Newspaper Page Text
2
#nr Correspondents.
w *' D& v . ..a..—
For the Index and Baptist. j
A FEW TIIOrGHTS FOR TIIF. SEW YEAR—
me.
Dear Index —The birth of a lew
year is of interest too wide to be ig.
noted by mankind. No one ever re
garded the first of January with indif
ference. It is that from which all <J|ite
their time, and count upon what is h|i't.
It is the nativity of our Adam.
How pleasant to have the family Cir
cle gathered together, making the
household the chiefest place in lie
hearts of all whose interest centers
there. And yet how few there are vim
appreciate this, and fully realize
all the advantages jwbich they, singly,
are enjoying, can be made part of flue
entertainment of tbeir families, thus
adding to the common advantage <>f
all. Instead of this, we find fathers
and young men wandering from toe
home fireside to other resorts, leaving
mothers and daughters and sisters, to
pass their days and evenings in loneli
ness. How quickly could all this be
changed, and anew life given to every
one, and a general happiness made to
pervade the family circle by llie use of
a small outlay of money to subscribe
for a good religious paper, and to buy
good religious and literary books,which,
with the family Bible on the stand, the
“ buoir *>f books, ’’ would pro luce hap
piness and give common joy to all.
Few householders are in the laud
that have not a small amount of money j
for a library of good readable, religious
books for family reding for the old and
ihe young.
A religious paper, too, is a necessity
for eveay family that would keep in
formed concerning the state, progress
and prospects of the Christ’" n world.
At the beginning of the w year,
families, very properly, inquire what
journal they shall patronize. It is
their interest to take that, which, on the
whole, will best promote their knowl
edge, piety and usefulness. We will rest
on the claims of the Christian Index,
the oldest religious newspaper in the
South. It is of Southern origin, had
its birth in 1820, in Washington City,
D. C. It is, as its name imports, strictly
a Christian index,a religious journal.lt
is devoted to the defense of religious
truth, and the diffusion of religious in
formation. Nothing is admitted into
its columns incompatible with the
sacredness and dignity of a Christian
paper. The writer has read its col
umns ever since its birth to the present
time. When, by long continued sub
scription to a religious paper, it has
become a constant companion in the
family, it is looked upon by the older
members of the household as a wise
and generous guide, containing each
week something that suits each frame
ofceiwad, as well as words of cheer and
blessed assurances whereon to rest and
build, until it shall come again. By
tho younger members of the flock it
is held in verieiation, aud its columns
are read with a sacred awe that be
tokens the deep influence its words of
truth are throwing around and over
the life of the vouug reader.
It becomes an heirloom, and when
father is gen , when the old home nest
is broken up, when tbe birdlings have j
flown and scattered, and are occupied j
with constantly unfolding duties of [
life, then the well-loved guide of our j
youth—the good old religious paper—
is nude moiv welcome to our firesides,
tor I here are holy associations cluster
ing' around it that money cannot touch,
and time cannot destroy it! llow
grand and how many, are the noble
relations to society and civilization,
which are borne by the religions press!
All that is elevating, pure and good ;
all that is sound ml t rue, tinds a friend
and devoted advocate in its columns,
week alter week, year after year; its
God-given mission is spreading in
power, permeating the whole fabric of
society, and gradually letting the di
vine Light into dark, sin-eovered abodes
of Satan.. A religious newspaper,
therefore, becomes a necessity for every
family that would grow in grace, and
keep informed concerning the state,
progress and prospects of the Christian
world. I, therefore, recommend the
Christian Index as worthy of the
support of every family throughout
the continent.
In tha beginning of every new year,
we should think of serving God more
and better than we did the year before.
It is good to see God going before us
in every step. “ The steps of a good
man are ordered by the Lord, and he
delighteth in His way.” See Psalm
xxxvii:23. F. C. A.
Washington. Ga.
FROM THE BRUNSWICK MISSION.
Editors Index —Please publish the
following contributions to tho Bruus
wiek Mission:
§8 50 from a few sisters in Madison,
Ga.; a box of valuable goods aud ?1 00
from the Ladies’ Society in Columbus,
Ga. Among tho Columbus presents
was a pair of elegant cotton blankets,
by Dr. A. J. Bussey, President of the
Eagle aud Phoenix Manufacturing Com
pany.
P. S.—l think every pastor should
now collect, as speedily as possible, all
outstanding dues to The Index and
Baptist, and forward them, promptly,
to the publishers. I hope to finish up
my part of the work by Ist of Janu
ary.
Thanks to all my friends for their
THE CHRISTIAN INDEX AND SOUTH-WESTERN BAPTIST.
timely contributions, and to The Index
and Baptist for courtesies. f
Wi D. Atkinson. ■
For tlic Index *nd Beptldt.]
LETTER FROM LITHOMA.
TEMPERANCE—RELIGION—BENEVOLENCE.
Lithonia, about 25 miles from Atlanta,
on tbe Georgia railroad, is a beautiful,
enterprising, healthy town. citi
zens are, generally, excellent, and tbe
[dace is destined to increase in numbers
and importance.
TEMPERANCE.
Upon the first day of the year 1876,
the good people of Lithonia illustrated,
at the “ballot box,” their views upon
temperance reform. That election
showed a majority of two to one in
favor of the “dry ticket.” Owing to a
lame feature in the incorporation laws,
they can prohibit the ,ale of “malt
liquors” only by “high tax,” This will
be changed at the present session of
our Legislature. It is worthy of men
tion that Lithonia has kej t up a
flourishing lodge of Good Templars
for the last two or three years. This
noble institution hai paid handsomely,
as is evident from the recent election,
which was, doubtless, influenced mate
rially by this energetic band of work
ers." May the glorious cause of tem
perance go on conqu ring and to con
quer, until the last enemy to reform
and human! v shall have been com
pletely guild unit, and won over to re
ligion and usefulness.
REliGious status.
I Lithonia may well feel proud that
tie thro leading religious denomina
tions are represented here by tbeir
respective organizations; and it has
been rumored that the “Hard Shells”
are going to move to town. All light,
let them come; no one will lose a dollar
by such move.
There has been considerable rivalry
between the Baptist and Methodist
Sunday-school 'enterprise. This is
legitimate when conducted in a Chris
tian-like spirit, and for the glory of the
Divine Master. The Baptist Sabbath
school has been a success for the last
four years, and doubtless longer. They
are now well organized, which is the
right arm of strength to this depart
ment of “church work.” Deacon J.
H. Born is the indefatigable superiu
deut. lie appears never to become dis
couraged iu his work.
Well-attended prayer-meetings is
another very encouraging feature of
our cause at this place. It has well
been said, that the prayer-meetings
test the depth of our religious profes
sion ; if this be true, bow many are
weighed aud found wanting.
BENEVOLENCE.
This department of religious service
is, to my inttd, the tffit of the genuine
ness of our profession. The pocket
nerve is decidedly the most sensitive of
the whole nervous system. Our pre
cious Saviour makes this the final test
of salvation. His words will be: “I
was an hungered and he have me
meat,” etc., and “ inasmuch as ye did
it unto one of my little ones ye did it
unto me” We desire to mention, as a
fact, the action of our church at its last
conference at this place, The church
resolved to pay their pastor monthly,
thus relieving him from the necessity
of going iu debt for bis daily bread.
We may be allowed to say this church
is always ready for every good work.
AN INCIDENT.
Brothet B. handed his daughter,
Giramie, So 00, as a present, saying do
with this as you choose, whereupon,
she handed it to her pastor, as a token
of her kind regards for him. God
bless the subject of this benevolont
act. J. M. Stillwell.
. _
From .ho Southern ClirUtian Advocate.]
‘‘(oniparaUve Nuiucrlral Status of I lie Metli
mllst and Baptist thatches in Georgia.”
Mr. Editor— ln your excellent
paper of December 1, is an article from
the pen of brother R. J. C., with the
above in reference to which
1 beg permission to submit a few re
marks.
The statistical tables as found in
tho minutes of the Georgia Baptist
Convention were gotten up by myself ;
aud hence I can speak as to them from
personal knowledge. These tables only
approximate the truth ; but uecessarily
below it. It is difficult to determine
accurately the number of Baptists.
The only available source of informa
tion is in the statistical tables of the
churches found in the minutes of the va
rious associations. These tables are
made up from the records of each
church, and therefore correct so far as
they go, but are not complete, as to
all the churches.
1. Because there are many churches
uot connected with any association,
and whose names are unknown, except
by the organizations themselves.
2. There churches whose statistics
do not appear in the minutes of their
respective associations, from the
neglect of the church clerk to forward
them, or from the failure of the dele
gates to attend the session of the asso
ciation, or from some other cause. For
example, in the minutes of the Stone
Mountain Association the statistics of
four churches are omitted, in the Sarapa
two, in the Tallapoosa one, in the Mid
dle Georgia three. Here are ten
churches not reported, in four associa
tions ; how many may there be omitted
in one hundred associations ?
Then, again, it is a diiflicult matter
to collect these association minutes,
without which, not even an approxi
mate showing of Baptist strength can
he made. The minutes of the Georgia
Baptist Convention for 1875, show the
names of ten associations whose num
bers are unknown, and which can be
determined and incorporated in the
general aggregate only by averaging
them, by which the truth can be only
approximated. The returns to the
Methodist Conference are taken up by
eacu preacher iu charge, and hence
“arc- made with greater accuracy,”
while the; reports of the Baptist, for
the i ;asou given above, must fall be
low the facts.
As to the “trimming process,” it
it may be said, that the Decorum of
Baptist churches generally, requires all
male members to attend their Confer
ences—to give a reason at the succeed
ing meeting for their absence, and
when absent three times in succession,
to be deemed in disorder and subject
to discipline. The question of absence
to a great extent resolves itself into
one of church dealing; and while a more
rigid enforcement of decipline would
be healthful to all, it that
the Baptists are not more delinquent in
this dutv than other denominations.
Brother R. J. C. takes the Baptist
Convention minutes of 1874, with
which to make his comparison, “be
cause it corresponds with tholatest re
ports of the Methodist church.” This
is a mistake. The tables of tbe min
utes of 1874, were made from the
printed minutes of associations which
met iu the fall of 1873, priot to the
meeting of the Methodist Conference
of 1873. The minutes of the Conven
tion of 1875 were taken fjom the
minutes of associations which met in
the fall of 1874, before tbe meeting of
tbe Methodist Conference uUB74.
It is with these
brother R. J. C. should have made his
comparion ; and this, with your per
rnjsson I will do. But before proeeed-
me correct an error in the fig
urlTof brother R. J. C. He reports
the white and colored members belong
ing to tbe Georgia Baptist Convention
to be 64,621, when it should have been,
as printed! in the minutes, uiak
ing a difference of 4,032, which added
to 150,256, tho amount he claims for
the Baptists in the State, makes 154,-
288 ; while he claims for the Methodists
in the State 162,015, leaving a differ
ence iu favor of the Baptists oi 2,273.
But in 1873 the colored people! were in
a transition state, many of tham hav
ing no associational connefcwju and
hence not reported. It was beuoved
that of this number there were hit less
than 10,000 ; which amount wAs added
to tho reported number, and sp printed
in the minutes, although not seriated
h av
“tho correetioiWof*
column of figures” to which brotfiqr R.
J. C. refers. This estimate of 10,000
was far too small (as the facts below
will show), wliieh, added to the 2,273
referred to above, gives the Baptists a
majority 12,273.
But, the minutes of 1875, collected
from figures printed in the fall of 1874,
(a copy of which I send you), are the
ones with wh’ch this comparison should
he made, aud which is as follows:
White ami colored members of
Georgia State Convention 75 638
White and colored members not of
Georgia Baptist Convention... 14 303
Hardshells and United Baptists.... 14 530
Colored Baptists 72 05 1
Ten associations not reported —
estimated white and colored. - 0 000
Total Baptists in the State 183 435
Total Methodists iu the State re
ported by R. J. C 153 015
Not to include the ten associations,
estimated at 6,000, would then leave
the Baptists in Georgia 177,435.
These “facts and figures demonstrate”
that the claims of the press as to our
numbers are neither “extravagant, pre
tentious, nor entirely unfounded.”
I have made these statements,
brother Editor, not for the purpose of
disparaging in an iota your strong,
active, pious and growing denomina
tion, but simply to get at the facts. If
the above statements do not, as they
claim, approximate, yet fall below, the
facts, I hope the error will be shown ;
aud none will be more ready to correct
it than I. To know the strength of
the various denominations is desirable.
We learn thereby tbe number of
tbe lovers of Jesus, and the advance
of piety. I thank brother R. J. C for
the information he has given of the
growth and strength of his people.
I regret that my labors among the
Baptists to that end are only approx
imative, but have no hesitancy in say
ing, that I believe that the above fig
uies fall short of the reality.
G. R. McCall.
For tho Imlcx and Baptist.]
A TRAGEDY.
On last Wednesday evening, tue 15t’n
instant, our whole town aud community
was startled and saddened by a most
unexpected event. Samrnio Burney,
the grandson of S. J. Burney, was out
hunting with his uncle on his lather’s
farm, several miles from town; being
fatigued, they stopped upon a bridge
that spans a sm u ll stream, to rest,
when Samrnie took his gun from his
shoulder aud dropped it by his side,
but as he did so, it slipped through a
hole in the bridge unseen by him, and
was exploded, by tbe hammer striking
upon the edge of the plank; its con
tents entered under the left cheek bone,
and came out just above the left ear.
He fell unconscious into the arms of
his uncle, who had taken his seat. He
lingered several hours in that state, and
died about 9 o’clock ; he was about 14
years old and of decided promise. Not
a week before this he had take Done of
the prizes for declamation in the closing
exercises of his school, and had now
gone to the country to spend a part of
his vacation, in the anticipation of
much pleasure. But, alas ! how uncer
tain is life.
A little over one year ago, it was my
privilege and pleasure to bury him with
Christ in baptism, and though inti
mately associated with him as teacher,
I have seen nothing in him since to
cause me to regret it, but with great
satisfaction have watched the unfold
ing of a true, noble, manly Christian
character. But, alas !heis no more.
This announcement, I know, will
elicit the sympathies aud prayers of
the many friends of his bereaved pa
rents, for they are bereft indeed. Few
of us are thus severely tried, but our
Father knows who to trust with t he glory
of His cause, and the honor of His
great name. J. H. K innebkew.
Madison, Georgia.
For the ludex and Baptist.]
LETTER FROM BUIYSYVIIK, GEORGIA.
* * * * Since the Home Mission
Board, of New York, made an appro
priation to me as missionary, they are
sending me six first-class religious news
papers gratis. This is liberal in them.
Indeed, I am not able to pay for re
ligious papers, or any other kind, as
my support is so meagre and preca
rious. I will do all 1 can for The In
dex, my allegiance to my own native
South, has never been called in ques
tion.
I desire you, brother Butler, to spend
a Sabbath in our place wher you attend
the agricultural convention and preach
for us. The Masons also expect you
to visit the lodge and lecture to them.
Now please make way in your paper
for the following donations: From
Bear Creek church, per Rev. W. N.
Ckaudoin, 82.80 ; from Bethany church,
Washington county, per Rev. J. M.
Sinett, $1 45 ; a box of valuable goods
from some of the ladies of Bethany
church ; from a young lady of Camilla,
per J. Watson Twitty, $2.50 ; from the
Ladies’ Society, Macon, Georgia, per
Mrs. Howes, §5 cash and a valuable
box of goods. For these timely gifts,
my wife and I return our grateful ac
knowledgments.
W. J). Atkinson.
Brunswick, Ga., Dec. 21, 1875.
intoti Missions.
ijor tho Index and Baptist.]
ln<ttn IMraihws.'f.r U< l(nr
-tvr beginning October 1-t, 1875, no.I endiug
December 31st. LS7S,
HEJ’OIIT.
Days of service, 214; miles traveled, 1859;
churches supplied, 17 ; stations supplied, 14 :
sermons preached. 203; exhortations, 168;
prayer meetings held, 79 ; persons baptized. 28 ;
received by letter, 15 ; restored, 5; dismissed by
letter, 12 ; excluded. 4; died, 17 ; total in fel
lowship, 1415 ; pages of tracts distributed, 680;
tables distributed, 3 ; testaments di.tribnted, 4 :
No. of Sunday-schools, 20 ; No. of pupils, 1052 :
No. of toaehers, 48 ; No. converted from the
Sunday-school, 23; No. volumns in Sunday
school libraries, 360 ; new Sunday-schools organ
ized, 2 ; their people have paid for their servi
ces, §BBOO.
Dear Index. —I send you a summa
ry report of the native Choctaw preach
ers, who are associated with me in mis
sion labor. Ido this because I think
it will interest many of the good and
true friends of the Indians.
These native brethren are all pastors,
but they are also missionaries. They
travel all around their homes, and even
far away into other settlements and
destitute localities, and preach and
teach from house to house.
My own individual report is not in
cluded in this.
Some of them are meeting with much j
encouragement, and all are faithful, j
A man said to old brother Fil-la-ma- !
tub-by, recently, “ I have fought this ;
white man’s religion a loug time. I!
am now convinced it is not for the
white mau only. It is the true religion j
of the Great Spirit.”
Three of these native pteachers are j
supported by the Flint River Assoeia |
tion, aud one by the Friendship.
Brother Ramie Wiuthrop, a faithful
man, was ordained this quarter. He j
has done good service in the destitute ’
parts, lying on the Canadian, in Atoka 1
county. He was supported the past
year by the new Ebenezer Association.
They gave him SIOO. This year I fear
they have failed to renew the appoint
ment. Brother Ramie is so useful that
he ought to be kept at work. Is there
not some church or some good brother
or sister who will keep this faithful na
tive Indian man at work as a mission
rv among his people ? May God grant
it.
I)r. Johnsou, of St. Louis, agent Iu-
I galls, aud others, set apart, by request
| of his church, Charles Thompson, the
principal chief of the Cherokee Nation,
j to the full work f the gospel ministry
on last Lord’s day. He has been a
licensed Baptist preacher for several
years.
I have received nothing for several
months to the fund for the liquidation
,of the small debt yet due on the In
dian chapel. Many people may think
I collected enough while in Georgia
and Alabama last year—year before
last —to pay off the debt, but I did
not; I was in a great hurry to get
home, and there yet remains a small
debt.
Now that Miss Jennie Clavton has
succored so nearly in collecting what
she called for, for the house of the
Misses Moon, in China, perhaps the
dimes, and quarters, and dollars will
flow westward to the Red men’s
land, and, in the centennial year
of our independence, perhaps we will
aid the aboriginee in his first call dur
ing the century, to help him build a
Baptist chapel. If Georgia will kindly
give SSO more, in addition to what she
has already given, to this Indian chap
el, I will not ask for another cent; and
then she will have given but a titlae of
what has been given elsewhere. O,
that the Indian mission bad a Miss
Jennie Clayton. Yours ever and truly.
J. S. Mulirow.
Select Hlisrcllann.
OXE YEAH.
One year, lime number we Time's story,
The waves of weeks and months still tossing
to and fro;
How may we rightly name the tide of glory.
Which holds the ransomed in its ceaseless flow?
Not yet, not yet, the heavenly tongue is ours,
Nor ear attuned to catch the seraph's lay;
We may but speak as when ’mid sun and showers
They walked with us as pilgrims by the way.
One year, and while our steps have wended
Xu the familiar paths they used to know.
Oh. have they ne’er on angel pinions bended,
And watched us with the smile they wore be
low ?
We may not know, yet heaven seems not so far
Since cherished ones have entered iu itH fold.
And often faith seems just about to unbar
The door between us and the streets of gold.
One year, and if our eyes arc dimmiug,
For voices missing from our life’s sweet song,
I.et us rejoice to know those voices hymning
The Allelulia of the blood-washed throng.
And so, we wait and number o'er Time's story,
The waves of weeks and months still tossing
lo and fro.
Until'we, too, enter the life of glory
Of those the Father called one year ago.
IIIGII EBICATIO.Y FOR FEMALES.
We do not hesitate to say that the
average womau, educated in the better
class of schools iu this country, is a
better scholar, and a more capable and
accomplished person, than the average
college graduate of the other sex.
What we want is cheaper schools of
equal excellence. The farmer’s boy
goes to college, finds cheap tuition,
wins a scholarship perhaps, boards in
commons, earns money during vaca
tion, and gets through, while bis sister
stays at home, because the only places
where she can get an equal education
are expensive beyond her means. There
is no college that need to be so richly
endowed as a woman’s eollege. Women
are not men, quarrel with that fact as
we may, and they cannot get along so
cheaply and with such helplessness as
men while going through the process
of tfheir educ\tion. If we are to hive
women’s colleges, we must have paid
professors, philosophical apparatus,
cabinets, collections, art galleries, labo
ratories, and they must be provided for
by private munificence. Provision
should be made for the poor, so that
high education shall come within the
reach of all. There is not a woman’s
college, or an advanced public institu
tion for tbe education of woman that is
not to-day in need of large endowments
for the purpose of bringing its advan
tages within the reach of those whose
means are small.
Now we commend this matter par
ticularly to rich women. There are
many, scattered up and down the coun
try, who are wondering what they shall
do with their money when, and even
before, they die. To all these we beg
the privilege of commending this great
object. Let the boys alone. They
have been pretty well taken care of al
ready, and the men will look after them.
It is for you, as women wishing well for
their sex, and anxious for its elevation
in all possible ways, to endow these in
stitutions that are springing up about
the country in its interest, so that the
poor shall have an equal chance with
the rich. You can greatly help to give
the young women of all classes as good
a chance as their brothers enjoy, and
you can hardly claim a great deal of
womanly feeling if you do not do it.—
Scribner's Monthly Mayazine.
LOST ON THE PLAINS.
A Chilli Eighteen Honrs Anion.: Snapping ami
Growling Wolves.
On Saturday evening last Platteville,
Colorado, was startled by the report
that a little girl aged about nine years,
a twin daughter of a Mr. Sutherland,
who recently moved into the neighbor
hood, was lost on the plains It ap
' pears that the child accompanied her
I father in search of cattle, and wuen
! about two miles out they found some
J calves, one of which had a bell at-
I tached to its neck. The cows not be
ing in sight, the father directed the
child to follow the calves, which he
supposed would go directly home, while
he would go in search of the cows. It
was then half post four p.m. At about
six o’clock the father returned home,
and was horrified to learn that his little
daughter had not come in, but was all
the while supposed by its mother to be
with the father. The alarm was at
once given to the people in the village,
and some twenty or more persons went
out and scoured the country for six or
eight miles, in every direction, but
without success, though some of them
were’out until four o’clock next morn
ing, and two. one a boy of seventeen,
having themselves been lost, did not
reach home until eight o’clock Sunday
morning. On Sunday, some forty men
and boys on horseback, and at least
twenty on foot, went out, notwithstand
ing the extremely cold, west wind, but
after hunting all day, returned unsuc
cessful. Again on Monday morning
men from every direction were on the
hunt, and in the 1 oet systematic man
ner examinecLa wide strip of country,
from the Platte to near the Box Elder,
and were still looking, headed toward’
home, when a signal gun was heard
by which all knew the child had been
found. It appears the little one fol
lowed the calves for a time, but, as
they did not go toward home, she soon
became conscious she was lost. At
first, she says, she wandered around,
but hearing the wolves growling around
her, she started in a straight course
which took her to the Box Elder, and’
without knowing what direction she
was taking, followed the bed of the
creek until daylight. At that time she
saw trees on the Platte and started for
them, arriving at the ranch of Mr.
John Beebee, about four miles below
Evans, at ten o’clock Sunday morning,
having traveled constantly for eighteen
hours and probably a distance of not
less than twenty-five miles. When
asked if she wus not frightened, she
said no. She said the wolves kept close
to her heels, aud snapped at her feet,
but that her mother had told her that
if she was good the Lord would always
take care of her, and so she knew the
wolves would not hurt her, because God
wouldn’t let them. After being kept
at the house of Mr. Beebee until the
following day (Monday) she was
brought home as sound and fresh as
though she had only taken a short
walk of ten or twelve miles.— Denver
(Col.) News. .
THE IDEAL EDITOR.
When we consider the duties and re
sponsibilities of journalism, we must
conclude that the profession demands a
special training fully as much as do
physic or law. The modern journal
ist should be well versed in all the
subjects that are included in a sound
nineteenth century education. He
should be a fair linguist, and able to
read and translate at least French,
German, and Italian or Spanish. It is
perhaps not necessary that he should
be a classical scholar; bub certainly a
knowledge of the classics will be very
useful to him. He should have mas
tered the principles of political econ
omy, a science which is of paramount
importance in his profession, and con
cerning which lie generally knows little
or nothing. He should have studied
history, and ought to be able to deal
intelligently with questions of finance;
and above all, he should acqure a lucid
and perspicuous style of composition,
free from all tendency to hyperbole,
{'lain, Aianly, ffnd thoroughly intelligi
ble. To rise in his profession, the true
journalist must possess yet more qual
ifications ; but these will depend upon
his mental constitution more than upon
culture. He should possess a power
of generalization equal to that of a
skillful military commander, and an
amount of tact such as would fit him
for the highest diplomatic tasks. He
should be bold, yet prudent: decisive,
yet never hasty; firm, but not obsti
nate ; logical, but not dogmatic. He
should be a man of cultivated self-con
trol, and he should set up as a rule for
his conduct, that argument alone will
result in conviction, and that any de
scent from this is a degradation of his
calling. It may be said that we have
placed the standard of qualification too
high. We answer, it cannot be placed
too high. The qualities which fit a man
for the high profession of journalism,
are the qualities which would fit him
for the most important offices in the
State, and it is inevitable that it should
be so. There is no profession in which
a man wields a more powerful influ
ence over his fellows, thau this of jour
nalism ; and if he has acquitted him
self worthily in this, there is no posi
tion he may not be safely trusted in.
A'EIV YEAR.
Another year hath silent Med,
Its golden star hath set,
Still round its bygone mem’ries oft
We love to linger yet.
What hopes were cherished but awhile,
And fancied from our sky,
What loving heart felt wishes too,
Bat bloomed awhile to die.
A vacant place perchance we see
Beside the humble hearth,
A loving one, who once was here,
No longer lives on earth.
That happy heifrt with which we wished
A bright'aud joyful year,
Terchance is bowed with sorrow now,
A barren desert drear.
To some young hearts their God hath said
“ Leave all aud follow me”
The tones wore heard, their God they've
sought.
And now His blessings see.
But fare the well, old bygone year !
Thv pains and pleasures o’er,
Are drifted down the tide of time
To dark hereafter's shore.
And welcome, new-born, beaateons year,
May yon be glad and bright,
May fortune shed around your train
Her glorious, golden light.
And may the blessings of a God
In peaceful stream of grace,
Descend in answer soft to prayor,
And linger o'er thy face.
Then may you be for one and all
A bright andgoldeu year.
And o’er thv happy memories
May we shed a grateful tear.
Miononnette.
December 81, 1875.
“ A Devout Friend ” from Hawkins
ville sends five dollars, which has been
divided as follows : Mercer Univer
sity, $2.00; Missions, $1.50; Orphan
Home, SI.OO ; Miss Moon’s house, 50c.
E. W. YTakben.