Newspaper Page Text
2
(Dnr Cflrrajiimknfs.
For the Index and Baptist]
Are Our Methods of Colleetlnss Foods for Benev
oltnt Purposes Wrong I—A Rejoinder.
11.
It is to be regretted, that this discus
sion embraces so many points. To give
in one article proper attention to all
the questions at issue, would require
too much space, and for one antago
nist to wait for his opponent to dis
tribute his thoughts in two or three
numbers of The Index, prevents the
Bubject from being brought so directly
before the minds of our brethren, as
its importance demands. In this com
niuu cation two subjects are discussed :
The note contribution system, and the
publishing of the “ rolls” of contribu
tors. These are the two points dis
cussed in the last article of my name
less opponent.
In a former communication the writer
took the position that it is wrong to
give notes, or promises to pay at some
future day, certain amounts to benev
olent institutions. The grounds upon
which my brother supports the note
system are the Scripture: “Vow, and
pay unto the Lord your vows," and the
fact that Paul “ received from the Cor
inthians a promise of pecuniary aid for
the poor in Jerusalem,” fully a year
before he required the fulfilment of the
promise. As regards the quotation,
there is no evidence that it refers to
promises of pecuniary aid to benevo
lent objects. But, taking the apostle’s
action in receiving from the Corinthi
ans promises of future aid, as an illus
tration of the meaning of this Scrip
ture, I fail to see any ground upon
which to base our present system of
note contributions. Before we can ac
cept the apostle’s action as a ground
for our own, it must bo shown that
they are essentially the same. Let it
be acknowledged that the written note
makes the promise none the more bind
ing ; let the note be removed, and have
it understood that we simply make a
verbal promise to pay, on a certain fu
ture day, a certain amount to a benev
olent object, and still the cases are not
parallel. We have no evidence that
Paul received from the Corinthians
promises to pay certain amounts, re
garless of tucir condition when the
time for piymsnt should arrive. On
the contrary, the quotation my brother
produces: “As there was a readiness
to will, so there may be a performance
also, out of that which ye have,” sup
ports the belief that no such promise
was made. They are called upon to
pay out of that which they have, and
taking this in connection with the apos
tle’s former instruction, the inference is
that they are to pay in proportion to
their ability. Hence it seems plain
that they had made no promises to pay
certain amounts, as our agents ask us to
do. There cortaiuly can be no w-Ang
in a promise to pay at some
to prarity,
TOra simple promise of
specifying any amount. All that can
lie gotten from the action of the Cor
inthians is, that they had made prom
ises of assistance to the brethren at
Jerusalem, and this is by no means
parallel to our plan of promising the
payment of certain amounts. My op
ponent only proves that it is not wrong
to make promises of future help to
benevolent objects.
Having thus briefly noticed the ar
gument in favor of the note plan, let
me advance two thoughts in further
opposition to it. In making an un
conditional promise to pay a certain
amount, we, in some measure at least,
leave Providence out of view. We
don’t know what are the purposes of
the Almighty. It may be that He will
prosper us, or it may be His purpose
to take away all our possessions. We
are taught to have reference to the
will of the Lord in all our intentions
and purposes. We cannot say we will
do this or that, but must say, “If the
Lord will, we will do this or that.”
Our note plan violates this great pre
cept of the Bible. Again, when we
make an unconditional promise of a
certain amount to be paid to a certain
object, we leave out of view the possi
bility that other and more urgent de
mands may be made upon our benevo
lence. Suppose I give a note for $25
to the Orphans’ Home, and another to
Mercer University for SSO, when these
notes fall due it may take all I can spare
to pay them, and at the same time the
ravages of the pestilence or famine in
some part of our land may make the
most urgent demands upon me. In
such a case as this, it would seem my
duty to give to those most needing my
aid, and yet I am bound so that I can
not bestow my alms where duty would
direct. It seems wrong, therefore, to
make promises that are so binding. It
is our duty to give to benevolent objects
in proportion that we have, and our
gifts should be distribted among the
different objects before us as their ne
cessities seem to demand. My brother
seems to think it aside from the sub
ject of raising funds for benevolent
purposes, to refer to the manner in
which their receipts are acknowledged.
This matter was referred to in my
former article, because I thought it
one of the plans for raising funds. I
was told, not long since, bv an agent
who has raised a great deal of money
for one benevolent object, that the
publishing of the list of donors every
week added greatly to the rceepts, be
cause a large number of the givers
sent the money in order that their
names might appear on “ the roll.”
My opponent favors the publishing of
the roll, because the people want to be
informed as to the progress made, and
because it is just as wrong to conceal
benevolence, as it is to publish it with
the sound of trumpets. Let us an
alyze the matter. The objects con
templated by this itemized publication
of receipts can be but two: To keep
the denomination posted as to progress
and to increase the gifts. The former
of these objects is not attained. The
publishing of a list of donations, gives
the denomination no idea whatever of
the progress and condition, of the in
stitution, which could not be had from
a general acknowledgment of receipts.
Nothing is gained here. Hence the
only gain must be that mentioned by
the agent referred to above —a gain in
receipts. This increase in receipts
springs from one of two motives: A
sense of duty awakened by witnessing
the deeds of others; or, a desire to be
enrolled among the benevolent. I very
much question, however, if there is
any difference in these two motives
when reduced to the final analysis. The
performance of anything which is pro
duped by witnessing the deeds of an
other, though we may feel that it is
from a sense of duty, is generally
mixed with pride—it springs from em
ulation. We should give, not because
others give, but because we owe to the
Lord. Of course, all wi'l condemn a
gift which is bestowed to gain pub
licity, and yet from the acknowledg
ment of the agent already noticed, and
from my own observation, I believe'
that this pride, this desire to be pub
lished, is the main source of the con
tributions to those objects whose rolls
are so often seen in The Index. An
other reason why this should be aban
doned, is that it takes up so much
space that might be filled with more
important reading matter. But this
has been so well discussed by The
Index editors, that I leave it un
touched. Tebtius.
For the Index and Baptist 1
TO THE WASHINGTON ASSOCIATION.
Proposition to establish a cheap
mess hall system at Washington Insti
tute for the education of twenty-three
poor boys, wbo would otherwise remain
in ignorance:
1. Twelve rooms can be procured in
good private families free of charge, to
accommodate forty-six boys.
2. Buy a small house, (with a large
garden attached,) and have a dining
room large enough to seat forty-six
boys. We are satisfied that this will
not cost more than S3OO.
3. Get some nice, economical, coun
try rfcan and his wife to take charge of
this ouse as proprietor.
4? As there are twenty-three church
es in the association, let each churck
select one boy oiif of the comm unit:
and send to said mess hall, free of an*
board or tuition. /
Si Tlpen”a subscription list among
the 2108 Baptists in the Association,
and their friends, and the friends of ed
ucation generally within our bounds.
We can safely suppose that an equal
number out of the denomination will
respond, then we have 4216 donors, say
at an average of $1 each : $4216. Now
to make our calculation safe, take off
one-half for defaulters, and we have
left S2IOB for the mess hall.
6. Tell the Proprietor of said hall to
furnish good substantial country diet
for these twenty-three boys sent from
the churches, and take twenty-three
others, forty-six boys.
Allow 180 pounds bacon @ 12ets
per pound $21.60
Allow 12 bushels of corn @ $1
per bushel $12.00
$33.60
As some may say this is a small allow
ance, (though it is entirely sufficient
for one of those boys at home, working
twelve months instead of ten months
at school, which is only about nine cal
endei months, nearly one-fourth of the
year off) now, to make our calculation
safe again, we will double the bill and
make it $67.20.
Forty-six boys @ $67,20 each.. 53091.20
Deduct the sum raised ab0ve...2108.00
$ 983 20
Divide $983.20 by the 23 paying
boys and we have $42.74 for ten
months. Divide by ten months: $4.07
per month for the paying boys—almost
giving them board.
How cheap ! how cheap ! and yet
many nice, clever men have told me, “no
difficulty about finding a proprietor.’’
ADVANTAGES OF THIS MESS SYSTEM.
1. All the forty-six boys are under
the restraints of different private fam
ilies, where they have their rooms, and
not thrown together only at their
meals.
2. It educates poor boys, and they
are the kind who make men.
3. It enables us to help them,
which is truly a glorious privilege.
This if not, by any means to inter
fere with other boarding arrangements
connected with the institute, but it is
suggested as a plan whereby twenty
three, yes, forty-six poor boys may
have the advantages of an education,
who, perhaps would remain in igno
rance, and die unwept, unhonored|and
unsung.
Come, brethren and friends of the
Washington Association, let us think
and talk about these things, and be
prepared to talk about these things,
and be prepared to inaugurate this or
some other, plan at our next session
THE CHRISTIAN INDEX AND SOUTH-WESTERN BAPTIST.
I had rather be an humble instrument
in doing such a work as this, than to
be president of the United States.
Your brother in Christ,
Thos. J, Adams.
Sandersville Herald and Sparta Timet and
Planter please copy.
For the Index and Baptist.]
B E-BAPTISM.
Under the caption “Re-baptism” the
National Baptist, Philadelphia, con
tains a querry which supposes a case of
this character—“ Suppose a member of
a Baptist church, after long and care
ful examination, comes to the firm ton
elusion that he never was born again,
and has been persuaded to remain in
the church because his adversaries re
garded him as a “doubting Thomas,”
what is to be done ?” If he now pro
fesses new brith shall he be re-baptized?
The query is answered by the following
editorial:
“It is not possible to lay down a rigid and
unvarying law. Much depends on circum-
suppose on the one hand, a man Ead
knowing!# been guilty of hypocrisy—had
sought aid gained admission to the church
(rom some selfish motive, or for the pu
of casting scorn on religion, or again if he was
baptized in infancy, or so early in life as not
to have any intelligent idea of what he was
doing; then we should Bay that he ought to he
baptized anew.
“But suppose that the person had attained t
years of discretion, suppose that he were hon
est in his intention, suppose that after his bap
tism he fell into a state of coldness, or evu
worse, and suppose that he no w feels that He
has (or the first time been converted, we should
not favor his being re-baptized, under ordin
ary circumstance. At should not
demand it of him, might perbltp*
accede to his desire to be No one
can Bay positively that he was not converted
the time of his early experience. It not un
frequently happens that a Christian under the
influence of some new experience, feels that
now for the first time he is truly converted.
But it would not be wise to repeat the baptism
of such a person at each step of his progress.’,
There are some opinions expressed
in this editorial that demand more
careful investigation. In the first in
stance supposed, if the mau was a hy
pocrite and a scoffer the writer would
re-baptize him. But in the second in
stance, the man “has attained to years
of discretion,” was “honest in his inten
tion,” and may have simply fallen into
a state of coldness, and the editor
“would not favor his being rebaptized;
under ordinary circumstances, at least,
we should not demand it of him,
though we might, perhaps, accede to his
desire to be re-baptized.”
This case is made to differ from the
other only in that the subject “had
attained to years of discretion,” and
was “ honest in his intentions.” If he
avows that he had not been born again
when baptized, yet he may be mistatan,
audvuow the subject is to be held ♦'im
fellowship, because there is no evid(g|fl
♦ hut lie had not been converted, wk
there be any higher
fact (.baa Ills own avoOj
(Tons, enter in as an elcmoiWii
of baptism, thin, are not all immer-
sionß performed in honesty of purpose
and good intentions, and submitted to
in the same spirit, valid baptisms?
Must not all acts performed as baptism,
provided they be performed with good
purposes and intentions, be received as
valid baptism ? In the first case, the
editor insists on baptizing again, not
because of defect in the purpose of the
subject. In the the second instance
he opposes baptizing again, becaure
there was no defect in the purpose of
the subject. Then wherever the intel
ligent purpose is good, the act is valid,
without regard to change of heart.
Paul finds certain persons at Ephe
sus claiming to have been baptized.
He does notask about their motives or
years of discretion, but about th'eir
knowledge of the spirit. They declar
ed themselves strangers to the spirit,
and Paul required that they be baptiz
ed. The National Baptist finds certain
persons of good purpose and intention
who have been immersed, but claim to
have been strangers to the spirit, and
disapproves of their re-baptism. But,
it is said, “Paul’s subjects had never
heard of the spirit.” Was the defect
in their purpose or in their qualifies
tions ? Evidently in their qualifica
tions. Is the man qualified for bap
tism who has never been born again,
who has no acquaintance with the spirit
in its regenerating work? Baptists say no.
But the National Baptist thinks the
person may be mistaken, he may have
been born again, although he declares
he was not. Did Paul “not favor” the
baptism of the twelve on th 6 ground
that they might have been mistaken
about having never heard of the spirit?
The editor and Paul are certainly at
variance on this subject. “At least we
should not demand it of him though
we might perhaps accede to his desire
to be re-baptized.” If he had been
truly baptized and the editor could not
favor his re-baptism, or demand it of
him, what right has he to accede to
the desire of the subject ? Does the
desre of the subject effect the
validity of the baptism ? and if re
baptism is to be granted to gratify the
desire, then must we not gratify the
desire of all who fancy diey would like
to be re-baptized, that they may expe
rience the joys of the first? In ac
cordance with the desire of the super
stitious trine immersion will be estab
lished and we shall soon have divers
washings and repeated immersions, as
did the Jews.
I ,If the profession, rather than pos
session of faith, be assumed as the
ground of validity, then the editor is
wrong in his first supposition, for the
subject professed faith at the time of
his baptism, as did the second subject,
who was of honest purpose, and yet he
would baptize him.
Whither must such loose opinions
and practice drift us ? Surely we shall
not stop short of open communion, for
all claim baptism, many are honest of
purpose and “desire” to commune with
us. If we disapprove of re-baptism,
those who were baptized in honest pur
pose, but deceived, and yet grant their
desire, so we must grant the desire of
all who are of honest purpose, to com
mune with us, although we disapprove.
J. M. Robertson.
For the Index and Baptist.!
THE TWO BIDDERS.
From the cradle to the grave the all
seeing eye of our Creator is upon us
we all are the creatures of His bounty ;
happy is he, who recognizes His diviue
power, thrice happy he who can say in
truth “Abba Father;” the great di
rector of our destiny has given to time
great dominion over us; time, the
mighty auctioneer of human life ! in
smiling infancy, in happy youth, in
silvery age we are ever passing swiftly
away ; how startling the thought, that
when hope is highest and life seemsfair
est, remorseless time is ever proclaim
ing: “Going, going!” His burden nev
er changes, aud none of us are exempt
from the inexorable decree; though
we be the possessors of all the gold of
Ophir, though we be clothed in pm pie
and fine linen, we are in the hands of
the Auctioneer ; wejmust be sold to one
or the other of the two bidders, who
are offering prices for immortal souls ;
hear the voice of the first; he offers
the miser’s harded treasure, the giddy
mazes of the dance, the theatre, the in
toxicating beverage that “steals away
men’s brains,” yea, even the whole
world will he give thee for thy soul;
who is this mighty bidder ? ’Tis the
evil one, who thus presents to the eye
of man the allurements that will plunge
into everlasting woe bis never-dying
soul. “But what will it profit a man
if he gain the whole world and lose his
own soul ?” Nothing ; his future will
be one of unending misery. “Going,
go ng, going!” how appalling the sound!
will it never cease ? The sands in the
glass of time are ever flowing; thy
days are gliding rapidly away; “the
place that now know thee shall know
thee no more ;” soon all that pertain to
thee will be engulfed in the dark
waters of Oblivion; yes, the sound will
cease, oh, man, when perchance it is
too late ; “going, going, going, gone !”
Satan has bid successfully, and as the
condemned spirit is borne across the
chilly, stygian waters, its wail of de
spair is—“ Sold unto sin.”
MBut, hear ! there is another who of-
AHy one price for thy soul; who
Hi lVet can la- seen the
: i : ppiails. .1 h.t "f radian.v
§§nhe head upon vliieh a crown
was placed by those Vihc
Him ; ’tis He who died upon
Calvary’s oousecrated mount, that of.
fers the single price ; the blood that
was spilt in propitiation for the sins of
gainsaying people. “ Going, going,
going.” Ought not the heart of re
bellious man to be grateful for this
sacrificial offering of blood ? Will the
ransom be rejected !“ Going, going,
gone l . The hammer falls again, and the
meek and lowly Jesus owns a soul; and,
with the peans of praise chanted by the
•redeemed hosts that stand around the
Throne is heard the triumphal shout —
“ Bought by the blood of Christ.”
Ida Lou. M.
Cusseta, Ga., March 2 1876.
Forth* Index and Baptist.]
BAPTIST SUM) AY-SCHOOLS vs. ISIOY SCHOOLS
Dead Index —There are many rea
sons why a Sabbath-school should be
in every Baptist church, and bear the
title of a Baptist Sabbath-school, where
the doctrines of the Bible should be
taught to our children.
A Sabbath-school helps greatly in
keeping up an interest in all the regu
lar work of the church; for good Sab
bath-school workers make good church
workers.
We cannot delegate to others the
work which God had commanded us
to do, and there is laid upon us a ne
cessity to teach our children all that
God has commanded.
A Union school does not work in
harmony with the Baptist faith, for all
the concessions have to be made by the
Bapists in such schools. We have no
moral right to unite with others, when
by so doing we have to ignore some of
the fundamental doctrines of the Bible
as we believe them. Some say tnat a
Union school is better in small towns
and villages, because there are not
enough children to make two good
schools. By parity of reasoning the
people had better unite in church also,
and have a good Union church—a war
rant for which can no where be found
in God’s word. A Sabbath-school need
not be composed of children. All are
required to search the Scriptures, and
this will be better done in connection
with a good school, where all the mem
bers of the church, with their families,
meet together for that purpose.
Others say, “in union there is
strength.” There is no strength in
uniting truth and error, if such a union
could be formed. We believe all others
are in error, therefore, we cannot, con
sistently, unite with them. We would
not desire a fedo as pastor of our
church, because he would advocate doc
trines contrary to our own, and such
would not be received by the church.
Why desire our children to be taught
doctrines which we would not receive ?
And as early impressions are the most
lasting, how important that they be
taught according to our own views of
Scripture doctrines and church ordi
nances ?
Let the school be a Baptist school,
and if others wish to attend, receive
them with pleasure, but teach all the
doctrines as we believe them, truthful
ly and earnestly.
M. B. Tuggle.
Canton, Ga., Feb. 18, 1876.
UNSEEN.
There are more things in heaven and earth, than
we
Can dream of, or than nature understands ;
We learn not through our poor philosophy,
What hidden chords are touched by uuseen
hands.
The present hour repeats upon its strings,
Echoes of some vague dream we have forgot ;
Dim voices whisper half-remembered things,
And when we pause to listen—answer not.
Forebodings come; we know not how or whence,
Shadowing a nameless fear upon the soul,
And stir within our hearts a subtler sense
Than light may read, or wisdom may control.
And who can tell what secret links of thought
Bind heart to heart? Unspoken things are
heard,
As if within our deepest selves were brought
The soul, perhaps, of some unuttered word.
But, though a veil of shadow hangs between
That hidden life and what we Bee and hear,
Let us revere the power of the Unseen,
And know a world of mystery is near.
For the Index and Baptist.]
A LETTER FROM FLORIDA.
Jacksonville, Fla., Feb. 19, 1876.
Dear Index —Sitting in my room,
after a long walk, “cooling off’’and in
haling the balmy zephyr that comes
through the open window laden with
fragrance, I am moved to drop you a
line or two. Our trip from Atlanta to
Savannah was exceedingly pleasant, and
the superb “sleeper” in which we were
ensconced from Augusta to the
est City,” gave us every facility for
successfully wooing the soft embraces
of Somnus.
In Savannah we had the pleasure,
long expected, of seeing aad hearing
America’s greatest tragedien, Booth.
Though it was the fifth night of his en*
gagemeut, the house was jammed.
His acting is simply magnificent.
While there we called at the new es
tablishment of the Savannah News, and
found its polite proprietor, as usual,
as “busy as a bee.” He showed us
through his fine office, press rooms,
etc., from basement to observatory ;
the latter is handsomely furnished, and
from its windows can be had probably
the finest view of the city.
The News building is admirably
adapted for its purposes, and though
not as extensive as the Franklin Print
ing House of your city, is, indeed, a
splendid establishment, and worthy the
care and the ppidu which Col. jfistill
bestows upon it.
Our trip from Savannah, lasting 14|
hours, was extremely irksome. The
route lies through a low, flat country.
No active, prosperous, wide-awake
towns, such as are numerous in North
Georgia, enliven the monotony.
Jacksonville is a considerable city.
The State Fair will crowd the place,
and a great success is anticipated. The
hotel accommodations are ample for
every emergency. The Grand Nation
al, of which that champion hotel mag
nate of the South, Col. McGinley is
proprietor, is acknowledged to be the
best, and the largest. It is certainly a
magnificent hotel, and splendidly kept.
It is situated on Bay street, and over
looking the beautiful St. Johns for
miles, offers novel and interesting views
to the sight of the “up countryman.”
A rich banker of Cincinnati, who has
traveled extensively in Europe and
America, remarked to me that the
Grand National, in style and keeping,
pleased him better, and, he thought,
was superior to that of any hotel with
in his knowledge. Col. McGinley is
very popular, and certainly well de
serves his success.
We propose, in a few days, to take a
pleasant jaunt “up the rivei,” and will
also interview Mellonville on our way.
If the charms tnat beset the traveler
in the Land of Flowers on every side,
like bewitching Sirens, will permit me,
I may find time to give you a micro
sconic view of our wanderings through
strawberry beds, orange groves, trop
ical palms, and perennial flowers ; ’till
then adios senors. Yours,
G. W. H.
—A new religious movement is on foot
among the non-Aryan tribes of India. Its
founder by name of Soorju has been teaching
among his countrymen its tenets for some years.
He preaches one God,peace and good will. He
requires his followers to take an oath to ab
stain from all crimes and offenses, spirituous
liquors, and causing death to any living thing.
They bind themselves to live on the produce
of the soil aud to bath before eating. He has
1,000 beUvcrs and three disciples or gurus
ordained by himself to preach.
—The Creek Nation of Indians have
a House of Kings and a House of
Warriors, which constitute their coun
cil. A chief, invested with the veto
and pardoning power, is elected every
four years, and receives a salary of
one thousand dollars per annum. The
council meets once a year at the capi
tal, Okmulgee, each of the forty-nine
towns being entitled to a representa
tive. _
—The Presbyterian General Assembly
(Northern) will meet next May in the Tab
ernacle, Brooklyn.
For the Index end Baptist.]
Hard Times and their ReaMdy.
Under this title a writer in the Oal.
axy for March, says :
This country was never more prosperous
really than, now; the only need is a clear per
ception of its actual condition, and the adapta
tion of its forces to this condition.
This suffering country is not really ill, but
remarkably well; and the very evils which
seem so heavy are the best indication of its
thrift, its prodigious vitality, according to my
diagnosis of the case; and I think you will
agree with me.
The condition of affairs is this:
Vast numbers of men are out of employ
ment. They are consuming and not produc
ing. They desire work, but there is no work
for them. Every branch of industry is full,
and overflowing. There is a glut of every
product, waiting to be consumed. Excessive
accumulation had been growing for years, un
til it culminated in the fall of 1873. Since
then labor has been reduced to the gauge o
necessity, over production no longer goes on
and many thousand men are now without
work. Their work is not needed, but they
need work, for they need wages to obtain the
necesaries of life. Everything produced is
produced in abundance by the workers now
employed; and the accumulation of an im
mense over production continues on hands
What is the cause of this apparent evil ?
Labor-saving inmteions.
Month after month, year after year, the great
idleness continues. The army of the unem
ployed is increasing in numbers. The amount
of work they would do, and wish to do, is not
done ; is lost forever, a great stream of waste.
No adequate measures are taken to utilize this
labor, to prevent this needless suffering, to
end this painful condition of unwilling idle
ness. Labor which would make an enormous
showing, if performed, is not performed, and *■
the whole nation feels the loss as well as the
unemployed.
Passing over this writer’s views con
cerning the present sound and healthy
condition of our country as somewhat
incongruous when compared with the
generally admitted.fact that the country
is in the throes of a serious crisis, and
every industry suffering to a greater or
less degree, we desire to touch upon
his assertion that the cause of the evil
lies in labor-saving inventions.
In our opinion, labor-saving inven
tions, which, specifically and generally,
are comqion blessings, to which we are
indebted to the wonderful skill and
genius of our progressive age, do not
bear the slightest responsibility for the
evils complained of. On the other
hand, they do much to neutralize the
abnormal differences which would,with
out them, exist between the various
grades of society, aad aid greatly in
leveling the vain barriers which the ar
istocracy of money, and the pride it
engenders, seeks to build up between
rich and poor.
We believe that the main root of the
evils to which the writer alludes, and
which are patent to all, can be found
in the aversion which so many thou
sands feel to any employment which
cannot be found outside of cities and
towns. How foolish idea that tilling
the soil, for instance, or farm work gen
erally, is ignoble, “ won’t pay,” etc.,
and that the professions, or speculating,
or ch rking, or even loafing around the
thronged streets of cities, is more gen
teel, or offers fairer chances for suc
cess 1 Never was greater folly than
this expressed. Lured by the fascina
tions of city life, ignorant of its devi
ous ways, impelled by fancy and the
Syren song that “ something will turn
up,” thousands upon thousands of able
bodied men in the prime of manhood,
or on its verge, press into the cities,
depriving the food-producing portions
of our population of the brawn aud
brain essential for the general and thor
ough cultivation of our lands.
This exodus from the country to the
teeming myriads of our towns and
cities is not balanced by any perceptible
migration from these maelstroms of
mortar and 1 rick to the country, hence,
the proper adjustment of consuming
and producing classes is lost, and both
suffer grievously. A lack of proper
spirit, looseness of education, false
views of duty, facility for traveling,
and an uncontrolled pechant for change
and novelty, are some of the potent
influences which cause this cityward
migration of our young men, especially
whilst a false view of the dig nity of
labor, and the undue magnifying at
tractions of mercantile or professional
careers, add thousands more to the
pilgrims who seek the Mecca of their
hopes away from the old homesteads
that sheltered their heads in infancy,
and which even to ambitious manhood,
still tender solid comforts and charms
that are ever fair and inviting.
It is one of the chief duties of
Southern farmers to teach the young
men the permanency, dignity, honor
and profitableness of farm life, and to
teach them by precept and example,
the lesson which the poet endeavors to
inculcate when he says :
“God made the country, man made the town."
Suppose the millions upon millions
of acres that still wait the touch of
spade and plow; the thousands of mines
that hold up their golden hands in vain;
the water-powers that waste their
liquid wealth over thousands of miles ;
the appliances which nature freely offers
to all who wish to utilize them for gain
or comfort —suppose all these should
attract the swarming millions who are
consumers without being producers, or
who do worse, and idle their time away,
waiting for something to “ turn up,”
and they would determine to make
“ the desert blossom like the rose,” how
long would we hear this constant cry
of hard times ? How we would smile
at the visionary idea that labor-saving
inventions are the causes of financial
depression, and business stagnation ?
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