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in the church, viz., Baptism, Feet-washing, and the Lord's Supper. (Matt. xxviii. 19; Mark xvi. 16; John xiii. 4-17; 1 Cor. xi. 23-29; Matt. xxvi. 26-28.)

10. She believes two things essential to the validity of baptism, viz., faith and immersion: that faith should always precede immersion; and that where either is wanting, there can be no scriptural baptism. (Mark xvi. 16; Acts viii. 37; Rom. vi. 3, 4, 5; Col. ii. 12; 1 Pet. iii. 21.)

11. She believes that the ordinance of feet-washing, that is, the literal washing of the saints' feet, according to the words and example of Christ, is obligatory upon all Christians, and ought to be observed by all the churches of God. (John xiii. 4-17; Matt. xxviii. 20 ; 1 Tim. v. 10.)

12. She believes that the Lord's Supper should be often administered, and, to be consistent, to Christians only, in a sitting posture, and always in the evening. (Matt. xxvi. 26-28; 1 Cor. xi. 23-26; Luke xxii. 19, 20; Mark xiv. 22-25; Acts ii. 42.)

13. She believes in the institution of the Lord's day, or Christian sabbath, as a day.of rest and religious worship. (Mark ii. 27; Luke xxiii. 56; Acts xiii. 27; Rev. i. 10.)

14. She believes that the reading and preaching of God's word, the singing of psalms and hymns, and spiritual songs, and the offering up of prayers, are ordained of God, and ought to be regularly and devoutly observed by all the people and churches of God. (John v. 39; Matt. vi. 6-13; xxviii. 19, 20; Eph. v. 19; Col. iii. 16; Phil. iv. 6.)

15. She believes in the propriety and utility of holding fast-days, experience meetings, anxious meetings, camp meetings, and other special meetings of united and protracted efforts for the edification of the church and the conversion of sinners. (1 Cor. xiv. 31; Luke vi. 12; Acts xi. 26; xii. 12; xiv. 27.)

16. She believes that the gospel ministry, sabbath schools, education, the religious press, the Bible, missionary, temperance, and all other benevolent causes, ought to be heartily and liberally supported. (1 Cor. ix. 11-14; Gal. vi. 6; James iv. 17.)

17. She believes that the church ought to relieve and take care of her own poor saints, superannuated ministers, widows and orphans. (Acts. vi. 1, 2; xi. 29; Rom. xii. 13; Gal. vi. 2; 1 Tim. v. 9; 1 Thess. v. 14; Phil. iv. 15; Heb. xiii. 16.)

18. She believes that the manufacture, traffic, and use of ardent spirits, as a beverage or common drink, is injurious and immoral, and ought to be abandoned. (1 Cor. x. 31; 1 Pet. ii. 11, 12; 1 Thess. v. 22.)

19. She believes the system or institution of involuntary slavery to be impolitic and unchristian. (Matt. vii. 12; xix. 19; Gal. iii. 28.)

20. She believes that all civil wars are unholy and sinful, and in which the saints of the Most High ought never to participate. (2 Cor. x. 4; Heb. xii. 14; Matt. vii. 12; xxvi. 52; v. 39, 44.)

21. She believes that civil governments are ordained of God for the general good; that Christians ought to be subject to the same in all things, except what is manifestly unscriptural; and that appeals to the law, out of the church, for justice, and the adjustments of civil rights, are not inconsistent with the principles and duties of the Christian religion. (Rom. xiii. 1-5; Acts xxv. 11, 21; 1 Cor. vi. 1-7.)

22. She believes in the necessity of a virtuous and holy life, and that Christ will save those only who obey them. (Heb. xii. 14; 1 Pet. i. 6; v. 9.)

23. She believes in the visibility, unity, sanctity, universality, and perpetuity of the church of God. (Matt. v. 14; John xvii. 21; 1 Cor. x. 17; Eph. v. 27; Matt. xiii. 33; xvi. 18.)

24. She believes in the personal coming and reign of Jesus Christ. (Matt. xxiv. 42-44; Acts i. 11; Phil. iii. 20, 21; 1 Thess. iv. 16, 17; 1 John iii. 2; Rev. i. 17.)

25. She believes in the resurrection of the dead, "both of the just and unjust;" that the resurrection of the just will precede the resurrection of the unjust; that the first will take place at the beginning, and the second at the end of the millennium. (John v. 28, 29; Acts xxiv. 15; 1 Thess. iv. 16; Rev. xx. 4, 5, 6.)

26. She believes in the creation of new heavens and a new earth. (Is. lxv. 17; lxvi. 22; 2 Pet. iii. 13; Rev. xxi. 1.)

27. She believes in the immortality of the soul; in a universal and eternal judgment; and in future and everlasting rewards and punishments. (Matt. xxv. 31-46; Mark viii. 36; xii. 25; Luke xvi. 19-31; Acts xvii. 31.)

Such then, is an outline of the avowed principles and practice of the Church of God in the United States. I shall now conclude this article by presenting

IV. HER ECONOMY AND STATISTICS.

The economy of the xxλndías cou, is strictly scriptural and apostolical. All her local and individual churches are formed on the principles of a free and independent republic. After confederation. and organization every particular church is under the supervision, watch-care, and government of an official church-council, consisting

of the preacher or preachers in charge, and a competent number of elders and deacons. These jointly co-operate in feeding, ruling, and governing the flock of God, on the rational principles of family government. These consist chiefly in these things, to wit:

"In going before the people, and leading the several parts of their worship, and becoming their example in every duty. In teaching them the principles and rules of their religion; the knowledge, profession, and practice of those doctrines and duties, that worship and order, which reason and natural religion dictate, and which Christ himself has revealed, superadded, and established in his Word. It consists in exhorting and persuading, and charging the members of the church with that seriousness, circumspection, and propriety of conduct, which becometh saints; in instructing them how to apply those general principles and rules to particular cases and occurrences, and giving them their best advice under every circumstance. It consists in presiding in their assemblies for worship or otherwise; in examining and admitting applicants for baptism and church-membership; in watching over and guarding the church against errors and dangers. It consists in conducting the moral discipline of the church; in admonishing, and warning, and reproving, with all gravity and authority, those who neglect or oppose any of the rules, ordinances, and commandments of Christ; and expelling from the church the scandalous, and in receiving again the truly penitent."*

These individual churches are confederated or united for co-operation. The Church of God, therefore, has within her bounds, at present, three Elderships, viz.: the East Pennsylvania, the Ohio, and the West Pennsylvania Elderships. Each Eldership holds an annual meeting, consisting of all the teaching elders within its bounds, and a delegation from the churches, or rather from the stations and circuits, of an equal number of ruling elders. Co-operation and not legislation is the main object of these meetings: and this is, on the itinerant and stationary plan, combined. Thus it was originally. Whilst some were stationed, others itinerated, in given districts; whilst others again missionated, or travelled at large. This plan the Church of God finds to be the most rational, scriptural, and efficient, and therefore, she has adopted and pursues the same. Every station and circuit is required to support its own preacher or preachers for the time of their service among them, and to aid in supporting the preachers at large, &c.

The Church of God has one religious newspaper under her

* Vide "Brief View of the Formation, Government, and Discipline of the Church of God," by John Winebrenner, V. D. M.

patronage: "The Gospel Publisher," published at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; Bishop George M'Cartney, editor.

STATISTICS.

In the East Pennsylvania Eldership there are at present:

Licensed and ordained ministers,

Organized churches,

Probable number of church members,

Regular preaching places, about

In the Ohio Eldership there are:

Licensed and ordained ministers,

Probable number of organized churches,
Probable number of other appointments,

Probable number of church members,

In the West Pennsylvania Eldership there are:
Licensed and ordained ministers, -

Probable number of churches,

Probable number of regular preaching places,
Probable number of church members,

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CONGREGATIONALISTS.

BY THE REV. E. W. ANDREWS,

PASTOR OF THE BROADWAY TABERNACLE, NEW YORK.

THE origin of the Congregationalists, as a modern sect, is commonly ascribed to Robert Browne, who organized a church in England, in 1583. But it appears probable that there were churches formed upon congregational principles in the reigns of Edward VI. and Queen Mary, although it is impossible to speak with any certainty respecting them. It is well known that Cranmer, the chief promoter of the Reformation in England, admitted the right of the churches to choose their own pastors, and the equality of the clergy; and it is worthy of note that, in the Bible published by him, the word ecclesia is always rendered congregation. Some of the bishops went further, and advanced opinions which would now be regarded as amongst the distinctive principles of the Congregationalists. But the right of any individual to judge for himself what the scriptures taught in matters of religion was not recognised. The government insisted upon an entire conformity to the established church, both in doctrines, and in rites and ceremonies. The Reformation advanced slowly; for its progress was controlled by subtle statesmen, who sought the reasons of any innovation, not in the word of God, but in the calculations of state policy. Many of the leading early reformers were greatly dissatisfied at the slow progress of the Reformation, and would gladly have introduced a more simple and scriptural form of worship. Even Edward VI., popular as he deservedly was with the Protestant party, did not escape censure for the indulgence he showed to Popish superstitions. It was evident in this reign, that a portion of the Protestants in England were far in advance of the standard set up by the king and the prelates; and that the distance between them was daily widening. But the dividing line between the supporters of the hierarchy and the non-conformists was not distinctly drawn, until the Acts of Supremacy and Uniformity passed, in the early part of Elizabeth's reign. From this period, there was little hope of perma

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