The Christian index and southern Baptist. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1881-1892, February 24, 1881, Image 2

The Christian index and southern Baptist., February 24, 1881, Page 2, Image 2

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Newspaper Page Text2 -j ’ ■ U’t’N ''tovMr - WERE THE ANCIENT AMERICANS ASIATICS? A Peruvian mummy, if seen on the bor ders of the Nile, could be easily mistaken for an Egyptian. The process of em balming was probably the same in both countries. The sepulchral mounds of a prehistoric race in the Ohio valley, and those seen to-day in central China, are strikingly similar. The sphynx-like statues and earthen pyramids of ancient Mexico, are not unlike those in the valley of the Nile. The fragments of pottery exhumed from the ruins of an ancient civilisation in Guate mala, are nearly identical, as respects artis tic design, with those found in some parts of southern Asia. Buch points of identity between the ar tistic forms of primitive peoples, inhabiting opposite sides of the globe, are not exoep tional. They are more common than is generally supposed, and, naturally enough, have excited curiosity and stimulated dis cussion. One class of inquirers reasoning deduct ively, have little difficulty in arriving at the conclusion that all these identities in the external forms of art. bad a common origin. They accept the literal interpretation of the first book of Moses; and, reasoning down ward, trace the whole human race to a com mon starting point in Asia Minor. The other -class, reasoning inductively, reach a directly opposite conclusion; namely, that man is Indigenous to the soil he inhabits. Their theory is not new. The most ancient Greeks held substantially the same opinion ■respecting their own origin. Mr. Dar win was not quite original when he pro claimed the doctrine of Evolution. Os course, nothing has been proven on either side ; nothing except this, that the human race in pre-historic ages, under cir cumstances diverse, and in countries widely separate, possessed certain artificial forms in common. This needed no proof. It is a matter of common observation. We know, furthermore, that in everything essential to his species, man is the same whereever and whenev r found. His identity is always most clearly defined. The essentials of hus manity are inherent alike in thesavage and the savant. All have some kind of religion. All worship. Veneration, and a well defin ed sense of dependence, are found among the mental attributes of all. The imagina tive faculty is common to all. All have like emotions. That indefinable something which connects him with the spiritual, is common to man of all ages, conditions and climes. It follows, as a legitimate sequence, that all have a class of wants and aspira tions in common. Now, if while devising means for satisfy ing these wants, or for realizing th. se aspi rations, the pre-historic man of Central America, and he of East India, occasionally hit upon like expedients, or evolved thoughts and sentiments that found expres sion in arts of identical form, why should we marvel thereat? Ti e marvel would be greater if they had not done so; because then there would have been an exception in the general analogy of nature. The con ditions of air and water necessary to the production of cule in Egypt and Palestine, would produce like re ults in Gauemala and Mexico. The butterfly has passed through the chrysalis state, whether found on the banks of the Ganges or on those of the Mississippi. That universal law of the human mind which prompted the Inca to worship the sun, moves the Mongolian to worship the moon. The Hindu Buddhist and the Romish Christian, count rosaries of identical form. Each chants invocations for a common end ; each burns incense to an invisible deity, for the betterment of his temporal and spiritual condition. And, •since all artificial forms are but projections ■of mind into matter—visible phenomena ol invisible forces, having uniformity of action and community of source—l fail to see anything very marvelous in the fact that the ancient pyramids and statues of Izamal and those of the ancient Egyptians, possess some points of identity. Such coincidences are confined to no par ticular localities; to no particular places ; to no particular epochs in man's history. They accord with every-day observation and expe riencc. We need not search antiquity for examples. They exist at the present day, and are all around us. Take the common hand loom for exam ple. It has been used in Central China from time immemorial. Our Colon’al ancestor! probably got it from their European sires But is there the slightest probability that it had a Chinese origin in Europe, or a Euro {>ean origin in China. And yet, as respects mechanical form and appliances, it is iden tical in both countries. There is the same system of beams, treadles. The gearing and braces or "temples,” are the same. There is thesame swinging lever or "baton,” carrying the same reed or sley. The only difference between the two contrivances, as seen in the rural homes of Eastern Tenuesse and in the inland villages of China, consists in the style and finish in the workmanship. The Abacus of the old Romans, and the notarial instruments used in our common schools, are substantially the same. That may be accounted for ; we owe much of our civilization to the land of the Caesars. But how do we account for the fact that the same contrivance has been in China for twenty five centuries ? Every one who has traveled in the Ande an districts of Central and South America, has observed the primitive method of spin ning, still in vogue among the descendants of the ancient Quicuchus and Chibchas. A small cylinder, with a sort of stay or large rim at one end, and tapering to a spindle point at the other, is the only machinery used. The motive power is the thumb and fore-finger of the right hand of the operator The distaff is the left hand, in which is held the bunch of hemp, wool or cotton. Thus • equipped, the Indian woman spins and reels her yarn as she trips along the narrow mountain path to the neighboring market town. Identically the same thing may be seen almost anywhere in China, Irom • Shanghai to Hankow. Now, the Indians of the Andes did not get this art from their Spanish conquerors, uor did the Chinese get ,it from Europeans. The manufacture and uses of paper, was known in China centuries before it was in -Europe. The art of printing had been known in China five centuries before the • time of Guttenberg and Eaust. And yet • there is not even a reasonable conjecture that Europeans got these arts from the Asi atics of the far East. The mariner's compass is another instance. Our .European ancestors got it from the Arabs, who claim its invention. But the magnetic needle, or something correspond ing to i£ had been known in North China ■ centuries before the Arab and the Celestial were aware of each other’s existence. We know not when or how we came by saws and jackplanes. Among our Europe an ancestors, the use of these implements extends back to a period so remote as to be decidedly indefinite. Nor can any China wlierß k’ B aucestors B ot igßS'e, when far in the interior of the valley of the Yangtze, I saw a Chi carpenter making a small tub. The Egßfes was precisely what I had seen bun of times in the mountain districts of sMEft Tennessee. The only difference wa«, the Chinaman's material was the native THE CHRISTIAN INDEX AND SOUTH-WESTERN BAPTIST: THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1881. bamboo, split and pressed into small boards; whereas the Tennesseeans used their native cedar and white oak. So, too, of rope-making, by plaiting or twisting three or more strands into one. The process and the implements used are the same in both countries; thesame sys tern of rudely constructed cranks, with spindle points passing through a stationary board ; the same moveable board, by which all the little cranks are revolved with uni formity ; the same single crank or windlass at the opposite end, fastened to a heavy piece of timber on rollers, and weighted down with heavy stones to keep the strands tightly distended while being twisted. The process is as iamiliar to the North Georgian or East Tennessean, as it is to the North Chinaman. A straight stick or club may have been the instrument first employed in beating out grain from the husks. Then the Hall was invented, nobody knows by whom or when, but it seems to have been in common use by both Europeans and Asiatics long before they even suspected each other's ex istence. The great Chinese philosopher Confucius, who was contemporary with the Hebrew prophet Daniel, in illustration of a favorite precept, somewhere alludes to the injustice of muzzling cattle on the tramping floor. “Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn,” was the embodiment of a similar precept by a Hebrew sage, many centuries before Middle aged men remember a time when small farmers in the mountain counties of Northern Georgia winnowed their wheat "by band.” Precisely thesame method and appliances prevail to day in the agricultural districts near Nanking. There is the same circular seive, suspended by a cord, and swung back and forth by an attendant. The gusts of wind, by which the chaff is blown aside, are produced by a large sheet of cloth, swung rapidly in a semi-circle by two men, each holding its opposite upper corners and sides. Could John the Baptist bays referred to this, on the banks of Jordan ? Could the Chinese philosopher have referred to the same thing on the banks of Hoang-ho. twenty three centuries ago ? To my miud there is nothing very re markable in all these coincidences. They do not necessarily raise a presumption of a common origin. And yet, the similarity is quite as striking as that between the mum mies and the pottery of ancient America and the mummies and pottery of ancient Egypt. In an interior sense, all coincidences have a common origin ; since the spiritual and intellectual side of our nature must be either an emanation of the Infinite mind, or else a delusion altogether. But this is an argument against the theory of a common origin as to time and place, rather than an argument in its favor. True, everything in the natural world has a common origin ; all matter is but an emanation from the spirit ual world; manifestations of the intangible in the tangible. But what does this prove ? Simply that there is a natural world because there is a spiritual world, and not, converse ly, a mentality, because there is a materiality, as modern Infldeli'y has formulated it. The Jaws of mentality or spirit must therefore be uniform, universal and unalterable ; just as the natural law of attraction and gravitation is uniform and unalterable. Hence, while different peoples, unknown to each other, often seek like ends by apparently opposite means, nothing seems more natural than that they should sometimes seek like results by like means. William L. Scbuoos. Canton, China, December, 1880. SUNDAY SCHOOL CONVENTION Os the Hephzibah Association, at Way's church, Jefferson county, March 4th, sth and 6th, 1881. PItOiiHUMMK : Friday, March 4, 10:30a. m.—lntroductory Sermon, from Deut. 31:12; Rev. W. T. Che ney. 1:30 p. m.—Temporary Organization and Appointment of Committees, "Value of Or ganization," and discu sion of topic; opened by J. H. Polhill. 7 p. m. —"Prominence to- be Given our Distinctive Doctrines in Sunday Schools,” and discussion; opened by Rev- E. R. Cars well, Sr. Saturday, March 5, 9:30 a. m. —Reports of Committees and Election of Permanent Offi cers ; "Value of Sunday-Schools in Promot ing Church Growth and Prosperity,” and discussion; opened by Rev. W. L. Kilpat rick. 11:30 a. m.—Sermon, from John 5:39; Rev. E. R. Carswell, Jr. 1:30 p. m.—“ The Greatest Needs of Sun day Schools, and How to Supply Them,” and discussion ; opened by Rev. J. M. Cross. Question Box atid Discussion. 7p. m.—" Obligation of Churches and Pastors to Sunday Schools,” and discussion; opened by Rey. J. H. Carswell. “How to Secure more Home Interest in all our Schools,” and discussion; opened by Benjamin Rogers. Sunday, March 6th, 9:30 a. m.—Sunday- School Exercises ; led by Rev. T. C. Boykin. 11 a. m.—Sermon, “Proper Training of Children ;” Rev. T. C. Boykin. 1:30 p. m.—Sunday-School Mass Meeting Addresses, of five minutes each, from ten delegates. 7p. m.—“ How can we best Promote Sun day-School Work in our Association,” ai.d discussion; opened by Thomas Hardeman. This order of exercises is subject to altera tion by Convention. Note Particularly.—The opening addresses are not to exceed twenty minutes; those following in discussion of topics not to exceed five minutes. Pray that God will meet with us and bless us. J. W. Cross, Chm’n. F. T Lockhart, J. J. Davis. J. A. Carswell, J. S. Patterson, J. M. Jordan, Committee. Editor Ini-ex : I am being so well pleased with The Index, that I wish I could relate something for its pages, ask or answer ques tions which, instead of retarding its circu lation and good influence, would promote it in all such respects. How wonderfully well pleased was I when I read so repeatedly, partly for my own benefit and partly for that of others, the views that Dr. Tucker had given the students in our University so many years ago, and then recently to the readers of The Index, because he combatted so successfully a very popular and widely circulated error. That sincerity in religious error will cause individuals to come off al) right in the end, even as well as if the truth had been held thus instead of error. Since man went off from God by unbelief, be must now return to him by faith in the gospel of our Lord and Savior. Ke that comes to God must believe thas he is and that he i a rewarder of them that diligently seek him ; for without such faith man may be ever so sincere in something else, and yet be lost to all intents and purposes forever. In fact, I am so well pleased with some articles with which I meet in your excellent religious paper that I am ready to say, that this is worth a great deal more than the subscrip tion price for one whole year. lam ready to conclude, that if persons would only get at.d read The Index and pay for it one year, they would certainly want it next year also. But not wishing to crowd out others by any lengthy article of my own, I close by bidding The Index Godspeed. Yours as ever, I. H. Goss. Bowman, Ga., THE OLIVE BRANCH. Nearly half a century ago, Titus Coan— who has been so long and so usefully occu pied as a missionary in the Sandwich Islands —paid a visit, with a single companion, to Patagonia. The account of his sojourn in that benighted land has only, within a few months, been given to the public io a vol ume issued by Dodd, Mead & Co. The tes timony of such a war, that there is One who, watching over His trusting, believing child ren; can abundantly care for them, and that they have no need of carnal weapons for their defence, is of weight. He deliberately for mulates his belief upon this matter as follows: "It may be proper to remark, that from pe sonal experience, observation and refl c tion, I have been led to the firm conviction that carrying weapons, at home or abroad, whether traveling in civilized or savage countries, is seldom a protection of life, but the contrary. Among savages the armed man is watched, suspected, feared, and this jealous fear often provokes attack. As with nations, so with individuals; arming on one side leads to arming on the other side; sus picion excites suspicion, fear awakens fear, and intimidation provokes intimidation, until blow responds to blow, and there is war in the wigwam, in the camp, and in the field.” That the teaching of Titus Coan to the Hawaiians upon this subject, has been pro ductive of the most beneficent results, there have been many proofs. Contrast the fol lowing late incident, with the account given of their ancestors who beset and murdered Captain Cook with their war clubs. Upon one of the islands of Micronesia— Tapiteuca, of the Gilbert group—are two former (native) members or the Hawaiian church, who have gone to those people in the love of the gospel. They have met with no serious opposition except at one village, where there is an inveterate sorcerer who bewitches the people, and forbids the mis-, sionaries, Kapu and Nalimu, to come there upon pain of death. One day last summer, Kapu and Nalimu having felt a call to preach iu the village, sent word to that effect, and. notwithstanding the announcement of the sorcerer and his friends that they would be surely killed if they came, they made their preparation to depart. Two boats were manned by their Christian friends, who, be fore leaving, were charged not to take sword, musket, orany offensive weapon—only their Bibles, and to trust in the Lord Jesus for the rest. Arrived at their destination, some of the hostiias were about to bind the mission aries, and then to shoot them and their com panions. They desisted, however, and then a struggle ensued between the pagan party and some of the villagers friendly to the missionaries; after which, continues the narrative, “the opposing parties met in cor dial harmony and warm love, peace was re established, obstacles removed, and the work of the Lord went forward.” When the Polynesian islanders have em braced Christianity, it has usually been un der the impression that they bad done with wars and similar abominations. “When,” says William Ellis, “Christianity was adop ts 1 by the people, human sacrifices, infant murder and war, entirely ceased.” Present ly, however, the example of the glorification of warlike power among professedly Chris tian and very civilized nations charms and seduces them from their first faith, and our pleasant picture is marred. Eor example, after what has just been narrated of primi tive faith and practice, read and reflect upon the following late item of newspaper intel ligence. "The King of the Sandwich Islands has sent two natives to Berlin to study military art and science. The two young islanders, are accompanied by M. Moreno, late riau Minister ofj’oreign Affairs, who delf,. • ered a letter fz»ni his Sovereign to Prince HOury of Prussia, the second son of the German Crown Prince, and a recent visitor at Hawaii Palace. In this letter King Ka lakana says that the marvelous victories ob tained by the German army, and the high degree to which the art of war had been de veloped in Germany, have induced him to ask for the admission of two of his subjects to the Prussian Military and Naval Schools.” How sorrowful is this 1 And it was only last year that Titus Coan wrote, with a fervid and thankful pen,—"At the present day there is no people or nation on which the sun shines that enjoys more profound peace and safety, or more true freedom, than the Hawaiian nation.” A few weeks ago Canon Seddon preached in St. Paul’s, London, upon a favorite Scrip ture passage of George Eox and the early Friends: “The Kingdom of God cometh not with observation.” Enlarging upon the difference between the rise of Christianity and Mohammedanism—the former being lowly and peaceful in its beginnings, whilst the religion of the Prophet and his followers was arrogant and blood-thirsty—he proceed ed to show how that the Christians who suffered and prayed in the Catacombs, ex posed to contumely and every peril, were in finitely purer exponents of Christianity than those who, with Constantine and his succes sors, imagined that the spread of the religion of the Prince of Peace was to be accomplish ed by fleshly weapons. “And then even Christian men brought themselves to think that the Kingdom of God could somehow be made to come with great ‘observation’ by the mere manipulation of physical force; that it would come in the wake of conquer ing armies, or at the dictates of earthly mag istrates, or in obedience to the sword,—not the sword of the Spirit, but of the soldier or the policeman.” The King of Spain, in his late address at the opening of the Chambers, urges the Cortes to consider the expediency of putting the naval and military equipments on a footing more in accordance with the necessi ties of modern armaments. “With your assistance,” he says, "it does not appear to me impossible that Spain should once more occupy that position in the world which she occupied until this century. Other nations have conquered positions which they had not before. It is not too great a thing that we should at least return to be what we were.” The folly of this advice is well an swered in an able article in a late number of “The Nation,” with a short extract from which I conclude: "If the European Powers would next year give up all idea of delivering or saving any body by force of arms, and disband or reduce their armies, they would probably give an impetus to material progress, and through it to civilization itself, such as the world has not witnessed since the discovery of Ameri ca. The mischief of war, and of preparation for war, is not simply material, it is moral. Every war, even the holiest(?) leaves behind from one to half a dozen heroes—that is, men whosv skill in the art of destruction so delights and fascinates their country that they are, during the remainder of their lives, in a certain sense, released from the opera tion of the ordinary moral standards, and are held up to the admiration of youth with comparatively little regard to their qualities or capacities as peaceful citizens." It then speaks of the scenes which this country presents to the world, of the almost entire disbandment of its armies, and of the busy employment of its people in the avocations of Peace. J- W. L. Philadelphia. As my old class-mate, L. L. V., in his short notice of the removal of Mercer, in 1852, fails to mention in that connection, what is to my mind, a very pleasing and striking incident, I will endeavor to sup ply it, if agreeable. Writing entirely from i memory, it may not be altogether accurate. There was no unusual interest perceivable among those professing religion, as I remem- i ber, prior to the following incident: At one of the twilight prayer meetings, a l brother stated that while taking a walk that i evening, he came upon a young man in deep meditation, as well as a troubled state of mind ; and that in convening with him, he dlscloeed that the trouble was that of the soul, became of sin. Blessed trouble when it is the work of the Holy Spirit There and then followed tean of sympathy, toy and thanksgiving. The fire was kindled, and the revival began. This young man attended the services regularly for a time, presenting himself for prayer, when the op portunity was given. Suddenly he left off attending the meetings and became, at least apparently, unconcerned about the salva tion of his soul. He, however, returned, and was again seen among those who were anxiously enquiring the way of life; and before the meeting closed, made an open profession of bis faith in the Lord Jesus, was baptized, and has since become a min ister of usefulness and prominence. M. The Sunday-School. International Sunday-School Leeeone. [Prepared »t>ectally for Thk Index by Rev. S. H. illrick. of Washington, D.C.J Lesson X.—March 6, 1881. WITNESS OF JESUS TO JOHN. Luke VII. 19 28. A. D. 28. Read Matt. XI. 2 11. INTRODUCTORY. Our present lesson finds John's ministry ended and himself a prisoner. Having re proved Herod Anti pas .for having taken to himself Herodias, bis brother Philip's wife, and for other sins, he had been cast into prison. The place of his confinement was the castle of Macbaerus, a fortress on the eastern shore pf the Dead Sea. Here he had been for about a j ear. Jesus was at or near Capernaum. The rumor of the miracle which Jesus performed in that region reach ed John in his prison. OUTLINE. I. The question, vs. 19, 20. 11. The reply, vs. 21-28. 111. The witness, vs. 24-28. NOTES. I. The question. V. 19 "Calling unto him two of his disci ples.” According to verse 18 they were per mitted to visit him in prison, and had told him what they heard about Jesus. “Hethat should come.” The words show that some one was expected. In the Old Testament prophecies the Messiah was spoken of as the Coming One, and so, naturally, the people came to speak of him in the same terms “Another.” Must we still wait the coming of another who shall be the Messiah ? V. 20. “John Baptist.” Literally, John the Baptizer. He was so called from the act by which he admitted men into the ranks ot his disciples. "Were come unto him.” The two disciples traveled some eighty miles to deliver the message of John. Why did John ask this question? The natural interpreta tion of the words implies that the reason of the question is to be found in the mind of John himself. He had been in prison for a year, and in the gloom of that imprison ment, in a dark hour, he was sorely tempted. So was his great prototype the Elijah ot the Old Testament, when he sat down under a ■ juniper tree and prayed that he might die. We must not think of Scripture Saints as unlike other men, but rather as men subject to the same depressions with the rest of us. "In the life of every believer, there occur qf, temptation, jn which even the firmest Conviction may be shaken ; nothing is more simple than to imagine such a time of darkness and abandonment by the Spirit, in the life even of John."—Olshausen. 11. The reply. V. 21. "In that same hour he cured.” The messengers found Jesus engaged in his Mes sianic work. “ Infirmities. ” Diseases. "Plagues.” Literally, scourges, meaning the more painful diseases. "Os evil spirits.” Possession by evil spirits is heredistingukh ed from disease, and that, too, by a physi cian. V- 22. "Ye have seen and heard.” This was the proof which Jesus sent to John of his Messiabship. The messengers had seen miracles performed by Jesus, in bis own power, and heard of many other cases. These thingn were predicted of the Messiah. See Is. 35.-5, 6. 61:1. V. 23. “Blessed.” Happy. "Offended.” Caused to stumble. “In me.” In reference to me. "So different was Jesus from the ordinary expectations of the people respect ing the Messiah, and so different was much of his conduct from the expectations of his real friends, that they might be in dangero* suspecting they had indulged in mistake concerning his being the Messiah, and thus be exposed to the temptation of renouncing him in a sinful manner. "Blessed is he” said the Savior, “who endures steadfastly in his attachment to me as the Messiah, how ever ditlerent my appearance and my move ments may be from what he bad anticipated Look at my works as the evidence of my being the Messiah.” —Ripley. 111. The witness. V. 24. From John’s question sent by the messengers, some of Christ’s disciples might have thought him a wavering man, and in consistent with his former declarations. Je sus therefore bears witness to his real char acter. “Into the wilderness,” where John had preached. Some of them who had heard John were now listening to Jesus. Perhaps some of these had been John's disciples. "A reed.” A light, fragile cane, such as grew on land overflowed by the Jordan. It is here used to denote a changing, inconstant man, one worthy of little regard as to his opinions. hey did not think John such a man, when they wett into the wilderness to see him, and by his question the Savior implies that he was not. V. 25. “A man clothed in soft raiment.” That is, a man of wealth and luxury. By this question Jesus meant to say that John was a man of a very different stamp, a man hardy in character, coarse in drees, and firm in his convictions. V. 26. "A prophet." Such they had re garded him. The term is used here as de noting a religious teacher, one commissioned as the Lord’s servant to instruct men. "Yea.” He is a prophet. "And much more." Greater than an ordinary prophet. The prophet who had predicted the Messiah most clearly, Isaiah, had been regarded as the most emi nent of the prophets. But John surpased him, as he predicted his coming still more clearly, and introduced him to the nation. See Lu. 1:76. V. 27. "My messenger,” sent on a great errand. "Before thy face.” Immediately before Christ, in time. V. 28. “Born of women.” Men. “There is not a great prophet." No prophet has ever surpassed John in presenting religious t.uth No other had sustained so intimate a relation to the Messiah. He was his immediate fore runner. He baptized him. He pointed him out to the people. "Least,” as a religious teacher. "The Kingdom of God." The Messiah's dispensation. "Greater than he." Because he enjoyed immensely greater ad vantages than John. The words have refer ence, primarily, to the first preachers of the gospel, who were instructed by the Messiah himself. REMARKS. The works of Jesus are proofs of bis Mes siabship. We should be solicitous to ascer tain the true character of Jesus. If Jesus was willing to do so much for the bodies of men, surely he is willing to save our souls. Blessed is the man who receives Christ on the evidence which his words and works afford. Missionary Department. REV. J. H DxVOTIE, D.D., I M)1 REV. C. M IKWIN, flMlloni, CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCE. Editor Index : Perhaps one of the most profitable exercises in which we ever engage as followers of the Lord, is the relation of “Christian Experience.” A noticeable feat ure in the life of the Apostle Paul Is, that he frequently related his experience of “con version.” We have an experience of just twelve months duration in connection with the subject of honoring God with our sub • stance, which you may, if you think proper so to do, lay before our brethren and sisters who read Thk Index. Perhaps It may awaken some, encourage others, and perhaps add to the faith others. If all, or any one of these results be approached, God’s cause will be strengthened, and truth advanced. May God’s blessing attend our communication. Be it known, then, that closing the year 1879, I resolved that, at least for the year to come, 1880, I would, God helping me, give earnest attention to the above named subject. I formed this resolution from reading the Scriptures. I felt persuaded that if the Bible was true, although I had for some years been a regular contributor to benevolent objects, I had never really honored the Lord with my substance. What I did was without rule —without system and, really, without sac rifice. In searching the Scriptures I found no difficulty in determining that I ought to give of the "first fruits:" that I ought to give systematically ; that I ought to give as the Lord would prosper me; that, in all my giv ing. the Lord's cause ought to be put first. When Elijah went to the widow who was preparing the last meal for herself and son, he directed her to bring him that last cake, that he might eat of it first. The widow of the New Testament put into the Lord's treasury two mites, all her living, before making provision for herself. Our Savior preached on the Mount: * -'eek first the Kingdom,” and when he taught that “after this manner” we should pray, he puts, “Let thy kingdom come” before, “give unto us this day our daily bread.” And now it seemed clear to my mind, also, that I ought to covenant with the Lord, even before I received anything from him. as to the part I would give of my income, This question I solved in the light of the Scripture, and ar rived at the conclusion that the very least I could do was to determine on the tenth. I looked into both, the Old and the New Tes tament, and found the measure iu quantity to be anywhere from one-tenth to ten-tenths inclusive. As to making a promise to give before we receive, I point to the case of Jas cob making this vow at Bethel: That of all the Lord would give him he would return to him the tenth. If Jacob had died of heart disease as he slept at Bethel, and had an in ventory been taken of his effects, it would have been found that he was the owner of a walking stick. He was a refugee from home with the wide, cheerless world before him, without money, without character, without a good name, and, consequently, without any reasonable prospect of ever having any thing out of which to give the tenth. Years passed by, and Jacob returns with two bauds and sends before, a present of about three thousand dollars in value to Esau. Time rolled on, and the famine came. The sun scorched up the vegetable kingdom; the clouds refused to yield their showers; the earth failed to furnish the moisture necessa ry to sustain the life of plants, and now Ja cob will starve. Oh, no; God is faithlul, and he now leads the man who had honored him with his substancedown to Goshen, and there preserved him by the hand of his much-loved and his long-lost Joseph. He died in bisold age in the midstof abundance. To decline to promise at the outset to give a part of our income to God's cause, is unwor thy of us, and is not the way to honor the Lord. As I have said above, I determined to give, during the year 1880, one-tenth of every thing I received, if it left me only bread and water. But, really, I had no apprehensions of being reduced to bread and water, because the promise is, that if we honor the Lord with our substance our “barns”—not barrels or boxes, but barns, barns, the largest houses on a plantation—shall be filled with plenty. It is impossible to reduce a man that honors God with his substance. I now call attention to my condition on the first day of January, 1880. I had no money, was living in town with everything to buy, had a wife and three young children two of them to be sent to school, if possi ble. In debt. I had employment, and de rived a moderate income from three sources My income was only sufficient upon which to’live comfortably. There was no prospect that it would be increased during the year, indeed surrounding circumstances seemed to forbid the hope of any increase. A month’s sickness at the beginning of the year wonld have made me an object of char ity. In this condition I began the year. The year has passed, and now tor results. Upon my income from one source, which had been dollars, there was an increase, by an addition, of 30 per cent; from a second source, which had been dollars, there was an increase, by in addition, of 32 per cent.; from a third source, which had been dollars, there was an increase, by an addition, of 50 per cent. Bat this was not all, my family enjoyed, the entire year, al most perfect health, so there was no expen ditures of consequence for medicine, medical attention, etc. And then, again, I realize the consciousness ot having grown, in the estimation of my fellow-citizens, as an effi cient business man, and this is no small temporal blessing itself. I was enabled to do four things v ith mon ey monthly. First: Upon the receipt of it I took out and set aside one-tenth tor the Lord. Second : I provided the necessaries and comforts of life for my family, and in the entire year was never forced to deny them these, and I always had the cash to pay for what I got, and I paid it, closing the year without contracting a debt and leaving it unpaid. Third: I hunted up mv creditors and made satisfactory payments upon my indebtedness, was not annoyed with a “dun” in the twelve months. Fourth : I made a deposit in a Building and Loan Association of a small amount. I am conscious to-day of many short comings and imperfections in this part of my service to the Lord for the past year. I have not always been as cheerful about it as I ought to have been, and then I have only done the b ast that could have been expect ed. The truth is, when I look back over my work in this part of the Master’s vineyard for the year. I am surprised that I have been blessed as I have. I can only account for it on the principle that ours is not a harsh Master, that he is very merciful, and covers over our sins many times—yes, at all times, that he may help us and save us. If this experience would not be made too lengthy, I would go on and say something about the circumstances which brought about the in crease to which I have alluded. Suffice it to say they are, to my own mind, very re markable, and are as strong evidences to me that the Lord reigns as were ever presented for my consideration. I will say, in conclusion, that my spiritual blessings have been large and numerous also, and some of them I know are to be traced to the fact that I tried to honor God with my substance. It is needless for me to add that I expect to persevere in what I have undertaken. S. D. MEN AND MONEY. The Board of Foreign Missions is in press ing need of two flrat-claM men—men of in tellect, education and deep piety—to send to China. No others can meet the positions to be filled. While it is hoped that the live* of’Drs. Crawford and Yates may be long spared, it is of the last importa nee that each should have a strong youug man by nis side, to be -’.is assistant now, and his succes sor hereafter. Dr. Crawford was promised Rev. J. H. Eager, but the Board sending him to Rome, feels bound, at the earliest possible moment, to redeem their pledge of a co-laborer to our missionary at Tung Chow. Dr. Yates has been laboring for more than thirty years at Shanghai, and, as he has done for many years, stands there alone. His constant foment is that our peo ple seem oblivious of their obligations to the heathen. * In a letter of Nov. 20th he writes: "O for a revival on the subject of Foreign Missions among all the churches at home. We need men and women by the score, and means to support and provide homes for them, while they, study the lan guage and tell of Jesus’ love fur a lost world. And how easy would it be to provide all that is needed, if all the churches felt an in terestin the extension of Christ's kingdom, and made it a religious duty to do some thing Monthly—even if it were no more than an average of what my native church is doing, viz., ten cents per member ? Will not the pastors of churches teach their peo- Fle their obligations to Cbristand the world ? have an ardent desire to see these good brethren and talk to them about Christ's kingdom, and the condition of the world.” At the last meeting of the Board of For eign Missions, who are much concerned at their vain appeals for more men and means, special prayer was made for the reinforce ment of our China Missions. Will not pas tors invite their churches, at least on the first meeting in each month, to pray the Lord of the harvest to send more laborers into the harvest; and to lead his people to provide amptly for those who go into the field? The poorest saint of our personal acquaintance gives a dollar, accumulated in peonies, quarterly, to Foreign Missions. With more of their silver and gold—and their coppers, too—consecrated to the Lord, might not many have more of the heavenly grace of this poor and holy woman ? "Give, and it shall be given unto you.” H. A. Tuppkb, Cor. Sec. Richmond, Va. RECEIPTS OF MISSION BOARD GEORGIA BAPTIST CONVENTION. From Feb. Ist, to Feb. 16th, 1881. STATE MISSIONS. Feb. 1. Previous Reports46o4 31 G B Mitchell collected on field 10 65 Horeb ch, J M Jones 5 00 J J Hymen 1 50 4. Hephzibah ch, J H Carswell 11 33 Newlord ch, J H Fortson 4 00 Fishing Creek, ch, J H Fortson.... 300 Friendship ch, J H Fortson 3 00 A C Ward, Brunswick 5 09 J C Bryan collected on field 35 65 Bethel Association, W M Speight, Tr 21 80 Hon. J D Stewart, Griffin 3 00 R Adair, Atlanta 10 00 Rome ch, A R Sullivan through G A Nnnnaly '. 24 41 Joshua Gonackey col. on field 5 00 T C Tucker collected on field 17 00 Alfred Corn collected on field.... 12 50 W J White for J C Bryan 19 67 W. J. White for G. B. Mitchell 17 18 WJ White for Joshua Gonacky... 23 76 11. V A Bell collected on field, 10 40 $lBlB 15 BOMB MISSIONS. Feb. 1. Last reportsl7s2 17 Hephzibah ch. for Hartwell, col. J H Carswell 1 00 W H Mclntosh received direct from con 192 01 Bethel Association, W M Speight, Tr 43 60 W H Mclntosh, two ch, Atlanta.. 183 78 Rome ch, A R Sullivan, by G A Nunnally 24 40 $2196 96 INDIAN MISSIONS. Feb 1. Previous reports 602 49 Hephzibah ch J H Carswell 1 00 Summerhill Sabbath-school for Hogue 31 15 Bethel Association, W M Speight for Hogue 43 60 11. Friendship Association, reported by J A Ivey for Jas. Williams.... 225 00 $ 803 24 FOREIGN MISSIONS. Feb. 1. Last Report $3660 10 Bethel Association 48 60 7. Received as reported in Mission- ary Journal 67 45 $3771 15 INDIGENT MINISTERS. Feb. 1. Last reports 466 10 Bethel Association, W M Speight.. 21 80 Friendship Association, J A Ivey for Jesse Rogers 25 00 Friendship Association, J A Ivey for J B Deavors 11 60 8. Mrs. Jackson, T C Boykin 2 00 $ 626 50 EDUCATIONAL reb. 1. Last reports 64 50 Friendship Association, J Alvey for J F E, Mercer University 82 75 $ 147 25 RECAPITULATION. State Missions $ 4348 15 S S Evangelist 733 93 Home Missions2l96 96 Indian Missions 803 24 Foreign Missions 3771 15 Educational 147 25 Indigent Ministers 526 50 $13087 21 J. H.DbVotik, Treasurer. THE INDEX—MISSIONS. Editob Index : While an improvement has been made in the outward appearance of our time-honored Isdbx, it has not failed to bring up its matter to meet the wants of this progressive age. There perhaps has never been a time in the history of our denomina tion when there was such a wide-felt want of information respecting our Foreign Mis sion work. The question which now agitates the minds of our brethren is, How can we best develop the efficiency of our denomination ? The cause of this inefficiency is—at least in part-duetoa lack of confidence in our benevolent enterprises. How can these brethren be brought into sympathy, and be induced to co operate in advancing our de nominational interests ? It appears that the whole matter rests upon the principle that knowledge is essential to a proper exercise of faith respecting any object. In a religious sense, “How can they hear without a preach er.” “Faith cometh by hearing.” Hence, what we need is light on missions. Let the masses know what has been done, is now being accomplished, and what is yet to be done. Let information from the mission fields be scattered broadcast over our land from the pulpit, press, in the Sunday-school and around the fireside, and doubtless there will be a corresponding movement all along the line. The timid, the fearful, the preju diced, will no longer be found behind, but will move boldly to the front. The Index has taken a step in the advance since it has determined to add to its matter two columns on missions, edited by the able pens of brethren DeVotie and Irwin. Now, let the paper have a still wider circulation, in order that this valuable information may be disseminated among our brethren, and it is believed that as certain as light dissipates darkness there will be a larger contribution of funds to our benevolent objects. 8. T. F.