Newspaper Page Text
BY JAS. P. HARRISON 4 CO.
THE HUMAN WILL
HY J, A. BATTLE.
NO. VI.
REGENERATION AND EVANGELICAL
FAITH.
We have now discovered a striking
coincidence between our philosophy
of the Will and the teachings of reve
lation. Both unite their testimony to
the truth that the impulse to volition
and action is derived from the seat of
theaffections —the sensibility, as psy
chologists term it; the heart, as it is de
nominated in the Scriptures.
It was suggested in the second num
ber of this series, that there was a
symptom of disorder in the loose nexus
binding the intellect and sensibility.
This symptom is betrayed not so much
in the variety of emotions awakened by
a given intellection, as in the false,
base and malevolent affections aroused
by ideas which ought, legitimately, to
to produce the contrary feelings. The
human soul is a grand instrument,
whose cords are capable of a great
variety of musical sounds. But it is
sadly out of tune. The keys, though
struck by a master hand, awaken un
certain, false and dissonant tones, so
that what should be sweet and thrilling
harmony is jarring and jangling dis
cord.
The sensibility, then, is the chief
seat of evil in man’s soul. No longer
under the sway of right reason and a
pure conscience, it often flames like
raging fire, and destroys in its malig
nant fury.
The Bible, also, teaches that the
heart is the seat of corruption in man.
“The heart is deceitful above all things,
and desperately wicked.” Christ, as
we have seen, declared that “out of the
heart proceeds all evil thoughts, mur
ders,” etc. As all goodness consists in
love to God and our neighbor, so all
wickedness results from the absence of
these holy affections. But man, in his
natural state, does not love God.
“The carnal mind is enmity to-God, for
it is not subject to the law of God,
neither in deed can be.” From enmity
nothing pleasing to God can flow.
Therefore, man’s Will, prompted by
natural feeling, never commands righ
teous and holy actions. Thus man is,
by nature, entirely a sinner, because
his heart is opposed to God.
We have shown, in the cases of
Abiaham and Moses, that in matters
of duty to God, righteous men are im
pelled by a principle superior to the
natural dispositions of the soul. This
principle, therefore, is supernatural in
its origin. It is awakened by Deity.
We have said that faith is an inspira
tion. By this we do not mean to say
that it is an exotic transplanted in the
soul—that is, a foreign substance added
to the furniture of the soul; but a ca
pacity developed by Divine power to do
what, of its own unaided nature, it could
not do. We have found faith to
be a compound of intellection and
emotion namely, conviction of cer
tain truth and responding affections.
One who possesses this faith is regener
ated, “born again,” or “born of God.”
The Scriptures emphatically assert the
necessity of this regeneration, which it,
as emphatically ascribes, to Divine
Power—the power of the Holy Spirit.
Now, in order to regeneration there
must be new intellections —convictions
of truth of which the soul was before
incapable. There must be also new
sensibilities awakened —affections hith
erto inexperienced and impossible. The
Gospel furnishes the truth or knowl
edge, which the Holy Spirit fastens in
clear conviction on the intellect, and
then awakens those emotions which
follow appropriately and legitimately.
The reception of this truth, and the
consequent affections, make up evan
gelical faith.
Thus evangelical faith is both intel
tellectual and emotional. We exhibit
its elements as follows :
Intellectual —Belief of the Gospel.
This includes the conviction of the
following prominent truths: Man’s
depravity and ruin—God’s hatred of
sin, yet love to the race —Christ’s Di
vine satisfaction for sin—pardon and
salvation to the penitent.
Emotion—Love t<* Christ. This
involves the following prominent feel
ings : Sorrow for sin—trust in the
Saviour —desire to glorify Him.
Now, it is easy to see that if this
faith is once created in the soul by
Divine Power, these higher impulses
prevail over the lower propensities of
the carnal nature, and the Will obey
ing the dictate of the dominant emo
tion will command actions pleasing to
God, and the subject of this faith will
do what is right.
Thus it is the effect of regeneration,
as it is its design, to bring the soul of
man into harmony with the mind of
of God, and the human will into co
operation with the Divine Will. Thus
it produces in him loyalty and obedi
ence to his Maker and righteous Lord.
Thus “God worketh in us both to mil
The Christian Index.
and to do of His good pleasure.” He
does not arbitrarily or violently bend
the Will to His behests, compelling it
to act against the disposition of the
heart, but Ho creates in us right affec
tions and holy desires, and thus so
works in us that we will and we do of
His good pleasure. The question is
sometimes asked, which is first in order,
regeneration or faith ? Our theory of
faith settles the question. Regenera
tion is the process; faith is the product.
The Spirit is the agent, regeneration
the method by which He operates, and
faith the result. But while regenera
tion psychologiacally precedes faith
chronologically they are one and instan
taneous. As “God speaks and it is
done,” so when He decrees the moment
of the new birth, instantly faith is
awakened, and the new-born soul
breathes the air of liberty. The re
generated man is at once anew man,
because his heart is changed at once.
Saul of Tarsus was at one moment
breathing threatening and curses
against Christ snd His people, and in
the next, was lying on the ground in
an agony of remorse, crying, “Lord,
what wilt thou have me to do ? ” His
mind was then no longer enmity against
Jtsus whom he had persecuted, but
eager to know what he could do to
serve Him. He was a regenerated
man, the subject of evangelical faith.
In the next number, the theory that
the Will is determined by motives will
be reviewed.
For the Index and Baptist.]
A (THIOLS DOC CM EM'.
Dear Brother — l have before me
a curious and ancient document which
may be of some interest to many of
your readers. It will explain itself.
I will offer a statement, however,
which will, perhaps, partially satisfy
the curiosity of some. It belongs to
the oldest member of my church, a
good sister, who has been a Baptist
nearly half a century. She tells me
that it has been in her family for more
than a century ; how long she does not
know, having been handed down from
generation to generation. She says it
came through the Stuart family, of
England. Singularly curious, yet, it
corresponds verbatim with an instru
ment of writing published in The
Index about 1848, which claimed to
have been exhumed from the ruins of
some ancient city. (I forget the city.)
It is as follows :
“ There lives at this time in Judea
a man of singular character, whose
name is Jesus Christ. The Phillipians
esteem him a prophet, hut his followers
adore him as the immediate offspring
of the immortal God. He is endowed
with such unparalleled virtue as to call
back the dead from their graves and
to heal every kind of disease with a
word or a touch. His person is tall
and elegantly shaped, his aspect amia
ble and reverend. His hair flows unto
these beauteous shades which no united
colors can match, falling into graceful
curls below his ears, agreeably couch
ing on his shoulders and parting on
the crown of his head like the head
dress of Nazirites. His lorehead
smoothe and large, his cheeks without
either spot save that of a lovely red.
His nose and mouth are formed with
exquisite symmetry. His beard is
thick and suitable to the hair of his
head; reaching a little telow his chin,
and parted in the middle like a fork.
His eyes are bright, clear and serene.
He rebukes with majesty, counsels
with mildness, and invites with the
most tender and persuasive language.
His kind address whether in word of
elegant, grave and strictly char
acteristic of so exalted a being. No man
has seen him laugh, but the whole
world beholds him weep frequently,
and so persuasive are his tears that
the multitude cannot withhold their
tears from joining in sympathy with
him. He is very modest, termperate
and wise, in short whatever this person
may turn out in the end he seems at
present a man of excellent beauty and
divine perfection, even greatly surpass
ing the children of men.”
No doubt that the above has been
modified somewhat, as it was copied
passing from family to family. There
is no date attached to it, so as to time
it is guesswork.
J. B. Chevis.
Cuthbert, G&,
Advertising Agency. —Mr. S. D.
Freshman has been admitted to a part
nership in the well-known Advertising
Agency of E. N. Freshman, Cincinnati,
Ohio. The firm style is E. N. Fresh
man & Bros. We wish them prosperity.
Nichols’ Sacred Quartetts and
Anthems is the title of anew collec
tion of sacred music adapted for choirs
and the home circle. The price is
$2.50. The work is published by Chas
C. Mellor, Pittsburgh, Pa. It contains
forty of the standard works of emi
nent composers. It is a valuable and
interesting collection.
Literature Secular Editorials— Current Notes and News.
ATLANTA, GA., THURSDAY, JANUARY 13, 1876.
INDEX ANID BAPTIST.
Publication Rooms—27 and 29 South-Broad Street
BOOR REVIEWS.
Leah Ylohdecai. A novel bv Mrs. Belle Ken
drick Abbott, of Atlanta, Ga". Sheldon & Cos.,
New York, publishers.
Aside from the literary merit or de
merit of this new contribution to our
current literature of fiction, this book
is entitled to the special consideration
of Georgians, because it is the pro
duction of a southern pen, the “first
fruits,” in book form, of the literary
talents of a lady already known to
Southern letters by fugitive pieces of
merit, in prose and in verse. It is of
further interest to our people because
the plot, incidents, characters, time and
place, attract by reason of their famil
iarity, appealing, in a considerable de
gree, to pathetic memories still fresh
in our hearts.
We cannot admit that these materials,
permeated as they are by the sad yet
sweet reminiscences of the struggle for
Southern independence, and, in essence,
the most dramatic that can be imagin
ed, have been fully placed under con
tribution by the author of “Leah
Mordecai,” and as they might have
been. She has, so to say, with a stylus
deftly held for so young an artist, drawn
a sketch, whose figures are shadowy
images of real, fltsh and blood
humanity ; a picture, whose foreground,
middleground and perspective lack the
fine detail, the simplicity of harmony,
in part and in whole, which con
stitutes the ideal of every pro
duction of true Art ; an ideal
which Genius achieves by direct inspi
ration, and to which high-rate talent
approximates only by dint of careful
study, and patient, unwearying labor.
Rebecca, the heroine’s step-mother,
the bete noir that causes the major part
of the mischief done, is a blatant,
coarse virago, lacking even the eleihent
of subtile tact in her mischief-making.
We should like to see her brought,
finally, to the bar of justice and pun
ished, but she leaves the stage of ac
tion without even a parting conge to
the audience.
Leah’s father is a very common
place Jew, who suffers himself to be
bamboozled,by his former house-keeper,
in a very inexplicable manner, to the
disadvantage of nobody save his own
daughter, whom he professes to love.
Leah, the heroine, at the age of seven,
allows herself to be forced by her rude
step-mother into telling her father a
lie, and, to please her, she continues to
tell and act lies, even as a young lady,
because she has no strength of charac
ter, no moral force to resist the “Father
of lies,” and his imp, her step-mother;
yet this girl, in a year or two more,
displays moral and physical heroism of
the rarest kind, for the sake of a man
whom she married to escape the mach
inations of her step-mother, sacrificing,
to do so, with little compunction, her
old lover, her father’s love, and her re
ligion.
Leah’s husband is a silly, snobbish
youth, who writes platitudes in a diary,
which, curiously, become the incit
ing causes that lead Leah into un
happy situations, and, finally, ena
ble her to show a martyr-like ex
altation of character, the very opposite
of what the formative period of her
life would indicate, and what we would,
logically, expect of such as she. All
this, moreover, for a man who rewards
her sacrifices and her devotion, by de
serting her; for he, too, disappears
mysteriously from the stage, to return
no more, though his poor wife ekes out
a scanty subsistence by washing clothes
for a Charleston hospital, for a year or
two after the “cruel war is over,” and
within sight of her father’s palatial
mansion.
Lizzie Hartwell is the best sketched
female character in the book; natural,
simple, sensible ; hence, in pleasing con
trast to the somewhat sentimentally
over-stra ; ned personages around her.
Captain Marshall is a manly fellow,
and the author, through his and Lizzie’s
lips, has occasion to utter some excel
lent truths, whicu constrain us to give
them our genuine admiration. Tho
minor personages are inconsequential.
The morale of “Leah Mordecai” is,
unquestionably, pure; the diction
smooth, and J happily devoid of that
sensationalism, in word aud method,
which so disagreeably obtrudes itself
upon our attention in the larger por
tion of society novels of the day. A
pure heart, inspiring a cultivated mind,
will always give clear evidence of itself
in the effusions of a writer ; aud such
is the case in the hook before us.
The publishers, as usual in books
emanating from their press, have done
themselves and the work credit, in the
manner and style of printing and bind
ing.
We welcome the book as another ev
idence of the restless and successful
activity which is beginning to charac
terize writers competent to illustrate
the literary sphere of our section,
and to place and hold it in its legiti
mate position in the galaxy of mind.
PEOPLE WILL TALK.
You may got through the world, but ’twill be
very slow ;
If you listen to all that iB said as you go;
You'll bo worried aud fretted and kept iu a stew,
For meddlesome tongues must have something
to do,
And people will talk.
If quiet and modest, you’ll have it presumed
That your humble position is only assumed—
You’re a wolf iu sheep’s clothing, or else you’re a
fool,
But don't get excited—keep perfectly tool—
For people will talk.
Aud then, if you show the least boldness of
heart,
Or a slight inclination to take your own part,
They will call you an upstart, conceited and vain,
But keep straight ahead—don’t stop to explain—
For people will talk.
If threadbare your dress, or old-fashioned your
hat,
Someone will surely take notice of that.
And hint rather strong that you can’t pay your
way,
But don’t get excited, whatever they say— .
For people will talk.
If yon dreßs in the fashion don’t think to escape,
For they criticise them in a different shape:
You’re ahead of your moans, or your tailor's un
paid,
But mind your own business—there’s naught to
be made—
For people will talk.
Now, the boat way to do is to do as you please ;
For your mind, if you have one, will then be at
ease.
Of conrso yon will meet with all sorts of abuse;
But don’t think to stop them—it aix’t any use—
For people will talk.
GEORGIA NEWS.
—The recent unprecedented warm
spell of weather has done serious dnm
agt to farmers in spoiling their pork
supply for the winter.
—Mr. John T. Stillwell, son of
Rev. J. M. Stillwell, of Stone Moun
tain, has taken charge of the Coving
ton Male Academy.
—The fine residence of Mr. John M.
Allen, ten miles south of Covington,
was fired by an incendiary and distroy
ed on the 27th ult. He was also
robbed of $1,960 in currency.
—Robt. U. Hardeman, of Macon, is
a candidate for the State Treasurer
ship.
—Twenty-six estimates made by
members of the Augusta Exchange, in
regard to the cotton crop of 1875-’76,
average 4,125,769 bales. The lowest
estimate is 4,000,000, and the highest
4,350,000.
—Hundreds of negroes are leaving
Talbot and Harris counties for Texas
and Mississippi.
—ln domestic exports Savannah
ranks third among the cities of the
Union. The exports for November
lead those of Philadelphia by more
than two million dollars.
—The health of Hon. A. H. Steph
ens is so bad that he will not be able
to occupy his seat in Congress this
session.
—The union prayer meetings in
Augusta are well attended.
—The Macon Public Library is pros
pering. Hon. Robert Toombs will
lecture before it next month,
—The negroes in Gwinnett are show
ing a disposition to work, and are
anxious to hire their services to the
farmers.
—J. J. Moore, of DeKalb, was re
cently drowned in Mountain Creek.
—The Jonesboro News says that the
Ferguson steam mills were recently
sold to Judge Bartew, at public sale,'
for $25,000.
—Mr. R. B. Smith has been appointed
as postmaster at Cassville, which office
waß re-established a few weeks ago.
—A mass-meeting of citizens of
Cherokee Georgia was held at Canton
on the sth inst., for the purpose of in
augurating some means by which an
appropriation could be secured from
Congress for the opening of the
Etowah river to navigation.
—The Cartersville Express says : In
conversation with Col. Printup, of
Rome, the other day, we learned that ef
forts were being made to compromise
the Cherokee railroad case something
after this manner: The parties to
agree for the road to go to sale, the
proceeds to be held up by the officer,
and then contend for the money.
—The Newnan Semi-Weekly Star
has suspended.
—The Fort Valley Mirror says a
negro man brutally assaulted Miss
Ellen Abbott, at the residence of Rev.
S. E. Bassett, daring the absence of
the family. He has been arrested and
is now in jail.
—The carnival celebration in Atlanta
passed off on the 6th inst. with great
eclat.
—Alluding to the nfegro exodus from
various points on the West Point rail
road, the Newrfan Herald says : “This
exodus of farm labor may put our
farmers to temporary inconvenience,
but in the end, we believe, this emigra
tion will be a blessing in disguise.”
—The Borne Chamber of Commerce
is going to issue a paper devoted to ithe
interests of immigration.
—Mr. Stephen D. Jackson, of Mon
roe county, was recently killed acci
dentally in attempting to stop a run
away horse.
—The Griffin News urges the consol
idation of small counties, and the abo
lition or consolidation of small offices,
as a matter in State economy in taxes.
—The following officers of the Geor
gia Medical Society for the year were
elected at the recent session at Savan
nah : President, Dr. J. C. Habersham;
Vice President, Dr. Wm. H. Elliott;
Recording Secretary, Dr. Theo. Star
buck ; Corresponding Secretary, Dr.
Thomas Smith; Librarian, Dr. R. P.
Myers.
—Several heavy failures have re
cently occurred in Atlanta.
—ln the last sixty days sixty-four
sheep have been killed in three miles
of Thos. H. Moore’s house, in Cobb
county. A dog law becomes an im
perative necessity.
—The old Board of Directors of the
Augusta and Savannah railroad has
been re-elected.
—Judge Irwin has been elected from
Cobb county to fill the vacancy in the
Legislature caused by the resignation
of the Hon. W. D. Anderson.
—ltems from the Marietta Journal,
January 7th:
Mrs. Baker, a widow lady, living
some five miles west of Acworth, be
came frightened last Sunday night
week at what she supposed to be an
approaching storm, attempted to de
scend into the cellar for safety, and
fell and broke her neck. Her little
daughter gave the alarm and assem
bled the neighbors, who found the old
lady dead.
—On last Monday week, the little
daughter of Mr. Ace Fare, of Roswell
while trying to climb out of a window
of her father’s house, met with instant
death by the window sash falling on
her neck breaking it. The parents
were absent at the time, but when they
returned they found their little daugh
ter, fastened under the sash, dead.
—The Albany News, Jan. 6th, says:
“ From all sources we have the most grati
fying accounts of the coming oat crop. The
acreage sowed down exceeds any former
year by, perhaps, two hundred per cent, in
this section, and the planters report the finest
prospect ever before witnessed at this season of
the year."
—A fued having existed for some
time between Mr. A. G. Kinsey and
Mr. Gaston Fowler, the Ellijay
Courier, of the stb, relates the sequel in
this way:
“ They met at Mr. Joseph Newberry’s mill,
in Tickatitiy district, this county, when some
words passed between them, and Fowler drew
a pistol, but wi:s caught by. some gentlemen
standing near by. He finally jerked loose from
them, saying, “ Stand back, or I will shoot
you.” They all stood back and be shot Mr.
Kimsey, the ball entering his left shoulder
and touching the spinal cord lodged behind
the right shoulder blade. Dr. E. W. Wat
kins was sent for, and did all in his power
for the wounded man, but it is thought im
probable that Mr. Kimsey will recover. Fow
ler at lost account had not been arrested, nor
have we even heard of a warrant being issued
for his arrest."
—Mr. H. Lewis, living in the neigh
borhood of Senoia, was Btahbed and
almost instantly killed by a Mr.
Smith recently. Ac last accounts the
murderer was still at large.
$3 A YEAR IN ADVANCE.
NEWS OF THE WEEK.
DOMESTIC.
A petition signed by twenty-three
thousand three hundred and sixty Mor
mon women, prays Congress to give
Utah a State government, and Poland’s
anti-poligamy law.
—Port Royal, S. C., has been desig
nated as the permanent headquarters
for the United States war vessels ia
the North Atlantic.
—Difficulties between the United
States and Spain, on account of Cuba,
are seriously apprehended.
The Department of Agriculture’s
estimates indicate a crop of cotton, this
season, of not less than 4,050,000 bales,
nor more than 4,150,000 bales.
—Tho feeling of many of the South
ern members in Congress, is adverse to
voting for the Centennial appropria
tion, until a full and not a partial am
nesty bill shall have been passed.
—A Jackson, Mississippi, special says
the committees have been appointed in
the House to investigate the charges
against Lieutenant-Governor Davis,and
Superintendent of Education Cardozo,
with a view to impeachment.
—Governor Coke, und Lieutenant-Gov
ernor Hubbard, were unanimously re
nominated by the Democratic State
Convention of Texas.
—At Osborne, Missouri, on the Han
nibal and St. Joseph railroad, burglars
broke into a drug store lately, and stole
a bottle of chloroform, with which they
drugged the whole town. They went
through both hotels, all the stores and
many private residences. They se
cured thousands of dollars, and escaped-
FOREIGN.
—Austria is making warlke prepa
rations. It is generally believed that
Austrian troops will occupy the Turk
ish provinces on the Danube.
—The King of Italy considers a
general war in Europe as quite prob
able.
—The Turkish government rejects
the mediation of foreign powers.
—One of the Austrian Archdukes is
to be crowned as King ef Hungary,
next July.
—Another colliery explosion occurred
in Staffordshire, England, by which a
number of miners were killed and
wouuded.
CHANGE NOTES.
—Grange stores are rapidly increas
ing all over the country.
Centre Grange, 965, of Indiana con
siders the fifth degree an insult to ev
ery Patron, and demands its abolition.
—Each Grange should keep an ac
curate record of the amount of all pur
chases made by its members through
agents or from firms offering discounts
to the Order. The amount saved
should be ascertained as nearly as pos
sible and entered upon the minutes.
—The recent Texas Constitutional
Convention includes forty-four Pat
rons.
—Putting behind the things which
are past, and looking forward to the
things which are to come, the Patrons
of Husbandry enter upon what all in
dications point to as a long career of
prosperity.
—The Pacific Rural Press recom
mends that each subordinate Grange
have an open and public discussion on
some agricultural subject.
—All Pomona and subordinate
Granges of the Ouachita and Black
River Valley, in Louisiana, will meet
in council on the subject of transpor
tation, on the second Monday of this
month, at Monroe.
—The following are 'the officers of
the Kentucky State Grange, and their
salaries: Master, M. D. Davie ; Over
seer, W. J. Stone; Lecturer, R. D.
Smith ; Treasurer, J. M. Clarke ; Sec
retary, J. E. Barnes. The following
salaries were agreed upon: Master,
$1,000; Treasurer, S3OO j Lecturer, $3
per day and expenses. Per diem of
delegates, $3, mileage, three cents.
Personal. —We had a pleasant call
from Mr. George O. Wallaoe, of tha
firm of N. W. Ayer & Son, the popu
lar advertising agents of Philadelphia.
Mr. W. was en route to Florida. We
wish him unlimited pleasure in tha
“ Land of Flowers.”