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Vol. IT. Augusta Correspondence. AUGUSTA.—WHAT THEY THINK OF ATLANTA.— THK Episcopal convention. first and second Baptist churches—etc. S Augusta, Nov. 17, 1862. —J reached this beautiful city a few days Htgo ; and having a moment of leisure at command, I send you a few items which may be of some interest to your readers. * Nothing in the appearance of the streets or of the people here indicates the existence •of the war which is now raging in the coun try. There is the usual passing to and fro, the customary signs of business, and the crowding of-vehicles about the streets. Mechanics of every description find as much as they can do, at prices from three to five fold greater than those which ruled in ordi nary times. In addition, the Government supplies work at very remunerative prices to every woman and girl who are willing to beemployed. Th o ugh pro v ision sa re scarce umd dear, yet money is abundant —and there is certainly not more than the usual amount V destitution which is prevalent at such seasons. Whether it be that Augustans are jealous of the growing reputation of Atlanta, or w hether they feel chagrined that the Gate City should so soon have outstripped in population and enterprise a town which is older than the century, I have discovered a disposition in several quarters to be very sarcastic when speaking of the City of Rail roads. “You live in Atlanta, I believe, sir?” “ Yes, sir.” “ That is the head-quarters of villainy.*' All the rascality and scoundrel ism in the confederacy hail from that place. The counterfeit money which has dooded the country has been all traced to Atlanta. I should dislike to live in such a place.”— “If they are so wicked, that is just where preachers ought to live,” said I. Encoun tering another friend, I was saluted with the question, “ How do you like Atlanta?” “ Very well ; a great deal of enterprise there.” “ Yes, it is a fast place.” Meet ing another and informing him of my where abouts, he contented himself with saying, “ You live in a rough crowd up there! ” Such are two or three of the dialogues which h -ye transpired in reference to our fair city. I How distorted the notions of some people! Only a day or two before leaving home, l had occasion to remark to our worthy Mayor (Calhoun), that I had never lived in a more urderly town; that, considering the migratory character of much of our population for the past six months, the decorum was remarkable.— However, we must excuse our friends here. When they acknowledge (as they ere long must) our superiority in enterprise, com merce and population, they will be more respectful. The House of Bishops of the Episcopal Church is now in session here. Together with delegates to their convention, they are engaged in making laws for the Episcopal church of the Confederate States. 1 have not looked in upon them, as there is nothing in Bishops which have any attraction for tne on the score of novelty. In one de nomination in Georgia there are several hundred men who have as Scriptural a right to the title, and who to all intents and purposes are as genuine ‘ Bishops,’ as the worthy gentlemen who pray in white and preach in black. It is remarkable that Augusta should have been the birthplace of the courts and conventions of several of our religious bodies. It was in this city, in 1845, that the Southern Baptist Convention was form ed. A larger and more intelligent assem blage of Baptists has rarely been convened in any part of the world than was present on that occasion. Some who participated in the deliberations are now identified with our enemies. Many others who were then active have passed from earth. Among the debaters few were more prominent than Isaac Taylor Hinton, who died in New Or leans in 1847. The venerable President of the Convention, Or. Johnson, of S. C., has but recently been gathered to his fathers.— Only last spring our Presbyterian brethren organized here their chief court, or General Assembly; the master spirit of the meeting, and perhaps the most powerful intellect in the Presbyterian church on this continent ( Or. Thornwell, of S. C.), is already num bered with the dead. Yesterday morning i attended worship at tha Kollock-street Baptist ehurob. This is anew interest, in the upper part of the city, formed a few years ago and now num bering upwards of a hundred members.— Its pastor is the Rev. James H, Cuthbert, who at the beginning of this war was pas tor of the Ist Baptist church in the city of Philadelphia. Two years he occupied the pulpit of a splendid brown-stone edifice which cost about SIOO,OOO. Now he pleaches the Word in an unpretending; ooden structure which could not have *j reeded many hundred dollars in cost.—j T-pmU h r*r|*tr*to th* vM*tS now* bw from jU*fi**~tt** <to M>f to AU*t*. Where thj tXMM trues U uk.a** to •; fc#K •* Usy corn* on Uw r*ll rwd, toes ®w* to* Swt, W*k or Sottlfc. WMM MJkMMMM, AM® I Then he was surrounded by one of the most numerous, wealthy and influential churches in America. Now, for the most part, his members are gathered from the humblest walks of life. But I was glad to find my friend quite as cheerful and happy in his present position as I ever sa v him when he was cherished by those who were able to do far more for his temporal comfort. — God blesses his labors here; and that is a pastor’s joy. The right hand of fellowship was extended to seven persons yesterday. Last night I had the pleasure of meeting the congregation of the Ist Baptist church, of which the Rev. A. J. Huntington is the faithful and beloved pastor. After preach ing, the ordinance of baptism was adminis tered in an impressive manner to a young lady. Though Augusta is less than one hundred miles distant from points now in possession of the abolitionists, I do not find any unea siness prevailing from an apprehension of their presence. The river has been put in to such a condition, by the continued drought, that it is now an effectual barrier; and if there should be a rise, the people feel confident that they can offer obstruc tions quite as formidable as those which nature now opposes. The death of General Mitchell, and the prevalence of country fever on the coast, must delay the operations of the enemy in that quarter until our defences can be com pleted. Yo;rs, Viator. ATLANTA, Ga., November 14, 1862. Rev. V. A. Gaskill: Dear Sir— At the last meeting of the active member* of the “ Dorcafl Society,” I was authorized to solicit a copj of your discourse on 11 The Character of Dorcas,” for pub lication in The Banner and Baptist. Hoping you will accede to the unanimous request, I am, Yours, very respectfully, Mbs. Jab. N. Eels, Secretary. ATLANTA, Nov. IT, 1862. Dear Madam: I have considered the request of the ‘‘Dorcaa Society,” made through you, for a copy of my discourse od the character of Dorcas. That discourse was not written when delivered. With my brief notes before me, I have hurriedly done the best I am able to answer the call made, and now place the manuscript at your disposal, and shall be abundantly compensated if, by answering your desire, I may be successful in aiding a little the use fulness of the Society you represent. Hoping your Society may accomplish great good, with my best wishes for your individual prosperity, I remain Your obedient servant, V. A. Gaskill. To Mrs. Jas. N. Bias, Secretary. The Character of Dorcas. A Discourse before the Atlanta Dorcas Society, BY REV. V. A. GABKILL. TeH : This woman was full of good works and alms-deeds which she did. [Acts ix., 36. Pohcas was a pious woman of Joppa. Joppa was a noted seaport on the Mediter ranean sea, and about forty-five miles north west from Jerusalem. It was the nearest seaport to Jerusalem, and was therefore the port by means of which that metropolis carried on its maritime intercourse with other cities and countries. It was at Joppa that tho timber from Mount Lebanon was conveyed in rafts, in the days of Solomon, for building his palace and the temple in Jerusalem. In the time of Ezra, timber was sent to tho same port for rebuilding the temple. It was from Joppa that Jonah un dertook to run away from God. Joppa was one of the most ancient seaport towns in the world. It was an important town during the Crusades —was associated with ASolus and Andromada of classic fiction. — From the heights of Joppa, two hundred Jews were driven into the sea to avenge a broken treaty. Napoleon’s legions, in later times, thundered before its gates. Although Joppa has become noted in history, has been the seat of great wealth, has seen the ravages of war and felt the tread of marshaled hosts thirsting for blood, there remains another incident connected with the history of Joppa to give it an im mortality of fame, far more enduring than anything else connected with its record : It was the home of * Dorcas,’ —a name which shall add lustre to its history, when many other incidents named shall have passed into oblivion. It is said there is much in a name, and so there is. The name of Dorcas is well suited to her character. The name Tabitha, in the language generally spoken among tin* Jews in Palestine, answered in meaning to the Greek word Dorcas. They both origi nally meant, the gazelle—a very beautiful species of the goat, said to have beautiful eyes. The names of animals remarkable for beauty, or with innocent and attractive qualities, were often given anciently as names of children. It is not certain that Dorcas was ever married. Some think she was a widow, from the company around her when Peter went into the upper chamber: “ all the widows stood by him>eepiug,and showing the garments which Dorcas made while she was with them.” it is fairly presumable that Dooas was a woman of some property. No doubt site had made many garments and furnished all the material, many more than a poor woman could have done. But few Dorcases are. to be found among our wealth ier classes; women of fortune hardly wrer labor much with their own hands for the i poor, as Dorcas did. Whenever they dc j it becomes the more remarkable and greatly to their praise. They generally content themselves with giving a little of their abundance, and devote the most, nearly all of their time to their own selfish indul gence—the adornment of their persons, and to luxurious ease. There are more Dorcas es among the poor than the rich, and yet it should not be so. What a lovely sight, to see a wealthy woman, touched with a feel ing for the infirmities of the poor, and pious ly with her own hands administering to their wants ! ! have somewhere read, or heard, the following : The prettiest eye is that which looks with compassion upon the needy; the prettiest mouth is that which speaks words of sympathy and encourage ment into the ear of the desponding; the prettiest hand is that which carries relief for the poor; and the prettiest foot is that which is seen walking in the vales of poverty and assisting in pouring oil and wine into the wounds and bruises of suffering humanity. How beautiful the antelope-eyes of Dorea must have been to the ragged little ones of those weeping widows when, as the cold weather made them shiver under the ap proaches of winter, with tears of sympathy she unrolled the many garments she had made and divided them among the recipi ents of her bounty ! Noble woman ! —“full of good works and alms-deeds which she did.” They were not without their reward. 1. They secured the attention and assist ance of Peter. As soon as Peter was in formed by the two men who went to Lydda to carry the message of the disciples, de siring him that he would not delay to come to them, “ then Peter arose and went with them.” Peter made no delay. He doubt less had often heard of Dorcas from the widows in and around Joppa, and may have seen many of the garments she had made. If vire desire the prompt attention and assistance of the good, let us be good our selves. It is an old adage, If one desires friends, let that one be friendly. The “good works” of Dorcas had not ended yet; and when all earthly help had failed, and her friends thought her dead, Peter must needs go and restore her to her needle again. Good works will draw the attention and assistance of some heavenly helper, if not to raise us from our death-bed, to accompa ny us and assist us in our journey through the dark valley of the shadow of death. 2. They secured the love of the weeping widows. They had lost a great friend—a friend who had been a friend in need, and hence, a friend indeed. She had been to them a friend, not after the manner of the world’s friendship. When the world ne glected, she was constant in her kindness.— When the world passed by on the other side, she acted the good Samaritan. When the world laughed at their rags and said ‘ Be ye clothed,’ offering no aid—not even the poor boon of sympathetic words to cheer the soul, while the body was shiver ing—Dorcas, with busy fingers, was plying the needle, making ready for her next round of charity calls, with a heart full of kind words and hands full of kinder deed*, to comfort the body and cheer the soul in the midst of this world’s general neglect. Is it a wonder that the widows were weeping— is if a wonder that they loved her ! Such a sight as Dorcas saw, when Peter “gave her his hand and lifted her up,” was well worth a life-time of ‘ alms-deeds.” Then, if never before, she appreciated the value of her “ good works.” Then, weeping gave place to rejoicing, and teats were seen glis tening upon cheeks radiant with smiles that might play upon an angel’s face. “ Good works ” alone secure the love of those who are not our kin, and make them shed tears of real soriow when we are call ed to leave them for an abode where part ing and tears shall be seeu no more.— Women sometimes leave love-tokens for their friends, to be remembered by—a lock of hair, a ring, some nicely prepared keep sake. The love-tokens of Dorcas were the garments which she had made; and the widows had just been showing them to Peter and pronouncing blessings on her name, mingling their love with their tears. Blessed woman ! she needed no funeral ora tion to announce her graces, gotten up after the best specimens of oratory, glistening with beautiful gems of thought, and full of the fiuest touches of fancy. Her funeral sermon was preached by weeping widows, in thoughts that breathed and words that burned from the aching hearts of real suf ferers, who felt that a substantial good had left them, and what now would become of their numerous little ones Dorcas had dothed? What expressive texts! Those garments —how eloquent! What words of unutterable kindness they spoke, when the weeping widows were showing them to Peter f Lovely love-tokens, they shall cause weeping widows, as well as ail the good, to love thee so long as the Bible shall be read. Who>ould have a fragrant memory like that of Dorcas, let him give some garments jto the poor, and come as near as possible J making them himself. Let them be the result of self-sacrifice. It is when we sac rifice ourselves for others that they see we are lovely ; and many a garment has made an ugly face beam with beauty, and caused love to burn upon the altar of the heart, like the vestal fires, never to go out.— He whose heart has never felt, and whose hand has never executed, a generous, disin terested deed of kindness for suffering hu manity, has never tasted the glorious sweets of a holy love. The love of the needy, how much more desirable than the love of the pampered and the rich! The one comes from alms-deeds, and without them we seldom secure the lasting love of the other. Wealth gathers but a momentary respect when improperly used ; but a generous dol lar, properly started, glistens, as it rolls, and grows brighter and brighter in its eter nal revolvings. 3. She was made an instrument in the hands of God for the conversion of sinners. It is a glorious thing to be connected with the salvation of a soul, even in a remote de gree. Peter, by the raising of Dorcas, made an argument for Christianity, “ and many believed in the Lord.” Wherever the miracle went, there went “ the coats and garments which Dorcas made,” and they were shown to her praise as a glorious illustration of that Christianity by whose power the chains of death had been broken ; Omnipotence and heavenly charity, sweetly commingled in the “ upper chamber,” com pleted the picture, before which many bowed in reverence and godly fear. Sweet, silent preacher! how can sinners resist your appeals, as you sit with your garments in your hands, quietly pointing them to the God that raised you, and is ready to save them ? 4. She secured the blessing. “ Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord ; their works do follow them.” She had hardly stopped breathing when the voices of weeping widows were proclaiming in the ears of heaven and of men, her “ good works and the alms deeds which she did while she was with them.” It is a great comfort to know that our good deeds do not perish with their using. It is a maxim of the world, that our good deeds are written in water and our evil deeds in brass; but, thanks be to an atoning and forgiving Saviour, the order of this unkind worldly maxim has been reversed, and God, for Christ’s sake, blots out and forgets our crimes, and upon a monument more enduring than brass, perpetuates the virtues of His children, and allows them to follow them forever. You who are ambi tious for fame, imitate Dorcas if you would be held in eternal remembrance. The name of the wicked shall rot; but the name of the righteous shall live forever. Dorcas must have forcibly felt the value of a life of “good works,” when she open ed her eyes upon the garments strewn around the “ upper chamber,” and heard Peter tell her what the widows had been saying, and when she enjoyed the embraces of those who just now were broken-hearted over the death of their benefactress. 5. Dorcas understood the force of that precept, “ It is more blessed to give than to receive.” As she had been generous, so she found God was kind to her, and in great abundance overpaid her for all she had done. The world acts upon the motto, It is more blessed to receive than to give ; and is try ing to keep all it gets, and to get all it can. The world in this matter has too much in fluence over the church. Too many pro fessed followers of Christ hold their dollars as their own. They ignore their steward ship ; they forget that what they have is only a loan, and that, as borrowers, they must repay and that with usury. They are hard words to remember, those of the Lord Jesus—“ It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Dorcas remembered that God had said, “ The poor shall never cease out of the land ; therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor and to thy needy in thy land.” The religion that “ visits the fatherless and widows in their affliction,” — the religion of Dorcas—is not as popular as it should be, even with the church.— What a luxury to be able to say, “ I de livered the poor that cried, and the father less. and him that had none to help him.— The blessing of him that was ready to per ish came upon me; and 1 caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy.” How true was it of Dorcas, “ thine alms are come up for a memorial before God ” ! H God loveth a cheerful giver.” “ The liberal soul shall be made fat,” and hence, “ there is that scattereth and yet increaseth, and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty j there is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing Give, and it shall be given unto you, good measure, pressed down, and shaken togeth er, and running over, shall men give into iyour bosom.’’ [ Dorcas had heard and obey ed these pre- cepts, and long, long ago she had the un speakable joy of hearing th* King say unto her, “ Come, ye blessed of my Father, in herit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was naked and ye clothed me.” Ladies oj the Dorcas Society: Imitate her whose name you have chosen as an in dication of the object of your organization.— Here, under the hallowed influence of her name, you need none of the doubtful stim ulants to your charity of suppers, parties, concerts, gotten up often at a wasteful ex pense, and ostensibly for good, yet too often for a frolic, where a large per cent, of the money gotten had been expended in the getting of it. Here let yourselves become thoroughly imbued with the pure spirit of Dorcas’ charity, and your warm hearts will never cool in the sweet employ of making “ widows’ hearts sing for joy.” What varied female characters the Bible presents you for your warning and instruc tion ! The name of our common mother, Eve, suggests to us invariably that sad sentence, “thou shalt surely die.” The name of Sarah suggests t© us “ the beaute ous maiden, the noblest of wives and a faithful, praying mother.” The name of Rebekah suggests that quick perception of God’s will, and cheerful resignation to its demands, which made her quit home and its endearments, and calmly, firmly and unhesitatingly say “ I will go.” Miriam has something of the masculine. Delilah offers all the allurements and recklessness of voluptuous loveliness, and by it subdues him who “ was an army in himself.”— Ruth “ reaches and subdues the heart, and leaves no stain that would soil an angel’s purity.” Hannah always suggests Samuel and a mother’s power over a powerful sou. Jezebel, the cruel,idol-worshipping, prophet hating, heathenish daughter of a Sidonian prince, horrifies us. Esther reveals the beautiful and the good, offering itself for her people in the concentrated expression, “If I perish, I perish.” Mary shows the contented listener at Jesus’ feet; and Mar tha, the busy, fussy housekeeper, giving no thing peace till the last chair has been dusted. But, to my mind, the fullest exhi bition of New-Testament religion among them all is found in that never-to-be-forgot ten sentence —“This woman was full of good works and alms-deeds which she did.’ Write those words upon your heart of hearts. Let the Gazelle of Joppa animate your spirits and nerve your arms. We have need of many Dorcases now. The present bloody struggle to be delivered from Northern rule has developed many Dorcases, but we need more. Hundreds of thousands of fingers are busy, making garments for widows and orphans, and sol diers, and yet they are suffering. Let the work progress. Let the wealthy lay aside their ease and luxury, and one and all come up to the help of our army and our poor. The time has come when all, like Dorcas, should labor with their own hands; there should be no drones in our Southern hive. Like our blessed Saviour who went about doing good, regardless of His own comfort, and imitated by Dorcas in her “ good works and alms-deeds,” let the ladies of the Dor cas Society scatter broadcast the fruits of their pious labors, so that many a one, warmed by your kindness, may be enabled in the future to tell with heart-felt satisfac tion of the “ coats and garments ” which your liberality has furnished. Then, to your lasting credit and praise will be re corded upon the grateful memories of many, “These women were full of good works and alms-deeds which they did.” THE JILT AR. MARRIED, On the 6th inst., at the residence of Charles P. Shoemaker, by Elder J. M. Stillwell, Mr. Morgan Davis, of Texas, to Miss Indianna O. Shoemaker, of Morgan county, Ga. THE _GMVE. Died, of typhoid fever, near Powder Springs, Ga., on the 27th September last, T. J. FLOR ENCE, son of William Florence-aged twenty nine years. He volunteered in March last, and entered the Confederate service w ith the 4oth Alabama regiment in May. He was taken sick at Tupelo, Miss., was removed to his father s residence, and died at the time state* 1. He lia< been a Baptist for ten years, and expressed en tire submission to the Divine will. Thus pass away our country’s defend era r RIEN D* WATSON GRISHAM had been a Baptist many years, joined the 41st Georgia Itegimeu in March last, was in the Kentucky campaign and died in Chattanooga on the 4th mst.--ageo thirty-eight years. Brother G. was a kind hus band and lather, and a useful church-member and citizen. But he has gone to his reat^ Departed this life, on th e /nst., of pneu tnonia,in her eleventh year, LOLISA \ IDLER ELIZABETH, only daughter ot W. and Ailsey Stallings. The deceased said a few daya before she died, she saw heaven and old of its beauty, and said she was going there to live. “Buffer little children to come unto me, *nd forbid t e not, tor of *ucfc 1* the kingdom of heaven. Wanted, BY A YOUNG LaDY, . A situation as Teacher in some private School. She is prepared to . ~ English branches of education; aL j^ one Address the editor of this pap* • " nOY 22* Baptists need apply. 11