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4 ©tie ©lirtetiun £ttdex J. C. McMICIIAEL,:: Proprietor. I. R. BRANHAM, D. D., Editor, NO INFANT BAPTISM THERE. The General Synod of the Evan gelical Lutheran Church in the Uni ted States maintains a Theological Seminary at Gettysburg, Pa. In that institution the Chair of Church History and New Testament Eexe gesis is filled by Rev. E. J. Wolf, D. D. Dr. Wolf contributes to a recent issue of the “Homiletic Re view” a forcible article on I Cor. 7: 14, “For the unbelieving husband is sanctified in the wife, and the unbe lieving wife is sanctified in the brother; else were your children un clean, but now are they holy.” (Rev. Ver.) In the course of that article, Dr- Wolf says: “What claims para mount attention is, the meaning of the terms translated ‘sanctified’ and ‘holy’ in tlie Authorized Version j and it is scarcely necessary to in form the readers of the ‘Homiletic’ that the origihal has only two vari ants of the same stem, using in the former clause the passive of the verb ‘hagiazo,’ in the latter the adjective ‘hagios,’ the two words having essen tially the same force. And this re veals at once, what has been so sin gularly overlooked by dogmatic com mentators, that the same property of holiness which attaches to the children attaches also to the unbe lieving wife or husband. The anal ogy between the two forms of rela tionship is assumed, and if this qual ity which the apostle predicates of the children of mixed marriages en titles them to receive baptism, then on the same ground their unbeliev ing parent is also entitled to baptism. From this conclusion there is no es cape. If half-Christian parentage makes children Christians, so that the Church differentiates them from the children neither of whose pa rents is a believer, baptizing those, rejecting these, then the unbelieving wife or husband in such a union is equally a Christian. What the apos tle affirms of the one he affirms of the other, no more difference obtain ing than that between an adjective and the perfect sense of a passive verb. In the one case holiness is at tributed because ot descent from a Christian, in the other because of union with a Christian. An equali ty of religious standing marks tho unbelieving parent ami the children. A commonly received opinion that which determines from this passage whether a certain child is to be allow ed or refused baptism, classes the chil dren with the believing parent; but this is the very opposite of Paul’s posi tion, who parrellels the condition of the children in such a union with thbse of the unbelieving parent. The ho liness of the children is conditioned by the holiness of their unbelieving, not of their believing parent.” This certainly sweeps infant bap tism out of the passage, (unless w e accept with it the baptism of all un believers who intermarry with Chris tians, which is certainly too loose even for this age of growing loose ness.) But, after all it is only a half-truth that Dr. Wolf gives us. The w hole truth sweeps infant bap tism, not only out of this passage, but out of the apostolic church also. We state, but forbear to elaborate it. The apostle’s reference is, not to “the children of mixed marriages,” but to the children of all Christians. And this is the substance of his argu ment: If you adopt the usage of Judaism, which denies family rela tionship to all who do not share church relationship, you must not only cast off the unbelieving husband and wife because they lack this church relationship ; you must cast off your children too, since this church relationship is lacking in their case. Os course, infant bap tism was a thing unknown to the churches of Christ in tho first age, and ought to be equally linkown now. This view was cogently pre sented and conclusively established by Dr. John L. Dagg in a tract is sued by the Southern Baptist Publi cation Society, Charleston, S. C., forty years ago, with the title: “A Decisive Argument against Infant Baptism furnished by One of its own Proof-texts.” We hope that it has not been suffered to pass out of print, and commend it to the rea der. A VOICE FROM NORTH GEORGIA. Do not fail to read carefully, and to reflect seriously upon the article from Bro. A. B. Vaughn. North Georgia ia a most inviting field for Georgia Baptists. The State Board and the Home Board are their agents. They can accomplish the work as. signed them only as the means are supplied. Men and money are need ed. Both the Boards named came out of the year’s work in debt. They did not go beyond the limits marked out for them by the two conventions. We called them to their work. We must see to it that they do not fail for want of means. Brethren of Geor gia, will you heed the cry that falls upon your ears from the destitute portions of your own State? Your own brethren need your sympathy and active aid. A few consecrated men and women are bravely battling against the evils of intemperance, ig norance, and religious destitution- They want the gospel. They want well equipped, devout preachers of the gospel. They want denomina tional schools, that is Baptist schools taught by thoroughly qualified Bap tist teachers. The field is open. Send in the laborers. Pay them their hire. I. r. b. WHAT THEY SAID. Few of our readers heard the dis cussions on the various questions that engaged the attention of the late Southern Baptist Convention. We have clipped some paragraphs from a few speeches reported in the Atlanta daily papers, and present them with such editorial comments as the subjects and opinions ex pressed suggest. Those who can not attend the Convention miss a great deal in not hearing the discus sions, The next best thing to it, is to extract for them the essence < f some of the speeches. * « ♦ HOW TO RAISE MONEY. “The report recommends that the home and foreign boards apportion among the states the amount of mon ey that will have to la? raised in each, in order to make the total need ed,the state boards to apportion their several amounts among associations and churches. The work must de volve largely on pastors. Mass meetings should be held at stated times to stir up the people to giving. Full reports of receipts should be made monthly in the newspapers. Reports of receipts should also be read at associational meetings. 'Phis should be supplemented by a wide distribution of missionary literature After all, the great necessity in rais ing contributions is a higher type of religious life.” The report on the financial meth ods of the Boards was read by Dr. J. IL Kilpatrick of Georgia. lie is one of the solid •men of the Conven tion. What he says or writes is the result of mature reflection. Here are some suggestions contained in his report. r /'hey cover the whole ground. If the work is properly di vided according to the above sched ule, we believe the money wanted will be in the treasury before the Centennial year ends. Let us keep in mind this missionary text. “How shall they call on Him of whom they have not heard? How shall they hear without a preacher ? How shall they preach except they be sent?” May we ask you, breth ren, how can they be sent without money? Who will transport them free ? Remember the last sentence of the report. “After all the great neces sity in raising contributions is a high er type of religious life.” * * * Dr. Warder, of Kentucky, said, “the Convention purposes to put to work forces that will create this era. “There will be good speeches and sermons on missions this year. What shall we do with this centennial thunder?” He appreciated system everywhere. There was no increase in the receipts of foreign missions in Kentucky last year, notwithstanding the fact that the missionary speeches of the year were unusually fine. As Dr. Tupper says : “Aroused emotion is a dangerous force. Stir up the people to a high pitch, and they throw their hats in tho air and go home, thinking the work is done. The method is to get people to make permanent subscriptions to be paid weekly or monthly. Collections are all good, but they will not accom plish the great purpose of the move ment.” The New Testament plan is plain and simple. Anybody can work by it, or rather, can give by it, that will. Here it is. “Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him.” It embraces three items. First, when to give, “the first day of the week.” Second, Who must do it,'Every one of you.” Third, Tho measure of the gift, “As God has prospered him.” Try it. • • • Dr. E. W. Warren wanted to dis seminate the leaven throughout the whole lump. In order to do so he suggested the adoption of the demo cratic method of organization. Here is his plan. “To carry out this idea he sugges- THE CHRISTIAN INDEX: THURSDAY, JUNE 2, 1892. ted a central committee of three for each state, and under them a com mittee of three for each each associ ation, then a similar organization in each church. • • * Dr. Felix, of Lynchburg, Va., said that at recent meetings in his state the preacher who was most eagerly listened to was the one who gave the people facts. “The people seemed to be hungry for information. These, facts are ndt to be found anywhere a succint form. Country preachers have lit tle on the subject ih their libraries. One of the first things political par ties do is to get out a campaign doc ument. What the mission movement wants is a book of two or three hun dred pages that will serve as a cam paign document.” This suggestion of a “campaign document” was adopted by the Con vention. A Manual of Baptist Mis sions will be prepared and sent out to pastors and ch urches. It is not so much argument or appeal that is needed. It is information as to the amount of money and the number of missionaries wanted in the various fields. The heart warmed with love, the facts given, the- money will come. Two words! One the word of a monarch, wielding the sceptre of the mightiest empire of his times, and bearing the standard of conquest through neighboring kingdoms. The other, the word of an exile, whose country had been invaded and sub dued,and whose people had been car ried awav into bitter, long captivity, while he dwelt on foreign soil with a feeble band of aliens, despised and rejected even by these. Two contradictory words! One pronouncing a certain event an ab solute impossibility. The other de claring that this impossible event should surely come to pass. They wrapt up themselves, then, the clash of wills that could not be “at one,’’ the collision of hostile forces which could not both survive the battle be tween them. Two most unequal words, as man judges! which shall prevail? that which has the authority of a throne, the revenues of a kingdom, the em battled armies of a race to support it ? or that which was spoken out of the bosom of poverty, expatriation and reproach, with not a shadow of human helping or of earthly re sources? 'j'hcre seems no space for question : the weaker must needs go down before the stronger. But let us see. The monarch was Pharaoh Iloph ra, of Egypt, and his word (as we learn from Herodotus): “I am es tablished in my kingdom so firmly that not even a god could cast me down.” The exile was Jeremiah, and his word (Chron. 44 : 30). “Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will give Pha raoh Hophra, king of Egypt, into the hand of his enemies, and into the hand of those who seek his life.” Os course, there is no space for question. The monarch’s word was simply a man’s word; and there are no such words but are liable to be overthrown, and broken in pieces, and trampled into dust. No matter by what lordly lips they have been uttered, nor with what lofty tones; no matter though all the nations blend their voices in an acclaim of welcome and applause; still, merely human words without exception are weak with the weakness of their au thor and lie where the bosom of dis appointment and defeat may sweep them away. On tho other hand, the exile’s word was not his only; it was the Lord’s as welland of such words not one shall ever fail, be the lips that breathe it never so faltering and so faint. The whole omnipotence of God is in the very least of these words; and though “the wide, wide world” should not furnish so much as a single ear to heed it, the very least shall prove as stable and indestructible as the divine throne itself. We know what the issue of the two words must have been ; let us briefly state the testimony of history. Disaster fell on the forces sent by Hophra against Cyrene. For this cause,or on this pretext,the Egyptians revolted from his yoke, chose Amasis to the kingdom in his stead, and put the deposed monarch, whoso boast ing had been blasphemy, to death by strangling. A signal proof how truly the Lords says: “My word that goeth forth out of my month, it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” Oh the fixed word of God, which no man can altar and no man evade! Our “two words,” seen from a wordly point of view, appear to stand widely apart and without connection. The men who spoke them had never met. Neither when speaking knew aught of the other’s speech. But he who moved the lips of the exile knew; and so when we/put the two words together, behold ope is a chal lenge and defiance of the supernatu ral and divine, while in the other,the the supernatural and divine accepts the challenge and defiance. It is a fearful thing to set our faces against the living God, and then to fall into his hands, as fall into them we must. Perhaps, the exile’s word was brought to the ears of Hophra before the day of doom, and by repentance he might have averted the ruin he prepared for himself, if he only would. Per haps, it was brought to his ears in the day of doom; and, “after so long a time,” he humbled himself, not un availingly as regards the life to come, under the mighty hand of God who had cast men down for his blasphe my but did not therefore hate him. Os this we know nothing. But we know that divine forbearance en dures with much long-suffering even the worst of men before divine jus tice deals its blow. And we know too that when the time of that for bearance is past, he who defies the Holy One of Israel shall be des troyed. The prophet Jeremiah guides us to the practical use we should make of these things. He sets the predic tion against Hophra and its certain fulfilment before the alien Jews in Egypt, who were lapsing into idola try, as “a sign” to them that with equal certainty would the Lord in flict his threats of judgment on them if they forsook Him. It is “a sign,” no less, to us. By it we may work ourselves: “so he smote sinners of old, so will He smite us if w e go on in sin. But this is only half the lesson which the unalterable writers of the word of God conveys. Truly we must say: Remember His word of righteousness as Judge; “The soul that sinneth, it shall die; ” “He that believeth not shall be damned;” re member and fear. But we may also say : Remember His word of grace as Father: “The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost;” “The blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanseth us from all sin ;” remember—and hope. HOW TO UITiIZE THE CENTEN NIAL. The following condensed state ment of tne suggestions made by Dr. Broadus, we take from the Western Recorder. 1. “Have special meetings. Get speakers. Diffuse knowledge. 2. Circulate missionary biography. Lend your books. Don’t preach a sermon for the next twelve months without an illustration from mission biography. 3. Supply yourselves with maps. 4. Seek correspondence with mis sionaries in the fields. 5. Conversations about missions. Talk missions. SECOND GROUP OF SUGGESTIONS. 1. Increased contributions. Not a spurting up but a continual widen ing, broadening. Mend our hold. Lay greater stress on large contribu tions from the wealthy. 2. Can’t we get something this year for missions from every mem ber of every church. 3. The Sunday-school. Make the mission thought prominent. More Sunday-schools in the churches, and more missions in the Sunday-schools. The women working with us through our Boards, conducting themselves so as not to have unpleas ant recollections of the Apostle Paul. 3. More Missionaries. Pray the Lord of the harvest that he will send more laborers into the field. Encourage our young men to go, our best young men. Don't make mistakes, young men. When thev go, don't forget to pray for them give to them and care for them. A century with much to give thanks for and so little done.” The first group, it will be noticed, suggests the means for disseminating information. The second group, suggests the means for raising money. One item in the plan of Dr. Broadus was omitted from the fore going summary. It is this. In securing preachers and speak ers for the special meetings, let the church or churches with which they are to be held provide for their trav eling expenses, and notify them of the fact when they are invited. Many preachers would gladly go to these meetings and give their time and labor who cannot afford to bear their own expenses. This matter was specially emphasized in the pro gram of the meeting appointed for Americus. The Centennial Missionary ball is in motion. May it gather in vol ume until it will be large enough to meet all the demands of the year! Much prayer, much faith, increased knowledge and liberal giving, will produce greut results, make glad our hearts, spread the knowledge of the truth as it is in Jesus and glorify God. (BAPTIST CONGRESS. Last week our Northern brethren held their annual meeting in the city of Philadelphia. Many subjects of great interest to our readers were discussed. Through the kindness of Brother F. J. Paxon in having the Daily National Baptist sent us, we are able to give a fair report of what was said. The National Baptist in beginning the report of the proceedings of the Baptist Congress, said ; “The meet ings were opened by the body which discusses every thing and decides nothing.” The discussion of “The Christian Year,” very plainly showed that a religious calendor was in conflict with the New Testament idea. There were speakers who favored a modi fied form of the Christian Year. Rev. R. S. MacArthur assumed that ten men read Christianity in our lives to one who reads it in the Bible. The question as to whether a “Union of Baptist Bodies was Feasible,” gave rise to an interesting discussion. Rev. B. B. Taylor, D. D., New York, thought the question meant a union of Baptist believers associated in such away as to have a denominational appearance. The attempt to unite Baptists is unlike the effort to unite Presby terians; for there is no such thing as the Baptist Church of America. There are thousands of churches but no ecclesiastical body. Baptists are distinguished as we used to dis tinguish verbs in boyhood as regular irregular, and defective. There is a bond of union however, between the various congregations, a bond none the less real because not of theologi cal belief or articles of incorporation. The way of union is a better under standing of one another in aim, effort, and practice. All who are called Baptists agree in recognizing the authority of the Old and the New Testament. Whatever troubles there may be before the Baptist Churches of America there can be none on the question of revision. Prof. Wilkinson has well express the Baptist principle in three words, “Obedience to Christ.” In the early ages Christians manifested their oneness not by elaborate ritual but in charity and good works. The Creed of the primitive church was faith in Jesus Christ. Among early believers the standard of right living was the personal Christ. Here is a basis of union for the various Bap tist bodies. We have the same ordi nances of the early church, and the same standard of right living. The union of Baptist bodies possible on the basis of the primitive Creed, Jesus Christ ; of the primitive ordi nances, baptism and Lord’s Supper; of the primitive standard of life, the life that is full of the spirit of the master. Dr. Lewis speaking for the Seventh Day Baptists said : We believe the keeping of the Sabbath is essential to a complete Christianity. We cannot see how men can keep the spirit of the Fourth Commandment while disregarding its letter. There is no statement in the New Testiment that Christ rose from the dead on the first day of the week. There is no authority in the Scripture for the keeping of Sunday as the Sabbath. There is a special need of press ing the claims of tho Sabbath at this time. The speaker stated that they would gladly consider any union which would not necessitate the setting aside of the supreme authority of the Scriptures. Prof. J. A. Howe in behalf of the Free Will Baptists thought the rar. tons Baptist bodies are not to be coaxed into union. Difficulties give reason for achievement. Conces sions to unity must be made to differ ences of belief, and to time. The thrice repeated prayer of the Master that they may be one is not obscure. What the Lord requires us to do and to be is feasible. The next step for Baptists to take is towards each other. Baptistshave the principles that will make up the character of the ultimate Christianity. It follows that if Baptists be true to themselves they must reflect their allegiance in some form of Catholicity. The ghost of uniformity alarms us when we think of any such thing as unity. Every step nearer to the One Shep herd brings them near to the one fold. Prof. W. H. Whitsitt, of the So. Bap. Theo. Seminary thought or ganic union not feasible at this time. Years of discussion and exertion are necessary before it can be brought about. The writer ex pressed the conviction that union is not feasible, basing his conviction on the following considerations; the first relates to the delivery of his tory, which is against the enterprise. The voice of history on this subject is indubitable. The experience of men in past ages speaks loudly against the expenditure of labor along thi s line. The drift of the period is not toward federation. A mark of the century is the pre valence of religious discussions Men to-day are more tenacious of. their beliefs than they ever have been before. Efforts for unity are handicapped. Men of decided opin ions are not ready to make conces sions. Compromises are suspected and feared. People who talk of unity will soon find their own loyalty under suspicion. A final reason why unity is not feasible is found in the fact that such efforts have not been popular among ourselves. The ques tion of organic union seems to lie outside the range of probality. Discussion of “Inerrancy of the Scriptures,” was quite animated. Possibly the best view of the subject was given by Dr. E. G. Robinson who said, after the searching criti cism for centuries, he wondered that so few errors are pointed out. Nine tenths are scarcely noticable. Every candid reader must admit marks of human infirmity. The spirit of God took men as he found them. Limited in capacity. He did not approve of placing the authorship of errors on Christ, or on the Holy Spirit Christ quoted according to the common usage. To take what he said as evi dence that he knew what modern science has revealed, is to violate the principles of interpretation. Several speeches were made on the subject: “The Pulpit in Rela tion to Political and Social Reform.” Dr. C. R. Henderson, of Detroit, Mich., said: Most reforms depend upon a com- of moral, individual and social elements. The regeneration of man the prime element in the re formation of mankind. The Church must save the world in self-defence. One of the first defects of lower wages is absence from church. Purity is impossible in poor tene ment housings. A preacher is a pastor, and a pastor’s duty is to sued the lambs and kill the wolves. 1. The preacher must preach the Word of God. He is embassador from God and is under orders. Amos was requested to preach else where when he struck at the natio nal corruption of Israel’s politics. Jeremiah aimed his words so directly that he was thrust into a dungeon. As the whole Bible is the Word of God the preacher should not shun to declare all its counsels. The object of a sermon is to reform all agencies of evil, and the form of the preaching should be guided by Jesus Christ Himself. Sovonarola demanded municipal re form in Florence. No doubt he made mistakes. The Gospel has a right to control the actions of men, and if, for instance, pugilism is pre dominant, hit it and hit it hard. Wherever the word ought goes, there the preacher should go. 2. The preacher should not preach anything he does not know anything about. The last place for a buack to be is in the ministry. It is waste ful to sow wheat on January ice. 3. The Christian minister must derive his sanction from the Bible. If the minister fail in this, the Church will divorce faith and daily conduct. Should aim to instruct and construct rather than to de nounce. 4. The instruction must be timely. It must actually be prophetic. If ever the ministry becomes the tool of a class of people, the ministry will go down in the wave with the class with which the ministry is allied. Dr. Mabie, Home Secretary read the interesting report of the execu tive committee. The year 1892 marks the com pletion of a notable era—the most notable in Baptist history—viz., a century of modern missionary enter prise. This era, in the province of God, was inaugurated by Willian Carey. Out of Carey’s consecration grew the English Baptist Missionary Society. This society is about com pleting a memorial undertaking in honor of its founder. The English society has cherished the hope that the Baptists of the world join in similar commemoration of the life ! and labors of the patriarch of pagan evangelization. There are special j reasons why such a commemoration should appeal to our highest Chris tian and denominational feeling. As American Baptists we have special reason for observing this memmorial year. The Missionary Union, springing from the Baptism, in Calcutta, of Adoniram Judson, our first missionary, is in an impor tant sense the child of the English society, if not of Carey himself. It the early stages of our society’s ex istence its very life was nurtured and its course shaped by the apostolic epistles indicated by Carey, Fuller and their coadjutors both in the In dia and England. It would betray an unpardonable lack of appreciation of those who have gone before us and led us into our greatest achieve ments not to join in the proposed commemoration. A centennial com mittee has been duly appointed tc aid in raising during the present fis cal year the sum of $1,000,000 foi the maintenance and extension ol the missions of the union. ENCOURAGING FINANCIAL REPORT. In pursuance of the vote of the union at its last annual meeting, the work of the year was planned on a scale involving an expenditure ol 8060,000. The actual expenses, in cluding payment of the deficit of 861,593.94 from the previous year, were $635,827.24, an increase of 8102,159.09 over the previous year. The receipts were increased $90,- 998.72, being $569,172.93. Although there is a debt of $66,754.31, the financial result of the year must be considered a cause for encourage ment, as the expenditures of the society have increased $221,416.85 ip the last three years, and have more than doubled in the last nine years. The special features'of the missio nary work abroad during the past year are the wonderful and gracious revival in the Telugu Mission in India, the exceedingly gratifying progress of the Baptist cause in France, and the first breaking of the light upon the millions of the* Upper Congo Valley in the conver sion of more than sixty at Bolengi Station, near Equatorville. Christirnity in relation to heathen religions was discussed by a number of able bretheren. Lights were thrown upon pagan religions. One brother condenses much in the sen tence “Christianity is to anterpret the religious of the world so thet there shall be seen by all worshipers the light of the knowledge of the glory of God. The relative authority of scripture and reason was likewise elaborately discussed. Dr. A. T. Robertson said “If God has given us a relation, it is holy word, which is above reason, which reason could never have at tained. God’s Word is perfect; what we need is the grasp of the Scripture so that we can meet the questions of the day in the Spirit of Jesus of Nazareth. Scripture speaks in a realm nbove reason, and is sole authority, where it speaks. Dr. Strong said he had been wait ing to hear the one word sin; reason and conscience are perverted by sin. The child must not wait to obey till every law has been explained. The Scriptures are authority; I hold my self open to all that science can ap prove ; yet I recognize the supremacy of God’s word. We give on our second page to day a most interesting and instruc tive sermon from Dr. I. R. Branham. While it is lengthly it is written in beautiful, yet strong language. It is comprehensive in its scope, forceful in its expression, beautiful in diction and breathes the gospel all through. It will amply repay a careful read ing. How’s This. We offer One Hundred Dollars Reward for any case of Catarrh that cannot be cured by Hall’s Catarrh Cure. F. J. CHENEY & CO., Props-, Toledo, O. We the undersigned, have known F. J. Cheney for the last 15 years, and believe him perfectly honorable in all business transactions and finan cially able to carry out any obliga tion made by their firm. West Truax, Wholesale Drug gist, Toledo, O. Walding, Kinnan it Marvin, Wholesale Druggists. Toledo, O. Hall’s Catarrh Cure is taken in ternally, acting di*ctly upon the blood and mucous surfaces of the system. Price 75c. per bottle. Sold by all Druggists. Testimonials free. 1 Nasal Catarrh. I was afflicted from infancy with Catarrh,and for ten yearn with eruptions on my face. I was attended by the best physicians, and used a number of Blood remedies with no permanent relief. LIFE WAS A BURDEN My life became a burden to me, sot my case was declared incurable. I saw 8. 8. 8. advertised, and took eight bot tles, which cured me entirely, and I feel T like a new person.—Miss Josie Owen, | Montpelier, Ohio.