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INDEX AND BAPTIST.
: ■
JTm tbc Index and Baptist.}
The l\>w Sdcnrf: or alias
Spiritualism.
There is a truth underlying every er
ror. Truth is old, everlasting and uni
form ; error is young, transient and
multiform. It is surprising how easily
a truth distorted, misapplied or half
stated, becomes a dangerous error. The
good man, in his immoderate zeal—hav
ing a zeal but not according to knowl
edge—frequently is mortified upon re
flection, at seeing errors grow out of
his earnest doctrines. The ignorant
man blindly blunders along, swayed by
, tbc various impulses of his nature, and
“tossed about by every wind,” awakes
at last to the discovery of the- sad
fact that he has sailed into the
wrong port and stranded his hark
on a barren rock. The wisely wicked
iiufc handles the Word deceitfully, and
hyalin craftiness so wrests the troth,
that error is the distilled poison offered
to his disciples. Thus, fanaticism, ig
norance and unsanctified talent, are
fruitful sources of error. Since fana
ticism will not be restrained and ignor
ance will not he enlightened and talent
will not he regenerated, “offenses must
•needs come, and the question arises,
how must the “offenses” be met? How
can these errors be neutralized ? How
can they be eradicated ? How can the
strong hold which they have upon their
deluded followers he broken?
<■ A simple negative will not upset an
error. The assertion of one’s own mind
is more readily believed than that of
any other. Each man’s consciousness
is dik own witness, and what the man
feels and sees and hears, are verities
with 'him ; uiid no amount of denial on
the partdf others, will change his faith.
Denial nmy excite caution, bring about
an investigation, and finally lead to the
discovery of the falsity; hut it cannot
'dweiitly produce a change of faith or
induce an abandonment of position.
.Neither will rebuke, censure or riili
•oiile, accomplish the eradication of
error. Its adherents may be cured
under the chastisement and shrink
/back from the contest, hut after a
vitiile their shields become impenetra
ble 'to-such shafts, and they laugh at
the folly of their opposition; or if
shrewd, 'they discover faults in the
ti&m party which completely disables
h7Tffifr,
*i]| not overcome an erroi. There is
.t/giori ju the flames around the stakef
o’ ivetad by human nature —a martyr’s
Mood is the 'frequent and willing ex
• ehingo for a martyr's name. The pro
pagators of a false creed may he brand
ed with iMifamy, hut it only serves as
an advertisement, aud the intended
shame contributes to their success.
Armed opposition attracts attention,
drives the enemy from the outpost, and
induces him to a more thorough in
trenehment. How, then, must error he
met iu order to a complete overthrow ?
% patiently, kindly and effectively
stripping the error and presenting the
truth which lies underneath. That
truth the inquisitive and restless soul
Must have. Show how it lias been dis
torted and misapplied, aud how it has
been made a dangerous error, and the
mind will bo satisfied. The mind of
man is always searching for the truth
as the magnet is alway's turning to
wards the polar star; remove the ob
structions, the distracting metals that
surround the magnet, apd at once it
obeys the law of its own being and re
cognizes its destiny in the north star.
Sr with the mind of man as it trembles
aud oscillates, clinging first to this,
then to that; show it the truth and
the mind iustiuctively clings to it.
Now, let us direct our energies to
the examination of the subject which
heads this article “ Pneumatology
alias Spiritualism.”
Spiritualists hold that, , through a
proper medium, commmunicahion may be
had with, the dead, and, recently, they as
sort that a materialisation of departed
spirits is possible. This is their creed.
Now, how has it been met? Many
cool, deliberate and positive uieu have
said flatly, “if is a lie,” and quietly
(tagged on to their daily work. And
they were surprised to read iu the next
morning’s (taper, an account of the se
ances held the night before. The
"** Sons of Thunder ” have hurled
thunderbolts from the pulpit against
the breastworks of the Spiritualists,
but like the famous boomerang, the
shaft returned to bruise the head of
him who threw it; while it only pro
vide -d the laugh of his enemy and in-
Ctcased the number iu his ranks. The
press has occupied columns attacking
with ridicule aud contempt the pre
tensions of the “ Spirit Dappers.”
Churches have made it a cause for dis
cipline, aud demanded a retraction or
si withdrawal. All of these efforts to
check the evil have been vain, and have
added to the force of the enemy. Let
analyze this “religion,” so-called,
Mid see what it is ? whence it origiu
nte? what truth is mixed with it? and
wiiat its mission, and how most effect
ively to prevent its evil effects?
The first mistake was made in christ
ening the “new child.” It should not
'jure been named “Spiritualism,” but
“Pneumatology.” When it was spelled
with an ism, it at once was placed in
the church family of isms side by side
with Baptism, Methodism, Sabellia
nisra, Catholicism, etc. Call it “Pneu
matology,” which means a “Treatise
on the Spirit,” and it is stripped at
once of half its evil and shorn of well
nigh all its evil power. It is a science
in embryo; it is no religion, and de
serves no place in the sanctuary of
our God, and finds no position in the
“Apostle’s creed.” The history of
Pneumatology is but a repetition of
the history of astronomy and geo-
When the science of astronomy was
in its infancy, it pretended to be able
to foretell the events of the distant fu
ture, particular stars controlled the
destinies of individuals, in fact, that
all earthly issues were dependent upon
the Heavenly bodies. It led to the
quackery of soothsayers, supported
the art of divining, and in many in
stances whole nations were carried off
into the idolatry of worshipping the
sun, the moon irrWLehc ntnr. And, in
later years, when the patient, earnest
inquiry of talented men was directed
to its study, and the science in beauti
ful symmetry and perfection was about
to be evolved out of the strange chao
tic mass which had confused the world
for ages, the church trembled and or
dered all these men, who were stirring
up sedition, to be cast into prison or
forced to recant their “new religion.”
But the patient genius toiled on, aud
the anxious inquirer still continued to
ask questions of the stars, and, finally,
the telescope swept the firmament, and
the distant worlds drew near, and told
to earth their story. The men who
were wise only in their own conceit,
with shamefacedness, acknowledged
their error and rejoiced to learn that
this “new religion” which threatened
to subvert the revelation from God,
was an ally, anew witness to confirm
the truth, and served to strengthen
the defenses of the church. Astronomi
cal researches are still showing us more
and more of the Divine Being, and the
Church and State, and all the spirit of
civilization, encourage these researches.
What was the history of geology ?
The academies of science, under penalty
of expulsion from their privileges, so
ciety threatening exorcism, some gov
ernments intimated banishment, the
followers of Jesus carried the matter
to the throne of God and prayed that
the deluded wretch in the rock quarry
might be thwarted, and the church de
clared non-fellowship with every man
who believed in the new revelation.
But when Hugh Miller returned from
the hills of Scotland and published the
handwriting he had read, chiselled on.
tVi ouVUngMlfts ?fhd mountain ctojjg;
tjpoy all shunted far joy,' because they
felt that their “God was a great God,
and above all gods.”
Let us profit by the history of other
sciences, and encounige the investiga
tion of this new science, Pneumatology.
The church has nothing to fear. God
will keep her from her foes. Truth
will not suffer, for though
“Crushed to the earth, will rise again.
The eternal years of God aro His ;
But error wounded, writhes in pain,
And dies amidst her worshippers;”
In another article I propose to show
how much truth underlies the errors
connected with Pneumatology and dis
cuss the probability of its becoming a
science. G. A. Nunnally.
KKDNSWIIK AGAIN.
To all the friends who feel un interest
in missions in the destitute parts of our
beloved Georgia, The Index will
please allow me to make a statement
and an earnest appeal. The veteran
missionaries, D. G. Daniel and W. D.
Atkinson are, I believe, the only mis
sionaries in all the vast destitution of
southeast Georgia Bro. Atkinson
being at Brunswick, and Bro. Daniel
operating east of him, contiguous to
Savannah. The latter is sustained
mainly by the Suubury Association;
the former, in part by the feeble yet
devoted church at Brunswick, and ”in
part by brethren in different sections
of the State, and the other part is yet
to be provided, or he left to suffer or
to abandon the field. Will we permit
either of these P There is a hundred
miles square along the Georgia cast
wholly destitute of Baptist preaching,
and a uinch larger territory contiguous
to this which has but little preaching.
There are three railroads which run
through this destitution. With energy
and zeal, the Catholics, Episcopalians,
Methodists and Presbyterians, have
missionaries in this region especially
along the railroads, and are establishing
churches and forestalling the people.
If, at present, the way is not clear to
cultivate the whole field, will we pur
suit the mission at Brunswick to fail ?
Brother Atkinson has done good and
faithful work at that point, tinder
his labors the church has had
twenty-two or three accessions during
the year, nearly half by baptism. Are
there not brethren and churches over
the State that can raise ten, twenty or
thirty dollars for this mission ? And
will they do so promptly, and send to
J. S. Martin, deaeou at Brunswick, or
to D. E. Butler, of The Index ? Come
brethren, help. Some of us are in a
condition to know that a preacher can
not work for less than a bare support.
May the great and good One incline
our hearts to do His will.
J. Al. Wood.
Kussia has made a concession of re
ligious liberty to Mennonites, Baptists,
and other dissenters.
THE CHRISTIAN INDEX AND SOUTH-WESTERN BAPTIST.
For The Index and Baptist.] ,
SIN DAY-SCIIDOL WORK.
BAINBRIDOE, WHIGHAM, CAIRO, THOM
ASVILLE, BOSTON. 7‘ v
Since leaving Camilla, we have had
pleasant meetings at all the above
named places —spending from one to
three days at each point. Everywhere we
have had large and attentive qongrega
gations, and have reason to believe that
our labors have been appreciated. Oar
cause at Bainbridge is very weak,
financially and numerically. A Sunday
school is, however, kept up regularly,
superinteded by Bro. R. E.; Terrell,
who seems to manifest much interest
in the cause. He and his interesting
family entertained us most kiljdly. We
were delighted to find iu the church
several noble sisters who
what they could.”
Bro. Joshua Mortin is pasted of this
church, and also of Whigiam and
Cairo, but secular engages in
which he is compelled to engj ge, nec
essarily restrict his ministeriU labors.
Whigbam has anew and elegl nt house
of worship, and Cairo has ale nearly
completed. Both will organist Baptist
Sunday-schools.
Bro. Mortin has contribute!. largely
of his own means to the erect >nof the
church at Whigbam. He i >ves the
Master’s cause, and proves bis faith
by his works. There are a number of
earnest brethren and sisters At Cairo,
from whom you may expect tp have a
good report.
Our church at Thoraasvilip has the
pastoral labors of Bro. C. S. Gaulden,
and numbers about 140 members.
During our stay here the we At her was
very inclement; but the audiences were
good, and manifested much interest in
the meetings. Here, as elsewhere, the
interest increased at every meeting.
Bro. Redden Smith is the newly elected
Superintendent, and his fremiti think
he will make a good one. Tk<3re is no
reason why this should not be one of
the very best churches in the State,
since it has more than usual financial
and numerical strength. Perhaps no
church in the State of its size has so
much wealth. Bro. Alex. Smith and
family are entitled to our a
most generous, hospitality.
songs and talks delight all
him. T. C. lldHc,
Sunday-school Superintendent and Ev^yelist.
For the index and RaptiHl.j
CIIILDBKVS IIOSANWS.^
In a Christian home of tlAcity, a
little child, less than two
knelt down in her child’s
dinner table and said ;
now to pray lor
bouse." She had^fl
’> 101 l -lie 1, U e\v of ‘VES
house” from oldnH
four years of age, who
fant class of one of our Sunday
schools.
The following is illustrative of the
fact that in the Christianity of the
proximate future, the hands and hearts
of the young will be factors of no little
power.
Lucy Cobb Institute,
Athens, Jan, 24, 1875.
Dear Dr. Spalding: —l send you
some money that I have collected from
the Baptists in our Institute for Miss
Moon’s house. I wish I knew how to
do a great deal for her.
My mother and Auntie wish to be
remembered to you. I want to see you,
and would like so much to go to Sun
day-school at the dear “Second Bap
tist” again. Your little friend,
Nora Belle Staeke.
Enclosed were three dollars and
twenty-five cents. Nora’s sweet, bright
face will never be forgotten by 'those
who knew her in our school in recent
years. She is one who will help
to preserve illustrious the family
whence she springs, the Institute she
now attends, aud the Christianity of
the future. A. T. 3.
For the In,lex aud Baptist.]
A DAY AT THE MISSION.
What need Aare you for money in the Indian
country t This question was asked of me sev
eral t : mes during my late visit to Georgia.
I will briefly relate the calls made upon me
during one day recently, since my return to
my mission home.
1. “Husband there is natlier flour nor
sugar in the house, and I would like to get $5
to purchase at the store some needed articles,
for I am ashamed to go so often without any
money.” These was the first vords that greet
ed me as I arose in the luorninj. 1 well knew
the economy and thrift of my excellent wife,
and hence cheerfully handed htf the bill.
2. Soon after breakfast a thinly clad and
poor looking white man came t* the door and
asked, “ Is this where the missionary lives'? ”
I replied affirmatively. Said he, “1 am trav
eling from Arkansas to Texas and 1 have no
money, and my wife and child are both very
sick, and I want to get a little medicine from
the doctor here in Atoka, and the people told
me if I would come to you, you would help me
to get a little medicine for my sick wife and
child.” Fortunally I had some pills, and tak
ing them along went to the wagon road to see
the sick. They were, indeed, sick and poor
and needy, and giving the man the pills aud
fifty cents to buy some quinine I returned
home.
3. A note in Choctaw awaited me from sister
Folsom, an Indian woman, wife of Joel Fol
som, one of our native preachers, who d ; ed a
few months since. She relates a pitiful tale
of distress and want, and begs tor assistance; 1
I had given brother Joel help last year out of
my salary to the amount of SBO, and now his
poor widow begs for aid.
4. In the afternoon & note from the Treas
urer of our Indian Association is receiv'd,
stating that the minutes are received by Ex
press, charges SO7, and that he only has $2650
in his hands to pay for them. What must be
done ? The minutes are partly printed in the
Choctawjlanguage, our articles of laitb, rules of
decorum, etc., for the first time iu the history
of our mission printed in the Indian language.
Hence the extra cost. They must not no back
to St. Louis, they are too valuable and will do
so much good. What must I do? I have not
the money. I must go and borrow it, and
pay for these minutes. The tsbtirchea mvA have
these minutes containiog our articles of faith
in their own language. Will I ever get the
money back ?
5. Here is a native preacher who, as soon as
he heard I had returned, hurried down on the
cars to see me, and tell me the glad tidings of
a revival in his church, and now he wants to
return aud lias no money, and the car fare is
$3.20, and as soon as he gets his little salary
he will refund it.
G. The mail comes in, and here is as
dun from an editor for dues on a
paper which I thought had been contributed,
(not The Index,) also a litttle bill of a few
books which I had ordered for my mission
Sunday-school. Some letters are also to be
sent off and there are no stamps.
7. The day closes with a visit from an old,
gray-haired Indian woman and her grandchild.
I have known the old woman for years, she is
poor, worthy and needy. The drought lias
cut off her little crop, and she wants “iwo
bits” to buy a peek of meal at the store.
Such is the history of a day in Indian mis
sion life, and this is only one of many. Every
day has its calls for money, help, charily, ne
cessities. J. 8. M unnow.
Jirhoboth Mission, Jan. 4, 1575.
Fur the'lndex and Baptist.]
ERRATA IS PROF. WILLETS REJOINDER.
Editors Index : In consequence of
omissions iu the printing of my Re
joinder to Dr. Clark, which seriously
impair the force of a portion of the ar
ticle, I respectfully request that you
will reprint the paragraphs relating to
Harvard University.
Very truly,
J. E. WILLET.
And, first, of Harvard. The New
American Cyclopaedia, article Harvard
College, says : “ The legislatures of the
colony, province and State of Masschu
setts, made grants, in early times,
regular ones annually, to pay the
salary of the President, and to aid in
the support of someone or two other
officers or teachers in the college, as
also occasional gifts for special pur
poses ; while it chartered lotteries, the
schemes of which had in view the ob
taining sums of money for building
some of the older college halls. The
last grant made to the college, from the
public treasury, was in 1814. In the
meanwhile, from the vety first year of
its existence down to the present time,
the college has depended upon the gen
erosity of private individuals. It has no
funded property from the public Treas
ury. All that it has ever received from
that source would, not build and endow a
first-class academy. Neither of the four
professional schools attached to the college
and constituting the University, has peer
been indebted to the State for a single-dol-
| lcir.” (Italics mine.)
facts in the above article were
Bubtless furnished the editors of the
K’elopasdia by t?ie authorities of’ Har
vard.
Again, the Harvard Catalogue,
1872 -’3, pp. 21-2, recites an act of the
Massachusetts Legislature (April 28,
1865,), by which the Governor, Lieu
tenant-Governor, President of the Sen
ate, Speaker of the House, and Secre
tary of the Board of Education, ceased
to he cx-ofjicio members of the
Board of Overseers or Trustees, and by
which, after that date, the Board of
owners was to be elected by the
alumni. The remarkable series of
gifts to the college, aggegating more
than $1,000,000, mentioned in my arti
cle, have been made since the sunder
ing of this nominal connection with the
State, and the remanding of her inter
ests to her alumni, in the year 1865.
The Annual Report of the Treasurer
of Harvard University, 1872-’3, pp.
20-1, exhibits the property of the
University to be worth $2,765,110 61.
Contrast this large endowment, almost
exclusively the gift of private individ
uals, with the small grants from the
State.
And, lastly, of the great Museum of
Comparative Zoology, an examination
of the Catalogue of 1872-’3, pp. 8, 145
and 146, will show that it is not a con
stituents of, but merely connected, with,
Harvard, and has a different Board of
Trustees, appointed by the Legislature;
and, moreover, in the elaborate reports
of the Presidents and Faculties of the
various schools for 1371-’2 and 1872-3,
coveriug each about seventy-three
pages, I find this museum merely al
luded to once, in one line, as having been
“active an! productive.” It is well
known that the museum originated in
1859, from the immense accumulation
of specimens in zoology in the hands of
Prof. Agassiz, by his own exertions and
those of his scientific friends. His
house soon became filled to repletion
with the jars, boxes and barrels, con
taining specimens, and with his limited
means he could not provide for the
storing, care and exhibition of them.
To prevent their passing into other hands
the State was induced to take them
in charge, and now manages them by a
Board of its own appointment. It is a
noble monument to Prof. Agassiz, but
a very small part of Harvard Univer
sity.
Does a careful consideration of the
above documentary evidence indicate
that Harvard is a “ quasi State institu
tion,” and has “ always been fostered
and helped by the State?” (Italics
mine.)
Charles Joseph Bonaparte, a
grandson of Mrs. Elizabeth Patterson
Bonaparte, of Baltimore, and grand
nephew of the first consul of France,
has been admitted to practice at the
bar of the Maryland Court of Appeals.
He is said to resemble Napoleon Bona
parte more than any other member of
liis familv.
Ft,r til#lndex and Baptist.]
PEDOBAPTISM, Ml) ITS ADVOCATES.
I see, in the Southern Presbyterian, a
writer signing himself S. E. A. is try
ing to revive the waning fortunes of
Pedobaptism. Truly the zeal of our
Pedobaptist friends is worthy of all
praise, albeit their arguments mav be
ever so weak and inconclusive. Our
friend thinks the Baptists are under
the necessity of resorting to the pre
positions to help out the immersion
system, and that if they fail then, the
doctrine must come to naught.
S. E. A. is certainly not an ignorant
man, and hence his statements are the
more surprising, and as he quotes
Dr. Carson, it is reasonable to con
clude that he has read the works of the
distinguished author upon the subject
of Baptism. But if he has read the
work from which his extract is taken,
he must know that Baptists find im
mersion in the Greek verb baptizo. Car
son say 3 “it always meaus to dip, and
has no other signification.” Now why
did Dr. Carson say that ?
For the bust of reasons : The Greek
dictionaries all say the same thing.
Donnegan says it, so does Groves and
Pickering, Scott and Liddell, and, in
deed, every Greek dictionary which has
ever fallen under the observation of
the writer.
Like all other words, it may he, aud
is, used in a figurative sense, but in
its literal and historical sense, it al
ways means to dip, and the immersion,
as Dr. Carson well observes, is the re
sult of the action of dipping. Sprink
ling and pouring are never given as
meanings of baptizo, for the simple
reason that the terms cannot be put
into the same regimen.
Baptizo is an active, transitive verb,
the action passing over to, and ending
upon, the man baptized ; but the the
action denoted by pour and sprinkle
must pass over to and end upon the water
used. We dip the man, but we sprinkle
the water, and must supply the preposi
tion upon to connect the man with the
sprinkling or pouring.
We can say, “I sprinkle water upon
you,” or “I pour water upon you,” but
how would it strike the hearer to sav “I
dip water upon you.” In baptism' the
man baptized is plunged into the water,
but in sprinkling or pouring, the water
is applied to the man. Now, I submit
to the candid reader, can these be the
same thing? and can the terms he used
interchangeably ?
When, therefore, we have proved
that baptizo means to dip. and nothing
else, only those who claim the right to
change Divine ordinances, as does the
Roman Catholics, can, with any show
of consistency, substitute human i
ventionsFfor tho<Wcsrd of 'God.
Our author tells a very pretty little
story about a puzzled Suuday-school
scholar, who could not find the reason
why the eunuch was baptized instead of
Philip. This little story may be true
to the letter, but what does it prove ?
Certainly not what the writer intended.
It proves that Jane, the Sunday-school
scholar, did not know the meaning of the
Greek verb baptizo, but it does not
prove that the word means to sprinkle
or pour.
Now I am greatly surprised that our
friend S. E. A. proves himself to be
as much at fault in the matter of the
eunuch’s baptism, as the little puzzled
Sunday-school scholar. No intelligent
Baptist claims that Philip or the
eunuch was baptized when they went
down into the water. That was simply
preparatory to the action of baptism,
which is expressed iu the words, “and
he dipped him.” The whole narration
shows • that the eunuch was seeking
baptism, and when they both went
down into the water, then he, (Philip)
dipped him, the eunuch.
Their coming up out of the water is
the necessary act of the two after the
j baptism of the eunuch, being in an
-1 tithesis to the expression, “they went
down into the water, both Philip and
the eunuch.” Those Pedobaptists who
quibble over this narrative, may un
derstand Greek, but they make sad
havoc with the English. Our writer
has succeeded in reproducing some
stale criticisms upon prepositions
which the merest tyro in Greek litera
ture ought to be able to answer. He
takes up the preposition en, and has
succeeded admirably in proving that
he is a far better special pleader and
partisan than philologist. Scott and
Liddell have settled tie question about
en, and our author would do well to
consult some good authorities before
he writes again.
They say en means in, and whenever
it seems to have the meaning of with, it
really has the signification of within,
and they proceed to illustrate, “To
take with the hand, that is within the
hand.” “To see with the eye, that is
by taking the object within the eye.”
“John was baptizing in the wilderness.”
Does this expression present any diffi
culty ? Do we not say that Washing
ton City is in the District of Colum
bia? Was not the battle of the Wil
derness fought in Virginia ? and that
of Murfreesboro in Tennessee ? “My
servant lieth at home,” says our author,
and that is a quotation from our ver
sion ; but was the servant in the house
or outside of it ? If he had a humane
master, and the narrative proves this,
then he was in the house, and not out
side exposed to the sun and weather.
Our author does not succeed any bet
ter with eis, and I am surprised that
even he should not see that his exam
ples do not sustain him.
Go to (eis) the sea and cast an hook.
Now, the preposition eis right here means
into, as the individual stood iu a boat
and not on the shore, to cast the hook.
He took a boat and launched out in*o
the sea, and then cast the hook, and
caught the fish.
The other disciple did outrun Pe
ter, and came to (eis) the sepulchre,
yet went he not in.” Here eis expresses
what the disciple intended to do, and
not what he failed to do. He started
to go into the sepulchre, but when he
came to the spot, he changed his miud,
because he could see that Jesus was
not there, without going in. He went
before ascending to (eis) Jerusalem.”
Did not Jesus ascend with the inten
tion of going into Jerusalem ? If so,
then eis must, in this place, mean into,
and not to, as S. E. A. would have us
think. t “ When He was come nigh (eis)
Bethphage and Bethany.” Here eis,
as it always does, follows the verbs of
motion, and expresses sometimes what
is done aud sometimes the motion is
designed to accomplish. Surely a man
must he hard run when he attempts to
sustain himself, when he has to resort
to quibbling, and to the pervision of
language, in order to accomplish his
purpose. S. E. A. has thrown himself
into a continent of mud, in order to
get away from the water, and there I
leave him to flounder, while 1 bring the
reader back to the word baptizo.
Had this word been translated by
its corresponding English word, there
never would have been any difficulty
upon the mind of the reader, and Pe
dobaptism would have gone the way
of all other errors which cannot stand
the searching power of truth. Paul
must have understood the action of
baptism, when he used it as an illustra
tion, “We are buried with Him in bap
tism.” We are planted iu the likeness
of His death. Will S. E. A. get away
from the force of this by saying that
bury does not mean to bury ? That
plant does not mean to plant at all ? If
so, then I will turn hitn over to the
sympathizing and puzzled Dutchman.
Fair Play.
JH\ THE BAPTIST A.\l) CUBIST.
To this preaching, to this baptism, in the
thirtieth year of his age, came Jesus from
Galilee- John was his kinsman by birth, bnt
the circumstances of his life had entirely sep
erated them. John as a child, in the house
of the blameless priest, his father, had lived at
Juttah, in tlie far south of the tribe of Judah,
and not lar from Hebron. Jesus had lived in
the deep seclusion of the carpenter shop in the
valley of Galilee. When he first came to the
banks of the Jordan, the great forerunner, ac
cording to his own emphatic and twice repeat
ed twtauosyptAWiw him -tic A.”* Tliopfk Jesus
was not yet revealed as the Messiah to his
great herald-prophet, there was something in
his look, something in the sinless beauty of his
ways, something in the solemn majesty of his
aspect, which at once overawed and captivated
the soul of John. Toothers he was the un
compromising prophet; king he could con
front with rebuke; Pharisees he could unmask
with indignation; but before this presence all
his lofty bearing falls. As when some unknown
dread checks the flight of the eagle, and makes
him settle with hushed scream and drooping
plumage on ths ground, so before the purity of
sinless life, the wild prophet of the desert be
comes a like a timid child. The battle brunt
which legionaries could not daunt—the lofty
manhood before which hierarchs trembled and
princes grew pale —resigns itself, submits,
adores, before moral force which is weak in
every external attribute, and armed only in an
invisible mail.
John lx>wed to the simple, stainless manhood
before he had been inspired to recognize the
divine commission. He earnestly tried to for
bid the purposes of Jesus. He who had re
ceived the confessions of all others now rever
entially and humbly makes his own, “I lnve
need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to
me?” The response contains the second re
corded utterance of Jesus, and the first word of
his public ministry, -‘Suffer it to be so now,
for thus it become thus to fulfill all righteous
ness.”
PREVALENCE OF PRAYER.
Nothing can destroy or detain a real prayer ;
its flight to the throne is swift and certain.
God the Holy Ghost indites our prayers, God
the Son presents our prayers, and God the
Father accepts our prayers, and with a Trinity
to help us in it, what cannot prayer perform?
I may be speaking to some who are under
very severe trials, —I feel persuaded I am, —
Ist me beg them to take this promise to them
selves as their own; and I pray God the Holy
Ghost to lav it home to their hearts and make
it theirs, “I will never leave thee nor forsake
thee.” God will not fail you though you fail
yourself. Though you faint, He fainteth not,
nither is he weary. Lift up your cry, and he
will lift up His hand. Go to your knees, you
nres'rongest there; resort to your chamber,
and it shall be to you none other than the gate
of heaven. Tell your God your grief, heavy
to you, it will be light enough to Him. Dilem
mas will all be plain to His wisdom, and diffi
culties will vanish before His strength. Oh. tell
it not in Gath that Isreal cannot trust ia God ;
publish it not in the streets of Ashkelon that
trouble can dismay those who lean upon the
eternal arm. With Jehovah in the van, O
hosts of Isreal, dare you fear? The Lord of
hosts is with us, the God of Jacob is our refuge.
What man’s heart shall quail, or what soul
shall faint? Lift up the hands that hang
down, and confirm the feeble knees. Say unto
the feeble in heart, “Be strong ; fear not. God
is with you; he will help you and that right
early."— Spurgeon.
The Master of the Indiana State Grange
says the plan of the State agent receiving a per
cent, on the purchases made, met with general
disfavor. The present agent is paid a salary.
He also recommends that the compensation of
all officers of the State Grange be fixed so that
all may know the amount of expenditure.