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Many good and strong things were said in be half of MISSIONS During the Session of the Southern Baptist Convention. Subscribe to and read the Christian Index, if you would keep informed. EST AB LfSHEDI 8 21. ©he COirtettan Published Every Thursday at 57’a S. Broad Street. Atlanta, Ga. j. c. mcmichael, proprietor. Organ of the Baptist Denomination in Georgia. SVBSCBUPTION PRICE I One copy, one year $ 2.00 One copy, eix months l-W One copy, three months M Objtwambs —One hundred words free of charge. For each extra word, one cent per word, cash with copy. To Correspondents.—Do not use abrevia tioms; be extra careful in writingproper names; write with ink, on one aide of paper; Do not write copy intended for the editor and busi ness items on same sheet. Leave on personal ities; condense. , , „ „ Business Write all names, and post onices 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 cousld<»r 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. An exchange says that “a South Carolina Baptist latitudinarian now discovers himself in the Unitarian fold.” As the Unitarians have but one church in the State and as that church is a small one, we argue that Baptists of thin style have been rare birds there as in Georgia. If our geo graphies have Points-no-Points, why not call our latitudinarian brethren Baptists-no-Baptists ? King Alexander Jannaeus, on his deathbed, said to his wife: “Fear neither the Pharisees nor the Sad. ducees, but fear the hypocrites—the dyed ones who look like Pharisees.” Half the power of evil men to harm men better than themselves passes from them when they are known as evil; for this knowledge forewarns and forearms those whom they would corrupt or betray. The greater part of the moral mischief in society is wrought by undetected hypocrites, whether they be the hypocrites of the church or the more numerous hypocrites of the world. This is a good time to mix some religion with our politics. Only good, honorable and competent men are entitled to the suffrages of Christian voters. If political party conventions overlook or scorn this truth and nominate men for oflice whose characters are bad, then a lesson ought to be taught them. Self-respecting Christian voters should positively refuse to vote for a drunkard or for one who is known as a whiskey advocate. Let us compel the nomination of sober and teinperence candidates by declining to vote for any others, even if nomi nated. “The death of ex-Gov. Hardin, of Missouri, recalls an instance of his official life. The grasshoppers had laid Eastern Kansas waste and man was powerless against them. Gov. Hardin appointed a day of fasting and prayer to God. A paper in St. Louis sneered at the efficacy of prayer and the power of God. The next day after the fasting and prayer the grasshoppers died and Missouri was saved. God sent a little parasite upon the grasshoppers which killed them. And thus one of his smallest creatures did what all human effort had failed to do.” We quote thia paragraph from a re cent issue of the Western Recorder, fora very simple purpose. Here are certain facts which do not admit of dispute: (1) the approach of the grasshopper plague, (2) the day of fasting and prayer to arrest it, and (3) its arrest. Now, who can prove that there was not and could not have been any Providence that controlled the plague, that answered the prayer, that in pursu ance; of the prayer turned the plague away ? And we want only to say that until this is done, until it is shown that nothing of the sort could by possibility have been, the humble believer may rest in tho comfort of the doctrine of Providence and of the grace of prayer. Let tho sneercr take the oar of disproof into his hands, and “put up, or shut up.” I have just read very carefully the “Catechism of Bible Doctrine,” pre pared by Dr. John A. Broadus. What an admirable statement of doc trine and duty! It is issued jointly by the American Baptist Publication Society and the S. S. Board of the Southern Baptist Convention. What a blessing this catechism would be if every Baptist family should study it. Every Sunday School ought to intro duce it in its classes. There is scarce ly a single statement as to Bible doc trine against which a reasonable ob jection can be urged. I notice a bad •lip in the last of the advanced ques- <£ Ijviotian SnOrr. tion answers in lesson 4. It should be “death through sin,” instead of “sin through death.” C. E. W. Dobbs. OFFICERS OF A SCRIPTURAL CHURCH AND THEIR DUTIES. BY J. M ,C. BREAKER, D.MARSHALL, TEXAS. NO. 111. (CONCLUDED.) THEIR DUTIES. The leading obligations or duties of the pastor are well indicated in the passage just considered, as well as in the titles “bishop” and “pastor” applied to the office; bishop meaning one who exercises an oversight over the interests and conduct of the church membership, and pastor meaning one who does a shepherd’s part towards them, in leading them into the green pastures, and beside the still waters of gospel instruction and guarding them against wolfish foes, in errors of faith and prac tice. 1. Ruling or presiding is made one of the duties of a pastor, which implies the exercise of authority in the government of tho church. This is seen in the apostles direction to Timothy, (1 Tim. 3 :4, 5) in which the same word, proistemi, to rule, is used in other connections, “One that ruleth well his own house, leav ing his children in subjection with all gravity; for if a man know not bow to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the house of God?” This ruling or presiding, as the word is rendered in the ex cellent Bible Union. Revised ver sion, involves no legislative power or right, but is ministerial and execu tive. While the pastor is not to “lord it over God’s heritage,” it is his duty to study, understand and interpret the laws of Christ, the only law-giver and head of the church, and see to it as far as be can that those laws are carried out by the church, as a whole and as individ uals. In this respect he acts the part of a judge in a court of justice, and of a presiding officer in a popu lar assembly, whose rulings must be obeyed, unless set aside by an appeal sustained by the decision of the body. 2. Another duty of the pastor is to “labor in word and doctrine,” or more properly, teaching; to feed or tend the flock of Christ, by the preaching of the gospel, the truth as it is in Jesus, the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. He must not shun to declare all the counsel of God, as it is revealed in his inspired word; like a watchman on the walls of Zion, warning of any threatening danger to the spiritual interests of the flock, whether from the world, the flesh or the devil, and like the good Samaritan,when neces sary binding up the wounded in spirit and pouring in the oil and wine of gospel consolation and encourege ment. It is an important part of this work of pastoral instruction, to point out the fields of Christian activity and usefulness, and how the church as a whole and as individuals, may as good stewards or trustees of God’s gifts, use them for his glory, in the extension of Christ’s kingdom in the world. 3. As the presiding officer and ex ecutive head of the church, it is the right and duty of the pastor to pre side at all its meetings and also to administer its ordinances, baptism and the Lord’s supper. He has no right to administer these except by authority of the church, unless it be as a missionary, (as in the case of Philip and the eunuch (where there is no church by whom the candidate can be received and his baptism au thorized. 4. I mention last, but not as the least duty of the pastor, his obliga tion to be “an ensample to the flock,” that he exemplify all the virtues ho inculcates in bis daily and constant deportment, that he thus preach by example as well as precept. No gifts or attainments, however bril liant or attractive can, for a mo ment, supersede sound piety in heart and life, or atone for the want of it. In vain both for himself and others, will be the attempt to culti vate the plants of virtue and piety in other characters, while his own is overgrown with the weeds and briars of a loose and unsanotifiod life. The testimony which his elo quent words bear for Christ and his ATLANTA, GA., THURSDAY. SEPTEMBER 8, 1892. truth is contradicted and rendered wholly worthless by that of his con duct. “Be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord,” is the divine command. Is. 52 :11. DEACONS. The only other permanent officers of a church are the deacons. The term diakonas, deacon, means “one who serves or ministers,” and is so rendered in several passages of scrip ture, but it came to be applied speci fically to a class of officers, just as the word angel, which means a mes senger, was used to designate “min istering spirits,” a particular class of messengers. The institution of the office we find in the sixth chapter of Acts, in which it is stated, that the number of the disciples was so multiplied that it became necessary to relieve the apostles of the care of distribut ing the charities of the church to the needy members, by appointing suita ble persons to do this- The reason they assign for it was, “It is not rea son that we should leave the word of God [the preaching of the gospel] and serve tables.” A separation was thus made between the spiritual and the temporal affairs of the church, and henceforth the supervis ion of the latter was entrusted to a body of officers denominated “dea cons.” THEIR DUTIES. In toe expression, “to serve ta , bles,” we have not only the general idea of the work of the deacons, that is, as the words mean, to attend to the temporal affairs of the church, but that word “serve,” which in the original is diakoncin, indicated the name afterwards applied to the office. They were to deaconiz.o tables, the table of the pastor, the table of the poor, and the table of the Lord. While the distribution of the bread and wine in the Lord’s supper naturally falls into their hands, it is not made a part of the duties of their office and hence oould be performed by others in the absence of the dea cons. Deacons were required to bo men of sound piety, of good report,, prudent and sound in the faith. This last has seemed to some to argue that they were to be an order of preachers, or to have spiritual rather than temporal duties to attend to. Against this supposition we have the terms “serving tables,” attending to temporal matters, as decisive of their leading duties, and the fact, confirm atory of this, that their work is con trasted with the spiritual and distinc tive work of the ministry, which is “prayer and the ministry of the word.” In order that the pastor may give himself continually to prayer and the ministry of the word, the deacons should see to it that all temporal matters in the church, including pas toral support and all other expenses are properly attended to. It is their duty to see that every member of the church, according to ability, contrib utes to its necessary support; and if any persistently refuse to render such aid, when manifestly able to do so, they are in duty bound to report them to the church, as chargeable with the sin of “covetousness, which is idolatry,” and to be dealt with ac cordingly. Nothing, perhaps, would contribute so much to the prosperity of the churches, and to the spread of pure Christianity generally, as the faithful discharge of these duties on tho part of deacons. Unpleasant, trying as they may be, God and his glory and the welfare of immortal souls demand it, and no one is quali fied for the deaconship who lacks the piety and moral courage neces sary to their performance. The wisdom and piety required in the deacons fit them to bo the advis ers and 00-workers with the pastors in any plans and measures he may suggest for the purity and prosperity of the church. For the same reason it devolves on them, more than on on any other members of the church to look after cases of disorderly con duct on tho part of members, and to correct them if possible, or if other wise to report them to the church for its action. If the peculiar customs of the ear ly ages required the services of fe male deacotis in the churches, such necessity has ceased and the tempo rary office with it. But the services of woman untitled though she lie will never cease to be one of Heav en’s richest blessings to the church and to the world. THE SCHOOL OF CHRIST; AN AD VERTISEMENT. "Learn of me.” Matt. 11 :29. This may be called the advertising age. There are advertisements of all sorts, and of all sorts of things > advertisements long, advertisements short, advertisements comic, adver tisements serious, advertisements in newspapers, iu circulars, in pam phlets, ad infinitum, et ad nauseam. Prominent among these adver tisements at this season of tho year are advertisements of schools— schools of all sorts; universities, col. leges, high schools, male schools, fe male schools, et hoc genus omne. These school advertisements give long lists of learned professors, with all manner of combinations of capi tal letters following their names, There are the D. D.’s, the L.L. D.’s the Ph. D.’s, the M. A.’s the B. A.’s the B. S.’s, and many more, and these often doubled and tripled, and even quadrupled, sotting forth tho learned ability of these professors. And what extensive curriculums they present, covering the whole range of human knowledge ! Perhaps some of my readers are now investigating these school ad vertisements with a view of patron izing some school. By Divine commission I come to you as an agent of the “School of Christ,” and ask to be permitted to lay before you tho peculiar advanta ges and exclusive privileges of this school, with the frankly avowed purpose of inducing you to patron ize it. I. CONSIDER THE SCHOOL ITSELF. 1. Think of its great ago. “Now in the fifteenth year of Tiberias Caa sar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galileo, and he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all.” Luke 3:1 and Luke 4:14-15. Chronologists tell us this was in A. D. 27, or 1865 years ago. This school antedates, i therefore, all being older by many hundred/ years than the oldest universities* of tho otd world. We might go "further and say that a preparatory school was in session for 4000 years before this. This school has tho precedence in whatever advantages attach to age, 2. Its free tuition. “110, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters.” Isa. 55 :1. It is absolutely free, and is open to the rich and tho poor alike. 3. Its continuous session. “I am with you alway, even unto tho end of the world.” Matt. 28 :20 • It is not a day nor a night school, but day and night. There are neither vacations nor holidays, nor even recesses. It is open every hour in the day, every day in the year and every year in every centu ry from the founding to the end of time. The applicant may enter whenever he will. 4. Its wholesome discipline. “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten.” Rev. 3:19. “Now no chastening for the present seeineth to be joyous, but grievous : never theless afterward it yieldcth tho peaceable fruits of righteousness un to them which are exercised there by.” ITeb. 12:11. 5. Its special course of instruction. “The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Luke 19 :10. Salvation is its theme. While> practically, its range of studies is un restricted, yet, technically, the curri culum has to do with man in his re lation to God and to his fellowman. It teaches man where he camo from, where he is going to, what his du ties are, and how the performance or neglect of these duties will affect him in time and eternity. It teaches him that he is a sinner, that he needs a Savior’ and that Savior has beon provided, while, for the government of man, in his conduct towards his fellowman, its motto is: “As ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.” Luke 6 :81. 6. Its three text books. (1.) Nature. “The heavens de clare the glory of God ; and the fir mament showeth his handiwork.” Psa. 19 :1. “The invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made.” Rom. 1 :20. (2.) Providence. “For we know that all things work together for good to them that love God.” (3.) Revelation. “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God.” 2 Tim. 3 :16. “Search the Scriptures.” John 5 :39. These books are without error or contradictions in themselves because the God of truth, who cannot lie, is their common Author ; but errors and contradictions may be found in them by those who put them there, just ns children in school find errors in their text books. I wish to tell you something also of the school’s DIVINE FOUNDER AND CONTIN UOUS PRINCIPAL. “Learn of Me.” It is the divine Son who speaks. “Those things which are most surely believed among us,” “at the first began to be spoken by the Lord.” Notice, 1. His divine appointment. “My Father hath sent me.” John 20 :21- “Whatsoever I speak, therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.” John 12:50. “This is my beloved Son : hear him.” Mark 9 :7. 2. Ilis supreme authority. “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.” Matt. 28 :18. “The Father hath committed all judg ment unto the Son.” John 5 :22. 3. His superior ability. “In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” Col. 2 :3. 4. His significant titles. “Thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins.” Matt. 1:21. “They shall call his name Eman uel, which being interpreted is God with us.!’ Matt 1 :23. “Jesus, who is called Christ.” Matt. 1 :16. “We have found Mkssias.” John 1 :41. “Ilis name shall be called Wonder ful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” Isa. 9.:6. “Ye call me Master and Lord : and ye say well; for so I urn.” John 13:13 5. His actuating motive. “Christ also hath loved us, and hath given I'hhubi If for Uj.” Eph. 5 • 6. His absorbing enthusiasm, *‘My meat is to do the will of him I that sent me.” John 4 :34. 7. Ilis benevolent activity. “Who went about doing good.” Acts 10 : 38. 8. Ilis tireless energy. “They (Jesus and his apostles) had no leisure so much as to eat.” Mark 6: 31. 9. Ilis devout spirituality. “Je sus being full of the Holy Ghost.” Luke 4 :1. “He went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.” Luke 6 ;12. 10. His astonishing positiveness. “The people were astonished at his doctrine : for he taught them as one having authority,” Matt. 7 :28-29. 11. His gracious condescension. ‘•Gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner.” Luke 19 :7. “As Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him.” Matt. 9 :10. 12. His captivating humility. “I am meek and lowly of heart.” Matt. II :29. 13. His charming simplicity. “The common people heard him gladly.” Mark 12 :BT. 14. His matchless eloquence. “Never man spake like this man.’’ John 7 : 46. “All wondered as the gracious words that proceeded out of his mouth.” Luke 4 :22. 15. Ilis incomparable honor. “God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which above every name.” Phil. 2 :9. 16. His numerous, commissioned assistants. “These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, as ye go, preach.” Matt. 10 ;5-7. “After these things tho Lord ap pointed other seventy also, and sent them.” Luke 10:1. “When he ascended up on high he gave gifts unto men. And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets ; and some, evangelists ; and some, pastors and teachers ; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edify ing of the body of Christ.” Eph. 4 : 8, 11, 12. To all these he gives tho com mand : “Go ye into all the world» and preach the gospel to every creature.” Matt. 16:15. in. THE PUPILS. 1. They enter through spiritual regeneration. “Except •aJ man be born again, he cannot see the king dom of God.” John 3 :3. 2. They are called disciples, meaning a learner. “His disciples came unto him and he opened his mouth and taught them.” Matt. 5 . 1, 2. “He expounded all things to his disciples.” Mark 4 :34. 8. They are callled Christians from Christ, tho official title of the Principal, meaning a follower of Christ, as Platonist means a follower of Plato. “The disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.” Acts 11:26. 4. They are docile. “Many sat at Jesus feet, and heard his word.” Luke 10 :3ff. “He that is of God heareth God’s words.” John 8 :47* 5. The prize offered is a crown of life. “Be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a crown of life.” Rev. 2 ;10. 6. They are wise above the wis dom of this world. “I have more understanding than all my teachers : for their testimonies are my medita tion.” Psa. 119 :99 “The fear of the Lord is tho be ginning of wisdom.” Psa. 11l :10. 7. They are promised a fuller revelation hereafter. “What I do thou knowest not now ; but thou shalt know hereafter.” John 13 :7, “We know in part, and we proph esy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away with.” 1 Cor. 13 : 9, 10. Unique School! Glorious Teach er 1 Happy Pupils I Are you a pupil ? Persevere. Aim at advancement. Seek high attainments. “Grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Sa vior Jesus Christ.” If you are not a pupil, enter now. Tho door is open. Here is to be learned heavenly wisdom, which is “able to make thee wise unto salva tion through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” Columbia, Ala. THE PROTRACTED MEETING. Lately I Lave heard, morb than commonly, expressions derogatory to 1 the protracted meeting. This grows out of the abuse of such meetings and should not influence us too far in the other direction. I have no plea to make for many of the meetings carried on now-a-days. It had been better for tho churches and the cause of Christ if such schemes had never been heard of. Very lately I hap pened at a protracted meeting where the “mourner’s bench was employed for all that has ever been in it. Take just one of the many who come for ward to mourn (?) There was a young man who seemed deeply af fected came forward and fell on his face on the floor, put his handker chief over his face and sobbed and prayed in a half audible voice during all the remainder of the exercises. I told some one to lift him up and let him sit on the bench, but an elderly sister said she did not think it best to move them when they were that way. This is not mentioned for the purpose of ridiculing anybody, but in the name of Him who died to save men ought not such a notion of seek tho Savior to be corrected. That sister’s answer showed me that she, at least, had an abiding superstition that If you disturbed any of the re volution of that mill it might fail to grind out its grist. Others who do not abuse Chris tianity with the mourners bench em ploy the protracted meeting in other hurtful ways. But after all that can be said on the abuse of such meetings let mo make an earnest plea for the old time Bible protracted meeting. You may not have noticed that I do not use the word “revival.” I do not think wo can calculate on a re vival. Sometimes we do have revivals, great revivals and they nearly always occur in connection with protracted meetings, but not always. Some times there comes a real revival in tho church in no way connected with a continued meeting. Revivals are the result of tho manifest presence of the Spirit. Sometimes Ilis migh ty presence is realized in the conver sion of sinners. It is here that He so often employs the protracted meeting. At other times the Spirit manifests Himself in the church arousing the members to discipline, to mission work, or even to church building who shall say these are not revivals. Remember ing therefore that the Sovereign Spirit may make a revival of our protracted meeting or not as seeineth Brother Minister, Working Layman, Zealous Sister, We are striving to make The Index the boat of its kind. Help us by securing a now subscriber. VOL. 69.—N0. 36. good to Him, still we shoujd not ig nore one of the great means of ad vancing tho cause of Christ in tho world. The great good that the pro tracted meeting does as any one must know is tho result of constant preaching for several days together with the long continued seasons of prayer that center the minds of the community oh great Gospel themes and advance them iu religious know ledge much more rapidly, proportion-, ately, than can bo done in the occa sional meeting. If we are agreed that the Spirit uses the Gospel iu the salvation of men we can easily see how it may be his pleasure to hasten the acquisi tion of tho knowledge of tho word by continued teaching. There is one other element in tho protracted meeting that others may not agree legitimately belongs to it and that is real genuine Christian enthusiasm. I do not believe that all of the worked up feeling is worth less and harmful. I am quite sure there is an increase of zeal and holy determination that has its birth in hours of deep religious excitement which lasts many times to the end of life, and is henceforth a prime factor in tho usefulness of the Christians life thus wrought upon. S unday-schools, prayer-meetings, and other such results grow out of the protected meeting as a result of this enthusiasm. * I am truly sorry ever to find a Church waiting for the protracted meeting season before they • expect conversions. This is wrong and should be guarded against with great care. The protracted meeting should be a season of extra labor, extra preach ing and consequently of extra ingath ering, but not the only time to gath er. The Gospel will bear fruit when ever it is preached and in protracted meetings more fruit because it is preached more. While I write these lines there are meetings of great power in progress' near me. The harvest time of souls for whom pastor and people have worked and prayed during the year. In these churches where they only preach once a month the protracted meeting is an absolute neces sity that the Gospel may be preached with sufficient fre quency to fasten attention and lead to decision. This is the Spirits means ot saving. Then why not employ it with all diligence? How many whose eyes fall on these lines will remember the protracted meet ing at which they' gave their hearts to God? Let there bo conversions all along through the year. There is some thing wrong when we depend wholly on the protracted meeting for con versions. There is worse than wrong when we misuse the protracted meeting and turn it into the occasion of false feeling and false profes sions. If the Gospel is preached, Christian people pray and engage in sensible, earnest, private conversation with the unconverted there will no bad results follow tho protracted effort, F. C. McConnell. Written for the Index. AN OLDER INDEX. Your editorial in a recent issue> inspired by a copy of tho Index of 1863, was interesting reading to your humble correspondent. I have a copy somewhat older than that of ‘63, and I prize it very highly as a relic of the long ago. It is the tenth number of the first volume of “The Columbian (Star and and Christian Index,” and is dated Sept. sth, 1829. It is, therefore, nearly sixty-three yours old. Tho Senior Dr. Win. T. Brantly, born in North Carolina and educated in South Carolina, was tho occupant of the editorial chair. Philadelphia was the place of publication. Among the interesting articles ap pears a long extract from Wilson’s “Evidence* of Christianity,” a new and valuable English book that re ceived strong editorial commenda tion from Dr. Brantly. A letter to the editor from War renton, Ga., conveys the pleasing in telligence of a great moral change that community had recently under gone,—"a community,” says Dr. B. t “not previously distinguished for so briety and religion.” “It is not four years,” he continues, “since the [Continued on third page.]