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4 Jfwlcx and baptist /lev. D. E. BUTLER, Managing Editor Editorial Coktrirotorh : Dm. J. 8. LAWTON Atlanta, Georgia. Ebt. J. S. BAKER. D.D Quitman, Georgia. Rmv. 8. G. HILAYER, 1).D., Forsyth. Georgia Rmv. T. G. JONES, D.D Nashville, Tennessee. A Christian is a believer in Christ, a friend of Christ, and a follower of Christ. A Christian seeks to become like Christ, labors for Christ, lives by faith in Christ, his peace, and hope, and happiness, in Christ. A Christian reflects the image of Christ, longs to be with Christ, and know that he shall never be separated from the love of Christ. Reader, are you a Chris tian ? If the Christian world were a peace ful and joyous world, taking all the good things of this life in gratitude and happiness, while holding itself pure from its corruption, and not fearing death, but looking forward with unwavering faith and hope to an other and a happier life beyond, the revivals which it struggles for would be perpetual, and the millennium which it prays for would come. Most of all the preparation to preach well is to feel the reality of spiritual things ; to stand face to face with the great verities of our being and destiny ; to hearing these momen tous questions stirring the deepest and most earnest feeling —What is our life ? what spirit pervades it? to what does it tend ? what character is being formed ? what seed sown ? what harvest, what judgment is coming, and every day more and more ? The Judge is here at the door, knocking now! Let not the Lord’s dealing seem harsh, rough, or unfatherly, boeause it is unpleasant- When the Lord’s blessed will bloweth across your de sires,’it is best, in humility, to strike sail to him, and to be willing to be led any way our Lord pleaseth. It is a point of denial of yourself, to boas if you had not a will, but had made a free disposal of it to God, and had sold it over to Him; and to make use of His will for His own, is both true holiness and your ease and peace; you •know not what the Lord is making out of this, but you shall know it hereafter. One of the practical problems of our religion and social life, is the proper union of the active and the meditative sides of our nature. It is evident, from history, that the undue develop ment of either, works harm, and that there aro comparatively few nations, ages, or me n, in which the perfect bal ance has been kept. Devotion to a merely external life and activity, to military conquests, to commerce and money-making, makes bullies and “Philistines.” Seclusion and a life wholly separated from the world and and its activities makes hermits and monks; and there has hardly ever been a more useless waste of life and human force, or worse development of sin, than that which has been manifest in scenes of monastic seclusion. Independent Journalism.—There are some good and dearly beloved brethren, who are liberal in their cen sures of us, if we fail, in their estima tion, to conform our opinions—or the expression of them in our editorials— to what they coucoive to be Baptistic. We invite the attention of such to the following extract from an editorial iu the last Typographic Messenger. The writer, it is true, has special reference to political papers, but his remarks are equally applicable to religious papers : “There is no such thing as independence of mind and thought, when wedded to party theories and dogmas. When every article written for a newspaper has to be submitted to the criticism of the political leaders of a party, and every word and sentence stricken out that fails to fully accord with the tenets of the same, the author becomes as clay in the hands of political jugglers and plotters, and is as ab ject and mean a slave as those whom Moses di rected should place their ears against the post and be bored, as an evidence ana sign of per petual serfdom. As we understand it, inde pendent journalism means untrammeled thought upon all subjects, and expressed with out fear, favor or affection, or the weighing of the effect it is to have upon the interest of any party, theory or dogma. Bear witii Us.— We have letters on hand from correspondents, highly esteemed, in up per Georgia and in Alabama, requesting an expression of our views on important subjects, to which we propose to attend at an early day, the Lord willing. We are sure if our frie.-ds knew what a sinking sensation the thought of elaborating an article on any important subject, in our present enfeebled state of body and mind, produces in us, they would readily ex cuse our delay in responding to their requests. THE CHRISTIAN INDEX AND SOUTH-WESTERN BAPTIST. MERCER IAIVERSITT, Every Baptist in Georgia baa an in terest —a deep interest —in our denom inational college, whether they sure sen sible of the fact or not. If it prospers it will refleet honor on our denomina tion ; if it fails, for the want of aa ad equate endowment, it will affix a stain upon the reputation pf the Baptists- of Georgia. As component parts of the Baptist denomination, each of us must share in the honor of its success, if it succeeds, or in the disgrace of its fail ure, if it fails. Is there a Baptist in Georgia so reckless of the fair fame ef his denomination, and so indifferent to his own, that he wilL refuse- to contrib ute at least one dollar for each mens ber of his family, to aid in building up our own beloved Mercer? We li---*-- there is not one such to- be fou 1 Whether this hope shall prove a v . t,. one or not, time will show. But there are higher grounds upon which we would base a plea for lib< U contributions to our University, t< .. those furnished by a regard for <-us' denominational honor or our own. Had we the intellectual and physical ability requisite, most cheerfully would we stump the State in behalf of Mer cer, from its seaboard to its mountains, and from its eastern to its western boundarybut carefully would we avoid following in the wake of our honored and truly honorable brethren, who are gathering up and scattering abroad val uable information relativo to the strug gles of our ancestors to secure the re ligious liberty we happily enjoy in the present day. The information they impart is highly interesting, very val uable, well calculated to excite in every honest and reflecting mind, gratitude to God, and to prompt us to liberal contributions to sustain the agencies through which were secured to us the religious privileges in which we now glory ; but for the life of us, we can not seo that the history of tho strug gles, to which we have referred, fur nishes any just ground upon which to base a claim for our colleges, either to our gratitude or our contributions. We cannot conceive that gratitude to God ever did, or ever eau, prompt one to sustain agencies that the Lord never employed in effecting our deliverence from the thraldom of a persecuting priesthood. , It is not to the agency of colleges we aro indebted for the privilege of wor shiping God, unmolested, under our own vine and fig tree, but to the agency of the Gospel of Christ. That Gospel which is the power of God unto salva tion to everyone th at believeth ; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek, was made also the power of God to the sal vation of our land and nation, alike from the oppression of their civil and religious rulers. It is a notable fact that during the pending of the struggles for the rights of conscience, there existed, in various countries of Europe, colleges of great renown. They were presided over, too, by learned men, whose scholastic at tainments secured them an undying reputation. It is equally worthy of notice, and of perpetual remembrance, that the influence of all these colleges was exerted, not in favor of the op pressed, but in favor of their oppressors! The main advocates of religious lib erty, too, through whose influence and persevering efforts success was ulti mately secured, were not educated, but uneducated men. The pioneer preach ers of Virginia, who preached Christ and advocated religious liberty through the grated windows of their prisons, and who have been so highly and justly lauded by our centennial orators, were, with few exceptions, if any, illiterate men. If we extend our retrospect back to the age immediately succeeding that of the Apostles, we shall find, more over, that the first and principal heresi archs and oorruptors of the Gospel of Christ, were individuals who issued from the far-famed metaphysical schools established at Athens and Alexandria. In them, Antichrist, whose garments have been dyed red in the blood of martyrs, appears to have been con ceived and brought into being. Iu subsequent years, he was trained in schools in Constantinople and Rome, for the cruel and infamous warfare against the saints of the Most High, which he was permitted, in the myste rious providence of God, to wage against them—the end of which is not yet. Zeal in behalf of our colleges is commendable, but zeal, in the best of causes, has need to be moderated and guided by knowledge. If under a tem porary excitement, induced by the itn- passioned eleqaeuce of some gifted orator, we load the shrine of learning with offerings that should have been laid on the- htrine of the Saviour, we shall, most assuredly, incur the dis pleasure of Him on whom we depend for success in all our undertakings. There is ample ground on which to base a claim fur our colleges without encroaching on ground sacred to the cause of Chriot. This is true, at least of Mercer Un/wemity, as we shall at tempt to show in a subsequent art'cle, if life be spared. THE IMIEX HOW TO WORK. fQt IT. Brother N. L. MoMekea, of Wash ington, Georgia, forwarding his sub scription writes : “I ana much pleased with Tits Index. E think it the best paper in the South, and the crest wonder to- me, is that every Christian ; does not take it. I think, that one j issue of The Index, with Us excellent ready ing matter, is worth the entire subscription price for a year. Ido hope its influence will 'h extended into every family, and.that you, will have a large increase of sahseribers to your most valuable paper. lan vindicating its claims constantly, and will try to send you a number of new subscribers soon.'’ '[’hank you, brother M. Apprecia tive, active and zealous ’■friends, like yourself, is what The In-des desiaes to have. A law such, in every chunh, would soon place it in every Baptist household in ijbe State, and strengthen our hands in their labor for the spaead of the truth,.and the glory of Christ’s cause. How many of the brethren will put their good wishes and faith into prac tice, like our estimable brothsr in Washington, and. by personal exer tion, forward to us the names of at least two- new subscribers to The Christian Index, for the coming year ? A TEXT FOR SOSIK BROTHER. Our correspondent, A. J. Cooper, de sires a sermon to be published, in The Index, from the 18th chapter of John and first clause of the 35th verse. The subject is a good one, and used very often by our preachers. Some differences of opinion prevail upon the nature of the kingdom, as well as to the character of the subjects. If some brother will send us A good sermon from that text, it shall appear in The Index. Jesus answered, “My Kingdom is not of this world: ” 1. From whence was it? 2. Who are the subjects ? 3. How are they made subjects ? 4. Divide the business of His kingdom from the kingdoms of the world, upon a Scriptural basis. Brother Editors— give this to some large-hearted, able minister, and lei us have a sermon in The Index from these four points, showiiig in the main, what business pertains to the kingdom ot Christ, according to the Bible. Let us have a “thus sayeth the Lord’’ for all, and oblige yours in Christ. A. J. Cooper, Oakland, Georgia. From the highest point of view— that is, from God’s point of view—to Him, nothing is great, nothing small, as we measure it. The worth and the quality of an action depends not on its prominence or on any other of the accidents which we are always apt to adopt as the test of the greatness of our deeds. The largeness of the conse quences of anything we do is no meas ure of the true greatness or true value of it. So it is in regard to God Him self and His doings. To Him, for His loftiness, there is nothing high; to Him, for His gentleness, there is noth ing low. He as gladly stands bv the sick bed, and binds up the broken hearted, as He “ telleth the number of the stars.” A Severe Sentence. — We learn from the Alabama Baptist, that, “A man by the name of Rush has been sent to the penitentiary for ninety nine years from Sanford county.” If Barnum should live to witness his re lease from the penitentiary, after his ninety-nine years confinement in it, we opine he would be willing to pay a round sum to have him take up his abode in his museum, for the residue of his days. Rev. 11. WooDssiALL.-We are in receipt ot a communication from brother Woodsmall, which, owing to its length, and the pressure of other matter upon our columns this week, we are obliged to let go over until next week. His communication will receive our earnest attention, and its contents, with such commen tary as The Index may deem essential to make under the circumstances, shall be laid before our readers Rev. S. F. Fuller has been recalled to the pas torate of the church in Hamilton. —We leam, from the Lumpkin Independent that Rev. J. W. P. Fackler, has accepted a call from the Baptist church in that place, and will preach there three Sundays in the in tho month, and one Sunday at Summer Hill church. The Bode of lohn’s Baptism with Water In terpreted by tbs Bode of Christs Baptism with the Holy Ghost. —Southern Christian Ad vocate, Macon. n. In our article last week, we showed that Mi. Dunlap’s conclusion, that “John’s baptism with water waß by uouring,” confuses the gram mar and the rhetoric of the Scriptures-. This is not to be-wondered at ; for be set ont with a false method of interpretation. Of course it could only lead him astray. Notice ,the caption of his article : “ The mode of John’s Baptism with Water Interpreted by the Mode of Chrfct’e Bap tism with the Holy Ghost.” Now it is a principle of interpretation, that we should not interpret a term when used literally, by the same term when used figura tively. Another principle of interpretation, equally well established, is that we should never attempt to explain a less obscure pas sage by one which is more obscure. Both these principles Mr. Dunlap bus vio lated in his interpretation. In J din's baptism the term “ baptism” is evidently used in its literal sense. In seeking its meaning, therefore, wo must first go to the lexicons, and to the bearing of the context, and to the umu loguendi in other passages where it is ueedand, in like manner, in its literal sense. By comparing these to gether, we may determine, with great certain ty, what the literal meaning is. Having thus determined its literal meaning, we have the key to understand its figurative meaning* To reverse this process is unphilological. Yet this-is just what Mr. Dunlap has done. The question is: What did John do to his disciples when he baptized them ? Instead of -teUiiig the answer to that question in the only legitimate method, explained above, he brings forward a passage where the word “ baptize’’ bused entirely in a mutapborical sense. Now, in the very nature of things, we can form no con neptioa of this metaphorical meaning, till we first find out its literal meaning. To illus trate: A little boy oomes to his father and says: “ Papa, wbat is a lion ?” He replies, “ Why, my son, Aoliilleswas a lion.” Hence, the little boy concludes that a lion in- a brave 'man/ So much for going to a metaphor to find out the meaning of a word. Simple as this illustration b, it ex actly exhibits w-hat Mr. Dunlap has done. What is baptism? He replies: “Why the pouring out of the Holy Ghost on the disciples is called a baptism—therefore, baptism is 4 a pouring oat”’—-just about as true as that a lion is a brave man. Thus it is clear that he has violated the first principle of interpre tation mentioned above. But he has also violated the second. He has attempted to explain John’s baptism by the baptism of the Holy Ghest; the plainer passage by one more obscure. The baptism of the Holy Ghost is a profound mystery. No human miud can form any adequate concep tion of what it is. Yet this inexplicable ope ration is made the interpreter of water baptism; '•fcow, completely Js the rale reversed ' It is not strange that such a method should lead to error. Had the writer taken for bis subject the same caption, with its members transposed, he would, at least, have started in the right direction: “ Christ’s baptism with the Holy Ghost in terpreted by John’s baptism with water.” This caption would have led him to investi gate, first, the literal meaning of baptixe; and then to use that meaning in explaining the metaphor, so far as the profound mystery of the subject would allow. Such a procedure would, at least, he in accordance with sound philology and common sense. Taking this form of the caption for our own, we propose to examine the baptism of the Holy Ghost, in the light of John’s baptism, its we understand it, in order to determine the propriety of the metaphor. Let us assume, for the present, that John’s baptism was an immersion in water, and that baptize means to immerse. With this hypoth esis, let us proceed to examine the baptism of the Holy Ghost. Christ says: “ I will baptize you with tiie Holy Ghost.” It is granted that this promise was fulfilled on the day of Pente cost. Let us notice the circumstances under w liicli this event occurred. It appears, from the record, that the disciples, on that day, were all in one place, in one room. Suddenly there came the sound of a rushing, mighty wind, and Jilted the house where the disciples were sitting What caused that sound we are left to conjecture. It was not literal wind; it was only like the sound which a rushing, mighty wind would have produced. If, now, we take that sound to be a manifestation of the Spirit’s presence, we see, at once, how that presence filled the house ; and, of course, the disciples were enveloped, t. e., immersed in it. They were immersed in that which represented the presence of the Holy Ghost. And this furnishes one point of resemblance, upon which our Saviour was jus tified in calling it a baptism—not that it was a literal baptism; but so called, be cause of this point of resemblance. Another point of resemblance is found in the fact that in immersion the element used is in abundant quantity. So, in the case of the disciples, the influence of the Holy Ghost was so abundant that it might be well compared to an immer sion. And, therefore, on account of both of these points of resemblance, or on account of ei ther one alone, the Saviour's metaphor is justi fied. Take notice, in a metaphor the resem blance is never complete. It is sufficient if we can find a clear resemblance in only a few points. When we say, Achilles was a lion, wc do not mean that he had four feet, and claws, and teeth, like a lion ; but only that he resembles a lion in a few particulars. So in this case ; the Saviour did not mean that what He would do to the disciples would resemble a bap tism in every particular; but only in the fact that they would be enveloped iu that which should represent the Spirit’s presence, and that His influence should be overwhelming in its abundance. The fiery tongues had nothing to <k> with the baptism. There is nothing in baptism to which they have any resemblance. They stand, therefore, outmdeof the metaphor; just as the claws and teeth of the lion are no part af ; the comparison with Achilles. These symboiiaed the gift of tongues; and there their signifieancy ends. It only remains to enquire what is the import of the phrases, “ I will pour out my spirit upon ail flesh-:” and, “the HolyGhoot fell on them as on irat the beginning •. then remembered I the Word of the Lord, how he said, John indeed baptized with water: hut ye shall be Iwptized with tb@ Holy Gbcst,” etc. Now, according to our methoa'of investiga tion, we are supposed to boo*o wbat John did to his disc:pies when he baptized them ; because the word is, in the case of John, used in its liter al sense. And we have, for the present, assumed that he immersed them. Taking this meaning as the koy by which we stay-open-tile metaphor, let us seo what are the points of resemblance between this “pouring oxt” and “felling” of the Spirit upon these converts and an. immersion of them. The resmnblance is not in the aeticn, sure ly ! In what then ? Most assuredly in the ef fect. When John baptized the subjects were literally immersed in water; when the Lord baptize*!, the subjects were immersed, mefaphor callv, in the Holy Ghost. This, and this only, is the point of resemblance. The “pouring out of the Spirit” is cal led a baptism simply to indicate the completeness with winch thepersons present were enveloped in the Spirit’s influence. Take notice t It is said : “The Holy Ghost fell upon them ason us at the beginning. We have seen how that was. A sound filled the whole bouse. It was the manifestation of that spiritual in fluence which encompassed them, even as tire watersof baptism enwrapped the subject. But it may still lie asked, did not Peter call this “pouring out” of the Spirit a baptism ? \es, but only a metaphorical baptism. Just as Milton says of the Angel’s wings that “Skirted his loins rod thighs with downy gold, Aii.iicolors dipt io. Heaven,” Milton sorely did not mean literally, but only metaphorically, dipped; so we say immersed in debt—in business—in sorrow, etc, —not literally, but metaphorically. In such cases the point of resemblance is often found in the effect of the things compared. A vast amount of business, for instance, may so cover up a man that he re sembles one immersed in a flood. Hence, we say, beisimmerssed in business. In like man ner the influence of the Holy Ghost came upon the disciples in a degree so full, so copious, that they seemed to be covered up by it, like one im mersed in water. Hence, upon this resemblance, the operation wascalied a baptism. It may still be insisted that Peter clearly im plies that this baptism of the Holy Ghost was accomplished by “pouring.” Well, what then ? The thing accomplished was called a baptism, Lc. an immersion, because the effect resembled an immersion. That is all. It is calledso met aphorically, not literally. Hence, it cannot justify the substitution of pouring for immer sion when baptism is to be administered literal ly. Thus, it is manifest that the hypothesis that John’s baptism was an immersion, harmonizes completely with what is said about the baptism of the Holy Ghost. Now that this hypothesis is true —that baptize means lo immerse—we have shown in our recent article on “Modal Baptism.” In this article we appealed to the lexicons, to the ue us toguendi, and to history. Tlies* are the legitimate sources of proof. From these sources we find the meaning of the word. Now, we have taken that meaning and applied it to interpret the baptism of the Holy Ghost, and find that it explains the metaphor. This fact, it .is true, corroborates the othej proofs. Hence, we conclude that a correct view of the baptism of the Holy Ghost is perfectly con sistent with the idea of immersion. For the Index and Baptist ! The lnjn*t Imputation—The Index Righted. On reading the letter and editorial com ment on the little Florida church, and the Rev. Jesse Knight’s connection with it, I turned at once to the “table of contents,” to ascertain the author of tho article. This I could not do, and concluded that it was the product of some brother, temporarily in the office, and for whose opinions The Index was responsible. I supposed Dr. Butler ab sent in the interest of Mercer University, hence my article was against The Index, not my venerable brother. I did not sup pose, for once, that he was its author—gave him credit for more discretion and charity. Brother Baker’s connection with the article would never have been known had the of fice editor simply called my attention to my error, (or to what he so regarded, without giving the name which ail newspaper usage justifies,) or had brother Baker preferred sottling the misunderstanding after the Gos pel order, by private correspondence, instead of the course he has pursued. Jesus says: “if thv brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault, between thee and him alone but brother Baker says, “tell it to the world, publish, him.” He knew the brother offending him; I knew not the one to whom I was excepting. Brother Baker further says, that if he had seen my article before it went to press, he would have writteu me, and corrected toe errors into which I had fallen. Well, why did he not do so afterwards ? If lam what he gives me credit for being—a brother of “good sense and kind hearted,” one “who is usually thoughtful and correct in his state ments,” why did he not write, me and ask that honorable reparation be made through Tiie Index ? Why did he not trust to my integrity as a Christian and a brother in the Gospel, to do so, instead of “exposing the errors” into which I had fall en ? It is not unusual for these Pauls in the ministry to "spank” the Timothys, and gen erally, they take pleasure in making their rebukes as public as possible, whether there is any point iu them or not. Let them have all the glory. Inasmuch as brother Baker disclaims the slightest winking at the liberalistic tenden ces of the times, and is in accord with brethren Graves and Pendleton, (instead of being disposed to do them injury,) I am sat isfied. The Index is righted, and so is brother B. lam glad of this, for I was not alone in the opinion that his article was a reflection on these brethren, and the views held by them. I can afford to submit to the "fatherly spanking” for the sake of a cause so dear to me. What I did was in the in terest of truth. I sincerely hope that my venerable and talented brother will livelong to defend the faith as delivered to the saint 9, and that he will ever be as ready to expose departures from this faith as he has been to “expose” my errors, and that in so doing, he will always pattern after the ex ample of the Apostle Paul, who, while not shunning to declare the whole counsel of God, dia it in such a spirit as to commend his charity, not alone to the world, but es pecially to Timothy, hia too in the Gospel. B. G. M. Lynchburg, Virginia. GEORGIA BAPTIST SEWS. ; —The Ellijay Carrier says that about twen ty citizens of Twxiptown were baptized on Sunday the 7 i ult., and have joined the Baptist church c that place. —The pews : the Fist Baptist church at Augusta werer oted a few days ago for $3,800, which amount ' iii pay the pastor’s-salary and ifeive a surplus J $S;:J00. —November .Otha. Baptist Insiitue for off ered ministers began in Macon, to continue one month. The t-.rer -ises are conducted by Sev. W. H. WoottrAiail, assisted by various white Baptist ministsis ot the State. The ses sions are held in a comfortable apartment in .ths Lewis High scfeooi, and are gratuitous. All colored minister;* and teachers of all de nominations are invited to jittentl, and enjoy tho benefit of the instruction given, which con sists of lessons each day in reading and writ ing, a Bible lesson each day, and lectures on various appropriate subjects from such men as Dr. Battle, Dr. Hillyer, of Forsyth, Dr. Skin ner, the prospective pastor of the Macon First Baptist church, Dr. Brantley of Macon, Prof. Willet, of Mercer University, Rev. G. R. Mc- Call, of Hawkinsvills, and others. The Insti tute for colored ministers formerly held in Ma con by Rev. E. W. Warren, proved so success ful that nothing but success and much benefit can be expected as the result of a similar effort conducted by such able ministers. —The Cuthbert Messenger says : “From the proceedings of Bethel Baptist Association, pub l.Mied last week, our readers have seen that the Baptist denomination are going to work with an energy and earnestness for the re-in vigoration of Bethel Female College, and to i infuse a vigorous life and wakeful activity in that once prosperous Institution. We are glad j to g*e that this step has been taken, and if the ! zeal of our Baptist friends, as set forth in that ! resolution, be oaly put into practical operation, we can predict for them ultimate suicess. j Their oliegec buildings and grounds in Vil | now are all that could be desired, being in a healthy and delightful climate, surrounded by a society equal to any in Georgia. We had a short but very pleasant visit, a few days since, from Rev. Mr. Cheves, pastor, of the Baptist charge in this city, who is working actively in. this matter. —Brother D. J. Daniel! gives us the follow ing interesting information from Southeast Georgia. He writes from Waltkourville, No vember 22d; The Lord has given us another token that He has not forgotten to be gracious to us in this destitute cm ner. According to previous under standing, Bro. Atkinson, of Brunswick, met me at South Newport, on Saturday before the first Sabbath, inst., for the of holding a se ries of meetings, should the Lord encourage us. He did encourage, and the meetings-were continued twelve days, during which I bap tized twenty-one persons, including all ages, from grandfather to the youth of fifteen years — males predominating in numbers. One re mains over for baptism, and others are in a very hopefn! way. This church was the home of old Bro. C.-J‘. W. Thorpe, who died in June of last year, at eighty-seven years of age, without peeing any of his numerous sons brought into the church. With only one of his children, a daughter, did he enjoy Christian fellowship on earth. Now two of his sons and seven ol his grand children rejoice in being members of the church of their father. When I went to this community in October, 1807, as the missionary the New Sunbury As sociation and Domestic Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, I found the church scattered ; some dead ; others removed ; the church book destroyed, or carried off by Federal soldiers ; the people dispirited by the foraging of the Confederates and raiding of the Federals, until they seemed disinclined to encourage an effort to rebuild. We did re build, however, and, now, what hath the Lord wrought ! blessed be His holy name! Bro. Atkinson’s labors were abundant during tiie meeting, very acceptable to the church and Biople, and attended hv the Spirit’s blessing. is coming was to us as “the coming of Titus.” I very much fear that he will be, ere long, lost to this, section of our State. It will be a loss, indeed, and I hope will not he permitted to occur! Should Ibe left behind, I will feel more lonelv than 51 he had never come. —Brother W. S. Lumpkin, in a communi cation from Flat Shoals, November 22d, says : We have been travailing and trying to stir the hearts of the brethren in the interest of the Master’s Kingdom, and find many inour country churches ready to become more fully enlisted, and willing to devise some system of operation among themselves that will aid in sustaining and spreading the glorious Gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. We visited Bell Wood church yesterday (Sabbath), and were made happy by meeting brother Geo. R. Moor. The congregation seemed to be deeply interested, and brother Moor closed the meeting with profound inter est. Three penitents asked the prayers of the con gregation, and two members were added to the church by letter. The brethren are in good heart and ready to raise their new house. They are building with untiring energy. May God bless their efforts, and the brethren lend them a helping hand ! —From brother J. N. Brittain, we received the following cheering revival news from Conyers, where a meeting of thirteen days in the First Baptist church, has just closed. Brother Brit tain says: The Lord has given us sixteen accessions dur ing this season of refreshing, for which we are very gratefnl. Rev. J. W. P. Fackler, evangel ist, remained with us until Wednesday night last. Our community will long remember this faithful brother, whose praise is already in the churches. Day and night he labored with un tiring zeal, preaching with great earnestness and success to large crowds, who gladly heard the eartiest appeals of the man of God. We felt that the Spirit of the Master came with brother Fackler, and from the very outset he gained the affections of our people. While many have joined us, some will join other de nominations, and manv more are lingering with hopes, praying for brighter manifestations , others still, are inquiring the way of salvation. Our church is greatly revived, the membership realizing, more than ever, the importance of working in the vineyard of the Master. This is one charming feature in brother Fackler's ef forts, the earnest appeals to church members to be active and zealous in the cause of Christ. We have received over thirty additions to our church since the first of August. The First Baptist church of Conyers was never more united, or more determined in their efforts to advance the cause of Christ. God grant that we may ever honor, and faithfully serve, tho Great Head of the Church.