Newspaper Page Text
CHRISTIAN INDEX AND SOUTH-WESTERN BAPTIST.
VOL. 50—NO. 19. {s3 00 A YEAR.}
A RELIGIOUS AND FAMILY PAPER,
PU 3LISHED WEEKLY IN ATLANTA, GA
AT $3.00 PER ANNUM,
Invariably in Advance.
T. ,J. TOON", Proprietor.
Firm in. the Faith.
We find this bit of verse in the Independent. Though
not very poetical, it has the homely merit of truth, al
belt the tact of being brought up bv “ a Baptist mo
ther ’’ is not as strong a reason for constancy as the
truism that “what’s right is right.”
This talk of waiving minor points
'Tis not well to begin ;
What’s right is right, what’s wrong is wrong;
To yield to wrong is sin.
I want, for one, to hold my faith
Unmoved by joy or grief,
And not for any man on earth
I’d give up my belief.
Yet, sometimes, ’tis a heavy cross;
l can remember still
Mv feelings when I was a girl
And worked in Haverhill,
And a young man, a Methodist,
Kept company with me,
A few small points of difference—
“ What matters it?” said he.
“ I love you well. Because you’ve been
A Baptist all your life,
Is that the slightest reason why
‘ You should not be my wife?”
And I said, “John,” (bis name was John,)
« I can’t do what I list;
I must be true to my belief,
I’m not a Methodist.
“ You’re dear to me. I won’t deny;
But, marry you or no.
The Baptist meeting is the one
To which I ought to go.
And John looked hurt. “You have your choice,
I love you, Jane! ’ sal< * ~e ' n t
“ But, when I marry, 1 will want
My wife to go witn me.
’Twas hard to speak ; I knew how much
In losing him I missed. , .. T
“ You must not tempt me, John, stud I,
“ I’m uot a Methodist.
«I have no right to go with you,
And thiDk auother way;
A Baptist mother brought me up,
A Bap.ist I shall stay.
So there we parted, he and I,
He’s prospered well since then ,
I’ve never had, nor hope to have,
So good a again.
He’s married, with three children now;
I’m poor ad single still;
And from that time I have uot liked
To go to Haverhill.
And yet I don’t regret my choice,
1 Ins life, at best, is briel;
What’s right is right, aud, come what may,
I’ll bold to my belief.
—Mat lan Doughs.
Mors Ways than One.
“And now, brethren, in conclusion,” said
the energetic and unwearied pastor ot “ the
Working Church,” whose noble example was
u living “rebuke to all idlers in the vineyard,
“ And now, brethren, in conclusion, let me
sav to you, that there are more ways than one
t,, preach the gospel. We all have our va
ried oifts, for which we are responsible to the
great s Head of the Church : let us see, then,
that we do not bury them, whilst the com
mand goes forth from our Divine Master,
‘ Occupy till l come.’ Go from this place, O
yc believing ones, and thrust in the sickle to
f,.,. tl“ hsr'est of the earth is ripe. Do
not; I stand idly by, while multitudes are per
ishing around you ! Invent some method to
reach them with the word of life ! On to the
rescue ! Clear yourselves from every man’s
blood ! Work while it is called to-day !”
Such was the advice given by Pastor Good
man ; and his words were felt, for all knew
what a self sacrificing life was his, both in pub
lie and private ; how untiringly he labored to
bring men to the cross of Jesus.
Young Robson carried away two thoughts,
which revolved theniseves over and over
a„ain in his mind, as he sat in his room.
More ways than one to preach the gospel,”
he soliloquized ; “ but what can I do? 1 have
no talent for speaking ; how can 1 preach ? 1
wonder what Mr. Goodman meant by say ing,
‘ Invent some method to reach them with the
word of life V Oh ! 1 wish I could do some
thing ! I must not be idle! It is shameful!
It bTsinful ! There are thousands around me
who know nothing of Christ’s love; I must
help to make it known to them.” His eye,
at this moment, chanced to light on a hymn
book on the little table before him, and, re
membering there was a favorite hymn which
the minister often gave out at prayer meet
ings, he turned over the pages until he found
it. He read the first two verses in a whisper,
but began the third aloud—
« We all must speak for Jesus,
Where’erour lot may fall;
To brothers, sisters, neighbors,
In cottage and in ball,
We all must speak for Jesus,
The world in darkness lies ;
With Him against the mighty,
Together we must rise.
We all must speak for Jesus,
’T will oft’times try us sore,
But streams of grace to aid us,
Into our hearts He’ll pour.”
These two last lines gave encouragement to
Gid. Robson, and he thought if he could not
speak, he would ask grace, and guidance, to
invent some method whereby he could bring
the word of God and its great message of sal
vation to the ignorant and the lost.
After prayer, in which he pleaded with God
for strength and power, he felt assured that
his work would be accepted, if he went forth
with pureness of motive and singleness oi
eye for Christ’s glory and the good of perish
ing sinners around him.
Lot us not, however, imagine that Bro.
Robson was an idle Christian. No, indeed !
In many quiet ways he had accomplished
much already, but he thought it little, very
little, in comparison to what he could have
done. He knew, when he took that quarter
of a pound of tea, and the two pounds of su
gar to widow Needhelp, he could have invited
her unconverted son Jack, (who was home
on a short visit,) to attend prayer meeting
next evening, even if he had said no more to
him ; and when Bill Ftannagan—who came
to town after a year’s absence—called on Gid
and invited him to the theatre that night, it
was a golden opportunity to relate his experi
ence to Bill, aid tell what great things the
Lord had done for him. But he only refused
Flannagan’s invitation by saying he had an
appointment for that eveniug. These, and
many other omissions of duty, weighed on
the conscience ot Gid Robson ; and, reflect
ing on the past with a sad heart, ho felt more
desirous than ever of filling up every spare
moment and seizing every opportunity to
work fdr his Lord and Master that might hence-
forth be given him.
Gid’s bedroom was in the third story, and
his window overlooked a side street in whieh,
almost under the window, was a street lamp.
About 10:30 o’clock he retired to his room,
and looked out of that window, as he had
often done before, and saw men and women
of suspicious character w alking up and down,
as he had scores of times on other such occa
sions, when he felt inclined to look down on
the street below him. But this time, he felt
particularly anxious of doiDg those poor, err
ing night "walkers some good. A thought
flashed across his mind—suppose he should
provide himself with plain, pointed tracts,
and drop them silently down, might not some
weary one, by the light of that lamp, read the
blessed story of a present and free salvation
to lost and needy sinners ? The next day
Qid, though possessing little means, bought
a package of neatly gotti-n-up tracts, tinted
paper, with clear type, and prepared for work
that night. Committing those silent messen
gers in prayer to God, he dropped one first,
which, on its way, gyrating hither and
thither, now threatening to fall far out in the
street, and again returning against the wall
of the house, until, whirling round and round,
it fell on the sidewalk, very near the lamp
post. He had not long to wait, as two fam
ished, gaudily dressed females drew near, and
one of them stooped to pick up the tract.
“ Lord, bless Thy word now, to these poor
creatures,” was Gid’s prayer. “ What is it!”
said the companion, as she with the tract drew
near light. “ Well, I declare!” said she, “did
you ever! Why, it says ‘A Friendly
Message.’ God help us, then ; we have no
friends to send us a message; but let me read
it; ” and she with the tract ( read a few sen
tences, until Gid thought—as he listened,
with his hand behind his ear to catch every
word—that she read in a choking voice the
following passage: “But remember, sinner,
though thou art lost to home and friends;
though thy heart is gashed, and thy soul
marred with sin and crime, I have a message
from God unto thee. He loves thee, sinner,
but He hates thy sins. He sent His dear
Son into the world for thy sake, to suffer and
die on the cross of shame. Oh ! think of
Christ’s tears and blood ! Turn from your
evil ways and live; for why, oh ! why should
you die?” Gid could not now be mistaken ;
audibly were the sobs heard from both girls,
and she with the tract said, “ Carrie, my poor
mother said them words to me, and when she
saw I wa3 growing careless and wild, she said
one day, says she, ‘ Jennie,’ —measured steps
were now heard around the corner, and the
girls hurried away, as the policeman appear
ed in sight. A tract lay on the ground before
him. He picked it up, and, looking at it, he
read aloud, “ The precious blood” and then
added, “ Good ! Some one who loves the
Lord is sowing gospel seed. May God bless
both seed and sower.” Gid Robson knew the
voice, —it was William Leary, the converted
policeman, who occasionally exho: ts at the
Mission chapel.
Another footstep approaches. A nobby
looking individual picks up the tract lying
before him, and reads the title, “ The judgs
ment to come.” Dashing it on the ground,
aud hurrying away, Gid could hear him in
an angry tone of voice,saying, “ Bother! that
spoils me for the night. ‘Judgment to
come.’ Bah !” and he passed on.
Night after night, Bro. Robson took his
place at the window for one hour—sometimes
more than that—and he has reason to believe
that God blessed his work.
Briefly let me record other ways of preach
ing Christ, adopted by Gid. He had two
large cards, with appropriate texts of Scrip
ture, and one or two mottoes, framed and
hung up in both waiting rooms at the railway
depot, for which he paid a small amount. He
went occasionally to the watering place near
by, selling Bibles and Testaments to the
loungers of the place. He had a text, with
- question, printed on his envelopes, and he
heard of the conversion of a postmaster re
sulting from one of those questions which
Caught his eye It re-ad, “ Where, oh L where
will you spend Eternity ?”
Another way of doing good which he adopt
ed, was, having a number of cards with no
tices of the church and prayer meetings neatly
printed on them. Those ho kept in his pocket
and handed them to customers in his office,
to strangers at the depot, mailed them to re
spectable non church goers, and visited the
poorer parts of the city, politely handing his
cards, and inviting the people personally to
hear the gospel. The result was, the church
was filled on Sundays, and the lecture room
on Wednesdays. When Gid Robson re
moved to another city, he was missed in a
thousand ways. The church deeply felt his
los# I am happy, however, to add, that
young Mr. Dale and Willy Redmond are do
ing a similar work of late.
But now comes the strangest part of my
narrative: There were actually some—not
the unconverted, but church members—who
took every occasion to slander Bro. Robson,
and sought to hinder him in his usefulness.
Deacon Carnal said he was an impetuous,
egotistical, inexperienced youth.” Mr. Cheat
said with sundry winks and nods, “ Robson
know’s what he’s up to;” to which wise re
mark Peter Lazybones replied: “’Twill all
end in smoke, and he will soon be es ablished
like ourselves.” To the credit of Mr. Lazy
bones, however, I will say, that, being a
money-grubbing, world-lover, he always
boasted of “ never having engaged in God’s
work by word or deed ;” he dare not even
pray for sinners, as God would do it all him
self; and as for him, he “could not make out
why Parson Goodman should encourage Rob
son, or preach such sermons as he did ; but
I know he (the minister) is not sound.
Didn’t you hear him say, last Sunday, ‘ work
while it is called day,’ and then quoted from
John Wesley ‘all at it and always at it?’”
“But,brudder Lazybones,” said a little man,
with a thin, piping voice, “ you forget dat
brudder Robson filled de church, and put us
all to shame by his zeal.” Three or four
frowned upon him and were about to reply,
but the singing of the first hymn called them
into their seats. Many members of that
church caught the spirit of Gid Robson, co
operated with their good pastor, aud the few
lazy, idle, fault finding, money-loving mem
bers, shrinking into themselves, were more of
a curse than a blessing to “ the working
church.”
Reader, what are you doing? Do you hon
estly deserve praise or blame ? Are you doing
all you can do? Reflect on these things.
“Hark! 'tis the watchman's cry, Wake! brethren,
wake!
Jesus, our Lord, is nigh;. Wake! brethren, wake!
Sleep is for sons of night.
Ye ure children of the light,
Ycurs is the glory bright: Wake! brethren, wake !
Heed we the steward’s call, Work ! brethren, work!
There’s room enough for all: Work! brethren, work 1
This vineyard of the Lord
Oonstantiabor will afford ; •
Your’s is a sure reward:
Work! brethren, work.
G. C. N.
Geography.
By this study, a man’s views are consider
ably enlarged. He will become accustomed
to looking upon that which is differeut from
his usual way of acting; he will see that
many things can be well done, though not
done in the way he would do them—that
there are excellencies abroad as well as at
home. Thus will his mind be free from prej
udice; thus will he be better prepared to
cherish “ a decent respect for the opinions ”
of others. By acquaintance with the man
ners and customs of nations, he will always
find something useful to bring before the con
sideration of those with whom he may be
associated. Possessed of information of this
kind, he will find a welcome wherever he
goes—in the company of strangers when away
from home, or around the social fireside in
his own community.
Questions of a geographical nature are fre
quently of an interesting kind.
VVe mention, for example, that which re
lates to the peopling of the American Con
tinent by the (American) Indians.
FRANKLIN PRINTING HOUSE, ATLANTA,-GA., THURSDAY, MAY 11, 1871.
it seems to be the general opinion, that the
Indians came over to America by way of
Behring’s Straits, crossing in canoes or on
pieces of ice. We think, however, that it is
equally probable, that what is no w Behring’s
Straits and the Kamtchatka Sea, was once
land, and that the Indians \i n -Asia) in the
neighborhood of the straits and of this sea,
came over before Asia and America were
separated. We suppose that this separation
took place either by some great convulsion,
or by the gradual action of the water on the,
land.
We see no objection to this view. Virgil
relates that there was a tradition that the
island of Sicily was once united to Italy. So,
also, we suppose that the island of Ceylon
(in Asia) was once united to Hindostan.
If the opinion expressed concerning Beh
ring’s Straits, etc., seems to any an extrava
gant one, we would say, that a distinguished
geographer took the ground that even the
eastern portions of the Eastern Continent
were once united, and that the Indians crossed
over on land in their different latitudes, thus
peopling America. He does not think it
probable that they crossed only at Behring’s
Straits, and afterwards found their way to the
more southerly portions of the Continent.
Reason is against the supposition that the
inhabitants of the Western Continent and
western portions of the Eastern Continent who
were living in the Torrid Zone, found their
way to the Western Continent by Behring’s
Straits. Those living in the Torrid Zoue
would naturally shrink from a journey to the
frozen North. They might be willing, how
ever, to take a journey westward, the tem
perature being the same.
The eastern part of South America juts
considerably into the ocean, and so does the
western part of Africa. There are several
islands io the Atlantic Ocean, between Africa
and South America. It is worthy of consid
eration, if these islands were not once moun~
tains. If there bo nothing unreasonable in
what has been advanced, it may assist us in
answering another question: “in what manner
were Ihe islands inhabited I' The opinion is
also in accordance, we think, with the teach
ings of levelation. In Gen. i: 9, 10, we
read: “ God said, let the waters under the
heaven be gathered together unto one place,
and let the dry land appear; and it was so.
Aud God called the dry land earth, and the
gathering together of the waters, called he
seas.” It does not seem to us that there is
anything unreasonable in the supposition, that
the whole body of land once lay together.
Thus, living creatures could easily be scat
tered in various parts of the earth.*
B. W. Whilden.
* A full view of this subject will be fouuj ia Morse’s
Universal Geography, Ist vol., pages 78, etc.
Faith the Gift of God.
Christ, the object of the Christian’s faith,
is universally admitted to be a divine gift.
“ God so loved the world that He gave His
ouly begotten Son.” But some good people
do not believe that faitbjthe medium through
which the benefits of Christ’s death are con
ferred upon the soul, is the gift of God, but
simply the act of the creature. I understand,
however, that faith—the ability to believe —
as well as the object of faith, is the gift of
God. , ,
The Scriptures certainly sustain this posi
tion. The apostle Paul, when exhorting his
brethren to run the Christian race, sajs :
“ Looking unto Jesus, who is the author and
finisher of our faith.” Faith is to be taken
in a very comprehensive sense in this passage.
It is synonymous with salvation. Looking
unto Jesus, who is the author and finisher ot
our salvation. Christ is the Author of salva
tion. He conceived, and executes the whole
plan of man’s redemption. Faith is a part
of the plan. It is a primary, and I do not
know but 1 might say, the primary article of
our holyreligion. Without it no man can be
saved. Take another passage : “By grace
are ye saved through faith, and that not of
yourselves ; it is the gift of God.” What is
“ the gift of God ?” The same, the apostle
says, “is not of yourselves,” viz, salvation.
“By grace are ye saved.” Your conviction,
repentance, regeneration, faith, preservation,
final redemption, and sanctification—all are
of grace. We are taught by this passage that
our whole salvation, from beginning to end,
is of grace. If the whole be of grace, of ne
cessity all the parts must be. For what is
true of the whole must be true of the parts
composing it. It has already been remarked,
that faith is the great essential to salvation, if
we can esteem one essential to salvation to be
of more importance than another. Therefore,
faith is a grace—the gift of God. “ Unto you
it has been given in behalf of Christ to believe
on Him.”
I mean more, however, when I say faith is
the gift of God, than the faculty of faith.
This is itself a divine gift. All men, irre
spective of rank, grade, or class, possess
the faculty of faith. The faculty of faith is a
gift of nature, the same as the faculty of
hearing, smelling, seeing, feeling, etc. And
it is by this faculty men accept or reject
Christ, just as they do any other proposition.
That is, we do not have a faculty with which
we reject or accept secular propositions, and
another distinct faculty by which we dispose
of moral or divine truth. But we sit in
judgment upon, and decide in reference to
every proposition, be it secular or divine, by
the same faculty. Again: Man is qualified
by the faculty of faith to believe in the ex
istence ot the Son of God, and all that the
Good Book says of Christ, as confidently
prior, as subsequent to his becoming a Chris
tian. I cannot remember the time when 1
did not believe that Christ was the Son of
God—that He came into the world, suffered,
etc. This I have always believed with the
same assurance that Ido now. And I have
no doubt but there are many impenitent sin
ners who believe a9 confidently, even this
moment, that Jesus Christ is the Son of God,
as they will when they shall be enabled to
cry “Abba, Father.” They believe it with
the same degree of assurance, as they believe
there was an Alexander, a Csesar, or Napole
on. I claim that all men have the faculty of
faith, and that it is as perfect prior, as subse
quent to regeneration.
But when I say faith is the gift of God, 1
mean more than the faculty. It is a fact
established by observation and experience, as
well as God’s Word, that while all men have
the faculty of faith, it does not in every ease
appropriate alike the proposition believed.
VVe know that two men may, alike, confident
ly believe a certain statement, while the
effects produced upon the parties are vastly
different. It will also be admitted as a fact,
that the same proposition believed will not
always produce the same effect upon the same
party believing it. I would, therefore, state,
as a general principle, that the effect produced
by the belief of a ’proposition, other things
being equal, will depend upon the relation of
the one believing it to the proposition be
lieved. For instance, lam credibly informed
of a death. I believe it. But it is the death
of a stranger. I never knew him. No spe
cial impression is made upon my heart.
Take another case. It is the death of a friend;
one whom I have antimately known from my
childhood —a brother, or a sister, or her whom
I first learned to love—my mother. How
different the effect produced m the latter case
to that of the former! Y r et the information
in each case is received through the faculty ;
and the evidence upon which 1 predicated my
faith, equally convincing—_*Xbe intensity of
feeling produced in the ont case, over that
produced in the other, is. to oe accounted for
by the relation which I sustained to the
parties themselves. One was a stranger. I
never knew him. I felt no special interest
in him. The other was my friend, my pa
rent, for whom I experieno-ul the tenderest
sympathy, and strongest attachment. In the
first instance, the subject ot-death was com
municated to the brain, and, consequently, ef
fected nothing else. I received the informa
tion only as such. In the other, however,
faith communicated the information through
the brain, and appropriated it to the heart.
I believed ; I also felt; I wept. Because the
heart—my affections as wed as my mind,
were affected.
Let us see if we cannot make an applica
tion of this to the sinner. lf e has the facul
ulty of faith. He can, anjlyjpes, in many
instances, believe in Chriscr That is, the
sinner may believe that Chrvt came into the
world, lived, died, and was-Lft ied, and rose
again. But he believes it as a historical fact.
He doe 9 not feel that he siuWms any special
relation to the Man of He only
thinks of Christ, and His suftw|li|j£*at»d’death,
as a matter of history, in _it
any design or The
sinner may even believe all tag Bible say 9 in
reference to the Saviour, arj yet Christ be
to him as a root out of a dry ground, having
no form nor comeliness, haffng no beauty
that he sho’uld desire Him.. Therefore the
information makes no impression upon the
heart. It has only been dPjJfmunicated to
the head. Consequently, tiniptnpenitent man
lives on without experien&Skg any. special
feelings for Jesus, though of the
knowledge of his death and fojsurrection.
But let the sinner be rnafc) to realize that
he is a sinner, and stands greatly in need of
a Saviour. And let him b» led by the gra
cious influence of the SpirL -to see Christ as
just the Saviour he neoasKund how vastly
different will be the effect produced upon his
life! He looks upon Christ no longer as a
root out of a dry ground, hiring no form nor
comeliness, nor beauty that,-ho should desire
Him. His faith now appropriates the object
believed, to his heart, and the name of Jesus
stirs his soul to its He can no lon
ger remain indifferent and without feeling.
This changing the sinner’s relation to Christ,
or, rather, the ability by \vl;ich the sinner is
enabLd to see their relation —to look upon
himself as justly doomed, and to see Christ
at the same time, suited tojmeet his necessi
ties, is peculiarly the weak of God. The
Holy Spirit quickens amlf makes alive, not
the faculty of faith, but ths moral powers of
the soul. It shines into the-dark heart, light
—divine light—by \vhich~%* is made to see
its sins. It also illuminated the mind, so that
the sinner learns, to some’ extent, the holi
ness of God ; and sees, in a very limited de
gree, it is true, the corruption and depravity
of his own heart. Enough? however, to kiq
dle a flame of love for Hijrv who alone can
wash and make his soul clev>. So that when
the preacher proclaims he reads it in
God’s Holy Book, “God loved the world
that He gave Hfo*ouiy. b’Wotteu Son, that
iifcoweVer beVievetu in m&wbtiiu toi per»u,
but have everlasting life,” ttie sinner receives
into his heart and appropriates, for the first
time, the benefits of death and glori
ous life of intercession. T*fis appropriation
is made to the soul by tiie Spirit of God,
through the same faculty with which the
sinner either accepted or rejected the history
of the Son of God prior t<> his regeneration.
Then, he believed with the head. Now , he
believes with the heart. His old faith was a
dead faith. But his new faith is a living faith.
“ For with the heart man believeth unto
righteousness; and with the mouth confession
is made unto salvation.” F. M. D.
Guthbert, Ga.
The “Olive Branch” and “The Healing
Waters.”
For years past, the minds of Baptists in
Georgia have been agitated, more or less, re
garding the removal of Merger University.
Last year this agitation culminated in a
lengthy discussion of the question, and in the
decision to remove; but, our people went
up to the late meeting at Cartersville, oppres
sed with a greater apprehension of trouble
than was felt at Newman. With our College
suspended, many grave law suits in the pro
spective, our good brethren at Penfield feel
ing agrieved, the solemn protest of the Geor
gia Association weighing upon our spirits,
the partisan feeling, which was believed to
exist directly affecting the interest of Mercer,
we were, as a people cast down and perplexed.
But the Lord reigns. Many of our brethren
went up to Cartersville, praying that this
leading interest of our people might be pre
served and blessed. “The Olive Branch” wa9
held out and the “Healing Waters” flowed ;
and the Convention reached a solution of
difficulties which, it is hoped, will be satis
factory and permanent. “ This is the Lord’s
doing, and it is marvellous i>i our eyes?”
When all the influences, which affected our
brethren,are considered, we are impressed with
profound obligations of thanksgiving to God
for the result which was reached, and, at the
same time, feel proud of a people who can so
widely differ in opinion, by tbe operations of
mind, yet come together in heart and sit at the
feet of each other. In this estimate it will be
remembered that many voted to remove, not
because Peufitld per se was to them an objec
tionable location, but because, on account of
dissatisfaction to the place, in the mind of
others, they thought it better to remove. —
Many voted for removal, who personally
preferred Penfield to any spot in Georgia.
At this place, so retired from the whirl and
excitement ol large cities, linger their fond
est recollections. To some, there is not a
tree in the beautiful Campus, not a retreat for
private prayer, nor one t or the interchange
of the offerings of social friendship, but is
hallowed in memory, and will be until the
end of life. Then came the just claims of
the citizens of Penfield and the regard which
should be had to our mother Association hav
ing so spotless a history and such venerable
names. Os those who, for any cause, voted
for removal, there are many who preferred
some other locality than Macon, and for
grave reasons. If, therefore, we have reached
a solution of the difficulties, which will unite
all parties, can we not see the hand of God,
and will we not, as a people, offer Him
abounding thanksgiving? It is proper that
we should pray God’s special favor upon
Mercer High School as well as Mercer Uni
versity, in it? prospective enlargement.—
Equity, the memory of the fathers, the rights
of the citizens of Penfield as well as the
auxiliary connection which Mercer High
School is to hold to the University, should
indicate its place in our affections, and not
that we should look upon it as a mere scape
goat from threatened difficulties. Many a
Baptist boy may be sent to this retreat of
their fathers and receive useful instruction,
who will never be able to attendjhe Univer
sity, and many others will here- be prepared
for the higher privileges of the University.
Now, that the “ Healing Waters” are flow
ing, may not the writer off* some sugges
tions?
1. It would be well for personal happiness,
well for the prosperity of Mercer University,
and Well for our loved Zion, for brethren
who have become alienated in any way,
to seek reconciliation. We cannot afford to
be divided ; there is too much at stake!
Time is too short, our work is too solemn,
too pressing, for cross firing or divided action !
2. Glowing out of difficulties connected
with the University, directly and incidentally,
friendships and estrangements have so operated
as to form personal associations, so that
there was the appearance of partisan feeling.
This created some disposition to change of
ficers of the Convention. There never was
a more auspicious time to bury the past, so
far as relates to differences in any way con
nected with Mercer, and to unite from the
mountain to the sea-board, to make the In
stitution what it ought to be. Let all emu
late the sentiments of one in position, who
is reported to have said “ that he knew of
no personal sacrifice so great that he would
be unwilling to make it to secure the perma
nent prosperity of the University, even should
that require him to leave the State.”
This is quble and worthy of imitation ; and
those v ho feel so, may know that Georgians
have a use for them, and cannot let them go.
3. North Georgia. Having given the
strength of manhood to Cherokee Georgia, I
can as properly say what follows as any one
else. It is to-day a source of thanksgiving
to Him whom I serve, to know that I shared
the confidence and Iriendship of as many
good men in the home of this period of life
as any.one’who haslivedjin Cherokee Georgia,
and I hope that those who remain will hear
me. For a great while there has been a de
sire to build up a Baptist College in that
beautiful, fertile region. For a time, the
Cherokee Baptist College promised success ;
but Mr. Sherman and the balance of the
war power desolated the country, and burned
up the College buildings. The existence of
such an Institution, suggested the necessity
of the Cherokee Baptist Convention to nurse
it, which was accordingly organized, and
then, in turn, a Baptist paper appeared a
necessity. It pleased God to scatter the pop
ulation, lay waste the country, and, as a con
sequence to permit these several enterprises
to be so crippled as to make it unwise to at
tempt to resuscitate them. Although Chero
kee Baptists elected me as Chairman of the
Convention so long as I would consent to
act in that capacity, and then, by a unanimous
vote, requested mo to edit the paper, still,
I am not oblivious to the fact that they
may have made mistakes in common with
myself. Nor am I ashamed of this people
who, in their inmost hearts, desire to glorify
"God. 1 propose to them to accept the situa
tion ; come back to the State Convention,
aud let us build up Mercer Univesity. The
time uiay come at no distant day when such
a school, as is now proposed at Penfield, will
be a necessity north of Atlanta, and another
in South Georgia ; but, we can make them
auxiliary to the University,
Permit me to say to the brethren gener
ally, that I ask their charitable forbearance
regarding the allusions to myself as well as
the suggestions to them. It has been, per
haps, the fault of my life to speak too frankly
for the times in which we live. But I cannot
separate dissembling from guilt, and would
I utuer live and dm blamed ib«n guilt?. Let my
apology be this: I love you better than any
other people on earth, and desire the prosper
ity of these controlling interests of our de
nomination. J. M. Wood.
The Messiah’s Triumph.
O North, with all thy rales of green !
O South, with all thy palms!
From peopled towns and fields between
Uplift the voice of psalms.
Raise, ancient East, the anthem high,
And let the youthful West reply.
Lo, in the clouds of heaven appears
God’s well beloved Son 1
He brings a train of brighter years,
His kingdom is begun.
He comes a guilty world to bless
With mercy, truth and righteousness.
O Father! haste the promised hour,
When at His feet shall lie
All rule, authority and power,
Beneath the ample sky;
When He shall reign from pole to pole,
The Lord of every human soul;
When all shall heed the words He said,
Amid their daily care 9,
And by the loving life He led
Shall strive to pattern theirs;
And He who conquered Death shall win
The mightier conquest over sin.
Library of Poetry and Song.
The Tour of Pindom, and what I Saw by
the Way.—No. 2.
In my last I left you at the Chimney Moun
tain, and I was on its summit. On descend
ing to its base, thejfirst thing that attracted
my notice was a stake in the ground, marked
with red paint, 3039; and on looking further,
I saw others like it, except the figures, ex
tending north as far as I could see. These
stakes marked the located line of the Mis
souri, Kansas and Texas Railroad; and the
first thought that occurred to me was, if any
thing can add aught to the beauty of this
lovely scenery, it will be a railroad bearing
the iron horse as he snorts and screams by
the Chimney Mountain ; but my second sober
thought was, What will become of the Indi
ans, whom l love, when the waves of ad
vancing civilization break over them?
What we do for these people, must be done
quickly. Liquor, and ruin to the uncivilized,
will come on. the first train of the cars; and
none but those whose minds are fortified by
education and religion, can withstand the
overwhelming flood. The apathy in refer
ence to the preservation of the red man, is
passing strange to me ; and stranger than all,
the members of peace societies, abolition
societies, humanitarians, so-called, and those
who would move heaven and earth to prevent
cruelty to dumb brutes, are the very people
who would “cry havoc,and let loose the dogs of
war ” to exterminate the Indian race! Should
w’e not save some of them, if for no other
purpose than as curious specimens of hu
manity ? How can a man love a fossil and
hate an Indian ? How can a man love God,
and hate the work of His hands? Is it. not
time that our hatred was turned into pity,
and that we try to save the last remnant of
those whom we and our fathers destroyed ?
This is why I propose that Baptists build for
them an Indian Orphan Home, for the intel
lectual and moral training of their orphan
children. But I am constantly digressing;
and unless I watch myself, this will be a
sentimental tour. The next thing I saw wor
thy of note, save the prairie and its scenery,
was
The Creek Agency.
Os all the changes of this changing world,
nothing was more changed than this place.
Not one white man or one Indian that ever
smiled upon me before the war, was there to
greet me, while the mud and-stick huts of the
non-Indian and non white man race, defaced
the face of nature as sb many pig styes in the
Central Park would deface the works of art.
It .was almost night, and it became necessary
for me to look out for lodging. Upon inqui
ry, I learned that “Big Sarah” kept the only
tavern, and to that place I reined my horse.
On learning that I had arrived, I was soon
surrounded by a number of “uncles” and
“ aunts,” that had known me in better days
for them and me. It would have done you
good to hear the exolamations of joy at my
arrival, by aunts Aggy, Sophy, Mary, and a
host of others who knew me before the war.
“I 'clare goodness exolaimed aunt Sophy,
“ that is brudder Buckner ; de bery same man ;
he no change de least bit;. I tell una all Ood
He is a great man /”—reverently meaning
that God is great in our preservation.
1 hastily visited eleven families of these
freedmen and women, and sang and prayed
with 90ine of them. It was pitiable to be
hold the destitution, and want of everything
in their miserable cabins, save children in
rags ! I asked one of them, how is it that
you are all so poor, after having been free
several years? “Lor' bless you," replied
she, “we been too pore for make a start!"
The truth is, they had never beeu thrown
upon their own resources; “ de Buyo" and
the Agent had fed them in their laziness, and
now that there is no agent and no beauro,
they are in a stealing condition.
Poor things! thought I, it is not your
fault; and my sympathies for them made me
wish most heartily that they were as. well
fed and cared for as in the days of slavery,
so called. Purchasing some paper, I retired
to my hut, and thought I would write a letter
to the Index ; but a rap at the door, after
being answered within, introduced me* to the
pro-agent, who had come to do me the hon
ors of an official call, and I was compelled to
be polite towards him until late bed-time.
Government having failed, after three ap
pointments and confirmations of the Senate,
to secure an agent for the Creeks, this man,
of whom I speak was doing the honors of
the office; and well did he honor it. He
was the son of Scipio Africanus, whom I knew
before the war; and he was the son of Ham,
who was the negro boy of Noah.
It would have ente'rtained you to see him
put on airs! I love to see everybody and
everything act out nature. I would not have
a dog that was not a good fighter, a peacock
that would not strut and sport his tail, nor a
negro that would not put on air 9. Give me*
none of your ashy negroes; 1 want those who
can put on airs like this man, who crossed
his legs, leaned back, sported a large brass
watch chain, and with thumbs in vest,
talked in thundering tones of “ de new Conse
cution," vulgarly, called Constitution, in a
towering speech, long, windy, and wordy!
This is the /. m. c. that suits my fancy. All
these who were settled around the agency,
were Southern negroes; I mean, that they
were with us during the war, and their sym
pathies were with U3. The next morning, as
I proceeded on my journey, it was my lot to
meet with those who left us, and fought on
the Federal side; for all this region round
about is inhabited by darkies. The first I
met was Haloche (Harry) Islands, the former
servant of Joseph Islands, both of whom
were sustained by the Southern Baptists be
fore the war. He was more reserved, and
less glad to see me than the rest. I tried to
get him to go with me to the house of my
old negro interpreter, Catch, to see if he
would not go with me to my appointments
and interpret. “Blcs9 goodness!” said he,
“ you no find Catch as he used to he; you
find him stifF now.” “What!” said I, “has
he quit preaching?” “No; he no quit
preaching; but we no interpret for rebel till
he ’less; we no pray wid rebels ’dout dey
’fosa H “Ob l if that ia all,” said I, “ 1 am
ready to confess right now; my oonfession is
this: I never stole horses nor cattle during
the war; I never abandoned the Southern
Board after being supported by it; 1 never
stole horses and saddles to run off to the
Federals; and lam sorry —very sorry —you
all did.” He laughed at this, for he knew it
was true; and I was not sorry to leave him
behind, not caring to incur the additional ex
pense of a dollar for his ferriage across Ar
kansas river. I found, on crossing, that Har
ry’s account of the negroes that went North,
was true. They would not worship with the
rebels, but preached that there was a South
ern God and a Northern God; and did all
they could to draw away disciples after them.
This I learned from the Indians, by all of
whom I was welcomed with every token of
affection. I saw no difference with them;
for they knew no North, no South, no East,
no West; but of this I will speak more here
after. I have only proceeded half way on
my Tour of Pindom, and my next artiole
will contain an account of the natural curios
ities that I saw on my way.
H. F. Buckner.
Atioco, Creek Nation.
Does God Promise a Return to Those who
Give in Accordance with His Word ?
This is simply a question of fact, and can
readily be settled by referring it to the in
spired record.
If God does not promise a return in mate
rial benefits, then all who so teach misrepre
sent Him, and are found to be false witness
es of God, “To the law and to the testimo
ny; if they speak not according to this word,
it is because there is no light in them.” Isa.
xviii: 20.
“ Honor the Lord with thy substance, and
with the first fruits of all thine increase.
So shall thy barns be filled with plenty,
and thy presses shall burst out with new
wine.” (Prov. iii: 9, 10.)
“ He that hath pity on the poor, lendeth
to the Lord ; and that which he hath given,
will He pay him again.” (Prov. xix : 17.)
“And I wilt rebuke the devourer foi* your
Bakes, and he shall not destroy the fra it of
your ground, neither shall your vine cast her
fruit before the time in the field, saith the
Lord of hosts.” (Mai. iii: 11.)
’“But seek ye first the kingdom of God
and His righteousness, and all these things”
(temporal ones) “ shall be added unto you.”
(Matt, vi: 33.)
“ Give, and it shall given unto you ; good
measure, pressed down, and shaken together,
and running over shall men give into your
bosom. For with the same measure that ye
mete withal, it shall be measured to you
again.” (Lukevi: 38.)
“ Then Peter began to say, Lo, we have
left all and followed thee. And Jesus an
swered and said, Verily I say unto you, there
is no man that hath left house, or brethren,
or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or
children, or lands, for my sake and the gos
pel's,
But he shall receive a hundred fold now in
this time, houses and brethren, and sisters,
and mothers, and children, and lands, with
persecutionsj and in the world to come,
eternal life.” (Mark x : 28—30.)
“ But godliness is profitable unto all things,
having promise of the life that now is, and
of that which is to come.” (I Tim. iv : 8.)
From these Scriptures, we see that God
does promise present good to those who give,
or do, or suffer lor His sake; and will any
one say that the Almighty appeals to im
proper motives to induce men to do right?
This would be blasphemy, and, of course, no
one desires to commit such a crime against
God.
If there is any promise is the Bible, not
addressed to man’s love of happiness and
glory, it has not been my fortune to find it.
Or if there is any passage in the Bible which
teaches that man should do anything without
regard to the effect it will have upon his
present or eternal welfare, then I have not
seen it.
God has promised blessings for the obedi-
{s3 00 A MR.} WHOLE NO. 2539.
ent, and threatened curses for the disobedient,
and all the talk of men about the practice of
virtue for its own sake,is unmeaning jargon;
for I think that the reward of righteousness
is a part of the thing itself. God shows us
that there is a necessary connection between
a state of righteousness and a state of happi
ness, as there is between a state of sin and
misery.
When men give fcfr Christ’s sake, and to
honor His word, the promise is, they shall
have a return in this present life, as well as
the one to come; but a man who dees this
will not consume the gifts of a bountiful
Providence upon his lusts. On the contrary,
he will continue to give, that he may have
means to give. #
Transcendentalism in the discharge of our
religious duties, is just as reprehensible as
selfish sordidness.
Angels obey God, not because it is right
only, but because it is best. And can men
be expected to act from purer motives?
Take from men the love of happiness and
glory, and the promises might just as well
be addressed to stocks and stones as to them k
Oh ! that we might understand the truth as
it is in Jesus ! H. C. H.
Joy in the Household.
1 read in a late Index and Baptist, an arti
cle by the venerable and aged Bro. Campbell,
giving some interesting incidents that occurred
in pastoral visits many years ago in Georgia.
I am sure every reader of the Index must
have been pleased with that article. I now
suggest, with your permission, to the readers
of the Central, correspondents, pastors and
laymen, to give the peculiar and interesting
incidents in their history that have animated
their hearts, and invigorated their souls to
work for Jesus, which, if published, would
have like effect on other .Christian hearts.
Such articles certainly would be as interest
ing, and perhaps as profitable to the mass of
your readers, as learned and metaphysical
articles on the “ Intermediate State,” “ Feet
Washing,” etc. Years ago the writer read
many articles of this kind in the American
Messenger, which perhaps is one reason of his
fondness for a narrative of those incidents in
which the power of a covenant keeping God
is so clearly, and often thrillingly manifested.
I will here relate from memory one l read
long years ago.
Anew pastor had been called to the care
of a city church with a large congregation.
He resolved to visit all the families of his
congregation for personal conversation and
prayer. After much prayer for guidance and
help, he started on his mission. The morn
ing was bright fjnd pleasant; soon he entered
the mansion of a wealthy merchant who was
absent at his store, but the wife and mother
was there, and with a group of interesting
children, met him with smiles and kindness.
Soon he told the object of the visit. The
smiles left the face of the mother, and for a
moment a cloud of sadness settled there.
After a short but painful silence, she said she
was glad he had come if he would make her
one promise, and that was, not to name the
subject of religion to her oldest daughter,
Mary. In every other respect she was kind
and dutiful. If you name it, she continued,
she will insult you, wound my feelings, and
9et an example before my other children
which 1 would avoid. The bell rang, and
soon the family were assembled in the parlor,
Mary taking her seat alone on the sola at a
front window, manifesting the utmost indiffer
ence, playing with the tassels of the window
curtain, laughing and talking to acquaintan
ces as they passed. Meantime the pastor
was affectionately and earnestly conversing
first with the mother, then with each of the
children, of “ the one thing needful”—their
souls’ best interest—after which all bowed in
prayer, except Mary. He poured out his
soul in prayer, praying for father, mother,
and each of the children by name, except
Then taking each by the hand, bid
them adieu, each by name, Mary excepted,
who continued her hvity, still looking out of
the window. He left the room without
speaking to Mary, reached the hall door, when
conscience spoke, under the energy of the
Spirit, “ You have not done your duty ; that
young lady has an immortal soul, going down
to ruin, and you would leave it to perish
without one word of warning.” Retracing
his steps, he walked to where 9he sat, still
playing with the tassels with the same appa
rent indifference and levity. He spoke,
“ Mary.” A slight pause, during which
Mary turned, facing him. He continued,
with a solemn, deeply earnest voice, “ Mary,
it is a faithful saying, and worthy of all ac
ceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the
world to save sinners. Are you willing to
be saved, Mary?” With tears beginning to
stream from her eyes, she exclaimed, “Yes,
I am.” Every heart present was thrilled,
and every eye suffused with tears, as she
continued, “ Oh, pray for me, too, for I am
the chief of sinners.” By that sofa were
gathered father (who was sent for,) mother,
children and pastor; and angels were there,
God was there, as they bowed in earnest
prayer for the salvation of the penitent Mary.
All*day long, until late in the evening, they
wrestled in prayer, when Jesus spoke to the
troubled soul, “ Thy sin 9 are forgiven,” and
there was a peace the world cannot give, a
joy the world knows not of. Oh, there was
joy in that household; there was joy and
faith, and strength in that father’s heart; there
was joy in heaven. — S. W. C., in Central
Baptist.
“ I Press Toward the Mark.”— There si
a story, I remember, told of a modern sculps
tor, who was found standing in front of his
masterpiece, sunk in sad reverie; and when
they asked him why he was so sad, “Because,
he answered, “I am satisfied with it. “ I have
embodied,” he would say, “ all that I can
think or feel. There it is. And because
there is no discord between what | dream
and what I can do, 1 feel that the limit ot my
growth is reached.” Unless we saw an ideal
far above us, the actual would never approx
imate toward it. . . . The very characteristic
of the idea of growth in grace is the indefinite
approximation to an infinite perfection. The
type for us is the express image of God, the
complete man, Jesus Christ. To that su
preme beauty our nature is capable of un
limited approach.— Rev. A. McLaren.
Kind Thoughts. —“ When thou wishest to
delight thyself ,” wrote the noblest of Pagans,
the Emperor Marcus Aurelius, “ think of the
virtues of those who live with thee ; for in
stance, the activity of one, and the modesty
of auother, and the liberality of a third, and
some other good quality of a fourth, bor
nothing delights so much as the examples of
the virtues, when they are exhibited in the
morals of those who live with us. Whercs
fore we must keep them before us.
Giving.— We need to give as much as oth
ers need to get. The Arabs have a proverb:
“The water you pour on the roots of the
cocoanut, comes back to you, sweetened and
enriched, in the milk from the top;” and
every libation we pour upon the roots of
Christian enterprise, we receive into our own
mouth again, in the sweet draughts of per
sonal growth. If we find little blessing in
giving, it is perhaps because we give so lit
tle, or exercise in giving so little self-denial.