Newspaper Page Text
ESTABLISHED 1821.
The Christian Index.
! - I
Published Every Thursday, Cor. Ivy St.
and Edgewood Avenue.
J. C. McMICHAEL. Profriktor.
organ of the Baptist Denomination in
Georgia.
Subscription Pricb :
One copy, one year - * *
Tne copy, six months luu
Obituaries.—One hundred words free of
•harge. For each extra word, one cent per
word, cash with copy.
To COrrbspondknts.—Do not use abrevia
lions :be extra carefulin writinpproper names:
write with ink. on one side of paper; Do not
write copy intended for the editor and bust
uess items on same sheet. Leave on personal
Ities, condense. , „ „
Business.—Write all names, and post otnces
distinctly tn ordering a change give the old
as well asthe new address. The date of label
Indicates the time year subscription expires.
If you do not wish it continued, order it stop
ped a week before. We consider each sub
scriber permanent, until he orders his paper
discontinued When you order it stopped pay
up to date
Remittances by check preferred: or regis
tered letter, monev order, postal note.
THE OLD WAYS.
UY HON. J. « MCALL.
“Thussaith the Lord, stand ye in
the ways and see and ask for the
old paths, wherein is the good wav
and walk therein.'’ Jer. 6:16.
The history of Israel teaches and
enforces many and valuable lessons
for us of the Christian dispensation,
and none more certain than the
danger of abandoning the old and
good ways as they are called by
Jeremiah. The Jews lived many
years under a theocracy. God taught
them, directed them and governed
them by the patriarchs, prophets
judges and kings. The Israelites
were made his peculiar and favored
people, exalted and blessed far
above the surrounding nations.
These exaltations and blessings re
sulted in a separation of the Jews
from their neighbors —the sur
rounding nations. One of the re
markable facts of those ages was
that the Israelites should ever at
tempt or even desire to abandon
the old ways—the ways of God—
and adopt the new ways of their
neighbors, the surrounding nations.
When they became enamored of
these new ways and adopted them,
the results would always prove dis
pleasing to God and disastrous to
the people. It is unnecessary to
refer to these historical facts. It
would make this article too long
The history of Israel was originally
acted and recorded for us, the peo
ple of the Christian dispensation,
that we might profit thereby.
Now all these things happened
unto them (the Israelites) for en
samples : “And they are written for
our admonition, upon whom the
ends of the world are come. I Cor.
io: ii. The apostle just proceed
ing this remarkable statement, re
counts quite a number of the de
partures of God’s people from the
old paths.
The constitution and organiza
tion of the Church of Jesus Christ
is unique and complete. It is a
field with inclosures. It is a vine
yard with hedges ; and so far as the
record discloses, there are no weak
nor broken places. The command
is : “Go work in my vineyard to
day.” Laboring is not sufficient,
nor working in a vineyard will suf
fice, but it must be in my vineyard,
says the landlord ; otherwise 1 have
no wages, says the Master, for you.
The emphatic word in the sent
ence quoted is my. Therefore let
us look to it that we be found at
work in the vineyard of Jesus
Christ. It is all for naught if other
wise.
The Church of Jesus Christ was
never designed as a mother for
other religious organizations nor
associations. In some magnificent
forests are to be found large trees
of goodly proportions, but if care
fully examined, here or there may
be found a fungus growth, known
as mistletoe —it is a parasite. And
as the mistletoe grows, it fastens
itself upon the tree. Very soon the
tree begins to drop its foliage pre
maturely, becomes sickly and dies.
Make the application. The late
long named, high-sounding church
organizations are anomalies —they
are modern inventions. What
great necessity has given birth to
this remarkable family of children?
It is generally conceeded that ne
cessity is the mother of inventions.
Perhaps the young men need a
Christian association. It will not
be long before there will be a press
ing necessity for a Christian associ
ation for our old men—Why not?
Then one for our young women.
Then our mothers will organize—
Why not? We are graciously in
formed that unless we organize our
young, others will. Strange argu
ment, but the elders are the young.
These organizations are nominally
for the young —really for the old.
These organizations will soon begin
to dictate, and Baptists will be
committed to the movement on
general principles; if they should
engage in the organization of these
endeavor unions, and when dicta
tion should come, we will have no
right to complain nor secede from
them, because we will be bound by
precedent action.
Jesus Christ is the head of the
THE OHB IST IAN IN • I ..N.
Church and • - comes again
will he meet endeavor
unions and approbate their organi
zation? That these associations
are sapping the churches, there can
be no doubt.
Brother Editor, when the Young
Men’s Cnristian Association in
your city organized, they spent a
large sum of money in building; a
large proportion of these funds
were from B iptlst pockets. Would
it not have been far better if some
one or all of the Baptist churches
in your city could have directed
these funds in other channels? To
ask is to answer the question. It
is a noteworthy fact, that the
Epistles are laregly addressed to
churches, and that no instructions,
nor directions are sent to them
second hand. Missionary Baptist
churches are themselves temperance
societies—missionary and educa
tional organizations, and afford
every opportunity for serving
Christ; we need go no where else.
For the Chbuhian Index.
FROM CHAIRMAN MELL-
Auburn, Ala , May 27, 1895.
Mr. Editor :—My attention has
been called recently to an article
published in the Evangel of Balti
more, referring to the Whashington
B. V. P. I . Conference, in which
the following sentence appears :
“The fact of the business was
that young Mell, the presiding
officer, got rattled. He was clearly
wrong in two of his decisions—one
declaring the motion of a brother
out of order, and agtin after allow
ing a motion to be considered
whilst the motion to adjourn was
pending.”
L'nder ordinary circumstances I
would not reply to this criticism
but for fear there may be others
who, under the great excitement
prevailing at the time, also failed
to grasp the situation from a par
liamentary standpoint. I deem it
proper and right to review some of
the parliamentary features of the
Conference in order to show that
my decisions were not “clearly
wrong” but thoroughly in accord
ance writers on parliamentary law.
Permit me to say, however, in
the first place, that not the slightest
indication came to me from any
source that my name would be pro
posed for chairman until about ten
minutes before the devotional ex
ercises began. I was on my way
to the church when the two breth
ren informed me such a move was
contemplated. I requested at once
to be excused because I knew the
position would be hard to fill before
such a body many of whose mem
bers had exhibited so much feeling
in newspaper controversies a few
weeks before the assembling of the
Conference. I took the chair
therefore, feeling the responsibility
keenly, but at the same time with
the full determination to ditcharge
the duties to the best of my ability
without fear of consequences.
After the electien of the officers
the motion was made to adopt
Mell’s parliamentary practice as
the guide for the body, this was
unanimously carried. My decis
ions, therefore were in accordance
with that work.
There were two rulings of the
chair which the brother from Balti
more (Dr. Wharton) claimed were
unparliamentary, and in both in
stances he made appeals. The
house, however sustained the chair
by very large majorities. In a brief
manner I will review these decis
ions and show my authority for the
ruling.
1. The motion was made that the
body consist of delegates from
churches comprising the Southern
Baptist Convention. This was
amended to read: “And also
ladies.” After a short discussion
on the amendment the mover with
drew it and the original motion
was then amended to read : “male
members from Baptist churches
comprising the Southern Baptist
Convention.” This motion was
adopted by a very large majority.
It was then moved “to invite to
seats on the floor male members of
Baptist churches from other sec
tions of the country.” This was
amended by the brother from Bal
timore (Dr Wharton) to read “and
also ladies.” I ruled the amend
ment out of order for the reason
that the Conference had just re
fused to extend to women the privi
leges of the floor in voting to com
pose the body of “male members
of Baptist churches. But to aid
the brother in the object he seemed
to have in view, I informed him he
could move for a reconsideration of
the first motion after the pending
motion was disposed of. He pre
ferred, however, to appeal from my
decision with the result that the
house sustained me by nearly a
unanimous vote. For the authority
governing me in this ruling refer
to paragraph 130, page 57, revised
edition of Mell’s .Parliamentary
Practice : “Whatever is agreed to
by an assembly either adopting or
rejecting a proposed amendment
cannot be altered or amended; and
whatever is disagreed to cannot be
moved again.”
2. Towards the close of the
morning, after the debate had con
tinued for some time with much
“RIPTION, PerVcar.- *2.00. I
“TERS, 100. I
ATLANTA, GA., THURSDAY. JUNE 6 1895.
feeling on all sides, the brother
from Baltimore moved to adjourn,
and the chair understood him to
say “to three this afternoon.” Dr.
Kerfoot claimed the floor and I
gave it to him in accordance with
paragraph 97, page 45. The mo
tion to postpone to a time definite
“is susceptible of amendment.”
Also paragraph 172. page 70: “A
motion simply to adjourn is in no
instance debatable ; but if, in order,
it is moved to adjourn to a particu
lar day. or for a particular time, the
proposition will admit of debate.”
Before Dr. Kerfoot could make
his statement, however, the second
to the motion was withdrawn and
I announced there was no motion
before the house in accordance with
paragraph 63, page 33 : “No mo
tion, whatever form it may assume,
is to be entertained unless it is
seconded.” It was then that the
motion to refer the entire matter
of the resolutions and substitute to
a committee of onefromeach Sta'e
was made and I submitted the ques
tion to the house, and it was adopt
ed by a very large majority. In
the heated and excited state of the
Conference at this period, when I
so promptly handed the Secretary
the list of the committee, it was
easy for some members to be led in
to the error of supposing it was a
“packed committee.” As was
clearly stated, however, before the
body in the afternoon, this com
mittee was made out by me early
in the morning for that part of Dr.
Pitt’s resolution calling for such a
committee, and I considered the
brethren named on it so wise, con
servative and above reproach 1 did
not hesitate a moment to refer the
entire matter to their keeping in
accordance with Dr. Kerfoot’s
motion. With the exception of
three members I did not at the
time know the views of the breth
ren on the pending question. But,
if I had known fully the position
each held it would have been par
liamentary to appoint the majority
of the committee favorable to the
measure This is in accordance
with the paragraph 206, page 83 :
“But it is not proper .... that
those should be appointed who
have expressed themselves as oppos
ed to the body of the proposition ;
because he would not amend who
would totally destroy.”
Respectfully,
P. H. Mell.
THE EYE OF GOD.
BY REV. A. C. WARD.
The eye is the member which
affords light to to the body. Without
the eye the body is in darkness and
although without the eye one may
possess all the other sense such as
touch, taste, hearing, etc., still there
must be darkness. No one, or the
accumulation of all the senses, can
take the place of the eye. The
light of the body is the eye. By it
we see, and take in so to speak, all
the objectsjaround us. If we desire
to see more than the eye can take
in upon the level we must ascend
higher and the higher we rise
within certain limits the more
we can see. There are many
things, however, that we see, but
cannot understand. There is a
vast difference between seeing
with the eye and understanding or
comprehending what is seen.
Again things are not always as they
appear to the ej e. We are sur
rounded by deception. Alas 1 a
deception which runs even through
human lives and human forms.
Some times the deception is appa
rent and we readily discover it but
more generally it is so artfully con
cealed that we are entirely misled.
Starting from this unsatisfactory
standpoint of what we see we are
apt to'form our estimate of what
God sees of us and our efforts.
Just here we fall into a great error.
There is nothing hidden from Him.
His eyes is ever open. He never
sleeps. His eye sees every side
and takes in the whole situation.
As when we stand upon the top
of some high monument or moun
tain peak we can take in the whole
situation at a glance, so the eye of
God can fully take in our inmost
thought. When David gave to
Solomon bis parting instruction
about the temple, yet to be built,
he said, “Solomon my son, know
thou the God of thy father, and
serve him with a perfect heart and
with a willing mind; for the Lord
searcheth all hearts and under
standeth all the imaginations of
the thoughts.” What a solemn far
reaching, searching statement:
We can almost imagine we
see Solomon rising up with a
startled look of enquiry upon his
lips, saying, “Is there nothing I can
hide from God?” No. Absolutely
nothing. He sees all, yea He
knows all. To Him nothing is dis
guised. Everything is exactly as
it is. No matter what the color or
light which falls upon the act it in
no way changes the merit or de
merit of the motive. Oh that
Christians would learn that the
miserable subterfuges, and the
flimsy excuses with which they sat
isfy conscience are all plain to Him.
He sees through them. The real
condition of our heart is known.
To the child of God who is ever
praying “Lead thou me” it is a
great comfort to know that God
never sleeps. As the little one
awakened by some frightful dream
feels safe even in the dark when it
canjfeel the warm pressure of a par
ents hand, so the Christian is com
forted who can trustingly say,
“Thou God seest me.”
But what of the poor sinner? If
after all the “righteous scarcely be
saved where will the ungodly and
sinner appear?
For the Index.
TRADITION AND IN FANT BAPTISM-
BY IL W. WHILDEN.
It .is not our object to en
deavor to show to Romanists and
Poyseites that they err in relying
on tradition, nor to Pedobaptists
generally, that they should give up
their views of baptism. Oar ob
ject is not argumentatiie but to
make a statement of facts. We
desire to bring before readers inci
dents and remarks gathered from
various sources, which incidents
and remarks bear upon the relation
of infant baptism to Popish tradi
tions.
The following was decreed at the
Council of Trent:
“Tradition respecting both
faith and manners, orally delivered
and successively preserved in the
Catholic church, are to be received
with equal affection of piety and
reverence as the books of the Old
and New Testaments.” One Pop
ish writer says : “Tradition alone
is sufficient; but the Scriptures
alone are not sufficient.” (Bellar
mine). Another says : “It is suf
ficicnt for a good Catholic if he
understands that it is tradition; nor
need he inquire after anything
else.” (Bailey).
If the question is asked,'-What
is meant by tradition?” we reply in
the language of a Baptist writer—
“By tradition these Popish author
ities mean not tradition handed
down in the Scripture, but without
it and distinct from it; unwritten
tradition, apostolical tradition, so
called ; traditions not delivered by
the apostles in their writings, but
as it is pretended, communicated
by word of mouth to their success
ors or to the churches.”
The above extracts are taken
from a work entitled “Infant Bap
tism, a Part and Pillar of Popery,”
by Rev. Dr. John Gill, of England.
The writer proves ff s definition of
tradition to be correct IQ the words
of Popish writers. As Ju example,
“It is a rule infallible and Catholic,
that whatsoever things the church
of Rome believes, holds, and keeps,
which are not known or cannot be
found, were beyond doubt, deliv
ered by the apostles.” (Petrus a
Soto).
As the work by Dr. Gill bears
upon the subject of this article, we
state that its publication was
brought out in defense of some ex
pressions which he used in a con
troversy with Pedobaptists. These
expressions he was called upon
either to expunge or to explain. He
chose the latter. A biographer
sayi, “This tract, very contrary to
his intention, gave offence to some
worthy Pedobaptists, with many
of whose ministers he lived in great
intimacy ; but a reply, so far as we
have heard, was not given to it at
the time, if there has been any
since. (Memoir of Dr. Gill in the
American edition of his Commen
tary).
Baptists are the only ones that
consistently and successfully argue
with Romanists. It is because
when they appeal to the Bible,
there is nothing in their views as
Baptists that Romanists will deny
is found there.
Romanists are not only willing
but anxious to contend with Pedo
baptists, if they will appeal to the
Bible. They then anticipate an
easy victory. All that well-in
formed Romanists desire in a con
troversy with Pedobaptists is that
these Pedobaptists will appeal to
the Bible as their rule of faith. Ro
manists then show, that Pedobap
tists are indebted to Romanists for
infant baptism ; that they have re
ceived this from that very church
that they repudiate on account of
her traditions ; that this is a “tra
dition" which the church of Eng
land and that of Luther and that
of Calvin have retained among the
various relics of Popery which
they carried out from the church of
Rome when they separated from
her.” Distinguished Romanists
have not found infant baptism in
the Bible. Archbishop Hughes
wrote and published a Doctrinal
catechism for the use of his people.
He says that Protestants cannot
prove to Baptists, that the baptism
of infants is good and useful; that
according to Protestant principles
such baptism is useless; that
one of the Protestant principles
is, that no human being can be jus
tified except by an act of faith in
Jesus Christ; but as no infant is
capable of making this act of faith,
therefore upon Protestant princi
ples the baptism of infants is use
less ; that it does not appear from
Scripture that even one infant was
ever baptized. In order for Catho-
lics to prove that infants should be
baptized, he says, that they do not
draw their arguments from Script
ure alone, which is not clear on this
subject, but from the Scripture il
lustrated by the constai ‘ tradition
of the church, that x rotestants
have no right to use the argument
of tradition against the Baptists, in
this matter, when it wculd serve
them, for that they reject tradition
in every question where it is op
posed to their novels and lately
invented doctrines.
We see here that this writer
draws a distinction between Pro
testants and Baptists. As far as
the distinction between Baptists
and Romanists is concerned, if by
Protestants are meant “those who
are not Catholics” the distinction is
just and is convenient also;but as far
as the distinction is based on his
torical grounds, Baptists are not
Protestants; consequently the dis
tinction is not just, and Archbishop
Hughes acknowledges it in the
words “Protestants cannot prove
to Baptists etc.” The reason why
the present opposers of Romanists
that are not Baptists are called
Protestants does not apply histor
ically tomembers of the Baptist
denomination. Archbishop Cul
len, of Dublin, says that the Pipal
church practices infant baptinn
purely through the authority of
tradition only, as it is not found in
the Bible ;” that the “various sects
are dependent upon and deiive
their authority from us,” both for
the practice of infant bapt’sm and
for the change of the ordinance
from immersion to pouring and
sprinkling;” that Baptists “alone of
all the sects are consistent;” that
“denying the authority of tradition
and the power vested in the church
of binding and loosing,’ they ad
here strictly to the teachings of
Christ and the letter of the New
Testament;” that they “alone com
pose the true church” unless “the
church has the right and power of
‘binding and loosing.’”
Williston, S. C. May 27, 1895.
For the Indkx.
FROM ALABAMA-
As an Alabamian, 1 was sorry to
see how much we let Georgia beat
us in her support to the missions of
the Convention. We have, in
round numbers, 109000 white Bap
tists in Alabama, and gave to the
Boards, $1288356; Georgia has
161,000 and gave $29,793 42. This
is considerably over twice as much
as Alabama gave, while in member
ship only about one third more.
While sorry that we did not do as
well, and better than you, yet 1 am
glad it was my nitive State that
beat us thus. I hope Georgia will
still go on as she has been doing,
getting better every year. But 1
was glad also to find that South
Carolina, the State of my first boy
ish ambitions, while behind what
has been her mark for some years
past, led off with $13,462 06, out of
a membership of 87 000. But how
proud one feels of Old Virginia,
mother of States, when wuh a
membership of 105,000, she rolls
up to the Convention with $33,083.-
25. But better still, when Mary
land, “My Maryland,” with 9,327
members, comes up with $18410.-
68, an average of S2OO per mem
ber. If the membership of the
Convention would emulate her ex
ample, the Boards would have
$2,900 000 instead of about $200,-
000. We could do it and hardly
know how easy it was done, if, like
the Jews under Nehemiah, we “had
a mind to work.”
How comes it that Maryland
Baptists do so well? Is it because
they learned from their Catholic
founders that best lesson they teach,
devotion to the church, and then
learned from the New Testament
what it takes to constitute a
church ?
In going to the Convention,
while looking at the war vessels at
Portsmouth, the Navy Yard, the
forts at Old Point Comfort, and
elsewhere, I was made to think
what vast sums of money we and
other so called Christian nations
soend in learning how to kill peo
ple. Some single vessels of war
and the armament cost over $4 000,-
000. Many thousands of men are
employed every year in the army
and navy at huge cost to kill peo
ple. In pensions to those who
have gone out to kill people, and
in support of those who are being
tiained for it, our Christian govern
ment spends about three hundred
millions annually, or more than
$4.00 for every mm, woman and
child in the land. And we Chris
tians pay our part of it without
murmuring or complaint, because
the earthly powers over us say so.
Why do we not as cheerfully and
readily obey our Divine Ruler, and
pay the demand upon us in train
ing for, and carrying on the war to
kill sin and save the lives —eternal
lives of the people? If we would,
it would not be long until the
nations of earth should learn the
art of war no more; and the
swords be beaten into plough
shares ; spears into pruning hooks ;
martial musical binds changed into
divine orchestras ; and the roar of
cannon into great swelling anthems
of Glory to God in the Highest
from organs and human voices,
attuned by loving hearts.
May our people think, ponder
and act as becomes citizens of
God’s kingdom.
(Ipelika, Ala.
AMY~
BY T L. BWANBON,
T I Mug you 11 little sonm-t
Ot alii-autitiil li Ho bonnet,
And the briglit-»t and the dearest and the
sweetest little maid
It's laces droop above her
And k ss her like a lover.
And when her name is mentioned e'en tho
morning glorys fade.
Her li] s of eoral beauty
Uoulu swerve a saint from duty,
And love would live forever in the giorv of
her smile;
It s light lies warm ami tender
In.eyes of dreamy splendor
That might have been the envy of the “ Sor
ceriss of the Nile. ”
Hu- hair irradiant shimmers.
1 ike lisht that softly glimme s
On golden seas when sunset lent es the gates
of day a ar.
pun her cheek reposes
Tim tint of damask roses
That mini t have blooms <1 in scented fields in
in some fair laud afar
No song of stately met -r.
I han her's is clearer sweeter.
For in her heart all laughter and life and
music dwells
No angel step was lighter.
Notlower grew fairer -whiter
In all the bloom and beauty of Eden's aspho
dels.
<•! childish song and prattle!
lu life’s long weary battle
Wo pause awhile, tocatch the light and joy
your music brings!
<•! childish grace and beauty!
Ye warm ott- hearts to duty.
Our souls inspire with high desire for purer,
holier tilings
For t he Indkx.
FROM FLORIDA.
Our delegation to Washington has
returned, after a most pleasant trip.
Twenty representatives from far off,
blizzard stricken Florida, was not a
bad showing, and proves that though
much of our material intere-ts have
perished, our hearts are yet aglow
with interest in the Master’s work.
It is even yet too early to speak
with certainty of the condition of our
orange trees. A month or more ago
they began putting on sprouts ten
and even fifteen leet high, and we
were greatly encouraged. But since
then they have “ died back” badly,
and continue to do so. As we can
not tell how long this will continue,
we cannot tell whether ultimately
we will have any living orange trees
or not. This applies to the counties
of Marion, Hernando, Sumter, Lake
and Orange, as my recent observa
tions have notextended beyond their
limits.
I have lived in Florida a good
many years, but never have I seen
the price of Florida real estate so de
pressed—brought about, of course,
by the freaze. In many instances a
good house and lot or small farm can
be botight for one fourth of its origi
nal cost. Os course this depression
will not continue, for, as your Bill
Arp tru’y says, we still have our
climate left, and that always has been
the most valuable thing about Flor
ida. Besides, there is no State more
recuperative than this. Already we
are supplying, and more than sup
plying, the North with vegetables,
while thousands of acres of magniti
cent corn, and oats, and peas, and
potatoes are being raised. Other
groves will soon be raised, and with
greater profit than formerly, because
not so mai.y. In the mean time our
people will have learned the invalu
able lesson that it is not wise to put
all of one’s eggs in one basket. At
present, however, our people are
greatly depressed, and if any of your
readers would like a home in Florida
I think I could put them in the way
of getting one almost for “a song.”
Pastor Will H. Osborn and his
flock at Tampa have perfected ar
rangements for building a $12,000
bouse of worship Tampa is the
fourth town in the State in popula
tion and is growing more rapidly
than any other.
Through the untiring efforts of
Dr. G J. Johnson, the elegant Bap
tist church at St. Augustine is ap
proaching completion. He has
wrought well and may God give him
many more years to labor in his
vinejard in this State, where there is
so much need.
Pensacola has recently built, and
the brethren at Jacksonville will ere
long erect their main building. Key
West has a good houss but not equal
to those mentioned.
Orlando, among the smaller towns,
is in need of a good house. Then
pastor W. J. Bolin is conceded to be
the best preacher in the town, and
with a good building he would soon
bring the Baptist cause into pi emi
nent notice.
The scholarly and courteous and
loveable W.‘ T. Hundley, pastor at
Gainesville, is taking a fine hold on
the affections of his people. He, too,
needs a larger house to meet the
growing demands.
Few towns have suffered as Lees
burg. The f reezes of December and
February killing the oranges and the
trees, and then the bank failure—all
leaving the people in a really sad
condition. Several of the strongest
members of the Baptist church went
down in the wreck. On account of
these things, the church for the
present decided to have preaching
only twice a month. This gives pas
tor N. A. Bailey two Sundays a month
to devote elsewhere. There is no
better preacher, no better Baptist,
and no better man in the State than
Dr. Bailey, and any church or
churches will be fortunate that can
secure his services for the vacant
Sundays. Occasional.
VOL. 75—NO. 23
For the Indkx.
OUR PHILADELPHIA LETTER.
Rev. R. H. Conwell, the able
pasto,r popular president, the suc
cessful author, the kind philan
thropist and the eloquent lecturer
has many irons in the fire. Lately
he has been offered $37,000 00 for
one year on the lecture platform.
He thinks this would be one way
to clear a floating debt on his col
lege of $30,000.
Rev. Kerr B. Tupper, of Denver,
Col., whose father is so well known
in the South, will preach for the
venerable First church on next
Sunday. This church has had a
noble history. Perhaps Mr. Tupper
is the coming man to succeed the
g fted Dr. Boardman. Two of the
former pastors, Drs. Holcombe and
Brantley came from the Sunny
South.
About one year ago Capt. Neil
and wife, from the Salvation Army,
joined the East church. They have
been much blessed in revival meet
ings lately in Cleveland,Ohio. Their
sweet gospel hymns prove quite a
help. Query -. Should not every
student for the ministry learn to
play the organ and sing?
Rev. A. J. Rowland, who is not
a stranger to many in the South,
will soon leave for England, Ger
many, and Sweeden, to extend the
usefulnes; of the Publication So
ciety. We hope the day will come
when our great Society at 1420
Chestnut street will be the head
quarters for all the Baptist in the
I’nited States.
Most of our churches use the
“fruit of the vine” at the commu
nion. No doubt fermented wine
has been a stumbling black to re
formed drinkers. The Fourth
church now uses individual com
munion cups. The plain glass cost
only 1 S cents per dozen.
Ever since the “National Bap
tist” ceased, and we had to get our
news byway of New York, there
has been many calls for a St ate
paper. Our Year Book puts our
membership at 96,175, and at this
time it is probably over 100,000 in
the state. But we are not to want
much longer, for Rev. J. S. James
says the paper is coming.
For the past fifteen years our
City Mission Society has been a
most useful helper. Many of its
missions are now strong churches ;
one most prosperous is the Alle
gheny Avenue, Rev. A. L. Moore,
pastor. Ground will soon be broken
for a new edifice. In 1573 we had
just fifty churches, now there are
eighty. Nugent Home, a place for
worn out preacher . is being en
larged.
The American Baptist Publica
tion Society, desiring to secure a
larger outlet for its Publications,
has appointed Dr. A. J. Rowland,
secretary, and business manager O.
W. Spratt. Esq , to sail June Sth
for England, Germany and Sweden.
They will visit the Swedish Con
ference at Ostersund, June 26 30.
Eccles l a.
SEMINARY GQMMENUEMENT-
It is a matter of gratification to
the faculty and friends of the
Seminary that so many of the stu
dents stayed till the close of the
session. Such a large number has
never been known to remain until
the closing day. When diplomas
in the separate schools were award
ed on Thursday only two or three
failed to respond to the caff of
their names. Did any body imag
ine that the death of Dr. Broadus
would diminish the number of
students? So far the indications
are that the number will be greatly
increased next term. President
Whitsitt says that never in the
history of the institution has he
received so many letter from pros
pective students.
The anniversary exercises of the
Broadus Literary Society were
held in Norton Hall Tuesday even
ing. The principal feature of the
occasion was an address by Dr.
Hawthorne on “Intellectual and
Moral Courage.” He captivated his
large audience at the very out set
by a happy introduction from which
the dullest of us could easily per
ceive that he had not modified his
views on “the woman question.”
Notwithstanding the fact that
the doctor was quite hoarse (a very
unusual thing for him) he held
his audience with a masterly grip
to the end of the lecture. Who
does not delight to listen to that
musical voice and yield himself to
that wonderfully magnetic person
ality ?
All were eagerly looking forward
to Thursday morning when Dr.
C H. Carroll was to deliver the
commencement address. On
Wednesday he wired Dr. Whitsitt
that he was unwell and his physi
cian had forbidden him to come.
The disappointment was great, and
it was too late to obtain a substi
tute. But there is always some
way to meet every emergency, and
this one was happily and satisfac
torily met by Bro. Earnest Cook,
of St. Louis. The Faculty asked
him to take Dr. Carroll’s place. He
had no time to prepare except the
hour that was consumed by Presi
dent Whitsitt in awarding diplo
mas ; and yet his speech was inter-
Continued on Sth page.