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HENRY H.TUCKKR, Kditor.
THE LOGARITHMIC PROMISE.
“How should on* chase a thousand and two
put teu thousand to flight." Deut. 32 39.
Within the last few weeks or months
we have had much to say about the in
dependence of churches. Each church,
in our opinion, is a little empire sep
arate from and disconnected with all
others, and wholly independent of all
persona and things in this world, hav
ing plenary power within itself, to do
and perform all that is to be done for
the kingdom of God, by any organized
body under the requirements of the
New Testament. The decisions of each
are supreme for itself; and this side of
Heaven there is no higher court to
which appeals can be taken. As with
individuals each one must give account
of himself to God, so with churches;
each under God is its own master, di
viding responsibility with none. In
various ways we have illustrated our
belief that concentration of ecclesiast
ical responsibility and power would
work injury to the cause of Christ, and
that in the segregation of churches
there is both strength and safety. It is
needless to say more on this subject;
but having committed ourselves fully
to this doctrine of isolation, we have
now something to say on the ad
vantages of combination.
The very idea of combination invol
ves the idea of plurality; for unity is
the last analysis that can be made, and
in order to combination there must be
at least two units, or any number
greater than one. Hence, if there are
any advantages in combination, no
unity can enjoy them. Hence, again,
if there be but one church, the ad
vantages of combination, if there be
any, must be impossible to that church ;
and hence, finally, if all churches in
stead of being merely combined, are
united so as to form one consolidate
body which might be properly called
the church, no benefit can be derived
from combination; its unity making
combination impossible.
But what are these benefits? In the
first place, observe that various forces
acting in different directions, on the
same body, will produce a result, dif
ferent from what the same amount of
force would do, if operating in only
one direction. The resultant force is a
diagonal coinciding with none of the
component forces. Every attempt to
unite churches into one organic body,
results in hierarchy, and places power
in the hands of a few; for every hier
archy is an oligarchy. These few give
direction to the affairs of the whole,
and the great body of God’s people on
earth are the mere subjects of a govern
ment, in which virtually they have no
voice. True, they may choose their
masters, but these, when chosen, are
masters none the less, and those who
choose them are but spiritual serfs.
Thus within the kingdom of Christ
another kingdom is erected, an imper
ium in imperio, for which there is no
warrant fn the New Testament. One
is our Master and all we are brethren ;
to that One we all owe supreme allegi
ance, but in our relations to each other
we are on equality. Let each church
be a democracy, and let each be indep
endent of every other, and there can
be no gigantic power to exercise spirit
ual despotism ; and let these combine
their forces on any given object, and
the result will be what no man or set
of men united would give it. Thus
direction is given not by the few, nor
even by the many, but by all. Every
one has his influence, and can make
himself felt as a force. Who is it then
that controls Christian effort in its
great enterprises? No pope, nor con
vocation, nor synod, nor conference,
but the whole people of God. We are
much more ready to believe, that the
mind of the Lord is with his people,
than that it is with any body of spirit
ual magnates who would lord it over
God’s heritage. Hence, when churches
•ombine without uniting, wiser and
purer counsels prevail, than when by
union they concentrate power in the
hands of a few. Each is a check upon
the other; all looking to Christ, and
thus they keep each other in balance,
like the heavenly bodies revolving ar
ound a central sun.
By combination there is not only
a different direction given to power,
but there is an increase of power. Two
men can often do more than one man
taken twice. Suppose a house to be
built, whose timbers are just too large
for one man to handle. Two men
might raise the frame in a day, but
one man could not do it in two days,
nor in twenty, nor a hundred days, nor
ever. Suppose even that one man had
the strength of two, or of twenty, there
would still be occasions when power
would be needed in more places than
one at the same time, and thus two
men of ordinary strength would be
more efficient than one with the
strength of Samson. For similar reas
ons, men form partnerships in business.
Separately each one can accomplish so
much; combining their efforts sup
posing there to be two of them, they
accomplish not merely twice that much
but more. This applies not merely
where capital is needed, but in the
learned professions as well, and con
sequently lawyers and doctors com
bine in firms, for mutual advantage.
THE CHRISTIAN INDEX AND SOUTH-WESTERN BAPTIST: THURSDAY, APRIL 14, 1881.
All that we have said has been sug
gested by that passage in Deut 32:30,
where it is declared, in 'effect, that, on
certain conditions, “one shall chase a
thousand, and two put ten thousand to >
flight." Why this dis proportioned in
crease of effect? Arithmetic would
seem to teach that, if one could chase
a thousand, two would put two thou
sand to flight But there is something
else besides figures to be taken into the
account. The power of combination
is a factor which enhances the value of
the combined units. Two men, separ
ate and independent as individuals, but
combining their forces, can do not.
merely twice as much as one man, but
ten times as much. It is remarkable
that the increase corresponds exactly
but inversely with the logarithms
of numbers, and hence we have
called the text the logarithmic premise.
It is certainly surprising that the dis
tinction between arithmetical and geo
metrical progression should have been
observed, and it may be that the Spirit
which indited this expression had refer
ence to this peculiar relation of num
bers. But in another place, (Lev. 26 :8),
where the same general thought is ad
vanced, the proportion is not kept up.
It is there said, “Five of you shall
chase a hundred, and a hundred of you
shall put ten thousand to flight.” All
combinations may not be of equal value;
the result in some cases may be as fl ve to
one, and in others as ten to one, and
the variations may be infinite; and
passibly this may be the reason of the
difference in the two texts quoted.
This may be fanciful, and therefore not
at all to be relied on as interpretation;
and this may be the case, too, with the
logarithmic proportion noticed in the
first of the passages adduced. But we
think it is not a mere fancy to suppose
that the disproportionate increase spok
en of in both texts is not meaningless. In
the one case (Deut. 32:30) the words
are spoken by Moses in his dying song;
in the other case (Lev. 26 :8) the words
are spoken to Moses, by one who pre
faces his speech by saying, “I am the
Lord your God.” It is by no accident
that this peculiarity of expression oc
curred ; nor can we suppose that a mere
current phrase was vaguely adopted,
for if this had been the case, the same
form of expression would have been
used in both instances. We must think
that the words were used intentionally ;
not thoughtlessly, nor yet as mere mat
ter of rhetoric, and that they mean
something. Now, what do they mean?
Why should it be said that “One should
chase a thousand, and two put ten
thousand to flight?” Definite numbers
may indeed have been used in an inde
finite sense, which is a very common
usage; but why, in each case, should
there be greater increase spoken of than
the figures mathematically justify?
We do not claim to have found an an
swer to this question; but we can con
ceive of no reason other than that
which we have given, namely, that
when two or more forces are combined,
they are more potent than the same
amount of force would be if acting as
a unit.
If we are right in this supposition,
which we think is something more than
a mere conceit, then an ecclesiastical
organization which absorbs all its forces
into one grand aggregate, thus destroy
ing their independency by unification,
can never enjoy the benefit indicated
in the logarithmic promise; for the
promise is not to such. On the other
hand, mere independence, without
combination or co-operation, reduces
the dissociated little units to the same
condition with the monster unit just
described ; no promise is made to them.
The assurance is not to the small, nor
yet to the great; but to the harmo
nious co-operation of many; it is at
once a divisor and a multiplier—a di
visor of force, a multiplier of forces.
The Lord, with regard to the resto
ration of exiled Israel to their own
land, said, “With supplications will I
lead them” (Jer. 31:9.). There is
sweetness in the thought, that the Lord
leads his people, and surprise in the
thought, that he leads them with their
own supplications. His guidance is
already in their cries for guidance, for
“he pours out the spirit of grace and of
supplications” on them, (Zech. 12 :10)
and through that spirit prompts the
askings on their part which corres
pond to the purposed givings on his
own. Both the prophets speak in the
plural, intimating at once the united
supplications of the body of believers
and the persevering supplications of
the individual believer, for the prayer
which God answers is the prayer of
fered by his people with on® heart and
one soul, and none has a share in that
answer but he who shows the fervency
of his prayer by its frequency.
—Augusta Evening News : The spe
cial services at the First Baptist church
in which the pastor, Mr. Landrum, is
assisted by Rev. W. C. Lindsay, will
continue all this week, and the public
are invited. The impression made by
Mr. Lindsay is deep and lasting, and
he will ever be remembered as one of
the most powerful and striking exemp
lars and preachers of divine truth ever
heard in this section.
—The Henry County Weekly says:
The Primitive Baptists, of Hampton,
are making an effort to raise, by sub
scription, a sufficient sum of money to
build a new house of worship. The
present edifice was erected ovir fifty
years ago.
QUERIES.
' The following questions are asked
_ us by a minister of high standing; the
, names are fictitious, and so far as we
know, no such case ever happened.
1. Can the Baptist church at Col
, umbus after receiving John Smith by
letter from the church at Griffin, and
keeping him in the church for six
’ months, return him without a letter to
the church at Griffin?
When John Smith was received by
the church at Columbus, the letter that
he brought from Griffin became a dead
letter, and Smith was in the same pos
ition that he would have been in if he
had never belonged to any church
other than the one at Columbus. This
church had no more right to send him
to Griffin without a letter than to any
other church without a letter. If this
church discharged him from its mem
bership without a letter, he became
virtually an excluded member.
2. Can the church at Columbus,
having received Smith as above, at the
request (not of Griffin fortrial but)
of Smith himself, return to him the
identical letter brought to them from
Griffin six months before?
No. The moment he became a mem
ber of the Columbus church, his letter
was dead, and for pratical purposes
ceased to exist. It had accomplished
its mission; it had done all it was ever
intended to do, and it could not pos
sibly do, or be made to do anything
more. If the letter had been burned
Io ashes the moment the Columbus
chuich received him, no harm would
have been done to anybody or to any
thing. If it had not been burned, the
paper might still exist, but the writing
on the paper would be null and void,
and of no value or effect; and hence
the letter could not be used for any
purpose whatever, either at Smith’s re
quest or at Griffin’s request, or at any
body’s request.
3. If Columbus returns Smith, in
either<of the above ways to Griffin, and
Griffin afterwards gives Smith a letter
to Macon, and Macon receives him,
what is the true status of Smith as to
church membership? Where does he
belong?
If the church at Griffin received
Smith in either of the above ways, it
received him as an excluded member
from another church. A church can
do this; a church can receive anybody
it pleases; and sometimes it may re
ceive those who ought not to be receiv
ed. When a church receives a mem
ber who has been excluded from an
other church without consent of that
church it breaks fellowship with tlfet
other church, unless, perhaps, when
that other church is so far off as to be
practically out of reach. But excluded
members are frequently received by a
church with the consent of the church
from which they were excluded. In
the case supposed, Columbus seems to
have been willing for Griffin to receive
Smith. But whether Columbus was
willing or not, Smith became a bona
fide member of the Griffin church the
moment the vote receiving him was
taken; and as Columbus was willing
for its excluded member to be so receiv
ed, no fellowship was broken. Smith,
now being a member of the Griffin
church, may be dismissed by that
church to Macon, and when he is re
ceived on the strength of it, his member
ship is with the Macon church.
Columbus excluded him, whether
rightfully or wrongfully, regularly or
irregularly, intentionally or uninten
tionally, it is needless to inquire. Grif
fin received him, whether rightfully’ or
wrongfully, regularly or irregularly,
wisely or unwisely, is immaterial. Grif
fin afterwards dismissed him by letter,
and on that letter Macon received him,
and his membership is with the church
last named.
4. Columbus wishes to know if it is
still responsible for Smith.
Columbus is reponsible for having
done a very unwise thing; that is, for
excluding Smith when (so far as the
record shows) there were no charges
against him; responsible also for an
other unwise thing; that is, for putting
a man in the position of an excluded
member when the intention was only
to dismiss him ; responsible also for a
third unwise thing; that is, for attemp
ting to send a member to another
chureh without a letter.
Griffin is also responsible for an un
wise thing; that is, for receiving Smith
either without a letter, or with one
which was of no more value than blank
paper. If Griffin wished to receive
Smith into membership, he should have
been required to get his letter from
Columbus; or else Celumbus should
have been asked to say distinctly that
Smith was an excluded member, and
that no objection would be made to his
being received at Griffin. In either of
these cases Smith would have become
a member of the Griffin church in a
regular way. As it was, his reception
was irregular, inexpedient and without
precedent.
But now that Smith is a member of
the Macon church, nobody is respons
ible for him but Macon ; and Macon is
not responsible for the errors commit
ted by Columbus and Griffin. If any
of our brethren differ with us on the
points involved they are welcome to
the use our columns for a reasonable
time; the discussion, if there should be
any, must not be too long.
Once, in an Italian city a man sicz
ed from an altar the candles burning
before the crucifix, and carried them
before the bust of the poet Dante, ex-
claiming, "Accept this homage, of
which thou art worthier than Christ.”
We recoil from blasphemy, and we do
well to recoil from it. But, alas, how
often we give Christ the second place
in the affections of our hearts,or iu the
labor of our lives, and think nothing
of it! and rejoice in it! and plume
ourselves upon it! What little things,
too, we prefer to Christ! what false
things! what foul things! Ah, wheth
er we think it or not, to place even
the greatest and truest and purest
things above Christ is to make them
little and false and foul. To make
them so? Yes; and ourselves also—if,
fndeed, the littleness, and falseness,
and foulness be not first in us, and only
made the worse by this guilty folly.
FACTS AND HGURES.
It is a common saying that facts and
figures do not lie. We believe it was
Sidney Smith who said that no two
things in the world are more freely
used in the interest of lying than facts
and figures; and if Sidney Smith did
not say it, we do. A lie slipped in
among a goodly number of facts, may
easily escape notice; it is in good com
pany, and so does not excite suspicion,
but on the contrary, unless closely ex
amined, it partakes of the respectabili
ty of its surroundings; acd even if
there be no lie mixed in with the facts,
like Satan presenting himself with the
sons of God, the facts themselves, by
wrong collocation, or by partial state
ment omitting the hinge-facts, may be
not only misguiding, but vastly more
so than any collection of mere false
hoods. So with figures. Their mean
ing is clearly defined, there is no am
biguity about them; they carry with
them an air of exactness; and men
always pay intellectual homage to ex
actness, so that what comes to us with
mathematical precision, we scarcely
dare to controvert. Yet a single mis
placed figure in a long calculation, can
scatter more of the distemper of false
hood than almost anything else.
Not long ago we published half a
column of facts and figures from an
authentic source, going to show a most
frightful deterioration in the morals of
the State of Maine. These statements
were used, and with great effect, by
the enemies of the anti-liquor laws in
force in that State. We used them for
no such purpose, but rather to draw
out, from some of our Pine-tree breth
ren, an explanation; and naming our
valued exchange, Zion’s Advocate, we
said that we should take it as a kind
ness if our brother, the editor of that
journal, would give us some light.
Whether or not it was our request that
brought him to the front, we do not
know, but in the front he stands; and
as no one else invited him, so far as
we know, and as no one else has given
the much-needed explanations, we shall
take it for granted that our call brought
him to the floor. He of course is the
father of his own speech; but, under
the circumstances, we claim to be its
grandfather.
Well, he has made a pretty clean
showing. He does not, indeed, dispute
the statements published by us, but he
brings in other facts and figures which
put a very different aspect on the con
dition of things in Maine. His able
article is too long to copy, and this we
regret, but as we have the confidence
of our readers, they will take our word
for it, that it is clearly made to appear,
that the result of the anti-liquor legis
lation in Maine has been to diminish,
very largely, the commission of crime.
We say this, not specially to sustain
that legislation, (for we should not favor
it in Georgia), but because having pub
lished what is discreditable to the peo
ple of a great State, we feel in honor
bound to say now, that those statements
are misleading.
In January last the office of the Bap
tist Banner, published in Cumming, Ga.
by our brother J. M. Wood was des
troyed by fire. The first number of
the new issue now published in Gaines
ville, has just reached us. The editor
expresses his thanks for editorial cour
tesies shown by other papers in the
following language:
“To our Exchanges and the Press of
Georgia: Surely no editor has ever fal
len into better hands and a nobler
brotherhood. With only two or three
exceptions our exchanges have not on
ly helped us in giving publicity to our
subscribers regarding our lost books,
but from time to time offered words of
encouragement and cheer; and have
withal continued to come to us during
these three months of suspense. From
our hearts we thank them all.
“We also tender thanks to the press
of Georgia for kindness shown. We
hope to prove to be worthy of this mar
ked respect and confidence. Send us
your papers to Gainesville, Ga.”
We congratulate our beloved brother
on his recovery from his misfortune,
and trust that his enterprise will be
profitable to himself and to our de
nomination. The Baptist Banner waves
at Gainesville, the Baptist Sun shines
at Rome, the Georgia Baptist thrives
in Augusta, “Kind Words” are spoken
in Macon, and the old Index will al
ways continue, we hope, to point in
the right direction.
Artificial pulpit eloquence, cultured
but cola, (to borrow a figure of Long
fellow’s ) “gleams like a river, frozen
and starlit.” It attracts for a season ;
but, at last, one shivers and shrinks
from it.
GEORGIA BAPTIST NEWS.
The following is the programme of
the Sunday-school Convention of the
Cave Spring Association, to meet in
the Rome Baptist church on Friday
before the first Sunday in May:
Introductory sermon—Rev. R. D.
Mallary. Importance and best method
of interesting the parents in the Sab
bath-school work—Rev. J. W. Pullen.
Importance of church supervision and
co operation in Sabbath-school work —
M. H. Bunn. Special benefits of the
Sabbath-school to the church—Rev. C.
H. Stillwell. The best method of es
tablishing and keeping Sabbath-schools
in the country—Rev. D. T. Espy.
General discussion on Queries and Re
ports. Sabbath morning—Meet with
the Rome Sabbath-school at 9 o’clock.
Sabbath 11 o’clock—Services by
Rev. T. C. Boykin, State Sunday-school
Evangelist.
—Under the caption : “A Monstrous
Heresy Unveiled”, the Augusta Evening
News of last Thursday publishes the
following card:
“Editor Evening News: Please al
low me space to give the public due
notice that next Sabbath, at 8 o’clock
p.m., at Calvary Baptist church,the pas
tor will unveil the monstrous heresythat
Baptism is an essential to salvation.
“Besides the positive arguments drawn
from the arsenal of Truth by which to
slay that monster evil, every passage of
Scripture relied upon by the various
advocates of ‘water salvation’ will be
honestly,fairly, and critically examined.
“The day has come when the cause of
‘Truth’ demands—indeed, an intelli
gent public demands free discussion
from every pulpit, round every fireside
in all our social gatherings, of those,
great questions which mix and mingle
with our highest interests. Let the
people have the truth from every stand
point, and make their own selection
with intelligent and prayerful con
cern.
“I prefer the above to appear over my
own signature. Respectfully,
E. R. Carswell, Jr.”
—Rev. W. A. Lane has been called
(and has accepted the call) to supply
the Baptist church in Fairburn for this
year.
—The Springfield colored Baptist
church in Wynnton, in the suburbs of
Columbus, was dedicated a few days
ago. Rev. W. J. Marshall is the pas
tor.
—The open air meetings in Colum
bus, conducted by Dr. J. H. Campbell,
are still attracting large and deeply in
terested congregations.
—Macon Telegraph and Messenger:
Very successful religious services have
been held in the Baptist church night
ly for a week. Rev. R. J. Willingham,
who has been visiting this city, assisted
Rev. E. W. Warren in conducting the
services. The meetings will be con
tinued throughout this week. Mr.
Willingham has been called home, but
will return, it is thought, and continue
the good work. His many friends of
this city trust that it may be so. He
is an earnest worker and devout Chris
tian
—Brother H. L. Williams writes
from Lumber City, Telfair county, April
3d.: “According to appointment Rev.
P. A. Jessup, of Eastman, preached a
very able and appropriate sermon, after
which assisted by Rev. D. J. Thomp
son, a missionary Baptist church was
oiganized with four male and five fe
male members. This is the first Bap
tist church ever organized here, so far
as I knew or can learn.
“Pray for us and our infant church!”
—The union meeting of the Elbert
district of the Sarepta Association con
venes with the Bowman Baptist church
Friday before the fifth Lord’s day in
May 1881.
—A postal received from brother E.
W. Warren, dated Macon, 9th inst.,
says: “Meetings in the First Baptist
church are progressing favorably.
About twenty have united with us.
Students of Mercer are beginning to be
interested. Will pious parents and
brethren in the State pray for a great
outpouring of the Spirit upon us?”
—Macon Herald: Rev. James H.
Hall, the Baptist divine, is doing good
w».rk in Newnan. He is a popular
preacher and a teacher of no ordinary
ability. His church is prosperous, his
preaching is effectual, and his teachings
are “words of soberness and truth.”
—Griffin Sun: Rev. Dr. DeVotie
has accepted the call to the pastorate
of the Baptist church at Decatur. Grif
fin thus loses one of her most accomp
lished gentlemen and pious citizens,
while Decatur receives a zealous
preacher, who is at once entertaining,
learned and truly righteous. May God
prosper and keep him and his family
ever in the pure atmosphere of love
eternal safety!
The Macon Meeting. —The meet
ing in Macon, we learn, is progressing
favorably. Dr. Warren is assisted by
Dr. Battle, Rev. R. J. Willingham and
Rev. Jas. Mcßride. Brother Willing
ham has done most of the preaching
at night, and preaches very acceptably
to large audiences. Dr. Warren
preaches to quite numerous assemblies
in the afternoon. He has put his mem
bers to work systematically, and it is
hoped that the work will become yet
more extensive. Though no great ex
citement has been manifested,yet many
ask for prayer. About twenty-five have
joined the church by experience and
two by letter; about fifteen have been
baptized. On Sabbath last Dr. Warren
preached two most excellent sermons
to very large audiences. From what
we learn, the work promises to be much
deeper in interest and widespread than
at present. One student of Mercer,
Mr. C. D. Peavy, has united with the
church, as has also a young son of Dr.
Battle, the President of Mercer Uni
versity.
—The Billow correspondent of the
Carroll County Times writes: Shiloh
church-building remains just as it was,
the frame rotting in the weather. Not
a blow from the mechanic’s hammer
in eight months. In the mean time any
amount of talk has been done, and
promises have been made. A “work
subscription” did it
—A series of very interesting meet
ings have been held in the Rome Bap
tist church. The feeling that has been
awakened in the community is exceed
ingly gratifying, and promises great
good in behalf of the Master’s cause in
that city. The pastors and members
of other churches are assisting in the
good work.
—The Baptist church-building at
Davisboro will be finished throughout
in a short time.
IN MEMORIAM.
[lt is with pain that we publish the
following notice of the death of the
wife of our venerable and beloved
brother, D. G. Daniell. A sore heart, a
very sore heart he will carry the rest of
his life, but in the course of nature,the
days of his pilgrimage will not be
many though they may seem long;
and surely it must help a man to bear
his grief when he knows that he is
within arm’s reach as it were of reun
ion and of eternal life. We tender our
sincerest sympathies to our bereaved
brother, and pray that whatever his
burden may be, he may have strength
to bear it.—Ed. Index.]
Mrs. Mary Daniell, wife of Rev. D. G. Dan
iell, died on the 25th March last, at Wal
thourville.’ Her death was quite unexpect
ed, but she was ready. It might ba said of
her:
■.‘The world recedes; it disappears!
Heaven opens on my eyes! my ears
With sounds seraphic ring:
Lend, lend your wings! I mount! I fly !
O grave ! where is thy victory T
O death ! where Is thy sting 1"
These facts will be acceptable to the many
friends of brother and sister Daniell. They
had been married nearly fifty-two years.
They were baptized at the same time, Jan. 6,
1833, by Rev. H. O. Wyer, and became
members of the Baptist church in Savan
nah. They had walked together as Chris-,
tians and Baptists for forty-eight years.
In all her husband’s toils, as missionary,
agent, and pastor ; in war and peace; in
many counties and towns of the State, she
shared his toiis, labors and hardships. She
was most energetic and laborious, as “a
keeper at home.' 1 She never doubted her
butband’s call to preach, and hence always
said to him “Go, and we will be cared for
somehow.” Among the last words she
spoke to him was the word “go.” The pa
rents and friends expected him to attend tne
funeral ot a little child six miles away, and
as she was not well, he spoke of going reluc
tantly. She said, “the parents and friends
will be disappointed if you fail; go!' 1 On
his return he found her a life-like, beautiful
corpse ; quiet, still, cold. He vainly asked
her to speak.
Her body was interred in Laurel Grove
Cemetery, Savannah, near her son, George.
Many brethren and friends deeply sympa
thized with the bereaved family at the grave.
It cannot be long before her husband, the
faithful preacher of the glorious gospel, must
follow her to the better land.
“Asleep In Jesus, blessed sleep.”
S. L.
Savannah, April 6th, 1881.
The Mission Board of the Georgia
Baptist Convention, make this earnest
appeal to the pastors and friends of
missions, to exert themselves to aid the
cause by liberal contributions between
this and the meeting of the Conven
tion. We have only two Sabbaths
more until our financial report must
be made. The inclement weather for
nearly one quarter of our financial
year preventing the assembling of con
gregations, and the taking of collec
tions, with other difficulties, has seri
ously cut off our receipts. If we can
succeed under these trying circum
stances, our plan of raising funds will
be as gold tried in the fire and approv
ed of all.
An effort and a little sacrifice before
the meeting in Athens, and we will al,
be glad together. Pastors, brethrenl
sisters, permit the exhortation of your
Secretary to rally and save our mis
sionaries from loss, and the cause from
reproach. “Brethren, ye know the
grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, how
that he being rich became poor that
ye, through his poverty, might be
rich.” Can we realize those words and
not act? May we not expect faith and
love to attempt great things with this
opportunity before us? Awake, sweet
gratitude, awake, respondent to the
Savior’s love! J. H. DeVotie,
Cor. Sec.
P. S.—Will not those who have
funds in hand send them forward?
State Missions are specially needy.
Information in Regard to Rail
roads to Delegates, Who May At
tend the Georgia Babtist Conven
tion. —The railroads which have agreed
to extend facilities, and the reduction
from regular rates granted, are indica
ted in the following list: Charlotte
Air Line and Western & Atlantic, 2|
cents per mile going and returning,
the Rome, Brunswick & Albany, and
North Eastern railroads,full fare going,
return on printed certificate of mem
bership signed by the Secretary «f the
Convention.
Trains arrive in Athens as follows :
Georgia railroad 3 : 30 p.m., 7 : 00 a.m.
North Eastern 11:30 a.m., 8 :25 p.m.
Wednesday and Saturday.
J. S. Hamilton,
Ch’rm’n Com. of Arrangements*