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i -t~ ’ W off ’ Ofcr VOL. 59. 1 Table of Contents. First Page—Alabama Department: Some Thoughts on Succession; Mixed Races; State News; The Religious Press. Second Page—Correspondence: Jottings By the Way—J. M. G. Medlock; Pen Drop pings ; Letter from Texas; “Let Not Your Good be Evil Spoken Os;” Rev. T. J. Pilcher, etc. TheSunday-School—Lesson for March 18—" The Sinner’s Friend.” Missionary Department. Third Page—Children’s Corner: Bible Ex- Questions; Correspondence; Miscellaneous. Fourth Page—Editorials : The Sand-Fort; Our Morals ; D. D. LL. D ; Pastoral Work —lts Relative Importance; Southern Bap tist Convention; Georgia Baptist Conven tion. Fifth Page—Secular Editorials : News Para graphs ; “The Handwriting on the Wall;” City vs. Country ; Georgia News. Sixth Page—The Household: What I Live For—poetry; Why She Never Drank Wine; March—poetry (illustrated). Obituaries. Seventh Page—The Farmer’s Index: Farm Work for March ; Corn Stalk Sugar; Bar ley, Rice, Peas. Atlanta Markets. Eighth Page—Florida Department: Chips and Splinters; Two Special Occasions; Love at Home ; Correspondence ; Innocent Mirth; State News; Sketch of Col. John Holbrook Estill, of the Savannah Morning News (illustrated). Alabama Department. BY SAMUEL HENDERSON. SOME THOUGHTS ON SUCCES SION. There are some subjects so lust in an interminable logomachy that it is a bootless task to pursue them. Barrels of ink expended on them, only serve to increase the obscurity in which they are enveloped. They are generally such subjects as, settled either way, amount to nothiug. And such is that oft recurring question of a literal suc cession of ministers and churches from the Apostolic days till now. Some years ago Bishop Whately, we believe it was, published an argument based upon axiomatic truths which, in the estimation of the best of critics, amount ed to a demonstration, that the chan ces were as thousands to one that no man professing Christianity, of any de nomination Protestant or Catholic, could trace his spiritual genealogy back to the first century, in an unbro ken line. And yet there are not a few well meaning writers who have gone to work on that one chance out of thousands to work out the problem with a zeal worthy of the best of caus es. That God has had a people on earth in all ages, we have no more doubt than we have that the Bible is His word. That these people, these witnesses, have held to and practiced the main doctrines and precepts of His word, we have as little doubt. But that the validity of their belief and practice in any century depended on their being in a line of direct succes sion from the Apostles, or on any thing else than the “testimony of Jesus, which is the word of God,” is, to our mind, simply absurd. It is a suggest ive fact, that the only body of profess ing Christians on earth, who can come nearest tracing their origin to the Apostolic age, (and they cannot do it) is the Roman Catholic church, the most corrupt and corrupting organiza tion that ever attempted to cheat the world wfth the "form of. godliness.” If any people on earth have the covet ed prerogative of “succession,” they have it. And if the bitter fruit they have borne is to be traced to the “ho ly succession,” the farther we are re moved from it the better. There is wisdom, piety and ortho doxy in the saying of old Augustine, "Übi Spirit us, ibi ecclesia,” “Where the Spirit is, there is the Church.” The word and Spirit of God are enough to constitute any body of men on earth, who have experienced the regen erating power of the one, and have ac cepted the doctrines and duties of the other, a church of Jesus Christ. We believe as firmly as any one, that where churches are organized, with an ordained ministry, gospel order de mands that we should respect them as such, and do nothing that would ig nore their authority. But as at pres ent advised, if the link that binds us to the past, whether recent or remote, were broken to-day, we should begin it to-morrow, and point to Matt. 18 :20, for our authority. The gospel is called “incorruptible seed . . . that liveth and abideth SOUTH-WESTERN BAPTIST. ) or Alabama. j forever.” I. Peter, 1: 23. Accompa nied by the Holy Spirit that indited it, it carries in itself the only authority in the universe that dares to challenge the faith of the world. The mere “earthen vesssel” that conveys it, has no more part nor lot in its life-giv ing power, than the stone pitcher has in giving to the water it contains the power to slake our thirst. “The words that I speak unto you,” says the divine Redeemer, “they are spirit and they are life.” Let us illustrate our idea by a familiar fact: That great article which this continent has contributed to the breadstuff's of the world, Indian corn, is now grown in most of the European countries. Now, what would be thought of that Englishman who should set himself to the serious task of tracing the seed he nroposes to plant all the way back to in this country—who grew the first crop, who the second, etc., up to the last harvest, and all this with the view of ascertaining whether the seed would ger minate! And is it any the less ab surd for a man to rack his brain to find out how he came in possession of that “incorruptible seed,” the gospel of the grace of God, when he has the divine assurance that it is “ the power of God unto salvation,” not the man that preaches it ? Can any thing surpass the force with which Isaiah puts this grand truth : “All flesh is grass .... the grass withereth, the flower fadeth; but the word of God shall stand for ever.” Isa. 40 : 6-8. About twenty-five years ago, we re member to have used this illustration, either as an article for the press, or from the pulpit, no matter which: Suppose such a country as the United States goes into a state of anarchy as France did at the close of the last cen tury. Suppose some military chieftain such as Napoleon,siezes the reins of gov ernment,overturns our Republic,and es tablishes a monarchy. Suppose that mo narchy to last a thousand years. Sup pose at the end of that thousand years some second Washington rises, and marshalling the spirits of those in whose hearts the principles of liberty still live, succeeds in overthrowing that usurped monarchy, exhumes the old constitution from the rubbish of ages, organizes the government according to its provisions, having all the officers chosen as that instrument prescribes, —now, would the President elected under that constitution be the legiti mate successor of Washington, Jeffer son, Jackson, etc., 0 yes; but why ? Because the monarchy was a pure usurpation. The constitution is the only legitimate authority under which to organize the government. So say we on this subject. The Bible and the Bible only, is our recognized au thority. As in the case supposed, the only thing that would concern the pa triot would be as to whether he had the old constitution with all its guar antees ; so with the Christian, the only thing that ought to concern him is as to whether he has “the faith once de livered to the Saints.” In both cases, the document possessed is all the es sential authority which either de mands. How either has been pre served through the dark centuries, is only a question of curious speculation, but of no permanent practical utility. Suppose, once more, an angel from heaven were despatched with the Bi ble in his hand for his guide, to identi fy the churches on earth to-day which were the legitimate offspring of those in Apostolic days, would he concern him self with "endless genealogies” as to an unbroken line of succession from that period ? Rather would he not be con trolled by the “marks of the Lord Je sus?” Which would be most influen tial with him, high sounding preten sions, or existing realities? The “form” or the “power of godliness?” “We speak as unto wise men; judge ye what we say.” Let us add, these thoughts are sug gested in a purely non-controversial spirit. They are not intended to pro voke an unprofitable discussion of a question that never can be settled, and that, settled either way, will never save any body. Our sole aim is to show that to be "born again,” “born of the Spirit,” is the only “succession” worth a groat; and that the word of God is better authority for the existence of churches to-day than all the genealog ical lines, all the links in the chain of THE FRANKLIN STEAM PRINTING HOUSE. ATLANTA, GEORGIA, THURSDAY, MARCH 3, 1881. “Apostolic Succession” that will ever reward the most patient and laborious tither of “mint, anise and cumin,” that ever devotes his life to so Sisy phean a task. An ever-present Savior —a Savior who is the contemporary of all ages and generations—guarantees a succession on which every Christian can plant his foot and bld earth roll. “Nor heed its idle whirl.” MIXED RACES. We have no disposition to meddle with questions too high for us, nor min gle in the melee of party strife. But we may venture to suggest some thoughts upon a question that touches our national life in too many places to make it improper for any one to discuss it. We mean the mixture of races. And let us say, at once, that the two grandest nations now on earth—Eng land and the United States —are a composite of many nationalities; but all these nationalities were, in all the essential elements of true manhood and freedom, congenerous. At least they were not far removed from each-Other. The first infusion of foreign blood into the Celtic race was from Rome, before that race was corrupted by subsequent amalgamations. Then followed the Saxon Teuton, then the Norman, all of “the same stoc.c and lineage.” They intermixed readily, and were the better by the intermixture. But how differ ent was it with the ancient Romans! As a late vigorous writer expresses it, “after Ceesar had enrolled Gauls and Africans in the Senate, and Sylla and Pompeius had dienebed the populace with myriads of enfranchised slaves, the imperial people became little better than a mere sentina gentium— a reser voir for the noblest and the most de graded races of mankind.* . “Syrians, Gauls, Africans, bondmen and freedmen, were their progenitors— an indiscriminate paternity that cor rupts without renovating the sources of national life. Thus the foundation was laid for the downfall of the Roman Empire.” “That corrupts without renovating the sources of national life.” Noble, congenerous blood renovates; degraded, alien blood corrupts. Such is the ver dict of history, and such every man who understands his a, b, c’s in the phi losophy of human nature, knows to be true. And yet it is one of the marvels of the age, that the heaviest odium that ever rested upon any people now rests upon the white citizens of these Southern States, because they recoil from that “social equality,” so called, with their former servants of an inferi or race, which would result in amalga mation. What fanaticism regards as a crime to-day will, ere many decades, be regarded as one of the most patriotic virtues that mark these evil times. When Ezra ran the excision knife through the families of Israel, after their return from Babylon, separating “the children of Ashdod” from the children of Israel, though -it tore asun der the tenderest family ties, he did as noble an act as is recorded in Jewish history. “Blood is thicker than wa ter,” and to preserve its purity is alike the instinct of nature, the impulse of patriotism, and in accord with the will of God. We can well afford to await our vindication, for when it comes it will leave nothing to be desired. It was the boast of the Anician family at Rome, in the fifth century of the Christian era, that its members had descended unblemished from the Camili, the Man lii, and the Fabii of the Republic. Nor will it be less honorable to us to pre serve, through this terrible crisis, our blood from “an indiscriminate paterni ty that corrupts without renovating the sources of national life.” —lt is said that the $250,000 that will be appropriated for the work on Muscle Shoals, in the Tennessee river, will permit the work to go on uninter ruptedly for twelve months, and give employment to from six hundred to eight hundred hands. Five hundred thousand dollars more will complete the work. —The Moulton Advertiser says there is only one millionaire in the broad limits of Alabama, and he lives in the quiet town of Guntersville, Marshall county. His name is Albert Henry. STATE NEWS. » —Corn sells for $1.25 per bushel in Andalusia. —Calera has eight stores and five bar-rooms. —There are three Sunday schools in Harpersville. —Columbiana has crushed out the whiskey traffic. •—There is one white woman in the Alabama penitentiary. —A huge black bear, roaming at large, alarms the citizens of Moulton. A great many negroes are dy ing of pneumonia, in Greene coun ty. —The wages of employes on the Alabama Great Southern road have recently been raised. season, T. Simpson, of Mont gomery county, raised 1,200 bushels of ftish potatoes on two acres. v-The bill introduced in the Legis lature to make the new county of “Houston” out of Wilcox, Monroe, Conecuh, Lowndes and Dallas coun ties, has failed to pass. —Rev. J. L. Brittain, formerly pas tor of the Methodist church in Flor ence, who had to retire from the duties of his charge on account o( the failure ofliis sight, is entirely restored, and will be able to enter the ministry again. —A rticles of incorporation have late ly been filed with the Secretary of the State of Florida for a new road to run from Tallahassee to Pensacola and Mo bile. .The new’ company will also con tr.' HC? Florida Central from Jackson ville Lake City, and the Jackson ville, Pensacola and Mobile road. —The Selma Argus says: A few years ago, as many of our citizens will re member, the Rev. J. B. Hawthorne, D.D., was in Selma. At that time he delivered a lecture on the subject, “Know Thyself,” which impressed all who heard it as a grand display of oratory. Dr. Hawthorne has this win ter been delivering a lecture in the principal cities of the Southeast on “Eloquent Oratory,” which is said to be an illustration of himself. We have been informed that Dr. Hawthorne will sometimes this spring extend his tour through the Southwest. In Alabama he will visit Montgomery, Selma and Mobile. We look forward with great pleasure to the time when we can have the opportunity to hear Dr. Hawthorne, the most distinguished lecturer in the South. The Religious Press. The Southern Baptist, speaking of fairs, suppers, concerts, tableaux, etc., as a means for raising money for church purposes, says: From whence did they originate ? Surely not with the Church of Christ; for whatever may be the influence exerted by such enter tainments. one thing is certain, and that is, they never draw perishing sinners to Christ. When by extravagance, the church of Rome found itself with empty coffers, to escape the sad and inevitable consequences of abject poverty she went to work to replenish her empty treasury by the introduction of pil grimages to her thousand shrines with their bones of saints, sacred relics and pretended miracles, and the sale of indnlgencies, and giving as an act of worship, which eventual ly ran into the method of festivals, shows, theatres, and every other device by which money might be extorted from the people. Is it not to tie lamented that so many ofonr churches have adopted those hurtful and de moralizing plans for the purpose of extort ing money from the world to support the cause of Christ ? ’ We never thought of it before, but as matter of fact all these shuffling ways of raising money spring from their germ in the church of Rome, or rather, perhaps, in evil human nature, which the Romish church, instead of antago nising, only develops. Strange it is that Baptist churches should follow such an example. But here is a surprising remark from the Southern Baptist: Is it not strange that the religions press and the pulpit are almost dumb as regards this great evil? The Index has waged ceaseless war against this abomination for years past, and almost all the religious papers in the country denounce it. Even the secular press, while it advertises these humbugs, frequently ridicules them. This is a frivolous age ; it is an age bent on excitements and pleasure-seeking; it is f THE CHRISTIAN HERALD, ( of Tennessee. an age when the mass of our young women do very little serious leading, it is an age when the conversation among the mass of our ladies is taken up almost exclusively with parties, hops, theatrical performances, furniture, and the like.—Central Presbyte rian. True, most certainly; and the chief reason why our young people indulge in frivolous amusements is, that they have not intelligence and culture enough to amuse themselves in any other way. The Golden Rule, a religious paper published in Boston, says: We doubt very much whether a law that compels-two persons, thoroughly unfitted for each other, aye, more than that, persons who by temperament, habit and manner of life are such, that their living together adds untold misery to each life—we doubt wheth er such a condition of living, even though it is called by the sacred name of marriage, is a blessing to society. We have read with some care the reports of divorces that, in the last few years, have come before the courts ot this city;—and we say with sorrow, yet with a feeling akin to relief, that we have been glad of a law to permit such people to sepa rate. Commenting on this, the Examiner and Chronicle says: When a professedly Christian journal can deliberately publish such sentiments in Bos ton, is it not evident that public opinion needs educating and bracing on this ques tion ? Our brother of the Watchman, and others like him, are doing good mis sionary work in Boston, and we know of no place where such work is more needed. The Index yields the floor to the N. Y. Observer, who comes forward with the following remarks: It is hard ,for a rich man to enter into the kingdom,'it is harder for a President of the United States to stand fast in bis integrity whrn evil men and seducers plead, threaten and cajole. How grand a place Mr. Garfield would make for himself in history and how splendidly he would shine on his country, if his record in office should be signally that of a God fearing, incorruptible, Christian gentleman, unapproachable to bad men, and towering far above the petty plans and bar gains and balancings of party policy! The Index applauds, and the Obser ver continues: There are grand examples in history of such rulers, and there is no ruler in the list of kings, emperors, or presidents, who had a finer opportunity to make his administra tion renowned in the eyes of men for its vir tue and high moral tone, than Mr. Garfield has now. True, but many others have had just as good opportunity and failed to im prove it. Still, we keep on hoping. “Is it visionary,” says the Observer, “to anticipate such an administration of the gov ernment of the United States? Shall we never have Jefferson’s three qualifications for office demanded for every man, honesty, capacity and fidelity to the Constitution ?” We do not look for it with much confidence, but we keep on hoping. We have long since seen the end of what is called perfection, and we do not anticipate a political millennium as very nigh. There is not a sign of it yet. But Christians every where will pray that the administration now coming in may be one of signal purity and prosperity: that its policy, domestic, Indian, and foreign, may be righteousness and peace: that God may be in the midst of it, guiding, restraining and governing: that no taint of dishonor may touch its robes, and that every act of secret or public service may challenge the scrutiny of Infinite purity, justice, and truth. And here The Index says Amen! Such an administration, worthy ot an an gel, is yet within the compass of a man who fears God and fears no one else: who has a mind and soul of his own: who dares to do right, and who knows that nothing else is expedient. Yes, but what kind of a man have you described! Have we any such? Still we .hope on. A Methodist preacher held protracted ser vices in a small town for three weeks, took forty persons into the church, but never once mentioned to them the propriety or impor tance of taking a church paper. Some time afterward a Presbyterian preacher held a protracted service in the same town, using the Methodist church for that purpose. He received but three members into the church, but secured fifteen subscribers for his church paper, a majority of these subscribers being converts at the Methodist meeting. Five years later more than half of theee Methodist converts, nurtured by Presbyterian food, were Presbyterians. Draw your own con clusions. —Central Methodist. The Index is neither Methodist nor Presbyterian, still it draws conclusions and requests its readers to do the same. Spiritual declension, whether in the church or out of it, generally results from the neglect of the means of grace.—Christian Secretary. Yes, a Bible reading man, a praying man, a church-going man, if he is a liberal giver and active worker, is not apt to decline in spirituality. We never heard of such a case. So, if you feel that you are declining, you know the remedy. The N. Y. Observer says of some statements of the Independent that they are “so conspicuously inexact as to be precisely opposite to the old-fashioned virtue of veracity.” The Index rises to a point of order, and asks whether such language on the part of- religious journal, is be coming. Is mere circumlocution a suf ficient apology for an expression which means, in plain English, you lie! The alleged “inexactness” might have been made “conspicuous” enough withont the slightest violation either of polite ness or of a Christian spirit. True, the Independent had accused the Observer of lying, and this is the response; but one wrong does not justify another. We respectfully suggest to these two excellent journals that they are setting a bad example, and beg to remind them that it is the duty of each of them to be a model of dignity, courtesy and charity. A roc- ’ movement is made in New Jersey to secure a law of the State, to punish as a misdemeanor the allowing of boys or minors to play games of any kind where intoxicat ing drink is sold. Such a law should be en acted and enforced in every state where traf fic in intoxicating drinks is permitted. It has become a prevailing custom of saloon keepers to draw to their vile dens boys and young men by enticing games of different kinds, and thus start them on a career of dissipation and crime, not only to their own ruin, but the shame and sorrow of families and great injury of society. Most of those now suffering in our prisons the penalties of their crimes have started on their way in these drinkiug and gaming houses. It is time some movement of this kind should be made in this state. We need it in this city.—United Presbyterian. For a long time past we have had such a law in Georgia, and we happen to know that our grand juries take pains to see that it is enforced. If any citizen knows of an instance where the law is violated, it is his duty to report the case to the Solicitor-general. We are glad to see the Northern States copying some, at least, of our whole some legislation. The poor man who does all he can, is a much greater blessing to the Church than the rich man who does but half what he can. True, and well said Bro. Evangelical Messenger, but the idea is not original with you. Who was it that said, “This poor widow hath cast in more than they all?” The poorest and feeblest member of the church, if he does all that he can, is worth more than one who does less than he can, even if his contributions amount to thousands. But in referring to these resolutions, we wished especially to call attention to the one in which the earnest consideration ot Chris tian minds is directed to “thesubjectof nsing water instead of unfermented wine” at the communion table. Certainly the Christian women who present this subject for our con sideration cannot have given much atten tion to it themselves. The Lords Sapper is an ordinance of Christ. It is a symbolic service. By it, as the apostle says, we “do show the Lord’s death till he come.” With this end in view, the Savior, in instituting this memorial service, used bread and wine. With him the latter as well as the former had its symbolic significance. It was to re mind the disciple of the blood shed for his redemption. But if now we are to substi tute water for “this fruit of the vine,” the symbolic significance of this part of the me morial service is destroyed. But suppose a church member, who has been au intemperate man, finds that tne use ol wine at the communion table awakens in him the old thirst, what shall he do when he sits with his brethren at the Lord’s table? This is a case which some one will suggest as it has been suggested a hundred times before. We know of no better answer than that which has u often been given, Let such a brother abstain from the nse of the wine. Christ has indeed said do this in remem brance of me;” but if for any reason it is impossible for us to fulfill the divine com mand, we may be sure that the Savior will be as much pleased with our disposi tion to obey, as with our obedience where obedience is possible.—Zion's Advocate. Yes, if such a case should occur, the counsel of the Advocate might well be taken; but we do not believe that such a case ever occurred. And if any one should pretend that be had fallen into intemperance in this way, we should rather believe that his pretentions were false, than that Christ's ordinance is wrong. Furthermore, if we knew that there would be such a fall every day in the year, we should still remember that Christ said "This do," and we should do it, and let the consequences take care of themselves. Obedience is ours; results are God’s. NO. 9.