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‘The entrance of Thy Word giveth light.’
JAS. NATHAN ELLS, Editor.
ATLANTA, CxhlOßGrlA:
SATURDAY, JANUARY 17, 1863.
The Memory of the Dead.
How beautiful is the memory of the dead !
What a holy thing it is in the human heart,
and what a chastening influence it sheds
upon human life I How it subdues all
harshness that grows up within us in the
daily intercourse with the world ! How
it melts our unkindness, softens our pride,
kindling our deepest loves, and wakes our
highest aspirations ! Is there one who has
not some loved friend gone into the eternal
world, with whom he delights to live again
in memory ? Does he not love to sit down
in the hushed and tranquil hours of exist
ence, and call around him the face, the
form, so familiar and cherished—look into
the eye that mirrored not more clearly his
face than the soul which he loves—to listen
to the tones which he loves to listen to —
the tones which were once melody to his
ears, and have echoed softly in his ear,
since they were hushed to his senses ?
Is there a spirit to which heaven is not
brought nearer, by holding some kindred
soul ? How friend follows friend into the
happy dwelling-place of the dead, till we
find, at length, that they who loved us on
the heavenly shore are more than they who
dwell among us! Every year witnesses
the departure of some whom we knew and
loved ; and when we recall the names of
all who have been dear to us in life, how
many of them we see passed into that city
which is imperishable.
The blessed dead! how free from stain
is our love for them. The earthly taint of
our affection is buried with that which is
corruptible, and the divine, in its purity,
illumines our breast. We have now no
fear of losing them. They are fixed for us
eternally in the mansions prepared for our
reunion. We shall find them waiting for
us in their garments of’ beauty. The glo
rious dead ! how reverently we speak their
names ! Our hearts are sanctified by their
words, which we remember. How wise
they have now grown in. the limitless fields
of truth ! how joyous they have become by
the undying fountains of pleasure ! The
immortal dead ! how unchanging is their
lover for us! How tenderly they look
down upon us, and how closely they sur
round our beings! How earnestly they
rebuke the evils of our lives !
Let us talk pleasantly of the dead as
those who pursue no longer the fleeting,
but have grasped and secured the real. —
With them the fear and the longings, the
hope and the terror, and the pain arj? past;
the fruition has begun. How unkind that
when we put away their bodies, we should
cease the utterance of their names. The
tender-hearted dead, who struggle so in
parting from us ! why should we speak of
them in awe, and remember them only in
sighing? Very dear were they when hand
clasped in hand, and heart responded to
heart. \\ by are they less dear when they
have grown worthy a higher love than ours,
and their perfeete I souls might receive
even our adoration! By our hearth-side, I
and by their grave side, in solitude, and
amid the multitude, think cheerfully and
speak lovingly of the Dead.
To Clerk* of Association*.
We would esteem it a favor if the Clerks 1
of Baptist Associations, in this and adjoin
ing States, would at once forward to The
Baptist Banner the times and places of
meeting for the current year. We design
publishing a table for reference.
V\ orthy of Imitation.—The congrega
tion of the First Baptist Church in Atlanta
recently contributed fifty dollars to send
‘ The Banner * to sick and wounded soldiers.
Are there not other congregations who will
do likewise?
Personal.—Correspondents of S. M.
Pyles will address him at Milford, Baker
county, Ga.; and those of W. Jeff. Speairs,
at Starrsville, Newton county, Ga.
—— ♦-
Isaac W. Ensign makes his bow edito
rial, gracefully, in the last number of the
Educational Journal, at Forsyth. The 1
paper has our best wishes; may its ‘Ensign’
long wave and flourish ?
K&i® SB A K’S SISK 38 ASt St .
The Orphan*’ Ottering.
We trust that the lady who penned the
following note will not be offended at seeing
it in print. As sure as we live, we shall
seek an opportunity of taking her dear
[ little boys by the hand :
Cave Spring, Ga., Jan. 12, 1863.
Editor of The Baptist Banner:
Dear Brother: Enclosed you will find one
dollar, a Christmas present from my little boys,
Arthur Virginius and Victor Bird Burton.
These dear children have been made orphans
by this cruel war; their father was slain at the
battle of Gaines’ Mills, before Richmond: and
now since he is dead, I feel a greater desire
than ever to raise them for Jesus. I have told
them of our soldiers, far away from home with
out any good books to read; and I have told
them that many little children are sending
money to you to furnish a good paper for the
soldiers, and they are very anxious to con
tribute their little all. Hoping that it may be
“ breatl cast upon the waters,” and that it may
prove to be a great blessing to some poor sol
dier, as well as to my little orphan boys, I
cheerfully send it.
Respectfully, <_y our sister in Christ,
Mrs. V. B. Burton.
Atlanta, Ga., Jan. 7, 1863.
Messrs. James N. Ells & Co. :
Gentlemen—Believing it just as essential
to furnish mental aliment to our Soldiers,
as to contribute to any other of their wants,
enclosed please find twenty dollars —the
! “ Amateurs’ ” mite for the purpose of cir
culating your valuable paper.
Very truly, yours,
Wm. H. Barnes,
Manager Atlanta Amateurs.
The ‘ Amateurs ’ will accept our thanks
in behalf of those to whom this donation
will be applied. This organization will long
be held in grateful remembrance for the
material ‘ aid and comfort ’ often afforded
those who are struggling to be free.
■
Rev. P. A. II ugiies.—This brother has
received a commission from the Coosa
Baptist Association, as Missionary to the
Confederate Army—to preach, and distrib
ute reading matter, wherever he can work
to advantage. He left this city on Tuesday
for Chattanooga, and fora while will labor
in Bragg’s army. The body of Christians
by whom he has been appointed, aiming to
benefit our noble defenders and the Confed
erate cause, will highly appreciate any fa
cilities afforded their Missionary by officers
of the Army and all with whom he may
come in contact.
Elder Hughes is also an authorized Agent
for The Baptist Banner.
——- ——
The Soldier’s Friend, a new paper just
started in this city, by A. S. Worrell, has
• been received. It is neatly printed, and
its articles are prepared exclusively for the
soldier’s eye. Its claims are set forth in
the announcement in another column.
—
The Confederate Baptist.—Rev. Mr.
Breaker has withdrawn from the editorship
of this new journal. Il is now edited by
Dr. Reynolds.
Newnan Baptist Church.—Rev. Jesse
M. Wood has entered upon his duties as
Pastor of the Baptist Church at Newnan.
We hope this valued contributor will soon
resume his very interesting ‘Occasional
Tall? ’ n our columns.
Childhood.
The Spring-time of lire : the halcyon
morn of our earthly day : undimmed by the
storm-laden clouds that burden and darken
the skies of riper years. It has its griefs
and tears, aud they are many and frequent,
and to the heart of a child they may appear
great and weighty ; but they are as April
showers, quickly succeeded by bright sun
shine, and the rainbow of hope is seen
through the glistening tears.
Our blessed Lord was once a child on
this earth ; and though He was, doubtless,
well acquainted with the divine mission He
was sent to execute, we delight to think of
Him as a child, engaging with other child-|
ren in the simple sports so congenial to
their nature; acting at all times as peace
maker when angry words were spoken and j
passions excited ; thus early going about
! ‘his Father’s business.’
This too is the precious seed time of our
earthly life. When the first violets of fan- :
ey and reason peep above the soil, and as
yet the ill, rank weeds of malice and all un
charitableness do not appear, let the pre
cious seeds of love to God and love to man
■ be carefully sown and lovingly tended and
watched as they spring quickly up in the
moist virgin soil. Let daily prayers arise !
that showers of heavenly grace, and the
■ dews of the divine Spirit, may fall on the
I little garden, and ensure a harvest of sweet ■
flowers and lasting fruit.
To a child there is no past ; all is present,
or future. Content to enjoy themselves
children little reck how’ fast old Time flies
on ; and little care they when the poet
' sings,
, "Ye sunny, sunny hours of childhood !
How soon, —how soon ye pass away ! ”
Impatient rather are they that the hours
should more qui.-kly fly. and bring the hap
py future, to them so bright ; like the far
distant horizon, glorious with crimson-tint
ed clouds—the ‘flowers of the skv*, as said
,a little one to me once, asking if God
'would let her gather them when she went!
;to heaven ! God bless the children ’
“Os such is the Kingdom" S.
Glad Tidings from the Arny.—Al
religious revival of much interest has been
in progress in the 49th and 14th Georgia
regiments, since the battle of Fredericsb’g,
conducted by Rev. Mr. Hyman, chaplain
of the former, and Rev. Mr. Barrett, army
evangelist. Services are held three or four
nights in every week, and between one and
two hundred enquirers present themselves
for prayers. Glory to God for the news !
The War.
The news from Murfreesboro’ is altogeth
er satisfactory. Bragg has fallen back in
good order to a stronger position, and in
tends to maintain it. The northern papers
sry that Rosencrans will be forced to evac
uate either Murfreesboro’ or Nashville.
It seems to be the general opinion that
there will yet be a severely contested fight
somewhere in that region.
Our forces have again and again repulsed
the enemy, with immense slaughter, at
Vicksburg. The contest, however, is not
yet ended, and the contest forthat city will
be bloody and destructive. Help, Lord !
1 All quiet upon the lines ’ of the Rappa
-1 hannock. It is not fully known to what
1 point the enemy has gone. Lee is about.
! Old Stonewall is at his post. Stuart is up
on one of his ‘ grand rounds,’ and the
whole army in excellent trim to meet their
assailants.
Take courage, Confederates. We have
abundant cause of gratitude to the Giver of
1 all good for His great mercies.
i _—. —_.
Run the Blockade. —Another steamer
' has arrived at a Confederate port, bringing
' a heavy mail, several passengers, and a
valuable cargo. When she left Nassau,
there were six very swift English steamers
freighted with goods for the South, ready
i to sail.
1 [For Th* Baptist Banner.}
; Atlanta, January 9th, 1862.
• Dear Brother Ilornady, Agent Colportage:
As I have this day closed my labors as
. i Colporteur to the hospitals in this city, for
the purpose of entering upon a more exten
sive field of labor as Missionary to the Con
’ federate Army, under the appointment of
> the hoping that in this
way 1 may be more useful in the cause of
Christ and our common country, 1 now
make my report for the last month and
’ twenty one days’ labor in the Colportage
work. 1 have preached five sermons, and
prayed with the sick at different times by
.' their request. A good portion of the time
i (as you know) I was without reading mat
i ter for distribution, except The Banner and
| The Index occasionally, but 1 have lately
i distributed a considerable quantity oftracts,
I camp hymns and Testaments, for which the
I soldiers, with few’ exceptions, expressed
. great In my religious con
versations among them, I have found many
bright Christians and many penitents.
I think it due the “Ladies’ Relief Socie
: ty ” of Atlanta, to note the fact that many
heretofore wicked men have been led to ac
’ knowledge the goodness of God in sending
those angels of love and mercy to soothe their
sorrows by the ample provision- at the
car-shed, and their friendly visits and con
s soling words in the hospitals. Yes, it has
i broken up the great deep of their hearts,
and opened their fast-sealed eyes to see
1 themselves as sinners, and they say, “ I am
sorry that I ever sinned.” Are not these
dear ladies preaching Christ and Him cru
cified, when they are feeding the hungry,
and clothing the naked, or visiting the sick
beds of suffering humanity ? They may
not bo aware that they are preaching, but
I wish 1 could preach so loud. Brother 11.,
pray for your unworthy brother in Christ,
P. A. Hughes.
- I [Original.]
Notes ou tlie Gospel of Mark,
I With a Revision of the Common English Version.
BY N. M. OBAWYORD.
CHAPTER X. 1 And he arose from thence,
and cometh into the borders of Judea and be
yond the Jordan: and again the multitude*
come together unto him; and as he was wont be j
taught theifrngain. 2 And the Pharisees came •
to him and asked him, Is it lawful for a man to
put away his wife ? trying him. 3 And he an -1
- swered and said unto them, What did Moses!
command you ? 4 And they said, Moses per
mitted to write a bill of divorce and to p»t her
I away. 5 And Jesus answered and said unto
them, On account of your hardness of heart, h*
wrote you this commandment: 6 but from the
beginning of the creation, God made them male
and female. 7 For this cause shall a manleave
his father aud mother, and cleave to his wife;
8 and they two shall be one flesh: so that they
' are no more two, but one flesh. 9 What, thera
, fore, God hath joined together, let no man put
asunder. 10 And in the house his disciples i
. asked him again, concerning the same 'matter, j
ill And he saith unto them. Whosoever shall
| put away his wife and marry another, commit-|
!teth adultery with her. 12 And if a woman;
shall put aw’ay her husband and be married to
another, she committeth adultery.
13 And they brought little children to him j
[that he might bless them ; and his disciples re*
buked those that brought them. 14 But when
i Jesus saw it he was much displeased, and said ;
unto them. Suffer the little children to come unto
me and torbid them not: for to such belongs the
kingdom of God. 15 V eriiy I say unto you,
I Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of
God as a little child, he shall not enter therein '
16 And he took them up in his arms, put his
hands upon them, and blessed them.
17 And as he was going forth on a journey
there came one running who kneeled to him’,
and asked him, Good Teacher, what shall I do
that I may inherit eternal life? 18 And Jesus said
unto him. Why callest thou me good ? There is
none good but one, that m, God. 19 Thou'
, know est the commandments, Do not commit 1
; adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not beari
false witness, Defraud not, Honor thy father and
mother. 2j> And he answered and said unto him
1 eaeher, all these have I kept from my vouth. 21
And Jesus, ooking on him, loved him; and said I
unto him, One thing thou lackest: go sell
whatsoever thou hast and give to the nonr
and thou shalt have treasure in heaven- and'
; come, take up thy cross and follow me. 22 Andi
i T 1 i at I th ? 1 “y in «’ and went away
U-t ‘ t °‘? e had ,great possessions. 23 And
I few ttud SH *duntO his disciples, !
- tk^ e y that have riches enter!
' into the kingdom of God! 24 And the disci-1
[ pies were astonished at his words. But Jesus !
answereth again and saith unto them, Children, |
iow hard it is for them that trust in riches to '
enter into the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier i
tor a camel to go through the eye of a needle,
than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom
oi uroo. 2b And they were astonished beyond
measure, saying among themselves. Who then
Ca -H be uru ed ? 27 And Jesus lo<)k iogupon them
saith, With men it is impossible, but not with
God: for with God all things are possible. 28
And I eter began to say unto him, Lo, we have
left all and followed thee. 29 And Jesus an
swered and said, Verily I say unto you, There
is no one that hath left house, or brethren, or
sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children
or lands, far my sake and the gospel’s, 30 who
shall not receive a hundred-fold now in this
time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and
mothers, and children, and lands, amid persecu
tions ; and in the world to come eternal life. 31
But many that are first shall be last, and the
last first.
NOTES.
I. Erom thence, i. e., from Capernaum,
9; 33, and from Galilee. Borders of Ju
dea, n. 3 : 7. This is the Savior’s last jour
ney up to Jerusalem. Having given his
disciples the private instruction which he
desired, he again teaches the multitude.
2 Trying him.— On the question pro
posed there was great difference of opinion.
The Pharisees were divided into two parties
upon it. The followers of Hillel permitted
divorces for any cause; those of Shammai,
for adultery only. Whatever answer he
; might give, they expected him to be eni
• broiled with the opposite party.
3. The wisdom and authority of Jesus
: are seen in his reply. He first refer* them
to their own law.
4. See Deut. 24 : 1,2.
5. For your hardness, <£'c. — On account
' of their stubbornness, Moses gave them a
permission not included in the orginal law
of marriage. This was probably intender
. ness to the wife who, under the customs of
1 the age and country, would have been sub
ject to intolerable cruelty if compelled to
live with a husband who hated her. For
there appears then to have been no alterna
tive between cohabitation and divorce, and
the wife, when hated, was no better than a
slave.
6. From the beginning.— From the per
mission of Moses, he goes back to the law
of God at the original institution of mar
riage. When man was created the woman
was not created, but was created in the man.
■ Afterwards, as there was no companion
ment for man, the rib of Adam was “built”
into a woman, that there nrght be suitable
companionship for man.
7. For this cause. — Because marriage
makes the wife bone of the husband’s bone
and flesh of his flesh, Gen. 2 : 23, he must
leave his father and mother and cleave to
his wife. — The wife is nearer than the
parent, v. 8.
8. One flesh. — The tio between the
parent and the child still leaves them two,
but marriage makes one flesh of what had
before been two, thus restoring the original
creation of Adam before the woman was
taken out of him. “ This is a great mys
tery.” Eph. 5 : 32.
9. God hath joined, <fcc.—The union is
ordained, ratified, and completed by God :
man cannot break it without lawlessness
and violence.
10. In the house. — Where they were in
private. Asked him.— To obtain more full
and precise information.
11, 12. Divorce, leading to re-marriage,
however permitted by the civiblaw, is adul
tery in the sight of God. Divorce by the
wife was an innovation upon the laws of
Moses, which had crept in from the neigh
boring nations. In this conversation Christ
states the general law ; he elsew here allows
an exception in case of adultery, Mutt. 19 :
9. With her.— The second (so-called) wife.
13. Touch them, and as appears from
“Matt. 19: 1, to pray forthem. Rebuked.
Probably because they thought it beneath
the dignity of their Teacher to be called
on to notice little children.
14. Displeased.— They did not understand
his spirit and purpose; and had exercised
authority which did not belong to them.
& c - —As he then condescended to
receive the little children, we may learn that
there are none beneath his favorable regard.
To such, Jc..— He does notjsay “To them”
'or “Theirs,” as in Matt. 5 : 3, 10, to show
that the kingdom belonged to these indi
i vidually •or to little children generally, but
to such, to those wno may be classed as
little children. What is here said is true
of the kingdom of God both in its external
and in its spiritual development. Regen
eration, making us as little children, is req
uisite for admission now into the visible
kingdom, and hereafter into the kingdom of
glory. The natural babe is here taken as
the symbol of the spiritual, as in 9: 36.
In wickedness be ye babes, but in under
standing be men.” 1 Cor., 14; 20.
' 15. I say. d-c., n. 3: 28. As a little
child.— Not as a little child receives it, but
i receives it with the simplicity and confi
dence which characterizes little children.
1 For to receive the kingdom requires a de
gree of intelligence which the babe
Lu. 18: 15) possesses not. But by regen
eration we obtain the genuine childlike dis
-1 position. and th us receive and so enter the king
dom. There is nothing said here, and noth
ing can be inferred hence, in favor of infant
baptism ; and it is astonishing that any one
who believes that we are all born in sin
land “ by nature the children of wrath,” can
maintain that a babe must be baptized be
cause he belongs to the kingdom ! Yet ex
tremes meet. Babes are baptized to wash
, away original sin and because they are
i without sin !
16. Blessed /Aew.—The example of Jesus
ought always to be followed : in loving and
blessing and caring for infants, and in not
baptizing them.
17. One came.— He was a young man
and a ruler, Matt. 19: 20 ;Lu. 18: 18.—
Owing to his connexions, wealth, and good
character, he had been appointed, at an
early age, ruler of the synagogue at his '
place of residence. His running indicated
his earnestness ; and he kneeled, as a token' t
both of his reverence for Jesus, and of hisij
1 desire to obtain eternal life. Good Teacher.
!—Words of complimentary address in com
l mon use. What shall Ido, Jc.— r Thc ques
tion shows the legal notions of the enquirer.
He thought he could do something to merit
the great blessing.
18. Why callest, dec.— Jesus takes occa
sion from the word to turn the enquirer’s
attention from subordinate and derived to
Supreme and Essential Goodness: the for
mer may, by God’s grace, be found in man,
. the latter in God only. Jesus is God, but
, (he young man attributed to him only the
’ goodness which belongs to man.
19. The commandments.— As the enqui
_ rer approached him in a legal spirit, Jesus,
L to lead him to the truth, at first refers him
3 to the law.
20. All these, de.— The answer manifests
the confidence of security which, neverthe-
, less, is false, and proves the spiritual blind-
- ness of the young man. x
21. Loved him.— Morality, even where it
s does not spring from a sanctified heart, and
e though it may fall short of perfect obedi
ence, is yet lovely. One thing thou lackest.
. his obedience, the Saviour gives him a com
s mand which wilt show him how utterly his
1 heart is averse to that God whose law he
, professed to have continually kept. Go,
e sell, efic.—This command will test his love
- and search out the plague in his heart.—
He had rendered a certain external obedi
s ence, but lacked that love which is the es
i sence of all obedience. Jesus gives the
command as God, and the result shows that
the young man loved money and not God.
t Treasure in heaven. — The heart and the
a treasure are together. If we give up earth
z ly good because our heart is in heaven, we
- may be sure that we have treasure there,
f Take up thy cross, n. 8 : 34.
22. Sad.— lnstead of the commendation
> he expected, he receives a command which
r shows him all the hollowness of his proses-
- sions and the vanity of his trust,. For he
1 had great possessions ; which he loved too
t much to give up for Jesus. It is not the
holding of property, but the lack of love,
- that ruins men.
< 23. How hardly, de.— Because “ the love
-of money is the root of all evil,” 1 Tim.
i 6: 10, and “ the deceitfulness of riches
. chokes the word.” Matt. 13 : 22.
24. Astonished.— Regarding riches as a
’ blessing sent from God, which it is, they
3 did not understand how its profession could
interfere with the reception of a yet greater
3 blessing. That trust in riches.— Replying
3 not to their words but to their visible as
: tonishment, he repeats the sentiment so as
> to explain the former declaration. Thedif
-3 ficulty is that the rich man is so apt to trust
in his riches. We must give up this trust,
3 and sometimes it seems impossible to do
, this without the loss of the wealth itself.
1 25. Easier for a camel, Ac. —That is, im-
1 possible without divine interposition.
s 26. Astonished beyond measure.— His first
■ statement appeared to give the rich some
chance, but the second cuts oft* all hope.—
i Who then can be saved?— The love of mon
: ey is not peculiar to the rich ; for the poor
i man cleaves to his little with as much te
nacity as the rich to his much ; and he who
i has nothing is as anxious to get something
I as he who has a great deal is to keep what
he has. Is not, then, entrance into the king-
, dom an impossibility?
27. With men, &c.— Yes, it is an irnpos
! sibility for human nature ; but God comes
I in the gospel to relieve human nature; and
• he can bring even the rich into the kingdom,
> but to do so he takes away their confidence
i in their riches; as with Abraham, Joseph,
: Daniel, Joseph of “Arithmea, Ac.
28. We have left all.— Peter applies these
searching truths to himself and his col
leagues. “ Whatever we had, we gave it
i up to follow thee; how then shall it be
I with us?
29. 30. To abandon any thing dear in
I this life for Christ’s sake brings a hundred
fold —i. e., a large counterbalanoe of bless
ing even here. For when friends or re.la-
1 tions are lost to us on account of the gospel
’ we receive other fri< nds and kindred by
brotherhood with Jesus; and if we lose our
own house, the homes of Christians are
open to receive us. Amid persecutions.—
It is remarkable that the strength of Chris ;
tian affection, the abundance of Christian
liberality, and the unity of Christian spirit
ara never so manifest as when persecution
is most malignant. In the enumeration of
those forsaken it is worthy of note that
wife is singular (as also father, mother,') —
■ ’thus excluding the idea of polygamy ; while
of those received no mention is made of
of fathers, because we are to “call no one
father on earth, for one is your father ttho
is in heaven,” Matt. 23: 9 ; nor of wife, be
cause the union and the love of husbaed and
wife are essentially distinct from those of
the Christian brotherhood.
31. Many that are first, to leave house,
&c., shall be last to receive eternal reward,
and v. v.; and many that are lowest in
'earthly dignity and station shall be highest
in heavenly ; as the apostles who from be
ing fishermen here shall hereafter “sit up
on twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes
of Israel.” Mt. 19: 28. For the bestowal
of blessings is not of debt, but of grace.
The religion of Jesus Christ is as suita
ble to the mind of vast comprehensions as
it is to the humblest, feeblest follower. —
There is precisely the same spirit of piety
and the same spirit in the manifestation of
that piety, in each. ‘Jesus Christ and Him
crucified,’ is the only hope ofa fallen world.
—* • •
Money due the Office, may be sent by mail a
our risk—always mail it in presence of a friend
(other than the P. M.,) or procure a friend to
mail itforyou—never register.
Contributors should write only on one side
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Those wishing papers changed, should give
the Post-Office they wish changed from, as wel.
as the one to be changed to.