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JESSE M. WOOD, /
Editor. (
1 T* 4 ’• Americus, Ga.
i Griffin, Ga. )
’!■» » . RENFROE, Talladega, Ala. i Corresponding Editors.
”• p * EVERETT, Florida. )
• • S. RAKER, Fla. Traveling Correspondent.
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JESSE M. WOOD,
JOHN If. RICE.
Proprietors.
SCRIPTURAL SELECTIONS.
O give thanks unto the Ixird ; tor He is
good: because His mercy endureth for
ever. Let Israel now say, that His mercy
endureth forever. Let the house of Aaron
now say, that His mercy endureth forever.
Let them now that fear the Lord say, that
His mercy endureth forever. I called up
on the Lord in distress: the Lord answer
ed me, and set me in a large place. The
Lora is on my side ; I will not fear : what
can man do unto me? The Lord taketh
my part with them that help me : there
fore shall I see my desire upon them that
hate me. It is better to trust in the Lord
than to put confidence in man. It is better
to trust in the Lord than to put confidence
in princes. All nations compassed me
about: but in the name of the Lord will I
destroy them. They compassed me about;
yvs, eticy <»>*v : but in the
name of the Lord 1 wdl destroy them.
They compassed me about like bees; they
are quenched as the lire of thorns: for in
the name of the Lord I will destroy them.
Thou hast thrust sore at me that 1 might
fall: but the Lord helped me. The Lord
is my strength and my song, and is become
my salvation. The voice of rejoicing and
salvation is in the tabernacles of the right
eous: the right hand of the Lord doeth
valiantly. The right hand of the Lord is
exalted : the right hand of the Lord doeth
valiantly. 1 shall not die, but live, and
declare the works of the D>rd. The Lord
hath chastened me sore: but lie hath not
given me over unto death. Ojieii t<> m«
the gates of righteousness: I will go into
them, and I will praise the Lord : this gate
of the Lord, into which the righteous shall
enter. 1 will praise Thee: for Thou hast
heard me, and art become my salvation.
The stone which the builders refused is l>e
come the head stone of the corner. Thin
is the Lords doing; it is marvellous in
our eyes. This is the day which the Lord
hath made ; we will rejoice and be glad in
it. Save now, 1 beseech thee, O Lord : O
Lord, I l>eseech thee, send now prosperity.
Blessed I* he that oometh in the name ol
the Lord : we have blessed you out of the
house of the Lord. God is the Imrd
which hath shewed us light: bind the sac
rifice with cords, even unto the horns ol
the altar. 'Phon art my God, and 1 will
praise Thee : Thou art my God, I will ex
alt Thee. O give thanks unto the Lord;
for He is good: for His mercy endureth
forever. — Psalms.
I' I) Mil IAI f .ITIO H.
For the Banner A Baptist.
THE DEACONSHIP.
NUMBER 1.
ORIGIN OF THK OFFICE.
Dear Banner :
Some time ago I furnished a few articles
on the subject of the Ministry, in which I
endeavored to show, and 1 think did show,
from the Scriptures, that the herald ol
Salvation should l<c entirely consecrated tc
his appropriate duties as an ambassador ol
Christ. That all his time and talents
should l> employ ed diligently, in the great
att.l res|H»nsil»lc work of endeavoring t<
win souls to Christ. “Give attendance t<
reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. Modi
late upon these things; give thyself
t<> that thy profiting may appear t«
all,” is the Apostolic injunction. If h<
tally and faithfully discharges the duties o
the Ministry, he has no time to devote t<
worldly pursuits. “No man that warretl
entauglcth himself with affairs of this life
that he may please Him who bath chußet
him to U- a soldier.” If, therefore. all tha
time and energy's <4 the Minister are t«
lx- devoted to the one. great work in whid
he is vngag.-d, whence is he t<> look flu
bread—for a support for hri family I I
we are wiling to be fttiMktk Wordo
“V. r arise up.o
this subject. “The Lord bath ordaiue,
that they who preach the Go«pe| nioji he
of tie (ri'ijvl "It we have sown nnti
Bantlmarft ilamu'iA Cterolu'e flagfeL
I [ you spiritual things, is it a great thing if
* I we should reap your carnal things ?”
These and a host of other passages of
Scripture show, conclusively, that those
& who require the services of the Minister.
>er are required, by the Word of God, to sur
er nish the necessary means for his temporal
ir support. The Minister of the Gospel is
- e . entitled to a support, in consideration of
st his services, or the Word of God is calcu
lated to deceive and mislead an hoaest
d, enquirer after Truth. To deny this is to
to deny the plain teachings of Holy Writ.
l e !No truth is more plainly taught in the
Bible. To deny it, is to deny the words
■‘ s of the blessed Savior. He has said, allud
ing to this very subject, that “ The laborer
is worthy of his hire.”
But how is this divine plan t 6 lie carried
M) execution ? How r are the means to be
Taisi-d for the nuppM-t srf Hv
the relief of the poor? Is a matter of
10 such vast importance to the advancement
J* of the Redeemer’s Kingdom to be left to
JO the ever varying anjj_fluetuating impulses
-of the promiscuous membership ? Or, is
,s it made the especial and official duty of
q some—who may be appointed by the mem
bership—to attend upon this particular
duty ? These are important questions.
I now insist that it is made the particu
-- lar and official duty of the Lord’s Deacons
,l to attend upon this very business. It is
, r necessary that the hands of the Ministry
r be disengaged from all secular concerns;
, H and to meet this very Necessity, originated
the office of the Deaconship.
I believe, by common consent, that we
r . have, in the f»th chapter of the Acts of the
Apostles, the first intimation of the origin,
or existence of this office. Not that the
word Deacon occurs in the chapter—at
least in our translation—but on account of
the work assigned them; to serve tables,
s And the word Deacon signifies one who
r serves. No one disputes this, I lielieve.
n Let us now calmly survey the circuni
-, stances that gave rise to the appoinrnent of
t Deacons. In Acts 4: .32, we have the
’ following important information communi
eati-d to us in a portion of inspired history.
t “And the multitude of them that believed
were of one heart and of one soul; neither
“ said any of them that aught of the things
j which he possessed was his own ; but they
r had all things common.” 34th verse:
“ Neither was there any among them that
e lacked; for as many as were possessed of
I lands or houses, sold them, and brought 1
> the prices of the things that were sold, and '
laid th.in J«u ii nt th.- .■lportfc's fret ; and
, distribution was made unto every man ■
n according as he had need.” Here was a
• community .>l‘ gpofis. All tin- believers
I lived together as one great family. They
e had a common stock. Out of this eom
| mon treasury the Apostles, not only sup
plied their own daily wants, but also were
h expected to act as daily distributors, to
l' x'ipply the wants of all the disciples. This
I soon became a burdensome duty, requiring
d much of their precious time that should be
t devoted more directly to the proclama
e tion of the glorious Gospel of the blessed
0 God.
c _
11 And in those days, when the uum
it her of the disciples was multiplied, there
i. arose a murmuring of the Grecians against
the Hebrews, because their widows were
n neglected in their daily ministrations.—
j i hen the twelve called the multitude of
n disciples unto them, and said, it is not rea
’ son that we should leave the Word of
' God and serve tables. Wherefore, breth
e run, look you out among you seven men of
d honest report, full of the Holy Spirit and
M isvlom, whom we may appoint over this
« business. But tee will give oursehwe con
tinually to prayer, and to the ininistry of
. the Word.” Acts 6; I—4,
h The Apostles of our Lord and Savior
were burdened with secular cares. Much
of their precious time was consumed in
t attending upon secular duties. Their hearts
-. burned with the Love of Jesus. They
longed for the privilege of spending all
their time in the work of the Ministry.
God iu His providence is alxiut to open the
way for the acOMaplrahment of this desir
able object. That God who “makes the !
wrath of man to praise Him, and restrain- ;
‘ s | eth the remainder of wraththat causeth ’
1 | “ All things to work together for good to
k ’> j them that love God,” allow’d the spirit of
‘I I jealousy to arise in the midst of the disci- ;
° | pies, to afford an oeeasiwi for the entire j
d | release of His Ministers from all secular!
s | duties. I believe that God in His provi
d j dence overruled this jealousy for good,
o i The Apostles said. “It is not reason that
o ' we should leave the Word of tbxi. and
»• ■ serve tables.” Here I conct'ive tn lie the
■y i development id - a great principle. Tliat
»' ' the Ministry should be entirely freed from
ic ■ all worldly entanglements ; for just in
M* proportion as their time and talents arc |
:<> I employed in attending to secular duties, .
:h | just in that proportion is the Word of Gtxl
e. neglected. And if it was unreasonable for
-n I the Apostles to distribute the provisions
a- j already at their hands, much more is it
to 1 tmreasonalile that they should leave the
-h i Word of God for the purpose of engaging
»r | in some worldly av.M-aliou, sow the prewar- j
if I ino a snleustence fi»r themselves, or others.
of | It is worthy of remark, that the inspired
m j A|«Mtlee bwaed the propriety of their entire
•d freedom from secular duties on the grounds
rr jof reason. ** D is no» resuaa that we i
to [ should leave the Word of God and serve
ATLANTA, GEORGIA, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 1860.
, -r~ T UK". - :■rew.J.'ft'Wui -■■■- --
f tablesso that he who denies this doctrine
- sins against reason as well as revelation.
f But some one must serve tables. The
■ poor must not be neglected. The temporal
, concerns of the Church mvst be cared for.
The Ministry must not leave the Word of
God to attend to these things. It is nbt
best to leaye such matters to the fitful
impulses of the masses, with no one to sth
up their pure minds byway of remem
brance, and take the lead in patters of such
importance. Hence the origin of the office
of the Deaconship. It originated in a ne
cessity. That necessity was the release of
the Ministry from secular avocations.
I, therefore, conclude that those Churches
that oppose or neglect all provision for the
Ministry ; all efforts to release the Minis
try from worldly pursuits, so as to enable
them-to give themselves contimiaßy to
of the
have no use for Deacons.
In my next I shall notice the Scriptural
qualifications for the Deaconship.
A GEORGIA PASTOR.
For the Banner and Baptist.
FINAL PERSEVERANCE.
NUMBER V.
If the doctrine of final perseverance be
not true, it is not only possible, but cer
tain, that no fallen creature can be saved,
you may say that this is a startling an
nouncement. Be it so, we shall soon see
that it is true. We have already seen
that salvation is wholly of Grace; that
man cannot save himself. “By the deeds
of the law, there shall no flesh be justified.”
Rom. 3: 20.
You may reply that although salvation
is of Grace, yet conditions are required.
He (man) must repent and exercise faith.
But these do not save him. There is no
merit in them. But you say he cannot be
saved without means, though his w-orks be
not meritorious. Certainly you are cor
rect ; and on this premise you may predi
cate the conclusion that man cannot and
will not persevere to final redemption,
without means ; and hence, conclude that
his salvation depends upon his own efforts,
I admit that means must and will he used
in the salvation of every mortal who
reaches the dimes of Glory. But vet, 1
contend that salvation is not so contingent
as to depend upon the faithful works of .
man. Os his own power, he can neither
come to God, nor retain the favor of God.
“ No man can come to me except the Fa»
th«r which hath sent me, iji-aw him.”—(
J no. 6: 44. f
Although man has not lost his obliga
tion to the law , he has lost his power to
keep it. And since he cannot save him
self, it is unreasonable to contend that by
his Works of righteousness he can merit
any favor at the hands of his heavenly
Father. But you may argue that when he
is converted, then God only pledges Him
self to do His part, if man w ill do his.
Then, if it be a joint business, how much
does God do, anil how much does man do?
If salvation be of works and Grace con
jointly, where do works and Grace meet ?
And if there lie no direct line at which we
can certainly know that they unite, should
you reply man must do all he can, and
God will do the balance. I would ask how
much man can do ? Can he do any more
than God has given him power to do? If
you say that God has given him pow-er to
do all that is necessary, then is he able to
keep the whole law. But he could not be
able to keep the whole law, unless he were
entirely free from sin. If he were entire
ly free from sin, then would he be sancti
fied, and in a hotter condition than Adam
was in his primeval state ; for he would
not only poaseM all the power that Adam
did, but would have the knowledge of once
having been a sinner, which would ever
warn him against the mdulgepce of any
thought that might lead tojdn.
But to the question. If the doctrine of
final perseverance l>e not true, then no man
can be saved.” Be not alarmed; the ques
tion is easily sq(ved. If he may fall from
Grace at all, one sin may throw him. For
i one sin our first parents were banished
from the Paradise of God. That state of
! the heart w hich would lead a man to cOm
! mit one sin wilfully, would lead him to
i commit many if it suite.! him to do so.
Vhe Bible so teaches: “For whosoever
j shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in
i one point, heisguilty of all." James, 2; 10.
Now we liave the ease made out. Ei
ther man is subject to sin after conversion,
or he is not. If subject to sin, and by win
sequence subject to apostacy, then he may
fall from Grace every time he sins, unless
■ God should see proper to avert the evil.
: It not subject to sin, then is he completely
holy and sanctified, and not liable to fall,
j But man is not sanctified in this life. “If
we say that we have no sin, we deceive
I ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”—
' Ist John, 1 : 10.
Now, if whenever man sins he is subject
- to fall, and if he falls, there remains no
more saerifiw* for him, bow is he to be sa
. ved ? li you say that man, after he lie- ■
; comes a new creature, does not sin wilful
. ly—and is not, therefore, guilty of violat- j
( ing the whole law—l reply that if he trans-1
greases unwillingly, he is not guilty. It is j
not he that sins, but sin that dwells in him.
i Read Paul s confession iu 7th chapter of
| Romans, at the conclusion of which he j
“IIIS BANNER (TKR” US IS “LOVE”
> cries our: “O, witched man that I am! -
. who shall deliver |e front the body of this
j death.”
I The conclusionsait which we arrive aae,
there is no salvatidP without Grace; if the
f doctrine of final be not true,
no man can be saved, for no man is with
out sin ; and one would ruin him if he
were subject to Therefore, the
doctrine of has no foundation in
truth. Its falsity is demonstrated by di
rect passages of Scppture, in proof of per
severance, opposedjto suppositions, drawn
' up to show what wp dJ be the case, if bit
lie vers were to
tability of by the express de
elammations of (prist: by showing the
absurdity to which! * - doctrine of aposta
cy leads, and, b k| in view the fact
that salvAUsMuj^MiLL*Grace. ' ()ur
Uieiiucu wj". ■
“amicus.”
For the Banner & Baptist.
Powelton, Ga., August 1. ’6O.
Dear Bro. Wood:
Allow- me to say a few words in the
Banner in reference to a recent visit of
Elder. J. R. Graves to our section of coun
try. I had been trying for some time to
get him among us, and when at last he did
come, and I shook his hand, I felt that I
had already done something for the truth.
I was not disappointed, except agreeably.
No one has (even among his ardent ad
mirers) overrated his pulpit powers, and I
really believe that the fine powers, with
which God has endowed him, are conse
crated to the service of Jesus.
I am satisfied tliat the overflowing crowds
that sat enchained by his powerful exhibi
tions of gospel truth, could feel no other
impression. I think I learned, by listening
at him, preach why he must, if possible be
put down. Let me say to his enemies—
“ Brethren, if you destroy him, you must
keep the people from hearing him. You
have no idea, bow prejudice falls before his
presence.”
Why in many instances persons who
thought him, before ho came, an excluded
Baptist, gave him, before lie left, nice little
contributions for Spring-Street Church ?
True-hearted Baptists will love the doc
trines he preached. They will, somehow,
love the men that, preach them—metro
politans influence and majorities to the con
trary notwithstanding. Men who are wil
ling to suppress and ignore a part of the
New Testament, will, of course, avoid him.
Now, for my own part, 1 am willing with
him. to- bare east out us,evil, if
it is for adherence 7> Baptist doctrinesj.—
But let me say, that 1 lieheve the day is
not far distant when all true witnesses
will stand together
I suppose now’ that a confession is due
from me to the distinguished men in our
denomination in Georgia, whose w-ills I
have so much disregarded in inviting Bro.
Graves to visit my churches, and some
other places. Wdl here it is. I humbly
confess to you, my dear brethren, that I
honestly and with conviction of judgment,
believe,
1. That a majority is not the Church, un
less it is oliserving the order as well
as keeping the faith once delivered to
the saints.
2. That no church is bound by the deci
sion of any other any further than she
may conceive that decision to be ac
cording to the law of Christ.
3. And that Elder J. R. Graves is doing
more for the advancement of pure
gospel truth than all the men who
seek his ruin.
And, in conclusion, I confess that I was
born and raised in Georgia, and feel that,
under the constitution of my beloved State,
1 enjoy the right of private judgment. I
have been in the service some time, for a
young man, and unless the doctrines of
“Corrective Discipline” prevail, I may re
main till called to inv reward.
W. M. VERDERY.
THE SUN-SET OF MAN'S LIFE.
.1 composition l>y Miss Bach Harman, of
Forsyth, Georgia.
SCENE FIRST.
I morning, not
many yearsUince, the people of our town
might have obeerved a superannuated,
shackling old vehicle wending its way
through our street. This vehicle, the vic
tim of the drudgery of the past forty years,
was drawn by an old stager, whose sunken
eyes and woe-lwgone appearance alike gave
token of a scanty com-crib, and the frost
jof many winters. In this vehicle were
seated a plain and aged couple, dressed in
homespun; the result of their own toil,
who, to all appearances, had almost lived
the usual time allotted to our species. The
feeble old gentleman, with tottering steps
and trembling hand, assisted his still feeb
ler companion from the vehicle, and they
go their way with measured steps about
their secular concerns. This old couple,
i whose destiny has been linked for near
half a century, were among the first set
i tiers of our country, and the young, the
middle-aged, and the old, look upon their
j gray hairs with great respect and venera
i tion. They came to this country “in the
j times that tried men's souls,” and by tbeir
| uprightness, integrity and industry, have
j won a comfortable competence, and the
j golden opinions of all.
SCENE SECOND.
The bells are tolling ! sad be
reavement has happened to us ? The insati
ate monster has laid his ruthless hand’upon
the aged matron, and summoned her to
“that bourne whence no traveler returns.”
The long row’s of mourning friends attest
the worth and purity of her character.
The grief-stricken pall-bearers, followed
closely by her desolate children and her
disconsolate husband, whose tears coursing
jdown his time-worn cheeks, with his gray
locks disheveled, evince the, melancholy
truth that her place can never be supplied
on earth, in the bosom of her family. See
the poor old man ! What bitter, scalding
tears trickle from the dim windows of his
soul ! They follow her to the grave ; and
as the numerous friends collect around that
spirt to pay the last tribute of respect tep
wife, the
man isstiTl tne object of general cotnmis--*
eration. He wrings his hands in inconsol
able grief as he hears the rumbling sod
sound his own death-knell upon the coffin
lid of the lifeless remains of his faithful
companion; for soon, in the course of na
ture, he must lie by her side; and as he
sees the last spade full of earth thrown
upon her grave, he shrieks out in bitter
anguish. “Here lies the bosom compan
ion of my early spent life. Here lies bur
ied, my heart, and the solace of my life,
whose place can never be supplied on earth,
and all that is left me now, is to try and
meet her in Heaven.” And the poor old
man turns his grief-stricken face homeward,
like “Rachel w’eeping for her children and
would not be comforted because they are
not.”
SCENE THIRD.
What splendid equipage is that ? What
beautiful horses. He alights from the car
riage. What a genteel-looking gentleman,
with upright carriage and buoyant step,
dressed in a fine, black suit of cloth, and
sporting a gold watch and chain. Ye Di
vinities ! Would you believe it? It is
the same aged gentleman who has just
buried his wife. He has consoled himself
by saying: “Poor old creature, she was
prepared to die, and no doubt she is bettor
off.” And before the sod is dry upon the
old lady’s grave, the tailor has taken the
old man’s measure for a new’ suit ; the
horse-drover has victimized him to the
tune of about 8500, for a span of fine hor
ses. The carriage manufacturers have felt
the bottom of his pockets tor a fine car
riage; and by the unutterable grief, on
account of the death of his wife, his snowy
locks have*,hanged to a glossy black ; and
the barber has' shaved his weather-beaten
old countenance three days under the skin,
to prevent the w hite ends of his beard
showing. The old widower thus revived
and rejuvinated like a chrysalis, has thrown
off the shackles which have bound him for
forty years —and he boldly steps forth upon
the arena, emphatically a candidate for
matrimony. This care-worn face has in a
few’ weeks become round and ruddy;
and his figure, recently borne down with
age, has become firm and erect. Although
so lately having agonized over the remains
of his poor dear wife—now, this is the very
last topic that you can extort from him m
conversation. And although he declared
at her grave that his heart was buried, it,
like his youth, has been resurrected, and he
is now willing, anxious and restless, to be
stow it upon some fair lady. And strange
to say ! his most unnatural desire of all is,
not to marry an old lady of sixty—his con
genial spirit—but he makes his debut to
sweet sixteen; and if the girl is sensible,
soon makes his exit. He floats around, the
by-word and ridicule of society, until at
last he may overcome and marry some
hapless victim, and they retire to enjoy
the hard-earned living of his former wife.
Then, 'midst disappointed hopes, she soon
hurries him beside his former wile, and
lives the balance of her days to quarrel over
the property of his children, with which
she feels too keenly he has bought her.
MORAL.
Man has allotted to him threescore years
and ten to live upon the earth. When he
has married, raised and educated his chil
dren, in this respect he has fulfilled his
destiny. If misfortune should deprive him
of his wife, the business of his few remain
ing days should lie to prepare for death.
Tell me not that the grand-fathers of our
land can find congeniality in the sprightly
girls of sixteen. Better tell me that de
crepid old age can find companionship and
congeniality in prattling infancy. Better
tell me that yon declining Sun can find
congeniality in the brilliancy of the Morn
ing Star, or the rosy dawn of the beautiful
Aurora.
Addendum. —We wish it to be clearly
understood that ewA one must apply what
we have written, to himself, and not think
it intended for his neighbor.
... ♦ ♦
The less notice we take of the un
kindness and injuries that are done to us,
the more we consult the quiet ol our
minds.
Suffering others to think for us
when Heaven has supplied us with rea
son and a conscience, for the express pur
pose of enabling us to think for ourselves,
is the great fountain of all human error.
Confidence is the companion of
success.
Dahlia and the Rose are twin
sisters.
LETTER OF DR. TAYLOR.
The Virginia S. S. Convention —-4 Mis
sionary and Chinese Convert—The
Japanese in Washington —Their Ap
pearance — Contrasted with the Chinese
Special Interview.
Mr. Editor :
I wrote you last from Richmond. The
Sunday School Convention of the V irginia
Conference was then in session. The crown
ing exercises of the occasion were the meet
ings of the eleven Sunday Schools of
Richmond, including the onfe from* Man
chester, on the opposite side tpf James’
River, in the two principal city churches,
Old Trinity and Centemtry, on Sim Jay
afternoon. Both were crowded to oVei
flowing. The singing by th£ children was
remarkably exeenerit. So -were some of
the addresses by' members of the Con
vention.
Do.;Saturday*njglit 1 had -met a forme)’
fellowmsorer tisi China, 116 V." A/ B. Cfe
baniss, of the Southern Baptist Board.—
He was accompanied by a native Chinese
convert, as a servant to his family. His
name is Zung Koh-san, and we had a con
versation that was most interesting to
me, who had not enjoyed such opportuni
ty for several years. Mr. Cabaniss kindly
volunteered to bring him to the meeting
at Centenary on the next day. So they
both came, and added greatly to the in
terest of the occasion. Mr. C. spoke and
introduced Koh-san, who answered ques
tions proposed to him by interpretation.—
They both sung the little hymn “Happy
Land” in the Shanghai dialect.
On Monday evening, Bishop Early, Rev.
W. B.’Rowzie and myself, took the train
for Washington city. About midnight we
exchanged the cars for a steamboat on the
Potomac, and reached the city about day
light on Tuesday morning. After break
fast we called on the Secretary of War,
Ex-Governor Floyd, of Virginia, an old
friend of Bishop Early. He promised to
arrange for an interview with the Japanese
ambassadors. We found in the person of
the Chief Clerk in the War Department,
Colonel Drinkard, a cordial Christian gen
tleman, and, Mr. Editor, an old College
mate of yours.
Then we went to the Capitol, and there,
on the floor of the House of Representa
tives, met, among others, Gen. McQueen
and Col. Ashmore, who showed us much
attention, pointing out to us the notables
and introducing us to many of their friends.
I renewed my acquaintance with the Rev.
Dr. Thos. H. Stockton, Chaplain to the
House| and while conversing with him at
his scat near the chair of the Speaker,
twelve of the Japanese embassy entered,
accompanied by the Naval commission,
and took their seats in the diplomatic gal
lery. They looked on for a few minutes,
while the regular business of the House
proceeded as if they were not present. —
But the crowds in the galleries, who knew
they were to visit the Capitol this morning,
and had come for the purpose of seeing
them, were intently gazing upon the Japan
ese. Presently the three ambassadors,
with their interpreter and the naval officers
in charge, were seen to leave the gallery,
while the other nine remained seated. The
Speaker then called some one else to the
chair, and retired by a side door to his
elegant room to receive the dignitaries.—
Dr. Stockton followed, inviting me to ac
company him. We were formally intro
duced to them through the interpreter, and
they all shook hands with us. Mr. Speaker
Pennington requested the interpreter to
explain to them the office of Dr. Stockton,
and to inform them that in his prayer that
morning at the opening of the House, the
Doctor had prayed especially for them.—
When informed that I had been so near to
their country as China, they bowed polite
ly, and their sober faces relaxed into a
smile of gratification. On inquiring if they
could speak Chinese, the interpreter, Na
mura Gohachero, informed me that, though
they could read and write that language,
they could not speak it.
1 was greatly disappointed in their ap
pearance. The expression of their counte
nances is decid dly stupid, and, in some of
them, almost idiotic. Right sure am I that,
from among the third or fourth rank of
Chinese mandarins, I could select at ran
dom, a half dozen men who would far sur
pass these Japanese, princes in intelligent
expression of face, in dignity and manly
bearing. I wish we could have an embas
sy of a similar character from China. It
would perfectly eclipse this from Japan, in
the impression of physical and of intellec
tual superiority, as well as in imposing ex
terior display. Should such an one ever
come, this remark may be remembered.—
Without expressing my own opinion, I
found that our former Commissioners to
China, whom I met on the same day, Dr.
Peter Parker and Hon. Humphrey Mar
shall, both entertained the same views.
A note from Mr. Floyd to Bishop Early
informed him that we could have a special
interview with the chief of the embassy on
the next day at noon. So we repaired to
their quarters at Willard’s Hotel, and Gov.
Floyd, the Bishop, Rev. Messrs. Rowzie,
Proctor and myself were presented to them
in their own reception room, by Capt. Du
pont, Captains Porter and Lee, and Mr.
Portman, the Dutch interpreter, being also
present, together with a fourth Japanese
dignitary, who is styled the Censor. The
interview was a brief one, and did not differ
materially from the one before described.
Yours, Ac.,
CHARLES TAYLOR.
Every desire bears its death in its
very gratification. Curiosity languishes
under repeated stimulants, and novelties
cease to excite surprise, until at length we
cannot even wonder at a miracle.
triumph of woman lies not in
| the admiration of her lover, but in the res
| pect of her husband ; and that can only be
gained by a constant cultivation of those
qualities which she knows he most values.
To be active, is the primary voca
r lion of man ; all the intervals in which he
j is obliged to rest, he should employ in
; gaining a clearer knowledge of external
i ; things; for this, in its turn, will facilitate
i activity.
j TERMS $2.
I ALWAYS IN ADVANCE.
” r vol. i.
( NO. 44.
- tits-.. Dr Van Hat
For the Banner & Baptist.
FOR CHILDREN.
• ’ ‘ BY MRS. L. O. G.
The Seventh Command you will n’ot so
easily understand, and yet, it. is one,Mfhich
is, perhaps, more frequently violated than
any other. It means we should be pure in
thought, word and deed —that our affec
tions and desires should be fixed #pon holy
things, and t hat we should lie careful to
keep ourselves unspotted from the world.
Children are apt tp feel that it is of little
consequence, what they think about, or
how they act, so long as they can keep
whatever is wrong in their conduct con
eealed from the eyes.of others. But God
looks at the heart,- and every evil thought
is marked by Him as
deed. . "
A good old man ur'd to’
T was a liitl§ girl—“A young person’s
character is just like a piece of pure, white,
blank paper ■, the least spot on it will show,
and it is a difficult matter to get these spots
off.” There is one now upon my little
Marion’s paper, which causes me great
anxiety. I mean your hasty temper. It has
been compared to a keg of powder which ■
the least spark will kindle, and there is no
telling, the mischief this small spark can
do. This is • a blemish in your character
which, you should use your utmost en
deavors, to get rid of. Our Savior says :
“Blessed are the pure in heart;” but where
anger and resentment are cherished, purity
cannot reign.
The next commandment, “Thou shaft
not steal,” is one I cannot think my little
girl would ever be guilty of, and probably
no child, who is rightly taught at home,
will violate this command. But there are
many children who appear to regard such
things as fruit, and flowers, (and many
other little things,) as public property, and
fail not to appropriate them to their own
use.
You remember, Mrs. Alton was showing
me a rare flower, a few days since, in her
garden, which, she thought, would expand
soon, and which she promised to send me
to examine and copy for you to sketch at
your next drawing lesson, as soon as it
was fully opened. She was here to-day
and told me, a lady called yesterday, ac
companied by her two daughters, who ob
tained permission to walk in the garden to
look at the flowers. What was her surprise
and mortification, to find, when they re
turned, that they had plucked indiscrimina
tely many of her rarest and most beautiful
pets —amongst them the one we were speak
ing of —and which I was so anxious.
in bloom. The tears came into Mrs. Alton’s
eyes as she related this incident, and spoke
of the annoyance and vexation of such sa
crilege. She wondered, how parents could
allow their children to act so, with only
the mild reproof, “My dears, you should
not pull so many of Mrs. Alton’s flowers.”
Most of them were sent to her by her bro
ther, who died last year in India, and she
prizes them highly on that account. So
you see, how much pain thoughtless chil
dren may sometimes cause.
I once knew a gentleman who had a rare
fruit-tree, of a peculiar kind, from which
he was anxious to preserve seed. The first
year it bore very little fruit, and he for
bade any one touching it, designing to save
it all for seed. One day, some friends cal
led with their families to spend the day.
He showed them this tree, and promised
to give each one some of the seed when
fully ripe. They returned to the house,
leaving the children at play under the shade
trees in the grove. Now a rude boy heard
the conversation about this nice fruit, and
so great was his desire to taste it, he soon
left his young friends, and, hastening to the
tree, he plucked the unripe fruit and began
to eat. ft was so delicious, he continued
eating until it was all gone. He then re
turned to his friends, but he had swallow
ed the green fruit in such haste, it made
him quite sick, and he probably would
have died, had not his father (who was a
physician) administered an emetic which
gave him much relief. But all his pleasure,
and that of his parents, was at an end for
that day, and they took him immediately
home. Thus he was deprived of a plea
sant visit, besides causing his parents rnudh
I sorrow and mortification. But this was
j not all. ft so happened that this tree was
very tender, and as the following winter
was quite severe, it was killed by the cold
and thus was entirety lost by this selfish
j hoy’s greediness and wilful violation of the
eighth command. Children should never
touch the least thing which does not belong
to them. They have no more right to take
flowers and fruit without permission, than
they have to take silver and gold.
Christian Biography.—There Is a vast
value in genuine biography, ft is good to
' have real views of what life is and what
i Christian life may be. It is good to familiar
ize ourselves with the history of those,
| whom God has pronounced as the salt of
the earth. We can not help contracting
good from such associations. How a hu
! man spirit contrived to get its life accom
plished in this confused world—what a man
like us, and yet no common man, left, did,
suffered —how he fought, and how he con
quered, if we could only get a clear pos
i session and firm grasp of that, we should
i have got almost all that is worth having in
I truth, with the technicalities stripped off';
s i for what is the use of truth, except to teach
* man how to live?— Robertson.
