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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.