Home and Foreign Journal, April 1853

4 ME и. RICHMOND, APlimto. NUMBER io; ■5 - PUBLISHED BY THE BOARDS OF DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN jMlJsiONS OF TIII'USOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION. OF DOMESTIC MISSIONS. U.HIMN, ALABAMA, APRIL 1833. I ; New Orleans. i part of this paper wo haro published the i‘. пи ■■’ling in New Orleans, of tho brethren i utvulioos. Wo also copy from the New , in. !e, n very ah' у edited paper by the wny, i nit "f the mooting. The principal results .! K. Dawson wss unnuimonsly roquestod to и I, a- ttio uussioimry of tho Marion Board, 1.”.'ч неге at олео made for that purpose. i inn; in that field. . Biluit* were male by tlio brethren, at onoe r li.'si.l with half tho funds neeessary to de- n is .a' tho mission, and from the great he - ..'."1 in bristlier Dawson by those who hoard -i! I aih, wo should not ho much surprised if 1 1 m и- ut unco raised, and tho Board applied . ... tut fins. .illy is us to bourn of worship. Nothing . i gentlemanly nnd frank than tho eon- . . tor-, and if it is pdgsiblo for them to ' ..о uiutii-.i, u« to who shall be tho council •ni-i the new oliurch, and who they will rc- ii | .'Г ..thaws ultimntely to bo put into p<ts- : . о t 1 1 rat . . . dollars ought to boat i I r * than t! . t , nvi'r on 1 above nil that the t' 'v can ra -o to erect a ratable building. • | . nt- tho c nc littc * were nnaiiimous, and ,i iicii rly ill. of ihioo with whom they ..г • -ly. i. any doubt "U the minds of any, but that i.y prelj-od и * very great bargain, and и . il'ciit loiM ini for ono Baptist church; . it .' I .'St in tho city, if tho Baptists aro at h ,■ I at uni', it is tho corner of Camp nnd . . m.'iiicnt fur those who livo in l.afayotte, ii i г, acli of those who reside near or at tho • leu-ive public grounds boforo it— is guiot t of ibe city where property is increasing p. • 'ability every day. II,' I'mnonllon at Baltimore. 1 1 , •'i i: of the Biennial Convention is to take |.‘,t>.in г", on the second Friday in May, i. e., the о T hi- will not. be tho Friday boforo tho ««cond , . ' re. Friday a/ter, a« a referen» t* our last и <i i1 ' nlmanao will show. It is exceedingly de- ,i lu.l .1. legation should he io attendance, from , ' ri s-imlh and Southwest. Plans for the ovan- ■ .I X< v Orleans and California will thou bo dis- i aiding lire cause iu Texas, Louisiana, Florida, . 4i,„.u,iI nnd in our growing cities. Plans for i! lid, I,., fi„- a denominational literature, and for . i -..ar'l our Foreign Missions in China, and in If is probable that two ur throe of our most cs- ■ ,.-i rw. ie- will bo present. In fact, subjects of i i. i] oi lance to Fogtliorn and Southwestern Bhp- i ! di • uvic 1. It must bo borne in mind, that u. , ■ cm it r, ns it were, of tin1 field, tho dcloga- -.1 iam.fdi.ttn vicinity cannot bo so largo as i dm importance of nil our churches, assooi- 1 at. iitioiH at a distance, making special elforta • III tllOlIHl'ivCS. . . hurl» , niong the liuo of southern travol, wo i | I'ticulaily tako pains to represent themselves. Ii Twenty Churches. I i-i wo .nueuneod the fact, that -tho church in о i, Virginia, bad proposed to bo ono of twenty ■ • t" | ay Si3.il) it year, for two years, to tho Board 'I Mi-ions of the Southern Baptist Convention. , tbi- minibi'r may bo made up, ns we are sure it v.l.liire tho mooting of tho convention in llaiti- 1 Ч Four or five ohnrches have given us their •и I others arc considering the matter. Tim church- \i''soiuliia. Ию 1st and 2nd Baptist Churchos in '"П, tlio St. Francis Street Church in Mobile, tbo in Matii'ii, will be of the number. Wo hope a it mnd'or ut others will come forward to make tho ; or . DVr, to bo one of fifteen, or any larger num- ' -i.'1 SB)1' a year apiece to the Board of Doniostio for tlii) w'..vk in New Orlonus; another brother 'i- S i'), another Sid. Three brethren have given i names li.r 8100. Wo hope the rest will oomo for- 'o tlii* exigency of the Bound, and, without waiting • it, plication of agouts, rend Ц» sucli oonlrlbntions p'dt of Christian liberality may incite, by mail, to ..'diiicklc, E-qr., Marion, Alabama. \ Mailer of Interest lo the Denomination. d recently in Now Orleans, tho executor of Mr. lac’' will showed tho committee who met there, tho 1 revious to tho last. It left tho bulk of his property Cone, Dr. Manly, Dr. Fuller, and Dr. Balfour, as centers, for the American and Foreign Biblo Society, I roviihng for tho oroclion of a bouse of worship, and 1'gv.ioo to relatives. This would bavo given an ira- eJlate, perhaps between ono and two millions of Л for tho circulation of the Bible. *“» days before his death, Im gave the F.ev. Doctor 'У, in behalf of tho Bibl" f'iion, ?500. Ho then "ined to alter iiis wil' .emg very ill, and named tho it eiccutora ; в-' -:ксг tho forcer ciansat of the will were drawn, hesitated almost to tho last hour ns to tho rest of Iiis estato, whether to leavo it to his heira at law or to the Bible Society. Ilia executor begged hhn to hasten to decide, that tho will might bo completed and ex¬ ecuted. По still hesitated— was urged— and left it as it now stands; it was finished, sigtiml, and in a few hour» all was over, Had ho left it os it originully stood, it would prpbably have boon tho most munilicont pecuniary contri¬ bution tbo world has over witnessed, for the circulation of tlio gospel. Pecuniary Affairs. Tho Stato of our pecuniary affairs os a Board, renders it necessary for us to urge overy ono of our agouts, and tin»' Treasurers of churches and associations, to send on nil contributions for Domestic Missions at ones to Marion. Wo have heavy liabilities to meet, and we want , to dose our annual account. Many brothrea are withholding their money, thiuk'mg it better to send it by tho hands cf their delegates iu May next. This is n mistake. Tho fact of tlteir having paid it at any tirno sinco thu meeting of the last convention is equally good, so far as entitling to a delegation is concerned, and withholding it to that time will of.oourso prevent it being included in our annual re¬ port to the present convention. Wo would urgo all of our churches and all individuals, who may not yet hnvo made up their annual contributions for our Board, to do so without delay, and send the money to our Treasurer, W. Hornbuekie, Ksqr., Marinu, Ala. Imporlancc of Missions lo (lie Colored People. A missionary to thu colored people belonging to this Board was riding along tho other day, when a furuer call¬ ed out to him, “ 1 wisii you would come nnd baptise some more of my servants, for I notice that thorn you have bap¬ tized have become much bettor servants.” Tho former was himself fjr enough from being a professor of religion, hut ho spoke only of what he and thousands more have found in all ages. Another man said, “ I shall giro your cane" |S0 this year, and will build a liuuso of worship." Wo need more laborers in this field. ' Tim following is an extract from a letter of Rev. Reeves, ongaged'in this work ■ Our good cause is still advancing. I received another voluntary application for missionary labor aiuung the blacks. On yesterday I preached threo ti.sas, bapt’izcd nt two dif¬ ferent places, gave two addresses on the subject of bap¬ tism. At the last scene of baptism, it was so dark 1 was forced to give out tbo liyiuua from memory. I baptized ten at this place, and two at tlio other— twelve. This last place was a plantation, whore there ore ono bundled and fifty servants, a groat пишу of whom aref potgbep* tf the Baptist church at- Concord, where ray ' membership is. They are qujtc orderly. Tho hint you dropt in your writ¬ ten communication accompanying my commission, lias been a spur to me. The Proceedings in New Orleans. Tbo following is extracted, in a aUghtlyabrUged form, from tho Non ' Orleans Baptist Chronicle, tho ably edited Baptist paper of that city. With what is published in an¬ other colnum, it will give tho reader a very full nnd im¬ partial account of all the proceedings so far in that city. Влтшшлг'в PhoCEEMNi.S. Tho proceedings of the day wore merely preparatory to enlightened action, respecting tho objects for the accom¬ plishment of which the delegation had assembled, The slate of tlio Baptist cause in No» Orleans, was inado the subject of consideration, with the \ ies to eliciting [arlicu- lars which should' guide the committee in their coming de¬ liberations. Tho result of the whole, as embodied in ac¬ tion, was, that a sub-commit'ce was appoinlod to meet a committee of the First Baptist Church, iu order that by means of a free conference, tho committee from abroad might receive all the information on tlm state of our cause iu Now Orleans, which the members of tl.o First Church ooutd impart i and that by tins they might be guided in their final decision, respecting the паи", udvL course to bo pursued, in this laudable attempt to imparl a new impulse to our denominational interests, and to establish our eauso upon a permanent basis, in the emporium of the douthwest. The committee appointed en the part of tho First Church, on tho following day, after tlio morning's service, consisted of brethren W. C. Duncan, Jobu II. MclUc, and J. II. Ir'iv. , , „ After this proceeding tho committee adjourned, and a,) I further regular action was put off until tlio ensuing Mon-^ day. Arrangements, howevor, were, inode for an open I conference meeting on the morrow (Sunday), with alt tho | Baptists in tho city, wholbor residents or strangers, and I alt who might feel an interest in the prosperity of our I cause in Now Orleans. I Sunday's I’ROCF.r.Disos. Rev. J. K. Dawson, of (.'oluuibns, Ga., preached on iho I morning of Sunday, tlio 20th ult. Bro. Dawson wisely I discoursed from a text applicable to the present condition ,,f the Baptists in (Ida oity. It was Nehomiah ii, 18, the 1 latter half of the verse : “And they said, 1 Let us rise up, nnd build’. So they strengthened tlioir hands for this good work.” The remarks built up uura thu basis well suited the time and the occasion; and being made by lho speaker in .all tho warmth and earnestness of sincerity, and being uUcrcd, moreover, to hearts already prepared in part by long expectation and desire, they produced» visible effect among the congregation. Our Baptists show- ad that they are far from being destitute oHeuing, when the right chord is touched in their hearts. " A' i the sermon, Rev. T. F. Curtis, the f . respond¬ ing Secretary cf our Domestic Mission Board, stated to the congregation in a few and appreciate words, tho ob- ijects of lira conference moeting. They were: 1. The j taking of measures for tho establishment of Baptist prcach- i jog -n New Orleans, at ono or more reliable points ; and .. Tho adoption of eoran plan for iho apeody erection, fay ! means of iho Baubling fund, and ty moneys raised by oon- i tributions, of a church edifice, that should be an ornament I to tLe city and a credit to the denomination in tho heath. I The importance of deeisivo measures for tho accomplish- , incnt or both these objecti, wxs ably and decidedly set forth. V” I . Sdnolu.don of brother Curtis' remarks, homo 5!Ul wfrjjfubscrihod bj;, those present (chicly member» ef tlio ЗдаУСЬигеЬ), towards the support of n minister, In bo sept ISftho city by tho Board at Marion, Alabama. A grcattt.atfonnt would have boon raised, had all present tulK- ugijcrjJjiod, as they then did not, what that was to winch thfajs.taf desired to subscribe. These pledges tvero made wtj^lho understanding, that every dollar soobtaiofd would bMljfibh'd by the Domestic Mission Roird. homo of the anbsuriptiuiis have since been inoreaned, and other persons ipo'kmiwu, -who intend tu contribute towards the enlargomepl of the fond. Tho subscription Iras since been uiereascd|ttnbu'it §1,41)0. In then afternoon, at I o'clock, a general cunaultatipii meeting igY held in the church ; during which important fads bcn*ji£ on the (juoation, respecting tlio most advisa¬ ble modoitattcuiplim; tn establish Iho Baptist interest b(te< 10 light. There was a free interchange of орЫоЖь the purl of those who were [resent. Tlio mercers of tho First Church — who were present in a larj^JjBimber than has been congregated it any one lime tor ktSra two or threo years — inhibited much feeling nnd mtor&fiu the pre-eut movement, end pledged ihcm- mIvm, liykAnl and look, tn assist it to the utmost of their Power. ТЙу evidently “had a mind to work.” Other unpiis'a wore present, and shewed that they regarded tho present nvMment with favor. Several ministering and other brethren from abroad ware i и 'attcmlatgb, among whom were Revs. IV. II. Anderson, 8.1. Bald®l, and brethren .1. C. Crane, of Bichiaond, \V. J. DeffiDii, of Mississippi, end others. Rev. В. B. Gibbs, of Slisaissippi, was ouguged iu preaching to the Soiond (.'(fired Baptist church, iu Melpomene at. Rev. .1. MiiebclHof Florida, was absent, preaching to die First Colored C larch, on Uirod street. Rev. I,. Fletcher, now of Arkanin, though iu the city, was [invented by illness from attoifflng. Rev. U. G. Burleson, Fresidont of tbo Texas Biyijr University, who had been in oar city some time on a ™t, imd been compelled to leave a week before, for his botje m Indopeudcnoo.' In the ending, at 7 ) o'clock, llov. Dr. Baker, of Nash¬ ville, Tcan&te, preached to a largo and highly interested oongregatMMfoui l’s. xlix, 8 : “ For tlio redemption of their R.mls'anreoions, and it ccasotli forever.” Tho turn¬ ing point umbo sermon, из b Mitally the case witli dis- coursiu fotjtwed on this text, was Iho value of the soul. Brother ll>j!if!er hinting that his theme was drawn, nut strictly, hoi by a process of aeeomlnodation, from (he text which lie Vjt. «elcoled, proceeded lo tho delivery uf a dis¬ course norffifef the time and place. Bis illustrations, in partiouiaKperc hapj-ily cloiseu, and were applied with uico discrMimtiou. Uu a trite subject, the sermon was not a tritip ®Snnon- A very goueral interest was visible throughout tlifi Congregation. Thus ouiM'iho cxercivos of Sunday. Tho heart» of many woregijdlfncd nud cncquragod, ' sSintsKQCiNT lTtocmii-WiS. The offloiajr.Dfer® of the Coramittco on Cenfercnee, pub¬ lished at le^ io our present issue, gives a sufficiently full асеоицшВа subswiuent prefceJiugs, nud of ‘the of5irw:o!i!v';iJ™ueotbg held on Monday night, 'lira 21st J‘ '^lsr.UDn)^.ioaddrep,lbeAjilWrsTihjco(J that tho Itev.Df. Baker prelched' on -'l'ue.nioy. oventug; from Ps-exxli, C-0. Being engaged with (hcVommittco, we wore prevented from attending, and can, therefore, say nothiiiBof the character of tho eerinoii. On Wednesday oveuing the committee had finished (heir proceeding.,, and drawn up their report. Wo present this report tlsowhore. Tho resolutions which it embodies, con¬ template just such action, wc think, as i- re'|uirod i.y the present condition and noccasitics of our uunso in New Or¬ leans. Tho arrangements entered into for Baptist preach¬ ing in Iho city, aro s|s)l.on of elsewhere. What lias been doue,'has been well done. Tho committee, as might have been expected of thorn, took no step without careful and prayerful deliberation and consultation. From Saturday meriting until Wednesday night, they consulted and ad¬ vised, and now they sonil forth the result of their delibe¬ rations. Tile Paulding Fund. Tho b iding formerly owned by Mr. Baubling, which was sold; u°eordmg to tho terms of Iiis will, тип months since, brought, as wo bavo previously noticed, ?2 1,000. The lot purchased by the executors, an tho corner of Basin and Camp streets, coet 85, 000; leaving in tbo hands of tlio exocutors, after dodueting for incidental expenditures, something more than They have, therefore, in their hands, some 815,000, to be invested in tho building which they are obligated, by the terms of the will, to erect. Now, this amount ($15,000) nil! not biuld etu’b an edi¬ fice as we Baptists iu the city desire, and such as tbo honor of our denomination rejuiros that wo should have, in this vast und constantly growing emporium of the Kouliiwest. There will 1« needed, or (Ac frail, $15,000 additional; making in all $30,000 to bo expended -in the edifice. Kvou this amount will scarcely suffice to erect aucli a Baptist building as we, ourself, would like to see in the city of New Oilenns, \Ve do not wont to lie a whit behind the other denomination» now established In the place. The Baptist)) aro more пппигои* Ilian any other denomination in the South, one only excepted ; nod they possess as much wealth ns any. In what hotter object ran a small portion of this wealth bo expanded, than ill rawing in New Uriel os a church edifice which shall take away, iii some measure, the reproach under which *e have so long labored, in lliia tlio lurgest city in tlio valley of tbo Mississippi 1 The liiptists of the South and Southwest are appealed to by the Committee of Conference, lo increase, by at least $15,000, the funds now in tho hands of Mr. Baubling’» executors. Thoy will, we thick, respond promptly to ILo call. kVo copy tlio above from the Now Orleans Chronicle. It expresses the exact truth, and wc hope it uuy bo re¬ sponded to. If ever Here was missionary ground, it is New Orleans. The floating jopuhtion is larger there thin in any other oily in tho Union, probably, in proportion. I’laBten oomo down .lira river and bring their families often, to enjoy a short season in Now Orleans. Their fu¬ ture Ideas on all subjects are most deeply aficotcd by what they see and bear there. Medical students coma to spend the winter here. Merchants from all parts of tho Union сои* hero for the winter. ,. A lirger proportion of this population is -Baptist, than in any other city. The Stales that furnish tho largest portion of 'bis population, are neatly tho wholo cf them Slates that haro того than one io twenty of thu inhibit- tots llap tilt church member». - . ■ • • These person» ooiuo to lecrire their influences froui*iho city, not to impart them. Tho effect of the irapres,- sious they receive in regard to our denomination here, will be given out again all through Iho Soutli and Southwest. New Orleans is tho key city of the wholo of tho Mississip¬ pi. All tlio cities np tho river to St. Louis, and boyopd, reoeivo their tone aad an incalculable moral influence from New Orleans. The regular Baptists living in New Orleans, reside mostly iu Lafayette, but Ibose can unko arrange¬ ments for a house of worship for themselves if necessary.. But those in behalf of whom wo now plead, need a house of worship in tho heart of the city, исаг tho hotels, or oh Lafayette square. Funds for the building, itrOwiformily with tlo resolu¬ tions, can bo remitted to Br. Balfour, of Vernon, Miss., or Rot. John K. Dawson, or John N. Perkins, kb-bNe» (Menus. jFiiuds to euxtpia [ reaching, to the'Triaiurcr* of the Board of Domestic Missions, W. Itmnliucklc, Bsi[., Marion. - The Vill of the Talc Mr. I’aiiMIng. Below wo give a copy of so much of tbo will of Mr. l’aulding, as relates to tbo emotion of a honso cf wffrship. While Ibe terms are aufiioienllycienr to leave no questions as lo tho genotai intentions of tho testator, they nllow tho oxcenlor» great discretionary power as to thomodo iff theft fulfillment. Tho term “church” is used in nco senses in lira will : 1st. l-'nr tho building to lo erected. 2nd. In lira last clause, for the religious body who will worship iu lira building, l'hon how is lira religion» body to bo made up, and who shall settle wlm they ore I Tim executors I We nro happy to fuel perfectly assured that th у are gentle¬ men ef ihu highest respectability, and (hat they will hon¬ orably acquit thero»elvo« of their trust. Vet it was a nlraugo thing, virtually to assign them tlio trust of con- atitutiug a Baptist church, or of seeing that it is coustilu- ted, especially a/ they are neither of them connected, ecclesiastically,' with -tho Baptist denomination. Tho most deliptto part of tho matter is, that they trill bavo to decide who are “ the proper authorities” of tho church, after it Is sotliod who the ehureii is. There are many different ways in which the proper authorities lo hold ehureii property are constituted, In »<apo of our churches, iho deacons would l.e so regarded. In other cases, a body of trustees chosen ly iho оошшшйе&цЬ. Tho charter of the First Baptist Chtin-h in Now Orleans, ‘tokos a body of trustees, chosen by tho majority of tho nliilo jnalo members of tho church, nnd all persons contributing $20 a year, or upwards, in pow.reufi. Wo bcliovq, again, tint «etslfbolisasofiwor.'i'fpAf opr 'denomination tjavo no ^rusp ' tptfabibJfoUnfj direclljr.to'j tfreorp^rabtou, cons'iliog’of. Ai'bho lifadse of‘idcrfaffij',iIijn®|_ . liorainalioti in that city, InhAcrvIlllog Cretlircn'-abroai may he to contribute to another, it is hut fight that thojr should know distinctly, before lira money is put into any particular house, who “ tho proper authorities” will ulti¬ mately be, who are to li.no clargo of it. It will by seen Hat tlio committee have effectually guarded that point, ly recommending that if uo olLer clear nnd eat'isfaclory way can be arranged, the contribution! shall go to build a mis¬ sion church, to lo held I.y the Kuullicrn Convention till they sco fit to make it over lo an efficient church.' Copy from tht trill of CorneUui Vmlding, ns far as it rrlniis to tlio Boplim Ugnry. “It is my will and earnest desire, that my properly at tho cornor of St. Obiuloa and iicira streets, in tlio muni¬ cipality number two of this city, formerly occupied by tho- council and officer» of the said municipality, be sold by my executors hereinafter named, upon tlio most advanla- goous tormj, nnd that tho proceeds arising therefrom lo oxolusivcly applied and appropriated to tho emotion, es¬ tablishment, and support of a “Baptist church’' in tills city; which ehureii, when Luilt nnd completed, it is my wish and desire bo placed by my executors under lira edit; trol und direction of the proper authorities of auch church, so soon as the same ahall have loen duly cuustitutml and appointed.” The trill is dated March 1, 1851. New Orleans Conference Heeling. Minuta of th Committee of Delegates from ths. Bcqtilt State Contentions uf Louisiana, Mississippi, ,1tnSa- m, Georgia, and the General .bsocituion of Middle Tennessee. Satcbdav, February lOih, 1853. Dursiunt to notice duly given, tho coramittco met in thij First Congregational Church. ' After prayer, Rev. T. 0. Keen wai called to tho Chair, Bov. T. F. Curtis «аз chosen Secretary. Tlio resolutions cf tho Minissippl Baptist Convention were rend. The delegation of one from each of tho State Conven¬ tions following, presented their credentials; that is, Rev. J. E. Dawson from Georgia, Rev. L'r. Baker from Tens nossce, IIov, T. 0. Keen from Alabama, brother W.-H. Verkina of Louisians, Dr. Balfour from Mississippi, Ilev. T. F. Curtis, Cor. Sec. Board of Bomcstio Missions South¬ ern Bap. Convcnlion. _ ■ Ministering and other brethren, members of Baplisb cburcbes, were requested to take scats with ur in all tha deliberations iu (ho house. _ , A sub-committee, of brethren Dawson, Curtis, and Гсг-- kin», was appointed to confer with a committeo of tha First Baptist Church, as to any waya by which tho inter¬ ests of tho Baptist cause in this city day bo best promo¬ ted. Resolved, That brother Low lo requested to procure » copy of so much of the will of the late C. Paulding, В» Ъ as relates to tho erection of a Baptist house of meship-. . Adjourned after prayer.