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INDEX AND BAPTIST,
EEV. D. E. BUTLER Managing Editor.
EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS:
Bit. 8. G. Hilly ta., D D Forsyth, Georgia.
Bet J. 8. Baker, D.l) Quitman, Georgia.
Db J 8. Lawton Atlanta. Georgia.
Bet. T. G. Jones, D.D Nashville, Tennessee.
SPECIAL CONTRIBUTORS:
Bet. G. A. Nunn ALLY Monroe, Georgia.
Bet W T. Beastly, D.D Baltimore, Mrl
Bet.' A. J. Battle, D.D Macon, Georgia.
Bet. B. W. Fuller Atlanta, Georgia.
Bet. T. B. Cooper Ogeechee, Georgia.
Set J H. Kilpatrick. ..White Plains, Georgia.
■Hit'. Marion Sams Decatur. Georgia.
Bet. Wm. C. Wilkes OainesTillc, Georgia.
Liberality is the best way to gain
affection; for we are assured of their
friendship to whom we are obliged.
Enjoyment is often an end unworthy
to be sought. Rectitude is always to
lie sought. Rectitude is always to he
desired above all things.
Unless a man appears by his out
ward look and gesture to be himself
animated by the truths he is uttering,
he will not animate his hearers. It is
the live coal that kindles the others,
not the dead.
The true notion of creation is de
rived from its spiritual connections.
It is the splendid ideal of a spiritual
universe to which the material
universe should be subordinate and
subservient. The_ spiritual_ was to
come - between the divine and the natu
ral ; to vindicate the former and elevate
the latter. It was to Jjejjonstitution
ally allied To both, conscious of its jre
lationsTohoth, and thoroughly sympa
thetic with the attributes of both.
Instead of dying, the Christian only
passes through the shadow of death.
There is a narrow valley that lies be
tween this world and our future home,
and we have to pass that narrow vale-
Death is thei;e but lie is a conquered
foe. Like Bunyan’s lions, he is chain
ed, he can do us no harm. We pass
by—Put he touches us not to harm us.
It is but his shadow that is thrown
over us. He is no longer the “King of
Terrors,” but the servant of Jesus
Christ, his conqueror. He is there to
do His will. He is there as our help
er to Heaven. He releases us from
this clayey tenement that binds us to
earth and permits us to soar to bright
er worlds on high. He is there to
open the door of Heaven and bid us
walk in. Death then is not a curse,
but our richest blessing—not a foe,
but our best friond. Oh ! how full,
how rich, how big with meaning are
the words of Sacred Writ, “Forasmuch
then as the children are partakers of
flesh and blood, He also Himself like
wise took part of the same; that
through death He might destroy him
that had tho power of death, that is,
the Devil; and deliver them who
through fear of death, were all their
life-time subject to bondage.” How
consoling tho thought. The Lord is
our shepherd ; we shall not want; He
rnaketh us to lie down in green pas
tor es; He leadoth us beside the stil
waters ; yea, though we walk through
the valley of the shadow of death, we
will fear no evil, for He is with us,
His rod and His staff they comfort us.
“ SOJOIKNF.R TRUTH.”
Sojourner Truth is dead.— Exchange.
0, no ! Truth never dies. She has
been a sojourner on eartJ|for nearly
nineteen centuries, and shl will have
“ a local habitation and a name ” here
as long as this sphere shall sing its
melod : es of love and joy among the
choiring constellations! Sojourner
Truth is not dead, thank God ! Some
times she sleeps; sometimes she is a
wanderer in the wilderness, forsaken of
men; sometimes she suffers ou the
rack, and lies manacled in prisons; but
she never dies; she returns when she
is wanted, or when she is not wanted.
She is the essence of eternity—the vis
ible flower of immortality. She will
rise again though she be called dead.
Sojourner Truth is not dead!
The degree of D. D. was conferred
upon Rev. John Jones, of Atlanta, at
the recent commencement of ihe State
University.
"Wa Ought to Obey God Rathbb
than Men.’’- By forwarding a three cent
postage stamp to this office, w will send you
a tract, the best ever written, on Scripture bap
' tiem. It gives the meaning of the Greek, the
t estimony of celebrated Pedobaptist scholars,
the ancient testimony to the practice, and also
the testimony of modern authorities. Bap
tom precede* eoewnmion; ancient and modern
writers; church confessions; what is infhnt bap
tism, stc., etc.
Addns The Index, Atlanta, Os., post-of.
fioe box 34.
TRUST.
“Those who trust us, educate us,”
says George Eliot; but it is equally
true that we educate those who trust
us. The confidence, the faith which
meets us and embraces us without so
much as the shadow of a doubt even,
gives an impressibility to character as
sensitive to the force of impressions
as the surface of a mirror is to the
light of the sun. Such hearts, in course
of time, become so imbued with the
color of our own thoughts, and the pe
culiarities of our character, that indi
vidual identity is scarcely perceptible.
They reflect and perpetuate the work
ings of our own soul intuitively, and
without conscious effort. How im
portant it is, therefore, that we should
be worthy of such a trust —a trust that
educates reciprocally, and whose effects,
wonderful and strange as they are even
in this life, who can conceive in the
illimitable life that awaits us beyond
th“ boundary of the grave ?
DR. BATTLE’S TREATISE ON THE WILL.
We have read the articles of Dr.
Battle on the Human Will, as published
in The Index, with interest and pleas
ure. The subject is one confessedly
abstruse and difficult. This is evident
from the fact that learned men, for
more than a century, have been divided
in opinion about it. Some contend
for what they call “ the self-determin
ing power of the will.” Others deny
that there is any such power; hut
maintain that the will, like every thing
else in this world, is subject to cause ;
aud, that that cause is motive. This
doctrine was enunciated by President
Jonathan Edwards in the following for
mula : “ The motive which is strong
est, as it stands in the view of the
mind, is the motive which determines
the Will.” This proposition he demon
strated by a profound and masterly
argument, which has never been suc
cessfully answered. But, like many
excellent things that were written a
hundred years ago, this argument is
almost unknown, except to theolo
gians. Moreover, it is set forth in e dry,
hard style, not very attractive to the
common reader, and sometimes obscure
—difficult to understand. Hence it is
not much read, even by those who have
access to it. Consequently the subject
itself has been neglected, especially
among our people.
In view of these facts, we think that
Dr. Battle’s treatise is timely. He has
succeeded in setting forth this difficult
subject in a very clear and intelligible
maimer. Even the common people will
“ hear him gladly.” He shows that
the true philosophy of the Will, is in
perfect harmony with the teachings of
Christian experience, and with the doc
trines of our holy religion. We hope
his forthcoming book may be exten
sively read, and we believe it will do
great good to our people.
IN OLD LADY’S FAITH.
In the Alabama Baptist of July 13th,
a correspondent reports a dear old sis
ter as saying, “ Master will call me
home when my work is done.” That
is our faith precisely. Hence when one
expresses a desire that our life may be
prolonged many days, we cannot re
spond with a hearty “ thank you ;” for
tho expression of such a desire appears
to us equivalent to the expression of a
desire that we may be slothful in our
work. We would much rather they
should pray the Lord would euable us to
execute with fidelity and dispatch the
work allotted us to perform on earth.
There is a brother in the Caroli
nes, who has acquired the well-merited
reputation of being one of the most
distinguished paragraphists of the
present age. He once said to us
in old Virginia, “ May you live a
hundred years.” Should any of our
readers meet with him, please say
to him for us, though we have not
lived the hundred years he wished
us, and have been much hindered
in our work by the infirmities of
the flesh, we are under the impression
that ere another moon shall fill her orb,
we shall have performed the last labor
of our bauds on earth and entered into
rest —hut God’s will be done.
Family religion does not consist in
worship twice daily ; nor in the occu
pation of a pew in church; no# in
sen ding 1 children to a Sunday
school ; nor in receiving the visits of a
minister. On* or all of these things
may be, and there may exist no reli
gion in the family, no pervading sense
of God’s claims, no sense of obligation
regulating the daily life and checking
all solftsk feelings and passions. 1
THE CHRISTIAN INDEX AND SOUTH-WESTERN BAPTIST.
BG THOEOCGB.
Whatever they may undertake, teach the
young to do it well. What the future has in
store for them nobody can tell. Asa general
rule, if active and smart, they have a great deal
of ambition, often saying to themselves, “I’m
going to be this or that when I get big.”
Therefore the more imperative is the duty rest
ing on their elders of teaching then! to become
useful men and women, so that in after life, if
misfortune happens to come, they will not be
found sitting down with helpless hands, crying,
“I would work, but I can do nothing well,”
but starting out with energetic determination
to conquer ail obstacles, willing to work at
anything they can find to do, and able, because
they have been taught to do everythingjrell.
A lack of this principle, which
should govern the daily life of every
man and youth in this country, is one
of the greatest blemishes in our sys
tems of education, in schools and in
the home circle. To do a thing well, it
is essential that what is necessary to be
done should be fullv understood.
Thoroughness can never be achieved,
in any sphere of life, or undertaking,
unless patience, perseverance, an un
conquerable desire to understand every
attainable particle of information rela
tive thereto, open the way and deter
mine the result.
Superficiality, speed, not strength, a
nimble grasp of things but not a strong
immovable one, is a lamentable char
acteristic of our general practice
educational matters, aud in all tliat
pertains to the nourishment, and build
ing up of the mind in its formative
periods; with superficial and scatter
ing planting we must expect meagre
and unsatisfactory harvests.
Be thorough.
POMPOUS FUNERALS.
Commenting on the great plainness
of the funeral of the late Commodore
Garner, of New York, who left proper
ty valued at fifteen millions, the Sun
says:
“Sated with the pompom follies of this
world, of which 1 have had an unrommon
Bliare, I desire to have no posthumous display,’’
wrote the celebrated Lord Chesterfield, and
ordered his body to be buried in the nearest
graveyard, and his furneral expenses to be
limited to a small sum. His example has had
?;reat effect in England in putting down foolish
uneral pomp. In this country, it is among
people who are not rich that funeral folly is
carried to its highest pitch. People who can
scarcely see a month’s food ahead, will spend
what is to them a little fortune, at a funeral,
and the hard earned savings of friends are
expended in a dreary procession of hacks to a
distant cemetery. “What possible connection
can there lie between my drinking a glass of
wine, and that fellow’s health ?" asked a wan
when urged to drink a toast; and what possi
ble satisfaction can there be to the dead in a
long retinue o( hacks at $lO apiece filled with
mourners, whose grief is not always as-palata
ble as it ought to be, following him to Green
wood? If people want to give proof of affec
tion after bereavment, let them subscribe to
help widow or children, if they need aid, and
not the hack and proprietor aud
who now alone are benefitted.”
A prominent gentleman in our city,
sometime ago, through the press urged
a plan for simplifying funerals a"d
reducing their absurd costliness. But
we have heard nothing further of the
matter.
The present hard times are especially
favorably for the inauguration of a
much needed reform in our methods of
rendering back to mother earth the
beloved dust of our deceased friends.
Display and ostentation are peculiarly
inappropriate upon such solemu occa
sions. The mind should not be allow
ed to be deflected froui its meditation
upon the simple yet sublime truths
inculcated by these events. We should
view tho puerile and tawdry dross of
earth, at such a time, with peculiar
contempt, nor allow ourselves to pan
der to a corrupt and unhallowed taste
engendered by certain classes of society
to whom simplicity and common sense
are of little importance in life.
WORDS OF WISDOM.
The baccalaureate Address of Chan
cellor Tucker, at the recent Commence
ment of the University at Athens, was
brief, yet graphically characteristic of
th 6 man. Noble m sentiment, terse,
vigorous, vital with the spirit of Gospel
truth, wise, incisive. He said, in sub
stance :
“Success was the great aim of life. Saccere
at college is not necessarily followed by success
in life. Some men have been greater at grad
uation than ever afterward. Success in col
lege, then, doe* not give permission to cast
aside all effort. Nor does failure in college
presage defeat through life. All who deserve
success will get it. Aim, then, at the merits
which deserve success, rather than at success
itself. The secret of success may be summed
up in one word: Take the Bible for the rule
of your life and the guide of your heart. Let
the Word of God be the man of your counsels,
and success will come to you.”
In these words of wisdom we find
condensed the philosophy of the world’s
experience. Success will come to the
tnan who takes the Bible for his guide
"And counselor, and to whom its teach
ing is the only rule in life he will fol
low. He may not succeed in the way
of dollars and cents, real estate and
luxuries, but he will achieve an im
measurably superior success —the re
ward that virtue only can give, and
the crown, and the kingdom, and the
latitude of eternal Life.
NOONDAY ASSOCIATION.
This association met on Friday last,
with the Marietta church. We did not
reach this beautiful town until Satur
day morning, consequently we were not
present at the organization of the body.
We, however, saw in the moderator’s
chair our good brother Dr. Dean, who
has been re-elected for many years as
presiding officer. Brother Tuggle was
re-elected clerk, and makes an efficient
officer.
Many interesting subjects were dis
cussed, among them the education of
young brother Vaughan, at Mercer,
who gives good promise of becoming a
very useful preacher. The association
pledged, through the churches, a sup
port for tlpe young brother.
The missionary cause was most ablv
advocated by brethren Spalding, Ryals
and Branham. The latter is the beloved
pastor of the church at Marietta.
The Index, as usual, came in for its
place in the picture.
Brother Hay good, the agent of The
Index, stated that as one of the edi
tors was present, he would be glad to
hear from him. We thanked the mod
erator, and brethren, for the opportu
nity and the privilege of talking for
the organ of the Baptists of Georgia.
We did our heat to impress the idea
on the minds of the association that
the most important work to be first ac
complished by the Baptists of Georgia
was to subscribe for, and read, The
Index. Without an organ we would be
at sea, without compass or helmsman.
If we could induce all the Baptists to
read their paper, in a very short time
every benevolent work would be fully
sustained. It was the foundation stone
on which to rest all our works of char
ity.
Brother Spalding made an earnest
appeal to the brethren to read The
Index ; in addition to everything else
it would teach them how to be good
farmers. The agricultural columns
every week are filled with most excel
lent articles on the subject of home
industries.
Brother Beck, brother Haygood, and
the venerable brother Barrow, all urged
the necessity of reading The Index.
The Indbx was fully indorsed by
all present.
Ou Sabbath the pulpits of the
Methodist, Presbyterian, Baptist, and
colored Baptist churches were filled
with visitors to the association. We
had the pleasure of hearing but one
sernjQn, and that was by Dr. Spalding,
on Sunday night, in the Baptist church.
We have often beard brother S. with
delight, but never heard him when we
were so profoundly impressed with his
earnestness, pathos aud eloquence. The
sermon will long be remembered by the
immense congregation, who gave the
speaker uud : vided attention during the
entire discourse.
We were kindly entertained at the
hospitable home of brother and sister
David Dobbs. They are raising a family
of good children, always kind and at
tentive to visitors to their parental
home.
SABBATH BREAKING.
Editobs Index —Having been requested to
write something for your valuable paper, I
have concluded to ask some questions which I
hope you will give answers to, or someone
who may feel interested will give some inform
ation upon the subject:
1. Is there pure religion enough, in Geor
gia, to allow two car loads of watermelons to be
attached to the passenger train and run over
the State Road on the Lord’s day, without
making it a crime?
2. Is there enough religion in the United
States to allow the transportation of the mails,
and running of trains on the several railroads
on the Lord’s day, without bringing a curse
upon the whole nation ?
3. Will not God avenge Himself of these
wrongs ?
Scriptural answers are required. Yours in
Christ. * # *
As the above enquiries are from an
esteemed brother, and deserve thought
and reflection, we givt them to our
readers.
Perhaps some brother, who has. time
and an inclination that way, may give
to us an article, or several of them, on
the questions involved.
J udgments do come upon a people
for the sins of those in authority, or
occupying high places whether in au
thority or not. The violations of the
Sabbath law, in the history of the Jews,
were often the causes of heavy afflic
tions upon that people. The abolition
of the Sabbath and the worship ef God
by the French people brought upon
them many disorders and great sorrows.
Who can tell what may be the re
sult of similar violations of Divine law
in Georgia ?
—Love of truth shows itself discov
ering and appreciating what is good
wherever it may exist.
GEORGIA BAPTIST NEWS.
—Brother J. G. Norris, of Taylor’s creek,
Liberty county, writes that a revival meet
ing of five days, held with the church on
Green Branch, in that coanty has jast
closed, and was blessed by the conversion
of fourteen souls, eleven of whom were baptiz
ed by brother N. The other three will be
baptized on the fourth Lord’s day in this
month. The Lord is prospering the work
of this faithful minister in that region.
—From “Occasional,” writing from Val
dosta, July 31st, we learn that on the fourth
Sabbath in that month three brethren of the
Valdosta Baptist church were set apart to
the office of Deacons by prayer and laying
on of hands. Rev. N. A. Bailey, of Quit
man, aided the pastor :a this solemn and
impresive service.
Our correspondent further says : “ Our
meeting was continued after Sabbath,
brother Bailey remaining and preaching till
Wednesday night. Brother B. is a good
man —an excellent preacher ; tamest and
bold in declaring the truth, and the Quit
man church was fortunate in securing his
services.
“ Our meeting was carried on a week lon
ger by the pastor, and resulted in much spirit
ual good to the church. God’s people were
refreshed, and the church aroused to greater
activity and earnestness in His service. Two
were added by letter, and four by experience
and baptism. We trust that these are only
the first fruits, and that the Lord will add
many more, from time to time, to the
church.”
—A fruitful revival has been in progress
at Cave Spring at the Baptist church. The
pastor, brother J. W. Pullen, has been aided
in his work by Rev. J. C. Brown, of Aiken,
S. C., who is on a visit to Cave Spring.
—Brother Mnnday and Atkinson, of
Brunswick, have been conducting a protrac
ted meeting in Darien. Large congregations
attended. The results of their combined la
bors have been very gratifying.
—The colored Baptists of Butler have
just completed anew church edifice in place
of the one burned down, mentioned last year.
They have displayed great enterprise and
devotion.
—We are glad to learn from a respected
correspondent iu Echols county, that the
Lord’s cause is prospering in that section;
a fine revival spirit has taken hold of the
breasts of the people of Forest, and there are
many anxious enquirers after the truth. Many
of the brethren and sisters are active in their
labors for the holy cause. A flourishing
Sunday-school is also being kept up by the
untiring energy of a few devoted members.
—The trustees of the Cherokee Baptist Fe
male College, on Saturday last, elected Rev.
R. D. Mallary, of Albany, Ga., President of
the college. He will enter upon his duties
the first of September next.
—Brother J. S. Dodd, of Campbell county,
closed an interesting meeting of a week at
Bethsaida church recently. Sixteen were
added to the membership, fourteen of these
by baptism. Twenty-five persons professed
a hope iu A'&riut and many asked the prayers
of the church. Brethren D. A Brown, B.
L. Johnson aud John Swan assisted hrolher
Dodd, and rendered excellent service. Broth
er Dodd adds:
“Suffer me to say to the churches of Fair
burn Association, I hope each church will
make an effort to bring contributions for
Missions to the Association corresponding to
the wonderful crops that our Heavenly Fath
er has blessed us with.”
—A series of meetings will he held in the
Baptist church at Sandersville, beginning
Saturday before the second Sabbath in this
month. Brother Adams will be assisted in
his labors by Rev. N. B. Binion, and, perhaps,
other ministering brethren.
—A large congregation was present on a re
cent Sabbath at the Baptist church in Travel
ers Rest, on the occasion of special service, the
ordaining of deacons, services being conducted
by Dr. S. G. Hillyer, of Forsyth. His dis
course was founded on the fourth chapter and
eighth verse of Paul’s epistle to the Phillip
pians. This fine subject was handled with con
summate skill and impressive eloquence, The
character, the scope, and substance of Chris
tian perfection was made clear as crystal to the
understanding of all.
After the sermon the impressive service of
the occasion followed—Brethren J. C. Elling
ton and J. D. Walters having been elected to
the office of deacon were duly ordained, Dr.
Hillyer officiating.
The morning services closed with an an
nouncement by the pastor that meetings would
fol.<ow at stated hours during the week.
—The general meeting of the second district
of Flist Association, convened with Sardis
church on July 28th, and was attended with
great interest. A protracted meeting is being
held by the church. The Lord is present..
The chun h is being revived; additions are be
ing made, and many are enquiring the way of
everlasting life at the altar.
—Brother A. J. Cheves, the beloved pastor
of the church at Montezuma, write; under date
of August Bth : >
We have the pleasure to report a most excel
lent revival meeting in Travelers Rest church,
wherein the church has been greatly revived
and made to rejoice with five new converts
who have put on Christ bv baptism,with one re
stored; and two were added to our number by
letter.
Your Dr. Hillyer has been with us, and has
made for himself hosts of friends among our
people, who admire him for his great talents
and have learned to love him for his sincere
earnest, devoted Christian spirit. This for his
entire self. His better-half was with him.
Nxvub attempt to do anything that
is not right, just so sorely as you do
you will get into trouble. If you sus
pect anything is wicked, do it not un
til you are sure that jour suspicions
are utterly groundless.
STOP MY PAPER!
My brother, stop your paper !
While it might not damage the paper,
will not it seriously damage you? Some
times editors are told, “stop my pa
per,” and the reason given: “I am
taking other paperspolitical papers
it is supposed, etc. Let me ask such
brethren, as well as those who do not
take The Index : Is it of less impor
tance to be informed about things be
longing to the Kingdam of Jesus, than
the tilings of this world ? Have you
no heart’s desire to know what is being
done for the salvation of the lost, and
how God is blessing the means em
ployed by His people to spread tho
glorious Gospel of the blessed God ?
Read below, a few extracts from a let
ter written by a good brother who had
ordered his paper stopped, and, after a
year’s experience, he wrote:
send me the paper.
1. Because I am wiser than I was
last year this time. I then wrote
“Stop my paper.” I am now wise
enough to write stop such a course of
folly.
2. Send me the paper, because I
have been no gainer by stopping it. I
thought it would be an accession of a
few dollars more to my capital; but
the money was put into a bag with
holes. Ido not know that there is a
penny more in my purse for writing
“stop” and I do know that, spiritually,
I am lean and thin-visaged to a won
derful degree. The truth is I have
been starving these twelve months.
I have picked up here and there a mor
sel of information during the whole pe
riod. I have not had nourishment
enough of this kind even for a babe in
spiritual things.
3. I hava trouble of another sort by
stopping my pa jer; I was once not
only a contributor to benevolent ob
jects, but a very cordial one. I have
seen the day I took a dollar for a chari
table object from my pocket with as
much.pleasure as ever a miser put the
same amount into his. But since in
telligence respecting the wants and
miseries of the world has ceased
reaching me, my money has assumed a
preciousness very marvelous. The
consequence is, that when a collector of
charity calls, he sees the sternness of a
wintry sky in my countenance. It
was otherwise with me when knowledge
concerning the perishing ones through
out the world was poured every week
upon my mind. I stopped my paper—
the stream stopped, and I became as a
laud where no water is ; was parched,
ahnvqled up with covetousness; and
hence my trouble.
No, I will not stop the paper: So
send it, Mr. Editor.”
The above is an extract from an old
Boston Recorder, published in 1838.
We reproduce it iu part, and we beg
those who have thought of writing
“stop The Index” will think before
they do so.
Any one who has had much expe
rience in collecting funds to sustain
our mission work, at home and abroad,
knows how difficult it >s to interest the
hearts, and secure contributions from
those who never read a religious paper,
and, consequently, are comparatively
ignorant of the wants of the world.
Let us all, pastors, deacons, and pri
vate members, make a vigorous effort
to put The Index in every family.
God promises to bless our State with a
bountiful crop. This fall will be a
good time to renew our efforts for the
noble old Index. What say you Geor
giaßaptists ? c.
GEMS RESET.
—Malice sucks up the great part of
her own venom, and poisons herself.
—No man should part with his own
individuality and become that of
another.
—We will tell our triumphs to tha
crowd, but our hearts are the sole con
fidants of our sorrows.
Life is to be fortified by many
friendships. To love and to be
loved is the greatest happiness of ex
istence.
—Melancholy spreads itself betwixt
heaven and earth, like envy between
man and man, and is an everlasting
mist.
Wilt thou not go home my child ?
Away, for the danger is pressing ! go
home to God and get out of trouble!
Array thyself in such garments as will
please the Lord ! get ready! 0, pilgrim,
for thy eternal home. ,
—Your disposition will be suitable to
that which you most frequently think
on; for the soul is, as it were, tinged
with the color and complexion of its own
thoughts.