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THE BAPTIST BANNER. BY DAYTON, ELLS & CO. VOLUME V. gta • gajrtfeff gaaw, devoted to religion and literature, Is published every Saturday, at Atlanta. Geoigifi. at the subscription price of five dollars per year. DAYTON, e ELLS;& CO., Proprietors. A. C. DAYTON. JAS. N. ELLS. 8. D. NILES [for" The Baptist Banner.] FORGET-ME-NOTS. Forget mb not! Wee, Harry flowers, Forever to the skies— Like a meek maiden at her prayers — They lift their soft, blue eyes. Along the lanes, in woodland paths, From mossyJieds they start, Perchance with modest smiles to cheer Some lonely wanderer’s heart. They come when spring’s first footstep wakes The nectared violet; They linger till pale autumn's brow With chilly dews is wet. All through the long, bright summer days They lurk in dewy glades, Smiling by .fern-fringed rivulets, Beneath magnolia shades. These souvenirs of sweet spring time With lavish hand are strewn - Some, on the strand where pink-tinged shells Echo moan, While others tremble on frail stems. Adown the mountain side, Where vines their clustered amethysts (n emerald settings hide. Some droop where loving mosses cast A veil on rugged stones, Like charity, which mantles all The faults of erring ones: They come to breathe a lesson sweet To all, in hall or cot— ’Tis this : God looks from their meek eyes. Baying, “ Forget Me Not! ” N’IrtWPoaTE. M_ UMBIMMIM liSIISH 111 llf I If [For T/te Baptist Banner.] ADA MAYFIELD. BY A LADY. CHAPTER V.—[Continued.] TTNCLE Mark, did not I understand vJ you to say, when the mourner be lieves on God, lie will send His peace imo his soul?” “ Yes; but let me give you the testimony of Scripture again: ‘He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life.’ ‘He that believeth on Him is not condemned. ‘ When the eunuch believed ho was bap tized, and went on his way rejoicing.’ Jesus say s, ‘He that believeth in me, though he ] were dead, yet shall he live.’ ‘ Whosoever believeth in Him shall receive remission of sins.’ ” “ Well, uncle Mark,” replied Lewis, in a constrained voice, “ I don’t know whether you call me a mourner or not, but I know that I am exceeding sick ot my former sin ful life, and desire above all things to be a Christian. If 1 could feel as secure of heaven as some of you seem to be, and re joice as you do sometimes, and bo as con tented and happy as you are all the lime, I would be willing to give up all the pleasures and emoluments of the world—l would be willing even to take Uncle Jupe’s place, if 1 could feel as secure of salvation as he ( does—yes, 1 would be willing to give my self up to go anywhere, and do anything, if I could only realize what you Christians say you do. 1 didn’t feel so humble, though, till to-day. Now, I believe in the Bible— believe that Christ died for sinners; but, oh! instead of peace and joy, I feel so wretched —too vile, too wicked, for even I Christians to notice, much less God.” Here he arose and walked the floor in an , agitated manner. Tears prevented Mr. • Mayfield and Ada from speaking for some' time, while Lucy wept aloud in abandon-i ment of grief for her brother’s distress. Fi-: ually he sat down by her, and mingled his tears with hers. ,l My poor boy,'’ said uncle Mark, alter a pause, “ 1 tear you believe only with the head, not with the heart. You have given a mere intellectual assent to the truths of Scripture, but your heart docs not respond to the same. If you will examine the Scriptures you will find that the sinner never becomes too vile f-r God to notice, nor good enough to be pardoned upon his own merits. The thief, as vile as human nature can be, was freely pardoned so soon as he confessed Christ to bo the only Sa viour. Die blood of Christ cleanseth from all tin, no matter how atrocious. My dear boy, the Bible is true; the fault is with yourself, not with God. You say you be lieve ; but you have not the faith required 4. mgfigevs AH® WAXX&>'S JS®WSBMUP». in the Scriptures. Your repentance is sin cere, for you say you loathe your former sinful course; but you have not believed unto salvation. I fear you are still wishing to do something to bring yourself .into God’s notice. You desire to wash away a little of your vileness—to purify your cor rupt heart a little—to think better thoughts and perform better deeds —so as to become fit for God’s purposes. But you cannot do it; you can not wash away the guilt of one wicked thought even. It is the blood of Christ alone that cleanseth from sin, not your good deeds. You must come to God, vile as you are —banish all thought of per forming any meritorious act —humble your self at the foot of the cross —resign yourself entirely into His hands, to do with accor ding to His good pleasure —beg for mercy alone through the merits of Christ, believ ing with all your heart that He is able and willing to save all that com i u.ito God through Christ. God will iot save yon while you believe that Christ died to save you, and believe also that j >u must do something to merit this salvition. lou must throw self entirely out < f the scale, and depend upon the blood of Christ alone. May God grant you this saving , ; faith, my dear boy, and send His precious peace into your soul ! CHAPTER VI. rnHEIR conversation was in errupted by 1 a rap at the front door, announcing visitors —a very 'unusual occur ence at un de Mark’s on the’Sabbath'; for .11 the neigh bors knew his opinions and ha its too well to intrude upon the sanctuary »f his quiet home on this sacred day. Ar. Mayfield answered the summons himsell for his ser vants were all at their cabins enjoying this, their rest day. « Good evening, Mr. Harris ; walk into the parlor, sir,” was his"'slutati m, while he led the way, opening a blind t > admit the breeze. Mr. H. apologized for intruding upon their quiet by saying that he found it re markably dull in the country o i a Sabbath, when there were no afternoon services to attend. “Ah ! yes,” Mark; “ some of my young folk did complait terribly of it for a while, but I believe they have be come reconciled to it at last;” and he went out to summon his “young folk,” knowing that Ada was the sole attraction, and that the alleged dullness was only a laine excuse for so soon repeating his visit of Friday. But, as he was there, he must be treated politely, and’uncle Mark trusted to circum stances to direct the conversation into thej riuht channel, and to make even this unusual | visit productive of good, cither to the guest or to some one ot the family-. After passing the usual compliments with his guest, Lewis, who still wore rather a| dejected lobk, walked out on the back piazza. I He was soon joined by Lucy, and drawing her hand through his arm, they commenced walking up and dow n the long piazza and hall which connected the dining room with the main body of the house. They made two or three turns in silence. But Lewis) presently reverted to the subject that was J in all his thoughts. “I do not quite under stand uncle Mark, yet, Lucy. I don’t ' know what he means by saying I must be jieve, when Ido believe. 1 believe all that js written in Ihe Bible, but I do not fn I that any of the promises recorded there will ap ply to my case." “That is the trouble, Lewis; you believe these promises are true, no doubt, but you do not rely upon them; you give them all away to others; you think God promises this to such a one, but you do ‘not reflect for a moment that you are in the same case To just such as you the promise is given— ‘Come unto me nil ye that labor and an • heavy laden, and I will give you rest,’ but you do not trust in it. You remember, when we were small, one summer while we were staying here, you and Ned and I had been absent from the house all one after noon. Nobody could give any account of us, and mother became so uneasy she start led to look for us herself. She found us in the lower pool, playing, where w e had been for several hours. We knew we were doing wrong, and thought, as a matter of course, she was going to punish us. So we began to cry, as she came up, instead of going’out HIS BANNER OVER US IS LOVE. ATLANTA, GA., JANUARY 9, 1864. to her and begging her forgiveness. As soon as'she could be heard, for our crying, she promised us, i.' we would come out, she would not punish us. You whispered to Ned'and me .to go along, that she meant it [for us, cut refused to come yourself.— Now, you didn’t believe mother, Lewis, and you had no right to disbelieve her; for you never knew her to break a promise, or speak that which was not true.” “ Oh ! yes, I (ZZtZbeßeve her, but I thought she meant only yot and Ned; for I was most to blame, as I was the oldest, and led vou in.” “There was no reason why you should think she meant us only • forjshe didn’t say she would forgive the yonngest, or those who were least to blame, but she merely looked at us, and said, if we would come out she would forgive us. We were all in the same case, ai d she made the same promise to all. Ned and I took her at her word, and went out to her, when she ki ;sccl us,and told Hannah to take us to the house, and put on some dry clothes. But she staid a long time and waited, before you came. Don’t you rememberjit ?” “ Indeed I do,” replied thejyoung man, as the tears gathered in his eyes, “and I re member, also,, she Jid’not”add anything to her promise, or ev»n repeat it, but held out her hand, and said, on.e or twice, ‘ come! ’ And when I did come, at last, she seemed so rejoiced I could nut help crying again, to think I had been so obstinate.” “ Now, Lewis, you treat God in the same way. You believed mother spoke the truth, for she never spoke anything else, but you could not trust her promise for yourself.— You gave it all away to Ned and me, who were exactly iiqthe same case, and received the very same premise that you did. So you believe God speaks the truth, and that He will pardon the rt penting one ; but you do not trust in it so as to apply it to your own ease. You read, ‘ the Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart, and saveth sucl> as be of a contrite spirit.’ You find j ourself in the very situation described, but you think the promise intended for some one else who is exactly in the same case, just as you thought mother meant us, to the exclusion of yourself; so, as uncle Mark said, you do not believe, there fore ” “ But, stop a moment, Lucy, stop • That passage is not in the Bible, is it ? I never heard it before!” and he[faced about, sud denly, and looked into her eyes with an ex pression of unfeigned delight. “ Certainly, it is ! and you have heard it before, but not in faith ; therefore you do not remember it. Let me get my Bible, and 1 will show it to you.” She darted off, and returning with the Book, soon showed it to him, by the light of the setting sun—Psalms xxxiv: 18. TAey balanced the Book on the railing, and con tinued to read and t&ik,[Lewis, in his rap ture, talking so loud as to attract the atten tion of Ada, as she passed into-the dining room to attend to the supper-table. She glanced at his face; he luoked at her at .he same instant; their eyes met. She could not be mistaken in the expression >f his eyes—a light, as if from heaven, ill nnina ted them —joy beamed in every glance; and though no word was .spoken, sle un derstood him perfectly. He contin led to talk to Lucy, and she went m in o the! dining room ; but as she passed arou id the I table she felt as if skimming the air She I performed her accustom d service n echan ' iealfy, w ithout noticing what she was Joiag, and might have made many ludicrou ; blun ders, if it had not been for the obsarvantl eyes of little Hattie, who was fol owing her sister round, and watching every mo tion. “La, sister!” sh< suddenly exclaimed, “how funny! You are putting preserves in a pick’e-dish.” “Oh ! yes, honey ; I was not thinking. 1 will chargept.” “Sister, what ms.es you keep I.rugh iing?” “ Ain I laughing?” “ Yes, ma’am, just a little bit, just so,” I imitating a smile as near as she cou J. ; “It is because lan happy, honev.” “ What makes you happy right now”’ pertinaciously queried the little cue. “ I don t know t at you would under stand, my dear, iff were to tsil }cu,” she Isaid, stopping to caress the little, rosv cheek. “ Why, sister, is it hard to know ?—hard er than my lesson ? Why ” Here Uncle Jupe appeared at the door with a bunch of wild flowers in his hand and calling ont, “See, honey, what I got foi you,” relieved Ada, for the present, frorr further questioning; for the little out bounded to the door, and forgot all about the subject in her delight with the present from “ Grandsire.” He had to tell her where he “gathered them; then Chari it must put them in a vase of water and’plact them on “sister’s” bureau, while she fol lowed him, chatting all the while. By the the time she got them arranged to her no tion, supper was announced, which effcC tually silenced her; for the little ones at uncle Mark’s were too well trained to talk at the table, unless[spoken[,to. “ It is our custom, Mr. Harris,” said Mr Mayfield, as they entered the parlor again, after supper,7“ to read by turns, on Sab batffevenings, either in the Bible or sonu religious work. It may[seem to you to bi an old-fashioned notion of mine; but wt have derived great pleasure and profit from it. I hope it will not appear tedious oi prosy to you.” “No, sir; do not fear that. 1 beg you will make no change on my account. Indeed it will give me pleasure to join with you in the exercises.” So many'questions'were propounded to night by the different members of the circle, that it proved to be more of a conversa tion than a ' reading. Lewis’ elevation of spirits was plainly discernible to all in this affectionate family, and gave a lively tom to the conversation. “ To what denomination do}you belong, Mr.Hlarris ?” queried Mr. M., during the evening. “To none. lam not a member of any church.” “ Ah ! 1 inferred from you"remarks, this evening, that you were a professor of reli gion.” “ I do indulge a hope, though a very faint one, that my sins have been par doned.” “ Then, why do you not make it known ? —why not join a church and enter into ac tive service of the Lord ? Is it because you are in doubt which is the church?” ‘“No, sir, not at all. My mother is a Baptist, and taught me to read the Bible foi myself, and in that Book I find no doctrines but such as the Baptists hold, and no churches mentioned but such as correspond to theirs. I am perfectly satisfied 'upon that subject; but lam afraid I may be de ceived with regard to a change of heart. 1 know there is a change'; I am not what 1 was before ; but my evidences of accep tance are not so clear as 1 would like tc have them before I take such an important step as uniting with a church. It is a very serious affair, Mr. Mayfield.” “So it is; and I wonld not advise any one to take such a step without giving it due consideration. I hope you will'not br offended ii I ask you a few questions. 1 never willingly .neglect an opportunity of doing my Master service.” “Not at all, sir. In fact. I court, rathei than shun, conversation up in this subject. But you ace the only one tha - has ever mar i fested any desire to talk upon the subject to me. “ You say the evidence of your accep tan .e is not sufficiently bright. But, small as your hope is, from whom Jid you receive it?” “ From God, sir. It is the free gift of His love.” “ D > you nut suppose G d knows what it requires to qualify you f r an entrance into His visible kingdom? and do you sup pose He would half way prepare you for it, and then leave you to finish ‘he preparation yourself “ No, sir. But I have heard some per sons, in relating their experience, say there was not a cloud to dim their hones, and 1 have heard members of the church rejoicing with a fullness of joy I never felt. If I could only feel as happy as some of them seem to be, I would dot hesitate another day.” “ AIU my dear sir, do y u expect your evidences to be brightened while you re main hi rebellion to God’s commands?” “ 1 was r.ot aware, sir, that I was in re bellion” “ What does God require of all who have TERMS—Five Dollars a-year. received His pardoning grace, and passed ■ from death unto life ?” “To glorify Him by publicly testifying , to the truth, of religion—to come out from , the world, and unite with the people of God iii His service. I know it is wrong for a prefessor of religion to remain in the ■ w r orld; but you do not understand me, sir. My hope, is so faint I am afraid to trust it.” “ Yes, I understand you perfectly. You are afraid, or not willing—that is it—to trust the grace God has seen fit to give you. How much do you think that little grace that you treat so contemptuously is worth, Mr. Harris? Let us test its value, iou say it is too small to trust; but, small as it is, what would you take to have it blotted out from your heart, and you placed exactly where you were before you felt it?” “ Why, nothing, sir! not all the world 1 sir! ” replied he, with a start of alarm. [to be continued.] the Baptist Banner.] Heart Jewels. Enshrined, in the deep recesses of the hearts of noble beings we find pure, brilliant jewels, that are of priceless value, and shi ning so brightly that they seem to shed a holy light on all the other gems with which the person is ennobled. These jewels were not wrought by art, nor fashioned by hu man hands,’but were formed by kind Na] tire; and they are far brighter than the sparkling [diamond* The language that mortals speak is hardly adequate to tell the value o*‘ these precious gems. The posses sion of br’lliant diamonds, rubies, or pearls may exceedingly please us, yet how much happier would we be to be conscious of these “ Heart Jewels" safely housed in the inmost depts of our heearts. “ In some lonely cot, Where the wealth of earth is not,” we can often see these lovely jewels shed ding light on every thing around, and ma king all things far lovelier. Os these jewels Trust aid Constancy go hand in hand.— Trust never gives way to doubts and fears, but is ever willing to make known that we may breathe the thrilling secrets of our hearts, with the assurance that they will not be wafted as on the summer winds to distant ears. How soothing to know we hold the hand of one who has supreme power < ver this bright jewel! How we dread a heart that we cannot trust! We seem to shrink and recede until we know we arc out of the power of their ready zrasp. Constancy is indeed a “ Heart Jew el," never faltering, but ever the same, lov ing to cherish, and still as true, though the winds of foiLune may come and compel all the wea th to seek other hands that are ever ready to welcome it. Would that it were mure commoa ! but, like many other bles sings, it is ra-ely seen. As another desired jewel, we will present Faith. When the azure vault of heaven is darkened o’er, as a symbol of coming strife, how phasant it is to believe that all things are for the best. When the storms of sorrow lower, let us ever be mindful that •he Lest way to escape from the blast is to have f’ai» h. Tut the most desirable of shining “Jewels of the II art "is Hope. It is this that illu mines t e future with golden rays, and 'ights up the trodden path for all weary feet. T hat were life without it? When da: k de l pair eems near, how could we bear ourselves up ? ’Twere useless to despond. Hope so ira into the effulgent splendor of the haven of r >bt, with trembling pinions. It lurks in the sunlight of home, and in the smiles of lov’d ones. Traveling the rug ged paths of life, Depa’r would often rest at our resting place, were it not for a cool draught at the stream of Hope. How desirable, then, must be these “ Heart Jewels" that shine brighter than he gems filled with the treasures of earth ! Rubies, pearlq and diamonds, with all their dazzling beauty, will not shine as purely and brighly as these “Heart Jewels" CLAUDIA. Houston Ft male College. The most important Prayer.—What is 1 it? Why this: “Lead us not igto tempta- ■ tion, bu‘ deliver us from evil.” If more 1 i would fi orn tl e heart utter this prayer daily, ) temptations v’ould be escaped and evils igreatly lessei cd, for God would hear the jprtyer, and prevent the commission of the i evil. NUMBER 7.