I beg to premise, that in my fixed opinion the right to receive and to exclude members belongs equally and exclusively to the whole body of members in our respective churches. 2. That no one would more earnestly deprecate the transferring this right from the whole body of members than myself. 3. That I consider the right to choose or dismiss the pastor, the officers and members, as essential to the preservation of the liberty and purity of our churches. 4. That churches who are not careful to obtain satisfaction respecting the piety and moral character of those who join them, are highly reprehensible. 5. That the following observations respect only the manner in which the right to receive members should be exercised, and the necessary satisfaction respecting their religious character obtained.

Though acts of expediency are not under a specific law, every transaction must necessarily be under the general laws of love to God, or love to man. Positive laws have a more particular aspect towards God; hence the manner of obedience is prescribed, as well as its spirit enforced. Acts of expediency have their special regard to our neighbour, and in these the spirit of the law is to be observed, whilst the manner has a dependence on circumstances. Positive laws are uniform, and the manner of observing them is regulated solely by the authority and will of the legislator. General law is equally constant and uniformly binding, but the manner of complying with it varies with circumstances. I am always bound to love my neighbour as myself, but the manner of expressing my love will be varied by the difference of persons and their circumstances. To express my love to all persons in the same way, would be highly absurd, and, in

many instances, most offensive. By the general law of love, I am bound to shew kindness to my poor and my rich neighbour-to those who are learned, and to such as are illiterate-to my neighbours who are sick and in distress, and to those who are in health and prosperity: but were I to express my kindness to all of them in the same manner, however my principle might be commended, my conduct would be truly ridiculous. The different stations, acquirements, and circumstances of my neighbours, would render it most expedient for me to fulfil the law of love in ways exceedingly diversified.

This reasoning I apply to the case under consideration.

How to receive members we have no specific law given us by our Lord and Head; but in this transaction we act under the general law of love, agreeably to the apostolic advice and direction in the 14th chapter of the Epistle to the Romans.

I am ready to allow, that to receive candidates into the communion of our churches cordially and with brotherly affection, it is necessary to be satisfied respecting their religious character; but I can by no means concede that it is at all expedient that this satisfaction should be gained the same way and by the same forms respecting all who join us.

An act of expediency is an accommodation, not of others to our will and pleasure, which is authoritative compulsion, but of ourselves to others, which is the condescending law of love, and which was strikingly exemplified in the apostles private ministry to them which were of reputation in Jerusalem, Gal. ii. 2. I have known a person join one of our churches, who had such an impediment in his speech as rendered it painful for him to converse

with an individual on common affairs; yet he was compelled to undergo the afflictive embarrassment of appearing before the whole so ciety, and personally to give an account of his religious experience. This appeared to me not only unnecessary and most inexpedient, but almost cruel: it was certainly very unfeeling and unkind, a breach ra ther than a fulfilment of the law of love. Nor is the want of christian kindness and consideration confined to such a circumstance as this, but it is evinced in numberless instances, in compelling all alike to submit to one arbitrary rule, whether they are babes, or young men, or fathers in Christ; whether well or but little known; timid or courageous; male or female, aged matrons or youthful females, hoary sires, or unpractised youths; all must be brought to the same standard, go through the same judiciary process, be subjected to invidious comparisons, and their qualifications be decided on, so far as their own testimony goes, by very different degrees and shades of evidence. And all this frequently at a great expense of agitation, embarrassment, and very painful feeling on the part of the candidates, without producing one single advantage in point of satisfaction to the church, that could not be obtained to a very superior degree, by methods unspeakably more accommodating, kind and lovely.

It will be naturally asked, What is expedient in this case? My answer is, To obtain satisfaction in a manner most kind and accommodating to the candidates, in consideration of their age, circumstances, and religious acquirements. Some may be so well known that it may be very unnecessary and inexpedient for them personally to undergo any judiciary process. A gentleman of my acquaintance, many years since,

VOL. XVII.

who had feared the Lord from his youth, and had been a member of an independent church for many years, several of which he had also been a highly respected deacon, having embraced our views on baptism, withdrew from his former connexions, and associated with a small community of Baptists. To the interests of religion in their connexion, his heart, his purse, his house was open; he often presided, and led their devotions in their social meetings; no person in the church was better known, more esteemed, or equally valued:-yet this good old servant of Christ, when he desired baptism, and to join the church, was obliged to appear before the members, to pass the ordeal of examination, to retire whilst the church deliberated, and then to reappear and be informed of their decision. A service more unnecessary, inexpedient, unmeaning, and destitute of proper respect and christian kindness, I scarcely ever witnessed. The venerable father in Christ was greatly agitated and embarrassed, yet he was compelled to go through all the forms which might have been deemed necessary for a comparative stranger, and one whose character was somewhat questionable. the reception of such a person nothing more could be at all necessary or expedient than an official announcement of his desire to join in the fellowship of the church. may be expedient for some to appear before the church, for others it may be preferable to give in a written statement. In general it may be most expedient for a report to be made to the church by a deputation, appointed by them, to wait on the candidate for that purpose. To this as a general method I should give the preference, because, (1) it is most analogous to the record that has the greatest bearing on the subject of 3 A

For

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any in the sacred oracles. Acts ix. 26, 28. In this instance the church was suspicious of Paul, and obtained satisfaction; not by Paul's personal appearance and giving in his experience, but solely by testimony. Barnabas declared unto the apostles "how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus;" the apostles informed the church, and he " was with them coming in and going out at Jerusalem."

(2) Satisfaction by testimony is that to which our churches are accustomed. Church-meetings, which are held for the reception of candidates, are seldom, if ever, formed by all the members of the church: those that are present act as a deputation for the whole, and the absent members uniformly receive the candidates solely on their testimony. Members who are received by let ters of dismission, are always admitted upon the testimony of other churches.

(3) Upon the present plan testimony is the supreme ground of satisfaction. Were a candidate to give the most specious account of his experience, and credible testimony were borne against his religious character, there would not be the least hesitation in rejecting him : and were the account he gave of himself attended with great imperfections, and good testimony was exhibited in his favour, his acceptance would be indubitable.

In addition it may be observed, that the present plan is not more calculated to preserve our churches from the vain, the arrogant, and the designing, than that which it is the

object of this paper to recommend; whilst the former is highly calculated to prevent the diffident, the modest, the timid, and humble, who, by a plan of indulgent accommodation, would meet with all the encouragement to join our churches, which the surpassing kindness of the gospel affords. I have known many, whose religious character has been indisputable, who have been prevented from attending to the institutions of the gospel by the present law of admission to our societies; and I have baptized several persons of great christian excellence, to whom our custom was so revolting, that they could not think of it but with painful agitation, and, there being no divine enactment for it, they would not submit to the ordeal, but went to other societies for communion.

After much attention to the subject, I am fully of opinion that common discretion requires an impartial and scriptural revision of our present practice, and that our principles, as Baptists, demand an abrogation of the present human and prohibitory rule, which has so unaccountably crept into our churches. The principles of christian kindness, the love of the brethren, and our prosperity as a denomination, urge us to obtain our satisfaction respecting candidates by means of condescension and kindness alone. That such a consummation, as a general compliance with this demand, will take place in all our churches, I have no doubt— that I shall live to see and enjoy it, I have little or no expectation, because I am not only

Yours respectfully, but also
SENEX.