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For the Index nd l*-jiptist-l '
COUMBIS ASSOCIATION.
The forty-eighth annual session of
this body was held with the church at
Shiloh, Harris county, Georgia, on the
22d, 231 and 25th oi' September 187 G.
Thirty-two churches were represented.
The body was ort-anized by electing Dr.
J. S. Searcy Moderator and John A.
Clements Clerk. Dr. VV. J. Mitchell,
the appointee, preached the Introduc
tory sermon, and, as usual, when this
young divine proclaims the truths >f
the Gospel of our blessed Master, the
congregation was enraptured, as he un
folded one truth after another, repre
senting Christ as a conqueror “mighty
to save.” Ministering brethren were
invited to seats with the body, but to
our surprise there was not one heard to
say “here am I.” We expected them,
of course, to be with us to represent
the enterprises of the great Baptist
family. It is true that we are strug
gling under a heavy financial pressure,
yet our noble enterprises must not be
neglected.
Dr. E. C. Hood offered a resolution
which was adopted, commending The
Christian Index to every Baptist
family in this Association as eminently
worthy of their patronage and support.
In support of the resolution Elder C.
C. Willis, Dr. Hood and others, made
earnest appeals in behalf of our excel
lent denominational paper.
Salem church, Meriwether county,
applied for membership, by letters
from the Western Association, and was
received, and the right hand of fellow
ship given her messengers —Elders A.
B. Norris and 11. C. Mann —by the
Moderator.
Received two ministering brethren
as correspondents, Elder A 11.l 1 . Ashurst,
from Friendship, and Elder W. H.
Richardson, from Rehoboth Associa
tion.
The missionary sermon was preached
on Sabbath at 11 o’clock by the ap
pointee, Elder S. T. Fuller, after which
a collection was taken up amounting to
$20.00. On Monday several speeches
were made advocating our Foreign,
Indiau and Associational Missions.
By request of Elder J. W. Wilson a
collection was taken up in the body for
Foreign Missions amounting to $10.60.
It was resolved that the collection on
the Sabbath be equally divided between
the Foreign and Indian Missions. Thu
body is alive to our Associational Mis
sion.
Elder G. W. Weekly, having labored
faithful'y and acceptably in our limits
for two years, it was lesolved to con
tinue him in the work, and that wo will
sustain him. The funds in the hands
of the Executive Committee are not
sufficient for this purpose, therefore,
the churches are earnestly urged to
contribute at once, in money and sup
plies, for brother Weekly. A commit
tee should bo appointed in each church
to continue collecting for this work
until our next session, reporting re
sults to Dr. Searcy as often as neces
sa,ry.
The Sunday-school work is regarded
as a very important work, and, in addi
tion to the usual Sunday school com
mittee, two Sunday-school workers in
each district were appointed to co
operate with brother Boykin. Expect
ing brother Boykin to make a tour
through our Association we desire to have
all things ready. This committee con
sists of J. T. Johnson, S. T. Fuller. W.
H. Searcy, J. A. Clements, C. C. Willis,
J. E. Appier, Otis Fuller and M. A.
McAfee.
The business of this body of Chris
tian workers was transacted in harmony
and brotherly love.
The letters from the churches do not
mention many revivals or accessions to
their numbers, yet they exhibit a heal
thy and prosperous condition of the
churches generally. God has blessed
us with peace and plenty, for which we
desire to lift our hearts in thanksgiving
and praise.
J. A. Clements, Clerk.
For the Index and Baptist.]
RKVIVAL WORK IX FLORIDA.
Banana, Fla., Sept. 11, 1876.
Dear Index. —There is a link in the
chain of our meetings in the missiona
ry field missing; you did not receive
one of my communications, under date
of August 24th. I wrote, giving the
result of the revival at Pleasant Grove,
and of our meetings at Micauopy and
Bronson, which were as follows :
At Pleasant Grove, nine wore re
ceived for baptism, and the church was
greatly revived.
At Perry School-house, five were
baptized, and wo had a meeting of
great interest.
At Micauopy, there was a meeting
continuing four days; one was convert
ed and baptized, and the writer was
compelled to go on to other appoint
ments.
At Ooriuth church, near Bronson,
Levy county, we continued a meeting,
for five days, embracing the third Sun
day in August, iu which the wtiter was
assisted by Rev. S. Sheffield ; twelve
were baptized and five received by re
storation and letter.
The Holy Spirit’s preseuce was pow
erfully manifested at all of these places
God is ready to do a mighty work in
Florida. Oil! that there were more
laborers in the Lord’s harvest here.
G. W. Hall.
For the Index and Baptist.
TWO lirSIIKKI) PEDIIBIPIIST SCHOLARS.
Dear Index— Rev. Mr. Rigby, of
Kansas, has published a book of about
100 pages, furnishing the testirnouy of
200 scholars on the subject of immer
sion. It is possible the work has not
traveled down your way ; so I send you
a note or two.
“Our Lord was filled, with sufferings
and covered with them without.” (Wes
ley.) He was baptized with the baptism
of His sufferings, bathed in blood and
plunged in death. (Hervey.) “This
metaph >r of immersion in water, as
expressive of being overwhelmed in
affliction is frequent both in Scripture
and classical authors.” (Dr. Bloom
fi Id.)
‘ The learned also have rightly re
minded us, that on account of its em
blematical meaning of baptism, the rite
of immersion ought to have been
retained in the church.’’ (Rosanmul
ler.) “Here I must acknowledge, our
Baptist brethren have the advantage;
for our Redeemer’s sufferings must not
be compared to a few drops of water
sprinkled on the face, for He was
plunged in distress and covered with
sorrows.” (Sir H. Trelawny.) “He was
plunged in the raging waters. (Dr. H.
Mellvitle.) “No scholar could, without
injury to his reputation, give thesigni
f:c it on to sprinkle to baptizo .” (Anthon.)
“The verb baptizo has oulv one signifi
cation—it literally and jerpetually
means to plunge.” (Stowrdra.) “We
should not know the meaning of Rom.
6 and Col. 2, “buried in baptism,” had
not this been the practice of the prim
itive church.” (Life of St. Paul.)
“The charge of close communion is
no more applicable to the. Baptists
than to us, in as much as church fel
lows! ip with them is determined by as
liberal principles as any other Protest
ant churches.” (Dr. Hibbard.)
“Did we bold that only believers who
have been immersed are baptized, we
should practice strict communion.”
We, as Pedobaptist, are also close com
munionists, and hope we shall never
cease to be so.” (Congregational Jour
nal.)
I would not consider a proposition to
admit an unbaptized person to com
munion, and shall I ask a Baptist to
stultify and ignore his own doctrine as
to ask one to commune with him ‘r”
(Am. Presbyterian.)
“ If I believed with the Baptists that
none are baptized but those who are
immersed on profession of faith, I
should refuse to commune with any
others.” (Dr. John Hall.)
In regard to baptism, when a student
observed to him, (Prof. Stuart,) “Rev.
Mr. B. says baptism means sprinkling
as well as immersion.’' Answered:
“He don’t know Greek.” It is, “says
Augustine,” a thing made out, viz : the
ancient practice of immersion. I know
of no one usage of ancient times, and
cannot see how any candid man can
deny it.” A. S.
Fur the Index and Baptist.|
FEE I' WASHING.
Wa i. esc a, G A., Sept. 22,1876.
Dear Index —As thee is some agi
tation on the subject of feet washing,
I desire to offer the brethren a few
thoughts through your valued columns.
Asa starting point, I will begin with
John xiii: 14, 15: “If I then, your
Lord aud Master, have washed your
feet, ye also ought wash one another’s
feet, for I have given you an example
that ye should do as I have done to
you.” Wo have the idea in the 14th
verse, “ If I have washed your feet” ye
are hound to wash one another’s feet;
and in verse 15th the language used,
“ Ye should do as I have done to you,”
implies duty or obligation to wash each
oiher’s feet. As I understand the
tiaehings of the Evangelist, im
mediately after eating the Passover
Supper, which he had long desired to
eat with His disciples, which closed all
Jewish forms and ceremonies, the
blessed Jesus instituted His own Sup
per, which His followers are to eat in
remembrance of Him till He shall come
the second time, without sin unto sal
vation.
He rose from the Supper, and laid
aside His garments aud took a towel
and girded himself, He poured water
into a basin and begau to wash the dis
ciples’ feet. Here we see Jesus gave
this example immediately after the in
stitution aud eating of His own Sup
per. Yes, says one, this was only a Jew
ish custom. Was it the custom of the
Jews to wash their guests’ feet before
or after supper ? We answer that the
Jews washed their guests’ feet prepar
atory to supper.
Again, if the Saviour had been teach
ing or keeping up the Jewish customs,
Deter being a Jew, would certainly have
known what the Saviour was doing.
But it is evident from the answer which
Jesus gave to Peter, (John xiii: 7,)
Peter did not understand what Jesus
was teaching, for Jesus answered and
said unto him, “ What I do thou know
est not now, but. thou shalt know here
atter.” It is evident from the wo'-ds
ol the Saviour to Peter, that it was
something new to Peter; the whole
matter is made plain to Peter and the
rest of the apostles iu the 14th and
15th verses already quoted. Now,
alter Jesus had arisen trom the dead,
in giving the commission to his apostles,
He tells them in express language,
(Matthew xxviii: 20,) and teaches them
to “ observe all things whatsoever I
have commanded you,” aud “10, lam
w ith you alway, even unto the end of
the world.”
We have clearly shown that Jesug
TI3E CHRISTIAN INDEX AND SOUTH-WESTERN BAPTIST
did command His apostleß to wash each
other’s feet, and if we are the servants
of Christ, we are to teach and practice
the same example in this our day. Hear
the apostle’s testimony, I. John xxiv: 6:
“He that saith he abideth in Him
ought himself also so to walk, even as
He walked.” Did he walk in the ex
ample of feet washing? He did, (I.
Peter ii: 21,) “ For even hereunto were
ye called, because Christ also suffered
for ns, leaving us an example that vp
should follow His steps.” Were His
steps followed in the example of feet
washing ? They were, (Philippians ii:
5,) “ Let this mind be in you, which
was also in Christ Jesus.” Was it in
the mind of Christ Jesus to give the
example of feet washing to His dis
ciples ? It was, and He gave the ex
ample and in positive words bade them
follow it. In duty we receive the
blessing and out of duty there is no
promise of a blessing in all of God’s
word. W. B. R.
LESSON FOB TOIINU KYANGKLIIBTB.
[concluded.]
This lesson will close all I propose to
say to you at this time. If you have
carefully considered the lesson in The
Index of the 3d August, you are pre
pared to profit by this.
When you engage with a minister or
pastor to labor with hitn for a specified
season, and the appointment is an
nounced, don’t abandon the work to go
on pleasure parties with the young
ladies, or to go hunting or fishing, how
much soever you may be solicited to
do so. Duty should always be first,
and pleasure afterwards. Be careful
not to create the impression that you
aie more intent on killing deer, or
catching fish, than saving souls.
It is best not to entangle yourself in
matrimonial engagements during your
course of study, but if you think you
must have a sweetheart, let one suffice.
Don’t pay such attentions to every nice
young lady you meet up with as to in
duce her to believe you intend to court
her. Of all flirtations the ministerial
is the most to be detested.
Should the churches or people give
you money, or make you presents, be
thankful: show a a application for
every ad of kindness, however small,
and don’t be complaining and censur
ing them as though they, and alTlhey
had, belonged to you. This will im
press their minds with the thought
that the love of greenbacks, and not
the love of souls, is the moving spring
of all your actions, and with this
thought will end all your usefulness.
Don’t enter the field of a pastor to
begin a work without his approbation,
nor in his absence without his consent.
He has rights in his field that no other
minister can have. Should
the field of a past or) be caref uaßPfcotfi
suit him in reference to every step vou
take; consult him as to the spiritual
wants of his people, and ask his advice
as to what kind of a sermon you should
preach. You would do well, as many a
young man before you has done, to
submit to him your plan, and ask ad
vice or court criticism. If you have
been to the Seminary, you will find
many a country or village pastor) that
can teach you lessons, which, if heeded,
will do you good all the days ot your
life. Never attempt to “boss it” over
the pastor. The term or expression
“boss it” is not very classical or cleri
cal, but just such expressions as are
sometimes used by theological stu
dents.
In this connection, discountenance all
slang phrases,such as are common among
boat hard f and hirelings about livery
stables. Let your language be chaste
in the pulpit, and out of it, remember
ing that you are alike responsible for
maintaining the digtii.y of our calling.
Be careful to comply with all your
engagements. If a good brother or
sister invites you to dine or to tea, and
you promise to comply, don’t disap
point them. Don’t have a good sister
to prepare even two good dinners for
you during one protracted meeting
aud wholly disappoint her. To say
that you forget the invitation is only to
add insult to neglect. It shows vou
did not care enough about the person
to remember the invitation. Such
negligence of promises will soon forfeit
all confidence the people have in you
for veracity.
Tho most important caution I can
give you is to be economical in your
expenditures. The times are hard,
and many of you are poor, and you are
dependant upon a hard pressed' people
for the means to purchase your clothes,
pay your board and defray your travel
ing expenses. Don’t waste the money
the poor hut good people give you upon
luxuries aud ornaments they them
selves dare not enjoy. Don’t spend
twelve dollars for a fine pair of “gaiter
boots,” then spoil them by wading in
the mud, fishing. Don’t spend seventy
five dollars a year for tobacco and
cigars, and then complaim of the illib
erality of the churches towards the
rising min's ry. In a word, you must
learn to exercise self-denial and not
gratify all your desires, simply because
you have the means of so doing.
all things in the world, eschew
vanity. Vanity is manifested often by
the young aspirant for clerical honors
asking the people what they think of
his sermons. This not only betrays
vanity, but it is often an embarrassing
question. People feel a delicacy in
giving a candid answer. It frequently
crops out in searching the columns of
the local newspaper for compliments,
aud too often looms up in announcing
your arrival in the cities through the
daily papers, and too often by asking
the reporters for a “puff." News
paper representations of ministerial
excellencies are very unreliable, as
deponent knoweth to his own sorrow.
He could tell you some things about
these newspaper-manufactured preach
ers that would surprise, pain and dis
gust you.
And lastly, avoid levity. A moderate
degree of mirthfulness, at the proper
time, or place, or occasion, is not only
an evidence of good spirits, but begets
sprightliness oi feeling, and is promo
tive of healthfulness of mind and body,
but this excessive levity, manifes ed
almost always, except in the pulpit,
that which dissipates all seriousness
from every circle you enter, is certainly
unbecoming ministerial deportment.
I once knew an able minister con
eeming whom it was said, on account
of his levity, that when he was in the
pulpit he ought never to come out of
it, and when he was out of it, he ought
never to enter it. If, in the Uys of
your uuregeneracy you were a drunk
ard, a gambler, or a clown, now that
you have entered the ministry, you
should not make a “Merry Andrew”
of yourself all your life. Remember,
we read that Jesus wept more than
once. We never read of His partici
pating in a single act of levity or
mirthfulness. The apostles went forth
from house to house with tears, warn
ing and entreating all to embrace the
Saviour of sinners.
Lot your conversation be such as
becometh the Gospel of Christ. So
you may make full proof of your min
istry, and finish your course with joy,
is the prayer o your
Elder Brother.
Special Contributions.
Woman Not Wanted as an Evangelist In Oar
Chorehes. —V
“The church of the living God was
made the pillar and ground of the
truth and the great “Head of the
Church” declared that “the gates of
hell should not prevail against it.”
From the hour when He who “has all
power in Heaven and upon earth,” ut
tered that which was not merely a
prophecy, hut a positive decree, the
uninterrupted existence of that church,
through all coming time, was fully as
sured. No matter what changes should
take place in human affairs, what ter
rible convulsions should shake the po
litical communities of the world from
centre to ciicumference, that divinely
appointed pillar s iould never totter to
its fall; that chosen ground, or stay,
should never be removed from its
place. If, for only one fleeting hour
the life of that church has been sus
pended, then for once in the history of
the universe, the word of Him “who
cannot lie” has been falsified, the
“weapon formed against Zion has
prospered“the gates of hell have
prevailed her, and the most positively
promised perpetual presence of her
lvmg has been withdrawn.” During
that awful hour, thero was no church,
no truth upon the earth. Who can
believe that she whose “life is hid with
Christ in God,” and to whom it has
beeu said : “Because I live, you shall
live also,” could die even for a single
moment ?
Again, she was made the sole and
special depository of the truth—that
truth which was “the desire of all na
tions,” “buried in darkness and the
shadow of death.” When her risen
Lord said to His apostles: “Go ye into
ail *he world, and preach the Gospel to
every creatuie, teaching them to ob
serve all things whatsoever I have
commanded you;” the “all things
commanded" embraced “the truth, the
whole truth, and nothing but the
truth.” That which He had entrusted
to her, she was commissioned and
commanded to give without the slight
est addition or diminution, to a race
dying for its enlightening, sanctifying
and saving power. Is it not evident
that she can justly claim to be the
faithful spouse of Christ, only so long
as she htrself observes all things what
soever He commanded, however unes
sential they may appear? And is it
not evident that as soon as she with
holds from men the pure, simple truth,
or modifies it by the admixture of hu
man notions, or nullifies it by substi
tuting for it some doctrine of her own,
j ust so so soon does she cease to be th“
church, the bride of Christ. In that
hour, her dishonored Lord, her desert
ed Head and Husband, could say to the
miserable apostate as He will say in
the judgmeut to those who will claim
His favor, because they prophesied aud
did many wonderful works in His
name: “Depart from me ye that work
iniquity."
From the great commission and the
accompanying promise of Christ’s un
ceasing presence, we learn that the
church is the depository and the dis
penser of the truth, and that she can
claim and enjoy the presence of Jesus,
just so long as she preaches aud prac
tices that truth alone. To preach any
other Gospel, draws down the anathe
ma of the apostles, to make void the
liw-sof God by the traditions of the
elders, or the commandments of men,
draws downjthe curse of Heaven. Any
one not willfully blind, must see that
that church must have existed uninter
ruptedly from the days of Jesus, until
now, that it must be in existence now,
and that body ofj believers alone can
be regarded as that church who ob
serve “all things,” all the truth which
Christ commanded. In every properly
constituted Baptist church, we see j nst
such a body, we therefore recognize it,
and call it a church of Christ.
We claim not only that the Baptists
are now “keeping the ordinances as
they were delivered” by ihe Apostles,
but that they have also preached and
illustrated the doctrines of the Gospel
from the times of the apostles through
every succeeding age. It matters not
that history has not inscribed their
aam-upou the record of each particu
lar century of the Christian dispensa
tions. It is not names that we are
looking for; it is creeds and confessors.
Names are arbitrary things. They, too,
often originate in pride, capnoe, or
etrity. Tell us what a man believes,
and we know what he is. As we search
the records of the intervening ages, be
tween the days of John the forerunner,
and oar own, we meet with confessors
of Christ, under very different and con
stantly varying names, whose religious
belief and practice exactly agree with
those of Baptist churches. Did it affect
their Christian character, their relation
to Christ, their identity with the Bap
tists of to-day, that they were called
Anabaptists, Paternines, Waldens“B,
Abigenses, Petroburssians, Lollards, or
anything else? By no means. The
rose by any other name, is still a rose,
and is just as sweet. So the Baptist is
a Baptist under any other name. We,
therefore, regard ourselves as one with
those noble “witnesses of the truth”
through the dark ages of apostacy. We
regard ourselves as their successors,
and them as the only successors, of
those churches, who were the only de
positories of the truth and who, conse
quently, were the true successors of the
apostles themselves.
Many reject this and laugh at it as
a vain assumption; many really think,
and many who are better informed,
wish to believe that the Baptists like
themselves, are but of yesterday, and
owe their origin to the lust of a bestial
king, to the restiveness of a Romish
monk, or to the ambition of a Papal
priest. Not so, however, have thought
s ime of the ablest writers of what has
been called Church History. These
men have carefully weighed the claim
of the Baptists that they agree in their
principles and their practices with the
pure worshipers of God, the consistent
confessors of Jesus, and the enemies of
all false doctrines, and heresies in every
period of the Christian dispensation,
and have found and declared it valid 1
Mosheim says that “When the Mennon
ites —Dutch Baptists—assert that they
are the descendants of the Waldenses,
Petroburssians, and other ancient sects,
who are usually considered the witnes
ses of the truth in the times of univer
sal daikness, they are not entirely mis
taken ; for before Luther and Calvin,
there lay concealed in almost all the
countries of Europe, many persons who
adhered tenaciously, to the doctrines of
the Dutch Baptists.” Again, he says
“The origin of the Waldensian heresy
is hidden in the depths of antiquity.”
Aueas Silviu, afterwards one of the
Popes, declares that “there never was a
period in the history of the Romish
Church, when the Waldensian heresy
did not exist.” Last of all, Drs. Ypeig
and two learned Professors,
appointed by the King of Holland, to
examine the claim of the Baptists, that
they were the true Church of Christ,
declare that their churches are tne only
religious communities that have existed
since the apostles, and which have
preserved pure the doctrines of the
Gospel in all ages. “Now, as the Bap.
tists. according to history, are the only
religious communities that have existed
since the apostles and which have pre
served pure the doctrines of the Gospel
in all ages,” they are the Church of
Christ. The term churches then—
means Baptist churches. But when we
say our churches, we do not mean all
the churches of our “faith and order”
but only those of our own country.
These, we contend, have no need of wo
man as an evangelist.
Religious societies and eclesiastical
councils, who presume to declare the
plainest requirements of the Gospel,
essrntial or not, as suits their preju
dices and their preference, mav feel
themselves at liberty to emplov any in
strumentality they’may fancy, to ac
complish their ends, declaring that
“the end justifies the means.” Thev
may use the influence, the weaknesses,
the vices aud the passions of men no.
toriousl? corrupt, wealth known to
have been won by fraud, injustice, or
peculation, and names that stink in
the public nostrils by reason of crimes,
too dark and too foul to be mentioned,
aud they may achieve great and bril
liant successes, may increase their
numbers, their influence, and their
reputatiou, aud may win the applause
of the world at large, and the approba
tion of their own consciences. This
has beeu done again and again by that
apostate church, which for hundreds
ot years held the firmest grasp upon
“the key of knowledge.” Kept sleep
less watch at its magnificent portal,
high and wide enough to admit the
whole race of Adam, but “which neith
er entered herself nor suffered those
to en'er that would.” How often,
throughout her sin-stained history, Las'
Papal Rome employed the most wicked
agents to accomplish her most wicked
ends! How often have the various
orders of a corrupt hiearchy lent
themselves to ambitious and sen
sual rings, to secure for them
the gratification of their unhal
lowed ambition, or their more unhal
lowed lust. Who but regrets to
know that Cranmer, too generally, but
erroneously, regarded asja noble Chris
tian martyr, had his judgment and his
conscience at the bidding of Henry
VIII, one of the most libidinous and
cruel monsters that ever wore a crown ?
Who but is grieved beyond measure to
see the subservient prelate pass so
readily yet so smoothly, like a pendu
lum, from one extreme to its opposite ?
“He promotes the marriage of Anne
Boleyn with the king. On a frivolous
pretenee, he pronounced it null and
void.” He conformed backwards and
forward as the king changed his mind.”
As the historian says, “Worldlness
was the tool of zeal—zeal was the tool
of worldliness.”
Many are surprised at the excessive
wickedness of the cherished schemes of
those politico-religious organizations
whose gigantic proportions overshad
owed all other cotemporary institutions
anl at the corresdondingly corrupt
character of the agencies they used in
oarrying out those schemes. They
ask : How could these things be ? How
is it that in all the unholy alliances of
the religious with the political, the re
ligious always played a subordinate
part ?
But when they learn the origin of
these organizations and detect the
lurking, but potent spirit that animated
and ruled them, their surprise imme
diately dies away. The mother of them
all is Papal Rome, “ the man of sin, the
son of perdition, who opposeth and ex
alteth himself above all that is called
God, or that is worshiped, so that he,
as God sitteth in the temple of God,
showing himself that he is God.” Now,
this is the argument she uses in her
justification, and idiocy itself can see,
that if we grant her premises, we will
give her a sphere of inconceivable lati
tude, when she may not only concoct
the wickedest schemes, but where she
may employ in willing subserviency for
their accomplishment, sinners of every
grade —outcasts, infidels and repro
bates, “ the devil and his angels.”
Whoever is infallible cannot err. I
am infallible—being the vicar of Jesus
Christ —therefore, I cannot err. Under
the guidance of that infallibility, I
choose certain ends and certain means
for securing them; therefore, those
ends and means are all right and proper.
We would not stop for a single mo
ment to show the absurdity, the crimi
nalty, the blasphemy of such a claim.
But there are millions, who are so de
luded, who are “ led so completely cap.
tive by the devil at his will," that they
admit its validity and yield themselves
soul, mind and body to the ruinous
control of Rome.
From this apostate church hierarch
ies, ecclesiastical establishments, moral
societies and religious organizations
have come forth either directly or indi
rectly from the time of Martin Luther.
These have been more or less animated
by the same spirit that has prompted
her from the days of Constantine until
new, to “ make void the law of God.”
Assenbled in the name of Christ, they
have either adopted the Romish substi
tute for a divine ordinance, or have
created a substitute themselves. This
they have done in defiance of this fear
ful declaration : “ If any man add unto
the things in this book, God shall add
unto him the plagues that are written in
this book; and if any man take away
from the words of the book of this
prophecy, God shall take away his part
out of the Book of Life, and out of the
Holy City, and from the things which
are written in this book. ’ They who
have ventured to act thus in the pres
ence of the “ bearer of the key of Da
vid who open“th and no man shutet’n
and shuteth and no man openeth,” will
dare to use any agency in accomplish
ing what they regard as their special
mission. Nor shall we utter a word in
opposition to their courte, because that
course is in harmony with the antisub
mission spirit that seems to control
them. In the estimation of men, the
less is overshadowed by the greater. If
one man murders and then robs another,
how insignificant does the robbery ap
pear in view of the murder. So it is
in reference to the conduct of all those
religious bodies who substituted the
human for the divine. By the side of
the presumptuous sin of changing a
divine ordinance, the employment of
some unwomanly evangelist, looks like
a very little thing. When Papal Rome
decreed pouring to be baptism instead
of immersion, the creature Set herself
against and above her Creator. Wbat
more could she do ? What darker
treason could she commit? Other sins
she has perpetrated that looked pre
sumptuous, until compared with this.
In the light of that comparison, they
seemed almost excusable. Well would
it have been for the world, if the spirit
that animated her had been confined
within her own bounds! But it has
passed beyond those bounds and has
manifested itself in every child that
has. sprung from her prolific womb.
It is natural for children to resemble
their parents in form, speech, action
and sentiment. We ask Rvtne why she
employs improper means to gain her
ei ds? She replies that the end justifies
the means. We ask those who are call
ing woman from her legitimate home
sphere, to strut upon the rostrum as a
public teacher, to swell their numbers
aud to increase their influence, why they
act thus ? They answer that the results
secured justify their course ; that the
Conversion of hundreds by her preach
ing, sets the seal of divine approbation
upon her employment as an evangelist.
This answer assumes what never has
been proved—that God always sanc
tions the successful cause. With the
volume of the world’s history before
our eyes, we cannot admit this.