Home and Foreign Journal, August 1868

THE НОЖЕ AXD F(№ К I ON JOITMAL PREACH THE GOSPEL TO EVERY CREATURE.” — “TEED MY LAMBS.-' --“MY PEOPLE ARE DESTROYED FOR LACK OF KNOWLEDGE.” Vol. 1— New Series. RICHMOND, VA., AUGUST, 1868. Number 4. HPiiblislied. Ш §|яишД. TERMS: *я'ЧЖ2£вйЗ’«»‘в« r «™>. - lo on” PV™3"— . — . ,r . «.ruf* nJdTWMH'tl W K®* ’S'nlSSra*' aJ JrcmJT to c *„,«>0 for 1Ы. rn«l..h«t lull been loud and prwring. Tbed*ni«\ e|| the Ik-nnls, м well «я tbccharvbc© « .Kifh № pf,a ^ . И1..М. Vr.V'. Кл'пм rair -50 centx. - S 2 OO - 3 OO - 6 OO - 10 00 - 15 00 It Is X necoseity of th© South. Ity ,hlcb «• shall l*> able to bring before our people the eartleet infor- lt. moojWJ n t»,e creet object» contemplated by the Southern Baptbt C<u>- m»^ p.etor? Introducing It Into their churches «Ш bo able thua to make £®5^рррГ&тШ*г with the «bole ramionary enterprise, and secure more h e lirgnt possible list, and the money encliamL JJi, jTmaD. at our risk. In poetal order*, registered letter*, or check* on Похе к*» Толтя Joe* ли, Richmond, Va. im&Ht & |Mmt fpssioHiS. nSContbly by the three Boards Jof the Southern Baptist Convention. Jackson, Tennessee. The ehurch here has enjoyed the pastoral labors of Kcv. J. F. B. Mays, for the past year, assisted in his support by the Board. “The membership has in- Reljgious Herald, did not even present the full reality. Mouses of -worship were entirely destroyed or ren¬ dered unfit for use — the churches disorganized — the membership discouraged and without pastors. Our creased twenty- and stetum. - T "1., Schools abandoned and the buildings greatly dam- . _ Т У,’ . S'.XtCCn arc toJ°m short!.'-- The aged; and woreo still, in some sections, inflicting no- lit If*n 1 ст.»1тгч...*о l,nrl - - 7 _ _ 1 1 .hi... l* * n ЭХАЛтИСОХТ, ALA. Зет. M. T. SUMNER,.— . Cor. Secrotary. yllcomraumcations |Q tlic Domestic aiyd Isdias Mission Hoard «odd be addressed to llio Secrctnrj-, Marion, Ala. Fond3 c«n bo scot bj- Espl-ess, Checks on New York, Post-office orfire on Selma, (nearest point,) or by mail. Annual Meeting — Tlianks, &c. The annual meetings of the General Association of Kentncky, the Baptist State Convention of Missis- -ippi, and the General Association of Virginia, were iartrelj attended and full of interest for the cause. The latter we were unable to attend, but gratified to learn that our friends in Virginia have lost none of iheir interest in the work of the Domestic Board. Personally wc arc under obligation to those dear breth¬ ren who spoke kind words in our behalf. If any thing has been accomplished through our humble in-, -jnmentality, it all belongs to the grace of our Lord tens Christ, to whom be the praise and the glory for •.-«г! Wc shall continue to do what wc can, we ask he co-operation and prayers of all our pastors and •hurdie?. Having these, the Domestic Board may achieve great and glorious results. In the past it has done something — in the future it may do much more. Опт" Dependence— SlTall’,'W e 'be Sustained ? It fa tbc purpose of the Domestic Board to do without agents for the collection of funds as far as possible. The employment of agents involves large •■wpenditurc and this expense can be saved, provided te churches will do their own collecting, and why wtf It is practicable. It is economical. It is bet- 'cr. Much depends upon the pastor and deacons. If ’hese are fully impressed with the importance and due «f this system, they will impress their own -•••cws and sentiments upon the membership, and aim 'o furnish every opportunity for the development of 'he habit of benevolence among their brethren and -isters. Wc hope to see this plan operate well. Let the churches send direct to the Boards, by drafts on Sew York, Post-office orders, or registered letters. small amounts can be sent by mail, this medium is r'enerallv safe. harmony of the church is complete; the financial and »>cial status of the church is very largely- increased; field intensely hopeful.” Thus arc our town and city churches reviving under the faithful supervision of devoted pastors. God bless our dear brother in this promising field. “Tiiask you for "Home and Foreign Journal ” — it revives my spirits to read it. I will write some¬ thing for it soon.” и. p. и. ЛУе have received several expressions of this kind. Brother "Warren’s System— It Works Well. In our last we gave the first church in Macon, Georgia, credit, through the constant and systematic labors of its indefatigable pastor, Rev. E. W. War¬ ren, for two donations, as the fruit of his system of collections for benevolent objects, since the first of January last. We have now to credit the church with $75 more — this makes $250, for Domestic Missions simply, in six months. Brethren, have you any doubt as to the value of system in this work? But with system you must ap- ply your personal influence ■ and energy. Pastors, would you greatly augment your usefulness and aid in sustaining the great mission work, adopt the course of the Macon church and go to work. Let us hear from others. “Something ought to be done for this field (Ar¬ kansas) and for the Territory (Indian) — and I have sent forward a special appeal to “the Baptist” for the Cherokees, that aid might be sent to your Board for them.” To the Associations. Brethren of the Associations, we cannot expect to visit but few of your annual meetings during the •тппиег and fall — wc wish we could be present at ^1. this however is impossible. May we not ask every 'bnrch to send to their Association something for our Anthem Missions? A little from each will greatly asist ns in occupying the waste places of our Zion, relieving many very worthy ministers of Jesus. Don't forget the Domestic Board in your appropria- ".ons. Don't dry up the Fountain. Establish your churches reughout the land — strengthen the things that re- ш-йп, and every other object of Christian benevolence ttul lie benefited. Read Brother Hedden’s letter, also the letters 01 rethren Danicll, Huff and Snodgrass. It will w- A good Purpose. rente ‘'l^ucct* three of the churches to take и, ; . , “10 Home and Foreign Journal, and purpose Dkwt t’ ^ Can' *nto the churcncs and „ Waerc I preach, even into neighborhoods where ** are no churches.” w D. G. D. 50 non a" .our missionaries and pastors do likewise? i ’ , can be put into circulation this year, if ie„ rcn ant* friends will give a little time to the mat- low can you do more good in a cheap way? The Ten LittitTchildrcn. if! C\r° !n<lcl,tc<1 to “the ten little children” of KenL Rochester’s private school, Stanford, f°r 60, forwarded through their pas- ’ rev. Lansing Burrows, who will accept our v , for b‘9 interest in the evangelization of this чДипЬя C0UntlJ* ^ГаУ God bless. the pastor and lit- This appeal should be heeded. E. L. Compere. Destitution. ,FE°i£ A LABORER in ALABAMA. I glorious change will be accomplished. ti-telio.destjtut<aa io«>gTcab jn tiiiS ficctloirj;'iETVe;no j»j«'‘, *B'^> - YToiIrs 'fraternally- - — 7— »-Ti time to'spondelsewherc. I"am all 'alone hi this Vast . . -ir, field. - has fallen by the way, - - Las pretty much retired from the work, and,— - has settled in the extreme lower end of the country. I am left alone, and the churches arc dying out all around. Truly- ‘ wc must bestir ourselves,’ or we shall not hold our ground. Indeed we have lost much already, and sliall lose much more in this portion of the State un¬ less other laborers come to our help. It is not proba¬ ble that I can hold out much longer, under present toils. I have not had a day of rest this year except when it was raining. I work hard during the week, and preach two and three times every Lord’s Day.” The above field is one of great importance and the Board would be pleased to send others -to aid our dear brother. But — T Vc cannot. Why? No money. Rev. Alfred Cora. HAPPY MEETINGS - SUBSCRIPTIONS, &C. Brother Corn, whose letter we publish below, has been for many years a faithful and laborious minister of Jesus Christ, and has spent much of his time with the Cherokee Indians in South-western North Caro¬ lina. Beairsville, Ga., June 22d, 1868. J2et;. M. T. Sumner. My Dear Brother — I have been closely engaged for some time in attending a series of appointments at the following places, Union, Blairsville, Ivy Log, Ebcnczer, Wood’s Grove and Macedonia, in Georgia, all of which were happy meetings. I also spent a few days of profitable labor at Murphy, N. C. At tli is place I had the pleasure of attending a meeting of the Sabbath School; the occasion was at once pleas¬ ing and profitable — appearing like one of the mis¬ sions of the church. I have lost several appointments this quarter, embracing the Indian Missions, by rea¬ son of sickness in my family. Two days from this I start again in that direction, .still hoping that God will sustain me in this work; and thus following my leader, I will fear no evil. . Brother S. will you continue to pay for the Chris¬ tian Index and S. W. Baptist out of my salary; through their columns I can sec clear daylight in this dark comer of the earth. I am making some of their rich contents public from the stand, and many are glad to learn in this way what God is doing through Baptist instrumentalities in this our day. You may also make a donation for me of S5 to the Theologi¬ cal Seminary afc Greensville, S. C., and reserve §5 for the Domestic and Indian Mission Board, and may the Lord bless you in your labors.. Yours truly, Alfred Corn. For the Пошо and Torelgn Journal. Middle Tennessee— Religious Prospects. Fairfield, Tenn., July 3d, 1868. Rev. M. T. Sumner, Cor. Sec. Dear Brother — It is gratifying to. know that our prospects in Middle Tennessee are brighter and more encouraging^ The war felt tnc Baptist cause in many instances in a deplorable con¬ dition. The dark picture sketched by the graphic pen of the lamented Dr. Howell, and published m tlic litical sentiments had engendered bitter feelings* of animosity among the members of the same churches. But the. dark shades of this picture are; gradually passing away and a brighter prospective is opening hc.orc us. New houses of worship arc going up, old ones are. under repair. The churches have been re¬ organized and the brethren are moving forward in peace and harmony. Г11 Shclbyville, the county seat of Bedford county, with a population of about 4,000 inhabitants, our church was in a prostrate condition. Its house of worship was entirely destroyed, except the Avails, which were considerably damaged. The church had been without preaching from 1861 till I commenced г8 there In the fall of I860. AVo commenced holding meetings in a hall under very unfavorable circumstances. Not more than 21 members could be found ; since then 20 persons have been added to the church by letter and baptism. This spring we organ¬ ized a Sunday-school which numbers 50 teachers and scholars, and is gradually increasing. The prospects in this growing city are encouraging with one import¬ ant exception — the lack of a house of worship. The old house is on a beautiful and accessible lot — some twelve hundred dollars liavc been secured by sub¬ scription to, rebuild; but without aid the brethren willtbe unable to erect such a house as the place and age require. At Fairfield, a country village in a fertile and thick¬ ly settled community, the church has been strength¬ ened by several important additions. It now has a flourishing Sunday-school, and is engaged in fitting up, in a neat comfortable style, a room for religious worship. These are instances which serve to illustrate the spiritual condition of a large portion of Middle Ten- ness; In many places much foundation v^ork must be performed. A little fostering aid will place the churches in a worshipping condition. They are now waking up to the importance of more enlarged libe¬ rality; and it only remains for the missionaries and Sastprsto do tlieir duty and cultivate a spirit of active, iffusive benevolence among the churches, and a most I . \ Л •• 1 . a л , — - _ || _ _ _ _ _ _ _ I . I . 1 ’ "”L ’ * Wm. Huff. This work is an illustration of what the Board of Domestic Missions is doing — strengthening the weak churches — building up the waste places — and estab¬ lishing the cause at new and unoccupied points. The Board is encouraged, and will enlarge its operations as fast as the ability is furnished. The South pre¬ sents an extensive field for cultivation — much can he done with proper energy. With few such men as our Brother Huff the ground can he occupied. Let the churches in Middle Tennessee come to the aid of the Board. • Гог tbo Homo and Foreign Journal. Ncv/ Sunbury Association, Georgia. Savannah, Ga., May 19/Л, 1868. Rev. M. T. Sumner: My Dear Brother — You wish a description of my field of labor. NEW SUNBURY' ASSOCIATION Embraces Chatham, Bryan, Liberty, McIntosh coun¬ ties and part of Tatnall county. It extends along the seaboard from Savannah to Altaraalia River, covering an area of thirty-five by sixty miles, or about two thousand square miles. Within this terri¬ tory there were, before the war, twenty-two Baptist churches ; one (Savannah Baptist church) composed on¬ ly of white members; some of black only; and some of white and black members. Of the blacks there were six thousand two hundred and fifty-two — whites five hundred and twenty-nine, making a total of six thousand cighthundred and cighty-onc. The war dis¬ banded, for a time, if not until now, some of the col¬ ored churches on the islands and near the coast. Since the war the colored churches have drawn off and en¬ tered into other associational organizations. This movement on their part, with the disorganized condi¬ tion of several of the churches containing white mem¬ bers, induced the dissolution of Sunbury Association and the formation of New Sunbury Association, taking in some churches from an adjoining association. Tlic new body was constituted with eleven churches, con¬ taining a membership of seven hundred and twenty- eight whites and one hundred and fifteen blacks — to¬ tal eight hundred and forty-three. To re-organize the scattered churches still out of connection, and to build up the waste places is, as you arc aware, the work which T am trying to. do. THE TEMPORAL CONDITION Of the people, especially in those parts which we de¬ nominate wastes, is sad, very sad. Much the largest portion of the population arc blacks. These, by the results of the war, arc tom loose from tlieir previous relations, thus impoverishing the whites and vaga¬ bondizing them. With few exceptions, they are a roaming, thriftless people. The traveller through this region is scarcely ever out of sight of from one to ten straggling freedmen, whilst at almost every swamp or canal numbers arc to be seen fishing. All this, too; while scores of thousands of acres, of land around them invite their labor — lands which once teemed with luxuriant crops of cotton and grain, but arc now overgrown with sedge. During the early part of the Avar the Confederate troops foraged upon the country. Later the Federal troops raided upon it until almost, absolutely nothing was left that could contribute support or comfort to the unfortunate inhabitants. Since the close of the Arar there ImA-c been tAvo most disastrous crop seasons. Excessive rains blighted or droAvncd the labors of tlic husbandman. Need I say more in order to make plainer this distressing picture? And yet it Avould not lie complete, and faithful to fact, if 1 should fail to say, that the people are still raided upon by the thriftless class before mentioned. The small remnants of stocks of cattle and hogs, left by tbc Avar, arc still melting aAvny continually by the depredations of this people, and Avlicn and Uoaa- this evil is to be abated no one knoAvs. A painful uncertainty rests upon the minds of tlic people in regard to the future. This picture of temporals Avill readily suggest the CONDITION, MORAL AND RELIGIOUS. It should not be surprising if the people have be¬ come discouraged under these evils. It Avould be surprising if they Avere not. They arc discouraged, because they li.a\-c 110 guaranty that they shall keep and enjoy the fruits of their labors. But their dis¬ couragement has not induced a cessation of effort. They are manfully at A\ork, seeking to provide for their Avants, if not to restore their lost fortunes. It strikes one as true heroism to sec men and Avomen (some of them gray-headed) avIio once owned scores of thousands, taking hold of the hoc and plough, and othcrAvisc engaging in the drudgery of the farm and the house. And they Avill ultimately rise again if Iuav and order lie restored around them. Regular, preaching they had not for years, until the assistance of the Board came to tlieir relief. They saAv no chance of securing the ordin '"res and ministrations of the gospel. Jinny church members Avere gone to distant points. Some Avere demoralized as a veil as disorgan¬ ized; and those Avho felt a sincere concern for the cause of Christ and souls around them, Avere crushed and felt that there Avas so much rubbish that they could not build the Avail. They knew not Avhat to do. PRESENT CONDITION. They seem to be more hopeful. It affords me no little pleasure to say that South NeAvport church, McIntosh county, is гс and a Sunday-school commenced. North NeAvport, after some changes, seems to be Avorking more regularly and hopefully. North Salem church, Avhich seemed at the point of cx- tinction, .lias, been. fitirred.up^to renewed .effort to main-; tain the'ordinanccs оГтс 1 igi onfand ‘toorgahi гУи1 S fm^ day-school. The people of a destitute neighborhood, and remote from any church, are Avilling to come out to hear’ the gospel on a Aveek day, and seem to appreciate it. They are talking about organizing a church and trying to build a house in their midst afc no very distant day. These are hopeful signs, but the ruin lias been so great, and the causes, of excite¬ ment so numerous and potent, that it Avill require time and labor, Avith the blessing of the Great Head of tlic Church, to correct the evils and damage that liaA’c been Avrought. DARIEN. I A-isitcd and spent a Sabbath there. But after consultation Avitli a very intelligent brother, once a member of that church, it Avas thought not advisable to attempt a re-organization noAV. The house AA'as . burned Avith the city by the Federal forces. The mem¬ bers arc scattered. Fcav are in reach of the place, and thcyarc utterly unable to build поау. The future pros¬ pects of the city arc not flattering just now, but avc sliall sec aud understand better after a while. Pray for us, and beg all our brethren to pray for us in our struggles, that avc may not labor in vain nor .spend our strength for naught. Affectionately yours, D. G. Daniell. For tb«it Homo »nd Foreign Journal. Rev. E. Hedden, North Carolina. IIaysville, Clay Co., N. C., June 25th, 1868. Rev. M. T. Sumner, Marion, Ala. Dear Brother — I suppose a communication from me Avill not be out of place Avith you, I liaA-c there¬ fore concluded to Avrite you how the cause is pros¬ pering in this Hill Country. The churches arc gen¬ erally in peace and some arc in a prosperous condition. The greatest evil that abounds among us is the divi¬ sion that politics has caused. Several preachers haA'C abandoned their high calling — have quit preaching Jesus, and arc preaching politics, and by this they have ruined tlicmsclA'cs as preachers. In many places the churches Avill not ha\-e them for pastors, nor will tlic people hear them preach. I11 consequence of this many churches arc in a destitute condition, and hun¬ dreds of souls are Avitliout the bread of life. There is a scope of country reaching from the Tennessee line, including part of Georgia, and extending for at least one hundred miles into North Carolina, that lias but four efficient ministers in it. I am trying ' to supply as much of this vast field as I can. I am filling sca'cii regular appointments m this County and two stations in Macon County. I attend one church forty miles distant, besides various irregular appoint¬ ments. I devote as much time to the cause of my blessed Master as my poverty Avill alloAV. Although I get by Avay of remuneration a more pittance, yet I press onAA'ard. My Avifc and children manage my lit¬ tle farm. My girls have learned to ploAV and hoc, &c., and Avliilc they are toiling at home to make sub¬ sistence, I am out trying to preach Jesus to perish¬ ing sinners. I hope the good Lord will in some way or by some means' bless my dear daughters for icir kindness to me and their support to His blessed cause. . Brother Sumner, sometimes I become much - ened,and think it is not right for me to ЬУ such bur¬ dens upon my children in order to serve the churches