The Christian index. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1872-1881, November 15, 1877, Page 2, Image 2

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2 a o © : omßpo3i*nte. Tor tb In lux and Baptist.l A Heritor f Hie Di-mssion Between t!ie Reli gions Herald ami tUe Misii ppl Reeord, (in the of >n MHllatimi In ihe services of the Pulpit of Baptist with Peilobaptist VHnls t*rs, with spetlal Reference to the Argument ofilie Herald, as Contained in the Discussion. NO. 11. Brother Gambrell having laid down the font-stated “postulates,” ns admit ted Baptist principles, proceeds to ap ply them tu the question in discussion. “We argue,” h says, “that Baptists ought not, to ;iiti!iate with ministers of Pedobaptist churches by an exchange of pulpits, because, to do so is to recog* nize them as New Testament ministers, while, in truth, Baptists being judges, tLey ate not.” ‘‘From this statement,” says Dr. Je ter, “we dissent.” Without discussing, for the present, the truth of brot her Gambrell’s allega tion, or Dr. Jeter’s denial, that Bap tists, in affiliating with Pedobaptist ministers, recognize them as ministers of the New Testament, wc call particu lar attention to the fact that, according to the admission of Dr. Jeter, Baptists, by this act of affiliation, receive into their pulpits, in the character of Chris tian proachets, men who are not “New Testament ministers.” What authori ty, we ask, have they for such a pro ceeding!' After admitting that, “in the churches established by Christ, the ministry was a body of men in the churches, never out of thorn, called of God to preach the gospel, and solemnly set apart to that work by authority of the churches,” what right has any man or any church to receive, in the charac ter of Christian ministers, men who are not, and never have been, and never in tend to be members of a church, and who, of course, have never been “set apart” by the “authority" of any church “to the work of preaching the gospel?” What right have they to admit into their ministerial fellowship, and co-operate with them as ministers of the gospel, men whose character as “New Testament ministers” ihev deny? Who gave them this right ? Whence have they derived it? Confessedly, not from th church ; and wo do no* sup pose it ' ill be pretended that it is from immediate revelation. Its source, like the end of the rainbow, will, we pre sume, be difficult to find. Dr. Jeter admits that “Pedobaptist ministers were not seviptmally,” and if not Seripturally, of eon se not lawfully “inducted into their office.” But, be sides that, this statement contains an admission—contrary to what Dr. Jeter elsewhere affirms—that Pedobaptist ministers are official preachers (error needs to be Argus-eyed), besides this, au unlawful induction “into office” is no indication ; and, therefore, as we have elsewhere said, their preaching is not so properly denominated unofficial | as unlawful. Would the validity of the acta of any public Agent admit- / ted, who had confessedly bceU inducted! into office contrary to law? and would not he who depended upon the validity of such acts he deceived, and he lia ble to loss or penalty, according to the nature and extent of his false confi dence? and ought Baptist ministers to become responsible, or have they a right to do so, for the conduct of men who unlawfully assume to themselves * service, for the performance of which a class of men have, under the direc tion of Christ, been “solemnly set apart bv authority of the churches ?’’ What authority has a church, 0~, of course, her ministers, to receive men, and still more, women, who come to them claim ing to be ministers of the gospel, whose ministry is destitute of the seal f Christ, stamped upon it by the ex eeulive authority of the church? To us it seems that, the only answer of which this question admits is: They have no authority. It is to no purpose to say that the seal of Christ is upon the ministry of Pedobaptists, in their converts. It should be remembered, though so often forgotten, that the question in discus sion is an ecclesiastical, and not a spir itual one ; one that, relates to the gov ernment and discipline of the church, as ordained by Christ, and the rights of ministers of the gospel ; and affilia tionists admit that Pedobaptist minis ters are not authorized by the church to preach. M< reover, it is the design of a seal to authenticate a light prior,and not subsequent, to the attainment, of the benefit, which is the subject, of the right. The existence of the right must pre cede its exercise. It would he an an omalous kind of seal which should eonfer a benefit after it had been al ready obtained; or convoy to a man what was already his own ; or, l>y vir tue of which, to do an act constituted the right to do it; so that the right to do the act would not exist until the act was done. If, then, the seal upon the ministry of Pedobaptists is ou their converts, where was its seal before their son veils existed? and, if, previously, their ministry was destitute of the seal of Christ, where was their authority for assuming tho character of Chris tian ministers ? or, of course, the au thority of Baptist ministers or churches to receive them in that character? The right to preach belonging to a Baptist minister is not derived from Synod, Assembly, Conference, Conven tion, Archbishop or Pope j or fr mu natural or civil law; nor is au alleged right to preach, which is derived from any of these sources, cognizable in a Baptist church. It is a right foreign, and, indeed, repugnant to its polity. The right of a Baptist minister to preach the gospel, as has been ad mitted by Dr. Jeter, is derived from a Baptist church ; and this right is limited bv the design and nature of the act of ordination in which it is conferred. As it is not the design of a church, in or daining one of her members to tne ministry, to coufer upon him aright to preach doctrine contrary to her own, as little can it be supposed that she intends to confer upon him a right to fraternize in the services of the pulpit with men who do preach such doctrine, and thus commit the suicidal act of issuing from her own bosom au agent to encourage and strengthen her enemies in their opposition to her principles and pro gress. If a Baptist should fraternize in the pulpit with a Unitarian minister, he would, undoubtedly, for such disorder, be excommunicated from the church; and the reason would be that he asso ciated with him, in his ministry, a man who would not be admitted into the ministry in a Baptist church. But, in fraternizing with Pedobaptist minis t-rs, does he not do the same thing ? We do not mean to compare, in point of heterodoxy, the Pedobaptist and the Unitarian ministry. We utterly disa vow all such intention. But the princi ple that a Baptist minister violates his obligation to his church, in exchanging pulpits with ministers holding doctrine which would prevent their admission into the ministry, or even the member ship of a Baptist church, is as appli cable to his fraternization with minis ters of Pedobaptist, as with those of Unitarian churches. With the foregoing explanations and statements the question in discussion assumes the following form: Is it right for Baptist ministers to receive into their pulpits, in the char acter of Christian ministers, men who, confessedly, are not New Testament ministers; who hold doctrine which would prevent their admission inlo the ministry in a Baptist church; and, for holding which, Baptist ministers them selves, would be deposed from the mins istry, and excommunicated from the church? W. 11. J. Oxford, N. C, Ifci tin) Imlei nu<lliit(>U*l.] Further Notice of Dr. Campbell’s Article. Last, week I combatted the idea that the Sunday-school is responsible for the absence of children from the preaching service of the church ; and I said that tho fault might be fairly at tributed to other causes, namely : preaching,unsuitable and uninteresting to children ; and the lack of proper efforts, on the part of the parents and the friends of the young, to secure their attendance upon preaching. 1 am willing to leave the decision, as to wheth er or not I am correct, to the fair and unbiased judgment of church- members, i and to actual facts, as they exist in ' some Sunday-schools, such as that at Gainesville And others that I might name, where'most of the children attend preaching. This is a subject upon which I would be re joieed to give full liberty to my pen ; for the question, “how shall the pulpit reach the young ?” is an important one. This, however, is not the connection in which to discuss that, subject, so l will dismiss it by saying that Dr. Tyngand Dr. Newton, both successful preachers to the young, found special services for their benefit most advantageous. It is unfair to find fault with the young, for not attending services spe cially devoted to the edification of the old. Brother Campbell would object to being censured, withother Christians, for not regularly attending meetings for politicians or scientists, Before turning my attention to some things I wish to notice, in his article, I would like a candid answer, from my reader to this question; in two churches, where the preaching, and the efforts to induce children t* attend preaching, are exactly on a par, will there be a larger attendance of the young upon the ministrations of the pulpit, in the church which has a Sun day school, or, in the one which has no Sunday-school? I predict that the answer*will be— where there is a school ; which is a verdict in favor of Sunday schools promoting attendance of the cLildreu upon the preaching of the gospel. Brother Campbell says: “The in struction given in Sunday-schools is not preaching.” What it preaching, pray? 111 my opinion, true preaching is teaching the truths of the Gospel. Such, I opine, was Paul’s preaching, when he sat down by the riverside, where prayer was wont to be made, and spake unto the women who resorted thither ; and it was that kind of preaching which led to the con version .of Lydia. Now, I conceive Sunday-school teaching to be just such preaching as t hat preaching that teach es the Gospel to the young; preaching that leads the young to Jesus, and which seeks to induce them to believe on Hun. Can the pulpit do better preaching? Brother Campbell can hear good Gospel preaching every Sunday morning iu the Sunday-school of the First Baptist church, at Macon; and I can tell him that the Sunday school in Macon tends to attract the children to preaching, instead of driv ing them from it, and, furthermore, that some of our scholars have been converted through the ageucy of our Sunday-school alone. And this brings me to a statement I feel compelled to make, viz: I fear THE CHRISTIAN INDEXtoD SOUTH-WESTERN BAPTIST. brother Campbell, like many others, entertains an incorrect idea of the rela tion a Sunday-school bears to the church to which it belongs. I hazard this assertion, in his case, and if I am wrong, I hope he will forgive me. The churches are established for the pros mulgatioq of the Gospel; this is tbAr great, but not sole, end and design; and the Sunday-school is simply an agency which a church employs for the promulgation of the Gospel among the young. It is not an organization out side of, and independent of, The churches, as Young Mens’ Christian Associations, and Temperance societies are. It is a large committee of church members at work —at church work— by instruction of, and under the guidance of, a church. Asa general thing, this is true among our churches; arid it is what we Sunday-school men are trying to effect in all our churches. Now. I hold, for the church or the pastor to. be jealous of the Sundav-school, is tße same ns to be jealous of the prayer meeting; for both are properly ehtrfeh meetings, but different from hhe preaching services, of course. In this point of view, then, away ~ith the prejudicial croak that the Sunday school is, by Sunday-school men, made the child's chutcli, that the Sunday school child may bo excused from the regular church services I The Sunday, day-schr ol is a church service held for the benefit of the young, by the consent, and authority of the church : it is the church teaching the Gospel to the young, in obedience to the great Gwn missioner. For the time being,_aed “as far as it goes," the Sunday-school is the child's church / Why? Because the exercises of the Sunday-school is an endeavor, under the auspices of the church, to preach the Gospel to the young, in a manner suited to their ca pacity. Brother Campbell, this is the true idea of the Sunday-school 1 And, I hold, that if the exercises of the Sun day-school have been truly faithful, in a Gospel point of view, the large hum her who are incapable of appreciating the pulpit ministrations for adults, are, in a manner excusable for non-attend ance upon them, as a general thing. Still, my dear and venerated brother, I heartily concur in the idea that it is very desirable to secure the attendance of the young upon the regular serviced of the pulpit. The very fact, That, preaching is intended to effect the salvation of their souls, is reastn suffi cient to desire that eonsumin ition ; and T am thoroughly convinced that every lair and legitimate means should be employed to secure the attendance of the young upon regular pulpit minis trations. I agree with you, sincerely, that “he will perform au important s* rvice for the young and for the cause of Christ,” who secures this “consum mation so devoutly to bo wished;” but I do most respectfully, but firmly dis sent, when you say that, if this end cannot be secured, “it is doubtjkil whether, in the long r,un, SumH| schools will prove *to be a curse.” M v good brother, we find theSundiiy sehool becoming every day more and more of a blessing malgre the “evil" of which you complain ; we derive most of our church members from the Sunday school ; and wo find these more intelli gent, liberal and pious, because of their membership in the Sunday-school. Many children are converted by means of the Sunday-school. Now, shall the Sunday, school be condemned, and denounced as a “cv.rse,” because ade. quato means and measures are not adopted for securing the attendance of tho Sunday-school scholars upon preaching services ? My good brother, please reconsider this whole matter, and see if you went not too far in ex— citing prejudice against, this great wort, because of au “evil” for which it is not to be legitimately censured or held responsible. S. Botkin. Macon, Ga. For the Iml ox and Baptist, | A LI IK WORTHY OF IMITATION. For the past ten years the body of Ella Downing has been sleepintr beneath the mossy sod in t.heehureh-yard of—, yet the infiueuce for good, which she exerted, is still living; her memory is enshrined in the hearts of her many friends. She was an active, zealous, young Christian, whose daily life was a commendation of the religion of Jesus. The Scriptural injunction, “be ye doers of the Word,” was indelibly impressed on her mind. To the command, “Go work to-day in my vineyard,” cheerful obedience was rendered. Iu early child hood she was carefully taught, (as every child should be,) the divine na ture of the work of missions. After her conversion, her spirit was often all aglow with zeal for this cause. She seemed to realize the importance of every Christian, whether ol.i or young, being interested in a work which lies *0 near the Saviour's heart as does the mission enterprise. Her heart-like that of the sainted Harriet Newell wheu a girl, “ burned for the heathen,” and like her, she longed for the time to come when she could go in person to tell the “old, old story, of Jesus and His love,” to those to whom it would seem new. Her iuterest and zeal in working for the Missionary Society of her church were worthy of being imitated by many Christians of riper years. Her gifts to the Society were usually earned by her own exertions and always accompanied by her prayers. Her motto was, “I will not live to myself but to Him who died for me.” Grand and glorious motto! The hope fondly cherished by her i,hat when of proper age and fully qual ified to be a missionary, the remainder of her life should be spent in working for the elevation and salvation of the heathen women of Btirmah, was never j realized. She was not even permitted, as were Mrs. Harriet Newell and Mrs. Dr, James, to embark for a foreign fi -Id with bright anticipations of usefulness; but, she was, like them prevented by death from ever leading a heathen soul to Jesus. In the spri-g time of life, in the freshness of youth, while the sweet bloom of girlhood still lingered on her face, she passed way. Tne pol ished jewel was early removed from earth to the courts of Heaven, there to shine forever. About an hour previous to her death, she greatly surprised the loved ones surrounding her bedside, by asking her father the following ques tion : “ How much does it cost you to support me one year ?” Strange ques tion to ask by one who was already on the “border land,” just without the Ce lestial Gate, in hearing of the anthems of the heavenly songsters ! It was not, however, the question of a mind bereft of reason or consciousness, but it was one prompted by love for the cause of Christ, and the realization of the fact that life was fast ebbing away, and that the last golden opportunity of doing good would soon be forever gone. When, told that her yearly expenses wore about two hundred dollars, she looked up pleadingly into the face of her father, and said: “Papa, please promise me that as long as you live, you will give that amount each year to missions.” The promise was cheerfully made, and sealed with a fond kiss. The sweet expression of Heaven sent peace which then illumined her face was an index of the joy and gratitude of her heart. Angels were, doubtless, hovering around that, couch of death-interested specta tors of what was transpiring. Ju-t before the last pulsation of life bad ceased, she calmly said, “My work is done. Angels are waiting to bear me home; my Heavenly home; I hear the music of the Heavenly uarpers.” Yes, dear Ella’s life-work was then complete, and the full record of it placed in the archives of Heaven, to await the day of final account. When her hippy spirit bad left the body and was borne on the “snowy wings” of the angel-band to her “ immortal home,” I am sure she received from the Saviour the plaudit, “ Well done good and faithful servant." In the last gre it day, when the ran somed of all ages and nations shall be assembled before the great white throne, Jesus pointing to some of the white robed throng, will say to Ella in words far sweeter than music, “ Hero are your golden sheaves, the fruit of your love and devotion to my cause ; your gift.-, .your prayers, your dying request were all blest of me to their salvation. It is for these that so many stars bedeck the crown whi"h encircles Joilr brow.-* Ytm' have gloriously Woix the victor's jeweled crown.” When the toils of lite are over and we ace all safe in the “ home over there," who of is, my Christian readers, would not rejoice to wear, and cast at our Saviour’s feet such a crown as Ella Downing's ? “ Such our happy reward shall be, if such our deeds shall be.” Mrs. N. A B. Qnitman, October 25. For the Inti ox and Baptist. SKIMMINjS, MISSIONARY AM) liKNKRW, CAUSE AND EFFECT. One of the missionaries of the Home Mission Board in Florida says: “ I find that a good many of the pastors have but little of the mission spirit themselves, and, of course, their churches have not.” The “of course ” in the above sentence is correct. The responsibility of pastors !! A MISTAKE AND —WHAT? Really sorry the name of Mrs. Jau don was made Jandon by your types, for “u” takes no more space than “n,” and I wrote it properly, of course. Then, too, to put the poetical quota tion in prose was a mistake, or some thing, I don’t exactly kuow what to call it. SOMETHING TOO GOOD TO KEEP A SECRET. A distinguished paster of a city church, in a Southern State, recently, on a Sunday morning, took for his text the words: “ Will a man rob God ? Yet ye have robbed me,” and said : Brethren, will you please excuse me?” and that was the sermon. A complete failure! Reader, draw your ewu in ferences. I heard it suggested that the failure of the sermon was taken as a hint by the deacons, and was success ful in getting up “ back dues ” of the salary of the pastor. If tho above is doubted, l can give references. TENNESSEE STATE CONVENTION. The unified Statu Convention, com posed of delegates from the three natural, geographical divisions of the State, held its last sessiou at Chatta uooga, commencing Friday before the fourth Sabbath in October. Dr. W. A. Nelson, of Edgefield, President, Dr. J. 11. Boruui, Secretary—good selec tion of officers. Not quite enough dignity in the body, but plenty of harmony. Education and State Mis sions the most engrossing subjects. Dr. Boyce was present, and made two speeches. I never heard him make a poor speech, nor did I ever hear him make a better one, perhaps, than on this occasion in favor of the beneficiary system, in aiding young men who need help in preparing for the ministry. He completely demolished the idea, that it destroyed a young man’s manhood, to aid him, as a beneficiary. The salary of Secretary of State Board—Dr. Montgomery—was nearly raised in a missionary meeting held Saturday night. Speeches were numerous and various, during which were displays of logic and lore, wit and wisdom, of appeals personal, and pathetic, and one of the best of the evening was made by Dr. N. B. (may mean, Not Bad) Goforth, who, on this occasion, came forth, and explained that he did not approve of the effort being made, because wrong in principle. He wanted to contribute his funds unspecified —put it in the treasury and let it be drawn out, for whatever was necessary. Let it be borne in mind, to understand Dr. G.’s position, that the effort was to se cure the Secretary’s salary, so that the contributors would know when heap, pealed for money, that it would go U missionaries, and not to the Secretary. Dr. G. thought the Secretary was missionary too, etc. Major, and agent G. G. Connor was the business man of the body. The attendance was good, quite good for a young Convention, with considerable talent,, and it was well cared for, and meets next year at Shelby vile, in Middle Tennessee. BETHEL ASSOCIATION. The Bethel Association is the last one that meets in Georgia in the year, and the session for 1877 was held at Enon church, near Hatcher’s Station, on the Southwestern Railroad, Novem ber 3d and 4th. It met, in a hurry, on Friday, did the business in a hurry, and adjourned in a hurry Saturday evening T. C. Boykin says lots of good things, but one of the best I ever beard him say was to tell a brother that he “felt, during the whole session, like he was going to the cars, and was afraid of being left. ’ But it will be better next year, may be, as the body will meet Thursday, and with Rehoboth church, near Ward’s Station, South western Railroad. Dr. Battle was present on Friday, and made a good speech for Mercer University. The State Board was rep resented by brethren Wood and Bov kin, Boreign Mission Board by brother Irwin, and Home Board by Chaudoin, Index by Boykin, Old Ministers’ Board by W. H. Cooper. Bishop T. Muse was re-elected moderator, and brother Mitchell <>lerb—good officers. The financial showing was as good as last year, considering the drouth in the sec tion covered by the Association. Near ly all the churches had bad accessions, and a goodly number reported consid erable numbers baptized. PERSONALS AND PARTICULARS. This “tramp” would be ungrateful— meanly so—not to mention special at tentions from those noble Georgia fam ilies of Shi (i and MitKenny, in Chat tanooga, and by Peak and family, Tenuesgcan.s,—not Excelled by any. Also, Hatcher, Hyd* and Dozier, Wt the Bethel Association—t.he last named a good Metuodist brother, but he knows how to ink j care of Baptists, and I love h' m - Uncle Shad. Vw tii Tniex and Baptist.| Minday— cliool Work in the “toatral.” Our Association, at its last session, authorized the formation of a Sunday school Convention, in the Association, and appointed the following officers : President, S. A. Burney; First Vice- President, W. Newton ; Second Vice- President, N. Coates ; Third Vice Pre sident, A. H. Marshall; Secretary and Treasurer, S. Boykin ; Executive Cora mittee : S. A. Burney, W. B. Crawford, J. B. Chiles, R. H. Harris, A. W. At kinson, all of whom accepted the positions assigned them. It was, also, agreed that a Sabbath school Conven tion be held in connection with each District meeting, and that a pro gramme of subjects, with speakers, appear in The Index, to allow ap pointees ample time for preparation. The first Convention was held at Blountsville, on Thursday before the fifth Sunday in September, and was a pleasant and profitable occasion. The next will be held with the Carmel church, on Thursday before the fifth Sunday in March, just before the sec ond General meeting. But the President of the Conven tion will, most probably, arrange for Institutes in the meantime, wherever the brethren may request them to be held. The object of this Sunday-school Convention, within our Association, is to promote the Sunday school work; and the very fir-M thing to be done is to form a Sunday-school in each church of our Association, which has no Sunday-school. About one-halt of our churches reported schools, and although some of the rest may have them, yet we do not positively know it. I shall be glad to hear from every church that has no school, in order that steps may be taken to have them organized. Fifteen churches with a membership of 1,358, reported schools, with 804 scholars in them ; and this indicates that a fewer number of scholars than one half the member ship of our churches, are in our Sun day-schools. This is not one-half as well as we should be doing. I refer all our Sunday-school work ers to “Friendly Suggestions,” an admirable little directory for the Sun day school work, published by our State Sunday-school Evangelist, for io cents. Send io cents to Rev. T. C. Boykin, Atlanta, and you will re ceive a copy by mail. Any advice or information, in regard to Sunday school papers and books, I will f>e happy to give, if addressed by mail. In the meantime I refer all our schools and churches to the following, adopt ed by our Association, at Madison : Besotted, That we earnestly recommend every Sabbaih-scohol In our bounds to sub scribe for a sufficient number of Kind Words to supply each family in their vicinity with a copv. S. Boykin, Sunday- school Secretary and Treasurer. For the Index and Baptist. 1 BAPTIST HISTORY. [Kneeimen Extracts from a proposed Work by th ltev. B. W. Whilden, Pleasant Hill, Alabama.] 1860— Bethel College, Russellville, Kentucky, founded. Associations formed: New Bethel,Tex.;Tishomin go, Mississippi. Meeting, April 20th, Georgia Baptist Bible and Colporteur Society, at Macon, Georgia, J. H. De- Votie, President. The Methodists in the United States report this year 2,- 000 more infants baptized than adults. (Bailey.) As an evidence of the doc trine of infant baptism among them, see 1870. 1861 — The Metropolitan Taberna cle, Spurgeon’s church edifice (Lon don) opened. “This building is 150 feet long, 80 feet wide, and 70 feet high. It has two galleries, the preach er’s platform being on a level with the lower one; its average congregation is 6,000 people ; of these 5,000 are ad mitted by tickets only ; and when it was first opened it was announced that the only warming apparatus would be the pulpit.” 1862 Tippah Association, Missis sippi, formed. North Wales College founded. Reid Institute, Reidsburg, Pennsylvania, founded. 1863 — T. P. Crawford, Missionary S /uthern Baptist Church in China, removes from Shanghai to Tung Chow, in Shangtung province. ( Tupper) 1864 — Death of Rev. J. Hendren, of Norfork, Va., and of Rev. J. N. Gwaltney, Littleton, Sussex county, Va. (Short sketches of the lives of these brethren will be introduced here.) 1865 Death of Pengilly, author of “Scripture Guide to Baptism,” Vlarch 19th, m the 83d year of his age. It has been incorrectly stated that he became a Pedobaptist before his death. Rev. Dr. Cramp refutes this statement in a letter to the Christian Visitor , of St. Johns, N. B. (See the Hattie Flag, September 8, 1875. Pen gdly published, also, the “Scriptural Guide to Prophesy.” 1866 Nova Scotia has 3 Associa tions, 155 churches, 93 ordained min isters and 16,308 church members. New Brunswick has 2 Associations, 119 churches, 73 ordained ministers and 8,755 church members. Canada has 11 Associations, 275 churches, 239 ordained ministers and 15.091 church members. West India Islands has 4 Associations, 101 churches 39 rjr dained ministers and 22,661 church members. Associations m Georgia, New Sunbury; Zion, (colored.) In stitute of learning, Chamber Hall College, (Great Britain), and Concord College, Liberty, Kentucky. 1867 —Richmond Ins'itute, Rich mond, Virginia, School for the educa tion ot colored ministers, founded by the American Baptist Home Mis sion Society. Baptist Union Theolo gical Seminary, Chicago, Illinois. Baptist Quarterly commenced publici tion m Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Professor Lucius E. Smith first editor. 1868—The following Associations in Georgia; Fairburn, Liberty, Eben ezer, (colored.) Death of Rev. Dr. Manly, Sr., on the 21st of December, in Greenville, Soutn Carolina, in his 71st year. (A short sketch ot his life will be introduced here.) 1869 The Baptist Sentinel , Lexing ton, Kentucky, edited by Rev. J. S. Worrell; commenced publication ia November, and continued to the close of 1871. 1870 —In this year, “the Methodists reported 13,600 more adults baptized than ii.tants; an important change in ten years." (B ) (See i860.) Bap tist Educational Convention organ ized, (April 19th and days following,) in Pierpont Church, Brooklyn, New York. 1871 Protest of a number of Bap tist ministers in New York city, against the reception of a lot tendered to the Baptists, by the City Council, lor a Bap Ist Home. Death of Rev. J. B. T.iyior, Corresponding Secretary foreign Mission Board Southern Bap tist Convention. (A short sketch of hisl fe will be introduced here.) 1872 —R. v. W. C. Van Meter, Bible and Sunday-school Missionary from the United S’ates, arrives at Rome, in Ootobe r . West Tennessee Baptist Missionary Convention formed. Death of Hon. D. M. Wilson, President American and Foreign Board Society. Forests create, or gradually but constantly improve the soil. The roots penetrate deeply into the ground, and thus let in the air to produce it3 slow but sure effects. The radicles decompose the grains of sand, and extract from tnem some of the ele ments essential to a soil. The annual deposit of leaves, and the final decay of the branches and trunk, go to cons stitute the mould upon which other plants grow. The soil thus formed is kept by the thick matting of the roots from washing away.