Star.
London, England, 1825-12-01 00:00:00

CONVERSION FROM POPERY.

LETTER FROM M. Z.IOLLARD-LIFIVRZ, A RESPECTABLE
MERCHANT OF LFIINS. IN FRANCE, ON TILE SUBJECT
OF IltS CONVERSION TO FEOTESTANTISM.
" I.rors, esso Joss, 1825.
66 SIR—You inquire what were, tee motives which
actuated me in the step I have just taken, and why I
attach so much importance to becoming a Member of
the Christian Reformed Church ? I am ready to in-
form you, and to open my mind to you with the ut-
most candour. The Gospel, my consciencit, and my
'reason—these, in three words, have beets my guides
and advisers.
" I k low, by my own experience, that man is a reli-
gious being ; I felt the need of uniting myself to GOD '1
by an entire faith and by worship; but I felt also that
this faith and this worship ought to have nothing in
them contrary to that natural light, that reason, that
consciousness of right and wrong. which GOD has im-
planted witlin us ; and that every religion which
should not accord with these grand principles, or
should sh! ink from being examined upon them, could
not b.: Divine, since GOD cannot contradict himself,
and his works cannot dread the light.
" It became, therefore, my wish to recur to the foun-
dation of the Christian faith, by studying the Holy
Se iptures in the love of truth; and from that moment
1 may say a new day broke upon me. I read also some
of the writings of those Fathers of the Church who
lived nearest the times of the Apostles; and they ac-
corded wi h the Gospel, in convincing me that the
Christian Reformed Church was the true Church of
Jesus CHRIST, since its faith and worship perfectly
agreed with the doctrines of the Founder of Christia-
nity, and wails those of his Apostles, and since I found
nothing therein opposed to my natural light.
" I thought from the first, that I ought to have re
course to the word of GOD alone, the divinity of which
I acknowledged, and not to the opinions of men ire.
quemly led a-tray by their own passions and interests;
that I ought to look upon the Scriptures as infallible,
and to mid it myself; that it must be so clear as to
enable me to understand whatever in it concerned my
faith and practice; and that I ought not to seek the
rule of that faith in human traditions. Scripture itself
confirmed my opinion ; for I there read that ' the law
of the LORD is perfect; (1) that it is ' inspired by GOD
to instruct, to rebuke, to cot rect, and to conduct to piety
and righteousness; (2) that Jesus himself said to his
disciples,' Search the Scriptures; that he condemned
traditions, saying to the Scribes, ' In vain do they sect-
ip me, teaching doctrines which are only the corn-
tnandments of men ; for they leave the commandments
of Goo, to follow the traditions of men ; (3) that St.
Paul anathematizes all religious instruction which is
not drawn ft om the Gospel : There are some that trouble
you, who would overturn the Gospel of Jesus CHRIST ;
but should we ourselves, or should an angel from hea-
ven, preach a doctrine unto you different from that
which we have preached, let him be accursed; (4) that
the Gospel is plain to those whom their passions blind
not, as St. Paul also says: If the gospel which we
preach is yet veiled, it is to those who perish that it is
veiled ; t those unbelievers whose minds the GOD of
this world hath blinded, in order that they may not be
• enlightened by the light of the Gospel of the glory of
JE US CHRIST, who is the image of GOD; (5) that St.
A'mbio.e also says, The Holy Scripture is useful to
every ore.' Sr. Chryscittons says again, The reading
• of the Holy Scriptures is a strong bulwoik against sin ;
and ignorance of the Scriptures is a great precipice,
a deep abyss' (6). St. Basil also tells us, ' All that is
nut included in the divinely-inspired Scripture, not bring
of faith, is sin.'
" I felt, therefore, that it was my duty to examine
Scripture alone, to seek therein what !ought to believe
and to do. I perceive that it was the way pointed out
by St. Paul himself, who, far from forbidding this exa-
mination to the people, says, ' Prove all things; ap-
prove that which is good.' (7).
4' I dare not assent to theopinion of anyChurch,merely
as a Church, nor of any Council,- while JESUS CHRIST
announced There shall arise false Chiists and fllse
prophets, which shall do great signs and wonders,inso-
much as to deceive, if it were possible, the very elect.
(8) St. John also says, on this subject: My well be-
loved, believe not every spirit; but try whether the
spirits be of GOD, for many false prophets are risen in
the world' (9). The Abbe de P:alernie himself admits,
• that the council may err, and that, in what regards
faith, the conviction of an individual ought to be
preferred to the opinion of the Pope himself.' I
read councils,' says St. Gregory of Nasianzen,
• and I have never seen any which have not done more
bairn than good.'
4' The principles of Scripture, and of the earliest Fa.
tiers, are those of the Reformed Church, and I re-
marked with p'easure that she establishes her faith only
a. (iOD and our own understandings tell us that it ought
to be established. I observed that the ministers of re
ligion were in the Gospel forbidden to seek temporal
power, riches, and honour; that charity, meekness, and
humility were to be character 'sties of the priests °Us-sus
Comex. Peter says to them,' Feed tie &A of GOD
with Ivhich you are charged, watching ever its conduct,
not by a leveed necessity, but by a volui.tary affection,
which should be according to Got); not by a shameful
&site of gain, but a disinterested charity ; not domineer-
ing over the Loan's heritage, but becoming examples
to the flock, by a virtue which springs front the heart
(10); and Jesus CHRIST himself tells them, Trouble
not yourselves concerning gold or silver, or other money
in yoor purse: (11). He declares to them, that if they
act otherwise, they are but Scribes and Ple.risees,
whom he reproves, saying,' They love salutation iu the
public places, and w be called of men master; but as
for .you, desire not to be called master, because yr u
have but one master, and you are all brethren. Nei-
ther call any one on forth your father, because you have
but one Famen,which is in 1-leaven; and be not called
teacher, because you have but one teacher and but one
riaster, which is Cuntet. He who is among you sharp
be your servant ; for whosoever exaheth himself shall
be abased, and whosoever abased' himself shalt be ex.
alted. Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypo-
crites, because under the pretence of your long Prayers
you devour widows' houses. It is lor this that you shall
receive a more rigorous judgment. Woe unto you, for you
cleanse the outside of the cup and of the platter, and yet
you are-within full of rapine and uncleanliness' (I* •
" I observed,, likewise, that their marriage was.. 294
proved of by the word of GOD, since it was his will !io
snake of them a separate caste, with interests inimical
to those of society, and preventedliom practising those
eumerous virtues to which a fathei of a family is, called.
St. Paul says,' Let them mercy, for it is better to marry
that, to burn.' (13) In Wilt:l.g to he Bishop,'