ART. VIII. Affairs of the Monitor.

It is a matter of thankfulness to the publisher, that, under many disad vantages, and in the face of the popular current of the age, divine Providence has continued this work in existence for so long a period. Periodical works and newspapers, of a professedly religious character, which are nevertheless in many respects unfriendly to Reformation principles, have become so numerous, and many of them, owing to an extensive patronage, are afforded at so cheap a rate, and are so constantly urged upon the people by extraordinary exertions, that the field for circulating the Monitor is extremely limited. Yet, in reference to it, we are ena bled in some degree to adopt the language of the apostle, "Having therefore obtained help of God, we continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great."

Owing to a variety of causes, such as deaths, removals, inability to pay, and in some instances indifference, there is always at the end of each volume a number of discontinuances; and these must be supplied by others, or the work cannot be supported. Some suppose the work too dear; but its comparatively limited circulation, and the amount of losses are such, that it cannot be maintained for a less price. Others, again, suppose it might be improved, and because it is not in all respects perfect, they stand aloof. But such as look for a perfect work of this kind, look for what has never been, and never will be. And if any one should be slow to believe this, let him make the attempt to produce one more perfect. Every possible exertion has been made, and frequently at the expense of losing patronage, to maintain the peculiar principles of the Secession church; and the same course will still be pursued. There are but few who make any pretension to the general principles of the Secession, who do not admit in words the importance of those principles, while many such are as far removed from the genuine spirit, sentiments" and practices of the early Seceders, as the modern Lutherans are from the principles of the intrepid Reformer whose name they are still proud to bear.

Respecting controversial articles: these cannot always be excludednor would such a course be at all desirable. Many of the great principles maintained by Seceders may be viewed in different aspects by dif ferent minds, who are equally devoted to the same cause. A manly and temperate discussion of difficult points is desirable, and has a tendency to add to the reader's stock of knowledge, although different writers may entertain views exhibiting shades of difference.

It is hoped our correspondents will continue their exertions to furnish our pages with a sufficient quantity of original matter. Without their aid, the exertions of the publisher would avail but little.

The twelfth volume will be commenced with a number of extra copies, under the expectation that they will be subscribed for.

Whether the Monitor is still to continue, as heretofore, to pay its monthly visits to the scattered families and congregations of the Associate church, bearing some word of instruction or comfort to the sincere inquirer after truth, depends entirely upon the exertions of its friends.To them the question is submitted, and to them it belongs to return such an answer as the cause of Zion's king, the good of their own souls, and the souls of such as are entrusted to their care, may demand at their hands.

"Without natural affection." Such an affection as should be in parents to their children, and in children to their parents. This charge rests on the same persons who are disobedient to their parents, for these two charges cannot be separate; and also on those parents who are "lovers of their own selves," "proud, boasters, covetous," &c. These dispositions are at variance with true natural affection, and consequently, where they have the ascendancy, natural affections can scarcely have any place. It is affecting to see parents carrying their authority up to the limits affixed by the laws of the land, and taking all the service and profit off their children which they may, until they are twenty-one years of age; and next, on the other side, to see the children the very next day turning round and claiming, with the same legal tone, remuneration for the least further service, and it is a thing to be often seen. No doubt what is plead for is true-that this is just so it would be, also, between a master and a servant or apprentice; but where is the natural affection of it? The stork, whose name is borrowed from this Greek word, is said never to leave its parents, but to feed and protect them to the last. How rarely is this the case among the present generation of human beings! It is much more common for children to avail themselves of their legal rights, like the Jewish youths of old, who took advantage of the popu larity of the tradition, and said, "it is Corban."

Again: on the other hand, if to be cold and careless about children's eternal salvation, and to be all earnestness and concern about their worldly advantage, indicates a want of natural affection in parents, how many parents want it! What multitudes of parents making a profession of religion, are content-not only content, but very desirous, to procure that situation for their children, which promises fairest to make them wealthy, or to elevate them to places of honor or trust, though surrounded with temptations to become profane and wicked, and neglect and despise all those things which belong to their eternal peace. If he or she, VOL. XII.

3

as the case may be, that is proposed for a new connection, have only money or property in hand or in prospect, that alone weighs down every consideration of spiritual things in the minds of parents.

"Truce breakers." A truce is a treaty or an agreement, made and ratified in the most solemn manner, pledging for its fulfilment all their interest in a future world. All engagements under oath and solemn vows may be considered as coming within the meaning of the term. If a man is inducted into office by oath, it is equivalent to a truce, or solemn engagement to fulfil the duties of it. And is not the breach of such engagements come to a most appalling height? When a man or woman, at their entering on a profession of religion, promises, before a Session constituted in the name of Jesus Christ, to walk according to it, it is surely a very solemn engagement: so it is when parents, in receiving baptism for their children, promise to bring them up "in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." Such, also, are the vows of ordination to the eldership or the ministry. But how are these engagements kept by the generality or rather with how many aggravations are they broken and cast by? Are they any thing more with vast multitudes than mere ceremony, made without previous consideration or serious purpose, and forgotten and disregarded on the same day? They are dead letters in the history of the man. Not a few this day are, with deliberation and purpose, avowedly acting in plain contradiction to their most solemn vows; advocating measures which they were sworn to oppose; preaching doctrines which they had solemnly denounced. I appeal here to many who yet know and understand these things, if there are not whole societies of professors, yea, nations, most deeply involved in covenant violations. And this matter is of so old a date that it has long since dropped out of the mind, and so common that it is nothing thought of. If you speak seriously of it, it will be held in derision, or, to say the least, it is a dead language, which they have long since ceased to understand.

Among these truce breakers, there are no doubt many who are so from ignorance and carelessness, not understanding what they are doing, nor anxious to inquire after it. But there are others to whom this charity cannot be extended. They have knowledge sufficient to understand their solemn vows, and "speak lies in hypocrisy ;" for it was never their serious, deliberate purpose at all to endeavor to walk up to them. It was only because there was no other way of obtaining the external privileges or office which, for some reason or other, they wished to enjoy. There are many that become truce breakers because (strange to tell) they think they would be uncharitable and bigotted towards those who differ from them if they would strictly adhere to their vows! Their charity bids God-speed to every one that goes by. They must hear and commune with Christians of every name, and applaud the doctrine which they do not believe. The preacher that is sprung out of this sort cautiously hides in his bosom the peculiarities of that system of truth to which he gave his solemn pledge at license or ordination, if the audience, or a part of it, disapprove of them, and he makes as though he would be understood to hold the opposite doctrine; and he endeavors, upon this same plan, to "become all things to all men." These men would make you believe that they could take you into their heart for very love. They will pour encomium upon yourself and your way of faith and worship, till you are out of all countenance. The difference between them and you, if we believe them, is exceedingly small; yet it is all "lies in hypocrisy," in the hope of proselyting you.

But, reader, can the men who trifle after this sort with their most solemn pledges to God and man-preaching one doctrine to-day, and endeavoring with all their ability to be thought friendly to its opposite to

morrow-worshiping in one way at home, and for mere compliment's sake approving of another abroad,-can they seriously believe that the Bible is the word of God at all? I think they cannot; and were it not that the church stands on a rock, against which hell will never prevail, it would make me tremble to think what numbers of Deists are this day pretending to be her ministers, elders and people.

"False accusers." Diaboloi or devils, because false accusers act so much in the character of the devil, who is called "the Accuser of the brethren, which accuses them before God day and night." (Rev. xii. 10.) This vice flourishes, and has a numerous and increasing class of practisers: go to an election, and you must both see and hear them. Read the public papers, and you will frequently meet whole columns of deliberate and digested slander. Place "the way of truth" before the religious public, and by the generality of those who condescend to notice it at all, it will be "evil spoken of." It is called cold orthodoxy, and the few people who still adhere to it are loaded with opprobrious epithets. Bring to remembrance the martyrs and reformers by whose means we enjoy so many privileges, and it is a thousand to one if the tribute paid to their memory be not that "they were fools." This is little better than to call them heretics, which their mortal enemy at Rome calls them, from whom neither mercy or truth is ever more to be expected. Such as yet adhere to Reformation principles are accused of being "behind the spirit of the age"-"only a few removes from barbarism"-"untriendly to the spread of the gospel in the world"-"a hindrance in the way of harmony among the christian denominations"-" uncharitable and bigoted." These are grave accusations, and in so far as they lie against the principles of their profession, they are false.

"Incontinent." It has been thought by some commentators that this whole passage was intended by the inspired apostle as a prophetic description of characters that were after to appear in the ranks of the great Popish apostacy; and that they would, among many other vices, be incontinent. And that there have been and still are many such among them, in all orders, from the Pope himself to the lowest of his creatures, is well known to all that are acquainted with their true history, their vows of perpetual celibacy, and higher claims to chastity notwithstand ing. And I admit that that apostacy has brought, and still brings forth, all the characters in this passage by thousands, and that it has a respect to them.

But if we suppose that there are none to be found in any other connection answering this description, or if we suppose that an apostacy from the Reformation cannot bring them forth to as great maturity, we are grossly mistaken. That there are many expressions of character, in dress, language and amusements, far removed from the spirit of chastity, to be seen in Protestant communities; and that there are multitudes of lewd men and women in our cities, towns and villages, and places of public resort, is undeniable. Whence are they? and where are they baptised? and who are their parents?— Are they all within the Romish communion ?-all the suporters of the theatre, masquerade and ball room, and the numerous fashiona ble excitements to unclean passions? It is not so. There is a large proportion of them Protestants by name, and not a few of them by profession. And it is progressive apostacy from Protestant faith and practice, that has generated and brought forth such characters.

"Fierce." Those who have this as their predominant trait are easily offended, and they carry it high. Anger quickly rises to passion, and passion to rage, which vents itself in loud and clamorous speeches and threatenings, and frequently in deeds of vengeance. I know not to what

else to ascribe the numerous quarrels and outbreakings that frequently happen among us; the many law suits; the horrid cruelty of husbands to wives; the murders, duels and suicides which are continually reported in the public journals.

"Despisers of those that are good"-that are conscientious in their profession-observing the Sabbath in a spiritual manner-refraining from carnal conversation, and endeavoring to be spiritual in all their deportment. Those that are good are humble, self-denied, patient, forgiving, returning good for evil. They study to bring to pass in practice the whole of their profession; they study to be stronger in the word; they bewail their corruptions; they thirst after likeness to God; his daclarative glory is their highest aim; gratitude and love is their strongest principle. There are few, very few of such people now among us, yet there are some; and it is not easy to know how many or where they are.They lie hid and concealed; and the reason is, because they are any thing but popular characters: they are despised by the atheist, the wicked and profane-despised by the gay and fashionable, the ignorant, the unthinking: they are despised by all such as hate sound doctrine-as make light of consistency in a profession-as are full of the modern charity, and its interminable scheming: yea, they are despised by their near neighbors. Sometimes this despising of them may stop with simply overlooking them, or, at most, undervaluing them; but it frequently goes further, and breaks forth in terms of opprobrium, ridicule and contempt.

"Traitors." The term traitor is applied to Judas, because he betrayed his master into the hands of his enemies, under the character of a disciple, and with the pretence of friendship. But the same thing may be still done. There is such a thing as crucifying Christ afresh, and so there is of betraying him afresh. Christ identifies himself with his church and his truth; and whoever betrays them, betrays him-they are traitors, who ever comes into a church, professing to espouse her profession, and then lays her and it open to the attack of enemies, whether in a private or public way, they are traitors.

When the officers of the church admit known enemies into her fellowship, or connive at their remaining in it; when ministers, notwithstanding their solemn vows to their profession, give help and countenance to those who are opposed to it; when ministers and people, under pretence of union or of extending the sphere of their principles, give up the pe culiar truths for which they contend; and when, along with these, the property or money received in trust, to be expended in support of these peculiarities, are also given up, I would consider it as in effect betraying Christ, with more or less aggravation. And if this be betraying, surely we have enough of it. Those who will be unfaithful in these things, want nothing but a favorable opportunity and a little stronger temptation, to go farther. There is treachery in the heart, which the love of truth has not power to overawe. Such men are just as fit to betray private interest and the nation's prosperity, as to do what they do. When we look back on the conduct of ministers and people for these fifty or sixty years, and consider how general and popular this same conduct has become, we have great reason to be afraid that the great and glorious Reformation is near being given into the hands of its mortal enemies, the Roman Catholics.

"Heady." This term is of the same import with rash, hasty, precipitate. When men have so strong a confidence in their own judgment as to think reflection superfluous, even before the most important steps, and without hesitation proceed upon first impressions and first views, they may be called heady. How many things of the greatest weight are done