Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

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.