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HRM’IAN INKSFaND SOUTH-WESTERN BAPTIST.
ViL 49 -NO. 45, {s3 00 Aim}
\ RELIGIOUS A DID FAMIITOAPER,
■ i tV,[3HED WEEXft IN ATLANTA. GA
AT $3.00 PER ANNUM,
Invariably in Advance,
r. r. TOON'. E>rouri@to r.
“Who Are These Before God’s Throne.”
Who are these before God’s throne—
What the countless gathering there*
Every forehead wears a crown,
All, like stars, are shining fair;
Halleluia! thus they sing,
With loud voices worshipping.
Who are these who palms so green
Wave, like warriors marching home
From the field where they hare seen
Foes forever overcome ?
What the warfare, what the pain
That so proud a triumph gain V
Who are these in linen white.
Type of innocence, arrayed,
Raiment pure and dazzling bright,
Robes which never more shall fade,
Never more shall know a stain,
Whence come the glorious train (
These are they who have fought well
For the honor of the r God -
Foiled the world and death, and hell,
Kept the rough and narrow road ;
And hare » V> UB. through heavenly might.
Been victorious in the fight-
These are brandhes of flie stem
Which Salvation’s fruit hath borne,—
These are followers of the Lamb
Who have passed through grief and scorn :
Now the-cross no more they bear.
Now festive dress they wear
sr* ,
These are they who ever paid
Priestly service to the Lord,—
Who upon the aitar laid “
Soul und body at His word;
Now they stand the throne around,
In His presence princes crowned.
As the hart for waters cool
Pants at noontide in the chase,
So they thirsted for the full,
Ever-flowing springs of grace ;
Now, from thirst forever free,
For with Jesus Christ they be.
Thither I, too, lift mine eyes,—
Lord, mv care on Thee I cast,
Unto Thee my spirit cries,
While these days of warfare last ;
Help me, make me at the close
More than conqueror o’er my foes.
May my calling and my lot
Bo with those who serve Thee here;
That at length, mv labor wrought,
At Thy throne, I may appear
As Thv faithful servant, Lord,
To receive the great reward.
s Oh, what rapture will be mine,
When, with saints that sinless are,
I in Thy pure light shall shine,
With the brightness of a star,
Praise and glory, Lord, to thee
Singing through eternity 1
- Frori thi German of Schenck.
General S. E. Lee’s Religious Character.
In this age of hero worship, there is a ten
dency to exalt unduly the virtues of great,
men, and to magnify the religious character
of one professing to be a .Christian. This is
so well understood, that there may be with
some who never knew him a lingering doubt
as tn the genuine piety of the great chieftain
whom two continents now mourn. To re
move any such impression from the minds of
anv vvho nevercame in contact with this gicat
and good man, the writer has culled a few
incidents from the many wtfieh might be
given, which show, beyond all cavil, that with
lien. Lee religion was not a mere profession,
but a genuine, precious reality.
The writer can never forget his first inter
view arid conversation with Gen. Lee on reli
•lions matters. It. was in 1863, while our
army was resting along the llapid Ann, soon
after the l>ristow campaign. Rev. B. T.
Lacy and myself went, as a committee of
our chaplain’s association, to consult him in
reference to the better observance of the
Sabbath in the army, and especially to urge
that something be done to prevent irreligious
officers from converting Sunday into a grand
gala day for inspections, reviews,etc. It was
a delicate mission. We did not wish to ap
pear as either informers or officious niter
meddlers, and vet we were very anxious to
do something to further the wishes of those
who sent us, and to put a scop to what was
then a growing evil, and, in some commands,
a serious obstacle to the efficient woi k of the
chaplain. The cordial greeting which he gave
us, the marked courtesy and respect with
which he listened to what we had to say and
expressed his warm sympathy with the object
of our mission, soon put us at our ease. But
as vve presently began to answer his questions
concerning the spiritual interests of the army,
and to tel? of that great revival which was
then extending through the camps, and bring
ing thousands of our noble men to Christ, we
saw his eye brighten and his whole counten
ance glow with pleasure; and as, in his sim
ple, feeling words, he expressed his delight,
we forgot the great warrior, and only remem
bered that we were communing with an
humble, earnest Christian. When Mr. Lacy
told him of the deep interest which the chap
lains felt in his welfare, and that their most
fervent prayers were offered in his behalf,
tears started in his eyes as he replied: “I
sincerely thank you for that, and I can only
say that I am a poor sinner, trusting in Christ
alone, and that I need all the players you can
offer for me.”
The next day, he issued a beautiful general
order, in which he referred to his previous
orders enjoining the observance ol the Sab
bath, ordered that nothing should be done on
ihe Lord’s day not absolutely necessary to
the subsistence or safety of the army, direct
ed that every facility should be given for
religious services, and urged upon officers and .
men regular attendance upon such services. \
fie always set the example himself, and never |
failed to attend prt aching w hen his duties did j
not absolutely preclude his doing so. Nor :
was he a mere listless attendant. Ihe simple
truths of the gospel had no more attentive
listener than Gen. Lee; and his eye would
kindle and his face glow under the more ten
der doctrines of grace, fie used freqent
ly to attend preaching at Jackson’s headquar.
ters ; and it was a scene which a master hand
might have delighted to paint—those two
i?reat warriors, surrounded by hundreds of
their officers and men, bowed in humble wor
ship before the God and Saviour in whom
they trusted. Ah! it is sweet to think that
these two noble men, who so often went to
gether to the place of prayer, now walk the
-ti-eets of the new Jerusalem, strike together
golden harps, and bask in the sunshine of a
Saviour’s smiles—that the great lieutenant,
who first “passed over the river and rested
under the shade of the trees,” has been per
mitted to welcome his beloved chief to that
“rest” which “ remaineth for the people of
God.”
Gen. Lee always took the deepest interest
in the woik of his chaplains and the spiritual
welfare of his men. fie was a frequent vis>
itor at our chaplains’ meetings, and a deeply
interested observer of their proceedings; and
the faithful chaplain, who stuck to his post
and did his duty, could be always assured of
a warm friend at headquarters.
While the Army of Northern Virginia
confronted Gen. Meade at Mine Run, in De
cember, 180d, and a b it tie was momentarily
expected, Gen. Lee, with a number cf general
and stall officers, was riding down his line of
battle, when, just in rear of Gen. A. P. Hill's
position, the cavalcade suddenly came upon a
party of soldiers engaged in one of those
prayer meetings which they so often held on
the eve of. battle. An attack from the enemy
j seemed imminent —already the sharp shooting
! along the skirmish # line had begun—the ar
tillery was belching forth its hoarse thunder,
and the mind and heart of the great chieftain
were full of the expected combat. Yet, as hs
saw those ragged veterans bowed in prayer,
he instantly dismounted, uncovered his head
and devoutly joined in the simple worship.
The rest of the party at once followed his
example, and those humble privates found
themselves leading the devotions of their
loved and honored chief’ains.
As our army was crossing the James, in
1864, and hurrying otl to the defence of Pe
tersburg, Gjjn. Lee turned aside from the road,
: and, kneeling in the dust, devoutly joined a
i minister present in earnest prayer that God
J would give him wisdom and grace in the new
! stage of the campaign upon which he was
j then entering.
Not long before the evacuation of Peters
j burg, the writer was one day distributing
j tracts along the trenches, when he perceived
i a brilliant cavalcade approaching. Gen. Lee
i —accompanied by Gen. John B. Gordon, Gen.
I A. P. Hill, and other general officers, with
j their staffs —was inspecting our lines and re
j connoiteriog these of the enemy. The keen
! eye of Gordon recognized, and his cordial
grasp detained the humble tract distributer,
as he warmly inquired about his work. Gen.
Lee at once reined in his horse and joined in
the conversation, the rest of the party gath
! ered around, and the humble colporteur thus
; became the centre of a group of whose notice
the highest princes of the earth might well
be proud. Gen. Lee asked if we ever had
caffs for prayer books, and said that if we
! would call at his headquarters he would give
! us some for distribution —“that some friend
in Richmond had given him anew prayer
book, and, upon his saying that he would give
his old one, that he had used ever since the
Mexican war, to some soldier, the friend had
offered him a dozen new books for the old
Otic, and he had, of course, accepted so good
an offer, and now had twelve instead of one
to give away.” We called at the appointed
i hour. The General had gone out on some
1 important matter, (even a Laid his press
| ing duties) had left the prayer books wi;h a
member of his staff, with instructions con
cerning them. He had written on the fly leaf
of each, “ Presented by R. E. Lee,” and we
are sure that those of the gallant men to
whom they were given who survive the war,
will now cherish them as precious legacies,
| and hand them down as heirlooms in their
: families.
We have not space to quote from General
Lee’s orders, which never Announced a victory
without ascribing the glfry to “ God, the
giver of all victory.’’ His fast-day and
thanksgiving-day orders were not only models
of chaste diction and pure English, but breath
ed a spirit, of humility and devotion which
clearly reflected the character of the man.
And whatever may have been true of others,
he was not ashamed of the name of Jesus,
and was not politic enough to suppress it. lie
summoned his followers to repent of their
sins, and “ seek, through Christ, the favor of
God. ’
With the close of the war, and the afflic
tions which came upon his loved •land, the
piety of this great man seems to have mel
lowed and deepened. The writer could fill
pages concerning his iite at Lexington, and
ilie britfht evidence hp gave of vital, active
'godliness. His plade in the College chapel
and in his own church was never vacant, un
less he was kept away by sickness. He was
a constant reader and a dilligent student of
the Bihle. As the writer sat alone with his
body, the day after his death, he picked up
from the table a well used pocket Bible, in
which was written, in his characteristic chi
rograph v, “11. E. Lee, Lt. Col. U. S. Army.’’
How ho took those blessed pages as the man of
his counsel and the light of his pathway —how
their precious promises cheered him amid
the afflictions and trials of his eventful life
how their glorious hopes illumined for him
“the dark valley and shadow of death,” eter
nity alone will fully reveal.
ile was a most liberal contributor to his
church and to other objects of benevolence.
At the vestry meeting, which lie attended,
and over which lie presided, the evening he
was taken with his fatal illness, an effort was
befriq made to raise a certain sum for an im
portant object. Gciieia! Leo had already
made an exceedingly liberal contribution, but
when it was ascertained that $55 were still
lacking, he quietly said, “ I will give the bal
ance.” These were the last words he spoke
in the meeting —his contribution, his last pub
lic act. The writer happens to know that,
within the past, twelve months, he had given
SIOO to the education of soldiers’ orphans,
SIOO to the Young Men’s Christian Associa
tion of the College, ana smaller sums to a
number of similar objects—making, in the ag
gregate, a most liberal contribution for his
very limited means And, then, his manner
of giving was so modest and unostentatious,
Ln handing the writer a very handsome con
tribution to the Lexington Baptist church
building fund, he quietly said : “ Will you
do me the kindness to hand this to your
treasurer, and save me the trouble of hunting
him up? lam getting old now and you young
men must help me.” And his whole manner
was that of one receiving instead of bestowing
a favor.
General Lee was not accustomed to talk
of anything that concerned himself, and did
not often speak freely of his inner religious
feelings. Yet he would, when occasion of
fered, speak most decidedly of his reliance for
salvation upon the merits of his personal Re
deemer, and none who heard him thus talk
could doubt for a moment that his faith was
built on the “ Rock of Ages.”
He manifested the deepest concern for the
spiritual welfare of the young men under his
care. Soon after becoming President of
Washington College, he said, with deep feel
ing. to Rev. Dr. White —then the venerable
pastor of the Presbyterian church— 44 1 shall
be disappointed, sir ; I shall fail in the lead
ing object that brought me here, unless these
young men become real Christians; and I
wish you and others of your sacred profes
sion to do all you can to accomplish this.”
At the beginning of each session he was
accustomed to address a letter to the pastors
of the town, inviting them to conduct the
chapel service, and urging them to do all in
their power for the spiritual good of the stu
dents. At the “ Concert of Prayer for Col
leges,” in Lexington, last year, the writer
made' an address in which he urged that the
great need of our Colleges was a genuine,
pervasive revival —that this could only come
from God ; and that inasmuch as He has pro
mised His Holy Spirit to those, who ask Him,
we should make special prayer for a revival
in the Colleges of the country, and more par
ticularly in Washington College and the Vir
ginia Military Institute. At the close of the
meeting, Geueral Lee came to me and said,
with more than his usual warmth, 44 1 wish,
sir, to thank you for your address ; it was just
what we needed. Our great want is a revi
val, which .shall bring these young men to
Christ.”
During the great revival in the Virginia
Military Institute, two years ago, he said to
his pastor, with deep emotion, 44 That is the
best news 1 have heard since 1 have been in
FRANKLIN PRINTING HOUSE, ATLANTA, GA., THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1870. !$3 00 1 YEAR.}
Lexington. WojjJd th|t we couldßave such
a revival in alUof our Colleges !” Rev. Dr.
Kirkpatrick, -Profqgsor ot Moral Philosophy
in relates the following
concerning a conversation he had with Gen.
Lee just a short time previous to his fatal
illness : 44 We had been conversing for some
time respecting the religious welfare of the
students.- General Lee’s feelings soon be
came so intense that for a time his utterance
was choked ; but, recovering himself, with
his eyes overflowed with tears, his lips
quivering with emotion, and both hands
raised, he exclaimed, 4 Oh, Doctor! if I could
only know that all the young men in the Col
lege were good Christians, I should have no
. thing more to desire.’ ”
General Lee was a member of the Episco
pal church, and was sincerely attached to the
church of his choice ; but his large heart took
in Christians of every name ; he treated the
ministers of all denominations with the most
marked courtesy and respect, and not a few
will cordially echo the remark of the venera
ble Dr. W hite, who said, with deep feeling,
during the memorial services, " He belonged
to one branch of the church and I to another;
yet, in my intercourse with him—an inter
course rendered far more frequent and inti
mate by the tender sympathy he felt in my
ill health—the thought never occurred to me
that we belonged to different churches. His
love for the truth, and for all that is good and
useful, was such as to render his brotherly
kindness and charity as boundless as were the
wants and sorrows of his race.” We could
easily multiply incidents and write pages
more on the religious character of our beloved
and honored chieftain, but the above must
suffice.
The world mourns for Robert E. Lee, be
cause one of its noblest heroes has fallen—
those whose proud privilege it was to have
been in any way associated with him, mourn
that the courteous gentleman, the warm
hearted, thoughtful friend, the humble, earn
est Christian, comes not again to his accus
tomed places. But we 1 sorrows not as those
who have no hope.” He lived the life of a
faithful soldier of the Cross—he fell at the
post of duty with the harness on—he died in
the full assurance of fiuth in Jesus, and now
wears the Christian’s “crown of rejoicing”—
“ Trat crown with peerless glories bright,
Which shall new lustre boast.
When victors’ wreaths and monarehs’ gems
Shall blend in common dust.”
J. Wm. Jones.
Lnlmjton, Fa., Got. 22, 1870.
Keep Ctesar in his Kingdom.
A Christian who sincerely loves God’s
cause, and believes, with a strong, unwaver
ing faith, that religion is of infinitely more
importance than earthly wealth or honor, or
anything else pertaining to this mundane
sphere ; who believes it to be the only thing
that can render man comparatively happy in
this life, and absolutely happy in that glori
ous world above, where a blessed home, an
eternal home —the celestial precinct&of which
will never be invaded by sin,sorrcST sickness
and death —awaits him ; a Christian, we say,
cannot be •otherwise than # grieved
when he looks around upon* Ute .world and
the churches, and 6ees the hold that Mammon
is taking upon the hearts of all classes —th*
members of our beloved Zion not excepted!
One among many jof the strong proofs of
this, that might be stated, is the want of a
1 sacred, feverehtial regard'for God’s sanctu
ary, even by His professed disciples, the holy
temple of the Most High, dedicated to the
exclusive worship of the King of kings and
Lord of lords, is often thrown open for the
use of agricultural, political and military
meetings, sc-cuiar school examinations, etc.;
and scenes are sometimes enacted within the
sacred precincts of God’s house that evoke
the most unqualified condemnation from the
world itself; and many Christians are made
to grieve, and mourn, and cry out, 0 temora !
O mores ! All this, too, is done right in the
face of divine inspiration. Read the 2nd
chapter of John, and other Scriptures bearing
upon this point. Are our children to be
trained up i;t sqch a way as to have no more
respect for God’s house than for a court house
or market? Are they to be so trained as to
have but little or no regard - for ministers,
preaching or religion ? Is there to be no
sacred spot free from the unhallowed foot
prints of the world, where a Christian may
go and worship his Lfod undisturbed by dis
tracting associations ? Deal- brethren, let us
try to keep Ctesar in his kingdom.
Another proof, and a very strong one, that
we love the world too well, or are ignorant
of our duty, may be found in the action of
Associations that take secular schools under
their fostering care or guardianship. “It has
been found expedient for churches of Jesus
Christ within convenient distances of each
other, to be in some way associated, in order
to promote mutual piety, and to secure unity
of faith, harmony of feeling, and concert of
action in religious enterprises,” In the fore
going sentence we have the legitimate objects j
of a Baptist Association clearly stated in a
nut shell. The ostensible purpose of such a
body is to enable the churches to do all they
can for the glory of God and the advancement
of Christianity ; not to promote worldly, but
religious interests; hence, it may be stated
as a self-evident proposition, that all‘entan
gling alliances with the world that are calcu
lated to hinder rather than advance Chris
tianity, should be ignored.
But let us examine further, and see the re
suits when the thing objected to is hitched on
to an Association. Here, for example, is the
latter, working zealously for the promotion
of missions, or anything else that comes pro
perly within its province; peace, harmony
and "unity rign throughout the brotherhood ;
they are pulling together, like the “ horses in
Pharaoh’s chariot;’’ but finally, and unfortu
nately, some influential brethren propose an
entangling alliance with the world ; the pro
position is accepted ; the apple of discord is
now thrown into the body: for the Associa
tion hqs agreed to establish a secular school,
and take it under its fostering eare. Imme
diately various sections begin to pull against
each other; some want it here, some want it
there. Os course every one wants it in his
own neighborhood. Old Adam becomes fully
stirred within the bounds of this religious
body ; envy, jealousy, slander are warmed
into active life, and hiss and bite with every
opportunity; and sometimes Associations are
even rent in twain by this jarring, woridiy
element, and, after all, the school may be lo
cated away off on some side or corner, to suit
the convenience and wishes of a small but in
fluential party.
But let us trail Caesar, while out of his
kingdom, a little further. Several years have
passed away, and here is the Association
in session. By this time, other schools have
sprung up within its bounds “ upon their own
hook,” just as good and worthy of patronage
as the royal bantling; but the Association
must waste its precious time—though dole
gates are anxious to return home-—listening
to reports from, and eloquent harangues by,
those blessed with os rotundum upon this
worldly bantling, that a large majority of the
the Association cannot patronize without
bankruptcy; while their schools, the only
ones that can benefit their children, are left in
the shade, or passed by in silence, as unwor
thy of notice. The influence of all this upon
harmony and fraternal feeling, is more easily
imagined than expressed.
But further, 4S»ider the practical workings
of this mistletoe, or parasite, many'are called
upon to contribute to the royal protege, that
would gladly scad little Susan and
Johnny to an uicb&eld school, but are not able;
yet they are calUd upon to elevate a school
still higher, that entirely above their
reach ! I say, let the carriage be elevated, but
let it be done by who expect to ride in it,
n«t by putting outsiders under the wheels!
We farmers, especially, are now a very
poor people. have many difficulties to
grapple with, that those outside of our circle
know nothing a#ut. Under the wretched
management of labor system, we scarcely
make a support, und when we give, it is often
at the expense oy some honest, industrious
creditor; but, no withstanding our poverty,
our pride is becoming teriific; the Yankees
and French fix u{T things so nicely, that we
cheerfully give tfßtn what few greenbacks or
credit we have
But again. CiA of the leading objects of
a religious Aasoiy-tion is to promote mis
sions ; and .itj|?~ extremely difficult un
der the most favorable circumstances, to raise
funds to execute r j* command of a risen Sa
viour, “ Go ye in>j all the world and preach
the gospel to every creature.” But the
difficulty is greatly increased, when some are
pulling one way {-.old some another; some for
the school where they are educating their sons
for merchants, doctors, lawyers, professors,
etc.; some for God’s cause, as they heartily
wish to see the banner of the Cross wave
upon every shore JvcA salvation sounded in
every ear. Those who are most specially in
terested in the school have their missionary
proclivities greatly hampered, and funds are
often sent up by tie different churches for
missions, without any special designation,
leaviug it to the wisdom of the body to give
them direction. Ir.-*ach cases, there is always
some one ready to* lutch at the straggling dol
lars for the school; and such a school, though
temporal, and mainly beneficial to the more
wealthy, is sometiir.es actually crowded into
the department-nf pomostic Missions !
Once more. It. os sometimes the case, that
an Association is anxious to employ an evan
gelist to travel within its bounds, visit the
churches, enlighten the ignorant, arouse and
wake up the sleepers, and breathe life and
vitality into the Uones” wherever found.
It takes money to do this ; but no sooner is
the project proposed than orethren begin to
whisper to each other, “I see the undercur
rent.. This is a shsewd move by interested
parties to get an agent into the field, spe
cially, though secretly, for the benefit of the
school;” so, many-ipfuse to contribute for the
purpose, and God’s cause is left to languish.
What a great blessfi’g it would be, if Chris
tian bodies could keep Ccesar in his kingdom.
Uncle Ned.
Georgia, Nov., 1870.
Hail, Thou Head s-; Bruised and Wounded.
Hail, Thou Head'S"' bruised aad wounded,
With thorns surrounded;
Smitten. JKHfnocking reed,
Wounds whmPii iv not cease to bleed,
Tricklingrain* Ad slow.
Had! most blessed brow
Nouifc.ui Wipe tFeJi.iod drops now;
All tH flower of oWr as fled,
Mortal nulen -ss ijistead;
Thou, before -voread.
' Angels tr^rttTToiyyw.
All Thy vigor jEy ’Ye
Fading in tbt ;
Death his stampAn Thee has set,
Hollow and emaciate,
Faint and drooping there.
Thou this agony and scorn
Hast for me, a sinner, borne.
Me, unworthy, all for me!
With those signs of love on Thee,
Glorious Face, appear 1
Yet, in this. Thine agony.
Faithful Shepherd, think of me 1
From whose lips of love divine
Sweetest draughts ot love are mine,
Purest honey flows.
All unworthy of Thy thought,
Guilty, yet reject me not;
Unto me Thy head incline.
Let that dying head of Thine
In my arms repose 1
Let me true communion known
With Thee in Thv sacred woe,
Counting all beside but dross,
Dying with Thee on Thy Cross.
'Neath it will I die!
Thanks to Thee with every breath,
Jesus, for Thy bitter death ;
Grant Thy guilty one* this prayer.
When tr.y dying hour is uear,
Gracious God, be nigh!
When my dying hour must be,
Be not absent then from me ;
In that dreadful hour, I pray,
Jesus, come without delay;
See and set me free!
When thou biddost me depart,
Whom I cling to with my heart,!
Lover of my soul, be near,
With Thy earing Cross appear,
Show Thyself to me.
Bernard of Clairvaux, Translated by Mrs. Charles.
Ministerial Detraction.
The reputation of a minister of the gospel
is sacred. Upon it depends his ability to ex
tend the Redeemer’s kingdom and to win
souls to Christ. It is tender. Like the but
of the fig-tree, it withers under adverse winds,
and, like it, when withered, requires many a
warm sun to revive it.
That the world should engage to defame
the clergy, is bad enough ; that unthoughted
private church members should do the same,
is far worse; but that ministers should un
justly disparage ana reproach each other, is
fearfully sinful. It seems to me that minis
ters of the gospel should, above all classes of
men, be the most fraternal. They fill the
most honorable as well as the most sacred
station on earth ; are. induced, from their love
of souls, to labor for the spiritual welfare of
their race ; are working in the same vine
yard. upon the same material, and under the
same specific orders ; and shall they unjustly
speak evil of each other ? lam compelled to
admit that sometimes they do. We but too
often hear the echo that disturbed the ears of
our Saviour, 44 Who shall be greatest?” and
these being unable or unwilling to merit a
position above their brethren, seek the mas
tery over them by disparaging their intrinsic
worth. The following incident will suffi
ciently verify this remark: A. and B. were
efficient ministers of the same faith and prac
tice. They had attended the same big meet
ing ; brother A. had gone home with the good
oid deacon, whete there was a large number
of young people, most of whom were irre
ligious when substantially .the following oc
curred : 44 Mr. A., we had a fine sermon to
day from Mr. 8.,” said an intelligent young
man. A. “Very fine, very fine; but, like
most of his efforts that I have heard, and heard
of, it was too Calvinistic.” Y. I thought that
one of his excellenceies. He seemed to prove
the doctrine as he went. Don’t you think
his position Scriptural?” A. “Yes; it is
Scriptural, but I don’t like to hear a preacher
dwell on it too much.” Y. “I don’t know
about that. He seems to be a good man, and
is certainly a fine speaker.” A. “I think he
is a good man, though there has been some
little said against his moral standing. He
speaks well, though a little too fast, I think.”
Not a word of praise could A. utter in behalf
of his fellow-laborer without qualifying it.
Why not have set. up brother B. as far as
possible before the crowd? Though this
scene occurred many years ago, it is believed
that it has been enacted many times since.
There are none without faults; and he who
dwells upon and magnifies the faults of an
other for the purpose of hiding his worth, is
guilty of a crime little less than slander, is a
stranger to that love that hides a multitude
of faults to that charity that thinketh no evil,
and will not be held guiltlets before God.
K.
The Auxiliary Relation.
In editorial notes to my communication in
the Index and Baptist of June 25th, you
speak of the 44 auxiliary relation to itself” of
other organizations which the Baptist Home
Mission Society requires in order to obtain
help from its treasury, as “an organic union
with subordination,” to accept which were to
44 sacrifice their independence to build up agreat
central power which should dominate, in the
work of missions, over the whole country.”
That no such sacrifice or domination is
contemplated, and that in the arrangement
proposed the Home Mission Society desires
only the greater efficiency and success of the
work, is made clearly evident, I think, by the
exposition of this plan of cooperation in the
annual Report of the Society presented at
the last annual meeting. The report says :
“In several of the States your Board are
prosecuting the work, in connection with the
Conventions, with encouraging success. By
such cooperation, one general missionary is
abl,e to serve both Societies, and, having the
confidence and support of both Boards, he is
able to accomplish as much as two, were they
working apart or against each other. By
presenting the destitution, the present oppor
tunities, and the future promise of the whole
field, he is able to educate and to interest the
pastors, the churches and the Sabbath schools
in the home work as he could not were he to
speak Only of his own State. The work,
thus presented, more readily commands the
attention and the talents of the able brethren
in the State. They feel that, in thus work
ing for (heir State, they are working for
the whole country, and working with all
their brethren. The brethren of each State
Board are cheered, and, if necessary, are
helped by your Executive Board, who, in
return, are advised and assisted by the State
Board. As the eye of each Baptist becomes
single to the one object of evangelizing his
whole country, including his own State, so is
the whole Baptist body full of ‘the light of
life.’
So successful, thus far, has been our work
with the coperating States, and so far has
your Board been sustained by your annual
approval of their reports, that on the receipt
of a communication from the New York State
Convention, asking that we cooperate with
them as with other States, your Board, after
a free conference, and a careful reading of the
resolution approved by the Society in 1864,
and again in 1866, unanimously resolved to
receive the resolution, as instructions from
the Society to guide their cooperation with
all the States and Territories. The resolution
reads as follows: 4 Resolved, That we do here
by invite ail State Conventions, and other
organizations for Home Mission purposes, to
cooperate with this Society by assisting in
the collection of funds for the treasury, point
ing out the most desirable fields for us to
cultivate, and directing our attention to the
men they deem most suitable for missionary
work. In return, ye will, according to our
bear discretion at«i w the extent of our abili
ty, appoint such men to occupy su °h fields,
and, when dosirLd, will cans to be sent to
such organizations duplicate copies of all re
ports from our missionaries in their States.’
Desiring, if possible, to secure greater
equality, both in the contributions and in the
appropriations through all the States and Ter
ritories, your Board adopted the following
scale of receipts and appropriations for the
several States, subject to such changes as
further knowledge of the resources and ne
cessities of the States may demand.
- Ref.,, i Dts Vppropria-
STATCS ' P^o.b-
Maine $5,000 $5,000
Vermont 5,000 4,000
New Hampshire 7,000 5,000
Massachusetts 24,000 10,000
Rhode Island 8,000 4,000
Connecticut 12,000 0,000
New York 50,000 j 20.000
New Jersey... * 12.000 j 0,000
"Pennsylvania 24,000 10,000
Ohio 13,000 ' 9,000
Michigan 13,000 j 9.000
Indiana 10,000 i 9,000
Illinois 15,000 10,000
Wisconsin.. 4,000 7,000
Minnesota 2,500 5,000
lowa 7,000 9,000
Kansas 2,000 5,000
Nebraska 1,000 3,000
Colorado 1,000 3,000
0reg0n......*..*. 1,500 3,500
California 10,000 15,000
Nevada 1,500 3,000
Missouri 10,000 15,000
Arkansas..... 1,000 3,000
Texas 1,000 3,000
Louisiana,., 1,000 3,000.
Mississippi.. ... 1.000 3,000
Alabama 2,000 4,000
Georgia.... 3,000 5,000
Florida... 1,000 2,500
South Carolina...,, 1,000 3,000
North Car01ina.............. j 2,000 4.000
Tennessee 2,500 5,000
Kentucky ,7,000 8,000
West Virginia 2,000 4,000
Virginia...... 7,000 10,000
Maryland-.... 3,000- 5,000
Delaware 1,000 2,000
$-273,000 $240,0Q0
In this cooperation is proposed only what
vrhat was contemplated in the organization of
the Society, and sought after by the constitu
ent members.”
This cooperative arrangement, when under
stood, would seem to be free from any very
serious objection. B. 1. W.
mr We cannot see this question with the eyes
of our esteemed correspondent. Such an auxil
iary relation strikes us as so wrong in principle
and so mischievous in policy, that its adoption by
the Georgia Baptist State Convention with regard
even to our Southern Board of Domestic Missions
at Marion, would seem to us a serious blow
against the true and permanent interests of the
cause, though accompanied, the first year, hy an
appropriation within our territory equal to the
sutn total proposed for the whole country in the
tabular statement above. The State Missionary
Convention organized, a few months since, by our
colored hrethren in Georgia, declined the propo
sition of the Rome Mission Society; and we hope
that no pecuniary considerations will ever avail to
buy them off from that wise position.— Ed.
Prayer Meetings. —Some prayer meet
ings are habitually conducted on the princi
ple of stimulation instead of nutrition. Young
converts who attend them unconsciously im
bibe the idea that religion consists in 44 getting
happy,” and at last they learn by bitter ex
perience, what they should have been early
taught by their spiritual advisers, that a man
cannot live on cordials, but must have food.
Many a case of backsliding might be traced
to the disappointment resulting from spas
modic and fruitless struggles after religious
joy, and might have been prevented by a
steady pursuit of truth and duty.
Words.—l hate anything that occupies
more space than it is worth. I hate to see a
load of bandboxes go along the street, and 1
hate to see a parcel of big words without
anything in them ,<~-Hazlitt %
The First and Last time I Saw the Rev.
John Dennis.
Sometime in the fall of 1828, when I was
a youth, and shortly after l had joined the
church, I went to a neighborVhouse onenight
to hear brother Dennis preach. This, I think,
was the first time I ever saw him. This was
near Perry ville, Perry county, Ala. The last
time I saw him was in Dallas county, at
Providence church, on the sth Lord's day in
October, 1670. After a long, intimate and
endearing acquaintance, about eleven long
years had elapsed since we had seen each
other. On this occasion we spent two days
and nights most pleasantly together. Bro.
Dennis is now 81 years old, and looks very
much like himself. His mental powers ap
pear to be stronger than his physical. The
eye retains much of its former intellectual
brightness and kindness of expression. The
voice is strong and natural. His thoughts are
quite clear and distinct. At the close of the
services on Sutidayyßv#uing, standing in the
pulpit, he gave a earnest exorta
tion, encouraging especially, his'young breth
ren in the qpimsti: jftb £o. < orwsrd cheerfully
in the good and or preaching the
gospel, and then offered a fervent prayer in
their behalf, and for;the conversion of the
world. 1 parted with him trot with the ex
pectation of ever meeting him again on earth,
but with the comfortable hope and pleasing
thought of meeting him, some day not far
distant, in that better land where phrting will
be no more. J. S. Ford.
Freeness of Salvation.
“ The blessings of salvation are made free
to all by the gospel. It is the immediate
duty of all to accept them by a cordial and
obedient faith. Nothing prevents the salva
tion of the greatest sinner on earth but his
own determined depravity and voluntary re
jection of the gospel, which rejection will sub
ject him to an aggravated condemnation. Rev.
xxii: 17, Rom. xvi: 26. [New Hampshire
Confession of Baptist Faith, Art. 6.)
The clause, “ The greatest sinner on earth,”
should read, the greatest sinner in Christendom.
The heathen not hearing the gospel cannot
reject it and be damned for their rejection.
They are damned for disobedience to the laws
of conscience. Rom. ii: 14, 15. Those that
arrive at the age of accountabiliiy and hear
the gospel, or all in a gospel land, are 44 re
proved,” or convinced of sin by the gospel
and Holy Spirit. See J hn xvi: 8. .They
then become free agents to repent and obey,
trust, or believe in Christ, and be thus “saved
by grace through faith.” The sinner thus
dead, in sins, but convinced, is invited to come ;
y r ea, the outbreaking sinner, in his foul deeds,
is invited to forsake his sins and come to
Christ; for Christ came “To call sinners to
repentance.” The sinner is enabled and com
manded to repent and believe.
“ Repent! the voice celestial cries;
No longer dare delay :
The soul that scorns the mandate dies,
And ineets a fiery day.”
“Cleanse your hands, ye sinners, and purify
your hearts, ye double-minded.” “ Let the
wicked man forsake 'his way.” Also, the
penitent mourner is invited. “ Come unto
me alt ye that labor and are heavy laden.”
“ Ho ! every one thai thirsteth, come ye to
the waters,” “ Ask qnd you shall receive .”
t H. Stephenson.
' Waaliinf Judas’ Feet.
“ But there is so little satisfaction in doing
anything for her /” complained Mrs. Ilyrst to
her friend, in reference to a certain afflicted
yet querulous member of their congregation.
“Why not do it for Christ, then?” asked
M rs. Hearty, the person addressed.
“ But I am not sure that this is work for
Christ. Mrs. Zack, surely, does not seem to
be one of His.”
“ I do not profess to judge in this matter,”
replied Mrs. Hearty. “ Yet grant for amo
ment that she is not; still, we are met by
this grand precedent: Christ did for one
far more unworthy a greater act of conde
scension than you have ever done for Mrs.
Zack.”
“ I do not just now perceive to what you
refer,” said Mrs. Hyrst.
“Washing the feet of Judas,” replied her
friend. «■
“Ah ! was that so? I never thought of it
before, and, had l been asked, would have re
plied that Judas was not present at that
time.”
“The thirteenth chapter of St. John’s gos
pel will convince you of the fact. I often
pause in reading it to endeavor to picture that
scene and to draw from it the rich instruction
it is calculated to convey. Christ, with all
His exquisite susceptibilities, with his intense
hatred of evil, especially evil under the guise
of goodness, of treachery such as Judas’—
what must have been his mental anguish in
view of such base ingratitude! With feel
ings of iove which we cannot fathom, he
stooped before the ardent Peter, the gentle,
affectionate John, and all the other fai’hful
ones. But, if wo cannot fathom such a love
as this, how much less can we comprehend
the love which actuated the divine Redeemer,
as, in the form of a servant, lie bowed before
the traitor, and washed his feet and wiped
them w’ith the towel with which lie was
girded ?”
“Ah! this was humiliation,” replied her
friend. “ lie would make himself of no rep
utation ; even laying aside his garments, and
appearing just like a serving-man of those
days, girt with a towel. Do you think that
Christ had other reasons for not omitting
Judas than mere setting us an example?”
“ I do not pretend to say that. And I love
to think of the act as He speaks of it at the
time— 4 That ye should do as I have done unto
you.’ There is a deep significance in the fact
that our Lrrd did not w r ait until Judas had
gone out, but would wash his feet among the
rest. It gives additional force to the words,
4 Thai ye should do as I have done unto you.’
But as l arn fain to believe, also, that in this
act w r as manifested a love which yearned to
reach the heart of Judas; a love which wou and
not leave a single means untried to bring
back to repentance the guilty transgressor, if
haply his heart might be touched by this mar
vellous manifestation. He surely had the
opportunity to relent.”
44 Ah, yes !” replied her friend ; “ and, had
Judas been passed by, it might have been
said, 4 Oh, ii Christ had only washed His
feet!’ He surely must have relented under
the power of such an act cm the part of his
Master, his injured Lord, who, Judas well
knew, must have known his guilty purpose ;
for he had already said, 4 One of you shall be
tray me.’”— Christian Banner.
44 Diagonal.” —One of the British prelates
is called 44 the diagoual Bishop.” He was
talking one day with a friend about the dif
fering practiced in churches during the reading
of the Creed—some turning to the East, and
others (in order to show their dislike of what
they regard as superstition) to the West;
“for my part,” added Bishop E , 44 1 do*
it diagonally .”
How to Know Men. —When Whitfield
was asked whether a certain man was a
Christian, he answered, “ How should 1
know ? I never lived with him.”
WHOLE NO. 2515.
“Follow Me.”
The Master’s voice was sweet;
*• I gave my life for thee;
Bear tbou this cross through pain and loss;
Arise, and follow me.”
I Ciasped it in my hands;
0 Thou who died’st for me,
The day is bright, my step ia light,
’Twaa sweet to tollow Thee I
Through the long summer day
I followed lovingly ;
'Twas bliss to hear his voice so near,
His glorious face to see.
Down where the lilies pale
Fringed the bright river’s brim,
In pastures green his steps were seen—
'Twas sweet to follow Him.
Oh, sweet to follow Him I
“ Lord, let us here abide.’’
The flowers were fair, I lingered there,
I laid His cross aside.
I saw His face no more
By that bright river’s brim ;
Before me lay the desert way—
’Twas bard to follow Him.
Yes, hard to follow Him
Into that dreary land;
I was alone; His cross had grown
Too heavy for my hand.
I heard His voice afar
Sound through the night air chill;
My weary feet refused to meet
His coining o’er the hill.
The Master’s voice was sad :
“ I gave my life for thee;
I bore the cross through pain and loss;
Thou hast not followed me.”
“So fair the lilied banks,
So bleak the desert way;
The night was dark, I could not mark
Where Thy blest footsteps lay.”
“ Fairer than lilied banks.
Softer than grassy lea,
The endless rest of those who best
Have learned to follow me.
Can'at thou not follow me,
All weary as thou art ?
Hath patient love no power to move
Thy slow and faithless heart?
Wilt thou not follow me?
These weary feet of mine,
Have stained red the pathway dread
lu search for thee and thine.”
O Lord, 0 love divine,
Once more 1 lollow Thee!
Let me abide so near Thy side,
That I Thy face may see.
I clasp Thy pierced hand,
O Thou that diedst for mo;
I’ll bear Thy cross through paiu and loss.
So I may cling to Thee.
Anti-Missionaries.
Have we any such among us] Yes, they
are numerous and almost everywhere to be
found. The phrase has been applied to a cer
tain class of Baptists as peculiarly appropri
ate. But are they not to be recognized else
where. The Presbyterians complain that a
large proportion of their members give noth
ing to foreign missions, and so with respect
to other religionists. These may properly
be ranked among the anti missionary people.
This class is swelled in number if we look
into our own so-called missionary Baptist
churches.
Can this be true ? 11 uve we in our churches
anti missionaries? Let us see. Jesus said,
“He that is not with me is against rne.” “He
thatgathereth not with me, seattercthabroad.”
11 then, in our churches any are found who
give nothing to aid in the spread of the gos
pel truth, are they not thus far, anti, or against
Christ, in llis expressed will, “that repent
ance and r emission of sins should be preached
in Ilis name, among all nations, beginning at
Jerusalem?” Are not all such anti-mission'
arien? Such are found, and found in large
numbers. Among these are some who would
be shocked if classed with the anti mission
pai Kv. They sometimes pi ay ‘Vthat the earth
may be filled with the knowledge of the
Lord, as the waters cover the sea.’ ’ They
are missionary in name, but in reality are
anti missionaries. They feel no special inter
est in the spread of the gospel, and make no
sacrifice for this purpose.
Brethren, let us be consistent. If we be
lieve that the preaching of the cross is aC'
cording to the will of God —that it is the
wisdom of God, and the power of God unto
salvation, let us spare no means in themselves
appropriate, that in regions beyond the glad
tidings may be sounded out.
Extempore Preaching. — ln the sermon of
Increase Mather, at the ordination of Nathan
iel Appleton, he added: “ Men that come into
the pulpit and utter whatever comes next,
without any Premeditation or Dijudication,
do not ‘ seek’ (the preacher, says Solomon,
sought to find out acceptable words,) to find
out acceptable words. There was a man of
some Fame and Name, who had an unhappy
design of introducing extempore Preaching as
well as extempore Praying. And, being a
learned man, he would make the attempt in the
University church in Cambridge, but the Lord
rebuked him. One that was there present in
formed me that he was at a Nonplus , and in
perfect confusion, confessing his rashness, and
warning the students not to do the like, but
to study their sermons before they preached
them.”
Religion and Business. —A few weeks
since, while travelling in one of the New Eng
land States, we met an eccentric old man who
combines the occupations of farmer, horse
dealer, and colporteur. In his “work of
mercy,” as he styles his colporteuring, he dis
tributes tracts gratuitously, and sells Bibles
and other religious books at cost to those who
can pay for them, and gives them away to
the poor. We were very much impressed,
as well as amused, wish one remark which
the old man made in the course of the con
versation. “ Now,” said he, “ when 1 start
on a work of mercy and stop to deal in
horses, I never have good luck. The fact is,
I don'l want the Lord around when I'm trading
horses /”— Methodist.
How Long it takes to Prepare a Ser
mon. —When Theodore L. Culler asked Dr.
Skinner in the presence of a company, who
was the greatest preacher he had ever heard,
the response was quick as thought: “ Lyman
Beecher, on the Government of God, was the
most tremendous discourse I ever listened
to.” It was at tho end of that sermon that
Lyman Beecher was heard to answer, in re
sponse to an inquiry made as he descended
the pulpit as to how long it took him to pre
that sermon ?" —“ About forty years, sirT’
“ Cheap In.”—When a Massachusetts regi
ment were met for the first time by their un
evangelical chaplain, he addressed them as
“Fellow-Soldiers, Fellow-Christians,” and
added, “Yes, I address you as Christians ,
for when a man oilers himself on his coun
try’s altar, as you have done, if any man is
sure of heaven, he is." At this a soldier
exclaimed, “ Bully for you, Cheap in." — C.
Cushing.
Sei.fisix Advice.— It is always the safer
course to prophesy failure and dissuade from
attempts that incur risk. Such dissuasion is
often prompted by a timid avoidanco of re
sponsibility instead of honest interest in the
welfare of the person dissuaded. The caution
of such advisers is on their own account, not
on their friends’.— Colburn's Monthly.
A Hint about Writing.—We propose to
change “ Mind your P’s and Q’s” to “ Mind
your I’s and J’s,” which is vastly better; in
manuscript make the 1 wholly above line, and
let the line cut the J in the middle; then
there will b 8 no mistake. J ijsone good illus
tration of a case where it is well to be on both
sides of a line at the same time.