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BKNRY 11. TUCKER, Editor
POLITICS.
"Then gathered the chief priests and the
Pharisees a council, and said, What do we?
for this man doeth many miracles. If we let
him alone, all men will believe on him; and
the Romans shall come and takeaway both
our place and nation.” John XI 47 48.
Were the chief priests and Pharisees
sincere in the patriotic apprehensions
above expressed? Admitting that they
were sincere, it is hard to see what
foundation for their fears there was in
the facts. In the first place, the Ro
mans had already come, and had made
themselves masters of the territory and
of the people. Judea in the time of
our Lord was a Roman province, and
was under the rule of the appointees of
the Roman government. What more
had the Jews to fear? They may have
had the idea that Jesus would set up
a temporal kingdom in opposition to
that of Casar and that this would not
be able to stand, and that the Roman
power indignant at opposition would
be provoked to a course of great op
pression and cruelty. But what ground
was there for all this? Had not Jesus
been a good citizen? Had he not
been submissive to the government?
Had he not taught others to be so?
Had he not paid his taxes, and did he
not teach others to do the same? Had
he not said, “Render unto Caesar the
things that are Casar’s?” It was after
this, indeed, that he said, “My kingdom
is not of this worldbut had not the
drift of his teachings always been in
that direction? If he ever-spoke of a
kingdom of his own, did he not dis
tinctly declare that it was a spiritual
kingdom? and did he not teach that it
had reference to things with which
Casar had no concern? It is strange
that men should have been so deluded,
as to imagine political mischief in a
person so humble and gentle, and as
to temporal matters, so utterly unpre
tentious, as our Lord Jesus. There
seems to be a disposition among men
to drag politics into everything, and
to drag everything into politics; it was
so eighteen hundred years ago, and it
is so now. No good came of it in this
instance, and in this respect history
has repeated itself from that day to the
present. But so it was; they imagined
that the acceptance of our Lord’s reli
gious teachings would in some way
affect unfavorably their relations to the
Roman government. That government
had not usually troubled itself great
ly on the subject of religion, and had
always allowed subjugated peoples to
have their own way in such matters.
It found the Jews worshipping God,
and made no issue with them on this,
and never interfered with the services
of the temple. What was there in the
doctrines of our Lord calculated to
excite its displeasure? Nothing. The
Jews had simply manufactured a hob
goblin, and were then afraid of it. They
were badly whipped, and easily scare 1;
literally afraid to say that their souls
were their own. As politicians, (if
sincere,) they were a failure. They
were much more likely to get into
trouble with the Roman government
in consequence of the outrage and up
roar at the crucifixion than if they had
been quiet and orderly and had let the
harmless Galilean alone. They pre
fered the release of a robber, and mur
derer, and seditionist, to that of an in
nocent man, and this was notcalculat
ed to give them very high standing
before Roman ideas of justice. This,
indeed, might have provoked chastise
ment, and justly; but the reverend pol
iticians of that day had no eyes to see
this, yet they were quick to see that if
the people believed the miracles of
Jesus, which they could not help be
lieving, the “Romans would come, and
take away both their place and nation.”
Was there ever such folly? The Romans
had no objection to miracles. Did they
not themselves consult the oracles?
Were they not governed by auguries
based on spurious miracles, and on
signs of the most ridiculous character?
Yet these priests and Pharisees imagin
ed themselves to be possessed of all
wisdom ; certainly they were the most
cultured portion of the population of
Judea; they had been accustomed to
control public opinion ; and being thus
‘he repository of wise counsel, they urg
ed the execution of the humble Galile
an as a “political necessity.” Was there
ever a more amazing case of mistaken
patriotism? “0 Liberty! what crimes
are perpetrated in thy name!”
The only lessons applicable to the
present day, that suggest themselves,
are these: 1. That those whom we
account our wisest citizens, and to
whom we look for guidance in all mat
ters of State, are liable to be mistaken.
2. That whenever they counsel any
thing that is contrary to the spirit and
teachings of Jesus Christ, they arc cer
tainly mistaken.
We have spoken on the supposition
that these priestly politicians were sin
cere. It is possible that some of them
may, for a time at least, have been so.
It is probable that most of them were
not so at any time, and that none of
them were so after the trial before
Pilate.
When they bad arraigned our Lord
before the Roman governor they clear
ed themselves of any suspicion of dis
loyality. When t said, “We have
THE CHRISTIAN INDEX AND SOUTH-WESTERN BAPTIST : THURSDAY, AUGUST 11, 1881,
no king but Csesar,” they proved
themselves to be truly loyal, and no
thing more was necessary; and es
pecially was this the case after both
Pilate and Herod had pronounced the
man not guilty.
But, even after this, they were clam
orous for his death, and this superero
gatory enthusiasm seems to prove that
their patriotic talk about their “place
and nation” was a mere pretext. Pilate
knew it to be so; “he knew that for
envy they had delivered him.” They
had personal interests to subserve, and
they masked their private designs with
the guise of patriotism. If they were
the first to do this they certainly have
not been the last. It is well, when
men make a great ado about “ our
place and nation,” to inquire whether
they are not pandering to popular pas
sion to get themselves, or those of their
party, elected to office. The chief
priests and Pharisees were the religious
leaders of their people; and since their
day there have been those who use
the influence which their position as
religious teachers gives them, to com
pass political ends. A man, who has
the power which the show of religion
and patriotism combined can give him,
is able to do a great deal towards pro
moting the interests of his party. Men
have found this out long ago, and have
not been slow to avail themselves of its
advantages. Quite likely some have
done this unwittingly; that is, they
have imagined themselves to be actua
ted by religious motives only, when,
back of these and controlling them,
there lay political motives, of whose
operations they were unconscious.
Sometimes other people see deeper into
a man’s heart than he can see himself.
The common people of Jerusalem
were misled by their prominent men.
If they had been left to themselves, it
.is probable that the great majority of
them, if they had not been actual be
lievers in the gospel sense, would at
least have offered no aggressive oppo
sition to our Lord. This was certainly
the opinion of the leaders themselves;
for they said, “If we let him alone, all
men will believe on him;” and in every
case when there was an excitement
against him, it was the principal pub
lic men who stirred it up. “The chief
priests and elders” accused him. Matt.
27:12. “The chief priests and elders
persuaded the multitude that they
should ask Barabbas and destroy
Jesus.” Matt. 27 : 20. The first to cry
out, “Crucify him, crucify him!” were
the “chief priests and officers.” John
19 :6. The people were led into the
crime. Their own disposition was to
give honor to Him to whom honor was
due. When he rode i to Jerusalem on
an ass “A very great multitude spread
their garments in the way ; others cut
down branches from the trees and
strewed them in the way; and the
multitudes that went before and that
followed after, cried, saying, Hosanna
to the Son of David; blessed is he that
cometh in the name of the Lord; Ho
sanna in the highest. And when he
was come into Jerusalem all the city
was moved, saying, Who is this? And
the multitude said, This is Jesus, the
prophet of Nazareth of Galilee.” Matt.
21: 8-11. There is no reason to sup
pose that the people would ever have
turned against him, if they had not
been led astray by their public men.
To this day, it is well not to allow
ourselves to be too much influenced by
men in high and official position. To
this day, it is well not to follow with
the multitude, and to suppose that
what everybody says is necessarily
right. The multitude is very unrelia
ble. The same people who cried
“Hosanna” one day, cried “Crucify
him” the next. To this day, it is well
to know that both patriotism and reli
gion are used as bait to catch the un
wary.
Whether the sacerdotal patriots" of
Jerusalem were sincere or not, they
made a huge mistake when they put
Jesus to death. Aside from the moral
aspect of the case, and looking at it
only as an ungodly statesman looks at
a question of national expediency and
policy, the execution of Jesus was the
most gigantic blunder in history. From
that hour Judea was doomed. The
political effect was exactly the opposite
of what was expected ; for the Romans
did come, and did literally, and without
figure of speech, destroy both place and
nation. Doubtless some of the men
who witnessed the crucifixion (A.D. 29
or 33) lived to see also the destruction
of Jerusalem (A.D. 66 or 70) when
the Roman general, Titus, with his le
gions, wrought desolations and horrors,
such as, perhaps, the world never saw,
before nor since. From that day the
Jews have been scattered over the face
of the earth, having no resting place,
and subject every hour to political
powers not of themselves, and, for the
most part, tyrannical and oftentimes
nothing lees than diabolical. On the
other hand, Jesus Christ, whom they
persecuted, has given his name to the
civilized world, and is worshipped with
divine honors by multitudes which
cannot be numbered.
The cry of the chief priests, and of
the people led on by them, was, “We
have no king but Caesar”! and they
miserably perished. Let our cry be,
“We have no king but Jesus”! and we
shall gain an hundred fold in this world,
and in the world to come, life ever
lasting.
Prof. Oscar H. Cooper, a Baptist, of
Huntsville, Texas, has accepted a pro
fessorship in Yale College.
A CASE OB DISCIPLINE.
The truth of the following story is
vouched for by an eye witness, who is
known to us, and whose word can be
fully depended on. The names, as
will be seen, are fictitious. The nar
rator of the story we shall
Layman. Well, brother Layman was
invited by a negro church to be pres
ent at a conference, where a case of
discipline was to be considered. The
evidence,which was undisputed,brought
out the following facts.
Brother Peagreen, whose color how
ever was black, and who was both a
preacher and a teacher, settled in a
certain neighborhood, and opened a
school for the instruction of youth,
proposing to take pay for his profes
sional services, not in mor ■«*.’, hjt in pro
duce. His school was largely patron
ized, and pay was promised in corn,
wheat, potatoes, peas, sheep, hogs,
chickens, eggs, etc., etc., etc.
At the close of the teacher’s pf»iod
of service, our reverend brother Bogus,
pastor of the church, kindly offered to
collect these various articles, and de
liver them to brother Peagreen. For
this purpose, he borrowed a cart and a
pair of oxen from sister Simple, and set
out on his errand. By the time he had
completed his round, the cart was
as full as it could hold of all sorts of
country produce. But instead of de
livering this assorted cargo to brother
Peagreen and the cart to sister Simple,
he drove it toacity some miles distant,
and there sold all his freight and also
the oxen and the cart. The money he
put in his pocket, and said nothing
about it either to brother Peagreen or
to sister Simple. He continued, how
ever, to perform his pastoral duties. He
was arraigned before the church on a
charge of immoral conduct, sustained
by the evidence above related. As soon
as the evidence closed the pastor arose
and sang:
“How firm a foundation ye saints of the Lord
Is laid for your faith in his excellent word.
What more can he say than to you he hath
said,
You who unto Jesus for refuge have fled ”
His voice was loud and sonorous; the
melody was touching; and by the time
he had reached the sixth and last stanza
the whole church was deeply moved,
and a tender sympathy for the singer
was manifest.
“Brethren,” said he, “this is a happy
time. It is sweet to meet the people
of the Lord assembled together. It is
a blessed privilege to attend to the
Lord’s business in the Lord’s house.
We have meetings of all kinds; meet
ings for preaching, and meetings for
praying, and meetings for singing, and
now we ought to have a forgiving
meeting. Brethren, this is a forgiving
meeting, strictly a forgiving meeting.
Oh, how sweet it is to be forgiven, and
how much sweeter to forgive! Brethren
let us have a happy time, and all for
give one another; then we shall be
brethren indeed ; brethren in the Lord.
Jesus Christ forgave his murderers;
God forgave Saul for killing the saints,
yes, for killing the saints ; and how
wicked it would be for us sinful crea
tures not to forgive a man for killing
a sheep or hog! Come, brethren, let
us be like the Master, let us be like
Christ; let us all be loving and for
giving. Now I am going to sing one of
the blessed songs of Zion ; while I am
singing, let all in precious fellowship
with me come and give the right hand,
the right hand of fellowship and love,
and forgiveness, and let everybody for
give everybody, and we shall all be
happy in the Lord.” The speaker lift
ed up his voice and sang; our inform
ant failed to tell us the hymn, but per
haps it was,
“Come we that, love the Lord,
And let our joys be known ;
Join in a song of sweet accord,
And thus surround the throne.”
All joined in the song, except those
whose sobs and tears prevented them ;
there was a general rush to grasp the
hand of the pastor, sister Simple and
brother Peagreen joining in the affec
tionate demonstration. The conference
adjourned, and brother Bogus, the pas
tor,kept the money,for which he had sold
the cart, and the oxen, and the freight.
We have told the tale just as it was
told to us, an hour ago, except that we
have not attempted to reproduce the gib
berish of the negro pastor; perhaps, too,
we have improved a little on his speech,
not because we desired to do so, but
because we could not help it; but the
spirit and drift and argument of the
speech, we know we have reported
faithfully. As already said, the story
comes to us from a source which is
perfectly trustworthy. We have no
comments to make.
P. S. Since the above was written
we have again seen the brother from
whom we received the story, and we
read to him what we have written.
He says that our account is correct in
all essential particulars; but we failed
to reproduce the eloquence of the
negro pastor’s speech; in fact, to do
this is beyond the power of pen and
ink. Among other things he said, “Yes,
and there is sister Simple—she knows
when the devil, which is a roaring lion
seeking whom he may devour some
body, had her clutched in his claws,
when I come along and shot him with
the gospel bullets and riddled him
through and through, and gave her the
triumph!” “Yes, bless God,” shouted
sister Simple, and then the congrega
tion broke down. We were mistaken,
too, as to the second hymn. The one
really sung was this:
“When I can read my title clear
' Tfe mentioned in the skie«!”
Temperance. —One day last week
the people of North Carolina voted on
the Prohibition question. The accounts,
so far as they have been received, in
dicate that the anti-liquor law has
been voted down by an overwhelming
majority, not a single county, so far as
heard fiom, having voted in favor of
it. It is said that the white vote was
divided, and that the negro vote was
almost solid for the “wet ticket.”
The cause of temperance, if it could
speak, might well exclaim, “Save me
from my friends!” It has received a
sad reverse at the hands of those, who
imagine that the time has come when
a nation can be born in a day, and
that premature legislation is an anti
dote for moral evils. If instead of the
sweeping and radical law propose*!,
the Legislature had quietly passed a
Local Option bill, some of the counties
would probably have availed them
selves of its advantages, and their in
creased prosperity would have induced
others to follow their example; and
thus the cause of temperance, while
progressing slowly, would have made
a real and sure advance, and as rapid
a one, as ought to be expected.
GLIMPSES AND HINTS.
The increase of contributions, the
past year, among Alabama Baptists
was, 30 per cent, for Home Missions,
50 per cent, for State Missions, and 100
per cent for Foreign Missions.
During the last fifteen years of
slavery the South raised 46,675,591
bales of cotton. During the first fifteen
years under freedom—that is, from
1865 up to 1880—the number of bales
produced was 56,438,335.
The freshest news of the week—we
do not say the most reliable —is the
statement of the Richmond Christian
Advocate, that there are millions of per
sons, who after a careful study of God’s
word, have decided that sprinkling is
baptism.
The General Synod of the German
Reformed church, this year, took action
looking to the restoration of the order
of deaconesses, as it existed in apostolic
times. The order is demanded alike
by the precedents of primitive Chris
tianity and by the dictates of common
sense.
The $2,121,731, given, last year, to
foreign missions, by the members of
evangelical churches in our country,
amounts to an average of only 21 cents
each. Few things tempt us more to
question the vital power of religion
among professed Christians at large
than these paltry offerings on the altar
of the world’s conversion to Him who
died for it.
The Christian Register says, “The
King of Congo has been immersed,” —
prefacing the statement with the ex
clamation, “Just think of a Baptist
King!” Well: if he is a genuine Bap
tist, he will use his kingly power in no
way adverse to “soul-liberty.” How
great would have been the gain to the
world, if all the kings in past ages who
have been persecutors had only been
Baptists indeed!
There are some other denominations
of which it may be said, as the Chris
tian Recorder says of its own : “Noth
ing so cripples the efforts of the men
of our church as the spirit of criticism.
Each seems to think that he can do
his brother’s work better than he is
manifestly doing his own.”
The Western German Baptist Con
ference supports Rev. F. E. Morgan as
missionary at Keernool, India, and as
sists in sustaining the newly founded
Theological Seminary at Hamburg,
Germany. “The field is the world.”
Os the $42,000 secured in New York
for the Southern Baptist Theological
Seminary, two ladies gave SIO,OOO
each.
Dr. Middleditch writes to the Baptist
Weekly, that, in “restoring” the parish
church at Abury, England, the old
baptismal font was found built into one
of the walls—a beautiful specimen of
carving overspread with Norman arch
es and ornaments. The basin, twenty
five inches wide and eighteen deep,
bears witness to the custom of immers
ing infants in former ages.
A correspondent of the Western Re
corder says that Leigh street church,
Richmond, originating from a Sun
day-school established twenty-seven
years ago, is the largest white Baptist
church in the South. It has sent out
from its membership since its organiza
tion fifteen young men into the ministry
—a fact which in part explains its
growth.
Rev. Dr. Dean, who began mission
ary labor in Siam forty-five years ago,
( with his present wife,who began it only
five years later,) has exclusive charge
of six Chinese churches in that coun
try, containing 450 members. Recent
ly, a deputation of Chinese from Ban
Chang brought him tidings that they
had collected SIBO for a Christian
chapel, and that more than a hundred
of their countrymen there were waiting
for baptism.
Rev. Dr. Cutting, from conversations
with intelligent Pedobaptist pastors in
the South of France, was impressed
with the growing tendency toward
Baptist views in that country. And
not a few intelligent pastors in the
National Churches, and in the Free
Church not connected with the State,
have said to Dr. Mitchell: “We find in
the New Testament no infant baptism,
and no form of baptism but immer
sion.”
GEORGIA BAPTIST NEWS.
—Columbus Enquirer-Sun: The
congregation at the open air meeting
was also very good, though a funeral
taking place at the same time some
what lessened it. Rev. Dr. Campbell
preached an interesting sermon, which
was much enjoyed by all who heard it.
The doctor will take no vacation dur
ing the summer, though he is justly en
titled to it, but will continue to hold
the services each Sabbath afternoon.
—Washington Gazette: The Phillip’s
Mills Baptist church, situated eleven
miles southwest of this place, was or
ganized June, 1785, and has conse
quently passed its ninety-sixth birth
day. During this long period this
church has had only six pastors:
among them was the distinguished
Jesse Mercer who served this church
for thirty-seven years. The present
pastor, Rev. J. R. Young, has preach
ed there uninterruptedly for the past
twenty-six years. The Baptist church
in this place is an offspring of this ven
erable church.
—Swainsboro Herald: Mt. Zion, Bap
tist church, Tatnall county, has recent
ly been greatly revived. Efficient
ministerial work has been performed
by their beloved pastor, W. M. Cowart,
and by Rev. I. J. Etheridge. The
meeting commenced Saturday before
the fourth Sunday in July and lasted
three days. Eight were added to the
church by baptism. There was a great
disparity between the ages of the con
verts —16 to 85 years.
—Newnan lieraid: Rev. E. B. Bar
rett closed a six-days meeting at Provi
dence last Thursday, which resulted
in ten additions to the church by bap
tism.
—“Fourth District” correspondent
Newnan Herald: At a meeting at Cor
inth, Heard county, on the fifth Sun
day in May, there was something said
about the history of the church (not
Corinth church but the Church in a
general sense) which was not satisfac
tory to some who heard it; whereupon
the church atßethel requested Rev. R.
H. Jackson to preach a sermon on the
subject, which he did to a large and at
tentive congregation on the fifth Sun
day in July, from Matt. 3. chapter, and
last clause of the 2d verse. If you will
take the pains to read the entire chap
ter you will see, as he taught us, that
its history started at the baptism of
Christ in the river Jordan and
was written with a pen dipped in the
blood of martyrs. He made many
strong points which I am not able to
repeat. He also stated that the first
Baptist church and Association in Geor
gia were founded in Kioka. He also
stated that Christ’s Church never shed
blood but once and that was when
Peter cut off the Higli Priest’s servant’s
ear. I am of the opinion that there
were present but few who did not go
away wiser if not better.
There were present on the occasion
Revs. J. H. Hall, W. W. Kelly and
brother I. H. Pitman, Green Hearts
field, B. F. Amis and E. B. Barrett,
the pastor in charge.
—Turin correspondent Newnan Her
ald: The meeting at Line Creek church
closed on Sunday last. There were
nine additions during the meeting. Dr.
B. L. Johnson and Dr. Whitaker render
ed faithful service, adding much to the
interest of the meeting, both preaching
with great earnestness.
Early County (Blakely) News: Rev.
J. H. Corley filled his appointments at
the Baptist church on Saturday and
Sunday last. As usual, his sermons
were very instructive and interesting,
to his congregations, except, perhaps,
that portion which imagine every ser
mon they hear is a long one.
Jonesboro News: The meetings at
the Baptist church have been held
daily for three weeks past and yet con
tinue. This series of meetings has
not been, what is usually styled a pro
tracted meeting or a revival, yet it is
literally and truly both. It commenc
ed at the Wednesday night prayer
meeting, at an unusual time, without
any preconcerted action on the part of
the church. All the neighboring Bap
tist churches were holding their annu
al meetings, at two of which were held
General Meetings of their respective
districts, which were attended by the
ministers and many of the other mem
hers of this church, and yet the meeting
has been in the main well attended and
the attendants greatly revived. Four
persons only have been received by ex
perience.
The exercises consisted of con
fession of faults, prayer, praise, by the
brethren, young and old, reading short
passages of Scripture, and plain preach
ing of the Word. The Holy Spirit has
been manifestly present, and the breth
ren who have attended feel and say
that it was good to be there. Many
have expressed themselves that it has
been to them the best and most profit
able meeting they have ever attended,
and it is hoped that the fruits will be
seen in good and useful living, with its
sanctifying influences, for many days
to come.
The influence of the meeting has
been by no means general in the com
munity, very many of our people sel
dom if ever visiting the sanctuary, and
many of those who were interested are
off on vacation trips, yet the interest
does not abate, but many are hopeful
of continued increase.
—Bro. Shivers of the Warrenton
Clipper, speaking of his visit to Sparta,
says: Our worthy pastor, and also
pastor of Spar’a Baptist church, Rey.
L. R. L. Jennings, wn* i.nrcompanion.
The meeting was not largely attended,
but was interesting and profitable.
Rev. T. J. Adams preac'ned a comfort
ing sermon Friday morning; discus
sions fallowed. Frida v night we were
called upon to fill the pulpit. Satur
day morning opened specially with a
well written essay from Col. Taliaferro
ot Sandersville, followed by discussion.
Rev. T. J. Veazey preached a stirring
sermon at 11 o’clock. The afternoon
was spent principally in discussions.
Hon. W. J. Northern reached the
church from Atlanta Saturday, and
many other brethren. Rev. N. B.
Binion preached a well analyzed and
most persuasive and forcible sermon
Saturday night.
Columbus Times: The open air
meeting was well attended Sunday
evening. These meetings have done
incalculable good in this city, and the
Rev. J. H. Campbell deserves the last
ing gratitude of our people for having
organized and so well sustained them.
—Correspondent Columbus Enquir
er-Sun: Our last letter to your valuable
paper left us at Talbotton attending
the General Meeting that convened
there on Friday, the 29th ultima
The meeting was characterized by
good singing, good preaching, good
behavior, large congregations and
grand hospitality of the citizens of the
town of Talbotton. It seemed that
every one, from the beginning to the
close, was interested and enthused in
the exercises of each service, particular
ly would we mention the Sabbath ser
vices. The church was packed with
one of the most intelligent and refined
congregations we have ever seen assem
bled for worship. Elder Dr. B. L. Ross,
of Fort Valley, Ga., occupied the pul
pit, and took for his theme “Christ our
Mediator, our All in All.” It was a
spiritual feast to the multitude assem
bled, and for forty-five minutes he
held the large congregation spell
bound.
These exercises closed the general
meeting, and as each delegate and vis
itor took their departune homeward in
the afternoon, felt that they had indeed
enjoyed a feast of good things, and
fondly anticipate the time of the meet
ing with the First Baptist church at
Geneva next year.
The pastor of the church, Elder R.
J. Willingham, announced at the con
clusion of the morning service that the
meeting would be protracted the fol
lowing week.
—Sunday was a pentacostal occasion
among the colored brethren at Forsyth.
In the morning the Methodist minis
ter immersed ten converts, and in the
afternoon the Baptist minister, Rev.
John Angel James, immersed fifty in.
fifty-five minntes.
—Rev. M. H. Lane announces that
he "will assist pastors in the conduct
of protracted meetings. The Lord has
blessed him in this kind of work.”
—The proceedings of the Noonday
Association came too late for insertion
in this issue. They will appear next
week. The meeting of this fine Asso
ciation was well attended and very in
teresting.
—The colore'd Baptists of Spring
field church, near Thomson, had a
Sunday-school celebration last Satur
day. The procession was very large.
The revisers of the New Testament
are “squelched,” literally and hopeless
ly. The New Church Life alleges that
they “omit part of the Lord’s Word,”
and proves the allegation—in this way..
The doxology of the Lord’s prayer and
a passage in John 5:3, 4 are stricken
out, on the authority of the oldest
manuscripts of the New Testament.
But the Life says: “We, who receive
the Lord in his Second Coming, have
a higher authority to whom we refer
the matter, even the Lord himself. We
must go to him,, and enquire of him
whether to leave out these passages.”
So, the Life goes to Swedenborg, and
finds that he treats the omitted senten
ces as parts of Scripture—which, of
course, settles the question!
Rev. E. P. Th wing wrote, June 30th,.
from Stockholm, Sweden, to the
Church Union: “It made me feel very
unworthy, as I sat among the poor and
persecuted Baptist brethren to-day, to
think how little I have suffered for
Christ. One had been beaten, anoth
er put in prison and chained because
he preached simple, undenominational
gospel sermons when forbidden by the
parish priest, and another had a broth
er who w '.s killed for Christ’s sake.”
We learn from the Baptist Banner
that a Mormon conference was recent
ly held in Harralson county, Ga.; that
fourteen elders were in attendance,
with John Morgan as Director for the
Southern States; and that they claim
to have mission stations in Fannin
and Union counties, a church and Sun
day-school in White county, and "some
encouragement” in Habersham. It
strikes us as a disgrace to the State,
and especially to its churches.
The Baptists of Texas have a Dea
cons’ Convention, meeting in connec
tion with the .General Association— a
good thing, we think. It has an Or
phans’ Home six miles from Dallas,
with buildings to accomodate twenty
five or thirty children. It appointed,
this year, a committee to inaugurate
and perfect means for the support of
old and indigent ministers.
