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iJheChristianlndex
T / VAN NESS. I Editors.
GETTING THE BEST OF IT.
John in his epistles tells us
how to overcome the world. By
the world he refers not so much
to the physical universe or to the
people who live in it as to the
spirit of our age that constitutes
what we call worldliness. This
spirit of our age, or our day, is a
real thing. Its ideas form the
society about us, and it gives us
the books and papers that form
our mental food. Our labors to
gain a living are affected by its
needs and shaped by its stan
dards. If this spirit of our day
is a wrong one we are apt to be
brought to grief by it The Bi
ble, written in another age than
ours, seems to anticipate no day,
short of a millennium, when the
world will be the servant of God
and its ideas his ideas. So it an
ticipates a continual necessity
for Christians in every age to
overcame the world in which
they live.
John tells us in a series of nar
rowing climaxs how we can thus
overcome the world. K'-genera
tion is the first means given. He
that is born again overcometh
the world. The faith and power
necessary are not born with us,
but they come in that new birth
that is the same in every age be
cause it cometh from above
where there are no changes.
John again tells that which,
characteristic of this new birth,
enables us to overcome the world.
It is our faith. By this we get a
real hold on the life that is eter
nal rather than that for a day.
John, however, is not satisfied
until he has told us just what it
is that faith most settles upon in
this overcoming battle. Ho says
that he that overcometh the
world is none other than he that
believeth that Jesus is the Christ,
the Son of God. This conviction,
the fruitage of the new birth, is
the great winning belief in our
contest with the world.
An illustration of this is found
in determining what is true and
false in the teachings of to-day.
A generation’s ideas of the truth
of things will largely make its
life. If, for example, our phi
losophy teaches that all things
are ideas and not realities, in a
little while our morals and ambi
tions will be based on that phi
losophy. Never has an age had
more notions preached to it than
this. We need some test of teach
ing. John gives it to us. We
settle first what we believe about
Jesus. If we believe him to be
the Son of God then certain
truths as to a revelation, sin, im
mortality, atonement, follow.
These are then the tests of every
modern idea. Here we have the
great reason for the stability of
the masses when leaders go wild.
They believe in Jesus and bring
to the test of him every new dis
covery or theory. It is an over
coming test. Once grounded in
it, we can rest on eternal ideas
rather than the shifting sands of
any one generation.
The same conviction gives us
the power to overcome. To know
is one thing, to overcome is an
other. To know is one thing, to
w’ant to overcome is another.
Why not accept the ideas of our
day and reap the advantage of
the delusions they promise? All
these find their solution in our
faith in the divinity of Jesus.
Through example, attraction,
living power, he holds us and
helps us. Formidable as the
world is, he can present stronger
allurements and give greater
help than its power affords. To
firmly believe in Jesus sets our
minds on another world and the
company of the saints of all ages,
and assures us of its greater
worth. To believe in Jesus is to
believe in his Holy Spirit, and so
in a supernatural power even now
to overcome the world.
The help in our weakness is
Jesus. The place in our creed to
secure is the divinity of Jesus.
The first question to settle is his
claim. Around that all other
doctrines center. Let us once
more ground ourselves on the re
ality of Jesus' divinity and live
according to our belief.
DISCUSSION OR TRUTH. ~~
There are some subjects that
admit of speculation and debate
for the mere pleasure of argu
ment and the delights of dia
lectics. Like lawyers in court,
we are after the verdict rather
than the triumph of the truth.
Many of us have experienced the
joys of the debating society, in
which conscious that we could
set all right in the end, we al
lowed full play to our desire to
outwit the other side, logic or no
logic, truth or no truth. This was
the method of the middle ages and
we are sorry, too sorry, to say it
prevails to no little extent to
day. We can discern in many
places the spirit of the debating
club rather than that of men set
for the truth and seeking the
truth. There is, at times, a very
manifest disposition to have our
own way prevail even if we get
the truth a little mixed in so do
ing.
Are there not some questions
about which discussion is not
healthy except it be a discussion
leading to the discovery of the
truth? A Presbyterian friend of
ours was asked by another Pres
byterian preacher to look over a
manuscript prepared as an an
swer to Dr. Broadus’ tract on im
mersion. This Presbyterian
friend read it carefully and then
advised his friend not to publish
it. Asked for his reasons, he
stated that while the arguments
were plausible, yet as a matter of
fact it did not meet the argument
of Dr. Broadus. It was so plausi
ble that it would have been ac
cepted by many, but its author
would have been conscious all
the time that it was deluding
them. Is not this a commenda
ble spirit, especially when it ap
plies to Presbyterians answering
B iptists?
It is not easy to allow this
spirit sway over us. We are so
apt to be carried along by the im
petuosity of our arguments that
we convince ourselves by our in
tensity rather than our logic.
Then the natural distaste to be
ing compelled to acknowledge
our own error is ever present.
The truth is not infrequently
sacrificed to our pride. In addi
tion there is a suspicion of men
tal laziness. We like our own
well-worn track. To be met by
some new truth that compels us
to go back and revise our ideas,
is very distasteful to us. We
would rather fight for our pres
ent notion than undertake the
exertions necessary to think out
new ones.
We are not discrediting discus
sion. It is healthy and through
it men get clear convictions of
truth, 'if they will. We rarely
fully define our convictions until
controversy compels us to. The
creeds and formulations of doc
trine have been the results of
discussion.
There is value to-day in dis
cussion and in the expectation of
it. When our statements are
to be challenged we are more apt
to be careful of them. It is a
blessing to a preacher to have a
member or two inclined to dis
putation. It keeps him straight.
Discussion also serves to weigh
questions. It is a great ques
tion that can stand much discus
sion.
We do, however, ask for dis
cussion based on the desire to
get at the truth rather than
merely to get out ahead of our
opponent. No harm ever came
of a discussion between truth
seekers. Great harm comes
when, led on by the desire to get
the best of an argument, we deal
in subterfuges.
Southern Baptists are of great
reputation as debaters. Great
questions press on us for debate
and discussion. If we can all
preserve the purpose, spirit and
methods of truth seeking, it will
be well with us. Baptists love
freedom, but they must always be
slaves to the truth. We are not
independent of that. Let us
have open discussion and also be
thankful when any one upsets
all our calculations by furnish
ing the truth. Truth is worth
dying for, it is also worth being
defeated for in an argument.
TO OUR SUBSCRIBERS.
We think the brethren will
bear us out that we have not
worried them by appeals for
money since we took charge of
the paper. We have tried to
work along through the hard
months without pressing ap
peals. But the time has come
now when we must ask those
who are due the paper to aid us
by remitting the amounts due.
Two dollars is a small sum to
each of many, but when many
twos fail to come to one who de
pends on them for running a
great enterprise, it falls upon
the one with peculiar heaviness.
In spite of our having to do it
in the financially ‘ dry” months,
we have steadily improved the
paper, but there are other im
provements in mind which we
cannot put into effect until money
begins to come in more freely.
Cotton is beginning to move and
money comes with its movement.
Let the Index be remembered
early.
It was our pleasure on Sunday
last to run down to Hampton on
the Central railroad, thirty miles
below Atlanta, and preach the
dedication sermon of the new’
Baptist church in that bright lit
tle community. The occasion
was a happy and enjoyable one.
The little church, numbering
only forty members, some time
since resolved to build a house
and to pay for it as they built.
One large hearted brother pur
chased the most desirable lot in
the town and w’ith it gave about
one third of the money needed
for the building. Under the in
spiration of this liberal gift, and
under the wise leadership of pas
tor E. M. Hooten, the little band
went to work with a will and
made away for the erection of
one of the neatest and most com
fortable village churches we
have seen, in a long time. It is
a gem of a house, provided with
baptistry and bell tower, well
ventilated and comfortable. The
brethren carried out their pur
pose not to go in debt and as a re
sult, their fifteen hundred dollar
THE CHRISTIAN INDEX : THURSDAY, AUGUST 20. 1896.
house had on it only twenty five
dollars of indebtedness, and that
contracted during the past week
for seats. At the end of the
service the congregation -made
a free will offering of fifty odd
dollars to wipe out that little
debt and enable the brethren to
add some conveniences Sun
day was a glad day for the Bap
tists of Hampton and the whole
community seemed to share in
their gladness. We wonder if
anybody else was quite as happy
as the brother whose liberal
gifts made the day possible.
The attached resolutions taken
from the Western Recorder were
adopted by the Pastors’ Confer
ence of Louisville, Ky., at the
meeting, August 10th. They are
so full of good sense and good
spirit, that we gladly give them
a place on our editorial page.
While we are discussing what
our fathers did or did not do in
1641, let us not do the foolish
thing of crippling one of the
greatest institutions which the
Baptists have in all the world.
Dr. Whitsitt has completed the
work on his pamphlet and will
give-it to the printers at once,
and then we can all have his po
sition and proofs clearly be
fore us, and, we trust, have
the historical question settled
one way or the other. But
whichever way it is to be settled,
let us see to it that the Seminary
is filled with men who are get
ting the advantages of its un
rivaled course of study.
We may be pardoned for say
ing that we are especially pleased
to see that Dr. Eaton united
with his fellow pastors in sign
ing these resolutions. There
has been an idea prevailing
among many brethren that Dr.
Eaton shared in the feeling ex
pressed by certain Louisville
brethren, at and on the way from
the Mississippi Convention, when
they declared that it was de
termined to force Dr. Whitsitt
out of the Seminary. We
are glad to see that Dr. Eaton
stands on a far higher plane,
and while he combats with
great skill and ability what he
considers Dr. Whitsitt’s historical
error, he declines to make war on
the man:
The following resolutions were adop
ted by the conference, all present sign
ing them:
Whereas, The criticisms in many of
our papers and before many of our re
ligious bodies, as well as in private in
terviews, concerning what has come to
be known as the ‘‘Whitsitt matter.”
have done and are doing harm to the
Seminary and to other denominational
interests; therefore,
Resolved, That we deeply deprecate
all the unkind personalities that have
been indulged in on both sides, and the
bringing in of irrelevant matters and
side issues that have no bearing on the
merits of the questions involved
Resolved, That we affectionately urge
our brethren everywhere not to allow
this affair to relax their efforts for nor
to chill their interest in our noble Sem
inary, for which Dre. Boyce, Broadus,
Manly, Williams and others have made
such sacrifices, and which can be made
more and more useful to the denomina
tion and to the cause of truth
Resolved, That we do not believe
differing with the President of the Sem
inary is a good ground for refusing to
support the institution.
Resolved, That Dr. Whitsitt’s public
avowal of his firm belief in the Phila
delphia Confession of Faith, and of his
hearty acceptance of the Seminary
Articles of Faith, should protect him
from the charge of heresy such as would
unfit him for his high position, especial
ly in view of his long and fathful ser
vice to the denomination. He believes
unwaveringly that immersion is and
ever has been the only proper act for
baptism.
Resolved, That without taking sides
on the historical questions at issue we
express the hope that all our brethren
will support him in the great work to
which he has been called.
Resolved, That we hope this discus
sion will impress upon our brethren
anew the necessity for emphasizing the
great truth that the Bible is the only
and all sufficient rule of faith and prac
tice.
M. P. Hunt, W. L. Pickard, Francis
W. Taylor, T. T. Eaton, B. A. Dawes,
Wm. Ritzmann, Carter Helm Jones,
John D. Robertson, Wm. D. Nowlin. J.
N. Edwards, T. T. Martin, F. M. Mas
ters, A. C. Burroughs, F. E Sands, A.
A. Belton. C. M. Thompson,
Moderator pro tern. Conference.
B. A. Dawes,
Secretary Conference.
A part of the Christian In
dex is doing this week’s work by
the sea shore. As the thermom
eter rarely ranges above 80, this
is much more pleasant than the
heated regions of Atlanta. It is
strange that it should be consid
ered as unsafe to visit the sea
shore later than July. St. Si
mons is as healthy now as at any
time and the bathing is perfec
tion late in the season. Yet the
large hotel closes its season this
week, while the Ocean View
House continues. Here accom
modations can be had all the year
around. We saw but a little of
Brunswick and were compelled
to forego the pleasure of a visit
to the Baptist church because of
the inconvenient hours of trans
portation. We appreciated the
kindly courtesy of pastor Gil
more, and only regret we could
not meet his people.
“Faint, yet pursuing,” de
scribes the band of Gideon be
tween two victories. (Jud. 8:4.)
If the pursuit had been aban
doned because of the faintness,
the second victory would never
have crowned their arms with
honor. A lesson lies herein for
us. Shall we be weary in well
doing, and cease to do, and fail
to reap in due season because we
simply faint?
Seorgia
baptist yrwe
FIELD NOTES.
The associations are now beginning to
meet.
The old Central Association will meet
in Madison next week. We expect to
be there. Be ready for us, brethren.
Brother moderator, if there is no one
at the association to represent the In
dex, please appoint an active brother to
represent the Index.
Brethren, get your money for the In
dex ready and send it to your associa
tion. Some one will be there to re
ceive it.
The Lord’s plan (simplified) for rais
ing money for all purposes, will, by re
quest, appear again in these notes this
week. Cut it out and save it.
Brother pastors, give your church
members a chance to contribute some
thing to missions at least once a month.
For the Lord’s sake do it, brethren.
The pastors are “ensamples to the
Hocks, over the which the Holy Spirit
has made them overseers.” If yon do
not lead off on missions, brother pas
tors, your churches will do nothing,
very likely.
State Missions. Home Missions, For
eign Missions, Old Ministers, Orphans'
Home and Mercer University all stretch
out their hands to the churches for help.
Let every church and every member do
something along the line of general be
nevolence.
Now that the board of trustees have
appointed Brother H R Bernard, of
Athens, as their financial agent for Mer
cer, let every pastor in the State take
hold of him, and the work committed
to him, and push it.
THE MOUNTAIN UNITED ASSOCIATION.
This body met with Amys Creek
church, eight miles northwest of Clarks
ville, last Thursday.
Brother J. S. Dickson preached the
opening sermon. Those who heard it
Slid that it was sound and to the point.
Brethren J. S. Dickson and William
Loggans were re elected moderator and
clerk.
This association is nearly seventy
years old, and has thirty-odd churches
in the union.
There were only $3 85 sent up to the
association for missions. We heard of
several small amounts having been sent
up during the year to brother J. G. Gib
son.
Brother J. G. Gibson was at the
meeting and was well received. He
preached a fine sermon on missions,
Friday at 11 a.'in.
Brother R. H. Smith was on hand
representing the Orphans’ Home and
Southern Sunday-school literature. The
association unanimously adopted the
Southern Series of Sunday school helps.
Brother R H Smith preached, at 11
a m Saturday, a great sermon on giv
ing the Gospel to the heathen. The
finest collection of his life, under all the
circumstances, was lifted for the Home.
The Amys Creek brethren gave the
messengers and visitors a kind, gracious
entertainment. A fine spirit of har
mony and brotherly love prevailed
during the session.
Brother F. J. Loggans and wife, and
brother Hendowon and wife, gave this
scribe a very sweet, brotherly entertain
ment during the meeting. We thank
them all.
From the tone and spirit of the
present session, we shall expect great
things in the future of the old Moun
tain. Sabbath schools are being started
up among the churches Each church
should by all means have one of its
own. Pastors of the Mountain, give
your people a chance to contribute
something to missions at least once a
month, and yon will see what a change
will come by the next meeting.
The next session of the Mountain
will, D. V., be held with Damascus
church, seven miles east of Tallulah
Falls, at the same time next year.
Brother jW. R. Power will preach the
next opening sermon; brother D. F.
Carter alternate. We hope to be present
at the next meeting.
GREAT TENT MEETING.
Pastor R. D Hawkins and his dear
brethren at Maysville, Ga., built for
themselves a great tabernacle out of
posts, planks, and cotton bagging, with
a seating capacity of about twelve hun
dred. A number of preachers and the
general public were invited. We spent
two days and nights last week at the
meeting.
THE GIANTS WERE THERE.
F. C. McConnell, of Lynchburg, Va.;
Joe A. Wynne, of Gainesville, Ga.; B.
D. Ragsdale, of Conyers, Ga.; and S.
Y. Jameson, of Atlanta, were on hand
We heard some great sermons from the
brethren, on great subjects. Hundreds
of people from the surrounding coun
try and quite a number of visitors
were on hand day and night, especially
at night. The Holy Spirit was present,
blessing the Word at each meeting
three times each day. Perfect order
prevailed at every service. Large
numbers of persons were under convic
tion of sin, and manifested a desire to
be saved. We shall expect great things
from this meeting, of which we hope
Pastor Hawkins will write us soon
Brother and sister D. D. Holland cared
graciously for the Index man, for
which he is grateful. We did a fine
work for the Index, and left for the
Mountain Association.
We again give the Lord's plan (simpli
fied) for raising money for all purposes.
1 Corinthians 16:2: "Upon the first day
of the week, let every one of you lay
by him in store, as God hath prospered
him, that there be no gatherings when I
come,”
THE LORD’S PLAN SIMPLIFIED.
This plan is based on the supposition
that the church numbers 100 members.
Divide the 100 members into 10 classes
—this gives 10 members to each class.
Consider the Ist, 2d, 3d and so on up to
the 10th class, as the poorest members
financially. Let the Ist class, and on to
the 10th class, agree to contribute
weekly as follows:
Ist class give weekly one cent each
This will make by Ist class $ .10
2 class gives 2 cents each, makes.. .20
3 “ “ 4 “ .. .... .40
4 “ “6 * • • -00
5 “ “8 “ “ “ -80
6 “ “10 “ “ “ ..1.00
7 “ "12 “ “ “ ..1.20
8 “ “14 “ “ “ ..140
9 " “16 “ “ “ ..160
10 “ “18 “ “ “ •• 1-80
This makes a weekly contribu-
tion of $9.10
And 52 weeks would give $473.20.
There being 160,000 Baptists in Geor
gia. if they would agree to give accord
ing to this plan, they would make up the
pleasing sum of ($757,120) seven hun-
dred and fifty seven thousand, one hun
dred and twenty dollars.
Now if the other 13 Southern States,
said to number one million more Bap
tists, would agree to l/iis portrhj stricken
plan, it would make the more pleasing
sum of ($4,732,000) four million seven
hundred and thirty two thousand dol
lars. This amount added to what Geor
gia Baptists ought to do, would make
the sum of ($5,489,120) five million four
hundred and eighty nine thousand one
hundred and twenty dollars. Joe tenth
of this amount would be $548 911.00,
which ought to be given equally to
Home and Foreign Missions. Every
Baptist in the South can give as above,
and never miss the gift from his purse,
if given each week as first set forth by
the foregoing table.
B. D. Martin.
Milner, Ga.
James F. Edens.
380 Woodward Ave., Atlanta. Ga.
ATLANTA BAPTIST CONFERENCE.
Bro. Van Ness being absent, Bro.
Winchester presided.
Prayer by Bro. Argabrite, of Madi
son.
Bro. Stevens. Back from his field in
Cobb county. An excluded deacon was
restored.
Bro Stevenson preached to a large
congregation at the Decatur Street
mission.
Glenn Street. Pastor Howard
preached at night Bro. Goodwin in
the morning.
Bro. Hatcher preached at Fifth, Bro.
Reed at Capitol Avenue, and Bro. Nor
ris at Calvary.
Bro. Gibson has just returned from
the Mountain Association, where he
spoke only five times.
Bro. Bell preached the dedication ser
mon of the church at Hampton. Large
congregation. Pleasant service ail
through.
Dr. Gibson suggests that as the asso
ciations are in full blast anl cotton
coming into market, the brethren ought
to be making contributions to missions.
Bro Jameson. Pleasant day. Good
congregations. Pastor preached in the
morning and Bro. J. D. Norris at night.
One received by letter and one for bap
tism.
A number of visiting brethren were
at the conference and made cheering
reports of their work—brethren Arga
brite, Graham, Norris, Winchester art
Allen.
The usual services were reported by
brethren McDonald, Hillyer, Collier,
Ward, MacGregor. The latter has been
assisting Bro. Beck in a meeting at Li
thonia.
Bro. Winchester reports delightful
services at the Third, his brother trom
Tennessee, preaching at night. In the
afternoon, Bro. W.H. Bell was ordained
to the ministry. He has been called to
the pastorate of the North Atlanta
church.
THROUGHOUT THE STATE.
Pressure on our columns this week has
forced us to condense some accounts of
meetings and put them in this column.
We preferred this to letting them wait
over a week.
At a meeting held at Oak Grove
church, Crawford Co., there were ten
additions and many were enabled to
say, "It is good to be here.” So writes
Bro. G. W. White.
Bro. K. W, Cawthon, of Atlanta, goes
to supply the First church, Norfolk, Va.,
until the opening of Richmond College,
when he will resume his studies. He
has done some good preaching here this
summer.
The General Meeting of the Fifth Dis
trict. Georgia Association, together with
the Ministers and Deacons meeting, will
be field with the Washington cnurch,
Aug 28. Visiting brethren will be cor
dially welcomed.
Rev. W. F. Strickland, Villa Rica, re
ports a very successful meeting at that
place. Bro. T. E. McCutchen did the
preaching. Results, seven received for
baptism, the church revived and
strengthened.
Bro. J. M. Coley writes from Water
ville: We have just closed the best meet
ing that Waterville church has enjoyed
for many years. The interest was good
from the start. Church greatly revived.
Twelve happy souls were added to the
church. We hope more will follow.
Pastor M. C. Taylor, assisted by Bro.
R. L. Rachals, conducted a meeting at
Hardup, Baker Co., beginning July 28.
While the church enjoyed a blessing,
two were received for baptism, Bro C.
L. Waters kindly furnishes us these
items, and at the same time reports a
good Sunday-school maintained.
Rev. W. L. Barrett, Bellton: "A glo
rious revival ended last Wednesday,
with seventeen accessions. The meeting
closed with quite a number still anx
iously inquiring the way of life. What
a unit of strength the whole church at
Enon is! Enon is about three miles from
here. ”
Notice: The Centennial Association
meets with Fellowship church, Upson
county, six miles west of Thomaston and
three miles south of Crest, on the M. L.
and B. R. R. Begins Tuesday before
the second Sunday in October. Dele
gates will be met at Thomaston or
Crest. — P. C. King, Thomaston.
Bro. J. S. Knowles, Columbus, has
held good meetings at his three church
es, Damascus, Salem and Dover At
Damascus he was aided by Bro, J. W.
Davis, at Salem by Bro. Hammock and
at Dover by Bro. Schramm, of Midway,
Ala. Five were added to the Damascus
church, four to Salem and eight to Do
ver. Bro. Schramm greatly endeared
himself to the brethren of Dover.
Bro. W. J. Heggie, Grovetown: We
have just closed a five days' meeting at
Grove, Columbia Co. A gracious re
vival in the church. Two accessions to
the church, with more to follow at the
September meeting. The pastor. Bro.
J. H. Carswell, was assisted by Bro. J.
M. Atkinson, the former much beloved
pastor of the church, and by Bro. Mor
ris of the Methodist church.
Bro. J L. R. Barrett has had an ex
cellent meeting at White Plains, Jack
son county. There were twenty-three
additions, nine by experience and four
teen by letter and restoration. The
church growing in efficiency. At Bell
mont, also, he has been blessed. One
was received by letter, six by experience
and members long alienated from the
church were present. His churches are
developing along all lines of denomina
tional work.
Bro. G. H. Perdue writes of a fine
meeting at Antioch, in Upson Co.
Brethren Clayton and Oliver are joint
pastors of the church, and were assisted
by brethren Brittain, of Barnesville, and
Bro. Pitt Head, of Tampa, Fla., the lat
ter doing most of the preaching. The
meeting continued nine days, and the
immediate results were fifteen baptisms,
though a number of others professed
Among the baptized werea father
and mother, aged sixty, with their two
children, aged about thirty. It was a
good meeting.
A family reunion service will be held
at the old home of Rev. Isaac Smith, de
ceased. Sept. 11, beginning at 10 a m.
After singing and reading of the Scrip
tures and introductory remarks by Bro
T. J. Beck, of Tennille, the reunion ser
mon will be preached by Bro. W. L
Geiger, of Ohoopee, to be followed by a
reunion of the family. In the afternoon
remarks will be made by a number of
brethren. Persons coming up the
Wrightsville and Tennille railroad will
be met at Harrison on Thursdiy even
ing Those coming down on Friday’ had
best write to J. A. Hunt, Harrison
At Mt. Olive church, Harris Co., on
the Bth inst . Bro. Bruster Raily was
ordained to the ministry. The presby
tery consisted of brethren Martin, of
Abbeville, Ala.; E. 8. Moncrief, Phenix
City, aud G. D Benton. Ladonia. The
examination was conducted by the pas
tor, who also presented the Bible; Bro.
Moncrief preached the sermon and Bro.
Martin led in prayer. The day after his
ordination Bro. Raily had the pleasure
of baptizing some believers. A good
meeting is in progress at the church.
Bro. G. D. Benton is the pastor.
A brother at Hamilton reports a gra
cions meeting conducted by pastor T. M.
Callaway, assisted by Bro. W. H Smith
The meeting begaa July 20 and contin
ued a week. Seven were baptized in
the new baptistry of the church, and
the membership greatly revived. The
weekly prayer meeting and the Sunday
school are both flourishing. The latter
is under the leadership of Bro. A. E.
Williams. Lest bre hren Smith and
Callaway be made to blush we omit the
many good things said of them and their
work.
From Ashburn, Bro. L. K. Beal send 8
some interesting items. On July 23 a
meeting began. Bro. Emmet Dickens
leading. Bro. Culpepper, the pastor,
came on the 26th, and God so blessed
their labors that after fourteen days of
service there were twenty-two acces
sions. Bro. Dickens is a youug man, a
student of Mercer. He did much of the
preaching during the meeting. Bro.
Culpepper being nnatile to preach at
this church longer, recommended Bro.
Dickens and he was called as his
successor. A B Y. P U will beorgan
ized in the near future. The church ex
pects to build a new house of worship
It owns the most desirable lot in the
t vn.
Prof. S. P Santord
I first knew Prof. Sanford when I
entered the Junior class in Mercer Uni
versity in 1844 He taught me mathe
matics and Homer's Iliad. He was
twenty eight years old, in the vigor of
young manhood; although his students,
after the college custom, dubbing him
‘‘Old Shelt,” scarcely thought him a
young man.
In 1847 I returned to Mercer as Pro
fessor of Natural Sciences. In 1846 the
Faculty consisted of the venerable Dr.
Dagg, as president; Prof. S. P Sanford,
Prof. P. H. Mell, Prof. B O. Pierce,
Prof. N. M. Crawford and Prof S. G.
Hillyer. This faculty, embracing a
corps of literary instructors, and two
professors of Theology, impressed me
more than has any future organization
of Mercer. The Faculty were seconded
by a Board of Trustees composed of the
leading Baptists of the State, some of
whom had given hundreds and thou
sands of dollars towards the founding
and endowment of the University.
The chair of mathematics was one of
the strong departments. By his tact,
hie amiability, his energy, and his in
defatigable industry, Prof. Sanford had
shown himself equal to the position, and
won that popularity and respect among
his students which ever characterized
his teaching He had recent ly married
Miss Dickerman. of Boston, a thorough
pupil in music under the celebrated Dr
Lowell- Mason Their home was the
center of music in the little community
of Penfield, A choir composed of all
the lovers of music in the town met
every week in their parlor, and the
.choir of the Penfield Baptist church
was known throughout the State. Prof.
Sanford was the superintendent of the
Sabbath school His influence was
thus felt in every family in Penfield.
This was doubtless the happiest period
in the life of Prof Sanford
Prof Sanford seems to have conceived
the idea of writing an arithmetic early
in the fifties. His Analytical Arithme
tic, the father of the series, I saw in
manuscript in 1856. It was finished
during the war. and was placed in the
hands of Bro. J J. Toon for publication.
But publication was impossible during
the troublous times. After the war
Prof. Sanford entirely re wrote the
volume, and sought in vain for a pub
lisher. Mr. J. B. Lippincott, of Phila
delphia, declined publishing it. He
was induced afterwards to stereotype
and print 500 copies for a certain price,
which copies the professor distributed
and sold among his old students and
friends. Mr. Lippincott was so sur
prised at the ready sale, that he offered
to purchase the volume, and suggested
a series But Prof. Sanford, true to his
first plan, made one number of the se
ries to pay- for another, and thus kept
the copyright and stereotype plates in
his own hands. The four volumes of
Arithmetic and his Algebra have thus
been published by Mr. Lippincott, he
paying a royalty on each copy sold.
The Analytical was published in 1870,
the others after the removal of Mercer
University to Macon in 1871.
The removal to Macon brought Prof.
Sanford more prominently before the
public His Arithmetics were gradu
ally introduced into the schools of the
States, and he was brought into com
munication with very many of the
teachers. He attended the State School
Conventions and delivered a number of
interesting lectures before the body
from time to time. The writing, re
vising and remodeling of his books em
ployed much of his time during the re
mainder of his life.
I doubt if even Prof. Sanford could
inject a pun into an arithmetic. Not
the semblance of fun disturbs the dry
ness of his thousands of figures And
yet this is the only thing he said or
wrote, that did not overflow with hu
mor. The lectures he published, the
columns he wrote for the newspapers,
his conversation at all times were en
livened by a quiet humor. This humor
was of the anecdotal kind. A remark
suggested a funny anecdote, this an
other, and so on to the end. In our fac
ulty meeting a member would tell a
joke, this would call out one from an
other and this one from another, until
each had his Gay, when Prof. Sanford
would invariably end with the best
anecdote of the lot. And it must be
remembered that we had such humor
ists as Crawford, and Mell, and Tucker
and Steed. This was the salt to his
conversation and this made him a de
lightful companion.
Enjoying for over forty years the
friendship and confidence of Prof. San
ford. it affords me a mournful pleasure
to refer thus to some incidents in his
life. I have never known a more uni
form or more consistent character. He
was gentle and mild, and yet no one
held more decided condemnation of du
plicity or dishonesty. He was reticent
about his private affairs, and never pa
raded his successes, and yet he concealed
nothing from his friends. He was al
ways at his post of duty, at the church,
at the Sunday school, at the recitation
room. He moved along the way of life
an humble, devoted, useful Christian,
sustained by a simple faith, and cher
ishing mingled love to G xl and man.
Brother, friend, companion, farewell.
We shall not again walk together here,
but it is well with you in the Father's
mansions. J- E Willet.
Atlanta, Ga., 158 Highland Ave.
While writing the above, I received
the following beautiful letter from Dr.
J. J Brantly, of Macon, giving the par
ticulars of the closing days of our
brother. I feel sure that he will not
object to its publication.
COPY.
Prof J. E. Willet, Atlanta, Gia.
Dear Bro Willet:—You have no
douot learned before this, from the
newspapers, perhaps, of the death of
our dear old common friend and broth
er, Sanford. I was at his house only on
Wednesday before his death—the fol
lowing Sunday. We sat in the front
piazza and he seemed to be in his usual
health and in good spirits—full as usual
of anecdote and reminiscences. Little
did any of us, who were sitting together
there, anticipate that for him the end
was so near. But the weather was in
tensely hot and in the evening he com
plained of feeling very hot and was
restless and uncomfortable. Fever came
on that night, Dr. Moore was sent for
and prescribed something that reduced
the fever and restored him almost to his
normal condition. On Thursday morn
ing fever came on again, and so, with
alternations of improvement and re
lapse, he lay until Saturday night, when
the doctor saw that the battle was
nearing its end. Mrs. Cheves was tel
egraphed for and on Sunday about noon
his life went out quietly and peacefully.
‘‘The silver cord was gently loosed, not
rudely cut; "the golden bowl” was
crumbled, not rudely broken at the
fountain, and death bore that faithful
servant to that better home where, in
the beautiful language of the prophet,
“They that wait upon the Lord, shall
renew their strength, they shall mount
up on wings as eagles, they shall run
aain tbe weary, the. s ill walk and
not taint. The family were all around
his bedside and, though apparently con
scious in recognizing every one, he said
nothing, or nothing thatcould be under
stood.
We laid him to rest on Monday after
noon at 4:30 in the new cemetery. It
fell to me to speak of the dead and to
draw from the occasion lessons of ad
monition and instruction for the living.
A long, useful, blameless life has end
ed. Truly, it may be said of him that
"he served his generation by the will of
God.” He has left memor’als of him
self that can never be forgotten. In
thousands of homes all over the State,
upon the heads now white he left in
young manhood the impress of his char
acter ajjd teaching, aud the name of
Sanford is as familiar and cherished as
a household word. I would suggest
that you prepare for the Index some
commemorative tribute.
It would come most fittingly from
you who knew him so long and were as
sociated with him in common work for
so many years. It would, I have no
doubt, be very gratifying to the family.
Perhaps you have already thought of it.
I am glad to say that my own health is
still improving.
Yours faithfully,
Jno. J. Brantly.
August 12,,1896.
Appointment of Rev. H. R. Bernard.
The trustees of Mercer University
have shown admirable wisdom in the
appointment of Rev. H R. Bernard as
financial secretary of that institution.
An intimate relationship of three years
with this brother induces this conclu
sion. Methodical, persistent, frank,
zealous, active and consecrated—he is
all of these aud more.
I know of no one so eminently quali
fied for the position. I have not hesi
tated to express myself on this wise
many times before his appointment.
I trust I may be pardoned for suggest
ing that the times and the occasion call
for patience on the part of our people.
It is a most difficult and delicate work
to which Bro. Bernard is called. Ibis
an undertaking in which his patience
will be sorely tried, and in this he
should have co operation. No one can
succeed hastily in this work Difficult
and uninviting as it is, it needs to be
done. Sympathy for the merits of the
institution must be aroused, and inter
est thoroughly enlisted. It must be
what modern politicians are accustomed
to call "a campaign of education.”
I trust he will be kept steadily in the
field. Time will be necessary to reap
the fruits of his endeavors. I look for
the best results to follow his work.
B. F. Riley.
Athens, Ga.. August 12, ’96.
Meeting at Woodville, Ga —Dr.
Malcolm MacGregor.
I write this note to tell of a good
meeting just held with the church at
this place, as well as to introduce more
fully to Georgia Baptists our worthy
brother, Dr. Malcolm MacGregor. I
lately appointed a meeting here, which,
owing to my being called to my
brother’s bedside, fell mainly into this
brother's hands. And I am happy’ to
say, that he carried on the meeting
very judiciously and, by the divine
blessing, successfully. Up to the time
of his leaving, eight had been received
for baptism, and six since—all of
whom have been baptized and received
into the fellowship of the church.
There are still many apparently anx
ious, and it is hoped that many others
may yet be brought to Christ.
Dr. MacGregor is a native of Canada,
and has but recently come to Georgia
from Jacksonville, Fla. As a Baptist,
he seems decidedly in harmony with us
here at the South in his views of doc
trine and church polity.
Be has for some time felt much im
pressed to give himself to evangelistic
work, and has now made his arrange
ments to that end; and I feel assured
that churches that may avail themselves
of his services, will be pleased with him
and his work for the Master
J. H. Kilpatrick.
A Glorious Meeting—The Gen
eral Meeting, Fourth District, Flint
Riyer Association, met at Concord on
Friday, July 31st. The different sub
jects were discussed in an interesting
and practical manner, and much good
was done. The General Meeting ad
journed on Saturday. The services
were protracted from Sunday until
Wednesday, August 12th.
Results: Received by baptism 20, by
letter 1, and by restoration 1, and the
church very much revived. The bap
tized ranged in age from eleven to
twenty-four years. •
Every one received for baptism pro
fessed to have been converted during
the meeting.
The Holy Spirit was with ns in great
power.
“Bless the Lord, O my soul.”
T. H. Stout, Pastor.