Newspaper Page Text
4
¥heGhrtstianlndex
T. P. BELL. I Fbttors
LJ. VAN NESS, f EU,TORS -
THE "NEW DISCOVERY."
In the Wwlerii Recorder of June
18, appeared a communication
headed, “The New Discovery."
We give the communication in
full that all our readers may have
it before them, that they may
judge what we say:
To Editor Western Recorder:
God be praised for yonr safe return
and for the very valuable service that
you are doing for the cause of truth
When the discussion concerning Dr.
Whitsitt's "New Discovery " was sprung.
I said to my wife: "I predict that Dr.
Eaton will examine King George's
Pamphlets, and then we will have state
ments that are authoritative He is too
loyal to the truth of God to allow such
an attack on his people to go nnchal
lenged. nor will he write without know
ing whereof he writes ”
The INDEX of this week—and you
know that it is now edited by two Sem
inary students—makes a very remarks
ble statement. The Index says
‘’Among the many deplorable features
of the Whitsitt discussion Is the “bil
lingsgate" use of certain vague charges
that Dr. Whitsitt ha* taught that Bap
list wives ought to go with their hns
bands to Pedobaptist churches, anl
tales as foolish. Dr Whitsitt certainly
goes out of his way if he teaches this,as
such matters come under Dr. Dargan's
department.”
This statement is remarkable first.be
cause it has nowhere appeared as it is
put by the Index ; and secondly,because
hitherto it was unknown by the great
body of Baptists th it any ‘ department"
of the Seminary ui ide any deliverances
as to the duty of “Baptist wives" going
“with their husbands to Pedobaptist
churches.” But for the Recorder and
some other papers,the Baptists of Geor
gia would to day be in too great igno
rance of this lamentable affair. That
the /foconkr is the leading Baptist paper
in the South, is due, in part, at least, to
the fact that it loves the Baptist cause
more than any Baptist man, no matter
what may lie his position.
Long live the Recorder, and may the
Lord give us the invaluable services of
its editor yet many years
A. B. Vaughan, .Th
Canton, Ga.
In regard to the contents of the
article, we would saj :
1. We have no objection in the
world to Brother Vaughan’s ex
pression of admiration for Dr.
Eaton and the UVsforn Recorder.
We probably appreciate him and
it at their full value. We have
already expressed our oninion as
to its course since Dr. Eaton re
turned. But that Dr. Eaton will
settle all this matter by a word
seems a vain hope, as may be
seen by the report of the Ken
tucky General Association, given
by Brother Edens in this issue of
the Index. Dr. Eaton does not
appear to be any nearer to set
tling it than we are.
2. We have no objections to
Brother Vaughan scriticising the
Index for its course in the Whit
sitt matter. He would have been
perfectly free to do so in the In
dex itself. Its columns are wide
open, and we have not only in
vited, but urged, brethren to ex
press their views on this or any
other subjects they wanted in
these columns. If brethren do
not agree with the editors’ posi
tions on any subject,we cordially
invite them to say so, and just as
plainly and emphatically as
they please. We try to hold
the Index as belonging to
Georgia Baptists, in one sense,
as well as to the proprietors, in
another. We commend to Brother
Vaughan the course of Brother
Ross in the last issue of the In
dex.
3. "We are sorry Brother
Vaughan should have seen tit to
say what he did, ard in the way
he did, about our being “Semi
nary students." We think he
most have written those words in
haste, without considering the
meaning, and that when he takes
time to think about them he will
regret having written them. The
slur that is concealed in them is
hardly worthy the man who
penned them. Nor do we think
that the Baptists of Georgia will
set it down to the discredit of the
editors, that when,as young bus
iness men, they felt called of God
to preach the gospel, they gave
up their business and went to the
Seminar}’ to get the best possible
equipment for their work
4. But as to the main question
involved. Let us state our posi
tion again, and clearly:
Dr. Whitsitt has published
statements to the effect that pre
vious to 1641, the Baptists of
England practiced sprinkling
and pouring for baptism,and that
Roger Williams, in this country,
was not immersed. A number of
brethren have resented these
statements, denounced Dr. Whit
sitt as an enemy of the Baptists,
a traitor and various other evil
things, and have demanded that
he be removed from the Semi
nary at once, or at least resign.
Dr. Whitsitt has replied to his
critics, that he will, in a short
time, give historical facts on
which he based his statements,
and asks that the brethren with
hold judgment until he can have
time to prepare and issue his
facts. Now the Index merely
takes the position that this is a
question of history, not sentiment.
And that history is based on
facts, not on opinions. So the
only fair thing to do is to give all
parties a fair chance. We must
not condemn a man until he is
heard. We believe all fair-minded
men will agree with us in this
We have never once said that we
think Dr. Whitsitt is right, for
w r e have not seen it that way.
But we find that the historians
are very much divided on the
very questions under discus
sion. On one side, Dr. Whit
sitt and Dr. H. C. Vedder,
Professor of Church History in
Crozer Theological Seminary,
stand and claim as facts what Dr.
Whitsitt has said. In the Western
Recorder of the same date with
Bro. Vaughan’s article, is one
from Prof. Vedder, in which he
says, “I substantially agree with
Dr. Whitsitt, and have uniformly
so said in public and in private
since the beginning of the con
troversy. Ido not find that Dr.
Whitsitt has misstated one fact.”
Now these two men, with Prof.
A. H. Newman,of Canada,are the
recognized leaders in Baptist his
torical studies in this country.
We cannot just |ride over
such men and say they do not
know what they are talking
about. On the other hand, Bro.
Jarrell, of Texas, who has done
much work on these lines, and
Bro. Christian, of Louisville,who
isa diligent collectorof historical
facts, and some others, say that
the facts are the other way, and
they in this have on their side
the writers on Baptist history in
the past. Now we are not spec
ialists on history and these men
are, and they differ as far as the
poles. We want the old view to
stand, and if our saying so could
make it so, we would say so very
quickly. But we, and the great
bulk of our people, have never
made a specialty of history, and
so we cannot say yet which is
right.
What can we do? It seems to
us the only thing to do is to
quietly wait until all these breth
ren have had time to present
their facts, and then we common
and unlearned folks can form our
own opinions on the facts.
As the great question at issue
is one of historical fact, we have
thought it wise to let that be dis
cussed on its merits We depre
cate the introduction of theques
tion into the Independent, of New
York, by Dr. Whitsitt, and his
publication of it in Johnson’s En
cyclopedia. It ought to have
been first discussed among our
selves. But Dr. Whitsitt proba
bly has his reasons for so doing,
and will let us know in time. At
the worst, this could only be a
question of judgment, and if Dr.
Whitsitt made a mistake,it is not
a fatal one. The best of us make
mistakes in judgment, and we
should be willing to let that lie in
abeyance until we can settle the
great question, “Are these
things so?” The Baptists of the
nineteenth century, impregnable
in their position on immersion,
can well afford to do like the Be
reans of old, and search to see if
the things told them are true.
Though we may not be worthy
to stand by the Recorder's side in
the great work of building up the
Master's kingdom, we can stand
at a respectful distance, and ex
press our hearty approval of
some of its utterances. And so
we call special attention to the
extract from its columns which
appears in our “What the Bap
tist Editors Say.” Dr. Eaton
thinks some ugly things have
been said, and so do we. Let us
have less of passion and more of
reason.
TO THE BOOK.
In looking over an old scrap
book, a short time ago, we found
an article, the writer of which
had evidently been reading sev
eral lives of Christ, notably Gei
kie’s. He had read these lives,
which contained very much about
the real life, and in that much not a
little that was mere human imag
ination ami fancy, until he had
become tired, and had turned
from them all to the simple Gos
pel story, and had found it
chartringly fresh and refreshing.
So it is always when one can turn
from discussions about the Book
and the things in the Book, to
the simplicity and clearness and
sweetness of the Book itself. It
is like turning from a muddy,
brackish stream to a clear, sweet
watered spring.
We have had to read so much
of late about baptism, and
whether these people were bap
tized and those people were bap
tized. that we grew w’eary and
sick of it all. Especially when
we saw so much of human pas
sion and ugliness mixed up in it
all, did we feel that it would be
a pleasure to forget all the hu
man weakness and folly and
noise, and go to the Book and
read there what the Lord and his
apostles said and did about it.
And so we got our Bible, and
Broadus’ Harmony to bring par
allel passages of the gospels un
der the eye at once, and spent
some delightful hours in reading
what the Book said. And when
we got through the spell of the
wonderful ordinance was upon
us.
We could see the waters of the
Jordan divide as the Master him
self descended into them, setting
forth beforehand that death
which was to be memorialized in
the ordinance, of which death he
talked and felt so much before it
was accomplished.
The pools about Jerusalem be
came alive with the multitudes
as they gathered around, even
THE CHRISTIAN INDEX: THURSDAY, JUNE 25. 1896.
three thousand in one day, to
tell, in this symbolic grave, that
they were united with Jesus in
his death—buried in the likeness
thereof.
We stood, after the midnight
hour, in a prison yard of far-off
Philippi and witnessed the im
mersion of the jailor and his
household, and then went with
them into the home to join in re
joicing with them all, because
they all believed and had obeyed
the Master. Os course we could
enter into their joy—have we not
experienced it, a joy that none
ever knows until he has been
with his Master in the grave and
come forth unto the new life ?
Why, it is all plain in the Book.
And we were so glad that we
were a Baptist, and belonged to
a people wno based all their faith
and practice on the teachings of
the Book, and cared little for
other sources of authority. On
a night now getting to be a long
way off from the to-day, we went
down into the water, just as Jesus
did, and were buried in it, just
as he was, and we did it, not be
cause we knew that some other
people did it and had long been
doing it, but just because we
were persuaded that he had done
it—he and his disciples. It mat
tered not to us then, nor does it
now, that many or few do this
way or another way. We are
persuaded, now as then, that he
did this way, and we are satis
fied. How sweet the assurance
of the Book. How safe are we
when we stand on that. And
that is the Baptist foundation,
our “solid rock.” Standing on
this rock our fathers prevailed
over many enemies, great and
strong, and standing on it we,
their children, may even laugh
to scorn the attempts of our ene
mies to move us.
TO ANOTHER BOOK.
After we had enjoyed our
study and meditation on baptism,
as it is found in the Book, it oc
curred to us to look again into
the meaning of that stranger
word, which was brought into
our English tongue to tell of the
thing which Jesus had sought in
Jordan and had commanded his
disciples to administer to disci
ples among all the nations. It
had been some time since we had
occasion to look into it specially,
and so we would refresh our
memory. Nowhere, we knew,
could the full meaning of that
much fought over word, baptizo
be found, than in the famous
“Greek English Lexicon of the
New Testament,” by Prof. J. H.
Thayer, of Harvard University,
which is itself a translation,
with notes and corrections,of the
famous work of Prof. Grimm,
of Jena, which in turn is based
on a still older work of Dr. Wilke.
This work is authority. We
had forgotten how strong the
testimony of this work was in fa
vor of immersion. The fact is,it
absolutely does not allow any oth
er meaning for the word. Some
of our readers have not access
to this book, and as we have the
new and latest edition, they may
like to know just what meanings
are given to Baptizo. We give
them:
1. “Properly to dip repeat
edly, to immerge, submerge.”
2. “To cleanse by dipping or
submerging, to wash, to make
clean with water.”
3. Metaphorically, “to over
whelm” — “to be overwhelmed
with calamities.”
“ In the N. T. it is used partic
ularly of the rite of sacred ablu
tion, first instituted by John the
Baptist, afterwards by Christ's
command received by Christians
and adjusted to the contents and
nature of their religion, viz: an
immersion in water ”
So the book of the scholars
says the Lord was immersed,
even as the Book of the Lord
had shown.
Our readers will be entertained
and instructed with the account
Bro. Edens gives of the Ken
tucky General Association. His
impressions are those of a good
old time Baptist and an impartial
witness. The debate on the
Whitsitt matter seems to have
been lively, although a Baptist
General Association instruct
ing publishers of encyclopedias
is an innovation among Baptists.
We will be like the Northern
Methodists in a little while and
be attempting to run the world.
The debate was by some curious
turn participated in by four
Louisville pastors and a brother
from another State. It is quite
evident that the Louisville pas
tors are men enough to have dif
fering opinions and yet live in
peace. One of them seemed to
be against Dr. Whitsitt, two for
him and a third in a hazy state
of betwixt and between. Bro.
Edens will give some further im
pressions later.
It is possible some people might
have questions to ask of our good
brother, Obadiah Brassington.
Dr. Dobbs cannot be excelled in
his own sphere, but Dr. Brassing
ton has a wider range. The
brother has most excellent sense
and a little nonsense as well.
We shall be glad to forward to
him any special communication
that may reach this office.
We desire 13 call attention to
a part of the book review by
Prof. Moore in our “Among the
Books.” What he says about
the old tiles of papers is worthy
of attention. These ought to be
very carefully preserved, and if
Eossible, placed where they can
e made safe and their contents
looked over. We hope the new
Battle Abbey soon to be located
will care for all such documents,
as well as those specially con
nected with the war. It may not
be amiss to introduce Dr. Moore
as a professor in Vanderbilt
University and a most faithful
Baptist deacon in the Immanuel
Baptist church of Nashville. He
will, at various times, give us re
views of historical and economi
cal books.
The Texas Baptist Herald has
been giving special attention to
the Gospel Mission folks of late,
and has been doing it most
magnificently. We have not
agreed with Bro. Hayden in his
attacks on the present State Mis
sion management, but that posi
tion gives great force to his
strictures on the Gospel Mission
ideas. The Texas Baptist Herald
has also been very conservative
and fair in the Whitsitt matter,
presenting therein a contrast to
some others.
The Texas Baptist Herald shows
evidences of prosperity, and has
just added a new printing and
type-setting outfit.
We had hoped to have some
thing in this issue from Prof.
Pollock, concerning Mercer Uni
versity and the work of the
coming months. But he is so
busy, especially with visits to
schools, etc., that he cannot
speak until later. We are glad
to know that he is stirring about
among the people, and we learn
that wherever he goes be wins
friends for the school. If all
Mercer’s friends would bestir
themselves, there would not be
room to contain the boys that
would be there next fall. Now
is the time.
Rev. W. H. Cooper, D.D., has
resigned the pastorate of the
church at Cedartown. He has
been forced to this by the fact
that the climate does not agree
with either himself or his wife.
He has suffered very much from
asthma —a trouble newly de
veloped. We learn that Bro.
Cooper has not yet decided where
he will locate, though several
churches are in correspondence
with him. We sympathize with
the brethren at Cedartown in the
loss of their excellent pastor.
The catalogue of Georgetown
College has been received. The
institution last year had 399 stu
dents and from twelve States.
This is a co educational school,
but its arrangements in this re
gard are especially good. Rev.
W. B. Crumpton, D.D , formerly
State Mission Secretary in Ala
bama, is now connected with
Georgetown as Financial Agent.
President A C. Davidson is a
rare man for this or any place.
The Index owes special thanks
to Judge Alvin Freeman for
kindness shown Bro. J. A. How
ard, our agent. Bro. Freeman
meant all he said when he told
us that he was “ours to com
mand” for the Index. Through
his kind aid, our Newnan list is
much larger than it was a week
ago.
We are more and more rejoiced
to have the brethren stopping in
to see us. The office of The
Index has been brightened up,
to be in keeping with the paper,
and now makes a cozy spot. We
shall be glad to have the breth
ren use it when in the city and
to serve them in any way we
can.
We have inadvertenily omitted
to give notice of the publication
in the Baptist and Reflector of Dr.
Henson's series of sermons on
Stumbling Blocks. The sermons
are sure to be good. The Bap
fist and Reflector can be addressed
at Nashville. Tenn.
We see statements in several
papers of pastors going or pre
paring to go away on summer
vacations. Happy times to them
all. The editors will stay at
home and try to help feed the
flocks.
The Board of Trustees have
decided that the commencement
germans are private affairs over
which they have no control.
They say in regard to this
subject that but 15 per cent,
of the students engage in
these dances, and that they in no
way represent the sentiment of
the student body, nor is the Uni
versity responsible for them.—
Athens Banner.
The Texas Baptist Standard:
Your pastor can't do his best
preaching if he sees in the audi
ence the grocer to whom he is
behind three months on account
Pay his salary promptly and
give him a chance to do his best.
yDhat the ggpifot
The North Carolina Baptist:
The Young People’s Baptist
Union of America meets in Mil
waukee, Wisconsin, July 16-19.
They expect a crowd of 15,000.
The program contains 267 speak
ers; 600 voices will be in the
choir, and 1000 persons in Mil
waukee are at work on various
committees. The Union spreads
over Canada and the United
States and has an immense n e n
bership. We attended the Union
last year and were benefited.
The purposes are right; their
plans, some of them, question
able Now that we have a
Southern Union organized and
soon to be equipped with a cen
tral board, Southern societies
should affiliate with it. We hope
to see every Southern Baptist
society of whatever name, in
touch and at work with the
Southern Union. As loyal Bap
tists we cannot do less. It seems
to us, that for a Society in North
Carolina or Georgia or Texas, to
refuse to co-operate with the
Southern Union and to affiliate
with the B. Y. P. U. A., would be
on the same ground as for a Bap
tist church in either of these
States to cut loose from the
Southern Baptist Convention and
work with the Northern crgan
ization. However, we feel quite
confident that our young people
will make a strong Southern
band with the motto “culture for
service.”
The Journal and Messenger: We
are informed that the editor of
the Biblical World (not President
Harper, but the real editor),
“makes light” of a criticism on
certain pictures of assumed
scenes in Palestine, notably “Ja
cob’s well,” recently published
in this paper. And this leads us
to remark that it seems to us
it would be better for the Biblical
World to give more attention to
known or knowable facts than to
mere guesses and theories. Here
is a learned periodical which can
tell us all about the writers of
Genesis, which knows that the
books of the Bible were not writ
ten by those whose name they
bear, but by another man of the
same name (!), who can dissect
a sentence in the Hebrew lanj
guage and tell us just how many
different men were concerned in
its construction, and yet cannot
distinguish between the well
which reliable tradition says was
digged by Jacob and any other
hole tn the ground. It takes up
a stray picture of a hole with wa
ter in it and grass growing
around it, and tells us that it is
the well which the traveler finds
ten feet below the surface of the
ground, and no water in it, in a
cellar, and covered over with a
big stone having a hole in it,
while other stones have fallen in
upon it so that the mouth is
reached with difficulty. And this
blunder is committed by the Bib
lical World which is issued in the
interests of “Biblical scholar
ship.” It reminds us of those
who could discern the face of the
sky, but could not discern the
signs of the times—could not see
the face of Messiah in the face
of the Son of Man.
The Religious heraid: Os
course, from the beginning, the
Catholic religious papers and a
great majority of the secular
press (too often controlled by the
0 itholics), have virulently de
nounced and opposed the A. P.
A. organization. They have
charged that it was unamerican:
that it was against the spirit of
our people and our institutions,
and ought to be frowned down
upon by good citizens every
where. Now, however, we no
tice the formation of a similar
organization by the Romanists
themselves, and we are observ
ing with interest how silent our
secular papers are concerning
this organization. The vocabu
lary of abuse was almost too lim
ited to allow them to express
their opinion of the A. P. A ,
but they are very quiet concern
ing the Roman political organi
zation. One of the most danger
ous of all the signs of our times,
in our judgment, is the apparent
subservience of the secular press
to the Roman church.
The Biblical Recorder: It would
seem that we could not carry the
doctrine of the Holy Spirits
power too far; indeed we must
acknowledge to God all power
But that does not in any wise
leave us without our duties to
pray and preach and teach and
sacrifice and pay, that the power
of the Spirit may be made mani
fest; it does not warrant us in re
fusal to do our human part to
provide certainty and constancy
of support of missionaries: it
does not warrant us in refusing
to use human powers and agen
cies to protect our missionaries
from outrages. We must do all
that we can, use all the means
God has placed in reach of us.
Exertion for God is prayer to
God for his help, and he will an
swer.
The Central Baptist: Baptists
and other Dissenters of England
are greatly troubled over the
government’s Education Bill, the
intent of which is to put the
schools entirely under the direc
tion of the Established church.
And yet we need not be surpris
ed at this sort of tyranny over
conscience and conduct. As long
as infant baptism is practiced,
its adherents must logically in
sist upon directing the faith of
the citizens, even after they have
arrived at mature age. To bap
tize the unconscious children and
put them under the authority and
obligations of a church, is to
unite church and State and to as
sume a right of dictating every
religious action. Every man has
a right to be born free, but this
birthright is called into dispute
by infant baptism.
The Western Recorder: It is to
be legretted in the discussion of
Dr. Whitsitt’s position in regard
to Baptist history,
that sneers and vituperations
should be indulged in. Such
things do no good; they simply
irritate. They throw no light
on the question at issue, nor any
on the best course to pursue.
Let it be borne in mind that Dr.
Whitsitt is not at all responsible
for the sneers that are flung at
those who differ with him; nor is
anybody responsible for ugly
things said except those who
say them.
It is entirely possible to-be clear
Esitive and emphatic without
ing rude and insulting. To in
dulge in sneers and vituperation
is a virtual admission that one
lacks arguments. Men can de
nounce what they believe is
wrong, and denounce it in strong
est language, without sneers or
vituperation. If an opponent is
not worthy of respect, he is not
worthy of notice.
It is bad enough that this con
troversy has arisen, but let not
the matter be made worse by our
brethren’s losing any of their re
ligion. Some of us have so lit
tle that we cannot afford to lose
any. Dr. W hitsitt, whom we
have ever delighted to honor, has
made a mistake —a peculiarly un
fortunate mistake —which we
hope he will see and correct; but
the matt°r will not be helped any
by brethren's making mistakes.
In this connection one mistake
is enough.
The Standard: The college com
mencement ought to be a time
when good educational seed
should be sowed which will bring
forth its fruit at commencement
seasons in the future. Efforts
should be made notonly to secure
the presence of prominent minis
ters and leading citizens with
bank accounts running up to six
and seven figures, but of the
young people. If you can secure
the fealty of the young peo
ple that of the older
people will be sure to follow.
There is a charm in the triumphs
of commencement week which is
most impressive. The drill of
the class-room may not be attrac
tive to many young people, but
the position and power gained by
a college education are shown,
to a degree at least, on com
mencement day.
The Baptist News: The fact is,
open communion is a very slight
inducement to any man to be
come a Baptist. If it was much
of an inducement, open commun
ion Baptists would prosper more.
But take a look at the Free wills
for instance. The “close” Bap
tists baptized far more last year
than there are in that entire
denomination. Indeed it is a
fact that our order of Baptists
grow and prosper just in pro
portion as they are strict in main
taining our peculiarities which
naturally go with “close com
munion.”
The Baptist: We have a request
for a small book of prayers, or a
book of small prayers, to suit dif
ferent occasions. There are sev
eral reasons why we cannot fill
such an order. We do not know’
the “different occasions” on
which the prayers are to be used,
neither do we know the sincere
desires of the hearts of those
who would make use of the
prayer forms were we to furnish
them. There seems to be a grow
ing demand for a manufactured
religion. The effective prayer
springs from a loving, obedient
heart afid cannot be used a sec
ond time. Each occasion affords
the inspiration for its devotion.
Evangel: One of the stand
ing means of grace is the man
who goes about asking, “Who
will show us any good?” Os
course, the man means that there
isn't any good. Doubtless, in
the divine economy the man and
the question have a place and
purpose. Even in human expe
rience they serve a kind of use.
Sometimes a counter-irritant is
of great value. The desponden
cy of another proves often just
what is needed to challenge a
man's own faith and save him
from despair.
Jennings church, abcut two
miles from this placb,willbe ded
icated on Sunday, July 19, just
one month from to-day." Rev. J.
F. Edens, for many years pastor
of the Crawfordville Baptist
church, will preach the dedica
tion sermon. It is a pretty coun
try church and is well located.—
Crawfordville Advocate Democrat.
baptist yews*
KENTUCKY NOTES.
MINISTERS' MEETING.
The two great annual gatherings of
Kentucky Baptists. Ist. The Kentucky
State, Baptist Ministers’ Meeting, and 2.
the General Association of Baptists in
Kentucky, met last week with the First
Baptist church in Bowling Green.
Bowling Green is a pretty little city
on the main line of the L and N. R. R.,
between Nashville and Louisville, sev
enty two tnilps from Nashville. It
boasts of a population of eight or ten
thousand inhabitants, with extra fine
educational advantages, a male and fe
male college, a normal school and two
graded grammar schools. Brother E. V.
Baldy, a former Georgia boy. is the
gifted pastor of the First Baptist church
with which these bodies met Every
thing was in fine trim and ready for
their reception.
The ministers' meeting assembled
promptly at 10a.m.,Thursday the 18th.
The 2d Psalm was-read,Coronation sung
and prayer was offered by Father M. F.
Ham Brethren J. M. Weaver, of Lou
isville, and J. M. Prestridge, of Wil
liamsburg, were re elected moderator
and clerk. Fifty two ministers were
enrolled at the opening After the ap
pointment of the usual committees, the
regular program was taken up in order.
Brother J. S. Coleman, of Hartford,
gave some touching reminiscences of
the early Baptist preachers of Ken
tucky. The first question, “ What is
the Scriptural use of the Phrases—King
dom of God, and Kingdom of Christ ? ”
was spoken to first, by J. M Prestridge,
who was followed by many others.
There was pretty general dissatisfac
tion expressed as to the result of this
discussion.
2p. m., Thursday. On the question,
“What are to be the results of the gos
pel dispensation as it relates to the
conversion of the world,” Brother J. M.
Weaver, of Louisville, read an ex
tremely interesting paper, which was
followed by general discussion. The
third question discussed was, “ What
can be done to induce all of our
churches to have religious services
every Sabbath ?” This was opened by
Brother C. H. Jones Pending the de
bate on this question, the afternoon
session adjourned.
8 p m. The annual sermon for criti
cism was preached by Brother J. T.
Barrow. of Owensboro, from Colossians
1:28. Theme, “ Christ the Subject-
Matter of Preaching ” Following is a
synopsis of the sermon:
I. ■ Whom we preach "
1. As the fulfillment of prophecy.—
Deut. 18:15; Acts 10:43
2. As the ransom for sinners.—l
Tim 2:6.
3. As the Christian’s peace.—Eph.
2.14; John 16:33.
4. The Christian’s -food and life.—
John 6:35; Col. 3:3,
11. The Manner of Preaching.—
“ Warning every man and teaching
every man ”
1. Warning.- Ezek 33:7.
2. Aptness to teach is a Scripture re
quirement .
(a) Must lie taught origin, condition,
duty, destiny.
(b.) In all wisdom, best time, fittest
season, occasion, etc.
3. Christ should be preached plainly,
earnestly, tenderly, fully.
111. Object of Preaching ‘ That
we may present everyman perfect, in
Christ Jesus.” Far from perfect here
and now
1. Not perfect in self, but in Christ.
—Complete in him —Col. 2:10.
Application - Ministers should labor
and Christians strive to bring all to
Christ.
■The sermon was a fine one, so much
so. that on Friday morning it wm com
mended and passed without criticism.
Friday, 9 a m. The pending ques
tion ‘ What can be done to induce all
of our churches to have religious ser
vices every Sabbath?" was taken up and
further discussed by J 8. Coleman,
T. T. Eaton and James F. Edens.
10 a m “ What is the best
means of increasing the attendance
and interest in our State Ministers'Meet
ing?” A very fine paper was read on
this question by W. S Ryland, who
was followed by many speakers.
At 11 a m Brother J. M. Frost, of
Nashville, Tenn , by special request,
preached a most excellent sermon on
Prayer.
2 p. m . Friday. The subject of
“ public prayer ” was taken up. C. G.
Jones, W. H Whitsitt. J. M. Weaver
and a host of others spoke on this im
portant subject to the instruction and
edification of al l . Following this came
a time-honored custom of the ministers’
meeting, the relation of the Christian
experience and call to the ministry of
the oldest and youngest preachers pres
ent. The order was reversed and
young Brother J. D. R ogars, of Frank
fort, made his relation, at the close of
which there was not a dry eye in the
house, and a spontaneous outburst of
Christian and ministerial fellowship,
such as we never felt or witnessed, took
place in spite of all the moderator
could do. Brother Wm. Shelton. Sr.,
of Stanford, being the oldest, made his
relation. The right hand of fellow
ship was given in the old-fashioned way
to each in their order.
8. p. m.. Friday. “The attitude of
Roman Catholicism toward civil lib
erty" was very ably discussed by breth
ren C. H. Nash, of Hopkinsville, and
J. T. Christian of Louisville. During
the speech of Brother Christian, the
vast audience went wild in spite of the
presiding officer After attending to
some routine business, between 9 and
10 o’clock Saturday morning, the min
isters' meeting adjourned.
GENERAL ASSOCIATION.
This grand old body of Baptists met
with the First Baptist church, Bowling
Groen. at 10 a.m , Saturday June 20th.
J A Kirtley led the devotional exer
cises. The address of welcome was
made by General W. F. Perry, of
Bowling Green, a native of Georgia. It
was tender and spiritual. The reply
was happily made by Brother S. H.
Ford, of St Louis, Mo. Brother Ford
has been sixty years a Baptist preacher,
and forty five years a Baptist editor.
He is perhaps the oldest living, active
Baptist editor in the South. A beauti
ful gavel, the handle from Mount Gil
ead, and the head from the
mount of Olives, in Palestine, was
presented to-the Association by Brother
T. T. Eaton. Brother J. S. Coleman,
of Hartford, was unanimously re-elect
ed moderator. F. H. Kerfoot and A.
C. Davidson were elected first and sec
ond Vice Presidents, in the order in
which their names occur. J. K. Nun
nally was elected secretary, and J. G.
Bow, assistant. J. T Christian offered
some resolutions on the Whitsitt histor
ical matter. The following are the res
olutions:
Whereas, The brother, Rev. Wm. H.
Whitsitt, has written certain articles
for Johnson’s new Encyclopedia,
in which the following and sim
ilar statements occur: “Some have
fancied that the new title was claimed
and maintained because of the change
in the form of administering baptism,
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