BIBMDAoL.
)'. ; " . ! i" i . , . I
IE
Ji JJJiiijj
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J - .. v- i If! -. ' - - - : i !- - ; '
DEVOTED TO
It i L, l g 1 0 X, MOKALITV, L1TCUATURE, AND GENEHAL INTELLIGUICE
m . a ItJt. VI
a Aicreuiui. Auiiur.
i
VOL. IV.-No. 23.
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T K ft 51 S.
Tn& Uecprder & Watcuman ispubl.shed every Sat
urday, at Si 50 per annuru.il" paul wiihio six inooths.
-or o" it paid stitwequeutly to that jeriod. . . if
Any person who win become responsible fur; six
copies, or who wjll foi ward the names of, six subscri
bers, shail be entitled toa sbvk.nth coi-v gratis, j
No subsojiption will! be leceived for less than'oNE
"tear, uules paid in advance; and no discontinuance
"will te alio ved until arrearages are paid. j f
Persoiisw ishinif to discontinue will be expected ta
rgi ve notice o that eftVci prior to the commencement of
m ge year otuerwise mey will be considered as! e
po.wlte loi the ensuing twelve months. H
All coiTJinuaications except those of agents who act
giatuitoujjy, lo secure aiienuou, must be post PAiD.fi
All remittances reularlv made to our addresisibv
iAit., shail lie at our risk. . v fj
Anv person orderiuj 10 copies, and paving the-ino-
ey is ADiricB, hail have lae same for j-jriO. I K
Aiv -mse uents not incompatible with the obiecw of
the Ketoi del, will be iuser.ed ou the usual term. I
f .J ... T ..i.A. t " .I-.
DJif Brbiher Me redith,
'Vhr fbllowiug' Report to the Chowan As
nciation Irbtn thfir: Com.niitef, was rtad and jre
cri-u vviti jrt-at satisfaction. 'In obfdiencf
lo a subj.Jit ed resolution, the Association paused
itwhile anu allowed the agent, our esteemed Br.
H. VVilrotj lu take fubi-rriptiotis in aid of the
Institute, wjhich amounted to about 8800., 1i
Committee on the Wake Furest Intiiutebfg
Uacc to Report, Tnai atttr la kin the subject
j.uo as lull consideration as lime and circuuitan
ces would adiiiit, they can but deeui it oiie of vast
iiiiportance ; strongly clfiiinin the most serious
consideration and the deepest interest of thU bo
dy", and of all the real friends of iiiiprovenienl
tbroiihout: ihe State. Iris very desiraMejthat
Correct inf.ujrriiation should bejjennaliv drfTdsed.
But we cat n.iw refer only to a few considera
tifuiS to sht vv its claims upon us. The Wake
tuie h .s been in successful operation
f.ur yc.rs. It was eitiblis ud and
.more tha
thus far sua
staineu almost exclusively by Baptlsls.
I; is pr p r y the chiid of the Convention of Uie
Baptist ! diuuiiuatinn in tbisState as such, ih
rej;utdt!on a nd honor of thederiornination areultt .
unateSy couiiected with its prosperity ami s'uecits
besides, i s not the parent uuuer strong oblika
.tioti on acc.iunt of the rel ilbuship which eitc
between thetn. to foster and support the chilj?
A id on the success of the Wake F. Institute tjt
,peuds very much the prosperity of the Baptist
Cause, and ufthe cause of knowledge, iuipioTe';
ineut,and correct principles anionic us. Jtide'et
itiii:iy'be s; id to be the hope of these causes'in
this Siate. Lt the Institute fall and they Will
languish' a id droop and die. How itupoitant
then that it should be sustained. t - ';"
Tne pres ut condition of the Wake F. Insti
tute is nut sa fljurishinsj as it has been, though
it is by no means disheartening The present
till nhnr nf .sludniits is not I:i rfif n ir nrwt
f.r which fact, several satisfactory roasons, sucn
as change $i limes, &.C., miht oe assigned jh
deed ill I .is might naturally have beet expec
ted from th circutustanees of the case. Every
other institution has suffered similar leverses.
nni why should this be expected to be exempt ?
It is projier to say here that some groundleS!
prJ idk'es have been excited against tht lusll
t ue ly (ilsf eports "uch, howeverati aicquain
t.ioce with. U would destroy. We hope there
fare that & will take measures to ascertain lt
real fid-, tKforelhey suffer tht-tnse!ves to admit
oifv pnj idiije against t:e Institution. We should
be exceeuiu;ly cautious how we jive credence ii
publicity in jauy tliincr we may hear against l,
uiil we know the fads. It is the determina
't.iju of the Trustees and Faculty of the Institute
59 remove jevery real cause of dissatisfaction
vith trie I'isiituie as soon as it is discorered.--la
i this wotic tiiey candidly ask their brethren
and friends to. lend them their counsels and aid
some i nportant improvements in their plan
of operations, have recently been m;ide and oth
ers will doubtless soon beefTected. Indeed they
are determined if their brethren will give the "i
neessurv support, that as good advantages for
education sball be aff 'rded here as al any other
mtitution in our country. And it should not be
f r:rolten that the expenses uf students here are
niciUss t.iU'i at any si.nilar Ltstiiuiion in the
Jand. j -(" . - ; '
The.pecuni jry afftirs of the Institution were
at the beginning of the present year, nearly as
fillows:; The subscriptions Liken somc year
s nee for the purpose of erecting buildings a
inou.sted to about Si 1 000, of this sum, about $ 1 3
000 have now been collected, leaving aboni 83
0JJ yet unpaid. Of ihe money collected part
had been paid out fur improvements before the?
College . building was erected. This building
cost about 15,033 of whichaboutSSOOOis paid i
;lraving yet junpaid about 7 000. It will be seeij
therelore thawthe amount ot subscriptions yet uni
paid exceeds the debt nowowinj for ihe b ii!d-j
ings by abejul $1000. But it is probable ihfej
yili be a loss on the subscriptions of at least 83-1
-00J. It wiif then fall shon of paying the debt
by about 82000. Besides this Ihere is a debt on
the I nstitut4. separate from the buildin? depart-
-mentof .bojit 81S00, making the whole debt of
the lustituteL which has not the probably availa-b-e
means n( paying about 83800. Besides this,
83 003 or 87,003 are to he advanced by brethren
C. V. Skitifier.and A.J. Battle, for the erection;
of Uo dwelling houses, which are now nearly;
completed, and for which they are lo receive in
terest until the trustees are able" to refund the
principal such are the important! ami present
condition df this institution, so far as ii can now
be stated. iPermit your committee to suggest
some thing. which we think, Jiiust be done in
order that jhe institution my be gustainedit
must be relieve i of Decuniarv embarrasmenL--
Thisrnone is now due to the creditors of the
:Iisttiutel "It must be paid and that soon, as the
credit of: the Institute., of the denomination to
which it belongs,will materially suffer and sun?
L ly tW taxn.ll uui required cao easily b raised
RALEKill AND
fc-w r i -kti - - -r j
by the Bapl;is of ISTorth Carolina. Again, the
BaptistSj in the State must - manifest their confi
dence and interest in the Institute by di-couutr-nancing
falsef reports in n gurd' to if.'aud bv sen
ding their oyn sons to it for educaiion. "Like
all other instjtutions.that at Wruke Foe-t cannot
be sustained without students. It has no funds
with which to pay its teachers and defray its o
ther annual expenses. It is thought that with
eighty students it would sustain itself; and surely
inure than ifys number of Ihe sons of Baptits
'living in this I State, are at school sosnewhere
why are they) not at the Wake Foiest Institute t
Toe Institute now possessed good accommoda
tions lor more than the aboxe named number of
Mudetits. Aiid should the instim n.be wellsus-
j taitn d, ihere'ean be no doubtful it would speedily
iifc-T-Ktu me Huiirs ana expectations ol its pa
lronsr snd rise to distinction and great useful nfss.
1'hat this may be the'ease, your committee would
recommend thadoptiou of the following resulu
tiors : I " -
Resolved. That the Wake Forest Institute is
the fibpe of sound learning in the Baptist deno
mination and:comniunity of North Carolina.
Resolved, ! That as such, every possible exer
tion uuid bt made by the friends of knowledge
and improvement, io sustain lhis.Intituticn.
Resolcfd, Th..t ince the Wake F. Institute is
the child oftheB iplist Couienitonand denomina
tion in this State the reputation and he nor of
Baptits as individuals and as a people are inti
mately connected with its success j
Resolved, Thatth.is Institution Requires for its
advancement jtlie friendly co-operation and
pio'mpt and general patronage of tne Baptist
deri1tininaiion and the friends of improvement,
learnmg.and fiberality in ihe State, to dtstroylhe
ungrounded pi rj -id ices which "may exist against
it, mid lo furnish it with students to yield it a
support. I . -
Resolved, That the Wj F. Institue, with its
prestiit accomiiiodations and board of instruct
ion, presents superior ad vantages for "ducatioti,
and is a school highly w-oithy of the patronage
ol an enlightened public. j
ResolvedViiil iistbe W. F. Institute does not po
sse, at preseut, the available means of cancel
ling at! its debts, and since those debts must soon (
be paid or the? character of; the Institution must
suffer a few thousand dollars ought immediate
ly to be raised for the purpose; and this object
is earnestly :rVom.iiended to the consideration
of the liberates one well worthy of their generous
contributions.1 ,
Resolved, That in order lhat the character and
rondition of the Institute may be more filly
known, the chjirches comprising this body, are
respectfully requested to Send i delegation to be
present at the riext meeting of the Board of Trus
tees which will occur about ihe last veek in
June next, where investigations will be made
and important measures must be adopted fur
its support and;advancement.
Resolved, That it is expedient to open a sub
ciipuon at ihij meeting for the relief of the W.
F. Institute arid that the agent be requested to
do it immediately. All which is respectfully
submitted. I Chas. W. Skinner, CA.
Report of. the fccard oj the A m and Foreign Bi
ble Society for the year 1837.
The Board of Managers in presenting their
Annual Ilepori.are grateful to God forthe favors
which have continued to advance the prosperity
of the America'n and Foreign Bible Society, du
ring the past y j ar.
! In performing the duties assigned them, they
have experienced great pleasure in the n fl -etiou,
that this is an enterprise in which, not only Bap
lists, but christians of all denominations may
meet on consecrated ground, and unite in pro
moting the kingdom of their Redeemer.
The volume which they distribute contains
nothing but ihej truth, flowing from a s.;ered foun
tain, the stream's wheieof shall make glad the na
tions of the earih.. The simple majesty of such a
cause 'should ai once disarm opposition, silence
every objection,, jnd quicken the most tardy.
Youi Board; rf' Managers hope, that the minds
of brethren now connected with other denomina
tions, will be dr wn to a prayerful consideration
of tne circumstances which led lo the formation
ofthe American and Foreign Bible Society.
The necessity for such an Institution in addi
tion to previously existing Bible Societies, admits
not of a treasonable doubt, lfthe population of
the globe be estimated at 903,000.000. then, the
rate at which Bibles have been circulated durintr
the pasttverity-six(years, would require Upwards
of four thousand years bef are" every member of
the human family could be fuinished with a copy
ofthe sacred wiiiings.j A view offacta like this,
indueed a few pious minislers in Paris to form
the French and Foreign Bible Society, several
years after ihelforinalion of the Paris Bible So
ciety. I he same opinion, mm a an uhsj uejnc w
circulate the rahst faithful versions of the scrip-
.. . : r.u.. r.i:., .
lures Tgave rise! to ine separate acuon i me jjum
burgh Bible Society,: although the British and
Foreign Bible Society hid been about fourteen
years enjaued jnthe work of Bible distribution.
Since lhat event, the labours and usefulness of
the Edinburgh -'Society hive been greatly increa
sed As a denomination, therefore, we deserve
no censure, bv ihe formation of ihe A.nerican
and Foreign Bible Society, which does not equal
lv apply to the Edinburgh, and to the Fxench and
Foreign Bible aocieiy. ,
It has been i frequently inMnuated, that our
chief concern was to contend for the translation
of the word baptizo ; but, this certainly is not ou
main design. Although we believe that this
like every other word ln the Bible, ought to be
translated ; yet.' as Barists, we are wntend.og
for a great principle, i. that the whole of Qod
word should be faithfully translated, and given
to all manklad.
CHARLESTON, SATURDAY,
: t i ,,,,,
Against ibis important principle, the resolu
liou of the American Bible Society is pai ticu
lariy directed ; and that is the reason w hy we
have, as a denomination, protested against their
proceedings, and formed a seperate organization
to meet the exigency. j i
That it is thedeieriiiination ofthe Baptists.faith
fully to translate the w hole Bible j and on the
other hand, ihat the American Bible Socitty hat
passed a resolution w hich veils a paitofthut Bi
bit in the obscurity of a languigo junknown to
the heathen.Swill b! apparent to every impartial
reader of the f. Mowing resolutions:;
Resolution of the Bird of M miners of the
American Bible Sociily, passed 17 ih Ftbrua-
' uiy, I83G: I :'" :!
uRtsoleed Thit in appropriating money for
the trHn.latsn, printing or distributing of the
Sacre I S.-nj tures, in foreign languages, the Man
agers feel at liberty to encourage only such ver
sions as coulorin in the principles ot their trans
lation to the common English cersionHl leat so
laras that all religious dniomiuaiions represen
ted in this S.H'icty, cm consisteiitlyjuse and cir
culate 5 tid versions in their aeveral schools and
cuuimuuitiet."
Resolution of the American Baptist Board of
Foreign Missions, passrd in April, lfc3b.
Resolved, I Tim; all tne Missionaries .of the
Board, who are, or who shall be.j engaged in
translating the Sciiptures, be imtruad lo n
deavor, by ejruet prayer, and diligent study, to
ascertain the exact meaning of the original text :
to express that meaning as exactly as the nature
of the lanuaces into which they shall translate
the Bible will 'permit; and to transfer no words
which are capable'of being literally translated."
The first,1 is a resolution passed by the Ameii
cau Bibte Society, virtually concealing a part of
he Hly Scrij.tures.. The second, a resolution
passed by the B i ptists.on the contrary, gives spe
cial instructions to their Missioiiories lo pray for
the direction of the Holy Spirit, and to give to
the: heal hen,'a faithful .translation of every : word
in the Biblei Willi these facts beire them, h i
Ohristiaus of every oenominaiuin pruy-riuny in
quire: Which of these societies is entitled to ou t
patronaiie
Ni Christian would be willinir to strike out
one ieord of ihe divine revelation. . But so far as
thej healhen are concerned, is there , any differ
ence between it iking out lhat one icord, or prin
ting it in a language which the reader does not
understand 1 H
Cpon this point, your board of Managers can
mo-it cordially ado; t the language 'of the Hon.
Joo'. Coiton S oith, President ot the American
Bible Society, in the annual addres before lhat
society in May, 1837. "He w ho is'employrd in
translerring'the messages of HeaveuVrom their
originals to another language, is bound to exer
cise the same accuracy and fidelity in rendering,
thai the inspired penmen were, in recording the
communications of the Most Hiih."j To this
may be added the equally scriptural opinions of
.... i ' la
thej Uev. Mr. Calhoun, Agent ol tne American
Bible Society, now .n Greece. Speaking of ihe
Greek Church, he remarks : " They hear ihe
Scriptures, indeed, occasionally, in their church
es, but they hear them in an viikmncn tongue.
VVhat a cunning device ofHheiireat adversary
has'this been, to shutout the Jighlof truth by
locking up God's holy ico rd in a dt ad language.
Never could these, churches have become .what
they have become, de id branches, had the scrip-
... .
tures been read in a tongue that could be under
stood." In another place Mr. Calhoun says, "In
order to true devotion, ihero must . be a distinct
perception f-f the truth ; the language in which it
is uttered, must br intelligible." This: is ull the
Baptists have ever demanded I ! I
Mnrethari fjrty years have elapsed since Bap
tist Missionaiies in the East, commenced the
jreai work of j publishing the sacjed writings.
Aii single station, on Ihe banks of jlhe Hoogly,
translations into several !anguaies were. comple
ted about ten years before the British and For
eign Bible Society came iliio existe'nce; and the
same important work is kl preseut! carried fr
wartl with great .success in regions beyond the
Ganges. t Hindoos, Burmans, I Talings,
Kerens, and jChinamen, are now reading, . in
their own tongues, the wonderful works of God."
In reeard lo ihe Chinese, we havejthe uni
ted testimony of the learned, that ihero has not
been given to them a belter version of ihe Bible
thati that which was commenced in lSOG.and has
since been completed by Df. Mrtrsbman, ihe cel
ebrated author 'of, Clayis Sinjca. :
With the exception ofthe Persian, and a few
others, all the first translations of the Scriptures
intoEastern languages, were made by Baptist
Missionaries;; comprehending ihe'jlanguages of
more than half the population of the world. It
is particularly gratifying that the whole of.this
work has been executed upon a principle which
commends itself to the heart of e?ery Christian.
They prayed and labored to find .out the true
meaning of every word in the Biblei. How could
eonscienos men proceed upon any other principle!
In what other way could the missionaries be
faithful to the heathen, to their own consciences,
to posterity, to' God Surely no Christian I will
sy, that ihey! were wrong in praying to be
taught the meanitis? of every part ofthe living Oracles-
nor. that when thev were satisfied beyond
all reasonable! doubt, mey ougni noiw nave r
prefst d that tneaning in the appropriate word
ofthe language iuto which their versions were
made.: - ; - j." ., .
i ; VNION IS STRKSOTIT, v
At no former period has the truth of this axi
om demanded a more careful consideration in its
application to the Baptist denomination. En2a
gedas we are in an enterprsts which will HlTeci
the moral interests of the whole world ; duty to
Se Americao Exeyclopiia Article, Mis
tiest, -.'!:' :" ;. "'. t '
JUNE 16, 1838.
God, and ihe destitute condhion of millions, im
pel us to undivided exertion) in sending the in
spired pages to every tribe! and people under the
w hole heaven, until "like ii j flood of glory' ihe
knowledge of Christ shall chver the earth nsthe
water? cover the sea. With this as the only ob- j
.jcc of our society, he Board earnestly solicit the
co-operation of thejr brethren.
Since ihe last Anniversary, your Board of
Managers have been greatly encouraged by the
increasing i I Ii
UNAMM1TV OF THE BAPTISTS IN THE BIBLE
' j. CAUSE.1 ' " '
Communications received! by the Correspon
ding Sevretary, Ironi Baptist Statt Conventions,
and from numerous Associations, Churches and
individuals in each state, saii&fictorily demon
strate the correctness of this ; opinion. .Univer
sally independent in principle, we rtjoice in the
belief, that Baptists ever wilt be united in ac.ion,
w hen called to defend or to distribute the Biole :
I . i . . . . . j ! . I
the charter of their common sal vation.
' i :- ! . - -.
IIUMAM! KEsiPONiJIBlLITY.
: - I (' i r :
OF THE PROPAGATION OF TRUTH.
1 1 : - !. 7 : '
Continued
If this be the fact, it w ill be evident, that in the
effort io persuadej meii to believe our.opiuions,
we are bound to present suttiarguiuents as God
i himst. ll has presented ; that is, t use no argu
ment which we do not! believe to be logically
sound, and to assert ticlhii.g as fact, whicli e
do not believe to be'strictly Uud literally true, ll
we exaggerate, or couceal, ;or -mysiiiy, for Ihe
puipose'ul advancing Kvhai; we believe to be true,
we insult' the God ol ! truth whose ministers we
profess to be. if. :we hltempt. to niuk'e. men feel
Ifpit a couise 01 conduct is iroug, we must pre
sent il in ti e moral relations which it holds in
thesiht of God. 1 have rio right, for ihe sake
of carrying u measure, or stirring up an excite
mti.t, or svv'ayingthe popufur opinion, to urge,
as a mailer, or universal obligation, u nat God
has left as a matlei to be divided jy every man's
conscitnee: to make that out to be a crime, 'in
eery inaUuce, which Gud tlas maqe acriuie on
ly uuuer special cucumsiauc.es; or lo urge as a
uuly by command, w hat carronly be made out to
be a duty by inference.! lnja word, Jamtoiakv
ihe law cf God just as I find! rt , with ail the dis
tinctness and w uh all the obscurity m which he
has left it. We arelo "comuienu" this, just as u
i-V wilLout increase or di:ni!iution, io men's
cuuseiences, iti the sight of God." We are to
it'll men what is tht -wfll itf God, as he has re
vealed it, just as thcu-ih Gdd- himself were pres
enl, hearing every Wuiil that we speak, while
we proless lo be his representatives. To act
otherwise, is, clearly, tii astime to be ourselves
the lawgivers; it ii to claiuv for ourselves author
ity over the consciyr.ct s ofjoiir brethren; il is to
iurult the most Hih himst,lr, by. our own o:ost
insufferable arrogance. l.j I.
If God have commanded hie to announce his
will to my fellow men, it is'thy duty to announce
his wil. But this, gives meluo authority to an
nounce, as his will
any thing which he has not
I must ui(iOuhce it, precisely
it. lihaveiio discretion what-
cummanded. And
as he has revealed
ever in the matter.
If he haye plainly comniaii-
ded or forbidden any thin?,! 1 may say plainly
lhat he has commanded or fotbiudtn it ; ad, in
doing so, i must point to the enactment, and urge
it ou tiie rtuthorityjof "tnus saitn the Lord." 11
he have presciibeq one dutyi.and 1 infer another
duty f ton. it, 1 muEt announce '.this second tuty,
not as his command, but as my inference. 1 have
no right to urge it as a'general Command of God.
This inference majyr bind iny1. coustieuce, but ill
can, as my- inference, bind the conscience of urj
one else. Every one must in such a case be left
to his own judgment ; and Fhavtr no right to acf
cuse anomer oi uisoueuience io uoq, unless ne
admit thai he is for himself convinced of tbe du
ty.aud ihen disregard iU Th'ps, God has com
manded all mento reoent. This is an universa
duly, and! 1 may urge it upon all men. ' God
commands all men to use the things of this world
as uoi abusing them. This I inay also urge on
the same authority!. I infer that a particular kind
of meat oi drink is torbiddehij Then this infef-j
ence will bind me, but 1 haveno right to demand
that the conscience of my'nighbor be bound by
my inference. Mahomet forbade wine, under all
circumstances. A Mahometan .may therefore
in the same manner forbid ltjjon the auih anty oft
his master. A disciple of Christ cannot so for-!
bid it, on the authority of hii master, unless he
can show! that Cnrist himself; or his apostles
thus forbade it. if he. infer from some other pre
cept, that il is to be abstained from, then the mor
al obligation is contingent, or accidental ; lhat is,
it binds-, in those Cases, w he f-e, the use of wine i
would conflict with obedience-to that precept, and
il binds in no other; and of speh case, every in
dividual isto.be the judge fori himself.
. . It may be said jttiat we carlnbt. cany forward
the temperance reformation if Ave adopt this ptin-
ciple. To this I have very! tittle to reply. If
we cannot tarry forward t;e temperance, or any
other reformation, without making God say what
he tsas not said, and assuming a ditierent tnoraU
standard fro.., that which be has eslablished, lKeason why we ihould hu' turselv
LlhiiiL- Itim runM in list nil lit. rt ttt tft rw rlnriitti I . - i ... .
think the cause must, at ihe ootset, be desperate.
And, after all, bow is the thing1 to be helped? I
may wish that God had said Idifferently ; I may
seem to see that I could do much more g6od if
bo had given a different command. But, if he
have not giveu It, there the matter rests, and I am
not responsible for the result. I B.ut, before I find
fault with the laxity of the moral law of my Cre
ator, would it not be wise to begin by distrusting
myself ? ; Haye. 1 not reason to fear, lhat there is
an error.tomevriire, when!; 1 seem to be more
zealous for righteousness, than be "who is of pu
rer eyes than tojook upon iniquity ?"
Acraia: W wo resirictvti 83 to the mot ires
WHOLE Ni. 174.
which we may urge, forUhe puTpose of inducing 1
men to obey the commands of God. The facta J
in the case I suppose toibe these. Gcd has ap
pointed for his moral crejatures certain courses of ;
conduct. To obedienceiand to disobedience to
his will, he has aEi.ed such consequences as
seemed meet unto himself. What these conse- !
quences should, in eachfease, be, he is the only 5
competent judge, and Ho one has a' right 19
quetion his decision Jinlich Itss to alter, to modi
fy, or to reverse it. Now in urging men to obey a
his will, we are bound t4 set before ihem precise-
ly the consequences which he has attached both -I
to obedience and to disobedience. We have no -right
eiiher to create !h-$e consequences or to )
represent them to Be any other than he has orX j
dained. . if we do this; -we usurp his authority.!-.:
We, Ihen, not only "Judj'e" but usurp the right ;
to punish "dllolhemal,,4servarrL, We assume! ;
to know better than the iloi verul lawgiver, w hat
is the desert! of crime; aid io be mere lnly tbtm
the Holy One of Israel. I " j-
J Thai I have no right tp add to, or diminish ibe
motives which God hasspresented toraen, isevi-i
dent.- -If the motives Which he hts presented
will hot influence them; i cannot help it. It will
never do for m.e to mak-eta lie about it. Iam not
responsible for the resujt. I need pot, surely
atTect to lovej'the souls ,f men belter than the '
Saviour himself. If th motives which he has
presented, are, all thai ;ie saw fit to present, I
may reasonably' conclude that no love ol mino
to the souls' of men can ever improve upopi
them.- : ! 'j ; - : .'k.1- j::
But till more. I have no right to affix lo any
action, any other consequences thaulhose which.
God himself has afiixed?to it. To some actions
he has affixed ceFtain and inevitable lesuiis. To
others the results are contingent; they n;a' pc
cr in one case and not In another, id I am iW
able to tell in what casej they-will and will not
occur. I have no rtohtito assign" as ceituin, a.
cunsequcnce.to an action w hen lhat cor.sequenc
is merely accidental: that is, when it may; or may1
not occur. God has deijlao-ed, that unless a man'
repent he will never be saved. This is a certain'
result: I may always auJ everywhere so declare
it. If a man do not repent how, undel" my par
ticular sermon, he. may never be sared. " Thia
may be his last offer of mercy. I may so ?tal'
iw But I ha ve no rig htto state thatif he do not
now at this time, repehtj his soul will certainly
be lost. He may be lost if he come not forward
to the "anxious seats," aed he mav be caved if he
do. But God has notcoinlnanded him to come for,
ward to the 'anxious seits;" and though 1 may.
il I think it will be useful to him, advise him,
(as my advice merely,) t come forwaad, I have
no right to urge it as the command of God jj
much less hare I a rightjto assure him, that his1
salvation actually depends upon his doing or not
doing this particular thing. 1 ,
Against all this, it may be objected that these,!
and similar measures, have frequently been alten-i
ded with good result, Were it not that 1 re
sped the motive from v.bieh such an objection
proceeds, I would not thjnk it worthy of a reply.1
It manifestly admits the principle, that I have a
right to impose upon the; consciences of men.aa
a duty commanded by God, any act whatever,1
provided 1 have reason t believe that, in partic
j uiar instances, such act has been attended with a
irood result. I have known swearing ar.d Sab-j
bath breaking, made the jraeans of men s coiiver
sion ; but have I, therefore, a riyht to command
men io swear or to breakj the Sabbath ? BesidesJ
jif such be the case, whefe shall liberty of. con
sbtence find a resting place? This principle in
volves the very essence! of Romanise, ia the
'darkest periods of its sadjexisteiice. I afTirm.it,
jas historical fact, lhat the most odious auditions
which the Romish Church has ever made io
the commands of God, wjere, at the beginning,
made upon tiiis very principle. On this very
ground were monasteries, reiigious orders,-c6d
auricular confession established. In fact, we
may easily see, if we vil take the trouble to job?
serve, that the abuses of that church, germinate,
not in the bosoms of menof a particular order,
but in the soil of human nature itself. Every
man is liable to desire to jwield the authority of
God, forthe accomplishment of bis own purpo
ses.? In so far'as any man carries this desire in
to action, in so far is that nan a Catholic.
In the last place I remark, that, whilst we
have a right to inform men of the consequences
which will follow from disobedience to tbe laws
of God, individuils have iio right to create these
consequences themselves. If God declare that
he will itiflict a particular punishment upon a
transgressor of his law, we may be assured that
he will do it,,; If he bids us forewarn theoffen
der, we are obliged to forewarn him. But this
gives us no right to punish him ourselves. Xbie
latter act God reserves foij himself. We cannot
assume, it without usurpiW his authority. ! Ha
foretold that the children ipf Ham should be ser-
vauis of servants; but thisjisa very sorry reason
for enslaving the Africanf. The prophets fore
told that the children of Abraham should-be "a
pepple scattered and feebje, a hissing and a by
word but this is a veiy boor excuse for perse-
romHi. . novJrtv an(t rnvmi.. u.
cutitig me jews. oo. u isa Net. lhata drunkard
no
reader him poor and contemptible. He who is
engaged in aoy immoral iraific, will, in a heal
thy state ofthe community, lose the estimation in
which, he would otherwise be held by his fellow
citizens. We may do all in our power to ele
vete the standard of the public morals; but we
have no right, by our direct act, to destroy the
estimation in which this jar any other man it
held. We may tell a man that such consequen
ces will follow, and thus urge him to act virtu
ously; but we have no right to bring in our own
efforts in aid of the authority of God, and tell the
man, that, if he do col obey God, we will ruia
ais reputation, " ! j - i
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