist church fifty years save a few months, and in the ministry forty years. My opportunity for observing what occurs in our churches has been somewhat extensive. 1 have never yet known a “ saint” of another persuasion whose character would at all answer the description—“the purest, most useful, self-denying, devoted,” “ask” one of our churches to yield, for his sake, its conscientious and settled view of the “ order of the ordinances.” Such saints have a truer sense of Christian modesty and too much re spect forothers’ consciences rudely todemand, “ Give up your cherished creed and your wrong practice,” —and, if the demand is not complied with, raise the cry, “ Bigotry: your logic of exclusiveness annuls the logic of love.” No ; “ the purest, the devoted” saint readily awards to others what he humbly claims for himself—the rights of conscience. Such a saint has, too, a church home of his own, and does not feel the necessity of “ going abroad for joys,” and then uttering bitter complaints because thousands of Christian churches with which he has no ecclesiastical connection do not at once yield their “ no tions” of Christian and church propriety. The only case I have ever known of such asking as the Star represents, was that of a very sectarian, prejudiced, and rather mis chief-making member of another denomina tion, who made the request, doubtless wish ing to be denied, in order, if possible, to gain some fancied advantage over his Baptist neighbors.— Rev. L. Tracy, in Watch, dk Ref. “ The Best.” —A writer in the Nashville Christian Advocate says: “The Methodist Episcopal Church, South, is the best theologi cal school in the world!” A Song in the Night. An old College Professor, who had been afflicted with sleeplessness, a short time before his death wrote to a friend that he had derived great comfort iu his wakeful hours from repeating the following lines of some un known writer: “ When, courting slumber, The hours I number. And sad thoughts cumber My weary mind, The thought will cheer me That Thou art near me Whose ear to hear me Is well inclined. My soul Thou keepest, Who never sleeptst; ’Mid gloom the deepest, There’s light above. Thine eyes behold me, Thine arms enfold me; Thy word has told me That ‘God is love!’” Dr. Marsh and Lord Roden. Rev. Dr. Marsh, of England, once repeated the following lines to Lord Roden, telling him that they were composed by his old school master, Dr. Valpy, as his confession of faith. Lord Roden requested Dr. Marsh to write them down, and he fastened the the mantelpiece in his study : “ In peace let me resign my breath, And Thy salvation see; My sins deserve eternal death, But Jesus died for tne.” Some time after, General Taylor, one of the heroes of Waterloo, came to visit Lord Roden. He felt no interest in religion, but kept his eye fixed on this verse: At length Lord Roden ventured to say, “ Why, General, you will soon know that verse by heart.” “I know it now by heart" replied the General, with emphasis and feeling. The General be came entirely changed, and died two years after, repeating the lines which had led him to Christ. Lord Roden related these facts at a neigh bor’s, where a young officer from the Crimea was visiting. Some months after, as this of ficer lay on his death bed, he sent an urgent request for Lord Roden to visit him. On his entering the room, he held out his hand, re peating these simple lines,and adding, “They have been God’s message of peace to my soul.” Many years after, Dr. Marsh was paying a last visit to an old and valued friend. The aged friends were comparing years, when Mr. Maitland said, “I am not your equal in years, but I wish I were in wisdom and goodness.” Dr. Marsh pointed him to Christ, and quoted Dr. Valpy’s lines, and, at Mr. Maitland’s re quest, wrote down the verse for him. As he received it, he said, “ I shall wear it near my heart.” It was found there after his death. We have copied these lines, so signally blest, hoping that other eyes resting upon them may be led to adopt them as their own. Praying Families. Among a circle of four or five families, all shoots from the same parent stock, family piety blossomed with uncommon beauty, and bore fruits of rare excellence. As one child after another attained to years of accounta bility, the claims of their Redeemer were ac knowledged, and a place sought among his people. What was the secret of all this? We hear the answer in the very words of a member of the favored household. “ 1 trace this stream of holy influence back to the prayers of a pious ancestor. Grand father was an eminent man of God, and he prayed much for his children’s children—in the fields, in the woods, -at morning, mid day and evening. ' «He prayed for them to the third and fourth generations. His last years were literally spent in prayer. After losing his mind upon all other subjects, he could lead the family devotions as no one else could.” What blessings a praying parent may call down from heaven upon his children ! Happy indeed are those families in which God is honored, and His blessing invoked upon chil dren and children’s children; and wretched and poor beyond expression are those fami lies where God is forgotten or His name men tioned only to be profaned ! The parent who stays away from Christ is not only shutting himself from the kingdom, but is making it difficult for his children, who would, to en ter in. Church Activity. The pastor must first develop his own ac tivities, and he should be continually calling forth the talents, energies and sacrifices of his people. The pastor should be an executive man, if possible. This is one grand secret of Spurgeon’s success. 110 sets all his church members to some kind of work. Every pos sible variety of means must be employed to accomplish this. The pastor must appreciate and honor the workers. He must mark out work for the laymen. Many Christians are worthless because they have no one to tell them what to do. Churches must be thor oughly organized, so that every one shall have something to do. This organization must not be so formal as to destroy freedom of action and thought. Christian’s Hope. Dr. Richardson, in the second volume of the Memoirs of A. Campbell, gives an inter esting anecdote of Robert Owen, the moral of which is valuable. Mr. Owen visited Mr. Campbell, at Bethany, to make arrangements for their approaching discussion on the eviden ces of Christianity. “ In oneof their excursions about the farm, they came to Mr. Campbell’s family burying-ground, when Mr. Owen stopped, and addressing himself to Mr. Camp bell, said: ‘ There is one advantage I have over the Christian—/ am not afraid to die. Most Christians have fear in death; but if some few items of my business was settled, 1 should be perfectly willing to die at any moment.’ ‘Well,’ answered Mr. Campbell, ‘you say you have no fear in death; have you any hope in death?’ After a solemn pause, ‘No,’ said Mr. Owen. ‘Then,’ re joined Mr. Campbell, (pointing to an ox standing near.) ‘you are on a level with that brute. He has fed until he is satisfied, and stands in the shade, whisking off the flies, and has neither hope nor fear of death!” The Two Religions. —“ There are but two religions in all the world, the subjective and the objective, or, in othiy and better words, the religion of faith and the religion of forms. The religion of faith is best expressed in the expiring cry of an English martyr: ‘None but Christ, none but Christ!’ The religion of forms is known, in all its varieties, by pre senting as the object of highest veneration, rites and ceremonies, and saying, in effect: ‘Anything but Christ, everything but Christ.’ ” Godly Simplicity. —At the monthly meet ing of the students of Union Theological Seminary, which was addressed by one of our leading clergymen, Rev. Dr. Tyng attributed his success to the fact that he had never sought for eloquence, nor for literary reputation; but had simply and constantly preached the fullness of the Saviour’s love, repeating his theme over and over. Losses. —The Universe, a Romanist paper, says that 200,000 Irish children are lost to the Catholic faith in this country every year. Catholic children are very largely reached by our Sunday schools, though probably a great de.il more might be done in this way of loi ng ti Romanism and gaining to Christ.
