Newspaper Page Text
ESTABLISHED 1821.
The Christian Index
Published Every Thursday
By BELL Al VAN NEWS
Address Christian Indkx,Atlanta, G«.
Organ of the Baptht Denomination in
Georgia.
Subscription Prick:
One copy, one year f 2.00
One copy, six months 1.00
About Our Advertisers.—W«* propose
hereafter to v**ry carefully Investigate our
advertisers. We shall exercise every care to
allow only reliable parties to use our col
utnns.
Obi rt ariks.—One hundred words fret o
charge. For each extra word, one cent per
word cash with copy.
To 'orkksuondknts—D<» not use abbrevi
ations; be extra careful in writing proper
names; write with ink. on one side of paper.
Do not write copy intended for the editor
and b islness items on same sheet. Lease
oIT personalities, condense.
Business.—Write all names, and post
oflices distinctly. In ordering a change give
the old as well as the new address. The date
of label indicates the time your subscription
expires. If you do not wish it continued, or
der it stopped a week before. We consider
each subscriber permanent until he orders
his paper discontinued. When you order it
stopped pay up to date.
Remittances by registered letter, money
order, postal note.
For the Index.
True Love to One’s Neighbor.—Sun
day-School Lesson for March 8
Luke 10:25-:!7.
BY S. G. HILLYER.
We learn from the record that
on a certain occasion, a young
lawyer stood up to tempi Jesus,
by putting to him a most impor
tant question: “What shall I do
to inherit eternal life?” The
question, however, was notasked
with a good and honest pur
pose to learn the way of life,
but to tempt —to make trial of
Jesus. The Lord perceived his
duplicity, and very adroitly made
the lawyer answer his own ques
tion. Jesus said to him, “What
is written in the Law? How
readest thou ?” Being a lawyer,
he was well versed in the books
of Moses; he answered promptly;
“Thou shalt love the Lord thy
God with all thy heart and with
all thy soul and with all thy
strength and with all thy mind;
and thy neighbor as thyself.”
Jesus said in reply: “Thou hast
answered right; this do and thou
shalt live.” Whoever truly ful
fills these two precepts will fulfill
every command of the Decalogue
and every other precept of Bible
morality. And it is written: “He
that doeth these things shall live
by them.”
The lawyer was answered; but
he was not satisfied. The Sav
iour’s words seemed to have
touched his conscience. He had
woven a cord for his own neck.
He may have imagined, as thou
sands of deceived souls do irnag
ine, that he did love God su
premely. So his conscience did
not trouble him about his affec
tions toward God. How little he
knew of himself! And it is won
derful how many of the present
day are fatally blinded by a like
self-ignorance.
But the lawyer was not quite
satisfied with his relations to his
neighbor. Hence he asked an
other question: “And who is my
neighbor?” In one view of this
question, it might seem very
silly. He knew, as well as we
do, the literal meaning of the
word. Why then should he ask,
Who is thy neighbor? Luke tells
us why. He did it to “justify
himself.” This means that he
felt just then that he needed jus
tification, because he knew that
there were people whom he did
not love. Perhaps there were
some whom he had treated un
kindly; and, as above stated, his
conscience was touched. But if
he could only be sure that those
parties were not his neighbors,
then he had not violated the
terms of the Law, and his con
science would be relieved. Thence
his question was intended to jus
tify himself.
In reply to the ques ion, the
Saviour first told him the story
of the good Samaritan. A man,
on his way to Jericho, was at
tacked by robbers, severely
wounded and left in a helpless
condition on the roalside. Pres
ently a priest cams by,but passed
the poor sufferer without a word
of sympathy or a look of kind
ness; then a Levite passed with
equal indifference. The priest;
and the Levite belonged to that
tribe of Israel which God had
chosen and consecrated to be his
servants; to preside over and
perform all the religious rites of
the tabernacle, and to teach the
people His laws. The sufferer
was a Jew of another tribe, and
therefore entitled, in a very im
pressive sense, to their sympa
thy and assistance. Yet both
passed him unnoticed.
At length a Samaritan —a
stranger, of a people whom the
Jews despised—came along the
road. He looked upon the suf
ferer and had compassion on him
and kindly took care of him and
provided for his wants. When
Jesus had finished this story, he
THE CHRISTIAN INDEX.
> V* Fir Y«*«, - t 2.00. I
h .NISTERS, 1.00.1
turned to the lawyer and said:
“Which of these three, thinkest
thou was neighbor unto him who
fell among thieves?” And he
said: “He that showed mercy on
him.” Then said Jesus unto him:
“Go thou and do likewise."
it i> worthy of special notice
that the word neighbor is a rela
tive term, whose correlative hap
pens to be the same word. Gen
erally, relatives and correlatives
are different words, as in the
case of parent and child, hus
band and wife. If lam another
man’s neighbor he is also my
neighbor. Therefore when Je
sus asked the lawyer which of the
three was neighbor to the suf
ferer he might just as well have
asked which of the three should
claim the sufferer to be his neigh
bor. The answer would have
been the same. All which means
that the Samaritan and sufferer
were, each, the other's neighbor.
Therefore, the Samaritan was as
truly “under command” to love
the sufferer as himself, as the
sufferer was to love the Samari
tan.
That the Samaritan did love
the poor wounded Jew, was
proved by his kindness to him.
He aid not love the Jew because
he had been aforetime his bene
factor. No hint of such a thing
is given in the record. He loved
him because he saw in that
wounded Jew a suffering fellow
man. There we see the Samari
tan’s broad fellowship with all
mankind. It embraced a suffer
ing stranger, though he belonged
to a race that scorned the Sa
maritans. Here surely we be
hold a case of broad, unselfish
philanthropy.
To confirm this conclusion, no
tice another fact. The Samari
tan stands forth as the loro of
the story. It recites his compas
sion, his kind acts and equally
kind words; while not a syllable
is given as concerning the feel
ings or the sayings of the suf
serer. Surely he must have felt
some gratitude; very likely he
expressed it warmly. But it is
not even alluded to. Why this
dead silence? If the parable
were designed to teach us, only,
that we should love our ''benefac
tors" as ourselves, then this si
lence is wholly unaccountable.
But if the parable was designed
to illustrate, in the person of the
Samaritan, a world-wide philan
thropy, then the silence is ex
plained—there was no need to
allude to the gratitude of the suf
ferer.
In view of what has been said,
the common interpretation of
the parable is the right one. It
answers the question of the Rul
er, “Who is my neighbor?” It
teaches us that every human be
ing has for his neighbor every
other human being, whom he is
bound to love as he loves himself.
The relation is reciprocal, and
the obligation, which it im
poses, is to help one another as
we may have ability and oppor
tunity.
Upon the precept, “Thou shalt
love thy neighbor as thyself,” is
founded the great law of reciproc
ity, which finds expression in the
Golden Rule: “Whatsoever ye
would that men should do unto
you, do ye also unto them.” This
is the ideal of Christianity in its
social power over mankind.
Could this ideal be only realized
it would not be necessary for
one to die in order to be in Heav
en.
Then, dear brethren, let us all
try to make our lives at least re
fleet this sublime ideal. To this
end let us cherish the thought
that every man is our neighbor
and let that thought make us
love him and do him good as we
have opportunity.
If we cannot fulfill this pre
cepb in all its height and depth,
let us try to the full extent
of our spiritual strength to do
so, looking for aid to Him
whose kind office it is “to help
our infirmities.”
For the Ikdkx.
A Home Talk.
by o. c. P.
How countless are the bless
ings God is showering into your
life and mine! We have a meas
ure, at least, of health and
strength. Food and raiment are
within reach through the earnest
labor God has wisely decreed
that we should put forth in se
curing them. We live in a Bible
land —a land illumined by the
light of the gospel of Jesus
Christ. Hallowed Christian as
sociations have been ours. We
were reared in a Godly home.
Our parents were servants of
Christ and we grew up under the
influence of their Godly example.
The close of every day was hal
lowed by the gathering of the
family, visitors and servants to
hear God's word read and, then,
dear father knelt and prayed.
Ah! can you ever forgetit—the
earnest expression of deep grati
tude for God’s blessings and the
humble pleading for a contin
uance of favors. That old home
was a blessing; life has brought
no richer gilt from God. Amid
all the trials and vicissitudes of
life the memory of the old homo
and the family altar has been sa
cred and sweet. That memory
has been an anchor to the soul.
In darkness, recalling the old
home scene has brought light.
In the surging of temptation, the
cherished memory has brought
strength. And what blessings
are ours today. The bonds that
bind us to our loved ones, the sa
cred atmospheres of our homes,
the kind words that are spoken
to us, the loving deeds that are
wrought for us. All these are
truly blessings! Think of the
privileges of the house of God.
It is ours to hear the gospel, and
its offers of mercy and favor in
Jesus Christ are made to us again
and again. These are blessings
of great value. We do not ap
preciate them as we should. But,
think of some of the minor bless
ings of life—those that we accept
and enjoy as a mere matter of
course. Did you ever stop to
think of how much of the pleas
ure of life comes through your
eyes, your ears, your tongue ?
What a blessing to have a sound
active mind in a body that teems
with the glow of vigorous health.
Your life and my life are both
full of blessings. The very air
we breathe is fragrant with God’s
loving kindness and tender mer
cy. Everything about us that con
tributes to our comfort and hap
piness has come to us directly
from His hand.
Now, I want to ask you and
ask myself one question: Are we
as grateful as we should be for
all these countless blessings of
life? We surely do not deserve
them. Had God have dealt justly
with us we would have long ago
been suffering the punishment so
justly due us for our transgres
sions. Nor does He measure His
mercies to us by our gratitude to
Him, but, on the contrary, he
richly blesses us even when we
are rebellious, sinful, ungrateful.
Let us think of all God has
done and is doing for us and let
us lift up our hearts in earnest,
sincere gratitude. It is possible
for us to cultivate the habit of
being thankful and then, by a
law of our human nature, we will
enjoy far more the blessings God
bestows. You know by expe
rience that when a gift is pre
sented to you and you receive it
with any true sentiment and suit
able expression of you thankful
ness, the reaction of your grati
tude very largely increases your
enjoyment of the gift. “In ev
erything give thanks.”
War trace, Tenn.
F >r the Inpex.
The Gospel’s “Come” and “Go.”
BY J. IL GAMBRELL.
No. 3.
“Let every one of you lay by
Him instore.” The words "Every
one of you," need to be empha
sized with holy unction and per
sistence in all our churches. Let
them ring out and ring out till
“every one” who has “come”
shall “lay by him in store as God
has prospered him.” Let all who
have “come” be brought into line
with the command “go Let
there remain no exception, not
one in all our churches. There
is not one who has “come” but
that has been graciously “pros
pered”. in some measure. Let
the measure of given prosperity
be the rule by which “every one”
shall obey the word “go.” This
is the Lord’s equity. It is right
eous altogether, to be sure. Let
this equity be observed and pre
served. It lays under tribute
“everyone” with his purse, small
or great. The old saint, sup
ported by the church, will “go”
under this rule. He is “pros
pered” in having friends who
care for him. He must “go,” or
disobey his Lord and lose great
blessing. He is too poor to
afford losing the last blessing.
The greatly “prospered” —
the rich — need to be pressed
to honor this divine rule.
Among strong, prosperous men
there ought to be an end of giv
ing by the rule that governs the
cares of the less prosperous
The brethren, except such of
them as are widows indeed,
ought to make an end of giving
“the widow’s mite.” Such con
duct is, truly, unlawful trespass,
dishonoring alike to Christian
manhood and the Lord. The di
vine equity will take out of every
dollar received by one who has
“come” at least ten cents. It will
take out of a thousand dollar in
come one hundred dollars, and
out of the ten thousand dollar
income it will take one thousand
dollars. For equity the Lord’s
rule is unequaled. “The law of
the Lord is perfect. ” It is an
unspeakable honor and help to
frail humanity to be permitted
to work by a perfect rule. Only
those who work by the divine
ATLANTA, GA., THURSDAY, MARCH 5,1896.
rule know the blessings it yields.
He who has been “prospered” to
the extent of ono dollar and will
only “go” a penny is as near the
divine rule as him who has been
“prospered” ten thousand dol
lars and will only “go” one hun
dred dollars. They alike stand only
in the twilight of blessing, where
they ought to, and might bask
in their noontide glory. He who
will “go,” according to the di
vine rule, knows for himself that
“it is more blessed to give than
to receive.” No others know it.
“The secret of the Lord is with
them that
ever there. It is mowhere else.
It is Me real secret of a happy,
useful life. To “do" by the di
vine rule is to use |skillfully the
key that unlocks ‘lthe secret of
the Lord.” Woulil that every
one who has “comi” nigh “go”
to the glory of God;
Greensboro, Ga. ;
Overtures to and From the B. Y. P
U Auxiliary the Southern Baptist
Convention.
To the brethren assembled in
Atlanta, November 21 22, 1895,
to organize a Baptist Young Peo
ple’s Union Auxiliary to the
Southern Baptist Convention,the
Executive Committee of the De
partment of the Gijeen B. Y. P.
U. A. sent the following paper:
To our Brethren Assembled in Atlanta
for the purpose of organizing a South
ern B. Y P. U. :
Since we esteem it highly important
that Southern Baptist young people
should be a unit in the work they are
doing, and that which, in the providence
of God, they are destined to do in the
years to come; and since there is a con
siderable element of our young people
who are not only desirous of manifesting
their loyalty to the Southern Baptist
Convention.’ but also of enjoying the fel
lowship of the young people of the Uni
ted States and Canada; and since we
believe that a platformican be devised
upon whi.th all can stand, we, therefore,
propose the following basis upon which
we may unite to reach those young peo
ple who have not been influenced by the
Baptist Young People’s Union of Amer
ica, and also to hold those that have been
reached by that movement:
1. That the Baptist young people of
the South organize as a Southern Depart
ment of the Baptist Young People’s
Union of America.
2. That the affairs of this department
be under the absolute control of South
ern Baptists-details to be arranged
subsequently.
3. That all work done by the union
shall be along the lines of local church
work, and through the gencies of the
Southern Baptist ConvejYon.
4. That the Young t'e*pie's Leader be
adopted as the official organ of the Bap
tist young people of the Southern States
5. That a general secretary be appoint
ed for the Southern States, giving all
his time to the work.
6. That each local union be entitled
to send delegates to the International
convention upon a numerical basis.
W. L. Wright. Chairman.
W. W. Landrum,
George Cooper,
Charles M. Ness,
Jno. Garland Pollard.
The Convention having organ
ized and adopted a constitution,
referred the above paper to a
committee of ten with instruc
tions to submit a report thereon
to the conventionalChattanojga
next May.
The committee of ten prepared
the following response :
Your communication to the Baptist
Young People’s Convention in Atlanta,
November 21 and 22, 1895, was referred
to us, as a committee, with instructions
to in ike response in behalf of our B Y.
P. U. Auxiliary to the Southern Bap
tist Convention. We beg; therefore, to
submit the following response to your
paper : . ,
In our judgment, there are conditions
existing, the nature of which makes it
impossible that the Baptist Young Peo
pie’s Union Auxiliary to {the Southern
Baptbt Convention should be a depart
ment. There are practical difficulties in
the way of the immediate and widespread
influence of the Baptist Young People’s
Union of America in certain sections,
which, we are impressed, can be over
cotneat once by the Baptist Young Peo
ple’s Union Auxiliary to the Southern
Baptist Convention.
While appreciating the spirit of your
proposals, we see grave difficulties in
working out the details so as to preserve
both autonomy and federation ; and,
wishing to do everything that sound
judgment and good feeling may dictate,
we desire to present the following pro
posals in answer to your paper, which
was referred to this committee by the
Baptist Young People’s Union Auxiliary
to the Southern Baptist Convention:
1. In the place of your first proposi
tion. we propose this—viz : (1) That
the Baptist Young People’s Union Aux
iliary to the Southern Baptiit Conven
tion shall be recognized by the Baptist
Young People’s Union of America, as
supplying the place of the “Department
of the Green ; ” and although the organ
ization we represent is to be a distinct
body, and equal in all its functions to
the Baptist Young People's Union of
America, still there will be cordial and
fraternal co-operation between the two
bodies in general matters relating to the
development of the young people in ev
ery section of our country. (2) That
there be a joint annual meeting of the
executive committees of the't wo general
bodies to arrange a joint study, or Chris
tian Culture Course, the materials and
preparations for these courses to be sup
plied by each general body for itself ;
and to consider any other matters of
common interest to the two bodies; all
such questions, however, to be sub
mitted to the bodies for their sanction
2. We accept your second, third, and
fifth propositions as they stand in your
paper.
3. We most heartily accept your sixth
proposition—suggesting, however, this
in addition: That fraternal delegates
shall be appointed by the Baptist Young
People’s Union Auxiliary to the South
ern Baptist Convention to the general
meetings of the Baptist Young People’s
Union of America, and fraternal dele
gates appointed from the latter to the
former body.
These propositions are submitted be
fore being finally adopted by our com
mittee for recommendation to the Chat
tanooga meeting, in the hope that we
may secure their acceptance by you pre
vious to such action. We feel sure, how
ever. they will be acceptable to the or
ganization we represent.
We are devoutly desirous of reaching
some common ground upon which we
can stand, in order that we may have a
union of all those heartily interested in
the development of our young people in
some organization appealing to the sym
pathies of the great masses,of our South
ern Baptist people. It is in the interest
of this broad efficiency that we ask your
cordial consideration, and ask your ac
cept nice of these propositions.
The paper is signed by B I) Gray,
F. C. McConnell, J B Gambrell. J. L.
White, T. H. Pritchard J. II Tucker,
I. ,1. Van Ness. H. F. Sprites. E J. For
rester and P. H. Mell.
The writer of this was request
ed to bear this response to, and
confer with the Executive Com
mittee of the Department of the
Green in reference to matters
contained therein. It was finally
arranged to meet the committee
in Richfnond at 8 p. m., February
10th.
We met at that time, but as two
membersof their committee were
absent we agreed to meet at Hi
o'clock next morning, but had
some informal talk and the paper
from the r committee and our re
sponses were both read. The
nextmornirg we met, and their
chairman, Dr. Wright, said that
it would be well for him to say
before we proceeded that since
we had organized at Atlanta on
the basis we did, they had no au
thority to treat with us. To this
I expressed my surprise, and re
marked that there was nothing
before us, and that whilst I was
glad to talk informally about
matters, I certainly would not
have come the long distance if I
had known they could not act in
the matter. Dr. F. C. McCon
nell, of our Committee of Ten,
came in and I repeated to him
what Dr. Wright had just said of
their inability to treat with us.
We then had a pleasant infor
mal talk about the present status
of our young people’s work; and
in the course of our talk we
asked if they would be willing to
recommend the acceptance of
our propositions to their constit
uency in Milwaukee next July,
but they were not wi ling to do
so
When our Atlanta convention
failed to organize as a Depart
ment of the Green B. Y P. U A.,
then the Executive Committee of
the Department of the Green
were precluded from further ne
gotiations with us, according to
their own statements. It was a
great surprise to me when they
took this position in Richmond.
They had been invited to meet
with our committee of ten in At
lanta on Dec. 23d last to confer
about this very matter. Then,
it would appear, would have been
the proper time for them to have
announced their inability to treat
with us.
1. fter that time and for over a
month, and up to within a few
days of our meeting in Rich
mond, I had had correspondence
with them, and had asked them
to meet me in Washington City,
but accepted their invitation to
meet them in Richmond, for the
purpose of bearing to them our
response and having an official
conference with them.
It will be seen from the view
taken by the Richmond commit
tee that they could not act upon
our response, and thus the mat
ter stands.
B. D. Gray.
Birmingham, Ala., February
21, 1896
The Executive Committee of
the Department of the Green
published the following in the
Religious Herald of two weeks
ago. It gives their view of the
situation and was written pre
vious to the publication of Dr.
Gray’s letter.
In view of the fact that the committee
of the B. Y. P. U. Auxiliary to the
Southern Baptist Convention and our
committee have been unable to come to
an agreement as to a basis of the union
of our forces, it is deemed well to make
the following statement to the constit
uency of the Southern Baptist Conven
tion :
1. When the Executive Committee of
the Department of the Green. B. Y. P.
U. A., made propositions 2,3, 4,5, it
was not only from a conviction that
such an arrangement would help
our cause, but wi’h a hope that these
propositions would cause our brethren
everywhere at the South to be willing
to retain an organic relation with the
Baptist young people of our continent.
2. It will be seen from the papers
above that the brethren representing
the B. Y. P. U. Auxiliary to the South
ern Baptist Convention are willing to
accept all our propositions, except the
one in the interest of which the others
were made; in other words, they are
willing to compromise on a basis of ac
cepting all we offer, and refusing the
only concession we ask.
3. It will be seen by a comparison of
the foregoing papers that the one mat
ter that divided the two committees,
and at last made their conference nuga
tory, was the demand of the committee
of the B. Y. P. U. Auxiliary to the South
ern Baptist Convention, that there
should be swept away the last trace of
organic fellowship between the Baptist
young people of our Southern land and
the Baptist young people of the West, of
the North, and of Canada.
4. By comparison of foregoing papers,
it will be seen that no organic contact
is proposed by us that can, in the slight
est degree, endanger the autonomy, per
petuation or progress of the Southern
Baptist Convention.
5. We can imagine but one objection
that can now be urged against such an
organic connection as we propose, and
that is a feeling, possibly existing in
some sections, agains l : our movement
because it has a relation to supposed er
rors among our Northern brethren. We
feel confident such a feeling, if it exists
at all. is very exceptional. Further
more, we are convinced that to accord
it any consideration would be sacrificing
the Christian principle of charity.
(I We take this opportunity of cor
recting again what seems to be a popu
lar misapprehension of the source of our
appointment as the Executive Commit
tee of the Department of the Green. We
were elected by the Southern delegates
present at the Baltimore convention—
aoont 700 in nnmbe-.- —who assembled at
the Brantly church on July 21st last
We. therefore, represent a body of
Southern Baptists larger in number and
in the extent of territory from which
they came than do our brethren ap
pointed from the Atlanta convention.
7. Let not this failure to agree dis
courage the friends of the movement.
Since the Baltimore convention, the
work has rapidly grown in the South,
and we cannot believe that the day is
distant when all efforts will be joined
for the increased spirituality and effec
tiveness of our Baptist young people.
W. L Wright,
George Cooper,
W.m. W. Landrum,
Chari.es M. Ness,
Jno. Garland Pollard.
For tin- Index
Sacred Music.
BY E. H. THORNTON.
There is music in everything.
“From the ocean’s thunderous
roaring to the trolling of the
birds.” Could we but catch the
music of the stars, it would come
to us like the faraway chime of
silver bells falling upon the
heart as gently as the low, sweet
sigh of a lily. When the storm
king starts from his slumbers,
and “Old Boreas on his huge
guitar of thundering forests
sweeps a grand march to the
gods,”—there is music sublime
in its maddening glee. But af
ter all there is no music on
earth equal to that of the
human voice. Dr. Talmage
says “we appreciate secular
music,” and gives instances
of how shattered armies have
rallied unde r the influence of its
magic power, but asks the
question, “Do we appreciate sa
cred music?” beautifully adding
“nothing inspires me more than
a congregation lifted up on the
wave of holy melody.” Ana
tion's songs touch a nation’s
heart. When the crash of a
splendid band bursts forth in all
Ihe wild music of Dixie, the hot
Southern blood leaps in my
veins and carries me back to the
• scorching days of the sixties.”
Once more I hear the blare of bu
gles and the long, low, deep
growl of the drum, and as the
bloody canopy is lifted from the
field of carnage by the lurid
light of blazing cannon, and
Hashing musketry, I see the bat
tle-scarred veterans of Lee and
Johnston fighting with a despera
ton born of despair in defense
of the “storm cradled nation
which fell.” Those who followed
the stare and bars till they went
down in gloom and the hopes of
our people were buried, cannot
be charged with disloyalty to the
“lost cause,” in saying there is
another song that fills the heart
with joy and gladness. When I
hear the lofty music of the “Star
Spangled Banner” every fibre in
my being thrills with love and
gratitude to God for this glorious
country, and on bended knee I
bless His holy name for this land
of Bibles, this lai d of Christian
homes, and churches, this land
of religious liberty. I love the
sad, sacred memories that clus
ter around every blood stained
fold of the “conquered banner,”
and I thank God for every star
that glitters in the glorious old
Hag which 11 jats proudly above
the grandest people beneath the
skies. Much as I am moved by
these there are other songs, sa
cred songs, which stir my soul
to its very depths, grand old
hymns, the music of which hushes
into silence all martial airs and
sweeps into oblivion all secular
strains. There is one dearer to
me than all others, it is old but
ever new. No sweeter music
has fallen upon the ear of mor
tils since the angels sang “Glory
to God in the highest, peace on
earth, good will to man.” Thou
sands of congregations have been
lifted upon the wave of its holy
melody. It has circled this
mighty old earth with the ten
der pathos of its heavenly mu
sic. Its-every dine is a prayer
and every note an inspiration.
It swings out the star of hope to
the Christian believer, and
brings the sobbing sinner in
penitential tears to the feet of
the Master. Thank God for that
grandest of all music,
“Jesus, lover of my soul,
Let me to thy bosom fly;
W hile the nearer waters roll,
While the tempest still is high.”
May God fill the hearts of His
people with a spirit of sacred
song that shall flame into glo
rious anthems and happy halle-
VOL. 76-NO. 10
lujahs in praise to His holy name
now and foiever.
Atlanta, Ga.
For the Index.
is Tithe Paying Scriptural ?
by a. c. WARD.
In the Index dated February
20th there appeared an admira
ble article from the able pen of
Dr. J. G. Gibson under the title
“Pay What Thou Owest”
which is more than suggestive.
After a careful reading by one
seeking light, the question was
asked, “Is it Scriptural ?” Our
answer is, that there can be no
doubt as to the Old Testament
teaching on this subject. Abra
ham certainly gave tithes of all
his property to Melchizedek.
Gen. 14:20. Also see Heb. 7:2 6.
Notice in passing that here
are given passages'both from the
Old and New Testament.
The original purpose of the
tenth was, that the men who
ministered to the people in spir
itual things, should be supported
thereby. It was expected that
each would bring a tenth of what
was made. In Deut. 14:24 we see
that this law was changed, not
as to amount, or time of giving
but as to the kind of offering.
Thus for example the distance
might be too great to carry even
a tenth of the corn made, in.
which event the 24th verse says
“Then thou shalt turn it into
money, and bind up the money
in thine hand, and shalt go unto
the place which the Lord thy
God shall choose.”
Undoubtedly the question of
tithing was frequently over
looked even by the Old Testa
ment saints. Many of the Jew
ish kings completely ignored the
commands of God upon this very
subject. Both Hezekiah and
Nehemiah ( after the deliverance
from captivity) sought to arouse
the people and reform them on
tithing. Read 2 Chro. 31:5, 19.
Also Neh. 12:44. Now the ques
tion, as many other questions of
like character, can be decided
only on one basis. What is the
expressed will of God ? That he
has expressed his will, no one
can doubt who will take the
trouble to read what he says.
He has spoken, -and in speaking
he names a tenth. Can we,
who owe everything to him, off ;/
him less than the specified
amount ? Because he does not,
as the tax receiver, issue fi. fas.
and sell us oit of all we have,
shall we therefore take advan
tage of his mercy ? Has the law
of God in regard to tithing ever
been repealed or annulled ? No
matter what we as his children
may or may not say about tith
ing, it certainly must remain as
God’s plan of giving until he
speaks again to us on the sub
ject. Christ did not change the
law. It was in vogue when he
was on earth. We-read of tithes
of mint, anise and cumin. The
law did not oblige the Jews to
give the tithe of this sort of
herbs. It only required it of all
that come under the head of in
come or revenue. The Phari
sees desired to distinguish them
selves by 7 a scrupulous observ
ance of the law. Christ did not
chide them for this, bat for
the fact that while they
were so scrupulous about
keeping the law of tithing they
were negligent of the weightier
matters of the law. It is as if
he said “you do well in the mat
ter of tithes, why not do as well
in other things ?’’
The subject of giving is really
taken for granted in the New
Testament. Christ everywhere
commends it. In no instance
does he condemn it, or speak
disparagingly of it. The New
Testament may be regarded as a
confirmation of the Old Testa
ment. If we as Baptists con
tend for the faith once delivered
to the saints we must certainly
come back to the tithing of our
increase.
I do not believe in church as
sessments, nor do I believe any
man on earth has the right to
specify the amount I shall give.
I do not know the amount my
self. It is all in the hands of
God. If he’gives me much, one
tenrh is his; if he gives me little,
one-tenth is his portion. Thus
each one as he purposeth in his
heai t, so let him give.
Baptist it- Reflector-. We are glad
to see the names of so many good
and well-known Baptists among
the signatures to the temperance
call. We trust that every Bap
tist in the State will in this fight
be found upon the side of tem
perance, of morality and, we be
lieve, of Christ. We shall have
something more to say upon the
subject probably between now
and the time of the convention.
We have not got into politics.
We stand where we always did.
We are simply proposing to put
our principles into practical op
eration. With us it is a question
of morality and of Christianity,
and not simply of politics.