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4 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.