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2 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.