Newspaper Page Text
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JFlje Christian Index
T. P. BELL. ( Editors.
I J. VAN NESS, f
ON READING.
Books mid papers have become
common property in our age. No
other generation has )>eeii so
blessed and so cursed in its facil
ities for reading. The problem
hitherto Ims been how to get any
thing to read. In our day it is
how to decide what we ought to
read of the great deluge of books
and papers presenteil to us. Ihe
agents of evil have discovered
the powers of the types. What
opiuily presented infidelity could
not do. the same Infidelity dis
guised as fiction, has been able to
accomplish. The agents of truth
have also utilized the printing
press. In between these two
conies the commercial spirit ca
tering to public desires and cre
ating public taste.
Every household ought to have
three things as a part of its reg
ular reading. A Bible, a relig
ious paper, and a good, clean
newspaper. This last ought to
be a daily when possible, but our
modern secular weeklies are a
great blessing. They leave out
much that can well be left out,
and give the essence of the news
of the world. .Made up from the
dailies and costing but little, they
are verv cheap. With these
three a household, or a lonely in
dividual, is furnished with a good
foundation of reading material.
Many, unfortunately, let the
newspaper have the entire field.
One might as well endeavor to
develop pious inclinations on a
diet of political speeches, as to
run a household on pun* secular
ism A household needs religion
to hold it together. What a
household reads it will think and
talk about, what it thinks and
talks about it will make its char
actor. There is no more potent
agency to make religion a part
of t>*e household life than a re
ligious paper, saving only the
practice of regular family wor
ship.
A far more puzzling question
comes in regard to books. Every
home ought to have some books.
Papers and magazines cannot al
together take the place of books.
A love for literature is depend
ent on our being able to read and
reread. Permanence ami acres
nihility must go with our love for
any author or any special piece
of literature. Books are also
mon* influential with us. Papers
do more to create and maintain
our general taste and informa
tion, but books become our
friends along special lines of inti
macy. We go to them oft oner
‘ and in different humors, and in
this way get them deeper into
our lives.
We sincerely hope that tlx* in
fluence of the Christian Index is
such that good books will follow,
as a matter of course into every
home where it is loved ami read.
Not the least obstacle to a
mon* general reading of books is
the difliculty in determining
w hat books are the ones we want.
This is increased in this section
by the lack of stores devoted to
the sale of books. If we could
find an assortment to look over
and so decide, it would be a
great advantage. Colporters
have little difliculty in selling
books when once they are permit
ted to display their stock. Nor
is a perplexity unnatural. Among
the multitudes of advertised
books a few can In* depended on
because of the authors’ reputa
tion, but most of them are un
certain as to quality and con
tents. A title indicating a re
ligious work may be attached to
a wild, hysterical novel. Even
well named books by reputable
publishers may bring harmful
theories.
It is because we believe in
books and think no household
complete that does not utilize
them and love them, and also
because we* realize the great difli
culties in properly selecting
them, that we maintain our de
partment “Among the Books.”
Our aim is higher than merely to
obtain books for ourselves. We
desire to aid our readers; not
only our preacher readers,' but
our readers generally. The dif
ficulty of procuring books is
greatly minimized by the excel
lent facilities all Georgia Bap
tists have through the American
Baptist Publication Society's
branch house in Atlanta. It has
been a pleasure to us to work in
co-operation with publishers
through the Publication Society
in the matter of recommending
books. It gives the assurance
that our readers can readily pro
cure by mail any book we com
mend and be accommodated most
willingly in any arrangements
necessary to facilitate a more
general cultivation of the read
ing of good books. This applies
to all books noticed in the Chris
tian Index. We have had occa
sion, in connection with them, to
frequently return books they
were not willing J o sell, nor we
to mention. This is all said vol
untarily and to encourage our
readers to use this exceptional
opportunity to get such books as
they ought to have and may
want.
The other difliculty we hope to
lessen through our weekly book
reviews. Great care is exercised
with these books. Many of them
do not interest the editors very
much, but careful of the interests
of those who might be interested,
they are all examined with care.
We propose to b<* very candid in
our criticisms. Sometimes books
contain much error with much
more of truth. In such case we
must warn as well as commend.
We particularly desire to be help
ful to pastors in aiding to wisely
select books of value, and to
homes where there are children
and young people. During tlx*
coming year we hope to render
much better service to our read
ers in this regard. We trust it
may lead to a greater emphasis
upon books as a part of our (‘du
cation and pleasure.
THE DISPARAGEMENT OF PAUL
There is no study more sug
gestive than the fluctuations in
skeptical and liberal thought.
So shifting are the doctrines of
those who do not incline to the
acceptance of systematized Bible
views that each decade brings a
new school. The singular tiling
is that the tendency is always to
award the essential positions for
merly departed from. The first
steps along new lines are apt to
be radical, the succeeding steps
are likely to be a retracing of the
earlier. Thus the first promulga
tion of Darwinism plunged us
into a radical denial of all relig
ious teaching. Every year since
has been a gradual coming home
of the scientific prodigals to the
old home from which most of us
never departed. Experience
should teach every thinking
young man to plant himself firm
ly on tlx* old beliefs and to Ixdd
but tentatively the newly ad
vanced notions. He may thus
save himself years of folly and
escape the barrenness of imagi
native speculations.
Especially has this been true
of the rationalistic and material
istic views of the person of Je
sus. Some years ago it was the
fashion to deny the historical va
lidity of the record and to dis
count the actual personality of
Christ as revealed in the New
Testament. But this theory could
not stand. Facts were against
it. The very theory cen
tered attention on tlx* life of Je
sus and in so doing brought its
own refutation. The result may
be seen in modern books on Chris
tian evidences. These make their
central argument the witness of
the character of Jesus to his di
vinity, and the portrayal of such
a perfect character by imperfect
men as an evidence of its his
torical reality. Tin* testimony
of miracles and of historical
effects and records become
supplementary Io this main line.
Surely this is traveling back a
long way from the great stride of
a quarter of a century ago.
To-day, therefore, men are
seemingly ready to obey and to
accept his teaching as of eternal
worth and unchanging force.
While we rejoice in this, we
must still bear in mind that the
journey back has not all been
complete. We may hope the next
few years w ill complete the circle
and find us all one again. Jesus
finds ready acceptance, but Paul
is disparaged. He is not allowed
even to explain the words of Je
sus with authority. Tolstoi the
Russian was one of the pioneers
in the movement back to Jesus
and the Gospels. But to Tolstoi
Paul is a stone of offense and a
block of stumbling. More re
cently the loved novelist, lan
Maclaren, has come forth as the
exponent of the mind of Jesus.
So stir as his work is simply to
unfold the actual words of Jesus
we can rejoice, but when Paul is
belittled we must venture to dis
sent. These men, however, are
but representatives of a school.
Their ideas art* popular to the
modern devotees of culture, and
so get into our current literature.
As the masses of our people get
their religious views from litera
ture rather than the Bible, they
get into the general atmosphere
of thought.
Another singular phase of this
trend back toward orthodoxy is
that it magnifies the supernatu
ral both in the life of Jesus, in
the life of Paul, and in our lives.
So far from being materialistic
it is founded on a conviction that
the spiritual is most real. In
spiration so far from being dis
counted, is magnified. Paul's
disparagement is not in a denial
to him of inspiration, but by a
claim of equal inspiration and
more enlightenment for our
selves. Paul has the advantage
of being nearer to the time when
Jesus lived. We have the ad
vantage of the unfolding in the
years since Paul. Stress is laid
on the Hebrew cast of Paul’s
mind and his views explained by
this earlier training.
We are glad, however, to see
that already the question of
Paul is occupying the minds of
our scholars. The Biblical World
reported not long ago the publi
cation of a new theological work
in Germany that gives to Paul
his rights again. The reassertion
of his unique position as an inter
prefer of the teachings of Jesus,
and a medium of revelation is
THE CHRISTIAN INDEX: THURSDAY. DECEMBER 3, 1596
sure to come. An examination
of the Gospels will surely reveal
a purjKised incompleteness in
Jesus' own teachings. This in
completeness will be found to be
expressly stated in his own
words. When the Gospel record
of the life and words of Jesus are
accurately examined, it will be
found that only the death and
resurrection, and the explana
tions of these given by Paul, Pe
ter and John, can round out and
complete that divine life. The
Pauline theology substantiates
the Gospel life. The coming
back may be slow, but it will
surely come. Paul waited until
the Reformation to be accorded
his full place with Peter, who was
the center of the Roman Catholic
theology. He will yet be acknowl
edged by all as an equal interpre
ter with Matthew, Mark and
Luke and John. We need not
fear for our Pauline theology
which rests upon and glorifies the
life and words of Jesus as record
ed in the Gospels.
We have called attention to
this that we may be watchful in
these days when every new book
may be a theological compendium
in disguise. Let us welcome
every new tribute to Jesus, but
let us guard against the disposi
tion to minimize Paul. We do
not for one moment desire to
claim for him any equal honors
to his Lord. We are jealous lest
in disparaging Paul we lose some
of the lineaments of the Christ
who was to Paul all of life and
the reward of heaven.
NOT TO LEAVE THE OTHER UN
DONE.
In the communication from
our Home Mission Board that
we publish this week is to be
found a most suggestive incident.
The cast* of a church is cited
which has given liberally to For
eign Missions, but neglected
Home Missions. The same church
has in the past been aided by our
Home Board. We do not take it
that any censure is implied or
any criticism intended. The
case, however, is but illustrative
of what seems to be a somewhat
general condition. Our contri
butions to Foreign Missions are
none too large, but they are far
in excess of the contribution to
the cause of Home Missions.
One of the causes for (his is
we believe the general knowl
edge that a dangerous debt is
on our Foreign Mission Board.
This has aroused a sense of anx
iety and quickened the activity
of those specially interested in
the foreign work. The cause of
the heathen abroad appeals more
also. For
possible to inaugu
rate a pronounced movement to
remove the debt. The contribu
tions each year are about equiva
lent to the actual needs of our
work. Debts tire beginning to
lose their force with many. These
smilingly say that the making of
debts is a policy pursued for rais
ing money. This is not so regard
ing our own Board. The debt
is a calamity, and the quicker it
is out of the way the better.
We must, however, all remem
ber that our mission work is one
and undivided. If we accumu
late a debt for home missions,
by paying the debt accumulated
through our foreign work, we
are still in debt. A man is not
getting out of debt when he pays
allhismoney to one grocer for an
old debt, and is being meantime
carried on credit by another
grocer while doing it. He is
merely transferring debts. A
better plan is to live economically
and pay the new grocer, putting
every spare dollar against the
old debt. Then we have some
hope of getting out of debt. So
we must do with our two Boards.
We would not divert one cent
from the Board at Richmond.
We wish thousands of extra con
tributions could be looked for.
We only ask that we keep our ac
counts before us and see to it
that we do not neglect the Home
Mission Board. No special calls
have come from them. They
only ask a continuation of last
year's gifts. They recognize the
needs of the work abroad and
will rejoice at every contribution
that will ease the burdens of our
Foreign Board. But they have
every right to expect the regular
normal contribution. Let us not
be unmindful of them at this
tjme. It is as necessary to keep
our Boards out of debt as to get
them out when they get in. The
Home Board is being economical
as one of the family of our Con
vention interests and is consid
erate of the sister board's special
claims. It only asks money for
its actual needs.
At the last analyses, however,
this fluctuation of interest in one
or the other of our Boards is due
to our lack of system in giving.
Nothing can preserve the bal
ance but a regular system of con
tribution that permits of
thoughtful and discriminating
giving. We notice that the Com
mission on Systematic Giving,
appointed by our Northern Bap
tists, are vigorously pressing
their cause. Recently the first of
a series of mass meetings or con
ference of churches, was held in
Boston. Its purpose was the cul
tivation of right giving. Our
centennial movement led to great
meetings directly agitating the
cause of missions. Its effect was
far from being permanent. If
we could have a campaign of
meetings along the line of sys
tematic giving, the results would
be more lasting. We need sys
tem in our gifts and then no
cause will suffer, while the intel
ligent giving thus developed will
readily provide for the one need
ing special help.
ABOUT BIBLES.
The Christian Index Ims not
made any special premium oilers..
So much has been done along this
line that we are not sure but the
field has been already well cov
ered. We have, however, fre
quent calls for Bibles from our
readers. We tire disposed to put
at the service of our subscribers
any special advantage we may
be able to obtain in the purchase
of special litres of Bibles. We be
lieve we can procure Bibles for
our readers at rates that will ful
ly satisfy them. We cannot at
tempt to procure such Bibles for
any but regular subscribers. We
suggest that you consult us be
fore going elsewhere. It will be
pleasure to us to serve our friends
in this way.
It was a great pleasure to
spend a Sunday with the saints
at the First Baptist church of
Macon. A better set of good
Baptists is rarely associated
than in this church. All the
Macon Baptists are of good qual
ity for that matter. Owing to a
misunderstanding the represent
ative of the Index failed to ap
pear the Sunday preceding. The
situation would have disconcert
ed any ordinary church, but this
one simply invited Bro. E. Y.
Mallary to take charge, and he
gave them a sermon that was still
lingering in their hearts. Pastor
White is highly esteemed. One
of his brethren paid him an un
usual compliment. He said that
he had listened to him for two
years and had yet to hear a poor
sermon. That is a test few
preachers would meet —that is,
few preachers outside of Geor
gia.
Christmas undoubtedly had its
origin in heathenism, but its ob
servance is gradually becoming
more Christianized. Thanksgiving
had its origin in Christianity, but
it is gradually becoming heath
enized. In this city any religious
service was hard to find. Sports
of all kind could be had in almost
any neighborhood. In the East
the day be dedicated to
. >< > 11 n 11
It
is greanyuJHrdeplored that the
one distinctively religious holi
day should be thus taken from us.
A rather smart woman said that
on Thanksgiving she prayed, she
stuffed, she played. This combi
nation was bad enough, but we
are getting so we begrudge the
praying.
The preacher students at Mer
cer are to be congratulated on
the fine courses of lectures they
are enjoying. Bro. W. H. Young,
of Athens, has been instructing
them in the art of preaching, giv
ing them the cream of his new
book on that subject. This week
Bro. J. D. Chapman, of Savan
nah, will begin a series on the
character and teachings of Je
sus. Not only are these lectures
helpful in themselves, but the
contact with these experienced
men is exceedingly helpful. Mer
cer has done great service in the
past in training preachers for us.
It seems to be working along the
same lines at present.
It will doubtless interest our
readers to know that the text of
the modified Bush bill as printed
by us has attracted much atten
tion outside the State. The meas
ures proposed in that bill seem
to meet with the most cordial ap
proval. Georgia has always been
in the lead in wise temperance
legislation and she bids fair to
keep up her reputation. The
present legislature seems dis
posed to do something along the
line of improved laws for regu
lating the liquor traffic. We be
lieve the Bush bill furnishes the
best basis for these improve
ments.
So many are interested in com
municating with Dr. J. G. Gibson
that we call special attention to
a change in his address. He can
now be found on Walton street,
at the second door from the First
Baptist church. This is more
convenient for those coming to
the city. Dr. Gibson seems to be
unusually hale and hearty this
winter. lie surrenders to none
of our “tramping” brethren in
the ability to work and to put
energy into all he does. He only
needs one thing, and that is
money.
In our last issue we called at
tention to a striking article by
Professor P. IT. Mell. When we
wrote the editorial it was sup
posed that the article could read
ily find a place, but so crowded
were our columns that it was
found to be imposible. It will be
found on our first page this week
and w ill be found just as timely.
the <3aptUt
The Journal and Messenger: "Bet
ter one strong church than many
weak ones.” It is frequently said;
but is it beyond controversy true?
Much depends on what is meant by a I
strong church. Is it numbers? Many
a church of three and four hundred ’
members is weaker, accomplishes less
for the glory of God and the salvation
of souls, than many another with half
the number. Is it wealth? That de- j
pends on how far it is consecrated to
the service of Christ. Many a rich
church, having hundreds of thousands
and even millions represented in its
membership, is a small giver to Christ
ian enterprises and to missions,
whether at home or abroad. Is it
spiritual power? Then it does not
depend upon numbers, nor wealth, and
no rule can be applied to govern its j
methods and circumstances. "Better
one Strong church than many weak
ones." It is used as an argument for
consolidating contiguous churches of
the same denomination. Perhaps it
would be better to consolidate them. ,
But the adage is unreliable. It is a
dangerous and deceptive adage, and
ought to be put away. All depends |
upon circumstances. If the two or
more churches are really in the same |
territory, and that limited, and if there
is no reason to hope that the condi
tions will ever be more favorable than
now, it may be well to consolidate.
But the one strong church may soon
after become very weak, and may ac
complish far less in combination than
the two did before the combination
was effected. When churches com
bine, so that the burden may be less
and the workers less numerous, then
there is danger. There are limits be
yond which it is not safe nor judicious
to go in planting new churches; but
it is possible to reduce the number of
churches and thereby weaken, rather
than strengthen, the Christian life in
the community.
The Central Baptist: The most note
worthy feature in the late presidential
campaign was not its speech-making
and parades, but its quiet, hand to
hand personal work. This was more
effective than all the speech-making.
The public speech seems to have only
served to announce general principles
or doctrines. The details and appli
cations of those doctrines were w'orked
out and made in personal interviews.
This is the conclusion of those who
widely and closely observed the worK
ings of the campaign: it is also cor
robarateu by the chairman of the Na
tional Committee of the successful
party. But what of it? Just this.
As Christian workers who desire suc
cess, we may learn a lesson. Let the
public preaching of the gospel be sup
plemented by the hand to hand con
tact of the membership of the churches
with the unsaved, and the Gospel will
win such a victory as has never before
been seen in the country. The most
effective work on foreign mission
fields is accomplished in this way.
During the political campaign just
closed, men devoted themselves daily
for weeks to talking quietly to crowds
on the streets and elsewhere, where
ever men could stand and talk and
listen. But a small fraction of the pop
ulation attended public meetings, but
almost everybody was talked with,
not talked to. Men did not have to
dress up to go to a meeting. They
wejff met in their workday garb, any
everywhere. Os course it re
quires intense enthusiasm, not excite
ment. Such enthusiasm is not the
offspring of an hour nor a day. but
of long and earnest, studious interest
in a cause. Why shall we not have
such a quiet, energetic enthusiasm in
the cause which we profess to believe
is the greatest of all causes? We may
have it, if we will.
The Standard: It is stated in press
dispatches that the directors of a
Presbyterian theological seminary in
Pennsylvania are attempting to in
duce the legislature to pass a bill
which will empower the courts of the
State to pass judgment on all alleged
misuses of trust funds held by theo
logical and similar educational institu
tions. In other words, the courts will
have to decide, if the bill becomes a
law, Whether, in case charges of teach
ing heresy are made, such teachings
constitute a misuse of funds. The dis
patch adds that this is part of the
plan of the General Assembly of the
Presbyterian Church to provide legal
means for bringing to terms any in
stitution which, in its opinion, is mis
using denominational funds by em
ploying them in the dissemination of
unsound doctrine. The question is a
delicate one under any circumstances,
just how far the doctrines to be taught
in a theological school shall be pre
scribed by the denomination at large,
whether officially, as in the Presby
terian denomination, or by the relig
ious press and the pulpit in the Con
gregational ist and Baptist churches.
But we think that in attempting to
give complainants a standing in courts
of law, the directors referred to are
making a great mistake. A heresy j
trial in an ecclesiastical court is bad
enough, and may heaven preserve us i
form any more of them; but a heresy
trial in a civil court would be an
abomination and a mockery. Such
things have been heard of occasional
ly, but we supposed they were con
demned by the better sense of the
denominations in which they occurred.
If the State of Pennsylvania should
pass any such law, it would be a dark
day for the cause of theological edu- ,
cation.
The Biblical Recorder: Here at the '
beginning of the year, we desire the j
reader to view the work before our
denomination: to view himself as one
of a great number of people who are |
bound together In blessed unity for ■
the furtherance of the cause of our
Master; to view his duties as more j
than local, reaching further than the
church-yard; to view the stated ob
jects of the Convention as only the J
practical plans agreed upon by a
great united people, one of which he
is; to consider himself as essential to
the completeness of that unity, to re- j
fuse to shift his responsibility upon
others; to realize that without him- j
seif the work will lack just 'hat much
of the success of which it is worthy. (
If we are not saved by the same j
Christ, if we are. not loved by the ;
same God, if we were not moved by the
same Holy Spirit, if we were not mem
bers of the same kingdom of Christ,
if our faith and practice were not the I
same, such a unity as we have just
put in view would be unnatural: but
as it is, it is most natural; and no
doubt most beautiful and pleasing in
the sight of God. Let us then, each of
us. try and realize our part, our res
ponsibility in keeping this unity and
sustaining the objects of our Conven
tion, all of which combined are our ■
plan for the furtherance of the king
dom of heaven on earth.
The Commonwealth: There is no
surer test of a true Christian life than
that of the method and the spirit of
our giving. How do you feel? Do
you enjoy religion?—and a score of
such tests are of little worth to de
termine one’s standing before God.
How are you giving? Do you do it
with a conscience and with affection.'
Is your giving proportioned to your
ability? What relation does your ex
penditure upon yourself bear to your
missionary giving? These and simi
lar questions put the probe in at ex
actly the right spot. If missionary
giving is rightly developed, if it is
based upon the highest and noblest
motives, every other Christian grace
will flourish with it. Among all the
means of grace, worshipful giving
has a very high place, and it is very
nearly related to every other Christian
grace. If the people are developed in
this direction the whole Christian life
will respond. Ixigically and chrono
logically, giving is the greatest pre
cursor of the gr at spiritual triumphs.
When the tithes are first brought to
God then he will pour out the largest
possible blessing. Malachi, speaking
for God, enunciated a great principle.
Indeed, while that which is God’s is
withheld, no great blessing can be
looked for. So a quickened con
science in giving will foreherald the
approach of the most wonderful tri
umphs of the gospel at home and in
the wide world.
However, none of us should await a
pastor’s appeal or the suggestions of
the commission, but we should im
mediately study the question, upon
our knees and with opened Bible. To
give systematically, proportionately,
worshipfully, is truly a present duty.
The Examiner: There would be real
ground for object! n to the education
societies if they permitted a low stand
ard. Every one is proud to have been
educated at West Point or Annapolis,
because the fact of his having been
graduated from either school is a cer
tificate to his scholarship and his pro
fessional ability. In a still higher
sense it ought to be understood that
every one aiued by the education
societies is, by that very fact, declared
to be eminent in ability, in character,
in manliness, in sincerity. The en
joyment of a scholarship held by the
education societies should be a great
honor, because conditioned upon high
attainment, tested by a competitive
examination. General Grant was not
disgraced by being a beneficiary. Dr.
Arnold held that the two duties of the
teacher were to cherish a good and
get riil of a bad scholar. The educa
tion societies cannot do too much for
the good scholar, using the word in
the large sense; it cannot deal too
strenuously with the unworthy, the in
capable. with those who have not a
good report from those who are with
out, with those who exhibit a painful
disparity between profession and prac
tice.
The Western Recorder: The great
body of English people are soundly
Protestant, in spite of the ritualistic
antics of some high church preachers.
As a general thing, the “bone and
sinew” pay no attention to the antics.
But when Gladstone wrote a meek
letter praying the Pope to “recognize”
the Anglican orders, the attention of
the people was arrested. Then came
the snub from the Pope. This aroused
their wrath, not against the Pope,
whose answer they enjoyed, but
against the Englishman who had
given him the opportunity. And the
resentment was shown all over Eng
land on Guy Fawkes day. Guy
Fawkes was one of the Catholic con
spirators in the gunpowder plot to
blow up Parliament. Every year on
Guy Fawkes day he is hung in effigy.
But of late years this old custom has
fallen into disuse and in very few vil
lages was the day celebrated. This
year, however, Guy Fawkes day was
kept as it had not been in long years,
preachers and squires taking as much
interest in it as the boys. The heart
of England is sound.
The Baptist Courier: Again, those
converts are most likely to persevere
who base their action upon intelli
gence, who make a profession of faith
from rational conviction, rather than
unreasoning. momentary impulse.
Modern evangelistic methods are not
the best means of reaching such per
sons. Such persons are cautious, and
move only upon conviction. They are
sometimes overcautious, and may be
denounced as hard-hearted, stubborn,
proud, etc. But they are frequently
only counting the cost, refusing to
rush headlong where they are out of
place. However, when such persons
act, they act for all time to come.
They act upon principle, and not upon
impulse. They commit themselves
unreservedly and for life to the cause
of Christianity. Their minds when
made up, remain made up. One such
convert is worth a thousand that
move under excitement and become
ambiguous when the excitement sub
sides.
The Florida Baptist Witness: The
truth is, the absolutely one correct
moral and doctrinal standard is not
conscience, but the Word of God. In
so far as conscience coincides with
God’s book, conscience is right, but
in so far as it differs from that, it Is
wrong. Before one can safely follow
his conscience in all things, he must
have studied the Bible on his knees.
Then, and not until then, will his con
science have been properly educated
and have become a proper guide.
Properly educated, however, con
science is one of the most in
valuable faculties of the soul.
It is like the faithful bell buoy which
rings out its notes of warning amid
the fogs and storms of life, showing
us the rocks and the shoals, and point
ing us also to the channel of safety
and happiness and eternal life.
The Word and the Way: We be
lieve that the style of the average
leader of the singing at our conven
tions and associations, in our Sunday
schools, and sometimes in the regular
preaching services of our churches is
thoroughly lacking in reverence. He
stands before the audience, stretches
open his mouth, yells and brawls,
swings his arms and swells his chest.
Sometimes between the verses of a sa
cred hymn he will yell out “Now sing,”
“Now altogether,” “All on the cho
rus,” “Now everybody,” etc. This
sort of singing seems to be a sort of
“fad” in our mammoth conventions,
and it seems to us to belong very
properly to “waving of banners,”
‘.‘State yells,” “Salutation of flags,”
etc. For mercy’s sake, give us a rest
ing spell. Take your seat and let us
reverently praise God and think on
what we are saying in song.
The Religious Herald: Question:
“How does it happen that you charge
$2 a year for the Herald, when we can
get the Baptist Union for $1 a year?”
Answer: If the denomination will
furnish us a founding fund, on which
we may draw at will for expense of
running the Herald, we can and will
cheerfully meet the Union’s price.
There is such a fund accessible to the
Union, and they have had to use it
freely.
TO OUR SUBSCRIBERS.
We have not in the past said much
to our subscribers about paying their
subscriptions, but we desire now to
call their attention to the matter. In
common with all other business en
terprises, we have felt the effects of
the stringency in money matters, and
have been hoping that better times
would come to us as they came to
others. The election is over, every
thing has quieted down and the money
market is easier. We ask each sub
scriber to examine the dat° printed on
the paper, and, if in arrears, forward
us the amount due. If any one is in
clined to feel that it will be a little
matter to the editors if his small
amount—only s2.oo—is not paid, let
him remember that five hundred other
people may think the same thing—
and why should they not, if he does? —
and so the editors will be out SI,OOO.
We hope each and every subscriber
will give prompt attention to the
matter.
FIELD NOTES.
Quite a number of the clerks
of the associations have sent the
field editor a copy of their new minutes.
We are grateful.
The Indfx is now getting out ten
thousand papers each week That
means a stronger, better paper for’97.
Brother. sister, won’t you send “Uncle
Jimmie” one new subscriber for a
Christmas gift? If yon will he will put
you on the new Christmas roll of honor.
How many will doit? Try right now,
won’t you?
We ate dinner with our own “ Bena
jah” in Macon last Saturday. He has
been in a good meeting lately, and has
promi-ed us a nice, long news letter
from Macon soon. Look out for it.
Pastor J. L. White, of Macon First
church, has been holding a series of
meetings with pastor Baldy, of Bowl
ing Green, Ky., lately. Won’t pastor
Baldy write the Index a nice news
note of it? We hope he will, and give
ns some general news also.
Pastor Southern, of the South Macon,
church, is still carrying on the protract
ed meeting with his church. \Ve heard
many things about the meeting, but we
could not get the exact facts and figures.
Won’t brother Southern write the In
dex about it and let us all have a taste>
of the good things, too? We hope he
will. The meeting has been going on
about nine weeks if we are not mis
taken.
We spent a pleasant hour with Prof'
Pollcck at Mercer last Saturday. Every'
thing on the inside is just lovely—mov
ii g on in perfect harmony, reminds one
of clock-work. The Tom Dixon lect
ure, we understand, is to be on “Fools.”
If so, we guess it won’t hurt the stu
dents and professors much. See?
Our church at Sparta, under the
strong and loving ministry of pastor B.
H. Ivey, has jjro'vn from eighteen mem
bers to sixty five in three years A
nice, new pastor's home has been built
and a new baptistry put in the church
also. A more lovely and patient pair of
Christian workers than brother and
sister Ivey would be hard to find.
Dear brethren of the ministry and
deaconship in Georgia, if you have not
started to the Bible school at Eastman
yet, start right now. You have no idea
what you are going to miss if you miss
it. We want to stop and go ourself.
We are sure there will be an "old
fashion. predestination, deep-water,
close communion, final preservation,
missionary Baptist” feast. We must be
on hand a little while anyhow.
Pastor G.W. Garner, of-Warrenton,
has resigned the care of our church at
that place. He will move to Thomson
at an early day. The Warrenton
brethren have lost a treasure of rare
quality. Garner is one of the best all
around pastors and preachers in the
State.
The Children’s Corner, oh, how nice
the Corner is! how the dear little ones
enjoy it, and so do the grandpas and
grandmas. We can see them looking
through their big rimmed specks each
week, reading those sweet letters. Now,
dear cousins, one and all, you must
make the Lord a Christmas gift. Just
ask your pastor, or superintendent, or
teacher how to make the gift; they can
tell you how to do it. “ Thank you,
cousin Susie Lou McLendon, of Daw
son, for your sweet invitation to Uncle
Jimmie; if the Lord wills he will come
to Dawson some time soon.
A happy marriage occurred at the
Baptist chnrch in Warrenion last
Wednesday morning at 10:30 o’clock.
Miss Rosa Farmer, the beautiful and
accomplished daughter of brother and
sister E. B. Farmer, was joined in holy
wedlock to Mr. Wm. M. Hawes, War
ren county’s handsome representative
in the legislature. The happy couple
left immediately on the cars for Atlanta
with the best wishes of a host of friends
for their future joy and prosperity. A
feast, with a menu fit for kings and
princes was spread at the elegant home
of the bride’s parents on Tuesday even
ing before, in honor of the coming
event. It was good to be there.
At Milledgeville we found pastor John
A. Wray, full of hope in the Lord’s
work. Souls are being won to the Lord
and added to the chnrch regularly as
seals to his ministry. Brother Wray
has been appointed recently to the
chaplaincy of the Lunatic asylum.
This work, coupled with his regular
work, will demand of him four sermons
each week. Brethren and sisters, let us
not forget to pray for brother Wray
each day: he has perhaps the most im
portant pastorate in the State. When
we think of the two thousand souls in
the asylum, the six or eight hundred
students in the State Normal, and then
of all the inhabitants of Milledgeville,
on our young brother's soul, we feel
that we must pray for him. God bless
him.
THE LORD’S FINANCIAL PLAN SIMPLI
FIED.
At the request* of many brethren and
sisters we again give the plan. The
brethren will please cut it out and
preserve it for future use. First Cor
inthians 16:1-12. “Now concerning the
collection for the saints (all collections
are for saints), as I have giveh order to
the churches of Galatia, even so do ye,
“Upon the first day of the week let
every one of you lay by him in store as
God has prospered him, that there be
no gatherings when I come.”
Now we understand this Scripture to
be God’s financial plan for both church
es and individual members, especially
for individual Christians, whether the
church meets once a week, once a
month, or once a year, or whether the
members can go to church or not.