Christian index and South-western Baptist. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1866-1871, December 14, 1871, Image 1
CHRISTIAN INDEX SOTTH-WESTERN BAPTIST.
\ OL 50—NO. 49
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A Strange Good-bye.
Colonel Morton sat in his elegant libra
ry one morning, with the daily paper in his
hai a nd; but, though his eye passed over the
column, no idea of its intelligence entered
hio brain. He tried to think of what it
-poke, but his thoughts wandered so that
his utmost efforts were vain. At length,
wearied with trying, he threw the paper
upon the table in an angry way, exclaim
ing, “A man might as well not have any
brain as to feel it as numb as mine is this
morning. I slept horribly last night; in
fact, it wa3 not sleep at all, but a wild
nightmare, the whole night through. And
this never will do; that’s certain.”
“ Business is just about done for,” bo
continued, after a pause; “but those
notes must be paid for all that. There
never A"as a man so unlucky as I am.
Everything under the sun fights against
me, and all my friends have turned to
enemies. And the worst health! fire
and fury —every bone in my body aches;
and I feel as if I am two hundred years
dd, instead of forty five!”
And the speaker’s blood-shot eyes
looked around upon the furniture and
books of the elegant apartment, with a
look in which wrath and wretchedness
were strangely mingled. At this moment
a servant entered te say that Judge Al
cott had called.
“Just what I expected. There’s no
peace for me. Show him in here, then ;
for I can t put my foot to the floor this
morning, and heaven only knows whether
I can ever do it again or not. Pull down
that curtain ; I never saw such a glare of
sunshine. And I don’t care about being
on special exhibition this morning lie
muttered to himself, as the servant lelt
the rcom.
“ Good morning my friend,” said Judge
Alcctt, returning the Colonel’s greeting,
as lie entered the room and took his of
fered hand; “I’m sorry to find you no
better to-day. Is your foot no better ?”
“ No, Judge, nothing is better. Take
that arm-chair, sir. It looks to mo as if
all the ills flesh is heir to, and all the bad
luck that Satan ever concocted, have come
on me at once,” the Colonel replied, go
ing on to sp ak of business troubles;
concluding with —“and so three notes of
vours are overdue, sirt I’m sorry to say
that—”
“No matter about them this morning;
I have no time for business matters, and
no heart for them either. I called on a
far different errand than to ask of debts
vhick you cannot pay, John,” the Judge
*■••died, with deep feeling; “for I came
iell you good-bye ; and it is one of the
blest good-byes that I ever gave in all
' ; v three score years and ten,” said the
<>ble-looking old man, with a tremor in
his voice.
Col. Morton looked up with a startled
xpression, saying, “Why, what is it,
adge? Are you going away for a long
time? Has anything happened?”
“No, I'm not going away; but ‘some
' iting has happened,’ and you are going
way soon, ami for a long time ; yes, for
i.e longest time ; and I lelt I must come
ver o day, or I might never see you
ag:in, John; never again, neither in this
life, nor in the one to come. And I must
speak to you about it now, John, for it is
tho last time. I never expict to see you
again. I have given you up. Yes, you
are gone , John , you, the son of the friend
who was liko a brother to me ; you, the
boy who had as noble a prospect as ever
smiled on any lift); you, who began busi
ness on a basis that looked as stable as
anything humai\ can look; you, who
married the loveliest woman in all our
circle; you, the father of a child who
blossomed into an angel so fitly, so beauti
fully, that we could not grieve when sho
died ; you, the father of a son who is all
that a" son can bo; and may God take
him to day rather than let him walk the
path you havo done !
“ Don’t stop mo ; I must tell you all
now, for it is the last time. I trembled
when you began* to take the accursed
brandy for your health ; hut you pre
sumed upon strength which you had not,
and went on after health was sufficiently
recovered, and did not put away the snare
which was gathering around your feet.
Then your cheek took anew color, and
vour eyes a look that nobody ever expect
•l to see in your eyes, John Morton ; and
vour business suffered, for your half
sleep brain saw nothing clearly. On the
verge of bankruptcy, brought there by
nothing but tho fatal brandy, the guilty
brandy, you heard all my heart, all
my fears, as I besought you for the
a ‘ko of business and honor, friends
and family, in the view of life and
death, heaven and hell, to stop ; to turn
around ; to take the reins once moi e
in vour own hand, and become masrer of
yourself again. But you laughed at my
fears, scorned my entreaties, and would
not listen.
■•Then the downward road grew steeper,
i J when, so soon, you raved in your de
lirium and woke to find how low you had
been, startled and alarmed, you did stop,
and. swore that you would never, never
tn #t* another drop. But alas ! you had
ijo r 1 penitence, even then, John, only
humiliated pride ; for you forbade us ever
to refer to the depth from which you had
risen, and still considered the fall your
misfortune, not your sin ; and still trust
ed your own strength to hold you secure
ly * Had it been otherwise, had you not
been so blind as to your sin, so ‘ deceived ’
by the ‘mocker, wine,’ had you not
yrown so unlike your sane self, from
usin ' the ‘strong drink which rageth,’ I
should have felt sure that you were, as I
was fain to hope, safe again.
“But you had let appetite become your
ini'ter, and I saw in your eyes, before
ihe year ended, that you had broken your
oath* You avoided me, would not look
me in the eye, spoke to me formally, cold
ly, when we met, and was angered by my
one more remonstrance after that, bo 1
could say no more, do no more, lou
knew your danger, on what brink you
s'ood f you had voluntarily set your feet
there a second ti®t l But 7 0U must U&7 °
{*10!) A YEAR, l
seen my plea in my face every time we
met; and you know I would have saved
you, even tvith my life, John, had it been
possible.
“You have had warnings, too, John.
Several times has your physician told
you that you were murdering yourself,
and that tho end could not be far off;
and yet you went on, even till, often, you
have made your home in the dark hours
of the night, like a picture of perdition.
And your wife, John, —God pity her !
| What has she not endured of every kind
of sorrow ? It would not be strange if
stung, tortured, outraged, maddened at
last with your oblivion of every consider
ation of duty, honor, right, she were to
fly, to the ends of the earth, if need be,
to escape the horrors of the place called
home.
“No ; I*will not stop. I must tell you
all now, for it is the last time : I shall
soon be done, and then I shall tell you
good-bye —good-bye till we meet at the
judgment-throne. I shall not even come
to seo you in your coffin, nor stand be
side your dishonored grave. I could not
have strength to see your face in a drunk
ard’s coffin, John, any more thanthat of
my own son, if he were there.
How strangely you have forgotten
your Edward. How could you withstand
the pleading, both dumb and spoken, of
your son, your only son, a boy, too, of
whom any man with a father s heart left
in him, would be, must be proud. O,
John, John, how has the demon drink
stolen your heart away ; for the noble
heart of the old John Morton would have
taken a thousand dcatli3_sooner than come
to this.
“You are sobbing, John ! Have you
yet a heart left ? Then, 0, here on my
knees, let my grey hairs and my tears
plead that, even now, though my hope
had utterly died out, you will stop even
yet, and now this instant, throw yourself
into the arms of Infinite Strength ; for,
listen : l He is able to save unto the utter
most all that come unto Him ;’ and ‘ the
blood of Je-us Christ cleanseth us from
ail sin.’ From the sin, John—the sin
itself; not merely from tho penalty, but
from the sin itself. He can , and will, if
you trust Him to do it, take away the sin
even of loving this cursed drink. Will
you, can you, 0, will you, John, throw
your lost, helpless self upon His strength,
and yet live ?”
“ I wish I could, but I have lost the
power to turn to Him. I am a slave,
•sold under sin,’ —and I have sold my
self ?”
0, the despairing, deathly wail in the
words ! Thero was not a touch of hope
in them. It was as if the stupefied, be
sotted heart and brain of this wrecked
and ruined man felt for the last tirnp a
consciousness of his real situation. The
retrospection of his agonized friend was
all too true, and John Morton saw clearly
for tho moment, the frightful abyss which
already yawned to receive him, and see
ing it, he" could not but shudder. Still,
the realization, though vivid, was but mo
mentary ; for, even as his friend—unable
longer to endure tho spectacle of doom
before him—rose to offer him the parting
hand, inebriant clouds had again obscured
tho view of danger, and the deadly leth
argy stealing back again, benumbed all
sensibility.
The venerable Judge stood for a mo
ment, unable to move, while a tremor of
horror passed over him, as if he saw the
black death-cap drawn over the face of a
doomed criminal; then he advanced and
took tho hand of the wretched being who
would havo offered some maudlin remon
strance to the solemnity of this leave
taking, but the agonized expression of
the Judge’s face forbade the utterance.
The lips of him who had come to say
farewell, moved, but no sound issued from
them. What a scene was there? The
image of the John Morton of but a few
years before, in all tho glory of his man
hood, the fuliness of intellect, the strength
of integrity, rose and stood beside the
bloated form and soulless face of the
wrecked John Morton of the present;
while thoughts of the man’s nearing,
dreadful doom deprived his friend of all
power to utter the farewell he had come
to speak, albeit with a faint hope, unex
pressed, even to his own heart, that such
a farewell might at last rouse the lust one
to some thought. That hope was, he saw,
forever vain.
Silently, he wrung the fevered band,
upon which his tears only fell, and grasp
ing it so, as he felt, for the last time, a
great sob burst from him, and the words,
gasped rather* than spoken, “My God!
has it come to this , John, that you are
gone—lost forever?” —fell from his lips.
And this was the farewell, for in an in
stant more the Judge was gone. The
parting had passed. These friends, who
had once been almost as father and son,
were divided now, and divided forever.
A feeble attempt at thought, retrospec
tion, resolution, prayer, was made when
the occupant of the library found himself
alone; but the power for such exercises
had been despised and rejected beyond
recall, and the pain of effort was soon
drowned, as all pains and cravings had
come to be, in the cup of perdition.
It was but a week after that, that a de
lirium of two days ended in the doom so
long impending. John Morton was dead.
His end was that awful one of the drunk
ard, who, chased from earth by imaginary
demons, finds himself beyond the bounds
of this life, in the midst of real demons,
a conscious, lost soul.
Few and short were the prayers said at
the burial. So dreadful were the circum
stances attending the death of the hus
band and father, that the wife and sc-n
•were too ill to be present, and others at
tended to the last rites as simply and as
silently as such scenes may be ordered-
To the thunder of warning in such a
history, nothing can be added.
Mona.
“Cusmism.” —John l r iske, of Harvard Col
lege, rejects Atheism, Pantheism, and the
Christian Theism, substituting what he calls
« Costnism’* as the religion of scientific men.
He denies the existence of a personal God.
and holds that there is an indwelling power
in the world which exhibits itself in every
phenomenon of nature. What this power is,
he cannot say. The Athenians long ago erect
ed an altar to the “ unknown God ”
FRANKLIN PRINTING" HOIJ&E, ATLANTA, GA„ THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1871.
The Scriptures Interpret Themselves.
I Cor. xv; 29, 30: “ Else what shall
they do which are baptized for ( uper ) the
dead, if the dead rise not at all ? Why
are they baptized for (uper) the dead ?
And why are we in jeopardy every
hoar?”
The meaning' of the
may be determined by L ita use in the fol
lowing passages:
Acts ix; 16: “For I‘(Christ) will
show him (Paul) how great things he must
suffer for my name’s sake,” (uper.)
Rom. iii; 36: “As it is written, For
thy (Christ’s) sake (uper) we are killed all
the day long : we are accounted as sheep
/or the slaughter.”
II Cor. xii; 10: “ Therefore, I take
pleasure in infirmities, in distresses for
Christ’s sake,” (uper.)
Phil, i; 29: “ For, unto you it is given,
in the behalf of (uper) Christ, not only
to believe on Him, but to suffer for His
sake,” (uper.)
The baptism is explained by Col. ii;
12: “Buried with Him (Christ) in bap
tism, wherein also ye are risen with Him
by the faith of tho operation of God, who
hath raised Him from the dead.”
The design of the Apostle, in tho 15th
chapter of Ist Corinthians, is to confirm
the doctrine of the resurrection by the
fact that Christ was raised ; to show the
interest of His people therein; and to
answer or silence the quibbles of the ob
jectors., He says: “ For I delivered un
to you, first of all, how that Christ died
for our sins, according to the Scriptures.”
“ But, if there be no resurrection of the
dead, then is Christ not risen; and if
Christ.be not raised, your faith is vain:
ye are yet in your sins.” “Then they
also which are fallen asleep in Christ, are
perished.” “ But now is Christ risen from
the dead, and become the first fruits of
them that slept.” “ Else what shall they
do which are baptized for the dead, if the
dead rise not at all ? Why ar.e they then
baptized for the dead ? And why are we
in jeopardy every hour ?”
The context, and the explanatory pas
angea, lead to the following interpreta
tion : “ Else what shall they (in a general
Bense —any persons) do which are baptized
for the sake of the dead Christ and them
that are fallen asleep in Him, if the dead
rise not at all ? Why are they (any per
sons) baptized for the sake of them?
And why are we (apostle and Corinthi
ans) in particular, in jeopardy every
hour—killed all the day long —accounted
as sheep for the slaughter—for believing
and preaching this same doctrine of the
resurrection that they believed and
preached; and for observing this same
baptism that they observed, and which
so plainly symbolizes their burial and
resurrection, if it be true that the dead
rise not at all? If in this life only we
have hope in Christ, we (who are in jeop
ardy every hour) are, of all men, most
miserable.” T. B. Cooper.
StoM Mountain, Ga., Nov. 80, 1871.
Revival in the Olden Time.
“ Doubtless, there is a glorious revival
of the religion of Jesus. The wicked of
every description have bben despoiled of
their boasted coat-of-mail; even deists,
who stood in the front of the battle, have
had their right arm broken, their hope dis
appointed, and theii* prognostications met
amorphosed into falsehoods. As the fruit
of this work, there have been added to the
churches of the Georgia Associations more
than 1,400. To those of the Sarepta,
more than one thousand a year ago ; we
doubt not but that number has greatly in
creased by this time. To those of the
Bethel, more than 2,000. . . . We are
authorized to say, that in six Associations
in Kentucky, there are at least 10,000
young converts. O, most mighty Jesus,
ride prosperously because of truth, meek
ness and righteousness ; and Thy right
hand shyL teach Thee terrible things.
Thy kingdom come.” Extract from His
tory of the Georgia Association, p. 43,
date 1804.
These were the days of the Marshalls,
Mercers, Walker and others who labored
in love and faith, days wherein less
of worldliness and more of gospel simpli
city prevailed. The year previous to this
great work, 732 were baptized into the
churches of the Georgia Association, indi
cating the presence of the revival spirit.
Oh for the day, the glad, triumphant day,
when such a glorious outpouring of the
Spirit shall again be witnessed.
C. H. S.
Moral Courage and Intemperance.
Why is intemperance so universally
prevalent in the community at large, and
to so great on extent among the members
of our churches ? Why is there so little
effort being made to counteract its influ
ence and to prevent its still greater in
crease ? Why do the few who are en
deavoring to awaken interest in the sub
ject, and to incite to proper and efficient
measures for the staying of the destruc
tive plague, meet, even in the churches,
with general apathy and indifference ?
We would not dare, from our own’lim
ited acquaintance in the churches, to at
tempt an answer to these important inqui
ries. But others, reliable correspondents
in the Index, furnish the reply. They
tell us that ipen and brethren do deplore
the evil, but they are “ wanting in moral
courage to take a stand against itand
“ that there are others, and some in the
churches, too, who care for nothing but
the dimes.”
Brethren, our discouragements are not
go much the difficulties in the work itself,
God’s Mercy.
Go ! count the lea Yes that fall,
Or number ail the sands
Along the ocean-shore I
Then may you tell to all
Earth's dreary, toiling lands,
His lore whom you adore.
Got grasp the planets all
Within your puny hands;
B<d every shining sphere
From its own orbit fall I
Beyond them far expands
The love His children share.
Go! fathom boundless space!
Through nature’s vast domain,
On tireless pinion rove I
There shall be found His grace.
And mercy st : ll sustain
The offspring of His love.
0 merev, grand, subl me!
And love beyond degree I
0 Christ I Thou worthy art;
Lustrous Thy cross shall shine,
The joy and glory be
Os every trusting heart.
as in the indifference «es many who ought
to be deeply interests, and the fear and
timidity of those whoMo feel on the sub
ject. Were a friendi or a neighbor, a
Christian brother, orfan entire stranger
even, walking upon tile, brink of a preci
pice, or pit, and in dagger every moment
of falling and losing -his life, none of us
would lack the eouragaTo hasten and point
out to him his periigyQould we, under
such circumstances, ||B| courage and be
men? And hero,. rSK under our eyes,
friends, neighbors whom we
profess to love, are tippling the path that
leads to inexpressiblSnisery in this life,
and woe unutterable Ik the life to come,
and neighbors and Christian brethren sit
still and see them go down to death and
dare not sound a warning note, or make
an effort to save ! **’
Brethren, what haye we to fear? If
God be for us, —and the work, surely, is
His work, —who can. be against us and
prosper ? B. W. I.
A Final Word.
“Be not? wituesa agaiu 5 ** thy neighbor without a
cause, aud deceive not wuh v «JjJ Tips. Prov. xiir:** 28.
“ I speak that I do know and testify that I have
seen."
My brother, in hi: communication of
the 2nd November, tl> uks it too late now
to discuss the question in reference to the
opposition manifested against the Oosta
naula Association in (he days of its in
fancy, and rather deuies that there ever
was any official act, either of church or
Association, having such a tendency. I
will just refer him and all the brotherhood
to the Minutes of the Tjostanaula Associa
tion held with the church at Conasena in
the year 1854, on page 11th, and he or
they will find language like this : “ Re
solved, that this Association regrets that
the said brethren did not take pains to
ascertain how this matter stood before
they made public statements which were
untrue, in our view, tvnd to the prejudice
of this Association. And be it further
Resolved, that this Association feels that
suoh conduct is highly objectionable, and
therefore meet 9 its unqualified disappro
bation. And lastly, l|e it Resolved, that
this preamble and resolutions be publish
ed in our Minutes. Your Committo ad
vise the adoption of the above report, in
hope that our Coosa brethren will see
their error and cease their opposition to
this Association ; that peace and harmony
may be restored among the Baptists of
Cherokee-Georgia.” (Committee as fol
lows : W. Tate, R. L. Duncan, M.
Wright, A. H. Spen-e, H. Lovelace, S.
P. Rowland and I. H. Williams.) My bro
ther who denies the above is one of the
Coosa brethren aIL ded to. This all seems
to be official; aud if bis does not show it
clearly, I confess I can not make the
showing. And I disagree materially with
my brother in regard lo words and actions
of Baptists. I think their actions ought
to be consistent afc&ffieir words truth.
As to charging arty blame upon the
Convention for the opinions entertained
and expressed at the Association at Ar
muchee last year by the delegates in ref
erence to voting the Association into the
Convention without the consent of the
churches, I charge no blame to the Con
vention for it at all—not the least; but I
do blame those that ded advocate any such
lordly power, be they who they may. We
apprehend no coercive power being exer
cised by the Convention to drive U3 into
submission contrary to our will, but we
trust to be kept out by a better influence.
While we have the light of God’s word to
guide us, which so clearly defines the sov
ereignty of the church and the duties of
the church as the instrument in the hands
of God by which He intends to accomplish
His purposes, we have no fears that we
shall ever find it necessary to affiliate with
any organization about which the sacred
Scriptures know or say nothing.
My brother says he desires the connec
tion for our good. We thank him for his
sympathy, but choose to demur. But
show us how our good is to be promoted
by such connection. He says, by being
united. If we could be united legally upon
the principles of the law of Christ, it
would be a happy and glorious union.
But I pray God that I may never become
a party in the formation of a union that
is not based on the law of my Master. I
think the history of our country, for the
last ten or twelve years, is sufficient to
teach us an important lesson. When the
United States stood united, bound to each
other by constitutional law, there was not
a nation on earth that would dare to at
tack her; but when law was disregarded
and division ensued, bloodshed and car
nage followed in all its direful train. So
t has been, and ma<y still, to a very great
extent, with the church. In the apostolio
age, the church was of one mind and of
one accord, and they continued steadfastly
in the apostles’ doctrine,and in feSwwship,
and in breaking of bread, and in prayer.
Why is it not in that condition now ?
There is disunion.' Who caused it? The
Baptists claim to be the church nearest
the model of the apostolic church. What
divided the Baptists ? I can well remem
ber when there was no division among the
Baptists of this country. Every body
knows, that has taken the pains to inform
themselves, that organizations gotten up
by men without Scriptural authority, have
been the whole cause of the division.
My brother says he expects to continue
his efforts to win over his brethren to the
opinion, and believes it is right. Saul
thought while he was persecuting the
saints he was doing God’s service. 1 hope
my brother, in his arguments to win over
his brethren, will bring forward the law
and the testimony, for the Baptists gen
erally are a peculiar people, and like to
have “ thus saith tho Lord” for evi
dence ; and unless such testimony can be
brought forward, he will not be likely to
be very successful in bringing a very large
host under his banner. Your brother is
not so much troubled as you might sup
pose about being voted into the Conven
tion, for he knows very well that the Bap
tists are a Democratic people, and seldom
ever carry any one where he does not
want to go. As for the Association being
voted into the Convention at the last
meeting of the body, I still contend for
what I did in myfformer communication,
—that there are at least two-thirds of the
members composing the churches of tho
Oostanaula Asshelation that are opposed to
the Convention ; and it has ever been my
understanding among the Baptists, that
the majority rules in all cases except as
touching fellowship. My brother seems
to be a great advocate for union, and if
he does what he says he will do in his last
piece, he will sow the seed of discord and
disunion among the churches ; for already,
some of the churches aro nearly divided
purely by the agitation of this question.
Some of the churches belonging to the
Association were not represented in the
last session, and it would have been doing
what every true Baptist would say was
illegal to count even the neutral churches
which were represented, and more espe
cially those which were not. Let us look
at tho merits of the question: Who made
the demand upon the churches to come
forward to the Association by their dele
gates to vote in this matter ? Answer,
the Association. Is it a legislative body ?
My brother says there is no Scripture for
any such body. Then it cannot legislate
for the ohurches. Are the churches bound,
then, to vote when the power that requires
it is ah illegal power ? If the churches
do not choose to obey this illegal demand,
and act as independent churches have
a right to do, are their votes to be count
ed whether they vote or not ? If this
is Parliamentary in legally organized bo
dies, I contend that it does not apply in
this case. It is given up on all hands, by
all the Baptists, both among the Mission
ary and Hardshells, that the Association
is only a creature of the churches, and has
no legislative power over the churches. If
this be true, what right has tho Associa
tion to take neutral churches, who did not
feel disposed to act under such authority,
aud construe their vote to answer her own
purposes, knowing as she, the Association,
did, that there was division of sentiment
in the churches ? It any church does not
feel disposed to obey the law of this un
scriptural organization, (I mean the Asso
ciation, for my brother admits it to be
such,) and see3 fit to pas3 its demands by
unnoticed, who has the right to say the
vote of such churches shall be counted in
the affirmative ? Such conduct would be
contradictory to all Baptist practice and
usage; for all admit that the church is
the highest ecclesiastical judicatory guided
by the law of Christ. I mean the Baptist
church. Shall Associations or Conven
tions, in their delegated capacities, enact
laws for the government of the churches
and bring them under obligations to sub
mit to their enactments contrary to the
supreme law of God ? God forbid.
H. A. Clemmons.
A Good Minister.
Givo inn the priest these graces shall possess :
Os an embassador the just address;
A father’s tenderness, a shepherd’s care;
A leader’s courage, which the cross can bear;
A ruler’s awe, a watchman’s wakeful eye;
A pilot’s skill, the helm in storms to ply;
A fisher’s patience, and a laborer’s toil;
A guide’s dexterity to disembroil;
A prophet’s inspiration from ab .ve;
A teacher’s knowledge, arid a Saviour’s love.
I Must Work.
Death worketh,
Let me work, too ;
Death undoetb,
Let me do.
Busy as death my work I ply,
Till I rest in the rest of eternity.
Time worketh,
Let me work, too;
Time undoetb,
Let me do.
Busy as Time my work I ply,
Till I rest in the rest of eternity.
Sin worketh,
Let me work, too;
Sin undoeth,
Let me do.
Busy as sin my work I ply,
Till I rest in the rest of eternity.
Horatiut Bonar.
Ministerial Importation.
The article calling attention to the ten
dency to ministerial importation, was not
designed to question the right of the
churches to select whom they please as
pastors, nor to restrict them within cer
tain county, Associational, State or Fed
eral boundaries, provided the authority of
the Master is recognized, and the interest
of His kingdom is not prejudiced. Nor
was it intimated that this practice has be
come universal, that great “stress”
should be laid upon the question, “ Where
was the pastor born ?” and that, “ to se
cure to him and his message attention and
sympathy, it should be announced that he
hails from a certain State.” The inde
pendence of the churches is a New Testa
ment doctrine, and should be “earnestly”
contended for, while its exercise is not
pressed to the injury of the Master’s
cause. It is also granted that “ there are
no geographical line3 running through
Christ’s kingdom,” but that His “ chosen
generation” is selected “ from every na
tion, kindred and tongue,” to constitute
his “ holy nation.” And yet, after all
these admissions, it is a fact that these
State lines and geographical boundaries
have had, and do have, an important bear
ing upon Christian vhort. The chdi4ihes
of each State have their own special en
terprises, and their own modes of devel
oping the resources of heart, mind and
wealth within their bounds. Each State
has its own Convention, and, so far as
practicable, its own newspaper and insti
tution of learning. The territory in which
these institutions expect to operate, and
from which they look for support, is pretty
well defined by “ geographical lines.”
Our fathers recognized such boundaries
when they drafted the constitution of
“ The Georgia Baptist Convention of the
State of Georgia,” which says, “ The con
stituents of this body shall be the Bap
tist Associations in the State of Georgia,
or as many of them as shall accede to the
terms of this Convention. . . . Associa
tions and societies located out of the State
may be received into the body when their
peculiar location and other circumstances
may, in the judgment of this Convention,
render it desirable and important.” While
our fathers did not entirely restrict them
selves to State lines, yet they felt that
their first and highest objects was “to
unite the influence and pious intelligence
of Georgia Baptists, and thereby to facili
tate their qnioq and 00-operation." The
churches of other States have united for
similar purposes. There is a fitness of
things in the union of the churches of the
different States for calling out and making
profitable their undeveloped resources;
and when they go beyoqd these bounds,
except in the great work of missions,
there should be some “ peculiar circum
stances which renders it desirable and im*
portant.’’ Otherwise, instead of “ co
operation,” there will be a clashing and a
prostration of each others plans and pur
poses. The State Evangelist recently ap
pointed for Alabama would hardly feel at
liberty to expend his time and strength
upon Georgia soil. Bro. Hornady would
not be apt to put on one of his blandest
smiles were he to meet Bro. Davis prose
cuting his agenoy in behalf of Howard in
the heart of Georgia. Nor would Bro.
Davis bid Bro. Hornady a hearty god
speed in drawing from Alabama money
and students for Mercer. Each would bid
tho other to recognize his “ geographical
line.”
It is a well-known fact that our news
papers, in times past, have' speared each
other for seeking to secure a foothold
upon each other’s territory, until there is
now a mutual acknowledgment on the part
of all that the local paper should be taken
first.
If our educational and newspaper inter
est may- be injured by this traversing each
other’s boundaries, why may not the
churches and the general cause be injured
by a too constant “ importation” of minis
ters from any one locality ? It has been
done. Already, the complaint is made
that the churches of other States are
stripping Alabama of her ministerial
strength. Bro. R., of the Index, thinks
that Alabama talent must be very popu
lar, judging from the effort to import it;
and Bro. Mclntosh, in a speech at the
recent Alabama Convention, “
the effort to withdraw Prof. Freeman from
the College and the State, and felt anx
ious that the Baptists should do what they
could to keep him.”
It is not denied that “peculiar circum
stances may make it important and desi
rable” to secure certain persions and cer
tain orders of talent for certain positions,
and that importations may be right and
proper even if it be from Ireland. (Alas,
poor Ireland ! How urgent should be the
necessity which takes from her one of her
“ ablest, most useful and most popular
pastors !”) Such is the exception. The
rule stands good, that it is the province of
the churches to call out and make efficient
the piety, talents and wealth within their
geographical lines. The command of
Christ to pray for an increase of laborers,
imposes also the duty on the churches to
look up and put to work those whom He
gives, and not to the neglect of such gifts,
to seek from abroad those already en
gaged.
The thought will press itself, Why shall
Georgia churches, unless in some peculiar
case, go abroad for pastors, thus disturb
ing the peace and harmony of sister
churches and calling away men who are
fully at tho work, while there are so many
in the State but partially engaged—men
whose piety is as deep and whose minds
as well furnished as those who are sought ?
Why seek for pastors abroad while such
men as brethren Hillyer, Tharpe, Wilkes,
Ryals, Steed, Kilpatrick, Davis and
others are on their farms or tied up in
school rooms ?
The ministry of Georgia is pronounced
equal, if not superior to that of any State
in the South, and when suoh men are pass
ed by, either the churches place too high
an estimate upon their own importance,
or too low an estimate upon the gifts
which God has placed at their door,
or these men need a reconsecration of
themselves to their Master’s work. At
least, so it appears to Native Born.
Change from Immersion.
Rev. W. 11. Whitsitt, in the Western Re
corder, giving a sketch of his visit last May
to Lorffelholy Chapel, an alcove of the
Church of St. Sebald, Nuremburg, Germany,
says: The chief object of interest in it, be
sides some striking pictures from old mas
ters, was a baptismal font, cast solid, from
copper, said to weigh 32 tons. It was orna
mented by various reliefs, and is considered
one of the oldest works of art in Nuremburg.
What particularly attracted my attention,
was an arrangement by which fire could be
kindled under the font for the purpose of
heating the water. “What is the meaning of
this?” I inquired, pointing to the fire place.
“ O,” said my attendant, “ in former times
it was the custom to heat the water betore
performing baptism.” “And why has that
that custom been discontinued? “Because
the churcii no longer immerses as formerly,”
was the reply. “ Look at this font, if you
please. It can hold water enough to dip a
child, neck and ears, and because the weather
was often cold, it was sometimes found neces
sary to heat it. That was a custom of an
tiquity that has happily been abolished.”
Here 1 interrupted my usher with the ques
tion, “On whose anthority was this custom
abolished ? Does not the Bible require those
who believe to be immersedt' 1 “O yes,”
was the answer, “nobody doubts that, but
the Church has taken the liberty to change
this ordinance, because it does not suit our
•climate. Only look at this font before us.
A»uimiocent as it now appears, it was once
the occasion of the total destruction of the
building about us. On the 11th day of
April, 13(51, the Emperor Wenzel, son of
Emperor Charles IV, was baptized in it, and
the fire which was kindled in order to heut
the water, not being watched, communicated
to thu floor of the church, and that night the
whole of the majestic edifice became a prey
to the flames —uothing was saved but this
font, the cause of all the mischief.” I ad
milted that many inconveniences were insep
arable from baptism after the Seripture.mode,
but insisted that these were no sufficient ex
cuse or occasion for changing what was di
vinely ordained. About such questions my
attendant insisted that there existed, of right,
a difference of opinion, and that such casual
ties as the burniug of a great church edifice
justified the authorities in adopting sprinkling
instead of immersion.
W anted—Churchmen.
Why ? To secure a vigorous self support.
Let any church be without a pastor a year or
so, the congregation sensibly diminishes, the
Sabbath school and prayer meetings decline,
the charities fall off. The fact has a cause.
The ohurohes are without churchmen. They
have material appliances, members, pious
members, too, but no churchmen.
The true churchman loves his church.
Creed, polity, forms of worship, enterprises,
members, all that makes up his church he
loves. Its stones and dust are precious in his
eyes. Entering it of choice, he hears toward
it an ardent, intelligent, unvarying affection.
Nobody is half a day with him without find
ing out, not that he is a church member, but
abhurchman. 1?
The true churchman works -iu his church.
He is not the originator or patron of new,
supplementary organizations. As he under-
{53.00 A YEAR, f
{ stands, a church is the body of Christ, here
to do his work. He infers the wise and use*
ful course for him ia to be in it and support
it. He attends regularly its Sabbath services.
Famous preachers, straying into the neigh
boihood, do not tempt him away. If the
church sustains a meeting during the week,
he attends it, participates in it. If wanted
in the Sabbath school, and lit for service
there, he is in it. Is he elected to office in
the church, he does not refuse it for slight
aud selfish reasons. Os course he is a mem
-ber of the parish, goes to its meetings, keeps
himself familiar with its concerns, and gives
and plans for its thrift.
The true churchman trains himself for
church yvork. He studies the theology and
history of his church, makes hi<ns»n ac
quainted with its peculiarities. He is a fit
uiun for moderator of church meetings, for
delegate to councils, conferences, convoca
tions, is fit to serve on committees. He is
oomp.etent to fill offices in the church, is effi
cient in church work. He makes himself a
good 3aobalh school teacher; takes time to
make himself such. He qualifies bimself to
aid in supporting the weekly meeting, the
missionary ooncert. Ho studies the matter
<sf benevolence, the best means of developing
it, looks after, labors to increase the dona
tions of the church. Like Daniel, the true
churchman is trained for the Ring’s business,
and, like Daniel, he does it.
Trained workmen , that is, churchmen , Are
they not wanted in our churches?— Rev. J.
L. Jenkins, in Congregationalist.
The Soul's Cries and God’s Answers.
Woe is me, for lam undone. —lsa. vi: 5,
Thou hast destroyed thyself; but in Mh is
thine help.—Hos. xiii: 9.
. God be merciful to me a sinner. —Luke
xviii: 13 :
Jesus Christ came into the world to save
sinners.—l Tim. i: 15.
1 have gone astray like a lost sheep. — Ps.
cxix: 176.
lam the good Shepherd. The Son of Man
is come to seek and to save that which is lost.
—Johnxi: 11; Luke xix : 10.
What must Ido to be saved?— Acts xvi:
30.
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou
shalt be saved.—Acts xvi: 31.
Lord, I believe ; help thou mine unbelief. —•
Mark ix: 24.
I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail
not.—Luke xxii: 32.
For thy name's sake, 0 Lord, pardon mine
iniquity ; for it is great. —Ps. xxv : 11.
Your sins are forgiven you, for His name’s
sake.—l John ii: 12.
Our backslidings are many ; we have sin
ned against thee. —Jer. xiv : 7.
I will heal their backslidings, I will love
them freely.—Hos. xiv : 4.
Is His mercy clean gone forever ? —Ps.
cxviii: 3.
He delighteth in mercy.—Micah vii: 8.
Doth His promise fail for evermore ? —Ps.
cixxvii: 8.
All the promises of God in Him are Yea,
and in Him, Amen.—ll Cor, i: 20.
Behold I am vile: what shall I answer
Thee? —Job xl: 4.
Though thy sins be as scarlet, they shall be
as white as snow; though they be red like
crimson, they shall be as wool. The blood
of Jesus Christ Ilis Son cleanseth us from
ail sin.—lsa. i : Is, I John i: 7.
Mine iniquities, as an heavy burden, are too
heavy for me. —Ps. xxxviii; 5.
Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are
heavy laden, and I will give you rest. —Matt,
xi: 28.
Create in me a clean heart. 0 God; and
renew a right spirit within me. —Ps. li: 10.
Anew heart will I give you, and anew
spirit will I put within you; and I will take
away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I
will give you an heart of flesh.—Ezek. xxxvi:
26.— Edinburgh Presbyterian
Episcopal Testimony.
The Dean of Westminster says: “In the
Nicene Creed, or rather in that later edition
of it, which appeared at the Council of Con
stantinople, there is a clause which acknowl
edges ‘ one baptism for the remission of sins.’
But that clause is worded, not iu the termi
nology of ecclesiastical controversy, but is
taken direct from the large and general lan
guage of Scripture itself. Whatever sense is
to be attached to it in the only two passages
in the New Testament, where the phrase oc
curs—one relating to the baptism of John the
Baptist, the other to the baptism by Peter on
the day of Pentecost—may be, or rather must
be, attached to it in the Creed. The context
of those passages, the words employed, the
belief of the earlier Greek fathers, the state
of theological controversy at the time, —all
not only do not enjoin, but almost forbid, the
extension ot the phrase (as originally intend
ed) from the baptism of adults to that of in
fants—from the remission of actual sins to
the remission of that original sin of infants,
which could only, by the most violent distor
tion of language, be forced into connection
with the words of the Creed ; and even if it
were so forced, the question of the mode of
remission, whether conditional or uncondi
tional, is still left as open as ever.”
Home Review of Sermons. —On a re
cent Sunday evening, at a boarding school
for yonng ladies, the Principal sat down
in the drawing room after tea, with some
forty young ladies, And began this exer
cise. The room was dark, except as light
came in from the adjoining room. The
thing was wholly voluntary, and the ut
most confidence seemed to prevail One
point after another was brought out.
Sometimes one voice was heard, and then
a dozen at once, as the interest became
greater. The Principal of the school
quietly called out one part of the sermon
after another, until it had really been
preached over in that Christian home.
Here is power, the power which the church
and the pulpit needs. Attention is one
of the hardest gifts to cultivate, as it is
invaluable when acquired. He who lis
tens to a sermon expecting to give some
account of it, will listen with tenfold in
terest. Why could not every family take
up this old-fashioned element of power ?
How differently a minister would feel in
thinking out, in writing, in delivering his
sermon —if he knew that every thought
was likely to be roviewed and preached
over again at home. This is a good thing
to preach about, and to talk about; but
blessed are they who have grace to be at
home doing it.— Presbyterian.
TnE Lord's Day. —“ Three streams of
blessing should flow through Sunday into
the people.” First, it should be a day of
rest from the labors and cares of the week;
second, a family-day, when parents and
children, separated during the week, might
have opportunity of seeing one another;
and third, a day, which should draw down
upon us Divine grace, through whose
strength we are kept amid earthly tQiU
“A life without a Sabbath is a desert with
out a shade or springs of water,’*
WHOLE NO. 2569.