■■ I-.-'--'- ' •
I*"
The Christian Sun.
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 23,1877.
Editor-in-Chif.f,
Rev. J. T. WHITLEY.
CORRESPONDING EDITORS,
Rep. C. A. APPLE, Suffolk, Va.
Rev. W. S. LONG, Graham, N. C
OPR PRINCIPLES.
f EXTRACT FROM THE DECLARATION OF PRINCIPLES 01
TUR CHRISTIAN CHURCH.]
“YVe may well afford , to dispense with al!
those doctrines and tenets which set the brethren
at variance, and to take the following primary
constitution as the ground-work of our organiza
tion, viz.:
41 1. The Lord Jesus Christ is the only Head oi
the Church. The Pope of Rome, or any othei
pretending to be head thereof, should be regarded
as that man of sin and son of perdition, who c.x
alteth himself above all that is called God.
41 2. The name Christian is the only appella
tion needed or received by the Church. All party
or sectarian names are excluded as being unneces
sary, if not hurtful.
“3. The Holy Bible, or the Scriptures of the
Old and New Testaments, is a sufficient rule ol
faith and practice.
“4. Christian Character, or vital piety, is a
just, and should be the only, test of fellowship,
or of Church membership.
il 5. The right of Private Judgment and the
ibertv of conseiencc is a right and a privilege
that should be accorded to, and exercised by,
all.”
Notice to toiTCSiiomlentg.
Articles intended for publication should be
addressed to the “ Editor of the Christian Sun,
Suffolk, \7a,” and should be mailed so as to rc.»ch
us before the Friday preceding the date of their
publication. Write in a legible hand, with ink,
only on one side of the paper. All anonymous
communications will be thrown into the waste
basket. No article will be inserted for any one,
unless deemed suitable for publication.
EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE.
e*.
f—S
Pleasant Grove, Halifax Co., V.u.,
NoV§ luber 10, 1877.
My Deae Major While I was
giving and receiving farewells in the
midst of my little family at home last
Friday morning, preparatoiy to leav
ing for the North Carolina Confer
ence, a little darkey thrust his head
into the door, and shouted, “lletter
hurry-up, sir; lacks only three min
utes of train time.” Bo away I hur
ried to the depot of the A. M. & O.
Railroad, followed by the sable youth
aforesaid with my valise on his head.
The train got tli^tfc&g- the. lime 1 ar
rived ; in fact, my Brothers Apple
and Beale had been in some trepido
rftfh lest I should get left. But in a
few moments tickets had been seeui cd(
and our trio were seated in the ele
gant car, speeding on t'owanl Peters
burg under the care of everybody’s
friend, Captain Calvin Hill. On the
train we fouud-Rev. It. C. Tuck, of
Norfolk county, bound for the same
place with ourselves; and, of course,
he made a very handsome addition to
our party. Here, too, we were greet
ed by the honest, genial, lace of Rev;
Dr. Ruffuer, Superintendent of Public
Instruction for the State of Virginia.
In conversation with Dr. Itufiner and
others, I was scarcely conscious of
bow time passed-, and soou the spires
of Petersburg came in sight. After
a pause of a few minutes, on we sped
toward Burkeville, enjoying the com
pany and conversation of Rev. Broth
ers Jordau and White, of the Metho
dist Episcopal Church, who were on
their way to their Conference in ses
sion at Lynchburg.
At 2 o’cjoek our party of four alight
ed at Burkeville, where we expected
to have to remain until 2 A. m. the
next day, before taking the train on
the Richmond amL-Danville Railroad
for News Ferry, nelir where the Con
ference was to meet. But, just as we
stepped from the train on the A. M.
& O. Railroad, a freight train on the
Richmond and Danville Road came
np. Inquiry elicited the fact that, by
taking that train, we could reach
News Ferry by 8 P. M.^inis affording*
us the opportunity of obtaining a good
night’s rest. Bo into the “caboose”
we penetrated, and somebody said,
“Go np stairs.” What! go up stabs
in the caboose of a freight train ?
Certainly, ■ why not 7 Bending low,
passing through a narrow door, and
ascending a short stairway, we stood
—where V—why, in tin observatory!
In that elevated place our eyes could
roam every way and see the country
as we travelled. And such travelling!
Did you ever travel on the R. &. D.
It. R. f “Rough,” does not express it.
The fact is, we pteachers almost exe
cuted ati involuntary dance, under
the furious jostling of the car. Not
that Bro. Apple actually danced a
jig, nor that Bro. Beale executed a
“pigeon wing,”—they certainly did
not. But they probably came as near
[lancing,against their will,as they ever
lie in their lives ! Night came on ;
nfCIover, we vacated our two story
CAMUid entered another with no up
Rtuiri®. Finally, at 8 o’clock, we
alight*^, at News Ferry, and, having
aunouucaft by telegram from Burke
ville our dtytniug, were met at the de
pot by BtmJB. T. Pierce, a member
of Pleasant Oi^vo Church, w ho escort
ed us to his ItAe in the village and
•oou made us comfortable with a $oo \!
supper and a glowing fire. Under tlio
hospitable roof of this family, our
party spent, the night; and the next
morning, in Uro. Boyd’s big wagon,
went out to the Church. We arrived
at Pleasant Grove at 10 o’clock, to
fipd the Conference in session. And
now, I will change the style of this
article, go back a day, and become
a chronicler.
The North Carolina and Virginia
Christian Conference met at Pleas
ant Grove, Church, Halifax county,
Va., in its 62d annual session, on
Friday, Nov. Hi, 1877, and was called
to order by Kev. W. 8. Long, Presi
dent of the last session.
The following ministers and lay
delegates were enrolled as present:
Elders.—Solomon Apple, Alfred
Apple, J. W. Wellons, W. S. Long,
\V. G. Clements, P. V\ Allen, M. L.
Hurley, .T. W. Holt, P. T. Klapp.
Licentiate—D. F. Jorcs. Lay-Dele
gates—B. J. Wicker, J. H. Moring
J. T. Ball, 8. T. Covington, 11. A. N.
Apple, .T. W. Harden, 15. A. Sellars,
G. W. Whitsitt, <1. W. Boyd, J. lv. I
Gibson, N. M. Watson, P. II. Apple,
H. C. Fulton, W. 11. Buntin, J. A.
Jones, 1). II. Fuqnaj^ G. S. Watson,
Levi Walker, W. A. McCauley, W.
C. Tiuitt, W. A. Sharp, 15. ,T. Black
ley, Samuel Ireland, P. J. Kcrnodte,
S. M. Holland, Bobei t Hollins, Al
fred Moling, J. II. Howard.
The temporary chairman proceed
ed to lead the body in devotional ex
ercises, after which an election was
held to fill the otliee of President of
the present session. The choice fell
upon Hev. W. S. Long.
The resignation of Hev. D, A. Long
as standing secretary, was read and
accepted. Hev. Jeremiah W. Holt
was then elected standing secretary,
and Bro. P. J. Kernodle was chosen
assistant secretary.
Conference decided to meet each
day at 9 o’clock a. si., and take a re
cess at 12 ji., for preaching and din
ner ; reassem ble at 2 r. ji., and adjourn
at will.
On motion, 12 o’clock to morrow,
Nov. 17, was fixed upon as the time
for the delivery of the annual ser
moii, by llev. W. S. Long.
Itev. VV. G. Clements, and lay broth
ers J. T. Ball and ii. A. Sellars, were
appointed a committee to prepare a
statistical table, showing the number
of Churches and such facts about
them as it may be desirable to know.
The Kales of Order adopted at the
last session, were je-adopted for tlie
government of the present session.
tt<
pie,
appointed a committee on Religious
Exercises during the present session.
The body then adjourned, with de
votional exercises by ltev. S. Apple.
Second Day.
Conference met, with the President
in the chair. Devotional exercises
were conducted by ltev. W. G. Clem
ents.
The following new members, arrived
and were enrolled : ltev. M. L. Win
ston, K. D. Holmes, ltev. J. W.
Hatch, M. C. Winston, W. T. Young,
Z. N. Apple, J. S. Ashby, ltev. C. A.
Boon, ltev. It. C. Tuck.
The minutes of yesterd iv’s session
were read and approved ; after which
reports were read from the following
Churches: Morrisville,Lebanon,New
Providence, New Elam, Apple’s
Chapel, Antioch, Moore Union, Sa
lem Chapel, Wake Chapel, Pope’s
Chapel, Mt. Bethel, Bethlehem, Ca
tawba Springs, Pleasant Hill (John
son).
ltev. William Slate, of the Baptist
Church,was invited to a seat in the
body as a deliberative member.
ltev. Brothers C. A. Apple, E. W.
Beale, and J. T. Whitley, fraternal
messengers from the Eastern Virgin
ia Christian Conference, being pres
ent, were invited to sit in the Confer
ence, ns deliberative members. These
brethren accepted tlie invitation in
short speeches. „
Brothers A. M. Way and G. W.
Piunix arrived and were enrolled.
A letter was read from ltev. G. A.
T. Whitaker, of the Methodist Protes
taut Church, who had been appointed
a fraternal messenger to this body,
but found it inconvenient to attend.
ltev. J. W. Welions, and iay-broth
ers W. X. Pritchard and A. M. Way
were appointed a special committee,
to inquire into t he causes of irregular
ities on the part' oi some of tho
Churches in reference to holding
business meetings and celebrating the
Lord’s Supper.
Tlie Conference decided to bold its
annual session next year with the
Church at Damascus, Orange county,
N. C. This Church is not far from
Chapel Hill and the University of
North Carolina.
ltev. Alfred Apple was appointed
to preach the next annual serruou.
Brothers A. Moring, G. W. Piunix,
and J. W. Harden, were appointed a
committee to examine the records of
the local Churches. *
Conference then suspended its busi
ness, to hear the annual sermon.—
Rev. W. S. Long delivered the ser
mon, from Ezekiel 3 : 5-7: “For thou j
nrt not sent to a people of a strange !
speech and of an hard language, but j
to the bouse of Israel * * * surely (
bod I sent thee to them, they would
iv. J. W. Welions, ltev. S. Ap
! have hearkened unto thee. But the
house of Israel will not hearken unto
thee.” Brother Long makes a tine
appearance in the pulpit, has a rich
voice, graceful gesticulation, and
pleasing, manner. The sermon was
thoughtful, pathetic and earnest, and
abounded in forcible points. The
speaker discussed the mission of the
Gospel preacher, under three heads:
(1.) To open the eyes of sinners, point
them to Christ, and bring them from
nature to grace. (2.) To store the
minds of men with materials for con
viction under the afflictive dispensa
tions of God. (3.) To stop the months
of sinners under the liual decisions of
the Judge-. The large congregation
listened with deep attention and
doubtless with profit.
After the sermon, the congregation
repaired to the grove, where t lie
wants of the inner man were fully
supplied.
At the opening of the afternoon
session, various ministers .who had
been appointed fraternal messengers
to other Conferences, were called up
on to report, and made their various
statements.
ltev. J. \V. Holt made his report,
as chairman of a special committee
appointed at the last session to pre
pare a blank form for recording the
minutes of quarterly conferences, and
also to prepare a form for church reg
isters. The report was amended and
adopted.
The Conference then elected the
following fraternal messengers to
sister Conferences: To the Eastern
Virginia Conference, Rev. Brothers
W. G. Clements, S. Apple, A. Apple,
M. L. Hurlg.y, W. S. Long, M. L.
Winston and I’. T. Klapp. To the
Deep River Conference, Rev. Bros.
J. W. Hatch, S. Apple, P. T. Klapp,
W. S. Long, and M. L. Hurley. To
the Virginia Valley Conference, Rev.
Bros, i\T. L. Hurley, J. W. Wcllons,
and C. A. Boon. To the Methodist
Protestant Conference of North Car
olina, Rev. D. A. Long, and Rev. J.
W. Wcllons. To the Methodist Epis
copal Conference of North Carolina,
Rev. W. S. Long, and Rev. J. W.
Holt. To tlie Cclored Christian Con
ference of North Carolina, Rev. Broth
ers J. W. Wcllons, M. L. Winston
and P. W. Alien.
1 lie committee on Religions Kxer
cises aiinoiniceil the following ap
pointments for preaching: Sunday,
11 A. M., Il3\\ J. T. Whitley in the
Church, and Rev. 1'. T. Klapp at the
Academy near by; 2 p. At., Rev. E.
W. Beale. Monday, 12 Mi ller, Cr
"A. Afipie.
The Conference then adjourned un
til Monday, !) o’clock A. At.
Sabbath morimig darned brilliant
ly, and by 11 o’clock a congregation,
estimated at from one to two thou
sand, had assembled at the Church.
Nearly five hundred of these were
packed into the Church building, and
several hundred others assembled nr
tiie Academy building near by. Even
after the houses were full, hundreds
of people were left outside," unable to
get into the doors. The congregation
in the Church was addressed by the
writer hereof, and the singing was
led by Professors Wilson and Moring.
Rev. P. T. lvlapp preached to the au
dience in the Academy, After din
ner Rev. E. W. Beale preached in the
Church to a large and solemn congre
gation, and Rev. R. C. Tuck preached
at the same hour in the Acade
my. The services of the entire day
were very pleasant,
' A sketch of the proceedings from
Monday morning until the close of the
Session, will be given next week. Eor
the present I lay down the pen.
J. T. W.
IMPROVING UPON THE NEW TESTA
MENT PLAN.
The Religious Herald thinks “Bros.
Wliitley, Barrett, Beale and Apple,
are trj mg to improve upon the New
Testament plan of a Church.” Not so,
Bro. DiclfTfisoif, but we arc trying,
and with success, we think, to im
prove iiiion the Baptist plan. We
never heard of any person, ment ioned
in the New Testament, who was ever
called a Baptist except John; and
great as lie was, we have very high
authority for saying that even the
least man it* the Kingdom of Heaven
—the Church of Christ ?—is greater
Ilian he. Besides, you cannot prove
beyond rational doubt that even John
was aii-imnier.sionist: . True, we have
seen what claims to be an “improved’’
^version of the. New Testament, in
which he is styled “John the Immer
ser;” lint we are not responsible for
that we suppose ?
There is very strong ground for
supposing that Raul was never im
mersed—though we must confess to a
very slender interest in the question
as to whether lie was or nbt—and
there is still stronger ground for
thinking that ho was?not a “Baptist,”
and could not, if he were alive, to day,
be admitted to the .Lord’s table in
any Baptist Church in Richmond.—.
“For Christ sent me not to baptize,
but to,preach the gospel” may be the
language of a Baptist preacher; but
we trow well that a dozen Diogoneses
with the best modern electric lamps
would hardly find, between sunrise
ami mmset, on the tweuty first of
i Juno, under a cloudless sky, the “or
> tliodox” Baptist preacher, who would
> have written these words under cir
i cuinstances such as called them forth
1 from the great apostle of the Gentiles,
i If a tree is to be judged by its fruits
I dear Herald, modern Baptist preach
i ers, regard the baptizing part of their
i duty as rather more important than
: anything else—certainly if you think
that too strong, little, if at all, infe
i rior to preaching the word itself. So
i did not Paul think, if we may take
his words in their plaiu meaning,
without “that ingenious twisting” to
; which.you are so much opposed when
the question of the mode of baptism
comes “upon the carpet.”
We are very much afraid, for your
sake, that Peter was no “Baptist”
when he inquired who could forbid
water to be brought—why not? Is
this not a plain inference ?— that the
first Gentile'convorts might be bap
tized.
Well, we hear of more than one
: persoft who was called a CmtiSTi an
in the New Testament. The disci
ples at Autioch were probably very
numerous; and it seems that they
were only the first, to be called Chris
tians. No doubt—the inference is
plain—most other disciples in Apos
tolic times were called Christians
likewise. If Agrippa had said, Al
most thou persuadest me to be a Bap
tist,’ Bro. Dickinson would now be
crowing over it to an extent scarcely
surpassed by the supposed perform
ance of that fabulous chanticleer,
whose business it was to arouse all
the cocks on earth to their duty of
heraldiug the dawn.
Bat, alas! for Brother D. and oth
ers who plume themselves upon hav
ing discovered the original and genu
ine New Testament plan—name and
all, we suppose—Agrippa said no such
thing. Paul would have thought him
mad,and with much betteujeasouthaii
Festus had for suspectinj the sanity
of the apostle. For Agrippa, as Paul
declared, was not ignorant of those
things.
Bio. Dickinson is very proud ot a
certain gaol key which has turned
upon Baptists in a colonial prison of
Virginia, in the days when Baptists
were not quite so numerous as they
are now. This is all very well, per
haps, and we suppose that it is much
more comfortable to feel proud of our
fathers who were martyrs, than to be
in the martyrs’ places. But Peter,
who must have been a Baptist, if that
was the New Testament Church,
says: “If any man suffer as a Chris
thin, let him not be ashamed; but
let him glorify God on this behalf.”
Now, why did not Peter, for the com
fort of his Baptist brethren that w-jye
to lie, say : “If any man sutler as a
Baptist, let him not be ashamed, but
let him glorify himself on this behalf”!
This would have been a first-rate text
for some of the “memorial sermons”
that our Baptist brethren delivered a
few years ago when they celebrated
their “centennial.” Now we put it to
any disinterested party tosay,wheth
er this amended text would not have
fitted those memorial sermons a great
deal better than anything which this
“New Testament Church” can find in
the New Testament itself?
No,^Brother Dickinson, we don’t
wish lo improve upon the New Tes
tameut; but upon your interpreta
tion of the New Testament. We are
somewhat in the condition of that fa
mous king who, upon being told that
the solar system wras constructed
upon a certain plan knowp as the
Ptolemaic theory,—w herein it was
gravely held that the Sun and planets
were fixed, as it were upon long
bars and cranks, revolving in cycles
and episycles, remarked with '<1 ry
irony that, if he had been consulted
at the creation, he could have given
some valuable hints. You come to
us with an irrational hypothesis—not
at all consistent with the spirit of the
New Testament, and having a rather
slender appearance of consistency
with the letter of it, and toll us that
the Bible teaches what you hold. We
say we can improve upon your sys
tem, and you say we are trying to
improve upon God’s plan. We plain
ly answer that the New Testament is
not to be held responsible for your
blind blunderings. No sooner did
Galileo begin to discover now planets
with his telescope, than people began
to declare that other planets were
useless, ar.d therefore did not exist.
We commend you to the argument of
Sizzi for a specimen of reasoning
which we consider about as good as
your'S.
Now, Baptist brethren, and ye oth
er brethren who are of the most
straitest sect of the sectarians, do
you—now do you t—imagine that “ye
are the people—the only people—and
that wisdom shall die with yon”?
No doubt your “baptismal succes
siou” all tho way down from the apos
tles, is-a very fine thing—in your own
eyes. But there is a Priest after the
order of Melchizadek, wjjo was not
successor to any one, and who wants
no lineal successor after him. Ilis
ministers are ministers after his or
der. They do not receive their pow
ers from the imposition of episcopal
hands, nor from the plunging of one
who baa beeu baptized into a uiytbio
lineal priesthood; hot without other
spousors than He who made them,
and gave them a work to do, they go
and do that work, commissioned by
no hereditary hand operated by blind
and senseless machinery. “But go
ye aud learn what that menneth.”
A.
NOT THE WAY TO RAISE MONEY.
A religions contemporary tells a
story, with evident relish, as to how
a certain deacon raised ten dollars
for the benefit, of his Church. A can
didate for the Legislature, during the
recent canvass in Virginia, stepped
into a Church to listen to the sermon,
which was succeeded by a collection
for some Church purpose. One of the
deacous approached the office seeker,
with the significant hint, that if he
wanted any votes in that community,
he must contribute ten dollars. Of
course the money was forthcoming.
The deacon plumed himself upon his
address, the congregation felt proud
of their shrewd collector, aud the
thiug was thought too good to be
kept concealed ; so the story was pub
lished in the denominational paper
as a valuable bint to other collectors
with similar opportunities.
We are sorry that the above rela
ted incident should have occurred in
any Church in Virginia, aud especial
ly sorry that any editor of a religious
newspaper should have commended
the “trick" which was put upon the
candidate. If the man chose to give
the amount, of course it was not the
business of the Church to inquire
very closely into the motives of the
donor; but rather, in charity, to con
clude, if possible, that the money was
given from proper motives. But to
appeal to a man’s self-interest in the
way specified, is certainly very far
from whjik seems to us the scriptural
teaching upon the subject.
In fact, sueli a course was demoral
izing in whatever way we may look
at it. if the candidate was expected
to purchase the favor of the members
of that Church by paying money
which they ought to have paid them
selves, it amounted, morally at least,
to a species of bribery utterly unwor
thy of a community which claims to
cherish purity m the body politic.—
What shall we think of meu—Chris
tian men—whose votes are given to a
fellow-citizen, not because of liis po
litical principles and general fitness
for a place of public trust, but be
cause ho has contributed something
to their Church 1
If Christian beuevolence is design
ed to do any good to the individual
exercising it, must not this good flow
from the purity and disinterestedness
of the act, rather than from the sel
fish motives which were, in this case,
appealed to ? For the honor of truth
and religion, we hope that no Chris
tian man will ask for contributions
hereafter upon any similar grounds.
God and the Bight are not honored
by any such spurious benevolence.
A.
MURDERED FOR UNBELIEF.
An event occurred recently in Bell
county, Texas, which should bring a
blush of shame to every Christian
man in this free land of ours. Dr. S.
J. Bussell was taken out and hanged
by the neck until he was dead by a
mob, because he had declared himself
an unbeliever as respects the religion
taught in the Bible. It appears that
Dr. Bussell took a great deal of pains
to make know'll his infidelity, and of
ten argued Very earnestly against
the divine authenticity of the Bcrip:
tures. Threats were made against
him, to the effect that if he did not
desist from thus proclaiming his .un
belief, he w'ould be treated with se
verity. But fearless of the couse
qneuces, he continued in his former
ways until the iudignation of the
community culminated in the horri
ble crime already mentioned.
Certainly, Dr. Itussell was impru
dent, as respects his own safety, but.
who dare defend the shocking and
outrageous couduct of thoSe who, un
der the plea of upholding religion,
have so shamefully broken the laws
of God and man f It is not pretended
that the murdered man was guilty of
any crime against the peace or moral
purity of the community. Du the
contrary, the leaders of the mob ac
knowledged to the unfortunate man
that they had nothing to say against
his honesty, and other moral qualities
as a citizen, and that the punishment
was to be inflicted upon him for his
infidelity alone. The mob was com
posed of mistaken zealots who had
the presumptuous folly to suppose
that God had mado them the minis
ters of his vengeance, in visiting
condigu punishment upon one, whom
they regarded as an enemy of the
truth.
We are told that the leaders of
this party were prominent members
of the Baptist Church. Of course
this is no more a disgrace to tbfe re
spectable denomination of Christians
calling themselves Baptists than to
any other Cbrist<|a organization.—
The Baptists in general will no more
approve such an act, than would
Presbyterians or Methodists. But it
is an act which must cause every
Uhristiau wan, of whatever flenomi
nation, to hang his head with slintue.
It is a disgrnco to Bell county, to the
State of Texas, to the United States,
and to every true follower of Jesus
Christ, everywhere throughout the
world.
No man can more regret than wo
do to hear any one .professing senti
meuts of unbelief. Wo feel that it is
a sad misfortune for any man to im
bibe such opinions. If there is any
thing that should awake our charity,
towards a man, it is to see him an
avowed skeptic as to the gicat truths
of the Gospel. But if it had been our
fortune to have been ushered into
eternity on the same night in which
Dr. ltussell was murdered, wo would
not, even with his sentiments, have
exchanged places* with any one of his
murderers. It is surely unnecessary
for us to point out, at this day, the
fact ttiat God’s cause is not to be pro
moted by any such inhuman and
devilish devices. We trust that the
majesty of the law will be vindicated
in the prompt and condign punish
meiit of these men, who are traitors
to their God, and worse than traitors
to their country and to religion.
A.
GLEANINGS HERE AND, THERE.
Moody and Sankey are holding re
vival meetings in Burlingtou, Vt.
The effort to change the name of
the Protestant Episcopal Church to
“The Church of America” was a fail
ure. X
Rev. H. A.iBrown has beeu called
to the pastorale of the Baptist church
in Winston, N" C., and will probably
accept.
Dr. Talmage in a card in the Chi
cago Advance announces this retire
ment from the editorial chair of that
paper.
Rev. B. York, D. D., of Rutherford
College, N. C., has recently been elec
ted Prysident of a high school in Ar
kansas, with a salary of $1200.
President Hayes has sent a check
for $100 to the ladies of the Grace
Street Presbyterian church, Rich
mond, to aid them in paying off their
church debt.
The Literary Societies of Ran
dolph Macon College are arranging
with Mr. Fisher, the Artist, for a life
size portrait of Dr. Duncan. Mr.
Fisher knew him well, and paints to
life.
The Triennial Convention of the
Freewill Baptists mot recently at
Fairport, N. Y. This body holds to
open communion. It has 1,-104
Churches, 1,292 ordained preachers,
and 74,821 members.
Dr. John Poisal, whose salary was
$900, a Chaplain of the United States
House of Representatives, has resign
ed that position and accepted that of
private Secretary to Col. Kane, May
or of Baltimore, at a salary of $1,000.
The Rev. R. W. P. Harrison, D. I).,
of Atlanta, but now in charge of the
Mount Vernon church (Southern
Methodist,) Washington, D. C., has
been elected Chaplain of the Lo.ver
House of Congress in place of Dr.
Poisal, resigned.
To Rev. Mr. Lafferty of the Rich
mond Christian Advocate belongs the
credit for reporting the speeches on
the occasion of Presidents Hayes’
visit to Richmond. There was no
other stenographer at hand to per
form the work of the occasion.
Mr. Spurgeon told Mr. Hepworth
that the reason he did not visit Amer
ica was, that the Scriptures do not
allow a man to take a vacation of over
forty days, and instances the fact
that when Moses came down from
the mount he found his flock wor
shipping a calf.
In a fashionable family in New
York the word ‘style’ is often used,
and such distinction given to it that
the youngest—a child of six or seven
—on retiring for the night was heard
to make this addition to “Now I lay
me down to sleep.” “God bless dear
papa and mama, and O, dear Lord,
please make us very stylish.”
At the funeral of General Forrest
the preacher gave a deeply interest
ing account of the stern warrior’s
conversion to Chiist, in November
187o, and of his triumph over death.
Thursday before his death ho said to
his pastor, “Tell my brethren and
sisters that during sixs week I have
lain in my bed and communed with
my God. Tell them to take up their
cross and follow their Saviour. Tell
my old comrades in sin to give their
hearts to God and seek a higher,
holier life.”
Rev. Geo. Muller says ho has been
praying thirty-one years for two per
sons, and his prayers are not yet an
swered. He says:
“Thirty-three years ago the fath
er of these young men and I agreed
to pray for our children. In eigh
teen months my own daughter was
converted. Five long years passed
away, and one of the sons of my
friend was converted. Six more
years passed, and day by day we
waited on God. At the end of
sixteen years a second son was con
verted, but these two sous of my
friend remained unconverted. Thus
God trie* our <aith,”v
HANDBOOK OF PUNCTUATION.
Punctuation is not only an impor
tant art, but it is also a matter com
paratively little understood. Thor
oughly mastered and carefully used,
it contributes materially to the clear
ness and forco of literary composition;
partly understood and carelessly em
ployed. it frequently obscures, rather
than elucidates, the author’s mean
ing. Among the multitudes of men
and women who make frequent uso
of the pen, in writing business letters,
maintaining friendly epistolary cor
respondence, and preparing articles
for the public press, comparatively
few liavo any correct knowledge of
the principles of punctuation. Sorno
do not punctuate at all, others use no
mark but the dash, While still others
sprinkle commas lavishly anil indis
criminately through their composi
tions.
Teachers of the rising generation
owe it, not only to their pupils, but
to the society of the future, to teach
carefully the principles of punctua
tion. If the (Joining Mail is to be
clear-beaded, and make l.is impress
upon the world, he must have every
available aid to the clear conception
and accurate expression of thought.
Professor Joseph A. Turner, of Hol
lins Institute, in this State, lias pro
pared a treatise on tho subject, and
it has been issued from the press of
J. B. Lippincott & Co., Philadelphia,
under the title, “Handbook of Punc
tuation.” Prof. Turner, with whom
we have the pleasure of a personal
acquaintance, is an alumnus of Itich
moml College, and lias taken high
rank among the younger literary-men
of Virginia, as a profound and accu
rate scholar. In this little volume of
89 pages, he has discussed the great
principles which underlie punctua
tion, and the value and' significance
of the various pointiyiii use; and,
while not undertaking to lay down
specificj-ules to cover all eases, lie
has illustrated the best usage by nu
merous apt quotations. There is an
absence of positivism about the book
that we like. Making ample conces
sions to those who differ from him,
tlie author indicates briefly liis opin
ions, and gives reasons for them. 'The
book, while not at all exhaustive of
the subject, is a valuable addition to
tho list of text books on punctuation.
We do not know the price, but par
ticulars may be ascertained by ad
dressing the publishers.
TYNDALL AS A THEOLOGIAN.
M o tbinl^pp ill shortly appear
that Mr. Joseph Cook has got Pro
fessor Tyndall “just'There he wants
him.” In a “Popular Science” ad
dress at Birmingham the professor
has repeated the fatal error he onro
made at Belfast, and stepped over
the line of science to encounter theo
logians on their own ground, enunci
ating simple, bold, materialistic fatal
ism. Of course he has wantonly ex
posed himself as a target to all sharp
shooters, and will be riddled through
aud through with the argumentative
tire not only of theologians but of all
free lighters. I>o will, no responsi
bility, no soul, is his frank, simple
doctrine—nothing but chemistry,
electricity, and heat (as a mode of
motion) imprisoned in the muscular
rystem and let loose by a telegram
from the brain, which, in its turn,
was operoted by some external influ
ence. Queer, isn’t it? It lie had
found the substance of this doctrine
under the title of “predestination” or
“doctrine of the will” in the book ol'
some theologian, lie would have de
nounced it as a hideous, cruel, de
moralizing relic of the dark ages—
derived from the inhuman and unde
veloped psychology of the ancient
Jews. Doubtless, however, it is, sci
entifically considered, very liberal
and “advanced,” and will, very prop
erly, be reproduced for general circu
lation in the regulation monthlies.
Is it possible that there is a little
humbug about Professor Tyndall ?
Just a little, such as will sometimes
linger in a great man even after he
has reached the highest pianos of de
velopment and evolution ? One is in
clined to think, us he gazes upward,
that he has, after all, a touch of our
little weaknesses, such as brings him
wit him Ike reach of our appreciation ;
and this address goes far to prove it.
The pathet ic way in winch he describes
himself as one of the recluses of sci
ence, dragged unwilling before the
public out of the hermit solitude in
which he prosecutes his researches,
“nor thirsts for human praise,” leads
us sometimes to think that even Mr.
Tyndall possesses some of the weak
nesses common to those aggregations
of matter which we ignorantly term
“personalities,” and fancifully endow
with “soul,” “seuse,” “thought,” and
the like.— Christian Union.
Says “Clinton Clyde, in the Rich
mond Christian Advocate:The Bap
tist Church in the United States in
1770 contained 350 ministers and
28.000 members while the Methodist
Church in the United States, in the
same year, had 20 ministers and only
5.000 members—whereas the Metho
dist Church in 1870 contains 47,421)
ministers and 3,183,308 members,
while the Baptist Church during the
same year, (1870,) contains only 19,517
ministers and-2,472,000 members. Is •
this the demoustrutiou that every bo*
(V is becoming Baptist inclined 7
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