The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1831-1858, 1832-09-19

afey granted, persevere and faint not Tho-
will Won become careful TO omit no orne..
tuniiy of presenting yourself before the ord
from time TO time, with your assembled breth
rem and sisters.
MANY are the instances furnished in the his.
'ory of our Society. Of the Christian attain.
nents Of those who have duly attended our re-
ligious meetings. seeking, IN deep prostration
Of soul, to draw nigh unio God and to worsbip
Han in spirit and in truth They have been
favored unltedly to partake of that meat which
endureth unto everlasting life; and have re-
turned from their silent assemblies with
hunbling sense Of the spiritual iavors which
they have received Immediately from Him " no
is the way, the truth, and the life. " Instru-
mental ministry in the life and power of the
gospel is great favor to the church; but the
distinguishing excellence of the Christian dis
pensaton is tho immediate communications
with our Heavenly Father, through the in
ward revelation q the Spirit of Christ. Let
US, therefore subj it 10 the baptizing operations
OF the Holy Spin which purify the soul' and
produce the c'pac ty for communion with God -
Earnestly heseech he Lord to grant you in his
mercy. the commit ion, of the Holy Ghost at
the same time pra that you may be preserved
IN reverent humll steadlastly looking unto
the Lord Jesus Live in the pure and holy
fear of God, striving to keep all his command,
mens Then will at times be granted an in
ward persuasion that Christ is indeed your
shepherd, and that you are of those who hear
his voice faith and hope in the gospel, which
give stability to the soul viii he experienced
and being weaned from all inferior dependence,
you may at times reveTently apply the Ian
guage, Lo this is our God we have wait
ed for him. and lie will save us; this is the
Lord; we have waited for him, we will be
glad and rejoice in his salvation"
Our views oc the simDIe and sniritnaI cbarac-
ter OF the gospel Of Christ, and Of his immediate
government of his church. have led our religious
Society consrentionsly to refuse the paw
meut If all ecclesiastical demands We con.
sdcr them as having their origin in the usur-
patton and exercise of a power which Jesus
Christ never conferred and, as it is testimo-,
ny To the supreme authority of our blessed
Lord which we think it our duty to uphold we
earnestly exhnrt all our members to act in q
meek and qnlet spirit, and to maintain this tes-
tlmony with consistency unto God and not
unto men. The amount of distranls under
THIS head. as now reported. is upwards of twelve
thousand six / indred pounds. exclusive of
small sum for purposes of a military nature
Our conviction Of the pcacPable nature of the
Christian dispPnsatnn has often been stated
We do not consider that the proper mainten-
ance Of this testimony prevents us from exer-
clsing our civil rights members of the com
muntlv. or inrerferes with our acting as Good
and faithful subjects On the contrary. we be-
lleve that the Christian religion leads To the
performance of all civil as well as rellg ious du-
ties. with the greatest proprley and advantage.
Al the same time we are COW lHCed that cir
cumStanced we now on thrs Is ands our
members are especially called 10 watchtuness
and citcumspnctou the risk is great when
political excitement prevails lest he, who would
desire 10 walk as becomes Christian, may he
led, step by step, to take part in pIoceeoIt gs
which not consistent with true religI, ~
prnciple,anh NAV thus greatly hazard his grow h
IN grace. We therefore tenderiy. but earnestly,
rxhort all our dear friends to be very careful
that they do not. by involving themselves IN
political questions endanger their religious
welfare. or that calmness of mind so important
to the right performance of every christian
DUTY
Dear Friends in conclusion, we cordially bid
you farewell in he Lord Jesus May we each
he found increasingly faithful in our especlive
aIlotmcn's in the church adjoining the gospel
IN our daily Intercourse with men possessing
our sonls in patience, and striving To maintain
the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace
" Now the God of peace. that brought again
from the dead our Lord Jesus. that great shep-
herd Of the sheep through ne blood Of the ever.
lasting convpnant, make you perfect in every
good work to do his will working in YOU that
which is well pleasing in his sight, through Je-
sus Christ; to whom be glory forever and ever
Amen"
Signed in and on behalf of the meeting, by
SAMUEL TUKE,