and the folly of the latter will cease to make him insensible to the use and excellence of the other.

We could hardly expect to make any impression on those who condemn where they have taken no pains to understand; for there is in skepticism even more bigotry than in superstition. But with a view to those who are really desirous to compare opinions on the subject, we shall briefly state what we understand by a Christian Church, and afterwards draw inferences from that statement, tending to define its rights and powers. And now what is a Christian Church? or, more properly speaking, what is the Christian Church? for there is but one. It is a name applied to the great body of those in every region, name, and nation, who have professed their belief in Jesus Christ. He has thought proper to appoint two signs by which men declare this profession, Baptism and the Lord's Supper. Baptism, or washing (washing in that climate and country being the same with immersion), was made the sign of purity, or, to use the Scripture language, cleanness; and eating and drinking at the table, which, so far from being a merely sensual act, is the daily festival of well-ordered families, was chosen as the sign of intimacy and union. The two services were chosen, doubtless, because they can be observed by those who are not too solicitous respecting the form of a form, wherever a fountain springs or a river flows, wherever a harvest is gathered and a table spread. These two ceremonies, sanctioned by the example of our Saviour and his Apostles, have been regarded as the visible expression of faith in Jesus Christ, from the birth-day of our religion to the present hour. When any one, whether in youth or age, has received the seal of baptism upon his brow, has professed his belief in Jesus Christ, and taken his place at the table, he is a member of the Church,- of the holy Church universal, - he is a member of the same Church with every other Christian. He does not assume new obligations, because he was before bound to be a Christian, and to commemorate his Master's death; and since his profession, he can be nothing more and do no more than this; he only professes to feel those obligations that rest on all to whom Christianity is given. He does not profess himself a good man, one who has been converted and has attained already; for his object in coming is to be made better, to be aided in that great endeavour of converting the soul to God, which

begins with the first dawnings of intellectual life and does not end at the grave. He does not consider himself as having made sure of salvation; for that depends, he knows, upon his life and character, which are not fully determined till he dies. He simply confesses Christ before men, because he believes that such an expression of his faith is required; and even if he could not fully understand the advantages to be derived, the least intimation given by his Master is enough for him. Having thus professed his belief, he is a member of the Church of our Lord Jesus Christ.

But if there be only one Church in the world, why do we hear of leaving one Church and joining another? — language which certainly implies that there are more than one. What are these local associations, which are called Churches? They are composed of members of the great Church of Jesus Christ, who happen to reside near each other, and for convenience' sake associate themselves, and provide for the ordinances of religion. They do not associate however, as if they gained a power by their union, which they did not possess when apart; they do not admit or dismiss others as if they believed that they have authority of their own; they do not feel as if they had a right to exclude any, except those whose life gives the lie direct to their profession. They act in their individual capacities only. They regard Jesus Christ as the great Head of the Church, and they are governed in all things by his word alone. They insist on no forms which he has not prescribed; they require no profession beyond what he has enjoined; they never forget that the man who approaches the table makes his profession, not to them, but to their common Master; and they, as individuals and friends, welcome him to share the privileges which they themselves enjoy. Such are, or ought to be, the Churches found in our villages, towns, and cities. They consist of members of the great and only Church, who unite to provide for religious services, and who should utterly disclaim all desire to require any conditions, to demand submission to any creeds, to insist on any forms, which they cannot find full warrant for in the word of God.

Such is, in our opinion, the reply to the question, What is a Christian Church? and what are these Christian Churches? Christ is not divided. There is but one Church, one faith, one baptism, one Saviour, one God. We will now at

tempt to draw some inferences of a practical kind, from the statement just given.

If those members

First, we may draw from it the true principle to be observed in admission to the Church. Whoever professes Christianity is not made a member of this Church or that Church, but of the only Church of our Lord Jesus Christ. He becomes a member of that Church by his own act, not by permission of others. He proposes to certain members of that Church to join their number. think it evident that he makes this proposition without sincerity, for the sake of imposing on himself or others, or for any other unworthy reason, they consider it their duty to dissuade him from making a profession, till he can do it with truth and with advantage to his soul. They represent to him that a formal, false, or unmeaning profession cannot be acceptable to their Master. But in all this they assume no power; they do not act nor feel as if he was binding himself to them; and, except in the single case just mentioned, where both common sense and Scripture authorize them to interfere, they do not exert the least authority or constraining influence over others. They know that men must come into the Church on the terms which Jesus Christ has established, because it is his Church and not theirs.

For this reason, it is usurpation in a local Church to require assent to any creed but the Scriptures, which, all allow, contain the whole of our religion. Whoever professes Christ, must of course profess a belief in him, —in his words,—in his religion. So far a profession must, from the nature of the case, extend. The belief in the Scriptures is the simplest form in which the profession can be made. It excludes no sect, bears hard on no conscience, and is evidently the only ground on which all Christians can meet. But when the members of a little Church frame a creed containing their own particular belief, adopted perhaps by accident, and spread by education, sympathy, and example; when they require others to subscribe to these fabrications of their own, on pain of being denied the name and privileges of Christians, what does this proceeding imply? It is precisely the same as saying, 'You shall not profess your belief in Jesus Christ, unless you will at the same time profess your belief in us too;' and thus many, in every part of our land, are kept away from the table, because they are not suffered to do their duty to Christ,

without submitting to the impositions of man, without making a declaration against their conscience and against the truth, without countenancing a system which admits and welcomes the hypocrite, if he comes, and drives the upright and conscientious away. In defence of this unrighteous practice, it is said, that they have a right to form themselves into Churches, with their own conditions and forms, and that Unitarians may do the same if they will. This right we absolutely deny. No doubt they have a right to form lodges and associations, and make whatever conditions they will; but the Church of our Lord is already established, on such a foundation and with such conditions, as he thought proper. They can have no rights, no powers, except such as he has expressly given. They say that Unitarians have no right to demand their fellowship. So far as we know, Unitarians never did demand it, nor ask it, nor complain of the want of it. They only demand the right of going to the table of the Lord, wherever it is spread; and they complain, with good reason, of being injured, when the right which he has given is denied by usurp

ing men.

Why will Churches persist in these unfounded pretensions ? The world never will submit to them. Men know full well that they cannot claim an inch of power which is not expressly given in the Scriptures, and that there is not a line nor letter in them which gives to a few Christians, accidentally thrown together, a right to insist on these creeds and forms. It may be said that they are useful, solemn, and important. But if this were true, which it is not, still the question returns, Where do they get the right to impose them? If they say it is an ancient and venerable practice, the world will not admit a plea which would make ancient and venerable abuses immortal. They may satisfy themselves that they have this right, but the pretension is so manifestly absurd, that the common sense of mankind will persevere in resisting it, till they have pulled down the last vestige of these walls of exclusion.

It is by thus attempting to divide Christ, by each little Church claiming separate and exclusive jurisdiction, that the Lord's Supper has been made to many a subject of so much dread. Ask that man, who appears so serious, upright, and thoughtful, why he does not perform this duty, while he acknowledges that it is a duty. He will say that he is not

good enough. Did he get this impression from the words of Jesus Christ? No; he said nothing about any particular measure of goodness required. He received this impression from the practice of some Church, which would not admit any who would not confess that he was converted, that is, that he is good; and they ask nothing but his word for it, the poorest evidence of personal goodness that can possibly be given. They welcome the Pharisee who gives God thanks that he is not like other men, and they reject the Publican, who says, 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner.' Those Churches take an awful responsibility upon themselves. Whatever they may think of it, the law and the testimony are against them. They never can answer it to God.

We shall draw a second inference with respect to dismission from the Church, as it is called, though the phrase expresses too much; since, to dismiss from the Church of our Lord is not within the duties and powers of men. Whoever comes to the table of a Church, makes his profession to Jesus Christ, and not to them,—becomes a member of His Church, not of theirs; and for them to undertake to dismiss from His Church would be an unauthorized and of course invalid proceeding on their part. It may be asked, have the individuals assembled in a Church no power to keep from their association those who would bring reproach upon it, no power to remove those whose life shows that their profession is untrue? Certainly they have. Their Master has directed that in case one shall injure another, the injured shall make a private appeal to the conscience and good feeling of the other. In most instances an appeal of this kind will be sufficient to make him penitent for the transgression; but if he refused all redress, the injured party was to take with him witnesses and go to his adversary again, that men not under the excitement of passion might bear testimony to the spirit and manner in which the conference is conducted on both sides. If this produced no effect, it was to be laid before the congregation. If their influence could not induce the offender to do his duty, they were to regard him as a stranger. Such a course of conduct, delicate, considerate, and forbearing, with such variations as it may need to adapt it to the manners of different ages, is recommended by Him, whose word is law. The Church are to act thus in their individual capacities, though they act together. They say that they can