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THE WHITSITT CONTROVERSY.
PROF. ALBERT H NEWMAN, D.D., LL.D.
NO. 3.
It may be useful at this stage of our
review to state as dearly as may be
the charges that are made against
Dr. Whitsitt and the grounds upon
which these charges are baaed.
THE ENCYCLOPEDIA ARTICLE.
The occasion of the attacks to which
he has been subjected was the publi
cation in Johnson's Encyclopedia of
an article on tne "Baptists, in which
certain statements were made regard
ing the date and the circumstances of
the introduction of immersion among
Baptists in England and in America.
In his account of the rise of the Eng
lish General Baptists in Amsterdam.
Holland (1608 or 1609), and of tne in
troduction of a new baptism by John
Smyth, he writes: "The mode of this
baptism, it is believed, was sprink
ling. since that had now become the
general mode in England, and the
Brownists do not appear to have used
any other. Certainly there was no
other mode among the Mennonltes,
and sprinkling had by this time be
come almost universal in every sec
tion in Holland and Germany." Re
ferring to the rise of lae Particular
Baptists in Ixindon (1633), he says:
"They all submitted to adult baptism,
apparently by sprinkling.
Soon after the organization of this
first church, a discussion was raised
concerning me proper mode of ad
ministering baptism, and the convic
tion was at lengm established that
immersion was the only Scriptural
mode. Much embarrassment resulted
when they began to consult as to tne
proper course of procedure. Mr.
Spillsbury and most of the members
o. nls church held the opinion that,
since the circumstances were extraor
dinary, it was admissible for any min
ister to administer immersion, even
though he himself had not received
the rite. * * * Otners were discon
tented. and insisted upon obtaining
succession. * * * No succession
could be obtained in England; they
were aware of the existence of the
General Baptists, but as these were in
the practice of sprinkling. Mr.
Richard Blount ‘ * * cited
attention to the Collegiants,
who, in the year 1619. had
established the practice of immersion
at Rhynsburg, and proposed to send
thither and obtain succession from
them. He was deputed to go abroad
for that purpose, and * * * was
courteously received by Mr. John Bat
ten. * * * In due time Batten con
sented to immerse him. and returning
to England he administered the rite to
the rest of his company.” He calls at
tention to the supposition of de Hoop
Scheffer that the Rhynsburgers de
rived immersion from the Polisli Ana
baptists, who in turn may have de
rived it from such Swiss Anabaptists
as practiced immersion. He refers
also to the continuance of the contro
versy as to succession between Spllls
btiry and Kiffln.
"As soon as they perceived this
change, the General Baptists almost
immediately adopted it: one of their
ministers, Mr. Edward Barber, has the
honor to have written (lie initial
treatise in the long controversy in
favor of immersion."
Referring to the introduction of
believers’ baptism by Ezekiel Holli
man and Roger Williams at Provi
dence in 1639, he writes: "The cere
mony was most likely performed by
sprinkling.” Immersion, ho thinks,
was introduced into this community
about 1644 by Mark Luknr, who had
been among those immersed in Lon
don in 1611 and was a memlx'r of
, Spillsbury's church from 1633.
THE INDEPENDENT EDITORIAL.
In response to his critics and to
vindicate himself against the charge
that he had followed in this matter
(he leadership of the late Dr. Henry
M. Dexter, who was well known to
have been strongly prejudiced against
the Baptists. Dr. Whitsitt published
an article m the Religious Herald in
which he claimed that ho had been a
pioneer in the investigation of this
question and that in 188(1, some time
before Dr. Dexter had published any
thing in this line, he had announced
bis discovery editorially in the New
York Independent. He also claimed to
have made very extensive researches
in the Mennonite collection in Amster
dam and in tne great collection in the
British Museum. The Independent
editorial now became an object of at
tack. It was charged that the article
was conceived in a spirit hostile to
ti e Baptists and their claims and that
the publication of such an article in
such away was an act of disloyalty
to his own denomination. The edito
rial begins by criticising the Congre
gationalist (Dr. Dexter’s paper) for
speaking of "the well-known immer
sion of Roger Williams by the unim
mersed Ezekiel Holliman.” "To be
sure.” it continues, "all the Baptists
of America so assume; but the editor
cf the Congregationalist. is more ac
curately acquainted with the origines
of Baptist history than any of the
Baptists themselves, and we expected
that its statement would be more ac
curate. As we understand it. Roger
Williams was never a Baptist in the
modern sense—that is, never was im
mersed; ami the ceremony referred to
was anabaptism, rebaptism by sprink
ling, and not ‘catabaptism,’ or bap
tism by immersion. * * * Up to
the year 1641 all Baptists employed
sprinkling and pouring as tne mode of
baptism. Now is it reasonable to
suppose that Mr. Williams, in join
ing the Baptists, should have made
use of a form of baptism which they
haq never practiced or thought of?
To us it seems an historical anachron
ism."
In reply to continued attacks Dr.
Whitsitt has recently issued a volume
in which he formally withdraws noth
ing that he has written and seeks by
an elaborate array of authorities to
substantiate the position that immer
sion was first introduced among Eng
lish Baptists in 1641 and among Amer
ican Baptists probably about 1644.
As regards the English Baptists. Dr.
Whitsitt, in the recent volume refer
red to. states the issue as follows:
"Whether the immersion of adult be
lievers was practiced in England by
the Anabaptists before the year 16-jx?
Whether these English people first
adopted immersion for baptism and
thus became Baptists in or about the
year 1641?”
The situation may be summed up as
follows:
1. The article in Johnson's Encyclo
pedia is not unduly dogmatic with re
spect either to the nature oi John
Smyth’s baptism, or to the date of the
introduction of immersion among the
Particular Baptists of England, or to
the •baptism received and administer
ed by Roger Williams. In each case
he carefully abstains from expressing
certainty, contenting himself with the
claim of a high degree of probability
for the positions taken. He evidently
had due consideration for the sensibil
ities of his brethren who lay stress on
apostolic succession In relation to the
administration of right baptism and
sought to conciliate them by pointing
out the possibility of establishing a
lino of succession up to the early
Reformation time through the Colle
giants and the Polish Soclnian Ana
baptists. His statement that the "ear
liest organized Baptist church belongs
to the year 1610 or 1611 is, of course,
inconsistent with his claim that the
English Anabaptists first became
Baptists in or about the year 1641. If
the followers of Smyth and Helwys
(1610 onward) were only Anabaptists,
why should Dr. Whitsitt speak of
them as constituting the "earliest or
ganized Baptist church”? Multitudes
of anti-pedobaptist churches had ex
isted from 1524 onward, to say noth
ing of such as are known to have ex
isted in the Middle Ages, etc. In the
two writings it is evident that the
author has employed the term "Bap
tist" in different senses: in the one
be uses it to designate the party of
English Separatists that about 1609
organized a church on an anti-pedo
baptist basis and whose derivative
congregations, to be known later as
General Baptists, adopted immersion
about 1641; in the other he restricts
the term to such as would now be
recognized as Regular Baptists. This
Inconsistency, while real, is not nec
essarily misleading.
2. The Independent editorial Is a far
more serious matter. It is understood
that Dr. Whitsitt and his supporters
feel free to acknowledge that in pub
lishing such an article in such away
he committed an Impropriety and
that the spirit displayed was not that
of thoroughgoing loyalty to his de
nomination. No critic to the end of
time would ever on internal grounds
have attributed the article to a Bap
tist. He virtually distinguishes him
self from the Baptists by stating that
"all toe Baptists of America” assume
what he takes to be contrary to the
facts. Wore it not that he claims the
authorship of the article, one would
be inclined to suspect that he had
simply furnished the material and
that the editor had wrought them over
in such away to make them as sting
ing as possible to the Baptists. It Is
exceedingly unfortunate that having
committed such an indiscretion Dr.
Whitsitt should have proclaimed him
self the author of a performance so
little to his credit as a denominational
leader. This he did in the interest of
his reputation as an original investi
gator and as a discoverer of impor
tant historical facts. In this article
he is far more dogmatic than in those
published more recently over his own
name. He assorts without qualifica
tion that "up to the. year Iwl all Bap
tists employed sprinkling and pour
ing as the mode of baptism.” Ac
cording to his recent statement, there
were no Baptists before this date, and
if by baptists he means anti-pedobap
tists the statement is incorrect accord
ing to his own showing. He speaks
of Roger Williams as "joining the
Baptists," which is not a proper way
of putting it. Williams formed a
new Baptist party and was simply
carrying out the dictates of his own
conscience without the slightest refer
ence, so far as appears, to what had
been done by English anti-pedobap
tists. When Dr. Whitsitt claims that
in 1639 immersion "had never been
practiced or thought of" (presumably
among the English antf-pedobaptists)
he goes much farther than the facts
warrant. Immersion must have been
perfectly well known to Williams and
to all the anti-pedobaptists of the
time as a mode of baptism, and with
the Bible in their hands it is not diffi
cult to account for its introduction.
I’he wonder is that it was not uniform
ly practiced.
It may be felt by some that I
should have confined myself in this
review to the recently published book;
but it is these earlier statements ratti
er than the book that have led to tiie
present irritation, and in an attempt
impartially to review the controversy
fairness requires that full weight
should lie given to all the facts.
3. I think it may fairly be said that
Dr. Whitsitt has so given ground for
a suspicion that he glories in consid
ering himself the discoverer of facts
disparaging to the anti-pedobaptist
parties of the earlier time. He has
such a horror of the view that the
validity of our church organization
and ordinances depends upon an un
broken succession of Baptist churches,
that he has. apparently, felt far more
interest in bringing to light the non-
Baptist than the Baptist features of
the evangelical parties that form the
chief reliance of the successionists.
Iliis attitude, while under the circum
stances it is not greatly to be won
dered at, is none the less unfortunate
in a church historian. The historian
should seek to rise above partisanship
of every kind and should make it his
business to discover and to bring for
ward the truth, the whole truth, and
nothing but the truth, without refer
ence to tiie polemical use that may be
made of the result of his investiga
tions. He should rejoice to find in
the religious parties of the past as
close a conformity to the apostolic
life and practice as a sympathetic in
terpretation of the materials will
bear. The fact that sources are at
best meager and in large measure hos
tile in their purpose, and that long
continued persecution tended to pre
vent the rounded development of these
Christians in doctrine and practice,
should lead him to view sympathet
ically their failures to attain in every
particular to the apostolic standard.
That in their desperate struggle for
existence and the greatly increased
danger that the ordinary practice of
immersion would have involved the
anti-pedobaptists of the sixteenth
century focused their thought on the
evils of infant baptism apd
that they were for the most
part content with sprinkling
or pouring as the form of believers’
baptism, is to be deplored, but was not
unnatural. But they were so abso
lutely loyal to the New Testament as
they understood it and their views of
the ordinances were otherwise so com
pletely apostolic and Baptist, that I
feel like recognizing them as essen
tially on our own platform and to
thank God for their noble testimony
to so much of the truth. Now this
may be precisely . r. Whitsitt’s view
and I should be far from charging
him with the opposite; but it seems
certain that an impression has been
made that he is willing to score a
point against the successionists at the
expense of the Christian heroes of the
past centuries.
McMaster University, Toronto, Can
ada.
For the Index.
Rev. Dr Thomas Curtis.
BY B W. WHILDEN.
I knew him well and a noble man
he was—strong in mental and muscu
lar power, but as gentle and as simple
THE CHRISTIAN INDEX: THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26. 1896.
as a child in some of his ways. He
encouraged young preachers. He had
it in his power, of course, to criticise
their sermons unfavorably, but from
what I knew of him, he did not uo
this. He told them what was good
in their sermons and tms was refresh
ing to their feelings.
On one occasion he had it in his
power to expose a plagiarist, but he
refrained from it as long as he could;
but he was forced from circumstances
to expose him.
At a denominational meeting, large
ly attended, a minister of some dis
tinction preached. The congregation
was carried away with the sermon. It
was the theme of conversation at the
house at which Dr. Curtis was stay
ing. One and another brother praised
It. Dr. Curtis was silent. The breth
ren asked his opinion about it. He
endeavored to avoid giving an answer.
My impression, from what I heard, is
that the brethren began to think that
he was jealous. At last, when strong
ly urged, he said: “You will find
that sermon among Dr. Bascomb's ser
mons,” and at the same time he desig
nated the place among those sermons
where it could be found, thus showing
that he knew more about it than any
of them.
In the year 1841 Dr. Curtis moved to
Charleston, S. C., and preached at the
Wentworth Street Baptist churdh in
that city until the fall of 1845, when
he settled at Limestone Springs and
opened a female school of high grade,
his son, Dr. William Curtis, being as
sociated with him in this work. This
change of residence brought him into
the bounds of the Broad River Asso
ciation, of his connection with which
association I will write in the proper
place. Before this, from 1838, he had
had charge for a few years of the Bap
tist churcn in Macon, Ga. Georgia
and South Carolina were the only
Southern States in which he labored
when he came to the United States.
He arrived in the United States in
1834, and lived in Maine until he came
to Macon.
In the year 1844 he published a
book, the title of which was “Bible
Episcopacy.” On the title page are
these words: “By Thomas Curtis,
D.D., bishop of the Wentworth Street
Baptist Church.” The author says,
with reference to it, as follows:
“Men of candor will not require an
explanation of the use of the term
‘bishop’ on the title page. The au
thor can honestly disclaim the silly
vanity of assuming it as a mere title,
or as a claim to honor above any, the
humblest minister of the Gospel. It
is a principal design of the present
work to deny the latter being the fair
claim of any man, and to establish
the perfect parity of all Gospel minis
ters.”
An Episcopalian, a particular friend
of mine, said to me: “Why does Dr.
Curtis call himself bishop of the
Wentworth Street Baptist church;” I,
of course, could make but one reply,
which was: "Dr. Curtis regards him
self as equally entitled to it as any
persons so designated.”
The. contents of the book were lec
tures that Dr. Curtis had delivered
to the congregation of the Wentworth
Street Baptist church. Whether the
work ever paid expenses, I do not
know. The expense of publishing
may have been defrayed by his people,
but 1 do not think it was very widely
circulated. It deserved a wide circu
lation. but I can now call to mind
seeing but one copy, and that was the
one which Dr. Curtis very kindly gave
me.
Dr.. Curtis was a favorite with other
denoihinations. My impression is, es
pecially with tiie Presbyterian denom
ination.
On one occasion he was present at
a meeting of a presbytery. Some
question was before the body for con
sideration. He was asked to speak
and he said that he did not know
how the question could be settled un
less all of them would give up their
Presbyterianism and become Baptists;
that it was only with views such as
Baptists held that they could be help
ed in their perplexity.
On one Sabbath morning he break
fasted at the house of a Baptist broth
er on his way to a Presbyterian ser
vice. In the evening he returned to
the house at which he had breakfasted
and his hostess said to him: "Well,
brother Curtis, how did brother B.
and you get on to-day?” He said:
"Oh, we got on finely. Brother B.
would have me to preach for him, and
then, as he said, baptized a baby, but
I rather think I killed all of that thing
by a prayer that I made after it.” I
suppose he made a Baptist prayer.
Williston, Barnwell Co., S. C.
For the Index.
A Reminiscence ot Dr, John E. Daw-
son.
BY A. ,1. BATTLE, D D.
The interesting sketch of Dr. Daw
son by Dr. S. G. Hillyer in the last
number of the Index has prompted me
to send you an account of a lively epi
sode in the career of this venerable
man.
The incident occurred in Tuskegee,
Ala., in the fall of 1851. during the
annual session of the Alabama Bap
tist Convention. At that time, Dr.
Dawson was at the zenith of his fame
as a pulpit orator, which, as Dr. Hill
yer well remarks, surpassed that of
any of his contemporaries. He was
then the pastor of the First Baptist
church of Columbus, Ga., and had
been specially invited to attend the
Convention at Tuskegee. His repu
tation for eloquence had preceded him
and there was a universal desire to
hear him. His preaching not only ful
ly sustained the reports of his won
derful oratory, but increased public
curiosity to hear him again.
At this time the temperance move
ment was experiencing a great awak
ening. Os course, the Baptist Conven
tion must needs recognize and aid the
revival. A “mass meeting” was an
nounced to be held on Friday evening
in the Baptist church of the town.
There was a rush for seats, and at an
early hour the modest little churcn
ox-ertlowed with a vast audience of
men and women eager to hear the
man whose eloquence was the theme
of every lip.
Dr. Cullen Battle was chairman of
the meeting, and when he announced
the orator of the evening, a deep hush,
more eloquent than applause, per
vaded the assembly. The speaker be
gan by stating his theme. “The Obli
gation Resting Upon Every Individual
to Do All in His Power For the Uplift
ing of Humanity.” He soon showed
his mastery of his theme and his
power over the audience. As he pro
ceeded to marshal his arguments and
to bring his vast resources of fact and
illustration to bear upon his subject,
his eagle eye flashed with an almost
supernatural brilliancy and his fine
face glowed with an almost seraphic
light. In the midst of one of his most
sublime flights he suddenly paused,
checked the rapid torrent of his
speech and challenged denial of his
proposition. Taking his purse from
his pocket, he held It up before the
audience and said: "Is any one here
bold enough to deny the truth of what
I say? If so, let him rise from his
seat, show himself in his true colors
to this audience, and he shall have
this purse.”
Os course this was a mere rhetorical
flourish for effect, and It did have an
effect, but different from what he ex
pected. A man rose from near the
door, stalked boldly down the “ladles’
aisle” of the church, went straight to
the doctor and claimed tne purse. The
effect may be imagined. Every one
in the audience gazed upon the re
markable scene with a kind of awe
and waited breathlessly for the result.
The speaker was surprised, and lor a
moment hesitated —but it was to col
lect himself, to gather his powers for
the issue. Looking the intruder
steadily in the eye, he asked him his
name. This being given, the doctor
said: “Allow me, Mr. Clark, to intro
duce you to the ladies of this audi
ence.” Turning him around to face
them, he proceeded to deliver one of
the most scathing rebukes that per
haps ever fell from mortal lips. The
arraignment -was so terrific, the in
vective so keen, the satire so burning
that the audience arose to their feet
as one man, and when the orator
closed by saying, "Take this purse,
and may God have mercy on your
soul!” such a thunder of applause fol
lowed as never before woke the echoes
in that sacred edifice.
The man was crest-fallen, though a
bold, bad man, and turning to the
speaker, said: “Dr. Dawson, I was
only joking; take back your purse.”
Nine years after this Dr. Dawson
lay on his deathbed at my father’s
house in Tuskegee. It was not my
privilege to be much with him in his
last days, but he died while the South
was in the throes of t.ie last presiden
tial election before the civil war. He
died as the true patriot and Christian
soldier dies, without fear, and
“Strong in the strength which God
supplies
Through his eternal Son.”
A few years later the man who im
pudently created the sensation in the
church was shot to death in a street
fracas.
“Let me die the death of the right
eous, and let my last end be like his!”
For the Index.
An Essay on Com'n? to Jesus.
BY P. S. WHITMAN, D D.
[Read before the Baptist Bible
School of Toccoa and printed at their
request.]
The apostle Peter in his address at
the house of Cornelius uses this phra
seology, “Jesus of Nazareth —who
went about doing good.” Acts 10:38.
We think that in inis custom of our
Lord lies the origin of the phrase in
common use, “coming to Jesus.” Our
Lord did not stay in one place, as
Capernuum, but went about doing
good to afflicted people as they came
in his way. It is not to be doubted
that he knew who were afflicted; one,
say, ten miles away, another five or
six miles further, and so on. He
could have stayed in Capernaum and
healed those persons without seeing
them, or they him, or their knowing
anything about him. Why did he not
manage in this way? Evidently it
was a great point that those who were
healed should know who healed them.
Thus he went about, putting himself
in personalMuntact with those need
ing healed, they knew
for certain who healed them. Thus,
too, his power to heal became known
all around; and there were coming to
him people from all directions to be
healed. Such was the literal coming
to Christ, and the origin of the expres
sion as now used.
Again, the coming was acting out
a sense of some one great need with
a sole dependence upon Christ to sup
ply. The coming itself acted
out a sincere and persevering
entreaty for help. See this il
lustrated in the man sick of the
palsy borne of four on his bed, and
when they could not get nigh to Christ
for the press, they tore away die roof
and let down the sick of the palsy on
his bed before the eyes of Christ. Note
here what a point is made of getting
into personal contact with Christ.
How the plea for help is brought right
before Christ and to him. This com
ing to Christ is indispensable because
one must make his plea in person. If
one is cured it must be effected in
such away that he will know it was
done in answer to his request—yes,
cured because he asked to be cured.
To see how particular Christ was
on this point we may refer to the blind
man who sat by the way as Jesus
was approaching Jericho. When he
heard that Jesus of Nazareth was com
ing lie cried, and though rebuked,
kept crying only the more earnestly,
“Jesus, thou son of David, have
mercy on me.” Now two or three dis
ciples tried to quiet him by saying
“We will go to Jesus and get him in
terested in your case.” Christ wanted
no help of this nature; nor did the
blind man think of help in any such
resort. How did help come? Only
by the blind man’s getting into im
mediate contact with Christ and mak
ing his own plea. And Jesus stood
and directed him to be brought to
him. And when he was come near,
he asked him: “What will thou that
I should do unto thee?” And he said,
"Lord, that I may receive my sight.”
And Jesus said. “Receive thy sight.”
How plain it is; one goes to Christ
to tell him what he wants. Why
this? So that, if he receives heip. he
will know it Is because he asked for
help. A great doctrine lies here. “Ask
and ye shall receive.” “Ye have not
because ye ask not.” Plainly It is be
cause one has some one special favor
to ask of Christ that he goes to
Christ. The blind man got these
right before Christ; but if he had
not told what he wanted —If he had
not cried, “Lord that I may receive
my sight.” there would have been no
coming to Christ in the case.
But why was Christ found doing so
much for the bodies of men —miracu-
lously feeding them —healing them?
It was found to be byway of encour
aging them to come to him as the
great physician of the soul. Listen to
his words: “That ye may know that the
Son of man uath power on earth to
forgive sins (he saith to the sick of the
palsy), I say unto thee, ‘Arise and
take up thy bed and walk.’ ” How sel
dom do we think of it. as we read
the miracles, that they were wrought
to assure us that Christ can forgive
sins. If people were so earnest to
come to Jesus to be relieved from the
diseases of the body, much more
should they flee to him. and with the
utmost earnestness, for the forgive
ness of sins. We see right here if one
has no sense of sin there can be no
going to Christ for forgiveness—no en
treaty for forgiveness in the case —
much less any answer of forgiveness.
We see here the place of Gospel
means. The prayers and exhortations
of God’s people and the preaching of
the Gospel may do ever so much in
bringing the sinner to see his danger,
understand his true character and con
dition as being without love to God
and the subject of his everlasting dis
pleasure. But in this state alone con
sidered there is no coming to Christ.
But if in this state the sinner makes
his plea as did the publican, If in
this state he casts himself upon the
mercy of carist crying, “Lord, save or
I perish,” this is coming to Christ for
the forgiveness of sins; and pardon
follows! Right here, then, is the
great salvation. Christ does not mis
take by laying so much stress on the
forgiveness of sins.
But if coming to Christ Is salvation,
where is repentance, the new creature,
or what human wisuom terms “re
generation?” It is all here in coming
to Christ.
There was a woman who came to
Christ when he reclined at table in
Simon the Pharisee's house. She
washed his feet with her tears. There
were the unmistakable demonstrations
of love in the case—love to Christ.
And Christ makes these demonstra
tions the occasion of a pointed ad
monition to Simon and a great lesson
for all time to mankind —a lesson, in
deed, which unlocks the whole matter
of repentance, "the new heart,” the
great matter of being “born from
above,” what the schools teach, or try
to teach, under the name of “regenera
tion.” Listen to the divine lesson. “A
certain lender had two debtors; the
one owed five hundred denaries, the
other fifty; and when they had noth
ing to pay, he forgave them both.
Which of them, therefore, will love
him most?” Simon answered and
said, “He, I suppose, to whom he
forgave the most.” And he said unto
him, "Thou hast rightly judged.” In
this matter of coming to Christ we
are here brought to the great turning
point in the character of the sinner,
where he becomes a lover of God in
Christ Jesus. This is the culmination
of Gospel repentance, the new mind
toward God. What is this but a mind
to love him? What is this but conver
sion? The new creature, born from
above, the only true "regeneration."
But Christ is not here in person.
There can be no literal going to him.
But all that literal going implies is
carried on just as if Christ were here.
He is here in the Paraclete (Holy
Spirit), which means near at hand to
be called on in Christ s stead. The
anxious soul can any time call, cry
out, “Save, Lord, or I perish," and,
just as if Christ himself were present,
he falls into the Savior’s arms. How
well he knows the cry for forgiveness.
Oh, what a Savior, to near and for
give! If he were here in person he
could be no better rewarder of those
who diligently seek him.
Jesus is not here on earth in person.
No woman can now literally kiss his
feet or bathe them with her tears. No
one can literally see him as did John
and Andrew when the voice is heard,
"Behold the Lamb of God," yet how
many, how many, have realized the
power and truth of our Lord’s words,
“And I, if I be lifted up, will draw all
men unto me.” How adorable the
plan that though he is no longer on
earth in person, poor sinners ready
to perish, can realize in their indi
vidual experience the truth proclaim
ed in that first sermon under Para
clete auspices where ihree thousand
were converted to Christ. “And it
shall come to pass that whosoever
calleth on the name of the Lord shall
be saved.” 'i uis, this is coming to
Jesus} in the Paraclete period, as fore
told by the prophet Joel.
We think the times we live in re
quire us to say the confession of sin
and the plea for pardon cannot be done
by proxy.
the
Any publication mentioned in this de
partment may be obtained of the
American Baptist Publication So
ciety. 93 Whitehall St., Atlanta, Ga
When prices are named they include
postage.
The Editors of the Christian Index
desire to make this column of service
to their readers They will gladly
ansver, or have answered, any ques
tions regarding books. If you desire
books for certain lines of reading, or
desire to find out the worth or pub
lisher of any book, write to them.
Stories of Georgia. Joel Chandler
Harris. American Book Company,
New York, Cincinnati and Chicago.
Price 80c.
Everything that comes from the pen
of Mr. Harris but serves to show his
genius. “Uncle Remus” was more
than a happy hit. It was the fruit of
a ripe literary taste. In this volume
we have a new line of work. This is
not a history, but a series of histori
cal sketches. There is no connection
between them further than a refer
ence to Georgia. The first deals wka
DeSoto and his band of adventurers;
the last with the New South. Some
deal with adventure, others with wits
and humorists. Taken all together,
however, it gives one a very clear view
of Georgia history. Many curious
facts are brought out. Georgia once
had an empress. The steamboat and
ether were both used in Georgia
prior to the accepted dates of discov
ery elsewhere. Georgia's heroes are
described and her great men given
their place in the history they made.
Many a curious story of the old In
dian days is also included. The book
is intended primarily as a text-book
for schools. As a reader or to accom
pany some good book of history it is
very fine. We wish we could see it
in all our schools. It will just as well
do its work in our homes, however.
We not only commend it, but urge it
upon our readers.
New England's Struggle for Religious
Liberty. Rev. David B. Ford, D.D.
American Baptist Publication Soci
ety.
This is a remarkably interesting
volume. It deals with a limited field,
covering only New Englanu, but this
serves to allow more of detail and
greater fulness. There is first a
sketch of the relation of the Puritans
and the Anabaptists and Quakers, and
then of the Pilgrims and the people.
The persecutions are many and the
intolerance is great, indeed. Rhode
Island alone refrained from persecu
tion and has a royal record. The sin
gular fact is brought out that Eng
land several times interfered to make
the colonies treat these people better.
The book then traces the various steps
in the struggle until complete liberty
came in 1813. One singular thing is
the part the Warren Association
played in the struggle. From its or
ganization in 1767 down to 1813 it
annually appointed a committee on
grievances to deal, in its name, with
all cases of persecution. Isaac Backus
became the agent for this work and
did noble service. These Baptists
were also consistent; they declined to
take advantage of any enforced rates
assessed in communities where they
were in the majority. The book ought
to have a wide reading. It will
strengthen our people.
The Story of France. Thomas E
Watson. Vol. 1. Published by the
author at Thomson, Ga. sl.
This volume bears the name of the
late candidate for vice-president. It
Is thoroughly characteristic. This
means that it is scholarly and relia
ble, but relieved of any dullness. It
sparkles with wit in the most unex
pected places. This wit is always
good-humored and serves to bring out
points that need emphasis. Beautiful
passages abound. The portion given
to Joan of Arc is especially beautiful
and appreciative. As is natural, the
history is written from the standpoint
of the people and gains thereby. It
gives a most accurate estimate of the
forces that made France and is to be
commended in every way. This vol
ume covers the history from tue an
cient Gauls to Louis XI. Two more
volumes will complete the history.
Songs of the South. Edited by Jennie
Thornley Clarke. J. B. Lippincott
Co., Philadelphia, Pa.
This is a compilation from Southern
writers. It is made by one of the
teaches in the Georgia Normal and
Industrial College at Milledgeville.
This gives it added interest. In itself,
however, it is of rare merit. The
poems chosen are admirable, with but
few exceptions. No one is allowed
more than two or three poems and so
the whole field of Southern writers
is covered. One of the uses of such
a book is to increase the appetite for
more. It ought to lead to a reading
of the works of a dozen or more of
these singers. The whole is a strik
ing commentary on the literary pow
ers of the South. The editor is to be
congratulated. In addition many a
gem of newspaper poetry here finds
preservation.
There are choice bits that are alone
worth the price of the whole. It is
delighuul to pick up now and .aen
for a few moments.
The Story of a Busy Life. J. R. Mil
ler, D.D. T. Y. Crowell & Co., New
York. SI.OO.
When we first read this we had no
knowledge of the subject of it. We
read with interest and were struck by
the power of lives that we knew noth
ing about. We have since become bet
ter acquainted with the life and work
of Mrs. George P. Paul, about whom
it is written. As a writer she made a
great success and did great good. Her
early life was one of struggle and her
last days those of sorrow, but she
was noble in both. We are glad her
life has been preserved. We hope
many will read it. She was a minis
ter’s wife.
Happy Children. Mrs. Ellen Farman
Pratt, editor of “Babyland.” 66 pp.
$1.50. T. Y. Crowell & Co., New
York and Boston.
Mrs. Pratt is well known as the ed
itor of “Wide Awake,” and present ed
itor of "Babyland," and is a charm
ing writer for children. She knows
how. This volume is pure, bright,
charming for the little folks and pa
rents in search of good Christian
books for the tots will find this a de
lightful one. The book is very pret
tily gotten up and beautifully illus
trated in colors.
The Northfield Year Book. Edited by
Delavan L. Pierson. Fleming H.
Revell Co., Chicago and New’ York.
$1.25.
Many people find help in books giv
ing some suggestive passage of a de
votional character for each day of the
year. Such will not find one to excel
this. It is made up of extracts from
the various addresses maae at North
field. It is to be commended.
North American Review. November.
North American Review Co., New
York. Price 50c, $5.00 a year.
This review always maintains itself.
In this Hon. T. C. Platt gives his
ideas of the effects of republican
success. A notable article is “The In
fluence of College Life on American
Life.” by Charles F. Thwing, LL.D.
"Some Later Aspects of Woman Suf
frage.” by the Bishop of Albany is un
usual!}’ pertinent. Comptroller Ech
ols writes of the "Protection of Bank
Depositors,” and the United States
minister to Siam on “Plain Truths
About Asiatic Labor.”
There are many other articles of
equal value and interest.
Littell's Living Age. The Living Age
Co., Boston. Weekly. 15c a num
ber; $6.00 a year.
Ever since 1844 this excellent publi
cation has been serving to its readers
a weekly repast, using therefor choice
selections from foreign current litera
ture. It is proposed now to enlarge
the magazine by adding a monthly
supplement, which will contain read
ings from American magazines and
from new books of various kinds.
To introduce the Age to new sub
scribers, a special offer is made of
three months for sl.
My Diamonds Again.
The Lutheran Princess Euge
nie, the sister of Oscar IL. was a
pious, self-sacrificing invalid. She
spent her summer on the isle of
Gothland and saw that a poor
house was much needed there.
As the people were too poor to
erect one, the princess quietly
sold her diamonds and gave the
money to build a house of shelter
for helpless old men and women.
The next summer, when she
visited the island, the poor-house
was ready for guests, and the peo
ple gave her an enthusiastic wel
come, but one old man wept bit
terly.
On asking the cause of his
grief, the princess was told that
he was a hardened sinner, who
had learned in the house to turn
to God. No one had ever seen
him weep until his tears flowed
at the sight of the princess,
whom he called the “savior of his
soul.”
“In these tears I see my dia
monds again,” said the princess,
as she took the old man's hand. —
Everybody’s Paper.
(trade Matk iUigiaiered.)
GLUTEOLOUR
For Dyspepsia, and Obesity.
Unlike all other Flotsp. begfiise It contains no bran
and little starch—whZKcaijpetacldity and flatulence.
Nutritious and palmabfeJn tfcbest degree Unri
valled in America * EudL>e. \
Pamphi/t
Write to FAKWZLL JfRHViES. Waterwwa, N.J.
i “It will go
' away after awhile.”
That's what people say when
advised to take something to
cure that cough.
Have you ever noticed that
the cough that goes away after
1 awhile takes the cougher along ?
1 And he doesn't come back !
j Ayer’s
' Cherry Pectoral
Cures Coughs.
Economy.
Economy is one of the chief duties
of a State, as well as of gn individual;
it Is not only a great virtue in itself,
but it is the parent of many others; it
preserves men and nations from the
commission of crime and the endur
ance of misery; the man that lives
within his income can be just, hu
mane, charitable and independent; he
who lives beyond it becomes, almost
necessarily, rapacious, mean, faithless
and contemptible; the economist is
easy and comfortable; the prodigal,
harassed with debts, and unable to
obtain the necessary means of life; so
it is with nations. National charac
ter, as well as national happiness, has,
from the beginning of the world to
the present day, been sacrificed on the
altar of profusion.—John Taylor.
V. E Orr, Atlanta, Seats Churches
and schools.
Slate, Paper, Cloth boards, V. E. Orr.
It is said a mother was showing
her little daughter Carrie, five
years old, an engraving repre
senting mothers pushing their
children toward Jesus, when he
held one of their number in his
arms.
"I won't be pushed to Jesus,
mamma,” she said with earnest
ness, as her mother said to her:
“That’s the way I would do with
you. Carrie, if I had been there.”
"I wouldn't want to be pushed;
I'd go to him without pushing.”
Little Carrie was right. No
pushing is required to get to Je
sus, whether in the case of a child
or a man. His arms are widely
extended, and his sweet voice of
love says “Come!" Strange that
people everywhere are not run
ning to him. —Christian Stand
ard.
V. E. Orr, Atlanta, supplies teachers
free.
School Charts and Supplies, V. E.
Orr, Atlanta
Books at Rock Bottom Prices.
We must reduce our mammoth stock
of books, stationery and office sup
plies at least ten thousand dollars in
the next thirty days to make room for
our line of Christmas novelties and
promise our customers a treat in the
way of low prices. Will sell you
from 5 to 25 per cent, less than any
other book store in the State. This
special cut in prices applies to all the
standard publications and many of the
copyright books. Come and see us or
write for catalogue of special prices.
THE METHODIST BOOK & PUB. CO.,
81 and 83 Whitehall St.
Church Chairs Pews, Settees, V. E.
Orr.
Plans and Prices cost nothing, V. E.
Orr.
Ou Special Offer:
Cittage Dinner Set (white)s4.oo
6 Silver Plated Knivesl.2s
6 Plated Forkso.7s
6 Plated Tea Spoonso.so
3 Plated Table Spoonso.2s
6 Tumblerso.2s
1 Large Glass Pitchero.2s
2 Salts and Pepper Shakerso.lo
1 Syrup Pitchero.ls
6 Jap. Napkinso.os
1 Spoon Holdero.ls
Worthß7.7o
Special Price ou the ftF ft ft
First 100 Sets U
A Cottage Dinner Set
Contains:
6 Dinner Plates, 6 Breakfast Plates,
6 Cups and Saucers, 6 Fruit Saucers,
6 Butter Pads, 2 Meat Dishes, 1
Baker, 1 Pickle, 1 Cover Dish, 1
Sugar, 1 Cream, 1 Bowl, 1 Butterdish,
1 Gravy Boat of the celebrated Mod
dock Porcelain, the best wearing ware
on earth. Absolutely warranted not
to glaze-crack from any cause.
To introduce this famous ftF ft ft
ware we will sell the first xLh U||
100 setts as above for V i V v
Order at once so you get the benefit
of the low prices.
Carver & Harper
79 Whitehall St.,
ATLANTA, GEORGIA.
Wholesale and Retail Dealers in
Crockery, Lamps Fancy Goods.
ftx I| pOplum, Cocaine
IVIU KF*MI IM t Whiskey Habits
cured at borne. Remedy $5. Cure Guaran
teed. Endorsed by physicians, ministers
and others. Book of particulars, testimoni
als, etc. Free. Tobaccollne, the tobacco
cure, sl. Est. 1892 G. WILSON CHEMICAL
CO., Dublin, Texas. ISoctly