The work once delivered to the saints / by H.R. Bernard

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THE WORK
ONCE DELIVERED TO THE SAINTS.

H. R. BERNARD.

Price 25 Cents.'

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THB J. W. BURKE COMPACT

KACON. GEOBOLA.

BX6331 B518W
THK LIBRARY OF THK UNIVERSITY OF GCOROIA

THE WORK
ONCE DELIVERED TO THE SAINTS.
h H. R. BERNARD. <
Price 25 Cents.
/ honor the man who is willing to fink Halfhis present repute forfreedom to think; And when he has thought, be his cause strong or wtak. Will risk t'oher halffor freedom to speak; Caring naught for what the mob has in store Let that mob be the upper ten thousand or lower."
--JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL.

" Baptists boU their problems in an open kettle; in this wan

errors, as the scum and froth, came to the top and disappear,

leaving a residuum of truth.

--J. B. GJLMBRELL.

Entered According to Act of Congress, in the Tear ISOi by H. R. Bernard, in the Office of Librarian of Congress, at Washington.

AN ANALYSIS.

Baptist Convention of Georgia,) __ U SOVEREIGN.

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"(i ^A SCEOR-WVAONRTK.ES.

1. Messengers sent by churches taking similar-- not joint action -- organize the convention. The con vention, not being under organic control of federated power, and having the inherent right to make laws for its own government, and for the government of its servants, is a Sovereign.

2. The convention, being created by the action of the churches, being influentially controlled by them, and being subjected to services for ends the churches have in view, is a Servant.

3. The convention using its boards, employs and superintends missionaries and teachers. The churches contribute funds for expenses incurred. The con vention, through its boards, and the churches by their contributions -- both do the work -- each a share.
In this way the convention is a Co-worker.

WHAT IS SYSTEM? System enables you to save the minutes. System prevents you from doing needless things. System prevents waste. System stands at the door and denies admittance to
every interrupting detail. System sees that every facility is at hand. System keeps things away from you until you are
ready for them. System gets the thing done. --

TO MY WIFE,
MARY ELIZABETH BERNARD,
Who, to my personal knowledge, gained in an expe rience of forty years of married life, has faultlessly illustrated, after the New Testament pattern, in word and act, in prosperity and adversity, without excep tion as to time and place, all that is included in the re lations of daughter, sister, wife, mother, and church member, this booklet is affectionately inscribed

CONTENTS.

"^

CHAPTER I.

.''Prefatory and Personal.........................._............._.___ 7

?

CHAPTER II.

- Why Organization ? ___.........._...................__._.._.13

CHAPTER III. The "Work" in the Hands of the Church__...__21

CHAPTER IV.
How Much of the "Work" is in the Hands of Be nevolent Societies, Not Under Control of the Church? __..-...._........................._._._....._......_....._........___.31

CHAPTER V. The Organized Work...____________.............._.39

CHAPTER VI.
The Committee on Cooperation in the Organized Work. __...._...._.._....._......._......._...._.____._.___49

CHAPTER VII.
Apportionments and Schedules Made by Commit tee on Cooperation. Is This the Best Plan P....55

CHAPTER VIII. Three Types of Churches in the "Work."._...................59

CHAPTER IX.
The Martyr and Reformer: Their Part in the "Work" ................................................_..........._......................-...........65

CHAPTER X. The College -- Its Place in the "Work."...........................7.1
CHAPTER XL Book-Keeping as Part of the "Work.".................................77

APPENDICES.
. A Protest Against Lynching. (A).......................................83 The Race Problem. (B)................................-.......................-.-....-..91 The Whiskey Traffic and Our Duty. (C)........................93

113992

CHAPTER I.
PREFATORY AND PERSONAL.
"We know our place and our portion: to give a witness and to be condemned; to be ill-used and to succeed. Such is the law which God has annexed to the promulgation of the truth: its preachers suffer, but its cause prevails."-- Dr. Newman.
Baptists' have made much of that scripture in which it is taught that we are to contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints. They have always had a conviction that Christ is the only law giver in Zion, and that the business of his people has been, is, and will be, to hold fast to his teachings, and to boldly and uncompromisingly publish the same, with freedom from care as to results, and with a purpose to win the world to their way of thinking.
Dr. T. T. Eaton, the -editor of the Western Re corder, has recently sent forth a book--"Faith and the Faith" -- in which he takes strong ground favor ing a contention for the faith once delivered to the saints, though such contention lead to the stake, or beyond the stake, as to that matter. To this feature of the book every lover of the truth must say, Amen!
The correctness of Dr. Eaton's position, in urg ing that we contend, even unto death for the "Faith," is beyond controversy.
It has however, come to be a question in some quarters, with some parties as to what, exactly, is that "Faith" which was delivered to the saints, for which we are to so strenuously contend.

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There has always been much contention as to what the "Faith" is. Baptists are in array against many sects who oppose the Baptist view, and then in some particulars we have the Baptists against the Baptists. Necessarily the contention goes on. This state of affairs is refreshing and encouraging. The man who honestly contends is the friend of truth. I am glad he is "up and about." In contention, men learn what the truth is; and after they know, they contend for its being and propagation. Christians who shy at contention and call for peace while error is in the land, do not understand their privilege and obligation.
Not only is it gratifying to know that contention will go on, because of differences, but it is also pleas ant to remember that there is much agreement, and that concerning the things settled there can be no contention. For instance: all classes of Calvinists -- all classes of Arminians, Unitarians, Universalists, and many others are in harmony with one another and with the Baptists on much that is fundamental. All believe that in some way, the coming, the life and the death of Christ was necessary to salvation. All accept the Ten Commandments and the Sermon on the Mount. In the midst of contentions the truth is going to be better understood and walls of par tition in due time are coming down. We rejoice over the prospect of complete harmony. In the mean time whatever of truth I know, I must pit against all opposers thereof. I will not be held guiltless if I fail at this point.

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Every true man welcomes the conflict. If he is in error he will not regret being fairly beaten, and put out of commission. If he has the truth he must and ought to win out. A true Christian is not afraid to enter any contest. In the very nature of the case he can neither be killed nor captured. He is forever the master of the situation on the theological field.
The "Faith" once delivered to the saints compre hends more than giving assent to the truth couched in certain formulas. The saints have much to do. The work once delivered to the saints is worthy of, and claims attention. The saints are here to do things as well as to believe things. What is the work? How is it to be best performed? If it be said that nothing need be spoken or written about the work of Baptists, that much is being done -- and "well done" at that, and that we should let "well enough alone." I reply, that it is not, and never will be, wise to "let well enough alone." Letting "well enough alone" is unsound doctrine. I never did believe in it. Mr. Let-Well-Enough-Alone chokes progress. "Excelsior" is the word always and every where. Da locum melioribus. We must go forward. To do as well as our fathers we must do better than they did; and we ought to do as well -- yes and much better. Going on to perfection is our business.
I was early taught, that in matters religious, I was to speak and act according to my convictions. To so speak and act I learned was a glorious privilege -- was a duty. My impression was, that when one was true to, and spok.e his convictions, his brethren would greatly appreciate him. Imagine my amazement,

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when it began to dawn on me, as it has done in the past, that to speak convictions will sometimes bring reproaches. And that too, from sources where one looks for praise. If a man wants praise, he had bet ter carefully consider his convictions before he utters them.
Notwithstanding my experience, I have written some things in the following pages concerning which I may fall under reproach. If so, I will have this comfort: I have written my own views in the love of the truth with only good intentions. I would allow this to any brother, and no matter what the dif ferences, would love him none the less.
Some of the vie*.vs I record are "old" -- some are "new." It is the province of any one so disposed, to bring out things both "old and new." I feel secure from censure at this point.
If I condemn scrappy methods of work -- if I refer to the "Agonized Wuk" in adverse criticism, let not the reader imagine that I have come to despise my brethren from whom I differ, and am an enemy. I am far from this.
Baptists have one fundamental problem concern ing method in work to solve. It has been on hand a long time. Without its solution our growth as a de nomination will be slow, very slow. This will not necessarily shut out our principles from view. The world learns from us, and it is hard to estimate the extent to which Baptists have helped both Church and State, although in many instances their faith has not been openly and declaratively embraced.

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But to our problem. First, to preserve our church autonomy. Second, to secure, without disturbance of such autonomy, such concert of action in our multi form labors, as will bring best results. Probably, if in the past we had been as intent on methods of organzation and work as in setting up and maintaining religious liberty, we would have had our problem solved. I believe it can be solved; hence I write, and make what mite of a contribution I can toward the good end. Possibly all my views may be visionary and impractical. Be it so. Progress will even then be made. The next man can avoid my mistakes, and I beg that the next man write.
It is a good thing to give attention to Freedom. But Freedom is worth nothing for its own sake. It is worth nothing as an end. It is inestimable as a means to an end. During the time of Judges in Jew ish history, it is said that "there was no King in Is rael in those days. Every man did that which was right in his own eyes." No attention was given to au thority, to law, nor to organization. Disorder pre vailed and disasters almost without limit followed.
I have not written a line in this little volume to win a plaudit from the rhetorical scholar. I have written hurriedly and imperfectly -- necessa rily so -- because engaged about so many other affairs. I have sometimes repeated myself in both thought and word. However, this is not the result of carelessness. For the most part the repeating has been done for the sake of emphasis and explanation. If I have repeated any old view of truth and impressed it, or if anything written serves to

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suggest some better answer to some question -- in short, if in any way, I have, to any extent helped the truth -- the truth as it is in Christ, I am more than repaid for my pains and labors, and will not worry about any fault finding, no matter how just, in which critical readers may indulge. And if I do not worry, I hope no one else will.
Every now and then I am reminded by one and another of my good brethren to "be sweet." I never was sweet. I have not tried to be in writing what you now have be'fore you. I am a common sinner, with many faults of character. I am heart-broken over it, and am trying to overcome these faults, and to be sincerely affectionate toward all my brethren and all of the other fellows, too, but I am not sweet. I am not going to be. I am trying to be honest and self-sacrificing for the truth's sake. This so engages my attention that I am going to let others be sweet.
Oliver Holmes, on his death-bed, was asked by a very grave-looking minister of the gospel, who per haps was sweet, if he (Holmes) did not wish he was a Christian, to which Dr. Holmes replied, "No, not if it makes me look like you." Of my readers I beg that you take me, like one of my best friends takes his coffee, without sugar. Oliver Cromwell said to his painter, who in making his picture was leaving out the wart on his face, "Paint me as I am." Dear brethren and friends, take me as I am, and don't ex act too much of me. Let me stand sometimes, not often, alongside of Paul, and hear him say: "Alex ander the coppersmith did me much evil; the Lord reward him according to his works."

CHAPTER H.
WHY ORGANIZATION ?
Great principles never change. When God called His people out of Egypt to go into Canaan, He placed Moses at their head, and the most complete organiza tion ever seen was soon apparent. If one wishes to know the mind of God as to organization, let him study the history of the Jews from the time of Moses to the coming of the Savior. When the Savior came he left on record his method of doing things. All the helpers were organized, when it came to feeding the 5,000 people with five loaves and two fishes. There was nothing helter-skelter or scrappy in the Savior's work. Paul would have all things done decently and in order.
And he wrote: "I will set things in order when I come."
The Scriptures, sanctified common sense, and a desire to succeed in our efforts, all call for organized work. Everybody agrees to this except the Baptists, and they agree to it all, until they go about religious work. If a Baptist heard, at the railway ticket office, that the General Manager had ordered all conduc tors to leave when they got ready and get back when they could, he would not start, even on his intended trip, and yet this same man, when in a religious con vention wants all trains to leave whether anybody is ready or not, and get back, or never get back -- he does not care which. At least this is the impression

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he often makes. This brother knows very well that in order to have concert of action in movements, that some one must issue instructions, which instructions are to bind, but he would like to see the living man or the dead ghost who would even think of instruct ing him about religious work.
When this brother was a small boy he went to Sunday School and learned one, and only one, verse in the Bible. The same is to be found recorded in two or three places in Judges. "In those days there was no King in Israel: Every man did that which was right in his own eyes." A learned brother scouts the idea that Baptists had no history back of 1641. Per haps he is right about it, and we had our beginning, in some respects, at least as far back as 1400 years B. C. How about this, "gentle reader ?" No acknowl edged authority and every man doing that which was right in his own eyes"! Does this sound a little Baptistic? But, Alas! War with all its horrors, disasters the most lamentable were the fruits of so much indi vidualism, without any counterbalancing of organi zation.
There came a time once in the life of the writer when, as a Superintendent of a railroad, the gauge of all the roads in the country were to be changed. The work was done in a day, an appointed day. It required a month in which to get ready. This was a month of organization. The gauge was not changed until everything was in perfect readiness. This get ting ready was organization. When we were organ ized we did the work; we changed in twelve hours many thousands of miles. It required three years or

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more for the Japanese to organize for the war with Russia. When the Japs were ready they were "good ready." When they started there was no lost motion, no side-stepping. They knew everything concerning their resources and powers and whereabouts. Theirs was organization carried to perfection, and they gained victories from start to finish. They had skill, courage, and organization, but the greatest of these was organization. One reason why the Republican party has been so successful during forty years past, and has so often worsted the Democrats, is that they have been better organized. Democrats organize every now and then. Republicans are always organ ized. They stay organized.
Wesley and Whitfield came to Georgia over one hundred years ago. Whitfield was more in the public eye then than Mr. Wesley. He was in every way more impressive. They came, and wrought, and went away. Today there is nothing in the world which gives tangible evidence that Whitfield ever lived except an orphan's home near Savannah, and one county in Georgia -- that of Whitfield. Whitfied preached. He did not organize. Mr. Wesley preached, and organized his forces, made some rules, fixed connections'. Now, what is the result? You can't travel anywhere in the civilized world today that you do not find schools, colleges, churches, mis sion enterprises and what not, bearing testimony that Wesley lived and that he Organized. Yes, says one, but Methodism is not Scriptural in its organization and we can't do what the Methodists do. Granted. But there is plenty of Bible organization. We are

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not obliged to organize on the basis fixed by the Pres byterians, Methodists or others. We can do better. We can maintain our church autonomy--develop our indi vidualism, on one hand, and at the same time we can form connections, control our affairs in the large, secure concert of action, and get better results than anybody. Why not do it? We have seen highly intel ligent Baptists shy at the word law, and be horrified if one said, "Organized Work." With them organi zation means a hole in the ground 500 miles deep, more or less, with fire and brimstone at the bottom, also a lot of "taggers" and things. With them to talk of organization was to talk of destruction. Mis sionary Baptists, and open to conviction! But did you ever see the man who could convict them, that organization would be helpful?
Baptists were known in literature one hundred years before there were Methodists. Today there are five million Baptists and ten million Methodists. If in all these years we had been organized -- Scripturally organized, not like the Methodists, but like our selves, the Methodists might have ten million mem bers, but we would be having twenty million mem bers instead of five million, and we don't believe in salvation by organization either. For want of or ganization we have spent a great deal of time and energy in getting in the way of truth, and in one another's way. We grow sick over delays and failures that need never have come to us, and would never have come if we had been "smart for business." From the founding of Harvard University to the limit of one hundred years Baptists put much money in

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the enterprise. The organized knew better. They did not. We have been royal helpers to our friends the enemy, because every one of us has always been doing what "was right in his own eyes."
We do not think we have more than our share of fools, but then every one of ours is a fool at large. One Baptist fool will do more damage than ten Meth odist fools, because the Methodists bridle or halter theirs. Up to date not one of ours has ever been hal tered. He declares that he is free, and can do "that which is right in his own eyes," and he does it.
Ancient Greece in her palmy days furnishes us an illustration of the wisdom of fostering individualism. Greece went in advance of the world in sculpture, oratory, and in everything else which is suggested by the word culture. She furnished school teachers for the world. Nevertheless she was cut up into petty states, and without organization, fell a prey to Ro man arms.
It was not Rome's valor, nor Rome's learning, nor Rome's hosts that made Rome the mistress of the Mediterranean basin; these all were valuable elements of power, but it was Roman organization which fo cused all the elements on whatever was desired, and brought success. Grecian individualism and Roman organization is the combination which Baptists need; and with us there is room for both to be, and to flour ish, and under this dual idea, reduced to practice, we can take the world and not be long about it.
General John B. Gordon was a brave officer. He is dead. Suppose we could summon him from the grave and give him back his martial spirit and ten

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times his old-time courage if possible. Now, put him at the head of one hundred thousand troops as brave as himself. In this you have the main thing -- brav ery. Now no matter what a soldier's health and equipment are, if he is not courageous he is useless. Let these troops with all their courage be undrilled -- be scattered about without connection, order, or or ganization. Now let General Gordon lead them to victory in storming a fort. He cannot do it Have not they the main thing -- courage? Yes, but that is not enough. The troops need to be together, and to step as one man.
The main thing in religion is to be full of God's Spirit; but when it comes to service of some kind, that is not enough. Some service to be successful re quires concert of action, and where this is called for, and cannot be secured, we lose the day. Why not give General Gordon both brave and well drilled sol diers and let him win complete victories? Why not give us both spirit-filled and well-organized Christians for, not partial, but complete service? It is good to have the main thing. Why not have both the main, and the next best thing? AH things are ours. Why not use them?
A question arises: "You have so many fine things to say of the Methodists -- why don't you join them?"
We love the Methodists. Millions of these will go to heaven where there will be no creed. But that must not interfere with the King's business here on earth. If we understand it, we have orders to organ ize perfectly, beat the Methodists, Presbyterians and

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everybody else "to the tank," and as they come up we are to "instruct them more perfectly in the way of the Lord," as that way obtains here, and then bap tize the last one of them. To do this is part of our mission. No, can't join the Methodists. To do so would be disloyalty. What are we here for, if not to proselyte in an honorable way all whose views dif fer from ours?
When we get to Heaven, there will be no creed as we now understand creeds. And there will be only one law: The love of Christ will constrain us to a loving service. Every man will be found in har mony with the truth. There will be no conflicts, at least none that will be tinged with even the sugges
tion of bitterness.

CHAPTER III.
THE "WORK" IN THE HANDS OF THE CHURCH.
How about the work and the local church? Let us begin at the beginning. When the gospel was first preached, men and women believed -- be came "Saints", and were baptized. The Lord saw in his wisdom the necessity for churches, local churches, if you please. With the divine sancton, these were organized. A church was and is the pillar and ground of the truth. Such church, too, was and is the body of which Christ was and is the head. A church with one or more elders, with few or many deacons, was ready for planning and performing the work, and this is the case now. Its business was to unselfishly serve, by maintaining itself, to the end, that it carry the truth to all earth's inhabitants. Preach the gospel to every creature was the order, and is now. The organization of the church to which we have referred was very simple. Of course the church must equip itself, create and use extra bodies ad libitum, being careful to violate no scriptural principle of right, nor in any wise to place itself as subordinate to extra organizations which are not at all provided in the Scriptures, but which the church creates as needed. "How do you know," one will say, "that a church may. create, multiply and use agencies, which are not mentioned in the Scriptures for carrying on its

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work"? Let us illustrate our meaning. On one oc casion a man said to the Savior, "Speak to my brother that he divide the inheritance with me." The Savior declined. Why ? It was as if he had said: "I have come into the world, and among other things have declared the principles to be applied in divisions of property. You have the law and the machinery with which to apply the principles -- or you may set them up, and secure a righteous division". We have the organized church, a sovereign independent body, composed of Christians. This body is charged with a great work, and under the limits of sanctified com mon sense, it may use any number of agencies and ap pliances in the prosecution of its work. In this connection, schools, colleges, boards, commissions, committees, associations and conventions, &c., &c., may be created, maintained and used to the end that the one simple work of the church may be accom plished. It is at largest liberty to employ ways and means for making all members of the human race ac quainted-- savingly acquainted with the truth as it is in Christ Jesus. In the church individualism is to be fostered, and here is the place for your "personal work". None the less though, is there need for the most complete organization of all forces. Men are writing and talking confusedly about personal work and organization. Confusion is unnecessary. Indi vidual effort and good organization do not conflict; neither necessarily excludes the other.
It is needful to keep in mind the independency of the local church. In its independency it is complete and competent. Though cut out of all connection

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with extra bodies, and standing in isolation it is yet a church in its entirety, and fully competent to do all kinds of work that a church is organized to do. "Then why should it connect itself with the associa tion, with the convention or with other like bodies?" There is no law in the New Testament or elsewhere binding the church to seek connection with extra bodies. It is a matter of expediency. These bodies stand only in the order of means. The church is at liberty. Perhaps though there is hardly an instance where a church can not in cooperation with other churches, through connection with associations, do more work and better work that it can do standing alone. Religion is a social concern. We do well to establish and maintain connectionalism. By concert of action some things can be accomplished, which, without such an economy, will remain undone a long time -- probably they may never be done.
Baptist churches seek connection with associa tions, by sending messengers to represent them in these bodies. These messengers are sometimes called "delegates." We object decidedly to "delegates." Paul directed Timothy to "hold to the form of sound words." "Delegate" is not a "sound word" in Bap tist polity. Messenger is. "Delegate" carries with it the idea or suggestion of sovereignty transferred, which is an impossible thing. A Baptist using the word "messenger" is never misunherstood. The word "delegate" may help him to stray away from an old land-mark to his grief. A church, we repeat, can not transfer its sovereignty, and therefore has no earthly, nor heavenly use for "delegate."

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An idea is extant that the messengers from the churches to associations represent the churches to the extent that their vote or position on any question commits and binds the church. In other words that the churches, being in their messengers, are in the general body. This idea is foreign to our economy. Messengers when assembled become, upon organiza tion, members of the association or convention. The messengers may represent, in their speeches and votes, the churches, but only as regards their views. Noth ing they say or do binds the churches. Indeed, the churches can not bind themselves through the action or by the vote of their messengers -- even if the churches desired and directed it. Why? Because if they attempted this, then it might appear that in di visions following discussions, a majority of the churches voting one way would decide against the minority of churches voting in the opposite. In such case one body of churches would control another, and church sovereignty would be destroyed. In this way churches would, as Baptist churches, commit suicide. By coincidence the messengers may, and often do vote the wishes of their church, but it is, at last, the vote of the messengers, and not the vote of the church.
A question arises: "Is it not demoralizing to churches and does it not alienate them from the work to be told that they can not vote in the convention or association? Suppose the convention in its sover eignty -- for in one respect it is a sovereign body -- goes contrary, in its work, and in what it proposes, to the convictions of the churches, who are interested

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parties, what is the remedy"? We answer: In the first place the churches can "hands off" and direct their money through new channels and put the con vention out of business. The conventon knows this, and on the principle of self-preservation being a first law, is on its good behavior, and can be relied on to be conservative. Again, if the churches are on the alert, and they ought always to be -- if they are posted on pending issues and on others likely to arise, they can take pains to see that messengers are elected who are informed as to the churches' views and who are in harmony therewith. When these messengers vote, their vote by coincidence is just what the vote of the churches would have been. The churches se cure that which they wish and have not become en tangled or involved. Churches can not vote in the convention, but they can do better. They keep free from a "mix-up" and are forever in control.
If churches are not alert and do not secure action on part of conventions and all other subordinate bodies, they alone are to blame. Considering all the facts as they appear under Baptist polity, it ill-be comes churches to complain at the action of their convention at any time. The thing to do is not to sulk, but to send messengers whose speeches and votes will fix things as you, the churches, see they ought to be. Church sovereignty, church independency and church supremacy mean something.
To our way of thinking the local Baptist church is the greatest organization on earth. No wonder it is dear to the Savior. It has Christ for its head--He onlv is law-giver. It has colleges, schools, boards.

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commissions, conventions and what not, as its instru ments and agencies. Composed of a spiritiual mem bership it is, as the Master, absolutely unselfish. Its mission is to give itself away in efforts to harmonize everj- member of Adam's race with God, by banishing evil and setting up a reign of righteousness. Its des tiny is, to be presented without spot or wrinkle or any such thing.
Now it is highly important that our polity rela ting to the church be thoroughly understood. And as we learn by having line upon line given us, and fearing that there may be something not perfectly clear in the foregoing of this chapter, we will try to turn on a little more light. Our contention is that a church must keep free from "entanglements" with associations and conventions. The church can not sink itself in a general body. We quote from Dr. P. H. Mell. (Parliamentary Practice, page 18): "These associations are not properly representative bodies; for churches are not able to delegate their authority." Wayland, Ford, Peck, Hiscox, Pendleton are, if we read aright, all with Dr. Mell and with one another. Some one says, "You teach that the churches can not bind themselves through the action or by the vote of the messengers -- even if the churches desired and directed it." Yes that is our position. "Curious action for a sovereign, independ ent body," you say. A Baptist church is a pretty free body, we know. But it may not be so very free as some of us think. A New Testament church is under some limitations--not human limitations, but is un der its own charter, which is the New Testament.

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The church is not a law-making body, but it is under the law making it. Church independence is not church omnipotence. Please stick a pin here.
There is a law in Georgia that will permit a woman to make a note in bank and have her husband endorse it, but the husband can not make a note in that bank and have his wife endorse it. But suppose this latter transaction is entered into? Why, the bank will not discount the note. In law the transac tion is not valid. The church must conform to its charter's requirements and keep to the law. We re peat, the church with all its independency is not om nipotent. It can not tie itself up and sink itself in any general body. It may try to do so, and say that it has done it, but nevertheless it has not.
Again it is noted that we have said that conven tions, associations, boards, commissions and such other like bodies stand in the order of means only, and are not divine institutions. Yes, our position is that we have some things standing in the order of means, and this order is created by the church, can be used by it as long as it serves a purpose and can then be discarded. The "Go" of the New Testament is divine, but the manner of going is a method, and any method which a church may adopt is only a method. In going we can walk or ride horseback, go on the cars or on a boat.
If things standing in the order of means are to be considered divine, then we have the doctrine that we can grow divine institutions out of our necessi ties. If we take that position we will need to pray, "O Lord, seeing that Thou hast promised to preserve

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the simple, remember us in mercy and in Thy faith fulness, and forget us not."
The church may organize a company and build a railroad, and use the railroad as a means to the end of spreading the gospel, and this Railroad Company is as "divine" as the Georgia Baptist Convention, -- fully as "divine." If not, why not?
"Quite a good deal has been said about sanctified common sense, and much has it been ridiculed, but there is a large place for it in "the work once deliv ered to the saints". The Bible is not given to tell ing us in detail what to do and what not to do. It is a book of principles, with illustrations to suit." Amid the ever varying circumstances of human life it is left to God's people to devise means and ways according to sanctified common sense, and, because this is so, Paul prayed for the Church at Philippi that their love might abound "yet more and more in ksowledge, that ye may approve things that are ex cellent." Things prescribed in the Scriptures (like immersion) stand immutable forever, but ways and means must vary according to circumstances and that sound wisdom that comes to people who sincerely de sire to do right must guide in huuan affairs. Be tween things divine and immutable, and things of means and methods, and convenience, which shift with the shifting conditions of life, there is a differ ence so distinct that no one ought ever to confound them.
A Convention stands in the order of means and is human. If any man says it is a divine institution, he ought to show it in the Scriptures. If it can not be

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shown in the Scriptures, then no man may bind a gen eral body on the conscience of the weakest of God's Saints." "Divine laws know nothing of conventions, boards and commmissions. Everything beyond what is written goes by "Judgment", which is what Paul prayed that the Philippians might have. There is much to learn from the New Testament yet, espec ially as to what is1 not in it.
Let us keep well in mind that a church is a unit, and a complete unit at that; connecting itself with a general body by sending messengers to council with other messengers does not make it any more a church. It is complete in itself, "finished off at both ends and tucked in" and there is no place to add anything to it. One church is not a part of another church. A church is not a constituent of anything. It is the whole of one thing, and every church act must be the act of one separate church by itself."
Before concluding this chapter there is one par ticular view that we desire to make very emphatic. We have set out the independence of the churches in the strongest terms. The churches have the privi lege and the power to give their efforts such direct ion as they choose. They have the right and can control the general bodies. There could be no gen eral bodies unless the churches decided to have them. The general bodies are here to serve the churches because the churches will it so.
Seeing all this to be true, we know of nothing more binding than the moral obligation of our churches to sustain their general bodies. If there is anything clear in Baptist polity it is that the churches

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should pray for, sympathize with and cooperate with their general bodies to which they have given being. Of course you have a sort of right to "fuss around" when things don't suit you. The churches are the parents of the general bodies, and parents can't "fuss" very much with their children without getting bad results. If things don't go to suit you, stay in line and take care of your children.
NOTE. -- In this chapter the author makes ac knowledgment of quoting freely from Dr. J. B. Gambrell's speech, made at Brownwood, Texas, in 1904.

CHAPTER IV.
How MUCH OF THE "WORK" is IN THE HANDS OF
BENEVOLENT SOCIETIES, NOT UNDER
CONTROL OF THE CHURCH?
This is a very significant question. What about the good work being done by Free Masons, Odd Fel lows, the Elks and others who are members of, and support organizations not under control of the church ?
We have no war to make on Benevolent Societies outside of the control of churches, which churches have Christ as their head. That is one thing, and our opinion as to the propriety and wisdom of a Bap tist church member becoming a member of one or more such societies is another. We cannot express our convictions on the question more truthfully and courteously than by quoting an article found re cently in the columns of the Western Recorder. The article is under the head of "A Further Plea far the Church," and is as follows:
"Our plea is to the members of the churches to give their full selves, with all that they are and have, to the building up of their churches, to the strengthening and making effic'ent the body of Jesus Christ: 'that we be no more chil dren, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; but speaking the truth" all of it -- "in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, Christ: from whom the whole body, fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint sup-

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plieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying"-- building up--"of itself in love." Ephesians 4:14-16.
Note in this language the call of God to the individual members of the churches to service in the building up of their churches. We quote Dr. Weiss. On verse 12, he says: "But the call of the bearers of these special gifts is only to put the saints in general, i. e., all the individual members of the congregation, in the condition, that each one can render his special service in the upbuilding of the body of Christ, i. e., in the advancement of congregational life in general."
And on verse 16: "From Him all true growth of the con gregation must proceed. And it also comes from Him that this body, as it were is fitly framed and joined together, as the different members in the human body are by the fact that they come into contact with each other at the joints, each rendering service to all other. For each member of the congregation, according to the gift which he has received from Christ, the head, must cooperate in the upbuilding of the whole body of the congregation." The author, as will be seen, uses "congregation" where we use "church"--ekklesia, in the Greek.
In the light of this passage in God's Word, we feel amply justified in saying that the highest, noblest, grandest, most far-reaching and most enduring service that any man can render in this world is that which he gives to the church of which he is, by the grace of God and the redemption that is in Christ Jesus and the effectual working of the Holy Spirit, a member. Language fails when one tries to use it in esti mating the eternal value of such service, in which a poor mortal becomes a fellow-helper of the great God in the car rying out of His purpose of saving a lost world. He has not lived in vain who has helped to establish, or aided in devel oping, the life of a Baptist church, be it ever so humble and weak.
If these things be true -- and they are -- no church mem ber can afford to bestow on other organizations than his church the abilities which God has given him, whether these

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be gifts of money, intellect, social power, or what not. There is no service in the world in which he can spend his powers to such advantage as in that of his church and the agencies which his church, with other churches of like faith, have put in operation for the building up of the kingdom of God, in the establishment and development of other churches like his own. And when he gives his means and his powers to other organizations, he is, in large measure and from the highest standpoint, wasting them.
And, yet, to-day the churches of Jesus Christ are suffer ing, and suffering sadly, because many of their strongest members, men and women best qualified for efficient service in them, are frittering away their time, talents, influence and means, in the building up and supporting of all sorts of out side organizations.
And this leads us to say, that all the so-called benevolent organizations which are rivaling the churches in the devo tion of even good men and women are based ultimately on a selfish principle -- what can be gotten out of them; while the church is based on the unselfish principle -- what one can put into it for the betterment of the world. But how ever this may be, the churches are suffering loss by the de votion of so many of their members to other organizations."
Nothing worth while is done by benevolent or ganizations outside of the church, that cannot be bet
ter done by the church under the leadership of Christ, whose very name is rejected by some societies for the sake of harmony. When the orders and societies which we now have in mind, shine at all, it is with the borrowed light of the gospel. About all, if not quite all, these societies contain an insurance feature, which if eliminated, would leave the societies to cer tain decay. Understand, we have no objections to the insurance feature -- insurance is not an evil. If a man, however, wants insurance, let him insure. We

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cannot invite him, though, to the church for insur ance. The church is an institution where we give and do not get. In the church we make sacrifices, forget ourselves and look out for the other fellow. Its mis sion is absolutely unselfish. In this particular it is unique and stands alone.
Many of our best friends are members of secret benevolent orders. The work which is done by them is no doubt good in itself. We would put nothing in their way. We thank God for all the good done and for all workers. Now if Baptists, after having given their full time, their talents, money and influence to the limit of their ability to their churches, which are authorized and qualified to do all the work, and find that the churches need nothing further, and they have more to give, then they might connect themselves with the greatest propriety with sundry societies, and do a measure of good which the Savior was not wise enough to include in his plan. Do you say that there is a great deal of work the churches will not do or do not do. Granted. And they never will, and never can do it, if their members go off after strange gods. "Very well," you say; "now let us hear from you on the Y. M. C. A. work; this body is not organ ized by a church nor by any number of churches, tak ing either joint or similar action. The Y. M. C. A. has no insurance feature in it. It does benevolent work."
We have no war to wage against the Y. M. C. A. We have helped to build one or two places of service for this organization. We really like the Y. M. C. A. "But may a Baptist church member join that body

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and work with it?" Well, that depends. Let us re late an anecdote before we say yes or no.
Mr. C. W. Hardy, of Cambridge, a good Baptist and thorough business man, had a considerable body of land on which there was game in plenty. He had his land "posted." The hunters could not go on it without permission. One day some boys came and asked permission of Brother Hardy to hunt on this land. They wished to kill birds. "No," said Bro. Hardy, "I can't let you hunt down there. I do let Jesse, my son, go down there to hunt and shoot at game, but he can't hit nothin', you know."
The Y. M. C. A. is not a church. It is not stand ing out as a sect or denomination. It does not pro pose to offend the churches by any surreptitious or secret work. Its sympathies are for those who are "out of the way," who need the good service that the Y. M. C. A. can render. It proposes to help all, and to pull down none. We cannot see why a Baptist church may not avail itself of an opportunity to work through its young men and women, using such a means and do a measure of good which would not otherwise be done, if this can come about without the church being compromised or her capacity for good being damaged. However, let every Baptist consider, in joining any institution, whether or not his church will lose anything by his action.
His first duty is to see that his church prospers and is always honored. If one takes this view of the matter and joins the Y. M. C. A., we have no re proaches for him, but commendations rather. If a

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brother weighs no considerations of the kind named, but goes "pell mell" and thoughtlessly into various in stitutions, even into the Y. M. C. A., he is not likely to "hit" anything when he shoots. Whatever else a Baptist does, let him stand four-square and be a fullorbed Baptist; these are the only kind that "hit" any thing often. Let it be remembered always that the local church has its disciplinary eye forever on its members, no matter where they go or what they join; and if it should say at any time to any of its mem bers, "You must not join this or that, or go there or elsewhere," its voice must be heeded.
We entertain high hopes for the good promised, and sought for, by the Y. M. C. A. in the college communities. It may be safely predicted that a good work will be done.
And now some one says, "Do you not put yourself in an attitude of unpopularity, concerning benevolent societies as a whole?" "Are you not narrow and ex acting?" "Does not your position smack of bigotry, to say the least of it?"
We make answer in order. First, the saints are often out of the popular current. There is no law in the New Testament requiring us to be popular. Paul and Stephen, and thousan.Js since their day, never dreamed that they had to be popular. The man who is in the popular business is a "poor itty bitty fellow, 'es he is, now." Give him a mixture of warm milk and catnip tea and put him to bed. Second, as to being narrow and exacting, the truth is narrow and exacting. We know of nothing so narrow, so exact-

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ing, so uncompromising and so illiberal as the truth. If our position is correct, we are compelled to rest in it. God requires it.
Third, as to bigotry: Firmness is not bigotry; neither is obstinacy, nor is ignorance. A man is never bigoted until he lays his hand on you, and says, you must come my way, "regardless," or I'll make it disagreeable for you. The man who talks, who even feels this way, though he may be in the right, is a bigot. A true Baptist who understands his princi ples is never a bigot. He never wants a victory at the expense of the truth. He is glad for the truth to have a chance to win its own way. He will contend for this, but for nothing more.
Baptists, who are in the habit of joining all sorts of good societies to do good in all sorts of ways, are, to say the least of it, in a fair way to compromise their faith to some extent. They are more or less like Dr. Gambrell's Texas man whose wife said: "Why, John is the best man in the world., but he is no man ner of account about the house." The Baptists need men who are some account about the house -- the church.

CHAPTER V.
THE ORGANIZED WORK.
No matter how many local churches there are, nor how thoroughly they understand themselves and their mission, should each one undertake to do a share of the whole work, as a free lance, then each one will, sooner or later, become discouraged, and will make -- is bound to make at least -- comparative failure. Religion is a social concern. Stripped of the ceremo nial, one of the sweetest of all texts is -- "the commu nion of the saints." Isolation sounds icy -- don't like the word. But apart from all sentiment, business demands of churches, the organization of the Con vention, under forms, and in ways which will not in terfere with "religious freedom," and at the same time will secure concert of action so necessary to ac complish the greatest good for the greatest number in the briefest period of time. In Georgia, and in fact in every land of anything like the area of Geor gia, and having anything like the number of Bap tists, there is need of the district association and the State Convention. Our problem, which we have not yet solved, while we engage in the work is:
1. Preserve our church autonomy. 2. Secure that concert of action in Organized Work, that brings success, by basing all efforts upon the Cooperative Spirit and upon a rigid adherence to agreements as entered upon our records.

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Our Organization ought to be so formed, and the work under it so conducted as to lead us to a perfect solution of the "problem," and we ought not really to be always about it. In organization, minor details take care of themselves, or at least, are easily man aged when the fundamentals are rightly conceived and properly related. In organizing any large work it is of prime importance that the fundamentals be right.
It is shown in this discussion of the church, that its organization is very simple. After the organiza tion of churches comes that of the associations, graded one above another according to territory con sidered.
There is the District Association, then the Gen eral Association, or State Convention, and with us, South, the Southern Baptist Convention. With all these organizations, and others that these can call into being, we are prepared to do wide-extended, thor ough work.
Let us study the organization of the association; churches taking similar, not joint action, elect mes sengers with a view of said messengers being organ ized into an association.
When the messengers meet they proceed to or ganize a body in which the "churches" have no "rep resentative" in the real meaning of that word. The churches cannot be present themselves nor present in their messengers, and vote. The why of this has been considered. The association is not a law-mak ing body, so far as the churches are concerned. It cannot discipline any church member in a case that

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might be brought before it. It can make no church plead at its bar; it can elect such officers as are neces sary to attend to business it legitimately undertakes; it can appoint committees and boards' for such pur poses as it may have in view. The Association, or Convention, or Board, stands only in the order of means, and not in the order of a divine institution.
Now, having organized general bodies, what can be done to secure concert of action? The general body can discuss measures, give advice, name a num ber of men called a board to receive and disburse funds, and refer the whole matter back to the churches for their acceptance and support or rejection. The trans^ action is in the nature of the initiative and referen dum. The churches are under no legal obligation to cooperate with the boards or any other bodies, or with one another, but are under moral obligations to do the best thing in the order of means."
"The Association or board is a convenience, a help, a means, a method, and the only power a con vention, association or board has, is that of moral suasion," when the churches are faced.
This puts the work where Christ put it, in each church, and in the church and by the church, the work of education and missions must be performed. The churches must forever have the right to deter mine what methods they will employ and what means they will use.
We are sure that we understand that the churches are free, and no general body can dictate to them, or make laws for them.

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The general body has a large work to do itself. Some of it has been referred to, and it has been seen that it has the right to appoint servants and instruct them as to duties. The convention is and must neces sarily be a business body. It is important to the churches and to all others concerned, that the busi ness in connections which involve every interest should be well done. The relations between the Con vention and its created servants, we are sure, has in some places, been lightly considered.
Relations as between conventions and boards which will result in concert of action, cannot exist and be maintained without laws. There are some places in which moral suasion is not effective and cannot be relied upon. We need some law in our economy, but we need a great deal more the spirit of obedience on the part of some of those who are usually found as members of the general body.
It is not true that everything among Baptists must go by persuasion. This is true in many connections, but not in all. A convention can direct and control its servants.
Unless associations and conventions enact enough law to meet the requirements of existing conditions, and then see that such laws are observed, all efforts at concert of action, the thing aimed at in cooperation, will prove abortive. Without a sufficency of law in our economy, and an enforcement of it, what is called "Organized Work" will continue to be comparatively barren of results. Moreover men put in position as leaders, having no law to guide them, or having the law, are allowed to treat it with contempt, without

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fear of results to themselves, necessarily degenerate into superiors. They do this in spite of themselves.
We refrain from bringing forth instances which would illustrate as to this matter. It is not necessary, for thoughtful observers in the habit of attending conventions and associations know very well the baneful effects of practical lawlessness, that occasion ally find place in our midst; and this is not because of evil minded men, but because we have a method which is neither scientific nor scriptural.
A man applying for a teacher's place once, was asked whether he taught his classes in Geography that the world was round or flat. He replied, "either way that is satisfactory."
Baptists sometimes pass resolutions and enact laws in their general bodies and then observe them or ignore them as it suits the majority at the time. We obey laws or break them just as it is "satisfactory." All of which grows out of the teaching that a con vention is only an advisory body, which is not true.
There should be as little law and machinery in conducting in a large way the organized work of Bap tists as possible. We do not need much, but we do need a measure, we need, at least, enough.
Law is nothing without penalty. Penalties should not be severer than necessary, but penalties ought to be, and ought to be sufficiently severe to get results.
Are not the foregoing statements as to the law and penalty too strong? it may be asked.
Are you not arraigning hosts of Baptists and put ting them before the bar, as criminals, and do you not fear to do so?

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Well now, the writer does not mean to wound. We are simply bringing a neglected matter home to the consciences of all, in view of the importance of the truth. If we are mistaken in our views, we can be corrected; we are willing to be, for the sake of the truth. If we are right, the right ought to be acceded to and acknowledged for the sake of truth. As to being afraid -- well, that need not be discussed.
We would write further on the "Law in the hands of the Baptists" if we only had the talent of our good friend, Dr. Lenox for putting things agreeably. If the Doctor were writing he would say, "Well, Bap tists are really, when understood, the most loyal peo ple to law that can be found -- why, that's where they are strong. Their little irregularities are not breaches of the law, when properly understood. Their intentions are good, and the irregularities serve to break up monotony, and in the end the highest good is secured. We all understand one another and we keep all the laws, no matter as to appearances." If we had stolen a horse and had been arrested, and Dr. Lenox was a lawyer, we would employ him and tell him all about it. When the trial came, our attorney would show, somehow, that we were a benefactor and the only rightful candidate for a seat in the best rocking-chair in Paradise. If we could not get Attor ney Lenox, we would take Dr. Grayson, who would discuss Texas cattle, the rolling prairies of the West, and the arrival of emigrants speaking seventeen dif ferent languages. The result of the speech would be that the jury would bring in a verdict for the Mission Board, and we would go free, make our escape. Long

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may our good friends, these optimistic brethren, live to say pleasant things in a pleasant way, and make everybody happy, no matter what the law is. We, however, have our limitations and can do no more than say "a spade is a spade," while other brethren say a spade is a beautiful agricultural implement, and take the prize as we go back and sit down, and suffer for our folly.
Good men are not only liable to become arbitrary and dictatorial when left without guidance of law, as we have instanced, but in convention operating without law or without much regard for what little they may have, they are liable to act like other people, and other people under such conditions are in danger of becoming somewhat schemy -- too politic. We illustrate with an anecdote: Our brother, Dr. Pike, of the Religious Reflector, once had a friend living in the mountains of Virginia, who habitually went to the Legislature, -- was elected thirty or more years in succession. Dr. Pike is said to have asked Mr. Dye,-- (Cockey Dye was his name) how it hap pened that he was always elected to office. "Why," said Mr. Dye, "that is easily accounted for. I have two rules what I goes by. In the fust place I never writes no letters to nobody about nothin' and then they can't never prove nothin' on me. In the sec ond place, I always votes agin all laws. You see, if it is a good law and the people are pleased, nobody cares how anybody voted, and they never look to see. If it's a bad law, then they look and see I voted agin' it, and they say 'Cockey Dye is all right,' and they vote for me next time, so I am always elected. Any-

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body can be elected if he will manage right. There is a power in the management. Some folks call it 'tack' and some 'derplumacy'. I call it management See?"
Now anything in religion savoring of Mr. Dye's policy is an abomination; and yet -- well, law and the observance thereof will save us from a resort to Mr. Dye's plans. It is not right to have our best men, managing our affairs, placed in embarrassment for the lack of law. Of course, no Baptists now are so weak as to imitate the spirit of Mr. Dye's policy, or, like Br'er Rabbit, climb a tree when "bleeged ter"; but our good brethren present with us now will not always live, and when we can without damage to the present generation, arrange matters so that the fu ture generations will never get off the highway of righteousness, let us do it. Let us see that we have Constitutions, By-Laws, and Resolutions a plenty, and then have obedience rendered in full to all these.
Enactment of necessary laws for general bodies, and what is of greater importance, the highest re spect for same, will bear much good fruit. Here we again state our problem:
1. Preserve our church autonomy.
2. Secure that concert of action in Organized Work, that brings success, by basing all efforts upon the Cooperative Spirit and upon a rigid adherence to agreements as entered upon our records.
Concert of action throughout our work is asked for in the above formula. Why? Because in some features of the work success is impossible without it.

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Concert of action can be obtained in part, when brethren are willing to cooperate. In some conven tions it is often obtained by such willingness. But concert of action, the lack of which has often brought us to defeat, complete or at least partial, cannot be had sometimes, -- no matter if every one in the con vention was running over with the cooperative spirit, except by "a rigid adherence to agreements as en tered upon our records". Or, in other words, by obeying the laws, in whatever form they stand, which we have rightly enacted for ourselves. We mean for ourselves, the general bodies, -- not the churches. The Convention, or General Association, as the chiefest of general bodies in a state, appeals to, reports to, and persuades the churches. But the Convention dealing with all its boards, commissions, committees, and other servants, which in its sovereignty it has rightly created, does not appeal to, nor persuade these, but instructs them, and orders them.
A State Convention may decline to do its duty; in which case the Baptists will still drag along "at a poor, dying rate," doing what is done scrappily, and instead of helping the cause, getting in its way. The way out of the wilderness into Canaan is open; we are at Kadesh-Barnea; we can go in or back. We are a free people, and the responsibility is upon us.
If some one says, "Why law for the general bodies and none for the churches in an effort to get concert of action? General bodies might keep all the law in the universe, but if the churches are left without any, the plan would be a failure." The reply is, the churches can be trusted from the start to do well in

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cooperating, and as time goes on and they better un derstand that the battle is properly in array, accord ing to the best laws and tactics, they will be apprecia tive and come fully up. Is it too much for us to say, that at present it is "up to" the general body, to the Convention in Georgia, to arrange matters so as to cut out friction, clear the tracks, and give the march ing forces a chance.

CHAPTER VI.
THE COMMITTEE ON CO-OPERATION IN THE ORGAN
IZED WORK.
So far as Georgia is concerned, at least for the present, the value of the Committee on Cooperation cannot be over-estimated.
It goes almost without saying, that as long as the churches need the Convention, the Convention will need this Committee.
Charged with what naturally, and by the present agreement or resolution, belongs to it, and carrying forward the work mapped out for it to do, it occu pies the position of first rank in the Convention. It is the Convention's own committee and preeminently responsible, for some features of the work both of the boards and the churches. All its work is fundamental and far-reaching. The Committee on Cooperation might with great propriety be provided for in the Constitution of the convention. Let it be sup posed that the being and duties of this com mittee be written in the Organic Law. Now what? It can be made to consist of mem bers, one to represent the Orphans' Home,-- one to represent State Missions, -- one to represent, each Home Missions, Foreign Missions, Ministerial Edu cation, Education Commission, -- and so on, until each interest fostered by the Convention is repre sented. All these representatives should be the best of our good business men. A president, a secretary,

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and treasurer, should he selected, and then all would be in readiness for business. The treasurer should be the only treasurer known in the denominational work in Georgia. All the funds, without exception, contributed for the various departments of the work by the churches, should be sent to this treasurer, re ceipted for by him, and properly recorded to the credit of the institution for which they are intended; this method would bring all our funds into one common treasury, and for record upon one set of books. The turning the money over or paying it out can easily be arranged without confusion or irregularity. We could and would then have accurate and comprehen sive statistics, a great need with us, we are sure. This method would not disturb any funds now in the hands of treasurers serving the various boards, or interfere with their work in any way disagreeable to them. Not only would this plan of cooperation se cure the very bests results, but it invites to reduction of expenses as well.
It may be said that this scheme is not or may not be practicable. In reply it can be stated that it would not be an experiment. Virginia operates successfully a plan of work exactly, or so nearly like, what is sug gested, that the idea that it would be an experiment with us, vanishes. Some puzzling conditions can be supposed, if what is suggested were tried, and, too, some questions can be asked, but no matter, condi tions can be met and questions can be answered. If it be said we are doing very well, and it is wise to "let well enough alone," the reply is, "letting well enough alone" is un-

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sound doctrine. We do not believe in it. "Go on to perfection" is the doctrine. For the truth's sake, the foregoing plan as to a secretary and treasurer for the Committee, -- one who will do the work outlined, is worthy of closest examination by our leading brethren who are interested in our work and are in position to advise about it. This Committee, in addi tion to handling the money of the denomination, ar ranges schedules, makes apportionments, gathers and reports statistics and secures in other ways the co operation of all our forces, cooperation in sentiment and in work. Such a committee would cost money, but it would save more money, and in a brief period our whole economy would be revolutionized as to the how of the work, and better results than we have ever known would come.
Dr. J. B. Gambrell, in a speech at Brownwood, Texas, March 30th, 1904, on "Church Independence and Cooperation," says: "In order to discuss how church independence can be preserved and maintained consistent with cooperation through general bodies, properly, there are two things we greatly need to un derstand. One is the independence of churches, the other is cooperation vs. consolidation. When every body learns how we can have independent churches and cooperation, widespread, we will be ready to do such things as we have never yet dreamed of." Dr. Gambrell is correct, but if he had said three things, instead of "two things," and made the third one to be the learning, on the part of boards and secretaries to obey instructions of the conventions creating them, he would have been preeminently correct

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The work of the Committee in framing schedules for the guidance of boards in making appeals, and for the guidance of churches seeing fit to cooperate would alone be worth the trouble and expense of hav ing and providing for such committee. There has not been a year in the past twenty-five that we have not had friction more or less, because all the boards have solicited funds regardless of schedule provis ions of time and territory. It is somewhat amusing, or has been, to witness four or five secretaries all in one territory at the same time, each one pleading that the work was all one, but at the same time each tak ing care to prove that his crow was the whitest. Now if the Committee makes the schedules for the guidance of the secretaries, and the Convention sees that these secretaries "toe the mark," things will be done "de cently and in order," and the churches will have rest, and many of them will be encouraged to take up the work as scheduled as never in their history.
Time and again this writer has been told that the main thing is that we have religion -- that we be filled with the Spirit. We not only admit, but will maintain with others, that spirituality is the main thing. But why not have the main thing and the other good things as well. To say, that to be filled with the Spirit is the main thing, and that therefore we can and ought to throw all order and system to the dogs, is about the poorest logic to which we have ever listened. Not only does a State Convention need a committee on cooperation, but each district asso ciation needs one such committee. Much of what the convention's committee arranges and plans must

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reach the churches, to be effective, and this should pass through the hands of the committee appointed by the district association.
For the Convention to go around or hop over the cooperative committee of the association in reaching the churches is not scientific or scriptural. As far as the work of a general body may be made helpful to the churches, that work should pass under review and have the approval of the body standing nearest the churches whose messengers make up such body.

CHAPTER VII.
APPORTIONMENTS AND SCHEDULES MADE BY COM MITTEE ON CO-OPERATION.--Is THIS THE BEST PLAN?
Recently a valued brother -- a very successful pas tor in Georgia, expressed doubt as to the wisdom of making apportionments and schedules for use in the churches, by a. committee in the convention. He asked the question: "Would it not be better to let the churches take the initiative themselves?"
The question grows out of a misconception. The present method which the convention is making an "assault with attempt" to set up, is exactly in ac cordance with Baptist polity.
When the convention appoints the committee on cooperation and the committee proceeds; to ascertain the amount of funds that it thinks necessary to carry on the work for the next year, and then proceeds to parcel this amount out to the associations, and the associations likewise to the churches, it amounts to nothing more nor less in its last analysis than a re port of the committee through the convention to all the churches. It is a report with a request. The committee reports, 1. The amount it thinks neces sary for the work. 2. The amount that it estimates as the share for each church. And then it appeals, or requests, that the churches raise this. Each church for itself accepts or puts aside this report as it elects. There is no assessment in it, and no lording it over

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the churches, and not the least effort at dictation. The cooperative committee has done a needed service which somebody must do if intelligent action is taken by the churches. The committee does a labor of lov ing, helpful service for the churches, which they can not effectively do themselves.
Now, "gentle reader," if you are a Baptist, think on this view of one feature of the work of the Commit tee on Cooperation, if so be, you have not already thought -- and give to the being and work of this Committee your hearty support whenever and wher ever needed. Some of our churches are under the impression that apportionments to the churches come from the top, and that the action of the committee is an interference and is inimical to church sovereignty. This is a great mistake. The apportionment comes from below and not from the top. It comes up to the churches from a committee acting for all the churches. It is the prerogative of the churches to set aside or modify the report which contains an appor tionment and a request. The Committee on Co operation, serving in the convention or in the district association is not infallible. It makes no such claim. It makes a report, which may be in some respects in error, at least according to the judgment of the churches, and the churches have a right to judge in this matter, just as is done in cases where a commit tee brings in a report on Temperance, say, at the as sociation. As to whether any church or any number of churches meet the apportionment reported, is a matter about which the church or churches are at per fect liberty. This much freedom ought to satisfy the

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most fastidous, because it 'exhausts the whole stock of freedom. A wiser, more effective plan and one better suited to our polity for taking collections will perhaps never be devised.
Another standing feature in the committee's re port should be a schedule which may be arranged from year to year, suited to the prevailing conditions. Boards1 and churches, guided by the schedule, will do the work indicated by such schedule harmoniously and satisfactorily. When the report of the commit tee on cooperation containing a schedule is accepted, then boards and agents should understand that they are to conform to this in making their appeals. Churches can adopt the schedule or not as they like; just as passengers after reading the published sched ule of a railroad, can ride on the cars according to the schedule or stay at home forever. Of course it is better for all churches to adopt the schedule as fur nished by the committee as far as possible, either as a whole or in part. But for boards and agents to ap peal other than by schedule after the conventions approve it is as great a crime as for engineers and conductors to violate a schedule of their road, fur nished by competent authority. Here is a good place to have some law, and to have it observed at all haz ards. The reasons why the schedule for appealing for collections should be observed by the various boards and their secretaries are too apparent to re quire elaboration. We will say, however, that failure to observe a prescribed schedule, by the boards and their secretaries works evil in many ways. The work

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is hindered, conflicts arise, churches grow discour aged, and so on to the end of the chapter, and the chapter is a long one. However, no matter what boards and agents do, the churches can adopt the schedule, when prescribed, and shut their ears to all untimely appeals from secretaries, and they ought to do it

CHAPTER VIII.
THREE TYPES OF CHURCHES IN THE "WORK."
First:--We have the church at Mapleton of which Brother Jonah Sloman is pastor. They have meet ing at Mapleton on fourth Sunday in each month and "Saturday before." Not many members come to the conference, which is always held on Saturday. One reason of this is that Brother Sloman does not preach his best on Saturday, knowing beforehand that the congregation will be small. And the people, knowing that Brother Sloman will not have much to say, think that it is scarcely worth while to turn out On Saturday, Brother Sloman's faith in his people is weak, and his people's faith in him is just as weak. The business of the conference is attended to, especially do cases of discipline receive much con sideration.
Once it was mentioned in conference that the church at Mapleton could join the church at Sardis, five miles away, and the two together could locate a pastor, and employ him for his full time. This, how ever, met with stern opposition on the ground that the church had never done any such thing, and it was not ready for any new-fangled notions. Just before the association, some money is "made up" for minutes, and a "little" is provided for State Missions or the Orphans' Home, and is handed to the clerk, the amount to be inserted in the letter, and "sent up" to the association. These good people are at

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peace, hold their own, and "keep house for God." They do not do any particular harm, and very little good.
They have a "revival" in August, and are happy and satisfied if they have a few additions to their own number. There are some fine Christian characters in Brother Sloman's flock; indeed, he is an excellent man himself. But the whole "kit and bilin" " is asleep. Brother Sloman ought to go oftener to the Conven tion -- take two or three papers, get awake, and look around. If he and his people will think, they will come to the conclusion that if they are saints to whom the Lord ever delivered any work, they have lost it. Wake up, Brother Sloman, there is life in the old land yet, and you may be able to find the work.
Second:--We have the church at Columbia, Great Church. Dr. Boanerges Buttinski is the pastor. He married Miss Sarah It, daughter of Rev. I'm It, some months before coming to Columbia. It is often re marked that Dr. Buttinski "does things", that he is a "strong personality". Well, that does not necessarily make the Doctor a great and good man. Even the Devil "does things", and is also a "strong person ality.
Dr. B. is sensational. He does things which no body else does. He is unique and startling in all his plans and work. For instance, if he wishes to con duct a series of meetings, his pulpit can never be filled with anything less than an "attraction." "Attract ions" which attract are in demand for the pulpit at Columbia. If there is no power in the gospel preached bv the most consecrated men who have the misfor-

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tune of not being renowned, and this seems: to be the case, why there is power in a man who has come down Lake Superior and been drowned at Niagara Falls, and then resurrected. If such a man cannot be had, let the brother come forth who was blown across the Rocky Mountains in a cyclone and landed on his head on the tip-top of Lookout Mountain, and still lives. There is power in this man. He is an "attraction." He will convert people, and do it with out much help from the Lord. Indeed, if the Lord should be busy, He need not go to Columbia at all when the celebrities are around.
Does the church at Columbia contribute money? Yes, but nearly all of it goes into its own enterprises. Its business is to build itself up. Its rule is to get all it can, and keep all it gets. Does the church send out members in bodies, and through these, build other churches? Oh, no! Columbia church needs all its own members.
The church makes a mighty stir in the world. Dr. B. is very much in everybody's eye and on every body's tongue. Well, there is no harm in that. We cannot invade the Doctor's motives, and say that he works for this. In pulpits such as at Columbia the preachers often have a good deal of fun. There is no harm in making people laugh. Generally though "hellfire and damnation" is fiercely preached, and that's all right, but it is strange that so much fun can be mixed up with so much that is horrifying. People of reflection cannot understand this.
Occasionally some of the preachers become filled with the Holy Spirit. They become sanctified. Well,

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is that not apropos ? Is there any objection to a man being filled with the Spirit? None in the least But it almost always happens when one is so very much filled with the Spirit, and talks so much about it, that he gets in the habit of looking down on his brethren, who cannot say that they are "filled", as though they were underlings. This also is vanity and vexation. Some of us do not understand how this is.
If the church at Columbia has any of the "work" of the Lord in hand it is very unlike that described in God's word. The church is self-centered. Its pastor can do exploits as did Napoleon Bonaparte, but his exploits seem, like Napoleon's, to be confined within the circle of self.
Some times the imprecatory psalms puzzle us. We are not sure that we know how to apply them. After all though, no doubt they can be applied. And we can sometimes sympathize with the Apostle Paul, when he says: "Alexander the coppersmith, did me much evil; the Lord reward him according to his works." When we read this deliverance in the light of some happenings, we are lifted up, revived. Paul must have meant a "right smart" in his coppersmith philippic. It is to be hoped he did.
Third:--We have now the church at Philadelphia of which Brother John Barnabas is pastor. This church is thoroughly organized and fully equipped. The sermons are messages from a heart warmed with the love of God. The services are cheering and help ful and restful. The saints at Philadelphia "keep house for God," but this is a means to an end. They are bent on saving the world. The missionary spirit

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is rife with them. They contribute in proportion and with regularity to all the enterprises fostered by the convention. Moreover they deploy their forces, send out colonies as charter members for new churches. These people have had the "work" delivered to them. They know the "work" and know how to do it. Geor gia Baptists have many such churches as the one at Philadelphia, and they are increasing.
There is a difference in churches: some have lost the "work", some have a "strange work" in hand; others have the "work" in hand and are bringing the right things to pass.

CHAPTER IX.
THE MARTYR AND REFORMER: THEIR PART IN THE "WORK."
The work once delivered to the saints is one; and yet we may consider it under the notion of being divided into parts. The martyr's work claims our at tention. The church from the first has had its martyrs, and it has always had need of them. For one to un selfishly do the "work" after the Master's method, and with the Master's motive often brings reproach and bitter persecution. Then comes the test to which no one is equal except the martyr.
Stephen, conscious that no one prayed for him, that no one sympathized with him, that no one co operated with him, stood up alone and preached wisely, tenderly, persuasively and convincingly. In all this he did what was needed to be done, fearlessly, without faltering, and lost his life.
The martyr does his work, not for hmself, but for the promotion of the truth -- for the right. He is not trying to succeed. He tries to do the right and does it; if he succeeds, "well and good", if he fails, he is not much concerned; if he is put to death, he accepts it rejoicingly.
About the smallest business a man of God can en gage in is the business of success. To make a busi ness of succeeding is not what he is called to. He is called to witness for the truth in every possible way. There are men, who when approached and asked to

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engage in some good work -- to take some part in it, raise the question at once with themselves as to their success. Now, this is a very proper question to con sider, but it ought not to come first. How much will I be testifying for truth if I engage in this, is the question. Some men have not grace sufficient to fail. They must succeed. To do so, they use others as farmers use sacks of guano -- for just what they can get out of them. Oh, these successes which are built on selfish considerations! They are not at last suc cesses.
The eagle with wing on the wind and his eye on the sun, bearing onward and upward until he perches himself on the tallest peak of the loftiest mountain is a success.
The serpent leaving the valley and trailing by way of hidden courses through the grass, may reach the same peak of the same mountain, and that's a suc cess. But there is a wide difference in the characters and their methods.
If men will succeed, and they may and ought, let it be a success which has not been achieved by crawling.
"The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church." It has always been so. It will always be so.
When one looks around and sees so little manifes tation of the martyr's spirit we tremble for the church of the future. It is bound to be in larger part what we of today make it. Our lives will affect its destiny. How much blood are we shedding -- that will go to the enriching of those who come after us?

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Why are there no more martyrs? The temptation is great to be something less. Here is a man who puts on display, and practices in a large way, nega tive piety. It does not cost any blood -- negative piety does not. It is not difficult to be negatively pious. Negative piety begets and fosters popularity, and popularity secures peace and potatoes. Here is a trinity: Piety -- Popularity -- Potatoes. Here are only three easy steps to take, and you are "elected." Be pious, negatively pious, mark you! and you will be popular, and when you are popular you will get potatoes (salary). Now, with this program before us, who wishse to be a martyr?
We pray for laborers to go into the vineyard. This is well. Let us go a step further and pray that they be filled, when they go, with the martyr spirit. We need that kind. The reformer, like the martyr, must endure hardness. His life is necessarily a vicarious one. If a man will do a reformer's work; if he will work a real reform when and where needed, he must make up his mind, before starting, to suffer, and go unrewarded forever, so far as his times may be considered. One asks himself occasionally, why the world does not learn better than to imprison, degrade, and crucify the best that God gives. The discoverer and inventor, too, come in for their share of rough handling. Will there ever be a change? No, not so long as man is selfish. Just so long as man is sel fish just so long must the best part of the race suffer vicariously. No real good can be worked out with out the shedding of blood. However, men who suf-

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fer with Christ, suffer for the truth's sake, "will also reign with Him." There is consolation in this.
Eli Whitney -- the Eli that got there, -- a gradu ate of Yale College, while sojourning in Georgia in vented the cotton gin, made cotton King and revolutioned commerce. Nevertheless he reaped no reward nor profits for his skill or labor.
James G. Birney was born in Danville, Ky., lived at one time in Alabama and practiced law, moved back to Kentucky in 1833. About this time, moved fay the highest consideration of the right, he embraced the principles of the Liberty party and freed his slaves, twenty in number. He desired to pub/ish a paper, but pro-slavery sentiment was so strong in Kentucky, his native home, that he could not. He moved to Cincinnati, Ohio, and established his paper and advocated the doctrine of abolition of slavery. He was subjected to many indignities, and several times his office was in the hands of infuriated mobs. He persevered. In 1840 his party nominated him for the Presidency of the United States. He was defeated, of course. He was nominated again in 1844. He received 62,000 votes, deprived Mr. Clay of the elec toral vote of New York and also of Michigan, and thus gave the Presidency to Mr. Polk. Birney's en tire life was devoted to the cause of liberty in the large. The principles advocated by Mr. Birney, the great majority say now, were right. The cause he championed was triumphant. When it became pos sible for the Liberty party to honor and reward its great leader, he had passed into the beyond. He could not be rewarded by the people he served. J. G.

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Birney was both a reformer and a martyr. Some day he will be honored as he has not yet been.
Of Jesus it is written: "He saved others; himself he cannot save." Why? It is God's law. It is his way. Every time we go into an effective saving work, we lose ourselves. This is a strange doctrine, but in this respect it is like other Bible doctrines. "Clouds and darkness are round about him."
We do not expect the world to do other than blindly turn down its benefactors. But ought not the church to have learned by observation and experience, if possible, in two thousand years, that it is not to fol low the world? May be it is not to learn in this aeon.

CHAPTER X.
THE COLLEGE--ITS PLACE IN THE "WORK."
We put the college, as a means to an end, in the hands of the local church. The end that the church has in view is the spread of the gospel. Just so long as people are to be saved by preaching, just so long will the church need the college.
Standing in the order of means, the local church organizes various boards, conventions, associations, libraries, commissions, &c. It also organizes the col lege, and the greatest of all is the college. It is the right arm of the church. It is the strategic point. It is the foundation of our prosperity. "The college in its work has to do with the leading minds of the community and the country, with those who are to exert a controlling influence. The college teaches the teachers, preaches to the preachers, and governs the governors." The thousands of youths in college now are but a small part of our population, yet they will soon fill the larger part of the posts of honor and power in church and state; and by their personal and official standing as well as by the tongue and the pen, they are bound to exercise a commanding influence in society and in public affairs. "The college takes these leading minds in the last period of youth and gives them the last touch of their education before their entrance upon manhood. Next to the home and family circle, the college does most to shape the char-

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acter of those who will soon be the ruling spirit in every department of public and social life."
"The college is a permanent foundation, and gives permanence to the institutions, whether of so ciety, of government, or of education, which it con trols and supplies. The ministry cannot perpetuate it self. The magistracy cannot educate its own succes sors, and so perpetuate itself. The inferior depart ments of education cannot train their own men and thus sustain themselves. But the college, well sup ported, will sustain, supply and perpetuate them all.
"The college is at once the keystone of the educa tional system, and the cornerstone of our civil and religious institutions. And now notice; for this very reason it is liable to be depreciated by unobserving and unreflecting minds. So much of the power of the college is hidden, that we are in constant peril of turning away from it without being aware of the ruin that we would bring down upon our own heads."
"It is to be observed that the power of the college is fundamental, radical, comprehensive and far-reach ing. The college is vital at every point. It is a sine qua non in every cnnection."
"The college invents the mathematical formulas that are employed in the location, construction and operation of the railroads. Indeed the railroad is lo cated, built and operated in the college hall before it is ever placed on "terra, firma." It is no less a power in transportation on the seas than on the land. The college instructs the farmer, the man who stands for the material support of the world, enabling him to gather hundred-fold revenues from sources which are

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not even seen by the untaught. Thousands of tele graph operators stand with hands upon "keys" to day, flashing communications throughout the earth for the information of millions. Back of all these stands Prof. Morse, the inventor, and back of him stands Yale College of 1S10, as she hands him his di ploma as testimony that he is capable as a trained man. So great is the power of the college that if you remove it, you take down the whole fabric of our social, political and religious history. Extinguish the college and you put out the eyes of both church and State. Take away the college and you leave educa tion, politics and religion without a competent guide. Strike down the college and you shroud in a measure of darkness every helpful enterprise, and paralyze to some extent every honorable industry.
"Let it be borne in mind that a Christian college is a sacred foundation, a holy factor for service in the cause of truth. It is fundamental to missions throughout. It is not an aristocratic institution.
"The people have local interests that constantly press for attention. The college is a general interest and has itself a first class right to the fostering care of all the people. A people are to be expected to take care of both, the local and the general.
"No minister of the gospel can do a better service in the interest of truth than to teach his people the indisoluble connection existing between the pecu niary and religious condition of the college and the prosperity of every kind of all the people, but espec ially of the churches.

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"Let it be remembered, too, that the endowment of colleges is mainly in the interest of the poor. Rich men can pay the way of their sons anywhere to al most any limit, without inconvenience. Without the endowed college the hope' of higher education, for the poor, many of whom are among the brainiest and most worthy in our midst would be well-nigh cut off. The poor are especially interested in any movement to endow a college, and it is urged upon them to use their influence in favor of, to give to, to patronize and to pray for the college. The endowment dollar for the college is the most powerful, the most farreaching, the most practical, the most prolific and the most versatile dollar ever invested. No dollar does so much good in so many ways.
"The greatest agency for enlightenment is the Common School, open to all the people. This school is made up of--First, The children; second, the house and furnishings; third, the text-books; fourth, the teachers. The community furnishes the children and school houses. But the colleges must furnish the books and teachers. Without books and teachers there can be no schools. The power of the college is first in its downward reach, and then in its upward lift.
"Give us the output of the 500 colleges in America, and the control of the same, and we will engage to shut up the lawyers' offices, close the doors of Con gress, block the railroads, dwarf the pulpit, and make vacant every common school building in the land. Had the seven churches in Asia built a college, they might have had a different history."

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All the people in our land are taking, as never be fore, interest in education. The State is looking out for all its institutions. This is natural and perhaps quite right. But whether it is or not, the State is taking care of its institutions of learning. The Meth odists and Presbyterians are doing likewise. If Bap tist institutions are maintained and promoted, Bap tists must do the work necessary. "But suppose we do not," then your colleges and schools will fall into decay. "Well, what if they do?" "Can we not use other institutions?" Yes, you can, but in that event your glory will depart, and Ichabod will be written on all your interests and institutions. The denomina tion which neglects its college interests will in the end lose its place and power. It will become a thing of the past. To maintain and promote the college is a part of the work of the saints. As a means to a great end always in view, the church selected the col lege centuries ago, and has found it increasingly use ful. It is more needed today than ever.
Let Georgia Baptist churches make an applica tion of the foregoing to Mercer University at this time. Mercer belongs to each local church. Breth ren of the churches, what will you do with your own ? The conditions which confront are easily seen and easily understood.
Every institution, and there are as many or more than ever, competing with Mercer, is as rich or richer, as powerful or more powerful today than ever. This is a simple fact And they are all reaching out for more.

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In the last six years much has been done for Mer cer, but more, much more, needs to be done.
Mercer's faculty of today, we will not compare with any other. But we write what we do know, when we say, that it is composed of men of high character and of thorough acquaintance with what they teach. To know these men is to love them. Time would be wasted in looking for a better faculty than serves Mercer at present.
The present board of trustees has proven itself equal to the obligations which have been placed on it. It is capable of meeting issues and handling them in a masterly way.
President S. Y. Jameson, D. D., is well and fa vorably known by the great majority of Baptists throughout the State. His past history in a State wide work is regarded as a history of success. He has the confidence and cooperation of a large circle of people who can help.
The churches have nothing to do but go forward. All things are ready. To do for the college in a way now that will enable it to do the most and best that can be done for every interest that Baptists love would seem to be the highest wisdom. Baptist churches have come to Kadesh-Barnea. What will they do, go into Canaan or return into the wilderness and perish ? The question is primarily with the local church.

CHAPTER XI.
BOOK-KEEPING AS PART OF THE "WORK."
Centuries since, men found it necessary to devise ways and means to bring questions and issues before the community for discussion and disposal -- ques tions and issues, of course, in which all parties mak ing up the community were interested. People, assembled for consideration of issues to be discussed and acted upon, made a deliberative body. Without officers and laws to govern in their deliberations nothing could be done. Hence officers were elected, organization was effected and some laws were enacted. Of course the beginners of such proceedings must needs feel their way along. As business progressed, necessities for changes in the rules, and for new rules would become apparent. Then the changes were made and the new rules enacted. All this we would call the beginning and growth of Parliamentary Law. Such law has been reduced to a science, so that now the business, of a deliberative body knowing some thing of Parliamentary Law, with a moderator in the chair who is competent, can be dispatched with satis faction and profit to all concerned.
Men too, found it necessary in the long ago, when they began to acquire- property, and to dispose of same, by way of exchange, to "keep accounts." Of course, in the beginning, the methods of accounting must have been very imperfect. Perhaps notches were cut on sticks and marks were made with char-

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coal on smooth surfaces to indicate how much of this and how little of that was required. Accounts were made out in a similar form to that adopted by Bill Arp when he brought in a bill against one Mr. Hanks, whom he had employed to dig a well and for the digging of which he had paid Mr. Hanks in ad vance. The account ran thus: "Old Bill Hanks Dr. To one well what he diden't dig, $20.00."
Now experience and necessity have for years been at work with the business men in the business world, and the science of Book-keeping has been developed until it is in the power of the expert to make records of business transactions with satisfaction to himself and with profit to all who are interested. Book-keeping is a science, and records are now made under rules based on common sense and the necessities as re vealed to the business man by experience.
It has long been the custom of firms and corpora tions, no matter what the business, to employ skilled accountants. This is costly. But experience has proved that it is the best economy. So important has the knowledge of scientific book-keeping become that we find one or more well patronized business colleges in even- state in the Union. If every man who wrote a. good hand and could "set down" figures, could "keep books/' then the graduates from these colleges who get good salaries -- anywhere from 81,500 to $5,000 per annum -- would have nothing to do. But such is not the case. The fact is that the time has passed when a man who writes a good hand and can "set down" the figures involved in a trans action, on some books, somewhere, is in demand. He

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is no more in demand in the business circle than a man who knows only the Greek alphabet is in de mand for the chair of Greek Language and Litera
ture in Harvard University. The time has been when Baptists were so weak
in numbers and finances--when they had so little busi ness to handle, that it did not matter so much about the book-keeping. But Baptists now have general bodies, with cooperating forces of hundreds of thous ands. They have contributions of many thousands of dollars per annum for the general work pouring into their treasury, and this in a continuous stream. Then there is the matter of disbursement for various interests. Sometimes investments are made, prop erty is bought and rented. Bank accounts are to be kept. It is not enough to have book-keepers who can do this "after a fashion." The easiest way, in fact, the only way, to take care of the business properly is to take care of it scientifically.
The Savior did not organize a business college when in Palestine, nor did he put on record any rules or instructions for book-keepers, nor do we expect to find a balance sheet in heaven. Nevertheless, ac countants have a place in the work, just as the par
liamentarians have. Paul prayed for the Philippians thus: "That your
love may abound, yet more and more in knowledge and all judgment, that ye may approve things that are excellent." The science of Parliamentary Law and the science of Book-keeping are "excellent" and we "may approve" them for all they are worth -- and
that is a good deal.

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It is the business of general bodies to report peri odically the receipts and disbursements of money and the present worth of properties to the thousands of contributors scattered abroad. Scientific forms of reports are the simplest and most easily understood. In fact the truth is always simple and easily told. It takes nothing from the credit of a general body, but adds to it, to make reports that are comprehensive and easily understood.
Baptists ought to have the best of things. If we have the best book-keepers, and render the most sim ple, comprehensive and accurate reports, "well and good" -- if not, why let us take the proper steps to have these things. Proper steps are not unreasona ble steps nor harsh steps.
To have honest men in responsible positions is the main thing. The honest man is the man anywhere. But an honest, competent, capable man can beat an honest man any time. We cannot help this being a fact.
A scientifically kept set of books at the end of any given period will yield a balance sheet, just as an apple tree yields apples. We gather apples and put them in a cellar, so we gather balances from a ledger and put them in a balance sheet. When this is done a statement, or many statements, can be made, either abridged or extended, which will yield every item of exact truth. What then appears as truth will be mathe matical truth. There will be no room for gorgeous mis-statements, made without intention of mislead ing. Such statements as come from a set of books reduced to a balance sheet will afford no capital to

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the optimist nor the pessimist. These gentlemen will have to take facts and be happy, if they can be--be happy on hard, dry mathematical truth, which is very wholesome to the saints.
Uncle Henry Cranford, dear, good old man, a Methodist brother, wanted to preach. He stood his examination before the Conference committee and was told that his knowledge of English Grammar was not sufficient to authorize his appointment to preach as a member of the Conference. The committee ad vised him to study English Grammar one year, return at the next Conference and be reexamined. In due time the next Conference met. Uncle Henry pre sented himself for examination. The committee asked him if he had studied Grammar during the year. He replied: "Not much. I bought one and read some in it, but it did not make my soul happy, and I quit." Uncle Henry could not be licensed. At tention to the dry, hard routine of scientific account ing may not make our souls happy, but we will all have to come to it.
Very early in the history of the church there was a distinct call for suitable men to attend to some busi ness matters, so that ministers could give themselves wholly to their peculiar work.
The business interests of Zion have grown to be enormous in recent years, and these will continue to grow. More and more are good business methods going to be in demand.
Baptists are engaged in a great war against evil of every kind. About all the wars that we know anything about by experience or from the study of

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history have required methods in which were onetenth fighting and nine-tenths business. Stick a pin here, and think over these items, one-tenth and ninetenths.

APPENDICES.
(A.)
A PROTEST AGAINST LYNCHING.
(The Virginia Baptist General Association helds its eighty-first annual session in 1904 at Petersburg, Virginia. During that session a paper in which Lynching was set forth as a crime, was submitted and "passed" without dissent The paper is one of highest excellence from every point of consideration. We reproduce it in form of appendix in al most its entire originality, believing that it is worthy of most careful study by every citizen of the South. To our way of thinking there is not a sentence in it of doubtful propriety, but on the contrary every one is freighted with truth of greatest moment. If exhortation were in order, we would sty let every preacher in the land preach condemnatory of lynching as he finds need, and give the reasons for the faith1 that is in him.)
Believing that the churches of God can not be in different to anything that affects the moral welfare of our people, and knowing that the prevalence of lynching is doing incalculable harm to all the inter ests which are held most sacred, we deem it both right and timely that the conservative forces of the churches should express their condemnation of such lawlessness and pledge themselves to the use of every means of solidifying the moral sentiment of the State against these heinous practices. In so doing, we rec ognize that we are only formulating the real convic tion of the masses of our people, who deplore lynch ing and the spirit of violence which leads to it. A small minority -- in the main, hasty and heady men --

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have chosen by mob-rale to set at naught the laws and courts and thereby to array against us the judg ment of the world. The true sentiment of our people as a whole should be made known, and the influences which the churches embody should put themselves on record, that no one outside may misunderstand our position and that the few within who resort to lynch ing may be deterred by the solid weight of public opinion against such barbaric acts.
We feel justified in going further and saying that not only is the overwhelming majority of the people of the South opposed to lynching, but also that the men, for the most part, who engage in it do so under the strong influence of sudden passion which some terrible crme has evoked, and that in their sober and higher judgment they likewise condemn such illegal procedures. We need, then, to formulate the judg ment of the South, and to fortify, -especially in calm moments, the spirit of all our people against giving Svay to such lawlessness when the terrible provoca tion may be upon them.
LYNCHING IS WRONG.
I. Because lynching does not stop crime.
II. Because lynching brutalizes a community.
III. Because lynching tends to widen the scope of its jurisdiction. At first, resort was had to this summary method of meting out punishment only for cases of assault, which offered peculiar difficulties for an open trial in court. But recently the mob has be gun to take cognizance of murder and other crimes, even such as resistance to arrest. So wanton has the

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mob become that it often takes from the jail those who have been convicted, condemned, and are await ing execution, and does them to death by "cruel and unusual punishments." The burning of a human be ing at the stake, amid outrageous tortures, is a return, pure and simple, to barbarism.
IV. Because lynching sometimes confounds the innocent with the guilty. It is hard for the courts, making use of all the means of sifting evidence to which centuries of experience have given rise, to get at the actual facts of a man's guilt. If such be the difficulty in determining guilt and innocence in our courts of justice, what must be said of the irregulari ties and irreparable errors of a mob, distraught with passion and panting for revenge?
V. Because lynching cripples unto helplessness the only power that can afford us protection under the anomalous conditions in which we of the South live. Men are governed, not by law, but by respect for law. Impair this respect, and you dissolve the very bonds of our present social order. Strengthen this respect, and you increase the chances of economic prosperity, social betterment and political security. Law is the only restrainment to which we can look for safety, the number and the nature of the lawless being what they are. The only adequate force is law, a law that never sleeps, a law whose arm reaches to every nook and corner of the land, a law that is as inevitable in its operation as gravitation, a law that ennobles the innocent while it requites the guilty, a law that is at once the symbol of civilization and th<?

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guarantee of social progress. It is because we see the fearfulness of the risks to which we are momen tarily subjected, that we plead for this defense, alone efficacious.
Violence can not restrain crime. Violence is itself chaotic. The mob is spasmodic, law is omnipresent. Impersonal and impassive law entangles the wicked in its ubiquitous meshes without failure, feeling, or fear. Perhaps the most ominous aspect of lynching lies in the fact that it tends to destroy in the mind of the lawless that respect for law which must be our ultimate reliance in restraining his animal instincts.
Most advantageous devices in society and the State are the outcome of milleniums of human expe rience. Law has been long in the making and is con sequently sacred, embodying as it does the wisdom of mankind. Yet the spirit of lynching would undo speedily the force of law, and throw us back into those primordial and chaotic conditions from which society has with such labor emerged.
VI. Because lynching prejudices the world against us. A signal instance of this is found in the change which English sentiment is at present under going. As is well known, England has been very fa vorable to the South. In the dark hour of the Civil War, many friends of the South in Great Britain spoke out their sympathy. One of the most treas ured memorials of that trying period is the statue of Stonewall Jackson, presented by a company of En glish gentlemen. This traditional respect for the chivalry of the South is being endangered by the fre-

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quency of the fiendish acts of mobs. Remember that in the English newspaper, as is natural, no mention is made of the orderly life of our millions of good citizens; no mention of the thousands of quiet homes, centers of holy influence, throughout our Southland; no mention of our progress in education and material prosperity. All these assuring facts are known to us, form our real estimate of conditions here, and off set in part the significance of lynching -- which we know to be sporadic and not an evidence of the genu ine spirit of our people. But to the world outside, the large facts in our home situation are not dwelt upon; the normal is unknown, and only the abnormal is reported. Hence we must not wonder if people abroad get to feel that lynching is far more common here than it is, and fail to realize that the horrible practices of the mob do not exhibit the true feeling of our people. They read only of lynching, and so think of us as lynchers, judging the mass, of which they do not hear, by the vicious class of whom they do hear. The South can not afford to raise up such a feeling of oppositon to her noble people
Of course, lynchng is not confined to the South; but as the mass of the black people, whose conduct so often furnishes occasion for lynching, live here, the opprobrium of lynching is laid chiefly at our door. It is bad for any people to lose the respect of the world. Do those who resort to mob violence know that they are forcing their loved Southland to forfeit in the eyes of the world that position of chivalry, jus tice and civilization which is the glory of our past and the chief possession of the present?

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VII. Because lynching frightens from our bor ders desirable immigration and investments, two pro gressive forces which are ever sensitive to influences that disturb the social order. As a matter of fact, the State is also put to serious expense when it is necessary to call out the troops either to protect a prisoner threatened by the mob, or to suppress the turbulence that often follows lynching.
VIII. Because lynching intensifies racial bitter ness, which retards any hopeful adjustment of the strained conditions in the South. It is, however, to be borne in mind that white men are mobbed as well as negroes.
I.. Because lynching impeaches the spirit of fairness in the Anglo-Saxon. Just because we have, guided by the necessities of the case, limited the fran chise of the negro, and thereby his control over the institutions of our land and his share in the respon sibility for them, the more sensitive must we be that he shal have the rights that are essential to him. We have taken from him the weapons of defense, pledg ing him instead our protection. Hence it touches the very quick of the Southern position, that the negro should be guaranteed the full enjoyment of the rights necessary to his well-being. Our own honor is thus at stake. The African has little or nothing to do with the election of officers or the conduct of courts or the making of laws; we have claimed these as our function. Since it has seemed best in the in terest of both white and black that the Saxon under take these responsibilities of government, the more

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careful must be that full justice and protection be given the negro. We deny him equality; we must therefore guarantee him equity. The most solemn pledges of society are involved in this guarantee, the more so because we brought the negro here against his will and for our profit. Having used him as a slave, we must not destroy him in violence.
X. Because the continuance of lynching will tend to bring federal interference. No matter what you and I may think, experience shows that if wrong be comes chronic in any section, the moral sentiment of the nation will assert itself to right that wrong. We may not be able to see how this could be attempted, nor how it could be constitutionally justified, yet his tory 'oes not permit us to doubt that it will become a fact, . lynching continues. For State sovereignty our fathers shed their blood freely and sunk their whole fortune. Yet the man who engages in lynch ing or the community which suffers the violence of the mob, is, all unknowing, striking a death-blow at State sovereignty. If, as a result of the Civil War, this is characterized as an "indestructible Union of indestructible States," we need to be concerned lest mob-rule impair the force of that clause, "indestruc tible States," which was written in blood.
We must remember that a man is at once a citi zen of a State and of the nation. If an American's life is jeopardized in Turkey, our government exerts itself to defend him. We may be sure that the same government will not remain indifferent to the risks of the same citizen in any particular State.

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The peculiar excellence of our political system is due to the fact that primarily we are governed not by priests, nor philosophers, nor soldiers, but by law yers, men who have been trained in the spirit and the execution of justice, whose minds are at once judicial and liberal. We therefore call upon lawyers to do what in them lies to strengthen public opinion against such lawlessness. The influence which the legal pro fession can bring to bear in court, in trials, in legis lation, and in the resistless currents of public opinion, may be most effective in staying this evil. Let not the law's delay, or failure, by reason of technicalities, to convict the guilty, furnish an excuse for resort to mob-rule
The press has made, with few exceptions, a noble record in checking lynching. Schools can likewise do much. Officers and militia must do their duty. If need be, some must dare to die in defense of the life of the law. We should say to the negroes that the best way to stop lynchings, is for them to stop committing the crimes which produce them, and to ground their people in the spirit of obedience by vis iting with condemnation all breaches of the law.
Therefore, let Baptists call upon all pastors and churches to appeal to the people to repress the spirit of lynching and uphold the majesty and due execution of the laws of our country.

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(B.)
THE RACE PROBLEM.
[This problem is recognized as "very present" and a very knotty one. Many solutions have been and are being offered. We are doubtful about the correctness of these; even in a small measure. Dr. W. W. Landrum of Atlanta has recently given expression to the "Solution of the Race Problem." We are sure that his position is impregnable. We copy Dr. Landrum's article from a recent issue of the Atlanat Con stitution. We are sure that the doctrine set up is sound, sane and safe. That the gospel of Christ is the answer to every question of this day or of any coming day is an assur ance that abides and will ever abide.]
Like Gladstone we contend, as all -enlightened statesmanship must, that the gospel of Christ is the answer to every question of the day. One of the wisest of American women observed that the golden age of right can only come by the golden rule of love.
The negro abides. He does not die out, as some predicted he would. At the close of the war he was four millions. Now he is eleven millions. He will not emigrate to Africa. liberia, a republic by black men, for black men, under the protection of the American flag, does not allure him. Fervid orators of his own race are utterly unable to inflame romantic or selfish interest in his fatherland across the sea. It is not practicable to segregate the negro. We can buy no exclusive territory for him in Mexico, nor herd him like an Indian on some large reservation in the West. Diffusion through the various states, North and West, may relieve the black belt, now con gested by his presence. This will be slow and gradual.

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The negro abides in the South. The negro loves the South and the South loves the negro. Alarmists sometimes discredit this statement. We can not deny one perilous fact I mean this, namely, that there are now as many illiterate negroes in the South as there were at the time of emancipation. We had then four millions who could not read and write. We have just as many now. Notwithstanding the most grati fying output of our public and private schools illiter ate negroes are a menace. From them for the most part come our criminals.
The negro abides among Christians in the South. Concerning the "brother in black" they are neither pessimists nor optimists. Pessimists say he is a black devil. Optimists, growing few by degrees and beau tifully less, declare him. a black angel. Meliorists maintain that the negro is a black man needing the gospel. Meliorists believe in the progress of the ne gro. During three hundred years he has marvelously advanced under white tutelage from savagery to par tial civilization and embryonic Christianity. The past is the prophecy of the future. Given just the forces now operating for the uplifting of the negro and a due length of time and the problem of his complete Christianization is capable of solution.
The Christian negroes of the South are all, or most of them at all events, earnestly desirous of co operating with the white man in all educational and religous work. The negro ministry has wonderfully improved in morals and intelligence. For a number of years I have been required by the Southern Bap tist Convention to be one among those charged with

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the duty of studying sociological conditions among the negroes and I believe without assumption that I can speak intelligently on the subject. Never before was the negro ministry so much in accord with the white ministry as it is today.
Not wishing to enter into a long discussion, I merely outline my view of the Christian situation as involving white and negro races in the South. It is not one of discouragement, much less despair. It is one calling for patience, for kindness, for gentleness, for forbearance on the part of white Christians, but these passive virtues alone will be insufficient. On the other hand, there must be courage, manliness, leadership, disinterestedness, self-sacrifice and hero ism. The Christian South must bear its burden in the spirit of Him who came "not to be ministered unto, but to minister and to give His life a ransom for many."

(C-) THE WHISKEY TRAFFIC AND OUR DUTY.
[On October llth, 1906, we attended the Western As sociation, in annual session at Palmetto, Ga. On the occa sion Dr. G. A. Nunnally read the report on Temperance which he had prepared. It is reproduced here as one of the most vigorous, righteous and timely productions ever pen ned. It is worth reading and preserving. It is with delight that we give place to this report.]
It is not necessary in this day and time to dis cuss the evils incident to the use and traffic in strong drink. That conscience must be seared indeed which

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does not keenly feel and boldly condemn the sin of intemperance, while with a tenderness akin to divine pity it commisserates the unfortunate victim. A man must have a low estimate of his fellow-man if he does not sadly appreciate the great loss in manhood brought about by this sinful indulgence. A neigh bor must have a poor regard for his neighbor, who does not deplore the blasted hopes, the broken hearts and blighted lives and dessecrated homes and the ruined souls that mark the sale and consumption of strong drink. He indeed has a very perverted idea of individual, community, state, and national econ omy, who does not see the immense waste of money and the untold destructon of property and the fear ful paralysis of productive power, which comes upon the individual, community, state and nation that pat ronizes or encourages or allows or legalizes the traf fic in the destructive beverage. The few days' riot in the city of Atlanta, -- the natural offspring of the incestuous dive on Decatur street as mother, and of the lecherous, lustful bar-room on Peachtree and Whitehall as father, costs the city and state more than they can recover from the licenses of these places in five years.

THE LOGIC OF MONEY.
If figures have any meaning, if money is any consideration, if the financial feature can attract any attention and add to the argument, consider this fact: The four years of bloody war left the nation with a debt of $2,800,000,000, while the liquor bill

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in the United States for four years is $7,293,816,296. The revenue from the liquor traffic is $111,901,093 annually, while the drink bill is $1,823,204,074--that is, we invest one dollar and get back in revenue not quite seven cents. But this does not represent the money loss by any means, -- there is the destruction of labor, the reduction of the wage earning capacity, and the neglect and suspension of business, to say nothing of the immense cost of additional police force and court expenses and the chain-gang charges, these stimply stagger the imagination with the magnitude, the inestimable loss of money to the individual, the family and the nation.
To bring it home to us, see how common farm hands and unskilled labor are unfitted for service and lose time, how factory operatives bungle their work, and are dismissed, how dissipated clerks lose their positions, how mechanics are turned away from their jobs, how lawyers who drink are abandoned by their clients and physicians are rejected by their patients, and how teachers are turned away from the school room, and how business failures, bankruptcies, finan cial disasters and railroad wrecks multiply, often times a 15-cent drink causes a $50,000 wreck and damage suits to the amount of $200,000. Why, the loss from the cost of a drink is not a bagatelle com pared to the loss that is entailed by the failure of the laborer who is made incompetent by the use of the beverage. A man would argue himself fit for the lunatic asylum who would try to prove that the traf fic is profitable to the individual who drinks, or to the city that licenses it, or to a people that allow it, or

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to a government that legalizes it. Compared to this evil, any other evil is an evening zephyr compared to a desolating gulf storm on the coast, as a harmless rivulet meandering through the meadow compared to the wild flood rushing down the valley of the Connemaugh, or as a vanishing spark from a boy's Christmas cracker compared to the outburst of the Vesuvius volcano.

THE LOGIC OF MORALS.
If a man proves himself an imbecile, who tries to convince the public that it is profitable, he shows a badly misguided judgment, if not the spirit of a de mon, when he attempts to defend the traffic on the grounds that it contributes to the social betterment and moral improvement of the community. Arson and assassin, divorce and disgrace, beggary and beast liness, death and degredation, shame and sorrow, theft and treachery, riot and rape are passed over the counters where a miserable stuff is sold. It comes at the same fearful cost and does the same deadly work whether it be sold in the glittering bar or in the dirty dive, in the open saloon or in the chartered dispensary -- whether it be owned and ma nipulated in the palatial hotel and mammoth store, or mixed and sold by the lone dealer in his dirty hole in the wall on the dark alley of the crowded city -- it is all the same. To condone the one, and to con demn the other is to make a distinction without a difference, and to differentiate between evils that are identical.

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THE DUTY OF THE HOUR.
Such being the evil, the suppression of the traffic is the main and only problem. To its solution the best thought of every man and woman, of every sci entist and statesman, of every economist and moral ist, of every sinner and Christian should be given. Every man who feels an interest in his fellow-man, every laborer and capitalist who has any desire for individual or general prosperity, every citizen who loves his country, and hopes for a good government, and every Christian who serves his Lord and Master and would have this world become the kingdom of our God should conspire and concentrate and com bine and cooperate in all movements that look to the suppression of the traffic. It sems useless to appeal to political parties or to seek the influence and power of political aspirants, who from time immemorial and on various occasions have refused or declined, have confused or compromised, have misled or betrayed the forces that were engaged in a prohibitory effort. As Christians, we, as followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, and as lovers of our fellow-man, must place this issue above any vitiated appetite, above any per sonal interests, and far above all political affiliations and by example and entreaty, by work and watchful ness, and by voice and vote, refuse all compromises with the evil. Be not satisfied with the high licensed saloon, nor with the well-guarded and so-called de cent bar, nor with the thwarted and defeated local option, nor with the deceitful and destructive dispen sary, but demand unceasingly-and iiflfliacbingly,

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everywhere and by all honorable means, its utter and complete and everlasting prohibition. As Christians \ve cannot do less, and be helpful and beneficent to our neighbor as the good Samaritan that we profess to be, and be true to our mission as adherents to the simple truth of the Bible which we claim to be the word of God, and faithful to our Master, "whose we are and whom we serve," and who loved us and who by prayer and patience, by poverty and peril, by shame and sorrow, by life and death, proved that he loved us, and to seal that love "gave himself for us" in the sufferings of Calvary and in the blood of the Cross.