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CHRISTIAN INDEX AND SOUTH-WESTERN BAPTIST. m. 49—NO. 31. A RELIGIOUS AND FAMILY PAPER, PUBLISHED WEEKLY IN ATLANTA, OA AT $3.00 PER ANNUM, Invariably in Advance. jr. J. T O O NT, Proprietor. kow to Replenish the Treasuryjof the. Lord. Let Annie buy one ribbon less $ 1 00 And Fauny give one ring; 5 00 Grace sacriice one change of dress, 50 00 One sash aud fancy string. 8 00 let Julia from her next new suit One lace-trimmed ruffle spare; 8 00 The time required, one such to flute, Lot it be speut in prayer. [Blessing invaluable.) Let Mesdames A. B. C. and D. Their households watch with care; Each safe from waste (theft?) one ounce of tea, One needless luxury spare. [SO cts. per week X 4—J 2 00 Let Kate and Rose each take her turn With their wise ma’a consent, Each for one week, three dollars earn, (As Bridget left in Lent.) 6 00 Let Mary once with Jane forego Their pleasant carriage drive, i Saved 5 00] ADd help dear sister Abbie sew; [Earned 5 OUJ Thus save aud double five. 10 00 Let Susie save her furs with care, To serve next winter’s cold, And guard her dress from stain and tear 20 00 .That she may give her gold. Let Lizzie stop and think again, Ere she conclude to buy: “ This diamond’s cost might save lost men l J’H oivs its pbios —and try.” 500 00 605 00 The Eldership. When I first read your reply to my inquiries, it seemed that “deacons” were parted from “ elders” as from “ bishopsbut after re-reading it sev eral times, and the Scriptures, l find my confusion still in existence. The first point in my note was not that bishop and elder were not “ identical,” bishops being elders; but that the terms, (like “bishops and deacons” as found in Phil, i: 1) are not found together. This is true of the terms in Acts xx. They are parted by several verses. Os course I know that Paul addressed the same per sons whom Luke had styled elders , as those whom the Spirit had tnado “ overseers” of the flock —a term, clearly, in this place, descriptive , not titular. And this is strictly true of bishop, in its very ori gin and use throughout. Not so, however, of elder ; so that in writing of the officers of a church, if bishop should be named, deacon must of neces sity follow to make an exhaustive enumeration. Therefore, in writing to Timothy, Paul, after nam ing the qualifications of the bishop, follows this with those of the deacon. Afterwards, in men tioning elder and elders in the fifth chapter, dea cons do not appear. Is it not clear that in 1 fim. v: 17 a distinction is made between elders who simply rule and those who additionally labor in the word and doctrine —teaching ? Now, in Titus the record would seem to favor your view, i. e., that elder is restricted to bishop, unless the principle, the less is included in the greater, comes in, and the apostle deemed it unnecessary to add deacon and his qualifications. It strikes me as a gratuity to speak of all the apostles as elders, because Peter so styles himself. The functions of the two were common, so far as teaching is concerned; but where they become peculiar and the apostle rises above the elder, may not be so clear. With respect to the “ Seven,” who were “ ap pointed over the business” of looking after the wants of the poor in the church at Jerusalem, it may be said that the evidence ui their being elders, in the sense of preachlTS, before they were ap pointedto the diaconate- nK£P<yderates. “The. no*‘’necessary mat Philip and Stephenffiaving purchased to th. mselves a good degree by using the office of deacon woll, rose from it to a higher office.’ 'lhty had already risen to the standard of requirement above what is set forth in that of a deacon, —“ full of the Holy Spirit and wisdomand we are driven to conclude, from the record, that, if Stephen was not “doing great wonders and miracles among the people” before he was appointed deacon, there certainly was no time allowed him afterwards to “ use the office well," and thus “ rise to a higher office.” In addition to Stephen and Philip being preachers, there are pretty reliable traditionary accounts that Nicanor and Timon were of the seventy, Nicolas the founder of the Nicolaitans, and Parmenas and Prochorus bishops; which pre sumptively favors the view that they were preach ing elders before they were made deacons. May not a deacon in the sense of office, not of preach ing or description—be an elder ? I agree most heartily with you in all that you say about “rule,” in the sense of which you speak; but there must be a sense in which the Seven ruled in their sphere, as deacons, as is true of elders as teachers. They (deacons) were ap pointed "over" their “business,” to superintend, direct and control for the good of the cause. In this light I used the word “ rule.” I would not con cede to you or any other man views more antago nistic to “ ecclesiastical despotism," than I hold. I do not feel that I have made myself clearly understood. In this whole affair I have been an enquirer, and confess that your reply has given me light; and lam inclined to believe that I shall have to settle down upon your positions as being altogether more satisfactory than any to which I have had access. Truth, tkuth is, above all, the precious thing for which I am in search. It is more precious than much fine gold, and its entrance gives light. lam veiy anxious to have my mind at rest about this question, which has perplexed me for several years. I have no antipathy to the “{plurality ’’ view. All I want is, to know what the Book teaches If I can be on that, then I feel that I am on the Rock. Geo. P. Cooper. Oar correspondent entered this discussion with the proposition, that ‘the term elder is not specific —does not apply to a single office;’ but is used in the New Testament with reference both to the officers known as bishops and the officers known as deacons. To this view we replied, that (as respects the Christian church) the New Testament identifies the terms elder and bishop —employs them inter changeably—makes them of the same length and breadth—and in this way limits them to one and the same office, so that all bishops are elders and all elders are bishops. Thus deacons are excluded from the import of the term elder: and we added further, that to part the term deacon from the term -4 (as the Scriptures do,) is the same thing as to part it from the term elder (which in Scrip ture is the equivalent of bishop)— is to make it the title of another and separate office. This interchangeable use of elder and bishop must have the significance we attach to it. There is no such use of any other terms of office in the church. “ Apostle and bishop, apostle and elder, apostle and deacon, bishop and deacon, elder and deacon, are never put promiscuously the one for the other.” How can this be explained, except on the ground that, of all the official terms, bishop and elder alone “signify the same thing”—alone mark the same class of officers? We can conceive of no other reason for the undeniable difference of usage on the part of the inspired writers in the premises. Can our correspondent furnish one ? And if this is the true reason, then no officer can bear either title who does not bear both—that is, there is no bishop who is not an elder, and no elder who is not a bishop. As an instance of this interchangeable use, we referred to the fact that the officers whom Luke styles elders, Paul styles bishops. (Acts xx ; 17, 28.) But our correspondent says that bishop here I $3 00 1 YEAR.} ent class of officers, therefore, to whom the apos tle spoke. In other words, these officers were not deacons—for they had a function with which deacons are nowhere clothed in Scripture. Our correspondent gains nothing as{to this passage, then, by his (improbable) supposition that the apostle, wishing to describe a function, passed by the Greek word for the function itself and em ployed the title of the officer instead. (Improba ble, we say ; and the more because Paul proceeds to speak of their function, —“to feed the congre gation”,— poimainein, to do the work of a shep herd, or pastor.) Apd he gains nothing as to his position with regard to the use of the term bishop throughout the New Testament: For in the next instance of the interchangeable employment of the terms, (Tit. 1; 5,7,) the term bishop is clearly a title of office ; as it is, also, in the salutation of Paul to the saints at Philippi, (Phil, i; 1.) This brings us to remark, that we must surely misapprehend the views of our correspondent. As we understand him, he tells us that “ elder is not specific”—that “ deacon has no particular meaning”—and that bishop is simply “descrip tive” of functions (which either deicons or elders may perform.) ; Does he suppose, then, that church offices had no precise, distinctive names in the apostolic age ? This seems incredible. But if they had, does he think that these names all failed of record in the Scriptures, and that only the general, indefinite names of office found place there ? This is incredible, too. On either suppo sition, bow can we ascertain the number of offices in the church? how can we say that there may not be a score, or that there is more than one? how can we know what office is, or is not, men. tioned in any particular passage ? These are questions, we confess, which we cannot answer, from the ground taken by our correspondent. From our ground, wo answer as follows. In the New Testament occur the official titles—apostle, elder or bishop, and deacon. These designate grades of office, and the number of grades is fixed by this rule: the Scriptures never give the title of the higher officer to the lower. Applying the rule, we find that “ deacons are nowhere called elders or bishops; and elders or bishops are no where called apostles.” The grades, then, are three; first, apostles; secondly, elders or bishops ; thirdly, deacons. As apostles were extraordinary officers, to continue but for a season, the grades of permanent officers are but two—elders or bishops, and deacons. The distinction between these grades is not obliterated, or even obscured, by the fact that the title of the lower officer is sometimes applied to the higher — ( deacon , the lowest, for example, to apostles, the highest;) for this application is always coupled with phrase ology, which shows that the title is to be under stood in its general, not its distinctive, official sense. May we add a caution, as to the spirit which should control our interpretations in this matter ? Each title which occurs in Scripture creates a pre sumption that there is a distinct office answering to it. This presumption should be set aside only (1) where thereis express and positive proof, either that more than ono title is given (in the official, not general sense) to a single office, or that more than a single office is grouped under one title {in that sense J »md (2^,where the language of the inspired writer admits of no construction, self consistent, or in harmony with the rest ol the Scriptures, unless the presumption is rejected. To depart from it causelessly, or on any other grounds than those just stated, is, so fur forth, to change the constitution which God gave His church in its organic form, —to break down and blot out grades of office which Divine Wisdom judged it proper to create. It not be legiti mate, for instance, to conclude tnat elders are em braced within the signification of the title, bishop, if the passages where these terms occur were sus ceptible of fair and rational explanation without this conclusion. Just so, only in cases where such explanation is otherwise impossible, can it be legitimate to conclude that deacons are em braced within the signification of the title elder. And cases of this kind there are none. What remains of our correspondent’s article, we must dismiss briefly. We pass over various points, because he has added nothing to what he said about them at first, and our previous response suf ficiently treats of the aspect then given them. “The principle, that the less is included in the greater," cannot be employed to prevent the pas sage in Titus from favoring ‘our view, that elder is restricted to bishop.’ If elder, as the apostle there uses it, included two offices, the apostle hav ing specified the higher office with its higher qualifications, must of necessity specify the lower office with its lower qualifications. Otherwise, on the principle aforesaid, “ the standard of require ment” would be the same as to both offices, and the qualifications of the bishop must be exacted of the deacon. But this conclusion, os our corres pondent knows, the Scriptures refute. “ Pretty reliable traditionary accounts” with re gard to New Testament persons or New Testament times, are things, which, so far as we know, have no existence. There is absolutely nothing which deserves that character, or which ought to weigh a feather in the interpretation of Scripture. We hope our correspondent will not suffer his feet to stray into “ the deep-tangled wild-wood of the Fathers” on this question, or any other. The language of the apostles does not support the ascription of “rule” to the Seven, no matter in what sense. May not “ epi tes kreias tautes" be more fitly translated “concerning this neces sity,” than “ over this business ?” That the apostles, as regards their ordinary functions, were elders, does not rest only on the fact that Peter styled himself an elder. (1 Pet. v; 1,2.) John, also, twice takes that title, (II Jno. 1 v.; 111 Jno. 1 v.) There is another reason, which our correspondent will gather from the fol lowing remarks of Dr. Mason, with regard to the transactions recorded in Acts xv: “ The apostles on this occasion acted simply as members of the synod; they did nothing in virtue of theirextraordinary, which was their apostolical, character, nor introduced into the deliberations of the assembly, any influence but that of facts—of the wiiiten Scripture—and of reasoning founded on the comparison of both. All this is evident from the narrative, and resulted from the nature of the case. Had the question been to be deter mined by special revelation, or apostolic authority , one inspired man, or one apostle, would have an swered as well as a dozen. The dispute might have been settled on the spot, and by Paul him self. Had there arisen any doubt of his power, or distrust of his integrity, a hundred miracles, if necessary, would instantly have removed the ob stacles. In every view, the embassy to Jerusalem would have been a useless parade. The truth is, that the apostles acted in a double capacity. They had that authority which was designed to be ordinary and perpetual, such as preaching the word, administering the sacraments, and governing the church. But superadded to this, they had also the authorityo^nccL^M^ FRANKLIN PRINTING HOUSE, ATLANTA,.GA., THURSDAY, AUGUST 11,1870. do not appear to have enjoyed these extraordinary communications of thSe Divine Spirit; nor to have exerted their extraordinary powers, nor to have claimed a particle of authority above the presby ters. Without such a distinction as we have now stated, their history is a tissue of inconsistencies, and their conduct in the Synod of Jerusalem must be given up as a riddle that baffles solution.” The Young Christian. The young Christian is like the child, ten der in bone and sinew. He is a babe in Christ Jesus, and needs to be nourished with the “ sincere milk of the word.” He is insensible of the manhood inborn in him ; nay, he is not conscious of his own existence, save by some inconceivable power which animates his being. The newly-born infant cannot in a moment of time, spring into the perfect and full stature of a man ; much less can a soul just released from its burden of sin, attain to that degree of perfection in he liness, godliness, in heavenly virtues as was reached by St.. Paul after his many years of conflicts, trials and sore temp tations. Impossible ! Even after the work of converting grace has been effected, sustain ing grace must be administered to develop in him the noble attributes of a Christian. He must learn to be a Christian ; and, until he can walk alone, he must be gently led, gently admonished, kindly encouraged. A conscien tious, considerate parent will not use rash means to bring out the form arfd strength of his child, because such treatment would check the growth and deform the body. He will not pursue such a course with the mental part of his offspring, because, of a like result, de formity, dwartishness, if not utter extinction, [f such be true of the physical and mental, how much more is it true of that subtlest of all parts which go to make up a complete human frame—the spiritual. It must be watched and kept until it is as firmly fixed in the eternal throne of God, as the anchor of the mightiest vessel is fixed to the living rocks in the vast deep. To do this, three formida ble, recognized and declared enemies must be overcome, viz : the world, the flesh and the devil. What a conflict! Is not that man brave who comes out and says, “ I am on the Lord’s side ?” “ Buckle on the whole armor of God,” and man yourself for the fight. But can he do this and use its weapons with the dexterity of an old warrior? He must first become accustomed to it, before he can use a single implement with success. This is proba bly the most critical period of his warfare. It is the time that he requires most, the en couragement, the experience, the admonition of those longer in the field. It is then that his mistakes, his errings, his misdemeanors must be either overlooked entirely or gently reproved. The church must be watchful to see that the sheep go not astray ; but it must not be punctilious with the lambs, lest it frighten them away. It does much in ignor ance, some times in over-exactitude, forget ting it itself was once a child, to destroy the usefulness ofyoung members, often to disgust them, which not unfrequently terminates in disgraceful public exposure, by expulsion. Young men particularly should be kindly dealt with, if-they should at any time err. Thrown out to contend with the world at an early age, they have everything to allure them from the path of rectitude. It is hard for such to lead a holy, godly life. All that can be contributed to the growth and perpe tuity of *f> n r«l to resist temptations, should be given. Watch the young Christian, not as a hawk espies his prey, but as an infant child, which is part and parcel of youself. Clementia. At His Feet. Mary “sat at Jesus’feet,” Kept in contemplation sweet, Gazing up into His face, Drinking in His words of grace, By no earthly murmur moved From the posture that she loved, Lord, be this my daily choice. At Thy feet to hear I'hy voice. Mary “ fell at Jesus’ feet,” When her brother, through the street, By the mourners borne away, Folded in death’s darkness lay. All her sorrow forth she sighed, Christ, with answering groans, replied. Lord, in tiouble let me fall At Thy feet and tell Thee all, Mary ‘‘stood at Jesus’ feet," Offering, as He sat at meat, Costly gifts of spikenard rare, Glistening tears and flowing hair; Speechless love and thanks she gave To the Master strong to save. Lord, when gladness lights my days, At Thy feet I’ll give Thee praise. At Thy feet, once pierced for me, Always shall my station be ; By Thy Spirit and Thy Word To Thy servant speak, 0,-Lord; Iu my sorrow succor bring, Hear me when Thy praise I sing, Till ’mid heaven’s joys at last, At Thy feet my crown I cast! Seasoning Backwards. Most of the reasoning that is done in the world is done backward, and this is why so much of it is sophistical and flimsy. Men form conclusions, some times taking them up from mere caprice or passion, adopt them as settled opinions, and then begin to cast about for arguments to sustain them. Their con clusions lead them to premises, instead m premises, well examined and fully tested, leading them to inevitable conclusions. Need we wonder that reasoning conducted in this way is fallacious—totally incapable of bear ing the test of a sound logic? The wonder is, when men reason in a way so entirely at variance with the dictates of common sense, that they discover any truth at all. When men take up opinions almost at random as it were, it would be marvellous were they not wrong as often as right. * Earnestness. Earnestness is to the moral world what that lever of which the Syracusan Philosopher dreamed would be to the physical. Nor wealth, nor genius, nor the authority which noble descent gives, can be compared to it in power. All those who have left their impress upon their age and wrought great changes in the moral aspect of the world have been men of earnestness. It was the earnestness of the hermit that enlisted volunteers by tens of thousands to fight and perish on the plains of Palestine for the rescue of the Holy Sepul chre. Luther was in earnest when he raised his protest against the presumptions of the Roman See and the corrupt practices of the Roman priesthood. Loyoal was in earnest— to bad purpose indeed—but still thoroughly in earnest when he sought to arouse new vigor in a system which scepticism and a blind ad herence to forms had long bereft of life. But these and all others fall far behind in earnest ness, as they do in every moral attribute, that greatest of Teachers and greatest of Martyrs, whom neither hunger nor thirst, nor cold, nor weariness, nor the enticements of pleasure, nor the opposition of foes could cause to flag for one moment in His great work of pro claiming His gospel. “S in the ac to Hk - & W:. Kk B'■, - ' W Bbit be the bodily strength ;—if the person have not some object to attain for which he is much in earnest, his gifts and advantages will be trifled away. He will hardly deserve success, and certainly will not command it, who is but half-enlisted in the cause —who is undecided whether he shaß turn back or go forward. Half measures are fail, and if a man is but half determined to do a thing, it is very apt not to be done. A lack of eranestness is the great deficiency of our age. In schemes for money-making, we cannot say there irany want of earnest ness, nor is there a want of zeal in those who are seeking for personal aggrandizement by pushing down opponents. But in all those fields of labor which have for their chief end the amelioration of society, there is little en thusiasm and less earnestness. There is cer tainly talent enough in the world to effect the reforms that are so much needed; but we need something to give this energy and direction. There is too much scepticism in the pulpit, too much time serving in the press, too much trifling in the.school room and too much profligacy in our legislative chambers. We neetfji new all of these if we would advance. L. Bible Pictures. The Dancing Party and the Social Prayer Mket- Men of the world may tell us that some wicked men and heartless women habitually attend prayer meetings. True; for hypocri sy is the tribute that vice ever pays to vir tue; the world, to religion. They may tell us, on the other hand, \hat pure women and moral men frequently attend dancing parties. True; but vicious passions, are just as natu rally engendered by the attendants of the ball-room, as impressions are made by those of the prayer meeting. After all, the only safe rule of conduct for the Christian is his Bible. Now, when thus tested, how do the ball room and the pt&yer meeting stand ? It is somewhat singular, that there is but one dancing party, but one social prayer meeting, recorded in the New Testament: the former in Matt., cihp. 14th, from the 3rd to the 12th verse; the latter in Acts, chap. 12th, from the 12th to tfffe 17th verse. It will be interesting and profitable to com pare these passages of Scripture. You will be surprised to find how striking the coinci dence in some import/Jjt particulars, how marked the contrast in others. In each case, we read of a chosen servant of God impris oned by a wicked king—Herod. In the one, it is the greatest of prophets whose life is in danger; it is he of who’ffUour Lord Himself said, he was “much more than a prophet.” In the other, it is he who stood preeminent among the apostles; and whom the Roman Catholics delight to as the head of the Church. The one to put John to death; but he fears the people, because they count him as a .prophet. The other, having no enmity against Peter, wishes to put hint to death mefely to please the peo ple. In each of the meetings considered, a peti tion is offered in reference to the imprisoned servant of God. In one, the petition is pre sented to the wicked king of Judea, and the request is, that John beheaded and his head presented to^y ag t Be :4iLth£-oA-’-'.iA>; petition is addressed CqprtLe most pure and holy King of Kings and Lord of Lords; and the prayer of the petitioners is that Peter be liberated and restored to them in safety. In both cases, the petitioners have been embold ened by a distinct promise made to them. The king of the Jews has promised to the daughter of Herodias, “ with an oath,” to give her whatsoever she shall ask. The King of heaven and earth has promised to the praying brethren, “ that, if two of them agree on earth touching anything they shall ask, it shall be done for them.” In both cases, the promise is strictly complied with, and a messenger is dispatched to insure its fulfill ment. In the one, the cruel minion of the wicked king beheads Jci|rfi in prison, and re turns bearing the dismembered head of the holy man of God. In the other, the angel of the Lord, commissioned by Him to do His bidding, liberates Peter “out of the hands of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews,” and directs his foot steps to the very house .where the prayer meeting is held. Such were the effects-of a dancing party, and such the effects of a social prayer meeting; and “by their fruits ye shall know them.” But the parallel does not end here. One individual only is mentioned in each of these social meetings, as an attendant upon the meeting, and as the person upon whom it de volves to bear to the petitioners the welcome news, that the promise made has indeed been fulfilled. In each case, it is a youthful female, and is it not fair to conclude, that each is a fit representative of the class to which she belongs; of the votaries of pleasure, on the one hand, and of the votaries of God on the other; of the attendants of the ball room, and of the attendants of the house where prayer is wont to be made? Now mark the contrast between them. See, on the one hand, the beautiful danseuse who-has won the applause of all by her grace; and, may we not add, by the skill with which she has dis played, to the view of the admiring throng, those personal charms which a modest wo man would have studiously veiled from the eyes of all. See her, tha belle of the danc ing party, in* all her gay* apparel, receiving upon a dish, and bearing to her mother, the gory head of the first preacher of the gospel. See that incestuous and adulterous mother, the fit mother of such a daughter; see her, as she receives the dismembered head, from whose veins the life-blood is still oozing. Be hold with what malignant pleasure she looks upon the victim of her unbridled passions! With what fiendish joy she looks upon those lustreless eyes, from which once beamed*, not only intelligence, but inspiration from on high! on those distorted lips upon which en raptured multitudes once hung, as they-ut tered the words of truth which were to make them wise unto salvation ! But, from a spectacle so revolting to every human heart, let us turn to the other picture, attractive as this is repulsive; though the one transpired in the palace of a king, the other in the humble dwelling of the widowed Mary. Peter, delivered from bis fetters and*dark dungeon, stood at the gate and knocked. And a damsel came to hearken, named Rhoda. How appropriate the appellation! Rhoda signifies the rose,* a fit emblem for female beauty; and may Rhoda herself ever be treasured up in our hearts, as a type of that modesty and purity, and those Christian graces which should ever adorn the female character. She shrinks from the public gaze, yet is always ready to make herself useful to others. She is never seen treading the giddy mazes of the dance; but she is willing to be come a door-keeper at the house where prayer is wont to be made. When she hears the voice of the beloved Apostle, see the child like simplicity of her loving heart. She is beside herself with joy, and, not considering that Peter cannot enter until she has opened the gate, she runs to bear the glad tidings to the friends within. Young lady, would you choose to be like the graceful daughter of Herodias, who by her dancing was accessory to the- murder of the first, martyr of Christianity 1 or like the sweet Rhoda who opened the door to Peter ? Young man, would you rather take to your bosom, as your partner for life, such a one as this artful, designing daughter of a wicked mother, or one whose artless simplicity ever leads her to obey the first impulses of a pure and loving heart? If you choose the former, lose no opportunity of attending every dancing party to which you can obtain an in vitation; if you choose the latter, attend every prayer meeting in your neighborhood, without waiting for an invitation. Tiro. Howard College. The Situation. It i9 just as well to see things as they are, and to know beforehand what is coming. There be many who cry “ Peace, peace, when there is no peace.” I love the bright side too, when it can be found. But my discernment is too weak to discover any cheering rays on the horizon. “ Nonsense ! nonsense ! away with such evil prophecy !” cries one and then another. Ay, “ nonsense,” or something like it, cried the king of Israel, when the true pro phet spoke in his hearing. That wicked king saw nothing to convince him that God had purposed his destruction. His conscience seems to have been asleep, and his false pro phets had made his delusion as complete as possible. Such is the case with us as a peo ple. What is our prospect, politically ? All will admit it to be gloomy in the extreme. Is our condition growing better ? Has it not been growing worse continually for ten years ? Vol umes would fail to exhaust this subject. It is not for me, but for politicians to discuss the matter. The most painful feature in the whole case is, not that rights have been lost, but that such is the character of our people, at large, as to render their government as good as they deserve. This opinion is not generally concurred in ; nay, not five persons in the thousand, it is probable, even of professed Christians, believe one word of it. The masses are supposed to be ready, in senti ment, to mob the man who can utter such a hated sentence. This is the sad feature in the disease: the patient is dying with a ter rible distemper, and yet refuses to own he is sick. To change the figure: the criminal is on the scaffold for the highest crimes, and yet is filled with vengeance, even in the death-agony, on being told he suffers justly. My ignorance is such that I can look for brighter days politically, and in the increase of material interests, only when our people turn to the Lord. In this notion few are my fellows. The belief is established among pro fessors of religion, as well as others, that our moral status has nothing to do with material prosperity in any way, or to the least extent. This is another evii portent. As long as men believe this, they will grow worse and worse. And thus progressing downward, the judg ments of God will fall on them more and more fearfully. Surveying the state religion ists are in all around us, what do we see? Not more than a fourth of our church mem bers have any business claiming the Christian name. Very many professors are worse than non-profeasors. The churches are daily be coming more demoralized, their public ser vices glowing more formal, and their spirit >.ial light less apparent. The whole fabric of church and 1 state is in the incliDijd plaue border ing destruction, and moving rapidly on. The few real Christians left among’us would do well to guard their religion as a miser regards his purse when among thieves, until the dream of life ends, and heaven with them begins. Scrap. Nothing But a Testament. Not long since, a certain student in a West ern College was led to give his heart to Christ, but was in doubt as to the proper mode in which baptism should be administered. So he went to a fellow-student—a Baptist, and now one of the most faithful preachers in Minnesota—and asked for a work on baptism. A book in marbled paper binding was placed in his hand, and he left the room without opening it. Ere long the inquirer returned in great haste, and holding the volume open at the title-page, he exclaimed in a tone of surprise: “You made a mistake in giving me this book!” “ l think not. I gave you the volume I intended to,” the Baptist replied, deliber ately. “ But I asked you for a work upon bap tism.” “And 1 gave you one.” “ Why, it’s nothing but a Testament !” continued the inquirer, with unfeigned -sur prise. “ Nothing but a Testament!” repeated the Bible Christian, in a tone of the keenest re buke, “ why, that is the only authentic work on baptism to be found.” “ But havn’t you any other work, any mod ern treatise on the subject?” persisted the student. “ Yes, a dozen : but you don’t know enough about the Bible to read them yet. Now I want you to read this book —I don’t care how long it takes you—and answer me four ques tions in it._ Then if you are not satisfied on the subject of baptism, I will let you have some other book. The questions are these: “ 1. Who are to be baptized ? ‘‘2. When are they to be baptized? “3. Who is to administer the ordinance ? “4. How is it to be administered?” In three weeks the inquirer again presented himself before his fellow-student, declaring that he was satisfied on the subject of bap tism. The above questions were repeated, and he answered them as follows: “ 1. Believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. “ 2. As soon as they believe. “ 3. The ordained ministers of God. “4. I find two passages to answer this question. In Romans vi: 4, and Colossians ii: 12, I read they are buried with Christ in baptism.” “And you think that means immersion?” “Yes; and now I am going to ask Ur. C. to baptize me next Sunday.” —Young Reaper. Afraid of Hurting His Feelings. One Sabbath evening a young lady was accompanied by a Presbyterian minister to a Baptist church. It so happened that the Bap tist minister, who had commenced a series of sermons on the epistle to the Romans, had prepared a disQourse on the sixth chapter, and delivered a very able sermon on the subject of baptism. The lady, like some other Bap tists, was very sensitive, kept moving uneasily in her seat, and wished in her mind the sub ject had been anything else but the one of the evening; being very much afraid it would hurt the feelings of her attendant, and that he would think the Baptists had nothing to preach about but baptism. But he listened very at tentively, seemingly deeply interested in the subject, which was presented to him in a dif ferent light from that in which he had been accustomed to look at it. He was astonished, and left the meeting house resolved to exam ine the subject to the best of his ability. He did so, discovered his error, and united with the Baptists, and is now the pastor of a Bap tist churoh. So much for being afraid of hurt ing the feelings by preaching the whole truth. — Evangel. * . His Gift. “I will give you rest.” Whatever yearning prayers we pray From hungry depths of souls oppressed, Thou answerest in Tby time and way; Thou givest Rest I Through myriad shapes our wishes turn To suppliant meekness at Thy breast; When for our will Tbine own we learn, Thou givest Rest 1 “ Not as the world.” O deeper far Than careless hours of pleasure guessed, The joy of those who thirst, and are In Thee at Rest! Love vexed with troubled sweetness, craves The presence of a calmer guest, Who from itself the sp rit saves, Giving His Restl Choicest of gifts Thy children own, And pledge of that which seemeth best Even for ihe souls before the Throne, Thy boundless Restl Teach us to pray, whatever change May drive us to that harbor blest, Forbid that we as aliens range, And lose Thy Rest. —Charlotte M. Packard, in Cong. Our Prayer Meeting. I. I propose to be there regularly and punctually. “ Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together.” 11. I will endeavor to draw other to the meeting. “Come thou with us, and we will do thee good.” 111. Before entering the place of prayer I will ask the Saviour’s presence. “ We would see Jesus.” IV. I will not, unless it is necessary, occupy a back seat. “ How pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity.” V. I will not so seat myself as to hin der others from occupying the same settee with me. “ Be courteous.” VI. I will refrain from fault finding, and will not indulge a criticising spirit. “ Be ye kindly affectioned one to another.” VII. I will not expressly dissent from one who has spoken, and will avoid giving the impression of variance of feeling. “That they may be made perfect in one.” VIII. So far as is consistent, I will assist actively in the exercises, by testi fying to the love of Christ, by ex hortation, by a passage of Scrip ture, a hymn, a stanza, or other wise. “ Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs.” IX. I will not decline to lead in prayer, and in offering prayer, will begin with the subject in hand, and in aid of what has just been said. “Ye also helping together by prayer for us.” X. If I offer the first prayer, it shall be chiefly an invocation, asking the Saviour’s presence and aid. “ For without me ye can do nothing.” XI. My prayers and remarks shall not be long. “ For God is in Heaven, and thou upon earth; there fore let thy words be few.” XII. I will not seem to harangue or teach in prayer, as though I were think ing of man more than of God. “We speak before God in Christ.” XIII. I will not speak merely to fill a va cancy, but will rather offer prayer during pauses in the meeting. “ That thy benefit should not be as it were of neces sity, but willingly.” XIV. I will not needlessly expose any want of faith, and discouragements. “ Who is fearful and faint-hearted, let him return.” XV. I will cultivate enlargement of faith and desires. “ Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace.” XVI. On leaving the place I will endeavor to maintain a devout frame of mind. * “ Continue in prayer.” XVII. I will also endeavor to use all means suited to secure the blessings for which I have prayed. “Faith, without works, is dead also.” — A. C. Thompson, D.D. Leaning on God Alone. Sir William Hamilton was doubtless the most learned Scotchman of our century, the omniscient Lord Macaulay not excepted. He was familiar with every branch of philosophy ; he had analyzed, with wonderful power, all religions into their simplest elements. He was an inspiring teacher—one of the few masters of philosophy and letters; a writer of extraordinary power; an admitted leader of his generation. But while at home in the learning of all ages, and exciting the wouder of his contem poraries by the bold sweep of his genius, no less than the vastness of his attainments, he sat as a little child at the feet of Christ. He was a sincere believer. His mind rested on the great truths of the Christian system. There is an exquisite pathos in the record of his last hours, that when his spirit was hov ering on the borders of the unseen world, just ready to penetrate its great mysteries, he was heard to murmur, “Thy rod and thy staff, me!” "UC H 1..—... Inf4nt Baptismal Regeneration. —ln Roundell Palmer’s “Book of Praise,” so much admired and used by Episcopalians, we have the following theology taught in poetry. Roundell Palmer, referring to an infant bap tized, tells how it received anew nature, by the easy process of applying holy water (“sacred bathing”) to it. “ Though thy conception was in sin, A sacred bathing thou hast had; And though thy birth unclean has been, A blameless babe thou now art made. Sweet baby, then forbear to weep; Be still, my dear sweet baby, sleep.” Romish Schools. —A Catholic young lady told us the other day, that while attending the school at Carondolet, near St. Louis, she knew of ten Protestant girls who joined the Catholic communion, and she expressed sur prise that Protestants, holding the views they do towards her church, should send their daughters to Catholic schools.— Standard. Early Piety. —A Presbyterian, of Cin« cinnati, said, not long since, of the church iu which he holds membership personally: “We take into church fellowship even the youngest children, but we are careful to in struct and nurture them afterward. They make our best, most reliable members.” Where He draws the Line. —At the Pro-' testant Episcopal Convention for California, at San Francisco, Bishop Kip pronounced that Methodist, Presbyterian, Congregation alist and Baptist preachers are not clergymen, but that Romish priests are true ministers of Christ. Is3 00 A YEAR.} A GolumnTof Illustrations. From the “ New Cyclopedia 'of Illustrations ,” by Rev . G. Foster. Human Abilities. —The abilities of man must fall short on the one side or the other, like too scanty a blanket when you are abed : if you pull it upon your shoulders, you leave your feet bare ; if you thrust it down upon vour feet, your shoulders are uncovered.— Sir W. Temple. Ministerial Boldness. —A minister with out boldness is like a smooth file, a knife without an edge, a sentinel that is afraid to let off his gun. If men will be bold in sin, ministers must be bold to reprove.— Gurnall. Christ in the Bible. —In ancient times, a celebrated artist made a most wonderful shield, and worked his own name into it, so that it could not be removed without destroy ing the shield. It is just so with the Bible and Chiist. Success of Decision. —Alexander, being asked how he had conquered the world, re plied, By not delaying.” Hindrance to Eloquence. —A loquacious young man came to Socrates, to learn the art of oratory. Socrates asked him double price. “ Whv charge me double'?” asked the youth. Socrates replied : “ Because I must teach you two sciences—the one, how to be silent; the other, how to speak.” Eclipse of Faith. —The moon in an eclipse complained to the sun, “ Why, O my dearest friend, dost thou not shine upon me as usual ?” “Do I not?” said the sun : “lam sure I am shining as I always do. Why do you not en joy my light as usual ?” “ Oh, I see,” said the moon" “ the earth has got between us.” This is the trouble with every backslider. Rejoicing in the Gospel. Procopius reports, that near the pole, where the night lasts many months, the inhabitants go up to the tops" of the mountains, when it is time for the sun to appear, striving who shall get the first sight. At his appearance, they deck themselves in their best apparel, embrace each other with joy, and cry, “A'cce Sol!” “ Behold the sun !” How much more should we rejoice in the light of the gospel! Spen cer. Entrance to Heaven. —You see yonder ship. After a long voyage, it has neared the haven, but is much injured. The sails are rent to ribbons; and it is in such a forlorn condition that it cannot come up to the har bor. A steam tug is pulling it in with the greatest possible difficulty. r lhat is like the righteous being “ scarcely saved.” But do you see that other ship ? It has made a pros perous voyage; and now, laden to the wa ter’s edge,“with the sails all up, and with the white canvass filled with the wind, it rides into the harbor joyously and nobly. That is an “ abundant entrance.” — Spurgeon. Power of Illustration.— We may safely assert that Jeremy Taylor is none the less vigorous for illustrating the long-suffering of God bv the rabbinical story that the Arch angel Michael, being God’s messenger of ven geance, had but one wing, that he might labor in his flight, while Gabriel had two wings, ■that he might “fly swiftly,” when bringing ; the message of peace. And the nature of i repentance and faith is set before us all the ’more clearly, when Adaffis likens faith to a great queen in her progress, having Repent ance as her messenger going before her, and Works as the attendants following in her train. — J. G. Pilkington. Working for Jesus.— When Jacob worked for Rachel, sweet smiles lit up his shepherd ing: so life brightens when expended for Je sus.—S. Coleg. A Conquering King. —lt has been said of Edward, the Black Prince, that he never fought a battle which he did not win ; and of the*great Duke of Marlborough, that he never besieged a city which he did not take. Shall that be said of men which we deny concern ing the Most High God ? Is He less sue cessful than some human generals. Shall these invincibly prevail, and grace be liable to defeat? Impossible. — Bowes. •Preaching the Law. — It was admirable advice which Mr. Wesley records, as having been given to a preacher by an old woman. “ Preach,” said she, “ the law first, then the gospel, then the law again.” Prayers of a Mother.— Samuel Budgett was nine years of age, when one day passing his mother’s door, he heard her engaged in earnest prayer for her family, and for himself by name. He thought, “My mother is more earnest that I should be saved than 1 am foi my own salvation.” In that hour he became decided to serve God, and the impression thus made was never effaced. — Arthur. Legend of a New Heart. —St. Catharine, of Sienna, would often pray in the words of Scripture for anew heart: whereupon, as it is related, our Saviour appeared to her in a vision, took her heart from her bosom and replaced it with His own; and there remained a wound or scar on her left side from that time. Mrs. Jameson. Obligation. — lt is by each soldier feeling his obligation in doing his part, that the army conquers; it is by each bee doing its work, that the hive is stored with honey ; it is by each insect putting forth atl its might, that the coral reef becomes an island, and cities rise upou the bosom of the main.— Dr. Cam ming. Pardon.— l ask not a legal pardon, but a father’s pardon. (Evans.) It would tire the hand of an angel, to write down all the pardons God bestows on true, penitent be lievers. (Bates.)-~^~~ Christ comes with a blessing in each hand, forgiveness in one, and holiness in the other; and never gives either to any who will not take both. (Adam.) The Important Question. —John Bacon, an eminent English sculptor, whose works were admired by thousands, ordered a plain tablet, with the following inscription, to be placed near his grave: “What I was. as an artist, seemed to be of some importance while I lived; but what I really was as a believer in Christ Jesus, is the only thing of importance to me now.” Exposure of the Rich. —During the pro gress of a revival, a lady of wealth, who saw the poor crowding to Christ, cried aloud, O my God ! Is there no mercy for the rich ?” Breaking the Sabbath. —An infidel says, he has learned by sad experience, that a curse follows those who break the Sabbath. Temper and Religion.— ls religion has done nothing for your temper, it has done nothing for his soul. — Clayton. Use— The used key is always bright. Drawn wells have sweetest water. Stand ing pools gather filth. “If 1 rest, I rust,” says the key. y ICE> The way of vice is as the entrance to a pit: it is easy to go down, but difficult to return. Bravery in Warfare. —The Spartan mothers used to counsel their sous : “ If your sword be too short, add a step to it.” Preaching to the Young. —Augustine was accustomed to stop often in his sermons, and say, “Young people, this is for you.” WHOLE NO. 2501.