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For the Index.
David s Victories. Sunday School
Lesson for Aug. 9,1896 —2 Sam.
-10:8-19.
BY S. G. HILLYER.
In previous lessons we have
seen David coining to his king
dom, first by being crowned as
king over the tribes of Judah
and Benjamin, and afterward, by
being crowned as king over all
Israel. We have seen him set
ting in order the internal affiirs
of the state, establishing himself
in the affections of his people by
a wise and prudent statesman
ship, and by a zealous regard for
the covenant which their fathers
had made with their great Je
hovah.
We have seen him also trans
ferring his capital from Hebron
to Jerusalem, and bringing into
it the ark of the covenant, that
Jerusalem might become the city
of the living God. Then we
have seen him the subject of
most wonderful and precious
promises for himself and for his
race, reaching far away to the
end of time. And we have seen
him showing kindness to Mephi
bosheth for Jonathan’s sake.
In all these incidents of his
life, the character of David has
glowed with a luster that has
•-•ommanded the yespect of all
succeeding ages.
In the present lesson David is
presented to us in the midst of
fierce and bloody wars. He was
not only a wise statesman quali
fied to rule in time of peace; but
he was a great warrior. He was
skilful in handling his forces,
and at the same time he was ter
rible in his prowess. He not only
slew Goliath, but afterwards,
while in the service of Saul, the
daughters of Israel celebrated
his prowess with the bold re
train: Saul and Jonathan have
slain their thousands, but David
his ten thousands.
If David had been as fond of
war, and as ambitious of earthly
dominion as other kings have
been, there is no telling what he
might have achieved in the age
in which he lived But David
was not fond of war. He did not
provoke the wars whose history
furnishes the subject-matter of
our present lesson.
Divid would gladly have been
at peace with his neighbors; but
they would not let him. They
hated the religion of Israel, and
they coveted the spoils which
her fertile fields and abundant
flocks might afford them. Hence
it was true that David was
obliged to feel as he sat upon his
throne on Mt. Zion, that he was
reigning “in the midst of his
enemies. ”
But he thought that the king
of Ammon was an exception to
the rule. S J when the old king
of Ammon died and his son had
come to the throne, David sent
to him a friendly embassy with
words of condolence for the death
of his father and of kind good
will for himself. But the young
king, moved by his courtiers, re
jected David’s message of love
and cruelly insulted and ill
treated his messengers.
This was a virtual declaration
of war; and the young prince
knew it. He made haste to call
to his aid a mercenary army of
Syrians.
These occupied the fields out
side the walls of the capital
while the king held his own
army within the city, ready to
co operate with the Syrians as
circumstances might require.
David, in the mean time, had
sent Joab and Abiathar, with an
army, to open the war against
the Ammonites. On their arrival
they found themselves confronted
by the allied powers above men
tioned. But Joab succeeded in
dispersing the Syrians, while the
Ammonites shut themselves
within their walls. Then David
took the field with another army
and carried the war into Syria.
He was victorious and brought
TIL’ CHRISTIAN INDEX.
under his sway several tribes be
longing to the king of Damascus.
So David was able to return in
triumph to Jerusalem.
I omit all details of these vic
tories in order to consider an im
portant question which naturally
arises out of the present lesson.
What interest have we in those
ancient wars of David ?
We do feel interest in them.
We take pains to teach them to
our children, and to this end we
find them set apart as a lesson to
be studied and explained in our
Sunday schools.
What does all this mean? Look
ing at those ancient wars from a
mere human standpoint, there is
really nothing to give them pre
eminence above all other wars
that have drenched this sin
stricken world in blood. Looking
at David as a mere military
leader he does not surpass the
mighty warriors that have tilled
this world's history with the
story of their victories. And
yet we pick out the story of
David’s victories and give them
as a special lesson for our
children. Surely it must be use
ful to find, if we can, a reason
for the interest we feel in the his
tory of David.
There is but one reason that
we need to give. Whatever
other reasons may possibly oc
cur to a thoughtful mind, they
are all comprehended in this one
important fact:
David stands before us as a
chosen servant of the living God,
whose distinction it was to be at
once the ancestor and the type
of the great Messiah. It is this
fact that invests his history with
sublime importance. My space
will allow me to notice but one
analogy between David anc
Christ.
David sat upon an earthly
throne and reigned over an
earthly kingdom. Jesus is now
sitting upon a heavenly throne
and is reigning over a spiritual
kingdom. It has already been
noticed that David reigned in the
midst of literal enemies. Hence
he had to resort to literal war in
order to protect his people
against the malignant enmity of
the heathen nations around him.
In like manner our great Em
manuel has reigned since the day
of Pentecost, over his spiritual
kingdom, in the midst of enemies
no less malignant but far more
powerful than the foes that con
fronted David. His wars with
the heathen who hated him
were typical of the conflicts
which his great descendant
should wage against the powers
of darkness and spiritual wicked
ness in high places. It is this
analogy that gives so great an
interest to the victories. of the
literal David, who was only the
son of Jesse. They foreshadow
the victories of our “David” who
is the Son of God.
True this mighty conflict has
already lasted through nearly
two thousand years. It has gone
on amidst crumbling thrones,
falling empires and wide spread
revolutions. It has gone on in
the midst of fagots and flames, of
prisons and tortures, and of pov
erty and exile; but the forces of
our Zion, trusting in their great
Messiah have never quailed. The
last four centuries have been sig
nalized by many spiritual victo
ries over the powers of darkness.
And to day, the forces of our
Zion are found all around the
globe, with an open Bible in their
hands, boldly proclaiming a free
salvation through the blood of
the crucified and risen Jesus.
And wherever the message is
heard, it is still the power of God
for salvation to every one that
will believe it.
563 S. Pryor St., Atlanta.
For the Index.
The Baptists of England in the Six
teenth and Seventeenth Centuries.
BY A. B. VAUGHAN, JR.
The term anabaptist, like the
term Puritan, is used by writers
of history with broad latitude of
meaning. Pedobaptist writers
use the term to describe all those
who, renouncing their infant
baptism, have been baptized on a
profession of faith in Christ,
whether this baptism was per
formed by pouring or immersion.
But in the more restricted and
proper use, the term describes
that community of religious peo
ple who baptized those who came
over to them from other religious
communions.
It is moreover plain that his
torians use the term Baptist to
describe those who, whatever
their church connection, held the
faith that now characterizes the
Baptists. Benedict, a Baptist
historian, says: “But before
the Baptists began to form
churches (in England) and, in
deed, for some time after, it was
a very common thing for them to
travel in communion with Pedo
baptist churches.” Page 219.
It is clear that Benedict uses
the term here, as I would use it,
to describe a member of a Pedo-
i SUBSCRIPTION, ►.%s*E.---Sa.OO. I
ITO MINISTERS, 1.00. I
baptist church, who I knew held
the faith of the Baptists.
But again when the hand of
persecution was lifted, and these
people were allowed to establish
churches in England, they were
divided into general and particu
lar Baptists, their principal dif
ference being on points of doc
trine. History of the Baptists,
Benedict, p. 189.
It is with these particular Bap
tists that we are concerned in
this study. Os these people
Benedict says. “Very scanty
accounts have been obtained of
the Baptists in England in the
times of which we are writing,”
that is in the sixteenth century,
“and but a few of the sketches
which our English brethren have
g reserved can be inserted here.
ut it is sufficient to observe
that for almost a century after
the Church of England was es
talished by law, our Baptist
brethren throughout the king
dom were everywhere persecuted
and distressed, and many were
exposed to tortures and death.”
Page 196.
It will be remembered that the
church of England was estab
lished in 1534. The causes be
gan their operation in 1531, but
the consummation was in 1534.
The question that I now raise
is: Did these Baptist people
practice immersion, in baptizing
those who joined them? I use
the word “baptizing” purely as
an English word, as it is popu
larly used.
Dr. Whitsitt says, in the sec
ond editorial which he wrote for
the hidependent in September,
1881, “That immersion was not
practiced in England before a
peiiod as late as 1641,” and that
the“proofs for this assertion are
so abundant that one is embar
rassed to know where to begin.”
He continues: “Weshallmen
tion, in the first instance, the
silence of history. This is abso
lute and unbroken.” Now 1 sub
mit that if a Pedobaptist editor
may, in all fairness, use a Bap -
tist historian to establish a ques
tion in controversy, it cannot be
adjudged unfair in a Baptist
preacher to use a Pedobaptist
historian to show that the ques
tion is not well established. And
so over against this assertion of
Dr. Whitsitt, a Baptist church
historian, I put that of an emi
nent Pedobaptist church histo
rian. Here it is: “The mode of
baptism as already remarked,
was no point of dispute between
the Anabaptists and the Pedo
baptists in the sixteenth century,
either on the continent or in
England. Edward VI and Queen
Elizabeth were baptized by im
mersion, and the Anglican church
prescribed this as the normal
mode.” —Philip Schaff And he
quotes Erasmus as saying: “With
us” (on the continent) infants
have the water poured on them;
in England they are dipped.”
This testimony of Dr. Schaff
occurs in an article which he
wrote on the Anabaptists, and
which was published in the Bap
tist Quarterly Review July, 1889.
See page 271.
The next witness is William
Tyndale, who for his loyalty to
truth, was burned at the stake
October 6th, 1536, uttering as his
last words: “Lord,open the king
England’s eyes.”
This magnanimous spirit bears
conclusive testimony as to the
act of baptism in England in the
sixteenth century. He says:
“Behold how narrowly the peo
ple look on the ceremony. If
aught be left out, or if the child
be not altogether dipped in the
water, or if because the child is
sick, the priest dare not plunge
him into the water, but pour
water on his his head, how trem
ble they! how they quake!”
And to such priests, Tyndale
represents the people as saying:
“How say ye, Sir John, is this
child christened enough? Hath
it full christendom?” —Tyndale’s
Works, Vol. 1, page 277.
What Tyndale held and taught
as to the modt of baptism is seen
in the following language:
“There is no other means to be
saved from this damnation,”
that is our common condemna
tion in Adam, “than through re
pentance towards the law and
faith in Christ s blood, which are
the very inward baptism of our
souls, and the washing and dip
ping of our bodies in water is the
outward sign.”—Works, Vol. 1,
page 26, Parker Society’s edi
tion.
To aid him in writing his history
of the Baptists, Dr. Baldwin,
of Boston, loaned to David Bene
dict some English Baptist Mag
azines. In these magazines was
a series of articles entitled
Memoirs of the English Baptists,
written by Josiah Taylor, of
Caine.Whiltsshire, England. The
author of these memoirs says:
“We have no mention of the
christening or baptizing of chil
dren in England before the com
ing of Austin in 597, and to us,”
that is Baptists, “it is evident
he brought it not from heaven but
ATLANTA, GA., THURSDAY, AUGUST 6. 1896.
from Rome. But though the subject
of baptism began now to be altered
the mode of it continued in the
national church a thousand years
longer, and baptism was admin
istered by dipping, etc.” Bene
dict’s History, page 191.
And Benedict adds: “From
the coming of Austin, the church
in this island,” that is England,
was divided into two parts, the
old and new. The old or Baptist
church maintained their original
principles. But the new church
adopted infant baptism, etc.”
Page 191.
Does this look like that “the
proofs that immersion was not
practiced in England before a
period as late as 1641 are so
abundant that one is embarrassed
to know where to begin"? Is
the “silence of history” in this
respect “absolute and un
broken”?
But did the Baptist people of
England practice the immersion
of believers prior to this date?
Dr. Whitsitt says, in his Religious
Herald article of May 7th, 1896,
“The Baptist people of England
were not in the practice of im
mersion prior to this date.” Was
the immersion of a believer on a
profession of his faith in Christ
“a lost art in England” in the
sixteenth and seventeenth cen
turies? Dr. Whitsitt says that it
was.
His former assertion having
been proven to be incorrect casts
suspicion on the correctness of
this assertion.
The proof to my mind, that
the good doctor is sadly at fault
in this assertion is overwhelm
ing. All the proof cannot be in
serted in this article.
But observe first, that in the
sixteenth century immersion, and
not pouring or sprinkling, was the
normal mode of baptism in Eng
land. The church of Eng
land has for centuries had
a liturgical form of wor
ship. The liturgies she has used
are well known and easily accessi
ble. It is therefore not a difficult
task to ascertain for any given
time what was the normal, au
thoritative mode of baptism in
England.
From 1085 to 1519, what is
known as the “Salisbury Use,”
was the accepted form in the
church. Now this liturgy tells
us that the priest was required
to take the child ty the sides in
his hands and bappze by thrice
immersion He to say, “I
baptize thee in the name of the
father,” immersing the child
once, its face turned towards the
north, and its head towards the
east. He was to add, “and of
the Son,” again immersing the
child once, its face being turned
toward the south. He concluded
the formula by saying, “and of
the Holy Spirit, amen,” im
mersing the child the third time,
its face being turned toward the
water. See the “Annotated
Book of Common Prayer, etc,
edited by John Henry Blount, W.
A. F. S. A.,” etc. Observe sec
ondly that the Baptists main
tained the “one principle,” that
the Scripture was adequata agen
dorum regula, so that nothing
might be lawfully done without
express warrant, either from
some command or example
therein contained. Archbishop
Whitgift and the learned Hooker
recognized this as the position of
the Baptists, and charged upon
the Puritans who preached it,
that it would carry them to the
Anabaptists. Struggles and Tri
umphs of Religious Liberty,
page 195.
Benedict remarks: “The arch
bishop and Mr. Hooker were by
no means mistaken in their con
jectures, for so many of the Pur
itans as adhered strictly to that
one principle that the Scripture
is the adequate rule of worship,
did become Anabaptists, as they
were called; and the reason why
all did not, was that they would
not allow this one powerful princi
ple to operate in all its force
against infant baptism, etc.”
History of the Baptists, page 355.
But observe again, that the
Anabaptists repudiated infant
baptism, and demanded baptism
on a profession of faith in Christ.
Now then, if these Baptists re
pudiated infant baptism, and de
manded baptism on profession of
faith; and if during this time,
that is the sixteenth century, the
‘mode of baptism’ was no point
in dispute, immersion being the
normal authoritative mode, even
in the national church, it is plain
that the Baptists immersed believ
ers on a profession of faith.
This is true, or else we must
maintain that he Baptists who
had a proper conception of the
nature of the church of Christ,
and of its relation to the State,
demanding of others “express
warrant, either from some com
mand or example contained in
the Scriptures for their faith
and practice, did themselves in the
face of Scripture teaching, and
in opposition to the prevailing
practice of immersion, recklessly
pour or sprinkle for baptism, and
that therefore while condemning
others for making void the Word
of God by human traditions, they
themselves in this very particular
were the chief of sinners. Apo
sition as unreasonable and irra
tional as it is absurd.”
A discriminating study of his
toric data will show that while
some who were called Anabap
tists were in the practice of pour
ing and sprinkling in the seven
teenth century, it will at the
same time show that those who
held strictly to the “one princi
ple” referred to above, obeyed
God as to the act as well as to
the subject of baptism.
Many are anxiously waiting
for Dr. Whitsitt’s pamphlet, they
want to know the entire strength
of the opposition, believing
firmly that facts, as yet unknown,
must be brought to light, before
the time honored position of
Baptists will be abandoned.
That Dr. Whitsitt, who for
more than fifteen years has
made a specialty of ecclesiastical
history as a study, should not be
ready with his facts and reasons,
and give them to us through our
religious papers, where his posi
tion has been assailed; but must
still demand more time in which
to write a book, which the great
bulk of Baptists will never see,is
a query in the minds of many
men.
For the Ind
One Church's Mission Work
BY. B. W. COLLIER.
It has been suggested to me by
the editors of the Index that a
word about our plans at Decatur
for education in missions might
possibly be helpful to some other
churches.* Some months ago, a
conviction was developed in the
hearts of some active workers in
our Ladies’ Mission Society that
a monthly meeting for the dis
cussion of various phases of mis
sions would be a wise and help
ful thing. This conviction soon
developed into a purpose, the ul
timate result being that the
church arranged for a missionary
meeting, to be held on the 4th
Sunday in each month.
We have held five of these
meetings, and the results have
been most gratifying. On each
occasion we have sought to have
some entertaining speakers, who
could enlist the interest and the
thoughtful attention of his audi
ence, to discuss some afepect of
the great subject. So far, we
have had addresses from breth
ren Donaldson, Bell, Van Ness
and Jameson, and have held one
meeting in which the talentof our
own church was utilized. A com
petent committee have the meet
ings in charge, preparing an in
teresting and varied program for
each gathering. The results of
thus focalizing the attention of
our people once a month on this
all-important topic have been
marked. The increase of mis
sionary interest is perceptible.
Os course the pastor has not re
lied on these meetings alone, but
has sought to keep the subject
before the people in every possi
ble way.
But to tell the people about
missions without giving them an
opportunity to contribute to mis
sions, would be love’s labor lost.
About the time that the regula
tion schedule, prepared by Bro.
Bernard, was published, we had
prepared and adopted a schedule
of our own, covering very much
the same ground as that one.
And here I learned an important
lesson. It was that a schedule
would not work itself very well
unless these monthly offerings
were made through special col
lections. We tried at first to get
the people to contribute through
the envelopes, as they did for the
pastor’s salary and incidental ex
penses. Each month I called
their attention to the object for
that month, and urged them to
contribute. But with one accord
they either forgot or neglected
it. During this time there were
two, or perhaps three, members
of the church who gave regular
ly to these various interests.
Finding that something must be
done, I appointed a committee to
canvass the church and get the
people to say how much they
would give. This afforded some
improvement,but very little. We
then decided to take a collection
each month, laying before the
congregation as forcibly as pos
sible the claims to the object to
which we were to contribute that
month, and urging them to give
liberally. The result has been
largely increased contributions.
During the months of March,
April, May and-June, our church
has contributed directly as a
church far more than during the
preceding year. We feel that
this happy result is due to in
creased missionary light, and to
the fact that the people have been
given frequent opportunities to
give, and have been reminded of
their duty to give.
Decatur, Ga.
For the Index.
Led by the Spirit.
BY MRS. LAURA RICHARDS.
To theorize upon a subject and
to believe it, is one thing, to
practice it is another. The one
may be easy, the other hard. Is
it an easy thing to be led by the
Spirit? No. It is the hardest
requisition that can be made
upon human nature. Even to
one born of God it is a hard
fought battle to the end of life.
It is not one battle and a victor’s
crown, but a continuous warfare,
even though it be victory after
victory. So long as human na
ture is in the human body it will
assert itself; but in so much as
the divine is superior to the
human, in so much as God is more
powerful than Satan, so much
more is the conquest in favor of
the child of God. What seems
hard is made easy by faith in the
Son of God. He has really
fought for the redeemed the
hardest battle, and the rest
ought to be easy and will be if
there is entire submission and
trust in his guidance. “My yoke
is easy and my burden is light,”
to those ivho subm it.
Resistance is the trouble.
Where there is resistance, self
will, pride, ambition, jealousy,
envy, prejudice, idolatry, etc.,
in the heart, the yoke is gall
ing and the burden heavy.
Christ rules under the law of
love. The fruit of the Spirit is
love, joy, peace, long-suffering,
gentleness, goodness, faith,
meekness, temperance.
Christian reader, do you find
it hard to live a Christian life?
Herein lies the secret. You re
fuse to be led by the Spirit.
If in the heart evil passions
rule, ye do resist the Holy Spirit.
Resist the devil and he will flee
from you. Jas. 4:7. Not so with
the Holy Spirit, if you are God’s
child. “For he hath said, I
will never leave thee nor forsake
thee.” Heb. 13:5. David said:
“Whither shall I go from thy
Spirit? If I ascend up into
heaven, thou art there; if I make
my bed in hell, behold, thou art
there.” “The salvation of the
righteous is of the Lord. His
right hand and his holy arm
hath gotten him the victory,”
Jesus says: “I give unto them
eternal life, and they shall never
perish, neither shall any pluck
them out of my hand.”
Resist ihe Holy Spirit, and you
grieve him, and you suffer loss in
various ways. Like rebellious
Israel, you wander in the wilder
ness, yet God is leading, and
teaching lessons of submission
and wisdom.
If in the heart human passions
rule, it is because being rooted
and grounded in nature, t/tey ituZZ
come to Me sur/ace when provoked
by circumstances or conditions,
and no human power can control
them-, but God’s Spirit can, and
will, when the will is entirely
subjected to his will. Perfect
submission is the requisite.
“Perfect submission, all is at rest,
1 in my Savior am happy and blest.
Watching and waiting, looking above,
Lost in his goodness, filled with his love.”
Submission, willing to be led
against the natural inclinations.
How few are willing to pray the
prajer: “Lord, send adversity,
if it is for my good and thy glory;
send sickness, send sorrow, send
disappointment if it is best for
me; crush me in the dust of hu
mility if it takes that to crush
out of my heart any and all that
is wrong in thy sight ” That is
the spirit of submission to God’s
will.
You may say: “1 cannot pray
that prayer.” Does that exempt
you?
When our plans are made to
yield to God’s plans there will be
no friction, no rebellion in the
heart; there will be honesty of
purpose; and into the emptied
heart the Spirit comes and leads.
It is a glorious realization to be
led by the Spirit, day by day,
step by step in every-day life. It
is a safe way. God makes no
mistakes. It takes faith, strong
faith, to be led in the dark, trust
ingly and submissively. Where
God leads we need not fear to go,
even though it be into the dark
waters of tribulation.
There is something greater,
grander still than the surety and
sa/efy of being led by the Spirit,
and that is that God’s power is
behind those who are so led, in
making them instruments in his
hand to his eternal glory in the
accomplishment of his purposes
There is a great and grand end
in view, the salvation of a lost
world. Led by one unto whom
is given all power in heaven and
earth means conquest, victory in
his name. “Christ in you the
hope of glory”, means let your
light shine as the reflected light
of the Spirit’s presence.
Christian reader, are you being
led by the Spirit ? If not, how
can you lead others? What is
your influence? “If the blind
lead the blind, both fall into the
ditch. ”
VOL. 76-NO. 32
Reminiscences of Georgia Baptists.
Dr. Brantly, Greene and His Big
Stick.
BY W. L. KILPATRICK, D.D.
You have seen fit to call upon
me for “Reminiscences of Geor
gia Baptists.” This is almost an
intimation that you regard me as
growing old. Well, I am not
ashamed of my age, for my days
have been spent neither in idle
ness nor dissipation. I was born
October 18, 1829, at least, so I
have been told. Still I may be
excused if I do not remember dis
tinctly events that transpired
three-quarters of a century ago.
But as you have allowed me a
little latitude in not requiring of
me personal reminiscences. I
feel at liberty to make use at
times of the memory of those
who may antedate me a little,
especially in those cases where I
received the story from the lips
of triose who were to some ex
tent participants in what tran
spired. When there is added to
this my personal acquaintance
with the localities from early
childhood, I almost feel as if I
had with my own eyes and ears
taken cognizance of what is re
cited.
I am just back home from
Rocky Creek church, Burke
county, five miles west of
Waynesboro. In 1822 the Heph
zibah Association convened at
this church John Stanford,
moderator, and James Gray,
clerk. In 1814 the Baptist Tri
ennial Convention had been
formed and a Board of Foreign
Missions had been organized and
Baptists throughout the country
had been called upon to come to
the support of Judson in Burma.
The Hephzibah Association
seemed inclined at first to re
spond favorably to this call; but,
yielding to some untoward influ
ences in 1818, it refused to cor
respond with the above named
board, and in 1821 would not al
low a letter from it to be read,
although presented by one of its
own members. In 1822 opposi
tion to missions had reached
fever heat. While in session
here at Rocky Creek that year,
Rev. Wm. T. Brantly, Sr., father
of our Prof. J. J. Brantly,
of Macon, presented himself as a
messenger from the General
Baptist Association of Georgia,
recently organized at Powelton,
tendering a letter from that body.
Pending the reception of this let
ter, permission was given Mr.
Brantly to read the constitution
of the new organization at Pow
elton, that its objects might be
made known to the brethren. In
reading this, he came to the ex
pression, “For the extension of
t ie gospel by missions and mis
sionaries.” This was far enough.
A motion was promptly made to
lay the letter on the table un
opened. This was quickly fol
lowed by an amendment to throw
it under the table, and this by an
additional one to kick the bearer
of the letter out of the house.
The amended motion was carried
overwhelmingly by a rising vote.
One large enthusiastic brother,
named Green, being in his shirt
sleeves, leaped up 3 and down
three times byway of giving em
phasis to his vote at the top of
his voice, crying, “Aye,” at each
leap. Under the table the letter
went unopened, and Bro. Greene
advancing towards Dr. Brantly,
and brandishing his walking
stick over the good doctor’s head,
ordered him out of the house,
saying as he advanced “This
mission thing is like a cat with
nine lives. We thought we had
killed it and kicked it out three
or four years ago, and then
again last year, and here it is
again; clear yourself out of this
house.” Dr. Brantly rose, bowed
politely to the officers, then to
the body, and took his depar
ture. The printed record of the
association is brief but sugges
tive. It reads: “On motid®, the
above plan was rejected. ”
My father, who had but re
cently located in Georgia, and
was present at the association
now for the first time, and then
only as a visitor, in reciting
the above incident to us would
say, “I had very strange feel
ings when I saw a Christian
gentleman and a scholar treated
in such a manner as this; espe
cially when I reflected that these
were my brethren, among whom
I was to live and labor the re
mainder of my days.”
But though Brantly was gone,
the trouble had not all taken its
departure with him. In arrang
ing for the Sabbath services out
side pressure was brought to
bear upon the preaching commit
tee to put up my father, as he
was a visitor and an educated
man. But unfortunately his
reputation had gone just a little
ahead of him, as it was generally
understood that he was in sym
pathy with “This miserable mis
sion thing.” The committee
waited on him, but frankly told
him that the ap]jt>intment to