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Brother Campbell, permit me to suggest to you an idea which recently occurred to me on the operation of the Spirit. It may not be new to you, though I have no recollection of having seen it any where, in the manner presented, in which it occurred to me. You know that the Arminian and Calvinistic part of the community believe that man by nature is totally depraved-made opposite to all good-that he is by nature dead. Now we know that a dead man cannot act; he can neither receive nor reject any thing: such a being can neither obey nor disobey any command. Such language would be truly absurd in such a case. The Arminian says that God does impart to all men a certain portion of his Spirit, so as to place them in a salvable condition. In this condition the dead sinner can obey or disobey, receive or reject the calls and operations of the Spirit. No principle is better settled than this, that an effect can never exceed its cause; it can never be greater. If the Spirit be imparted to the dead sinner, it must be the effect of this Spirit, that does all which the dead sinner can do; because, remove the Spirit from him, and the power to act is gone. When the sinner, then, according to this system, rejects the gospel, it is the effect of the Spirit in the dead sinner that rejects it In other words, the Lord opposes himself-the Lord without opposes the Lord within the man. The Calvinists to be more consistent, as they suppose, say that the Lord works irresistibly; so that the dead sinner is wholly passive. You know the difficulty of reconciling the Bible with this idea; for Stephen says, "You do always resist the Holy Spirit." We see the Spirit is resistible according to the Bible. Both the above views release man from responsibility: so it appears to me. The view given above, managed by a mind like yours, seems to me would overturn the whole Calvinistic and Arminlan world. THOMAS SMITH.

Missouri and Kentucky
Your remark on the Cal.

Brother Smith-I rejoice in all your labors of love both in and thank you for the good news which you announce to us. vinian and Arminian theories of spiritual operations is a very forcible argumentum ad hominem. True, indeed, some of the more intelligent Calvinists now-a-days do not regard a person so dead as to be incapable of obedience. I opine, however, that we have paid too much attention to their speculations If all would preach the gospel as you have been doing, we would have more of the Spirit of God, and much less talk about it. Truly yours,

A. O.

Georgetown, Kentucky, January 7, 1842. The congregations of the Lord in Georgetown, at Hebron, and Dry Run, have made arrangements to have the gospel preached in destitute places, and it is hoped and ex. pected that the other churches in the country will co operate in this henevolent evangelical enterprize. We have already raised several hundred dollars for this purpose, and the brethren seem resolved to act worthy of the high profession which they have made.The general plan is as follows:-The fund is raised and committed to the Officers of the congregation. These Officers are to meet and make all necessary arrangements for the expenditure agreeably to the design of the donors. Reports are to be submitted regularly to the respective congregations, setting forth the manner in which he fund has been expended.

On the 1st of January, 1842, we commenced operations. We selected brother J. T. Johnson for the first mission He accepted our invitation, and repaired to Turkey Foot, where he labored from Lord's day until Thursday evening following. The meeting was most delightful and triumphant. There was an accession of 17 members to the good cause. Thus in a few days the small congregation at that place was built up and estab. lished, and the prospects were good for many more; but the evangelist was attacked with sciatica severely, and was compelled to cease his efforts. Brother R. C. Rice was present part of the time, and rendered substantial and successful assistance. We hope the example of the brethren in this county will be emulated by the congregations every where Without co-operation we can do but little, and we are resolved to keep compe. tent evangelists constantly engaged until the fund is exhausted.

May the good Lord bless and prosper you in the good work in which you are engaged!

JOHN W. CRUMBAUGH,
THOMAS J. SHEPARD,
H. C. GRAVES,

JAMES W. GRANT,

WILLIAM BELL, Jr.,

(Officers.)

Norristown, Ohio, January 15, 1842. I would just inform you that on the 19th of November, 1841, brother John Henry, of Trumbull county, commenced a four days meeting at the Norristown meeting-house, at which we gained eighteen members-three from the Methodists, two from the Lutherans, and the rest from the world; and could he have tarried a few days longer, I think many more would have obeyed the gospel.

J. TURNER

Youngstown, Ohio, January 20, 1842.

I have been thinking that we have been rather remiss in giving you and your readers information of the progress of reform in Youngstown and its immediate vicinity; and if you please you may take this letter as an evidence of the progress of reform in those a part of whose business it ought to be to communicate information of this kind. Through the efforts of some very liberal-hearted brethren the old Academy has been purchased and converted into a very comely and commodious meeting-house, and a congregation consisting of 27 members were reduced to gospel order on the 3d Lord's day of July last, and the gospel batteries opened upon the allied powers of this world; and although we heve had the most unparallelled opposition to contend with, we now number 72, having had an increase of 45 since that time. Some of the above number were from the Baptist, Episcopal and Reformed Methodists, Presbyterians, and one man, a Reformed Methodist, who said some two or three years since he would go to h-II rather than be immersed among the number. If I am not greatly mistaken, there never was finer prospects in any place for an abundant harvest than there is here. All that is wanting to secure certain success on our part, is apostolic zeal, unremitting perseverance, patience, and every Christian grace. May our heavenly Father preserve us all blameless unto the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ

Brother Campbell,

WESLEY LANPHEAR.

Flat Rock, Kentucky, December 21, 1841.

With the aid of Drs. Clarke and Macknight, and some of our best informed teaching brethren, I am unable to reconcile Rom. i, 20., with 1 Cor. i. 21. I am not willing to believe the Apostle contradicts himself. The fault may be mine, or it may be in the translation. Will you be so good as to favor me with your views on these (to my mind) difti. cult and conflicting passages? Your brother in Christ,

Dear Brother,

B. F. ROGERS.

The passages to which you refer are, Rom. i. 20. "For the invisible things of him from [since] the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made-even his eternal power and godhead."-1 Cor. i. 20. "For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God."

Paul to the Hebrews, xi. 3, says also, "Through faith we understand that the worlds were made by the word of God," &c. The defenders of Natural Theology make out of Rom. i. 20. a city of refuge when assailed on the assumptions of their theory. Rom. i. 20. certainly does not assert that the universe will now originate in the human mind the idea or impression of the being called God. This conception is as supernatural as the Bible. But if we consider what David and Paul have said, we will find no difficulty in expounding their words, or in understanding their meaning. The heavens do, indeed, declare the glory of God -they show forth his handy work-the universe proves what the scriptures assert. But it is by faith, and not by reason nor by the light of Nature, we first possess the idea. The world by wisdom knew not God.

The tradition of the God of Abraham pervaded the world. You would think that Paul had the words of Aristotle, De Mundo, in his mind when he used the words in Rom. i. 20.-Thneetee phus ei genomenos atheooreetos, ap autoontoon crgoon theooratai otheos-"God, who is invisible to every mortal being, is seen by his works." In the Romans Paul affirms the inexcusableness of idolatry from the evideners of the being and perfections of God seen in his works; and in the Corinthians he affirms the impotency of human philosophy to teach the perfections of God, from the fact that the world had never thence learned the Divinity. In the preface to Thomas Scott's Bible you will find more good sense on this subject, than in all the allusions to it in the works of Macknight, Adam Clark, and Samuel Clark., A. C.

Fayetteville, Arkansas, October 13, 1841.

Favor and peace be multiplied to you and Bethany College! I have just returned from a tour in Johnson and Scott counties in this state, in company with brethren William Sterman, Harper, and Harp. In Johnson eleven were immersed; five previously im. mersed were added, making eixteen in all. In Scott ten were immersed, and three who had been previously immersed were added, making thirteen in all. The brethren in those counties are improving in their manners. They are under the presidency of moderately intelligent Elders, who rule according to the King's law. STEPHEN STRICKLAND.

Lexington, Kentucky, December 6, 1841. I am about to make Terre Haute, Vigo county, Indiana, the centre of my evangelizing service during the ensuing year. I spent the three past months in the states of Indiana and Illinois, in an arduous effort to promote the cause of primitive Christianity; during this time I enjoyed much, suffered some, and sacrificed a little. The chief points of effort were at Vincennes and Terre Haute on the Wabash river, and in Hitesville and its vicin ity in Illinois. At Vincennes, during my visit, there was much fever prevailing; and this, combined with religious prejudice, prevented a full and fair hearing There is, however, a respectable, though small church of Christ, there, and brother John II. Harri son is a useful public servant; sickness for a while deprived me of his company; I was, however, mercifully preserved from the fever. Vincennes seems to be a strong hold of Roman Catholicism, and this system has many votaries in the neighboring counties.

At Terre Haute I found a small church (almost lifeless) that had been constituted in June last. By a judicious and persevering effort I was instrumental in reviving this church and increasing the number of its members from twenty four to thirty two.While operating in this city, the Methodist Conference for Indiana was in session Having a number of Methodist preachers as hearers on one occasion, I took that opportunity to allude to the difference between them and John Wesley (note on Acts xxii. 16.) on the subject of baptism for remission. I expressed a disbelief of the Methodist Discipline being the gospel, or, in toto, founded upon and agreeable to the word of God. I openly and publicly invited them, or any person in Terre Haute, (of course including in the invitation the White Methodist Conference,) to meet me on the next night, and if in aught they judged they reasonably or scripturally might, object to what I had advanced, or defend wчat I had attacked or questioned But next night produced neither opponent nor defendant; so that, on the principle that, in such a case, silence gives consent, I was confessedly right.

The church of Christ in Terre Haute solicited my pastoral care and evangelical services, and confirmed this call, to which I assented conditionally; intending to devote the half of my time to evangelizing in the region around Indiana and Illinois. My visit to Hitesville was crowned also with success, and seven from the world submitted to the King of kings. By various accounts from brethren from different places, I learn that the cause of Christ is steadily and even rapidly progressing in Indiana and Illinois

On my return to Kentucky 1 reached Georgetown on Thursday night in time to see the immersion of four persons-the closing scene of a several days' meeting-the result of which was an accession of thirteen to the Christian church

I passed on to Lexington and aided in a meeting, which, on to day, the third, gives an accession of eight, by application, to the church, and ten confessions; the meeting is continuing and the prospect good-Brethren J. T. Johnson and A. Kendrick (who with brethren J. A. Gano and R. C. Rice conducted the Georgetown meeting) are the principal laborers.

Desiring your prayers for success in Terre Haute and its vicinity, whither I proceed immediately, I remain, as ever, yours in the Lord,

WILLIAM BEGG.

Bowling Green, Kentucky, October 6, 1841. Brother Johnson and myself have now been five weeks laboring in the Green River counties, and have travelled about 300 miles; during which time we added seventy-two souls to the "Disciples," notwithstanding we travelled over much new ground where the principles we plead for were but very imperfectly understood. Our first meeting was held in Hartford, Ohio county, where we obtained in five days eighteen additions, six of whom were from the Baptists, although they kept up a meeting during the whole time, and got, as I understood, two or three. At a Baptist meeting house 13 miles east-to wit, Green River Church, we were invited to speak. We spent one day and received nine. seven of whom were Baptists who resolved to stand upon the Bible and that alone. Our next meeting began at Russelville, where we were very kindly received into the Baptist meeting-house; and it gives me pleasure to bear testimony to the hospitality and Christian courtesy of our Baptist brethren and sisters during our stay of six days We had a very patient and respectful hearing from the citizens generally, and had the plea sure of immersing six very valuable persons into our Lord, and I am much disappointed if we do not succeed very soon in organizing an interesting church.

At this place the prejudices of all parties seemed to give way, and I doubt whether any misrepresentation of our views can destroy the impression made upon that community. From Russelville we went to Friendship, a Baptist meeting-house nine miles east, where we were again very kindly received; and after speaking some five days we gained sixteen additions, four of whom were Baptists. I do thank God that the cause of the Bible, and that alone, is rapidly gaining ground in the effections of all parties in this county Such indeed has been the rapid advance of the Bible against all creeds, that many of the Bap tist preachers do not hesitate to affirm publicly that they have nothing but the Bible, although the contrary is notorious; but, thank God, they are forced to speak against creeds; and the time is not far distant when the Baptists in this country will stand upon the true foundation of "Christian union," as we trust.

From that point we went to Franklin, Simpson county, where but very few ever heard the principles of the ancient gospel. We found some ready to hear, and others ready to appose; but, thank God, we found the citizens kind and hospitable, and we very soon de

molished their prejudices in the general, and succeeded in getting three to obey the gospel, and one Baptist to unite upon the Bible. When we left many were solicitous for another visit. We rejoice to say that we found some of ail parties there very kind and friendly.

We have confined our operations to three topies generally-Christian Union, the Conversion of Sinners, and the Purity of the Disciples I rejoice to say that the brethren on Green River, so far as my acquaintance extends, are zealous and exerting every and all their powers to sustain the cause I wish our rich brethren in the northern part of our state would send to their aid a good Evangelist. The cause demands an effort at their hands. Will you. brethren, act and act speedily upon this appea? We spent several days after leaving Franklin at Bethel, in Warren county, a meeting-house of our brethren, where eight were added. We spent two days at Bowling Green, the weather bad, and a partial hearing. At Smith Grove, 13 miles east, we have now closed a meeting with five additions-making the total number of seventy-two; out of which there were twenty-one Baptists, one Methodist, and one Cumberland Presbyterian My whole time will be devoted, the I ord willing, to the cause for the ensuing year, in this region of country, I trust that through the help of God, much will be done for the cause of our Master. GEORGE W ELLEY. Maysville, Kentucky, January 29, 1842. We had a meeting of a week in November last. The result was 26 immersions and 3 restored. The speakers were brethren Moss, Lucas, Scott, and Pool We have had other additions during the past year. W. C. HOLTON.

TEMPERANCE SOCIETIES.

Bracken county, January 5, 1812.

-For my own part, I fear the result. To see the Disciples of Christ forming such an alliance with the world, has, to me, an awful squinting at fornication. I think the Apostle told the truth when he said "the man of God was thoroughly furnished to every good work;" and if men by their wisdom and experience have discovered a necessity and utility for another moral institution by which to reform the world, and to which the sons of God may give themselves, they have, in my humble judgment, surpassed Deity himself. I am in extreme agony because of this thing. I am wounded to the heart, and scarcely know what to be at. I have determined to stand in opposition so far as Disciples are concerned, until I am convinced; and if wrong, I pray conviction. J. H. H. January 22, 1842.

Brother Campbell-There is a great excitement in our county at this time about temperance or total abstinence. I believe the excitement is spreading throughout the state. A large number of our brethren have joined temperance societies; others oppose Christians attaching themselves to such societies. In many cases already the feelings of brethren have been hurt with each other, and I look forward with some dread of the consequences. On one hand, in their great zeal for temperance societies, brethren have accused their brethren who differ with them, of sinning, &c. And on the other hand, brethren think it wrong for Christians to attach themselves to any human institution., either for their own reformation or that of the world. Brother Campbell, I am one who have not been able to yet see that Christians are permitted to join such societies—although I, as a Christian, have for years set my face against the use of intoxicating liquors in any way except as medicine. It may be that I am wrong in the stand that I have taken. If so, I wish to be be corrected.

W. C. H.

THE EDITOR'S RESPONSE to the preceding.

We have long since expressed a conviction that the church of Jesus Christ is a Missionary, Temperance, Bible, Education, and Philanthropic Society; that, in the church capacity, Christians move in all spiritual and moral good;-that we ought not to transfer to any human establishment the honors and the glory due to the Christian Institution. But in the present crisis, when many in the church are daily dramdrinkers, and sometimes absolutely intemperate persons, some argue that they too ought to take a temperance pledge, as the Christian pledge has, in their case at least, failed. Handsome compliment to the Christian pledge, truly!

We would rather say exclude those dram-drinkers, julip-sippers, chronic tipplers, and bitters lovers out of the church, and then let them join the Temperance Society—if that, indeed, can heal them.— The church, in pulling down this mammoth evil, as Mr. Everett in one of his temperance efforts has shown it to be,* may in good earnest plead the temperance cause amongst those without. Her members may exhort those without to join the Temperance Society when they see it necessary or expedient. And certainly if any Christian choose to vow that he will never drink wine nor strong drink for the sake of saving some from drunkenness, no other Christian has a right to get angry with him for so doing. He has this liberty, and no one should feel disposed to take it from him.

I think some of our brethren are, perhaps, too fastidious on this subject. They should rejoice in the present temperance movement,

* Governor Everett enumerates the following as among the evils intemperance has inflicted upon the country within the last ten years, viz..

1. It has cost in direct expenses five hundred millions of dollars. 2. It has cost in indirect expenses six hundred millions of dollars. 3. It has destroyed three hundred thousand lives.

4. It has sent one hundred thousand children to the poor-houses. 5. It has consigned at least one hundred and fifty thousand persons to jails and prisons.

6. It has made at least one thousand maniacs.

7. It has instigated the commission of one thousand five hundred murders.

8. It has caused two thousand persons to commit suicide.

9. It has burnt and otherwise destroyed property to the amount of five millions of dollars.

10. It has made not less than two hundred thousand widows. 11. It has made one million orphans.

12. It has endangered the inheritance left us by our fathers, and fixed a foul blot on the fair fame of America.

Western Temperance Journal.

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