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.. SOUTH-WESTERN BAPTIST, ' ' THE CHRISTIAN HERALD, of Alabama. ’of Tennessee. ESTABLISHED I 811. THE CHRISTIAN INDEX. BY JAS. P. HARRISON & CO. Subscription, per year J 2-60 Table of Contents. " % First Page—Alabama Department: Fitful and Permanent Pastorships; Dejection. Religious Press. Second Page—Correspondence: College Edu cation in Georgia—Free Tuition—What Some Catalogues Say; Calling a Preacher; General Meeting; Free Tuition—Pope Barrow ; Jottings By The Way—J. M. G. Medlock. Missionary Department. Third Page—The Children's Corner: Bible Explorations ; Enigmas; Little To-Tote, etc-, etc. Fourth Page—Editorials : Infidelity; The Bible Makes Baptists; Glimpses and Hints; Georgia Baptist News. Fifth Page—Secular Editorials : Mr. Edward Atkinson—His Parable of “ Th* Black smith That Went to College;” Literary Notes and Comments ; New Books; Geor gia News. Sixth Page—The Household: Recompense —poetry ; The Religious Paper in a New Home; Health Notes, etc. Obituaries. Seventh Page—The Farmers’ Index : Plant ing and Care of Orchards; Fence or No Fence; Northern Ideas of the South; Hogs at Home. Eighth Page—Florida Department; State Convention; Where “We” Have Been; Florida Association. z ’ Alabama Department. BY SAMUEL HENDERSON. FITFUL AND PERMANENT PAS TORSHIPS. Several years ago, a worthy minis ter in Alabama, in the southern part of the State, who stood as high in pub lic esteem for character and ability as any man in his part of the State, took it intoAkia Auil(l -» substantial ctapeion his own plantation at his own individual cost, call himself to oc cupy the pulpit, inviting all his neigh bors to hear him preach, who felt in clined to do so, and entered heart and scul into the work. Disgusted with the caprices of the average country churches in their annual calls, which had degenerated into about such scam bles and heart burnings as are en gendered at a mere constables election, he resolved to have a church after his own heart and model, and commenced "running the schedule” on that line. In a little while, there gathered around him a mass of solid, working material, that in a few years developed into one of the best and one of the most prosperous churches in all the country. His very name became the synonym of all that was noble in earnest piety, all that was reliable in stability, and all that was praise worthy in “works of faith, labors of love, and patience of hope.” Without stopping to discuss the right or the wrong of the policy adopted by this brother, it may serve to suggest something worthy of every man who thinks; and as to those who are gov erned by impulse, caprice or prejudice, we shall throw them into brackets, and allow them to drift as they list. The pastoral relation was evidently de signed by the Head of the church to be permanent. This is evident, whether we consider the nature of the office, the work committed to it, or the influence it is intended to exercise upon church and society at large. As to the nature of the office, it is spiritual. Pastors are spiritual gifts. Christ bestows upon His churches. They are therefore to be isolated, as far as possible, from all other pursuits, "separated unto the gospel of God.” When rightly viewed, and properly appreciated, it admits of no complica tion with other pursuits. Hence the emphasis of Paul’s command to Timo thy, “study to show thyself approved.” Hence also the oppositeness of the reason given by Peter to the church at Jerusalem, when he directed them to choose “seven men” to fill, as we sup pose the deaconship of that church, when he said, “we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the minis try of the world.” His business is to cultivate his head and heart so as to fit him for that greatest work God has ever committed to man—to win souls to Christ, and then train them for the bliss of heaven. Now, can any man suppose that Christ would ever bestow such gifts as these upon his churches, and then hypothecate their contin uance, not upon the best judgment of the pious and good, but upon the whims and caprices of the malcontents of our churches, whose piety is always at a discount? For, are not these the men who,generally breed discontent with existing relations, and who, by adroit management, gather around idem the very elements in the churches, who betray the least con cern for its prosperity? It does seem to us, that of all agencies in the world that ought to be most permanent, that agency should be, which Christ em ploys to convey, instrumentally, the choicest blessings He has to bestow. The work committed to pastors de mands a like permanency in their re lations to churches. What should be more reliable, more stable, more con stant, than the source whence are supnl’ed, under God, those doctrines, re». fs, corrections, admonitions, en c gements, and the like, by which “the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto every good work?” Where do you find, reader, the highest physical health developed? In the country, among people who live at home, and who are accustomed to the healthy bill of fare Hhey produce on their own farms. Where do you find dyspepsia, liver complaints, all the aches and pains that flesh is heir to, in greatest profusion? In towns and cities, and among the travelling pub lic, who are subject to perpetual changes in habits and fare. So it is as between stable and unstable churches. Given a pastor who possesses all the essential qualities of “a good minister of Jesus Christ;” the longer such a man stays in the same place, the broader and more effective his influence for good, His very work enshrines him in the hearts of his people, and they come to regard him every year more and more, as essential to their spiritual wellfare. They would almost as soon thfnk of divorcing their old dear wives as to sever their connection with the old pastor, who stood by them in their ass 1 lotion s, > deader parried their young people, led their children to Christ, nourished their own faith and piety by a thousand ministrations, imparting the last consolations to the dying, and exemplifying in his life all that is grand, and noble, and attrac tive in piety. Must not every one see that the longer such influences can be retained in any community, the better for every object that moral excellence can accomplish? We have occasionally known rude hands to wrench one of these “trees of right eousness” from the Master’s vineyard, and that vineyard went into rapid de cay. To recur to the imagery of John, it is a most fearful and perilous thing for any other than the Master’s hand to “remove the candlestick from its place.” The. influence which the pastoral office is to exercise in the church and over society at large, supplies another reason for its permanence. Moral and religious influences, to reach their highest point of efficiency, must be the growth of years. “Confidence is a plant of slow growth,” said a very wise man once. Novelty, for the moment, may seem to do much, but it soon wears off, and only that which is solid and enduring remains. This consider ation is so obvious that it only needs to be mentioned to be admitted by all. The truth is, these fitful, frequent changes in the pastoral offioe, recoil upon the character of ministers as well as churches, giving them a short-lived reputation, no matter where they go. It takes away the stimulant to study, and imparts a sameness to their min istrations that greatly circumscribes their influence. When a minister fails to take root, so to say, in the affections and confidence of a church, and the community in which he may locate, one of two things, or both, must be true. Either there is nothing in him to inspire that love and confi dence, or there is nothing in that community, into which he can grow. And in either case, the sooner he leaves that place the better. We only add that in years long gone by, the call of a new pastor among the Baptists amounted to something. It was considered one of the gravest questions on which they could be called on to deliberate, and was gen erally preceded by a day of fasting and prayer. So that, when the decision was announced, it came with all the authority and solemmity which Chris tian men, animated by the fear of God, could impart to it. The pastor called under such circumstances, felt that he was obeying the call of his Master, and would share the sympa thies, the prayers, and the co-operation of his brethren. He could, theiefore ALANTA, GEORGIA, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1881. enter upon his work with some hope that his ministry would be a blessing to people who received him as from the Lord. DEJECTION. Every reader knows something about being cast down, and will readily allow us to present some thoughts on it, by way of indicating its causes and remedy. The world chooses its favor ites from the ranks of prosperity— God chooses his elect “in the furnace' of affliction.” And as a life of faith or iginates in a broken heart and a con trite spirit, it is largely made up in its after career of “much tribulation,” of no little “chastening of the Lord.” When He, who is “mighty to save,” under takes the salvation of a sinner, we may well suppose that He will choose the most fitting methods to accomplishing that end. Impurities are to be cleansed that not only require the blood of Christ, but the "floods of tribulation.” Dross is to be removed, and this *s only to be dene in the crucible of af fliction. We are to be divorced from the world, and this can only be done by our being crucified to the “world, and the world unto us.” The heavenly inheritance is to assume its grand pro portions before the eye of our faith, and this can only be done as we con trast “the sufferings of this present time with the glory that shall be re vealed in us.” Sacrifices are to be made, and these require no little self-denial. Crosses are to be borne, in order that “patience may have her perfect work.” Long, delicate, diffi cult labors are to be put forth, and these are achieved only at the cost of many a hard-fought battle with “ the lusts of the flesh” and the claims of the world. Now, all these causes,- and jiiany others we cannot enumerate, combine bidsjinring, t?i x* scene. How, then, in “passing througn this valley of Baca,” can we find the “ well ” that shall refresh our wearied spirits? What sources of comfort has our Lord provided to sustain our troubled hearts? First of all, there is the indwelling of the Spirit, the true spring of every joy that can animate our minds. The sweet name by which He is known in the vocabulary of our Lord is, “ the Comforter;” and He assures us that this Comforter shall “dwell with us forever.” And what may not that Spirit do for us who “searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God? ” What burdens may He not remove? From what dejection may He not raise us? What tribulations may He not sweeten? and what afflictions may He not alleviate? Os what can that man be afraid, who has God the Spirit dwell ing within him? It is no wonder that Paul exclaims, “all things work togeth er for good to them that love God; to them who are called according to his purpose.” How tender the words of t ie prophet, addressed to the perturbed, agitated spirit of the struggling saint, “ 0 thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and.not comforted! behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colors, and lay thy foundations with sapphires!” Why, his very pathway, like Solomon’s chariot, is “paved with love.” In addition to this, “ consider Him who endured such contradiction of sin ners, lest ye be weary and faint in your minds.” And is it not something for every Christian to know, that he is called upon to tread no path however beset with thorns, to drink no cup of sorrow however mingled with gall, to bear no cross however crushing, to ex perience no heart-agony however poig nant ; yea, to suffer no death, however ignominious or torturing, which have not all been exemplified a hundred fold in the life and death of his adored Re deemer! And is it not “sufficient for the disciple that he be as his Lord?” If he would be glorified with Him, he must suffer with Him. This was the ardent desire of the great apostle of the Gentiles: “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death.” If we could only realize the depth of a Sa viour’s love to us, who, while cherishing that affection far more than a mother can for her child, must resort to the purifying power of tribulation to fit us for the inheritance in glory, we could not murmur at any calamity that flesh and blood can bear. The compensa tion, when bestowed, will inspire a joy all the sweeter by the recollections of our past afflictions. And, then, is there not something in the fact that the Christian is a new yreature—that he is now an “ heir of God, and a joint heir with Jesus Christ” —that he is now within that circle of influences, agencies, powers, which come from the highest and purest sources, and all of which are co-operat ing together to bring him to glory;—is there not something in all this to lift him out of that “horrible pit” of dejec tion, in which he too often immures himself when battling with the storm of adversity? Let him bethink himself —if he carries within his heart a well -grounded hope, a hope that anchors ■ttith'in the vail—if he is truly a child of God by faith in Jesus Christ, even though he be a veiy Lazarus in pover ty, disease and suffering, there is not an angel in glory but will feel honored in bearing his spirit to Abraham’s bosom. Nay, even in this life, “ are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who are heirs of salvation?” Why should the Chris tian ever grow weary of that song— “ The sorrows of the mind Be banished from the place ; R“ligion never was designed To make our pleasures less?'' The Religious Press. In his speech at the late State Conven tion, President Anderson incidentally let drop a remark that every preacher ought to take to heart. A young theo logical student once lamented to him that there is too little intelligence among Baptists, and seemed to think it a pity that his magnificent cultute was to be thrown away on uneducated people. The reply was : “My dear young sir, did you ever happen to think what kind of people the Lord Jesus Christ taught ? And did it ever occur to you that the highest achievement of the cultivated intellect is to take the great truths of reli gion and make them so plain and simple -Jiat the average, uneducated man can yiderstand them ?” Examiner and Chronicle. Die rffim who think* th'at he too much culture to preach to uneducated people, would do well to exchange the ministry for some other calling. One of the Professors in the Baptist Seminary for preachers, neglecting to exercise his religion, became dyspeptic, and couldn’t receive for digestion any thing but the whey of theology. Rev. Dr. Toy theorized himself into strange conceits. The electric flashes of a great revival would have cleared his foggy sky. Richmond Christian Advocate. So says our Methodist, brother. Our brother Paul, writing to the brethren at Rome, once said “I long to see you that I may impart unto you some spiritual gifts, to the end that ye may be established;” from which we infer that the best way to establish a man in the faith, is to put his heart in right condition. There seem to be some in these latter days, who say “I long to impart unto you some ‘scholarly’ gift, to the end that ye may be no longer established.” Our brother Paul, speak ing of such says “They became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened; professing them selves to be wise they became fools.” Rom. 1.11, and 1. 21-22. There is a wrong way of doing right. A pious coachman became convinced that his Christian employer did wrong in compelling him to drive to church on Sunday and remain outside during ser vice. This was undoubtedly true. But instead of having a reasonable talk with him, and laying before him his scruples, he waited, one morning, until the familv were dressed for churcn, and then sud denly "struck”; consequently the master lost bis temper and the driver his place. People who knew both parties believe that if a wiser way had been taken to accomplish the desired end, both would have been gainers instead of losers.— Evang. Messenger. Our churches are full of men just like that coachman; they take a wrong way to do right. Abuses should be removed, but kind and conciliatory methods are always best. The trouble is, that the reformers are not exactly right at heart themselves. The wis dom of the serpent must be combined with the harmlessness of the dove. A Christian spirit will do more than force or logic to put down abuses. The coachman was almost as bad as his master. Last week a sad faced, sandy-bearded man appeared at the dopr ot the White House, Washington, with a letter pur porting to be from the Almighty, and having a well-loaded six shooter in his hip pocket. The man was arrested, dis armed and secured. No harm grew out ot the affair because the maniac did not get a shot at the President, and the little excitement caused by the event has pass ed away. But is not this phase of mad ness getting a little too common? The public is getting familiarized with such things, and the monomania may become an epidemic. A large proportion of crazy people now think they are divinely commissioned to kill some one—usually a man high in office. We copy the above from the Messen ger, though the fact stated is mentioned in all the papers. We differ with our contemporary in the opinion that a large proportion of the crazy people are afflicted with mania for killing; on the contrary we think that the proportion of them is very small. The number of criminals acquitted on the ground of insanity is very large, and every such acquittal, when unjustly rendered, as is the case with most of them, virtually sanctions and legalizes murder. If every malefactor thus turned loose were to take for his next victim the foreman of the jury that outraged society by his acquittal, the number of,“insane” people, so-called, would be greatly reduced. A writer in the Presbyterian reviewing the minutes of the last General Assem bly, says: “Gs the 5,598 churches on the roll 2,075 churches do not report a single addition on examination, while 647 churches received but one each, and 550 but two each.” And again, “It is a deplorable fact that in nearly one-half nf all the Presbyterian churches in the United States, there was not one soul added to the church by confession of faith during the entire year ; while the actual increase of the whole church over the membership one year ago was less than one half of one percent.” This is bad, very bad; but bad as it is, it is better than to fill the churches with so-called converts, a very small proportion of whom are regenerate. Very remarkable facts are these, set forth in a statement by the Christian Secretary. We do not know, where the information was obtained but we are sure that the Secretary would not pub lish anything of the kind except on good authority. The Baptists in Russia arc witneadag a good confession. Some time ago the government granted them toleration in view of the uprightness of their lives and the transparent integrity of their charac ter. Os course the clergy of the estab lished church were much disturbed by this governmental action. The earnest devotion and exemplary lives of these humble people is a thorn in the side of the ecclesiastics. In the town of Vlade kavkaz the priests attempted to seize and confiscate some religious tracts and books that the Baptists were circulating among the people ; but the civil magis trates politely informed them that such a course was illegal. Then the spiritual fathers proposed a dispute. The Bap tists consented, provided the test should be a comparison between the morality of the two parties. To this form of discus sion the clergy did not dare to consent. Finally the archbishop found a renegade monk whom he attempted to palm off as a Baptist missionary. The civil magis trates insisted upon seeing the creden tials of the monk before allowing him to hold his meetings. An examination of his antecedents showed that he had no connection with the Baptists, but had been expelled from two different monas tries of the Gr< ek Church for miscon duct. And so this ruse of the ecclesi astics recoiled upon themselves. Here we have illustrated the value and power of a consistent Christian life —a power too little used in this land, and perhaps too much undervalued. The first and only Baptist church in South America is’ a Chinese Baptist church at Demarara, in British Guiana. The story of its origin and progress is thrilling, especially of its pastor Lough Fook, who as a Christian in China, sold his time and service for five years to a trading company, that he might bear the knowledge of Jesus to his countrymen in South America. He kept his compact, but such was his value as a Christian teacher that English residents in Demar ara, after the expiration of three years of the five under which he was held as a Coolie slave, provided the price of his freedom for the remaining two years. He at once went to work for his Master, and the fruits of his labors in spiritual and material prosperity have been little short of marvellous. The church has greatly increased in numbers. It now has two hundred. It has built two or three chapels in different parts of the city. It has sent liberal contributions to push forward mission work in China. It has done thriving business in stores, calling the first “ Success Through Grace,” the second “ Added Success Through Grace,” and still a third called “ Additional Success Through Grace.” It has purchased a mission boat to run up and down the beautiful Demarara and on the coast, doing business for the Lord Jesus on the waters. When men's eyes are opened, it is not their self-inter est to be blind to the salvation of the heathen away from as well as on their native soil: they will rejoice and be glad that in South as also in North America, there are grand beginnings of Baptist church history and growth among the Chinese. Let it be. It is of God. — Herald of Truth. The facts in this paragraph are such as must touch every Christian heart, | VOL. 59—NO. 45. and win for Lough Fook an enduring place among the Missionary Heroes of he Baptist denomination. But there is certainly one and possibly a double mistake in it. We have two churches in South America, both in Brazil; and the oldest of these is probably prior in date to the Demarara church. Pata gonia, also, has a small Baptist church, of English or Scotch origin. Lough Fook, we repeat, was a hero. He sold himself into slavery, in a for eign land, for five years, actuated by ardent desire to tell over to his country men there that “old, old story of Jesus and his love” which to believing souls is ever new. In contrast with such an example how cold does our zeal for missions appear; how slight and insig nificant our labors in that cause, our gifts to it, our prayers for it! In a serial “Popular Exposition of the Augsburg Confession,” a corres pondent of the Lutheran Standard says: The Lutheran Church may be known by her confession with respect to the sicraments. Her confession upon this subject differs from that of anv other church. The sacraments as found and celebrated in the Lutheran Church are accordingly marks of profession by which she is distinguished from all other churches. To attend the Holy Supper at a Lutheran altar is to hoist the Lu theran flag or mark of profession. It is, in other words, a public confession of the Lutheran doctrine of the Lord’s Sup per. But such confession implies also those doctrines of the church connected with that of the sacrament. Now, to confess agreement with the Lutheran Church is to confess disagreement with all other churches, and a public separa tion from them all. This is a warrant for a very stringent “ close communion;” and the same writer proceeds to say: "Just as inconsistent and wrong as it is for others to commune at Lutheran altars, so inconsistent and wrong is it for Lutherans to commune at the altars of other churches. If it ip wrong for non-Lutherans to confess the Lutheran faith, it is equally wrong for Lutherans to confess a faith not Lutheran. But they would make such a confession by communing with those who are not Lu theran. Circumstances do not change principles either, so that a person might speak of a case of necessity in which a Lutheran might enter into fellowship with those not of his faith. It is never right to confes s a lie, and therefore never right to confess that you agree with others,when in fact you disagree. A sin cere and intelligent Lutheran would therefore sooner die without the sacra ment than to receive it from one or in company with those who deny the real presence of Christ’s body and blood in the sacrament. It is clear that Pedobaptists need to to do some work at home, before they open their batteries on the “close com munion” of our people; nor is the work a slight one, since Lutherans out-num ber all other Protestant denominations combined. It is clear, also, that apart from the question of baptism, both doctrines and usages may be associated with the Lord’s supper which ought to forbid our participation in it; for how could we come to the Lord’s supper as observed by this majority of Protest ants, even if welcomed to it, when this observance is linked to that most un scriptural doctrine —“the real presence of Christ’s body and blood in the sacra ment?” It is, furthermore, clear that, as the reception of the Lord’s supper is a profession of faith, we are at least safe in partaking of it among Baptists only, as we know certainly what the Baptist faith is, and hold it with all our heart. We notice that most of our Associations neglect to print in their statistical tables the amounts given by the different churches for the poor. The fault is with the churches, who fail to send up ac counts of benevolence in this direction. We hope more attention will be given the matter. — Biblical Recorder. The fault, we think, lies deeper than the Recorder alleges. Neither churches nor Associations sufficiently recognize the mission of secular benefaction, to which Christ calls hid people, and for which he organizes them into churches. “Benevolence in that direction” is not duly regarded as a proper,an appointed and an indispensable part of church work. “Whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him,how dwelleth the love of God in him ? —The Council of the Creek Nation has appropriated $2,100, as the first quarterly payment toward the support of the Baptist Manual' Labor School, in which there are 120 pupils—6o of each sex.