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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 tho Christian Index, if you would keep informed. ESTABLISHED 1821. ©he Christian Published Every Thursday at 57% 8. Broad Street. Atlanta. Ga. j. c. mcmichael, proprietor. Organ of the Baptist Denomination in Georgia. Subscription Price : One copy, one year $ 2 0° One copy, six months 1.00 One copy, three months TO Obituaries.—One hundred words free of charge. For each extra word, one cent per word, cash with copy. To Correspondents.—Do not use abrevia tions; be extra careful in writingproper names; write with ink, on one side of paper; Dp 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 phi 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 tored letter, money order, postal note. The Home and Foreign Mission Boards give encouraging accounts of receipts from children’s day. Bro. N. A. Bailey is settled in his pastorate at Leesburg, Fla. The satisfaction of church and pastor is mutual. Mr. R. L. Garner an African ex plorer, travels for protection in a cage of steel wire capable of being charged with electricity. A translation of the Bible into the Sweetza tongue, spoken by 200,000 Africans, is said to have been made by a former slave of Jefferson Davis. Postmaster-General Wanamaker recently entertained 680 members of his Bible class at his country seat, Lindenhurst. They were carried from Philadelphia on a special train. A little girl was trying to tell her mother how beautifully a certain lady could trill in singing, and she said: “O mamma! you ought to hear her gargle! She does it so sweetly!” Dr. Goodspeed sends word from 'Chic-;ffo that Mr. Yerks, the street car magnate of that city, has decided to build an observatory for the Uni versity with the largest telescope in the world. The First Baptist church of Roch dale. Texas, whose late pastor, Dr- J. 11. Stribbling, died August 14, 1892, has extended a unanimous call to Elder S. O. Mitchell, pastor First church, Dyersburg, Tenn., and he has accepted and begins his labors on October 1, 1892. Dora Isadora Cousino, of Chili, is said to be worth $200,000,000, and is doubtless the richest person in the world. The question naturally arises, what could a woman do with two hundred millions of money on that narrow strip of land in our South ern continent? Dr. Thomas Chase died in Provi dence, R. 1., Oct. 6, aged 65. He Ho was filling a temporary appoint ment as professor of the Greek lan guage in Brown University. He was one of the American New Tes tament revisers, and a scholar of marked attainments. The Advance publishes a Sym posium on Conversion. The replies to the questions were made by the members of the American Board. With great unanimity the writers placed the date of their conversion at an early age and, for the most part, united with the church before twenty. The wealth of the evangelical churches in the LTnited States is csti. mated to be $13,000,000,000, and i 8 increasing at the rate of $2,500,000,- 000 a year. What arc they giving for the support and spread of the gospel ? What are the needs of the world ? Blessed with such vast re sources, their responsibilities and their privileges run parallel with them. “Awake, awake, put on thy strength, O Zion. Samptown church, New Brooklyn, N. J., commemorated its one hun dred anniversory a few days ago- Mr. O. B. Leonard read a paper cov’ ering the first fifty years. During that period the church had only two pastors, Elder Jacob Fitz-Randolph, (’.705-1818,) Elder Lcbbeus Lathrop, (1819-1841,). Rov. Ernest Thomp son, present pastor, gave a history of the last fifty years, embracing eight pastorates. The church is still pros perous, and now numbers 130 mem bers. gl;c itlpfetian jin On. ] J£93 RevTß West,. ~ The opening of the railroad from Joppa to Jerusalem has given a great stimulus to real estate in the vicinity of Jerusalem. The aspect outside the walls has changed very rapidly on account of the active operations of both Jews and Russians in their building opera tions. American locomotives move the trains over the road. According to The Voice, there is a law in Illinois forbidding the sale of liquor within two miles of any fair. It is forbidden by this law, on the very site occupied by the World’s Fair. Yet the managers have let privileges for the sale of liquor to numerous parties, and have incurred penalties to the amount of $600,000 if these privileges are not made good. The Fifteenth Century was a period of wonderful discovery and invention. Gunpowder, and the art of printing, and the revival of learn ing, marked this century. In this century, under the auspices of Prince Henry the Navigator, the West coast of Africa, as far a Sierra Leone, was explored, and Madiera and the Azores were discovered. A shorter route to India, byway of the Cape of Good Hope, was discovered, and near its close, the famous voy age of Columbus, resulting in the discovery of the New World. Rev. Philip Bickel, Hamburg Cor respondent of the Watchman, Bos ton, in an interesting letter about the cholera in that city says: “Although Hamburg is a Hansa Stadt and proud of being a Repub lic, the emperor showed his sympa thy by sending a large number of hospital tents and military physi cians at the first notice of distress. And to-day he and the empress sent a gift of 10,000 marks towards the relief fund, with an expression of tenderest sympathy, and the hope that God would bless the efforts being made to relieve and aid.” Ten thousand marks is equal to $2400. Rev. Dr. Williams, in his' centen nial address at the First Baptist, church, Baltimore, Md., October 2, 1892, said, “The Methodist, North and South; Presbyterian, North, South and Cumberland; and the Pro testant Episcopalian churches have on the foreign field 79,846 communi cants, while the Baptists have (exclu sive, of 80,274 in European countries# which are the direct result of mis sionary labor) 84,882. That is, the Baptists have 18,959 more members than the four denominations together. These four denominationshave 1,434 missionaries, but the Baptists have only 475 or less than one-third as many. The four denominations re port for last year 10,064 converts but the Baptists report 10,313 or 240 more than all four. Such facts should increase our faith in the truth.” The Baptist church at Culpepper, Va., was burned down a few days ago. Rev E. W. Winfrey, the pas tor, says that prompt action has been taken to rebuild. The building was located on the very spot where the old jail stood, in which James Ire land and other Baptists were im prisoned. An attempt was made to blow him up with gunpowder, but failed. Then his persecutors tried to suffocate him by burning brim stone at tho door and windows- They also tried to poison him. They all failed and he continued to write and preach from his “palace,” as he called his prison. The Religious Herald says:— “The Culpepper Baptist church has had a glorious history. Far and wide has its in fluence reached, but never has it done better than of late years. Cul pepper has helped to build churches for others, and with a generous hand it has given to every good cause. Let all who can help, send some thing to Bro. Winfrey to aid in re building the Culpepper church.” In writing to one of our ladies who was going to marry a Presby terian, I advised her to let her Bible, common sense and love bo her guide in denominational matters.”—E. Z. Simmons. Had she taken your ad vice she would have married only iri tho Lord, and would still boa Bap tist.—Baptist Record. We take the above from the “Ob servatory” column of our Mississippi organ. Surely editor Gardner did not mean all his hasty words imply. Tho reference is to one of our lady missionaries in China, who recently married a minister of tho Presby terian mission in that country. Tho ATLANTA, GA., THURSDAY. OCTOBER 27, 1892. intimation that the good sister did not “marry in the Lord” is a covert denial that Presbyterians are Chris tians! Now, of course, our brother in Mississippi does not so think. He wished to make a smart comment, and succeeded in making—a blun der. It is the usual custom among the missionaries to act as the lady referred to has done. Some Pres byterian ladies have married Bap tist missionaries and united with our denomination. It is not to bo wondered at that sometimes we have to take our own medicine. FROM MEXICO. I have just returned from Zacate cas where I met all our missionaries in the annual business meeting of the mission. At the same time we witnessed the dedication of the Zacatecas church house, Dr. Powell preaching the sermon to an overflow ing congregation. Brother McCor mick is certainly a master builder. The mystery is, how he was able to tear away the old structure and put up such en elegant, commodious and substantial house with the money placed in his hands. Long may the church stand as a monument to Mc- Cormickjs good judgment, taste and economy. The Zacatecas pastor, his good wife and his sister, Miss Carrie McCormick, who is visiting them, left nothing undone to afford every comfort and pleasure to their numer ous guests, and they succeeded royally, at the same time winning all hearts. Zacatecas is quite an old city, hav ing a population of about 75.000- It is completely hedged in by lofty mountains; its precipitous streets re mind one of Vicksburg, Miss., or Providence, R. I. It has long had the unenviable reputation of being a mining town. Indeed, its founda tion is so completely honey-combed by the net work of mining shafts running in all directions, that it is feared that the entire city may at some time sink down with a crash on the occasion of eafthquakes which which arc not uncommon on these parts. I had the pleasure of ascending to the surmit of the Bufa, a very lofty mountain overlooking the city spread out in the form of a cross in the deep canon below, a giant arm pushing itself out through the granite on either side, and thus completing the cross. Though the city is so difficult of access, it has formed the theater of many a bloody battle, hence, it has interesting relics and historical fame. All tourists are in terested |in visiting the temple of Guadalupe in a suburban village by the same name. The design and execution of everything about the building, whether of the architect# mason or painter, shows forth the most perfect work of a master hand both in arrangement and finish. The interior of the temple, with its gold - , silver and satin finish, its countless altars, idols, angels, saints, etc., has been compared to an enormous spark ling jewel. Here you may see ignor ance, idolatry and superstition gone to seed. When the sexton unlocked the door to admit us, three women entered and bowed before as many images. Thusjiowed, they spent a half hour or more repeating, in a low whisper, prayers to their favorite saints. Their eyes wandered idly about the room, while their lips moved rapidly as if anxious to hurry through their morning task. One of the number, as an act of greater de votion, leaned forward on her hands and kissed the fluor. It is enough to make the heart sick to see how these people have been deceived and de frauded, but basely corrupted and bankrupted financially and morally by the Catholic clergy. Oh, for a great tidal wave of gospel light and liberty to sweep over this country so long submerged in gross ignorance and spiritual deat h. Thou great God of nations and of peoples, wilt thou not look down in mercy upon benight- Mexico! We missionaries are lengthening our cords and strengthening our stakes. Not only has every man among us enlarged his field for next year, but the late arrival of brethren Wilson and I. N. Steelman, the new missionary has enabled us to open up new territory; two new States have been entered. But knowing that he with whom the Lord does not work must build in vain, wo are praying for the co-operation and blessing of Almighty God, Wo aro sure tha many goodjpeople at home will unite their petitions with ours in this joint stock enterprise for the salvation of Mexico. J. G. Chastain, Doctor Arroyo, Mexico, Oct., 1892, ‘TOR THE PERFECTING OF SAINTS.” EPH. 4: 8-13. BY A. G. HILLYER. Wo learn, from the scriptures above referred to, that our Lord gave to the churches certain functionaries# and he gave them for certain pur poses. The functionaries were Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pas tors and teachers. His purposes in bestowing these gifts were, —“For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, and for the edifying of the body of Christ,” — “till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Sou of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.” The intelligent reader cannot fail to see that the scriptures give to us a well drawn picture of the “ideal” saint. The central thought, which runs through them, is the “perfecting of the saints.” Indeed, it is the cen tral thought of the whole Gospel. It is found in the sermon on the mount- It is illustrated in the parables; and it is emphasized throughout the in spired writings, that “without holi ness no man shall sec the Lord.” In the light of such overwhelming testimony to the necessity of a holy life, it is amazing to notice, how few are making earnest efforts to attain to the ideal perfection which is set before them in the gospel. Young people are so absorbed with the pleas ures of the toilet and social amuse ments, that they do not hunger for the “bread of life.” And when, in after years, to these influences are added the weight of domestic cares, and the pressing claims of business, they seem to become so paralyzed in spirit, that, after a de/uie or even a score or years, they (re still only “babes in Christ.” And what is worse than all they seem to be im pressed with the notion, that, because religious growth is progressive and gradual, and perhaps never can reach perfection in the present life, it is useless to seek after it. Here is in deed an insidious and dangerous fallacy. It is assumed that the ideal saint is a character so far beyond our reach, that we need not hope to at tain to it this side Heaven. And the practical result is that the aver age church member makes little or no effort to reach it. He seems to think it is not worth while to try to be perfect. Now, against this conclusion may be urged the fact, that all improve ment in the condition of mankind in the present world, has been achiev ed in the pursuit of Ideals. The thought of something better, the de sire to attain to something better, — some ideal, —gave rise to the efforts which have developed the civiliza tion of the ninctecth century. Sup pose the ancestors of our race, had been always content with the muscle, as their only motive power, and with the sharp stone, as their only cutting tool, and the club as their only wea pon of defence, it is manifest that mankind would have been, to-day, in a state of imbecile barbarism. But they were not content, —they con ceived of something better, and sought to attain to it, and we see the result in the sublime progress which men have made in knowledge and in power. But they have not yet reach ed perfection either in knowledge or in power; nevertheless the bright ideal is still before them and men arc pressing towards it. Let these facts illustrate the case of the Christian. He starts out, on his religious life, with one advantage of untold value. In the progress of mankind in knowledge and in power# they were obliged to form their own ideals. Hence, though they might lead to improvements, still they were never perfect. Not so with the Christian. He starts out with the ideal perfect man realized for him, in Jesus Christ our Saviour. The ideal saint is only the faithful copy of this divine original. The chris tain has this picture drawn out in liv ing light before his spiritual appre hension ; and, “beholding as in a glass tho glory of the Lord, he is changed into the same iminage, from glory to glory, as by tho spirit of tho Lord,” the process of this change into his likeness may be gradual, but it must be progressive. How completely this whole subject is illustrated by what Paul says of himself! When he was an old man, he wrote to tho Philippians, (sec 3d chapter 10-14 verses,) to this effect: That he did not yet claim to be “per fect;” “but forgetting tho things which aro behind, I press towards the Mark (or goal) for tho prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” Taking the words in con nection with the context, I think the meaning may be plainly expressed thus: Ido not yet claim to bo per fect, but I am trying to be, with all my might and strength.” He ex presses this thought in the form of a beautiful metaphor. He compares himself to one who is running a race for a prize. He is already on tho track. His eye is fixed upon the dis* taut goal, where hangs the crown which shall reward the victor. He, forgettting those things which were behind him, reaches forth unto those things which are before, and presses with all his strength, towards the prize, for which he was summoned to contend by “the high calling of God in Chirst Jesus.” Now what was that prize ? It must have been, ac cording to the context, the crown of of christain perfection. Though an old man, he had not yet attained it; but casting all things else aside he was still striving for it, as the highest good to which God himself could call him. In the light of this illustri ous example, surely every Christian should do his best to “grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Saviour Jesus Christ.” Whether Paul ever attained to sinless perfection in the flesh, we are not informed; but ho strove for it through his religious life, and so ought we. Just here, a painful thought op presses me. It is this: Many of those persons for whose benefit this essay is written may not read it Those, who may read it, are the ones who scarcely lAed it. They already “hunger and thirst after rightous ness,” they are feeding upon that broad which “cometh down from Heaven,” they are living upon the “hidden manna,” and they are drink ing of the water of life imparted to them through the functionaries whom Christ has given to the church “for the perfecting of the saints,” — and they arc all “pressing toward the goal. To such I have nothing to say, except to bid them good speed in the heavenly race. But what shall become of those who arc without the sweet experi ences just enumerated? Alas! they still seem to be dominated by the world. Remember, to bo worldly minded, does not necessarily imply that one’s life must be polluted with gross immoralities. Oh no ! There are many whose lives seem to be above reproach, and may be so in bondage to the love of the world that they have, in their hearts, no room for religious affections. And sad to say, many of these are church members. ,They may observe tho outward forms of prayer and church going, they may sometimes read a chapter in the Bible, and cast an occasional contribution into the basket on Sunday, and then they are satisfied, —they “arc at case in Zion,” and ready now to turn again to all the fascinations of the world which they love so much. If this article should meet the eye of any of this class, oh, how gladly would I persuade them, if I could, to renounce the world, and to run with Paul the Christian race, looking steadfastly at Jesus Christ “who is the author and finisher of our faith.” 73 Wheat street, Atlanta, Ga. OUR DISTRICT ASSOCIATIONS. In the last issue of the Index you raise the question and ask for an ex pression from the brethren whether or not in Georgia the tendency is to have a greater number of District Associations than are necessary. I heartily approve of tho Virginia plan of having fewer and stronger Associations. Instead of our Associations aver aging a memberseip of 2,095. I think it would be better if they av eraged something like 4000. borne of our Associations are ex ceedingly weak. Weak numerically, financially and as to ministerial strength. The result is, there is little life, or enthusiasm in such meetings. Tho do not greatly impress the localities where they meet. I would suggest to such a body, to disband and unite with a stronger Association. But if nothing is done in that direction, let the brethren call a halt as to multiplying the numbers. Our Missionary Secretary and those representing our denomination al interest could attend the Associa tions better, if there were not so many to attend. It is important that this class do reach the Associations. Do not the brethren always feel glad and bene-. fitted when such men as Drs. Gibson and Nunnally can be with them and inspire them by their earnest appeals ? The same principle applies as to the subdivision of tho Associations into districts. These may be cut up until all force has been extracted from them. Butter may be spread too thin on the bread. A stream may be divided into so many rivulets that its value for manufacturing pur poses may be entirely lost. So it is with church work. I attended a district meeting in a neighboring Association this summer and I found the churches very slim ly represented. Perhaps a dozen delegates present. And none of the ministers in tho Association present. The pastor and myself being the only ministers in attendance. And both of us belonging to an other Association. Now it did look like, division and subdivision had been carried so far in that section, that not many fragments remained over to be gathered up. The same principle applies to the multiplica tion of churches, whether in town or city. If they can he gotten together, a man can speak to 2000 people as ea sily as 200. In a city then, why is not one strong church better than three weak ones ? Besides there is economy of men and money when one man has to shepherd a large flock The evtra prea.Ler, ‘xui can be used to send, or go to some des titute place, Suppose in a town of 8000 inhabitants, there are 1500 Baptists. I would say let there be one church and one pastor. Where the population is very bad ly scattered that might admit of the multiplication of churches. You must remember in these city churches very few individuals try to attend every service. And where the membership is heavy, when a few are out, they would nut be so grievously missed. But the point may he raised, social distinctions make more than one church necessary in even a small town. If wc had as much religion as we ought to have, that would constitute no serious barrier to the rich and the poor, the learned and the un learned, worshiping together. It is necessary to have separate churches for different races. How is it in the country ? Often we find in the same county eight or ten weak churches. I would say it would be better to have four or five strong ones. A man ought not to think it too great a task to drive six miles to church. The boy Spurgeon walked eight to receive his baptism. Cornelius had to send thirty miles to get the Apostle Refer to come and tell him what to do. Personal convenience, or the selfish desire to have a little church, or a little Asso ciation that you can run after your own plans, I fear has sometimes had much to do with the needless multi plication of churches and Associa tions. At all events lam glad you opened the question, so that the brethren may think seriously, and act cautiously before our Associa tions are further multiplied. There being already sixty-eight in Georgia. G. S. Tumlix. Written for tho Christian Index. A PERVERTED SCRIPTURE. The passage, “Suffer little chil dren to come unto me, and forbid them not : for of such is the king dom of God,” Mark 10 :14, has been much perverted, it appears to me, in the use made of it. It has been relied upon as an almost impregna ble fortress for the defence of tho scripturalness of infant baptism. There was no baptism sought or ad ministered as is clearly shown by the context. The children were brought that the blessing of Jesus might be bestowed upon then), and Brother Minister, Working Layman, Zealous Sister, We are striving to make Tlic Index the bent of its kind. Help us by securing a new subscriber. VOL. 69—NO. 43. he took them up jn his arms and blessed them. The second perversion is found in the use of the passage to prove that heaven is largely composed of little children and babes. Whatever may be true in reference to this matter as a fact, this passage does not teach it, nor was it designed for any such purpose. If it was intended to teach that, it does it so thoroughly that it leaves no place for any other class of people. Whoever is meant by “of such” constitutes entirely tha citizenship of tho kingdom, for the Savior uses no qualifying words such as “largely, principally, or in great measure,” but simply says “of such is the kingdom of heaven.” If “of such” means children, then adults are left out, and none but children ad mitted. By the words “of such” does the Saviour refer to little children as a class, or rather to those “who come to him,” whether they be children o» adults ? Evidently tho latter. Al though tho account shows that the children were brought, yet now the children in the presence of Jesus show themselves capable of both moral and physical action, and aro putting it forth in an effort to reach Jesus. For the rebuke to the dis ciples was not for keeping away the ones who brought the children, but for keeping back the children them selves. His language is “suffer the little children to come (not be brought) unto me.” They were ev idently trying to come of their own volition, and the Savior commands permission to be given them, and then says “of such” (that is, such as come to him I is tho kingdom of heaven.” This is in perfect harmony with all our Savior’s utterances upon the subject of those who shall be mem bers of the kingdom of God. There is a coincidence in this worthy of note. The account is given by three of the evangelists, and thup’’ liows imme diately, i;i each, the ' l c mt of Hie young man who cametto Jesus abouj how to obtain eternal life, and could truthfully say, (as he saw it) that he had kept all the commandments. He thus presents the finest moral character known to us among men. And yet Jesus told him he lacked one thing, and that was to deny himself, “and come and follow me.’ j The striking thing is that these two incidents should be thrown together in every record. Is it not to teach that as innocent as wo deem child hood in nature, it must still come t® Jesus to be fitted for the kingdom of God ? It has inherited a corrupt nature which must be changed by the power of Christ. And also that the best moral character yet needs the divine touch of Christ before it can have eternal life ? fn other words, aro not the two circum stances used by divine purpose to fully establish the fact that there is no name, neither innocence or mor ality, or any other but that of Jesus alone by which any part of the race of man can be saved ? and that to obtain it there must be a coming to Jesus ? G. E. B. AN INTERNATIONAL SUNDAY SCHOOL BUILDING IN CONNECTION WITH THE WORLD’S COLUMBIAN EXPOSITION. At the meeting of tho Executive Committee of the International Sun day-school Convention in connection with the Conference of Sunday school Workers held in Chautauqua, New York, August 13 to 16, 1892, the plan previously proposed for tho erection of a Sunday-school building in connection with the World’s Col. umbian Exposition, was (duly recon, sidcrcd. The Conference decided that it would be desirable to enlarge the building so as to accommodate largo gatherings of Christian people, and to make it the center of evangelistic efforts in connection with the Expo sition. A large committee of well known Sunday-school Workers wa 8 appointed with an auxiliary Com mittee of ladies selected from the Primary Teachers, this Committee to have power to add to their num ber. (Sec list page 3.) The outline of the work proposed sas follows : First, To exhibit a Model Sunday-school Building as an illustration of our work, by others. Second, In this building, by maps charts, plats, tables, pictures, books, papers, etc., to show tho present cou-