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CHRISTIAN YSSYLND SOUTH-WESTERN BAPTIST.
VOL 50-NO. 12. Is3 001 YEAR. 1
A RELIGIOUS AND FAMILY PAPER.
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“ ITLeave itjall withtJesus.”
Written by a young lady, previous to undergoing
medical treatment for the removal of a disease which
would have been fatal, had not the Lord blessed the
means used to her perfect restoration. The Lord has
used these linos in comforting many a troubled saint.
I leave it all with Jesus.
Then, wherefore should I fear?
I leave it ah with Jesus,
And He is ever near I
I leave it all with Jesus,
Trust Him lor what must be:
I leave it all with Jesus,
Who ever thinks for me!
I bring it all to Jesus,
In calm believing prayer:
I bring.it all to Jesus
And I lore to leave it there!
Each tear, each sigh, each trouble,
Each disappointment,—all
I love to give to Jesus,
Who loves to take them all !-
Then why should drooping spirits,
Or sinking fears be known ?
Why should I bear a burden
Which Jesus calls His own?
Ah, no ! though dark and heavy
Oft times my may appears,
One look—one word from Jesus
Os holy comfort—cheers.
In love He has afflicted, —
In mercy used the rod :
But it has made me humble
And brought me nearer God !
And soon another token
Os His kindness will be given,
And the happy prospect gladdens,
Os either health or heaven !
Come tolthe Ark.
Come to the Ark ! Come to the Ark
To Jesus come away!
The pestilence walks forth by night,]
The arrow flies by day.
Corns to the Ark! the waters rae,J
The seas their billows rear;
While darkness gathers o’er the skies,
Behold a refuge near!
Come to the Ark! ere yet the flood j
Your wandering steps oppose;
Come! for the door that open stood
Is NOW ABOUT TO CLOSE !
Come to the Ark ! all, all that weep
Beneath the sense of sin,
Without, deep calleth unto deep,
* But all is peace within !
jtnjp” We print below a sermon-letter sent by
Rev. J. E. Dawson, D.D., to a Christian lady
who, years ago, “ passed into the skies.” How
affecting, as we read, to think that the hand that
traced these lines and the eyes for which they
were designed, have gone up on high, to see the
face of the Lamb and to striko the harp of praise
to Him ! May we share their blessedness, when
done with earth !
A Short Sermon—Dedicated to an Afflicted
Sister. Text, Isa, liv: 10.
How many are the circumstances of life
calculated to depress the feelings of Chris
tians ! How strange are the ways of the
Almighty !
But however vascillating our feelings, how
ever obscure His providences, “all things
work together for good to them who love
Cod.” The text, illustrative of the prosperity
and stability of the church, may afford conso
lation in affliction. You will observe three
interesting truths in the text:
J. God’s kindness to His children. “My
kindness.” “ The Lord that hath mercy on
thee.” Now, although this is a promise to
the whole church of Christ, yet it embraces
till the integral parts; and since it takes every
child of God, however small, or obscure, or
afflicted, to make up the whole family, Ilis
kindness and mercy must extend to all. It
is true, that the Lord does sometimes seem
to hide His face from His chosen, and for a
season to leave them to wade through deep
waters; but still, even in affliction there is
kindness—He still has mercy.
“ ’Tis God who lifts our comforts high,
Or sinks them iu the grave;
lie gives, and blessed be His name,
He takes but what He gave.’'
“ For a small moment have I forsaken thee,
but with great mercies will 1 gather thee.”
Vr. 7.
“ In a little wrath 1 hid my face from thee
for a moment, but with everlasting kindness
will 1 have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy
Redeemer.” Vs. Bth.
11. In consequence of Ilis kindness and
mercy, lie has made with Ilis people acove
nant of peace. “The covenant of my peace.”
The great representative of the church, in this
covenant, is Christ. “ For, as by one mail’s
disobedience many were made sinners, so by
the obedience of one shall many be made
righteous That as sin hath
reigned unto death, even so might grace reign,
through righteousness, unto eternal life, by
Jesus Christ our Lord.”
“ Therefore, thus saith the Lord God, Be
hold, 1 lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a
tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure
foundation ; he that believeth shall not make
haste.” Isa. xviii: 10. “Jesus saith unto
them, did ye never read in the Scriptures?
The stone which the builders rejected, the
biune is become the head of the corner.” Mat.
xxi: 42, Ps. 18: 22.
How comforting the words of Peter, “To
whom coming as unto a living stone, disal
lowed indeed of men, but chosen of God and
precious ; ye also, as lively stones, are built
up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood,
to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to
God by Jesus Christ.” 1 Pet. ii :4, 5.
“Though He were a son, yet learned He
obedience by the things whicn He suffered ;
And being made perfect, He became the
Author of eternal salvation unto all them that
obey Him Called of God an High Priest
alter theorderof Melchisedec.” Heb. v: B,9,etc.
“For this is the covenant that I will make with
the house of Israel after those days, saith the
Lord ; 1 will put my laws into their mind and
write them in their hearts; and 1 will be to
them a God, and they shall be to me a peo
ple.”
111. The kindness of God shall not depart,
nor the covenant of His peace be removed.
Whatever are the purposes of the Al
mighty, He has a right to exercise as He
pleases. How unlike Him would be a fitful
government! What He purposes to do He
does, what He attempts He accomplishes.
The work of salvation is His great wortt. In
this He has “all His mightiest works out
done.”
“ ’T was great to speak the world from nought,
'T was greater to redeem.”
In the work of salvation, therefore, involv
ing God’s power, wisdom, integrity, we may
expect to see developed His unchanging char
acter. How beautifully this idea is express
ed —how forcible the figure, “The mountains
shaii depart, and the hills be removed, but
my kindness shall not depart from thee !’’
What a spectacle would be presented if the
Alps and the Alpinnines, the Andes and the
Cordilleras were to move off from their foun
dation, and take their departure from earth
in violation of every la# of gravity ! And
yet sooner shall this be done than God’s kind
ness depart, or the covenant of His peace be
removed. “ Upon this rock I build my
church,” etc.; “When He could swear by
no higher,” etc.; “ Fear not, little flock,” etc.;
“ For if, while we were enemies, we were re-
conciled to God by the death of His Son,” etc.
Rom. v: 10. “There is, therefore, now no
condemnation,”'etc. Rom. viii: 1. “Who
shall lay anything to the charge of God’s
elect?” etc. Rom. viii: 33-39. “I will never
leave thee nor forsake thee.” Heb. xiii: 5.
“For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right
hand.” Isa. xli: 13,14. “He giveth power
to the faint.” Isa. xl: 29-31. “A bruished
reed,” etc. Isa xlii: 3. “ Fear* not, for I
have redeemed thee, thou art mine,” etc.
Isa. xlii: 1.
IY\ Improvement. 1. How rich the grace
of God ! How unmerited His kindness!
Had He dealt with us according to our sins,
how changed our condition !
8. How light'are our greatest sufferings,
compared with our sin 9, or with the suffers
ings of our Saviour ! How accumulated our
transgressions! Against what have we not
O, is it not wohderful mercy, aston
ishing grace, that we are not in hell—not
lost—forever lost! And then think what our
comforts cost our Saviour! He had not
where to lay His head; He was mocked, and
spit upon, and crucified, the just for the un
just. We have kind friends to soothe and
sympathise, and He himself to enter mto our
necessities; but He was forsaken of all, etc.
3. How much is there to reconcile us to
our afflictions !
(1.) It is our Father who deals with ,us.
“ Whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth,” etc.
(2.) He does it for our good. No chastise
ment is pleasant, but grievous ; nevertheless,
it shall work the peaceable fruits of righteous
ness, etc.
(3.) Our present afflictions the better pre
pare us fur our Anal rest. How sweet the
shade to the weary pilgrim on a burning
sand, “as the shadow of a great rock in a
dreary land!” How pleasant the cooling
brook to the thirsty traveller! “We are
strangers and pilgrims,” etc. Oh, how sweet
will heaven be when earth’s trials are done,
and our kind and covenant-keeping God shall
call us home! “These light afflictions,” etc.
May the Lord preserve your life and sanc
tify your affliction. J. E. Dawson.
Robert Murray.
In a large city in the South of Ireland, not
many years ago, might be seen one evening,
emerging from the train, and mingling with
the bustling crowd, a youth over whose head
shone the sun of nigh twenty summers. A
few days later we find him hiring a small
room, in what may be denominated a back
street. There were but two people lived in
the house; a venerable man, who was for
many years in the capacity' af gentleman’s
valet, and his middle aged wife, who was also
an old family servant,occupying the position
of cook. Both being advanced in life, and
having a little annuity —the interest of their
well earned wages—they set up house keep
ing in a small way, living modestly and un
pretendingly in their new home. Robert
Murray took up his new abode, with this
quiet old pair in their humble dwelling, du
ring his first sojourn in the city. The rent
of his room was moderate, and with them he
could live cheaply. All this suited him, as
he was very poor, and might have a hard
fight to earn a livelihood in a 9trange place.
This house was recommended to him by Mr.
Truefrend, to whom he had an introduction,
and he found Mr. and Mrs. Honest, ex-valet
and ex cook, social, wcil-disposed; kind and
affectionate.
Robert Murray was an orphan. His father
had recently died, whilst his mother had lain
in the grave for many years. The principal
care of three brothers, and one sister, now
rested upon his shoulders. lie had but just
parted from them, with swelling heart, in a
distant village, leaving them under the hos
pitable roof and warm shelter of a kind un
cle, who made them members of his own
family, so far as his means would allow.
Robert left his native place for a double pur
pose. He knew that in the city there were
many hundreds unvisited in their dark homes,
that there were few messengers of mercy to
comfort, and gladden them in their chilling
poverty, and bear to them the message of a
Saviour’s love; and he also knew the city
afforded more opportunities than could be
had in the thinly populated eountry, for tem
porary employment. His ambition was, to
find suitable occupation, whereby he could
help those thrown upon his care, support
himself, and devote his spare hours in making
known to needy sinners, the salvation of God
in all its fullness and freeness.
Robert was a Christian young man. The
gospel of Christ visited his soul with its heal
ing beams, and he knew its power to bless
and save others. Realizing his responsibili
ty as a witness for the truth, to whom was
committed at the lea>t one talent, for which
he was accountable, he sought to improve it
for his Master’s honor, in teaching others the
way of life. This was the work he loved,
and ever aimed to accomplish, even when se
verely criticised by lukewarm Christians,
whose guilty deadness was made the more
apparent by bis wakeful and untiring energy.
Ever conscious of his own weakness, he daily
sought the face of God in prayer, constantly
crying, “ Hold Thou me up, and let not my
footsteps slide."
Having failed to secure fitting occupation,
after a week of wearisome travel, the thought
occurred to him of doing the work of
colportage. This would give him ample
opportunity, in house to house visitation, to
converse personally with the inmates, whilst
offering for sale Bibles, tracts, and religious
books. Having prayed for guidance, he
felt impressed to labor in that direction,
and was fully encouraged by Mr. Truefrend,
who advanced him a little money, wherewith
to provide the desirable stock of gospel lit
erature.
In a few days all was ready, and early one
morning, with beating heart and nervous step,
Robert sallied forth with a well filled wallet.
Ilis first efforts were awkward and confusing,
but before the evening shadows fell he had
gained more confidence, and flattered himself
in becoming a smart salesman. In the eve
ning, with a light heart and heavy purse, his
bag of books almost emptied, he reached his
room, counted his money, and found the
profits of the sales would support him for
three days. That night he thanked God and
took courage. Specially grateful was he for
the rpany conversations he held with rich and
poor, on eternal things, and he prayed that
the little seeds of divine truth sown here and
there, might one day be reaped into the Lord’s
granary, as ripened grain, with the gathered
sheaves, in the day of His coming and glory.
Having rested and refreshed himself, with
a cup of tea and some buttered toast, he
walked out, hurried along the principal streets
of the city, until he reached one of narrow
dimensions and dingy appearance, into the
which he turned, and soon halted before a red
door. This he unlatched, and walking in,
found about forty persons, of the poorer class,
assembled in a dimly-lighted room—men,
women and children; some seated in rick
ety chairs, and others standing with their
backs to the wall. Two days previously,soon
after his arrival in the city—for he wished
none of his precious time wasted—he ar
ranged with the owner for the use of this
room two evenings in the week, for the pur
pose of prayer meetings. Here be met with
those needy ones, who seldom drift inside a
FRANKLIN PRINTING HOUSE, ATLANTA, GA., THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 1871.
church door, and who listened with gladness,
as he simply and affectionately expounded to
them the way of salvation. The manner in
which he conducted the service was in keep-*
ing with the place and congregation. Bring
ing with him a number of cheap hymn books,
and distributing them amongst his audience,
he commenced by reading a familiar gospel
hymn, and making short remarks on some of
the verses. One or two young brethren, who
had promised to attend, engaged lh prayer.
They were brief, earnest, pointed prayers,
which had no wearisome effect upon the people.
Another hymn was sung, then he read a short
Psalm, making a few expository remarks, and
after a brief prayer offered by himself, he
made a short address, in which he explained
the ruin of man, and the great salvation pro
vided for all who believe in Christ Jesus.
Ere he closed this introductory service, many
were in tears, and on his leaving, the warm
grasp of more than one horny hand, and the
smiling faces of deeply-bereaved widowed
mothers, well repaid him for his toil, and en
couraged him in this work of faith and labor
of love.
A few weeks passed on, and Robert went
his daily rounds and carried on his meetings,
with an occasional visit to alms houses, pm
ons and hospitals, telling poor sick ones of
the loving Saviour’s death of shame upon the
accursed tree, for their sake?. During those
visits, many a “ God bless you ” fell upon
his ears, dropped from the lips of the dying
with whom he conversed, and for whom he
prayed.
But the demand for his books ceased, hav
ing supplied the families who cared to pur
chase such wares, and having, as he could
spare sent his earnings to those at home,
with whom he loved to share each crust, he
now found himself upon the verge of need.
Making his case known to no human ears,
he the more cast himself upon the Lord, who
marks the fall of each sparrow, and treasures
up the tears ol Hi3 surviving saints.
A beautiful morning dawned upon the city.
It was May day. Robert prepared himself
for a longer walk than usual, and with heavy
wallet, not much lightened of late, he passed
beyond the limits of the city, calling, from
cottage to cottage, along the suburban road,
offering for sale his gospel stores, and seizing
every opportunity to speak a word in season,
whether they would hear or whether they
would forbear. The tracts freely offered
were accepted, his counsel listened to, but
his-books were left unbought. He had now
walked many miles. The afternoon had set in.
Dispirited and weary, he reached the skirt of
a neighboring wood, and passing into its shade,
where no human eye could see him, he laid
his bag on the ground, and threw himself on
a heap of withered leaves, overwhelmed with
grief and anxious care. Looking at his
bleeding and blistered feet, casting a qla..
at his threadbare clothing, through the L.ees 1
and elbows of which the white lining sought
to struggle, and withal hunger loudly de
manding food, is it any wonder that he should
weep in distress and revel in gloomy forebo
dings? For himself, however, he shed few
tears. Youth and strength were on his side ;
he could turn his hand to something in the
greatcity,and forhimself, poverty assumed no
terrible form ; but others needed his assist
ance, and the thought of their need pressed
heavily upon him. Lying on hjs bed of
leaves, his thoughts'turned to days of yore,
and for a moment he lived in the past. He
thought of the time when care and he were
strangers—of the loving mother, whom he
seemed to know so little, she having fallen
asleep in Jesus when he was but a child, but
the gentle touch of whose dying hand he
seemed still to feel resting on his head, and
whose last-breathed prayer still whispered in
his ear—of his father, now sleeping by her
side in yon church yard till the resurrection
morn—of those sisters and brothers, five of*
whom were scattered over earth’s wide do-*
main, and four more, as yet, comparatively
helpless—of those days when, with bounding
spirits, he ran with them to neighboring
woods the opening day of summer, to return
with the green boughs and nosegays of wild
flowers, still spangling with the morning dew,
singing loudly as they could, making the very
groves ring with the echoes of their song—
*• It is May, it is May,
And we love the day;
And all the flowers
Are fresh and gay.”
He thought of these things and slowly mur
mured, “Oh ! that I had wings like a dove,
for then would I flee away and be at rest.”
But again, he remembered “life is real, life
is earnest,” for perishing humanity I must
live, for the glory of God 1 must labor.
Arousing himself from those reveries into
which he had unconsciously fallen, and taking
his pocket Bible, he read a few of its con
soling promises. Then, on his knees, he
poured out his soul in believing prayer, and
like Jacob, when, with broken thigh hanging
helplessly upon the neck of the angel, he now
came into close contact with the same Lord
overall, who is rich unto all them that call
upon Him, and felt he could not let Him go
without receiving His blessing. And now
the victory over self is won, faith goes forth
with confidence that “they who trust in the
Lord shall not want any good thing.” Cast
ing all his care upon God, without any res
ervations, with unwavering footstep, he again
faced the smoking city, assured that his pres
ent discipline was needful in bringing him
into more holy nearness to Christ, and to
increase his boldness in His service. Enter
ing more vigorously into his missionary work;
devoting all his time and energies in seeking
to reclaim the lost, he accepted the promises
of God as true, that bread and water would
be given him, and thus left the matter of re
ward and pay to Him who said, “ Trust in
the Lord and do good, . . . and verily thou
shalt be fed.” Very soon, he found the Lord
remembered him, and to this day his testi
mony is that he lacks “ nothing.”
Robert Murray still continues in this
blessed work. Many have been converted
through his instrumentality. Forlorn daugh
ters and prodigal sons have had their weary
feet directed to Jesus Christ, in whom alone
is rest. Men and women, grown grey in sin,
have been plucked as brands out of the fire,
some of whom have already gone to the
better land, while others tarry, whose re
reformed lives irradiate the glory of their
Divine Saviour, and are lustred with His
surpassing love.
On occasional evenings, when Robert gath
ers his family around him, (for he is now
both husband and father,) he relates many
touching incidents of those bygone days, and
the reminiscences of his life bear testimony
to the faithfulness of the Divine Provider,
who, to this day, out of His boundless re
sources, supplies all his need. “ But,” he
sometimes adds, “ my precious wife, I could
not advise any young man to give up his
lawful situation, and trust in the Lord for
daily bread ; we all have different schooling,
to fit us for our different spheres of labor.
But I would say to all Christian young men,
‘labor for the cause of truth, and the conver
sion of sinners. Seize every opportunity in
making known the love of Jesus. Be not
weary in your efforts; in season and out of
season, constantly and untiringly, aim to
glorify God in all things. Be much in prayer.
Read the Word of God, meditate on it, fol
low its teachings wholly; present your bodies
a living sacrifice unto God, doing His will
and walking in His ways. Then shall you
have right guidance as to your course in life.
Unction and power will be given you, and
you shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in
the church of God, and through yonr efforts
many will be savedjn the day of Lord,’ and,
my wife, is not this, and this alone, well
worth living for?” G. C. Neediiam.
Ministerial Piety.
There is a prevailing impression that
preachers are necessarily pious, because they
minister in holy things. And preachers
themselves are apt to fall into this error.
But the minister of Christ occupies an indi
vidual, as well as an official position. He,
like other Christians, is a sinner saved by
grace, and aside from his public character, he
must, as a man, “walk with God.” No
amount of public can atone for the
neglect of private personal*piety. In water
ing the souls of othe>a, the man of God must
diligently water his own soul.
The temptation t<>-*ieglect his own heart,
is peculiarly strong» v the preacher. His
labors are directed tv-ytha overthrow of Sa
tan’s power, and SataTi, “ wise as a serpent,”
knows that his opponent will be shorn of his
strength if his heart drawn away from
his work. And th**i, constant familiarity
with holy things tend? to diminish their im
pression upon the hc?<-t. Alas ! how many
ministers have yielded to this temptation,
and have gone on in the mere per
functory performance of duty. If these
things be true, there' is necessity for great
watchfulness. No minister should rest sat
isfied unless, as a Ch'.istian, he continually
realizes the presence of the Saviour within
his own soul. It is .•elated of an eminent
divine, that in prepa; mg for the pulpit, he
was accustomed, at the completion of each
division of his discourse, to kneel and pray.
He felt the force of the temptation of which
we speak, and his life as a Chrrstion, and his
power as a preacher, testify to the success
with which he overcame*that temptation.
But further. No minister of Christ can
pleasantly and successfully perform his pub
lic duties, unless he a.tend carefully to his
own soul. “The joy of the Lord is his
strength.” An undevoat preacher may in
terest his hearers by philosophical discussion
or by rhetorical display, but his own soul will
be barren, while he w;U starve the souls of
those who listen to him. Anxious crowds
may hang upon hisllit,p t, and his popularity
may be universal, and'yAt his usefulness will
be limited. Men will bear him and go forth
to praise the preacher, rather than to glory
in the cross which the preacher should have
made most prominent. Paul deeply realized
the necessity of personal piety, though he
was an Apostle, and though he possessed ex
tensive learning and great intellectual power.
Said he, “ 1 keep under my body, amr bring
it into subjection; lest that by any means,
when 1 have others, I myself
should be a cast away.” If such were his
feelings, lias not that minister who does not
live beside the cross, reason to fear that he
may indeed be a cast away ? W. IT. W.
Charleston, S. C.
Who is Right—the Missionary or the Anti-
Ujo. 11l ,
hen i Mpjdu*Tfte other even
ing to attend pray er induing, it was under
stood that I should give you some authority,
drawn from the New i'estarnent, for ministe
rial education. The example of Christ sus
tains the importance of a previous preparation
to preach. Ho called twelve men to be His
apostles, whose great business it should be to
begin and establish the gospt-1 in the earth.
Jesus did not send the n forth immediately,
for the simple reason that they were not pre
pared. He could have inspired them, and in
a miraculous way have given them immedi
ately every mental and moral outfit neces
sary. Instead of that, however, He made
them His personal friends, and for three
years kept them near Him, teaching them by
precept and example, both publicly and pri
vately, the doctrines, ordinances and princi
pies He wished them to proclaim. Never
did a class of preaches sit at the feet of such
an instructor. They obtained their lessons
in theology from Him who is called “the
wisdom of God”—the great fountain-head of
all knowledge. Deprived in their youth of
the advantages of an education, under the in
struction of Jesus, they were most highly
educated. They, by the power which He
gave them, could speak different languages
fluently; to do which now, takes years of
laborious study.
Jonathan. —Have we not that same Spirit
to instruct us? Did not Jesus say, “ Lo, I
am with you always, even to the end ?”
R. —That is true. The Spirit must accom
pany the preacher. He is the great agency
which gives success. But lie does not attend
in the miraculous way that He did the apos
tles. 1 know that some of y our ministers use
language in the pulpit which sounds very
much like they expect the Spirit to fill their
minds and mouths with thoughts and words,
without any mental effort on their part what
ever, And I have heard things from such
men which, if attributed to the Spirit of God,
would be nothing short of blasphemy. God
blesses His faithful ministers with His en
lightening and strengthening influences, but
lie does not divinely insure them. If so,
they do not need the Bible, and we may con
sult them as infallible oracles. 1 have heard
you preach when 1 knew that a little more
previous study would have been of no disad
vantage. Paul says that God is not the au
thor of confusion, but I hav*» seen you con
siderably confused.
J. —l am no model, nor standard by which
to try the truth.
R. —l know that; yet you are one of the
ablest preachers of your order, and I can but
think that if your ministers were inspired in
that high senseof which you speak, there would
be but little confusion in your thoughts.
Christ thought His disciples needed prepar
atory training for the work to which He
called them ; and we think that some previ
ous training will help His ministers now;
and where the opportunity is offered and they
feel it a duty, they may devote some time to
it without sin. “ Every Scribe.” says Christ,
(Matt, xiii: 52.) “ instructed into the king
dom of heaven, is like a householder, which
bringeth forth out of his treasury things new
and old.” The Scribes were teachers of the
Jews at that time, and learned men. Minis
ters are religious teachers now, and should
be “ instructed” in the things pertaining to
their office. Hence, Paul instructs Timothy
(Tim. iv: 13-15) to give attention to read
ing ; not to neglect his gift; to meditate upon
these things ; to give himself wholly to them,
that his profiting (or growth in wisdom,
piety and ministerial efficiency) might appear
to all.” Paul also commands him to “Study
to 9how himself approved unto God, a work
man that ueedeth not to be ashamed, rightly
dividing the word of truth.” This passage
teaches us that the minister has the word of
truth to divide ; that he must strive to do so
in such manner as shall secure God’s appro
val and save himself from shame. To do
this, he must not rely upon any peculiar gift,
independent of his own efforts, but must give
himself to “ reading,” to “ meditation” and to
“study.” This same apostle, writing to
Titus, (i: 9,) says: “A bishop,” (who is
nothing more, scripturally, than an ordained
minister,) “must hold fast the faithful word,
as he hath been taught, that he may be able,
by 9ound doctrine, both to exhort and to con
vince the gainsayer.” Now, this looks like it
is not wrong for a man to be“ taught” before
he enters upon the work of the ministry.
Besides, Luke says, (Acts xiii,) there were
in Antioch teachers as well as prophets; and
Paul says, (Ephe. iv: 11, 12,) that when
Christ ascended on High He gave, for the
work of the ministry and for the perfecting
of the saints, not only “apostles, evangelists
and pastors,” but “ teachers ” also. And are
you prepared to say that a part of their work
was not to train the young Timothys and
Tituses of that day ?
J. But what have all these passages to do
with Colleges and Theological Seminaries for
the education of ministers ? They only teach
us that the bishop or minister should be
“taught” or “ instructed,” and not that he
should attend such schools as you have. *
R. —To be taught implies a teacher and a
place to receive the instruction. The teacher
may be a female, as in the case of Iluidah,
who, you know, “ lived in the College at Je
rusalem;” or as in the case of Priscilla, who
taught Apollos, or some learned prophet like
Elisha, or D.D. like Gamaliel. As to the
place, I suppose that circumstances must con
trol that. If necessity required, let it be be
neath a tree, in a tent or garret, or at some
“ College,” if you please. 1 suppose that the
most convenient place, where the greatest
amount of knowledge can be obtained in the
shortest time, should be selected. Common
sense would say a well endowed “ College,”
(that is a Bible word, you know,) with all the
necessary teachers, books and appliances for
study, would be the place. Now, have I not
produced the authority from the Old and New
Testament, as you demanded, to authorize
those who feel it their duty, and who have
the opportunity, to make some previous pre
paration before entering fully upon the min
isterial work ? Still, you pass your non-fel
lowshipping resolution and pronounce me a
heretic.
J. —Stop! stop! Bro. R.; let me talk
some. We will have to appoint a moderator
and give to each a specified time, unless you
restrain your talking propensities.
R. —You shall have all the time you want.
I desire nothing more ardently than that you
present every argument in favor of your
cause, in its strongest light. Please proceed.
J. —l asked you for a Bible sanction for
your theological schools. You say there
were schools of the prophets under the Old
Dispensation, and quote those passages from
the New Testament which require the bish
ops to “ read, study and meditate.” But in
all this you do not show where the apostles
had a College, nor any command for erecting
one. I take the position that God has always
known what sort of ministers He needs to
preach ; these He calls—some from among
the learned, and others from among the un
learned ; that you do wrong to try to im
prove them by sending them to school; to
Jo so is to find fault with God’s choice.
While they are off studying they are disobe
dient to tho Divine call. At the same time,
souls are perishing without the gospel. To
refute these positions, 1 regard as beyond
your pout.>
R. —l would suggest an objection or two
to them. You assume that God never calls
a man whom He intends, after the call is
made, to have prepared for the work. How
did you find that out? Who informed you?
Where is your “Thus saith the Lord?”
This you must prove. It is not self evident.
The reverse I think is true. God does call
men who are ignorant and inexperienced, and
while lie impresses upon them the duty to
preach, He, at the same time, impresses upon
them—with a power which many of them
cannot resist —the duty of making all prepar
ation possible. If you regard the one inipres
sion as the work of the Holy Spirit, you must
the other also; and if you take their word
for the one impression, you must for the
other. Besides, Christ instructed Paul after
his conversion, notwithstanding his great
learning; and Apollos was instructed “more
perfectly” after he began to preach, just as
many are in tho present day. If this is all
wrong please tell me how do you account for
the strong sense of duty which some feel on
this point, and for the liberal donations which
pious men and women have made for the
purpose of giving ministers the opportunity
of receiving the desired instruction?
J. —All that is easily accounted for. It re
sults from a feeling of pride and ambition—a
desire to be great in the eyes of the worid,
and to gain its applause. It shows also a
want of Faith in God’s willingness or ability
to give His own cause success. And as to
the large gifts made for this purpose, the do
nors desire to leave a great name behind them
when they are dead. None of which you
must admit is pleasing to God.
R. —Your explanation might be tolerated
if there were none other possible. But why
not believe that they are influenced by a
higher, purer motive, —the desire to glorify
God? You assume a good deal thus to im
peach the motives, —gratuitously too, —of
some of the best people the world has ever
seen—people whose whole lives have been
spent in trying to make the world better. If
your account be the correct one, instead of
calling them “brethren,” you should pro-'
nounce them a class of ambitious hypocrites,
not only worthy of being non fellowshipped,
but of execration. Ido not believe that the
most benevolent, intelligent and devoted
Christians, such as the Penfields, Mercers,
Poseys and a host of others, who have so
liberally endowed our beloved Mercer Uni
versity, were controlled by any such selfish,
sordid motives. The intelligent world will
acquit them of the charge. I will not believe
that you are influenced by any such proud
and ambitious motives, when you admit the
importance of an education, which you say
you have desired.
J. —Perhaps it would be more generous to
admit that their motives were good, but di
rected in a wrong channel.
R. —Nor will that explanation do. If it
be a wrong channel, it is one which has proved
a blessing to the past and present genera
tions, and for which coming generations will
not forget to be grateful. But you deny that
God ever calls a man to preach, designing
that he shall take a previous course of study.
If God were disposed to make such a call,
could He not do so? or is His sovereignty
limited to the cause which you have pre
scribed ?
J. —l do not prescribe for the Almighty.
I have not entered into the councils of the
Eternal, nor has He revealed to me the man
ner of His administration. It is His right to
do all His pleasure; but before I can believe
He has made such a call, must have evidence
of it.
R.— What better evidence do you want
than the conscientious convictions of a pious*
man, that it is his duty to accept advantages
offered him to secure an education before he
begins to preach. You will take his word
when, like Paul, he exclaims, “ WoB is me if
I preach not the gospel.” Why not believe
him when he declares that he feels it to be
his duty to take a previous coarse of study ?
If your position be correct, everybody (and
Ss3 00 A YEAR.} WHOLE NO. 2532.
there are not a few) who is off at school,
who is impressed to preach, must quit his
studies immediately for the work, however
much he may feel his unfitness. In this mat-
ter all must be allowed to determine their
own duty in the fear of God. And when one
accepts the means offered for improvement,
as such acceptance violates no article of faith
or practice, neither you, nor any church, nor
Association has the authority to non fellowship
him. To do so is to assume to determine
what is the Divine will; —a prerogative not
yours, and to attempt which brings you in
conflict with impressions which God’s Spirit
has produced. This is the position you now
occupy by your non-fellowshipping resolu**
tiou, which you now so earnestly urge your
people to maintain. ,
/.—But are not men perishing while this
preparation is going on ? Are not their souls
of more value than all the preparation you
can make? It does seem to me to be time
lost, when compared with the danger of souls.
R. —Our theological students preach as
much as if at home at work, where many
would be, a3 they are poor. Many of them
preach every Sabbath, and some are pastors
of churches. They would do no more if at
home. Resides, you hold that God has a
people whom He will save by the gospel.
Their salvation is no more the object of His
purpose than the means by which that pur
pose i9 to be effected. You should not fear
for their salvation, therefore. The discharge
of their duty is what His ministers are
to aim at, leaving results with God. I
maintain, in addition to what has been
said, that it is the duty of ministers (and
everybody else) to improve their minds as
best they can, because God has made them
susceptible of improvement; thaWthe magni
tude of the work to which the minister
is called, and the interests involved demand
all the information he can command —inter
ests involving time and eternity, the salvation
of souls and the glory of God; the proper
conception of which made Paul exclaim,
“ Who is sufficient for these things ?” That,
all other things being equal, those who know
most are the best teachers, and that the on
ward march of intelligence demands that the
pulpit should keep pace therewith. The
young minister who expects that because he
is a preacher, he will command respect, with
out having regard to his ministerial capacity
and application, will soon discover that he
cannot secure a congregation in an intelligent
community. If you would have your denomi
nation influential, even among the oommon
people, you must look after the mental as
well as the moral outfit of your rising min
istry.
J. —Here you mistake. Do you not know
that God can accomplish Ilis purposes with
the weakest instrumentalities ? Does He not
say that He takes the weak, foolish and base
things of the world to confound the wise, no
ble and mighty ? that not many of the great
and noble are called ? Do you doubt the
power of God ?
R. —Not at all. Whatever be the means,
whether great or small, the success comes
from God. The passage you refer to tells us
what God does, not what we are to do. Be
cause He makes the weak and ignorant pow
erful agents for good, are we to prefer weak
ness and i;^no canoe 2 \STa aro not discussing
what Godcan and does do, but what we, as
“ workers together with Him,” ought to do.
God uses our minds and bodies for the spread
of the gospel, and we are bound to keep them
in their most vigorous plight. The profes
sional man of every calling excites a feeling
of pity, if not disgust and contempt, in the
minds of the people so soon a9 he develops
his inability to meet the and #mands of his situ
ation. If there is less of this feeling for the
ministry,it is because of the respect felt for the
cause he represents, and not because less cul
tivation is demanded for the pulpit. The boy
of fifteen years now knows more than his
father did at thirty, and ministers of former
days who stood foremost, would now be re
garded as ordinary men. Your own people,
with all their opposition to education, strong
ly appreciate mental ability. They lionize
men of rnind among them. It is this which
gives you your power. lam astonished that
you so thorougly repudiate the grand ele
ment of your influence. If you, at your next
Association, would repeal that 13th article,
and arouse your people to the importance of
establishing a College, or join in with us in
supporting ours, you would be sustained both
by reason and the Scriptures.
/.—That would be to repudiate my whole
past course, and a declaration that my people
have been in error for the pa9t thirty years »
which I am not prepared to do.
R. —True ; but better espouse the truth
late than never. The Missionary Baptist is
the largest and the most flourishing and influ
ential denomination in the State. Much of
our prosperity, under the blessing oFGod, is
attributable to Mercer University. Her sons
are found all over this and other States, fill
ing, with marked ability, all kinds of posi
tions of usefulness. At the meetings of the
Georgia Baptist Convention, frequently not
less than one-third of the delegates have re
ceived instruction at that Institution. Her in
fluence now controls the denomination in the
State. Pedobaptists know the power of their
institutions,and henoe their energy to re-endow
them. Your denomination alone opposes
them, and you are making but little progress.
/.—We do not seek for numbers as others
do. We wish those who join us to be of the
right stamp —soundly converted ; such will
stand. We do not throw open our doors to
all and take them in indiscriminately.
R. —Nor do we. But you gladly add to
your number all who give evidence of a
change of heart; and we do no more. Your
want of success is not from unsoundness in
your articles of faith. Yours and ours are
the same, (except the 13th,) and I believe
they embody the truth. But by your oppo
sition to education, and general benevolence,
you have driven from you your best minds.
You reject agencies which God is blessing,
and thus, to a great extent, have excluded
yourselves from working efficiently in the
cities, towns and intelligent communities—the
very centres of influence—where Paul sought
to get a foothold. And unless you change
your policy, you will soon And your churches
dying out entirely, or occupying the remote
and darker regions of the country. Pardon
my candor. 1 regret to see the truth placed
under the bushel, which, if placed upon the
candlestick of cultivated piety, would shine
with irresistible power.
/.—I thank ypu for your sympathy and
pardon your frankness, but do not join with
you in your fears. The truth must and will
prevail. I have full confidence in our success
and will pursue the course I adopted thirty
years ago, regardless of consequences.
R. —The consequences are inevitable. For
thirty years- you have been losing ground.
Whole churches and Associations, yielding to
the combined teachings of the Bible and rea
son, have left you ; and even now the work
of disintegration is going on. With these
reflections, I must leave you for the present.
At our next interview, I will show you that
we have as much Divine sanction for our mis
sion efforts as for our schools.
/.—I do not doubt that, for you have none
for either. G. R. M.
“It is More Blessed to Give than to Re
ceive.”—lll.
When it is considered that men can live
but cue life, every one must understand the
propriety of making it a success, if possible.
If errors are committed, they may be atoned
for by sincere repentance, but they can never
be entirely corrected, as to their consequences.
One may find, when death approaches, that
he has proved to be an unfaithful steward, in
the use he has made of the money committed
to h's trust, but it will \jn impossible to cor
rect such mistakes at that late hour.
True, one may repair the evil, in some
measure, by making bequests to benevolent
enterprises, and may place his money in the
way of doing good when he has passed away,
but it is better to use our means rs we go
along, and be our own executors, instead of
leaving our substanco to be divided and con
sumed by interested and rapacious men) who
care nothing at all for us. Os all the follies
of which men are guilty, thore is none great
er than the hoarding of wealth for its own
sake. They can really enjoy only to a lim
ited extent, and they cannot tell whether
what they leave, will fall into,the hands of
wise men, or into those of fools. For men
to toil and strive, and fret and worry, in or
der to lay up money and keep it, just to
have it said they are worth so and so, is
irrational, unscriptural and sinful. If men,
in the industrious prosecution of the business
interests of life, find their wealth increasing
around them, the question should not be :
“ What investments can 1 make that will pay
me most?” but, “ Which is the most deserv
ing charitable enterprise in my reach? - ’ In
stead of putting accumulating means into
other property, for the gratification of that
vanity which is indigenous to the human
heart, the excess should be faithfully em
ployed in works tending to improve and
bless mankind.
I presume the widow and the orphan will
be at the judgment, and their presence there
may be embarrassing to those who, though
having the means to relieve them, have turned
a deaf ear to their cries; and if it should
prove that the injury and insult have been
offered to Jesus, through their persons, His
presence on the judgment seat may be stiii
more embarrassing. It will be really dis
tressing to have the Judge fix His eyes upon
us and say, as He points to the objects of
neglect, “Inasmuch as ye did it not to these,
ye did it not to me.”
Such a situation suggests the idea of
a millstone around the neck, and being
cast into the sea, rather than meet the
withering rebukeof an outraged Jesus. Such
a condition is suggestive of crying to the
rocks and mountains to fall and hide the
guilty from the burning scorn of a benevo
lent Saviour whose kindness has, to the last,
been thrown away upon worthless ingrates.
The rich man in Hades knows now, that
“it is more blessed to give Than to receive,”
and had he the opportunity, would doubtless
correct the treatment which he bestowed up
on the poor but godly Lazarus, who once lay
a helpless and neglected pleader at his lordly
gate.
If one will just look at that unladen camel
kneeling and crawling, with difficulty, through
the narrow gate, oalled the “ N«wulle s Ere,”
he may learii what will be his fate if he ar
rive at the gate of heaven with a huge world
ly package upon his back. He may get in,
but he must leave his gold and silver, stocks,
bonds and investments outside; “for we
brought nothing into this world, and it is cer
tain that we can carry nothing out.”
Oh ! ye worshippers of Mammon ! “ Know
that your gold and your silver are cankered,
and the rust of them shall eat your flesh as
it were fire.”
Better, far better, that ye had never known
prosperity, than that you should make your
selves idolaters by your covteousness, and
by “ worshipping and serving the creature
more than the Creator.”
We learn that some will be saved, so as
by fire, while their works shall utterly per
ish in the flames, and this shows the, great
goodness of our God, who accepts the burn
ing of our evil works, and, for Christ’s sake,
saves us. 11. C. 11.
Two Responses, and a Request.
I have waited for some one else to respond
to the article of brother S. Boykin, Dis. Sec.
of the Sunday School Board, in a late No. of
the Index, “This one thing I say.” As 1
have been disappointed in this expectation, I
trust he will allow me,as a friend of Sunday
schools, to take exceptions to some things
found in that article, and to suggest to him a
remedy for the evil of which he complains.
Taken altogether, it sounds very much like a
rebuke to the “ Baptist ministry ” of the
State. It may not hpve been so intended—
but 1 think it is liable to such construction.
I would not rebuke him in turn, but would
“entreat him as a brother” not to lay “the
fault” of the denomination in the State, in
not having contributed more liberally to sus
tain the Board he represents, at the door of
his ministering brethren, nor reproach them
with “lukewarmness in the cause of Sunday
schools,” which I had supposed to be more
flourishing than ever before. The only way
to remedy this evil, is to convince the Bap
tists of Georgia that the Sunday school cause
is indeed “ the noblest cause on God’s earth,”
and that the Board he represents is “our
most important Board,'’ which I trust he may
never accomplish. The tendency of the
times is to make the Sunday school, not an
auxiliary of the church, but a more impor
tant and efficient instrument than the church
itself; and the teachings thereof more valua
ble than those of God’s own appointed min
istry. Are not such unwarrantable assump
tions calculated to injure, rather than pro
mote, this good cause ?
With all my heart, I second the suggestion
of Dr. N. M. Crawford, “ that the Orphans’
Homo be located at Penfield, and that the
University property there be appropriated
for that purpose ;” and also, that “ the new
Institution bear the name of the Stocks Or
phans’ Home.” The proporty could not be
appropriated for a more laudable and useful
purpose, and the name of Stocks is one which
Georgians will ever delight to honor, for the
food reason that it deserves to be honored.
’oor orphans! How my heart yearns for
them! I verily believe that the fathers—
Mercer, Mallary, Sanders,Thornton, Dawson
and others—if living, would respond with a
hearty Amen! to this proposition, and that
God will smile on such a disposition of the
University property.
And now for my request, (in which, I have
no doubt, the thousands of our Baptist Israel
in Georgia will heartily join,) which is, that
“N. M. C.” will resume his pen, and let us
hear from him more frequently through the
Index and Baptist. What say" you, Index
men, to this? I know you will cordially re
spond, “So mote it be!” [lndeed, wejjdo.]
Come, ruy brother, you are getting old—l
saw your picture the other day, and didn’t
recognize it. “ Whatsoever thy hand findeth
to do,” etc. You know the rest. 1 love to
read after some men. How I was gratified,
a few weeks ago, to notice the resolution of
brother E. B. Teague on this subject. His
writings never fail to delight me.
J. H. Campbell.