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CHRISTIAN IMJUa AND SMJTI^IMIBrBAPTIST.
VOL. 49—NO. 37. {s3 00 1 YEAR.}
A RELIGIOUS AND FAMILY PAPER,
PUBLIBHED WEEKLY IN’ ATLANTA, OA
AT $3.00 PER ANNUM,
Invariably in Advance.
J. ,T. TOON, Proprietor.
The Eleventh Hour.
He runs a tremendous risk who neglects his soul’s
welfare until the eleventh hour. Inspiration tells of
one dying thief (and one only) who went from the
Cross to Paradise. This, that no poor sinner need de
spair, and that none should become reckless. Perad
venture these lines may fall into the hands of some aged
seeker. Let him read them, and, taking courage, knock
yet more loudly.
Faint, and worn, and aged,
One stands knocking at the gate,
Though no light shines in the casement,
Knocking though so late.
It has struck eleven
In the courts of Heaven,
. Yet he still doth knock and wait.
While no answer cometh
From the Heavenly hill,
Blessed angels wonder
At his earnest will.
Hope and fear but quicken,
While the shadows thicken,
He is knocking, knocking still.
Grim the gate unopened
Stands with bar and lock.
Yet within, the unseen Porter
Hearkens to the knoek,
Doing and undoing,
Faint and yet pursuing,
This man’s feet are on the Rock.
With a cry unceasing,
Knocketh, prayeth he;
“ Lord, have mercy on me,
When I cry to Thee.”
With a knock Unceasing,
And a cry increasing, >f
“ Oh I my Lord, remember me.
Still the Porter standeth,
Love-constrained, He standeth near,
While the cry increaseth,
Os that love and fear,
“Jesus, look upon me—
Christ, hast Thou forgotten me ?
“If I must, I perish here.”
Faint the knocking ceases,
Faint the cry and call;
Is he lost indeed forever,
Shut without the wall ?
Mighty arms surround him,
Arms that sought and found him,
Held, withheld, and bore through all.
O Celestial Mansion 1
Open wide the door,
Crown and robes of whiteness,
Stone inscribed before.
Flocking angels bear them,
Stretch thy hand and wear them,
Sit thou down forevermore.
Seminole Camp-Meeting—No. 3.
In my last I left you without ceremony,
while John Jumper was preaching, at night,
under a bush arbor, and while it w'as raining.
I did this on two accounts; first, because I
knew it was your bed-time, and that you
were already weary; and secondly, because
so long that I have forgot
pulvftires have a
’■ UpP' 1 '
/'ail to another sad
reflection—namely, while the missionary is
Chiistiar.izing the heathen, they in turn are
heathenizing his children. This reflection
leads on to another, which I must barely
name here, and discuss after awhile—the ne
cessity of a Baptist High School, etc.
To return to the camp meeting, it will be
necessary now, for me to change my style,
and beg yon, kind reader, to listen while I
make the paper talk , as the Indians say.
Several came forward for prayer at the con
clusion of Jumper’s sermon, and knelt down
on the wet ground while it was yet raining.
We, after this, dismissed the congregation
and repaired to our respective tents or camps
for the night. In about fifteen minutes you
could have heard singing at each of the tents,
followed by a prayer by the master of each
tent, or by some one else at his request.
Then all was sail except the tinkling bells of
horses and oxen feeding on the green prairie
around, and the occasional barking and fight
ing of hungry dogs; for we never could teach
the Seminoles to heed that Divine injunction
which says, “ Beware of dogs." It rained all
night; but never mind ; my children were in
the covered ambulance, and wife and I spread
our mattress under Jumper’s huge dining
table, so it never rained on us. Brother
Murrow had i nice little cot near by, protect
ed by canvas above. We all slept soundly
until break of Jay.
At peep of day we were awaked from
slumber by the long, slow and solemn sound
of that familiar conch, (how love I that Indian
conch!) calling us to the arbor of prayer.
Before you could half dress, some were
already "there, and had commenced the hymn,
“Pbyttf ikcha Heng Kldt iih'tet," etc., “ Come,
Holy Spirit etc. There is no need of haste,
however, for they will sing long enough to
give every one ample time to dress and get un
der the arbor. Then one appointed leads in
prayer, after which a doxology is sung, the
benediction pronounced, and all repair to
their tents to prepare breakfast. 1 will not
describe the food nor the eating, for it would
make you hungry ! It is all a notion with you
palefaces that these Indians are filthy, or that
they know not how to cook. I would leave
the Fifth Avenue hotel at any time to eat
with the Seminoles at a camp meeting ! Do
you catch the idea j' How 1 love the Indian
diet! And then the fashion of going from
camp to camp, and eating here a little and
there a little. How it whets the appetite!
At 10 a.m., regular “services” begin, and
after one hour spent in singing and prayer,
the preaching begins. As it was made my
duty to preach at this hour, 1 will not speak
of the sermon. I will say, however, that
according to Indian style, 1 had a lengthy
prologue before reading my text, and this
was the more necessary as 1 had not seen
them for five weary years, and I wanted to
tell them things that 1 could not weave into a
sermon. This prologue was made up, warp
and woof, of an apology in behalf of our
Board for not. sending them a missionary, and
for my own conduct in staying away so long.
1 think 1 satisfied their minds, and removed
every prejudice, by convincing them that the
Baptists had not forgotten them, and that cir
cumstances beyond my control had detained
me. I had to be discreet, for other denomi
nations were there who had excelled us in con
tributions, and many were there who fought
against us in the late war. All of Billy
Bowlegs’ party went North, and all the Redo
baptist missionaries among the Seminoles.
There are two persons in the congregation
to whom 1 did not introduce my readers, and
1 must not omit this part of my duty. As
they are full-bloods I need not tell their names,
for you could neither spell them nor remem
ber them. They are Baptists, however, and
that name would pass them from the ante
chambers to the inner temples of all the sects.
Tneir mode of dress, as well as theirappear
ance, is peculiar, and would indicate to a
stranger at once that they are the ones to ap
p! y- to for information or for accommodations.
If you should doubt at first, you will only
have to watch them a little, and all doubts
will be removed, for they are seldom idle.
Their shirts are made of pale red, pin-calico,
their tegas are taken down from their arms
and shoulders, and hang loosely down over
their hips, fastened with a belt about the
waist. They occupy two chairs in front of
the stand, while sitting, that everybody knows
as belonging to them. Each one holds in his
right hand a long, straight, limber rod, fresh
cut from the forest, and woe betide the dog
that is so irreverent as to come inside the
arbor in time of service! Their suspenders,
buttoned at each end, are cast off their shoul
ders, and hang negligently, yet gracefully,
over their togas, and all things about them
indicate that they are servants of the congre
gation, and that instead of being ashamed,
they are proud to serve. The name of their
office in Seminole signifies a servant, in Eng
lish it is deacofi, and in Greek it is diakonos,
from dia. by, and koneo, to serve. True, they
are not exofficio yet they will pelt
dogs if it be of service to the congregation. It
is their business, also, to know everybody and
everybody’s actual needs; they see that every
one hasaseat,andf/ie seat that he ought to have.
All can see at a glance that they must not be
interfered with in the discharge of their re
sponsible duties. In such mixed congrega
tions of Indians, whites and negroes, such
officers are needed, for there need be no appeal
from their decisions. The pointing of their
wands will indicate the front seats for white
people, next the Indians, according to senior
ity of membership or priority of baptism,
and next well, never mind, their rods will
point out a seat for them. ,
Brother Murrow was the next one to
preach, but I need not describe his sermon.
He never fails to feel what he says, and to
make others enter into the spirit of his dis
course. He is decidedly a man of strong
impulses, and of impassioned eloquence, and
always “commends himself to every man’s
conscience in the sight of God.” lie was
agent for the Seminoles in the days of the
Confederacy, and hence they can boast that
they have had one man to come up to the
meaning of their word for agent, istichdko,
the precious man.
Dr. Ramsey came next. Ilis theme was
the Prodigal Son, and he handled the subject
well, though with a sprinkling of levity, as I
thought. He made the conduct of the prod
ical appear ludicrous. I can say this, how
ever, in his praise: he knows how to adapt
himself in words and thoughts to the capaci
ties of the Indians, a perfection to which few
missionaries attain. In this lam certain he
excells any Presbyterian 1 ever heard. He
does not preach on stilts, but comes right
down to the wants and capacities of his con
gregation.
But my letter is wearying you, so I will
stop here, and write another next week. In
that I will tell you how a Landmark Baptist
behaves when thrown with Pedobaptist min
isters in a camp-meeting. I fear it will re
quire two more letters to conclude my account
of the camp-meeting; but be patient, 1 want
you to see and hear it all on paper , which is
the cheapest and easiest way for you ; so till
next week adieu. 11. F. Buckner.
Micco, Creek Nation, Aug.‘Sind, 1870.
Reminiscences:
The Central Association—-Eatonton and her Leading
Men—A Departed Sister—An Afflicted Brother.
The Central Association, which has recently
held its session at Futon tost,
It came into existence in troublous Fol
lowing upon the great revival of 1827—287"(’£?n9->
greatest that has ever been experienced in
Middle Georgia,) the spirit of missions, which
prevailed in the Georgia Association, began
to develop itself in some of the churches west
of the Oconee rivet. This development met
with violent opposition from most of the load
ing ministers of those times. This opposition
took the form of antagonism to the General
Association, as the Georgia Baptist Conven
tion was then called. The Ocmulgee Asso
ciation withdrew from the General Associa
tion in 1830. The Yellow River, Flint River,
Western, and others, adopted resolutions de
daring non-fellowship with all “Benevolent
Institutions, so called” or at least took a firm
stand in opposition to the mission cause.
(The Oomuigpe had taken the lead in this
movement.) Nearly all the preachers drifted
with the popular current. The few churches,
or parts of churches, that remained faithful,
represented themselves in the General Asso
ciation by means of auxiliary societies. Many
worthy members were cut off from the Anti
Mission churches, for no other cause than that
of their connection with Bible, temperance or
mission societies. For years the Anti-Mission
party constituted an overwhelming majority
in Middle and Western Georgia.
On a freezing day, Feb. 1, 1834, seven
churches, represented by fifteen delegates, met
at Indian Greek church, Morgan county, and
organized the Central Association , viz : An
tioch, Indian Creek, Eatonton, Sharon, Mc-
Donough, Paran and Sardis. There were
only four preachers connected with the infant
body—Benjamin 11. Willson, Jesse Trav is,
Wm. A. Callaway‘and the writer. Os these,
“1, even 1 only, am left.” (J. E. Dawson
did not commence preaching till the ensuing
year. From the day he entered upon the
work, he pursued it with unceasing energy,
till he fell a martyr to his consuming zeal.)
In the decorum it was declared that the As
sociation “recognizes and approves of Sabbath
schools, missions, the education of ministers,
Bible, temperance and tract societies, and
will give them our hearty cooperation ; but
fellowship will not be disturbed with any
member who does not feel it his duty to con
tribute to their support.” The issue was thus
sqaiarely made with the Anti-Missionaries,and
the fight was prosecuted with vigor on both
sides. The weapons of our warfare were not
carnal, but were mighty through God to the
pulling down of strongholds. It was con
cluded to seek correspondence with several
Associations, and the writer retains a vivid
recollection of the manner in which his over
tures, as a messenger of the Central, were re
jected by the Sarepta, Columbus and other
Associations. The Columbus refused to hear
the letter, or to invite the messenger to a seat.
Resort was finally had to the press. The
“ History of the Central Association” was
published in pamphlet form, and scattered
broadcast over the State. Light began to
spread, but it met with the most persist
ent opposition. Associations were divided,
churches rent asunder, and members of the
same family estranged from each other.
The controversy raged for years. But the
truth finally triumphed. The Associations,
which took decided Anti-Missionary ground,
dwindled away to mere handsful. Many of
their churches became extinct, or have a mere
nominal existence. The power of auti-ism
was broken ; the Rehoboth, twin sister of the
Central, was formed ; several of the older
Associations threw off the yoke of bondage
and joined the Convention, and the churches
of Middle and Western Georgia were saved
from decay and dissolution.
The writer had his full share in this strug
gle. Yet, after all this, he has lived to see
himself published as in opposition to the
Boards, as being in antagonism to the Boards,
etc. lie rejoices that, on the subject of mis
sions, his record is on high, and that no man
can take his crown.
The late session of the Central w r as held in
Eatonton. Forty years ago, that town con
tained one of the most intelligent and influen
tial communities in the State. Among its
leading men were Irby Hudson, Eli Shorter,
Charles Gordeq, Drs. Henry and Joel Bran
ham, James Meriwether, Mark A. Cooper,
Wiley W. Mason, Wade Hill, and Thomas
FRANKLIN PRINTING HOUSE, ATLANTA, GA., THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 1870.
Cooper. It is of the last of this group (the
father of Mark A. Cooper) that 1 desire now
to record a few things. Taken altogether, he
was one of the most remarkable men I have
ever known. In the winter of 1829, the
writer entered the town for the first time, an
invalid, thought to be far gone in consumption.
Mr. Cooper, unsolicited, took me into his
house, adopted me as a member of his family,
and he and his wife nursed me in sickness,
provided for my comfort, and, by every means
in their power, promoted my welfare and
happiness as long as they lived. Whenever
I visit the town, I make it a point to go, alone,
to the grave, under whose shadows my second
father and mother “sleep in Jesus,” side by
side, and try to thank God that such people
have ever lived on the earth, and that it was
my inestimable privilege to enjoy their con
fidence and kindness even to the last.
I scarce ever look over a copy of the In
dex without seeing the announcement of the
death of some dear brother or sister. How
deeply was my heart moved recently on read
ing an account of the death of sister Glover,
wife of Deacon Thomas Glover, of Twiggs
county ! How were my thoughts borne back
to old Richland, where I was pastor so many
years, and where I baptized hundreds of
Christians—among whom were twer lovely
daughters of my departed sister. And 1 could
but think what a joyful meeting it must have
been when those daughters (who had gone
before) and that mother met on the shining
shore ! She was one of the excellent of the
earth —as were also many others of that good
old church, both men and women.
Your readers will think this a chapter of
lamentations. Well, be it so. But there is
one more incident that I must not omit. Only
a few days since, 1 received a letter from a
brother minister, with whom l have been in
timately acquainted from my youth until this
day, who informs me that his health has
failed, that he is laid aside from labor in the
vineyard of his dear Redeemer, and that his
end seems to be rapidly approaching. Our
mothers were members of the same church ;
we were baptized the same day in Novem
ber, 1822 ; and, of the scores "that professed
Christ that day, we are the only two that re
main, so far as I know. He is your neigh
bor, brother Editor—Rev. A. T. Holmes,
D.D. Do you wonder that I grieve for him?
I may well adopt the language of David—
“ l*am distressed for thee, my brother. Very
pleasant hast thou been unto me !” Surely it
is time for lamentation, when “ the godly man
eeaseth, and the faithful fail from among the
children of men !” J. H. Campbell.
T/iomasville , Ga., Sept., 1870.
It Can Hardly be So!
A friend of Georgia Baptists, but across
the great western river, was not a little sur
prised at reading in the Index, a few weeks
ago, sonqe reflections of a certain writer on
the state of religion in a certain portion ok
Georgia, an idea like this: “A majority of
the members are topers .” This certainly
must be a mistake. lam sorry you allowed
it to go into the Index without a note or com
ment. I was aware before I left Georgia,
that the war had greatly demoralized our
people there, and at times I felt to fear we
have to fight the temperance reforma
tiort-ftY.e.r,again. Oh, for the memory of the
sainted apostles -of temperance, uncles Joe
Gresham, Dabney Jones and Ben Brantly!
Have not their maizes fallen on some in
your midst? Will they not to the rescue
now, and try to redeem our people from this
great curse? Your correspondent certainly
was mistaken. Even here in Arkansas we
do not as bad as that, though you may think
we are out on the broad and vast west, given
over to ruin. Our church here at Trenton,
holds that, to be a Baptist and a member of
its communion, one is a member of a tem
perance society. This we teach and urge,
and I think brethren Meil, and Jennings, and
Stockton, and Butler, and Tupper, and others
of the old Georgia Association, do so too.
Am I not right, brethren ? Then do not let
that brother who noticed the general meeting,
recently held at Fishing Creek, so unfavora
bly on this point, go uncorreeted. I fear
some of the brethren may distil too much
brandy for medicine. They learned to do it
in war times, because it could not be had
otherwise. My brethren and sisters, many
recollect an allusion made by me, at Mar
shalville, once, in a discourse on this subject,
and the conversation had about it. Brother
Whilden can learn it by enquiring of our
friends there. Come, brethren, if the Bap
tists in Georgia do drink too much of the
ardent in some places, I declare I can ; t believe
the majority of them, in any portion of your
State, are topers! W hat say you to this ?
Can the Moderator of the Georgia tell us if
this is not a mistake?
I don’t believe it, brethren. u lt can hard
ly he so!"
Your friend and brother in a common Sa
viour, W. H. Robert.
Trenton, Philips county, Ark., Sept. Ith, 1870.
Facts from the Records.
By reference to the minutes of the Georgia
Baptist State Convention, we find the follow
ing facts:
In 1846 the Executive Committee, in their
report, had four missionaries under appoint
ment, brethren E. Hedden, H. W. Williams,
David Ryals, and D. G. Daniell.
In 1847, four—brethren E. Iledden, D. G.
Daniel), Asa Duggan and David Ryals.
In, 1848, four— Asa Duggan, Da
vid Ryals, J. B. Sauls ynd D. G. Darnell.
In 1850, two —brethren D. G. Daniel] and
Davids Ryals.
In 1851, two —brethren David Ryals and
E. Hedden.
In 1852, three—brethren E. Hedden, James
McDonald and J. R. Miller.
In 1856, four—brethren J. R. Miller, J. H.
Cowan, E. Hedden and S. Sisk.
At the meeting this year, (1856,) the Ex
ecutive Committee say : “At their meeting
in December, the Committee perceived that
the salaries of the missionaries had exhausted
the funds contributed for their maintenance,
and therefore felt constrained, however reluc
tantly, to inform them that they could not be
appointed for the present year. The mis
sionaries have done much good in the regions
where they have labored, and it is a matter
of regret that the want of means prevented
their continuance. We recommend that con
tributions for State missions be turned over
to the Marion Board.” This report was sub
mitted to a Special Committee, which report
ed as follows: “They (Ex. Com.) have
recommended that the funds which may
hereafter be sent up to the Convention for
Domestic Missions, be turned over into the
hands of the Marion Board, in which recom
mendation we most heartily concur.
The Domestic Board of the S. B. C. were
pleased with this arrangement, and coopera
ted with their brethren in Georgia in sustain
ing the gospel in their nvdst.
In 1857 the Domestic Board had in Geor
gia six missionaries, brethren Tho. A. Bell,
A. S. Morrall, D. G. Kanston, J. R. Miller,
J. E. Whitten, H. W. Pope.
In 1858, eight missionaries—brethren Jno.
Cooper, F. R. Sweat, T. A. Bell, J. 11. Har
ley, A. S. Morrall, H. E. Cassiday, James
Whitten and L. R. L. Jennings.
In 1859, ten—brethren W. L. Geiger, Lewis
Price, T. A. Bell, Joel Johnson, J. F. Mor-
rall, J. T. W. Ven7f«sMS>wight Hoyt, Asa
Duncan, G. W. McWilliams.
In 1860,eleven —brethren Alfred Cone, Joel
Johnson, J. R. L. Jennings, W. L. Geiger,
J. T. W. Vernon, Asa Duncan, J. C. Harris,
L. M. Carter, J. Dupre, T. A. Bell and J.
W. M. Williams.-^^,
In 1861, ten.’ Front-1861 to 1865 the war
was in progress, and most of our appoint
ments were in the Confederate army. In
1866, six; in 1867,seventeen; in 1868,four
teen ; in 1869,
twelve; at the prelifnt time, thirteen. We
have omitted the names for 1861—’70, as it
would take up too much space.
We will now give the amount of contribu
tions from Georgia fuqrn the year 1846, as
we have not the figure*for 1845, for Georgia,
as the receipts wery reported in the aggre
gate by our Treasurer lor that year. We
give the following, from April Ist to April
Ist: •
1846 to 1847 $2,184 S3
1847 to 1848 1,308 11
1848 to 1840 1,447 65
1849 to 1850 •& 1,836 00
1850 to 1851 2,477 21
1851 to 1852 J3L..* 3,154 33
1852 to 1853 Hr*. 2,964 63
1853 to 1854 2,595 81
1854 to 1855 .tMh, 5,384 60
1855 to 1856 • • $4,992 57
1ad...4f1HV.4.... 2,511 61... 7,504 18
1856 to 1857 '..M- J .... 5,714 17
lud 4P1?..... 2,998 89... 8,713 06
1857 to 1858 ¥ 4,383 00
liul- - .. T A 2,548 97.. 6,931 97
1858 to 1859 3,907 68
Ind 4,527 59.. 8,435 27
1859 to 1860 4,681 63
Ind. 4,071 54 . 8,753 17
1860 to 1861 2,474 99
Ind \ 6,358 27.. 8,833 26
1861 to 1862 A... .. 2,172 20
Ind 7 4,055 15.. 6,229 35
1862 to 1863 \ 3,410 65
Ind 4,707 79.. 8,118 44
1863 to 1864 . . A 41,734 76
Ind 1,646 29..43,381 05
1864 to 1865 r rrC7. .... • • 27,922 96
1865 to 1866 1,362 45
Ind 168 50.. 1,530 95
1866 to 1867 4,799 66
Ind 168 10..4.967 76
1867 to 1868 . : 3,575 64
Ind 447 83.. 4,023 47
1868 to 1869 * „ ...... . 4,073 92
1869 to 1870 W u .. 7,055 60
$179,825 08
Confederate money,. * $85,649 80
Currency U. 5.,. ■ ••• • 24,175 28
We could give the per centum expended in
Georgia for missionary labor, of the above,
had we the time toVmike the investigation.
We give the above without comment,
thankful to God fo£ any good accomplished,
and only praying f y enlargement.
T. Sumner, Cor. Sec.
Marion, Sept. 9. 187(J-
No? Alone.
Not alone wou’ii'ee' sit
Close to the tester's feet,
Reading His lows of lore,
Hearing Hisihispers sweet;
Not alone wouiS we feel
Sorrow and suffering cease,
And sterling into our hearts
God’s wonderful words of peace.
At the brink <*4UifcjLrerof .Life,
How can we sake ooFfin.
While the friends that we love the best
Thirst for itsfvaters still?
How can we ro>4tlo close
In the sheltercf love and light,
While they in the storm.
In the dark -fid pitiless night?
f *
Not alone won!* we stand
Soon at the hPautiful gate,
Looking and hkLSUrig in vain
For those too ate. M
Yb-rfflii u 6 —v
Waving the igqueroj’s palm,.
While the voiceY we love best
Learn not thqholy psalm.
Close to us when we kneel
Here at the Father’s feet,
Close to us when we stand
There where the happy meet;
Nearer to God than we,
Happier in His love,
Thus may our dear ones be,
Dear to the Friendjtltove.
Weak when we would be strong,
Dumb when we long to speak;
Never from us can come
The joy whicn for them we seek.
Holiest, make us wise,
That the our hearts may be
As the hand of Jan angel unseen,
Drawing our love to Thee.
Yet, oh, Father*divine,
Pardon the blild rilpiFst:
Rather our words should be,
Father, thou ,knowest best.
Gather them h iw thou wilt,
Even by oth*t( prayer,
So that our da B'igs come
In the bliss love to share.
—Marianne Far nine//Win.
Free Discussion and its Fruit.
The pastor of one of the largest Congrega
tional churches in the United States, in a re
view of his twenty-three years pastorate,
says : v k
“The church hasrfieXe'r been broken into
cliques. It has never bqen divided into one,
two or three parties. It has never been so
disturbed as t> require a*resort to arbitration.
I do not rememberftbat we ever had a meet
ing of deacons or of an examining committee
in this city to settle any church difficulty.
Wo have had single cases of discipline which
required us to together, but I do not
recollect that we efer found it necessary to
call a council to settle any difficulty which
had arisen in the qhurch ; and we have gone
on for a quarter century in th tt way.”
Very few churches of any of the various
orders of church polity can shs-w an equally
creditable record. For this favorable result
there must have b£gji some adequate cause.
The pastor gives the explanation. He says :
“Our meetings hqvc always been open for
every man to say ihat he wanted to, without
the fear of being provided he kept
within sight of e<o¥;n.>n sense.” The utmost
liberty of expression, it seems,
has been only restraint upon
the speaker was. tLi*. he should “ keep within
sight of common
The lesson is wi.lth pondering. Doubtless,
the patience of pasijr and people were some
times, perhaps oftentimes, severely tried by
some tedious and unprofitable talkers, but the
fruits of peace gathered during the cougpe of
twenty-three years surely worth thu*
sacrifices made. A. free discussion of every
subject of sufficienl importance to be brought
before the church is the best preventive of
the feeling that gives birth to cliques and
parties. The idea, so common, that a subject
is not to be discussed because some of the
leading brethren have already arrived at a
decision in their own minds, is subversive of
religious liberty. This false idea springs
from forgetfulness of the fact that each mem
ber of a church to all the rights
and privileges of other member. And
these rights are not iucreased or diminished
on account of a member’s pecuniary or social
position. Hrs injltttfrte mtiy be inucfo affected
by these adventitious circumstances, but not
his rights.
True religious liberty can exist only where
every church member ean feel free to express
his views on under considera
tion. Parliamentary rules place it within
the power of the cliurch to check any undue
latitude of debate, but these checks should be
stringently applied only in clear cases of tres
pass upon the rules of order. The course
pursued by thet-miTch referred to, simply to
require in all discussions that the speaker
keep within sight .of common sense” is a wise
one. r A Bible Baptist.
Falsehood.—\lie will travel from Main
to Georgia while «ie truth is putting on her
boots. —Fisher Ames.
Encouragement.
That “ No man liveth to himself” is a truth
worthy of consideration, when applied in its
true sense, none will deny. “We live unto
the Lord.” (Rom. xiv : 7,8.) By this we
understand that whatever we do should be for
the glory of God, and that nothing which
would tend to promote the interests of His
cause should be left undone. As small streams
are swallowed up and lost sight of in great
ones, so our personal interests should be
sw.allowed up and lost sight of in God’s inter
ests. When our own intere-ts (selfish inter
ests) are thus lost sight of, we seek to know
Gou’s interests and study to learn what will
promote them. God has chosen to promote
the interests of His cause on earth by preach
ing. “ Chiist came into the world to seek
and to save that which is lost,” and “ It pleased
God, by the foolishness of preaching, to save
them that believe.” Peraching, then, is the
means by which this cause of Christ is to be
promoted. The better the preaching, the
more the cause is promoted. As “we live
unto the Lord,” we are to not only seek, by
encouragement, to make the preacher preach
well, but also to avoid whatever will be a
stumbling block or obstacle in his way.
Young ministers preach the gospel, and their
preaching is a means of promoting the inter
ests of Christ’s cause. If there is any one
thing, the abstaining from.which will both
encourage to preach well and keep out an ob
stacle, surely we ought to abstain from that
thing, remembering that “we live unto the
Lord.” If any one has curiosity or desire to
know what that one thing is, ask every young
minister you meet if it does not dishearten
him —make him feel more like sitting down
than going <>n to see the pastor’s head, the
heads of the deacons, and the heads of other
intelligent ministers hanging upon their
breasts, and their eyes bent upon the floor
before them as closed, while he is preaching,
anJ if it does not strengthen and encourage
him to see all heads erect and eyes fixed upon
him? Can any man speak well when, at the
close of every sentence, the conviction forces
itself upon him that he is not interesting his
hearers ? And can anything be a better in
dication of this than drooping heads and floor
searching eyes? But some one says, “We
do not intend to make that impression, but
we feel for the young speaker, and fear lest
he make some blunder or a failure.” This is
a good way to cause the thing you fear ; in
fact, you could not adopt a better to cause
it. But some one says, “He is making such
a failure, I am ashamed of him.” Then so
much the more reason for looking him in the
eyes, and thus encouraging him, giving him
confidence. That this does help one to preach
needs no proof. It has but to be stated to
find a home in the experience of every minis
ter, and to these specially we write. If we
have accustomed ourselves to this position
for hearing, let us at once abandon it. It is a
very serious drawback to a young speaker,
whether he is doing well or not, and it will
help him do belter to look him in the eyes.
Then, to old ministers, and especially promi
nent ministers, we say, don’t cramp your
young brethren by flinching before they
blunder; don’t utterly crush them because
they are not doing as well as you wish, or as
they might do. Rather strengthen and en
courage them —help them to pre A better;
and by so doing, promote lit& interests of
■Cbrici, 4a whom we all tumid
live. J. M, Robkk.son.
Greenville, Sept. 9,1870.
Communion.
Rev. Dr. Colver, a few years ago, said,
“ on visiting his son’s farm in Illinois, he found
the gate in front at the usual place of entrance,
but that the fence was down all along the
road. He said there was no trouble in en
tering at the gate in usual manner—but by
leaving the road or carriage-way, he could
enter anywhere else just as well.” He
“ thought the farm resembled an open com
munion church.” “It has a door but is open
all around.” The simile is certainly a true
one, and if we would use the illustration a
little further, it would be just as convincing.
Suppose this Illinois farmer has a neighbor
who adjoins him in pasture grounds, and
should propose that the party or division
fence be removed, and their cattle roam in
common over both fields, as they are social
in their habits and would be company for
each other. His neighbor in considering the
matter would (unless carried away with the
social idea, or mere friendliness) look to see
how far his cattle could range; and discovers
that his neighbor has no fence along the high
way, that there is no limit to the intrusion of
cattle from the outside, and that his might
wander away and be lost. Asa good farmer
he would prefer to share only with those who
are equal and safe. Is it not well for us to look
to the boundaries of those churches which
ask us to share in the ordinances Christ gave
to His people? VVe look to see where they
separate themselves from the great outside
world, and find the defensive line removed,
or so slight that any one may enter. We
find that the birthright membership brings to
them additions from the world with no claim
to be members of the fold, not having en
tered by the Door, which is Christ. If we
receive these to the ordinances of the Church,
if we acknowledge them as equal with us,
we break down all dividing lines between us
and them, and thereby between us and the
world.
Modern Missions.
The modern missionary enterprise, though
beginning its work in the European colonies,
from the first turned with longing eye to the
heatnen nations. Within twenty years after
Carey’s sermon at Kettering, in England, and
the enthusiastic meetings at which the Lon
don Missionary Society was founded, all the
churches of England and Ameriea had formed
their societies; had chosen their fields, and
were employing four hundred and fifty mis
sionaries in active work.
The fifty years which have since passed
have only extended and consolidated these ef
forts. There is a fulness, a definiteness, a sys
tem about the work in all these missions, and
there is a cordial union among the workers
of which opponents are little aware. The ex
tent to which the labors of the missionaries
have spread, and the degree in which their
chosen fields have been occupied, is to be seen
in their success. While Protestant churches
are the main-spring of enlightenment and pro
gress within the bounds of Christendom, be
yond those bounds there is scarcely a king
dom or empire of importance in which their
influence is not deeply -felt. A hundred mis
sionaries,chiefly American,are laboring among
the Copts of Egypt, the Jews of Palestine,
the Armenians of the Turkish empire and
the Nestorians of Persia. A hundred more,
from all countries, occupy the ports of China
and Siam. 560 labor in the provinces of
India aud the island of Ceylon. In Madagas
car and South Africa there are nearly 300.
130 occupy the slave countries around the
Gulf of Guinea, and 220 work for the kin
dred people in the West Indies. The Indian
tribes of North America have 105 missiona
ries. 200 more instruct the tribes of Poly
nesia. Nevertheless, compared with the at
tention which they compel and the power
which they exercise, these missions occupy a
trifling space in the world. Their chief actors
are a handful of men; their operations are
limited ; their friends are few. Their agen
cies may be set down as follows : Number of
societies in America and Europe, 50 ; total
number of European and American missiona
ries, 2,033; total annual expenditure, $5,000,-
000.
We must not forget the circumstances
under which their work was begun. At the
beginning of the century the difficulties which
lay in their way were enormous. In Papal
Europe the circulation of the Scriptures was
forbidden ; in the West Indies they could not
pmach to the slaves; until 1812 jealous offi
cials watched for their landing in India ; China
excluded all foreign influences until 1842.
Before the Crimean war a Mohammedan in
Turkey, on professing Christianity, was liable
to be put to death. They were compelled to
turn to barbarous countries sunk to the lowest
depths of degradation and vice. They had to
study their languages; to form their own
grammars, dictionaries and vocabularies ; to
erect all their buildings; and only after years
of labor did they secure competent native as
sis tan ts.
But the prime difficulty was the sinful lives
and hearts of the people whom they sought
to evangelize. All the elements of the na
tional life are saturated with heathenism. All
things have to be Christianized—art, taste,
language, habits. Is the work slow? All the
great processes of nature, the mightiest works
of art, the triumphs of engineering skill, re
quires years for their completion. Slower
tar are the processes by which vital changes
are wrought in religious belief and in national
habits. Not in a sigle generation, but in
many, did Christianity revolutionize and re
form the vices of the Roman empire. Cen
turies passed before its lessons secured a place
in the settled opinions of the world. But
evidence of solid success in the work of mod
ern missions is found in the fact that the gos
pel has won real converts in large numbers.
Success, once assured, has in general steadily
increased. Tens of converts have become
hundreds ; hundreds have grown into thou
sands. Separate families have developed into
communities. In continents whole villages
have become Christians. In the seas whole
islands have been evangelized. L ite returns
make the present number of communicants as
follows :
Churches, or congregations, 2,500; church
members, or communicants, 273,000; nominal
Christians, young and old, 1,350,000; and
by these the gospel is taught and Christian
work is carried on in 4,000 centres of useful
ness outside the bounds of Christendom.
No low estimate ought to be put on this
result of missionary operations, tho churches
and the converts which have been gathered
by their influence. These 270,000 men and
women have been rescued from heathenism,
from the advocacy and practice of error, from
unchecked vice and crime. Not only them
selves, but their children have been elevated,
and they have been saved as neighbors, as
fellow-citizens, as nations. Their intelligence,
their literature, their material resources, their
public law, have been won. And still more,
Christ has placed His sanctifying hand on all
they have and all they are. For His service
He claims aL the varieties of their character,
and all the diversities of their national life.
— Dr. Mul.cns, (London.)
Th< Bible’s Historical Accuracy.
We rtn and in Dan. v : 30, that when Darius
took B.il/j lou, ReisioT/ZaT, tfre-fciug oflt,~wus
in the city, and in “ that night was Belshazzar,
king of the Chaldeans, slain.” Herodotus, the
Greek historian, informs us that the king of
Babylon, whose name was Labynetus, was
absent when the city was taken ; that he
sought shelter in Barsippa; that Cyrus at
tacked him there, took him, stripped him of
his regal dignity, but allowed hi in to retire
and to spend the rest of his life in ease in
Carainansa. The two statements appear to
be contradictory, and the credit of historic
veracity must be denied either to Daniel or
to Herodotus. Thus stood the matter, whan
Sir Henry Rawlinson, the celebrated Oriental
scholar, discovered, in his Eastern researches,
one of those cylinders, on which historic re
cords used to be written in the cuneiform
character by the ancients. Having decipher
ed the writing on this relic of antiquity, it
was discovered that at the time of the cap
ture of Babylon, referred to by Daniel and
Herodotus, there were two kings presiding
over the empire, a father and his son; and
thus we can understand that Herodotus speaks
of the father, who escaped, while Daniel speaks
of the son, who was slain. This unsuspected
fact not only reconciles the prophet and the
historian, but explans an otherwise inexplica
ble expression in Daniel, where it was pro
mised to the prophet by Belshazzar that, if he
could explain the writing on the wall, he
would make him the third ruler in the king
dom. (Dan. v: 16.) Now, why not the
second ruler, as Joseph in similar circum
stances had been made in Egypt? The cylin
der answers the question ; there were two
kings in Babylon, and therefore the place
next to the throne could be only the third
rulership in the kingdom. Avery short time
before the discovery which so triumphantly
reconciles the seeming contradiction which
cast a shade of suspicion on Daniel’s accu
racy, Mr. F. W. Newman had written these
words in Kitto’s Cyclopedia, “ No hypothesis
will reconcile this account with the other :”
an instructive lesson this, teaching us to give
the sacred writers credit for accuracy, even
though we may be unable to explain facts
which seem to impeach it.— Church Herald.
Eloquent Hearers Needed.
The famous bon mot, “ 1 am bound to fur
nish the gentleman with arguVnents, not with
brains,” was decidedly rude in the way of
putting the matter, but conveyed a most im
portant truth. Much good speaking is wasted
on stupid hearers. Dr. Shedd, in his Homi
letics, suggests that good hearing is almost as
essential to true eloquence, as great power in
the orator. He says:
It will be found, upon closer examination,
that eloquence, in its highest forms and effects,
is a joint product of two factors: of an elo
quent speaker and an eloquent hearer. Burn
ing words presuppose some fuel in the souls
to whom they are addressed. The thrill of
the orator, however exquisite, cannot traterse
a torpid or paralyzed nerve in the auditor. It
is necessary, therefore, as all the rhetoricians
have said, in order to the highest effect of hu
man speech, that the auditor be in a state of
preparation and recipiency ; that there be an
answering chord, in the mass of minds, be
fore whom the single, solitary individual
comes forth, with words of warning or of con
solation, of terror or of joy.
It follows, consequently, that if there be a
true tone in preaching, there is also a true
temper in hearing. If it is incumbent upon
the sacred ministry to train itself to a certain
style of thinking and utterance, it is equally
incumbent upon the sacred auditory to school
itself into the corresponding mood; so that
its mental attitude, its pre-judgments, its in
tellectual convictions, its well-weighed fears
and forebodings, shall all be, as it were, a
fluid sea, along which the surging mind of the
public teacher shall roll its billows.
Wheve He Got It. —When Walter Savage
Landor was praising Dickens’ style, and ask
ing him where he got it, he said, “ Why, from
the New Testament, to be sure.”
{s3 00 HEAR.} WHOLE NO. 2507.
labor On.
Go, labor on; spend and be spent;
Thy joy to do thy Father’s will.
It is the way the Master weut;
Should not the servant tread it still ?
Go, labor on; ’tis not for nought;
Thy earthly loss is heavenly gain.
Men heed thee, love thee, praise thee not;
The Muster praises—what are men 1
Go, labor on; enough, while here,
If He should praise thee, if He deign
Thy willing heart to mark and cheer,
No toil for Him shall be in vain.
Go, labor on ; your hands are weak,
Your knees are faint, your soul cast down ;
Yet falter not, the prize you seek
Is near—a kingdom and a crown.
Go, labor on while it is day,
The world’s dark night is hasting on ;
Speed, speed thy work, cast sloth away,
It is not thus that souls are won.
Men die in darkness at your side,
Without a hope to cheer the tomb;
Take up the torch and wave it wide—
The torch that lights time’s thickest gloom.
Toil on, faint not, keep watch, and pray;
Be wise the erring soul to win ;
Go forth into the world’s highway,
Compel the wundtrers to come in.
Toil on, and in thy toil rejoice;
For toil comes rest, for exile home;
Soon shalt thou hear the Bridegroom’s voice,
The midnight peal, “Behold, I come!”
Church Fairs.
They desecrate the house of worship. Our
houses are solemnly dedicated to the service
of God. They are to he used for strictly re
ligious purposes—instruction, prayer, praise,
the communion of the saints. But a Fair in
troduces every contrivance for conviviality
and pure worldly pleasure. To commence
such an occasion with prayer is simply sol
emn mockery.
It makes the house of God a place of mer
chandise. The supper is sold, the music is
sold, needle work and toys are sold, and
sometimes letters, whose, contents are not of
a very exalting character, are sold to the
dupes who are willing to read their own ca
ricatures.
Fairs appeal to unlawful motives for the
promotion of a good cause. Christians should
give directly to the Lord. It is degrading
our cause to buy the good will of its professed
defenders or to leave our own ground and go
over to the world’s play ground to bargain
for its favor.
It is aping Rome and the world to adopt
Fairs and the like fashions for the raising of
money. If we are distinct from the Romish
church in doctrine, let us he a peculiar people
in our customs.
Fairs weaken the moral power of a church
in the neighborhood. Participating in these
amusements, our influence for a time is laid
aside. The light upon the hill has gone out
and the enemy rejoices.
They weaken the power of the pastor.
llow can a pastor preach successfully or con
sistently against certain amusements, when a
majority of hischurch have mingled in amuse
meats very similar, and have even had him
for grand master of ceremonies !
Once more. Fairs are always held under
the protest of some of the exemplary mem
bers of the church. These consistent friends
of Jesus are offended. Let any one who is
constrained by the love of Christ, justify this
course if he can.
It is time the Baptists were feeling their
JKgy txi the purer .customs of their
fathers. — Central Baptist.
Henry H avelock,
The gallant soldier and heroic Christian
Havelock was converted on board the “ Gen
eral Kyd,” outward bound for India. He
was young, and only a lieutenant, with an un
tried sword both as a soldier and a Christian,
but destined to do great deeds in both fields.
His enlistment was as hearty under the ban
ner of the Lion of the tribe of Judah, as un
der the lion of Britain, and his commission
from the King of Heaven had the broad seal
of authenticity in the assurance of sins for
given, as undoubted and unequivocal as his
commission from the king of his country.
He landed at Calcutta a soldier of the Cross.
But there God had in store for him yet better
things. It was not in Havelock’s nature to
hide his colors. His uniform did not more
fully declare his profession as a military man
than did his uniform Christian conduct his
position in the Church militant. Once fairly
settled at Fort William, he sought out those
in Calcutta distinguished in the service of his
own new-found Captain and King, and bis
intercourse with them wus greatly blessed.
In this fortress the same glorious Saviour met
him again, and opened his eyes more fully
than ever, and revealed Himself to him anew.
His biographer says that “ The Scriptures
opened to him in yet greater fullness, and his
consecration to his Master’s service assumed
yet greater intelligence and force.”
Now, Havelock would have been a distin
guished soldier, and a decided Christian with
out doubt, even if he had not been met and
blessed the second time as he was. But to
understand the philosophy of his unswerving
dauntlessness in religion, and the deep solici
tude he felt for the conversion of his soldiers
and of the heathen, to find the source of the
steady brilliance of his light, we must look
to the two scenes—the Histone on the “ Gen
eral Kyd,” but not less to the second in “ Fort
William.”
Now suppose Havelock had said in the first
instance, as doubtless he may have been
tempted to say, and as some of his fellow
officers in the se-vice, and fellow-voyagers in
the “ General Kyd ” did probably say, “ Not
for me I” Or in the second instance—where
now would have been the record which has
thrilled all Christendom with wonder and de
light, the record which is on high ? W here ?
And yet he, a youth, a subordinate officer,
amongst scoffing fellow-officers, and amongst
a soldiery not over devout or pure, going into
a heathen land, and his trade war, and his
profession ambition. Surely he might have
exclaimed with a sigh of despair. “ My cir
cumstances ! Oh, my circumstances! Not
forme! not for me!” et it was for him,
and it is for you too, if, through unbelief, you
do not reject it. Again let me ask you, can
you reject it and be innocent 1 ?
But my temperament! With my perplex
ities and trials. Ah !my temperament would
never allow me to live in it. if 1 should gain
it. Os all the picas put in by those already
convinced of the reality and blessedness of
full salvation, this is the most frequent, and
the most plausible, too, to those who so plead,
and yet of all it is the most foolish and ground
less.
The plea in all reason and common sense
ought to be reversed. It should be. Ah!
my temperament and my temptations! 1
can never live unless Ido have the fullness of
faith and the fullness of salvation. I must
have it. Whatever others may do who have
less to contend with, I must have it, and by
the grace of God l will.— Higher Christian
Life.
Truth and Error. — Error is always
crooked. No two errors are crooked alike,
and therefore they never coincide. All truths
are stra ; ght; and therefore can lie parallel.
Dutt. —There are not good things enough
in life to indemnify us for the neglect of a
single duty.