The Columbian fountain., 1846-07-17
fisnis, Bnsinsss ano General Intelligence.
Rev. J. I. WARD, Assistant Editor.
PRICE ONE CENT.

mouse OF truths, they have laid violent
hands on the following passages:
| He that doeih truth cometh to ,be ,;obt
that his deeds may be made manifest that
they are wrought of God.'
Every one that doeth evil hateth the
light, lest his deeds should be reproved.'
No one should doubt the truth here con-
veyed, and its applicability to the cases
which the inspired writer had in view when
the passages were penned But is it to be
inferred that allusion was made to persons
whose principles are publicly avowed and
whose entire object is declared Do these
Presbyteries wish US to understand from
the above quotation that all our sayings and
doings should come to light?' If SO, l
would respectfully ask of them the inter-
pretation Of the following passages from the
same work:
"A tale-bearer revealelh secrets, but he.
that is a faithful spirit concealeth the mat
ter Prov.
Debate thy cause with thy neighbor; and
discover not secret to another Prov.
XIV, s, 8.
'lf thy brother shall trespass against thee,
go and tell him his fault between thee and
him alone Matt xviii, Is.
'When thou doest aims, let not thy left
hand know what thy right hand doeth !:
that thine aims may be in secret Matt. vi,
g, S.
In addition to this high authority for Sc
crecy in many things pertaining to our mo-
raj relations, we have beautiful exempli6-
cation of its proprety in the person Of our
Saviour. When he had come down from.
the mountain and healed the leper, he turn
sd TO him in manner becoming divine
exemplar, and said, 'sec thou tell no man.,
When ne touched the eyes of the two blind
men and they were healed, he enjoined up
on them also profound secrecy, saying, 'see
that no man know it, Christ evidently did
not wish this matter TO come to light,
otherwise he would not have enjoined con-
cealment of this God-like act. Was Christ
criminal in the eye of these grave and can
did Presbyteries Our Saviour knew that
these grateful men, with swelling hearts,
would trumpet his fame through the land
but Christ had none of mans pride nor va
nifty, and he enjoined profound secrecy
How often, in our Division Rooms, am
reminded of these beautiful examples, as
relief after relief is extended to some sick
or unfortunate brother, whom the worlds
charity would not have reached
Besides, if 'there must be something
wrong in that which seeks concealment,'
as these Presbyteries allege, they prove too
much. They see the mote in our eye, with
out feeling the beam in their own. | have
been told more than once by polite sexton,
that | could not enter the church then, as
they were transacting private matters.
know of more than one pastoral association
whose meetings are secret, and whose reso-
lu'ions, secretly passed, declare that all their
sayings and doings shall be strictly conf
dential.' Why not let them come 10 light,
We frequently see announced in the Jour-
nails, that some General Assembly, Confer
ence, or Convention, swill sit to-day with
closed DOORS Why should these bodies
attribute impurity of motive to our Order,
when they are thus liable to similar i'm
putation'
To be continued