march of eighteen centuries of conquest. Not such a hope has poured the gladness of Heaven into the dwellings of suffering and sorrow; nor that the light, which can fill the ignorant mind with the radiance of divine truth. The masses, though they have never seen by the glow-worm light of logic, have always believed in Jesus as the Christ, and with a faith infinitely surer than authority, or tradition, or historical testimony can impart. Here it is seen of a truth, that 'the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.' This is the spirit of prophecy, that true light, which enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world, and gives to every one that does his will, to know of the doo trine, whether it be of God. This is the spirit of prophecy, the intuition of the true, the faculty of discerning truth, when distinctly presented; which gives 'the ultimate appeal on all moral questions; not to a jury of scholars, a hierarchy of divines, or the prescriptions of a creed; but to the common sense of the human race.

Read that over again, friendly reader, and see if there be not danger in such a teaching. The mere effect upon philosophy of the doctrine of pre-existent ideas is not of such great moment, but the effect of this system upon Christianity is heartily to be dreaded. It is not merely the changing of belief, but it is the abrogation of all outward forms of religion, which are the basis of all government, and from which law and order derive their support. Is not, then, the investigation of this subject important to all? These pages will not afford room to discuss the matter as it ought to be, neither have I the ability to do so; but there is room in every one's mind to discuss it, and sufficient ability to answer it.

Transcendentalism is a scion off the tree of German Mysticism, whose shadow covers the half of Europe. Learning adds to its growth, apparently; and even America is furnishing disciples to the new creed from among the most talented of her children. God forbid that such a tree should take root here, and become a Bohun Upas to destroy all who have ever drawn religious breath, who come within reach of its poisonous influence!

Pittsburg, Pa., July, 1841.

R. E.

QUERY.

Dear R.

IN many parts of the country, as you are no doubt aware, members of the churches are in the habit of neglecting to attend their proper places of meeting because they do not expect to hear preaching. They sometimes stay at home. At other times they go a great distance to meet with a church where there happens to be a preacher. In some cases they even pass by their own brethren who have assembled to keep the ordinances of Christ, in order to gratify themselves with the preaching of those who are supposed by them to be in error. Now

I have always thought that preaching was for the world, and not for the church; and that the church required teaching and exhortation, and a constant and diligent attention to the institutions of the Lord's house. I have thought that the participation of the Spirit; the praises and prayers of the congregation; the public reading of the scriptures; the plain and honest teachings, with the brief and earnest exhortations of the brotherhood; the solemn commemoration of the gospel facts, and the regular contribution to the wants of the poor and the spread of the gospel, were the great means appointed of Heaven for the great spiritual growth and enjoyment of the members of Christ's church. Well, now, if I am right in these views, what is to be done when we have a church of some three or four hundred members who will be all together with one accord in one place when they expect preaching; but who, with the exception of some forty or fifty, are never to be seen, unless by accident, when the disciples meet together on the first day of the week to break the loaf?

Dear U.

ANSWER TO QUERY.

U.

The question you put is a very important one, and may be answered in general terms, that, as there are various circumstances and conditions in regard to different churches, the course to be pursued must be varied and adapted to each accordingly. Doubtless you are perfectly correct as to your views of the divinely appointed means of church edification, and it is greatly to be deplored that any members should habitually neglect them. It is, however, a matter observable almost every where, and among all denominations, that there is a neglect of the holy scriptures and a want of prayerful and diligent attention to the things which promote and secure spiritual fellowship and communion with God. Instead of these men prefer something that can be done by others, so that they can be left at liberty to be hearers only; to receive, rather than impart; to gratify themselves, rather than to do do good to others; to please the ear, rather than mend the heart-in a word, to have the form of godliness without its power.

To answer your question more directly, however:-in adapting the means of cure to the malady, there are some general rules to be observed. Sometimes a knowledge of the cause of a disease will suggest an appropriate remedy. There has been of late years such a spirit of revivalism throughout the land, that every party has been exerting itself to the utmost to make proselytes to its peculiar system. During the great excitements of religious meetings, and under the strong appeals to the feelings and sympathies of human nature which preachers have been wont to make, multitudes have united themselves with religious communities, without, it is to be feared, having any true or real connexion with the spiritual world by faith. Having been born amidst boisterous excitement, they can live in no other element.

Receiving ther religion from the inspiration of a preacher's voice, they are empty, cold, and joyless when he can be no longer heard. What wonder, then, that these should seek the means by which alone they can deceive themselves with the hope of salvation! What wonder that they should sink down into dull and lifeless apathy when they no longer enjoy the beams of the sun of their religious system! If such should be the case with any of whom you speak, when fully ascertained by diligent observation and inquiry by the elders of the church, it would be just cause for reproof, instruction, and exclusion. For certainly such can be of no use to the church, nor can the church be of any service to them; and they ought not to be permitted to deceive themselves and others by false appearances. Far different is it with those whom God according to his own will has begotten by the word of truth. These love to be nurtured by the pure milk of that word to which they owe their life. These long for those spiritual repasts which are to be enjoyed in the ordinances of the house of God. These are they who continue to grow in knowledge; in strength; in stature; in favor with God, and usefulness to men; in faith and hope; in love and joy; in purity of principle and perfection of conduct.

There may be, however, many other causes for the delinquency of which you speak, which may not now be stated. All cases must be treated according to their nature. To illustrate:-let us suppose the church to be a family. The parents are the elders-the members stand as in the relation of children. The wholesome and common food set upon the family table every day, is the substantial and spiritual diet of the divine ordinances-the reading of God's word, the commemoration of gospel facts, &c. The sweetmeats and luxuries occasionally set forth answer to the eloquent and exciting addresses of the gifted and accomplished public speakers. Now as we know that it is the plain and substantial food which gives and sustains animal health and vigor, and that nothing will more certainly bring on debility, disease, and death, than a constant indulgence in luxurious living upon confectionary to the exclusion of plainer and simpler food; so we may know equally well, that as the true spiritual bread, the pure milk of the word, the simple and nutritious food of gospel truth, is the only means by which spiritual life and health can be sustained; so an inordinate love for preaching, and an indulgence of this passion, will certainly produce spiritual leanness, debility, insensibility, and death.

A selfish gratification of this desire for preaching produces an artificial appetite which can no longer relish the less exciting, but far more wholesome provisions furnished in the scriptures and institutions of God, just as to live upon sweetmeats and stimulating sauces will de

stroy the natural appetite for wholesome food. Nothing can be expected from such a course but a meagre, miserable, dyspeptic, and diseased condition, whether it be natural or religious.

Now as no judicious parent would indulge his children in this way to their injury, so no elders of congregations should countenance a system of the kind. But it is worthy of remark here, that as the parents of a family are in duty bound not only to supply the children with wholesome food, but to have this food so prepared as to be agreeable to their various or peculiar tastes, so it is the duty of elders to see that the scriptures are presented in such a manner as will be agreeable tɔ the hearers; and that all the ordinances of the house of God be so appropriately and becomingly attended to as to interest and edify the church. Again, every one should receive his proper portion, at the proper time, by a just division of the word of truth and a proper distribution to bond and free, male and female, parents, children, husbands, wives, young and old. And as it would be obviously improper for a father to compel a child to take in as much food at one time as he himself could easily consume, so it would be no less so for an elder to expect the spiritually young to receive without a surfeit those discourses in which they themselves may delight.

Nothing, for the most part, is more eagerly desired by young converts than warm and animated preaching, and although nothing, as we judge, will more certainly debilitate and ruin the spiritual health and vigor of a congregation than a total dependence upon preaching, it may be well in certain cases for the elders to gratify occasionally the love of some for pulpit oratory, if they can thereby secure the taking along with it the substantial food of divine truth, just as the child who loves the expected desert, may be persuaded to satisfy his natural appetite first with plainer dishes.

If, however, any one of the children comes not to table at all, an inquiry is immediately made; and, if he be unwell, the proper medicine is administered. And as a want of appetite for natural food is a sure indication of want of bodily health, so there can be no surer evidence that a Christian is in bad health spiritually when he has no relish for the spiritual food of the house of God, which is so well adapted to delight the spiritual sense of the man of faith, and to invigorate and cheer his soul amidst the labors and trials of human life.

It is for the conversion of the world, as you have remarked, that the preaching of the gospel is designed. For this end it should be liberally and efficiently sustained. It requires often the greatest eloquence and animation to interest in the subject of religion those who have not been converted. Those who have been, ought not to require it, and

we shall never have a healthful condition of the churches until with a healthy and natural appetite they approach the spiritual banquet, and feed on Christ from love for Christ alone. R. R.

米粒

BAPTISMAL REGENERATION.

John Knox and the Scotch Reformers—1560.

OUR opponents say that in our views of baptism we do but retail Papal dogmas, or old antiquated errors of the Apostolic Fathers. In reply we have often declared that at the time of our first adopting and promulging these views we read and examined the Bible alone. We had no recollections of the dogmata of either Papists or Protestants, and cared as little for them. Since, indeed, we have collected, and are still collecting, numerous evidences that our biblical conclusions were the doctrine of the Ancient, as well as of the Apostolic Church; that they were the doctrine of the first Protestant creeds, and specially of the great Reformers themselves.

In my recent readings of ecclesiastical matters I find new evidences of a more distinct perception of the scriptural doctrine of baptism in a Confession 83 years older than the Westminster, and penned by the very fingers of the Father of Scotch Presbyterianism, the renowned John Knox himself.

As a curiosity we shall lay it before our readers. It is quoted from "the Confession of Faith professed and believed by the Protestants within the Realm of Scotland, published by them in Parliament, and by the estates thereof ratified and approved as wholesome and sound doctrine, grounded upon the infallible truth of God's word." It is found in the Statute Book or Acts of the Scotch Parliament, and published by royal authority, July 17, 1560:—

"ARTICLE XXI.-The sacraments of the New Testament were instituted of God, not only to make a visible difference betwixt his people and those that were without his league, but also to exercise the faith of his children, and by participation of the same sacraments to seal in their hearts the assurance of his promise: and thus we utterly condemn the vanity of those that affirm sacraments to be nothing else but naked and bare signs. No: we assuredly believe, that by baptism we are engrafted into Jesus Christ, to be made partakers of his justice (righteousness) by the which our sins are covered and remitted."

Read article by article in Parliament, and the vote of every man being taken singly, was solemnly ratified ahd published as aforesaid-John Knox himself advising and exhorting to it. See the History of the Reformation of Religion in Scotland, by John Knox, p. 224, M'Gavin's edition, Glasgow, 1832.