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CHRISTIAN INDEa awD SOUTH-WESTERN BAPTIST.
VOL. 50—NO. 24.
A Religious and Family Paper,
PUBLISHED WRRKLY It ATLANTA, Gl., AT
Three Dollars per Annum,
Invariably in advance.
J, J. TOON Proprietor
The Great Lack: How oan it be Remedied!
From various sources, I have drawn the
following conclusion: There is a decrease in
the number of our ministers, (by death and
secularization,) above the increase, in a ratio
of at least sto 3. This conclusion has been
reached, Ist, By observations in my own field
of labor. 1 have been in the ministry above
five years; my field has comprised parts of
the following counties: Gwinnett, Walton,
Jackson, Newton, DeKalb and Fulton, (I
.beinff one of Dr. J. L. Burrows’ “ Ecclesias
tical Polygamists.”) Yet,from Baptist cnurch
ea with which I have been connected, I can
refer to but one young man, in this time, who,
on conversion, has entered the ministry. Yet
these churches have increased in the ordinary
way, in numbers—(l have baptized about
250.) 2nd. In my visits to Associations, in
two way s have I been reminded of this lack :
Many of the churches in their annual reports
by letter, to the body, say : “ Dear Brethren,
pray for us; we are in a cold state; we have
no pastor, no regular preaching, and we know
of no one w hom we can get to preach for us.”
Again, l have observed that a majority of
ministers attendant on these bodies are mid
dle-aged and old meu.
1 was present at the State Convention of
Alabama Baptist®, last November, at Opelika.
Yet 1 saw but comparatively few young men.
This fact was brought more painfully to view
in the late gathering of Southern Baptists at
St. Louis. We had a‘large, intelligent, tal
ented body, but it was composed mostly of
old men, and those who, at least, “ had
reached the halt-way house.” When I say
young men , in this connection, I mean those
who have, since the late war, entered the
ministry.
This class in Georgia may be truly said to
be email. At the present rate of decrease
by death, superannuation, removal to other
fields and secularization , the time i9 not far
distant when many portions of our State will
again become missionary ground. Within
my knowledge, there are many churches des
titute of even “ monthly preaching.” This
soon results in a scattered membership, loss
of interest in spiritual things, a low state of
piety, and, finally, in the extinction of the
church, by the demoralizing influences of
“ the world, the flesh, and the devil.”
In scanning the Religious Herald and Index
and Baptist, I see but seldom any repoit of
ordinations of ministers. Some few ordina
tions may occur that are not reported, but
w i*hd ue allowance made on this score, the
smallness of the numbers is deplorable.
In the Association of which 1 am £ member,
there are 26 churches. Two only, of these,
have services every Sabbath ; four have ser
vices twice a month, while four or five are
wholly destitute , and the remaining ones have
preaching once a month. These last, should
the weather prove propitious, may have about
twenty sermons a year. The pastor is some
times sick, or, as is often the case, the day
being cold or rainy, fifteen or sixteen sermons
are ail these churches get during the year.
In this Association we have eight ministers
who. are, in whole or in part, performing pas
toral or ministerial labor, while eight others
have forsaken the work, and are secularized.
Now, why this secularization 1 ? Why this
destitution? Is it the “field is not
white already unto the harvest?” Is it be
cause the curse of God rests not now on the
“dead in trespasses and sins?” Is it because
the houses of worship are torn down and the
people refuse to hear the word ? Is it be
cause the great commission of our Lord,
“Go ye into all the world and preach the
gospel to every creature,” has been abroga
ted ? None of these reasons will apply.
These men of God, for men of God they are,
have been starved into their present condition
of secular work. I have a worthy herald of
the Cross in my mind, who was, ante bellum ,
rich in money, lands and slaves. The war
swept all away, lie still pursued his labors
for Christ, uniting with them manual labor
for the maintenance of his-family. Called to
a church five miles from home, he accepted,
and on Saturdays walked out to the church,
and preached that day and the following, then
walked home. His congregation was made
up of “well-todo” tanners, who rode fat
horses to church, made “big cribs” of corn,
and salted down ample supplies of pork, yet,
at the end of the year, this church paid this
man, their pastor, S3O. In the face of this
insult, the call was renewed for another year.
This man of God, discouraged and disappoint
ed, knew not what to do. After reflection,
he accepted, resoying “ to try them one year
more.” The week day labor, the Saturday
walk, the preaching was resumed, and at the
end of this second year the church did five
dollars better for themselves, and five dollars
worse for their patsor —$2fi. This was about
one dollar per day for the day 9 actually spent
in preaching. Need I tell yog the result?
IJe resigned, and now, on those Saturdays in
which he trudged the dusty road to preach,
he pushes the jack plane, and in this way is
fulfilling the first law of nature —preservation
of self and family, Who will condemn this
brother for his course? This is but one casf
of many all around us. These ministers are
secularizing to keep off starvation from them
selves, and those dearer than themselves— i.
e., their families. An adequate support is
not given to our pastors. Only one pastor
in the Association, to which 1 make allusion,
is sustained wholly by his church.
Stingy church members have the following
passage from Paul, always at their tongue’a
end : “ Wo is me, if 1 preach not the gospel.”
Bro. S., how did they alight on that verse in
the middle of the chapter, while that which
precedes and that which follows talks of some
thing else — the ordinance of paying preachers
and so on ? Ah ! none are so blind as those
who wont see, and brethren wont see duty if
it interferes with greenbacks.
In a late issue of the Index, you published
an article from Elder T. E. Kennedy, in
which he gives some facts in regard to minis
ters’ salaries in his section. I know Bro. K.
He is a good man and true. He has not
overdrawn the picture. Yea, let him take the
pencil again , and give it another coat. 1 have
been a laborer, to some extent, in this same
field. This brother told me, not long since,
that he had grown, poorer at the ratio of 1300
per year, ever since he entered the ministry,
yet lie has been faithful and successful.
The churches are starving him out, and ere
long he, too, may be seen in the ** cotton
patch ” on conference day, and the church?
closed for want of a pastor. In my humble
judgment, I have given the true causeof the sec
ulariz ition of our ministers. The same cause
may be assigned which keeps our pious young
men from entering the ministry.
Jf it were possible to convince our young
men in the churches, that to serve clod and
reach heaven, they must submit to privations,
poverty and want—to deny their wives and
children comfortable raiment and education
—to descend step by step from competency
to pauperism—then would these young breth
ren enter the ministry, even as the Hindu
j sloo A YEAR. f FRANKLIN PRINTING HOUSE, ATLANTA, GA., THURSDAY, JUNE 15, 1871. {M A YEAR.}
devotee or Franciscan Monk submits to pri
vations, believing that by the punishment of
the body the soul may be saved. But God’s
word teaches no such doctrine, and in the
present state of things, we may look for but
small recruits to the ranks of the ministry.
But, says some one, “ Don’t you believe in a
‘Divine call’ to the ministry?” Yes, Ido;
but I believe as much in a Divine call for
more liberality on the part of the churches.
Are our churches looking out tor young men
on whom to expend their money in impart
ing to them the advantages of education ?
May we not presume that, when the present
number of ministers are sustained liberally
and handsomely, then will God call more
of our young men to the work ? “Accord
ing to thy faith, be it unto thee.” Liberal
benefactions and prompt liquidation of con
tracts, on the part of our churches, will in
crease an hundred fold the number of young
men at our Seminaries. Is not the present
inadequate support of ministers dishonoring
to God, and calculated to lower the standard
of our religion? In a recent editorial, you
told us that “more money is annually ex
pended for artificial flowers, than is given to
missions by the Christians of the U. S.”
And Dr. J. S. Wilson, of your city, in his
semi centennial sermon, disclosed the fact
that in our land, the family of dogs cost their
owners more than the family of ministers
cost the whole country ! (I know a minister
so poor that he can’t indulge in the luxury of
a dog.) What a commentary on the unself
ish, dying love of Jesus! Need we look for
anything but destitution, secularization and
want of “ calls to the work ?” We hear
much of “ ministerial consecration,” now-a
days. If we had more consecration of church
members 1 pockets, then the “consecration of
ministers” would follow as a matter of
course. No true minister wishes to plough,
or trade, or build houses, in connection with
preaching the gospel. When he does it, he is
forced to it.
We hear much of the “dangers of Ro
manism” just now. Well, a low state of
piety in the church members, destitute and
unoccupied fields, poorly paid, unconsecrated
ministers, stinginess in the congregations, are
more to be feared than Romanism. If we,
as Christians, will do our full measure of du
ty, God will never allow Antichrist to over
throw us; but if we are recreant to our high
trusts, drive our ministers away from us,
discourage the young from entering the field,
and thus degenerate into semi-ignorant heath
enism, then will we be but fit subjects for the
deceptions of priestcraft and the insinuations of
Jesuitism. In conclusion, let me say, let us
see this great lack, and seeing it, let us hasten
to remove it, by more liberal salaries to our
pastors, calling from secular work those who
have left us, and thus encourage young men
to enter the ministry with the hope of sup
port during their work, and an annuity for
old age. S.H. W. %
May 26, 1871. -
Morning Thoughts.
Again, 0 Lord, I ope ray eyes
Thy glorious light to see,
And 'share the gilts so largely lent
To thankless man by Thee I
And why has God o’er me this night
The watch so kindly kept?
And why hare I so safely waked?
And why so sweetly slept?
And wherefore do I lire and breathe?
And wherefore hare I still
The mind to know, the sense to otaoose,
The strength to do Thy will?
Is it to waste another day
In folly, sin and shame?
To gire to these my heart and hand,
And spurn my Maker’s claim ?
Is it for honor, wealth or power
My hearenly hopes to sell ?
Is it to grasp at pleasure’s dower
Upon the brink of hell ?
Is it to grow unto the world,
As glides the world from me?—
Be one day nearer to the grare,
And lu.ther, Lord, from Thee?
No! thus too many days I’re spent!
To Thee, then, this be giren :
Teach that I owe to man below,
And to Thyself in heaven.
Oh I bring me to my Saviour’s cross
For mercy for the past;
And make me Jive the coming day
As if it were my last.
—Rev. H. F. Lyte.
Temperance.
« Whether, therefore, ye eat or drink, or whatsoever
ye do, do all to the glory of God.”
My mind was directed to this passage in
God’s word after reading in the Index and
Baptist of May 4th, an article on the order
of Good Templars, whose aim is good. But
will they ever accomplish it? I think not,
to the degree the originators contemplated.
Why? Because it is of man. My object in
this article is not to attack this order, or any
other order, but to call Christians’ attention
to the convictions of my mind for some time
in reference to the zeal they have for orders
and societies —whose zeal, it seems to me, is
not in the right direction —and to cell out
abler pens and more loving hearts than mine
to write and speak upon the subject that I
shall try to present. Gur Lord and Master
hss established His churches in the world, and
has given them A chart and compass which is
sufficient for all things, and whose rule of
faith and order is complete, because it is di
vine. There is no subject, except the glory
of God and the salvation of souls, that has so
engaged my thoughts as the subject of tem
perance, for some time past. But how is it
to be accomplished ? Through the churches,
and thereby give God the glory. To my
mind, the churches have failed to discharge
their duty in the cause of temperance and be
nevolence, and this neglect of duty has given
rise to various orders, such as Masons, Odd
Fellows, Sonß of Temperance, etc.—origi-
nated, perhaps, by Christians who were filled
witlvthe benevolent spirit of their Master, and
whose ardor was chilled, perhaps, by the cov
etousness and lusts of professing Christians,
and thereby sought the association of kindred
spirits, wherever found, and united together
to carry out their cherished desires. Such
societies and orders perhaps ought to be en
couraged amongst the worldly, for the good
of mankind. When the Christian engages in
them it may be for the good of man ; but
does he give all the glory to God ?
There is a power in the gospel as it is at
present; but suppose our churches were what
they ought to be—benevolent societies, that
could and did hear the cry Gs the widow,
orphan and distressed —temperance societies,
whose influence was to shut up the dram
shops by making it disreputable to engage in
the traffic and to drag the drunkard from an
untimely end and thereby save his family
from want and misery, what a vast difference
in influence would the gospel have upon the
impenitent!
Tempeiance societies have done some good,
And so have benevolent societies ; but if the
objects are ever attained it must be on God’s
plan—through the churches. It did my heart
good to see in the Index and Baptist, and
also in the Memphis Baptist , of late, articles
upon liquor-selling and drinking by profess
ing Christians; and may the brethren con
tinue to fight this thing, through the papers,
until every church in the land may discharge
their duty in these matters. The church to
which I belong, to wit, the Steep Creek Bap
tist church, Lowndes county, Ala., led on by
our beloved pastor, M. Bishop, has been
praying, weeping and laboring over this
whiskey-selling business and covetousness for
two years past, which has resulted in the ex
clusion of whiskey-sellers and the covetous,
and the resolve by the help of the Lord, in
most of our male members —several of whom
were in the habit of taking a dram occasion
ally, and some a little too much occasionally
—never to use it except as God’s word di
rects ; and whilst we have been engaged in
these matters, the churches and the world
around us have been watching us very close
ly, and are still doing so. Brethren, you
who love Jesus, pray for us, that it may re
dound to the glory of our blessed Master.
Our Lord aud Saviour, in establishing His
churches, (and whatever His apostles did,
Jesus did through them,) gave them a com
plete code of morals, rules of benevolence,
and oommandments of faith, temperance, vir
tue, etc., such as no man or set of men can
ever approach to, much less surpass; and
whenever we—wise though we - think we be
—set up any order or society to cast a shadow
over His churches, are we not at least reflect
ing upon His wisdom? and are we obeying
the injunction, “ Whatsoever ye do, do all to
the glory of God ?”
The disciples of Jesus, singly and collect
ively, in the churches, are the light of the
world; and whilst many men do not accept
salvation through faith in the Lord Jesu9
Christ, yet they set up for themsslves a code
of morals, and they look to the churches
lor that code; whilst the churches permit
their members to traffic in intoxicating li
quors, when God’s word says, “ Wo unto him
that giveth his neighbor drink, that puttest
thy bottle to him and makest him drunken
also, that thou mayest look on their naked
ness,” and also permit them to drink to drunk
enness, when he says “No drunkards shall in
herit the kingdom of God,” and the churches
still hold on to them and pass by the matter
unnoticed. We may get up temperance so
cieties and have laws passed by legislation,
but this thing will never be controlled until
the sentiments of the people are changed ;
and that must be, if ever done, on God’s
plan, through the churches. lam a friend to
temperance, benevolence and virtue, a(id may
the Lord put it into our hearts to do more
for these causes than we have ever done, but
let us do it so as He will get all the glory
to whom it should and must belong, and we
will succeed.
This is not to discourage the workers in the
cause of temperance, but to ask them if there
is not a better way, and if there is, to pursue
that plan. G. W. McQueen.
Lowr.de* Cos., Ala., May, 1871,
. The Good Templars.
In your issue of the 25th of May is an arti
cle headed, “Good Templars, etc.”—the first
one I have ever seen or heard of written
against that noble order. Now, I will not at
tempt to answer all Uncle Phil’s elaborate
arguments. He says : “ There has been for
twenty years, in this country, a tendency to
centralism in chuich and State, and all. such
organizations are schools to educate the young
to this result.” As he makes this as an as
sertion without sustaining it with argument,
1 will assert that he is mistaken ; that the
Good Templars’ organization is not a school
that can in any way educate the young to
such results, even granting his position to be
true, (which I do not.) The young that he
speaks of know but little of any other power
than that of their own officers.
Will Uncle Phil, tell us how we can get
strength to wage unceasing warfare against
this giant evil except it be in unity ? and
how can we have unity without order ? and
how can we have order without government?
and how could all the lodges get the same
quarterly pass word simultaneously without
that government be empowered to give it?
Mr. Crusty is frightened at the idea of per
jurv. He says: “Should 1 charge good
brethren with training children for perjury,
they would resent it indignantly. They have
no such intention. The only serious thing
in this respect which our brethren overlook,
is not examining the seed they sow.” Will
Uncle Crusty open his crust enough to see if
there is not something of this sort in the
church ? What sort of obligations do church
members take upon themselves ? and do they
all keep these obligations inviolate? If not,
then is the church responsible for their per
jury ? He says “an oath, a pledge for life, is
a very solemn thing.” Yes, the templar’s ob
ligation is solemn, but as nothing compared
to the obligation to God, with which a man
clothes himself when he becomes a church
member. (I have no doubt that Uncle Phil,
uses his influence to get the “ young” to take
upon themselves this obligation.) And who
will dare affirm that no church member com
mits perjury ? Will my careful brother have
the church stopped for fear some one might
commit perjury.
He speaks of sweet cider being harmless,
and should be left out of the obligation, be
cause young people think it harmless, end, by
violating their obligation in a little thing, tend
to greater Violation. Sweet cider contains
alcohol , and begets a thirst, an appetite for al
coholic drinks, and i9 about as harmless to the
Good Templar’s cause as dancing and theatre
going is to the cause of religion. The Good
Templars are a great auxiliary to the church :
they get a man sober and then the minister
can preach Christ to him with some hope of
success. This being the case , it is strange that
any Baptist should oppose the order. Phillip
Crusty says he is a Baptist, and ohjects to the
Good Templars as a Baptist. And I uphold
it for the same good reason. He says the
Baptists have been strong enough to stand
the te>t of ages, and efficient enough to do
something, and this organiz ition is neither na
tional, central nor oath-bound; their union,
their strength is co-operative. You mistake,
my good brother: their union, their strength
is in Christ, and the Good Templars must
have unity and order in order to meet the foe
successfully—that foe that is charging the
church and has almost captured it. Silently
and cautiously it is working its way among
its members and officers— yea, the very pulpit
is assailed by it; and silently and cautiously
the Good Templars are driving him back, and
doing their best to assist in reforming and
converting the world.
And 1 would say to all the Phil. Crustys,
for goodness sake let the Good Templars
alone; if you cannot unite your influence with
theirs “ to drive intemperance from the land,”
do let them alone. They have enough oppo
sition to contend against in the wicked world,
but when they are oppposed by the very man
—and there is no dotint he is a good man—
who they ere trying to aid in a good work, it
hurts them and makes their hearts sad,
Burch.
Albany, oa., May mh, 1871.
i
No Matter in What Wat. —Two confes
sors of Christ, during the reign of King Henry
VIII., were threatened with martyrdom by
the Lord Mayor of London. He told them
unless they gave up what he Considered their
errors, he would tie them in a bag and have
them thrown into the Thames. They replied:
“My Lord, we are going to heaven, and it
matters very little whether we go there by
land or water.”
LaudeS-
Ad Mamttinum.
Behold ! the shade of night is now receding;;
aindling with splendors, fair the dawn is glowing;
With fervent hearts, O let us all implore Him
Ruler Almighty l
That He, our God, will look on us in pity,
Send strength for weakness, gran-, us His salvation,
And with a Father’s pure i ffection give us
_? Glory eternal.
This grace, 0 grant us, Godhead ever-blessed,)
Os Father. Son and Holy G&».«st in union,
Whose praises be through earth’s most dist .nt regions
Ever resounding.
• Ad Noctcrnum.
’Mid evening shadows, let us all be watching—
Ever in psalms our deep devotion making,
And with one voice hymns w the Lord, the Saviour, *
Sweetly be singing.
That to the holv King our songs ascending,
We worthily with all H>s sa,nts may enter •
The heavenly Temple, joyfaßy partaking
Lite everlasting,
This grace, 0 grant us, Godhead ever-blessed,!
Os Palber, Son and Holy Ghost in union,
Whose praises be through earth’s most distant regions
Ever resounding f
Gregory the Great.
Teloogoo Scriptures.
One of the earliest translations of the New
Testament into the language of the heathen,
was that of William the pioneer Bap
tist missionary, in Iht’.Talinga tongue, tbe
speech of the A small edition
was issued. Provision was made, by the
American and Foreignip.ible Society, at an
early period of its for* the reprinting
of this version of Godjf word by the most
eminent translator of &e age. Several ap
propriations for this purpose were made, aud
the money was paid into the treasury of the
American Baptist Missionary Convention.
Through some misunderstanding, the money
was employed in the purchase and circulation
of a version made by other parties. From
that time till the present, the Baptist mis
sionaries among the Teloogoos have been de
pendent upon versions they have never
regarded as faithful to the original. Their
complaints and remons ranees on this subject
have often been heard in conversation, or
read in private letters, with painful interest.
Thg calls for aid fn -»ther directions, have
absorbed the means contributed for Bible
operation. Within the last two years, the
missionaries, and the friends in America with
whom they correspond* have renewed their
entreaties for aid, and addressed them with
great eai neatness,to the American Bible Union.
One of the missionaries—Bro. McLauren
writes that the only versions to which the
Baptist missionaries h *ve access, are disfig
ured wits manifest faults. Carey’s was made
at a time when the language was but slightly
studied by missionaries, and the translator
was dependent upon native scholars, who did
not understand the Greek. The version in
use translates baptizo by a word signifying
to wash, and describes -he administrator and
the subject of baptism, as going down near
to the water, and goin<> up from the vicinity
of the water.
The following letter to Dr. Wyckoff, from
Rev. L. Jewett, Is here published in full, in
order that the whole subject may be under
stood by the readers of this appeal.
Nkllorf Madres, India, \
March 28, 1871. j
My Dear Brother : I..wrote you under date
of 30th April, 1870, but no reply has been
received; therefore I think the letter did not
reach you. At the *eting of brethren,
Clough, Titipany, Mclpraien and Butler, at
our mission bouse the 3rd and
following days of this month, they appointed
me reviser of the Teloogoo New Testament,
to revise it according to the principles of the
American Bible Union.
They instructed me to request your Society
to furnish the funds requisite to prepare the
New Testament for the press, and for print
ing the same. Let me ask, Would not an ap
peal in behalf of the Teloogoo missions be
responded to by the Baptists of the United
States, and the Dominion of Canada, without
a dissenting voice? They will have no ques
tion to raise as to the propriety of revision
in the Teloogoo language, according to your
principles. I hope our request will notstrait
en you, but will add largely to the increase
of your means.
We have prayed for converts, and they
have come in by the hundred. We now ask
the Lord, and our brethren, too, for a pure
version of the New Testament to give them.
The native preachers and brethren with their
wives, made long journeys on foot to meet
in Nellore this mouth, to form an association
for the promotion of the cause of Christ in
this land. It did my soul good to look upon
their noble faces, hear them preach, talk, pray
arid take upon themselves burdens. I felt
truly the burden rolling off from my should
ers on to them. True, I had to preach the
opening sermon, and Bro. Clough was obliged
to take the Chair. Cassokioh declined being
Chairman, saying,—wisely 1 think, —“ Let
me see how you do this year, then 1 will not
decline next year.” Next year oqr native
brethren will fill the Chair, preach the ser
mon, write the circular letter, be secretaries,
and all that. I will not enlarge. Please let
me hear from you at an early date. I have
the Greek New Testament ot Knapp, Alford,
and Tregelles, comp ete, except Revelation.
If you can help us, please let me know from
what Greek text to revise. Will you send
me a copy of the N. TANARUS., (Greek,) or point out
wherein 1 may follow Tregelles, or where to
depart from him. I have, of course, your
English New Testament, revised. I have not
yet seen the Psalms. 1 wish for full instruc
tions, such as I suppose you sent to Dr. Lord,
in China.”
Rev. J. N. Murdock, D.D., Cor. Sec. of
the American Baptist Missionary Union, gives
the following testimony to the qualifications
of Bro. Jewett as a missionary translator :
“ I am in receipt of a letter, this morning,
from Mr. Jewett, of the Teloogoo mission, a
part of which l hasten to communicate to you.
* We have long felt that we must bring out a
revised edition of the Teloogoo New Testa
ment ourselves. Asa beginning, two broth
ers (Clough and Tinpany) request ma to
bring out Mathew, revised, with a short com
mentary. Although I have received no reply
to my request for funds, brethren Clough,
Tinpany and McLauren urge me to go for
ward.’” Dr. Murdock also adds the follow
ing: “I did not know of the application of
Mr. Jewett for funds to print his revision of
Matthew, when 1 wrote you on the 19t.h inst.
Mr. Jewett is thoroughly competent, Prof.
Hovey assures me, to revise the New Testa
ment, and is, moreover, a thorough Hebraist,
Here is an opportunity for your Society to
provide for a work of revision that is much
needed, and that must be done. If your So-
ciety can take up, we will thankfully accept
your cooperation.”
The Board of the American Bible Union
takes a deep interest in this matter. It was
unanimously agreed to aid in the revision and
circulation of the Teloogoo Soriptures, and
has appointed a Committee to correspond
upon the subject. The semi annual meeting
of the Society has just closed in the city of
Chicago. Everything connected with the
meeting denoted progress and enlarged inter
est and usefulness. The action regarding the
Teloogoo-Scripfcures, received unanimous and
earnest approvals
But other matters pressed upon the con
sideration of the body. The time for speech
and action was very brief. The overthrow
of the Papal supremacy in Italy and other
countries, and the consequent openings for
Bible operations among the Catholics in Eu
rope and America, unavoidably absorbed at
tention, and no special appeal was made for
the Teloogoos. We therefore take the earli
est opportunity to bring the matter before
the public. The Teloogoos are described a3
among the most noble and intellectual of
heathen nations. They are keenly sensible
to errors and inconsistencies on the part of
Christian missionaries. The latter inform us
that they experience great difficulty in con
vincing a people of the truth in the cases in
which the practice Sf the missionaries are at
variance with the inculcations of*the Scrip
tures, which those missionaries are obliged
to circulate. Is there a lover of Jesus who
will not aid according to his ability, to give
this people the Word of God in its purity ?
Thus far, we have received considerably
less than one hundred dollars for this object.
We cannot fix a limit to the amount required.
A nation of several millions, many of whom
can read, teed the Scriptures faithfully trans
lated. A work of grace has commenced
among them. A spirit of inquiry pervades
the whole nation. Native preachers, and
many other converts, are ready to circulate
the Word. A qualified translator* whose
heart and soul are in the work, has com
menced the work. His colleagues all ap
prove atid urge him on. Pecuniary aid is
indispensable. These are the facts. We
forbear to enlarge upon them. But we earn
estly entreat every one who reads them, to
send us something for the object. Send us a
liberal contribution, if the Lord has granted
you the means. If you have not much, sefrd
little. From ten cents to a hundred dollars,
every remittance will be received with grati
tude. We beseech you not to delay, because
the offering may seem small in your eyes.
Accompany it with faith and prayer, and
Jesus will accept and bless it, and He will
bless you. We feel grieved that there has
been so great delay. It is not just to the
missionaries, it is not right toward the Te
loogoos. Let us wait no longer. Let the
response be cheerful, hearty, prompt and
generous. Thomas Armitage, Pres't.
Is it Prodigality!
Are our Boards justly chargeable with
prodigality, when they expend 25 or 30 per
cent, on agent3? I think not? Merchants
frequently expend much more. There is a
publishing house in the city of New York
that allows its agents forty per cent, on the
amount of their sales, and thinks it does well
when it can secure active and efficient agents
on such terms. Now, be it remembered, that
these publishers pay large amounts for pa
per, stereotyping, printing, lithographing and
binding. Deduct the amounts thus paid from
the gross amount of sales of their books, and
the probability is, they would receive less,
by ten per cent., than the amount they allow
to their agents. Out of the amount received
by them, they have to pay, moreover, house
rent, taxes, clerks’ hire, and other incidental
expenses. Few of our mercantile establish
ments clear more than ten per tent, on the
capital invested. Capitalists think they are
doing a good business, when they can secure
that per centage on their money.
Now, our Boards start without capital.
All that they get over and above expenses,
is clear gain to the cause of benevolence —
the cause oF Christ. Is there ono of the good
brethren who complain of the expenses of
onr Boards, who would not be willing to allow
one who undertook to solicit funds for his
benefit, to retain one-half of what he collect
ed ? “A half loaf is better than no loaf.”
If there be no begging, there will be no
bread. If there be no expenditures, there
will be no profits. If an increase of our ex
penditures will insure a corresponding in
crease in our income, who is there that would
not vote to increase them? Sound policy
will ever justify an increase in our expendi
tures, when we can thereby insure an increase
in our income. If our income were a stated
quantity —not subject to fluctuations, nor de
pendent upon the success of collecting agents
—to diminish our expenses would be the surest
way to secure the means of doing good ; but
(unfortunately, perhaps,) it is not such. It
varies with the piety of our people, and with
the skill or tact of our agents.
But why pay your agents —your secretaries
in particular—such large salaries? We
should pay them according to their value.
If there be two men of different gifts, one of
whom can collect twice as much as the other,
he is worth to us just twice as much as the
other. ( once had a carpenter in my em
ployment whom I had to find and pay two
dollars a day. There came along another
carpenter*who claimed to be a boss work
man. He offered to work for me for one
fourth less than I was paying the first. Think
in to save 25 per cent., I dismissed the
former, aqd engaged the latter workman;
but found that, instead of gaining 25 per
cent., I lost that amount; for the one dis
missed accomplished twice as much work in
a day, as did the one received in his place.
So with our agents. It would be better for
the denomination to pay $5,000 per year to
such agents as are brethren Sumner and Poin
dexter, than to pay SSOO to some of the ad
vocates of a reduction in the salaries of our
secretaries, or to one so highly valued— by
himself, however, —as is tbe present writer.
J. S. B.
Baptist Looking-Glass—No. 5.
Useful Arts Misapplied.
There can be, we suppose, no objection to
pious persons for their own spiritual good,
writing down du-ing an instructive sermon,
as much of the sermon as it is possible for
them to write. We believe that this is fre
quently done, and that the heart is also en
gaged; no doubt the attention is. When,
however, professed stenographers, on God’s
day, or on any day, go to the house of God
for no other object than to write down ser
mons, for the purpose of advancing the inter
ests of the secular press, or of printing these
sermons and selling them, or of preparing
them for others for the press, to be sold, we
must protest against what we consider a pro
fanation of the sanctuary. We Relieve that
if the Saviour was personally present, He
would say, “ make not my Father’s house, a
house of merchandize.” We are credibly in
formed, by an eye witness, that during the
servioe which he attended at Spurgeon’s
Chapel, London, there was a gentleman seat
ed in front of the pulpit, writing, while Spur
geon was preaching. Our informant under
stood that ne was a stenographer, taking down
the words ol the preacher, with a view to the
publication of the sermon. We know that
Spurgeon is liberal, and it may be that he
devotes the profits coming to him from the
sales, to some worthy object. From what
we have read of him, we would suppose this
very likely. Under any circumstances, how
ever, we dislike the praotice mentioned. Our
thoughts turn to the feelings of the stenog
rapher, while engaged in the work. If he is
writing for the sole purpose of preparing the
sermon for the press, it seems to us his heart
cannot be rightly engaged. In addition, we
do not like, so prominently brought before
tho congregation, what, in God’s house in time
of worship, ha 9 so much the appearance of
worldly business.
We call attention to what we regard as
more censurable. This, however, is not in
connection with one denomination. In the
January number of the Baptist Quarterly,
1868, the editor notices a work-entitled,
“Prayers from Plymouth Pulpit, by Henry
Ward Beecher.” He says, “A volume of
externporaneous prayers, reported without the
knowledge of their author, is an extraordina
ry contribution to religious literature. The
Rev. Dr. John Marsh, having felt special en
joyment in the devotional exercises at the
Plymouth Chapef, in Brooklyn,conceived the
idea of preserving them for his own spiritual
benefit. For this purpose, he employed a
phonographer to report them, and subsequent
ly suggested publishing some of them for the
good of others. This has been done.”
It is said here, that Rev. Dr. Marsh "em
ployed a phonographer,” etc. ft is a natural
supposition that compensation was given.
The word “employed,'’ would seem to im
ply it. Here we have a profanation of the
sanctuary and of the Sabbath. But even it
no compensation was given, where, we ask,
was that man’s devotion during the prayers
at Plymouth Cfiapel? The Rev. Dr. Marsh
enjoyed the prayers, while the phonographer
was writing them down. Did the phonog
rapher enjoy them? Ought he not to have
had the opportunity of enjoying *hem, if he
was one of those that could enjoy prayer?
The prayers are characterized as “express
ive of deep reverence and tenderness.” We
are not speaking of these; bot we efthdemu
certain practices wherever found ; in England,
or America, at the North or at tbe South.
A photograph was once taken of a baptis
mal scene in the South, and copies were sold
for a religious object. Baptist ministers
praised the picture, and (as a work of art) it
may have deserved praise. But at the ad
ministration of the solemn ordinance of bap
tism, (whether on the Sabbath or not,) the
artist ought not to have been present at his
work. A Correspondent of the Index.
An Evening Thought.
The twilight falls, the night is near,
I fold ray work away,
And kneel to One who bends to hear
The story of the day.
The old, old story; yet I kneel
To tell it at Thy call;
And cares grow lighter as I feel
The Father knows them all.
Yes, all 1 the morning and the night,
Tbe joy, the grief, the lose.
The roughened path, the sunbeam bright, *
The hourly thorn und cross.
Thou knowest all—l lean my head,
My weary eylids close;
Content and glad awhile to tread
This path tbe Father knows.
And He has loved me I All my heart
With answering love is stirred ;
And every anguished pain and smart
Fods healing in His wurd.
So here I lay me down to rest,
As nightly shadows fall,
And ieau cooliding on His breast
Who knows and pities all.
Dollinger.
Anew sensation agitating the Christian
word! and what is it? Dolliiiger, the eru
dite Catholic and theologian of Bavaria, ex
communicated by the infallible Pope—now
in durance in what was once St. Peter’s cita-,
del, in Rome.
Then why should there not be a stir in the
Christian church? Is not such a decree om
inous, originating, as it does, in the rejected
resolutions of the Ecumenical Council? It
forebodes the downfall of “ the Beast.” The
sanguine see him already dismantled, and his
followers dissolving like the vapors before
the morning’s sun. Misguided joy ! _Do we,
as Christians, in our “ seasons of rejoicing,”
allow the Spirit of Christ to temper our in
firmities to His honor and glory ? Or do we
not rather permit them to predominate to
His shame? If we now see signs of evident
decay in Romanism, should we celebrate the
calamity, rather than the benefit issuing there
from ? Which do we actually note the more?
Is not our vanity, our pride, our ambition,
our love of glory, pampered, while our’spir*
ituality, our zeal, our gratitude to an Omnis
cient Being, wanes,dwindles? Let us follow
up the victory with beooming humility, lest
our cause for rejoicing be turned into one of
lamentation. Vigilance, eternal vigilance, is
what we lack to make our cause sure—what
we want, to possess the world. If, by a chain
Os providences, obstructions to the work are
being pulled down, let us not multiply them
a hundred fold by onr inertness. Nay, rather
let us buckle on our armor the more tightly,
and combat the more fiercely for Christ and
His kingdom.
In reference to the deposed dignitary alluded
to, the Liberal Christian declares, “ that the
louic of events is irresistible.” Further:
“ Dr. Dollinger, tbe leading Catholio mind of
Germany, opposed the dogma of Papal in
fallibility with all the resources of bis vast
erudition, and all the force his disciplined
mind and commanding position.could afford.
But it was in vain. Rome preferred the
counsel of her ambition to that of her reason.
She adopted a dogma which, it would seem,
could have been devised only by a lunatic,
and should have emanated from an asylum
of the insane, rather than a College of Car
dinals.”
The Independent, on the same, says : “ Five
years ago, if an intelligent Roman Catholic
had been asked, ‘What great clas sic contri
bution to theological science has your Church
produced in this generation?’ he would have
replied promptly and effectively, by pointing
to a goodly row of volumes, bearing on the
back the name of ‘Dellinger,’ which, whether
in the original or translated into various
tongues, are to be found in all well furnished
theological libraries in Christendom, and are
consulted with deference by students of all
Christian denominations.”
When a shining light likeDdllinger is sud
denly extinguished in its orbit, well may the
Christian world be agitated; well may it
await greater catastrophes. What we, who
are merely spectators, want to do, or ought
to do, is to fill up the space with good, hon
est, working men and women. Let us, in
the name of God, not sleep over it.
• The association of Catholic citizens, in Mu
nich, to give expression to their contempt of
the dogma of personal infallibility of the
Pops, as well as displeasure at theexoorninu
mention of their most venerable and respected
priest, sent an address to their king—king
of Bavaria, on the subject. Below are giveu
some extracts, to show that the Church is not
now running in unison.
- --- - ~ ~ •
“ This extension of the Papal infallibility,
in the form of an article of faith binding
npon the consciences, is a danger to the State,
and a serious cause of anxiety to all those
Catholics who regard the free development of
the State as a progress of humanity, and a
fulfillment of the words of the Holy Sorip
tures : ‘Render unto Cesser the things which
are Caesar’s, and unto God the things which
are (iod’s.” ... “ But recently the Bishops,
who, at the Council, condemned the new doc
trine as erroneous, with a few exceptions,
submitted to the declaration of a majority of
the fathers assembled at the Council, and now
efcpect their flocks to believe the oontrary of
what was heretofore under Episcopal author
ity and supervision, taught as a Catholic truth,
WHOLE NO. 2544.
and is still taught as such by learned Catholic
teachers of Cnuroh law. The oonsequence
of this inoonconsistency are likely to spread
confusion and sorrowful surprise amon{ the
Catholics in Bavaria, and to strengthen the
doubt whether the spirit that created this new
doctrine be really the spirit of truth, prom
ised as a Divine aid to the Church ur til the
end of time. . . . Religious dissensions of
the most serious nature have broken out in
one congregation, when the curate protested
from the pulpit against the new doc rine.
Theologians, distinguished by their learning
and the purity of their lives, have openly
declared not to recognize the new dogma.
With wonder and admiration do we see in
the foremost ranks a man (DO linger) who,
under the weight of years, has preserved
youthful freshness and strength—the learned
man who has been an ornament to the Cath
olic Church, the famous teacher of so many
priests and bishops, who is still defending the
truth of his teachings, although he ha 9 no
longer on his side the majority of those bish
ops who, but a few months ago, solemnly
declared before God and man that they were
bound by their inmost conscience and coir
viction to stand up for those very same truths,
to combat the contrary as false doctrine, and
to protest against the arbitrary means by
which their authors carry such dootrines imo
practice. Against this man there has now
arisen the persecution of the Church authori
ties for his fidelity to his faith and ouisoianos.
Thus have sorrowful and ill-foreboding events,
or the consequence of the newly created dogma
already appeared. The new doctrine is dan
gerous to the Constitution of the State. In
tolerable contradictions between the duties
of a Catholic and the duties of a citizen, are
the consequences of this false doctribe. It
will be a glorious and grateful task for the
Government of your Royal Majesty, by vir
tue of its constitutional rights—of supervis
ion over the Church, to prevent the further
encroachment and spread % of so dangerous a
doctrine, and to secure the rights of the State
and citizen, already placed in jeopardy. . . .
Prohibit its spread in the public schools, and
take prompt and energetic measures that the
relations between Church and State be newly
regulated, upon a legal basis.”
This most undoubtedly indicates not only
dissatisfaction, but rebellion in Bavaria, one
of the oldest and the largest of the German
States. It, throughout, is, on principle, op
posed to the infallibility of the Pope. Shall
we take this cloud, “ not larger than a man’s
hand,” as prophetic? In what light must we
construe it? Is it a crucible for the church,
from which it will issue, purified? Is it a
snare in which to entangle the astonished,
wonder-stricken, God forgetting Protestants ?
Is it to make a tri it of our faith ?
Let us watch and pray. Tnis is proper at
all times, but more especially when enticed
by wicked allurements. Let us keep our
house in order, whatever may be in confusion
around us. Let us examine ourselves and
see that we are well fortified. Let us see that
we have humility, reverence, obedience, love,
gratitude, godly fear. If we possess these,
we are safe within the walls of Zion. C. S.
Indian Correspondence.
How sad to be denied the privilege of meet
ing our brethren in their great annual gather
ings ! I had r. y heart set on going to St.
Louis, but Providence directed otherwise.
There was such a demand tor my continued
presence in this destitute field, that I Could
not leave. I have not been able to attend the
S. B. C. since its session in Montgomery,
Ala. Since then, what a change in the list of
delegates ! How many have gone to join the
general convention above! What a priva
tion not to receive the papers due me, nor to
be able to know what was done in Conven
tion ! By letter, I petitioned that the Marion
Board be instructed to establish an orphan
asylum here, on the plan of an industrial
school. 1 hope the subject found favor, but
I oannot hear; the maijs are so irregular.
The enterprise must not fail, f*>r I know Hea
ven will approve, Brethren and sisters of
Georgia, help ! for God requires us to “ visit
the fatherless .” We cannot get round this
duty ; and the only way to get over it is to
contribute as the Lord has prospered us.
To-day 1 preached at Eufala, and we had
one accession to our membership that will
exert great influence for good upou the whole
nation. A native preacher baptized four, re
cently.
Prayer is cheap, but precious, and worth
infinitely more than it costs. In all youroom.
tributioii9, withhold not prayer.
H. F. BtTCKNBB,
Friendship Mission Station, Crssk Nation, May 28,1871.
Abased, ybt Exalted.— There is a “ higher
Christian life,” but it consists in the growth
of the soul under the processes God has pre
pared for that purpose. A Christian can live
in a poor, barren way, which is low ; but lie
can also live in a rich, fruitful way, which is
high. The high, the very highest, is the best.
There is no intoxication in this experience,
and climb as Christians may, they will never
grow dizzy with their elevation. Indeed,
paradoxical though it may seem when com
pared with physical life, the higher the Chris
tian is lifted the lower he sinks. WhaD he
can say he has a conscience void ofoffenoe be
fore God and men, and feel “ persuaded” that
none can separate him from the love of God,
he is the most ready to call himself the chief
of sinners. Humility is the glorious crown
of spiritual pre-eminence.— United Presby .
terian.
"'"Fretting. —John Wesley says: “1 dare
no more fret than to curse and swear.” This
(comments the Intelligencer) is a high attain
ment in faith and in grace. If it were as gen
eral as Wesley’s hymns are in their diffusion,
the piety of the Christian world would be
amazingly advanced. Dare not fret! Why,
there are scores of ladies who dare do nothing
else on rainy days, and scores of men who
are fretful and foolish when things do not
move as they want them to go, and yet both
these women and men are members of tne
church, making loud professions of faith in
Christ, eminent for zeal on public occasions,
and esteemed to be all but saints already by
those who profess to know them best, but who
do not know them at all. “ Dare not fret I”
The Highway and its By path.—Recent
ly, in a prayer meeting, a strong man, who
had just begun the Christian life, arose and
said, in regard to his former sceptical diffi
culties : “ I was like a man in a plain high*
way toward the place he desired to reach,
who, on seeing a blind path diverging from
it, should stop and refuse to go farther until
he knew wheie that by-path would lead him.
His course was right onward, and the by path
no concern of his. It is just so in respect to
the way to heaven. 1 was trying to explore
the secret things of God, but now have found,
and intend to walk in, the King’s higway to
glory.” We were deeply impressed with the
force of the simple illustration. Multitudes
are lost because, in their pride and self will,
they refuse to hear the celestial voioe calling
to them, ** This is the way, walk ye In it,”
and stumble at the mysteries of God’s provi
dence and graoe into perdition.—CAruftan.
l Treasury.