)) " if
)
)tuotfi to Hcligton, iHoralitn, itcraturc, Agriculture ai General Intelligence.
, ; m " - --- -- . .
0LUME.IVH. KO. 35.
1111 BIBLICAL RECORDER,
A Religious and .Literary Paper: -
bliJhed weekly at Raleigh, NV C. at $2 00 per an
f, nayable in all case in advance ' " ' .
1 AH letters on business should be directed to
ifpubliaber, Marcus A;. Meredith. - Letters contain
communications, or in any way relating to the ed
SisI department, she
7. silica! Hecorder.
Private letters to the Editor,
. w Auiuar 1 1
urin no reference to thd Recorder, address thus
Lfho:W.Tobey,
All communicatto.is.to insure attention, must
greeted to Rawigii.;"; u. j.aw.
pST-Yot further particulars see last page.
; THE LAW OF NEWSPAPERS, '
i . Subscribers who do not give express notice to the
j Iftlie.snbscnuers oraer the discontinuance of
ar paper, the publishers may continue to send them
I. If subscribers neglect or refuse to take their pa
from the omce to wnich they are di&eted. ' thv
j,ilukliesrnsible until they have settled theii- bill,
order tueir paper wsuonunueu. .
4, If sobscrioers remove to other places without in
king the publisher, and the paper is sent to tlte ibr
s direction; they are held responsible v'
5 The courts have decided that refusing to take a
-nef or periodical from the office, or iemovinr and
SVinirit uncalled br, is" prima facie" evidence of
jateatwnal fraud.
' ' For the Recorder.
Delate on Infant Baptism,
BELD AT ROBERT'S CHAPELj NORTHAMPTON CO.
"Infant children are Scriptural subjects for bap
. tisni." - 4 - ... .-
Uir Arnold y 'jjlC
' . ,' Bapmt1 denies.
tldir A. It devolves on.mc to review the
jrgameat of ray respected opponent. He admits
u i foretold he would, that 44 the kingdom of
God" aud the charch are synommoos terms.
Heoce baptism' being the only door of admission,
I still insist that the words of Christ in Matthew
19, do contain a" : positive r law, enjoining their
reception.' He says, I trod ; lightly, on the
commission of Christ to his apostlo3, as if 'afraid
of the hot embers beneath.'? I answer, I kept
the path before me, and did not , turn to. the
right nor left.; - What woald he think were I to
charge on him, that he said nothing about close1
cffutaanwrt, in his ; speech of, an , hour. : But I
return to say, baptism is the only proper door.
Baptism h not to prepare infants for the church
they are already prepared. ; - Some one'j 1 hear, !
Ijsaid outside the church; during the recess, ,
M it is a sin to baptize infants I'.' -I Icall on
rhimyl demand of any one to answer,5: wherein
consists the sin of baptizing infants ? V hat law
violated-?-; We can refuse or we can reject,
is ministers of tho 'gospel; ositcA,'?. "believers
ire fit, he admits,: so are infants. 's. Believers .are
so more sated -.than infants. Elder B. admits,
tlis tame lemper is common to both. Why then
ire infants excluded ? I repeat it, I stand here
is the advocate of children, admit we arc . not
commanded crew, we are not forbidden to baptize
4em ! But, he says, " Christ did . not -baptize
these children. - I ask,-whom did Christ baptiza'?
None. But Christ blessed them, why did he not
baptize them, asks my opponent. I reply, they re
wired the greater blessing why then not Teceive
the others?. We canHfiive Divine unction, but
thy not give all toe can f But he , insists on
an express warrant IHyDo you do nothing with
wt an express warrant-r-;Let us test this thing,
thy do you keep the first dayv or theweek as
the Sabbath ? . Have you express .warrant for
this innovation ?. Again, why do you administer
communion to females, to iladies ? If then
joahave no express " warrant for" these things,
yc allow , why accuse ui of adding to ike Scrip
fsres? ; Is there an express denunciation against
Faro in the Bible ? or horso racing ?- Not one',
jet by clear inferrence there is f Bible warrant
igainst it, and we preach agaiast it. I -contend
ie law of God admits children. : Baptism is the
only door into tho - church why not open it ?
ladmily there is no express command nor , exam
jfc t the New : Testament. But what of that ?
Ihow how to gut them there ; (into the church)
I will baptize you' if you have the temper of little
cMldren ! My ooponent read here from a news-
!?iper,'althourh he objected to my reading from
old scrawl," as he calls it. I won't have
, ny thing.' to do with that Teuncssee Baptist
(fctspaper sir ! The editor has said some , hard
opponent says, he has overbalanced me, by
i number of his witnesses. ,? No sir ! one or
good witnesses out-weigbt great numbers.
My opponent asks, why some Pedobaptists bap-
children of believers only, and some of un-
eners. I can only state my own i practice,
fid bclief. All christian: countries should bap
thexhildrea of r darkies as t well as whites,
rererthe gospel ha3r been preached among
people of a country. ' But my opponent de
ads of me one example of baptizing children.
shall have it sir ! ch. x. 1 Cor. Moreover
jtbren, I woald not that ye should be ignorant,
, i0 that all our fathers were under the cloud,
all passed through 'the sea ; and were all
tized unto Moses, in the cloud ami ra , the
1st and 2d verses.; Here sir were more
10,000 children baptized at once, sot by
sion sir, these little ones would have been
pawned ! I know how he will try "and get over
W sir. He will say it is an Old Testament af
(?Ut is figurative ! I take Paul before his tes
' . Dy I would not have you ignorant, breth
Ztkat they tc ere baptized. -' Paul says they
l&fiized so say I . H ere he quoted also
12: 37. Again, I call your attention
'Mother argument, 1 Cor. 7: 14. ChUdren
iUtled to baptism, becaus3 now they ;; are
I;1 But my time I hear, has expired. H
&der B. ; Gentlemen, Moderators and breth
If the question before us were ta be deci-
cy bold assertions without proof, my oppo-
would certainly prevail. He has- given U3
firencei en ens point, and - no proof. ' By
t a mode of reasoaic? I could prove one of
J -ire'st blooded whitas tefcre me, to be Afri-
merely by falsa assumptions, and : bold
;P3hierei::E3. WL-t sir ?
Iuftr infants
5 to r-receLt t:. . no -examtli ! IL13 we
... ,
ere is no cora-
- raonstrats'l by itne;;c3 r.3 nib fani
r-eror-s) as y Peiolthts IUI:r A.
-" 1 presume i.2 rzs j:sii- in tLa c-ar.:rl?
-liltD
Cc. (L.
I
jgitrative; and v so intended to 'allude to the
pnmiuve moae cf christian baptism. For the
Israelites were not sprinkled, nor; poured, but
overwhelmed or surround by the clouds and the
sea, a striking emblem of immersion, where) the
people were hid from sight j covered evidently
wholly figurative. Does he contend that this
was an example of christian baptism in the name
JftI9 Trinity ? a literal larn into Christ t
fie dara not. Ilia second example is from 7 ch.
of 1 -Cor 14 v.; ' Well I he has before contended
that all children are to be baptized! " Now this
text Imils baptism only to the child of W be
liever. The husband must believe, or the wife,
as the case may be. This text . is honey to a
Presbyterian, but death to a Methodist. He
(A.) contends, baptlzo all, if any. I brin Barnes
against Elder Arnold. (Here hauoUd Barnes
against this passage having any thing to do with
baptism.) . Paul simply advises; that divorces
should not result from either party V embracing
Christianity. I know gentlemen, that Baptist
authors would so inter jret this-text; .But I go
tfcthe Pedobaptist. - The : Presbyterian admits
none to baptism, unlessr one of the parents is a
believer.- The-"Methodist admits,- whero both
are unbelievers. ' The doctrine is : equally good
for heathen, as for christian - lands; The same
result would follow- The world would bo brought
into the church.1 indeed, thus
t .. . . .... .. . " Mvi:,
by their practice, is brought within the pale of
the church.:. Strange anomaly Instead of the
vuuiuu convening tne world, they make the world
convert the church! If any of these infants are
erer convertedt they are converted after their
admusidn into 4 the church K Elder A i- admits
there is no express command, - nor 'example
(Elder A. I mean in so many xoords.) J That's
enough for me, sir ! . -.' - . v
But be demands, , why wo admiV ladies to the
communion !" r Did the Pentecost I nhnrrh lihvo
no female raembersV ( Acts 1 1 14.V, If they be
gan with the ap'ohtles, did they uot'eontinue with
, u mc.uieuiug 01 oreau, irom nouse to
house Let him "give Was good an example
as this for baptizing infants and we would shew
him, -our - action. But the christian Sabbath '.
f tumbles Tain. We read. On the first da of
the week, the apostles assembled with the church
to break i-bread, ' Sic. ;"; asain we. have othsr
references to the usual habits of the primitive
church, the same express words, not inferences.
The first day of th. week, - these inspired men
led. the church to devote to "public - worship :VVir
need no stronger example : Let him, I repeat,
here," gives lis as stood an txamvlti far infant rar
tism
.1 v Aly opponent," I solemnly warn you, my
brethren, gives toa much power to the ministry
fie says, A knows how to 1 get infants into' the
church, although no "express command nor 'ex
ample justify ! Beware of allowing any man to
lord it over God s heritage, it concedes too much
power to ministers, .to allow any so far.fetched
inferences. ; He haa not answered one out of the
three arguments, I have already.r advanced. "He
just slurs oyer our " witnesses, I therefore adduce
a fourth argument, viz : 4th, The Argument,
frpm the Design of ithe .Ordinance. . Baptism',
without faithand repentance, - is - not . worth a
groat t a Baptism Is the act of a believer profes
sing his faith in Christ's cominsr. dvin?r. rising
and reigning, and all in the believer's behalf.
ou deprive children of. professing ? their faith",
you nullify, and make void the design of . this
ordinance, if you baptize in infancy. Look at
the phrase, 44 Buried with him," that is, pro
fessing faith, in this ordinance, in a buried and
risen Saviour !.;.' This is the only doo'r ! Then,
he is a church member: Why then do you ; re
fuse your church members the communion ! why
debar, them any, church' privileges ? . Not en
titled P? do you say ? :Then the design of; bap
tism is by you frustrated !, ' Mr. s Wesley says,
children are ingrafted through faith in bap
tism.'. v He admits immersion was the primitive
or aneient mode of baptizing, I say,' that chil-
oren are without faith, and not ingrafted,-as he
contends., ;' Thi3 is" my fourth argument. -Eldar
A. without blushing quotes, his own party, Mr:
Wesley, Mr. Watson - Mr, Benson and Adaui
Clarke; .all Methodist Pedobaptists! . Who
doubts, bntall these will testify , in favor of my
opponout?, their . own , reputation, and that of
their church, as well as his, are all at stake. Is
this ..-valid testimony in a religious discussion,
like the present ?. But, let us; follow . him, and
we will endeavor to wrest some, of his own allies
from him : to bring some" of .his own witnesses
against him ? We will admit Pedobaptist3 have
soulsj aud minds tooi'and some of them arcyery
learned men too. -. I hold-up before"you Barnes'
Notes on the GospeIs,-'and ask "your patience,
while I read his comments on Mat.' 19: 14;that
first passage he quoted; which, seemed so precicus
to him," on this question, . . V - - .
j, Elder. A.- Yes, 'tis aprecious passage,, m
Elder B.s Well sir, hear Mr. Barnes", an
eminent Pedobaptist .'writer, one of . your, own
witnesses. He then read from f Barnes in this
place cited on Mattr 19, 4 of such.'.? 44 Like
thcm.v ' Persons with tempers such as those lit
tle children." Also, Barnes denial that the
passage had any reference to the baptism of
children .' The . Lord blessed them, prayed for
them, commended them as 44 patterns of meek
ness, ,and dismissed tBe'mi: without sprinkling,
pouring, or baptism. ; Olshausen, Kitto and
Bishop Taylor, all Pedobaptists, he then cited,
all of whom deny the reference of this text to
baptism. " The last. writer indignantly, rebukes
thoso who rest their plea for infant baptism, on
so jshallow a pretext, saying, "it proves, they on
ly want better arguments, that they , resort to
such as this ! for what did our Lord do with
these children? he blessed and dismissed them!"
Therefore I contend, said Elder Britton, they
are not to be baptized. I use these Pedobaptist
authorities because he has laid the stress of his
arguments on them. I contend they are all guil
ty, all implicated, but where the y fall out among
themselves, we ace entitled to the benefit of their
testimony. - It i good, so far as it goes; to throw
light on the harmony "of Pedobaptists, on this
wide spread - error among them. Here is more
of it, much more. Poole's continuators on
JIatt. "' 19 : 14. 44 Infant baptism cannot be
founded on this passage." Burkitt, another
Pedobartist. oa the same passage says it teach
es, 44 nst to baptize, bat to bless." That's the
idea f candid" witness ! so sty we
Yoa see, how
they sit
as ids
caca
Cv.-iers
testinsony.- I have
:t!:t tssllmcny, and
,1 c:
:i
Pe
:-.t.-,
r.crs thanenr- ty overbahnce tLa four or L7e
r.Laptist Trit:::c3 cited lr TZZzr A. " -It is
c:nc:Ll ' r ;ht, for r.L::!i re Etrcn-.tr: :!y
r !, t;i : f .-; rS.iri : cf I -j - iizi - ? i.i-
fants is not taught inihe Sacred Scriptures.
It is not in the Bible il Pedobaptists, who need
this testimony to sustain their falling cause, are
not agreed among 'V themselves ! - Their camp of
Israel is divided ! But, 1 have not quoted all
their refractory witnesses.' ; Bishop ' Burnet of
the Epbcopal church: says, ..There is no ex
press precept or example in Holy Scripture for
baptising infants." , Dr. Wall, Episcopal
wuurca r i nere is no express instance nor ex-
araple for baptizing children." : Fuller, the Pe-
aoDaptist, says,"l contess therc.is no written au
thority, but (hear him!) there ; might be though
it "A not written! : 44 There's reasoning for you t
yhy, with this; concession, 44 might be to may
. . we snou,(1 S00a nay9 as many various re?
ligious theories .in ; every church, as" thero are
different humin faces in this larga and respecta
ble assembly I But here arc 4 more ' turbulent
witnesses among, the jPedobaptisb.Liuiborch
and C. Carth p. 418. r They testify against it.
To .complete" the list, here. are more than 40 oth
er Pedobaptist witnesses who contend against the
rite of, infant baptism, and say, .it isunlaioful !
One of them says, infant baptism was introduced
only 'to freethe consciences of parents. V. All teach
that the utmost scope of the passage was 44 only
to bless children." - Yet wo hear men;-here pre
sume to govern 'Christ's kin'dom 1 Who -dare
to fill up blanks; which God. has left ! ; 1 1 have
no appeals to ,maki : to , your feelings here,-the
ground is awfully holy 1 ' -
; But my opponent Says, Suffer them tocome.
And in his eagerness to prove his desired point,
he proves loomuchj and hence be proves nothing
to his purposed Suffer, them .to ; come ! , Are
they coming voluntarily 1 of their own free will
and choice ! Let them come on then we shall
not oppose such coming as.this I But do not
force tbem to come; and then,' taunt us with op
posing them ! v Don't drag them - to corner and
then talk about pennission ! i My opponent here
begs the very question in debate between us, aud
decides in his own favour, that bringing children
to be sprinkled. -is 44 sufforiny;- them. to come to
Christ.",- , . fcs. r - - Ajt
But turn we to Matt. ;2S : 19, 20.4,' I recall
him to the Commission of Christ to hismiuistry,
on earth, " Go teach all nations baptizing them
in the name of the Fatherland of the Sont and
of tho Holy Ghost." Again, 41 Go ye into all
the world and preach the gospel to every crea--ture.
He that bclieveth and Jsl baptized, shall
be saved ; but ahe" - that ' believeth not' shall be
damned.V Mark 16 : 15, 16..' I remarked.
M r. " Moderator, that " my opponent - trod very
lightly on the commission, in his speech itseein
ed as if he feared that the embers under the ash
es would prove too hot for him to stand on. ' He
talks of a positive law ! here sir is a positive law,
enacting that believers are scriptural subjects of
Christian baptisms And the mterenco is by far
constructton,:irresistible, that negatively unbe
lievers are excluded, as unfit, scripturatly impro
per subjects, for an ordinance, thus limited ex
pressly, to their opposiVe. viz : belijvtrs. - If not,
whv should Christ express the-prc-requisite of
faith, in any ? Why not baptize all, indiscrimi
nately, without either teaching or. preaching, 7f
We have a law sir," which " enacts 'that, all free
American males shall "be required to bear arms,
between the ages of 18 and 45.- "Is not ; the
practical operation of that law to - limit the re
quisition only ; to - citizens between.18 and;-45
years of age ? The law does -not say, none
younger-nor-older shall-bear arms, or shall not
do it. Nevertheless the positive enactment
specifically defines, -Who shall be ; required, to
bear arms? And. all- the rest are." notoriously
exempted by the express letter of the law.; i The
spirit of the law is equally plain to be under-
stooa. oo. sir, it is wim-iue uivuie oruiumivu
of bantisnv:.v. Go teach not baptize - all nations
in the narae of the Trinity, taught and untaught
What ! baptize all nations, old and young, wune
and black ! JJO tliey ao ir, sir, l as, r iivrv
their discordant harmony again" comes to our
ears. Some would baptize the children of be
lieving parents, some where owcparent only is a
believer and others where both parents are un-
believers ! ' 1 call lor an explanation oi iuia uw
crepancy. Why not baptize the children of the
unbelieving ? Are tbey not of the nations (
Here is another Pedobaptist witness.: . ; I he
command is 1st.: Teach;: r2nd. 'Baptize in - the
name. 3d.' Teach all things else "commanded."
McKnisht.' -Mark is still more explicit. Cro
preach the gospel in all the world to every crea
ture: But mtants can neituer near nor uenave.
What is to jbecome of them ? v Send them to
perdition ! No ! by no means sir teach ail who
can understand.. ' God: will take care, of ? those
who cannot exercise the qualifications for Tfif jral
obedience, better than you can h Again Calvin,
14 The words demanded teaching.before baptizing,
here, Matthew 28 : 19, teaching and faith preT
cede baptism, and he slurs it over that tholAna-
oaptiscs wuoni.ne naieu auu,ueuuuuucu wtiu-m.
seem to be right, in requiring faith; before bap
tism." We gofarther sir, and contend there is
no seeming about it they, are right on the au
thority not of . men, but of God's express word !
Barrow testifies on this passage, 44 1 st. X)iscip-
ling or teaching, and then immersing the disci
ples who believe." ' Again Launn,. another very
learned Pedobaptist says, instruction should pro-
cede baptism. 1 hey were to, have the answer
of. a good conscience, and such persons ?. were
called 44 the illuminated"! . How .would this
sound if .-applied . to infants 44 illuminated in
fants" sir V: 44 Matheteusate,' rdisciple, so. tes"
tifies Limborch " another erudite PedobaptLst.r
Again Baxter, 44 Du?ciple, baptizing them. . If
this be not so, why baptize one more than anoth-
er I i ne sense requires i si, leacu. - x.wx, uap-
tize 3d, Then teach all. "other" things necessa
ry to be taught in the school of Christ. Saving
faith goes before baptism, otherwise; continues
Mr.: Baxter, we must renounce all rules of orr
dei "7" 1 ' Now all these men write like Baptists,
however different their practice. . I recall Elder
A. to the question. , He inquires of me, How
are we to receive them, if we don't baptize infants?
I lipmand of bin in my turn, How: did Christ
receive them ? Neither by sprmkling, pouring,
nor immersion. He took theta in his arms and
blessed then. Cannot" ministers thus receive
children, - rotect, pray for, instruct and assist
them ? Can tbev not in Hi3 name blcs3 them ?
Must they le, ritLout any proper quali5cation,
hurri3d into Via door by baptism. He insets
rprv fircr.t:'-5r-'v 1 v n te orJv COOr. And
h ir.lncv cr cLIiood t:i; the' enly qnaliEca
thrs cf; en trance into the cuurch' cf ' CbTisS?, I
cu:t bc bive Lcrc,
Vcdll::il tl.3 ('
1 - '1 f 1 f j It
tiC.T from nyej-penent
. .. :.Ut i, v.. J i.
c.
r.nl i
C, FRIDAY; AUGUST 27, 1852.
tance ! The world would then b the church
in opposition to the express; declarations, of it?
Great Head, 44My kingdom is not of this world,"
viz : spiritual, not fleshly , 44. He. that believeth
and is baptized shall be saved." Go disciple,
baptizing. Pedobaptists make baptism" the dis
cipling act !- Why then do they debar their dis
ciples from communion? . Why do they not give
them all the church privileges ? They have on
ly; been brought into-tho entrance,1 and there
they stop.; Such reasoning as'my opponent uses,
would iatroduce all into the church, in infancy,
and rid; believers would remain to bo baptized in
adult age ! Where ' then would be the use or
import. of a perpetual; commission ? It ; could
not be, applied to .believers f8r lack of .subjacts!
It isout of place hefeoVbim to say4l reckon
so t".j!uch inferences ; will . not do, to gloss oyer
errors .of. so - dangerous and wide spreading teh
dency.as .this ! : He ought not to be so sensitive
about our opposition to such-grave departures
from the truth1 as itis in f Jesus'; :;He and his
brethren oppose other errorists---in liko ininner
we oppose his, and those who agree with him. .
Here, we , adduce tho crowning authority of a
great Pedobaptist. writer, who lets us' intb'-the
whole secret as to how sprinkling was substitu-
ted. for immersion; a writer, whom before we have
quoted as-conceding that .'faith should precede
baptism. . Calvin say The church has allpwed
herself, (mark, not Christ has allowed to"chanft'
the. rite of baptism somewhat ; except tho sub
stance ; f t ' i " ' , .
Kem?mber in closing my remarks, that I have
cited . three to; ono Pedobaptist" witnesses over
balancing entirely, his " Pedobaptist testimony.-
iien, too, eminent in tueir day tor great classi
cal learning, and skill in Biblical criticism, v . The
case isv made out, that there is neither precept
nor example for baptizing infants in the Holy
Scriptures. 1 have proved that they concede
the legitimate inference from the commission Ito
be44. Teach first and then baptize the taught."
I have showed that Mr. Wesley taught that ."the
unbaptized .children were, not saved !". :)Ve de
ny his doctrine as Baptists, wd repudiate it !
It is not according to" Holy ."Scripture. I have
adduced two inebntro ver tibia argura ents against
infant baptism,-" I .have proved that faith is an
mdispcnsable qialification'for a Ivalid. baptism.
Baptism, faith and repentance must unite, on the
individual, on h e-is jso im yaciiltf ember ! . 3d.
I now show that it is not apostolic to baptize any
but believers.' Sec Acts '2 i38The Apostle
Peter here preached, the people heard, believed,
repented and were baptized in the name .of , Je-
sus, with the -promise of the Holy Spirit. It
was the personal duty of all to believe and thus
obey in regular order the claims of the gospel.
This is my defence, of; the scriptural subjects for
Christian Baptism. --!.f.;
- From' the NewtHTork llecorcterr f
Sketches and - Recollections ofi British
; , ; ::t' ;: PreacherSi:;P
BY,THE ; AUTHOR OF
THE LIFE OP
CHATTER
TON," 44 PEN AND INK
SKETCH ES,"ETCfiETC
Rev. Dr. John Cumming, 6f LoNboift
44 It is as natural and necessary for London to
have Soine great attraction onjhe i Sabbath; ; some
lion for the: pulpit as to have attractions of a
more - worldly , nature for the week ; "and there
usually is ; some one place to which the' people
stream , at, the gato of ; y hich" you-behold scores
o f carriages and cabs the., haunt of, fashion,
the place of glittering Bibles 'and hymn-books
and prayer-books, of soft cushions, crimson hang
ings : and tassels. , There , are many requisites
which must meet to produce a success so decid
ed as this. ' The preachei should be' a Conser
vative, and minister of the Church of England
or Scotland, eloquent; (floridly so,) a comman
ding and attractive -.; figure, a full and' sonorous
voice ;' he should bo -anti Romanist; strongly at-i
tached to tho rder 'of things as by law estab
lished, a slight spice .-of eccentricity-of opinion
or manner, .a rfspectable .(all ': the better if an
aristocrat) standing in society. Most off these
qualifications ihave combined in those. ,.preach
ers who have, been the magnets . pf the metro
polis" ,. w . ;y
, So writes J: a recent -, pulpit critic; and we en
tirely agree with", him.': :The " qualifications he
describes, met! in ; Edward Irving ; they meet
In Baptist Noel, and "eminently so in tho per
son of the subject " of our present sketch, Dr.
Cumming. ' - i ,iV'-- - '
jAt this f moment, ,,Dr Cumming ; is- perhaps
the most popular preacher in Lonon ; the Jmost
followed; and sought after..; His church doors
are throngedduring every service, by hundreds
unable to reach, the lobby door?. :. His constant
auditors are', many - of . them '"members of the
arbtocracy a large ' and; fashionable congrega
tion. He is wonderfully prohno as an author: he
is equally Celebrated as a polemic. His" name is
a great rallying-point at ExeterPHalL Our
readers, if they did not know it.;befoTe: wili: be
lieve us, that, in, all religious circles, Dr." Gum
ming is -a mueh-talked-of.man. In this coun
try, his principal , works have been ; reprinted ;
and as the great antagonist of Cardiual. Wise
man, and the. Romish Church, his ;eputationis
world-wide' i - ;, . '. .. .. .u, -"..-.
in the very heart of London, and almost with
in the shadow of Drury Lane Theatre, is situ
ated Dr. Cummmg's . church.'. Let us proceed
thither; .- : '- ' : '; - : '-.
It is the morning of -the Sabbath. 1 rom
scores of church-towers sound forth the 44 church-
coinff -bells,"., and we, with thousands of others
hurry along tne streets towards one or tne many
hundred places of worship which deck, like oases,
the great moral metropolitan desert. ; Leaving
the Strand on our right, we enter uovcnv jar
den,its famed market-place now silent and almost
forsaken and leaving that locality, cross Bow
street; pass beneath the colonnade of the theatre,
and, when half ; way through it, step over the
narrow strip of roadway and enter Crown courts
A stranger might pass the entrance to this ob
scure throughfar a hundred times, and never
suspect that a church of any magnitudejvas
within a dozen paces of him j but were heo
lift his eyes, be might perceive overheard an in
scription informing him that there wa3 . situated
Crown Court Church. - - - .-
We enter the" court, and the Scotch church
is on oar left. As a building, it ba3 few claims
to
architectural consideration. Tt3 gall
slurs iro uttwwu f.. v. .v.
what curfaus" arpearance ; but tha
ting a some-
necess'fv for
eccnomizinz in erace doubtl:3 n-c.-t;J the
l TT
3 LunJre-3 upon
.zr.Ircds are pressing, and crc-ls are s-ueezlE2
also into the gide-doora. l-Carriage after carriage
is setting down its f. eight of fashion. Cab after
cab drives up, from which people leap hurridly
and make their way to the doors of the 'edifice,
and an unbroken stream of pedestrians flows' in
from - either end of Crown .court. : Watch for a
moment! the countenances of the church-goers ;
there is as much curiosity depicted ; thereon as
might be noticed in the faces. of the impatient
multitude who throng the doors of the neighbor
ing; theatre on the first night , of a! new piece.
And no wonder . that such interest 'is evinced ;
for j this morning r;"one of the most renowned
preachers of the day is to preach , on an . all
absorbing topic. Cardinal W'iseman has sound
ed forth his trumpet-note of Romish defiance ;
and ' now th o -Pro testan t ch am'pion is about to
enter thes lists as lis advefsafyr ''Sj?' VTi
"'Wo havo' at. length succtededigMning the.
interior of tho "Scotch church: fclt is ai large,
oblong building Ja gallery," deep and commodi
ous,' runs along one of the long and two of the
short sides, the pulpit being ; placed in front of
the centre of the other long boundary wall. The
only national emblems to be.seen are' the this
tie-shaped shades of the lamps, and a thistle in
each of the . painted windows.; .In all other re
spects, the place resembles an English' Dissen
ting chapel. ' . ' ,'"..
t iear me. puipic,- on its ictt 8iU3, ana m a
secluded spot under the gallery, sit a gentleman
fand lady; with two little children. ' The gentle
man is of somewhat diramu je fctiture; hia head
is largi and thinly covered with dark brown'hair
ii - . - - . . . . .
w mcu strajies; carelessly, across bis -capacious
forehead.' ilia eves are keen and cold, tho nose
short and somewhat pointed, the mouth thinlip
ped and decisive : two mere apologies for whis
. : m ; ..-'. i - .... . i
Kers appear on tbe prominent eheek-boriess On
th e whole .the countenance is indicative of con
siderable intellect ;j but it has a jaded, haggard
look, "and " lacks energy "' There is even some
thing or insignificance in the, whole person." But
its owner is by no means an insignificant parson
age ; for the ; little ?man who sits Bojquwtly ia
that quiet; shaded pew, is Lord ''John Kussell,
th e Prime Minis ter of England and 1 thex leader
of the House of Commdhs.?5,The,lady': and the
little girls are bis wife and children ; ;.
The first" hymn has just ended; and the minis
ter of the placb asceuds the i pulpit stairs; ; He is
regarded; curiously by th s 'strangers present ; for:
every eye is fixed upon hini But ;on his i assu
ming the attitude of prayer, each head is bowed.;
reverence banishes curiosity,' and a deep, solemn
hush pervades the" plac'e.TS-Vt?J?'f k "iifxl i
. 1 he prayer commences J it is, as all . prayers
should ; be .deeply fervent and f intensely devo
tional: We have, before now," been; absolutely
disgusted; with' certain ! exercises .of . this kind ;
for there , are . ministers whom we could name,
who have alft ile hait "off talking at XJod
stead of praying to hiravf"iThey exhibit a famili
arity ; when addressing the-Deity -which" borders
on profancness, and illustrates the truth of the
dccla rationatll
: -.. Fools rush a where" nugels fear to tread."
John Foster, tone of the pVofoundest thinkers of
mouern uiues,'.,, poiuwjufy-reiers 10 iui3 practice,
and. several reprobates it "in hisyEssay on; the
Aversion of Men cf. Taste "to evangelical Relig
ion. Dr. .Cumming's prayer was a "model of its
kind 0 there wernptireomerepetit
daring and irreveren t approaches to the Divine
presence, no presumptuous requests.! - A 11 was
solemnity,' humility ,Vand devotion ;; the: fervent
asperations of a devout spirit ; the .breathings out
ot the creature to. its great Creator. .?,vx..
;The prayer is ended: another hymn has been
sung; and the preacher rises to: commence" his
discourse. But before he names his text, let us
occupy a -moment or two in sketching" his por
trait, faithful as' may be, with pen and ink; 33 he
stands in the sacred desk- "1 ' - " N'
"''The preacher is rather above , . th e-; m edium
height but, attired as he is in clerical tobes,"one
is apt to be deceived in ? such a matter, 'which
after 'all is not ? of any "great importance, -if we
agree wua l&aac wans, mai " me minu is me
standard of the man.", - Dr.' Cumming's face is
remarkably expressive ;v; a' glance af it might
convince an ordinary Dbservei that it belongs to
one whose mind is xof no .common ! stamp. --Look
at that high,- broad, white forehead, across which
black hair- sweeps revealing the ample temples,
and behind that broad, barrier of bone you will
feel assured iis a brain -of uncommon -capacity:
We are not thick-and-thin believers in the spec
ulations - of phrenologists thosa - wiseacres who
parcel out-the brain fiild as they would a pota
to-patch but we know that in a well-balanced
cranium may generally be found the true mental
com, which . rings -as well as shines.: Such a
head has Cumming ; and sterling indeed is the
golden store "which he - coins . in .his . cerebral
mint.; Eyebrows large; well-arched, and black,
shadow a pair of dark eyes 'of. i sie iius and fear
less ', expression:'-1 he nose 13 slightly aquiline
but not large, and on its bridge perpetually rests
a! pair of spectacles, from, which we may ; infer
that much study has somewhat impaired his vis
ual organs, however much it may have sharpen
ed his Critical - perceptions. - Some one has said
and I think with truth, that th e mouth is a far
more'; expressive feature ?than the eyes. Cer
tainly in the case of.Dr Cummingit is so. .'The
upper lip is thin; but well shaped ; the' lower one
fulland pressed, when the countenance is in re
pose, against . its fellow. : j his same mouth ; is
very, expressive ; at times, a bait ; smile plays
upon and around it, but it generally exhibits a
a tinge of pensiveness approaching to melancho
ly. The complexion of the countenance is dark,
and large black whiskers form the lateral bound
aries of tho oval-shaped faCeJ ' Such is the, out
ward man -so far as we can hope to convey an
Court Scotch Churchl" - . -
; Opening a litUa " Bible, which ho ; holds wiih
both hands, DrrCummin commences his dis-
course by reading his text from It. Very clear
and musical is hb voice. Although by no means
loud, it Can be heard with the utmost j distinct
ness in the most distant part of the church, and,
consequently, as there is no shufiling and noise
made by leaning - forward to catch the sounds
perfect stillness reigns. nnout a single pre
liminary "hem" or a moments hesitation, heat
once commences the elucidation of his theme ;
and before he ha3 uttered half a dozen sentences,
it is evident that all his tnaltsr has been careful
ly arranged beforehand. There is not the slight
est hesitation ; hi3 wcrui and ideas torr forth
ILka a clear, continuous stream, and L13 etyla i?
&3 transparent E3 its waters. The twquence cf
some ministers resonilI;3 tbe course cf a moun
tain torrent : cr.7 trailing thrti-;'a narrow ra-i
I WHOLE NO. . 1110
vines; now expanding in a caia,-latelike ex
panse; reflecting the loveliness above and around;
anon ; rushinz and roaring over precipices - and
rocky " barriers,- and; then dancing in sunlisht
through verduou3 meadows and mossy winding
ways. Such orators. startle by antitheses, charm.
by felicitous similes, and please by variety. Not
such are the characteristics of r Dr. Cuniming's
oratory. From the moment that he commences
bis discourse, until the cOncludinir- sentence pas-iv
ses his .lips, tho unrippled current of his elo-
quence Cows on. I here are no passionate out
bursts ; no succeeding passages of patho3 : Httlo
to dazzle ; less to startle : nothinGr to be wildar t
all is clear,' calm1 and convincing.' With his little
Bible in one hand, or more frequently in both. ;
he generally plunges at once' into his subject.
His voice,- which? informs U3 pleasantly of. his
ho'rtherh"ojIrrinV isrnulte' "masical. -Seldom-
it rise or fall above or below the key m which it
is at nrst; pitched,-yet so sweet arid SO ficiTLlo. -
'ua" ue ver raonoionou3 ; Desiae3, every sen
tence is admirably balanced, each, period careful
ly rounded, and every tone finely modalated.
i ucu ucanujj summing,1 one is rrenunaed oi
Henry Smith, the- 4'silver-longued," of Eliza
bath's time. But, though the " subject of our
sketch is truly Yilver-tongued," the solemnity,
at times the severity of his manner, preset ?ei
him from an undue softness. ; Perhaps there ex- J
ists not a more fearless preacher than the Doc
tor, a" fact which has been proved over and over
and again of late, as his Popish antagonists have
founded didrcost'His manner in the pulpit :
is pleasing ; ho seldom ubqs ; any other . action "
than a gentle waving of the hand, or a slight turri v
in the pulpit towards the different portions of his
audience."; 'No cushion-thumper is he ; for effect
he depends more on. what he utters than on tho .
graces of action,' though such he doe3 not alto- -gether
disregard j but he has nothing in commort
with certain pulpit coxcombs," who in the pulpit -flourish
their bordered pieces of inspiration-lawn,
and. throw themselves into suck attitudes as com
pel one to -believe that with them the looking-'
glass lias been almost as essential in their pre- ;
paration for the sacred desk as the bible itself. "
Drvj Co m ming has one j;reat fault;; f He ; sel
dom preaches a sermon without dragging in Ro
manism.; It is ever the same : "Delanda est .
Carthago,'' -4My "opinion is, Rome must fall."
Dr. Cumming does not so much feel that he Las
a"mission to preach the gospel as to attack and
to grapple with the Church of Rome.- All his
1.' 1 I . v . - - .
uoun3 nave a reierence 10 Kome ; - au nis ser
mons are pointed against Rome ; every argument
is "directed ' against Rome Rome with him is
emphatically Anti-chrbt; and the Constant harp- .
ing on one string becomes somewhat wearisome, -M
ortal offense may we . give to some "admirin -
friends", by- such a rem ark, We know it. But
are the admiring friends the best judges ? We .
are no. Romanist ourself ; we have never had a v
smgle sympathetic meverbent-witb th old-Lady
of the; Seven Hills, and have f been, cbnsidera-J "
bly abused f by her,; children; so we:can afford td ;';
say that, deciled'y anti-papal ai we are, we do not 1
admire - the . illiberal tone of Dr. Cumming's
speech5 and spirit. V The pSrpetual strain of m ad- J
itation " On the vices of Popish doctrine has not
struck us as very likely to be .useful. The mi n I "
of the preacher must be warped by such unvary r
ing tones of thought and the hearer becomes list- -less
to the impression intended to be conveyed. .
IjThe princrpal sourse of Dr. Cumming Vpopu--
laiity is a certain tact of style and a po wer of ad-
aptation.- ; No other preacher avails himself so '
readily of tbV-popular literature of the' day; its,
poetry arid its history. Some of the uses to which'
he turns illustrations from nature and science do
not indeed show much reading in that direction.
As is usually the; eas3 with' mind ready to seize, ' '
the facts' seized are sometimes- misapprehended."
I And what a voluminous writer; -and, alas ! what
a dear one iylhe books oi Dr. Cumming are
the dearest issued, from the British press ; dear"-
ef.in proportion c tharithd works of Macauby,
Grbte,rLayardi-j vvc; -rl--'
. The sermons of Cumming abound yi: little .
gems such as the following, which wo select as
being veryl characteristic and happy, and witli
which we will concludi this paper : V
44 A broker the other year wa3 purchasing pic
tures in Paris. He found one. which was 3 uean- '
tiful painting'of the Virgin M ary. He . pur"
chased it for a little, hoping to sell it, for much".
tie began to clean the painting" according to
the process that cleaners of - pictures emnlov. .
In jdoing so, by accident a little fragment of th
countenance of the Virgin scaled ofH and he saw -
something J far, more beautiful ii below it. , This ; -tempted
him ta scale off a bit more, and he found
it. was a masterpiece of one of the most illastri-
ous of masters, v representing tho Lord ' Jesus
Now what this picture-dealer did for this paint- :
ing, Martin Luther and John Knox did for the
Church at the time of the Reformation. The in- -'
crnstation of saints' they "scraped oil. -Knos did -. .
it often very roughly, but hedid it well. " They ;
scraped off- the pictures of the sainta, and - then - v"
burst forth in li its glory the representation of
the Son of God." - " ,
, . ' Lost Opportunities.
- . Oh ! if I had Known She was to Die so Young."
Few professed Christians will be likely toread
the following; without some quickening or com
punction of conscience. . ' . ' -
I was spending a quiet afternoon in a friends
room, when a letter was handed her. Jt wag
from her distant home, and, begg'iDg my indul
gence for " a few moments, she broke the seal.
Out ss she hastily ran ove-the ; contents, I saw
the flush of pit asure fade from her cheek, and
the smile disappear from her countenance 54 1 '
hope you have heard no unpleasant news," said
I, as she slowly folded the letter, and safgaaDg"
into the fire, as if utterly unconscious cf my pre
sence. She seemed to collect her thcr-'Lt'as if
roused by the sound of rny voice from some pain
ful reverie, and looking at me intently replied,
44 Ernina D. is dead." I still diJ not under
stand the cause of the emotion that I witnessed,
as I knew the individual mentioned vras no rela
tion'of hers; and from '-.tbe'disririty cf tLtir
t?es not likelv to be a particular fri.nl. " Did
she die suddenly
a r - m
denly f" J Lcj;r- to g;: t:
jnio
clew to the rnysi cry.
W23 the repjy , 1 -
1.
J
t j :.:e
7 ...-t
v. Lcir
ZZXIZZ3
I left home,
for her; t'-t
She then rcl.
was the z 7
I .zv.-i lz
I1 C
;I izll i
sz
1 r:tedcn Lcrccun:-
t:n:r.c?, t
At ?;r-.
44 C... ! 1
1
... j
i r:t . z:i i-.::rrt:rt 1;. -
. -
r-
f ,
V
1:
.-
r
y
1
. -1
4
!. 1
k-
-I