Newspaper Page Text
The Christian Index.
Vol. 57 —No 47.
Table of Contents.
Fits? Page.—Alabama Department: Change
of Postoffice; Inspiration of the Bible;
. Old Age Cheerful and Useful; Alabama
News; Religious Press; Florida Depart
ment : Round About in Florida; Lacon
ics ; From Banana, Fla.
Second Page—Correspondence : The Koran
and Mahommedanism—B. W. Whilden;
From the Indians—Orange Brock; Wo
man’s Mission to Women Societies;
From San Francisco—The Orphan’s Right;
Rev. A. R. Callaway; Seeeipts Mission '
Board; Woman’s Mission Societies.
Third Page—Plans; How Shall We end it? )
Where is He To-Night?; Open Letters,
etc. >
Fourth Page. Editorials: The Former
Times-The Present Times-TheGood Times
Coming; Prosperity of the Negroes; Out of
the Frying Pan into the Fire; The Danger
to the Seminary; Georgia Baptist News.
Fifth Page—Mercer High School, Penfield, I
Ga.; Georgia Baptist Association; Secular
Editorials; Mother —Poetry—by Charles j
W. Hubner; Among the Magazines; Geor- |
gia News.
Sixth Page—Missionary Clippings; Words of
Cheer; How To Do Nothing Profitably—
G. A. N.
Seventh Page—The Sunday-school; The Last
Words—Lesson for December 21, 1879.
Eighth Page—Publisher’s Department: Bio
graphical Sketches of Baptist Ministers; '
Christmas is Coming; Specimen Pictures :
from Portrait Gallery of The Christian
Index, etc.
Alabama Department.
BY SAMUEL HENDERSON. !
CHANGE OF POST-OFFICE.
From and after the Ist day of De
cember, 1879, my correspondents will
please address me at Fayetteville,
Talladega County, Alabama. Be
sure to insert the name of the coun
ty, to prevent confusion, as there are
other post-offices in Alabama quite
!' similar in name. The Baptist Courier,
Religious Herald, Alabama Baptist, the
< Memphis Baptist, Western Recorder,
Texas Baptist, and Examiner and
Chronicle, will all take due notice of
this, and accommodate me accordingly.
Sam’l Henderson.
Alpine, Nov. 21, 1879.
INSPIRATION OF THE BIBLE. \
A religion without its mysteries i
. zjd be a cheat, a delusion. Any
revelation coming from the eternal*
world must, in the nature of the case,
’ be enshrouded in more or less of mys
tery. The man who prescribes to God
that He shall make a revelation of his
, will that in all its phases shall be ac
commodated to his limited capacity— j
' that dares to sit in judgment upon !
such a revelation when made, and un- ■
. dertakes to say what is and what is not
authentic and divine, measuring it by
‘ his capacity to understand—is either i
guilty of the most consummate folly, >
- or of unpardonable arrogancy. The
Bible is either a revelation from God,i
or it is not. If it is, it is all of God,
since the whole of its contents rests
upon the same testimony. Those who
wrote it, claim to have written “as
moved upon by the Holy Ghost.’’ In-
e deed, the high claim of the entire vol- 1
ume is, that it is “given by inspiration ;
of God.” If a part is human and a
■* part divine, where is the line between
the human and the divine? What ■
human tribunal is competent to sit in
judgment upon so momentous a ques-;
tion? One would naturally suppose
that on such a question, some intima- ,
tion would have been given in the 1
••holy oracles as to where the divine
ended and the human began ; and yet
with two exceptions, (and it is doubt
ful whether one of these be an excep
tion,) there is, as we remember,no in
timation that indicates otherwise than
that “all Scripture is given by inspira
tion of God.” These are 1 Cor. 7 : •>,,
and 2 Cor. 8; 8. These very exceptions
•prove how careful the Holy Spirit was
to preserve the full integrity of the
sacred volume. By marking these two ■
passages as “not by commandment,”
it is unquestionably implied that all the
balance is “by commandment.” It is
true that the words ftf bad people, and
even of devils, appear occasionally in ;
the Scriptures; but they are placed i
there by divine order, and from their !
connection with important facts, doc
trines, duties, prophecies, etc. So of ’
its history, biography, and the like.
They are all placed in the Word of
God “by commandment,” and are to
be accepted as from the Holy Ghost.
Once adopt the theory that the Bible
is partly human and partly divine, and
there will be about as many opinions
as to where the one ends, and the other i
begins, as there are people who under
take to expound it. The moral force
of the holy Bible is broken, it would,
cease to be the common standard of
appeal, and Christianity itself would go
into practical disintegration.
It makes nothing against our views,
that of the different writers of the Bible
has each his peculiar style, since it is
only through the human mind that the '
. Holy Ghost can communicate with our
race. Han Elijah is selected; the for-1
SOUTH-WESTERN BAPTIST.
of Alabama.
vid zeal of the man is communicated
to the messages he receives from the
Spirit. If an Isaiah is*selected, some
thing of the imperial imagination of
the “Evangelical prophet” accompanies
his utterances of the “burden of the
Lord.” And so through the whole
number of the divine pensmen. But
who that has studied the blessed Book
has failed to see in each contribution
to its concents a harmony in its truths,
a oneness in its purpose, unaccountable
on any other hypothesis than that the
whole volume was dictated by one pre
siding Spirit?
One of the most triumphant internal
arguments on which the divine inspi
ration of this Book is based, is this very
consideration that through fifteen
hundred years a succession of writers,
from Moses to John, of different ages,
in different languages, under the most
variant circumstawcejs, an<l of every
phase of mental characteristics, from
the plowman in his field to the Icing
upon his throne, from the fishermen of
Gallilee to the most cultured “Apostle
of the Gentiles,” whose contributions
piake up the holy volume, all nat
urally dove-tail into each other,
forming One Book, that could not be
more homogeneous if it had been the
production of one pen. No mortal can
account for this on any other hypothe
sis than that each contributor acted
under the direction of the same Holy
Spirit—was moved by the same divine
impulse—so that when he finished his
work, it just as naturally took its place
in the sacred canon as any stone in the
temple, when hewed and squared by
the workmen, took its place in that
wonderful structure. Nay, more, each
part, instinct with life, adjusted itself
to the whole with as complete a sym
metry as the members of a natural
body combine to make up the “human
form divine.”
The truth is, the whole purport of
the Word of God, Old Testament law,
history, prophecy, and ceremonials—
New Testament teaching, biography,
and claim—all, all, is to reveal one
glorious Personage to our faith, than
whom a greater cannot be conceived
by man. Throughout the whole re
cord, there moves one Being of such
transcendent dignity, honor and glory,
as to have inspired every writer with
His matchless worth and grandeur.
He was the “law giver” of Judah, the
“Shekinah” of the tabernacle, the
“child born and Son given” of Isaiah,
the “desire of all nations” of Haggai,
the “Messenger of the Covenant” of
Malachi, and the “Immanuel,” “God
with us,” of the New Testament. How
impressively John expresses the whole
of this in a single sentence: “For the
testimony of Jesus is the spirit of
prophecy I”
The whole end of the Old Testament
is to point to Christ; the whole pur
port of the New is to reveal Christ.
Who, then, would mar the records on
which “the testimony of Jesus” rests?
Fearful are the words with which the
sacred canon closes: “For I testify
unto every man that heareth the words
of the prophecy of this book, if any
man shall add unto these things, God
shall add unto him the plagues that are
written in this book ; and if any man
shall take away from the words of the
book of this prophecy, God shall take
away his part out of the book of life,
and out of the holy city, and from the
things that are written in this book.”
Rev. 22 : 18, 19.
OLD AGE CHEERFULAND USE
FUL.
Aptness to discern analogies is said
to be one of the essential characteris
tics of a true poet. A fine illustration
of this thought occurred recently, with
our own national poet, Longfellow.
Some friend was congratulating him
upon the happy manner in which he
had preserved his mental vigor and
elasticity, as well as those warm, gen
ial impulses of his heart that make
him so attractive to the young. His
response was about this, that a fruit
tree of a hundred years bore as lus
cious, healthy fruit as a young tree,
for the reason that it was always grow
ing new wood, and that the fruit was
nourished by these fresh annual accre
tions. And so the human mind might
always be gathering fresh life from a
thousand sources, and thus continue
to “bear fruit in old age.”
There is no sight more charming,
more attractive than a cheerful, happy
old ]>erson, under whose grey locks
there still shines forth a countenance
beaming with all the vivacity of young
life. It robs age of its infirmities and
cares, and converts the “sear and yel
low leaf of age” into a very Beulah.
Especially may this be true of aged
Christians. A consciousness that
life's duties have been honorably met
that his peace has been made with
God—animated by a hope that the re
ward ol his faith is at hand—that he
is on the verge of entering on the “sun
bright shore,” where age loses its in
firmities, and disease and death are
unknown—why should such an one be
Atlanta, Geqrgia, Thursday, December 4, 1879.
unhappy? Why should he march to the
tomb like a culprit to his prison cell,
rather than “a prisoner of hope” on
the eve of deliverance? Is it not writ
ten that “a hoary head is a crown of
glory, if it be found in the way of
righteousness?” Is there anything in
“a crown of glory” to make one sad,
morose, unhappy?”
To recur to our illustration from
Longfellow, we may make every year
of our lives young, fresh, pleasant and
useful. The old wood of the fruit tree
has become solidified so as to resist
the storms and bear the burdens im
posed upon it, while the new forma
tions germinate and mature the fruit
of each revolving year. So these
“trees of righteousness, the planting
of the Lord,,” are sustained by the
growth of past years, while the fresh
increments are constantly forming to
produce -and mature their fruits into
hojiness. And this process goes on
to the very end of life, for it is written,
“When the shock of corn is fully ripe,
immediately He thrustpthin the sickle.”
There is no delay. Grace matured is
glory begun! If there is one sight on
earth, we repeat, more entrancing to
the eye of faith than any other, it is
one of these “trees of righteousness,”
bending under the matured fruit of
four-score years, and just ready to be
transferred to the paradise above!
“Even down to old age all my people shall
prove,
My sovereign, eternal, unchangeable love ;
And when hoary hairs shall their temples
adorn,
Like lambs they shall still in my bosom be
borne.”
ALABAMA NEWS.
—A new paper has been started at Hunts
ville, the Gazette.
—The Presbyterian oyster supper at Bir
mingham realized $76.
—lsaac C. Cook has been appointed circuit
clerk for Lowndes county.
—The Governor has appointed N. W.
Green .sheriff of Elmore county.
—Rev J. 0. B. Lowry, of Mobile, has re
ceived a call from New Orleans.
—S. H. Jemison,ofTalladega county, gave
a bale of cotton to the missionary cause.
—James B. Parker, of Memphis, Ala., has
invented a machine for picking cotton,
—George P. Crvmes was accidently shot
and killed by his brother in Barbour county.
—F. Stoutz has been appointed jury com
missioner for southern district of Alabama.
—There will be an examination at Tuska
loosa December 18th, for a cadet to West
Point.
—A Presbyterian church is to be organ
ized at Harpersville the fifth Saturday in
this month. (
—Hon. George Clark, formerly of Eutaw,
has been appointed judge of the Texas court
of appeals.
—Judge J. Q. Smith has decided that the
law prohibitimg the buyi g of seed cotton is
unconstitutional.
—The two furnaces, at Oxmoor, are mak
ing 80 tons of iron per day at a cost of sl2 a
ton and making 1,200 a day.
—The Selma Times says: “The Matthews
cotton mill here has increased the popula
tion of Selma about 500. It distributes
thousands of dollars here annually for food
and clothing. It has done more to build up
Selma than all the merchants and lawyers
and doctors in the city.”
—Union Springs Baptist church has 182
members. During 1879 the members con
tributed to benevolent purposes, besides sus
taining the church, nearly S3OO. During 1878
the ladies collected for the purchase of an or
gan $250, besides contributing to foreign
missions and the support of Dr. Hartwell in
California.
—Dr. Hawthorne preached his farewell
sermon at the First Baptist chuich.at Mont
gomery, Sunday morning. The church was
crowded to its u.most, and many people
had to return home who were unable to find
a seat or standing room in the church. A
very large congregation also assembled at
the Adams street Baptist church, on Sun
day night, where Dr. Hawthorne preached a
very interesting sermon.
—The Eufaula Times says : “The Rev.
Joel Sims, one of the oldest citizens of this
section, died at his residence in the central
portion of this county after a lingering ill
ness of some weeks, on Tuesday night of the
18th ult. He had been in the employ of
the Eufaula Baptist Association, as an Evan
gelist, for the last fifteen or twenty years ;
and although he has not been able to per
form any labor for some time past, he has,
notwithstanding, been kindly and comforta
bly provided for by that oody during the en
tire time.”
—The Huntsville Independent says : “We
announce the sudden death of MalialaChap
man, at Clifton Springs, New York, on the
Bth of November. The deceased bad lived
in Governor Chapman s family lor nearly
fifty years. She was a rare instance of a no
ble nature and refined bearing, and enjoyed,
long before the war the warm attachment
of those with whom she rather exercised a
willing authority than performed any servile
sefvice. She was held in high esteem for
her purity and Christian deportment, and
refinement of manners, and she was deeply
devoted to the interests of the Governor’s
household. Aunt Mahala was a native of
Caroline county, Virginia, and was an exal
ted type of the genuine old Virginia colored
lady. The deep sorrow of Governor Chap
man’s family at her death, and the respect
manifested by this community, testify to
berexalted character and worth.
The remains were brought here by express
from New York and laid to rest in Hie fam
ily burying ground of Governor Chapman,
on the 12th ult., Rev. Dr. Banister, of the
church of the Nativity, officiating at the
burial service.
Sidney Herbert, in a letter to the Savan
nah News, alludes to the touching respect
paid to the memory ofthis beloved and faith
ful old servant, as furnishing a string re
proof of the spirit of misrepresentation and
abuse which so many people at the North,
ignorant of the true status of the relation
between the two races, indulge in.
He says forcibly : '•Human pride and
selfibness cannot exist where the spirit ot the
meek and lowly Jesus actuates us in our treat
mentof those whom God has placed underour
care, and who have been faithful to us in
every emergency."
The Religious Press.’
The New Orleans Christian Advocate
says:
In looking over a prayer meeting compa
ny we are impressed with the fact that “not
manv wi-e men after the flesh, not many
mighty, not many nohle," are there. Our
merchants, doctors, lawyers, and more influ
ential people, as a rule, are not present.
Neither are they found in much force in the
Sunday school, nor do they take much per
sonal part in the work of thecjiurch beyond
occasional attendance at preaching, and a
periodical, and not always generous response
to the appeal of the stewards.
It is a great mistake for the church
to suppose that it depends for its suc
cess upon the “influential” men, the
“prominent” meu. What the church
needs is pious men, and pious women.
The influence of an obscure, humble,
uncultivated, illiterate man, whose
heart is imbued with divine grace, does
the church more good than the influ
ence of a dozen or a score, or a hun
dred, or a thousand of the most gifted,
learned and conspicuous citizens, if
they be unregenerate men. The influ
ence of such men is not for good to
the church ; it is for harm ; the more
eminent they are, the more harm they
do; and the more the church has of
them, the worse its condition. There
is a good deal of what we may call re
ligious chuckling when one such man
unites with the church, but there is no
joy in heaven. When some one of
little note, or holding insignifficant po
sition, comes with a genuine repent
ance and faith to unite with the people
of God, not much ado is made about it
on earth, but how differently the angels
look at it. The addition of a true be
liever to the church is a great gain
whether he be obscure or prominent,
rich or poor, learned or unlearned.
God is no respecter of persons.
Here is a centre, shot from The
Morning Star, published away off in
New Hampshire!
The Chinese have away of their own in
doing missionary work. The people of the
Chinese providence of Yunan are in part
Mohammedans. An imperial decree offers
freedom from taxation to eveiy Mthamme
dan who renounces his faith and swears by
Confucius. Beautiful new idols are also to
be given as awards for proselyt, s. Some
hardly mure aAi use s/wusfones pre
sented among us far people to become Chris
tians.
We have taken the liberty to put
the last three lines in italics.
And here is something sweet and
beautiful from the same source :
In that touching addnss, which the treat
apostle to the Gentiles made at Miletus to
the elders of the church in Ephesus, we find
this beautiful expression, “Serving the Lord
with all humility of mind, and with many
tears!” It was a part of his own marve
lous experience to which he referred, for
Paul had served the Lord with “many
tears!" And was not th is one stcret of his
gn at succes”? The tears are evidence of
sincersty, aud sincerity is an element of pow
er. Moreover, a tender spirit is altogether
more persuasive than any other. When
we plead with our frieads tearfully, they can
not withstand our pleadings; and when we
pour our petitions into the ears of the Al
mighty. “with strong cryings aud tears, ’ he
will not fail to hear and bless us. The “dry
light” of the intellect subserves its own pur
pose, and a very high one too; but in the
work of bringing men to Christ we need to
be more fully possessed of the “weeping
spirit.” And yet it is well to distinguish
between the sentimental and conventional
use of the handkerchief and that r-trong,
rnaniy weeping of Paul, when his soul was
saturated and surcharged with love for men,
and shaken aud .subdued by the spirit of
God!
Mere sentimental weeping is a de
lusion. We have seen a congregation
dissolved to tears by a touching death
bed story, but when the preacher came
to the application of the story as illus
trative of divine truth the people dried
up their tears! There is no religion
in such weeping as this; it is a mere
matter of natural sympathy which may
be felt by a heart wholly a stranger to
the grace of God. Be not deceived
by it.
He! Well, who is he ! The name is
not given, but here is the way The
Biblical Recorder describes him :
His personal vanity led him to envy hie su
periors. hate his equals and despise his inferi
ors. The success oi others mortified him.
To hear others spoken well of aagered him.
The failures of his co laborers gave him
pleasure. He heard of the ruin and fall of
those above him with joy. He loved him
self, he hated everybody else, and yet he
preached to the people.
How natural in it for a boy, when be finds
a hole in his pocket, to keep putting his
finger through. We believe the process
does not mend the place very well. Much
like this boyish mischief is the practice of
thilisting remarks through a rend in one’s
friendship. We have not heard that such a
course mended the break.—Er.
Some few years ago there wits a
breach in the great American family
inhabiting these United States; and to
this day certain parties are doing their
best to keep that breach open. Among
the foremost of these are certain re
ligious newspapers that we could name.
They are trying to keep alive the ani
mosities of war in the name of the
Prince of Peace. When we protest
THE CHRISTIAN HERALD,
of Tennessee.
against this they tell us that we are
puerile.
“Each baptized person before me," said
the late Dr. DeKoven, preaching to the
young students in his college,“‘has received
the awful gift of baptismal innocence and
sac amental grace." A "baptized person”
once stood before the Apostfe Peter, and
Peter said unto him, “Though hast neither
part nor lot in this matter, for thy heart is
not right in the sight of God.”—Presbyte
rian.
Admirably put brother Presbyterian!
Nothing could be better. We venture
to say, however, that the Apostles
never baptized any one knowing
him to be unregenerate. In these
latter days, some excellent, but
as we think misguided, men bap
tize those whom they know to be un
regenerate ; and if their theory were
universally adopted no regenerate per
son would ever have the opportunity to
be baptized, as this action of each man
for himself would be forestalled by his
parents before he had outlived bis
infancy, and unconscious babes would
have a monopoly of the institution.
“Christianity is not moribund,” exclaims
the Christian Union, in the midst of a dis
course on the liberalizing tendencies of mod
ern thought. _ And it adds: “The oblitera
tion of the line betwern the world and
the church teaches us that viclory
rather than defeat is near.” Victory for
which—the church or the world ? It de
pends altogether on the manner in which
the line is obliterated. If it be done by
lowering the standard of Christianity to a
worldly level, or by interpreting ihe teach
ing of the Bible so that it will be acceptable
to the worldly mind, it would be easy enough
to see wiih which side the victory rested.
But such a victory as that would only be
ha.-tening the world to its moral overthrow.
The obliteration that is needed is that made
by the onward tread of the King of kings,
who has proclaimed that he cannot look
upon sin with with allowance, and calle on
all men everywhe>e to repent.
We have heard of churches in which
the standard of piety is no higher than
in the outside world. Any church
that sets its its heart on mere increase
of numbers will soon reach the same
condition.
Th re may be more drunkenness in the
South than in the North. We have not ex
amined the statistics. Since their emanci
pation intemperance has become a fearfully
increasing evil among the negroes. More
drunkenness in the South, perhaps, but more
opium eating, more business fraud-, m re
professional abortionits, mere domestic infi
delity, and more divorces in the North,
So says our esteemed contemporary
of the New Orleans Christian Advo
cate, who will agree with us that there is
an immense deal of sin everywhere, and
that if the energy which some men ex
pend in trying to prove that one sec
tion of the country is worse than an
other were withdrawn from that un
gracious task and expended in trying
to do good to the bodies minds and
souls of men, it would be far better
employed. “Let each man sweep be
fore his own door” would be a good
motto for all sections of this country.
It would seem that if the church were suf
ficiently careful to denounce and punish all
business crookedness, it would not so often
occur that scoundrels remain in it while
they are planning and perpetrating their
crimes Zion's Herald.
In this respect our brethren com
monly called “Hardshells” set us a
good example. Anything that even
looks like dishonesty is dealt with by
them promptly and efficiently.
In the days of our fathers, when a man
suddenly dropped out of the community
they used to drag the neighboring ponds and
examine ail available hanging places in the
vicinity. Now-a days the first steps are to
examine his bank account.
So says a New England exchange,
and another one by copying indorses it.
Yet that is the quarter from which we
receive most of the lectures on honesty.
This reminds us of a singular phe
nomenon, which is this: The very
people who denounce us as repudia
tors are very anxious to sell us goods
on credit. This reminds us again of
another thing. The Governor-elect of
good, pious Massachusetts is a "Free
thinker,” which we suppose means
infidel; Miile the Governor of this
wicked State of Georgia is a very pro
nounced Christian, a very devout man,
and very zealous of good works.
Things seem to go by
Mr. Ha'. es, in his Thanksgiving procla
mation, says: “The general prevalence of
domestic tranquility, the supremacy and se
curity of the great institutions of civil and
religious freedom. have gladdened the hearts
of our |>eople and confirmed their attach
ment to their government.” That is the
truth. But what becotnea of the assertions
of the politico-religious newspapers of the
North representing these quiet Sourhern
States as so many |>olitical and social vol
canoes in violent eruption?
The Pope is to have an organ—a journal
devoted jo the Interests of the Papacy, and
representing tiie views held in the Vatican.
It is to be printed in seven languages, that
it may be sent all over the earth. The Pope
is not at peace with the modern world, but
he must use its methods and instruments.—
Presbyterian.
When the paper comes out, we ex
pect to subscribe for it. The uaore
I thoroughly Popery advertises itself, the
I more thoroughly it will be defeated.
Whole No. 2597
Florida Department.
W. N. OHAUDOIN Corresponding Editor and Agent
JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA.
LACONICS.
—E'der G. T. Leitner, of Madison county,
ttrnka of removing to the southern part of
the State.
—“I love The Index. It is my teacher,
preacher and pastor.’’—G. W. S. W. Thank
God for that I Who else will speak ?
—How happy your pastor did ieel when
you made him a present the other day,
especially after you had paid him your sub
scription to his salary 1
—Perhaps the oldest readerof The Index
in Florida is Rev. John O. Kelly, of the
New River As-ociation. He was born in
1799 in South Carolina,
—Are you going to the State Convention
at Tallahassee ? If not, won’t you assist
some in going ? Some are not able, unless
aided, to go. Help them.
—Brot' er E. E. Cleveland, the wide
awake, clever merchant of Lake City, will
take money for any purpose, and send to us.
When you go there, as you will, to buy
goods, give him Index or mission money.
—Persons wanting to renew or subscribe
for The Index, in Madison county, can
give their name and money to brother J. M.
Beggs, who will take pleasure in forwarding
to us.
—We earnestly request the Clerk of every
Association, or any brother who reads this,
to send brother C V. Waugh, Gainesville,
Florida, a copy of the last Minutes just as
soon as printed, to enable him to make a
correct summary of our State, for the Ameri
can Baptist Year-Book. He wants white,
colored—all kinds.
—We wi l h ve to attend the union meet
ing at Peniel. The Loid grant it may be a
profitable meeting to the cause of our blessed
Savior. W. N. C.
ROUND ABOUT IN FLORIDA.
—Thus writes our brother, Elder J. M.
Hayman, of Barton, Florida: “A large por
tion of the people in the counties of Mana
tee, Polk, Hillsboro, Hernando and Sumter,
are Baptists, and of Baptist sentiment. It is
a goodly land, and we are able to possess ,
it.” The Lord stir lhem up to do it.
—“The people, I-should have said the
Baptists, of this section, need stirring up in
regard to missions, and other benevolent
enterprises." Yes, and they do everywhere,
and will always med it, and pastors must
he<p in tiding it, for ihe, sometimes need J’,
as well as the members.
—Mrs. Edna Fairc'oth, the widow of
Caleb Faircloth, died in October, in Levy
county, Florida, at the advanced age of 83
years. It has been our privilege, in the
years past, to know a number of her hus
band's relatives in Giorgia, ai d to be the
pastor of some. Mrs. Edna Faircloth was
“found in Christ," and now “sleeps in Je
sus."
—Elder W. F. Wood, of Fernandina, has
received “a unanimous call to be the pastor”
of the church at Key West, and “after con
sideration," has signified his intention to
accept. How wonderfully, strangely the
Lord works 1 Probably The Index, through
a letter of brother Sparkman, was partly
instrumental in bringing this about. What
a power for good is a good paper, and yet
some will not take The Index. Reader,
start out, and try to get a new subscriber.
—All over the State, nearly, our young
friends have been getting married. That is
good. May you all be happy. We have a
complaint against some of them, and we
make it known, that they all may rectify
matters. Our special, dear friends, Miss
Sauls, Miss Hull, Miss Mathews, Miss Ever
ett and Miss Seigler have never written us a
word about getting married, nor did the
good young men to whom they pledged life
time fidelity. You should not do so, bnt if
you will each induce your husbands to sub
scribe for The Index, or if taking it, to
send me a contribution for missions,you will
be excused. We must include, too, our
young friend, Cleveland, for had we not met
him on the train, going to get married, he
would not have informed us. Woulo you ?
FROM BANANA, FLORIDA.
Editor Christian Index Last, night
closed one of the best meetings we ever had
in this section of the State. The meeting
was commenced on last Thursday night
week, 21st ult., under very unfavorable cir
cumstances—rain -but the next day faired
off, and the (ample gathered in from every
section, and the elements seemed to conspire
to the interest of the meeting; beautiful
weather during the balance of the whole
meeting. The meeting was conducted by
our beloved pastor, M. H. King, and truth
fully, can 1 say, beloved pastor, for I de
believe every Christian, and every child, in
the whole neighborhood love him. During
the commencement of the meeting, Rev. E.
15. Timmons and Rev. G. W. Hall preach
ed a sermon or two, and were called ofl to
their respective appointments and labors.
Our old friend, Rev. Win. Perry, gave very
acceptable aid, until he was called off to at
tend the New River Association, after which
our pastor, Rev. M. H. King, had the bal
ance of the burden to bear, and the battle to
cl< se, which he did with a triumphant vic
tory. He baptized eighteen, and received
by letter and restoration, eight—in all 26.
Among the number was our brother, C. C.
Ashley, who had been baptized by our de
ceased brother, J. 11. Toolkits, of the Ten
nessee A i my, during our late bloody war.
He lost his arm and property, and litalth
shattered, but still retained a little scrip of
paper certifying that he also belonged to
that aimy that was making their way to that
land where there was a rest laid up for the
people of God. That Sweet By and By!
Ako wsh baptized the little daughter of Bro.
G. W. Hall, and our little Bro. Whitfield
Weston, about eight years old. Never did
I attend a more genuine revival: and never
d.d 1 hear more faithful preaching.
G. W. A. Mcßae.
November 11, 1879. ,