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/U - c/gy CHRISTIAN umiha ai>D SOOTH-WESTERN BAPTIST. V0L.50-NO.il. Is3 00 A YEAR.} A RELIGIOUS AND FAMILY PAPER. PUBLISHED WEEKLY IN ATLANTA. OA AT $3.00 PER ANNUM, Invariablv in Advance. J. J. TOON", Proprietor. “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.* ”•