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Many good and strong tilings were said in be half of M I » I O ZX During the Session of the Southern Baptist Convention. Subscribe to and read the Christian Index, if you would keep informed. ESTABLISHED 1821. ©ltc (Christian Published Every Thursday at 57‘,4 S. Broad Street, Atlanta, Ga. j. c. McMichael, proprietor. Organ of the Baptist Denomination in Georgia. Subscription Price : One copy, one year 4 2.00 One Copy, six months 1.00 One copy, throe months W Obituaries.— One hundred words free ol charge. For each extra w ord, one cent per word, eash with copy. To Correspondents.—Do not use abrevia tious; be extra careful in writing proper names; write with ii>K, on one side of paper; Do not write copy intended for the editor and bust ness items on same sheet. Ix’ave oil personal ities; condense. Business.—Write nil names, and post others 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. It is said Miss Hattie Judson, a relative of the famous Adoniram Judson,will go to India as a mission ary to succeed Miss Robinson, of Louisville, Ky., who recently died in that country. The millennium will be near at hand,” Oliver Wendell Holmes once said, “when lawyers take what they would give and doctors give what they would take.” It will be nearer still when there is no longer any thing to he taken from doctors, and no longer anything to be given to lawyers. Or, must we wait for that until the millennium has already come and made an end of the two professions—as it will, of course? In his thanksgiving sermon in Richmond, Dr. Hiden was bold enough to say this : ' Ido not belong to the class of people who go into paroxysms of fright at what “Biblical Criticism” has done, or may do. Shelley, I be lieve it was, who said, “I don’t be lieve in ghosts; I’ve seen too many of them ; ” and the people who are so frightened at this ghost of Bibli cal Criticism are not usually the people who have really seen much of It-, I Jbx. c l-tast doubt that, upon the whole, tho modern tests to which the Bible—and espe cially the life of Christ—have been subjected, have been helpful to the faith of candid and intelligent students of the Scriptures. We tremble for you, dear doctor. The heresy-hunters will now surely’ enroll you among the army of the unsanctified. Don’t you know that one essential test of “orthodoxy” is to denounce the aforesaid “criticism” whether ignorant or not. In a very just article on “the mighty Poindexter,” in the Religious Herald, Rev. Dr. Andrew Broaddus> speaks after this manner: At the first meeting of the Gener al Association that the writer ever attended, the logical, eloquent and impassioned Poindexter, the many sided, wise Jeter, the lovely and loved, but decided and energetic Taylor, the conservative candid and judicious Ryland, and the modest, courteous and scholarly Shaver—all then in the prime of matured man hood—were the leaders of the Bap tist hosts in Virginia. “There were giants in the land in those days.” We know all of these worthies and can heartily in Dr. Broaddus’ appreciative words. Poindexter, Jeter and Taylor have gone to be with their Lord in glory. The ven erable Ryland still abides with the saints on earth. So does Dr. Shav er, and the columns of the Index are made brighter by his facile pen. But in our opinion there are yet giants in the" Old Dominion Baptist ministry, and will be as long as it can boast such men as Hatcher, Hi den, Wharton, Owen, Gwin, Dickin son, Cooper, Tupper, Felix and many other able and consecrated men of God. In the same article Dr. Broad dus has this paragraph: “Poindexter was not less decided in his conviction of the correctness of distinctive Baptist principles than he was in holding tne doctrines of Grace. Unlike the Professor of Systematic Theology in Crozer Sem inary, he did not believe that Bap tists ought to find little difficulty in givingup their distinctive views (ex cept their opposition to infant bap tism) in order to enjoy the privilege and honor of being received into tho bosom of the Episcopal church. Can it bo possible that the “Pro fessor of Systematic Theology in Crozer” ever said what is hero at. tributed to him? We have read much from this distinguished brother and cannot recall any such utter ance. Will Dr. Broaddus please let -- ~ 1 ifJjmttan NORTH CAROLINA BAPTIST CONVENTION. This Convention m« with the Tab" ernacle Church in Raleigh—the Cap-, ital city of the State—on Thursday evening, Dec. Bth, at 8 oclodk. Raleigh is a beautiful little city with about fifteen thousand popula tion—it is a decidedly' Baptistic city, having four Baptist churches, which are more than any other denomina tion can boast of. The pastor of the church with which the convention met, is J. J. Hall, a handsome Eng lishman—large in heart, gracious in manners and the very man to pastor a convention—his meeting-house is the most unique and strangely con structed I ever saw, it is at once the very place for a convention to meet This is doubtless the largest State Conventionthe Baptists ofNorth Caro lina have ever had—by Friday morn ing there were three hundred mes sengers present. There was a throng of distinguished visitors present too numerous to mention—think of it Dr. Dickenson, of the Religious Her rald, of Richmond, Va., stated in a speech that there were thirteen baptist news paper men present. The hours of meeting and adjourning were pe culiarly well suited to city life—the body met at 9 30, a. m„ and held for thirty minutes an old fashioned prayer meeting, -business began at 10 a. in., and continued until 2 p. m., adjourned to meet at 7 30. p. m., with the evenings adjournment at the will of the body. The first thing in order after the assembling on Thursday evening, was the preaching of the convention sermon, by J. S. Harda way, of Oxford; text Isaih, 52: Ist verse “Zion awake, awake, etc.” Brief outline. Zion means the churches of Christ, —(a), the necessity of a creed in the churches, — (b), the creed must be pure as the Bible, —(c) a consecra ted ministry,—(d), a converted (or) saved membership, and (e), an hum ble reliance on God for help. The sermon was a fine one, pure and bap tistic to the core—was well received, and made a fine pupressson. Aftefc the sermon the body was called to or der by the former president, Dr. R. 11. Marsh, of Oxford—who, by ac clamation was unanimously elected president of this session. Then fol lowed the election of a fine corps of assisting officers—vice presidents secretaries etc. Friday morning the address of welcome was delivered in a felicitous style by J. J. Hall pastor of the church, and was happily respond ed to by E. K. Proctor, of Lumber ton. After tho adoption of an or der of buisness, and the appointment of the usual committees—the anual report of the board of missions was read by Dr. Columbus Durham, Cor. Sec., of all missions for the state— and what a report it was. After at tending many conventions of both state and southern baptists, for twen ty-four years, I say without any hesi tation, it was the best I ever heard read, and the best read. A marked feature of the report was that it cov ered all missions, State, Homo and Foreign, ah in the hands of the State Secretary. I like it. An other feature of the report, showed that the weak and small associations are combining, and thns making few er in number, but stronger, wealthier and healthier bodies for greater use fulness. The report showed further that there had been a grand forward movement along all lines of work, this hard financial year—more than twen ty thousand dollars were raised than last. Under this report, Dr. J. M. Frost, of Nashville, Tenn., presented the claims of the S. S. Board of the Southern Baptist Convention in the most masterful effort I have ever heard him make, and I have heard him several times. Ho emphasized especially tho missionary feature of thesouthernpublications as conducing in a large measure to the raising up of a great army of missionaries among the children aud youth of our couth land. Under tho same report came up the enlargement and extension of the work of Foreign Missions. This department of tho work was ably dis cussed by Dr. H. A. Tupper of Rich mond, Va.—W. B. Bagby, missionary at home from Brazil, W. I). Powell, of Mexico, and D. W. Herring return ed missioriary from China. Bro Bagby showed in a clear and forcible man ner, that in South America, where the Roman Catholics have been the prevailing religionists for ages, that, that propaganda has become so corrupt that not a soul is led to em brace Giinfil fey and heuQQ tfeat ATLANTA, GA., THURSDAY. DECEMBER 22, 1892. continent is in just as deep dark ness and moral corruption sa China, or any other part of heathendom, and therefore, must have the gospel, and is ripe for it now. His state ments were corroborated by Powell, of Mexico—as to Mexico. FRIDAY evening session. Report on ministerial education read by J. L. Gwaltney, pastor at Wako Forest. The report showed that there were 37 ministerial stu dents in Wake Forest College re ceiving help, and 45 more knocking at the door for admittance. Dr. W. E. Hatcher, of Richmond, Va., delivered a very fine address on ministerial education—taking for his theme, the Human co-operation in the divine call to the ministry, after which he lifted a collection of five hundred and thirty dollars to help educate the young preachers at Wake Forest. The claims of the seminary it Louisville, Ky., were then pre sented by Prof. A. T. Robertson, of that institution—there are seventeen young preachers from North Carolina at the seminary—which fact called for another collection on the same evening, from the same crowd, and five hundred dollars more were rais ed for this cause. SATURDAY MORNING. The prayer-meeting talk made by ■*—--Sas- x .. •** * - Nt ... IWWIC' < .. . MBS. > X t \ '• 1 I ( s ' l • ■■■ ■ y >■> X * /f \ -a F. M.. Ellis, of Baltimore, Maryland, < on religion and Christianity as deduc ed from Paul, at Athens, and Corinth i will never be forgotten by those present—it was both sublime and . scriptural, and hence very baptistic* Tho convention began its morning session by taking up state missions. The leading address (and it was a good one too) was delivered by Dr. Charles E. Taylor, who was followed by F. M. Jordan, an aged preacher of the old North State* He has Jteen preaching for forty-three years, and has, perhaps, baptized more people than any living man in the State. The reminiscences that be gave of his long and useful life, wore so rich and ludicrous that the whole assembly was alternately convulsed with laughter and bathed in tears— it will never be forgotten. The centennial of missions was then taken up, Dr- F. M. Ellis, of Baltimore, and W. D. Powell, of Mexico, were the speakers, the former taking tho lead. The con vention was kept spellbound by the eloquence, tho logic and tho scriptur al truths pourd out into their souls by this groat preacher, to the end of tho address—it was the speach of the convention. Thon came W. D. Powell, in a unique, profound and spicy speach—closing with a collec tion amounting to about eight thou- SATURDAY EVENING’S SESSION The report on the Baptist Orphan age at Thomasville was read and dis cusesd by W. A. Esq., J. 11. Mills, Superintendent, and A. E. Dickinson, of Va. At the close of those addresses, which were all good, a cash collection was taken amount ing to two hundred and twenty-live dollars-. SABBATH MORNING; The day was beautiful and bright, the pulpits of the city, white and col ored, were ocupied by the ministers of tho convention, to the satisfaction and praise of all the * rople. Monday, the last of the con vention, there was a general rushing the buisness to get through that night, the report on Wako Forest College, read by C. Durham,,, wade a fine showing for that iljstijution. Presi dent Chrales E. Taylor, addressed the body on education,-a splindcd ad dress it was. Prof. Thomas Hume, of tho State University made some objection to both, the report and ad dress of Dr. Taylor, which resulted in a fine interlocutory discussion that was very entertaining, it all ended well and the report with out change. The Baptists of North Carolina seem determined to give their daughters the same educational chance of their sons, hence, a report on the proposed Female University, was read and warmly discussed by several of tho strongest minds in tho body. Tho university has been locat ed at Raleigh, a lott purchased etc. Colored Institutes were held in dif ferent parts of the State, with grati fying results, as the report on this line of work showed. The work of the Home mission board Southern Baptist Convention was ably repre sented by J. S. Dill, of Ala., Dr. I. T. Tichenor being in Cuba. The central committee of woman’s work made a fine presentation of tho work in their report. Dr. F. M. Ellis, of Baltimore, mado a touching address on woman’s work. Tho usual miscel laneous buisness was transacted and at a late hour in tho night tho conven tion closed with many kind words spoken and earnest prayers breathed Tho convention goes to Elizabeth City next year, with W. B. Oliver to preach the convention sermon. Hon. J. C. Scarborough, president of tho Board of missions, Columbus Durham, Cor. Sec. Dr. Thomas Hume of tho State University, and J. C* Caddell, of the Biblical Recorder, were appointed correspondents to tho Georgia Baptist Convention next April at Dawson. Dr: C. C. Bitting, of tho Bible de partment of the American Baptist was at the convention, but went away without addressing the body. The hospitality of the good people of Raleigh, was well nigh without a paralell, the Index was quartered at at the Yarborough house, the special guest of two Hebrew merchants) Merrs. D. and S. Berwanger. E. AGOLOGY OR THE REASON FOR GOING. Dear Index: If 1 could I would write a clear, sensible, scriptural ar. tide on missions. Bro. McConnell is getting close to the “roots”' of the subject. The editorials arc also able expositions of certain theological and moral arguments for missions. I be lieve this Centennial work will be productive of permanent good in stimulating investigation, making converts and deepening the convic tions of those already made. The doctrine, the reason, the phi losophy of missions must get to the heart by the way of the head. “Teach” the dispiples, is a part of the consti tution of Christianity. Why 80,000 a missionary Baptists in Georgia? They have not been taught the doc trine,the theology and philosophy of missions, they have erroneous, un scriptural views on the subject,—no convictions, hence no work—they arc not “rooted and grounded.” I have been looking for tho “cam paign document,” suggested by Bro. McConnell, but have not found it, and, I confess, I do not know where to find it. I had hoped that our Boards or Centennial Committee would produce such a document, L t not yet do wo sec it. Maybe they will. Carey did not begin his work by appeals for funds, but by a scriptural and philosophical discussion of the principles of missions, that carried deep conviction and produced abun dant fruit. Paul, in his letter to the Romans, which, by the way, is tho missionary book of the Bible, does not content himself with a mere repetition of the commission, but digs until he shows us the basal reasons for the legal and righteous condemnation of all na tions. I say reasons because there are many, two of which I will men tion: 1, Tho universal condemnation of men for their sins, under the law of God and the consequent necessity of salvation by grace. This is tho lega) basis of missions. 2. The universal offer of mercy and life through Christ, resulting from God’s love, and the obligation, laid upon those who have received by tbo bttviur’s; tqjiftrry the gospel to the whole world. This is the moral basis of missions. These taken together may be for mulated thus: We stand between God and man, with the only means of salvation revealed to us, under tho double obligation of Gbd’s com mand on the divine and. moral side, and the world’s necessities on tho human and legal side, to carry the gospel to the world. What are our privileges and responsibilities ? The legal basis of missions is in t he fall and total depravity of man, the moral basis is in the love of God and gift of salvation through Christ. Faith receives Christ, then carries him to fibers, so ho is revealed in the gospel scheme “from faitlF to faith.” God has an eternal purpose of’('race, and mission work is but a part of tho moans for securk|g a chosen end, so that instead of mis sions being contrary to election it is the result of election. “The gospel shall be preached in all the world,”, said Jesus, so it is not left to our choice but is God’s immutable pur pose. If we do not do it others will. God can accomplish his purpose without us, but we cannot afford to be left out of God’s plans. If the whole scheme of redemption is the result of election, and it is, then all the parts of it are results of election. Preaching is a part of the scheme, for, “it pleased God, by the foolish ness of preaching, to save them that believe;” therefore preaching, or mis. gions, is the result of election. With the power and purpose of God to command us, and the necessities of lost millions to invite us, surely we should go, and if we intelligently comprehend the tremendous import— the consequences, to ourselves and others, of either acceptance or re fusal—of the command of God, we will go, if God permits us. We have excellent literature on the moral basis of missions, but very little on the legal. Here the ignor ant and unbelieving meet us with numerous assumptions which they behexe perfectly unanswerable, such as: 1. “The heathen do not know good from evil, for they are without God’s law. The Bible says, ‘Where there is no law there is no trans gression,” and, “sin is not imputed where there is no’law,” therefore it could be both unjust and contradic tory in God to condemn them. For this reason I do not believe the hea then are lost or will be lost; that there is any legal necessity for mis sions; that it will do the heathen any good, but, on the contrary, much harm to send the gospel to them hence I am opposed to missions.” The above is a very common ob jection. It is used and believed with telling effect by the Anti-mis sion preachers and people, and by many members of our churches. It is a logical argument based on a false premise. Tho assumption that the heathen do not know good from evil; are without God’s law; that being without God’s law they are conse quently ignorant; and, that being ignorant God is consequently bound, in order to be just, to save them, is a stupendous stack of falsehood, un scriptural and unreasonable. Let me answer it, in short: 1. The heathen do know good from evil: “And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us to know good and evil.”—Gen. 3:22. See also v. 5, same Chapter Rom. 1 • 18-28, and context. There is only one way around this answer and that is to deny the doctrine of hereditary depravity, sin and death, and to do that is to repudiate the Bible. “As in Adam all die,” etc., with context. No intelligent man, who denies the doctrine of hereditary, total and help less depravity, can give a scriptural legal or moral reason for missions, nor does he believe in salvation by grace. 2. Tho heathen are not without God’s law, for “the work of the law is written in their hearts.” Rom. 2: 15 and context. 3. The heathen are not ignorant of God. Read Paul’s sermon, preach ed at Athens (Acts 17), in which ho proves by Greek art (a monument) and literature (a poem by Aratus) that tho Greeks knew of the one true God. Thon see his argument in Rom. 1: 19, 20,21,25. Psa. 19: 1-6; context and moral codes of nations. 4. Tho heathen aro not innocent* Read Rom. Chapters 1 -to 5 with 0. Brother Minister, Working Layman, Zealous Sister We are striving to make The Index the best of its kind* Help us by securing st new subscriber. VOL. 69-NO. 50 5. Lastly, ignorance doos not save, even if the heathen were ignorant. If it did then Christianity, its Head, its doctrines—in a word—the -whole Christian system would be a stupen dous, inexplicable and indefensible fraud. To intelligently believe the Bible will make a missionary of any man. Intelligent opposition to missions' proceeds only from an unbelieving heart. Christianity and missions stand or fall together. Biblical faith takes hold of God with one hand this is the moral basis of missions,— upon lost men with the other—this is the legal basis of missions,-—and, with all the power of both its arms consecrated to the glory of God and the good of man, it endeavors 4to bring the world its redeeming Sav ior and tho Savior his redeemed world. 'When they meet its joy is is complete. This is Christianity,— this is our mission. Now, will somebody put tho whole ' truth—the moral and legal basis of missions in a small compact book and let us make it a “campaign docu ment.” \Ve need Agology. J. A. SCARBOBO. Eastman, Ga. THE PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION, Ask the average man why he sends his son to college and his reply will be, “To prepare him for tho duties of life. Ask him what he means by “the duties of life,” and you get a vague and ambiguous answer. You readily perceive, however that whilst ho does not say so in so many words, he considers the inak ieg of a living by easy methods the chief end and aim of life. He w-ants his son to have an easier campaign in the battle of life than he has had to be able get more more money and to occupy a higher social position. That is very commendable but does . it not reveal a very imperfect con ception of the chief end of human existence? Try to account for human origin ' as wc| may, we find ourselves face to fuco with the fact that l>4k has two ' natures. We call one of these na tures spiritual, the other physical. Or we sometimes vary the phraseol ogy by saying the one is a regal soul; and the other a subject body. We say of the first that it is endow ed with capacity to know, to will to enjoy ; of the second, that is the soul’s medium of contact with the ' physical world, the agent, helper and nourisher of the soul, for we know that the soul’s activity and perfec tions are limited and aided by phy sical conditions and needs. It is well then to pay due attention to the physical side of life, sometimes spoken of as “material civiliza tion.” But are we not in imminent dan ger of over-doing this? Our watch word is utility; utility in the sense of practical application to industrial pursuits. Our minds seem to have become dazed by tho brilliancy of our unprecedented material prog ress. Its tangible, sensuous and inr* pressible character has bewildered usj and itiwould indeed bestrange if there not were some resultant confusion of thought respecting the object of hu man life. If we were in a position to view the trendof this habit of thought from an outside point of view, we should, in all probability, be amazed and terrified at tho prospect. Let us concede that, in the order of time physical wants must have the pre cedence. The boy must have food and clothing, and the means of heal thy physical development before he can bo trained to think. In the widest sense of the word, his edu cution is what he experiences from the cradle to the grave; and if these experiences be embitted by poverty and want,there will be a correspond ing dwarfage of tho soul. There mnst be ample provision for tho ani mal that is within us before the thinking apparatus can be set in motion. It is well therefore to pay duo attention to tho material side of our nature. But is this the chief end and aim of human life? If so, then human life is but a higher sphere of animal ity ; the soul myth,and immortality a delusion. Do wo believe this? If not, then our practice is strangely inconsistent with our belief; for our practice reveals tho fatal defect in our philosophy of education which regards man merely as a grand physical organism reaching up to