Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

2 ©nr ®orwsp#nfltn(s L For the Index and Baptist.! A FAVORED CITT. Editors Index —Without wishing to sub ject myself to the charge of pertinacity, allow me to re-affirm the positions taken hy me in my article criticising your editorial entitled “A Favored City.” You say the design of the editorial was simply “a proper notice” of ‘'Christian workers.” In the opinion of the writer the notice was very improper, in lan guage if not in design. It was extravagant praise. Such praise cannot conamehd itself to the normal Baptist. There is a fearful element ol germinal harm in such praise. You state that “many of the ministers at tending preached in the Baptist houses of worship, by invitation of the pastors, and their preaching was not objected to—certainly not criticised as objectionable.” This is hardly a fair statement. Many Baptists did “criticise as objectionable” the occupancy of Baptist pulpits by members of the General Conference. They criticised it, but not of fensively. They feel very tenderly for the brethren who difler with them. It is true, however, that one of our churches refused to tender its pulpit, and one pastor, at lead, ob jected to the use of his pulpit by "our Meth odist brethren.” You say : "There are certain acts of hospit able Christian courtesy which Baptists have pleasure in observing towards Bedobaptists.” lathis your interpretation of Christian hospi tality to unbaptized Christians? Can Beptists not be courteous, hospitable and loving to Pedobaptists without a surrender of their principles? There is another side. Please consider it. Is it courteous to those Baptist brethren who conscientiously objec', and Bcripturally criti ietse the filling of Baptist pulpits by Pedo baptists? II some of our pastors must, of ne cessity, oflend, by being discourteous, either to Pedobaptists or their brethren, will they choose rather to be discourteous to their breth ren? Some Baptists are offended, as well as mortified, when they see an unbaptized Chris tian occupying a Baptist pulpit. It is not so much a discourtesy to them as they believe it to be to the Master. In your editorial you assert that Atlanta has, because of the International Sunday school Convention and the General Method ist Conference, enjoyed “superior religions influences.” In extenuation of this lan guage you say “we use the word superior as indicating quantity or degree-instead of quality. In Christianity as in many other things, superiority does not consist in “quan tity" but "quality.” And any influence des titute of “quality,” however superior in “quantity," is a pernicious influence. It is pernicious in proportion to its loss of "quali ty.” A bushel of spurious coins with a nick el or two thrown in, to redeem them from utter condemnation, will not, because of “quantity," deserve or receive “superior” val ue in contrast with the “quality” ot one gold dollar. The Bible is replete in its lessons concerning “quality” rather than “quantity.” Number* were never on the side of the Bible, whether in Jewish or Christian history. Truth has always been crushed under the feet of the oiiiltituile. The multitude put Christ to death, and his teachings to-day are rejected hy the so-called Christian multitude. “Q inn !i;y” in politics, in moral?, in religion is to lie feared if deprived of "quality.” If Pedobaptists are to he esteemed—if they can claim superior influence because of quantity only, what value should Baptists place upon such influence? If B.ipjiais cannot commend Pedobaptists be cause wanting in “quality” they should not Insult their erring brethren by claiming for them “superiority” in the item of ‘ quantity” only. If numerically they are only “superior” then Catholics, Mahamuiedans and Pagans even, are “superiors." You say : “This superior religious influ ence was not attributed to the Methodist ministers alone, but to all” the ministers, in cluding Baptists, who attended the Interna tional Sunday-school Convention. If there was an ab-enee of “quality” in that Conven tion then it is to be regretted that any Baptist lost his “quality” by attending it. I think diflerently. I will say, mildly, that the Bap tists in that Convention were the nickels (qual ity) in the bushel of uncurrent coins (quanti ty)—uncurrent in the sense of having no Scriptural church connection. 1 am more charitable than The Index on “quality.” You say: "This superior religious influ ence was attributed alone to the visiting min isters, but to them as reinforcements to those resident ministers with whom they were co workers”- - oo- workers in “quantity.” Did they rein'>roe only to this extent? They did more. Tney “reinforced” those “influences” that are arrayed against Baptists. They reinforced those departures from the true way, which, if car ried to success, will Bweepevery Baptist church from the land. These reinforcements would be exceedingly pleased, in utter disregard of "courteous Christian hospitality,” to crush out, one by one, every distinctive fenture pe culiar to Baptists. In the crushing out busi ness “quantity” is necessary to “superior" success. On such occasions our forefathers realized these "superior influences” which their sons now "courteously” commend. You say: “The word "unsurpassed” does not mean “surpassing,” and consequently when used with reference to one class does not place that class necessarily in an attitude of superiority to another.” If a man has "unsurpassed talent and zeal" with "superior influence" does he not surpass the man having the same "talent and zeal” but with inferior influence? But accepting your explanation you give them equality. And while you say you do not undervalue Drs. Tucker, Mell, Owin and Spalding you say these brethren are no better than Pedobaptist ministers. I have a better opinion of them. In fact, if The Index fairly represents itself on this point I am more charitable to onr brethren. You say, lastly: “There is a radical dis tinction between truth and doctrine. The former implies no doubt, but the latter is always the subject of disputation between diflerent denom inations. Consequently when we Used the word truth, it had relation to things about which there is Christian agreement—such truths as all orthodox Christians unite in preaching.” Does “a radical distinction between truth and doctrine” exist in the Bible ? Doctrine is the word, and truth is the soul of the word. They meet in Christ. He sa-id: “I am the truth"~‘Ttiv word is truth.” Strip doctrine of truth ami it is worthless, soulless—dead. You asserted in your editorial that Pedobap tists were “sowing in our community truths.” \N ould Methodists admit that Arnienianiam— that infant baptism, were "doctrine*" and not “tru'ht ?” There is “no doubt” in the minds of Methodists of the truth of these doctrines. So their "truths” as well as their “doctrines” are false, and can become proper subjects for '‘disputation ’ —even if the “distinction” exist ed. It is well to observe, however, that The Index in its editorial made no "distinction be tween doctrines and truths.” 1: affirmed that 1 edobaptists were “sowing truths.” The great er includes the leas. Truths include theirdoc trines. Hence theee Pedobaptists were “sow THE CHRISTIAN INDEX AND SOTJTH-WESTERN BAPTIST -Jvlv is. : ig” doctrines, in their so-called “truths." You made no distinction between the “quantity or quality” of the “truths” being sowed. They were sowing “orthodox" Methodist truths, which can never be “orthodox” Bible or Bap tist truths. May the good Lord deliver His people from such “truths” and such “ortho- Soxy." W. T. G. Atlanta, June 24th. RICHMOND LETTER. Revival In the Colored Chsrrhes, ete. White Chsrches— Dr. McDonald—Rome Chapel. Richmond, Va., July 3, 1878. The revival among the colored peo ple here has been most extraordinary. About three thousand have been ad ded to the Baptist churches, and one hundred and forty to the Methodist churches. Of this last number one hundred demanded immersion. So that up to this time thirty-one hun dred professed believers have been buried in baptism. Special services have ceased, but conversions are still taking place. The Kev. Mr. Holmes, of the First African church, told me, a few days ago, that he expected to re ceive two hundred more. If you should ever hear it suggested by any one in or out of the Baptist denomination that the apostles could not have imuoer-sed three thous tnd on the day of Pentecost, you can just say that Rev. Mr. Holmes, the pastor of the First African church in this city, immersed 598 in three hours. Two Huch aB he could have baptized them all in less than twelve hours. How the shadows of theoretical error vanish before the facts of truth! The colored pastors of this city are, in the main, good, sensible discreet men, with per haps as little superstition as you will find among their race anywhere. The hope, therefore, is that the revival is a genuine one, and that great good has been accomplished. The pastor of the First chuj'h, which you know had before this revi val a nominal membership of thirty* eight hundred, has adopted a rather novel methol to correct his chureb list, and at the same time raise money to build liis house. He opened his church books in January for anew reg istration of all bis members —giving those in the city three, and those in the country six months to come for ward. Each had to p\v 25 ct.s. for having his or her name enrolled, those failing were to be considered a>s dropped. The eight hundred or a thousand new converts paid each the fee of 25 cts., when the name was en tered on the book. This method alone has brought him in nearly one thorn sand dollars. I only mention this for its shrewdness, not for its Scriptural authority. There has been no revival in our white churches since theautum*, save that of Dr. Hatcher’s, which I mea tioned in a former letter. It is now vacation in our schools, and our people, old and young, are leaving the city. Some for the moun* tains and springs, some for the uncles and aunts and cousins and friends in the country. Consequently our Sun day-schools and congregations are de clining very much. We expect rather a dull summer, with no very re ligious prospects to encourage us. But we will stand in our places, and wait with patience the blessings in store for us. Dr. McDonald of the Second ehureh has accepted a furlough kindly ten dered him by his noble people t> visit the mountains aud recruit his failing health. He is a noble man and most valuable laborer, and we hope will soon return to bless and gladden his con gregation. The Chapel in Borne. We are hoping there will be a simultaneous effort in the churches of the South to raise the money which will be due for this house on the Ist of August. Virginia has already raised her quota, but we intend on the 21 Sabbath in this month to enlarge the amount as much as possible. We are in no danger of giving too much. It is the withholding more than is meet that t mdeth to pov erty, but the liberal soul it is that shal be made fat. E. W. W. For the Index and Baptist. I WHAT IS CONVERSION ? The story of Nicodemus is familiar to every one. He was a ruler in Isreal; a man of position and power. In point of intelligence and culture, he was far in advance of his times, and superior to those among whom he lived. His mind had undergone a change with respect to religious doc trines. He had, therefore, iu a general sense, been converted ; because he al ready experienced "a change of opin ion and feeling” with respect to the Messiahship of Jesus. He was, as he thought, ready to embrace the new doctrines. He believed them; and this belief was induced by the charac* ter of the evidence which he had ex amined. It was, however, a mere intel lectual belief. His spirtual nature had not yet been awakened. He was not in a condition to receive the divine ; influx, and therefore not converted in the interior sense of that much abused term. What then is Conversion ? Is there not a higher plane of spirtual percep tion and knowledge than mere intel lectual belief predicated upon evi dence? Is it not as true now as it was two thousand years ago. that man is a spirtual being; a sort of connecting link between time and eternity; and therefore, in conjunction with both spirtual and natural worlds. Mani festly, this must be the case if we ac cept the teachings of the Bible. We may call it “consciousness” or “intui tion” or what not, but, in its lasi an alysis, it means nothing less than that man, in certain states or conditions of mind, realizes the presence and influ ence of an unseen power. And, if the Bible be true, the source of that power must either be celestial or infernal; and a man is saved or lost according as he lives in conjunction with, (and receives his inspirations from,) one or the other. Who that has studied closely the operations of his own mind does not know that he has impressions, amount ing in many instances to positive con victions, that are not predicated upon what is technically known as evidence ? We often believe without being able to give a reason, because the evidence is wanting ; it is almost an every-day occurrence. T'hi3, then, must be among the foun dations of all religions, since all reli gions look to the supernatural, and are dependant upon the spirtual state of the mind. The Christian religion is eminently spirtual It searches the most interior chambers of the mind. It analyzes the most secret thought and desire. It enters the Will —that mysterious something which is personified as the “heart” —that is, the very center and mainspring of our spirtual existence. And unless this Will or “heart” is changed from natural to celestial love, the man cannot be said to be con verted. How this change is brought about, was to Nicodemus, (as to many at the present day,) incomprehensible. He was merely a natural man. His mind had never been turned inward upon itself. He arrived at conclusions from the evidence before him. He had seen Christ do many things beyond mere human power. He, therefore, conclu ded, and with reason, that he must have been something more than a mere human being. He observed also, that all J esus’ works were in the line of pr.ic* tical benevolence and humanity. He healed the sick ; He raised the dead at the request of bereaved relatives; He led the hungry multitude; He comfort ed the distressed. Nicodemus was, therefore, convinced in his own nnnd that Jesus must have been a good man, since Dad men do the reverse ot wtiat he ditl. And from such premises as this, to wit —that so good a personage could never be an imposter, he arrived at the conclusion, logically enough, that Jesus was just what he claimed for himself—the veritable Son of God. Hence he went to see him, but without comprehending him or willing to fol low him. because his spirtual perceptions bad not been opened, and he had not willed to follow him. he was not “converted.” S. For the Index anti Baptist.| SOI riAKRN FEMALE COLLEGE. It has seldom been the writer's privi lege to attend a course of commence ment exercises which elicited so much interest as that of the above institution, held daring the early part of the present week. From the commence ment sermon of Rev. W. L. Kilpatrick, to the closing ceremonies ot gradua tion day, the exercises were of such a character as to receive the highest commendation. The large audiences attending from day to-day, in spita of the inclement weather, bore abundant testimony to the excellence of the dif ferent exhibitions, and to the apprecia tive esteem in which the college is held by the cultivated citizens of La- Grange. The art exhibition was very fine, reflecting honor alike upon the talents and labor of the pupils, and upon the ability and faithfulness of their gifted teacher. The music of the concerts and class exercises was such as would be expected by any one knowing the genius and skill of the Misses Cox, who have in charge this department of instruction, While the Sauthern Female College is not behind any similar institution in the land, in the breadth of its curriculum, and in the thoroughness of its discipline and instruction, as regards the departments of music and fine arts, in our opinion, it is beyond all question, the first female college of the State. And we do not hesitate to say, that if the true charac ter of the Institution were better known in the South, President Cox would be compelled to erect other structures besides the large and beau tiful building just completed. Atlanta, June 20. B. For the Index aud ISapttst.) THE NORTH GEORGIA GENERAL ASSOCIATION At its last session, the Chattahoochee As sociation invited her sister Associations aud Baptist churches anywhere in the State, aud especially in North Georgia, to meet her with live delegates from each Association aud one from each church, at Hopewell church, Hall county, eight mites south from Gainesville, on the 23th day of July, to de vise some plau according to New Testament principles, to do missionary work.. THR ORIGIN of this Convention may be a matter of in teiest to the Lord’s people. At the close of its ’session on Friday, the first day of the meeting, the Moderator appointed a large committee to arrange an order of business for the Association tty 8$ a m. on Saturday. The committee all met Friday night at Mr. Palmour’s (who was no professor of re ligion.) The writer was not a member of that committee, but was kindly invited to sit with it and participate in its deliberations. Several items of business were agreed upon. According to custom, the Circular Letter, prepared by Elder J. E Rives, was read and considered. The discussion called forth the fact that, while the Chattahoochee is called a missionary body, it is doing almost noltiing to send the Gospel to those who bare it not; and, lor the last twenty-five years or longer, it has done but little. The committee, each and all, expressed the deepest sorrow over our short comings. We had failed to do our duty. The commission was, “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature,” and we had not obeyed. Every brother wept—the Moderator wept. Prayer was offered again and again, that the Lord would direct us what to do. After bumble and devout prayers and many tears, the question was then asked, "Can’t we do something?” "Yes,” was the quick .and unanimous response. “What and how?” Answer: “Let us cal) a Convention of all the Baptists in North Georgia, and try to persuade every church and every Baptist to contribute at least one nickel upon an av erage, for the great wotk of missions.” The next day, the excellent missionary spirit of the committee was soon diffused through the whole Association, and, if my memory serves me correctly, every pastor and every delegate agreed to try to get his church to raise, on an average, one uickel apiece for missions. This is the systematic benevolence which our excellent brother, C. M. Irwin has so faithfully recommended to our people. By this plan the Chattahoochee Associa tion, instead of sending up for missions s3’4o as it did last year, will come up with $142. May the Lord encourage the hearts ot His people to work for Jesus. Wm. C. Wilkzs. For the I .vicx and Buptiht.] •‘THE BAPTISM OF JKSrS” This is the caption of an article “for the Christian Observer ,” by Rev. H. H. Hawes. He begins: “Why was Jesus baptized?” Two answers are given to this question: “i. He was baptized in conformity to the law of priestly consecration. “a. He was baptized as an example to ts. “Dne of these answer* is right; the other is wrong. Let us now see which will stand the test of the Scriptures. We accept the jirst beause it is right; we reject the second because it is wrong, being utterly without any Scriptural warrant.’’ Here we would have expected Mr. Hawes to have given the Scripture bv which he proposed to “test” the Scrip turalncss ot the proposition that Jesus was baptized “in conlormity to the laws of priestly consecration,” but, to our amazement, he does no such thing He does not quote a single pissage of God’s Word, in an article more than a column long. This is the less to be expected from him v for he says : “The imrnersionist position [that Jesus was baptized as an example to us] may be the result of sincerity but it is also founded in ignorance and pre judice. As an evidence of this, let it be noticed that when they say, ‘the Bible commands us to follow the ex ample of Jesus in baptism,’ they never, and they cannot, produce one word from the Bible to sustain the assertion. Christ said, ‘Search the Scriptures, for they testify to me.’ We obey this command. And what follows? The result is that we cannot find, in all the Bible, one command or teaching to ‘follow the example of Jesus in bap tism.’ ” Now, it would seem that one who thinks it so remiss in others not to give one word of Scripture in sup port of his position, would have found space for one passage or one word of Scripture in a whole column of asser tions. But not one does he give. Mind, brother Hawes, or someone will be saying, “Physician, heal thy self.” But there is a remarkable expression in the above question : "The immer sionist position may be the result of sincerity, , but it is also founded in ig norance and prejudice'' Whatley tells us that “sincerity is U3ed to denote un biased conviction'' and Worcester and Webster define the word with “hon esty,” “candor,” “frankness,” “ingen uousness,” etc., while prejudice is “a previous judgment," and, as French suggests, “is almost always taken to signify an unfavorable anticipation about one.” With this light‘before us, do we make a grammatical asser tion when we say, “a position may be the result of sincerity, but it is also founded in ignorance and prejudice?" How can a man possess “honesty,” “candor,” “ingenuousness”—an "un biased conviction”—in holding a posi tion, and yet that position be founded in an unfavorable pre judgment , or a pre judgment of any kind ? And as to the charge of “ignorance” upon im mersionists, who in another place are called “Baptists,” I may say that the intelligent reader will judge of its fitness as coming from one who writes such English as we have been examin ing. The remainder of Mr. Hawes’ arti cle is made up of assertions that the theory that we ought to follow Christ in baptism is a “say so” of im mersionists; that they have filled ser mons, and papers, and books with it, and yet "it is not a teaching of the Bible," etc. The article closes, without quot ing one passage of Scripture, with the remark: “We will speak next of the’ mode of Christ’s baptism.” I suppose he feels that he has exhausted the two propositions he started to discuss. How “nice” it would have been, if, in answer to his question, “Why was Jesus baptized?” he had turned to Matt. 3-15, and quoted : “Thus it be cometh us to fulfill all righteousness." I would like to see a thorough dis cussion of Mr. Hawes’ second proposi tion, “Jesus was baptized as an exam ple to us.” 1 will argue like he does, except to clinch the argument with Scripture. If he was baptized “as an example to us,” he was not “baptized in conformity to the law of priestly consecration.” He was not baptized in conformity to the law of priestly consecration, for Paul says: “Jesus was made a high priest forever after the order of Melchisedic.” Now, he al so teaches that Melchisedic in his priest ly office was without beginning of days. (Heb. 6 : 20, 7 : 2 ) Then it were con tradictory of the Bible to say that John consecrated Christ a priest by baptism ! I would like to know if Mr. Hawes, or anybody else who believes the Bi ble, is prepared to deny that Jesus is a perfect example to us —an example in all things. He ts plainly stated to be our example in John 13 : 15, and 1 Peter 2:21 —that is, in humility and in suffering —and so far as I remem ber, these are the only instances where he is di ectly called our example. Will Mr. Hawes contend that there* fore he is our example only in humili ty and in suffering? If he does, then where is our/w/iv? exam pie? A fair in terpretation of the two passages, above referred to, would make t;em teach, as particular instances, the general doctrine that Christ is our example in all things. “Beware, lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the traditions of men, af ter the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ /" R. T. Hanks. Jhc Snndati-J’thool. [nteraationai Snnday-Scliool toons. Lesso* IV. —July 28, 1878. JKHCS AT NAZtRKTH Lako w: 16-30. A. D. 28. OONXECTTON. A Tier bis baptism. Jesus was fompted Into the I wilderness, returned to Galilee, attended the marriage at Cana, and then, iroing to Jerusalem, attended the first passover in bis public minis try. At that passover, be drove the traders out of the temple. About this time occurred the conversation with Nicodemus. Tarrying in Ju dea, he began to kaptiz \ and then returned to Galilee through Samaria, and preached to the woman by the well or Kycliar. Teaching publicly iu Galilee, be cams again to Cana, where be healed a nobleman's son lying sick at Caper naum. Then he came to Nazareth. Otm-INB. I. In the synagogue, v. 16. It. Reading the Scriptures, v. 17-20 111. Addre ing tLn.-ople. v. 21-27. IV Thrust out v. 23-30. EXPOSITION. I. In the synagogue. V. 16. “Nazareth,” Sixtyfive miles north of Jerusalem, in Southern Gali lee. “Brought up.” He lived there some twenty-seven years. “As his custom was.” According to verse 15, he was accustomed to teach in the synagogues, and his teaching had hitherto been respectfully received. “The synagogue,” implying that Naz areth had but one. A synagogue was a Jewish house of worship. “On the Sabbath-day.” Jesus used the Sab bath as a day of religious instruction. “Stood up for to read." Stood up to indicate his desire to read. Any one might be invited or permitted to read. The fame of Jesus was sufficient to obtain for him this permission 11. Reading the Scriptures. V. 17. “Delivered unto him” by the person who had charge of the rolls, and whose business it was to take them from the ark in which they were kept. “The book.” The roll, which was of parchment and contained prob ably the only prophecy of Isaiah. “Opened the book.” Unrolled it. The parchment was fastened to a stick at both ends and was rolled from one end to the other when read. “He found the place.” Whether this was the portion of the prophets appoint ed for the day, or whether it was simply selected by Jesus, is un certain, but probably the latter is the correct view. V. 18. “The spirit of the Lord ii upon me.” Isa. lxi. 1, 2. This lan guage was employed by Isaiah as descriptive of the Messith. It was openly fulfilled in Jesus when the Spirit descended upon him at his bap tism. “He hath anointed me.” An ciently, kings and prophets and the high-priests were set apart to their work by anointing with oil. Jesus was never literally anointed, but pos sessed the Spirit, which possession was his real anointing to his office and work. The Hebrew Messiah and the Greek Christ signify the anointed. “The Gospel,’’good news to“the poor,” sensible of their poverty. “The broken hearted.” Those of contrite hearts. ‘Tne captives.’’ Captives unto sin. Cnrist is a Redeemer. Christ is said to have come to give his life a ransom for many. Matt, xx: 28. “To the blind.’’Thespiritually blind.“ Bruised.” Oppressed and bruised as with a yoke— the yoke of conscience and the law. All these figures set forth the effect of sin upon those who become conscious of its existence. V. 19. “The acceptable year." The period when God would be peculiarly favorable to men—the period from the advent of Christ to his second coming. V. 20. “Closed.” Rolled together. “Sat down,” to indicate his desire to 1 speak. The Jewish Rabbis taught sitting, and by sitting down at the reading-place in the synagogue, they gave notice to the assembly that they were about to speak. Dr. Hackett says : “I attended the Jewish worship at Jerusalem, and was struck with the accordance of tha ceremonies with those mentioned in the New Testa ment. The sacred roll was brought from the chest or closet where it wa kept; it was handed by an attendant to the reader; a portion of it was rehearsed; the congregation rose and stood while it was read; whereas, the speakers, as well as the others present, sat dur ing the delivery of the address which formed a part of the service.” “The eyes of all were fastened on him.” In intense and curious interest to know what he would say. Here for more than twenty-five years he had been known, and most of that time he had been a worshipper in that syna gogue. Now he had returned to them as a wonderful teacher. 111. Addressing the people. V. 21. “This day.” The day on which he was speaking and during all his ministry. “This Scripture,” which he had read. “In your ears.” Iu your hearing. That is, you hear in my preaching to-day the fulfillment of this prophecy. He probably said much more than is here recorded. Y. 22. “Bare him witness,” in their consciousness, tbe:r thoughts and their words. “Wondered.” They were filled with astonishment- “The gracious words,” literally, words of grace, that is, words apt aud full of meaning. They were astonished that the “carpen ter's son” could speak with such ease and grace. V. 23. “And he said unto them,”in answer to the feeling expressed in the question at the close of verse 22, “Phy sician, heal thyself,” etc. The mean ot these men may be thus expresred: You profess to be the Messiah. You have wrought miracles in Capernaum. Show that you are the Messiah by working miracles here. “We have heard done in Capernaum." Of the : miracles Luke has made no record. V. 24. Jesus answers their proverb | by another, which he gives as a reason I for not complying with their demand that he should work miracles in Naza reth. V. 25. In this verse he calls atten tion to a case in which an acknowl edged prophet bestowed favor on a for eigner, instead' of upon a widow in Israel, though there were many of them. See the account in I Kings xvii: 8-24. Y. 26. "Sarepta.” Same as Zareph ath in I. Kings xvii. It lay on the coast of the Mediterranean, between Tyre and Sidon. V. 27. A second instance of favor done to a foreigner rather than to an Israel ite. “Eliseus,” Greek for Elisha, as Elias is the Greek for Elijah. “Naa man.” See the account iu 11. Kings v. “Saving.” For saving in this verse and “save” in verse 26, use the word hut, and you will have the correct idea. IY. Thrust out.. V. 28. “Fdled with wrath.” They could not endure that Israel should be rejected, and Gentiles accept | ed. They were not convinced that j their want of blessings arose from j their own unbelief, but were furiously i enraged against the preacher. Even now the same effect is produced by faithful preaching. V. 29. “Thrust him out of the city." Dr. Hackett says : “A precipice—al most perpendicular, forty or fifty feet high, is found still just above the modern village, over which it is hardly possible that a person should fall without be ing killed instantly.” V. 30. “Passing through the midst of them” with a majesty that overawed them. LESSONS. 1. Jesus approved of public worship by attendance upon it. 2. Jesus recoguized the Old Testa ment as of Divine authority. 3 God in Christ gives his blessings when, where and to whom he pleases. 4 Now is the acceptable time. Let sinners come to the Saviour. StYDAY-SCHOOL COYVEYIiOY. Programme of Sunday-School Convention of Friendship Association, to be held August 16th. 17th and 18th, 1878, with the churoh at Leba non, Sumter county, Ga. 1. Friday, 11 a. m., Introductory Sermon, by J. A. I rev. 2. 1:30 p, m , Reports from schools. 3. Reports of officers of Contention 4. “Little Things. ’’ (Essay.) J. A. Ansley. 5. Saturday, 9 a. m., How shall we keep our Sunday school open all the year—M. B. L. Binion, 6. What can be done to make our Sunday-school work more efficient— G. F. Cooper. 7. Tne relation Sunday-school work sustains to the Ministry of the Word J. A. Ivey. 8 1:30 p m., The duty of churches to keep up religious service every Lord’s Day—J. H. Corley. 9. What constitutes a good Sunday school— B. B. Hinton. Sunday, 9 a.*,, Sunday-school ex ercises. 11 a. m., Preaching. 1:30 p. m , Mass Meeting, It is hoped all the Sunday-schools in the Association will be represented. Superintendents will see that a full report is sent from their schools. Brother Bcvkin has been invited, and it is hoped he will be there; if so, he will take an active part in making the exercises both interesting and prof itable. Brethren from other Associaa tions are earnestly requested to be with ÜB< J. H. Cawood.