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FROM FEAR wofder land.
Now, many who read this beading to my
letter, will surely wonder and say, well,
where is Wonder Land ? I answer it is
near where I am while I wriie
this; less than one hundred miles
away to the east. In fact, the snowy
peaks that surround that land are in plain
sight from where I now sit. It consists of a
tract of country 65 miles long and 55 miles
wide, situated mainly in the northwestern
corner of the Territory of Wyoming, and
partially within southern Montana and east
ern Idaho Territories, embracing 3575 square
miles, nearly 200 miles more than are con
tained in the two states of Delaware and
Rhode Island, or a little less than a six
teenth part of the grand State of Georgia
By an act of our Congress, passed in Febru
ary, 1872, this part of our national domain
was withdrawn from sale and occupancy
and set apart as a “National Park" or ‘Per
petual public pleasure ground, for the use
and e: joyment ot the people.” Sometimes
it is called the “Yellowstone Park,” because
the Yellowstone River rises within it,
thence flowing into the Missouri and con
stituting its chief tributary. It is, in fact, a
part of the great water-shed of our continent,
inasmuch as not only does the Yellowstone
rise within it, flowing into the Missouri
and thence to the Mississippi, the Gulf and
the Atlantic, but the Snake River, too, the
principal tributary of the Columbia, rises
here, flowing into the Columbia and thence
into the Pacific How I have longed to
visit this Park, for I have often, as have
undoubtedly many readers of the Christian
Index, read of the attractions congregated
there and the fame of which has gone out
over the wide world. My desire togo thither
was even intensified when to-day, almost
within sight of the land, I read over again
the following description I had long carried
with me, cut years ago from an account of a
visit made there by another, and especially
when I read it also to a gentleman of intel
ligence, sitting by my side, who had been
there and whosaid to me that while it was
all true, yet it did not tell the half of what
was wonderful to be seen there.
“Here nature has assembled such a sur
prising number of the most sublime and
pieturesque objects, and, amidst the grand
est scenery of mountains, lakes, rivers,
cataracts, canyons and cascades, exhibits
such a variety of unique and marvelous
phenomena of spouting geysers, of boiling
and pulsating hot springs, of pools of steam
jets, solfataras, fumaroles and salses
rumbling and thundering and pouring out
sulphurous hot water, or puffing clouds of
steam or throwing up great masses of mud,
that its early explorers gave it the name
whose appropriateness is now universally
recognized, of ‘Wonder-Land.’ ”
But I ca. not go tbe-e now. It would
require days of time and hard staging, and
much expense withal, to go the full bund
red miles beyond the railroad and through
these wilds, where accommodations for
travellers are yet Sew and very costly. More
than this, 1 was delayed six whole days by
the floods in the mountains of New Mexico
and Arizona, along the line of the new
Southern Tr insco tineut route; on my way
over to (he Pacific, so that I am now a whole
week behind the time proposed for being
home again in Philadelphia. I must,
therefore, though most reluctantly, abandon
the hope of visiting this Park at present,
and promptly hasten my journey in an
opposite direction. But what I have written
may so direct the attention of some others,
more favorably situated as to visit this land
of wonders and enjoy what, for the present,
at least, is denied to me.
I write this at Beaver Canvon, Idaho Ter
ritory, a small station on 'the Utah and
Northern Railroad, over 300 miles north
from Salt Lake City, about 1300 miles from
Omaha, 1800 west from Chicago. Only
eight miles to the north is the line of Mon
tana Territory and less than 100 east is
Wyoming Territory, 'which, taken together
and in connection with Idaho, form a large
nearly square block of country almost six
times as great as the State of Georgia. At
present these vast fields have a small popu
lation-aggregating only 100 000. 20,000 in
Wyoming, 40,000 in Montana and 40,000 in
Idaho. But they are being rapidly opened
up to the world by the construction of rail,
roads, and, consequently, are fast filling up
with people. The next two years will be
likely to see a marvelous advance, for, cold
as the climate is, (it snowed here only two
days ago and a stove firejs to-day requisite
to comfort), it is a most favorable country
for pasturage and for wheat and grass and
is especially rich in minerals, which fact
alone is sure to attract here a vast popula
tion.
But the readers of this Christian paper
will be interested also to know what is being
done by our denomination for the evangeli
xation of this great field—aggregating almost
a ninth part of our whole country. lam
happy to say we are doing something. At
Cheyenne and Laramie, the two largest
towns of Wyoming, we have churches with
excellent pastors and good houses of wor
ship, Sunday schools and prayer meetings,
and all in flourishing condition. In Monta
na, with its 40,000 present population, we
have, alas I but a single church and that
with no home, and only a single Baptist
minister in the field, giving his whole time
io the preaching of the gospel. In Idaho I
think we have four feeble churches and two
pastors. We surely should, as Baptists, be
doing more in so important a field, and
already, since leaving home, I have sent
back to the Board of our American Baptist
Publication Society, of Philadelphia, recom
mendations for two additional colporters
to be appointed *o labor here. Oh for more
money for Christ’s cause and more laborers,
and both these will come—when God’s peo
pie have more of the spirit of his Son.
G. J. Johnson.
Beaver Canyon, Idaho Territory, Aug. 31.
A SUMMER CAMPAIGN.
The summer’s campaign is again finished.
The bishop of the Henderson church called
brother Bullington and myself to his assis
tance and continued the meeting at that
church a week, closing on the third Sunday
in July. He baptized seven into its fellow
ship that morning. This church has less
than fifty members. But these are kept
pretty well in hand, and are fairly awake in
their work.
The Hayneville church has not held a
protracted meeting in years. Number of
members, about the same of the Henderson
church. Its Sunday-school has been carried
on without intermission for many years, and
is composed of the church members them
selves as the nucleus, who are ever endeav
oring to bring others into its fold. The pas
tor baptized two young ladies from the Sun
day-school into this church on the first Sun
day in August. This church is getting ready
to entertain the next session of the Renoboth
Association to convene on the 14 th of Octo
ber next. More than two hundred dollars
have been expended in repairing their nouse
and fixing up. Tell the agents to go by rail
to Perry, on Friday, October 14th, where
they will be met by conveyances and trans
ferred in approved Associatlonal style to the
church. Our church being away of from
anywhere, we would be glad to put some of
oar best preachers on exhibition that our
people out there might find out that there
THE CHRISTIAN INDEX AND SOUTH-WESTERN BAPTIST: THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 1881.
are other preachers in our denomination be.
sides Tharp, McCall and Cheves.
The Houston Faccory church has be
tween fifty and sixty members—four fifths
of them females. Barely keeps going. Has
only its monthly meetings. Congregations
always good. Baptized one there on second
Sunday in July.
The Mt. Olive church, Sumter county,
moved its place of meeting to Andersonville
last December, where its congregations have
been greatly increased. But its membership
is small and by no means awake to the im
portance of their position and work. The
trying to serve two masters makes the hope
of accomplishing much with them a forlorn
one. They held continued meetings a
week, closing the fifth Sunday in Suly Bap
tized one there.
The church at Drayton, Dooly county,
has about fifty members, good, live, active
workers. This is especially true of members
received during the last two or three years
In the most thickly populated neighborhood
they keep up a Sunday-school and prayer
meeting, have just closed meetings there,
which began a week ago. Baptized six.
A. J Cheves.
Montezuma, Ga., August 29th, 1881.
INTERCOMMUNION AMONG BAPTISTS OF
THE SAME FAITH AND ORDER IS LA IF
FUL AND EXPEDIENT.
NUMBER 11.
Argument 4.—Local churches, as such, are
the only integers, units or members of the
kingdom of Christ.—page 150. Kingdom of
God, kingdom of Heaven, understood. We
confess this is a new revision of the gospel,
to our understanding. Since reading it, we
have looked in vain for any text where the
Kingdom is so spoken of in the New Testa
ment. We find passages wheresuch a read
ing would rob the text of all sense and mean
ing, such as Matt. 6 33, 12 28 ; 18 3 ; 19 24
and numerous other places" As to the hy
per-criticism to which Dr. Graves resorts,
and the wide divergence among our learned
men which he exposes, it must, in the end.
have a sad influence upon the stability of
our principles, among the thoughtful but
unlearned portion of our membership. In
self-defence, we have for years shut our eyes
and ears to almost everything but the Word
of God in seeking the sense of Scriptures
More than fifty years ago, before we knew it
would be our duty to preach, we learned
from that good old man of God, Jesse Mer
cer, that the Scriptures were, with the aid of
the Spirit, the best, most elaborate, most un
failing interpreters of themselves. This short
lesson has helped us much. We have thought
that in this fact was to be found the secret of
that man’s abounding wisdom. He had
very few books in his library fora man w’ho
occupied hss position.
Before closing this paper, we will notice
two facts in relation to Dr. Graves' book:
One is, that he nowhere gives what appears
to be the Savior’s reason for giving us the
ordinance. Jesus said, “This do in remem
brance of me.” Paul in I. Cor. 11 24, re
hearsing the occurrence twice, repeats the
the words, and then tells us that as oft as we
observe it "we do shew the Lord's death till
become.” But our learned men tell us it is
intended as a “token of our church rela
tions,” "a symbol of church fellowship ’
And yet we are taught that it is not intend
ed to furnish an occasion for the demonstra
tion of Christian fellowship, .bus we go
from one thing to another; will we not at
last strip the ordinance of its solemn signifi
cance ?
Another thing we mustnotice; this, whole
fabric is built on air, or what is very little
better in this case--the opinion of men
When you look fora scriptural basis there is
literally none. Not one positive declaration
to show the present custom wrong, not one
text of Scripture from which a plain, unlet
tered child of God could learn that the pro
posed exclusiveness would be right or neces
sary.
One other thing we must notice before we
close this paper. The whole line of argument
seems to be secular. Keeping the main
question strictly in view, no account is taken
of those spiritual relations that come into
existence simultaneously with regeneration,
and which are the true impulses to such
customs among the people of God.
The first we shall mention, (viz) the unity
of the body of Christ, is used as if relating
only to each separate church and with no
reference to its spiritual force.
The second—the tact that observing the
ordinance is an act of worship, is not men
tioned.
These things we shall urge as reasons why’
the practice ought not to be abandoned.
C. H. Stillwell,
CLARKES VILLE ASSOCIA TION.
We had the pleasure »f attending the re
cent session of this body, held with the Mac
edonia church, Lumpkin county, near Por
ter Springs, Friday, August 26th. After the
usual introductory services, the organization
was perfected by the election of Rev. J. P.
Osborn Moderator,and brother Sutton,Clerk.
The officers were both young men, but con
ducted the business with promptness and
skill. They did their official duties well.
This Association is composed of twenty
churches situated in parts of Lumpkin,
White and Habersham counties. Hereto
fore they have done comparatively little for
missions, but are now taking more enlarged
views of their obligations to engage in the
various departments of Christian work. The
importance of taking and reading our de
nominational papers was discussed, and if
‘he brethren had had the money, we could
have secured some subscribers for The Index
—some were secured by the Moderator for
the Banner.
After the report on Sunday schools was
sead, and speeches made by brethren Un
derwood, Cannon and others, among them
the writer, a motion was made requesting
that all who would agree to bring this sub
ject before their churches and urge its im
portance, should rise from their seats. Near
ly all the members arose. We hope to hear
at the next session that a good working
Sunday-school has been formed in each
church. We have met but little opposition,
we may say none to Sunday schools in any’
part of Northeast Georgia. It has been said
that many of the Baptist ministry and the
churches in this section are opposed to Sun
day-schools and missions, but as was re
marked by brother A. F. Underwood, “it is
a mistake?’ We had a pleasant time at this
session, and we trust good to the cause of
Jesus will follow. Though the drought in
this neighborhood bad been severe, as it has
been all over this section, the delegates and
visitors were cordially received and most
hospitably entertained. A severe storm of
wind and rain commenced one Saturday
night and continued through Sunday and
Sunday night. C- M. I.
~TWO REVIVALS.
A meeting beginning on the third Sun
day in August, with Bethlehem Baptist
church, Morgan county. Rev. W. A. Brooks,
pastor, recently terminated, resulting in
six baptisms. There were other conver
sions, and hopes are entertained of a great
er accession of persons. The services were
conducted for the most part, by Rev. J. T.
Prior. This is brother Prior’s old home
church, and it is pleasant to note the bles
sings of God upon his labors since his re
turn to Georgia from California, where he
has spent the last twelve years.
As a result ot a late meeting at Indian
Creek church, near Clarkston, Georgia
Railroad, brother Prior baptized one person
last Sunday; two others are standing over
for baptism at the next meeting.
FROM ARLINGTON. •
I have consented to give you an account
of a small circumstance that took place with
the Bethel Association some yi-ars ago.
thinking it might be profitable to some and
entertaining to others.
When I first settled in Blakely, Early
county, Georgia, in 1836, there was a de
nomination in this section known as tt-e
Whiteites. They had formed an Association
called the Salem United Association. They
were in the habit of bolding a camp meeting
within a few miles of Cuthbert, Randolph
county, once a year, and Mr. White, a man
of very considerable ability, was a regular
attendant. They held a camp meeting in
1840, and it was my pleasure to be at the
meeting. It was at this meeting that brother
T. Bowen (who, after some years, went as a
missionary to Centra! Africa) was converted
and baptized, and became a member at Mt.
Olive church, at which church the camp
meeting was held. He soon became a
preacher of the Whiteite faith. He was a
man of deep piety and fine sense, and in a
short time bicame the mo-t influential and
active minister of the Salem United Asso
ciation. He soon found be was not in the
right place, and went to work and succeeded
in dissolving the Salem United Association,
and brought all the church, with the excep
tion of two or three, into the Bethel Asso
ciation in 1847.
There were, as well as I can now count ap
from memory, about ten ministers that came
into the Bethel Association from the Salem
United Association. This Association was
considered, or professed to be, free will, or
rather, Armenian in doctrine, except bap
tism by immersion upon a profession of faith
in the Lord Jesus Christ. We considered
that baptism, valid from the fact that Mr.
White and the ministers that withdrew from
us and formed an Association of their own
faith and order, had been baptized and or
dained by’ the micisters of the Baptist
church. We therefore could not repudiate
their baptism without repudiating our own ;
and, notwithstanding they’ had fallen into
many errors in doctrine, they have been
always sound upon the subject and mode of
baptism.
The churches and ministers soon became
high toned Calvinists, in fact, some of their
ministers, if not all, became so sound that
they were like the Indian’s treethey bent
too far towards the Anti-nomian faith.
Many of the churches still remain with the
Bethel Association, and are ranking with
the largest and best churches we have.
I see, from The Index, that there is a
church and pastor of the Bethel Association
that is rather resembling the Indian’s tree
I am afraid it will soon be thought that a
candidate for baptism must take a theologi
cal course in 'otne college before they can be
baptized and received into the Baptist
Church. 1 admit that the church has the
supreme right to judge of ihe qualifications of
her members; but, at the same time, she
and her pastor should remember that God's
word gives the qualifications that are neces
sary for a fit subject for baptism, and the
church has no right to depart, in any way.
from the teachi- gs of God’s word. Those
that are fit subjects for baptism are also fit
subjects, after baptisqi, to become members
ot the church. Faith in the Lord Jesus
Christ as the only Savior of sinners is the
law that governs 1 aptism in the gospel, and
evidence of faith in Jesus Chpst, was all that
the commission of Christ and the apostles
required- John the Baptist required fruit
meet for repentance, and that they should
believe Him that should come after him;
that is, on Christ Jesus. The jailor and his
house believed, and the apostles baptized
them before day. The eunuch’s experience
is a gospel experience; I believe on the Lord
Jesus Christ.
On the day of Pentecost, those that gladly
received the Word were baptized, but how
many were baptized the apottle did not
know, and neither do I know. The
never asked any one if they believeuWiat
any other baptism but immersion was valid.
Those that were baptized on the day of Pen ■
tecost continued steadfast in the apostle’s
doctrine, fellowship, and in breaking of
bread. I have no idea they were asked by
the apostles if they believed in the doctrine
of “particular election” or the “perseverance
of the saints,” etc. All the apostle wanted
to know was, if they believed on Jesus
Christ, and no more.
We need never have any appiehensions
about there being sound Baptists, or whether
we believe all the doctrines of the Baptist
Church or not. We regard all candidates
for baptism as babes in Christ, and not
theologians. The great danger is. that those
received from other churches will soon be
come too Baptistic;—they are almost sure
to be like the Indian’s tree. It is nearly
always the fact that there is a stream of per
secution that follows them from the church
from whence they’ came that drives them to
God’s word to defend themselves.
Thomas Muse.
. Arlington, Ga., August 30th, 1881.
REMINISCENCES OF MERCER.
NUMBER VI.
The fall term of 1853 opened, as we have
said, amid the excitement of an election ;
it closed amid the excitement of what was
termed a rebellion, and a wholesale expul
sion. When the time approached for the
trial of oui unfortunate fellow-student upon
a capital indictment, there was a very gene
ral desire among the students to witness the
proceedings. They- petitioned for permis
sion to attend, twice—if we recollect aright
—once in a body, and again by classes lu
response to these petitions, the President
announced on the morning of November 3d
—the day the trial began—that none would
be permitted to go, save those who had
been subpoenaed as witnesses. In making
this decision we are still of the opinion that
the Faculty committed an error, though we
are no longer inclined, as we were then, to
impugn any one’s motives. The announce--
ment excited much indignation. There was
a feverish feeling of discontent, but no at
tempt was made at organized opposition.
During the day a number of students who
were not of the excused class, went to Greens
boro, though there was no concerted action
among them. What we heard that night
tended greatly to increase the excitement. It
was said that the evidence had all been ta
ken, and that the following day would be
devoted to argument by counsel. Such a
display of legal eloquence was anticipated
as might never be heard again. The desire
to attend became stronger than ever. Some
who were ordinarily least disposed to con
temn the authority of the Faculty, were
now willing to incur their displeasure for
the sake of gratifying this desire. No com--
bination was formed. A considerable num
ber—we do not recollect how many went,
each on his own responsibility, though they
felt that the number would insure their
safty against any punishment worse thana
severe reprimand. Counting those who
had been subpoenaed, there were, we pre
sume fully a third of the students in Greens
boro that day. We heard of no disorderly
conduct among them. Those we know who
went out the last morning, went for the
purpose of hearing the speaking, and as
this began just as they reached the place,
and continued until after sunset, there was
no time, had there been inclination, for
misbehavior. Even those who might under
other circumstances have been disposed to
be a little boisterous, deemed it wisest not
to aggravate the offence of disobedience by
improper conduct.
The little community did not immediate'
ly sink into its wonted quietude. There
followed more than a week of anxious uns
certainty. The air was filled with many
and contradictory rumors. It was guessed
that the Faculty were debating the question
of how to deal with the delinquents, and
though we then felt much, and still feel
some, curiosity to know what passed at these
meetings, nothing ever transpired. It got
abroad in some way, however, that an ac •
knowledgimentot wrong would be a’ci pte 1,
and in accordance with this ides, a few,—we
have really forgotteh whom or how many—
sent in an application for forgiveness. There
were, however, twenty still standing out,
up to the 14th of the monta. Oa the after
noon of that day all were notified to wait
upon the President at his office. There was
much curiosity, but not much dread;—for
no one expected anything worse than a cen
sure. There was a great deal of blank sur
prise, when, with a deal of circumlocution,
and a careful avoidance of t ie word expel,
they were informed that the faculty had dis
missed them The storm of passionate in
dignation which followed this announce
ment defies description. To the heated
minds of these boys it did not seem that
such a wrong was ever inflicted in all the
tide of time. All that afternoon and until
late at night they went in squads from
place to place through the village, giving
vent to their sense of outrage. They doubt
ed not that everybody would sympathize
with them as entirely as did their fellow
students, and to test this feeling, they ap
; ointed a committee to draw up a paper for
the public prints by which they were to
“let the facts be submitted to a candid
world.” The document was prepared, but
never mrde its appearance. Indeed, the
boys soon learned, to their surprise, that
they did not have the public on their side
Most persons, we believe, thought that the
Faculty had erre 1 in refusing permission
to attend the trial; but at the same time
they’ condemned the course of the students
in contemning constituted authority. As
they became convinced of this they became
less defiant in their attitude, and the more
reflecting began to conclude that it would
be wiser to accept the terms offered. One
after another signed an acknowledgement,
and by the beginning of the next term,
most ot them were re-instated, and not one
of them, we believe, ever regretted adopting
this course. This disturbance had for a time
a depressing influence on the prospects of
the College. There were not enrolled at the
next session as many new students as com
mon. But in a year or two the Faculty had
abundant reason to know that they had
lost nothing in the estimation of the pub
lic by daring to assert their authority at
the risk of a heavy loss of patronage.
L. L. V.
GOSPEL ORDER.
I have gone around among my churches
holding a series of meetings with each. My
order at each church was prayer-meeting
each morning, when there were none to be
baptized, aud preaching at eleven o’clock
and at night. We had the relation of ex
periences of grace, together with songs and
exhortations, connected with the public
prayers Many tears, and some expres-ions
of joy, were also manifest. God’s Spirit did
his work. Jesus was with us, as he promise
to ministers who preach and baptize be
lievers, etc.; but does not such promise im
ply that He will not abide till the end of the
world with those who change and renounce
His order of things as when the most sacred
ordinances of God suffered those overriding
influences which, as the late Dean Stanley
wrote was the case, when believers’ baptism
was displaced by that of infant’s, and im
mersion by sprinkling or pouring? Why,
but for such disloyalty among Romanists in
these and other things, are they left to hold
that they were regenerated when in infancy,
there was an application of water made to
them by the priest for this purpose? Why.
but for such departures from the gospel, and
multiplication of evils, did they show the
antichrist spirit In putting to death, through
many years, the saints of the most high
God under the name of heretics? May God
enable all those v bom he calls to preach,
not only to experience a change of heart
through faith in Jesus not to be kept under
a bushel, but to be professed in being per
sonally baptized on a proper profession of
their faith in a buried and risen Christ, that
they may preach after this as did Saul,
afterwards called Paul. Was not the order
of the gospel being carried out, as was to be
the case alway, even unto the end of the
world, when Paul repented, believed, was
called to preach, and was buried with Christ
in baptism before he began to preach the
same gospel which he had tried to abolish
from the world ? Was not Jesus with Paul
in the observance of this order while he
preached Christ crucified to Jews and Gen
tiles, and when males and females hearing
believed and were baptized as became the
gospel? And who can truthfully say that
He was not with me in Hart and Elbert
counties, Georgia, when I preached,—since
my own repentance, call to preach, baptism,
etc., —the same gospel, and baptized six be
lievers at the Line, twelve at Cedar Creek,
and two at Rock Branch, and gained two
for baptism here at Bowman ? Who can
say He will not be with those who keep to
His order from generation to generation
while the world stands? I. H. Goss.
Bowman, Ga., September Bth, 1881.
P. S.—ls there nothing to be lost in de
parting from gospel order? And is there
nothing to be gained in keeping faithfully to
it alway, even to the end of the world?
LOGIC.
Knowing your particular fondness for
logic, your high appreciation of a logical ar
gument, and since only I, of all your breth
ren, can furnish you the following bit, I do
so, thinking it would be unkind to withhold
it:
Rev. Mr. Birkhead, who. a few years ago,
preached extensively in North Georgia, a
minister of the Presbyterian Church, bas
been preaching here for several days. In
one of his sermons he found occasion to give
an exposition of Ex. 3.22. In his explana
tion of the word "borrow,” he said sc> ptics
were wont to charge God with dishonesty,
but in doing so they betrayed their own
ignorance of language; for borrow, at the
time of King James’ translation, meant a
very different thing from what it now means.
Then it meant a modest way of demanding
what was one’s own. So the word “prevent"
no longer has its primary meaning of pre
cede ; it now means to hinder.
Now, since words are continually under
going these changes in their meanings, he
saw the wisdom of God in killing the He
brew, Chaldaic, and Greek languages in
which the Bible was written. And, since we
have to go back to these languages toget the
true meaning of words, the conclusion is
patent that a revision of the Scriptures is
wholly unnecessary.
I reduced this argument to the following
syllogism, which, no doubt, you can im*
prove: The Hebrew, Chaldaic and Greek
languages, in which the Bible was written,
being dead languages, will forever remain
the same. But tbe languages into which the
Bible is translated, being living languages,
are constantly undergoing changes. There--
fore, to revise these translations is wholly
unnecessary. I enjoyed the argument, and
so did his Pedobaptist brethren. It was
amusing to see the smile of exultation play
over the faces of those who oppose the New
Revision. A. B. Vaughan.
Longview, Texas, August 29th, 1881.
Last year we received about 500,000 immi
grants. This vear immigration promises to
exceed considerably even that number.
How can these people, speaking various
tongues, of different training and habit, be
come one with us in social, intellectual, and
moral aims, and an impartial factor in our
American civilization?
Missionary Department.
REV. J. H DeVOTIE, D.D., I
REV. C. M. IRWIN, D.D., f Editors,
AFRICA.—OUR MISSIONARY TO AFRICA
IF. J. DA VID.
LAGOS.
A mission residence has been built here
for some $2,100, which is one of the most
comfortable and convenient mission-houses
in the place.
Four deaths have occurred in the church
One was a Mohammedan convert, who had
learned to read in a remarkably short time,
and held the Bible as bis great comfort when
forsaken by all his former associates. Dying,
he was greatly concerned lest his four chil
dren should be taken from the mission
school. His feats were realized. They were
withdrawn from the school by the mother,
despite the entreaties of the dying and the
living.
Invited to a neighboring village, our mis
sionary found a chapel built by several
Christian residents, and received the fetiches
of three heathen converts. On his arrival,
the natives said: “Here is the house, who
are you going to send to teach us and our
children?” Brother Davis says: ‘Wehave
no one to send. I unite my appeal with
those who stood up in the congregation after
I preached, and said, Send us help !’ Send
it soon, or it will be too late. If they could
stand before you as they stood before us, you
would feel as we feel. We have four young
men who might go to this village and other
villages if they were trained. Many others
might be found. But who will train them?
Send us two or three white missionaries.
These young men could act as interpreters,
and, at the same time, be receiving instruc
tion and experience to labor themselves.
We are in profound earnestness. Cannot
the Board make a great effort, and send us at
least two men of health, zeal, piety, and
some experience? There are hundreds of
towns in the Yoruba country, not aflected by
the war, which would gladly receive the
gospel. Will the Board send it ?’’
GAUN.
In March brother S. L. Milton located in
this town, on the Ogun river. He has six
children who come to him daily for instruc
tion, and a Sunday-school of twenty pupils.
He preaches also in the neighboring farm
towns. Brother David baptized a man fifty
years old, and a woman about thirty
years old “as the first fruits of the station.”
Three others have given up their idols anil
asked baptism. A small chapel is needed
here.
ABBEOKUTA.
This is the largest town and the oldest
mission station in the Yorubancountry. At
one time our religion had made so much
impression that it was called “Christian
Abbeokuta.” “But such has been the de
cline from the mighty works of the past,”
says brother David, “that we fear the words
of Christ concerning Capernaum may prove
true of Abbeokuta. The kidnapping war
continues. All we can do is to hold our
our own. Good seed sown will yield a bar
vest yet.”
OGBOMOSHO.
This is our most encouraging station.
Twenty have been baptized this year. There
are fifteen catechumens. Brother Stone
preaches also in the neighboring towns. He
has two boys, from whom he expects, in
time, to receive some aid. He desires them
to go to brother David for instruction. Our
missionary himself, brother Stone, whose
longing for knowledge has been intense ever
since his conversion, is anxious to be taught
bv brother David. Brother David writes:
“If the Board does not send a man—so much
needed—l must devise some plan for brother
Stone to come and spend a year with me.
He thinks hard of me because I have not
consented to his coming to study under my
direction.”
WHITE MEN FOR AFRICA.
In a letter just received from brother Da
vid be reiterates:
“Send us two white men as soon as possi
ble. We need them to push our work.
There are four white men rn the Wesleyan
Mission house here, and others are expected.
The English Church has four men and their
wives, and another man and wife are expec
ted soon. The Catholics have five priests
and five nuns. European traders send Eu
ropeans to manage their business. The
Colonial Government has Europeans to
manage the responsible offices of the Gov
ernment. The reed shows which way the
wind blows. Send two good men of some
experience—men of education—to prepare
native help, and books for their use in their
language. Other missionary bodies have
men and presses here for this purpose. The
Wesleyans have a SIO,OOO house, and a full
faculty for this purpose. The English Church
has a $5,000 house, with a full faculty, and
has almost completed a $12,000 addition to
it I give these facts to show you that lam
not alone in the opinion that this country
must be evangelized by natives, trained in
this country, and under the supervision of
white men. This is not a strange doctrine;
I am sure it is practiced in all other mis
sionary fields. I wish to divert the minds
of the Board from depending upon colored
laborers from the South too much. In equal
proportions, it will do well I hope, but it
will not do to let the colored force prepon
derate. If lam regarded an enthusiast, it is
in a cause to the welfare of which my life,
energy, and most earnest prayers are given.
“Again I say, may God direct the Boardin
this case.”
“There shall be a handful of corn in the
earth upon the top of the mountains, the
fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon.
Psalm 72:16.
AMERICAN BAPTIST MISSIONARY UNION.
The Burmese Mission commenced in 1813,
has 21 Burman and 431 Karen churches.
The number of native Ch-istians is about
60 000 : communicants, 21,594.
The Assam Mission was commenced in
1837. There are now six missionaries, and
II ordained native preachers. The native
Christian community exceeds 4,500; com
municants, 1,933.
The Telugu Mission commenced in 1840.
Stations now occupied, 7; missionaries, 12;
native preachers ordained, 40; schools, 166 ;
pupils, 2,891; baptisms for the year 1880,
3,027 ; native Christians, 17,020.
Notice the increase of native preachers.
CLIPPINGS FROM GOSPEL IN ALL LANDS.
It is proposed to form a United Jewish
Colony in the District of Gilead and Moab,
the Sultan having gradted 1,500,000 acres of
land for this purpose, in consideration of a
large amount of money to be advanced by
Jewish capitalists. The Colony is to be subs
ject to a prince of Jewish race and religion,
though tributary to the Porte.
There are said to be 14,000 Chinese on the
Hawaiian Islands. Mr. Sit Moon, the pas
tor of the Christian Chinese Church at Hon •
olulu, reports that 248 of his countrymen at
the Islands are Christians.
The Native Christians of Japan have a
Japanese Home Missionary Society. The
annual meeting has lately been held and is
said to have been characterized by earnest
ness and a spirit of consecration.
The number of German immigrants in
1880 was 106,000. Their arrivals on our
shores are much more numerous than those
of any other nation. They constitute the
largest part of the population in some of our
cities, and at various points in the country.
DROWNING THE BABY.
As a missionary was walking by the river
Ganges, in India, one day, he noticed a
Brahmiau woman and her two sons,a beau
tiful boy of twelve years, and a little baby a
few months old, with two female servants,
going toward the river. By their appearance
he knew that the child was to be drowned
to please the goddess Gunga. When they
reached the principal bathing-place four
priests came up to them; and when the
mother saw them she gave a loud cry and
fell senseless to the ground. She was carried
by her servants to the water's edge, where
there was a great crowd of people. The
chief priest then took the lovely babe from
his brother's arms, covered its little body
with oil, vermillion and saffron, dressed it
in red and yellow muslin, aud began to
repeat charms over its head.
The priests tried to arouse the mother, and
at last she opened her eyes. When she re
membered what was going onshesauk back,
saying:
“Is there nothing that will save my
child ?”
“No,” said the priest, who expected a large
sum of money for performing the ceremony;
“no. You have vowed to give him up, and
you must do it. But the gods want you to
be willing to do it. Are you willing ? Say
so, and let the goddess take her own.”
“No, no!” cried the mother; “I am not
willing. If I break my vow I can only be
cursed. Let the curse come. I would rather
die than do it.”
“Yes,” said the angry priest, “the curse
shall come, but not on you. It shall come
on that lad there,” pointing to the elder
boy, “on the darling of your heart. You
shall go home to morrow, taking your
worthless babe with you, it is true, but leav
ing your noble boy, the hope of your house.
Do you still refuse?
The poor mother could not speak, and the
priest added:
“Then wave your hand as a sign that I
may throw your babe into the river.”
The sign was given ; the child was thrown.
One little splash was heard; but the next
moment the mother had it safe in her arms
once more. Wild with grief she had plunged
in and saved it.
"No, no; Gunga shall not have him 1” she
cried. “I was mad. quite mad, when I made
that vow. If it were a daughter perhaps I
could give it tip; but I cannot see my baby
boy drowned before my’ eyes.”
The priest threatened her with still more
dreadful things. She was made to say again
she was willing; aud the priest was just
ready to throw the child into the water,
when his arm was drawn back by the mis
sionary, and he was thrown down bv a sol
dier who was close behind. You know that
Queen Victoria is Empress of India as well
as Queen of England ; and Englishmen have
made a law that children shall not be
drowned in this way. When the missionary
found what was going on, be went in great
haste for some soldiers to stop the priest, and
arrived just in time to save the baby's life.
The frightened priest got away as well as
he could, the crowd fled after him, and the
missionary and the soldiers and the now
happy family were left alone. The mother
fell at the feet of the missionary, crying:
“Thank you, thank you a thousand times,
sir! You have saved my darling. You have
made my mother’s heart rejoice. O how
could I have lived without my baby ! I can
do nothing for you, sir, but the God of the
universe will reward you. I will always
prav to our gods to send you their blessings.”
Relieved and happy, the mother said to
her servants:
"Come, Dasee and Tara, let us go to our
boats and leave this dreadful place. The
gods grant I may never see it again !”
Since the gospel has been carried to India
thesa dreadful things very seldom happen ;
and if all Christian people would do what
they could to send missionaries there, the
time would soon come when they would
never happen. What can you do ?—Gospel
in all Lands.
FROM THE PALMETTO STATE.
A few weekss since I received an invi->
tation from Rev. Lucius Cuthbert, of Aikin,
S. C., to assist him in a series of meetings
with his churches on the South Carolina
Railroad- I joined him in Aikin Saturday
morning before the first Sunday in Aug-,
ust. At eleven o’clock the same day we
began a meeting with the Rosemary church.
As the custom of this church is to have
one service a day. and as it is only three
miles from Williston, we carried on a
meeting also in Williston at the same time,
preaching at Rosemary in the morning, and
in Williston at night. With Rosemary,
church we labored eight days, during
which time seven were immersed and the
church greatly revived. After preaching in
Williston one week at night, we continued
the meeting another week with both morn--
ing and night services. The Master was
with us. On the last day of the meeting
sixteen happy converts were immersed.
From Williston we went to Graham’s.
Here we realized the convicting power of
God. Many were deeply impressed with
the need of salvation. But on account of
sickness we were unable to labor with these
dear people longer than four days. Mrs.
Cuthbert was taken quite ill, and by exces
sive labor my own health was broken down.
At this writing, my good wife is dangerous
ly ill. J. A. Monday.
Athens, Ga., September 1, 1881.
A GOOD MEETING.
We have been in the background so long
we think we ought to let others know we
have had a great blessing from the Lord.
On Saturday August 27th, brother Woot
en, of Norcross, met brother Lankford,
the pastor at this place. They commenced
preaching, praying, singing and exhorting.
They did good work for eleven days, after
which brother Wooten left. Brother Lank
ford continued to the close of the sixteenth
day. The result of the meeting was: Fifi.
teen joined by experience and baptism, all
young persons, one eleven, one twelve, one
a little over twenty, the balance in their
teens, eight by letter, and three under the
watchcare of the church.
Lumpkin.
Dahlonega, Ga., September 12, 1881.
A WORK OF GRACE.
I returned yesterday from Union church,
where I had been engaged for a while in a
meeting. Seven were received for baptism,
and one was restored to the fellowship of
the church. As far as I could see there was
no objectionable excitement. Tuesday night
we had a delightful meeting. The Lord
was in the place.
Our Association convenes this year at
Hollonville where, doubtless, a pleasant
session will be had.
Last evening, our regular monthly confer
ence occasion, I stated that I could ne longer
preach to the church. W. J. Mitchell.
Griffin, Ga., September Bth, 1881.
Obdination.—On the fourth Sabbath in
July, 1881, the Hephzibah Baptist church set
apart to the gospel ministry our young
brother Rufus E. Murrow. The presbytery
consisted of Revs. W. L. Kilpatrick, Edmund
Morris and J. H. Carswell, the pastor. Tbe
services were impressive. The ordination
sermon, by Rev. W. L. Kilpatrick, was very
fine, and was listened to with marked
attention by the large audience. His text:
2 Cor. second chapter, latter clause of the
16th verse—“ And who is sufficient for these
things ? ”
In one of our Missions the Chinese have
given at least a fifth of their income during
the past year to the cause of Christ.—Com.
on Chinese Mission.
