Newspaper Page Text
The Christian Index.
THIS SOUTH WESTEHH BAPTIST, THE CHPISTIAN HERALD
OF Alabama. _
of Tennessee.
VOL. 55— NO. 19.
Table of Contents.
—Alabama Department: Record of
State Events; The National Surgical Insti
tute; Baptist News and Notes; Spirit of the
xveligious Press; General Denominational
News.
Second Page.— Our Correspondents : Notes on
the Act of Baptism—No. X—Rev. J. H. Kil
patrick: Some Suggestions—H. F. Smith; The
Bible a Looking Glass—F. C. Atkinson; The
Existence of God—T. B. Cooper; Waldo. Flor
ida—Robert Keith; Thos. A. Carl; “What’s in
a Name”—Principle; etc.
Thibd Page. —Letter from Texas—Crops—Cli
mate—Stock—Natural Advantages, etc.; Mer
cer University—H. Ville; A Strange Mistake.
Science and Education Life Lengthened;
Food for the Nerves; A Word for Our Spoken
English.
Fourth Page.— Editorial: Tvndal—Rev. 8. G
Hillyer. Articles of Faith—Rev. J. S. Baker
Watchman, What of the Night: Southern Bap
tist Convention; Georgia Baptist News;
State Sabbath-school Convention—Rev. D. E.
Bntler; etc.
Fifth Page — Secular Editorials: Literary Gos
sip; Gems Reset; Interesting Historical Pa
pers; The Georgia Railroad; Georgia News: etc.
Sixth Page. —Railroad Associations—An Elabo
rate Review of the History and Purposes of
The Southern Railway and Steamship Associ
ation—Albert Fink.
Seventh Page.— Agriculture : Our Washington
Letter—The Department of Agriculture—lts
Objects and Accomplishments; Georgia Farm
Notes.
Eighth Page.— Our Correspondents : Correc
tion and Explanation—W. N. Chaudoin: Resig
nation: Bible Union; An Appeal to Baptists—
John Osborn; Resolutions of Respect—Chatta
nooga Baptist Church Mission Department;
Contributions: The First Missionary; etc. The
Snndav-School: Christian Fellowship—Lesson
for May 21. Marriages Tribute of Respect.
Obituaries. Advertisements.
INDEX AND BAPTIST.
ALABAMA DEPARTMENT.
A Troy merchant advertises for a hundred
thousand pounds of blackberries.
At Whistler church, Mobile county, the
Providence Association will meet May 26th.
There will be a centennial mass meeting at
fiubamah church, in the Canaan Association,
on May 27th and 28th.
The Alabama Baptist announces the fact
that it has found a brother who “ heartily ap
proves ”of its treatment of Dr. Baker. Ah ?
The revival at Greenville has borne moHt
excellent fruit. Many conversions have been
made.
Union Springs is to have anew paper to be
called the Bullock county Guide. J. G. Cowan
is to he editor and proprietor.
The young Mei’s Christian Association con
vention at Huntsville, recently was numer
ously attended anil very successful.
Attorney-General John W. A. Sanford will
deliver the annual address before the Literary
Society of the Southern Uniuersity, in Greens
boro, next July.
The Greenville Alabamian learns from a re
liable source that corn can be bought in
Lowndes for 50 cents per bushel, while here it
is worth about 75.
The Selma and Gulf railroad is now open,
and its trains run regnlarly, leaving St lma
Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Satuidays,
and arriving there Mondays, Tuesdays, Thurs
days and Saturdays.
A gentleman from Minnesota, has purchas
sed the Charles Howard residence at Cross
Keys with the sixty acres on which it stands,
for $1250. The gentleman says that many
more will come from his section.
From the Florence Gazette we learn that Mr.
Williams, who has taken the contract to build
the locks on the Muscle Shoals canal, has ar
rived at Florence with some of his boats and
machinery, and will soon commence work.
The Alabama Baptist says :
“ The Tndex tells us that among the atten
dants at the Ministers’ Union of East Alabama
was Rev. G. E. Bremer. We were there, but
were not so fortunate as to hear of brother
Bremer. Was he there? ”
It’s a great pity .
The Talladega Beporter says many think
the crop pretty nearly ruined by rust, others
think there will be a good wheat crop. The
opinion of the majority of our farmers seems
to be, that the early wheat will make a fair
yield, while the late wheat, much of it, is well
nigh ruined. There is certainly a large quan
tity of rust in the wheat fields, and it seldom
fails to make its impression on the crop.
The Tuekegee News Have: “In a trip through
portions of Macon and Bullock counties last
•week we were surprised to find so much new
ground, and a large area in course of clearing.
It is a fact, we learned, that there is more land
In cultivation this year in Bullock county than
there has been in ary one year ever known be
fore, and it is very gratifying to know that fen
ces are all in excellent condition, better than
they have ever been since the war.
At Montgomery, Arthur Bingham, late
State Treasnrer, was arrested by Sheriff Mur
phy, on a warrant issued by Judge Minnis, of
the City Court of Montgomery. The warrant
is based on an affidavit by Mr. L. Gilmer,
clerk in Treasurer Crawford’s office, charging
Bingham with embezzlement of some $3,000
while he was State Treasnrer. Mr. Bingham
gave bond in the sum of $5,000, and the case
will be heard on the 20th inst.
The treat National Snrglral Institute for the
South, Located at Atlanta, Georgia.
We have watched with care the establishing,
rise and progress of this wonderful Institution.
Such institutions, when first inaugurated in our
midst, often give rise to suspicion and severe
criticism, therefore we had but little to say for
or against it, when it was first located in the
city of Atlanta. It is now a fixed fact that great
good to suffering humanity has been accom
plished through the instrumentality of the
Southern Division of the National Surgical
Institute.
We have been visiting, from time to time,
for the past two years, the attaches and pa
tients of this Institution, but have never before
(until a few days since) visited the establish
ment for the purpose of noting critically every
department connected with it.
The home institution is located at Indian
apolis, Indiana. The branches of the Institute
are at Atlanta, Georgia, Philadelphia and San
Francisco, California—all now in a prosperous
condition, diffusing their benefits to thousands
of sufferers all over our common country, who
bless the men and means by which they are
restored to health and happiness.
The building of the Southern Division iB
located on Alabama street on the South, Pryor
street on the East, and the railroad on the
North, opposite the Kimball House, and with
in a few yards of the Union Depot. This is a
magnificent structure, and known as “Dodd’s
Building.” It is a four story-edifice, and has
all the modern improvements of architecture,
symmetry and beauty. The three upper stories
are occupied by the Institute, with an en
trance on Alabama street. The first thing
which attracts attention at the foot of the stair
way is an elevator, which is used either for
passengers or freight, so that a patient can be,
without inconvenience, taken from the ground
floor up to the fourth story. On entering the
second story, we pass immediately into a large
reception hall fronting on Alabama street. This
room is 17x70 feet, and has an abundance of
air and light. It is very comfortably furnish
ed, and is used as a general reception room. In
this apartment can he seen busts of Galen,
Hippocrates, Esculapius, Ambroise, Pare,
Richat and Dupuytren, all neatly arranged
on pedestals. We Bee, also, in this room large
glass cases in which is displayed apparatus and
appliances used in the treatment of deformities.
We see also imported models of the human
body. To the scientist it is an interesting
feature of the Institute, and attracts his ad
miring attenttnj). The operating room is on the
the same floor, fronting on Alabama and
Pryor streets. It is lighted by three large
windows, and well arranged for the purpose for
which it is designed. In this room is kept
the surgical instruments, composed of every
variety of the latest and best improved known
to the surgical profession.
Although they are well prepared with every
necessary instrument and operating table, etc.,
yet they scarcely ever use the knife, acting
upon the principle that “the best Burgeon is he
who can cure the wound and save limb ”
The Institute has also a neat little drugstore
adjoining the operating room ; here can be
found every needful medicine.
Connected with the above apartments, and
also opening into the reception room, is the
office of I)r. K. H. Boland, the Secretary and
Treasurer of the Institute This is a finely
furnished room, with desks, iron safe, etc. Dr.
B. is exceedingly courteous and kind to all
who come in contact with him. Dr. G. W.
Handy is the surgeon in charge, and is one of
those men who has fitted himself for his duties
and profession by all the facilities of this coun
try as well as those of Europe.
Mrs. Dowtin, a most agreeable, pleasant,
and withal an accomplished lady, has charge
of the female department. Connected with
this department is a handsomely furnished
parlor, and a separate room for adjusting the
appliances to the female limbs. The gym
nasium is a room 40x55 feet, and is furnished
with a beautiful engine which is constantly in
motio". This engine is used to drive machines
for correcting deformities, and also to give
rapid motion to paralyzed limbs. It is, indeed,
a curiosity to see the many machines used in
this room to restore vitality and correct de
formities.
The Institution has also connected with it,
and near the gymnasium, a work shop in which
every article needful for the use of patients
can and is manufactured. Dr. J. C. Allens
worth is in charge of this department.
If any new deformity of any limb, or any
part of the body, should present itself at the
Institute, they can in this very work shop pre
pare the necessary apparatus without the de
lay of sending a thousand miles for what may
not answer the purpose when it arrives.
The electric and vapor baths constitute an
i mpoitant element in the treatment of diseaw s
in the Institute, and are as complete as any
baths of like character. In fact, it is supplied
with one of the largest baths in the United
States.
The hotel is under charge of Col. White, a
man well known as the polite and accommo
dating hotel-keeper at Stone Mountain. The
hotel is the third and fourth stories of the
building, and has large wide halls, beautiful
rooms well furnished and well kept. The
table is furnished with the best the city can
afford.
Between seventeen and eightei n hundred
patients have been already treated at this In
FBANKLIR PRINTING HOUSE, ATLANTA, GEORGIA, MAY 18, 1876.
stitution, and we know that some of our own
friends and relatives have gone from the Insti
tution entirely cured, after having suffered for
years.
These gentlemen do not propose to take
acute cases, but to treat chronic diseases en
tirely. They will not flatter any one into the
idea that a disease can be cured, when there is
no possible chance to perfect a cure.
Children can be more easily and successfully
tieated than grown persons, in cases of club
feet and diseases of like character; therefore, it
behooves every parent to begin in time with the
deformed child.
I!'In conclusion we would cordially recom
mend this most valuable Institution to the suf
ferers and diseased in the range of our circula
tion. * * *
BAPTIST NEWS AND NOTES.
—The Missouri Baptist statistics show 64
Associations, 1438 churches, 842 ordained min
is! ers, and a total membership of 89,786. I
appears that they expended last year in State
missions $6,221, and in ministerial education
over SI,BOO.
—The Memphis Baptist says:
There is a Baptist preacher not a thousand
miles from Shreveport who has not preached
since last summer, and gives as his reason that
he is so reduced that he has not a decent win
ter coat in which to appear in the pulpit. But
lie has a passible summer coat left over from
last year, and looks forward to the warm sea
son, when he will be able to resume his
labors.
—A course of Baptist historical discourses, on
an interesting series of subjects, is to be deliver
ed in the First Baptist church, Chicago, during
the fall and winter. The subjects include
‘The Biptist Churches of the Middle Ages.”
and “The Baptist Churches of the Reforma
tion."
—The annual expenses of the Rochester Uni
versity are over $27,000, " hile the receipts are
but about $19,500.
Virginia, by latest statistics, had 63,435
white, and 110,508 colored regular Baptfsts>
and a gain over last returns —white, 2859; to
tal white and colored, 4633. The Antimission,
ary Baptists number about 2600.
—The Board of Councillors of the American
Baptist Educational Commission, will hold
their annua] session on Wednesday afternoon,
May 24th, 1876, at Washington street Baptist
church, Buffalo, N. Y. The annual report
will be presented, followed by addresses. A
Centennial meeting will be held in the
evening-
—We are glad to learn that the English
Baptists are to sustain, as he deserves, the Rev
Paul Grasei, formerly a Romanish canon,
whose conversion and baptism produced such a
sensation a few years ago in the piapal city.
Ground has been purchased for the erection of
a church to be under his charge. There is to
be a parsonage connected with it, and a room
for the sale of religious books. This will be
4 he second church built in Rome by the En
glish Baptists.
—Mr. Maclaren, in his address before the
Baptist Union of Great Brittain and Ireland,
discusses the subject of ministerial incomes
He shows by figures that the range of incomes
of Baptist ministers is very low, more than
half of the pastors receiving only from S3OO to
$750, and adds: “How far below the lowest
sum many ol our incomes sink I am afraid to
say.” In the larger churches $1,200 to $1,500
s not an unusual amount, and in comparative
ly a few the salaries reach $2,000 and $2,600,
and those which reach the latter sum may be
counted on one’s fingers, In view of these
facts Mr. Maclaren says : “Men of spotless rep
utation, of true piety, are toiling all their lives,
and subsist on less than the wages of many a
working man. Their homes are scenes of he
roic, patient faith, and true martyrdom. I
could tell cases that would make your hearts
bleed, and might make your cheeks burn. I
could speak of the never ending privations, the
sharp sting of real want; the toiling, anxious
mother; the children that cannot be educated,
are poorly fed and poorly clothed ; the father
whose mind stagnates because he dare not buy
books, whose spirit is weary because year out,
year in, he has to labor on without holiday or
rest, whose heart is worn by the corroding of
constant anxiely, and embittered by many a
doubt, if not of the goodness of God, at least of
he reality of Christian sympathy among men.
These are not fancy pictures; th originals are
only too near and numerous among the pastors
of our smaller churches. These churches can
not of themselves meet the need, and if inde
pendency mean isolation the case is hopeless.
If our brotherhood means anything, it surely
means that deliverance and enlargement are to
come to them from us."
—The Chistiun Obtmer has a very practical
suggestion which ought to be universally
heeded.
What a mockery it is to fee a church plenti
fully supplied with stained glass windows, gilt
chandeliers, cut glass, shades and soft cushions,
and hymn-books so few and far between that
not one-half of the worshippers can be sup
plied ! Buy the hymn-bcoks first, and leave
the costly luxuries that really add so little to
the worship ot God, lor after consideration.
Mr. W. T. Graham, of North Alabama, re
cently sheared twelve and a half pounds of
wool from a single sheep, of only one year
old. The entire flock averaged ten and two
thirds pounds to the sheep. They are of the
Cotswold breed.
Spirit of the Religious Press,
The Watchman thus pointedly touches up
one of the prevailing vices of this sensation
seeking age:
Refined cruelty, or telegraphic cruelty,—
call it anything cruel, —is the custom of re
porting in the papers the relatives and friends
of a man charged with crime. Years ago a
minister’s son fell into a crime, fled the coun
try, and was lately arrested. We have not
seen a notice of the arrest which has not given
his father’s name and position, as if to deepen
the darkness .'n which that home must have
been shrouded for years. Is justice helped by
such information to the world ? Only the oth
er day a young woman’s crime was telegraphed
from Texas all over the land, giving, of course,
her father’s name, as if that would be a mat
ter of interest to the public. The quality of
such mercy needs straining. We are not asking
for the concealment of any crime under heaven,
but this needless mentioning of friends whose
hearts are already breaking, this uncovering
homes already filled with a sorrow keener than
death could bring, is something like refined
cruelty.
The Churchman unfolds the following ar
gument relative to the question of the minis
ter’s “family:”
A man is usually paid for what he can do, and
not because of his personal encumbrances. If
you contract with a man for building your
house, you do not graduate the price according
to the size of his family. Nor do you pay your
grocer more or less for a pound of sugar be
cause he has a family or because he has not.
The idea of paying a man, not because of the
extent and quality of his work, but because of
the size of his family, does not obtain in any
department of life ; except, perhaps to a limi
ted extent, among the desperately poor, and
among the lower occupations of life. No me
chanic, with a proper sense of self-respect
would ask a man to incease his wages, because
of the size of his family; nor would he expect
to get a bushel of potatoes cheaper on that ac
count.
No clergyman should parade his family as a
part of his elemosynary stock in trade with
the expectation of exciting pity; and hence
leading to an increase of salary. If he does so,
it is not unlikely that he will be ousted at the
first opportunity even from his slender living,
and his place be supplied, perhaps, by some
celibate brother at an increase of salary. The
principle that a clergyman is usually valued
for what he is, and for what he can do, and that
his salary will be paid with reference thereto,
and without much regard to his family, wheth
er large or small, is pretty well established. A
man must chiefly rely upon himself. A supe
rior wife mlybe a real help. And so an infe
rior one may prove a real injury. If he has
: which inspire confidence and admira
tion, the whole question about family—wheth
er ’.here be one or no'—is secondary.
'idptves Cent Baptist discourses eloquently
and pointedly on the, blessedness of giving:”
The blessedness of giving to the Lord is a
doctrine that cries almost in vain for the lively,
active faith of the professed children of the Al
mighty. The language of inspiration is unam
biguous, emphatic and full of persuasion;
Honor the Lord with thy substance and with
the first fruits of all thine increase; so shall
thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses
shall hurst out with new wine. There is
that that scattereth and yet increaseth, and that
withholdetli more than is meet, but it tendeth
to poverty. The liberal soul shall be made fat,
and he that watereth shall be watered also him
self. Give and it shall be given unto you,
good measure, pressed down and shaken togeth
er and running over.
Now if God’H word be true—and who will
deny ?—the greater blessing, of receiving and
giving, is the giving. But men do deny the
truth of God's word—if they deny it not in
words, they do in aclions ; for who—there are
few—acls upon the principle that it is more
blessed to give then to receive ?
—Says the Independent caustically:
The Advance thinks that “the strange blight
that seems to have fallen upon the opening
blossoms ofonr century plant of Centennial ju
bilation.” is due to a lack of state recognition of
God. For oui part, if we wanted to make
Belknap and Babcock honest, we should expect
that a little piety put into their hearts would
be Bore efficacious than a presidential chap
lain or an amendment to the Constitution.
—ln an article on “Overgrowths,” suggested
by the career of the late A. T. Stewart, the
Congregaliovalisl says:
We cannot help thinking that in a bettei
day which is coming, the merchant who vises
upon the ruins of others until his head touches
the commercial skies, and his circumference
seems almost to coincide with his horizon,
will be counted as a monstrosity and an over
giowth ; neither pleasant to look npon, whole
some for society, nor to be regarded—even by
himselfc-as, in point of eternal fact, a success.
Discoursing on the multifarious devices of
Satan, the Rational Baptistfeaye:
Satan does not undderrate the church ; he
shows his estimate by devoting to it his most
assidious attention, and especially at critical
periods. Then he puts on Ills whitest c|othes,
and his most angelic lineaments. If a meet
ing-house is to be built, he gets himself put on
the building committee, and lays himself out.
“It must be a house that will do us credit, and
that will conciliate the people in the best so
ciety toward the Carpenter of Nazareth. We
mußt make Art the Handmaid of Religion.
As for the means, pshaw ! we can borrow ; and
we must have failh. ’Tie faith that does the
business.” So the church is built, surmounted
with a spire and mortgage. Nobod y can hear;
but, then, all can pay. And the uninvited
but very efficient member of the build'ng com
mittee rubs his hoof with satisfaction.
He does not neglect the minister. “Now,
you have a very intelligent congregation. It is
very important that you preach learned dis
courses. You must refute the infidels.” Or,
‘‘Really such a man as you ought to have a de
gree. You deserve it; and then think how
much it would add to your usefulness ! ’Bears
to me I would preach a little more in that di
rection.” Or, "You ought to have a wider
field. This is not a large enough sphere for
you. These people have very little culture."
If other means fail, then he works through
the conscience, goading the promising min
ister on, forbidding him to rest, telling him all
the time that he should “preach as dying un-
to dying men and the man from whom Satan
dreaded forty years of soul-saving, gives out at
thirty.
It. is because Satan can assume at will the
glories of his former state, can transform him
self into an angel of light, that we have such
sore neid of watchfulness, that we need not on
ly all our power of vigilance, but the wisdom
which God alone can give.
—Our English contemporary, the Baptist,
notes a state of affairs there which certainly
finds a parallel in this country;
There are two things which we have to
mourn the existence ot in these days—the re
lapse into wordlinesa of persons supposed to be
converted, and the intrusion into the church,
and the assumption of Christiau airs, of people
who have not relinquished the pleasures of sin
and have no intention of doing so. There is
an essential difference between those two class
es. The first retains some tenderness of con
science, and while wishing it was with them,
like it once was, they, as it were, transgress
timidly. Not so the others. 2hey marry the
outward forms of religion to a thoroughly
worldly life, and assume the airs of broad
minded reformers.
—A correspondent of the Methodist tells of a
church which got up a questionable donation
supper for the benefit of their pastor It was
held in a public hall, and the pastor, ignorant
of the character of some of the arrangements
was induced to be present. Alter the supper
the tables were cleared away, and shortly a fid
dle struck up and a dance ensued. The pas
tor was a self-possessed man, and so, albeit Bur
prised and indignant, showed only a pleasant
manner; but when the proceeds of the enter
tainment, lit the shape of a roll of greenbacks,
was handed him, he courteously but inflexibly
declined to touch it. There was considerable
eeling, and the charges of “puritanism,” etc.,
were freely indulged in, but without avail.
The cburcli received a needed lesson, and
there are other churches that we occasionally
hear of that might profitably ponder it.
—The Christian Secretary beautifully says :
Christ’s resurrection confirmed the faith oft; e
early saints, and realized their hope of eternal
blessedness. It is also the pledge and promise
of the resurrection of all His disciples. His is
the type of ours. How inspiring to the believ
er I Death is disarmed ; the grave is hallowed.
The vine has gone up—the branches will fol
low.
We look upon the grassy mounds where dear
dust reposes, and the eye of faith sees them
change into a field sown with the seed of im
mortality. Though sown amid mourners’
tears, the harvest shall be amid angels’ joys,
and instead of the perishing body we gave
back to the earth, shall tome foith the noble,
radiant, immortal form !
—The Standard, speaking in reference to
rich men says:
For our own part, wa find it f r easier,
judging upon principles of ordinary human
wisdom, to understaud such a man as Peabody,
then such as some of these others we have
named. What can a man bethinking of who
lives only to acquire? He knows perfectly
well that however much he acquires he can
keep nothing. What can money be good for
except to use, and to use with a view to per
manent and really good resultß ? How is it
possible that a man can be willing to toil like
an Astor, a Stewart, a Vanderbilt, and accom
plish nothing in the end ? For really it is
nothing. Meanwhile what investments are
open to him in the interests of humanity, reli
gion, God, and his own soul ! How is it that
with their transcendent sagacity these men
fail to see that really their wealth will do their
good only as it does good to others? How is
it possible they can commit the egregious folly
of throwing away life into enterprises which
end in nothing, and slighting those which
promise results as lasting as the being of God.
and which always make their promise good ?
—These are true words from the United
Presbyterian :
They do best religiously, who live in single
ness of aim. It may be possible to scatter our
devotion and sow in a broadcast way, but the
result will be far from satisfactory. “This
one thing I do,” directly devoting all ener
gies to it, and making all other things indi
rectly assist in its accomplishment—this is the
kind of consecration that will truly succeed.
—The Methodist calls attention to the fact
that Edwin Booth made over $50,000 on his
recent Southern tour of a few weeks, while
eighty pastors who preached a year in the
Methodist Conference received only $45,000
for that period.
—The Christian Register pertinently re
marks :
Unfortunately for the memory of Mr. Stew
art, in the light in which he now stands before
the community, one of liis neighbors was Pe
ter Cooper. This good old man has Bhown so
clearly how wealth may be used wisely and
freely to promote human welfare, that every
New York millionaire, living or dead, is in
evitably brought to the standard of this exam
ple. Mr. Cooper has children. Ilis fortune
is not one tenth as great as Mr. Stewart’s. But
instead of waiting until parting with money
should become involuntary, more than twenty
years ago he set apart about half his property
for the advantage of his fellow-men, and he
has had the satisfaction of superintending the
execution of his plans, and of witi cssiug their
completion.
—Says the New York Methodist :
There is much silly talk about “cheap men”
in connection with the first i ffiee in the Repub
lic. The best man in the nation could be had
to-morrow without a dollar of salary, and that
will always be true. And, as life runs among us,
the higher the salary the “cheaper” the man
will be. Just in proportion asyou feed the paltry
appetite for wealth you will increase the strug
gle of cheap brains and cheaper morals to get
the money, and your “respectablesalary” will
be used as a bribe to buy the office. This is the
case now in a class of offices paid by fees which
amount to large sums. Make the salary of the
President, directly or indirectly, by gifts or by
disguished appropriations, half a million and
we will guarantee its being filled by very
cheap character and ability. “The money in
them” is corrupting the administration of
many of our offices. We must payin something
better than money to get the best service, and.
(he rule now is the more money the lees honor.
WHOLE NO. 281
General Denominational Reis.
—An Ulttramontane paper, the Voce della
Verita, of Rome, states that English Protestant
clergymen, belonging to the sect of Puseyrites
or Ritualists, are traveling in Italy dressed ex
actly like Italian priests, and that two of them
are boasting of having celebrated a sacrilegious
mass in an Italian cathedral.
—lt is singular that in the week in
which the leaders of the Methodist body were
invited by Dean Stanley to be present at the
uncovering of a monument to the brothers
John and Charles Wesley in Wesminster Ab
bey, they have been called on to pay a bill of
costs to establish their right to the use of the
title of “reverend.” It has cost them no less
than $3,000 to restrain the senseless bigotry of
the rector of Owston Ferry, sustained as he was
by the Bishop and Chancellor of the Diocese,
and afterwards by the Dean of Arches.
—The Society of Friends in England num
bers not quite 14,200 persons of all ages.
—The Pope it is now stated has written to
King Alphonso of Spain, reminding him of
his promise to sustain the concordat. Al
phonso and his government however, refuse
to persecute all non-Catholics as a consequence ;
the relation between the Vatican and Spain
are not as amicable as in other days.
—The annual revenue of the English church
is reported at $25,000,000. Of this amount
the Archbishop of Canterbury gets $75,000.
—Two large dry-goods houses in London
have well-salaried private chaplains to con
duct morning prayers and give addresses to
the young men and women in thei*- employ.
—At the last birthday of the Kin? of Siam,
the girls connected with the flourishing
school of Mrs. House, of the Presbyterian
Mission in Bangkok, presented him with a silk
quilt which they had made. His Majesty ad
mired the gift very much, and expressed to
Dr. House his gratitude to the missionaries
for what they had done for his people, espe
cially for the introduction of vaccination, add
ing, “I am very glad that you are teaching the
young girls.”
—There are seventeen periodicals published
in’the United States in the interest of the Young
Men’s Christian Association.
—Rev. Dr. Anderson says the Baptists during
the last century have raiped over $75,000,000
tor the following objects : Houses of worship,
$39,229,221: home missions, $6,000,000?
general and ministerial education, $11,000,-
000; Sunday-schools, $10,000,000; Fublica-
Society, $866,057 ; foreign missions, $6,000,-
000 ; Bible Society, $2,000,000.
—The Sunday-schools on the Western con
l ent, including officers, teachers and schol
ars, number 6,850,869 according to the sta
tistics.
—The committee in charge of the proposed
Religious Centennial Celebration in Cincin
nati have partially arranged a programme. A
series of meetings will be held, beginning on
Sunday, June 4th, with services by ministers
in their churches, on pertinent subjects of their
own selection. On Monday evening there will
be prayer and praise meetings in several
churches. On Tuesday- and Wednesday there
will be essays read in the several churches,
children’s meetings, and services in the open
air. Thursday there will be a union confer
ence of all denominations. Friday, children’s
parade and picnic. Papers on appropriate
subjects will be read by eminent gentlemen.
For the Index and Baptist.]
NOTICE—IIEPIIZIBAH ASSOCIATION.
Dear Brethren —At the general
meeting recently held in the fourth dis
trict, the following resolution was
unanimously adopted :
Resolved, That we request the cdurcbes of
our Association to observe the first Sabbath in
June, next, as a day of special prayer that God
would raise up in our midst more New Testa
ment ministers, and qualify them for efficient
service.
The undersigned was requested to
give publicity to the above through
The Index. The motives prompting
us to apply to the Master of the vine
yard for this help are abundantly ob
vious to all. Some of our churches
are without pastors, and others are
served iu a very inefficient manner.
Should ministers from other portions
of the country be induced to settle here,
while it would tend to supply our des
titution, these would leave behind them
their former fields of labor unsupplied.
In our own churches are many pious
young men, some of whom have en
joyed the advantages of a liberal edu
cation. Let us look here for laborers.
On the day designated, let us both in
our public and our private devotions,
call earnestly upon the Master of the
vineyard. W. L. Kilpatrick.
Hephzibali, Ga.
Covetousness is sure to be accom
panied by a want of moral honesty
and downright truthfulness in all
transactions where money is involved.
Ananias was not the only man in the
church who lias “put up a poor mouth,”
and underslated his resources, so seek
ing to cover up his meanness while
making a show of liberality.