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INDEX AND BAPTIST.
REV. D. E. BUTLER Managing Editor.
ASSOCIATE EDITORS:
Ekv. S. Q. Hilltkr, P. D Forpyth, Georgia.
Dk J 8. Lawton Atlanta, Georgia.
K*v. G A. Nu*AI.LV Rome, Georgia.
Editorial fonlribntors
Rev. P. H. Mell, D.D. LL.D., Athena, Ga.
Rev. H. C. Hornady, Senola, Ga.
Rev. Win. T. Brantly, D.D., Baltimore, Md.
Rev. J. M. Wood, Barnesvllle, Ga.
Rev. Wm. C. Wilkes, Gainesville, Ga.
Rev. T. U. Jones, Nashville, Tenn.
Rev A. J. Battle, I).I> , Macon, Ga.
We announce the brethren named as Edito
rial Contributors to The Index. Their pens
will add to the Interest of the paper, and place
The Index in the front rank of religious Jour
nals.
The editor of the Nashville Chris
tian Advocate expresses his preference
for pulpits of convenient dimensions
as compared with such as are over
tall, or as compared with a platform
and table. We think his taste is good
“Our Pulpit.”— We will print next
week a sermon from the powerful pen
of brother S. Landrum, of Memphis,
entitled" Young Christians Instructed,”
from the text, “Feed My Lambs.”
The season of protracted meetings has
come, and a sermon like this will be
useful and appropriate for the edifica
tion of young converts.
Avoid Sin.— Though we may make
a good profession of faith, and
may for years so live as to bring no
cause of censure upon our Christian
character, yet by one—yes, one act
—one sin may so blacken our previous
good name as to cause the church and
the world to stand in doubt of us.
More than all, the cause of Jesus is
greatly damaged. Oh ! Christian avoid
sin.
Consolidation. —At a meeting of
delegates from the American Hebrew
congregations of the United States,
held at Milwaukee, a resolution was
passed to consolidate all the Hebrew
congregations throughout the country.
The establishment of a Female Semi
nary is to be made the special subject
of a council. A board is also to be
appointed whose duty it will be to
purchase lands for the use of a farm
ing colony, to be composed of Hebrew
orphans old enough to leave the
asylums. Avery liberal and pro
gressive spirit seems to animate our
Hebrew fellow-citizens, and their many
philanthropic acts, and their well
known respect for the duties of good
citizenship, demand our regard and
sympathy.
Nation At. Baptist Meetings.—
We have received a copy of the Pro
gramme of the National Baptist Meet
ings, to be held at Point Chautauqua,
New York, July 23d to August Ist.
Addresses will be delivered by Rev.
T. Evans, of Pennsylvania; Dr. Red
die, of Philadephia; Dr. J. L. Bur
rows, of Louisville ; l)r. S. S. Cutting ;
Rev. T. A. K. Gessler, of New Jersey ;
Dr. J. D. Fulton, of Brooklyn; Rev
George Peltz; Dr. J. H. Vincent.
Sermons will be preached by Dr. W.
A. Nelson, of Nashville; Dr. J." N
Murdock, on “Foreign Missions."
Several thousands of visitors will be
present
Ministerial Support. —The minis
ter of the Gospel, who devotes himself
to his work, should receive such corns
pensatiou as should raise him above
want, aud relieve him from anxiety as
to the necessities of his family. A
moment’s reflection upon the import
tant and responsible duties committed
iuto his hands, will be suffcient to dem
onstrate the above statement. But
how few of our ministers receive an
adequate support P Is it because the
churches do not appreciate their servi
ces ? Chiistian reader, does your church
sustain its pastor ? If not, why ? Have
you read and carefully studied God’s
word on this subject? If you have not,
then begin that study uow.
It we call ourselves true Christians, let us
never be afraid to deal with people about
their souls, as Philip dealt with Nathaniel.
Let us invite them boldly to make proof of
our religion. Let us tell them confidently
that they cannot know its real value until
they have tried it. Let us assure them that
vita'. Christianity courts every possible in
quiry. It has no secrets. It has nolhiug to
conceal. Its faith snd practice are spoken
sgsiust Just because they are not known.
Its enemies speak evil of things with which
they are not acquainted. They understand
neither what they say nor whereof they
affirm.
—Hereafter the question is to be asked
those applying for admission into a Southern
Methodist Episcopal Annual Conference,
“Are you in debt so as to embarrass you ?’’
THE CHRISTIAN INDEX AND SOUTH-\7ESTERN BAPTIST - July is.
CHRISTUM UNION.
The true child of God can but
ardently desire the union of all Chris
tians. His constant prayer to God is,
that they may all see, eye to eye, and
a'l speak the same things; but it is
not certain that those who are most
clamorous for union are its truest
friends. There may be such a thing
as religious demagoguisra, as well as
political, and if the union of all the
saints were proposed upon the ground
that they should be built upon the
foundation of the apostles and proph
ets, that there should be one Lord, one
faith, one baptism, instead of three, the
very men who are loudest in their de
mands for union would be the first to
reject the proposition. To think of a
union not grounded upon the truth,
is a delusion, and its friends would do
well to renounce it at once; for their
false dreams can never be realized
baptists are solid in the conviction
that immersion is alone the form of
Christian baptism, and until they ob
tain their consent to give up the truth,
as they understand it, they cannot
unite with Pedobaptists, in the sense
in which the latter claim Christian
union.
Union, as understood and demand
ed by Pedobaptists, means, simply and
nakedly, that we cease to be Baptists
and become Pedobaptists, by accepting
and ratifying all their departures from
the teachings of the New Testament.
There may be a union with Pedobap
tist Christians which we can accept,
but that would hardly satisfy them.
We cannot enter into organic union
with them; cannot form with them
organic associations, without departing
from the old-fashioned Baptist ground
of one Lord, one faith, one baptism.
How then, is union possible? The
reply is, all things are possible with
God, and He can effect the union of
all the saints ; but He certainly will
never accomplish it by striking down
the old landmarks which He, himself
has set. He will rather secure it by
inducing His children all to accept
the whole truth, and no longer cling to
traditions of men.
How any intelligent Baptist can
view this subject otherwise than as
stated in this article, we confess we are
unable to see, but it may be accounted
for upon the principle that men’s sup
posed interests sometimes cause them
to modify their views, and sometimes to
depart from them. If Baptists hold on
faithfully to the truth, as it is in Jesus,
and make no compromises with error,
they will have the unspeakable satis
faction of seeing their principles adopt
ed by all God’s dear children, some'
where in the future.
They have Jought the battle of truth
upon the baptismal question; they
have won the victory, and is it possible
that they could be induced to re*
nounce all the trophies which they
have gained for the Master? Believe
it who may, we can tell them that Bap
tists will never be guilty of such un
necessary folly.
The truth first, union next, is our
motto, and “on this we stand; we can
do no more, so help us, God," as said
Luther.
“TREASURES t’PON EARTH.”
"Lay not up for yoursolvns treasures upon
earth.”
When a command *0 plain and sim
is proclaimed, it is strange how peo
ple will labor to pervert and misunder
stand it.
It certainly is not contemplated in
the Gospel that Christians should
engage in the struggle for the accom
plishment of selfish ends, and if each
one did his duty to the cause of the
Master, if he laid up at all it would
not be for himself. Indeed, a man
who lays up is simply an agent for
those who are to succeed him. and
not a steward for God, as he should
be.
Instead of making some great be
quest at death, Christian men should
be giving all the time, as God has
prospered them, and so they will have
less for their heirs to squabble over
when they are gone.
If God prospers Christians in their
financial matters, they should remem
ber that He is simply making them
almoners of His bounty that they may
distribute to others. If Christians are
not their own, but bought with a
price, it is difficult to understand how
what they hold can be their own.
The truth is, they belong to Christ,
and what they have should be held
and used, after necessary support, for
the promotion of His cause. True,
many brethren kick at such sentiments
as this, but if any man have not the
spirit of Christ, he is none of His, and
that spirit led Him to surrender His
life for man.
Jesus gave up all, and those who
would be Christ-like must have the
same spirit of absolute benevolence.
That such will be the prevailing
spirit as we approach the Millenial
Glory, we doubt not, and those who
would enter into sympathy with Christ
should begin to cultivate such a spirit
now.
Opposition to Christianity—lts Results.
T he attacks made upon long—estab
lished doctrines of orthodox denomi
nations of Christendom, by the en
emies of truth, or men whose learning
seems to have made them the victims
of dangerous errors, has evidently
aroused the Christian ministry of this
country to greater activity and vigi
lence. The consequence is, that re
vivals of religion are reported from
almost every locality, which result in
the conversion of unbelievers and ad
ditions to the churches. In Giorgia,
revivals are reported in almost every
neighborhood, and what is true of this
State is likewise true of nearly all oth
ers.
Christianity has nothing to fear from
open opposition, for her truths are
not only invested with intrinsic in
vincibility, but when presented by the
true messengers of the Gospel, have
promise of the vitalizing power of
God’s Spirit, by which they are carried
directly to the heart. Vain is all op
position when the truths of Christiani
ty are established by personal expe
rience. They shine clearly and brightly
in the view of the converted, and need
no argument for their establishment.
The Christian, inspired with God’s
love, sees and comprehends as the
wisest, unconverted scientist cannot,
and from his high standpoint, in favor
with the Maker and Ruler and Re
deemer, he beholds with pity and
profound commiseration attempts to
overthrow the great and glorious truths
which underlie the salvation of the
race. Ihe triumph of Christian truth
is complete in Christian experience—
it is the result of the grace of God
operating upon and in the heart. The
only repression which Christianity can
suffer is the consequence of inaction
on the part of Christians themselves.
So long as they prove vigilant and
faithful, there can be no suspension,
no retrograde movement, no falling off
from the great army of Christ. It is
external opposition that preserves the
vigilance and keeps vital the energies
of Christian watchmen, and the for
ward movement of the Christian host
is accelerated and assured the more
because of the greater violence and
resolutions of its enemies.
THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.
.A Basileia Ouranon. This phrase
denotes, in the New Testament, the
reign which God set up in the days
of the Cesars by His Son Jesus
Christ.
It is called the Kingdom of Heaven
because it originated with God, and
also because it is to be governed by
laws differing entirely from those en*
acted by human legislators. It is
founded upon the principle that love
is the most potential influence in the
universe, and hence there is no re
liance upon carnal weapons for its in
crease and defense. Into this King
dom people are to be introduced by
the new birth and adoption both ; for
while men are born of the Spirit, and
therefore children, they are by nature
aliens, and need to be made the chil
dren of the Kingdom in this dual
manner. This Kingdom is destined
to spread over all the earth, and will
stand forever; for of its increase and
government ihere shall be no end.
lo extend this Kingdom by preach
ing the Gospel is what missionary
work means, and it would seem that
every friend of Jesus should have the
missionary spirit—the spirit of divine
conquest.
Important Suggestions— All have
more or less to do with the common
business of life. But while engaged
in business, it would be well for us to
be more absorbed with the thoughts of
our duties to the blessed Saviour, to
the church of which we are members,
, and to the world. Everything we do,
let us do it with the solemn conviction
that the eye of God is upon us. -Live
and work for Jesus. Paul said, “for
me to live is Christ.”
Editorial Contribution; on Chnrch Polity.
BT DR. F H. MELL.
CHURCH POLITY" —ARTICLES OF FAITH.
Should churches adopt articles of Faith?
It is not reasonable to suppose that the
church at Jerusalem did so. Ia the first
place, the books of the New Testament had
not then been written, from which to extract
a system of belief. Then again, the church
was under the instruction and control of the
apostles to whom the Master had promised ple
nary inspiration in reference to all those
things that pertained to Gospel doctrines and
to chuich order. Besides, there was no dan
ger of its being mistaken for a synagogue
of the Jews. Its doctrines and practices ran
no risk of being confounded with those of "the
Jews religion.” Tne members of the church
at Jerusalem professed confidence in an allegi
ance to one whom the Jews had despised, re
jected and crucified. No creed was necessary
then to distinguish it from the only other
religious organizitiou existing in its vicinity.
In process of time, though, as the Judaizing
teachers and other errorists propagated their
tenets, and gained adherents—as “the mystery
of iniquity’’ began to Work, modifying opin
ions and practices, it would not be suprising
if churches, subsequently formed in other
places, noticed the dogmas prevalent, and dis
criminated between those enunciated by the
apostles and those promulgated by errorists.
The church at Jerusalem itself, with the
apostles and elders, Ac. 15, furnished a creed
for all Gentiles as to matters touching the law
of Moses; and no doubt, placed it upon its
own church records. It would not be sur
prising if the letter written by this conference
to the church at Autioch was not only Kept on
file but copied also into the records of the lat
ter church. Certainly, it may be assumed
that, on the matters to which it referred, it
became the creed of the Antioch church.
Being furnished under Divine inspiration, it
wasnotat all unlikely also that it was, if not
a written, at least an oral creed for all the
Gentile churches formed subsequently in that
age. But it must be admitted, this last is
nothing to the point. Suppose they did thus
accept this as a creed, that was to adopt the
very words of inspiration for that purpose,
and not a human interpretation of those
words. And the question is not whether it is
proper for a church to accept the word of
God as its creed, but whether it can adopt, as
such, a human abstract and compilation from
such word. To this it may be unhesitatingly
answered :
1. It is clearly improper for a church to
adopt a creed, in order to make it a substitute
for the Bible, to instruct the members what
they are to believe and how they ate to live.
The word of God alone is profitable for doc
trine, for reproof, for correction and for instruc
tion in righteousness ; that the man of God
may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all
good works. Any creed that is intended to
shove aside this, or to be offered as a substitute
for it, is pernicious and impious.
2. A creed would be clearly improper if it
should be adopter! as a code for the government
of the church. If applicants for membership
are confronted with the creed, and required
to assent to and sign ait the articles of it as a
condition precedent lo admission—if the mem
bers are governed not by the laws of Christ ag
expressed in the New Testament, but by the
laws of a church as expressed by its creed,
then such church virtually claims to have
legislative as well as judicial and executive
power. But Cnrist is the only Law-giver;
and His complete code is found in the New
Testament.
(а) He never requires that one shall be a
doctrinal proficient before he can be compe
tent for membership in a Gospel church.
The only qualifications the New Testament
code requires are repentance towards God,
faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ, and bap
tism oil a profession of such repentance and
faith. A church is not a circle of doctrinal
proficients, but a school in which learners, ac
quainted with only the “first principles,’’ by
instruction and study, may “go on unto per
fection," and may “know as the follow on to
know.’’ Any church, that offers to babes iu
Christ ponderous articles of faith to assent to
and subscribe, not only perpetrates a sham,
but is guilty of usurping the prerogative to
legislate for Christ
(б) If, in the enforcement of discipline,
members are arraigned for the violation of
human articles of faith, and no reference be
made to the Scriptures in their indictment—
if they are tried by a fallible human creed
rather than by the inspired New Testament
code, the body thus doing is guilty of pushing
aside Christ’s law and of substituting enact
ments of its own. No Gospel church needs
articles of faith a* a system of laws by which
to govern its members. The New Testament
furnished by Christ, the Great Law-giver,
constitutes that system.
These remarks are intended simply to con
demn the adoption and the use of articles of
faith as the law for the discipline and the
government of the church. They have no
reference to such cases as where a church pase
es resolutions applying the principles of the
Scriptures to such modern usages and practi
ces as, though objectionable, are not mentioned
in them by name. But let churches take care
lest even here, governed by prejudice or fa
naticism, they condemn that which the word
of God does not reprehend, and thus be found
presumptuously legislating for Christ. Away
with all creeds which are intended to be, or
which are used as, substitutes for Christ’s in
spired code for the government of the churches!
3. But articles of taitb may be not only
harmless but highly useful (1) to show to
those who covenant together that they agree
in doctrine and practice; for how can even
two walk together except they lie agreed ?
and (2) to make it manifest to other churches
that they are of the right faith and order; for,
unfortunately, there are in the world many
religious bodies called churches that con
flict with one another in doctrinal belief and
practice. To make manifest what they are,
and to secure the confidence of similar bodies,
it is not only right, but newly organized
churches are in duty bound, to adopt and ex
hibit articles showing their faith and order.
This is all the use that Baptist churches have
for creeds and confessions of faith. They de
mand of applicants for baptism and member
ship only a statement of Christian experience.
They never require them to assent or sub
scribe to articles of faith. In them members
are never indicted for violation of the creed,
but for an infraction of the law of Christ.
For the purposes expressed above, all
churches should be “constituted” with articles
showing their faith and order; and none
should be “recognized” as Baptist churches
that refuse or omit to adopt such articles.
P. S. To my courteous brother who as
“Enquirer” addressee me through the paper,
I would respectfully say that his questions are
not germain to the present stage of my dis
cussion. When, if ever, I reach the topic of
the minietry, I shall have to consider the points
suggested by him and many others besides.
In the connection which furnished occasion
for bis questions, I was simply proposing for
his acceptance the important distinction be
tween baptism and God’s truth. The former,
while as a symbol it teaches important truths
to tho°e who witness it, works no efficacy in
the subject ol it towards salvation —the latter
is the power of God unto salvation to every
one that believes. The former furnishes unto
the believer merely the means and the form of
making public profession of religion—the lat
ter, under the divine blessing and through
the operations of the Holy Spirit, produces
conviction, conversion and sanctification. Bap
tism is restricted to the church and minister;
where they ex'st and are accessible, nobody
else may authorize and administer it —God's
word is free and untrammelled. He that hears
it may communicate it and pass it on with
out fear of encroaching on the province of
others, or in any other way doing an unlaw
ful act. Between baptism and the convert,
God has planted the church and the adminis
trator. He must apply to them and gain
their concurrence end consent before be can
receive the ordinance. But he need ask no
body's permission to receive and appropriate
the truth. God has, it is true, made the
church “the pillar and ground of the truth,"
and has commanded the ministers to preach
the Gospel to every creature; but that is to
hold out God’s word and exhibit it—to place the
truth between themselves and the sinner, not to
place themselves between the sinner and the
truth. Baptism is an official act performed by
an officer on the joint authority of himself and
the church—but, thank God there is no official
truth and no official salvation, as Romanists er
roneously teach and presumptuously claim. It
remains to be seen whether these views agree
with the Scriptural doctrine of the Ministry.
N. B. Brethren who address me through
the paper and expect me to notice them,
are respectfully requested to sign their proper
names to their communications.
(’quality In Bearing the Bardens of Religion.
“That there may be equality." (See 2 Cor.
18 : 14 )
One in an absolute state of nature
is under no obligation to society, for
the reason that he cannot enjoy its
benefits. But when he abandons that
state of isolation, and prefers his claims
to the advantages desirable from asso
ciation with his kind, he is bound to
bear his fair share of the burdens
which his changed condition imposes
upon him.
If he becomes a citizen of any coun
try, he will be required to pay his
pro rata shire of the taxes, and to per
form his part of military, or other ser
vice, which the government may claim
at his hands.
If he does this willingly, so much
the better; but if he does not, the
government will enforce compliance
with its demands. This same princi
ple applies with equal force to one
who becomes a member of a Christian
church. Once within the church, he
become* entitled to share in all its
privileges and blessings, and refusal,
on his part, to bear his share of its
burdens is, to say the least, disreputa
ble, if not dishonest. He may just as
reasonably require someone else to
furnish himself and family with the
means of temporal support as to im
pose his share of the expenses of the
church upon his brethren. If he does
not value the privileges of the church,
why remain in it? And if he does,
why should he be excused from con
tributing his full share to its support?
Just because the payment is volun
tary, and .not enforced by law, many
will throw their burdens upon others,
and live in the church till death re
moves them, and yet contribute not
one dollar to its support. Such peo
ple forage upon their brethren, and, to
tell the naked truth, they are a dis
grace to any cause with which they
connect themselves—especially to re
ligion.
Why do they thus act? What prin
ciple underlies their conduct? The
answer is easy : It is covetousness, or
the inordinate love of money, for
which they should be dealt with, by
the church, as offenders.
SECTARIANISM IN TRANSLATIONS.
“The true partizan always inclines to
correct the diction of the spirit by that
of the party.”
This is the language of Dr. George
Campbell, President of Marishal Col
lege, Scotland,;in his Notes on the Gos
pels. He refers to our English version
(Matthew iii.)“Baptized with water and
with the Holy Ghost,” when the Greek
preposition is en and should be ren
dered in water, etc., for in the sixth
verso it is translated in Jordan because
the deviation would be too glaring if
rendered with Jordan—all would dis
cover the partisan’s bigotry. He gives
many instances of this kind where the
translator is contiolled by his preju
dices. Take Mark vii—“except they
wash their hands oft,” and 4th, from
market,” etc., it should be rendered
bathe for the word is derived from bap.
hzo, but in the verse it is in Greek
nipto, to wash the hands.
Dr. Barnes writes that tables, beds,
etc., must be sprinkled, not immersed ;
but Miiomedes, the Jewish doctor, re
fers us to Leviticus, the washing of the
fiesh or clothes, it must be by dipping,
put into water, so also beds.
“Sprinkle many nations,” Isaiah lii:
15. The spirit of the partisan was
never more clearly discovered than in
this verse: the Hebrew is nazan, and
the Greek is thaumazo, to cause to
wonder, admire, to astonish, to marvel.
This word is used in the New Testa
ment thirty to forty times, but I could
not find it in the Old Testament except
in Isaiah lii and in Job xxxii and xxxiv,
but no sprinkle in it. The Hebrew
lexicon on this passage renders “cause
to admire,” and this accords better
with the context than sprinkle, for
sprinkle here is merely partisan, not
dictated by the Spirit. You can find
thaumazo, Matthew viii: 9; xv: 22 ;
xxii: 28, etc., etc , meaning astonish,
marvel, wonder, etc., so in nearly every
New Testament book. I find sprinkle
in Leviticus xtv; 7, but the Greek is
rantizo, never, as I have said, do I find
thaumazo , the word rendered “sprinkle”
in Isa. lii; 15. This is a strong case of
partisanship by a large number of men.
It is contended that as Christ was to
sprinkle all nations, and as children
compose a part thereof, therefore they
must be. But thieves, robber*, assas
sins and murderers are a part of a
nations, hence they ought to be bap-'
tized—their right is just as clear as
that of infants. But Baxter, Prof.
Stuart, and scores of Pedobaptists
maintain from the commission, “he
that believeth," none ought to be bap
tized but such as exercise faith. Stu
art says: “Baptized by sprinkling, is
about as rational as immersed by affu
sion.” Sprinkle in Isaiah is a parody,
a travesty of language.
We could name over two hundred Pe
dobaptist scholars who acknowledge
the real meaning of baptizo to be im
merse, and that rantizo has no such
meaning.
Notwithstanding the concessions made
by learned Pedobaptists on the mean,
ing of baptuo, the partisan spirit is
so strong, that some still deny that it
means to immerse, and that sprinkling
is the more literal meaning, “Admit
that Christ was immersed, that is only
one instance and we are not bound to
follow it! ” Some say “infants of be
lievers have the birth-right to bap
tism, they were born church members.”
Ihe General Assembly however, says :
They are made members by baptism.”
If infant baptism had early existence
would not Christ have baptized those
whom He took in His arms ?
Households have been brought up to
prove the infantile rite, but some of their
own men have denied the arguments
produced-Stuart, Pool, Annotrow and
others.
If we should read all the places
named in connection with the ordinance
in the New Testament, and then our
partisan brother should translate only
one case by sprinkling, what should
we call it, or how distinguish it from
the real truth? We might signalize
it as one would that should translate
stultu3 wisdom, or call Mormonistn or
Mohammedanism Christianity.
Early Training.— Horace Mann,
in a speech on one occasion, speaking
of the importance of correct early
training, said: “No unskillful hand
should play on a harp where the tones
forever remain in the string.” If i m .
pressions on the mind are as lasting as
the child itself, how important they
be in strict accord with the Word of
God!