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CHRISTIAN INDEX AND SOUTH-WESTERN BAPTIST. VOI, 50—NO. 45. A Religious and Family Paper, POBLISHBD WRRKLT IS ATLANTA, OA., AT Three Dollars per Annum, Invariably in advance. J. J. TOON Proprietor Why do We not Regard other Denomina tions as Qospel Churches? An Essay by B. W. Whilden, read at the Ministers and Deacons’ Meeting bold at Marshallvilie, Oct. Wtb, and published by request of those present. We desire, on one point especially, to be understood at the outset. The ques tion is not, “ Why do we not regard mem bers of other religious denominations as Christians?” We do regard many of them as Christians. While onr views of church organization are such that we can not regard all religious denominations as churches, yet our views of the work of the Spirit are such, that we can regard many members of theso organizations, as “bom of God." Who are Christians, is one question; what denominations are Gospel churches, is another. That a member of one denomination may be as pious as a member of another, we freely admit; but that all denomina tions are equally good, and entitled to the name of gospel churches, we strongly deny. We may say that there is, on the part of one denomination, a nearer ap proach to a gospel church, than on the part of another table, and yet neither may be a gospel church. We may say of a piece of furniture, a table, for example, that it more nearly approaches to the form of a square than another, yet neither may be a square or a circle* That which is a square, is a square, and nothing else. That which is a circle, is a circle, and nothing else. So, that which is a church, is a church, nothing more, nothing less; and that which does not come up to the Scripture pattern, is not a church, it mat ters not how near its approach to this pat tern. Os course, just in proportion as we see an approach, on the part of a de nomination, towards the embracing of what we regard as truth, and towards the rejection of what we regard as error, in this proportion do we love this denomina tion. We love a regard for what we con sider gospel order, but we cannot call such a denomination a church, if, in our opin ion, it has either rejected the law of church organization, or if, practically, it has mis understood the nature of that law. We do not claim for the members of our denomination, perfection of Christian character. As far as the exhibition of the Christian character is concerned, we admit that there has been as good and consistent exhibition of it in other denom inations, as in our own ; but as far as visible organization is concerned, we be lieve that we have the truth, and that we are conformed to the Scripture model. The question, “u'hy do we not regard other denominations as gospel churches ?” of course carries with it an acknowledge ment of the opinion, that we do not so regard them. If we propose to discuss the question, “ why do we not regard sprinkling and pouring as baptism, the question itself bears on its face an ac knowledgment, that we think they are not baptism. We do not propose to go into the con sideration of the meaning of the word “ church," as found in the Bible. Suffi cient has been said on this subject by writers, and it is not necessary for us to consider i£, although we have the word in our query. We simply say that, by churches, in the query, we mean such or ganizations as those addressed by Paul, when he wrote to the church at Rome, at Corinth, and to the churches in Galatia. In reading the New Testament epistles, the natural impression is, that the churches addressed, were composed of those who had been baptized on a profession of faith. Without, for the present, saying anything concerning the mode of baptism, (accord ing to a common manner of expression,) we propose to show that other denomina tions are not composed of those who are baptized on a profession of faith. If our definition of a church is correct, that is, scriptural, it must be borne in mind, that, if it is regarded as exclusive , it is the Bible that makes it so, and not our denomina tion. Wo wish to cultivate all the chari ty that the Bible inculcates, but we would shun no legitimate consequence of any doctrine found in the Bible. If, there fore, a Bible definition excludes any de nominations from the right to be called gospel churches, those who take this defi nition, ought not to be regarded as wor thy of censure. We are not expected to stand upon a broader platform than what the Bible lays down, nor are we expected to embrace in our definitions of religious institutions, more than the Bible warrants. If churches, in apostolic times, were composed of believers baptized on a pro fession of faith, then those denominations not so composed, cannot be gospel churches. Churches, in ancient times, were con stituted according to the apostolic com mission. Tho Saviour, just before His ascension, said to His apostles, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved.” The persons of whom the church wa3 to be composed, as we here learn, were baptized believers; believers, as far as human wisdom could determine in the case. On the day of Pentecost, before the five thousand were added to the church, Peter instructed the multitudes and said, “ repent and be baptized;” and we are told that those that were baptized, were those that “ gladly received the ivord." Philip baptized the Ethiopian eunuch, but it was not until the eunuch was instructed in the Scriptures concerning Jesus, and expressed his faith in Jesus as the Son of God. When the eunuch said to Philip, “ See, here is water, what doth hinder me to be baptized?” Philip said, “If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest.” Ananias baptized Saul, but it was not until the Lord had given Ananias a sat isfactory account of the change that had come upon him. Paul baptized Cornelius, and some that were in his house, but it was after the Lord had directed Peter to visit Cornelius, after Peter had preached to his household, and the word, through the Spirit, was blessed to their good. Philjp baptized in Samaria, both men and women, but it was after they believed. jsß.oo A YEAR. } FRANKLIN PRINTING HOUSE, ATLANTA, GA., THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 1871. {sß.oo A YEAR. } WHOLE NO. 2565. Paul, or some one in company with him, baptized Lydia and her household, but it was after the Lord had opened her heart and she attended unto the things spo ken by Paul. With regard to her house hold, we learn from the narrative that they were such as were capable of receiving gospel comfort. Paul or Silas baptized the jailor and his household, but the re ception of the ordinance was accompanied with faith and spiritual joy. Even if we had no record on the sub ject, we would naturally have supposed that the primitive preachers acted in ac cordance with the commission of the Sa viour, which was to baptize only those who appeared to them converter! persons. We have a record, however, and we have presented that record. As far as we have it, and in every case, we find that the baptized, those who were to be the mate rials of which churches were afterward composed, were such as these preachers regarded as having had a change of heart. The Apostle Paul, in his epistle to the Romans, regards those who had been baptized, as having experienced this change, and as setting forth, by their baptism, the obligation to live by Christ. “Know ye not that, so many of us as were baptized in Jesus Christ, were bap tized into His death ? Therefore, we are buried with Him by baptism unto death, that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we should also walk in newness of life.” The churches, in apostolic times, were, according to the Scriptures, composed ol persons baptized on profession of faith, and no others. If, therefore, any organ ization of a religious kind is composed of any other kind of material, such an or ganization cannot be an organization on apostolic model, and, consequently, can not be a gospel church. The difference between other denominations and our own, is by no means slight. It is not, as some have endeavored to show, a difference of opinion concerning the quantity of water to be used in baptism. This matter we have not yet touched. Wo have allowed, for the sake of argument, that their mem bers are baptized, and we yet maintain that their churches are not gospel churches; and this is owing to one fact which we have considered —namely, their organiza tions are not composed of those who are baptized on profession of faith in Christ. They have not been sprinkled or poured upon, after this profession, even if sprink ling or pouring is baptism. We have said that the difference between other denominations and our own is not slight. Other denominations perform what they profess to regard as baptism to those unconscious of its nature, and some times to the unwilling. We never perform it to the unconscious, and we always perform it to the willing, We take the ground that, “ under the gospel economy, none but a voluntary, responsible agent can be the subject of any religious duty.” Other denominations admit, into some kind of ecclesiastical connection, some who they know have not believed in Christ. We do not admit any, unless we have reason to believe that they have trusted in Christ, and can bo called converted persons. Now, it i9 impossible that two systems thus directly opposite, can be fashioned after the same model. Either we are in error, by keeping out of church privileges some who can scripturally claim them, or other denominations are in error for affording privileges to those for whom they were never intended. If infants are, ac cording to the Scriptures, fit subjects for baptism, then our organization is defec tive, and we are taking from the words of the Book. If they are not fit subjects, then other organizations are performing works never commanded, and are adding to the words of the Book. Either we are guilty of a sin of omission, and, in effect, are saying, that God’s word is not suffi ciently clear, or other denominations are doing a sin of commission, and by so do ing arc saying that God’s word is not perfect. Either we are disobedient, or they are casting reflections on God’s wis dom. Rome teaches, by the christening of infants, that infants are made members of the church. In this she is followed by all Pedobaptist denominations, to a greater or less extent. This has been called “ a part and pillar of Popery ßome fat tens on this practice, and knows its power. She acknowledges that Baptists are con sistent. This she is obliged to acknowl edge ; for Baptists, professing to l>e gov erned by the Bible, do not roly on tradi tion. We take the Bible ground, that those capable of believing, and those alone, are, after they have professed be lief, proper subjects for church member ship. Our ministers can say to the un converted members of their congregation, “repent and be baptized,” and “ believe and bo baptized,” thus preaching what the apostles preached. We are able to preach in an apostolic manner, because we have not reversed apostolic practice. Other denominations have reversed gos gel command and apostolic practice. God says, in effect, “ believe first, and be baptized afterwards.” They practice baptism first, and exercise faith after wards. And just here, we deny two things that other denominations have charged us with holding. The first is, making baptism a saving ordinance. This has been denied again and again, and lias been shown to be incorrect, and yet, ever and anon it ha been repeated to us. The very fact tha we believe that only those who are already in a saved state, are fit subjects for the ordinance, shows that we do not rely on it for salvation. If we believe that it is a saving ordinance, we would take the very first opportunity of administering it to our children, that they might reap its saving benefits. Other denominations, however, and not our own, show an anxie ty to have the ordinance performed in early life. Let some Pedobaptist creeds be examined, and it will be found that they attribute a saving efficacy to baptism, •which Baptists never do. The second thing which we deny, is, that we believe that infants are lost. We are told that we consign them to everlast ing destruction, and the proof that is given is, that we do not baptize them; that, by not baptizing them, we say that they are not fit for heaven. Now, we can give a good reason, a Bi ble reason, for not baptizing them. If only believers are fit subjects for baptism, then, as infants cannot believe, they are not fit subjects for it. We are unanimous in our reason for rejecting infant baptism. They are divided in their reasons for hold ing it and practicing it. It comes with an ill grace for other denominations to tell us that we believe that infants will be lost; for infant baptism was commenced, because some believed that their children would not be saved without it. A writer well remarks, “It is almost too late for any one to deny that infant baptism orig inated in the supposed necessity and effi cacy of baptism tq, wash away original sin. To deny this fact, would be to fly in the face of the acknowledged scholar ship of the world.” The belief that in fants are in danger of being lost, led, partly, if noter.tirely, to the practice of infant baptism. If the omission of infant baptism shows that the rejectors believe that infants are lost, then it follows that the apostles be lieved that they are lost, for they did not baptize infants. We refuse to* baptizd infants. By this refusal, we do not de sign to try either to save them or to de stroy them. It is because we find neither example nor precept for their baptism, in the New Testament. The baptized, in apo3tolic times, were members of churches; professed believ ers were fit subjects for baptism ; infants cannot profess belief; thereforo, they are not fit subjects for baptism,and,consequent ly, not fit subjects for church membership. We ought not to be regarded as holding singular views, because we do not regard infant baptism as a scriptural doctrine. Pedobaptist writers, “ not a few," and standing high as scholars in the denomi nations they represent, have admitted that it cannot be found in the Bible. Rev. Moses Stuart says, concerning it, “com mands, or plain and certain examples in the New Testament, relative to it, I can not find.” Prof. Woods says, “It is a plain case, that there is no express pre cept in our sacred writings. The proof that it is a Divine institution, must be made out in some other way.” Bp. Bur nett, on his exposition of the Thirty-nine Articles, says, “ There is no express pre cept or rule given us in the New Testa ment, for the baptism of infants,” Dr. Samuel Miller says, “ the advocates of infant baptism are not bound to produce from the New Testament an express war rant fur the membership of the children of believers.” Neander says, “a3 bap tism was closely connected with a con scious entrance on Christian communion, faith and baptism were always connected with one another, and thu3 it is, in the highest degree, probable that baptism was only performed in instances where both met together, and that the practice of in fant baptism was unknown.” He also says, “ baptism was at fir9t administered only to adults, as men were accustomed to conceive baptism and faith as closely connected. We have all reason for not deriving baptism from apostolic Institu tions.” Members of such organizations as those addressed by the apostles in epistles, are characterized by expressions not applica ble to infants. We have the following: “New creatures in Christ Jesus,” “par takers of the divine nature,” “ partakers of His holiness,” “they bear the image of the heavenly,” “ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise,” “epistles of Christ, written with the Spirit of the living God,” “spirtual house,” “ a hab itation of God through the Spirit,” “ be lievers,” “taught,” “men and women,” “ a peculiar people,” “lively stones.” On the supposition that sprinkling or pouring is baptism, we have endeavored to show that other denominations are not gospel churches, because those thus bap tized are generally not baptized on pro fession of faith. But now we will suppose, for the sake of argument, that they are the proper subjects for baptism, we ask the question, is their baptism the baptism enjoined in the Bible. If it is not, then we are furn ished with another reason for believing that their organizations are not scriptural churches. Other denominations believe that im mersion is baptism, professing to believe, in addition, that sprinkling or pouring is baptism. They sacrifice no principle in believing that (as far as baptism is con cerned) Baptist organizations, as well as their own, are churches of Christ. We believe that immersion, and this alone, is baptism, and we do not receive to mem bership with us, those who believe that sprinkling or pouring will do for it, even though they are willing to b 9 immersed. We believe that immersion is baptism, from the circumstances mentioned in the Bible, in connection with baptism. In some esses these circumstances would not be necessary if sprinkling or pouring was performed, and in all cases “ immerse" and “ immersion” would make sense. We mention, “ going down into the water” and “ coming up out of the water,” as was the case in the baptism of the Saviour, and likewise in the baptism of the Ethio pian eunuch ; another circumstance we mention, is, that we have it recorded that John baptized at a certain place, because at that place, there was “ much water.” Again. If baptism was performed by sprinkling or pouring, the language of Paul already quoted for a different pur pose, would be without significancy. He says : “ Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized unto Jesu3 Christ, were baptized into His death ? Therefore, we are buried with Him by baptism unto death, that like as Christ was raised vp from the dead by the glory of the Father, even we should also walk in newness of life.” Again. The meaning of the word for baptize, in the original Scriptures, is im merse, according to the best of Greek scholars. The man that would assert otherwise, would find hosts of scholars to oppose him here. Not,only do Baptists take the ground that immersion was the original mode of baptism, but many Pedobaptists also. A list, by no means brief, of quotations from Pedobaptist theologians might be present ed to prove this. We give bat one quota tion. John Wesley says, on “we are buried,” etc., alluding to the ancient man ner of baptism by immersion. All that we wish to know, is what the Bible says. Many Pedobaptists say that the Bible says immerse, but that some thing else will do." Here we join issue with them. It is not the amount of water Baptists are contending for: it is obedi ence to the command of Christ. When God commanded Moses to make the taber nacle, He told him to make it after the pattern given, and this we are trying to do in baptism. A serpent of lead would have done as well as a serpent of brass in the wilderness, if God had so ordered it; but He did not so order, and Moses obey ed. The Saviour could have manufactured wine with the use of a little water, but his command was, “ fill up to the brim," and the servants obeyed that command. When the expression, “ human socie ties,” is used as applied to religious de nominations, it is not meant that there is no religion in the members of those socie ti a, and that they do not aim at a higher end than temperance societies, etc.; but we mean that, as far as their origin is con cerned, in the form or forms in which we see them, they are of men, and not God. We cannot call that organization a gospel church, the like of-which-we can not find in the gospel. “ Songs in the Night.” Father, the hour is come; The Lamb of off .’ring cumS Waits for the death foretold Before the altar old; And now, O Father, here In me Thyself appear. Cooaj, Father, in the Son ; Come, ‘ mine’ and ‘ thine’ prove one; Our primal glory show, Ileav’n’s secret read below : Make one with me all ‘ mine,’ And us but one all ‘ thine.’ Mine own I’ve, watching, kept; My love hath never slept; Still Moving to the end,’ I pray thee them defend. And, one icith Thine own My joy, in them fulfill Nor for these only prays My love: to endless days All that believiDghear These speak. O bring Thou near To Thy love’s keeping thus, That they be one in us.’ ” Down through the ages long I hear this prayer,—no song In heav’u or earth so sweet, For life or death so meet,— And, for my ‘ hour’ is * corte,’ I take nry cross, not dumb : Not dumb, for sobbing pray’r “This cup my Father spare.” I, wordless, cry no more; But e’en by Kedron’s shore Love’s softest song I raise And Christ with angels praise. Praise Saviour mine to Thee, Who did’st, e’en here, know me, My cross and passion knoir, Nor any paDg forego: My comfort, strength of heart, My soug, my all Thou art, , Now tread I undismayed The dark’ning valley's shade, Nor fear aught evil, Lord; Do I not hear Thy word. Thy pray’r, my promite, psalm, “ Let them be where I aicf” And in the ling’ring way I sweetest promise may % With saints and angiis pf"ave; For '.n “ to them Thy love, Father, to me be shown’ Heaven’s gates are open tV jwn. Philadelphia, Oct. im.S, Foreign Missions. > / ' We will need an average monthly re ceipt of $2,500. —Home and Foreign Jour nal of November. Can we, the Southern baptists, spare so much to one cause ? Are we able to meet this want of the Board ? Let us see: We have six hundred thousand Baptists in the South. Perhaps ons-twelfth of this number can and will gife to missions. That will make an aggregas,e of fifty thou sand contributors. Os tbs number, we may reasonably suppose that ten thousand can pay ten cents, each, per month ; that would make SI,OOO. Twenty thousand could pay twenty-five cents, each, per month; that would amount to $5,000. Ten thousand could cents a month; that would amount to $5,000 more. Then the remaining ten thousand could give one dollar, each, per month, which would amount to SIO,OOO. Is this estimate too large? Is it unreason able ? Is there not one Baptist in twelve in the South who gives or is willing to give to missions ? Is not one-fifth of that number able to give one dollar a month, one-fifth fifty cents, two-fifths twenty-five, and one-fifth ten cents ? If the estimate is reasonable, it shows that the Baptists of the South can meet this want of the Foreign Board, and leave for Domestic and other missionary operations, $18,500 per month." If we can raise, with such perfect ease, this amount of money, how far below the standard of duty are we living! Can those wbWove Jesus and His cause, consent longer to live at this poor dying rate ? E. W. Warren. Atlanta, Oa. Let us Press On. We are encouraged to prosecute our work in foreign lands. God is prospering our feeble endeavors. More than sixty have been baptized in Rome. In Bari, an en tire Pedobaptist church of seventy-five members have been baptized, and admit none to the communion table who have not been immersed. In various places in Italy, our missionaries have been at work, and the call in other places for Baptist workers if loud and urgent. Every mail brings tidings of the baptism of converts in China, and in newly resum ed missions are full of hope. I ask, then, shall we not meet the crisis ? A short time since, I found myself called upon to state, that we were reaching a crisis in our pecuniary obligations as a Board of For eign Missions. It was with hesitation the statement was made ; but duty to the be loved workers in far off lands, and our credit as a denomination, demanded it. I am glad to say that a number of churches and individuals have nobly responded to the appeal. But the issue is not yet met. We must have three or four thousand dol lars in addition, soon, that we may for ward needed remittances, and send out the missionaries yet in this country, and wish ing to depart. How easily may this necessity be met! It is only for each individual and each church to act, promptly and liberally, and all will be well. We disclaim the appel lation of Anti-missionary Baptists. Let us be true to ourselves. Let us think of the millions perishing for the lack of knowledge. Above all, let us think of Jesus and His dying love. His glory is involved. We are His witnesses. Let us be true to Him. Blessed be His name, He is preparing for us mansions in the skies, and an inheritance that fadeth not away. Shall we not be workers together with Him in sending His precious gospel to the dying ones of the earth ? We want a contribution from every church, from every church member. Bro ther minister, brother deacon, private brother and sister, will you not act AT ONCE ? Send to me, box 130, Rich mond, Va., by check, Express or money order. Jas. B. Taylor, Cor. Sec., fie. Ministerial Importation. In a communication on this subject in the Index, Nov. 2, the writer, “ Native Born,” notices “ the tendency of our Southern churches of the different States, to try and fill their vacant pulpits from other States than the one in which they exist.” He specifies ten instances of “ the workings of this mania,” and decides that “ these are enough to show the tendency to import,” To my mind, the statement of the case is an unfair oJai' It is ex parte. I am not fully posted in the whole matter ; but I do know of four instances in Georgia which can be adduced to lessen materially the weight of “Native Born’s” testimony. About a year ago, the First Baptist church, Atlanta, sought a pastor from Savannah. Failing in this, a pastor was obtained from Macon. The pulpit in Macon, vacated not many months ago by Bro. Boykin, is occupied by Bro. Hay good, whose home was in the same city. A. Georgia minister was also named as a desirable one for the Savannah church, and he would, in all probability, have been called to the pastorate, but for the fact that ill health would prevent his accep tance. In all these cases, pastors were sought without crossing “ the State lines.” There are doubtless other instances, “ but these are enough to show the tendency to import” to be far from universally prev alent. But suppose this tendency does exist : what then r Churches have their locali ties and their geographical neighborhoods; but have churches their “ State lines,” which may not properly be crossed to ob tain suitable and acceptable pastors ? Christ’s ministers are sent by Him into all the world to preach the gospel. Why, then, may not churches in want of pastors go into all the world and obtain them ? One of the ablest, most useful and popu lar Presbyterian pastors in New York was called, a few years since, from Ireland. Why limit the area of selection open to pastorleas churches, to the State in which they exist ? Why not restrict them to the section of the State in which they are lo cated ? Why not to the Association with which they are connected, or to the county or city of which the church is a “ native born ?” Is not the idea an absurd one ? Is there not too much stress already laid upon the question where the pastor, or the occasional preacher, even, was born ? What differiTnce does it make where he was born, or where he has lived, pro vided he be an able minister of the New Testament and a faithiul preacher of the gospel, and laborer for souls ? Think of a minister being introduced to a congrega tion on the Sabbath as hailing from a cer tain State, to secure for him and his mes sage the attention and sympathy of the audience. Happy will it be when all who love the Lord can realise, that, though “The k'mdred ties of life are bright, Y et not so bright as those In which Christ’s favored friends unite, And each on each repose ; Where all the hearts :n union cling, With Christ the centre and the spring.” A Bible Baptist. Southern Baptist Theological Seminary—An Appeal for Help. This Institution —located at Greenville, S. C.—has a claim upon the Baptists of the South second to no other w hich they are called on to meet. It had secured, just prior to the war, about one hundred and eighty five thou sand dollars in subscriptions and individual bonds, and could have raised, without diffi culty, almost any amount necessary to its complete equipment and permanent endows inent. But that terrible tornado, which swept away so much else that was dear to our hearts, left the Seminary well-nigh penniless. It was not deemed best to attempt to raise a new endowment, but the hope was to sustain the Institution by annual contributions, until such lime as the condition of the country might justify an effirt to place it upon a firm pecuniary basis. The brethren responded nobly to the appeal thus made, and there woufd have been no'difficulty if they could have paid (or could now pay) the instalments upon their bonds. But failing to receive the amounts due, the Seminary has been and is now greatly embarrassed, and we are com pelled to appeal for help—immediate and liberal help—to our brethren throughout the South. We feel confident that the churches will respond promptly and liberally if the matter is fairly presented to them, and we urge the following reasons—among many others that might be given—why you should at once present the matter to your church and contribute also yourself: 1. This Seminary belongs to all Southern Baptists. It was established by a Convention of all the States. Its Trustees are taken from all the States. Its students represent every Southern State. It is not a local institution of South Carolina, but belougs to every other State as well. 2. Its Professors are doing the work which they have been requested to do by the Baptists of the whole South. It is due them that their brethren faithfully sustain and support them in it. There are no charges to students, and the only support of the Professors is from the contributions of the brethren for this purpose. 3. A large part of our debt has been incurred for buildings, by which each student saves one hundred dollars or more each year—an amount thua far saved to the denomination, equal to three times the amount paid for the buildings, which will, besides, continue to save, in like manner, annually hereafter. The property of this kind bought could now be sold for several thousand dollars above cost. 4. This Seminary is the only place at the South in which a thorough Theological Education is furnished by Baptists. 5. God has so blessed it, that it has now a greater number of students in attendance than any other Baptist Theological School in the world. 6. Its plan opens its doors to persons of va rious degrees of culture; thus fitting it for that ministry of all classes and grades which Christ established, and for the value and use fulness of which Baptists have always con tended. 7. In it first this idea was set forth 1 but, since its success, other Seminaries, both of Baptists and others, have seen the advan tages of its plans, and have, in some meas ure, adopted them. 8. These peculiar plans have proved very successful; and had there been the means of supporting them, double the number of students would now be pres ent. 9. The students who have gone forth have manifested the Value of the Seminary by their efficiency in the pulpit, and especially in their pastoral work. The universal testi mony has been that young men learn to be come good pastors at Greenville. 10. The Seminary has accomplished all of this, being yet in its infancy. Every year must increase its power to do God service, every year ena ble it to educate more men, every year fit its Teachers better for their work, aud every year enable them to lay up stores of learning which, wrought out and sent forth in will instruct the membership of Christ, main tain .and defend His truth, and show to the word the sure foundation of the distinctive views of Baptists. 11. The Seminary, there fore, is a power which God, by most singular exhibitions of His providence, has put into the hands of His people. Ought not every sacrifice to be made, rather thau let it be lost, or even temporarily crippled. There are several things which we beg our brethren to do at once. 1. Let those who have given bonds try to pay them at the ear liest possible day, or such part of them as they are able to pay. We are ready to make the most liberal compromise with those who gave us bonds before the war and are not able to pay in full. 2. Let each church tffke an early collection for us. 3. Let each indi vidual seud us what he can, however smalt the amount. I shall industriously visit all o the churches that I can reach—confining m; labors, for some months to come, to Georgi; and Alabama—but as it will be simply im possible for me to visit more than aver; small proportion of the churches, 1 beg tha each brother who sees this, will give it hi immediate attention. Contributions may be sent to ine by druf , postoffice money order, or in registered lette , at Washington, Ga ., or when more conven ent, to Di.. J. P. Greenville, S. C. J. Wm. Jones, Ag't. Washington, Oa., Nov. 1 et, 1871. “ Ministerial Importation.” I know but one answer to the query of “Native Born,” respecting the call of ministers of Christ from one State to an other. It is: There are no geographical lines running through Christ’s kingdom. Proof: text, the “ commission.” Mat. xxviii: 19, 20. G. What Ten Men can Do. On the first day of this year, ten men in California,who had been free liquor drink ers for a long time,agreed together to stop. They did stop, formed themselves into a society, and endeavored to get all their drinking companions to join them. They succeeded well. Their membership rap idly increased, until in a short time it numbered two hundred and fifty. It con sists of those who have been drinkers more or less, and of others who choose to unite with them in the total abstinence pledge, both men and women. They main tain a reading room and a place of even ing resort, provided with papers and maga zines. Some forty families in one town have been lifted up by this reformation from the sorrow’s of a drunkard’s home, and made happy in a life of thrift and comfort. Os all who joined, in the first five months of the movement, but one broke the pledge and lost standing. Ten mighty men these. They agreed to stop drinking: they did stop. That was a conquest which stamped them moral heroes. The y immediately sought to in duce all their drinking companions to unite with them. That marks them as generous philanthropists. Where are the ten men in each county in Georgia, indeed, in each county of every Southern State, who will do like wise ? Where are the ten men in every church that will do it for Christ’s sake, and for the sake of imperilled souls ? B. W. I. .The Lord’s House. An incident is recorded in the New Testament, and it is the only one of the kind in the book in which our gracious Lord manifested the least degree of vio lence, but in the matter of the money changers and of them who sold doves, the zeal of the Lord’s house so fired His in dignation,that He made a scourge of small cords and whipped these hucksters out of of the precincts of the Temple. And yet they were only in its courts —they did not dare enter the inner sanctuary —but He drove them out, exclaiming, “It is written, My iiouse-shall be a house of prayer for all nations; but ye have made it a deii of .. Would, He he more graciously disposed to the rafflings and lotteries which have given such zest to the customers who crowd these fairs for the purpose, not so much of buying the small ware, as for the dissipation connected with the traffic? We trow not. We are per suaded, the cord3 would not be quite so small as in the former case. These ven ders of doves might whimper and the money changers whine out their loud com plaints, that they were selling their pigeons to poor people, who could not af ford the costly sacrifice of a lamb, and that the tables which the Master had turn ed over were needed, that they might give the poor folk lawful change (which is more than is done at some fairs,) and that it was very hard to be whipped out of the vestibule, when they were doing no harm, but a deal of good. And yet the fact is, they were scourged out. Let the reader make the application to suit himself.— Christian Intelligencer. Two Presbyterian Witnesses. Rev. J. B. Taylor, D.D., Richmond, Va., writes to the Religious Herald: “ The distinguished Dr. Wm. J. Arm strong, when pastor of the First Presby terian church, applied to me as pastor of the (Second Baptist church, to baptize one of his members, with the liberty of re maining in his communion. This was done not as accordant with his wish, but in respect to the wishes of the dissatisfied individual. I was compelled respectfully to decline the service. My friend, Mr. Armstrong, replied, ‘ I admire your con sistency,’ and then added, ‘ I do not sym pathise with the ado made by many on the subject of close communion, as prac ticed by your people. They could not, with their views of baptism, do otherwise. lam a close communionist. I could not invite to the Lord’s table, any one that I considered unbaptized.’” Rev. G. W. .Purefoy, D.D., in a sermon published in the Biblical Recorder , says: “ Rev. H. B. Pratt, Presbyterian, being assured by the Baptist pastor at Hillsboro that the open communion Baptists of England did not make water baptism a term of communion, and at the same time preached believers' immersion as strongly as the close communion Baptists, said: 1 If that is true of them, there is no sect of Christians on earth for whom I would have so little respect—l would have no respect for them at all.’ ” Christian Earnestness. ,John Knox, who prayed, “Lord, give me Scotland, or I die!” has been dead almost two hundred years; yet all Scot land feels his power still. Such earnest ness is not soon forgotten. George Muller began his work teaching one orphan child thirty-five years ago. He now has a church of nine hundred members, forty of whom go out every Sabbath afternoon and preach to ten thousand people around Bristol. He has also established missions abroad. When he needs money, he asks God, and it comes. A gentleman in Dublin, who is no talker, but has great wealth, keeps eight printing presses going, printing tracts, many of which he writes himself, in seven different languages, and thus he is impart ing gospel truth to multitudes. A butcher in London, and a Christian only seven years, began telling others what God had done for him, and the re sult was their salvation. He now has a chapel that holds fifteen hundred, and has six hundred members. He has a large business, but preaches five nights in a week in the streets, in halls, and other places in the city. A Mr. Carter, who labors among Lon don thieves, burglars and pickpockets, has gathered a church of one thousand eight hundred members. His wife instructs one thousand six hundred mothers, meeting our hundred at a time, who, without her labors,*'would receive no religious instruc tion at all These instances show what men may do when fully consecrated to the work of saving souls. Were all professors thus earnest, the world would be given to Christ in a very few years. — Parish Vis itor. Every Head on its own Shoulders. The story is, that when Spyriddion was going to the Council of Nicsea, some per sons, who wished to prevent his going, at night cut off the heads of his two mules (his own and his deacon’s,) and started on their journey. Spyriddion, in the morn ing, informed by the deacon of the dis aster, directed him to attach the heads to the dead bodies; when the two mules, with their restored heads, shook them selves as if from deep sleep, and started to their feet. The two gentlemen mount ed their beasts, and soon overtook the travellers. A3 day broke, while they jogged on together, all were astonished to find the heads on the wrong shoulders. The white mule had now a eheetnnt head, and the chestnut mule the head of its white companion. This story has its counterpart in these modern days. We see, if not mules, yet men, going about with their heads on the wrong shoulders. They thought all was right, and so did their friends, who loudly applauded them; but as the clear light of revealed truth has broken upon them, we discover that they have swapped heads, and we have the strange spectacle of Bap tist heads on Pedobaptist shoulders, and Pedobaptist heads on Baptist shoulders. This does not look nor work well. Let every head stick to its own shoulders. If it is a Baptist head, let it be content and proud to stay where it belongs, and not affect an unnatural connection with a for eign pair of supporters. Consistency and congruity are jewels. A man’s head and body, terminating in a fish’s tail, is not, certainly, a beautiful object. The Bible Revered. Some years ago we happened to be present when the senior class at Yale gathered in the appointed place to hear the elder, Prof. tSilliman deliver the last of his course of lec tures on geology. The object of the lecture vas to show the substantial agreement of the Vlosaic account of creation with the estab ished facts of geology. lie introduced the übject as follows: Opening the old family Bible of his father and mother, and placing t on the table before him, he said : “ When 1 was a little buy I was taught to venerate this book, and I venerate it now. When my older brother and 1 went upstairs to get ready for school, our mother went up with us, and opening this large Bible, she read from it, and kneeling with us by its op= n pages, she prayed for us, and ” said he, his voice tremulous with emotion, “1 feel that all that is good in me is owing to those hallowed influences.” Ic was a touching and most impressive scene. Few men in our nation had a finer presence than he, and never did he seem more truly noble than on that morning, when, having passed beyond three score years and ton, and full of honors, his reputation as a chemist and geologist being coextensive with ci\ iiization, he gave this testimony as to his belief in, and reverepce for, the Bible. It is well known, that all his deep and protracted studies in natural science never impaired his confidence in the sacred volume; and that as he lived, so he died, resting upon its promises, and sustained by its inspiring hopes and sub lime consolations. Difficulties ofSuccessful Lying. —After all, the devil fights under great disadvantages, and has to carry weights iri all his races, which are almost unfair. He lies, as a matter of course, believing thoroughly in lies, thinking that it is by lies chiefly that he must make his running good ; and yet every lie he telle, af ter it has been told and used, remains as ad ditional weight to be carried. When you have used your lie gracefully and success fully, it is hard to bury it and g*-t it well out of sight. It crops up here and there against you, requiring more lies; and at last, too often, has to be admitted as a lie—most usu ally so admitted, in silence, but still admit ted, to be forgiven or not, according to the circumstances of the case. The most perfect forgiveness is that which is extended to him who is known to lie in everything. The man has to be taken, lies and all, as a man is taken with a squint, or a hair lip, or a bad temper. He has an uphill game to fight, but when once well known, he does not fall into the difficulty of being believed.— Trollope Pre-judgment is unwise and bad judgment.