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Many good and stroncr things were said In be
half of
MISSIONS
During the Session of the
Southern Baptist Convention.
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He who persistently commits
any sin thereby sanctions the prin
cipleth at underlies all sins, dis
regard of conscience and disobedience
to God, and in this way sanctions the
sins themselves,sanctions even the worst,
even those most repugnant to himself,
even those which most directly assail
and most ruthlessly injure and wrong
himself.
It has been estimated that for the con
struction of the tabernacle and its furni
ture, the Isrealites in the wilderness
contributed, in silver $176,000, and in
gold $750,000. Out of their poverty as
former slaves, and amid the privations
of a migratory life, this looks like a good
ly sum. Are we in our bettered circum
stances doing as well? Are we doing
half so well?
Leo the XIII is credited with the re
mark that Gladstone and ho are the two
oldest leaders of the age, they are also
the two with the youngest ideas. The
Pope did not mean that the ideas are
young through any leaven of the recent
childhood which comes with great age,
and no foeman worthy of their steal can
for a moment so far mistake these two
“grand old men” (grand alike if judged
by their personality alone) as to rest in
that persuasion.
Certain women of the Jews, when con
tributions were asked for the construc
tion of the tabernacle, “did spin with
their hands,and brought that which they
had spun, the blue, the purple, the scar
let, and the tine linen,” Ex. 35:25. “Wise
hearted” the sacred y rocord stylos them;
wise-hearted in having trained their
hands to the skill in working: wise-heart
ed, too, in bringing this work of their
hands to tho hon<e of tho .Lord, nay, to
the Lord of the House. Woman’s love,
woman’s zeal, and woman’s agency, in
things spiritual, then, are much older
than “woman’s right” and in no wise de
pendent on them.
No one can question the earnest and
uncompromising purpose of the Wash
ington legislature, who reads its enact
ments “making it unlawful in that State
to manufacture, or buy, or sell, or give
away, or have in one’s possession, either
cigarettes, or cigarette papers.” This
sounds like a very war-whoop, and means
that all possibilities of peace have passed
by. Such, so definite, and so unsparing,
should be the stand taken by the Chris
tian against all iniquity, and all occasions
and means of Iniquity, when tho parlia
ment of the soul fixes the attitude of its
own parts and powers with regard to civil
things.
Out of every hundred men employed
in the English merchant marine service,
there are twenty-one unable to swim.
Men given to a life spent on the sea,
amid all the sea’s mischances and the
sea’s treacheries, and yet, in every acci
dent that lurks for mortals “in tho
stormy main” or “in tho angry flood,”
without tho swimmer's resource, of their
own choice, without it! Is it, then, that
they count not their lives dear to them
selves? Nay, it is human want of wise
care, human imprudence, human heed
less running of risks. What interest of
the body or of the soul is there what
vital interest, which men will not put to
peril for lack of tho slightest forethought
or at the impulse of the most trivial
motives? Byway of figure it may be said
that we are all unablo to swim, where
nevertheless wo expose ourselves to the
hazard of drowning. O the wrecked
lives, O the lost souls, that come of this
deficiency in caution and in common
sense!
It appears that the Apostolic Delegate,
Monsignor Satolli is not having an easy
time of it in settling difficulties with re
fractory Catholics in the U. S. In addi
tion to his trouble with Bishop Wiggcrs,
of New Jersey, another has arisen with
a priest and his congregation, at Swedes
boro, near Philadelphia. Satolli under
took to remove a priest from his pastor
ate. When tho order came, tho church
was locked, and in the hands of the court,
while tho priest and a large part of his
congregation were holding services in
another place.
Tho priest has been excommunicated
and forbidden to officiate, and tho peo
ple are forbidden to attend upon his
ministry under tho threat of oxcommuni
cation, and no church burial.
Tho priest and congregation do not
seem to bo much alarmed. This is a free
country. Not only civil, but religious,
liberty is guaranteed to every citizen.
Even Catholics are beginning to learn
that one man has no God-given right to
bind the conscious of another, but that
each may worship unmolested by human
authority, under his own vine aud fig
tree.
Dr. Lyman Abbott, tho successor to
Henry Ward Beecher's Brooklyn pulpit,
said not long since that “there is danger
in scepticism but greater danger in
making believer to believe; God will
condemn hypocrisy but not honest
doubt.” We are surprised to hear a man
of tho Doctor’s perspicacity of intellect
speaking in that shallow stylo. Ho
knows or ought to know what a bare and
groundless assumption it is that there is
any special, and still more that there is
any exclusive, connection between hy
pocrisy and the faith men possess, ns
though it cannot and does not connect
itself with their profession of scepticism
as well. There is perhaps as much
“make-doubt” in tho world as “makes
believe,” in many circles, and especially
Ibe Cljristian Jlntirr.
in certain »» P rin.... r .'obe-
bly much more. In the last day, we take
it, when tho secrets of all hearts are un-
V filed, it will be found that there has
been much less “honest doubt” among
men, doubt in hearts honest with them
selves, with God and with man, than we
are wont now to claim and to grant. And
who shall say how largely that which
bears this name among us here, may not
be found then ranged on the left hand of
the Judge, that it may “go to its own
place” in the everlasting darkness?
The “Illustrated American” tells
this story of President Harrison
which we prefer not to believe:—
“ When the President read his
Thanksgiving Proclamation to the
Cabinet, he slyly said, “Gentlemen,
I have read this to you because I
want your judgment on a certain
matter. Since writing it I have re
ceived the report of the Secretary of
Agriculture, and I am not sure that
I onght not to include him with the
Almighty! ” This sally, if we may
credit the account before us, was re
ceived with “loud laughter,” but it
savors too strongly of irreverence
and makes too near an approach to
blasphemy not to repel us. We are
amazed that so sincere and enlighten
ed a Christian man as the President,
could sufficiently forget himself as
to have been guilty of it, whether
true or false, it points a moral against
all habits of jesting about spiritual
things. Men cross the line between
propriety and impropriety, between
right and wrong, when they associ
ate anything spiritual with the jest;
for all the aspects of the spiritual
are solemn, are linked with the most
sacred of principles and the most
momentous of interests, with the soul
and the law and eternity and God.
When this line is once crossed, when
a diverting and ludicrous air is thrown
over aught that is best and highest
and holiest and divinest, who shall
say how far we may not be righteous
ly left to stumble into the deeper
mire of irreverence, if not into the
slough and stain and stench of blas
phemy? Let us be wise, then, and
keep our consciences “quick as the ap
ple of the eye” to feel how even the
mildest’jesting on matters spiritual
and Scriptural does violence to all
the sanctities wrapt up in such phras
es as “the universe and its Sovereign”
or “the soul and its Saviour.”
In the “ Western Recorder,” the
opinion is expressed by a correspond
ent, that “tho preponderance of evi
dence is on the side of the pre-exist
ence of Jewish proselyte baptism to
Christian baptism.” We have a very
decided impression to the contrary.
Years ago, when wo made ourselves
acquainted with the literature of the
question, the proof seemed to us
abundant and conclusive that, in the
order of time, Christian baptism went
before and Jewish proselyte baptism
followed after. And the trend of
more recent scholarship, we believe,
is to account the Rabbinical chronol
ogy as a whole, less authentic and re
liable than wo all once assumed or
conceded it to be, to regard it more
and more in the light of a polemic
device employed with little or no
scruple to secure the priority of
Judaism to Christianity in matters
of institution or of doctrine: a trend
which can only emphasize the abund.
ance and conclusiveness of the proof
on this special question.
Statistics, if we look at the figures
only, may prove very misleading: we
need to search out the facts back of
the figures. The British government,
some years ago, instituted enquiries
to ascertain tho rates of mortality
among temperance men in the East
India troops. From one regiment
came the report that fifty per cent,
of tho total abstainers had died in
tho course of the year. According
to these figures, how deadly a thing
tho failure to use ardent spirits as a
beverage must be, at least in that
eastern climate! But what are tho
facts back of tho figures ? There] wero
in tho regiment, only two total ab
stainers, and one of these, tho “fifty
per cent.,” had killed by a tiger:
ah, thcro is nothing hero to bolster
the use of ardent spirits as a bever
age—nothing to clotho tho rates of
mortality among temperance soldiers
with an unpropitious aspect. Learn
then, gentle reader, the wise lesson
to sift your statistics, not in this oaso
only, but everywhere.
Rov. B. G. Manard, a well known
Baptist minister of Arkansas, has
been recalled to tho church at
Holden, Mo., and has returned with,
his family to that place.
/.AwrW.
ATLANTA, GA., THURSDAY. MARCH 30,1893.
ON TO DAWSON.
Our Convention meets for the first
time in the enterprising little city of
Dawson, away down in South-west
Georgia. A right good distance
away it is from most of us, 200 miles
or more from Rome, Gainesville,
Athens, Augusta or Savannah. In
the present stress of hard times it
will be hard for many poor pastors
to make the trip unless their church
es do the right and proper thing by
furnishing tickets. Some will feel
that in a financial way, they can’t af
ford to go. But upon a higher ground
they should consider it and conclude
that they cannot afford to stay away-
The approaching session may not for
any marked reason be more impor
tant than those of other years. But
every meeting is of sufficient impor
tance to require the attendance of
our representative men from every
section of the State. Every one
who goes in a spirit of sympathy and
co-operation for our varied denomi
national enterprises will be benefited
by it, and his presence will be a help
to the work. It is hoped that but
few will go who have axes to grind,
or grudges to air, or fights to make,
and that these few will be blessed
with a sore disappointment.
ORGANIZATION.
According to announcement the
convention will be organized at 9
o’clock on Tuesday morning. Every
messenger should endeavor faithful
ly to be present the first hour and
remain till the close. To reach there
by the opening hour many will have
to leave their homes very early Mon
day morning, or be subject to the
annoyance of tedious delays in the
night. As to the
OFFICERS
of the convention, nobody expects
that there wifi be any change, or
suggestion of change. Our President
has proven himself efficient and faith
ful, and his enlarged acquaintance
and experience will enable him even
moie fuily to meet every reasonable
demand of his office. He may not
please everybody in the appointment
of committees. Let us not expect
quite that much. A fact not to be
forgotten is that not every man can
write a report, if that report is to
have any force or meaning, if it is to
be more than a stereotyped form or
string of platitudes. You may think
some names occur too often on com
mittees, while others are slighted,
that some persons put on committees
are incompetent to write or defend a
report or that they occupy an un
favorable attitude to the matter en
trusted to them. You may at various
points dissent from the wisdom of
the President, but if you are very
much wiser than he it will be a great
misfortune that the convention did
not find it out and elect you in his
stead.
Our honored
SECRETARIES
have harder work than many know of
and deserve a higher appreciation
and warmer sympathy. But they
might, probably, add something to
the honor in which they are held by
a little more care in some details of
their work. For instance: Did our
last convention hold 5 days as indi
cated on the title page of the minutes?
Can any one explain tho distribution
of titles among the names of those
who compose the State Mission
Board and Board of Trustees, pages
3-5? Was the manner of electing
officeYs of too little consequence to
even mention? Would Dr. Tucker
have thought so? Why should per.
sons who present important reports
or claims or resolutions bo nameless?
Were the speeches upon the various
reports so poor as to bo unworthy of
mention? As to getting all the names
right, particularly in the list of min
isters, it is exceedingly difficut. Care
is needed. Most any one thinks
there is enough in a name, if it bo
his own name, to warrent its being
spelled right. But some will think
these matters are trifles. Well,
others might say that tho matter of
any minute at all is a trifle. So, if
wo are to have minutes, a somewhat
fuller statement and greater accura
cy would be highly appreciated by
many who would not at all be will
ing themselves to undertake the re
sponsibilities, or undergo the pains
incident to such a work.
ORDER OF BUSINESS.
Could there be a wise committee
to assign to tho diflierent subjects
for consideration certain hours, and
thereby secure dispatch as well as
allow each matter something like the
time which its relative importance
demands? Such a plan would have
to be flexible of course, and would
require much discretion in its adjust
ment. It is hoped that the good
sense of the body will not again tole
rate such a prolonged, useless, un
worthy debate over place of next
meeting as we have sometimes had.
The matter of appointing correspond
ents, a rather formal custom of doubt
ful value, might be much simplified
by allowing any who attend other
conventions, to bear a copy of our
minutes as their proper credentials.
Our president has shown a commend
able disposition to abbreviate wel
come addresses and responses, not
unmindful of fitting courtesies, but
wisely considerate of the many im
portant interests to receive attention
in the short space of three days. A
fault complained of in some direc
tions has not become common in the
Georgia Convention, and that is of
allowing every brother who has an
“interest to be present” to consume
tho time of the convention whose in
terests are quite different. May we
still have immunity from such.
One of the important matters to
come before this Convention is the
election of
TRUSTEES OF MERCER UNIVERSITY.
Much interest attaches to this from
the fact that the offices of President
and Professor of Theology are now
vacant. This is indeed a matter of
weighty importance, bnt noboJy need
to be seriously alarmed about it.
There are some who seem to think
that a crisis comes in the affairs of
Mercer at least once every year, and
while they behold its destinies trem
ble in the balance, they themselves
do exceedingly tremble • with fear.
We believe it was Dr. Tucker who
said some years ago, that one of the
most wonderful things about Mercer
was tho way it had wr -»>ered in
opitA'ta its itieiiu’s. some
of its friends we believe it will con
tinue to prosper.
We are not among the number of
those who, on the slightest pretext are
ready to predict its downfall. Nor
shall we join in with those who have
grave charges to bring against the
Trustees in their management of its
affairs. The Trustees are not per
fect. They make no such claim for
themselves. They are liable to make
mistakes, but are ever ready to admit
any mistakes that become apparent
to them, and to use all diligence for
their correction. Where are to be
found men who would make fewer
mistakes? Where are men of riper
wisdom, men who will more faithful,
ly or conscientiously meet the ob
ligations of such a trust? Taking
the body of Trustees as a whole, and
their work as a whole, with its many
serious perplexities and difficulties,
wo think it will be hard enough to
make much improvement.
Concerning the election of a Board
of Trustees, one remark seems per
tinent. The manner of such elec
tion should be such as to allow every
member of the convention a free
and unembarrassed expression. If a
committee of three or five or other
numbers be appointed to nominate,
their report is of such delicate na
ture as practically to allow of no
amendment, as everyone will admit.
The effect of this is virtually to have
that committee and not the con ven.
tion select a Board of Trustees. No
committee should be willing to as
sumo that much responsibility.
Trustees ought to desire that their
selection bo by the whole conven
tion, that they might then have per
fect ground to claim tho support of
the whole convention.
Here is a modest suggestion. Let
tho nominating committee furnish to
each member of tho convention a
ballot upon which aro placed, not
thirty tho exact number, but say
thirty-six or forty, or forty-two.
Thon every man may bo free to
amend for himself by striking out
all abovo thirty and voting his tick,
ot. Will it bo suggested that this is
troublesome? Tho trouble would
bo very slight with a printing office
in roach to print the ballots on an
hours notice. And further, is some
slight trouble to be considered when
freedom and fairness aro aimed at?
Or will somebody suggest that it
never has been done this way? That
will bo an end of all argument and
forever clinch the matter. Our plea
is for naught else than fairness. It
should boa shamo to us all that ru
mors, false or true,s hould bo flying
about to tho effect that certain par
ties have received notice from cer
tain other parties that they (the for
mer) would have a placo on the
next Board of Trustees. This smacks
of tho schemer of self-seeking politi
tion, and should have no- counten
ance from a religious body.
Continued on 3rd page.
“LAY HANDS HASTILY ON NO
MAN”
Tho Christian ministry derives its
importance from its origin and influ
encial prominence. Tho Lord crea
ted the office, and it invests
its incumbent with potent in
fluence. A position of divine insti
tution, and fraught with such power
for good or evil, should be guarded
with unceasing vigilance. Churches
and councils in remote sections, feel
ing, no doubt, that their action in or
daining men is of minor and provin
cial significance, should remember
that inducting a man into the minis
try they give him currency in a great
denomination; and if he proves un_
worthy, it brings grief and shame
upon the entire brotherhood. Some
words of caution, which are but re
statements of things known, may be
helpful in stirring us up to a faithful
guardianship of this high calling.
Let churches and ordaining councils
consider carefully?
First, the character of the men to
be ordained. Character is essential.
It is what the man is. It consists in
the moral material he is made of. A
workman would not take pine to
make an axle. It is too light and
soft. It is not the kind of wood for
an axle. It takes hickory. All can
didates are not the kind of material
for ministers. The fibre of convic
tion makes the hickory character.
The man behind the preacher is all
important. Find out, in the fear of
God, the moral make-up of the can,
didiue. Remember, it takes a “good\
and “sound” character for a minis
ter.
Second, let them look carefully
into the reputation of candidates.
The reputation is what tho people
think of the man, the popular esti
mate of him. The minister must
have “a good report.” A correct
Christian life, will secure it. As amin
ister is “to persuade men,” he must
have influence over them, and to
have influence he must have their
confidence. Do not ordain a man
on prospective ’reputation. It may
never come. Let him first silence
detraction, if any there be, and com
mand confidence by upright living,
before he is ordained. If he be a
new and noted convert from the
slums or gutters of sin, rejoice over
him, but do not ordain him. Wait.
Third, let them examine carefully
into the call of the candidates.
Hold fast the old scriptural doctrine
of a divine call to the ministry. Paul
held it: “The ministry, which I have
received of the Lord Jesus,” he says
What is a call to the ministry? We
do not know. It is between the
Lord and the man, and they only can
know it. Then what is the evidence
of it—the distinguishing evidence?
Is it dosiro to preach? No. The re
stored demoniac desired to preach,
but was sent homo to tell his family
and friends what had been done for
him. Is it love of souls? No. All tho
saved have “good will to men.” Is
it not ardent love for souls? No.
Tho Centurion had ardent love for
his servant “beseeching Jesus” in his
behalf. Is it not fluency? No. If it
is Paul was not called, nor was Mo
ses. Then what is it? What is tho
distinguishing evidence of a call to
the ministry? It is very simple, yet
exceedingly profound. It is spiritu
al understanding—tho power to dis
cern and interpret the mind of tho
spirit in the words of scripture. This
power distinguishes tho God-anoint
ed man. Tho Lord has anointed
him to know, that ho may preach.
How could ho “feedtho flock” with
out the food? How significant tho
crowning qualification of apostleship!
“Then opened ho their understand
ings that they might understand tho
sreiptures.” Tho hearers of tho
great preacher said: “Ho opened un
to us the scriptures.”
Finally, they would do well to
regard tho age of candidates. “Not
a novice,” is a scriptural inhibition
The “novice” is not necessarily, but
usually youthful. There should not
be laxity on this point. If it must
be, why let others have all the
“prodigies” in boy preachers. No
doubt there aro exceptional cases in
which early ordination is justifiable.
Mercer and Spurgeon wore ordained
early. But Richard Fuller was or
dained at twenty eight, N. M. Craw
fort at thirty-three and P. H. Mell at
twenty-eight, John Baptist, the first
Christian minister, was thirty years
old when he began to preach. He
who was greater than all, our Lord,
was over thirty when he began his
ministry. These examples mean
something.
Let churches and councils remem
ber the injunction: “Lay hands hasti
ly on no man.” J. H. Hall.
"AVERAGE CONTRIBUTIONS."
“The contributions of Georgia
Baptists for missions average only
cents, per member—the contri
butions of Baptists throughout the
South, only cents! ” Such state-
ments as these we frequently hear in
public addresses—we also read them
in our papers. They are doubtless
made with a sincere desire to do
good, and I will not say that good is
not sometimes done; but upon the
whole, I fear that such utterances
are more harmful than helpful. I
suppose it is wise for insurance com
panies to study the subject of aver
ages in order to regulate their rates
—perhaps, also, for our boards to do
so, when arranging their plans for
future work, and forecasting their
probable receipts ; but when it comes
to the actual raising of money to sus
tain our mission work, the thing
seems to me out of place. Let us
look, now, at the statements above
given:
1. We do not know what is the
average of the contributions of Geor
gia Baptists, or of the Baptists of the
South; it is certainly not true that
the average is only so many cents.
How is this alleged average obtained?
Why, by dividing the aggregate of
contributions by tho number of Bap
tists in the State, or in the South, as
the case may be. But this overlooks
the fact that a great many give noth
ing. To find out the actual average
of contributions, we must first find
the number of contributors.
2. This so-called average is quite
unjust to most of the contributors;
for very few, who give anything at
all, give as little as this.
8. On the other hand, it gives
eredit to many as giving something
when we know they give nothing.
4. In thus giving credit to some a 3
giving when they do not give, I es
pecially charge it against this “aver
age” statement that it takes no ac
count of the vast multitude of non
givers who are in our ranks. And
yet this is the very thing which needs
to be made particularly prominent.
Here lies the forefront of our trouble.
We have too few givers. Let us go
to work to get all to give. We may
not know just how much one ought
to give, bnt we do know he ought to
give something.
5. This repeated rehersal of our
low average is doubtless meant to
stimulate to larger giving, but I fear
that it may have tho opposite effect.
As all are more or less liable to be
influenced by improper motives, it is
not unreasonable that some should
say, “well, after giving as much as I
have out of my hard earnings, if I
am to be stigmatized as giving only
a few cents, I believe I will make
my contributions to accord more
nearly with what I have tho credit
of giving.” Others may say, “If this
is all the people generally aro giving,
I have been giving too much; I think
I’ll come a little nearer the average
I don’t believe in giving more than
my share.” Another may say, “If
that is all they give, it certainly can
not make much difference if I give
nothing,” and so nothing ho gives.
And still another: “If that is all we
aro doing, wo had just as well give
it up and quit.”
Lot no one misunderstand mo. I
do not object to emphasizing the fact
that wo are doing, as a people, far
too little for tho spread of tho gos
pel. In all proper ways let it bo
pressed that we are falling immense
ly short of our obligations in this
great work; but I honestly do not
believe that this averaging business is
tho way to do it—either to empha
size tho fact or to help it.
And this prepares tho way to speak
of another phase of this same thing.
“If Southern Baptists only
Brother Minister,
Working Layman,
Zealous Sister
Wearestrlvingto make
CChe Index
the best of its kind. Help us by securing a
new subscriber.
VOL. 70—NO. 13.
give cents, it would raise twice
as much as we aro now spending in
giving the gospel to the world. A
devoted advocate of missions has
recently said in a general appeal,
that “an average of cents from
each would complete our Centennial
offering.” Now this is all doubtless
true, but is this the way to get the
people to give their money ? Is it a
way likely to succeed ? And grant
ing that it should, is it the right and
Scriptural way? I say to it all, most
emphatically, No!
1. It is not likely to succeed.
And (1), because it does not take
into the calculation the great num
ber of non-givers. Why talk about
what a large amount would be raised
if all would give so many cents,
when you know that all are not going
to give Much more than the speoi.
fied average must be raised from
those who do give, in order to make
up for the many who don’t give ; and
yet, there is absolutely nothing in
this average idea to stimulate, or
even, to suggest this larger giving,
but the contrary. For, (2), many
will makejthis average the measure
of their duty, and hence do less than
they would have done if nothing
had been said about it “If this,” say
they, “will raise the desired amount,
why should I give any more? Let
others give. What! Will only so
many cents from each raise such a
large sum? Why, I thought I should
have to give twenty times as much.’ t
And so, while some of the present
non-givers may be induced to give,
because, forsooth, the “average” is so
little, quite as many, or perhaps,
more of the present givers, will give
less for the very same reason. But,
2. Even if this presentation of
“averages” were successful in raising
money, it should be rejected as fun
damentally wrong—wrong in prin
ciple. (1). It appeals to a corrupt
motive. It is essentially an appeal
to covetousness to let go its grip, be
xwnsa-the amount,-called is
—so; small, it cast be giv
en without feeling it. It is possible
that some may respond for this very
reason, but what shall we say of the
motive, and what of its effect on the
character? David said that he
would not offer to the Lord that
which cost him nothing; but this says
give because the amount is so little
that it will not be felt. Such giving,
instead of developing liberality, will
dwarf it. (2) It ignores the Script
ure standard of giving. God’s word
teaches that we are to give accord
ing to ability—according as we are
prospered. But it is hardly ever
true that this Scriptural rule would
authorize as little as these designa.
ted “averages;” and it is certainly
true, that in the great majority of
instances, much more would bo re
quired. Why, then, talk about them
at all? They are, in no sense, the
measure of duty—they can have
no possible influence in stimulat
ing duty, and not once in a
hundred are they as much as duty
requires. “Bnt oh, the mighty pow
er of littles!” Yes but not with God
and not for God, except when these
“littles’’ are tho measure of duty—
otherwise, they aro a curse to us; for
they are, essentially, as “the lame
and the torn and tho sick ’in sacri
fice. I once had the offer, at a nom
inal cost, of a number of copies of a
celebrated discourse ou the “Power,
of Littles,” to bo circulated among
my people. I did not accept the of_
fer. I was afraid of the effect. In.
stead, therefore, of setting forth be
fore the people what wonderful suras
might be raised if all would contrib
ute some little amount that measures
the duty of scarcely any, let us rath
er strive to get willing and loving
contributions from all according to
their ability.
J. H. Kilpatrick.
Atoka, Ind. Ter., March 13, ’9B.
For several months I have been so
crowded with work that I have not
found time to write a letter to the
Index. Yet I know from private
letters that there aro many faithful
friends in dear old Georgia who de
sire to hear from the Indian Mission
field.
The work in Indian Territory is
far different now to what it has bee n.
The great influx of whites as renters
on farms, as day laborers, as artizans
etc., has changed our work. Who
own these farms?, and who employ
those laborers? Squaw-men chiefly,
and some of tho half-breeds and edu-