Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-09-21
THE BAPTLsTs IN CORK.
What Former Resident of Savannah
Has to Say About Them.
Correspondence of the 1forntn0 Nel08.

LONDON, Sept. 6.-During my recent
sojourn in the south of Ireland, l spent
several hours in the ancient and interest
ing city of Cork, the third town in Ireland
in respect of population and commercial
Importance. AS a matter of course, [
sought out the Baptist chapel in Marlbor-
ough street, and was disappointed in find
ing the building so small, and distressed
in learning that the church was almost, if
not altogether, defunct. On the occasion
of my visit, one midday, the place was
open, and entering / saw twenty six per-
sons, of whom but three were gentlemen,
one of whom, with an open Bible in his
hand, was fayOring his select audi
dence with his views of present-day
religion. According to this speaker,
whose manner had the peculiar Oiliness,
and whose matter had the unctiOus odor,
occasionally somewhat rancid, of Ply
mouth Brethrenism, the preaching of the
modern pulpit was everything but what
it ought to be; the church and the world
were hOpeleSsly wrong; and the Lord was
coming at an early date to take favored
few, those present included, to ineffable
bliss and dignity; and to visit with terri
BILE punishment the unpitied multitudes
of men, women and children who consti-
tuted the overwhelming majority of
human kind. After the speaker had told
us that in such a state of affairs as sur
rounded us, we, like JehOshaphat (pro-
nOunced JOShdpbdt) could do nothing,
was surprised to hear him announce
a gospel service for the evening, in
that chapel. That looked like do
ing something. 1 wished that l could
have remained IN the city to see
what sort of a gospel would be offered to
those who were not yet ranked with the
''dear people" who use Empowered
Bibles, who see 'mOre of Christ" IN Levi
ticus than they see in Luke, and are the
only perfect saints in a world of ungOdlv
ministers and churches on the eve of per-
dition. l would misrepresent no man,
and no class of men; besides, the earth's
atmosphere is wide enough for the eX-
halatiOn of the sweetness of the most
peculiar people, the ''dear brethren not
excluded; but when any set of men as
sumo airs of superior holiness and truth,
and SANDER all other worshippers of God
as necessarily worldly and wicked; when
by their style and teachings they repeI
rather than attract the sinners whom
Jesus sought to save and not
destroy, then we are compelled to cry
Gaze cdnem! and to let our fiocks know
that as it is possible for the wolf to appear
in sleeps clothing, it is also possible for
the sheep to degenerate into a barking,
biting, dividing and devOuring wolf.
Whether any wolfish propensities have
manifested themselves among some of the
most sheepish members of our Baptist
churches, to our discOmfit, disintegration
and diminutiOn, those can we'll testify
who know the condition of our denOmina-
ton in England and Ireland the best.
Perhaps there is no brethrenism IN Cork
except what is carried there by those who
are E1not ministers, but only eXpounders
of the Word" All / know is that while
there l saw the tail Of fox-a ''dear''
little fox, that is known to spoil the vines
and eat the grapes.
1t is depressing to learn that we have
not large, intelligent and influential
church in such city as Cork, with over
100000 inhabitants. There surely must
be several plous and sensible Christians
in that city holding our UNCONVENTIONAL
tenets, but not of the goOdy fraternity
who, if they had pastor to lead them
and had some eXtrane0us assistance for
while, might form the nucleus of flour
fishing Baptist congregation. We are
straining our financial strength to evan
gelize Africa and Asia, and this ought to
be done; but we ought not to leave I'M
done what lies in our power for the spir-
itual instruction of the masses in our own
islands at home. One feeble church of
siXty-eight members in Dublin, with
more than a quarter of a mill
lion of souls, and the attenuated
ghost of church in Cork, among over
100000 inhabitants, do not contribute to
cheer our eyes when we contemplate our
mission in ireland. Sure / am that if st.
Patrick and st. Bin Barre, those apostolic
men who lived so much nearer than wedo
to apostolic simplicity in religion, We're to
revisit the ''Island of Saints" they would
ask for the churches who made their dig
ciples, not through sacraments, but
through the preaching of the gospel of
Christ, and afterwards initiated them by
immersion on the confession of their faith
into the fellowship of the visible church.
trust that due share of their attention
may be given by the Baptist churches to
the claims upon all who support our
principles of the towns of Ireland in gen.
eral, and of the city of Cork in particular.
TIMOTHY HARLEY.