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responsibility for the members of tbe church—
Surely it is Viol abttottutable for those whom it never
received into fellowship, ally tnore than a Metho*
(list society is responsible for a Baptist church, or
a Presbyterian congregation for the doings of the
Quakers, or any or all of these for the transactions
of a town meeting. 11 uw much deeper are the
mere serfs of Russia sunk beneath their lords ?*—
Should vou see in an Association Circular words
¥
like these, “We send this epistle down to you, 11 it
might be difficult perhaps to decide the exact alti
tude to which some had attained, or the distance
others had fallen ; but it would require all the
learning of the schools to discover what class had
obtained the ascendancy ? An association is most
certainly one of the ‘‘high places,” how else
could it send its Circular “down” to the churches?
By what authority, except it be ministerial, do
associations discipline churches ? See John G.
Stearns on the Primitive Church, page 80. If, in
addition to this, they prescribe, persecute and pur
sue such as owe them no allegiance ; the dungeon,
the scaffold or the stake, might again render their
service, did not the laws of our country interpose
a* a shield.
The modern doctrine preached and put into
practice by a complication of mechanical powers —
the promises of the upon the im
penitent —offering them salvation on the condition
of a little work to be done on or about the “anx
ious seat,” seems to invest its authors and its ad
vocates with an assumed independence of the New
Testament of Jesus Christ. There appears to be
gome wonderful ministers in these modern days,
whose doctrine and performances are a sort of non
descript ; comparison is all that can be attempted.
Some of these exhibit sufficient credentials to prove
them fresh from both the “toilet” and the “schools,’’
eminently qualified for any latitude in either part
of the zones ; a high pressure steam power, a rail
road speed is none too much ; their course is on
ward without sweep or curve. Some of their hear
ers have imagined that (hey are nearly run mad on
literature and theology. But to these it is said,
congregations listen most profoundly, convinced
that something more is doing than just “fluttering
about the forum.” In justice to their doctrine and
their talents, we are constrained to suppose that
while they are pouring down upon their astonished
hearers scorching burning tides of classic eloquence,
they themselves “ dazzle ” not quite like the “ Bo
realis”
“ From such apostles, 0 ye mitred heads,
Preserve the church ! and lay not careless hands
On skulls that cannot teach and will not learn.”
It is hoped that no one will suppose there is a
disposition to trifle on so grave a subject —far from
it; such agonizing performances of themselves in
spire sobriety. Should you, in your journeyings,
arrive at a religious Fair, in which were abun
dance of ginger-bread, doll-babies, ice-cream, and
oysters, to attract the multitude; or a circus, in
which the Shetland ponies are managed with a
strange dexterity, the riders leaping through the
hoop, under full speed, and you were told most
SOUTHERN BAPTIST MESSENGER-
gravely, “All these things are doing for the further
ance of the cause, for the benefit of the anxious,”
could you be otherwise than solemn ? If it is ad
mitted that as yet the circus has not as yet been
pressed iuto service-, is it not reasonable to presume
that riding a particular horse would do as much
good as sitting on a particular bench , inasmuch too
as the bench cannot impart any animal heat to its
occupant? There are some individuals who ligpe
in the mercy of the Savior, and desire very sin
cerely to see his cause advance, that are troubled,
and when they look upon ail these modern things,
have gloomy anticipations.
It has has been feared that the Roman Catholic
emigration, which fov years seemed inundating our
country, may at some period destroy our liberties,
wielding as they may an amazing power in the
elective franchise —the sworn adherents of a reli
gious despotism —the Pope and all his prelates
watching for the “crisis,” to urge on a desperate
population, does indeed present an awful array. —
But may not even the church itself become a Ro
man province,with neither emigration from Europe,
ora proconsul from Italy? If it is the spirit of
Rome, why should we be so tenacious about the
name ? What great difference will it make in the.
measures of anathema and torture? What great
difference whether the ruined and persecuted per
ish under an American or an Italian sky ? May
not our liberties be as entirely cut-down as if the
ruin were inflicted by the Jesuits, or by the friars
of St. Dominic ? If indeed we must bow to an
earthly master, what great and fference whether, his
palace is on the bank of the Tiber, or on that of
some other river ? Whether the signs of the times
point us to the gathering of the clouds for a com
ing storm, every man must judge for himself. But
if maDy of opr mechanics were seen packing their
tools and moving oft’ in the same direction, none
would doubt that something unusual would soon
be accomplished. But it is safe, leaving all with
“ Him, whose ln is'in his hand,” “ Who is given
to be Head over all things to the church.”
WALDO.
4
i m
Persecutions in. Massachusetts.
The first settlers of the New England Stales, as
is pretty well known, were men who fled from civil
and religious persecution in England, in the early
part of the seventeenth century. As they had felt
in their own persons and fortunes the sorrows of
oppression for conscience’ sake, it might naturally
be expected that they would have had some sym
pathy for others in like circumstances. In this
respect, however, the Pilgrim Fathers, as they have
been termed, were no better than the men befoie
whom they had fled. A volume might be written
of th#!r doings in the way of intolerance ; but the
following short chapter may suffice.
In the year 1056, when the colonists of Massa
chusetts were complacently congratulating them
selves on having established a vigorous system of
uniformity in religious matters, and expressing
great thankfulness for having escaped from the
troubles which had lately agitated England, they
were very much surprised that two Wortfe# of the’
sect which had begun to be called Quakers #efe
arrived at Boston from Barbadoes. There was 0a
law in the colony against such persons ; but that
was considered unimportant; it was easy to make
a little law for the occasion, or easier still to act
without any law at all. This last alternative was
adopted. The two unfortunate women, against
whose character there was no reproach, were seized
and put in prison; a few books fouud in their trunks
were burnt by the hangman; and after suffering
various indignities, they were turned out of the
the country. Persecution requires only a little
spark to kindle into a great flame. It would almost
seem as if the misusage of the two women caused
a flocking of the Quakers from all points of the
compass to Boston, only for the sake of getting ill
treated. In a short time eight made their appear
ance, and they io like manner were imprisoned and
banished. Thinking it now time to have a little
law to regulate proceedings, a local court passed an
enactment that any Quakers who should hereafter
arrive in,the colony, should be severely whipped,
and confined at hard labor in the house of correc
tion. Immediately afterwards several came, were
whipped, confined and dismissed ; and others took
their place, it was evident the law was too lenient,
so a fresh enactment was passed. Fines were im
posed on every person who gave house room to
Quakers, or who attended their meetings, or other
wise sanctioned their pernicious opinions. Every
Quaker after the first conviction, if a man, was to
lose one ear, and on second conviction, the other ;
if a woman, she was for each offense to be severely
whipped; and for the third offense both men and
women were to have their tongues bored through
with a red hot iron. Quakers now arrived in the
colony in great numbers. Glorying in their suffer
ings, the more they were persecuted the more did
they come to testify their sincerity in their belief.
Whippings, confinement, hard labor, fines, cutting
off the ears, and boring the -tongue being thus
found ineffectual, anew law was passed in 1688,
declaring that in future all Quakers who intruded
themselves into Massachusetts should banished on
pain of death. Three Quakers forthwith offered
themselves as the first victims ; they had returned
from banishment. Their names were Mary Dyer,
Marmaduke Stevenson and William Robinson.—
From their defence at their trial nothing was more
plain than they were persons in a state of frenzy.
Their general argument was, that by means of vi
sions they were induced to come to Massachusetts
anJ brave the worst that could be done to them.
On the 19th of October, 1669, they were con
demned to die as public malefactors, and three
days later they were led out to execution. Mary
Dyer saw her two brethren die before her eyes; and
she was on the point of meeting the same dreadful
doom, the rope being already round her neck, when
a faint sound was heard in the distance, which
grew stronger and stronger, and was soon caught
and repeated by a hundred willing hearts. “ A
reprieve, a reprieve !” was the cry, and the execu
tion was stopped ; but she, whose mind was intent-
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