Newspaper Page Text
4
HKNRY H.TUCKER, K.ditor
SCHOLARSHIP F.S’. SCHOLARSHIP.
When men of scholarly attainments
express opinions unfriendly to the au
thenticity or inspiration of the Scrip
tures, in whole or in part, two wrong
results are likely to follow. Some may
argue to the it jury of the Scriptures,
as a collection of writings whose truth
and authority can not bear the search
ing scrutiny of scholarship. Others
may argue to the injury of scholarship,
as a thing hostile to a spiritual appre
hension of the authority and truth of
the Scriptures. The first class may,
more or less confoiously, reach the con
clusion that infidelity is the daughter
of knowledge; and the second may
practically, in greater or lees degree,
reach the conclusion that “ ignorance
is the mother of devotion.”
These results, we have said, are both
wrong; and we appeal to a single fact
to make this clear. While there is a
scholarship which doubts or denies the
authenticity or inspiration of the Scrip
tures, in whole or in part, there is an
equal scholarship which over against
the denial sets positive affir .ition and
over against the doubt unwavering
confidence. In other words, there is
scholarship on both sides of the ques
tion. Noone, therefore, ought to feel
that scholarship of itself is hostile to
the confidence and the silirmation ; and
no one ought to feel that the denial or
the doubt is made respectable and prob
able by mere scholarship.
An instance, or two, will serve to
bring out the force of our position and
to establish its correctness.
Some months ago, we announced
the fact that a former Professor in our
Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
bad taken the ground that Daniel was
not a historical but a mythical person
age, and that his reputed prophecies
were only a “ pious fraud,” written af
ter the events which they profess to
foretell. The high scholarship of this
gentleman, which we have no need and
no wish to disparage, may have tempt
ed some to regard his lines of argu
ment as weighty, if not decisive ; while
others, shrinking from his conclusions,
may have been tempted to fear that
all high scholarship inclines to scepti
cism. But both these tendencies are
corrected by a simple reference to the
history of the question respecting the
objections urged against the prophecies
of Daniel, as that question has passed
through the crucible of German schol
arship. Dr. McCaul, writing more than
a decade ago, tells us:
“The believer in the gospel will feel
assured that they are not unanswera
ble; and a little inquiry will satisfy him
that they have been answered, again
and again, by scholars trained in the
schools of moderif German philology
and criticism and every way equal to
the task. Within the last thirty years,
Hengstenberg, Sack, Havernik, Rei
chel, Schulze, Heibst, Vaihinger, De
litsch, Oder, Auberlen, Zundel, have
stood forward as successful vindicators
of the genuineness ol Daniel’s prophe
cies. Kurz, Keil, V. Hoffman, Drech
sel, Baumgarten, have also confessed
their adherence to the ancient faith.”
The scholarship of the objectors to Dan
iel,then, (to say the least) is balanced by
the scholarship of his defenders, and is
not of itself a weight in favor of the
loose view. “ The ancient faith” is not
put to the worse in this respect by the
modern unbelief.
Again : we cited, last week, the opin
ion of our former Professor that the
doctrines ascribed by Scripture to Mo
ses, and through Moses to God, are re
ally the work ol Ezekiel—beliefs gath
ered by him, in exile, from Babylonian
(or Persian) schools of religion.
This is an explicit renunciation of the
Mosaic authorship of the Pentateuch,
contrary to the unanimous verdict alike
of Jews and Christians through all the
ages. Quite a number of German
scholars have made the same renunci
ation. But when they come to fix on
some one who may wear the laurels
stripped from the brow of the Hebrew
lawgiver, they are transformed (as
Payne Smith expresses it) into “a Babel
of Ishmaels, where every man’s tongue
is against every other.” As to the real
originof this portion of the Scriptures,
we learn from Rawlinson that they
have broached ‘twenty different and
conflicting theories, each more compli
cated than the last.’ They repudiate
each other’s scholarship, as to results,
on the point about which they disagree,
and thus create a presumption that we
may safely follow their example and
extend the repudiation to the point
of agreement between them, as is done
by a large body of eminent German
scholars.
As to the particular theory which
our Professor embraces, rejecting nine
teen other theories held by men as
scholarly as himself, the brand of rep
robration in circles of learning is on
it, too. Bunsen quotes “ that distin
guished scholar, Dr. Haug,” as con
demning it for its assumption of
facts not ascertained or ascertainable,
and as holding that ‘ the doctrines com
mon to the Mosaic religion and the
religion of the Magi, seem to have
sprung up in both religions indepen
dently.’ Bunsen himself was a respect
able scholar, though of “ liberal” ten
dencies, and, while not a minister, re-
THE CHRISTIAN INDEX AND SOUTH-WESTERN BAPTIST: THURSDAY, DECEMBERS, 1881.
ceived from a German university the
Doctorate of Divinity; and,of thia the
ory, he says:
“ The myth, invented by German scholars,
of thepurely Persian origin of the Hebrew
traditions, belongs to the infancy and nonage
of reeiarch into the book of Gmesis a mis
b ading hypothesis, which ought not in de
ceney to be mentioned, at this time of day,
by any scientific man.”
In the light of this subject, we have
a woid to say about those among us
who deny the plenary (full) inspira
tion of the Scriptures. Take their
scholarship at their own estimate of
it; whether it is just what they deem
it, or less, or more, does not affect the
principles involved. Their scholar
ship, whatever it may be, does not en
title their view to denominational re
cognition or tolerance; for by that rule
we should be constrained to tolerate or
recognize the last and worst extremes
of rationalism, since these extremes
are advocated by an equal (not to say
a greater) scholarship. And further:
the scholarship creates no presumption
that their view is sound and valid ; for
the same line of reasoning would com
pel us to admit a presumption in favor
of the opposite and contradictory posi
tion, since an equal (not to say a great
er) scholarship disowns and denounces
the view. These brethren, however,
will suffer us to express a doubt wheth
er they have sufficiently laid to heart
the fact stated in the first two senten
ces, and the caution suggested by the
third sentence, of the following extract
from an essay on Prophecy, by Dr.
McCaul, Professor of Hebrew and Old
Testament Exegesis, King’s College,
London:
“ The innovators in England do not
pretend to offer anything original of their
own. They repeat in Engl'sh what they
have derived from one class ot German
writers. And, as German learning stands
deservedly in high repute, there is a dan
ger of the unwary receiving without question
what oppea: s to come on authority so re
spectable.”
PAUL ON GOOD WORKS.
Our brother Paul, the great Apostle
of the doctrine of justification by faith
without the deeds of the law, is by no
means silent on the subject of good
works. He it is who said, “Faith work
ed) by love,” Gal. 5. 6. He speaks of
faith as the living principle ; of love as
the motive power ; and of good works
as the result. Again, he says, “Unto
them that obey not the truth but obey
unrighteousness,indignation and wrath,
tribulation and anguish; but glory
and honor and peace unto every man
that worketh good.” Ro. 2 :8-10. The
very same Apostle whose great mission
was to teach that we are not saved on
the ground of obedience to law, de
scribes the fate of the disobedient by
the wonjs indignation, and wrath, and
tribulation, and anguish; and the same
Aposfle who teaches the worthlessness
of works as the basis of salvation, de
scribes the future of every man that
worketh good, by the words glory, and
honor, and peace. Again, speaking of
Christ, he says that, “being made per
fect, he became the author of eternal
life to them that obey him.” Heb. 5:9.
Clearly, he makes Christ the author of
eternal life, and he mentions obedi
ence, not as the foundation of it, but
as the sign that it exists in us. And
finally he says : “Not the hearers of
the law are just before God, but the
doers of the law shall be justified.”
Ro. 2:13.
Surely* Paul, the great advocate of
justification by faith,says enough about
doing. Even in the Epistle to the Ro
mans, whose great object is to set forth
this doctrine, and which is so often
quoted by the modern apostles of in
ertia, five whole chapters out of sixteen
are devoted to the setting forth of good
works. Having closed his argument
with the eleventh chapter, he begins
the twelfth with the familiar words :
“I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by
the mercies of God, that ye present
your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, ac
ceptable to God, which is your reason
able serviceand the remainder of the
epistle, five chapters, consists of little
else than a catalogue of practical du
ties, with exhortations to discharge
them. And with the exception of the
doxology at the close, the very last
words are these: "The obedience of
faith,” that is, the obedience which
springs from faith.
The life of the Apostle is in harmony
with his teachings. No man ever had
faith more unbounded or more enthu
siastic, in the power of the blood of the
atonement; no man ever more thor
oughly repudiated anything that men
can do, or say, or think, or feel, or be,
as the basis of our hopes; and yet no
man was ever more zealous of good
works; and the facts of his life are as
powerful an exhortation to Christian
activity as any to be found in the Sa
cred Scriptures. If he was great as a
teacher and preacher, he was even
greater as a worker and as a missionary.
It is not necessary to appeal to James
for authority for good works; Paul sup
plies us with authority enough. And it
was Jesus Christ himself who said:
“He that heareth these sayings of
mine and doeth them,” and Jesus Christ
himself “went about doing.” Acts
10:38.
It is said that the papers, addresses
and five-minute speeches of the-Metho
dist Ecumenical Conference were so
dull, that many of the American mem
bers spent the two weeks chiefly in
visiting the sights of London—one
delegate giving to the Conference only
an hour 1
JUDGE COX.
And who is Judge Cox ? Well, he
is the Judge who is presiding in the
trial of Guiteau ; and he is now the ob
ject of newspaper denunciation all over
the United States. And what has
brought this about? Simply this:
the man Guiteau, being either insane
or pretending to be so, constantly in
terrupts the proceedings in the most
outrageous manner, with all the freaks
of a madman; while some of his an
tics, and some of his shrewd replies,
move the bystanding crowd to laugh
ter, sometimes noisy. All this, of
course, gives to proceedings which
ought to be dignified and solemn, the
appearance of a caricature and a bur
lesque.
Consequently, the newspaper critics
pronounce the whole to be a farce and
a disgrace; and unmeasured abuse is
heaped on Judge Cox on account of it.
Why does he allow such shameful con
duct ? Why does he not abate such
an intolerable nuisance ? If he has
no respect for the temple of justice and
no respect for the country, has he none
for himself ? What a pity that this
important trial should be held before
a man so hopelessly and disgracefully
incompetent!
All this is sheer nonsense. What
can the Judge do ? He cannot send
the creature to jail; for this would
stop the proceedings. The prisoner
has a right to be tried publicly and in
the presence of his accusers. The
Judge has no right to put him in irons ;
and if he were to do so, this would not
stop his mouth, and he would probably
be more boisterous, if possible, than he
is now. He has no right to gag him ;
for the prisoner has a right to speak,
and moreover if he were gagged, the
fact might affect the jury and influ
ence their verdict. The Judge has no
right to pronounce him insane and
treat him accordingly ; for that would
be taking the case out of the hands of
the jury, who alone have the right to
decide that question. What can he
do ? Nothing. He is simply power
less. Such a case was perhaps never
heard of before; and at any rate, our
lawmakers never anticipated any such
thing, and have not provided for it.
The Judge is conducting the trial ac
cording to the law as it is, and most of
the censure which is visited upon him
is as cruel as it is unjust. To us it
appears, that all this harsh and merci
less criticism is far more disgraceful to
the American people, than the alter
nate ravings and buffoonery of the
poor wretch who is on trial. If he is
really insane, it is simply his misfor
tune, and is no disgrace either to him
or to anybody else. If he is merely
simulating insanity, he has a motive
for doing it, and is no doubt acting
under the advice of his counsel' In
either case, nothing that he can do,
can detract from the fair fame of any
body. But for thousands of people,
sane people, to indulge in scurrilous
railing against a high officer of the law,
who wears the ermine, and who repre
sents the judicial authority of the
United States, when he is faithfully
discharging his duty according to law,
is indeed a disgrace, and is calculated
to bring all officials, and all courts, and
all laws, and all authority into con
tempt. The whole tendency of such
things is to mobocracy and anarchy
Three madcaps have already attempted
to assume the office of the sheriff, and
to execute the man before trial, which
the sheriff himself has no right to do.
Some thousands, very few of whom
probably know what the law is, and
what the rights of the prisoner are, are
virtually constituting themselves
Judges; while perhaps half the popu
lation have constituted themselves ju
rors, and without hearing the evidence,
have already decided the case.
What a ridiculous figure we must
present to the eyes of the civilized
world, now turned upon us 1
It is the great fault of the American
people that they are not afraid “to
speak evil of dignities.” This was
really the “inspiration” of Guiteau. If
there had not been a deluge of news
paper articles denunciatory of Presi
dent Garfield, the mind of the assassin
would never have been worked up to
the necessary pitch to do the deed.
Os course, the scribblers never dreamed
of such a result; but their onslaughts
on the President were in a moral sense,
at least, a part of the res gesta. The
indecent assaults on Judge Cox are of
the same character, and have the same
tendency. Some half crazy man, or
some drunken man, or a fool may feel
called upon to vindicate the dignity of
American justice by shooting the
Judge, and in justification of himself,
might quote newspaper articles as his
“authority,” just as Guiteau has done.
We never saw Judge Cox, and never
heard of him until recently; we know
nothing of him, except that he is the of
ficer of the law, whose right and duty it
is to preside in this case; and we pro
test against any attempt on the part of
“the public” to assume his functions.
“Honor the king,” is a divine precept
now, as fully as when the Apostle
Peter uttered it; and if the expression
is specific, its meaning is generic, and
should be held in reverent regard un
til the end of time.
♦
Rev. Harvey Hatcher, owing to the
long illness of his wife, has dissolved
his editorial connection with the Bibli
cal Recorder. His wife has since died,
after extreme suffering for fifteen
months, and we hope he will return to
the paper.
Death of Rev. Frank Quarles.—
It is with sincere sorrow that we an
nounce the death, on Saturday last, in
the city of New York, of our beloved
Negro brother, Rev. Frank Quarles,the
faithful and efficient pastor of one of
the largest Baptist churches in the
State. Brother Quailes was a man of
great influence among the people of
his own race, and was held in high es
teem by all. His education was very
imperfect, it is true, but he was a man
of strong natural sense, and if he had
not read much, he had heard much,
and heard to profit; and, as a religious
teacher, was far superior to many who
have had better opportunities. He
undeistood clearly the essential truths
of evangelical religion, which is much
more than can be said of many a schol
arly divine ; and, in his simple way, he
proclaimed these truths faithfully and
fervently. He was, at the time of his
death, President of the Georgia Baptist
Missionary Convention and a member
of the Board of Trustees of the Atlanta
Baptist Seminary.
He kept himself free from all en
tanglement with politics, and thus has
a more creditable record than many
whom we could name, and ‘ gained for
himself a good standing,” (New Ver
sion,) “and great boldness in the faith
which is in Christ Jesus.” 1 Tim. 3.
13. His place will be hard to fill, but
we trust that God, in his own time,
will raise up a successor as devout, as
sound in the faith and as zealous of
good works.
gi.impsesandhints.
A Baptist minister expresses, in our
Selma contemporary, the fear that
“the floods last Summer washed away
a great deal of the missionary fund”
in his section. Might not Christians
there very well set down what was
washed away by the flood to the ac
count of their arrearages in missionary
contributions through former years, and
bring up the fund for this year in full,
lest what they hold back now some fu
ture floods may sweep off ?
Rev. C. H. Stillwell, of Rome, has
been bereaved by the death of his son,
Geo. 8., at his residence in Missouri.
He died Nov. 6 th, of a wound from the
accidental discharge of a friend’s gun,
when out hunting. We tender the
afflicted father and mother our earnest
sympathy, and commend them to the
grace of God.
The Disciples (of the school of Alex
ander Campbell), have a missionary at
Constantinople, Rev. Mr. Shishmanian,
and a church of twenty-one members
Rev. J. A. McMurry, of Bartow
County, desires to remove to Texas
and to obtain pastoral work in that
State. We are not ready to part with
him here in Georgia, and “move a re
consideration” of his purpose. (Since
the foregoing sentences were written,
we have seen Bro. M., and were pleas
to learn that he has decided to remain
in Georgia.)
A $23,000 church has just been fin
ished by the Colored Baptists* of Lynch
burg, Va., —a strong body even before
the war, and (we are glad to see) re
taining and increasing its strength.
The Moscow correspondent of the
Cologne Gazette, reciting the consider
able increase, over a large area, of the
Baptist “sect” founded in Tiflis, Rus
sia, only ten years ago, by Martin
Kalweit, a German emigrant, (the con
verts being numbered by thousands,)
says; “The Russians seem to take
readily to the Baptists, as they are im
mersionists by education and the prac
tice of the Greek Church, and conse
quently have nothing to learn or
unlearn on this particular point, and
they are far from being satisfied with
the grotesque forms and innumerable
ceremonies which enter into the wor
ship of the National Church.”
W. E. Penn, the Texas Baptist
Evangelist, says that over three hun
dred children of ministers have made
a profession of faith in his meetings.
The Herald of Truth thinks that “a
Pan-Baptist Council is not, after all,
wholly absurd, but may come yet.”
Indiana Baptists report “a great ad
vance all along the line, within the last
decade, in spirit and social standing."
We hope that this was said by some
one who has been of their number for
more than ten years.
The words which we are now to
quote, were written in this year of
Grace, 1881, little as some of our read
ers might think it. The Catholic Mir
ror, after saying, “All men and women
who die free from the guilt of mortal
sin, will see God forever in heaven,”
proceeds to say, “As for infants who
die unbaptized, they will not enjoy the
Beatific Vision.” Pedobaptism is not
content with dragging infants into the
church, thus corrupting her purity;
but it claims to shut them out of
heaven, and thus to wreck their immor
tality. May we not hate it ? and
grieve for those who are “snared and
taken” by it ?
A correspondent of the Journal and
Messenger speaks of a Baptist church
which “inside of three, years” has had
twenty accessions to its membership,
but has not once observed the Lord’s
supper in that time. Is it any more a
“church” than it would have been, if
it had abolished or suspended baptism
for the same period ?
The Lutheran Standard alleges that
“Methodism has cultivated Liberalism
and fostered Latitudinarianism.”
GEORGIA BAPTIST NEWS. i
<
--Griffin News: Our Baptist friends
have had a meeting to supply the va
cancy in their church, caused by the ■
resignation of Dr. Mitchell, and we (
learn that a call has been extended (
Rev. Mr. McCall, of Hawkinsville, to ,
take charge of the church. Report ;
credits this gentleman with a good .
reputation as a preacher, and many ,
excellent qualities as a pastor. If he ,
should accept, he will find the station
a pleasant one.
—Columbus Enquirer Sun: We were
yesterday informed that Rev. R. J.
Willingham, of Talbotton, has accepted
the call to the care of the Barnesville
Baptist church, and that he will move
to that town. Mr. Willingham is quite
a young man, but is already prominent
among the ministers of his denomina
tion. He is a rising minister who will
ere long be classed as one of the lead
ing divines in this section. Barnes
ville is to be congratulated that he has
accepted their flattering call.
—Warrenton Clipper: Several show
men were out to hear Rev. E. R. Cars
well on Sabbath night, one or two of
whom raised the hand for prayer. The
subject was repentance, and was one of
the best sermons we ever heard.
Rev. A. I. Hartley arrived from Au
gusta Monday. His arm was ampu
tated a few inches below the elbow, and
it has healed, with what is known as
‘the first intention.” Dr. Campbell,
who performed the operation, thinks
the disease merely local, and that the
operation will certainly prove a perma
nent relief, if no misfortune results
from any other cause.
—Rev. A. C. Rainwater writes from
Powellton to the Warrenton Clipper:
“The white Baptist church here, in
their conference last Saturday (Nov.
26th), gave us a unanimous call to the
pastorate of the church for next year.
We have not accepted their call. Our
health for the last two years has been
very infirm, and for this reason we,
some time ago, requested our charges
to release us from pastorate work for at
least one year. We have succeeded
very poorly in getting our brethren to
grant us the request. We made the
request believing it would be better for
both preacher and people; and we are
still of the same opinion. Though, if
our brethren think differently, and we
can be satisfied that their choice is
divinely directed, we are tvilling to do
the best we can.”
—Turin correspondent of the New
nan Herald: Dr. Woolsey concluded
his pastorate with the church at the
Burg on Saturday and Sunday last.
For three years the Doctor preached to
the church of this place with accep
tance and great profit to the church
and people, and he cairies with him
the warm sympathy of many of this
section. The church at Ramah may
congratulate itself on having obtained
the services of one who is sound in
word and doctrine.
—Rev. R. T. Hanks in Albany News
and Advertiser: “The Bethel Associa
tion met with the Camilla Baptist
church last week, and the whole com
munity joined in entertaining the dele
gates and visitors. It was the unani
mous opinion of the delegates that this
session was one of the most delightful,
if not the most delightful, of the body
since its organization, and the un
bounded hospitality and Christian
spirit with which we were received and
entertained contributed very largely to
making the meeting just what it was.
We came away feeling it was good to
be in the sweet houses of Camilla, with
her orderly people. Camilla has arisen
Phoenix like from the ashes, and has
put on new life and beauty. Your
correspondent cannot make a better
wish for her than that she may be as
successful in business as she has been
in dispensing Christian hospitality.”
—Talbotton Register: A proposition
is pending between the Baptist church
at Barnesville and the Rev. R. J. Wil
lingham, of this place, looking to a
pastoral relationship. The Talbotton
Baptist church and the citizens of the
town are not willing to give up Mr.
Willingham, and are making an effort
to keep him.
Milledgeville Union and Recorder:
Dr. S. Landrum, of Maeon, has resigned
his position in the Mercer University,
to take effect December Ist, to assume
the pastorate of the largest Baptist
church in New Orleans. This is quite
a loss to Mercer, to Macon and his na
tive State.
—Rev. J. A. Ivey has resigned the
pastoral care of the Dawson Baptist
church, and Rev. W. J. Mitchell, of
Griffin, has been called as his successor.
Mr. Mitchell has not yet accepted.
—Augusta News: Rev. W. T. Cheney
returned Saturday night from an ex
tended trip through North Georgia.
He visited Rome, Marietta and Car
tersville, and gave elocutionary read
ings to highly favored audiences. He
visited the Exposition .on his return
and was much pleased *with it all,
especially the Kansas exhibit. Mr.
Cheney returned in time to fill his pul
pit in Curtis church yesterday.
Rev.T. H. Stout expects to remain
in Troy, Ala., the coming year, and
preach to churches adjacent to that
town, and among them to Benevolence
church, near Fort Valley, Ga.
—We have been informed that Rev.
R. J. Willingham lias decided to settle
in Barnesville and give the Baptist
church three Sabbaths services, and
will probably accept the call of Milner
church for the other Sabbath.
—Macon Telegraph and Messenger:
Yesterday was quite an exciting day at
Mercer University. It was the occasion
of the election of the anniversarians
and public debaters of the Ciceronian
and Phi Delta literary societies of that
institution, and unusual interest was
manifested among the young gentlemen
as to the choice. The following were the
elections: Ciceronian Society—Anni
versarian, Walter M. Ryals, K. A., Car
tersville, Ga. Debaters—F. B. Gregory,
S. A. E., Lumpkin, Ga.; C. E. Battle,
S. A. E., Columbus; Clem P. Steed, A.
T. 0., Macon. Phi Delta Society—An
niversarian, William S. Howell, A. T.
0., White Plains, Ga. Debaters, Hugh
H. Kilpatrick, K. A.,White Plains, Ga.;
Hewlette A. Hall, K. A., Newnan, Ga.;
John P. Ross, P. D. T., Fort Valley, Ga.
The above young gentlemen will, no
doubt, eloquently acquit themselves
and reflect the highest credit upon
Mercer University. The places to
which they have been chosen are ones
of great honor. The anniversary cele
bration of the societies will occur the
latter part of May. The public debate
will be held at the later date.
—Lafayette Messenger: In Septem
ber last R. 0. Tucker, of Walton county,
the father of Rev. T. C. Tucker, of
Walker county, was received into the
Baptist church by baptism. At the
eleventh hour 1 e has entered the Mas
ter’s vineyard.
—Elder F. M. McLeroy has been
called to the pastorate of Beaverdam
church for 1882.
—Talbotton Register: The Rev. J. A.
Ivey, of Dawson, has accepted the call
of the Baptist church at this place. He
comes highly accredited as a most ex
cellent gentleman and zealous pastor.
—LaGrange Reporter: Rev. M. B.
Hardin preached, on last Sabbath, an
eloquent and stirring sermon on the
duty of giving the heart to Christ. One
cannot hear Mr. Hardin without being
impressed by his remarkable gifts of
speech, intense earnestness, and Christ
like spirit. His pulpit abilities are of
the first order, but the man is even
better than the sermons.
—The West Point Baptist Sunday
school was recently re-organized, and
Maj. W. S. Jackson elected superin
tendent.
—Hartwell Sun: Rev. L. W. Stephens
filled his last appointment as pastor of
the Baptist church last Sunday.
Rev. Chas. A. Stakely, the new pas
tor of the Baptist church at this place,
will assume pastoral charge on the
second Sunday in this month.
—Eastman Times: The Sunday
school Convention of the New Ebene
zer Association, held at Bethlehem
church on Saturday and Sunday last,
was in every way a success. The
friends in the community had made
ample perparations for the entertain
ment of delegates and visitors, and the
occasion was indeed a pleasant and, it
is hoped, a profiitable one.
—Crawfordville Democrat: Rev. Green
Johnson (col’d) baptized seventeen
males and twenty-four females at Level
Hill Baptist church on Sunday, Nov.
13th. There is a revival in progress
which commenced on the second Sun
day in October under the auspices of
Rev. James Horton, of Wilkes county,
and will continue until the second
Sunday in December. There was also
a sermon at night by Rev. David Lewis,
from Luke 4th chapter and 13th verse.
—Arrangements are making for a.
missionary meeting in Atlanta next
Sabbath. Rev. H. A. Tupper, D. D.,
Corresponding Secretary of our Board /
at Richmond, will be in attendance,
together with Revs. C. W. Pruitt and
W. S. Walker—the two Georgia Baptist
ministers who are to sail, in a few
weeks, for China. Let us give them
such a welcome and farewell as is due
to ourselves, to them, and to the cause
of the world’s conversion.
—Rev. Dr. Douglas, formerly a mis
sionary among the Telugus of India,
and now Secretary of the American
and Foreign Bible Society, occupied
the pulpit of the First Baptist church,
Atlanta, last Sabbath night. He gave
a simple and clear but thrilling account
of his former field, its need of the
Scriptures, and the adaptation of the
Scriptures to it. The purpose of his
work—to supply the world with faith
ful versions of the Word of God—
touches many chords of sympathy in
the hearts of Southern Baptists.
—Watkinsville Advance: The work
on the new Baptist church is greatly
retarded in consequence of inability to
get wagons to haul the lumber.
The Synod of Harrisburg, at its ses
sion in October, sustained the action of
Huntingdon Presbytery, in ordaining
a minister, who “was not clear that
there is a plain warrant in Scriptures,
for the office of ruling elder, as separate
and distinct from the teaching elder,”
but thought that “originally there
was but one order, and that the differ
ence J which appeared early in the
apostolic churches grew out of circum
stances and qualifications and was a
difference of functions rather than of
order.” A correspondent of the Presby
terian says: “It will be found, upon
investigation, that this is the interpre
tation given to the passages bearing
upon the subject by many of the beat
critical expounders of the New Testa
ment, and accepted by some of the
soundest and most scholarly ministers,
, even in the Presbyterian Church.”
