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THREE DOLLARS PER ANHUM. Vol XXXI.—No 42 #rigmal JPoetrg. An Autumn Moonlight Dream. BY THE P ARBOR'S GHOST. The melon’s deart The luscious thinps! A quarter only buys a bait! Excuse my muse, if, while she aings, She sighs to think how low the rate! I’ve not a quarter now to spare, Though full six hundred’s mine a year. The grapes ! the grapes l the town is full! A wagon and a cart —’shawl more— Are polling on the street to all Who have greenbacks or golden ore. Blit I. alas! T’ve naught to spare, Though full six hundred’s mine a year. “But ought you not to have a dime To buy some fruit, or eggs or fowl? We have some bread you got on time, And bacon ditto-don’t you scowl! But surely you a mite could spare, With full six hundred yours a year : A mite to help our mem’ry, dear, Recall the better days we’ve seen. When egg, nor fowl, nor grape, nor pear, Was wanted, or ’twas ours by e’en. Surely a mite for this you’ll ipare, From full six hundred yours a year ” Ah ! wife, the trouble is, you know, I'm paid when all my work is done. 'They’ll give me “bread and meat,” just so I ask them for it—“cal! it dun ?” Well, they have nothing yet to spare, To pay fcix hundred mine a year. When cotton’s made and baled and slid, Its mine, they say , beyond a doubt; Good then as though ’twere yellow gold, But oh ! I’ve got to pay it out For meat and bread I begged them for, To keep us breathing through the year. Don’t blame them, dear, they can’t pay now, They’ve got to fcuy their grapes and “rye;” And then you must with them allow, To live like them ice .must not try. ’Twould be extravagance most rare, With full six hundred ours a year. We’ll suffer on with bread and meat, Nor drearn of luscious grapes or wine : Plain food is first fur us to eat, Till summer grows to winter time Then, may be , have a sow l to spare, Out of six hundred mine a year ! Meantime, millennium day will come, When parsons live like people do; They’ll pay us every month , cash down , And we c in buy a pig or (wo. Our dessert then will not he air, Through all the weary, hungry year. Sleepy Vale , Sept. 1808. Contributions. Roman Catholic Doctrino and Prac tice—No. VI. Having fully shown that the Roman pon tiffs are not infallible, cither in morals or doctrine, and that Councils general arc not infallible, as they arc composed of fallible members, are not inspired, and, at times, have pronounced each other’s decrees heret ical, 1 come now to inquire, Does infallibil ty reside in councils, “a majority of the bishops united with their head, the Pope” ? This, it will ho remembered, is the third theory that “orthodox pastors” have put forth to convince the world that the Roman Catholic Church is infallible, erd to satisfy Protestants, in their search lor it, that in this union they will be certain to find it. It is thus stated by one of them: “Infallibility is not in the Pope, nor is it in a council, in the whole of the bishops to gether, but it is in the ma jority of the bish ops united with their head, the Pope.’’ How oracular! But the oracle blows hot and cold; is trueandfal.se. “Infalli bility is not in the Pope.’’ Certainly not. Thousands of Roman Catholics who ought to know, say it is not. “Nor is it in a council, in the whole of the bishops togeth er.” Certainly not. For “each bishop is fallible ; an assembly of bishops, therefore, is fallible also.” Thousands of Jesuits, “orthodox pastors,” affirm this, believe this, and “believe aright.’’ “Rut it is in a ma jority of the bishops united with their head, the Pope.’’ False, certainly, if an infalli ble orthodox pastor docs say it. False, say the advocates of papal infallibility. False, say the advocates ot the infallibility of coun cils. False, say Protestants. And surely for once we arc right, as wc are in such company. And are wc not, therefore, in fallible, too, believing “alike and believirg aright”? The advocates of this theory would en lighten us, and do an infinite service, one can but think, to “Mother Church,’’ if they would tell us how two falliblcs make one infallible. Light, demonstration on this point, would end oar search for this divine attribute among the bewildering and conflicting opinions, theories and assertions of the antagonistic factions in “this Church which is a unit.” Asa majority of the bishops have not met in over 500 years, if ever,* this theory banishes infallibility from the Roman Cath olic Church. Where has it been during those 500 years ? Where was it at the Council of Trent ? That council had not, at most, one tenth of the bishops. Its de crees, therefore, are all fallible. Its voice was not the voice of God. The sanction of the Pope could not help the matter any. An essential element to make them infalli ble was wauting, though they knew it not — simply, “a majority of tho bishops’’! What a pity! All decrees by papal authority without councils are fallible and binding on no con science, though clothed with anathemas ever so many, if this theory be true. The Immaculate Conception and others, though received by Romanists as infallible articles of faith, arc but the advisory decrees of a mere man. All decrees of councils, and they are many, when the Pope was not pres ent and did not sign them, are fallible. The deposition of popes and the election of others, when there was no pope united with the bishops, were fallible acts. And the Church, therefore, certainly is in error in receiving them, as she does, as infallible, and as a part of her rule of faith, or this theory is as groundless as tho theories of papal infallibility and the infallibility of councils. “Councils united with their head, the Pope,” have changed or repeated the de crees of other “councils united with their head, the Pope,” and, in some instances, have decreed them heretical. Councils and popes, in short, have been against councils and popes, and are in eternal antagonism with each other. Were these infallible ?or those? Or were all infallible? Which were infallible, the decrees of the Coun cils of Pisa, Constantinople and Basil, united with the Pope, or of Florence, Latcran and Trent, united with the Pope? The latter contradict the for mer and pronounce them false. Does infallibility dwell in contradictions ? Are councils and popes, who fight against coun cils an d popes, and hurl anathemas at each other, infallible? Arc the doctrines de clared heretical, the popes deposed, the councils rejected from the list of general councils, infallible ? Or, the doctrines now received, and the popes admitted to be gen *The most of councils numbered only from SO to 300 members. §>uttlhmi Christian fJtotaf?. uine, and the councils admitted to be gen eral ? Will infallibility solve this problem, and tell us which to reoeive, who and what to believe, that we may “believe alike and beiievc right” ? Now, this theory has no foundation on which to stand—a majority of the bishops united with the Pope in council. When? Where was such a council ? Trent was | not. The materials, moreover, of which it is built, councils and popes, are utterly dis jointed, not to say rotten, and destroy each other. And then, all papal decrees are fal lible, or this theory is false; Rut the Church receives them as infallible, and, therefore, must be in error, and hence fal-. lible, or “infallibility” does not reside “in a majority of the bishops united with their head, the Pope.” “Infallibility resides in the whole Church,” is the fourth and last theory I propose to examine. The fifth and sixth theories I disposed of in my second num ber, where I stated them in the language of J)e Maistrc and Rnperson. They, in effect, as l fully showed, give up the question, or the infallibility—papal—claimed by them is not only absurd, but amounts to nothing. Is the whole Church, then, infallible, popes, prelates, priests, orders, members ? When it is affirmed by all grades and or ders in her pale, that the Roman “Catholic Church is infallible,” the uninitiated have no idea but that the organization,whole and . entire, designated by tho term Church, is j meant —that members and priests, as well as prelates and the Pope, are embraced. And this, generally, doubtless, is the sense in which it is used and understood. Rut there is a diversity of opinion among the jarring orders and extremists and liberals in her pale, on this very point, almost as j wide apart and irreconcilable as on the lo cal of infallibility. Some hold that the Pope is the Church, as he is her head and representative, and as he decrees doctrines which priests and people must receive and believe without any appeal or questioning, upon the pain of damnation. Others hold that the Pope and councils legally sum moned by him, as they unitedly represent her and usually make her laws and doctrines, j are the Church. Others hold that the i whole body of the clergy constitute tho Church. This view was advocated by the Rishop of St. Mark’s, in the Council of Trent. “The laity,” said he, “could not be termed the Church, since, according to the canons, they had only to obey the com mands laid upon them ; that one reason why the council was called, was to decide that laymen ought to receive the faith which the Church dictated, without disputing or rea soning, and that, consequently, the clause should be inserted, to convinco them that they icere not the Church , and had nothing I to do but to hear and submit!” Others j hold that all who receive her doctrines and i obey her teachings, lay and clerical, consti- j tutc the Church. I have not space nor the ■disposition to notice further this diversity of view, nor to examine the arguments pro and con as to who are meant by the term, or really compose, the Church. It matters not materially, so far as our search for in fallibility is concerned. There is a sense, however, in which the term Church is used by those who affirm that she is infallible, j which cannot mean the laity, or else tho ' mere reception of and belief in doctrines ! decreed by others, make them infallible. I The laity never decree articles of faith. I They believe, obey. Infallibility, then, j must reside in that belief and obedience, or ! else they, and hence the Church, are not j infallible. The doctrines themselves may ! be infallible—the Scriptures are—but until : received and obeyed, how can they affect., j much less make infallible, any one ? Then infallibility, if it exist at all, resides in pri- I vale judgment For if the pope or council ! decree an article of faith for the Church, | the laity are freo to believe it, or are forced | to believe it, or say they do when they do j not, and hence exercise private judgment, j Their assent to, and belief in, any doctrine, j therefore, is their own act. If forced to receive it under pains and penalties, they still reject it in their hearts, or if they yield under coercion, it is their own act. Hence tho laity, even in the Church of Home, must, can but exercise, in this matter, pri vate judgment. They could refuse assent, obedience, at least, in Protestant countries, aud walk out of her pale. If, then, the lai ty arc infallible, it must reside in private judgment. In other words, the laity are not infallible because popes and councils may be, or because their decrees may be, but because they, the laity, believe and practice them. Have we, then, at last, in our search, found the local of infallibility ? Does it reside in the private judgment of the laity ?iu their belief and practice ? If not, and it certainly does not, Romanists themselves say, then the laity are not in fallible. If not infallible, then they are not included h the true Church, or the Church is not infallible. To escape this dilemma, and, moreover, because the Pope decrees articles of faith without the aid or advice of councils, and as he is the “vicegerent of God upon earth,’’ Jesuits and Ultramontanists teach, in effect, that he is the Church. The Church, theD, is not infallible, as I have, undeniably, fully demonstrated. Hundreds of thousands of Roman Catholics deny that this superhu man virtue is found in him, and furnish us with a well-stored armory of weapons to sustain the denial. Gallicans, prelates and doctors, among the ablest in her pale, such as Gerson, Alliaco, Du Pin, Rossuet, have demonstrated its impossibility and shown its absurdity. The Councils of Pisa, Con stance, Basil and others, reject the claim as a baseless assumption, and hold a differ ent theory. If councils are the Church, as some hold, or councils and the Pope united, or the whole body of the clergy, it is equally evi dent that she is not infallible, as each and 1 all, individually and collectively, have erred. Now, I submit to the candid reader, if the conclusion is not irresistible, that the claim set up in these tracts of the “0. P. S that the lloman Catholic Church is in fallible, is not a false claim and a delusion ? I have sought for it in every place, person, department, where its advocates say it is; have examined every theory put forth to re veal to us its hiding place, and where we may be certain to find it; every opinion, every assertion worthy of notice, to settle this shifting, troublesome dogma, and the facts of history proclaim with one voice that it is not to be found, and is a baseless as sumption. Nothing is clearer; no fact stands out with more bold and impressive prominence on the pages of ecclesiastical history than this, that popes, councils, or ders, priests, laymen, have erred; some of them, all of them, at times, greatly, griev ously, fatally And let it never be forgotten, that each and evory theory put forth by Homan Catholics themselves, to locate this heavenly attribute, and to satisfy themselves and others that it is the Church, and where it is, has been denied and assailed by other Homan Catholics, and to their and our satisfaction, demonstrated to be false. This “fundamental tenet,’’ then, is a funda mental error. This “foundation,” a foun dation of sand. This “stronghold,” a dim, shadowy castle, more unsubstantial than a dream. In my next, I propose to “examine” this dogma “in the light of Scripture.” Inquirer. A Year of Suffering. BY J. B C. ». Confined by painful sickness to my bed with loved ones aronnd, for whom I love to live, how sad to gaze upon the tearful face, and think of death and the grave’s long sleep ! Farewells and tears belong to earth and time, and Death’s dark banner waves in triumph along these mortal shores. Pale is the cheek, and earth’s anxious millions ask, like the grouped disciples around the sacramental board, ‘ is it I,” who next must, lie down with the coffined sleepers and swell the grave’s pale population. Life’s fitful dream will soon be over, and Eternity's great calendar will mark the rest. Diseases troop at the call of death, and wails and sighs float on every breeze. My weak, attenuated frame has l'clt a shock it never did before. Disease once only in vaded the outposts of life, but now the very centre of thought and being. Like a forest tree bending to the blast, I have reeled amid the storm. The cruel tempter sum moned all his hellish troop aud leveled the CDginery of darkness, until au agony no words can paint tore and crushed my inmost soul. O what must have been the throes of Gethsemanc and the bleeding cross; when in tho dark hour of my Redeemer’s desola tion. He cried, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me,” so loud and wild it mantled the universe in gloom, waked the sainted dead and hushed the harps of heaven. Thus, in a measure, a weak and helpless worm has been assailed and for saken. On a wild tempestuous sea, my little bark was driven. Rut now and then my Re deemer reached forth his guiding hand, and through the gathering gloom gleamed the star of Bethlehem. On that well remem bered Sabbath morn, the tearful eyes of loved ones and the assembled crowd gazed upon the pale face of husband, father and preacher friend, and thought him going. It was then I felt a spirit of triumphant joy, and that I should longer stay to love and bless my weeping charge. From time to time, God’s Holy Spirit has mellowed my heart. Heavenly hope shakes her golden wings. Blessed thoughts, like songs of victory from afar, crowd npon my mind. I feel that iny life shall sweetly end. 0 ye, that love God and love mo and mine, send up a prayer —beckon heaven to my relief, that l may preach again; that I may once more ascend the sacred desk, and, standing higher than kings and conquerers, may feel tho inspiration of other days, and talk of Jesus, of the Christian’s happy death, and of heaven, the Christian’s final home. Since I have been sick, valued friends have dropped away from the circle of my love. They have waved a long adieu to weeping friends and the dying world, and left us in the vale behind. There was one, who, died, while angels crowded around and gazed on his heaving bosom and the tearful face of her, whom he had early loved, and with whom, he had wept and smiled along life’s devious way. His last hour came; his happy soul spread its wings and swept beyond the shining stars and through the pearly gates; and to day the spirit of my brother, Walker, shines a jewel in the Redeemer’s crown. There, too, was the friend of twenty years ago, whom I often met at his own cheerful home, and in the house of God. Could prayers and tears and the ministers of lovo have prevailed, he would not have died. Weeks and months, he lay and suffered. His earthly house was slowly taken down. His sun slowly declined without a cloud. At last the wheels of life stood still, and the spirit of my brother Liodley, was with God. Thus friend after friend departs and I am left. Rut earth grows poorer, and 1 havo strange longings for the life to como. Many of my loved kindred are gone. Fart of my self has been gathered to tho skies; fori have a lamb in the heavenly fold. By and by, with life’s sweet relations all renewed, 1 shall be numbered with the blest, and live to die no more. “Uncle Dick Taylor.” BY RKV. JOSEPHUS ANDERSON, D. P. The impression is very general that great talents are necessary to extensive useful ness. It is however, an erroneous impres sion, not justified by the facts of Christian Biography. Rome of the most beautiful examples of piety and the most useful lives have been found in connection with limited and moderate abilities. Minds not above mediocrity sometimes send abroad an influ ence effectual in producing the highest and securing the noblest ends. Men of no high grades of intellect and of no superior de cree of culture have often poured around them the radiance of a wonderful power to elevate and ble?s, and have made their lives emblems. Methodism has had many such men, her Sammy Hicks, who have illustra ted her history aud made it glorious. It is because Methodism goes to every, even the lowest class, and most distinctly teaches that high intellectual qualifications are not essential in order to usefulness, that special mental training is not absolutely necessary for the ministerial office, and bids men look to God for a blessing upon earnest and per severing labors. The gift of power is the secret of ministerial success and also of all reltoious usefulness. The firm belief that in every case, whether of Paul’s preaching or that of Apollos, the increase is given by God, is tho creed that makes Christian he roes and powerful preachers. To be full of faith and of the Holy Ghost will make any man a burning and a shining light. To have that piety which has power with God and produces the impression that we have been with Jesus is to have power with men. The ardent desire to do good, the firm pur nose to perform whatever duty may require, cost what it may, and the strong faith which expects the assistance and powerful presence of the Lord of the harvest—these are the elements of usefulness and of great success in Christian effort. This was exemplified in the career of Rev. Richard Taylor, who has recently closed his earthly labors and entered into rest. He was born in Washington county, Georgia, in the spring of 17§4, removed to Florida and settled in Jefferson county in 1826, and removed to the New Jerusalem above Aug. 26th, 1868. His conversion dates back to 181)8, and his membership in the Methodist Church to 1811. In 1826 he was licensed to exhort, and exercised his t»ifts in persuading his fellow-men to repent and turn to God. In 1827 he was licensed to preach the Gospel, and for fifty-one years was a faithful and zealous local preacher. Ic 1845, he|was elected to the office of Dea «jn in the Church of God, and the 9th day of February was ordained by Bishop Soule. From 1859 to 1861 be was greatly affiioted with rheumatism, and was mostly confined to his bed and unable to perform any ministerial work. With this exception al interval, his days were well occupied in the holy duty of winning souls. Bro. Taylor was a man of ardent tem perament, warm attachments, strong will, and (juick emotions. His religion was modified by his mental traits. Ho was a lov ing disciple and one greatly beloved of his Master. His feelings was readily awaken ed and fully responsive in Christian expe rience. His was a sunny religion, a genial, glad, happy piety. He was a shouting Methodist, and many a time has lie made the woods, the room of prayer, and the sanctuary of God ring with his loud rejoio- PUBLISHED BY J. W. BURKE A CO., FOR THE H. E. CHURCH, SOUTH. Macon, (4a., Friday, October 16, 1868. ings. Many a lime have I seen his cheeks bathed with tears, bis eyes beaming with delight, and his whole countenance radiant and shining from the inward joy as he sat and listened in the house of prayer. And well he might be a happy Christian ; for he was holy. He lived for Christ. Ilis days and nights were employed in serving God. His powers were consecrated. An infidel one ■ resolved to put Christianity to the test of practical observation, to select a fair ex ample of piety and “watch that example olosely. That sceptic was a physician of learning and high respectability, and he selected Rro. Taylor as the Christian to be subjected to his careful scrutiny. For ten rears he watched him ; and then, finding ho excuse for longer doubt, discarded his sceptical principles and became a Christian. The example of Rro. Taylor convinced him of the truth of Christianity, and long be fore Bro. Taylor’s death his son in the gos pel finished a life of faith by a death of glorious triumph aud went up to God. What a tribute to the piety of Rro. Taylor ! Bro. Taylor as a local preacher was “ no dumb dog that would not bark but an active, zealous, and laborious preacher Far and near he would go, and was always ready to preach or to exhort. He had regular appointments, was in labors more abundant, and thousands were benefitted by his services. Revivals he took great pleas ure in, and was greatly successful in pro moting llow he prayed ! With what pow er he exhorted ! What feeling was appar ent in his preaching! You felt as if a man of great soul was wrestling with your soul, was grasping you and with mighfy strength was bearing you into the presence of God ; and you felt too, that he was sent to do it, had God’s authority and com mand and God’s assistance. The sancti ty of the man, the blaraelessac3s of his life, the sublime purity and nobleness of his aims, the warmth of his affectionate nature, the freshness and sweetness of his piety, the power of his prayers, and tho intense earnestness of his sout made him successful. His presence even was a blessing, lo have “ Uncle Dick Taylor ” on the ground was no small advantage, and gave encourage ment to the ministers of Jesus. It is good to pause and call up his like ness, to reflect upon his virtues, to remem ber his fidelity to God, his abundant labors, his extensive usefulness, and the mighty in fluence which his Christian devotedness sent out. Here is an example for all, trav eling as well as local preachers; and were it generally followed we should see greater prosperity in the Church of God, and bright er days in Zion. The veteran warrior, the hero of sixty years of active conflict with the powers of ev.l, became weak in the flesh toward the closo of his laborious life, but remained strong in faith, giving glory to God. His piety never became sour and morose, but was genial and happy to the last. He en tertained no fear of death, and no dread of the future. He conversed freely about his religious condition and hopes a short time previous to his death, gave every needed assurance, and then slept in Jesus. He died in his seventy fifth year—so we speak; but in reality he has gone where age is not reckoned by years. lie das been unclothed of mortality, has put on immortality, and inherits eternal life, lie has joined the friends and co laborers of his early life; his work is done; and ho is forever with •he Lord. That Bro. Taylor had imperfections as well as infirmities no one pretends to deny. He mourned over his-failures before God, and ever sought for mercy. But we rejoice that they were so few and of so trifling a character, while his virtues were so numer ous and his life so pure. Let us meet him in Heaven. “Bo yo also Ready ” AU the circumstances taken into consid eration, there have been five of the most ex traordinary deaths in the bounds of my cir cuit the present year I ever knew. The first was that of a man who left his home in tho morning, sound in body, to go to a distillery to exchange some rye for liquor He was in a one-horse waggon, and on his way home—very drunk—he fell back, and his head aud shoulders caught in the left hind wheel. The male going on, his whole body was dragged under the waggon and carried round with the wheel, uutiT his body struck the oarry-log behind. He lived 48 hours. 1 visited and proposed prayer with him, hut it was too iatc. The next was that of a young man whose neck was broken by the falling ol a piece of timber while unloading a waggon. Per sons present said that he had a bitter oath in his mouth just a few momenta before his death. lam told that this man had been heard to boast that he intended to get rich despite God and man. The next case was that of a man who came to , got drunk—started home —lay down on the Railroad track, aud was crushed to death. The fourth case was that of an aged man, who had lived all his life without God, and was found one evening, after a shower of rain, iD his garden dead. I come now to speak of the fifth, which to my mind is the saddest of all. This arises perhaps, from the fact that I had only a few days before addressed him on the sub ject of religion. He was an old man, and very parsimonious. God had blessed him with a fine fruit crop, and so stingy was bo, I am told, that he would not let his poor neighbors have any for table use. Just be fore our meeting began at , some one asked him, if ho thought he would get any brandy made for the meeting. He re plied that he thought he would get “a run.” Poor man ! he little dreamed that he had so nearly run his last. It seemed that God spared him to this time of refreshing, in vindication of his justice. He attended two or three days— took no interest in it, except to pay respect ful attention. It was evident, however, that the Spirit strove powerfully with him. He left the meeting to go to hauling fruit to the distillery, and a few days after its close, on his way to one of these “ devil’s cook kitchens,” as he was going down a hill, the fore gate of the body of his wag gon gave way, and lie fell out and was crush ed to death under the wheels. Besides these five, there have been six other deaths among the adults—all pious, and all these died natural deaths. Surely in all this there is a fearful warn ing to the sinner. How often have I been reminded of Solomon’s saying—“ He that being often reproved, hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be be destroyed, and that without remedy.’’—Prov ii.: 1. C. “Stat Umbra Nominis ” Mr. Editor: As the Advocate is the medium through which, l believe, all par ties are permitted to be heard, I ask a small space in its oolums, in order to give article No. 3, whioh appears over the worn dr plume which heads this article, a passing notice. I am a strong Methodist. 1 love our Church and her ministers, and have always endeavored to support both, to the extent of my ability ; but I think the article alluded to above, is in bad taste, was written in a bad spirit, and is calculated to do no good. There is a nearer and better way to the hearts and the pockets of the people, and it is strange that certain special. guardians of Methodism and her ministers are so slow to find ft. My observation is, that the preacher who dees his duty and is efficient is almost inva riably supported, and is always in a good humor icith the people, and is well satisfied. The general rule is, “ poor preach—poor pay.’’' It is in this as in other callings, if a man fails to succeed, it is either his fault or lii.s misfortune, or both ; and he ought not t» complain. I have known preachers iu charge of circuits to fail to do much, even with the help of “ Morris’s Sermons” ; and tnen I have known local preachers to hold protracted meetings, and help to swell the I’wt of additions to the t'hurch consid erable, and thus enable the pastor to make a pretty fair report to the Conference, alter all. “ Let brotherly love continue.’’ Justice. HEAVEN. The Christian knows that Heaven awaits him. No superstitious credulity deceives our hopes. The glorious fulfillment of a thousand prophecies are everlasting founda tions whereon we build our faith in His word, and we know that He has prepared a restYr His children. The longing soul is ever dreaming of this future home—ever picturing the joys that cluster round this Aideo of its hopes. The same mercy which has inspired us with the hope of Heaven has revealed the treasures of bliss that await the faithful in those mansions of rest. God has said, it will be “ An inheritance incorruptible and undefined that fadeth not away.’’ All the beauty and the power, the glory and the splendor of earth, and its pale joys, will be forgotten when we reach those shores divine where “ that far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” awaits them. What mattered it to those poor fishoraien of Galilee though they were the “filth and off-scouring of the earth” —though persecutions and imprisonments, trials and tribulations, and all the unutterable pangs of martyrdom were theirs on earth, if another home allured their enraptured eyes, a crown ot life for each lay at his Saviour’s feet, and they were to live and reign with Christ for ever. Heaven ! Ileavcu ! sweet haven of peace rising resplendent o’er the waves of death’s cold jsea! How the hopes of thee cheers the Christian, through his life of toil and trial! lie has perpetual sorrow here, toil without recompense and labor with many cares. Ilis heart continually faints under heavy trials, and his eyes grow weary with weeping. Calamities overpower him, mis fortunes orush his hopes and the grave robs his ton derest affections. Rut when oppress ed with pain, tortured by anxiety, defeated in his hopes or wounded in his love his heart turns to thee. How sweot and pro cious arc the promises that lure his wound ed soul—•“ God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain.” And our dead shall greet us there, in that beautiful city afar off from every woe In that treasure house of tho soul God has stored all our lost jewels. Hopes that have been rudely blighted here, bloom in p -ren nial beauty there ; faces long clay-cold, and eyes whoso brightness passed away and left strange darkness in our hearts and homes, will £rcct us there ; and voioes that our ears have hungered for so long, are mingling with the harpings around that Great White Tha|jo. OF! beautiful city of our God! shining in apocalyptic splendor of crystal and gold —beyohil our fairest sensual dream —our charmed eyes are looking ever toward thy glory', our cars aching for thy melodies. Ever dear and precious thou art, but inex pressibly sweet as we totter down into “ the valley of the shadow of death.’’ When the chill waves of Eternity roll on Life’s very verge—wlion earthly hopes are fading and earthly joys grow dim, then thy radi ant shores and the sweet vision of thy rest lifts the soul from all tho misery of despair. Hattie Flynt. Raytown, (la. Causo of Inefficiency. Mr. Editor —This important question has been discussed for some time. Can you, alter the aged have spoken, suffer a youth to express his opinion ? I think that many of the ideas suggested and opinions ex pressed are good, and their publication will, no doubt, bo “seed sown in good ground.” Rut pardon me for presuming to add a few remarks. The great secret of our inefficiency is ex pressed in few words: The people havo “itching ears,” and the preachers an un sanctified ambition. Now, I think this is ‘•the conclusion of the whole matter.” Let us, dear brethren, get upon our knees, pray and wrestle with God, until lie subdues this unsanct.fied ambition in us—until He rolls upon us the burden of souls again, as we first felt it when we forsook the forum and the bar, or turned away from the profession (or the contemplation of it) which promised worldly renown, to preach “Christ and Him crucified’’—“not with excellency of speech or of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and with power” derived from the presence of the Holy Ghost. And the next time people come to hear rounded pe riods and beautiful tropes and figures, fine ly finished essays or eloquent sermons, let them hear the simple truths of the gospel, clothed in simple language, but uttered in “tho demonstration of the Spirit’’ and the power of God, and I dc honestly believe that we shall once more have discovered the true secret of ministerial success—hereto fore, now, and until the angels shall shout home” —until God determines that not"another sinner shall be saved. I do honestly believe, that the best thing that can be done, is for the ministers, in solemn convention assembled, or by general consent, to resolve rather to try to avoid all display calculated to gratify “itching ears,” and preach from such texts as follows : “To him- that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.’’ “Whoso looketh into tlic perfect law of liberty.” etc. “Wo to them that arc at ease in Zion.’’ “Repent, or ye shall likewise perish.” “For we are unto God a sweet savor of Christ,” etc, etc. And then let the old preachers quit their flattery in the public prints, and let us all read again Arthur s Tongue of lire, and spend much more time in reading the Bi ble than we do other books, and wrestle with God in private. Then shall sinners bo converted unto Him. Yours truly, R. L. W KUHNS. Florida. Colored Conferences. We are frequently asked, says the Nash ville Advocate, what can be done for the people who still adhere to our Con nexion. We have no answer to give other than that wc have frequently given—carry out in good faith, and as soon as possible, the provisions of the Discipline iu the pre mises. '1 lie Bishops are organizing Annual Conferences, and we hope next year will or ganize a General Conference, which will cloct men to be ordained by them to the episcopal office, and then there will be a Cdlored Connection, independent as to ju risdiction, but maintaining intimate relations with the parent body. Some of our friends apprehend that this will not work well —per- haps it will not; but will any one show us a more excellent way ? Wc are pointed to the evil workings of the several African or ganizations now in operation, and warned that the one we are developing may prove no better than they. Well, suppose it should bes we have ground to hope that it will not be—this is the best we can do. We have labored honestly and earnestly, and for a long series of years, to promote the spiritual interests of the colored race, and wc are not responsible for their aliena tion from us, any more than was the Apostle when he complained “that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me.” However, not all the Africans have left us —there are many “faithful found” among them, and wc have reason to believe that when the new organization shall be com pletcd, and tho oolored peoplo shall compre hend the mischievous pragmatism that lias been at work among them, and shall under stand who arc their true friends, they will return to their old home, knowing that it was better with them when they were there than it is now, or is likely to be in their strange affiliations. Wc arc happy to lay before our readers the following communi cation from Rishop l’ainc, which, it will be seen, corroborates the views which we en tertain : Several questions have been submitted to me, in view of the Memphis Colored Con ference, to be held Nov. 18, which, coming from intelligent and true friends of onr Church, I feel inclined to answer. 1. “Does the General Conference-plan give authority to Quarterly Conferences to license Annual Conferences to ordain negro preachers, who do not come up to tho dis-* eipiinary requirement ?” Tho late General Conference adopted the polioy of giving a separate organization to our colored membership; and authorized the Bishops to form charges, Districts, and Annual Conferences of colored members; and “where two or more Annual Confer ences .shall be formed, to advise and assist them in organizing a separate General Con fereoce for themselves.” Os course they must be licensed and ordained in order to carry out this plan ; and as very few, if any, of them arc prepared to stand the test of the literary and theological examination re quired of white candidates, it was “provided, that in the case of colored preachers, the question, both as to time and qualifications, shall he left to the Annual Conferences ” So there is no standard of disciplinary re quirements prescribed as t> them. 2. “What, number of negro preachers in the Memphis Colored Conference can read and write ?” I suppose nearly all of them can read; and half, or more, can both read and write. The few who canuot read are, generally, old, well-tried, and of most approved character. Some have been lioeused and ordained dea cons, who are doubtless but poorly qualified ; but the late Colored Conference resolved to raise the standard, and I trust they will do it. 3. “What number possess the qualifica tions required of a white applicant for the ministry in the same Church?” This question is answered above. 4. “Is a Quarterly Conference composed of black members competent to take charge of the property of the Church ?’’ Our policy is not to make over to them any proportv of our Church until they shall have formed themselves iuto a separate or ganization by General Conference-action; until then tho titles continue, as heretofore, in white trustees —the blacks having the use of it ns before tho war. As to my own views of what is best for all, I think they ought to havo several An nual Conferences this fall; hold a General Conference next year; elect a Bishop ; or ganize a church, and set up for themselves —that it is our duty to advise and aid them in every practicable manner, and keep them as near to us as possible, f confess I have fears as to their administrative capabilities, but think the plan of our General Confer cnee, which we are trying to carry out, is the most, feasible one, and I trust will suc ceed. li it. should fail, then will L despair of tho black man, with the consolation, iiowever, that many of them have gone to heaven through the instrumentality of our past labors, and that wc have tried to do our whole duty to them iu their new relation as freedmen. Lotus make the experiment in good faith, trusting in God ; anil let no friend and brother obstruct our efforts. Wc are acting upon the General Conference, plan, and shall soon know tho result. From tho Mcthodi-t Protestant. Rov. Btephon Goorgo Roszoll. I once heard an incident related of the late Rev. Stephen George Roszell, by the late venerable S G , of Frederick co., Md., which, in my opinion, is too good to bo lost, and is strikingly illustrative of the times, as well as of the man of whom it was narrated. At a eamp-mccting held near Liberty, Frederick co, Md., where thousands had congregated from the neighboring counties of Virginia and Maryland, Mr. Roszell preached the sermon on Sabbath morning. It was one of his usually happy, powerful and eloquent sermons. Thousands hung upon his lips with rapturous delight, whilst sinners, conscience stricken and trembling, oried aloud for mercy. A young, fascinating and highly accom plished lady from the neighborhood of Lees burg, Loudon co., Va, had taken a seat within the altar railing, being conducted thither by two young gentlemen suitors. In the middle of the discourse, as the preacher waxed warm, he alluded with spe cific emphasis to sundry popular and fash ionable vices, card playing, horse racing,- balls, etc., incidentally animadverting upon the wrongs done the slave in withholding from him the means and opportunities of mental and moral improvement. Instantly the young lady sprang to her feet, and lift ing her hand menacingly towards the preacher, screamed out at tho top of her shrill and now excited feminine voice, “That’s a lie, sir!’’ Not in the least dis concerted, the preacher waxed warmer in the discussion, when the lady again spring ing to her feet, exclaimed, “That’s a lie, sir!” Still the preacher proceeded, when, for the third time, she spiang to her feet, and in a voice betraying deepest emotion and agony, sho screamed louder and shriller than before, “That’s a lie, sir!” and in stantly fell upon tho straw in the altar. And now the excitement threatened, for the moment, to sweep all before it. In an in slant, thousands rising swayed to aud lro, like surging billows, while hundreds rushed forward, intent on inspecting more closely the tragic scene, while her young gentle men acquaintances essayed an effort to re move her from the place. Instantly Mr. Roszell, with his usual tact and presence of mind, descended to the al tar, and taking his stand on the bench, be side where the young lady lay, he swayed his stalwart arms to and fro, and thundered out in stentorian accents, “Go back; go back : she belongs to God Almighty and to me.” Remounting the stand, he resumed his sermon, and concluded just as Divine joy filled the heart of the grief stricken pen itent. She sprang to her feet shouting the high praises of redeeming love. Years afterwards Mr. Roszell was often heard to remark, “that lady’s house was his stopping place in his travels through that section of Virginia.” She became an ar dent Methodist, and minister and hearer have long since met amid the more thrilling and exciting scenes of the heavenly “en campment.” David Wilson. Carroll co., Md , 1868. The Immortality of Man. The permanent and mutable, the indo structible and the perishable, impress tho thoughtful mind as among the most striking facts in the whole domain of the universe. The generations of men rise and fall like the expanding and fading leaves of the forest; but the race lives on wearing the impress of immortality. The earth is un dergoing changes: cities, kingdoms, empires are founded and overturned ; and the proud est works of human genius meet tho com mon destiny and pass away ; but tho same stars look down upon us that shed their light upon the shepherds of Bethlehem, or arrested the gaze of tho night-watchers along the bank of the Euphrates or the Nile. It is even so with man. Hois mor tal and immortal. lie wears upon his na ture the impress of decay and the image of God’s own eternity, lie will die, and yet live forever. Out of the wreck and ruin of his body, crushed beneath the shocks of disease and death, his spirit will rise and assert itß claims to a God-given iinmortali ty. But when man steps aside from tho plain teachings of the word of God—when he abandons the common-sense interpretations of scriptural texts, he is on the high road to the grossest errors respecting his immortali ty. It is strange, yet true, that men are here aud there to be found who think their whole nature as destructible as that of the beasts that perish. Their statement, in its grossest form, makes death an eternal sleep. Tho grave is the closing; chapter in the history ot the race. It receives all and disgorges nothing. It is the hall of Lethe that incarcerates for ever the grave and the gay, the beautiful and the deformed, the virtuous and the vicious. Such a sequel to their busy and ever developing life is as sad and uninviting as the interminable desert of Sahara to tho parched and thirsty traveler. There must be sonic nobler destiny for man. “ Else, whence this pleann" hope, this t »n<l desire, This longing after immortality? Or wh**nco this secret dread and inward horror Os falling into uaught? Why shrinks the hou. Back mi itst-r, aud stirtles at destruction ? Tis the divinity that stirs within us; ’Tin heaven itself that points out an hereafter, And intimates . tamity in man.” But the statement, as modified by the criticism of modern times, makes death an ctornal sleep to the wickod alone. The immortality of the lighteous is conceded. Rut the wicked are to be stripped of their immortality and annihilated. This is tho latest edition of (he annihilation theory, and the poorest. It is au unequal allotment, contradictory, absurd. It contradicts the plainest utterances of infinite wisdom. — “Marvel not at this; for tho hour is com ing when the dead that arc iu their graves shall hear the voice of tho Son of God, and shall come forth ; they that have done good to the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil to the resurrection of dam nation.” “ Eternity, by all, or wished, or feared, Shall be, by ull, or suffered, or opjayc.d.” The whole man will be rehabilitated in the resurrection morning, and thencefor ward stand immortal amid the bowers of paradise, or within tho gathering shadows of tho place of torment. Annihilationism is a fable, a cheat, a lie. Matter itself, though ever changing its forms, is indo strucaTdo in iis rs.icnce. Is the soul less immortal ? Shall a period be affixed to its duration, while oxygen, hydrogen, carbon nitrogen shall exist forever and pursue an endless round of change? No! Even bold scepticism is abandoning the absurdi ty. A loftier destiny is divinely allotted to man. Ho will live in other worlds and ever endless ages. “ WhalV. human is immortal.” There is an eternity to come as well as an eternity past. Ages will pile on ages, cycles on cycles, and all along the path of the advancing centuries the plans of God will be unfolding. As wc arc to have citi zenship in that endless future, as we shall stroll in full and distinct outline along tho horizon of the ever receding centuries, is it not important that we make suitable pro vision for that encouraging and illimitable existenoo ? Up, immortal spirit, for the night is far spent, and the day is at hand. Go, toil for the Master till the onlighteniog shadows of the evening shall dismiss tlieo from labor to a home with the immortals. “I Watched Him ” Sabbath school teachers arc often pained at. the little impression they seem to make on the hearts of their pupils. And yet they may, by example, bo daily sealing lessons upon them that shall never be unlearned. It is not a very comforting thought that all a teacher’s faults aud shortcomings will be closely marked and quickly copied, but it is a very solemn one. Let the teacher appear absorbed in dress and vanity the moment his attention is withdrawn from the day’s lesson, and you will quickly hear a low hum of discussion over this one’s hat and that one’s dress among the little learners. And the teacher cannot throw off his responsibil ity to his class, when he leaves the Sunday school room. Their eyes arc upon him wherever they meet him through the week. A gentleman remonstrated with a Sunday school lad for smoking, but ho made answer that some of the teachers smoked. He saw one of them go into a store and buy a cigar. The gentleman hoped he had been mistaken, but the lad replied with a keen look : “Oh ! no I wasn’t, for I stood and watched him and saw him come out with it lighted in his mouth. I think ho saw me too, for ho turned his head another away and looked shyish.” They stand and watch you, teachers, of ten when you least think of it. You cannot afford to say, ‘ I don’t care, I cannot be a slave to thorn,” for the blood of souls may lie on your hands. You must give an ac count for all these precious ones at the bar of God. Wc want the earnestness which that good pastor, Johu Welsh, felt for his flock, for whom he often prayed for seven or eight hours in the day. lie kept a plaid at hand to throw about him when he arose at night to pray for them. On his wife’s entreaty to spare himself more, he would answer:—“Oh ! woman, I have three thous and souls to give an account to God for, and I know not how it is with many of them.” It was tho groat secret of Cmsar’s power over his soldiers, that he seldom said to them “go/ 5 but “come.’’ So let us live that wc may say to our scholars, “come,’’ “follow me,” while wc in humble faith sock to fol low in tho footprints of our heavenly Teach er.—Mrs. McConaughy. Consecrated. The great need of flie church to-day is a deeper, heartier consecration to the service of Christ. Here and there wc find one into whom the Master seems lo have breathed his own spirit, and in whom he seems onee more to live upon the earth. These are the grains of pure gold which even the world acknowledges as genuine; hints of what tho whole church militant ought to be. They know not what their fellow Christians mean when they complain so much of orosses; all they do for Christ is sweet and pleasant. I once hoard of a widowed mother who gave her only child to the missionary cause. “ How can you lot your daughter go ?’’ E. H. MYERS, D.D.,EDITOR Whole Number 1723 said a host of officious friends; “ she is too talented to be hid away in the forest to tUch little Indian children. I don’t sec how you can let her go.” “ When I gave myself to Christ, I conse crated all to him,” was that noble mother’s reply; “if he bids my child go, I cannot bid her stay. She is his, not mino.” And so their mouths were stopped, and tho young girl, so strong in faith, and hope, and love, went forth to the then far West to do her Master’s bidding. It was a long and wearisome journey, but it was brighten ed by visions of the glorious life-work just opening before her. She little thought that the life-work she deemed scarce yet begun, was already finished ; or that the weary way she was passing over was the way home ward ; but her Father knew, and just as she reached her field, alter a few hours of weak ness and suffering, tho hands so eager to work were folded in everlasting rest. The shadows were deep in the solemn forest when they, whom this young disciple had come to help, laid her away in her nar row bed; but the tahadows in their hearts were deeper still. They needed her so much, anil yet—well, it was the Lord’s work, not theirs. He would surely care for his own ; and casting off thoir burden, they went again about their Master’s business, a deeper consecration growing out of their sorrow and trial. But who should comfort tho lonely mo ther ? Who but He who had both given and taken away; the oovenant-keeping God, to whom her child had been conse crated ? What hand could support her in that hour of trial, save the hand that had smitten? Strong with a kind of omnipo tence which God gives to his chosen, she wrote thus to a friend : “ I thank God that my child was counted worthy to rest on missionary ground. I thought to give her to God’s work, and 10, ho has taken her to his rest. Blessed beliis holy name.’’— Sunday School Times. Tho Secret of Victory. The secret of practical victory over the world is contained in these words: “As ye have therefore received Christ .lestis the Lord, so walk ye in Him, rooted and built up in Him.” “ According to your faith bo it unto you,” is God’s principle. “ lliitt in Him,' 1 ' (Col. ii. 6,) or “walk iu the Spir it,’’ (Gal. v. 16,) whose office it is always to lead to Christ, and the absolute promise is, “ Ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh.’’ For salvation you have received Him ; then for overcoming the world, walk in Him ; for growth, be built up in Him, and for fruit-bearing, abido in Him. The salva tion, tho victory, the growth, and tho fruit, arc all in Jesus. This is no mysticism, no entering by an unsanotified imagination into mysteries over which God has drawn avail; no laborious drilling of the soul into a self-annihilation ; but a clear and simple truth of God’s own Word revealed to faith. Let him receive it who can reoeive it. Wo may not under stand it, but wo believe it; and to faith it is true that, just so far as we walk in tho Spirit, we do not fulfill tho lusts of’the flesh, but that by faith wc do overcome the world. Faith is the source and secret of victory over the world, the flesh, and the devil; the consciousness of Christ living our life lor us ; we ceasing to do our own works and doing the works of God. We may be so far freed, by faith in Christas our strength, from the practical power of “ the law of sin in our members,’’ that we can render Sh ae ccptablo, though not perfect, service, and may control ths manitcstaliou of sin, inward and outward trespass, just to the full meas ure of our undivided reliance on Christ. A Living Church. Wliat is (he church’s best estate / Is it so hard to define? Must men make the most, absurd and contradictory mistakes in attempting to ascertain what it, is? Wo think not. Is it not that estate in which every member of the household ol faith ac - knowledges, with heart and voice, that lie is not his own, that in-life and death lie belongs, body and soul, to his faithful Sa viour, and, therefore, so gives himsell to the service of his gracious Lord, that what soever his hand findeth to do, lie does it with his might, and, trusting in the power of Almighty grace, looks to the Church’s Covenant Head for a blessing upon all tho institutions and instrumental ties which the church has appointed for the furtherance ol the Lord's work and cause on the o.irlh ? The people who so combine faith with duty, that they believe no creed to be sound which does not lead to active labors of love in tho vineyard of the blessed Lord, and who act accordingly, who cherish all church ordinances of the Lord’s appointment as existing by lus authority, and whose reli gion is summed up in holy living, which is simply fulfilling the law of love: such people represent the church s best estate, and commend the law and tho name ol Christ wherever they go. N\ ith them the Master abides. They are his family. In them the Holy Spirit dwells. Their bodies are his temples. When all the members of our churches aro so minded and moulded, the church will have attained its best estate this side of her heavenly home. Christian union will then boa thing of course.: for it will simply be tho current of Christian life, which will flow on, gathering into its channel all that is healthful and active, and pouring its waters from under the altar, as the river of the sanctuary, blessing the world wherever it goes, covering the waste places and the very desert with trees and verdure, and transforming this earth in its dreariest spot into the garden of the Lord. Christian Intelligencer. Acts and Their Consequences.— There is something solemn and awful in the thought that there is not an aot nor thought in the life of a human being, but oarries with it a train of consequences, the end of which wc may never trace. Not one but, to a certain extent, gives a color to our own life, and insensibly influences the lives of those about us. The good deed or thought will live, even though wc may not sco it fructify, but so will the bad; and no person is so insignificant as to be sure that his ex ample will not do good on the one hand, nor evil on the other. There is, indeed, an cs seuco of immortality in the life ol men even in this world. No individual in tho uni verse stands alone ; he is a component part of a system of mutual dependencies ; and by his several acts he cither increases or di minishes the sum of human good now and forever. As the present is rooted in the past, and tho lives and examples of our fore fathers still to a great extent influence ns, so are wc by our daily acta contributing to form the condition and character ot the fu ture. The living man isalruit firmed and ripened by the culture of all the foregoing centuries. Generations six thousand years deep stand behind us, each laying its hands upon its successor’s shoulders, and the iv in" generations continues the magnetic our rent of action and example destined to bind the remotest past with the most distant lu turc. No man’s acta die utterly; and though his body may resolve into dust and air, his good or his bad deeds will still be bringin„ fortWruit after thoir kind, and influencing generations of men for all time to come- I £ in this momentous and so e'nn the groat peril and responsibility ot h existence lies.