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The Christian Index. VOL. 55 —NO. 32. Table of Content*. Piest Page —Alabama Department: Record of State Event*; Feet Washing; the Harvest. Field a Golden Lesson of God’s Law—Rev. D. E. Butler. Spirit of the Religious Press; Cowper, the Christian Poet; General Denomi national News; Tocooa City. etc. Secokd Page —Our Correspondents: Sabbath- Breaking—B. W. Whilden: Mercer Ui iv> r ity; ' Foies of an Evangelistic Tour—The church in Lumpkin—Brunswick—South Newport— Darien—Zion—J. A. Munday; Indian Wayside Items—H. F. Buckner; A Note from Memphis, S- Landrum; Notes of Travel—F. 11. Haygood; Appalachee Association—W. H. Cocroft; Bap tist Associations! Meetings of South Carolina. The Old Pastor’s Dismissal—Poetry. General Meetings: Second District Columbus. Associ ation; Third District Fairburn Association. " Third Page —What Constitutes an Evangelioal Denomination—Essay read at the General Meeting Third District Flint River Associa tion, by Rev. E. J. Barksdale, Jonesboro, Ga. Our Future—Poetry; etc. Fourth Page.—Editorial: The Practiceof Prim itive Christians—Rev. J. S. Baker. The True Conditions of Prayer: Thanksgiving: Edito rial Paragraphs ; Georgia Baptist News; etc— Rev. D. E. Butler. Fifth Page.—Secular Editorials : What is it that Men most Want; Thinking Evil; Castelar; The Celebration of Anniversaries ; Billiards : The Sunday Morning Herald; DeKalb Countv Sunday-school Convention : Golden Words by Bishop Huntington; literary Gossip; Gcor gia Nows ; Foreign and Domestic Notes. Sixth Page.—Science and Agriculture: The Re lations of Vegetable Matter to our Soils—A Lecture read by Prof. J. E. Willet, of Mercer (’Diversity, before the Georgia State Agricul tural Society, at its Semi-Annual Meeting, at Gainesville, Ga., August 8,9, 10, 1876. Seventh Page.—The Sundav-school: Honest In dustry-Lesson for Sunday, August 27. 1876. Sunday-school Convention at Harmony Grove. Eighth Page.—Publishers’ Department: Estey Organs: The Fire on the Hearth; Southern Musical Journal; Railway and Newspaper Di rectory; University of Maryland. Obituaries Advertisements. INDEX AND BAPTIST. ALABAMA DEPARTMENT. A fine revival has taken place at Brenton. Pike county will make twice as much syrup as ever before. Montgomery has an indebtedness of $781,- 919 37. The fall term of the Cherokee Circuit Court begins the first Monday in September. Rev. C. H. Skelton, of Scottsboro, has be come one of the editors of the Alabama Baptist. Thirty-one additions has recently been made to the Methodist church in Troy. Coosa Valley has magnificent crops of corn and cotton. *~ Rrv. Frank (truce retiresffro® the editor ial chair of the Birmingham Iron Age. Cotton worms have appeared in considerable numbers in Macon county. m- John H. Spivy, of Henry county, makes 200 bushels of Irish potatoes to the acre. The health of Greensboro is very good this summer. To the 11th, Montgomery had received 70,- 828 bales of cotton this season. The injury done by caterpillars thus far, is slight. Alabama will have eight students next year in the Theological Seminary. In Montgomery there were 181 police ar rests in July. Rev. Dr. Burgett, of the Government Street Presbyterian chuich, Mobile, will probably accept a call to Lexington, Va. Col. Hardaway, commandant of cadets of the Agricultural College, is travelling in the interest of that institution. The Huntsville New Smith says that corn will sell as low as 25 cents per bushel in that section by Christmas. The Talladega Reporter says that General Lawler writes from New York that the work of exchanging bonds is progressing satisfac torily. Brother D. G. Lyon has resigned his posi t ion on the Alabama Baptist, and will study at the Greenville, South Carolina, Theological Seminary. A convention of those in favor of anew county composed of parts of Blount, Walker and Winston is to meet in Cullman Septem ber 3d. The Demopolis Journal says: From all parts of the canebrake comes reliable informa tion that the caterpillars are as numerous al most as the sands of the sea. Near White Oak, Barbour county, the 9th, a young man named Wallace, whose father is a Presbyterian preacher, was fatally injured by the caving in of a well in which he was at work. Protracted meetings are in progress at Brun didge, at both the Baptist and the Methodist churches. Ten new members were baptized by the Baptist pastor on Sunday before last. The Troy Messenger says: The cotton in the neighborhood of Orion is pretty generally affected with black rust, which farmers say is worse than caterpillars. We are glad to learn, however, that it prevails in but a limited ter ritory. THE SOUTH-WESTERN ~R A PTTRT, of Alabama. FEET WASHING. Sometime ago one of our subscri bers sent us this question: “Is feet washing a command or not?” He also said that the subject had caused some confusion in his region of the country. The allusions in the New Testament to this subject are but few : John xiii;l., Tim. v. In John, we have an account of the tonching ser vice performed by the blessed Saviour for His followers. Nothing could be more tender and instructive. The Lord condescended to this lowly duty, and thereby taught aud illustfated the humility of every genuine Chris tian. His disciples looked on in amazement, without the power of re sistance until Peter, who was always foremost in speaking, said, “Lord dost Thou wash my feet?” And again, “Thou shalt never wash my feet.” To which the Lord replied in terms so con vincing, that Peter accepted the ser vice of his Master, and was washed as the others. After the Saviour was through, and had resumed His place at the table, He gave them a brief explanation of what had occurred. A portion of the lesson is in these words : “If I, then, jour Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one anoth ers feet, for I have given you an exam ple, that you should do as I have done to you.” John xiii: 14, 15. These verses are the texts on which the duty and practice is founded. The language is clear ; it cannot be misun derstood. The duty is taught after it had been most impressively performed ; the example preceded the precept. That the words ouyht and should are to bo construed as commanding this duty to be observed as an ordinance of the church, we do not believe. But we once heard a learned and pious Baptist minister of Georgia say, in reference to these verses, that if the language in reference to baptism was as explicit as these words are on feet-wasbing, Pedobaptism would have no shadow of support in the word of God. He did not infer therefrom that the duty was an ordinance of the churches, nor did he claim that it should be done in the house where the church met. for wor ship, and nowhere else. The injudicious discussion of this subject has often produced confusion. We not believe it to be an ordinance of the Lord’s house. “ If ye know these things, happy aie ye if ye do them.” This blessing would come if the saint’s feet were washed at home, or on the highway, anywhere; wherever the occasion should require. In the example set by the Saviour, he teaches us to perform any menial ser vices demanded for the comfort or the necessities os our brethren. Such ser vice must be voluntary, and must be done as a matter of course, “without partiality or hypocrisy.” There is further illustration of our opinion of this subject afforded inV. Tim., ebap. i: x., where a description of the duties of saints is given, as in the case of the widow. It inculcates the lesson that feet-washing is not a special church rite, but is an act proper at all timep, and expressive of the cordial fraternal relationship that should ob tain among the followers and disciples of Jesus Christ. In these davs there are some who would not adventure the tip of their little finger in tbe fire for Christ’s sake; but it was not so of olden time. When a Roman emperor wanted amusements, he ordered Christians to be thrown to tbe lions. During the first 300 years of the Christian church, there were ten persecutions. The last was during the reign of Diocletian, which continued for ten years, when “ Diocletian’s fiery sword worked busy as the lightning.” He caused a medal to be struck, bear ing the motto, “ The Christian religion is destroyed, and the worship of the gods restored.” In Spain two pillars were erected in his honor, “ for having everywhere abolished the superstition of Christ, and extended the worship of the gods." But it was all to no purpose. Those who had been with Jesus triumphed; FRANKLIN PRINTING HOUSE, ATLANTA, GEORGIA, AUGUST 24, 1876. His Gospel spread, and like the mus tard seed became a great plant. The Gospel increased, its enemies decreased. The mighty emperors who persecuted the church perished. Diocletian was driven from his throne and died a madman; Nero perished by his own hand ; Domitian was murdered bv his seivants; Hadrian expired in agony; Severus, through his son’s treachery ; Decius perished in a marsh ; Valerian was flayed alive by the Persians; so the fighters against God were all found to be liars, and perished, all the sorts of them. Jesus, the little babe of Bethlehem ; Jesus, the worker iu the carpenter’s shop, the despised and re jected, the Man of Sorrows acquainted grief, proves stronger than all the kings on the earth, although they and the rulers take counsel against Him ; Jesus conquers because He is God as well as man, and they who trust in Him are more than conquerors through Him who loved us and givethus the victory. The harvest field is a golden lesson of God’s law of work as the condition of reward. All you see in the rich landscape is the kindly wages paid by Him to industry. The sweat of human brows must water the earth to make it fruitful. That sea of brown wheat, stirred by the soft air, is transfigured toil. The reaper is only the last of many workers round the year; net even the last, for is there not the threshing-floor and winnowing, with much besides, before it comes to bread ? Left to themselves, our richest valleys would soon fall back to rank wilder ness. Patient duty is the price exacted for all harvests, of the soil, and of all else. Tlere is ro royal road to God’s bounty in the fruits of brain, or heart, or life, or nature. Spring and summer must go before autumn ; spring with its sowing, summer, with its waiting, and its hopes and fears. True progress is slow as that of the yellow ear from the green blade. Working and wifit ing ji.re the two poles of all healthy profit, higher or lower. Tropical spon-i taneousness corrupts, thrifty toil is the one condition of true thriving. The Marion Commonwealth says : Our farm ing friends, especially those in the prairie, are decidedly blue on the worm question at this time. The cotton on the black lands, where rains have been frequent, is poor at best, and the early appearance of the dreaded worm cuts off all expectations of even a half crop. The Alabama Baptist well says: Emigrants will find it to their advantage to come to Alabama. It is healthy, cultivated and well governed. There is no richer State in the Union, whether in mineral resources or agricultural products. The State is threaded by railways, traversed by rivers, and the land is cheap. The history of Alabama Baptists has not yet been written, although a committee was ap pointed by the State Convention some years ago to secure the desirable object.— Christian Index of August 10. Our neighbor is mistaken. A history of the Alabama Baptists has been written by Rev. Hosea Holcombe, a.td it is a valuable work, worthy of republication and of a sup plement bringing down the histoiy to the present time. —Alabama Baptist. The Eufaula Times reports the sad death of Mr. Mellville Wallace, son of Rev. A. J. | Wallace, of Clayton. He was cleaning out a well, when the cutbing upon which the wind ! lass rested gave way, the bucket full of sand and water descended on his head and fractur ed his skull. The recent heavy rains have unearthed or washed bare, on the premises of Mr. A. J. Due, West Wetumpka, some relics of a strange people, the former inhabitants of this country, the veritable red man. A little son of Mr. Due, a few days since, made the discovery of a lot of beads, interspersed with a lot of brass wires, bent in somewhat the form a triangle. A few bits of human bones were also found, with the point of the lower jaw in which were several teeth in a remarkable state of preserva tion. There were near a quart of the beads which mostly were white and one-fourth to one-half inch in length, streaked with dark red occasionally, which seemed to be natural. A few blue were mixed in and one or two red, similar to what is known among our people as the blood bead. They are of a substance seemingly hard as flint. Part of a gold ear ring was also found. Mr. Due thinks the body must have been buried in a sitting posture. At a protracted meeting at Fellowship church, six miles west of Plantersville, under the labors of Rev. G. W. Mills, pastor, and Rev. I. U. Wilkes, twenty-four additions were made to the church. Spirit of the Religious Press, There is a deal of sound sense and practi cal experience in the following, which we transfer out of the Western Recorder , with inr full endorsements as to its correctness and point: One of our most faithful and successful agents writes, “There is a great deal of dissat isfaction among subscribers about your send ing their papers after the time is oub” Is that so ? Why then don’t ihey say so to us ? It costs but one cent for a subscriber to send that information to this office. It is a rule with us to stop every man’s paper when he says so. We take no advantage of any one. We keep standing on our Bth page the terms on which the paper is sent out. We there state plainly that all. snßkcriptions are continued until ordered stopped. If then a sub scriber wants his paper stopped, all that he has to do is to pay up his account and so order it. It is scarcely decent or respectable to order a paper discontinued without paying up all ar rearages. But we have found that in nine cases in ten those who complain thatilie paper is sent over the time are those who don’t want to pay for it. They ilo not object to our sending the pa per but to our collecting the money. Some, and they are not a lew, will take the Record r for months and even years, and not say a word about Stopping ; they will not even reply to a polite dun through the paper or by letter, but when an agent calls on them for the money they complain that the paper was not stopped in time! Such conduct is just about as honor able as it would be in a man who should go to a hotel and board one, two or three days, and when called on for the cash, should say, “When I came here I intended to stay only one day, and you have let me remain two or three days. Why didn’t you kick me out on the morning of the second day 1” —Says the Watchman: A snob, in common parlance, is a vulgar up start who apes gentility, and is continually boasting of his aristocratic friends. The reli gious snob is, if possible, more contemptible than the social snob. An instance of this kind of snobbishness has lately come to our notice, and deserves more than a passing mention. The Christian Advocate, a Methodist paper pub lished in this cily gave its readers the follow ing bit of news as an “Interesting Ceremony “A private note from Rev. Dr. Newman, of the Metropolitan Methodist church, Washing ton, bearing date of Friday last, contained, among other items of interest, the following: ‘I go to baptize Col. Fred Grant’s infant daugh ter. The President is to stand as godfather, and Mrs. Honore, the maternal grand mother, is to be godmother. The ceremony is to take place at tbf White House, and the water to be used is from the river Jordan. I brought it over at Mr '. Grant’s request.” This wad two much for even Methodists to swallow. Accordingly the New Orleans Chris tian Advocate, also a Methodist paper, speaks right out it .tneeting, and snubs its namesake in this wa* tiC. , “ Wry iouialii’g. we should Bay, it uot won derful—t.v /ordinary. ' Water all 'the way from the Jordan, brought by Parson Newman, and by hitfu applied 1 Then there is to be a god father and a godmother, and by what ritual is this to be done ? This makes an epoch indeed in an eventful if not an illustrious life. “I go to baptize Col. Fred Grant’s infant daughter.” Blarney and toady sublimated 1” The rebuke is well-timed, and comes with the better grace in that it is given by a brother Methodist. —The Western Rccindvr in’a fine article on “saving for old age” touching upon the wis dom of saving money against a time of want; saving health and saving morality, pointedly admonishes young men to lay up a good stock of sound religious convictions : A good stock of sound religious convictions, is the very best “stock” which a young man can lay aside for his declining years. Reli gion is beautiful in youth. But it is when the silver hairs are whitening for tile grave that it sheds its brightest radiance upon life. An old man who must soon finish his career in this wirld and yet who has little or no hope of the next, is certainly one of the saddest of all earthly spectacles. There is a pathos in that desperale clinging to life which such old peo ple often manifest, which to a thoughtful reli gious mind, is painful beyond expression. But an aged man whose life lias been one of use fulness and virtue, and whose advancing years are but the mellow autumn of a rich harvest time of blessings for the race, and all this crowned and glorified with the light of settled religious convictions and the radiance that streams through the opening gateways of the better land —such an old age is, to our minds, the fairest fpectacle this side of Heaven. —The Watchman (Boston) is rapidly becom ing one of the most pronounced political pa pers in the country. Its issue of Angus! 10th was specially devoted to partizan disquisitions. At this rate it will soon be almost impossi ble to tell whether we are infringing upon our able contemporary’s political prerogatives in classing it with religious papers or not. —Dr. Graves says of Dr. Burrows : “He is more culpable to-day than Berhends, for he went out from us belore he violated liis avow ed faith; but Dr. B. remains to defend infrac tions of Baptist policy.” Since reading Dr. Burrows’last card, we are very much of the same opinion with Dr. Graves .—Baptist Re- Ilector . Under the head of “Wanted—Moral Stam ina’’ the Examiner and Chronicle makes the following good points—their constant consid eration is essential : Orthodoxy in faith, rectitude in practice— these are the two great needs of the church of Christ to-day. It is an old and oft repeated charge against that church, that in its zeal for the former it looses sight of the importance of the latter. Too often this reproach is well deserved. Too often churches fail to guard as “the immediate jewel of their souls” that spot less purily, that chivalrous sense of honor, which should characterize them always and everywhere. None value more highly than we soundness in “the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.” It is indispensable. No church THE CHHISTIAH HERALD of Tennessee. can long hope to render efficient service Jo Christ unless it holds fast the form of sound words in faith and lone. But important as this is, it is not the only important thing. Loose doctrine is bad enough, but loose moral ity is certainly no better. The church of Christ must be irreproachable. It must be pervaded by such an atmosphere of morality and honor, that the most carping critic can find no pre text fora taunt. For the Index and Baptist.] COWPER, THE CHRISTIAN POET. Milton says that a poet in his life and person ought to be a true poetn. This obligation Cowper has fulfilled, if the author of Paiadise Lost means that the poet should be the embodi ment of his own moral or intellectual ideas. Faith and love form the key note of that exquisite melody evoked by the muse of William Cowper. That faith which fastens on God as the- su preme author of all good —that love which attunes the heart in sympathy with everything noble, sublime and beautiful in moral or phj sical nature. The character of our author is the em bodiment of these two ideas, or prin ciples ; in fact they are the true kejr note to that life whose trembling and shattered chords have been made to breathe the very music of sorrow and despair. His powers as a writer were not fully developed until he had reached the mature age of fifty. It was about this time that The Task, his master piece, was given to the world. It at once became universally popular, and established his fame as a great and original writer. After this he attempt ed a translation of Homer, but failed, so the critics say, as signally as Pope had done before him. But this failure did not detract from the fame he had already acquired. His laurels are fade less and enduring, and so long as the English language shall continue to be used, will the poetry of Cowper be studied and admired. Tbe greater part of the life of the poet was spent with the family of the Unw'ns, first at Hunt ingdon, afterwards s' Olney, in Buck inghamshire. Many-yc-ars were passed in the most peaceful avocations, and in the society of devoted and sympathis ing friends. How often in imagination have we looked into that little circle of friends gathered beneath the humble roof at Olney ! There are Mrs. Unwin, the ever faithful companion, lady Hes ketb, the kind, thoughtful relation, and Johnny, the frank, warm-hearted boy, who has consented to lay aside his fun anjd his pranks for a while to learn wis doim from lips that speak it always mQst tenderly and And there," "in their midst, is our gentle, sensitive poet, forgetting his miseries for once in society so congenial and delightful. Always shy and sensitive towards strangers, his character seems trans formed altogether in the presence of these loving and sympathizing friends Here, in the atmosphere of affection, his genial sympathies brighten and ex pand, and enchant all who were within the magic circle of their influence. Never did mortal man as richly repay the loving care of ftiends and relations. He felt for them the tenderest, most abiding affection, and next to his faith in God was his faith in human love and sympathy. In studying the social side of his character our admiration for his intellectual triumphs is lost in the stronger feeling of love we entertain for the man himself. But this gentle, affectionate being could become at times the severe moralist, the stern censor of the morals and manners of his age. But his severest censures are reserved for that church whose spiritual relapse had driven more than one soul from her bosom. In speaking of her degen eracy, Thackeray says it was no wonder that Whitfield cried out in the wilder ness that the Wesleys left the insulted temple of God to pray in the valleys and on the hilltops. Her spiritual con dition was indeed lamentable. Scarcely a vestige of true life remained in her. Her clay, cold corpse was galvanized into artificial emotion by meaningless forms and pompous ceremonies, but the fact remained evident that all true growth and life were extinct. Her ministers were corrupt and worldly. Profane bauds had laid hold of the Ark of the Lord. In the language of our poet, they had failed to be serious in a se rious cause ; have courted a grin jvhere they should have won a tear. There were many who deplored this state of things. Many Elijahs in the wilder ness mourning over Zion’s desolation ; many Marys who stood beside the gar nished but empty sepulchre, crying, “ They have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him.” There were none who more deeply de plored her condition than Cowper. He rebukes her priests in language at once true and severe. Then in gentle accents he paints his ideal preacher, “such as Paul approved and owned.” There is no sadder tale than that of Cowper’s death. It was clouded by doubt, by irremediable gloom. It was the hid ing cf His power, which the Psalmist deprecates, that drove Cowper to the verge of despair; that rendered his WHOLE NO. 2232 death.hour a scene of unmitigated wretchedness and horror. In pity we draw the veil over the li r e that ended so miserably, so hopelessly for the lov ing friends whose tender sympathy proved utterly futile to cast one linger ing gleam of hope over the thick dark ness that encompassed it. But for the future life of such a man we can have no doubt. When the last earthly scene of wretchedness was over, when the deep waters had been passed for ever, who can doubt that the glories of the upper world burst upon the enrap tured gaze of the poet, and that the glo rified spirit of William Cowper is now resting in the bosom of his God ? _ M. B. A. General Denominational less, —Our country has produced not a few re markable sects, but none more remarkable than the “Fullerites” or “Howlandites.” Their habitat is Connecticut, and of all the queer peo ple in that State, they ate the queerest. Ihe sect was founded some twenty years ago by Mr. Frederick T. Howland, a Quaker of New-Bed ford. After his death Mr. Leonard C. Fuller became the head of the community. Their re ligious belief in many points is said to resem ble lhat of the Adventists, but diflers from it in the vital point that the reign of Christ under the looked-for new dispensation is to be spirit ual, not personal. They eat no flesh, and live chiefly upon farnaceous food. While follow ing the apostolic plan of having all property in common, they neither many nor are given in marriage. They wear no jewelry, and dress with the utmost plainness. In short, mix Ad ventism and Quakerism together, add a dash of Shakerism, and you have the “Fuilerites” toaT. The sect numbers about twenty! —The statistical summary of ihe Presbyte rian church exhibits 705 candidates for the ministry—an increase from last year, 29 ; li censures, 159—eight less than last year ; ordi nations, 137—20 less than last year ; ministers, 4.744 an increase of 38 (53 came from, and 27 were dismissed to, other denominations, making the increase from within, 12) ; church es, 5,077 —an increase of 78; communicants, 535,210—a gain of 29,176 (48,240 were “added on examination”); “adult baptisms,’ 15,753 —a gain of 5,107 ; “infant baptisms,”—lß,9B7 —increase, 1,293. The number of licensures and ordinations, though less than last year, is above the general average for five years. The contributions reported for all purposes were J 9 810,223, a sum equal to the expendi ture, of tht United States Government sixty age- Foi the Index and itaptist. TOCCOA CITY, GKOHGIA. I have just made a most delightful visit to this bea'iitiful town. I preached twice to the people , was most cordially received,and my Seminary cause greatly aided. A more generous, kind-hearted people I have never met. Rev. P. S. Whitman, the pastor of the Baptist church here, is one of the truest and noblest of our Georgia brotherhood, and is doing a great work for Christ in that region. I was particularly im pressed with his earnestness, intelli gence, energy and whole-souled Chris tian liberality. In bis quiet and se ceded home, I spent many happy hours in the society of himself, excellent wife, and other friends. My stay with other families, and repeated invitations, all warrant the assertion that the people of Toccoa are “ given to hospitality.” In another article, some time, I wish to speak of a suggestion of brother Whitman, as to a resort for Baptist ministers in that region. I visited the beautiful Toccoa Falls, and enjoyed tbe beautiful scenery. M. B. Wharton. Correction—Dear Index : As your types have been taking liberties with my articles, will you please correct the following more im portant errors which appeared in the last num ber? The last sentence of paragraph “1” should read thus : “Not a single instance has been found where (not when) the word baptise can possibly have such a meaning i. e. pour. In paragraph ‘3” it should be “they talk cur rently of baptizing,’’ etc. In the last para graph the omission of a dash has destroyed the meaning. The sentence should be, “This pro viso, however, is an inseparable barrier—that one instance has not been found.” The last sentence in the article should read thus: “I envy not the perspicacity of the man who is unable to find immerse as the meaning oi bap tize, and yet is able to find sprinkle, or pour, or pour upon.’’ J. H. Kilpatrick. “If one subsciibes to a pastor’s salary, and is able to pay and don’t, he should be dealt with by the church for failing to make good his contract.”— Prof. J. T. Avurctt, of Va. How many of our readers would have to be dealt with, if that was the rule in this section? Baptist Reflector. How about those who subscribe to their denominational paper, and are able to pay, and don’t ? How should they be dealt with ? Speaking of Mossy Creek College, the In dex says: “Itis an excellent institution, and tuition and board are reasonably cheap.” Do you think $7 only reasonably cheap, when board at Mercer is from sl2 to S2O ? — Baptist Reflector. Brother Reflector, do you wish us to say that it is unreasonably cheap ?