branches, for were it necessary that the rites and ceremonies of the church should be in all places and times alike, inasmuch as a difference has obtained, and does obtain, it would be difficult to prove that Christ has a church on earth at all.

There are two things comprehended in the gospel of Christ in relation to his church. One is, that it must have what is essential to its existence and perpetuity; the other, that it may or may not have what is not thus essential. The essential appendages to a church are the Scriptures, a living ministry, and the sacraments; the non-essentials are a liturgy, or prescribed form of worship, with all other means of grace, not positively required by God in his word. We may illustrate this point by saying that baptism and the Lord's Supper are essential to the existence of the church; no church may therefore repudiate these ordinances; while love-feasts, class-meetings, confirmation, &c. &c., not being expressly required by the gospel, may, or may not be repudiated, by any branch of the church. So also in regard to the mode of administering the ordinances. That the ordinances of baptism and the Lord's Supper must be administered, is rendered certain by the plain commands of Christ and his apostles, but whether the former shall be administered by sprinkling, pouring, or immersion; or the latter be received while sitting, standing or kneeling, is nowhere stated, and any branch of the church may lawfully adopt such rules, in relation to such points, as may seem expedient and proper. The same course of reasoning will apply also to the government of the church. That a church should exist, is the revealed will of God; and that his church should have some kind of ecclesiastical government, is also rendered certain; but when we come to inquire into the particular form of church government, instituted by Christ and his apostles, we find ourselves without direct scriptural authority. Whether, therefore, a church shall be governed by an episcopacy, by a presbytery, or by itself, independently of all foreign ecclesiastical control, is a question not fully settled by divine revelation, and may be

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left to the enlightened judgment of individuals, or associated bodies of Christians, to decide for themselves. But in deciding for themselves, they have no right to decide peremptorily for others; every man having a natural right to decide for himself, in regard to these matters, so that he decides on nothing contrary to the word of God.

When an associated body of Christians, in the absence of an express rule in relation to ecclesiastical government, rites and ceremonies, adopt a form of church government for themselves, and ordain certain rites and ceremonies, to be used in the church, then it is not lawful for any one, through his own private judgment, wilfully and purposely to violate the rules and regulations of the church to which he belongs, provided those rules are not repugnant to the word of God, and provided, also, that his connection with such church is voluntary, and not the result of coercion. In either of the latter cases, we believe that a man would have the right to violate any ecclesiastical requirement, which, in his judgment, contravened the laws of God, or the right of voluntarily connecting himself where conscience and duty point out; but otherwise, it is the duty of every Christian to yield a hearty obedience to the requirements of the church of which he is voluntarily a member; and if, for conscience' sake, he cannot yield such obedience, then is it clearly his duty voluntarily to withdraw from the church-if such withdrawal is possible-and seek a connection with some other branch, whose requirements are more congenial with his views of Christian duty. To remain in the church, and refuse obedience to its wholesome requirements; or to withdraw from the church when such requirements are not repugnant to the word of God, is to involve ourselves in the guilt of schism, a sin which is pointedly condemned by the word of God, and is productive of great and lasting injury to the body of Christ; so that nothing short of imperious necessity should ever induce any person to be a promoter or abettor of division in the church of God, or to become a separatist from the church of his former choice.

There is, consequently, much importance to be attached to the due examination of doctrines and ceremonies of any church, before a person voluntarily connects himself with the same. The examination necessary, may require weeks, and even months, before an enlightened judgment can be formed in relation to these matters, by the young and inexperienced Christian, and we consider it an important feature in the polity of the Methodist Episcopal Church, that at least six months must be given to every candidate for membership, to make such examination, before membership is secured, thus guarding the candidate, on the one hand, against improper haste in forming a judgment, and the church, on the other hand, against the introduction of improper persons, by giving it an opportunity of judging of the correctness of their faith and practice.

ARTICLE XXIII.

OF THE RULERS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

"The President, the Congress, the general assemblies, the governors, and the councils of state, as the delegates of the people, are the rulers of the United States of America, according to the division of power made to them by the Constitution of the United States, and by the constitutions of their respective States. And the said States are a sovereign and independent nation, and ought not to be subject to any foreign jurisdiction."*

The above Article, with the note appended to it, is designed to show the views of the Methodist Episcopal Church in rela

* "As far as it respects civil affairs, we believe it the duty of Christians, and especially all Christian ministers, to be subject to the supreme authority of the country where they may reside, and to use all laudable means to enjoin obedience to the powers that be; and, there. fore, it is expected that all our preachers and people who may be under the British, or any other government, will behave themselves as peaceable and orderly subjects."

tion to the civil government of the United States, and also the duty of American Methodists, who may be residing under the protection of the British, or other foreign governments, to be obedient and peaceable subjects, while they remain under such protection. The Article itself was adopted at the time of the organization of the church in 1784, and the note was appended in the year 1820, " to meet the peculiar case of the brethren in Canada, against whom unfounded suspicions had been created, because the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which they were then a part, was regarded as a foreign ecclesiastical authority."

The doctrine taught, both in the Article, and in the note, is, that civil government is of divine origin, that the " powers that be, are ordained of God," and that "whosoever resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God;" but the Article does not say what particular form of civil government is ordained of God, or whether any such form is prescribed by the Ruler of the universe. Hence, the divine right of kings, or emperors, to reign and rule, is neither asserted, nor denied, while it is asserted and maintained, that the delegates of the people of the United States are the rulers of the same; and that said States not only form a sovereign and independent nation, but ought not to be subject to any foreign jurisdiction. It will be clearly seen, then, that while the Methodist Church teaches subjection to all who are in authority over us, whether at home or abroad, it meddles not with questions of a purely civil and political character, any further than to require obedience to the laws and requirements of the commonwealth. The question now greatly agitated in the nation, whether obedience to all law is required by the gospel, and whether we are bound to yield such obedience to law, when judged to be unrighteous, is a point, which, not having been discussed by the church in her general councils, has, of course, not been formally decided, one way or the other. On this, as on all other points connected with human authority, there will be a variety of opinions entertained; and while a Christian may not aid personally in the

execution of any law which he honestly believes contravenes the laws and mandates of Jehovah, he may not, on the other hand, forcibly resist the execution of any law which the majority of his fellow-citizens have, by their delegates, thought to be necessary for the well-being of the body politic; while it will be incumbent upon him, as a part of the body politic, to labor, in every proper manner, for the repeal of such laws as he believes are opposed to the "higher law," or rule of right, established by the Creator. Thus far, we presume, there will be a unanimity of opinion among all the ministers and members of the Methodist Church. In the language of one of her sons, "The church, by its moral influence, should countenance and sustain the State; and the State protect the church: both institutions being equally of divine appointment, and equally indispensable to the good of society."*

ARTICLE XXIV.

OF CHRISTIAN MEN'S GOODS.

"The riches and goods of Christians are not common, as touching the right, title, and possession of the same, as some do falsely boast. Notwithstanding every man ought, of such things as he possesseth, liberally to give alms to the poor, according to his ability."

This Article is designed to guard men against the false notion that when a man becomes a Christian he loses his individual right to property, and that all that he has should be merged in one common fund. Whatever might be right under a perfect social system, it is very evident, as society is now constituted, a community of goods would do more harm than good; the indolent and improvident would prey upon the fruits of industry and economy, and the result would be the general prevalence of anarchy and confusion. It is maintained

* Comfort's Exposition, page 345.