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BY DAWON, ELLS & CO. VOLUME IV. ®lw li.apti.vit gmuwx, DEVOTED TO RELIGION AND LITERATURE, Is published every Saturday, at Atlanta, Georgia, at the subscription price of five dollars per year. DAYTON, ELLS A CO., Proprietors. A. C. DAYTON. JAS. N. ELLS. S. D NILES. ANCHOR IN HEAVEN. Ye weary spirits, tossed and driven < By persecution’s gale, Thine anchored hope is fixed in heaven, To that within the vail. Know thou, “ The Lord himselfis God,” . His hand thy life-barque guides; And tho’ rough billows round thee roll, Thy boat at anchor rides. O’er sorrow’s deep tempestuous Thy safest path may lie; The brightest star-beams bless the world When darkness shrouds the sky. So w’hen vile treachery’s tempest breath Shall seek to overwhelm, Then will briggt beams of heavenly faith ShowJesas at the helm .' A heavenly Pilot, firm and true, (By these same gales once driven,) Tho’ storms may rage and waves pursue, He’ll land thee safe in heaven. Electric fires, that gleam and. shock, But purify the air, And tho’ they shiver many a rock, They prove the Eternal's care. ’Twas persecution’s withering blight Revaled an angel arm, Extended in the lion’s den. To shield from threatened harm. And ’mid these same unholy fires The Hebrew children trod ; Nor saw, till then, that with them walked The glorious Son of God! Then be thou strong, oh fainting soul! God’s hand thy life barque guides; And tho’d; rk billows round thee roll, Thy boat at anchor rides. Let gathering storms tempestuous howl; Let threat’ning whirlwinds roar; With Jesus for thy certain guide, Tou’lt safely reach the shore. CREDULITY OF INFIDELS. The lives of many distinguished infidels give fearful illustrat ion of the danger of re fusing to believe the divinely attested truths of revelation. By the law of righteous ret- < ribution, those who have, persistently shut their eyes against the light, have gradually lost the power of vision, and the wilful re jectors of truth have finally incapacitated , themselves from distinguishing it from 1 error. , The very men who have derided Chris tians for their credulity in accepting the . Bible as a divine revelation, have often displayed acredulity infinitely more glaring than that which they have imputed to be lievers; for they f hemselves have frequently , become the dupes of impi»lers the most absurd, and tin* advocates of systems the l most revolting to common sense and rea sofi. This remarkable tendency of skeptical minds to embrace whatever was most un worthy of belief, did not escape the pene tration of Shaftsbury—a free thinker him self. In his “Characteristics,” he avers: “ For my own part, I have ever thought this sort of men to be in the general more credulous, though after another manner, than the vulgar. Besides what I have ob served in conversation with men of this character, I can produce many authors who, if they are wanting in true Israelitish faith, can make amends by a Chinese or Indian one. If they are short in Syria or Palestine, they have their full measure in America or Japan. Histories of the Incas or Iroquois, written by pirates, renegades, and sea-cap tains, pass for authentic records, and are canonical with virtuosos of this sort. The Christian miracles may not as well satisfy them; but they dwell with the highest con- 1 tentment on the prodigies of Moorish and ; Pagan countries One of the earliest of tha English skep tics—Lord Herbert, of Cherbury—gives a striking illustration of the propriety of this cutting sarcasm of Shaftsbury. Lord Her bert denied the necessity of revelation, and rejected most of the fundamental doctrines! of Christianity. And yet this very man has left on record an incident which he re lates as having occurred to himself, which evincesa credulousness amounting to fatuity. He tells us that after he finished the com-, position of his book entitled De Veritate,' being doubtful ot the propriety of publish- | ing it, he took it into the chamber one fair summer day, when the sun was clearly shin-i ing.and no wind stirring, and kneeling down at a southern window, with the book in his hands, he praved to the Eternal Author of ' light to give him some sign from heaven to ’ direct mm rtin ~h'r to publish or suppress his work, when Io! to use his own words —“ i had no sooner spoken than a loud,l though gentle voice, like nothing on earth, came from the heavens, which d;d so cheer and comfort me, that I took mv petition as granted, that I had the sign demanded, whereupon I resolved to print in\ book." Now, here was a man w ho thought he could form a religious creed sufficient tor the guidance of men, without the aid of the Bible, and yet he who denied that a reve- was necessary tor a »rorM of sinners, heaven would grant a specia. reve ralß to himself, not that he might know the HE of salvation, but whether or not t THE BAPTIST BANNER. publish a book. He rejected the miracles which attested a Saviour’s divinity, but believed in a miracle which attested the ex cellence of his De Veritate. So, too, Frederick of Prussia, who was ambitious to be recognized as the great im perator of infidelity in his day, and who thought it a greater honor to be the com panion of Voltaire than conquerer of Austria at the very time he was venting his scurril ous jibes against Christianity, was the ter rified dupe of astrology, and while the fame of his military exploits were resounding through Europe, was enveloped in a gloom and apprehehsion because of a prediction made to him by a Saxon fortune-teller. The late Robert Owen, after denying the existence of a God, and declaring that all religious were alike unworthy of credence, finally became a believer in spiritualism, and not only regarded himself as a “ medi um,” but actually wrote a letter to Queen Victoria, giving her an account of an inter view he held with her deceased father, the Duke of Kent, whose spirit he found inhab iting “ the first circle of the fourth sphere.” Yet these are the men who profess to be under the guidance of reason, and who scofT at the credulity of Christians. A Stay Hint Hliall not Be—A Day that Shall. It was a superstitious dream of the mid dle ages, that the bell of St. Fillan, if stolen, would extricate itself from the hands of the thief, and return to the sanctuary from which it was taken, ringing all the way. Only suppose that the power was given in all things now in the hands of those whom God regards as not justly holding them, and that a day were set apart for their universal re turn to their rightful owners. What a scene of bustle and confusion—what a hurrying to ami fro bf movables and moneys, would every street of the city and every road of the country present on that day ! And, when its sun went down, how much less would some own, how much more others, than when it rose! No sweeping confisca tion acts could so unsettle property. Doubt-1 less, the memory of that day would live to “the last syllable of recorded time.” Whatever has been gotten unlawfully, would go from us. We speak not of pur posed robbery and theft. The great mass of men sincerely loathe dishonesty, when “ the shame of its nakedness” stands dis closed to the eye; and we are willing to believe-we are unwilling notto believe-that all its known fruits everywhere might be restored, with scarcely a ripple on the sur face of financial affairs. But restoration, ruled by strict justice, would wonderfully change the balance of men’s gainsand losses, under the principle, that “the seller may always sell as dear, and the buyer always buy as cheap as he can.” This principle justifies the shrewd who practice on the ignorance of others, and the heartless who | take advantage of their necessities ; it opens j the door for the entrance of extortion, and closes the door against its expulsion; it flaunts in the sun a banner for the huge ar my of “ monopolizers, forestalled, and en grossers,’’ that now lays our country waste. Oh, may a fortune, which has grown sud denly like Jonah’s gourd, with the sanction of this principle, would perish as suddenly , as that gourd on the day for which our sup position calls. Whatever has been unlawfully detained in our possession, would go from us. No, matter how justly we acquired it, if we had : failed to part with it at the mandate of right and charily, that day would wrest it from our hands. What has been kept back from the distresses of the widow and orphan, of the disabled po<*r, and the honest man em-l barrassed without impeachment of his hon esty ; what has not been yielded to the claims of enlightened public spirit; in time ot peace for the development of the coun- 1 j try’s resources, in time of war for the de fence of her imperilled rights; what Christianity has vainly demanded, to sup port those who preach the Gospel and who i by Divine ordination should therefore live! of the Gospel, to sow the land broadcast! w ith evangelical literature, to bless destitute regions at home and abroad with the means Os grace, to fill the earth with Bibles—all this would join the hurrying throng on that ! day, and vanish from our aching sight for- 1 I ever. There shall no such day come on the| earth. But a day is coming when we shall be called away from everything gotten un lawfully or unlawfully detained—a dav when we sh ill answer at the bar of an inflex ible law and a Divine Lawgiver, for this getting and detaining. Oh, let us anticipate its stern inquisition, and so prosecute all business enterprises that it shall find our hands unsoiled with guilty gain — Religious Herald. lug ♦ l>aj ton's Monthly. Can any of our brethren or sisters send us a full file of Dayton's Monthly, from the time it began in January to April, when the disturbances of the country compelled its suspension • W e will give a year’s sub scription of The Banner for the four num bers. A AO HOWASW. ATLANTA, GA., SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 1868. HIS BANNER OVER US IS LOVE. ORIGIN OF THE CELEB RATED LEGEND “THE HOUSE THAT JACK BUILT.” As the occupation and pleasure of child hood produces a powerful impression upon the memory, it is probable almost every reader who has passed his infantile days in an English nursery recollects the delight with which he repeated.that puerile'jingling legend, “ The House that Jack Built.”— Very few, however, are at all aware of the original form of the composition, or the particular subject it was designed to illus trate. And fewer still would suspect that it is only an accommodated and altered translation of an ancient parabolical hymn, sung by the Jews at the feast of the Pass over, and commemorative of the principal events in the history of that people. Yet such is actually the fact. The original, in the Chaldee language, is now lying before me, and as it may not be uninteresting to the readers of the Congressional M.tgazine, I will here furnish them with the literal i interpretation given by N. P. Lebercent, i 1731. The hymn itself is found iit“Sepher ! Haganah,” vol. 23: 1. A kid, a kid, my father bought, For two pieces of money; A kid, a kid. 2. Then came the cat and ate the kid, That my father bought For two pieces of money; A kid, a kid. 3. Then came the dog, that bit the cat, That ate the kid, &c. 4. Then came the staff, that beat the dog, That bit the eat, &c. 5. Then came the tire that burned the staff, That beat the dog .tc. 6. Then came the water and q-.tenehe 1 the fire, That burned the staff, &c. 7. Then came the ox and drank the water, That quenched the fire, Ac. 8. Then came the butcher and slew the ox, That drank the water, &e. 9. Then came the angel of death and killed the . butcher, That slew the ox, &c. 10. Then came the Holy One, blessed be He, And killed the angel of death That killed the butcher, That slew the ox, That drank the water, , That quenched the fire, That burned the staff, That beat the dog, That bit the cat, That ate the kid, That my father bought For two pieces of money. . A kid, a kid, The following is the interpre.tatiun : 1. The kid, which is one of the pure an-1 imals, denotes the Hebrews. The lather by whom it was purchased is Jehovah, who represents himself as sustaining this rela tion to the Hebrew nation. The pieces of' money signify Moses and Aaron, through whose medium the Hebrews were brought out of Egypt. 2. The cat denotes the As syrians, by whom the ten tribes were car ried inta captivity. 3. The dog is symbol ical of the Babylonians. 4. The staff signi fied the Persians. 5. The fire indicates the Grecian empire under Alexander the Great. 6. The water betokens the Romans, or the fourth of the great monarchies to whom the Jews were subjected. 7. The oxisa ■ symbol of the Saracens, who subdued Pal estine, and brought it under the Caliphate. 8. The butcher that killed the ox denotes the Crusaders, by whom the Holy Laud was wrested out of the Saracens. 9. The angel of death signifies the Turkish power, by which the land of Palestine was taken from the Franks, to whom it is still subject. 10. The commencement of the tenth stanza .is designed to show that God will take sig nal vengeance on the Turks, immediately after whose overthrow the Jews are to be restored to their own land, and live under the Government of their long expected Messiah.— London Congressional Magazine. Reading Sermons. A great deal has been said and written j in favor of reading sermons; but I am yet !to be convinced that it is the most desira ble method of preaching the Gospel. Ac cording to my observation, the Redeemer gives extemporaneous preaching a decided advantage, in his rendering it the most ef ficient means of bringing sinners to himself. Indeed, it is in entire accordance with the laws of our nature, to be more affected w ith i a discourse delivered extempore, than by ; reading. And very wisely, and mercifully too, has our Maker subjected our nature to such laws, as could easily be shown. It is not denied, that sermons, when read, may I not move an audience, especially an intel ligent one. But Ido not believe that the effect produced by the best sermons, when i read, and read too, in the best manner, will I bear scarcely any comparison with the ef fect produced by the extemporaneous preaching of Summerfield and Whitfield, whether upon thedearned or unlearned. — Os course it will be understood that I do not exclude from extemporaneous preach ing, previous preparation, as a thorough ac quaintance with the subject discussed. \\ hile, however, there is no hesitation in giving a decided preference to extempora raneous preaching; no one can fail to be friendly to the rigid mental discipline, and the correct speaking that writing for the pulpit is so well adapted to secure. But the advantages may be secured by writing ou any subject, by writing a sermon after it has been delivered, as well as before—a method adopted by some. Though reading sermons should be discarded ordinarily, yet doubtless, on some occasions, and in dis cussion ot some subjects, reading is justi fiable. 1 [7*br The Baptist Banner.] District Meetings—Reboboth. Thomaston, Ga., Aug 29, 1853. According to previous appointment, a ! number of brethren ot the Reboboth Asso ciation assembled at the Baptist church at this place, at 10£ o’oclock this morning, ! to consider the interests of our several Mis sionary enterprises. After an appropriate sermon, by Elder B. F. Tharp, the meeting was organized by calling brethren Wash. Hartsfield to the chair, and requesting J. H. Weaver" to act as Secretary. On motion, a committee consisting of brethren Tharp, Sharmars, and Weaver, was appointed to draft an opder of business for the direction of the meeting. The committee having presented the re ■ port on business, which was adopted, the meeting adjourned to 7 A o’clock. Saturday, 7T o’clock, p. m. Met persuant to adjournment. Singing and prayer conducted by Elder j W. C. Wilkes. The Chairman announced as the subject for otir consideration, the religious destitu tion within the bounds of the Reboboth Association. This subject elicited from several brethren statements showing a con ' siderable part of the territory embraced by the Association to be measurably destitute of the means of grace, especially showing a great want, of the proper religious training of the young, and the necessity of furnish ing the colored people with suitable reli | gious instruction. Impressive addresses were made on these points by brethren Tharp, Wilkes, and I Davis. On motion, a committee was appointed to present to the Association at its next session, a definite report of the religious | destitution within our bounds. Committee: ■Tharp, Wilkes, and Weaver. Meeting ad 'journed. Sabbath, 7| o’clock, p. m. Met at the appointed time. The opening session was conducted by i brother Win. 11. Davis. The Chairman read as the subject for dis cussion this evening, the religious wants of our soldiers. A very forcible address upon the difficul ties and the encouragement's experienced in preaceing the Gospel to soldiers, was deliv ered by Elder B. F. Tharp. Some of the chief difficulties mentioned were : Ist. The fact that soldiers being marshaled by com panies lose, in a manner, the sense of their individuality and personal responsibility. 2d. The desecration of the Sabbath which prevails in the army. 3d. The practice of profane swearing, in which so many of the soldiers indulge. 4th. The slate of mind induced by the absence of the tender and sacred influences of home. On the contrary, there are some peculiar helps to the success of the Gospel among soldiers: Ist. The knowledge of their I daily exposure to the shafts of death. 2d. That species of infidelity which de nies a special superintending Providence is, by the force of circumstances, alienated from their hearts—the soldier, almost unan imously, attributing his preservation amidst the perils of the batlle-field to the protect ; ing hand of God. 3d. They listen attentively and respect fully to the preached word. Thesh several points were concisely and clearly presented, the speaker urging that the difficulties which stand in the way of the conversion of our soldiers should serve to enlist our mightiest energies in the use of all Scriptural means to save them, and closing his address with some stirring ap-: , peals based upon our mighty obligations to I the noble men who stand a living wall be tween us and our ruthless foes. Very interesting and pertinent remarks were also made by Captain W. G. Hors ley, of the sth Georgia Regiment, and Eld. W. C. Wilkes, after which a collection was i I taken, one half to be used in sending The » Baptist Banner to the several companies from Upson county, and the other half to Ibe used in supplying the destitute in the limits of the Association. The Chair appointed brethren Tharp, j VV ilkes, and Davis to prepare an address, * to be read to the next missionary meeting upon the Scriptural system of benevolence. ’ On motion, the meeting adjourned sine die. WASH. HARTSFIELD, Ch’iu. J. H. Weaver, Sec. t • . A A'ew Story. We expect to have ready in time for the beginning of our next volume, a beautiful, . thrilling, and instructive denominational Story, which will possess, for our young friends, all the charms of the most attract- j ive narrative, while it will embody a large amount of Bible truth in regard to the or dinances of the church of Christ. i of The Baptist Banner, I per annum—invariably in advance. i THE CHILDREN’S COLUMN. TO THE CHILDREN. Jesus loves the little ehildreu, Calls them to him day by day, Lays his hands on them in blessings. Bid them always near him stay. Jesus gives you holy Sabbaths, Peaceful hours, and loving friends : Shows to you the path of heaven, Ever watchful o’er you bends. But does Jesus love the children, Who nowiidwell in heathan lands ? Would he give to them like blessings — Lay on them his gentle hands ? Yes, oh yes! the Saviour’s pity Limitless and ceaseless flows: And ho died that he might rescue Them, with you, from endless woes. And he bids you send the knowledge Os his love to them afar ; To the children who, in darkness, See not our bright Morning Star. Oh be earnest, that the tidings Whieh.to you such mercies bring, May go forth to scatter gladness, Making all the desert sing;— That from thence a host of children, Os a number none can tell, May ascend to shine in heaven, There, with Christ, in joy to dwell. Who shall say how glad the meeting That will be w'hen life is past. When, with them, you see the Saviour, And your crowns before him cast ? A TRUE HERO; ORJ’AUL AND JAMES. Paul and James were brothers, one nine and the other twelve years of age. They attended the same school. James, the youngest, was ill-tempered and obstinate, but much beloved by Paul. The teacher one day was about to punish James, when Paul stepped up and said to him— “ I wish you w r ould punish me and save my little brother-” “ Why, dear Paul,” said the teacher in surprise, “ you are one of my best boys.— You have done nothing to deserve punish ment. 1 cannot punish you, my boy.” “But,” said Paul, “I shall suffer more to see my brother’s disgrace and punishment than I should from anything you oan do to me.” “ Why, Paul,” said the teacher, “what do you mean ? I cannot punish you.” “My brother is a little boy, younger than 1 am,” said Paul. “ Pray, sir, allow me to take all the punishment: 1 can bear anything from you, sir. Do take me and let my little brother go.” “ Well, Janies,” said the teacher, “ w r hat do you say to this noble offer of Paul?” Janies looked at his brother and said nothing! “Do let me be punished, and let my brother go,” urged Paul. “ Why, Paul,” said the teacher, “ do you wish to receive stripes instead of James ?” “ Jesus gave his back to the smiters,” said Paul, “ and received stripes for the good of his enemies. James is my brother. O, sir, do forgive him and let me be pun ished.” “ But James does not wish me to forgive him,” said the teacher. “ Why should you feel so anxious about it ? Does he not de serve correction ?” “ O yes, sir,” said Paul, “ he has broken ■the rules and is sullen, and willful, and somebody must suffer. Do. take me and spare my brother.” Paul threw his arms around his brother’s neck and wept as if his heart would break. This was more than James could bear.— His tears began to flow, and he embraced his generous brother. The teacher clasped both in his arms and 1 forgave James, for he was more sorry for his conduct than if he had been punished! ten times. A CHILDJS_ANSWER. Once, in a Sunday-school, a very little girl repeated the twenty-third Psalm very well, and so pleased a visitor who was pres ent, and heard her, that he kindly took a shilling from his pocket, and said ‘ This is for your little lesson, my child.’ The child’s eye flashed with delight on what she never perhaps had had in htr possession before ; and she clasped her hand tightly over her prize. ‘ Now,’ said he. further, ‘ 1 see a great many shops open in this quarter, though it is God’s day. You must, on no account, .spend that coin in any of them today, but keep it till to-morrow. You understand,! won’t be with you to see you; but there i is One who will see you, and will find out I at once if you break the Sabbath day.’ I he child was silent, but kept looking up ui the speaker’s face with a dark, thoughtful eye. ‘ \\ ho will see }ou ?’ he asked after a pause. ‘ Myself will see me,' said the child in aif instant, and with a gesture of pride. She did not know how noble her answer was • but she gave it clearly and promptly. She would disdain to lie or deceive, even when alone. She could never disgrace herself, though it was only in her own eyes. That was the simple answer, full of truth and . honor. Os course the visitor expected her |to reply, ‘ God will see me !’ Perhaps, 1 after all, it came to this, that God was so at TERMS — Five Dollars a-year. home in the poor little heart, that she knew no difference between His eye and her own eye. Can each child who reads this say so ? Is God at home in you: neart, and making it so pure and holy, that you think it the most solemn*thing to say, when you are tempted to sin, as that ragged child said, ‘ Myself will see me !'” Have the Ten Commandments ever been condensed into ten lines of poetry ? They have been, and are to be found in an old parish register in Lancaster, in Nottinghamshire, England, 1689: , “ Have no other God but me ; Unto no image bow the knee; Take not the name of God in vain ; Do not the Sabbath day profane ; Honor thy Father and Mother too : And see that thou no murder From vile adult’ry keep thou And steal not, tho’’ thy state be mesh ; " ' ■ Bear not false witnei s—shun that blott; What is thy neighbor’s, covet not.” Meeting ©f Baptist Associations, SEPTEMBER. Rehoboth—Saturday before 3d Sabbath, Union church, Macon county. ’ Tallapoosa—Saturday before the third Sabbath in September, at Lime Kiln, Polk county ; fourteen miles below Cedartown. Appalachee—Saturday before 3d Sab bath in September, Clark county. Middle Cherokee—Friday before the fourth Sabbath, at Dalton. Baptist Middle—Saturday, before 4th Sabbath, Douglass Branch church. Columbus—Saturday before4th Sabbath, • Cusseta. Flint River —Saturday before 4th tSa”b bath, Antioch church. • Sarepta—Saturday before 4th Sabbath, Milestone. Washington—Saturday "before 4th bath, Powelton. Ebenezer—Friday before 4th Sabbath, Poplar church. ’ OCTOBER. Friendship—Saturday before the first Sabbath, at Hebron, in Lee county ; two miles and a half from Branchville, on the Southwestern Railroad. North Georgia—Friday before the first Sabbath, at Pleasant Valley, Murray Co. Georgia—Saturday before 2d Sabbath, Damascus. * Coosa—Saturday before 2d Sabbath— Poplar Springs, Chattooga county. Piedmont—Saturday before 2d Sabbath, Bethel church. pSWi TO THE FRIEJi'DS OJP THE To those Ladies who will send us i the three largest lists of subscribers to The Baptist Banner, by Saturday the 10th day of October, will be presented, each, a copy of Dr. Dayton’s interesting book— ’ “THE INFIDEL’S DAUGHTER.” , 'Each competitor must inform us that she intends to compete for the prize, when she sends her first installment of subscribers.— No one should wait to get alarge list before sending, but send on as fast as they are procured, and keep count of them till all| are in. These books are now very rare. The plates are in possession of the«nemy, and wp purchased all the copies we can find to be given to the fair agents who, we trust, will delight to labor for our Baniter. Let us begin to hear fiom you at once. E. MONROE FEMALE UNIVERSITY, ’ FORSYTH, GA. THIS flourishing and well established Institution has now been in successful operation, under the supervision of the present Principal, for the last twelve years. It has received a large patron age from nearly one hundred counties in Georgia, and a number of pupils from almost every State in the Southern Confederacy. The Faculty will do all in their power to deserve and receive a liberal patronage. The FALL SESSION will open on the 7th of September, and close on the second Friday, the 11th day of December. Price of tuition in College this session is- $20; Music on piano, violin, guitar, &c., S2O; use of instrument, $4; contingent ex-> Senses £2 The BOARDING DEPARTMENT is in charge of Mrs. Rebecca N. Martin, an intelligent, kind, pious, and motherly lady. Board and washing fur ! nished at SBO for the term. 1 For further information, address either of thd* undersigned. W. C. WILKES, President. R. T. Asbury, Secretary Faculty. seps ly [Ad vertlsemeth:. ] * EIGHTH DISTRICT. H Captain GEORGE N. LESTER, , of Cobb county, having been a candidate for Con- f gress from the Eighth District of Georgia since the 2d‘July last, and being disabled for military duty bv the loss of his right arm in the battle of Perry ville, the suffrages of the soldiers and people of the District are respectfully solicited for him by sepu 5t HIS FRIENDS- (Etje Atlanta Uaptist Banner. The BAPTIST BANNER is published Saturday morning’, in Atlanta. Ga., by DaYTOX Ells & Co. Five dollars per year. . f NUMBER 44.