Mr. Ball is, then, not to be censured, unless a man is to be censured for keeping covenant with man-unless a man is to be repudiated because he cannot serve two masters. We hope our brethren will not henceforth complain of a gentleman whose fidelity to his engagements deserves admiration, and who, if he be culpable at all, is culpable only in having chosen such masters.

ADMONITION OF A. BROADDUS.

If Mr. Ball's masters would permit him to publish our replies in full, we should give more liberal extracts from himself and his cor respondents. But as our readers have already been sated with our extracts, and as our opponents are more in debt to us than they are now able or willing to pay, we cannot find room for them to repeat a hundred times the same objections and to utter the same lamentations, fears, warnings, and reproaches. There is a little novelty in what follows; therefore, we will treat our readers to a few extracts from Andrew Broaddus, from the Herald of the 3d February :

"Dear brethren, the signs of the times, and the aspect of things presented to my view, appear to require some monitory remarks, such as I am about to offer to your serions attention. Were I to consult mere inclination, I should be silent; for I have no disposition, I assure you. (and those who know me best will bear me witness) to ride in the whirlwind of contention, or to expose myself to the blasts of censure, which are blown forth by those who seem to think we are encroaching on their rights when we oppose their views. not inclination, but a sense of duty, which prompts me to this communication. And possessed of this consciousness, (of which none can deprive me,) I am not much concerned about consequences. In these remarks I intend to speak plain language in a friendly spirit ".

It is

"We now have to view the matter on another side. The trial which has been made in the unfolding of the views alluded to, and in the free use of these odious names and titles, having failed of the desired success; a course appears now to be adopted, somewhat different in its character. The venerable old. gentleman who has lately come among us, preaches and teaches, it seems, in a strain with which but few of our people find fault, unless it be on account of something which is wanting in his ministrations; that is, they do not much complain of him for what he says, but for what he does not say. He appears to possess a friendly spirit, and a conciliating disposition. And for this we are willing, I trust, to award to him all due respect.

"Our aged missionary, coming amongst us in the professed character of a "reformer," exhibits, in certain printed documents, (which I have heard read,) the basis or grounds upon which he seems desirous that the reformation should be established. In these general principles, which do not descend to any par ticular points of doctrine, it did not occur to me that there was any thing materially objectionable, unless it be that they may leave room for the introduction and the indulgence of sentiments in religion which might be subversive of some vital truths of the gospel of our salvation. And this I deem sufficient to put us on our guard as the keepers of the faith committed to our trust. Shall I be blamed for this caution? Not by any candid person, even though he might differ with me in his views of this case.

"Our respected old friend, I have understood, is proposing these documents for the acceptance of the churches. Now allowing that they contain general principles or grounds which we all approve-why, let me ask, should it be requisite for us, in any formal manner, to give our sanction or express our approbation? Is it simply for the purpose of gaining our fellowship? If so, it would be well that our minds should be relieved of some difficulty touching

two or three points which we consider of too much importance to be over looked. But it is presumed that this is not the object in proposing these general principles for our acceptance; for it seems, that by adopting these principles we are to become a reformed people. The question then returns-Why is it requisite that we should now, in a formal manner, give our sanction to a set of principles which, in the main, we have long approved and avowed? Is it that some individual or individuals may be decked with the honor of having effected an extensive reformation among the Baptists?"

"That the general principles to which I have alluded, are, in the main, good and wholesome principles, as far as they go, I readily allow. They hold out the Scriptures as the only rule and standard of faith and practice, to be imposed on men-discarding all human inventions in religion, and considering prudential regulations as matters of expediency only. We have long avowed these principles; and can see no good reason at this time for a formal recognition of them, at the instance of any person whatever, who may think proper to call on us for hat purpose Let us press these principles on that part of the christian community which may not have adopted them, (and many there be that have not)-and in the mean time, as the real friends of reformation, (without assuming to ourselves the imposing name of "reformers") let us reform in sentiment and practice, in heart and life, as by the light of holy truth ut may appear to be requisite.

"Accept, brethren, this little offering; and may grace, mercy, and peace be with you. AND. BROADDUS."

If our friend Broaddus had been organized with "a disposition to ride in the whirlwind of contention," of which he is totally destitute according to his own demonstration, we should long since haye been blown by his "blasts of censure" beyond the Cape of good Hope. Happy for us that he rides not in the chariots of the mountain storm, but in the soft breathings of Spring, which move not the leaves of the beds of violets on which they fall.

These gentle breathings, which only moved the proscription and sacrifice of brother Henley; which in 1830 bade all the churches "take heed," and proscribed from their ears every reforming voice; which originated the Semple and Broaddus decrees; which in the Dover Association attempted the ecclesiastical slaughter of the pleaders for the Apostles; which recently admonished all the Baptists to turn away their ears from every man who says "reform;" and which lately instigated a young lawyer out of the church to fight against the representations of one of our correspondents, towards whom he was known to cherish not the best feelings; I say, these gentle breathings, which in perfect mildness fall like the balmy zephyrs of incense breathing May upon the senses of man, were they to be excited into a "whirlwind," or even the "blasts of censure,' would not only prostrate the oaks of Bashan, the cedars of Lebanon, but would sweep from the earth every green thing, with the soil which sustains every herb and tree.

This gentle breath, this ethereal mildness, now warns the churches again. It is not, however, the voice of a lamb, but that of one who "keeps the faith" of many. It is, however, a condemning voice. And, reader, did you ever know one who so gently condemns?-Condemns not for what was said, but for what was not said. The admonitions of friend Broaddus, who never rides on the whirlwind's wing

finding no cause for invoking King Eolus the keeper of the winds, regards not the sins of commission but of omission. Was there ever persecution so mild as this! "The venerable friend" has said nothing amiss, but he has not said what this "keeper of the faith" thinks he ought to have said. And for this sin against the thoughts of friend Broaddus, he must be denounced as one who has said that which he ought not to have said. Who could please one so mild as this peaceable, gentle, and easily entreated disciple, who, like his gentle and mild and amiable predecessors, found fault with one for "eating and drinking," and with another for "not eating and drinking."

Nor will he have his nerves implicated so as to excuse him. "Tis the fault of his muscles. The nerves go free. Conscience makes him courageous as one of the "keepers of the faith committed to his trust.”

KEEPERS OF THE FAITH.

The Virginians in old times made an Apostle;-(I mean the Virginia Baptists;) else Semple and Benedict have slandered them. But here is one who has assumed for himself and his brethren the highest apostolical function. Paul could say nothing higher of himself than that "he had kept the faith" committed to his trust-that is, the truth of the gospel. But it seems it is yet to be kept by those in Virginia to whom it is entrusted. But which of these successors who keep the faith in trust shall the people of Virginia look up with confidence? To the Baptist, Methodist, Episcopalian, or Presbyterian Apostles? The keepers have left the faith to contend about which of them has it in keeping. I always thought that every anti-reformer had a Pope in his stomach; and surely if this most mild and gentle of all the anti-reformers, who, according to his own demonstration, is as peaceable as a dove, has the conceit of himself that he is entrusted, in common with some other six trustees, to keep the faith for all Virginia; may we not say that the Baptists are in Babylon, and that their Apostles are as discordant as any of those inhabiting the more public streets of the great city? But there remains one difficulty; if the Lord has made friend Broaddus a trustee of the faith of Virginia, why has he not honored him with more unequivocal credentials!

ANTI-REFORMERS REFORMING;

OR,

ANDREW BROADDUS AGAINST HIMSELF. The ancient gospel and order of things, so long plead by the Editor of this work and his fellow-laborers in this reformation, exert a direct and an indirect influence upon religious society. Many sinners have been converted to the Lord, and many christians have been converted to a more perfect knowledge of the way of the Lord, and to a more exact conformity to it. Besides, many have been induced to give up only a part of their traditions and human inventions, and of these some are our warmest opposers. Of these we find a goodly number amongst the two sects called Baptists and Christians. Yet one acquainted with the strain of preaching and writing amongst these

teaders and preachers, must see a manifest and palpable difference between their addresses some few years ago and their present exhibitions from the pulpit and the press. This I would not call up to notice were it not that some of these are continually denouncing us as heretics, while they are, in various measures, and in diverse manners, teaching our heresies.

The following extracts from one who has latterly been figuring on a large scale in opposition to our proceedings, will, among many other things from his pen, justify the charge of sundry of our neresies against himself. He seems far to transcend us in his claims for an episcopacy. He assumes a Bishop's office, of more extent than Paul or we are willing to allow him. He is not content with being the Bishop of one or four congregations; but now claims a diocess as large as the English Prelates. The following is from a parochial address to the ministers-yes, to the "ministers and churches" of Virginia.

Before Bishop Semple's demise he was only a co-ordinate in the episcopacy of Virginia; but now he is the diocessan of the whole commonwealth. Hear him, gentle reader, in the words following from the Religious Herald of February 17th:-"ADMONITION FOR MINISTERS AND CHURCHES." Whether the geographical bounds of Virginia limit his jurisdiction, is not so evident. But waving a discussion foreign to our purpose, we shall attend to a part of his admonition to the clergy of Virginia and the brethren under his admonitory jurisdiction:

"One capital error amongst these poor creatures is the particular object which has drawn from me this little communication. Too many of them indulge and cherish the idea that God instructs them in some direct and miracu lous manner, in all necessary religions knowledge Hence visions, voices, and impulses make up their volume of revelation; and winle they look on the white people as being taught merely by the Book, they consider themselves as instructed by the inspiration of the Spirit.

"It is easy to conceive that this fond fancy may prove as a claud to intercept. the light of divine truth; for, while they are wrapt in this notion, they will be too indifferent to the instruction which the word of God imparts, to take much pains in seeking for it. It is easy to conceive that this conceit may become a source of evil; for as they care but little about scriptural instruction, and of course know but little of it, they may follow their own revelations, not only where the Holy Scripture would not sanction, but where it would actually condemn their practice.

"The force of divine truth, indeed, is so pervading, and so prevalent, that it is not probable any Aagrant enormities could be conscientiously practised amongst us, under the influence of this imaginary inspiration; and it would be difficult to convince me that Vat Turner, with all his fanaticism, really acted conscientiously, according to his views, in the infernal work in which he was engaged Still, however, this erroneous idea, it must be admitted, is fruitful of evil: nor can we tell whereunto, if unchecked, it might possibly grow: and for the sake of these degraded beings-for our own sake-and for the sake of true religion, the error, as far as practicable, ought to be corrected. Their prej ces are hard to be broken down, and their situation renders it tedious and difficult to impart to them religious instruction in detail but something may be done. We have, indeed, frequently taken occasion to throw out some correctives of their false views, but possibly we may not have given this object due attention.

"Extremes are often found among mankind. On the one we are assailed with the doctrine that the Holy Spirit has nothing to do with us, except as having dictated the word of truth, and infused into it a holy spirit which we may receive. Let us, however, maintain the precious truth that the Holy Spirit visits the soul of man-dwells in the humble heart; and that 'God will give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him.' On the other hand we are annoyed with the conceit that God is teaching all necessary truth by visions, voices, and impulses-without the necessity of instruction from the Holy Scriptures, the vehicle of divine knowledge. Let us, as occasion may offer, correct the false idea. Let us inculcate the necessity of looking to God for the grace of his Holy Spirit, to enable us understandingly to receive and follow his revealed will, in the word of truth, while we take that as our guide in faith and practice. Let us insist that the Holy Spirit never prompts us to any thing not sanctioned by the word of God: and let us press on all the necessity of using every means to ascertain God's will as therein revealed; particularly as revealed in the New Testament, the clearer revelation, and the special guide and directory to the christian church."

Now, courteous reader, this is just as true of the white as it is of the black Baptists. And this was the head and front of our offending the denomination. All that we have said against their views of the Holy Spirit, not against the Holy Spirit, but against their views of the Holy Spirit, is summarily comprehended in the above remarks. We believe that there are tens of thousands of the white and free, both Calvinian and Arminian, that are just as visionary, and whose religion is founded as wholly upon dreams, voices, and impulses, as is that of the class of Bishop Broaddus' diocess, which he represents as making a volume of revelation out of these spiritual voices, dreams, and impulses. And we now say before God, angels, and men, that this was the sole cause or occasion of our hazarding our reputation and jeopardizing our influence in the commencement of our labors even in the 8th No. of vol. 1. C. Baptist, by calling in question the experiences detailed by blacks and whites before immersion. It was not to deny the experience of christians, properly so called; it was not to deprive the obedient disciples of Jesus Christ of the consolations of the Holy Spirit; it was not to teach a christianity without the Spirit of God, or to derogate aught from the character, office, or agency of the Spirit of Truth in the salvation of men: but to exterminate that desolating error to which this Bishop now calls the attention of "the ministers and brethren," that we began to write upon this subject. In commendation of our first nine essays upon the work of the Holy Spirit, [C. B. vol. 2.] who as Bishop Broaddus was once so encomiastic?

The two most pernicious errors growing out of the Baptist and Methodistic exhibitions of the gospel spring from this one. I call them two errors, because of the two erroneous bearings of this Negro notion, first undoubtedly imbibed from the approved preachers among the whites. I say this Negro notion of a volume of revelation made up of spiritual dreams, visions, and impulses. Its tendency, as Bishop Broaddus says, is to produce "a cloud to intercept the light of divine truth;" and thus we find thousands of professors, white and black, almost as ignorant of God and of Christ as ehildren resting their