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4 jUndex and ffajrtiist Bev. D, E. BUTLEB, Managing Editor Editorial Contributors : Dr J. 8. LAWTON... Atlanu, Georgia. Hkv. J. S. BAKKR, D.D Quitman, Georgia. Brt. 8. G. HILLYER, D.D., Forsyth, Georgia Brt. T. G. JONES, D.D Nashville, Tennessee. DISCONTENT. Bayard Taylor saya there haa been no pe riod during the century, when the expression of honest discontent was more needed than now. He does not tell us why he thinks so, or what the causes are that inspire an expres sion of discontent. If he thinks as we do, he will say that the expression of discontent is needed, because corruption stalks hideously rampant in high places, and that the trail of the serpent of unbelief and folly is alarmingly visible where, by right and reason, their oppo sites should be found regnant. This being the fact, and no one who studies the daily course of events properly can come to any other conclu sion, it is not only legitimate, but essential, that discontent over such an unfortunate con dition of our social, commercial and political affairs, should be expressed l)y all to whom in dividual or national honor is still a sacred thing, and for whom life would lose itH worth, and existence its charm, were a reform, in this respect, impossible. To the united efforts of honest men, basing their action upon the imperishable principles ot truth and Christian duty, all things are pos sible. Error must capitulate to them, and cor ruption, public or private, will hide its dimin ished head, or sink out of view, wherever an honest public sentiment manifests itself, and carries its acknowledged theories into para mount practice, INEBRIATE ASYI.I'M The committee appointed at the last session of our Legislature, to .insider and report upon the practicability and utility of establishing an asvlutn for inebriates, will make their roport to the Legislature, now in session, at an early day. It is stated that the report will be in favor of establishing such an institution, aud that the old Capitol buildings at Milledgeville will be re commended as a suitable locality. We cannot well see bow the commit tee could report otherwise than favora bly upon this subject. lu Europe, aud in our own country, notably in New York State, the matter hits been thoroughly and most success fully tested, and the necessity for an asylum of this kind in Georgia is ns demonstrable as is that for an Insane or a Deaf and Dumb asylum ; indeed, the necessity is, morally speaking, greater, for the habitual drunkard is not only insane in bis mania for drink, but also deaf and dumb to the dictum of reason and responsibility to God, but blind, also, to bis own and the wel fare of others, and criminal in bis vio lations of the laws of God and of man. No class needs, to a greater extent, the helping hand of a Christian State ; to none could reformatory influences be a greater boon. We siucereiy trust that Georgia will add this iustitutiou to the many other philanthropic examples of her living, active, aud wise benefac tions. Centennial Hymn. —ln the Exam iner and Chronicle, of the 6th inst., is a “Centennial hymn,” s.iid to be writ ten January Ist, of which the follow ing is the last stanza: "Hail the natal day of freedom ! Monuments we rear; Children that shall follow after, So will US revere.” The large caps in the last line are ours, not the author’s. Is that stanza significant of the object bad in view by our centennial workers? How would it look attached to the like nesses of our Theological Professors, on the receipts they give to those who contribute to the fund of our Theolog ical Seminary ? Suppose they have it printed under, or over, their likenesses in future issues of their receipts ? Raising Funds fob Benevolent Objects—Reform Necessary. —We commend, to the earnest perusal of the brethren, the communication in this issue of The Index, on the above sub ject. The writer, in a plain, direct and emphatic mauner, reviews a matter of vast importance to the interests of the Denomination, and points out grievan ces which certainly need reform iu some way. The questions considered are grave, and strongly appeal to our convictions of duty to the cause of Christ, and the prosperity of our denominational en terprises, as well as to the fundamen tal principles that should govern all business transactions. The reform advocated by the writer, relative to the voluminous publication of names of donors, and the itemization of gifts and contributions through the overburdened columns of The Index, particularly deserves the attention of correspondents. The entire article is commended to the serious reflection of all. ■ANNA FOR COD’S FEOPLF • There is yet another view we may take of this subject. While our great Prophet is Leading bis people to the Heavenly Canaan, He exercises over them, not only His providential care in providing for their temporal wants, but He supplies also the aliment of the soul. He said to the Jews, “my Father giveth you the true bread from Heaven. For the bread of God is he which com eth down from Heaven, and giveth life into the world. * * * # lam the bread of life; he that coineth to me shall never Lunger; and he that be lieveth on rne shall never thirst.” Thus by faith, the believer appropriates Christ as the strength and sustenance of bis soul. But this is not done all at once, aud to the full extent of his exalted nature. No ; the Saviour’s dis pensations of grace to His people fall upon them like the manna round the camp of Israel. When faint and weary, they find strength iu His precious promises. “ Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.” “ Come learn of me, for lam meek and lowly iu heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” “ Let not your heart be troubled, ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions; I go to prepare a place for you, and if I go and prepare a place for you I will come again, and receive you to myself, that where I am there ye may be also.” Oh! how exactly adapte 1 are these prom ises to feed the soul ! They impart to the Christian the strength which he needs. How like manna are these prom ises dropped along the pathway of our Christian experience ! But this is not all. Jesus imparts Himself to His people in the cheering influences of His holy Spirit. The spirit gives repentance unto life; faith unto justification; p>'ace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, and joy in hope of His glory. Then it gives us the spirit of adoption whereby wc may cry, Abba Father; and, finally, it gives fellowship with the Father, and with bis Son, Jesus Christ. Such are some of the drop pings of heavenly manna, which Jesus sheds forth for the comfort of His people. We cannot enumerate them all. We have mentioned enough to discern that the same principle rules in the dispensation of these spiritual benefits, as did in the case of the manna in the wilderness. God does not intend that we shall be satisfied, even with our religious joys, in the present life. He gives us, indeed, a foretaste of Heaven. Now and then He lets us climb some Pisgah’s height, where we may survey the distant land scape of the better land; or, perhaps, we may be permitted to ascend some spiritual Tabor, where we may, by the eye of faith, heboid the glories of the Saviour, and where our ravished souls would delight to dwell. But such sea sons of grace are few, and transient. We must “walk by faith, and not by sight.” “We must see through the glass darkly.” We must know only in part. But we see enough, aud know enough, to make us willing to labor, and to travel on our heavenly way, till the time of our change shall come. After all, this earth is not Heaven. Here we subsist only upon manna. But it is sweet to the faithful pilgrim whose aspirations and affec tions are fixed on things in Heaven. Are there any of God’s people now who are discontented with this heavenly food ? What shall we say of those professors of religion whose conduct shows that they are not content with the pleasures of piety. They neglect the Word of God; they find no com fort iu prayer; they are seldom seen iu places of social worship, aud they avoid the house of sorrow, and are careless about the wants of the desti tute. But they love the theatre, the drama, the revel; they tread the ways of fashionable folly, aud indulge, to excess, a wordly spirit. Alas! alas ! they might as well express it in words, for their conduct proclains it for them —“our souls loathe this light bread.” They lust after the flesh-pots of Egypt. Oh, let such remember, “to be carnally-minded is death; but to be spiritually-minded is life and peace.” Let us all beware, lest we fall into the condemnation of those Israelites who murmured against Moses, and against God. May God of His infinite mercy shower upon us all His holy manna; and may we all accept and appropriate THE CHRISTIAN INDEX AND SOUTH-WESTERN BAPTIST. it, as the earnest of that immense ful ness which we hope to enjoy at His own right hand. Sebmon —First Baptist Church.— We had the pleasure of hearing a good, strong sermon, Sunday last, from the pastor of this church, Rev. E. W. Warren, D.D. Text—Hebrews xi: 1. “Faith is the evidence of things not seen." The introduction and the whole dis course impressed us. It was well con ceived and well delivered. The speaker commenced by saying no definition of faith would be attempted. The re ligious faith was more an acquisition of the heart than of mind. He spoke of the mysteries of faith, but did not at tempt to explain them, “ because,” said he, “ I do not understand them my self.” He discussed with great force two characters : One who ignores faith, and with whom intellect and reason is everything. He spoke of thirTlass as the most incredulous and presumptu ous. Incredulous, because be will be lieve nothing but the conclusions of his own reason. Presumptuous, be cause such a man claims to understand everything in science and theology, and who alleges that science and the Word of God are antagonistic, and believes science to be everything—he rejects the Word of God. The Doctor most conclusively showed that there was ro conflict between reason and the Word of God; that the defect wi s iu the reasoning of poor, sinful, erring man. Another class, the speaker said, be lieve and never look at any subject to examine it, but are so cred ulous, aud adopt any theory that is presented. This class are fanatics- The speaker next proceeded to con sider the definition of faith as pre sented in the text, and by most stink ing and forcible illustrations drawn from the faith of Moses, impressed his hearers that faith was the demonstra tion of things not seen. He next spoke impressively of faith as the gift of God, saying : 1. Faith is a principle of mysteri ous, and wonderful power. Upon this point the speaker was most happy in clearly presenting it to the audience by apt illustrations taken from the historv of the moving of the children of Is rael by Moses from Egypt to the land’ of Canaan. 2. This principle of religion is a great civilizer. 3. It is a great reformer. The speaker most eloquently said that he spoke of it as a fact not to be controverted, that no man could be a bad man and believe in his heart in the Lord Jesus. We were peculiarly impressed with that part of the discourse iu which the brother spoke of faith as the cement that binds the soul to Christ. The union formed between the believer and Christ, and the joy that would be ex pressed when the union would be com plete in Heaven, and faith would be lost in the glorious fruition of sight. Brother Warren closed this most ad mirable sermon with a short address to sinners. As he closed, we felt sure every beli ever in the house was silently uttering in his or her heart, “ Lord, I believe; help thou my unbelief.” A TALE WITH A STING. While one of the entertainments in Quitman was in progress-—to which reference has been made in another article—one of our most worthy mer chants said to a step-son of the old preacher for whose benefit the enter tainment was given, “I am too moral to attend a show myself, but feel like making the old man a present.” He stepped behind the counter, took down and presented to the gentleman ad dressed one of his most fashionable hats, and requested him to present it to the old preacher, as a token of his good will and respect. The aforesaid merchant, it should be known, is not a professor of religion. Indeed, he is reputed to be, whether truly or not we cannot say, a disciple of Darwin. That is the “tale” we had to tell. As to THE sting. It will readily be detected, and keenly felt, by those professors of re ligion who spend their dollars freely in patronizing all the shows that pass through their towns or neighborhoods, without respect to the class, character, or moral condition of the crowds that attend them, but refuse to spend a dime to the relief of suffering human ity, or to aid in spreading abroad the glorious Gospel of the Son of God. GEORGIA BAPTIST NEWS. —Bro. “J. R. V.” says: “It is not the du ty of every member of a church to report ev ery brother who he knows to be drinking whisky to the extent of bringing a reproach upon the cause and a disgrace to himself. What iB best in such cases? Would it be bet ter to have a standing committee to investi gate such cases, and lay them before the church? I wouid like very much to have some information on the subject, for when I Bee a brotner under the influence of whisky I feel it to be my duty to report such to the church, not through malice, hut love and pity and a desire for him lo mend his ways. “I was in a Baptist church not long since where they took a vote on a petition as to whether they would try and stop the sale of whisky for a distance of three miles around the church, and you would have been aston ished to know how many of the members voted against it.” Bro. W. C. Wilkes, of Gainesville, writes: ‘‘l have a good prospect of a large school. The new church edifice is going on to completion, and the congregations are increasing in num bers and interest.” —The Dawson Journd of the 13th inst. says : On Sunday night last we had the pleasure of listening to a sermon by Rev. J. H. Corley, the beloved pastor of the Baptist church. The sermon belonged to a series of discourses which the minister has been preaching to his congregation upon the subject of the “Unpar donable-Sins.” Mr. Corley handled his sub ject in an able and interesting manner, made his reasoning clear by expressing it cogently, and produced an impression upon his auditors that will tend to their everlasting good. —The Jonesboro News of the 13th inst. says : On last Sunday Rev. A. E. Cloud preached a most excellent discourse at the Baptist church. His theme was the evangelical faith, its true nature and essential inportance in true reli gion. He treated the subject clearly, forcibly and impressively, and urged a practical every day realization of it, as necessary to commu nion with God. May he long live to preach such sermons, —The Greensboro Herald says: On last Sabbath evening, Rev. C. H. Strickland, pas tor of the Baptist church, delivered an earnest and able discourse against the crying evil of the age—Licentiousness. We were glad to see that he had so little of that morbid senti mentality which shrinks from a discharge of duty, because, forsooth, such subjects are con sidered out of place in the sacred desk. His words were fitly spoken, and “like apples of gold in pictures of silver.” —The Waynesboro Expositor says; The Baptists of this town and vicinity propose erecting a neat, substantial church edifice some time in the near future. We are glad to chronicle the fact, for all past experience proves that the greater number of churches there are, the greater the number of people who at tend. Besides, the Baptist church is one of the necessities of this town. Many of our citi zens are of that faith, and are now compelled to ride six or seven miles to attend a service in one of their churches. The building is to cost about three thousand five hundred dollars. —The Dahlonega Signal contains the follow ing announcement: All churches within the bounds of the Higl - tower Association and Che&tatee Association, who desire to organize anew Baptist Associa tion,are requested to send delegates to aconven tion to be held for that purpose at Bethlehem church, three miles north of Dahlonega, be ginning on Friday before the first Lord’s day in May next. —The Augusta Constnationalist of Sunday, lGtli inst., says: A “ recognizing council,’’ composed of dele gates from the three Baptist churches in this city, convened in Curtis’ Chapel, on Friday night. Rev. M. B. Wharton was called to the chair, and Rev. T. Holmes requested to act as Secretary. The proceedings of the meeting at which the church was constituted were read, and the Articles of Faith adopted by the church presented. All having been done in accor dance with the usage of the denomination, a resolution was introduced and unanimously carried, recognizing the “Curtis Baptist church,’’ Broad street, Augusta, Ga., ns a reg ular Baptist church. The utmost liarmony and unanimity have characterized this whole movement, and it bids fair to be a most impor tant and successful enterprise. Rev. C. H. Strickland, of Greenshoro, a gifted and elo quent young minister, will preach for the church this morning and evening. —The festival on New Year’s eve, in the First Baptist church at Conyers, was an ele gant Sunday-school entertainment. A large audience was present. The singing by the children, and the music, was admirable. The exertises were conducted by Rev. J. M. Brit tain, and the music was under the direction of Mrs. F. M. Haygood. Near the close of the ex. ercises many valuable presents were destribu ted. —Brother J. M. Brittain, of the First Bap tis church in Conyers, in a feeling card pub lished in the local paper, returns thanks to the members of his church and congregation, for many valuable presents received from them at New Year’s. At the conclusion ot IJs card Brother Brittain says: “I know of but one thing that would add to my joy, and that is, to welcome you into the great chamber of my Master. To this end I shall preach and pray. May this be the year of your Spiritul recovery. I shall ever remem ber you, and even at a throne of grace. If any pastor has reason to be proud of his church and congregation. I am that man ; uni form kindness has been extended me by both. Brethren and friends, a few more days will end our pilgrimage ; let us so live, that when we leave this vale of tears, we shall all be members of the congregation of the redeemed, ] where no parting is known, and no farewell tear is ever shed. —Brother H. T. Smith sends us the follow ing revival news: “During Christmas, and a few days after, ten souls were added to the church at Mount Pisgah —eight by baptism and two returned. Three, also, were baptized in the settlement of Mount Pisgah, and assist ed in the constitution of Hopeful church. THE HUMAN WILL. .. ' rtr BY A. J, HATTI.E. NO. VII. THE DOCTRINE OF MOTIVES. The motive theory of the Will was propoun ded by Jonathan Edwards, the most distinguish ed of American metaphysicians, and one of the ablest thinkers of modern times. His view has been accepted by a large class of philoso phers, and by the great majority of Calvanistic theologians. The doctrine is this, “ The motive which, as viewed by the mind , is strongest, is that ■which determines the Will " By motive is meant whatever moves, or excites to action. With respect to the Will, motive is simply the cause of volition. To say that the Will is determin ed by the stron.est motive, is the same as to say that it is determined by the strongest cause; which sounds very much like a truism. But it is the motive which is strongest, “as viewed by the mind.” This expression “strongest, as viewed by the mind” is explain ed to mean “most agreeable and inviting to the understanding.” If this conveys any idea at all, it is that the Will is determined by some influence which awakens agreeable feeling or desire in the mind ; and that, unless it does arouse feeling, it causes no volition, and, therefore, is not a motive at all. To be a mo tive it must kindle emotion, and to be the strongest motive it must excite the strongest emotion. Thus President Edwards maintains that the motive operative upon the Will is a force outside of the soul, and it is operative only as it arouses feeling. Our theory is much simpler, and, we think, more intelligible also. It places the motive in the sensibility—it makes feeling the motive, rather than that which awakens feeling. Ed wards seems to place the motive a degree be hind the impulse to volition, which he virtual ly admits to be feeling. The doctrine'of Ed wards was based upon a defective psychology; and imperfect analysis of the soul. He recog nized only two great cardinal powers of the soul—Understanding and Will. As he regar ded the understanding as capable of feeling pleasure, it is evident that he ascribed some emotional character to that intellectual faculty; and Will he manifestly considered as a form of desire. Thus, with a confused psychology, he naturally fell into confusion of thought. It should be observed that the present three-fold classification of the powers of the soul —Intel- lect, Sensibility and Will —is a comparatively recent triumph of science, and when Edwards wrote, more than one hundred years ago, was entirely unknown. Another objection to the motive hypothesis is that it does not clearly characterize the mo tives, nor define their proper sphere, and, hence, does not satisfactorily explain the phe nomena of volition. The spirit of inquiry de mands, “Where do these motives reside, and what is their nature? Its their sphere objective or subjective ? Do they proceed from sources external to the mind, or original within the soul itself? If external, are they the powers of intel ligent agents, the emanations of matter, or the blind influences of circumstances and events? Let us inquire whether exterior influences do ever become motives to volition—do ever affect the Will without the intervention of in tellectual or emotional activities. The most important influences from without the soul, ca pable of impressing the mind, are those from the Divine Will or agency, from human ac tions, and from surrounding circumstances. 1. How does the Divine agency operate to control the actions of men ? Is it by a power exerted directly upon the Will? Calvin main tains that, in the regeneration of the soul, God “produces the Will.” In another place he says, “He moves the Will.” But Paul de clares that “it is God that worketh in you, (not the Will, hut) to will and to do of His good pleasure.” He does not produce the Will, but inspires in us the desire, from which it follows that we will and do of His good pleasure. He touches the heart, awakens the right affection towards Him, and thus Will, following the law of the mind, executes the pleasure of the soul. In conversion God dram the sinner to Christ and His service. Says our Saviour, “No man can come unto me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him.” But this drawing is not a violent dragging o’ constraint of the Will, but a sweet attractive influence up on the heart; and the affections thus gracious ly drawn become impulses to holy action. The motive to volition, in this case, is not an im mediate Divine energy upon the Will, but the Divinely awakened affection of the heart. 2. How do the actions ot our fellow-men operate to produce action in us ? We are, un doubtedly, subject to influences from those by whom we are Burrounded. The voice of mater nal entreaty turned Coriolanus from the gates of Rome. The wail of distress prompted Sid ney to an act of noble self-denial. The exam ple of Leonidas aroused his three hundred Spartans to face destruction at Thermopylae. The eloquence of Patrick Henry persuaded the colonies to arm in defence of their liberties. But, in every case, the influence did not ope rate directly upon the Will, hut through the medium of the sensibility. Filial love in the heart of the stern Roman ; pity in the soul of the noble soldier ; enthusiastic courage in the hearts of the Spartans, and patriotic ardor in the bosoms of the American colonists, were the respective impulses to action. Thus the im mediate motive to volition is not human in fluence, but emotion, an affection of the sensi bility. 3. Do external events and surrounding cir cumstances contribute motives to action ? They are sources of feeling, but they exert no imme diate influence on the Will. A house on fire may cause a man to leap from a third Btory window, but it wonld be a remote cause, and not a motive to volition. If no fear or feeling of any kind were awakened he wonld make no effort to save himself. The motive to action is the feeling. The discovery of a gold mine at tracts thousands to the scene; but the cmYing oause is the tore of gold excited in the breast W ithout this avaricious feeling no volition would be produced. The insurance on li e steamer Mosel is as signed as the cause of' he fiendish crime of the wretch Thomassen, which so recently rung its peel of horror throughout the world. It is confidently stated that this demon in hnman form, deliberately planned to smuggle a case of dynamite on boaui the steamer, with the in tention of exploding it when the vessel should reach the mid-ocean. But on the eleventh of December, 1875, by an apparent accident, the powder exploded on the quay at Bremerha ven, before it could be transferred to the vessel. The result was the destruction of more than sixty lives, and the mutilation of two hundred persons. The successful execution of his purpose would have effected the destruction of the ship, with the lives of all on board. Now. on the motive theory of President Ed wards, it was the insurance money that prompted the crime. On the theory main tained in this discussion, the immediate im pulse or motive to volition was the feeling of cupidity, the greed of gain in the heart of that debased monster, and the insurance was only a remote influence to the Will. It waß not money, but the love of money in the bad heart, which determined the volition towards the execution of the monstrous crime. Not one man in a million would have been influ enced to do such an act by mere money. Only one whose heart is fearfully corrupted by ava rice would be capable of it. And so every event or circumstance influ ences action only indiiectly, by awakening the sensibility. It is the dominant emotion deter mining the volition. Thus external influences of whatsoever kind, whether from God, from man, or from cir cumstances, operate to produce action only through the medium of the sensibility, which thus, in every case, is the seat of the mo tive. Thus it is not enough to say, that the Will is determined by the strongest motive. We must localize and characterize the motive. We must know its nature, and where it is to be found. Thus we have found the controlling force of volition is not the direct agency of God, nor the actions of men, nor the influence of circumstances, nor anything external to the soul. We have found, also, heretofore, that there is no motive to volition in mere intellect. But it is a subjective force that determines the Will, and that is the power of emotion —a power residing in the sensibility. Here is a motive specified and localized, and thus is philosophy simplified. Here is, we think, the true psychology ascertained. And, if our theory enables us to furnish tire true exposition of conscience and faith, to har monize psychology with revelation, and, above all, to show that the ultimate appeal of philos ophy must be to the inspired Word ot God, then, in the law of the Will enunciated, we have not stated simply an abstract principle, nor proposed merely a juster philosophy of the soul, but we have established a great truth, fraught witli the profoundest practical moment to every thoughtful mind. We propose, in our next number, to exam ine the theory of the self-determining power of the Will. ' _ THE SINNER'S JOY. Ah, my soul! why so amazed ? Why so sad, so sore afraid ? Canst thou think those gracious eyes, Quenched in tears for thee, Can disdain such powerful cries, Such humility ? Sinners' souls must sorrow keep ; Man may mourn, when God can weep. Soul, though thou hast done amiss, Yet rejoice, for thou art His : See, His soul was sad to death In His agony, Sad to ease thy woful breath In thy misery. Be not faithless, but believe ; Man may sigh, wheu God can grieve. Do not grudge to lend a tear— Canst thou doubt, or canst thou fear? Caust thou see His bleeding heart And not believe Him ? Wounded soul that bears a part Can never grieve Him. Timely tears are precious seed ; Man may weep, when God can bleed. Weep no more, but wipe thine eyes; See, O see thy Saviour rise— Happy soul, thy debts are paid, He is ascended; Death is not, be not afraid, All woes are ended. Grieve no more, believe and live ; Man may take, when God can give. One Dollar for oar Seminary—A Bit of In formation. Some weeks since, the writer an nounced in this paper that he would send a beautiful certificate, with the faces of Boyce, Brcadus, Manly, Williams, Toy and Whitsett, engraved thereon upon receipt of one dollar; this dollar placing the name of the sender on Hie endowment dollar roll of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Now conies the informa tion : Two dollars was the result. The Index printed the announcement free, or the two dollars would have been absorbed iu advertising. I can still send these certificates, post-paid, on re ceipt of one dollar. Our Seminary only lacks money to make it the lead ing Baptist Seminary in the United States. Times are hard, but we had better go barefooted than that this Institution should perish. Send in the dollars. No commissions deducted. John R. Kendrick, 63 Whitehall street, Atlanta, Ga. Rev. M. B. Wharton, D.D., announces that he will remain in Augusta for sometime yet as he has accepled a General Agency for the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, to as sist in raising the half million dollars endow ment proposed for that Institution. The quota of Georgia is $30,000, and it is this sum which Dr. Wharton proposes to collect, beginning the work in Augusta.