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54
say, as they consider they have & thus saith the
Lord for it* In this practice they realize the truth
of what Jesus says, “ If ye know their things hap
py are ye if you do them.” John xiii. 17. The
prejudices of all opposers invariably give way when
they locate amongst us, and when they see it com
plied with.
May all the subjects of the Kingdom of God be
enabled to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond
ofpeaoe.
J. W. WAEKER.
March 26, 1860.
The foregoing was written in Sept, last, as the
date shows, and I had concluded not to let it go,
but on seeing in the last No. of the Messenger
another communication from Brother West, I have
decided otherwise, and wish to make one remark
to him, as he seems difficultied on the subject of
Feet Washing, viz : that the king of Zion has qual
ified his Apostles to rule in judgment, and hath
appointed them to sit as judges on their thrones
judging the twelve tribes of Israel, and under the
influence of his Spirit they could not err; but w-hat
they said was clothed with the same authority as
though vocally uttered by Jesus himself. And one
of those judges ‘says, John xii, That Jesus washed
his disciples feet and told them that they ought
also to wash one another’s feet. Now what is the
difference whether it be thirty or sixty years after,
so it is while this judge is actiug in his official
character that he makes his declaration ? Or what
though no other of those say the same thing, is it
not as binding as though they all made the same
declaration ? There can be no appeal, it remains
immutable through all time. Then here should and
must be an end. •
J. W. WALK ER.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 51.
All who are thus brought into the Gospel, will find
it their privilege to imitate the example of the prim
itive Christians, who gave themselves to the Lord,
and to one another by die will es God. And. thus,
Paul instead of assuming dbt i.iih :rl:v of a lord
ove? God’s heritage, h ami It ex;>rese*d himself with
his other ministering brethren to the Corinthian
church, in the folio wing language: e preach not
ourselves, but Christ Jesus the lord : and ourselves
your servants for Jesus’ sake.” This was agreeable
to the instructions of oar Lord to James and John, as
before observed: “ Whosoever will be chief among
you, let him be your servant.” It will be the delight
of such as Christ has made free to love and serve one
another as brothers of the same household. Dr. Watts,
in his discipline of a Christian church, has beautiful
ly illustrated this part of the subject, by a compari
son of Englishmen meeting in China, which in sub
stance is thus represented: “ Their language instant
ly announces to each other, that they are country
men, and of course feel an attachment to each other
and court each other’s company. And as they meet
with other countrymen, society will naturally form
itself. It is to be admitted that society thus formed,
will see the propriety of setting apart one of their
number whose business it shall be to acquire a more
thorough acquaintance with the laws of their native
country, and inculcate them on the minds of the rest,
that they may live the more cnoformablo to them
SOUTHERN BAP TI ST MESSENGER.-
It will also follow, that when any member dishon
ors the society by a disregard to its laws,-the other
members will have a right to admonish him, in order
to reclaim him; and it found incorrigible, to exclude
him from their fellowship. But here their authority
must end.. To touch a hair of his head, or a cent’ of
his property,, would be incompatible with Gospel lib
erty. Further, a society thus formed, and sharing
the services of one of its number, will naturally be led
to see the propriety of supporting him who spend'shis
time for the benefit of the w T hole, and conclude that
this expense must be mutually borne according to
their several abilities.”
“ This also points out a second office. That is, for
one to act as steward in the collection and applica
tion of the funds of the society. Should the society
deem it expedient to meet together, to commemorate
some notable day or action of their prince, by eating
bread, drinking wine, or some symbolical perform
ance in memory of their king, the expenses attendant
on the occasion would necessarily devolve upon each
member m proportion to his ability, and the necessa
ry preparation and. distribution upon the steward or
deacon.”
“Again, should any member fly bereaving provi
dences, he rcdeuced to poverty or distress, humanity
would'dictate the propriety of each member contri
buting to the-relief of such suffering member. Should
any member manifest a covetous spirit or direlietion
from his duty in these respects, he would justly come
under the admonitions of the society in general; and
particularly so, of the steward or deacon ; and if such
members should.not hear or regard the admonitions
of the society, he should he further dealt with accord
ing to the law r s of their kingdom.”
It has been already proven that a Gospel church
is invested with full authority to admonish, to ad
ministerand put into execution the law's of Christ's
kingdom. And, as we protest against coercive or in
triguing measures to increase our number as repug
nant to the Gospel, therefore, when persons volunta
rily give themselves as subjects of such agovernraent,
to be dealt with according to its laws, and enjoying
a mutual franchise in its executive authority, there
can he no grounds for complaint of tlie'least infringe
ment upon their religious liberties, when they become
refractory and suffer reproach under the just execu
tion of the laws which they have subjected them
selves to, by free consent. And, as wc receive none
but volunteers into the pale of our church, with an
elective and executive right,we of all denominations,
are the least liable to the censure of acting incompat
ible with Gospel liberty. The Gospel church of Christ
at Ephesus is called a republic, or, what is synony
mous, the commonwealth of Israel. Eph. ii. 12. In
a commmonwealth every man is a voluntary citizen :
And when a volunteer deserts his ranks, he- incurs a
higher degree of reproach than when he is pressed by
officers of the government, or when forced into the
ranks by his parents without his consent.
“W hen we receive members from other denomina
tions, we frequently hear them acknowledge that
they hav e not only the answer of a good conscience,
on being set free from a guilt of rejecting an ordi
nance as appointed of God, but were freed from the
heavy joke of Lord Bishops, or Lord Presbyteries,
which neither they nor their fathers were willing or
able to bear with a good conscience. Yet, with all
our principles of religious liberty, we are charged by
our Pacdobaptist brethron of being its most gross vio
laters, by our practice of close cummunion. But as
we deem the principles of general communion as ever
proposed by our Paedobaptist brethren, a direct vio
lation of the laws of Christ's kiifgdom, we think such
stretches of liberality would better comport with the
epithet libertinism, than religious liberty. And we
would refer inquiries on this part of the subject to
our Circular of 1823; whete they will find every plea
in favour of general communion fully answered.
However, we wo'uld here add one other remark in fa
vor of out close communion, not observed in the Cir
cular of 1823; and which we see noticed in the Pow
elton Conference of 1804. This meeting was called to
investigate the pleas in favor of general communion.
On which occasion our brethren at Pbwelton publish
ed their views on the subject. And among othefr
things it was alleged, that many of our
cated members were received into some of the Psedo
baptist churches without evidence necessary to restore
their fellowship upon Gospel principles with the
church from which they were excluded. Since we
addressed you in the Circular of 1823, many of the
advocates for general communion, both among the
Methodists and Presbyterians, have retreated within
close communion ground, in order to shun the grasp
of a Stonite who was invading their*flocks with his
general communion principles. Matters being thus
between us and-the general communionists, we think
ourselves at no loss to repel the charge of illiberally,
even upon their own ground! *
And now, brethren, to improve the subject, we would
say to you with the Apostle Paul, “ Stand fast in the
liberty wherewith Christ has made us free; and’be
not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.”
Our Apostle thus addressed the Galatian Church or
brethren, to guard them against a conformity to those
who would receive-the abrogated legal ceremonies of
the Jews, and make them of force under the Gospel-
May we not trace the rise and progress of the man
of sin, to this Judaizing. leaven amongst the primi
th e Christians, by which the scheme was devised of
making all church and no world ? Do wc not see the
same spirit still working under cover of a Gospel or
dinance ? Do we not observe the ordinance of bap- ’
tism fermenting with the leaven of circumcision ?-
And axe there not devices in operation to form the
world into a church, whether converted or unconvert
ed, and then at this climax to crown.all. with general’
communion ? Would not such devices, if established,-
re-establish the man of sin and son of perdition ?
Therefore, brethren, we would exhort you, even in
this our day to beware of the concision; beware of a
compromise with the world whether under the name
of church or in its own colors ; for they will sooner or
later act out what is in the carnal mind, and shew
-that they arc enmity with God. And from such car
nal professors, while you keep the commandments
of God, and “ bear the testimony of Jesus Christ, ye
must suffer persecution.” “ For as he that was born
after the flesh, persecuted him that was born after
the Spirit, even so if is mm.” Gal. iv. 2 <3. And if
ye are not persecuted, you have reason to fear that
there is too much conformity to the world with you,
and that ye are not born after, the Spirit. But, breth
ren, we trust that ye are sons of the free woman,
which Paul observed was by promise, and born after
the Spirit. And, if so, as the same Apostle said to
the Galatian brethren, “Ye have been called unto
liberty ; only use not liberty for an occasion to the
flesh.” But we would have you to strive for that
glorious liberty, which the Apostle alluded to when,
he said to the church at Rome, “ The creature itself
shall.also be delivered from the bondage of corrup
tiou into the glorious liberty of the children of God!”
Rom. viii.Sl/ Amen.
“THOMAS RIY, Moderator.-
Jonathan Davis. Clerk.