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Southern Christian Jbbotaie.
MACON, GEORGIA, JANUARY 22, 1878
“ MALADJJINIBTRATION.”
There is a sinister sound about this word
that invests it, to the popular mind, with an
import which it rarely if ever has in the
management of ecclesiastical affairs, and
which, consequently, has times without num
ber, inflicted upon innocent and worthy
men, a stigma that is as unjust as it is in
delible. The minister, great or small, against
whom a charge of “ maladministration”
has been sustained, in the public opinion of
the Church, to the extent of his fame, con
tracts the taint and incurs the odium of
crime. There is an ugly sound to the word,
which in nine cases out of ten, conveys an
unjust and injurious impression, and we have
loug thought that it should be substituted in
the Discipline by some other that expresses
more definitely and accurately what it is in
tended to signify. Every preacher under
stands what is almost invariably meant by
the term ; but the people do not. And when
a pastor or presiding elder, is charged with
maladministration, that ill-sounding preflx
at once creates the suspicion of guilt, im
morality, in discharging the duties of his
office ; and if the tribunal having jurisdiction
of the question decides that he has commit
ted fen error in interpreting the law, he is
branded as a criminal in the minds of the
people, and his influence as a minister is ma
terially abridged. It is idle to say that this
ought not to be so. Os course, it is wrong.
And yet the fact stares us in the face that it is
so, and very naturally grows out of the term
employed. Hence, we think that the word
so mischievous in its ambiguity, should be
expunged from the book. Mated ministra
tion, in the worst sense that popular fancy
may ascribe to the word, is possible. An
administrator of Church law may so far pros
titute his office and disgrace himself as wil
fully and knowingly to pervert the law in
order to gratify a spirit of malice or re
venge, in the punishment or oppression of
one whom he dislikes, or to shield from mer
ited censure or punishment a kinsman or
friend. But such instances, if any have ever
occurred, are exceedingly rare, and may be
easily reached and avenged through direct
charges of immorality with distinct specifi
cations. What we regard unfortunate, and
would have remedied, is the employment in
our Discipline of a terra which conveys to
the public mind so indistinct- and in most
instances, so erroneous an impression ; and
which is so likely to saddle the author of an
innocent mistake, in public opinion, with
the perpetration of a grave crime. Men have
Buffered, men are suffering now, from this
popular misconception of the meaning of
this word in Methodist ecclesiastical par
lance. Good men may make mistakes in
administering Church law ; they cease to be
good when they knowingly pervert it for evil
ends. But mal means bad, evil, vicious, wick
ed, as well as faulty or erroneous, and the first
named significations being the more general,
the preacher who is adjudged guilty of “mal
administration” must expect to bear, how
ever ucjnstly, the odium of crime. Surely
the language of the Discipline can be bet
tered at this point. We commend the sub
ject to the consideration of the approaching
General Conference.
LOOK AFTER YOUR PASTOR’S NEEDS.
The heaviest pressure upon the itinerant
preacher, comes in the first and last three
months of the year. Asa general thing, as
the year draws to a close he is filled with
anxiety about meeting/his engagements, and
clearing up all claim^r against hint, to that he'
may leave his work without the damaging
discount upon his character and influence of
unpaid accounts. If he succeeds in “settling
up” in full, he is apt to find himself with a
slender purse, whose meager contents are
exhausted in getting himself and family to
his new charge. Let us urge our people
then, to minister promptly to the wants of
their preachers. They need money, you may
be sure of that; they need provisions, a
comfortable home for their families, your
sympathy and co operation in their work.
See to it that you do not refuse or delay
these ministrations. To all these your pas
tor is entitled from you as a matter, not of
grace, but of right. The performance of
your plain duty in these matters, will prove
a blessing to yourself, and will not only glad
den the heart of your pastor, but will tell
most favorably upon his efficiency throughout
the year. For, struggle as he may against
such a result, the pastor who is so unfortu
nate as to serve a people who show no con
cern about his comfort and temporal well
being, andjexhibit entire indifference to the
work in which he is engaged, suffers a de
pression that is fatal to the best outlay of his
energies, and to even moderate succcess. Let
every member qf the Church, then, recog
nixo his individual responsibility in the
premises, and be sure that the work suffers no
hindrance from his failure in duty to his
pastor.
“Sound.” —Rev. Dr. J L. Burrows of Va.,
whose orthodoxy as to certain tenets, seems
to have baen questioned by some of his
Baptist brethren, says : “There are tenden
cies among Baptists in some sections, as well
as among other denominations, to exalt
Churchianity above Christianity, to be more
zealous for the ritual and ceremonial than
for the spiritual and practical, to exercise
severer discipline for breaches of Church
order than for breaches of Christian spirit
and life, to elevate human dogmas above
Christ’s teachings.”
On the much discussed subject of so-called
“Alien immersion.” Dr. Burrows holds that
when Pedobaptist ministers baptize by im
mersion, their administration of the ordi
nance is valid, and ought not to be ques
tioned. The Doctor, after quoting the Ar
tides of Faith held by his Church, defines
himself on their basis as a “Sound Baptist,”
thus: “If these articles of faith make a
‘sound Baptist,’ then I am sound. But if,
besides these articles, I am required to frame
mv lips to the nove', grotesque, and|offensive
technology, ‘alien immersions,’ ‘pulpit com
munion,’ ‘Baptist succession,’ and a fac
titious and factious ‘Church authority,’ then
lam not a ‘sound Baptist.’ For me to pro
fess or assent to these novelties, would make
me, in my own estimation, only sound, ‘as
sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal,’ from
its lack of ‘charity,’ the greatest of all the
graces.”
The Religious Newspaper.— How Chris
tian people can manage to make any pro
gress, and contribute any momentum to the
cause in which they profess to ba interested,
without such information and inspiration as
are imparted by the religious paper, is an
insoluble mystery, and the only relief to the
,perplexity ol the thoughtful Christian who
ponders it, comes from the question: Do
they? We agree fully with the United Pres
byterian, when it says: “The Christian home
that is without a religious newspaper is not
likely to be one that will contribute much to
Church wprk. It will indeed know but little
about the work, tor preach as pastors may,
they cannot so fix details and statistics in the
minds of people that they will not forget
them before they get home. And in addi
tion to this, there is a stimulus needed by
most Christians to push them forward to the
work tney know to be right and necessary.
This is what the family paper gives them, as
week by week it forces upon their attention
the objects claiming their thought and bene
volence.
SHORT LESSONS ON COMMON WORDS.
GUSH.
This word is so short, that it is difficult to
misspell, or mispronounce it. It is well that
this is the case, for the word has come sud
denly into common use. Some writers could
not do without it. When a man finds others,
who do not agree with him, and he has not
time, or means, to show that their opinions
are unreasonable, it is a great saving of time,
and argument, to say at once —“gush.” And
that of course settles the question. Who
can prove a negative, and show that his opin
ions are not —gush ? This word seems likely
to do, in a measure, the same service, which
the words Methodist, Puritan, enthusiast,
did a century ago. You must not ask for a
; sharp definition. If this very useful word
could be defined, it would cease to be use
ful. The nearest we can come to a defi
nition, is to say, that anything in the way of
sentiment, enthusiasm, or admiration, which
goes beyond my feeling at the moment, is,
to me, “gush.” Let us take an illustration.
Not long since two ministers, (one of them
alas! now no longer among living men!)
were in England, and visited the Wesleyan
Conference. Very kind things were said by
each party, about themselves, and about the
other party. Many of us found these hearty
speeches to be very pleasant reading. Now
let us suppose, these visitors had been
Northern ministers. Suppose they had said
kind things about themselves, their history,
and their achievements. And suppose very
kind things, and very complimentary things
had been said in response. Would we have
found a report of such speeches, with the
frequent “Hear! Hear, Applause,” to be
very interesting and congenial reading ? It
is possible, that I might, in that case, have
dismissed the affair, with a simple monosyl
labic comment. If I had done so, would
my conduct have been singular, or would
many Christian men have kept me company?
If an audience is worked up to enthusiasm
by Hail Columbia, or Yankee Doodle, tha
is pure, intelligible, gush. But, let Dixie’s
tune “inspire the theme,” it rises far above
gush, into sensible enthusiasm.
The truth seems to be, that our nature
demands gush, and will have it. We may,
of course, keep that cant word for the en
tnusiasm of others, while our own sentiment
and glow, we dignify with a higher name.
We may shrink from the word, but the thing
wo must have. There are times when gush
is a great peacemaker. It succeeds where
logic, and diplomacy fail. When two boys
are in bad temper, a breeze of gush is a great
blessing to the play ground. Nations have
been saved from war, war of tongues, and
war of swords, by a current of gush. To
shake a list of grievances or complaints, at
an adversary, is often as powerless to win
peace, as to shake at him, a Table of Loga
rithms. Blessed be the memory of the man
who invented “gush.” To gush, and let
gush, is one of the great arts of successful
living. Happy the man who has learned it
well. C.
The Camden Church. —We commend the
attention of our readers to the appeal of
Rev. J. 0. Willson in behalf of this enter
prise, which appears in another place. We
heartily endorse this appeal. It is not a
case of calling on Hercules without putting
their own shoulders to the wheel. The peo
ple of Camden have not called for "help from
others to escape a work for which they are
themselves competent. They have been
struggling heroically to provide themselves
with a comfortable house of worship, and
only from irresistible convictions of tbeir in
ability to complete it, do they plead for aid
from abroad. They are worthy; and any as
si&tauceAhett given will.be wrtjuly bestowed
We hope to hear soon that our brethren are
gladdened by such generous receipts as will
enable them to realize their loug deferred
hopes.
Likeness of Dr. Bledsoe. —We find the
following announcement inside the cover of
the last number of the Southern Review,
which, without request, we cheerfully trans
fer to our columns, for the information of
such of our readers as may wish to pro
cure so desirable a souvenir:
Applications are daily received for a like
ne9s of Dr. Biedsoe. If a sufficient number
of theße applications are made to cover the
expense, it is proposed to have a large photo
lithograph made from an excellent photo
graph now in existence. The lithograph
will be 13x10 inches, exclusive of margin,
in Hoen’s best style; the price, including
mounting and mailing, not to exceed, to sub
scribers to The Southern Review , $1.50. If
orders come in in time, the lithograph will
be issued in April, 1878. Please send in
applications as soon as possible.
RECENT PUBLICATIONS.
The Southeen Review. Baltimore: Bled
soe & Herrick, 34 McCulloh street. $5 a
year—ministers $4.
Our readers, many of whom have for years
enjoyed this splendid Quarterly, will rejoice
to know that it is to be regularly issued du
ring this year, and that the usual number of
pages hitherto supplied to each number by
the late lamented editor, will be occupied
with material prepared by him before bis
death. “ During the year that portion of
his latest work— The Christian Cosmos—
which was complete at the time of his death,
will be published, making, it is estimated,
about two hnndred pages. Each chapter of
this work—a work complementary to the
Theodicy —is a finished essay, which, after
being carefully written and copied for the
press, was revised by himself.”
The number before us presents the follow
ing fine table of contents: Edwards on the
Will; The Papacy and the Civil Power of the
Empire; The Gospel According to St. John;
The Homeric Poems ; Obedience and Faith ;
The Christian Cosmos ; The Ode ; The Greek
Church; School Life; The Genesis of Me
thodism ; Cook’s Biology ; Notices of Books.
The Review was never more worthy of pa
tronage than just now, aud we sincerely hope
that Mrs. Herrick (Dr. Bledsoe’s daughter)
will be abundantly sustained in her worthy
endeavor to complete, as nearly as she can,
the unfinished work of her illustrious and
lamented father.
The Quarterly Conference Journal. St.
Louis : Advocate Publishing Company, 416
North Sixth street. Price, $2 60.
This book, which is neatly and substantial
ly bound, and is made up with excellent, pa
per, contains the disciplinary questions for
each quarter—first, second, third, and fourth
in order—and space for the required answers,
with additional blank pages for such extend
ed reports as may from time to time be
adopted. It is arranged for eight years, and
is well worth the price asked fir it. The
general adoption and use of this book
throughout, the Church would greatly reduce
the strain upon the patience of presiding el
ders, promote vastly the comfort and com
placency of inexperienced secretaries, and
conduce largely to the permanence and ac
curacy of the records of the Church. Every
charge ought, to send for one.
Historical Church Register. St. Louis :
Advocate Publishing Company, 417 North
Sixth street. Logan D. Dameron, Agent.
It was our pleasure to notice favorably the
first edition of this work, and to direct at
tention to what we thought would be im
provements. The “revised edition,” a copy
of which lies before us, is a decided improve
ment upon its predecessor, and is a very de
sirable book for every pastoral charge. It
contains a complete register for Annual Con
ferences, Pastors’ Records, Register for Bap
tisms, Marriages, and Deaths; an indexed
Register for Church members ; and ruled
pages for Minutes of Church Conferences.
SOUTHERN CHRISTIAN ADVOCATE.
The appropriation of space* to the several
subjects of record may yet be more judicious
ly made in subsequent editions—notably in
that for meetings of Annual Conferences,
which here allows for eighty years’ entries.
One page, instead of four, would be abun
dant for this item, and would give that much
more room for other subjects. This, how
ever, is a very slight fault, and is no real dis
paragement to a book which ought to be in
demand all over the bounds of our work.
Full and correct records are a desideratum
in every Church, and we ought to demon
strate our appreciation of the Advocate Com
pany’s contribution to this end, by providing
every charge which has no such book with a
copy of this.
Methodist Quarterly Review. New York:
Nelson & Phillips, 805 Broadway. $2 50
a year.
The January number, a little later in com
ing to hand than usual, is crowded with good
things, and continues to vindicate its right
to a place in the front rank of periodical the
ological literature. The Southern Methodist
will now and then be temporarily ruffled by
what he reads, but he can afford to condone
occasional offensive utterances, for the richly
valuable matter with which every number is
freighted. We do not know any other pub
lication from which preachers, especially,
get back so satisfactorily the worth of their
money. It is as uncostly as it is valuable.
The current number contains the following :
Islam ; City Methodism ; Education Among
the Freedmen ; The Blue Law Forgeries of
Samuel Peters ; Was Wesley Ordained
a Bishop by Erasmus; Bishop Baker ; Philo,
the Jew. Aud then come the departments
which constitute the exclusive domain of Dr.
Whedon, and which he traverses with the
tread of a prince : Synopsis of the Quarter
lies ; Foreign' Religious Intelligence : For
eign Literary Intelligence ; and Quarterly
Book Table.
The Complete Preacher. New York : The
Religious Newspaper Agency, 21 Barclay
street. s‘2 a year. Single number, 25c.
The course of this publication is to furnish
in each number several sermons in full from
some of the most prominent ministers of dis
ferent denominations in this and other coun
tries. In the current number there are five
remarkable discourses, preached respective
ly by Dr. Duryea, Dr. Rylance, Spurgeon,
Henry Ward Beecher, aud Dr. F. W. Far
rar, Canon of Westminster. Beecher’s ser
mon on “ The Background of Mystery,” and
Canon Farrar’s on “Eternal Punishment, ’
have created no small stir in the theological
world ; and it is claimed that both have been
misrepresented by the isolated extracts that
have been taken from their discourses. All
who are curious to know what these distin
guished pulpit orators did eay in the ser
mons that have acquired so much notoriety
on both sides of the Atlantic, would do well
to send tor the Jannary number of The Com
plete Preacher. The sermons are given in
full, in large type, and on excellent paper.
Pastor's Pocket Record. —We are in
debted to the Advocate Publishing Company,
415 North Sixth street, St. Louis, Mo., for
a copy of this well nigh indispensable vade
mecum of every diligent aud conscientious
paßtor. It has reached several editions, has
been carefully revised and greatly improved,
and now, so far as we are capable of judging,
supplies perfectly the want it is designed to
meet. Every pastor should furnish himself
with one without delay. It may be had from
the publishers, or from J. W. Burke & Cos.,
Macon. Ga.
The distinguished Meteorologist and Wea
ther Prophet, Prof. Tice, of St. Louis, has
issued his Annual National Weather Alma
nac for 1878, in which he foretells the
weather for every day in the year, explains
The thehry on which his pretnilions \
are based, gives directions by which the un
scientific can foretell the weather, and other
valuable matter. The whole, it is claimed,
constitutes a work of great practical value to
everyone, aud is almost indispensibte to far
mers. For sample copy and terms of sale,
send 20 cents to Thompson, Tice & Cos,, St.
Louis, Mo.
The Dogma of Human Responsibility,
more especially as it relates to Inebriety ;
a paper read before the last Annual Meet
ing of the American Association for the Cure
of Inebriates. By Rev. J. Willett. Fort
Hamilton, N. Y. : Inebriates’ Home.
OUTWARD COMBINATION—SPONTA
NEITY OF ZEAL.
Morell, in his “History of Modern Phi
losophy,” in discussing the tendencies of
‘f Sensationalism,” in religion, has the fol
lowing suggestive passage :
“ Ritualism, more or less, prevails in the
present age amongst all communities, a ne
cessary result, indeed, of the absence of a
spiritual philosophy. Even if there be in
many cases sincerity enough, yet there is for
the most part too little of the reflective, too
much impatience at thinking beyond the
leading strings of custom or of sense, too
weak a capacity of realizing the spiritual,
except in name,to resist its chilling encroach
ments. The tendency of the religious life
amongst us is almost always toward outward
combination. That is to say, men rely upon
each other in the battle of good against
evil, instead of relying upon the power of
truth to conquer the world. Christianity is
thought to flourish in proportion as we can
form societies, raise wealth to maintain them,
and call together large masses of minds at
once to express their joy, and feed their ex
citement. Little Is it considered that one
mind , going forth into the world, with an in
tense realization of the spiritual, armed with
the deepest subjective convictions of truth,
and cherishing a calm, but piercing faith,
instead of a vague educational belief, wilt do
more for the Church and the world, than a
thousand minds valiant only for a system.”
If we are not greatly in error there is much
in this paragraph that deserves the most se
rious consideration, especially by those
who are working in and for the Church of
Christ.
If we were only wise enough to avoid ex
tremes I
There is power—how much we have yet to
learn—-in organization. The little ants, whose
systematic labors shame our desultory, hap
hazard expenditure of energy, teach us this
much. Indeed, there is neither need nor
room for debate on such a subject. The
greatest results that men have achieved but
illustrate the power as well as the indispen
sableness of combination. History records
this on every page. The man who decries
system, who repudiates organization, is next
to insane. Nevertheless there seem to be
evil as well as good results from “ outward
combination.” The evil may be incidental
although apparently inevitable. We do not
propose in this article to name—much less
to discuss—all the evil tendencies and results
that are so likely to flow from even our own
necessary combination and organization in
the work of the Church. One we indicate
without elaboration : our liability to false
judgments of the real power and value of our
work. Our very statistics may deceive and
mislead us. Surely Morell does not over
state the case, as to many minds at least,
when he says: “Christianity is thought to
flourish in proportion as we can form socie
ties, raise wealth to maintain them, and call
together large masses ofmindset once to ex
press their joy and feed their excitement.”
To instance a single case: the increase of
numbers in our Methodist Episcopal Church,
South, has, during the last decade, several
years exceeded twenty-five thousand. This
is one expression of the work of the whole
Church. These are large figures. Only
looking at them and calling them one, we
conclude that we have done wonders. But
what does this “ we” include? More than
three thousand itinerant preachers, twice as
many local preachers, a host of exhorters,
class-leaders, Sunday-school teachers, in a
word, the whole Church of more than seven
hundred thousand souls. May we not over
estimate the value of our work ? Do we ac
complish so much after all ? More and more
we are persuaded that what we call “statis
tics” shed on many Church questions a most
uncertain light.
But one of the chief of the evil results in
cident to “ combination,” to “ organiza
tion,” is, as we fear, the tendency to repress,
if not to suppress, all real spontaneity of in
dividual zeal aud effort. Take the case of
the missionary cause and work among us.
There is the Central Board of Managers,
with its constitution, by-laws, methods, and
officers —-all needful, perhaps altogether in
dispensable. This Board has charge of (fur
missionary enterprises. It determines the
fields of labor, appoints the men, makes as
sessments, appropriations,and appeals. Alas!
that so many appeals are necessary to in
duce us to make an effort approximating but
a part of our duty 1 Then we have Annual
Conference Boards, managing what we call
our “Domestic Missions,” with constitu
tions, by-laws, methods, and officers. These,
too, are indispensable. But, the trouble is
that many of us fall into an evil habit of only
looking to that which represents one organ
ization—the Board. Offr sense of individual
obligation is diluted. Does not “the Board”
do this work for us? There is sometimes, in
our very responses to the Boarc'Ps appeals,
almost a consciousness of thin diluted seitse
of responsibility, We give to the Board, or
itdßvpresentaiive, feeling in a vague way*
that we are giving our money for missions ;
feeling in a way not at all vague that we give
largely because it is expected of us. And
how we wait to be asked—to be begged—for
what we give to the Board’s representative 1
Perhaps not giving at all unless skillfully
played upon and manipulated 1 How little
of spontaneity in it nil !
Sometimes we fear that our “assessments,”
so-called, aggravate the general tendency to
focget our individual relations to the work
of the Church. Perhaps they increase our
tendency to merely mechanical methods,—
Perhaps they introduce other measures of
duty than those which enlightened Chris
tian conscience employs. We are not about
to say, let us away with all assessments.
But if assessments —not by individual con
science but from without, as from a “Board”
are to become a sort of mechanical, yard
stick measure of our duty ; if there is no way
of arresting the tendency to measure our
duty by what others say, the tendency to re
press all sentiment, zeal, spontaneous Chris
tian impulse: if there is no way of saving ugi
from determining our duty by looking coldly'
at a column of figures, as we look at the
figures on the tax collector’s hook that re
present- our anuual dues to Cajaar, then we
do say, let us away with assessments. We
are not about to advocate any irregular,
loose, incoherent, “happy-go-lucky” style,
of collecting money for the wants aud work
of the Church. If we can only, by theright
use of method and the right preaching of the'
truth, induce ourselves and our brethren to
realize that the only true use of an “ assess
ment” for such a cause as missions, is in its.
representing only the least amount witiv
which it is possible to go on, and not au
all in its being any measure of our duty,
then assessments may be harmless.
But assessments can no more measuiii
our duty in giving than in praying. A;
Board can in no wise fix our measure ol}
duty. A Board cannot, like the State gov;
ernment, set up in its chief offices
ard weights aud measures,” according tot
which individual consciences must,
moral penalties, adjust themselves. The
■ mosH delicately balanced scales cannot
us ; they may mislead us.
Another evil tendency— most probablaj
bus not inevitable—is that in what we give—'
whether more or less—we somehow onla
throw it in with the rest, without identifies*
tion of personal interest in our contribu-j
tions. Our contribution goes into the mass;*
it helpß to make up the round sum asked
for. To make no other point, we fall into
the habit of doing our missionary work
“by committee.” As if our work could be
done vicariously 1 The same evil habit o£
mind often appears in our method with our
poor. The county has a poor-house ; the
Church a poor-fund. The first taxes us ;
the second takes up a stated collection.
We pay for the one ; we give for the other;
and for the most part, consider that we
have done our whole duty to the poors
But what a mistake! What a loss of use
fulness to the poor brother who needs re
lief, and of spiritual blessing to the richer
brother who can administer it. For the chari
ty cannot do her best work “by commit
tee.” Let the reader note here that wei
are not attacking the county for erecting »
poor house, nor the Church for taking up
collection for the poor. But we do pro
test against losing all personal relations to
the poor ; against leaving everything to the
poor house commissioners and the Church
committee, or even the pastor ; against the 1
utter annihilation of spontaneity in our be
nevolences. We do not hear the Master
say : “ I was sick and ye visited me, by a
committee ” Far otherwise does lie teach
us the Christlike work ot charity : “ 1 was
sick and ye visited me.”
Whether we speak of contributions for
missions, for the poor, for Christian edu
cation, or tor any olher good cause, it is rr
sad truth that where we work in combina
tion, where we work by “Boards” and com
mittees, we are not much given to follow
ing our contributions with our prayers.
But, enough. Having begun withe.quo
tation from Morell, we may conclude with
a quotation from Pressengd In, his admi
rable volume, the “Martyrs and Apolo
gists,” in his series on the “ Early l are o*
Christianity,” this learned and eloquent
writer says: “r
“Having thus glanced at tire obstacle!
which Christianity encountered in the air
cient world, and also at, the points of con,
tact which it found with the men of that
age, we shall proceed to examine the mode
of operation and the means employed in the:
propagation of the Gospel. We observe,
first, '-hat the work was not done through any
fixed organization. We shall not find in the
Chuieh of the second and third centuries.
anyofthoße great missionary associations
which form so important a part of mod
ern Christian agency for the simple reason
that the whole Church was then a mis.-iona
ry society. [Beyond all question this li
the conception ol the Church as Christ am|
His Apostles taught.] A stranger and a so
journer rather than a settler in the world,
hard-pressed on all sides by surrounding pa
ganism, its very life was one long conflict; i*
must fight in self defense and conquer o>
die. Tnere was no distinction then between
home and foreign missions; the Christian had
but to cross his own threshold, and walk
the public streets of his own city, and he
found a pagan people at his own door to be
converted. The whole civilization of the em
pire was the creation of paganism ; there
was, therefore, no delusive veil, such as is
too often drawn over the true state of thet
heart by modern civilization,in which the pre
sence of some Christian elements suffices t<-
conceal from superficial observers the undv
ing paganism of a world at enmity with God.
In the cultivated citizen of Rome or Alex
andria, the Church saw only a pagan, harder
to convert than a barbarian ot Scythia or
Germany, because more skillful in eluding
the truth. Thus every Church was a mis
sion centre, radiating light far and near. * *
Anew mission generally arose out of some
incidental circumstance, and wherever a
Christian set his foot, however barren the
soil, there he planted the Cross, and gather
ed around him the nucleus of a Onurch. We
have testimony that, cannot be contravened
—since it comes from an enemy—to the;
spontaneity of missionary zeal in'the earl-,,
Church. ‘ Many of the Christianswriter
Celsus, 1 without any special calling, watch
tor all opportunities, and both within and
without the temples, boldly proclaim their
faith; they find their way into the cities',and
the armies, and there having called the peo
ple together, harangue them with fanatical
gestures.’ ”
W e can forgive Celsus his sneer at the zeal
of the early Christians; since he has told us
of their spontaneous and quenchless zeal.
If ever the Church of these later times can
-ue»pire her tremendous power in organiza
tion with the “ spontaneity of missionary
zeal in the early Church,” she will be ready
for the world’s conquest and for millennial
triumphs.
We must work together, but the individual
must not be lost in the combination. We
must have organization ; we must also pre
serve individual and spontaneous zeal. But
ibis we cannot bring about by mere plans.
Not by new constitutions, by-laws, methods.
It can only come through deeper individual
consecration ro Christ. Seven hundred and
Stfv thousand Southern Methodists ! If each
oue fell the burnings of true spontaneous
-eeal,with what immeasuiable power the seven
hundred and fifty thousand would move for
ward in their combination of energies, in
their organization of forces. H.
Oxford,
“THE WOOD IS CHEAPER.”
One evening, during the early part of Jan-
I vary, we were talking with some gentlemen
rn a business office in Atlanta. One of them
§as a coal dealer. We did not know him,
ad had never seen him before, but we shall
bt soon forget him. One of the gentlemei)'
—an old friend—asked us, “Do you burn
wood or coal in Oxford?” Our answer wa3,
“Wood." It was suggested that coal might
be cheaper. Our reply was doubtful, for we
had not made a trial. The coal dealerasked,
“ What do you pay a cord for wood?” We
answered, -‘Two dollars and a half per
cord delivered.” “ Then,” said the coal
dealer; “ wood is cheaper for you.”
Little more was said in this five minutes’
talk, but it left an impression of the most
satisfactory kind. We never had a dealer in
coal before that evening to tell us, after
comparing the prices of coal and wood,
“ Then, the wood is cheaper tor you.” This
man toid the truth as he saw the truth. He
sells coal to some of our neighbors, and
his ears are frequently at our depot. What
most men call “ interest” lay on the other
side. He only did what every man should
do—what every thoroughly truthful man does
—told the truth.
The sad part of the matter is—it took us by
j surprise. Why should it surprise a man to
' get. such an answer as this coal-dealer gave
; us about die wood ? Simply because most
men in such cases express opinions on the
policy and not on the truth principle. Talk
ing to a lady friend after tea that evening, we
mentioned the coal dealer’s decision against
himself. She matched our story at once by
giving an account of a New York firm from
which she sometimes made purchases. Sev
eral times she has made orders—sending the
money along—in general terms, leaving the
selection to their discretion. Two or three
times they tilled the orders and returned part
of the money. Another time prices had
> gone down after our friend had seen their
lists. In this case they charged only the
lower price, and returned the change. They
are a little particular in the matter of change,
it seems. On one occasion they sent back
one cent, the bill lacking that much of taking
up the money. We felt as refreshed with the
lady’s story of her New York merchant as
we had been with the frankness of the coal
dealer.
One thing we have made up our mind to
| —if we should take to coal, and our new
“acquaintance is In reufch, be is our coal
merchant. They say “ Honesty is the best
policy.” No doubt, but the true ground for
honesty is honesty, for truth is truth. We
contemn liars; we pity the man who tells
the truth only because he thinks it will pay.
He would lie if he thought lying would pay.
Nearly every day the telegraph tells ot
some big thief coming to grief, flying from
justice, or passing from a palace to a peni
tentiary. Belknaps, Bonners, Butlers, Gil
. hams, Lamberts, and scores and hundreds
more who in the last decade have fallen from
their proud eminence of stolen riches and
shallow shams. What an amount of lying
each one of these great villains represents!
What volumes of lies and perjuries have
flowed from their cunning lips ! O, we mnst
preach, with might and main, Christ’s gos
pel on the subject of truth. A good text to
begin with is this: “All liars shall have
their part in the lake which burneth with
fire and brimstone.” H.
Oxford.
A GOOD BOOK.*
The author is a Congregational minister
who in his own country has won a high posi
tion, by reason cf his abilities, as well as bis
efficiency and purity as a minister. This
volume consists of Ten Lectures which form
ed the Congregational Uuion Lecture of 1874.
Several of the earlier Lectures are devoted
to showing that the death of Christ is “con.
ceived and described as being the objective
ground on which we receive the remission
of sins.” In the closing Lectures the author
gives his own Theory of the Atonement.
The reader may, or may not be, fully satis
fied with this Theory, but he will surely ad
mire the reverence and humility with which
it is suggested.
Mr. Dale has just returned home, from a
visit to our Bhores. He came to deliver the
Yale Lectures to young ministers. 1 does
not always follow that he who writes one
good book, can write a second. In this case
however, the young minister will not waste
either money or time, in purchasing and
reading both. Perhaps this brief notice may
lead to such result, as the present of one or
i both of the volumes to a young minister,
rom one of his congregation. In this case,
we, feel assured all parties will be great
gainers.
The reader may be interested in the clos
i*ig paragraphs of the work on the Atone
ment:
“In modern Jerusalem there is no more
affecting sight, than that which is witnessed
at every Easter festival in the chapel erected
over the spot on which, according to the
tradition both of the Eastern and Western
Churches, the Saviour of mankind was crnci
fied. Across the marble floor, hour after
hour, in endless succession, pilgrims ol many
nations, and of many tongues, moveslowly
on their knees, with streaming tears and
every manifestation of deep and reverential
devotion; and when they reach the sacred
rock in which they believe that the cross was
fixed, they cover it with passionate kisses.
The tradition is untrustworthy, the devotion
superstitious; but who can tell what love and
faith, aud worship, Christ may recognize in
the hearts of those who in this rude way are
fulfilling His own words,’ ‘I if I be lifted
up, will draw all men unto Me.”
“Those prostrations, those tears, those
vehement demonstrations of affection and
gratitude, are but pathetic symbols of the
invisible and nobler effects, which the power
of the Cross has produced in every age and
in every land. Its power is still unspent.
The cross is the very symbol of the infinite
righteousness, and of the infinite love of God.
It confirms the severest, condemnation which
our consciences can ever pronounce on our
crimes; it reveals a mercy which transcends
* The Atonement, by Rev. R. W. Dale, of
Birmingham, England. A. S. Barnes &
Cos., N. Y.
all our hopes. The awful yet glorious faot
that thejSon of God, the Creator of the hea
vens, and the earth, the Ruler and Judge of
our race, died a cruel death, that we might
have the remission of sins, will forever thrill
the hearts of men with wonder and sorrow,
with dpvout reverence and great joy. The
very first disciples .that followed Christ on
earth, followed Him on the testimony of the
Baptist, ‘Behold the Lamb of God, which
taketh away the sin of the world;’ and when
long afterwards, heaven was revealed to one
of the two who received this testimony, the
new song which he heard from the saints
who see the glory of their Lord was this:
‘Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to
God, by thy blood, out of every kindred and
tongue, and people, and nation;’ and he tells
us that ten thousand times ten thousand
angels, and thousands of thousands prolong
ed the cry, ‘Worthy the Lamb that was
slain to receive power aud riches, and wis
dom, and strength, and honor, and glory,
and blessing;’ and still the rapture spread,
and every creature which is in hepven and
on earth, and under the earth, and such as
are in the sea, aud ail that are in them,
caught up the exulting strain, saying, ‘Bless
ing, and honor, and glory, and power, be
unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and
unto the Lamb for ever and ever.’ For us
too, we trust that some day, heaven will be
opened; and we trust that all its glory will
be ours, not in transient vision, but as an
everlasting inheritance.
Meanwhile as we listen to the music, and
the triumph of those lofty songs, in which
some day, we hope to join, let. U3 entreat
God, so to reveal ns the infinite love of
Christ, through whose blood we have re
demption, even the forgiveness of sins, that
it may kindle in our hearts on earth the same
fervent and grateful enthusiasm, with which
it will inspire ns in heaven; and let those of
us who are called to the ministry of the gos
pel, resolve that henceforth, with stronger
faith, intenser earnestness, we will preach
“Christ and Him crucified.’ ”
Jas. H. Carlisle.
m'iii'ii ii «■—t—————a b——i
Corrrspkiite.
“MOVE RIGHT AWAY 1”
BY REV. JOSEPHUS ANDERSON, I).D.
The words at the head of this article are
taken from Rev. Dr. Lovick Pierce’s com.
munication in the New York Christian Ad
vocate of the 24ih ultimo, in which lie urges
the need of an Ecumenical General Confer
ence. No plan is specifically proposed, hut
(rom his argument, 1 infer that he desires the
two great bodies of American Methodism to
unite in establishing a special Conference to
have charge of all their foreign mission work.
This I proposed vears ago, and would favor
now if it can be organized with sufficient re
strictions to guard our interests, I think we,
would he safe in consenting to the formation
of an Ecumenical General Conference com
posed of an equal number of representatives
from each branch of Episcopal Methodism,
and restricted in the validity of its acts to
what receives a majority of the votes of
each representation upon the subject of for
eign missions.
Such an Ecumenical General Conference
would give American Method-sm the appear
ance abroad of unity, and would avoid the
erection of “altar against altar” in our for
eign work. And certainly the appearance of
division in missionary labor is a thing very
much against the cause of Christ; thennnee
essary expense involved in running two
boards instead of one, and of keeping two
sets of missionaries where one could do the
work, is a serious matter, indeed ; and the
'reflex influence ot perpetual rlvafry cannot
be otherwise than damaging to the piety of
the Church.
I mnst, say however, that much as I would
rejoice to see this Ecumenical General Con
ference organized and in operation, I have
little hope of experiencing that joy so long
as Episcopal Methodists in America cannot
trust one another to do the home work with
out rivalries. If it is wrong to erect “altar
against altar” among the heathen, how can
can it be right to maintain “altar against
altar” in our own country? If it is impor
tant to appear united in missionary work,
how is it less important to avoid the appear
ance of rivalry and strife in the home work?
And if there is not confidence enough in one
branch of Episcopal Methodism with regard
to the Christian character of the other to in
duce it to withdraw from the field which that
other holds by priority of occupancy, how
can we suppose there iB confidence enough
to make an Ecumenical General Conference
a successful plan ? So long as the two great
Episcopal Methodist bodies stand face to
fice with “altar against altar” on the Pacific
coast, and in the great west and all through
the south, neither having confidence enough
in the other to withdraw and leave it to do
the work, I doubt the practicability of any
plan for organizing a joint bureau for their
foreign work. What an increase of strength,
what a lessening of expense, what a basis of
charity, what a bond of peace, would there
be in American Methodism were its two great
branches to agree, each to leave the other
sole occupant of its originally assigned turri
tory, and then both unite in establishing this
Ecumenical General Conference for manag
ing their foreign missionary work 1 Until
this is done, fraternity can be but little more
than an occasional exchange of ecclesiastical
courtesies, because rivalry is sure t.o produce
ir i’ation and sometimes strife. But if the
Methodist Episcopal Church would withdraw
from the South, where our Church has prior
ity of occupancy, the way would be open to
a genuine fraternity, and there migat. be hope
of soon having an Ecumenical General Con
ference to manage the foreign work of both
Churches. Two independent Churches occu
pying separate territory and uniting in the
management of their foreign misionary
work —thi3 is what I want, this is all the
union I desire or would vote for.
Helena Ark , Jan. 10th, 1878.
LETTER NROM KEY B EST.
Mr. Editor: I served the St. Augustine
Mission the last Conference year, and as I
had no horse, and my appointments were a
loug way apaTt, I had a pretty hard time of
it, laboring under a combination of circum
stances that very greatly limited the possi
bility of doing much good. Towards the
close of the year I felt more and more pow
erfully moved by the Holy Spirit to plead
with God to open before me a door of more
extensive usefulness—but not, unless the
blessed Jesus would enter it before me and
fully prepare the way by filling the hearts of
the brethren with his Holy Spirit. It was
so that I could not attend the session of the
Florida Conference; but never was a preach
er more agreeably surprised than I was when
I learned that 1 was appointed to Key We ß t
—second charge—Sparks’ Chapel. I imme
diately felt that this appointment was from
God. But how was Ito get there? A jour
ney of about five hundred mile3 was to be
accomplished by myself and wife, with only
a little over twenty dollars in hand. I did
not stop to ask questions. Feeling certain
that the Lord had called me to go, I felt sure
that He would provide the means. We started
in this faith —we performed the journey safe
ly and very pleasantly without any difficulty,
feeling that the Lord was with us in car and
steamer all the w ly. Whenjwe arrived at the
wharf, brethren met us, and escorted us up to j
the parsonage, where we found everything in j
fact neatness and in fine order. Very soon I
several of the brethren and sisters came in
to welcome us and to provide for our imme
diate wants. Amid our happy greetings it
was easy to perceive that the blessed Jesus
had come before us, for the hearts of our
dear people were filled with His presenoe.
We arrived on Monday, December 17th.
luesday night we had a prayer-meeting;
and what a meeting! It has been many
years since I have felt and witnessed such
a powerful display of the divine pres
ence ; and at every meeting since, we have
had most gracious seasons. The Church is
fully alive to Christ and His work ; and a
goodly army of Soldiers of the Cross, with
armor on, stand ready and waiting for the
ontset. We commence protracted services
to-morrow, the first Sabbath of the new
year, and I am praying for and expecting
the Lord to convert at least one thousand
souls in Key West this year.
Brethren, join me in prayer for this glori
ous result. I. A. Towers.
Key West , Florida, January 5, 1878.
[Bro. Towers gives also, a gratefully ani
mated discription of a generous visitation
from members of his charge, on the evening
of the 2d of January, which we are obliged
to leave out.— Ed.]
COLUMBIA DISTRICT, SOUTH CARO
LINA CONFERENCE.
RECTUS IN CURIA.
Mr. Editor: It will be seen from recent
publications, that this district, in the collec
tiens of the Conference claims for last year,
ranks eight, or next to the last amongst the
other districts ; and yet,tin the table of as
sessments prepared by the Joint Board of
Finance for the current year, the district
ranks one ; in other words, is more largely
assessed than any other. It will be observ
ed; that whilst the collections in the district
last year place it at the foot of the list, it is
required to raise more money the present
year than any of the others. This would
make the discrepancy appear to exist be
tween the actual strength of the district, in
dicated in the payment of salaries, and the
duty performed by the preachers in making
collections, rather than any difference be
tween the financial ability of the district and
the liberal view taken thereof by the Joint
Board of Finance. I feel called upon, there
fore, injustice to the preachers of my dis
trict, to vindicate them against the least sus
picion which might be entertained of their
fidelity to the requirements of the law of the
Church, and their bounden duty thereunder.
The Joint Board of Finance, at the close
of the Chester Conference, adopted and pub
lished their assessments for last year, and
the district stewards of the Columbia dis
triet, at their annual meeting afterwards, ap
portioned the same and reported to the vari
ous charges their several amounts. Accord
ing to this scheme, four of the districts rang
ed as follows: Charleston (aggregate), $2,■
867; Columbia, $2,678; Sumter, $2 678:
Cokesbnry, $2 676. Tnus, it will be per
ceived, Charleston received the heaviest
levy, whilst no difference was made between
Columbia and Sumt.er, and but $2 00 be
tween Columbia and Cokesbury. The dis
parity between the four districts being so
small that they were ranked together. Clear
ly,Sumter and Columbia as of equal strength.
In the month of February, subsequently to
the action of the Joint Board of Finance, and
that of the district stewards, another Bcheme
appeared in your columns, founded upon a
certain advisory resolution of the Annual
Conference, which was not acted upon with
in the legal limitation of the duties impos
ed upou Joint Boards, and presiding elders
were required to accept the second as a sub
stitute for the first. This scheme ranked the
districts already named, as fallows: Colum
’bia, $8,386; Charleston, 53.#72; Cokesbury,
$2,818; Sumter, 2,500. Columbia ranking
Charleston by $64 ; Cokesbury by S4BB, and
Sumter by $776; whilst the latter enjoyed
the immunity of a deduction of Si 18 from the
assessments which the Joint Board had made
at Conference. In the discrepancy which
will appear in the forthcoming Minutes, as
already adumbrated, between the assess
ments and collections on my district for the
past year, there should be less $668, which
would bring the district near the top of the
list, and somewhat account for the large as
sessment, in advance of the other districts,
which has been piled on us for the present
year.*
Os course, I did not accept the redistribu
tion scheme for that which the Joint Board
has prepared and promulgated, because it
was illegal and arbitrary. Every presiding
elder who accepted it, submitted, conscious
ly or unconsciously, to a transaction which
infracted both the law and the custom of the
Church. My district sustained me in the
course which I adopted, under the most un
questionable authorities, and I am ready to
defend its action in any issue that may be
made on the sublect.
E. J. Meynardie, P. E.
Columbia, S. C., Jan. 14th, 1878.
*lß77—Total $2,678 00
1878—Total 3,053 00
Increase $ 375 00
AMONG THE STATISTICS.
The following pastoral charges were re
ported at the Gainesville Conference, (so say
the printed Minutes,) as having no local
preacher connected with them :
Madison, Washington, Edgewood, Social
Circle, St. Luke's, Milledgeville, Baldwin,
Hiwassee mission, Murray mission, Jefferson
circuit, Toecoa circuit, Lawrenceville, Zeb
ulon, McDonough, Ocmulgee, Clinton, La-
Grange, Long Cane, King’s Gap, Franklin,
Prospect, Cedar Valley, Silver Creek, and
Villa Rica.
There were no additions to membership ,
(according to the Minutes ) at Mt. Tabor and
Sardis, St. Luke's, Calhoun aud Ootbcaloga
Bethlehem, Gainesville, and Chalybeate
Springs.
No infants were baptized iu Factory mis
sion, Little River circuit, Sixth Church At
lanta, Mt. Tabor and Sard’s. Amicalola mis
sion, Hiwassee mission, Calhoun and Ooth
ealoga, Bethlehem, D mielsville, Ocmulgee
mission, Snapping Shoals circuit, Clinton,
Culloden, King's Gap,Rockmart and Cart-ers
ville. In some of these charges there were
unordained pastors, but all had ordained
Presiding elders, and most of them ordained
local preachers.
The following four have no Sunday
schools : Lexington circuit- (?), Mt. Tabor
and Sardis. (By the way that is a very re
markable charge.) Chalybeate Springs cir
cuit, and Villa Rica circuit.
The following have no parsonage: Oco
nee Street, (Athens;) First Church, Triuity,
Sixth Street, and Edgewood, (Atlanta;)
Lexington, Broad River, Little River, Craw
fordville, Lincolnton, Fulton, East Point,
Conyers, Fiat Shoals, Newton, Monroe,
Linwood, Warren, Baldwin, Putnam, Daw
sonville, Cleveland, Nacoochee, Dalton,
McLemorea, Resaca, Gordon, Bethlehem,
Jefferson, Franklin Springs, Mulberry, Dan
ielsvilie, Homer, Gillsville, Toccoa, Canton,
Flowery Branch, Hall, Logansville, Duluth,
Roswell, Noreross, Zebulon, Fayetteville,
Jonesboro, McDonough, Hampton, Jackson,
Snapping Shoals, Milner, Upson, Troup,
Long Cane, Chalybeate Springs, King’s Gap,
Grantville, Whitesburg, Hogansville, Senoia,
Palmetto and Jones, Bowden, Franklin,
Prospect, De Soto, Forestville, Cedar Val
ley, Silver Creek, Villa Rica, Acworth,
Dallas, Mt. Tabor and Sardis, and Douglas- j
ville circuits. Covington, Newnan, Social I
Circle, Dalton, Gainesville and Barnesville !
VOLUME XLI., NO. 8.
stations. Factory, St. Luke’s, Dearing,
Porter Springs, Amicalola, Morganton, E!
fijßy, Blairsville, Jasper, Clayton, Hiwassee,
Etowah, and Murray missions.
Ninety one in all 1 of which eleven are
stations, thirteen are missions, and sixty
eight are circuits. So that, if the statistics
are reliable, ninety-one of one hundred and
sixty-five charges in the North Georgia
Conference have no home for their pastors.
More anon, Scribo.
Jan. 1878.
TWELVE MONTHS OF MERCIES.
Rev. l)r. J. T. Wightman, of Columbia
South Carolina, concluded a discourse at the
" a ' ihin gton Street Church with this eloquent
enumeration of the blessings of Providence:
How can we enumerate the blessings of
Providence? If we turn for a moment to
review the mercies bestowed upon us a B in
dividuals, “they are more than can be num
bered.” At every day-break for three hun
dred and sixty-five days, the angel of the
morning was sent from heaven to pour light
upon the dwelling places of your city; at
every nightfall for three hundred and sixty
five nights, the angel of the evening was sent
to close the gates of day and to throw the
mantle of repose over the weary dozens of
toil. One thousand times during the twelve
months, an army of ministering spirits was
sent by the Father of mercies to lay bread
upon your tables. Everyday some unseen
hand smote the rock of providence to refresh
you with cooling water ; every day an unseen
wing wafted the breath of health into your
nostrils ; every day an nneeen finger touched
the cord of sound and brought the sweet
voices of your children to your ear; every
day an unseen lamp shined on your eyes to
reveal the faces of your own loved ones-
Food, raiment, shelter, fortune, friends and
family, by day and by night, obeyed the call
cf Providence and hastened to your home.
1-amine and flood and flames ; poverty and
pestilence ana war; have been chained and
kennelled for one year by the archangel of
God’s forbearing love. A thousand oppor
tuui’ies to offer invocation at your own fam
ily altar and to receive the benediction of
heaven upon yonr wife and children, have
been afforded jon during the year; a thous
and opportunities to read chapters of the
Bible, full of hope and promise, have been
given to you in your closet; and tea thous
and answers have followed your humble
prayers in streams of mercies daring the
year. One hundred sermons in the sanctua •
ry,two hundred public prayers,three hundred
hymns of praise, with sacramentß, and bap
tisms, and Christian communions, God has
cast into your hands as the costly pearls of
heaven during the twelve months. The
Holy Spirit has wooed your love every mo
ment, the bleeding hands of the Crucified
have knocked at the door of your heart every
day; nay, every hour; yes, every moment;
and in the very gates of heaven ajar, the
Bride has stood, end sent out her melodious
voice to your soul’s inmost ear, inviting you
to take ‘‘the water of life” and enter into
the eitv of the Great King. Through every
day of the year God’s hand has kept back
floods of wrath, and snatched you trom the
perils of ten thousand sins. The shield of
his providence has guarded it may be every
window of yonr home against the untimely
arrows of death, and thrown itself across
every avenue of approach to the citadel f
your life. No human arithmetic can calcu
late the evils which have been kept from you;
no enumeration can compute the blessings
which have been conferred upon you in one
year, nay, during one day. Multiply these
by the number of your household, add the
community, the Church, every creature, every
source of help, every fountain qf life and joy,
everyholv thought, efery heaVenly aspiration,
sum up all, they are more numerous than
the leaves of unfolding spring, more un
measured than the sand of the sea, more
copious than the dew of the whole firmament.
Millions upon millions of blessings fly from
heaven every moment to every creature ;
sum them up for a day, compute them fora
week, multiply them together for a month,
then spread out the heavens as a scroll, use
the sea as ink, every twig as a pen, and write
out in arithmetical numbers the blessings of
heaven which you have received during one
year. The scroll is full, the earth is fall,
the sea is full, the infinite throne is full, God
himself is full, there is no more room to
write them down ; all, all have been bestow
ed upon you during one year. God could
give no more, he gave you himself, he gave
you his love, he gave you his own Son, who
at last drained the resources of his godhead,
aud “became poor” to lavish upon you “the
riches of his glory.” “O come, let us wor
ship and bow down ; let us kneel before the
Lord our Maker;” “for he is good, and
doeth good.”
TO METHODISTS AND FRIENDS OF
METHODISM.
Camden appeals to you 1 For years the
Methodists of this town have been striving
to build a church. They are few in number.
By their own efforts, aud the aid of friends
and brethren abroad, the exterior work has
been finished. The interior—flooring, ceil
ing, plastering, scats, pulpit, painting, etc.,
with material therefor —all remains. Sev
eral hundreds of dollars are required to com
plete the building. The membership cannot
supply all. They rightly decline to go in
debt.
Help the brethren 1 They have worked
well, and deserve help I Send to me, or to
Dr. F. L. Zemp, Camden, South Carolina,
what you can give 1 Send it now !
The call is not only to South Carolina
Methodists, but to Methodists everywhere,
and to all friends of Methodism. Let it be
heard and heeded in our Universities, Col
leges, Editorial Sanctums, Districts,Stations,
Circuits and Missions. It is directed to
preachers and people.
Give not sleep to thine eyes, nr slumber to
thine eyelids, until thou hast aided in build
ing here an habitation for the mighty God.
Then pray that in it He shall dwell, that it
shall be Jiis rest forever!
John O. Willson.
Camden, S. €., January 14, 1878.
DO HELP US IF YOU CAN. ,
Pear Friends and Brethren of the Church
We have commenced to build a parsonage in
this little town (Welborn,) for theaccoramo
tion of the preacher and his family on this
circuit. The building will be plaiu and not
costly, yet we will need some two hundred
dollars —more than it is possible to raise on
the work and, friends and brethren, help us
if you can. I have been traveling in the
regular work for nearly forty years; have
never made a call before of this kind, yet
have built several parsonages in Georgia and
in Florida. If you can’t send an A or a V
do send us something aud it will be thank
fully received and publicly acknowledged
with the donor’s name and post office, unless
desired to be withheld. Send by Express to
this office via Welborn, Florida, on the J. P.
,t- M Railroad. R. H. Howrbx.
Welborn, Fla., Pec. ‘29th, 1877.
Fayetteville Circuit, North Georgia
Conference —Rev. B, Sanders desires to
return thanks through the Advocate to the
good people of Fayetteville for the hearty
welcome with which they greeted him on his
return to the circuit for she third year. New
Y ear’s day was made memorable to the pas
tor and his family by the expressions of kind
ness tendered by his people His heart was
greatly refreshed, aud the evidences of inte
rest in his temporal welfare will doubtless
prove an inspiration to utmost endeavors in
behalf of their spiritual interests.