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Many good and strong things were said in be half of During the Session of the Southern Baptist Convention. Subscribe to and read the Christian Index, if you would keep informed. ESTABLISHED 1821. ®tie Christian index Published Every Thursday at 57% S. Broad Street, Atlanta, Ga. =■■ 1— j. c. McMichael, PtorM-ua Organ of the Baptist Denomination in Georgia. Subscription Pricb : Bne copy, one year.... ♦ 2-00 ne copy, six months 100 One copy, three months E0 Obituaries.—One hundred words free of charge. For each extra word, one cent per Word, cash with copy. To Correspondents.—Do not uso abrevia tions ;be extra careful in writing proper 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 all names, and post offices 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 he orders his paper discontinued. When you order it stopped pay up to date. Remittances by check preferred; or regis tered letter, money order, postal note. Would it not bo well during this centennial year to revive the month ly concert of prayer for missions? Or, if that be impracticable, suppose one Sunday morning service in each month be given to missions, with a sermon and a collection. A prominent Methodist minister from Middle Georgia, Newton coun ty, writing to a friend in Augusta, says: “I don’t see how such a man as Maj. Black can believe in Calvin ism.” That admits of easy explana tion. Such a man as Maj. Black, of course, feels it obligatory on himself to examine into the truth of Calvin ism : that is all he needs to do, —the evidences of its truth throughout the scriptures do the rest 1 But the men who will not examine, how can they believe ? It was doubtless worth while for the “czar of all the Russias” to en tertain a plain American citizen in order to get a free advertisement through an American pulishing syn dicate, after the free criticisms of the English-speaking press upon the czar’s policy ; but Mr. Talmage has not made any friends among his own countryman by his excessive praise of the Muscovite. The Russian pol icy is abhorrent to all American ideas, and no man knows this better than Mr. Talmage. Georgia is put to shame, and blushes. The day of the Lord has been openly, brazenly desecrated on her soil and in one of her fairest and purest cities. On Sunday, August 21st, a game of baseball was played at Savannah. We had not thought that this could be done, and we are not willing to admit the thought that it can be done again. The public sentiment of Savannah surely is against it, and the authorities of the city ought to see and will see to it that the more irreligious elements in the population shall be restrained from such outbreaks of impiety and Immorality. Rev. A. G. McManaway, D. D., terminates a pastorate of seven years with Tryon street Baptist church, Charlotte, N. C., by an unexpected and “final” resignation. He found it with an enrolled membership of 172, and added to it 375, —n0 mean token of a prosperous ministry. In the course of a letter to the church he says: “I think it will be your good pleasure to publish no complimenta ry resolutions with reference to my work among you. If that work has been of the right sort, it will speak for itself through the years that are to come. If it has not been of the right sort, complimentary resolutions cannot bolster it up. So, I ask that you will kindly leave it to stand on its own merits.” The Popular Science Monthly has never been friendly to Christianity. It has freely given voice to the ut terances of materialists, and aired in every possible way the so-called scientific objections to our religion. In the current number Mr. Herbert Spencer is permitted to assail the character of the Apostle Paul. In the course of an article on “Veracity,” the object of which was apparently to make this attack. Mr. Spencer says that the apostle “defends his acts by contending that the truth of God hath more abounded through my lie unto this glory,’ ” —a misquo tation, to begin w ith, and ;a misin terpretation so gross as to lay its author open to the charge of disin* genuouoness. And yet there are people who seem to think that it is a sign of superior wisdom and learn ing to put forth just such “new” things as this 1 (fljristian SniUT. OFFICERS OF A SCRIPTURAL CHURCH AND THEIR DUTIES. „ vv»v^ c9t .. BREAKER, D. D., MARSHALL) TEXAS. No. 11. ONLY TWO CLASSES OF OFFICERS. A careful examination of the Scriptures will show, that Christ has provided for his churches only two classes of permanent officers, pastors, also called elders and bishops, and deacons. These are elected by the churches, from whom under Christ they derive their authority. Evangelists were not a distinct class of officers, but belonged to the order of elders, or ministers without a charge or settled location, dissemi nating the Gospel in destitute places, as in the case of Philip, the evangelist, whose preaching and bap tizing were signally blessed, espe cially in Samaria. Acts 8 :5-40. Timothy, too, though an ordained bishop or elder, was enjoined to “do the work of an evangelist.” 2 Tim. 4 :5. Our modern missionaries an swer to the New Testament evange lists. That the two classes mentioned, pastors and deacons, are the only of ficers of a church authorized by the Scriptures, is proved by the fact, that no others are mentioned when the officers of a church are specially alluded to, and the qualifi cations and duties of these only are given. Thus Paul writing to the church at Philippi, addressed them as “the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, w ith the bishops and deacons.” Phil. 1 :1. Had there been other officers of the church, it is un accountable that Paul did not men tion them. And what was true of that church was true of all others. They were all modeled alike. ELDER AND BISHOP. It is plain from the 20th chapter of Acts, that the terms elder and bishop and pastor designate the same office. In verse 17 Paul is said to have sent to Ephesus, and call*..) (ho “elders” of the 'biiurcb, and in the 28th verse he says to them, “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made overseers (in the Greek episcopons, bishops,) to feed (Greek poimainein, to act the part of a shepherd or pas tor to) the church of God.” The term “elder” is of Jewish origin, de noting the rank, wisdom and dignity usually implied in age, while bishop and pastor are borrowed from Greek usage, and designate the duties ap pertaining to the office. The identity of elders and bishops, as only two terms for the same of fice, is further seen in the fact, that the two terms are elsewhere used in terchangeably, and the same quali fications and are ascribed to both alike. Thus in 1 Pet. 5:1-2, we read, “The elders who are among you I exhort, who am also an elder. . . Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof,” Greek, episcopountes, act ing the part of a bishop. So Paul tells Titus (chapter 1 :5.) that he left him in Crete, among other things, to appoint elders in every city, if they had the qualifications required, and then adds, for a “bishop” must be blameless as the steward of God.” Here he applies the term “bishop” to the same persons whom he had just before called “elders.” In his epistle to Timothy (1 Tim -3 :2-7,l Paul lays down the qualifi cations for a bishop, “blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behavior,” etc. And these are in substance the very same as those he instructs Titus to require in the elders he would have him to ap point, (Titus 1 :6-10) “blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children, not accused of riot or unru ly” etc. And we have seen that he makes the duties of the elder and the bishop the same; When in his ad dress to the elders of Ephesus he tells them that they were as bishops, (“overseers,”) to feed the church of God. Peter says the same thing, when he tells the elders to feed the flock of God, taking the oversight, i. e., acting the part of a bishop to them. A PLURALITY OF PASTORS. The early churches seem general ly to have had a plurality of elders or bishops. The apostle addresses his epistle to the chnrch at Philippi, “with the bishops and deacons,” sent for the elders of the church at Ephe- ATLANTA, GA., THURSDAY. SEPTEMBER 1, 1892. sus, and Paul and Barnabas as well as Titus ordained or appointed “el ders” in the churches of Asia Minor and Crete. The reason for this probably was, that as they had no church edifices in those days, and hence held their meetings in private houses, several such meetings would often be held at the same time, and each would need a bishop or pastor to conduct it. In later times, the circumstances not requiring a plu rality, one pastor to a church seems to have become the practice ; as when the epistles were addressed to the seven churches of Asia, in the 20th and 36th chapters of Revela tion, each church was addressed through its “angel” or pastor, the word “angel” meaning a messenger) and indicating the relation of the pastor as the messenger, both of God to the church, and of the church towards God and the world. RULING ELDERS. A distinction is made by those who practice the Presbyterian Church government; between teach ing and ruling elders, the ruling el ders having nothing to do with teaching, or preaching, but only with the government of the church, which is supposed to be committed to them along with the pastor or teaching el der. The passage which is chiefly relied on in support of this view, is Tim. 5 :17, “Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially they who labor in the word and doctrine.” Against this interpretation are the following facts. 1. The term elder is used elsewhere only of those who taught or preached, as one of the duties of the office. Then Paul, us ing the term interchangeably, with that of bishop, mentions “apt to teach:” 1 Tim. 3:2, as a qualifica tion of the bishop, and “holding fast the faithful word, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to ex hort and to convince the gainsayers,” as one of the duties of the elder. (Tit. 1 :9.) 2. The Scriptures con nect reading aud teaching together as the appropriate work of the pastor> 1 Thess. 5 :12, “We beseech you to know them who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you.” Admonishing is a species of teaching. Ileb. 13 :7-17- 24. “Remember those who have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God.” “Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves, for they watch for your souls,” which implies teaching. “Salute all them that have the rule over you,” i.e., all your pastors. 3. The total absence of any Scripture directions as to the qualifications of ruling elders proves that no such officer was intended in the New Testament. 4. The right and obvious interpretation of the pas sage entirely excludes the idea of ruling elders as a separate class from teaching Riders. As we have seen ruling is a general term used to des ignate the ordinary work of a pastor, so that thfe expression “elders that rule well” would mean, “that preside, or discharge their pastoral duties well,” including both teaching and pastoral work. The term rendered “labor” (kopiontes) means to toil, to labor earnestly, devotedly ; as when Peter said (Luke 5 :5.) “Master, we have toiled all night, and taken noth ing.” So when Jesus said, (Matt. 1: 28) “Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden.” This mean ing of the word is clearly shown in Jno. 4:6, where it is said, Jesus therefore being wearied with His journey,” that is, having toiled unto weariness in traveling, “sat thus on the well.” The meaning of the direction to Timothy therefore is, that a double honor or remuneration should be ac corded to those elders or pastors of the church, who devoted their time and labor to preaching and teaching, implying that there were some of the co-pastors, who, after the example of Paul, and like many at the present day, labored with their own hands for support, and gave but a part of their time to the work of the minis try. [CONCLUDED NEXT WEEK.] Written far Thk Index. IN MEMORY’ BARK. "Sweet memory wafted by the gentle gale. Oft up the stream of time I turn my sail." Like the poet, I would like to turn my sale ’up the stream, and come to the stream, look at it and begin to think of the scenes above, by which the driftwood just passed, "The fairy haunts of long-lost hours,” and feel the impulse almost irresis tible to sail in memory’s bark, to see thoso “haunts” again, but the imper ative calls of duty forbid. After re turning from the Southern Baptist Convention in May, I was for a time unfit partially for my work. The hearty hand shakes, the Christian embraces, the tearful tender expres sions of delight in meeting in the flesh once more, the warm invitations the referencet to pleasant visits, to revivals, to helpful remarks or ser mons, so wafted me up the stream) that it was only by vigorous effort I could turn away from “far greener shades, far loveljer flowers.” Your kind, brotherly reminder, dear Index “turned my sail up the stream,” and thornas I glided along under a “gentle gale” I sat down to read the last issue, and saw the an <iouncemcnt that C. D. Campbell was dead and E. W. Warren dying,—the gale is fierce and I am being driven rapidly over the past and with feel ings aroused, and heart overflowing, I must commune for a moment with friends, associates, fellow-laborers and comrades in the army of Jesus, some of whom yet survive, and many of whom in May asked me, “why don’t you write for the Index of tener?” I was ma.hf to feel sad when I saw how C. D. Campbell had given way physically since I had met him before, hoped it was tempo rary and it did not occur to me, that I would survive him. To see Haygood, Irwin, M. P. Callaway, and others of the older men look “storm-beaten” was not so remarkable. Bro. Warren was I thought, “holding his own” remarka bly well. How I glide up the stream to-day, and through the delightful associations and experiences I have had with those brethren, in their families, in associations and minister ial labors. And am Ito sec hem no more—here? ‘ A My time and your spa to .-itiit ed, so let me say a word tv' loving ones about my condition and close. I was 63 years old, the day Bro. Campbell died, Aug 10th and in 89 of those years, have not seen a well day, yet I have suffered little under the circumstances, and with grati tude I can say, I have not passed many days too feeble to work for the blessed Savior and for the cause I love. lam declining perceptibly. Traveling is more wearisome now. I sometime preach twice on Sunday but should not. I have reason to be grateful to the Lord for directing me to Georgia when he did, and for the friends he gave me there and the same I can say to His sending me to Flori da. The climate has been good, the people kind, and my work pleasant as I could expect. The brethren have honored me with their love and confidence and have been amaz ingly forbearing. Friends in Georgia, with many of you I shall meet no more here, but we “will meet beyond the river.” 1 hope you will pray for me, as I be lieve you have done in the past. "Though sundered far, by faith wo moot. Around one common mercy-seat.” W. N. Written for The Indkx. TITHING. Is the law of tithing Jewish or is it of universal application? The an swer to this question is important, for to whomsoever it applies the charge of robbery is laid against them if the tithe be withheld. That charge is made by Gad and must therefore be true. Think of what nature the crime of robbery is, and can anyone desire to be guilty of it? Gentile Christians do not generally believe that tithing applies to them, and are not therefore particularly concerned about putting it into practice. The neglect to tithe because one persuades himself that the obligation does not rest upon him is not excused if the word of God shows the obli gation to exist. Ignorance of the obligation is his fault, and therefore no excuse. It is our duty to know what God requires, and then to do it. If tithing applies to gentiles then Christians ought to carry it out, for they have brought themselves under obligation to obey God. The general application of the tithing luw appears from the action of Abraham in giving the tenth of the spoils to Melchizedek, Gen 14: 20 and from the promise of Jacob, Gen. 28: 22, to give the tithe of all to God if ho should bring him back to the land he was then leaving. This was a long while before the law was given to Moses, or the Jewish nation organized. It is not reasonable to suppose that such a thought would have originated m the human mind without a divine relevation. What would have suggested it? How could man suppose God would ac cept or use it? Notice that Abra ham gave it to the unincarnate Son of God; and Jacob promised to give it to God and not to man. Early then in the worlds history this law must have been established by God. When the Mosiac law was given it was evidently a reiteration of what existed before, with more definite instruction accompanying. The law demanded it for God Lev. 27: 30, not for the Levite. God appointed the Levite to receive it for him, Num. 18; 21, because in his service for God he was to be without an inheri tance such as the rest had, and God’s tithe became his inheritance. This was for a nation of people who proposed to recognize and serve God. THE LAW REPEATED IN THE GOS PEL. When Jesus reproved the Phari sees for paying tithes and neglecting the weightier matters of the law, he did not condemn tithing but approv ed it by saying, “these things ye ought to have done.” This is gos pel instruction, given by the author of the gospel, and belongs to this age. Jesus tells his ministers to teach those who accept him “to ob serve all things he has commanded,” and says “that whosoever breaks one of these least commandments of mine and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingkom of God.” In Ist Cor. 9: 1-14, the apostle de clares this law equally applicable in the gospel, and in this dispensation to be applied similarly as in the old. As the Levitcs who ministered at the altar in the old were to use it, so in the new those who preach are to be supported from it. Up to the tenth of our incomes contributed for the work of the Lord we give nothing. Wo are but pay ing a debt. The Christian ought to go beyond the tenth is true, but can not rightfully stop short of it. why required? Not because God needs it or could not carry on His work without it. But we need it as a constant remin der that all things belong to God, and while we are permitted to use them, He wants us to feel and recognize that He is sole proprietor. This is done in payinfi Him the tenth like a tenant among men pays rent to the land lord in acknowledgement of his ownership. As it would be dishohest for the tenant not to pay his rents, so it is dishonest not to pay God his tithes. As it would be robbing the landlord for the tenant to apply the rents to his own use, so it is robbing God to fail to pay his tithes, “for the tithe is the Lord’s.” The principle is the same as in the reservation of the seventh day by God. All days belong to God, and He enforces the remem brance by requiring that one seventh shall be set apart to his service. N othing is really lost to an honest tenant by faithfully paying his rents. His landlord will give him every fa cility in his power to make him a success. So we are assured by God that nothing will bo lost to us if the law of the tithe is faithfully observ ed. He promised great prosperity should attend His people if they paid it. If not, death and destitu tion were threatened. The history of the Jewish people proved the truthfulness both ways. When faithful they prospered marvelously. When unfaithful poverty and distress ensued. Prov. 8: 9 is of general applica tion and not restricted to Jews. The principle of the Mosiac law is en couched in this promise of abundant blessing upon compliance of honor ing God with “all the first fruits of thine increase.” It is susceptible of proof in our own day, by the facts in the lives of those who have conformed to the tithing law that it pays even in things temporal, as the Bible prom ises. Why not then act upon it, since we have as much and more for ourselves here, and so much more could be done for the cause of Christ if his people would only obey. Geo. E. Brewer. ? Alexander City, Ala. BAPTISIfOF - BELIEVERS ONLY. 'HENRY MCDONALD, D.D, 1. The truth of this is seen from the commission of our Lord Jesus Christ to his disciples for the evange lization of the world. (Matt. 28: 19 20). This is the authority which jus tifies and demands the observance of baptism. Who then are to be bap tized? Expressly those who are “taught” and have believed in (Christ. Here then we have the law of bap tism as enjoined by Christ. This de mands belief or trust in the Lord Jesus, and equally demands that those who believe shall be baptized. If there is any law that requires others than believers to be baptized, it must be made equally clear. It must be shown that this too has been author ized by Christ, especially if it nulli fies or even modifies the previously expressed law. this ever been done? The utter silence of Scripture on this point should be conclusive that such a law has never been given. The only law on the subject there fore is that believers, and only believ ers, are to be baptized. 2. The practice of the apostles and their co-laborers establishes the bap tism of believers and only of believ ers. How did these early evange lists who received the commission understand its doctrine in regard to this question? Let the whole New Testament answer. It is one and the same everywhere. They that gladly received the word were baptized. Where ever the gospel was received as the power of God unto salvation, believers and only believers were bap tized. Did they understand aright the commission of their ascended Lord? Examine the records of the church and mission work of those who baptized infants, full men tion is made of such baptisms. .Such modern records are very' unlike the New Testament records in this res pect. No matter how early are the claims urged, no matter what fathers or councils may allege, the practice of the New Testament is forever giv en against any other baptism than that of a believer in Christ. The baptism of the eunuch in the eighth chapter of the Acts is in harmony with the universal law. Philip was divinely moved to leave the great awakening in Samaria and follow the desert traveler as he returned to his far-off home. He found him reading in Isaiah, undisturbed by any ques tion as to its dual authorship, but greatly interested in the burden of its prophetic hopes—the coming One, the glorious, mysterious sufferer. Is Jesus of Nazareth he? He welcomed with ready will the evangelist who preached unto him, Jesus. The man earnestly received Jesus, and was willing then and there to confess him as Lord and Christ, “and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.” 3. The design of baptism demands a believer as the subject. What does baptism signify in its relation of the baptized to Christ? Surely this at least, that in being baptized there is a confession of personal faith in Christas having “died for our sins and raised again for our justification,” and that through faith in him we have died to sin and been raised to a new life. It is not only that a new life is professed, but that this new life is in the risen Christ. So certain ly as faith in Christ is necessary to discerning the Lord's body in the Lord’s Supper, faith in Christ is as necessary in discerning the risen Lord in our baptism. That baptism has this significance and symbolism is abundantly taught in the New Testa ment; therefore baptism requires this internal grace of faith. The outward act is the vesture in which the inward and spiritual embodies and expresses itself. Baptism without accompany ing faith is not the baptism of Christ and the apostles. 4. Believers’ baptism, according to scriptural appointment and design, tends to preserve the spirituality of religion, conserves the integrity of Christian doctrine, and the purity of the churches. The changes from this principle have led to manifold perversions of the gospel. So far as infanta become the subjects of bap tism, believers’ baptism is denied and Brother Minister, Working Layman, Zealous Sister, TTe are striving to make Tlio Index the best of its kind. Help us by securing a new subscriber. VOL. 69.—N0. 35. abrogated. If infant baptism uni. versally prevailed, then the baptism of believers would be entirely un known, as in many of the State churches of Europe. As might be expected from such a perversion, unscriptural theories of the efficacy of baptism have sprung up in connection with such a prac tice. Dr. Hodge, in his “Systematic! Theology,” uses this remarkable lan guage: “Thoso parents sin grievous, ly against the souls of their children who neglect to consecrate them to' God in the ordinance of baptism. Do let the little ones have their names written in the Lamb’s book of life, even if they afterward choose to erase them. Being thus enrolled may be the means of their salvation.” Being baptized in infancy, then, “is to have their names written in the Lamb’s book of life!” Dr. Shedd says: “Bap. tism is the infallible sigh of regenera, tion when the infant dies in infancy. All baptized infanta dying before the age of self-consciousness are regen. erated without exception.” Such language strongly suggests the effi cacy of baptism in the salvation of infants. These are men of renown , as American teachers of Protestant theology, yet these quotations show the strong hold which the supposed efficacy of infant baptism had upon them. There is an incident in the life of I Dr. J. R. Jeter (of blessed memory) , which is worthy of being preserved. His mother was a member of a Bap. tist church. When a boy he read the record of the Ethiopian eunuch’s conversion and baptism. It was new to his young mind, and he felt as if he had just discovered it for the first time. In the joy of such unques tioned support for his mother’s faith, he sought her, crying out: “I have found'it, I have found it; the Baptists are right; here it is, here it is in the eighth chapter of the Acts!” Long as. terward, when he had spent many successful years in preaching, on a ; bapi; .Meaauon udtTj'-ud this mci de;,Vofhiß early iiivjtind said; “Breth ren, I believe now, as I believed then, the Baptists are right on this ques tion.”—Baptist Teacher. A biFofexperience. Six years ago I was teaching a primary class in a city school at a salary of $45.00 per month which was my sole income. I had a wid owed mother depending on me for support, so you can well imagine we had no surplus after living-expenses were paid, and two months when there was no income. I had been trying to give to the Lords’ cause as I was prospered, but found that I had but little to give and oftentimes nothing. One day a friend said to me that she gave the tenth of her income to the Lord that she was blessed in it and recommend* ed me to try it. I said I could not afford it, that I could scarcely make ends meet, indeed I then owed more than I was able to pay. If I could get out of debt and get a little ahead why then I might think of trying her plan. No indeed I argued, we should be just before we was gener ous. Not knowing that I owed God and should pay Him first. How I came to be so ignorant on the subject I can’t now imagine, as I had been hearing sermons all my life and had been in the Sunday* school since I could remember. But I could not see it as my friend did, and pleaded as my excuse, though I really did love my Saviour and honestly wanted to do my whole duty. Some months after I got hold of the pamphlet on “Christian Giving or Pay What You Owe” by a Lay. man. I read it over and over and was converted. I said “I will obey the Lord and trust him for conse quences. At the end of the month when I received my salary I took out 84.50, the tenth and put it in a little box called the Lord’s box, determining to do the best I could with the remain, ing 840.50. In a few months I was out of debt and enabled to make ends meet. Indeed, wonderful to relate, the $40.50 seemed to go fur ther than $45.00 had done before, I was delighted for now I had something to pay and could afford it I have never failed since to tithe my income and am only sorry that I was so long ignorant of my duty. I can testify that the Lord hM