Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

SOUTH-WESTERN BAPTIST, X ' THE CHRISTIAN HERALD, or Alabama. w-' ‘ of Tennessee. ESTABLISHED I 811. THE CHRISTIAN INDEX. BY JAS. P. HARRISON & CO. Subscription, per year 82.60 Table of Contents. First Page—Alabama Department: To My Old Friends in Georgia; Suffering Not Identical With Punishment; Extremes; Ministerial Infirmities; The Religions Press. Second Page—Correspondence : College Edu cation in Georgia.—Free Tuition —Rejoin- der to Reply of “Trustee:” Virginia and Georgia; Simple Dress; A Word of Correc tion ; A Work of Grace; Jottings By The Way ; Missionary Doctor ; Bible and Prayer Union. The Missionary Depart ment- Third Page—Children’s Corner: Bible Ex plorations; Questions ; Enigmas; Corres pondence. The Sunday school: The Fea-t of Tabernacles —Lesson for November 13, 1881. Fourth Page—Editorials: To Save Life; Glimpsesand Hints; Georgia Baptist News. Fifth Page—Secular Editorials: The Spirit In The Air; King Cotton—poetry—Chas. W. Hubner; Literary Notes and Com ments ; Confederate Bonds ; etc. Georgia Nev s. Sixth Page—The Household : Weeds—poet ry ; etc; etc. November—poetry—(illus trated). Obituaries. Seventh Page—The Farmer’s Index: Farm ft»Work for November; Cotton, Coal and Timber —The King, Queen and Giant Produc's of the South, and their Future Promise —by D. D. T. Moore. Eighth Page—Florida Department: Facts and Figures; Home Mission Board ; Floris e da Baptist Association; etc. Alabama Department. B amxTkiTh >X. TO MY OLD FRIENDS IN GEORGIA. Dear Brethren : —May I ask you, as modestly as I may, for a little con tribution to enable me to build, near my residence in Alabama, a neat little country chapel for a new Baptist church, located in a neighborhood of poor people who cannot do this for themselves? I propose devoting a large portion of my ministry to this neighborhood the fragment of my life. This is, I can fairly say, on my part, a labor of love, for the community could not pay a hundred dollars a year to the best preacher in Alabama or Geor gia. I only want enough money to buy the material —we will do the bal ance.' Please let me hear from you, through Dr. Tucker, chief Editor of The Index. S. Henderson. SUFFERING NOT IDENTICAL WITH PUNISHMENT. It is written of “the Captain of our salvation,” that he was “made perfect through suffering.” As of all things in the world we most instinctively re coil from suffering, so it becomes the highest test of integrity and purity. A man that will go to the stake for his principles does all that a mortal can do to vindicate the reality and sincerity of his convictions. He may be wrong, but no man thinks of pro nouncing him dishonest or insincere. He has done that which leaves noth ing undone to throw around his char acter the lustre of the highest heroic virtue. Life being the' most precious boon properly connected with this „ world, he who sacrifices this to a prin ciple can furnish no higher testimony of his integrity to what he believes to be the truth. Now, this is the ordeal our divine Master passed through, and the ordeal through which He has predestinated His followers to pass. He was “made perfect through suffering.” His dis ciples, in their measure, are to experi ence the purifying power of tribula tion. When He passed the ordeal and reached the crown, He received “a name above every other name”—when they pass the trial scene, they are to “ shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of the Father.” Beyond His Gethsemane and Calvary, He beheld “ the joy that was set before Him,” the innumerable white-vested throng on the mount of God: beyond our Gethsemane and Calvary, we see the crown and palms which are to reward our sufferings and labors. Beyond His crucifixion lay the grandest achievements ever yet recorded of Almightiness : beyond our crucifixion —for are we not to be cru cified to the world, and the world to us?—lies the noblest career of “honor, glory and immortality” which Omnip otence can confer. It is no wonder that an apostle, who tasted the bitter ness of this cup as no other being ever did, save only his Master, exclaimed, “ I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us.” Christian reader, do not be startled or alarmed when dark providences overwhelm you, “as though some strange thing has happened to you.” If the adored Redeemer set his heart upon you to bring you to glory, the fiercest trials that ever beset the path way of a saint, will only polish you as one of his jewels for a more brilliant place in his crown. Only place your hand in His, and you may venture through floods and flames, and be in finitely safer than the ungodly in their greatest fancied security. Daniel in the lion’s den was a thousand times more secure than Belshazzar sur rounded by brazen walls and trusty legions of soldiers. The path of duty can never be perilous so long as there are any resources with Almightiness. The very command to walk therein implies the promi-e of security. The Red Sea divides for the friends of God, and becomes their pavilion of safety— it closes in angry surges upon his ene mies and becomes their winding sheet. What is salvation to the righteous is destruction to the wicked. How often has this been verified in the history of our race! Like the mystic cloud that settled between the camp of Israel and the camp of the Egyptians, how often does the very providence that throws a halo of light upon the path of the just, envelope the ways of the wicked with the blackness of dark ness! “Behold, therefore, the good ness and severity of God! ” Suffering and punishment are not synonymous. They may be the poles asunder, both in their intent and re sults. Job may have suffered the equivalent of a hundred deaths dur ing hie afflictions, while the vilest sin ner may suffer but one, but that one is the prelude to the death that never dies. Earthly logic never makes so sad a blunder as when it reasons « posteriori, from suffering to crime—in ferring right or wrong from simple results. Even Milton made this blun der when he inferred that the par liamentarian party, in the civil war of England, was right because it suc ceeded. He himself lived long enough to see all his reasoning set aside by the “ Restoration.” Judged solely by the amount of suffering endured, Christianity appears to a disadvantage when compared with the world. This was the rock on which David himself declares that his “ feet had well nigh slipped.” The prosperity of the wicked and the adversity of the righteous pre sented a problem to his mind that was solved only when he “went into the sanctuary of God.” “Then,” said he, “ understood I their end ; ” and as he contemplated that dreadful end, it drove him well nigh to the other ex treme ; for he continues, “ surely thou didst set them in slippery places.” As if he had said, surely their very pros perity has been their ruin! Inno cence and uprightness were once cru cified in the person of the Son of God by the multitude; and pretty much ever since this current of iniquity has been running in the same direction. Disaster, disappointment, suffering, death, in its most terrific form, have often been the heritage of men “of whom the world was not worthy.” 0, it is well for all such that a day of retribution has been appointed some where in the future, when “ the earth shall disclose its blood, and no more cover its slain,” and when the verdicts of earthly courts, the Pilates and Her ods of history, shall be reversed at the great assize, and crushed and bleeding innocence shall share the award of a glorious benediction in the presence of an assembled universe. The faith, and hope, and patience, that wait for that day may well “ count it all joy when they fall into divers tempta tions.” What are the last sacrifices that human nature can make weighed against that “ far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,” reserved for those who pass honorably through this probationary scene! Eternity only can express the amazing contrast. At this season,various entertainments to “help the church” are initiated and much valuable time spent in prepara tion,while untold weariness and vexation accompany the wo>k from beginning to ena. It would be a wonderful change if those who want to help would give themselves to earnest and prayerful effort to convert souls.— Baptist Weekly. One tenth part of the effort that it takes to get up a fair or a festival, if it were directed straight to the benefit either of the souls or of the bodies of men, would do ten times as much good, and no harm. ALANTA, GEORGIA, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 1881. We are all very prone to extremes — as the old maxim expresses it, “ in the loft or in the cellar.” To-day some object looms up before us, and we set our hearts upon it, thinking that its attainment will gratify us beyond measure. To-morrow, it turns up a “raw side,” and we turn from it in disgust, persuading ourselves that of all things else, it is least desirable. Mercurial temperaments are much given to extremes. Especially is this true when joined to a vigorous fancy. Easily impressed with anything that possesses novelty, fancy supplies the facts, and for the moment the party is perfectly enthused in its prosecution. One would suppose that he had just struck his talent, and was on the eve of realizing the grandest success of his life. But alas, something occurs that changes the whole aspect of things, and the next time we see him, he can scarcely command language sufficient ly strong to e: press his loathing for the thing that had awakened his aspi rations. Os course such men never succeed in any pursuit. When the novelty subsides, their interest sub sides. Just at the point where your successful men begin to betray tho industry, the energy essential to com pass the end, they turn away in con tempt from what they come to regard as too grovelling a pursuit for them, and straightway address themselves to some other enterprise more worthy of their talents. And thus through life they are driven from one thing to an other, from one ex.trgyie to another, like the oscillations <A a pendulum. If such a man should be a preacher, his call to a new church is the grand de sideratum which is to redeem his whole i life by giving him a field of usefulness; in which his success is to be unparal' ■ elled. Twelve months afterward, that church, if we are to believe him, is of all others he ever was connected with, the hardest and most difficult to sup ply, and he is impatient for another call. If he turns his attention to a farm, the first wave of adversity un settles all his plans, and he concludes that poverty only can come of that business—he sells out, and puts up a little store at some cross roads, spends his little patrimony, and is eager for something else. And the trouble is, experieneeteaches such people nothing. They are the readiest persons in the world to receive counsel in word, and the last to profit by it. One can make any impression on such minds that he chooses, but like writing in the sand, the first puff of wind obliterates the impression. MINISTERIAL INFIRMITIES. Os all the people in the world, min isters ought to hold themselves sub ject to the orders of the Master, and yet it sometimes happens that of all people they are most anxious and con cerned about the very things the Mas ter has undertaken to control; their places of labor, their compensation, their standing with the brethren and with the world—indeed, all the things that affect their history and destiny in this world. Now, nothing is more clearly revealed in the word of God than that all such things are under His direction. He holds these “candle sticks,” as John calls them, in His right hand. So long as he has any use for any of His ministers in His earthly vineyard/He will see to it that they will be in the place, if they will only, in sweet submission to his authority, commit their ways to Him. Inordinate care in this respect is wrong in principle and results. What can be more rebellious than to fret and chafe under what we esteem to be a hard lot ? What can be more perilous and disastrous in results than for our Lord to abandon us to our own way ? In accepting his service, every minister “ commits his ways unto the Lord” with an unlimited trust. He ingenuously and properly concedes that his Master is wiser than he is, and that “ all his steps are, ordered of the Lord.” It is conceding but little to Infinite wisdom to say that He who bestows these gifts upon the churches knows better than we do where to place them so as td secure the largest benefit from them. “ Should it be* according to thy mind?” is a most fearful enquiry. We have sometimes thought that if our Redeemer should say to some of these fretting, discon tented servants of His, “Well, since you are so restive under my direction, I will turn you over to your own con- EXTREMES. trol, and allow you to direct your own destiny,” it would be the most ter rible calamity that could befall them. ’Alas, how many preachers have em bittered the last years of their lives by .giving away to those little piques and disappointments, that ought to be thrown into brackets, and dismissed in five minutes after their occurrence. How it would sweeten their last days to obey the divine injunction—“ Cast all your care upon Him, for He careth for you.” Another weakness we sometimes see in ministers, even good men on the whole, is a species of jealousy that embitters their intercourse with each other. We have often thought if a man disposed to cherish this feeling would pause and ask himself, “ What is it in my brother that excites my jealousy?” he would be inclined to turn all his censures upon himself for indulging such a passion. The very qualities that he and all others most admire, are the qualities that arouse his envy. Do we put it too strongly when we say, he hates his brother for the very reason that he ought to love - him? For, if he were conscious that he possessed these qualities to the same extent as his brother, there could 1 be no ground for jealousy. The very passion is nothing more or less than an inward consciousness of personal inferiority. Hence it is, perhaps, the most despicable feeling that ever dis ’ turbs the heart of a good man. Brother, suppress the “ green-eyed monster” the moment he shows his horrid face. He comes for evil and 1 only evil—evil to you infinitely more than evil to the worthy character of 1 whom you are envious. God has so •» constituted moral excellence that no 3 weapon formed against it can prosper. J The missiles aimed at a shining mark j either fall harmless at its feet, or re bound upon the party who flings them with crushing power. There are two things every minister ought to learn in early life. After committing his ways unto the Lord, he should never thereafter distrust divine wisdom in shaping his destiny. Why place ourselves under the Mas ter’s guidance, if we do not intend meekly to submit to it? The other thing is, to thank God for every gift He bestows upon His churches that surpasses us in the breadth, the pow er, the effectiveness of its influence for good. Where this sentiment is cherished, no base passion will mar our peace, or interrupt the harmony of our intercourse with our brethren. 11 II The Religious Press. Baptism of the Bell. —The Dominion church was crowded to overflowing last evening to witness the ceremony of bless ing the new magnificent bell that will henceforth announce the religious ser vice at that church. The ceremony, which was to many present an unusual occurrence, was performed by Rt. Rev. Bishop McClosky, assisted by a number of the clergy of the diocese. The cere monial was truly impressive. The Rt. Rev. Bishop caused the bell to be washed with holy water in order to purify it and separate it from secular and profane ves sels. He then anointed it with the sacred oils, during which the ceremony was solemn and impressive. During the exercises the choir rendered, in a highly creditable manner, some choice selections from the old mastere.—Courier- Journal. No living man can find a single prece dent for such a ridiculous ceremony in the Scriptures. It is a burlesque upon the adorable life and work and teach ing of the Son of God. So long as such ceremonies as baptizing bells remain, the Roman church shows itself to be without the sphere of the spirit and truth of the gospel. No one need won der that Romanism is opposed to free schools, for its spirit gravitates to bar barism now, as it has always done.— Apostolic Times. And The Index has to say, that there is quite as much Scripture for baptizing bells as there is for sprink ling infants, or for baptizing them either. “I have never felt it to be my duty to try to make any person a proselyte to my belief: my sole aim has been to bring sinners to Christ.” This was the sober utterance of an earnent working Baptist a short time ago. Was it wise ? To this question by a correspondent of the Christian Visitor, we answer, No. It is not wise for men to “shun to declare all the counsel of Godand those who do not shun it must some times speak as Baptists, and ought to speak then with a desire to make Bap tists of others. Dr. Curry, (not our Dr. Curry), I in.the New York Methodist, assigns the denominations their place and mis sion after the following fashion : The Presbyterians stand forth as lead ers of religious thought—promoting per sonal piety chiefly through the intellect; and the Episcopalians, as the patrons of ecclesiasticism in art and ritualistic cul ture ; the Congregationalists (including the Baptists) are simply unorganized local religious communities, represent ing the largest freedom and suffering its perils and disadvantages; but the mis sion of Methodism is distinctly and eminently evangelistic, and if it shall depart from this, or fail in respect to it, then, like the salt without its savor, it becomes good for nothing. If the Baptists are “simply unor ganized local religious communities,” the fault lies in the departure of their practice from their theory. According to that theory, the apostles still live —live in their writings—and are Bap tists—as the principles and precedents in these writings testify—and rule Baptist churches—by the authority of those writings. That is organization enough for us; and it was enough for the apostles, too, seeing they pro vided and warranted no other. Mr. 0. J. Hollister, for the last ten years a resident of Salt Lake City, sends a startling statement to the Boston Christian Register, with regard the Chief of the Mormon church : This man can “pump” twenty thous sand votes in Utah, to day, against your or my one. He can likewise control by one word the event of an election in Idaho, Wyoming, Arizona, and, as I be lieve, in Nevada. Very soon, he will be able to rule Montana, Washington, Colo rado, perhaps Oregon and even Califor nia, in the same way. The “inactivity” of our Government toward the polygamy of Mormonism has been anything but “masterly.” It has enabled that iniquitous system to “lengthen its cords and strengthen its stakes,” and rendered the problem of effectual dealing with it, every year, a more difficult one. It is close, personal work that tells. Go speak to that young man. Do it pri vately, when you are alone with him. Ask him about his interest in Christ. Remind him of his duty toward God. He is your companion, of your own age and tastes. Do not wait for the preacher to do it. You are the most effectual preacher. Ask him to become a Chris tian ; to consecrate his young life and talents to God. You will be astonished to see how effectual is close work. Talk to him alone,and he will not suspect you of a purpose to glorify yourself. He will believe that yon love him, and that is half the battle. Go speak to the young man.— Evang. Messenger. In private life, every Christian whether old or young, male or female, should be a preacher of the gospel. Those who do nothing for the gospel give evidence that they are not likely to receive anything from the gospel. In nine cases out of ten parents who send their sons to Europe to be educated find cause to regret it. _ At least this is according to our observation.— Ex. And with this opinion The Index heartily agrees. When the editor was in Europe a few years ago with his children, he could have educated them at half the expense incurred at home; but he brought them home to Georgia; and he would prefer that they should grow up without education at home, rather than that they should go to any part of the Continent of Europe to get it. Strong language? Yes, very, but not hasty ; it espresses our convictions deliberately formed. Female preachers in this country have been found chiefly in the Universalist denomination. Some of them have offi ciated as pastors of churches for a time and made a temporary sensation, which, in most cases, has quite died out. Now, the leading men of the denomination are discussing the question whether the admission of females to the pastorate was not an unwise innovation. The indi cations are that there will be no advance, but a retreat to the older ways, and the women again “keep silence” in their churches. — Presbyterian. We have heard of no female pastors or preachers among Baptists, but in some of the Northern Baptist churches is is common for women to speak and pray in public as freely as men. We regret that this should be the case any where, but are thankful that the heresy has taken no root at the South. It is eleven years since the Pope lost what he calls hie “temporal power.” There is a growing determination in Italy that this power shall never pass again into the hands of the Holy Father. Nothing but a revolution in favor of des potism throughout Europe would restore the Pope to his lost monarchy.—Presby terian. Revolutions never go backwards; the temporal power of the Pope has gone, we doubt not, forever; his spirit- VOL. 59—NO. 43. ual power is as great as ever; whether in the end, the latter will be strengthened or weakened by the loss of the former,is a question about which the wisest men entertain different opinions. At the recent session of the Georgia | Baptist Association which is the oldest, ) largest and strongest Association in ' the State, the following resolution was adopted unanimously: On motion of brother B. M. Callaway— Resolved, That this Association unani moualy approve and indorse the action of the Board of Foreign Missions in with drawing the appointment of brethren Bell and Stout as missionaries, and that the Clerk be instructed to furnish brother H. A. Tupper, Corresponding Secretary, with a copy of this resolution. We should have been greatly aston ished if the adoption of this resolution had not been unanimous. What advantage is it to be a citizen of New York? Much every way—but chiefly because that we may give to every object of benevolence in the city and country the whole land over!—liatc/t Tower. The same may be said of Atlanta. Appeals to our benevolence from all parts of the country for many miles around, come to us almost every day, and sometimes three or four times a day. It is said that our contributions are small; so they are, but they are many. Small as they are. the help-seekers compass us about like bees. We have seldom seen so much thought, and good thought too, in so small a compass, as is found in the fol lowing synopsis of a sermon preached by Rev. P. S. Moxon at the Baptist State Convention, recently held at Portsmouth, Ohio: His text was Matthew 16; 18. The Christian church is the most vital and vitalizing thing on the earth. This re sults from its foundation, Christ. He is that foundation —1. Historically. We cannot account for it without him. It is an efflux from him. He is its head and its heart. 2. Doctrinally. He reveals God in a manner adapted to the needs of human reason and human hearts. He also reveals more clearly sin. His resur rection, the most stupendous fad in human history, reveals the resurrection of all, and gives new import to life. He is the truth. 3. Ethically. In him doc trines are resolved into life. His spirit even more completely than his words is the guide to duty. 4. He is the founda tion of the spiritual and evangelical life of the church. The ordinances set forth him. The church lives upon him. It is missionary because he is in it. It must be such, or fail to justify its existence. He is also the source of the church au thority. We claim, as Baptists, to rep resent certain great truths. This claim we can justly make and vindicate only as we maintain our fellowship with him. And here is a fine little sermon, all in a paragraph, from our Methodist brother of Zion’s Herald, whom we often invite to occupy The Index pul pit, (in a small way), in these columns. When the love of Christ is born in a human heart, selfishness is dethroned. When that love reigns supremely, self ishness dies. From that triumphant love of Christ arises that unselfish love of men, especially of the brethren, which was such a marked characteristic of the early Christians that the heathen were wont to exclaim with astonishment, “They love one another even before they know each other 1” And it was on the same principle that John made brother ly love a test of regeneration, saying, “We know we have passed from death unto life because we love the brethren.” When the modern church manifests this brotherly love more fully, bolding it forth shining like an electric light before the eyes of the world, she will be in the fullest sense the “light of the world” Is not more disinterested, more visible, brotherly love in the church one of the greatest needs of the times? Seven Bible Rules.—“ Hold fast that which is good.” 1 These, v. 21 “Be not wise in your own conceit.” Rom. xii. 16. “Follow after the things which make for peace.” Rom. xiv. 19. “Be of one mind; live in peace.” 2 Cor. xiii. 11. “Be ye kind to one another.” Eph. iv. 32. “Be not weary in well doing.” 2 These, iii. 13. “Speak not evil one of another.” Janies iv. 11. Rules for Daily Life.—Say nothing you would not like God to hear. Do nothing you would not like God to see. Write nothing you would not like God to read. Go to no place where you would not like God to find you. Read no book of which you would not like God to say, “Show it to me.” Never spend your time in such away that you would not like God to say, “What art thou doing?”