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CHRISTIAN INDEX AND SOOTH-WESTERN BAPTIST. VOL. 50—NO. 41. A Religious and Family Paper, PUBLISHED WEEKLY IN ATLANTA, GA-, AT Three Dollars per Annum, Invariably in advance. J. J. TOON Proprietor Three Stories in One, and some Thoughts connected with them. A little while ago, we knew an orphan boy who had been carefully trained and educated by relatives. Missing the ten der affection which ever renders one’s own family circle so attractive, George sought a substitute amid the genial companion ship of his own age. Once, twice, or per haps three times, the boys’ mirth grew into revelry, and George became intoxicated, much to the chagrin of his friends. After consultation, his relatives sent him to a distant village, placing him in the employ ment of a gentleman in whom they had the utmost confidence. George grew in favor with the old gentleman, making rapid progress in morals, and in his em ployment ; but what was more important, he grew in favor with the old gentleman’s lovely daughter. The past was forgotten; the then present was happy ; the future unfolded bright visions of a pure love and a happy home. One day a woman from George’s native village, came to visit in the family where he boarded. This wo man heard George’s name mentioned, learned his position in the family, then whispered in the father s ear the exagger ated story of George’s former career; that he was nought but a drunken outcast; she had heard of his reeling in the street, a miserable sot; no lady should permit him to enter her presence. Poor George ! he had gone to his business in the morning, so blithe of heart, as he waived adieu to the bright face peeping through the lace curtains. When lie returned at twi light, no fairy form was on the verandah to greet him ; no light gleamed in the now dark and cheerless hall. Alas ! for George, the serpent had trailed its slime over his Eden. A solitary light directed the young man’s steps to the parlor, where the father, a good, but stern old man, was watching for the supposed vagabond. Without a word of explanation, the old gentleman forbade him the presence of his daughter, and entrance to his house evermore. A few moments after, we heard George’s hasty step upon the door stone, out upon the pavement. Far down tho lighted street we could hear the sharp ringing click of that step, telling of the wild despair in the owner’s heart. We dared not permit our imagination to fol low tho young man to a strange place, amid strange faces, with not one single word of sympathy, comfort or encourage ment to fall upon his wounded, humiliated soul. We never knew liow it came about, but next evening, as wc took our usual walk, we passed George lying on the pave ment, in truth a drunken sot, all uncon scious of the malicious, “ I told you so,” of his feminine enemy. Again. A bright, cheery looking- gill applied to a friend of mine for a situation as housekeeper. The situation was ob tained ; the place was well filled. The girl behaved with discretion and modesty. Apparently, she was contented and happy. One morning the mistress of the establish ment went out “ making calls.” Some friend, in her honest zeal for the welfare of society, repeated a story of scandal about the housekeeper, and advised her dismissal. My friend came home with the accusation upon her lips. Never shall I forget the flushed cheek —the un natural brightness of the eye—the cower ing, trembling form of the poor girl, as she sank beneath the ungenerous stroke. The thought of my own inexperienced daugh ter, placed in a like situation, flashed upon my heart like coals of glowing fire. Sick, and trembling, I turned away, not caring to witness longer so painful a scene. My friend was, fortunately, a true woman, taking the most sensible and Christian view of the case. Though the story be true, the girl was doing well at the then present time, and trying to earn an honest living in the sight of God. Should she be turned away with that scandal hanging over her, it might be, to doom a soul to everlasting perdition ? Therefore, the young lady was retained in her employ. Again. A fair young creature came as liouse-maid to a fashionable, giddy wo man. The girl, true to her woman’s na tux-e, dared to fall in love with an honest youth. The mistress, in her selfish wrath at the idea of losing her house-maid, de clared the acceptance of a lover by the girl was the height of impudence. Find ing she could not separate the lovers by fair means, she prepares a story of false hood and imprudence, sends for the girl’s friends, and separates the lovers for all time to come. We know not what ever became of the youth. The timid girl, dreading a repetition of the storm, never again dared to freight her tiny bark with love. We have watched and loved the pale, quiet creature, as her eye grew dim and silver threads twined amid her raven tresses. The dawn finds her at her daily vocation, which she performs with such rigid punctuality, exactness and patience, that none but the most critical and selfish eye can find fault. Did we not know her sad story, we might think no ripple ever disturbed the calm of her life; and we know, too, something about a few old fashioned relics stored in a little trunk away up in the garret, where, some Sun day evenings, the little old maid steals away to rest. A while, she busies herself in little nothings, then, pausing before the old trunk, she kneels and unclasps the lock with a feeling akin to that which we have when we open the vault and let the sunlight in upon the face of the dead. First, out comes an old-fashioned daguer reotype, with spray of dried cedar pressed upon its face; then, little bunches of with ered flowers ; and last, but most precious of all, those old letters, breathing with the only affection which she ever knew. Thus she revels amid the past, with almost the light of youth upon her countenance, till twilight shadows warn her of household duties. Now and then, a little, low moan escapes her lips, as each treasure is re turned to its accustomed place. The key is closed in the lock, and with it the heart closes, too, to all emotion from worldly eyes. A little later, and you see the old maid, with her housekeeper’s apron on, lsyo A YEAR. } FRANKLIN PRINTING HOUSE, ATLANTA, GA., THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19, 1871. { so.oo A YEAR.; standing behind the table wiping the cups from the hot dish-water. You, perhaps, kind and gentle mistress, would never dream of the romance hid away in your housekeeper’s heart. If you did, you would not think it strange, or find fault, that she has neither love nor sympathy for her sex, when she remembers, if it had not been for one of them, she might be now a happy wife, even as you are, pre siding over her own house. It is not our province to sit in judgment upon the characters portrayed in these three stories, nor is it our province to sit in judgment upon the actions of any living creature, for the words ring in our ears— “ Thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art, that judgest another.” We feel that we may express the thoughts which the stories prompted, without trespassing upon the command, “Judge not, that ye be not judged.” It has been but a few years since, that the Southern woman, as a general thing, with her sons and daughters, has been pressed to the necessity of going out from the protection of home to earn a liveli hood for herself. But a few months ago, their kindred and friends sacrificed houses and lands upon the altar of their country ; many have poured out their life blood upon Southern soil, leaving to their comrades and an after generation a heritage of im poverished widows and orphans —not a proud or desirable inheritance, we grant you; but when they go among you as la borers, we plead that you would be gentle and patient with their inexperience—do ing all in you power to train them kindly to their new position. If they should act past your forbearance, would it not be as well to dismiss them with kind words of good advice as to dismiss them in harsh ness and displeasure ? Should they go to another, and profiting by past experience, demean themselves as becometh their po sition, would you think it right to whisper an error of the past, which might deprive them of homes, sending them to lower grades of society, till at last a soul is lost? You who have homes of your own, who are screened from the consequences of your many mistakes and errors by the protecting tenderness of father, husband and brother, can you not sufficiently sym pathize with those whose every action is at the mercy and inspection pf strangers and employers, to refrain from making their faults the subject of public conversa tion and criticism ? We once heard a man say to his wife, “It is easy for you to be a Christian —you who are surrounded by the pure influence of home ; but for me, engaged every day in business with the world, coming in corrtact with every kind of people, getting only occasional glimpses of the better and purer side of human na ture—oh, how hard it is to do always just right!” This man’s experience is now the experience of many a hitherto home-pro tected, woman, son and daughter. You may be assured of one thing: father, husband nor brother will ever love you any less Jfor the word of compas sion for the erring, be the erring one one man or woman. The idea of men ever saying anything which would detract from the character of a woman dependent upon the world for a livelihood, is so unlike, and so far beneath the character of a true Southern gentleman, that we would fain believe such a thing had never been, and would never be done.* You, who have all the privileges of society ; you, who may commit the darkest sins, and be foi-given by this same society, while a woman would be driven from its face forever, —should you not protect her, as a father or brother, from every sin and temptation, and shield her by your every word ? For the comfort of those who have suf fered from the words of others, we would say, there is no surer guide than God’s word, especially if you be a woman. If you have done wrong, bear the thought less words which others may utter, as a just punishment for your sin. “ Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath ; for it is written, Vengeance is mine : I will repay, saith the Lord.” At the Cross. O the Cross, the Cross of Christ, Bright with glory, wet with blood 1 From the dying Sacrifice, Pours down love’s diviuest flood ! O Christ! Thou for me hast died ; Keep me by Thy riven side: Here my soul in sorrow stands ; Bless me with Thy pierced hands. Now Thy Father doth forsake, And yet nearer comes to me ; All alone in Thy heart-ache, My soul flies from sin to Thee. O Christ, in Thine agony, My soul sympathizing see; Dying, let me with Thee die, And from sin forever fly. 0 my God, Thy heart hath broke! My heart, bruised, shall not break ; Thyself hast received the stroke, Justly given ior my sake: 0 Christ, Thou hast conquer’d sin, Which hath paid its death to me; By the vict’ry Thou did’st win, Give me immortality I Cross of Jesus, Cross of Christ, Bright with glory, wet with blood ! From the dying Sacrifice, Pours down love’s divinest flood I O Christ, Thou for me bast died; Keep ire by Thy riven side: Bind to Thee by closest bands, Clasp me with tby pierced bands. Hugh F. Olivbb. Conference Meetings. Your correspondent “ L.,” under the above caption, writes against Saturday church conferences, and in opposition to the decorums in churches requiring all male members to attend, etc. It is urged that this produces trouble, is without au thority in the New Testament, and is un reasonable, being of human origin, and altogether unnecessary. But “ L.” says: “We are indeed enjoined not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together;” but this, he says, assuredly has no reference to conference meetings. How is he thus assured ? He admits it is necessary to have conference meetings, and that Satur day is a suitable day. The church must assemble to hold those meetings whenever the necessity which he alludes to arises. Where does he find any more New Testa ment authority, or any more sound reason for the necessity of church conferences than for stated ones ? A church is an as sembly. God’s people, who, upon profes sion of belief in Jesus Christ, have been baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, by a proper administrator, constitute the mem bers of this assembly; they are command -1 ed not to forsake the assembling of thetn- selves together. The church assembles in conference to transact business under this command as assuredly as to hear preach ing or engage in devotional exercises. When the church is in session, she has in her sovereign capacity, under Christ, as much authority to say, and appoint when she will meet again, as she has to assem ble at all; and if she so determine to ap point to meet statedly, or monthly, if she deems it expedient and proper, for busi ness pertaining to the order and advance ment of the church, she may vow that all her members shall assemble, if not hin dered providentially, and require a reason of absentees. This may not be done sim ply to forcibly compel attendance, but as a prudent mode of watching over one an other to ascertain who is faithful in keep ing his pledge. It doe3 appear to me that monthly Saturday church conferences are Scriptural, and eminently proper and con venient. The orderly assembly of God’s saints meet and listen to the pastor preach. Inquiry is made for business touching the interests of the church. The order and peace of the whole assembly is publicly looked after, and arrangements made to perpetuate it. There is no trou ble then in calling hasty meetings for con ference when it is difficult to gather to gether all the members, or even inform them of the meeting. But every one knows the stated day, and should make his arrangements to meet it as sacredly as he or she would the Lord’s day meeting. When the church meets on these specified days, and there is no business, let them spend the time in preaching, praying and singing to the edification of the whole church. Those members who feel little or no interest in Saturday conferences, very soon, we fear, will lose their interest in Sabbath exercises ; and it is well to mark the evidences of declension in members, and make timely efforts to reclaim them. The object in marking defaulters is not that we may cut them off, but make timely efforts in a spiritual manner to restore them in the spirit of meekness. The New Testament Scriptures teach that order and decency should mark all the proceedings of the church of God. It seems to me there is better order in the arrangement for regular monthly church meetings for preaching, prayer and business than would be in meetings called together from neces sity. The rules of decorum to govern the members must not be regarded as enact ments of a second person, or power, co ercing the members to obedience to an unwelcome service; but the mutual enact ments, voluntarily agreed upon as right and proper, for the whole membership to take upon themselves. Asa yoke, it should be regarded as the yoke of the Master, which is ever wholesome, light and easy. Some of the best members of Baptist churches of generations gone by, have loved the Saturday monthly confer ence ; they were never absent for any tri vial excuse ; they prized the privilege as their uniform acts declared ; and the Lord biased duty, an 4 in the en joyment ; and this is a strong argument in its favor. Let all our brethren learn to prize it so, and the item alluded to by “ L.” in the decorum will trouble the churches no more. Asa Chandler. A Subject for Special Prayer. “ The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few: pray ye, therefore, the Lord of the harvest, that He would send forth laborers into His harvest.” Is not this a time, my brethren, when we may thank God and take courage? When, looking abroad over our own land, we see the numbers that have recently deserted the ranks of sin, to follow the standard of the Cross; and, when looking abroad, we see Christ’s kingdom extending, and new and interesting fields of labor being opened, which, for centuries, have been locked against the admission of truth, surely, I repeat, we may thank God and take courage. On the other hand, when we look around and see the multitudes who are still with out the fold; and when we listen to the cry for help from foreign lands—like the recent one from Italy, “ send its Bap tists ” —how urgently does it behoove eve ry laborer of Christ to pray, that the Lord would send forth more laborers into His harvest? I am one of those who believe that the ‘ability to preach,’ is the only ‘call’ to the Christian ministry, that the devoted Christian should seek for; and every Christian should be devoted. “Asa la borer of Christ, can I do more efficient service as a preacher of the Word, than in any other position?” is a question which every converted man, who has any gift as a public teacher or speaker, should conscientiously decide for himself. Why is it that we see such a large pro portion —a majority, I might say —of our young brethren of ability entering the law ? Is it not because they have failed to understand their true position as sol diers of the Cross ? Have they not en tered the law, believing it to be the surest and quickest road to wealth and honor ? They believe themselves to possess those qualities which will enable them to lead and to persuade their fellow-men. Have they ever reflected that these same quali ties would enable them (by God’s grace) to preach with power, and to lead souls to Christ? Have they ever reflected that they have deliberately arranged to give but a very small portion of their time to the Master’s work, when they owe it all to Him? That they have deliberately placed their own (worldly) interests first , and God’s second, in all their plans ? Have they ever seriously reflected that this disposition of their talents may not be pleasing to God; and that, in the end, He will not bless their work, though, for a while, they may appear to prosper. There is much, very much, that I would like to say in this connection; but, for the present, I will desist, and close with two requests: 1. That every .brother, not in the min istry, who may suspect himself possessed of any ability to preach, will carefully consider his duty in connection with the injunction, “ neglect not the gift that is in thee.” 2. That the brethren, everywhere, raise a cry to the Lord for help—a prayer that He will send forth more laborers into His harvest. Jason. The events of life as they transpire, together with the frequent recalling and dwelling thus render ing their impression deeper, form our characters and make or mar our happi ness. Amid prosperity, when an uninter rupted success crowned our efforts, the present and futuffT'tJeing the points to which our whole attention was directed, the past was dinT'in its outlines. Our fortunes varying, our lives more chequered, the sun struggling through the clouds, only now and then throwing us a beam, we turn to the past as more pleasant to think upon. Memory, linkipg past events one within another, draws faithful pictures for us. With fondness and a sad, yet sweet regret, we dwell upon the lineaments of many, while we from others with pain, and put from - us every sad remem brance as we burfcfT!Ke~dead from our As the silent fall upon the whole creation, produced upon different objects is3Hp&cl; some gilded more, some less; the* lonely spots ren dered lonelier still, in other places the silvery rays ef&ct a perfect scene of beauty. It is thus memory’s lights and shades fall upon the heart, when amid the scenes of the past wa wend our way. A song, a flower, a strain of music, will awaken the powers of memory, and ere we are aware of, we are lost to the present, while past associations throng around us; we look into loving eyes, we clasp unseen friendly hands, familiar form.3 flit around us. The word fitly spo ken, which gave the heart new strength and life, the generous, noble deed, and many dear remembrances, are a sweet in cense to our souls; "While, alas ! the bit ter word, the the severed friendships, our sins of commission and omission, form a dark array against us, the contemplation of which fills us with regret. Yes, happy is he who, when the world is wrapped in~3arkness, has yet pleasant recollections whereunto he may continually resort. Time bears us on through scenes both happy and painful, while memory treas ures a faithful record which cannot be effaced, the impress of which we must bear even into the presence of Him who searches and tries the heart of man. How important, then, to watch the effect of each event of our lives upon our hearts, to see that, amid unkindness, uncharita bleness and calumny, we calmly pursue our course of Christian virtue through good and evil report, struggling to keep our hearts alive with the “ charity which suffereth long and is kind.” "As the day out and wea ry with toil, crosses the threshold of his humble home, when evening kindly puts an end to his labor, aNsense of sweet re pose steals upon him, and in happy for getfulness of yesterday’s toil, he sinks to rest. So, when the evening of life comes on, and we draw the eternal home, we will enter Upon Beyond-r. ith a sense of sweet relief; and, as memory, the bright connecting link between time and eternity, recalls our struggles here, our rest will be the holier and sweeter for for what we have endured amid the scenes of time and sense. Ruth. Tuskegee, Ala., September 1871. Facts as they Are. I noticed a document in the issue of the sth of October, of the Index, headed, “ Facts for those Claiming to be Primi tive Baptists, No. 5.” As the concluding part of that article refers to the Associa tion to which I belong, and the question answered in the closing remarks, was an swered by myself, I deem it my duty and privilege to set myself and Association right before the public. My recollection is, that the Oostanaula Association was constituted about the year 1852, with only five or six courches, and the writer of the article above refer red to, with some others, opposed it most vehemently, and did everything in their power to break it down. But we braved all their opposition, and continued quietly to grow and strengthen, until now. Our Association was constituted upon the same abstract of principles with the Coosa and other lister Associations of the Missionary Baptists. We have ever held to those principles mith unyielding tenac ity, and under such a course of procedure have grown to our present condition. In 1859, after our Association had arisen to some little distinction, and those opposing ones found they could not crush it out oi existence, they began to taunt us as anti missionaries, because we had connected ourselves with neither the Cherokee nor Georgia Baptist Conventions. And at the meeting of the Association, in that year, (1859,) we were urged to become a constituent member of the Convention, without even consulting the churches ; and on that occasion there was a resolution offered and seconded, to vote the Associa tion into, the Convention at that time. I opposed the measure. The resolution was withdrawn without taking the vote, and from that times until now, we are urged and taunted, and taunted and urged and denounced, by some that call them selves the sense of the Association, and other leading spirits, because we will not yield to their wishes, Is it not remarka ble that, while our Association was in its helpless infancy, and needed the fostering hand of protection, it should meet with such strong opposition; and then, that some of the very same ones who thus heaped upon it their maledictions, should be so urgent and zealous to try to lead the As sociation into connection with an organi zation with which it has no desire to be connected. We can but feel indignant at such unwarranted interference. We are vain enough to feel that we are competent to manage our own ''affairs, and to be ca pable of self-government, and would like to be let alone in matters of that kind. We have adopted, as one of the articles of our creed, that the Scripture of the Old and New Testaments is the Word of God, and is the only rule of faith and practice. We find nothing in the Word of God that authorizes any such organi zation, and, to be consistent with our adopted Article of Faith, we do not choose to depart from it by becoming con nected with an organization about which the Scriptures say nothing. We are also | told that there is no scriptural authority for Associations; and that is used as an argument to induce us to join the Con vention. That, to my mind, is a conclu sive argument why we should not. For, if we have gone so far astray as to be come identified with one illegal organiza tion, and such a step is wrong, then every other step we take in that direction, only involves us in greater wrong. It is also intimated, in the same article, that the friends of that organization do not intend to meddle with the internal sovereign rights of churches. Is it not very strange, then, that such untiring en ergy should be used to induce an Associ ation into connection with that organiza tion, when at least two-thirds of the sove reign voters comprising all the member ship of the churches, in that connection, are opposed to it? And, again: it was argued in the Association, at its session last year, at Armuchee, that the delegates representing the several churches, had the undisputed right to vote the Association into the Convention without the consent of the churches. If that is not an en croachment upon the sovereign rights of churches, I confess I know nothing of sove reignty. And if it does not display a lordly spirit, lam badly mistaken. Again, how came the Baptists, as a denomina tion, so divided ? Is there any clause in the law of Christ, which He has given for the government of the churches, so con strued as to produce this division ? I know of none. Both the Primitive and Missionary Baptists have the very same Articles of Faith. Then it is not the law of Christ, nor the Articles of Faith, that has caused this breach ; but the in troduction of a system gotten up by men. That is what caused the division. And if the Baptist church has existed over sev enteen hundred years in the midst of op posing enemies, without these organiza tions, and Christ, by His own witnesses, has had the gospel preached in Jerusalem, in India, and in Samaria, and in America, and in a great many other places, without the aid of the Convention, for that length of time, I am of the opinion He can, through His own devised means, carry it on to completion. I claim to be a Mis sionary Baptist, according to the law of Christ; but Ido not. expect to teach or preach that money will save souls, as some do. But I expect ever to preach, that there is no name given under heaven, or among men, whereby we can be saved, but the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Henry A. Clemmons. The Importance of Religion. In the course of life, we are called up on to witness the death of those we love. None of us live long without experiencing trouble. In the hour of trouble, the Christian has a retreat. When we pray with all our hearts, we feel assured, yea, we know that Jesus hears and answers our prayers. I have seen my mother die. She had lived long, and had fulfilled her mission upon earth. She was a warm hearted Christian, *. She-Jived, toiled and prayed for those she loved. She it was who taught me the all-important name of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. I loved my mother, and oh! to see her leave, was chief among the most trying events of my life, but she has closed her eyes, and gone home to heaven, her long sought home. In 1865,1 turned my face from the world and placed my affections upon that Saviour who is ever willing to hear the cries of the w'eary. Hand in hand, I entered the pool for baptism with that sister who, to-day, is singing praises to Him in heaven. Yes, in one month and twenty days, after the death of our mother, she fell asleep in Jesus. An hour before she died, she took me by the hand and asked me to meet her in heaven, where mother, Christ and peace reigns supreme. Is that not faith ? She was not troubled, but seemed resigned to His Almighty will. They are gone. Only a short while —a short space, and we, too, must make our departure. Oh! how insignificant is earth com pared with the value of the soul ? Can I exclaim in the agonies of death, Oh! Father, take me—take to Thyself above, as she did immediately before life was ex tinct? Is that not a living faith? Is it not beautiful for those of U3 living to think of and profit by ? Can I not have the same angel to accompany me through the valley and shadow of death ? Can I ever turn my back upon the sermon preached me by the life and death of that mother and sister, who are singing praises to the Saviour who loved them while on earth, comforted them in the hour of affliction, and received their spirits home to enjoy peace, happiness and never-ceas ing sunshine forever ? Is religion impor tant? Stop not to ask, but prepare to meet God, for so certain as time has ex isted, with you it must close. Could I have held the hand of that' mother and sister, and witnessed them die, without a belief that the God of heaven and earth needed them to brighten His crown of glory? I have asked God to give me strength to bear those troubles, and He has answered me by giving me a com posed mind, a heart full of love and thank fulness to Him for His kind mercies and protecting care. I would not recall that mother or sister, because I feel that their happiness is complete. Is it not neces sary that we should have that kind of religion ? Would I exchange it for mil lions of worlds like this ? No; not one particle of it could escape me and my life continue to exist. A. R. F. Morrow Sta, Oct. 6th, 1871. Religion in Hew Zealand. A curious exhibit of the miscellaneous complexion of religion in a growing colo ny comes to us from the Otaga Evening Star of New Zealand. As it purports to be an accurate copy of a recent census, we venture to give it in detail: Church of England, 14,543; Roman Catholic Church, ti,485 5 Church of Scot land, Free Church of Scotland, Presby terian Church of Otago and Southland, and other Presbyterians, 27,611; Wes leyan Methodists, 2,505; Primitive Meth odists, 11; Methodists, 98; Christian Methodists, 3 ; Calvinistic Methodists, 3; Congregational Independents, 944; Bap tists, 1,213}; Christian Baptists, 7 ; So ciety of Friends, 14; Moravians, 11; Christians) 203; Christian Brethren, 75; Christian Disciples, 73; Bible Christians, 16; Protestant Christians, 1; Christian Israelites, 10; Unsectarian Christian, i; Christian Church, 2; Christians of no denomination, 8; Church of Christ, 255; Christadelphian, 45; Disciples of Christ, 8: Church of God, 6; Delphian Breth ren, 1; Christ, 1; Worship God, 2; Re ligion of the Bible, 1; Evangelical Union,* 10; Nonconformists, 10; Evangelists, 15.; Brethren, 16; Plymouth Brethren, 22; Dissenters, 33; Calvinists, 9; Lu therans, 445; New Church, 1; Antipes, 12; Religion of Christ, 8; Followers of the Lord, 1; Believers in the truth of the Bible, 1; The Proper Religion, 5; Os no denomination, but to believe in the Bible, 1; No denomination, 11; Belonging to no sect, 1; None of man’s inventions up till this date, 1; Orthodox, 3 ; Promiscu ous, 2; Not determined, 4; Predestinist, 1; Ge’hool, 1; P. R., 1; The Christian denomination as found in Scripture, and Worship God in my house, 5; Any, 1; Colonist, 1; Latest Saint, 1; Progressive, 1; Uncertain, 1; It is not intended to bring them up in connection with any de nomination, 4; Novist, 1; Unitarians, 36; Mormons, 6; Sandemanian, 1; Ran* ters, 4; Universalists, 5; Swodenborgian, 21; Secularist, 5; Irvingite, 1; Glassite, 1; Spiritualists, 6; Evangelical Alliance of Germany, 1; Greek Church, 8 ; “Pro testants,” denomination not specified, 1,053; Mussulman, 1; Hebrews, 288 ; Pagans, Chinese Confucian, 2,666; Free Thinkers, 14; None, 16 ; Atheists, 2 ; Arian, 1; Natural Religion, 2; Nothing, 1; Heathen, 1; Latitudinarian, 1; Not stated or not known, 184; “Objects,” 1,529. Total, 60,575. — Ohr. Union. Into Thy Hands, my God. Into thy hands, my God, I gladly fall, Resigning there my life, my will, my all; Do aa Thou wilt, O Lord, for I am Thine; Whatever Thy blest will is also mine. Into Thy hands, my God; for there, at length, Through my poor weaknes shall I find my strength ; Thy grace shall triumph over all my sin, Aud Christ’s dear blood shall make me pure within. Into Thy hands, my God—those hands of love, Which sweetly reached and drew me from above; Those hands which countless daily mercies give, Those hands by which I every moment live. luto Thy hands, my God— my Father’s hands ; Near them a living Saviour pleading stands. O, love 1 He pleads for me -ho w can I fear With such a Father, such a Saviour, near? In Thy dear hands, my God, there let me rest; Send pain or sickness if Thou seest best: Do as Thou wilt—Thy love I cannot doubt, j For perfect love casts fear and sadness out. Safe iu Thy hands, my God, a little child, I look to Thee through Jesus reconciled : I dare, for His dear sake, to call Thee mine ; For this sweet bliss I would all else resign. Into Thy hands, my God, I cast my will; Bid every murmuring, restless thought be still; My only wish, while on the narrow road. Tranquil to lie in Thy dear hands, my God. —Julia B. Cady. Withstand Temptation. Let us not be tempted by the wicked bands; “ For ye are the light of the world, as a city set upon a hill.” Our walk should be such as becometh Chris tians. The Lamb who suffered and died on the cross, that we might be redeemed from death, is constantly petitioning at the Throne of Merejf for' the fallen race, and has adorned some of us with the beau tiful mantle worn by Himself when upon earth. Now, my brethren and sisters, will you cast it aside for the bands of the wicked, who will spare neither body nor soul ? Satan works various ways to tempt us to evil; he is delighted with his grog shops, his ball-room3, his billiard saloons, his circusses, —all these to seduce man and lead him to ruin. But a few days ago, a circus passed through our village. All was bustle and excitement. “ Are you going to the circus?” was on the lips of every one. When a son of a Baptist lady, a Christian, inquired of his.mother if he could go —her walk being good, she possessing that Divine love which becom eth a follower of Christ—said she, “ My son, I would not go; it is wrong to pa tronize Satan’s works.” He had business, however, in the village, and when he saw the large crowd marching up to the show, —some Baptists among them, and profes sors of other denominations, —he could not resist the temptation. As soon as the ex citement was over, he began to reflect how wrong it was, and seemed penitent, on reaching home iu the evening, some three miles. His kind mother, seeing the change in his countenance, inquired of him if he attended the show? “Yes,” said he, “ mother; you cannot expect a little fool like myself to resist such temptations, when young and old went, and even mem bers of your church.” Oh ! my friends, can this be true? Will you be led away by the wicked bands ? “ Let your light so shine that others, seeing your good works, may be constrained to glorify your Father which is in heaven.” If there is light in you, my friends, do but draw a contrast between the holy sanctuary and these wicked places, invented by the evil spirit. In one, we behold the saints on the bended knee imploring His divine aid on suffering humanity ; and in the others, Sa tan’s institutions, we witness, all wicked ness or vice that can emanate from fallen man. Oh, how mortifying it is to the Christian to see his friend, his neighbor, choose death and woe, rather than life and beauty. Let our prayers be continued for the conversion of souls, until His name may be proclaimed throughout the earth ; “ when every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall confess me.” * * * "He Made the Stars Also.” Dr. Nehemiah Adams preached one of his characteristic, delightful discourses, says the Boston Traveller , on Sunday morning, to an overflowing congregation, in the Columbus Avenue Congregational Church. His theme was, “He made the stars also.” It was not, as might be sup posed, an astronomical, but rather an an ti-astronomical discourse. To be sure, allusions were made to some of the as tounding facts illustrative of the wonders of the heavenly world, yet the central thought of the discourse was—the com parative unimportance of astronomical, and, in fact, all scientific and merely sec ular knowledge, when contrasted with the knowledge of God and of the way of salvation through Jesus Christ. In illustration of this, the speaker dwelt on the fact that God dismissed His great creative work of the stars in just five words; or, as it stands in the original, in three words; for the original reads, “And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light WHOLE NO. 2561. to rule the night —the stars also.” While man, and all that js adapted to teach him his true character, and his relations to God, and the way to be saved through God s co-equal Son—-these are essentially the burden of the Sacred Writings. All which goes to show that of all knowledge this is the chief, and in fact the only in dispensable knowledge for man—to know God, the true God, and Jesus Christ whom He hath sent, whom to know aright is eternal life. Before this knowledge, all other knowledge pales, as do the street lights before the rising sun. Do You Snow it? Do you know that the vows of God are upon you ? Do you know that the worth of life is in the good we do ? Do you know that some one is following your example ? Do you know that your piety may un consciously decline ? Do you know that you need the prayer meeting ? Do you know that the prayer meeting needs you ? Do you know that you can slight the Lord's supper ? Do you know that Christ enjoins secret prayer ? Do you know that all your property belongs to God ? Do you know that you forfeit your hope by indolence ? Do you know that your Sunday vacant seat looks bad ? Do you know that if backslidden, Jesus will forgive you ? — Mac. and Rec. Living on a Promise. A lady gives the following statement: “ I went, just before Christmas, to see a young friend who, although surrounded by all the luxuries which wealth can give, was languishing with disease. As words were spoken, of the beautiful gifts which devoted friends were expecting to make to her, she said, with great earnestness: ‘ There is only one thing which I want; if I have that, I shall care for nothing else.’ ‘ What is that gift for which you long ?’ I inquired. She said : ‘ I want my father to give me a promise that he will take me South: then I shall escape the cold, and I know I shall get well. 0, how I should live on that promise ! The hours and the days would pass so quickly I should forget all my weariness and pain.' I thought, dear girl, your father may give you his promise, and not be able to keep it; he may be snatched away by death, or riches may take to themselves wings and fly away. But you could £ live on your father’s promiseand how unwilling I am to live on the words of promise whioh my Father in heaven gives. He whose word cannot be broken, whose promise cannot fail! Then came to mind the sweet words of Dr. Homilton, written many years ago : ‘ One single promise of Jesus Christ accredited in the heart, unites the soul to God. The graft Jias taken , and the soul abides as a brarich in the vine.’ ” The Best Argument. Rev. E. A. Taft, of Cleveland, 0., writes something very much to the pur pose to the Journal and Messenger. The argument he suggests is none the worse for the fact that it is a powerful aid to any religious sentiments, it being certain that no religious opinions will benefit any one without it. I find the best argument for Baptist principles, or indeed for any other, is love. I may preach baptism till I’m gray, with a cold, fussy, fathionablc church, and it will accomplish nothing. But with a church full of good, loyal brethren and sisters, or big, warm hearts, I don’t need to preach on baptism at all. Their very spirit and presence give the ordinance a tremendous power. The beauty and significance of baptism, I find, are intensified amazingly by the spirit of holiness and love in a church. When a boy, my pastor was al ways harping on baptism and communion ; but the church was so cold and stupid that the truth repelled rather than otherwise. Nothing was gained, though the field was ripe. Scarcely a Pedobaptist ever united with that church, although multitudes at tended, it being the only church in that place. Love, in religion, will always do more than any form of truth without love. Couple love and zeal with the truth, which we, as Baptists, build upon, and our prin ciples will prove irresistible. Tell the pastors of Ohio to preach more love to their people. We must not let strangers come and go in our churches un noticed. Give them a warm grip of the hand and they’ll come again, and it will not be long before you will hear them asking, “ See, here is water: what doth hinder me to bo baptized ?” “ And now abideth faith, hope, oharity —these three ; but the greatest of these is charity (love.”) What is a High Churchman ?—The Protestant Churchman , an organ of the Low Church, says: “ All High Church men unchurch other denominations, and that is the reason why they are called Churchmen. They believe that there is no ministry which is not Episcopal, including the Romish,) unless it have an Episcopal ministry, which they habitually call a “priesthood.’ The sacraments can be lawfully administered by this priesthood only. Still more do they magnify the of fice and order of Bishops. With High Churchmen, bishops are the source and fountain of all power, and privilege in the church, and they wish to clothe them with arbitrary authority, including a spiritual despotism in America. The pretensions of High Church bishops are scarcely infe rior to those of the Romish church. Then the church is exalted to an equality with the Bible, and the sacraments made the principal channel of grace. Now, note these differences. One party laudß the Bible, the other the church; one aims to increase, the other to lessen the power of bishops; one makes the minister a priest, the other denies he is a priest; one in cites men to the sacraments, the other to Christ ; one preaches continually the church, the other the gospel; one un churches the other denominations, the other does not; one believes that all the infants are regenerated by the Holy Spirit in baptism, the other does not.”