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From the Christian Repository.
1 Maclay and Dr. Aydelott.
SiBATOGA Springs, N. Y., July 21, 1S51.
RTEBEI J!fD DtAR SlRt 1 have just
joi yoQr letter t0 my friend, BisbopjMc
fnns, vita deep and thrilling "interest. . Yon ;
bot, from the time yon were a, boy of twelve
r fourteen, I took deep interest in your spiritual
Bd eternal Welfare. And it gladdened my heart
lieu lhaJ reason to bclioTO that thejinstructions
iMeh I then imparted to yon had made a deep
fcment on your heart, and that you were
Iroaght experimentally to know the truth as it
k in Jesus. From that period to the present,
Jiits taken a deepj interest in all your move
Bents, and it has afforded me no ordinary satis
fctkm to find that you have been the decided
ilrocate of evangelical religion. And jour let
te to Bishop Mcllvaine, evinces that you con
linofife decided friend and advocate, on Bible
pincJpla, whatever it may cost you. j
Wen we first were acquainted, I was a. Pedo
Eaplist, but was compelled to examine the sa
mf Scriptures, with reference to the subject of
Biptism. In consequence of endeavoring to
peptra a sermon from r Acts ii ; 38, in 1808, 1
ktme convinced that Peter's mode of prpce
kt and mine wero different. I concluded that
b ins an inspired apostle," and must be inf41i
Ej right, and I must inevitably be wrong. He
Bid to his hearers : " Repent, and be baptized,
mtj one of you." I could not address my
iarers in the same inanner, because according to
Bj principles, they were bap tized alread, though
I knew they were in the gall of bitterness and
fend of iniquity. He required them to repent first,
oJ then be baptized. I was compelled to give
the text and preach,from another, as I could
Mtonmy principles do it justice. I resolved
orefully and prayfully to examine the Scrip
ten on this subject. 7 7
Ifcnndthat Christ in the Apostolic Commis-
m commands the baptism of believers -of ba-
Srrers only. He commands his "disciples to go
oi teach, (or make disciples by instruction,
Hch is the only way in which man can become
cciplcs,) and then baptize them. - f g 7
I In examining this subject, Acts vrii: 8 struck
Jjmind, with the force of a flash of, lighten-
s?;" And Crispus, the'.chief ruler of the byn-
goe, believed on the Lord, with all his house,
d many of the Corinthians hearing, believed,
were then baptized." The nassaffe struck me
1 tha manner, They ' heardthen believed-
Ntere baptized I have been all my life re-
'ssng God's plan ; first; baptizing, then wait
H till they shall hear," then waiting till they
aa believe, which might never take place.
tthe t)lan which the God of heaven has or-
4 is that men shall first hear, and then be-
re, and then be "baptized. I felt ashamed
"ttmfounded before God.. I wondered where
'J yes and my understanding had been, that
all my advantages of information, I should
'remained ignorant 1 of a subject as clearly
in the Bible as that Christ rose from
I examined every passage in the New
t. in its connection,' whero the ordin-
, , T 7 ' , r
7 to, and to. my astonishment found that
7 -T th& na of Infant ". Baptism, nor the
been accustomed to plaee great reliance
Uptism of households aentioned in the
Ptees. ' Bat on examining' the, passages in
eonaection. I found that in every case they
J3 cHereri-'T?' I have ... since , baptucd - more
in New York city; than all those re-
a the NewTeeUmentl i BaJ tbey were
I baptized two. whole households at
. I was -rrreaen t in Baltlraorel when T3r
ifi -Fafler baptized two entire households.
Ifrmg the fact puUiclyVsaid to the con
ifTAuon,' M Yorx must not eo awat and renort
butcioldi forthey ire all believers,.
'fctenmned''taOT 'eonsciance
1 God by being iburie4 with lChrist by
vai enabled : to eo on ov trav re-
(fitr t wa baptized on the 51st of Deoom
C 1808 r V -Hey. Jnb. 17imanv one of
.7ca 1 knewf and father of Or. m R.
( New York." Uvv'ih and eishtsen
' Its' "V " i i '
' V1 9 "aPd on tJhriatmas' morning, four Jrendered the
i l-rardj ty the game administrator. Jly as corruj
And then six, eight, and ten, at a time were
immersed by myself, nntil the whole church was
baptized, except four or five bdividuals.
My ; successor in .Scotland, the Rev. Mr.
Aikenhead, became uneasy on the subject of in
fant baptism and entertained serious doubts of
its Divine authority, and wrote to me, knowing
that I was a Baptist, and asked my advice. . I
advised him to read the New Testament with
earnest prayer and close attention, and if he
found any thing respecting the sprinkling of in
fants in it, by all ' means to continue the prac
tice: But if neither the name, nor the thins itself
wero found in God's book, as anhonest man, he
would be compelldd-to renounce and resort to the
old apostolic mode of immersing the believers He
took my advice. . And it resulted in the baptism
of himself, and also of a majority of the Church.
So that the only two 1 churches of which 1 was
ever pastor, (and they were both constituted un
der my ministry are Baptist Churches now.
When I was baptized, I did not know where to
obtain a loaf of bread for ray wife and children,
or a sixpence to buy it with. But I clearly saw
that it was my duty to obey Christ in this Di
vine ordinance, and leave all consequences with
the Lord. Duty, is ours. ;: Consequences belong
to Him. J have? never had reason to regret it.
Nor will any other Christian man who resolves
to follow the Lord fully.
It may be proper here to remark that in ex
amining the mode of baptism or the action which
takes place in observing it, I found no difficulty
The meaning of the word baptize, both in sa
cred and classical writers, I found to be to dip
to flwngtto immerse. All lexicographers,
both ancient and modern, agree to eive it this
meaning. All profound scholars, of everv de-
nomination, with one consent, say, the word
means to immerse. And Bishop Bossuet, one
of the best scholars France ever produced, says,
u The word" means to immerse as is granted by
all the world." If he bad lived in our day, he
would have found that somo partisans question
the fact. But he would no doubt have conclud
ed with Dr. George Campbell, that " the mere
partisan of every denomination, ; is always in
clined to connect the diction of the Spirit by
that of . the party." All sacred historians, of
any note, admit that immersion was the univer
sal practice, except in cases of-Clinici, for thir
teen centuries after Christ. ; See Dr. Whitby in
in his Commentary on Rom. vi : 4. : I conclud
ed that if the word baptize means to immerse,
(and there is no truth more clearly established,)
then the command of Christ in the Great Com
mission 13 to do the thing which the word means,
To act otherwise , (i. e., c. g. to f sprinkle in
fants, instead of immersing believers,) is direct
rebellion against the Lord and lawgiver! of the
Christian Church, who solemnly says . "In
vain do. ye worship me teaching for doctrines the
commandments of men." .. . , ,. . - - ;
You will excuse me, my dear brother, for
saying that I consider infant baptism the greatest
curse that : ever afEieted Christendom. It has
done more to corrupt the church of God and
make it a den of robbers than all the other in
ventions of the wicked one.; It makes the church
the world, and the world the church. ; It lays a
foundation for. the Union of church and ' state,
which never could have existed or been perpetu
ated, except upon the principles of Pedo-baptism.
And it is the grand source of the evil of which
vou complain in the Episcopal Church. - And it
is equally true of other .Churches that adopt it.
In this country and in England, there are," coun
teracting influences you know, which prevent
Pedo-baptists from carrying fully, into effect the
pernicious influences of their J system. Infant
baptism and infant membership, were they car-
cied out to their legitimate consequences, would
compel them I to address baptized children as
young brethren and sisters in the . Lord.; .For,
they all admit that they u are made His by bapi
tism." - But wc have among us churches plant
ed on the apostolic plan j which baptize believers
only, and admit none into the Church but bap
tized believers, and retain none in the . Church
except those who live under the influence, of the
gospel.' With these .examples, . goodly Pedo
baptist ministers dare not carry, their; system to
its legitimate consequences. n They address bap
Uzed children, acknowledged as members, not as
children of ; God and inheritors oC the kingdom
of heaven but as sinners expoRed to the : wrath
of God, and tell them except .they ; repent they
shall all likewise perish, that they need a change
of heart, .without- which they ;cannot t see the
kingdom- of God,iand hat without linng faith
id the blood of the rosa, they must perish eter
nally. This ia acting, ; howevar, in , direct op
position to Pedo-baptist prmcijles.? But love
to Christ and . to the souls eommittea. to meir
charge and the examples , of those ministers who
act upon the !- ap ostolio '.'plan of addressing the
young and the old sinners that need salvation,
through futh m Christ crucified, compel them to
adopt it i la opposition - to the legitimate consc
quencea oftheirl own prineiples. , - r-K
If the Ronustt' Churcn were .to relinquish m-
f ant baptism, their whole system, would crumble
into : dust ana mei.ci iJa iais; pernicious evu
brinsa into their oaounion 'thousands and mil
lions Tery year, va 'ta unconverted state, fceiore
they ikaow their -right yhtnd firom sthe left.
Luther: and Calvia were great .and .; good men,
and ra&rmed many of the. abuses of Popery.-
"Butthey.i retained ita" worst feature--its- main
pillar infant baptism'; This accore 3d thins has
4 ; . r . . v. .
churches' of the Reformation near
jrrupt as the Romish Church itself So
that a reformation, on Bible principles, is as
much needed as when Luther and Calvin com
menced their labors. It is this evil which has
laid a foundation for the Union nf TWTi nA
Sk &nd has brought wholo , nations into the
Church in an unconverted state, and keeps them
in irom generation to generation. . They are
strangers, the great body of them, to vital god
liness, Loth ministers and people. They hate
the light and love darkness rather than the light,
their deeds being evil. It may bo justly said of
them, that like a nest of owls, nothing is more
offensive than to let the light in upon them.
Our Baptist missionaries, and churches lately
planted-on the; continuent of Europe are lights
in a dark place. And they 1 ave met with more op
position .and persecution from the Reformed
Churches than we have experienced among
Turks, or Jews, or Pagans, or even from the
unurch of Rome . herself, drunken with the
blood of samts, and with the martyrs of our
God. It is principally owing to this evil that
the Churches of the Reformation, as well as
the Romish Church, and the Greek Church,
have become a mass of corruption and putrefaction-'
.... x,-;
Ten years ago I visited . Germany with two
English brethren, with a view of obtaining the
liberation of brother John G. Oncken, a Baptist
minister, from prison, who in ruy judgment pos
sesses more of the apostolic spirit than any man
I have ever met with. He tras imprisoned in
consequence of a law, recommended by the
clergy of the Established Church, forbidding
John G. Oncken Jto preach the gospel of Christ,
to baptize believers, or admit any one to family
worship, except his own family. And he was
imprisoned with' thieves and robbers and murder
ers, because he could not- conscientiously obey
this wicked law, in opposition to the law of
Christ.
On the continent of Europe, you could not
find a man . in a million, unless ho was a Jew,
whether in Papal -, or. Protestant countries, who
is not a member of the Church. Infost baptism
has brought whole nations into the Church in an
unconverted ; state, in a stata of ignorance and
unbelief and enmity to God. They are disaffec
ted in heart to the true grace, and are prepared
to prefer any system of superstition and heresy
to evangelical truth, it being more congenial to
their carnal arid unrenewed hearts. - . .
; In Hamburg, the clergy of the Established
Uliurca bad a meeting a short time ,Delore 1 ar
rived. One of the young ministers avowed his
infidelity. He said: The Biblo is a well told
story, it is true, but thought it very absurd to
consider that it was given by Divine inspiration
One of the number wished to rebuke the young
infidel. ' But the great body of the clergy de
fended him. Another young minister, , who was
editor of a paper, reviewed and censured two
sermons by two of. the senior pastors of their
heterodoxy. v; This , case was . taken up, and he
was laid under censure 'and forbidden to preaeh
for two years, for questioning the orthodoxy of
the senior pastor. An agedbrother sarcastically
said. " No doubt, gentlemen, you are right in
your decisions." " This young man" point
ing to the infidel" has merely blasphemed
Christ, and denied the inspiration of the Scrip
tures, jThat, 'you know, "gentlemen, is a small
offence. But here is another ; ' young man"
J pointing to the editor" who has censured two
of our senior pastors for their heterodoxy. ; That
? ' ' it' 11 1 .L J 4
13 a
crime - tcenuuuiuu, mib uuuv uuw huu ujusi
not , be forgiven. Vou have no doubt done
right in laying him under censure and forbidding
him to preach for two years." The biting sar
casm did not? produce the desired effect. The
infidel .was screened ' by tho
while the
Evanjjclicaryoung man was laid under censure.
The common adage is true in this cas3. "Like
priest, like people. ,
I was informed that there were 200 dance
nouses in ilamDur?, - open on the L.ord'8 dav.
Manyf of them were dens of pollution. But all
who kept thosohouses,'or who frequented them,
both man 'and women, were members " in' good
standing in" the Established Protestant Church.
There were 3,000 prostitutes publicly licensed,
who paid $100 a month, i$36'000 -( a year into
the 5 tate Treasury. - And the clergy of the Es
tablished Church, receive, their salaries out of
this common Treasury. And not one of those
women is allowed to enter her name as a public
prostitute in the police oficc, until she is regu
larly co2triRMn ' as a member in ; good standing
ia tho Established Church "C-" "! " ' '
If a man commits a crime that sends him to
the penitentiary or state- prison, he retains his
good membership in the Church, and can go to
its Communion t Table, when he serves out his
time in the : State's prisons. Thev'onlv wav to
exclude a man from the. Church is to ban him
As long as a mai remains unhung,1 ho remains: a
member of the Church, whatever be' his " crimes."
You wffl easily pereeive, my dear brother,' that
infant baptism is the root of his evil, by bringing
whole nations into the Church ia.au unconverted
state., - . . , , c,.l.t.
; 1 On the continent of Europe they : bmmed the
Baptistsj hung them, drowned them, or banish
ed vthem; v Then Pedo-baptists possessed i the
whole ground to "themselves, and hare the legit
imate "evils' of ''their svste'a rty clearly teas and
carried ';-' , , r
; I Infant baptism leads to a departure frem prim
itive Chnstianit'y. back to the beggarly', elements
of Judaism. . Under the" oil covenant every -des
cendant of Abraham, had a legal and'. Scriptural
light to all the ordinances under the dispensa-
tion, however, unholy or ungodly in .' his prac
tice. But under : the new dbpensation,' no one
has a right to be admitted into the Kingdom of
Christ without a change of heart. - ;
The difference between the two dispensations
is this. -, A carnal birth qualified a man for all
the ordinances under the law. A spiritual birth
is absolutely necessary for admission into the
Kingdom of Christ to the ordinances of the
Gospel. To maintain that the dispensations are
the'same; is to contradict the teachings of Christ
and bis Apostles For admission into Christ's
Kingdom, the same qualifications were required
in a Jew as a heathen. ; ? The Scribes, and Phari
sees, and Saduoces, and the murderers of our
Lord in the prime of life j were all regular mem
bers in; good standing in the O. T, Church.
But they were not qualified without a heavenly
birth for admission in the Kingdom of Christ.
Bat when you take eternity into the account,
tho evils of infant baptism are inconceiveably
dreaural. Both Papists and protesfants, you
know, hold to baptismal regeneration, and
teach their children, that: by baptism they
' are made members of Christ, tho children of
God, and inheritors of the Kingdom of Heaven."
There are millions aBd hundreds of millions that
believe tlm lie to their own eternal undoing
Presbyterians ebject to the views of Catholics
and Episcopalians on this subject. But they
teach in substance the same thing. In an
swer to the " Question : What is baptism ?'
they teach their children to say : "Baptism is
a washing with water which docs signify and sea!
our engrafting into 1 -hrist, and our being made
partakors of the bIessings"of the covenant of
grace." This is to all intents and-purposas teach
ing baptismal regeneration. And 7ohn Wes
ley teaches the same doctrine as strongly as tli3
Pope of Rome would wish him to do.
I have written . to you with great plainness,
because I love you, and earnestly desire that you
may be led by the Word and Spirit of God, into
tho truth as it i3 in Jesus.' Remember, my
Brother, the good confession of Christ before
Pontius Pilate and bfeforo many witnesses ; My
Kingdom is not of this world." It is heavenly
in its origin, in its' law3, and in its ordinances,
and never was designed for any except those
who are born from above. " Except a man be
born again, he cannot see the Kingdom- of
God." , .. , ; ..V; ,;. ?.:v,:V;
I wish you to examine, with great care and
earnest prayer, these subjects, in the light Of the
sacred Scriptures. And may the God of the
Bible lead you into all truth and in tho paths of
peace and truth.
It will afford me great pleasure to hear from
you as soon as convenient. Please direct your
letter to the care of Moses B. Maclay, Esq.,
New York City.
With great respect, I am, as ever,
Your affectionate Brother in Christ,
ARCHIBALD MACLAY.
B. P. Aydelott, D. D., Cincinnati, Ohio.
From the True Union. ,
Remarks fCIamore Francke,
On the occasion of his Baptism at Eckhart
" 1 ' Mines.
We have received a very interesting commu
nication from Cumberland, with the above title,
but our limits will allow us to publish only the
most important portions of it. Our -correspondent
says of brother Francko : - f
Dear Brother Editor
Permit me to inform your numerous readers
that Mr. Francko, whose address is before you,
is a German, has been in this country only a
few years, and has by the aid of a good education
in his native land been-enabled to --acquire bur
own language in a very brief period. ' He" was
brought up a Lutheran, but never' experienced
the saying power of religion until' about three
years ago, when he united, with the Methodist
Church. , During the whole time of his connex
ion he maintained aliigh position for,, piety j and
zeal, and was at the period of his baptism a class
leader - of tho Germans " connected, with the
churchl .' (--'rui! i-i'.
For sometime previous to his baptism he had
been considering more or .les3 the subject of Bap
tism, many discourses having been delivered by
different Pedobaptists divines ' in this vicinity,
though not one had been delivered by the Bap
tists f i : : ; V l ' " " ;1 p t-i I 'i ' t ' Ij jy ;
About the middle of June, s 1S51 a sermon
was delivered by invitation of the Baptist Church,
which with other circumstances caused him to
examine more f carefully the :whole'isubjecV ;the
result of which examination was his oaptisni
Rev. ABaush, with one'other candidateJ, 4
Brother, Francke is a man of sound judgment,
and consistent piety, and will, I trust, continue
to be a useful servant of Jesus Christ. 3.
. YoUTSfcO., ' M0UJTAIWEMt.r
There may be some of this audience ? ready
to ask why1 does he take this step ? 1 What rea
sons has he for changing his denominational re
lations.? , . rJ . ...ti,
-j I answer ibi icer . a creJtu, prajcriM, uu
honest examination of the subject of Baptism, I
am constrained to, believe, that none "but belitT-r
era are fit and proper subje'ets for tho sacred or
diuanet.,1 r " : - - 1 - -.
2d. I furthermore beReve that iprinkling and
pouring either of adults or infants as a substitute
for the ordinance of Baptism as instittfed b t our
Saviour, is not only without .warrant, from the
Bible, but is a direct violation of the law of God.
To prove my assertions I need 'not go beyond
tha Christian dispensation ; the New Testament
is sufficient for every Christian to know his duty
in this matter, "without going back to the Old. I
cannot believe that Christ when instituting this
sacred ordinance, intended us to be' left in 'the
dark as to his own words, so that we could not
know who are the proper, subjects of baptism or
how it is to be performed. .Much less do I ber
lieve that a person need understand the Abra-
hamie covenant in order to know what baptism
is under the new law, because that would ' make
intelligent obedience luipossiblo .to many. To
him who has enacted the divine law, and com-
manded all bis followers to observe it, to him do
I lookforrnstructionr.v-What docs hosay ? " Go
yo therefore and teach all nations baptizing them
in vuo name or. tue i? atuer, ana of the Son, and
of tho Holy Ghost." " Go into all the world
and preach the gospel te every creature, he that
believeth and is baptized shall be saved, he that
believcth not shall be damned.
From these words of our Saviour it is plain as
noonday that the Apostles were to teach , or make
disoiples by preaching the Gofpel, and then to
baptize them. If Christ then terms such his
disciples as deny themselves, take up their cross
and follow him by obeying his commandment
it is to be ebown first that infants are capable o
doing these , things. If this caunot be proven
(which to assert is folly ) Infants are not inclu
ded in the " Commission," though they are saved
by the abundant mercy of Christ That believ
ers then are the only proper subjects of baptism
is plain and dare not bo Questioned withon
, ' '-. . . , ; . .
charging Christ with enacting a law which can
not be obeyed.
The next question is, can the mode of baptism
bo ascertained from the." Commission?" I an
swer it can. Every one knows or at least ought
to know, that the Scriptures were originally writ
ten in Greek, that they were translated from the
Greek into English, which translation we, have
now in common use. The English version rcn
ders the Commission thus :
" Go yo therefore and teaoh all nations, bap
tizing them.V j Here we stop, and aski how am
I to understand this word Baptizing r : One
says it means sprinkling another pouring, and
another immersion, and 1 another that i it means
all three That' it ' cannot mean1 either - asr bur
fancy m ay determine, or all of tVem jis plain,
forour' blessed Ivraster could not so have left us
in the dark. What then is really intended by
this word ? Here the thought strikes the mind
that there is still living a people. who speak . the
very language in which the Scriptures were orig
inally writtett.r - It will be safe and best to enquire
of this people, which of these three modes they
practice in administering this ordinance? If
they practice sprinkling, then sprinkling must
be the mode; if pouring, then pouting; and if
immersion, then immersion. , w , , v . : 4
Now the people to whom I have referred are
the Greeks, and it is well known that they prac
tice, exclusive of all other modes, immersion.
This fact alono'ought to settle forever all further
dispute about the mode and the meaning of the
word; if nothing else "could be adduced in proof
of immersion j but there is enough'in theHoly
Scripture to satisfy any candid mind.-
' Without further remarks upon the subject in
question, I leave the matter with you,, and ,pray
you to examine tho Scriptures on this impor
tant point upon which we differ, and may God
enlighten our minds by his Holy ; Spirit that we
may know his will concernin: us, and by being
found in the path of obedience, show that we
are his disciples, for he hath said " if yo - love
me keep my commandments." ;J iI '
- Allow me in conclusion to say to my dear
brethren of the lethodist Episcopal Church,
that I have not one doubt as to the prppriety of
the step I. have taken ; my mind. is. clear, my
conscience is clear ; I feel that I have done my
duty, I care not what others say, to me ; if they
censure, if they slander :me, I shall not cease
praying for thcm.: I owe much to the Metho
dist Church.. It was in bet bosoni I was1' con"
vertedj arid as a moUier cares for her children,
she has eared for me ; tor her kind attention 1
fender. her hearty thanks. . . But Hove God more
and must obey jam, yet I. can truly say, that my
prayer shall be. Peace and prosperity be within
thy walls.'?
i's;
Esquire W. and General P?riived on adjoin
ing faras .in Connecticut. .They were old men
of seventy and upwards, twenty years ago. Be
ing on good terps, as neighbors, tbey used often
to meet in their intervals of relaxation from care
and labor, and spend hours in conversation. . Esq.
W; was a Universalist; and was much inclined to
urge his opinions upon Gen.1 P., whos,e orthodox
belief in the eternal punishment of 'to wicked,
he said, excited his compassion. The-Gerieral
was an educated man, and met the arguments of
his neighbor with the Scripture . representations
of this subject.' He claimed that the authority
of the Word of God should be admitted in this
case, as in all others relating to the eternal desti
ny of man, even if the doctrine of eternal punish
ment were less defensible, on the ground of rea
son, than it r eally w. But all this Was lost up on
EsqW1 whose standing ajgumcj?wasy that
Gedno fespeetef of persons, andJ isf so good
that ae canBos re pieasea witn me suneriags 'of
his creature Tor any cause. ,Anq smee God is
a SoTereigu, and has infinite power to actomplish
all.the purposes of his g'oodness, it appeared to
him inconceivable that he should punish ; any of
this creatures for sins which his own power might
have prevented, and especially that he should':
subject some to suffering and make others bappj
thus showing himself , to bo a respecter of per- v
sons. : So strong was he in thi3 position; and so '
confident of its correctness, that hej claimed the,
right to interpret : all Scripture in accordance
with it. Rather than vield a point of so" much
certainty as this, he said he would reject tho diW ,
vine authority of the Bible, because it could not 1
be that God had denied himself. AH argument, i
therefore, in, tho usual form was at an end and
the General threw himself back upon - first prin
ciples and facts, to show his neighbor, if possi
ble, the absurdity 8of bis position
They met one morning on the lino"' of their
farms, when this colloquy occurred - -: 1
Gen. P. Good morning Esq. W. !iHbVdo
ybu do,. . ; '
Esq If. I am not well, General j I have a
great deal of pain iumy bones ; I get no sleep ?
oTnights, and am pretty miserable. This rheu
matism has got fast hold of me. : " 1 ' ; a ' ?
Gen. P. (Looking at his neighbor ' with aa -
air-of sober earuesiness.) . You mustbe mistak- "
en, Esq. W. You have no pain in your bones.
It's all a mistake I Don't believe a word of it? -
Esq. W. What do you mean, General ? 1 .
don't understand you. I tell you I " have pai
in my bencs, that keeps me awake all night, and-
I don't know what to do for it. If you felt as IV-
do, you would think you had pain, I guess f
Gen. P. O no, Esq. It's a mistake of yours. 5
You have no pain whatever. It cannot be, that
you have. , . . . , .. .
Esq. in, I donH .understand . you, General.'!
How do you know 1 have no pain. --' ' - ' -
Gen. P. Know? I know it, Esq.:AV:, from I
your own principles ' God is infinitely good. Of
course ho would not inflect pain upon a creature.
Besides, he is no respecter of persons, and it can't i
be, that ho would subject you- to suffering and
spare
re me.. Yet I have no pain in my bones. ' V
perfectly well. -1 sleep wetro'nights,' and
am
havo no rheumatism. I'm sure .of it, neighbor
W. ; and this could'nt bej if you were in the con I
dition you speak of. Surely God wouldn't treat -one
of his creatures better -than another.' v He 1
wouldn't keep;mnri
you limping arid' groaning wiUi ! painn'0 rio nt'A
all a mistake. , It's a mere fancy and you have i
no pain in yonr bones whatever. - It; is as "clear
as tho doctrine of universal salvation and rests '
on the same proofthat you are - as', free from 't
pain as I am, and sleep as well.VnightsV. " Yes, '
my friend, you must give up .this fancy, of yours,
about pain, and rheumatism, and sleepless nights, V
or.else admit that there is such a thing as suf-' -
feting under the government of God. And "if he "
inflicts it in this' world upon somo and;saresV
others, it is in vain to argue from, hisygoodness ;
and impartiality, that he will not do the same in s
the world to come. And he was speechless J
Liberality in HnmWeLifeii
' ; In the course of the late - autumn, the Rev
Jit
Mr. Nesbit of Bombay. arrived unexpectedly at ,
, on a Saturday evening, intending to preach
ocxtday,and to ask a collection in aid of the funds
for erecting mission premises at Bombay. All
that could bo 5done,in the circumstances, was
to intimate at tho close of the forenoon's season r
of .worship, that , Mr.. Nesbit would preach ia ;
the afternoon - and evening;! and that - the colV
lection would go to the object of ' hi3 visit,"' At
an early hour on Monday afterrioVn the minister ' ;
was. waited upon by -, a servant man t and -y
unmarried who expressed an anxious desire. to
see Mr. Nesbit On finding - that -Mr Nesbit
had gone out, he eiplained to the "minister the
special purposc heTiad jnview lie aidthat
he had beeniaken by surprise the day -befor e4
and ha nothing but a trifle in his poeket, which . j
he thought was too little for him ' to give : He
was quite satisfied thatthe Lord required"; the
buildings which were proposed ; they were ? evl? r'
denindisperisaWe.tb J.he cess pfthemui
sionary work ; and therefore it was. the duty of,
the Lord's people to provide the necessary funds.' v
He then put into his minister's hand a suiri Zof)
money as his contribution to bo given to . Mr., (
NeshitiThe sum was terijhillings tTho minfc'
inister expressed hb surprise that ha should give 3
so largely to one object, - however . excellent 1
No sir," was the reply. The Lord enables
me : it is my own wish as a Christian man to vo ' ?.
so much " Some conversation ensued, in the '"
course of which this humble but exemplary' dis
ciple said, that he had rieVer been allowed to
want for money to give to the Lord's cause. He x
put half-a-crown into the plate for every one of
the schemes ; - he considered it hiiduly, arid felt ", ' ;
it his privilege, tor do so : and 1 had never been ' '
the poorer for any thing he had devoted to' Chris ' x
tian objects -Not long before he had been ont ;
of place ; and while so unfavorably situated, there '
came Touna tne day or the collecaon for ono of "
the Assembly's schemes ' He resolved to' give '
his usual contribution; his half-crown, and ddso.' " !
w And veryremarkablef it was," he said " the :
Lord returned it tome m tho course of two or
three days in a way totally unexpected. Tho '
same thing has j h appened to - m e oftcner th an s
once; 1 The Lord has never allowed me to "want r"
for money to give- to him and 1 believe he never ;Si
will, i It vexes me,? he added, M tbseo how'Tin-- "
willing professing Christians are to ' support ' the
cause of Christ,and how very little 'is actually f -
given.? Were the spirit of this servant-man moro -generally
diffused, our missions abroad "would be : -1
fiaential and blessed, our ministers mof e efacient -in
the work of saving souls, our people richer far 5
both in the perishable wealth of thi3 world, "and
in the unsearchable treasures of the kingdoria- cf
heaven.. -z --v;."- j.j
Record of the Scotch Free Church, November,
.- f-