fhe Biblical; Uecorder.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH, 8, 1$93.
ESV. C. T. BAILEY; EDITOS AH FBOFBTfTOB.
J. C. CADDELLt Aoikt AJTO, Coreisksit.
- ' STRAt BAPTISTS. ; - "
-It is at act that" pone can deny that quite
a number 'of our Baplistethren arid sisters
are living J-in .different communities .who
hare never connected themselvea with the
churches near them, and hence, have failed
to J proper identify (themselves with the
cause in the cbmmnnitiea in which their lot
is cast i. It is quite common for our preach
ers, and others, to roundly abase this class
of Baptists, and ithe edftor, as a"; rule, joins
in, Ja this pper we, wish to reason kindly
with our brethren and sisters who are thus
situated, and in this' way1, if possible, con
vince them of duty, instead of nslng abuse
in order to drive thetn, to it vWe would not
have them or others to suppose that we pro
pose to assume the rob of apologist for the
course they , have pursued nor would we
claim that the 'severe .censure $o which they
are often subjected is unmerited; but still
this censure has been going on so long, and
there ' are still :so , many 1 " stray Baptists "
that persist in the course for. which they are
blamed, that ithas occurred to us that, "in
thte:papetJileasjre- should jremember,
that there is much wisdom in the old motto,
44 Persuasion Is better than force.
. It would be. Well, then, in the outset to
inquire into the causes that will account for
the fact that so many Baptists can be found
in different communities who have never
called for their 'church letters; or if they
hold them, have never joined the Baptist
churches nearest to ihem. " '
One very evident cause .Is carelessness.
Many of our , people, when they prepare to
move to other sections of country, will make
all necessary secular ; preparation for the
journey ami for the change; but they seem
ntterly obUvibus to the fact that they ought
to make religious preparation also; and this
latter kind of preparation involves that of
calling for letters of dismission beon leav
ing. If it bet wise for a man to adjust, his
secular affairs for such a change, where is
the wisdom of neglecting his religious af
fairs f His failure to do so generally indi
cates that he places more value on the seen
than on the unseen. ,...
Another cause is to be found in the fact
that, although they are going to other sec
tions, they think that the ties that bind them
to the old church are so tender as that they
annot sever themJThey ; thus reason:
r - luui US 1UO VUiUtu ui uii uiuuiui wuicii
and relatives; here I professed and here I
was baptized, and owing to the dear associ
ations and memories that bind me to this
people and church, 1 cannot sever the rela
tion, I cannot call for my letter," && There
is some 'seeming force in this reasoning,
dear brethren, and yet, to be candid, there
is a great deal of weakness in ik -FNo one
blames yon for loving the church of your
parents and relatives, where yon professed
and was baptized. It would be strange if
you did not, and you should be happy in all
the years that follow your leaving your old
home when from time to time you are per
mitted to revisit the scenes that are so dear
to you,- and to worship again within the
walla'and under the roof of the dear old
buflding within, which God forsooth blessed
your own soul; but you ought to remember
that in calling for your 'letter; you are not
severing spiritual relations between your
self, your old church,' and your dear ones.
If they are christians, they belong to God's
family,, and yon are one with them, it mat
ters hot what particular Baptist church yon
may join.. Baptist doctrines and principles
ougnt to pe so aear xo you t mat any, .Baptist
church would be dear to you; and this spirit
' would lead you to join promptly the church
near to!
weaker in many respects than the one from
which yon came. ; Admit that it is weak,
and has many delects that your old church
' did not have; will you not let! this fact
dawn upon your soul that the Lord may
have sent yoti thereto make U stronger. Does
not the Great Captain of the ' Lord's hosts
know when his iWof battle is weak, and
where his people are weak! and has he not
sent you where you are needed? and yet you
hold baci and refuse to take hold, dodging
daty, 'and doing the cause ,harmf! by talking
alout the ties that bind you to your old
.3 cLarch. i Brother, play the man, and
' 1 1! s Lord snds you another fieldf;
; your armor, fall In with your breth
, - 'i or strong, and quit you' in the
f r r'Lt and trrith like a man. And
- f .t you and your friends will
- : ''3 to your old home church if
f j: i L7.1 to them that. yon
' 1 1- f.3 faster in the new
'the ,t.
U t) H found In the fact
that some are actually too stingy to do tneir
duty at home or hv the new field to which
they 0. This we sincerely hope. s not
truetbf manr of cur people who . fail to
carry ther church letters' with them and to
tuw them; hut e" fear it iartte 'ofoine.
Why a man "should wish - to;, belong to a
church and yet be unwilling to bear some
part of the expense of running it, is a mys
tery that can be explained only on the score
of ignorance, or covetousnesa. . If any who
read these line are among i the stray Bap
tists, they shod wmembe let their
reasons he what they may, they lay them
selves open to the suspicion of being consid-,
ered covetous, or else ignorant People are
apt to think this, especially when our s tray
brethren are located in a community where
our! people are straggling to bild a new
house of worship, or to free' themselves
from the burden of a debt. And the trouble
about some of the stray brethren thus situ
ated Is, they neither give at home nor at the
place where their tot is cast. Sometimes
these men wait until the local struggle is
over, the church out of debt, and then they
use their church letters, and unite with the.
charch near them, offering some trivial ex
cuse for the long delay.' Ah, brethren, if
vou.be not among those who act in this.
way, tnen act prompuy, ana ao your amy.
That duty is, as a rule, to join promptly the
church nearest to you, especially where you
are needed, when you go from one section
to another iTo -claim : to; be a Baptistrand
refuse to contribute, at home, or where you
are, ought to bring the blush of shame to
any true man or woman's cheek.
Another cause yet may be mentioned, and
that is the desire to be so freed from the re
straints of church membership as to be at
liberty to indulge in sins that would not be
tolerated by the church near them, if they
were actual members. Being away from
the mother church, and not subject to the
discipline of the one near to them, they feel
at liberty to so conform to the customs of
the world as to bring reproach upon the
name of the Master. These stray brethren,
that istray for the above reason, are often
first at the ball, the theatre, and when
they thus begin to drift, it is hard to tell
what the end shall be. It is a dangerous
thing to thus stray from the fold, and from
the shepherd's care, to eat of the forbidden
fruitage of sin. .
Hie remedy for all this lies partly with
the churches and partly with the brethren
of whom we speak. There are some
churches, and pastors too, we fear, who, in
stead of encouraging the members that leave
their churches and go elsewhere to call for
their letters, rather encourage them not to
do so; influenced again partly by the senti
mentalism above mentioned about home
.ties, the mother church, &c Would it not
be better for such churches and pastors to
be a little more candid, and add that they
sometimes encourage them not to call for
their letters, or, which is about the, same
thing, do not advise them to do so because
they still desire their contributions.
Church rolls should be overhauled by
competent committees occasionally, and
when there are absent members that are
living in other communities, especially those
that have ceased to do their duty at home,
and who have not called for their letters,
they should at once be corresponded with
and matters righted. The best cure for
this trouble, however, is! with our people
who make the changes mentioned. Let
them always, unless under very peculiar cir
cumstances, call for their letters and place
them with another church promptly when
they reach their new homes. .
; The Christian Index of Atlanta, Ga., the
most poorly . edited ; Baptist ; paper in the
South, in last week's issue presumes to crit
icise our use of capitals in the words " Jul
iana w and ' Christianity." ( Glancing over his
page in which'the criticism occurs, a num
ber of mistakes, as. usual, presented them
selves, t We turned the paper over to two of
our printers, and in a little while they 're
turned it marked aH oyer and theyen tire
margin, top and bottom and both . sides,
were entirely covered i with marked errors,"
and On his editorial page over one hundred
errors were marked. ; Many glaring' errors
in spelling in .his . leading editorialthe
word ' bigotry " was twice spelled i bigoty."
Many errors in the use of capitals, errors in
rulings, punctnations; and every conceivable
thmgV ,;;But' the V would be critic;
editorial courtesy in his effort to hold op a
contemporary to ridicule before his readers
by displaying his criticisrn in leaving out all
capitals, and thus 'printing .the name of our
paper in small type. One hundred errors
on a single page is a hundred times more
excusable than a '- wilful violation of 'every
principle of courtesy. But J we are charita
ble enough to think that it was the work of
some irresponsible interloper who wanted to
vent some spleen against us.' - - ' I "
j Georgia affords! the best field for a first
class Baptist paper in the South. Isn't it a
wonder and a pity that some one does not
improve the opportunity f
PERSONALS AUD OTB05B ITEMB.
tr. .Rev. CF."W. Harmon has been called
to the pastoral care of the Baptist church in
Weldon, N. C- ' i'v
....Rev. D. L. kooiy, the evangelist, is
to commence a meeting in Charlotte, N. C,
to day (March 8th.)
;! .'..Rev, &. A. Butler of Durham writes
that his church is growing more and more
hopeful 'and. encouraging." ; :;r;-
....Rev. D. M Austin, pastor of the
Olivet Baptist church in Charlotte, N. 0.,
has tendered his resignation.
-Wiiil R :?SMtt of Williams' Mills
cheered us last Wednesday by a visit with
a respectable cluV of subscribers.
-s a t
rr Nail MfllTav of Harnett conntv.
an able Presbyterian minister, 4ied Febru
ary 23th, aged about eighty years,
r, JDr. j: X Hall gave the hand of fel-,
Innrc'hin in thrpft nprsnna on Sandav morn
ing last at the Tabernacle church of this
city. '5 ... , . , ,
....Rev. G. M. Duke of Duke's, N. C,
writes: " We have continued bad weather,
which is hard on country preachers, but we
are doing our very best." 3 i '
.... We learn from the Hickory Press and
Carolinian that Rev. Mr. Cash well of Mocks
ville Is conducting an Interesting meeting at
the Baptist church in Hickory, N. C.
.... Rev, G. H. , Church of Bryson City,
N. G, has resigned the care of the Baptist
at that place, and speaks of coming east of
the Ridge. Bro. Church is a good preacher.
..:;Rev. Jno. H. Couch of Venner, Va.,
writes that he harbeen ' aboadantiy blessed
in his field during the half year that he has
been there; has baptized seventy five per
sons in one of his churches.
... .A good many of the preachers of New
York, Dr. Jndson among them, have taken
to using bicycles. Western Recorder. From
the slight of old men on bicycles and old wo
men trying to dance deliver us.
....Rev. J. L. White, pastor of the First
Baptist church, Asheville, N. C, will assist
Dr. Mundy In a meeting at the First chnrch,
this city, (Greenville), beginning Monday,
March 27th. Baptist (5. C.) Courier.
.. .Now is the time to send your name
to the Corresponding Secretary of the Con
vention if you wish the Board of Missions
to appoint you a delegate to the next session
of the Southern Baptist Convention.
....Now is the time to order your Snn-day-school,
supplies for the second quarter.
You can see in another part of this paper
the new statement by our own Supply Store
in this city. Write them for all yon need.
An interesting meeting is in progress
at the Second Baptist church. The pastor.
Rev. G. L Finch is aided by Rev. T. J.
Taylor of Warrenton, who preaches with
impre&siveness and power. Oddsboro Head
light. .... Rev. J. H. Lamberth, who has been
preaching for the Baptist congregation here
during the past month, left Monday to be
absent & few weeks. He will retnrn to
Greenville by the firs of April. Greenville
Reflector, March 1.
. . . . Bro. John M. Stoner of Charlotte, N.
C, says: "The Rkcordkb has been very
precious to me the past year: worth to me
many times its cost.' It is like good com
pany the more I associate with it the more
of its good qualities. I imbibe."
.... 44 To carry out the suggestion (Dr.
Ellis' for one Board) would be to destroy the
Convention." American Baptist. Few men
can so conceal their real object, in a sugges
tion like the one Dr. Ellis made, that some
of the brethren will not find it out.
... .The Richmond Dispatch gives an ac
count of the revival at Grace Street (Dr. W.
E. Hatcher's church) as being of unusual interest-
Large crowds attend the meetings,
and a great many go forward to confess
Christ The meetings are conducted by Dr.
H. M. Wharton, of Baltimore.
. ... Rev. L. G. Bronghton of Winston, N.
C , writes: "I give you my hand on that
editorial 'City Churches and Pastors.' Can't
accommodate the folks Sunday nights of
late, with all the chairs and the annex
thrown open. We are holding our prayer
service. Expect Thomas next Monday." .
. ...Rev. JTJ. McLendon of Wolsville,
N. C, says: "Times are hard with us, but
we would greatly miss the Recorder. We
have seven children, and we do not use to
bacco nor whiskey. We are striving to live
peaceable lives, Mn all godliness and hon
esty.' V You are hot h prolific and of good
habits, brother, 'V--- ': "';",5 '"'
.. .Rev. D. SL Austin, pastor of Olivet
church, Charlotte, baptized six persons last
Sunday night and received two others into
the fellowship of his church by letter. "The
success of Bro. ; Austin and ; his ' mission
church have been really surprising. It is a
demonstration of what can be done by faith
ful and wise work, .t.j
' . . . . A special meeting of the Anson Asso
ciation will be held in the Baptist; chnrch of
this town on Thursday of next week, March
9th, at 10 o'clock, to decide the question of
a union of the churches of Anson and Rich
mond counties - in one ' Association. It is
possible that Dr. Powell of Mexico may be
S resent to speak on missions. Wadesboro'
fessenger Intelligencer ',, March 2. ' - '
i (" 'v n f "v- 1 5 ' , 't
... Rev, O.X. Stringfield of Wakefield,
N,, Cm expects to preach to his four churches
this year, and, in addition thereto give one
fourth of his time in aiding pastors and
missionaries in protracted meetings. Bro.
Stringfield ; preaches the ; pure gospel with
great freshness and power, and we knOw of
no better help in this State," a pastor , de
siring such aid could secure. : He is to be
gin a meeting at our West End Mission next
Sunday night. , '
1 . TV. W. n. Pnwftll fit Mexico was with
Dr. Pritchard in Charlotte last Sunday, and
passed through 1 Raleigh on Monday on- his
way to Wake Forest where he. was to speak
Monday nlght.-v. . - i-i
I .Thtt Ponnliftt rhftnlftin of the Ponulist
Senate of Populist Kansas, opened proceed
.a. .1 - A A. . 1L.
logs wun mis prayer, a any or iwy iwr iu
Populist defeat: "May God have mercy on
this treason infected State.. Amen." The
Populists understood it one way, the Re
publicans another. We mu9t await the de
cision of the Supreme Court for its applica-Hon.--The
Independent
....In the discussion of the Normal and
Industrial School, located at Greensboro,
before the House committee in this city,
Feb. 21st, 1893, Maj. Finger is reported to
have asked : 41 Why are these gentlemen
here interfering with, the business of the
State!" This he said, referring to the Pres
idents of the dedominational female colleges
of the State. Remember it.
. . . .Rev. I. W. Thomas of Hibriten says:
"We have just closed a good meeting of
eight days at King's Creek church with ten
additions eight by baptism, one by letter,
and one restored. The church was strength
ened and united. Many penitents were
left Bro. C. E. Gower was with us first of
the meeting, and did good preaching, and
greatly endeared himself to the people.
Bra W. B. Beach, a young minister, and
member of King's Creek church, aided me
last of the meeting."
....Diligence is a most commendable
virtue. It lightens our burdens, strengthens
our body,-ouicken8 our perceptions, enlarges
our brain and adds to life's happiness. J
Kicnara Burse, aiier listening io a maaieny
effort of his brother Edmund, in the parlia
ment of England, was found in deep thought
by a friend, who asked him the cause of his
6ober thinking. He replied,1 "I have been
wondering how Ned has contrived to mo
nopolize all the talents of the Burke family,
and I think I have solved the problem:
when we were at play, he was always at
work." This is an important lesson for our
sons and daughters; and it is also important
to christians. Alabama Baptist.
....The progress of the Baptist cause in
France is one of the most remarkable relig
ious movements of the present time. Al
though there are many additions to the Bap
tist churches by baptism, the chief growth
is from another source. A considerable
portion of the most evangelical elements in
other churches seems to be on. the point of
coming over bodily to the Baptist ranks.
Revulsion from the ritualism and corrup
tions of the Roman church, and the formal
Ism and liberalism of the State churches has
driven many of the most devout minds in
France to the Bible, and this has led many
to the Baptist position. A body of believ
ers in Toulon and a whole church of one
hundred members in Switzerland, with its
pastor, have joined the Baptists. Quite a
number of pastors from the Free Chnrch
have also come over and greatly strengthen
ed the force of Biptist laborers in France.
Even in priest-ridden Belgium a little Bap
tist church of fifteen members has been
formed. Two hundred and twenty-two
were baptized into the two Baptist churches
in Paris the last year, and the outlook for
the whole work is exceedingly encouraging.
Boston Watchman.
Important Facts.
The receipts of the Foreign Mission Board
at Richmond for the last fiscal year of the
Southern Baptist Convention to Feb-. 15th,
1892, were $63,593 67, and the total receipts
for this year to Feb. 15th, are $91,975.17.
This is a gain over last year for the same
months of $23,876 40. In addition to this
gain for the present year, Bro. A. F. Sellers
of Texas has sent a deed to the Board for a
house and lot valued at $650 and also his
note, payable in two years, with interest, for
$2,000, and Bro. James E. Meadox of Ken
tucky has sent a deed for 640 acres of land
in Texas valued at $600.
FROM OUB NORTH CAROLINA CHURCHES
the total amount sent to the Board at Rich
mond to Feb. 15th, 1892, was $3,191.08, and
the total amonnt sent this year to Feb 15th,
is $6,714 47. This is a gain from our North
Carolina churches for this year over the
same months in last year of $3,423 89, -
0N1Y Fim-THREfi DAYS' y
now remain to the close of this fiscal yeaf.
The last day of April at twelve o'clock noon
the Treasurer of the Foreign Mission Board
and the Treasurer of the Home Mission
Board will close their books for this year.
What is done for these objects must be done
soon.'.. - " s I''. X',-'. ' ' '", V v :
..v THB FOREIGN- BOARD V5H-
is now overdrawn in bank $30,000. f This is
on the regular work, .'"and is the largest debt
the Board has ever carried at this season."1
' , THE HOME BOARD .
is equally as bad off, and its needs are as im
portant and pressinir as the needs of the
Foreign Board. We have not, however, the'
exact ngures irom tne iiome Hoard before
ns.;;':;i.H'.i'?:ih':''"p. .?-vvv;...';v4..:-;;f;.;.;'
j . , AT THE BAPTIST STATUE CONVENTION , ,
held in this city in December last, our Board
was then due its missionaries on work for
the year ending Nov. 1st, 1892,; the sum of
$2,127.48. Since that time, as you can see
by the Treasurer's acknowledgments in this
paper, only $082.81 have been received for
State Missions. j; This leaves us still due our
State missionaries on work for the year end
ing Nov. 1st, 1892, $1,445. 17. What shall
be done t When can these faithful men, who
greatly need what is due them, be paid ?
Oar only hope Is to look to the churches. '
I FIRST QUARTZB?f;;if'
oa this Conventional year Is passed, and One
fourth of the thirteen thousand dollars an-
s year's work ought to have
been paidS; I j j.t
jj . . ; " TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS - ;
are still due on the Colored Institutes' held
last summer. Every pastor in the Conven
tion, by voting for Bro. T. J Taylor's reso
lution on this work, thereby promised te
take one collection for it during the "year.
But lesi than a half dozen 'churches havi
sent anything to our Treasurer for this ob
ject 'since the Convention in . Goldsbore
What shall we dof H """ " i , ,v . '
1 These are the facts 'They ought .to sneak
to-nsaU. ' f
DELEGATES '
to the next session of the Southern Baptist
Convention should be appointed at the next
meeting of our Board of Missions.- If yo
expect to go and wish to be appointed a del
egate, write to meat onoe. Tne Conventioa
is to meet this year in Nashville, Tenn.,
May 12-15. f We will give the facts about
railroad rates later. C. Dvrham..
Raleigh, March 6, 1893. ".
An Arrow Head that has Hit.
In reading this week a religious v paper
and one that I read with interest I notice
under the heading Arrow Heads," what I
think to be a poisoned arrow head. :
At present, however, It is such a conve
nient fashion in replying to one who objects
to anything said, to Say, "The dog that
howls is the one you hit," or 'If the cap fits,
wear it,' that one with "sore toes" would,
or at least should, be afraid to question er
object to anything he reads," Yet with ex
posed toes and wearing tne cap so far as it
fits me, without waiting for such kindadmo-.-"nition
f rom"hIm who thinks, such remarks
cfFuntivA armor eltViAr lAfAnalirA nr nffant
I proceed to speak. And even if I die from
"trampled toes" and cap-wearing, I shall
try to rub that arrow head, if perchance I
may rub off at least a little of the poison be
fore it penetrates too deeply. I hope, how
ever, I shall not have a baa case of rabies.
Here is the arrow head cf which I speak :
"A dollar for the heathen and a kick for
the tramp is a bad showing." f r
This admits of more constructions than
one, it ii true. And if it mean this, " Our
blessings are so many that only a dollar for
the heathen is a bad showing," and ."Since
God has been so kind to us who are miser
able sinners, for us to be cruel and unkind
to the poor and unfortunate, is a, bad show
ing," then I heartily endorse and impel the
shaft, if it will hit as intended and not from
a bent point hit amiss. But if it means this,
"To turn a professional tramp empty-
handed from one's door, and yet give a dol
lar to the heathen, is a bad showing,", then
it Reema to me to have been dinned deen 1m
the poison, however unintentionally it may ,
have been done. And it is a double pointed
arrow from each point of whi:h the poisba
escapes. ,
First, it tends to discourage mission giving
Second, it tends to foster pauperism and
tramps. .
It is a trite fact that the; press largely
snapes pumic manners ana morals, seldom
are the readers of any one paper above that
paper. Certainly a religious paper ought to .
lead in this great press work of, developing
the moral and religious manhood and wo
manhood of our land. As responsible as are
the positions we preachers try to fill, the
christian editor has a more responsible po
sition in this respect Close scrutiny and
devout armor should guide the religious pen.
That pen makes an atmosphere in which is
developed either vigor or weakness. If the
family paper is careless of missions, so ars
the members of that family, If in a family
naturally prone to .quoting as Scripture,
"Charity begins at home," the paper comes
and says, "Better give the dollar to a tramp .
than tr t Vi a tioflt Vton tVa tA mioeiAn ml. ,
lection will not get the dollar from that fam
ily. And when such a semi hostile spirit to
missions begins to percolate through soms
parts of North Carolina, it will require a
miracle to r re vent tha annnllincnf manv
noble efforts; and many a penny that now ,
goes to send light to the dark corners of the
world will canker in the pocket of the
church member and go neither to the hea
then nor to the poor (?) tramp. .It is hard
to build up but easy to pull down.
, But aside from its tendency to hurt mis
sions, it contains a positively injurious prin
ciplea principle that does violence to all
sound Dofitical eoonamv. ToAnf. mAn to sun-
port tramps, and yon teach lazy men to be
come tramps. . Encourage men to becom
tramps, and you encourage the civil, moral, -and
religious dissolution of your country.
Nor is it a violation of charity to turn a pro
fessional tramp empty-handed from your
door. This is true for North Carolina at
any rate. Is a man old and feeble and hence
unable to support himself t Where in North
Carolina is there not a home provided for such
at the public expense f ' Is it not degrading ;
to become an inmate of such a home f Is it
not doubly degrading to become S tramp,
and degrading not only to the tramp but also
to the community? Is it a poor, unfortunate
orphan f ; And where are our orphan homes'
Is it a shiftless wretch trying to beg his way
from one city to another! And where is the
Charity in helping to shift upon an innocent
and ' unoffending community a worthless
wretch who cannot or will not live, a sober,
nones me at nomei : is n a poor wuit
whom ; misfortune has rendered unable to
eke out a miserable existence f ? And whose
foot has ever spurned her as a tramp! I
she a trampt ' It so, then she is a fit object
for the home provided for such unfortunates ,
at the public expense. ' ' Here she can live
more ' respectable; honesty and satisfactory
life than she can as a tramp, in which posj-;
tion she' would become a wandering testl
mony of her own Bad condition and a oe
grading and a poisoning element in the comv
munity. What poor, needy personals no
provided for without developing a danger
ous class of worthless vagabond? t J Sotro
economy demands the suppression of trfimps-
' : t f. O. ALDERMAH1.
Concord, March 1, 1893. . v . , . -1 -