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THE CHRISTIAN INDEX AND SOUTH-WESTERN BAPTIST: ATLANTA, CA„ THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16,1871.
Jfulexaiiil fjaptisit
J. J. TOON, .... Proprietor.
PUBLICATION ROOMS —4 * 6 SOUTH BROADWAY.
Editor: Bev. D. SHAVEB, D.D.
CORRESPONDING EDITORS :
Rav. J. J. D. RENFROE, Talladega, Ala.
Rev. 9. HENDERSON, D.D., Jacksonville, Ala.
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 1871.
Alabama Baptist State Conrention.
Montgomery, Friday, Nov. 10th.
The Convention assembled in the First Baptist
Church, (D W Gwin, pastor,) and was organized
at 10 o’clock, a.m., by S. Henderson, President of
the body at the last session, who read the 52nd
chapter of Isaiah. Prayer was offered by JWm
Jones.
R Fuller Manly was appointed Secretary, pro
tern., in the absence of the former Secretary, C
Manly, and the following members by delegation
and life membership, reported their presence :
From Associations. — Alabama, W C Cleave
land, B H Crumpton, P H Lundy, J E Bell, C
A Kendrick, D W Gwin, B A Jackson, H W Cas
sey, J Falkne, M Bishop. Bethlehem, P S
Milner, J D Beck. Cahdba, E B Teague, S R
Freeman, W II Mclntosh, J W Hudson, 0 H
Perry, Canaan , J Grimes, JL D Hillyer, T F
Waldrop, A J Waldrop, W J Eubank. Carey ,
W T Davis, G P Jenkins, Jr., J P Shaffer. Cen
tral, B Timmerman. Coosa River, D D Draper,
J J D Renfroe, J Headen, S M Crook, S G Jen
kins, W Wilkes, H C Taul. Eufavla, W W
Battle, J 0 Hixson, E Y Van Hoose, M B Whar
ton, J S Paullin, A W Beverly, J W Cowart, J
M Thornton, 0 Rhoades. Tuskegee , W H Far>
row, H E Taliaferro, W E Lloyd, W II Carroll,
W H Roby, R H Rawlings, A C Barron, J J
Cloud, Z D Roby, J T Cloud. Ten Islands, S
Henderson. Tallassahatehie , J R Webb. Ca
haba Valley , M Hendricks. Pine Barren, J C
Jones, J B Scott, F Bruner. Shelby, T P Hol
combe, T McConnaughey, T C Boykin. North
River, D Manasco, M B Harben. Bigbe, C W
Buck, J C Wright. Boiling Springs, W 0 Jen
kins. Unity, A Andrews. Tuscaloosa, J Hick
man. Providence, G F Williams, A B Woodfin,
R F Manly, A P Bush, P T Warren, M G Hud
son. Warrior River , J P Lovelace.
From Churches. — Autaugaville, J I Lamar.
Selma, E B Teague, J Haralson, R C Keeble, T
S Bowen. Montgomery, First church, R F No
ble, H A Howard, R H Molton, W T Hatchett,
B B Davis ; Second church, W M Davis, A II
Johnson, A Howard, T J Scott, J Fulkes, J M
Newman. Siloam, W H Mclntosh, W W Wilker
son, 0 0 Huckabee, W T Hudson, P King. Tal
ladega, JJ D Renfroe, R B Mosely. Unity , P
H Lundy. Mobile, St. Frances st., A B Wood
fin, R F Manly, A P Bush ; Marine st., G F Wil
liams ; Broad st., P T Warren, M G Hudson.
Oxford, E T Smythe, T P Gwin, D D Draper.
Life Members. —W B Haralson, S G Jenkins,
A Williams, D Lee, J M Newman, D R Lide, A J
Battle, J H Lee, C C Huckabee, J B Lovelace, P
King, J F Bailey, T A Blunt, I B Vaiden, S II
Fowlkes, M T Sumner, W B Modawell, G Hucka
bee, W H Mclntosh, H E Taliaferro, J H DeVotie.
An election of officers was held, which result
ed in the choice of S Henderson as President, and
R F Manly as Secretary. On taking the chair,
the President adverted to the fact that the most
weighty responsibilities ever bcfrne by us, are im
posed at a time when we are least able to bear
them. Is it not a test of our faith and courage —
to prove whether we will trust Him who is able
to take of our smallest means and accomplish the
most glorious results with them, and whether in
this trust we will attempt what was not done
wen when wo were full-handed ? The speaker
quoted a saying of Jesse Mercer, that ‘so far as
means are concerned, God designs to convert the
world with men and money.’ He urged the pro
priety and indicated the power of prayer.
D. W. Gwin, in the name of the Baptists of
Montgomery, welcomed the members of the Con
tion to their homes and their hearts. He hoped
that the meeting would not be one of business
only, but would exert a healthy spiritual influ
ence in the central city of the Stato, where so
many evil forces array themselves.
The hours of meeting and adjournment were
fixed. The first half hour of each morning ses
sion was set apart as a seasoh of devotion. The
former Treasurer, S H Fowlkes, was re-elected by
acclamation. A committee on preaching was ap
pointed, consisting of D W Gwin, J M Newman,
B B Davis, A Williams, R H Molton, W W Bat
tle, and J Headen. A proposition to appoint a
committee on credentials at each annual session,
who should report the names of members at the
opening of the next, was discussed and laid on
the table.
Visiting brethren were welcomed to seats: M
T Sumner, Cor. Sec., and W. N. Chaudoin, Dist.
Sec., of Domestic and Indian Mission Board; W
Williams, of the Faculty of the Southern Baptist
Theological Seminary, and J. W. Jones, its'Gen
eral Agent; I T Tichenor, President of the Sun
day School Board; J L Burrows, of the Foreign
Mission Board; J J Toon, N A Bailey, C M Irwin,
J Barrow, and D Shaver, of Georgia; C Smith,
of Fla.; N B E B Hardie, and TII
Morgan, of Ala.
Reports were received from brethren appointed,
last year, to visit District Associations. It ap
peared from these reports, that there has been a
gratifying increase of co-operation between the
Associations and the Convention.
The officers of the Convention were instructed
to convey, by letter, to our venerable brother,
Jesse H Campbell, of Georgia, its sincere sympa
thy in his affliction through the untimely death,
by accident, of his son, Sherwood. Prayer, led
by C. Smith, wa3 offered in his behalf, for the
succors of sustaining grace and the comforts of
the Holy Ghost.
Adjourned, with prayer by D Lee.
The Convention resumed its sitting at 8 o’clock
P.M. Prayer by P H Lundy. W B Haralson,
T F Waldrop and J Lee" were appointed a Com
mittee to nominate the remaining officers of the
Convention ; and J W Hudson, D D Draper and
J M Crook a Committee on Finance.
Resolutions were adopted to select one person
in each Association in the State to collect histori
cal facts, biographical sketches and other mate
rials for the preparation in due season of a His
tory of the Baptist Denomination in Alabama.
E B Teague read the report on Foreign Missions,
which presented the facts of Southern Baptist
labor in that field, principally as embodied in the
St. Louis Report of the Richmond Board. J L
Burrows said that the work had been consider
ably enlarged since that date, and its present as
pects arc encouraging. The despondent refer
ence of Secretary Taylor, in the Home & Foreign
Journal , to the possibility of a need for the trans
fer of our Foreign Missions to Northern Baptists,
does not express the spirit of the Board. Our
African mission must be kept up, because the
Great Commission includes Africa, and because
by working for that land with and through its
sons in ours, we may defeat efforts in certain
quarters to estrange the two races at the bouth.
So prosperous is our work in Italy, that he did
not despair of yet seeing St Peters a Baptist
church edifice. If the anti-mission or the o-mis
sion spirit prevails we will die out, as the Primi
tive Baptists have done, and the sooner the bet*
ter! Christians who undertake to live only for
themselves, do not live well for themselves ; and
this is true in the spiritual sphere. If Alabama
Baptist churches should restrict their interest,
sympathy and effort within Stato lines, within
these lines our cause would droop, and wilt, and
perish. W C Morrow thought that Southern
Christians are the best friends of the black race,
and most adapted to work effectively for its high
est good. On us devolves the training of colored
missionaries here to evangelize Africa. After dis
cussion by W B Haralson, E B Teague, J W
Jones, W II Carroll, B H Crumpton, W H Mcln
tosh, J J D Renfroe, M T Sumner, H E Talia
ferro, J L D Hillyer,. and D Shaver, the report was
recommitted.
JJ D Renfroe, A C Barron and C W Buck
were appointed a committee on the state of reli
gion. Adjourned with prayer by S G Jenkins.
At night, in the absence of both principal and
alternate, the Introductory sermon was preached
by S R Freeman, from Psa. xi: 3.
Saturday, Nov. 11th.
Devotional exercises, at the opening of the
morning session, were conducted by W H Car
roll ; and prayer was offered by J Barrow and N
A Bailey.
The Report on Foreign Missions was read, and
after amendment, was adopted, after remarks by
I T Tichenor, J L Burrows and J J D Renfroe.
Consideration was given to the interests of the
Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Green
ville, S C. W Williams spoke in behalf of the
Students’ Aid Fund, which, since the withdrawal
of B Manly, Jr., from the Institution, has been
entrusted to J A Broadus. The Fund has been
sufficient to aid, in the matter of Board and
books, some twenty students a j'ear since the war.
About that number are now in the Seminary
needing assistance from this fund, to the amount
r of about $125 each for the session. Northern
Baptist Seminaries have sufficient endowments to
meet‘such cases ; we need the special contribu
tions of brethren to this end. We provide, as
they do not, for ministerial training to students
who lack collegiate culture. No object appeals
to Christian sympathy, as a pious young man,
thirsting for an education and asking aid in ac
quiring it. The best investment for money is—
in some young man’s cultivated brain. H E Talia
ferro contributed to this purpose a sum entrusted
to him by a sister, for what he might consider the
best cause appealing for help. J L Burrows
thought the student has a claim, in justice, on
support by the churches, since he is at the Semi
nary in obedience to their call, preparing to do
their work. The Virginia churches are now sup
porting 84 young men at Richmond College. I
T Tichenor told how a young minister had been
sustained at Greenville by contributions from a
Sewing Society of little girls, and who is now ac
cepted as a foreign missionary. The click of
their needies will be heard on the other side of
the globe, and in heaven ! M T Sumner felt, as
a domestic missionary man, that he could not re
fuse to aid a cause so necessary to his own special
work. Z D Roby suggested that such as are poor
preachers should help some young man in learn
ing to preach better than they can, and in this
way do more good through another than they are
able to do themselves. J W Jones appealed for
payments on bonds and for fresh contributions
toward the Fund for the support of the Professors
in the Seminary.
The Board of Trustees of Howatd College,
through W II Mclntosh, reported the election of
Col. J T Murfree as President, of S R Freeman as
Professor of Theology, and of F II Hawkcs to fill
the Chair of English Literature, (anew profes
sorship.) Up to date, 104 students have matricu
lated, the present session. The Report was re
ferred to a Committee on Education, W C Cleave
land, J Haralson and J E Bell; and the meeting
at 7 o’clock p.m. was set apart for attention to the
interests of Howard College.
G F Williams read the Report on Domestic
missions. It urged that as scanty means would
not be accepted as an excuse fbr suffering one’s
neighbors lo die for want of food, it can not be
accepted as an excuse for suffering them to perish
for want of the gospel. W N Chaudoin ad
dressed the Convention, and the body adjourned,
with prayer by A J Waldrop.
In the afternoon, after prayer by D. Lee, the
consideration of the Report was resumed. JL D
Hillyer mentioned the case of a young man, who,
when in the army and without income, expressed
a purpose to devote one-tenth of his future re
ceipts to the Lord. He has since done it. Last
year, with a widowed mother and two sisters to
support, in conjunction with a crippled brother,
he gave S3O to religious objects—one-tenth of his
salary of S3OO. C Smith held that the spirit of
Christ is the spirit of missions. He felt that his
own sympathies were more largely enlisted in be
half of domestic than of foreign missions. The
two are not antagonistic. There are gross ignor
ance and shameful neglect of the means of grace
—there is a real heathenism —in our country.
There is Romanism, too; and hero it is most a
living power. D Lee, (who is well stricken in
years, having been for forty years pastor of his
church,) cultivated a piece of ground, from which
he realized SBG, dividod equally between the
three Boards of the Southern Convention. M T
Sumner preferred regular contributions at home,
to spasmodic efforts at annual meetings. The Re
port was adopted.
The Report of the Committee to nominate the
remaining officers of the Convention, was adopt
ed as follows: Trustees of Howard College—M
W Hand, C C Huckabee, W W Wilkerson, J F
Bailey, A B Woodfin, J G Shorter, E B Teague,
John Gamble, W N Reeves and W C Cleaveland.
Board of Directors —A J Battle, J B Lovelace, I
B Vaiden, M T Sumner, J II Lee, J F Bailey, D
B Lide, E H Blunt, J Moore : First Vice Presi
dent, WII Mclntosh ; Second, E B Teague: To
preach the introductory sermon next year, A B
Woodfin: alternate, J J D Renfroe.
T C Boykin read the Report on Sunday
which recommended the establishment of a State
Sunday School Board auxiliary to the General
Board at Memphis. He had obtained returns
from 148 schools, with 1,164 officers and teachers,
with 7,069 scholars, 307 conversions, 23 teachers’
meetings, contributions $2,750.70. One hundred
and two schools continue through the whole year.
I T Tichenor advocated the action proposed by
the Report. G F Williams dissuaded from that
action, and offered resolutions pronouncing the
Sunday school work properly embraced in do
mestic mission work, declining to originate a State
organization to prosecute it, and urging special
attention to it on the part of missionaries within
our bounds. discussion was suspended, for
the reading of the Treasurer’s Report, which was
referred to an auditing committee; and the Con
vention adjourned, with prayer by J Grimes.
The session of the Convention at night, was
opened with prayer by W C Morrow. The Re
port of the Committee on Education, upon the
Report of the Trustees of Howard College, was
presented, sanctioning the use of the Greensboro
Church Fund by the Trustees to meet current
expenses, and approving the plan for raising an
endowment by life insurance policies. S R Free
man spoke to the general subject. The Trustees
have uniformly taken a deep interest in the wel
fare of the College, and have never held a meet
ing without invoking the Divine blessing. The
embarrassments of the College have been unpar
alleled in the history of such institutions, and the
burden of these embarrassments has been thrown
back upon the Trustees from year to year, by the
Convention. The Trustees have at last devised a
plan to rid themselves ol the burden—that is, to
endow the College through policies in the Na
tional Life Insurance Company, of Philadelphia;
which plan the speaker detailed at length. He
then recited the financial history of the Institu.
tion since his connection with it; from which it
appeared that he had donated to the Students in
the theological department, $2,150. W II Mc-
Intosh hoped that if brethren doubted the pro
priety or feasibility of the plan, they would speak
then, and if they voted for the plan, would feel
themselves committed to carry it out. Ha lament
ed the effort to withdraw Prof. Freeman from the
College and the State, and felt anxious that Bap
tists should do what they couid to retain him,
with his invaluable services and commanding in
fluence. He suggested that the Convention, in
behalf of the denomination in Alabama, pledge
him the sum necessary to his support, and em
ploy him as Evangelist, to further the interests of
the College throughout the State. M Bishop
questioned the propriety of the plan, as inconsis
tent with trust in God. He thought that if the
appeal were made to the churches, in the churches,
the money necessary to endowment would be
forthcoming. The Report was laid on the table;
and a proposition made to raise $2,000, as a sala
ry for Prof. Freeman as State Evangelist. S Hen
derson had clung, at personal sacrifice, to Ala
bama in her desolation, and felt that Prof. Free
man must be kept here to aid in developing our
future. With frequent brief speeches, the sum
was raised by pledges. Aojourned, with prayer
by M T Sumner.
Lord’s day, Nov. 12th.
The Protestant pulpits of the city, (the Episco
pal excepted,) were filled .by members of the
Convention. In the afternoon, at the First
church, in pursuance of a call from the Wetump
ka Baptist church, N B Wiiiiams, missionary
elect to China, was ordained to the ministry.
Reading of the Scriptures and prayer by J J D
Renfroe; sermon by S Henderson; ordination
prayer by S R Freeman ; charge by M T Sum
ner; presentation of Bible by D W Gwin; right
hand of fellowship by W Williams.
Monday, Nov. 13th.
E B Teague conducted devotional exercises;
and M Bishop, II E Taliaferro and T P Holcombe
offered prayer. Z D Roby was elected Assistant
Secretary. P H Lundy, W W Battle and E T
Smyth were appointed a committee to nominate
delegates to the Southern Baptist Convention.
The Committee appointed to collect historical
and biographical facts for a history of the denom
ination in the State, was appointed as follows: D
Lee, A J Waldrop, J J D Renfroe, J P Shaffer, J
H Foster, J J Cloud, J S Paullin, YV H Mclntosh,
Andrew Jay, R F Manly, E T Reed, P M Cal
laway, T P Holcombe, J F Catlitt, J C Wright,
P M Musgrove, D Manasco, W J Parker, I W
Suttle, J F Bledsoe, M Hendricks, J C Jones, W
O Jenkins, A Andrews, Jno B Appleton, Wm
Thackerson, J K Ryan, J C Foster.J
The Report on Sunday schools was further dis
cussed. I T Tichenor thought that not more
than one church out of three in the State has a
Sunday school. There must be an organization
to secure schools where none are; and this organ
ization should not be independent of the Conven
tion—as it will be unless the Convention creates
a Board for the work. With such organizations
in ail the States, our General Board at Memphis
will be able, in five years, to secure schools in all,
or nearly all, the seven thousand Baptist churches
at the South. GF Williams held that our mis
sionaries and our State Evangelist should attend
to the Sunday school work, as part of their work
in that character. W H Carroll did not know
how one man could prosecute, with best effect, so
many lines of operation. He wanted men who
would make Sunday schools a specialty ; at least
twenty this year. P H concurred in this
view. C C Huckabee*questioned whether Dr.
Freeman was likely to be secured for this three
fold work. B H Crumpton favored the substitute
of G F Williams. After further remarks by W
B Haralson and W E Lloyd, the substitute was
lost and the report was adopted. W C Cleave
land, J M Newman and, W E Lloyd were ap
pointed a Committee to recommend the location
and membership of the Board.
Resolutions were adopted, requesting the Do
mestic Mission Board, at Marion, to commission
Rev S R Freeman as State Evangelist, at a salary
of $2,000; the pledges for this purpose in the
session of Saturday night, to bo paid to the
Treasurer of that Board, one-half by January
Ist, the other half by July Ist. The Board of
Directors were empowered, if S R Freeman de
clines the position, to appoint another, obtaining
first, the consent of parties making pledges.
Talladega was selected as the location of the
Sunday School Board: T C Boykin, J J D Ren
froe, W R Stone, J H Joiner, and E T Smythe,
as members.
A Report on Systematic Beneficence, (which
we will publish hereafter,) was presented, and
remarks were made by J M Newman, W C Mor
row, S Henderson, J L Burrows, T M Barber, and
W W Waller. Adjourned, with prayer by P H
Lundy.
Prayer was offered at 3 o’clock, p.m., by J P
Shaffer; after which the Report on Systematic
Beneficence was adopted. J L D Hillyer ad
dressed the Convention in behalf of Birmingham
and Elyton mission; and the Convention com
mended the mission to the liberality of Alabama
Baptists. It needs a house of worship—and
needs help to build it. .
The Board of Education reported, lamenting
the apathy of ministers and churches. Appeals
to pastors in nine months secured a financial re
turn from only one. Receipts lor the year $53.50.
The agency of W M Davis, since August, had met
its own expenses, with the prospect of a surplus
when pledges are redeemed. The Report pro
posed that a collection be taken up for the Board
in the months of October, November and Decem
ber, yearly, and that the Board be removed to
Marion. E B Teague had sent the Board no
money the past year from Selma, because the
church there was itself supporting a student at
Howard College. He doubted the necessity of
the Board. J W Jones deemed the Board impor
tant and indispensable. Virginia has had one
for many years,which now has thirty-four students
supported by it. WII Carroll thought the fact
that the Agent in 82 days had preached 6G
sermons, a sufficient argument for the plan and
the Board. Remarks were made by WH Mcln
tosh, C C Huckabee, D W Gwin, M Bishop, and
JJ D Renfroe. The proposition to remove the
Board was stricken out, and the Report was
adopted.
A resolution was adopted commending the cir
culation of the Memoirs of Rev. John E Dawson,
D.D., by his sister, Mrs. Hill, which were repre
sented as in the hands of the publisher, J J
Toon.
Eufaula was selected as the place of meeting
next year. Adjourned with prayer by A J Wal
drop.
The Convention re-assembled at 7 o’clock, p.m.,
and W N Chaudoin led in prayer. The Report
of the Committee on Education upon the Roport
of the Trustees of Howard College was taken from
the table. The plan of endowment by life insu
rance was advocated by J M Robertson, C C
Huckabee, J H DeVotie, W H Carroll, C W
Buck and J L Burrows, and opposed by M B
Wharton and M Bishop. The Report was then
adopted.
The Board of Education was appointed: D W
Gwin, B B Davis, G W Thomas, W T Hatchett,
B F Noble, J M Newman, J C Stratford, A II
Johnson, Gfi Molton.
The Committee on Finance reported receipts
as follows: Foreign Missions $306.95, Domestic
Missions $230.44, Indian Missions $148.49, Con
vention Purposes, $29, and other sums, in aking
a total of $723.83.
“ Resolved, That our interest in the Christian
Index & South-Western Baptist is unabated,
and that we recommend its increased circulation
to our churches.
“ Resolved, That we cannot fail to express our
highest gratification for the continued connec
tion of our beloved brother, Rev. D Shaver, D.D.,
as Editor of the Index and Baptist.
The Report on State of Religion was adopted ;
(we will give it to our readers in a week or two.)
Delegates were appointed to the Southern Bap
tist Convention : W H Mclntosh, M T Sumner,
S R Freeman, A J Battle, E B Teague, J W Hud
son, J Haralson, D Lee, W C Cleaveland, M
Bishop, B H Crumpton, T M Bailey, J £ Bell, M
Hendricks, A Jay, A B Woodfin, G F Williams*
P T Warren, J H Foster, D W Gwyi, W M Da
vis, T H Watts, R Figh, W W Waller, F II Moss,
J J Cloud, V Z D Roby, W E Lloyd, H E Talia
ferro, W II Stanton, W II Carroll, J O Hixson, E
Y Van Hoose, J S Paullin, A H Borders, W N
Reeves, J G Shorter, M B Wharton, A O Barron,
P W Johnson, H Holcomb, S Henderson, J J D
Renfroe, T P Gwin, J Headen, T C Boykin, J M
Robertson, W Wilkes, C A Kendrick, J P Shaffer,
A J Waldrop, H C Taul, J C Wright, W R Stone,
L W Lawler, M G Hudson, S G Jenkins, P King,
C C Huckabee, M B Modawell, J B Lovelace, J H
Lee, B A Jackson, P H Lundy, W W Battle, E
T Smythe, J Grimes, C W Buck, B B Davis, W C
Morrow.
Committees were constituted to report next
ycarr■ t Foreign Missions, A B Woodfin, G F
Williams, $1 G Hudson; Domestic Missions, M B
Wharton, J S Paullin, W W Battle; Education,
JII Foster, R F Manly, C C Huckabee; State of
Religion, W H Mclntosh, E B Teague, W M
Davis.
The Report of the Trustees of Judson Female
Institute, not having reached the Convention, was
ordered to be printed in the Minutes, after refer
ence to the Board of Direotors. The Secretary
was instructed to insert in the Minutes an appeal
for data toward the History of Alabama Baptists.
Correspondents were appointed to the Florida
and Georgia Conventions ; and the President and
Secretary were instructed to address a joint letter
to Alabama. Associations not now co-operating
with the Cemvention, and invite their co-opera
tion.
Adjourned with prayer by M. T. Sumner.
Our Associates will give a more intelligent esti
mate of the Convention than lies within our power.
If wo may trust our own impressions, however,
the attendance was more numerous, the discus
sions more able, the spirit more hopeful, the signs
of promise and tokens of progress more decided
and cheering, than at the Opelika and Oxford
sessions. There is a future for the Baptists of
Alabama, and they are awaking to it.
We tender to J. C. Stratford, Esq., and his esti
mable wife, our thanks for the Christian hospi
tality of which we were a pleased partaker during
the session of the Convention.
Sale of Strong Drink.
Timothy unto Paul —Beloved Father:
Feeling that your counsel iu matters of
difficulty is ever worthy of being sought, I
submit the following to your consideration:
Ist. Would a minister of the gospel do right,
if he should refuse to baptize a person en
gaged in selling ardent spirits by the bottle
for profit, for medicinal purposes,)
provided said individual makes it known that
he does not intend to abandon the practice ?
2nd. Would a church act consistently to al
low its m,embers to engage in such a prac
tice £ Pi*-*:-give us your opinion at the
j earliest convenience. Your son in gospel
i bonds, Timothy.
To Timothy, but not from Paul — Son
Beloved: I cheerfully give you my opinion,
though it strikes me as exceeding strange that
any “ difficulty” should even seem to sur
round the matter” you submit. To my
mind—and I am conscious of no bias in the
premises—there is scarcely space for two
answers to either question. The traffic in
ardent spirits as a beverage, wears too many
marks of immorality to receive toleration
rightfully among members of a church of
Christ. The heart of the Saviour, all pu
rity and love, could not have poured out its
blood, to prepare the way for the establish
ment of an organization, which should do the
work, or coo 'i&eax-cirand connive at the guilt,
of the drunkard-maker Every mind would
be shocked if the church should appoint one
of her members to embark in the sale of
strong drink, as her agent: but would this in
volve any moral principle which does not un
derlie her action when she permits him, with
out disciplinary censure, to embark in that
sale on his own account ? If these views are
correct, it follows, of course, that no person
who sells ardent spirits as a beverage and de
cides not to abandon the business, ought to
be accepted as a proper candidate for bap
tism. I should feel that I perverted, if I did not
even profane, the ordinance, should I admin
ister it in such a case. So, in'brief, the mat
ter presents itself to the mind of Your bro
ther in Gospel bonds.
Supreme Moments.
There arc moments in life which do not
go from us. The mere lapse of time may
range them with the past; but they are an
influence, and mingle with and largely make
the present. The sou! defies the categories,
and weaves these moments into the “Now”in
which it lives—a “ Now” not limited within
the narrow sphere of the senses, but expand
ing until it fills the W'ider circle of the intel
lectual and spiritual capabilities. The heart
is not like a clock which measures off the
moments Jn sunshine and shadow alike, and
when each moment flits is done with it for.
ever: there arc moments that photograph
themselves upon it—foments that it does not
simply reeord, out repeats again and again—
that even grow more real and more potent,
we might almost say more present, with
every repetition.
We may have such moments in our Chris
tian experience* One we must have—the
moment of the new birth. There are others
that come to us as the life imparted then
grows —grows, in some sort, always by or
from these moments, whose power arid whose
presence abides. They are moments when
Jesus makes some fresh revelation of Him
self in the soul—when He gives us new
glimpses of His glory —when a deeper, di>
viner sense of His love thrills us—when He
comes in greater power to our own hearts, or,
under our ministration, is formed more and
more in other hearts, and, therefore, in ours
as well!
Ye, who love the Lord, are you living with
out these supreme moments 1 How long has
it been rjlnce you walked in their light?
When do you look to have this light break
on your eye, beam through your soul, again ?
Let us not aim to rest in the unrest which
the absence of these moments brings with it.
Let us seek their power anew', with the cry
of Monsell:
‘•O Thou whose mercy found me,
From bondage set me free,
And then forever bound me
With threefold cord to Thee;
Oh for a heart to love Thee
More truly as I ought;
And nothing place above Thee,
In deed, or word, or thought!
Oh for that choicest blessing
Os living in Thy love,
And thus on earth possessing
The peace of heaven above I”
The two Races.
The Acting Governor of this State, Hon.
Benjamin Conley, belongs, by birth and
training, to the North. His political Asso
ciations are with the Republican party, and
he is conspicuous for his firm adherence to its
policy. Ho is, therefore, a witness not un
likely to be credited by the Baptist press on
the other side of Mason and Dixon’s line.
We call the attention of our editorial breth
ren in that section to the testimony borne,
in his recent Message, on a question which
has elicited some discussion, and will proba
bly elicit much more, in connection with the
operations of the American Baptist Home
Mission Society at the South. He says :
“ I can but commend the wisdom and fore,
thought of the late General Assembly, in lay
ing down, as one fundamental piovision of the
system [of Education] in this State, that the
different races shall be separate in the schools.
We can have no mixed schools. It is not for
the interest of either race that it should be
so. While there should be equal justice done
in the distribution of the public funds for the
education of the children of both races, our
schools should be separate, and our colleges
should be separate.”
An Example. —The Broadway Tabernacle
church, New York, on the recent resignation
of their pastor, Rev. J. P. Thompson, D.D.,
after a service of twenty-seven years, “made
him a present sos $55,000, or a little over
$2,000 for each year’s service.” This act
combines liberality and justice. The tal
ents of Dr. Thompson, devoted to a secular
profession, would have reaped, in all proba
bility, even a more abundant harvest than
that; and was it not simply the discharge of
a moral obligation, when the church, possess
ing the re’iyiisite financial ability, secured
him against loss through the employment of
his prime of life for its welfare? The sum
of $55,000, doubtless, was added, many times
over, to the gains of the members of that
church in temporal affairs, by virtue of the
influence of his ministry upon their character
—upon the principles, the spirit and temper,
which, from the Sabbath and the sanctuary,
they carried into the business of the week.
They paid him but a small percentage on the
money, which, through the reflex effect, in
“ carnal things,” of his labors in “ spiritual
things,” he had fitted and helped them to
make.
“A Fellow-feeling.— There has been a
spice of controversy, for several months past,
among Southern Methodists, on certain ques
tions touching infant baptism. The Banner
of the Church expresses the “ hope that they
will keep up the discussion until they arrive
at some definite conclusions—at least so far
as to be able to tell why they baptize anybody
at all.” Now, is the Banner quite sure that
this is not a demand which transcends the
capabilities of Pedobaptism ? Surely, it can
scarcely expect Methodist theologians to ac
complish a feat to which its own Episcopal
bishops have shown themselves unequal; for
the Banner, in reference to the recent declar
ation of these dignitaries as to the meaning
of contested phraseology in the baptismal
office, asks that they will make “such verbal
change as seems necessary to give the declar
ation a definiteness which will preclude fur
ther strife.” Shall the solution which eludes
the vision of “ successors to the apostles,”
stand disclosed before the eye of “ schismat
ics?” Nay, can Pedobaptism, with all its
types and schools, ever fix the color of that
shifting chameleon —its own “ why ?”
Inefficiency.— ln the recent Episcopal
Convention, at Baltimore, it was stated by a
speaker, that “ the Church,” as established in
England, “is reaching but two pei cent, of
the working class,” and, as organized in this
country, “is not reaching one per cent, of
that class.” That “ the poor have the gospel
preached unto them,” was adduced by the
Great Teacher as a proof of His divine mis
sion ; and how can the organization claim an
exclusive authority from Him, of which not
the least notable characteristic is, that it does
not preach the gospel to the poor ? A dis
crepancy so palpable and wide, ought to
awaken grave doubt whether the flaunting
banner of modern “ Churchinanship ” might
not be meetly furled, or exchanged for “ a
flag of truce ” in the contemptuous crusade
against “ the sects.”
Gentlemanliness. —The Holston Southern
Methodist Conference, at its late session, de
clined, by a decided vote, to extend “the
usual courtesies” to Northern Methodist
ministers, even “in their individual capacity.”
This sectional estrangement and want of
Christian fraternity moves our regret; but it
hardly warrants the harsh style with which
the correspondent of an exchange treats it.
He desiderates some influence which “will
make Christian gentlemen ” of the obnoxious
majority, whom he pronounces “so thor
oughly' determined to go to heaven in their
own way, that rather than adopt any other
they' would be satisfied to take passage on the
most shabby ‘gravel train,’ with the devil as
conductor, fireman and engineer.” We hope
when that influence comes into play, this wri
ter may be found within its range and prove
susceptible to its operation.
Rev. J. Dixon, D.D.—The Board of Trus
tees of the Georgia Baptist Orphans’ Home,
at their last monthly meeting, filled a vacan
cy in their number by the election of Rev.
Dr. Dixon, pastor of Greene Street Church,
Augusta.
How is It ?—The Central Presbyterian,
Richmond, Va., states that Rev. J. A. Cham
bliss has accepted a call to the pastoral care
of Four-Mile Creek Baptist chuVeh, in the
vicinity of that city. Does this transaction
rest on the (erroneous and harmful) rule, that
it is permissible for a church which maintains
strict communion, to have a pastor holding
loose communion views ?
Newspaper Change. —Rev. E. 11. Myers,
D.D., for nearly eighteen years editor of the
Southern Christian Advocate , retires from
that position, to take the Presidency of Wes
leyan Female College, Macon, Ga. Dr. M.
has wielded a vigorous, facile pen, and great
ly endeared himself to his own denomination
and the genera! Christian public. Rev. F.
Milton Kennedy, Presiding Elder of the Or
angeburg District, South Carolina, has been
elected his successor, and will assume charge
of the paper with the opening of the new
year.
The New Hymn Book.
Dear Index: Having examined the “ Bap
tist Hymn Book ” issued by “ Bible and Pub.
Society, Philadelphia,” 1 desire to give public
expression to my sincere gratification in the
accomplishment of this great work, and to
commend it to the favorable regard of our
churches. There are five editions of it, —
pocket, pulpit, pew, cheap and music. The
cheap edition is a little gem, costing only 50
cents, and containing all the hymns of the
others. This is the “ cheapest hymn book in
the world.” The music edition, price $2.25,
is the most superb book of the kind 1 ever
saw. The music is in large aiyl beautiful
type, on tinted paper; and belter than this,
comprises that style of mu.-ic suited to con
gregational psalmody. I think this Baptist
Hymn Book is most likely of all others to
have a national circulation. It has been
adopted by the Ist Baptist church of this city,
*and will probably be by the 2nd, 3rd and
4th. A. T. Spalding.
News from the Indian Mission.
Rev. John Jumper, principal chief of the
Seminoles, thus writes : “ Our camp meeting
was very satisfactory, and largely attended.
We have had camp meetings in oil the
churches in this nation. We looked long and
anxiously for you, and when you did not
come, We felt sure some providence had hin
dered you, and we prayed our Heavenly
Father to bless you. 1 wish I could write to
you in your language. 1 think I would write
every mail. You ask if you can do anything
for the good of the Seminole churches ? In
reply, I say, we need enough lumber to floor
our new church house, 20 by 30 feet. If you
can aid us by procuring this lumber for us,
we will be very grateful. Please endeavor
to enlist the sympathies of the good people of
the States toward the poor Indians. In this
day of helplessness, we need to be especially
thought of by all Christians in their prayers
to the true God. He alone can avert the
danger that threatens to exterminate our race.
If you return in time, please visit your Semi
nole churches at Christmas time and preach
the funeral of my son Peter. We are all
praying for you that our Heavenly Father
will again, and soon, restore you to sight and
to us. The health of my people is very good.
Crops are short, owing to dry weather. Still,
with economy, we will hare enough to subsist
upon until another harvest.”
Mrs. Murrow writes Irom Rehoboth mis
sion station : “We are getting on smoothly
here. Bro. Peter Fulsom preached for us
last Wednesday, in English. His ideas were
very good. He received your letter and was
much pleased; says all the other native
preachers are at work for Jesus, trying to do
their whole duty. He is much pleased with
what has been done for Indian missions in
Georgia. I think the Chickasaw mission is
especially needing your oversight. Will try
to get Bro. Williams to visit that part of the
field. The reports from the native preach
ers are very good. 21st. Bro. Hogue walked
in this morning. Will preach for us to-mor
row. I trust he will again be put in condi
tion to devote ail his time to the mission
work. He is an excellent preacher, and wor
thy of all help. He is in fair health, he says.
I have been very unwell since you left, until
recently ; am now feeling better. Samuel is
not stout, though he does not complain. Does
Bro. Amos, in his art'de in the Index of Oct.
sth, mean that our salary is to be $1,300 a
year? If so, surely we can not only live
more comfortably, but aid in many more
good objects than we are now enabled to do.
Samuel and 1 are still alone in the house.
You bid me get some one to stay with me.
I have tried, but, as yet, have not succeeded.
Nor am I afraid. God will take care of me.
* Hia love in time past forbids me to think
He’ll leave me at last in trouble to sink.
Each sweet Ebenezer I have in review,
Confirms His good pleasure to help me
quite through.’
Stay ill Georgia as long as y our eyesight
requires, but it will be a glad day here when
you return. For this I constantly pray.
Bring some strawberry plants with you, if
possible, and some flower slips —rose cut
tings, etc.” . . .
For the information of any who may have
fallen into the same error of my excellent
wife, I remark, that S3OO of the $1,300 men
tioned by Bro. Amos was for salary of the
previous year, which had not been paid. My
salary is SI,OOO a year, for which I am grate
ful, and with which I am satisfied. My ob
ject in living among the Indians is not to make
money, but to do good. J. S. Murrow.
Atlanta, Nov. ith.
Intelligence.
Bro. W. M. Davis, Agent for the Theo
logical department of Howard College, has
been laboring with us at Opelika, Ala., for
several days in a fine meeting. Ilis sermons
are plain, but exceedingly interesting, and
are accomplishing much good. Last Sabbath
he delivered a lecture on Ministerial Educa
tion, and I am gratified to say that our church
at this place pledged itself to educate two
young brethren at Howard for the ministry.
Are there not other churches in the Tuskegee
Association who are older, stronger and
richer than we, that will do as well, and bet
ter ? The Baptists of Opelika are making
steady and rapid progress, and 1 trust it will
not be long before we shall have the banner
church in East Alabama. We have accessions
at nearly every conference meeting, and the
waters are frequently troubled. This year,
I have been preaching to the church three
Sabbaths in the month, but next year we ex
pect to have regular Sabbath services.
J. J. Cloud.
Rev. E. Y. Van Hoose.
The Committee (11. C. Hooten, N. M.
Bledsoe and W. W. Baker) appointed to pre
pare and report resolution expressive of the
feelings of the church, on the resignation of
Bro. E. Y. Van Hoose,submit the following:
Whereas, The relation of pastor and church
has been terminated by the resignation of
Bro. Van Hoose, of the pastoral charge of
Mount Zion Baptist church, Bullock county,
Ala.; therefore be it
Resolved, Is/, That by his resignation, this
church has lost the services and counsel of a
punctual, faithful and successful pastor.
2nd, That in dissolving the relation which
has so pleasantly existed for the last nine
years, we part with him with regret, and we
commend him to all among whom his lot
may be cast, as an intelligent, zealous and
efficient minister of the gospel.
Marshallvillb Baptist Church. —We
understand, on good authority, that Bro. B.
W. Whilden has declined the call of the
Marshallville (Ga.) Baptist church, fbr the
next year. He does not preach “ trial ser
mons but churches desiring pastors and
opening correspondence with him, will receive
seasonable replies to their communications.
His preference is for a pastorate to which he
will devote his entire time.
Seasons of Refreshing:.
Unavoidable calamities prevented me giv
ing an account of meetings held during the
summer. Elder P. S. Milner assisted me at
Brewton and Bluff Springs. At Brewton we
formed a Presbytery for the ordination of E.
P. Loveless to the office of deacon the
church appointing Bro. M. to preach the or
dination sermon, and your correspondent to
charge the church and candidate. Difficulties
called Bro. M. home from Molino. He found
his family ill, and could not return. The
meeting lasted from Thursday until Sabbath
night. No accessions. Was by myself. At
Pensacola, Elder J. C. Coleman assisted me.
Baptized my wife. We felt that the Lord
was with us in the power of ILs Spirit to re
vive, if not to convert. The congregation
grew as the meetings continued, and we took
courage. There were earnest solicitations
each church to continue the meeting. Previ
ous appointments, however, hastened us on.
At Jack Springs (Mars Hill church) I met
Elder A. T. Lambert. We had a meeting of
importance. Bro. L. baptized two in its
wake.
Claiborne was our next place. The church
was represented as being cold, and we found
it so. We regret to mention that not half of
the congregation kneeled at prayer. Many
members sat every time of prater. Still the
Lord granted us a revival. Sceptics were
compelled to acknowledge the realities of
religion, and one old man was added to the
church upon profession of his faith. The
church called Bro. L. and myself to set apart
John Thomas to the office of deacon. Ap
pointed me to preach the sermon and deliver
the charge to the deacon and church, all of
which took place on Sabbatli morning, fol
lowed by the Lord's supper. A more im
pressive meeting w’o never witnessed. We
left, against the protestations of the commu
nity, for Montgomery Hill. This church is
cold. Has had no preaching for a year. We
commenced Friday morning, with a small
congregation, apparently smaller, from the
size of the #ne old church—a memento of
better days. At night, our congregation
doubled, and continued to increase until the
house was tilled. On Sabbath morning a
gloom wa3 cast over the congregation by the
announcement of the death of a young man
who attended church Friday night. Fro. L.
preached his funeral at 11 o’clock Monday.
It was an able discourse, warning us that we
were in the midst of death, and a heart
searching appeal to prepare for judgment
after its dark valley is passed. Our meet
ing was prosperous. Sev-eral old mem
bers came forward with the young peo
ple for the prayers of God’s people. Our
last appointment was Little River. The
church called on us to set apart Brethren
Stark and Boyes to the office ot deacons, and
appointed me to preach the sermon and charge
the church and candidates. This 1 again ob
jected to, but Bro. L. overruled. We re
ceived two for baptism—Bro. Lrmbert’s
daughter and a young man —Willie Staples.
From ail these churches went up a sweet
savor, of which Paul so beautifully speaks.
But no more. We will visit Montgomery
Hill on the fourth Sabbath in November.
John T. Beck.
Brewton, Oct. 31,1871.
Union Mectlug.
The Union Meeting of the Houston Asso
ciation met with Antioch church, Pulaski
county, on Saturday, the 28th Oct., 1871, and
organized by calling Bro. Wm. B. Cone to
act as Moderator, and N. H. Mobley, Secre
tary.
The following churches were represented*
Antioch, Huwkinsvilie, Harmony, Friend
ship, Blue Spring, and Pine Hill.
Bro. Wm. Ridley, Chairman of the Com
mittee appointed at the last meeting to pre
pare business for this meeting, introduced the
following queries : Ist. To be a Christian, is
it necessary to know the time and place of
our conversion! 2nd. Is it right for a mem
ber of the Baptist church to sell intoxicating
drink to his fellow-men; and is a church dis
charging her duty that retains a member who
persists in vending the same! The first que
ry was taken up for the consideration of the
meeting. Most of the brethren present par
ticipated in the debate. After a full inter
change of ideas, it was unanimously decided
that it is not necessary that a Christian know
the time and place of his conversion ; but the
Scriptures teach us that there must be a
change of heart, according to the language of
the Saviour to Nicodernus, “Marvel not that
I said unto thee, ye must be born again.”
Proceeded to discuss the second query, which
is one that very much interests the churches
of the Houston Association, as the vending
of spirituous liquors is a very common prac
tice among Baptists having membership with
them. Ttie investigation of this subject was
long and animated, during which the best of
feelings existed among the brethren, and a
unanimity of sentiment prevailed. In re
sponse to the query, this meeting considers
it utterly wrong for Baptists to engage in the
sale of intoxicating liquors, and that if a
church cannot prevail on her members to give
up the unholy traffic, and no longer engage in
the same, it is her bounden duty to turn them
loose upon the world. This meeting earn
estly requests the churches of the Houston
Association to meet the question firmly, and
combat it wherever it may present itself, as
it is now the greatest evil against which we
have to contend ; and, if not arrested by the
churches, will prove a great hindrance to the
progress ot the cause of our blessed Saviour.
Appointed brethren N. 11. Mobley, A. J.
Pound, J. Ilobbs and It. W. Anderson, a
Committee to prepare business for the next
meeting, which will be held with the Haw
kinsville church, on Saturday before the fifth
Sabbath in March, 1872.
Oostanaula Association.
Ia compliance with your request that the
brethren should write, on my return home,
wearied and fatigued, having been engaged
more than fifty days in active service, trying
to preach the glorious gospel of Christ, I feel
it my duty to d:op you these lines. I held
a series of meetings with the churches I at
tend. At Unity, 1 baptized 8; West Union,
G; Forestville, 11 ; lfinon, 5. Others were
received by letter, and several by restora
tion. Also, assisted Bro. Chceney at Mt.
Pleasant, where we had a glorious meeting,
and he baptized 9. Massadonia, Cor.naoena,
Blue Pond and other churches of our Asso
ciation have had gracious revival seasons, for
which we feel grateful to our blessed Re
deemer.
Since writing the above, 1 attended a Sab
bath school celebration at Mt. Pleasant on
the 27th of October. A nicer procession,
sweeter singing, better things to eat, and a
happier crowd 1 never saw. 1 preached from
the text, “ Sutler little children to come unto
me and forbid them not.”* The aged, middle
aged, children and speaker wept together.
After a feast of soul and body, our venerable
and aged brother, Dr. Cheeney, preached to
us from the motto on their pretty white flag,
worked in beautiful letters, The Bible. We
are alive to the Sabbath school cause. The
next day we attended the ministers’, deaoons’
and church meeting of the first district of our
Association, held with West Union church.
It was organized by calling deacon Marsh to
the chair; F. Everett, Secretary. Several
queries were ably discussed. The meeting
had a happy effect on all present.
I cannot close without referring to sonW
thing written and published in the Ikdkx ia|
reference to our Association. I allude J|B§
closing article of Bro. Stillwell’s of CwK
sth, where it is said we were a olicitgg||l£Hßj
come counecied with the Conventib#; V W»