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THE SOUTH-WESTERN THE CHHETIAN KEiE-ALU of Alabama. . ' . of Tennessee. VOL. 55—NO. 16. Table of Contents. Fibst Page. —Alabama Department: Record of State Events: Letter from Jacksonville; Bap tist Union of East Alabama: Spirit of the Reli gious Press; General Denominational News; Baptist News and Notes. Second Paoe —Our Correspondents : Visitors to our Pulpits—No- lll—The Rev. L. R. Gwalt ney. of Rome, Georgia; Dry Rot in the Cl.ureh —No. II; Woman not Wanted as An Evange list in our Churches; An Apology for Bad Spellers ; Sunday-School Work in the Georgia and Washington Associations. Xhi kii Page. —Special Contributions: Notes on the Act of Baptism—No. Vlll—£v Rev. J. H. Kilpatrick. PorBTH Page. —Editorial: Proceedings of the State Couvemion; Dr. Montgomery; East Tennessee; Immortality of the Soul; The Triumphant Christian—Rev. D. E. Butler. Girls Studying Latin—Rev. J. 8. Baker. A Sad Outlook—Rev. W. A. Montgomery. An Old Saint's Song—Poetry; etc. Tvfib Page. —“Perfectly Resigned''—Poetry. Centennial Sabbath-Breaking—Addison J ones; A Remedy for an Evil—Gideon; Pronuncia tion. Secular Editorials: Our Public Schools; Dr. Gwinn; A Big Methodist Quarrel; Literary Gossip; Shall Religious Property be Taxed; Georgia News; etc. Sixth Page. —A Relic of History; The Fannin Massacre—Authentic Details of this Fearful Incident in the Struggle for Liberty in Texas —A Graphic Letter from the Pen of a Partici pant—lnteresting Reading for Georgians. Seventh Page. —Our Pulpit: Unbelief—A Ser mon, by Rev. W. A. McCrackan. The Sunday- School : Lesson for April 30, 1876. Eighth Page. —Our Correspondents: Letter from Virginia: “Burning the Fool”—A Queer Incident at Madison, Georgia; Letter from Texas; “Secret of Power;” Florida—Her Re ligious Wants; Missions and Colleges; Good Words from Texas; Dr. T a;g s Evidei ora of Christianity; Home Mission Board. Obitua ries. Advertisements. INDEX AND BAPTIST. ALABAMA DEPARTMENT. Rev. W.C. Hearn, of Birmingham, has been quite sick. Rev. E. T. Smyth, of Oxford, is visiting Texas. The Rev. Mr. Motheral is proposed for the legislature from Lawrence county. The prohibitory liquor law in Vernon, San ford county, has been repealed. The next meeting of the State Medical As sociation will he held in Birmingham. The old Baptist church at Uniontown has fitted r.p for the use r*t£ic ue„ t>.-artar tyM&a Ooun r ' Rev. John Frierson, late of Livingston, has accepted the pastorate of the Presbyterian ahurch of Decatur. It is stated that Col. M. Smith, of Scranton, Miss., will soon begin the publication ofanew paper at Uniontown. There are eight young lady compositors em ployed in the different printing offices of Montgomery. Anew Grange has been organized in Bibb •ounty, called the River Bend Grange; Dr. J. M. Williams, Master, W. F. Lowry, Secre *T- _ A Bible and pitcher were recently stolen from the Huntsville Cumberland Presbyterian •hurch: A county grange P. of H. has been organ ized in Sumter, of which J. M. Godfrey is master, J. N. Gilmore overseer, and J. W. Phares secretary. On a recent Sunday, eighteen persons joined the Presbyterian church in Selma; the same number joined the Methodist church on the same Sabbath, Mr. C. F. Brown, for many years a promi nent and well-known citizen of Selma, is liv ing at Hot Springs, Arkansas, where, a few weeks ago, he was ordained a deacon in the Baptist church. Rev. Dr. Basil Manly, Jr., has consented to deliver the University Commencement sermon in July next. He is the son of the venerable Basil Manly, who was for many years Presi dent of the University. The Eufaula News learns from farmers that fields of oats which were submerged as long as 72 hours during the recent overflow, were im proved by it rather than injured. The sedi ment left by the water will enrich the soil. The State Medical Association elected Dr. E. D. McDaniel, of Wilcox, president; Dr. Inge, ®f Greensboro, and Dr. Bankson, of Jackson county, vice presidents; Dr. Seelye, health •fficer; Dr. E. H. Fornier, orator; and Dr. J.JM. Kumphe, alternate orator. The Troy Messenger says: Mr Roach, an elderly man, who for some months past has been teaching at Mt. r /ion academy, in this county, was brought to the city last week in a state of insanity. The cause of his troubles seems to be some religious hal lucination. Alabama has not been so badly treated in the matter of river and harbors appropriations as has been made to appear. In addition to the $13,500 for the Tombigbee, she g< ts 285,- 000 for Muscle Shoals, sls 000 for the Warrior and Tombigbee, and the $40,000 for the Coosa is properly an Alabama appropriation, and was secured mainly by Alabama influence. Faith never overdrew its account in God’s hank. For the Index and Baptist. LETTER FROM ALABAMA Jacksonville—Tlie Country from Calera to Dalton —The Beauties of Nature—The Grasses— Denominational—A Hero’s Grave. Jacksonville, Ala., March 27, 1876. Messrs. Editors —Dwellers < n the ’inetvf the Selma, Rome ami Dalton Railroad can find no pleasanter resting place than this quiet, sleepy town. A short ride in the hack along the level of the valley from the depot and a sharp turn to the right, up a steep but good road, and one is on the plateau and iu Jacksonville, a town that will not compare with its neighbors, Talladega for size, nor with Oxford for enterprise, hut for beautiful location and magnificent scenery it far snr passes either. There are many fine views along the Hne of this railroad from Calera to' Dalton, and a tourist would find objective points enough to justify a bait, and encourage pedestrianism. Talladega has some very pretty surroundings but the prospect is bounded, and at Oxford, from its nearest eminence, the hill back of the Baptist church, and from the semina ry plateau the eye ranges over ahroaderand more diversified extent of country, and takes in with pleasure the quiet, fertile valleys, with the hold outline of mountains, but the tout ensemble of magnificent scenery is found at Jacksonville. From the reservoir hill, with its background of clear cut mountains, almost overshadowing the town, there spreads out a beautiful landscape, a pano rama of wooded hills and fertile valleys, with the mountain range treading in solemn grandeur to the southwest, a grouping of the beautiful in nature, and seeing it as 1 have, in my several visits to Jacksonville,and ih its various phases of cloud and sunshine, in the morning light, with is sharp outlines, and in the softeuing shadows of the sunset, I have wished for an artist’s skill to catch and fas ten in enduring colors these beautiful pic tures. Those of your up-country readers, to whom Alpine scenery is as familiar as the sunlight, cannot appreciate the enthusiasm of the coast people as they gaze in wonder at these beauties of nature, so much in con trast to the monotonous features of the low country, and to whom the sight of a moun tain is as much a wonder as is the broad belt of ocean to a mountaineer. But there are other things to interest one in and tround Jacksonville, besides beauti ful scenery. Much of the vicinage is in cul tivation and shows evidence of good farming. Especially noticeable are the lands in the Chocoloco valley, which stretches in its fer tile beauty for miles aud parallel with the stream Irom which it takes its Dame, and fringed by the mountain range, producing good crops of grain, and, with fair seasons, a good yield per acre of cotton. Some at tention, too, i' .wild.to the • ultivatioc of the grafLes, and 1 Lear of clover it this' county (Calhoun) growing waist high, and this by a ii oderate use of land-plaster. And about grasses, here let me say, that I hear wonder ful stories of a grass in cultivation below here, and which gives an enormous yield per acre. At Montevallo this species, called by some Egyptian and by others Guinea grass, has been cultivated successfully lor several years. A mower is used for the several cut tings of a season. The hay is bailed on the gronnd and is shipped to Selma and Mont gomery for sale. I am informed that for feeding stock it has no superior, and has al most, if not entirely, superseded Northern hay. This little episode on grasses has led me away from my subject—Jacksonville, the county site of Calhoun. Here, in the centre of a capacious square is the court house, a substantial brick structure, and dotted around in its vicinity are the lawyers offices, and on a neighboring street are a row of quaint, one-story buildings, of the Grecian pattern without the colonade, and all, at one time, graced by the legal fraternity, but now one is occupied by a tonsorial artist, and another by a son of Crispia. Four denominations of Christians, Pres byterians, Methodists, Episcopalians and the Baptists, have church edifices here, but for various reasons no religious servies were held in them on the last Sabbath I spent in town, except those of the several Sabbath-schools connected with them. A short distance from town is the cemetery, and here is pointed out with mournful pleas ure the grave of one who though young in years, had, while be lived, the friendship and esteem of Lee and Jackson, and who bid fair to rank in his arm of the service with the proudest in military history. Here, in the cemetery, on the hill side, overlooking the beautiful valley, with a simple stone marking his resting place, lies the remains of John Pelham. Permit here an extract, from history, an incident related by Pollard: ‘‘Dense masses appeared in front of A. P. Hill, stretching tar up the river, in the direc tion of Fredericksburg ; as they advanced, Major Pelham, of Stewarts horse artillery, who was stationed near the Port Royal road, with one section, opened a rapid and well directed enfilade fire, which arrested their progress. Four batteries immediately turned upon him, but he sustained their heavy fire with a courage that in a half an hour made him one of the most famous names in t! e Confederacy. Thirty Federal cannons were striving in vain to silence him, aud yet the young artillerist, only twenty-two years of age, was firm as a rock, his unyielding cour age and composure under the deadliest fire, making him for the time a spectacle for the whole field.” The Federal historian (Swintori) bears equal testimony to this young hero’s great ness. ‘ This battery was one Napoleon captured at Seven Pines and used so well at Cold Harbor. Pelham’s fire was so rapid that it checked Meade’s whole division. Five thousand men baited until that hornet could be brushed away. To silence the galling fire Gen. Meade brought up two or three batteries, placed them in Pelham’s front at point blank range, and opened on him a furious fire of shot and shell, to which was added the cross fire of some thirty pound Parrotts on the hill beyond the river. The storm of projectiles thus hurled at the one Napoleon was enough to move the nerve of a veteran. It did not touch Pelham, though he was literally a beardless boy.” Major Pelham fell at Kelly’s Ford in March, 1803, and his body was brought home and buried at Jacksonville. From the head of his grave I picked a sprig of fern, and I cherish it ns a memento of a gallant soldier, and I hope that if this faint tribute to a hero of the “Lost Cause” should FKANKLIN PRINTING liOl EE, A ITAXTA, GEORGIA, APRIL 27, IB7G. meet the eye of any of your readers living near hieksonviUe, that they will see to it that his grave, on deco a’ion clay, shall show that though dead, John Pelham is not for gotten Nomad. For the Index aud Baptist.! BAPTIST OIOS OF BIST AI.ABIMA. Interesting and Profitable Meeting Valuable Discourses and Essays. The Baptist Union of East Alabama met on the 14th, 15th and 16th iust., with Mt. Pleasant church, Tallapoosa county, Ala , near Camp Hill. The vis itors were met by pastor (Rev. G. P. Bledsoe) and people at the depot, and conveyed to the pleasant homes of the good people, where all were made not only to feel welcome, tut glad of the privilege of spending a few hours with such families. The Union was originated more than three years ago, growing out of a felt want among our people of this part of the State. It was greatly desired to have meetings where our ministers and members could come together in a more general way than in Associations, even, and where, instead of the business routine, free discussion of doctrinal subjects could be bad, and especiallv such theological subjects as the masses of our people were not familiar with ; by which discussion we would not only receive and impart valuable information on vital subjects of the Bible, but learn to know each other, and also to advance Christianity and morality gen erally. The first session of the Uuion was a grand success, nor have wo rea son yet to doubt the utility of the meetings. For this meeting an elegant pro gramme had arranged by the ex ecutive commitA 1 for the purposes of the meeting. What .i. .wardcircum stances prevented a large attendance of ministers and members, yet unite enough of good talkers were pt .lent to handle all the subjects in a most pleasing, edifying and.improving man ner. It is refreshing, in these times of church isms, to hear the brethren bring out from the Scriptures “the na ture and objects of the New Testalnent Church organization.” It is also efieering, irfitheso times & dullness, to hear such men as Rev. J. F. Bledsoe and J. P. Schaffer urging the duty of giving as a means of grace, emphasizing the doctrine that it is bet ter to give than tojri ceive, backing it up by Divine arguments and philosophy, enforcing it as our own interest and happiness, and the example of Christ, who gave Himself for us. Then to have “Church Communion Distinguish ed from Christian,” clearing away the mists and denominational fogs by defi nition, explanation, reason, and Scrip ture, is actually thrilling. In the minds of the masses church and Chris tian communion are churned up togeth er and so befogged that they see noth ing on the surface but the partaking of the Lord’s Supper bv the Baptists, and their aunts and cousins all kept away. The lines of distinction between these communions, as drawn and presented on this occasion, will not be forgotten by many. Rev. G. E. Bremer had been appointed to open the discussion on this subject, aud the paper he read before the meeting was requested for publication. Then came the consideration of “The Part the Baptists have taken in the Establishment of Religious Liberty, and their Duty of Co-operating in the Cen’ennial Work of putting the Ben efits of Education in Reach of the Masses.” Of course, many good things were said ou this very broad subject, giving the Baptists present a better opinion of themselves and favorably impressing others. Having gone through with the pro gramme, the meeting adjourned till 9 a.m. Sunday, at which hour the Union was called to order and a little finishing up business transacted, one item of which was the executive committee was instructed to prepare for the next meeting, appointing time and place. W. H. Carroll and Z. D. Roby preached, by appointment, to large and attentive audiences. With a few words by the President, and the benediction, our most pleasant and hospitable meeting ad j ourned with out day. By unanimous vote of the body W. H. Carroll was elected President and W. S. Rogers Secretary. To say these meetings were altogeth er pleasant and hospitaole, does not half express the facts. The opinion has been expressed by some that of all our religious convocations, these ser vices are the most beneficial. W. H. C. Opelika, Ala., April 21, 1876. —Mr. Moody, the celebrated reviv alist, was in Augusta this week. He and Mr. Whittle, and Dr. Jaeger, the converted Jewish Rabbi, formerly of Mobile, participated in an open air meeting in Augusta on last Sunday af ternoon. Spiiit of ‘lie Religious Press, —From the Central Baptist : The Miever in Jesus Christ lias eternal life abiding i him, and he cannot come into con demns!!. h. This life is not an attainment, but an imps’ ition—it is the gift of God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Eternal life is not a mere cha tge in the relation of the recipient to the Divio; law. It is a state of moral being— it is a spiritual life, (he result of union with Christ. v le who believes in Christ is anew creature in Him. He is invested with the Christ All of the new impulses of the soul; a’.! of the new views of God and eternity; all the m w motives to action, are the effects of the presence of the spirit of Christ in the mind. The spiritual life is not an inactive, but an active principle. He that was dead is ahve; and life is active. The believer abides not in a state of passive receptivity, but the faith of die gospel in the heart manifests itself by an active productivity. He that receives good be comes active in goodness. They that are dead to sin, should remain no longer therein, but putting off the deeds of the flesh should walk with Christ in all holy living, for in Him they are complete, and are buried with Him in bap tism, wherein they are also risen with Him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. And he who was dead in his sins hath He quickened togeth er with Him, having forgiven all trespasses. Speaking of the effect of the Moody and Sankoymeetings in New York, the Examiner says . iat no attempt is made to number the conversions, but there is no doubt that they are to be counted by hundreds, not improbably by thousands. The meetings, by the conditions of the lease, ended April 15th. —The Standard gives the following survey of the Chinese question in California. The work among the Chinese on the Pacific coasi begins to show encouraging indications of success. There were at the last report about five hundred scholars enrolled in the schools, and ditring last year over 1,800 Chinese have attended church more or less, long enough to hear the name of Jesus, and to know some thing of the sa'vation through Him, and forty converts have been gained after six months’ probation in each case. Eleven churches sus lain Chinese Sunday schools, with over three hundred pupils. One-lourth of the expensed these schools is contributed in California. The' Christian Chinese have organized a “ Congre gational Association,” preparing their own rules. None are admitted who are not follow ers of Christ. The members meet regularly fa, or-, and for counsel and encourage ■ ifl ' Xi Jkt’lV-V othp- N d'“ r ' n return to China without a month’s notice to the Associ ation, and the clear payment of all his debts. This organization aids greatly in the mission work. We have encouraging hope that lrom the direction of this work through the swarms of Chinese immigrants who invariably purpose to return to their native land, very large re sults may yet be accomplished in that teeming empire of idolatry beyond the Pacific. The political, business and social persecutions to which the Chinese have been subjected have been a great hinderance to their evangelization. They have been trea ed in anything but a Christian spirit. —The Biblical Recorder caustically says: Rev. G. A. Lofton, in the Memphis Baptist, tells of a visit to the ruins of a church which was “killed by whisky drinking and whisky selling Baptists.” Those ruins were in Ten nessee. We fear that some might be found in most of the States. Those two agencies—whis- ky drinking and whisky selling—are enough to kill any church. —The Christian Intelligencer says : It is not necessary to argue the propriety and necessity of a wise denominational activi ty. The churches which succeed grow by their enthusiasm, by intelligent earnestness, and by the persistent prosecution ot well devised plans. They push things. They hold last that which is good. They make the most of their history, doctrines and peculiarities. They take care of their own church work, They are true to their creeds, to their form of wor ship, to their benevolent agencies. They work their own ground, and are content to let their neighbors do likewise. They also bear their share of the common burdens. But they need not be bigoted, nor exclusive, not uncharitable. Those individual Christians, too, who domo' for the general cause of Christ, are, as a rule, intensely loyal to their own particular commu nions. They adorn and magnify their own churches, aud they are not less of “the City of God.” But they do not gad about all the churches in town, nor patronize all the popu lar preachers, nor neglect their own places in the sanctuary, nor boast of being liberal to ev erythin z but those truths and vows to which they have sworn allegiance. —The Presbyterian Journal , in a pleasant me taphorical manner, draws the moral lesson from that most irksome of dl literary drudgery —proof reading. It says: Almost every vocation of our earthly life is suggestive of lessons of salutary instruction. The business of an editor is not an exception. Plodding on in his fixed and often irksome routine, even he may he found “from seeming ev ; l still educing good.” Take an illustration When “copy” has been furnished to the prin ter, it is isou returned in print, on long slips of paper. Over these, with pencil in hand, the scrutinizing eye of the editor passes, either slowly or rapidly, according to his tempera ment and experience, to see what mistakes re quire correction. Ve-y rarely it is that these slips escape from him without an abundance of marks indicating more or less important er rata. Types inverted, words misplaced, phra ses transposed, punctuation violated, all these matters require and receive due attention, and. generally to good purpose, for it is only occa sionally that he finds that his proposed correc tions have tailed. What, then, are the moral teachings of this business? It teaches that first impressions are not always right. Some persons hastily form an opinion of men or things, and hold on to it with dog-like tenacity, “It seems” say they “to be in accordance with truth, and therefore we maintain it,” forgetting that the appearance ol it,” may be deceptive, just as a slip of “proof’ deceives the casual observer by its seeming neat and solid look, although it has many errors. —The Watchman tells a story of a man in Illinois, who, having killed a fierce dog, was found beating its body, and exclaiming, “I’ll teach him there’s punishment after death !’’ “As unreasonable,” says the Boston editor, “as passionate, as absurd, is the conduct of the English Episcopal clergy towards the members of other communities than their own, in their oversight of the parochial burial yards. —Catholics are used to confession, but their leaders scarcely ever admit the fact which even a casual observer finds to be a fact, and which the editor of the Irish World confesses in the following words: Catholocism is practically a foreign element as yet in the United States. Catholics have gained by accessions from abroad, but Catho locism has not developed What the United States have gained Ireland has lost. There is no substantial victory for the Church. But the Church has not actually held her own. We have a few score pro-English converts, and these few we put up on our shoulders th it the multitude may see and cheer them. These converts get the chief seats in the synagogue. But the number lost to the Church in this country for the past two centuries, the enormous multitude of Irish descent who have fallen away and are falling away, quietly and noiselessly, and about whom there is no talk, can be counted by millions. —The Western Recorder says: How to “usf the world as not abusing it” is indeed a practical problem, that the faithful Christian not infrequently finds sufficiently difficult, and which by far the larger portion of mat. kind do not even attempt to master or resolve. Men suffer themselves to drift at the meycy of selfish instincts, passions and pur suits, until what should be the servant becomes at last the master. All the glorious purposes of life are sacrificed to base and ignoble ends. Manhood, instead of expanding with the years, becomes narrow and dwarfed and hard. Ban yan's poor pilgrim with the “muck rake” la boriously shunning the sunshine and busy witlnhe dirt at his feet I How perfect a type it is of the great bustling heedless throng ol earth-worshippers around us I Here and there we find a man who really seems to have some faint appreciation of what life means—of its sacredness, its noble possibilities. Christianity is really shaping such a soul into a spiritual symmetry that shall make it “meet for the in heritance of the saintß in light.’’ The multi tilde are utter sti angers to such an aim or such an experience. The one mission of their lives is accumulation. Hi alth, honor, conscience, spiritual growth, everything that should be come (an immortal saul, arte sacrificed to the love of money. All life is narrowed down to the single purpose of gathering one little gold en ant-heap for other antß to envy while its possessor is living, and quarrel over when dead ! —The Journal and Messenger gives this ad vice on the treatment of a class of ministers seeking after pulpits: Since our courtesy requires that a travelling seeker for a pulpit asking the attention be heard, we suggest that it be enquired why he travels, not having an objective point nor such an introduction as would claim for him a mod erate welcome to a Christian home. His “cheek,” in such circumstances, is against him. Good men, having the average sensibility, pre fer suffering at home to “sponging” abroad. Then ask him why he did not continue with that “dear chnrch,” which so much needs an under shepherd to lead them through the wa ters of affliction, to tow them over the ripple of church building or of a church debt, to lead them out into vigorous warfare against the er rorists who threaten to swallow them up ! Un der most conditions he must be pronounced guilty who thus forsakes the cause, since it is part of his commission to do such duty, and since he is so eminently willing (?) to be offer ed upon the sacrifice.and service of the faith of any church in better condition. Beware of the “poor health” plea, inasmuch as there is generally health enough for any post that brings a good salary. Look askance at him who portrays but one side of a church trouble —the other side. If one comes to you in sheep’s clothing and does not hesitate to con fess his own part in a difficulty, that man is probably a true sheep; if he inculpates only the church and delights in devouring them, he is probably a wolf. Put little confidence in credentials; to be of force they mnst come from known persons, must not be old, and must contain statements thaf mean something. One trick of an impostor is to accumulale names, and one will add his name because anotl er has given his. —The American Tract Society held its an nual meeting in Washington last week. Judge' Bradley of the Supreme Court presided. Secre tary Shearer made a statement of the Society’s operations, and addresses were delivered by Hon. J. H. Seelye, Professor Edward W. Clarke, late of Japan, and Rev. Dr. Chamber lain, of India. The receipts from donations and legacies exceed $1,000,000, and from Hales of books, tracts and periodicals over $350,000. Grants of tracts average over 1,500,000 pages. About two hundred colporteurs have been em ployed, chiefly in the South and West, and Texas, Utah, and the Pacific Coast are repre sented as very hopeful. WORK. A distinguished author wisely says: Work ! work ! work I That iB the grand panacea for sorrow, and, mercilully, there is no end of work to be done in the world, if any body will do it I have always found those the best liked people who havestrength to bear their sorrows themselves without troubling their neighbors. And the sight of all others most touching, most ennobling, is that ofa man or woman whom we know to have suffered, perhaps to be suffering still, yet who carries a cheerful face, is a burden to no friend, nor casts a shadow over any household—perhaps quite the contrary. Those who*e own light ig quenched are often the light-bringers. God is glorified not in, possessing, but in dis pensing his gifts. WHOLE NO. 2817. General Denominational Hess —People sometimes fancy that the Romanists have no church debts. The following from the New York Iribune, shows how erroneous the impression is. St. Stephen’s is the most wealthy and aristocratic congregation of Ro manists in the United States : “The financial report of St. Stephen’s Ro man Catholic church of this city for the year ending December 31, 1875, which has recently been published, states that the receipts of the church from pew rents, collections, etc., for the year were $44,832; the expenditures, $44 578. The sum of $3,795 was collected for charitable purposes. The indebtedness of the church is $158,499.”' —The Centennial Sunday-school convention to be held at Ocean Groye, N. J., July 22-30 promises to be a profitable and interesting af fair. All evangelical denominations are to be represented, the object of the meetings being to cement fraternal union among the workers ol such bodies, the discussion of the needs, in terests and methods of Sunday-school work, and a brief but comprehensive course of nor mal instruction. —At the recent grand gathering of delegates to the Christian convention held at the Hip podrome in New York, under the auspices of the revivalists Moody and Sankey, and com posed mostly of ministers, there were present 4096 delegates, of whom 1013 were from New York City, 1347 from New York State, 962 from New Jersey, 492 from Connecticut, 99 from Massachusetts, 88 from Pennsylvania, 16 from Virginia, 9 from Illinois, 7 from Ohio, 2, from New Hampshire, 6 from Delaware, 8 from Rhode Island, 6 from Maine, 4 from Georgia, 8 from Washington. D. C., and 1 each from South Carolina, Wisconsin, Kansas, Ken tucky, Maryland, Canada, Colorado, Indiana and Vermont. There were 873 Presbyterians, 557 Baptists, 430 Congregitionalists, 146 Epis copalians, 455 Reformed, 556 Methodists, 38 Lutherans and Calvanists, 9 Universalists and Unitarians, 10 Friends. 1 Hebrew, 5 Moravi ans, 12 Independents, 200 representing Young, Men’s Christian Associations, and 795 “Not stated.” —A grand revival sweeps the Cumberland Valley, Pennsylvania. Twelve Presbyterian congregations have received seven hundred personsto communion, and the Methodist and Lutheran churches more than twice as many more. —The Berlin police affirm that they have knowledge of a lottery which has been set on foot in London in aid of the persecuted Ger man clergy, and that agents are offering tick- privately for sale in Prussia to Roman Catholics. —At the beginning of the present century there were less than 2,000 churches in ‘he United States, or one to about 1,600 of the in habitants. Now there are nearly 76.000, or about one to every 600 of the inhabitants. BAPTIST NEWS AXE* NOTES. —The American Baptist Missionary Union will hold its anniversary in the Washington street Baptist church, of Buffalo, N. Y., on Tuesday and Wednesday, May 23d and 24th. Sermon by Rev. Wayland Hovt, cf Boston. —The Baptists in Ontario and Quebec have grown from a little over 13,000 in 1869 to 23,- 000—a gain of 44 per cent in six years. They have in the whole of Canada 55,000 members. —A Baptist Missionary Total Abstinence Association has been organized in India. —Let every church debt in the United States be paid during the Centennial year, and let no such debts be contracted for the next hundred years. —Dr. Montgomery has' recently made a strong appeal to Virginians to rally to the sup port of the Home Mission Board. Among other things he says : Last year, outside of the city of Richmond, the whole State contributed les* than four hun dred dollars. Year before last the entire S:ate did not contribute five hundred dollars, while the little, impoverished negro-ridden State of S: uth Carolina contributed twenty seven hundred dollars. —There are two Baptist churches in Massa chusetts which have commemorated their sec ond Centennial—the First Baptist church, Boston, and the church in Swansey, the for mer having been constituted in 1664, the latter one year earlier. There are nineteen churches which have reached or passed their first Cen tennial. —Brother Eaton’s revival meetings in Pe tersburgh, Va., are remarkably successful. Eld. G. A. Loftin says in the Baptist: '“Christianity is a beggar in the land. Not one man in ten would give if he were not begged? Circuses, theatres, dress, passions, appetites, tobacco, whisky, business, ease, com fort, self, all these are gratified, indulged, pet ted, feted, but truth goes begging. Oh, heaveD'j what sort of a Christianity is this! Out of twenty congregations where we have put the test, ‘‘All who ever made a sacrifice for Christ, all who have ever suffered for one mouthful of bread, a rag of clothing, a mo ment’s comfort, on account of anything you have ever done, Baid, or given, hold up your right hand,” not one man, woman, or child ever yet held up the hand. —By advice of his physician, Rev. G. W. Sanderlin, pastor of Franklin Square Baptist church of Baltimore, has resigned his charge.