The Sun.
London, England, 1851-06-25 00:00:00

DECLARATION.

Adverting to the circumstances of the time in which
we are called to minister in this reformed branch of the
Church of Christ, we deem it necessary to declare our
firm and immoveable adherence to that greatartiele of
.the faith—" One -baptism for the remission of sins,"
affirming it as it is authoritatively set forth in the
Nicene Creed, 11. (Ecumenical Council, and as it is
taught unequivocally by our own Church in its autho-
rised formularies, especially in the offices of baptism,
and in the Catechism; and we are the rather induced
to make this declaration, because we hope that many
who are now divided from us may be brought to agree-
ment by thus knowing the real meaning and extent of
the doctrine which we hold.
1. Acknowledging " one baptism for the remission of
sins," we hold as of faith, that persons duly baptised are
not only baptised once for all, but also are baptised with
the one baptism of him who " baptiseth with the Holy
Ghost," and who thus making us to be " born again of
water and the spirit," delivered us thereby from the
guilt and bondage of all sins original and actual.
We hold, as implied in the aforesaid article of the
Creed, all the graces ascribed to baptism in our Cate-
chism. For—" By one spirit we are all baptised into
one body," even the body of Jesus Christ. We are all
made to be " His body," members in particular of
" His body," "members of Christ"—and being thus
baptised into them, we are " baptised into his
death" who " died for our sins." We are "dead
with Him," "dead unto sin," "buried by baptism
with Him, wherein also we are risen with Him, " quick-
' ened together with Him," " set together in heavenly
places in Christ Jesus." . Believing that the Holy Ghost
so given us in baptism by Jesus Christ, that we are in
Him "created anew." We belie►e, also, that we are
children of God in Him, and "if children, then heirs,—
heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ," inheritors of
the Kingdom of Heaven.
2. We hold accordingly that all infants presented
either in church or privately, according to the book of
Common Prayer, and baptised with water in the
" name of the Father, and the Son, and of the Holy
Ghost," being spiritually engrafted and incorporated
into His mystical body ; original sin being so far
from an obstacle to the right reception of baptism,
that as S:. Augustine says, "Infants, because they
are not as yet guilty of any actual sin, have the
original sin that is in them remitted through the
grace of Him who saveth by the washing of regenera-
tion. And as our own Church declares that the bap-
tised
child, " being born in original sin, and iu the
wrath of God, is by the laver of regeneration in baptism
received into the number of the children of God, and
heirs of everlasting life, for our Lord Jesus Christ doth
not d'eny His grace and mercy unto such infants, but
most lovingly calls them unto him." And in accordance
herewith, the 27th Article expressly says that the bap-
tism of young children is moat agreeable with the insti-
tution of Christ.

3. Without presuming to define whether it may not
please God to give a larger measure of grace in baptism
to some infants, in answer to the more earnest
prayer of those who bring them, we hold that if
many shall affirm that the imparting of the afore-
said graces in the baptism of young children is
hypothetical, depending either on the sincerity of those
who present them, or any other conditions (where-
upon it follows, that in cases in which the said conditions
do not take place, both the form of baptism itself, and
the article " One Baptism for the Remission of Sins,"
must be understood not as true, but as false and unreal)
he doth greatly err, contradicting an article of the Creed,
and also the commission and promise given to the Apos-
tles by Our Lord himself.
4. Lastly we hold, and would earnestly impress upon
all Christians, that the foregoing statements, rightly
understood, so far from disparaging the need of conver-
sion and amendment, are a most powerful incentive
to holiness of life, and especially to fervent
prayer for renewed or continued grace, as long
as the term in this life shall last. For baptism,
being the ordinanc.) and instrument of Christ, by
which we are born again of the spirit, John iii, 3,5, it
binds us to do that which it enables us to do," to walk in
the spirit, and no: to fulfil the lusts of the flesh, for if we
live after the flesh, we shall die; but if through the spirit
we du mortify the deeds of the body, we shall live. Bap-
tism makes our bodies to be temples of the Holy Ghost,
which is iu us, which we have of God, and if any man
defile the temple of God, him shall Goa destroy—for
tue temple of God is holy, wherefore it follows that they
who, having in baptism received the Holy Spirit to dwell
in them, live not after the spirit, but after the flesh, do
thereby draw on themselves greater damnation, unless by
the grace of God they arise again end amend their lives.
THE PROPOSED EXETER SYNOD.—The copy of the
diocesan protest has been returned from Crediton most
fully and respectably signed, the first name being that of
our highly esteemed neighbour, Mr. Buller, of Downes.
Lord Sinclair and several magistrates of Torquay nave
headed the signatures for that district. Up to Saturday
morning returns have been received containing about 2,000
signatures, and many more returns are still due. The pro-
test has been signed by all classes; it is headed by the
Lard-Lieutenant, Earl Fortescue, and contains the signa-
tures of Earl Morley, Lord Poitimore, Lord Ebringtora
Lord Sinclair, Sir J. Kennaway, Sir 11. F. Davey, Sir T.
T. Drake, Sir J. H, Williams, Sir L. V. Palk, and Sir
Henry Browne. Some scores of county magistrates have
also signed, together with the Right Worshipful the
Mayor of Exeter (W. W. Hooper, Esq.,) and several
borough Mayors. The military profession is well
represented, several gen9rals and admirals being
among the protesters, together with colonels in
the army, captains in the navy and lieutenants,
Nor have the medical profession held back, many electors
of medicine and a great number of surgeons have already
affixed their names. The yeomanry have signed by
hundreds, and the merchants, shopkeepers, and re-
spectable inhabitants in towns in large numbers.—
Western Times.

A FACT FOR NATURALISTS.— OR Monday, the
9th instant, as Mr. James Wilson was walking without his
coat in the Debden- hall gardens, which he occupies, a swarm
of bees came round him, and whilst he was standing still,
he found his hat, by degrees, becoming. intolerably heavy,
till at last the weight was so great that he steadily knelt
down, leaning his head and hat against a tree; when he
found that the principal part of the swarm had completed
their settlement, he very gently, but with some difficulty,
took off his hat, then, giving it a gentle tap against the
tree, he hived the whole without receiving the slightest
sting, although his neck and face were completely covered
with bees • his neck was so much so that his niece, with a
small hand brush swept the remaining insects from him,
when they also joined their companions in the hive. Mr.
Wilson, who is in possession of several hives in the
garden, states that it was the largest swarm of bees he
has had for some years; and the weight of them on hi,
head so excessive, that he would not have been able to stand
under them longer. His niece, who described the swarm
while on her unale, as assuming the shape of a arm
sugar loaf,
escaped with only a slight sting on the arm, where one of
the &warmers had dropped, and as she incautiously
gave him
a nip, he returned the compliment.—Essex Herald.

SUSPECTED MURDER NEAR NORWICII. 011 Satur-
day last as a young man named Johnson wail passing
through a lane about a mile distant from Norwich, Called
Mrs. Martineau's lane, a dog which accomanied him, after
beating through an adjoining plantation, returned with
what
seemed to be a piece of carrion, With which it ran off. Upon
Johnson's arrival at home he found that the animal bad pre-
ceded him, and that the substance which he bad carried from
the plantation was a human bad. He immediately com-
municated the circumstance to the Plice' and a minute
search was instituted in the locality, which resulted in the
discovery of other portions of a dead body, the remains, in
the opinion of several surgeons have inspected them,
being those of a your'', female. who
The rumours and opinions
which have arisen from the occurrence are of the most
murder
con-
a
idling nature, some ersons insisting that foul
has been committed, and!a others
r
suggestingter that
anatomicalthe portions
of the body discovered !alive been used
busily engaged in the Puposes. The police, however, a
in-
vestigation of the circumstances, and there is little doubt
mystery in which the matter is at
that they will unravel the my
present shrouded.
MELANCHOLY ACCIDENT AT MALDON WHILE
P On Saturday afternoon, whilst two young gen-
tlemen, Norwegians, weie bathing in the river, one of them,
ruineVn=o 11t4olter, got out of his depth and called for help.
Mr. Erland Kjostende, immediately went to
his assistance, when the sinking man instantly caught hold
of him round the body, and he being but a moderate swim-
mer, both sank. It was some little time before any persons
could reach the spot; on their arrival assistance was ren-
dered to Mr. Kjostende, and he was taken out of the water
much exhausted, but was soon revived; and although every
exertion was used, the body of Mr. Holter was not found for
three•quarters of an hour. Every means were then resorted
to in endeavouring to restore animation, but without the
slightest effect, and the body was removed to await a coro-
ner's inquest. Deceased had only that morning come down
from London with his friend, Mr. Kjostende, who was on
visit at Mr. Dedman's.