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“I Hear the Words of Love.”
I hear the words of love,
I gaze upon the blood,
I see the mighty sacrifice,
And I have peace with God.
’Tis everlasting peace,
Sure as Jehovah’s name ;
’Tis stable as His steadfast throne,
For evermore the same.
The clouds may go and come,
And storms may sweep my sky,
This blood-sealed friendship changes not,
The cross is ever nigh.
My love is oftimes low.
My joy still ebbs and flows;
But peace with Hira remains the same,
No change Jehovah knows.
That which can shake the cross
May shake the peace it gave,
Which tells me Christ has never died,
Or never left the grave?
Till then my peace is sure,
It will not, cannot yield;
Jesus, I know, has died and lives
On this firm rock I build.
I change, He changes not;
The Christ can rever die;
His love, not mine, the resting-place;
His truth, not mine, the tie.
The cross still stands unchanged,
Though heaven is now His home;
The mighty stone is rolled away,
But yonder is His tomb.
And yonder is ray peace—
The grave of all my woes ;
l know the Hon of God has come
I know He died and rose;
I know He liveth now,
At God’s right hand above;
I know the throne on which He sits ;
I know His truth aud love.
Thu Witness.
Who i3 Right—the Missionary or the Anti-
Missionary?—No. 11.
Jonathan. —The point for investigation, I
believe, is Whether your practice of educa
ting young ministers is warranted either by
the Scriptures or sound reason? Let us fully
understand each other. Do not regard me
as being an enemy of education, when I op
pose your system of ministerial education.
lam the friend of learning. I patronize our
schools, and I wish I could give my children
a first class education. I would graduate
them all. I have long felt the need of an
education, and could wish that 1 had one.
Hut 1 am decidedly opposed to your theolog
ical schools, as such, lor the education of men,
old or young, whom God has called to preach
His gospel.
Robert. —I think I understand you. And
permit me to say, that your explanation is
an admission of the importance of such
schools. I also wish to explain. We do not
now advocate, and never have advocated the
making of ministers simply by educating
them, without regard to their moral qualifi
cations, their sense of duty and the opinions
of their brethren. These institutions of
learning are not so many divinity mills where
ministers are ground out, according to order,
from any sort of material. I know that this
opinion has been held, and is now believed
by many of your people. But such is not
now, and never has been the case. And
should you hear that motive attributed to us
by your people, you will be but performing
an act of justice to correct it. Then, again,
we do not hold that a man must of necessity
be educated before he can preach. Our prac
tice, as you well know, contradicts any such
belief. *We have among us many pious, in
fluential and efficient ministers, who have
never seen a College, nor even, perhaps, a
high school. We hold that preachers (and
everybody else) are bound to improve them
selves, to the best of their ability, for the
glory of God. Among the vast number of
men whom God calls, aud whom the churches
set apart to the ministerial office, there are
some who feel the need of an education —
they are profoundly impressed with its im
portance, and their souls thirst for its advan
tages, but who have no means of procuring
it. For the benefit of such, there are among
us pious, liberal men and women, who, of
their “own free will and accord,” have con
tributed of their means for the establishment
of a school or schools, where these men, old
or young, may spend so much of their time
as circumstances may permit, free of charge,
in preparing themselves for the work. Bear
in mind, none are compelled to go, and none
are received but those who come recom
mended and endorsed by their churches, and
none are compelled to stay longer than their
sense of duty will allow. All are left to act
according to their conscientious convictions
of duty. This, you say, is wrong. For it,
you non-fellowship me, and now are urging
your churches, by all mean’-, to continue the
non fellowshipping resolution. Please, as you
promised, piJint out the wrong.
j —It is all wrong. Ist. Because you
have no “thus saith the Lord” for it, and
where the Bible is silent, we may not pro
ceed. 2nd. God knows, and always has
known, what sort of men He needs for His
work, and such He calls from among both
the learned and unlearned. 3rd. Where you
undertake to educate those whom God has
■ called, it shows that you are not satisfied
with His selections, and wish to improve
them. And, lastly, while you are educating
your ministers, they are not obeying the
divine call, and to that extent are disobedi
ent, while men and women are dying who
need the gospel.
R. — You have stated your points plainly,
and they shall have all the force they deserve.
Let us examine them. The firs’, is, we have
no Divine sanction for such schools, and
without such sanction we are not authorized
to establish them. Do you mean that the
Bible prohibits such schools? If so, please
point to the passage.
J - . —No, I do not say that; I know of no
passage which forbids them. 1 mean there
is no passage which authorizes them, and we
may not practice what is not authorized.
R. —So far as doctrines and ordinances are
concerned, a “thus saith the Lord” should
be required. W T e cannot be too much in
earnest in advocating that principle. The
Bible is the only rule of faith and practice.
It is the neglect of this great truth that has
divided the Christian world into a thousand
sects, and soaked this earth with human gore
—shed, at times, by pious hands. But requir
ing a divine sanction for our faith and prac
tice—for our doctrines and ordinances, is
one thing, and demanding that sanction
before we may use any agency for the
spread of that faith and practice, is quite
another thing. Here there is evidently a
distinction with a difference. Besides, if you
require a divine warrant for all agencies used
in spreading the gospel, I respectfully, but
earnestly ask, where is your divine warrant
for your Associations? Who authorized
your churches to elect delegates to those
bodies? Where do the Scriptures speak of
moderators, clerks, committees, arbors, pul
pits, with all the conveniences for preaching
in the present day 1 And then, too, why do
you ride in a buggy, or on horseback, or in
the cars, and why do you wear a coat and
shoes, and conform to the habits and enjoy
the comforts of modern life? Your Master
walked when on His preaching tours, except
when He rode iuto Jerusalem upon an ass’s
colt. He wore sandals on His feet—if any
thing—and a vesture without a seam.
J. —Oh, brother Robert, you are pressing
the matter to extremes. The principle should
not be carried to that extent.
R. —But how will you stop it ? This point,
however, may come up again before we are
through. As you demand divine authority
for a preparatory religious training under
some teacher, I will give it to you. Taae
your Bible and turn to the 6th chapter of
2nd Kings. It reads, “And the sons of the
prophets said unto Elisha, ‘Behold now, the
place where we dwell with thee is too strait
for us. Let us go, we pray thee, unto Jor
dan, and take thence every man a beam, and
let us make us a place there, where we may
dwell.’ And he answered, ‘Go ve.’ And
one said, ‘Be content, I pray thee, and go
with thy servants.’ And he answered, ‘I will
go.’i” The passage proceeds to give an ac
count of their building. Now, who were
these “sons of the prophets,” with Elisha
as their head or master.
J. —l suppose they were the sons of the
different prophets in the land of Israel.
R. —Why were they not at home, then,
with their parents? Why placed off under
one whom they regarded as a master or
teacher? Nor is this the only company of
“ the sons of the prophets.” There w-as one
at Gilgal; (II Kings iv: 38;) one at Bethel,
and one at Jericho. II Kings ii. Bishop
Patrick says, “By ‘the sons of the prophets,’
are meant the scholars of the prophets,
whom they educated and trained up in reli
gion and piety.” Thomas Scott says this
building “occurred either at Gilgal, or at
Jericho, both of which were near Jordan.
Under Elisha’s superintendence the schools
flourished, and, doubtless, true religion re
vived and spread in proportion.” Matthew
Henry, in noticing the 2nd chapter of Kings,
remarks, that “Elijah, before his departure,
visited the schools of the prophets, and took
leave of them. It seems there were such
schools in many of the cities of Israel.”
J. —Oh, 1 do not care a capper for the
opinion of those men. I want to know what
the Bible says in respect to this matter.
Their words have no binding power.
R, —True, their words have no binding
power, but they were men of much learning
and piety, and their opinion, as to a histori
cal fact in Jewish history, deserves a passing
notice. You must admit that a collection of
young men devoted to the prophetical office,
with an old prophet for their head, looks very
much like a school. If I were not afraid you
would knit your brow, I would tell you that
Mathew’ Henry says, “ the College here spo
ken of (II Kings vi: 17) seems that at Gil
gal, w-hereas many as could, of the sons of the
prophets, flocked to him for the ad vantage ol
his instruction, counsels and prayers.”
J.— l w’ould like to know by what right he
called that collection of young men a College ?
Who does not know that the word “ College ”
cannot be found in the Bible, and that it is
one of the inventions of those who wish to
be regarded as great and learned ?
R. —l do not know so much about the de
sire to be great and learned 1 No one, I reck
on, would object to be so considered —you
not excepted. But Ido know that the word
“College” is in the Bible.
J. — Where? Please show it. I would like
to see it.
R. —What! professing to be a close stu
dent of the Bible —condemning and non fel
lowshippisg others for departing from its
doctrines, and yet not know what itcorttains?
But look in II Kings xxii: 15. It reads;
“ Now she (Huldah, the prophetess) dwelt in
Jerusalem in the College; and they com
muned w’ith her there.” The same is re
peated in II Chron. xxxi: 22, which shows
that the existence of the College was an im
portant fact. The word College is rendered
in the margin of the large Bibles “school or
second part.” You demand a thus “saith
the Lord ” for our theological schools, and I
have given it, even to the very name. So
important were these schools, that in Isa.
xxx ; 20, the promise is made that, whatever
other afflictions God might send upon the
Jews, iheir teacher should not be removed.
Besides the above, there are many references
in the Old Testament, to teacher and scholar,
showing that schools were no uncommon
things with those to whom that book was
given. Not only were there' schools of the
rrophets to prepare men for that office, but
Chron. xxv ; 7,8; II Chron. xxiii: 13, it is
asserted that there was a class of persons
whose busigess it was to*teach others to sing.
Music teachers, singing schools and choirs
are, therefore, no new thing under the sub.
If the Old Testament furnishes so much au
thority, it is to be presumed that the New
will not contradict it, as the Bible never con
tradicts itself. I am not astonished that so
many of your younger members, who know
nothing of the prejudices and passions which
prompted the passage of that non-fellowship
ping resolution, are becoming dissatisfied and
are asking why it was passed, and why it
should not be repealed. You will find some
difficulty iu quieting them. They are, many
of them, intelligent and picus, and will not
be satisfied with a simple appeal to preju
dice. Look out, for you will soon find them
taking steps to expunge that resolution, or to
slab off and leave you.
J. —That resolution disturbs you very
much. Why so ?
R. —No, I am not much troubled, but 1
dislike to see so violent a step taken, when it
is both unscriptural and unreasonable. You
will be troubled to maintain it intact many
years longer, I think. I shall next proceed
to show you that the example of Christ and
the instructions of the Apostles sustain our
practice. But it is prayer meeting evening,
for which l must prepare. I would like to
see you there, if it is not inconsistent with
your principles. The Bible sanctions prayer
meetings. G. R. M.
“Bequests.”
Bro. t! H.,” in his last editorial, brings
this very important and much overlooked
subject before us, urging a strong motive to
its observance, as drawn from our Saviour’s
last earthly acts of kindness and love to us.
Os course, this is the central motive which
should control Christians in all their duties.
Yet there are others clustering around this
solar orb, forming the sum total of all worthy
motives to Christian action.
To one of these additional incentives to
Christian bequests, I wish here to allude: it
is the influence they exert upon our surviving
children. There i3 nothing which can ordin
arily impress the minds of these dear ones
with more favor for Christianity, than, the
gifts, donations and bequests which they know
their departed parents made to its cause.
And if you are a Baptist, you leave a strong
impression for that “ form of doctrine ”
which you hold. Your heirs may scramble
over other parts of your will, but here is a
clause providing for the bequest upon which
all look with reverence, and all guard with
vigilance. Besides, this leaves you a name
of which high minded children are prouder
than they would be of the amount bequeathed'.
FRANKLIN PRINTING HOUSE, ATLANTA, GA., THURSDAY, MARCH 16,1871.
There are several classes of people among
us who might make bequests with the great
est propriety. First, those who have no
prospects of leaving bodily heirs. Somebody
will get your property after you.are dead.
The Bible says he may be a wise man or a
fool. He may be your thankless enemy.
Ought you not to have something to say in
the matter? Well, now i9 the time. You
cannot speak on this subject when you are
dead.
Second, those whose children are all grown
up and settled off, and doing well. These
children need no more from you. The cause
of your Saviour is languishing. Brother,
sister, meet your Redeemer saying, O, Jesus,
I gave Thee the last fruits of my labor and
love. Jesus will smile on you.
There are other classes where every- argus
ment stands on the side of their making be
quests to the cause of the Master. It is
hoped they will point themselves out. Other
denominations are awake to this subject.
Come, Baptists, wake up. Think of your
Colleges. Think of your missions at home
and abroad. Think of ail your Christian and
denominational interests, and do something
for your favorite object. W r ork for Jesus
while you live, and speak for him after you
are dead. W. W t ilk£S.
The Sunday School Board of the Southern
Baptist Convention.
“ Why was nothing said about the worthless
ness of the (Sunday School) Board until it
went to Memphis, or until it was clear that it
would go there ? Nothing was heard of the
idea that that Board is useless until it was
about to take up its ‘ Western Ho.’ Then
all at once, somehow or other, it became an
tnneeessary concern.”
1 extract the above from the editorial of
“ R.” in the Index of March 2nd.
Per Contra.
1. When it was proprosed, at Augusta,
Ga., to establish the Sunday School Board, I
opposed the proposition as unnecessary, and
likely to involve difficulties in the future. In
these views some brethren concurred ; but a
decided majority thought that such a Board
was rendered necessary by the war, and it
was established.
2. After the war it was thought best to
continue the Board, and Bro. Bitting was
appointed Secretary. He accomplished but
little, however, —not from any lack of earn
est and well directed labor, but because of a
want of general sympathy with the Board.
3. I went to the Convention at Memphis
prepared to urge the abolishing of the Board,
j was one of a committee to whom was re
ferred the proposition to turn over the assets
of the Southern Baptist Sunday School Union
to the Sunday School Board of the Conven
tion. The proposition to abolish the Board
was introduced and 1 opposed it, and favored
the transfer, because 1 saw that to abolish the
Board would be construed as opposition to
its location at Memphis, though 1 thought a
motion for its abolition would be carried, if
urged before the Convention. This I did
with a full conviction that the Board, if con
tinued, would ultimately be located at Mem
phis.
4. Subsequent reflection so strengthened
my conviction of the impolicy of continuing
the Board, that at Baltimore 1 wrote a reso
lution directing the Board to wind up its bus
iness, and continuing it for a limited time for
this purpose only. This resolution I d : d not
offer because of the local aspect assumed by
the discussion, but supported and voted for
the removal of the Board to Memphis, Since
then I have given to it pecuniary aid, and an
honest moral support. In these views I know
that many brethren concurred ; and some
who were so convinced that the Board ought
to be abolished, that they w ould not vote for
its continuance at any place, have since con
tributed to it.
5. I am as much convinced of the impolicy
of such a Board as heretofore. But, yielding,
(as I will ever do where conscience is not in
volved,) a cheerful acquiescence to the deci
sion of the Convention, I have ever said, as I
did publicly at Louisville, “This Board is a
Board of the Convention, and as such, is enti
tled to an earnest and liberal support. Let
us either give to it such a support, or kill it.
Abolish it, or sustain it liberally.”
6. Upon the authority of Bro. W. H.
Gwathmey, President of the Sunday School
and Bible Board of the General Association
of Virginia, I state, that in an interview had
with that Board by brother Teasdale, he be
ing specially asked, stated that he was satis
fied with the course which the Board had
pursued, and proposed to follow, regarding
the Convention Board ; that thire was, so far
as he could perceive, no cooperation practi
cable, under existing circumstances, beyond
what had been planned by the Virginia Board.
He was then informed of the contemplated
action of this Board to appoint, in conjunction
with the American Baptist Publication So
ciety, a Sunday School missionary for the
colored people of the State, and asked if it
met his approval? He said it did, and he
would be glad that every Southern State
would make a similar arrangement.
A. M. Poindexter.
Is the Mission of the Gospel, or Christ’s
Mission, to All Mankind?
] propose to submit a few thoughts on the
negative side of this question. The apostle
Paul to the Romans, i; 16, says : “ The gos
pel of Christ is the power of God unto salva
tion to every one that believeth.” Again he
says, x ; 14, “How can they believe in Him of
whom they have not heard?” 18th, “ Faith
cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word
of God.” Again, Heb. xi; 6, “Without
faith it is impossible to please Him ; for he
that cometh to God must believe ,” etc. These
and kindred passages, with which the S«rip
tures abound, certainly embrace only such as
can believe. I cannot suppose, where there is
incapaeity to belief, either from infancy or
heathenish imbecility, or other causes, that
God ever contemplated holding such to the
gospel ordeal—to believe or be damned.
Neither can I believe otherwise,—-as is now
developed to my mind, —but that all who are
saved by the gospel or through Christ, must
believe, and not only believe, but must have
a faith produced by a concurrence of human
and Divine means, or effort—the Divine con
stituting what is meant by our Saviour, when
he said to Peter, “ Flesh and blood hath not
revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is
in heaven .” A faith engendered, indepen
dent of this revelation from the Father, is not
the faith contemplated in the gospel as hav
ing the effect to save us from our sins.
Hence, lam driven to the conclusion that
such as are incapable of belief, must be out
side of the mission of the gospel.
Again. Christ’s mission seems to be to
the lost—to the sinner—to the sick : Mat.
xviii; 11, Luke xix ; 10. And his commis
sion certainly implies that those to whom the
gospel shall be preached, must have capacity
to be taught—to understand—reason—draw
deductions which lead to conviction, etc.
Then, it would seem that the pure, unoffend
ing, spotless babe—those not lost—those not
sick—those not sinners—as well as the imbe
cile, from whatever cause —are not embraced
in the mission of the gospel. Science might
as properly be chargeable for its ignorance of
some distant celestial body, whose distance
is so great from earth that its light has never
reached it, as for the heathen to be charge
able for unbelief, when ho never heard the
name of Jesus, or a gospel sermon, or has
any idea of the contents or character of the
Bible. May not, then, the conclusion be al
lowed—is it, indeed, in conflict with the
teachings of God’s word—that the negative
of this proposition is true? Because Jesus
said, “Suffer little children to come unto me
and forbid them not, for of such is the king
dom of God,” and “ Whosoever shall not
receive the kingdom of God as a little child,
shall in no wise enter therein,” (Luke xvii; 16,
17,) it is maintained that they are conslituent
members of his body, and constitute, in part,
his church, and that his mission to seek and
to save, includes them. When he says, “suf
fer them to come,” can it be construed to
mean, that they must come to him, as the
gospel invitation contemplates? If yea, they
must be sinners—they must understand
wherein they are violators of God’s righteous
law —must repent and beKeve the Gospel, &c.
Not being able to comply with a single re
quisition under the Gospel, of itself, is enough
to establish the fact that they are not sinners,
or amenable to a something of which they
can know nothing. Acting by proxy is ad
missable under conventional regulations of
men, but I know of no UH in Scripture au
thorizing it. It may be held that they are
sinners, and hence need a Saviour. But until
they commit some deeds done in the body,
in violation of Christ’s commands—possess
ing a knowledge which makes them compe
tent to judge right from wrong, it is my
opinion that they are not sinners, and do
not come within the pale of the Gospel mis
sion.
The heathen, also, in his inarch to civil
ization, and an enlightened understanding,
gains a point, under God’s appointment, at
which he comes within the pale of the Gos
pel, in the same way. Without such know
ledge or understanding, ai to enable one to
believe, as is contemplated by the Gospel—
be such an one infant, heathen, or whatever
cast, complexion or condition—accountability
under the Gospel, does not attach. These
views may be erroneous—-! am not the Pope.
If they are, I w-ill thank any one to put me
right. I expect, iu a future article, to recon
cile, the best I can, these views with the doc
trine of original sin, and the judgment.
Alabama.
Gifts, ~
Not as the world gives, God to us doth give;
No doubtful good, with half-reluctant hand
That chides the taking; but an amplitude
Os blessing vast beyond the reach of thought,
Rich beyond count, and constant as the heavens,
With all their solemn march of suns and stars,
Whose motions know nor pause nor weariness,
Chiming forever to the rythmic songs
Os angel-choirs, He presses on our souls,
And most rejoices when we most receive.
Then let us take as greatly as He gives;
Not with a hand that challenges the gift,
Or seems the Giver’s goodness to impeach,
Or to fix bounds to His beiuflcence;
But with a soul all open to receive,
And growing ampler to receive the more,
The more His loTe bestows; witli thankfulness
That links us in divinest fellowship
To Him who gives all good and perfect gifts
From His great goodness full perfectness.
So, to their overflowing, strAf our hearts
Be filled with love and greens.oharities j
So shall we learn, no more ; > be unlearned,
’’’he lesson, most diriiH'. o? doc good
Whence goodness, its divin»necessity ;
So, growing in its likeness, we shall grow
To the full stature of the Lord’s redeemed,
And Unow how sweet the freedom from all sin,
How beautiful the ministry of love,
How blest and all-sufficing’, holiness.
William H. Burleigh.
A Serious Joke on Dancing.
According to previous appointment, during
our last Christmas holidays, a brother TANARUS.,
who lives over on the Connesauga, in Murray
county, had a dance at his house. The whole
merry throng of the young and gay gathered
and wheeled and tripped away the night upon
the “ light fantastic toe,” as is usual upon
such occasions. To give zest and spice to the
performance, there was “ music in the air,'" 1
and the “ revelry by night ” echoed and re
echoed among the hills and across the valley
and the beautiful river. That night will be
long remembered by many a brawny lad and
bonny lass, whose hearts drank in the wild
excitement; and the listening neighbors and
the “ wild old woods,” in whose deep bosom
the Christmas melody has long since died
away, will not soon forget the gay, giddy,
rapturous scene.
On the third night after, his brother P.,
close neighbor, appointed a dance to be held
at his house. The invitations were exten
sively circulated through the neighborhood
apparently in opposition to the former enter
tainment, by way of eclipse. At the appoint
ed hour, the guests began to arrive, with all
the equipage and appliances of the frolic.
Amongst the crowd, however, could be dis
covered a considerable sprinkling of old folks.
Nevertheless, they continued to come, exhib
iting all the anxious, eager expectations of the
prospective pleasure and delight. Another
suspicious feature might have presented itself
to the suspecting eye —the ample preparation
of seats, etc., lor the accommodation of a
rather unusually large company for such oc
casions ; but it was Christmas, and there is
no accounting for people during such seasons.
Last, but not least, came also the fiddlers and
took, as usual, prominent seats. The ordi
nary premonitory tuning process being over,
all were settled for a little breathing and chat
ting spell, preparatory to the moment when,
at the command, “Choose your partners,”
the giddy buzz and whirl should begin.
Alas for the hopes of such as dance ! At
the appointed moment, according to previous
arrangement of our brother P-ri-ce, (I must
tell his name,) a young brother, Gilbert, some
nineteen or twenty years of age, arose with
the Bible and hymn book and opened upon
the thunder-stricken revellers the terrific
battery of the gospel. Their astonishment
andsurprise is better imagined than described.
It was a complete ambuscade, and the young
folks were caught, w’ith no possible decent
chance of escape. There was nothing left but
graceful surrender and quiet submission;
upon which terms there was a tacit capitula
tion, without the least resistance.
Unfortunately for the fiddlers, they—some
of them, at least—could not hide their instru
ments. It is said there was considerable
shuffling and shifting of these disagreeable
music boxes, as they were to be necessarily
exchanged for the Psalmist. One poor fel
low who occupied a too prominent seat, could
not hide his “fiddle” at all. He said he
would have thrown it out at the window, if it
had been convenient. But he had to grin and
bear it in sight of the preacher and the con
gregation.
It is said the moral effect was splendid.
Well done for Bro P.! What a rebuke to
dancing Baptists! Mav the Lord raise up
more Prices. Such would be “ pearls of
great price," and far “above the price of ru
bies ” to the cause of Christ. Priceless
Price !
“ l have told the tale as ’twas told to me.”
G. A. L.
Dalton, Ga., March 1, 1871.
Truth.— lt is not our business as ministers
or religious teachers to take care of the truth,
but to tell it. The truth will take care of
itself, and of us, if we are faithful to it.
A Pagan’s Defencelof Divinity.
The intelligent reader of ancient history is
continually and forcibly reminded of one in
dubitable fact, namely: the similarity in
spirit of Pagan and Christian worship. To
the truly converted, it is indeed oftimes an
noying, especially when he comes to instances
where faith is exercised in the power of gods
or idols to save, preserve, protect, deliver,
prosper, punish, reward, guide, bless; where
they are called upon in times of distress, and
thanks returned to them in joy, forgiveness
implored in violation of law, blessings in the
prosecution of anew enterprise.
Among the Assyrians, Carthagenians,
Egyptians, Greeks and Romans,are found the
most simple examples of this quality in a de
vout worshipper. Here, even the people in
governmental capacity, as well as individuals
in private affairs, exhibit thi3 beautiful de
pendence upon a superior being. Conscious,
while reading and studying this, that it is
heathen, yet one is irrisistibly borne off into
mazy wonderment a3 to its origin and propa
gation, how it could be, with no other reve
lation save that through the natural world.
As mysterious and perplexing as this may
seem, there were a few who arrived at so
clear an insight as to the spiritual wants of
the fallen human family as to declare what it
was. Socrates was the founder of this school
of philosophers, of whom it is said “ the Pa
gan world never produced anything so great
and perfect.”
Unenlightened by the prophecies, buried
amid the thirty thousand gods of the Greeks,
born and reared among institutions grown
hoary from age,—education, influences, both
national and social, associations which linked
him to the very groves, mounts and vales of
his classic birth place,—all tending to mould
his very being into idolatry ; Socrates, by
the sublimity of his sentiments, in respect to
the moral virtues, the Divinity, the immor
tality of the soul, future rewards and punish
ment there expressed, will continue a monu
ment through all time to the attainments of
genius with industry.
Socrates, how’ever, it is painful to know,
like many professing Christians of our own
time, had not moral courage to proclaim pub
licly his belief. In his classes, he would tell
of the existence of one only God, omnipo
tent, eternal, all-wise,Creator of the universe,
Ruler of all, in all, and above all; but on the
public thoroughfares, in the temples and
marts, he observed Pharisaically the ceremo
nies and customs of the religion of his coun
try. This is the more reprehensible in him,
since he affected to despise death ; because,
ceasing to live was, as he taught, of his car
case, and not of his soul. “ Any tus and Meli
tus,” to use his own words, “ may kill me,
but they cannot hurt me.” “We ought,”
said he to his friend Crito, while imprisoned,
“ not to concern ourselves for what people
may say, but for what the sole Judge of all
that is just or unjust, shall say, and'that alone
is truth.” What I have said
will suffice, I conceive, to prove that we ought
to endeavor strenuously, throughout our
whole lives, to acquire virtue and wisdom;
ft r you see how great a reward and how high
a hope are proposed to us. And though the
immcvtality of the soul were dubious, instead
of appearing a certainty as it does, every
wise man ought to assure himself that it is
well worth his'troubte to risk his belief of it
in this manner. And, indeed, can there be a
more ruinous hazard ? We ought to enchant
ourselves with this blessed hope, for which
reason 1 have lengthened this discourse so
much.”
This virtuous, this wise, this illumined
man, notwithstanding his veneration and
love for the Divinity, was condemned as a
wicked person, without his accusers being
able to bring a single avowed fact as evidence
against him.
May his doctrines ever live to work for
God and religion, for the emancipation of in
fidelity,the overthrow of idolatry,and thegen
eral enlightenment of mankind. God grant
<ot C. S.
A Theological Institute.
Why should Georgia not have a School of
the Prophets, independent of institutions of
learning? There is no place better adapted
for the location of such an institution, than
Penfield. The buildings of Mercer Univer
sity might be used for that purpose. Have
we not a Mell, a Brandy, a Crawford, a Dagg,
and a Tichenor, to fill its professorships?
Surely, the matter is worthy of serious at
tention. A Baptist.
Sprinkled for a Pony.
The following is such a thorough perver
sion of truth and religion, that it ought to be
exposed : “ On Sandy Creek, iu Williamson
county, Texas, the Northern Methodists re
cently organized a Society, In November
the Presiding Elder was along, who had given
previous notice that if any one had wickedly
neglected to have their children sprinkled,
they must be sure to bring them out at this
time. Au old member had sadly neglected
his duty till his son was thirteen years old.
The boy refused to go, and said, ‘ the
old preacher shall never sprinkle water on
me,” with a common oath prefixed. But the
father thought he would be better off in the
church, and so proposed if he would be
sprinkled, he would give him a fine pony.
The boy consented, and was sprinkled.” And
such a farce as this is acted in the name of
Christianity. The fact is related to us by a
resident of Williamson county. — Texas Rap.
Herald.
Excuses for Neglect of Worship.
Too Cold. — First Thought: “I think I
shall not go to church this morning. The
air is damp and cold, and prudence dictates
that I remain at home and take care of my
health.” Second Thought: “ I believe 1 shall
go, notwithstanding. People take cold in
attending to their daily business. Some,
who do not even go out of doors, suffer. If
this were Monday, I should take the risk of
sickness and attend to my secular business.
There is no more danger of taking cold in
the service of God than in the service of
Mammon ; and my zeal in providing for my
soul should not be less than my zeal in pro
viding for my body. May not this concern
for my health, on Sunday, result from tempt
ation, to which I yield too easily? Ought
I not to have more faith in God ? It is a
serious thing to take cold in the heard! I’ll
put on my wrappings and go to church.”
Too Cloudy. — First Thought: “ It’s too
cloudy to go to church to-day. It is likely
to rain, and my dress will spot, and my bon
net be soiled, if I get caught in a shower.”
Second Thought: “If this were a week-day,
and I had an engagement in which I was in
terested, to meet—if I wanted to go out
shopping —desired to hear a lecture, or attend
a concert —or expected to meet some pleasant
acquaintances at the house of a friend—l
would contrive to go in defiance of the
weather. It occurs to me that the duty en
joined by the Apostle, when he wrote, ‘ neg
lect not the assembling of yourselves to
gether,’ is not of so little importance that it
can be set aside Tty a threatening sky or a
passing shower. And it seems, also, when I
think of it, that staying at home may result
more injuriously to my soul than the rain-
drops to my dress or bonnet. Get behind
me, Satan ; I’ll go to church.”
Too Far. — First Thought: “It is too
far to go to my own church to-night. I will
drop in at some nearer place of worship.”
Second Thoaght: “ Have Ia right to make
my convenience the first consideration ?
When I joined the church did I not thereby
assume an obligation to do all in my power
to promote its prosperity ? And do 1 meet
this obligation by going to church once a
week? Suppose other members should do
as I do—their right is as good —what then?
Why, if strangers should go to my church,
and find a large array of empty seats, they
would conclude that ‘ there is no life in that
church,’ and not go again. Moreover, by this
course I shall discourage my faithful brethren
—my pastor will be grieved—and I shall be
a stumbling block to the weak. Do I want a
revival of religion ? And if I want it, will l
promote it by preferring my convenience to
the work of the Lord ? It was not in this
way that Aaron and Hur held up the hands
of Moses. I’ll go to my own church, if it is
farther off than some others.— Methodist Pro
testant.
A Baptist Church iu Rome.
God has blessed the labors of these devoted
brethren greatly, and I rejoice to' have been
here to see them gather in the first fruits.
Saturday last, just after sunset, they retired
to a quiet spot and baptized five rejoicing
converts. It was not thought best to make
any demonstration. Prayer was offered while
we knelt together, but it was in a low tone,
and no singing at all was ventured. Besides
the candidates the only persons present were
the two administrators, two of the Italian
brethren baptized before they canie to Rome,
and Dr. John A. Broadus, of South Carolina,
and myself. None of us, I am sure, will ever
forget the hour. There were three others
who desired to be baptized, but could not
then be present. So on Sunday morning,
January 30th, we went to the same place at
10 o’clock, when they too received the holy
rite.
After this, at 11, the usual service was
held in the usual place, 26 Via della Croce,
and at the close the first Gospel Church,
since the Papal power gained its supremacy,
was organized within the walls of Rome. It
consists of fourteen members, — all men, —
excepting the wives of the two missionaries.
In saying this I do not mean to ignore those
Churches which Protestant visitors have
found so much pleasure iu frequenting. I
mean the American Episcopal Church, the
two English Episcopal Churches, and the
Scotch Prosbyterian Church. But these all
have services conducted in the English lan
guage only. They are visitors’ Churches,
and do not touch the native population. Be
sides they are all at Rome, not in it; for
they are all outside the walls. The new Bap
tist Church is not only for Italians, but is
composed of Italians, and is in the viry heart
of the city. After the organization was ef
fected, brief addresses of congratulation and
advice, translated into Italian by Mr. Wall,
were made by Rev. Dr. Broadus and myself.
We both also gave all the brethren of the
new Church in our own name, and for the
Baptists of America the right hand of fel
lowship. And they directed us to say to
our Amenc/tn brethren, that* the “Brethren
of Rome salute you.” The Lord’s Supper
was then celebrated—and as there were a few
present w r ho profess to be converted, but
have not been baptized, it was distinctly
stated that according to the Second of Acts,
which had been the Scripture lesson for the
day, the A.postolic custom was, after “ bap
tism” to engage in “ the breaking of bread,”
and that only those, therefore, who had been
baptized were in a Scriptural way qualified
for the ordinance of the supper. There were
seventeen communicants —the little Church
of fourteen and three of us from America.
Surely it was a day and a privilege never,
never to be forgotten. Our prayer is that
“the little one” may literally, and speedily
become a thousand.— Dr. Randolph, in Nat.
Bap.
Doubts as to Infant Baptism.
Asa specimen of the doubts which largely
prevail in other denominations with regard
to the authority of infant baptism, we copy
the following article from the Old School
Presbyterian, St. Louis. This lady has many
who share her difficulties. A recent Scottish
letter in the National Baptist says: “We
believe that there is a good day before the
Baptists in Scotland. The number of Pres
byterians who admit that the Baptists are
right, is very great.” But to the article:
“ In your issue of January 27th 1 saw this
subject commenced, and I felt much gratified,
for I hoped for a solution of the difficulties
that have troubled me for many years, viz:
The Scriptural authority for infant baptism.
I am ‘only a woman,’ and do not wish to
write, and hoped that a better pen than mine
would notice the objections 1 see in the arti
cle with the above caption.
That article says, ‘infant baptism has been
the long and unbroken testimony of God’s
church to the fact of human depravity.’ Will
you tell us when that testimony began ? Do
not give answers about circumcision ; for, in
the first place, that has no similitude to in
fant baptism, and if it had, wfflen was the
substitution made? and wherefore should
anything be substituted for the rite which the
apostle Paul said was ‘nothing ?’ Further,
that high authority tells in Gal. v: 2, ‘Be
hold, I, Paul, say unto you, that if ye becir
cumcised, Christ shail profit you nothing.’
And many more injunctions did Paul give
against circumcision, and yet we Presbyteri
rians use infant baptism, because the Jews
were commanded to circumcise their children.
Advocates of infant baptism say that ‘ cir
cumcision brought families into covenant with
God, and so does infant baptism,’ or at least
‘infant baptism is expressive of God’s cove
nant with his people.’ But wherefore? That
article says, ‘if children be not depraved, and
if they do not need regeneration, then is in
fant baptism a worthless ceremony.’ All
will concede that children need regeneration,
but will water baptism give it? or have a
tendency even that way, when the uncon
scious babe would never know it, if the fact
of the ceremony were not told him.
I have said that I was extremely anxious
on the subject of infant baptism. I say fur-*
ther, that I and many would be greatly grat
ified at seeing Scriptural proof of being cor
rect, for all my early teachings tended that
way, as my progenitors were all Presbyteri
ans for 200 years back. But I take for my
rule concerning baptism that laid down in
our Shorter Catechism, which thus explains
that divine ordinance : ‘Baptism is an ordin
ance instituted by Christ wherein the wash
ing with water, in the name of the Father,
Son and Holy Ghost, doth signify and seal
our engrafting into Christ and acknowledge
ment to be the Lord’s.’ This is baptism, but
not infant baptism ; yet it is from our Con
fession of Faith, but plainly requires acknowl
edgement. In this our Baptist brethren haye
the advantage of a Presbyterian.”
To Beg I am Ashamed. —Well, you should
not be if it is for the Lord. The meanest,
most unchristian kind of begging is to beg to
be excused.
{s3 00 A YEAR, f WHOLE NO. 2531.
ChristHEver Precious.
I asked her, when : n beauty dressed,
When youthful hopes inspired her breast,
“ Where is He thou lovest best ?”
She said, “In heaven.”
I asked her when she fondly pressed
Her smiling infant to her breast,
“ Where is He thou lovest best!”
She said, “lu heaven.”
I asked her, when her bl >om was lost,
When all her earthly hopes were crossed,
“ Where is He thou lovest most?”
She said, “In heaven.”
I asked her in her dying groan,
“Who is the brightest,loveliest one?”
“My God,” she cried, “my God alone 1”
And went to heaven !
— Mi 83 Edgar ton.
Spurgeon’s Method.
A paper read at a conference of ministers
in Bristol, by the Rev. R. P. Macmaster,
gives some information as to the method
adopted by “ perhaps the most popular
preacher in the world,” of preparing for the
pulpit, We do not quote the passage as an
illustration of what may be done, and are
prepared to defend Mr. Macmaster’s position,
that for others to adopt the position would be
disastrous; but we give it as an interesting
novelty. The preacher in question furnishes
the information himself. He says: “My
preparation never ceases in reality, but the
speoific preparation is from six to eleven on
Saturday evening, and consists, at first, in
making sketches and destroying them; then
the text transfixes my soul, and I am at it.
Read original; turn to comments ; think it
out; pray over it; write a sketch on a half
sheet of note. Done ! Dream of it all night;
keep on thinking till I get into the pulpit.”
The plan is successful, but it is due, as Mr.
Macmaster told his ministerial brethren, to
“ a memory marvellous for its retentiveness,
a inind wonderful for its activity, an imagi
nation imperial in its sway, a facility of cor
rect extemporaneous speech almost unequal
led, and a degree of confidence most can envy
and few can feel, and which enables him to
say precisely what he likes and just how ho
likes.” Is there more than one preacher in
the world of whom this can be said I — Lon »
don Freeman.
Items.
Pretension. —We walk on little stilts of
our own manufacture, wishing to be a cubit
taller than our proper stature. We must do
so to make the most of our insignificance.
Metaphysics. —E. Paxton Hood gives an
account of a metaphysical preacher of whom
his people, during the week, saw nothing.
Some one said, “ On six days of the week ho
is invisible, and on the seventh he is incom
prehensible.”
The Spirit op Rome — The Tablet seems
to “glory” in the fact that a Jewish child,
having been baptized by a Roman Catholic
nurse, was taken by the Papal government
away from his parents, and contrary to their
wishes, educated to be a Catholic priest. The
Tablet asks, “ What right have parents to
bring vp their children in a religion hateful
to God and deadly to the soul?"
Reproof.-Mary Hill,” in the Christian
Standard , gives wholesome advice to mothers
and wives, as to the length of their “ lec
tures If it is absolutely necessary to re
prove or warn, do not begin until you can do
it with perfect kindness and in the spirit of
Christ. Be as brief as possible. Any ordi
nary woman runs a risk, if she occupies more
than half a minute in such work—beitter less
than more.” Pulpit reproof, too, might profit
by this lesson.
Infidelity. —The iV. Y~. Tribune says:
“The readiest way for a mediocre man to
gain notoriety is, as we all know, for him to
proclaim himself an infidel and attack the Bi
ble. His blows may be as feeble as a hen’s
pecking, but they are sure to attract notice
because of the holy and tender regard in
which the object that he assails is held by
the noblest part of the race.”
A Little Flock. —The number of Christ
ians in Scotland, adhering to believers’ bap
tism, bears the proportion of about one to
the thousand of the population.
Convincino by Definition. —It wa3 wit
tily said by the late Mr. Drummond, in the
llouso of Commons, that Liberalism is, by
the very derivation of the word, antagonistic
to religion; and when this observation piodu
ced an outburst of indignant exclamation from
the Liberal benches, Mr. Drummond added :
“ Liberalism is derived from the word ‘ Lib
ero,’ and is ‘ quod Liberal that which loosen
eth ; while Religion is derived from ‘ Religo,’
and is ‘ quod Religat ,’ that which bindeth.
Do not quarrel with me, quarrel with your
dictionary.” The Liberal members felt as if
the ghost of Dr. Johnson stood beforo them,
and there was a pause.
Covetousness. —The first act of divine jus
tice in the infant church at Jerusalem was to
punish covetousness. And yet the church
has never dealt with this sin as it should.
“ Who ever heard of a man being disciplin
ed for covetousnessasks Dr. John Ilall.
“ For other sins ” he says, “ men are cast,
out of the church ; but injhis sin, which the
Bible calls idolatry, they live and die without
one honest rebuke.”
“Patron.” —The Pope has raised St. Jo
seph, husband of Mary, hitherto much nog
lected, and only “patron of carpenters,” to
be the Supreme Patron of the whole Church.
Os course the whole Church feels more safe
than ever ! But is it not more idolatrous 1
Sleeping at Church. —When Rev. C. B.
Crane, D. D., attended the Tabernacle, and
heard Spurgeon preach, two or three of the
six deacons, seated in the pulpit, fronting the
congregation, fell into a doze before the ser
mon ended! Then we need not conclude,
when persons sleep under our preaching, that
the fault is always with us. No: even
Spurgeon oannot keep everybody awake.
Procrastination. —To-morrow never comes
—but death does.
Using the Helps. —A minister once gave
a commentary to an old Scotch lady who was
well versed in the Scriptures. He thought
she would enjoy the explanations of her fa
vorite passages. Calling on her a few days
afterwards, he said: “ Did you like the book
1 gave you ?” “ Ay, mon, it’s a gudo book,
and the Bible explains it amazingly?
Reliance. —Self-relianee and God-reliance
are the two great princfples that must sus
tain us, in whatever trials the discipline of
life may bring.
War. —Wendell Phillips gives in a few
words an impressive view of the famous
military system of Prussia. During the last
three years, fifteen millions of men have de
voted three years of their lives to military
service. Thus have forty-five million years
ot human life been wasted to make a nation
of soldiers. Prussia may point with pride to
the results, but the price is appalling.
Equality. —“ Equality means,” writes a
Frenchman, “ a desire to be equal to your
superiors and superior to your equals.”
Household Baptism. —Prof. Knapp, or
ganizing and building up a Baptist church in
Madrid, writes “ 1 have baptized many
'‘'households* here, some of which contained
infants. But I am amused that our people
don’t think to speak of the infants when they
say, ‘ There goes another household to the
river.* ”•