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‘The entrance of Thy Word giveth light.’
Contributors to The Banner.
Rev. IT. C. Hornady, Atlanta, Ga.
“ J. M. Wood, Newnan, Ga.
“ J. S. Baker, Thomasville, Ga.
“ I). P. Everett, Orange Hill, Fla.
“ N. M. Crawford, Penfield. Ga.
“ B. F. Tharp, Perry, Ga.
“ J. H. Campbell, State Evangelist.
“ A. E. Dickinson, Richuivud, Va.
JAS. NATHAN ELLS, Editor.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA:
SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 1863.
An Appeal.—Who will Respond?
The chaplain of the 55th Georgia regi
ment, stationed at Cumberland Gap, asks
that one hundred copies of The Banner may
be sent to that regiment for the next three
months. The Colonel writes :
“The chaplain has been very energetic
in his efforts to secure reading matter for
the regiment. I cited him to your journal
as a valuable paper—the best, in my opin
ion, of that character in the State. A great
many of your old readers are members of
the 55th regiment, and 1 would be happy
indeed to meet with the rich treat your
paper would furnish.”
Who will aid us in the matter of furnish
ing one hundred copies, each week, to the
55th Georgia regiment? Let us hear from
the brethren and friends at once. It will
cost one hundred dollars to comply with
this request. All sums contributed will
be duly acknowledged.
Criticism on Religious Papers.
In the last number of the Index, its At
lanta correspondt nt ‘Theopilus’ takes the
position that it is improper for a religious
journal to publish certain kinds of adver
tisements, and among those that should be
“ negro dealers inviting people to patronize
their ‘ negro-yards and safe lock-ups.’”
The Baptist. Banner, claiming to be a re
ligious newspaper, contains an advertise
ment in which the above quotation occurs ;
and as in our humble opinion the trading in
slaves is not inconsistent with Christianity,
we fail to see the force of the criticism.—
‘ Theopilus ’ should, for the sake of those
unacquainted with him, have made his point
more transparent.
The same paragraph in this Metabasisian
of ‘ Theopilus,’ administers a hard blow to
the medium in which his criticism appears
—where he alludes to the practice of reli
gious journals puffing secular newspapers
‘ whose moral tone (if the editorial conduct
authorizes such a conclusion) must be in a
high degree pernicious.’ This portion of
the Atlanta correspondent’s ‘ point of order ’I
is a perfect sockdolager to our brother of the
Index, who quite recently took occasion to
commend a couple of newspapers—the one
edited by a Iniversalist and the other by
an Infidel.
—• ——♦ • »•
t>aj of Tasting; and Prayer.
Eriday, the 27th instant, has been ap
pointed b\ the President of the Confederate :
•States, as a day of fasting, humiliation, and
prayer to Almighty God in behalf of our
country —that He will continue His merci
ful protection over our cause, scatter our
enemies, set at naught their evil designs,
and that lie will graciously restore to our
beloved country the blessings of peace and
security.
Corn ! Corn ! Corn .'—Some one has
very sensibly remarked, that the question
of Confederate independence is a question
of corn. There is danger that the high i
prices of coitou and the stimulus to the
demand supplied by government purchases
will tempt farmers to plant heavily in the
staple. It would be a crime against Con
federate liberty to do it. Make food enough,
and we can fight the enemy forever. Fail
to make it, and not only your other crops
"ill do you no good, but you will lose your
lands, your negroes, and your country’s
independence.
The Child's Index.—Attention is called
to the advertisement of this excellent pub
heation for children. The price is only 50
cents a y ear, and the paper should have the
support ot those who would rightly train
the future men and women of O ur nation.
Terms of The Banner, $3 a year. (
S? K M WA3?® £S W 3® A MMS& •
Pure Pleasure.
Religion is rich with pure influences, for
it is a principle infinitely varied. It pre
sides over the different phases of human
life, and sanctions and hallows them all.
Religion forbids folly, forbids excess, for
bids an empty, frivolous living—and who
wishes to live so? Religion bids us have
a time for all things, and wisely live for a
higher and purer destiny than any of this
earth. It bids us not be profane or indo
lent, or licentious, or wasteful? Who
wishes to be so ? But it does not stop us
of one true glory. It forbids not one in
nocent amusement.
Look up at the sky : is not an expression
of cheerfulness and joy there, blended with
purity ? Look abroad upon the earth . is
not nature glad? —has not God dimpled
the valleys with smiles, and thrown sun
light over the water, and crowned the hills
with rejoicing ? It is true, life has many
and grave duties; different spheres in life
have different measures of duty; and the
true conscience must always consult cir
cumstances without, and the great law
within; but pleasures and amusements are
not forbidden by religion —it gives them a
more genuine and delightful ministry than
any thing else can. But not only this.
It sows within us the seeds of an undying
joy that fails not when outward means of
happiness fail, when animal spirits grow
feeble and low, when sorrows darken and
cares appall. This it gives us, shedding
abroad a holy serenity on the heart, and
imparting a calm lustre to the brow. It is
a principle of truth, and therefore it allows
us Slothing that is treacherous ; all that is
grateful and good it opens for us In abund
ant measure. It reveals new sources of
. happiness. It makes the spire of grass and
the twinkling star beautiful ministers of
delight. And do we think that we must
sacrifice pleasure by choosing religion as
our guide and our end? It is a sad mis
take, as they well know who cling to the
chalice of sin and drink the bitterness of its
dregs.
Do not hesitate to follow Christ because
you think your pleasure will be lost.—
Every real source of enjoyment, every
truly pleasant thing, it sanctions ; and de-;
prives us only of the evil—and even for
this it far more than repays us. It may
check a boisterous folly, but it bestows en
i during peace of mind. It may put back'
the hand that reaches out after clustering!
deceits, but it lights the pale cold face with
now will be less a pleasure then—it will be,
deeper and more beneficial,
TI
Thorwaldsen’s Christ.
The following poem is an illustration of an
actual incident in the life of Thorwaldsen, the
great Danish sculptor. It is told of him that,
when found one day by a friend in a state of
despondency, he pointed to his statue of Christ,
. and exclaimed, ‘that his genius was fast decay
ing, as it was the first work he had felt satisfied
with, nor should he ever again have a great
idea.’
Silent stood the thoughtlul sculptor,
Gazing on the breathing stone,
From the chaos of the marble
Into god-like being grown :
But a gloom was on his forehead,
In his eye a drooping glance,
And at length the heavy sorrow
From the lip found utterance.
‘ Holy Art' thy shapes of beauty
Have I carved, but ne’er before
Reached my thoughts a faultless image,
Still unbodied would it soar ;
Still the pure unsound Ideal
Would ensoul a fairer shryre ;
In my victory I perish,
And no loftier aim is mine.’
Noble artist! thine the yearning,
Thine the great, inspiring word,
By the sleepless mind forever
In its silent watches heard ;
For the earthly, it is pleasure
Only earthly ends to gain ;
For the seeker of the Perfect
To be satisfied is pain.
Visions of an untold glory
Milton saw in his eclipse.
Paradise, to outward gazers
Lost, with no apocalypse;
i Holier Christ and veiled Madonnas
Painted were on Raphael’s soul ?
Melodies he could not utter
O’er Beethoven's ear would roll.
Ever floats the dim Ideal
Far before the longing eyes .
Ever as we travel onward,
Boundless the horizon flies;
Not the brimming cups of wisdom
Can the thirsty spirit slake,
And the molten gold in pouring
Wifi the mould in pieces break.
Voice within our inmost being
Calling deep to answering deep,
Midst the lite of weary labor,
i ,v Thou shall waken us from sleep'
All our joy is in our Future,
And our motion is our rest;
Still the True reveals the Truer.
Still the Good foretells the Best.
Ordination.
Monticello, Ga., March 2, 1863.
According to previous appointment, a
presbytery met with this church, Feb. 28.
After an enquiry into the Divine call of
brother G. \X . Pritchett to preach the gos
pel, and a satisfactory examination of the
doctrines he holds, the choice of I leaven
was ratified, and the earthly seal set by the
presbytery, brethren C. Malone and P. A.
Lawson. F. M. Swanson, Clerk.
Elder J. R. Gr aves.—ln answer to nu
merous correspondents, we mention that
communications intended for J. R. Graves
should be addressed to him, care of Dr.
George Snider, Magnolia. Pike co., Miss.
[F’or the Baptist Banner.]
“ JESUS"’WEPT.”
The sounds of sorrow and the signs of woe
Were in the house at Bethany,
For death was there :
A loved and manly form was there laid low,—
The friend they called upon in need
Heard not their prayer.
The mourners thought the Master was their friend:
Behold, he whom thou lov’st is sick,”
Was all they said.
Surely, thought they, when we this message send,
Jesus, our friend, will quickly come
To raise his head.
And was the heart so cold, and love so poor,
That melted at all other woes
Save of the three
Whose hearts with joy had beat when at their door,
AV earied and spent, He sought for rest
At Bethany ?
lie whom thou lov’st ” —the Saviour owned the
tie, I
Noi did he ask who he might be
That made the claim.
O, blessed lot! may I, when called to lie
Upon a bed of pain and death,
Possess the same.
And Lazarus dies—and yet it is but sleep,—
While angel guards their vigils keep
Above his grave.
The Master comes at length to those that weep,
And meets the sad reproach, “ Hads’t thou
Been here to save ” !
He knew that He was Victor over death ;
And to the weeping maiden saith,
“ He’ll rise again.”
, His meaning went beyond the hearer’s faith ;
’ The day too distant seemed to ease
The present pain.
Then came those words sublime, with power so rife
1 To thrill the human heart
■ And light the eye,—
“Zam the Resurrection and the Life,"
“ And he that puts his trust in me
’ Shall never die.”
“ Where have ye laid him ? ” said His kindly voice,
• And, deeply grieved, He moved to where
In death he slept:
And though He soon should make their hearts re
joice—
I To show His love and sympathy—
?| Our Jesus wept.
. O, wondrous love and condescension this!
i The King oi glory deigns to weep
With sinful man!
He comes to earth from highest realms of bliss,
And loves and labors, to perfect
The gospel plan.
. “ Now take away the stone,” —He would not let
The sister’s want of faith prevent
His kind design.
I Though death four days ago his seal had set
I Ou dust now turning back to dust,
He must resign.
. “ Father, I thank thee thou hast heard my prayer—”
No life to mortal eyes as yet
In those grave clothes :
j Then lifts His voice upon the silent air,
I And “ Lazarus, come forth," he cries—
And he arose!
; 0 Thou, our gracious Lord and mighty King,
4 Sneak thus Hu>ur dead souls, and call
I rom sin away :
I Thy matchless goodness and Thy power we’ll sing,
And grateful tribute to Thee bring
From day to day. 8. P. R.
■»'.
Southern Baptist Convention.
The members of the Baptist Church at
Macon held a meeting on the 27th ultimo,
and adopted the following :
Whereas, The Southern Biennial Conven
tioe is appointed to meet at Columbus, Mis
sissippi ; and as that place is manifestly
unsuitable at this time, owing to the war;
and as we understand that the church in
Columbus, Miss., thinks it best for the Con
vention to meet elsewhere, and believing
that the Vice-Presidents, with the advice
and consent of one of the Boards of the Con
vention, may appoint a more suitable and
convenient place at which the Convention
may meet; and as it is very important for
the interests of the Baptist denomination
that the Convention should hold its regular
meeting, therefore be it
Resolved, That the Baptist Church at
Macon, Ga , do cordially invite the Southern
biennial Convention to meet with her in
the city of Macon at the appointed time.
i Not a Reason for Impenitence.
A gentleman on being expostulated with,
on his own neglect to seek earnestly the
salvation of his soul, excused himself on the
common insufficient plea, “That
t e ristian world was divided into so
many sects that he should be at a loss to
decide with which one to unite.” The reply
ie received was substantially as follows:
" i gieatlv deceive yourself if you re
-.ai< t is as asatisfactory excuse for an irre
ligious life. You make that a primary which
is only a secondary question. There are
var.ous sects which have distinguishing pe
culiant.es but there is a great foundation
- repentance towards God, and faith in
X d° rd J \ S,IS Christ ”-on which they are
U' , ’ I““ r consideration
• h uld |.<- to get a safe standing on that
foundatton, and then you will be fble, with
on danger more deliberately to determine
a th which sect to unite. 'You r
all, even the precious life ol yuur J u |Af
U ;, : | ,, U- VOU '-,P r '“"‘Pcrii; ju , situation
I „ k »t ■’ , secondar y question.—
Look at that vessel trembling under the
power of the gale her sails rent? her seams?
opening her rudder lost, and she driven
hopelessly toward the rockv shore Os I
what are her crew thinking? I s not the!
mam and absorbing object with every one l
to secure a safe footing onshore? Sun
use one of them, with death staring him ini
the face should refuse to make an Exertion
for his safety because he had not determined
whether he should be entertained at this
house or that which he descries on the land
This is your case. Get to shore first set
your foot firmly on the rock, then you may
safely take time to decide to which house’
you may repair.
*
Fothing reliable from Savannah, up to
the hour of going to press.
The many friends of W. A. Mercer will
no doubt feel a melancholy pleasure to
read the following letter from him. Thou
sands of parents will sympathize with him
in' his sad bereavement. W.
Flowerdale, Freestone co., Texas, )
January 15, 1863. j
Dear Brother Wood:
In the midst of affliction, it is my lot
now to address you. A few weeks since,
the sad intelligence reached us, through a
letter from brother S. D. Collins, that our
son, John H. Mercer, was dead. Two days
afterwards a letter came from my brother
in-law, J. B. Crim, of Adairsville, Ga., giv
ing us the particulars of that sorrowful
event.
Hearing of John’s sickness at Winches
ter, Va., brother Crim went to see him, but
talas ! it was too late; the poor boy was
gone to the spirit land. He died of diar
rhoea on the 2d day of November, 1862.
Brother C. was informed by the surgeon of
the hospital that John had an attack of
rheumatism in his back and hips, but was
not confined to his bed—was better. The
day before he died he sat at the table and
eat his breakfast as usual. In a short time
afterwards he was seized with diarrhoea, and
was a corpse in twenty hours. The doc
tor seemed toregrethis death, and John was
loved by all. Brother Crim inquired if he
had been decently buried. The steward of
the hospital told him he was, and went
with him and showed him his grave, the
head-board of which was marked with his
name, company, State, and date of his de
cease. There the uncle stood, and wept
over the spot which contained the jnortal
remains of a beloved nephew, who sleeps
beneath the soil of Virginia—the grave-yard
of the soldiers of the Confederacy, far away
from home and kindred friends. The sur
geon told him John was willing to die !
Oh, blessed thought—was willing to die!
The Lord’s name be praised for such a con
soling reflection. John, 1 trust, has served
his God for ten years, and his country for
near eighteen months through an arduous
campaign, and now has been taken from a
land of war and strife, to a world of peace
and love.
Brother C., who had voluntarily taken
charge of John before we left Georgia, and
had done all that a parent could have done
for his comfort while in the service, now
thought of having his body removed to his
home in Georgia; but upon reflection con
cluded to let it remain where it lay, until
the morning of the great resurrection, and
"hen there, amidst the hosts of themartyrs
of Southern liberty, his body, reanimated
by the long absent spirit, would rise, to im
mortality and eternal life. 1 approved of
his conclusion. If my sons must fall while
in the service of their country, and can be
decently buried, there I wish them to re
main. I can not think the sight of the de
caying body of one of my children could
afford me any pleasure. Dust we are and
uulo oust we mITsT return, is Hie decree of
heaven.
Several letters have been received from
friends in Georgia, giving us some accounts
of the death of our dear son. Prof. Col
lins wrote us a kind and sympathizing let
ter, filled with expressions of comfort,
which doubtless came from the heart of a
Christian brother and tried friend. Robert
Headden, a messmate of John, who was at
home on a furlough from a wound received
in the battle at Boonsboro, writes, under
date of Nov. 24, as follows :
“ The other morning 1 received a letter
from Sergeant Billing, containing sad intel
ligence. It is hard to relate the death of a
friend; but, oh! how much harder to bear
the death of a son. John is dead! He
died from exhaustion and exposure, after
he had passed through some of the most
terrible battles on record. John was a
brave and true soldier, never shrinking
from any duty assigned him to perform.—
He was beloved by all, and I know his loss
will be deeply felt by the company. John
was always kind to the sick, and won his.
! way to their hearts by his many good
deeds. lam sorry the Sergeant wrote me
none of the particulars. He merely men
tioned the fact. 1 will write you fully
when 1 get back to the company.”
> Cousin James Mercer, of Albany, Ga.,
! in a letter announcing the death of John,
! says :
' “ I received a letter from L. S. Rawson,
’ dated Culpepper Court-House, Nov. 9, in
’ forming me of his death as follows: ‘1
write to let you know of the death of John
Mercer. He died about the last of Ccto-!
’ her, at Winchester. How long he had been
’ sick there Ido not know. He belonged to
1 Col. Phillips’ Legion, company B, which is ,
! attached to our Brigade, under the corn-,
mand of General Drayton. J saw John at,
Richmond in July, and again in August,]
the day before the battle on the Rappahan-j
nock. He was then in fine health. It i.S|
said by his company and the Legion, that
a more faithful or gallant soldier has not,
been in the service. At the battle of Sharps- ;
burg, Md., he led in front of the Legion
, some thirty yards, acting with more spirit,
than any man in the Brigade, and was not!
only noticed by his own command, but by
all.' His death is very much regretted by
i his company.’ ” t
j Cousin James then proceeds: “Thus,
. dear cousin, have I announced to you the
■ death of your first-born son. May God j
(enable you to bear the blow with Christian,
resignation. The record given of him in
the above extract, shows that he was a gal
lant soldier, and that he continued to the
last—as he had always done before—to
possess the love and esteem of his comrades
and acquaintances. I had become anxious
about him, as I had received no letter from
him since the battles in Maryland.”
i I have thus, brother Wood, given you
some of the particulars of the death of our
beloved John. I know you will pardon
me for saying so much, have long
known John, and knew his character and
'standing, both in the church and among his
1| fellows at school, and in the community
} where he had lived since, his boyhood.—•
Ours has been a house of lamentation and
mourning for three weeks past. It is so
1 hard to give him up and say, “Thy will,
Oh God, be done! Thou gavest and thou
hast taken away, blessed be thy Holy
name.” John was a lovely son—kind and
generous to his brothers, obedient and faith
ful to his parents, courteous and obliging
: to all his acquaintances; and, best of all,
, he loved that Jesus whom he had so often
heard your preach.
' But he is gone. His once manly form
1 now fills a soldier’s grave, while his spirit,
1 trust, rests in the paradise of God, where
wars nor rumors of wars are heard no more.
Nothing will ever again disturb the quiet
of his soul. He answers no more the roll
call of his company. He stands sentinel
no more, exposed to the rude blasts of the
1 weather, and to the more deathly blasts
from the enemy’s guns. He is called upon
no more to make a forced march over hills
and along muddy roads, to meet the foe.
No more he hears the rattling drum or
booming cannon announcing the battle be
gun. He meets the enemy of his country
no more in mortal combat. Never will he
again lead his men in front of the cannon’s
mouth, to liberty or to death, and see his
comrades fall by scores around him, and
hear them groan, and bleed, and die. No
more nights to be passed upon the bare
ground, tentless, hungry and cold. No
more rheumatism or cholera to convulse
the body and take his life away. No—he
is gone where sickness and sorrow, pain
and death are felt and feared no more.
My dear brother, the stroke to us is most
severe. We had hoped that it might be
our privilege to see him again; to have
him join his parents and brothers in their
far-off land, and sit with us around our
hearthstone and recount the trials and suf
ferings of the war; to have him near us,
that he might be a comfort and protection
to us in our declining years. He often in
his letters expressed a desire to lie at home,
but would often say, “ I must serve my
country a little longer, until its enemies
are driven back, and our government estab
! fished among the nations of the earth. —
Then the way-worn soldier may think of
ease and enjoy it at home.” 1 sometimes
feel like taking up the lamentation of Da
vid over his lost Absalom—“Would to
God I had died for thee, oh, my son ! my
1 son ! ” But 1 must submit. Do, my broth
er, pray for your afflicted brother and sis
ter Mercer, and ask the good Lord to af
ford them grace according to their severe
trials.
William Judson, our second son, is still
in Arkansas. lie. was quite well and in
fine spirits a month ago. He has been in
several battles, through which he passed
unhurt.. Our hearts yearn over him now.
We often think of him and ask, Will he
too be taken away ? shall he also fall a vic
tim to this insatiable and cruel war? He
wrote to us some time since that he was
■ entitled to a furlough of sixty days, and
thought of returning to Georgia to visit his
friends, and of going to Virginia to see his
1 brother. Poor fellow ! little thought he
that that brother’s manly form was then
lying in the silent grave ! 1 have v ritten
• to him and requested him to come and see
his bereaved and grief-stricken parents and
■ brothers. May a gracious God spare the
boy, that when the sound of the cannon
shall cease, and peace again be restored to
the. land, the way-worn soldier may return
to his adopted country, kindred and friends,
and enjoy the balance of life free from the
strife and confusion of war.
If this passes the blockade and reaches
you, do write to us and give us the counsel
and comfort we so much need, and which I
know your Christian heart will cheerfully
afford.
Our kind regards to sister Wood ; and
may God bless you through life, is the
prayer of your unworthy friend and broth
er. barewell. As ever yours,
W. A. Mercer.
[JCor The Bapti t Banner.]
“ Wasteful Benevolence.”
Ihe views of J. S. 8., in a recent num
ber of The Banner, are painfully' true.
Packages sent to company and regimental
officers are. rarely distributed among the
men. We know of no way by which we
can reach the heart of the Soldier on the
tented field so easily and surely as by the
little tract, or the well filled religious news
j paper. At his leisure the soldier scans this
welcome visitor, and eagerly devours its
! contents. On picket, while waiting his
time to shoulder his musket, he roads his
paper. Ihe wearying hour of drill is over,
and reclining in his tent he feeds his soul
, with the rich feast of sacred literature.—
| Prostrate in the hospital, his nurse reads
| softly to him some sweet paragraph, some
I touching talc, that cheersand comforts his
i heart.
1 here is no chaplain in his regiment.—
INo minister visits his tent. Then the roli
ilious paper comes like an angel visit. In
the hospital he craves for something to
while the awful tedium of hours of pain.
How bright to him then would be the
pages of the religious visitor of his happy
home ! (j '
Agent* for The Banner.
The following brethren will act as Agents
for the Banner, and will receipt for money
paid for the paper. *
Elder J. S. Mlrrow, Traveling Agent.
“ J. H. Stockton, Thomson, Ga.
“ Thos. Mure, Cuthbert, Ga.
“ Rout. Cunningham, Macon, Ga.
“ Aldridge, Millwood, Ga.
“ G. k. Cooper, Americus, Ga.
J. 11. Campbell, Griffin, Ga.
W. J. Speairs, Starrsville, Ga.
John 11. Clarke, Henderson, Ga.
“ P. A. Lawson, Gaiffiu, Ga.
W illiam Lowe, McDonough, Ga.
Dr. John Cheney, Columbus, Ga.