Newspaper Page Text
The Christi an Index.
Vol. 57- -No 33.
Table of Contents.
First Page—Alabama Department i An In
cident with a Moral; Ministerial Consecra
tion ; The Position of Baptism in the
Christian System ; “A mother in Israel"
, Gone : Religious Press ; Religioui News;
The Sunday-School. • 1. ,7/
Second Page—Correspondence; Revival Scene
and Incidents—J H Campbell; Kesoluriona
of Thanks—J H Fortson; The Appalachee
Association; Mr Mooty in Baltimore —T
H K; Dr Weaver’s Re-lninikrsion and a
Scrap of History—J LU; From A Naltye
Indian; Among' the
Third Page—Editorial Glances; Faith and
Feeling, Work and Rest; QttestNin Box
—Church & School.
Fourth Page—Editorials: For Christ'siSake;
Dr. Adlel Sber.woodg, .6,900 Witnesses
against the Baptists; Liberia—Kansas—
The Exode—The Elect ot God; Dr. W|*av- :
er’s Baptism ; Rises to Explain ; Georgia
Baptist News. ’ I
Fifth PAge—Secular Editorials: News Para
graphs; legislative Summary; General*
News; Georgia News. (
Sixtli Page—Children*' Gamer; For Urn-Lit- '
lie Folks; Obituaries, etc.
Seventh Page—Farmer’ Index: Cotton Pick
ing; Turnips—Rye—Barley; Sowind Cid- ;
ve-; “Georgia from an Immigrant Stand-
Point:” Burrowed Notes.
Eighth Page—Florida Department: Key
West; Union Meetings,etc.; Reading No- i
tices; Special Notices, etc*
rT ”. , "C III'.''IT.
Alabama Departments'
BY SAMUEL HENDERSON.
AN INCIDENT WITH A MORAL.
I
Many years ago, while we were liv-,
ing in South Alabama, a servant be
longing to the late Dr. C. Battle came ;
through the town of T., where we were
pastor, bearing the news from one of 1
the doctor’s plantations that his smoke- |
house and all its contents, meat, syrup,'
lard, and many other things to the j
value of several thousand dollars—five
or si? —had been consumed. In the I
town of T. there lived a very worthy
man, Mr. E., who made no pretensions
to piety, but who had been watching
Dr. B. and others for years, to see what
effect religion had upon their conduct.
On this occasion, he thought the doc- ;
tor would scarcely maintain his accus
tomed equilibrium; and therefore fol
lowed the servant up to his residence
to see how he would receive the intel- i
> ligence, expecting, of course, that the
\ old doctor would rail out at the qtare
lessnew" of' the servants oh Ine prem
f ises—inquire into all the details to
ascertain who were to blame—and frtft
and scold generally. Well,the servant
stopped at the gate, called out the doc
tor, told his story in a simple, straight
way; when lo! the good Christian man
only said: ‘‘Well, well; I’m sorry to
hear it. We must try and get some more
meat for you. Go put up your horse
and feed him, and come in and get
* your supper.” This conquered our
friend E. He never after thereafter
doubted Dr. Battle’s piety.
The fact is, the Christian temper
never betrays itself so impressively as
under the losses and disappointments
• to which we are subjected. Any man
can preserve his self-poise in prosperi
ty. It is adversity that tries him.
That trustful spirit that accepts all
events as from the Lord, can never be
disconcerted. He knows that nothing
can come from the hand of his best
Friend, his Heavenly Father, but that
k is intended for his good. The Psalmist
details his character thus: “He shall
not be afraid of evil tidings ; his heart
is fixed, trusting in the Lord.” And
why this tranquility of soul when otner
men’s hearts are chafing and fretting,
or “failing them from fear?” Why, he
has conciliated the highest power in
the universe, and has so covenanted
with it, that “all things work together
for his good,” and has manifested that
active, working piety that God ap
proves ; for, continues the Psalmist,
“he hath dispersed; he hath given to
the poor; his righteousness endureth
forever; his horn shall be exalted with
honor.” Why should such a man fear
anything? Why should he that is in
league with Almightiness, and for I
whose protection and final salvation all
the resources of the Godhead are
pledged, dread any event that can be
fall him? His faith has acquired that
stability, that calm equanimity, that
views the fiercest storm, and hears its
loudest thunders, feeling that “nothing
shall by any means harm him.” He
has learned the happy art of “possess-
1 ing his soul in patience.”
■IfZNZSTERZAL CONSECRATION.
* We have read much and reflected
.'some upon this subject within the last
tl irty or forty years, and have reached
‘ •B< ne conclusions on the subject which
are at least satisfactory to our own
mind. We once heard a very able
Minister maintain, in a sermon, that
no minister had any right to any coni
jMjnsation for his services, who followed
any worldly pursuit whatever to sup-
S lenient his support. We felt at the
me, and yet feel, that such a senti- '
ment ought to bo rebuked whenever ,
and wherever uttered. Nine-tenths of;
the churches that dot our country, have I
SOUTH-WESTERN BAPTIST.
of Alabama.
bden constituted and ’tagjM’ied ; up to
this time by ministers Pilose meagre
sallaries have forced them intb'some
othOr avocation in life to eke out a liv
ing. Such ministers—minister*, whb
under God, have literally made our de
! nomination in the country what it'is
to-day, the largest and most influential
in out 1 land—it is not exactly safe to
lightly esteem. We would have every
minister adequately sustained', if 1 we
could, 1 in city, town and country. But
j there is no use in taking extreme
; ground on either side of this question.
' Abb general rule, dur country pastors—
pastors who labor with their own hands
in part for their support—are more
r Successful in building up churches,than
.j- Our town and City pastors; hence, there
are relatively more Baptists in the
. country than in towns and cities. Sb
that, if the blessing of God is any cri
i terion by which tp judge of true min
isterial consecration, then our country
pastors,, who earn one-half of their
j living by their individual labor, are
more fully consecrated to their work
.tiun their more favored brethren in
i c}tiep and towns. And this is just pre-
I ciae|y what we believe. Who deserves
i the greater credit, the man who per
hi'W» a given amount of service for
two thousand dollars, qr the man who
performs the same service, and indeed
more, if we consider wear and tear and
■ travel, for less than one-fourth of that
1 amount? We give all due credit to
i (he well provided pastor who. does the
.frill ippaiture of his duty; but, to our
. mind, l/«oZ m the highest meanu.re.of con-
I secratiirn ifihere a godly minuter, simply
jrom tfatßve of Christ and the love of
souls, ioor,ks five days in the week for the
I the unsearchable
1 qfj (fhrisl two days. This we re
i gar 4 JW;fhe, sublimest exhibition of
Chrii^i#p fl |iqroism, of devotion to the
cause ..of Christ, we ever We
never jneet #Rch a man without vene
rating h‘m frif.his “works of faith, his
lalx)r»;„pf lovfe and his patience of
I hope,” these are the men, after
all, whqr"eqdure hardness as good sol-
I diersj,’’; who give the highest evidence
that mhhshus can give in their sacri
fices apd labors that they love the
cause. Measuring true devotion to
Jesus by the counterpoise of difficulties
! tQf «rve him, the aver-
■age country pastor is not surpassed by
any class of our ministers. If his ser
mons are not so carefully prepared,
they are more effective by their very
irregularities.
THE POSITION OF BAPTISM IN
THE CHRISTIAN SYSTEM.
By Henry H. Tucker, Editor of The ( 'hris
tian Is dkx—American Baptist Publica
tion Society, Philadelpnia, Pa., 52.
If light on a great Scriptural doc- ■
trine were in proportion to the multi
tude of volumes and sermons publish
ed to expound it, then there is no doc
trine in the Christian system on which
the world has more light than Chris
tian Baptism, in its subjects, its action,
and spiritual import. But pre
cisely the reverse of this is true a
jargon—what an endless logomachy—
has marked the history of this branch
of our polemical Theology. By far the
larger part of these volumes—volumes
that would fill whole libraries—have
been written to prove not what the Bi
ble does teach on this subject but what
it does not teach. Hence these elabo
rate disquisitions, these tomes of learn
ed lumber have darkened what they
undertook to illumine, have confused
where they purported to guide. Like a
certain author to whom Robert Hall
once referred, they “seem to have set
out in search of obscurity, and to have
overtaken it.” Now, all this “confusion
worse confounded,” we mnst believe,
comes of attempts to square the Scrip
tures by the creed, instead of the
creed by the Scriptures. The creed
must be sustained, no matter what
’ becomes of the Bible! The decisions of
councils, and Synods, and Assemblies,
must be accepted, no matter what
God’s word affirms!
If we were to express our real judg
ment of the little book named at the I
head of the article, the reader might
suppose we were extravagant. But it
so happened that the day after we re
ceived a copy of it, we fell in with two I
of our most intelligent and able minis
ters—ministers whose opinions are
worth something. We all adjourned
to a room and devoted an hour to
rending it. It is enough to say they
each indorsed it most heartily, and
signified their intention of ordering it
in sufficient numbers to supply their
churches and congregations. We shall
do the same. The truth is, no pastor
who desires his chinch to be rooted
and grounded ii the truth, can perform
a better service, than to scatter this lit
tle book in every family. If we had it
in our power, we would multiply cop-
I ies of it by the million. No Pedobap
| tint can read it, and ever thereafter
■ misrepresent our sentiments on the
I subject it discusses, without wilfully
- „—< ■ ■ ... .
Atlanta, Georgia, Thursday, August 28, 1879.
violating the ninth commandment:
I “Thou shalt 1 not bear false witness
; against thy neighbor.
The price of book is 10 cents per
copy—one dollar n dozen, postage
paid. Let etery pastor send orie dol
lar to Jrs. & H<ni|on & Cq., Atlanta,
Ga., for a dozen copies, and sell them
to his brethren at one dime apiece. He
need riot doubt w liether they will go.
The unanimity, the enthusiasm with
which the proposition to print it was
received at Barhtog»i N. Y., where it was
delivered, indicates how the denomina
tion will receive it.
Since writing thd -above, we fell in
with Dr. Tichenor. afid handed him
the little volume; on the next evening
he returned it with this endorsement:
“This little, book is admirable. It
presents the Pbsition of Baptism in the
Christian System’ in 'the clear light of
facts. It is lucid; logical, forcible, ex
haustive. I; T. Tichenor.”
“A MoTH#ll.js'iSß4EL’’ GONE.
■77 xLi_
I L |G >
When the good die we cannot dis
possess our hearts .of a measure of
selfishness in our grief. Their very
virtues intensify this grief. So long
have they been enshrined in our hearts,
that when torn away, we feel as if we
had lost a part of ourselves, as if some
sudden wrench had torn a limb from
our bodies. And this is especially true,
when the departed one has been the
companion of our lives, “the wife of
our youth,” who has shared with us the
• joys and sorrows, the successes and ad
versities of life. O, it is when “she
sleeps that sleep that knows no wak
ing” ’till the resnrrbefton morn, that
we “sorrow that sorrow that hath no
consolation” except in the Christians’
hope !
Such were the sentiments awakened
in oin* mind the other day, on opening
a letter from our dear afflicted brother,
Rev. P. M. Callaway, detailing an ac
count of the death of his beloved wife.
We had known her, and her mother
before her, for the last thirty years or
more; and we had only known her to
"Ibve her for her Christian virtues.
Weeks at a time, while her pastor in
Eufaula, have shared he® hospital
ity, living aS we then did at a distant
point, Tuskegee; and we always left
her quiet, well governed family with a
still higher estimate of her intelligent
piety. She was a “keeper at home,”
controlling her children by the law of
kindness. If we were to write her
character in a single sentence, it would
be what the Holy Ghost said of Dorcas,
“This woman was full of good works
and alms-deeds which she did.” Facts
are worth more than the most elabo
rate analysis of character that a gifted
pen could furnish ; and it is enough to
say of our deceased sister, that all her
children, eight in number, seven
daughters and one son, are consistent
members of Baptist churches, and that
of thirty-three grand children, all who
are over thirteen years old are mem
bers of like churches. Truly was she
“a mother in Israel.”
Mrs. Ellen W. Callaway, wife of Rev.
Pitt Millner Callaway, and eldest
daughter of Thos. G. and M. L. Jor
dan, was born in Warren county, Ga.,
June 6th, 1816; was married Dec.
10th, 1833; was converted, and soon
after baptized by Rev. James Per
ryman into the fellowship of Tal
botton Baptist church in July, 1834,
and died at her home in Newton, Dale
county, Ala., July 26th, 1879. The
letter before us says, “She h:s been
greatly afflicted for several years, and
confined to her sick bed for the last
ten months. She died as she had lived
for forty-five years, testifying for Jesus."
Yes ! she has “testified for Jesus,”
and her testimony has been recorded
on the immortal minds of her chil
dren and others, and written in “the
book of remembrance” before the eter
nal throne; and she has been trans
ferred to a higher sphere to testify for
him before “angels, and principalities,
and powers,” among the blood washed
throng ! To the society of “just men
made perfect”— to the companionship
of angels, and to the joy of her Lord
and Redeemer, we consign her, in the
hope that ere long we will meet her
“where there shall be no more death,
neither sorrow nor crying,” but where
we shall "be ever with the Lord.” We
can only tender to our afflicted brother
that sympathy which religion only can
inspire, and our imperfect prayers that,
as he now trends the rough paths of
life alone, he may share the presence
of that spirit that animated the faith
of his now sainted wife, to give to his
own piety n still deeper and richer
shade, and to his ministry a still
sweeter and holier fervor ! For, O, is it
not thus that our Redeemer educates
his ministers for those higher spheres
of usefulness, in which they can "com
fort others with the comfort wherewith
God has comforted them!” To her
children and grand We say,
“be followers of her as she followed
Christ.” 8. H.
Concert.—On the evening of the 6th
of August, the Young Ladies’ Aid So
ciety of the Alpine Baptist church gave
a brilliant concert at the Hall at Alpine,
at which we observed parties from
Rome, Ga., to Selma, Ala. The singing
could scarcely be excelled. We learn
that S part of the proceeds go to the
“Indigent Ministers’ Fund,” a most
'.Worthy object. We suppose they real
ized between seventy-five and a hun
dred dollars.
From' Selma, Ala.—We have re
ceivtedyßp interesting letter from Bro.
E. W. Solomons informing us of a very
profitable meeting at ' County Line
Church, Lee co., Ala., where Brother
Duffiy is the pastor. The work of the
Lprd sfrisned to be greatly revived in
the hearts of the brethren; back-sliders
were reclaimed, and sinners were con
verted to God.
The Religious Press.
—Too true alas! is the following ut
terarice r of the Christian Visitor, (St.
Johns, N. B?:) ii
We are morbid seekers after excitement.
Every one after his kind gots to wine cup, to
theatre, to religious services, to satisfy this
craving. Heretical are we to place such
unlike tastes io the same class ? Do not the
following at.d outcome of much religious
sensationalism prove us right? What re
mains After the fetvors and j ys and prom
ises of tod many have been rpoken in social
religious assemblies? Too often little of
solid, growing Christian character; too often
liltle of continuous sacrificing, Christian ser
vice. What of thereat? Senration monge
ry, sensational pleasure—the more danger
ous because professedly religious. We need
less thirsting after religious excitement, and
nyjre panting ot the soul after God, and we
need to exercise care that the (ormer is not
mistaken for the latter.
Is it possible that there can be such
a thing as -a religious debauch f These
are strange words to use in connection
with each other, certainly. A relig
ious debauch I Just think of it! What
a horrible jtixtiqiosition of antagonistic
things. But we think we have seen
the very thing described by these
words, and it was called a revival! We
believe in revivals. We bless God for
them: fre«n hb,i. But R«-
tan figs many counterfeu’ ; and the
more Valuable and precious a thing is,
the certain he is to counterfeit it;
and the more ingenious and persistent
he will be in passing oft' the counter
feit as genuine. Many of our brethren
have been deceived by him, and our
churches are suffering untold distress
in consequence of it. An unconverted
church-membership, the very thing
against which Baptists protest, has been
! largely foisted upon us by the evil one.
j He does not ask us to abandon our
theory ; he is satisfied if he can corrupt
our practice. He takes advantage of
our zeal to undermine our principles.
Brother! have you been deceived by
him? Be on your guard, and let him
that thinketh he standetli take heed
lest he fall.
Fremont Temple.—We are pained
to learn that Fremont Temple, a mag
nificent house of worship, in Boston,
Mass., owned by Baptists, has been
destroyed by fire. , We clip the follow
ing from an exchange:
A fire broke out about 11 o’clock on
Thursday, in the rear portion of the roof
o f the Tremont Temp'?, and adjoining the
rear of the Parker House. The Hanies had
secured a pretty good headway before the
arrival of the Fire Department, and before
the engines had got fairly to work the roof
was destroyed and a portion of the walls on
the s de and rear had fallen in, almost c< m
pletely destroying the building. The fine
organ, near which the fire broke out, is de
stroyed, and the building is in tuins. The
loss on the Temple is estimated at from
SIOO,OOO to $120,000. Several firemen were
injured by falling walls, The fire is be
lieved to have originated by the combustion
of gas. The Publication Society’s stock was
damaged to a limited extent. The Mission
ary Union will sustain but a small los°. The
insurance on Tremont Temple of SIOO,OOO
is divided among thirty companies.
More Exodes. —The Fall River strikers
are considering seriously the advice of the
veteran journalist and are “going West."
They lately sent a commission to inspect the
lands of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe
Railway, which has returned with glowing
accounts of the fertility of the lands.
And what would our Northern
friends think of us if wo should give
them from the Southern press fifty col
umns of advice every week as to their
treatment of the strikers, and allege in
every paragraph that it is their cruelty
to the laboring classes that leads them
to seek homes in the West?
—The city authorities of Memphis
as soon ns the fever became epidemic
notified the ministers to leave and send
away their families, assuring them that
they can do no good, and that their
stay will only help to feed the epidem
ic. We received this information from
our Bro. Landrum, late of that city,
who coincides in the opinion expressed
by the city authorities. Bro. Landrum
is an old soldier in this cause, scar
marked and war-worn, and his opinion
is of the greatest weight.
THE CHRISTIAN HERALD,
of Tennessee.
RELIGIOUS NEWS.
Pr. Moffat, than whom no one is bet
ter informed on whatever concerns that
part of the world, says that “Mission
work all over South Africa has been
thrown back fifty years by the present
war with the Zulus.”
The Baptist Weekly states that Rev.
Jas. A. Spurgeon, brother of the re
nowned preacher, intends leaving En
gland in company with his wife, about
the middle'of August, for a two months’
visit to this country.
William Ashmore, Jr., son of Rev.
Dr. Ashmore, and a recent graduate of
Rochester Seminary, was ordained, at
Rochester, N. Y., June 26th. Brother
Ashmore is under appointment of the
Missionary Union to join his father in
the mission at Swatow, China.
The Baptists of Sweden, last year,
increased 17-J- per cent. The number
baptized was 2,600. The American
Baptist Missionary Union has 81,475
church members at its various mission
stations, of whom 15,898 were baptized
last year. The Union has decided to
reopen and extend its mission in Af
rica.
During the last thirteen years the
Wesleyans have increased 32 per cent,
in London ; the Baptists, 31 per cent.;
the Presbyterians, 12 per cent.; Epis
copalians, 13 per cent.; Roman Catho
lics, 28 per cent.; while the Independ
ents hav increased only 5 per Cent.
Careful inquiry shows that in the
late war between Russia and Turkey,
292 churches, ten monasteries and
twenty schools were destroyed on the
south side of the Balkans. The de
struction in other sections was even
greater.
In Paris, thirty-five years ago, stores
of all kinds were open on Sunday
morning. Now large establishments
are closed, and only a few of the small
er ones are open. In Italy, too, labor
is far less general on Sunday than for
merly.
The Fourth-avenue Baptist church
in Pittsburg, Pa., is entitled to high
rank for liberality. The brethren dur-,
jng tjae five years fcast have Hulycnhei!*
and actually paidwiut for building, cur
rent expenses and benevolent objects
over $85,000. This, in the face of de
pressed business, curtailed incomes and
forced economy, is evidence that the
congregation is no ordinary one. They
have no floating debt, and keep their
current expenses paid up. They pay
their minister’s salary promptly the
first of each month.
Chatauqua, N. Y., Aug. 13.—At
the conference this morning, Ira D.
Sankey*, the singer and evangelist,
spoke, prayed and sang. He said the
prayer-meeting was the centre of Cha
tauqua. The saving of one soul was
worth more than all the intellectual
and literary results of Chatauqua.
Rev. Dr. Warren, of Philadelphia, gave
a most interesting lecture at 9 :30 A. m.
on “The earth as an astronomical body.”
At 11 oclock, in the amphitheatre,
Rev. Joseph Cook lectured to about
3,000 people, on “Alcohol and the hu
man brain.” He was greeted, on his
appearance on the platform, with tre
mendous applause. He at onee enter
ed into the heart of his subject by an
experiment with alcohol and the white
of an egg. His support of the cause
of temperance was based on the fact
that scars on the brain do not work
out nor grow out, and that these scars
may be made by bad habits or may be
inherited. These habits may become
automatic ; that while self-control lasts
a bad habit is a vice. When it is lost,
a bad habit is a disease. In the first
place, the bad habit belongs to the do
main of the minister of the gospel, and
in the last place to a physician. In
most cases drunkenness is a vice, not
a disease.
—The “Jasper Monumental Associ
ation,” of Savannah will lay the cor
ner-stone of a handsome monument to
the memory of Sergeant Jasper, on the
9th day of October, 1879, which is the
centennial of the death of this gallant
young soldier who fell in the defence
of Savannah. The funds necessary to
defray the expenses incident to the
erection of this monument, will be
gathered by subscription from the peo
ple of the whole country, and it is be
lieved that all who justly appreciate the
noble chivalry and modest worth of
this soldier, who gave bis life for the
liberties of his country, will promptly
and liberally rcsjiond to this call of
the Association having the work in
charge.
—Wo are in receipt of a note from
Mr. Jas. O. H. P. Henderson, of Oxford,
Ga., highly commending the process
for managing bees furnished by Lizzie
E. Colton, of West Gorham, Maine, an
advertisement of which has appeared
in this paper. Mr. H. expresses him
self much pleased after proper experi
ments. •
Whole No.
The Sunday-School.
International Sutulay-School leasons.
Lesson Xl—September 14, 1879.
THE CHRISTIAnIn THE WORLD.
1 Tim., vi, 6-16.
INTRODUCTION. >
The two epistles to Timothy and the one
to Thus ■ recalled Pastoral Epistles, because
they frere addressed to ministers and not to
churches. They were written near the end
of the Apostle’s life. Timothy had been
converted through the instrumentality
Paul. His father was a Gentile, but his
mother and grandmother wereof the Jewish
race and taught him the Holy Scriptures.
Soon after hi. conversion he became a com
panion of the Apostle in his journeys and
labors. When this epistle was written, Tim
othy was at Ephesus, where, at the requestof
Pau), he was looking after the interests of
the church. Where the Apostle himself was
at this time is not quite clear. A leading
object of the letter was to instruct Timothy
how to perform his duty as a minister of
Christ, in the verses immediately preced
ing our lesson, the Apostle rebukes certain
teachers who supposed godliness to be a
means of gain. Here our lesson begins.
OUTLINE.
I. Godly contentment; v. 68.
11. Solicitude to be rich; v. 9, 10.
111. The Apostle's charge; v. 11-16.
EXPOSITION.
I. Godly contentment.
V. 6. “But.” The men mentioned in v. 5
professed piety, “supposing” that it would be
a means of gain to them. This the Apostle
rebuked, but he says there is a sense in
which godliness is gain, even great gain.
“Godliness” —Piety, regard for God. “Con
tentment”—Satisfaction with our present
state. "Great gain,” even in this life. The
future life is not here referred to. “Godliness
with contentment” destroys all painful thirst
for earthly pleasures.
V. 7. “For” introduces the reason. As we
brought nothing into the world and can
carry nothing out, our real source of gain
cannot be in the things of this world.
V. 8. “Raiment.” The original literally
signifies covering, and may be applied to
either clothing or a huose. Here it possibly
includes both. While we are in this world
we do really need food, clothing and shelter.
With these, says the Apostle, let us be con
tent, as Christian men.
li. Solicitude to be rich.
V- 9. “Will be rich”—Are ' ent upon be
coming so. Such are not contented. “Temp
tation,” viz., to get riches wrongfully. “And
a snare” of the devil, as in Ch. 3: 7. Such
men are entangled in their wish as birds in
a snare, and so are nut free to act rightly.
“Many foolish and hurtful lusta.” The
to gel riches, even if wring doing
be aWUkes other evil desires.
■‘l oolith,” b- cause their gratification does
not bring true happiness. “Hurtful,” posi
tively injurious. “Drown men,’’ sii.k teem
as men sink in the sea. “Destruction and
perdition.” The latter word is stronger than
the former,and both together denote utter ruin
V. 10. This verse presents the reason of
the statement in ▼. 9. “Love of money” for
itself simply. Not money, but the love of
it, is here spoken of. “The root.” Literally,
a root. It is not the only one. “Os all
evil.” Literally, of all the evils—that is, of
all k'nds of evil. ‘'Which,” money. ‘Cov
eted after,” earnestly sought for. “Have
erred,’’ have been led away. “Pierced
themselves through," brought upon them
selves remorse and painful forebodings of
future suffering; a self-inflicted penalty.
111. The Apostle's charge.
V. 11. “O man of God.” The Ap< stle
may refer here to Timothy's official position
as a minister. We think, however, that he
rather means to distinguish Timothy from a
man of the world. “Flee these things,” the
love of money and its consequent hurtful
lusts. “Follow after,” diligently pursue.
V. 12. “Fight the good fight,” A meta
phor taken from the Greek games, and de
notes contend earnestly, for the contest is a
good one. “Os faith.” That is, as becomes
a believer in Christ. “Lay hold on eternal
life" as the prize to be gained. “Whereunto
thou art also called.” Called by the grace of
God to eternal life, and yet he is to contend
for it as if its attaiauient depended entirely
on himself. “A good profession” at the
time of his baptism. “Before many wit
nesses.” This he had done in a time of per
secution.
V. 13. “I give thee charge in the sight of
God.” ‘The exhortation, as the epistle
draws to its conclusion, a-sumes a yet graver
and more earneat tone. The Apostle, having
reminded Timothy of the confession he
made in the sigbt of many witnesses, now
gives him charge in the face of a iu re tre
mendous Presence, in the sight of God, &c.,
not to disgrace it by failing to keep the com
mandment which the Gospel imposes on the
Christian.”— Ellicott. “Quickeneth,” gives
life to. “Witnessing a good conftsslon.”
“It is the fad of a confession having been
made in both cases that is put in the fore
ground; and that our Lord’s was made in the
midst of danger, and with death before him,
is a powerful argument to firmness for his
servant in his own confession.” —Alford.
V. 14. “This (ra herthe) coiniuanditient.”
The Gospel rule of I hristian life.“ Wit
hout spot," with pure intention. “Unrebuka
ble,” so that others could not blame. These
words refer to “thou," and not to “command
ment.” “The appearing," the second com
ing. . ~
V. 15. “Whkh,” that is, his appearing.
“In his times,” at the proper time. “He,”
God. “Blessed," al soltt'ely happy. “Poten
tate,” equivalentlo Omnipotent One.
V. 16. “Whc only hath immortality” as
his own tinderived attribute. “Light which
no man can approach unto;’ more correctly,
light iinapproai liable. "No man hath seen
or <an see. ’ln t’ih< sublime image God is
represented, rs i were, dwelling in an at
mosphere of light, surrounded by glories
which no created nature may ever «jiproao/i,
no mortal eye may ever contemplate."—El
licott.
REMARKS*
We should Ih contented in the spheres in
which God has placed n». Love of money
is a destrui ive sin. Eternal life is the great
prize for vhicli we should strive. The
Christian, while iu the world, should *o live
i that ho may at all times be ready for the
second coming of his Lord.