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Cfliitrihtimii
DR. GREEN’S MEMORIAL.—No. 6.
ADVANTAGES OF THE ITINERACY.
Having glanced at the causes for the ten
dency of our ministry, especially to the aban
donment of the system of itineracy , 1 would
briefly discuss some of the advantages of it,
that the short-sightedness of those who pro
pose anything endangering the continuance
of it may be shown.
The first view I would present is this:
The itinerant is the Scriptural plan. Who
gainsays this that follows the first itine
rant preacher, the Lord Jesus Christ,
through Galilee and Judea, to the “coasts
of Tyre and Sidon,” and to the regions
beyond Jordan, preaching the gospel of
the kingdom ? Who doubts it that listens
to the injunctions of the Great Head of the
Church to his apostles, and to the seventy
preachers, who were sent by him, as his
forerunners, “ two by two, into every city
and place whither he himself would come;”
(Lu. x:l) and who returned from their
itinerant labors to report, “ Lord, even the
devils are subject unto us through thy
name?’’ (Lu. x:l7).
Such injunctions as these, “ Go ye unto
all the world, and preach the gospel to every
creature;” (Mk. 16:15) “ye shall be wit
nesses unto me both in Jerusalem and in all
Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the utter
most part of the earth,” (Acts 1: 8) neces
sitated the itineracy. .Obedience to them
sent Peter throughout Jewry, if not to
“Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bi
thynia;” (for his first Epistle is addressed to
Christians “ scattered ” throughout those
regions of the world, and it was customary
for the apostles to write Epistles to the
churches they had founded,) and sent Paul
throughout the bounds of the Roman Em
pire, with a Barnabas, or a Silas, or a Lukfjg
as his co-laborers. To say nothing of wjpi
tradition tells of Thomas penetrating
very heart of India, of Andrew preachi*
throughout what is now Turkey in Europe,
and Turkey in Asia; James, the greater, in
the remote region of Spain; Mark, the evan
gelist, in Egypt, etc., etc,
In every city “elders” were “ordained”
to be officers of the church, assistants of the
apostles, evangelists, pastors and teachers,
whose duty it was to “ oversee ’’ the inter
ests of the several churches of which they
were members and officers. “ Ruling El
ders” our Presbyterian brethren now de
nominate similar officers in that church; but
the very letter and spirit of Christianity
sent preachers from Peter the apostle to
Philip the deacon, here and there and every
where preaching “Jesus and the resurrec
tion.’’
The second view of the advantages of the
itinerant plan over the settled pastorate is
this: It is unfriendly to secularization. No
vow of celibacy, no monastic separation is
needed to advance the gospel by holding
fast to the Lord’s altar, where the real itin
erant is found. He is separated by his man
ner of life from the business, the cares and
the honors of the world. He is the servant
of souls. He is the Lord’s evangel. The
frequent changes which itineracy compels;
the consequent uncertainty as to what locali
ty will be the field of his ministerial labors;
the renewed interest in souls committed to
his care, induced by his connection with
each new charge ; the necessity for activity
in the pastoral office, that acquaintance may
be extended aud perfected in the brief pe
riod that the itinerant remains, and for mul
tiplied labors in the pulpit, by protracted
meetings, etc., as what is done by him must
be done quickly, defend him who is at heart
consecrated to the work of the ministry from
engagement in secular affairs, saves “him
that warreth from entangling himself in the
things of this life.”
Thirdly. It admits of aggressive move
ments impracticable under the settled pasto*
rate plan. The Methodist itinerant, found
in every secluded glen, mountain fastnesß,
sparsely settled region ; with the negro upon
the island or river plantation, the red man
in his western home, and the pioneer in his
rude log hut; seeking for those scattered
abroad, preaching the gospel to the rich and
to the poor, is the crowning glory of our
church, and an impregnable argument in
favor of the continuance of the itineracy.
No ohurch has kept pace with us in “going
into the regions beyond” the sound of the
Sabbath bell, the organized congregation,
and the settled community. It was impos
sible for them to do so, no matter how ar
dent their zeal, whilst hampered by that
departure from Christ’s plan, and primitive
example—the settled pastorate. They have
only approximated to our success in this re
spect, when they, regardless of their theories,
have itinerated with us.
Fourthly. It fills every pulpit and leaves
no church without a pastor. How un
like the results of the settled pastorate !
Churches, even in cities sometimes, for
months without a pastor; whilst frequently
poor, small congregations are left as sheep
without a shepherd, to seek wherever they
sau5 au find the preached word, or go without
it.* Such a thing does not occur under our
system of itineracy. Our churches are all
served, our pulpits all filled, and this be
cause our frequent changes permit the em
ployment of ministers of an order of talent
that could not find' employment as settled,
permanent pastors, and sends men to hard,
poor fields of labor, as well as to rich, pleas
ant charges.
lifthly. The frequent changes the itiner
oxy occasions, causes every taste tobepleased
at some time, and each class of hearers to be
fed with “food convenient for them.” The
expounder of doctrines—the metaphysician
PreshvtoH^ 0 . b o ef ° ro .l he^ ar the writer observed in a
ment y to th« ESS®!’ ■ t !'?. New York Observer, a stat -
ovtir 3nn PrLnS ls ik a memor ? serves him, that
h “' hM “ the u ° i “
—the logician—the impassioned declaim
er—the man of tropes and flowers—the pa
thetic —the weeping prophet, follow each
other in rapid succession. The itineracy,
instituted by our Saviour, is precisely what
is needed. All grades of talent are secured
and used by it, all varieties of taste are
gratified, and the greatest good to the great
est number is the blessed result. In this
respect it is a wonderful element in our
success as a church.
Sixthly. Extraordinary talents in the
ministry can be used to greater advantage in
the building up of Christ’s Kingdom under
this system than is possible under the settled
pastorate. To some the Lord gives five tal
ents —as Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas. What
immense power is brought to bear by using
such men in various places, changing them
frequently, sending them from one city or
district of country to another, to uplift the
cross, to win souls to Christ, to tear down
Satan’s kingdom I How much is lost by
confining such men to one congregation of
a few hundred persons for years together, or
for life!
Seventhly. It prevents those uncharitable
strifes, violent contentions, and schisms, so
frequent in other churches, occasioned by
the desire of a minority —sometimes a large
minority—to effect a change of pastors.
Such an occurrence is a very rare one, in
connection with our system of frequent
change in the pastoral relation, and the
itinerant must have rendered himself insuf
ferably unacceptable when it does occur.
What more need be said as to the ad
vantages connected with the itineracy to
cause the M. E. Church, South to tremble
at the remotest possibility of its abandon
ment ! Yet, as I will endeavor to show in
my next its destruction is inevitable, if the
memorialist’s suggestion in these words is
adopted : “ Should not the restriction ’’ (re
ferring to the two years’ rule) “ be taken off
from the appointing power,” “ leaving the
Bishop to return them’’ (the preachers)
P‘ as often as, in his judgment, shall be for
the glory of God and the best interests of
the church ?”
A Member of the Ga. Conference.
MINISTERIAL STUDY.
A SIRMON PREACHED BT BIQUEST BEFORE THE GEORGIA CON
TERENCE.
BY THE REV. W. KNOX.
“That the man of God may he perfect, thoroughly fur»
nished unto all good works.”— Tim. iii. 17.
[concluded.]
The Preacher should study the PRECEFTS
of the Bible.
I have insisted on the doctrine of justifica
tion by faith ; but it must not be forgotten
that faith is not to be held in an antinom
ian sense. The faith by which we are jus
tified ii itself an active principle,—it is that
which “ works by lova, and purifies tke
heart.” It just a? naturally produces the
fruits of gospel obedience, as “ a good tree
brings forth good fruit. ” It just as natu
rally sends gushing forth the healthful wa
ters of life, as a pure fountain sends forth
unadulterated streams. Let no one hug to
his bosom the delusive thoughts that he
has a living faith, while he does not keep the
commandments of God; for “faith without
works is dead. ”
Faith and works are inseparably connect
ed ; and no one should be daring enough, or
impious enough to attempt to disjoin them.
I am seriously led to suspect the Christiani
ty of any man who seeks to detract from
either, or to magnify the one at the expense
of the other. He who preaches only the
doctrines of the Bible, or he who enforces
only its practical duties, preaches only half
the truth. It would take two such to make
a gospel preacher!
As it is important, and even necessary,
that we should be right in doctrine, so it is
'alsp important and necessary that we should
be right in practice. We must not only
believe right, but we must also do right.
The “ man of God ” is not only to be “ per-
Ject ” in doctrine; but he is also to be
“ thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”
In the Sacred Scriptures a great deal of
stress is laid upon obedience, which is but
another name for practical holiness; and
every thing done looks to that as the object.
Man had fallen, —had lost from his heart
the principle of obedience; and the whole
machinery of the gispel was intended to re
store it. An atonement was provided, where
by the guilt of his iniquity might be forgiv
en. The preaching of the word, church or
ganizations and church ordinances, the
quickening, enlightening, assisting influen
ces of the Holy Spirit were appointed and
given, to enable fallen, sinful, helpless man,
to avail himself of the benefits of the atone
ment, so as to be saved from his sins, and
do the will of God : in other words, to facili
tate and effect in him the great principle of
obedience. t
Obedience is the great end; and all right
views of doctrine, all the teachings of the
Bible, the whole economy of grace, are im
portant only as they lead to this end, —as
they enable us, not only to know, but also to
do, the will of God. As early as the days of
Samuel, it was taught, that “ to obey is bet
ter than sacrifice;” and He who “ spake as
never man spake, ” distinctly and emphati
cally said, “ Not every one that saith un
to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the king
dom of heaven; but he that doeth the will
ot my Father which is in Heaven. ” It is,
important that we believe right; but what
ever we may believe, however correct we may
be in doctrine, yet unless we do the will of
the great Father above, we shall not “ enter
into the kingdom of heaven. ”
Let m‘e beseech you, then, my brethren,
to study the Bible, —th,e Bible in its doc
trines, the Bible in its precepts.
the scriptures, said tile blessed Saviour to
the .unbelieving Jews, “ for in them ye think
ye have eternal life, and they are they which
testify of me. ”
• The question here arises; How is the Bi-
SOUTHERN CHRISTIAN ADVOCATE.
ble to be studied ? A few thoughts on
this subject, may be very appropriately in
dulged.
1. The Bible should be studied in reference
to its chronology and history.
This direction is included in the general
“ course of study, prescribed for the gradu
ating classes of our ministers; and it is al
together too important to be overlooked.
The Bible is not arranged chronologically :
its events do not follow each other in the or
der of time. To know at what time a book
was written, or an event occurred, will great
ly assist you, my brethren, in your research
es after truth. How often has a passage
been rendered obscure, and its meaning
wholly misunderstood or perverted, for want
of a knowledge of its chronologic order, or
the historical reminiscences with which it is
connected ! Besides, the historical portions
of Sacred Scripture, will affbi and you many a
vivid thought many an apt illustration,
many a fertile theme; and enable you to
present more clearly and forcibly the truth
you would inculcate.
2. The Bibleshould be studied thoroughly.
The Bible requires study. The truths
which it contains lie t ,o deep to be discov
ered by merely agitating its surface. We
must go down into its depths if we would
bring up some of its richest treasures. And
yet, perhaps, no book is studied so superfi
cially as the Bible. There is scarcely any
other with regard to which, we are satisfied
with so casual a reading, so occasional an
exam nation, so slight an appreciation of the
sublimely important doctrines which itdevel
opes, the great, essential principles which it
so beautifully unfolds!
3. The Bible should be studied as a
whole.
No book seem3 to have been so much a
bused as the Bible. The principles of in
terpretation applied to other hooks, are too
often lost sight of, when thp Bible becomes
the subject of investigation. It is misquo
ted and misapplied. An important doctrine
has sometimes nothing for its support but a
misquoted, or an unharmonized text of Sa
cred Scripture. A passage is wrested from
its context; and, like a rock torn from the
summit ot some mountain, it is seen in
isolated position, and there are no means by
which its relations can be traced, and its
properties ascertained. Instead ot compar
ing one part with another, and thus mak
ing the Bible, in a large measure, its own
interpreter, detached portions are taken, and
made to support doctrines, widely different,
and sometimes even contradictory, in their
meaning.
Endeavor, my brethren, to study the Bi
ble as a whole; seek to harmonize one part
with all the rest, and to unite its truths in
one compendious, harmonious system.
4. The Bible should be studied for the
purpose ofas&Nainiwhrxt it teaches.
The Baconian system of induction made
a great change in the world of letters, and
especially in science; But, unfortunately, it
has too often been ignored in the study of
the Sacred Scriptures. Many open the Bi
ble, with their hypotheses already laid down
in the form of Creeds, Articles of Religion ,
Confessions of faith, or in some other way ;
instead of coming to the Bible to ascertain
what it does teach, they have already as
sumed what it teaches, or what it ought to
teach, and their only business seems to be
to hunt up proof-texfs in support of their
assumptions. Its words and expressions are
warped and twisted to their notions ; or if
this cannot be done, if tho words cannot be
thus tortured, they are, in some instances,
ready to discard the Fible itself, rather than
to give up their favorite dogmas !
Approach the Bible, my brethren, for the
purpose of knowing what it teaches. C reeds
are not to be thrown aside, as altogether use
less ; but still in studying the Sacred Scrip
tures, you would do well to lo3e sight of them
and set as humble disciples at the feet of the
great Teacher, and learn the lessons which
He teaches you in His Sacred Word.
5. The Bible should bastudied in connec
tion with well written Commentaries, the
annotations and expositions of the great
and good men who have studied it.
The course of study embraces Watson’s
Theological Institutes, Smith’s Elements of
Divinity, and Wesley’s Sermons, The de
sign obviously is, that you have an exhibition
of the doctrines and principles of the Bible,
as seen and understood by these laborious
students of the Bible, and eminent ministers
of Jesus Christ.
And right here, is greatly needed a caution.
While you study carefully the writings of
these great men, and the notes, annotations,
and criticisms of Commentators and other
learned divines, you are not to embrace their
views of Scriptural truth, unless they are in
accordance with the convictions of your own
minds; neither are their writings to super
cede the necessity of your own earnest, con
tinuous study of the word of God.
The opinions of great men may be bet
ter than yours; they have had opportunities
for searching out the meaning of Sacred
Scripture, that you may not have; and they
may be right in their views, while you may
be wrong in yours: still you are responsible,
not for what they may have taught, but for
what you teach. The Bible, and not their
writings is your authority. You are to study
the Sacred Scriptures for yourselves ; and
availing yourselves of all the helps you can
get, you are to form your own conclusions
with respect to the doctrines and principles
contained in them. The Bible, —and I
would have tais thought deeply engraven on
your minds, —tho Bible , and not the decis
ions of Conferences , and Synods, and Asso
ciations, and Conventions, —the Bible, and 1
nqt (he Creeds of men, Confessions of Faith,
Articles of Religion , —the Bible is the rule,
the only and the sufficient rule, both of our
faith and practice ; so that whatever is not
contained therein, and not deducible there
from, —though it may be taught by Fcclesi
astical tribunals, though it may be set forth
in the articles and homilies of the Church,
though it may be sanctioned by those who
aspire to be Christian teachers, is not bind
ing npon any man’s conscience, either as a
doctrine to be believed, or as a duty to be
performed!
My younger brethren, the undergraduates
of this Conference, for whose special benefit
this sermon was appointed to be preached,
let me, before I take my seat, address a few
additional words to you in ’ kindness and in
love. Ido not assume to be your teacher ;
but I would counsel you as an elder brother.
Let me say to you, as Paul said to Timothy :
“ give attendance to reading, to exhortation,
to doctrine .” “ Meditate on these things,
give yourselves wholly to them, that your
profiting may appear to all. ” For aught I
know, you may be able, or at least some of
you may be able, to preach without all this
study, so as to please the people, so as to ex
cite their admiration, so as to elicit their
highest encomiums; but your sermons will
be like the flash of the quickly passing me
teor, which dazzles for a while with its bril
liancy, and then dies away in the far-off ob
scurity, instead of being like the less dazz
ling, but steadier light of some beautiful star
ever shining in the pur ty of its God-gifted
radiancy ! Give yourselves to study, not
only during the short course of your gradu
ation, but throughout the whole of your min
istry “ Study to show yourselves approv
ed unto God, workmen that need not be
ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth :
that as men of God you “ may be perfect,
thoroughly furnished unto all good, works. ”
Preach Christ. In the sacred desk, and
in your intercourse with the people, meddle
not with the mere political affairs of the
country. Let others, if they choose, secu
larize their pulpits; let them assume the
legislative, judicial, and executive functions,
and discuss the questions of civil, political
and international rights; leave to them the
business of forming politico-ecclesiastical
combinations, and of requiring tests unknown
to the Word of God; let them hurl their
philippics against all those who pronounce
not their shiboleth and who adopt not their
policy : but let it be your employment, my
beloved brethren, to labor in the spiritual
vineyard of youi Lord and Master. What
ever may be the rights and privileges to
which you may lay claim as citizens; how
ever properly you may seek information
with regard to the civilpolity, in which you,
equally with others, are interested; and
however judiciously you may exercise your
rights, and avail yourselves of your privi
leges, on all proper occasions; —and far be
it from me to interfere in these matters: —
yet, in your character as ministers of the ev
er blessed Gospel, be determined to know
nothing but “ Christ crucified,” —the doc
trines and principles which cluster about the
Cross, as the grand central point of the
Christian system!
Preach Christ. Seek not your own popu
larity, but the exaltation of Him whose ser
vants you are. My dear brethren, I know
of no position more dangerous than that of a
popular young Preacher, especially if he be
a popular revivalist. Full of finely wrought
sayings, sky-towering metaphors, rhetorical
flourishes, his sermons please—captivate the
multitude. They listen to him with rapt
attention, follow him with eager, hasty foot
steps, and are by no means stinted in their
praises of his genius. While, however, they
are so much delighted with his pulpit per
formances, they are not spiritually benefited
by them. Famished for want of “ the bread
of life,” they go away unfed ; and he him
self, satisfied with the admiration he has
won, lays aside his studies, as useless lum
ber, and gives the fullest license to his un
bridled imagination. He soon becomes
ashamed of the homely verbiage of the Bi
ble, and expresses its sentiments in language
so ornate, that few would recognize them
as utterances of the Book of God ! He may
read a text, because it is customary and ex
pected; but he soon leaves its green fields,
for the utmost heights of the cloud capped
mountains. He speedily gets away from
the regions of common sense and Bible sim
plicity, soars away to the starry heavens,
and whirls for an hour amid the worlds of
his own creation. After a few years of daz
zle and show, he falls and fades, and dies,
leaving the world no more enlightened, no
more improved, than if he had never lived
in it; while in his fall, it is to be feared, he
drags others along with jiim !
Preach not yourselves, my brethren, but
the Lord Jesus Christ, not in “ words which
man’s wisdom teacheth, ” but in “ the power
and demonstration of the Holy Ghost, ” not
in the spirit of ostentation and display, but
“ in singleness of heart as unto God,” —not
for the purpose of gaining admiration, of
acquiring fame, of called a great preach
er, but for the purpose of “ winning souls to
Christ, ” and of prepaiing them for ultimate
blessedness with the saints in glory; and
though you may win no eclat, may never
fill the high places of the church, may nev
er be courted and flattered by the fashion
able religionists of the day, may never ob
tain the celebrity of an eloquent pulpit di
vine, —but you may be confined in your*la
bors, may be pushed out to the very out
skirts of civilization, maybe kept on poor
circuits, where you will fare hard, and re
ceive but little in the way of worldly com
pensation :—yet you will have what is worth
all the loud huzzas of applauding multitudes,
all the sumptuous living that is- to be found
among the wealthy,—the approval of your
own consciences,—the prayers and blessings
of the poor, and, what is better still, the
commendation of Him who gave it as one of
the oharaoteristios of His Messiahship,—»
“ the poor have the gospel preached unto
them ; ” “ Well done, good and faithful ser
vant j thrfu hast been faithful over a few
things; I will make thee ruler over many
(flings: enter thou into the joys of thy Lord.”
Religious ffiktllanj.
Shaker Bible.— The Shaker Bible ii a
book not often allowed to be seen by the
“ world’s people.” It is entitled, “A Holy,
Sacred and Divine Roll, from the Lord God
of Heaven to the inhabitants of the earth,
revealed in the Society of Lebanon county,
Columbia, State of New York, United
States of America.’’ It pretends to be a
divine revelation, and the testimony of
eleven mighty angels is given who attended
the writing of the roll. An edition was
printed about twenty years ago at the
Shaker establishment at Canterbury, New
Hampshire. The book contains some pas
sages from Scripture, altered, amended, en
larged, or curtailed, with original additions
and amendments, as they are deemed neces
sary to suit the peculiar notions of the dis
ciples of Ann Lee. It is a very curious
volume, even more remarkable, though of
less pretended antiquity, than the Mormon
Bible. A copy is ordered to be sent to every
king or potentate in Christendom, and one
Sent to the Government of Canada som«
time since was returned or refused.
Death of the “Preaching Colonel”
in India. —An Indian communication an
nounces the decease, near Agra, of Major-
General (better known as Colonel) Wheel
er, of whom, so much was said as “ the
Preaching Colonel,’’ at the time of the mu
tiny. “ During the last three or four years
he entirely devoted himself and his property
to the training of a number of orphans
gathered in the last famine at Delhi It was
his opinion that, as England had conquered
India by a well trained native army, so, in a
spiritual sense, missionaries can only accom
plish the conquest of Hindustan by training
up an army of soldiers of Christ. This was
no easy task. His patience and persever
ance were not in vain, however, and he
lived to see several of his bigger boys begin
their work of imparting the Gospel to their
countrymen. . . . . . He was a man to
whom a young missionary might look up
with deep admiration as a pattern of Jevo
tedness and self-denial. Such heroism is
needed to be admired, for it is scarce. He
had no ambition, for. i-mbition’s idol is self.
We justly mouru for. the removal from our
midst of one who counted earthly riches and
honor and ease as loss for Christ; but great
and honored will he be.”
War on Clergy and Churches. —The
grand inquest of Buchanan county, Mo.,
have, on their oaths, solemnly declared:
“That Reginald H. Weller, a non-juring
clergyman of'the Episcopal faith, not hav
ing the fear of God before his eyes, but
being seduced by the instigation of the
devil, did preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ
to man, contrary to the Ad; of Assembly in
such cases made and provided, and against
the peace, government and dignity of the
State.’’ This sounds more like the days of
Philip the Second and the Duke of Alva in
the Netherlands than anything modern or
American we have read for a long time. If
a “Grand Inquest” in the United States
can begin in this way, it will soon be able
to reach the dignity of “ the Council of
Blood,” which so long presided at Antwerp,
when Alva and two of his Spanish Dons
presented whom they pleased, and hung and
burned whom they would. In the Missouri
case the new victim of intolerance is re
ported to he one of the most zealous and
exemplary divines—a fearless, able, earnest
champion of the Church of England—and
we are told by his people that there never
lived a better, truer or braver soldier of the
cross.— N. Y. Express.
Methodist Doctrine. —lt may be well
for some of those who profess to follow in
the footsteps of John Wesley, to put in
more constant practice what that good man
taught on the subject of freedom of opinion.
We give the following from his writings:
“ Condemn no man for not thinking as you
think. Let every one enjoy the full and
free liberty of thinking for himself. Let
every man use his own judgment since he
must give an account of himself to God.
Abhor every approach, in any kind of a de
gree, to the spirit of persecution. If you
cannot reason or persuade a man into the
truth, never attempt to force him into it. If
love will not compel him to come, leave him
to God, the judge of all.”
An A dult Bible Class. —A correspon
dent of the National Baptist , after stating
that nearly one-half of the members of his
church are found (as they should be) in the
adult classes of the Sunday school, speaks
of a class, consisting of eight persons, the
youngest nearly seventy years of age, the
oldest eighty-four, with a teacher of eighty
one, who has been a deacon over half a oen
tury, as probably the most regular class iu
the school. “The seats are generally full;
and it is a pleasant sight to look on that
company of gray-haired men eagerly en
gaged in the study of God’s word.”
Methodist Re-un ion. —The Northern
Methodist Episcopal Bishops, in their Cen
tenary Address, profess to be willing to a
re-union of the churches, North and South,
ou the platform of agreement in (Joctrine,
loyalty to the Government, and opposition
to slavery. The Richmond Christian Ad
vocate remarks that this platform has three
planks—one, spiritual —and two, political.
Confederate Money. —A church which
was indebted to its pastor for a year’s salary,.
held a church meeting after the fall of
Richmond and paid up every dollar of their
indebtedness to tho pastor in Conjederate
currency. If that was wrong, how much
better is it to pay, as so many churches are
doing, nothing at all?