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f , ‘The entrance of Thy Word glveth light,’
A. 0. DAYTON, Editor.
—t-g bafomow I
JAS. N. ELLS, Secular Editor.
. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 28,1863.
Ourl’iatform.
1. None but those who m'ake ft
tession of faith in Christ should be baptized.
3. None are really baptized except.those who
are immersed upon a profession of their faith.in
Christ.
8. None can properly tie members or the
church of Christ, except they have been bap
tized. * ! ?
4. None can properly be ministers of Christ
who are not members of the church of Qhrist.
5. Non-affiliation with those who refuse to
obey Christ in these things—with those who re
(use to walkjaccording to the Divine rule.
6. We shall insist upon Baptists practising
what they hold and teach.
Mr. leave on Monday,
intending to represent The Banner at the
Mississippi Baptist State Convention, which
convenes at Hillsboro bn briday next.
He will take his ink-horn with him in this,
his first trip to the West.
Scriptnres’on'botli Sides.
Nothing has done so much to embarrass
religious truth, and prevent it from being
cordially received by every truly converted
mind, as the idea that there is Scripture on
* both sides of all controverted questions in
theology. Men seem to suppose that the
object of the inquirer should be, to see on
which side there is a preponderance of
Scripture proof. They are willing to be
governed by the Bible if they can find
what the Bible declares, but feel that this
can rarely be known with any certainty,'
since when they think they’ have found a
decided balance on one side, it is uncertain
how soon an opponent of the views adopted
may discover and present some text on the
other side which had been overlooked, and
which will turn the scales. Thus it is com-’
mon to hear men say, that while all denom
inations have more or less Scripture, such
or such a one has not.
We heard of a Dutch Justice, when we
were a boy, before whom a suit was
brought, and the lawyers had closed their
arguments in the case’and awaited his de
cision :
“ Shentlemens,” said his honor, “ I gives
shudgment in favor of both of you.”
“ But, Squire, we can't both be right.—
If the plaintiff is right, the defendant is
wrong; and if the defendant ih ; right, the
plaintiff is wrong.”
“Yesh, dat is what "you say, now, but
you have both proved to me dat you have
both the law and the testimony on your
side, and I ish sworn to give shudgment
according to the law and the testimony.
So I gives shudgment in favor of you
both.”
Like this Dutch Justice are, to-day, a
great majority of the so-called religious
world. They . stenj to the arguments of
the preachers, and give judgment in favor
of all sides. Nay, they grow angry, and
call you hiad names, and think bitter things i
about you, in their heart, if you take the
liberty U> appeal to their common sense,
and assure them that two statements in op
position to each other can not both be J rue.
Or, if they have the sense and honesty to
admit this, they conclude that it is simply
impossible to know any thing about the
matter. Either the Bible is on both sides,;
or else no one can certainly know what the;
Bible teaches. Men are not such fools on '
any other subject, and they should not be
on this. What can be done to disabuse
their minds 1 How cau they be convinced
that God is not like a political demagogue,
on both sides of all questions about which
the people chance to entertain opposing
opinions? How can they be convinced,
that when there « tmr single plain and un-|
equivocal deliverance of the Holy Word,l
declaring a certain fact, or a certain doc-j
triue, there can be no other contradicting or
opposing it ? To illustrate what we mean : 1
what can be done to convince them that the |
Bible does not teach, in some places, that I1
some true Christians apostatize and go to '
hell, while in others it declares that not'
one of them shall ever perish ? How can '
we convince them that the Bible does not i
teach, in some places, that God elected cer- - !
t »in persons from all eternity to everlast -
UHaC flAimfenf rtUNS kh.
|hem, onfyfof iVis own graejous will, '
while teaches that there was no
eternal election at all, or, if any, it was of
characters and not of persons, or if of per
sonsTonly of such perj’^tas'God foresaw
j'would repent and believe, and persevere in
good works to the end of their mortal
lives 1
-MOK® convince them that the I
Bible does not, in some places, ordain, or
authorize; the Episcopal form of church
and .3?H )tbart
riari, and in othtfrs the
"irnriy^^ k iit ill
people, oF ejse that it has made no provi
sion at all for the.government of the Church
of Christ? How shall we convince them;
that the Bible. does notr,, teach, in -some
plaices,.’that the LutJjerang are the true
Church, in others that the Episcopalians are,
in others that the Presbyterians are, inQth
•ers that the Ylethodists r and in others, still,
that the baptists constitute that; body,, and’
in others that- the Church is any thing- apd
' everything thatfmetft/may choo>c to naake
1 and call- the Church;? 7; AVftjftAy theift
, that it ia absurd to suppose thatajl these
. opposing, and-contradictory views can be
true;, but what. absurdity will not men
’ swallow where it relatea.to
’i may.shnw them Chat, tp supposeall these
thiugs are in tfte Bible, involves the Bible
in Contradictions, ;aud the God Truth in
i falsehood. .But they seem more willing to
accuse God of falsehood than to abandon
the delusion that all denominations are
, Scriptural and.fitgftt. j of( bad odi
* Here is the work—-here ia.the labor for
i those who love the truth. We must first
- find some means to show the world that all
, cannot be right, before it is worth while to
spend Our breath in trying.to show which
[one is right. Who will help us in this
I work ? a. c. d.
—,—
A Friendly Dlsciimsloii of our Mis
stouary Plans,
We had no intention of entering, at pres
ent, upon any general discussion of the plans
adopted by the majority of the Baptists for
their missionary operations, until the sdb
• ject was, as it were, pressed upon us by the
Christian Index. We differ, in some par
ticulars, from the majority of our brethren
( We do not blame them for holding and de
- fending what they regard as right. They
are sincere and conscientious. But we de
sire to see their strong reasons. We are
ready to give them ours. And on our way
from the Bethel Association, in conversation
with brother Boykin, the energetic and tal
, ented editor of the Index, w r e proposed to
him a free and full discussion of the ques
tions involved in our misionary work, to be
conducted in such a spirit as should charac
terize the language of Christian men, con
tending for the Gospel of God. To this
proposition, we are happy to say, brother
Boykin at once, and very cordially assented,
and agreed to publish our articles in the
Index, we publishing his in The Banner.
In this discussion brother B. may reason
ably expect to triumph. lie believes
has the truth, and if he has, this will give
him the greatest of all advantages over us.
Then he has the whole time of a man in the
prime of his strength, and enjoying vigorous
health, to bestow upon his editorial labors
—while we are laboring hard from half past
eight in the morning till nearly sunset, in
our school-room, five days in every week,
and going somewhere to preach, almost
every week, upon the other two. So tliat
with our feeble health, we can get no time
to either think or write, except the scraps
which we can secure while waiting for the
ringing of the college bell. Then, brother
Boykin has been long a resident in Georgia,
and is familiar with the facts which bear
upon the point in controversy, and proba
bly has access to important documents un
obtainable by us. Add. to this, that he will
have the sympathy and support of those
great organizations, the Conventions and
their Boards, and the approbation, not to
say the prejudices, of the mass of the de
nomination—and it cannot be expected that
we will gain anything by the discussion, for
! ther than the truth may help us. It is only
because we think we have the truth that we
are willing to present our views in this for
mal manner.
We publish with this the article from the
Index, to which we referred, and will next
week suggest the true points to be aimed at
in the discussion a. c. d.
[From the Christian Index.]
A C. D. AND MISSIONARY PLAN&
In a late Banner, brother Dayton, noticing the
. Itehoboth Association and its missionary ope
rations, employs such language as implies a re
proach upon those Association* which see fit to
cooperate with the Boards,and such as corf
veysthe impresswn that by independent actiofi,
the Rehoboth Association not onlv feels a
stronger iacentive to generous zeal, but that it
actually accompLishes more than other Associa
tions. We do not assert that he irUended re
proach; bat Lhe ideaof sup''rioritgis soevidaxtiv
attached to the mission plans of that Association
that the article may be fairly construed into an
attack upon the Boatd system, whether so de
signed or not. Now, we by no means contro
vert the right of an association to act as it sees
best, in its missionary plans; and when one is
a. y ■ — •
inclinedjo do more injany one way Shan in any
other way; we bid it ‘‘God sgped,” and urgpft
forward. all verity, no doesas
much as and £ll of them
need continual spurring to bring them up to the
.m&rk’pf a of Christian duty in re
gai-d! to missßTO But we think ft isyet to be
proved that tbe.llehoboth is the “model. Associ.,
we think it is yet to be verified that the Relio
both’is more liberal than other Associations;
and we think it is yet to be demonstrated that
aetjon independent of our Boards begets greater
>lbvh arid'., zeal sos” the missionary .cause, and en
genders a more enlarged liberality. It is not in
point at all that because an Association feels
more interest in any particular missionary whom
she raayjhave sent out, and that therefore she is
morezealous in missioharyoperalionsjsutm in
terest in a particular missionary may exist, and
a mor<- ardent zeal for the great mission cause
—may, by no means, make greater sacrifices
than other Associations. Indeed, a [critical
view of the case wotild induce a contrary be
lief.
We campoint’ to the Georgia, Bethel, Wash
ington, Hepzibah, and Columbus Associations,
Which act in concert with our Boards, (not to
mention others) and ask wherein they fall one
whit behind the Rehoboth in missionary zeal.
The Georgia sustains brother Slover among the
, Indians, the Columbus brother Phillips in Afri
ca, and the Washington brother Stone, (we. be
lieve,).and the Bethel, brother Harden and his
wife, in Africa, having a “ Board or Convention
between them” and those missionaries; and we
i respectfullyjnquire it the Rehoboth “takes a
, deeper interest” in brother Murrow than is felt
’ by these Associations ? Can, ft bp said that ; the
I flame of Christian liberality and missionary
fervor burns brighter in the hearts of the Reho
both brethren than .in the hearts of the brethren
i of the above mentioned Associations ?Do not.
other Associat ions “look with'deep concern upon
1 the progress of tlie-(mission) work?” Da not’
i those Associations that act not independently of
the Boards have “harmony, zeal and religious
feeling” pervading their whole body t, Wpyld
> not an analysis of missiopary contributions ex
hibit as much ortaore liberality on the part of
1 other Associations, than has ever been manifest
> ted by the Rehoboth / Brother D. wishes “eve*
ry Association to test the plan of independent
action for “.two or three years, and sqp how
’ much,more happily and extensively the hearts
o’s the masses would beat for the Lord ; Vi but
' brother D. must recollect that Assocn
I ations are awaiting the result of the Rehotioth’s
, experiment; let that Association finally demon
strate the entire superiority of disconnection
1 witft Boards, before all other Associations dis
. sever that connection.
Brother D. says, ‘‘what if every Association
would put but one in the field, and give him all
the means for the most effective working—would
not much jjnore be done than ever has been
through the Boards of the Gon vention ?” with*'
out thinking of the sophistry of the interrogator!
- ry. Is it not possible for each Association to
sustain** missionary'th rough, the Boards? Is
brother d. ignorant of the accomplishments of
• the'Virginia Goshen Association through the
Boards ? Might we not turn the tables by ask
ing, ‘.what if all the Associations did as well as
’ the Goshen, (through the Board or its agent,
would not a great deal more be done than the
Rehoboth ijas,.ever done by independent ac->
< tion ?” Does not the Georgia “know and love”
brother Slover, and will it be likely to “let go of
the rope while'he is in.the well ?”
r Is’the to forget or neglect bro.
. Harden and his wife, just because the “rope” is
wound round the Board windlass ? Will the
5 Rehoboth, by holding the “well rope” in its
. hands, the Central, that
uses the lever power of a windlass ? Does the
1 Rehoboth feel a ‘'deeper interest” in Indian
- missions than the Central ?or the Georgia, for
the Bethel ?
The truth is. brother D,, we wantjhe love of
■ missions more in our hearts, and then we will
, do more- Let our people be cultivated up to
the giving and and then not only
- will “ interest ”be felt, but mighty deeds
. achieved.
We would not for the world really depreciate
’ the plan of operations adopted by the Rehoboth,
• but we deprecate that criticism which implies a
reproach upon other Associations for choosing
; to follow a different method. As for ourself,
» when experience shall have established satis
factorily the superiority of any other plan, then
we will be ready to adopt it, if it is a plan
- adopted not for an isolated case only, but sujta-<
ble for general adoption, For it must be con-
! fessed that, independent of a preference of some
: Associations for a Board, there is a necessity for
an agent to operate with that liberality of the
■ Baptists which, without the medium of a Board,
» might go unexpended, and remain useless and
t unprofitable. So that “a plan to be adopted by
every Association,” must be of universal adapta
bility
But it is evident that the article iu question
was written hastily and without due considera
tion ; if iu>t, it may be considered an operf
attack upon the system favorqd by the majority
of Baptists* And that others may see fpr them*
selves we give the article.
No Excellence without Labor.
When about to lead his army over the Alps, the
renowned French commander said to the engineer
who had been sent forward to ascertain the possi
bility of the undertaking—‘is it practicable ?’ ‘lt is
barely practicable,’ was the reply. ‘ Let us set for
ward, then’ said Napoleon. They did set forward,
and that extraordinary undertaking which won the
admiration of the world was successfully accom
plished. This brief conversation furnishes an index
of Napoleon’s character. It discloses the secret of
his success—his Indomitable energy and pejseve
ranee in whatever he chose to undertake.
With regard to intellectual greatness, it is espe
cially true that there is ‘no .excellence without la
bor.’ No man ever rose from a humble position in
life to that .of ,a distinguished scholar, or great man,
great in the true sense of the word, without much
labor. All the great men that have ever lived, men
of learning and disciplined minds, became great
through their own exertions. They did not hesi
tate to make sacrifices, to undergo hardships, to ex- [
pose themselves to persecution and ridicule in thei
pursuit of knowledge. They felt that knowledge;
was a priceless gem, an immortal' prize for which ■
they were seeking—one which would not de- ;
cert thorn at death, but which, if rightly used, would •
conduct them to happier worlds above; and in the i
pursuit of this object, they scorned whatever had a ■
tendency to divert their attention from this, their I
beloved pursuit. These great men frequently met'
with ridicule and persecution. Their motives of ;
conduct were not understood or appreciated by the
men of their age. It remained for after generations
to honor and immortalize their names, and feap the f
reward of their labors. To them we are indebted j
for all the great discoveries and inventions that have
benefited mankind, and whatever of civilization and '!
refinement we now possess.
Will not our friends, everywhere, ’
take the trouble to send us accounts of
Religious Revivals, and Church News, for
publication in The Banner?
‘ ]
Terms of THE BAPTIST BANNER— 1
Five dollar* per year. I
Newspaper Borrower?.
A ‘ borrower’,is an unflnishbd being, ijefe in
complete. There is a screw loose in his organiza
tion. He is A bad man~-that is, an unsafe one.' He
never comes to anything good, and is always poor
It is anfold Scandinavian proverb that when Satan
/wished wfth, and (jnally
SrstNeta him borro.wing, and ft ia a good old Saxon
proverb that ‘he that goes a borrowing, goes a sor
rowing.’ The whole tribe of borrowers are utterly
mean, and the newspaper borrowers are the meanest
of the.tribe, j, In/this country newspapers arc so
cheap that every man can—and every decent anan
does—buy his own.* It dirties and rumples a paper
to handle’it, and no man likes to have his favorite
family journal soiled by borrowers’ hands. Subscri
bers to good papers like to preserve them in good
edn'dition ; and in order to do thre, the paper must
be kept smooth, clean, and whole. No one likes to
preserve a.dirty, torn, or rumpled paper, and one
such unsightly number spoil* a Whole—one num’
ber of a paper lost • breaks the continuity of a vol
ume, and there is a degree of sentiment," too, about
a favorite family newspaper. A man acquires an
affection for it, and > i* in the ease of hi* wife and
baby, don’t want anything else to meddle with it*
Therefore the newspaper borrower is a disturber Os
the peace and happiness of familes; he is a pest, a
nuisance, and should be permanently diepOßqd of in
a manner'that would'prevent him from annoying
honest,'’decent pepple who pay for their newspapers,
and should tb fead and preserve them
in.peace. -b* / ■
-lit A J.'j ‘
Ocr Paper, to-day, speaks for itself. —
All will be pleased with the very interest
ing original articles contained in it. The
denominational department is safe while
' in Elder Dayton’s hands; and we are de-
I termined to ‘ do our best’ towards making
I The Banner, of Atlanta, a w’elcome guest
at every well-ordered fireside. Our aim—
; ‘Make home happy.’ The little ones shall
' not be forgotten —the editor loves the dear
1 children—and kind Aunt Edith will give
■ them, during the year, several very pretty
i Maries* etc. r t l t
b ' v * •’ -* 1 r***‘ j ; '’;Df ’i;
‘ Receipts For The Banner.;
! Chas. D. MalUry, Albany, Georgia, $5 00
• Ichabod .Davis, Americas, “ 5 00
L Perry, “ 5 00
1 W. M. Whitlow, Andersonville, “ 5 00
i Thomas Stocks, Oak Hill,. “ 500
Mrs. W. Alexander, “ 5 00
J Mrs. J. H. Smith, Atlanta, “ 5 00
>J. M. Butt, “ “ SQO
J T. J. Russell, Island Home, Ala., 5 00
«J. M. Russell, “ “ “ 500
! J. T. Bostic, Flintville,, So. Caro., 5 00
* Mrs. A.T. Stuekey, Cartersville, “ 5 00
I W. B. Gallman, Cry stalJSpring, Mis., 5 00
f W. E. Dancey, Canton, “ 5 00
J. R. Powell, “ “ 5 00
1 Mrs. Bostick, “ “ 500
' J. A. Dinkins, “ 5 00
J T. J. Smith, “ 5 00
’J. Woodall, Byram, “ 500
r W. M. Lea, jJackson, “ 5 00
J. M. Lewis, Brandon, “ 5 00
[A. Neely, . “ “5 00
> Tho. Trigg, “ “ 500
IJ. W. Bilbo, “ “ 500
T. P. Marion, Hillsboro, “ 5 00
A. J. Rowe, Starkville, “ 5 00
! A. Foster, “ 5 00
‘ C. A. Hogan, “ “ 5 00
'A. P. Maxwell* “ “ 500
1 W. H. Glenn, “ “ 5 00
i D. A. Outlaw, Choctaw Agency, “ 5 00
[W. W. Hastings, “ “ “ 500
IW. S. Bray, “ “ “ 500
1 C. W. Jordan, “ “ “ 5 00
Mrs. S.T. Spencer, “ “ “ 5 00
Mrs. Dollie Crenshaw, Selma, Ala., 5 00
Miss S. E. Dykes, Cedar Bluff, “ 5 00
A. Anderson, Burnsville, “ 500
» Domestic Board Missions, Marion,
to send i&ie Banner to soldiers, 1000 00
Battle at Chattanooga.
On the 23d instant, the enemy made the
first demonstration against our lines around
Chattanooga, and succeeded in gaining two
hills on our left, one of which they
On the morning of the 24th, the enemy,
after heavy cannonading, made an assault
in order to gain possession of Lookout. —
In the afternoon an attack was made on our
right, for the possession of the mountain on
the one hand, in order to perfect their com
munication with Bridgeport, and to secure
the railway leading to Cleveland on the
other. It seems that both these objects
have been accomplished, and the former
defensive line of our army has been reas
sumed. Our communication with East
Tennessee is unimpaired, and the advan
tages gained by the enemy*consist in an
> uninterrupted line of transportation to
! Bridgeport and Murfreesboro.
The daily papers publish the rumor that
Gen’l Longstreet has captured Kpoxvilie.—
:If this ne* s be true, the enemy have in ef
j feet gained nothing.
Ordination.
Brother Thomas J. Beck was ordained in
Penfield on Sabbath, 22d November, 1863.
The presbytery was composed of N. M.
' Crawford, S. G. Hillyer, 11. H. Tucker, W.
Singleton, and J. L. Blitch. 1
The examination was conducted by bro*.
Crawford and Tucker.
The sermon was preaehed from Acts xi,
24, by Dr. Tucker; the prayer was made
by Dr. Hillyer; and the charge given by
Dr. Crawford. Right hand of fellowship
by the piesbytery. Benediction by the
candidate.
WHAT IS
“ Look here, Parson D.,_haye : you ever \
read our great work on baptism ? I think
if you Baptists would read more on our j
> ou would [not be and
’overbearing as some of, youjseem
“1 do not know,Squire, your
great work. most of the books,
I believe, which, have been f published on
your side of the controversy.”
“ I referred to jhe work'of Dr. Summers.
It doos not, indeed, make 4
sions but 1 regard it as the
best and most that was ever
written.” ■
“ you hhve not examined care
fully were ever written, especially
upon our side of the
willing to allow that Dr. Summers has done
• as well-for. your fide as any one has ever
done. The Doctor^ writes with much clear- A
ness and force. He says, for the most part,
plainly what he means to say. He makes
a very plausible’argument, and has adopted
a most excellent arrangement of his topics.
Yes, 1 have readftSummers, and 1 likejt
very much.”
Iyim,glad_to_ hear, you [say so, Parson.
I always knew’you were not quite as strait- •
laced as some of your brethren. If they
were all as liberal, as you, we would get
along[so much I do not blame you
for not regarding most of our],books on
baptism, for Dr, Summers, himself, says
most of them are worthless.”
“Yes, most of them ar6 than
worthless.”
“But you think the Doctor’s is valua
ble?” •
“Il is to me on some accounts. No book
is really valuable that advocates error—
especially in religion. And, in this view,
I regard the work you speak of as worse
than useless. Ib is not only not good, but
positively bad.”
“ I thought you said you liked it ? ”
“ So I do in comparison with some oth
ers that have been forced upon the world.
I like it because I find in it a plain and in
telligible exposition of some points in your
Methodist faith and practice. So stated
and evidenced that you can not slip out of
them when they are shown to be unscrip
tural and absurd, by saying that the Meth
odists do not but only one of
their Ministers. This book was published
ten years ago. It had the sanction of two
1 of your Bishops, and was published by one
> of them for your Church. So I take it for
i granted that it is a fair exposition of the
> and practice of your body at that time.
1 And as it has not yet been repudiated, I
( suppose it represents you still. On this
( account I like it, and sometimes refer to it.”
1 “ What do you think of his definition of
, baptism ? It seems to me that it is in itself
1 a most conclusive argument.”
“ Do you remerpber what it is ? ”
“Yes. He says ‘Baptism is an ordi
nance instituted by Christ, consisting in the
application of water by a Christian Minis
ter to suitable persons for their initiation
into the visible Church And consecration to
the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.’ ”
“How does he know that is baptism?
Does he undertake to prove it ? ”
‘ No, he only states it, I suppose, as his
own opinion.”
“ Then it is enough for me to state as my
> opinion, that baptism does not consist in
applying water to suitable persons, but in
plunging suitable persons into the water. 4
The very meaning of the words baptize and
baptism, as they were used in the time of
Christ, requires this. And this meaning
you can find in any Greek lexicon
you choose to examine.”
He says that in the New Testament
‘ the word properly denotes purification by
water.’ ”
“ I suppose he borrowed that idea from
Dr. Beecher of Illinois, who makes a large
argument standing like a cone upon its apex,
all sustained by the little incident that some
question arose between the Jews and John’s *
disciples about purifying, and which seems
to suggest a conversation about baptism.
Baptism is a sort of purification, but that
purification is performed by immersion in
water. Baptism is washing, but the wash
ing is performed by immersion in water.
The word . for baptism means immersion—
Qvt purification nor washing; yet when
there is an immersion in’water there is a
consequent washing and purification. He j
must be very dull who cannot perceive that
the baptism, that is, the immersion, is one
thing and the consequent purification is an
other. If the Lord had meant to call it
purification he would have used the Greek •
word which meant to purify, and that was
not Baptidso but
“ I thought you would find some way to
get out of it, Parson. It is hard to get you j
Baptists cornered.”
“ Why, my dear sir, there is nothing to
get out of. You come and tell me that
there is an argumeat against immersion in
the very definition of baptism as you find i