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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.