The daily gazette., 1881-05-19

Baptist Association, claimed by Elder
| Riftonhouse rs his Association, which
cla,rs of course Is Just Of this period
which is since the separation. Aftsr
| the lapse Of years We compare thinas
that were with things that are to see
sohaf prpgrsss, II any Tho "Old 6sAool''
thsy sssrs ssiasieseriss N jajtA cad
lgyastice.p Isthere anything unfair in
tliis9O It ID for kdoing this that be
heaps abuse, upon me. III 5000 .sl
The Delawars' Baptist Associ alton
vas composed in 1926 Of 8 churches
and soc members, in 1879 of 4
churches and is7 members.
II Now compare with this the stats
| tics Of the present Missionary Baptist
Churches of Delaware In 10Sb--1
church and 10 members. In 1079--11
churches and 1, 924 members. m
will leave others to say which body
has progressed and which declined.
whether the assertion of Mr.. Rhees il
true or not true. ffl
1t Ii nothing to Say that during the
period named there has been occa-
sionai 'pfogfess'; for 30 are the waters
of the DelaWars river backed up often
by the tide and wind, but their course
is resumed and they fow on to be lost
in the sea. Itis in vain to argue at
10 mot true to say that the "Oid
SchooW Baptists have steadily de-
clmed, for here 10 > church and there
another that has, for some years in
creased II. .pumbers." I, see not that
these, IL facts, attest the case. When
1t is affirmed that the female Of the
human race is smaller than the male,
is the general proposition disproved
when several married pairs are brought
forward where the husband ia smaller
than the wife 2 Yet in this way would
Elder r. disprove my statement that
his people have declined. Their own
statistics show not only that there has
been no extension, but on the whole
an actual decline. n-
These are the statistics which are
correct. The two or three cases Of
growth are exceptional and do not ef-
feet the general conclusion at all. The
churches named have already been
counted and 60 to make up the general
fesalt. ~ ssits "a i'H l IA,
But more, the missionary churches
of this State belong to q growing
denomination, which has increased in
this country alone from liz, ,972 in 1919
'(despite the falling away Of the anti
mission element) to 2, 183, ,044 in 1879.
In addition to this our Missions ct
homo and abroad have been preemi-
neatly successful. There are to-day
over 80, 600 converts from heathenism
rejoicing in Christ through the efforts
OF one Baptist society alone, and 1000
native preachers laboring for the saliva
tion of their countrymen. What fruits
have anti mission churches to show for
their principles at home and abroad ?
Right here is motive enough to induce
any one to speak of the evils of anti.
nomianism. Yet it is asked why I
speak of these things. No wonder
Elder II. was not desirous 70 have these
facts mads public, and now grows OK.
cited.
He seems to intimate also that no
one has a right to publish a history OF
his people and that ! have written
falsehoods for history. lam sure that
no one would ask his permission to
write about either him as a public man
or his people, for any one has this
right who honestly seeks to relate
facts as they are and this l have en-
deavored to do. The ssUlds School,
aud New School Baptists IN Delaware
have mingled historically in such
way that the history of one could not
be ignored in the history of the other.
1t is not required OF the historian
either to know or to relate every detail |
and circumstance, and the facts he |
uses and their arrangement will depend
very much upon the end he has In |
view. expressly state in my book |
that l deal for tho most part with these /
,huI ches in their origin and add but |
little beyond what is found In the his
tories of the Baptists by Morgan, Ed
Hasdss and Benediot..ss If Irhave de-
parted from this rule IA some instances |
snd said more Of one church than an |
her 1t has not been done TO exhibit |
my one unfairly or at disadvantage,
'nd Elder Il. has no right TO say 30 |
md thus impute to me an evil inten-
ion. 70 show that had no wish TO
conceal anything favorable to his peo |
Die let me femin,. Elder r. that / /
wrote to him fo- information and had
him come to my house and asked him
or all the information he had, and to
vhom else could ] 90 for he was the
'nly pastor of the 'tOld School bap.
isi 5" in The State, and is now perhaps.
Why did he withhold from me these
hings which he accuses me of conceal.
nge Was 1t that he might bring
hem out after my book was published.
nd thus throw doubt upon the relia.
'ility OF my whole workf
However, am still willing to publish
ny tnfOEmatlon respectinR the churches
lamed, ffaDother edition OF INV boak
hould1be called for, but the insertion
4 the.facts which he claims were omit.
ed BY me. will not alter,the general con.
lusions of theo book. 1t 10 still true
hat since the present 90. called old
chooi churches OF Delaware have be-
ONE such they have on the. whole declin.
d during that period, while In the |
anne time the missionary churcnea
tartinR much later, have grown. to use
ne words OF another, rapidly.
Elder ~ ttenhonse boasts that OF one L;
i1nureu eaptised by him none have
apostatizet." This is saying more
han the mlraculously endowed msn Of
he New Testament times could say.-I
'niip, the. Evangelist, baptised (Acts o.
lmon, the norcerer, who proved 70 be
D the gail OF bitterness and IN the
ond o. iniqmty. Indeed, the Elder
aaAs4.keensEl sight to siistiupuish .tha
lect than the eleven. apostles, who, nm
the very night Of the hetraval. nI,ans.
ectinRiV fello wehfDed the tra,for Tn1a.