Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1840-09-30

=
sense Of individual dignity and response
bility, committing bis conscience to the
keeping of a conference; and declaring Of
its pro-slavery and ahominabIe advice !:
am religiously bound to govern my
self by il
/ hope, that your Convention will not
undertake too much. lam especially de-
sirous, that it should not attempt 10 settle
The question what precise beliefs and prac-
tees afford the necessary evidences oftrue
piety. Whilst you will assert the doc
trine. that every christian is entitled to q
connexion with the visible church, you
will, trust, leave It with every local
church to decide for itself what constitutes
a christian as well as whether the candi-
date for admission into il as a Christian.
Unionists have no peculiar views about
the theoretical or practical characteristics
of the Christian. Their peculiarly con-
sists simply in their doctrine, that every
person. whom, in the judgment of the To-
cal church to which he applies for admis-
sion, Christ has received into fellowship
with HIMSELF has perfect title 10 be re-
ceived into its fellowship, and a perfec, IT,
tie to abide there. amidst whatever chan
ges OF his faith and practice, unless such
changes amount, in the judgment of such
church, to a forfeiture of his christian
character. Our reputation of what is
commonly understood by church creeds
also of all conditions of visible church
membership, which are not conditions Of
salvation, and our judgment in favor of
the independence and final authority of
every local church, are legitimate deduc-
tioEs from the great distinctive doctrine to
which | have just referred.
UnlOnists are often tainted with the re-
mark, that christian union exists in the spir-
1t, rather than In the external arrange
menfs. We are as ready, as others, to adj
init that the heart is its seat. Believing.
nevertheless. in the happy reciprocal influ-
ences OF outward and inward christian un-
lon, and believing further that both are en-
Joined by supreme authority we reject the
plea, that brethren in Christ must wait for
more fraternal state of heart, before they
throw their arms Ground each other.
May the Lord guide and bless your delib-
erations. The cause of christian union is
His, and therefore il will prosper and tri-
umph. The policy of disuniting christians
from each other is from the pit, and will.
therefore, like all The works Of satan, be de-
stroyed.
Your friend and brother,
GERRlT SMITH.
r E M r X s..
After all. brother Smith has failed, for
aught | can see. TO tell US hoo we can
!" walk together, except we be agreed"
lam not among those who believe that
the existing divisions in Christendom come
by design, and direction. and provision,
and sustenta.ion. from q God Of order, and
holiness, and purity, and truth. Mol
believe that all the divisions, and conlen-
tons, not only in Christendom, but in the
world OF mankind, have their origin in
the imperfection, the frailty, and depravi-
ty Of fallen man. Our Savior PRAYED
that they all may be ono; as thou, Fa-
ther, art in me, and ! in thee, that they al
so maybe one in US; that the world may
believe that thou hast sent me-. And the
glory which thou garest me have given
them; that they may be one. even as we
are one: in them, and thou in me, that
they may be made perfect in one" | new
er was able to reconcile to this the doc
Irine which have often both heard, and
heard OF, from our Pedobaptist friends
hat the divisions Of the church of Christ
INTO parties and clans IS from the direc-
Ion and provision Of an all-wise Provi-
ience. And this doctrine, in my view, is |
'Ot more discordant with the plain teach
'gs OF Revelation. than it is with sound
'nllosophy and common sense. For.
vhlle there are divisions, in doctrines and
'ractlces. there must be- errors. Now
an SO absurd, not to say impious
hought ne entertained, as that God an
royingly ordains and promotes eyror?l
God SO Indifferent between truth and |
rror as to choose to have bis church filled j
part with the latter. rather than alto
cher, with the former? Or is truth 40
nperfect or impotent thing that he can
o. accomplish his work with il, without ;;
le aid Of error and SIM l have been !
rieved with those who have preached a .
octrine 60 absurd and pernicious. Thev :
* Of Christians thus provoking each =
her to love and good works. So "a. as n
y observation extends. they have oftener 5
evoked each other to hatred and eo;l e e
orks. d
CT
Friend Smith says: . They THE differ. q
: sectsl are inwardly united land the $
vncafa e,f -. -, -, pt