Newspaper Page Text
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HEN It V 11. TUCKER, Editor
PILATE'S HANDS.
Pilate knew that Jesus was an inno
cent man, and he so declared in the
most public manner. He knew that
the persecutors of our Lord were moved
by no good motive. Pilate was inclined
to do right. So far as we can judge,
it is probable that he administered
justice with an even hand except when
he thought it to his interest to do
otherwise. He had no ill-will against
his prisoner in the present case, and if
left to himself would probably have
■dicharged him without penalty. But
he was anxious to conciliate the people
among whom he was stationed, and so
he proposed to compromise the matter
with them by scourging Jesus instead
of crucifying him. For the sake of
popularity in his office, he was willing
to inflict this cruel outrage on a man
whom he knew to be worthy of no
punishment whatever, for he had dis
tinctly said : “I find no fault in him.”
Perhaps he would have refused to the
very last, to give orders ior the cruci
fixion if it had not been hinted to him,
that if he failed to give the order he
might lose his office, on a charge of
eing disloyal to Ctesar. The Jews
■cried out “If thou let this man go
thou art not Ciesar’s friendand this
settled the question with the pliant
office-holder. But when he gave the
order he said : “I am innocent of the
blood of this just person, see ye to it,”
and he washed his hands in the pres
ence of the multitude. He did not
however disclaim the guilt of scourg
ing him, and did not wash his hands
•of that. The guilt of .murdering Jesus
he threw, or endeavored to throw, on
the crowd that clamored for his death,
but the guilt of guilt of scourging an
innocent man, he assumed himself,
taking his pay in popularity.
But the point we wish to inquire
into, is this : Was the washing of his
hands a mere symbolical declaration of
what he had uttered in words, and ex
pressed in symbol merely to make
more impressive; or did he imaaMp
that there was some efficacy in thM||||
ter to wash away guilt?
know , but it is not improtafl«|||e|rag
was moved by both
tions. If by the
of bis conviction- as
th,'accused.
..■- -mpha-is
uu-.w !, ’ c
1;: oui ■
■!< ntly bunli i.'.-.i mLi
■ ~ I.if ti • i lie w .r” •, '->>■!
was relieved. Had tWJf
this deed? Had he
others must take the
True, hut after all, the act '
He could have preventer! thewßWH ■
he had choosen to exercise his author®
ty ;andbutfor the fear of losinghis place*
he would have done it. The guilt of
this final act he could not shift off on
others. It was his own, ai.d he knew
it to be such, and byway of relief he
washed his hands, and so far as we
know, this was the only cleansing from
that stain that his hands ever received.
If he really thought that water could
wash away his guilt, was he not led by
a wretched superstition? Indeed he
was, but he does not stand alone. He
is at the head of a vast army of ritual
ists. We should suppose that in these
days of greater light, the man who I
supposed himself to be rid of the crime
■Of murder by washing his hands, would
have very few followers, but he has
many. To say nothing of the thousands
who imagine themselves to receive
some spiritual benefit by sprinkling
themselves with “holy water” as it is
•called, and who think that extreme
unction, and priestly absolution will
be of some service to them in the
eternal world, are there not many of
those claiming to be evangelical with
whom a ceremonial religion is the only
■religion?
Are there not many others to whom
the strong expression last used would
not be applicable, but who, neverthe
less, believe that there is some kind of
efficiency, indefinable it may be, but
still real, in forms and ceremonies? 1
Why is it that the minister is some
times in haste to “baptize” a dying in
fant? The child itself is irresponsible
-and unconscious, but death is near,
and a few drops of water must be ap
plied. It is possible that Pilate may
have used the water only as a symbolic
language to express his convictions,
but as there is no call for such expres
sion in the case of a dying babe, why
is the water used, unless in the belief, I
or, at least, in the hope, that somehow I
or other, the little one will fare the
Letter for it in eternity? Are there
not many who imagine that baptism,
membership in the church, partaking of
“the holy eucharist” are all that is nec
essary to secure for them eternal life?
Assure these deluded ones that they
must be born again before they can see
the kingdom of God, and they reply
that they -have been born again; that
the new birth came with their baptism ;
and for this they find authority in a
well-known book, in which there is a
prayer to be used after the “baptism”
of an infant, in which prayer these
•words occur: “We yield ,thee hearty
THE CHRISTIAN INDEX AND SOUTH-WESTERN IbAPTIST : THURSDAY, MARCH 17, 1881.
thanks, most merciful Father, that it
hath pleased thee to regenerate this in
fant with thy Holy Spirit, to receive
him for thine own child by adoption,
and to incorporate him into thy holy
church.” The same doctrine is taught
as to those of riper years; for just before
baptism prayer is made that they may
be born again, and just after baptism
thanks are given that these persons are
“regenerate, and grafted into the body
of Christ’s church.” To us, it appears
that the washing is certainly as super
stitious,as the washing of Pilate’s hands
may have been.
Some of our Baptist brethren may
have greatly enjoyed the point of this ar
gument as directed against others, but it
would be well for us to consider whether
some of our own number are not in the
same category, and doing substantially
what we supposed Pilate to have done
when he washed his hands. While
they rightly adopt the washing as a
symbol, do not some of them imagine
that there is some kind of virtue in the
water which enures to the healing of
their souls? With others the same
germ of ritualism may develop in a
different way. They imagine, that
without a physical succession there pan
be no spiritual body, and expend much
of their energy in the vain attempt to
prove that there has not been a miss
ing link in the nineteen hundred years.
Some of them, knowing this to be im
possible, try to prove that such a thing
has been, because, as they allege, the
Spirit predicted that it would be. In
terpretation must be greatly strained
to support them. But why should
they so strongly derive to prove any
such thing? What difference does it
make whether they prove it or not?
We must think that the desire has its
origin in an undue regard for outward
forms—in a disposition to substitute
the physical for the spiritual, or, at
least, to strengthen the latter by the
aid of the former.
Is not the same principle involved,
though somewhat obscurely, in the case
of those who, not having clear views of
the doctrine of justification by faith,
imagine that there is some kind of
atoning efficacy in deeds of duty? It
is well to remind such, that no act of
duty, however excellent in itself, has
any more on the soul
Jhan the Pilate
ULtynavc fnii'B
necessarily, but faitWn any
influence of the mind on the body in
matters of hygiene and therapeutics
has long been a hobby with us, and
we have recently heard of a wonderful
illustration of the correctness of our
long-chcrished views. Dr. Hammond
of New York had under his treatment
a woman suffering from some kind of
disease. She was a Roman Catholic,
and firmly believed that if she could
only bathe the part affected with the
Lourdes water she would lie healed.
Dr. Hammond happened to have some
of the miraculous water of Lourdes,
but this he kept secret from the woman ;
but said that he had some other water
which he thought would do just as
well. Saying this, he gave her some of
the genuine Lourdes water and told
her to bathe with it. She used the
water faithfully, but in two days re
turned not in the least benefitted. The
doctor then gave her some common
water leaving her with the impression
that it was Lourdes water. In a day
or two she came back declaring that
she was cured, and the doctor certifies
that she actually was cured. The facts
of the case show, 1. That in this cure
at least, the Lourdes water had no more
curative power than any other water.
2. That the state of the woman’s mind,
in some mysterious way which we can
not explain, affected her body and re
lived her of disease. From the whole
we may infer that some of the alleged
cures at Lourdes may be genuine, while
yet they arc not miraculous; and fur
ther, that as to the influence of the
mind over the body in disease, our
physicians have much to learn. At
some time, we may possibly relate an
incident which occured in our own per
sonal experience, quite as remarkable
as the case which Dr. Hammond re
lates of his patient.
Those who represent the spiritual
system of Christianity as “an episode
of disease and delirium” between the
“nature-worship andnature-enjoyment”
of the ancient Greeks and the modern
scientists, affect to have all the wisdom
of the age. But even if we grant
them this,.they have not all the wit-as
the Independent shows in saying: “The
creed of pretentious unbelief rhymes
and chimes: Art. I, Ego, Art. 11, Nego.”
That is, (to keep up the rhyme 'and
chime in English,) “I-Deny.”
THE ECCLESIASTICAL CATER
PILLAR.
Variety of illustration is said to be
pleasing, and so we tell a story. Be
fore proceeding, we must say to our
readers, that to tell the tale with scien
tific accuracy requires some knowledge
of agriculture and of entomology, on
both which subjects our ignorance is
pre-eminent; and hence, to the well-in
formed, some of our expressions may
appear to be ludicrously inexact; still
our mistakes, if we make any, will not
affect the point of our story. On one
occasion the caterpillar or army-worm
or some such creature attacked a very
large field of cotton. These Insects, if
that be the right name for them, came
in immense numbers—nylHgns and
billions. They captured tftMld, and
after they had devourejLjWbry green
thing visible to microscopic
eyes, they resolved misnimously to
march in a body to another field. Be
tween the two fields there lay the track
of a railroad. Just as the whole sur
face of the earth wai carpeted with
the crawling creatures, a locomotive
with a train of cars came rushing
furiously down th* track. Having
crushed a few hundred thousands of
the dauntless little martyrs, the wheels
began to be greasy and the friction Was
so diminished that the bite of the
wheels on the track would not hold, and
the consequence was, that the heavily
freighted engine, after a long coughing
spell came to a halt, and at last could do
nothing but stand still and whistle/The
worms proceeded on their journey as if
nothing had happened. We have heard
the same story about grasshoppers in
some of the Western States or Territo
ries. Quite likely no such statement
is historically true, but that is imma
terial. But hwc fabula docet, or in
other words the story teaches, that
in some very weak and insignificant
things there is a latent power which
cannot be overcome by the strongest
forces that men can control. The loco
motive is no match for the caterpillar.
Another lesson, (and the one which
has suggested the story), is this:
That the victory of the
due to the fact, that
was an independent
ly
all ■if
■Fr
il.'tirr in tlie w" .1 ' '
But the
caterpillars or arm
hoppers or whatever they
they left many of their slain
field, marched straight on to new con
quests, and they increased exceedingly,
and multiplied themselves upon the
earth. It is a strange paradox that in
weakness there is strength ; perhaps a
still stranger paradox is this, that the
more that weakness is diffused, the
more strength it supplies. Concentra
tion would be ruin; individualizing
and scattering the forces increases their
power and insures their triumph. The
old motto: “United we stand, divided
we fall,” does not always hold good;
just the reverse is often true: “United
we fall, divided we stand.”
It may be suggested that the church
ly word at the head of this article is a
deceiver. “What has all this to do,”
one may say, “with matters ecclesiasti
cal?” We leave the answer to this
question to be supplied by the imagi
nation of the reader.
A Southern Baptist pastor is report
ed os saying recently to an accom
plished lady, “You are cultivating your
head and letting your heart die out.”
Hers may have been an extreme case;
but is there not some opproximation
toward it in thousands of professing
Christians, as respects love for God and
zeal in his service? Was Dr. Cuyler
very far wrong, when he avowed
the belief, a few weeks ago, that “the
sin of the times is half-heartedness in
the churches?” Let us all bethink
ourselves. • It has been said that “the
heart makes the theologian,” and there
is momentous truth in the saying ; but
not with less reason do we say that the
heart makes the Christian in every-day
life, and not less is the need that we
should be heard when we say it.
The largest Baptist church on the
continent of Europe is at Memel, on
the Baltic Sea, in the extreme north
eastern corner of Prussia. At the be
ginning of 1876 it had a membership
of 2,780, but five other churches have
been constituted from it, reducing the
membership to 1,170. The Baptists of
Bt. Petersburg formerly belonged to it,
but they were dismissed last September
to form a church in their own city. Z"
Thßprophet Isaiah uses language
whiclfour translators render, “In all
their Itffliction He was afflicted,, but
whicßlhas been rendered by other
scholm, “In all their affliction there
was apt affliction.” As regards doc
trine She choice between these render
ings Is matter of indifference, since
the <4i* implies the other. The first
sets fyth the amazing truth, that God
has tender sympathy with the saints
in their sufferings and sorrows; and it
follows from this, byway of conse
quence. that the sense of His sympa
thy takes from sorrow and suffering all
their bitterness. Ou the other hand,
the second teaches that nothing wor
thy of the name of affliction remains
in the most bitter experiences of the
saints; and if we trace this wonder
back to its cause, we find, and can find
that cause only in their sense of the
Divine sympathy with them. But as
regards feeling, we prefer the first ren
dering ; we would not have so precious
a doctrine to rest on any inference of
ours; we rejoice to hear in express
words, from the lips of God, that He
feels with us in our woes.
It was a disastrous day for Chris
tianity when, on the conversion of
Constantine, the care of the sick and
of the poor was transferred from the
Church to the State. Fifteen cen
turies of a neglected function and an
impaired efficiency were wrapped up
in that virtual withdrawal of the
Church from the sphere of organized
secular benefaction. But there are
tokens, now and then, foreshadowing,
we trust, a return to the spirit of apos
tolic Christianity in this regard. We
note one, of recent occurrence. An
article in a Northern Methodist journal,
on the obligation of the churches in
the matter of "organized charities’ has
led Mr. George I. Seney, of Brooklyn,
to give $240,000 for the establishment
of a general hospital in that city.
While open to persons of all religious
beliefs, or of no religious belief, the
hospital, as Dr. Curry expresses it in
the N. Y. Methodist, “is to be a religious
itstitution, and therefore it must be
denominational, for union religious in
stitutions are usually failures”—which
as evidence that generosity
hand in hand with wisdom
|«B|g|9vwnent.
organiza-
l,f Policy is
, Bcticable or not. we will
decide; but there is
in it. Every other
Jlphere of ministerial labor seeks those
who shall occupy it; why should the
missionary sphere be the only one out
of many that does not?
The Baltimore Methodist, speaking
of the churches of its denomination
in that city, says: “We are a confede
ration, but not a union. In much of
our practical church life we are simply
thirty-seven congregational sovereign
ties, meeting once a year to tell our in
dividual victories and defeats, but in
real sympathy and true alliance no
closer than with other denominations.”
The Independency of the New Testa
ment makes "congregational sovereign
ties” of all churches; and the fact of
which the Methodist apprises us, is
only another instance serving to prove
that those who reject Independency
in theory, for Presbyterian or Episco
pal forms of church government, are
nevertheless compelled to resort to it
largely in practice. Nor does this
practical Independency seem to have
had very mischievous results; the
ratio of increase in Methodist member
ship since 1870 has kept pace with the
ratio of increase in the population of
the city—which is a growth much be
yond the average.
There is an important lesson for
Christian ministers in the words of
Dr. Samuel Miller in his seventy-ninth
year, as quoted by the Interior: “After
the observation and experience of a
long life, I have come decisively to the
conclusion that if I had my life to live
over again, I would pay ten times as
much attention to the children of my
charge as I ever did when a pastor.”
Happy they who learn, at the outset,
the folly of neglecting the seed-time
and yet hoping for a harvest—who
make the afterthought of Dr. M. their
forethought.
Boston claims to be the seat of the
highest culture in America, and it is
the centre of Congregationalism in
this country. We are the more grati
fied on these accounts, to learn from a
correspondent of the Examiner and
Chronicle, that “Baptists lead all Pro
testant denominations in that city by
1,112 communicants.” a
OFFENSIVE TRUTH.
When a man boldly and in strong
terms proclaims the doctrines of the
New Testament some persons are sure
to be offended; some will hear the
preacher no more; some will withdraw
from the church; some denounce Chris
tianity; and some deny the doctrine.
Others will accept the doctrine with
joy, but finding it to be unpopular,
will advise the preacher either to re
frain from declaring it altogether, or to
state it mildly. The preacher should
take no such advice, but should go
straight forward, and proclaim the
truth faithfully as he . finds it in the
word of God. The question for him
to decide, is not whether the doctrine
is popular, but whether it is taught in
the Bible. He is responsible for what
he preaches, but not for the consequen
ces. If men say that he is doing more
harm than good, and withdraw from
his ministry, let them do it. It is but
history repeating itself. On one occa
sion our Lord uttered these words: “No
man can come to me except it were
given unto him of my Father.” Jno.6 :
65. The doctrine was very offensive,
and it drove away some from his min
istry, not only some, but many ; many
even of those who had been classed as
his disciples. From that very hour they
went back and never walked with him
again. Os course, our Lord foresaw
this; but knowing the effect his words
would have he nevertheless uttered
them. Now it is enough for‘the dis
ciple that he be as his master, and the
servant as his lord. If the preacher
knows beforehand that the truth of
God’s word will drive certain people
from his ministry, it is his duty to pro
claim it nevertheless. Yet there is
room here, as there is everywhere else,
for abuse. We think that cases have
occured where ministers have selected
certain times and occasions to promul
gate certain truths with the deliberate
intention of giving offence, and thus
men get up for themselves the reputa
tion of great boldness of speech and
heroism, and if they should incur cen
sure, they claim to be martyrs for the
truth’s sake. A preacher should never
intend to give offence; but if with pure
motives and in the faithful discharge
of his duty he should do so, and even
drive people from the sanctuary, let
him not be distressed. His Lord had
the same experience before him.
furnished by Lord
-aloons,
for tKe education ofTBWB class
to be opened in every town and hamlet
in the commonwealth.”
A critic of Watson’s Theological In
stitutes, in the Baltimore Episcopal
Methodist, referring to the position of
that author—that “the church cannot
employ force to compel men into its
pale,” says: “And yet there is some
thing very much like force employed
when a young child is picked up out
of the crib and carried to the font and
baptized; or a kicking and screaming
youngster is held up off the floor by
both hands of the mother and one of
the preacher, while the water is being
applied.” “Very much like force,” in
deed : so much so that if the genius of
Christianity warrants these things, we
do not see why it may not warrant
compulsory baptism at any age and in
any form.
Such of our papers as have pro
posed recently that “we all drop Land
markism” will be amused to learn from
the North Carolina Baptist Review, that
they are attempting to “wipe out” “that
doctrine of predestination and election
which has ever been held to be the
honey-comb of the denomination!”
In other words, they are heading an
Arminian revolt against the Calvinistic
—or rather Pauline—faith of our
fathers!
Delegates to the Georgia Bap
tist Convention—Take Notice.—
Names of those expecting to attend are
being sent in too slowly. Promptness
is necessary that all may be informed
by mail before they leave theii homes,
with whom they will stay during the
session. Some also are neglecting to
mention their post-office address. If
personal arrangements have been made
with friends for your own entertain
ment, it is still desirable that the com
mittee shall be informed.
C. D. Campbell, pastor.
To Parents.—ls parents, residing
elsewhere, who have sons located in
Atlanta will communicate with R. A.
Monteith, President of the Young Men,s
Evangelical Association of the First
Baptist Church, this Association will
look them up and throw as much re
ligious influence around them as pos
sible. Please give’ place of business
and residence.
GEORGIA BAPTIST NEWS.
—There were seven persons added
to the membership of the Elberton
church recently.
—Rev. Charles A. Stakely has been
conducting a series of meetings in the
Baptist church at Hartwell.
—There will be preaching in the
Union Point Baptist church on the
third Sunday during the year.
—A colored Baptist church was or
ganized on the 13th instant, at Deca
tur, DeKalb county, to be known as
“Thankful.” It promises to be a
flourishing ehurch.
—Douglassville Star: “Some of the
histrionic talent of this place aremaking
arrangements to act some plays for the
benefit of the Baptist church. They
will be assisted by the minstrels.”
—We call the special attention of
our readers to the appeal, on the
second page, addressed to the churches
and Sunday-schools of the Columbus
Association, and signed by Rev. C. C.
Willis, President of the Sunday-school
Convention.
—Early County 'News: “Rev. J. H.
Corley filled his appointments at the
Baptist church in Blakely, on Saturday
and Sunday last, and gave his congre
gations two of the best sermons we
have listened to in a long time.”
—Macon Telegraph and Messenger:
“The lecture of Rev. Dr. A. J. Battle
Sunday night last at the First Baptist
church, on the “Origin of Man,” was
an admirable and instructive produc
tion. His large audience was highly
pleased.”
—Senoia Farm and Home: “We are
sorry to learn that Dr. H. C. Hornady,
of Atlanta, is quite sick. He has been
confined to his room for some iweeks.
His hundreds of warm and devoted
friends in this community extend to
him their sympathy."
—The Sunday-school Convention of
the Stone Mountain Association will
meet in the Central Baptist church,
Atlanta, on the Ist, 2nd and 3rd days
of April. Please remember this, and
let all who can be present on thia in
teresting occasion.
—Hartwell Sun: “A subscription
was started in the Sunday school at the
Baptist church last Sunday to build a
steeple and purchase a 1,000 pound
bell. Eighty dollars was subscribed at
once. The steeple will add much to
the appearance of the building, and a
fcell is badly needed.”
■ Savannah News, of the 9th,
i H. L. Simpson, a well
| preacher, died last night,
age. He
I K ■
| I N
I HU 11 is :, ‘
K Si " B?
I >/•■ T ' !i '-
I Middle As-
| night, March 11th,
I |K Pleasant Grove, 13th, Sun
|BPJßmsboro, night; Louisville, 14th,
bethel, night; Bartow, 15th, night;
Wadley, 16th, night; Midville, 17th,
night; Garbnttte Mills, 18th; Little
Buckhead, 19th, Perkinsville, night;
Waynesboro, 20th, Sunday; Hopeful,
night; Hephzibah, 22nd, Silver Run,
night; Harlem, 23rd, Old Union.
—Dr. M. P. Deadwyler, of Elberton,
Ga., who has been visiting Atlanta in
the interest of the Baptist church of
his town, paid us a pleasant visit on
Wednesday. He informed us that
several of our citizens had subscribed
to the fund which is now being raised
for the erection of a new church edi
fice in Elberton. We congratulate him
and his friends in view of his success,
and hope they will soon have the re
quired sum in hand for carrying to
completion this laudable enterprise.
—We call the attention of our read
ers to the “Report of the Committee
on the Death of Dr. W. H. Thornton,”
which will be found on our sixth page.
Dr. Thornton, a wise, faithful, zealous
and happy Christian, honored and
beloved in life, receives, in this excel
lent memorial, a befitting tribute to his
worth, the expression of the love and
affection felt for him by the sorrowing
brethren of the First church in Eu
faula, Ala., of which church he was for
years a shining, exemplary and stead
fast pillar.
—Dr. Gwin, of the First Baptist
church, and Dr. Boggs, of the Central
Presbyterian church, of this city, ex
changed pulpits last Sunday morning.
Dr. Boggs’ sermon was on the subject
of the efficacy of prayer; a strong,
plain-worded, thoroughly scriptural
discourse, a model of terse reasoning,
and of incontrovertible argument His
exposition of the falseness and absurdi
ty of Prof. Tyndall’s so-called “prayer
test,” was an admirable piece of criti
cism. It was a sermon that did good
to mind and heart, and the large con
gregation present fully appreciated its
solemn truths and potent admonitions.
Rev. T. J. Bowen.—A photograph
of this brother, now gone to his rest, is
desired by the Smithsonian Institute,
to form a part of the National Gallery.
Any one will confer a favor who will
send brother Bowen’s photograph to
Prof. Otis I. Mason, Columbian College,
Washington, D. C.
Georgia Baptist Convention
Send your name to the Committee at
once. See Bro. Campbell’s card in an
other column.)