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4 HENRV H. TUCKER, Kditor NOT A WORD. “There was not a word of all that Moses commanded, which Joshua read not before all the congregation of Israel, with the women,and the little ones, and the strangers that were conversant among them."—Joshua viii:3s No exercise is more important or more profitable than the public read ing of the word of God. We may preach error; there may be error in our prayers, and in our songs of praise; but “the words of the Lord are pure words, as silver tried in a furnace of earth purified sesen times.” These words are sanctified and sanctioned, and in using them we know that we are safe. Sometimes it is well to ac company the reading with explanations aud comments, but the explanations may be wrong, and the comments in appropriate; and hence it is well at other times to read the inspired record just as we find it, and leave it to ex plain itself. So long as we read what is written we know that we are right; tire moment we depart from this, there is liability to err. When God speaks our earsaresatisfied ; when man speaks, we are in doubt. Many a time has the effect of Scripture been spoiled by hu man efforts to make it effective, weak ened by eff irts to enforce it, obscured by attempts to explain it. When it tells its own story, the story is sure to be well told, and God is his own best spokesman. Exposition, preaching and exhortation are proper and profita ble, and there is a place for each of them, but nothing can take the place of the word itself. As an act of wor ship it must be acceptable, for herein we render to G> id the very best that he has placed within our reach ; we give back to heaven that which we received from it; we honor God in the words which himself has chosen. If we would lay upon the altar an offering which is without spot or blemish, we select this with confidence; this we know to be worthy of him, and we can use it exultingly. It is rapture inspiring to feel that no song of angel or arch angel can be more acceptable to the King of kings and Lord of lords, than the living oracles which are vouchsafed to us, and which we are permitted freely to use. When we approach the Majesty on High with our own words, we come tremblingly lest we say a word amiss; when we approach with his words, we come boldly ; and thus ex perience an enjoyment exceeded by none, if equaled by any, and which comes from no other source. Lifted ap to a higher plane than human thoughts thus unaided ever reach, we are in condition to render the purest homage that can come from creatures such as we. The private reading of the word of Sod for purposesof devotion or instruc tion has its uses, and invaluable indeed they are; but it is no substitute fur the public reading of the sanctuary. We institute no comparison between the closet and the Lord's house ; we only say that each has joys and benefits of its own, and that neither can take the place of the other. There is a delight and a profit in hearing the word read by the man of God, before the great congregation, peculiar to itself, and which nothing else can possibly convey. It is pleasant to hear the preached word, pleasant to lay our hearts close to those of the saints in prayer, pleas ant to sing and hear the songs of Zion. But in listening to the word all these pleasures seem combined. Here is preaching the most tender and touch ing, the most instructive, the most penetrating, the most soul-stirring and sublime—preaching from the Throne itself; here is prayer breathed into us by the Spirit itself; here is music more melodious than our divinest songs. Can sound be ever so delightful as when it conveys to us those glorious disclosures of himself which God makes to his people? How each godly heart recognizes, the source whence this music comes, and exclaims, “The voice of my Beloved”! To read the Scriptures for oneself is certainly a great privilege, and one which we cannot overestimate; yet oftentimes the eye seems to glide over the lines without receiving any of their inspiration or instruction. Doubtless the same may be said of hearing; we hear the sound listlessly, and are as though we heard not; but at other times in hearing we receive a strong and vivid impression from words which we have read a thousand times without perceiving their force, or beauty, or meaning. Sometimes the eye will satch what the ear would fail to re- i ceive; it is equally true that sometimes the ear will grasp the thought to which the eye would forever have been blind. Each avenue to the mind has its uses, and both are needful. Let us open all the entrances we have to the word of life. It is important, too, that the Scrip tures should be read in public for this, reason, if for no other, that but for this there are many who would never come to a knowledge of the blessed things that are written. Some never read for themselves; all that they know is from what they hear; and thousands upon thousands have been saved by hearing, who did notread, and could not. Many read but seldom, who nevertheless, from J THE CHRISTIAN INDEX AND SOUTH-WESTERN BAPTIST: THURSDAY, AUGUST 1881. habit or otherwise, attend at public | worship; let the heavenly dew descend upon them once a week, and uncon sciously they may receive a blessing from it which will modify their whole character, and perhaps prepare their hearts to receive the Lord. Certainly it is very hard by mere preaching and persuasion to bring men to Christ. Is it not impossible? We leave this ques tion unanswered ; but this we know, that the truth is the means whereby men are sanctified and saved, and the best form in which truth can be pre sented is the form in which God has presented it. On this there can be no improvement; we may follow it with such eff>rts as wo can, but its own work can never be displaced. “There was not a word of all that Moses commanded, which Joshua read not before all the congregation of Israel, with the women, and the little ones, and the strangers that were conversant among them.” A good example he set to all religious teachers. Let there be not a word of all that Christ has com manded which shall not be read before all the congregation, that men, and women, and little ones, may hear. Many a religious service among us passes off without the reading of a line of the divine word. The most impor tant tlrng is omitted. Is it not sacri lege? Never should there he an assem blage of the saints on an occasion set apart for worship without the reading of the word of God. We go to “hear preaching.” It is well; let us go to hear the word itself, and this is better. A TIMELY PROPOSITION. The Georgia State University is seek ing an additional appropriation from the Legislature, with the avowed pur pose of offering free tuition to all stu dents who will enter its classes. It is to be taken for granted that they ex •pect their application to succeed sooner or later. Os course,no college or Univer sity that charges a reasonable tuition fee can compete for a single year with the State University, if it ceases to charge any fee at all. Yet the reasons for Baptists upholding their own edu cational enterprises are as weighty now as they have ever been in the past. What ought we to do under the cir cumstances? • A generous brother, who boasts no great wealth but is able to redeem the pledge, proposes to contribute one thousaud dollars towards a fund of one hundred thousand dollars, to he used directly and exclusively for cheapening tuition at Mercer. The brother’s name is not to be known to the public, and his subscription is not available, until the whole amount above named is at least “in sight.” But he is in earnest about the matter and hopes that, by raising the amount desired, the friends of Mercer will soon oblige him to prove the sincerity of his offer. Is the un dertaking too great to be accomplish ed speedily? There are scores of Bap tists in Georgia w’hose ability is equal to that cf the brother who consents to lead in this movement. There are a number whose ability exceeds his, many times. There are hundreds who could, if they would, aid effectually in raising this amount. But I am only authorized to make the foregoing announcement, and leave it. to be accepted or rejected by those whom it most concerns. Shall it end in printers’ ink, or in the addition of SIOO,OOO to the resources of our Uni versity and a great reduction of the cost of education? Trustee. The writer of the foregoing commu nication is well known to us and to out denomination in Georgia. The proposition to contribute SI,OOO to wards raising a fund of SIOO,OOO is made in good faith by a man who is able and ready to meet the obligation. Can the amount be raised? Easily enough, if our brethren are willing to raise it. Failure will not be the result of financial disability but from lack of interest in the cause. There are at least one hundred Baptists in Georgia who could contribute one thousand dollars each without material incon venience ; this would raise the sum named, SIOO,OOO. There are at least one thousand Baptists in Geoagia who contribute SIOO each without serious inconvenience; and this would raise the amount desired. If each Baptist in connection with the Baptist State Convention of Georgia would contrib ute one dollar the amount raised would be $84,035, almost the entire sum. How easy it would be to raise the amount if the people were only willing! One has nobly led off; let another follow, and another, and an other. Each one who shows his wil lingness will influence others. The large sum named could be raised in a moment, as it were, if each one would do what he could. Who will respond? Reader will you? The President.—lt is the opinion of some that the President’s case is not entirely hopeless; but, judging by the symptoms as detailed in the telegrams from Washington, our own opinion is, that the President is gradually sinking, and that the final result must be fatal. —Dr. Gwin, pastor of the First Bap tist church, Atlanta, has gone to Vir ginia on a brief vacation trip. His pulpit is supplied during his absence by Prof. Howard. —Several persons were received by letter into the Decatur church last Sabbath, and one of them was recog-' nized as a deacon. A REQUEST. The Christian at Work recently pub belied the following editorial utterance which we copied and commented on, and which we now republish, for rea sons which will be manifest. The Baptist Publication Society intends bringing out early in September an edition of the Canterbury revision ot the New Te-ta ment, with all the rejected American sng gestions incorporated iu the text. The work is proceeding under tin- suiierdsion of the Rev. Henry Weston, D D , President of Cro rer Baptist Seminary, and is nearly ready for the press. The favor with which the enter prise is regarded in certain quarters, is e»id enced by the fact that the necessary funds for the undertuking were raised in a few min utes. In this new version the spelling will be modernized, aud every day forms of speech used, —for instance, "who” or "that’' for ' which,” where it refers to persons, and "knew” or "know” for "wot" or “wist.” About the only change to the advantage of Bapij-ts i articularly will be the substitution ot "in” after baptize,” fir “with," s> that passagts will read, ‘ baptize in water," in stead of, “baptiz-; with water." Whatever may bethought of the "American sugges tio s," which were not adopted, there can oe but one opinion as to this new edition, and that it is entirely uncalled for unwise, and eniirtl at the suggestion and in the in lerest of private beliefs We might with just us much reason have a Presbyterian, aMetn odist andja Congregational edition and so on through the whole denomination J gamut. This is no work for any one particular soc tety to perforin, and it shows a marvelous disregard lor everything like modesty for any particular one to attempt it. Suco an edition could have no real value, for it would be. after all, nothing more than a Baptist opinion, however weighty that might be on mber and moie appropriate matters. When the Old Testament revision ha- been com pleted, and the two, New and Old, are ready to be bound together, if it shall appear good to the reviewers to makeany further changes, or adopt finally any of the American sug gestions, it cat) be done in a very brief space of time, and we shall then have a finished and duly authorized book. But let vs be spared everything like a sectarian Bible, whether it be of Bapti-t, Presbyterian, or of whatever denominational form. There is lar more of zeal than wisdom in ail such under takings. In a more recent issue of the Chris, tian at Work we find the following: The statement recently made in these col limits of a special Baptist edition ot the Re vised New Testament b. iog in preparation, it now seems is without foundation in fact. It was made upon evidence which was thought to be wholly trustworthy. We are glad toknow now that such an edition is not c mtemplated; and our criticisms upon those who presumably fostered such an edition therefore fall to the ground. Now it is publicly known that the book so fully and accuratelydescribed by the Christian at IForfc,in the first extract, is in course of preparation by the Am erican Baptist Publication Society. In the light of this fact, we respectfully request our brother of the Christian at Work, to explain what seems to be a discrepancy between the two extracts above given from his editorial columns. If it was true in the first place that the publication of the book, so properly described, would be “unwise and un called for,” and that the book itself would be “nothing more than an ex pression of Baptist opinion,” and there fore of “no real value,” why is it not true now? As the facts, as first pub lished by the Christian at Work, have not changed, why should the statement be changed? And what is there to retract? And what is it that falls tQ the ground? Death of Charles M. Brown.— We announce with much sorrow that Charles McDonald Brown, son of our brother, Ex Governor and U.S. Senator Joseph E, Brown, died at his father’s residence in this city at midnight on Friday last, the 19th day of the pres ent month. He was born at the Ex ecutive Mansion in Milledgeville on the 26th day of April 1859, and was named in honor of his father’s friend, Gov. Charles J. McDonald. He was a young man of high tone, pure, upright and honorable, and of great force of character. If he had lived, he would doubtless have distinguished himself as a man of business, for it was in this line that his tastes and talents led him. He was baptized on a profession of his faith in Jesus Christ about nine years ago, and uniformly led a consistent life. His illness was protracted through two years of dreadful suffering, but he said to the writer only a day or two be fore his death that lie was glad that he had been so afflicted, and that he saw that bis sufferings had been blessings to him. He died in his mother’s arms, strong in the faith of Jesus, and full of the hope of a blessed hereafter. The funeral service took place on Sunday afternoon last at the Second Baptist church of Atlanta, in the presence of an immense concourse of people, Rev. Dr. Spalding, pastor of the church, as sisted by the editor of The Index, of ficiating. It is hard to give up one whose life is so full of promise, but there is comfort in this that he still lives, and will live forever in the pres ence of God and with the holy angels and spirits of just men made perfect. Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord. Mr. Spurgeon speaking of close com munion among American Baptists says, “no doubt their practice does very will for them.” Yes, it does much better for us, than the practice of the English Baptists does for them; for we increase much more rapidly than they do. If they were to adopt our practice, and we theirs, then they would increase more rapidly than we. When our Pedobaptist friends tell us how amazingly popular our denomination would become if we would only drop close communien, we always think of the English Baptists, whose experience does not verify the soundness of the advice so freely given us. We cannot help thinking too, of that fragment-of our denomination in the United States known as “Open Communion Bap tists,” whose prosperity is not of a kind to invite us to adopt their prac tice. In the light of these well known facts, we are reminded of a line we read in the zEneid fifty years age. Timeo Danaos, etc. GLIMPSES AND HINTS. A writer in the Independent, savs that “this country spends, yearly, $750 000 000 fur strong drink—six times what it sjiends for education; drinking up the amount used annaally for both home and foreign missions in less than three days, the value of all the books In the libraries of the land in less than eight weeks, and the price of the church property throughout the United States in less than six months.” —ln the discussion on'nlainness of dress, at the Convention of the River Brethren, or Duukards, this year, one of the speakers said that "the more feathers a sister had in her bat in this world, the fewer would she have in her wings in the next." —Rev. W. Clifford, a General Baptist minister, of London, in a recent lecture said that “a church formed on Baptist lines ex isted at Hillcliff,a mile and a half from War rington. as eady as 1357.” This carries the origin of English Bapiists back three centu ries beyond ‘he date fixed by many of our opponents. —The Baptists of Holland recently receiv ed an accession of one minister and three hundred members who seceded from the State Church. —A small Baptist church has been organ iz j d on the I'aliau island, Capri, in an old convent purchased for the purpose by a wealthy German Baptist. —According to a writer in a New York exchange, a colored minister, a few years ago, delivered with much eloquence, a ser mon on ibe text : "Toe first commandment is, thou snail love thy neighbor with all thy heart, mind and strength, and thy God as tuyself.” He preached love for man as the first and greatest commandment, and love tor God as secondary. His hearers said "That was the gospel.” We ought to make such things impossible ; we can ; and we will. —Prof. W. T. Russell, of Carson College, who is well known in portions of our Btaie, becomes editor us the Baptist Btacou’ Knoxville, Tenn. Rev. A C. Dixon, of Asheville, N C., has been called to succeed Dr. W. D Thom as, as pastor of Freemason street church, Norfolk, Va. —The church building on 53rd street,New York, will, next month, becomethed-posi lory of a library of Biblical literature, with the library of the American Bible Union as a nucleus, the seat ot a Bible Workers’ Col lege, aud the home of a People’s Church Dr. G. W. Samson, formerly of Columbian University, will be pastor of the church and president of the college. The Examiner & Chronicle, (needlessly, we think,) predicts the failure of the movement. —The Somerset classic of the (German)R ?- formed Church, in its report on the state ol religion, > peaks of "the baptizing of child dreu" as ' the first act by which men are brought into the covenant grace of redemp lion,” aud as “the Lord’sown appointed way ofmakmgdisciples unto himself.” It appears Irom J hn, 4:1, that our Lord made dumpies aud then baptized them. Did be practice one way himself, and appoint another way lor us? Snow us the appointment, please; it is a prohibition of doingas he did, and we must see it in order to believe it. —"They entered into the temple about daybreak, aud taught” (Acts 5 21) 1 I hey lost no timeiu obeying the command ment of the Lord. True love works, and works promptly. 2 E irly worship is after ilie p ulern of the saints in ancient times D > u<N Cnrintiaos spend nianv hours abed which ought to be speut in the closet pr the church? —The Baptists of the United States, di vid ed into five denominations, number 2,421 • 726 : the Methodists, divided into thirteen, number 3 508 845. Trie latter, therefore, have a maj >rity of 1 087 119 We do not regard thesr-st ttistics asof any special mo ment ; bit a friend asks for the facts in the case, and we give them for his gratification. —"Whatever else may be said of Spur geon," according to Rev Brooke Lambert, an English Episcopal clergyman, "he has revolutionized modern preaching.” —ln the Augusta Methodist District Con ference, held at Milledgeville, the Thomson circuit reported two good things—"no dram drinking in t»ie church,” and "no in fant baptisms ” We have one of these in all B iptist churches, and wish we had the other. A large proportion of the Jews in the "Reform” synagogues, “do not think it worth while to circumcise their sons.” —Rev. George Pearce is the oldest mis sionarv in India. He was sent out by En glish Baptists iu 1826, aud has seen 55 years of service. —The Baptist Record suggests that our State Mission Board in Mississippi ought to employ Rev. Mr Lusk, a Methodist minis ter, to travel and preach his sermon on bap tism —it induces so many Methodists to join Baptist churches I But would theendjus lily the means? - -The courts of Hungary have decided that Romish priests have the right to baptize all children without distinction ; aud the Evangelical Church in that country resents this decision as an invasion of its rights. It seems to us that the priests, being barred from matrimony, have no right to the chil dren, and that the Church, being by profes sion Evangelical, has no right to the "bapti zing” (so called.) —Rev. Dr. J. B. Cottrell, in the Western Methodist, illustrates the doctrinal tendency among his people to drift away from the evangelical view of human depravity, by saying: "When one will show .ue a hen that lays rotten eggs, I’ll show a woman who bears babes answering to the Calvinis tic orthodox description.” —On the recent application of two Pres byterian ministers from the United States to be received into the ministry of the Cnurch of Scotland one was admitted as a licentiate, and the other was regarded as not up to the standard even for that. Is the grade of scholarship too low in the denomination here, or too high there? —According to Rev. Lansing Burrows, Hamilton Female College, a “Campbellite” institution at Lexington, Ky., virtually pro hibits students from receiving pastoral visits from Baptist and Methodist ministers, and makes the peculiar doctrines of that denom inatiou a part of the required curriculum. The Professor ot Evidences of Christianity recently aflimed that no unimmersed person can be saved. —The chaplain to the Tennessee State prison, Rev. D. C. Elliott, is what Dr. Hay good styles "a brother in black.” —A writer in the Presbyterian Witness, Belfast, Inland cails on the Irish General Assembly to forbid “such dangereous frater nity and liberality," as was manifested, at Cork, in permitting Methodist ministers, on the Sabbaths of the session of the Conference lor Ireland, to occupy Presbyterian pulpits. Here is Land markism between Pedobaptist and Pedobaptist. —A colored minister, several Sabbaths ago, officiated in the Episcopal church at Liberty, Va., and preached to the regular white congregation. GEORGIA BAPTIST NEWS. Savannah News: The many friends and acquaintance of Rev. A. C. Ward, pastor of the Baptist Church at Bruns wick, as well as those who have been privileged to listen to his clear and forcible expositions of the Scriptures at Associations and Conventions in the South, will doubtless avail themselves of the opportunity of hearing him again, as he has consented to fill the pulpit of the Savannah Baptist church on Sunday morning next. Oglethrope Echo : Eight or ten con verts were baptized at Watson’s mill last Sunday. We have heard of a glorious outpouring of the Spirit this summer at every church where revivals were held. Meriwether Vindicator: The meet ing at the Baptist church mentioned in our last issue is still in progress and increases in interest and attendance. There have been 11 accessions to the church already. Dr. VanHoose has preached twice a day and bears up wonderfully under his arduous labors. Dr. Hall of Newnan was expected yes terday to assist in the ministerial work. Crawfordville Democrat: A protrac ted meeting is going on at the Baptist church, conducted by Revs. T. C. Teasdale and L. R. L. Jennings. “W. C. B.” writing to the Macon Telegraph and Messenger from New York, says: Dr. Landrum, Mercer’s honored financial secretary, is here in the interest of that cherished institu tion. Oh, that he might find another Seney, with large purse and larger heart, to aid him in his great work of advancing Christian education. The church is engaged in an unequal con test in the work of education. The State can command money at will to maintain its University with the sub ordinate colleges which belong to the State system of education. But the churches, while bearing their share of taxation to sustain the U niversity and its branches, find it difficult, unaided by the public purse, to keep up their own colleges. No college can be what it ought to be without money and a plenty of it. In these days of free education by the State, it is impossi ble for our denominational schools to live without endowment. It is for this that they are now struggling. Perry Home Journal: A protracted meeting is in progress at the Baptist church at Houston Fact >ry. Rev. A. J. Cheves, the pastor, is assisted by- Rev. B. F. Tharp. Several from Perry attend every night. Savannah News : We are informed that Rev. Win. Rose, of the Second African Baptist church of this city, a worthy and well known colored mis sionary, lias accepted the appointment as a special minister to collect funds to aid in the evangelization of Africa. Rev. Rose is known to the colored peo ple throughout the State, and is one of the founders of the Zion Baptist As sociation, of which Rev. U. L. Hous ton is Moderator. The appointment was made by Abraham Burke, the special agent for the African repository in this city, and as soon as it is con firmed by the American Association at Washington, Rev. Rose will commence his duty. He will be assisted in his public lectures by Abraham Burke as the work continues. A brother writes from Enon Baptist church, Quitman county: “The Lord has been truly good to us. We have just closed a twelve day’s meeting with thirty accessions to the church and our own hearts revived. Rev. J. C. Porter and W. H. Cooper assisted our pastor, W. H. Patterson, in this good work. The former is an Evangelist, a man of great ability and untiring en ergy and zeal, and we commend him to all Baptist churches wherever his lot may be cast. Unto the Lord do we give all praise,” Brother T. J. Cumming writes from Louisville: We have had a good meet ing at Sisters church, commenced on the sth inst. and continued six days. The church much revived, and eight accessions. Some were left, who had the subject under prayerful con sideration. Bro. T. J. Adams preached agood practical sermon on the last day. We feel thankful. The Lord be praised. Sandersville Herald: The meeting at the Baptist church at Sisters’ resulted we learn in nine additions to the mem bership, one by letter and eight by baptism. The beloved pastor, Rev. T J. Cumming, who has served the church so acceptably for the last fif teen years, speaks of the meeting as an occasion of very special interest and benefit to the church, the membership being much revived and strengthened. So strong is the religious element in this community, and so largely is the congregation made up of church mem bers, that when the right hand of fel lowship was extended to new members it seemed as if almost the whole of the congregation were made up of church members. Rev. W. L. Kilpatrick, the pastor, assisted by Revs. T. J. Cumming and W. L. Rogers of Jefferson, and others, began a meeting at Davisboro on Fri day last and continued it for several days. We had the pleasure of attend ing on Sabbath, and hearing an inter esting and instructive sermon from Rev. T. J. Cumming in the morning, and in the afternoon a very appropri ate and impressive sermon on the na ture of the communion from the pas tor. The numbers and respectful at- tention of the congregation impressed us most favorably. The large house was well filled, and the utmost decorum prevailed, showing that a strong reli-’ gious feeling was the dominant senti ment of this pleasant and intelligent community. The affectionate regard, amounting almost to veneration, cher ished for this excellent pastor, has largely contributed to this hopeful state of things. , Douglasville Star : Elder A. J. Mor gan closed one of the most successful protracted meetings at Chapel Hill last Sunday that hue been held in'this county for years. He baptized ten on Sunday, making twenty-five baptisms since the meeting commenced. He looks fatigued since his good work, but does not stop. Barnesville Gazette: Rev. A. J. Bat tle, pastor of the Baptist church here, began a protracted meeting last Sab bath., Services have been held every morning and evening and the meeting has been quite interesting. “Zebulon Notes,” Barnesville Ga zette : The protracted meetings which were in progress at the Baptist church all of last week, ended last Sabbath with good results. It was indeed one of the best held in that church for years. While there was only an ac cession of ten members, still a deep interest was manifested. The baptiz ing was to have taken place on last Sunday afternoon, but on account of the rain it was postponed till Thurs day afternoon the 18th, inst. Mr. Harry Wells was I’censed to preach on Saturday preceding the meeting, and delivered his first sermon on Tues day following. His eldest son joined the church the same night. Dr, Mitchell, of Griffin, and Rev. W. F. Fells, were in attendance with their able help. Meriwether Vindicator: The meet ing at the Baptist church closed last Sabbath evening, there having been nineteen accessions to the church. Eighteen were baptized in the pool, just in the rear of the late Dr. Antho ny, Sabbath evening beginning at four o’clock. The scene was a most impres sive one and was witnessed by a large concourse of people. Dr. VanHoose has been assisted in bis ministerial labors a few days by Rev. Dr. Hall of Newnan whose preaching has been highly commended by the friends of his youth. We have certainly had no such meeting in Greenville during the past thirty years. From two families there were twelve conversions, six from each family. The congregations during the entire meeting were large and atten tive. Brother F. H. Drewry writes to the Senoia Farm and Home: The Bap tist church at Fairview, has had quite an interesting meeting, several united with the church. , Our young and much esteemed pas tor, Elam Culpeper, baptized his first subject at this meeting. He is a brother of an ex-Govenor of Florida and 74 years old. At the same time he baptized his wife, aged 72. Neith er husband nor wife had ever before made any profession of religion. Our pastor being engaged in teach ing could not attei.d each hour’s ser vice, and old friend and brother, Rev. James Clemments, kindly assisted in conducting the meeting, with satisfac tion to the church and congregation. —Eastman Times: The Sunday school Convention of the Mt. Vernon Baptist Association was held at Shady Grove church, Laurens county, on Friday, Saturday and Sunday last. A friend that was present says it was the most pleasant session of any kind he ever attended. The church had recent ly been blessed with a gracious revival ( resulting in ten accessions) and was fully prepared, spiritually and other wise, to receive the Convention. —Senoia Farm and Home: The Har alson Baptist church has closed a very successful religious meeting, eleven ad ditions by baptism and six by letter. —Rev. Thomas J. Pilcher is to be the permanent pastor to succeed Rev. Thomas West, at Sweet Water church, McDuffie county. —Barnesville Gazette: A two weeks protracted meeting at the Baptist church in Thomaston, closed last week. The result of the meeting may be sum med up in seventeen accessions to the membership of the church. The church has prospered this year under the administration of Rev. R. J. Wil lingham. —McDuffie Journal: The colored Baptists of Springfield church, near Thomson, had a Sunday-school cele bration last Saturday. The procession was very large, aud the good singing and good order were highly creditable to our colored friends. —Newnan Herald: Rev. E. B. Bar rett closed a six days meeting at Beth el church, Heard county, on Thursday night, 4th inst., with three additions to the church and favorable prospect for others. The meetings increased in interest to the last. —Crawfordville Democrat: Rev. W. N. Chaudoin left on Wednesday with a view of aiding Mr. Jennings in his meeting at Horeb. We learn that the Baptist church and congregation upon whose affections he has a strong hold, have since his departure forwarded him a petition to return and remain in our community a week longer. We trust he will comply with their request.