But, ere half a century, all manner of error will be found to have entered and nestled in the house of God. Every one who believes what the evangelists and apostles have testified concerning Jesus of Nazareth, and who is willing to obey him, is a proper subject for immersion. And this is the sum and substance of what Mr. Campbell says respecting the way in which a sinner is to attain salvation. But if a mere general belief in what the evangelists and apostles have said, together with immersion, be all that is required, it is not difficult to see that churches may soon be gathered in which there will be but little true religion. It is believed, however, that, as yet, there are not a few sincerely pious people among his congregations, who have been led away by his plausible representations respecting the evils of creeds.
Time can only show the issue.
Two or three religious papers are published by ministers of this denomination, and are almost entirely devoted to the propagation of the peculiar tenets of the sect. The churches in its connection are constituted purely on Independent principles. Its statistics are not well ascertained. Mr. Campbell says that it now embraces from 150,000 to 200,000 persons. As for the churches and ministers, I have never seen their numbers stated.