tion in this is of the highest importance, as it is of the most exalted character. To contribute to the animal and temporal wants of any public servant of the congregations is co-operation of a very common and inferior character, compared with that of striving together in prayers to God for the health, safety, and success of any servant of Jesus Christ. Christians place a very humble estimate upon their prayers, and a very exaggerated importance on their cents, when they can in real earnest pray to God for the health and prosperity of a proclaimer of reformation, and feel any doubts or misgivings in their minds about the propriety of giving him his dinner or his shoes. Such a conscience is a misguided conscience, from which they ought to pray to be delivered.

II. But the Apostles did not teach the churches to co-operate only in their prayers, but also in their contributions for their support in the work. Let it, however, be first observed that the congregations were taught individually and collectively to co-operate in contributions for various purposes. Romans xv. 26, 27. For it pleased the churches in the colonies of Macedonia and Achaia, to make a specific contribution for the poor saints who reside in Jerusalem. It has pleased them indeed! even their debtors they are: for if the Gentiles have been made participants of their spirituals, their duty is to minister in their temporals, "If we have sown to you spirituals, is it a great thing if we reap your temporals" "expect," says Paul, "to be brought on my way by you Romans, when I shall have been refreshed by your company. Receive Phoebe our sister, who is a public servant of the congregation in Cenchrea. Receive her in the Lord as it becomes saints to receive such persons, and assist her in whatever business she has need of your assistance: for she has assisted many, and myself among the number." "Corinthians," says Paul, "abound in this grace of the contribution also-perform the doing of that which you so readily willed to do in aid of the saints. I mean not that others be eased and you burdened; but by an equality, that now your abundance may be a supply for their want, that again their abundance may be a supply for your want. For this purpose we have sent to you with Titus, that brother whose praise in the gospel is in all the churches, who was chosen of the congregations to travel with us with this bounty; I send him in company with the messengers [Apostles] of the congregations who are the glory of christianity. I was not burdensome to you, Corinthians: for what I wanted the brethren from Macedonia supplied. I robbed other congregations, taking wages of them to do you service."

"Philippians, in the beginning of the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, no congregation communicated with me in giving but you alone. In Thessalonica you sent frequently to my necessity. I beseech Euodias and Syntyche to be of the same mind, and you my faithful colleague to assist them both: for they assisted me, Clement, and other of my fellow-laborers, whose names are in the book of life. Timothy. "Let the congregation relieve them that are widows indeed. Teach them also to honor those who labor in the word and teaching,

who preach and teach laboriously. Do not allow the congregation to muzzle the ox, who for them treads out the corn. Let them learn that the laborer is worthy of his reward. Hebrew christians, to do good and to communicate, forget not; for with such sacrifices God is well pleased."

From these various scripture premises, freely quoted, we learn that the Apostles taught the brethren to co-operate in contributions for the poor saints, not in their own immediate congregations; for the poor' widows in the same congregation; for those who labored in preaching the gospel; for those who taught and presided over the congregations; and for the public servants, whether male or female, who promoted the comfort of christians or aided in the conversion of the world. Such contributions were enjoined as the duty and privilege of all disciples, as God had bestowed upon them the means and opportunity.

There can be no want of scripture authority for doing good in any way that promotes the comfort of christians or the conversion of sinners. We know that many of these scriptures have been perverted and abused into the service of an avaricious priesthood, of men who sought wealth, rich livings, and honors, by virtue of canonical ordination, and official designations by human authority-by many who have made merchandize, teaching any thing and every thing which would sell well, for filthy lucre's sake. But this has been the abuse. These scriptures mean something; and we must not make them mean nothing, because others have made them mean what they do not mean. It is reasonable that we pay as much attention to them as to the other scriptures which have been either more or less perverted. Because faith, repentance, immersion, and the Holy Spirit have been most grossly perverted, shall we pay no attention to them, or neglect the scriptures which illustrate and enforce them? Then must we be taught, admonished, and reformed by those divine lessons on co-operation in prayer and effort for Messiah's sake, for the honor of his name and government, and for the salvation of our fellowmen. Because the prayers and contributions of individuals and churches for the salvation of the world have been abused, we must not wholly neglect the one or the other.

Prayer without effort can avail nothing in reference to any object which requires human agency. He that asks the Lord to pity and relieve the poor, without himself pitying and relieving the poor, and stirring up others by his example to do so, is a hypocrite, if he only knew it. But how does such a one imagine the Lord is to relieve the poor, unless by human agency! And how does anotner, who prays for the conversion and salvation of the poor ignorant souls, perishing in their sins, expect the Lord to answer his prayers? By sending angels, prophets, or apostles from heaven to speak to men? The orthodox are more consistent than the christians here; for they say it is wholly the work of the Spirit to enlighten and save men. They can fold their arms, bow their heads, and say, 'Lord, send thy spirit to save the world! They who preach that the number of the elect is

so well defined and so unchangeably fixed that it can neither be increased nor diminished, may dispense with both prayer and effort; for who can pray in faith for that which is not promised, or for that which is impossible. But as the Apostles taught christians both to pray and co-operate in all matters for the salvation of the world, we have a more sure guide than expediency or the reason and fitness of things. But some christians are so squeamish about the mode of doing this, that, fearing they may not do it in the best manner, they will not do it at all. If this were a healthy scrupulosity it would prevent praying or wishing for the salvation of men, lest the desire or the prayer might not be in the most acceptable form. But the real secret, as some of the suspicious ones say, is this, that in proportion as efforts of any sort are more expensive than prayers or wishes, it becomes men to be more conscientiously scrupulous about cents than prayers-about labors and toils than wishes or desires.

But what, says another, has the church in propria forma, the church in its true character, to do for the salvation of the world! I answer, Every thing but what Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, and the Apostles have done. The church has to guard tho precious deposite, to preserve the oracles, to hold them forth; to write, print, and publish the sacred writings; to use its eyes, ears, tongue, hands, and feet, in sounding forth and proclaiming the word, and in taking care of its own members.

The health and growth of the body embrace the whole concern of this body as of every other body which has not arrived at its full stature. Contemplating the church under this favorite figure, we can illustrate the meaning of those scriptures which speak of its duties, and obviate the objections made against the co-operation of the brethren in the conversion of the world.

Says one, By what authority do we send out one to preach the word, or to write, print, or carry abroad the word of life? By the same authority by which the tongue speaks for the whole body of which it is a member. Is the man or the christian commanded to perform a certain duty? He forthwith puts it upon his eye, his ear, his hand, or his tongue, as the nature of the duty requires. Hence the man does what his tongue, his hand, or his foot does. So the church, the mystical body, does in obedience to her head, Christ, whatever her tongue, her ears, or her hands do. If she have a tongue, and is not dumb, she must use it. Alas! for the dumb and deaf churches! I should have said the deaf and dumb churches; for the dumbness of many is owing to their deafness. They hear not Christ commanding the churches, and therefore they speak not in obedience. It is he that hears, who says to others, "Come."

Yes, says the same objector, "I understand you; but why not use the tongue in the church, and may we not hear many tongues in one church?" Tongues are now, as formerly, not so much for the edification of the congregation as for the salvation of the world. They may, however, perform both services: but the preaching to the world is not the primary business of the church in their meetings for wor

ship. If there be any world now, or if it be not all ch and no world, the tongue of the body, whether it be composed i one or more individuals, must address the world; and if there be no world, then this tongue must be silent, for the best reason in the world, because there is no one to speak to.

Tongues, however, are not superabundant in the churches, even now. Few, comparatively, can address men in the public places of resort. All christians are preachers, in some department in society; and if ever this is lost sight of, there is an end of reformation. But still there is need for public preachers so long as there are persons not accessible to the brotherhood and sisterhood of the congregations, in the private walks of life. And while these are found, and the congregations have tongues to speak to them, and do not use them, I know not how they are to give account of their stewardship with joy and honor to the Great Head who wills that the tongue of his body should say "Come." Yet the other members of the body mutiny and say, We are all tongues, and we can all speak, and will not permit any one to exercise himself more than another, or if ever one or more members become tongues for the body in speaking to the world, we will nourish these members no longer; because there is no command in the book that the hand or the mouth should labor to obtain food for the nourishment of the tongue. The tongue must labor for itself; it must be its own hands and its own feet: we can do without it, and it must do without us.

But to return to the Divine authority for co-operation. The kingdom of Jesus is one kingdom. The subjects of it meet in groups, called assemblies. These groups are placed in contiguous districts; and while there are intermediate dark places, and beyond their bounds the region and shadow of death, it will ever be their duty to shine as lights in the world, to hold forth and sound abroad the word of the Lord, as did the congregation commended by the Holy Spirit, They must be fellow laborers, fellow-helpers, co-workers in the field. Every citizen must act his part. "He that speaks must speak the oracles of God;" and as every one has received a bounty or gift from God, so must he minister in giving and receiving, as a good steward, of God's manifold favor. He that speaks, and he that gives, are equally approved as the Lord's ministers or servants.

Co-operation requires consultation; therefore if one or more con gregations determine to cultivate any field, they must consult about the best way in which it shall be done. And how this may be done, to avoid former abuses, and in accordance with scripture premises, shall be the burthen of another paper. Meanwhile it cannot be too often repeated, nor too warmly enforced, that the most sublime cooperation is in earnest prayers to God for the furtherance and free circulation of the Gospel, without which we would not rely either upon contributions or oratory, were they to equal the tongues of Corinth or the liberality of Jerusalem, for advancing the kingdom and glory of Messiah the Lord.

The brethren must feel more, pray inore, labor more, contribute more for the conversion of sinners, before the gospel will so regenerate the world as to greatly change the face of society. God has al ways wrought by means, and never without them, since he placed Adam in Eden; and he has given to the church the honor of making all its wealth, whether intellectual, physical or moral, contribute to his praise, and to the purification and beatification of man. But it is upon the church, and not upon those without its communion, he confers this eternal honor. EDITOR.

QUERIES, FROM KING WILLIAM COUNTY, VIRGINIA. Query 1. "CAN he be said to continue steadfast in the 'Apostles' doctrine and fellowship,' who, upon being immersed, goes off and unites himself with a Paidobaptist Congregation""

Answer. Most unhesitatingly we answer, No. Show me, says one of more than ordinary sense, what sort of company a man keeps, and I will show you what sort of a man he is. If the Paidobaptist communities "continued steadfast in the Apostles' doctrine, in the fellowship, in the breaking of the loaf, in prayers," then he that unites with them would be constrained to do so likewise. But it will be difficult to conceive how any one can continue in a doctrine or practice into which he has not yet entered; and in the judgment of him who seeks immersion into the faith from another community, which he could not find in this Paidobaptist community, it never has got into the Apostles' doctrine, and therefore it is impossible to continue in it.

Query 2. "Ought such a one to be admitted to the Lord's table in the congregation of the immersed ?"

Ans. I know not why he should seek for such an honor, if "on being immersed he goes off and unites himself with a Paidobaptist congregation. He has chosen his company, let him keep it; for surely he cannot desire the fellowship of those from whom he has separated himself, and they cannot desire his. And where there is not a meeting and a harmony of views and feelings, there can be no meeting nor harmony; consequently, no communion at the Lord's table.

Query 3. "Is an authorized administrator bound to administer immersion to an individual who, at the same time that he makes the good confession, declares his intention of uniting himself to a Paidobaptist congregation?"

Ans. Should the candidate make such a stipulation to him whom he solicits to immerse him, I would regard it as in fact saying, that he had not repented, and would not submit himself to the doctrine of the Apostles, or the authority of Jesus. I would say to such a one, Bring forth fruits worthy of a professed repentance and reformation. Indeed, I cannot conceive of a person as a proper subject of immersion, who exhibits in word or action any reluctance to give himself up wholly to the Lord, and that without promise or stipulation of any thing but unreserved submission to Jesus the Messiah.

EDITOR.