Newspaper Page Text
The Christian Index.
Vol. 57— No 39.
Table of Contents.
First Page.—Alabama Department: Coosa
River Association ; A Good Lesson ; Dr.
Weaver’s Recent Baptism; Rev. James A.
Spurgeon ; Spirit of the Religious Press.
Second Page.—Correspondence: Letter from
Europe— W. T. Brant! y; From the Creek
Nation—J. L. Murrow; The Mercer Memori
al Church—H. A. W.; Letter from Monticel
lo—A. B. C.; Selections; The Sunday-School:
Faith and Works—lesson for October 28th.
Third Pace—Among the Assoc atlons ; Did
You ever Give Anything ? etc.
Fourth Page.—Editorials : Hope. Faith, As
surance ; Death of Mrs. T. C. Boykin : The
Bt. Louis Church ; Lord, Is It Ii; Are the
Heathens Saved ?; Religion always Beauti
ful ; Petty Worries; Misunderstood.
Fifth Page.—Georgia Baptist News ; Secular
Editorials; News Paragraphs; City vs,
Country; Notes on New Books ; Georgia
News.
Sixth Page.—Missionary Clippings ; New Ad
vertisements.
Seventh Page.—The Farmers’ Index: I’ros
of the Cotton Crop; Hogs; Country vs.
City.
Eighth page,—Florida Department : Lacon
ics; Special Notices.
Alabama Department.
BY SAMUEL HENDERSON.
COOSA RIVER ASSOCIATION.
The forty-sixth annual session of
this body was held with the Blue-Eye
Baptist church, Talladega county, Ala.,
embracing the third Sabbath in Sept.
Rev. W. Wilkes preached, by appoint
ment, the introductory sermon, on
‘“The Times and the Seasons,” in which
he took occasion to note some peculiar
ities of these times, in contrast with
former years, bringing out the lights
and shades of these days, the shades
predominating. The former Modera
tor, Dr. Renfroe, declining any further
service, Deacon Abner Williams, of
Oxford, was chosen Moderator, and J.
L. Wilkes and J. R. Elliott were re
spectively re-elected Clerk and Treas
urer. The letters from the churches
indicated, as we thought, steady pro
gress, both in numbers and activity.
Between a hundred and seventy-five
and two hundred baptisms were re
ported, and a perceptible incri’fteo ifi
the amounts contributed for various
worthy purposes. We thought we
caught the ring of a higher note in
the general spirit of those letters. The
old Salem church, of which Rev. Gor
don Mynatt is pastor, reported among
others, the baptism of two old per
sons, a brother and sister, aged 73 and
76. The venerable S. G. Jenkins bap
tized thirty-nine in one of his churches.
Bro. Gwin’s baptisms in his five
churches aggregated about thirty.
The report on
STATE MISSIONS
called out quite a lively discussion, at
the close of which betw’een two and
three hundred dollars were raised for
that work. This, added to what was
pledged and raised in cash at our late
convention from the bounds of our
Association, will aggregate nearly five,
hundred dollars. On the whole, our
State Mission work is in a prosperous
condition.
The subject of
FAMILY RELIGION
brought quite an able and exhaustive
report from the pen of Rev. Lelias
Law, a scholarly man and a close
thinker. It was about as able a dis
cussion of that subject as has yet ap
peared upon our minutes. We can
not but believe that it will do good in
our churches.
' FOREIGN MISSIONS
was the topic of a report from Rev. J.
C. Wright, who was detained at home
by sickness. It was read by Brother
Smyth, and abounded in “brist
ling facts,” quite suggestive and en
couraging. The contrast drawn be
tween the condition of the world fifty
years ago and its condition to-day, as
modified by Christian missions, was
most happily brought out. It indicat
ed unparalleled progress in the evan
gelization of the earth. We have not
seen the facts so tersely grouped to
gether anywhere, as they were in this
ivport. So soon as the minutes are
pointed, we shall reproduce it in our
department of this paper. It is mul
tunin parvo, and worth more than the
best sermon on that subject we could
publish. •
tHE SABBATH-SCHOOL REPORT
prapaicd by Rev. E. T. Smyth, was
read late Saturday evening, and its
discussion deferred until Monday
morning, but having to leave before
then, we did not hear the addresses it
called out. It was a well prepared
document, as is every thing that comes
from brother Smyth, and we doubt
not that it awakened a lively interest
in the body.
The subject of
HOME AMD INDIAN MISSIONS
on which brother W. Wilks was to re
port, did not come up until Monday so
SOUTH-WESTERN BAPTIST.
of Alabama.
that we were not present. Doubtless
it elicited its usual interest, as bro. J.
H. Kinnebrew, the agent of that board,
! appeared on the ground on Sunday
I morning to represent it. The collec
tion on Sunday was equally divided
i between the Home and Foreign
i Boards.
Our new Moderator, brother Abner
Williams, is a cultivated, Christian
| gentleman, possessing all the elements
of a first-rate presiding officer. He is
' one of the oldest members of the
body, and certainly one of the most
i useful. His father, Rev. Jordan Wil
! liams, who has been dead about fifteen
! years, was one of the pioneers of the
i Baptist cause in this part of the State,
1 and was in the organization of the
I body forty-six years ago. He was one
of the most useful ministers we had
jin our bounds. On the whole, our
1 meeting was a pleasant and harmo
; nious one, and we think a good foun
i dation was laid for work in the coiu
-1 ing year.
We start to-morrow, ( Sept. 24th ) to
1 the Liberty Association, to be held at
Roanoke, Randolph county, Ala., from
which point our readers may hear
1 from us.
A GOOD LESSON.
Some thirty-odd years ago, while
I meditating what proved to be one of
the most important moves of our life,
the late Dr. Basil Manly, Sr., was
spending a few days with us, and we
1 took occasion to ask his advice on the
subject, as it was our first move as a
minister. The venerable man made
this suggestion : “Bro. H., in making
so important a change, do not lift both
feet at once. Always keep one foot on
| terra firma.” We have' thought of the
! advice a hundred times, and applied it
!in many directions. Sudden, abrupt
I changes are not always improvements.
ITo use an old maxim, always look be-
I fore you leap. We have known many
' a minister to injure his usefulness by
I capricious removals. A man’s charac
ter is, in some respect, like his property,
when he goes to change his location—
' there are many little things, quite nec-
I essary for him, that he cannot take
! with him- He is likely ip possess cer
tain personal peculiarities, which those
w’ho have long known jiim will very
cheerfully concede to him, but which
may not strike the fancy of strangers.
Every move he makes, beyond the
sphere of his acquaintance, subjects
him to a new gauntlet of criticism,
both in his style of preaching, and in
his personal characteristics; and it is
not every preacher that can pass tri
umphantly through such ordeals.
Sudden changes often work disaster
in other directions as well. It is quite
easy to find faults with old existing
plans of benevolence, and write and
speak them down, and thus impair
public confidence in them; and it
is equally easy to gild untried expe
riments with the most luring prospects
of success. The sanguine, who are
impatient of old things, are apt to
“draw upon their fancy for their facts,”
and beguile us into some finely con
structed theory that is to abate all fric
tion, and make everything move with
the noiseless regularity of the planeta
!ry system. But then, it all depends
1 upon the spontaneous co-operation of
j a thousand agencies, that by one com
mon impulse will move together and
form one mass of moral power to per
form the needed service. Suppose,
however, they will not move, (and we
rather think this a supposable case,)
suppose there is no spontaneous co
operation—what then? Is it marvel-
I ous that when we support a plan based
1 upon the real situation of things for a
plan based upon a supposable state of
things, that we should experience a
failure? It is one thing to base our
hopes on what men, even Christian
men, ought to do, and another thing to
'base those hopes on what men will do.
| It is not always the case that one ought
\ to be in the premises becomes a will be
in the conclusion. Prudence would
I suggest jhut any transition from an old
I to a new plan should be made gradu
ally. We ought to make firm our
footing, then make the step, and not
“lift up both feet at once.”
We have known churches to grow •
impatient under the ministry of some !
solid, well tried pastor, who hud long 1
served them faithfully and effective;'
but they wanted a change—something I
new—and all they had to do was to in-,
timate their wish to their old pastor, |
and he at once vacated the position;
for really our Lest pastors are most easily
gotten ridden of. For a time, things
move on well; but as the novelty of
the change subsides, its folly becomes
painfully manifest. They find, when
it is too late, that it is easier to get rid
of a good pastor than to secure a sue- 1
cessor. They lifted up Ixith feet, to
use our quaint illustration, and made a I
leap in the dark, and are left to lament
in sadness oyer their precipitate ac
tion. Os course there are times when
such changes ought to be made; but,
Atlanta, Georgia, Thursday, October 9, 1879.
in making them, it is W’ell to consider
whether it is the cause' that demands
them, or the caprices of a few mal
contents.
DR. WEAVER'S RECENT BAP
TISM.
We have barely met this worthy
brother a few’ times—often enough to
be impressed with his modest worth.
We should not suppose that he coveted
the place he now fills in the public eye,
by what we must regard as a piece of
indiscretion on the pari of some of our
papers. If notoriety was his object, he
has achieved it,. But this none of his
brethren believe. Now, would it not
be well for those editors who have sub
jected his conduct of asking Dr. Boyce
to baptize him to such criticism so
that he could be placed in proper rela
tions with the entire denomination,
would it not be well, we say, for them
to pause and ask the question, whether
Dr. Weaver may not have a judgment
and conscience of his own which he is
accustomed to interrogate on such
matters? Those who claim that bap
tism (immersion) at the hands of a
Pedobaptist is valid, base their plea
upon the ground that it shall be “the
answer of a good conscience” on the
part of the party baptized. But sup
pose the party, after careful considera
tion, comes to the conclusion that it is
not “the answer of a good conscience;”
suppose, too, in addition to this, that a
large portion of his brethren believe
that such baptism is irregular, is un
known to the word of God—is there
any great harm in such person asking
baptism in away that satisfies all
doubts in all directions? For opr part,
we commend Dr. Weaver for the moral
courage he has displayed on this Sub
ject; and we think it about time for the
public press to let him alone, and al
low him to pursue that course unmo
lested which meditation and prayer
has inclined him to pursue, especially
as all parties agree that whatever may
be said of his first baptism, there can
be no discount on his second.
Rev. W. C. Cleveland, D.D.—We
enjoyed a visit of a few days at Alpine
from this brother, the pastor of the '
sVlma Baptist church: He pi-cachet!
for us four days, and greatly endeared
himself to our people. We have seldom
heard the Gospel preached with such
clearness, force and unction. As a
Gospel preacher, we scarcely think Dr.
Cleveland is surpassed in the State. I
As a kindly,courteous, genial Christian
man, he is certainly not excelled. A
telegram summoned him away very
suddenly to his charge to the sick-bed
of a dear relative. Dr. Renfroe was
also with us two days, much improved,
and in a condition to enter once more
upon his cherished work.
REV. JAMES A. SPURGEON IN
TORONTO.
HIS LECTURE ON “THE METROPOLITAN
TABERNACLE AND ITS WORKS.”
[From the Canadian Baptist.]
Oh Saturday evening last, a large audi
ence assembled in Jarvis street Baptist
church, attracted by the announcement that
Rev, James A. Spurgeon would lecture on
‘‘The Metropolitan Tabernacle and its
Work.” The lecturer was introduced by
Rev. Dr. Castle, in a few well-chosen words.
Mr. Spurgeon, on coming forward, was
greeted with hearty applause. His address
occupied about an hour and was listened to
with the greatest interest throughout. The
following is a brief summary of his remarks:
He prefaced by expressing pleasure to feel
that though far from home, he stood on
British soil, and could address bis audience
as fellow-countrymen. His subject was the
Metropolitan Tabernacle, London. It was
situated near the inn whence Chaucer's ;
Pilgrims started for Canterbury, and upon j
ground where some of the martyrs had suf- !
fen d death for the truths they held so dear.
Was uot this proof of the ultimate triumph
of right, and did it not encourage them to
persevere in the work they had undertaken?
The Tabernacle bad been erected twenty
years ago, and the plot of ground on which
it stood had been given, as they believed,
in direct answer to prayer. It had been the
property of one of those old trading com
panies, tlie main object of which appeared
to be to give great dinners to each other.
They had never sold a piece of ground be
fore, nor had they sold any since. In order
to secure it, a special act of Parliament had
to be passed, and this had been done
through the good offices of a brother of the
Independent faith. The sum of £25,000 had
to be raised to pay for the building, and
many of the brethren hesitated before con
senting to take the risk of signing the con
tract that the work might be proceeded with.
A brother who had accumulated some
money in business, came to the pastor
and offered to loan the whole amount, say
ing that if it was necessary they might use
it and repay him when they could, but that
the work must not stop for want of money.
The speaker's brother went to a meeting of I
the trustees that evening, and expressed his
willingness to sign thecontract if they would 1
not,ns he believed the necessary funds would
be provided. They, (knowing nothing of
the generous offer he hud received) thought
he must be very strong in the faith. The
work was ent- red upon ami completed. Tlie
money loaned was not used, but it was none
the less a grand sacrifice on the part of the
brother who made the loan. This was only
one of tlie many instances in which the
Lord had come to their assistance through
some human means, just when assistance
was most required. He did not think the
Lord had ever permitted any true work of
his to fail for want of money. Tlie Taber
nacle had 4,500 letable sittings, besides 500
that were free, and tliero was-standing room
for something like I,OOJ people besides. On
one occasion when John Bright was to speak
there, 9,000 tickets of admission were issued
and of these 8.000 were returned, and though
the people were packed together like herrings
in a barrel, the latter number managed to
get inside tlie building. Tlie Tabernacle had,
now been consecrated about twenty years,
and the stories ho could tell of work done in
those years, if time permitted, would make
even the most despondent take courage. But
he must now proceed to speak of the preach
er, for a lecture on the Tabernacle, if Spur
geon were not mentioned, would be like a
lecture on the solar system with the sun left
out, as but for him it would never have ex
isted. As he (the speaker) was three years
his brother’s junior, his memory was hardiy
to be trusted to state his age, but those who
knew something about it said that Charles
Haddon Spurgeon was now 45 years old. His
ancestors had fled from tlie Netherlands
during the second persecution, but tney
escaped tlie Church of Rome’s gridiron only
to get into tlie Church of England’s fire, and
they stifle ed persecution because, as they
said, they “would not worship God in a
steeple house.” The first of tlie name that
lie (the speaker) could remember was Rev.
James Spurgeon, who was a minister of a
small Independent Church in a little coun
try village. The speaker's father was also
a minister, and still lived to preach the gos
pel ; and of his brother’s sons, one was now
an ordained minister, the other a student for
the ministry, but forced to live in Australia
for some time on account of ill health. He
did not go into this history for tlie purpose of
lauding his own family, but because lie had
so often heard people talk about ministers’
sons turning out bad. He claimed the con
trary, that no class of young men lived more
creditable lives than did the sons of minis
ters of the gospel. He then proceeded to give
a short sketch of tlie career of his distin
guished brother before his connection witli
his present charge, and related several an
ecdotes illustrative of liis energy combined
with child-like trust in the love and care of
the Lord. When he first became pastor of
Ids present congregation they numbered not
more than two hundred, and now the actual
membership was 5150 enrolled communi
cants. Os 5000 of these, if he (the speaker)
were asked, lie could give information of
where and when they were baptized, their
residence and other particulars. There was
always a larger or smaller floating member
ship that could not very well be traced. All
this vast number of people had been drawn
together, not to hear the gospel preached in
ornate,attractive style, but to near it preached
in love and earnestness. He believed that
wherever the gospel was so preached, it
would command the attention of the people.
They did not make any pretence to very
elaborate music, but they had simple, well
l.nowp lunes, in Yhe sipging of which all
could join. Ho Ilyin proceeded to sketch the
work, wnicli was now being done by tlie
congregation of the Tabernacle beyond tlie
church itself. He first spoke of the famous
“Pastors’ College,” which the great preacher
had founded for the purpose of educating
young men for the ministry. Twenty years
ago, he had seen that many of their minis
ters were uneducated—not weak nor un
worthy, for they were strong, good men, yet
they wanted in that power which education
alone could give. The college term was now
three years instead of two, and their system
of training would at least compare with that
of any other institution of a similar kind.
They began with only a few, but now they
had 110 young men, maintained at the ex
pense of tlie college, who, as they graduated,
would go out to preach the gospel in its sim
plicity and power. For it was one of their
cardinal doctrines that a minister’s work was
not to preacli so as to please men, or to teach
classics or enlighten the intellect, but to save
souls. They had now sent out some 400
young ministers, some of whom were in this
country, all witnessing to tlie power and
grace of the Savior. The college was con
ducted at an annual outlay of $25,000. In
connection with the Tabernacle there had
been established also a "Refuge,” and it cost
tlie same amount of money yearly to main- I
tain it. Tlie first thought of starting it had
originated by a letter from a widow lady
ofleringasum equal to SIOO,OOO of Canadian
money to be used for some such purpose,
under the direction of the Tabernacle author
ities. As it seemed a pity to lose tlie money
for the service of the Lord a meeting of dea
cons Was held to discuss the question. One
honored brother was strongly opposed to it,
as lie thought they had no right to expect
tlie Lord to provide money to meet such
great expense. While be was speaking an
anonymous letter was handed to Mr. Spur
geon, enclosing £2,000 and expressing the
hope that tlie work would be gone on with.
When the note was banded to Dr. Brock he
merely said, "Let us pray,” and so ended the
objections to engaging in the work.
Another scheme in connection with the
Tabernacle was the Colportage Association,
founded for tlie purpose of sending men out
through tlie country districts to sell tracts
and good books, and, whenever possible, to
read and engage in prayer witli those witii [
whom they came in contact. This might
seem out of place in such an old and highly
civilized country as England; but lie grieved
to say, that the people in some places there
were far more deeply sunk in ignorance, than
in even the most newly settled districts of
Canada. Tlie old land could show tlie lead
in some respects, but in others, such as Young '
Men's Christian Associations and Sabbath I
Schools, what he had seen in America as
tonished liini very much. Notwithstanding I
the immense financial responsibilities the i
Tabernacle authorities had taken upon them
selves, whenever they were in need of money
they prayed, and it invariably came. The
Orphanage for boys, and the one about to be
established for girls, were briefly alluded to.
all of which proved tlieir faitli in God ami
Isis readiness to crown all their efforts with
abundant blessings. Ho then pointed out
that the reason of tlieir success was not that
they hud quell n great leader, for the general
whs powerless unless his army was efficient
and earnest. The true reason of their sue- I
cess was that every one of the rank and file i
in the organization was a zealous worker fur
the advancement of the cause of Christ. I
Whenever a new member joined, tlie ques
tion was put to him, "Wrimt can you do; j
what tire you willing to do?" and lie was at
once set nt work to perform the duty for
which he was most fitted. In illustration ot
the various works in which they might en
gage he instanced the case of one respeeted
member of tlie Tabernacle. He purchased
seven sittings and seven hymn books, and
when lie saw a young man trying to enter
tlie church lie gave him a seat and a book,
and when ho hud his little flock gathered he
felt happy. If possible after the service he
spoke to some of them a word of kind In-
THE CHRISTIAN HERALD,
of Tennessee.
quirv or encouragement. By this means he
had brought no less than fifteen young men
into the membership of the church. In con
clusion lie said that there was a duty for the
hand of each, and urged all to do whatever
was possible to promote and spread the cause
of the Master.
The Religious Press.
No. I.—While a writer from Saratoga
speaks of religion there as vigorous and ag
gressive, and of prayer meetings and the
Sabbath worship as well attended; an
other writer from Martha’s Vineyard de
plores the disregard of the Sabbath, and
the abuse of sacred tilings, as indicating
great loss of spiritual life among New Eng
land church members; and a thoughtful ob
server on the Isles of Shoals speaks with
amazement of the outspoken infidelity of
Boston culture and esthetic religion.
No. 2.—Five hundred thousand of the
population of Philadelphia seldom, if ever
frequent the house of God !
Extract No. 1 is from The Christian
Secretary, of Hartford, Conn. No. 2
is from a writer in The Presbyterian, of
I hiladelphia ; and yet the greater part,
perhaps, of the moral lectures delivered
to “the South” are from Philadelphia
and New England. We hope we shall
profit by all the good advice we get,
for certainly it is much needed, but we
must think that a good deal of this
talk is addressed to us simply because
the tower of Siloam has fallen upon us,
and not because we are wicked above
all them that are in Jerusalem;
One hundred and fifty negro emigrants
from lennessee arrived at St. Louis yester
day, bound for the happy land of Kansas,
•they are able to pay their way and buy
land when they arrive at their destination
—lnterior.
And all these negroes made all this
money in a land where they were so
oppressed and cheated that they
couldn’t make anything. We should
like to hear how much of this money
is left after they have been in Kansas a
few years. F. E. Guernsey in The In
ternational Review says:
A marked race-prejudice is shown against
the negro immigrants by the farmers, who
are mainly Republicans in politics. Among
the small white farmers of the Louisiana
hill parishes, and the German settlers in
Texas there is exhibited the same antipathy
to negro neighbors. It may be set down as
a fact that any community of white men who
themselves work in the fields object to being
Ifought into competition with a race con
sidered to be inferior.
As a matter of fact which the most
careless observer must perceive, there
is a more kindly feeling toward the
negro among us old-fashioned Suthern
ers, than is to be found among any
other community of white people on
the globe , and as a whole we believe
that this very day the negroes of the
South are the most contented laboring
class in the world. Still if a few
thousand of them, misled by design
ing men, are inclined to leave us and
try their fortunes elsewhere, they are
welcome to make the experiment. We
can stand it if they can. If any are
discontented, let them go, and we
hope they will make haste.
Formalism Disgusting.— In reading
over the Sunday-school lesson about the Old
Testament types, we see the great difference
between true heart worship and mere cere
monial. The Jewish ceremonial, apart
from its significance, was disgusting; it made
the temple of God a charnel house reeking
with blood. Eqaally disgusting, in God’s
sight, is all mere formalism in religion. Os
suchi worship, God says, “I delight not in
the blood of bullocks or lambs; . . incense
is an abomination to me; . , it is iniquity
even the solemn meeting.” ■
ut yl' cl ?, we en,er into the significance of
of ail tiiat blood—when we hear tlie sinner
confess the sins for which he ought to die—
when we see him lay his hand, in that con
fession, on the head of a goat, symbolizing
the transfer of the guilt to another—when,
then, we see the goat die and the sinner live,
the ceremony becomes touching and signifi
cant. So, also, the true heart service of the
penitent sinner, which has a meaning to it
and whose meaning is that he lays his guilt
on Jesus for help to do right, this significant
work is well pleasing to the Father. Witli
such sacrifices God is well pleased. The
thought of the heart makes a wonderful dif
ference in this mutter.—Christian. Observer.
And what shall be said of baptism
when the candidate is unconverted ?
And which is worse, to baptize an in
fant who is unconverted of course, or
to baptize an adult able to speak for
himself, who gives scanty evidence of
conversion? The Observer justly says
that forms apart from their significance
arc disgusting. What is the signifi
cance of baptism in the case of an un
converted person?
The Watchman (Boston) speaking of
the action of the St. Louis Association
in withdrawing its fellowship from Dr.
Boyd’s church says:
We cannot but think that this is wholly
unjustifiable Tlie church has done things
thnt cannot be justified, and for which we
would be the last to apologize, but is there
ground for such an extreme measurer? Noth
ing short of apostasy in doctrine, or avowed
and persistent violation of church order,
can justify » withdrawal of fellowship.
“Avowed and persistent violation of
church order" is precisely what Dr
Boyd’s church is guilty of.' The facts
specified as wrong they do not deny;
but they have never acknowledged
them to be wrong, and have never ex-
Whole No. 2389
pressed regret for what they have done,
and have never promised to do so no
more. This is what we call persistence.
When a man does a wrong thing and
refuses to acknowledge it, his refusal is
equivalent to a continuance of the
wrong, it is a repetition and a perpetua
tion of it, and becomes what the
Watchman justly declares to be suffi
cient ground for withdrawal of fellow
ship. We venture to say that the mo- •
ment the church in question ceases to
persist in its wrong, that moment fel
lowshipwill be restored ; and until then
it ought not to be.
It is a common notion that a Christian
minister’s chief mission is to bring comfort
to his people, to speak words of cheer to
them, to try to make them happy. But that
was not the prophet Nathan’s idea when he
brought homethe“Thou ant the man!" rebuke
to King David. Elijah had a very differ
ent sense of his mission, when he met Ahab
in the way, and told him that he was the
man who had brought trouble on Israel..
“Let this man be put to death,” said the
princes of Jerusalem, concerning Jeremiah;
“for thus he weakeneth the hands of the
men of war that remain in this city, and
the hands of all the people, in speaking such
words unto them : for this man seeketh not
the welfare of this people, but the hurt.”
John the Baptist was a most discouraging
preacher. Paul’s letters to the early churches
are full of stinging reproofs for particular
sins. They couldn’t have been altogether
pleasant reading to those who received them.
And how the loved and loving disciple
John did stir up the seven churches in Asia!
Making them feel good seemed to be the
last thing in his mind. He was a great deal
more intent on showing them what they
ought to do, than on encouraging them to
be happy over what they had done. A min
ister is God's messenger to declare
God’s truth, whether it refreshes or
disturbs tlie hearer. There are few persons
in any congregation who ought never to be
made uncomfortable by what God has declared
concerning their present course of conduct,
or their inaction. There is no congregation
that is beyond the need of the explicit re
minder by the man of God of shortcomings
in duty, and of danger from apathy or self
sufficiency. Was it not John Quincy Adams
who said that he best liked a minister who
sent him away from church feeling dissat
isfied with himself? The minister whose
only pulpit medicine is soothing-syrup is
not likely to bring up children in the faith
of whom he will be proud, or with whom
God will be pleased.—<S. & Times.
And if eve of The Index speak
sometimes pretty sharply to our breth
ren, and of them, we hope they will
take it kindly-and regard it as “an ex
cellent oil that shall not break their
head's.” What is a religious journal
good for if it does not rebuke when
rebuke is needed? When we see error
in our churches or among our brethren,
w-e shall “cry out and spare not,” and
that too, whether it be popular or un
popular.
—ln discussing social questions, or any
other, we make nothing by getting out of
temper, or by blackening our neighbors. A
writer who is fond of applying to tho-e with
whom be differs such words as “snob” should
remember that there is also in the English
language such a word as “ignoramus.” A
writer who disseminates as truth the gossip
of travellers that judge whole natioi.s by
hasty impressions, formed after a few days of
hotel or boarding-house life in Paris,
or Madrid, should remember that.tnere is a
ninth commandment.
So says The Watchman, (Boston)
and never did it speak more wisely.
We, in this Southern latitude, have
been systematically blackened, as
with a shoe-brush, and none have been
more industrious in this dreadful work
than certain religious journals. Much
of it has its origin in ignorance, we
have no doubt; and that ignorance
comes from a readiness to receive as
truth the hasty impressions formed of
a whole community by strangers
whose eyes are open to all that is bad
and shut to all that is good ; and from
an unwillingness to receive as truth
the solemn statements of old and well
known citizens,as truthful and pure as
any whom Jesus has on this earth.
There is, indeed, a ninth command
ment, and none have suffered more
in consequence of its violation by oth
ers than the people of the Southern
States. When our own testimony is
disputed, as it often is, we are always
assured that there is nj discount on
our veracity, but that we are mistaken.
It re jiiires a good deal of patience and
grace to bear this. How strange it is
that all the mistakes are made by those
who have the best opportunity to know
the facts, and that none are made by
those who form hasty impressions on
slight observation! We think, how
ever, that a brighter day is dawning.
Several journals which have been in
the habit of using the shoe-brush are
not laying it on as heavily as they
once did. Wo thank The Watchman
for the excellent sentiment of the above
extract and hope that it will, from time
to time, continue to promulgate the
same. Good will come of it.
Nashville capitalists met en mass
Tuesday bight, mid appointed a com
mittee to raise SIOO,OOO to build a
merchant's rolling mill.
.
The richest university in the world
is that ol Leyden, in Holland. Its real
estate alone is worth over four million
dollars.