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Many good and strong things were said in be half of Ml® ® XO]V ® During the Session of tho Southern Baptist Convention. Subscribe to and read the Christian Index. if you would keep informed. ESTABLISHED 1821. ®he ffiltriaiiait index Published Every Thursday at 07 S. Broad Street, Atlanta, Ga. w x._— ■ ■ i ... ... J. C. McMICHAEL, Proprietor. w Organ of tho Baptist Denomination In Georgia. Subscription Price : One copy, one year -' r $ 2.00 One copy, six months • 1.00 One copy, three months ■ ■.. 50 Obituaries.—One hundred words freo of charge. For each extra word, one cent per w ord. cash with copy. To Correspondents.—T>o not use nbrevia tions; be extra careful in writingproper 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 oil 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 indieat, s the time your subscription expires. If you do not wish it continued, order it stop ped a week before. We consider .each sub scriber permanent, until ho orders his paper discontinued. When you order it stopped pay up to date. Remittances by check prcfcßred; orregis tered letter; money order, postal note. Special effort As February is one of tho best m onths of the year for newspaper circulation, we have decided to beg every Baptist pastor and. working layman and conse crated sister, of our denomination in Georgia to make some special effort to increase the circulation of the Christian Index during that month.’ It is the pa per of our church, the servant of our denomination and the medium of com munication between the great Baptist family of the empire State of the South. It is unnecessary to take space to show the need of such effort and tho good 1 that the success of the effort would bring. Every oue knows too well how infinitely more good tho Index would do, if it had two or three times the cir culation it now has. Brother pastor, will you during the month of February bring tho Index properly before your people and urge them to take it? We willhppreciato anything done for us in response to this appeal, by pastors, dea cons, superintendents of Sabbach-schools or laymen, Hold to tlie good resolutions you made nt thy beginning of the year. The longer you maintain them the easier it will be. ’ Work for the Master and thereby strengthen your faitli in, and love Him. Who appreciates the power of prayer in the universe? It calmed the raging storm, and stilled* the angry waves. W! ;.t vu.; it uvt do? We give in our children’s department to-day an articles which every parent should read, It is written by one of the ablest and best Baptist ministers in Georgia. Parents and children too should read this article. No blemish of the outward man could approach before God in the sacred offi ces of the Hebrew priesthood, Lev, 21:- 17-23. A typo this of the purity which tho inward man ought to bring to all the labor.! of the Christian life: for now the whole canh is the temple of the Lord, and every believer is a priest be fore Him. We read in the papers of a drunken man wli<> sat down at a saloon tabic with a glass of Leer; stupor falling on him, his face .sank downward to the glass; and an attempt to rouse him showed him drowned and dead! An as. tonisbing incident. But alas, in how many far more astonishing instances, a soul lias been drowned in a glass ofrbeer, and men l ike no note of the destraction and perdition! “He who covets tills world’s goods is like one who-drinks sea-water.’’ tho Per. sians say*, “the more lie drinks the more he increases thirst, nor does ho cease to ' dripk until lie dies.’’ Not for this, we hope, will any of our readers hold back from tho centennial fund an offering earned by their hands, relinquished by their desires, hallowed from worldly uses by their faith, and quickened witli energy for good by their praye.. Tho Persian Zend-Avesta quaintly says that tho evil spirit “wrought nine diseases, and ninety, and nine hundred, and nine thousand; and nine times nine thou and diseaseij.” Is not this sug gestive of the marvelous power lying in evil to multiply its blights and its curses; beginning with show of none, and then perchance with one widening slowly in to few, and at last running up into numbers which Arithmetic labors vain ly to compute? ‘•What’s in a name?” may well bo asked, if tho name stands 1»y itself, fo r in that cane it brings us nothing, and makes us nothing, Any hopes wo may build on it, to borrow an eastern com parison, must bo more disappointing than tho fire of a glow-worm." This powerlessness of mere names was illns trated by tho social gathering in Mary land not a great while ago, which the sun shone on though among tho guests wore a Mrs. Sprinkle, a Mrs. Shower and a Mrs. Storm. Alas, if what wo have of tho Christian is tho name only! To be always “throwing up tilings” to people is simply a vomit of tho mind* moving the onlooker to disgust, and apt to become more and more a token of the mind's dire disoasefulness, as tho black vomit ranks among the most fatal symp toms in yellow fever. Be not a sort ofj (‘Criminal Calendar” in the great Libra- ♦ ‘ «»»TTrWest ry of niirnauuy, ..;-Sed ove r from the first page to the last with tho faults and errors and crimes of others, as though unfit for record of better things. Do not make your soul the an alogue of a Picture Gallery on whose walls are hung only portraits of the halt, the lame, the blind, the leper, and victims of whatever other maladies are unsightly and loathsome to the gaze of men. See good in others—see, and tell it—that others may know there Js good in you. THE ORIGIN OF AMERICAN BAP TIST FOREIGN MISSIONS. As a matter of historical interest which may be acceptable to the read ers of the Index, I propose to trace the immediato origin of American Baptist foreign missions. And let it be noticed that I say American Bap tist foreign missions. For while there had been more or less of for eign mission work by those holding the Baptist faith, from the days of the apostles, and on down through the centuries following, yet, or ganized Baptist Foreign missions, by name, did not begin until abou t one hundred years ago, and American Baptist foreign missions, not until about eighty years ago. True there were Baptists in America for more than a century and a half previous to this, and up to 1790, they had in creased to about sixty thousand, and doubtless they were as godly and consecrated as Baptists are now, per haps more so; but their mission ef forts were confined to tho scattered settlers and pioneers of our own country and the Indians Up to the time that William Ca ry began to agitate the subject, if American Baptists had any serious thought of laboring to evangelize the distant heathen, we know nothing of it. No doubt, pious souls as they prayed “Thy kingdom come” desired tho salvation of those benighted ones, but as yet no door had been opened to effort in their behalf, and quite likely no special sense of obli gation in this direction was felt. And even after Cary’s work was actu ally begun, and heathen converts wore being gatb.ned, srt.il* the rtatl'.i of things was not materially changed. A few individuals sent money to help their English brethren, and a few scatteredmissionary societis were formed—but there was no general awakening, and no general and sys tematic effort. Well, what brought the change? What was it that in the providence of God, started Ameri can Baptists upon a career of mission work which has made them the most successful of all American Christians laboring in foreign fields; and has wonderfully reacted in blessings upon their home churches? Strange to tell, and by one of the most manifest and remarkable provi dences in the history of Christianity, we must go to the Congrcgationalists of New England for the immediate occasion and origin of organized American Baptist Foreign Missions. To the honor of this people be it said, that they were the first of all American Christians to respond, as a denomination, to the trumpet blast of Carey, calling to the Lord’s redeem ed to go forward in the great work of giving the gospel to the nations And for the encouragement of young Christian workers, be it further said, that the newly awakened missionary zeal was most conspicuous in their ranks, and to six pious Congrega tionalist young men, namely, Luther Rice,James Richards, Adoniram Jud son,Samuel Nott, Samuel J.Mills, and Samuel Neewell, must be accorded the high distinction of taking the ini tial steps which led to tho formation of the first general foreign mission society of this century. And to two of the young men, namely, Judson and Rice, belongs tho further distinc tion of having been the providential instruments in arousing American Baptists to a souse of their duty to tho heathen; they never saw and felt it before. Well, how? That is what I will now proceed to tell. Tho six yoilng men already men tioned, some of them while pursuing their studies at Williams College, and all of them later at Andover Semi nary, had felt impressed with the du ty of becoming foreign missionaries. As there was no general organiza tion of any denomination ill this country for the support of missiona ries, they communicated with the London Missionary Society, (formed by tho Independents in 1775; not on ly after tho example, but at tho ex press suggestion of English Baptists) to know if they would take and sum- ATLANTA, GA., THURSDAY. JANUARY 19, 1893. tain them. Not being able to effect a satisfactory arrangement with this society, they were induced topresent a memorial to their General Associa tion which met at Bradford, Mass., in June, 1810, asking their “Rev erend Fathers” as they called them, t.o adopt some plan by which they mighfr be able to fulfil their desire to preach the gosple to the heathen. This memorial, or petition, presen ted by these young men, resulted in the formation of the famous Ameri can Board of Commissioners for For eign Missions, and by this board Judson, Newell, Rice and some oth ers, were sent out in Febuary, 1812. Judson and Newell, with their wives setting sail from Salem, Mass., and Rice, with the rest of the mission company, sailing from Philadelphia. Being altogether unacquainted with mission .work and mission fields, was thought advisable for them to communicate with the Baptist mis sionayies at Serampore, before selec ting their particular field of labor. Accordingly, both companies set sail for the port of Calcutta. A trip to that distant place was a long and te dious journey in those days, and it ■was not until June 17th, nearly four months, that Judson and Company landed in Calcutta, while Rice and his companions did not arrive untill about six weeks later, During the long voyage, Mr. Jud son, desiring a more personal ac quaintance wifli the New Testament Scriptures, undertook a translation of hi 6 own. While thus engaged, doubt sprang up in his mind with reference to baptism, both as to the subject and also the act of baptism. Know ing that he would meet the Baptist Missionaries on his arrival, aiid from what he had heard of the pugnacity ’of Baptist, supposing that he would be called up onto defend his faith, he determined to give the whole subject an exhaustive investigation, that he might provide himself with weapons of defence, as well as know for him self just where tho truth lay. With the question, st.il! luder eon skier a tibu, the ship reached Calcutta. The missionaries, (Judson and Newell and there wives) were met by Dr. Carey, and cordially invited to go up to the mission Station, at Serampore and their await the arrival of the other company. They ' were here treated with the utmost kindness, and quite contrary to Judson’s expecta tions, they were not assaulted and compelled to defend their faith, not even a word being spoken about de nbm.inational differences. But Judson’s conscience had been aroused. His doubts, instead of be ing removed by the investigations made on his way out, had been in creased; and having been called back to Calcutta by the suspicious government authorities, while at this place, waiting the arrival of the oth er missionaries, he determined to re sume the subject and press it through to tho end. His wife, becoming a-, harmed lest ho should be converted to the views of the Baptist,s tried to dissuade him from his investigations, but he still persisted. In order there fore to help in relieving his doubts, she too, began to study the subject; but 10, instead of finding arguments by tVhich she might reesfablssh his wavering faith, she only saw the more clearly tho weakness of the side she was trying to defend. Such was the state of things when Lnther Rice and his company arriv ed. Starting from different parts, and on different vessels, andsSeing and hearing nothing of each other during their long journey, of course, Mr. Rice knew nothing of tho inves tigations of Mr. Judson, nor of his weakened faith in their former belief; and yet, by a mysterious providencm he, also, had Loen led to investigate the same subject, and like Judson, had had serious doubts to arise as to tho correctness of his faith, and like Judson was still undecided when he reached (‘olcutta. (Jn learning what a round of re search and study Judson and wife had gone through, and that they wore now very nearly decided on joining the Baptists, Rico was arous ed to greater effort in defence of the old faith, desiring not only to estab lish himself, but to rescue Judson. All, however, was unavailing. Mr. Judson and wife became thoroughly convinced of tho truth of tho Baptist side of the question, and accordingly were baptized September Oth, 1812. But Mr. Rice was not yot willing to give it up. He still went on with his study of the subject, striving and hoping to settle the matter on the side of his childhood’s faith. His ef forts in his own behalf were unavail ing likewise, and he, finally, had to adfnit that he had converted himself to the very faith he had trid to over throw. He was baptized November Ist 1812. The letters of Mrs. Judson to her friends in this country, and also, her diary, give an inside history of this change of sentiment on the part of these devoted missionaries, which it will be profitable to notice. In a let ter to her parents and sisters she says; “I will now give you some ac count of our change of sentiment re lative to tho fi’hject of baptism. Mr. J’s., doubts commenced while on our passage from America. While translating the New Testament, in which he was engaged, he used fre quently to say that the Baptists were right in their mode of administering the ordinance. Knowing he should meet the Baptists at Serampore, he felt it important to attend to the mat ter more closely, so as to be able to defend his sentiments. After our arrival at Serampore his mind was o rmuch taken up with missionary inquiries, and our diffi culties with tho government, as to prevent his attending ;o the subject of baptism. But as we were wait ing the arrival of our brethren, and having nothing in particular to at tend to’, he again took up the sub* ject. I tried to have him give it up, and rest satisfied with his old senti ments and frequently told him, if he became a Baptist, J would not, He, however, said he felt his duty to ex amine closely a subject on which ho had so many doubts. After we re moved to Calcutta, he found in the library in our chamber, many books on both aids, which he determined to read candidly and prayerfully, and to embrace the truth, however morti fying, however great the sacrifice. I now commenced reading on the subject, w 5 ill ni y -pr*. jn.’.icc.i .... ’’, -> <* ’ '.apust side. We had with us Dr. Wor cester, Dr. Austins, Peter Edwards, and other Pedo-baptist writings. But after examining the subject for several weeks, we were constrained to acknowledge that the truth ap peared to lie on the Baptist side. It was extremely trying to reflect on the probable consequences of our be coming Baptists. We knew it would Wound and grieve our dear Christian friends in America, that we shonld lose their approbation and esteem. We thought it probable that tho Commission would refuse to support us; and what was more distressing than anything, we must be separated from our missionary associates and go alone to seine heathen land. These things were very trying to us, and caused our hearts to bleed for anguish. We felt we had no home in this world and no friend but each other. Our friend at Se rampore ‘were extremely surprised when we wrote them requesting baptism, as they had known nothing of our having had any doubt on the subject.” Another letter gives some addi tional particulars: Mr. J. resolved to examine the subject candidly and prayerfully let the result be what it would. No one in the my ion fami ly knew the state of his mind, as they never conversed with any of us on this subject. 1 was fearful he would become a Baptist and fre quently suggested tho unhappy con sequences if he should. Ho always answered that his duty compelled him to examine tho subject, and ho hoped he should have tho disposition to embrace the truth, though ho paid dear for it. I always took the Pedo baptist side in reasoning with him, although I was as doubtful of tho truth of their system as ho. After wo camo lo Calcutta, he devoted his whole time to reading on this sub ject, having attained tho best authors on both sides. Alter having exam ined and re-exainined the subject in every way possible, ami comparing tho sentiments -of both Baptists and Pedobaptists with tho Scriptures, ho was compelled from a conviction of the truth, t > embrace those of the former. 1 confined my attention al most entirely to tho Scriptures, com pared the Old with tno New Testa ment, and tried to find something in favor of. infant baptism, but was convinced it had no foundation there. Why, my dear parents and sisters, wc arc both confirmed Bap- Gists, not because we wished to be, but because truth compelled us to be. A renunciation of our former sentiments has caused us more pain than anything which ever happened to us through our lives.” Some extracts from Air. Judson’s journal will still more fully disclose her feelings at this time, and show how reluctantly she and her husband reached the final result: “Aug. 10, 1812. Besides the trials occasioned by the orders of the government, I see another heavy trial just coming upon me. Air. J.’s mind has been for some time much exercised in regard to baptism, lie has lately been ex amining the subject more closely. All his prejudices are in favor of pedobaptism, but he wishes to know the truth and be guided in the path of duty. If he should renounce his former sentiments, he must offend his friends at home, hazard his rep utation, and what is still more trying, be separated from his missionary as sociates.” A little later, she wrote: “I have been much distressed the week past, in view of the probable separation between our missionary brethren and ourselves, Air. J. feels convinced from Scripture that he *has never been baptized, and that he cannot conscientiously administer baptism to infants. This change of senti ment must necessarily produce a separation. As we are perfectly uni ted with our brethren in every other respect, and are much attached to them, it is inexpressibly painful to leave them, and go alone to a sepa rate station. But every Sacrifice that duty requires must be made. I do not myself feel satisfied on the subject of baptism, having never given it a thorough examination. But I see many difficulties in the Pedobaptist theory, and must ac knowledge that the face of Scripture does favor the Baptist sentiments, I intend to persevere in examining the subject and hope that 1 shall be disposed to embrace the truth what ever it may iio. It, is gainfully ipor tifying to my feelings to think seri ously of renouncing a system which I have been tought from infancy to believe and respect. O that the Spirit of God may enlighten and direct my mind—may prevent my retaining an old error, or embracing a new one. September 1, She wrote: “I have been examining the subject of bap tism for some time past, and contrary to my prejudices and my wishes, am compelled to believe that believers’ baptism alone is found in Scripture. If I ever sought to know the truth; if I ever looked up to the Father of light; if I ever gave myself up to the inspired word, I have done so during this investigation. And the result is, that laying aside my former prej udices and system, and fairly appeal ing to the Scripture, 1 feel convinced that nothing really can be said in favor of infant baptism, or sprink ling. We expect soon to be bapti zed. O may our hearts be prepared for the holy ordinance! And as we are baptized into a profession of Christ, may we put on Christ, and walk worthy of the high vocation wherewith wo are called. But in consequence of our performance of this duty, we must make some very painful sacrifices. We must be sepa rated from our dear missionary asso ciates, and labor alone in some isolated spot. We must expect to be treated with contempt, and cast off by many of our American friends forfeit the character wo had in our native land, and probably live to labor for oilr own support wher ever we are stationed. O our heav enly Father, wilt thou be our friend? Wilt thou protect us, enable us to live to thy glory, and make us useful in some retired spot of this eastern world, in loading a few precious souls to embrace that Savior whom wo love and desire to serve. And now a single extract from a letter of Air. Judson to tho Third Church of Plymouth, in which he rehearses some of tho distressing heart experiences he had passed through, in reaching the final deter mination to sever his connection with them and unite with tho Bap tists: “Must I, then, forsake my parents, the church with whiqh 1 stand connected, the society under whose patronage I have come out, tho companions of my missionary undertaking? must I forfeit the good opinion of all my friends in my native land, occasioning grief to some, and provoking others to anger and be regarded henceforth, by all my former acquaintances, as a weak, despicable Baptist, who has sense enough to comprehend the connection between the Abrahamio and Christian system? All this was mortifying; it was hard to flesh and blood. But I thought again, it is better to be guided by the opinion of Christ, who is the Truth, than by the opionion of men, however good, whom I know to be in error. The praise of Christ is better than the praise of men. Let me cleave to Christ at all events, and prefer his favor above my chief joy.” These extracts give the inside view of perhaps the most remarka ble instances of conversion to the truth, all things considered, that have taken place since Paul was stricken down on the way to Damascus ; and they seem to be no less providential and no less descisive as to the truth of tho doctrines at issue. But to continue the narration: Forbidden by the government to remain in Hindostan, and apparent ly insuperable difficulties being in the way of going to Burmah, Jud son and Rice reluctantly determined to go to the isle of France, an island in the Indian ocean, and begin a mis sion there—which place they reach ed, January 17, 1813. The prbs. pect for permanent usefulnes not be ing favorable here, and still being in suspense as to what view the Bap tists of the country would take of them and their work, it was thought best for Rice to return to America and personally communicate with their new brethren, and if adopted as their missionaries, to see what permanent and reliable arrangements could be made for their support- Still anxious to be at mission work, Air. and Judson, left to their own councils, determined to go to Prince of Wales Island, which, indeed, was one of the points named in* their commission. But as no vessel could be found going to that place, they resolved to go Madras, hoping to ob tain a passage from there. But in this they were disappointed, and fearing that they might fall into the hands of the government and he sent to England, they determined to go to Rangoon, Burmah, at which place they landed July 14, 1813. Her.e we will laave Judson and his heroic wife, aid inquire after Rice, whom we left on his way to America. Being compelled to go byway of South America, he did not-reach this country until Septem ber, 1813, landing at New York. News of his, and Judson and his wife’s conversion to the Baptist faith had preceded him, and had wonder fully stirred the Baptists from one end of the laud to the other. It seemed almost like a voice from the skies, calling upon them to arise from then lethargy ami go forth upon the grand mission of giving the Gospel to the world. Rice found that several so cieties had already been formed to raise funds to sustain the missiona ries which God had given them, and he immediately began an effort to enlist the entire denomination in the good work. As that was before the day of railroads, and the Baptists were scattered from Alassachusetts to Georgia, it was no light undertak ing to visit them at their homes, their churches, and their associations, but providing himself with a good horse and a sulky, Rice addressed himself to the task. His efforts were quite successful, and as a result, there was formed tho following spring, (May 18, 1814,) in the city of Philadelphia, “The General Alissionnry Conven tion of the Baptist Denomination of tho United States of America, for Foreign Afissions.” Subsequently called for short, the “Triennial Con vention,” because it met only once in three years, and now known as the “Old Triuiniial Convention,” be cause it was disolved in 1845, being succeeded in the South by the Southern Baptist Convention, and in tho North, by tho American Baptist Missionary Union. This first meeting was truly a gen eral convention, delegates being present from every part of tho coun try. Richard Furman of South Car olina was chosen president. One of their first acts was to appoint Air. Judson and wife ns their missiona ries, and to provide means for their support. Air. Rico was also appoin ted, but Ins field of labor was to be in this country, continuing tho work Brother Minister, Working Layman, Zealous Sister • We aro striving to make The Index the best of its kind. Help us by securing a now subscriber. VOL. 70-NO. 3 of forming mission societies and col lecting funds. It was not until September *5, 1815, more than two years after his arrival in Burmah, that Air. Judson’ heard of the organization of the Gen eral Convention, and his adoption as their missionary. But his time had been diligently employd in learning the language and doing other useful preparatory work. He thus writes on learning what had been done: “Thia general movement among the Bap tists of America is particularly en couraging. * * * * None but one who has had the experience can tell what feelings comfort the heart of a solitary Alissionary,when,though all the scenes around him present no friend, he remembers that there are spots on the wide earth where Christ ian brethren feel that his cause is their own, and pray to the same God and. Savior for his welfare and success.” It was six long years, June 27, 1819, before Judson had the privel ege of baptizing his first convert. His faithw as tried, but it was . not found wanting. He persevered in the face of danger and discourage ments many, and God gave him suc cess at last. More than forty years ago, Judson was called to his home on high, but the record of his earth ly- life, his piety, his zeal, his conse cration—his sacrifices, his sufierinsis his labors, his successes—the whole is, and will ever be a precious heri tage of blessing to the great Baptist family and to the world. Such was the origin of American Baptist Foreign Alission. J. 11. Kilpatrick. FIR3T PETRR. As in a former article, I insist again on reading an entire book of the Bible at a sitting. This with a few other pointers will better enable one to get the meaning of the writ er. This First Epistle of Peter should, by all means, be taken as a whole if you would gather the force of the truths there set forth. Notice tie lettei is addressed 'to tho scattered strangers, maybe, small churches gathered here and there by the labors of Apostles, and traveling Christians who by business, were lead to make trips through the coun try, but quite as probable, they were sure enough scattered Christians one Here and another there as the Holy Spirit may have claimed them by the story of the Gospel from some witness aj Pentecost, semo traveling tradesman of some refugee from the persecutions to which in those times they so often were subjected. This man of God obedient to the injunction of his master was anxious if possible to strengthen the brethren and so wrote this far reaching, deep . ly pious, ardent appeal to the strau . gers Scattered abroad, hoping to Af ford encouragement in triads and strength of faith and purpose in per secution. There is no part of God’s sacred storehouse more adapted to the com fort and assurance of a child of God under trial. It is not argumentative. It is a statement of marvelous facts. It is not necessarily doctrinal and still deeply Christian. Peter is like Paul in strong heart lifting statements and like John in tender, heart searching love. When you read this first letter of Peter again see how many statements he makes that are encouraging to struggling Christians. By one state, ment and another ho brings into his letter all the great doctrines of Chris tianity but not for tho sake of teach ing the doctrine, it is for the pow er the doctrine has to make a burdened soul strong. He writes as if his readers were acquainted with parts at least of both tho old and the New Testaments and only needed to be reminded of the gracious truths and promises they contained for Christians in fiery trials. In thinking of the use Peter had made in his letter of tho groat doctrinal truths, 1 was impressed with the unstudied aptness with which ho in troduced them at every point where they would come with telling effect in his appeal to tho “stronger broth ren” to stead fastness and courageous endurance. He begins with the sublime doc trine of God's sovereignty in choice of these feeble saints and then passes so gracefully and rapidly over tho “now birth” and tho resurrection’of Jesus Christ to recur in a breath to his first thoughts with the redoubled