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W Christian I ndex
T P. B?.LL, I Editors.
I J. VAN NESS, f °
BIBLE WORK.
A few weeks ago we gave ex
pression to our desire for more
general contributions for Bible
distribution by Southern Bap
lists. Our attention was called
to this by the Religious Herald
which printed communications
from l»rs. Burrows and Frost.
Following the lead of our friend,
the Religious Herald, we showed
the facilities possessed by our
Sunday School Board for receiv
ing and judiciously expending
such contributions. It will be
seen that our good friend Dr.
C. Brown, of Sumter, S. C., has
discovered some objections to our
position. Dr. Brown has one
string to his denominational tid
die that is always ready for a
tune and he brings forth the cus
tomary strains. We also print a
communication from Dr. A. J.
Rowland that gives many points
of information.
The Christian Index makes no
apologies for advocating the en
largement of our Convention
work through its regularly estab
lished agencies. When we thus
say a word for our ow n work no
one has the right to either charge
or suspect any insinuations
against the work done through
similar agencies elsewhere. We
do not necessarily intend any ref
erence disparaging to the Gospel
mission >vork when we commend
our Richmond Board or present
its advantages as an agency. We
can urge our Home Mission
Board to advanced work among
the negroes without being under
stood as reflecting on the Home
Mission Society. In the same spir
it does the Christian Index deal
with the work of the Sunday
School Board, and we do not pro
pose to in any way apologize for
so doing or acknowledge that
such exclusive reference can be
fairly construed as denying the
merits of any one else.
Our Sunday School Board has
done much Bible distribution in
the past and proposes to do more
in the future. We believe its fa
cilities are great for putting prac
tically every cent contributed
into Bibles to be distributed in
our bounds. We rejoice that the
American Baptist Publication
Society has its admirable facili
ties for this work also. In the
settlement of the literature ques
tion by tin* establishment of the
Sunday School Board, it was re
solved that everybody should be
free to use snch literature as they
might elect. We suppose equal
freedom will be acknowledged in
this matter. We are convinced
that the appeal of our ow n board
will be more far-reaching and
effective and we, therefore, give
it the preference. What we want
is to see our Southern Baptist
churches making contributions
for this object. It is as much a
question of soliciting contribu
tions and effectively reaching our
ow n field as of cheap production.
Through our own board it will
also come before the Convention
and receive such recognition as
it deserves. In all this we have
no thought of in any way tailing
to do honor to the American Bap
tist Publication Society.
There is a great and needed
work before us. It Ims long been
neglected. It must be done. It
is not a question of rivalry, but of
effective work.
AN UNEMPHASIZED ADVANTAGE
OF DENOMINATIONAL SCHOOLS.
We are thoroughly persuaded
in our own minds that denomina
tional schools are a necessity.
There are many arguments that
go to show the great gain to the
cause of education through de
nominational interest in, and con
trol over, colleges and academies.
These arguments are familiar.
We desire here to call attention
to one feature of these schools
that we have never seen empha
sized. It is the work done by
them in inducing attendance from
the ranks of the denomination,
where otherwise such advantages
would not be availed of.
Our denominational schools go
in search of pupils. Their repre
sentatives go personally to per
suade parents to send their chil
dren. These representatives
search out young men and women,
both likely and unlikely, and in
duce them to attend their schools.
The denominational schools thus
become educational missionaries,
seeking those needing their
help. No other institutions have
the same incentive or the same
directness of aim and purpose.
Our schools are after our Baptist
boys and girls and they try to
get them, whether the boys and
girls have been thinking of going
or not. Others wait for the sur
vival of the fittest by opening
their doors for those who have
the incentive in themselves, to
come. Our schools endeavor to
arouse an ambition and to get the
less courageous to undertake the
work of securing an education.
It is difficult to estimate the ul
timate value of this in our de
nominational life. These schools
are spreading everywhere infor-
mation as to the possibility of se
curing an education by all. To
the remotest hamlet and far-off
mountain association goes the in
vitation to come and get an edu
cation. Our whole denomination
is the field of labor and becomes
accessible to the agents search
ing for pupils. The good done
can never be estimated. We
might mention names that would
be recognized as those of men
powerful in our denominational
upbuilding ami strong in the pur
suit of business and political life,
that have thus been induced to
attend our Baptist schools.
Os course this applies in a pre
eminent manner to Mercer. Pro
fessor Pollock did an unusual
work of this kind the last sum
mer. Bro. Bernard will go all
over the State seeking money
ami seeking boys. The one is as
much a work of denominational
character as the other. Hun
dreds will be brought to Mercer
that never would have sought an
education if left alone. Given an
endowment adequate to its needs
ami buildings able to accommo
date them, and Mercer's men will
find Georgia Baptists boys to be
educated. Everything connected
with a Missionary Baptist people
must have the spirit of going af
ter folks. We need denomina
tional schools to complete our
missionary activities, for even
schools must be agencies to
reach out for men.
MYSTERY FOR MYSTERY.
The mystery of the burning
bush was a test of the character
of Moses. A study of it reveals
to us how’ a great man met a
mystery. Lesser men may quibble
about a religion with the myste
rious as an element. Moses
promptly found a place, both in
his reason ami his faith, for an
event that puzzled him because
of the mystery surrounding it.
With any other attitude of mind
he would have been unlit to deal
with the people of Israel, as
God’s leader. He who can accept
no mystery and whose faith is
shaken at every insoluble per
plexity, must fail to be a religious
leader or teacher.
It is also noticeable that Moses
never received an answer to his
questionings as to why the bush
was not burned. He received,
however, the revelation of a mys
tery greater than that of the
bush. The omnipotent God ap
peared to him and revealed him
self as the great “I am that I am,”
and carried up Into new heights
the revelation of the Godhead.
oenturies after men were still
searching the heights and depths
of this new mystery made known
to Moses. Moses loses interest
in the lesser mystery of the bush
ami gives mind and heart to the
new mystery of God’s greatness
and power.
It would seem as if God used
this method of answering mys
tery with mystery in very many
cases. The Bible does not pre
tend to solve a great many per
plexing problems. They are
stated directly or indirectly.
Over against these mysteries rev
elation will put a greater, but
more blessed, mystery, and sub
stantiating it to our faith, ask us
to accept it as a answer to the un
solved perplexities of the lesser
and more disturbing one. Take
as an example the problem of
pain and suffering. At the best
we can but see a ray or two of
light. We stand perplexed at
the great mystery. The Bible
comes with no solution for our
minds. Over against the mystery
.of pain, however, it places the
mystery of perfected character
born of tribulation. It does not
answer the problem of purity and
godliness overthrown by the pow
ers of the world, but it (lashes
into the darkness the revelation
of the great multitude who have
made their garments white in
the blood of the lamb, amid great
tribulations. The mystery re
vealed answers the mystery life
forces on us.
So, also, is it with the mystery
of foreordaining power. It is not
explained, but simply stated.
Over against it, however, with an
emphasis and clearness unmis
takable, does the Bible set forth
the mystery of human freedom
and the power of the human will
to determine its eternal destiny.
The whosoever is revealed as
over against all problems of he
redity. So death is a problem
never solved in its suffering and
weakness. A life of glory cli
maxed by a death of lingering,
hopeless weakness. The Bibb*
comes not to remove death's mys
tery, but its sting. It reveals an
immortality that is shrowded in
blessed mystery, but is given evi
dence to by all that Jesus did
by his life and resurrection. The
mystery of an immortality an
swers the problems of death.
What is the part of wisdom?
Mysteries there must be; it is
with us to say whether they shall
be the dark'problems of pain,
death, loss, human weakness, or
the mysteries of grace, of gain in
loss, strength in weakness, life
in death. Shall Moses choose?
Shall he turn to the human so
lution of the w’onderful bush,
burning but not consumed, or to
the revelation of the mystery of
THE CHRISIIAN INDEX! THURSDAY. NOVEMBER 12, 1896.
omnipotent, oininiscent, but liv
ing God? Like a wise man, he
turns from the little mystery to
the blessed great one. So let us
do. We can find in the Bible a
mystery to put over against
every mystery that life brings.
We may not understand, but, be
lieving, we can have our hearts
assured and trust even when we
do not understand.
THE HISTORICAL CONTENTION.
With this issue of the Index
Dr. W. A. Jarrell's review of Dr.
Whitsitt’s book is completed. It
has been very much longer than
we had anticipated, but as Dr.
Jarrell was one of the foremost
representatives of the “Baptist
Church Succession” school of
Baptists in the South, we felt
that it would be but fair to give
him all the space he really need
ed to set forth his opinions and
those of his school. He has taken
full time and full space for his
review, and we may suppose that
he has presented the cream of
the arguments against the posi
tion of Dr. Whitsitt.
In our next issue Dr. H. A.
Newman, of McMaster Universi
ty, Toronto, Canada, will begin a
series of articles, reviewing the
whole matter, and presenting the
views thereon of a trained eccle
siastical historian, recognized as
one of tlie foremost men on that
branch of study. He will give us
the ripest fruits of early and late
historical research. After Dr.
Newman is through, we shall feel
that the Baptists of Georgia have
had full opportunity to learn as
much as they want to about this
particular historical question,
and we will turn to other things.
Mercer must be endowed; our
mission boards ail need to have
their work laid afresh on the
hearts of the brethren; prohibi
tion in Georgia, through the Bush
bill, or some kindred measure,
must be contended for; our min
isterial students in Mercer must
be cared for, and the orphanage
kept before our people. There is
much to do ami time (lies, and
we must not spend too much time
on a question of history that at
best is more interesting than im
portant —so long as we have the
unquestioned record of Baptists
contained in the New Testament.
Our welcome to Dr. J. L. John
son, who assumes editorial charge
of the Baptist Layman at Wino
na, Miss., is somewhat delayed,
but it is none the less warm and
hearty. He will bring much of
learning to his work and will add
to the upbuilding forces of our
denomination. It is a matter of
congratulation that our denomi
national papers are being
strengthened. We have been im
pressed anew’ with the place of
the denominational press in the
South. Cause that can be read
ily seen conspire to give a power
to it here that exists nowhere
else. To us one of the most en
couraging signs among us is the
betterment of all our State pa
pers. They are attracting better
men and exerting more influence
than ever. Issues must now’ run
the gauntlet of a series of thor
oughly independent and strong
papers, no one of which can be
stampeded. As for orthodoxy,
they stand unexceled. The Bap
tist Courier has periodical spells
on Monism, but as nobody un
derstands that subject, it does
not hurt much. All the others
stand clearly out as defenders of
the faith. Nearly all of these pa
pers are true and loyal on mis
sions and our organized work. It
is an honor to be in this line of
workers. We trust all these pa
pers will be prospered.
It was our privilege last week
to run down to Macon to a meet
ing of the committee on Mercer
endowment, and in connection
therewith to make a brief visit
to the University. We found all
the brethren connected with the
school in fine spirits over the
work of the session, and the pros
pects for the future. There was
only one thing that seemed to
press heavily on the hearts of
any of them, and that was the
condition of the fund for minis
terial students. There are forty
one such students in attendance,
and of this number twenty-one
need more or less assistance in
getting through the session.
Great care is exercised by the
committee having this matter in
charge in expending the funds
committed to them, but in spite
of all care, they find that they
will need over two thousand dol
lars during the session. Os this
they have only about one thou
sand in sight, and they are puz
zled to know’ where the other is
to come from. Unless it comes,
or gives promise of coining, by
the first of January, they will not
feel warranted in keeping the
young men.
Would it not be a shame if the
Baptists of Georgia made it nec
essary for any of these young
brethren to go home? Neglect
will accomplish this result. Will
the churches neglect it? Must
the young men go home? The
churches will have to answer this
question.
The new Central Baptist
church of Atlanta was dedicated
last Sunday. It is situated in a
far better location in the same
immediate territory. The house
is a frame one, but very pretty
and a model of convenient com
pactness on the inside. It will
seat about five hundred. Rev. R.
L. Motley assumed charge as pas
tor the Sunday of the dedication
and begins work under favorable
auspices. He will be welcomed.
We are sure every interest of
Georgia Baptists will be helped
by him. Rev. Alex. W. Bealer
the same day began his pastorate
at the Fifth church. This tills
up the ranks in Atlanta and signs
multiply of increasing vigor and
progress.
That is a most gratifying state
ment of Secretary Willingham's
regarding Georgia’s gifts to Geor
gia missions. The record is cer
tainly a most creditable one.
Georgia was asked for $16,000,
and has already given within
S4OO of the half of this sum. We
trust Secretary Willingham’s ap
preciation of the Christian Index
as a factor in this is well founded.
It certainly would give us great
joy. It is our theory that we
owe to all our work a support
that finds its incentive in our
selves. We believe the great
trouble is that our people wait
too much for agents to ask them.
We advocate spontaneous gifts
from churches, and our con
science demands that we give as
spontaneous support to our
boards. We always welcome the
communications of our secreta
ries, but we serve notice that we
shall not wait for them.
Our thanks are due to Mr. S.
11. Hardwick, of the Southern
Railway, for courtesies at a spe
cial time of need. We appreciate
the more such courtesies when
done in the kindly, sympathetic
spirit that characterized this
case. We have often commend
ed the Southern Railway and
now desire to commend again its
general passenger agent, Mr.
Hardwick. Baptists are con
cerned about the men who con
trol their means of getting to
Conventions and meetings as
well as the road itself. We sug
gest that when there is any occa
sion for special arrangement
that the brethren go direct to Mr.
Hardwick. We an* sure such
personal contact will favor the
Southern Railway.
The election is now over and
everybody has settled down to
hopefulness again. It is a matter
of congratulation that the result
was s<» quitJily recognized and
readily accepted. In many places
newspapers deluded the people
with false reports and aroused
the mob feeling. Southern peo
ple know how to accept defeat
and they are not given to quar
reling when the issue goes
against them on a straightout
fight. No section of the country
will be found more heartily sup
porting every effort for the ad
vancement of our nation. Much
is due to the newspapers of Geor
gia who gave full and accurate
news of the election result.
A perversity of the types led
to two very singular errors last
week. Speaking of the Southern
Female College at College Park,
we remarked on the evident af
fection existing between faculty
and pupils. The types made it
read affliction. The girls resent
such charges, with the saving
clause that it could only refer to
the hard work demanded of them.
We also remarked on the fact
that the Chicago University was
affecting the life of the South.
Again it came out as afflicting.
We presume a good many breth
ren thought it was right.
We present this week a com
munication from Professor Woos
ter, of Mercer. It will be inter
esting in itself and also for the
promise that it is but the first of
many communications from Mer
cer faculty. We are sure a better
acquaintance with the personnel
of the faculty will result in
greater good to Mercer. The men
who teach there are more than
capable and we propose to give
them full opportunity to get ac
quainted with Georgia Baptists
through the Christian Index.
The Atlanta Baptist Pastors'
Association meets in the First
Baptist church every Monday
morning at half-past 9. A feat
ure of added interest is a series
of papers read at these meetings.
Most of these have been exeget
ical in character and of unusual
value. The brethren will always
be welcome at these meetings
whenever they care to attend.
Business men are also greeted
most cordially.
It is gratifying to hear of the
success of the efforts to relieve
Howard College of debt. More
than half the debt has been cov
ered and the prospects are now
bright. This has been done by
long. hard, personal work. It is
in this way that such matters are
carried to success. So it will be
with Mercer. Let us get down
to personalities.
the £aptUt
Editors
The Standard: We have met people
who thought it necessary to apologize
for being Baptists. We have met ;
other people whose manner seemed to |
demand an apology from everybody I
who was not a Baptist. Between these
extremes may be found many a loyal
soul who neither conceals nor pa- |
rades his denominational preferences, j
who knows what he believes and why
he believes it, but does not deny the
right of others to believe something
else if they must. The attitude which !
one holds toward the Bible determines
in part his attitude toward those who
differ from him in belief. Do we cher
ish the doctrines of a regenerate
church membership, of immersion as I
the only true baptism, of independent
church government, because they are
Baptistic, or because, as we believe,
they are biblical? This is no mean
ingless distinction, as any one can
testify who knows what value to put
upon the applause that sometimes fol
lows the sentence, "I am a Baptist.”
What does tne applause mean? Does
it mean that the applauding listeners
are patting themselves on the back,
so to speak, for being clever enough
to see through the follies and fallacies
of other denominations and perceive
the surpassing merits of their own?
Or does it mean that they wish to dis
play their loyalty to the Book which
is the constitution and bill of rights
of all those who accept it as the su
preme authority in matters of belief?
As a matter of fact, these two ele
ments are usually commingled so
that the audience itself could hardly
decide which thought was uppermost.
Loyalty to one's denomination because
that denomination represents loyalty
to God’s Word is a motive of the
highest order; denominational pride
of the sort that goes off at half-cock
and spends itself in applause without
subsequent effort for the good of
mankind is not very widely separated
from ordinary, common pride in its
unlovely appearance and narrowing
influence. Pride is the source of many
evils, not the least of which is the
•entering of attention on self. “J am
better than thou” is its expression.
Whether the fancied superiority is in
ability, or morals, or doctrinal cor
rectness, the contemplation of it tends
to dwart the character, retard growth,
hinder unselfish endeavor, and shut
out Christ.
The Watchman: We need also to
remember that the sphere of the min
istry is larger than is commonly sup
posed. To visit inquirers, or those who
are sick or in bereavement is by
means ail that a minister can do in
personal service for the members of
his congregation. There are tragedies
and heart-breakings In counting-rooms
as well as in sick chambers. One of
the choicest results of a long pastor
ate, in which a minister has won the
confidence of strong men, is that he
may render to them the largest spirit
ual service in their times of trial or
temptation. It is not necessary for a
minister to be a business man or to
become acquainted with business de
tails in order to do t.ils. It is neces
sary that men should have learned to
put their confidence in him as a godly
man. A certain minister was awak
ened at night to find a man who was
one of the pillars of the community at
his door. “I am in business peril and
temptation,” he said; ‘‘l want you to
pray with mt-.” And in their united
prayer, strength came, the man’s mind
cleared, he regained his self-poise, and
the next day the crisis was trium
phantly met. Was not that true pas
toral service? Some years later a fac
tion in that church wanted to get rid
of that pastor, he was getting gray,
and the rest of it. A private meeting
of the leading men of the congregation
was called. One and another told a
story similar to that we have Just re
counted. Those strong men broke
down in tears as the story of that
pastorate was made known. It was
not strange that they resolved to stand
by that man, if be would stay, and
whether he stayed or went to provide
for him as long as he lived. All the
opportunities for pastoral work are
not in the inquiry-room or the sick
chamber.
The Baptist Courier: In a recent in
teresting article on the University of
Vermont, published in the New Eng
land Magazine, the author says: “A
college cannot expand without bene
factors; and that president is, gen
erally speaking, a success, who gath
ers around him men of means who
will place their money in endowment
and equipment. Four such large
hearted men have recently built mon
uments for themselves on the campus
in Burlington.” A college president
in these days should be a man of af
fairs, of business capacity. He should
be a teacher, too, Incidentally. But if
he is a man who secures the confi
dence of business men, ‘‘gathers
around him men of means,” as Mr.
Lewis puts it, he will be a success.
Colleges need money, in these days
must have money, in order to keep
in the front rank in educational work.
A university, a college, or a school
is a business enterprise, and neither
brains, piety nor learning alone nor
all taken together can engineer suc
cessfully the business enterprise with
out business capacity and power to in
spire the business world with confi
dence. The institutions in our coun
try that are eminently successful have
at their head men of affairs. And the
presence of these men secures for the
institutions “benefactors.”
The Biblical Recorder: We can gain
by losing—by losing perverse mem
bers. If a member is regenerated it
will be difficult to find sufficient cause
to withdraw fellowship; or finding
it, the member will do as he or she
should. If a member is unregenerate,
the quicker the bhurch gets rid of him
or her the better. It should be our
desire to get unregenerate members
out of the church as well as to get re
generate ones into it. We may
gain by losing. We may gain life;
we may gain place; we may gain
power from on high; we may gain
glory for God, which is the purpose
of our calling.
The Western Recorder: It is a great
safety-valve of popular government
that mistakes can be corrected. This
is especially true where the people are
intelligent and patriotic. If any doubt
the patriotism of our people, let there
be a war with some other nation, and
the result would convince the most
skeptical. One result of the agitations
and discussions of the campaign just
closed, is that the people have learned
much in regard to the issues involv
ed. And now that the election is
over, they can have opportunity to
quietly digest the information they
have received. At the next election
they will have the benefit of this in
formation more than they have had
it in the election just held.
The Commonwealth: The first ele
ment of partisanship is to be found
in the fact that a conclusion is reached
upon partial evidence. He who hears
a part, and judges as it he had heard
the whole, has taken a degree in the
school of partisanship. The passions
of a partisan flash into explosion by
one spark of that which passes for
truth. The soul of the patriot burns
when the slow process of examination
has kindled the shavings and wood,
and at last the anthracite of h.s being.
The partisan is affronted if he is of
fered the other side of the testimony.
Before he has heard all, he has con
cluded that there can be no other side.
The bonds of his party are not thongs
of strength, but shackles of slavery.
He is intolerant of truth. He blazes
forth epithets as if they were the solid
shot of argument. He confuses pas
sion with loyalty. He hates the man
who firmly believes that two plus two
must equal four, because his own
party leaders have assembled and re
solved that they make but one. The
hurrah of his clan is to him more than
the enthusiasm of truth. The man
who is above partisanship w’elcomes
any courteous statement that may
bring light upon a great question. He
does not hold his faith with so loose
a grip as to be angry with the man
who honestly and honorably chal
lenges him to give a reason for it.
He easily accuses the opponent of his
own sin. When he utters the cry of
partisanship, his accusation of another
kindles nis own fury. Partisanship is
blindness or half blindness. It is as
selfish as it is blind and as wild as it
is selfish.
The Examiner: There seems to oe
a “realizing sense” at the Vatican of
the perils to which the religious and
civil freedom of this country exposes
the mediaeval system the papacy is
striving to perpetuate in these mod
ern days. Thus a recent dispatch
from Rome to the Pall Mall Gazette
says: “It is recognized that the stand
ing danger to Romanism in the United
States is the independence of the
American bishops, noticeable since the
time of Plus IX. The latter fully i ec
ognized that these bishops enjoyed
greater power than their brethren
elsewhere, and he showed he under
stood this by his answer to some Eng
lish priests who asked for certain
privileges. He said: ‘I am, as you
say, pope, yet I cannot accept your
request. But I can show you away
to obtain your desire. Go to America,
for there the bishops are greater than
the pope.’ On the ascension of Pope
Leo XIII., matters assumed a different
aspect. He charged Monsignor Satol
li with the duty of intimating to the
bishops in unmistakable language the
limits of their powers, ard the result
was something like a split, which it
took Monsignor Satolli two years to
! heal. But his mission had good re
sults.” The growth of an independ
ent spirit Is inevitable in the free air
of America. Romanism cannot tri
umph here, because even its own pre
i lates will not submit to be “cribbed,
; cabined and confined” within its nar
row bounds.
The Baptist Watchman: One
l of the hindrances to the ad
vancement of the Master’s cause in
South Georgia is the lack of comfort
! able meeting houses, especially in
■ destitute sections. Frequently mis
: sionaries preach in uncomfortable
schoolhouses, oppresively hot in sum
mer because the house is small, the
audience larger than its capacity and
| the ventilation poor; but more fre
quently they preach under the blue
canopy of heaven because it is more
comfortable than crowding into a
small house. Indeed, during the past
year a missionary of the Mell Asso
ciation was Invited to discontinue his
appointments at a schoolhouse because
he preached the doctrine of “mis
sions;” the missionary of the Homer
ville Association, trying to gather to
gether the scattered Baptists of a cer
tain community, holding services in
the house of another denomination,
was waited upon by a committee and
forbidden the farther use of the build
ing because he preached that com
forting doctrine of tne * final preser
vation of the saints.”
The Baptist News: Whenever we
see a B. Y. P. U. hold an hour’s meet
ing on Sunday evening just before the
I preaching service, we are not much
■ surprised if a number of the young
j people leave before the preaching ser
| vice is held. They feel that they have
' been together long enough for one
‘ time. To stay in a house of worship
two hours at a stretch after all the
; duties of the earlier portion of the day
I have been met, is a tax on tired na-
I ture, say what you will. Here is our
i reason for opposing the B. Y. P. U.
meeting on Sunday evening: It is
too bad in the face of B. Y. P. U.
j teaching for the young people to get
i up and leave just as the preaching
' services begin, and it is a great tax
on them to hold themselves down and
: stay. Besides, if a preacher is to
i preach well at his evening service he
I does not want to spend an hour im
i mediately beforehand in a service
which taxes him in the least. So he
cannot well be in the B. Y. P. U. meet
, ing on Sunday evening. And yet
| things ought to be arranged so that
I the pastor may always be with his
I young people in their meeting and so
they can always be with him when he
j preaches.
The Religious Heraid: We might
as well face what is certainly a de
plorable fact. Very few promising
I young Baptists, prosperous in business
i or prominent in the profeesions, are
taking practical interest in our de
nominational gatherings. We ought
j seriously to audress ourselves to the
| task of securing their attendance. It
j is also deplorably true that very few
I of our older people who have made
money or have won high position or
have become prominent in the profes
sions attend our general meetings.
Can we remedy this state of things in
any degree? When we are thinking
I of securing a more “representative”
attendance on the General Associa
, tion, do not limit the word to a simple
geographical significance. We believe
a serious effort to improve the intel-
I lectual and devotional tone of our an
l nual meetings would be a real benefit.
The Evangel: The word "revival”
is usually used to describe an in
gathering of converts. Such is not
the true meaning of the term. Lit
erally it describes a renewing of life,
and can be used to describe any pro
cess by which the spiritual life of
Christians is quickened. A wise deacon
said to us the other day: “We have
had no addition to our membership,
but our revival resulted in immense
good to the church. The members
have been greatly blessed; we all feel
refreshed and strengthened by our
extra services, and so we look for bet
ter things in the future. Our pastor
feeds the flock.” We cannot help
thinking that this brother has got
the true idea of a revival, and we
wish that more of our people were
like him.
FIELD NOTES.
ALABAMA CONVENTION.
The seventy-fifth annual session of
the Convention met with the church
in Huntsville last Friday.
Brother W. C. Cleveland was re
elected president by acclamation—al
most before he knew it.
Brother W. M. Burr, of Dothan,
preached the opening sermon, one of
the purest and grandest we ever
heard. He promised It for the Index.
Brethren J. D. Harris ana B. D.
Gray were elected vice-presidents.
Brother Harris is the owner of the
Alabama Baptist, and brother Gray
is pastor of the First church, Bir
mingham.
Pastor J. L. Sproles gave the Con
vention a hearty welcome, which was
very happily responded to by brother
John D. Jordan upon the part of the
b.oly.
Mayo: Hutchens (a Baptist) turned
over to the Convention the keys of
the City in a pretty speech, in which
he bade the brethren enter all homes
and places of business except those
places which had screens in front of
the entrance.
The Huntsville saints housed the
Convention in a ten thousand dollar
brick meeting house, built last year,
while brother Oscar Hayward was
pastor.
Pastor J. L. Sproles, the handsome
bachelor bishop of Huntsville church,
is beginning to recline gently in the
bosom of a loving people. He did the
honors of the occasion with ease and
grace.
Bro. W. C. Bledsoe, the secretary
of the State Mission Board, looked a
little jaded from his fall campaign,
but grew eloquent in pressing the
claims of the board upon the pastors
for another year.
Professor A. D. Smith, chairman of
the faculty of Howard college, was on
hand. A special rally was made for
the college and a collection was lifted,
amounting to about two thousand dol
lars in round numbers.
Brother P. T. Hale, president of the
Board of Trustees of Howard, to
gether with pastors Gray and Hobson,
have done a noble work for the col
lege this summer and fall. The debt
has been reduced from about forty
six thousand dollars to about twenty
five thousand.
We predict that Howard College
will surely be delivered from debt.
The brethren are catching the inspi
ration of the movement all over the
State, and we should not be surprised
if the college is well endowed in
the next five or ten years.
Brother W. B. Crumpton, former
secretary of missions in Alabama, but
now agent of Georgetown college in
Kentucky, was at the Convention. He
looked very much at home and the
brethren covered him with kindness.
Brother John D. Jordan, the first
secretary of the B. Y. P. U. of the
South, attended the Convention and
just captured everybody with his wit
and eloquence. He preached twice on.
Sunday, besides delivering an address
before a packed house in the after
noon on behalf of his work among
the unions.
Brother T. M. Callaway, recent pas
tor at Lumpkin, in Georgia, and now
pastor at Talladega, was in attend
ance on the Convention and delivered
a splendid address in behalf of the
young people's movement.
Brother E. S. Atkinson, pastor of
the church in old Decatur, was at the
meeting. Brother Atkinson was bora
in Georgia, and is the son of brother
W. D. Atkinson of blessed memory.
What a grand and glorious preacher
his father was! A man of great power.
God bless the son!
Brother A. B. Campbell, formerly
of Georgia, but now pastor at Troy,
was in attendance. Brother Abner
will never get rid of the Georgia fa
vor. As we looked at him, for the
moment we felt like we were at the
Georgia Convention instead of the
Alabama. Deal gently with him, ye
Alabama saints, for we must have
him back again. Brother Campbell
delivered a fine address on Woman’s
Work.
The Huntsville church has a won
derful choir and organist in many re
spects. Each member, male and fe
male. have been filling their places on
an average of twenty years and the
most unique feature of this choir is
that they have never had a scrap.
Brother William H. Whitsitt, presi
dent of our Seminary at Louisville,
visited this session of the Convention
on the behalf of our school of the
prophets. The Convention received
him with open hands and hearts. Bro.
Whitsitt spoke in behalf of our Semi
nary and by special request also on
the behalf of Judson Institute.
Brother J. L. M. Curry, the agent
of the Peabody and Slater funds, was
at Huntsville and delivered a master
ly address on education. We have
heard him before more than once, but
never did he impress us with his mis
sion as he did this time.
Brother I. T. Tichenor, the secretary
of our Home Mission Board, was on
hand. The Alabama brethren gave
him and his work a kindly greeting.
Brother Tichenor spoke with much of
his old-time eloquence and fervor.
The new assistant secretary of our
Foreign Mission Board, brother Ar
thur J. Barton, met with the Conven
tion. Brother Barton made a good
impression on the body. We fell in
love with Barton and predict for him
a glorious future.
Our own W. D. Powell, the great
missionary apostle of Mexico, was at
this session of the Convention. Powell
is just as full of zeal and the Holy
Spirit as ever, and is a perfect inspira
tion wherever he goes. Brother Pow
ell is recuperating rapidly and will
soon return to his beloved work.
The Huntsville brethren and their
neighbors gave the Convention a royal
welcome. We were the guest of Dr.
J. P. Lowry at the McGee hotel, one
of the best in the city. We thank him
much for his kindness to us, although
we saw him not The pulpits of
Huntsville, all but the Catholic and
Episcopal, were filled with Bap
tist preachers on the Sabbath. We
were honored with the best hour and
place of all. We preached at the
State Normal School for Colored Peo
ple, three miles from the town, at 11
a. m. Sabbath. We preached to three
hundred young men and women from
eighteen States and two continents,
who are studying to make teachers of
themselves. What an opportunity!
and the Lord was with us.
Dr. J. M. Frost represented our
Sunday School Board at Nashville and
did.it magnificently. He gave special
emphasis to the Bible work.
JAMES F. EDENS.
380 Woodward Ave., Atlanta, Ga.