Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

4 HENRY H.TUCKER, Kditor. MORE ABOUT THE CONFLICT- Not long ago we had something to say about the conflicting opinions of lawyers on law questions, and of physicians on medical questions, and of statesmen on political questions, and of business men on business questions, and of farmers on agri cultural questions, and of all kinds of men on all kinds of questions; and we showed that those who object to the re ligion of Jesus because its disciples are on some points divided in opinion, are occupying a position not creditable, either to their intelligence, or to their virtue. We spoke, at that time, of questions such as are practically mere abstractions, at any rate, of such as involve no feeling, such as appeal to no passion, prejudice nor interest, and on which the decision must be wholly un biased. What shall we say of that other and larger class of questions where it is impossible to be unbiassed? The human judgment has a certain amount of resistive power, which pre vents it from being controlled by affec tion or interest; but sometimes affec tion or interest has a greater power than the power that resists it, and in that case the judgment is captured, and blinded, and forced to work the will of the victors, like Samson with his eyes put out. It is still a great power, it draws from its own resources, its ingenuity instead of being repressed, is stimulated, and mighty works are wrought in behalf of the wrong; in be half of what the judgment, if left to itself, would know to be wrong. If the stupendous and multiplied intellectual forces which have been brought to bear in support of error, from the beginning of the world, had been turned in the opposite direction, the world would long since have been regenerated, and would now be inhabited by a race very little lower, indeed, than the angels. We have said that the judgment is sometimes thus overcome. If we had said always we should have been nearer the truth. As matter of fact, some men, perhaps most men, can decide tome questions adversely to their wishes, wholly disregarding such influences as would warp the judgment; but no man has ever lived on the earth who could decide all questions in this way. We are all human ; and with most men the moral forces are stronger than the in tellectual. The deeper the interest of a man in any question, the more likely he is to be influenced by it. In small matters, the judgment may be able to maintain its equilibrium; but when some huge interest casts enormous weight on one side, a man must have extraordinary powers if he can keep his mind in exact balance. Os all the ten thousand forces that act on the human mind, none is so strong as that of religion. We speak not merely of the true religion, but of any religion. The religious element is at the very foundation of human na ture ; it lies deeper down than any of our natural affections, and has more control over us than all of them to gether. The Hindoo will suffer mar tyrdom as readily as a Christian ; the heathen sacrifice their children and themselves to false gods. The votaries of error are as sincere, and as earnest, as the votaries of truth. In the early days of the church, the Scriptures were construed either by converted Jews, whose minds were sat urated with the sentiment of a former and wholly different dispensation, or by converted heathen, whose thoughts were as chaotic as the elements were when darkness moved upon the face of the deep. Is it any wonder that there should have been differences of opinion among them as to the true con struction? Would it not have been a miracle, belittling all other miracles if it had not been so? Questions innu merable were to be decided ; thousands upon thousands of expressions were to be interpreted. The Scriptures were written by scores of men, scattered 'over a period of fifteen hundred years. The inter preters were brought together from the ends of the earth with habits of thought and pre-conceived ideals, as diverse as is possible to human beings ; and to all this must be added the fact that the Scriptures had to be translated, and in those early days very imperfectly trans lated, into languages of genius wholly incompatible with the orignal. Is it surprising that there should have been some differences of opinion in reaching final results? If the question were to be decided a priori, we should almost be ready to say that no two of them would agree about anything, and, at any rate, that universal discord would reign supreme. Yet what are the facts? On most essen tial points all real Christians are agreed. A dozen different variations of creed, perhaps a smaller number, would in clude all the sects; not indeed as to minute points and matters of detail, but in all that any would regard as very important. Some may be tinctured with the remains of Judaism; some may be stained more or less with the relics of heathenism; some will be strict constructionists, while some will para phrase rather than translate; some will follow logic, and some will follow feel ing ; some will naturally incline to lay j THE CHRISTIAN INDEX AND SOUTH-WESTERN BAPTIST: THURSDAY, MAY 19, 1881. stress on forms, and some will just as naturally incline to disregard them al together; and all are liable to be influ enced more or less by superstition. To these causes may be traced all the vari ations of opinion now found in the different divisions of the Christian church. Notwithstanding all this, the differences are comparatively few. We venture to say, that on no great sub ject involving so many points, and en tangled with so many complications, and decided by such a multitude of minds, has there ever been so great a harmony of views, instead of raising an outcry about the great variety of opinions, the world should stand amaz ed that are so few. In mechanics it is impossible that the recoil should have more force than the discharge; but those who use this argument against the religion of our Lord must see, that the only force it has is that of recoil. It is well for us that they have raised the point; they have strengthened our position and laid themselves supine by their attack. HEREDITARY POLITENESS. In the early ages of the world, the courtesies of life were known and practiced. With all the boast of mod ern times, we seem, in some respects, to have receded, and with all the ad vances of Western civilization, we seem still, in the matter of politeness, to fad short of the Orient. Abraham was a gentleman. Once, as he sat in door of his tent, in the heat of the day, he saw three men approaching who were strangers. He ran to meet them and bowed himself toward the ground, and said : “My lord, if now I have found favor in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy ser vant ; let a little water, I pray thee, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree ; and I will fetch a morsel of bread ; and comfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on, for therefore are ye come to your ser vant”; and Abraham hastened into the tent to Sarah, and gave prompt orders for a handsome repast to be pre pared for his visitors. Gen. ch. 18. He little knew the character of his guests; he took them for ordinary men, and for a time, was entertaining not only angels, but the Lord una wares, though, before the interview closed, he discovered the exalted char acter and majesty of his visitor. From that day to this, his posterity, whatever faults they may inherit from a common humanity, have been marked by a pleasing address, and gracious man ners ; nor do we believe that this pro ceeds from any selfish motive; it has run in their blood since the days when Abraham dwelt in his tent on the plains of Mamre. At the late Baptist Convention in Columbus, the Jews tendered to us the use of their house of worship, and Dr. Winkler, of Alabama, was appointed to fill their pulpit. Naturally enough, he felt somewhat embarrassed, being unwilling on the one hand, to withhold any part of the truth as it is in Jesus, and on the other, to say a word which would give offense to those whose hos pitality he’was about to enjoy. The Rabbi, however, assured him that the house was at his disposal and that he was at liberty to say what he pleased. We should certainly have attended the service, had wo not been appointed to preach at that hour, (11 o’clock on Sunday morning), at another place. We, learn, however, that there was a fair attendance of Jews and Gentiles, and that Dr. Winkler accomplished the difficult task of delivering a dis course acceptable to all. We trust that these children of our father Abra ham, (for we will call him our father), entertained angels unawares, as their illustrious ancestor did; nay, we trust that The Lord was there, and that the glorious Personage who relealed him self as Jehovah to Abraham may be revealed in the fulness of his salvation to all his descendants. May Israel dwell in safety ; may the fountain of Jacob be upon a land of corn and wine; may his heavens also drop down dew ; may the eternal God be his refuge; underneath be the ever lasting arms; and may his enemies be thrust out before him. Our Hebrew friends cannot (alas!) join us in all our prayer, but they will appreciate the sincerity of our hearts when we say with tearful eyes: May the love of God and the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the com munion of the Holy Ghost, not of three gods, but of one everliving and true God, the God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob, be with you all. Amen! To our great mortification a para graph appeared in our issue of last week laudatory in extravagant terms, of the editor-in-chief of The Index. The said editor owes it to himself to say, that he never saw the objectionable paragraph until it appeared in print, and that it was written by a reporter engaged by the proprietors for the oc casion and not permanently connected with The Index. The Christian Leader was exception ally happy in the selection of a title for Dr. Thomas, the Methodist, and Dr. Swing, the Presbyterian, of Chicago, since their deflection into what is false ly styled “liberal theology.” It calls them "Uncertainarians”—a fit name not for them only, but for all who leave the firm footing of an inspired Bible and an evangelical exegesis. DEADHEADISM “In a conversation with an aged and intelligent minister of this State about a year ago, he asked how it is possible for our churches to escape from the immense amount of deadheadism now paralyzing them. We confessed that the question was a vital one, and that we had also given it deep and anxious thought. And after long considera tion we have come to the conclusion that the surest way for the churches to rid themselves of this incubus, was not to be in too great haste to baptize those who profess faith it Christ. We contended that there are many spuri ous professions, and a little time for cool consideration and self-examination would cause a large proportion of these mistaken ones to withdraw without being baptized, and hence the churches would escape the evils arising from unconverted members. While it would be wise to be cautious in urging people to confess Christ, yet in spite of cau tion many will make the step hastily. We referred him to a case that had been related to us, where a meeting result ed in nine candidates for baptism, and the time for the ordinance was set, but a violent storm prevented it. The pas tor returned at his next monthly ap pointment, expecting to baptize, but all the candidates had decided not to be baptized at all. We claimed that it was better for the church and the "con verts” that they should learn of their mistake outside of the church, rather than as church members. “Our venerable brother differed from us, and contended that when people are brought to a confession of Christ, we should make haste to baptize them. His remedy for the evil was a more intelligent and instructive ministry. But as neither he nor we were able to furnish the able ministry at once, we were only reccommending such measures as commended themselves to us under the circumstances. “The daughter of the aforesaid broth er said to her father that his theory of hasty baptisms and practice did not agree ; for, when his own children pro fessed faith in Christ, he advised them to wait and examine themselves, and not to make a blunder in the matter. We assured him that we preferred his practice to his theory. “We do not say that our view of es caping the evil is the best, but it is the best way that appears to our mind, and we would be thankful to any one who can suggest a better plan.” The above editorial article, which we adopt as our own, is from the Biblical Recorder, of Raleigh, N. C. We see no better plan for preventing the increase of deadheads than that which our con temporary suggests. Os course there can be no better plan. What it amounts to is simply this, “Receive no more of them into the church.” But what shall we do with those al ready on hand? If we could exclude them we ought to do so. The loss of some fifty thousand or more of them from our churches in Georgia would be a great relief. The trouble is that there is not enough moral power in the churches to exclude them. And if they were excluded, the work of most of our evangelists and, alas! of many of our pastors too, for the last twenty or thirty years would be undone. A converted church-membership is the distinctive feature of the Baptist theory, but from this we have widely departed in practice. It is usually in the sum mer months that this enormous crop of unconverted church members is harvested. Can we not avoid it in the coming summer? METHODIST LIBERALITY. By the kindness of our brethren of the Methodist Episcopal church, the late meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention was held in their house of worship in Columbus, Mississippi. The edifice is a large and elegant one, handsomely furnished, and capable of seating at least twelve hundred persons and is amply supplied with all modern conveniences. In the basement we found not only a commodious lecture room, but various other rooms which admirably subserved the purpose of our committees. We found too, every ar rangement for our comfort and con venience that could possibly have been made by the utmost forethought and consideration. In fact as long as we have been attending conventions, at home and abroad, we have never seen preparations so thorough, so elegant and so complete, as those made for us on this occasion. The seats reserved for delegates were marked off by neatly printed cards, elevated, so as to be con spicuous at Jany distance; the sexton was always in his place, and kept us supplied with fresh water; the organist was always on hand ; well-dressed and intelligent lads, evidently young gentle men, wearing badges marked “Messen ger” were in constant attendance in the aisles to act as pages and to render any service that might be required; a regular post-office was held in the ante room, where every one could mail or receive his letters at his leisure; an immense black-board was also placed in the ante-room, and on it were writ ten the names of all the committees, so that any one at any time could learn all that he wished to know about such matters without troubling the Secretar ies ; all the rooms though badly treated during the day, were found swept and garnished clean and tidy the next morning. We cannot remember all the particulars, but can only repeat in general terms that such thoughtfulness in all the details of preparation for an assembly of the kind, we have never seen before. We make this record partly as a lesson to such Baptist chur ches as may hereafter entertain the Convention, but more especially as an evidence of our gratitude to our Meth odist brethren for their generous hos pitality, and to let them see that their pearls were not cast before those who were unable to appreciate them. Unpardonable Rudeness.—We are mortified to record the fact that some of our brethren at Columbus were so forgetful of. the proprieties of life, to say nothihg of its decencies, as to soil the beautiful rooms of the Methodist church in Columbus, by spitting on the floor. Some years ago the Georgia Baptist Convention was held in Savan nah, and the Presbyterians politely tendered the use of their commodious lecture room for its daily use during the session. If we are correctly inform ed (for we had the good fortune not to be present) the behavior of some of the members was so outrageous, that after the first day the Presbyterians felt themselves obliged to withdraw their offer of hospitality, and the con vention was virtually expelled from the house. We should have done exactly what they did. We can see no more justification for spitting on a man’s floor than for spitting in his face. The only apology we can make for our brethren is, that they knew no better; and our apology for the Convention is, that while there was much misbe havior there were few who misbe haved. Gov. St. John, of Kansas has par doned a man convicted of murder, be cause the man’s wife argued that when he committed the crime he was under the influence of liquor obtained at a place when its sale was authorised by law; and for this act the temperance apostles are now sounding the praises of Gov. St. John of Kansas. The In dex would like to know whether it is thought by these apostles that such a consideration as that urged by the wo man justifies Gov. St. John in forget ting his oath of office. Furthermore, suppose that all Gov ernors in States where the sale of liquor is licensed should follow the ex ample of Gov. St. John of Kansas. Then a man who wishes to murder another has a nice plan laid out for him by official authority. All he has to do, is to get drunk at a licensed li quor shop, kill his man, and then get his wife to go to the Governor with the argument which had such weight with Gov. St. John of Kansas. The plan is very simple, and would work like a charm. Really some people seem to be made as crazy by cold water as others are by hot whiskey. There is strength in the full assur ance of faith ; and all doubt, in itself, tends to loose the girdle from the loins of the mind and to weaken us. And yet, it may be that sometimes the doubt of one day helps to keep us from falling the next. ’For questioning whether we are in Christ, we go back to “the first principles of the oracles of God;” we review the truths which lie at the foun dation of the Christian hope, and “tell its towers and mark well its bulwarks;” we meditate afresh on the love that sought and the blood that redeemed us, and, as fully as we may, renew our trust in them. When the morning comes and brings temptation with it, we may stand firmly against the seduc tion or the shock, because of the cau tion taught us through these mis givings. Even here, however, the help comes not from the doubt, but from the struggle with it and the victory over it. Still, God overrules the doubt for good to us. God, announcing the j udgment await ing his rebellious people in ancient times, addressed his maledictions first, not to the rivers and the valleys, but to the hills and the mountains, because on these the images of their false gods had been placed and worshipped. There, idolatry had especially manifest ed itself; there, pre-eminently, his glory had been given to another; and the blow dealt by his arm should fall ear liest and most crushingly there. By this rule, if God should visit our land for transgression, where would the chastisement be inflicted first and felt most bitterly? Might he not say now, as was said of old, “Judgment must be gin at the house of God V' 0, for jealous self-searching on the part of professed Christians, that no sins without re pentance may remain among them, to pluck down divine rebuke. An Episcopal church at Pawtucket, R. 1., recently elected three women as members of the vestry, which the Churchman regards as without any precedent in the history of that denom ination in this country. And the Methodist churches in the Providence Conference are appointing women as class leaders, stewards, Sunday-school superintendents, etc. Are these things signs of an unconscious groping on the part of modern sects after the deacon esses of apostolic times? “The infidelity of the mind, whieh is the denial of the person of Christ," says the Christian Union, “is far less fruitful of danger than the infidelity of the heart, which is the denial of the spirit of Christ.” SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVEN TION. FOURTH DAY’S PROCEEDINGS. S. H. Ford, of Missouri, read the Report upon the General Work of the Home Mission Board. The Report emphasized the importance of the work in Florida, Louisiana, Arkansas, Texas, and the city of New Orleans. The Report called upon the churches to double their contributions to the Board. They offered the following resolution: 1. In view of the rapid progress of effective State organization It is the sense of this Con vention that the Home Board should confine Its mission work as far as possible to those states unable to meet the demands of their own destitution 2. That such effective State Boards be re quested not to demand any portion of their contributions to be applied to their own Held; but allow them to go in their entirety for the relief of the wants ot more destitute fields. Report upon African Missions read by I. T. Tichenor, of Alabama. The Report gave a cheerful account of the mission. T. J. Walne, of Mississippi, read the Report of the Committee upon the Report of the Treasurer of the Foreign Mission Board. M. Hillsman, of Tennessee, read the Report on the Davis contribution; acknowledging the receipt of $5,000, and offering tbanks for the same. Charles Manly, of Alabama, read the Report upon Progress and Prayer. The report recommended the re estab lishment of the concert of prayer iu all the churches. P. T. Glass, of Tennessee, made the report upon Credentials: Alabama, entitled to 65, present 65 Arkansas, “ 9. “ 9 Florida, 2, ” 2 Georgia, “ 104, ’• 13 Kentucky, “ 17 Missouri, “ 50, “ 12 Maryland “ '24, •* 3 Mississippi, “ 53, “ 53 North Carolina “ 3>, “ South Carolina, “ 99, •* 17 Tennessee, " 17, “ 17 Texas, “ 41, “30 Virginia, “ 52, “ 8 Total Delegates present, 246 E. T. Winkler, of Alabama, offered a resolution authorizing J. W. Burke & Co. to publish a graded series of Kind Words. Report of Committee to Nominate New Boards, was read by M. T. Sum ner, of Alabama. Foreign Mission Board at Richmond, Vir ginia. President, J. L. M. Curry, of Virginia. Vice-Presidents: Hiram Woods, Maryland: J A Hackett, Louisiana; Geo Whitfield, Miss issippi; W D Thomas, Virginia; H B McCallum Florida; W L Kilpatrick, Georgia; J B Bearey, Arkansas; V H Pritchard. North Carolina I T Tichenor, Alabama; KS Duncan, Missouri; J B Link, Texas; J L Burrows, Kentucky; C Manly, South Carolina; M Ellison, West Vir ginia; H A Tupper, Corresponding Secretary; J C Williams, Treasurer; w H Gwathney, Re cording Secretary; J F Cottrell, Auditor. Board of Managers: J B Hawthorne, W God din, J B Watkins. H B Harris, H K Ellison, Jno Pollard, Jr, Wm E Hatcher, J Wm Jones, E Wortham, A B Clark. J B Winston, J B Hatson, 8 C Clopton, H McDonald, C H Win ston. Home Mission Board, Marlon, Alabama; President, ET Winkler, Alabama. Vice-Presidents: J W M Williams, Maryland; E W W Warren, Georgia: W C Cleveland, Al abama; W N Chaudoln, Florida; J P Everett, Louisiana; J B Taylor, North Carolina; C H Strickland, Tennessee; Lansing Burrows, Kentucky; B W Edwatds, South Carolina: W R S Smith, Virginia; C C Chaplin, Texas. Wm Ferguson, Missouri; J B Gambrell, Mississip pi; J TJelks, Arkansas; WH Mclntosh, Cor responding Secretary; J B Lovelace, Treasu rer; L L Lee,Recording Secretary; S H Fowlkes. Auditor. Board of Managers:—J F Bailey, W T McAl lister, W H Flquet J T Murfee, W F Davis, Porter King, L R Gwaltney, T J Dill, W B Modawell, L A Wyatt, W W Wilkinson, A Lawson, John Moore, I B Vaiden, J H Lee. W. D. Mayfield, of Arkansas, read the report on Foreign Mission Journal, recommending the same. J. L. Burrows, of Kentucky .read the report of the China Mission in Califor nia. Repoit on the Indian Mission Work was read by J. W. M. Williams, Mary land. The report gave an encouraging view of the work; and announced the early completion of the Leverett Man ual Labor School, an event so much to be desired. The report was discussed by brethren J. W. M. Williams, of Maryland ;S. H. Ford, of Missouri; E. B. Hardy, of Texas; W. H. Mclntosh, Alabama; M. B. Wharton, of Georgia; E. T. Winkler, Alabama; J. L. Bur rows, Kentucky. J. W. M. Williams, of Maryland, of fered a resolution asking the co-opera tion of all the constituents of this body in its plan adopted at this session to reach the masses. M. B. Wharton read the report on the Report of the Treasurer of the Home Mission Board. On motion of J. W. M. Williams, of Maryland, the members of this body who may be present at Indianapolis, Indiana, at the Northern Anniversa ries be empowered to communicate to the Home Mission Society, the Ameri can Baptist Publication Society, and the American Baptist Missionary Un ion, our Christian greeting. M. B. Wharton, of Georgia, offered a resolution of thanks to the citizens of Columbus for their princely hospi tality, to the papers of the city for re ports, to railroad companies for reduc tion of rates, and the other denomina tions in the city for the use of their houses of worship. J. L. D. Hillyer, of Mississippi, offer ed a resolution thanking brother A. T. Attwater, Chairman of the Committee on Hospitality, for his remarkable zeal in looking after the comfort of visitors and delegates. On motion of E. T. Winkler, the special order for to-night’s session be the general work of the Home Board, under the direction of that Board. Adjourned. Prayer by M. Hillsman, of Tennessee. NIGHT SESSION. Sung the hymn, “I need thee every, hour,” etc. Prayer by A. J. Holt, of Texas. Sung the hymn, “I love the story of unseen things above,” etc. Lansing Burrows, of Kentucky, ad dressed the body on the subject of In dian Missions. SYNOPSIS OF LANSING BURROWS* AD DRESS : One cannat study long the character of the Am erican Indian, without being impressed with the fact, that the great characteristic of the Indian is a reverential, worshipful spirit. When the white man first dropped anchor in. the harbor of New York, we are told, that the Indians said in their simplicity, “the gods have come to visit us.” A great change nas been wrought somewhere. We don’t have to look far to ascertain the cause. If there has been one treaty with this unfortunate people, by onr gov ernment, which has them kept for 20 consecutive years, the public archives fail to resord it. With burning words brother Burrows recounted the teirible wrongs of the poor Indians, culminating iu the decision of Justice Miller of the U. S. Su preme Conrt that thelndfan Is not a person, and therefore has no rights in court. When Judge Lundy, of the lower court, decided for the In dian, the Indian laid down his tomahawk at his feet and said, “I don’t want to take it up any more.” The only hope of the Indians is God in the Heavens; and the only friend the Indian has is the man in whose bosom glows the love of Jesus. Christians must educate and christianize the Indian. Sung the hymn: ‘‘Over the gloomy hills of darkness,” etc, I. T Tichenor, of Alabama, addres sed the body in behalf of the mission among the Chinese of California. BRIEF SYNOPSIS OF THE ADDRESS : In the great city of San Francisco are to be found thousands and tens of thousands of these strange children of the East, attracted thither by the fame of the treasures there. And they are seeking the gold ; but they are dying too. Among them stands one as the representative of tb<s Con vention, telling of Jesus. We have overlooked this mission. We regard it as one of the most important of our missions. We give some of the reasons : 1. The mutual relation that exists, and that will deepen and widen in the future between us and China. 1. From that mission may go back influences to christianize the dark land oi China. The hearts of the congregation were deeply moved by the stirring words of the eloquent brother, as he protrayed the glorious success of the Gospel through the world. Arrangements were made for print ing and distributing 5000 copies of the Minutes. Read and confirmed the journal of to day. Adjourned after singing the hymn : “Biassed be the tie that binds,” etc. and prayer by W. C. Cleveland, of Ala bama. While singing the hymn, the mem bers of the Convention gave each other the parting hand. It was a beautiful sight to behold the brethren mingling together in Christian fellow ship and love. “How beautiful it is for brethren to dwell together in unity 1” Thus has passed the twenty-sixth session of the Southern Baptist Con vention ; one of the most pleasant, and, we trust, profitable sessions of the body. It was marked by earnest act ivity and the best of Christian feel ing. ' Columbus, the place of meeting, is situated on the Tombigbee river, and is one of the most elegant and beauti ful little cities your correspondent ever visited. The city is remarkable for magnificent residences and splendid churches. The body were entertained with the most abundant and princely hos pitality; the citizens seemed to vie with each other in kindness and accom modation towards the members of the Convention, and each delegate said his home was the most elegant. Your correspondent would express his grateful acknowledgement to Dr. S. S. Franklin and his kind family, who did everything possible for the comfort and entertainment of all their guests. May the blessing of the Great Head of the Church rest upon this dear family, and all the citizens of Columbus! —To Baptist Sunday-schools.— The Sunday-schools connected with the Sunday school Convention of the Stone Mountain Association are earnestly re quested to send in reports of the condi tions of their schools, with full statis tics, to the Secretary at Atlanta, on or before the fourth of July next. Vice- Presidents are urgently requested to hold metings in their districts before the annual meeting in July. Schools are requested to authorize one of their number to maintain a correspondence with the Secretary at Atlanta as to their wants and prosperity, and to send del egates to the next annual meeting with Zion church, Rockdale county, July next. F. M. Daniel, President. W. G. Whidby, Secretary. —Kind Words says: We are under obligations to Messrs. Jas. P. Harrison & Co., for a copy of their Portrait Gal lery, handsomly framed. This Gallery consists of the pictures of nearly 400 Baptist ministers, most of them Geor gians, but many not Georgians who are of national fame. It forms a very handsome picture, and we prize it high- Ip. Any one who wishes to get a copy of this Gallery, mounted in map style, can do so by sending $2,00 to Jas. P. Harrison & Co., Atlanta, Ga. These portraits are engraved for this Gallery, and it will be highly prized by those who know personally, or by fame, the characters represented. $3,00 will get the Gallery and The Chrirtian Index one year. —Montezuma Weekly: The colored people have been conducting a pro tracted meeting two weeks, at Jehovah Baptist church in this county with wonderful success. Rev. Simon Weeks, the pastor of this church, writes to us that in the two weeks there have been twenty-five accessions to the church. The white people around are taking a great interest in this revival, and he asks the prayers of. all good people in behalf of his congregation of sinners.