Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1841-12-08

T.
profession Of fallowship. which has no
foundation in fact? Is this the way 10
promote Christian harmony and peace in
the churches .a~
DIRECTION Viii In joining church
/ or remaining in it, what have TO con-
sider Is, whether the origaniza,ion be good,
and the doctrine sound and scrptural. If
they are, then am to adhere to the
church, whatever may be the conduct of
It's members
ANSWER. A good organization, 10 form,
and sound doctrines, however indispens-
able to church, do not, of themselves,
constitute a true Christian church, with
out holy practice, any more than church
membership and theoretical orthodoxy cen
stitute man Christian Cbrist's mes
sages to the seven churches of Asia, are
sufficient to settle this question. Sin is
the. greatest heresy and the greatest disor-
ganizer in the church Where known
sin is, cherished, no outward order or Or
| thodoxy can avail any thing to the Chris
tao character of church. g.
OBJEeTIoN TX But this is setting
ourselves upfor judges 1t others =" Judge
not, that We be not judged" >>-..s
81 ANSWER. Rashjudg nents are forbid
den, but we are commanded to Judge the
tree by its fruts-ro take heed and be-
ware Of me TO beware of false propE-
cts TO reject bereics 10 Withdraw
from those that walk disorderlv.x s-.
If the objection is valid, it DESTROYS all
church discipline, and church order and
Organization.
OBJECTION x But what are we to
do with our g covenant obligations 2" -
| ANSWER. Fulfil them, to be sure
! And what are they? 70 walk with God
and his peopIe-and, ofcoarse, to sepa rate
J ourselves from Satan and the workers OF
iniquily.
Not TO admonish professors of religion,
connected with rs, Of their sin and dagger,
in neglecting the Lords poor. is TO trife
with our" covenant obligations to them
Those obligations" bind US to watch over
and to admonish and warn them y This
; We can only do By exhibitingslhe claims
OF the tnslaVed, as ates'. question. Ifthey
hear US, we have gained them. If mot,
we have delivered our own souls, and by
Withdrawing from them. we maintain that
church order which. together with them,
we covenanted TO honor. To do other
wise. would be TO break " our covenant
obligations in order TO keep seompeny
with them, and we should all perish to-
gether. Nothing but, faithfulness can
have the least tendency to reclaim them
To concede that this subject does not pre-
sent a test question in religion, would be
deceiving them 20 their eternal enndoing.
And MOTTO Withdraw from theus, when all
) other means failed, would be to neglect
using for their b, neft the means, Of grace
apptopriate TO their condition. r ThtsS
; iii IA, 10; also I Cor. v. 5.
OBJECTION XI. Church discipline on
this subject ougIi 10, be CONFINED to actual
slavtholding. and uot- extended 10 aPolo9
lists andthose who neg!ectto plead for the
oppressed. ........ -....-.
ANSWER. Northern apologisls are
more criminal than southern Shareholders
They sin against more light and hghe
:, Professions They sin with less tenpta
. ,ico.-Edacation nrejndice, aud seifin
teri ST. bind the southern Shareholder
= Northern men can rot plead these ex
= cUses~, Hatred OF colored people is NOR.
, viruen: at the North than at the South
Southern churches are less tinctureG witt
it than many otthe northern. ndbesides
= God every where ranks apologies with OF
= pressors. In the same class he place
: likewise those who wiluot plead for theof
= pressed. For this sin be smote EgyT
: and her first born and overthrow the hos
: of Pharaoh in the Rcd Sea- Is such
= sin too light and intangible for church d
4 cipline, under the light Of the gospel
he I" He that is not with me- saith The. Savio
er ais against me, aud he that gathereth n
ed with me scatltreth abroad" In moralit
as and religion there are no neutrais. :"
s. would thou vert cod or hot, SO then b
| ca use thou art lukewarm, ond neither CO
I'D nor hot, ] will spew thee ont of m
of mouth" Undoubtedly, if Chsist's rule
T. iudgihg is to be our rule, we shall evt
j more promptly and d,-cisivs!y rejrc, ape
of ogis,s of sin and pretended nt ulrals, thi
10 any other class OF offenders
50 OBJECTION XII. Bu, mere silence,
US fofbrariHg TO testify against the sin, is b
re negative offtnce; whereas In order
ny church discipline, you must show aa
D committed -somel hing positively doae
&C. ANSWER. Tnen mere abseaGe fro
us public worship aud gospel ordinances
rd ncglect Of the Bible aud OF famiiy reiie'c
IN, or the neglect to reach out hand 10 saw
be- downing man, furnishes no good gro"
he OF church discipline. Will the objeetf
lid carry OIL. their principles
in Sieut assent TO crime, even BY the q
the law subjects TO arrest and pnnish".e
lis the law Of Chris's church less Str