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JOSEPH S. RAKER— Editor. VOL. XIF. TERMS PER ANNUM. g©” The Christian Index, published on Friday tu each week, (except two in the year), will be furnished to each subscriber at *2 50 cents, in advance; or S3 if not paid within the year. iCj* Post-Masters, whette the Index is taken, are requested to forward remittances fbr subscribers at their respective offices, according to a decision of the Post-Master General as to their right to do so. All pa trons and .agents are requested to notice this. Every Agent (and all Baptist Ministers are particularly solicited to become agents) who procure and pay for live copies of the ludexijhaH.be entitled to a sixth, as ? com pensation for his trouble. Letters on business, or communications, must be addressed to the Editor, post paid. Advertisements may be inserted on usual terms, at tho discretion of the Editor. For the Cftristian Index. An Essay on the Christian Religion. Section lll. —Temple of Christianity — The “Chief Corner Slone.'’ Jesus Christ is the “Chief Corner Stone’ of the Temple of Christianity. Christians found their faith of His being the promised Messiah—the Saviour of the world —upon the following facts, which are fully and per fectly established: I. His true descent from David; 2. His Doctrines; 3. llis Character and Life ; 4. His Miracles; anil 5, His Resurrection and Ascention. It was promised, that in the seed of Abraham all nations should be blessed. “ This glori ous promiridjjhegan to be verified, when God, by iffißnarvellous interposition, re deemed the house of Israel out of Egypt, and gave them an exhibition of His charac ter, in a code of Laws, which comprised a perfect standard of moral rectitude. But it was more amply verified, when the Son of God appeared in the world, and by his life, doctrines, death and resurrection, ful filled the predictions and. illuminated the shadows of the Mosaic, dispensation, and opened the way for the promulgation of the Gospel througlijhe world.” b Christ, the Son, was co-equal and co-ex istent with Owl, tlwSl^u ll erjywh)id i , Jrtfa **•- established by reason, as well as by the Scriptures, (Gen, 1: 2G, and Col. 1: 15, Ex. 20: 3 and Heb. t: 6. Compare Jet. 10: 10 with Isa. 9: 0. Ex. 15: 13 with Heb. 4: 8.) It was necessary, for the sal vation of the world, that he should be God; because it wOuldJiave been idolatry for his followers to have worshipped him as man ; and it was necessary, also, that, for our sakes, he should assume the form of hu manity ; because, as God, his blood could not have been shed by men, and without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins.” How this union exists is a mat ter that we cannot comprehend, nor, even can we explain the union of soul and body in our own creation. The Character and Excellence of the Religion of Christ will be noticed hereafter: 1 shall here notice in the words of an excellent writer, (Bishop Neweome) the example he has left for the imitation of his followeis : “ His example was of the most perfect piety to God, and of the most extensive benevolence, and the most tender compas sion to men. He does not merely exhibit *alife of strict justice, but of overflowing benignity. Ilis temperance has not the dark shades of austerity ; his meekness does not degenerate into apathy; his humility is signal, amidst a splendor of qualities more than human ; his fortitude is eminent and exemplary in enduring the most formidable external evils and the sharpest actual suf ferings. His patience is invincible; his re signation entire and absolute. Truth and sinceiily shine throughout his whole con duct. Though of heavenly descent, he shows obedience and affection to his earth ly parents ; h approves, loves and attach es himself to amiable qualities in the human race ; he respects authority, religious and civil; and he evidences regard for his coun try, by promoting its most essential good in a painful ministry dedicated to its ser vice, by deploring its calamities, and by laying down his life for its benefit. Every one of his eminent virtues is regulated by consummate prudence ; and he both wins the love of his friends, and extorts the ap probation of his enemies. Never was a character at the same time so commanding and natural, so resplendent and amiable and venerable.” Section IV. —Temple of Christianity — The Builder. The structme of the Christian Temple is reared by the hands of God, who must have been self-existent from all eternity ; bpcause the works of Nature that are mouldering around us must have been created, and therefore must have had a Creator, and the beginner of all things must necessarily have been without'a beginning; the first cause most have been uncaused : and he will con- THE CHRIST ftfr.~ iiiit “ •’ 1 *- *- *•” -* • ‘-Wig&v’Vv n- sf t- ‘V-.W’ iKHaHi intie to he self-existent through all eterni ty ; because the end of all things must ne cessarily be without end. He is Alpha and Omega—the First and the Last—the Be ginning and the End—and must, therefore, be Himself without Beginning or End.— But, He is not only the God of Eternity— He is the God of Mercy and Love, and has permitted and entiealed His creatines to rest themselves and theii hopes upon that which is at once eternal and unchanging.” He takes us from earth that He may lead us to Heaven, that He .may refine our na ture I'riun all its principles corruption, share vntli us His own immortality, admit us to His everlasting habitation, and crown us with His eternity.” (See “Eternity of God,” by Greenwood.) How unlike the gods of l’agans is He ! Christians wor ship the God who made them, while Hea thens worship as gods the idols which they themselves have made. The former is eternal and unchangeable, the latter is sub ject to that change and deeay which over take all the works of man. How thankful ought we to be that the glorious structure which” shelters our hopes of everlasting sal vation from the storms of iniquity is reared by the Eternal Architect of all creation ! The nature of the Divine Being is faU’be yond the comprehension of any of his cre atures, and theiefore is, of course, inexpli cable ; and all similitudes that are used in the attempt to explain it are to be rejected. “ Yet, though we caii not fully understand His nature, there is something of Him we may know, lie hath been pleased to dis cover His perfections, in a measure, by the works of creation,'"and the Scriptures of Truth; these, therefore, we ought to stu dy, in order that we may obtain the most becoming thoughts of Him.” (Rev. Charles Buck. For the Christian Index. Forty Years Ago. There is something humiliating iu view ing the condition of mankind at the present day, particularly to those who it was Forty x'Sars Ago* Many of the improvements made since that day in every department of life, notwithstanding they promise univeisal benefit in the end, have rendered us, so far, truly miserable. There are so many new inodes of gaining riches and of becoming respectable ; of living easy and of enjoying pleasure; that one half of the people of any country are made wretch ed to uphold the other half, and the latter half are still in a worse condition than the former. The way that was then thought most sure and rnpst honorable of gaining a subsistence, is now looked upon with con tempt by a great many who are no better than their ancestors ; and the art of plow ing and hoeing is almost as little known now as novel-reading, dancing and other fashionable vices were then. This change has certainly not added much to the happi ness of mankind. Forty Years Ago, that man was called a Gentleman, who produced the greatest quantity of corn and cotton by his own la bor; who loved to display his well regula ted farm to his neighbors; to lend a help ing hand to every good cause ; to worship God in homespun clothes, and to he con tented with his lot. Now, lie is a Gentle man, who can gain the most with the least trouble, no matter by what means; who looks with disgust upon those to whom he is indebted for every thing; who withholds his purse when called for any act of charity or benevolence, but opens it to sat isfy every whim of his changing mind ; who, if he make any pretentions at all to re ligion, bows before God in the most elegant attire, itself the ptinciple object of his de votions. There is no such thing as a work ing Gentleman at the present day ; all his qualities are derived from his tailor and bar ber; his whole time is devoted to amuse ment, and his whole mind is filled with— nothing. Forty Years Ago, he was respectable who was honest; who attended to his own business and dealt fairly with his neighbors. Now, no man can be respectable who has not wealth; who is not able to outshine most of those around him, and to enter the “ higher classes” of Society. Indeed, so great a matter has this become that a large portion of our people are anxious to be thought richer than they really are; they ‘talk largely ; dress finely ; keep no compa pany with the “lower classcss;” in short, do nothing but make dupes of themselves, and destroy what little reputation they might possess. Their minds are on a con tinual stretch to keep up this play of decep tion ; they are ever on extreme* in one way or other; and always violating some rule in such citcles “made and provided.” Fi nally their means fail them, and they are looked upon with contempt by those upon FOR THE BAPTIST CONVENTION OF ill . ~~ ~ PENFIELD, GA., i whom they have frowned, and their poorer and more humblo acquaintances will have nothing to do with them. “ So goes the world ; if wealthy, you may call This friend, that friend—friends and bro thers all; Though you are worthless, witless, never mind it; You may have been a stable-boy—what then ? ’Tis wealth, good, sir, makes honorable men.” Forty Years ‘Ago, young men ueyer dreamed that a fashionably coat and a line hat were necessary to establish a character; the idea never entered their minds that a glass of wine-and a cigar added to their pleasure or happiness, or diminished their trouble or sorrow ; they had not then learn ed that to be fashionable was to be respecta ble ; that idleness and dissipation were the chief qualities of a Gentleman. They wore their neat homespun coats of Sundays; walked five or six miles to church, and be haved themselves when they were there.— They considered that age brought wisdom, and, therefore, they treated old men with respect; in short, they were wliat our fash ionables of the pteseni day would call very simple and very ignorant, and still they thought themselves very happy. Now, a young man is a fool and cannot be admitted into “select company,” if he has not an el egant coat and a fashionable hat; his hair trimmed in the “ latest style,” and his tongue well formed for slander and non sense. A glass of wine and a cigar are in (lemat)d two or three times a day ; he can not go a mile to church exeept in a carri age, and when there, ho does nothing but display his clothes, his teeth and his lolly ; he considers himself wiser than those who possess tho experience of three score years, and of course treats them as his inferiors. Such a youth, Forty Years Ago, would have been considered very foolish, very disagreeable and very—unworthy of no tice. _ Forty Years Ago/ the rnialLtie’s 1 . jif-.ffia - - ° . -— ; *ff|rmT iff tt l ining Lady were estimated By iTC ml” ber of yards of cloth she spun and wove in the year; by the neatness of her homespun frocks ; by the attention she bestowed upon her domestic concerns, and by the assis tance she rendered her parents. Now, she is estimated only for tho number of yards of satin, lace and ribon she can place in her dress ; by the jewels she can display upon her person ; by the smallness into which she can compress her waist, and by the skill which she displays in painting her cheeks. Her leisure hours are employed iu torturing the pianno or guitar ; in sigh ing over some sentimental love-tale ; in pay ing and receiving visits ; or in devising new schemes for tendering herself attractive.— ShcJook3 with horror upon a loom ora homespun dress, and pities such as are compelled to use the one ot wear the other; she assists her parents only in spending their money, and overwhelms them with misfortunes after it is spent. Is it not humiliating, then, to contemplate the change that has taken place in Forty Years ? Let us return to the manner of liv ing in those days, and we shall be as happy and contented as our forefathers were. S. For the Christian Index. Who art thou, solitary one, that grievest as thou goest along ? and whither art thou bound ? Believer. —l am a miracle of Mercy, and am going to the New Jerusalem where God shall wipe away all tears from my eyes. Evangelist. —That is a happy character and a blessed pilgrimage : but, may I know the cause of thy grief? B.—The causes are many, Prov. xxxiv. 17, as the loss of health, property, charac ter, friends, etc. etc., especially the proud have had me greatly in derision ; the foot of pride has come against me, and I have endured the scourge of the tongue above many. E.—Truly thy cross is heavy, but sup portable, if thou art a man of the Beatitudes; Matt. v. I—l 2. Yet, as thy necessities may be very great, let me give thee a drop of the Water of Life. Hear what thy bles sed Master saith, with a double verily “Ve rily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth oh me hath everlasting life.” John vi. 4-7, and again: “Verily, verily, 1 say unto you, if any man keep my saying, he shall never sec death.” John viii. 61. As lam to ad minister my Lord’s cordials with skill; Prov. xxxi. 6,8, if these two drops do not suffice to stay thy fainlings, take the follow ing, in which [jn Greek] are couched five negatives: “Let your manner of life he with out covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have;'for he saith 1 will nev er leave thee nor forsake thee. So that we A. “IBk *T“ ■>,, , rtllt A \ r ■ B ] H S jr Zi ‘\f a\! I I fWrV fA 1 i _l_ JL 8i 1 1 0 a- > * • . rt*. v. - ‘ HE STATE OF GEORGIA. I iV 39y, the Lord is my keeper, and > f w what man shall do to me.” may boW ifster’s Tnan.] I willnvS ltte i s refreshing, it is the old [Dr. W’Mvylivinc consolation,’ of which Pe- B-—*■©p. 2 Pet. i. 4. II ine Q’W.'j fiese light afflictions which are, ler a'moment, shall work for ihee a far F. ■Exceeding andetmia/ iveight of glo but for* ) t more jß—tt lam a true believer, it is even so. l U‘ H‘a.l things work together for good to love God.” Eor live Word of Christ them T j lief dice richly in all wisdom,void that ‘riiT IT digl>St s,ron S meat, contemplate dwell in tidiness and the seemitv of ihv ban. uweu m Wt),ines3 and the secuiity of thy hap thou canlsij Eph. j. 4. 5, Heb. vi. 17, 18, 19, •li.v hapW.iij. 29—39. py state fully troi hies are but half told. My R°in. viifci trials : e the greatest. Not only B. Al> urn’s cl ldren traduced me, and my inward childen were angry with me, have Sayj t and Satan thrust severely at me mother i jig In fall ml disgrace my deal Loid’s Lam. i. WVit wretilied man that I am I cannot that Iml Jthings Hat I would! And! fear, name, ll V the po ver of this spiritual corrup do the |9atan majj get an advautage over me, througlJ rough I may not utterly fall by the lion, Si the Spiritual Soul, yet am fearful of and tIiKL unworjhy of my high calling. hand |L j ruS [ j,t (| ie L ort | Jchovait, who walkini jhise Satali under thy feet shortly, E ‘—J f thy greajer stability and comfort, will bri wises forlthce as well as himself: and foAjxii, 39, 40, which thus concludes, he pi ofl, will put my fear in their hearts that Jit. 3HM*al| not depart from me.” lould well bear to be considered a they slMiic or an enthusiast, especially, by IF jfttl b world, but to feel continually a hypocrjPto red sinner makes me weary of men ojfcgi vii. 14—25. Immanuel gives thee a glimpse life. R* and the glory that shall be reveal- Jj does he not? of hims® but they are like Angels’ vis ed in tl'JkLand far between.” B - d‘Qii nr) not sufficiently ti g J no u?Cv „... - ’ jHM “'abstain from all appearance of Thes. v. 22. C * 8 what I justly fear. evl ‘ rtlynay be, thou thinkest so much ’ lißfiwho calumniate thee, that thou r tf'lx* 1 l ' or ? oltun ’ D>e words of holy * Fl l {f Be i n £ defamed, wo entreat, being ‘ asl ,S*ve bless ; being persecuted we suf- Paul. Mj ‘ eVlle m C ° nfeßS ’ lam vei Y I * t de like Paul er jn and, either in piety, patience or suf ■ ‘rTfl, still less Him, who said,* “ Fa *e f them, for they know not what Yet, I try to forgive and pray t u.r, ( <> Grace would forgive; Nature (or dost thou infer, in thy own would m l(li3? L> wat though, I have grace, it is ex cas^’ small and thy Christianity very nd meager. cec holy thoughts, words and works waill * Xelievers in a state of justification, J, .'Tove them to be in such*a state ? c°nti'r?|lle holiness of .believers being de or l °' 1 measure, and more or less defiled . ftyme, cannot be accepted unless inieil t | le bi oo j 0 f Jestjs and present 'll Fhey cannot stand for c nor endure the severity of God’s ed m] ~ ■cut V7fuhat is thy hope of Salvation?’ U f'Tfe obedience to death of God tnan- E ‘'l tlu flesh and received by faith. ‘(I-Ihw does Jehovah, Jesus, in the * *t e fC jhu Father, perform the work F‘~jt(-Assion for his people ? quashing every indictment, si °* „'” tH , f er y pl ca > an d answering every ‘T®4 Satan makes against thorn, leueing ;j lal j 8 j cs „ s t f, en t 0 (/ iee y charge I (J j s s a | va |j ou> Luke jj, 30, m y ‘ and righteousness, and sanctilica ‘ 1 redemption, 1 Cor. i. 30. He is wisdom - . . „ ,g to me. ..... ID Hon, am a ppy believer, the Celestial coun ovcr> tb |j e c ore t | lee< thou hast re* F; qs, walk in him, and double thy tr > l' e ® , 3| lal t | lOU m ayest be found by him ceivedj ;f diligenc ‘ ;ewe ]|,g noc ] Evangelist, and may in pcaci mercy is higher than the Hea ,i thee for thy savory words to e “ Ind multitudes like thee, to all the ‘ ens > 3n of Adam. Bradford. me, and ie lost chil r t/ te Christian Index. fi l gissions is advancing in sissippi, where i have t three years, both in the list connection. In seat ess you, and more espe epublie of Christians, I nunicaie my feelings as iromplsmc. Hh to do, do it with all thy might, and by the help of God, I will, and say the work of man’, ret, I thank God, as the spirit put'it info ihediearts of the women to make the Adoriting*cif the Tabernacle, and yet God said to Moses he should make them. So also the spirit bear etli my duty to me, and maketh. it incum bent. I have catechisqd and preached in this country, in the last three years, to thou sands, and feel happy to say, I see tny per secuted Missionary Baptist brethren in the J OVIII VIA 111 UJU Ministry are all up and much-i/do trying ,lo compete will) each other,- ia, ■•rceiufiwJm wiff do the inosnor Goifmi(rs“rm5 ll fiS* inanity; and 1 trust all looking on them selves as the servant spoken ol in 17th ch. of St. Luke, from 7th to loth-verse, and ntany of them devoting their whole lime to the work. 1 have traveled, in these two j Stales, something like six thousand miles, and preached hundreds of sermons, and cat echised thousands o( white and black, chil dren and many adult blacks. It would do you good to iiear them sing, “Give me Je sus, and lam induced to believe, although un welcomed—by many of our antics, that in spite ol ail human efforts the Lord can and will carry his work on and constantly I raise up those who are well qualified to act. I We are not disheartened, although our fil- thers, mothers, brothers and sisters in the flesh, and even appaiently after a form of tho church, as Amies, are cloggs to our wheels, yet we will go on and serve the Lord, lor he says, we shall know of the doctrine whether we ate right or not. The j God of Missions is with us, who, (liinsell. u bile in the flesh, “went about doing good,” j even he who hath said, “I will never leave thee nor forsake thee,” so that we may boldly say still, “The Lord is my helper.” 1 hanks be to God, the seed sown in this j barren land has not perished ; its roots are strong in the earth ; to God we look for the increase, nor is it with our natural organs that we look, our eyes are indeed, “ to the hills from whence cometh our help,” but tliej are cyesol faith. We know him who I ha Ursa ill, .Hjdi.jUiugs.are possible to him that believettt,” and, “ ffitwo oßyoifstlaTr agree 011 earth, as touching any thing that ye shall ask, it shall be done for yotA”— How many have agreed to ask sot tho salva tion of Alabama and Mississippi. The Lord our God shall furnish the men and means, in number, measure, strength, as they shall be necessary. The chinch have asked tor the completion of this work. It was doubtless long since called to Emman uel, “Ask of me and I will give thee, the heathen for thine inheritance, and the utter most parts ol theearih for thine possession.” And again, “ the silver and gold” too are the Lord’s, and “die cattle upon a thousand hills.” Difficulties in the accomplishment of this work we expect. Satan will, doubt less, try to hold on to his old possessions, but ( “ The Lord is a man of War. The Lord is his na,/.e.” The throne of grace is our “Thermopylae”—still hell shall yet tremble and heaven rejoice, and may our eyes be made to sec it tg our prayer. Pray lor us, brother;-I would have continued this, but it is now five minutes of twelve o’clock at night, the hour that all Anti-Missionary drones are at ease with themselves, when they should be on their knees jjor the pros perity of Zion. God have mercy on them and alarm their guilty feats.” * ALONZO KEAN. For the Christian Index. Instructive Statistics. Ihe author ot > the following article is to us. His statements may be iinpi i city relic I on. Let tho friends of Christ and good order read the following, and, like the mother of our Lord, ponder well in thei/hearts what they read. Bro. Buster —Sir, I have been acting as Clerk of a church tn this Slate for a number of years, and while I was trying to appre ciate the privileges of reading the Index, 1 thought every Baptist should boa reader of some religious paper, and concluded I would examine the church book anil ascertain the number of male members and how many had been subscribers to the Index, and of this number how many, if any, had been excommunicated; then to see how many had been excommunicated, and of that num ber how many had been subscribers. And though it may appeaHslrange, I give a list which I believe to be correct, foi l have the church book before mo and the Postmaster has allowed me to examine his post office book ahd see wlro have been subscribers at his office for the Index. On the ChtSrtih book, I find one himdretl and tWenty-foiir male members— twenty three have been subscruiers and not one excommunicated ; nine have been excommunicated and not one has been a subscriber; this goes'back to the year 18_33, .^untisHER—I3ENJ. BRANTLY. Is there any Pa^oTor who does •jotted it to be their duty to impress upon those who-have heed placed, in so great a degree?*im!er their charge, to subscribe for some religious paper, and thus ;have them’ forth fully instructed in reference to their du ties. lam far from believing dial the In dex, of itself, will ever make a Christian, but I do believe it will have the tendency to make even a good Christian a better chris’- ttan, for we are required to judge a tree by its fruit, and when I see a person a reeular -US mm,-amt when 1 see a person a regular, r reader of the Index as well as their bible, I to hope that the end of ® ood ’ -A Parishioner. I Oconee, Ga. I Confessions or Declarations of Faith: The Dufy of Churches to make a public Declaration of their Faith considered and maintained. Section 2- I’he Dutv aroued from the injunctions to seek peace— Having detained the reader lor a time, at the threshold ol our subject, we would now condut.’t him within the vestibule. The subject, into the consideiation of which e are about to enter, is— 'l he'duty of Cliurch es to make a public declaration of their views relative t 0 tho most prominent doc | = ,aught, m,d duties enjoined in the An injunction to lubm ■ to effect an object involves the duty of using the \ means necessary for the accomplishment \of that object. I his assertion is the first ol our premises, Note it, reader, for it is the ground-work upon which, principally, is founded the superstructure before vou. View it in the light of reason, and decide the question, before you proceed further— is it coriect? If you are sceptical upon the subject, we wotdd invite your attention to the parable of the servants who received of I their lord the talents severally entrusted to • heir care, (Matt. xxv. 14—30. and Luk. xtx. 12—27,) accompanied with an injunc tion to improve them— I “Occupy till I come. There was no injunction, you will observe, to go to “trading” with their talents, or to put them out with “the ex changers,” ot “into the bank;” yet, it woidd appear from the sequel, that these ■pJiieui u 111 in.uj n , r cessary to the properly occupying or im proving those talents. Consequently, at the reckoning, the servant who had hid his lord’s money was severely reproved—for what? Not for failing to double his talent; but for neglecting the use of these means —“Thou wicked and slothful servant, &c —Thououghlest therefore to have put mu money to the exchangers ,” Q-e. The ser vant did not presume to reply—Lord thou didst not thus command. He well under stood, whatever may be the views of the reader upon the subject, that an injunction Ito effect an object, amounts to an injunc tion to use the means necessary for the at tainment of that object. Injunctions to seek the peace of Zion, to preserve unity and purity in the church, me of frequent occurrences in the word of God. “Do good, seek peace, and pursue it. (Ps. xxxiv. 14.) Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. (Ps. exxii. 6.) Fol low after the things which make for peace. (Rom. xiv. 19 ) Keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace. (Eph. iv, 3.) lie perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.” (1 (sor. i. 10, &c, <fcc.) If, therefore, it can be I shown, that a declaration of our views, re lative to the doctrines and requisitions of the gospel are necessary, in order to pre serve the peace and maintain tiie purity of the church, and if ottr premises be true, it will follow, inevitably, that it is not only lairful to make such a declaration, but that it is the duty of the church so to do. That such a declaration is necessary to such an end remains to bo shown. I It will be admitted, we presuma, I that individuals who differ iu their views, 11 felutive to the essential doctrines of the 1 gospel, or important duties, cannot dwell I together in peace. The scriptures declare as much—“ Can two walk together except they bo agreed?” .(Amos iii. 3.) The as sumption is, that the thing is impossible, j Abraham admits as much in his proposition I to jj is kinsman Lot, “Let there be no strife, I I pray thee, between me and tljee, and be tween my herdmen and thy herdmen, <fec. I Separate tliysell, I pray thee, from me; if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right, &c.” (Gen. xiii. 8, 9.) It will also be admitted, that no considerable number of individuals can be brought together promiscuously, without a previous interchange of their ideas, who will all hold the same views. Whatever importance therefore is attached to unity of views, in those who are about to be united in the same society, the same must be at tached to a fiee and candid interchange of sentiments betweeu the parties prior to their union. But how is this interchange of sentiments to lake place church and an applicant for admission, if that church has never conferred upon the subject, and made a public declaration of its views? Shall the individual go to the min ister? The minister is not the ‘church— neither is he the keeper of the thoughts or consciences of its members, he ap- J’ly t° tfe to other *dividuals? Fhq itrises. No filjttviduaL nv jPWivi'lmils, has a right loTespo^to* 3n< l ‘he clmri4v