The Christian index. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1872-1881, July 11, 1878, Image 1

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The Ghristian Index! 'rmn QnTTTIILJ_Tii l. u—u ■ _ . ■* ” VOL. 57 —NO. 26. Table of Contents. Fnurr Page— Alabama. Department: Record of State Events ; Spirit of the Religions Press; The Characteristics of an Evangelist; The Mis sion Field; Baptist News and Notes; General Denominational News. Florida Department: Indifference ; Letter from Gainsville; Words of Cheer; etc. Second Paoe. —An Essay: What Mistakes are Made, and How Corrected—Rev. F. M. Dan iel; “There is Rest Enongh in the Grave"— Julia P. Me Who: ter. Our Correspondents: Cravisg to be Blind —W.M. H.: "Heaven Never Seemed so Bright Before.” Mission Depart ment: Luther Rice and Georgia; Extracts from the Minutes of the Georgia Baptist State Con vention—J. H. DeVotie. Thibd Paoe. —Home Influences: The Greater Power—How it Moulds Chracter—Second Pa per—By Sidney Herbert. Fourth Paoe -Editorial: Defense of the Bap tists and Dr. Teasdale ; Open-Air Meetings— Rev. D. E. Butler. Evangelists—Rev. 8. G. Hißyer, D.D. ;Church Polity—Dr. P. H. Mell; Reply to “Brotherhood"—Dr. T. C. Teasdale; Muscogee Bible Society; etc. Fifth Page— “ Christian Union”—Rev. J. M. Wood; Our Richmond Letter; Third Baptist Cbu ch, Atlanta; etc. Secular Editorials: The Schools; Mercer University; The Dignity of Words; Georgia News; etc. Sixth Page. —Children's Corner: Little by Lit tle—Poetry; The Guild Teacher; Seeds by the Wayside. Seventh Page —The Sunday-School: Ministry of John the Baptist—Lesson lll—Sunday. July 21. 1878. Eiohth Page— Marriages. Obituaries. Adver tisements, INDEX AND BAPTIST. ALABAMA DEPARTMENT. Tuscumbia has no church for colored people. Northern capitalists are investing consid erable money in the mines of this State. Anew county is to be formed out of parts of Jefferson, Bitb and Tusca'oosa counties. Cattle are being shipped extensively to Virginia, and bring remunerative prices. Bishop Kavenaugh will preside at the North Alabama Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church (South), to be held at Huntsville in the fall. Northern capitalists have purchased the property of the Shelby Lime Company at Calera, and propose putting the kilns in successful operation at an early day. Dr. Granbcrry preached the commence ment sermon at the College at Anburn. The occasion was one of great interest. Colonel Chambers has been assigned the Chair of Agriculture in this institution. The citizens of Tuscaloosa are just now much exercised in regard to changing the roadbed of the Alabama Great Southern Railway adjacant to the town of Tuscaloosa so as to have it run through town. The recent fire in Montgomery promises to bring about some litigation, in which the Waterworks Company, the City Council, the Insurance Companies and the parties in sured, will be the parties concerned. The good people of Mobile should take steps to suppress the desecration of the Sabbath day by the Base Ball Clubs of that city. The papers contain a long account of a heated base ball contest which took place on a recent Sunday, and which was wit nessed by thousands of spectators. At this rate Parisian morals will be introduced into this country very rapidly. The Executive Committee of the Alabama State Grarge Fair are making great efforts to make the Fair to be held in Mobile next October, the finest ever held in the State. The premiums offered for the best display of grains and farm products are unusually good. The Fair Catalogue, containing a complete list of the various premiums, will be issued at no distant day. Parties de siring any information relative to the Fair can address the secretary, L. L. McCurdy, at Summerfield, Dallas county, or the as sistant secretary, R. M. Quinn, at Mobile. A Corrupt Caube.— The Christian Union says : “It is said that one of our sharp penned female writers is now at Washing* ton gathering material for a volume <>n the morality of our public men, from the Father of bis Country dowa. Tue revelations which she expects to make are to be used as an ar gument in favor of giving the suffrage to woman.” We trust that this announcement will have the salutary effect of causing the few sensible women at the North, who have been led by demagogues to countenance this foolish scheme, to retire at once from i>u further discussion. When a cause has become so weak and low as to be forced to seek mate rial, to keep it alive, in the annals of our country’s shame and in the history of worth less men, it is evidence that the time has come for all decent persons to wash their hands of it. Complete order reigns throughout Cuba. Af ter years of useless and bloody struggles, which, toward the last, degenerated into simple mnrder, pillage and arson, the revolutionists of Cuba suc cumbed to the Spanish government. All con nected with the rebellion have been pardoned. A royal decree provides that the organio, mu nicipal and provincial laws in force iu Spain, un der the Monarchical Constitution, shall be ob served in Cuba. THIS SOTJ TTrL-WESTERZsT BAPTIST, Spirit of the Religious Press. —The Biblical Recorder, organ of the North Carolina Baptists, is uncompromisingly op posed to an organic union of the Baptists, North and South. It saya: “Such organic union ia now being talked about and advocated by some of our leading brethren in the South. We are opposed to such organic union, and expect to oppose it. VVe have, in our opinion, good and sufficient reasons for such opposition.” VVe* do not think that any such union will ever take place, nor can we see how the vital interests of these two grand hosts of the de fenders of the true faith could be materially benefited by consolidation. They have, each, their peculiar field to occupy, and can best maintain themselves in prosperous action by preserving their individual organizations. —“We join with the Evening Journal,” says the Standard, “in urging that not one of the drunkards, without reference to party, who disgraced the nation during the last hours ot Congress, should be returned. ‘Not one should escape,’ insists the Journal. ‘To he drunk on any occasion, or anywhere, is a disgrace. A man who allows himself to lose his head is un worthy.’ ” Certainly a man’s m*ral fitness for the high and responsible position of a representative of the American people ought to be taken into consideration when he presents himself before them for election, but it certainly has nof been an appreciable element in politics for many a year. His availability as a party man, bis expertness in the tricks of party-craft, have been the chief points to which attention is paid. Let us return to the purer atmos phere and loftier aims of the fathers of the Republic. —Horse racing—this crnel and demoralising sport—seems to be increasing, instead of de creasing, in this country. It is being helped along, too, by professed Christians and church members in their characters as committee members and officers of the State and County Fairs. This fact has long been a source of an noyance and regret to all who desire to uphold purity of morals, and who endeavor to rid our public amusements of their dangerous ele ment*. We see no consistency in denouncing the faro-bank whilst horse racing, an equally reprehensible branch of the gambler’s profes sion, should bedignified as an acceptable amuse ment on occasions whose professed purpose is the advancement of the public good, and the exhibition of our progress in the development ot the industrial arts. As appropriate to our theme, we quote the following timely para graph from the Western Recorder: “It is, as we believe, the imperative duty oi Christian men to set their faces as a flint against this whole corrupt and corrupting business of horse racing. The young especially should be warned against visiting such places. ‘Lead us not into temptation,’ should be the prayer of those who are placed in circum stances of special peril. Too much vigilance cannot be exercised by parents in this matter. Our land to-day contains thousands of ruined lives whose first downward Btep in a career of vice, dates Irom some visit to a horse race, and from the vile associations that appear to be in separable from this sport. There is no safety in bad company. The counsel of Solomon is as wise now as when it was firs* given, “Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it and pass away.’ ” —Says the Christian Observer : “Unconsciously and constantly, in our ob jects of admiration and detestation, we show what is best and worst in ourselves. Pretense is useless. If you wonld have the praise oi God or man, deserve it ; and it will come wilhont seeking.” This is true, with the exception as to the praise of man. We often deserve the praise oi men, but fail to receive it. Many a man’s good deeds are appreciated at their proper worth after his death. Still, a good man can easily submit to the deprivation of man's praise, if he is conscious, in his soul, that he has the praise of God. The mission Field. The high price of provisions, the result of the famine in Northern Ch'na, has cramped the missionaries in China. Their efforts should be nobly sustained by the contributions of the friends of missions in the United States. —Dr. Kalopothakes, in three weeks, circu lated four thousand copies of the Scriptures among the Greek soldiers. —The distress in China, caused by the great famine continues, and seems to be on the in crease. It is estimated that sixty millions of people are starving in that afflicted empire. —A missionary among the Indians on our frontier writing to The Standard says : “None have suffered more inconvenience from the grasshopper raid than the missionary pas tors, but tbe Lord hss brought us tu-is far on our way, and we are enoouraged to believe that, having remained on the field, we shall reap our reward.” You certainly will, noble veterans of the Cross. —The Summer Quarterly Meeting of the Wo man's Baptist Missionaary Society oi the West will be held in Bloomington, 111., July 11 and 12. —The Central Baptut says, with a force of truth which every good Baptist in the land will gratefully acknowledge and endorse. "The life of Dr. H. F. Buckner is full of soul-stirring in cidents. Not one of our foreign missionaries in the last third of a century has made more sac rifices, endured greater hardships, done harder work, or produced grander results that this de voted man. Mb y God spare his life till he sees some of his fond visions for his red children realized, ♦ ~ Rev. J. W. P. Fackler—will he please correspond with some of his brethren here? or Alabama. FRANKLIN PRINTING ROUSE, ATLANTA GEORGIA, JULY 11, 1878. The Summer Resorts and the '‘Land of the Sky.” •aF ‘ Sir j,l L ■*' * *** -*• c i * Asheville, N. C., as seen from Beauc&tcher's Knob. Ashville, North Carolina, has been termed the;Meecn of the North Carolina mountaineer. In the vallev where it lies, the French Broad Kiver receives into Us noble channel the beautifi* Svannanoa, the pearl of the North Carolina Rivers. Around this growing city number ing oyer three thousand people, are grouped many 1 noticeable hills. Gift of the valley of Hommouy Creek sombre Mount Pisgah rises like a frowning giant; and from the town the distant s dpi til of the Balsam Range may be faintlv discerned. From Beaucatcher’s Knob, the site of a Confederate fort, overhanging Asheville, the looker toward the southwest will see half a hundred peaks shooting skyward. Asheville Court-house stands nearly 2,250 feet above the levof the sea ; and the climate of the adjacent region is mild, dry, and full of “salvation for consumptives. Beautitul natural parks surround the town. Superb oaks cast their shadows on greenest of lawns ; and noble maples, ash and “ Mount Pisgah," Western North Carolina. walnuts border the romantic roadway. A few miles distant are excellent white sulphur springs, from which a variety of exquisite views are to be had ; and nine miles north are the “Million Springs,” beautifully situated in a cave between two ranges of mountains, where sulDhur and chalybeate waters may be had in profusion. "" ‘ The Indians named the French Broad the “Racing River.” And as it hurls its wavelets around the corner of some islet or promontorv one sees how faithfully the name describes the stream. Each separate drop of water seems to be racing with the other. One can hear the’voice of the River always crying among the cliffs, and moaning and sighing as it laps the low banks in the narrow gorge. It is the Errand center of resort for all who seek either health or pleasure. b b 8 center Hendersonville is the next town in importance to Asheville, west of the Blue Ridge. The people are famed for their frankness and hospi tality ; and the scenery and salubrity are unsurpassed. Lover’s Leap, Black Mountain, Mount Pisgah, and other mountains from five thou sand to six thousand ieet above the level of the sea, innumerable rivers and waterfalls, picturesque soenery and pleasant and health-mvim? summer resorts, abound in this “Land of the Sky.” . * 8 8 Many other interesting and health-restoring points in North Georgia and South Carolina are reached by this route. Tor particulars as to the best route to this beautiful land, schedule, etc., address W. J. Houston, General Passenger and Ticket Agent Piedmont Air-Line Railway, Atlanta, Ga. * K > THE CHARACTERISTICS OF AM A VANGEI.IST-- WHIT ARK THEYf t Criticism on Or. Ski oner’s Letter {<uhmi.b tory of Dr. Teasdale. Messrs. Editors— ln a late number of your paper I noticed a letter from brother Skinner, of Macon, highly commendatory of Dr. Teasdale, who has recently been witu him laboring very successfully as an evan gelist, and who is now with us engaged in the same good work. Bat while lie speaks of I)r. Teasdale as the best preacher he ever heard as an evangelist, and vyhilehe heartiy endorses the sentiments of his brethren who called him the “dear, good old man,” he yet, I fear, counteracts, to a great extent, the good effects of his commendations by the unfortunate and ill-chosen words used in describing the qualifications of an evan gelist. Indeed, the following quotation might be construed into an attempt to in jure, rather than to promote the usefulness of the subject of hts letter, did not the standing of the writer and the relations ex isting between him and Dr. Teasdale torbid such an idea. These are the words referred to : “It seems that two elements are necessary for an evan gelist— bras* and physical endurance. He has them.” (Italics his.) OI course no oue will ob ject to the physical endurance, but the use of such a term as “brass” in connection with a venerable man, laboring as an evangelist, is in bad taste, to say the least of it. Too well do we all know, to what chatacters this word is ap plied—to men having more boldness efface than depth of mind ; more presumption than piety; more affectation ot knowledge than irue wisdom; more self-assurance than that Christ-like meekness which is the fruit of the wisdom from above, and which is as diHerein from the vain pretentions of the man of brass as light is from darkness, or earth Irom Heaven. What characteristics do we expect to tiud in an evangelist? Are they the pride, sell-con ceit, sell-will, and presumptuous ignorance of the man ot brazen lace, who makes a vain show of worldly knowledge? Or, are they meekness, temperance, brolheily kindness, humility, self-denial, and all those graces ol the Spirit imparted by God to those who trust Him, but never seen in those who pre sumptuously trust themselves? While there may be Christian boldness, joined with hu mility, no true Christian can be a “man of brass,” in the ordinary acceptation of this phrase. Tbe two characters are wholly irrec oncilable. The one is a swaggering egotist, magnifying self; the other is an bumble disci ple glorilying God ; the one has but little knowledge, or knowledge which profits little ; the other has that divine wisdom which has the promise of eternal life; the one seeks honor of men; the other of God ; the one wouid be lord over hit fellow-men.; the other would be their servant tor Christ’s sake. These remarks are made in no unkind spirit, hut with the view of counteracting the evil influence of such unguarded expressions as those UHed in the letter under considera tion ; for it cannot be denied that the tenden cy is evil, giving a false idea, as they do, as to ihe true character of a devoted minister of the Gospel, and lostering a prejudice in the pub lic inind which is ever ready tixavail itself oi any preiexl to condemn revivals of religion in general, and those who take an active part in conducting them, in particular. Feeling sure that brother Skinner would not encour age such a spirit, may we not hope that he will be more carelul in choosing his words when writing lor the good ot the cause which we know to be dear to him? J. 3. W. Atlanta, Ga., July 2, 1878. Ford's Christian Repository for July has been received. We have so often oommeuded thin 'e do iomination*l monthly, that we can only add that kio July number is equal to any of its ” r /‘m rT ® fTh* editor niiDouneed what he terms the “Silver Wedding ’ -ot the magazine. He has had oontrol of it during 25 years of suc cessful publication. The editor closes his an nouncement with these words: “And now friends, cheer us with the aid of your ii.licence in swelling our list and extending the field of oar usefulnesss, and in blessing our declining years with the inspiration of continued success.” We congratulate Dr, and Mrs, 8. B. Ford on their acknowledged success. We can honestly recommend this only theological and literary magazine in the denomination to all onr subscri bers. It deseves ageneious patronage. It contains 80 pages monthly of original reading matter. 12,65 per year, prepaid. Address 8. H. Ford, Bt. Louis, Mo. BAPTIST NEWS AND NOTES. —The Rev. Dr. John Dowling, a well known Baplist divine oi New York City, and author of the “History of Romanism,” has been sent to an insane asylum. His m alady is caused by a fall similar to that which caused the death of William Cullen Bryant. —Rev. G. 8. Williams, the recently elected pastor of the Central Baptist church, Nash ville, formally assumed the sacred functions of bis office last Sunday. Avery large au dience was present to greet the new pastor. Rev. T. G. Jones delivered the address of welcome, Rev. W. A. Nelson the charge to the Church, and Rev. L. B. Fish that to the pastor. —The Baptists of Connecticut number about 21,000, and gave during the past year to Foreign Missions $7,460 20. The Bap tists of Missouri number about 91,000, and gave to Foreign Missions $2,210 49. —Make a note of this, brethren, and profit by it. We take it from the columns of the Biblical Recorder: A distinguished Baptist of another State said to me not long since, “my daughters are Episcopalians.” “How could that be,” 1 asked, “when you and your wile are both Baptists?” “Why you see,” rejoined he, •* We sent them to an Episcopal school, and they caught them.” The same old story. —The second Sunday in July is the day agreed upon generally for a collection for the Rome Chapel. —Rev. W. Pope Yeaman, recently editor of the Central Baptist , is reported to be a can didate for State Superintendent of Public Schools of Missouri. —A number of Russian Baptists who had already languished three years in the prison at Odessa, for daring to express their faith and to extend it among their neighbors by secret prayer meetings, etc., were recently tried by a jury and acquitted. Their ac quittal was hailed with loud applause by the public which filled the court room. The Attorney-General bad demanded their exile for three years to the mines of Siberia. —A number of Northern Baptist minis ters of prominence have left lor a jaunt among the interesting scenes of the Old World. THE cHRISTIA IST HERALD General Osnominational Hews. —The Protestant Episcopal Bishop of Ne braska has admitted to deacon’s orders a Sioux Indian with the Christian name of Amos Ross. —The death is announced of the Rev. Dr. Stirling, Galston, Ayrshire, the father of the Church of Scotland, in the 88th year of his ag9, and the 63d of his ministry. —A well known gentleman of New York will soon give $200,000 to the fund for the erection of the long talked-of Episcopal Ca thedral in that city. —The Rev. Charles Garrett, Wesleyan, has started a movement for securing “houses of rest” for ministers whose health haß given way from overwork and other causes. Liberal subscriptions are forthcoming. —ln the Episcopal Convention, recently held in Lynchb rrg, Va., Bishop White delivered an elaborarate annual address, in which he earnestly deprecated the evils of round dan cing. —Since 1813 there have been more than one hundred ordained clergymen of the Church of England (including at least two bishops) who were converted Jewß, and in sixty years in one English Church chapel, from 1815, there have been 780 adult Jews and 615 children converted and baptized. —The annual income of the clergy of the English Establishment amounts to thirty-six millions of dollars. —Rev. John Wesley McCune, of Worth’s Mills, Mercer county, Pa., a member of the Presbytery of Erie, suddenly dropped dead while standing near the platform, at the com mencement of Westminister College, New Wilmington, Pa. The Methodist Episcopal Church in the United States will nm celebrate its centennial till Christmas day, 1884. —There is a great revival sweeping through the Methodist churches in Sweden. Tne Scandinavian State Church is toppling to its fail. Remember.—Let pastors all over the Sonlh remember that on the second HMalh in July, the general collection will be made lor the Rome chape). If the people pray, and the preachers plead, and all give, the wr-ole amount needed will surely be secured. Coi/. Thos. F. Goode.—‘‘That a great lawyer should succeed, says the Richmond Farmer, as Col. Goode has doue in the business to which he is now giving his attention, may surprise some people. Here is the explanation: The Buffalo Lithia Water is, beyond doubt, of very great value, aud the more it is tried, the wider its fame extends. Bead the certificates in the Ber aW, of this week, aud if human testimony can prove anything, is not the olaim made in behalf of these wonderful Springs fully established ? Another raason why 001. Goode has succeeded, is his faith in printer’s ink. He avails himself of this mighty agency, and unlike some people, ho does not spend his strength in trying to get his advertising done at starvation rates. His faith in “Live ane let liae” does not desert him when he comes to deal with type-setters. This being true, we call special attention to his double-column advertisement iu the Herald ." juiyll.Sm of Tennessee, WHOLE NO. 2386. REV. H. B. MoCALLUM EDITOR Jacksonville is still without a pastor. The cause of religion seems to be brighten ing throughout the whole State. Bro. Gresham, of Gainesville, lias been as* sisting Bro. Hughs in a meeting at Pine Level church, which resulted in six additions to the church by baptism. Bro. Waugh’s health has improved. The Gainsville church has voted him a vacation if he wants it. Take it anyhow Bro. Waugh, whether you want it or not, it will do you good. Elders Sheffield, father and son, Crumps ton and Martin, recently held a good meeting at Elizabeth church, Levy county —result, five additions, two of whom were from the Camp bellites. UVDimRKACE. Many professing Christians, whose names are upon the church books, are absolutely in different to its prosperity and welfare. They made, when they united with the church, a public profession of faith; from their baptism they professed to “ walk in newness,” and yet, from that day to this, they have done scarcely anything for the cause they profess to love- The fire that they imgined was burning upon the altar of their hearts has died out, and not a spark seems to be left to awaken even a wish for the prosperity of Zion. They have become dead brandies, but they are neither cut away or “burned up;” they simply hang as dead appendages about the church, and clog the wheels of progress. They “ have a name to live and are dead they add nothing to the moral influence of the church, nor do they ap propriate a farthing to its support, or if they do it is given for appearance only, and not be cause it is a duty and pleasure to give. If there was only a few of this class it would not be a great matter, but the trouble is, “ their name is legion,” and in some instances they even form a majority of the church, and it therefore becomes a grave question, “ What shall be done with them 7” We once heard Bro. F. C. Johnson compliment a church be cause they had excluded a number of mem bers; he said it was healthy sign, and if they would go ahead and turn out about half that were left, he then thought there might be some chance for the church to become entirely healthy. Some thought his remarks were harsh and unkind, but were they not true? Asa writer in one of our religious journals puts it, “we need a revival of discipline.” The churches, to fulfill their mission, must be ag gressive bodies, and as an army with half the soldiers stragglers or non-combattants is of little use against a well organized enemy, so are the churches inefficient unless their mem bership is alive to their duties and responsi bilities. Let us, therefore, direct our efforts against this evil, and endeavor to inci'e those who have already put on Christ to active work for Him. Let our minister’s aim to develop the working power of the churches, and to this end we trust they will endeavor to obtain a more perfect organization, and instruct not only the office-bearers in our congregations but the private members more fully in the duties required of them. We have little doubt that a well directed and general effort, on the part of all our preachers, in this direction would soon double the effective power of the churches. Gainesville, Fla., July 2, 1878. Bro. McCallum—l have been intending for several days to give a little news for The Index. By the way, allow me to say I think under the circumstances, yon made a good ex change for us in giving us the newsy Index. I like of Dr. Mell. Our pastor moved to his new home a few weeks ago, and some of us took it into our heads that, as he was unwell and seemed rather gloomy, we would do what we could to cheer him up and remove his gloom, so upon a given night a goodly number of us formed a proces sion, boldly marched up to his house, uncere moniously walked in and made ourselves at home. We did not go empty handed, but each took him a present, and as they were piled up in one corner of the room he looked on with rather a puzzled face. Not being used to such treatment, he was rather confused and blushed considerably. We stayed as long as we wanted to, and bid ding him farewell, started home with a feeling of happiness that we are sometimes permitted to send “sunshine” into our ministers heart. The church is gradually increasing in num bers, both by letter and baptism. On the first and last Sundays in June, our hearts were made glad at seeing willing followers of Jesus go down into the water. The Lord be praised, _ 8. M. Words op Cheer prom Florida.—Elder C. V. Waugh, for sometime quite feeble, is hard at workagain, at Gainesville, and recently baptized one. Eld. E. B. Carroll recently bap tized an interesting ft ly at Madison, Fla. At Pine Level church, in Madison county, G. B. aad W. J. Hughes recently baptized six per sons and ordained Henry Martin as Deacon. Eld. G. T. Gresham assisted in the meeting. At Palatlakaha church, four received for bap tism, in June. Eld. \V. J. Hughes baptized twenty during the quarter ending June 30th, and preached eighty-two times. His father baptized eight and preached about as much. Bro. Hughes is a missionary of the Horae Mission Board, Southern Baptist Convention. W. N. Ckaudoin, Agt.