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Units and jtajrtist
J. TOON, .... Proprietor
PUBLICATION ROOMS —4 * 6 SOUTH BROADWAY.
M '
Editor: Bey. D. SHAVES, D.D.
OOBRKSPOVDIKG EDITORS:
Rkv. J. J. and. RENFROE, Talladega, Ala.
Rav. S. HENDERSON. D.D ~ Jacksonville, Ala.
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1871.
Profession and Practice.
The Maryland Baptist Union Association,
at its late session, adopted an amendment to
the Constitution, “ to encourage and promote
Foreign Missions.” By this action, the As.
sociation merely conformed its profession to
its practice ; for, while, so far as constitu
tional provision went, it has been exclusively
a Domestic Mission body, its churches have
ranked among the most liberal supporters of
the work abroad. There are many organiza
tions among us, we fear, whose practice has
been worse, while their profession has been
better. Associations have recognized the
duty “to encourage and promote Foreign
Missionsbut the churches composing them
have done little—in not a few cases, have
done nothing—toward that end.
This is a painful discrepancy; especially
painful in view of the fact, that missionaries
of our Board, who were expected to sail for
China during the latter part of November or
early in the present month, have been prevent
ed from leaving for want of funds. The
work drags heavily on, where it should “have
free course”—that work in the prosecution
of which, God has given the present genera
tion of Southern Baptists, the high distinction
of seeing the names of its elect laborers writ
ten on the scroll of martyrs ! And yet,
these churches and Associations suffer months
and years to wear away, without writing
their own names on the list of givers ! It is
wrong—grievously wrong; and we beg them
to weigh well two or three questions.
1. Is it not a dictate, alike of sound morals
and of pure religion, that profession and
praotice should correspond the one to the
other? 2. Where there is an inconsistency
between them, will a good conscience suffer
us to get rid of it, by narrowing the profes
sion within the limits of the (inadequate,
faulty) practice? 3. If not, to preserve “ a
conscience void of offence” must we not rec
tify and enlarge the practice until it harmon
izes with the (godly, scriptural) profession ?
4. Should not every church and Association,
then, which dees not feel free openly to revoke
its profession of the obligation and the pur
pose to “ encourage and promote Foreign
Missions,” attest its sincerity and vindicate
its honor, in practice, by contributions as
prompt, systematic and liberal as the pros,
perity given of the Lord allows? 5. Will
they do it? Will you, reader, if you share
the responsibility for the action—or inaction
—of any such Association or church ?
§3gP*Please return your answer to Rev. C.
M. Irwin, (Wootten, S. W. R. R., Ga.,) agent
for the Foreign Mission Board in this State
and Florida.
Baptist Broad Cliurchisui.
Rev. A. D. Gillette, D.D., of Brooklyn,
writes, as the American correspondent of the
London Freeman :
“ Several of our pastors have come to the
conviction that baptism is not necessarily es
sential as a qualification for coming to the
Lord’s supper; others are taking the ground
that a Christian, having professed Christ in
what he believes to have beep baptism, ought
also to be admitted to the communion and
fellowship of Baptists. A few years ago, the
avowal of these views would have awakened
a very unwholesome and unlovely spirit of
bitter feeling and protracted controversy.
Now, while the most of our pastors and
churches are as firm as formerly in their own
convictions, and as regular in their practice,
yet they exhibit a Christian spirit of tolera
tion and brotherly love that indicates a con
dition of mind and heart among us, grateful
to see and admirable to love.”
Is this a veritable statement of fact ? Are
“ the most of our pastors and churches” in the
section for which Dr. Gillette writes, com
mitted to the policy of connivance at loose
communion? We hold it extremely doubt
ful ; we “ are persuaded better things of” the
denomination in the region round about “ the
city of churches.”
Perhaps, it is not surprising that Dr. Gil
lette should deem this laxity “ grateful to see
and admirable to love,” since he predicts a
union, in due time, “ between Baptists and
Campbellites, or Disciples as they prefer to
be called” —predicts, and ‘ hopes’ for it, on
the insufficient ground that ‘ the things where
in they differ are fewer and less important
than are those about which they are agreed.’
But we are constrained to rate at a much
lower figure the sentimentalism which comes
in the guise of “ a Christian spirit of tolera
tion and brotherly love,” and asks us, in the
name of fellowship and fraternity, to counte
nance disorder in the positive department of
revealed religion. It strikes us as implying
“the same sort of wisdom as a priest of Di
ana would have manifested, who should have
proposed to dig up the celebrated charcoal
foundations of the mighty temple of Ephesus,
in order to furnish fuel for the burnt-offerinjrs
on its altars.” We feel that it should be
dealt with, somewhat as Dr. Arnold dealt
with sentimental professions of admiration for
goodness among Rugby students, when he
said : “ I have seen enough of boys that loved
God ; commend me now to boys that not only
love God but hate the devil.” It is, in prin
ciple, akin to the “ comprehension” of the
English Establishment, which lovingly folds
one arm around the superstition of High
Churchmen, and the other no less lovingly
around the scepticism of Broad Churchmen ;
and, in effect, it must work after the perni"
cious fashion of the Patristic “ accommoda
tion,” whicli “ paganized Christianity in order
to christen Paganism.” This is not a harsh
judgment; for how can “ firm conviction” as
to divine appointment “join hand in hand”
with the practical abrogation of that appoint
ment, without relaxing the sense of obligation
and obscuring the sanctity of inspired enact
ments —thus opening two of the chief inlets
to error? Nor is the interval between this
form of guilty compromise and the parallels
we cite, as great as men would have us think
it, on the score that here nothing but an ex*
ternal rite is in issue, while there vital doc
THE CHRISTIAN INDEX AND SOUTH-WESTERN BjfajST: ATLANTA, Cl, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14,1871.
trine was involved. The citadel of doctrine
in Sciipture is girt around with an organiza
tion and external rites, as outworks for its
protection; and when these are surrendered,
that cannot long stand impregnable. Dr.
Emmons has said, with equal emphasis and
truth : “ The whole history of the church of
God teaches us, that if we suffer the Sabbath,
the sacraments, and the positive duties of re
ligion to be neglected, perverted or corrupt
ed, we shall certainly find that Christianity
will die on our hands. This is a solemn con
sideration, which ought to awaken the warm
est zeal in the breast of all Christians to
maintain the purity of all divine institu
tions.”
Jottings by the Way—Cbildersburg—Mont
gomery—Tuskegee.
The reader will indulge us in a little gos
sip connected with our late trip to the Con
vention. Leaving home two or three days in
advance, we stopped over and spent a day
with our friends at Childersburg, which we
found to be rapidly improving in several re
spects. Two new meeting houses have been
built here during the past year—a Baptist
and Methodist—and a Baptist church has
been constituted of, we believe, between twen
ty and thirty members, and the uew church
has called our brother, W. Wilkes, to preach
for them. Quite a spirit ot enterprise has
been manifested by the citizens of the place
—several families have moved in---and they
have a large and flourishing school in opera
tion, under the charge of our young friend,
McMillan, assisted by his lady. The num
ber and character ot the new houses, business
and private residences, going up, speak well
for the place. They are truly a live commu
nity, and at no distant day, will make the
place not a little attractive. We wish them
abundant success in building a large, intelli
gent, moral and religious town.
Montgomery is taking a rapid growth.
We were struck with the rapid enlargement
of the city, particularly on the eastern side.
Vast numbers of neat and commodious resi
dences have been built since our former visit
to the city, and we were told that, rapid as
had been the multiplication of houses, the
demand was unabated. The First Baptist
church is greatly attached to its pastor. Bro.
Gwin, and is enjoying a reasonable degree of
prosperity. They pay him an ample support,
and contribute largely to various objects of
benevolence. It is, in many respects, or.e of
the best churches we have in the State, in the
number, intelligence, piety and efficiency of
its membership. The Second Baptist
church is, for the present, without a pastor.
Its late pastor, Rev. W. M. Davis, has felt it
his duty to resign. We trust our brethren
of that church will spare no pains to have his
place supplied at no distant day. The loca
tion of the Second church is one of the best
in the city, and an efficient pastor could, with
the blessing of God, soon build up a large
church.
After the adjournment of the Convention,
we made a little cletonr to Tuskegee, our old
home, and spent a night and a day with our
old friends. For the first time in our life,
we encountered the “Ku Klux.” Having
heard much of that mystic, impalpable, un
definable monster, which has invoked much
legislation, both from our State and national
authorities, we were, of course, all attention
at our first sight of the horrid thing. Now,
will the reader believe us—will the “outrage
committee” believe us—will the grand as
sembled wisdom of this great country believe
us—when we solemnly declare, that the
“ monster ” has been captured, harnessed, and
put to the most profitable business of com
merce ! It is now making regular daily trips
between Tuskegee and Chehaw, whistling
along tiie road as cheerily as if legislative
and Congressional authority had never doomed
it to destruction. It is one of the most use
ful institutions we have seen since the war,
to both negroes and whites, and is making
Tuskegee what it was in its most palmy days.
And we verily believe that if the “ travelling
committee” would make a single visit to
that place, they would endorse all that we
have said.
The East Alabama Female College, at this
place, under the Presidency of Prof. Raw
lings, is steadily growing in popularity and
prosperity. He has one of the ablest corps
of teachers in the country. Those best ac
quainted with the Institution, affirm that, for
thoroughness of instruction, it is unsurpassed.
The Professor has only to hold on fora sea
son, and such efforts as he is putting forth
will be crowned with abundant success. Tus
kegee is rising from its temporary depression.
Property there has appreciated in value
within three years, over fifty per cent. This
we know from actual observation. All the
houses in the city are occupied. May God
bless and prosper the dear old church and
city! H.
“I Have Learned by Experience.”
So said an ancient servant of God in his
old age. Ho had a hard teacher—one that
he, no doubt, thought was quite tyrannical,
often capricious, not to say unreasonable, and
who demanded his tuition fees at the hour,
w’ithout the least regard to the penury of his
pupil. And then he grooved his lessons upon
the quivering heart as with an instrument of
iron, so that they never needed to be repeat
ed. But they are such lessons as all of us
must learn, sooner or later, if we ever reach
that wisdom that redeems human life from
simple inanity. Happy if we, standing upon
the verge of life, cau say with the old patri
arch, “ I have learned by experience,” and
point to the fruits of righteousness to vindi
cate the sincerity of the utterance!
“ I have learned by experience,” that God’s
“ thoughts are not my thoughts, nor His ways
my ways.” My most cherished “thoughts,”
and my most deliberate “ ways,” are not
unfrequently set aside by His. I cannot see
the end from the beginning, and hence should
be perpetually precipitating myself upon
dangers which I could not avert, and obsta
cles which I could not remove ; but He sees
all, and benignly defeats my purposes, and
“ leads me in ways I had not known, and in
paths I had not trodand when the issue
appears, I am made to submit to the power 1
could not resist, admire the wisdom I could
not comprehend, and adore the goodness I
could not fathom. And although, while suf
fering under affliction, disappointment, pnd
bereavement, my inconstant and wayward
heard often exclaims, “all these things make
against me,” anon, when the “peaceable
fruits of righteousness” begin to appear, I
see that the Lord “ meant it for good,” and I
resolve again, (O, how often has this resolve
been taken !) that I never more will distrust
His gracious providence ! When will I learn
to distrust my own understanding, and
‘•'commit my ways unto the Lord?” How
long before my wise, rigid, exacting teacher,
“experience,” shall groove these salutary
lessous on my heart so thoroughly, that I
shall no longer need his tuition ?
“ I have learned by experience,” that the
“little that a righteous man hath is more
than the riches of many wicked ;” yea, that
failure with God’s blessing is far preferable
to success without it. Weie we to judge of
the little estimate in which God holds the
riches of this world by the unworthiness of
the objects on which He so often bestows
them, we should learn to set lightly by them.
They are often amassed by injustice, fraud
and corruption, and. are as mill-stones that
sink their votaries down to the perdition of
ungodly men. It is related of a Grecian
soldier, who had violated his marching orders
so far as to step aside and pluck a cluster of
grapes while suffering with hunger, and thus
forfeited his life, that his companions won
dered as they saw him quietly eating his
grapes in the immediate prospect of an ig
nominious death—“O, my friends,,’ said he,
“ don’t envy me the little pleasure of these
grapes; they cost me my life!” So, let not
the poorest Christian envy the prosperity of
the wicked- -it costs them their souls !
“ I have learned by experience,” what men
are, as I have learned from books what they
ought to be. And what a “vast abrupt’’
between the are and the ought! It requires
the whole of life, wisely improved, supple
mented with all the aids that di vine grace can
afford us, to bridge the awful chasm. And,
alas! how many fall into the turbid waters
beneath, in their efforts, unaided by grace, to
pass the abyss? In the presence of these
disasters, how often has my instructor, expe
rience, taught me to tear least I should fall
after the same example of unbelief!
“ I have learned by experience,” that
“ men shall not live by bread alone, but by
every word that proceedeth out of the mouth
of God.” How often have I seen that world
ly success only serves to stimulate desires it
never can gratify; and that, as a rule, the
most prosperous are the most miserable?
There are no positions of fancied security
through which the Divine Hand may not
break, and write the doom of the revelling
voluptuary while, on the other hand, the
most squalid huts of poverty may be the
scene for the dispensation of favors, temporal
and spiritual, which shall constitute the in
mates, “ kings and priests unto God the
Father.”
Finally : “ I have learned by experience,”
to say, “Thy will be done,” abeit it sends
me reeling and staggering from some cher
ished blessing, as I thought, and remands me
to a position of sacrifice, toil, unrequited
labors, until the master sounds the note of
retreat, when all shall be made plain, and I
shall then see, as I never have seen, that
“all things work together for good to them
that love God.” Let me, then, “in patience
possess my soul,” until the “day dawn and
the day star arise,” that shall bring an ever
lasting noon ! 11.
Ministerial Ordination.
Frequently in our life we have been im
pressed with a feeling that too little irnpor.
tance, among Baptists, is attached to the
manner of service in ordaining ministers.
Such editors as Shaver, Jeter, Graves and
Worrell ought to instruct their readers on
this subject; and our theological professors
would render a valuable service to the de
nomination if they would impress a plan of
ordination on the minds of the young minis
ters whom they are sending out. In all our
reading in our papers we do not remember to
have seen a single article on this subject, ex
cept the mere reports of cases of ordination.
It may be replied that the Scriptures are plain
enough, and that the question of manner is
not important. But we have fouud that pres
byteries are generally somewhat at a loss as
to the course to be pursued ; and frequently
go forward without a definite understanding
as to how the thing is to be done; and as a
consequence, they some times appear to do a
work quite awkwardly which ought to be
performed decently and in order. A service
so solemn, and one which attracts so much
attention, and one, too, which is required by
the Holy Scriptures, should be performed
with such correctness and dignity as will im
press its magnitude on the heart of the candi
date and the mind of every spectator. A
thing of so vast significance, appointed by
the Head of the Church, should not be blun
dered* through so ungracefully as it some
times is. We maintain that few occasions are
offered Baptists where they can make a bet
ter impression on the public mind than in a
well managed ordination. We would have
no iron rules that are not taught in the Scrip
tures, but let the things that are generally
done, be done with that order and emphasis
which which will show that we believe the
thing means something. We trust that we
will be pardoned if we venture a few sugges
tions.
1. By private interview before hand, the
presbyters should have a distinct understand
ing of how the ordination and every thing
connected with it is to be managed, and pre
cisely what part each one is to perform, and
the order in which the several parts are to
present themselves; and then every presby
ter should bestow sufficient thought on his
part to be able to do it with readiness, meek
ness and devout dignity.
2. We would have the candidate examined
publicly—not in some private place, but in
the presence of the church and congregation.
And this examination should be led by a clear
statement of those doctrines on which the
young minister is expected to have a sound
understanding, and as they are stated, require
him to prove them by Scripture quotations,
and when he fails, let him be fully aided by
the presbytery. It is here that a better im*
pression can be made than in any sermon,
because the prejudices of the hearers are laid
aside for the reason that they suppose these
things to be necessary to the occasion; our
principles «re brought out with the reasons
for them, and the soundness and
the candidate are made to appear to all men. s
This examination, begun by reading appro
priate passages of Scripture and prayer, may
well take the place of an ordination sermon.
3. At the ordination prayer, let the candi
date kneel and stand on both knees erect,
with the presbytery" standing on their feet
around him during the prayer, in convenient
posture for the imposition of hands. Let
them lay on their hands at a point in the
prayer which is previously understood ; and
it seems to us that these hands should not be
scattered about over the man’s head and
shoulders, but on his head, one hand on an
other ; and let them not bear down with such
weight as to make him yield under the bur
den:—we have seeitAhe like.
4. It would be appropriate if a suitable
copy of Holy Wrifwero purchased for the
occasion, to be presented by the presbyter
who delivers the charge; and the charge
should be of sufficient length to have some
sense in it, and not so long as to weary the
occasion.
5. As the presbyters advance to extend
the hand of fellowship, each one should have
a suitable brief word of admonition, or en
couragement, or welcome, to the young bro
ther. “ Take part of this work with us.”
Now, we do not assume that all this is laid
down in the Scriptures, but something after
this order is consonant with the teachings of
the word of God. W any body has a better
plan, we are willing to take that.
If it be objected frequently ordaining
councils are assembled who are incapable of
conducting such an "examination to profit as
that indicated above, and that many candi
dates for ordination could not stand the said
examination, arid that therefore the impres
sion would be unfavorable, we reply, that
while this is admitted to be true, it furnishes
no excuse for those who are competent; and
we are admonished'to “ lay hands suddenly
on no man.” The minister is to be “ apt to
teach,” and he that cannot teach should not be
ordained. Os the deacon it is said that he
must “ hold the mysteries of the faith in a
pure conscience; aud let these first be
proved.” Surely no less should be expected
of the candidate for ordination to the bishop
ric than is required of the deacon.
At the risk of bemg tedious, !we will call
up an old case which cost us much per
plexity. In 185 G, a church of the Cherokee
(Ala.) Baptist Association, remotely located
on Lookout mountain, sent a young minister
to the meeting of the Association to be or
dained. Several ministers proceeded with
the ordination, and we were one of that num
ber. But to make matters quite perplexing,
we had to do it agaiu§Ji the modest protest of
two distinguished visitors, —men who have
since passed from earth to glory, and who
left blessed memories behind them. These
vistors were no less persons than Rev.
Platt Stout, of Wetumpka, Ala., and Rev.
Dr. J. H. Eaton, of Murfreesboro, Tenn;
the first then agent of Foreign Mis
sions; and the othejl President of Union
University. Our actVjf ordination was dis
tinctly declared by us' not to be the work of
the Association, but these distinguished and
moderate men pronounced the whole affair to
be irregular and dangerous. We went for
ward in the face of their mild protest and or
dained the man. We now incline to the opin
ion that they were right and we were wrong-
R.
“Alien Immersions.”
In the Mississippi Department ol the Mem
phis Baptist, a former student of the. South
ern Baptist Theological Seminary, recently
ascribed the defection of Rev. J. A. Cham
bliss from strict communion, to teachings re
ceived in that Institution. He said :
“Dr. Williams taught in his lectures on
church government and pastoral duties, that
any man who had been called of God to
preach, was authorized by that call to admin
ister the ordinance of baptism; and hence
the immersions of Pedobaptist ministers were
valid, though they themselves had not been
immersed.”
Rev. J. Wm. Jones, a classmate of Cham
bliss, replies, through that paper :
“ He certainly heard no such teachings from
Dr. Williams, and could not have been influ
enced by them. On the contrary, Dr. Wil
liams taught distinctly and emphatically, that
while any man called of God had a right to
speak for Jesus, (or to preach, if we prefer
that term,) no one should administer the or
dinances, save a baptized believer, regularly
set apart by his church for that purpose. . . .
As tor the validity of ‘Pedobaptist immer
sions,’ I remember distinctly that Dr. Wil
liams told the class that ‘there was a differ
ence of opinion among Baptists on this
question, and that a’T’Srge majority of the
denomination was opposed to the reception
of sach immersions.’ He did not express his
own opinion, either in the class room or in
private, that l heard ofy and 1 really did not
not 1 now what his view was. (I may say in
passing, however, that I did happen to hear
Drs. Boyce, Manly, and Broadus express
themselves as opposed to receiving alien im
mersions, and I knew that our then fellow
student, now Prof. Toy, held the same view.)”
Politics. —Prof. Faber, as the public
prints assure us, has invented a machine,
which can be made to talk, to sing, to laugh,
to cheer, to hiss, etc. We respectfully sug>
gest, as the best means of utilizing the strange
invention, that, whenever an election cam
paign gets at full blast, each party purchase
a sufficient number of these machines to hold
its political meetings, while “the sovereign
people” employ themselves at their houses,
offices, churches, in more appropriate forms
of activity. Our vote is cast for Machine
Political Meetings, with the hope that, in
due course of time, a happy ‘change may
come over the spirit of their dream,’ who,
under pretence of lifting politics to the sphere
of religion, have degraded religion to the
sphere of politics.
Like to Like. —The editor of the Canada
Christian Advocate , a Methodist minister, not
long since, by invitation attended the circum
cision of a Jewish child, and participated in
the ceremony by offering prayer to “ Our
Father.” The spectacle was not altogether
an unseemly one—a striking of hands be
tween Pedobaptism and Judaism, as older
and younger members of the same family of
error. The prayer which gave qo recogni
tion to “ the Son,” also, was in place—for is
not the existence 'of both systems the result
of disobedience to His authority a9 “ Head
of the church ?”
Children. —lt was “ a favorite notion ” of
Dr. Archibald Alexander, that there ought to
b£lr^ a s<s of ministers trained for the instruc
tion of childmvalone. He made the declaration
in his old age; adding that, if a young man,he
would willingly choose such a field for him
self, were he worthy of it. Whether this
view can be vindicated against all exception,
we will not venture to say; but there is
something in it. If, according to the New
Testament model, there were a Presbytery
in every church—a plurality of elders, bish
ops, or pastors—a much nearer approach
could be made than is possible at present to
ward securing the advantages of the plan
proposed by Dr. Alexander. The peculiar
gifts necessary to an effective children's min
isler, (which God bestows more frequently
than we conceive, and which are largely lost
because our methods of Christian work pro
vide no sphere for them,) would be better
developed then than now. Perhaps, no com
munity of believers would be found alto
gether unfurnished with them—flowering out
in unlooked for places, where the current
theory of the one-man pastorate, as a re
pressive frost, forbids them to bud. Per
haps, thousands would be raised up, through
all the land, to rival, in their measure, the
living divine, who sways adults with marked
power, and has introduced sixty persons into
the ministry, but alleges that his most suc
cessful preaching, by great odds, has been
that addressed to children.
Woman. —The old English romancers in
vented a monster—“ Bycorn ” —which fed on
nothing but “good and enduring husbands,”
and yet was always fat and plump, because
there was no lack of its food. The French
romancers, on the contrary, invented a mon®
ster—“ Chiehivache ” —which was all skin
and bone, because it fed on good women only,
and its food was so extremely scarce! These
things speak badly for the gallantry of the
sterner sex. We are rather ashamed of them.
But whoever among us may need to purge
himself from the suspicion of sharing the
spirit which prompted these inventions, Rob
ert Collyer, of Chicago, lies under no such
necessity. On the Sunday after the fire—as
he told the story at Boston—he asked the
Lord, in public worship, “ to bless the men
and leave the women just as they are!" This
was broadly said; but we wonder whether he
would include women like the eight who, for
some time past, have “ come to daily confes
sional ” in Christ church, New York, and
with the (Episcopal) pastor (1), Dr. Ewer,
have “ kept it a secret.” We wonder, too,
whether he would include such women
as Victoria C. Woodhull, (the “darling
queen ” of Mrs. Hooker,) who, in a recent
lecture at Steinway Hall, N. Y., said : “ I am
a free lover ! I have an inalienable, constitu
tional and natural right tu love whom I may,
to love as long or as short a period as I can,
to change that love every day if 1 please;
and with that right neither you nor any laws
you can frame have a right to interfere!”
An Evil Sion. —The Synod of the French
Free Protestant church closed its late session
at nearly three o’clock one morning, having
sat through the night. An attendant writes
that ‘ the business was interrupted for some
instants at midnight,” and the members re
paired to a dining-hall, “ where Dr. Gustave
Moriod had the kind and excellent idea of pre
paring an enormous bowl of warm punch,
which came very apropos in the middle of
the cold and fatiguing night.” The name,
“ Contradiction,” has been given to “ punch,”
because it is composed “of spirits to make it
strong and water to make it weak ; of lemon
juice to make it sour and sugar to make it
sweetbut what is this to the contradiction
between the use of that beverage and the
character of a grave and reverend Christian
assembly, professedly called together to de
liberate for the Church of Christ? Such
things among opponents to Rome must confer
on her anew lease of life. “Christianity can
never have her rising aright,” amid the fumes
of “ enormous bowls of punch, very warm,’
or among any people who do not exemplify
the pure ethics of our “ most holy faith” by
total abstinence from strong drink.
Items. —We regret to learn that the health
of Prof. J. E. Willet, of Mercer University,
is painfully impaired; we hope, but tempo
rarily. On Wednesday of last week, Rev.
W. C. Wilkes had a fall down the flight of
steps leading from the vestibule of Spalding
Seminary to the ground ; the result probably
of a slight paralytic stroke. His face was
much bruised, but he was doing well when
heard from. Rev. G. A. Lofton declines
the call to the pastorate of the First church,
Atlanta. Rev. T. 11. Morgan, D.D., occu
pied the pulpit of the Third church, Atlanta,
last Sabbath, morning and night. Rev.
W. H. Mclntosh, D.D., of Marion, Ala., ac
cepts the pastoral call extended to him by
the First Baptist church, Macon, Ga.——-The
Sunday School Board, Memphis, has appoint*
ed Rev. S. Boykin, Corresponding Secretary
pro tern. An excellent arrangement, we think.
Read his article in another column.——Read
also, the appeal of Bro. Irwin. Is not the
plan it suggests, a good one?
“ Lost Aets.” —The Round Table, several
years ago, pronounced preaching one of the
lost arts among the bishops of the Episcopal
church. There is another art which they
seem to have lost, if we may judge from
their recent unanimous declaration with re
gard to the term “regenerate” in the bap
tismal service—the art of defining words.
May we charitably express the hope that the
former art shall be recovered only with the
latter? Especially since the Episcopalian
alleges that '* some of the bishops are favor
ers of Ritualism and its chief promoters,”
while “ the prospect is that many of them
will be brought over to that side, or advanced
toward that side a little further !” Alas, that
they should be floating on the stream, which
has recently borne four Lutheran and five
German Reformed ministers to Rome.
Old Clothes. —“ Henry Ward Beecher
enumerates among the delights of summer
rest, the privilege of wearing old clothes. An
exchange recollects that a good many minis
ters have that privilege the year round.” But
Christmas is at hand, with the close of the
year, and we hope that many a pastor will
lose this unwelcome privilege, through the
liberality of his flock. What flock has npt a
sufficient number of ladies in it to secure that
result? (for there is no St. Nicholas, Knecht
Clobefe, Santa Claus, or Kriss Kringlc on the
face of the earth, at all equal to a group of
Christian women intent upon a ministry of
kindness !) We shall look for a number of
“ Sunny Side” items from Georgia, Alabama
and Florida. Will the sisterhood compel us
to in vain ?
Our History. —The Bristol, Tenn., News >
“ edited by an Episcopalian of the strictest
school,” speaks of the Baptist denomination
as “a church which has maintained, through
out along line of centuries, a lofty and hono
able position among th. institutions founded
by the Son of God. It vas honorable when
Luther was born. It vjs venerable when
civilization built its empire upon the Bos
phorus.” “ Its mighty roots are imbedded
in every land which rises above the seas.” It
“ has no reason to fear the press.”
To the Kehobotli Association.
Bear Brethren and Sisters: Before this
reaches you, I will (D. V.) be on my way to
our mission field. One of my eyes is en
tirely well, and the other very much im
proved. Dr. Hooten will furnish me proper
medicine to take home with me, and says,
with care and attention, my sight will be en
tirely restored in a few months. It would
be better, I know, to remain under the Doc
tor’s care until an entire cure is effected ; but
I am anxious to be more actively at work for
the Master. My mission needs my presence,
my family has claims upon me, and you are
struggling to support me, —not in Atlanta,
but among the Indians, at work for Jesus.
Again. Dr. Hooten kindly and generously
does itot charge me a cent for board, and this
fact urges me to relieve him as early as the
condition of my eyes will permit.
I have met with nothing but kindness and
courtesy during my stay in Georgia. The
good citizens and Baptists of Atlanta have
shown me every attention, and made my so
journ among them very pleasant. Especially
have the pastor and members of the Second
church made me feel at home; so that I have
occasionally almost forgotten I am an Indian
man. Nor have they been kind to me alone,
for a large trunk full of beautiful presents
goes to the good missionary wife and little
boy in the far West. And I will not forget
to feel grateful for kindnesses shown me at
Greensboro, Mayfield, Forsyth, Travellers’
Rest, and elsewhere in Georgia. God’s chil
dren have been good to me, “ one of the least”
of His servants. May He smile upon them
in approbation, I pray. I leave my little
daughter Clara amoung you, feeling confident
you will fulfill your pledge and be a true mo
ther to her.
I know not if, in the providence of God, it
will ever again be my privilege to visit Geor
gia. I desire to live and die an Indian mis
sionary. With this purpose I return to the
field, relying upon God and the Rehoboth
Association for success and support.
Yours in Jesus, J. S. Murrow.
Atlanta, D«o. 12,1871.
To Georgia and Florida Baptists.
Dear Brethren: Your Board of Foreign
Missions have, by recent appointment, de
volved upon me the work of calling upon you
in their behalf. To visit you in person is im
possible. Wish I could. Allow me, through
the Christian Index, (a paper you all ought
to take and read,) to make the following sug
gestions: 1. Let every church adopt some
permanent plan at once of raising funds tosus
tain our Sunday school and missionary work.
For example : appoint, annually, an efficient
mission committee composed of pious young
men (not old) and women, whose duty shall
be to call at least twice a year upon each
member in the church, male and female, old
and young, for a contribution ; and then upon
the congregation. This will furnish work for
young Christians, and interest them in the
success of the Saviour’s cause.
2. Let each church appoint a time, best
suited to them, when they will hold a meet
ing, say once a month, of special prayer for
God’s blessing upon our missionaries at home
and in foreign lands. Do this, and your own
hearts will be greatly blessed.
3. Let each church send to Rev. J. B. Tay
lor, Richmond, Va., a few dollars, and get a
few copies of the Home and Foreign Journal,
so that you may see and know what i9 being
accomplished in the Master’s vineyard. Read
parts of this paper at your monthly prayer
meeting. This will greatly increase the mis
sionary spirit among you.
4. Let each church resolve, at their first
conference in January next, the Lord helping
them, they will contribute for Foreign Mis
sions, during the year 1872, an average of not
less than twenty cents to each member. Do
more, if possible.
5. The wants of your Board are immediate
and pressing. Funds are needed to sustain
missionaries already on the field, as well as
those now under appointment, but who cannot
go for lack of means to send them. In view of
this, will not every brother and sister send
me a contribution at once? Will not every
pastor bring this subject before his church, or
churches, and let this be an extra contribu
tion? Small amounts can be sent me by
mail; otherwise, by Express. My address,
for the present, will be Wootten, S. W. R.
R., Ga. C. M. Irwin, Ag'tF. M. B.
P. S.—l should like to have a Minute of
each Association ir. the two States sent at
once to me at this offioe, I want to communi
cate with the churches as rapidly as possible.
The Fatherless ami the Widow—An Appeal.
Two interesting sketches of Bro. W. H.
Clarke have appeared in the Index, and have
been read with interest by many, no doubt—
painful interest, it is true, yet it is gratifying
to know that our dead so lived as to deserve
remembrance and mention when gone.
Bro. Clarke deserves this. I knew him
intimately, from the time of his return from
Africa. We were much together, in various
relations,under many circumstances. I loved
him. I hope to meet him “ beyond the
river.” Strange, that lam spared to write
of him! But I am about to forget the ob
ject of this article. It is, by request, but quite
willingly, to appeal to the Baptists of Geor
gia especially, for some assistance of the
family of the deceased. I was at Albany last
week, just a day or two after good sister
B* ** had asked the friends in Albany for
funds to supply the family with actual neces
saries. Bro. Clarke did exert himself, but
Providence did not favor him, as others are
favored. He had bought a home, but it is
not paid for, by about, or nearly $275. lie
went to Albany, when unable, really, to raise
money; got some, but could not get home
with it, and the next day the land was sold
by the sheriff. Sister C. ©an redeem it, if
she can raise the two hundred and seventy
five dollars. She can only get it by the
friends of the “fatherless and the widow”
giving it to her. This can and will, I believe,
be done, and she will have a hon e on which
she can live, or the rent of which will sup
port her.
Ministers of Georgia, if the surroundings
justify, you will bring this matter before
your people, I think. And you can invest
aome--may be just a little—in this way for
your family, Mine or yours may be the
next to ask for a little favor. Act promptly.
Send money to me, at Jonesboro, Ga., or to
Dr. W. W. Twitty, Camilla, Ga., by check,
express, or by mail, if most convenient. Bro.
Twitty will publish all the funds received.
No danger of getting too much. She needs
it all. 1 want to say to every one who helps,
that the prayers of one of God’s dear chil~
dren will follow them while that dear woman
lives. W. N. Chacdoin.
P. S.: Sister 0. is at the residence of Bro.
Cochran, near where they lived, who kindly
sent for her as soon as he heard Bro. C. was
sick. She did not, could not see him in his
sickness or death. She has two small chil
dren living. A babe, burn a few hours after
its father’s death, lived on a few days. Thjfll
matter of saving her home, will be faithfully!
and promptly managed, as will all funds, by
Elder W. 11. Cooper, and Deacon W. W.
Twitty. W. N. C.
To the Baptists of Georgia and Alabama.
The Sunday School Board is sincerely de
sirous that the two strong and great States of
Georgia and Alabama, should, by means of
their State Sunday School Boards, inaugurate
and perfect a general and systematic method
of Sunday school labor, for the purpose of
fostering Sunday schools, improving the mode
of conducting them, increasing their number
and drawing children into them. For this
purpose, the Sunday School Boards of those
two States are urged to arouse the churches
on these matters, obtain their co-operation in
the support of a State missionary, or evan
gelist, and enlist the hearty sympathy and
active exertions of ail the Sunday school men
of each State. By means of sermons, circu
lars, letters and newspaper articles, let a Sun
day revival be effected; appoint a Con
vention to meet in the Spring; and district
each State, and appoint men to visit every
church in the interest of Sunday schools, and,
as volunteer Sunday school laborers, to pro>
mote the Sunday school cause and report to
the State Committee or Board.
Let it also be the duty of each missionary,
pastor, and Sunday school laborer to see to it
that Kind Words is taken by each school, and
that every Sunday school is supplied with
whatever books and papers may be necesaa
ry.
Most of this labor can be performed vol
untarily, during the Spring and Summer, by
the lovers of Sunday schools; but the regu
lar missionary must be supported by the
churches and schools, to which end, what are
called “nickel collections,” should betaken
up in every church and Sunday school, at
least once each month, and remitted to the
State Sunday School Board, to be applied to
the Sunday school necessities of the State.
Let every pastor and Sunday school superin
tendent regard it a solemn duty to make his
church or school contribute regularly and
systematically to the Sunday school cause,
even though the amount be small.
Let these hints be carried out earnestly
and persistently, and the Sunday school cause
will at once begin to flourish, and an interest
so general will be awakened, that it will
speedily amount to enthusiasm.
In behalf of the Board,
S. Boykin, Cor. Sec. pro tem.
P. S.: lam pleased at being able to an
nounce that the Weekly Kind Words is meet
ing with general favor, and increasing rapidly
in circulation. In it are published lessons for
the children, coincident with those published
in the Baptist Teaclmr for adults. Every
school should take the Weekly Kind Words,.
and avail themselves of the lesson papers in
it. The paper, next year, will contain many
new and beautiful pictures, and will seek,
strenuously, to delight and benefit the young.
Now is the time to make up clubs.
Rcy. 11. F. Buckner.
I returned on the 14th ipst., from a thirty
days’ tour in Missouri, and found my young
est daughter very low with pleurisy. She is
yet low, has not eaten a mouthful for nine
days; but the Dr. entertains hopes of her
recovery, and we join him in this.
We have no post office, and the nearest
postmaster (42 miles) refuses to send our
mail because we have none. This is the rea
son I do not write for the Index, nor to my
correspondents. I went to Missouri chiefly
to get in communication with my Association,
(Friendship,) in S. W. Georgia, but failed.
1 suppose Bro. G. F. Cooper did not get my
letter. I wish I could hear from him. Ido
not know if he received my last quarterly
report. The Chicago fire retarded the pro
gress of our railroad through this country,
and I do not know when we will have a post
office. It is hard, but I cannot control the
circumslnnces that prevent. I write this
without knowing how I can forward it to you,
but I will seek the first opportunity. Please
state, through the Index, why I do not com
municate with my friends in the States, and
request other Baptist papers to copy.
JI. F. Bb’tKNKR.
Micco, North Fork, Creek Nation, Nov. 24, 1871.
Ordination of Deacon. —Bro. John Bryanc
was set apart to the office of deacon at the
ministers and deacons’ meeting held at Mar
shallvile, Ga., on the sth Sabbath in October.
Elyton and Birmingham.
I wish to say a few things to Alabama
Baptists, and by your kind permission, will
say them through the columns of the Index
and Baptist. I remember that at our Con
vention held in Montgomery, an hour was
fixed to discuss the Elyton and Birmingham
mission, to which field Bro. Hilly er has been
sent by the D. M. B. S. B. C. At the hour
fixed for said discussion, I was called away
from the house by the Chairman of the “ His
torical Committee,” of which I was an hum
ble member, to hold a preliminary meeting in
the casement story of the church. When 1
returned to the house other matter was being
discussed, and I was left in ignorance as to
what had been done. I desired very much to
be present at that hour above all other hours
of the Convention, and up to this writing, 1
am ignorant as to what was done, only as I
gather from your report of the proceedings,
tnat there was a u paper lift" given the en
terprise. 1 think the time for resolves has
past: it is time for action. I am a friend to
all the cherished objects of our Convention,
and wish and pray for their success; but if
we have a field to which we should look with
more interest than to another, it seems to me
that this field holds a first claim upon us as
Baptists. Elyton is the county site of Jes
ferson county, Ala., and Birmingham is only
two miles away on the A. & C. R. R., and
with its surroundings, is compelled to become
the Atlanta of Alabama. It is now growing
without a parallel in our State, and men and
money are on hand to make it a city, and we
have no house of worship there ! Oh, let it
not long be said.
As to our brethren of the place building a
house of worship there, it is idle to talk thus.
There are very few members who live there.
It is true, some that have come, and are com
ing, are of our “ faith and order,” but they
are coming to make money, not to spend
money. Bro. Ilillyer, a good young man, is
there; “but what is ho among so many ?”
What can he do without a house that he can
claim as a Baptist house ? He, I learn, has
to preach in the Methodist church in Elyton,
and any where that lie can find room at Bir
mingham. At this rate, when will we have
a church at either place ? Episcopalians,
Methodists and Presbyterians have oiganiza
tions there; Romanists soon will have,as lam
informed ; and shall wo be behind ? Much
depends on an early start. We listened to
long speeches at the Convention, looking in
the direction of retaining Dr. Freeman in
Alabama, and I was greatly interested in it
all, and would regret his leaving perhaps as
much as any one in Alabama, outside of Ma
rion, where he has lived and labored so long
and so acceptably. We talked of having him
