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.-Jr V JO h t . < ■W J3K MJtoix SOUTH-WESTERN BAPTIST, X X THE CHRISTIAN HERALD, of Alabama. of Tennessee. ESTABLISHED I 8 21. Table of Contents. First Page—Alabama Department: Coosa River Association—A New Book—Shall we have It? “The Joy of Harvest;” Per ennial Fruits; The Religious Press. Second Page —Correspondence: A Converted Infidel; From Virginia; The Levering School; For Young Christians; The York* town Celebration, etc. The Mission De partment. Letters from China. Third Page—Children’s Corner: Bible Ex plorations ; Enigmas; Correspondence. The Sunday-school: The Burnt Offering —Lesson for October 16th. Fourth Page—Editorials: The Cloud of Witnesses; Turning the Guns; Another Horror ; A Declaration Which Does Not Declare ; Glimpses and Hints; Georgia Baptist News. Fifth Page—Secular Editorials : The South ern Staple; Sidney Lanier—poetry—Cbas. W. Hubner ; Notes; Booksand Magazines; Albert Theodore Spalding; Georgia News. Sixth Page—Promise—poetry ; A Mother's Influence; October—poetry (illustrated); Selected Miscellany. Obituaries. Seventh Page—The Farmer’s Index : Farm Work for October; Irrigation; Small Notes. Eighth Page—Florida Department: Special Items; Correspondence; Items By The Way; Mission Receipts; Town and Country. Alabama Department. SAMVEL HENDERSON. COOSA RIVER ASSOCIATION—A NEW BOOK-SHALL WE HAVE IT? This body held its last session with the Macedonia church, St. Clair coun ty, Ala., embracing the 3d Lord’s day in September. All the churches, thir ty-three in number, were represented either by letters, or delegates, except two or three, and one new church, Winterboro’, was received, having been constituted since the session before. In the absense of the former Modera tor, brother A. Williams, Dr. Renfroe, was elected to that office, and the for mer Clerk and Treasurer, brethren L Law, and J. K. Elliott, were chosen. A well thought out and earnestly de livered introductoay sermon was preached by Rev. L. Law. Several brethren from other Associations were present, among them Dr. Teague, from the Shelby, and Dr. Gwaltney, from the Catauba, whose presence gave no little interest to the session. Dr. Gwaltney delivered unquestionably one of the best speeches on the subject of education, male and female, to which one ever listens. It bristled with facts and its logic was unanswerable. On Ministerial education, Dr. Teague favor ed us with a fine speech, in which he took occasion to deprecate in earnest terms the policy of sending our young ministers to Germany to finish their Theological education. Well for us if his warning shall be heeded. It struck us that the reports on the usuai topics were drawn up with more than common ability, although the press for time did not allow our breth red to discuss them as we generally do, nearly the whole business of the body being pressed into a single day. The business was whipped through in hot haste speed, owing to the change of the day of meeting from Friday to Saturday, and Saturday being occupi ed in organizing and appointing com mittees, Monday only was left to “pull the business through.” We all know that when cotton fields are white for the want of picking what farmers will do at such a time- It was resolved to meet next year on Thursday instead of Saturday with the Munford church, eleven miles above Talladega on the railroad. Rev. W. Wilkes introduced a paper at this meeting calling for the publica tion of Dr. Renfroe’s Lectures recently delivered to the Theological students at the Baptist College in Clinton, Mis sissippi, which have been called for by our brethren in that State so earnestly. A committee was appointed to corres pond with those brethren in Mississippi to arrange for their publication. We hope the matter can be consummated at an early day. The lecturrs cover a broad range of interesting topics, both for ministers and laymen, occupied by no other book now extant of which we have any knowledge, and are handled with an ability that will secure for the volume when published a broad circu lation. No one need to doubt that the publication of these lectures will accomplish a vast amount of good both to ministers and churches. Any other denomination would have such a book in print in less than six months, and why not we? The preaching on Sabbath by Drs. Gwaltney and Teague, was able and edifying to a degree. It is a rare treat to hear two such men on the same day. We may add also, that the condition of the churches as represented through the letters, was in the main better than usual, both in their multiplication and growth. Many of them reported addi tions by baptism, and increase in the number and attendance of Sunday schools, and some advance in contribu tions to benevolent objects. The means were raised to continue our young brother Giles at the Howard. He graduates the coming year, and stands second to none in College. Since the meeting of last year, two of our oldest and best preachers have passed to their reward, Rev. S. J. Jen kins and Rev. Wm. C. Mynatt. It is seldom that any Association loses two such men in one year. Suitable memo rials of their worth and services were prepared and spread upon the minutes. We doubt if there survive two minis ters in East Alabama who equal them in devotion to the ministerial work, or in the success with which God has crowned their labors. Their memory will linger in many, many hearts while life shall last. “THE JOY OF HARVEST." No labor on a farm is so hard, nor yet performed with so much cheerfulness as the labor of harvest. The-te is something really exhilarating in looking over the ripened waving grain of our fields; and as it falls be fore the mow e.’s scythe,the laborer feels rewarded for all his anxiety and work in sowing and watching its growth and maturity. Poets have sung of the con summation of the husdandman’s toils in their sweetest numbers—prose has gathered from it its most brilliant con ceptions—and the word of God speaks of “the joy of harvest,” The conscious ness that his patient industry has been abundantly rewarded by a benignant providence, so that he has enough and to spare, may -well inspire an honest joy in his heart, which ought to find expression in devout gratitude to the “Giver of every good and perfect gilt.” As far back as we can recollect, we re member to have seen twenty, thirty and perhaps forty reapers in large fields of grain gathering its fruits, and their cheerful songs taken up and re verberated by the whole line, altogeth er presenting one of the most exhiler ating scenes one ever witnesses on a farm. No “bacchanalian revel” could excel it in boisterous mirth at times, inspired, however by the genial, happy spirit that animated all the laborers. The most flagging one of the company would catch the spirit of the occasion, and keep the step with the regularity of clock work. If one should happen to fall behind, he was sure to catch the benefit of many a good humored joke, until, under the gentle impeachment, he would shoot ahead of the others, and turn the humor on the whole crowd. Old fashioned “sickles” were used at that day, and as the men would reap to the end, each one would twist his reap hook in one of his gallowses behind, and bind his “through” back to where he commenced. Then follow ed a whole troup of boys bulking the sheaves into dozens to be shocked up at the close of the day. “Reapers” and “mowers” are certainly great im provements on this old plan of saving grain, but they have taken from the harvest season well nigh all the social pleasures incident to these neighbor hood gatherings. For, alas that it should be so, the tendency of all our “labor-saving” improvements is to make us more selfish. They supersede the necessity of many of the most pleasant and enjoyable occasions of neighborly kindness peculiar to the oid order of things. But ‘hen there are other kinds of harvests whose joys are far higher and purer than ever penetrated the heart of earthly husbandmen when gathering the most bountiful yield of their farms; and this “joy of harvest” supplies an impressive illustration of the holier joy that thrills the hearts of the spiritual husbandman when “thrusting in the sickle” to reap the ripening harvests of the earth. “He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless return again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.” The most rational joy that earth can yield is used to shadow forth the most ex ultant joy that Christian charity can inspire—the joy that welcomes return ing sinners to the fold of Christ. So elevated, so holy is the joy that heaven itself mingles in it, for “there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.” Viewed from that exalted standpoint, the con- ALANTA, GEORGIA, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 6, 1881. version of a sinner from the error of his way is the principal event that can oc cur on earth that can add to the bliss of heaven, since angels know far bet ter than we can know the immeasura ble import of perdition and salvation— what it is to incur the wrath of God, and what is to “behold the King in his beauty.” But these are but the premonitions of the joy that shall penetrate the whole host of heaven, angels and re deemed spirits, when the last grand harvest of the earth shall be reaped, and it shall appear how much our world shall yield to the wealth of its Redeemer, when the general assembly and church of the first born shall as semble upon the glossy sea. and join the last anthem peal, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing . . ... for ever and ever.” PERENNIA L FRUITS. There is not a month in the year in which a thrifty farmer may not plant something on his farm that will contrib ute to its produce. He can always have something growing for man or beast. The constant labor he puts forth finds its compensation in the pleasure and profit of always having some kind of crop either maturing or in some stage of growth. Even in July, he can prepare and sow an acre or two of good land in corn, and make “roughness” enough for half a dozen horses or mules, more indeed than forty acres will yield him in fodder. Always sowing and always reaping will ever keep his barns filled with plenty, and to spare. The Christian heart is not unlike such a well kept farm. The precious seed which has found entrance into a “good and honest heart/’ will always present its appropriate growth from germ to maturity. The gathered har vest of to-day is followed by a fresh de posit of the good seed of the kingdom, and, if we may so speak, between the maturity of the one and the deposit of the otherwhere are plants in every stage of development from the first blade to the “full ear in the stalk.” Always receiving and yet always bearing bi vine fruits. Such a Christian is like the trees of paradise which John saw that “bore twelve manner of fruit,” fruit for every month, fruit always growing and always ripening. Meet him when and where you may, you will ever find in him something that will stimulate your faith and zeal, and increase your spiritual knowledge. Receiving into his heart the engrafted word, and keeping it with all diligence, you need not wonder that divine grace descends, making it soft with showers, dropping fatness upon every plant, and blessing the springing thereof, until it flourishes as the “garden of God.” How cheering the sight of such a Christian, and what a vindication of the reality and efficacy of divine grace does his godly life present to the world! Snch men, scattered here and there, are the contributions of the fallen world to the wealth of heaven, destined through the endless cycles of eternity to vindicate the wisdom, power and goodness of God in sending his Son to redeem them from its pollutions. At this writing (Sep. 27th) a prom ising meeting is going on at Fayette ville, Ala., conducted by brethren Teague, Wilkes and the writer. Dr. Teague has been pastor of this church for some five years, but has recently resigned it. His successor will be chosen at their next monthly meeting. At our last meeting at Alpine, 2d Lord’s day in September, we had the pleasure of baptizing six candidates into the fellowship of that church. It is a notorious fact that the Negroes among us feel and express but little sym pathy for the President’s death.— Asso. Ref. Presbyterian We think that this can scarcely be said of the more intelligent of our Ne groes who do their own thinking ; but in the main the statement is probably correct as to the Negroes everywhere. The reason is, that those who are in the habit of leading them, did not tell them to “feel and express.” If they had done so, there would have been such an outpouring, and such anoutgush as was never seen. Why the leaders kept quiet, is a question for the politicians to solve. We know nothing about their ways. The Religious Press. A writer in the Christian Observer signing himself John, construes the large circulation of the Revised New Testament as an indorsement of that version from Heaven itself, so that God is responsible for it, and not the men who did the work. Here is what he says : lii Lindon a million copies were sold the first day, and five hundred thousand in the United States. A million copies sold'in London the next day and a mil lion in the United States. Thus the immortal and invisible God showed that upon this version he had stamped his sanction. This is little short of blasphemy. We are glad that the New Version was made, but we stand aghast in horror at such expressions as the above. We can excuse the writer only on the ground that he has lost his reason Per contra, welearnfrom the Presby terian that, Rev. Mr. Large, an Episcopal minister of Traverse City, Mich., says that the work is characterized by five fea tuies, to-wit“ Absence of Greek scholarship; profound ignorance of Eng lish; woeful want of familiarity with the New Testament; want of critical taste and judgment; and lack of reverence for divine inspiration.” Large taken ironically is a very ap propriate name for this gentleman. It strikes us that Rev. T. Thumb, D. D., would be more literally descriptive. A Methodist preacher in Ohio is said to have “prayed for Guiteau” substan tially in these words: “May curses be on the hand that did the deed. May the wretch be eternal LY TORMENTED.” If this prayer were translated into the language of the profane, how would it read? Why did not the suppliant but osu: pen refuses to wrnTthe frightful words. Some minis ters of the gospel (so-called) are more fit for the pot-house than for the pulpit. Father Lambing, Catholic priest at Pittsbuig, has formally announced to his flock that he would refuse absolution to all who sent their children to the public schools. He advised them to patronize the parish schools, but threatened no penalty to those who did not send to school at ali. Rome counts ignorance bliss, where to be wise would endanger her authority.— Evangelist. New York has two women who believe themselves to be Mrs. Garfield, and are anxious to get away so as to nurse their husband, and a physician of the city who thinks he is Garfield’s surgeon is con stantly giving prescriptions for the im mediate healing of the patient. These three cranks are all under lack and key As a matter of news this is a little behind the times, but it will do as matter of history. There are a few men who imagine themselves to be the keepers and guardians of the Baptist denomination, and who think that un less their doctrines are swallowed and their counsels followed, the whole brotherhood will go to well we don’t know to what—but to something dread ful we suppose. Perhaps,it isunfortunate that these cranks are not under lock and key. The Troy (N. Y.) limes tells of two children presented to a clergyman of that city for infant baptism. “Have you ever been baptized before, my daughter?” asked the minister, very solemnly. Not understanding the difference between baptism and vaccination, “Y«s, sir,” replied the little girl; “and mine took, but Charlie’s didn’t.” The difference between infant bap tism and vaccination is, that one some times fails to take, and the other always. We seldom quote from the Christian Union but for the entertainment of our Pedobaptist readers, of whom we have a considerable number, we give the following extract from that paper, a place in our columns : There is no direct scriptural authority for infant baptism. The only arguments for the opinion tbatinfants were baptized in the New Testament times are derived from the somewhat doubtful statement that infants were baptized in the pros elyte baptism from which John is by some supposed to have borrowed his his rite, and from the two references to the baptism of households in the book of Acts. The Macon Telegraph and Messenger pays the following tribute to our much loved and ever-honored University. Opening Day of Merckr University. —The fall term of MercerUniversity,lßßl commences to-day under the most flatter ing prospects. Students have been ar riving for a number of past days,and the list of matriculates will be very fine. And why should this not be the case? Is not Mercer University one of the most admirable and honored institutions in the Southern country ? Composed of a faculty and offering advantages second to none other in th* entire Sta'e. The cur riculum is superb, and if the opportuni ties offered young men at this grand seat of learning are earnestly availed of, it will redound to their mental advance ment and moral improvement. Under the prudent and able agency of Rev. Dr. Sylvanus Landrum, the old popularity of the college is being main tained with wonderful effect. His presentation of the claims of Mercer is meeting with great success not only in attracting students to its halls but en gaging the interest and love of moneyed men both at the North and South. Be quests are being made it which will establish the grand college on glorious and lofty foundations. As one evidence of the favor with which Mercer University is being receiv ed, we might mention the donation, by a Northern gentleman, of SI,OOO, made, a short time since, to be devoted to Pro fessor Willet’s department of science, chemistry, etc. The sun of prosperity shines with re fulgent brightness on Mercer University, and into the grandeur of the light the students of 1881-82 walk, full of hope and promise. The trouble with Baptists is, that when they have a good thing, it fre quently happens that they don’t know it. The Independent, a most able and excellent paper of its kind, somewhat religious in its tendencies, Pedobaptist certainly in its affiliations, but not exactly Presbyterian or Congregational, in short as its name implies independ ent, in replying to a remark of the Examiner and Chronicle says; The Examiner and Chronicle refers to The Independent as “a journal that de lights in nothing so much as in flings at Baptists.” It can find in The Independ ent plenty of what it calls “flings” against close communion ; bnt but never one against Bap'ists, and never one argument or fling directed against their great principles of baptism by immersion and baptism of believers only. We challenge our neighbor to prove its assertion. Well, we are glad to know that Bap tist faults are reduced to one. It so happens however that that is the one on which the continued existence of our denomination depends. Still, we are glad to know that so far as the In dependent is concerned there is only one point to be defended. The same paper is kind enough to speak of Georgia as “the Empire State of the South.” The compliment is acknowledged with thanks. And from the same paper we quote at second-hand the following utterance of General Sherman: Should our President die, the murderer is entitled to a speedy trial by a jury, and I hope he will have justice done; but it is not my office, nor yours, or any body’s except the regular courts of this District,which are in indisputable power. Violence in any form will bring a re proach upon us all,- on the country at large and especially on us of the District of Columbia. All the circumstances of the shooting, of the long, heroic strug gle for life impress me so strongly that I would be ashamed of my countrymen if they mingled with their feelings of grief any thought of vengeance. ‘Vengeance is mine, saith the L?rd,’ I trust the public press will use its powerful in fluence to maintain the good order and decorum which have prevailed since toe saddest of all days in Washington- Julv 2d, 1881. Commenting on this the Independent says: The death of the Presiddent naturally intensifies the public abhorrence of Guiteau. He is, however, in the hands of the civil authorities and there let him remain. Tiiere is no doubt that he will in due season receive the award of jus tice, so far as it is in the power of law to administer it. Give him all the advant ages of a fair and impartial trial and then punish him under the authority of law. Tue American people can safely tolerate no other principle in dealing with criminals, whoever they may be or whatever may be their crimes. And this is just what the Index said in its first editorial notice of Guiteau’s crime. We have no right to murder him because he murdered the Presi dent. Give him a trial, a fair trial, and deal with him according to law. This only is becoming to the dignity of a great people. If he should be found guilty let him be hanged ; if he should be found to be insane let him be accquitted, for a lunatic is incapa ble of committing crime. The Examiner and Chronicle gives the following as the language of a minister of the gospel: “I can’t understand it. I have been preaching for twenty-five years that the promises respecting the prayer of faith meant something. And new I’m all at sea, for if ever such prayers were offered VOL. 59.— NO. 39. they have been offered for the restora tion of the President.” The man who used these words, and who is “all at sea” on such a question as this, must have been “preaching for : the last twenty-five years” to very little j purpose. He needs a little training in theology from some of the humblest of our preachers. Lacking this, he would do well to read what has recently been said on the subject, by the religious press of the country. Our leading article of last week contains the doc trine Universally received among Christians. Articles of exactly the same character, written and published simultaneously by hundreds of different men, have appeared in the religious papers all over the United States. It is interesting to notice the unanimity of so many men, writing at the same time on the same subject, each one without the knowledge of the others. Those who read our article on “Prayer Apparently Wasted,” have read all the others that were written last week, in substance at least; for in sentiment and doctrine they are all exactly alike; the ring of the same metal is in them all. We enjoy the harmony ;it is like the chiming of the church bells. I have been in a number of places where I had the opportunity of seeing what is the effect of the great national disaster on the minds of mere politici ans. And the fact is evident that it has no effect at all—not the slightest Chris’ians who pray, and sympathizing citizens who shed tears over the news papers or in front of the bulletins, are not the working politicians who manage the primaries and pack the conventions. I have been a near witness of something in this line, in the course of this last month, and am compelled to say, that the bitterness, selfishness and disregard of public interest never were more con spicuous than they are this moment. The death of the President, I fear, will not allay the rancor of faction or compel a pause in the strife for spoils. This statement is made by Dr. Iraemeus S. Prime, in the New York Observer. If it is true, it betrays the existence, in one portion of the country at least, of an insensibility to the les sons taught by the death of the Presi dent which is a greater calamity to our people than even that death itself. Nothing can ba plainer than that, if we are to have schools and colleges in which the Word of God is to rule, Christ ians must establish and support them. So says the Lutheran Standard and so we think. The application of the sentiment we leave to the good sense of our brethren. That a section politically opposed to General Garfield, and the ideas which he had spent his life in defending and propagating, should be not a whit be hind the citizens of his own State in their expressions of a genuine grief and sym pathy, is surely a wonderful thing. It means, in the words of a Southern man, that “for the first time in more than twenty years the South has realized that she is a part of the Union, and that she too had a President.” It means such a sweeping away of sectional animosities, such a welding together of South and North, as a score of years might fail to accomplish. It will not soon be forgotten that this is one Nation, and that the interests of one part of it are the interests of all. Among the blessings that have come to the people in the train of their affliction, this will be recognized as by no means the least. — Examiner and Chronicle. Happy the prophet of good who, when his prediction is uttered, does nothing and says nothing to defeat it! The Examiner and Chronicle must look to its columns in time to come, careful that no sectionalism creeps into them under the guise of Nationalism : the two things from its old point of view have sometimes been confounded by it. A committee from Pine Grove church (McDuffie county) will meet the brethren of the Georgia Associa tion coming byway of Wrightsboro,and assign them homes Wednesday night before the meeting, of the Association Thursday. We will give them homes iu convenient distance for the morning drive. We think it best fur all South of Little River to come this way, as there is no bridge below Dyer’s Mill and that one is unsafe. J. M. Wilson. Thomson, Ga., Sept. 27th, 1881. Our Indian Mission Scho.il.—The Levering Manual Labor Mission School opened September sth, with 100 pupils in attendance. In addition to these 50 applied but could not be received. This school increases our expenditures among the Indians, and calls for a corresponding increase in the contributions of God’s people. Wm. H. McLnt. sii, Cor. Sec. Marion, Ala.