Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

Have Yob W Last Weed’s CHRISTIAN INDEX? Tbea Read This Wears. ESTABLISHED 1821. . ©he ©hvietian sn&ex 3. CIMcMICHAEL. Proprietor. of the Baptist Denomination in Georgia. Published Every Thursday at Atlanta, Ga. Subscription Puce ; One copy, one year $ 2,00 One copy, six months 1.00 One copy, three months 50 One hundred words free of charge. For each extra word, ono cent per word, cash with copy. To Cokkbspomients —Do not use abrevia tions; be extra careful in writ ingproper names; write with ink. on one side of paper; Do not write copy intended for the editor and busi ness items on same sheet. Leave off personal ities; condense. Business.—Write alj names, and post offices distinctly. In orderings change give the old as well as the now address. The date of label indicates the time your subscription expires. If you do not wish it continued, order it stop ped a week before, we consider each sub 'r scriber permanent, until he orders his paper discontinued. When you order it stopped pay up to date. Rekhtaxces by check preferred; or regis tered letter, money order, postal note. CONVENTION OFFICERS. As many of our readers have nev er met personally the officers of the Georgia State Baptist Convention, we take pleasure in introducing them: 1 Rev. James Hines Kilpatrick, Pres ident of the State Convention, was born in Burke county, Ga., October 18,1833. He was reared in Rich mond county, where the village of Hephzibah now stands. Though he is of rather a grave turn * of mind, yet, there is a vein of cheer fulness running through his disposi v tion, that makes him a moat agreea \ ble companion. As a student at the / Academy he was diligent and careful, I rarely, if ever failing to do the work j assigned him to the satisfaction of | his teachers. X He entered Mercer University in t\ 1849, and was graduated in 1853, r/sharing the highest honors of his class ( with John T. Clarke and Henry T. C 5Vi nberl y. x * *lTe made profession of religion I while at Mercer in 1850, and was im- J pressed from the beginning with the X duty of giving himself to the gospel ,r ministry. He was called to ordination by the Baptist church at White Plains, « ,w , Greene county, and was ordained at y Hopeful church, Burke county. He succeeded Rev. V. R. Thorn ton as pastor of the Baptist church at White Plains in 1855. Though he has given a ’ portion of his time to other churches, his main work has been at White Plains, hav ing had an unbroken pastorate there since he was first called. Under hia care that church has steadily grown in numbers, liberality, and spirituality, while its pastor is as strongly entrenched in the confidence and affections to-day of its members as he ever was. He is a plain, simple, earnest preacher of the gospel, thoroughly sound in doctrine, an able expounder, and a brave defender of Baptist prin ciples. As a writer, ho is clear, for cible and string. He succeeded Dr. Battle as Presi dent of the Baptist Convention of the State of Georgia. As a presiding j officer, he is prompt, impartial, dig nified, and has shown himself “a mas ter of assemblies.” No minister in Georgia has led a more uniformly consistent, consecra ted life. IDs opinions are highly re spected by the denomination and his sound judgment relied on with great confidence. He has been thoroughly identified with the great interests of Georgia Baptists, religious and educational, and though quiet and unobtrusive his influence has been largely felt in their development. -J, - ■ * Rev. George Robert McCall, Sec retary of the Convention, wag born in Scriven county, Ga., February 7th 1829. He descended from a line of — -—■———- - —> worthy Baptist ministers, his grand father, W m. McCall, of Revolutionary fame, and his father, M. M. McCall, both being Baptist ministers. Our worthy Secretary graduated at Mercer University in 1853, enter ed actively into the ministry in 1855, and served Richland church, Twiggs county, 27 years, Hawkinsville 16 years, and Griffin church three years, beside other churches. He entered the State Convention in 1853 and bus never missed a ses sion, and has been Secretary since 1869. He is also Secretary and Treasurer of Mercer University, and Instructor of the Institutes of colored ministers under the appointment of the Board of missions. In this latter responsible place he is discharging one of the most important works in ' mV which our denomination is engaged. He is also filling the pastorate at Louisville and Wadley. In 1889, he was stricken with par alysis, and great fears of future use fulness were entertained, but his re covery is wonderful and his friends are much elated. ‘ As a preachr t, he lo’-es all Bible truth, and presents Jt. as he finds it in the Scriptures. His congregations,' therefore, are well instructed in the doctrines of the Bible. He loves truth ardently and yet is tolerant to ward those who differ with him. Rev. F. C. McConnell, pastor of. the First Baptist Church, at Gaines ville, Ga., was born August 2, 1856, in Clay county, N. C. While quite young, his father moved to the beau tiful Hiawasse Village. Here he spent his boyhood days, attending the village school, roaming over the mountains and selling goods in his fa ther’s store. At the age of 11 years, he was con verted to God and immediately united with the Macedonia Baptist church. The next event of importance in his life, was his marriage to Miss Em ma England, a pious young woman of strong character who has been a constant inspiration to him in all his struggles to properly fit himself for preaching the gospel. It was in 188 g, while successfully conducting a large mercantile bus iness in Mt. Airy, Ga., that God moved upon his heart, making him feel his obligation to preach the gos pel. The strftggle was fierce, but not long. He yielded, and announced his purpose to devote himself to the work of the ministry. Entering the Louisville Seminary in 1879, he spent, with great profit to himself, three years in that institution. Returning home, he preached for two years in Northeast Ga n as a mis sionary of the State Board. -But feel ing the need of a better education, in 1884, he entered the Freshman class of Mercer University where he remained four years, graduating in June 1888. The following August the First Baptist church at Gaiues- ATLANTA, GA., THURSDAY. APRIL 7, 1892. ville, extended to him a call, which heiaccepted, r itering upon his M'ork in September. As a preacher, Bro. McConnell stands in the front rank of our Geor gia ministry. While in the Semina ry be was popular 1 as pastor of the Baptist church in Jeffersonville, In da. It was frequently remarked among the .Seminary students that he would be heard from in the fu ture. During his college course, as pastor of Eatonton and Harmony churches, he was considered a gifted and brilliant speaker. His brethren in Gainesville delight to speak of him as a prince among gospel preachers. In addition to his pastoral work, he has established the Hiawassee High School which yearly, sends out to bless the world, scores of educated and consecrated young men and wo men. The denomination has more than once honored this young divine by electing him to positions of trust. For several years, he has been Assis sistaut Secretary of the State Con vention ;he is a trustee of Mercer University and Vice President for Georgia of the Sunday-school Board of the Southern Baptist Convention We thank God for him and hope that his achievements for the Master in the future, may be still more splen did till in a ripe old age, he shall be gathered to his fathers. CUBA [The following letter from Brother Diaz is in response to one written by Dr. Tichenor, telling of our financial straits. He also asked for informa tion concerning the opening of sta tions in other citiea us Cuba. A por tion of the lettm? is marked “I’ri hi t vze just as it was wriftWZp Havana, Cuba, Mar. 16, 1892. Dear Dr I. T. TichenorYour letter of March 9th is at hand. lam extremely sorry to hear of the finan cial depression of the board. Do not worry about the missiona ries in Cuba, the Lord will provide for them—he has before, he will again. We have some Spanish prov erbs that meet this emergency, and prepare us to cheerfully submit to our fate. They arc as follows: “When the sun rises it shines for all, and when it rains we all get wet.” No partiality is shown, and do you remember Christ’s words in his ser mon on the mount ? “Why take ye thought for raiment ? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin, and yet I say unto you that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.” And the beautiful hymn, “Oh do not be dis couraged for Jesus is your friend.” We ought to be very thankful, the kind Savior has been very merciful unto us, and he will not forsake us in these time of perplexity. We have been mercifully brought through this season of “la grippe” safely where it is with difficulty they are brought back to the fold again with any regu larity. The church is well attended; we have good congregations on Sun day, and Thursday, evenings, a lar ger and more intelligent public at tendance and more interest than us ual prevails. We cannot close our churches here like you can in the States, evro for a short period, and for several of us to leave now 1 , for a few weeks, might do us a lasting injury. I con sider it would not be wise. It would Lake at least two months to regain our present footing and our people are surrounded with temptations, Sabbath days more than others, to lure them from their nobler habits; temptation stares them in the face at every turn. We must not let them feel that they are homeless. The on ly one at liberty to go this year is myself, and perhaps Miss Gertie Joerg, who if she goes will be pres pared with all details concerning our mission, to render accounts of it whenever required) of her. Thia year there is more to do than ever before, making it more difficult also to absent myself any length of time. I intend to have Brother Cova fill my place part of the time—if pot- sible divide the work’*'with some of the other missionaries. Brother Co va has been away several weeks, and returned to his work w ith renewed interest. He is doing very well; his charge is in a condition, and his school is advancing and has more applicants than he is able to care of, although he has his mother's valuable assistance. The school at Neptuuo street we were compelled to move further out, as a dispute about the land took place, and it has increased, to such an extent that my mother and sister, As uncion were obliged and leave this school; the supply of teach ers were very insufficient to meet the demand; it is now in a prosperous condition. The school in Jane is carried on by my wife, a Spanish lady, and Miss Joerg, who has charge of the English class. This week ten new scholars entered; schools are all well attend ed. To place new missionaries in other towns will require some meditation as to the best mode of proceeding, so we will consider this matter some what before coming to iny decis ion. v We are happy to say *lat Brother Paine and his wife are with us at present; we are partioulaily favored this year, as their stay is longer than usual. They are very much loved by all our people, always taking such kind interest in our mission and al ways occupying themselves about our welfare. Brother attends all meetings; and mis sion is favored with 'No matter how bad r<%?.< ,-®or how inclement tha sure ' oughly mv<Mti£;ates.mir jfooK Sabbath and day schools, ex,amina tions and all. He has kindly brought out a magic lantern, with many well selected views to entertain and in struct our children and grown folks, furnishing them with an abtmdance of pleasure. His entertainments are well attended and appreciated. lam making the most of this opportunity and deliver lectures in connection with some of the most important sub jects to enlighten and impress the minds of the old as well ai the young. I think it is a success. Brother Paine is always busy, he does missionary work among the migratoi-y Ameri cans that come to visit onr land.many of whom have never heard of our mission. When he is not able to speak to his counfrymen personally, he has notices of our services printed placed in the hotels, in fact he never rests. May the Lord shower bless ings upon him, and give him a long life for his noble work. Many kind regards from my family to yourself and family. lam as ever, Yours in Christian love, A. J. Diaz. Private. The bishop has persecuted us for more than three years in the ceme tery line. He puts three years ago the charges for his cemetery at $3 apiece, while we have it for $5.50. About two months ago he has take that back and charge as usual $lB for each remain. That is the reason why the number of interments has in creased in our cemetery, and if it continues so I do hope we can sup port part of our work. Do you see how merciful is God with us ? He help us as soon as we need him. I borrow about $174, and with money from the cemetery I pay the mission aries last month. Please give this Account to Brother Adair. Diaz. 'Noth :—lt is seen from the above that so far from using mission funds to support the cemetery, Brother Di others have not been so fortunate. You ask who will come from Cuba to the convention. Many would be willing and glad to go, but ours is a peculiar people, and their religious training from childhood has been slack, and they get accustomed to a certain routine and if that is inter rupted they wander like sheep, and az is able to draw funds from,the re ceipt* of the cemetery to support the missionaries. Indeed, we may repeat again what we have several times mentioned but it seems so hard for brethren to understand: We have not only never paid one dollar of mission funds for either the purchase or the maintenance of the cemetery, hut it has yielded a net income of over $4,000.00 which has been paid into the treasury of the Board.—Ed. Home Field. ' ITALIAN OHHPELS. It is God’s good pleasure through the foolishness of the preaching to save them that believe.” But a place is needed where the preachers may stand and the people gather. Our Lord and His Apostles found everywhere Jewish synagogues in which they could expound the Old Testament and show; how its prophe cies were fulfilled in “the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world.” Moreover, at the sea side and in market-place and forum, they were free to preach to the mul titudes. The same facility, many of our missionaries to the heathen en joy to-day. In Italy, it is not so. Roman Catholic churches are of course, closed to us, and it is unlaw ful to hold any religious service save at a burial or within the walls of a house. Hence we are compelled to rent a locale, which is generally a small shop or a room on the second floor. It is almost self-evident that something better is needed; yet the following consideration’s are submit ted. 1. It is extremely difficult to se cure even such places as have Been named. Sometimes a search of months is in vain. If one, tolerably eligible (relatively speaking) has been found, very likely the landlord itajuscs'tq rent it for evangelical winch it is held is uncertain; and, in any case, the moment approaches for the renewal of the contract, there is an agony of anxiety, lest the work be turned out of doors and be com pelled, after months of homelessness, to tabernacle in another quarter of the city, far away from the people who may have begun to attend the meetings; These are not imaginary experiences, but such as have oc curred in the history of our own and the other missions. In Naples, there is, 'Count Papengouth tells me, a society which will pay the rent of a locale in order to keep it out of Prot estants hands. 2. The places rented for our meet ings are, as a rule, inadequate and unworthy. Stores in Italian cities are generally shallow and almost al ways without winA/ the doors serving the double purp .e. As our services are chiefly in the evening we can manage about light, but alas for the lack of ventilation. Alas for preacher and congregation we have to breathe the same air over *nd over again. How can we expect people, almost as aesthetic as the ancient Greeks, ac customed to beautiful.’ theatres and churches, as well as to beautiful pic tures and natural scenery—how can wo expect them to come to our mean and uncomfortable preaching places? If they were very anxious to hear the Gospel, then they would put up with much that is disagreeable. But just because they are hostile or relig iously indifferent, and often, strange as it may seem, both together, it be comes us to leave no obstacle in their way, but rather to attract them with every legitimate means. Hard by the lovely Milan cathedral, one of the wonders of the world, our little Baptist church worships, and onr brother Nicholas Papengouth, preach es in an ex-beer shop, and a poor beer shop at that. 3. A rented place gives to the work an air of instability. It is no slight matter, under the most favora ble conditions, for an Italian to break with all his past and with his friends and the surroundings of his daily life, and join .a little band of evangelical Christians; but it becomes far more difficult when these have no perma nent local habitation. A property, however modest, held in fee simple, proclaims to all in the historic words of Victor Emanuel: “Here we are and here we stay.” A little chapel, too, bears, all the week, a silent but eloquent testimony to the doctrine preached, and the simple spiritual worship offered, stat edly within its walls. People of the town, and from the country around, ask “what mean these stones ? ” And it will be a little reminder, of great truths, in this laud, forgotten or de nied. 4. Even from the money point of view chapel building in Italy is a wise economy. Take one case as an illustration. In Naples, our preach ing place is on the second floor, and to get the one room the entire apart ment, of five or six rooms, had to be rented by us. We pay $560 which is the interest, at 5 per cent, oh over SII,OOO, which sum would almost build a chapel even in that great city. 5. The othei 1 denominations at work in Italy, in view of these con siderations, are pressing the work of chapel building. The American Methodists propose to build one chap el every year. They have a very good one in Rome, but have bojight, in addition, valuable ground in the new quarter, on which they mean to put up a one hundred thousand dollar building. In Mil an they have also erected a beau tify church in the central posi tion, and the Waldensians own in that city a valuable and historic ex-Roman Catholic church, bought from the government. The free Ital ian church (Chiesa Libera) and the Wesleyans, in the same place, are al most as well off. We have an ex beer shop. The Wesleyans are just completing a handsome chapel and schoolhouse at La Spezia. In Flor ence. th-? Walden ians an*-? the Free • Italian church own five bnil&igs. In Naples, the Wesleyans own a prop erty which costs not less than two hundred thousand dollars. And this list of Pedo-baptist chapels could be greatly increased. Baptists, Ameri cans and English, have done some thing in this direction, but they are behind our Pedo-baptist brethren. Shall they remain behind ? Will we be believed when we emphasize the importance of our peculiar principles, if people see that w ith these vaunted principles and our numbers and wealth, we are not, at least, abreast of other Christian denominations in liberality and enterprise ? J Moreover, can we blame Italians if they turn to those Missions which declare in brick and stone that they are not here for a day, but for all time till Italy is evangelized? The zeal and wisdom of Romanists might well put us to shame. In ev ery thriving town in the West and Northwest in our country, Rome buys promptly a first-rate site and puts up a solid edifice for church and school. With the material progress of the New South, we may be sure that Rome will be on hand, ready everywhere to lay hold of strategic positions. And in Rome, with its nearly four hundred Roman Catholic churches, new ones are building all the time to meet the wants of the growing population and the exten sion of the city. O, I admire the sa gacity, perseverance, generosity of Romanists, and I am amazed at the apathy of us who are at the opposite pole front Romanism and claim to be the nearess of all Chistendom to the primitive type of Christianity. Two remarks in conclusion: 1. It is not proposed to build any fhapel except where there already exists a church which gives signa of life and promise of growth. If I had the means, I would build now at Cag liari, Bari and in Milan. In a year or two our work at Naples, Florence and perhaps other cities will, no doubt, justify and demand chapels. 2. While a neat chapel is a great help, it does not guarantee success. The hardest and most patient wor% is necessary. Above all, onr depen dence is in the power and presence of the Holy Ghost. Therefore, let every contributor to the Chapel Fund, pray that the existing chapels and those yet to be reared, become the birth-places of souls, and homes YoHmotMirtisl news of Georgia till you mi: IHe CHRISTIAN INDBI 1 VOL. 69.-NO. 14. z for congregations of true worshipers, Geo. B. Taylob. Rome, Italy. PEN DROPPINGS. BY 1. L. V. That religion often makes thd young meet death, not with cheerful resignation alope, hut with a reeling of joyful anticipation, is a most signal illustration of its power. As a mat ter of reasoning, the aged ought to be willing to die. An early close of their earthly existence is a physical necessity. They cannot anticipate . any great amount of enjoyment, and constantly increasing infirmities are promising to render that little less. Many may, and we doubt not, many do think with more dread of living than of dying. But to the young, life is not a thrice told tale. Its vistas spread out before their view alluringly and the prospect is full of joyful antici pation. When the message comes to one that he must leave life just as it is opening most attractively, the first feelings must he grief and fear. If a ’ sick boy comes to the conclusion that his sickness is going to be fatal, his first emotions must be those of dread. Life seems to him so pleasant, that he canot think of death otherwise than as a fearful thing when ha turns away from all this prospect that lies out so flatteringly before him, and contemplates the certainty of early death. With a feeling akin to rap ture, it most signally proves the be neficent power of religion. Just such an experience was pass ed through before his parents and friends by a dear little relative of months -go. , JysVarfcZJ Xad completed his t well th year, became the victim of a strange, buQ exceedingly painful disease. Soon— long before his parents allowed them selves to anticipate such a result—he became convinced that he would not recover. As he contemplated this, he seemed not so much filled with a fear of death, as with a sense of his utter unworthiness. For days and even weeks, he seemed to suffer more from . this than from the pains with which his little frame was racked. But af ter a time, the clouds seemed to scat ter, and all appeared to him radiant and serene. He recalled with a keen personal interest all that had ever heed told him about the plan of sal vation. The fact that he could claim the Saviour as holding that endear ing relation to him individually, seem ed to have burst upon him like a rev elation, and filled him withan ecstat ic joy. Thenceforward, there was nothing of fear in his thoughts of death. The eyes which had long been closed to the beauties of Nature, seemed now to have opened on the glories of another world and the long hours of patient watching which lov ing ones had to spend at his bedside were relieved by his repeated assur ances that while he felt himself pass ing away from earth, he knew that he was rising to a higher state of exist ence. As they listened to his earnest pe. titions to them not to grieve, but to join with him in his joy at his speedy release from suffering, they could not realize that he was little more than a child, who but a few months before was wholly engrossed with his sports and amusements. Here on his bed of suffering, he, had passed through a glorious expo rience of grace which had rendered him their superior. As we witnessed the hiding sway from sight of the poor, perished form, we could not feel that it was time for grief. We could but regard his death as truly a mat ter for thankfulness as his life. He had illustrated the power of- religion more forcibly in * f®w months, than do many who live to old age. An Umtimbit Death. —An un. timely death so often follows neglect of a slight cough or cold. If Taylor’s Cherokee Remedy of Sweet Gum and Mullein is taken in time it pre- K vent any evil results. It cures coughs, colds and coeumption.