those spirits who, from between the handles of the plough, reclined their arms on the sacred desk in obedience to some voice, impulse, or call from heaven to go and preach: and if you would not call it retaliation, I could send you some specimens from my note book as a counterbalance, from the "holdings forth" of those who declaim against such calls from heaven, and eulogize common sense and call themselves Peter's preachers.

Now let me gravely ask you this momentous question--momentous, when the whole train of things consequent upon it is soberly estimated-Whether is he the greater enthusiast who presumes to preach and teach the gospel because he imagined he was divinely called by an immediate impression from the Holy Spirit, or he who presumes to comment upon and expound the holy scriptures without any other preparation than that he believed and was baptized, and has for a year or two read with extraordinary attention the New Testament in the common way? He may have a more rational view of things, and be able to tell a plainer or a straighter story; but for the work of commenting on its meaning, and expounding its doctrine, is he better qualified than he who imagines he is immediately called and commissioned as was Saul of Tarsus!

But dismissing the qualifications of those who run unsent either by a voice from heaven or earth, save their own, let me request your at tention to the question, How far you may have contributed to such a state of things by your former essays upon preaching, teaching, and administering ordinances?-and to another subject, emanating from such a state of things, and involving the very principle of the intercommunion of churches.

Every society has some bond of union and communion, which holds its individual members together; and the communities in every kingdom, state or connexion, are held together in one general communion by some bond, consideration or agreement. Now, although I am no slave to human authority, nor pleader for a human creed or liturgy, yet I cannot imagine how any number of societies or churches can rationally and religiously enjoy any intercommunion unless upon some agreement; upon some principle, human or divine. I know you contend for the intercommunion of all the churches which have adopted the New Constitution and united upon the Apostles' doctrine. But how do you know these congregations? and how are they to be known to all of the same connexion? and, let me ask, what is the sign by which they are known? Is it because they adopt the New Testament alone-protest against creeds-hate the sects-baptize for the remission of sins-meet every Lord's day for breaking the loaf? Is it because of any one, two, or all of these peculiarities, that you have agreed to recognize all such as fractional parts of one communion, as societies amongst whom there is to be the most cordial christian communion?

You can now anticipate my difficulty: A B starts out on a mission of his own, peregrinates some new district of country, does the work of an Evangelist, sets up or plants some churches; how are

they to be found out and regarded by the connexion as sisters in the same family? Must we not know their parentage? or do we take them upon trust, and recognize them because he that congregated them went out from one of the churches? If so, why not formally recognize the agent before you recognize his work? or do you first examine the work, and then approve the agent?

I will not be further tiresome to you, at this time. The qualifications and the call, as well as "the holdings forth" of some of the preachers of reform, are matters of primary concern. I will not disguise my conviction that there is some great defect in your economy of things as respects this subject, or that I have been peculiarly unfortunate in meeting with a number of preachers which are exceptions to your general system of operations. Have you any rule or system in such matters?

In much esteem,

EPAPHRAS.

TO EPAPHRAS.-No. III.

Dear Sir:-YOU would not throw away an apple because of its core, nor reprobate a good enterprize because some awkward and erro neous efforts were attendant on its execution. Who ever learned to swim walking in a meadow, or to walk without making some awkward movements! These irregularities and incongruities are the inseparable adjuncts of all attempts upon improvement. There never was a revolution in society, religious or political; there never was any valuable improvement in arts or sciences, which terminated in any good and practical results unaccompanied with experiments, and managements, and efforts, which evinced the folly as well as the wisdom, and demonstrated the weakness as well as the strength of the principal agents.

That some honest and well meaning advocates of reform amongst us have rendered themselves worthy of censure, and exposed themselves to the reprobation of some minds gifted with higher discrimination and more refined sensibility on the subject of propriety and decorum, may be admitted without the compromise of any one principle of this reformation, or without the fear of disparagement in comparison with any change made in religious society for a thousand preceding years.

Luther and Calvin, Knox and Wesley, did, without any discrepancy or disparagement, what would have undone many of their contemporaries and successors, because their opportunities and standing gave them a right, in public opinion, to speak and write of religious men and measures in a style which that same public opinion would not have allowed to many others.

To see young men, whether in years or in profession, novices in all ecclesiastic affairs, arise in a public assembly to denounce the clergy, that ancient, learned, and venerable body of men which have, in al Catholic and Protestant countries, controlled the fountains of all in

telligence, formed and fashioned the public mind and manners, given a tone to every age, is not to be allowed with any hope of impunity at the bar of public opinion, unless those youngsters possessed gifts so supernatural or extraordinary as to overshadow all the acquirements of the age in which they lived. But when these same young declaimers are manifestly ignorant of the very genius of their own mother tongue, of history, geography, and the whole art of criticism, such efforts not only create general dissatisfaction, but disgust, and subject them to the indignation rather than to the approbation of all persons of discernment.

Young men, whether in years or in experience in any calling, can never hope to be useful unless they wear the proper costume of their age, diffidence and modesty. They must conciliate rather than denounce; they must speak reverentially when they speak of long established opinions and their authors. If they presume to censure, it must be without the air or semblance of a censorious spirit: they must show all respect for men reputed wise, and for those who admire them; and even in the clearest matters, it will be better for them to inquire of their audience whether such opinions are not incompatible or erroneous, rather than to assert that they are.

I am bold to say that no man of good sense, no sensible young man at least, will hazard so much for himself as to call the religious instructers in any country either blockheads or asses, no matter how worthy they might be of such of honor. And last of all, we must observe that nothing is more inconsistent with the apostolic doctrine and manner. "Render to all their dues," is not more just in political than in the moral and social relations. Had Paul appeared in Corinth, Ephesus, or Athens, as some now appear in all societies; in the same haughty, selfconceited, and dictatorial style; flinging censures and denunciations in the face of every person, there would have been found no Dionysius, Damaris, Crispus, or Sosthenes, in his train; none of the thousands of the pious and devout Jews and Greeks which he won over to the obedience of the faith.

But to attend more in order to the call and qualifications of the preachers of whom you speak, and of the intercommunion of church

es.

Please observe, that while we contend that every citizen has a right to be heard, as well as to hear, in the christian community; and that every one who, in his intercourse with society, finds an unbeliever, has a right and command to preach to him the gospel, and to baptize him if he ask it of him; yet we have no idea that every disciple is to become a public preacher, baptizer, teacher, critic, commentator, at his own volition, option, or solicitation, by virtue of his discipleship; or to act in any public capacity in any society, or as its agent or functionary abroad, except by special designation and appointment of the community or communities in which or for which he acts. It is not, indeed, of the wisdom which comes from above, nor of even human prudence, to countenance every one who wishes to be heard in the church or in society, or to employ all the members of the community, either at one time or in rotation, to preach, teach, or exhort.

It is folly, and not wisdom. It is the very opposite of prudence and discretion. We know of no society, however, guilty of such an outrage on reason and religion.

We have, indeed, met with some very eager spirits, who, as you say, run wholly unsent and uncalled. But the better way, after remonstrance fails, is to let them alone. They will soon find their level in society; and what they will not learn from the lips of experience, they will be forced to learn with pain and mortification from the suffrage of society at large.

There ever has been, and while this dispensation lasts there ever will be, private and public stations in society. Whatever belongs to the whole community, belongs to the individuals who compose it; and no individual can have more than belongs to the whole. No individual can claim more than belongs to all private members, for it is the suf frage of the community which always makes public men. The offices have their origin in the nature and circumstances of society; but those who fill them are the choice of the whole society. So the Apos tles always taught and practised, and so does every society amongst civilized men.

These comets of which you speak belong not to our system; they may, however, purify our atmosphere, and teach us useful lessons which we would not so soon have learned without their aid. But our system is not a system of comets, or wandering stars, though one or two may now and then appear amidst the regular planets as omens of what may be expected should we depart from the ancient order of things.

All who act for our societies, either within them or abroad, have the suffrage of the society. This is our fixed and well defined rule, as a part of the ancient order of things. No man is his own messenger, or institutes his own mission, with the consent of the admirers of the Apostles' doctrine. The churches choose their presidents, deacons, and all their public functionaries; and if any one, two, or three of the congregations, unite in sending forth a brother upon any mission, they give him a letter of recommendation as such. The following is a copy of one lately furnished a brother sent out by the churches in this vicinity:

To all the saints and faithful brethren in Christ Jesus our Lord to whom this letter shall be presented: favor, mercy and peace be multiplied.

Be it known to you, that the christian congregations of Wellsburg, Bethany, and Hollidays Cove, with other congregations in Brooke county, Virginia, reposing full confidence in the christian character of HENRY BROWN, and esteeming him possessed of such gifts as qualify him to be a useful laborer in the word, have requested him to devote himself to the work of the Lord as a proclaimer of the gospel in our vicinities to all who may be disposed to hear him: and as such we recommend him to the countenance and support of all our brethren wherever he may labor; being persuaded that he will con

tinue to be useful, and that he will so walk as to have the confidence of all the disciples of our common Lord.

Signed, by order of the above churches,

August 5th, 1832.

ROBERT RICHARDSON, Wellsburg;
SAMUEL MAXWELL, Hollidays Cove;
A. CAMPBELL, Bethany.

Such a document is, in most cases, necessary, and is in accordance with the saying of the Apostle Paul, "Do we (Apostles) like others, need letters of commendation to you, or letters of recommendation from you?" Even in the age of spiritual gifts, while the preaching of the cross was not in high esteem, or a very eligible calling, because of the dangers attendant on this service, it was deemed expedient and necessary, to prevent imposition, for most persons employed by the churches to be furnished with such recommendations.

But the work of criticism and comment on the words of the message, is a work distinct from that of an evangelist. To proclaim the word, and to comment on the word, are as distinct as to preach and teach Jesus Christ. But it must not be understood that commenting upon the message is teaching Jesus Christ. The work of explanation or interpretation may be the work of a teacher when he speaks to those who cannot understand the language, whether he preaches or teaches. But it is a literary work, wholly a literary work. It differs not, whether the text be divine or human. It is the same work, subject to the same laws, and to be performed by the same art, whether Luke, Josephus, Philo, or Tacitus be the text. Hence, as there are many more preachers needed than critics or commentators, there are many more fitted for the former work than the latter.

Indeed, there are but few who can with much credit to themselves and satisfaction to the people, perform the work of an interpreter. Many may preach Jesus Christ to sinners; many may teach the disciples all the things he has commanded, but few can either translate the original language, or comment on the translation of another; and just as few can perform the ordinary work of commenting on the scriptures much to the edification of those who can read the book as well as themselves.

Nothing is more offensive to correct taste, to good common sense; nothing more disgusting to all persons of discrimination, than to see an illiterate person assume a literary work. Hence, those preachers who delight in comments and criticisms; who are censuring the interpretations of others, and constantly "explaining scripture," obtain the least credit among the people, and render themselves rather the derision than the admiration of all literary characters.

Concerning the intercommunity of churches, the principle is allegiance to the same Lord, under the same constitution and laws. The difficulty which you institute, I presume, was designed rather to show the evil tendency of the error which you oppose than to solicit aid in removing a real difficulty out of your own way. You know that every