The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1849-11-24

which you are connected is such that
lay members have no vote or say in
work of discipline? We answer, you I
wrong in joining such a church; and "
own wrong-doing lessons not the claim
, God upon you to do your duty in purifyi
His church. Ii is point in human as W
rs divine law, that we may not take advs
J, tage of our own wIong-doing, to contin
in wrong.
0 ?. You should Immediately join, or 9
1 sist in organizing church on such prime
D pies of mutual equality, that you in cor
mon with every other member, should hay
an equal opportunity TO obey God, in di
ciplining 'the wicked person" At Corintl
the church--the whole church-was Gale
upon TO do this work-.not pope, bishop
nor privileged few. God has made th
duly of discipline obligatory upon sucl
and every member of His church-"Hi
body" And we are individually account
able for the immoralities wa neglect to dis
ciplne.
DO you again say the majority is agains
me--the constitution Of the church will
which am connected, or that the controll
ing Influences are against me! We answer
/. This does not lessen the claim-tht
command of God upon you. The wrong
action Of majority, will be no excuse iol
you, in disobeying tho command of God in
fcllOwshiping iniquity. 1t IS your duty to
obey God, let others DO as they may; and
let the consequences be what they may.
,. Ii will then-be your duty to come out
from such church; and organise one on
true and gospel principles. The object Of
secession is the same as that Of discipline,
the purity Of the church--saving her from
the sanction of wicke3ness, and from cor
Iuption, and each member from being a
"partaker Of her sins" When church
comes to the fellowship Of such iniquity as
that Of slaveholding, and tho controlling in.
tiuence deliberately refuse discipline, God
says TO the true christians: "Come out OF
her my people, that ye be not partakers of
her sins, and that ye receive not Of her
plaques Rev. 10 4 The term Baby
Ion, as used in the context, cannot refer to
the literal Babylon built in the land of
This he'd been destroyed hun
dreds Of years before The words of the text
were written. But, Ms the real Babylon
was prominent in corrupting the true reli-
gion of GOD, and as Egypt and Ephraim
were prominent enemies Of Gods people,
and thereby the terms Egypt and EPhraim
came TO designate enemies in general, so
The term Babylon came to denote corrupt
churches in general, The church Of Rome,
and all other churches introducing great
or vices into the church. And
the doctrine taught is. that the people OF
Sod should come out from such a church.
Thus, Whitby in bis comment on this
ext, declaring the duty Of good christians,
says: "They are warned with faithfulness,
and zeal TO attempt reforms-
lion OF them 0he sins mentioned in the
chapter) at least among themselves, by an
open and resolute separation. Scott, in
his comment on this same passage, says
"This summons concerns all persons in
.rery age; they who believe in Christ should
separate from so corrupt church, and
from all others that copy her example OF
dolatry, persecution, cruelty, and tyranny,
and avoid being partakers OF her sins, even
If they have renounced her communion, or
Else they may expect to be involved in her
plaques" The duty enjoined is that OF
secession from any church that becomes
alike corrupt. And what sdds to the force
and applicability of the text under consib,
Grafton is, it was there foretold that mystic
Babylon would practice the very sin under
in "sIayes and souls OF
men. "--Isee verse 8. Do you say, sour
church does not allow buying and selling,
or, at least, do not buy ard SELL only
hold what have bought, or what has been
given to me, or TO Sally or Mary, my
wife" We answer---the sin OF slavery
consists not in buying and selling-the
mere transfer Of claim for few pieces OF
silver, but in withholding from the innocent
man his natural right--li5erty, personal
o,cnership. For. whatever may lawfully
hold as property, ! may lawfully SELL
There is no sin in selling bushel of wheat,
or horse, provided ! have obtained the
horse by honest means, but if not, then il
would be sinful for me to sell him to anoth.
er man. As then, it il not sinful to sell
that which we may lawfully hold as proper.
ty, and as selling the bodies and souls of
men, slaves, is here represented as sinful;
slaveholding must be sinful in the sight Of
Cod and accordingly ne decreed, che that
stealeth and selleth a MIN, or if he be found
in his hands, he shall surely be put TO
death" -Exod. "a: 10.
The sin Of Mystic Babylon, then, was
slaveholding and God commands his PEG.
pIo 20 como 90, from suoh a church, from
all who copy her example," Do you say
she was more corrupt than this--shs prac.
tsed fornication. sanctioned or tolerated il
in her members? We answer--So, with
one exception, do all the denominations o.
christians in the southern States, OF oul
own country, among their slave members
know multiplied instances Of such, anC
there is no more oiscipline in their cases
than il they were SO many hogs or cattle
Can we conceive Of greater corruption, Sc
as to spare the exislance of mani Coun
terfeitng and gambling, We have shown
are nothing in comparison with SLAYER,
and its attendant vices. Highway robbel,
would be manly and decent compares
with it.
Do you say, as we know some DO: a
hold no slaves, and therefore feel no con
Functions of conscience about eating with
or fellowshiping shareholders! What
do you feel no compunction of conscienc