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Many good and strong things were said in be half of MISSIONS Daring the Session of the Southern Baptist Convention. Subscribe to and read the Christian Index, if you would keep informed. t ESTABLISHED 1821. ®lte ffihristian gntlex J. c. McMichael, proprietor. Organ of the Baptist Denomination in Georgia. Published Every Thursday at Atlanta, Ga. Subscription Price : One copy, one year $ 2.00 One copy, six months 1.00 Ono copy, three months 50 Obituaries.—One hundred words free of charge. For each extra word, one cent per word, cash with copy. To Correspondents.—Do not use abrovia tions; be extra careful in writing proper names; Write with ink, on one side of vapor; Do not write copy intended for the editor and busi ness items on same sheet. Leave oil -personal ities; condense. Business.—Write all names, and post oftices distinctly. In ordering a change give the old as well as the new 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 scriber permanent, until ho orders his paper discontinued. When you order it stopped pay UP to date. Remittances by check preferred; orregis sered letter, money order, postal note. FROM ALABAMA. Alabama, like most of the States of the Convention, has a large num ber of Baptists, and if they were all doing what could be easily done by them, most gracious results would follow, both at home and in the white harvest fields of the world. But alas! the laborers and givers are comparatively few. The real scarcity of money fur nishes a plausible excuse to those who have not learned by experience that it is blessed to give, to not be gin now, so it is not probable there will be added many new givers, (or payers,) to mission work. And it may be that those who have been giving half heartedly may avail themselees of the same excuse to fall behind or drop out of line. But there are some who will never forget that they owe all to the Lord, and will not cease to return to Him a part of that which is His own. Bro. Crumpton is still holding oc casionally his “Baptist Rallies,” and thus stirring up fresh interest in church work. He gets good help from ministers in the sections where they are held. The brethren of the Central As sociation held a very interesting sth Sunday meeting at Electic. Thir teen preachers attended, one, Bro. Hardee, from Texas. Bro. Upshaw, the pastor, was much cheered, for in the discussion of subjects something was accomplished in the way of breaking down anti-mission preju dices from which he had some trou ble ; and an inspiration was given in other directions. The topics dis cussed were, church organization church discipline, and different phases of mission moiL. Brethren Crumbie, Whatley, Martin, Culpep per and Brewer did the most of the talking, with help thrown in occa sion ly by others. The Sunday School Convention of the Liberty Association, held at Dadeville, was not a success, and there was a feeling to give it up. Most of our strong churches in centres of influence are manned by good and strong brethren. But there are some with vacant pulpits. Anniston allowed Montgomery to capture her good and gifted Eager and is yet unsupplied. The church at Auburn is without a pastor, as Bro. Loyd has resigned, after long years of faithful service. This is a point too important to be in this shape. Here is the seat of our A. and M. College, where more than two hundred of the young men of Alabama and Georgia are annually at school. Many of these are Bap tists. Others might be if all was as it should be. The Baptists of both states are interested in having a strong man at this point. Dothan, a thrifty growing town on the Alabama Midland Ry., is without a pastor. Bro. Burr of Col umbia, preaches to them once a month to hold them together until they can be better manned. This is in the finest agricultural district of Alabama, or will soon be. Livingston has just finished up a pretty house of worship, and dedi cated it. Bro. Hale of the South side, Birmingham, is pushing ahead finely with his noble structure. He has entered the basement. The church at Alexandria City has just finished a pretty and comfortable pastorium. It is a credit to the lib erality of a church of no more strength. We have some able preachers whose time is only partly occupied, such as Roly, Lloyd, and Shaffer. I have heard within a few days that Bro.Herren, of Opelika, has resigned. Me fpfetian If so, this is another important pul pit vacant. This is quite a time of College Commencements. Both the How ard and Judson have ended their year’s work, and from their halls have gone forth those who are now to take rank among the leaders of the people, and who will doubtless prove blessings in the home and in public life. May God’s blessings be upon the young men and women, and his spirit guide them in paths of usefulness. This has teen a week of deep in terest in Alabama as to the shape her politics would take. That which was feared has come to pass. Kolb’s friends held a Convention to themselves and put him in the field for governor. The regular Conven tion of course, nominated for re-elec tion the present governor, Jones. This means not only two State tickets, but in many of the counties two local tickets. Bitterness and rancour will be part of the harvest reaped. Religious interests will be largely relegated into retirement, with all their momentous and eter nal destinies, for the sake of a little petty office holding, whose pleasures, profits, or pains expire in two years- Why will so-called Christian men allow themselves to become parties to such things ? And yet preachers are helping it on. Geo. E. Bbewer. Alexander City, Ala. FROM MISSOURI. THE DEVOTIONAL ELEMENT IN THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. In the preparation of a paper on the devotional services in the Sab bath-school, the writer is conscious of the difficult task assigned him. To define clearly, the legitimate sphere of this part of the service, is a question about which, many of our ablest and most spiritually minded brethren widely differ. That the de votional element, however, is sadly neglected ia the average Sabbath school, is apparent to the most, cas ual observer. A visit to many of our schools, would reveal the almost entire absence of any real spirituali ty ; hence but little time is given to that part of the service, which tends most to a high degree of piety. Many of them have the form of god liness, but of its power to hasten the kingdom of our Lord, they are strangers. In some places the opin ion prevails, that God does not dwell well with and among men, but that he is blind to their thoughts and works. Men seem to think and act as though the world were governed by chance, or by a God who cares not how his people worship him. The doctrine upon which the devo tional is founded, that God sees and knows the state of our hearts, and that he is a rewarder of them that seek him, is but little thought about in many places. The cause for this indifference and neglect of the de votional part of the services is not far to seek, and may therefore be traceable to two or three sources. In the first place, many of our schools, unfortunately, are officered by worldly minded professors of re ligion, who care not for the prosper ity of the Lord’s cause; and some of them by persons who make no pre tentions to religion whatever. Now so long as this is the case, we can scarcely hope for substantial im provement in the devotional. The school will not often rise in deep heartfelt piety, above those who lead the forces. As the stream will not rise above the fountain which pro duces it, and the army in discipline above their commanding officer. So the school will cease to rise when they strike the level of their leader. In the second place, there is but little preparation on the part of many, for the Sabbath-school. They do not take the time to make prayer ful preparation, but come to the Lord’s house ladened with the cares of the week. They who would be highly devotional in the Lord’s house, must have his presence before hand. A short time since, 1 chanced on Saturday, to be at the house of a Sabbath-school superintendent in this Association. He was making preparations for the following day. There was thrown open on his lap, the old family Bible. On the top of the Bible lay the Advanced Quarter ly, and overshadowing the Bible and Quarterly was one of our political ATLANTA, GA., THURSDAY. JUNE 23, 1892. papers, in which the brother was deeply immersed. Now if we use our political papers as spectacles, certainly our views of God’s word will be distorted, and our spirituality will be at a low ebb. How often the pastor is urged by some teacher, to take charge of his or her class, simply because they have not made the needed preparation to meet their class. Can people like this feel like praising God with all their soul? Can they say “bless the Lord oh my soul and all that is within me bless his holy name ?” Again, there are those that seem to think the school not the place for deep manifestations of God’s pres ence ; lienee they do not seek inti mate communion with him. They claim this more properly belongs to the preaching service, and are only too glad to get as much of the devo tional ak possible, eliminated from the work in which they are directly engaged. Having noticed briefly, the causes which lead to the neglect of the de votional. We will now notice what the devotional implies, or its legiti mate sphere in the school. In the first place, I believe that it embraces the music. This should be of such a character both as to thought and melody as to call forth all that is the noblest in man and glorify God. We have all felt how graciously near, at times, God has been to his people, when they were engaged in singing some soul-stiring song, founded on the eternal rock of the Holy Scrip tures. .On the other hand, we have felt the chilling effects, of an inap propriate or meaningless hymn. Os the making of books there is no end, and many of them are like Spur geon’s grantham gruel. Two gritts to nine gallons of water. It is clear that if we glorify God in song, that the song in itself must be glorifying. There is often more of the devotion al element in one verse of some vs our old hymns, than in many whole volumes of new ones. I would earn estly plead therefore for a reform in our himes as an aid to the devotion al in our schools. They ought to embody the deepest desire of our Spiritual being, and those Mho lead the music, ought to be those who are perfectly at home at a throne of grace. In the second place, the de votional would include the Scriptural reading. This is, perhaps, the most difficult part of the service, in which to maintain a highly devotional spirit, and yet it is by no means the least important one. The reading of the scriptures is sometimes gone through with in a parrot kind of M-ay, that leads one to think that it is of little importance, and only thrown in to kill time. Two thoughts should be constantly in our minds during this part of the service. To read in such away as to give the meaning, and to solcmly impress all, that it is God’s word being read in his presence. During the ministry of Johnathan Edwards, hundreds are said to have been led to Christ through his reading and commenting on the word of God. On one occa sion, in a New England town, ere he had finished reading the congre gation were weeping bitterly. We need the unction of the spirit in our reading, that God may open the hearts of the people to the truth. One of the very best M-.iys of preach, ing, is to read the scriptures rever ently, and in a high spiritual frame of mind. The devotional in the last place includes the praying. The prayers should bo short but besieging. They should state in a clear and simple M-ay the M-ants of the school. We should not ask for things wo neither desire nor expect to get. It would be far hotter, if the praying held a more prominent place in the schools. Instead of one prayer by the super intendent. I M ould recommend, at times, many short ones by the most devout scholars in the school. These should be interspersed throughout the entire service. “Prayer is the noblest form of speech that in fan t lips can try.” I M ould say a word in regard to the nature of the devotional element. We are taught that God is a spirit, and seeks spiritually minded persons to worship him in a spiritual way. No other kind of service will be ac- ceptable to him. I think that some such feeling should prevail, as that in the house of Cornelius, when Peter at his request, came to teach him the way of the Lord. Cornelius said: “We are all here present be fore God to hear all things that are commanded thee of God.” We ought to feel that God is present, and that he sees all M’e do, and that in a pure service he is M ell pleased. • • - One element in the devotional, is gratitude to God fc> his mercies and blessings to us. Ard in this the sin ner ought to share with the Chris tian. Surely when we recount his me/cies to us, it will call forth deep gratitude, which will find expression in the devotional services. What Christian is there that can be the daily recipient of God’s grace and not give him thltTglory ? Hard as the nether mill stone must be that heart that would continue to receive with out giving expressions of gratitude. When Jesus cast the demons out of the poor Gadarenej he desired to be with him, and sit at his feet, as an express of the deep gratitude he felt for his benefactor. When Jesus bid him return and show his family what God had M’rought, he went farther, and published the good news through out the entirp country. The poor Leper also would return to give God the glory. Another element is reverence for God’s house and God’s service. We should regard the Lord’s temple as an holy place, because he has chosen to set his name there. In these days of slang and irreverence, the house of the Lord, has not entirely escaped. It has been made the theater for all kinds of gymnastics from the pie-tin supper to the open ball or dance. In some places, the church is fast becoming in practice if not in name, a club house where people cater to the Rists of the flesh. Is it strange jf catch this moral taint jeT ( Jbeil- rev erence *or holy j ; nia by ministers continue to Speak of the most sacred and holy things, in slang terms, and with an irreverence that makes the devotional heart tremble. I have been continually impressed, that in many of our sohools, the profound reverence for sacred things is almost wholly absent. We might well learn a lesson from the devout Hebrew, who when read ing his bible, does not pronounce the word Elohem because it is the name of his God. When Moses turned aside to see the burning bush, God commanded him to put off his shoes, for the ground M’here he stood Mas holy ground. When Paul wrote to Timothy, he told him to “behave himself in the church of the living God, which was the pillar and ground of the truth” were he on the earth to-day, Me might expect to receive letters more plainly instructing us, than this one to the youthful timo thy. Jesus drove the people from the temple because they perverted its services through their irrever ence. When we come to the Lord’s house, let us stand with uncovered head and say speak Lord for thy servant heareth. A third element is adoration. David desired to dwell in the house of the Lord, to behold the beauty of the Lord. He also declares that God’s house is amiable. This of course comes from God’s presence with his people. I have sometimes thought, M-hat must have been the feeling of Moses, when in response to his request, the Lordjpermitted him to see a portion of his glory; or of Peter and James and John,when Jesus was transfigured be fore them. We are not permitted to witness such scenes as these, but we have a privilege, second only to these, in honor and holy joy. We may behold the crucified one reveal ed in his people, and as thus disclos ed to us admire him. Perhaps no where do we see so much of the Christ life as in his people, where they are engaged in leading the lit tle ones to him. The last element that I shall men tion, as requisite to the devotional, is deep and unfeigned humility. Hu mility carries with it the idea of the confession or acknowledgement of our sins, and supplication for God’s sustaining and directing grace. We are taught “that if M'e confess our sins, God is just and faithful to for- give us our sins.” This spirit should prevail in reading and song as well as in prayer. A study of the life of Mary Magdalene in the gospels, re veals a person in v-hom contrition was clearly manifest at every turn in life. Again nothing is more clear ly set forth in the Bible, than the rich reward of those M’ho entreat God for his presence and blessings. Then whether we read or sing or pray, let us be clothed with the gar ments of humility. The importance of the devotional can scarcely be over estimated. Upon this depends, in a large meas ure, the success of the school, and the objects for which it M'as organiz ed. The rest of the machinery may bg ever so perfect, and yet if we fail at this point, the whole enterprise ends in a failure. The school would be like one of our ponderous engines, without fire or water, powerless' to do its work because of lack of mo tive power. Here the force is gen erated that drives ou the work to sure results. Without this spirit dominent in our lives, and finding public expression in suitable devo tional servicee. We Mould not un derstand God’s M’ord, his people M-ould not be edified, nor sinners .led to Christ. These three great primary objects can only be secured by giving a prominent place to the devotional and maintaining a high spiritual standard. The question naturally arises how may the devotional element be in creased ? I M-ould urge that first of all, the teachers and officers be per sons of unquestioned piety. Per sons whose reliance on the Lord has prepared them for their work. I think they should deeply feel the responsibility of the trust committed to them. The M'riter has sometimes seen the teachers of a class of young ladies pass rapidly over the lesson. So they could spend the balance of the time talking about the latest fashions in dress. So long as the leadership is intrusted to the careless and worldly minded, the school will be little more than a place of recita tions. It should be constantly kept in mind that the school is not only a place of religious instruction, but that it is a place M’here souls are to be born, and that the spiritual at mosphere must be favorable to this condition of young life. In the sec ond place the devotional service will be aided, if there be earnest and prayerful preparation at home. Only those who believe in and know the power of prayer, can appreciate the aid for public worship, received at a throne of Grace. The writer, a few years ago, in conversation with the General Missionary of Oregon, on this same subject, heard from his om’ii lips an incident, which M’ell and beau tifully illustrates the point under consideration. On one of his jour neys through the State, he called one day at the house of a lady M-ith whom he was well acquainted, and M’ho was a teacher in a Sabbath school. He rang the bell and wait ed for a response, but no one ans wered to the call. He rang a second and third time and then turned to leave the house. The lady then ap peared at the door to M-elcomo him and as ho looked into her face saw tear marks ou her cheeks. On enter ing the room he saw her bible lying open on a chair. She then asked him to excuse the long delay, for she Mas a teacher and M-as praying over her lesson. She farther re marked that she could not teach M’ell unless she studied her lesson on her knees. Martin Luther was wont to say on one occasion, that be had such a largo day’s work before him, that ho would spend three hours in prayer or ho M’ould not be able to ac complish the work. Spurgeon tolls us that he who would reap in the pulpit must plow in the closet This same rule will hold true in the devo tional of the Sabbath-school. Thon Jesus tells us to enter into our closet and shut the door, and pray to our Father in secret, and our Father which sees in secret will reward us openly. Now one of the rewards of this secret service will to a deep spiritual frame of mind, aiul a pure and holy joy in the public service. "In vsin wo tune our formal song. In vain wont rive to rise ; Hooanas languiah on our tongue. And our devotion dies." "Dear T/ird and shall wo ever live, At this poor dying rate ? Our love so faint, so cold to thoe, Aud th lue to us so great” After all has been done, that is suggested in this paper, the success of the devotional will in a large measure depend on the superintend ent. The key note will be struck by him, and then caught up by the school, until the very place will be come sweet with God’s presence. As face answereth to face in water, so will the school respond to the highly devotional spirit of the super intendent, and God’s name wilj be glorified in the school. ’ F. P. Davidson. West Plains, Mo., June 8, 1892. FROM NEW YORK. STRENGTHENED BY WORDS. Very often we hear it said that mere words are of but little M’orth. We say to a person in deep affliction, that any words M’hich M'e may say, cannot afford him relief, cannot heal his heart-M’ound. But it should be remembered that words of the sort that have true character in them are M'orth a good deal. Right M'ords are often very strengthening to the weak and fearful. Is it not a fact that certain words’ uttered by certain men, send fear in the hearts of oth ers? Yes, verily, many a man has quaked with fear and fled with al arm at the words of another. But notice how the prophet Daniel M'as strengthened by the words of an an gel. Here is the interesting record: “0 man, greatly beloved, fear not: peace be unto thee; be strong, yea be strong. And when he had spok en unto me, I was strengthened and said, Let my Lord speak, for thou hast strengthened me.” (Dan. 10 : 19.) Those M r ere but a few words but they were spoken just at a time when Daniel needed he Mas weak and faint-hearted. It would seem that he had felt neglect ed of God and that God did not care much for him; but that an angel as sured him that he M’as “greatly be loved,” M'hich meant that God loved him greatly. And such a message, directly from the throne of God, at the hands of a special messeger, M as enough to strengthen any man. All of us like to be told that we are greatly loved by worthy and sincere friends, and we are strengthened in the fresh assurance of this truth. How much more so when told that God himself greatly loves us! And then to hear the M’ords, “Peace be unto thee: be strong, yea be strong,” why should not Daniel be strength ened? Now, to be practical, let me say, go to your pastor and strength en him by words of encouragement. Tell him that his sermons help you and that his influence moves you to better living. Go to the poor and sick and strengthen them by your words. C. H. Wetherbe. FROM TENNESSEE. DISORDER IN THE CONTENTION. Let me add a word to your timely “points of order,” published in your editorial department, May 19th. At one stage of the proceedings of the late Southern Baptist Conven tion “the habit of applause” M'as not only fixed but seemed fnll grown. Dr. J. C. Iliden and I had agreed to organize a hissing society, and when ever anything took place which we did not like, to hiss it down, hoping in that way to call the applauding members to a sense of order, but we did not have time to get a band of hissers together before my patience M-as exhausted, and M’hile Brother Brown of Missouri was speaking and being applauded, I arose to the point of order that “the right to applaud carries with it the right to hiss, and both M ere out of order in a religious body,” and the applause subsided in the main. Our President said: “I know that, and if you can tell mo how to stop it, you are the man I have been looking for. It did not seem to be so bad under my honored predecessor. He knew how to control it. Now brethren, let’s have no more of itl” I arose to tell him how to control it, but ho did not recognize me again, and so the information asked for was not given. I intended to say; “Your predecessor dicl not ask for order, but he commanded order. If a man dared to begin applause while Dr. Mell was in the chair, it was vigorously interrupted in its in ception, and he would declare that there must not be a repetition of it. So set M-as he in this determina tion to preserve order, that he would have adjourned the Convention as in disorder, if applause had .been Brother Minister, Working Layman, Zealous Sister/ We are striving to make The Index the best of its kind. Help us by securing a new subscriber. VOL. 69.-NO. 25. persisted in. It will not do to knock mildly with your gavel after the ap plause is over, and say, ‘let there be no applause,’ but the chair must be on his guard, and suppress the dis order in its very inception, at its first disposition to break out.” The difference brtween a presid ing officer and one M’ho cannot pre side is hard to describe, but easy ta see. No one could object to the last president of the Convention on the score of agreeableness, but it would hardly be possible to find a man M’ho could not preside as well as he. Next year at Nashville some man of known ability as a presiding officer and as a parlimentarian, ought to be nominated for the position of president of the Convention, and ev ery delegate in favor of returning to our old methods of order should be urged to vote for him. If he should be a preacher, all the better, for in that case he M’ould not be timid about commanding order upon the part of disorderly preachers. I hope it is not necessary for me to say that I have nothing but good will towards our last president, and have -written in no other desire than to see the Convention return to its old time order. Another article might be written upon the evils which will follow our present drift into gross disorder, but I forbear for the present. R. T. Hawks. Abilene, Texas. ASKED AND ANSWERED. C. E. W. DOBBS, D. D. “lias the church any scriptural right to forgive (or retain) a mem ber for getting drunk, if that mem ber should get up before the church and acknoM’ledge that he was guilty, and at the same time state that he feels God has forgiven him.” W. T. H. Drunkenness is a sin—one of the works of the flesh, and drunkards have no part in the kingdom of God. (Ga1.5:£0,21 ; 1 ’Cor. 5:9-11). but it is certainly not «n ’.r.pard'.iiable sin, for the Corinthian drunkards had been justified, sanctified and M’ashed by the Spirit of God. The discipline of the church is not intended to pun ish the offending member, but to save him. (Gal. 6:1) Its object should be to “assure the harmony and edification of the church, and the more perfect conformity of the character and conduct of the mem bers to the spirit and teachings of Christ.” Os course churches should have a holy zeal for its purity, yet the greatest care and prayerful de liberation should characterize its dis cipline. Hasty or harsh action is always to be deplored. In the case adduced by W. T. H., they only can properly judge M’ho are familiar with the offending brother and the cir cumstances of the offence. If the sin was public and notorious, public confession should be made, and if the church has reason to believe the expressed repentance is sincere, and that the brother is truly striving to serve the Lord, mo see no reason why he should not be forgiven heart ily. (James 5:16; IJohn 1:9 ‘ Luke 17;3 ; 2 Cor. 2:7). “What truth is there is in the statement that the Wesleys were never Methodists ? I heard a Bap tist minister make the statement in a recent meeting? l. e, c.” You probably misunderstood the brother. John and Charles Wesley certainly were “Methodists,” though it is true they never were members of M'hat is known as the “Methodist Episcopal church.” Methodism as a system of religious thought and prac tice originated with the two brothers M’hile they were students at Oxford, England, and there is no doubt ths organization of the Methodist Epis copal church was agreeable to his wishes. In December, 1784, the “Methodist” preachers assembled ia conference in Baltimore. A letter was read from John Wesley recoin mending the organization of a church, * with Thomas Coke and Francis As bury as “superintendents,” for Mr. Wesley was too good an Episcopa lian to call them “bishops.” The church M as accordingly organized,ao cording to Mr. Wesleys instructions. But it must be added that he and his brother never left the priesthood of the “Church of England.” John Wesley was very averse to his fol lower ssetting up in England an inde pendent “church,” though from