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ESTABLISHED 1821. TheChristianlndex Publlthei Every Thursday By HKLrIL, <& VAN NESS Address Christian Indix, Atlanta. U» Organ of the Baptist Denomination lu Georgia. Subscription Prior: one copy, one year IS-00 One copy, six months 1.0» 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 charge. For each extra word, one oent 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 She old as well as the new address. The date «f 1 »bel indicates the time vour 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 A Wish BY REUNK D. R( SB. If 1 were one who could but sketch his face Upon the canvas of my soul’s dt sire Oh I would wield a brush and lightly trace Each God like mould of feature and each grace. In a coloiing of fire. * Shut Up to Faith. Galktians hi. 23. God, our Father, greatly de sires that we should believe in him, because through faith alone we must derive from him the supplies of life power in virtue of which we can realize his ideal. A single illustration will suffice to show how needful faith Jis, as the bridge of communication over which the resources of God may pass into our lives. In a period of anxiety and per plexity, some friend or relative of yours comes to your house and takes his seat beside you. He would have you confide the en tire story of your circumstances to his safe-keeping, while in re turn he offers whatever of sym pathy, resource, or prudence he can commandißut before this, an incident had tmnspired, or a piece of information had come to your ears, with respect to him, which has entirely destroyed your con fidence in his character and good intentions. Z ton can no * kJhger believe in him; and as the inevit able result, a barrier of ice is raised between you. Across that gulf you cannot go to him, and he may not approach you. He may be as wise as Solomon and as strong as Samson, but so long as you do not believe in him all is fruitless. Whereas tre resources of a much poorer soul may great ly succor you, as they pour into your heart, because you thor oughly believe in its honesty and sincerity of purpose. If o ily a soul can believe in God, to the extent to which it be lieves.it can obtain anything that is in God’s he&rt to bestow. God is the All giver; giving does not impoverish him -so far from that, it is the condition of his bleesed ness; but he greatly deplores that he cannot do what he would, or give us all that he might, be cause of our unbelief. Now there are two ways by which he leads us to faith; first, he shuts us up to it; and second ly, in the moment of despair he reveals its way or law. Thus we are shut up to the faith which is afterward revealed. LET US UNDERSTAND THIS META PHOR. This epistle was composed against the teachings of the Ju daizers, who, following in the track of the apostle, insisted on circumcision as necessary to sal vation. They were willing enough to admit the claims of Christ, if only the Levitical sys tem were maintained as of equal validity. They combined Moses with Christ, circumcision with faith. The apostle met them by insisting that Abraham was a Gentile before he became a Jew, and that the-promises were made to him as a simple believer while still in his Gentile condition, and long before he became the pro genitor of the Hebrew people. Those promises could not, there fore, be annulled by circumci sion or the Levitical system. They, at last, must stand, as the granite rocks are not removed by the accumulations of after-ages. The apostle then proceeds to answer the very natural question as to the purpose of the law and ritual associated with the great name of Moses “Wherefore then serveth the, law?” He re plies that it was introduced, not as a means of life, but as a mt a is of showing men their inability to get life, and thus to shut them up to the way of faith in the promise and covenant of God, given aforetime to Abraham. □ That phrase “shut up io” is very significant. It is as though THE CHRISTIAN INDEX. I SUBSC. ON, Prr Yeab.--82.00. | ITO MINIk Z>s. LOO. I the law were jailer-like »a its re spect, though loving and tender at heart, and went slowly down the grim prison corridor, at the extremity of which the soul had suddenly found itself. There are many doors on either side. One is labeled Perfect Obedience, an other Punctilious Performance of R te, another Strict Morality, an other Good Resolutions; all these are locked before the gaze of the soul, by none of them is escape possible. But the jailer leaves one door without turning the key. It is that which leads not only into freedom, but into very favorable circumstances; indeed, it communicates with the Fath er’s home. All other doors are locked and barred that the soul may not be able to pass through one of them, but may be shut up to this one, which will insure rtiv greatest amount of bliss. /' We will suppose a prisoner in the Castle of Chillon, whose gloomy walls rise over the LMe of Geneva, its stones worn the pacing to and fro of thiflp nivards that have their lives within those precincts. He is there on charge; but an indi side, a man in authority, able and willing to befriend him on condition of his making appli cation. There is, therefore, a conspiracy of silence among all his friends; he sends letters to wife and son, to lawyer and phy sician, but none answers his ap peal, till, every door being closed, he is compelled finally, as a last resort, to apply to the one who can immediately succor him most effectively. Tnus God, in his eagerness to drive us to faith in himself, shuts every other door, that the soul, weary, worn, fluttering, hard pressed, may tiee for refuge to the hope set before it, may be shut up to the faith which is re vealed. LET US ILLUSTRATE THIS META PHOR. Abraham was doomed to wait year after year, and compelled to witness the gradual failure of all natural likelihood of having a child. His marriage with Hagar did not better his position, for Ishmael could not be his heir. In the utter hopelessness of na ture he w r as shut up to faith. Israel, on the banks of the Red Sea, with the mountains on ttja.oa£ side, their foes on the e set' in front, dMi’d Whither could they flee? How escape? They were shut up to faith in the hand that alone could cleave a path through the mighty waters. This great apostle, in his en deavor to live a pure and holy life, tells us that he spared no pains or care or endeavor; but the more he strove the worse he fell. Approving of the law as holy, just, and good, after the inward man, he found himself brought into captivity to the law of sin in his members. Finally he was shut up to Christ and to the way of faith. Luther’s experience was pre cisely similar, only in the direc tion of justification. He sought peace with God by austerity, fasi ings and vigils, till he became wasted to the last degree of strength. At one time it was only by the singing of the choir boys that he could be revived. Conscience failed to be appeased until, in despair of all else, he found himself shut up to the faith that was graciously revealed THIS WILL ENABLE US TO LEARN TRULY TO USE OUR FAIL URES. They may be traced to many causes. For instance, our ideals are constantly rising. Therefore we cannot rest with what satis tied us yesterday. We must al ways be a pilgrim host, follow ing the beckoning pillar, but needing ever augmenting grace, which we are sometimes slow to seek. Or,after we have realized some high point in the Christian life we have forgotten to distinguish between spiritual and intellectual attainments. In the latter, when once we have acquired a piece of information, or discovered the solution of a problem, it is ours ever after; but in spiritual mat ters we can only hold our posi tion, as we have acquired it, by faith. All depends on our attitude. If there is relaxation and unfaithfulness there, relapse is inevitable. Or we are harboring a traitor, who is constantly sapping our in ward energy. Or we have ceased to grow in grace and the knowledge and love of God. And to cease to grow is to decline; not to advance is to recede. Or we have not lived in fellow ship with God, nor sought the aid of the Holy Spirit, nor fed our souls with the Bread of Life, by reason of which our spiritual strength is minished and brought ] ow . —Through Fire and Flood Meyer. Some Thoughts on Prayer. BY REV. J. C. SOLOMON. Prayer is one of the world’s mightiest agencies for good. Without it life would be dull and listless. Prayer stands among the heart’s chiefest treasures. It is the handmaid of hope. It is a true friend in timeof sorest need. It is a bright and burning light in the dark days of the world Many a broken heart has had a fresh solace when prayer has burned upon the altar. Despair blossoms into hope when men can pray again. And melodies, like the sweetest notes of birds, stir in the soul when the heart looks up to God. What life is there taat can live in this realm of strife and unrest and not look to the Infinite? Do not our burdens fan our hearts to flame and part our lips in burning, soulful petition? There is a consuming desire to throw off these old chafing cares or to obtain grace to sustain us while we carry them. Prayer is the white wing on which the souls mounts to the throne. It is the Christian’s delightful avenue to God. “Prayer is the aspiration of our poor, struggling, heavy-laden soul towards its eternal Father, and, with or without words, ought not to become impossible, nor, I persuade myself, need it ever. Loyal sons and subjects can approach the King’s throne who have no request to make there except that they may con tinue loyal.” The great soul of Carlyle nev er, perhaps, uttered a stronger or nobler sentiment. The Chris tian poet, James Montgomery, aives out thoughts that breathe and words that burn in these ex quisite lines: Prayer is the Christian s vitai breath; The Christian's native air; His watch word at the gates of death— He enters heaven with prayer. But no Chr’stian is He knows how to He may but he is mighty He may nbt be fluent —he may have a stammering tongue, but God always under stands him. Let no child of the King be silent when his Father is ready to pour him out a blessing for the simple asking. It was Joanna Baillie in “Eth wald” who gave utterance to these beautiful thoughts: ? A good man’«»praters Will from the deepest dungeon Climb heaven’s height And bring a blessing down. We pray for men; we pray for affairs. We pray in the daytime; we pray in the lonely hours of the night. We pray when our hearts are glad; we pray when some crushing sorrow has fallen on our homes. The little baby in his crib, the dear child in her trundle bed, the big boy in the shed room, are all objects of our prayers. And we will not forget the dear old mother. She is the sunshine of the home. And there is the father —strong man that provides so well —we pour out our hearts for him. We don’t forget the little invalid brother and the poor little, frail, delicate sister. Some financial vicissitude befalls one’s business, a ruinous mortgage is just ready to be fore closed. It is a dark hour and ev ery heart is sad. The creditor shows no mercy. What can you do but pray? Some domestic in felicity has arisen—a gloom, as black as midnight, hangs over human souls. What can you do but kneel down and cry? Some dear boy has wandered off into sin—steps down into crime. The boy is ruined; the father’s name is disgraced. No uno knows what a sorrow this is except pa rei/s whose cheeks hi ve been blistered by scalding tears and whose heart strings have snapped as they saw the dear fellow step overboard and go down to the depths. If souls were ever wrung in agony—if lips ever spoke to God, it were at a time like this. I wonder if your daughter has lost her chastity. I wonder if her virtue is but a filthy rag. Poor fallen soul! Your heart was crushed when the fatal day over took her. Be not too hard on this class. The Savior wrote on the sand—looked up and forgave her. With tender prayer and kisses of affection the fallen wo man of to-day may be led up to God Almighty’s pardoning love “As long as the lamp holds out to burn the vilest sinner may re turn. ’ Pray and some tears may fall. Pray and some heart may break. Pray, and as God answers prayer, some soul will be saved. Eliza Cook strikes a responsive cord in many a believer’s heart and speaks the beautiful truth of God when she cries: In desert wilds, in midnight gloom. In grateful joy. in tr ing pain; In laughing youth, or night the tomb; Oh! when is prayer unheard or vain? But for prayer this old world would be a wild waste —a wilder ness—a land of thick shadows and grim apparitions. ATLANTA, GA., THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 1896. Take prayer out of the human vocabulary and the heat’s lan guage would be , poor indeed. Prayer has broken many a flinty heart and made eyes, unused to tears, run like rain. Prayer has closed the black door of tl< >om and opened the gates of pearl Prayer has throttled the grim monster despair and made hope bloom im mortal in the breast. What would you have Jone that night when the doctor said there was no hope, when med. ine had failed, when every human inge nuity had been exhausted and your precious was boy tossing in wild delirium? What w uld you have done with no recourse to prayer—with no God to >eg? You threw yourself at the feet of mercy and cried aloud, your very heart dripping blood. The night passed, tne gray dawn of the morning broke into the room, and the boy smiled in your face; and floods of sunshine poured into your soul. The prayer was answered. You prayed one morning and then walked the rest of the day among thorns and never murmured. Your property was swept away, but you took it all to God in prayer and he sus tained you. It was a bitter night when the death angel came to your house and bore away your little darling. But for your faith in the Infinite it seems your heart must burst now with grief. You follow the little white coffin on You stand by the open grave. It seems your life went down with the lit tie sleeper. You look up and the All Merciful one pours cordial into your soul. You have peace at last. ’Twas a hard b ow, but his grace is sufficient Wonder ful prayer! wonderful grace! wonderful peace! “Prayer is the Spirit speaking truth to Truth.” Th» n let him who prays be in earnest and heaven will never prove him false. vale or the shadow sorrow, if in the grip of some relentless pain, if in death’s convulsive throes, look up. Speak to the Eternal. “Prayer ardent opens heaven, lets down a stream ’ 1 Os glory on the consecrated hour Os man. in the audience with the Deity; Who worships the God, that in stant joins The first in heaven, s his foot on Comical REV. H. D D. (STRATON l It is an inquiry of some inter est, at the present time, why such large multitudes of human be ings so eagerly crowd to listen to certain men who have assumed the role of great evangelists, while so many others who figure in the same lines of work, have compara ively so meager a fol lowing. A distinguished preacher of my acquaintance once put the question to a gentleman whose reputation on the religious lec ture platform is national. “Why is it, brother Blank, that you sue ceed in getting such large crowds to your performances, while I have so much trouble in secur ing even a small audience? My lectures are prepared with great care and labor, and it is not ego tistical in me to say that I regard them as meritorious enough to deserve a larger hearing.” The response of Mr. Blank was brief but suggestive “You haven’t the notoriety, my son.” No doubt the “notoriety” will succeed in drawing the crowd, and notoriety can be gained if a man is willing to pay the price demanded for it. If he is willing to assume the garb and use the language of a buffoon; to employ the natural mother wit he may be endowed with; to crack jokes, tell the funny anecdotes, spice his oratory with liberal doses of her esy, use the slang of the gutti r, and have at his tongue’s end the vulgar familiarities and obsceni ties of the market place, the brothel and the barroom, he will have no trouble getting people to listen to him. There is a singu lar fascination to the average hu man being in gossip, slander,and popular exposure of the foibles and corrupt propensities of our fellowmen. It is to gratify this vicious and inordinate appetite that the most popular of cur great daily newspapers load their tables with so many dainty dishes of scandal, revolting details of vice and profligacy, wink at the perversions of justice, stab vir tue, and disguise vice in the flaunting habiliments of spurious charity. The ravenous vulture of the air will not find out with a more unerring instinct the car cass that is rotting in the waste and desolate field, than the lover of scandal and vulgarity will find a victim on whose damaged reputation he may glut his mor bid appetite. It is surely a dis eased condition of the moral na ture that can find gratification in those caricatures of the Gospel which pass in these days for evan gelical preaching—these “mim icries of earth born flowers, which to the eye raise phantoms of gayety,” but which to the ear that has drunk a part, at least,of the heavenly music of truth, righteousness and judgment to come, are more like the echoes of that fiendish and fugitive laugh ter that mix with the ravings of the sea of wrath and vengeance that will whelm a mocking and infidel world. “The great Creator to revere, Must sure become the creature; But still the preaching can't forbear, And ev’n the rigid feature; Yet ne’er with wits profane to rage Be complaisance extended, An atheist’s laugh’s a poor exchange For Deity offended.” The world’s eras have been classified into the “stone age,” the “golden age,” the “ironage,” etc. I think we have fallen upon the “laughing age.” It would seem that no place is too venera ble, no theme too sacred to be ex empt from the silly jeer, the broad grin and the polluting touch of Momus Is broad farce the channel for the new evangel? Are wit, laughter, and funny jokes the agency that the Spirit of God is now using to bring sin ners to repentance, to roll back the dark tides of human sin and suffering, to heal the broken hearted, and emancipate human ity from its bondage to the world, the devil and the flesh? If so, let us throw away our Bibles, turn our temples of worship into theaters, quench our altar fires of private and public devotion, and transform our schools of the prophets into training academies for perfect and efficient drill in the use of the sock, the buskin and the mask. Let “motley” be our “only wear,” and hurrah for him who has reached the highest ■nd bells; who y as a power his inacquain doctrines and s a “creative ot yet prepar modern craze ation. We are the doctrinal nderlies this menon. The f God. He has ucvci wauLvu ui ue witnesses to its truth and tender grace and righteousness. He equips and sends them forth with the weap ons of spiritual w’arfare in their hands; and the undying fires of holy love and zeal flaming upon the altar of their hearts. The good fight of faith is to be waged and won by the same weapons, and under the enduement of the same panoply which made the apostle Paul the greatest human hero of the world. The solemn verities of God’s eternal truth are to be proclaimed as of old “with tears,” and the deathless zeal which girt the di vine Master must still be the pal ladium of the true and tried sol diers of the cross. Men must still be taught in detail as well as in the mass, that salvation is not quitting their meanness, or adopt ing a code of moral reformation; but by exercising repentance to ward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, plunging, all pant ing, not into fetid and troubled waters, but into the fountain of a Savior’s blood. We must get back to the theology of the New Testament —back to the blood earnestness of the apostles and prophets and of the martyrs and witnesses for Christ. The austere virtues of the Christian faith have never been popular in the strict sense of that word. Its rewards are not paid in the coin of this world, or its merits tested by popular applause. “Woe unto you when all men shall speak well of you, for so did their fathers to the false prophets.” “Yea, all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” Fidelity to Christ will entail suffering; but there are infinite compensations derived from the approval of a good conscience, the smile of our Divine Master, and his welcome plaudit when the conflict is over and the victory is won. Monticello, Ga. For the Index. The City versus The Country. BY REV. A B. M’CURDY. The time draws nigh when men, especially pastors, will be seeking rest and recreation in the country, and upon the moun tains, and by the sea, and this is beneficial, for indeed God ap pears in another form unto us as we v/alk into the country. The old proverb: “God male the country and man made the town,” is, of course, one of that large class which, by the greatness of its exaggeration of a truth, be comes false; yet it is doing its work to an alarming degree in our large cities, and men are for getting God, and are gradually being drawn to an acceptance cf the proverb. But to see nothing of God’s work and God’s pur pose in the vast enterprise, in the ceaseless activity of brain, in the immense concourse of humanity, in the noble philanthropy which seeks to grapple with the misery and vice of the seething popula tion, in that attrition of mind which often brings forth sparks of undying energy, all of which are t triking characteristics of our great cities, is to be blind indeed to some of God's best and truest revelations. There is something very grand and awful in a great populous city. I remember, one bright nigh?, gazing over London from that range of hills which is its northern boundary. Amid a still ness there where one could hear the quiver of the smallest leaf, there arose the distant ceaseless, monotonous murmur of the roar of London's midnight traffic. Away beyond the eye stretched that vast forest of human habi tations, shimmering in the cold light till lost in the distant sil very mist. There was something overpowering in thought of the millions waking or sleeping there —of all the strange variety of piety or vice—of joy and of sorrow—of hate and of love- of suffering and of happiness, that was gathered there. As we gazed, at least one young soul was entering into life—at least one soul was passing away from earth forever. And then, the grander thought of the great God above, who saw it all, who heard every sigh, every prayer, every curse, every blasphemy that broke upon the midnight. Yes, man may have made the town, but God made the think ing brains, the throbbing hearts, the men, the women whose mil lions swarm there. Still there is a great truth at the basis of that proverb. The absorption of the greater part of the thought, and genius, and manhood, and life of a nation into cities is not without danger. “When the villages ceased in Israel, then wes there war in the gates.” Is there not war now in every gate where faith and hope stand sentinels for God? Is not village and country life being largely absorbed into city life in this land? Is not the very man ner in which we use the word “country” an evidence not only of how highly we esteem the life of towns, but of how greatly we depreciate the life of the country and the village ? And wherein all this land is there a strong city church who would direct the pulpit committee to look “out in the country” for a pastor? When was a pastor called from a coun try pastorate to a city ? lam not finding fault, nor am I criticising our churches of the city; I am well aware of the peculiarities of the city pastorate; yet, is there not a very different habit or thought regarding the churches, and God as well, and our relation to him, engendered by a long residence in a crowded metropo lis, from that which dawns upon a thoughtful spirit amid the sights and sounds of nature 9 Have you never felt, amidst so much human life and surrounded with the vast works of man’s hands, a little more faith in things material—a little less real ization of complete dependence upon God, than when you have been alone in the country, and the mountains encircled you with their majesty, or the bright har vest fields waved in their golden glory at your feet ? There is, indeed, a great tendency of thought, engendered by the in fluences of the crowded city and its life, which may be discerned spreading and increasing in our day and midst to an alarming ex tent —it is to forget God. In deed, so multitudinous have be come our branches of organiza tion and auxiliaries, and so won derfully manipulated the wires of church organization, and so successfully, we have almost in many instances laid aside that old and Christ recognized essen tia! —faith in God. In the city man seems to be creator as well as utilizer. He seems in all his enterprise and in all his achievement to be his own master, and not God’s work man. God may not be entirely forgotten, but he appears a Law and not a Person. Let churches send their pas tors away for a few weeks to the country, or the mountain or sea, that they may get away from the rush and bustle and materialism of the town, that God may ap pear unto them in another form as they walk in the country, and they will return to their work full of rich truth overlooked, and not only rested and recuperated in body, but the better able to lead the flock over which they are overseers, because of the burning words spoken unto them by the Master as he walked and talked with them in the country. Natchez, Miss VOL. 76-NO. 38 For the Index. Reminiscences of Georgia Baptists. BY S. G. HILLYER, D.D. VI. REV. ADIEL SHERWOOD, D.D. As stated in a former paper, I knew Dr. Sherwood when I was a little boy. I saw him first at our home, but I was too young to know who or what he was. I only learned that he was a preach er, and that his name was Sher wood. He was then a stranger in Georgia. He was a native of Vermont, a graduate of Middle burg College and also of the The ological Seminary at Andover. It was with such preparation, as above stated, that Dr. Sher wood entered upon his work in Georgia. He gave to our State the best part of a long life. The his tory of that life is on record. And a more instructive and useful history for Georgia Baptists can hardly be found. It was about 1824, that Dr. Sherwood was, a second time, a guest at my mother’s home. I was then old enough to know him, and, in some small measure, to appreciate him. It was easy enough to see that my mother and grandmother (our father had passed away) were deeply inter ested in his conversation. He was, decidedly, the most learned Baptist preacher they had ever known; yet, though so far above them in learning, they discovered that, in the realm of experimen tal religion, he spoke a language which they well understood. And if he spoke of the need of mis sionary work among the Indians upon our borders, or among the distant heathen where Judson was, his words found a ready echo from their hearts. Nor was he unmindful of my mother’s sons. I was then about fifteen years old. I remember he took occasion to address a few words to me. He asked me what I was reading in Latin. I told him I was reading Virgil. And, looking at me with a pleas ant smile, he said: “And where did you first find Tityrus?” Ire plied : “I found him reclining un der the shade of a beech tree.” The answer seemed to please him; and I felt gratified by his attention. At the same time, or in a sub sequent interview, my brother Junius had a similar experience.\ My brother was two years older than I, and of course more ad vanced in his studies. Dr. Sher wood drew him out as to his studies. The conversation cul minated in my brother’s reading to him a composition he had just finished. The good doctor was evidently pleased with the youth ful effort. Yet with a gentleness almost parental, he criticized the diction in two or three sentences and suggested amendments. My brother at once and with pleas ure accepted his suggestions, and afterwards gave evidence of his gratification in having Dr. Sher wood to criticize his composi tion. Such incidents as just given may appear to some readers too trilling to deserve remembrance; but simple as they are, they teach us a valuable lesson. In just such incidents we learn how Dr. Sherwood was able, perhaps un consciously to himself, to work his way into the affections of the families which he visited. Let me give you another sim ple story. It was given to me by one who claimed to know the facts. On one occasion brother Sher wood was riding through a rural district. His road led him by a house where dwelt a fanily with which he was well acquainted. He concluded to drop in aid greet the household. He found, how ever, that the husband and father of the family was out in the fields superintending his work. Tne time was too short to make it worth while to send for him. So the visit was limited to the mem bers of the family who were present. The lady of the house was deeply pious, and greatly con cerned about her husband, who was not a member of the church and seemed to be unconcerned about his salvation. Brother Sherwood understood the situa tion. The case seemed to touch his heart; for just before he left he made prayer with the family. A part of it was an earnest and feeling supplication in behalf of the unconverted husband. He then took leave of all present and went ou his way. About twilight the husband came in from the field. H s wife met him and told him of Dr. Sherwood’s visit, and of the earnest prayer which he had made for the salvation of tha husband. What reply he made I cannot now report. But it came to pass, in a few weeks, that this man presented himself to the Baptist church in his neighborhood as a candidate