Home and Foreign Journal, January 1855

VOLUME IV. RICHMOND, JANUARY, 1855. PUBLISHED BY THE BOARDS OP DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN — *i _ _ _ _ wk - NUMBER’ 7. BOARD OP DOMESTIC MISSIONS, MAIUO.4, ALAUAMA, JANUARY, 1855. The Nevr Year. The year of our Lord ono thousand eight hundred and fiftj is upon us. Never, within the recollection of the oldest inhabi¬ tants now living, was there a year more prolific of sad events than the one just clo¬ sed. Wars, shipwrecks, oxplodons, collu¬ sions, conflagrations, anil fearful epidemics, havo spread devastation over the earth in all directions ! Thousands have been left widows, and tens of thousands, orphans. — Sobs, sighs, tears, and bitter lamentations oonncct themselves with the remembrances of tbo past year. God only knows what calamities betide the year now begun. A cloud of thickest gloom impends over the old world. It is possible, yea, probable, that a more direful fato awaits the children of men. What, iu view of the sigus of the times, would better ho done 1 Why tin's — , to one and all : “ Prepare to meet thy God.” “ Got thy house in order,” then if death come, ho will not surprise thee. What the Saviour said to one ho said to all, “Watch.” MISSIONS ■m: OF THE SOUTHERN BAPT 1ST CONVENTION. New Year’s Tribute. blow easily could every L'aptist in the South spare something for the Domestic Mission treasury, at the opening of the year 1855 .' And what a blessing would lie thus assist in bestowing on “ tbo waste places cf Zion” in his own beloved land ! Thousands on thousands of tho Lord’s money aro ex¬ pended at that season on tho merest trifles. 0 1 why r.ot ho wise, then, and pay over a lawful tribute annually to the causo of Christ ! Come, brethren, sisters, friends, let из have your New Year’s tribute. Send on llic Evidence. We havo frequently rcetwith persons who talk of missions in this wiso : “ The fact is, I have been thinking of late, that our Domestic .Mission Hoard has been too much neglected. We send large amounts of money to tho heathen, while our towns and cities at homo are passed over, though exposed to, and assailed by, all kinds of vice. Гог tho future, my contributions shall be more equally divided.” Very good, gentlemen. Now send on tho evidence ; but remember, nothing but lank note or specie proof can establish sincerity on this point. aro ablo to stato tbatwo lack about §200 towards meeting tho entire expondituro of the mission up to tho 1st of April, 1S55. Aud all things considered, this has boon doing excellently well. Hut what noxt? Why, that 1st of April begins a new year, for which we lave, as yet, no money in the treasury ! Shall Brother Shook be called homo 1 “ By no means,” responds every Christian. Then, brother, send us ur funds tor inis mission. Send LARGE¬ LY to tho next Southern Baptist Conven¬ tion, to meet in Montgomery, Ala., next May. Consistent Petfobaplisls. During Mr. Layard's travels among tho Ncstorian Christians in tho mountains of Kurdistan, ho was with them on a sacra¬ mental occasion. По says they gavo the bread and wine to both sexes of all ages, to children as well as adults. This was consistent. If tho babies havo a right to baptism , they havo to the Lord’s Supper. C7" Wo invito attention to tho extracts from a California paper on the “ Chinese Question, to be found in another column, and our comments on the same. nnderta ta'tho at- :«t’ of all, the service iation. luck in a Heap. Some ono has said that “ troubles never come singly,” and it may be tho same with good lucks. At all events, after an influx of barren letters, we now and then receive some of more substantial importance. Mon¬ day morning last was one of those green seasons. Four letters were in the box.— The first was from Bro. Allen, of Virginia, bringing the good tidings that our “ gold eyes ” had been found. Good ! tboso eyes bare а того intimate connection wilb do¬ mestic missions than somo folks dream of. Tho second was from a brother in South Carolina, containing §10. The third came from Northern Alabama, containing a draft for §25 — and tho last from an Agent iu Georgia, reporting §700 in hand for mis¬ sions. This was luck in a heap, and our only regret is that the heap was not larger. Rev. J. L. It is nino months since Bro. Shuck sailed for California. Ho has been on tho field of bis mission about seven months, and active¬ ly employed. It was soon found— what might have ken anticipated— that ho could do but little fir the Chinese without a chap¬ el to preach in. The Board, besides de¬ fraying his expenses out, and supplying his salary, appropriated §7RO towards creeling the needed chapel, the balance to be raised on the ground. We hope, that by this time, tho chapel is nearly or quite completed. Having stated the above facts, it will bo oloar to the churches of tho Southern Bap¬ tist Convention, that the funds on hand for California, must be nearly exhausted. We Dr, WajIanJ’s Views of Hie Ministry. The extract below ought to ho read with prayful attention. All domestio mission enterprises havo to rely more or loss on men who havo not been thoroughly educated for tho work of tho ministry, bccauso it was necossary for thoui to pursue somo secular avocation to support their families. A com¬ parison of reports will show that such men, gifted by nature, though not possessed of college honors have been quite as success¬ ful as their brethren who had tho advantage ef tho most thorough education. This plan cf Dr. Wayland-s is doubtless tho correct ono for supplying churches with pastors. Every church when organized, cither has, or might soon have, all tho gifts within iurself for her edification, and enlargement. Were those gifts called out and encouraged, the present system of bidding for pastors, and enticing them from ono church to another, would be avoided. But hero is the extract: LAY PREACHERS, It frequently happens, that a brother en¬ gaged in secular business is endowed with a talent for speaking. On matters of gen¬ eral interest, he is heard by his fellow citi¬ zens with pleasure and profit. Tin's talent is more largely bestowed than we commonly suppose; and it would bo more frequently observed, if we desired to cultivate and de¬ velop it. Now a disciple wbo is able suc¬ cessfully to address men on secular subjects, is surely toinpetent to address them on the subject in which ho takes an immeasurably greater interest. This talent should be spe¬ cially offered up in sacrifice to Christ. Tho voice of such brethren should be heard in the conference room and iu tho prayer meet¬ ing. They have no right to lay up this tal¬ ent, more than any other, in a napkin. And still more is it incumbent on tho churches, to foster and improve gifts of this kind. Thus wo arrive at iLa order of lay preachers, formerly a most efficient aid in the work of spreading tho gospel. I beliovo that there are few churches among us, in tho ordinary enjoyment of religiou, who have uot much of this talent undiscovered and unemployed. Let them search out and im¬ prove jt. _ Every church would thus bo able to maintain out-stations, where small con¬ gregations might bo gathered, which would shortly grow up into churches, ablo them¬ selves to bccomo lights to tho surrounding neighborhood. I know of hut few means by which tho efficiency of our denomination could bo so much increased as by a return to our former practice in this respect. But bosidos this, it scorns plainly to bo tho will of Christ that some of his disciples should addict themselves exclusively to tho ministry of the go 'pel. Such men are call¬ ed elders, presbyters, bishops, ministers of tho word, or stewards of tho mysteries nf God. If it bo asked, under what circum¬ stances may a believer undertake tho ser¬ vice ! I ausner, tho New Testament, as it seems tome, always refers to it as a calling to which a man is moved by the Holy Ghost. No ono may therefore enter the min¬ istry, except fro:.i tho motive of solemn, conscientious duty. If ho choose it as a profession, for tho sake of worldly advantage or that he may enjoy a life of leisure, or bo enabled the better to pursuo somo fa¬ vorite studies, ho Ьаз mistaken his calling. No man will ever succeed iu king, who pursues it as a mea: tainment of something else; ' when lie makes a convenience of God in tho ministry of recotu A CALL TO THE MINIS’ If it bo asked how a man maf know that ho is called of God to this wort, I answer, tho ovidcnco scomj to be two-flM.,,In the first place, bo must bo conscious of a love for the work itself, not for whatia other rc- spects he _ may gain by it; andjalso, there must be impressed on his aoufi an' Abiding conviction, that unless ho doifljH^mielf to this service, ho can in no wiso adavrar a'good conscience towards God. With', the Apos¬ tle, ho must ho conscious that a ncoossity is laid upon him, yea, that a woe;rcsts upon him, if ho preach not tho gospel.- IIo who is impressed by no such convictions, had, I think, better pursue some other '.vocation. This is tlic first indication of tho man’s duty. In the noxt place, ho must exhibit such evidences of his call to tbis work аз shall secure for him tho approbation of his brethren. Of his own feelings ie roust ho the judge ; of his qualifications Ithey must be tlie judges. When both ho and they, af¬ ter prayerful deliberation, unitofn tho same opinion, then lie may conclude that ho is called of God to tho ministerial office. Neither -sf these evidences alono Is' sufficient. Tho union ol thc.ii, alone is satisfactory. Tito Cliioesc Qtiesilon. It seems that in California, axwell as in other States, there aro various! questions demanding public attention, amflhat “the Chinese question” is ono of these. The “ Sacramenta Daily Union ” has ' atciy writ¬ ten a series of letters, which, ifftvo under¬ stand their design, are “ to restrict Chinese emigration,” or to exclude СЫитеп from California altogether. It is mjhifest that the editor is very much alarmodjili tho in¬ creasing infiul of tho popuhticB.ifroni the “Flowery Land,” but as vye’ шш, wine- cessarily • alarmed? • AVere^iEjj» q-^IiSn' contemplated by tbo light of Christianity, as it ought to bo, and not viewed too atten¬ tively through the distorted optics of poli¬ ticians or mere sccularity, this crying out before you aro hurt timidity, would be ra¬ pidly dissipated, and tho inquiry spring up in the soul, “u'hat new obligations do these new comers impose on American Christians ?” It may bo easy to talk of sending them home, or inhibiting their coming. If the editor can turn tho Lroad waters of tho Mississippi back on their sources, ho may do either or both. Pro¬ vidence has directed those thousands of China hither, though they havo come from motives of self-interest; and tho only legitimate question for sober consideration is, what can he done for their moral and spiritual welfare? But wo will give a few extracts l'roai the “ Daily Union,” and thus tho editor begins : The Chinese Question.— The question of what is to bo the result of Ibo increasing emigration from China to California, in¬ volves one of tho most important sociil and political problems of the age. It !з ene, too, daily growing in interest to this State, and which must bo solved within a limited period. This question must be met and decided. The time has arrived for a full examination of the subject in all its bearings. Attention has frequently been directed to Chinese immigration by the press of the Stato. Tho question lias become so prominent, that we eonfess our surprise that tho lute Convention held in this city should havo remained silent upon so important a political problem. There are now in California— according to a recent estimate— nearly or quite forty thousand Chinese. Their number is in¬ creasing with alarming rapidity : thousands are on tho way, and tens of thousands more only waiting for ships to convey them from the “ Flowery Land” to the “ Golden Bills” of California. They number now nearly or quito one-sixth of tho population of the State, and could ships bo obtuiued iu which passages could be taken, in two years they would outnumber the American papulation. Let ns reflect for a moment that China could spare ten millions— yes, twenty-fivo millions cf her immense population iu one year, and those left behind would scarcely notice their absence, and we can then form sonieiLiug of an estimate of tho magnitude rf the question to tho people of the State. So densj is tho population in a country con¬ taining nearly or «quite '100,000,000 of peo¬ ple, that a necessity exists for emigrating; tho chances for moncy-makingalso invite it; and consequently we perceive as great a furor prevailing at the present day in por- tions oi China for emigrating, as is met in any portions of Europe. Tho cxelusivo policy which has chained China for years, has been modified from sheer necessity, and tho overburdened hivo is throwing off its swarms to every portion of tbo I’acifio. We do not doubt but immigration ought to bo restricted, if there were any dan- gor at present of their getting tho ascenden¬ cy, but such a misfortune, wo presume, is not likely to happen, and this may account for “tho silenco of late Conventions upon so important a political problem.” The Edi¬ tor ascribes tho “furor” in China to emi¬ grate, to a necessity for a modification of tho exclusive policy cf that country, and tho chances for money-making, and ho is, doubt¬ less, correct. But God is bringing about just such necessities iu other foreign coun¬ tries, and ho has a reason for what lie does. When therefore lie sends dying immortals into this vast and cur happy Republic, let ns do the best wo can for those immortal spirits. But tho Editor continues : Tho meeting of tbeso twostreanu of emi¬ grants on this Pacifio coast, is tho fact with which we in California have to deal. Arc tiicy to meet, mingle, assimilate and amal¬ gamate upon equal terms, socially and po¬ litically? Will tho Caucasian and tho Mon¬ golian shako hands and quietly settle down together as equals? Most clearly not. What then ? Which of these streams must be turned back upon itself, tho Catteassian or Mongolian ? To thi3 complexion must it come : turu it as wo will; — aud this is the question which the people of tho United States, and particularly tlioso of California, havo to answer. Tho meeting of these two streams is cer¬ tainly a noteworthy event in tho history of tho world. Whether they aro to meet and amalgamate upon equal terms “ politically ,” is a question for our government to settle. W,e.wSuld..Rot.»ontend4foi_ai>amalgamation ‘‘socially;’’ but they. are there, and It i tig there, California, and tho inhabitants of oth¬ er states, especially Christians, ought to look to their moral and religious improve¬ ment. From what follows, however, wo presume tho Editor would scout (ho idea of their improvement in aDy way : Thoy cannot he raised to tho dignity of citizens ; they cannot be permitted to min¬ gle with tho American citizens on terms of equality; — slaves they are not, and cannot bo mado ; freo men they arc not and never can become; and, consequently, they are placed in an intermediate position Ictwcon tho freeman and tho slave. Good citizens they never can become, bccauso incapablo from discharging any of tho duties which de¬ volve upon citizens. These statements aro certainly extrava gant, if intended as of universal application to tho Chinese character. True, wo view tho Chinese character from a stand point dif¬ ferent from that of this writer, but ono thing we do know, which is this: Some Chinese Лапе embraced the gospel of Christ. — They havo become pious and consistent Christians, so that however disqualified liioy may bo to become citizens or freemen, we aro encouraged to labor for tbo salvation of their souls. Ami that they really have souls, would seem to bo implied in a subse¬ quent editorial from tbis same paper : But, after all, tho Chinese are a wonder¬ ful people, and their history того astonish- in" than that of any nation the world ever saw or orcr read cf. It extends back, ap¬ parently well authenticated, somo four thou¬ sand years, and for moat of that long time, under the tamo form of government. Its territories are аз largo as tho whole of Eu. rope ; a iargo portion of it highly cultivated, and as productive аз can bo found on tho globe. The Chinese aro neither savages “or barbarians ; on tho contrary, they aro highly civilized ; they stand at tho bead of Asiatic civilization — ono purely Chinese, and totally distinct and inconsistent with tho civilization cf Europe— of Christianity. — So firmly is this kind of civilization inter¬ woven into tho constitution and habits of tho people, that their conquerors have inva- rially adopted Chinese habits and customs. We allude to these historical facts, to prove how utterly impossible it is, in tho nature of things, for the Chinese to become Ameri¬ canized <tr civilized according to our ideas of civilization. Is it not, therefore, evident that California must become a second edi¬ tion of China, unless a check can ho put upon tho emigration of Chinese into tho State. This “ but after all” seems to havo beon suggested to the editor after “ a secoad so¬ ber thought” on the “ Chinese question.”— Tho remarks that follow ara in merciful contrast with tho dark picture he had pre¬ viously drawn. Thoy suggest tho probabi¬ lity that the Chinese belong to tho human race, and since “ they are neither savages nor barbarians, bnt on tho contrary highly civilized,” tbero is hope, oven though thoy should never bo civilized, “according to our ideas of civilization,” that they may be Christianized, aseordiog to American idciu of Christianity. After having generously given tho above testimony, tho editor again turns up the other side of this portraiture • And then the Chinaman never advances or improves. lie is tho samo lie was three thousand years ago ; tills the earth the same way, and wears the samo unaltered and un¬ alterable fashioned garments. Progress ne¬ ver marks, but slightly, his steps. Wherein oan such a population over bccimo beneficial to tho pcoplo of California ! How a nation could over havo become “ highly civilized,” without having ever “advanced” or “improved,” perhaps the “Sacramenta Daily Union” can explain. Whatever our notions of tho Chinese cha¬ racter maybe, the statements of this writer are too inconsistent with eacli other to havo much weight cither for or against it. Thoy seem to havo exactly tho force of two nega¬ tives, which destroy ono another. We hope he may yet havo rcasou to think bet- ter of tho subjects of tho Celestial Empire. We bare given tho abovo extracts for tbo purpose cf indicating tlio difficulties ' which may encompass our mission on tho Pacifio coast, and that there is but little or no cause for discouragement. Facts. Agui Op/eaiJi^-Thq pew. hone» is under roof ana tho now Baptist Church'' aro wor¬ shiping in tho basement story. Texas. — This state is territory for Bap¬ tists and they aro rapidly extending thch influence. Georgia. — Tho present indications are, that tho Baptists of Georgia will show the largest aggregate for Domestio Missions in tho next annual report. Kentucky. — Tho lato Gcveral Association of thb nolle stato decided to co-operato with tho Domestic Mission Board, at Marion, Ala. Arkansas, — Tho Baptist of this state have begun in the truo missionary spirit; may they hold out even unto tho end ! Georgia and Florida.— Tho yellow fo- ver has been terrible at somo of the mis-, sion stations, bat tho missionaries kept at their posts. Alabama. — Tho Baptiste in this state have lost their College, but they aro not discour¬ aged. Tennessee. — Hero the Baptists are active¬ ly engaged with their educational interests, and doing something also for missions and Bible distribution, Virginia. — She has now under Baptist patronage two or tlirco Fcmalo Colleges, and is spreading tbo wings of her General Association for state missions. South Carolina. — Busy with her purman University, and various other 1 jvelcnt undertakings. North Carolina.— Hard at work for Chowan and Wake Forest, besides attend¬ ing to her own stato missions. Maryland. — Baltimore is tho principal scat of tho Baptists of this spirited liltlo stato, where they aro up and doing for church buildiog, and church extension, and, having a little spare tim e, Bible Revision. Missouri. — There tho Baptists have two рарегб, ono or two Male Colleges, a large Dumber of dcstituto regions of country that ought to ho occupied by faithful missiona¬ ries, and tho will, if they bad tho means, to spread tho gospel over tho entire slate. Success to Missouri! Mississippi. — Within her' limits rcsido a large and notablo band of Baptists, with amplo means, and warm and liberal hoarb.