in a task so arduous, that it gave the utmost scope and employment to those energies, and so dignified that it required the utmost exercise of all the higher faculties of the soul in order to rise equal to the office. This task was the ultimate annihilation of the distinctions of soil, race, and language, by bringing all men into the bond of universal brotherhood-the deliverance of man from the thraldom of sin-the destruction of all earthly rule, and the substitution of divine rule- and the extinction of war, crime, and their consequence, disease. That this task was arduous is proved by God giving to his first twelve missionaries a portion of his own power that it is a dignified task is proved by there being joy among the angels over one sinner that is brought into subjection to Christ; but we shall also resume this portion of the argument when we have travelled a little further. II. It was the only system which possessed these three innate principles, self-adaptation, destruction, and reconstruction. These principles conjoined are the internal evidence of the divine origin of Christianity. If it had been instituted by man it could not have possessed a power of self-adaptation, for the following reason the feelings and habit of thinking of every man are influenced by the government under which he has been born and educated. Now if Christianity had been originated by any man, born and educated under a despotic government, it would have worn that aspect-Christianity would have favored and strengthened despotism; or, if its author had been a republican, its laws would have manifested the levelling spirit of republicanism, while Christianity does not level, but elevates; or, if it had been planned by one trained under a monarchy, it would have possessed the cumbrous machinery, the lethargic spirit, the horror of change, which are the cha racteristics of a monarchial system. If it had been originated under any of these governments, it would only have flourished in its native soil: if transplanted it would have withered and died; but instead of being adaptted to a single country, or a single legislative system, it progresses and spreads widely under every form of legislation, and its tendency is to destroy every species of government, and substitute itself to reconstruct the social system on its own principles. If Christianity be planted in a nation under despotic government, a number of the people become industrious, moral, intellectual, and therefore powerful they form a peaceful yet formidable body of subjects, of whom even a despot would stand in awe; and with this class of men standing between the despot and the rest of his subjects, it would not be long before that despotism would change into a limited monarchy, that monarchy being destroyed in its turn pro or, if Christianity prevails to any great extent in a democratic republic, there will be a body of men superior to the rest in moral dignity and intellectual energy, who will, therefore, in the progress of time, obtain power, and refuse to admit the vile, the fligate, and depraved to any participation in it there will then be a body which will act as a bulwark against the corruption, the want of principle, and the stormy and fitful energy which are the characteristics of a republic, and the democracy can exist no longer-there will be an aristocracy, but it will be one of intellect and virtue: the republic will gradually be changed and destroyed. Or if the field in which Christianity is sown be a monarchy-a government in which one man rules, who is so often hood-winked and misled by his ministers, in order that they, their friends, and connections may live on the vitals of the people-when such a system as this is fully compared with Christianity, the whole system will the name of Christianity, that clause in the treaty is valuable as showing that while men, at the present time, merely acknowledge the FORM of Christianity in national laws and treaties, they will one day be com any one doubts of the ultimate reign In inevitably perish—“ king, lords, and commons." These changes cannot be effected in a short period-a change in the soul of man is often the work of many years; and as the task is greater, a change in the spirit of a nation is only accomplished by hun-pelled to acknowledge its POWER. If dreds of years spent in continual exertion. Slowly and majestically is Christianity effecting its purpose, the destruction of all earthly "principalities and powers." The genius of Christianity has worked silently during 1800 years: she has now brought moral science under her sway, and before her tribunal all conflicting principles are brought for judgment. But her power is now extending further : she is contesting the pre-emi- | piness on what they term the INTEL nence in LEGISLATIVE SCIENCE with LIGENCE OF THE CITIZENS; but state policy, and the art of getting pounds, shillings, and pence-which latter art has been so ingeniously dignified by the improper name of "Political Economy." We lately saw a very odd instance of the acknowledgment of Christianity, as an arbitrator on international law. intelligence is not saving either of those countries from internal disorder and aggression on the surrounding countries, because intelligence, unaccompanied with morality, only renders men the images of Satan, and therefore, unquiet, mischievous citizens. With regard to WEALTH, Carthage and the Italian Republics in ancient times, and England and France in modern times, have tried the power of money, and they have found that by the operation of some singular and inseparable law, great national wealth is always attended by the deepest and most miserable poverty and crime. The American Government having unjustifiably invaded Mexico, for the purpose of robbing her of the territory which contains the silver mines, (which, like all dishonesty, was very short-sighted, as, along with the silver mines, they have gained 3,000,000 Roman Catholic subjects, who will prove an incubus and a ruin to the nation) drew up a treaty in which they guar- Force, Intelligence, and Wealth anteed the fulfilment of the following have been tried, either singly or compromise : ALL WARs in future be- | bined, as principles of government, tween the United States of America which would bring "the greatest and Mexico, shall be conducted upon happiness to the greatest number," CHRISTIAN PRINCIPLES!" We are very and have failed in their objects. anxious to know what sort of a thing| What is there remaining to be tried? war upon Christian principles may One principle, VIRTUE, or CHRISTIbe. It will certainly be a remarkable ANITY, for the terms are synonymous. phænomenon, and will transmit the This is the only resource left to man memory of its inventors to the last to improve his condition, and emage of the world. They certainly braces in itself the other three prin have very different ideas of Christi- | ciples. It contains a restraining anity compared with those of the force, which operates on the moral Apostles. But without commenting feelings. It embraces intelligence, further on such awful prostitution of for a truly virtuous and Christian | BB AND FACTS, CONNECTED WITH THE ORIGIN AND NO. II. man is always found to be intelligent; ANECDOTES, INCIDENTS, and that a man with virtue and intelligence can procure wealth sufficient for every necessary and contingency of life, is evident from the following fact:-The French economists have shown by their statistic tables, that even in that country, where there is comparatively so little skilled labor, and society is so imperfectly organized-if that society be in a moderately healthy state, every man can produce one fourth more capital than he consumes. Thus it is evident, that if Christianity held full sway, most disturbing causes being removed, there must be a much greater individual production of wealth, which would be sufficient to provide for the contingencies of old age, sickness, &c. and as Christianity is the only method by which mankind can improve the social system, is it probable or possible, that at this disastrous epoch, when every government in Europe is tottering, or has fallen to the ground -is it possible that this last resource will remain untried, when it is the only principle which can effect its purpose in a uniformly peaceful manner? On the contrary, the changes which nations have effected in their legislative systems, have always been purchased by blood and suffering. Hence nations abstain from any decided progress -from any efforts against their social evils, till those evils become absolutely unendurable, on account of the fearful price at which great organic changes have to be purchased; but as the path of Christianity is only to be traced by the peace and social amelioration it confers, its adoption will give an incalculable momentum to progress, by the motive for the endurance of those evils being withdrawn. Christianity, then, being the last resource of mankind, who will say that it will not have full power over every institution? J. G. L. (To be continued.) After my baptism, and the consequent new constitution of our church at Brush Run, it became my duty to set forth the causes of this change in our position to the professing world, and also to justify them by an appeal to the oracles of God. But this was not all: the position of baptism itself to the other institutions of Christ became a new subject of examination, and a very absorbing one. A change of any one's views in any radical matter, in all its practical bearings and effects upon all his views, not only in reference to that simple result, but also in reference to all its connections with the whole system of which it is a part, is not to be computed, a priori, by himself or by any one else. The whole Christian doctrine is exhibited in three symbols— baptism, the Lord's supper, the Lord's day institution. Some-nay, very many-change their views in some one of these, without ever allowing themselves to trace its connections with the whole institution of which it is either a part or a symbol. My mind, neither by nature nor by education, was one of that order. I must know now two things about every thing-its cause and its relations. Hence my mind was, for a time, set loose from all its former moorings. It was not a simple change of views on baptism, which happens a thousand times without any thing more, but a new commencement. I was placed on a new eminence-a new peak of the mountain of God, from which the whole landscape of Christianity presented itself to my mind in a new attitude and position. I had no idea of uniting with the Baptists more than with the Mora vians or the mere Independents. I had unfortunately formed a very unfavourable opinion of the Baptist preachers as then introduced to my acquaintance, as narrow, contracted, illiberal, and uneducated men. This, indeed, I am sorry to say, is still my opinion of the ministry of that association at that day; and whether they are yet much improved, I am without satisfactory evidence. The people, however, called Baptists, were much more highly appreciated by me than their ministry. Indeed, the ministry of some sects is generally, in the aggregate, the worse portion of them. It was certainly so in the Redstone association thirty years ago. They were little men in a big office. The office did not fit them. They had a wrong idea, too, of what was wanting. They seemed to think that a change of apparel-a black coat instead of a drab—a broad rim on their hat instead of a narrow one-a prolongation of the face, and a fictitious gravity-a longer and more emphatic pronunciation of certain words, rather than scriptural knowledge, humility, spirituality, zeal, and Christian affection, with great devotion and great philanthropy, were the grand desiderata. Along with all these drawbacks, they had as few means of acquiring Christian knowledge as they had either taste or leisure for. They had but one, two, or, at most, three sermons; and these were either delivered in one uniform style and order, or minced down into one medley by way of variety. Of course, then, unless they had an exuberant zeal for the truth as they understood it, they were not of the calibre, temper, or attainments to relish or seek after mental enlargement or independence. I, therefore, could not esteem them, nor court their favor by offering any incense at their shrine. I resolved to have nothing specially to do with them more than any other preachers and teachers. The clergy of my acquaintance in other parties of that day were, as they believed, educated men, and called the Baptists illiterate and uncouth men, without either learning, or academic accomplishments, or polish. They trusted to a moderate portion of Latin, Greek, and metaphysics, together with a synopsis of divinity, ready made in suits for every man's stature, at a reasonable price. They were as proud of their classic lore and the marrow of modern divinity as the Baptist was of his "mode of baptism" and " 'proper subject," with sovereign grace, total depravity, and final perseverance. I confess, however, that I was better pleased with the Baptist people than with any other community. They read the Bible, and seemed to care but little for any thing else in religion than "conversion" and "Bible doctrine." They often sent for us and pressed us to preach for them. We visited some of their churches, and, on acquaintance, liked the people more and the preachers less. Still I thought I might be unreasonably and by education prejudiced against them, and thought that I must visit their Association at Uniontown, Pennsylvania, in the autumn of 1812. went there as an auditor and spectator, and returned more disgusted than I went. They invited me "to preach," but I declined it altogether, except one evening, in a private family, to some dozen preachers and twice as many laymen. I returned home, not intending ever to visit another Association. I We laid the matter before our church in the fall of 1813. We discussed the propriety of the measure. After much discussion and earnest desire to be directed by the wisdom which cometh from above, we finally concluded to make an overture to that effect, and to write out a full view of our sentiments, wishes, and determination on that subject. We did so. Some eight or ten pages of large dimensions, exhibiting our remonstrance against all human creeds as bonds of union or communion among Christian churches, and expressing a willingness, on certain conditions, to co-operate or to unite with that Association, provided only, and always, that we should be allowed to preach and teach whatever we learned from the Holy Scriptures, regardless of any creed or formula in Christendom. A copy of this document, we regret to say, was not preserved; and when solicited from the clerk of the Association, was refused. in the county. We had two or three families in Wellsburg, with some five or six members; and so not only the Baptist cause, but all forms of Christianity in Brooke county, were very low. I proposed the building of a meeting-house in Wellsburg, and volunteered my services for three or four months to raise a portion of the means. To these our few friends in time consented; and accordingly, by our joint labors—I raising 1000 dollars by solicitation-a house was reared. But this became my heterodoxy, and of a seven years' persecution. I soon ascertained that Elder Pritchard regarded his little church on Cross Creek, with its little frame building, enough for the Baptists in Wellsburg and Cross Creek also; and that my proposing to build a house in Wellsburg was done with intent to undermine and nullify his influence and church. The proposition was discussed at the Association, and, after much debate, was decided by a considerable majority in favor of our being received. Thus a union was formed. But the party opposed, though small, began early to work, and continued with a perseverance worthy of a better cause. There was an Elder Pritchard, of Cross Creek, Virginia; an Elder Brownfield, of Uniontown, Fayette county, Pennsylvania; an Elder Stone, of Ohio; and his son, Elder Stone, of the Monongahela region, that seemed to have confederated to oppose our influence. But they, for three years, could do nothing. We boldly argued for the Bible, for the New Testament Christianity, vex, harrass, or discompose whom it might. We felt the strength of our cause of reform on every indication of oppo-nominated to preach on the Lord's sition, and constantly grew in favor with the people. Things passed along without any very prominent interest for some two or three years. At the close of 1815 and beginning of 1816, the town of Wellsburg, the capital of our county, had not a meeting-house of any sort whatever. I had often spoken there in the courthouse, and was favorably heard. A Baptist church, three miles above, on Cross Creek, under the pastoral care of Elder Pritchard, a Maryland minister, of very high Calvinistic views, was the only Baptist meeting-house I could not at first assent to such a representation. I had, indeed, been repeatedly solicited to speak to his church; but on my second visit, being treated discourteously by Elder Pritchard, I was constrained to believe there was some fleshly principle at work. I never again visited them as a church. Reports of my heterodoxy began to radiate to Uniontown, Monongahela, and Ohio. A coalition was formed. The next Association convened at Cross Creek. On being day, I was objected to by Elder Pritchard on the ground that I was "living in the neighbourhood, as it were, and that, according to Baptist custom in Maryland, the church at whose house the Association was held always had the privilege of selecting, out of all the members present, any one whom they chose to speak on the Lord's day; and that custom decreed that those from a distance ought to be heard rather than those in the neighbourhoodsuch as Brother Campbell—whom the church could hear at any time." |