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Wnttaart fterofec Sagfet
JESSE M. WOOD, 1
Editor. )
H. C. HORJJADY, Americus, Ga. \
1“ T. DOYAIj, Griffin, Ga.
J. J. D. RENFROE, Talladega, Ala. I OtWwwMg Affifora
D. P. EVERETT, Florida. )
JOS. S. BAKER, Fla. Traveling Correspondent.
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SCRIPTURE SELECTIONS.
Sorely in vain the net is spread in the
sight of any bird. And they lay wait for
their own blood; they lurk privily for their
own lives. So are the ways of every one
that is greedy of gain ; which taketli away
the life of the owners thereof.
Wisdom oriel h without ; she uttereth
her voice in the streets : she crieth in the
chief place of concourse, in the openings of
the gates: in the city she uttereth her
words, naying, How long, ye simple ones,
will ye love simplicity ? and the scorners
delight in their scorning, and fools hate
knowledge ! Turn you at my reproof:
behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you,
j will make known my words unto yon.
Because I have called and yc reftisod ; I
have stretched out my liand, and no man
regarded ; but ye have set at nought all
my counsel, and would none of my re
proof: I will also will laugh at your calam
ity : I will mock when your fear coineth ;
when your fear cometh us desolation, and
your destruction coine.th as a whirlwind;
when distress and anguish cometh upon
you. Then shall they call upon me, but I
will not answer ; they shall seek me early,
but they shall not find me; fur that they
hated knowledge, and did not choose the
fear of the Lord: they would none ot my
counsel: they despised all my reproof,—
Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of ther
own way, and lie filled with their own de
vices. For the turning away of the sim
ple shall slay them, and the prosperity of
fool# shall destroy them. But whoso heark
eneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall
lie quiet from fear of evil.
BIBLE.
(ION MB NI (I <T 10 V.
For the Banner & Baptist.
In the last issue ot the Runner appeared
some very just remarks from the Editor,
in reply to some questions, propounded by
“Inquirer,” relative to the propriety of
having a “Roman Catholic as a teacher in
a Baptist Sunday School," Ac. That the
readers of the Banner may understand the
matter fully, I hen- insert the questions
entire,
1. “Is it safe for Baptists to employ a
Roman Catholic teacher, who uses
histories and catechisms that teach,
Anabaptists were the first to perse
cute Christians; and Lord Baltimore
the first to establish religious toler
at ion ?
2. “Is it not dangerous, in the extreme,
to make such a man the Superintend
ent <>f a Baptist Sabliath School
These questions are sufficiently compre
hensive to serve as the basis of a book, but
as ”a hint to the wi-e is sutlicienV it will
be enough to show —
1. That no such man ought to be allow
ed to tench in a Baptist Sunday School—
much less to l*eeome the Superintendent of
such a school. Aud
S. To hint at th ? duty of those members
who have the services of such teachers ten
dered them.
I) That such a man ought not to be a
teacher in a Baptist Sunday School.
This proposition, if indeed it needs any
proof, is evident from the facts—
-Ist. 7’Lr the man himself is a Catholic.
Rut what is it k»4r« Catholic! I answer,
It is to warship the Virgin Mary—to take,
anti keep fessteM from tW common people
the Word of God, sin! leave it to priests
to way what the people most believe and
d ft is to entertain the most radically iu
cwrect notions respecting the doctrines of
4 hrist and salvation, it is to be willing to
h»ud the o. l i*c»etKs»s of men, or have, as iu
the case <rf the maw* of t'athoiuw, their own
eouwseaoes bound. It is to be the “man
of riti,” “the mother .-t'harl.Js,” or one ot
the number wte. 0m.,. .se that -•rgau-.-a
-slm. In fin.- to boa t'atholic, is to he moat
unlike Christ of all those who pretend to
hope for salvation through Christ.
Now, if Baptists wish their children to
be all this—to be Catholics— l know of no
' better way by which to accomplish this
, end, than by allowing a Catholic to become
their teacher in the Sunday School. There
is an old proverb which reads somehow
thus : “As is the teacher, so is the pupil.”
The truth of this proverb no one, acquaint
ed with a teacher’s influence, can doubt,—
A man who wishes his son, and liis daugh
ter to be what he would have them to be,
ought never to allow them to go to a
teacher in whose honor and integrity he
has no confidence. Why ? Simply because
there is a great tendency, on the part of
the young aud weaker minds, to assimilate
to stronger ones. Every teacher, as a gen
eral rule, makes his own impress on the
mind of each pupil. It has come under the
direct observation of the “writer that the
same student, in a school where there are
teachers of different grades of industry, will
be exceedingly industrious in one, or more
of his studies, while he is lazy and trifling
in all the rest. All this is the work of the
teachers.
But, in religious matters, the assimila
tion is, perhaps, more rapid and entire.
Only let a child be taught by its parent to
submit to, and respect any teacher (I care
not what he may teach,) and, as a general
rule, it will follow that children will adopt
the princip'es of their instructor. Now, I
ask, do Baptists want their children to be
Catholics I If so, let. them send their chil
dren to Catholic Schools, and supply them
with Catholic teachers. But is it possible
for one who is a Baptist, in truth, to have
any such desire respecting his children ?
I answer, It is not possible. He who wish
es his child to be a Catholic, whatever else
he may be, is not himself a Baptist. He
may be called by the name, hut that is all.
1. If a Catholic ought not to teach in a
Baptist Sunday School, he certainly ought
not to be the Superintendent of such a
School. The position of superintendent
places it in his power to scatter the seeds
of destruction more extensively and suc
cessfully; and, of course as he ought not
to teach at all in a Baptist Sunday School,
he ought not to be the principal officer in
such a school.
2. Such a teacher, who teaches such doc
trines, ought never to be allowed to teach a i
Baptist pupil Wby 1 Because he teaches i
what is untrue. It is not true that “Ana- <
baptists” ever persecuted Christians, or any
body else. This distinguishes them from ;
very nearly every other religious sect.
Again, it is not true that Lord Baltimore
was the first to establish religious tolera
tion. The sect, in former times falsely
called Anabaptists, have not only favored
religious toleration, hut have been the ad
vocates of “liberty of conscience”—“soul
liberty” in all ages since the establishment
of Christianity. Let any deny this who
dare to turn the historic page.
2nd. What is the duty of Baptists on this
subject.-
It is their duty not to patronize Catholic
Schools, nor have Catholic teachers instruct
their children. The parent is responsible to
God for what he teaches himself, or wil
lingly allows others to teach his children,
so long as his children are subject to his
charge. Unless, therefore, he believes the
Catholic faith to be right, and unless he
wishes his children to become Catholics,
he is bound, by thestrongest considerations,
never to allow Catholics to teach them. If,
however, he believes that the Catholic faith
is the faith of the Bible., he might to desire
his children to embrace that faith, and do
all in his power, reasonably, to impress its
importance on their minds. But let no one
imagine that he can be a Baptist w hile he
cherishes such opinions.
A BAPTIST.
♦ ♦ ———--
For the Banner & Baptist.
MEDLEY
Dkar Banner:
Will you allow me to get my name in
the papers, by writing to you ixicasionally
about things, which I have seen, heard or
thought of I If you grant this favor I must
be excused from forms ind ceremonies, ail
sorts of niceties, specialities and particular
ities. I have a hard task before me, but
rest will be the sweeter when I am done.
You know, it is not very hard to w rite a
series of articles and a scries of thoughts,
juxivided <>ne has such thoughts. But to
w rite a medley is another and a very dif
ferent thing, and, you see, I shall l>e enti
■ ties! to the more honor, should 1 sutveed.
One thing you must understand, brother
Banner, from the beginning. I shall use I
i freely in this medley, for it is I that am
writing, and I have promised to write al»out
w hat 1 have seen, what 1 have heard, and
what I have thought about. After all there
may be as much egotism in a labored at
tempt to conceal it as when egotism stands
. ; out at every corner and turn. The sweet
! morsel may l»e covered as a boy covers a ■
i; bullet iu his ball,hut still, like the Irishman’s ,
I j horse, it is then?, and there likely to be.— I
I While men live, and the English language
f remains as it is, the pronoun I will be used,
> i whatever may be said against it.
: Well then I have seen some things. 1
i : ha* e seen wheels off the axle, limbs out of
s joint. d»>gs in a parlor, bread upon the
I ground, and many things out of (dace, but I
-' never saw anything more improperly lo
t j eated. than an unconverted man in a Bap-
ATLANTA, GEORGIA, THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 1860.
i tist church. One may lose his limbs, havb
his ears bit on, and his mouth twisted to
one side, but no one can be more out of
shape, than the w r retch who gets into the
Baptist church without grace in his heart.
When the Devil succeeds in introducing
one of his servants among those who be
long to the kingdom of Christ, he is very
apt to make an officer of him. When such
a one gets to be deacon, on committees of
discipline, and becomes prominent in se
lecting preachers, then farewell prosperity
and peace.
It is bad enough for Satan to assume the
form of a dog to be always barking at and
biting Christians, but to become a deacon
and other officers of the church is too bad,
too bad, too bad ! Y'et this is not so.’ de
plorable as to get into the pulpit to teach
the people religion. There are times in
the world’s history when he would be pop
ular even in this sacred place, especially if
he can find a fine looking, talented man in
whom to enter. A line person, musical
voice and oratorical powers have a great
deal of gospel in them, in the judgment of
some people. The ladies (the Lord bless
them) are fond of flowers, pretty things, and
are. apt to admire handsome men. To ma
ny, the prayers and religious instruction of
such are much more valuable than such ser
vice coming from plain, honest-hearted, spir
itually-minded ministers of Jesus Christ.
Who would not rather take the delicate
hand, and whisper to a refined gentleman,
than to be brought, in contact with one re
sembling the yeomanry of the country, al
beit the latter may have rich supplies of
grace in his heart, while the former may be
but a walking devil ? Pardon me, dear
Banner, for hard words, as they are no
harder than those in my mother’s Bible.
Sheep are curious animals. They are
easily imposed upon, and while they are nat
urally inclined to go in herds, they are not
much disposed to watch for wolves. When
they get started in a certain direction a regi
ment of bawling Irishmen can hardly head
them off’. I once heard of a flock the lead
er of which took a notion to leap over a
fence near which was an old well. In
he went, and others followed, until they
literally filled it up. The wish to imitate
has filled many a modern well, though it
may not be very creditable to sheep. Now,
you know, they are never to perish; so
that laborious men, who have to get them
out, have a hard time of it; and nine to
one, when they succeed they have a bruised,
broken limbed flock that hobble along for
a great while afterwards. The Bible does
not promise that sheep shall not break their
legs, knock out their eyes, and lose their
fleece, and since Satan cannot destroy them
it does him good to induce them to cripple
themselves. I have thought he delights to
do this by putting his own folks into the
deaconship and ministry. But as 1 am in
a hurry I must defer writing about other
things fur other writings.
PHIL CRUSTY.
For the Banner & Baptist.
THE PIEDMONT ASSOCIATION.—REV.
JAMES PERRYMAN.
In the Banner of the 14th inst. 1 notice
an article with this caption, “Light is de
sired,” and signed by Brother Perryman.
After a somewhat extended introduction in
reference to innovations and assumptions
of power, he comes to his point, viz, an as
sumption <>f power “contrary to law and
order,” at the last Baptist Convention at
Macon, in the fact that certain brethren re
presented the Piedmont Association. He
makes this startling statement:
“I find on examining the Minutes of the
Georgia Baptist Convention from 1850 to
1859 the Piedmont Association has never
been a member of the Convention.”
Now my aged brother must allow me to
say to him in all kindness, that his examin
ation must have been very hurried. He
will see this, when facts are stated from
the Minutes.
From 1849 until now the Piedmont has
stood upon the Minutes as a constituent of
the Convention. She passed a resolution to
become a member in 1848, From 1849 to
1854 the Clerk appends a note to the body
stating that no delegates have yet appear
ed. At Newnan, in 1855, the Association
was formally received—H. F. Home, dele
gate. At Savannah, in 185 ft, and at
Augusta in 1857, she was represented by
four delegates. Thus she was regularly re
ceived ; has been frequently represented,
and never off the list since 1849. How
wonderful the statement that she has never
been a member of the Convention!
But Bro. Perryman wishes information
on another point. She was represented in
Macon by brethren who do not reside with
in her bounds. Did she authorize them to
represent her 1 Why this solicitude about
the Piedmont I Has she complained about
th*' representation ? Not at all. But lam
willing to give “more light,” and thus if
possible, relieve my brethren of their
j troublesome suspicions.
1 Before the Convention a minister in the
Piedmont Association saw Brother F. R.
Sweat, of this city, and paid him their
money, and left their letter with him;
stating tliat they wished to be represented
and requesting him to provide for it. When
i the delegates of the Sunbury Association
I assembled at Macon, they found some va
j cancies in their own Association and pro
; ceeded to supply them with brethren from
i other places, who had not been provided
“HIS BANNER US IS “LOVE”
F for. Having stil|applicants, they recom
i mended Bro. Sw<>t to put them in as re
f presentatives office Piedmont. He did so,
! and turned over she letter and money to
. them. All this (ras according to custom,
; and certainly wi(» what we regarded as
■ sufficient authority
Being a mclnb?r of the Sunbury Asso
i ciation, and havii’?(a bound volume of the
' Minutes of the it seemed to
me proper to givejthis information to Bro.
Perryman, and Xfhers, who may feel an
interest in the
’ t S. LANDRUM.
Savannah, Jun>\pSth, 1860.
Js£the Banner & Baptist.
NO. 4.
“Behold I bring you good tidings of great joy,
which shall be to all people.”
• Was .lhe happy annozneement made by
angels, to the humble shepherds, as they
kept watch over their flocks by night. For
Jesus, the eternal sop of God, “who was
rich in glory, for our sakes became poor,
that’ wc tluew his poverty might become
rich.”
An Apostle says, “ftr he hath made him
• (Christ) to be-sin for is, who knew no.sin;
that we might be nude the righteousness
of God in him.” “He bore our sins in his
own body upon the tree.” “By his stripes
we are healed;” “The iniquities of us all
was laid upon him.”
These Scriptures show the interposition
of divine mordy in the sinners behalf, and
exhibits the love and goodness of God. For
“herein is love, not that we loved God. but
that he loved us, and send his son to be
the propitiation for oar sins.” Sinner it has
cost Heaven its best gift, to redeem your
soul from under the curse of that violated
law ; to satisfy stern justice, and honor the
divine throne of God.
Would you know how much Christ loves
yon, and what it has cost him to rescue you
from sin and eternal death, go with me to
the manger, witness his-humble birth, con
trast its scenery with heaven—his dwelling
place. Go to Gethsemane, witness his
agony, his tears, his sweat and cries, in
view of the cross, and the redemption of
the world.
“O! lamb of God, was ever pain,
Was ever love like thine
But when we come to the cross of Christ
and, dear sinner, may the Holy Spirit help
you l»y fi»ith to tjigre and “behold,
as Pilate says, the man.” The innocent
lamb of God, suffering and expiring on the
cross, pouring out his precious blood, and
crying it is finished, and giving up the
ghost.
Has Jesus thus suffered as your s«4-
stitute, and atoning sacrifice? And wilt thou
slight his love, and despise the cup of bles
sings, and count.the blood of the covenant
as an unholy thing ! C. B. M.
For the Banner & Baptist.
OUR DEPENDENCY UPON GOD.
We are too apt to forget that we are in
a state of dependency. Man is one of the
most noble parts of all the creation, but
still he is the most unthankful. God the
Great ruler of the Universe; has condes
cended to make man, and to make him in
His own image and likeness. He has also
endowed him with powers, that He has not
given to any -other animal. One is the
power of reason—he knows right from
wrong—he understands why, if he does
wrong, he will be punished. Yet with all
this knowledge he will still continue to lie
unthankful; still pretend to be independ
ent, for although he may act as if he
thought he was independent, yet surely he
knows that he is dependent. Aes depend
ent for all things that he has or may ever
expect to have; for the things that he has
at the present moment, are not insured to
him one instant —it is God alone who can
insure these blessings to him. Then should
we not be thankful, should we not rather
rejoice that we are dependent on such a
wise being, such an all-powerful, ever
merciful, and just creator —one who is, and
was, and eve® shall be —one who knew the
end from the beginning ? We should be
thankful for having such a being to depend
on, and not —poor, vain, timorous worms
of the dust, as we are—try to set ourselves
up to be independent.
Suppose that the Divine Creator and
Ruler should for one moment, just for one
moment, cease to take any notice ot us;
cease to supply our wants, what would be
> come of us ? We would be in a miserable
I condition. And if it was to continue so,
that the Almighty should not notice ns for
the short period of five minutes, we would
; be no more—that is we should cease to
> exist. For does He not supply us with all
i that we have ? The very air that we
. j breathe is given to us by God. And know-
; ing that He gives us all things, will we not
r i cease to try to set ourselves up as inde
■ pendent ’ Surely we should; when we find
;we are dependent in all things. If depend
“ j ent. should we not be thankful, should we
. ' not be humble ? Surely we should ’
■ I Let «s all trv to think what things God
; • has done for us; see what we have inde
i pendently of God. It is true that we do
i I some things that are not right. Not only
i ; some things, but a great many things. But
- j at the same time, is not God supplying us
- j with health and strength. If God did not
i supply us with breath, we would not be
1 • able to profane His holy name. Oh man.
vain man ! to pretend to live independently
when every moment that you live, you are
. not only dependent, but entirely so; there
. is no chance for you to be otherwise.
Now do not let us consider that it is a
shame to be dependent, although we might
consider it a shame to be dependent on man
for the supply of our bodily wants; it is
by no means a reason why we should con
sider it a shame to be dependent on God,
for both our bodily and spiritual wants.—
As we find ourselves in a state of depend
ency, and also find that we have so great,
so good, such an all-powerful being to de
pend on, let us be glad that we are de
pendent. For without the help of God,
even if we were formed to be without it,
we could. Justly. tel|. what we really want;
TmTiTi i<-ss supply ogo.Jvcs withwc
really want.
Again we have great reason to be thank
ful, for God, our great Sustainer, not only
supplies our wants, hut He gives us what
is needful, and withholds from us what is
hurtful. And even if wc do not ask for
what we really need, he supplies it, for he
knoweth what we need before we ask him:
he knoweth the thoughts of our hearts, and
if lie knoweth all these things, and will
supply all our real wants, and withhold
that which is hurtful from us, have we not
a great reason to be thankful ? Should we
not love ami adore this great, all-wise, all
powerful, omnipotent, omnipresent God?
Surely we should !
Let us try never more to forget, we are
dependent beings. Let us always bear it
in mind, ami as dependent beings, let us
try to be more humble, more obedient,
ami not be puffed up with the idea that we
are independent of God and man.
J. T. J. COOPER.
♦
The following is brother Pendleton’s re
ply to brother Mell's article on corrective
church discipline, which we promised to
give our readers.—Ed.
BRO. MELL’S ARTICLE.
Our readers will see in this number Bro.
Mell’s article from the Banner and Bap
tist, headed “Corrective Church Discipline
—Final Article.” He is pleased to refer to
brethren Graves, Dayton and myself, and
quotes from our publications what he con
siders confimatory of positions he has at- '
tempted to maintain. Elds. Graves ami
Dayton are of age, and can speak for them
selves, ami will do so if they deem it nec
essary. 1 have a few things to say of the
extracts made from the “Three Reasons,”
die.
L'llC qunlatioir- Fe >. \f> l! makes are cor
rect, so tar as they go. They do not go
far enough. 1 laid down these foundation
truths recognized in Congregationalism. —
With regard to the first of these, namely,
that the governmental powers of a church
is in the hands of the people-—the laity, in
contradistinction from Bishops and Elders
I suppose there is among Baptists no dif
ference of opinion. As to the second truth,
if Bro. M. had turned to page 164, (a page
by the way, from which he quotes) and had
looked only a few lines above the beginning
of a quotation he makes, he would have
seen these words;
“A second principle, of Congregational
ism, to which I referred, is the right of a
majority of the members of a church to rule
in accordance with the laws of Christ.”
These words, italicized as now, 1 publish
ed in 1854. 1 believed them at the time,
1 believe them now; I have ever believed
them. Bro. M. will not, of course, insist
that I meant the majority of a church has
the right to rule in violation of the laws of
Christ. I think he is estopped from saying
this, and no one better than he knows why.
Whose language is this ? It is Bro. M.’s :
“If a church ■were by vote and record, to re
solve that it would disregard or erase from
the Revelation received by it in the 18th
of Matt., or any other part of the Scrip
tures, great or small, it would resolve it
self into an infidel fraternity, and the be
lievers in its midst should repudiate and
denounce it.”
Bro. M. with this language before him,
must believe as I do, that a majority of a
church has the right to rule in accordance,
1 and only in accordance with the laws of
Christ. Very well. 1 say the Nashville
majority did not rule in accordance with
the laws of Christ. The truth is, an actu
al majority did not act at all ir. the Graves’
’ trial, so-called. Seventy-eight, I think, vo
’ ted for his exclusion from the body—forty
had protested against the proceedings—and
. Elder Howell claimed a membership of
flee hundreit. Singular majority. But lot j
this pass.
1 My doctrine is, that the acts of a rnajori-!
1 ty in opposition to the la” of Christ, are ’
i null and void. I said in t.ie “Three Rea
sons,” that “the Apostle themselves, had j
. no discretionary power. They were to
teach an observance of ail things their •
i.ord ami Mast-r li.vl <..cimanded —:i<>
; more, no less;” p. 154.
According to the teachings of Christ, no i
. matter of personal offence can be brought .
before a church till the first two prepara-1
’ torv steps have been taken in compliance I
’ with Matt. xvin. Elder Howell admitted ’
I in one of his notes to Elder (■raves, that
> an adjustment of the difficulty between
I them would supercede the necessity of
bringing it into the church. It is true, that
after Elder Jeter expressed the opinion
■ that in all cases in which the settlement of ■
t a difficulty between indviduals would keep I
it out the*church. Matt, xviii ought to lie
. observed, Elder H. interpolated his note
by inserting in brackets the words “as to
’ myself” but who is bound to tolerate the
i interpolation ? But for argument’s sake,
let everything lie conceded that is now
; claimed —that there was an honest diffemce
of opinion as to the applicability ot Matt.
18th, if* harm <*ould have resulted froni
’ the observance of the law there laid down,;
f and much good would doubtless have ac
t cnied. How strange, that when Elder
s Graves protested so strongly against the
s proceeding, and insisted so earnestly that
1 Matt. 18th should be obsered —entreating
c eloquently, that the case should be remand
i. ed—hi« wishes were utterly disregarded!
This is a dark page in the proceedings, and
I, being present on the occasion, must ever
believe the majority was actuated by an
improper spirit. I need not dwell on these
things now.
Bro. Mell quotes me as saying in the
“Three reasons” that church action is final.
I said so. And I said also : There is no ap
peal. Shall an Association, or Presbytery,
or Conference, put the offender back in
church-fellowship, when the church, by its
action, classed him with heathens and pub
licans?” Who has attempted to put Eld.
Graves back in the fellowship of the body
over which Eld. Howell presides ? I have
heard of nothing of the kind.
It will be said that the General Associa
tion of Middle Tennessee and North Ala
bama received the minority in its meeting
at Lebanon. This. j« true, .but,at
tempt to place Bro. Graves again in fellow
ship with the the Nashville majorit
for from ft. Vhe ftpOraißr-p!
sea its excluding act, improperly
Was there any interference, with the finali
ty of church action ? That was not the
point before the Association. The two
Nashville parties presented themselves by
messengers, each claiming to be the church.
The Association had to decide between the
claimants. If the Association had decided in
favor of the majority, those who have since
been loudest in censure, would have been
loudest in laudation. The Association had
to act in accordance with its constitution.
The constitution says “That no one shall
be eligible to membership in this General
Association who is not a member in good
standing in some orthodox Baptist church.”
If it is said this language ought not to
have been in lhe constitution, I answer this
is not the point. It was there, and is there.
It is said (I suppose it is true,) that Elder
Howell had it inserted there. Ifso, he ought
not to complain that he, and those acting
with him, felt the force of his own restric
tion. The association, in view of the failure
of the Nashville majority to observe the
18th <>f Matthew, did not regard it as an
orthodox Baptist Church. Orthodoxy was
interpreted, and properly no doubt, as re
ferring to matters of practice as well as of
faith.
The Nashville difficulty has rather un
naturally originated a discussion which has
taken a wide range on church independence,
the right of one church to receive the ex
cluded members of another, &c. This has
not been the real question- The proper
question is this: When a majority departs
from th<> law of Christ, and the minority
adheres to it, which is to be recognized as
the church ? In the action of our denomin
ation on anti-Missionism, and Campbell
'ism, we hear a trumpet voice saying, the
minority, the minority. I stop not now to
inquire as to the correctness of the utter
ance of this voice. I am only concerned
with the fact which, to a Baptist, is that
kind of logical argument which derives its
force from its personal application. lam
not, to understood as regretting the dis
cussion on church independence. Far irom
it. Important principles have been made
more prominent than ever before. That
the identical independence which gives one
church the right to exclude a member,
gives (mother church the right to receive
him, has been made to appear as clear as
day. The two rights are perfectly equiva
lent ami co-extensive. This has to be so, or
the excluding church has an independence
which the receiving church does not pos
sess—a circumstance implying degrees of
independence, which is really destructive
of independence. Whenever the decisions
of one church are recognized as binding on
all other churches, that one church is exalt
ed to a position of dictatorial superiority,
and all other churches must surrender their
independence. I refer now to church right,
not to church courtesy. The doctrine that
one church has the right to receive the ex
cluded member of anothe, 1 first heard ad
vocated by the late J. L. Waller, and much
additional light has recently bran thrown
on the subject. Why enlarge on this point?
Even Bro. Dawson says in his paper of
Feb. 23d, that the decision of one church
docs not bind all other churches. 1 under
stand Bro. Mell to dissent from this opin
ion. Doctors sometimes disagree.
Before closing this article, already too
long, .1 must notice another thing in Bro.
Mell’s communication. If I understand him
now, he expresses astonishment that I un
derstood him sometime ago to say that a
church has the right to take into considera
tion a case irregularly, and even wickedly
brought before her. I did so understand
him. And so imperfect is my mental vision
—so destitute am lof the aecumen I accord
to him—l understand him in the same way
now. He makes a long extract from what
he formerly wrote, but after reading it
several times, 1 do not see that I did him
injustice. If he does not mean that a
church may act on a case irregularly and
even wickedly brought to her notice, 1
| frankly say I do not know what lie means.
If I do him injustice, it is unintentional in-
I justice. M) view is that, if a matter is
: brought irregularly and wickedly before a
i church, the cnirreh cannot act on it without
. making the irregularity and wickedness her
own. She sanctions both. By dismissing
1 such a case, she places the seal <>f her con-
I denination on the irregularity and the
; wickedness. And this she ought to do.
! Otherwise the light that is in her becomes
, darkness, and thou how great i< the dark
i ness ’ Fitly syrnl»olized by the physical
darkness of Egypt, in that fearful night
when no man knew his brother!
J. M. PENDLETON.
P.S.—lf Bro. Mell quoted “Bro. Baker
and other distinguished writers,” without*
'i approving the sentiment they express, he
ought to have said so. I have written the
j foregoing supposing him to approve that
sentiment. If he does not I ask bis pardon.
P. . |
Look at the l»cautiful star, the first j
aud the brightest. I have often thought it >
was like the promise of lite beyond the
tomb- —a pledge to us, that, in the dephts i
of midnight, the earth shall have a light nn-1
quenchable from heaven.
i ' T ,R lhe part of wisdom to do great
things without a fuss. When Solomon, the
wisest ot incii, built his wonderful temple,
do sound of a saw or hammer was heard
therein.
♦ S$F ♦
Nose have Jess praise than those
I who hunt most after it.
j TERMS 82.
( ALWAYS IN ADVANCE.
CHILDREN’S & 8. UftM
From the Sunday School Banner.
OPENING THE GATE.
Mr. Hedges had a saw-mill. The stream
bn the banks of which it stood was not a
large one, and, to obtain a good snpply of
water, it was necessary to throw a dam
across the stream. The formation of the
land in the vicinity was such as to cause
the water to set back for a great distance;
and thus a large pond was formed.
A heavy rain had fallen for several days.
A large amount of water was collected in
the pond. The water ran over the top of
the dam, forming a beautiful cascade.
A number of the boys went on Saturday
afternoon to the dam for the purpose of
..having a Mil. There was a boat there,
wMwas kept tied to a biruhen-trae>- ..
■ When they reaebed the pond, they found
thaffiiewWHWff
than a rod Iroiw sl-
it without getting wet, was the problem.
Sam Douglas was an inventive genius.
Taking a couple of pieces of boards, by
means of an axe which he found in the mill,
he made a pair of stilts. Mounting them,
he walked through the water to the boat,
and, unfastening it, brought it on shore.
Some of the boys, more thoughtful or
more timid than the others, hesitated about
getting into the boat. The current was
strong, and there was danger that the boat
would be carried over the dam. In that
case, they would be drowned.
Some of the more courageous ones got
into the boat and put off a little way from
the shore, but thought it best not to run
the risk of going over the dam
“It is too bad to be disappointed, when
there is such a fine sea!” said Harlan
Jameson.
“It can’t be helped,” said John Robbins.
“It is better to go without sailing than to
be drowned.”
“1 say,” said Sam Douglass, “let us open
the gate and let oft’ some of the water.—
Then it will stop running over the dam,
and we can sail in safety.”
“Won’t it set the mill a-going?” said
Harlan.
“I don’t mean that gate, but the waste
gate, —the gate that was made on purpose
to let the water off”
They proceeded at once to act on Sam’s
suggestion. To open the, gate was a mat
ter of some difficulty, and could not have
been done but for Sam’s skill. He found
a long lever, which he fitted with a good
deal of skill. By means of it, the united
efforts of the boys succeeded in lifting the
gate.
The water rushed out with great vio
lence, and scon overflowed the meadow
below the mill. When they saw the dam
age that was likely to be done, they en
deavored to shut down the gate, but in
vain. They were at length obliged to go
for help; and the gate was not shut till
the meadow was spoiled for the season,
and a portion of it washed away. -- .. .
The Bible tells us that sin is like the let
ting out of waters. No one can foresee
the evil that will follow. It is easy to
open the flood-gates of sin, but not qasy to
shut them. When once open, the current
of iniquity continues to grow broader and
deeper. Nothing but the help of God can
close the gates and stay the desolating
flood.
LITTLE WEEDS.
Farmer Hardy was working in his pleas
ant garden one afternoon, with his coat off
and liis sleeves tucked up, humming to
himself a cheerful tune, when a neighbor,
whose land joined his, stopped to talk a
minute beside the garden fence.
“How is it, neighbor,” said Mr. Lewis,
“that your garden is always so free from
weeds ? My plants arc quite choked up
with them, so that J do not get enough veg
etables for my table, while I see your mar
ket-wagon go to town every week, well
loaded.”
“We pull the weeds out, neighbor, and
do not let them overrun the beds. The
children help me an hour before or after
school every few days; and three pair of
little hands can accomplish twice as much
as I can, and do my best.”
“My children hate weeding so much that
they never half do it, if I set them about
it. They will spend the time I bid them
in the garden and then come in fretting
over the tiresome work.”
“I generally go with my children, and
we speiid the hour in pleasant chat, until
now they have learned to look forward to
it as the happiest time in the day. I have
always tried to interest them in gardening.
Each one has a vegetable bed of his own,
which he takes great pleasure in cultivating.
Even little Jamie sent a basket of straw
berries to town the other day from his bed,
and earned twenty cents, which has made
him so rich, he can hardly be prevailed on
not to buy his mother a silk dress with it.
Just try my system, neighbor, and enlist
your children, and I know you can have
one of the most productive gardens in the
country.”
“It is too late for this year, I am afraid.
“Sure enough ; and a great pity it is.—
The only way to get rid of weeds is to pull
them up as soon as they put their heads
above ground. It is the little weeds that
do the mischief.”
The farmer's words were quite true;
and they apply to more than garden-weeds.
There are little heart-weeds continually
springing up which it is a thousand times
more important to destroy. Every bad
. thought is a heart-weed. It may be a weed
of selfishness, of anger, of disobedience, of
unkindness. But, whatever it is, it should
be destroyed at once. Do not let it grow
a single hour or minute. Heart-weeds
! grow many times faster than those in the
• garden; and if you suffer them to grow,
■ thoy will soon over-rnn all that is beautiful
i and lovely in your characters. If we would
j have our hearts pleasing in the sight of the
| kind Father above, who gives ns all our
j blessings, we must learn to obey his com
mand, “Keep thy heart with alll diligence:
for ont of it are the issues of life.’’
Sunday School Bonner.
children, Paradise was very
lovely : but the chief beauty of it was that
God was there. So if you would be love
! ly too, let God be in your hearts.
i obey your parents.
( VOL. 1.
1 NO. 38.
