THE CHRISTIAN MESSENGER AND REFORMER.
No. 11. JANUARY, 1838. VOL. 1.
MR. LYND ON THE INFLUENCES OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
(CONTINUED FROM PAGE 351.)
NOW, though we may not be able to define the nature of the power which the Holy Spirit employs in renewing men, yet of one thing we have an absolute certainty in our knowledge. It is not by mere moral power. This may be illustrated in a very easy manner. A person wishes to carry a certain point with his neighbour. He expresses all the arguments he has to offer on this point. His neighbour attends to the arguments, and fully comprehends them. This being the case, this person has not only exerted, but developed his whole moral power. He can do no more. Suppose this point carried, to be an important duty which the neighbour hates to do, and is unwilling to do, notwithstanding he is convinced he ought to do it. Is he changed? No: his disposition remains the same. He will not do it. How is this man to be made willing? All moral power is at an end. Apply this to the Holy Spirit. He employs arguments written in the Old and New Testament. In doing this, he exerts his whole moral power. But many pay no attention to the arguments, and, of course, it is not in the power of the Spirit to renew them. But suppose they do attend to the arguments, and yet do not comprehend them, in what consists their guilt? They either have not capacity to understand the arguments, or their natural depravity blinds their minds to the force of truth. If they have not capacity to understand, they cannot be renewed, nor can they be guilty for not doing what they have no ability to comprehend. If their natural depravity, their enmity to holiness, blinds their minds to the force of the arguments, they are indeed guilty, but how is this state of mind to be removed? The Holy Spirit has spent all his moral power in his arguments; but all his power is useless, until the sinner comprehends their force, and until the cause of his ignorance is removed. It is not therefore in the power of the Holy Spirit to renew any man, unless he fully understands his arguments - and in order to the comprehension of them, the depraved state of his heart must be changed. He could not by any power be converted to God. But suppose a sinner fully comprehends the arguments, and thus the whole moral power of the Spirit is fully developed, he is then renewed, or not renewed. If he is still unwilling to submit himself to Christ, then what power in heaven or earth can change him, upon Mr. Campbell's view of divine influence. Hear what God says, "Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power."
What then is moral power but light communicated to the understanding through the utterance, or exhibition, of truth? The mind being enlightened, and convinced, the heart is supposed to yield itself to this conviction, and thus becomes changed. This view might be sustained if there were not in men an absolute disrelish of spiritual subjects. Without a relish for these, no discoveries of them, however clear, can render them pleasing to the soul. On the contrary, the clearer those objects are discovered, the greater will be the disrelish, so long as the taste is not changed. Most persons have a disrelish for castor-oil, and the more distinctly and perfectly they perceive the taste, the greater is their disrelish. So true is this, that its real taste must be disguised in order to render it tolerable. Now, if all the power which the Holy Spirit employs in renewing and sanctifying men is moral power, it is nothing more than the communication of ideas to the mind of the sinner. It has no power to change the carnal mind, which is enmity against God. Yet, God declares, "Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power." To change the heart, is to give it a relish for spiritual objects, and if this relish is not communicated, the heart is manifestly unchanged. If, then, the whole power of the Spirit is moral, the Spirit has never yet renewed a soul. This conclusion is inevitable; for, if the whole power is exhausted in communicating ideas to the mind, and yet the sinner should have no relish for spiritual objects, the Holy Spirit has done nothing towards the change of that sinners heart. If his heart becomes changed at all, he must do it himself, for the Holy Spirit has exhausted all his strength. The grand difficulty to be overcome remains, a disrelish for spiritual objects, - a heart enmity against God. I am aware that there is a way by which to escape this conclusion, but it is only by being involved in one still more perplexing. Even Mr. Campbell himself will prefer the least of two evils. It is not my business, however, to anticipate a worse dilemma.
But, if the power is neither physical, nor purely moral, what is it? It is partly moral, and partly supernatural; moral, so far as moral means are employed, and supernatural in giving efficacy to these means.
Such an influence has been recognized by holy men in all ages, under the Old Testament and under the New.
David says, "Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law." "Make me to understand the way of thy precepts: so shall I talk of thy wondrous works." "Teach me, O Lord, the way of thy statutes, and I shall keep it unto the end." "Give me to understand, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart." ( Ps. 119:18,27,33,34.) No command is necessary. Here is prayer for an influence upon the heart, over and above mere moral influence. It is well that these are inspired passages; for, if they were not, David's soundness of faith would be questioned.
On another occasion he prayed, "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence, and take not thy Holy Spirit from me." The Lord, by the prophet Ezekiel says, "A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you. I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes." To give a new heart, is equivalent to putting his spirit within them, and the result was to be devotion to the Lord. The apostle Paul, writing to the Ephesians, says, "For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his spirit, in the inner man." To the Colossians he writes, "For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will, in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that ye might walk worthy of the Lord, unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness."
It may be said that these were believers in Christ, to whom the gift of the Holy Spirit was promised. But this does not alter the nature of the influence. Paul prayed for supernatural aid upon his brethren, with a view to their personal holiness and usefulness. There is, consequently, such a power, though we may be unable to define it. It was not prayer for the gift of the Holy Spirit in his miraculous influences; for this was not necessarily connected with the formation of personal character. It is recorded of Lydia, "whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken by Paul." How did the Lord open her heart? Not by miracles, for there is no evidence that any were yet wrought in Philippi; and Mr. Campbell himself says, "miracles cannot convert." It was not by moral power, for this could not have been fully developed unless Lydia fully comprehended the arguments. And it is very certain that she could not have comprehended them, unless she had first given attention to them. But her heart was first opened, so that she did attend to Paul.
Is it not the duty of believers to come boldly to a throne of grace, that they may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need! If all the influence of the Holy Spirit is in the words recorded in the Old and New Testament, (and we have these in our possession,) why pray for grace to help in time of need?
But the most astonishing proof of such supernatural influence is found in the address of Mr. Campbell to the disciples, near the close of the work called Christianity Restored. He says, "The Lord has promised his Holy Spirit to them that ask him in truth; and is it not necessary to our success? If it be not necessary to give new revelations, it is necessary to keep in mind those already given, and to bring the word written seasonably to our remembrance." Now, by what kind of influence is the word brought seasonably to our remembrance? Is it physical? Is it moral? Or is it supernatural? Recall Mr. Campbell's view, that the Spirit can exert no greater influence upon the human mind than is found in the arguments which are written in the New Testament; and that the Holy Spirit puts forth all his converting and sanctifying power, in the words which he fills with his ideas.
I ask, in conclusion, if the Holy Spirit can seasonably bring to remembrance the written word in the mind of the believer, can he not with equal ease, bring the same word seasonably to the mind of a sinner, and by that very word strike dismay to his heart? And when that sinner feels that the eternal indignation of Jehovah is his due, and under the influence of a burdened spirit cries for mercy, through Christ, cannot the Holy Spirit with the same facility bring a portion of the written word to his remembrance seasonably, so as to fill him with confidence in Christ, and with inexpressible joy? Does not the Holy Spirit in each instance bring the gospel with power to the heart? Let an enlightened community judge. Your's truly,
S.W. LYND.
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MR. CAMPBELL'S REPLY.
Mr. Lynd, while he admits that he may not be able to define the power which the Spirit of God employs in renewing man, is nevertheless certain, absolutely certain that "it is not by mere moral power." Now I do not say that Mr. Lynd's opinion is absolutely erroneous; I only say that, to me, he has not proved it to be true. I wish, indeed, it were in his power to give us some assurance on this subject. It would greatly relieve us from many inconveniences.
I shall then briefly notice where his illustration and argument fail. He says, "A person wishes to carry a certain point with his neighbour. He offers all his arguments, and they are fully comprehended by his neighbour. He has therefore spent all his moral power, and his neighbour is convinced; but he hates to yield to his convictions. His disposition is unchanged. Now the question comes, How is his disposition to be changed? Not by moral power, for that is all spent." So he reasons. He supposes, as the case is made out, that moral power may fully convince, but cannot dispose. The disposing power he infers is distinct from the convincing power. The former is moral; the latter is something else than moral; but it is not physical. What shall we call it! Aye - that is the question. We shall have his answer in a few periods hence.
Meanwhile, we must mark the failure in the case alleged. It is assumed that a person may attentively hear, understand, and fully comprehend the whole of a moral argument to perfect conviction of its truth and excellence, and yet remain indisposed to the object presented. Ought not this first to have been proved? Is it not a begging of the question to take this for granted? And this not being proved, the illustration and argument fall to the ground.
Shew me the man living who has fully attended to the whole argument of the Holy Spirit, and who fully comprehends it, and is yet indisposed; or let him point to such a case on record. Persons may be named, living and dead, who in various measures have understood and comprehended the arguments or motives of the Holy Spirit, and yet were never fully disposed to give up their hearts to the Lord. But will these prove that full conviction is not full persuasion! A fully convinced person, yet remaining indisposed, very much resembles a white crow, or a black swan. I should like to see one.
Still I would not rashly cavil at Mr. Lynd's theory, or dissent from it, because of a mere verbal inaccuracy, or illogical definition. I would, however, submit to his reflection, that the arguments of the Holy Spirit are addressed not only to the head, but to the heart. They are not mere light, but love. They speak to the understanding, the conscience, the affections. Now that a person may fully understand and comprehend these, and yet remain indisposed, has never been, to my perception, fully proved.
With me disposition must have an object. They are relative terms. Who can explain disposition without an object? A person may hate an object; but he cannot hate without one. To change his disposition, the object must be changed, so far as his view of it is concerned. The object must be so far changed as to appear in a new attitude, or colour, or relation, else his disposition cannot be changed.
When, then, a rational agent attempts to change the disposition of a rational being, he either presents a new object, or an old object, in a new light. A power operating upon disposition in any other way than by an object, is to me as inconceivable as seeing without light, or hearing without sound. Who can explain a power operating upon hatred, or upon love, without means, without truth? He alone may explain hatred and love without an object. But where shall this philosopher be found!
I am, then, constrained to object to the case adduced by Mr. Lynd, because it assumes two positions which have never been proved:-
1st. That a sinner may fully comprehend all the arguments of the Holy Spirit, addressed as they are to the whole moral nature of man, feel all his moral power in his understanding, conscience, and heart, and that to full conviction too, and still remain an enemy - alienated and indisposed.
2d. In the second place, he supposes that a power not moral can work upon disposition; or, what is the same thing, that disposition may be changed without an object, without motive, without moral considerations.
By his twice quoting with emphasis the words of David - "Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power" - he would seem to indicate, that persons are made willing by some other power than moral power, or the power of motive. This text has been often quoted to me in some such sense. Now, can any one suppose that people can be made willing by power, other than the power of motive: and that is all we mean by moral power! To suppose persons to be forced into willingness, is a contradiction in terms. They are an unwilling willing people without free agency, and consequently without virtue, and therefore cannot be Christ's people.
I have sometimes thought of rescuing this text from such a misapplication, by a dissertation at some length on its true meaning. I cannot now attempt it. I will only observe that David in the 100th Psalm celebrates the coronation of his Son, and his investiture with all authority in heaven and in earth. "The day of Christ's power" is the whole period of his reign. It is not the special moment of a sinner's conversion, nor the instant in which he is born again, that David denominates "The day of thy power." The day of Madison's power, or Jackson's power, was not any particular day during their reign, but the whole period of their office. So exactly is it here.
Again, the willing people are Christ's volunteers or soldiers, by whom he carries on the war and gains his victories during the day of his power. David says, "Rule (Messiah) in the midst of thine enemies, by thy free people in the day of thy power." The English and Scotch read this passage in the Bibles printed by Jacob Backer, by the authority of the King, early in the 17th century, as I have it now lying before me in one of those Bibles of 1615 - "Be thou ruler in the midst of thine enemies; thy people shall come willingly at the time of assembling thine army in holy beauty; the youth (soldiers) of thy womb shall be as the morning dew." This meaning is sustained by the Syriac, Ethiopic, Septuagint, and Coverdale and Tyndal's English version, and the oldest Anglo-Saxon. The whole connexion, even in the common version, gives it this meaning.
Another illustration used as an argument, appears to me equally inconclusive. Mr. Lynd truly affirms that "the clearer certain objects are discovered, the greater will be the disrelish." But, because the stomach nauseates the castor-oil the more clearly it is perceived; follows it logically that the more clearly any one understands all the moral arguments of the gospel, he will be the more indisposed to receive it!
But, again, the question recurs, What shall we call this new power, which is neither moral nor physical, which is superadded to the moral power in the work of conversion. Mr. Lynd calls it supernatural. But what new idea does this communicate? Have we not supernatural physical, and supernatural moral, power! To shew how words may be multiplied without ideas, let us take a supposition also:-
A certain mediator was possessed of both physical and moral power. In prosecuting his mission a question arose about the power employed in a certain case. There were two parties. They both affirmed it was not physical power; but one said, neither was it purely moral, but partly moral and partly mediatorial. A debate ensued, which continued for some years. Finally, the respondent argued that as the agent was a mediator, all the power which he employed was mediatorial power, whether it was moral or physical, and that the sophism lay in confounding the nature of the agent with the nature of the power. So that a word was added without so much as a shade of a new idea.
I doubt not that already Mr. Lynd sees as distinctly as myself, that supernatural, no more than mediatorial, when prefixed to power, reaches at all to the nature of the power. Therefore he gains nothing in argument nor in illustration by the prefix, inasmuch as we may have supernatural physical, as well as supernatural moral, power. To confound the nature of the agent with the nature of the power is, now-a-days, a very common error. A gentleman with whom I once debated this point, who has now passed over Jordan, said it was spiritual power rather than moral power. The same expose of the case which I have now offered silenced his speculations on that subject. We have spiritual moral, and we have spiritual physical, power. Still, if I must have a prefix to moral, I would prefer that of Mr. Jenning's to that of Mr. Lynd's. I would rather prefix to the epithet moral, the word spiritual, than the word supernatural.
I am not, however, so dogmatical, because I do not feel so confident as to contend that spiritual moral power may not greatly transcend human moral power. In looking round amongst mankind, I discover a very great difference in human moral power. One hundred orators for example, whether of the bar, of the forum, or of the pulpit, may argue a single case, all the evidence for which is possessed equally by them all; and yet there are as many degrees of excellence, clearness, force, and persuasion in their respective efforts, as there are speakers. Angelic moral power may be greatly superior to human moral power, and certainly it will be conceded, that divine moral power, as well as divine physical power, does incomparably transcend all human, all angelic moral power. This being admitted, what comes of his affirmation that the power in question "is not mere moral power"? Admit the interposition of the Spirit himself, still the power which he employs may be as moral, or as physical, in its own nature, as the power exercised by the angels or men is moral, or physical, independent of their nature.
There are some good old-fashioned preachers, perhaps Mr. Lynd is of their school, who have been greatly offended at the phrase moral suasion; and because those moral suasion preachers had very little use for Christ crucified in their sermons, or for evangelical holiness, these have carried their aversion to their moral suasion so far as to transfer a portion of it to moral power. I concur with them in the poverty and leanness of the aforesaid moral suasion, but cannot go so far as to say, that the Holy Spirit exerts any other than moral power in converting and sanctifying a sinner.
Motive for mind, and the impulse of weight and motion for matter. We cannot apply motive to stones, nor the impulse of weight and motion to mind. To talk of blowing rocks to pieces by motives, or moral arguments, is full as plausible as to talk of converting souls by physical power - I do not care whether the agent be man, or angel, or the Deity.
There is, however, one point remaining in Mr Lynd's very ingenious and benevolent essay, which is more plausible than those which I have yet noted. This, however, I must reserve for another number. Meanwhile I will only add, that I have a growing affection for a spiritual religion. I feel more and more the need of the sanctification and consolations of the Holy Spirit; I never, indeed, had any affection or partiality for a religion without the Spirit of God. I regard the promise of the Spirit to the church as the most splendid and gracious of all the bequests found in the last will and testament of the Messiah.
Yet, orthodoxy with me is heterodoxy whenever it carries its speculations so far as to make the gospel an instrument sufficiently clear and credible to condemn a man without the preternatural agency of Satan; but not sufficiently clear and credible to save a man without the miraculous or supernatural agency of the Spirit of God. The mere gospel, as some would have it, is the power of God to condemnation, but not the power of God to salvation to any one who believes it upon its own proper evidence!!! I should like to hear my friend Mr. Lynd, for whom I have a very great respect, deliver himself to my readers on this subject. We are a very inquisitive people - we are not infallible - we go for free discussion - we have open meeting-houses, and free presses, for all our Protestant brethren; and, except on holy days and sacred occasions, we will even listen to a Romanist - for the sake of being listened to as long.
A.C.
(TO BE CONCLUDED IN OUR NEXT.)
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"He that will not reason is a bigot; he that cannot reason is a simpleton; and he that dares not reason is a slave." - Lacon.
LETTER FROM ROBERT CAUTIOUS.
To the Editor of the Christian Baptist.
SIR - Your having received with so much candour the few lines I sent you some time since, emboldens me to be so intrusive as to address you again. I have carefully read seven numbers of the "Baptist," and I can assure you that the work, taken as a whole, merits my unfeigned approbation. To say that it has no defects, would be saying more than I dare say of any work of fallible authors. Your remarks, in reply to my few lines of the 6th of November last, were satisfactory upon the item on which I addressed you; so far as this, that you advocate the circulation of the Bible only on principles, or in a manner, different from the present popular plan. Your plan is, no doubt, more accordant to the genius of the Christian religion: however, as Paul rejoiced that Christ was preached, whether in pretence or sincerity, so I rejoice that the Bible is widely diffused by bible societies, whether in pretence or in sincerity. You will not, however, understand me as disagreeing with your plan; for I can assure you I think well of it, and would wish to see the churches of Christ all doing so. I would much rather see the Bible disseminated in this way than the present; as I have no doubt but the apostle would rather have seen Christ preached sincerely, than in pretence. But until I see your plan carried into effect, I will aid the present plan of distributing the Bible.
I have thought much on the missionary plan since I read the first number of your paper, and I have read a good deal on the subject; and your views, as far as I understand them, appear to accord with mine. I sent you, some time since, by a friend. Brown's History of Missions, which I wish you to read, if you have not. I would, were I disposed to expose the missionary mistakes, desire no other documents than what come from the pens of missionary men and their advocates, to shew their folly and the ignorance of Christianity which appear in this popular project. I hope you will kindly receive these few hints from the pen of a friend, whose heart desires the success of truth, and who wishes you all success in opposing Antichrist in the various forms which he assumes. The plainness of these remarks forbids their appearance in your magazine; but I know you will respect the motives which dictated them.
Your sincere friend,
ROBERT CAUTIOUS.
REPLY TO MR. ROBERT CAUTIOUS. -
DEAR SIR - The "plainness of your remarks," as respects myself, should not, in my judgment, preclude their insertion in this work. I thankfully receive them, and in general acquiesce in their correctness. They are, indeed, such as had occurred to my own mind, and your statement of them confirmed me in the truth of them. I thank you for Brown's History. I will read it carefully, as soon as I find leisure. I have but partially read it, and at considerable intervals.
Our objections to the missionary plan originated from the conviction that it is unauthorized in the New Testament; and that, in many instances, it is a system of iniquitous peculation and speculation. I feel perfectly able to maintain both the one and the other of these positions. What charity, what lawless charity would it require to believe that a Reverend Divine, for instance, coming to the city of Pittsburgh some time since, under the character of a missionary, and after "preaching four sermons" of scholastic divinity to a few women and children in the remote corners of the city, called on the treasurer of the missionary fund in that place, and actually drew forty dollars for the four sermons: I say, what lawless charity would it require to consider such a man a servant of Jesus Christ, possessed of the spirit of Paul, or Peter, or any of the true missionaries!! My informant is a very respectable citizen of Pittsburgh. He assured me he had the intelligence from the treasurer's own lips. Ten dollars for a sermon one hour long! preached to the heathen in the city of Pittsburgh by a regularly educated, pious, missionary!! How many widows' mites, - how many hard-earned charities were swallowed in one hour by this gormandizer!! Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Askelon! "But," says an apologist, "it required the good man a week to study it; besides, he gave them prayers into the bargain." A week to study a sermon! for a graduate at college too!! Why his sermon was not worth a cent! There is not a lawyer in Pittsburgh who could not prepare an orthodox sermon in a week, and deliver it handsomely too, for ten dollars. From the prayers and sermons of such missionaries, may the pagans be long preserved!
Not questioning the piety and philanthropy of many of the originators, and present abettors of the missionary plan, we must say, that the present scheme is not authorized by our King. This, I think, we proved some time ago; and no man that we have heard of, has come forward publicly to oppose our views. Indeed, I think we have few men of any information who would come forward openly to defend the plan of saving the world by means of money and science; of converting pagans by funds raised indirectly from spinning wheels, fruit stalls, corn fields, melon patches, potato lots, rags, children's playthings, and religious newspapers, consecrated to missionary purposes; and from funds raised directly by begging from every body, of every creed, and of no creed whatever. By sending out men to preach begging sermons, and to tell the people of A's missionary patch of potatoes producing twice as much per acre, as those destined for himself and children; of B's uncommon crop of missionary wheat, a part of which he covetously alienated from the missionary to himself, and, as a judgment upon him, his cow broke into his barn and ate of it until she killed herself; of E's missionary sheep having each yeaned two lambs apiece, while his own only yeaned him one apiece, and a variety of other miracles wrought in favour of the missionary fund. I say, what man of good common sense and of a reasonable mind would come forward to defend a scheme of converting the world by such means, and by the means of that very "vain philosophy" and "science falsely so called," condemned by the apostles. Hoping often to bear from you.
I remain, your sincere friend,
A. CAMPBELL.
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A LETTER TO DR. COX.
(It is probably known to most of our readers, that in the year 1833, Drs. Cox and Hoby formed the deputation from the Baptists’ board in London, to the united Baptists in America. On their arrival at Richmond, the following letter was addressed to the former gentleman, by one of the Reformers in that city. Through the politeness of a friend in London, it has recently come into our possession; and that our readers may be enabled to judge still more accurately respecting the existing state of things in that country, we hasten to lay it before them. - ED.)
Dear Sir, - Yesterday I called at Mr. Wortham's, for the purpose of seeing you, but was unfortunately disappointed. It is true that our acquaintance while co-residents in Hackney, was a slight one; nevertheless, inasmuch as you number in your flock one of my friends, I was desirous of an interview, that I might learn some particulars concerning him. But, sir, this was not my only purpose. Ulterior views were the object of my solicitude. An interchange of sentiments on the subject of the religion of Jesus Christ, as existing in the British dominions and in these United States, constitute my general design; which might have been narrowed down more particularly to the consideration of its suffering condition in this country. Upon this subject, I have no reason to doubt you would have felt pleasure in conversing; experience, however, will not permit one to say this of many who call themselves "ministers of Jesus Christ." I anticipate your inquiry as to the reason prompting me to tins purpose. It is as follows: Before you landed at New York, I received a letter from England, from which I give you the following extract, premising that the writer was a preacher of open communion Baptist principles. "Before I left England for America, I was informed that the Baptist churches are all liberal in the United States: judge, then, my dismay when I found that the contrary is the fact. This is the exact predicament in which Dr. Cox will find himself amongst his Atlantic brethren. The Doctor took leave of his congregation last Lord's day evening.* The declared object of his visit to America is 'to ascertain whether there is that REVIVAL OF RELIGION in America which has been represented; or whether it has been exaggerated or unduly depreciated: and our voyage,' said the Doctor, (as reported to me,) 'will be repaid, if we can but bring a burning coal from off the American altar to enliven the altars of Great Britain.' Most devoutly do I pray," adds the writer, "that the religious intercourse between the two countries, may prove a mutual and lasting benefit on both sides of the Atlantic; and far be it from me to impugn the discretionary measures of great public bodies; but I cannot but be struck with the melancholy exhibition here given of the internal operations of sectarianism. Within only four months, the congregational deputies have returned from the States to this metropolis. Their report is, I presume, by this time before the public; and yet Dr. Cox professes himself ignorant of the state of revivals in America! If so, how wide must be the line of demarcation between the Congregational and Baptist denominations? If otherwise, how little dependance is placed on the accuracy of previous observations. The truth is, that sectarian enterprises are sometimes, projects of party aggrandizement; not always, as the names of Vanderkemp, Carey, and Morrison attest. It was - who heard Dr. Cox, His text was 'in the midst of the seven candlesticks was one like unto the Son of Man.' He applied it to all the existing, denominational churches as one in Christ. He said that he was going to
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* This extract must have been written by one who had returned to England. - ED.
Virginia; that there was to be a meeting there of deputies from 4000 Baptist churches; that he hoped to be instrumental in accelerating the progress of emancipation from slavery. I saw a piece of poetry in the Evangelical Magazine to-day, on the return of the former deputation, which represents them as hailed by the hearts of thousands! The puffing strain of periodicals is really childish."
Thus, sir, I have laid before you, without curtailment, information which anticipated your arrival a few days. I do not design to expatiate upon the subject briefly touched upon, but the rather to confine my attention to a few particulars. The most important item relates to the so called "revivals of religion." And here permit me to say, that if the embers of the "British altars" are dying, the ashes on the American are in a state of wildfire combustion. Having been educated in the principles of the politico religious sectarianism of England, I can well appreciate your anxiety to translate some burning coals from some furnace to enliven the altars of Britain; but assuredly, if England be sunk in formality, and now struggling in articulo mortis religiosae - the article of religious death - America is fermenting in the carbonaceous fumes of mad fanaticism. The cause, sir, is obvious in both instances. It is this - the minds of the people are diverted from the testimony which God has given of his Son, and fixed upon the romantic projects of the age. The ignorance in both countries of the contents of the sacred writings, but especially in this, among "the orthodox," as they are termed, is lamentable; the consequence is, that the multitude has fallen a prey to fanaticism and infidelity. When I first landed in America, and attended their camp meetings and revivals, I thought I had landed on a new world indeed, whose inhabitants professed a religion entirely different from any thing with which I was acquainted. At some of their nocturnal orgies in the woods, I could only figure to myself Bedlam broke loose; so frantic were the cries and agonizings of the poor deluded creatures. And mark, sir, for every effect there must be an adequate cause, but, on these occasions, there was none: - The "sermons" preached were of the most childish and pettifogging description - jejune in the extreme. No testimony from the word of God submitted; but in lieu thereof the merest old wives' fables. I refer you to an "elder" James Fife, now in this city, I believe, for a specimen of this preaching. He will while away an hour in reciting the most lugubrious death-bed tales his imagination can conjure up; and this he calls preaching the gospel. The tone of his voice, his infernal phraseology,* his sobbing enunciation, touch, harrow up, and excite the feelings of the unthinking girls, who begin to manifest an ebullition of feeling corresponding to his cadenzes. The poor blacks, too, begin to sob and wave to and fro, like the billows of the ocean - till at length a hubbub bursts forth, to the tune of "I am passing over Jordan, will you come along with me," which, when well sung, is certainly very exciting. All this is called "preaching with the Spirit." This is the crisis. A form is cleared for "penitents," who are urged to come forward and kneel down, that "God's ministers may bear them up in their arms to a throne of grace!" From fifteen to twenty or thirty may be seen kneeling, sobbing, and agonizing. This form is called the "anxious bench." I have seen in the west, a "penfold" crowded with men and women promiscuously collected together, "praying," beating their breasts, shouting and jumping, till at length they have sunk down exhausted, and some fall into convulsions. When they are all
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* Damnation, hell fire, brimstone, eternal torments, devils in hell, &c. &c. are all familiar expressions with this preacher.
tranquilized, which they soon can be by the word of the preacher, some of them profess to have "got religion" and to have been converted. - Now, sir, let me ask you, were such frantic ravings the consequence of preaching the gospel in the days of the apostles? Did not the Gentiles, on the contrary, rejoice and glorify the word of the Lord? Did the apostles, as the preachers do now, entertain the audience with speculations founded upon the abstractions of an antiquated divinity - to be found only in the musty folios of divines? Or did they not rather demonstrate from the Scriptures that the Messiah was necessarily to be a sufferer; that he should rise from the dead, and that the Jesus whom they proclaimed was that very personage? I say, did they not make these items the basis of their proclamation, which they sustained by signs and wonders, and divers miracles, which Paul calls the "demonstration of the spirit and power?" Did they not announce, in every place, that by Him all might obtain remission of sins, if they would believe and be baptized? You, sir, I am persuaded, will not attempt to deny this. But what is the practice here? Why, we are imposed upon by such absurdities as you, sir, as well as myself, heard from the lips of a Mr. Baptist, on Saturday night; who seemed more anxious to honour himself and his fraternity, by claiming the honours of a call from God equal to that of Aaron! than to expound to us the Scriptures for the obedience of faith. The preachers here call upon us to believe the gospel, without telling us what the gospel is; - to come to Christ, without telling us how to come! Now, they tell us we must believe; then, that we cannot believe, and that, if we do not, we shall be damned. With one voice they say "faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God," and with the next, that we cannot believe unless the same power operates upon us as mightily as it did when it raised Christ from the dead! In one sense, indeed, the people cannot believe, because their preachers give them no testimony to believe; now, where there is no testimony there can be no faith. This, sir, is the secret of what the orthodox call "man's inability to believe."
You will, doubtless, be told of the wonderful prosperity of the Baptist denomination in this country. They may appeal to numbers. But who that believes our Saviour's words, that "many are called but few chosen," (because they do not obey,) will believe a sect to be prospering because it increases? Do not the Romanists increase, and is their increase a sign of their spiritual health? No, sir: the Baptists are increasing in wealth and numbers, but they are yearly decreasing in INTELLIGENCE. And this intelligence, sir, as soon as it manifests itself is proscribed. There are certain individuals in this country, whose writings the preachers dare not permit their flocks to read. Nay, there sojourns at this time in this city, a man named Mason, who says that if one of his church were to read A. Campbell's writings, he would excommunicate him! This remark, sir, introduces to your notice a class of persons numbering, from Canada to Mississippi, about 150,000, the major part of whom were once Baptists, who protest against all denominations of Antichrist, but especially against the Baptist denomination, for its apostacy from the principles of the New Testament. They are honoured with the cordial hatred of all who prefer the traditions of men to those of the apostles and of the Saviour. Their names are cast out as evil, and themselves charged with the most odious tenets. These persons are said to deny the Holy Spirit, because they deny the current nostrums of the sects - that is, their theory of its operation. These disciples are not confined to America; there are a many in Wales, England, Scotland, and Ireland. For your information, I will give you an outline of their faith and practice; and as I am myself an humble individual of their body, I presume, you will consider me more competent to inform you of our principles, than our opponents.
Well, then, sir, we discard all human creeds, and all mere human authority in matters of the Christian religion. The New Testament is our rule of faith, worship, government, and life. We interpret it according to its most obvious sense; and receive it as a plain and intelligible communication from God to all who can see and hear. The sum and substance of our faith is this: "He that believes and is baptized shall be saved" from his past sins, and that eternal life will be conferred on all "who by perseverance in well doing seek glory, honour, and immortality," for without holiness, no man can see the Lord. Have you any objection to this? Do you inquire what we believe in particular? I answer, whatever the Holy Spirit has caused to be recorded in the Book. Produce, therefore, any question in scripture language, and in connexion with the design of the writer, and we give it a full, ready, and implicit credence. We renounce all the abstract speculations of the schools, we receive all in the concrete. Hence, we have two means of knowing the mind of God, namely, by precept and by example. We desire, therefore, to do whatsoever God commands us, and to follow the examples set before us in the New Testament. Our definition of a good Christian is this: He that believes whatsoever God tells him in his word, and does whatsoever he commands him. As to baptism - we believe you may immerse a man a thousand times, but that with all your dipping you cannot baptize him unless he is a believer at the time of his immersion - he must appreciate the value of the blood of Christ, as purifying from all sin, as an indispensible pre-requisite to a valid baptism. We believe that it is the Holy Spirit, convincing the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. If you inquire how? We say by the written testimony he has caused to be handed down to us; and if men will not give heed to this, they commit the sin against the Holy Spirit, for which there is no remission or means of forgiveness, because no more testimony than what is recorded will be vouchsafed to convince men of the way of salvation till Christ shall come again. They must receive what is already given, or none. As to our public worship, we believe no worship is divine, unless it can be found by precept or example in the New Testament. We find there that the disciples met together on the first day of the week to break bread, or the loaf; we, therefore, do the same. We contribute every week as God has prospered us, to the funds of the body; because the Christians in the apostolic age did so. We have a plurality of elders, overseers, or bishops, generally men of plain unsophisticated habits, who minister to their own necessities as Paul did. In our church in this city, one is a brick-maker, another a carpenter, a third, a seller of dry goods, a fourth, a fruiterer, and a fifth, a healer of diseases. We esteem a brother for his zeal for the truth, and not for his station in life. Where the churches among us can afford it, they sustain evangelists to expound the scriptures to the people of the surrounding country for the obedience of faith. They receive wages that they may labour, but do not labour that they may receive wages. All the members of the body of Christ being born into the kingdom free and equal, being all "living stones," "a holy priesthood," "an elect race," "a holy nation," "a purchased people," appointed to offer up "spiritual sacrifices" in his "spiritual temple" "most acceptable to God through Jesus Christ," and also being all in common called from darkness into his marvellous light "to declare his perfections, these being our privileges, I say, according to Peter - we have no need of any clergy or priests manufactured in schools and colleges, - for this plain reason there is nothing for them to do. We leave them to the world from which they derive their renown. "There is one body, one spirit, one hope of our calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father over all, and with all, and in us all." This we believe. The one body has many members, but these members are individual believers, and not "existing denominational churches." If these churches are the members, doctor, where were they 300 years ago? Seeing they did not exist then, was the church of Christ a body without members? Or, to elude the difficulty, shall we say, that the church of Rome was the body, and the different denominations of monks and friars the members!?
We do not interest ourselves in the "benevolent institutions of the day," as the popular schemes are termed by their supporters. The testimony of the prophets shews us the world will not be converted to Christ by such means. We hear much of Missionary and Education Societies. We go a much simpler way to work in these matters, with less noise and ostentation. We leave the state institutions to educate the people, and we do our best to persuade them to obey the gospel - knowing well, that if we succeed, they will devote their learning, energies, and talent to the service of Him whom they have confessed.
As for missions, seeing there are so many heathens at our very doors, we prefer to imitate the apostles, and begin at home first. But, sir, we dissent from missionary schemes in the aggregate, knowing that they tend to propagate sectarianism and not the religion of Jesus Christ. For, if they preach not the gospel at home, as we believe the clergy do not, with a solitary exception or so, we are unwilling to give the least assistance to propagate such a state of things among the heathen. Doctor, before the "denominational churches" will succeed in converting the world to Christ, they must be themselves converted. They must agree in one. But, to whom did Jesus say, "preach the gospel to every creature?" Was it not to his disciples then and there assembled? And did they not fulfil the mandate? Paul says, that in his day the gospel had been preached to every creature under heaven, Col. 1:2,3. The apostles then did execute their commission, and Jesus, according to his promise, was with them until the end of the age. And what wait we for now? The annunciation of that which is called the Everlasting Gospel, and which immediately precedes the fall of Babylon. - Rev. 14. The apostles preached the gospel or good news, as a witness to all the nations of the Roman earth; but they have corrupted it, and consequently rejected it. And now the day of reckoning is at hand. Mr. Sutton stated, the missionaries were seven years before they made a convert. Had he been engaged all that time among his neighbours, he might have made 70 times 7; but in this there would have been no romance. Query - If the apostles, with thousands of fellow labourers, aided by miraculous powers, did not in 70 years succeed in converting the world, how do you suppose, with less means and greater difficulties, the moderns can effect it? If the gospel, supposing what is preached is such, be almost powerless among an intelligent people, who can reason upon testimony and discriminate truth; how can it be expected, unaided by miracles, to convince the brutalized minds of untutored savages, who know not how to appreciate testimony; while 10 converts are gained in India, 500 are lost in Christendom; for, as a step is gained there, infidelity advances here with the rapidity of the whirlwind. We say that the money of the people is profligately expended. To the English we would say, direct your converting energy to the 6,000,000 of Irish Catholics, and to the 30,000,000 of Atheistical French; and to the Americans, gospelize the hundreds of thousands of infidels in your own towns and villages. - When they shall have done this, the two people may send their missionaries to India with some consistency. But this never will be effected under the present system. The people must learn to worship God for themselves, their preachers must learn the gospel, and be started from their "sacred desks" into the highways and hedges, and show more of the self-denying spirit of their Master, than of a luxurious worldly ease. We rejoice at the circulation of the Bible, which has been so immensely multiplied by the aliens from the commonwealth of Israel. Even the wicked and disobedient, God makes subservient to his will; as in the case before us. But, sir, we take no part in the society's operations. Being poor in this world, though rich in faith, we economize our means, and choose rather while will-worshippers distribute its material constituents, to go about among our neighbours and fellow mortals to make known its contents for the obedience of faith. But, sir, we dissent further from the Baptist denomination because of the unholiness of its members. There are honourable, right honourable exceptions among them; but generally speaking, and especially in the West, even of Virginia "the Baptists are proverbially loose in their morals," as their own prophets affirm. My professional experience justifies this statement in relation to the blacks, even in this city. Fornication is a common vice among them, and hundreds of citizens can testify, that when their negroes become Baptists they make worse servants than before. From observation, I can say, that for ignorance of the scriptures, worldly-mindedness, and political ardour, the whites of the flock are not to be surpassed.
We are neither Calvinists, Arminians, Trinitarians, Antonomians, Sandemanians, nor Unitarians, as our uncandid opponents, who do not understand our views, affirm. We have learned the important lesson - nullius jurare in verba magistri - to affirm in the words of no master but Christ. Hence, we speak of Bible things in Bible terms, which to the moderns sound like a new language. We worship the Father through the Son, by the Holy Spirit's directions - written, and therefore not to be mistaken, directions. We believe that Jesus Christ is "the effulgence of the glory of God, the exact representative of his character" - the Divine Logos by whom the worlds were made - that he is the fullness of the Godhead bodily - God manifest in the flesh - Jehovah the Saviour, as his name implies - the mighty God, the Father of the Everlasting Age, the Prince of Peace - the only-begotten Son of God, full of grace and truth. Do you wish us, after this confession, to dive into the labyrinthal absurdities of homoiousion and homoousion - of Trinitarianism, Arianism, Sabellianism? Did these isms ever improve the hearts or reform the lives of their votaries? Nay, have they not drawn the sword and shed the blood of thousands? If by their fruits we are to know the truth of dogmas, then from such traditions may the good Lord for ever deliver us!
But, sir, you may inquire what prompts me to make these communications to you? I would also ask a question, What prompts you to warn a man of the error of his way, when you see him rushing headlong to destruction? I do not wish to enlist you as a partisan, which would only place you in an unfavourable position at this time, I do not ask you to pronounce judgment. You come here as an observer, and I trust for the honour of truth, as an impartial one. You cannot have been a week in Richmond without hearing the most outrageous fables and traditions concerning us; for these are the weapons by which our anti-reforming friends of all sects oppose us. Doctor, there is a peculiarity in this age, which distinguishes it from every other since the days of the apostles; it is this - in every part of the civilized world there is a demand, on the part of the people, for a radical reform of all the abuses in Church and State; it is as much the cry here as in England. Hence, the world is divided into reformers and anti-reformers. We take our stand among the former class. Those who live by the perpetuation of abuses, and derive a party benefit, oppose it; but truth and reformation will assuredly triumph.
You know, Doctor, that in order to arrive at truth, we must examine both sides of a question. Another motive, therefore, impelling me to make this communication is, that when you shall return to England, even if you disapprobate our faith and order, you may yet have a document (from the pen of one of us) who is well known to the brethren from Canada to Georgia; and from peculiar circumstances, well acquainted with the existing state of things: - by which document, you will, in your report, be able to state from knowledge and not from slanderous and many-tongued rumour - the nature of an opposition to American fanaticism, become formidable both in numbers and knowledge of the Scriptures. Our writers and speakers have encountered infidels, Baptists, and Baby-sprinklers, and put them to the rout, as with a sling and stone, in the face of assembled multitudes: and we are yet ready to enter the lists with any respectable sectarist who feels disposed to give us battle. We are not like the orthodox, who take refuge in pulpits, where the strong arm of the law protects them, in the practice of abuse, misrepresentations, and unproved assertion, without fear of reply. Let the preachers in this city for the next twelve months invite their hearers to state objections, and defend them from time to time, and I, for one, pledge myself with the New Testament in hand (the sword of the Spirit) to make the tour of their churches, and before that period shall have elapsed, massacre their traditions, and to shake their craft to its foundation. But, if we were to call upon the gentlemen for testimony, as the Epicureans and Stoics did upon Paul, we should soon he locked up in limbo, and fined some twenty or thirty dollars. So fearfully averse are the clergy of this country to free inquiry before the people.*
I should have made another effort at a personal, interview, but for uncontrollable circumstances. This letter is dated when I departed for the vicinity of North Carolina. I left it with a brother, who will deliver it. The occasion of my journey will be found in the falling to pieces of the Baptist denomination in Lunenburgh, Mecklenburgh, Nottoway, Prince Edward, and Amelia. Several churches in these counties have renounced the traditions of men, and desire to constitute themselves on the basis of the New Testament. I go to afford them my humble but determined assistance. Hannibal swore eternal enmity to the Romans; but I, better disposed to my fellow men, vow no hatred to their persons, although I have declared a mortal, uncompromising strife, against their traditions, and tottering institutions. I shall be absent about fifteen days, when I fear you will have taken your departure. I do not write this letter confidentially. We are a straight forward, and above-board sort of people; we court the light, because we know we have the truth. We have no secrets - "He who obeys the truth, comes to the light, that it may be manifest, that his actions are agreeable to God." So says Jesus, and so we believe.
In conclusion, I would observe, that American Baptism is little better than immersed Presbyterianism. Indeed, they recognize one another as brethren in Christ though they are inconsistent enough to deny one another the rights of fellowship. They pretend to believe they will all go to heaven - the same heaven - and yet they cannot sit together at the same table. We believe that open communionism is a species of religious scepticism; but I refer now to their acknowledged traditions. The faith alone and do-nothing-system is the order of the day among the sects of this country. But see the analogy between them on their organization. The Presbyterians have their sessions and the Baptists their special church meetings - the former have their Presbyteries, the latter their
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* This clerical dominion is the great obstacle of the spread of truth also in England. - ED.
associations - the former their Synods, the latter their General Associations - and the Presbyterians their General Assemblies, the Baptists their Triennial Conventions! Introduce open communion, and what prevents their coalition? Nothing but the spirit of party. These assemblies are all unknown to the New Testament, consequently, they are all the usurpers of the rights and privileges of the congregation of Jesus, which is the pillar and the support of the truth. When I go into their synagogues, I feel more in the midst of a sanhedrin of Scribes, Pharisees, and Elders, than any where else. Instead of seeing an assembly of brethren quietly and unostentatiously settling their affairs, I observe a collection of well dressed gentlemen from all parts of the world, and I hear them uttering the most childish, unconnected and contradictory small talk, to the perfect bewilderment of all common sense and rational people. Already you cannot help observing how little the preachers of this country use the Scriptures when attempting to instruct the people. The Bible is nothing more than a mere text book in their hands.
On Tuesday night, with the exception of Mr. Sutton's concluding remarks, you must have been penetrated with the utter imbecility and inappropriateness of the addresses of the orators, who may truly be called much-ado-about-nothing speakers. The opening prayer, too! Did you ever hear such a fashionable, nay, theatric concatenation of verbiage? Can you think. Doctor, that all can be right as now existing? I am persuaded you cannot. Dead and formal as the Baptist religion is in England, there is this redeeming property in the sect, they are more moral and more intelligent in the Scriptures, which gives a decided superiority over their brethren here.*
Finally, accept this communication in the spirit, and with all the good will and good feeling with which it is accompanied. And though you may possibly dissent from many things herein contained, and perhaps be disposed to pronounce me a heretic, nevertheless, let us agree to differ. - What men call heresy, in these degenerate days, is far more honourable to the individual, than all the applause of "orthodoxy." I would rather lose my head in the cause of the alleged heresy we profess, than to be placed on the tottering throne of England at the demise of her king.
"Multitudes are no mark that you will right be found;
A few were saved in the Ark, for many millions drowned.
Obey the gospel call, and enter while you may:
Christ's flock have long been small, yet none are safe but they!"
I subscribe myself, yours faithfully,
JOHN THOMAS
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For the Christian Messenger and Reformer.
SUCCESS OF THE GOSPEL IN THE UNITED STATES.
Alberts, October 28,1837.
Beloved brother Wallis, - Yours of the 31st of August, duly reached me a few days ago, together with No. 7 of the Messenger." I have hastily glanced over the contents of your whole packet, and find much cause of rejoicing. May the Lord prosper the good cause among you a thousand fold!
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* If any of our readers are desirous of knowing the views and sentiments of the Reformed Church in Nottingham, they are referred to page 378, to the end of 382, for a brief epitome. - ED.
You will perceive by the October and November numbers of the "Detector," from the "Harbinger," and as many of our periodicals as cross the Atlantic, that the past year, with us, has been one long to be remembered for the conquests of truth here. The progress of reform during the last spring, summer, and autumn, has been rapid in a ratio almost unprecedented. Almost whole neighbourhoods and villages have been revolutionized. Many such instances might be adduced. I have not space to lay before you even short extracts from the various letters received at this office embodying this pleasing intelligence. Letters from the South, East, and West especially, advise me of the onward march of truth; the tottering career of priestcraft; and the mouldering and moth-eaten aspect of those miserable institutions of men, which have caused so much iniquity to abound amongst those who profess to be the followers of the Lamb. Whole congregations, in some places, have sprung up in less time than a week, and continue steadfastly in the original Book of Discipline, "the Apostles' Doctrine." - Blessed Messiah! in thy chariot of truth ride onward! "Send out thy light and thy truth." - Conquer, thou Prince of the kings of the earth, till myriads of myriads of our species shall joyfully own thy reign!
The recent ingatherings among us, in these States, embrace individuals of every rank and condition in life. Old and young, rich and poor, male and female, have found the common level; - have consented to be equals in a kingdom where all are priests. They now rejoice together, and learn that, to be great, is to be good; to be wise, is to fear the Lord and keep his commandments. Thus the world is being converted. But this is not all. Every sect and party have lost more or less of their members during the last year; and some of their leaders forgetting to reason as Clergymen, feel as men. But you must not suppose that bread-and-butter has lost all its religious power in these United States; far from it. The living of every Circuit Rider is completely involved in his obligation to maintain his sectarianism: so that the moment he ceases to preach the traditions of the fathers, he, with his wife and little ones, is immediately sent adrift to live as he can. Many have been excommunicated for believing and obeying the truth! It is emphatically the case with the Clergy here of all sects, THEY MAINTAIN THE SYSTEMS WHICH MAINTAIN THEM. "Quem creant adorant." But enough of this.
In searching for the causes which have led to the success of the gospel among us, I have come to the conclusion that they are to be found mostly in that system of benevolent co-operation of churches which our brethren have entered. upon for the dissemination of evangelical knowledge. It being an established principle, that the church is set for the conversion of the world, as one of its greatest designs, it is found necessary in order to compass this aim, to have as many well-disciplined minds and tongues in the field as can be sustained in it. These labourers, many of them, approved for their godliness, piety, knowledge, eloquence, and devotion to the cause of truth, traverse the country in all directions; form preaching stations at convenient distances; and return to them at intervals. They hold meetings for the purpose of edifying the body by teaching, and for pressing sinners into it "for the remission of sins." They find this their authority in that of the Apostles, and, like them, "convert the nations, baptizing them." Some among us give themselves wholly to the work: and we are happy to know that many of them are workmen that need not to be ashamed, and rightly divide the word of truth.
Many of our congregations have entered heartily into this work; and by imposing upon themselves, as the Lord requires, a small tax in money for the use of those who are in the field, they now see the immense value of their contribution, or fellowship. Did Christians more carefully study the relations of causes and effects, relative to this one thing called the fellowship, in the kingdom of which, they are citizens, there would scarcely he found one unwilling to contribute something for so benevolent an enterprize. The whole secret is, - The doctrine of salvation has been committed to men, but they must spread it among themselves. And a fellowship, or contribution, levied for this purpose, having Apostolical precedent, will be found of incalculable utility. We do not complain because men give money to promote the spread of the gospel; but because immense sums are annually given to promote sectarian purposes under the name of supporting the gospel. The simple are thus deceived. But I must conclude.
Yours, in the hope of Israel,
A. CRIHFIELD.
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ON SCHISM.
The following Advertisement appeared in the London Morning Herald, some time early in the spring of 1837.
("The Scriptures having much insisted on the Unity of the Church of CHRIST, and as strongly condemned the Sin of Schism," Sir CULLING EARDLEY SMITH wishes to offer a Prize of £100 for the BEST ESSAY on this Subject. The Essayist should write in a Christian spirit. He should derive his views of the nature of the Sin exclusively from the Scriptures. He should be eminently candid and impartial in specifying the instances in which either churches or individuals are guilty of it. While leading his readers to perceive a schismatical spirit, where it exists, in creeds, formularies, or laws, he should also compel them to detect and condemn it in themselves. He should expose the various disguises which it assumes. He should exhibit its exceeding sinfulness. He should develope the mischievous consequences to which it leads. And, lastly, he should suggest the means by which we should endeavour to expel it from our hearts, from our societies, and from the whole Church of Christ. The arbitrators are the Hon. and Rev. Baptist Noel, and the Rev. James Sherman. Each Essay should be sent to Captain Peevor, Church Street, Chelsea, on or before the first day of October, 1837; and they hope to make their decision on the first day of February, 1838.)
Respecting the aforegoing advertisement, the Editor .of the "Apostolic Advocate" expresses himself thus:
"WHEN we first cursorily perused this little document, we imagined nothing would be more easy than to carry off the prize. But upon more maturely considering the matter, we have concluded, that no task would be more difficult than for us to gain the one hundred pounds of Sir Culling Eardley Smith. We agree with him, that the Scriptures have much insisted on the Unity of the CHURCH OF CHRIST, and have as strongly condemned the sin of schism in that holy and heavenly community. Now, although there is no question in dispute between us as to the matter, yet, we suspect, that our agreement as to what the Church of Christ is, will be very remote indeed. Sir Cullen and the arbitrators he has appointed, to wit, "The Honourable and Reverend" Baptist Noel, and "the Reverend" James Sherman; are members of the National Church of England and Ireland. Before, then, we could hope to be understood on the subject of Schism, we should be under the necessity of defining the institution called the Church or Body of Christ. Now, we are persuaded, that this definition, would be fatal to all our hopes of gaining the prize; for we should be most assuredly compelled to unchurch Sir Culling himself, with his Honourable and Reverend Arbitrators. It will be obvious then, that our chance of one hundred pieces of lucre would be very slender indeed; unless we could convince these gentlemen of the truth as it is in Jesus. Could this be effected, we doubt not but the piece of mammon would be ours; for Sir Culling Eardley and his Honourable and Reverend friends once convinced, and brought to the obedience of the truth, would see at once, that they themselves, and the National Religion of England likewise, were deeply imbued with the sin. From the premises before our mind, we are compelled to say, that they cannot as yet discern the Body of Christ; they have been born of the flesh into the Church of England, and can therefore discern the reign of VICTORIA, as head of the ecclesiastical kingdom of England and Ireland; but not having been born of water and the Spirit, they cannot discern the reign of God or kingdom of Heaven; therefore, we say, it would all be labour lost to contend for the prize under the adjudication of such arbitrators, until they were born from above. Our first concern then in this matter will be to teach the worthy knight, and his "Reverend" friends, a few things by way of opening the eyes of their understandings to their own schismatical state in particular, as well as to the sin of Schism in general; so that they may be the better able to award the prize in faithfulness and all scriptural consistency.
In acquitting ourselves of this obligation, we shall endeavour to recollect the requirements of Sir Culling, that what is written be written in a Christian spirit; though we fear, however scripturally Christian our spirit may be, it will be adjudged by the arbitration unchristian on account of our drawing such a line as may possibly leave them out of the Church of Christ entirely. But we are required to "derive our views of the nature of this sin exclusively from the Scriptures;" in following these, therefore, we trust Sir Culling and the Honourable and Reverend Arbitration will acknowledge our spirit to be a Christian one, so far at least, as we shall "lead them to perceive a schismatical spirit, and to detect and condemn it in themselves" by the testimony of Sacred Scripture. We shall "endeavour to expose the various diguises which it assumes; and shall not fail of faithfully exposing that particular disguise which it assumes in the National Religion of Messrs. Smith, Noel, Sherman, and Peevor." We shall "exhibit its exceeding sinfulness;" and "the mischievous consequences to which it has lead," in its operation upon the unfortunate and miserably oppressed people of England, Ireland, and other countries of the earth; and shall certainly endeavour to show the worthy gentlemen how it may be expelled from their own hearts and societies.
Their advertisement however takes a wide range, comprehending premises of great importance and interest. We prepare to consider the sin of Schism in the epistolary form. It will occupy two or more letters,* which we shall address to Sir Culling, the Honourable Baptist Noel, and James Sherman, his "reverend" coadjutor and brother in "Holy Orders." That truth may be elicited by the notice, and fairly and honourably vindicated by our answer to the call, is the sole object and desire of the
EDITOR.
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* Letters No. 1, 2, and 3 are already in the possession of the Editors of this Work, the first of which will be introduced into our next. - ED.
DIALOGUE ON SECTARIANISM, BETWEEN DISCIPLUS AND A SECTARIAN DOCTOR.
(BY JAMES HENSHALL,* BALTIMORE.)
Doctor. I am happy in meeting with you this morning, and feel anxious to speak to you on the subject of religion. I have been informed that Mr. N- the heretic, baptized you the other day. Is it so?
Disciplus. Yes, sir, I have been immersed in the name of Jesus for the remission of my sins. I am pleased to see you so much interested in my welfare as to wish to correct my errors. I shall listen, sir, with all attention to any objections you make, either to my faith or practice.
Dr. Well, this is an age of wonders! Is it possible that you seriously believe you had the remission of sins for a ducking in the water? Why, if I thought that a dipping would be sufficient to wash away my sins, I would dip every day of my life.
Dis. Suppose you were to think so, and to dip every day, would it change your character? I did not go to the water because I thought I should thereby receive the remission of my sins. Thought would be a poor foundation to build upon; but I went to the water because Jesus Christ commanded all who believe in him, and repent towards God, to be immersed for the remission of sins.
Dr. Do you think, then, we have not the liberty of thought in religious matters? Indeed, for myself, I would do nothing unless I thought it was right. You must have thought it was right for you to go into the water, or you would not have gone. I think a few drops of water are as effectual as an ocean.
Dis. I would do nothing I did not believe was right: but there is a wide difference between belief and thought. Belief is bound by law to testimony, but thought has no bounds, she has brought forth all those clashing and discordant sounds in the religious world. The Jews thought that they were right when they crucified the Lord of life and glory. Testimony can be relied upon; - thought, never.
Dr. But, sir, do you not perceive what high grounds you are assuming when you say "you believe," and "belief is bound by testimony." You might just as well say you are right and every body else is wrong; for if you have plain testimony for your practice, and I have only thought for mine. I must be labouring under a sad delusion.
Dis. It is your own duty to see to that; and as to assuming high grounds, I am very far from assuming at all; I only rely on the veracity of God's word. If I build upon thought, I would be assuming indeed; perhaps presuming. Does not Peter, the Apostle, command the Jews on the day of Pentecost to "repent and be baptized, every one, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sin?" Truth is truth; if I believe and practice the truth I am right; if I believe and practice error, I am wrong - my thoughts to the contrary notwithstanding.
Dr. Away then with freedom of discussion - with liberty of sentiment - we might as well be Catholics at once. If I am not to act freely and without restraint, I cannot act at all - why, sir, at this rate you sweep away at once, thousands who are in error, but who, we charitably hope, will be blessed because they honestly thought they were doing their duty.
Dis. If you would pay attention to my reasoning, you would find that my thoughts can have no effect upon any human beings, either dead or alive. Thoughts are not realities, they are plantasies; they can neither justify nor condemn anybody. If I thought the whole race of men would be saved, and God should cast many of them into hell, my thoughts would have no influence, and vice versa. It would be
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* Formerly of the county of Cheshire, England.
a curious profession I should make, were I studiously to avoid doing any thing which the people generally did not do, lest I should condemn them, and yet this is the weight of your argument. - Apostolic Advocate.
(TO BE CONTINUED.)
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THE BRIGHTNESS OF HIS COMING.
(Extract of a Letter from John Thomas, to James Wallis.)
September 25, 1837.
Beloved brother Wallis, - In the few remarks I shall offer in this place, and on the present occasion, I shall confine myself to some brief observations on "The Brightness of his coming," concerning which you expressed yourself somewhat anxious.
I agree with you, that the consuming of the Lawless One by the Spirit of the Lord's mouth, means, by his Word. But I would go further, and observe, that, by "His Word," I do not understand by the force of truth alone. In order to have a clear perception of the right meaning, we must consult the history of Christendom for the last 400 years. For it is chiefly during this period, that the Lawless One's dominion has been consuming. It was the putting of the Word of God into the hands of the people that originated the religious wars between the Protestant and the Papal horns of the Bihorned Beast. "If a kingdom be torn by faction, that kingdom cannot subsist," - it must necessarily be consumed. Civil war is a fever preying upon the vitals of a state. Now, the kingdom of Satan, or the Lawless One, manifested in the antichrist, has been torn by factions for jubilees of years together. The kingdom of antichrist has been split into two grand factions, which have aimed at the destruction of each other by fire and sword. The result of which has been, that they have by their wars been consuming the power of their sovereign antichrist, but have not destroyed him. Spain and Portugal are existing illustrations of the consuming of the Lawless One by the Spirit of the Lord's mouth. Concentrate your mind upon the revolutions in the streets of the city, during the last 45 years, and you have another illustration of the consuming which has been going on in the old prophetic world. You may find all these revolutions sketched out by the Holy Spirit in Rev. 16 to the commencement of the 17th verse. "The wise shall understand." The first vial began to pour out in 1793, and the seventh, in my judgment, in 1830; when the events of "the three days" in Paris made every throne in Europe tremble to its foundation; and is now pouring (collaterally with the sixth) into the air. This will give you some idea of where you stand in Europe. The political air of England is feeling the effects of this vial; the political air or constitution of Spain is the embittered subject of it likewise; so are Portugal, France, &c. "The spirit of demons" - spirits unclean as frogs - are working in Tories, Whigs, Conservatives, Radicals, Doctrinaires, Exaltados, Destructives, and so forth - and are doing wonders before Kings and before the World. These conflicting factions are consuming by their intestine broils and divisions "the air" or political constitution of states and empires. They are breaking up the dominion of the Lawless One. They are sapping the foundation of thrones and aristocracies; and will assuredly dissolve the meretricious alliance of Church and State in every nation.
But the consuming of the Lawless One is to be capped by the grand climax of his UTTER DESTRUCTION. - Who shall have the honour, or who of men has the power to perpetrate a consummation like this? - We look over the wide earth and sea, but we look in vain; - "we behold, and there is no man." From whence than shall the mighty come? - If not from earth, where else but from heaven? It is on Jesus, we Gentiles place our hope. It is to him we look as the Destroyer of the Lawless One. At his coming to do this, he will come with "brightness" - "in flaming fire," with thunders and lightnings, and an earthquake, and great hail. This will occur under the seventh, last, and existing vial, and will be coetaneous with the great voice from the throne saying, "IT IS DONE." - Then will the dominion of the Lawless One be subverted, his empire desolated, and his "Seat" of government be dashed down with violence, like a great millstone cast into the sea, never to be found again.
When Jesus comes to do this "every eye shall see him." - He will be as visibly and personally present upon the earth, which is his inheritance, as you are visible and personally present in Nottingham. There is but one true sense of Scripture; what then, but the most obvious, is the sense of these words - This Jesus, O Galileans, who is taken up from you into heaven, shall also come, in the same manner as you have seen him going to heaven. The brightness of his coming is his attendant glory; which is not like the pageant of an earthly potentate; it is the glory, the splendour, the brightness of the Omnipotent displayed in the flashing fires, the pealing thunders, and the pelting storm by which his foes shall be subdued. In that day will be fulfilled the saying of the prophet.
Compare Psalm 18:7-15.
Ez. 38:20,23. The foundations of the mountains rocked, and were shaken;
Rev. 18:8,9,18. A smoke went up from his nostrils;
19:3. And fire from his mouth devoured; Burning coals shot forth from him.
Rev. 18:1. He bowed the heavens and came down;
Zach. 14:4. And darkness was under his feet.
Rev. 19:11. And he rode upon a cherub and did fly; Yea, he came flying upon the wings of the wind. And he made darkness his covering; His pavilion round about him was dark waters and thick clouds of the skies.
Rev. 19:17. At the brightness before him, his thick clouds passed away;
Rev. 11:19; 16:21. Then came hail stones and coals of fire, Jehovah also thundered from heaven,
Rev. 16:17. And the Most High uttered his voice, Amid hail stones and coals of fire. He sent forth his arrows and scattered them;
Ezek. 39; Rev. 19:17-21. Incessant lightnings, and discomfitted them.
Zech. 14:4. Then the channels of the deep were seen And the foundations of the earth were revealed, At the rebuke of Jehovah, At the blast of the breath of thy nostrils!
Many more quotations from the prophetic word might be quoted illustrative of "the Brightness of his Coming;" but this must suffice for the present. That your praiseworthy efforts to acquire "a perfect knowledge of the mind of the Spirit" may be crowned with abundant success, is the unfeigned hope of your's affectionately, for the truth's sake,
JOHN THOMAS.
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After reading the above extract, we cannot be at a loss to know the views of John Thomas respecting the Millennial reign. He does not hesitate to affirm, that Christ will be as personally present here on earth, as we are, from day to day, in our respective places of abode; and that as he has already appeared in the character of the Great Prophet and Priest of his people; so also he is destined to sit literally upon the throne of his father David, and reign for 1000 years, as universal monarch. During which period, all kings shall fall down and worship Him," &c.
To these views we are neither disposed to subscribe nor to deny; but that the Gentiles who have not continued in his goodness, will, in some way be cut off, we have the most positive declaration. (Rom. 11:22.) This is that which most concerns us, for he will come at midnight, - as a thief in the night. (Query - Does not this mean the end of the Gentile dispensation?) "Sudden destruction shall come upon them who know not God, and who OBEY NOT THE GOSPEL." - ED.
THE GODS OF THE NATIONS.
MANY professors, at this day, make a confession with their mouths, so plausible and accordant with the truth of the gospel, - and make such "a fair show in the flesh," that it would not he easy to detect any falsehood at the bottom of their profession, did they not manifest a mind opposed to the scriptural fear of the Lord, and to that reverence for his word and kingly authority, which is inseparably connected. They continue deaf to the plainest institution and reproof of that word, which marks HIM set as KING upon the holy hill of ZION, maintaining a kingdom that "is not of this world," and that admits not in its concerns any interference of human authority or wisdom. They have no ear for that voice, which calls his little flock - in every place - to be followers of the first churches of God, which in Judea were in CHRIST JESUS - to come out of the midst of Babylon and all its Antichristian abominations, and to be separate as a people holy unto the Lord; to receive at his mouth - from his Apostles - all the simple but divine rule of ordinance and dicipline, by which the first "Churches of the Saints" were regulated in their fellowship. They practically disown the authority of that rule, as if it were antiquated - obsolete - and not suited to Christians now. They even oppose all serious attention to it, as legal - as a Galatian error. But the real "comfort of the Holy Spirit" never can be disjoined from the "fear of the Lord," (Acts 9:31) and the reverential trembling at HIS word. True charity, or love, must ever bind disciples to withdraw from the fellowship of those, who persist in this attempt to separate what God hath joined together. 2 Thes. 3:6,14. - Apostolic Advocate.
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WERE a plain unlettered man, but endowed with common sense, and a certain quantum of observation and reflection, to read over attentively the Four Gospels, and the Acts of the Apostles, without note or comment, I hugely doubt whether it would enter into his ears to hear, his eyes to see, or his heart to conceive, the purport of many ideas signified by words ending in ism, which, nevertheless, have cost Christendom rivers of ink, and oceans of blood. - Ibid.
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