stand in his word, all harmonizing and meeting together, or of their mutual bearings, as they balance one another in the believing mind, to be able to assure ourselves, that an error, even in non-fundamentals, may not, to us at least, be pernicious and fatal; and it were to be regretted, if the adoption of a vaguer and more general profession, in the adjustment of the fellowship of the churches, should seem at all to warrant a loose and latitudinarian interpretation, even of the details, of their particular creeds. But, besides, we have another fear. All experience shews, that the omission, or disparagement, or doubtful interpretation, of a single clause in a well-weighed doctrinal statement, may be held to cover far greater laxity than was ever contemplated. It is by no means the same thing for a Christian man, or a Christian church, to abandon a doctrine previously held, as it is never to have known it; the abandonment of it necessarily involving more than the mere absence of it would have done. Hence, as has been often remarked, degenerate Calvinism, is not so spiritual and evangelical as reviving Arminian Methodism. We are apprehensive, therefore, that such a general form as may be devised, would come to be practically construed even more liberally than might be intended, and would fail to exclude parties, whose presence might damp all zeal and mar all concord.* * We have seen an attempt of this kind made by an American divine, evidently in the most excellent spirit, which, however, as we humbly think, only serves to shew the difficulty of the experiment, without holding out much apparent prospect of success. It is contained in a little work, with the title of Fraternal Appeal, by Dr Schmucker, Theological Professor in the Lutheran Church, published in 1839. The specimen of a united Protestant confession, in twelve articles, is given, each article being framed in words For such reasons as these, we prefer a mode of adjustment, which, leaving the confessions of all the several churches untouched, would provide rather a negative than a positive criterion; uniting all who protest against certain errors, and whose very protest shews their willingness to combine in advocating the opposite truths. And if it be objected that this mere denial is too cold a cement of union, and that something more positive is needed, let it be considered, in the first place, that the end proposed being not authoritative decision, but friendly consulta. tion, it is enough if we have the warrant of opposition to common foes for securing that we are really friends; and, secondly, that the range of antagonist errors is such, as to afford sufficient security that the condemnation of them, as in a circle, all around, must proceed upon an admission of the enclosed and central truth. It is with extreme diffidence that we presume to express this opinion, which may seem to be at variance with that of a very high authority on this subject. We refer to the distinguished historian of the Reformation, who, in a recent address, thus eloquently pleads the cause of Christian brotherhood, and, not only so, but suggests practical measures for promoting it : "The principle of union-of catholicity, was one of the essential features of Scripture and of the Reformed Church. Whatever others say, to this let us adhere. 66 'Further, this unity of the Church in heaven must one selected out of the Reformed formularies, half a sentence often from one, and the other half from another, ingeniously put together, and on the whole sound; yet bald and meagre, if not ambiguous, presenting a sort of tessellated work, or artificial joining together of "disjecta membra," which would scarcely convey a fair impression of the real creed of any of the combined bodies. day be manifested on earth. There shall be one fold and one shepherd.' Precious promise! Yes, all these barriers shall fall, all these party colours shall be effaced, and Christ alone be King of his people. But how shall that glorious time arrive? Some would hasten it by cabinet orders duly sealed and registered in the bureaux of the civil administration. Others would bring it on by introducing into the Reformed Church the hierarchical abuses and magical operations which she has rejected. Others, in fine, aim at it by latitudinarianism. Let us reject all these human expedients, and await this union from God and not from man. "Nevertheless we have also something to do. On the one hand, in waiting for the Lord, we must be truly what we are. Were a man to be created by the union of a soul and a body, would not the first thing necessary be, that the soul were truly a soul and the body truly a body? Could we think it a good preparation for the union, to deform at once both the soul and the body? But on the other hand, let us above all cleave to the grand doctrines which we hold in common. "You know the proposal which was made with that view at Saint Gall, in the General Assembly of Swiss Pastors.* It was made only some weeks ago, and yet "The proceedings at St Gall were as follows: "The general conference of the pastors of the Reformed Church of Switzerland took place at St Gall, on the 13th and 14th of August. One hundred and sixty professors and pastors assembled in the grand council-chamber of the ancient palace of Prince-Abbe. The first day was devoted to the important question of the Confessions of Faith, designated by the last conference; and Mr Scherer, a pastor of the canton of St Gall, began by reading a paper which he had been charged to draw up. M. Merle D'Aubigné, the only representative of French Switzerland present at the conference, letters on the subject have already reached me from various quarters. In particular, I have received from developed and explained his motive in bringing forward the following resolutions (in Genevan), which he then laid on the table : "The Swiss Pastoral Society, assembled at St Gall, one of the principal seats of apostolic or missionary labours in the west, acknowledges and resolves,— 66 6 "First, That it is highly desirable for all evangelical Christians, Reformed and Lutheran, Presbyterians and Episcopalians, and generally, all who believe in the fundamental truths of the gospel, to unite for the purpose of making an open confession of their common faith, in opposition to the unity, purely material, of the Romish Church, and thus proclaim their own true and spiritual unity. 66 6 Secondly, It resolves to put itself in communication with some of the pastoral conferences recently formed in Germany, particularly with that of Berlin, which has very lately occupied itself on the same question, and this may eventually lead to a similar union with the pastoral conferences of other countries, namely, France, Great Britain, Holland, and America, and to the re-establishment of an œcumenical Confession of the Christian faith. 666 Thirdly, It appoints a commission, authorised to fix the basis of an Evangelical Confession of the nineteenth century, and which shall contain the truths embodied in all existing Protestant Confessions, and arranged in a form adapted to the wants of the present age. This commission should likewise be authorised to take the necessary steps to obtain the end pointed out in the preceding articles.' "The author of this proposal, whilst making it, reminded his hearers, that at the period of the Reformation, Calvin and his friends in Geneva opposed themselves energetically to the tendency the Swiss evinced of looking only to their local churches, and strove to direct their attention to the church at large. He further added, that one of the wants of the present times was, the unity of a true Catholicity, and that, however remote we were from this desirable end, it was now quite time to take the first steps towards it. "These resolutions having been seconded by Professor Kir. choffer of Schaffhouse, and approved of by Mr Schiess senior, one of the pastors of the canton of St Gall, and likewise by the licentiate in theology, Mr Scheuker, was carried by a considerable majority, and sent, recommended, to the Committee of Conference." 999 Scotland this interesting communication : -Our Provincial Synod having met on the very day when this good news arrived, unanimously resolved to overture the General Assembly to countenance the proposal of Saint Gall.' Surely we are moving towards a grand union. Let us then cast far from us our disputes, our injuries, our nicknames, our false accusations, and our grievous personalities. Let us not give way to a passionate, blind, sour, and bitter spirit, which would kindle again among us the polemics of the sixteenth century. Let us rather with one heart exclaim,- Come quickly, Lord Jesus.' -The Last Days, by J. H. Merle D'Aubigné, D.D. Not in antagonism to this proposal, but in furtherance of it, we venture to call attention to the method indicated in our own church, in a plan submitted to the Commission of Assembly, towards the end of the year 1842. On that occasion, a report was given in relative to the contemplated commemoration of the Westminster Assembly; embracing, however, a scheme for a more extended union among the friends of evangelical truth throughout the world. In introducing the report, the Convener, among other things, remarked :- "A desire after more unity was rapidly extending in the Christian church. Communications on the subject, of a very delightful kind, had recently appeared from ministers and members of several evangelical denominations, including a very admirable one from that eminent and godly Independent minister, Mr James of Birmingham. The unity desired was founded neither on popish uniformity, nor on latitudinarian compromise, but on an agreement on essential points. It had struck the committee that, on this occasion, something might be done to follow out these breathings after unity at home and abroad; and in pur |