Newspaper Page Text
The Christian Index.
BT JAS. P. HARRISON & CO.
MINISTERIAL EXPERIENCE IX MIBBTIXG
PEOPLE.
There is somehow a feeling preva*
lent in the public mind, that it is quite
the thing to have ministers of the gos
pel perform the marriage ceremony.
This is, doubtless, just as it should be,
for a relation so tender and sacred
should have the sanction of religion
and the benefit of prayer.
In this part of their work ministers
sometimes meet with some very amus
ing incidents.
The object of this article is to pro
voke our ministering brethren to write
and give their experiences as growing
out of this part of their work. The
first couple the writer ever Kad the
privilege of marrying lived in the
countv of D.
The young gentleman was a fine
specimen of healthy young life, and
the maiden looked fresh and blooming
in her white gauzy dress.
When the* presented themselves
before the writer, their confusion was
complete, both of them blushing and
trembling as if about to be sentenced
to some penal colony, instead of being
made the happiest people alive.
When the ceremony was concluded,
and'the congratulation of friends had
followed, the young gentleman took
the writer out into the darkness,
around the corner of the house, and
said: “Mr. H., What do you charge for
making Sallie and me one ?” The re
ply was: “We never make any charge
for such service, but leave the parties
themselves to settle that." Then with
a cordial pressure of the hand which
conveyed a world of feeling, the
young gentleman said: “I’m a thous
and.times obliged to you”’ That was
the fee. The next couple were some
what more mature, the gentleman be
ing 30 and the lady 22 years of age.
When the ceremony was ended
he handed the writer $5 and the feel
ing it produced was one of encourage
ment.
On another occasion, the writer was
invited to go five miles into the coun
try, to perform a marriage ceremony.
Procuring a horse and buggy from a
livery stable, he went, and when the
ceremony was ended, the young man
walked up tohim and said : “Mr. H ,
lam much obliged to you.” That
time the writer paid $3 for the horse
and buggy, and was that much the loser
in the transaction.
Once the writer was invited to go 20
miles away to marry two very young
people and when the ceremony was
concluded the young gentleman came
up with a smile of satisfaction beam
ing upon his honest face, saying:
“some people never pay the preacher,
but that is not my style,” at the same
time handing me $1.25 in silver.
Again, being invited to marry a
a couple, the gentleman a widower
and the lady a widow, quite a scene
occurred, just as the writer had placed
himself in front of the fire-place, and
facing the expectant couple, a little
child attempted to pass between him
and the fire and fell, so that the cere
mony had to be suspended until the
little one was lifted out of danger.
This interruption over the ceremony
proceeded until according to an old
formula the gentleman was bound,
but the lady not, she disengaged
herself from the would-be bridegroom
walked away and took a seat. The
gentleman, as the reader may imagine,
looked rather blank standing alone
upon the floor, and it was with some
difficulty that the woman could be in
duced to take her place so that the
ceremony might proceed.
The writer was called upon to per
form the ceremony, for a young friend
of-his who married a young widow of
fine fortune. Naturally enough he
concluded this was a fat job, but when
the marriage was over not a word was
said about the fee.
Four years afterward, he met the
young man in the street at A. when he
handed him sio, and gave him
an order for a S2OO buggy.
Reminiscences are now in orde r.
—The American Baptist Home Mission So
ciety was founded in 1832, in the month of
May. Its forty-sixth anniversary was celebra
ted this year.
INDEX AKD BAPTIST.
Publication Rooms—27 and 29 South-Broad Street
jSecuLAR Editorials.
A Rest Week —There will be no paper issued
from this office next week. It is our custom to
set apart two weeks for rest and recreation du
ring each year, and as the first week of July brings
the anniversary of our declaration of it. depen
dence, and the last week of December is the
supposed anniversary period of the Saviour’s
birth, these are the woeks regarded moßt ap
propriate as periods of rest.
It requires fifty numbers of our paper to
make the volume of each year completo ; conse
quently the two weeks in which our labor is
suspended are enjoyed without in any manner
abridging the rights of our subscibers.
The next issue will appear July 11th.
GEORGIA PRODUCTS AT PARIS.
The exhibition of Georgia minerals,
woods and agricultural products, at
Paris, is said to be creating a great
interest both in France and England,
and that a tide of immigration is likely,
in a short time, to be the result of its
silent yet forcible eloquence. This
exhibition, though extremely partial,
will accomplish a greater degree of
practical good than a thousand emi
gration societies, and the class of per*
sons who, by this means, will be at
tracted to our State, are likely to be
intelligent and industrious. Such as
these Georgia will be glad to furnish
homes and welcome to her liberal citi
zenship. There is plenty of room here
for a million immigrants of the right
stamp. Our minerals are varied and
abundint, our timber of great variety
and inexhaustible, while the fertility
of our soil, and the adaption-of our
climate to countless agricnltural pro
ducts, renders this the most favored
land on which the sun ever shone. All
that is needed to induce good people
to seek homes here, is to present the
advantages which they would secure
by coming. If the truth were known
in the old world, we would soon have
a continuous current of immigrants
who would fill up our waste-places,
delve into the wealth of our mines,
utilize our water-powers, and help us
to make the whole land a garden of
beauty and productiveness.
THE LtW OF PEACE.
We have known serious evils to result from
the errors of Christians in yielding to the con
trol of the prevalent chivalry of the country,
instead of submitting themselves to the influ
ence of the spirit of non.resistance, which was
declared by Christ as a law for his people. It
is sometimes difficult to restrain the impulses of
our nature under the keen force of provocations
given, but consider the subject as we may, it
will always be found in the end that non
resistance is far more productive of the hap
piness and welfare of all concerned. This
rule of Christian deportment, having as its
author the Great Head of the Church and
Saviour of mankind, needs to be more fre
quently presented by the ministry, that it may
be known why Christians who submit to
wrongs or insults without resistance, should
not be deemed cowards. On the contrary,
they are moral heroes, in conquering their
own passions and holding them under violent
provocations, to a faithful observance of this
law of Christ.
We have also known great evilß to result
from the act of Christians hy which they have
exalted chivalry above this beautiful law of
peace in their treatment to others involved in
personal troubles. Thus they have made it
appear that non resistance implied cowardice
and dishonor, and they have caused men who
have really preferred obedience to the rule of
the Saviour to obey the law of chivalry in
order to escape the animadversions of even
Christian society. This is a serious evil.
Christians in this matter should teach and
enforce the spirit of peace, by both precept
and example. Their great desire and cherished
object should be peace The spirit of true
Christianity is opposed to all controversy
based on theevil passions of man’s nature, and
be who would be a faithful lollower of the
Saviour should seek to imitate His peaceful
example and obey His law of peace ; not only
by avoiding sinful controversies and conflicts,
but by encouraging others to do likewise.
Each should remember that “ Blessed are the
peace-makers.”
On Sunday, the 9th inst., the com
mencement sermons of Baylor Male
and Female Universities were preached
in the Baptist church of Independence,
Texas, by Rev. Mr. Chaplin, of Austin,
and Rev. Mr. Murphy, of Bryan.
The sermons are said to have been ap
propriate, able and interesting.
Examinations in both Colleges are
reported as most satisfactory.
Literature Secular Editorials Current Notes and News.
ATLANTA, THURSDAY, JUNE 27,-1878.
The claim of the Southern Methodist
Publishing House, which has been
before this session of Congress, has
been postponed to the next session,
when it will probably be disposed of.
The Russiau Government proposes
to purchase of the Central Railroad
her two new and elegant ocean steam
ships, the City of Macon and the City
of Savannah, and it is rumored that
the sale will be made at a handsome
profit on the original cost of the ships.
The barque Azore which sailed from
Charleston, S. C., for Liberia, April
21st, with a cargo of negro emigrants,
is reported to have safely arrived at
Sierra Leonne, Africa, on the 19th of
May. The emigrants suffered severely
from disease on their voyage, twenty
three of their number dying from fe
ver.
Mr. John Burroughs confesses
himself to have been born with a
chronic anxiety about the weather,
and Scribner for July, will answer the
popular query, “Is it going to Rain ?’’
giving the “signs” which obtain on the
farm. Mr. Burroughs, who has here
tofore denied the title of apple-eaters
to women, will not even admit that
they are good readers of the weather,
which he claims is a masculine subject.
There has been no rain in the fam
ine-stricken provinces of China for
three years. The suffering there is
truly appaling, and knows no abate
ment yet. It is well for the people of
this, and other favored lands, to con
sider how greatly they are blessed,
and make every breath a thank-'offering
to God, who has so highly favored
therai
Personals. '
Several of our Georgia Congressmen passed
through Atlanta last week, en route to their
homes from Washington City, and among
these was Senator John B. Gordon, who, ac
companied by his estimable wife, gave The
Franklin a pleasant call, where they met
their son, Mr. Frank Gordon, editor and
proprietor of The Southern Planter and
Grange. This paper, under his able manage
ment, is taking a prominent place among the
leading agricultural journals of the country.
We were gratified to see that our noble
Senator is in the enjoyment of fine health.
General Gordon is one of nature’s noblemen,
whom all Georgians delight to honor.
Rev.T. 0. Teasdale, D.D., has paid The
Index several pleasant calls during his so
journ in the city.
We acknowledge a pleasant visit from our
much esteemed brother, Rev. A. J. Beck,whose
health, we are gratified to learn, has improved
since his call to the pastorate of the church at
Milledgeville. Brother Beck is among our
most zealous and talented young ministers,and,
better than all, is a good pastor. He is doing
a good work at Milledgeville; and one of the
most pleasant features of this pastorate is the
fact that (as we gather it from our cotemporary
the Union and Recorder) among the number of
twenty-five or thirty who have been added to
the church since his call in January last, are
several aged persons. Mr. Thomas Turk,
near eighty years of age, was one of these. It
was a most impressive scene to see this man,
so full of years, surrounded by family and
friends, going down into the river in obedi
ence to the command and the example of the
Saviour.
Prof. Jas. T. White, of Butler College,
has been spending a few days in Atlanta
with his fatlier-in-law, Dr. Jas. 8. Law
ton, and has made The Index several pleas
ant visits. We see that our worthy Gover
nor, Alfred 11. Colquitt, has appointed the
Professor as one of the Board of Visitors,
from the State at large, to our State Uni
versity at Athens. A merited compliment.
Richmond (Va.) Fkmai.e College. —At
the close of commencement exercises of this
allege, last week, Rev. R W. Fuller, D.D.,
s chosen as its President. Brother F.,
would discharge, most ably, the duties of the
presidency, and would, we feel confident,
add to the tame of this grand old institution.
But we—the Baptists of Georgia—love him
very dearly and would regret to lose him
from our midst, should he accept the posi
tion tendered him.
fr—•—4
The Georgia Baptist Sfminabt.— Not many
days will elapse before the commencement of
work on the Georgia Seminary. We are grati
fied to learn that the building committee has
about concluded a contract with Col. A. D. Can
dler to erect an elegant brick building on the
lot purchased for that perpose, consisting of
eight good rooms, for a Preparatory School and
Music liooms. The citizens and friends of the
Seminary are invited to meet on the lot on the
fourth of July next, “to break dirt" for the first
edifice. Col. W. P. Price' has promised to make
a speech on that occasion. Other distinguished
gentlemen will be invited. Col. Candler will
have the building ready to open school by the
first day of September. Application for a char
ter for the Seminary will be made at the next
Superior Court. Col.D E. Butler has been here
a couple of days, aiding tho General Agent in
pushing the enterprise forward. We are now
confident the Seminary will bo built. Every
subscriber ought now to help by paying his
first installment —Gainesville Eagle.
GEORGIA NEWS.
—The new steamship Columbus, con
structed for the Central railroad, was
launched at Chester, Pennsylvania, on
the 19th instant, in the presence of Col.
W adh y. m
—We learn that anew town is about
to be laid off on the Air-Line railway,
eight miles from Atlanta. It is to
bear the name of Sibley, the preseut
superintendent of the road. The sur
plus of sales of lots is to be applied to
the construction of a school-house and
church. This will be a convenient sub
urban resort for persons doing business
in the city.
—Dr. H. V. M. Miller, ha* purchased
a residence in Buford.
—The most encouraging crop reports
reach us from all directions.
—The present healthfulness of this
city is gratifying. Measles seem to
have almost entirely disappeared.
—This market is crowded with vege
tables and fruit.
—Now is the opportune period for
making blackberry wine. Squeeze out
the juice and then put three pounds
of white sugar to the gallon of juice,
put it in bottles, jugs or jars and let
nature finish the work of making su
perior wine—equal to the best Madeira.
Follow these directions and you cannot
fail.
—J. G. Trammel has been appointed
P. M. at Porter Springs.
—The jury boxes in the various
counties of this State have been re
vised.
—There are one hundred and twenty
students at Valdosta Institute and the
number would be considerably larger,
but for the fact that many youths were
under the necessity of suspending their
- studies to aid in cultivating the grow’-.
■ ing crops. This necessity may retard
their educational advances, but, in the
end it will not prove any disadvantage
to them. Prom this class the truly
great men of the section are most likely
to come.
—Wool is selling in Valdosta at from
twenty-six to twenty-eight cents per
pound.
—Fruit trees in some sections are
affected with a disease called “blight,”
which we learn may be cured by the
application of a strong wash of lime
and sulphur.
—We are gratified to learn that Dr.
A. Means is rapidly recovering from
his recent attack of illness.
—Citizens who desire to settle old
debts by resort to the bankrupt law,
must do so between this and Septem
ber Ist of the present year, or wait
until anew statute on this subject is
passed. The present law ceases to be
vital on the date mentioned.
—The warehouse of Messrs. Welch
& Bacon, Albany, was struck by light
ning and set on fire during a thunder
storm on the 10th instant. A large
portion of the building and about two
hundred bales of cotton were destroyed.
The total loss above insurance, is put
at $20,000, most of which falls upon
owners of the cottou burned. Messrs.
Welch & Bacon were fully insured.
—Cyclone is now applied to almost
every severe storm of wind. The use
of the term is too general.
—Bill Arp (Col. Chas. H. Smith,)
lectures at Gainesville on the evening
of the 26th instant. Subject: “ A
Cousin 1n Berlin.”
—Captain Burke, of the Gate City
Guards, is taking preliminary steps to
wards a European tour next summer,
in which his company will join him.
He proposes to charter a vessel for the
round trip and by taking passengers
at even largely reduced rates to pay
the expenses of the vessel —about
$12,000. The cost of the tour to each
member of the company will be guar
anteed at no more than SSO. The prin
cipal countries and their cities will be
taken en route.
—An exchange says “peach trees
are literally groaning under their
weight of fruit." We are willing to
admit that a tree may groan figurative
ly, but it is asking too much, when we
are expected to believe that they groan
literally.
—The lecture of Rev. J. C. Simmons
on “California’s greatest wonder,” de*
livered on Friday evening, the 15th
instant, in Savannah; it is said to have
been replete with interest. The News
thus concludes a lengthy notice of the
lecture:
The lecture throughout was replete with
chaste imagery and sentiment, the descriptions
eloquent and graphic, and the information
imparted interesting and instructive. It was
a literary treat, and we may say Irom the man
ifestations of appreciation by the audience
greatly enjoyed.
—The Columbus Sun most earnestly
urges the citizens of that place to take
hold of the North and South railroad
and complete it to Chipley without
delay. That paper regards this as the
only method of escape from the op
pressive tariffs of the Central railroad.
—Rain fell in great abundance last
week, giving vegetation a forward im
pulse, which is, we trust, a forerunner
of large crops of cereals.
—The County School Board of Ear
ly county met last week and arranged
schools, both for white and colored
children, in every district of that coun
ty, commencing between this and the
Ist of July and continuing as free
schools for three months.
—Public sales of wild land for taxes,
in Early county, show prices ranging
from $1.50 to $37.50 per lot, '
“The Image of Her Mother-”— This is the
title of au excellent story by Mrs. Mary Wade,
(“Ruth Rustic,”) the esteemed daughter of Col.
Wm. T. Thompson, the well-known editor of the
Savannah Morning News, which has been “run
ning" in the Weekly News for several weeks
past. We can cheerfully endorse the following
extract from an Atlanta correspondent, both as
to tha popularity of the News and of the story
referred to above:
“It is extremely gratifying to witness the
steadily increasing popularity of the Weekly
News. Since its enlargement, January sth, it
has everywhere supplanted, to a greater or less
dogree, the leading weeklies from the North and
West,many of which had a large sale in thisßtate.
The 'Morning News Serials' have given the
Weekly News much of its increased popularity,
as they have never failed to please all classes of
"readers. The splendid story now running to a
conclusion—“ The Image of Her Mother"—
seems to have eclip-ed all previous stories in its
hold upon the reading public, and frequent in
quiries are made of me as to whether or not it
will appear in book form. And yet scarcely a
score of readers are aware of the fact that
‘Ruth Rustic’ is the nom <le plume of the daugh
tes of a veteran editor and accomplished author,
who seems to have been liberally endowed
with her father’s rare genius. The story, how
ever, has won its meed of praise from the pub
lic by its excellence of composition, its compact
ness of plot, its natural placing of situations and
scenes, and its power to take hold of the affec
tions and emotions of the reader, with no evil
tendencies. I sincerely hope, therefore, that in
response to so general an expression for its
publication in book form, Mrs. Wade will put
her popular novel into the desired permanent
form. I cannot feel that it would be a doubtful
venture for any well-known publisher to engage
in, for the story has already received a hearty
public approval.”
We take pleasure in calling the atten
tionof our readers to the advertisement
of Dr. J. P. H. Brown, of Augusta, Ga.,
which appears in another column of
this paper. By reference thereto it
will be seen that he is prepared to
furnish Italian Bees of the best stock,
hives, extractors, smokers, bee-veils,
gloves, and everything needed by the
apiarian.
The Doctor also breeds and deals in
improved fowls of various descrip
tions.
Those desiring articles in his line
can not do better than to send him
their orders, as he has the very best,
and is a gentleman of undoubted relia
bility.
“Evans’ Advertising Hand-Book’’
Our acknowledgments are due to
Mr. T. E. Evans, Genera.l Advertising
Agent, Boston, Mass., for a copy of
his “Advertising Hand-Book” for
1878, which contains a list of the
most desirable advertising mediums in
the United States and the Dominion
of Canada, appropriately class ified as
to locality. reliable statement is
also given of the legitimate circula
tion of each publication, and rates per
line, respectively.
The publisher is an Advertising
Agent of long experience and of good
reputation. We take much pleasure
in bearing testimony to his efficiency
and reliability. In his business inter
course we have found him, at all times (
correct and agreeable—indeed we re
gard him as one of the best Agents in
this country, and cheerfully com
mend him to the confidence of the
Press generally.
We acknowledge the courtesy of an
invitation to the second Annual
Champion Debate of the Phi Delta, and
Ciceronian Literary Societies of Mer
cer University, which will take place
on Friday evening, June 28th, 1878, at
8 o’clock.
18.60 A YEAR IN ADVANCE.
Tax The Dogs—Save The Sheep—Educate The
Children.
The fact is established beyond con
troversy that the climate and pastur
age of Georgia render her the most
favorable portion of the United
States for the business of sheep hus
bandry. Investigations made by in
terested persons, skilled in the pursuit,
have resulted in the foregoing conclu
sion. Asa consequence, the eyes of
capitalists and others desirous of en
gaging in this agreeable and profita
ble industry are earnestly fixed upon
Georgia as the field of their enterprise.
Only one obstacle presents itself to
cause hesitation and delay, and that
obstacle is one which may be easily,
effectually and promptly removed.
That this should be done is demand
ed alike by the interests of that class
of our people now engaged in raising
sheep, and by the interests of our en
tire population, which would be ad
vanced by attracting others to our
State who desire to come with their
flocks. We refer to the thousands
of worthless dogs that rove at will
over Georgia as the obstacle which
impedes this industry, and which, we
repeat, can be eaisily removed.
One act of the next General Assembly,
imposing a tax .on this species of pro
perty, is all that is needed to accom*
plish the desired result.
That this tax should be imposed is
certainly the will of the people. Prior
to the adoption of the present Consti
tution it was prevented by a Constitu
tional impediment that is now out of
the way. It is a fact, that the ques
tion of disposing of our surplus canines
was seriously considered by the late
Constitutional Convention, and the
Constitution was so framed as to allow
the necessary legislation for this pur
pose. This action on the part of the im
mediate representatives of the people
is a clear and undoubted expression
of public sentiment in favor of wh a t
is designated, generally, “A Dog Law.”
It is possible for the General As
sembly, in legislating on this subject,
to “kill two birds with one stone,” for
by reducing the number of dogs in
order to protect the raising of sheep,
the tax levied and collected on the
dogs retained may be made available
in the aid of the great object of public
education. The taxing of dogs will be
anew source of revenue, and its ap
plication to educational purposes can
not be objected to as a diversion of
any part of the usual fund applied to
supportofthe State government. Itsap
plication will be primary, and we know
of no interest to which it can be more
appropriately or beneficially devoted
than in carrying out, successfully, the
plan of public education which has
been inaugurated. Whatever the few
opponents of general education may al
lege, the great majority of the people
are convinced that “brain” is as much a
resource of the State as “muscle,” and
that this resource is enlarged through
the medium of education.
We trust, therefore, that the next
General Assembly will not delay ac
tion on this subject, but that they will
frame and enact a law which shall fur
nish ample protection to the business
of sheep husbandry, and also accumu
late annually, a large fund in behalf
of ou r educational objects. We do
not hesitate to predict that results of
such a law will equal in importance
any which may be enacted, and after
so distinct an expression of public sen
timent as to which we have referred,
every member should come impressed
with the obligation of prompt action
in this matter.
When this law shall have been pass
ed and put in operation, many from
other States will seek this as the
most promising field for sheep culture,
and our own people will feel free to
embark in this pursuit, with the cer
tainty of splendid profits. Add to this
the fact that the school revenue will be
greatly enlarged from this source, and
the inducements to action in the
premises rise to power and dignity.
■ ♦ ♦— ' 1
—There are fifty-eight free schools
reported in Monroe county. Surely
this will he sufficient to supply the
rising generation in that county.