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THE LORD'S PRA YEU.
BY R. H. RAK KALB.
The lord’s Prayer is at once simple, beau
tiful, comprehensive and complete. It is
simple and beautiful in its language ana
style; complete in its vast comprehensive
ness, reaching far and wide in the great do
main of religious truth, recognizing and
embracing the noble principles that underlie
the teachings of our blessed Lord, and that
constitute the basis of the Christian religion.
The disciples had asked our Lord to teach
them how to pray, and this is the answer in
which they were to follow in spirit. It is a
pattern for them to be guided by in their pe
titions. First there is an acknowledgement
that there ,s a God whose dwelling place is
in heaven. Then there is adoration- showing
reverence for the name of the Lord. Then
follows a supplication, asking that God's
kingdom might come, and that his will j
might be done on earth as it is in heaven, I
asking also for daily support, and help in i
temptation. Then praising and magnifying I
the power of God—"for thine is the king- I
dom and the power and the glory forever.” ■
Following this model and Christ’s instruc- ;
‘ions, we learn that we are not to use vain i
repetitions as the heathen do. In this our i
time, and perhaps the assertion may be true (
as respects other ages of the Christian era,
it does seem that many Christians, or at least 1
those who profess to be Christians, are fre
quently really guilty of taking the name of l
the Lord iu vain. In this prayer Christ once I
and once onlv says, "Our Father who art in
heaven." While it is not meant that we
should literally call upon the name of the
Father but once during a prayer, yet we
would call attention to the fact that we do
frequently call upon the name of God con
tinually throughout our prayers, much after
the manner of one who does dot think what
he is doing. How often do we in our prays
era say, "0 God," ‘ 0 Lord.” "Our Father,”
“Our Heavenly Fathir,” or. byway of va
riety, “Our dear Heavenly Father,” etc., in
an unthinking way. Some attentive listen
er might fancy, without irreverence, that we
put in the exclamations to fill up and to
make out a kind of respectable-sounding
prayer, or that they are put in to gain time
to think what must come next. We see
nothing of these continual exclamations in
the prayer before us.
Again; men often pray as though they
would take heaven by storm, (at least, so far
as the loud noise they make has to do with
it), and as though they would bring visibly
before the congregation the blessings of hea
ven by their thundering voicesand eloquent
strains, often accompanied with enthusiastic
gesticulation and equally as often having
the voii e changed from its natural tone
changed sometimes to a full-frog-bass, or
a whine, orsome other unnatural tone. We
should bear in mind that God is not deaf
that we should cry aloud and heat ourselves
(clapping the hands, etc.,) as did the prophets
of Baal.
Men often pray in public so low that one
half the audience cannot hear what they
say—getting only a word now and then as
with nnewed breath they speak the first
word of a sentence a little louder than the
rest. We should pray, if in public, so as to
suit our voice to all within our reach, so that
every one can hear and join in with us (si
lently) in the petition to God, but not so
loud that the audience lose sight of the pe
tition, and think only of the voice, or the
manner or the words used.
We see also that the prayer before us is
short. Public prayers are often so long that
the audience becomes weary. Many a listen
er has said in his mind,"' wish he would
get through." I remember in my experience
a good brother was called upon by the min
ister after preaching to pray. The congrega-
tion, composed almost entirely of working
men, and the time being mid-summer, with
very short nights, were, after listening for a
long time to a very dull sermon, rather tired
and sleepy. So a short prayer seemed to
most of the audience rather appropriate in
the close. But the brother called upon (him
self a minister), prayed a long while, and
confined to pray on, and on, and still on.
and for so long a time that the kneeling au
dieoce, completely exhausted, arose and sat
upright on the seats ; but the brother prayed
on, and on, until half the audience, who
were trying to hold out to the end, fell
asleep, and the other half were disgusted be
yond measure. It was said that the reason
the brother closed his prayer when he did,
was because he heard some one leaving the
church. Thus, oftentimes much injury,
and perhaps no good, is done by making
public prayers unreasonably long.
Again ; men often pray for a host of ob
jects that are scarcely thought of at any
other time, so far as we may judge from
their actions and the general tenor of their
lives. If I pray for the gospel to be sent to
the heathen, I ought to do what I can to help
send it to them. If I pray to be kept from
temptation, I ought to strive to avoid temp
tation. Likewise, if I pray for the sick, the
distressed, the afflicted, the poor, the widow,
the orphan, and countless other things so
well known in our prayers, then my atten
tion ought to be given to the carrying out of
these thoughts in acts—making my practice
correspond with my teaching. And if Ido
not make mv practice correspond with my
eaching, or at least do not try to do so, then
it is wrong for me to pray lor all these
things. Bight here, in my opinion, Chris
Ilans often make a great mistake. God will
aot bear our prayers umess we are in ear
nest, and if we are in earnest, we will show
it elsewhere than in our prayers. So far as
length of prayers is concerned, private indi
vidual prayers may be of any length, for we
and that our Saviour in private spent much
time in sweet communion with his Father.
But public prayers should be reasonably
long and reasonably short.
Another custom connected with public
praying, and for which we find no precedent
either in Christ's example or that of the
early Christians, is that of expressing openly
and with loud voice, one’s approval of the
prayer being made. To illustrate: a brother
Is leading in prayer, and the brethren
around make frequent and continual excla
mations, as, “yes, Lord,” "do Lord,” etc., or
one or two and sometimes several, join in
he prayer and produce such confusion that
ao one can tell who is leading in the prayer,
This custom, when carried to the extent of
producing confusion, must be wrong, be
cause we know that God is not the author
of confusion ; and, moreover, it is a viola
tion of the injunction of Paul to the Corin
thians, "let all things be done decently and
in order.” While this custom is not so pre
valent in Baptist churches as in some others,
yet Baptists are ever to keep before them
'hat glorious injunction, “let all things be
done decently and in order.”
"Our Father”—one common Father. The
same God that made the Hindoo, the Indi
an, the Chinse. made me. The highest po
tentate of earth, living in royal luxury and
splendor, and the humblest peasant that
walks the vale of poverty and despair, have
the same God and Father as the author of
their being. "Our” may express the idea
•hat the human family are bound together
in a close relationship. In it we may recog
nize the Greek and the Jew, the Egyptian
and the Hindoo, the Arab and the Roman
the Ethiopian and the Indian as our broth
ers. “Our’ —not the Father of myself alone,
not the father of my people only, not the
father of my church or denomination only,
THE CHRISTIAN INDEX AND SOUTH-WESTERN BAPTIST: THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 1881.
but our Father, the Father of all the human
family.
There is also a specific application of “our
Father," peculiarly sweet to Christians. It
is in viewing God as specially the Father of
all those who are indeed lambs of the flock
of Christ, who are his sheep, and who know
his voice, “who are the called according to
his purpose,” who are the foreknown, the
predestinated, the called, the justified, the
Jlorifled, the heirs of salvation through
ecus Christ according to the fore-knowl
edge and will of God. He is the kind, gen
tle, merciful Father of all true Christians—
of all who have been redeemed by the blood
of our Savior.
“Our Father"—lovely relationship! Hu
manity exalted along with the angels, “for
thou hast made him a little lower than the
angels, and bast crowned him with glory
and honor." When we contemplate the
depth of depravity and corruption of weak
humanity, how merciful and condescending
is God when He still would have us call him
Father. We too often look upon God as a be
ing dwelling in majesty and glory, and never
looking upon us but with the eye of justice
and the sword of destruction—as one
with whom we have no affiliation, who can
not be touched with a feeliag of our infirm
ity. But we are taught to look upon Him
i as a father, who, obeying the instinct of his
! nature, is ever ready to do what is right and
best for his children. A child has all con
| tidence in our heavenly Father, so that when
I we go to him in prayer, we will go believing
I He will hear us and grant our petitions.
"Who art in heaven.” Art. who exists.
I Our God is a living God, not like the gods
iof the heathen which have no life. Not
like the deified sun. moon, etc., but a living
God, who demands lively service at the
1 hands of his creatures, not dead sacrifices.
I “In heaven.” The special place where God
1 visibly manifests his glory to the chosen
; ones around him. Men often worship gods
that are on earth. Their affection and ens
tire being are often absolutely enwrapped in
things of this world. Some worship riches,
some dress, others bow before the good opin
ion of their fellow-men. Duty is too fre
quently sacrificed to deeds of policy. Our
aspirations often rise no higher than an ac
complishment of some worldly purpose.
The dwelling place of our Father, our God,
is in heaven. Where our treasure is there
will be our heart; if, therefore, the God of
heaven is our Father, He is our treasure,
and our heart-aspirations and desires will be
toward Him in heaven. This acknowledge
ment divides the whole human family into
two classes, the one having God as their
Father, the other worshipping some earthly
object as their god. We might well ask the
question, are we worshipping the God of
heaven, or are we bowing down to some Baal
of our mind?
"Hallowed be Thy name.” All reverence
be to thv name. All honor and majesty and
glory and awe be gathered around thy name!
Men are ever to bless ai d praise and magni
fy, and hold in reverential awe, the name of
the Lord. Can a Christian curse? Can one
who loves the Lord take his name in vain ?
"Thy kingdom come.” Thy kingdom,
not that of one earthly king or potentate.
Let all of our aims and aspirations be sub
ordinate to the success of the kingdom of
God. Let the cause of our Lord be develops
ed aiid increased and multiplied and spread
abroad until all the world be possessed with
! the knowledge and the spirit of Godly ser
vice. Far back in the remoteness of anti
quity it had been revealed to men that the
Son of God would come into the world and
set up his kingdom. Now the time was ful
filled. and Christ was in the world setting up
his kingdom, and made it the duty (andeer
tainlv it is a grand privilege) of every mem
’ ber of that kingdom to ask God's blessing
upon it, and to be himself at all times pre
-1 pared to uphold it, and to resist all opposi
tion to it and all innovation into it. To
guard it carefully—make it the chief con
cern. Let it be the grand object, end, and
aim of man. How we ought to love that
kingdom I —how we ought to cherish and
i protect it, and if need be, like the martyrs,
to die for it 1 This is the kingdom in the
foundation ot which Christ is the chief cor-
ner-stone—“and no other foundation can
any man lay than that which is laid in
Christ Jesus.” Having such a foundation it
is able to stand the shock of time, and how
ever rudely it may be assailed from time to
time, it shall yet prevail over all its enemies
and be triumphant through Christ our Lord.
“Thy will be done in earth as it is in heav
en.” Thy will, not mine—not the fulfill
ment of my ambitious designs if not in liars
mony with thy revealed law. Oh I that we
could be at all times reconciled to the dis
pensation of God's providences, not murs
muring at them, but submitting in humili
ty. God knows better than we do what is
best for us. His thoughts are not our
thoughts, and his ways are not our ways.
With him there is fullness of wisdom, jus
tice and truth. Man’s will is often tyranni
cal and oppressive. At his best estate he is
imperfect in thousands of ways. To err is a
characteristic featurecommon to all humani
ty-reaching from the minutest details of his
life-work even unto the greatest develop
ment of his grandest aspirations. God’s will
is always just and true, perfect and pure.
"As for God, his way is perfect: the work of
the Lord is tried ; he is a buckler to all those
that trust in him." We, his creatures, can
never be placed in circumstances in which
we should complain of his dealings; Like
Job, we should be submissive, meek.
God’s will is his glory. The great object
of rendering service to God is his glory, not
merely our salvation. Our salvation is a
sequence of glorifying God in our lives.
“Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear
much fruit.”
The eternal covenant between God the
Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit, for
the salvation of fallen and condemned hu
manity was made that God might be glori
fied. While God’s glory is not affected by |
the obedience or disobedience of man, yet
through Christ there may roll in from these
worthless souls of ours a revenue of glory
which He, who loves the broken and con
trite spirit, “will not despise.”
"Thy will be done in earth as it is in heav
en.” As angels in heaven ever do the will
of God, so men on earth ought to continu
ally strive to do His will. Men who have
the Bible to read have no excuse for not
doing the will of God. There man’s duty is
clearly revealed. He that knoweth his duty
and faileth to do it, shall be beaten with
many stripes. ,
"Give us this day our daily bread. W.e
are taught in the Bible that the earth and
all therein belongs to the Lord; and that
we, the workmanship of his hand, are de
pendent upon him for all that we have and
all that we are. It is in him we live and
move and have our being. It is made our
duty to feel and to recognize at all times such
dependence; and thus we are taught to pray,
“Give us this day our daily bread.” Some
times, it might be, that upon the question of
life support, Christians find themselves in
volved in the darkest clouds of unfortunate
circumstances—the night of woe spreads its
i dark mantle over them—they are sunken in
the very depth of despair, and are well nigh
ready to give up. Ah, then is the time to
look unto the Lord. "Trust in the Lord,
and do good ; soshalt thou dwell in the land,
and verily thou shalt be fed.” David says
again, "I have been young, and now am
’ old • yet have I not seen the righteous for
• saken, nor his seed begging bread.”
, “And forgive us our debts as we forgive
■ our debtors. In Adam all have sinned and
. come short of the glory of God. Every sin
i cursed member of the human family rests
i therefore in a state of condemnation, and
. has need to be forgiven of sin before he can
become reconciled to God; therefore he is to
> pray, “forgive us our debts." He is to feel
that lie is a debtor to God, and to seek ear-
neetly God’s pardon with the spirit that for
gives even as he would be forgiven. And if
he does not fully and freely forgive others,
he cannot expect to be forgiven by God.
“For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your
Heavenly Father will also forgive you; but
if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither
will your Heavenly Father forgive your
trespasses." Thus we will be forgiven even
as we forgive. We sometimes hear one say:
“I can forgive, but I cannot forget." If an
insult has been offered me, and the offending
party has repented and sought my forgive
ness, and I say I freely forgive him, and yet
will still harbor the thought of the offence
in my mind—will still brood over it and
think about it, and allow it iff affect me in
my intercourse with him, I am deceiving
myself. I have not really forgiven him. The
true spirit of forgiveness wilrfenable us to
forget the offence. Again, we sometimes get
tired ot forgiving so often as we are called
upon to do so; but Christ teaches us to for
give, not for a limited number of times, but
indefinitely. We ought to remember -that
we sin against God oftener and much more
than any one ever sins against us. The spirit
of revenge is the spirit of the devil; and
nothing can, therefore, be more opposed to
the temper which Christianity was designed
to promote, than such a spirit. The spirit
of Christiahity, on the other hand, “suffer
eth long, and is kind, envieth not, vaunteth
not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave
itself unseemly, seeketh not his own, is not
easily provoked, thinketh no evil, beareth
all things, believeth all things, hopeth all
things, endureth all things.”
“And lead us not into temptation, but de
liver us from evil." The apostle James says,
“Let no man say when he is tempted, I am
tempted of God : for God cannot be tempted
with evil, neither tempteth he any man: but
every man is tempted when ke is drawn
away of his own lust, and enticed.” This
may mean, then, suffer us not to be led into
temptation, or if tempted deliver us from the
temptation, or enable us to resist the temp
tation and to come out victorious. The
world in which we live is full of sin and sin
ful influences. The great "adversary, the
devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about seek
ing whom he may devour.” There are
thousands of forms which he assumes in
order to influence those he would destroy.
Especially does it seem true in the present
era of the world, that sin presents itself in
innumerable pleasant and alluring ways to
draw the unwary into its meshes. With the
grand improvements of our age comes also
the great evil of a more ready communica
tion of impure ideas, suggestions, etc. From
the great stench-holes of depravity in many
of our larger cities, there are being continu
ally sent forth to the homes of thousands of
our people, literature of an immoral and de
grading tendency, whose effect is to destroy
the purity and chastity of our lovely boys
and girls, and to beget a spirit of looseness
in morals, and to sap the very foundation of
virtue. Ah, when we open our eyes to the
sad fact that sin is wide-spread, and is con
tinually threatening to overthrow the bul
warks that pious parents have erected around
the sacred spot called home, and in spite of
all watchfulness and care, will often covert
ly enter their households and lead to des
truction their loved ones, how important for
us to remember the prayer which is our
model, “Lead us not into temptation 1” Our
pride and our self-confidence —even our
habits of rectitude —are not safeguards to
protect us from the rolling tide of tempta
tions that continually threaten out course,
hut will snap like a reed before the wild tor
nado. There is no safety save in the strength
of God’s grace.
“For thine is the kingdom, and the power,
and the glory, forever. Amen.’’ ItisGods
kingdom for the reign of which we are to
pray, acknowledging at the same time that
the power to accomplish that reign is His,
and the glory of the accomplishment is
His,
The Sunday-School.
international Sunday-School Leaeona.
[Prepared specially for The Index by Rev. 8. H.
Mlrick, of Washington, D.C.]
Lesson XII. —March 20, 1881.
REVIEW.
For our present exercise let us recall what
we have learned from Luke about John the
Herald and Jesus, our Lord and Savior. We
will follow the order of the lessons.
I. •
In the year 6 B. C., Zacharias, a devout
Jewish priest, and his equally devout wife,
Elizabeth, also of priestly descent, lived in
Judea, either at Hebron orat Jutta. Though
having long prayed for a son, they were now
old and childless. Zacharias went to Jeru
salem to minister for a week in the temple.
While standing by- the golden altar in the
Holy Place, on which he had just put the
fragrant incense, and the multitude were
standing without in silent prayer, the angel
Gabriel suddenly appeared. The piiest was
startled, and the angel bade him “fear not.”
Then he announced to him that his wife.
Elizabeth, should bear a son, and directed
him to call his name John. Father and
mother should find their long trial of faith
ending,in gladness, and many should rejoice
at the birth of the boy. This child was to
become great in the sight of the Lord, be
tilled with toe Holy Ghost, become a second
Elijah and the Herald of the Messiah.
11.
Six months later Gabriel visited a young
Jewish woman living at Nazareth—Mary by
name—who was affianced to Joseph, a young
Nazarene carpenter. To her he announced
that she should become the mother of a
child,whose name should be Jesus. Mary im
mediately leaves home, and after a four days
■ journey enters the house of her cousin,
Elizabeth. To the prophetic salutation with
which Elizabeth receives her, Mary responds
in an inspired song, in which she sings of
the personal favor which God had shown her
in making her the mother of the Messiah, of
the blessings which shall flow to the world
through her son, and of the fulfillment of
God’s covenant with Abraham.
111.
After three months John is born, and the
neighbors and cousins of Elizabeth gather
on the eighth day to celebrate his circumcis
ion and his naming. Then Zacharias, in a
prophetic song, predicts the mission first of
the yet unborn Jesus and then of the new
born John ; that of the former to be the Sa
vior of men, and of the latter to prepare his
way.
IV.
Another six months pass, and shepherds
are watching their flocks by night near to
Bethlehem, the city of David. An angel
comes suddenly upon them amid a blaze of
light, and announces that in the neighboring
city Christ, the Lord, is born, and that they
will find him lying in a manger. Immedi
ately a multitude of angels are seen and
heard praising God in a sublime doxology.
Then the shepherds hasten to Bethlehem,
and there find Mary and Joseph and the
babe lying in a manger. Then the shep
herds tell of their angelic visitors, and Mary
of the coming of Gabriel. All the people
wondered at what they heard from the shep
herds, but Mary thoughtfully remembered
all these things. The shepherds returned
praising God for what they had heard and
seen-
Six weeks after the birth of Christ he is
presented in the temple, and an offering for
his redemption presented in obedience to
the Mosaic law. There lived in Jerusalem a
devout old man, whose name was Simeon,
who was waiting for the coming of the Mes-
siah, for it had been revealed to him’that
“he would not see death before he had seen
the Lord's Christ." This man was in the
temple when the child Jesus was brought in
by bls parents, and immediately recognizing
him as the Messiah, takes him up in his
arms, and blessii g God, deciares himself now
ready to depart from earth. Not only does
Simeon speak of God’s salvation as revealed,
but prophecies that the child shall be the
occasion of the fall of seme and the rising of
others, a sign spoken against, a source of an
guish to his mother's heart, and a revealer of
the thoughts of men.
VI.
We next meet Jesus when a boy twelve
years old. He had grown in body, and had
become very wise for his age. He goes with
his parents to Jerusalem, where he spends a
week in attendants upon the Passover ser
vices of the temple. When they return, he
remains behind, and is found listening to
the temple teachers and asking them ques
tions. All wbo heard him are astonished,
and none more so than his mother. He re
turns to Nazareth and remains there subject
to his parents,
VII,
We pass now over eighteen years, atfd find
John coming forth from the wilderness at
the age of thirty, clothed in a garment of
camel’s hair, bound about him with a leath
ern girdle. He preached repentance in “all
the country about Jordan,” and a great
multitude flock to hear him. Conviction
follows his preaching, and to their inquiries
as to what they shall do, he bids the people
generally to be generous, the publicans to
avoid oppression, and the soldiers to quit
extortion. Then he announces the coming
of the Savior, who would baptize in the Holy
Ghost and in fire.
VIII.
Jesus now preaches in Galilee withuntir
ing industry and great popularity. We find
him at Nazareth, where his childhood was
spent. He enters the synagogue, and stand
ing up to indicate his desire to read the
Scriptures, a roll is handed him containing
the prophecy of Isaiah. He reads from the
sixty first chapter, and as he sits down to
address them, the eyes of all in the syna
gogue are intently fixed upon him. “This
day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears,”
he says, and thus proclaims himself the
Messiah.
IX.
Within three months from the time when
he preached at Nazareth, we find the Savior
casting out demons and healing the sick. In
some unknown town in Galilee, a man,
hopelessly incurable with leprosy, prostrates
himself before him, and with strong faith
pleads to be cleansed. With a touch ot heal
ing power and words of cheer the man is
immediately and perfectly cured. In Caper
naum a helpless palsied man is brought by
four others, and with much difficulty let
down through the roof of a house into the
presence of Jesus. Jesus forgave his sins,
and when the scribes and Pharisees in their
thoughts accused him of blasphemy, he
proved to them his power to forgive sins by
curing the man of his palsy by his simple
word. The people were amazed and glorified
God.
X.
John had been imprisoned by Herod, and
sends two of his disciples to Jesus that they
might be the more convinced that he was
the Messiah. The Lord directs them to go
back and tell John what they had seen and
heard on their visit, and after they have left
tells the people about him, that John is the
predicted messenger preceding the Messiah.
.XL
In a Pharisee's house the Lord is entertain
ed. A woman who had been a notable sin
ner, enters and stands behind Jesus as he
reclined at table. Her tears of penitence and
gratitude wet the Savior's feet. She wipes
them with the hairs of her head and kissing
them anoints lhem with the precious oint
ment which she had brought. The Lord
commends her, forgives her sins and bids
her go in peace-
TO THE BAPTISTS OF GEORGIA.
Brethren : After a continuous service of
thirty-three years I leave the pastorate, at
the repeated and unanimous request of the
Trustees of Mercer University, to become
their “Financial Secretary and Lecturer on
Theology.” The object to be promoted is of
prime importance to the best interests of our
denomination, especially in Georgia, and it
is also the object of my warm and constant
love since my graduation in 1846. My pur
pose is single—to promote the interests and
prosperity of Mercer University.
I hope, however, to preach the gospel
widely while pursuing my special work. I
ask for the sympathy and co-operation of
my brethren, pastors and members of the
churches —of the five hundred graduates of
the College scattered abroad, and of the citi
zens of Georgia generally, who are friends to
all proper efforts for the higher education of
the people of our Southland.
We need greatly well-trained and informed
minds, well developed moral and religious
character, to advance the best interests of our
people.
Mercer University is the chief factor in
our denominational power. There is a ne
cessity for educated missionaries at home
and abroad; and educated ministers, deacons
and members of our churches. God has
given man the religious faculty. All educa
tion is incomplete which neglects this part
of man. No College can so meet the relig
ious development and instruction of our
sons, as Baptists, as can our own Mercer.
The graduates of Mercer University have
made large contributions to the influence
and greatness of the Baptists of Georgia. If
true to our duty much more may be accom
plished in the near future.
We need the completion of the required
buildings; the enlarging of the library and
apparatus; that our endowment be placed
upon a wider basis —the endowment of
scholarships and professorships; the awak
ening of parents, guardians and youth to the
great advantages of wider and higher educa
tion. As Baptisti we need to realize that we
have come into the possession of the inheri
tance secured to us by the prayers and sacri
fices of the founders and friends of Mercer.
Let us catch their spirit, wisely manage our
inheritance, and greatly enlarge its amount
and usefulness!
Baptists have an obligation to meet in the
education of their sons which no other peo
ple can fulfill for them. Let the silver
trumpet be heard from the mountains to the
seaboard—from the Savannah to the Chatta
hoochee—calling the hosts of our brother
hood to support their own University 1
I ask the pastors to bring the claims of the
College before their people, and give us help
at once by a cash collection, which may be
forwarded to me at Macon, Georgia. I
ask the good women of our churches,
the young as well as the older, to form
Merceriau Societies for our aid. They can
organize and contribute at least a dollar per
member, each year, to enlarge the facilities
of education at Mercer. Let us also form
classes who can and will give one hundred
or fifty dollars, this ear. Let those who are
making, or should be preparing their wills,
remember that Mercer University can never
die ; and that they can, by request, like Jesse
Mercer, Jane Posey and others, do good
through all time, and be themselves held in
everlasting remembrance.
As parents you can, in no other way, con
tribute so much to your sons' happiness,
success and power, as hy giving them a col
legiate education under wise and wholesome
religious influences.
Hoping to find a cordial welcome among
my brethren in my new sphere of labor, and
a generous support of our University, I am,
Yours in the blessed Jesus,
SVLVANVS LANDRUM.
Missionary Department.
REV. J. H DbVOTIE,
KEV. C. M. IRWIN. yxmtors,
Mission Board of the Georgia Baptist Conven
tion-Officers: Rev. R. B. Headden, President:
Rev. J. H. DeVotle, Corresponding Secretary and
Treasurer: Rev. V. C. Norcross, Recording
Secretary. Member*—Revs. D.W. Gwin, A. T.
Spalding, H. C. Hornady, F. M. Daniel, V. G.
Norcross, Dr. J«s. 8. Lawton. Atlanta; G. A. Nun
nally, Rome; D. E. Butler,Madison: J. G. Ryals
and R. B. Headden, Carteisvllle; J. H. DeVote.
Foreign Mission Board of the Southern Baptist
Convention.-Rev. H. A. Tupper, D. D., Correa
ponding Secretary, Richmond, Va.
Home Mission Board of the Southern Baptist
Convention—Rev. Wm. A. Mclntosh, D.D., Cor
responding Secretary, Marlon, Alabama.
GIVING FROM PRINCIPLE.
The following letter illustrates giving from
principle, which is evidently reasonable,
scriptural, and pleasing to the Lord:
“Dear Bro : Within find fifteen dollars,
dedicated by prayer and thanksgiving to
the service of tne Lord, which I send to you
for State Missions.”
The brother has not given me the privilege
of using his name.
Notice, this is first a transaction between
him and bis God. He sets this apart for,
and gives it to, the Lord. This he does with
"prayer,” to know his duty, for grace to dis
charge it, and humbly asking him to accept
and direct it for his glory and the promotion
of his cause. He makes "thanksgiving” a
part of this consecration. Thanksgiving!
How wonderfully appropriate. God had
given to him that he might give; had as
sured him that he would accept his offering,
and make him an honored instrument of
working with his Lord. Thank giving for
the inclination of his heart to give, ana the
luxury enjoyed in the worship of giving.
Ten thousand thanks for the promised suc
cess, rich reward, and assurance that "the
Lord loveth a cheerful giver.”
The motive influencing is love. Faith
takes God at his word, and guided by the
provision of his providence, he sends his
contribution on its way for State Missions,
saying, “pray that I may become a uselul
Christian.
A professed believer, who does not give,
violates the first principle of the Christian
religion; it condemns all selfishness, and
commands loye and self-sacrificing benevo
lence.
"That man may breathe but never lives,
Who much receivesand nothing gives;
Creations blot, creations blank,
Whom none can bless, whom none can thank.”
He who gives from principle, will give as
God has prospered him. Not a pittance to
Him who gives him rich abundance. The
poor may hope for acceptance with two
mites, but bow can a rich Christian pray
about and give thanks over a few dimes,
while indulging in luxury and worldly ex
travagance ? Thousands for the world, what
for Jesus ? _________
REPORT OF CENTRAL COMMITTEE FOR
QUARTER ENDING FEB. Ist, 1881.
W. M. S. Second Baptist church, Atlanta,
for L. Whilden’s Bible class sl3 50
W. M. 8., Second Baptist church, Atlanta,
for Lottie Moon 6 75
W. M. S„ Greshamville church for "New
Hope” In L. Whilden’s Bible class 8 60
W. M. 8., Albany church, for I. H. Eager... 22 CO
SSO 25
Dear Sisters: Let us have a full report from
every society in the State iu gcod time to make
out our annual report for the State Convention.
Yours In Christian love,
Mbs. Stainback Wilson, P. C. C,
Mrs. A. C. Kiddoo, Cor. Sec’y.
A GOOD ADVANCE.
“Our church has adopted (he plan of ten
cents per month from each member, where
possible to get it, and you may expect an
other remittance from us about the 15th of
March. 8. A. Burnby.
“Madison Baptist Church.”
That field has always been well worked.
The members love Jesus, and that love can
work wonders. “Each member” is to be in ■
structed and asked to contribute for mis
sions. If all our churches would make the
effort to reach each member twice a year,
even, there would be a flood of means for
missions. D.
mormon MISSIONARIES.
One of the prominent officials of the Mor
mons says there will be about seven hun
dred Mormon missionaries in the field this
year. All over Europe and America these
men will proclaim the doctrines of this
wicked imposition.
Numbers of converts were made in Geor
gia last year. Our State Board has only
twenty-two missionaries. Ought we not to
do more to meet these and all others, in
these destitute regions, where they sow the
seeds of falsehood and deception ? D.
ANOTHER PLEASANT SURPRISE.
Received of Rev. Dr. Wm. H. Mclntosh,
Corresponding Secretary of the H. 8., of the
S. B. C., $74.75, contributed as follows: Beth
el, Association, Ga., $43 60; Summer Hill,
Stewart county, Sabbath-school. $31.15.
Please accept, dear friends, our unfeigned
thanks, and may the Lord “bless you wita
all spiritual blessings,” and “withhold no
good thing” from you.
Yours in Christian love,
R. J. Hogue.
Boggy Depot, Feb. 19.
The Central Committee of Woman Mis
sion Society, of Georgia, has decided to re
port to the Mission Board Georgia Baptist
Convention. Our sisters are accomplishing
a noble work in diffusing missionarj’ infor
mation, and collecting funds for the cause.
We are greatly encouraged by their co-ope
ration and prayers. Holy women were fore
most in ministering to Jesus when he was
on earth. Even now they constitute a large
majority of the membership of the church
es. How vast an amount of good for the
conversion of the world the Baptist women
of Georgia can do if they will make the
effort I Will you all try ? Jesus said of one,
“she hath done what she could.” Have
you? Will you? D.
Da. J. H. DeVoite : My class of little girls
in the Cave Spring Baptist Sabbath-school
have formed themselves into a “Mission
Band,” made me their treasurer, as such I
enclose an order for three dollars ($3), apply
as you think best. I only wish it was many
times more. Your sister in Christ,
Ida Davis.
Begin with the Sunday-school children,
give them missionary instruction, encourage
their benevolent inclinations, aid them to
form the habit of giving, lead them to Jesus.
When knowing his will, motives of faith
and love will develop a generation of mis
sionary Baptists, contributing from Chris
tian pricciple. A sense of duty, ardent
emotion and self-sacrificing action, sweetly
blending to glorify God in aiding to bring ail
the nations to our Redeemer. Lord bless
that little “Mission Band.” D.
The Bible its own W’itness.—The follow
ing incident was related by the Rev. Dr.
Yates, a veteran member of the American
Baptist Mission in Shanghai. It occurred
some twenty years ago: A Chinese merchant
came into his chapel one afternoon, and
after talking with him a short time, Dr.
Yates sold him a copy of the New Testament.
He took It home, two or three hundred
miles away, and after about three months
appeared again in the chapel- He came
back to say that he was under the impres
sion that the book was not complete, that
surely It must have other parts, and so he
eame to get the Old Testament, as he had
read ana studied the New Testament. What
had he done with the New Testament ? He
had taken it to his home and shown it to the
schoolmaster and the reading people. They
said, "This is a good book. Contucius him
self must have bad something to do with it.”
As there was only one copy, they unstitched
this one, and took it leai by leaf, and all
those who could write took a leaf home.
They made twelve or fifteen complete copies
of tne New Testament and introduced it
into their schools without any “conscience
clause.” It was introduced as a class-book
in all that district for heathen schools.—
Exchange.
YONG SEEN BANG.
In the Foreign Mission Journal is the sols
lowing autobiography of this interesting
Chinese Baptist missionary, our first Chinese
convert. He has been supported for thirty
five years by the Ladies’ Missionary Society
of the First Baptist church, Richmond, Va.',
to whom the lett- ris written. He spent sev
eral days at my house in Marion, Alabama,
when be visited this country with brother
Shuck, soon after his conversion. The com
pleteness of his change has been proved by
bis Christian life and work for Jesus.
“autobiography or yonu seen sang.
“To the Ladies of the First Baptist
Church, Richmond, Va.:
“Teacher Simmons has told me that you
have written, saying that your church ia
now one hundred years old, and that you
wish to make a record of the things done
during the century, also that you wish a
letter from me.
"I will now tell you of my conversion and
of my becoming a preacher: Mr. Shuck
was the first man who came to Canton Prov
ince to preach the gospel and to found a
church. When I heard the doctrine of Je
sus my mind became enlightened, and I re
ceived it with joy, trusting in Jesus for the
atonement of my sins and the salvation of
my soul. I was the first to believe in Jesus
and to be baptized (immersed). I was the
first man in the Middle Kingdom (China)
to preach the gospel, to scatter the good seed
of the Word, and to exhort my fellow
countrymen to believe. After I was bap
tized I always went into the streets to dis
tribute tracts and to preach. Many ridiculed
me as a follower of the foreigners, but I went
on preaching and distributing tracts, not
noticing the ridicule and taunts of those
around me; I urged men to trust in Jesus,
that they might have the Holy Spirit to re
new their hearts, and there were nine men
baptized on one day. When Mr. Shuck was
preaching in Canton Province there were
twenty-one persons in all baptized. Seeing
that there was no chapel where the converts
could be gathered together and the heathen
could listen to the gospel, Mr. Shuck return
ed to America to collect funds for a chapel,
hoping, after conference with the brethren,
to come back to China and put up a perma
nent building for a chapel and a house of
prayer. So he returned to America, I ac
companying him; thus I became acquainted
with you, my sisters. You were pleased
with me and undertook to support me as a
preacher to the Chinese.
"On his return to China, Mr. Shuck went
to Shanghai and built a chapel. I spent
several years there preaching to the people
and distributing books. Afterwards I re
turned to Canton and helped teacher Whil
den. Before long Mr. Whilden returned to
America and left me alone in Canton to
preach the gospel. Afterwards teacher Gail
lard and Graves came, and a door was open
ed for the gospel, and many believed in Je
sus, so that several hundred men and women
have believed and joined the church. Many
of these have died in the faith, others have
disappeared, and others have been excluded
for breaking the rules of the church. There
are nov more than one hundred and ninety
persons in fellowship with the Canton
church. Every year an increasing number
believe and unite with the church, and new
preachirg places are opened in different parts
of the country. The number of the baptized
is not yet very great, because the gospel has
not been known very long in China, and the
people do not yet thoroughly understand it.
Our Heavenly Father has all power, and he
will surely cause the truth to advance rap
idly. Jesus has said that the Kingdom of
Heaven is like a mustard seed for smallness,
but will become a great tree in magnitude,
so that the fowl of heaven may find shelter
under its shade.
“Thank you, my sisters, for supporting me
for thirty years and more in preaching the
gospel. Thanks be to God for his blessing in
giving me a life of peace, and in preserving
me in strength of body-
“Wishing all my sisters peace, I pray that
God, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit may
abide with you all. Amen.
“ Yong Seen Sang.
“Canton, China."
AFRICA TO BE EVANGELIZED BY
NATIVES.
The following is an extract from a letter
of W. J. David, Lagos, Africa :
“I am glad that ‘efforts are making now
for some more extended work’ in behalf of
Africa, if it means that there will be an
equal number of white and colored men
sent out, but if it means that colored men
will be sent to the exclusion of white men,
then I say it is a mistake which the Board
will regret sooner or later. I would advise
that instead of sending colored men that
way, if the Board would expend the money
it would take to bring them over, and the
extra means that will be required for their
support (as compared with natives,) in es
tablishing a good Training Institution,
which will supply the Board with more
faithful, euergeitc and useful, at the same
time less expensive teachers and preachers,
it would be the wiser plan. We must plan
for the future. Such men would have from
five to six hundred dollars salary, while a
much more efficient man can- be reared here
who would live comfortably upon one hun
dred and fifty to three hundred dollars.
Teachers can be had from seventy-five to
one hundred and fifty dollars. If we are to
do a great work with small means, this plan
is the most feasible. If you have the means
to employ more expensive labor, then send
the kind that is most desired—white men.
In short, my opinion is that Africa must be
evangelized by her sous and daughters,
and trained upon the field, (her own chil
dren educated in European nations are not
as useful workers as those educated here,)
under the superintendence and assistance of
white men. This opinion is based upon
experience and observation at mission sta
tions along 2,000 miles of this coast. Doubt
less this advice to the Board is on the same
principle as advice to editors—without cost
or remuneration. May the Lord direct and
bless the deliberations of the Board upon
this very important subject.”
The Work of Translating.—lt is abun
dantly evtdent how important for a people
with a language as yet unwritten must be
the literary labors of the missionary, who
thus lays, in the spirit of the gospel, the
foundation stone of a people’s future litera
ture. But a too speedy translation of the whole
Scriptures into an unprinted language has
its drawbacks. It requires long familiarity
with a language, and deep penetration into
its spirit to be able, after much prayer, to
create and coin expressions and ideas which
will be of infinite importance for the future
growth of the community in Christian civi
lization, For a time at least, the more im
portant parts of Scripture should be consid
ered sufficient—Christlleb on the Foreign
Missions of Protestantism.