"The human passions are sources of eloquence, and no minister can possibly excel in this part of pulpit eloquence, unless his own. affections be thoroughly moved. The Christian pastor, of all men in the world, should have an affectionate heart. When he preaches thus, it is the shepherd in search of his strayed sheep! the father in pursuit of his lost child! Is it possible for statues to discharge this necessary part of duty? as well might a marble parent supply the place of a real one. 1. "A clergyman, in whose time it was the received custom for ministers to speak memoriter, (by heart) dissuades from the practice of preaching a sermon, which had been first written, and then got by heart, for these good reasons: It renders preaching a great labour. 2. If the preacher forget one word, it perplexes himself, and confuses the auditory 3. Pronunciation, action, and all the holy motions of the affections are hindered, because the mind is wholly taken up with recollection and repetition. "If the preacher thorougly understand his subject, and be a man of tolerable elocution, he will be at no loss for words in general.” to promote the objects of this institution. This favourable circumstance, viewed by the Committee as a special token of the approbation of Heaven, served greatly to encourage them to persevering exertions; it was also viewed by them as an intimation in Providence that they should obtain from the Legislature of the Commonwealth an Act of Incorporation, to secure the above, and other property, which it is hoped will be committed to their care. It has given us peculiar pleasure to witness corresponding efforts in our sister Associations, especially the Warren, and the Woodstock, who have cheerfully contributed of their property for the support of the same important object. Im It has been judiciously observed, that concentrated action is powerful action;" union is strength; and the combined efforts of individuals, or Societies, will effect much more than when these individuals or Societies act separately. pressed with these truths, the Committee of the Massachusetts Baptist Education Society conceive it to be very desirable that a union of effort should be made. They disclaim all desire of pre-eminence; but as their Society is already in operation; as the local site uation of the Committee is attended ADDRESS OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE with some peculiar advantages, and OF THE MASSACHUSETTS BAPTIST EDUCATION SOCIETY. THE Public have already been apprized, that a Society was formed at the meeting of the Boston Baptist Association, held at South Reading in September 1814, by the name of the "Massachusetts Baptist Education Society," for the purpose of affording instruction to pious Young Men called to the work of the Ministry. The Executive Committee would mention with gratitude, that immediately after the organization of the Society, a benevolent individual, in prospect of his decease, made a large bequest as an Act of Incorporation has been obtained, they hope they will not be considered as assuming too much, in affectionately and respectfully inviting the co-operation of indi viduals and Societies on the principles and plan, which they have adopted for the regulation of their own conduct, and which is now with deference submitted to the Churches and Societies in the New-England States. The Act of Incorporation having provided that the Executive Committee of the Massachusetts Baptist Education Society shall not exceed nine, including the Secre tary and Treasurer of the Society, and shall be annually chosen by Trustees appointed by the Boston Baptist Association, and such others as shall unite with them for the same object: Therefore, RESOLVED, I. That all such persons shall be Trustees of this Society, who pay into its Treasury annually, the sum of 10 dollars. II. All such persons as pay into the Treasury the sum of 50 dollars at any one time, or who shall increase their original subscription to that sum, shall be Trustees for life. III. Every Church or Society who shall pay into the Treasury the sum of 50 dollars annually, shall be allowed to appoint one Trustee. IV. Any Church or Society, on paying into the Treasury of this Committee the sum of 150 dollars annually, shall have the privilege of recommending candidates to be supported by the funds of this Committee, and also of selecting the place at which they shall prose cute their studies. V. All bequests, donations, and life subscriptions not otherwise ordered, shall be funded, and improved to the best advantage; and the annual income thereof, together with the annual subscriptions and contributions, shall be applied to such young men in their education for the ministry, as the Executive Committee shall determine to be fit subjects thereof. VI. At the annual meeting of this Society, the Executive Committee shall make a report of their doings the past year; the Treas urer's accounts shall be examined; and a new election of officers be made. VII. The Secretary shall keep a fair record of the proceedings of the Trustees at the annual meeting, and of all the doings of the Executive Committee. VIII. The Treasurer shall give bonds in such sums for the faithful discharge of his official trust, as the Executive Committee shall require. IX. The Executive Committee shall meet quarterly, at such time and place as they shall appoint, and oftener, if they deem it necessary; and they shall at least once a year examine the progress of their beneficiaries, or receive a written statement of the same from their instructers. X. The Executive Committee shall appoint a Chairman; take charge of the pecuniary concerns of the Society; receive applica tions of candidates, and judge of their qualifications; determine on the place or places where they shall receive instruction, and the time they shall devote to study; and superintend all the concerns of the Institution. XI. No person shall be receiv ed under the patronage of the Committee who does not furnish satisfactory evidence of his piety, talents, and call to the ministry. By order and in behalf of the Committee, LUCIUS BOLLES, Sec'ry. Boston, December 8, 1818. For the American Bapsist Magazine. THE POWER OF CHRIST'S RESURRECTION. "That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection. Phil. iii. 10." THE apostle Paul was neither an enthusiast nor a bigot; yet no man was ever more earnest and zealous in religion, no man was ever a more decided advocate for experi ence. He was not satisfied with knowing Christ merely as a lawgiver and teacher, he was anxious to know him as a sanctifier and redeemer. He was not satisfied to receive his doctrines merely in a cold and lifeless manner; he laboured to have his heart affected with them, to have his whole soul wrought into the image of Christ, by feeling continually the power of his resurrection. But what are we to understand by the power of Christ's resurrection? Doubtless it is the influence which his gospel exerts upon the hearts of believers, in consequence of its being sanctioned by the resurrection of Christ. A full conviction of the resurrection of Christ, has a most powerful influence on the faith of believers. It removes their doubts, quells their fears, and confirms their faith in him as the true Messiah. Had he not risen, all his pretensions to be the Messi ah had proved vain; vain also had been all the hopes and expectations which he had raised in the breasts of his disciples. The proof of his divinity, of his authority, of the truth of his doctrines, and of the efficacy of his death to make an atonement, was dependent on his resurrection. He was declared to be the Son of God with power, by the resurrection from the dead. "If Christ be not risen," says the apostle, "your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins." "For if the dead rise not, then is Christ not risen," and they which have fallen asleep in Christ have perished, no more to rise. And if in this life only, we have hope, we are of all men most miserable. But now hath Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept. Now hath he evinced the efficacy of his death, to make an atonement for. sin. Now hath he ascended up on high, and become a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance to Israel, and the forgiveness of sins. Now is the way opened for the descent of the Holy Spirit to renew and sanctify our hearts. Now have we free access to God through the mediation of his Son: and in his resurrection and ascension, we see a pledge of our own resurrection, when this mortal shall put on immortality, and this corruptible shall put on incorruption. No longer is the grave an object of terror and dread. Death is con quered. His sceptre is broken; his kingdom is destroyed. Life and immortality are proclaimed by the resurrection of Christ. Soon his voice shall wake the sleeping dust of his saints, and bid them rise to take possession of their inheritance in heaven. And what is it to know the power of Christ's resurrection? It is to feel its renovating influence upon the heart. It is to be raised with him from the death of sin, and by the power of his Spirit to begin a new and divine life. It is to be persuaded of his power and willingness to save, so as to be constrained, from a sense of our lost, miserable. guilty, and perishing state, to flee to him, to put our whole trust in him, to believe in him with all our hearts, to be willing to be saved entirely by his merits, and to be anxious to be freed from the love and dominion of sin, in order to be conformed to his holy image and likeness. This was the knowledge of the power of Christ's resurrection, which the apostle obtained, when on his to Damascus. A light shone into way his mind, his enmity was subdued, and his whole soul enraptured with the glories of that Saviour, whom he had before persecuted. Then he counted all things but loss for Christ. And such is the knowledge which every Christian receives of the power of Christ's resurrection. Every Christian has been quickened together with Christ; has been turned from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God. But this is not all that we are to understand by knowing the power of Christ's resurrection. The great doctrines he taught, are to have a constant influence upon our hearts and lives. Seeing Christ hath risen from the dead, ascended to heaven, and showed our feet the way we are to aspire for that exalted state of blessedness to which we hope to be raised; and a constant regard to the resurrection of Christ, will serve to increase our faith, and confirm our hope. Could we doubt whether he has ascenden to heaven, we might well doubt whether our expectations of future blessedness would ever be realized. But there is no room for doubt. The witness is in our hearts. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord and Saviour Je sus Christ, who hath begotten us again to a lively hope, by the resurrection of Christ from the dead. Let us then, who have this hope in us, purify ourselves even as he is pure; so that when he shall appear, we shall be like him, and see him as he is. Think, O Christian, think of the approach of that day, when your body shall be fashioned like unto the glorious body of Jesus; and let the prospect of that delightful period animate you" to forget the things that are behind, and reaching forth towards those that are before, to press towards the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." SOCIUS. EXTRACTS FROM DR. STILLMAN'S TEXT- [Continged from page 96 last No.] February 17, 1801, concludes the forty-third year of my ministry. What cause of thankfulness that I have been spared so long. What cause of deep repentance that I have been so little engaged for God and souls! O, that the short period of my remaining life may be more than ever devoted to the Lord, and to the church of Christ; and when death comes, may I find my God with me, that I may speak well of his name when leaving the world. Feb. 17, 1802. To my surprise I have been spared one year more, and bave been enabled to discharge the various duties of my station, with very little interruption by indisposition. What shall I render to the Lord for all his goodness to me! O that he may graciously pardon all mine iniquities, and sanctify me throughout. I long, I long to love him with the greatest possible af fection, and to be much more engaged than ever in his blessed service. O, may I study, live, and preach as one who stands on the verge of eternity.-Soon shall I finish my ministry and life: my heart's desire is, that God may be glorified in me, whether it be by life or by death. Help me, O Lord, to be faithful until death. Feb. 17, 1803. concludes the forty-fifth year of my ministry. But alas! how little have I done for God, and his cause. I am ashamed of my unfruitfulness and inactivity. O that the short time that remains for me may be better employed, and God be glorified in me, whether by life or by death. Lord, I believe,help thou mine unbelief: keep me near to thee, and may I be ready to depart at thy call! Feb. 17, 1804 I finished the forty-sixth year of my ministry. While I most sincerely lament that I have lived so little for God, I bless him for my preservation, and that I am favoured at this last period of my life, with seeing the most glorious work of God among the people in Boston, that I ever saw. Glory to his name for this wonderful display of divine power. O, may it continue and spread throughout the town, and land. And O that I may be more humble, holy and engaged than ever. Feb. 17, 1805, 1 finished the forty-seventh year of my ministry. O how great are my obligations to the ever blessed God, for preserving me till this time. And what reason have I to be ashamed before him, that I have lived so little for his glory. O Lord, forgive the past, and enable me in future to be more than ever devoted to thy cause. But few hours or days remain for me. But I desire to be diligent, that I may be found of thee in peace; and in death be enabled to say, I have fought the good fight, I have finished my course: henceforth there is laid up for me, guilty me, a crown of glory that fadeth not away.* • His funera! sermon was preached from this text. (Concluded from page 98 last No.) Review. A Series of Letters on the Mode and Subjects of Baptism, addressed to the Christian Public. To which is prefixed, a brief account of the commencement and progress of the Author's trial on those points which terminated in his embracing Believers' Baptism, in a Letter to a friend. By Stephen Chapin, late Pastor of the Congregational Church in Mont Vernon, (N. H.) 76 pages octavo. Lincoln and Edmands, 53 Cornhill, Boston. We regret that our limits will not allow us to give copious extracts from these interesting letters. The following brief analysis will doubtless be acceptable to our readers, and increase their desire to become acquainted with the whole work. In the letter "to a friend," with which the work is prefaced, Mr. Chapin gives 66 a brief history of the origin and progress of those conflicts and trials of mind, which terminated" in his embracing the doctrine of believers' baptism. His attention was first directed to this subject by reading, the history of the early ages of Christianity. "Formerly, says he, Ihad relied with much satisfaction on the antiquity and general prevalence of infant baptism, as a proof that it must be apostolic." "But now on more particular examination, I found that this mode of reasoning would prove too much: It would prove the divine right of infant communion; for this was as ancient and as general, as infant baptism. The fathers, I found, placed both on the same ground, and supported both by the same process of argument. Saint Austin tells us that the church held, that both ordinances were saving and necessary to eternal life; and on the ground of this supposed saving quality, he informs us that the church viewed them both, as traditions from the apostles. In the same way of VOL. II. arguing I could prove the divine ori worshipping with the face towards the gin of the use of the cross in baptism; east, and that baptism was regeneration, &c. My attempt now was to meet and refute the argument, in favour of infant Communion, without invalidating at the infant baptism. But on trial I found same time the arguments in support of that my attack on the former, was in fact an indiscriminate warfare on both. If I succeeded in laying to rest the arperceived that, if after this, a Taylor guments in favour of infant communion, or a Pierce had stood and said, Sir, where now are your proofs for infant baptism? the question, I confess, would have been to me perfectly confounding. ling, I must try to reanimate those very If I attempted to support infant sprink By this time I found myself pretty deeparguments, which I had but just slain. ly involved, and for relief, resorted to the word of God. This I believed was an infallible guide. This I read and daily prayers to the Father of light, read with fastings, and I hope with that he would mercifully send me the illuminating and guiding power of his holy Spirit. I first confined myself Principally to the New Testament. Here I found neither precept nor extles and primitive teachers were all ample for infant baptism. If the aposPedobaptists, they must have baptized many thousands of children and infants before the closing of the canon of scripforce, that all the inspired penmen ture. And it struck me with peculiar should have passed over all those countless instances of infant baptism in the most profound silence.” pp. 3, 4. ly examined the New Testament, After Mr. Chapin had attentivehe "repaired to the old, and endeavoured to support himself by arguments drawn from the law of circumcision." But this argument he found ruined itself by proving too much. He then tried the law of proselyte baptism, but in vain. ground on which he had been acThe customed to bear gave way, and he was obliged to suspend the practice of infant baptism, for more than a year. On his attempting to 17 |