The Christian Messenger. (Bonham, Tex.), Vol. 1, No. 31, Ed. 1 Wednesday, August 18, 1875 Page: 1 of 4
This newspaper is part of the collection entitled: Fannin County Area Newspaper Collection and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the Bonham Public Library.
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€ Imstian
V- mm, m - ■ ■ ■ ■ - — . ■ —
—
Devoted to tlie HeHgion of Christ ;
in Fact* Precept, l5i*oiiiiso and Uujoyment.
VOL. I.
BONHAM, FANNIN COUNTY,
TEXAS : WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 18, 1875.
- £, ' 7
NO. 31.
®|jt Christian Utesstnger,
Published every Wednesday
%
BY
Chas. Carlton A T. E. BurnpU*
BON1IAM, - - WJU.6.
TbrMs—~pcrauuum, - - • $2 00
six months, - * - 1 25
At the annual session of the Texas
Press Association held in Houston,
.May 11, 1876, the following by-law
was unanimously adopted and every
paper represented in the association
was directed to keep it standing nt
the head of its advertising rates:
That each paper represented in
the Texas Editorial and Press Asso-
ciation shall be required to publish
tU advertising rates and place the
humo on file with the Secretary of
this Association, and should any
bach paper receive foreign adver-
tisements for less than their rates
here provided to bo tiled, then they
shall on proof of the same be cxpell-
od from this Association.
Itfttcs oC AdvertUimr.
j 8 mos ] 6 mos j 12 inos
I square •
II squares •
V -squares -
■ 4 column
12 column
1 column -
86.00 810.00
10.00 15.00
15.00 20.00
25.00 85.00
85.00 50.00
50.00 75.00
I 15.00
20.00
80.00
50.00
75.00
100.00
Bpurgeon is only 41 years old.
-m • -
The Bible is now translated iuto
£10 languages.
The Methodist week of prayer
♦on» men cod on the 8th.
The wife of Prince Alexander of
Hysia has turnod Protestant-
--m » <m-
Five missionaries for Palwria sailed
from Now York a few days ago.
-i ^---
Dro. T. M. Foster had 16 additions
at a ruoont meeting at Galilee, Ga.
-» m *■-
ftovonVoen noted iufidels visited
Mr. Moody's “inquiry room" at one
f»**»iou in Edinburg.
Tho ooming state mooting of tlic
Christmas in Illinois promisee to be
the largest ever held.
-— • -■--
Bro. Bony, editor of tho Christian’s
Budget, is one of tiro few writers
who use the names Christian and
disciplo properly.
-m • w-
Moody and Sail key are to begin
operations in this country with a
grand camp mooting at Washington
City.
A Baptist preacher of Ocala, Fa.,
in,mod Goigor, rooently abandoned
his sectarian name and crocd und
cjuuc over to tho Christians.
English Baptists, ut a late gcnoral
aauociation, voted to invite all bo-
lievere to the Herd's uupjicr here-
ufter. This is a groat advance in
thirty year**.
Tho yellow fever still rages at
Barrancas, Florida, and seems to be
on the increase. This scourge may
be expected at some of the gulf and
coast ports this season.
m ■». i -
Geo. Muller, of Bristol, Eng., is
educating 2,000 orphan children ut
his orphanage by bis own eftbits,
and also preaching to a congrega-
tion of 1,000 members.
-m > w-
The Baptist Battlo Flag says:
“ The Camnbellito church is like
the juggler's bottle, out of which
is said ho (an draw water, milk, ei-
dor, whisky, or any other drink you
may call for."
As tho editor of tho Battlo Flag
Is an old fashioned domijohmc Bap-
tist, and knows all about ‘jug-lory,
we will not dispute tho corroctn css
of tho above assertion I
At a Mothodist mooting at Weath-
erford, Texas, rooently, a sermon
was proachod at midnight by one o;'
thoir proachors named Burnett, from
tho text: “And at midnight there
was a cry made, Behold the brido-
grooti comoth."
-m 9 ^ --
The Winobrennerians held a meet
ing at Stophonsville, seven miles
cast of Bonham, rooently. They
havo one or two churches in Fannin
eonnty, and their principal preacher,
Dr. Marplo, is about to locate at
UoDey Grove.
CTIUBCH CO-OPERATION.
HUMBER TWO.
What do the scriptures teach as to
persons going or being sent to
preach the gosjxd? Let us see.
1. Some went voluntarily, or of
their own accord, no church or apos-
tle hindering thorn. (Acts viii:5.)
‘Philip went down into Samaria’
and did a glorious work. No one
sent him, so far as we are informed.
It was a voluntary mission. And
2d Corinthians, vui;17, Titus went
to Corinth “of his own accord." Is
it not soripturaj, therefore* now* for
an evangelist in good standing at
home, to go at his own cost, and of
his own accoid, on a mission preach-
ing tho gospel of Christ?
2. Individual churches sent out
ovangehsts. (Soc Acts xi:22.) The
churches at Jerusalem “sent forth
Barnabas that he should go as far
as Antioch." Here a single church
sent an evangelist and prescribed
the field of his labor. He was to
go as far as Antioch. And in Acts
xiii:l 3. Tho church at Antioch
fasted and prayed and laid their
hands on two evangolists and sent
thorn away, without prescribing
thetr field of labor, so far as is re-
jmrtcd to us. They made a lone
missionary tour, planted churches,
etc.; and in Acts xiv:27, returned,
and made their report to the church
that sent thorn out. Is it not, then,
clearly scriptural for a single con-
gregation to send out evangelists it
it is able to sustain them, or if they
are willing to take thoir chances for
support, trusting in God?
8. A plurality of churches united
iu selecting an evangelist,—even a
traveling coinjianion for Paul. Fee
2d Cot. viii:19. Paul suys of u
brother, whoso name Is not given,
“who was also chosen of tiio church
os to travel with us.” And in verse
28, he says of the 6cveral evango-
iste engaged—“They are tho mes
sengors of the churchos, and the
glory of Christ." Is it not, then,
oqually as scriptural for a plurality
if churches to choose an evangelist
and send him out? Sometimes the
one course is best—then again, the
other; bnt both are scriptural.—
There is no human plan about
this, and it is fondly hoped
that all will see it and come up to
the work like true helpers, in the
most glorious cause ever committed
to mortals.
But wo desire to be scriptural,
also, in our manner of rawing funds.
Well, let us see—
1. In Acts ii:42, wo road of the
fellowship, which Is generally un-
derstood to refer to tho weekly con-
tributions; hut in 1 Cor. xvi:l, wc
have a testimony clear and plain.
They—each ono—put by him, as
God had prosjicred him, something
every Lord’s day, putting it in the
treasury, when it was convenient.
Tho idea is, the}* put it to itself each
Lord's day, whether they went to
church or not—that is, they conso
crated a part of their woek’s earn-
ings to the Lord, ‘ us God prospered
them." Thus they were taught to
feel that their worldly prosjierity
was in the hands of God, like other
things.
2. Tho church at Corinth prom
ised or pledged a certain amount for
the poor saints a year before it was
paid. (See 2d Cor. ix:l-5; also, 2d
Cor. viii:10). Here wo boo that
Paul had boasted to them of Mace-
donia that Achaia was ready a year
ugq^nnd had provoked, or prompt-
ed them to liberality, by this exam-
ple. Wo see also that Paul was ap-
prehensive that tho promised sum
or amount might not ho ready, and
that he might ho ashamed of having
them held up as an example of lib-
erality, and houeo sent brethren for-
ward to stir them up, that ‘as I said
yo may he ready.’ There was dan-
ger then, us now, that churches
might not redoom thoir pledgos;
hence, this precaution on tho part of
Paul. The plodgo system is, there-
fore, scriptural, as well as tho week-
ly contributions. Indeed, wc do
' not know hut they raised the
amount pledged by the weekly con-
tributions.
8. In 1 Cor. xvi:2. wo hear Paul
tell one reason for urging the week-
ly contributions, viz: “That there be
no gatherings when I come.” Now*
this language fairly implies that, if
the pledged amount was not ready
when he came, he would take up
special collections, or gatherings.
Special collections are, therefore,
when they are necessary, as scrip-
tural as the weekly contributions.
Paul desired to avoid the necessity
for these, hut ho plainly so,
that he will take them up, if they
becomo necessary. Now, we can
all understand these cases. Why
not sec and follow tho scriptures?
There is no human plan here—we
need , none ; wo propose to have
none! Nor do wo propose to he de-
nied a part of the divine plan.
Many, it seems, have gono aflor hu-
man plans* and many have failed to
follow tho divine plan and have
done almost nothing, and have hin-
dered others from doing, because
they did not understand the divine
plan. I use tho word plan thought-
fully. It is right. Let us hold to
the holy word. And lot us work.
Let the churclies and members prac-
tice woekly contributions* whether
they go to church or not! And let
them say beforehand what they
think they may bo able to contrib-
ute, trusting in God. Then, if there
is a failure, let us feel free, in cases
of necessity, to take up special col-
lections—and that we are obeying
the Savior, not men. Let us learn
to feci that we are disobeying when
wo do not do tiiis. To do nothing,
—to he barron, is noxt to hearing
bad fruit.
In my noxt I shall speak further
of church co-oj>erations, and of the
duties of the evangelists sent out.
C. K.
PRIEST’S LECTURE
oh Romanism.
Tho Rev. John W. Gerdcmann is
an cx priest of the Roman Catholic
Church. Ho served for ten years
as a fathor at St. Bonifacio’s church,
in Philadelphia, and a few months
ago, having changed his views and
ceased to ho a Roman Catholic in
sentiment, he resigned his position,
and about tho samo time married
tho lady organist of his church.
The story went the rounds of the
papers, and was generally described
as an elopement. Since his mar-
riage, Mr. Gcrdemann was sued by
the congregation in which he min-
istered lor embezzlement, hut the
jury disagreed. Ho was recently
attacked by a mob of his former co-
religionists, in Philadelphia, and has
at last taken to lecturing as a means
of livelihood. On the 28th instant,
he lectured before a large audicuco
in that city, giving a review of his
life while serving at St. Bonifacio’s.
Tho following passages convey ru
idea of his subject and mode of
treatment:
“Before tho dogma of Papal infal-
libility was declared, I would have
sacrificed my lifo inch by inch for
the Catholic Church. Tho day the
cable brought the news of the proc-
lamation of that now dogma, 1
prayed earnestly and long to God
to enlighten and guide me, and got
up a confirmed Protestant. Since
that time I studied harder about all
matters I had doubted before. Here
camo first tho inordinate worship of
tho Virgin and saints generally, al-
though the Scriptures tell us plain-
ly that there is only one name in
which wo can he saved, that of Je-
sus Christ. Still, Catholic divines
blasphemously assert that Mary is,
through her intercession, more pow-
erful than her divine Son himself,
and the Catholic prays ten times to
her where he scarcely thinks once
of God. Further, I looked at the
want of charity in tho claim of the
Roman Church to exclusive salva-
tion. I could not believe that a
merciftil God should condemn all
well-meaning Protestants, who, if
perhaps they believed less, certain-
ly practised more of Christ's teach-
ings than tho Roman Catholics. I
thought of tho word of Scripture
that “by their fruits yo shall know
them," and judging by that stand-
ard the balance was in favor of)
alsQsjpivcs accordingly. The Prot-
estant seeks salvation through a
pure heart and life; the Catholic de-
pends largely on medals, indulgen-
ces, fasting, the blessing of the
priest, and other outward perform-
ances.
Besides the doubts I had on doc-
trinal mattei's, I was far more dis-
gusted with ttie Roman Church on
account of my knowledge of its
priesthood. In fact, if I would not
iiava feared to become a bad man,
like the majority of priests I know
night he in their ranks yet. I
tedly heard good and-siucere
say it was a blessing the
can people did not know the
trno character of the Roman priest-
hood, for if they did they would
sweep them out of the country, and
I assure you, if you could know
them as I do, you would not consid-
er that remark as any too harsh.
In the first place, they have an in-
ordinate desire for money. The
poor people arc asked for money at
all times and occasions. The more
a man gives the bettor he is liked.
No congregation hears what a priest
receives and how it is spent. And
how is it spent? A good deal of it
in gambling, cigars, grand dinners
and good drinks. Priests arc, with-
out doubt, tho best livers in the
country. Whenever you meet a
company of priests, be it on Sunday
or week day, night or daytime, you
nearly always find them at a game
of euchre, and not for mere pastime,
but for money. I often saw, espec-
ially Irish priests, play for quarters,
fifty cents, and a dollar a game. The
German priests were generally con-
tent with a game lor ten cents.
Then came the grand dinners served
in the most appioved style, for
which the good people foot the bill.
Those dinners are not got up on a
small scale either, but cost from
8500 to 81,500. The Bishop gives
generally three or four grand din-
ners each year, whore all are invi-
ted, and God knows how many on a
smaller scale. Priests give their
dinners on stated occasions,—at the
funeral of a priest, on tho day of
the corner-stone laying, or dedica-
tion of a new church, and annually
on tho last day of the forty hours.
The poor peoplo are in the church
at their prayers, while • the good
tattlers are enjoying their terrapin,
canvas-hack and champagne.
Priests are not allowed to marry ;
would to God they were! They are
culled fathers by the people, and
untortunately, with man}*, it is not
only a name, hut a sad reality; not
tho honored, hallowed name of fath-
er, hut a name whispering of shamo
and a hrokon heart, if not a ruined
family. Undoubtedly the young
men who are ordained priests are
cneriilly pure, sincere and good,
ut, alas! the system of celibacy, at
times the bane of the Catholic min-
istry, too often ruins them. I spoke
to a priest, not of this diocese,
though whom I estcemod as a good
man, last year about this timefc about
my intention of getting mairied
and leaving the Church. He called
mo a fool, and advised me not to
leave the easy life of the priesthood,
hut do like him, Ac.
In conclusion, let me say a few
words about the status and aim of
the Catholic Church in this country.
Their numbers are greatly overesti-
mated and they make very lew con-
verts among the Americans. Cal-
culating in their manner, that is
misleading every man, woman and
child, wc will not find 5,000,000.
Of tho children they lose seventy-
five per cent, of hoys, and twenty-
five per cent of girls. If the immi-
gration of Catholics should cease to-
day, in loss than twenty years three-
fourths of tho Catholic churches
would he closed for want of wor
shipers. Among all tho pewhold-
ers in tho Roman churches in this
city there are not ten per cont na-
tive Americans. Catholicism is not
an indigenous plant, but of foreign
growth, and dues not thrive. But
the loaders are shrewd. They know
howto display to tho host of advan-
tage. It is a blousing indeod, for
our glorious country that things are
not as they want to make us be-
lieve.”
The Mayor, accompanied by a
large force of jiolicenien, was in at-
tendance during the delivery of the
lecture, and at its close conducted
Mr. Gcrdemann to a carriage that
awaited him at tho eido of the hall.
He was then rapidly driven to his
home.
-m • ^-
Commeiitary on Homans.
To Agents—As I havo decided to
sell my Commentaiy by agents at
ft he ' onco» ^ ftm now rt>ttdy correspond
with all persons who may- wish an
agency. On receipt of letters ask
ing for agencies, 1 will send circular
conditions and terms.
Protestantism. And how can
otherwise? The Protestant believes
that as the tree falleth so shall it
lie, and lives accordingly. The
Catholic bolieves that a few words j containing
of a priest will save him in the last Address me at Lexington, Kv.
moments, alter an ill-spent life, and Mo.-Xs L. Lard.
Kutmtltutes for War.
War is now tolerated only as n
necessary evil; hut thero is in truth
no more neceesity for it than there
is for dueling, the slave trade, or any
other species of folly or crime. War
comes solely from the wrong choice
of men ; that choice may be chang-
ed; and whenever it shall he, na-
tions, like individuals, will find
other methods for the settlement of
their disputes, far hotter than the
sword for all purposes of protection
and redress. . I. The first substitute,
then, would be negotiation. So long
as nations keep cool and kind
enough to adjust their own difficul-
ties, this method is decidedly best of
all. If the code of national honoT
did not drive them at oneo into
blood ; if they made tho sword real-
ly their.last resort, instead of then-
first; if ]K>pular sentiment should
always hold them hack from conflict
till mutual forbearance and expla-
nation and concession had exhausted
their utmost power, this expedient
would in nine cases out of ten pre-
vent an appoal to arms. II. Should
this expedient fail, our next resort
would be to arbitration ; a substitute
adapted when the parties aro unable
to adjust thoir own difficulties, or
prefer the decision of an umpire
mutually chosen* Better for the
parties to agree among themselves,
if they can; but it they can not, wc
wish nations in every instance to
settle their disputes as Individuals
do theirs, by some mode of refer-
ence. Wo urge this as an establish-
ed principle. Nations should, in
accordance with the recommenda-
tion of the First General Peace
Convention in London, incorporate
in every treaty a clause binding the
parties to adjust whatever differenc-
es may arise between them* not by
the sword, but by umpires mutually
chosen, and agree to ubidc their de-
cision, and to claim, if dissatisfied,
only the privilege of renowing or
changing the reference. To such a
substitute, what objection can be
urged? It relinquishes no right; it
sacrifices no interest; it would star-
tle few if any prejudices; h can
offend neither the strong nor the
moderato peace man, neither the
Quaker nor the warrior; it is adapt-
ed to the present state of the world,
and consistent alike with the pre-
cepts of Christianity and tho dic-
tates of sound policy; a measure
level to the comprehension of all,
and commending itself to their com-
mon sense as simple, feasible, and
likely to prove successful. Nor is
tho principle new, hut as old as hu-
man society; it liesrat the bottom of
every trial in our courts; wo often
find the wisest and best men prefer-
ring it in their own cases even to a
regular course of law; and wo rncro-
ly ask nations to use tho samo de-
gree of justice, candor and good
sense in adjusting their difficulties,
that individuals do in theirs. Can
they not do so? III. Should both
these expedients fail, wc should still
have in reserve the principle of
mediation. Whon rulcre become so
exasperated against each other as to
withdraw from official intercourse,
and the strange, semi-barbarous code
of national honor requires them to
keep aloof, or to meet only on the
field of battle, a third power friend-
ly to both interposes with tho offer
of its services as mediator; such
services the parties are now bound
in courtesy to accept; and this sim-
ple expedient, a new development
of the pacific tendencies of tho age,
promises to obviate tho most deli-
cate and difficult cases of misunder-
standing. It is well known that
duelists can not fight so long as a
mutual friend stands botwoen them
as mediator; and if so effectual for
the prevention of duels, tho princi-
ple. equally applicable to war,
would be likely to prove still more
successful here, for the longer delay
necessary, from the greater publici-
ty of the transaction, and lrom the
overwhelming majority on both
sides interested in a peaceful issue of
the dispute. Thus might a single
cabinet, by the well timed tender of
its services, hold in check the war
spirit of tho whole civilised world,
and keep the nations in permanent
peace. Not unfrequently has this
expedient been employed since the
downfall of Napoleon; and every
one cun rememl»er with what speedy
and signal success England alone
acted, in the course of only a few
years, as mediator between our-
selves and France, between Holland
and Belgium, between Sweden and
Franco, and between France and
Switzerland. It is a new antidote
to war, and may do much to insure
the steady and lasting jk-kcc of Chris-
tendom. IV. But the perfection of
all substitutes for war would ho a
congress of nations. By this we
mean a congress, or meeting in con-
vention, of as many nations os could
he brought into tho measure, to
agree upon a full code of interna-
tional law, and next a High Court
of Nations, or board of internation-
al arbitrators, to interpret and apply
that code* to adjudicate whatever
eases might he referred to them by
consent of parties, and to act for*tho
great brotherhood of nations as tho
guardian of their common rights
and interests. It would perforin for
nations substantially the samo ser-
vices that a civil tribunal does for
individuals, or the Supreme court of
the United States docs for the differ-
ent states in our confederacy. It
would have no right t^ touch any
case not voluntarily referred to it
by the nations in dispute; and all
its decisions would he merely advi-
sor}*, and become bmlling only by
consent of each party, and effica-
cious only by the forco of public
opinion. There would he at its
command no fleets, no armies, no
power whatever besides the influ-
ence of its own reputation, the voice
of the civilized world, and perhaps
an application in exti^me cases of
peaceful penalties to awe refractory
.states into acquiescence. An expe-
dient founded upon the vory same
principle with our codes and courts
of law ; an expedient as old; in one
form or another, as civil govern-
ments or human society; an expe-
dient just as applicable to nations as
to individuals, and likely, if once
established and used aright, to
prove as successful in the former
caso as it has in the latter; an expe-
dient that could certainly do no
harm, and might suffice nt once to
prevent foriy-nino wars in fifty and
eventually supersede the whole war
system. Here then are four substi-
tutes for war, each simple, easy and
effective; substitutes which every
man of the least sense or candor
most admit to ho infinitely better
than an appeal to tho savago argu-
ment of lead and steel; substitutes
which recognize right instead of
might, reason instead of brute force,
as the arbiter of national disputes;
substitutes which nations could, if
they would, adopt in part without
delay, and ere long the whole of
them; substitutes which at once su-
persede every plea of necessity for
war, iiimiro far more justice in tho
intercourse of nations, and guaran-
tee in dno time their permanent
peace and prosperity. it nations
arc moral agents like individuals,
they are equally hound to an amica-
ble and bloodless adjustment of thoir
difficulties; and if war is held by
nono to he justifiable cxeopt as a last
resort, and should never be employ-
ed till after all other expedients
have failed, then must nations, on
tho lowest principles of common
sense, abstain from the sword until
they have not only triod in good
faith negotiation, reference and me-
diation. “But nations have no com-
mon judge, and hence they must
decide each its own case.” True,
they havo at present no such judge,
hut they might havo if they would j
and wo call upon them by every mo-
tive of reason, duty and self-interest
to establish one as soon as possible.
War settle disputes! Never! The
E
rtios invariably sheath the sword
By dream of a settlement,
and then dispatch, not men of blood
to fight, but men of j»cacc to nego-
tiate. And why not do this before
fighting, and thus obviate all neces-
sity of war? We had a controversy
with England about our northwest-
ern boundary, and another respect-
ing the Alabama matter ; had we
gono to war, would that have settled
tlieso disputes? No; it would only
havo aggravated tho difficulties.
There is no logic in ballots and
bombshells; tho butchery of mill-
ions on the disputod tcrritoiy could
•not havo thrown a single ray of
light on tho points in controversy ;
and after wasting myriads of treas-
ure and shedding oceans of blood,
we should havo been obliged to em-
ploy for the final adjust/nent tho
samo pacific means that might have
been used before tho war. “True,
if tho parties were willing, but can
rou mako them willing before they
ave fought awhile?” Yes, if wo
would. Unwilllug for a peaceful ad-
justment! ‘Who is unwilling? Am
I? Are you? We roeent the charge.
And should you go through both
countries, you would find scarce a
man that would not profess a desire
for a bloodless termination of the dif-
ficulty. “Perhaps the people are
willing, hut tho rulers aro not."
Rulers not willing 1 Why noi? Be-
cause the people do not call loud
enough for a poaceftil settlement.
Rulers will generally go for peace
or for war, as tho people go; and
when public sentiment is cultivated
and educated and enlightened up to
a Christian standard, war will go in-
to oblivion, like dueling, as custom
of the dark ages.—[Facts for the
People.
-----— .a. , .. - — —
It was at Rome, N. Yn that Mary
Van Douscn disciplined her husband
by throwing red pepper in his eyes,
for which the justice fined her 810
and Costs.
E
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Burnett, Thomas R. & Carlton, Charles. The Christian Messenger. (Bonham, Tex.), Vol. 1, No. 31, Ed. 1 Wednesday, August 18, 1875, newspaper, August 18, 1875; Bonham, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth974484/m1/1/?q=Christmas+AND+slave: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Bonham Public Library.