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166
Kudouul Jfajrtwt
J. J. TOON, ... - Proprietor.
PUBLICATION ROOMS —4 & 6 SOUTH BROADWAY.
Editor: Rev. D. SHAVEB, D.D.
CORRESPONDING EDITORS:
Rev. J. J. D. RENFROE, TaMadega, Ala.
Rev. S. HENDERSON. DU., Jacksonville, Ala.
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 1871.
Foreign Missions.
After an existence of three score years, the
Cumberland Presbyterian church decided,
through its General Assembly, the past sum
mer, to embark for the first time in the work
of foreign missions. The same question has
been agitated in the Methodist Protestant
Church, now of more than forty years’ stand
ing, though with no practical result as yet.
In both denominations, the opinion has been
expressed by thoughtful men, thatT labor in
this great cause is a necessity, if not to true,
at least to prosperous churchship. They have
held that the persistent refusal of the broth
erhood to engage in it, would be the signing
of the death-warrant of their separate organi
zations.
We commend these facts and these senti
ments to such of our brethren as are aware of
an abated interest, on their part, in foreign
mission work—and more especially to such
'jas have kept back their offerings from the
treasury of the Lord in this behalf, pleading,
in justification of their course, the pressure of
impoverishment through the war. When
others are awaking to see the sacred obli
gation and vital importance of effort for the
diffusion of the gospel in quarters of the
earth now unblessed with its light, shall we
“let slip” our old sense of these things?
When they are taking forward steps in this
matter, shall we tread a single step back
ward ? Is not the work of evangelization
abroad necessary to prosperous churchship,
and can we neglect it without loss? Nay, is
it not necessary to true churchship, and is
there no suicidal sin in its neglect?
We hope to see more work, more zeal and
prayer and liberality, in this department,
rather than less. We do not want the
churches to fall behind the point reached be
fore the war, but to press beyond it, and
leave it far in the distance. We earnestly
desire a unanimous, energetic and persevering
endeavor to preserve the denomination from
the reproach which has fallen upon the Epis
copal Cnurch, according to one of its own
ministers, who, in a letter to Bishop Whit
tingham, points to the constant feebleness
and inefficiency of its foreign missions, as
proof that it is “ a selfish, self-concentrated
church.” Oh, let the cry of our hearts, sec
onded by contribution and by toil, be— the
world for Christ !
Life not too short for Probation.
We discussed, in part, last week, the ar
gument of Scepticism, releasing man irom
responsibility to God, on the ground that his
earthly life is too brief to be followed,
righteously, by eternal rewards or eternal
punishments. Our explanations and replies,
we know, are far from exhausting the subject.
But, if we mistake not, they are sufficient to
break the force of the sceptical argument —
sufficient for that purpose, even in view of
the fact that comparatively few of our race
live out their three score years and ten. We
wish, however, to add a few words in connec
tion with this fact,
Mere length of time is the least of all the
circumstances which determine whether the
issue of probation shall be for or against us.
There is incidental—many think, satisfactory
—reason to believe, that the very longest
liver, by whom our globe was ever trodden,
perished in his sins. If thirty-one years had
been added to the age of Methuselah, his life
would have spread over the lapse of full ten
centuries. He walked the earth when Noah
was styled the only righteous man. And
when we consult Scripture chronology, we
find that the year of his death was the year
of the flood. The conclusion, if not necessa
rily, is at least fairly, drawn, that he was
swallowed up in “that wild wastß of wa
ters;” as a hardened transgressor. Here,
then, was probation about fourteen times as
long as the three score years and ten allotted
to man now—but probation followed by
perdition.
Turn now to the case of Phoebe Bartlett,
a little girl scarcely more than four years old>
of whose religious experience the elder Ed*,
wards gives account in his work on “Revi
vals.” If she had been in a congregation of
ours, as described on his pages, we would
have baptized her, on profession of faith, as
a genuine believer in our Lord Jesus Christ
—baptized her as cheerfully and hopefully,
as ever we “ buried ” any one “ in the liquid
grave.” Had she died at the time to which
Edwards refers, there would have been pro
batiun more than seventeen times as short as
the three score years and ten now allotted to
man—nay, exclusive of her earlier infancy,
probation sixty-five times shorter —and yet
probation followed by eternal glory.
These two contrasted examples show, of
how little importance mere length of time is,
in this question. It is a question, not of time,
but of character. Days, hours, moments,
bring eternal life to such as seek it: to such
as refuse this seeking, ages would not bring
it! It matters nothing, then, that the lives
of men are not only brief, but uncertain in
continuance and irregular in length. Those
whose probation is shortest, never lack suffi
cient space to work out their salvation—if,
through the aids of grace, they will correct
a sinful and form a holy character. And if
they reject the aids of grace and die in their
iniquity, unsaved, while divine justice con
demns them, divine equity will proportion
that condemnation according to the measure
of opportunity and privilege which they have
—not according to measures of privilege and
opportunity which are denied them.
To sum up. Though “we spend our years
as a tale that is told,” they constitute a s?ene
of probation for immortality. During their
progress, swift as we must confess it, we
form for ourselves, either that holy character
which shall inherit, through heirship with
Christ, the glories of an eternal reward, or
that sinful character which must endure
the horrors of an eternal punishment. Man’s
THE CHRISTIAN INDEX AND SOOTH-WESTERN BAPTIST: ATLANTA, GA., THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 1871.
lips cannot utter, man’s heart cannot conceive,
a more momentous truth than this. Oh,
when we take it home to our bosoms, how
solemnly and stirriDgly does the brevity of
life plead with us, that we disregard no ad
monition for its improvement—that we waste
and pervert none of its fleeting hours in “ re
plying against God ” —that we make the work
of salvation its chief, first, sole work ! Be this
the wisdom of reader and writer alike.
“ Calvinism.”
The New York Methodist expresses the
opinion that “ if any thing in the old theology
is superseded in modern religious thought, it
is Calvinism.” We altogether question the
correctness of this statement.
But the Central Baptist, St. Louis, has a
paragraph, referring probably to its own im
mediate field in the West, which, at first
blush, seems to indicate a drift there toward
the state of things alleged by the Methodist.
That paper says: “The majority of our min
isters, while they hold sound views in respect
to the church, the ministry and the ordi
nances, betray a tendency toward Arminian
ism which is not excelled by the warmest dis
ciples of Wesley.”
Perhaps, both of our cotem|>oraries have
misjudged this matter, through oversight of a
very obvious distinction. “ The doctrines of
grace” must not be confounded with the Six
teenth Century exposition and defence of
them. The metaphysics of that age, with
many of its lines of argument and much of its
terminology, may be modified, or even repu
diated, while these doctrines are still held, in
forms regarded (it may be, justly) as at once
more philosophical and more scriptural. The
system is # not cast off, as respects its essential
principles and its spirit, because of changes
in minor points of detail—in the exegesis of
particular passages, or in the dogmatic state
ment of particular propositions. Shall we
account a citadel abandoned, on the insuffi
cient ground that we find the outworks run
ning at altered angles ? Tne true “ form of
sound words,” is not that of the Reformers,
but that of the Apostles ; and may not those
who depart, in some things, from the former,
hold none the less—nay, for t!*at very reason,
hold all the more—to the latter ?
Much that is now-a-days deemed a renun
ciation of “ Calvinism,” by boastful foemen
and timid friends, admits of explanation on
the score of this suggestion. But there is much
that will not. And we grieve over it—grieve
especially at any inroads made by it among
Baptists. In large degree, the power of the
gospel is inseparably interwoven with “ the
doctrines of grace,” as embodied, doubtless
imperfectly, in the systems of Calvin and Au
gustine. Even Martineau, the Unitarian,
could say : “ When I would nerve up my
mind to thought, and gird myself for the
higher forms of toil, I must find my reading
among writers of Calvinistic tendencies.”
Where these doctrines are distinctly rejected,
we see, or think we see, the avenue opening
to grievous forms of error—an avenue in
which Henry Ward Beecher stands but mid
way, telling us gloomily that, as regards
“ the ultimate issues of the race,” “ all we can
do is to guess by the aid of dim analogies .”
What lies beyond, in that path, let the vaga
ries of a Frothingham and an Abbot testify.
Missions, Domestic and Foreign.
The Secretaries of the Domestic aud Fors
eign Mission Boards of the Southern Baptist
Convention have each made a short statement
of facts to the Baptists of the South, which
demands more than a mere passing notice.
The almost universal falling off of the crops in
the South—at least one-half—to say nothing
of other embarrassing considerations, is tell
ing most sadly,—we had almost written ap
pallingly,—on the receipts of these Boards.
In regard to the Domestic Board, the matter
is narrowed down to this : A large number of
its missionaries will have to be dismissed un
paid, and their fields abandoned, or the
treasury must be replenished at once. This
is the whole situation in a nut-shell, and
we wish our brethren to realize it. Can we
afford to abandon the fields we now occupy,
retreat from the contest, and acknowledge in
shame that we began a work without counting
up the cost ? Are the Baptists of the South
so poor, eveu with the prospect of less than
half a crop this year, that they cannot afford
to pay this Board an average of ten cents
apiece! Why, even this pitiful sum would
aggregate between sixty and seventy thou
sand dollars a year—double the present re
ceipts of the Board. And would it not al
most insult any Baptist to ask him for this
little pittance for Domestic missions ?
Nor is the Foreign Board in any better
condition. So far from being able to send
out additional laborers to strengthen our for
eign stations, they are falling behind with the
few already in the field. Two or three have
already been accepted by that Board, whose
movements are altogether conditioned upon
the receipts of the Board for the next few
months. And has the history of the world,
for the last thousand years, ever presented
such a great “ moral opportunity” as now in
vites the co-operation of the Christian world ?
The fields are literally “ white unto the har
vest.” Doubtless for a very wise and gra
cious purpose, the very maximum of moral
obligation finds us of the South at the min
imum of ability to meet it. But shall we
therefore do nothing? Shall we say, as the
faithless disciples said of “ the five loaves and
the few little fishes,” in feeding the five thou
sand, “ What are these among so many ?”
No! Let us do as Christ commanded these
disciples—let us place our meagre means at
the disposal of this same Master, and depend
upon Him to multiply them to the full de
mands of the occasion. That He can do it,
it would be impious to doubt; that He will
do it, we are authorized to believe, if we but
exhaust our ability—if we but “ bring all the
tithes into the storehouse and prove Him and
try Him.”
And here we might pause, and let these
stubborn facts speak to our denomination;
but they present an opportunity to say a few
words upon the importance of adopting some
system in our contributions, which will pre
vent a recurrence of similar embarrassments.
As to what system it is best to adopt, we do
not say. Any system is better than no sys
tem. The divine plan is weekly contribu
tions. “Upon the first day of the week, let
every one of you lay by him in store, as God
hath prospered him, that there be no gather
ing when I come.” Here we have —Ist, the
day on which these contributions were to be
made —“ the first day of the week”—the
Lord’s day; 2ndly, the extent of the obliga
tion—“every one of you.” No one is ex
empt. The obligation is co-extensive with
the membership of the churches. It is a ser
vice which a Christian has no more moral
right to evade than he has to evade the duty
of worshipping God; indeed, it is a part of
divine worship—as much so as prayer, praise,
preaching, etc. 3rd, The rule of this divine
assessment—“ as God has prospered him.”
Whenever God ceases to give good gilts—
whenever the Christian can truthfully say
that what he has, he has procured by his own
skill and industry, irrespective of God, then,
and not till then, is he exempt. But the main
point on which we wish to insist, is, that con
tributions should be made regularly, periodi
cally. Let there be set times to perform
this duty, whether weekly, monthly, quar
terly, or even annually ; for, if we could only
realize a contribution once a year from every
church, and from every member of every
church, this would be a vast impiovement
upon our present policy. Is it, or is it not,
possible so to interest our pastors and
churches in this cause as to take up collec
tions, say quarterly, and give every member
at least the opportunity of contributing some
thing, be it ever so little, to each Board of
the S. B. Convention ? If we could get but
an average of ten cents from each member
for each of our Boards, that would aggregate
about twenty thousand dollars a year from
Alabama alone. We are persuaded this
could be done just as easily as to make the
effort. Shall it be done ? H.
Acts Yiii: 5.
We do not wish to meddle in other men’s
matters. The recent development of the de
fection of the pastor of the Second Baptist
church, in Richmond, did not disturb our
sensibilities in the least. We were satisfied
before, that there do exist among Baptists
some such cases, and we would only be glad
that the real sentiments of all such should be
allowed to transpire. Nor have we sympa
thized with any of the animadversions we
have seen on the course of any of our breth
ren in Richmond, in regard to this matter;
for while we were surprised that any able
and sound Baptist minister should have been
disposed to advise that church to retain its
pastor, we have been satisfied that the cir
cumstances were such as to make the case a
delicate and trying one; yet, with such of
the facts before us as we have seen, we feel
that the church pursued the only course that
could have been expected of an intelligent
and sound church.
We have been deeply interested" in Dr.
Jeter’s management of the discussion which
grew out of this case, between himself and
the Presbyterian and Methodist papers. But
this discussion has evolved one item which
surprised us as much as the question which
brought it out did Dr. Jeter. He expresses
surprise that these Pedobaptist editors should
have raised the question about inviting men
to preach for him with whom he would re
fuse to commune at the Lord’s table. Wo
were aware of his views on this subject, and
we do not write for the purpose of discussing
“ the pulpit question.” But the thing which
surprises us, is the repeated allusion of the
Herald, in justification of its views, to Acts
viii: 4. “ Therefore, they that were scat
tered abroad, went everywhere preaching the
word.” The Herald would prove by this,
that preaching is an un official business ; —the
unofficial scattered disciples —men and wo
men—preached the word, and, therefore, we
are justified in calling on any pious Pedo
baptist to preach for us. Now, for the relief
of this passage of Scripture, we would re
spectfully invite Dr. Jeter’s attention to two
facts.
1. These scattered disciples were all bap
tized. They were members of “ the church
which was in Jerusalem,” and hence, if it
could be shown that they all publicly pro
claimed the tidings of salvation, we do not
see how this can, without violence to the pas
sage, boused as an argument to justify us in
calling on a man to preach, who not only re
fuses to put on Christ by baptism, but sub
verts the ordinances of the gospel, and sup
plants the church of Christ.
2. But, then, we ask Dr. Jeter if it is not
true that the word translated “ preaching,”
in this passage, is a very different word from
that usually employed by the inspired wri
ters to denote preaching? Is it not a differ
ent word from that used in the next verse,
with a widely different meaning ? Dr. Al
bert Barnes says, “It is not the usual word
which is rendered preach, but means simply
announcing the good news of salvation. . . .
The meaning is, that they communicated to
their fellow men, in conversation, wherever
they met them.” Whereas, of the next verse
he says, “ The word translated preach, here,
is not that which is used in the previous verse.
This denotes to proclaim as a crier, and is
commonly employed to denote the preaching
of the gospel, so called.” Now, it is not
easy for us to understand how the social com
munications and private conversations of
these baptized believers, can justify us in call
ing on an unbaptized man to “proclaim as a
crier,” to take a public position before the
the assembled church of God as a preacher.
We believe in lay preaching by the mem
bers of what Dr. Jeter would style a regular
church of Christ, so much so that we would
urge every brother who has sense and piety,
to speak publicly the good news of salvation,
as occasions may offer. Yea, we go further,
and would rejoice to have every converted
man and woman communicate, in social life,
the news of life eternal. But we understand
Bro. Jeter to hold that there is such a thing
as official preaching. But when and where,
he does not tell us. See that ordained min
ister, Sabbath, at 11 o’clock, surrounded by
a church of Christ and before a congregation
of sinners, proclaiming the doctrines and du
ties of the Christian religion. Is this official
work ? But, having gone to the house of
God for this work, suppose he discover in his
congregation a pious Pedobaptist preacher,
and conclude to invite him to take his place;
does it now become unofficial ? There are lay
men in his own church, it may be, and Pedo
baptist laymen present too, who understand
the Scriptures. They are pious, and equally
gifted in public speech. Why does he not
select one of
er ? Is it noVJbpcause of his claimed official
position? And now, all this is assumed to
be proper, because the men and women scat
tered from Jerusalem went abroad and talked
about Jesus arid their religion ! It would be
equally correct to assume that, because Mary
and Martha talked to each other as they went
to the Saviour’l grave, and the two disciples
of Emmaus cqnamuned together as they left
that grave, thejPefore we ought to invite Pe
dobaptist preaibers to preach in our churches.
We see frequent allusions to this subject
by editors in terms which
indicate that they suppose that nothing can
be said in regard to it by those who differ
from them, worth considering ; whereas, we
have seen no man start out on Dr. Jeter’s
side of the question, who did not walk on
lame legs—“ the logic of motion ” was all
lost.
We do not expect to say much on this sub
ject, and we alone are responsible for the
above. „ R.
An Astounding Contradiction.
The Western and Pittsburg Christian Ad
vocates maintafn, that, on the subject of the
Episcopacy, there is, among Methodists, a
contradiction .between theory and practice.
In practice, the ordination of bishops assumes
that they constitute a third order of the min
istry, superior^to presbyters ; in theory, min
isterial parity is affirmed, and presbyters are
regarded as exposing the one only scriptu
ral order. Tftis is a strange thing for official
expositors of Methodism to say of it. Could
worse be its open foes? Rev. Dr.
Whedon, of the Methodist Quarterly >
characterizesjtfyn the inc'sive style following:
“If there JvLauch a contradiction,"it is cer
tainly a very serious one. Os the two sides
of a contradiction, one side must be false, and
here it seems the falsehood lies in the ordina
tion. So that we have a streak of falsehood
in our system, running from John Wesley to
the present hour. Mr. Wesley was the au
thor of it ordination of Coke ! Now, a
falsehood so wilfully and clearly persisted in
must be a and a lie solemnly invoking,
as our ordination does, the presence and no
tice of Almighty God, must be perjury; and
perjury flagrantly performed in a sacred rite,
must be nothing less than sacrilege.”
Dr. Whedon deems it “ a libel and a blot
upon the whole scroll of the radiant saint
ship” of Methodism, to allege that “ the
church has carried this sacrilegious lie in her
right hand from her birth.” To borrow his
language, we should like to see the “logical
putty” which the Advocates will employ, “to
stop up the yawning crack” pointed out by
his finger.
Hephzlbab Association.
We spent a-lew days most pleasantly, in
attendance on the recent session of this body,
at Hopeful church, Burke county, Ga., where
we met an unusnally large and able delega
tion. Rev. W. H. Davis was elected Mod
erator; Rev. M. P. Cain, Clerk, and H. H.
Hickman, Esq., Treasurer. During the year
SBOO, less $79.30, had been contributed by
the churches to meet the salary of Rev. W.
M. Verdery, Evangelist. Nine churches re
ported no baptisms ; the remaining twenty
three reported 226. The Introductory ser
mon was preash#d, on Friday, by Bro. Ver
dsry, iRz Saturday,
by Rev. W. L. Kilpatrick, and the Missionary
sermon, on Sabbath, by Rev. Dr. Dixon of
Augusta. We were especially struck with
the clear, evangelical and eloquent exhibition,
by the latter, of the death of Christ as “ ex
piatory,” and of the recognition of this qual
ity as a necessary element of saving faith.
For means of conveyance to the Associa
tion, we tender our thanks to the gifted and
genial bishop Os the First church, Augusta;
for hospitable entertainment, to brethren B.
E. Fryer and J. S. Key, of Hephzibah ; for
brotherly kindness, to all with whom w T e
were brought into an intercourse which was
much too brief for our desire.
A Sad Example. —Thera are many queer
people in the world—and in the churches,
too. The Pennsylvania organ of another de
nomination mentions ‘ a preacher, for whom
one of his brethren worked, and never heard
him pray in his family, or even a?k a bless
ing at his table.’ How would any of our
readers like to have such a pastor? The idea
of a minister so palpably prayerless, is
shocking. How much better is it for private
members of the church, who are heads of
households, to live through months and years
in just such prayerlessness ? Have they no
reason to go to God, day by day, for their
children and with their children ? Is prayer
a ministerial duty only, and not a duty of all
Christians ?
Inside and OJutside. —* On a recent occa
sion, the Fifth Avenue, New
York, presented strange contrast of wor
ship within and work without. On the inside,it
was the Jewish Sabbath; on the outside, the
Gentile Saturday!’ But may not the eye of
God often detect a contrast far more sad in
our Christiau assemblies? May He not see
worship without—in our looks, our posture,
our words; and work within—in thoughts
busied with earthly callings ? May it not be
as He judges, Sabbath on our outside, and
Saturday or Monday on our inside? Oh,
for grace to bring our hearts to Him, as often
as our bodies enter His house !
A Sectarian Invention. —A story goes
the round of the papers, to the effect that two
“ college chums” entered the ministry—one
among Episcopalians, the other among Bap
tists. A visit brought them together in later
years, when the Baptist expressed his regret
that he could not welcome his nnbaplized
friend to the Lord’s supper, and the Episco
palian professed his inability to receive the
Lord’s supper from his unordained friend.
According to the story, the Episcopal actor
in this scene was, a few weeks ago, at Sarato
ga, “ a young clergyman,” and “ smart.” He
must be “ smart” beyond parallel, to have
kept himself “ young” through the thirty
years, or thereabouts, which have elapsed
since we first read the anecdote! A religious
journal greatly exercised over “ Baptist ex
clusiveness and Episcopal assumption,” says:
“ The occurrence of cases of this sort opens
many eyes and sets careless minds to think
ing.” Now, when the story is an old one,
vamped with new surroundings to give it cur
rency in the gossip of the season, may we not
hope that some careless minds may be set to
thinking and at least a few eyes opened by
this fabrication of apocryphal cases “ to point
a sectarian “ moral
A Mission at Home. —Rev. H. F. Buchan
an, the recent pastor of the Third Baptist
church, Atlanta, has been appointed, by the
Executive Committee of the Stone Mountain
Association, a missionary within its bounds,
at a salary of S6OO a year. His church here
enjoyed a marked degree of prosperity under
his ministrations, and we indulge the hope
that his new field will prove no less fruitful.
Conscience and Theology. —A Universal
ist paper confesses a tendency in that denomi
nation, to return to “ the Orthodox dogma,
that sin does not perish with the body, and
that there is punishment after death.” Con
science is an important factor in theology, and
often compels men to “ build again what” of
sterner scriptural truth “they destroyed,”
when the voice of this inner witness for law
and against sin was forced, for the time, into
silence. Happy they, to whom its awaken
ing comes before the day of mercy and hope
is overpassed.
Who are they? —“The Primitive Baptist
is rejoicing because Elder Blalock, and six
other preachers, and private members in pro
portion, of Buttahatchie Association, Ga.,
have turned Osbournites.” Can any of our
readers in this State put us in possession of
the facts underlying the statement of the
Baptist? Nothing of the sort has come to
our ears.
Colored Ministers’ Institute. —The In
stitute for Colored Baptist Ministers in this
State, under the management of Rev. E. W.
Warren, will open, at Milledgeville, Tuesday,
Nov. 14th, and continue through four weeks.
This notice will be communicated by our
readers, we hope, to the Colored Ministers in
their vicinity.
Not Knowing Enough. —A correspondent
of our Kentucky Baptist contemporary men
tions a Methodist Presiding Elder, who avows
the belief that “ infants exercise faith in the
Redeemer of sinners long before they are
able to talk.” There can be no question that
he has “ optics sharp.” But what a pity that,
after seeing so much, he should inopportune
ly close them ! Let him look ugain, and he
will see that these same infants desire im
mersion as the only scriptural baptism, and
that their outcry when sprinkled is simply a
protest against subjection to an unauthorized
human ceremony in lieu of a divine ordin
ance ! The Elder ought to pursue his re
searches with candid thoroughness, or culti
vate in one language the art which Von
Moltke is said to have acquired in eight—the
art of holding his tongue.
Items. —Rev. W. W. Keep becomes asso
ciate editor and general agent of the Mem
phis Baptist. We welcome him to the fra
ternity. Waco University has conferred
the Doctorate of Divinity on Rev. A. C.
Caperton, junior editor of the Western Re
corder, Louisville.—The Texas Baptist Her
ald announces the death, (through the taking
of a powerful opiate administered by mistake
of the physician,) of Rev. Wm. Manning,
aged 74, a native of Madison county, Ga.,
and a minister in this State for ten years, in
Alabama for eleven, in Mississippi for fifteen,
and since 1860 in Louisiana and Texas.
A Situation Wanted. —An educated min
ister desires the pastorate of one or two
churches, which would support him and ena
ble him to devote his whole time to that
work. In the event of a failure to secure such
a position, he would be pleased to be con
nected, as teacher, with some established in
stitution of high order. We will take much
satisfaction in putting parties who wish to fill
a vacancy of either kind, in correspondence
with this estimable brother.
Library for Sale. —We call attention to
the advertiseement of a Library for sale, by
one of our aged and most valued ministers.
It is to be regretted that the necessity exists
for such a step on the part of Dr. Baker ; but
if the thing must be done, might not friends
of Mercer High School, Penfield, Ga., or of
the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary,
S. C., wisely make the purchase for the li
brary of the one or the other of these Institu
tions? We second his suggestion to this
effect, and urge that it be looked into.
Ford’s Christian Repository. —The issue
of the Repository for October, the fourth of
the new seiies, brings its usual variety of at
tractive matter. We were especially pleased
to note that the pen of Rev. L. W. Seeley,
D.D., has been laid under contribution to
enrich its pages. While we differ widely with
Dr. S. on various points, (on some, too, in
the article on “ Biblical Anthropology” be
fore us,) we hold him among our most thor
ough scholars, profoundest thinkers and best
scholars. He has written for the public eye ?
far less than is meet in a man so great in gifts
and acquirements. The Repository is pub
lished at St. Louis, giving eighty pages of
original matter monthly for $2.50 per an
num.
“The Seymours.” —The National Temper
ance Society and Publication House, New
York, has brought out, in handsome style, a
touching story of 231 pages, with this title,
from the author of “ The Climbers,” “ Paul
Vernier,” “Jonas Clare,” etc. How Strong
Drink drags its victims down to beggary and
shame, the more bitter and dire because the
pare, cultured womanhood of the wife and
daughter must share it, is forcibly illustrated
by this narrative. Alas, that there are many
thousand such scenes in real life ! Alas, alas,
that Christian men are doing so much less
than their full duty to arrest this state of
things !
The New Snnbnry Association.
This body held its last session with the
Macedonia Church, at No. 2, A. &. G. R. R.,
Ga., commencing October 14. Introductory
sermon was preached by Rev. W. O. Dar3ey,
of the West Baptist Church, Savannah, who
had been appointed to that duty at the pre«
vious session. The organization was effected
by the election of Rev. F. R. Sweat, Mode
rator, and the re-election of Rev. D. G. Dan
iel, Clerk. Every church belonging to the
Association was represented. Rev. F. R.
Sweat preached the Missionary Sermon on Sab
bath. The claims of the Sunday School Board
were presented by Rev. D. G. Daniel, and |
Rev. W. O. Darsey presented the claims of
the Index and Baptist. The session was ex
ceedingly interesting. The most important
subject was “ home missions,” about which
several speeches were made. The church
letters showed that quite a number of bap
tisms had occurred during the past Associa
tional year. Two newlyconstituted churches
petitioned, and were received into the Associ
ation at this session. The business of the
Association was disposed of with the greatest
harmony. Entire harmony, and the very
be3t of Christian love and good feeling,
marked the entire session of the body ; and
as the parting hand was given, and the fare
well tear shed, it was with the hope that we
should all meet again on the “ shining shore.”
Visitor.
A Letter from Memphis.
I write you for the first time from my
Western home, beside the “ father of waters.”
As I am but anew man in this busy young
city, it is prudent to be careful as to rpinions
formed on a limited observation. I can say,
however, that my impressions are favorable,
both as to the city and as to the church ove.r
which the Master has made me pa-tor. The
city is growing; full of business enterprise;
a great commercial and moral centre. The
church is an intelligent, warm hearted, united
and working band of Christians. Most cor
dially and encouragingly have they received
their new pastor and his family. We have
been here but three weeks. On the first Sun
day, on entering the Sunday school, I noticed
over the arch above the superintendent’s
stand, in large letters, and wreathed in ever
greens, the words, “ Welcome to our pastor !”
I was told that this was the work of the chil
dren. If we can have the love of the chil
dren, there is a good prospect of usefulness.
After those very sad scenes of adieus in my
former pastorate, and the weariness of travel,
this little incident touched my heart, and gave
me courage for the day’s labors.
Last Sunday was one of the gloomiest pos
sible in the natural world. It rained all day
—a day to test the character of the Sunday
school and congregation, as to attendance un
der discouragements. It gratified me to find
that the attendance was sufficient for pursuing
the regular course of services for the day.
The present week includes the annunl fair
of Shelby county, and our people have been
much occupied with its attractions. I was
glad to find Mr. Nisbet, of Macon, Ga., among
the exhibitors. On the grounds, also, l saw
Rev. Wm. H. Robert, formerly of Atlanta,
now of Arkansas; Rev. A. D. Phillips, former
missionary to Africa, and Rev. S. Boykin,
editor of the C hild's Delight.
We have three white Baptist churches,
(and, I believe, four colored.) The First
church, in North Memphis, of which Dr.
Tichenor is pastor, (and who is also President
of the Sunday School Board ;) the Chelsea
1 church, of which my brother-in-law, Rev. Jos.
B. Butler, of Brownsville, is temporary pas
tor. In this church there has been for three
weeks a protracted meeting, resulting in good
to that community. Then, our church, the
Central, in South Memphis. 1 suppose the
entire membership of the three churches is
not over six hundred. What are these in a
population of siifty thousand ? The Presby
terians, Episcopalians and Methodists are far
ahead of us in numbers, and church edifices.
I learn that the non-church going population
is relatively large, and that all the vices of
fallen humanity are abundant, and fearful.
I have commenced a series of meetings to
be protracted indefinitely. The meetings this
week give promise of good.
Dr. Shaver has declined the secretaryship
of the Sunday School Board here, to which he
was so cordially invited. Bro. S. Boykin is
at present performing the duties of both edi
tor and Secretary. He hopes soon to be able
to supply the destitution in the fields of our
home missionaries, and as rapidly as possi
ble, the whole South. It is the purpose of
the Board to make their expenses as small as
possible, and to carry out strictly the express
ed wishes ot the Convention.
Dr. Graves is but little in the city. He is
engaged in travelling for the purpose of en
dowing the Southern Baptist Publication So
ciety. It is entirely disconnected with the
Sunday School Board, and indeed has no con
nection whatever with the Southern Baptist
Convention. It is a stock publishing com
pany. Bro. Keep, from Florida, once pastor
of the Beale street church, in this city, has
located among us, as assistant editor of the
Baptist. He makes a good beginning.
There is a pleasant town twenty miles be
low Memphis needing a pastor. I am re
quested to recommend some young man from
Georgia. The salary will be about one thou
sandjdollars. It is a fine field for a young
man of education and piety. If this should
meet the eye of a brother who feels moved to
come West, I should be glad to hear from
him. S. Landrum.
Memphis, Oct. 21, 1871.
Providence Association, Ala.
This body convened, in its recent annual
session, with the Broad Street Church of this
city. It comprises about twenty churches;
most of these are in Alabama, a few in Mis
sissippi. Elder Jos. Mitchell was their
Moderator, snd Elder A. B. Couch, Clerk.
In two respects at least, I think this is
about the best Association I ever saw. In
the first place, very few of the members are
speaking men, and to those who are blessed(?)
with the cacoethes loquendi, opportunities to
hold forth abound. In many of our Asso
ciations, on almost every question that
comes up, the struggle for the floor i3 so
terrific that it is almost impossible for one
to speak in peace; and if he dpes succeed >n
obtaining quiet possession of the floor—
free from the interruptions of those who
seem to think themselves born to raise
“ points of order”—he speaks to a preoccupied
audience ; for nearly every man whom he ad
dresses is thinking of the speech he himself
is going to make when the good brother fin
ishes. But in the Providence, the case is en
tirely different. Before every aspirant for
oratorical fame “an open door is set.” He
may speak as long and as loud as he pleases,
and there are none to molest him or make
him afraid. During the whole session one
brother rose to a point of order, and he was
quickly “squelched.”
But I said there were tioo respects in
which his Association excels. It is the
most liberal body of Christians I ever knew.
These non~speaking brethren seem to have
fallen upon the theory of him who said
that God has given us two hands and one
tongue, to teach us the lesson that we
should work twice as much as we talk.
The Association is composed, for the most
part, of churches in “ the piney woods,”
where, I need scarcely say, the people are
poor; yet, during the last two years, she has
sustained a missionary (Elder Jos. Mitchell)
within her own bounds, at a salary of SI2OO
per annum; and at the recent session, the
pledges from the churches were so large that
the body felt justified in raising brother M.’s
salary to SISOO, and putting another mission
ary, Elder S. Stephens, into the field, at a
salary of $750. One of the churches pledged
an amount equal to about $6 per member,
and another an amount equal to about $3.50
per member. These were the largest pledges,
but others were very liberal. Both the
churches alluded to are country churches,
without a rich member. And the charity of
these churches is not of the kind that stays at
home. Some of them have contributed to
foreign missions, and they will always do so
when the opportunity is afforded them. It is
with pleasure and pride that I record these
things; for Ido think that, in regard to this
matter of liberality (“ I speak as a man”) we
have “ whereof to glory.”
The reports from the churches were en
couraging. During the year the missionary,
brother Mitchell, baptized about one hundred
and twenty converts. The Association passed
a resolution to co operate with the Alabama
Convention, and appointed delegates to attend
its session at Montgomery. No visiting
brethren were present. They will come next
year. This will have informed the eagles
where the carcass is. A. B. W.
Mobile, Ala., October 17,1871.
Rev. J. J. D. Rcnfroc.
Without the knowledge of our Associate,
we transfer to our columns the following
merited tribute, which appears, editorially, in
the Western Recorder:
Elder J. J. D. Renfroe, pastor of the Bap
tist church, Talladega, Ala., and one of the
corresponding editors of the (Ga.) Index.
We have many dear friends whom we prize
highly; but none of them stand higher with
us than the brother whose name stands at
the head of this column. We are not accus
tomed to speak flatteringly of our brethren,
nor even to tell all the truth, when it would
be likely to puli' their vanity ; but as this
result is not likely to follow in the present
case, we will give the following simple nar
tive of facts, and leave them to speak for
themselves.
While the late war was raging, he left his
family and went to the “Army of Northern
Virginia” as Chaplain. On a visit to his
family, a very wealthy member of one of his
churches, spoke to him, in substance, as fol
lows : “lam distressed about the condition
of your family; aud I have been studying to
know' how I can benefit them and you. Af
ter much thought, I have fallen upon the fol
lowing plan by which you can make some
$75,000 to SIOO,OOO, within a very short
time, and thus place yourself above want.”
“What is that plan ?” inquired brother
Renfroe.
“There is a certain amount of salt ,” con
tinued brother T—, “at —. It can lie pur
chased now for so many thousand dollars, and
if you will store*it, and appoint some trusty
man to superintend the selling of it a few
months hence, I will furnish all the money,
and will require nothing but the restoration
to me of the same number of dollars.”
“ But suppose the Government should press
the salt, what then ?
“ It shall be my loss.”
“ Suppose a raiding party should capture
or destroy it, what then ?”
“The loss shall be mine.”
° Suppose it should be destroyed by fire?”
I will lose it.”
“Suppose the war should suddenly ter
minate, and the price of salt should fall?”
“ If any loss occurs from any source,” said
brother T—, “ I will sustain it.”
This took away the last pretext “on this
line;” but Elder li. was not long in finding
another, that, to him, was much stronger.
Said he, “The country is engaged in a life
and death struggle. The noble men are in
the field, having left their families to take
care of themselves, many of them, as best
they can. Salt is an article of prime neces
sity. And how could I' bear to have it said
that I took advantage of my countrymen’s
necessities in their absence from home, to make
a fortune by selling salt! Itjwould wound my
conscience much more than poverty does. I
must, therefore, be allowed to decline the
offer.” Here we find that salt which, if there
were enough of it, would save the world
from its putrefaction.
The Bowen Association.
Thi3 body has just closed its session (Oct.
10th,) with the Nochaway Church, at Bower’s
(now Hoygard’s) Mill, in Baker county. It
embraces churches from Early, Cclquitt,
Thomas, Baker, Decatur, Miller and Mitchell
counties; It is a young Association, and has
young officers; Elders Underwood and Curry
having been re elected, respectively, Modera
tor and Clerk. We hope it is a live Associ
ation. It has spent during the year about
eight hundred dollars on Missions within its
own bounds, besides giving to the Boards of
the Southern Baptist Convention some two
hundred dollars. Comparatively, this is doing
very well for the piney woods, but, after all,
we have done but little. God has blessed us
with a good country, and there is even wealth
among us. When mail facilities are increased
and the Index can be circulated, we hope for
better things. Most of our churches are new,
and we have but few ministers of the word.
The Sunday School Convention, which met
with the Association, showed an interest in
this department which is decidedly refresh
ing. There is scarcely a church in the body
without a school or Bible class, more or less
efficient. In this respect we could do a great
deal more if we had a Sunday School Mis
sionary who could visit all the churches.
Our own mission is managed by an execu
tive committee, composed of zealous and ju
dicious brethren. Brethren McFee and
James Parker have served us well as mis
sionaries, but they cannot reach half the field.
We want more laborers for this vineyard. 1
do not believe there is a more promising
field for intelligent ministerial labor this side
of Texas than within our bounds. It is true
we have no large towns, Bainbridge excepted,
but the section is a fertile one, and a growing
country. Churches are springing up every
where, and from all quarters the cry comes
for more pastors and evangelists who can
teach the people. It is gratifying, too, to see
a prevailing disposition to pay the laborers
when the pastors do their own duty and in
struct the churches according to the Scriptures.
We want preachers in the Bowen. Don’t
forget us, brethren, because we are away oft’
in a corner and you don’t hear from us often.
We are few in number, but we trust we are
about our Master’s business. We feel that
Ho is with us. We are united in doctrine
and enterprise. We love one another and
the precious souls of our fellow men. God
has blessed us with some cheering revivals.
Onward in the work of the Lord is our
watchword. Visit us and help us. Come
among us. Send us some pious and studious
young men. Oh, that the people and re
sources of Southern Georgia may be conse
crated to Jesus. J. L. U.
A Season of Refreshing'.
We have had a great meeting with Mount
Harmony Church. We are a young church.
We were constituted February 25th, this
year, with six members, two males and four
females. Our meeting commenced the sec
ond day of last month, and lasted seven days.
Itwas carried on by our beloved pastor, Wal
ter B. Smith, assisted by Rev. James Peek,
of this county, and Rev. A. B. Mitchell, i
do not think that I ever saw a better meeting
in my life. We had twenty-one additions t<>
our church—seventeen by experience, four by
letter. We have had twenty-four additions
to our church this year, and are still looking
for more. One man came forward and told
his experience that was sixty-five years old.
H. J. Hill.
Smyrna, Cobb Cos., Ga., October IC, IS7I.
Acknowledgements.—The following
amounts have been received in behalf of the
church I am supplying : Bro. Hillyer, of Car
tersville, $1 ; Dr. Cheney, $1 ; brethren at
Conyers, $5.90; J. Hall, $1; J. T. Hall, $1 ;
D. Keltner, $1 ; Mr. lieano, $1 ; Mr. Free
man, $1.50 ; J. Hatchett, $1 ; Solomon John
son, 50cents; cash, 50 cents; cash, 25 cents
—making a total of $15.65. We hope that
many more will follow the above example,
and soon we shall be able to say our church
debts are paid. H. A. Williams.