MR. EDITOR,-Sir,-I should not have presumed to have occupied more of your readers' time, by replying to brother Symonds, had not his last contained two statements which I would not like to see recorded in the Banner without contradiction. Especially as these statements unmask the doctrine which brother Symonds has been endeavouring to establish, and I to overthrow. The first may be understood from the following quotation :

"If God had given Abraham a promise that Isaac should be raised up' from the dead, there would have been no scope for the trial of his faith' when commanded to surrender his son, his only son."" I hold the reverse of

this statement; viz. that faith is the crediting and the appropriation of promise -the believing in, and relying upon, testimony. Wherever therefore God makes a promise there is scope for faith! Abraham was justified through exercising faith in a promise of God, as it is written, "He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; being fully persuaded, that what he had promised he was also able to perform." And the patriarch's faith would have been exercised in the same manner, had God commanded him to slay, and promised to raise up Isaac.

Secondly, brother Symonds states," Faith in Jesus Christ is something higher, broader, and deeper, than the belief of the testimony from which it springs." Would brother Symonds describe to us the nature of the faith he here refers to, if he possesses it? for I must acknowledge my utter ignorance of its character. May I request him also to read my paper on Faith in Vol. II. of the Banner, page 303, that he may avoid-as he has occasionally done-imputing to me views which I do not hold.

The following words of brother Campbell I offer in reply to the above asser tion by brother Symonds. "No testimony, no faith; for faith is only the belief of testimony as true. To believe without testimony is just as impossible as to see without light. The measure, quality, and power of faith are always found in the testimony believed. Where testimony begins, faith begins; where testimony ends, faith ends." "Whoever believed in Christ without hearing a history of him ? How can they believe in him of whom they have not heard? Faith can never be more than receiving of testimony as true, or the belief of testimony."*

It is very true that testimony is not God; but it is impossible to believe what is testified concerning God, without believing in God. And it is impossible to believe in God in any other manner than by crediting what is testified in his Word concerning Him. The height, the breadth, and depth of that testimony, is the height, the depth, and the breadth of our faith in God.

Brother Symonds refers me to 1 Sam. xvii. 32-37, 45-47. This passage, like all the others he has quoted, is inapplicable to our present circumstances. Because David slew a lion, a bear, and a giant, would brother S., have us to attempt such feats ? He might consider this an exercise of faith: I would consider it madness, and presumption. David at that time possessed the mirseulous gifts of the Spirit. (xvi. 13.) He therefore acted under divine direction. Let us do so also. We have not " the gift of the Spirit," let us be guided by the testimony, and not by our frames, feelings, or imaginations; for where testimony ends, faith ends; and superstition and presumption begin. I. B. R.

[NOTE. WE now respectfully request the combatants to sheath their swords on this question. Both have now adduced a sufficient number of arguments on their respective sides of the subject for the brethren to be able to understand the position of each, and to decide which is the most scriptural. The last reply was due to brother Rollo, because brother Symonds commenced the attack.ED.]

* Foundation of Christian Union.

FREE DISCUSSION.

THE following remarks by Charles Lyell, the Geologist, upon free discussion, are, in my judgment, worthy of being written in letters of gold. He says:-"To enable a man to think, he must be allowed freely to communicate his thoughts to others. Until they have been brought into the daylight and discussed, they will never be clear, even to himself. They must be warmed by the sympathy of kindred minds, and stimulated by the heat of controversy, or they will never be fully developed, but cease to ripen and fructify."

ANALYSIS OF GALATIANS III.

D. L.

PAUL'S design in this chapter, and in this whole Epistle, is to show that God's promises, contained in the covenants made with the fathers, are to be attained not by works of law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. These promises are justification, eternal life, and the land of Canaan. They are not to be taken separately, but form so many links of one golden chain. We are justified in order to eternal life, and receive eternal life, that we may eternally inherit the land which God promised to Abraham, and to his seed for an everlasting possession, in the seventeenth chapter, of the Book of Genesis, and elsewhere. If we are to understand the promise literally, "in thee, and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed," why should we not also understand literally the promise, "and to thee, and to thy seed I will give this land wherein thou art a stranger, for an everlasting possession?" Can any good reason be given, why we should understand the one literally, and not the other? D. L.

The Poet's Corner.

SEA SHORE.

ONCE more I tread my native soil-once more
I wander on the consecrated shore-

Where the deep waters thunder. Still the hymn,
Worthy to be the bass for Seraphim

Swells in the temple roof'd with azure blue,
And piled with rocks for altars—still I view
The mystic point where sky and ocean blend,
In the high fellowship of friend with friend;
Revealing to each other tidings grand
From the abyss, and from the spirit-land.
Their faces shine like morning on the mountains,
Their voices warble like to orient fountains,
While the great Lord of day, Priest of creation,
In solemn glory sheds his benediction-
And from the silver rails of his communion,
With radiant blessing seals the sacred union.

Since first I ran elastic o'er thy sod,

And listened to the clear, calm voice of God,
I have been down, O sea!-in deeper water,
Darker, and more insatiate for slaughter.
Where billows leap like demons on their prey,
And common midnight would be grateful day;
Where every wave with sable horror crested,
Rushes upon the spirit, open-breasted;

Where swarthy fiends, with hearts of burning fire,
Swarm from the caves of madness in their ire.

I have seen wilder, steeper shores than thine,
Blacker with crags, and salter with the brine,
Where golden vessels, rich with purple sails,
Dash headlong under tempest-and the wails
Of spiritual being wrecked and dying,
Answer each other-woe to ruin crying:
Where desolation calling on despair,
Echoes from iron coast, and stagant air.

But through the wilds where death lives, and life dies,
I have been led among the mysteries,

Passing as Dante passed-amid the flame,
And coming back-another, and the same,
Led by a stronger than that heathen bard,
Who led the Florentine from ward to ward
Through all the glooms of hell. Arise, my soul!
With steadfast eyes upon the shining goal,
Spread out thy wings of pure celestial fire,
And sweep his praises o'er thy tremulous lyre.
My native moorland! I come back to thee-
For the fresh breezes of the northern sea:
Reviving all the dreams of youth and spring
When life and hope were ever on the wing,
And here avow upon thy haunted shore,
I love not thee, the less-but God, the more.

From a high shore where billows never rave,
And from a sea which never is a grave,

I have heard tidings fraught with inner life,
And life eternal, spirit cease thy strife,

And in the peace of thy anointed King,

Rest thou, and live,-and sometimes rise and sing

Halls of strange glory in the crimson west,
Ocean with affluence on thy heaving breast,
Child-rivers running to your mother-sea,
Winds with your purifying ministry,

Rocks born in central darkness-risen to light,
Stars, nursed in splendour on the lap of night,
Join all rapt voices in a solemn song
To Him where adoration does belong.

Father, and God-Redeemer, and Creator-
Through Christ the reconciling Mediator,
Receive the worship rising to thy throne,
And seal me with thy Spirit as thine own.

G. GREENWELL.

FOUNDATIONS OF LAW FOR THE SUPPORT OF THE PREACHER AND THE PASTOR.

INTRODUCTION.

THE subject which I now purpose to examine, is one of cardinal importance. The convictions which I have to avow, and if necessary, to vindicate, are not new to me. I have held them firmly during the last ten years, and on every renewed investigation of the Living Oracles, have received additional confirmation. While my own relation to the work was intimate, a human infirmity, which cannot be justified, restrained me from full and earnest exposition. But now

that I have determined to devote my time and energy to a secular pursuit, I have a sense of freedom for the discussion of this great question. If the road which has been rather rugged to me can be made smoother to my successors, my joy will be deep and abounding. If the congregations that are hovering between life and death, can be inspired, elevated, and girded with power and majesty-the joy will be still richer.

A resolute seeker after truth, easily manifests himself, on whatever side of a controversy he may stand. He reads the testament of life as if it were just fallen down from heaven, not yet passed through the alembic of any sect, or obscured and overlaid by the glosses of any school. Through that Living Word he listens to the voice of God speaking with authority to his own soul, as though all other oracles and teachers were dead and forgotten. And the final value which he attaches to human teachers, when he has time to turn that way, is measured by their power of explaining and enforcing the documents which are sealed with the signet of God's Anointed. It is not only a solemn duty, but a high privilege, to cultivate a thirst for truth. As the young man pursues the beaming form that sheds ideal glory over his daily work, and his midnight dreams; as the miser pursues the chances of accumulating the gold which he worships with fierce devotion; as the ambitious man pants and strains for the possession of power on some bad eminence; so in concentration of purpose and singleness of aim, but with spirit enlarged and pure, does the noble mind pursue, and grasp, and possess, the truth. It is the star of his night-the sun of his day-the riches of his life-and the temple of his worship. On the discovery of any

new truth, he feels as Adam might feel when his eyes first opened on paradise, and rejoices like an angel of God over the creation of a new world.

We are not about to discuss this subject on the low ground of expediency, and expedients: we have had too much of one, too many of the other. It is not, therefore, our purpose to enquire whether we require pastors to marry, and bury the dead; or a score of other things which have no scriptural relation to the office. Our inquiry is far more direct and commanding. If | we cannot place both preacher and pastor, within the clear provisions of divine law, and rest their support on the strong grounds of original reason, and sure revelation, let them depart and be silent. But if we can, then let the congregations abandon the vicious circle in which they have had perpetual motion without any progress, and heavy labour without any adequate reward.

SECTION I.-ANALYSIS.

"Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord? If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord. Mine answer to them that do examine me is this, Have we not power to eat and to drink? Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas? Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working? Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock? Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also? for it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the Doth God take care for oxen? or saith he it altogether for our sakes ? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope. If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things? If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ. Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar? Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel." 1 Cor. ix. 1-14.

corn.

Though Paul takes occasion to vindicate his own paramount dignity as an Apostle, yet growing out of this, he mainly spreads before us the law and the reason for the support of the Christian preacher. The analysis of the chapter furnishes the following considerations as pillars of the argument,—