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death. The cessation ofanimal existence with them was but "a sleep." With modern professors this world would seem to be every thingthe loss of it death indeed-and as to their Christianity, it is this that is become a "sleep." How pertinent, then, to many a one now the exhortation, "Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light." R. R.

TEETOTALISM.

CHARLOTTESVILLE, May 28, 1842. Brother Campbell,-I AVAIL myself of the occasion offered in the space here, to say to you, that I regret the proclivity you seem to manifest towards a union of the Disciples with Temperance Societies. In my humble judgment such institutions, while highly commendable among worldly people, and good in themselves, as far as they go, have no claim on the participation of the brethren-because they are not of God, but of men, because they reflect upon the Church of Christ as the most effectual reclaimers of mankind; because by joining them we put it in the power of men to "judge us in drinks," &c.—thus violating 2d ch. Colossians; because they are converted into religious meetings to a certain extent, being usually opened and concluded with prayer, &c, in which we cannot unite without incurring the censure of the Apostle, who says, "Whatsoever is not of faith is sin;" because by uniting with them we assume a position and devolve upon ourselves duties inconsistent with our position and duties as Christians, for as members we should attend the meetings of the Society, and these often happen when the Disciples hold social church meetings; because by joining themselves, or inducing Disciples to unite, we cause our weak brethren to stumble and go astray; for it has happened within my knowledge, that Disciples have deserted our social and intermediate church meetings to attend to the Temperance Society, which is of evil tendency, as all know; and in one instance I know the Lord's table has been deserted on Lord's day that a brother might deliver a Temperance Address in the country; because the brethren are not agreed as to the expediency of uniting, but many think it has an appearance of evil in Disciples to join, in consequence of which the feelings of the brethren are offended; and surely to join under such circumstances, is not to observe the apostolic command to "abstain from every appearance of evil"-which certainly is not fulfilled by those who join, for the precept enjoins the NOT doing a certain thing: it is negative, not positive, and it cannot (perhaps) be said that any thing is "evil" which the word of God does not express, or indirectly, at least, condemn; and because the principles of Total Abstinence Societies make the manufacture of wine criminal, (in morals.) which if universally prevalent as they may become, would destroy the existence of wine, and thus banish it from the Lord's table-an argument which a Disciple (encouraged perhaps by the example of others) met in my presence by proposing the substitution, for that occasion, of molasses and water.

Now you will not infer, I hope, that I am opposed to teetotalism.

By no means; for without being a member of a human Temperance Society, I am entirely abstinent. But I consider it my duty to give the glory of such conduct (if it possess any) to God, and not to man; for Iam a teetotaller upon the authority of Paul, who declared he would never eat or drink wine, if by so doing he caused his (weak) brother to stumble. I hold that all Disciples ought to be totally abstinent upon these, which are the highest as well as the best principles. And thus, too, we observe the precept to "abstain from all appearance of evil," which I think the present state of public opinion and the awful havoc the vice of intemperance has made, most clearly enjoin on all Disciples. To call upon the brethren to abstain from the influence of Christian benevolence and duty (without joining human societies, or yielding to public opinion so far) is, in my judgment, to place the subject upon much higher ground, as well as to claim for it not the ephemeral obligations of a fickle public opinion, but the sublime sanetions of the "word of God which liveth and abideth forever."

A. B. M.

MINERVA, Stark County, June 24, 1842. Dear Brother Campbell-We have been much disturbed here by the introduction (or an attempt to introduce) the Washingtonian Teetotal Pledge, and as respects giving our names we are not united, but divided the one part of the congregation favorable, the other unfavorable; so that if those who are favorable give their names, the others are displeased; also, vice versa, if those who are unfavorable will not give their names to the pledge, the others are displeased. Now the question is, what must be done? Must we be united and all sign the pledge, or be united and all discard the pledge, or be considered a set of heretics in consequence of our divisions? Ought we not to regret heresies as we would heretics? Again, as respects giving our names to the pledge, is it not an untaught question? Whether we are or are not bound, if it is a question of that kind we are forbid having any thing to do with it. But, again, is it not a tradition of men-and if so, are we not, as Christians, to not touch it? And again, if we must give our names to it, what will it lead to-may not one hundred or five hundred pledges to abstain from other things or evils be forced upon us, and we are bound to give our names to the whole of them? And, furthermore, as the good folks all say, we must form into society, and have a constitution and a set of by-laws for each pledge. Where will be the end of such a course? We might, indeed, soon have 500 or 1,000 well regulated societies, but a camel could not carry all the books and records which contain the laws for the government of the whole.

Solomon says much study is weariness to the flesh, and of making many books there is no end. The conclusion of the whole matter is to fear the Lord and keep his commandments, for it is the whole duty of man.

But I have said enough for once on this subject. It is true we have had much trouble and anticipate more. We have heard from you on temperance a little once, but will you please let us hear from you once more.

Your's most affectionately,

JOHN WHITACRE.

REMARKS.

Brother Whitacre-No man more highly appreciates the piety and benevolence of your motives than I. Let me then say to you that this is an extraordinary case-an effort to dethrone one of the most desolating monsters that ever usurped a throne. Myriads have been saved from ruin personal, domestic, temporal, spiritual and eternal' by this singular and unprecedented effort. Let those brethren who are for doing what they think right allow those who differ from them to do what they think right, and mutually respect each others sincerity and integrity, and all will do well.

I will tell you a true story; and as the fact occurred in Ohio, north of you, it may furnish you a moral, if not better than the fables of Esop, at least as good as any of them :

A very useful and influential preacher on the Western Reserve was, for all the reasons you have urged, and on account of some of those mentioned in the communication, (from a very respectable source in Charlottesville, Va.) as well as for some others, remonstrating, with much logical acumen, a point against Christians having any thing to do with Temperance Societies. When he had finished his address, he was congratulated by a number of his auditors for his very learned, eloquent and evangelical sermon; but after gazing on some of their luminous countenances and inquiring into the character of the rest, he ascertained that they were a sort of standing committee of all the drunkards of the town. He was so struck with the admonition he thus received that he has not since delivered an antitemperance lecture.

For all the reasons that Christians take any interest in the politics, economics and statistics of the state, for all these reasons ought they, in my opinion, at this crisis, give their suffrage against intemperance. A C.

QUESTIONS ON APPEALS.

1. When an individual member of a church is admonished by the brethren for impropriety of conduct, and he tells them to go and attend to their own business and let him alone, and being cited to appear and answer before the church, pays no attention to such citation, and makes no defence at all, and being separated from that body, has that person a good right to an appeal to foreign brethren?

2. Is a church, in any case, justifiable in holding fellowship with excommunicated members of another church, without having had an investigation of the case of exclusion submitted to them, or some other foreign tribunal, and reversed?

Yours, &c.

A. P. J.

ANSWERS TO THE PEECEDING QUERIES.

1. Where there has been no decision there can be no appeal. To appeal, before a decision, is strong presumptive evidence of conscious guilt. No church can listen to such an appeal that either fears God or regards human approbation.

2. To hold communion with excluded persons is at once to abolish all discipline, to encourage transgressions, and to insult the community that excommunicated; and when a previous knowledge of the fact of expulsion can be brought home to the offending party, there is no more worthy case of discipline than his, if a community has any regard to the intercommunion of Christian congregations.

A. C.

DEBATE AT MARTINSVILLE, OHIO.

I HEARD a part of this discussion, noticed in the June number, between our Baptist brother Erwin and the Old School Episcopal Methodist, the Rev. Mr. M'Abee. Neither of the parties had much experience in the modes and forms of public discussion, nor were either of them highly gifted in the polemic talent so requisite in this age of righteous controversy. Mr Erwin had the better assortment of materials, but Mr. M'Abee the better art of managing his resources. In other respects they were pretty well matched. The old questions of mode and subject of baptism were each discussed, one day, in the presence of a large and respectable audience. Nothing new was elicited, and much of the valuable documents now in the hands of the public were not introduced into the argument. The candor, earnestness, and air of sincerity which characterized the Baptist advoeate. in contrast with the management, efforts, and policy of his opponent, I thought then, and have since believed, would do more for the Baptist peculiarity than either the stores of knowledge or the displays of eloquence exhibited on that side of the question. That the subject should now-a-days be so often debated, is, indeed, a favorable omen of more intelligence and of better feelings amongst professors in reference to a question the plainest in theology, and of vital importance to the peace, union, and co-operation of Christians, which ought to have been decided many centuries ago, but which is now in a fair way of being settled in the lifetime of a single generation. Let it have a candid, full, and fair investigation, and the decision is easy.

A. C.

VOL. VI.-N.S.

32

BONAPARTE'S OPINION OF CHRIST.

A FOREIGN journal lately published a conversation related by Count de Montholon, the faithful friend of the Emperor Napoleon. Without being responsible for the truth of this conversation as reported, I will copy it literally; and it may have been really uttered by the Emperor! It deserves to be read with attention:

"I know men," said Napoleon, "and I tell you that Jesus is not a man!"

"The religion of Christ is a mystery which subsists by its own force, and proceeds from a mind which is not a human mind. We find in it a marked individuality, which-originated a train of words and maxims unknown before. Jesus borrowed nothing from our knowledge. He exhibited in himself a perfect example of his precep's. Jesus is not a philosopher, for his proofs are miracles, and from the first his disciples adored him. In fact, learning and philosophy are of no use for salvation; and Jesus came into the world to reveal the mysteries of Heaven and the laws of the Spirit.

"Alexander, Cesar, Charlemagne, and myself founded empires; but upon what did we rest the creations of our genius? Upon force. Jesus Christ alone founded his empire upon love; and at this hour, millions of men would die for him.

"It was not a day or a battle which achieved the triumph of the Christian religion in the world. No, it was a long war, a contest for three centuries begun by the Apostles, then continued by the flood of Christian generations. In this war all the kings and potentates of the earth were on one side; on the other I see no army, but a mysterious. force, some men scattered here and there in all parts of the world, and who have no other rallying point than a common faith in the mysteries of the cross.

"I die before my time, and my body will be given back to the earth to become food for the worms. Such is the fate which awaits him who has been called the great Napoleon.' What an abyss between my deep misery and the eternal kingdom of Christ which is proclaimed, Joved, and adored, and which is extending over the whole earth! Call you this dying? Is it not living, rather? The death of Christ is the death of God!"

Napoleon stopt at these last words; but General Bertrand making no reply, the Emperor added, "If you do not perceive that Jesus Christ is God, I did wrong to appoint you General."

If this language was really uttered by Napoleon, it forms a fine chapter in defence of Christianity, for which we are indebted to the greatest warrior of modern times-Non-Res.

Genuine or feigned, the above are grand views, and worthy of great mind.

A. C.

BRITISH BAPTISTS.

ACCORDING to the London Baptist Magazine, there are 1,650 Baptist churches in Great Britain; 1,311 in England; 244 in Wales; 58 in Scotland; and 37 in Ireland.

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