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‘ The entrance of Thy Word giveth light.’
A. C. DAYTON, lEditor.
JAS. N. ELLS, Secular Editor.
SATURDAY, OCOBER 3, 1863.
Our Platform.
1. None but those who make a credible pro
fession of faith in Christ should be baptized.
2. None are really baptized except those who
are immersed upon a profession of their faith in
Christ.
3. None can properly be members of the
church of Christ, except they have been bap
tized.
4. None can properly be ministers of Christ
are not members of the church of Christ.
5. Non-afflliation with those who refuse to
obey Christ in these things—with those who re
fuse to walk according to the Divine rule.
6. We shall insist upon Baptists practising
what they hold and teach.
."Vol Worth Controverting.
We heard a good brother say, one day,
that he did not feel that it was worth
while to contend with any one on the sub
ject of baptism because the whole matter
was so plain that there was really nothing
to discuss. It may have seemed so to him,
as he had been brought up in the way of
truth, and from a child, like Timothy, had
known the Scriptures. But it does not seem
so to all. There are some even among our
own people, who are easily disturbed by
the plausible arguments which Pedo-Bap
tists are accustomed to employ; and among
those not familiar with our doctrine, there
are many who have no idea what sort of
facts or arguments the poor, ignorant, big
oted Baptists can oppose to the mass of
learning and logic with which their great
preachers are accustomed to assail our most
absurd and dangerous teachings in regard
both to the act and the subject of this ordi
nance.
For thejr benefit it is needful to give
line upon line, precept upon precept, repe
tition upon repetition of the same Scriptures
and the same reasonings. Those who know
them all from childhood may grow weary
of them, but to many thousands they are
still fresh and new. All truth js plain when
we once see and understand it perfectly;
hut there is little of religious truth that has
not been reached by continuous controver
sy. We must have “no small contention"
yet for many a day, before we will make
plain to others what to us and to our friend
seems too plain to admit of reasonable con
troversy. A. C. O.
Are you Rifting t
Some time ago, in conversation with a
much loved brother, we were forcibly struck
with an illustration which he used to ex
press a thought connected with his religious
experience.
I have compared it, he said, to an aero
naut ascending in a balloon. The impulse
of Divine grace at my conversion seemed
to keep me rising for awhile ; but then, like
him of the balloon, I had soon reached the
level where, without more rising force, 1
must remain stationary, floating still in too
near relationship to the world and its cares
and troubles ; and like him 1 began to think
what I could throw overboard that I might
be free to go up high. He casts out some
bags of sand, and at once is carried above
the clouds. I would go higher still, 1 would
gladly go even on and up till 1 can pass
into the heavens. So I lay hold on one
besetting sin and then another, or one care
and then another, and cast them overboard,
and go up higher and feel that 1 am nearer
my Saviour, and enjoy his presence more
and more—no cloud between my soul and
him.
How do you manage to cast them over 1
By prayer, my brother, by prayer. I
make the 'oesetment the object of special,
fervent prayer, day by day, till the Lord
gives me deliverance. It is He that does
all for me. But lam not satisfied, 1 want
to get nearer to him still. I must go up
higher. I'here are some things that trouble
me still. Pray for me, brother D., that I
may be able to cast off every weight and go
onward and upward, even to the end.
• . A. C. D. i
A item in Ml*Nis«|ppt.
S. R. Whitten, of Uuisville, Miss., is
an authorized Agent to receive subscrip-1
.‘.ions for The Baptist Banner
THE BAPTIST BANNER.
DALTON, Ga., Aug. 24,1868. I
• Dear brother Dayton; The lesson of our Bible
class is the third chapter of John. In the sth verse
of that chapter we read that: “ Except a man be '
born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter in-1
to the kingdom of God.” The class have some
trouble to understand what is meant by being born j
of water. Our pastor thinks it means baptism, and '
that none enter into the kingdom of heaven who
are not baptized.
Will you be so kind as to give us, throftgh The !
Banner, an exposition'of the verse, and part icularly i
of the wdrds “ born of water ?”
e Respectfully,
A Learner.
There are few texts in all the Bible which
have given rise to more discussion than the
one referred to above.
It was, at a very early day, supposed to 1
teach that no one could be saved who had
not been baptized, and hence did probably
more than any other passage to secure
: the introduction of the baptism of babes.
Baptists, however, have never held that
baptism is essential to salvation. They
have always believed, on the contrary, that
salvation was an essential prerequisite to
: baptism. No one is to be baptized to secue
his salvation,but as a symbolical expression
■ of the fact that his salvation has already been
secured—in that he has died unto sin and
t rissen to a new life in Christ. He is not to
be baptized until he believes, and “ he that
* believeth hath everlasting life, and shall not
- come into condemnation.” We have not
time at this moment to mention in detail
1 the various expositions which have been
’ given of the text by members of our de
. nomination. We will only give what seems
to us the most natural and most probably
7 true. Notice Ist, that there are two things
called in the Scripture the kingdom of God.
i One is of earth, the other of heaven. One
belongs to time, the other to eternity. The
, former consists of all those who have been
rj rightly baptized upon a credible profession
of their faith. The other, of all who truly
r repent and believe, and are thus made heir s
i of God. Into one of these the entrance is
; by being born of water. No one is a
,f member of the organized and visible king
] dom of Christ on earth till he has been
0 baptized. But to enter the other, he must
r be born of the Spirit—made a new creature
/ in Christ, created unto good works. Speak
. ing, therefore, of the kingdom in its widest
r sense as including both, no man can enter
e it unles he be born of water and of the
f Spirit. s a. <?. d.
•_ | ——— M• • •
. Reliobotli Association.
I I •
t We had often heard of this body as the
t model association of the Baptists of Georgia.
1 We most cordially approved its objectsand
- its plans of working, and had greatly de
sired to meet with and witness its delibera-
e tions, but we had never expected to be a
i- member and partaker of its work. At its
s recent meeting, however, at Uuion Church,
v we had that pleasure.
i This association does its own work for
e itielf. It is independent of conventions and
i boards not under its control. It has its
; own missionary among the Indians, to
s; whom it gives a generous support. It has
'its own ministers and colporteurs in the
army, and provides all that is needful for
J their efficient laboring. It has two mis-
I sionaries in its own bounds, whom we trust
- will prove a great blessing to the people
iand the churches. The funds to sustain
.all these are raised in advance and without
any trouble, for the brethren “have a mind
tto work. ’ And they are so intimately as.
. sociated with the missionaries employed—
. having no Board or Convention between
3 them—that they take*deeper interest in
them. I hey feel that they are their own
• missionaries, sent by themselves and de
, pendent solely upon them for the means of
I continuing their work. They choose their
s men for themselves—they know who and
> what they are. They expect them to re
| port directly to themselves, and not to
> somebody in a distant city. They look
s with deep concern upon the progress of the
J work, and are ready to make any changes
t| which the developments of experience may
I seem to require.
\\ hile we sat among them and witnessed
1 the harmony, the zeal, and earnest religious
3 feeling which pervaded the whole body, we
> could not but ask, W hat if every Associa
tion in Georgia would act thus for itself—
sustain its own missionaries and direct
’ I their working ? What if every Association
> j would put but one in the field and give him
I all the means for the most effective working
; —would not much more be done than ever
? :has been through the Boards of the Con
[ ventions?
The nearer the mission is brought to the
I; people, the deeper the interest they will
J feel in its success. Let them choose their
~own man, see him. know him, love him,
, and then send him out, and they will never
. let go of the rope while he is in the well.—
When the responsibility is divided with
, other churches and other associations, scat
tered all over the land, they feel it lightly J
I I vet them take it all upon themselves, and '
it will press the cause into their very hearts <
—they will feel that they must not, cum not
cast it off, or neglect to make all needful M
self sacrifice for its sake. ]
AV ould that every Association could test I
j the matter for but two or three years, and
I see how much more happily and extensively
i the hearts of the m isses would beat time
! for the Lord. A - c - D -
B other JLan<h iim’n Church in
Savannah.
■ Our heart has just now been made glad
by good tidings from this loved brother and
his charge. We are told that for many
weeks past there have been conversionsand
baptisms almost every week, lhe war has
I not absolved all the interest of all the peo
ple. Though so many are absent, some on
duty and some as refugees from the expected
dangers of the yet the Spirit of the
Lord is with those who remain, and a deep
and quiet, but glorious, work of grace is
constantly progressing. May God preserve
our dear brother among all the dangers and
troubles by. which he may be surrounded,
and give him yet to see thousands as the
fruit of his laborious ministry. a. c. d.
True Patriotism.
We have learned incidentally that the
Hon. Israel Welsh, member of Congress
from Mississippi, on his return home from
Richmond, at once enlisted as a. private sol
dier in General iohnston’s army.
We have heard of men who even
resigned their positions in Congress, for
which the people had Supposed them fit, and
accepted commissions as Colonels or Gen
erals, for which they were utterly unfit. But
this man fills the place where he was put,
and fills it nobly, while he can be of service
there, and then is ready, for his country’s
sake, to enter upon the lowest where he can
make his services available. All honor to
,such patriots as these I A . c . D .
To Elder J. R. Grave*.
1
Brother. John R. Battle, ofSumtercoun
ty, desires you to bring your family and
make your home with him.
We are assured that brother B. has
ample means to make you and yours entire
ly comfortable, and greatly desires the
privilege of relieving, thus far, the caresand '
sorrows which this wicked war has entailed
on one who has done so much to inspire j
the hearts and uphold the hands of the 1
people of our loved Confederacy.
We give publicity to this kind invitation,
as we do not know where to address a
‘ letter.* And we hope that any brother
who may have the opportunity, will call to
it the attention of brother Graves.
a. c. D.
The flowers are drooping—their pale
leaflets lie scattered ugon the turf, and the
vivid green of the woodland-leaves is slowly
yet surely changing to brown and crimson.
The swallows are flying to warmer- climes,
and a soft wailing tone is heard in the
zephyr as it murmurs by. But though
Nature seems mourning over the departure
of the magnificent summer, though her
glory is waning, can we, too, regret it? —
Do we not gladly welcome the dreamily
beautiful Autumn, as she follows slowly in
the footsteps of her radiant sister ?
How lovely the earth appears under her
magic influence ! A blue haze drapes the
distant hills; the sky wears a look of
shadowy beauty ; and the sun goes down
in the west with a mellow light—his beams
falling slantingly upon, the silver streams
and fading landscapes, tinging them With
dreamy splendor. The mornings, bright
ened by innumerable dewdrops, are exceed
ingly lovely ; the twilight soft and hazy ;
and as the night draws on, the moon looks*
down through the misty ether, shedding a
pale, spiritual light, sweet and soothing as
the ‘ fall of evening shadows. The voice
of the breeze is sad. —the perfume of with
ered flowers mingles with it; yet there is
a charm about these ‘melancholy days,’an
inexplicable something, that appeals ten
derly to the heart, and breathes love and
melody Into the inner soul.
’Tis a season typical of the decline of life;
and as we sit with the light and shadows
trembling around us, we reflect that soon
the brightness of our own lives will have
faded, and we, too, like the beautiful sea
sons gone before, be ‘ buried in the dim
oblivion of the past.’ In fancy we revert
to the sunny days of our early childhood,,
the spring time of the heart, when all was
light, love and hope, and the sea of life
looked smooth and calm, each wavelet
gleaming ‘ with amber rays.’ Then as the!
summer of the soul deepens, the sky is
overcast by grief-clouds, and as the shadows:
iof autumn fall around, ‘the world seems
! but a dim reflection, itself a broader sha
dow,’ until the gloomy winter looms up,
' and the soul shudders as it catches a glimpse
beyond of the Valley of Death. But stars j
of hope arise in the heart—a holy calm
succeeds—teaching us that there are pre-I
cious realities, elevated above this transi
tory world, and giving us exalted aspira
tions for all the most grand, divine and
beautiful conceptions which have emanated
from the Creator, the Eternal One.
The Wounded Soldiers.
We are pleased to see the promptitude
>. of our citizens, every day, in caring for the
sick and wounded soldiers brought- in from
the late battle-field near Chickamauga. As
the trains come in, scores of our citizens
repair to the depot and assist in removing
I the wounded braves to the various hospitals
prepared for them ; while the ladies, ever
ready for deeds of goodness, are doing all
I- in their power in behalf of the suffering
i patriots.
The pastors of the respective churches
i have united in an earnest appeal to their
congregations to receive into their houses,
for a short time, such wounded soldiers as
they may select from any of the city hos
i pitals. All the hospital room in Atlanta
has been exhausted, and there are yet many
wounded men to be provided for. Our
citizens are urged to act without delay..
Let every one do all that he or she can
for these brave men. In all time to come,
the themes of our admiration must be the
unfaltering courage, the earnestness and
i constancy, of our gallant soldiers who faced
the Vandal hordes along the banks of the
‘ Stream of Death.’
The Banner for Benning’s Brigade.
We have received the following, which
speaks for itself:
Americus, GA.,Sept. 21, 1863.
Dear brother Ells : I have just received
my Banned, and find by perusing it that
Benning’s Brigade want this glorious little
herald of Truth. I thank our Father that
I have the privilege of sending it. Please
accept this bifl, and send it .immediately.
Respectfully, C. J. B.
The Banner in the Hospital.
We have received the following. Will
not others assist in the good work ?
Newnan, Ga., Sept. 25, 1863.
Brother Jas. N. Ells: Please find en
closed sixty-five dollars, for which you will
send, for two months, as many copies of
The Baptist Banner, as is right, for the
benefit of the sick and wounded soldiers in
the hospitals at this place. Any extra
,contributions from you will be gratefully
I received. I will send you the list of sub
scribers to this fund. ’ Respectfully,
Mrs. John E.
I | The list has not been received.]
1 Here is another call, by express :
The editor of The Baptist Banner will
’ find enclosed ten dollars, which amount is
1 sent by the “ Female Missionary Society ”
• of LaGrange, to subscribe for two copied
> of the above paper for the use of our sol
diers. Send them to the address of
\ Mrs. Francks 11. Hoff,
Sept. 25, 1863. LaGrange, Ga.
—-
Receipts for The Banner.
Western Association, for Soldiers, $lO7 65
Subscription at Newnan, soldiers, 65 00
Fern. Mis. Soc’y, LaGrange, “ 10 00
C. J. 8., for Benning’s Brigade, 10 00
' W. N. Chaudoin, for Pioneer Corps, 11 00
B. J. Bostic, Timmonsville, S. C., 5 00
Miss M. E. Turner, Yel. Creek, Ga., 5 00
Mrs. E. P. Thomas, Freemansville, 5 00
Miss Julia Delany, “ Ga,, 500
W. B. Long, Newell, S. C., 4 00
John Hunter, Twenty-Six, S. C., 4 00
Elder B. Boroughs, Anderson,-S. C., 400
Mrs. S. W. Caldwell, Penfield, Ga., 3 00
Eld. H. Carmichael, Whitesville, Ga. 5 00
Mr. Bowen, Warnerville, “ 5 00
Eld. .las. Perryman, Bueua Vista “ 5 00 (
J. 11. Kendrick, Henderson, “ 500 ,
William M. Cox, Pineville, “ 500 1
W. J. F. Mitchell, Butler, “ 500 ’
Mrs. Matilda King, Thomaston, “ 500 ]
T. M. Bryan, Reynolds, “ 5 00 (
Mrs. M. Carson, “ “ 500 i
J. M. Bynum, Marshallville, “ 5 00 <
* Miss Sarah C. Boroughs, Troy, “ 250 *
Mrs. Julia E. Samuels, Clay Hill, “ 5 00 *
Mrs. Jeannie Binion, Thomson, “ 5 00 |
W. C. Derry, for Orphan Asylum, 10 00 I
■ |
The Mails. I
Elder Wood, of Newnan, says he has re- >
ceived no Banner for two weeks; Mr. j
' Whitlow, of Andersonville, w'rites that No.
I 1
43 failed to reach that office ; and we hear ,
similar complaints from other sources. i
i We beg to assure our friends that the f
paper is mailed, regularly, every Friday 1
afternoon.. The writer sees the papers ,
placed (in assorted bags for the different j
railways) in the Atlanta post-office. There
must be gross carelessness somewhere. 1
i
Those Premiums. 1
Our esteemed friend at Noonday, Mrs. '
M. T. H., has sent two more subscribers:
Mrs. Thomas and Miss Delany, of Milton.! f
i “ Annt Edith,” also, sends two new sub- j.
'scribers—Mrs. Samuels and Mrs.' Binion.J
To those Ladies who will send us
the three largest lists of subscribers to f
The Baptist Banner, by Saturday the 10th t
day of October, will be presented, each, a t
copy of Dr. Dayton’s interes'ing book—i
] The InfideVs Daughter. ' i
Conference Meeting.
, The regular monthly Conference n\eeting t
of the First Baptist Church will be held at, 1
104 o’clock this morning. We have been !
requested to urge a full attendance, as btfei- g
ness of importance will be transacted.
’ The Rain.
Alter several weeks of drought in this* *
1 locality, we have been blessed with‘the
gentle rain from heaven.’ As we write, the v
earth is gladly taking in the refreshing
element, which will be productive of great
good.
Just So.—The refugee, Charles Halleck,
(over whose appearance ‘down South’ sev
eral Secesh editors vied in extolling) late
editor of the Augusta Chronicle, has shipped >
back to Yankee land. So we learn from
the Constitutioualist.
[Eor The Baptist Banner.]
> Coosa Association.
At one time the prospects for holdingthe
next session of this "body were very gloomy.
But in the good providence of our Heav
enly Father, the Yankee army has been
driven back, sb that the prospects now are
that many of the brethren can go to the
place appointed for the meeting. Having
labored long in the bounds of the Coosa, I
will be allowed, through The Banner ,to urge
all the brethren who can possibly do so, to at
tend this meeting. Brethren, let us go up to
pray for our country, our brethren in the
army,‘for the missions which we are cou
' ducting, for the church and community
where we shall meet, and especially for the
prosperity of Zion in these days of dark- t
ness and gloom. No doubt many of our
brethren have fallen, and it may be the
last time that many others of us will meet .
on earth. #
The Association, by appointment, will
meet at Poplar Springs, Chattooga county,
on Saturday before the 2d Sabbath in Oc*
tober. Providence permitting, I. will be
there. -
J. M. WOOD. |
POW’ERS, TweZl cowa/y, Ga., Sept. 10,1863.
Dear brother Ells: -Please state through
The Banner that Friendship Association will
meet with the church at Hebron, Lee coun
ty, on Saturday before the first Sabbath in
October.
There will be brethren at the Depot at
Smithville prepared to accommodate all
who may come ou the trains on Friday and
Saturday. Those who come by private t
conveyance, may enquire for the houses of
brethren Cheeves, Wells, Marsh, Griffin,
Tilman, or myself. Brother Ells, come if
you can, and tell that dark colored brother,
Hornady, that I say come.
Yours, &c. 4
T. E. LANGLEY.
|Feer The Baptist Banner.} (
To the. Churches composing the
.Middle Cherokee Association.
Dear This body,has just closed
its last session. Owing to the confused
state of the country, but five churches were
represented. Brother was chosen
Moderator, aud’the undersigned Clerk.-*—
The usual business was transacted ; and I
was requested to address you through The
Banner, and request each Church to send
me a full statement of the statistics -of its
condition during the year. And in partic
ular if you want the Minutes to appear, to
forward to me the money to pay for printieg
them/
Brethren, give the above your immediate
attention, as I wish to complete the Min
utes soon. Address me at Dalton, Ga.
Yours in Christ,
J. M. STANSBERRY, Clerk.
| For The Baptist Banner,] .
Future Recognition In another
World.
Dear brother Editor: After a long delay
I take up my pen again to trouble you with
a line. After many scenes and trials and
difficulties and privations, I am yet upon
meroy’s side of eternity. It is all of God’s
mercy. I have seen many of my fellow
soldiers die, and it is a consolation to us to
know that with our pious* dead the bitter
ness of death is passed, the career for glo
ry is run ; the probation is over ; their ex
alted spirits are thrilled with the con
ciousness that their destiny is settled for I
ever in hes*en. They are the companions
of angels and converse with them and sing
with thbm, and are ready to teach us all
they have learned in heaven when we rejoin >
them. They are the companions of saints,
and so are in the most congenial society In
the universe. They are engaged* in the
noblest employments and services; they
live in a temple of which God is the Master
builder, Christ the supporting pillar, the
spirit of central light; the songs of creation
and redemption the choral melody; im
mortality the surrounding walls; angels the
sleepless watchmen ; Infinity the boundless
ranges, and eternity the endless day : there
they live, and why should we wish to live
with them? T.here we may live, never be
parted by wars nor death again.
Since last I wrote you, 1 have lost an af
fectionate and beloved father, sister, and
niece, who died in full assurance of heaven
and undying joys. The last letter of my
affectionate father to me, was in these words:
“ Son, Jive for the Lord, for you will never
see the face of your old father on earth
again, and my son, meet me in heaven.”
And it was his last words. I will soob be
there, and O, if 1 may but meet my dear
father, and loved ones and see my Saviour
as he is, face to face, it will all be of mercy
and not of merit. May the Lord sanctify
these light afflictions to our good, and save
us, his people.
You may give these few badly composed
and written lines to the public if you wish.
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 ? We will give a year’s sub
scription of The Banner for the four num
bers.