sin in our brother, but by all lawful means to endeavour his recov ery when he falls into sin. As every separation must in the judgment of charity, be supposed to be for something the one party see to be blameworthy in the other, and someting on account of which both judge it to be a duty to separate, (for otherwise it is uncharitable to separate,) charity of consequence requires that we use those means which God himself has appointed for gaining over those from whom we are in a state of separation, which is to remain separate until they are brought to bethink themselves of sin or error. 11. It is said that prohibiting the practice of occasional hearing is a restraint upon christian liberty. Religious bodies in their public religious principles are to be directed wholly by the scriptures, as they lay a perfect and only rule of faith and practice before us. So far then as they govern themselves by that rule and require those who are connected with them, that they be governed by it, they cannot be charged with denying them christian liberty, whatever restrictions they lay them under, because christian liberty is a walking according to the scriptures and not by any means a walking contrary to them. Moreover they require no man to accede to these principles but in the way of his being satisfied that they are according to the word of God. The restraint, then, in those bodies who make the prohibition of it an article in their public profession, is a restraint which every one, who has acceded to the espoused principles of that body, has brought himself under; compelled by his own choice, which being the case, he has no cause for complaint. "If by being bound up, you mean," says a certain writer on this subject, "that they are so by any unscriptural restrictions of capricious and bigotted clergymen, then no doubt you have reason to complain: but if they are bound up only by a regard to duty, order and unity in the church; that they be not accessary to others in error and false worship; that they may continue to go forth by the footsteps of the flock, and not turn aside after those of the companions; that they be steadfast and hold fast the profession of their faith without wavering; that they may not hear the instruction that causeth to err from the words of knowledge. If these and other considerations, previously brought to view, be the things by which they are bound up, why exclaim?" 12. Some will admit the fact that there is an inconsistency, but in their opinion this is one of the lesser matters of religion, and there is no cause to be strenuous against the practice. Lesser matters are to be attended to equally as matters of more weighty importance; and daring is the conduct of those who make light no of any truth or any duty, knowingly, which has the stamp of divine authority upon it. The genuine friends of the Redeemer show their love to Christ, more by their regard to what are called the lesser matters of truth and duty, than by their regard to those esteemed to be of far more importance. The leading truths and duties of Christianity have many who will openly own them from different causes which may not be connected with a sincere and hearty love to the truth as it is in itself. But those to whom Christ is precious all his truths will be precious, for his sake whose truths they are. The stamp of his authority upon them, will make them be readily regarded. The person who makes common cause with Christ, in matters of religion, who takes an interest in all the concerns of his glory, will not make light of any of his truths, or of christian duty. If some flagrant injustice were done to a neighbour or stranger, our indignation will be raised against the wicked perpetrators: If he is made a subject of extreme misery or suffering, in whatever way it comes, and through whatever cause, our sympathy will be excited. But if it is a parent or a child, the companion of our bosom, or one we particularly love, and in whose affairs we take a particular interest, we feel with him in the smallest injuries done to him; we sympathize with him in things which would give us no concern, were he one we took not such an interest in. In short, we make common concern with him in his prosperity and adversity, and true love to Christ uncontaminated with the workings of an opposite principle, which are to be found, in some measure, often in even true believers, in this world, will have a similar effect in bringing those who are under its heavenly influence to love all his truths, the least, and all christian duties, knowing them to be so. Our Lord himself gives this as a test of its genuineness, "If ye love me, keep my commandments," not some of the leading ones only, but all my commandments. Those who make little account of what they call the lesser matters of religion, usually do not pay much respect to what they will even themselves admit to be of greater consequence. Let us contrast those individuals and churches, who make conscience of acting up to their duty on this point, with others; and the Secession and Reformed churches,in times when there was les of the practice among them, and we will not see much reason for this objection. What are they usually, who take the liberty to themselves, in these bodies among whom any sample on the point exists, but the unestablished among them, who make curiosity, or some ill humour, the reason why they take this liberty to themselves? In regard to those of other denominations, the case is in some measure dif- . ferent, as the matter is not left to their consideration, and the practice, not a ground of offence to their brethren, who in profession do not see the force of scripture prohibition on the subject in question. 13. It is said that a friendly intercourse in this way, among protessors of religion, tends to prepare the way for a more perfect union, which is to be expected and desired. To seek to have union in the church promoted in this way, in the most favorable view we can take of the thing, would be to do evil that good may come, and hasten God's providences by a means unwarrantable in itself.ough to have the divisions which are in the church healed, to all the friends of Zion, would be a thing exceedingly desirable, we are not to seek this, nor expect it but in God's own appointed way: Nor is a scriptural union, which will consist in Zion's ministers and her members, scattered throughout the different bodies of professors of religion, being brought to see eye to eye, and as the consequence, lifting up the voice together in the worship of God and in the whole of the religious profession, likely to be aided by a motely communion of persons who have no church connexion with one another. We have bad instances in our own times of nions which have been brought about by such means; but little advantage has arisen from them to the cause of truth: and it is well known how little they are entitled to the name of union, unless a coming together of different professing bodies can be so called without either unity in sentiment or real brotherly affection to each other. Indeed it is as impossible that the church should have her real interests promoted in this way, as it was that the tower of Babel should be built, after God had so confounded the language of the builders, that not understanding one another, they could no more go on with the work. These jarring unions, and that motley unharmonising communion, so general in our time, and boasted of as the beginning of some great work in the church, would put one in mind of the words of the Poet, applicable enough to the Babel builders of the day.. "But God, who oft descends to visit men Unseen, and through their habitations walks, As mocked, they storm; great laughter was in heaven. And hear the din; thus was the building left, Thus far these answers to these objections are submitted to the consideration of your readers, if you think them entitled to a place in the Monitor, MEMOIR OF THE REV. DR. LIVINGSTON. J. The General Synod of the Reformed Dutch Church, selected the Rev. Alexander Gunn, D. D. to prepare a memoir of this emiment father of our church. That memoir has been prepared from the materials put into Dr. G.'s hands. Those who know Dr.G. have anticipated a work of no ordinary interest. This expectation was reasonable. Dr. G. is an able writer; and, moreover, he had a splendid subject placed in his hands: and, if we are correctly informed, an abundance of materials to work upon. That our expectation will not be disappointed, we confidently believe.The memoir has been submitted to the judicious committee of the General Synod,-the Rev. Drs. Cuyler, Knox and McMurray; and they have laid the following certificate before the public: "The undersigned having, at the request of the author, and in compliance with their appointment as a committee of the General Synod, carefully perused the manuscript memoir of the late Rev. Professor Livingston, prepared by the Rev. Dr. Gunn, have much pleasure in bearing their decided testimony to the able manner in which the task has been accomplished. With much well-directed labour, and in a manner that will not fail to prove gratifying to the church, the author has reduced to order a large amount of interesting and important matter." The public may expect to see this valuable book soon; and we call the attention of all our ministers and people to it. It assuredly contains a faithful delineation of that loved and reverend father of our church; and, at the same time, it exhibits the most prominent parts of the history of the Reformed Dutch Church in this land. And it contains also an outline of the character and history of many of her sons, who have entered into their rest, and whose memory is embalmed in our sweetest remembrance. [Reformed Dutch Church Magazine. AMERICAN HOME MISSIONARY SOCIETY. In our last number, page 40, we noticed the Anniversay of this society, in which it was stated that the missionaries in their pay, held commissions from the society. We then asked, and think we may now repeat the question, "By what authority do men preach The gospel, who hold their commissions, not from those who are authorized by the Great Head of the Church to confer them, but from a self constituted society?" This mode of managing the affairs of the house of God appeared to us so unwarrantable, that we were forcibly impressed with the belief, that the Home Missionary Society, originally founded on unscriptural ground, had been fully converted into an engine of the enemy. The following extract, from the Magazine of the Reformed Dutch Church, will show that our belief was well founded. After giving a brief account of this Society's operations during the past year, the editor proceeds: "We cannot conclude this sketch without expressing, with the more sensible part of the community, our grief and indignation, that the anniversary of any useful Christian Society, as this is, should be made the vehicle of venting spleen, and of pouring out illiberal, harsh, and cynical reflections on other Home Missionary Societies; or of preaching on the ears of an abused Christian community, the sucidal heresy of rejecting creeds and confessions, and of abjuring all constituted Church Courts! We state distinctly, for the information of all the friends of the Dutch Church, and of our brethren of the great and flourishing Board of Missions of the General Assembly, that, as we heard, and as many others heard, all this was actually done at the anniversay of the Home Missionary Society. Other Home operations were taunted with the cynic's spleen: creeds and confessions were sarcastically contemned; and regularly constituted Church Courts held up bitterly to the ridicule of the audience! Hence the necessity of the Assembly's Board, and of our Board, combining and putting forth all our exertions, and of rousing up all the energies of our churches, in order to resist the enemy which is coming in upor us with a fearful flood of errors !" What a commentary on the amalgamating schemes of the day! And how strikingly does it justify the conduct of the few who have looked with suspicion on those schemes! We indulge the hope, that as the enemy thus throws off his disguises, a remnant will be led to see the fearful abyss into which they are rushing; and that the liberality so much lauded by the whole catalogue of charitable societies, is not the liberality of the gospel of the grace of God; but rather that liberality, which, while it manifests the most vindictive hatred to such as refuse to sell the truth, opens wide its arms to embrace the enemies of truth, under any name or character, and welcome them to all the visible privileges of the church of the living God. Such is the character, (mournful reflection!) af the great and leading principle which governs the conduct of the greater body of professing Christians; and such will it one day be most clearly manifested to be. At the anniversary of this Home Missionary Society, the Hon. Stephen Van Rensselaer presided. We regret that his name and influence should be coupled with proceedings so decidedly hostile to the gospel, though we connot believe that the sentiments ex pressed at this meeting meet his approbation. 1 1 |