Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1836-07-21
CIRCULAR LETTER.

The ministers and Messengers of the
ShGfts6ury Baptist Association, 10 the
HurcheS sohich they represent send
Christian SaLvtatlon.
BELOVED BRETHREN IN CHRIST JESUS:
In this our annual epistIe, prompted
by the tcnderest soicitude for your spirit
ual well being, permit US to address you
on the subject Of a DEEPER PIETY in our
churches
That ardent and deep piety in the
churches is desirable, all will admit And
that there is now much pietv in the
churches of this Association, will not be
doubted. But while with pleasure we
admit these facts, the question comes up
with great force, Haze uce as much and
question there can, III the minds Of the
candid and the rejecting, be but one an
Swer-and that a negative one. 1t must
be perfectly obvious to every observing
member of our churches that religion a.
moDg US is not at present in prosperous
and thriving state. On the contrary, the
ways Of Zion mourn, and sinners in null
titudes are perishing.
The external state of religion in church,
or larger community of Christians, is Of
ten a tolerably correct index to the preva-
lent Internal state Of piety in the hearts Of
those constituting snch church or commu-
nifty. Where the throb Of Christian feel
ing 10 the members generally is weak
and lndistiuct, religion outwardly,. in all
its departments and institutions, will de-
cline and anguish. But where deep
and unaffected piety prevails, out
ward religion will advance and flourish.
SO intimate is the connexion between the
prevailing STATE Of the heart among Chris
i'm people generally, and the outward
prosperity Of the cause in any given place,
that the tone Of internal piety may be We
ry correctly learned from the prosperous
or adverse appearance which the things Of
religion exhibit among them.
Judging on this principle, as we'll as
from the reports missiye, from the church
es, from year to year, we conclude that {
much deeper piety is highly desirable il
our churches at the present time. How
few and how limited have been our rcvi
walls during the last three or four years
; What little apparent success has ATTENDED
the ministry Of reconciliation and othe
divinely appointed means Of grace! am
. how inadequate have been our achieve
ments in the several departments Of Chris
= tan and phiIanthropic enterprise! TIL
h missionary, education, Bible, Sunday
school and tract causes, together wit.
). their subsidiary and kindred enterprises
p Of temperance, peace, moral reform an
i universal emancipation from slavery, hav
!; by no means received the encouragement
Il which heirimmense importance demands
4 aud of course they have not been follswe
BY such blessed and glorious results c
might otherwise have been expected. A
y this indicates but too little and too cold
70 piety. These respective Christian an
he benevolent enterprises, in which man
re Christians and patriots are now so laudabI
N engaged. will prevail and prosper in tn
T. age Of free inquiry and advancing lgt
ne wherever deep piety reigns universally
is the heart. The saints will then "ha'
O. rest and be edited" and the churche
walking in the fear Of the Lord and
the comfor Of the Holy Ghost" will
established IN the faith" and be great
he ''muItiplicd."
- The means, then, of securing deep a
he still deepening piety in the churches, /
Ike comes most important destderat"m
ON Some suggestions on this point, at t
tic present period, we hope will prove acce
onr able and timely And.
nde First-Brethren, we would suggest,
de- means Of securing deeper piety in G
IN churches, that the spiritual state OF
= heart, by all the individual members,
leir often and closely inspected and that
are pious affections and internal graces
carefully cherished and improved. T