Newspaper Page Text
194
H«l»x m 4 IBaptist.
J. J. TOON Proprietor.
PUBLICATION ROOMS —4 & 6 SOUTH BROADWAY.
Editor: Rev. D. SHAVER, D.D.
CORRESPONDING EDITORS:
Ret. J. J. D. RENFROE, Talladega, Ala.
Rev. 8. HENDERSON, D.D., Fayetteville, Ala.
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1870.
Glimpses of the Times.
A Presbyterian minister, of Boston, expresses,
through the Chicago Interior , the opinion, that
“ any man who can preach at all, with the same
amount of study, can preach better without, than
with notes.” In like strain, the Baltimore Chris
tian Advocate, (Methodist,) says: “The sermons
of Presbyterians cannot be distinguished from
ours, except that it is the fashion for their strong
est men to read their sermons, while it is the way
of our weaker brethren. Their pulpit is inferior
in power to ours, just in proportion to the extent
in which it reads more than we do. 0! how we
would delight to see all the Presbyterian minis
ters, in a fervor of repentance and apostolical
imitation, bring all their cabalistic manuscripts to
a common fire, and sacrifice them to the cause of
God and the emancipation of their own powers 1
We believe it would be for the good of the church,
if the Lord would strike them all as blind as
Elymas on Sundays.” These views may be sound
enough; but the latter paper shows a lack of ac
quaintance with the philosophy of the question,
when it exhorts ministers to “ throw away their
copy-books, and forget all about lingual niceties
and pulpit Turveydropism,” —for the reading of
sermons springs from no such “serpent’s root”
These views, we repeat, may be sound; but there
are masters in the art of preaching who dissent
from them. Os these the Philadelphia Presbyte
rian quotes two. Dr. John Hall, of New York,
says: “Some have the power of reading with
such impressiveness, forcibleness, and complete
ness, that it would be a very great mistake for
them to put their paper aside.” And Dr. Theo
dore L. Cuyler, of Brooklyn: “ God made some
men to write, and made some men to extem-
porize.”
There will be less dispute, perhaps, over an
other opinion expressed by the writer in the In
terior. He had “just seen a specimen of a man
reading his sermon, his eyes riveted on his paper,
and his hands flying at random as though fight
ing oft musquitoes or dashing away at flies.”
With this case before his “mind’s eye,” the critic
says; “If a man will read, the less motion he
employs the better for him. It would be better
to do as old Prof. Woods, of Andover, used to—
make no motion, except to raise one hand once in
the middle of each sermon.” Dr. Addison Alex
ander, too, might be cited as an example of this
abstinence from gesture, since the Presbyterian
remembers “sitting with a great congregation
one summer's evening, who listened to him an
hour with absorbed attention, when the only mo
tion visible throughout was the preacher’s hands
turning the leaves of the sermon.” But, after
all, must the pendulum needs swing from one ex
treme to the other ?
The papers tell us that “Bishop Bedell, of
Ohio, warned his clergy not to unite with other
denominations in ‘Union’ services on the recent
Thanksgiving Day.” If this is true, may we not
(borrow the style of the preacher who gave the
name, “Swivel Sermons,” to a package of dis
courses which he “ could preach from any text,”
and) say that much of the Ohurchism calling
itself, now “Low,” now “Evangelical,” may be
more fitly termed Swivel Churchism ? If, ever
and anon, it fires a shot as from Geneva, can it
not, on occasion, with wonderful facility fire a
shot as from Rome? This warning of Bishop
Bedell, at least, might have been “ touched off”
far more appropriately by Rev. F. A. Gace, an
Essex Yicar, who in his new “catechism for the
use of families and parochial schools,”, teaches
that 4 the various sects and denominations who
go by the general name of dissenters are here
tics;’ that ‘their worship is not a laudable ser
vice, because they worship God according to their
own evil and corrupt imaginations, and not ac
cording to His revealed will—for which reason it
is idolatrous;’ that ‘ they may be moral men but
cannot possibly be holy, since their good works
are not done by the Divine aid of the Holy Ghost;’
that ‘ we should be most upon our guard against
those of them who imitate most nearly the true
Church of Christ;’ and that, ‘ most assuredly, it
is wicked to enter a meeting-house at all!’
“ Georgia is where she was before the war,"
(says the New York Methodist,) on the subject of
education. Does it not know, then, that our last
Legislature, with all its faults, enacted a law cre
ating a system of public schools—that the poll
tax has been set apart for its support —that the
fund accruing from this source amounts now to
over $400,000 —and that the new year will bring
tie system into operation ? Surely, there is, in
all this, some progress—as judged from (what
Richard Grant White will not suffer us to call)
“ the stand-point ’’ of the Methodist ? To many
of our Northern friends, we fear, Georgia is like
the princess of the legend, whose beauty the arts
of a sinister magic could not deface, but who was
doomed to front every beholder with a semblance
of hideousness, until the True Eyes looked on her,
unblinded by the spell, and broke that spell for
others. The “true eyes" are the eyes of Un
selfishness and Love: how long shall we wait
until they open Southward ?
The madness which precedes destruction ap
pears to have smitten the more “ advanced think
ers” of “ Liberal Christianity.” At the recent
“dedication” of a Unitarian “church” in Cincin
nati, “Rev” Mr. Vickers read some passages
from the O and and New Testaments —but not until
he had first read from the Koran, from the Ana
lects of Confucius, and from one of the Hindu
“sacred books!” What is this but theological
insanity and suicide ? Even Dr. Lilienthal, the
Jewish Rabbi, who made the opening prayer,
must have felt, when so astounding a procedure
followed on its heels, that he had been taken in
had been dragged through the mire, to aid un
wittingly in the degradation of Moses to the level
of Mohammed. How much more must every in
stinct of reverence for Christ, which throbs in
the bosom of the age, recoil from the strange dis
honor put upon Him ? Here is “ the true suc
cession ” from Judas, the apostate, and few can
fail to detect and to abhor it
A table published in the Congregational Quar
terly for October, shows the ratio of ministers to
the whole body of alumni in eight New England
Colleges from 1818 to 1865. In Harvard it was
11 per cent; in Bowdom, 21; in Dartmouth,
Yale and the University of Vermont, 24; in Wil
liams, 38 ; in Middlebury, 42 ; in Amherst, 46 :
total, 25. In the first decade of this period, the
ratio in all these Colleges was 30 per cent; in the
second, 35 ; in the third, 27; in the fourth, 20 ;
in the fifth, 18. We should like to see a similar
table for all our Southern Baptist Colleges and
Universities. Is the showing more hopeful, or
less? Has there been with our Institutions, as
with those, a steady decrease in the ratio of min
isters for thirty years past ? The answer to these
and similar questions might embody facts which
would excite solicitude, stimulate effort, encour
itb, or plead for diligence. The Alabama!
THE CHRISTIAN INDEX AND SOUTH-WESTERN BAPTIST: ATLANTA, GA„ THURSDAY, DECEMBER 15,1870.
Baptist State Convention, at its recent session, re
quested the churches to observe the Fourth
Thursday in February as the Concert of Prayer
for Colleges, with special reference to Howard ;
and we hope that the churches of Georgia will
observe it, invoking the Divine blessing particu
larly upon Mercer. If this is done—and why
should it not be ?—the facts for which we call
might kindle supplication into importunity, and
prompt faith to wrestle successfully for an out
pouring of the Holy Spirit upon these Institutions.
Who will furnish them ?
Asa general rule, the cause of church exten
sion attracts too little attention and excites too
little liberality among our city congregations. We
earnestly commend to Baptist emulation, there
fore, the example of the Wesleyan Methodists of
London, who, within a little more than eight
years, have erected nearly thirty large church
edifices at a cost of some $750,000. Is there any
portion of our cities which is not “ Immanuel’s
ground,” that we should fail to occupy it for
Him, if toil and sacrifice will enable us to do so?
The Memphis Conference of the Southern
Methodist church, testifies that “there is an
alarming failure, on the part of parents ” in that
communion, “ to dedicate their children to God
in infancy, through the ordinance of baptism."
Each Presiding Elder was required, therefore, to
preach at least once during the year, in every
circuit and station within the bounds of his dis
trict, on this “duty of Methodist parents,” and
to urge the preachers, through their pastoral vis
its or otherwise, to keep the subject before the
minds of the families in their respective charges.
That is right, gentlemen, if you wish to be con
sistent with yourselves. Let infant baptism be
either something or nothing with you: it has
long enough been, (as certain classes of English
men would say,) merely “’alf and ’all.”
Years ago, when Abner Kneeland, the Atheist,
after his imprisonment in Boston for blasphemy,
settled on the Des Moines river in lowa, he wrote
back to his followers, urging them to come on,
with this plea: “ Here is the place, where there
is no priest, no Bible, no Sabbath, no heaven, no
hell, no God, no devil.” But he is dead; these
followers are scattered, or converted ; and there
has grown up instead a small Presbyterian church,
which recently contributed S2OO for the comple
tion of its house of worship. Now, it is a ques
tion between one of the visitors at the Opelika
Convention and a writer on our first page, Whe
ther we may thank God for Presbyterianism ?
Shall we venture, in the light of the foregoing
statement, to tell them a story, and submit a
query to them ? An English Bishop, mentioning
to a friend the fact, that, during the reading of the
Creed in Episcopal churches, some, for traditional,
Ritualistic reasons, turn to the East, and others, to
show their dislike of what they regard as supersti
tion, turn to the West, said : “ For my part, I do it
diagonally." To borrow his phrase, may we not
thank God diagonally for Presbyterianism ? that
is—thank Him for so much of Presbyterianism as
works this transformation of an infidel into a
Christian community, and forbear to thank Him
for so much of Presbyterianism as adulterates
Christianity with such elements of Judaism as in
fant-church-membership and the like?
Howard College.
At the late session of the Alabama Baptist Con
vention, Howard College very properly occupied
the largest share of attention. We shall be
greatly mistaken if the cause of education, both
literary and theological, especially in our State,
shall not receive anew impulse from the discus
sions and doings of that body. For although it
was not so large a gathering as we had hoped to
meet at so accessible a point as Opelika, still it
was a good representative assemblage of the great
Baptist family of Alabama. A few choice, relia
ble brethren were present from most of the terri
tory usually represented. This self-sacrificing,
noble band of spirits resolved that the time had
come to make an advance movement for our cher
ished Institution; that to allow its able Faculty to
battle the storms of adversity any longer without
any substantial sympathy, was unmitigated
cruelty ; that to equip it for its high mission and
vindicate its claims to public confidence, an en
dowment of not less than one hundred thousand
dollars was an imperative necessity ; and that to
secure this, an able, active agent be at once put
into the field, charged with the duty of taking the
old assets of the College, and scaling them down
to the capacity of the old donors, and taking new
notes wherever practical, and that he continue in
the field not less than three years, if need be, to
secure this amount
And now, brethren of Alabama, allow us to
serve you with a process known in law as a super,
cedeas , and ask you to suspend judgment in the
premises until you hear from us, or at least until
you hear from the agent. We beseech you, breth
ren, if you cannot give us your aid, do not com
bine with those ancient enemies of Israel, the
Sanballats, Tobiahs and Geshams, who “laughed
to scorn and despised” the good Nehemiah and
his compatriots in their noble work of re-building
Jerusalem, that had been laid waste for seventy
long years—we say, give to those of your breth
ren who “ have a mind to work,” the benefit of
your silence, if you can do nothing more. You
know not what can be done until we make an
honest effort. If human wisdom were to select
the most inoportune period in Jewish history for
so great a work as re building their great city,
that period would be just at that juncture when
they returned from Babylon after seventy years
captivity and “ beheld the distress they were in,
—how Jerusalem lay waste, and the gates thereof
burned with fire.” Surely one would say, if any
thing could dampen the ardor of piety itself, it
would be just such a scene of desolation. But it
happened then, as it has often happened since,
that the time of greatest human weakness is the
time of greatest divine strength. For so is the
logic of Heaven—“ When I am weak, then am I
strong.” If, like the pious Jews, we have a mind
to build, the work will be completed like the
walls of Jerusalem, almost like magic, and the
scorn and derision of enemies will be changed into
admiration.
Dear brethren, let us take this whole subject
into prayerful consideration. Let no brother dis
miss it lightly from his mind, with the convenient
plea that we are too poor to do any thing. Can
we do without our College ? Let every Baptist
in our State ask that question. Suppose we al
low it to go down, what kind of commentary
would that be upon the piety, the intelligence,
not to say the numerical strength of the Baptists
of Alabama ? No, brethren, this work must be
done! A voice, only less potent than the voice
of God, comes to us from the graves of our hon
ored fathers, who projected the Institution—a
voice from the living present, whose tones of com
mand are as imperative as the law that binds pa
rent and child—a voice from the future, with all
its promise of the life that now is, and that which
is to come—all, all unite to quicken our energies,
infuse courage into our hearts, and inspire us
with that lofty zeal that poverty and disaster only
stimulate, and that never relaxes until success is
achieved.
It is a sad reflection, that in this great work we
are lagging behind our brethren in nearly every
Southern State. Virginia Baptists raised a hun
dred thousand dollars in about eighteen months,
after the war, that desolated her entire borders.
South Carolina, that was left a heap of ruins in
the wake of a merciless army, is prosecuting a
similar work for Furman University with encour
aging success. North Carolina, Georgia, Tennes
see, Mississippi and Texas are all moving forward
with giant strides in the great work of endowing
their institutions, and making them worthy of our
denomination. Why, brethren, we are literally
surrounded by a cordon of States, which, it seems
to us, ought to goad us on to success from very
shame. Let us, then, rise up as one man, and in
the strength of our God resolve that Howard Col
lege shall be re-endowed, and placed in a position
to compete successfully with any institution for
public patronage.
A Few Words to our Ministers.
Dear brethren: We can address you without
fear of repulsion. You are accustomed to make
sacrifices—your life is a life of sacrifice. You,
too, are the educators of public sentiment On
you, therefore, it mainly devolves what shall be
the future of Howard College. You, in your sev
eral localities, must prepare the way for all the
success which is to crown our efforts. Will you
begin at once to agitate this great subject? Speak
of it in private circles—speak of it in from the
pulpit, for no one need fear that he will desecrate
his calling by allying education with religion ;
speak of it by the highway —anywhere, every
where, and to all. Prepare the minds of your
churches for the visits of the agent; nay, let those
visits be solicited, not as a drudgery to be endured,
but as a privilege to be sought. It is no private
interest that dies with the hour that we seek, but
a public benefit to all that runs through all com
ing time. Many institutions of learning in the
old world have survived the social and political
revolutions of hundreds, nay, some of them of
over a thousand years. They still live to scatter
their blessings upon each recurring generation.
It seems as if a special Providence watches over
these great conservators of the religion, morals
and intellect of the world. It is the safest and
most enduring investment a Christian can make
of his means.
We may add, in conclusion, that it is contem
plated to call an Educational Convention next
spring at some central point, of which due notice
will be given, and to which we now bespeak a
general attendance from every part of the State.
H.
Reviews and Notices.
How Could He Escape ? A Temperance Tale. By
Mrs. Julia McNair Wright, author of“ John aud the
Demijohn,” “ Jug-or-Not,” “ Priest and Nun.” etc
New York: National Temperance Society and
Publication House. Pp. 324, with 10 Illustrations.
This is the best of Mrs. Wright's works—so far
as they have come into our possession—and draws
an aftrightful picture of the power of strong drink.
What deepens the feeling of pain and terror
awakened by it is, the assurance of Rev. B. P-
Aydelott, D.D., of Cincinnati, that the story is
true.
Our Zion—in Our Exchanges, etc.
Georgia.
Rev. J. L. D. Hillyer occupied the pulpit of the
First church, Atlanta, last Sabbath night.
Rev. J. L. Dagg, D.D., now on a visit to his
daughter in Lowndes county, Ala., has been suf
fering from an attack of sickness, but was con
valescing when our informant left him. Rev.
M. T. Yates, D.D., on his recent visit to Colum
bus, lectured, Sabbath night, to an audience of
1,000 persons, (the Presbyterian and two Method
ist churches closing their houses to hear him,) and
received a spontaneous contribution of SIOO to
aid in the enlargement of his chapel in Shanghai.
Rev. T. E. Skinner, D.D., writes from Co
lumbus to the Raleigh Recorder: “ Tho Baptist
church is the largest and best edifice in town,
situated in the heart of the city, on a two and
half acre lot, with two hundred trees, and well en
closed. The chureh contains 800 sittings, with
large and elegant organ and fine bell. The mem
bership is a little over 300. The church was fin
ished in 1859, the same year in which we finished
our church in Raleigh. It is a better house than
yours in some respects, but not when taken as a
whole. It was built during the pastorate of tho
noblo DeVotie, who is now pastor of the church
in Griffin, Ga., and greatly beloved by all the
people of Columbus.”
Alabama.
The missionaries of our Domestic Mission
Board, Marion, during the last quarter, baptized
344 persons. Mt. Joy church, Fayette county,
has accepted the resignation ot its pastor, Rev. R.
Adkins, and he removes to Mississippi.
Arkansas.
There is an Atlanta in Arkansas, and our
church there has had 26 accessions: one of its
members, Geo. Wise, has been ordained, recently,
to the ministry.
Kentucky.
The Trustees of Baylor University, Indepen
dence, Texas, conferred the degree of LL.D. on
Noah Davis, President of Bethel College. Rev.
T. M. Vaughn becomes pastor of our church at
Danville. The Louisville Recorder says that
Rev. A. D. Phillips, “during the Convention
year, has collected and paid into the Treasury,
over and above his expenses, more than $3,000.
He goes out at once to revisit our brethren in
Africa who were gathered to Christ from heath
enish darkness, to supervise for a while their
work, and then to return to this country to seek
out and prepare and send forward suitable colored
brethren who can carry forward the work in
Africa.” Gilead church, which has been rent
by factions for two years, and unable to agree on
a pastor, has had a revival, with 60 conversions
and 33 baptisms, the healing of their breaches,
and action to procure an under-shepherd.
Louisiana.
Rev. E. G. Taylor, D.D., writes from New Or
leans to the Standard : “ I do not hesitate to say
that at this time in our country’s history, in view
of its relation to the spiritual reconstruction of
the whole Southern country, there is no such im
portant field for Baptists in the Union as New
Orleans, and certainly no city so destitute. Here
there are but two white Baptist churches of any
nationality, although there are five or six colored,
and these two are by no means strong. One of
them, the First, has just lost its pastor, to whom
they are largely in debt, and it may be a long
time before they secure another. The Coliseum
Place church has been strong and efficient in its
day, but the vicissitudes of war and other circum
stances have scattered it so that it has not done
much more during the past eight or nine years
than maintain its visibility and existence. Still,
there is a strong Baptist element in the city, which
seems disposed to take hold in earnest now, and
is rapidly rallying around the standard-bearer
from Chicago. This church, last spoken of, has
a large house, capable of seating, perhaps, twelve
hundred people, but the house has on it a mort
gage, and besides needs renovating thoroughly
above and below at a cost of not less than ten
thousand dollars. With all these drawbacks the
field is one of astonishing promise. It is white
for the harvest. A nobler and larger-hearted set
of brethren than is found here does not exist
anywhere, and the people, a3 in Nehemiah’s time,
have a mind to work. They are eager to go for
ward, and need only to be set to work to accom
plish great things for God. Hearts and hands and
purses are open, and a surprising state of harmo
ny prevails. There is no proscription for any
past or present opinions, but a disposition to let
Temain settled what the Providence of God has
adjusted, and to strike bands in brotherly love
with all, North or South, or East or West, who
love Christ and want to aid in building up His
cause. Congregations have steadily and largely
.increased every Sabbath since the settled pastor-
ate, and in every way the prospects are hopeful
and encouraging.” We invite the attention of
our readers to his request: “ Let me ask any who
may read this letter, whtTßave Baptist friends in
New Orleans who are not linked up with the
church, or who, not being Christians, are inclined
towards our faith, to send me their names, that
they may be sought out and unlisted in the enter
prise.”
Mississippi.
W. G. Thompson was ordained to the ministry,
at Ripley, Nov. 27th : -avntioKy^ Stev. A. G. Par
rott. Rev. William Allen, a Georgian by birth,
and for fifty years a minister Os the Baptist de
nomination, died near Lauderdale Station, in Lau
derdale county, Nov. Srd, aged 75 years.
Missouri.
Rev. A. Van Iloose, district Secretary of the
Domestic Mission Board, Marion, for this State,
Kentucky and Tennessee, thinks that his recent
visit to Missouri “will result in from SBOO to
SI,OOO to the Board.”— Lexington Cau
casian says that during the two years’ pastorate
of Rev. Lansing Burrows there, “his church has
received about one hundred accessions to its num
ber, has completed its very handsome edifice, and
has purchased and improved "an elegant property
for its Female College. He the elements of
great usefulness in him.” The Central Bap
tist re-appears, with a suspension of only one
week, from the fire which “ inflicted serious dam*
age and great loss” upolMy®— Rev. J. M. C.
Breaker takes charge of our criWeh at St. Joseph.
North Carollwa.
Rev. F. 11. Jones has recently baptized 15 wil
ling converts at Leaksville, awl 13 at adjacent
churches. Rev. F. M. Jordan closes a pastor
ate of eleven years at Kerr’s xhapel. Re 7. A.
B. Earle has been meeting with our
church at Raleigh. “ Great congregations attend,
and several have professed conversion.” A wri
ter in the Biblical Recorder^ bo accompanied
Rev. M. T. Yates, D.D.,jts far as Richmond, (on
his way to sail, from New York, Dec. sth, with
Rev. C. Z. Simmons and lady, for our China Mis
sion,) says: “He delivered to us his part of the
proceeds of his father’s estate, to be returned to
his kindred, because he could take nothing from
those whose means of living were so much re
duced during the late relentless war. He also
sent a large subscription to the State Mission
Board. His salary is small, too small, and we
told him he was not able to send so much. ‘I
must help brother Hufham (the new Cor. Sec.) in
the beginning of his work,’ waS the reply.”
South Carolik*t
Bro. J. R. Leavcll takes the'place of Rev. J.
K. Mendenhall as Cor. Sec. of the State Board.
Rev. C. A. Raynard is to afct as missionary
within the bounds of the Savannah River Associ
ation under the auspices of the State and Marion
Boards. The “Rufus Johnson estate,” or
“ Latta property ” at acres, mostly
within the city, with a large family mansion and
numerous smaller buildings,) hasbeen purchased,
for $16,000, by the American Bkptist Home Mis
sion Society, as “a school for preachers, teachers
and superintendents and general
ly,” Prof. Timothy S. Dodge principal. In honor
of the late Stephen Benedict, a Baptist deacon,
whose widow contributes $13,500 toward this en
terprise, the school will be called the Benedict
Institute. j.
Tennessee. *
The receipts of the General Association of
Middle Tennessee, the present year, ($1,614,)
“ are greatly in advance of what they were for
the past several years.” -OtffthartehYK, Mossy
Creek has had 26 accessions; Dumplin church,
31; Little Flat Rock, 34. Fourteen missiona"
ries are under recent appointment, to be paid
jointly by the Domestic Mission Board of the South
ern Baptist Convention and the Executive Board
of the General Association of East Tennessee.
Two others will be appointed soon. A writer
in the Standard says, that Mrs. Sallie Rochester
Ford, the author of “ Grace—Trueman,” and
“ Mary Bunyan,” will, perhaps, ere long, “ give
the world another book from her able pen.” We
hope that she will, and that the world will pay
her for it. Early in January our Sunday
School Board, Memphis, will issue a Sunday
School Song Book, in three_parts. Rev. J. R.
Graves, LL.D., Memphis, recently baptized his
daughter, Nora, with 6 others. R. C. Hill and
T. R. Hendricks were ordained to the ministry,
Oct. 23rd, at Oak Grove church, Henry county,
(sermon by Rev. S. R. McLane,) and E. 11. Ren
nolds and R. B. Rennolds, Sept. 11th, at High
Hill church, Henry county, (sermon by Rev. J.
W. Bell.)
Virginia.
Rev. J. L. Burrows, D.D., pastor of the First
church, Richmond, recently stated that “94 pa
rents in his church have children outside of the
fold of the Shepherd of souls.” Why should not
every pastor gather these statistics in his own
field, and ponder until he feels them? Cool
Springs church, Hanover county, has had 15 ad
ditions. “The sexton of Ashland church
(Bro. Bradly,) though entirely blind, has, with his
own hands, put up in an excellent and workman
like manner a good paled enclosure around the
church lot, and keeps the church in far better
order than many sextons who can see.” A
meeting at South Boston, Augusta county, result
ed in some 80 accessions, 61 baptisms and the
organization of a church. Rev. S. P. Massie, who
conducted the meeting and was chosen pastor,
says: “ There was no Baptist church in ten miles
of the place; but our Presbyterian brethren gave
us permission to hold our meeting in their house
of worship. It was ttre first Baptist meeting
ever held in the neighbCrhciod; many had never
heard a Baptist minister, and more than two
thirds of them had never seen the ordinance of
baptism administered by a Baptist.”
China.
Our missionaries at Tung Chau, were obliged
to forsake their post for a season, with other mis
sionaries at that point, Through fear of popular
outbreaks; but are returning to it, with assurances
of protection from the public authorities. Rev.
T. P. Crawford has baptized 11 Chinese converts
this year.
News froa»- the Field.
Early in November, I attended the Bethel
Association, at Fort Gaines, Ga. This is one
of the best Associations in the State. You
have, no doubt, seen their report on the sub
ject of the elevation of the colored people.
Their mission work is now confined to their
own bounds. They have kept one missiona
ry in the Indian years. He is now
at home. Brother T. E. Langley is the effi
cient pastor at Fort Gaines, and at Dawson.
These plates have live Baptist churches and in-
I teresting Sunday schools.
Cave Spring Association was constituted
this year, at Cave Spring, Ga. It promises
to be an efficient missionary body.
The Baptist church of Eufaula., Ala., has
nearly completed" fcn elegant house of wor
ship. It resembles the noted house of the
First church, Atlanta; not so large, but bet
ter proportioned, (I think.) Rev. M. B.
Wharton has don* credit to his native State
(Va.) in (instrumentally) building such a
(beautiful house for God.
Griffin, Ga., lias a flourishing church, of
wvhieh Kev. J. H. DeVotie, D.D., is the much
iloved and admirec pastor. I think this church
ihas a larger rejresentation from the legal
than *ny other church in Georgia.
Alhany is a flourishing city. Rev. N. A.
JBailey is pastor. He has done a great work
.there. A large lumber have been added to
the Baptist church in that place, since brother
Bailey became pastor.
1 attended the Florida Baptist Convention,
at Jacksonville, which met Nov. 25th. Rev.
P. P. Bishop was elected President, and Rev.
H. B. McCallum, Secretary. Brother C. D.
C. has given a correct account of the Con
vention. I was homed, while in Jacksonville,
at the St. James Hotel, of which Mr. J. R.
Campbell is proprietor. It is a first-rate
house. I was their guest. The Baptists at
Lake City are just finishing a very neat little
church. Rev. H. B. McCallum deserves much
credit for his efficient work there. More
anon. F. M. Haygood.
Madison, Fla.. Dee. 1,1870.
Tuscaloosa, Ala.
After spending a week in this beautiful
town, once the capitol of the State, I feel like
telling your readers about our cause here, and
the labors of our brethren.
Our church here is one of sisters, many of
them widows. They have only a few male
members, and the number of these has been
sadly lessened lately by the removal of use
ful brethren to other cities. The house has
been repaired, and is now cheerful and com
fortable. The attendance on Sunday was
very good, both at the morning service and
Sunday school. The membership, generally,
is punctual on the ordinances of God’s house.
Our brother, Charles Manly, is the very la
borious, devoted and successful pastor of the
church and Sunday school. He is a first class
preacher, intellectually, and a devout minister
of Christ Jesus. The membership are well
instructed, and his large congregations, after
a pastorate of ten yellrs, attest his intellectual
and moral power in this community. While
I would not deprive this devoted band of
Christians of the shepherd they so tenderly
love, I do really believe that his talents de
demand a wider field. Sonte of our very
largest cities should secure his services, if pos
sible. He is a superior preacher, an extraor
dinarily good Sunday school superintendent,
and one of the very best of pastors. For his
age, (32, I believe,) I have never known his
superior in our denomination.
The Central Baptist Female College, under
the direction of our brethren, Rev. Charles
Manly and Rev. J. H. Foster, is moving
smoothly along. Had it not been for the dis
astrously low price of cotton, the number of
students, it is believed, would have been 100
by this time. As it is, the number is along
towards 60 promising students—y ung ladies.
The Faculty-consists of four first class, expe
rienced literary instructors, and a splendid
German teacher of music. We were very
much pleased with the recitations we wit
nessed.
This beautiful town of Tuscaloosa, with its
wide-spreading shade trees, its broad avenues
and beautiful residences and yards, is destined,
ere long, to receive a large influx of popula
tion. There is no town its equal in beauty in
Alabama, and none its superior in healthful
ness. It is the seat of the University of Ala
bama, now looking for the restoration of the
glories it boasted under the cultivated Dr.
Manly. Here, too, is a Methodist and a
Presbyterian Female College, as well as a
convent school. Such inducements cannot
fail to attract the attention of planters all over
this section of the State, who desire an ele
gant place of residence and first class oppor
tunities to educate their children.
It is expected that the railroad from Chat
tanooga, Tenn., to Meridian, Miss., which
passes by this town, will be completed early
in January next. This will make Tuscaloosa
what it has never been before, accessible to
the world. G. C. C.
First District of the Alabama Association.
The churches composing this district re
solved to hold a District Meeting, commenc
ing the Friday before every fifth Sabbath.
The first meeting was with Town Creek
church, Dallas county, in January. The
fourth has just closed, held with Providence
church, “ over the river,” in Dallas county.
The Introductory Sermon was preached on
Friday before the fifth Lord’s day in Octo
ber, by Elder S. R. Freeman, President of
Howard College; subject, “Office Work of
the Holy Spirit.” John xiv : 16.
All who know brother F—’s style and
ability will feel satisfied that he both instruct
ed and interested his hearers on this all-im
portant subject.
In the afternoon the meeting was organized
by calling brother C. M. Cochran to the Chair,
and brother B. F. Ellis to act as Secretary.
Five churches only were represented. We
had with us, besides brother Freeman, Elder
J. S. Ford, from Perry, and our “ home
brethren,” Elders T. M. Bailey, W. C. Cleve
land, E. B. Hardie and W. B. Crumpton, and
last, though not least in importance, and the
esteem and love of the community, our old
father in Israel, Johnie Dennis. The first
subject discussed was, “ The Evidences of
Christian Character ,” opened by brother W.
B. Crumpton, and participated in by other
brethren, bringing out some very important
Scripture truths, to the edification of all
present.
On Saturday the interest was increased by
the presence of a larger congregation—who
were highly entertained, in the forenoon, by
the discussion of the subject, “ The Duly of
Systematic Benevolence” Brother W. A.
Cassey, appointed at the last meeting, being
absent, brother Ford, by request, opened the
discussion. He was followed by many other
brethren. It was clearly shown, to the en
lightenment of many, and, perhaps, to the
annoyance of the close-fisted and penurious,
to be the duty of Christians to give, and give
freely and systematically, for the spread of
the truth.
The afternoon was delightfully spent in
listening to the soul-stirring address of brother
Freeman, on the subject, “The Importance
of the Spirit's Presence in the Churches ,”
(brother B. H. Crumpton, appointed at last
meeting on this subject, being absent.) As
brother F. proceeded to discuss this subject,
the firm adherence to which has ever been
the great distinguishing feature of Baptists,
the Spirit was manifest in the whole audience,
by the wrapt attention of a promiscuous as
semblage, and by the deep solemnity that
seemed to pervade the congregation. Chris
tians could say that the place was tweet to
them, and we hope that sinners felt that it
was awful because of the presence of God.
On Sabbath, at 10 o’clock, the Sabbath school
was addressed by brother Bailey, and we are
sure, judging from the marked attention of
the little ones, and the large congregation in
attendance, brother B. will not be forgotten
soon at Providence. At 11 o’clock, brother
Freeman gave us, from Matt, xi: 28, one of
those interesting sermons so peculiar to him
self—full of Christ and made plain by such
forcible illustrations. In the afternoon brother
Ford preached from Luke vi: 20. It was an
interesting sight, to see brother F— and old
brother Dennis in the pulpit together, two
old veterans who had labored in the vineyard
together in other days, but hadn’t met for
years. The large congregation seemed in
sympathy with them, and our prayer was
that the ministry then present might have
such records for piety and zeal, when old age
shall come on. After brother F. closed, our
venerable old father Dennis arose, with tot
tering step and unsteady hand, and addressed
the meeting, principally the ministering
brethren, in a few earnest and impressive
words, exhorting the brethren to faithfulness
in their labors, closing with a most fervent
appeal to the Giver of all good for His bless
ing to rest upon us in our separation. Brother
Dennis is 81 years of age, has been a preacher
45 years, and the esteem in which he is held
by the community, and all who know him,
is sufficient testimony as to his past and pres-
ent life. The meeting closed with the best
of feeling, and the prayer of all is, that it
may be attended with like results wherever
it may go. The following is the report of the
Committee appointed to decide on place and
subjects for next meeting: Place, Mt. Gilead,
five miles south of Benton, Lowndes county.
Programme—On Friday, 11 a.m., Is it the
Duty of every Church to meet every Lord's
day for the worship of God? by T. M. Bai
ley.
Saturday, 9£ a.m., The Mutual Obligation
between the Church and Community in any
given locality, by W. C. Cleveland. 11 a.m.
sermon by Dr. W. H. Mclntosh. 2 p.m.,
renewal of morning’s discussion.
Sunday, 9£ a.m., Sunday school exercises,
by W. B. Crumpton. 11 a.m., Man’s ac
countability to the claims of the Gospel.
The proceedings of this meeting were or
dered to be sent, by the Secretary, to the
Christian Index and South-Western Bap
tist for publication. B. F. Ellis, Sec.
Revival of Greenwood Church, Ala.
This church belongs to the Tuskegee Asso
ciation, and had failed to represent itself for
a number of years, and about six months ago,
all that spoke of it supposed it was dead. The
writer united with, and commenced preaching
for, this church about four months past, and
was chosen pastor. We revised our church
book, and represented ourselves in the Asso
ciation, and, the first Sunday in last month,
procured the aid of brother W. 11. Carroll,
pastor of Union Springs church, who preached
several days. The church was greatly re
vived, and five happy souls were added to the
church after being “ baptized into Jesus
Christ.” One of the five was a Pedobaptist,
who declared that she never had been satis
fied with her Pedobaptist baptism. We now
number 25 members.
I wish to call attention to the fact of that
sister’s being dissatisfied with her baptism.
Such cases happen frequently, and are proof
of the Baptist faith with regard to immersion.”
“ Happy is he that condemneth not himself
in that which he alloweth. And lie that
doubteth is condemned.” Hence, “ Arise
and be baptized.” Live with a clear con
science.
I wish to call attention to one other fact
in tho revival of the above church, which may
serve as a precedent, —it represented itself in
the Association. This is a very important
duty. Brethren, fail not to represent your
selves in your Association. Let the associa
tional missionary see to this. And if an As
soeiation should be so negligent as not to have
a missionary, let some elder go or be sent to
those churches that are apparently dead, or
have failed to represent themselves, or are
liable to fail, and see that they represent
themselves by letter, if no more. Let us
show forth to the world our xeal for the cause
of our holy faith in every good work.
11. Stevenson.
Notes by the Way-Side—No. 5.
“Raleigh,” Philadelphia Association.
Not very long since, your correspondent
heard a good brother remark, “ I must get
the Index and see what ‘Traveller’ says of
the Philadelphia Aseoeiation.” Immediately
my quasi promise appeared before my mind’s
eye, and 1 determined to embrace the first
convenient opportunity to fulfill it, as well as
to let yourself and readers know that my
dear friend “ Raleigh” hud not entirely fright
ened me from the track.
Before passing on to notice other matters,
please let me inform your correspondent
“ Raleigh,” that I did not propose to describe
every street in the “ beautiful * City of
Oaks,’ ” nor every ■ square into which the
place is divided; nor did I have time to visit
each school house iff and around the city; nor
could I make a tour of all the groves of
“ young oaks and hickories” surrounding the
town; much less could I visit every man’s
residence in it. He will please excuse me
for not having stopped a month or two in the
capitol of the Old North State. I left home
on business, —business for the Master, —and
1 must needs hurry. Only such things could
I describe as came under my own observa
tion, and such as impressed me. But he is
sore on the subject of the N. C. Railroad.
Perhaps he may be a stockholder, or an offi
cial. He cannot deny the facts—slow speed,
no sleeping car, and no effort to make night
passengers comfortable. These things will
still drive through passengers from the road,
and they should do it. When I have the
time and the means to spare, and can reach
the “ City’ of Oaks” without travelling all
night over the N. C. Railroad,” I may go on
and see all the beauties of which he speaks,
if nothing more important engages my atten
tion. Till then, I must thank him for his
minute description of Raleigh, With an
apology for having consumed so much of
your valuable space upon “ Raleigh,’* I bid
him an affectionate “ farewell.”
The Philadelphia Baptist Association is, in
some respects, a grand body. It is venerable
with age, its last session being the one hun
dred and sixty-third ; so it is the senior of at
least one of the largest and most influential
“ sects” of the United States; and I know not
how many smaller ones. It is wide-spread
ing in its bounds, embracing churches in
Pennsylvania, Delaware, District of Colum
bia, and even reaching over to Virginia. It
is distinguished for talent, and for its numeri
cal power,—numbering, according to the min
utes for last year, 19,555. It is not only a
wealthy, but a liberal body. I was espe
cially struck 'with the appearance of dig
nity and decorum manifested during the ses
sion ; while the number of aged brethren was
remarkable. The baptisms reported were
1.844; received by experience, 301; restored,
117 ; increase during the year, 1,426; present
membership, 20,981. Twelve churches were
without pastors. The Sabbath schools num
bered 17,240. Four hundred and forty two
scholars and teachers had been baptized
during the year. For benevolence, education,
etc., $160,000 had been raised. It may well
be called a grand body, and its results, as
stated above, are glorious.
But yet I was pained by some things. So
far as I could judge, there was wanting that
depth of Christian and brotherly love which
is so outgushing in other sections. Your cor
respondent felt isolated from the brethren
around him. Never before, in a religious
meeting—and certainly never in a Baptist
gathering —had I such emotions of separation.
I was in a crowd, and yet was alone. I felt
(hat something was wanting to bring about
congeniality. I made an effort through two
brethren, whom I had met before—one of
whom had resided in the South, and had been
identified with us—to become somewhat ac
quainted with the Baptists of Philadelphia,
but was so coldly treated, and was so very
unsuccessful, that I retired in despair. I
would here take occasion to say, that it often
seems that some ministers appear to forget,
or neglect, or are ignorant of the commonest
rules of politeness. I have noticed breaches
of “ good manners” that were exceedingly
painful. For example : I have seen a brother
approach a crowd of strange brethren, know
ing perhaps only one, and that one take no
pains to introduce him to the rest, or to make
him feel at home. Such things are shocking.
Brethren, let us all study Christian courtesy.
Another thing that pained me deeply was
the unkind allusions made to the South. One
speaker, on the night of the missionary meet
ing, represented Southern Christians (as I
understood him) as opposing the education of
colored preachers. Another made such ref
erences to the late war as could not fail to
wound the feelings of a Southern man. I
write not these things to do harm, but to do
good. I would call upon all lovers of Jesus,
North and South, to refrain from such expres
sions, and to guard against such allusions as
stir up prejudice and ill-will towards one an
other. Let us cultivate the things that tend
to peace. “ Endeavoring to keep the unity
of the Spirit, in the bonds of peace,” is a com
mand of Inspiration. Llie brethren of this
time-honored Association have some very
good things I should be glad to see univer
sally adopted in our Southern Zion. One is,
the preaching of a sermon by a member of
the body on some specific doctrine, chosen, if
I mistake not, by the Association at the pre
ceding session. This year, Dr. J. Spencer
Kennard was the preacher. His subject,
“The Holy Spirit.” Another good thing
noticed was the importance giveu to Sabbath
Schools and Sabbath school statistics. A
printed blauk is sent to each church, to be
filled and sent to the Association. The last
feature I shall speak of, is the closing meet
ing of the Association. This was decidedly
the best, as well as the most strikiug, of any
of the services I attended. It was a social
religious meeting, of the purest type. All
formality seemed laid aside. More Christian
feeling and spirituality was exhibited on this
last night than during all the preceding ser
vices. May God’s blessing rest upon the
Philadelphia Association. 1 left Philadelphia
at 12:45 p.m., and reached New York by half
past four.
On arriving in the “ Great Metropolis,” 1
proceeded to “ Earle’s Hotel.” In a former
letter, I spoke of the illiberality of hotel pro
prietors, and expressed a desire to “ make
one exception,” but was not able then to do
so. It affords me pleasure to be able to make
that exception now. I found the Earles very
clever, kind-hearted, and pleasant gentlemen.
They are men of soul. A liberal contribution
was made by them to the cause for which
your correspondent is travelling. I remained
at Earle’s all the time 1 spent in New York,
and can recommend it to ail “travellers” as
being a first class hotel. Here you find
pleasant rooms, nicely furnished, a table sup
plied with all the delicacies of the season,
polite waiters, accommodating clerks ; in a
word, everything to add to your comfort.
Then, if from the South, your feelings will be
respected, and you will feel more at home
than, perhaps, at any other house in the city.
Take my advice and stop at Earle’s, while in
New York, and you will not regret it. More
next week. Travkm.kk.
A Kind Act: Florida Baptist Hislory.
Though Bishop Pierce may assert that “ the
Missionary Baptists are strangely dying out,”
and the sceptic may contend that there is no dis
interestedness in religion—Satan like, he may
ask the question, “ Doth Job fear God lor
nought 1 ?” yet, so long as a dear sister in your
State lives,she will provea “living refutation”
to both. Not long since, a good sister of our
church here—a recent convert to our faith—
made an appeal, through the Index, to the
Baptist sisterhood of Georgia, and elsewhere,
for small contributions to aid us in repairing
our house of worship, for the more comfort
able accommodation of our increasing con
gregation. To-day’s mail brought us the fol
lowing brief epistle: “S. C. Craft, pastor of
Baptist church, Key West, Fla.: I send five
dollars in response to a sister’s letter in the
Index. Accept for Christ. May His cause
prosper with you. Yours in Christian bonds,
A Sister.” Now, here is one of God’s dear
children, unknown, by name, to us—but well
known to her Heavenly Father—we would
to God we did know her name, that we might
embalm it in the archives of our church —-
who, constrained by the love of Christ burn
ing within her soul, though silently, secretly,
may I not say? comes on a mission of mer
cy to a people whom she never saw, never
expects to see in this world; yet for whom
Christ shed His precious blood; therefore
their souls are of a priceless value, hence her
desire to save. If I am not mistaken in the
post-mark, it is from Athens, Ga. We can
almost envy this good sister’s joy, when we
are assured “that it is more bless«d to give
than to receive.”
Now, I am persuaded that there are hun
dreds in Georgia, and elsewhere, who, if they
could only visit this place, and witness its
moral and spiritual condition, would follow
the example of this good sister—would “ go
and do likewise.” Just for a moment, think
of a fond mother weeping and wailing over
the loss of her infant, and refusing to be com
forted because, forsooth, it was not sprinkled.
This superstition is not confined to Catholi
Cismhere; but is prevalent among so-called
Protestants. Now, the only hope for this
island and its thousands of long-misled and
mis-instructed people, that I can see, is through
the spiritual light that the little Baptist church
may be able to send forth. And well may I
exclaim, “ What are these among so many ?”
When I first commenced laboring here, a year
ago, I found two Baptist brothers, and a few’
aged, infirm and decrepit sisters. Though
they had had no pastor for near twenty years,
yet they had kept up regularly, a Monday
evening’s female prayer meeting, during that
whole time. God heard all those prayers.
He is now answering them. I have baptized
twenty since I commenced my labors among
them.
The first contribution we received from
Georgia, was from that laborious servant of
God, Rev. D. G. Daniel, of the New Sun
bury Association. May the Lord bless him,
his labors and his family, and that dear sister
at Athens. Sam. C. Craft.
P. S.: I would ask my brethren of Flori
da, Are there any steps being taken toward
the preparation of a history of our denomin
ation in Florida? I would remind them that
Elder W. B. Cooper and myself are the only
ministers now alive, that I am aware of, who
were in the constitution of the first Mission
ary Bap. Asso. in the State, in 1843, and we,
too, must shortly pass away ; and with us,
much information of our early struggles.
Key West, Fla., Dec. Ist, 1870.
A South Georgia and Florida Convention.
I noticed an article,in a late number of the
Index, from the pen of brother A. B. Camp
bell, favoring the above Convention, to be
composed of Associations in Florida and
Georgia. Having moved upon the line of
Florida, I have had many favorable opportu
nities for learning the strength of Florida as
well as the Southern part of Georgia. lam
firmly persuaded that his movement is in the
right direction. Florida has only five Asso
ciations, and they, comparatively speaking,
are weak bodies. All thrown together, they
carnot make a Convention of sufficient
strength to accomplish the desired objects.
But uuite, we will say, the Bowen, Houston,
Mercer, Middle, Mt. Vernon, Snnbury and
Piedmont Associations with them, and we
can have a Convention or a General Associa
tion of sufficient strength to exert an influence
that will be felt throughout this whole coun
try. Our present Convention has never held
a session in this portion of Georgia, and per
haps never will. In fact, it is now so large
that I doubt if we have aAown large enough
to support it. Thus situated, wo can feel but
little benefit from it. We have working
brethren in this country, and if we could or
ganize we could bring them out, and the large
portions of Southern Georgia now destitute
of the gospel would be preached to, and the
whole field explored. 1 would here take the
liberty to suggest, that all Associations in
Georgia and Florida favoring this organiza
tion, meet, by their Executive Committees
and other brethren that can attend, at Thom
asville, Ga., say on Friday before the second
Lord’s day in February next, and there dis
cuss the whole matter and determine on its
expediency. G. H. Chett.
Bainbridge, GaDec. Ith, 1870.