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ESTABLISHED 1821. TheChristianlndex PublUhel Every Thursday By BELL Ac VAN NEBB Address Christian Index, Atlanta, Ua. Organ of the Baptist Denomination iu Georgia. Subscription Price: One copy, one year W.OO One copy, six months LOS About Our Advertisers.—We propose hereafter to very carefully Investigate our advertisers. We shall exercise every care to allow only reliable parties to use our col umns. Obituaries.—One hundred words free of hharge. For each extra word, one cent per word, cash with copy. To Correspondents—Do 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 business Items on same sheet. Leave off personalities, condense. Business.—Write all names, and post Offices 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. 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