Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1837-07-05
o. S. MURRAY, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR.

| w IIdI ID tic vi VIC NuuICu g
There has not been sufficient attention to
this point.
When observing presbytery, synod or
general assembly, am forcibIy reminded
ola sentence which remarked in lette
written during the late war by General
Brown Of the army on the shores of Lake
Ontario, to Commodore Chauncey fthe
navy on tina, lake. elf" (sGid the Gen.
erdL, IN substamce,) "the feet had been
your private property, your reasoning
would bejust; but as it was the fleet ofthe
nation, your argument fails" 1t appears
to me that our worthy clergy in these
bodies regard the church as their private
property; and their general course tor
Old-sehoOI and Ne,0-sehooL IN this partic-
~ior IS Gerry much the same school, oro.
ceeds on this assumption. The manner
Of conducting the church, what is to be-
come Of the church, what is to be the ef-
feet upon the church: this is their busi-
ness. In this they are under mistake.
! The OBJECT OF THE CHURCH IS THE
SALVATION ofMEN. For this, and only
this, the church was instituted, to this all
its cares and efforts should be directed -
apart from this it has no concern in this
world When the church engages itself
in other matters, how pernicious was its
work and how awful its recorded DOOM
This should be n solemn warning. Men
seem to think it enough to cry alarm at
the approach Of the church of Rome; 1t
is more important to be watchfuI not to
follow IN the ambitious steps of that HER
archy. The beginnings of that mystery
OF lnlqulty were hidden. What was the
origin Of the wickedness of that church
Acting as body, feeling the power Of un-
ion, and deighting in the exercise of pow
er; the clergy becoming body and talk
ing the entire agency Of the church, i'm
bIbIng the spirit Of a common interest, and
forming the habit OF union in action by
erecting and conducting a common gov
eminent. Let us mark this point. Who
are to do the work of the church7 not
bodies, not an efficient a gency arising from
the onccntration Of influences, but the in
dIvlduIl members. TO whom IS the
great prize TO be held out? to every one
lMdtelduaIIN What is the work to be
done for winning it," Turn many to
righteousness" The church is Gods
husbandry; he expects increase. Who
is responsible for this increase! Every
member. How is this increase to arise?
Through the members walking in the
fear Of the Lord, and the comfort of the
Holy Ghost" The excellence and the
power Of the church arise from it's mem
pers; from their holiness, and personal
plety The pastor stands at the head, the
teacher, the councillor, the guide; but it
is because he gives himself to teaching,
counselIlng, guiding; the greatest Of all
because the servant of all, more devoted,
more faithful in Iabors Every member
has the same interest, an agency Of great
though not equal trust duties Of unspeak-
able importance and responsibility. To
the members as well as to the pastor, the
church is the sphere of usefulness, the
field Of labor, and for the employment Of
their time and talent they must answer in
strict account The station of the MEM
Der is not so high, nor is his responsibility
so weihgty, as the pastor but there is
height enough to satisfy the loftiest aspi-
rations Of ambition, for he may "shlne as
the stars forever ard ever" and solem-
nifty enough 10 make the 6rmest fear, for
he may be condemned to be cast into
outer darkness, where shall be weeping
and crashing ofteeth.'
How is it then that we see so much ac-
ton in presbyteries, synods and gencreI
assemblies, and so much importance at
tached to their proceedings, while in the
churches, the fields for this important la
Dor, upon whose zeal, activity and pIety
the communities around them depend for
spiritual breath, we discern nothing but
inertness sitting in listlessness in the midst
Of the pershing and the lost? No one
will say that these bodies are recognised
either in scripture or by experience as the
power Of religion. FondneSs for attend
ing upon them, is evidence not ofspirltuaf-
ity, but the want OF it. A feeling Of inter
est in their proceedings is banefuI TO reII-
gion in the heart; it dlverts the mind
from the proper business and genuine
power Of the church. to parade OF busI'
ness and power. worldly in its nature
savoring nothing Of the gospel, commune
eating no. brotherl v love, and exciting the
very opposites of the graces of meekness'
!, seIf-denial and charity.
1t is time for the members of churches
) to calculate what must be the consequence
to hem, in rendering the account OF their
stewardship, Of system of operations, d.
rectIng attention to wrong points, Produc,
ing interest and zeal in that which is MOI
and which cannot come TO good, makIngtn!
churches appear little, dopreclatlng their
work and corrupting their spirit
E Let US search this evil and seek rem
= edy. ALAYMAN.
From the New-York Observer.