Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

7—~ . 1 EX SOUTH-WESTERN BAPTIST, Z X THE CHRISTIAN HERALD, of Alabama. of Tennessee. ESTABLISHED I 82,1. Table of Contents. First Page—Alabama Department: Domes tic Board of Southern Baptist Conven tion ; Freedom of Thought; The Religious Press; Southern Baptist Theological Bern inary. Second Page.—Correspondence: Indian. Mis sions of the Southern Baptist Convention —No. 1. 8. Boykin ; Too Much Religion; A Pleasant Meeting ; From Brunswick ; Mrs. J. W. McCall; Jottings by the Way; Ministers’ and Deacons’ Meeting ; Sunday School Convention ; Coosa Association ; Missionary Department. Third Page.—Children's Corner; Bible Ex plorations ; Enigmas; Correspondence. Fourth Page.—Editorials: Unknowable Standards ; Abraham's Prayer; Georgia Baptist News. Fifth Page—Secular Editorials : Iternatianal Cotton Exposition; Books and Magazines; Alexander at Gatschina —poetry —Charles W.JHubner; Georgia News. Sixth Page.—The Household; God Knows It All—poetry; Home Topics ; Health Hints; .Married People Would Be Happier; etc. Seventh Page.—The Farmers’ Index : The Weather and Crops; Taxation ; Small Notes. Eighth Page—Florida Department: Florida Facts, Fancies and Figures; Letter from Bartow—Prayer for the Sick, etc.; Re ceipts of Florida Mission Board; The In stitute of Melrose; An Appreciated Let ter ; The True Test. Alabama Department. BY SAMUEL HENDERSON. DOMESTIC BOARD OF SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION. . We cannot recur to the work of this Board too often. From our point of view, it cannot be over-estimated. We could not attend the late meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention at • 'Columbus, Miss., but have read with ’ great interest its proceedings as report ed in several papers* from which we learn, no small pleasure, that the ' occupancy of cities, especially New Orleans, is hereafter to be an object of special concern to this Board. We have time and again urged this particular field to the attention of the Board as being beyond all question a work of paramount importance. The position of New Orleans, its population, its com mercial significance, and the fact that it is byway of special pre-eminen cy the Catholic city of the United States, all contribute to make it a field of more interest to us than any field occupied by either of our Boards, For eign or Domestic. It may be well to explode a little rhetoric occasionally over the “Eternal City”—to “curl” somewhat about preaching the gospel “under the shadow of the Vatican” — about “standing where Paul stoojl eigh teen centuries ago to ‘preach the gospel to them that are at Rome also’,” etc. Now, we would not say aught to abate the interest of any Christian in this or any other portion of our foreign field. But then what, if there be a city in the heart of our own Sunny South—a city whose population and commercial im portance transcends that of any other city at least in the Gulf States-in which the power and authority of the “Man of Sin," the Pope, are well nigh as influ ential to-day as they are in the city of the Caesars- what if, at her Catholic “carnivals,” her “Mardi-Gras” celebra tions, the people for five hundred miles are attracted to this outer court of her abominations under the plea that it is only a season of pleasant recreation, what if nineteen-twentieths of this Cresent City are given up to the delu sions of this seven-headed beast—can any work that can appeal to our Chris tian philanthropy surpass that which aims to rescue such a city from the blighting grasp of this “mother of har lots?” Realize it, Christian reader, that so far as our denomination is con cerned, we have barely one Baptist church in this grand Southern empor ium with a population largely over two hundred thousand! Yes, and that church struggling for existence! Why, if the Domestic and Home Board should devote its whole energies for the next five or ten years to this field alone, and be instrumental in planting one self-sustaining church annually, it would be a work worthy of all the time and the means, the men and the money, expended in the enterprise. Why, only think of it—one little Bap tist church in the emporium of the South with a population of over two hundred thousand, the principal city of a country in which the Baptist de nomination claims to surpass in num erical strength any other denomination! The very statement of the proposition ought flush our cheeks with shame,' and arouse our people to do something in that city worthy of their, members, their piety and their intelligence. Work for Christ, like all other work successfully prosecuted, must assume some distinct, tangible shape. No matter how much land a practical far mer owns, he clears up and incloses no more than he can cultivate profitably. It is all proper for the Christian to realize that “the field is the world,” that it all belongs by purchase to his great spiritual Husbandman, and that in the end. it is all to*be subdued and occupied by His under-husbandmen. But if we all stand gazing at the im mense field, speculating how and when it is to be “subdued to the obedience of the faith,” never meanwhile putting, forth any efforts to compass the end, we shall have no share in the grand work, all our speculations to the con trary notwithstanding. Each one must check off some portion of work that comes within his capacity. We must, each for himself, to use a familiar il lustration, apply a microscope to the portion of the field we enter, and thus, as the Apostle says, “magnify our of fice,” not beyond its real dimensions to be sure, for that cannot be done; but to bring it up to something like its real magnitude. Now, we apply the same idea to combinations that we do to individu als. By selecting wisely, and cultivat ing efficiently its fields of labor, our Boards, both Foreign and Domestic, and especially the latter, will enlist what we are all aiming to do, the general co-operation of the denomina tion. Suppose our Domestic Board should resolve to make New Orleans a specialty—suppose it should apply our “microscope” to that vast city, viewing it as a great centre, sending out its in fluence, for good or evil, over the whole South—suppose that Board realizing in adequate measure, that in evangelizing that city, it would be lay ing its hand upon the very sensorium of Commercial, social and moral life in our broad land, and that in purifying that, the pulsation of a new spiritual power would be sent over a broader surface than could emanate from any other centre, ean any one doubt that a work so important and yet so prac tical could fail to commend itself to the confidence and active sympathy of all our brethren? We should all feel in that case, that the Board was doing a work not unworthy of the de nomination. We should feel that our efforts to send the gospel to any foreign field could not surpass, in present or prospective importance, this grand ob ject. Nay, let us say in conclusion, that in so far as patriotism can be sup posed to increase the obligation which Christianity .inspires, it takes preced ence of any other field outside of our own country; and it is impossible to conceive of a combination of motives that could so stir a pious heart to its deepest depths as those w’hich religion and patriotism supply. That sensibil ity that would resist these, is proof against any motive which three worlds can inspire. “PRE EDOM OF THOUGHT.’’ That was a very happy maxim of Mr. Jefferson that “error may be toler ated when truth is left free to combat it.” But a hundred and fifty years be fore Jefferson’s day, Milton had said that although “all the winds of error be let loose, so truth be in the field, you do misjudge her if you misdoubt her strength.” Perhaps there is not a more inalienable right with which God has endowed our race than a man’s right to himself, soul, body and spirit— the right to exercise functions, powers, affections, etc., which he has derived directly from his Maker. Os course all this is under the jurisdiction of law, both human aqd divine, since liberty unrestrained by law would degenerate into licentiousness. And obvious as this truth is to our people, to all men who dare to be free, it is the last thing despotism, ecclesiastical or civil, has yielded—or rather, it is the last thing that has been extorted from tyranny by “pike and bullet.” In the celebrated “civil war” of England, we mean the war between Charles J and Parliament, things got so hot for the king that he quit Whitehall and fled to the country, and sent his family to a place of safety. Many messages passed between him and the Parliament, the Parliament begging him, "Will your majesty grant us power of the militia, and accept this list of Lord-Lieutenants?” No answer except evasions and subterfuges. At length the last overture came—“ Could not your majesty please to grant us power of the militia for a limited time?” “No!” answered the haughty king, with ATLANTA, GEORGIA, THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 1881. a blasphemous oath, “not for an hour!” That answer sealed his fate, and, in the end, gave liberty to England; for his majesty never thereafter returned to Whitehall but once, and that was as a prisoner “to lay down his head there.” The emancipation of the intellect from the shackles of despotism has been a gradual, difficult and painful process. How many slow-movingcenturies rolled on before that great principle began to assert itself in human legislation, that where “the dominion of the conscience begins, the dominion of mere secular power ends.” What seas of blood has it cost its friends for its present tom mandingposition in Christendom! Nor even is the victory won in all its pleni tude. The menacing form of the world’s tyrant, "the Man of Sin,” still towers in massive repulsiveness in the dim distance, stained with the blood of fifty millions of martyred saints. But, then, kings and popes are not the only despots who attempt to rule the minds of men. The real freemen here and elsewhere are yet the merest remnants and minorities. It is not a little refreshing to meet one of these independent thinkers, who has never “asked any man’s pardon for being in the world,” and who, with due modesty, speaks his sentiments with all the con sciousness of real personal convictions —who never “crooks the knee that thrift may follow fawning,” but who, without arrogance, speaks his mind with a quiet dignity that commands the respect and confidence of all—who, conceding with cheerfulness the rights to all other persons he claims for him self, maintains his own personal identi ty in every circle, as if he were, as Novalis expresses it,-“an incarnated idea,” that never could be anything more or less .than he is. ’We have sometimes thought that if our Northern fellow-'citizens could once come to real ize that we of the South are folks— living,- moving entities—that we lytve personal convictions, and have' some dim consciousness of what citizenship means in this grand confederation of States—it would save them a deal of trouble in undertaking to do our think ing for us. We once witnessed a rather amusing incident in a colloquial con troversy between two very good men of different denominational views. The one had a rather mercurial tempera ment, and s iemed always to feel that others ought to see truth just as he saw it. The other was a quiet, yet firm, decided Christian, fully satisfied with his creed. Our mercurial friend belabored him some time for his sup posed errors, until our patient friend responded in his blandest manner— “ Brother 8., I reckon it isn’t worth while for you and me to try to convert one another at this time of life. I sup pose we shall live and die just what we are.” Os course there was a rather abrupt termination to that controversy. We rather guess our Northern brethren had better quit trying to convert us. We are very much "set in our ways.” Ordination of Deacon.—At a meet ing appointed for Mt. Zion church, Calhoun county, Ala., embracing the fifth Lord’s day in May and Saturday before, a presbytery composed of the pastor, Rev. W. S. Griffin and Samuel Henderson, met to ordain Samuel W. Crook to the office of deacon. Exam ination of the candidate on Saturday by the write?, and being found quali fied, it was resolved to set him apart on Sabbath to that work by the usual ex ercises. Sermon on the necessities, the qualification and duties of deacons by the writer, prayer by brother Griffin, and charge by the writer. After whiqh the entire church extended to brother Crook the hand of fellowship in token of their confidence and their intention to co-operate with him in the duties of his office. The whole exercises were impressive, solemn and, we hope, profit able, and were attended by an unusu ally large congregation. We doubt not that brother Crook will “fill the office of a deacon well, and purchase to him self a good degree.” Cuthbert Ga. Enterprise: We, the Senior, spent the latter part of last week in Eufaula, assisting Mr. Wam boldt in a series of meetings in the Bap tist church. Eleven were baptized Friday night, and six more on Sabbath night. Mr. Wamboldt promised if we would go over and preach for him Sunday night, he would give us as good an audience as we gave him here just a week since, and he kept his word and went beyond it. The meeting i? still in progress. We are glad to see Mr. Wamdoldt enjoying the confidence and affection of his people in so large a degree. The Baptist church in Eufaula, is ’one of the largest and most influential in Alabama. Its Sunday-school is the most sprightly we have seen for a long time. Under the able care of Mr. Wamboldt, the church is building up in all its interests. The congregation, already very large, is steadily increas ing- The Religious Press. Nothing could be more to our mind than the following from the Associate Reformed Presbyterian: « Tasts Against Judgment.—ls a word or phraselby mistake, slips into the authorized version of the Scriptures, and if this mistake is handed down through many centuries and becomes associated with thought that is very tender, and awakens emotions that are both pleasing and precious, is not the word or phrase thus venerable from its antiquity and held in reverential regard by so many good and pious people for so long a time almost, if not entirely inspired ? We should say not, even if the time were extended to a million times the longest of the geological ages, and the sacredness and.tenderness and reverence wero a million times greater. We see many criticisms on the Revision that have underlying them this very notion. It is an application of the evolution theory which Darwin never dreamed of. A hu man phrase by long usage is developed into , inspiration ! The right word in a transla tion of the Scriptures is to be determined by sanctified scholarship, but by the moss of antiquity, which may have gathered about it! We submit that this is a matter to be decided not by taste but by judgment, , not by what pleases the ear, but by what expresses in simplest language the meaning of the original. We want to know exactly What the inspired men wrote, and not what someone thinks they ought to have written. We want a version, and not a revelation. . The man Kalloch, Baptist preaqher (so-called) and pastor of a so-called i aptiat church in California, is mayor 0f the city of San Francisco. The city 1) ■ until passed an ordinance prohibit ing lotteries, and the man Kalloch ve toed the ordinance. Here is his veto message: I am compelled to return order 1,626 with out my approval. Fortunately, ap I consid er it, and unfortunately, as you may con sider it, I happen, to be minister, as well as mayor; and, therefore, I am compelled to object to any such interference with therev enue of the churches of this city as order 1,626 would seem to interpose. A majority of two thirds could not be had to pass the ordinance over the veto; hence, gambling is legal in San Francisco by the influence of “a Bap tist preacher.” What a pity that he should be so called! A Texas newspaper thinks the only way to stop whisky drinking in the state is to substitute some lighter beverage. Possibly we could rid the state of horse stealing in the same way—by substituting hog stealing, for instance!—Christian Messenger. The wit is better than the logic. Non conformist preachers have one ad vantage in England, over clergymen of the Church of England or Catholic priests. They can serve in Parliament, while all other “clergymen” are prohibited. British law does not recognize “clergymen” outside of the Catholic and Episcopal churches. The “clergy” are ambitious to have their disability removed, but a bill to this end has been rejected in the House of Commons. As the law stands it will not admit either Atheists or “clergymen.”—Evangelist. The discontent in Europe and the growth of emigration are due to the wretched condi tion of the laboring masses. Alfred Russel Wallace, the distinguished British author and scientist, says that the status of the sav ages in the Malay Archipelago is superior in every way to that of the lower classes in Great Britain. His statement is based upon actual observation in both hemispheres. The agricultural laborer fares worse than the rich man’s horses or cattle. This is true not only of Great Britain, but of most European countries.—Evangelist. Yet the world is shedding tears over the “treatment” of the “colored peo ple” at the “South.” In the days of slavery, now happily gohe, they were better cared for than any other people of their class in the world ; and now they are in better condition in propor tion to the amount of work they do than any class of laborers of whom we have any knowledge; such, at least, is our opinion. A correspondent of the New York Tribune, speaking of the frightful Ku- Klux stories which that very paper was so prompt to publish a few years ago, has the following: I do not mean that this represents or des cribes anything that ekisted generally, or throughout the South. It appears to be certain that the history of the “Ku Klux outrage” abounds in enormous exaggera tions, as might be expected in any similar condition of things. I satisfied myself in several instances, by strict inquiry, that particular outrages had not only been great ly magnified in the transmission of descrip tions of them through a succession of nar rators, but that the scene or place of the same outrage was sometimes located in sev eral different regions. There was enough —there was much—of horrible wrong and outrageoftbe helpless and innocent. No body that I can find in the South seems to have the least disposition to deny, conceal or excuse these out rages or this part of the work ofthe “Klan.” It is generally admitted, never defended. But everybody says alike, and intelligent negroes most emphatically of all, that the published stories and general Northern ideas of the Klan outrages were dis torted and exaggerated. The Northern people grow tired of hearing these silly stories, and so they are thrown aside. In a few years, when political capital can again be made of them, they will be revived. The people of the State of Pennsylvania experienced a feeling of relief last Friday morning when they learned that during the night the Legislature of the State had ad journed. For more than five months this body had been bringing itself and the whole commonwealth into disrepute. The early part of the session had been spent in doing none of the things for which a legislature is chosen. After the election pf a United States Senator, personal squabbles and bick erings occupied much time to the great dis credit of those engaged in them, and the real interests of the public received attention du ring only the last few days of the session. It is hoped that the constituents of a good many of those who composed the late Legis lature will be careful to seep them at home during the remainder of their lives, as they have most conclusively demonstrated their unfitness to discharge thejduties of legislators. If the people will elect such men as toese, they must not be surprised nor complain be cause of such scenes as were witnessed at Harrisburg last Winter and this Spring. The remedy is in their hands, and if they fail to apply it they must suffer the consequences. —Presbyterian Banner. We are sorry that the good people of Pennsylvania have been so afflicted. Perhaps the reason of it is, that they have given so much of their attention to the affairs of their Southern neigh bors that they have neglected their own interests at home. But we heart ily join with our Presbyterian brother in appealing to the people everywhere to send none but men of integrity and capacity to their legislative bodies. As to the political parties, neither of them we think, should claim a monopoly of virtue; yet the claim is often made in certain quarters. The following interchange ot fraternal greeting was had between the Northern Bap tists, who held their annual meeting at, In dianapolis, Indiana, and the Southern Bap tists, who convened at Shelbyville, Ken tucky : Northern Baptists send greetings and refer to Isaiah xliii. 6,6: “Fear not, for J am with thee ; I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west. I will say to the North—Give up, and to the South keep not back, bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth.” Southern Baptists at Shelbyville respond, returning Christian greeting, and refer to Song ot Solomon, iv. 16: “Awake, 0 North wind, and come thou South ; blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out. Let my beloved come into his garden and eat his pleasant fruits.” The Index approves of the kindly feeling which prompted the mutual greeting, but disapproves of the abuse and perversion of Scripture by both parties. All such play upon words is trifling with the word of God. When two souls have once consented to partnership in evil they are thenceforth sin gularly powerless to help each other in the direction of goodness. The guilty secret strikes them with moral paralysis and dumbness —Christian Advocate. It is often hard to keep up religious service in the family because each one knows that the inconsistency of his life is known to all the others; and in general, consciousness of our own guilt and the knowledge that much of it is public keeps us from making religious appeals to others. Simultaneously with the publication of the revised version of the New Testament Drs. Westcott and Hort published what is believed by scholars to be the best and criti cally the most accurate Greek text of the New Testament which is anywhere to be had. This text is exclusively founded upon documentary evidence, and not at all upon any printed text, Messrs. Harper & Broth eis have nearly ready an edition of this work. They have in preparation also an other edition of Westcott & Hort’s tejri to be printed with the revised English - version upon the opposite pages. With this and the work already published, containing the two English versions side by side, every reader will have the means of critical comparison in the most convenient form, and can deter mine for himself the comparative merits of the two English versions, by subjecting them to the test of the best Greek text.—N. Y. Observer. One who wishes to make himself master of the situation may possibly do so, by purchasing these books and ma king proper and long continued use of them. Mormonism.—A correspondent of the N. Y. Observer, says that Prof. J. M. Couger, President of the Salt Lake Collegiate Institute, recently delivered a discourse in Cincinnati. The sub ject was “Mormonism: the disease and cure”: Prof. Conger remarked that when, six years ago, he went to Utah, he regarded pol ygamy as a boil on the body politic, to be VOL. 59.— NO. 25. poulticed a.little and easily healed; but now, after a six years’ experience, he has been compelled to regard it as a canoer extending to the very vitals of that same body politic.the roots of which are spreading in all directions threatening social death. The moral plague is spreading with an alarming rapidity. Utah Mormonism is not the Mormonism that is described out of the Territory by its six or eight hundred missionaries, at an an nual expense of a million of dollars, but a kingdom of itself, thoroughly organized from its hierarch down to the lowest sub ject,and whose avowed object is tooverthrow Christianity and our republican institutions at the same time; and tney boast that in fifteen years that result will be accomplish ed. Mormonism gives the sanction of relig ion to the lowest appetites and basest pas-, sions. The Professor said that the most profane and vulgar man he had ever met was Brigham Young. He spoke of the debased condition of the women and children. They have nd schools and no benevolent institu tions. Within six years the Presbyterian Church has organized in the Territory eighty churches and twenty-three schools, all of which had been done and maintained by , contributions from Eastern churches. He said one-third of the territory of the United States is virtually under Mormon control. Over Utah as a centre they hold absolute sway. They are masters in Arizona, Idaho, and Wyoming, and are swiftly and surely moving on Montana and Washington Terri tories, and politically in Nevada and Colors* do they hold the balance of power. The picture drawn by the Professor is frightful to contemplate. The foillowing from'the Herald and Presbyter will be read with interest. The facts stated should be taken into the account in all endeavors to solve the problem of the negro: Wm. Nesbit, an intelligent negro, who has returned from Liberia, and is now a notary public at Altoona, Pa., gives a sad account of the present condition of the Republic. He says: "Slavery as abject and far more mer ciless than is to be found almost anywhere else, exists there universally,” the slaves being purchased from their parents for from $8 to sls each, as they become Old and large enough to work. The Government, entirely in the hands of the colored people, is marked with incapacity, corruption, mismanages ment and disaster. The Republic is finan cially bankrupt. An English writer, Krft. Johnson, said to be good authority on, Af rican matters, said, in 1872: In place of having exercised a civilizing influence over the natives, the American ne groes seemed to have only relapsed into bar barism. The schools are in a deplorable con dition, morally at a low ebb, and the people generally, oppressed with heavy taxes, are lazy and indolent. The Liberia College, es tablished by Christian philanthropists from Boston and elsewhere some years ago, is a failure, and the buildings erected at great expense have been allowed to go to ruin. We would fain hope these statements are exaggerated, or that since the date of 1872 there is some improvement. The election of a President and Vice-President ofthe Republic is just announced. The offlcqrs elect are pledged to the education of the masses, the incorporation of native tribes into the body politic, the expulsion of rum and alcohol, etc. This announcement would seem to throw some rays of light over the dark shadow above presented. ‘ Let us hope for the best. SOUTHERN BAPTIST THEOLOGI CAL SEMINARY. It gives us pleasure to announce to the friends of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary that the sum of two huudred thousand dollars has been secured in good corporate and personal bonds and cash towards the permanent endowment fund, and other amounts will yet be added from subscriptions made. It is hoped the friends of the Seminary will, from time to time, by donation and bequests, continue to add liberally to this permanent endowment fund (the income of which can alone be used), until the income reaches a sufficient amount to meet all the ex penses of the Seminary. It should be also born in mind that suitable buildings should be erected, and we trust such steps may be taken at the proper time as will lead to this end by liberal contributions for that especial purpose. G. W. Norton, Ch’n. Arthur Peter. Theodore Harriet. Jno. B. McFEftkiS 1 . Wm. F. Norton. —Church items from the Columbus Times: Again last Sunday a large number of people attended the Various houses of worship. Regular services were held at all the churches and congregations were entertained by cellent sermons. The usual op^ Q a j r services were held on Mott’s G\ €en an j a large number were After the sermon at< at the First Baptist church ( r 6v a. B. Camp bell baptized fifteen candidates. Rev. Green McArthur, of the colored Baptist ch’arch, baptized about thirty five candidates in the river Sunday afternoon, and Rev. 0. H. Jackson colored, pastor of Shady Grove Baptist church, baptized forty-one in the river above the City Mills. The District of Columbia rejoices in ten white and thirty-two colored Ban tist churches. 1