Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

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.