Newspaper Page Text
BY JAS. P. HARRISON & CO.
pONTRIBUTIONS.
For the Index and Baptist.l
NOTES ON THE ACT OF BAPTISM.
BY KEY. J. H. KILPATRICK.
INTRODUCTION.
Having been repeatedly requested by the
worthy proprietors of The Index to furnish
articles, and having also been requested by
some of my people to publish something on
the subject of Baptism, I have concluded to
comply with both requests under one; and,
therefore, propose to write a series of papers,
entitled “Notes on the Act of Baptism.’,
While, of course, there will be a general con
nection between them all, I design, as much as
possible, to make each article complete in
itself.
It may be asked, why say anything about
baptism ? Is not every one, who will be likely
to read what is said, already lully satisfied ?
Very true, and yet this satisfaction may not
always be derived from a personal inspection
and consideration of the evidence, but from a
blind deference to the opinions of others. I
want no one to believe a thing merely because
I believe it; I want him to see and know for
himself. Besides, one reason why our people
are so universally satisfied of the correctness of
our position is because the fathers kept the
rocky foundations of their belief in plain view.
Let the sons of these fathers imitate their ex
ample.
There is, indeed, even in the world at large,
a general conviction that the truth is with us
in reference to baptism. But how did this
conviction come about, and how is it to be per
petuated ? Not by keeping silent, but rather
by obeying the Scripture injunction, “Contend
earnestly for the faith once delivered to
the Saints.” “Eternal vigilance” should be
our watchword. “While men slept” the “ene
my came and sowed tares among the wheat.”
True, Baptist principles are making rapid
progress. The idea that people ought to be
converted before becoming church members is
now quite generally received. In correspond
ing ratio the practice of infant baptism is dy
ing out. The doctrine of soul liberty is now
universally held, at least, in this country—ex
cepting, perhaps, by the Roman Catholics. But
it was not so one hundred years ago. Why
this great change ? It came from the earnest,
'faifhful, persistent presentation of the truth.
Let us thank God, take courage, and press
forward
“ In the way the fathers trod.”
The pertinency of these views will be still
more evident when it is remembered that
young disciples are yearly added to our
churches in large numbers. To my certain
knowledge these sometimes hear nothing from
the pulpit for years together on the subject of
baptism. An occasional newspaper article, or
some little fireside conversation, furnishes all
they know of the baptismal controversy.
There are books on the subject stored away in
some of our houses, but comparatively few of
the people have them.
Most assuredly the Scriptures, without note
or comment, and untranslated as they are, so
far as the word baptize is concerned, do furnish
to the unbiased mind unmistakable evidence
as to where the truth lies, but the Scrip
tures are not left thus “without note or com
ment” to work conviction. Error is ever busy
with its comments. We must then be “fellow
helpers to the truth.” We must take part
with it against the sophistries of error. And
to do this we must talk more, write more and
preach more, about those Scripture doctrines
and ordinances which have suffered and are
now suffering from the inroads of error.
Doubtless, we will, in so doing, receive the
reproaches of the half-hearted in our own
ranks, as well as the reproaches of the narrow
minded in the ranks of other denominations,
but if contending for the faith as we are com
manded to do, makes people our enemies, let
it be so. While I would not, unnecessarily,
incur the ill-will of any one, yet, far be it from
me, so highly to value the friendship of the
world as to provoke the displeasure of my
Master. Friendship is a good thing, peace is
a good thing, but if they are to be purchased
by disloyalty to Jesus and the cause of truth,
the price is too great; we should not be willing
to pay it. Besides, no honest lover of truth
will ever find fault with me for seeking to es
tablish and defend what I conceive to be the
truth.
If our denominational peculiarities are not
Scriptural, the sooner we abandon them the
better; if they are Scriptural, it is treason to
God to fail to contend earnestly for them.
Let them not be unduly magnified—neither
let them be minimized. I know there is a
symmetry in Divine truth—this symmetry, in
all its fair proportions, let us maintain. While
we should never forget that “ Christ crucified ’
is the central Bun in our system, neither should
we forget that the ordinances of the Gos
pel are also lights, holding their places by Di
vine appointment, and only fulfilling their
mission when obediently (hoving in their pre
scribed orbits, and faithfully reflecting the light
which shines from the great Center.
White Plains, Ga.
Kindling wood answers very well to
start a fire, but must not be depended
on to sustain the heat. Evangelistic
sermons are very useful, if followed up,
faithfully, by those who regularly occu
py the ground.
The Christian Index.
For the Index and Baptist.]
AN IMPORTANT PART OF A PASTOR’S WORK.
Much of the indifference and coldness to
be found in our churches, is attributed,
doubtless, to the pastor’s neglect of the im
portant duty of organizing and using his
members. A pastor, as the word signifies,
should be to his church what a shepherd is to
his flock. It is the duty of a shepherd to
watch over and protect the flock, and to see
that it has proper food. In the same way
the pastor should protect his people from
dangerous errors in belief, and evils iu prac
tice, and place before them continually, good,
substantial, soul-nourishing food. This is of
great import ance. Much thought and atten
tion should be bestowed upon sermons.
They should be prepared with special refer
ence to the wants of those who are to hear
them. But the whole duty of the pastor
docs not end with this, as too many, alas !
seem to think. It is not enough to feed the
body, that it may develop strength and beau
ty. It must have exercise. If this be not
allowed, the body will fail to appropriate
the nourishment, and no good results. In
like manner, the soul must be exercised in
order to attain spiritual strength. It is use
less to feed it, if it is not made to work. In
short, simply hearing good sermons, will not
make earnest, warm-hearted Christians. Ac
tive participation iu the work is necessary,
in order that we may appropriate the food
placed before us, and thus “grow in grace.”
To attain the highest development in the
church, sermons should be so varied in sub
jects and matter, as to give “each his meat in
due season,” and all the members should be
brought to engage actively in the work of the
churdi. It is in this last duty that there is
so rafeh neglect. A pastor is also an over
seer. It is as much his duty to see that those
under his charge perform their appropriate
work, as it is to labor himself. The charac
ters and capacities of the members should be
studied, and every one assigned to some ap
propriate part of the work. Organize the
power of the church, as a general arranges
the strength of his army. The church then
becomes an active, aggressive instrument in
advancing our Redeemer’s kingdom, and the
hearts of the members are made to grow in
love and devotion to Him. We cannot per
form any work for our Master without re"
ceiving an immediate reward in our hearts.
This reaction of good upon our own hearts,
from work performed for our Saviour, is
what the Christian needs. If you desire''to
see your members “grow in grace,” brethren,
put them to work. The moat successful pas
tors are not always the hardest Workers, but
generally the best organizers.
For the Index and Bantist. I
CONVENTION PHOTOGRAPHS.
Among the pictures that adorn the homes in
onr State, the attention is sometimes drawn to
one, containing a large number of small heads
arranged in tiers. It is natural that the curi
osity should be aroused by this crowd ol min
ute faces, and, asking the question, who are
these little folks ? we proceed to satisfy our
selves by a closer examination. A nearer
vietr, however, does not, at first, afford much
satisfaction. The creatures, at whom we look,
are still very diminutive; the features of their
countenances are scarcely distinguishable; a
few unhappy beings on the outskirts are in
volved in the blackness of darkness ; at each
remove from the lowest layer, the faces are
seen at an increasing discount, until the heads,
on the uppermost row, have culminated al
most to a point, and are next to nothing. Still
each of these little men seems to he doing his
best under the circumstances. They are all
looking out so bravely under the difficulties of
their situation, that, for our lives, we cannot
but greet them. Well done, little fellows!
brave lilliputians!
As we continue to scrutinize these miniature
faces, some of them seem familiar to us. We
certainly recognize this countenance ; it ought
to be btoad and honest; it ought to be marked
by lines of thought; it ought to exhibit as
much shrewdness as breadth ; it is too feeble,
here, to do anything, but we recognize it.
That small head, with sleeky combed hair,
near the center of the picture—where are the
eyes? Alas! it has none. We have never
seen the man, just below, with a face elevated
at an angle of forty-five degrees, but we know
from his looks that his wife regards him as a
great man, and that he has never attempted to
undeceive her. We have, somewhere, seen
this old Roman, towering above his friends,
and with a nose like an eagle’s beak. Why,
here, in the northwest corner, is our old
friend—reduced from two hundred pounds into
anatom. Brethren, we beg pardon. We see
that we have been mistaken. We know, now,
that this is not an assemblage of insignficant
creatures. We are facing that august body, the
delegates of some Baptist Convention.
But, how could we help the mistake ? How
could we know that a body like this, would so
caricature themselves. Surely, vanity could
not have led to this kind of display. It could
scarcely have resulted from a desire to fur
nish friends with good likenesses. Perhaps,
it was an exhibition of pious and learned faces
to secure funds for missionary oljects. Or
was it done with. the kind heartedness, com
mon to Baptist ministers, to gratify the wishes
of some persevering photographer ? We do
not know. But we would like to make a sug
gestion. When the next Baptist Convention
meets, and the delegates, as usual, sit for their
photographs, let there be inscribed, 'over the
crowd of small heads, the motto—“ Less than
he least of all saints.”
Literature Secular Editorials Current Notes and News.
ATLANTA, GA., THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 1876.
For the Index and Baptist,]
ARE OrR METHODS OF COLLECTING MONEY
FOR BENEVOLENT OBJECTS AVRONG 1
To raise funds, in the present condition of
our country, for any object, is no easy work.
They who pursue this branch of duty iu our
various denominational enterprises have diffi
culties of no common order to overcome. If
there is no pressing need to throw new obsta
cles in the way, it wonld be well to let them
alone. But if their plans should be regarded
as unscriptural by any brother, and should
weigh as a burden upon his conscience, it is
right that he should speak and remove the
burden, even though it should check, for the
time, the agents progress.
It seems that there are some ol our brethren
who regard the method of collecting money by
note subscriptions as morally wrong. If this
view is correct this plan should, at once, be
discontinued. But, is there any reasonable
ground ior such a view? These notes, to
which objections are made, derive their moral
obligation from the fact that they are solemn
promises. The paper on wnich they are prin
ted, the legal forms in which they may be
couched, add nothing to their force in this res
pect. In the sight of God there is no diff
erence between an oral or a written promise.
Now is it morally wrong to make a promise
of future payment to a benevolent cause? The
Bible does dot seem so to represent it. It is
true we are taught that “it is better not to vow
than to vow and not pay.” But we are com .
manded to make religious promises and per
form them. “Vow, and pay unto the Lord
your vows.” If it should be said that this gen -
eral command does not apply to collecting for
benevolent purposes because a special rule has
been given, in reply it is anawered that we
know of such rule of universal obligation.
Paul seemed to regard the command to vow
and to pay our vows as applicable to charita -
ble donations. He received from the Corin
thians a promise of pecuntary aid for the poor
in Jerusalem fully a year before he required
the fulfilment of the promise. In. his second
epistle to the church at Corinth, written a few
months after the first epistle, he says that he
had boasted of “their forwardness a year ago,’’
and he now urges them to perforin the promise
“that, as there was a readiness to will, so there
should be a performance out of that which they
have.” Was Paul wrong in receiving this
promise ? In those times of persecution it was
probable that all of their property might be
lost. Was it wrong for him to hind the Cor
inthians for an uncertain future ? If so, our
agents are wrong in taking note subscriptions.
It is somewhat aside from lhe subject of
raising funds to refer to the manner in which
their receipts are acknowledged. But it may
be well to say something on this point. There
are agents who make their reports through
The Chritian Index. This should not be
regarded as burdensome. This paper is the or
gan of the Georgia Baptists. A public servant,
engaged in those enterprises whicli are under
the control of the Georgia Baptist, would sup
pote that the churches were interested in the
progress of their own projects. They ought,
at least, to he so; and the agent ought to inform
them of what is being done in their field of la
bor. There is no way in which this informa
tion conld be so properly and generally given
as through the Baptist organ of the State.
In reporting the work done, the agent will
be compelled to mention the names of individ
ual contributors. Well, what if he does ? It
is to be hoped that there are few persons,
whose sensibilities are so morbid as to be pain
ed by this. It is just as irreligious to endeav
or to conceal our good works as to endeavor to
display them. Each of these endeavors equal
ly shows too intense a valuation of man’s
opinion. The Bible condemns hiding our
light under a bushel, as much as it condemns
sounding a trumpet before us. The man who
is always aiming to secrete his good deeds,
must think that all eyes are upon him —that he
is the observed of all observers. And the hab
itual effort to do covert acts of goodness, and
to perform charities by stealth, as though they
were commissions of petty larceny, would de
stroy the frankness and openness of any char
acter. Paul had none ol this extravagant
thirst foa concealment. He publishes by name
lists of those who had aided the cause of Christ.
Here is a list of names, with which he closes
his letter to the Romans: “Greet Mary, who
bestowed much labor on us. ' Salute Urbane,
our helper in Christ. Salute Tryphena and
Tryphosa, who labor in the Lord. Salute the
beloved Persia, who labored much in the
Lord. Etc.” If Paul, under the inspiration of
the Spirit, gives us the example of publishing
the names of those who had helped the truth,
’ we may follow him without much injury.
The Divine Mind is the ocean from
which all truth originally springs, and
to which it ultimately returns. To
trace out the shores of that shoreless
sea; to measure its measureless extent,
and to fathom its unfathomable
depths, will be the noble and joyous
work of eternal ages.
—A Bulgarian priest of the Greek
church, and recently from Jerusalem,
is in Savannah and delivers lectures on
Nature, Palestine, Babylon, Persia,
Arabia, East Indies, China, Japan and
the Mormon!.
INDEX ATO BAPTIST.
Publication Rooms—27 and 29 South-Broad Street
PUBLISHING ALMS AND CONTRIBUTIONS.
In The Index for January 20th, we
published a well written article on the
subject of raising funds for benevolent
purposes, signed “Tertius.” We called
special attention to the same at the
time, as it embodied thoughts well
worthy of the earnest consideration of
Baptists.
In this issue of The Index, in our
department of Special Contributions,
will be found a reply to “Tertius” from
one of our prominent brethren, disa
greeing in toto with the premises and
conclusions of “Tertius.”
We refer to this discussion in so far
as it affects the question of publish
ing the names of donors, and the
itemization of gifts and contributions
to benevolent purposes, in the columns
of The Index. The views expressed
by “Tertius” upon this feature of the
subject are so pertinent that we, un
hesitatingly, adopt them as our own.
A reform in this is necessary. We
cannot in justice to our readers to the
cause which The Index represents ana
defends, nor in justice to ourselves, al
low that portion of the paper devoted
to the publication of matter of this
sort, to encroach upon space which
should be filled with matter of general
interest, or with such as would directly
promote the interests of Christ’s king
dom, and of His people.
It is true, as our correspondent says,
that this paper is the organ of the
Georgia Baptists, but this fact does not
necessarily deprive its managers of the
right to conduct it on business princi
ples, to which the measure of common
sense is applicable, nor does it imply
that contributors and correspondents
can make use of its space ad libitum,
without regard to the rules or the
wishes 'of those who are responsible
for its contents, and its proper and
worthy appearance from week to week.
The sum total of aid bestowed or
contributions tendered from time to
time, for church or benovelent purposes,
with a brief statement of purpose and
disposal by the respective agent, we
think would answer every necessary
purpose, and relieve our pages of a vast
amount of matter of no particular in
terest or worth to our readers. There
is no particular edification to any one
in knowing that A. contributed a spool
of thread and a paper of hair pins to
a charitable object, or that B. gave a
nickel to the Foreign Mission fund.
Aside from the frivolousness of such
details, we cannot conceive what special
glory either A. or B. can derive from
the juxtaposition of his full name to
the aforesaid fractional gifts.
To the Scripture quotations, and the
inferences our correspondent draws
from them, we desire to reply, general
ly, in the words of Matthew, as fully
covering our own views of the subject:
“When thou doest alms, let not thy
left hand know what thy right hand
doeth; that thine alms may be in
secret, and tby Father which seeth in
secret shall reward thee openly.”
In a letter received by us a few days
ago, from one of the most distinguish
ed ministers in our demomination, uni
versally known and esteemed through
out the country, occurs the following .
“ Success to The Index— but not to the
publication of long, dry sermons, exceeding a
whole page in length. You want the paper to
float; hut such heavy articles will sink it.
Success to The Index —but not to those
writers who use your columns to ventilate
their ignorance of the English language.
Success to The Index —but not to the con
sumption of its space in telling how many
cents A. or B. or C. or D., gave for some pur
pose or other, when the whole is only $5, and
that amount could be better stated in two lines
than in twenty.”
This puts the whole question in a
nutshell, it is wisdom, it is truth, it is
common sense, three elements which
must control any paper, denominational
or secular, which desires to prosper,
and to be worthy of the purposes it is
intended to represent. We are deter
mined to manage and piibliah The
Index by this standard.
jjggpWe have had most welcome
calls from those esteemed and well
known brethren, Rev. C. H. Strickland,
Rev. J. J. Hyman, Rev. Wm. C. Wilkes
and Col. W. 0. Tuggle,
LITERARY GOSSIP.
—Mr. Sidney Lanier, of Macon,
Georgia, will write the text to a Can
tata, for the opening of the Centennial
Exposition at Philadelphia. Mr. Buck,
the Boston composer, will compose the
music. The selection of Mr. Lanier is
a merited tribute to the South, and
his genius will reflect honor upon
his native State.
—The Lippincotts will soon pub
lish a Life of Stonewall Jackson, from
the pen of Miss S. N. Randolph, of
Virginia. Mrs. Jackson has assisted
Miss R. in furnishing biographical
material, and the work will, doubtless,
be the best yet given to the public, re
lative to the life of this Christian sol
dier and patriot.
—M. 1). Conway has anew definition f
genius. He says there is nothing like genius
iu the common acceptation of the term. It
is simply a mind polished until it shines ; pol
ished until it catches every color in the air ;
polished until it catches up, and keeps on it,
rays of light even in the darkness, like a
marble sphere iu the night.
But this theory presumes a polish
able mind —you might polish a pump
kin for twenty years, and it would still
be only a pumpkin. There is a great
difference between mind and genius—
the former can exist without the latter
—genius is king, mind is subject.
—The Home Journal well remarks
that iu studying tho statistics of crim
inal activity, this fact is evident, even
to the general observer, that, while the
lower order of sensation writers draw
continnually for plots and incidents on
the criminal records of the day, and
are thus retail dealers iu criminal im
aginings, the more inventive order have
a continually educative influence on
the criminal classes ; to such an extent,
indeed, that anew means of murder
or of larceny may be said, iu the ma
jority of instances, to have had its ori
gin in the invention of the romancer,
and to have found its way into actual
life by imitation. The same remark
applies to new ideal types of the same
villian, the realizing and imitative in
stinct being, as a matter of scientific
fact, stronger in the criminal classes
than in higher types of life.
We must not hope to be mowers,
And to gather the ripe, gold ears,
Unless we have first been Bowers,
And watered tho furrows with tears.
It is not j ust as we take it,
This mystical world of ours ;
Life’s field will yield, as we make it,
A harvest of thorns or flowers.
Personals. —We had pleasant calls
during the week from Rev. L. M. Berry,
corresponding editor of the Central
Baptist, St. Louis, one of our best de
nominational contemporaries; also from
R. M. Ormc, Esq., of the Savannah
Free Press. Mr. O. is one of the
veteran editors and publishers of
Georgia, and richly deserves the
success that attends his enterprises in
the journalistic sphere.
—Prank Evans, Esq., one of the
sprightliest writers in the State, and
editorially connected with the Albany
News, dropped in to see us. He at
present holds a position in the clerical
corps of the General Assembly. The
News, under the management of Col.
Carey W.Styles, the Marshal Ney of the
Georgia press, holds a commanding
position in the journalism of our State,
and our clever friend Evans has already
made his mark on that paper.
—Brother Chaudoin will please ac
cept the thanks or the entire Index
family for his present of a box of splen
did oranges from Indian River, Florida.
They were appreciated without any
qualification whatsoever. Brother C.
is now at Baldwin, Florida.
—The able and much beloved Secre
tary of the Foreign Mission Board, Rev.
H. A. Tupper, D.D., has been in our
city a few days. Ho occupied the pul
pit of the First church on Sunday
morning, and of the Second in the
evening. Large and appreciative audi
ences listened to his able and eloquent
sermons.
Rev. J. B. Cheves, one of the rising
young men of the denomination, is
with us for a few days. We are ever
glad to meet his bright, cheerful, hope
ful face. He is doing good service in
his new field. As the result of a lit)
effort, he brings us a handsome list
new subscribers. It is his purpo
plant The Index in every Baptir
ily of his section.
$3 A YEAR IN ADVANCE.
GEORGIA NEWS.
The Young Men’s Christian Associ
ation of Newnan continues to grow in
favor and iu usefulness. Their Sunday
evening prayer meetings are well at
tended, and much interest seems to be
manifested in them.
—A fine school building has been
completed in Sandersville.
—The Sandersville Herald says:
The small grain crop of this county is look
ing remarkably well, and should the seasons
continue reasonably favorable the yield will
be the greatest realized in many years.
—The little town of Wheeling is to
be incorporated.
—Prof. A. C. Reese, of Carrollton,
has been elected President of Bowden
College.
—The Legislature has passed a hill
amending the Code so as to include
one sewing machine among exemp
tions.
—Washington Fire Company, No. 2,
(colored), is one of the most efficient
of the Columbus Fire Department.
—ln the case of the three Federal
soldiers charged with murdering John
Emory, of Gilmer county, two weeks
ago, by order of Judge Erskine, of
Atlanta, they were turned over to the
commanding officer. Attorney-Gener
al Hammond, under instructions from
Governor Smith, took immediate steps
to see if the prisoners could not be re
turned to the State authorities. An
other hearing was had, when Judge
Erskine vacated his order and remand
ed the prisoners to the custody of the
State.
—The law requiring the closing of
liquor saloons on Sunday, is now being
vigorously enforced in Augusta.
—Pickens coun. has prosperous gold
mines.
—The Columbus Enquirer says that
the number of people who have left
that section since the first of December
last, has been astonishing. In round
numbers the Western railroad office in
Columbus, has sold 1,600 tickets to
emigrants for the canebrake region of
Alabama, and for Mississippi, Louisi
ana and Texas. In addition tbe Mobile
and Girard railroad has sold 150. Of
this large number about 200 were
whites. The vast majority of the ne
groes have gone te Louisiana.
—Hilliard Male Institute of For
syth, was destroyed by fire on the 6th
inst. The exercises of the school will
not be suspended, but will be resumed
in some building to be occupied tem
porarily.
—Mr. Pinckney Terry, of Forsyth
county, formerly of Gwinnett, died
suddenly a few days ago.
—The LaGrange Reporter of the 10th
says :
A petition signed by more than a hundred
persons, was sent up to the Legislature yester
day requesting that body to enact a law prohi
biting the sale of intoxicating spirits in La-
Grange. Another petition to the same effect
was also sent up by some of our colored pop
ulation. May the good work go bravely on
until that evil is exterminated from our midst.
—Judge T. C. Miller, of Troup
county, is dead.
—Says the Cherokee Georgian.:
With the removal of a few obstructions from
the Etowah river, it could be navigated by
.mall boats from Rome to Canton when the
water is a litte flush, which is frequently the
case.
—The Directors of the Georgia Rail—
road, held their bi-monthly meeting
recently. By the report submitted,
appears that the road is doing a sa'
factory business under its pr
management. The decrease in
ses for the ten months endinp
first of this month, was $ r
Under this favorable eshi’
vel that the stock of th’
appreciating in spite o F
—The Lucy Cobb
will shortly make
Athens. The yo
stitute not onb
the type and
—A corr
White co’
“There
questin'
for re*
pret*
v