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- -- • ■ ... ■ ■ 1 - 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. BIWBR & BAPTIST. TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION. Weekly, (fifty Nos.,) per annum, invariably in advance, - $2.00 All communications pertaining to the Paper and Office, should be directed to the “ Banner & Baptist,” Atlanta, Georgia; all private cor respondence directed to JESSE M. WOOD. Those forwarding names of subscribers or re mittances, should always write the name of Post Office, County, and‘State, in full. Money due the Office, may be sent by mail at our risk—always mail it in presence of a friend, (other than the P. M.,) or procure a friend to mail it for you—never register. Contributors should write only on one side of each leaf, and number the pages, 1,2, 3, &c. The Editor will be responsible only for his own articles. ADVERTIS!NG SCIIEDFLE. 1 Jfo. 2 Jfo. 8 .!/<>. 6 .If". !> Jfoi ISJfo. 1 square $250 $5 00,« 7 00$TlW!$12 00 *l4 00 2 sq’as 1 5 (10 750 10 00! 12 00 ! 18 00 22 00 3 sq’rs • 700 10 (X* 12 00 16 (X) 24 00l 30 00 4 sq’rs 900 12 00' 15 00 20 00 30 00 36 00 5 sq’rs 11 00 14 00 17 00' 24 00 34 00 42 00 6 sq’rs 12 50 16 00 19 00i 28 00 88 00 46 00 7 sq’rs 14 00 17 50 21 00 32 00 42 00 50 00 8 sq’rs 15 00 19 00 22 001 85 00 45 00 54 00 9 sq’rs 16 00 20 00 2« Off 00 48 00 57 00 10 SQ’RS 17 00 21 00 24 00| 40 00. 50 00, 60 00 A Square, is the space occupied by ten lines of Minion type. One Square, one insertion, $1.50; and SI.OO for each subsequent insertion. Professional and Business Cards, not ex ceeding five lines, $5 per annum; each addition al line sl. Special Notices, fifteen cents per line, for the first insertion; ten cents per line for each subsequent insertion. School Advertisements.—Our charges for School advertisements will be the same as for others, when not paid in advance. When paid in advance we will deduct Twenty-five cents in the Dollar from our regular charges. Cash for Advertisements considered due, and collectable, at one half the time contracted for insertion. Yearly advertisements, due and pay able quart er) v. J ESSE M. WOOD, JOHN H. RICE. , Proprietors. 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.