Newspaper Page Text
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JVn^ssag:
WHAT MISTAKES AkK JMIIK, Altil) HOW COK
KKCTED.
Ehxay, r< a<l by Rev. F. M. Daniel, before the
Sunday-School InKtitnte. at Fairburn,
Ga., and requeued by il>o In
stitute for publication.
To err is human. This adage is of uni
versal application. It is applicable to all
men. It is trfte of good men as well as bad
men. It is found in the execution of every
■work. It is common to physical or secular
as well as moral or religious enterprises. No
man is infallible. No work which 1 e per
forms is perfect.
To find mistakes in our Sunday-school
work is in keeping with ourselves in every
other work in which we engage. Mistakes
have been made, and can be pointed out in
every work to which we turn our hands.
Look where we may, in all the domain of
our operations, and we shall see mistakes.
Mistakes which we have made in our hon
est purposes to do the woik which has been
assigned us.
The mistakes which we have made in our
Sunday-school work are not exceptions to
the uniform rule of our lives. Neither do
they argue that the work itself is wrong or
unseriptural; or that it should he abandon
ed. Nor are they evidence of a want of
sincerity and honesty of purpose upoti our
part to faithfully and scriplurally perform
this department of Christian work. If we
had made no mistakes we might claim for
ourselves something more than human.
We should he in great danger of failing
into tlie condemnation of the devil—self arro
gance.
I am not an apologist of Sunday-school
work. It needs no deferse. It is its own
advocate. It is able to plead its own cause.
Its fruitage shows the work divine. What
ever unnatural foliage this branch ol church
work may wear ; whatever foreign fruit it
may produce; whatever poisonous bark it
may grow, all is traceable to some extrane
ous influence. Neither the foliage, nor the
fruit, nor the hark, is native growth. They
are foreign products—the outgrowth ot our
mistakes.
The duty assigned me in lliis paper is—
I. To point out our mistakes in Sunday
school woik.
11. To suggest some correctives for these
mistakes.
I. Our mistakes in Sunday-school work.
I can promise no more than to mention a
few, some of the most glaring mistakes frhicli
we lmve made in this branch of Christian
work :
1. The locality or position which we have
assigned the Sunday-school. 1 use the term
position as opposed to relation or connec
tion. We have assigned the Sunday-school
a place outside of the churches instead of ob
serving and maintaining its relation lo and
connection with them as a legitimate depart
ment of church work. The great majority
of our Sunday-schools have no connection
whatever with the churches. They are dis
tinct institutions, organised, officered and
worked independently of the churches. This
is one of our most common as well us great
est mistakes. Therefore 1 would extend its
elaboration.
Man’s first duty in the Gospel dispensation
is to accept Christ. So soon as the Saviour
is offered to any man, it is his duty to accept
Him with all the heart. Man's second duty
is to profess Christ. The order of these du
ties in the apostolic commission is believe
and he baptized. Or accept and profess
Christ. His third stop in the path of duty
is to form an ecclesiastical—a church—rela
tion with God’s people. ‘'Then they that
gladly received His word were baptized :
and the same day there were added unto
them—the church—about three thousand
souls.” Acts ii: 11. For the balance of life
it is man’s duty to serve the Master as a
member of llis Church. The Church is
God’s only medium for organized Christian
effort. "Ye also, us lively stones, are built
up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to
offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to
God by Jesus Christ.” 1, Peter, ii: 5. Every
brunch of t hr it tin n work grows out of, and
should lie connected with, the church.
A church and her branches of work may
be illustrated by a tree and its branches.
Take, an oak tree, the majestic oak and its
blanches, which stands hard by the edei
homestead. Years ago, hundreds perhaps,
an acoru was dropped into the ground just
where the tree stands. From this acorn a
sprig sprang forth, making its way up
through the eat th, when it was greeted, warm
eel and refreshed by Hie bright light, the
warm, genial rays e>f the sun and refreshing
showers of rain. It grew. It was soon a
hush. Then ii reached the size of asnpling.
After years it has grown to he the grand
olel oak it is. There it stands. Sere its lemg
symmetrical trunk. Inspect its well propor
tioned branches, curved like the rain-bow,
each vicing with the rest to do honor to
their common parent, its spreading boughs
furnish a hemic for the mother bird te> raise
her young; and a shelter to thej family from
the Ficat of a summer sum. Underneath this
tree is the great tap re>ot, that part of the
aceirn which lias gone downward and taken
holei upon the clay. There are other prom
inent roots, leaving the trunk near the top
of the soil, extending out in different direc
tions into the earth. These are supporters
Upou this foundation of roots the oak with
its branches stands. From these roots,
through the trunk, the brunches are supplied
with the strength and fertility of the soil
which they put forth in their beautiful foliage.
From these i oofs the oak is supplied with
life and stability, so that it neither dies uor
is blown down by the storm. Grand old
tree, long may it stand as a monument of
God's power and gooduess to man aud
beast.
More than eighteen hundred years ago
Christ came into the world to ratify by his
death the will and agreement made between
bint and his Father, God. This w ill or cov
enant provided for the inauguration of
means for the promulgation of iis hem tits to
man unto the end of time. "This Gospel
of the Kingdom shall be preached in all the
world for a witness unto all nations; and
then shall the end come.” Matt. xxiv:l4.
For the prosecution of this mission ol divine
mercy God established His Church upon
earth—“ Built upon the foundation of the
apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ li msrlf
being the chief cornerstone.’’ Epfa. ii: 20.
To His Church the Maqjer has entrusted His
cause in all its branches. “Verily, I say
unto you, whatsoever ye shall bind on eartit
shall be bound in Heaven : and whatsoever
ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in
Heaven." Matt, xviiiili).
The church was planted or organized in
Jerusalem, the city near which Christ was
crucified. Hut the mother church has mul
tiplied and multiplied until she has grow u
to be a forest of churches, each addition be
ing an exact copy of the pattern. And
wrerever the church has been organized she
stands complete in her entirety. Like the
oak, she has her foundation upon the apos
tles aud prophets, Jesus Christ himself being
the chiei corner stone. She has her trunk
THE CHRISTIAN INDEX AND SOUTH-'VWESTERN BAPTIST July 11.
In her scriptural polity. And we find her
branches in her departments of Christian
work. The preaching of the Gospel' consti
tutes one of her branches of Christian work.
Discipline is another. Feeding the hungry
and clothing the naked is another. Sending
the Gospel to the destitute and heathen is
another. And the last but not least, I men
tion in this connection, is teaching or Sun
day-school work. “Daily in the temple, and
in every house, they ceased not to teach and
preach Jesus Christ.” Acts, v: 42. In the
oak we have a variety of branches, hut one
trunk. So in Christianity. There are many
departments or branches of Christian work,
but one medium of operation—the church.
As every branch of the tree grows out of,
and is connected with tire trunk, so the dif
ferent departments of Christian work grow
out of, and should be connected with, tire
church. These God has joined together and
no man should put them asunder. But alas 1
how often has the relation of the Church and
her branches of Christian work been disre
garded. The Young Men’s Christian Asso
ciation would lop off one of her branches—
the most prominent, preaching. The Pres
bytery or Conference, which would enact
laws for the government of God’s people,
would take away the branch of discipline.
Benevolent and Missionary Societies organ
ized and managed outside of the Church
prune her of her missionary branch. And
as though we would rob the Church of all
her glory, we have carried away as by a
storm the branch of teaching or Sunday
school work; and have given it to an organ
ization outside of her pale. How mutilated
and disfigured, thou Church of the living
God ! Give me the old family shade tree—
the majestic oak with all its branches. If
you will destroy it# symmetry, its beauty
and utility, then take the whole tree —trunk
and roots too. The birds will sing no more
in its boughs. Nor can my children ever
play again beneath its green shade. So give
me the church in her entirety. Give me the
church witli her firm foundation, and divine
polity and extending branches of Christian
work. Give me the church as God's medi
um of organized Christian work, even if we
Mil to have Christian union, or ii we must
sacrifice state or national, or the reputation
of international, co-operation in prosecuting
her heaven-horn mission to the children of
men.
“I love thy kingdom, F,onl,
The house of thine abode,
The church our blest Redeemer saved
With Ills own precious blood.
I love thy church, O God;
Her wells before Ihee stand,
Dear as the apple of t hine eye,
And graven on thy hand.
For her my tears shall fall;
For her my prayers ascend ;
To her my cares and toils be given,
Till tolls and cares shall end.”
God save us front Hie mistake of divorcing
Christian work from the church.
2. An injudicious appointment of officers
and teachers:
Having assigned the Sunday-school a place
outside of the church, it is very natural we
should have erred In the appointment of offi
cers. Wc could not have done otherwise.
A wrong theory will produce wrong prac
tice. Ami the practice will continue wrong
until the theory is corrected.
There are certain qualifications which men
and women should have, or at least profess
to have, before they are appointed to take
charge of the sucred trusts of a Surnhiy
sehdol, I will mention two;
(1.) Regeneration. Officers and teachers
gd' Sunday-school* should he l hristlnns.
Sunday-school work consists in teaching the
Bible with a purpose to bring those who are
taught to accept t’hiist, and the belter in
struction of tin se who are ( hristians, in the
doctrines and practices of the Christian re
ligion.
The Sunday-school work is pre-eminently
a Christian work. No individual can possi
bly he qualified to engage in it who is not
himself a Christian. An experimental knowl
edge of Christianity is as essential for a Sun
day-school teat I t r as a knowledge ol li e Itxt
books is necessary (o fn a man to teach the
fundamental principles ol a common educa
tion, or a knowledge of die higher branches.
But while most Sunday-school superintend
ent* are prolessors ol religion, we t an (inti men
and women, all over Ibis country, who fill oilier
efficesam! teach in Sunday-schools, that have
neither part nor lot in this mailer; whose
hearts, like one Simon** of old, arenot right.
They are still in the gall ol bitterness and the
bond of iniquity. They should firs! repent them
selves before they assume tlie responsibility
of teaching others in the way of salvation.
‘‘Unto the wicked God said], what hast thou
to do to declare my statutes, or that thou
shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth.’’
IV 50 : 16.
(2.) A profession of Christ is another qunl
iiication ol Sunday •tcliool i ftieers and teach
ers.
Scriptural baptism is the Divine formula of
a profession ol Christ. Since the organization
of ihe first church in Jerusalem a profession
of Christ, in the great majority of cases, is
synonymous with church membership. It it
almost a universal rule witli ihe churches to
take the vole on church membership before
the ordinance of baptism is administered.
So that eo soon as a man professes Christ he is
a church member. This profession 01 Christ
should be made, and church membership
secured before an appointment to Sunday
school work, or, to any oilier branch ol Chris
tian work, is made. \Ye have neither precept
nor example in the New Testament authori
zing us to appoint men lo Christian work be
fore a profession of Christ has been made
and church membership secured. All Chris
tian work is official. That is, it should be
performed by baptized believers.
If the church is God’s only medium for
organized Christian effort, then Sunday-school
work should tie perlormed by church mem
bers. If not we have no authority for such
work, ami no child of God should engsge in
it. And whenever we appoint men and Wo
man lo the offices ot, and to teach in, the Sun
day-school, who have not professed Christ and
are not recognized members ot his Church,
though they be ChnVtians, we make no less
mistake than the violation of God’s revealed
will. It does not follow In m the above, that
every professing Christian is confipeient to
manage anil teach in Sunday-schools. These
are imlispt usable qualifications. Olhers are
necessary lo til an individual for official con
neoiion with Sunday-school work.
3. Another very common mistake in our
Sunday-school work is a failure to make Jhe
Bible the subject matter of our instructions.
This mistake is not attributable so much to
the sylemsor course of instruction marked out
by the lessons studied, ns it is Ihe result of a
misapprehension of the true aim of our Sunday
school lessons. Those who prepare our les
sons, doubtless, design them to be helps—sug
gestions to the study of the Holy Scriptures.
But in a great many of our Sunday-schools
this wise purpose of the authors is fearfully
perverted. The lessons themselves, that is
their questions and comments, are made Ihe
text—the subject rnattet lor study. And in
stead of examining the lessons to compre
hend the portion of Scripture embraced in
their discussion, the Bible is consulled, when
ever it is referred to at all, in order to uu-
derstand the lessons. A verbal knowledge of
the lessons is about all the most of our Sun
day teachers require of their scholars. To
be able to make such a recitation is about the
extent of the scholars preparation. In many
cases neither teacher nor -cholar ever make
this proficiency. How very small a portion
of God’s word our teachers teach to their
Sunday-school classes! And how very super
ficial is the knowledge of our scholars of this
very small portion of God’s word which is
taught them. —■.
4. The almost restriction of our Sunday
school instructions to children is a mistake.
I most firmly believe that children should
be taught a knowledge of the Scriptures. Pa
rents and Christian people can not commence
too soon to sow the seeds of truth in the
minds/of the young. Rather let my fight
hand forget its cunning, and my tongue cleave
to the roof of my mouth, than that I should
ever write or speak a word in opposition to
instructing our children and youth in the
trmhs of the Bible. Yet Ido contend that it
is a mistake to press the duly which the youog
have upon us to the exclusion or neglect of
the claim which the adult and the more ma
tured have upon our Christian philanthropy.
Our efforts in Sunday-school work are made
almost exclusively for the children. For in
stance: Our Sunday-school lessons are pre
pared for the children. Our songs are writ
ten for the children. Our Sunday school
literature is designed for the children. Our
Sunday-school sermons are preached to, or iu
behalf of, the childreu. Our Sur.day-rckool
conventions and speeches are held, and made
for the children. Grown people scarcely feel
any interest at all in the Sunday-school Jin ly
for the children. The children must go to
Sunday-school. They must read their Bibles
and study their Sunday-school lessons. But
parents arid grown people, forsooth, are ex
cused. Is everybody acquainted wiih the
Bible but children ? Are parents and grown
people Christians, and only the lambs of our
households are in danger of being lost? No,
verily. Christ goes to the desert to find his
due})—grown people. Why then are .they not
visited and drawn into the Sunday-school the
same as ihe children and youths of the land ?
While 1 would not exonerate parenls and
grown people from all blame in this matter,
yet I do think them deserving severe censure.
Neither would I charge Sunday-school teach
ers and workers with anv intentional culpa
bility. This want of personal interest in pa
rents and grown )ieople in the Snnday-ichool
is the result of teaching. Or rather the want
of teaching. By an erroneous practice the
world has been taught to believe the Sunday
school is designed alone for children. Parents
and grown people fail to realize any conviction
of personal responsibility to attend. Therefore,
as soon as our hoys and girls approximate
man and womanhood they abandon our
schools, and discontinue for ever the study of
God’s word. To suffer surii is a mistake. The
odligalii ii upon parents and children to go to
Sunday -school is mutual. Ami the former
should set the good example by taking the
lead as they do in going to hear the preaching
of the Gospel.
There are other mistakes which we have
made in our Sunday-school work. But the
foregoing will suffice.
II M y next duty is to suggest correctives
for ttie mistakes mentioned. I have enumer
ated four mistakes. Each mistake suggests
its own corrective:
I. The first mistake, in ihe onier men
tioned, is the locality of the Sunday-school
to the church, I his mistake, it is Wmteoded,
consists in making the
tant orgaoizatiort from llie church, to cor
rect! his, we have hut (o change the relation
of the school to Ihe chinch To do this it is
only necessary for every Baptist church to
resolve to have a Sunday-school; and raise a
committee to take charge 01, and have the
oversight of, this department of chinch woik.
There is no power, neither civil nor ecclesias
tical, at hast in this country, to hinder any
Baptist church from making this change,
and organ zing a Sunday-school of her own
2 An injudicious appointment of t tiicers
and teachers is the next mistake mentioned.
Having corrected the fust mistake, this will
not exis l . A well selected committee of
church number*, chosen hy the church for
the specific purpose of superinlending this
department of chuich woik, will appoint only
those members who are best capacitated to
take charge of it. Duty to themselves and the
church will indicate such appointments. The
spirit of laudable emulation will prompt it.
J. A failure to make the Bible the silt jicl
matter of cur instructions was pointed out as
another mistake common to our Sunday school
work. This mistake, though as simple in
i-telf as either of the other two, is more
difficult to correct. The difficulty in cor
recting this mistake consists:
fl) In its nature or the cause which pro
duces it. The origin of this mistake is igno
rance—ignorance of the Bible. If our Sun
day-school teachers knew the Scriptures they
would experience no want of a disposition
to teach them to their classes.
(2) This difficulty consists in an almost
universal indisposition to study the Bible.
Christian nun, with all the helps and facili
ties which have been furnished for studying
the woid of God, may soon acquire no mean
stock of Biblical knowledge. But men have
scarcely any disposition to study and pray
that they may understand the Holy Scrip
tures. They enjoy the reading and wtudy of
other books, but have no relish for the Bible.
Yet this is our only corrective for this mis
take. li we would teach our Sunday school
scholars more of the Bible We must study
and pray moreover God’s blissed Word. There
is no royal road here.
4. The last mistake mentioned is the re
striction of our Sunday-school work to the
children.
To correct this mistake we must ever keep
the great aim of Bunduy-school work promi
nent before us. The salvation of the taught,
aud a more thorough knowledge of doctrinal
ami practical Christianity should be the mo
tives which prompt us in Sunday-school
work. But with this end as our aim, who
who can set any limit to our field I For all
men either need saving, or to be better in
formed in the great truths of God’s word.
With this view ot our work we shall seek the
“dear" parents as well as the "dear” children.
We shall not he satisfied with our efforts un
til we have secured tne attendance of the "pre
cious” adults as well as the "darling” young
folks.
“TURKIC IS ERST KXtt' GH IN THE GRIVE.”
[The essay which we subjoin below, was
read by Miss Julia P. McWhorter, at the
commencement of LaGrange Female Col
lege last summer, upon the event of her
graduation at that Institution. To many it
will possess a mournful interest, from the
fact that in a few brief weeks from the time
these words were uttered, she had entered
upon that rest of which she had spoken.
the sweet spring time of her youth she
received the Master’s call from the stern
tasks of earth to the fruition above.]
With most people there is a craving for
rest; even with the young, there are times
when the feet are weary and the heart
grows faint, but, as they advance in life, the
weariness beet mes more frequent and more
intense; often there is an earnest, passion
ate longing for rest, a fearfully painful
temptation to turn from the labor which
duty has imposed and recline for a time in
the bowers of ease. Then we would turn a
deaf ear to the monitor who speaks to us of
what we owe ourselves and the world; we
would gladly ait in dreamy listlesness and
watch the riples of life’s great stream, ob
livious of the fact that we iTavean interest in
the scene. We would bid Care and her
train speed faraway and leave us with noth
ing for the heart to sigh for, nor the hands
to do.
But such are not the promptings of our
better teachers. From the realm of Nature,
wherever we may look, the lesson is of ac
tion, not of rest. Gaze we away to the
nightly vault where the band’s of Orion are
glittering in splendor, and the Pleiads are
shedding their sweet influences, and we read
the signs of unceasiog motion. Look we
abroad when the day star comes as a bride
groom from his chamber, and from speed
ing light and rustling breeze, we learn the
same fact of unceasing motion. In the
swelling bud and expanding leaf, in opening
flower and ripening fruit we perceive there
is constant action, constant labor. In the
animated creation beneath us we discern no
undue pining for rest; no efforts to evade
the tasks which the Creator has imposed.
The bee is early on tbe wing; the lark bathes
his pinions in morning air that he may salute
the rising sun ; and the iamb and the fawn
are cropping the grass while the dew yet
sparkles on its blades. 15y all these are we
taught the lesson of action, motion,labor.
If, however, we consider ourselves and
our race, we need not read sermons in stones,
nor books in running brooks, in order that
we may learn our duty. In whatever direc
tion we may turn our eyes, we see there is
much to be done. There is much to do that
these bodies ot ours may be sustained and
rendered comfortable. That the earth may
yield of her wealth to fill storehouse and
barn, there must be patient and unremitted
toil. The furrow must be run, the seed
sown, the tender plaut nurtured and the
harvest reaped. These things r< quire not
the hand alone, but the brain must work,
that what i3 done may be done with skill
aud judgment. It has been said that he
who makes two spi ars of grass grow where
only one had previously grown, deserves to
be rated as a public benefactor. How far
above all the mighty captains whose oc
cupation it has been to devaste and destroy,
should be enrolled him who converts a bar
ren, stony waste into a scene of fruitfulness
and beauty. Everyone who does something
towards providing food and raiment for the
world’s teeming mil ions, performs a noble
duty. This is a task in which the great
muss of mankind must be employed, and
from which they dare not rest. There is no
room here for rest. It is a decree of Heaven
which we can neittier resist nor evade, that
if we would live we must labor.
But it is written “ Man shall not live by
bread alone.” If we do no more than gain
sustenance for our physical frames in what
are we better than the brute Creation? God
lias endowed us with intelhcts, and it be
comes us not to feed for a season and then
die leaving no trace behind us, no impress
for good to those who are to come after us
These intellects must be cultivated and thus
supplied with that pabulum whicli that cul
tivation requires. The powers of the mind
riiilst be prepared to understand and enjoy
the beauty and order vs hi h the Creator lias
spread hi omul us. There is still a vast un
known, whose hidden mysteries must be ex
plored and the laws which govern its work
ings made known. We cannot believe that
God has thrown an un-removable veil over
any of llis works; 11. doubtless, designs
Ihallhey shall be traced out by mini, and
he employed by him tor tbe accomplishment
ol his put puses. But ibis is a result that
can be brought about only by study and
labor; not by idly' reclining on downy
Couches and in sweet dreams passing
life away did they of the past maku elec
tricity and light obedient servants, which
have uioie sti uglh than the human arm,
more delicacy tl an the human hand. For
those who labor in the world ot thought,
there is much, vuy much to do; there is a
great deal to learti and a great deal to.teach ;
every day some new fact may be discovered—
every day some new truth may he enforced.
If one would rise to the full measure of
duty, lie must scorn ease aud live laborious
days. “No time to rest,” is ttie motto in the
world of mind as much as in the realm of
matter.
After all, however, this lift: is but a scene
of preparation for another life, and whether
that oilier shall be a higher, depends upon
our efforts here. What a vast field tor labor
here opens before us! The millions of
eartli are groping their way in darkness;
bow shall they be enlightened save by the
exertions of those to whom the lump of life
has been given. Oh ! there is really no time
for rest here. The issues are too fearlully
monu-i)tous; the work to be performed is
too vast to admit of any delay', or any ces
sation of effort. Ye who who would dry
the flow of human tears or check the course
of human guilt, must not conceive that in in
dolence oi self indulgence you can achieve
these high aims, and thus push forward tbe
moia) and intellectual inarch of the world,
until knowledge shall have extended its be
nign influences nil over the earth and religion
shall usher in the day of millenial glory.
©ur Correspondents.
For the Index and Baptist. |
IKAYIM, TO 8K BLIM>
Does it not seem passing strange
that one blessed with sight should
wish to be blind ? It is strange, yet
it is literally true. There is a family
living in S county, Georgia, sev
eral members of which are blind, or
neatly so. Some of the children were
sent to the Institute (or the Blind, at
Macon. They learned well, became
educated, and obtained good s'tua
tions in society, and are now doing
well. A younger brother, seeing the
advantage of his brother and sister over
himself —who apparently must remain
in helpless ignorance—actually wept
that he wasnotblind as they were. Such
was the child’s appreciation of an ed
ucation and its advantages. Strange
to tell, the boy’s sight failed a short
time afterwards, and he is now in the
Institute at Macon. This boy is now
about twelve years old, is making
good progress in his studies, and, it is
to be hoped, will eventually make a
useful man. The name and all par
ticulars could be given if it were
proper to do so.
Does any one think the child was
wrong, sinful or foolish in preferring
intellectual to natural sight ? He felt
sure that he could not have both, and
to be without sight would insure an
education. I trust the Lord may, in
His own time, grant both blessings to
a child of such appreciation.
W. M. H.
For the Index *nd Haptjst.l
“Heaven XeTer Seemed So Bright Before.”
Such was the language of a pious h?ar.t
almost broken With grief. That “unduly
member” had been doing the drudgery of
Satan —had been slandering a Christian
whose name had ever been above reproAch.
For weeks and months had the slanders been
spreading, yet tbe innocent accused was in
blissful ignorance of it all. At length a
friend saw proper to reveal the dreadful se
cret. And what a shock it gave! A peal
of thunder from a cloudless sky would have
been less appalling. Tears, in a copious
shower, poured forth. After a few moments
of overpowering grief, followed by brief re
flection, with deep emotion the stricken one
said : “Heaven never seemed so bright and
desirable before I” How true ! Heaven is
never seen to better advantage than when
viewed through the tears of blighting sorrow.
No telescope has the power to draw near or
magnify the glorious prospect of Heaven
that tears have. Did I say “magnify the
glorious prospect of Heaven ?" It cannot be
magnified. But the disappointments, sor
rows and darkness of this sinful world,
make so strong a contrast, that Heaven seems
greater, nearer, brighter thin before. How
many have been made to feel the above truth,
though they may not have spoken it, the
Allwise alone can tell. Such sorrows and
such ri flections serve to ripen the Christian
soul for the garner above. As needful are
they as the sunshine and rain to the fruits ol
the earth to make them serviceable to man.
No, Heaven never appears to belter advan
tage than when seen through the tears of
sorrow.
fissions.
State Miitsion Work.
COMMITTEE.
Rev. A. T. Spalding, D.D., President.
Rev. D. W. Gwin, D. D.
Rev F. M. Daniell.
Dr. J. S. Lawton. Index office.
Rev. J. H. DeVotie, D.D., Corresponding
Secretary.
8. T. Jenkins, Recording Secretary.
W. L. Goldsmith.
Rev. J, M. Wood.
J. H. James, Treasurer.
For the Index and Baptist. I
LCI'IIICH KICK 4M> GKUBGIA.
Early in the year 1812 the first
American missionaries, for foreign
fields, sailed in two separate compa
mes. There was not a Baptist among
them. They were all of Presbyterian,
or rather Congregational faith. The
Baptists had hitherto confined their
missionary efforts exclusively to Ameri
ca. But when announcement was
made that Adoniram Judson, his wife,
and Luther Rice, were baptized at
Serampore, by Dr. Ward, of the En
glish Mission, and had requested to
be received and supported as mis
stonaiiesby American Baptists, itwent
through the country like tlie sound ot
a trumpet. The evert swept away
alike prejudices and the sp rit of in
difference. Many of our best men re
garded it as tlie voice of God. Hence,
in the year 1814, the organization at
Philadelphia of the Triennial Con
vention ; the first act of the Board
01 which was the appointment of
Messrs. Judson and Rice as foreign
missionaries. Ihe Board however
determined that while Mr. Judson
labored abroad Mr. Rice should remain
at home at least for a time, and work in
the in'.eiests of missions by traveling
through the States, organizing societies
and arousing the people. Mr. Rice visi
ted Georgia first in the latter pait of
the year 1816. He found at least three
large missionary societies already in
existence —the Savannah, which em
braced perhaps all the coast coun
ties, and as far interior as the county
of Burke—the Hephzibah, which
including the county ot Burke, exten
ded in the dilection of Hancock—the
Poweiton, which included perhaps
all ot the Georgia Association and a
part ot the Sarepta. The following
letter, written by Mr. Rice from
Oglethorpe, county to Mr. Thomas
Byne of Burke county, after the whole
territory of the above specified mis
sionary societies had been traversed,
may be of inteiest to the Baptists of
Georgia:
Natcbal Gbove, Oulbthbopk Cos., Ga-,
January 9th, 1817.
Very Dear Brother. —The Board of
the Powelton Mission Society, at their
late meeting, appointed brother Mer
cer a delegate to the General Mission
Convention, which is to meet in Phila
delphia the first Wednesday in May
ensuing, and voted to send by him a
remittance of SSOO to the general fund-
He intends to set out the first of
March. I am extremely glad that
brother Mercer has concluded to at
tend the Convention. I wish much
that someone from your Society could
accompany him. Do try and send
brother Jenkins or some other. The
budness is of growing importance, and
constantly widening in the range of
its operations. It is, therefore, and in•
deed on eveiy account, desirable that
delegates should actually attend the
Convention from as many Societies as
possible.
Ifvour Society cannotsend a delegate,
at least appoint brother Mercer your
proxy in the case. Yesterday I parted
with him, expecting not to see him
again till we meet in Philadelphia next
April. I think very highly of brother
Mercer. He has kindly favored me
with his company in a range of meet
ings ot ten days—few better preachers
—very few better divines—none, al
most, better men.
I am now about taking leave of
Georgia, on my way to Tennessee and
Kentucky. Often, no doubt, shall I
cast a lingering look behind. Here I
have enjoyed much satisfaction—here,
too, I have met with rather greater
liberality than in any other part of the
United States—here I have received
more than SI3OO.
**** * . *
I have just received a letter from our
friend vVelsh, by which I learn that
the vessel which carried brother
Hough and family to India has return
ed. Information relative to the mis
sionary operations there is of a favour
able complexion. * * *
Most sincerely and affectionately
yours, (Signed)
Luther Rice.
The above letter clearly shows that
Georgia, in the beginning of our For
eign Missionary enterprise, was among
the foremost in liberality. Tne Se
cond Session of the Triennial Conven
tion reported, I believe, something
over six thousand dollars raised for
Foreign Missions. Of this amount
Georgia contributed at least fifteen
hundred dollars. Shall we now fail to
do our duty ?
W. H. Davis.
Kxtracts from the Minutes #f the Georgia Bap
tist Convention.
Report of Special Committee on Report 0/ State
Elusions.
The committee to whom was referred the re
port 01 the State Mission Hoard take pleasure
in saying that this Convention has every rea
son to he gratified at the results which have
been already attained. Too much time would
be consumed, and it is not necessary to enu
merate the initial difficulties that have been
encountered, and to some extent overcome, by
the persevering diligence and wise foresight of
the brethren. We approve of the measures
which have been adopted by them in tne pros
ecution of their work, including their arrange
ments with the Home Mission Board of New
York, by which their financial ability iu car
rying on their work among the colored people
has been greatly increased ; and we recognize
and mention with special pleasure the cordial
relations that have existed between them and
our own Home Mission Hoard, at Marion, Ala
bama.
Without intending to map out woik for
Board that shall be appointed to conduct uiifi
part, of our labor during the incoming year, we
would respectfully suggest the importance of
supplying those who may be destitute with the
printed Bible, ami that the Board do what it
may be able in this direction.
Respectfully submitted,
W. H. Davis, Chairman.
Report on Mission*.
Your Committee on Missions are gratified to
be able to report that a year’s experience has
demonstrated the wisdom of appointing your
fState Mission Board. Through its instrumen
tality, many useful brethren iiave been ena
bled to devote themselves more fully to the
work of the ministry. Many pojmlous commu
nities and sections have been supplied with
preaching: many Sunday-schools nave been
established, and others strengthened, while the
occupancy of waste-places at home has encour
aged the churches to cast their eyes abroad to
nations that have not heard the Gospel of Peace.
This Board Is endeavoring to dispense benefits
to the colored as well as to the white people of
our state. The efficient Corresponding Secreta
ry has prosecuted the woik assigned him with
a zeal and wisdom that Is worthy of all com
mendation
Res pec t fully s u bmi t ted,
A. B. Campbell, Chairman.
Report of the Standing Committee on Sunday*
' & -hoots.
Your committee are glad to know that the
conviction is growing stronger and stronger
that the sundty-sch6ol 1 as its foundation laid
upon Bible authority, that its woik must be
done upon Bible principles, and that success
depends upon the Divine blessing.
Our SuiDl’iy-sehool Evangelist, acting upon
these senptural ideas, and laboring with disin
terest. <1 Zealand enthusiasm, has gone through
out the length and breadth of our State, arous
ing our churches, instructing our teachers, and
stimulating our scholars, till he lias elevated
t In* work to a place and position never before
known. VW congratulate the Board upon the
work done by tile* Evangelist, and bespeak for it
ami our brother Boykin the hearty co operation
and cordial sympathy of our whole Baptist
brotherhood. We especially rejoice that the la
bors of our Evangelist have been so highly ap
preciated by the colored people, ami have been
so signally blessed to their good. Let us all ral
ly with renewed energy to this grand founda
tion work, and uphold tie bands ami encour
age the heart •*f our nHf-denying Evangelist.
Let us not relax our efforts till there shall be a
prosperous Sunday-school in every church and
every neighborhood—a Bible in the hands of
every man, woman and child, ami the Gospel
preached “to every creature’* in the State of
Georgia there b** no lack of funds, no want
of sympathy, no cessation of labor, till the
voice of prayer and the songs of praise shall be
heard every Sabbath day in every town, vil
lage and hamlet throughout our grand old com
monwealth.
We recommend the reappointment of broth
er T. C. Boykin as Sunday-school Evangelist,
under the support of the State Mission Com
mittee.
And we commend Kind Words and its lesson
papers to the patronage of all the Baptist Sun
day-schoo s in the Stab*.
(i. A. Nunnally, Chairman.
Committee on the State of Religion.
Wr are forced to the otaervation, that,among
the colored people, there is great need of correct
evangelical preaching and .Sunday-school work
ami we earnestly invite the attention of the
Convention to this subject. Their churches
and schools need the benefit, of white training
and instruction. We heartily commend the
state Mission Board aud its operations, and
urge a generous support of It arid its missiona
ries - Bovjtix, Chairman.
Report of Corresponding .Secretary State Mission
Hoard.
The follow! g condensed summary shows the
woik of out missionaries—equal to eleven years
labor of one man : 128 churches and stations
supplied ; 1,0f17 sermon* preached ; <johaddresses
Hunciay-school and temperance, delivered - 68
Associations visited; 3 (} churches visited** 75
Sabbat h-school organized : I,7ii* scholars added
to sabbath-schools: 8 Sftbbatn-school Conven
tions attended : 156 baptized, whites- blacks 5 •
1 minister ordained; 4 deacons ordained-7a
prayer and other meetings attended: 1,548 re
ligious visits to families and prayer: 10 received
by letter: 1,723 letters wri.t! .Secreta'y and
Sunday-school Evangelist: 4./0 books aud Bibles
sold ; 4, >OO pastes tracts and papers distributed •
Hi converted iu connection not baptized ; 51,374
raised lor building, etc.; 18 protracted meetings
aided in: 28,920 miles traveled; 3 houses of
worship built; 3 Woman’s Missiou Societies
formed.
Amomt received far Stale Xusions.
On account of the length of the itemized re
pot! of the Treasurer of the State Mission Board
he Convention ordered that only an abstract
be printed, which is as follows;
Received on account of jirxt year for
the Mission to June 12, 1878 so 537 on
For building of houses of worship 1,376 00
Oj mo |j|j
Paid to missionaries, building, etc 7/913 00
...... , . J. H. James, Treasurer.
Audited and Approved:
W. |j Goldsmith,
8. T. Jkskins. .
These expressions of approbation by the sev
eral Committees of the Convention greatly en
courage the Board.
\Ve earnestly appeal to the friends of State
Missions to redouble their efforts, make the
second year’s work a far greater success than
this beginning. Thirteen Missionaries are now
in the Held. Bibles. Testaments and Tracts are
greatly needed. Who will help now ?
J. H. DkY otie, Cor. Sec.
Whex yearly subscribers eannot be obtained,
we hope onr friends will send in three and six
months' subscribers, but eannot award premiums
until the amount of the yearly subsciibtion is
paid.