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fßiimttr anir
“Holy Bible,—Book Divine,
Precious treasure, thou art mine. ”
Ho C. HORNADY, iwt MtarH
JESSE M. WOOD, E<mo *s.
D. P. EVERETT. } ■ Assisklut Ko iur *’
ATLANTA, Gf-EOROIA:
Saturday, May 10, 186a.
TRADITION.
Perhaps few people are aware how much
the world is influenced and controlled by
Tradition. In every department of real life
its voice, to many, sounds like that of pro
phecy, and is received for
“ Proof strong as Holy Writ.”
Protestant Christianity began its reform
atory career with the solemn asseveration
that “ The Bible alone is the religion of
Protestants ”; and yet there is no escaping
from the fact that in every sect Tradition
still holds its sway and asserts its power.—
Where is the authority to be found in God’s
word for different orders in the Ministry ?
Are not ‘Bishops,’ in the New Testament,
simply pastors'? —and is not the word
‘ Elder ’ but another term expressive of the
same office ? How comes it, then, that we
have these different orders in more than one
Protestant sect? The solution must be
sought in the fact that Tradition still holds
its place in these sects, notwithstanding the
imposing sentiment with which Protestant
ism began its work of reformation.
Again : Where is the authority to be
found in God’s blessed word for infant bap
tism? Who can point out the chapter and
verse containing either grant or authority
for it ? From whence, then, does it come ?
Who instituted it ? Upon what authority ?
Tradition is responsible for its initiation, as
well as for its continuance among existing
realities; and when one fails the other must
cease. What follows from these premises?
That Protestantism is wrong either in the
sentiment upon which it rests, or in retain
ing the Infant rite; for if infant baptism is
right, Tradition is necessary as well as the
Bible. Why ? Because in that event one
right thing is not sustained by the Bible,
and hence the Scriptures must have the
countenance and support of Tradition.—
What then follows ? That Roman Catholi
cism is right, and Protestantism is wrong!
But are we prepared to concede this ?
By no means. Then we must come back
to the great Protestant axiom that “ The
Bible alone is the religion of Protestants ”;
and in doing so we must give up orders in
the ministry, infant baptism, and a great
many other things which now obtain in dif
ferent sects of Christendom.
It may be laid down as a principle, that
every thing in religion which is not sustain
ed by the scriptures of Inspired Truth is at
least unnecessary, and should be given up.
Every doctrine and rite not sustained by a
Thus saith the Lord, is an innovation—
and Tradition is responsible for it.
Fast Day.
Our readers will notice the proclamation
of President Davis, appointing Friday, the
sixteenth day of this month as a day of
fasting, humiliation and prayer. Let all
the people appear in their places of worship
on that day, and earnestly invoke the bless
ing of Almighty God upon our cause.
Meetings.
There will be a series of meetings held
iu the First Baptist Church for several days
to come. Elder A. C. Dayton is expected
to be present and aid in the exercises; also
Elder McNutt, of Cleave!and, Tennessee.
Tract Depository.
Brother A. E. Dickinson has established
a Tract Depository in this city. Those de
sirous of distributing Tracts in our hospitals
can obtain them by applying at the office of
The Banner and Baptist.
I'herokee Baptist Convent lon.
This body, by appointment, will meet at
Cassville (now Manassas), Ga., on Friday
before the third Sabbath in May.
By the terms of the constitution, any
Baptist Church, not represented through an
association, is entitled to two messengers;
and those churches which are thus repre
sented, are entitled to one messenger each.
——■—<#■ ———
terms of Subscription, #8 00
fir Ana*?*, ml ways in advance.
BAN NE B AN D BA PX I SX.
OCCASIONAL TALKS.
As we have often been requested to re
sume our Pastoral Talks, Weekly Chats,
or to write something of the kind for The
Banner, we propose to some extent to grat
ify that desire, especially as it affords an
opportunity .to add to our own spiritual
enjoyment. The above heading is selected
because our present connection with 'The
Banner and other circumstances will not
justify a promise^of regularity.
Brethren, sisters, elect of God, readers of
The Banner, will you try to enter the
| spirit of these “ Talks ” ?
—Since your union with Christ, many
times have the clouds overshadowed you
and closed from your view the glorious
light of Heaven. But never has such dark
i ness prevailed as since th i War commenced
which is now afflicting our whole country.
You have, perhaps, doubted Christianity—
most certainly, your intli vulAlaeceptance
of God. Your very heart appear
different from former times—so hard, so
obdurate, and you say :
“ Of feeling, all things show some sign,
But tliis unfeeling heart of mine.”
The abominations of war —drunkenness of
officers and soldiers, the wicked violations of
the holy Sabbath, and the general corrup
tions of .the land —have troubled you much.
It is a great pity if these have driven you
away from the Cross, instead of driving
you nearer to it.
You say that God will punish this wicked
ness and prolong the war. W ell, what
have you been doing all this while ? Have
you prayed the Almighty most earnestly,
night and day, that He would use His
chastising rod in mercy ? and that He would
end this war as seemeth Him good ? Are
you really willing that His purposes shall
be fully accomplished ? Take care! It
may be that you have taken a mere tem
poral view of the matter. You wish to get
clear of the tax of the North; you wish to
save your property, and to live in a country
which promises much in this respect; you
desire to see our cruel and wicked enemies
severely punished and humiliated. But,
alas! how often do we think of God’s cause,
while we are thus thinking so much of our
own ? Since the war commenced, how
much have we done for our Saviour’s cause?
Much has been done for the country in
whose destiny our own interests are in
volved, but what Ims been done for the£
maintenance and spread of the Gospel?—
That Gospel requires: “Seek, first, the
kingdom of God and His righteousness,
and ail these things shall be added unto
you.” It may be we have reversed this
order of things; we spend our strength for
these things, and give our weakness—our
fragments to God. ft really appears that
ministers and people think, talk, feel, pray,
write, and preach about the War, until it
would be a great treat to many to hear a
Gospel sermon and an old-fashioned prayer.
The Devil has taken advantage of otirpn
triotism to draw us from Christ; he has put
north winds and icebergs around our hearts.
No mistake about this—you know it is so.
So, God has sent reverses; He is blighting
the wheat, and, if that will not do, He will
raise His hand and smite the corn. I’re
sumptions man !—he thinks to make abun
dant supplies this year, as but little cotton
is planted. But when the clouds withhold
the rain and the earth is parched, then he
will propose to pray for rain. Brethren,
listen : Let us urge upon all Christians to
prav now—to pray all this year, that God
will so temper the seasons as to secure an
abundant yield for man and beast. Let
us pledge our gratitude, and pray for hearts
to use the abundance thus sought for God’s
glory and the advancement of IT is cause.
“ rice, we repent, we weep, we mourn,
To our forsaken God we turn;
O, spare our guilty country, spare
The church which Thou hast planted here.
We plead Thy grace, indulgent God;
We plead Thy Son’s atoning blood ;
We plead Thy gracious promises—
And are they unavailing pleas?
These pleas, presented at Thy throue,
Have brought ten thousand blessings down
On guilty lands in helpless woe;
> Let them prevail to save us too."
W *
Obituary,
Dr. J. 11. Lacan*, of Palmyra, Lee coun
ty, Ga., is dead. This painful event occur
red on Sabbath, 80th at April, 1802. lie
leaves a second wife (to whom he had not
long been married) and one daughter by
his first wife (the only survivor of several
children), to lament their loss, together
with a large number of friends.
Brother Kagan was a Baptist deacon, and
had more noble qualities of character, aside
from his Christian virtues, than the great
majority of Christians. His death was
peaceful, his hope of Heaven sweet, and his
faith in Jesus unwavering. To die, no
doubt, waa hi' infinite gain
W M. D.
COMMUNICATIONS.
Our .National Sins.—No. 1-
What is a ‘national sin’? It is not the
sin of private citizens, however numerous. —
They musteach one account for himself to
God. It is not the personal sin of members
of Congress or other officers of Government.
—They, like other men, must answer for
their own offences. But the Government.,
having no soul, cannot answer for itself
except through the nation which it repre
sents ; and when the Government by its
official acts violates the law's of God, or
passes laws requiring its citizens to violate
them, the Government becomes a sinner
against God—and the Nation, as a nation
in its corporate capacity, must expect God’s
judgment,
If this be so, we can easily see what, as
a nation,.we have to reform before we can
expect God’s blessing. We are to look for
the iniqp+ty which has brought God’s
scourge fpon us, not in the offences of in
dividuaf’fcitizens, but in the official action
of the Government itself. If our Govern
ment requires by law of its citizens to lie
and steal, or curse and swear, then thesfc
are our national sins. And had it done so,
we should long ere this have heard an in
dignant outcry against the Government.—
Nor would it have been less loud and in
dignant because such laws had been adopted
from the old United States. No good citi
zen would expect the nation to prosper
while its government should stand thus
arrayed against the government of God.
But there is one particular, at least, in
which tlie government of our Confederate
States does stand thus. It does, by its law,
required its officials to violate the law of
God. God says, “ Remember the Sabbath
day to keep it holy. In it thou shall not do
any work” The government, at Richmond,
says to its officials, in the Post-office de
partment : Ye shall do all the work that is
necessary to make up, forward and deliver
the malls upon the Sabbath day. If any
man among them feels that he must obey
God rather than man, he is dismissed from
the service as an unfaithful officer. Can we
wonder that God has a quarrel with our
Confederacy ? Can we expect Ilis blessing
till this thing shall have been reformed?—
Can Christians pray for it with any faith
that God will hear our prayer?
Yet we must pray for it, and labor too.
Cet begin by initiating such measures as
will difficulty and put'our Na
tion in position to receive the blessing
which we ask. * A Refuoee.
Government Chaplaincies. Union
of Ciinreli and Stale, Again.
In previous communications on this sub
ject no elaborate argument was made, but
merely a suggestion or two. It may be
worth while to consider the subject a little
more carefully. And permit me to say,
first of all, that 1 am not wanting in respect
Ibr the many excellent brethren who have
accepted appointments under the govern
ment. The evangelical portion of the
English clergy even, have through their
writings, and the accounts I have seen of
■/
them, impressed me very favorably. I
certainly do not fail to appreciate the gush
ing Christian patriotism with which our own
good brethren have hurried to the field and
there ministered to our boys, especially to
the siclewnd dying. 1 have myself a boy
in the army; whose case I have specially
commended to the notice of our excellent
brother Weaver.
I perceive in the communications of oth
ers a reference, in most eases, mainly to
consequences. The argument in effect is,
our boys much need preaching, exposed as
they are to temptation and disease, there- j
fore they must be preaehed toby ail means
—there is no time-to think about principle,:
or rather the only principle involved is our
duty to provide them with the Gospel.—
On the street, 1 have found parties who
welt nigh supposed for the moment that I
was somewhat indifferent about the preach
ing itself. Now' 1 suppose that principle
and policy in religion always coincide ; that
the oft-repeated maxim, “ There are excep
tions to all general rules,” is false; that
God’s prescriptions are without exception
—1 mean where He has not indicated the
exception. Even in this case, the exception
\is a part of the rule. ‘ The rule, for exam
|ple, that all men must believe, who have
| natural ability to do so, is absolute. So
the duty of tvery believer to be baptized,
when this is naturally possible. If there
fore God has prescribed the mode by which
Ministers shall be appointed and supported,
and this be possible, much more convenient,
we must coiiform to it.
laxiking to the New Testament, we shall
see, they are all to be sent forth by the
Churches or to go forth of their own ac
cord, under the indications of Providence,
aud to rely for support on the Churches
and the good will of those among w hom;
they go. Nobody else may send them
forth. The State iit not called jto this work.]
So far as support is concerned, it must be!
voluntary. Christianity has no where in
voked involuntary offerings. True, it
claims, under proper circumstances, the
offerings of all; but they must be offerings.
All men are bound to these offerings, and
bound to make them voluntarily. But you
may not use compulsion. If compulsion
had been necessary or truly politic, it would
doubtless have been put in requisition.
On principle, our main grounds of objec
tion to the union of Church and State must
be as to the usurpation of prerogative in
appointing ministers, and supporting them
by involuntary pay. As to consequences,
these, we know, have always been corrupt
ing ; but that branch of the subject I do
not wish to discuss.
To eliminate or preserve a great princi
ple, is a vast service to mankind. With
out principles, we are at sea on moral and
religious subjects. If the Baptists do not
take care of the great principle in question,
nobody else, judging from the past, is likely
to do so. Shall we not see to it, as far as
in us lies, that no great error in this behalf
, be left to lie at the very foundations of our
beloved Confederacy. Chaplaincies are
extra-Constitutional; let them not become
custom.
The Gospel was promulged at first, and
most effectually too, without—even against
—State patronage. Why can it not be
done again ?
It was said in reply to one of my former
articles, that the State requites the observ
ance of the Sabbath, and this may be re
garded the union of Church and State in
some sort. I reply —
1. If so, then l object to the law ; but,
2. It is demonstrated that man and beast
can perform more service by resting a sev
enth part of the time than by laboring the
whole time. 1 have seen the facts eolleet
ed, putting this point beyond all question.
The State certainly has the right, by the
interposition of law, to husband its re
sources.
3. A valuable class of citizens, at least
where no State interest is infringed, have
the political right to expect protection from
disturbance in the worship of God ; and to
ignore the Sabbath would be to jeopardize,
in many cases to render impossible, undis
tracted public worship.
4. When the morals of a people have
direct and obvious com!%tion with great
material interests, the State has the right
to encourage that upon which they depend
—as for instance, the stoppage of distilleries
at the present time. The principle which
circumscribes the province of the State is,
that secular interests are under her charge,
not sacred. She is to promote the material
and intellectual interests of the people by
direct action, not the religious. She is a
propagandist of political, not of religious,
economy.
I presume that hesitation on the subject
of government chaplains may have had
something to do with the small remunera
tion fixed upon—very small, as proposed
by Georgia’s favorite statesman. However
this may have been, that or something else
ia rapidly determining the fate of State
chaplaincies. Another cause of this falling
off, doubtless, is, that in many eases, parties
found upon trial that they had engaged in
the work under the influence of patriotism
rather than piety. We know that many
men unequal to the very arduous task es
sayed it. Others, on mature reflection, and
going out in the right way, will take their
places; and the whole matter, I trust, will
correct itself. For these reasons ! did not
think fit, as had been suggested, to bring
the matter befor#the late Convention. A
memorial addressed to the Government,
had it been necessary, would, in my opin
ion, have been eminently appropriate. I
do not thfnk it would have been despised,
but might have contributed, with other
means, to the accomplishment of the end
desired. E. B. Tkaoce.
The Hospitals.
Our friends abroad now understand that
Jwe have about three thousand sick soldiers
[in the different hospitals in this city, and
that there are others constantly coming in.
To supply the wants of these soldiers re
quires a large amount of hospital stores,
| and an opportunity is thus furnished for ail
jour people to do something for the cause.
Societies and individuals may aid by send
! ing brandies, wines, cordials, dried fruits,
rice, corn-starch, arrow-rool, medicines,
quilts, sheets, pillow-cases, towels, wearing
| apparel, and money.
Those desirous of aiding in relieving the
sick can send their contributions to Mrs.
W. F. Westmoreland, President of the
j Soldiers’ Relief Society; to Miss Lou. Co
j zart, Secretary, or to Mrs. 11. C. Holcombe,
- Treasurer.
+ * *
Appointments to Preach, i>j i:i<tcr
James Barrow,
Second Sabbath in May, and Saturday
before, at Friendship, Pdlk county. Mon
day following at New' Prospect. Monday
night at O. B. Whatley’s. Wednesday at
Pleasant Dope. Will then attend 'the
Cherokee Baptist Convention, at Manassas
(formerly Cessviile), including third Sab
bath in May.
Can we Pray for II?
We heard a good man and a good citizen
say, some days ago, that he could not but
feel some conscientious scruples about
praying for the prosperity and continuance
of a Government which gave the sanction
of its laws and official orders to the need
less violation of the Sabbath ; he might
offer up his desire to God for the best good
of his country, but could he pray in faith,
expecting a favorable answer to his petition?
Religious men can not but feel that God, in
the language of the Bible, “ is for those who
are for Him.” “Those,” He says, “who
honor me, I will honor.” If we pray for
His blessing, we must place ourselves in a
position to receive it. We dare not ask
God to violate, or to sanction the violation
of, His own laws; to ask Him to do wrong,
is to insult the Majesty of heaven to Ilis
face ! But is it not asking Him to do wrong
to pray that He will bless us in the persist
ent disregard of His most solemn enact
ments, often repeated, .and enforced with
the most fearful threatenings ?
Let good men think about these things,
and press them upon the notice of the
Government. We may not cease to pray
for our country, but let us pray that God
will give to our rulers such A perception of
their obligations to Him and to the country
that they will at once proceed to remove
these difficulties out of the way, and so, as
it were, open the windows of heaven that
the blessings sought for may be poured out
upon us without any restraint from the
nature of our legislation. Sabbath mails
and Sabbath drills are national offences
against God’s holy law, sustained and. en
forced by the official authority of the gov
ernment —and in these particulars putting
the government in open and direct conflict
with the government of God. *
Prophecy.
There are various considerations which
serve to deter most persons from studying
prophecy. Among-these arc the lollowing:
1. The disagreement of those who have
written on the subject; 3. The (act that
the world has little taste for the truths re
vealed in prophecy ; and, 3. The belief that
prophecy is a sealed book until it is fulfilled.
The first objection, if valid would dis
suade from the study of almost every sub
jec-t; the second implies that the world is
in a bad moral condition ; and the third is
at) impeachment of Divine Wisdom—es
peeially of that fart of the Word of God
that encourages to the study of prophecy.
In times of trouble—such as the present
—when the future is shrouded in darkness,
and nought but evil appears in the immedi
ate prospect, it is natural for the child ot
God to turn away from the calamities of
earth and seek refuge in God. In this
frame of mind it is peculiarly proper to
search the Word of God, to see if it sheds
any light upon the gloom of earth. Sick
and disgusted with the pollutions of this
world, the pious heart sighs for a better
country—a better administration.
There have been two great difficulties in
the way of prophetic investigation : The
uncertainty of chronology, and the difficulty
of deciding for certain when the prophetic
dates begun — i. e., the year from which to
start. These obstacles must involve all
such investigations in doubt, until the lead
ing prophetic date (“ 1200 days,” “42
months,” or “ time, times and an half,”)
shall have expired. When this data ends,
there will remain but two other dates until
the “ Blessed” period spoken of by Daniel
—“ 1290 days,” and “ 1336 days.” It is
confessed by all, so far as 1 know, that these
dates have a common beginning with the
“ 1200 days.” If so, then 30 “ days ”
(1290 —-1260*30) after the end of the
“1200 days,” the second date (“1290
days”) will end; and 45 “days” later
(1335 —129CG-45) the “ Blessed ” period
will be inaugurated.
A question of vital importance at this
point is, Has the leading date, or “ 1200
days,” ended? To answer this question
properly, it is necessary to ascertain what
was to be the characteristic feature of this
period. This we learn both from Daniel
and John. Ihe 'people, of God were to he
persecuted and slain by the “ man of sin ”
during this period. (See Daniel xii: 7, and
John xii: 6.) Persecution, or the taking
away of religious liberty , was the prominent
characteristic of the “ 1200 days.” That
disagreeable feature has ceased to operate ;
and, as a consequence, the “Church has
returned from the wilderness.” Religious
liberty was granted in this country (by
law) in the year 1792, on the adoption of
the constitution of the United States; and
m Europe (in the Papal dominions) in the
same year, as the result of Napoleon Bona
parte’s conquests. Since that time every
man m the United States, and in the Papal
dominions of Europe, has been permitted to
worship God according to the dictates of
his own conscience. It is true that In Eu
rope the people of God have been taxed to
B % pCrl the rejigion, and are
s j f so taxed ; buf they hayp, qeyerthelegs;