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ESTABLISHED 1821.
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Better to be done than to be undone;
better to surrender a pleasure before it
grows guilty than to be ruined by it,
when the guilt has destroyed the pleas
ure and the soul perishes.
It is significant that when Webb, the
apostate from Christianity to Mohamme
danism, could front an American audi
ence with a eulogistic plan for polygar
iny, Seyd Amir Ali, a judge of the High
court in Bengal, a Mohammedan by
birth, could say: “For my part, I look
upon polygamy in the present day as an
adulterous connection and as contrary to
the spirit of Islam.” A modern instance
of the wise old saw, that new converts,
like new roads, are rough.
Canon Knox Little resents ‘'Ritualist”
as an “insulting term” when applied to
the Romanizing party in the Episcopal
churches of England and the United
States. The name is not meant for op
probrium; it simply gives expression to
the fact that at least one wing of High
churchmen smoothe the way of return to
Popery with altar cloths, eucharistic
vestments, and other symbolic ornaments
the use of which has been revived in the
development of what is now known as
“the Oxford movement” but was known
once as “Puseyism”. We wish the
Canon were as heartily ashamed of the
fact as of the name.
A bill was before the special Congress,
just adjourned, and will come up again
at the regular session in December,
amending the naturalization laws. Its sal
ient points are these: No one convicted
of a felony or misdemeanor, no anarchist
or polygamist, no one who is unable to
read the Constitution, shall be natural
ized; there is a penalty for false swear
ing; the District and Supreme courts of
the Territories and the State courts of
the highest original common law juris
diction, being the next highest courts of
record to the Supreme Courts of said
States, shall have exclusive jurisdiction
of the naturalization of aliens.
It has been well said that the minister
who'preaches in the pulpit like an angel
and lives in the world like a devil is the
guiltiest man that, the sun shines upon.
Very true. But aside from this the
world is too rigorous and exacting. Dam
aging as the criticism is—that the preach
er does not live up to what he preaches
—it is also illogical, because as a preach
er it is his duty to say the best things.
It is his duty to live up to them. Would
it not be absurd if he recommended only
what he lived—a limited purity, a quali
fied faith—because he felt he could rise
no higher himself? In the pulpit the
preacher is bound to take the highest
possible ground.
We are all familiar with the lines of
F. W. Faber:
"Whenobstacles ami trials seem
Like prison walls to be,
I do the little I can do
And leave THE REST to Thee.
Does the poet mean that the little he
can do, and does, is not left to God as
well as the much he cannot do, and does
not even attempt ? The logic of his
language bears out that conclusion; but
such a conclusion is forbidden by the
logic of the Christian faith and life.
There is nothing left more absolutely to
God than our own little doings; doings
so little in our eyes that they are nothing
except so far as God puts his Spirit in
them, and can accomplish nothing ex
cept so far as God works through them
by His power; doings, therefore, left to
Him so utterly that without the hope of
His gracious acceptance ami loving bene
diction they could no longer be done.
Might we not, then, more wisely say,
“Ido the little 1 cando,
And leave the whole to Thee ?”
Theology vs. Christianity.— Dr-
Kemper says in the West Texas Baptist:
If our systematized statements of the
ology are to be recast it does not nec
essarily follow that evil will be wrought;
for that can only be if the new gives ns
less for Christ than the old, whereas it
may give us more.
He would be a bold man who should
broadly claim that there is no possi
bility of more thoroughly Scriptural
statements of theology than those we
already have.
Especially with us is it a controlling,
the unwritten, law that every author,
however great or venerable, must sub
mit his work when done to the search
ing test of Scripture comparison, and
not.only when done must he submit it to
the Scriptures as then understood, but
so long as his work shall endure must it
be judged by the growing knowledge of
God’s word which through all succeed
ing generations, shall enlighten them.
So with us antiquity gives no man’s
work authority at the last, an, more
than his great name does at the first,
THE CHRISTIAN INDEX.
BROTHER HENDERSON AND GO
-
Editor Index—Dear Brother : I
have no desire to enter a contro
versy with brother Henderson con
cerning the matter of which he
writes. He charges that I have
misrepresented him. I hasten to
say that if I have I am truly sorry,
and will do all in my power to
make proper and suitable apology
to the brother as soon as I can do
so conscientiously. What I said
in Go-ology concerning his article
was from a sense of duty purely.
I believe that his article does teach
the doctrine that a heathen who
never heard of Christ or mediation,
who never heard the gospel and
knows absolutely nothing of salva
tion through the death of Christ,
and hence who necessarily has no
faith in Christ, may be saved by
the merits ot Christ, appropriated
to him by the Holy Spirit through
subjective faith. In a word, that
an ungodly heathen may be saved
through the merits of Christ with
out faith in Christ. If I fail to
represent him truly, it is because I
did not make my charge explicit
enough ; I will, with his permis
sion, withdraw the charge in the
words, “without faith,” and amend
it by making it read, “without faith
in Christ,” and that is my meaning
in the criticism in Go-ology. If
that will satisfy my brother I will
so change it in the next edition. 1
believe that much is due him. He
says farther, that I have charged
him with-“teaching legal salvation
for the heathen,” B but I cannot find
the language in my reference to
his article. I think he is mistaken
on that point. lam certain such
was not my intention.
May I ask that you reprint his
article with my comments thereon
with their context that the breth
ren may judge for themselves be
tween me and brother Henderson?
I have numbered his paragraphs
to make it more convenient for
reference should I have occasion to
refei to it again. Here is what he
said ;
THE RIGHT BASIS OF MISSIONS.
1. It is the aim of this paper to show that
the scriptures touching the case of the
heathen, have not been quoted with dis
crimination, and that our appeal to the
people to support missions to the heath
en has not been rightly based
2. It is affirmed in this paper that
under any dispensation some are saved
and some are lost.
3. It is denied in this paper that any
are saved by their goodness, or their
works, but it is most emphatically de
clared that every one who is saved, or
may be saved, is saved through the atone
ment of Christ—saved as helpless sin
ners.
4. It is just as true of the people of
America that they are lost without the
gospel as it is true of the people of India,
or China, or Africa. Out of Christ one
man is as truly condemned as another.
5. Every man by nature, that is by
conception, generation, birth, growth, is
a child of wrath. All men, without re
pentance and faith, without the spirit of
faith and purpose of righteousness, are
exposed to the wrath of God and liable
to eternal death. The expression, “The
heathen lost without the gospel” is an
objectionable one; because it implies
that every heathen is eternally lost if he
should not happen to hear the gospel. I
doubt that any one has a right to say
that all are lost who have not heard
the gospel, that no one is saved who
has not known Christ by name.
6. To say that every one who has not
heard the plan of salvation in so many
words, is necessarily eternally lost,
is a hazardous thing to venture, unless
perhaps by some one who may lay claim
to ( miniscience snd omnipresence. For if
he does not kpow all men, that man
whom he does not know may be a saved
man. If he has not been everywhere, a
saved man may lurk in the place where
he has not been.
7. It is true no man can be saved, save
in the name of Christ, but it does not
follow that one must be eternally lost,
simply because he has not heard of the
historical Christ. That for lack of op
portunity to trust in the Christ as He is
set forth in the gospel, he must perish
in his Bins. That God has no provision
for bringing a sinner to repentance save
in a gospel that is preached in so many
words as we of America have it. Men
who say this forget that salvation is not
by knowledge, that is, complete knowl
edge such as we have, but by faith.
Also that nature and Providence furnish
sufficient knowledge, though dim, upon
which to found faith, ami through which
a purpose of righteousness may be gen
erated by a Spirit of God and for Christ's
sake.
8. fine may have formed within him a
right disposition towards God, even
when he may know very little of his
personal existence, or attributes, ami
when he may very ignorantly worship
him. Romans 10: 2, 3 does not contra
dict this, nor can it be argued that this
chapter proves that sincere zeal is the
worshipper, nevertheless exposes him to
wrath. For the Jew in this chapter is
going about to “establish his righteous
ness, and has not submitted himself to
the righteousness of God.” Whereas,
the heathen whom 1 maintain is saved,
does not seek to establish his righteous
ness as a claim upon the divine favor,
but has submitted to the righteousness
of God, as far as he knows how.
9. Th< re is no other name given under
heaven and among men whereby we
must be saved, save the name Christ
Jesus, but the mistake some make, is
supposing that any heathen must have
as clear and full a knowledge of Christ
as we have, or he cannot be saved.
10. It would be a during thing for any
one to say that the Spirit does not work
this spirit of faith and purpose of
righteousness in many who never heard
the name of (hrist. Job was a Gentile
who never mentioned Christ, and who,
perhaps, never heard of a plan of salva
tion. ami yet he declares "1 know that
my God Hveth. etc.," ami that “without
my llcsh I shall see God." Would any
say that Cornelius was not a saved man
before he heard Peter preach, and the
way of life explained? He may have
heard other preachers before Peter, but
we have no evidence of this.
11. The angel testified to him, “Thy
prayer Is heard and thine alms are hurl
ATLANTA, GA., THURSDAY. NOVEMBER 23,1893.
in reme inherence in the sight of God,
before he heard Peter. Os course, if his
prayer was heard he must have been
saved. Nor does Acts 11:11 conflict with
this view of the case, for this scripture,
“who shall tell thee words whereby thou
and all thy house shall be saved,” does
not imply that Cornelius was not already
saved, or that salvation was not already
begun in him. Os course salvation was
in Peter’s words as truly as in the answer
to his prayer. The one does not ex
clude the other. Peter's words would
enable Cornelius more fully to realize
his salvation. Peter added a very com
forting thought, viz.: “I perceive that
in every nation he that feareth God, and
worketh righteousness is accepted of
Him;” and that we may believe to be
true, whether one has heard of Christ
or the gospel. Only one question might
arise: whether, when the gospel of
Christ has not been preached, any ever
do fear God and work righteousness.
He would be a bold man to deny that
any ever do.
12. Epictetus, a deformed slave of a
miserable tyrant, was supposed by his
contemporari«s, on account of his righte
ous life, to have reached the acme of
human goodness.
13. It seems to me that Socrates, bar
ring some sins and infirmities, wrought
righteousness and had the witness of the
Spirit in him. He died ordering a cock
to be sacrificed to JEsculapins, the god
of health, in token of his belief in eter
nal life, in salvation, which means whole
ness—health, and on his death-couch
declared that he was going to the “ sure
felicities of the blessed.” Certainly a
heathen who could stand a basin of slops
thrown on him by his wife and not get
mad over it, quite equals in his morality
and self control, any Christian of to-day
who might fret and swear for a much
smaller off ence. lt|is true that Socrates
neglected, at times, to keep the meal in
the tub for his wife, Xanthippe, for he
was a school master who taught without
a fee; yet when she quarreled at him,
and threw the slops on him, his only
answer was, “I thought there would be
some rain after so much thunder and
lightning.”
11. It is a mistake to suppose that be
cause the heathens are spiritually dead,
they are therefore eternally, if they do
not hear the gospel.
15. As the wind, the spirit bieaths
where he pleases, so many may be born
again whose names are not recorded in
our plans of salvation. God’s word,
nor work is not limited to human speech.
“The heavens declare the glory of God.
And the expanse shows His handiwork.
Day unto day uttereth speech, and night
unto night showeth knowledge. There
is no speech nor language where their
voice is not heard.” Yet, “Their line is
gone out through all the earth, and their
words to the end of the world.” Surely
the Holy Spirit can work by these words
to save men, as well as by human speech.
Is it not true that He does use them to
this purpose?
16. Paul declares in Rom. 1, that men
corrupt the knowledge of God, even His
power and divinity, clearly seen, being
perceived through the things that are
made. But this statement must be, es
pecially and chiefly, applied to those
who took upon themselves the assump
tion of the philosophic character, the
ancient philosophers, both Greek and
Romans. The being and perfections of
God were taught to them in the consti
tution and operations of the Universe.
Verse 18 limits the discussion to them,
since it states that the wrath of God is
revealed from heaven against all ungod
liness and unrighteousness of men who
hold down the truth in unrighteousness.
This qualifying clause implies that
among even the heathen there were some
who did not hold down the truth in un
righteousness. The philosophers,though
having a knowledge of the perfections
of God, did not set forth to the people
what they knew of God, but in the place
of the incorruptible God, set up an im
age made like to corruptible man. But,
not even then were all the people lost,
no more than now is every Catholic lost,
because the Pope is put in the place of
God, or because the mass is put in the
place of Christ. The spirit of faith and
purpose of righteousness may be in the
man even who hows down to an idol.
Perhaps no man has yet determined how
lit tle knowledge is consistent with salva
tion, yet we are sure, by the words of
Jesus, that faith as small as the mustard
seed, saves as efficiently as great faith.
May not many heathen have this faith
as small as .■ mustard seed, consequent
upon that knowledge of God’s mercy
dimly seen in nature and in providence?
Does not the Holy Spirit produce this
faith in many heathen?
Ix>; the poor Indian, whose untutored mind
Sees God in cloud or hears him in the wind.
His soul proud science never tamtht to stray.
Fams the solar walk or milky way,
Yet Goa to his humble hope, has given
Behind the < loud topped hill an humbler
heaven.
Some far off land in depths of woods em
braced.
Some happier island in the watery waste,
And thinks admitted to that equal sky
liis faithful dog shall bear him company,
17. There is some truth in poetry —even
in the poetry of the Twickenham Bard.
Let us not deny even to the “poor
Indian,” a hope in the happy hunting
grounds of the future.
18. Now may not one have the inspi
ration of the Holy Spirit which prompts
right dispositions, even when he may
have no revelation by that Spirit, of the
name of Christ? It is not necessary to
know the doctrine of regeneration in
order to be regenerated. And one may
repent and show the spirit of faith prior
to his knowledge of the conditions of
salvation. One may speak grammar,
although not having learned grammar.
And one may speak the language of
salvation although not having learned
the grammar of it in the schools,
HI. Knowledge is valuable, and insti
tutions have their place and are useful,
but God does prefer before all institu
tions, before all temples, the upright
heart and pure.
2(1. Calvin burnt Michael .Servetus.
His intention was right. His concep
tion of the propositions of the case was
wrong. The error of Calvin in burning
•Servetus proves the genuineness of his
belief, the strength of his convictions.
He believed that a denial of the doctrine
of the trinity would work harm to the
souls of men. That it were better for
Servetus to die than that souls should be
lost. He believed moreover, that a Civil
Magistrate had the right to put to death
for.
21. With a better light, John Calvin
would have acted in a better way. His
case illustrates the truth that many may
be right at heart, whose acts on many
points are wrong. It is not affirmed,
nor believed by me, that all the heathen
without having heard the gospel are
saved, still we may believe that, since
no one is saved by his goodness, by his
perfect works, many heathen do trust as
fur ns they know to the mercy of the
All Father, and arc saved for Christ's
sake, If men walk according to the
light given, whether candle light, star
light, moonlight, or sunlight, trustingly,
they are saved through the atonement of
Christ,
II
22. Now, if these things be true, have
we not obscured a part of the truth
when we have declared that all the hea
then are lost who have not heard the
gospel as we have heard it? In our ap
peal to the people to support missions
in the “region beyond” have we not
oftentimes transcended that which is
written, and urged our own reasons for
missions instead of the one great reason
which Christ furnishes. I take the fol
lowing statement to be unwise: “If the
heathen are not lost without the gos
pel, then the greatest calamity that we
could inflict upon them, would be to
send them the news of the salvation in
Christ.” Because, in the first place, we
have no right to assume that all are lost
without having heard the gospel, and in
the next place, whether they are saved
or lost with or without the gospel, still
we are bound by the authority of Christ
to go preach the gospel to all nations.
Il is our duty, not to count the saved or
the lost, but to preach. Christ Jesus
does not discuss the present state nor
the future prospects of the heathen.
He simply commands us to go preach.
All power is given me in heaven and on
earth, therefore, go.
23. The “therefore” means, not pri
marily, that I have the power to assist
you, and therefore, I encourage you to
go. But I have the authority, there
fore I command you to go.
It is not ours to ask the reason why,
It is not ours to make reply.
It is ours to do or •lie-
24. Power is pledged to assist us, hut
that is the secondary consideration
added in the latter part of the great
commission. There is more than a
pledge of assistance, there is the voice
of authority, the tones of a commander
and a leader to the people, whose words
we are bound to obey, our theories about
the heathen to the contrary, notwith
standing.
25. If men, that is some men, are
saved by the light of nature, still it is
our duty to carry the light of the gospel
to them. But the light of nature by
which men may be saved, is that par
tial light which comes from Christ, who
is the light that lighteneth every man
that comes into the world. The gospel
is the fuller light. Christ as the Logos,
the word, the proposition of God, is the
revealer of all truth. So that at last,
by w hatever light one is saved, it is by
the light which proceeds from Christ.
In any case whether he is saved by lit
tle or much light, still the gospel would
be good news to the world.
20. I might get home by the light of
the stars, yet I should be all the gladder
for the light of the sun to walk by.
27. An increase of light will bring an
increase of responsibility, but we must
not withhold the gospel on that account.
We shall increase the responsibilities of
our children by sending them to school,
but no sane man would refuse to send
them for that reason. If obligations are
increased, ability is also increased to
meet those obligations.
28. But whether responsibility may
be increased or lessened we are bound
to preach the gospel to every creature,
because Christ has commanded it.
29. One is not condemned because he
has heard. Neither is ho condemned be
cause he has not heard.
30. A heathen in Africa or China is
no worse than a heathen if Amer
ica. The word heathen in thel&ginning
was not associated with the idea of
crime. A heathen was one who dwelt in
the heath. A pagan, one who dwells in
a village. The heart is regarded more
than the locality, in the eyes of God.
Not the hearer of the word is justified,
but the doer. The rejection of light
brings condemnation. And this is the
condemnation that light is come into
the world and men love darkness rather
than light. One is judged according to the
light he has received, lie has been given
such a revelation as we have, he is
judged |by this revelation. If he has
been given only the light of 'nature, he
is judged by the light of nature only.
31. But the whole Universe is
grounded in reason, which employs the
wisest means and executes the highest
ends in love towards all creatures. If
one put himself in line with this reason
as far as he can apprehend it, he is safe,
since Christ has died. He is in line ;
with Christ, for Christ as the Logos, is 1
the Absolute Reason in which the Uni- '
verse is grounded. The Universe is the ;
expression of the thought of ( hrist, for j
all things were made by II im, and all I
things hold together in him. See John
and Ephesians. So that if one act in
accord with the light of reason as fur- 1
nished in nature and providence, when
he has no better, he must act in accord
with Christ and be saved through His
atonement. No man comes to God save
through Christ the Absolute Reason,
both as to creation and redemption.
And yet many have come to Him and 1
ate saved, let us hope, who did not think
of Him as the Reason, who, indeed,
never heard of the historical Christ, but
who hated iniquity and loved righteous
ness, according to the light given and
opportunity ass orded, and had the spirit
of faith and purpose of righteousness
wrought in them by the Holy Spirit,
that would have embraced the histor
ical Christ if he had beea revealed to
them. Thqugh the Reason may not
reveal to the heathen a creator in the
fullness of his attributes, so that they
may be kept from worshipping God
through images; yet the Spirit may
work that disposition in many, which
makes them safe as far as responsibility
and destiny are concerned. But whether
this may, or may not be the case, we
are bound to go preach the gospel to
every creature, because Christ commands
it. And this is the “right basis of mis
sions.” This basis puts paramount au
thority in < hrist, and not in our theories
and reasonings.
32. In this way we honor Christ, and |
make personal obedience, to Christ as
Lord, our highest duty. We preach not |
onrselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord, and
ourselves as your servants for Christ’s
sake.
33. Wellington was right and under
stood the spirit of the great commission,
when a minister asked a place of him, he
answered: “Look to your marching
orders, sir.” Let the servants of Christ
look to their marching orders.
Let me hew the Lord a shrine
In this rocky heart of mine.
There in pure embalmed coll,
Do thou forever dwell.
C. K. lIINIIEHHON,
And now here is what I say of
it in Go-ology, with the whole
paragraph, that the force of it may
be seen :
“It may not be generally known,
but it is yet true, that Mr. Wesley
held that the heathen could be
saved without faith in Christ. See
Notes on N. T. Acts to :34 1
that first reverences God as great,
wise, good, the cause, end and gov
ernor of all things ; and secondly,
from this awful regard to him, not
only avoids all known evil, but en
deavors, according to the best light
he has, to do all things well, is ac
cepted of him through Christ,
though he knows him not.’ Fletch
er indorses and defends Wesley on
this passage, declaring: ‘This is
agreeable to St. Peter’s doctrine,
maintained by Mr. Wesley. Only
faith in Christ for Christians, and
faith in the light of their dispensa
tion for heathens, is necessary in
order to acceptance.’ As quoted
by Watson, Life of Wesley, p. 231.
This makes Peter say they are ac
cepted without faith in Christ, on
the ground of their personal righte
ousness, without regard to their
knowledge of Christ. It teaches
that a heathen adult, who is a sin
ner against God, can be saved
through the merits of Christ with
out faith, on the ground of his
obedience. That is palpable con
tradiction to the context which de
clares, ‘There is none righteous, no
not one,’ and ‘By the works of the
law shall no flesh be justified,’ etc.
Mr. Fletcher goes even farther
than Wesley, teaching that ‘faith
in their dispensation is all that is
necessary to the acceptance of the
heathen.’ According to this doc
trine, if a heathen has faith in
Confucianism, Mohammedanism,
or any other ism, he is accepted of
God. And more, it implies that
God is the author of ‘these dispen
sations’ of heathenism, putting
Mahomet, Confucius and Gautama
on an equality with Christ. This
interpretation is put upon Peter’s
words in spite of the plain decla
ration made by the angel to Cor
nelius,‘He (Peter) shall tell thee
words whereby thoushaltbe saved,’
and the matter of fact that God
accepted Coruelius only through
faith in Christ, withholding the
Holy Spirit until Peter had
preached Christ to him. It is in
the face of the truth that ‘faith
cometh by hearing and hearing by
the word of God,’ as taught in
Rom. 10. Cornelius’ prayer was
heard and God’s answer to that
prayer was a gospel preacher, sent
under special instructions by the
Holy Spirit, to tell him ‘words
whereby he should be saved.’ So
then, instead of proving that the
heathen can be saved without faith
in Christ, it proves precisely the
opposite, that they must have faith
in him ; and that this faith must
‘come by hearing.’ So firmly did
God adhere to his established law
of preaching prerequisite to faith,
and this preaching to be done by
men, that he did not permit an
angel from heaven to preach it,
but Cornelius had to wait until
Peter, God's chosen preacher, could
be sent for and go. Nor is this
doctrine confined to Methodists.
In the Christian Index, January
12, 1893, an article appears over the
name of a Baptist minister in
Georgia, teaching that the heathen
may be saved by the merits of
Christ, without faith, and that Cor
nelius ‘must have been saved ’ be
fore he heard the words of Peter.
It is a long article, utterly con
trary to the teachings of the Bible
and the underlying doctrines of
missions. A prominent pastor in a
leading church in Georgia, has
written a book in which the same
doctrine of legal salvation for
the heathen is taught. So this
doctrine is no new or imaginary
evil, but is in the books on theology,
taught from the pulpit in more than
one denomination, here in the
South, and now finds expression
in the leading Baptist paper in
Georgia.’ The theological atmos
phere is full of it, so to speak, and
it is in direct and irreconcilable
opposition to the whole scheme of
redemption through Christ, salva
tion by grace, through faith in the
world’s only Redeemer, and the
necessity of preaching in order
that men may believe and be saved.”
PP 4 8 «.?‘
I will only add that I consider
his position thoroughly unscript
ural and untenable from a Biblical
standpoint. He objects to the Bap
tist position on missions as is de
clared in his opening paragraph,
and it will not surprise me if Bap
tists object to his. But I will not
undertake a farther criticism of his
article now, but will wait for his
forth-coming review of Go-ology,
which he has promised. May Ibe
permitted to hope that when it
does come it will be a discussion of
Go-ology and not of its author?
Very truly,
J. A. ScARBORO.
Atlanta, Ga.
PREPARATION FOR THE MINISTRY
-THEN AND NOW.
BY REV. ALVAII HOVEY, D. I).
I am thinkihg of a hundred years
ago and of the present times, and
of theological educations in the
United States, not in Europe. In
what respects was the methods
which then prevailed better, or
worse, than the one which has to a
great extent taken its place?
Then, candidates for the Chris
tian ministry entered upon their
public work without any course of
theological study in preparation
for it, or they secured the instruc
tions which some able pastor could
give them, while at the same time
serving his church. Now, they
enter upon their responsible work
without a course of theological
study, or they resort to a seminary
and in company with a large body
of fellow-students, are taught by a
number of men who give them
selves almost wholly to this work.
It is probably fair to say that
the religious and intellectual char
acter of the pastors with whom can
didates studied a hundred years
ago, was as high as that of good
theological teachers in our best
seminaries. It may also be con
ceded that the quality of their
teaching was not inferior to that of
the present day. Perhaps it was
more unequal, but in the best in
stances it was quickening and pow
erful.
But in some respects, it was im
possible for pastors to do the work
of theological teachers as it ought
to be done, and as it is done in our
seminaries, without neglecting
their pastoral service ; and it is easy
to see that the claims of the church
would always prevail against the
claim of the student. The amount
of instruction must therefore have
been vastly less than is now given.
And the immediate preparation by
the teacher for giving it must have
been comparatively slight.
The range of studies must also
have been much narrower than it
is now. The study of divinity was
in many cases no more than the
the study of systematic theology
and sermonizing. If a young man
had examined the doctrinal system
of some honored pastor and had
found it acceptable, and if he had
learned how to unfold a Biblical
truth in such a manner as to fix it
with tolerable distinctness in the
mind of another, his course of
study might be considered finished.
Everything else would come of
practice and the grace of God.
We do not mean to depreciate
the extent of learning possessed by
a few pastors of the last part of the
last century. There were doubt
less giants in those days. But
from all that I can learn, the range
of thorough instruction was at that
time narrow, as compared with
what it is now, and the method of
studying with a pastor was one
which could not do the work which
is necessary at the present time,
though it might well be added to
that work, should circumstances
permit.
FROM MISSISSIPPI.
RY REV. L. A. DUNCAN.
Nothing seems to have been re
ported from this part of Georgia—
this was part of the old State
about eighty years ago—in some
months. True, I wrote several
communications, but they were
evidently lost. The loss of my wife
in June last was an affliction which
rendered me unfit to write news,
and week by week 1 have thought
since, it was my duty to leave cor- |
respondence to others, ’l our new
dress is very becoming.
You have borrowed from us j
our brother J. B. Gambrell and his
estimable wife, and both are doubt
less at work—they know how and
they like it. Our city still has a
few Baptist ministers left, but none
to spare. Professor L. M. Stone I
is now among us, having started ,
Stone Female College under very I
favorable auspices. Then we have I
Hackett, Boyeman, Farish, David
and Elliott, all at work, and Gres
sett, Robbins and I’owell ready to
preach as occasion calls.
The First Baptist church build
ing is still unfinished. Pastor
Boyeman has entirely recovered
his health. The 4th Avenue
church under pastor C. G. Elliott
is progressing well. Fifteenth
Avenue church has just experi
enced a revival—nine additions,
seven by baptism. Elder L. N.
Brock, of Shubuta, is now conduct
ing a meeting for pastor Farish
at the Highlands. It is expected
to begin at South Side within two
weeks.
Secretary Rowe, of the State
Board, is greatly encouraged. He
has a grand work in hand, and is
helped therein, by the Domestic
Mission Board. This is as it ought
to be, and will make friends for the
latter in our State. A new depart
ure has been made, too, in Sunday
school work ; brother B. N. Hatch
being appointed Sunday-school
evangelist. In this also the State
Board has help, the Sunday-school
Board coming to the front. One
more thing we need, and that is
colportage.
Chickasahay anil Bethlehem As
sociation held their annual session
near here last month. The former
is a strong body. Nearly all the
churches report Sunday-schools.
Next week the General Association
meets southwest of us, Professor
Lowery, of Blue Mountain, expects
to be there to represent the Sun
day-school Board. Dr. Hackett
VOL. 70—NO. 46.
and the writer may also attend.
But this may not be of interest to
your readers, so I’ll desist.
Meridian, Miss.
THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL.
BY W. H. WOODALL.
In the Index of the 9th inst.,
were a series of questions regard
ing the Sunday-school and its
proper teachers.
The Ist question, brother Dobbs
answers only in part and very
briefly, saying “As to the Scripture
authority for the Sunday-school, it
may be said that there is no author
ity for those who can see no au
thority except in prescribed acts
and formulas.” Is there any au
thority for the other class? And
does brother D. give it to us?
He says “ sanctified common
sense teaches that the work is
needed work, and work blessed of
God.” Common sense, sanctified
or not, perhaps, teaches that the
Scriptures should be taught to
young and old ; but does it teach
that the sunday-school, as now or
ganized and conducted, is the only
means or the best means to that
end, and means ordained of God?
How do we know it is blessed of
God ? What is the test in such mat
ters ? ”
Is “sanctified common sense” a
safe guide in establishing organiza
tions to supply the needs of Christ’s
kingdom? Is it sufficient authori
ty, Scriptural authority, for those
not looking for prescribed acts and
formulas? ” Then, perhaps, John
Wesley and the founders of modern
alphabetical societies have the
Scripture authority after all?
Surely the cultivation of greater
spirituality among professed Chris
tians was a much needed work,
and sanctified common sense taught
Wesley to gather them into “so
cieties” and to talk and sing and
pray to that end. The work was
greatly blessed of God (so they tell
us(, and sanctified common sense
promptly suggested, that as the
“societies” were so far out stripping
the church which they were organ
ized to aid, they ought to set up for
themselves under one general head.
A few years ago, some very zeal
ous Christians, observing that
many young men of their commun
ity did not attend church services,
were prompted by sanctified com
mon sense to organize what is
known as the Y. M. C. A. This
organization is now established in
almost every nation on the globe.
Already they are sending out and
supporting missionaries in foreign
fields, and soon we may hear that
sanctified common sense has
prompted them to assume all the
functions of a church. Who will
say that Wesley’s “societies” and
their out growth, have not done
great good in bringing men to
Christ? And the Y. M. C. A. has
(its advocates claim) led to Christ,
thousands whom the churches could
never have reached (?!) So we
might go through the whole cata
logue. Every Christian organiza
tion, not having direct Scripture
for its existence, claims that sancti
fied common sense teaches that it is
a needed work, and work blessed of
God.
The advocates of multitudinus
errors and unscriptural practices in
tlie various Christian organizations,
satisfy their consciences and find
full justification for their practices,
to their own minds, on the ground
of sanctified common sense; and
lay great stress on the sanctified
part.
All these things,and many others,
lead me to ask, What is sanctified
common sense? And amid so
many conflicting claims, how are
we to know the genuine from the
spurious article? Is there not great
danger in following sanctified(?)
common sense too implicitly?
Baptists have always maintained
that the Scriptures are their sole
and sufficient rule of faith and
practice. And is not this the only
sanctified common sense?
The Sunday-school will never,
perhaps, take the direction of
these “ societies ” but is there not
danger that it will, with its slack
teaching and lack of seriousness, so
dilute the pure gospel as to lessen
greatly its effectiveness, and so
weaken that reverence that ought
to exist for the word of God and
His sanctuary as to do great harm
to the cause of Christ? In fact, is
it not true that such a conviction
has already forced itself upon the
minds of many of our most earnest
and most thoughtful brethren in all
parts of the country?
This seems to me to be a very
important matter and one about
which there is much doubt and un
certainty. Many good Baptists do
not know just where to locate the
modern Sunday-school, and are un
certain as to their duty concerning
it.
I have been in the Sunday-school
constantly from childhood, and for
the past thirteen years a teacher or
superintendent, and I fear it is not
as greatly blessed of God as it
might be. In many of the strong
est churches but few of the mem
bers attend the Sunday-school.
Some churches appoint the