has taken the veil off their pretensions, and shown them to be the fair offspring (not of the Holy Spirit, but) of human machinery, management, and contrivance Yet we have a serious complaint to make against Mr. Whitman for the liberty he has taken of introducing our name into the work To give our readers an idea of the injustice done us, we must inform them that the orthodox minister to whom this letter is addressed, amongst other untenable propositions which he has offered is the following, which stands foremost in his five points in favor of revivals: "None but orthodox sects are favored with revivals." Bernard Whitman makes his first assault upon this proposition, and shows that sects denominated heterodox are more favored with revivals than the orthodox, and in marshalling his evidence he is pleased to give us a place amongst his heterodox sects favorable to revivals, in the words following, to wit: "Another very large body have renounced human creeds and the peculiarities of orthodoxy, but still hold to immersion and retain the name of Christian Baptists. Alexander Campbell, who had the controversy with Robert Owen in Cincinnati, is the head of this most respectable class. From him I learned the nature of their belief, which is decidedly anti-trinitarian and anti-calvinistic; and also the probable amount of their professors, which is very large. Most of this party pro luce these revivals; and even one of their preachers baptized several hundred converts, the fruits of his own preaching, within one year." To this statement we offer the following objections: 1st. We who are united in advocating the restoration of primitive christianity, both in faith and practice, do not designate ourselves by, nor "retain the name of Christian Baptists" We profess to be disciples of Jesus Christ, of that school called “Christians first at Antioch." But we know that all persons are passive in receiving a name, and that we cannot secure to ourselves a name farther than we address one another by the designation which we approve. In the second place Alexander Campbell is not "the head of this most respectable class." We acknowledge no head but the Messiah, and renounce all subordination to any other head than Jesus Christ; and there are many of us who would oppose Alexander Campbell as soon as any other advocate of this refor mation, were he to presume to exercise any authority over our minds. Besides there are other advocates and proclaimers of this reformation who have contributed much to its speed and to the developement of its principles, to whom its friends are indebted as well as to Alexander Campbell. In the third place, this gentleman must have either attended very carelessly to our answers to his questions, or must have forgotten some important suggestions made to him in the very short interview we had with him in Cincinnati, if he did not learn from me that the nature of our belief was as much anti-unitarian, in its sectarian acceptation. as it is anti-trinitarian and anti-calvinistic. But in the above representation we are presented as equally heterodox with himself, and as unitarian, anti-trinitarian, and anti-calvinistic as he. Now to this representation we most seriously object-First, because the conversation from which it is extracted occurred without the slightest intimation that it was for publication; and because we are as conscientiously anti-unitarian as we are anti-calvinistic, anti-arminian, anti-trinitarian, and anti-sectarian. To speak for myself, I regard unitarianism, whether arian, or socinian, or semi-arian, as repugnant to the Scriptures and right reasor, as I do trinitarianism, hypercalvinism, or hyperarminianism. Christianity, as taught by Jesus, differs from them all. In the fourth place, it is not in accordance with facts that "most of this party produce these revivals." We have no such revivals amongst us as he has described in his letter. We do, indeed, labor to convert men to Jesus Christ, but not by the machinery of such means as those he denounces; and many persons in the compass of a single year have been converted by the labors of an individual proclaiming the arguments of the gospel of Jesus, sometimes for one day, sometimes for two days, and in some rare occurrences for three days successively in one place; but differing nothing on these occasions from the uniform proceedings on other occasions, "testifying and exhorting," and beseeching men to be reconciled to God through Jesus Christ; not by working upon the passions of men, nor by the machinery of mourning benches, anxious seats, inquiring meetings, &c. &c. but addressing the understandings of men→ by urging the arguments which the Holy Spirit has put into our mouths. Whether our letter-writer can discriminate between such proceedings and those adopted for making sectarians, we can make a difference, and can assure him and the public that there is a middle course between the enthusiasm (not to say fanaticism) of revivalists, and the moonshine speculations of a dreaming meta physician, or the freezing harangues of a dry moralist. EDITOR. THE CHRISTIAN MESSENGER HAS re-appeared again, under the conjoint editorship of Barton W. Stone and J. T. Johnson. It is enlarged and improved in its appearance. It will be devoted to the restoration of the christian religion as taught by the Apostles. In the commencement of the editorial department brother Johnson thus speaks: : "The very worthy, pious, and able editor of the Christian Messenger and myself, have united our efforts in preparing and presenting that periodical to the public. Whether I shall render any efficient or valuable service to the cause of reformation remains to be developed. Already the alarm is sounded, and astonishment seems to be excited in the minds of some, how persons professing the one Lord, one faith, and one immersion, &c. can meet upon the King's highway, recognize each other as soldiers of the cross, embrace each other as heirs of the same kingdom, and determine to press along the mark for the prize, regardless of foes on the right hand or the left. "All those who profess to be astonished, will be convinced, sooner or later, of the imbecility of all humau devices to bind christians together, and that the word of God alone can do it. "Keeping in memory the great land-marks of the King of kings, such as "Call no man master," "Be prudent as serpents and harmless as doves," "When you are reviled, revile not again," "If you continue in my word you shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God," &c. &c.-I pledge the exertion of my humble powers in clearing away the cobwebs of speculation-in suppressing conjecture-in dis carding from religion all the traditions and philosophy of men-and in enforcing the indispensable necessity of an immediate return to the word of God. Inspiration has recorded of that word, that it is "pure, converting the soul;" and of the testimony, that "it is sure, making wise the simple." From another article in the same number, signed by the editors, the following extracts are taken: "We are happy to announce to our brethren, and to the world, the union of christians in fact in our country. A few months ago the reforming Baptists, (known invidiously by the name of Campbellites,) and the Christians, in Georgetown and the neighborhood, agreed to meet and worship together. We soon found that we were indeed in. VOL. 111. 12 the same spirit, on the same foundation, the New Testament, and wore the same name, Christian. We saw no reason why we should not be the same family. The Lord confirmed this union by his presence; for a good number was soon added to the church. We agreed to have a four days meeting on Christmas in Georgetown, and on New Year's at Lexington, for the same length of time. A great many elders, teachers, and brethren of both descriptions, assembled together, and worshipped together in one spot, and with one accord. Never did we witness more love, union, and harmony, than was manifested at these meetings. Since the last meeting we have heard of the good effects. The spirit of union is spreading like fire in dry stubble." "To increase and consolidate this union, and to convince all of our sincerity, we, the elders and brethren, have separated two elders, John Smith and John Rogers, the first known, formerly, by the name of Reformer, the latter by the name Christian. These brethren are to ride together through all the churches, and to be equally supported by the united contributions of the churches of both descriptions; which contributions are to be deposited together with brother John T. Johnson, as treasurer and distributor. We are glad to say that all the churches, as far as we hear, are highly pleased, and are detexmined to co-operate in the work." With these two brethren we are well acquainted. They have both been preaching the ancient institutions for some years, and are very much devoted to the truth. They have both been very successful preachers. Brother Smith, in the years 27 and 28, immersed many hundreds into the faith. In the short period of eleven weeks, from the first Lord's day in February, 1828, till about the middle of April following, he immersed three hundred and thirty-nine! Brother Rogers has also been instrumental in bringing many into the fold of God. We most cordially bid them God speed in their conjoint labors under the present arrangement. We do this the more cordially, because these brethren need not be told that to convert persons is not merely to baptize them, to loose them and let them go; nor to give them the name christian, and to induce them to protest against human leaders, against human creeds, and to extol the sufficiency of the inspired writings; but to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance amongst them that are sanctified"--to teach them to observe and do all that the Lord has commanded. The one was formerly "a Baptist;" the other, formerly "a Christian," in the sectarian import of these words, differing from each other only in some speculative opinions; and were employed in building up congregations perfectly alike in their modes of meeting, and in their dependence upon an order of men called preachers, to dispense ordinances, and "perform divine service;" perfectly alike in their modes of preaching, textuary theologues, friends of monthly meetings, having each his four congregations waiting upon his ministrations. Each of them made a Lord's day in a neighbornood, once-a-month, when they lifted the light of their countenances upon the admiring Baptists and Christians. Each conscientiously preached his own-ism, and the people worshipped by saying, Amen! by singing. praying, and adjourning for a month; behaving themselves, however, decently and morally during the interim. The sublimities of trinitarian calvinism and the sublimities of unitarian arminianism adorned their speeches and animated their strains. But now they have each renounced his own-ism, and have protested against all human isms, (their own amongst the number;) and now they plead the ancient order of things; an item of which, and but an item of which, is the ancient gospel. They are now to make converts to God and the Lamb, and to persuade those called Baptists, those called Christians, and all other sects, christian and infidel, that they must reform and do works worthy of reformation. They now go forth to plead for the long-lost honors of the Holy Twelve-to bring the disciples to keep all the commandments of the Lord and Saviour-to keep the ordinances as delivered by the Apostles. In such an undertaking, who that loves the Saviour, would not bid them God speed? It is not, then, to preach the necessity of union amongst professors, nor to baptize persons and let them fall into the desolating order of things which has so long obtained in the sects to which they formerly belonged:-it is to bring the christians indeed to do the things the Lord has commanded. These brethren will say each for himself, "Let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth, and my right hand forget its art," sooner than either are employed in preaching any thing but the faith once delivered to the saints, in substituting half-way expedients, professions for obedience, or in advocating any other union than a union in truth and with truth. From numerous letters received from Kentucky, we were pleased to learn that brethren Smith, Stone, Rogers, and others, at a public meeting in Lexington, Ky, on New-Year's day, renounced their former speculations, declaring that they were not conscious of having effected good, but rather evil, in their debates, preachings, writings, &c. about trinity, calvinism, arminianism, unitarianism, &c. and that they now go for the apostolic institutions. I say, then, from the present aspect of things, we have reason to thank God and take courage, and to bid these brethren God speed. "Reign, mighty King, forever reign, Thy cause throughout the world maintain; EDITOR. MISCELLANEA AND NEWS DEPARTMENT. AN attempt in the Virginia Assembly to postpone indefinitely the discussion on the expediency of legislating on the abolition of the slaves, was lost by a vote of 71 to 60. But on the question whether it were expedient now to legislate upon this subject, it was decided in the negative by a vote of 58 on the affirmative and 72 in the negative. This was achieving more than the most sanguine friends of abolition could possibly have anticipated. The vote on the question of indefinite postponement showed the strength of the two parties more unequivocally than any other vote during the discussion. The matter is now fairly before the people, and revolutions of this sort never go back. Maryland, by her representatives now in session, is agitating the same subject, and no doubt will follow, if not anticipate, Virginia in putting out of the state this multiform evil. SOUTH CAROLINA. EDITOR. FROM a letter received from Samuel Smith, Anderson's District, South Carolina, we learn that the little church which we noticed in a former number as having immersed ten at its first meeting (which was an error, as brother Smith now informs us, the number immersed being three, and the whole number constituting the church ten) has now more than doubled its numbers since it commenced. These brethren were compelled to commence a separate assembly by the intolerance of Mr. S-V-, who wished them to worship the image he had set up. This is usually the case. Those who would rather obey God than man, are proscribed and then denominated schismatics. The preacher makes a party, and very generally takes care to have matters and things so managed as to have a majority to act with him before he commences his operations; then carries his point, and blames the excluded for schisms, and often tells his friends and co-workers to "mark them which cause divisions and avoid them." The gentleman who compelled this separation, once a Calvinist fierce and vindictive, is now an Arminian bold and denouncing. Among the charges exhibited on the trial of these brethren against them, the following is quoted from the letter before me:-"They read and encourage Campbell's works-works dangerous and heretical, calculated to poison and corrupt the minds of readers. I take this opportunity to warn this congregation against said works. "Tis true I read them myself, and must confess that I am indebted to them for a fund of information and would rather pay 5-nay, 20 dollars, than do without them. Yet I read more particularly to enable myself tò refute the heretical doctrines advanced in them.' Our correspondent in the close of his epistle, says, "In justice it must be observed, that the conduct of this very consistent and zealous propagator of his own-ism towards us, is disapprobated by some of the Baptist brethren." PENNSYLVANIA. SOMERSET, PA.-Sister Graft (February 7) amongst other good news from Somerset, states, "We have comfortable meetings, and much reason to give honor, and glory, and praises to the God and Father of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, for what he has done |