Home and Foreign Journal, October 1851

volMf.1. • .ДОЗ Richmond; October m: bm PUBLISHED BY TIIE BOARDS OF DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN MISSIONS OF THE SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION. BOARD OF DOMESTIC MISSIONS. MARION, ALABAMA, OCTOBER ISM. Call to tho Ministry. There cau .be no reasonable doubt that God ««Is a special ahd 'direct ‘influence in the call of overy minister ho approves. “And no man talccUi this unto himself, hut that is called of fled at was AaroD.” it is (ipttilly .'floor' that Oral employs hutrumentaiilics in tho call of men to the ministry, as well as in their con- t or Aon. Aaron was called of God; but Mores was tho aaent employed in ltmking the uall. Paul was “ called to !io an appstld, separated unto tho gospel of God ;’’ yet Дп- rtanias whs tho honored instrument in making this call. Ordinarily tho ministers of both Jhe Old and New Testa-, ownts were called to their work by human agency directed byjho Lord. G(d pursues tho samo course now. Take a fair ca¬ mples. An excellent minister says : “ Wbcn I was about mur years eld, a pious young woman, who met mo at my home," said, I must be <i good bay, and be «.minister. My Oeas of a minister were very high. I thought, could I . ver become a minister’ ' My mind dwolt npon it con- i.nually, and that remark was engraven on my heart as »nh the point of a diamond. It often affected mo when 1 iwani» a youth. Рог some years I was led astray by wicked associates; but I never forgot tint remark, that I .-.ust bo minister. I have no doubt it was, in the provi¬ dence of God, intimately connected with my' becoming a „mister of. tho overlaying gospel.” Another says that, when in childhood, a pious colored •airso impressed it upon his mind by her simple remarks, hat- lie must become a minister. This Impression never •fl, him, but was, he belieres, a. lea-ling instrumental iuso of turniug Ids mmd to the subject of religion, and mally of constraining him to bccoiuo a preacher of the spol. Another affirms that, a short time after his conversion ,(i,l o-moettioil with tho church, his pastor made this nuplo inquiry of' him, “can you not bocouo a prenchcr!” i negative answer was promptly given. Tho subject rnppcd at that point. Tho inquiry mado no serious ini- ression for the time, yet tho impression was never lost. Piie conviction that lie ought to preach, at length became ; deep and pungent, ns to destroy bis pence of mind, until "" gained his own consent to become a minister. lie re¬ cords that pastor as tho instrument of hi» call to this work. Prom the foregoing facts we readily draw the Mowing ЬопЛиЙопУ^* — ~ V 1. That God sanctions tho use of menus in calling men , the work of the ministry. A. It is the duty of all Christians to mskc efforts to ireot tho attention of the young to Urn work of preach- ng tho gospel. 3. Those oflorts may bo mado advantageously at a very irly age. 4. Christians should pray much for wisdom to guido hem in tho employment of these moans. ■к TEXAS. BnenstUh, Tails.— Ilepart of.Rtil J„ II. -WombwclL lt now hocoraes my duty to communicato Fo you an account of my operations for tho quarter just closed, aad to furnish such information in relation to tho condition of Ihh people, os will, awaken an interest in behalf 'if the mission My scholastic' engagements, and other circumstances beyond my control, havo greatly afleutcd tho amount of my labors .strictly ministerial. I luiia not been idle nor wanting ia desire to promote tl,r liedeemcr’s cause. At my regular appointments the enngrogations ary as good as other ministers secure in lliij place. I have coq- tinued to preacli, exhort, visit from house to house, dis tribute Iliblcs, Testaments, tracts and books. In former communications I have mado favorable men¬ tion of a young Mexican from Chihuihua. He was of great service to mo in introducing mo to Mexicans,, and inducing them to visit mo at tho mission rooms. He has gone home. Since his departure tho other Mexicans have coasod (Leir visits, ond give no futthcr evidence of any desire to beoomc acquainted ii tho religion of tho Bible; How much theyhavo been influenced by tho lloman priests I cannot tell. But this is true, that sineo* the arrival of tho two priests now here, and tho departure of tho young man already alluded to, I havo not had the opportu*. A Righteous Man's Covenant. Mr. X. B. Cobb, a pious merchant and a member of one •f the Baptist ehurchos in. Boston, when at tho ago of •wonty three, drew up the following covenant, which ho ■ weiontioaely adhered to during his life : “By the grace of God I will nover bo worth more than ■s'iOjOOO. By tho graco of God, I will givo one fourth of '■o net profits of my business to oliaritable and religious "OS. “If I am over worth §20,000 I will givo one half f my nett proflts; nnd if I am over woitli §30,000 I will •no lliroo fourths ; and tho whole, after 550,000 - so i- Ip me God; or givo to a more faithful steward, and set aside.” Religion and Hencliccnee. This is tho litlo of a most excellent tract by Bov. Parsons e’ooko, and published by tho American Tract Society. IV c give a synopsis of tho points clearly discussed : 1. That gicing of property to God is every ah ere >101 It an indispensable ingredient of true religion. Every one is as much bound to honor God by Ы» gifts, as ho is to pray. 2. Our gifts are required as a means of our spiritual ; on, lend growth in grace, as the discipline to form ns to a beneficent charaoter. 3. Our gifts must ho free-will oprings^wl tnast bo i, ado .recording to a system that gives scope to the utmost treoiloni. •f. Wo must regulate them in our judgment according •n Me ability which God gives us. G. They must bo updo at stated periods. G. They must In) made in connection with . our acts of '•orship. Tho following advantages are set forth аз arising from ho careful adoption of the foregoing plan : 1. That it brings our work of charity within the Sab- ath, causes our gifts to bo weighed in tho balances' of tho •ancillary, and onr “ prayers nnd ohm ” to go up together • os a memorial before God.” 2. There is a great advantage in tho frequent reptti- ion of tho act, scoured under this. 3. The provision that a privato charity treasury shall he kept, into which tho gifts shall be undo before they are •ailed to bo given over, works important results upon tho mind. •I. It secures tliu advantages of beneficence to every raw, if ho will. « Lot every ono of you lay by him in ‘‘ore, и tho Lord hath prospered him.” 5. This rnlo further commends 'itself by its superior efficiency in railing funds,. ...У 0. It secures to us a fund always at hand to meet 'tho calls of charily as they come. V. Action under this rule secures tho impulses and growth of onr bcuuvoleiico to сото from tho most spiritual, and evangelical motives. - > , , S. It remedies ono of llo greatest deficiencies in tho present habits and action of tho churches. Wo commend this tract to general circulation, It con¬ tains 28 pages; and oho dollar will procure one hnndrod copies. • /tom (Dor Йшшпипгз.' vlfordsxillr, Alabama— Rev. J. Sensing’s Report. iy special instruction it becomes my duly to pay alien- tfio Ilia spiritual wants of the colored pcoplo connected •y charge. I find this an interesting part of my ' I hold separata meetings for them, and hato had retSonal religions conversation with somo of them. There aija few cases of deep seriousness, which I trust will re¬ mit in their conversion to God. Ajjpon County, Alabama — lltv. I Vm, Philips’ Report. .Щ havo just returned from a tour of two weeks, and lbo great cause to thauk Gcal and take courage. I Lave niugled with a people, though poor and uneducated, yet ' ler.dly, industrious aud anxibuato hear tho simple story the cress. plarhtille, Arkansas— Rev. А. II. Conch's Report. jtjj_ field of labor -is about forty miles in length. . . *bd qnaricr I have pyjjmijtul two’ churches, one' firaUrdansvillo and ono in Clarksville ; ordained one dca- flaod baptised ono person. Thavo had some porsnual, and much family affliction fW'u I саше here. During the latter part of April ond first of May I bad two attacks of chills anil fever, which, fur a while hindered mo in the prosecution of my labor. Ji bavo not been able to do anything in Clarksvillo for Sa.ro tliau a month in conscqncuee of tho small pox, which prevailing here. If I were located at Dardansvillc it $ould bo more to tho interest of our cause. I desire this change made as toon as practicable. I desire to -Jeep there a depository of our denominational books They are greatly needed hero. ?•' 1 от alono in this rent field, with a host of oppositiou. There ought to bo from six to twenty missionaries eoattcr- td through this region. But ministers settling here must jpport themselves mainly or rely on the Board fur two :jcars. Tho pcoplo here, even tlioso who are able, must b.o trained to giviug before thuy will givo liberally. 1 hope aud pray for help. 'lountsoille, Alabama. — Ret. P. M. Musgroci’s Report. !' Wo have now in progress a protracted meeting of much itlcrot in this place. I have never seen such times in nity of conversing witL half a dozen Mexicans at my jtlqJ place before. Dr. S. has professed conversion, llo own houso. • la GO years of ago. It would do you good to see ins de- ' ' votion to tba' Saviour's cause ; going from houso to houso mmcci.TiES IN TUB WAV. , . , . ,, , . . . , exhorting the pcoplo to turn to God. His mflucnco nnd Among tho great obstacles in Uio.wiy of imputing in.- iabors are quits as effectual in tho cause na any minister struction to tins people, is their great mental apathy. Thoyd.we have with .ns. reflect but little, and scarcely retain for an hour what i*fc told them. .ЛНаге not Wfc J%vs№j&, ЬОлеОДврДО* I'hero are gratifying exeoplione. Ami аз wo become ас- Aly seconTqnartcrly icport'u >io\b ШЙ. I'l&ta'biialcd GEORGIA. There quamtod with those loss exposed to tho temptations of a border life, it is presumed the number of these oxoeptians will be greatly increased. lltXICO NOT YET OVEN TO THE UIWPEI.. I anticipate tho inquiry, “is Mexico now open, oan you now enter and labor in the land long blighted by priestly rule and papal superstition1” Mexico is not yet open, None can tell when it will bo. It will be qoito impracti¬ cable to openly circulate the word of God, or puhliolv proclaim salvalion by faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, while tho will of the priest is the law of tho people. WHAT WE SHOULD DO. Until Mexico is open, we should keep up a mission among the Mexicans on this side of the Bio Grande. There are several thousands of them in our own territory, where priestly influoneo and priestly authority cannot, to any great extent, hinder us. Unless wo teacli them, they will never know what the church of Christ is, and who are en¬ titled to its ordinances and blessings. HOUSE OP WOUSIUP MUCH NUKED. In my appeal to Baptists, South, sometime ainee, I set forth tho kind of house wo ought to have, and the impor¬ tance of securing it. Bach ancoossive week pressos those conanleri lions more forcibly up-on my mind. I am '.ully persuade! that one missionary wi|h such a house, can ac¬ complish more good here than five can without such an auxiliary. ТПГ. poflOOL. My school continues as when 1 wroto list, and trust it will still continue to prosper. It is a source . of murh aid in sustaining tho mission. Among my pupils there are some eight or ten connected with lloman OatMio families; although there is a lloman Catholic school in tho place, and longer established than mine. NUMERICAL STRENGTH. Oar numerical strength and the extent of our Christian association may bo learned, when I inform you that, bo- si, l*i myself and wife, there are eniy two other Baptists in tho place, aud those two are timid females. IXK1.DENCE OK THE (IORPEI. ON THE COMMUNITY. Although but fow give encouraging hope that they have exercised living faith in the Son of God sineo a cLurch was established here, jet Hie preaching of the gospel has pro¬ duced a consideruUo moral riiango among the-peopde. ALABAMA. De Kalb County, Alnbam—Rec. I V. C. Mynatt's Rtport. It is my pleasure to inform yon that the quartfr ending Juno 30th, has been an interesting one indeed. Much ap¬ parent good haa been effected ill tho canso of God. I havo constituted a church, consisting of seven member,-, at Lebanon, tho county lent of this county, with flattering prospects. • This littfo bend haa commenced building » h: tse of worship, -In 'this good wdrk t!io citireas of tho villago are affording generous aid. my principal stations. On the first Sabbath I preach to a chord! of ninu members, live miles west of Clinton. Congregation varios from 200 to 330, I’onp.lo DO-ir, and unacquainted with tho benefits of tho gospiol and their duty to sustain it. I have ha-1 some interesting meetings at that station. At my last visit twenty-threo camo for¬ ward for prayer. I preach at Clinton on tho second Sabbath. At this place 1 baptiicd ono convert during (bo quarter. Con¬ siderable interest among tho colored people. On tho third I preach at a school house, callcl Webb’s, in Ihe edgo of Baldwin county, at which point I expect to organize a church soon. At Bethel station I preach oil tho fourth Sabbath. There arc other appointments at other hours on tho Sabbatli and week days, which I till i.a passing to ami from my regular stations. In different places I find touch of the anti spirit. By visiting froui house io houso 1 am overcoming this prejudice. A gentleman who is a repnted Unirersalist, wrote mo the following noto.a short time since: “I have nothing but the world'» religion, but I desire my family to be brought undor tho influence of the gospel; and of nil men, ministers of the gospel are the least compensated for their labors. Enclosed I send you ten dollars, contribu¬ ted by Ilia members of my family as a portion of your salary.” ~T have mot with uniform kindness among ail classes of people. Darien, Georgia— Нес. С. II. Jones' Report. An enoouraging slato of feeling among tho colored pen-, pie; thirty of whom have boen baptized daring tho quarter. VIRGINIA. " - Wheeling, Virginia— Rev. Edward Ely's Report. I now transmit my first quarter's report. I came to Ibis city on the first of April, and hero I have confined ray labors. I preach once each Sabbatli in tho city prop-er, and generally onco in South Wheeling. My congregations are good in both places. South Wheeling ii hi Ilia cor- orate limits of the. city, but it и two miles from our regular plaeo of meeting. In view of tin rapid > progress of tho city in that direc¬ tion, ойг brethren aro making preparation for a new inter¬ est there, which shall grew up with that soction of the city. Within the past quarter brother- S - d, the only wealthy member of our church, has purchased a house for a parsonage, and mado a donation of it to the church. It now rents for ono hundred dollars per year, which rent is available to the church. This generous brother has abo furnished rooms in t'u'o basement of the church edifice for tho jexton, and repainted the house. We sent a dclegato to the General ЛазрсЫ'юп of Vir¬ ginia, aad with him §20 for mission purposes We tako monthly collection) for both Пото and For¬ eign .Missions. It is our purpose tn do more for tkcxo objects this yen tba W havo over doao bc/uru. . - ' - All our mcotiugs aro well attended, olpcoially the pray- 'cr meetings. I think I nan safely say there Is a gradual increase of spirituality in all tfur meeiings. »Th'oiLord'Ii with ps. We feel greatly encouraged. I am'ndw acltlod here with ray.family and I.feel at homo in my. field,': ( LOUISIANA. ; ,4}; Cheyneyrille, Louisiana— Rtv. E. D. Carter's Report. At Swan’s settlement wo havo a congregation of about^ 100, mostly French, brought up under lloman Catholic influence. Their prejudices are strong and hard to over¬ awe. At Bayou Clear wo havo a Sabbath School, and -a good work is going on there. I havo been preaching at tho mouth of Mumentou Bit¬ er, on the Golf, 150 miles below this place, on tho' fifth Sabbatli. In March r. church wai constituted, 1 1 wont dqwn again in June'and • held meetings on tho Гош th and- fifth Sabbaths » ill! mtich ’interest. Received - two fy lcl-1 ’ter,\id lupifpcd'B). ■ Then IVki 'obliged ij'rctniu hSiM, \. leaving 20 couverts unbaptized; 8Й «niious ’inquirers, and a congregation of about 200 trembling tinners. 1 At tho .close of the iciptiunal scene wo camo together on tho bank of tho river, gave the right hand of fellow¬ ship, snnga. parting hymn, and commended tho people to God in prayer. The boat being ready I took my leave of tho auxious assembly ; llio br’eczo.a filled our sails and we were soon wafted out of sight. — ’Ttouirh the deep between us rolls; ,. FnertUhip shall unite our tools. ^ ' I am tho first Baptist minister evor ou this const. The l.ord has dono great Ihiugs for qs, whereof we aro glad. MISSOURI. Hickory Groce, Missouri— Rev. J. E. Welch's Report. I do 1-cliovo I occupy the hardest and most difficult field tn cultivate in tho United' States. On tho second Sabbath in Iho present month I attended the meeting of an anil-mission Association, twelve miles distant, which has not only declared non-fellowship with all missionary Baptists, but actually deluded ono of tlioir own churches liccaus'o it received a member .from the church lo which I belong, it being a missionary church, without re-baptizing him ! This anti -mission influence I have to meet at almost every point. In addition to that, as I stated in my last report, mem¬ bers of tho church will start their wagons to 8 1.. Louis on tho Sabbatli, cr so arrange their trip as to spend' tho Sab¬ bath in traveling, and yet no notice, is taken of it. Last month I collected between forty and fifty children into a Sunday School, a imlo and a half from my rcsidcuco, ir. a log school houso. . „„After, ridlruL.mnu miles' Ust Sabbath morning, addict¬ ing a Sabbath School at nioo o’clock, аиТ'ргеае&п^ото mile beyond at cloven, T returned to my nowly organized school near my residence at four o’clock Г. M. I found a largo school assembled, which l opened without tho Superintendent or a single teacher present. Not one of them, except a young man who lives with mo, reached lira nchool during tho day. I feel not a little grieved to think lliat Baptists, or even Americans, would so net! . Among tho pnip'ils present there Were some twenty-Uirco German boys and girls, nue-lialf of thorn nnablo to read or vps-ak our language. Strangers in a slrangc land, anx- ion.s to learn car languago and to bo taught to read and understand tho Bible, auil jet no ono willing, to practico a little self-denial ami Christian principle tn teach' them! Good Lor-l havo mercy on tho people, both in the church and out of it. St. Louis, Missouri, — Rev. Joseph Walker's Report. During the past quarter tny pastoral visits have been cut short by tho debilitating infloonco of tho hot weather. This is to bo lamented, for I deem that part of ministerial servico tho moat important in connection with a new station. IVo have had much sickness, and many mombers of our church are absent, yol our congregations aro not d-oiiaish- ed. This is cause of encouragement. There are also several persons inquiring. to know tho Lord. During tho. quarter I have baptized tlireo on the profession 'bf faith in Christ. A WORD IN SEASON. At tho baptism of ono of tho above, I remarked to her husband who wa, standing by, an unconverted man, “ono shall lo taken and tho other left.” IIo has since professed liopo in the Saviour, and that brief passage quo¬ ted. on that occasion, was- the sword of tho Holy Spirit employed ia slaying tho enmity of his heart. our з.итлтн senoot.. For reasons beyond our control, our Sabbaih Schools in the city deelio* during the summer. Vet out average attendance is about 140. We anticipate great and happy results from this flourishing school. OCR HOUSE OK W0CSIIIP. Wo have made no effort yet towards building. Beal cstalo commands such a prico wo aro not able niw Jo procure a suitable lot, wbich will require a sum of five or six thousand dollars. If tho Board had tbo moan.) to spare, and would deem it appropriate to make the pur¬ chase, it would, in my judgment, bo a profitable invest¬ ment. If wo had a suitnblo lot the houso could bo built. DIFFICULTIES To DE OVERCOME. Baptists havo many obstacles to obstruct their progress in this great commercial emporium. Among the most fqr^ midablo of those is th о fact that there are many Baptist! in the city who aro not identified with any Baplul church. This number, t prcaanw, reaches ono hundred— many of whom have been here for a long tirao ; aomo havo letters J ethers have’ not and do not doiiro theta. . . The intlncnce of >11 theso is again* i ом c»osc, *l«hef thoymtepditbrnoi. Sun» Of tea harc taken aral*