The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-03-20
REPLY TO SECESSlON.-NO. 4.

REPLY TO SECESSlON.-N 4.
think that Brother +. is at fault in his defni-
ton Of the Zone true visible Church Of Christ y
According TO bis definition, it is made up of com
ennrtiss, and not Of Individuals =; and that conse.
| quently men hold their connection with the vsi.
BILE body of Christ, by virtue Of their connection
with the true visible particular churches" with
which they may be connected. All, therefore,
who have place in "true particular visible
Church." whatever their character may be, are
to be considered members Of Christ's visible
body; or, in other words, are TO be esteemed
Christians. And all who are not connected with
T" true particular visible Church, no matter
what may be their character, are not members of
Christ's visible body.
Let us for a moment look at the practical bear
ing Of this definition. Generally, and suppose In
the estimation of Brother Fullerton, the Society
Of Friends do not constitute 6" true particular
visible Church" Yet many of the members hold
what are recognised to be the fundamental doc
trines Of Christianity. They have pure prac-
tice-are among the brightest ornaments Of
Christian life According to his definition, they
are out of the visible body of Christ They may
believe in Christ, love God, acknowledge him be-
fore the world, maintain holy walk in life they
may may visit the widow and fatherless in their
the world, yet they have no connection with the
visible body of Christ. But the Old School Pres
byterian Church is, in his estimation, a true
particular visible Church, ~ and, consequently,
those connected with 1t in the visible body Of
Christ In that Church you may fnd the whis-
member Of the visible body Of Christ, by virtue
Of his connection with community that is rccog-
Missed as "true particular visible Church" A
definition which leads to conclusions so garingly
absurd, cannot be true.
The visible Church Of Christ Ia not a body
made up of communities, but Of ,ad,eJ"a's. O.
cording to the definition which the Brother re-
ceives, "the visible Church is society made up
of all such as in all ages and places Of the world
do profess The trne religionp Ii is not a society
made up of all such Churches do profess the tru,
religion, but of all such PERSONS do profess the
true religion. In the form Of government, chap. 2
sec g we have this definition OF the Church
which shows that the Church does not consist in
an embodiment Of communities, bat Of Individuals [;
and that their connection does not depend upon
their being members of particular visible Church,
but upon their protesting the true religion. The
universal Church consists of all those persons in
every nation, together with their children, who
make profession Of the holy religion Of Christ and
of submission to bis lawsD We understand by
profession, the manifestation, by word and deed
Is TO be born again Of the Spirit. To be profess
sdlva Christian is to give the evidence which the
Scripture requires, that We are born again by the
Spirit of God. BY the one we have place In
the invisible body of Christ by the other, place
in the visible body, which is his Church
Every one, therefore, who gives the scriptural
evidence that he Is q child Of God, Is entitled to
all the privileges of Gods house, and has claims
upon us to be treated as a child Of God and no
other person has any such claims.
IT. then, the man who gives the scriptural evil
dence that he IL child Of God belongs to the
visible body Of Christ, and is therefore men,
Der of the true visible Church Of Christ, the fol-
lowing conclusion Of Brother Fullerton does not
hold true, viz: "The few little churches which
reject shareholders constitute the whole visible
Church OF Godp No such conclusions logically
follow from the positions occupied by those who
advocate the propriety Of secession from hope
lessly corrupt churches We trust that very
many who have proiessed their love Of Christ in
those bodies which, AZ whole, have ceased to be
for Christ, are his own dear children many Of
them, by holy life and sound faith, give visible
evidence that they are part OF his body, and
we recognise them m such. The true visible
Church Of Christ" IL therefore not so small as
the Brother supposes our position would make IT,
The Presbytery OF which Brother Fullerton Is q
member and the session over which he presides
a. moderator and, II mistake not with his con-
currence, will not extend the privileges justly be-
longing 10 q member of the visible Church "a
some who belong to "true particular visible
Church. They will not permit man who is q
STAKEHOLDER, though he belongs to the Old School
| Church 10 commune with them. he Ii mem
Der of the "true visible Church" by what ruiz
Of right do they exclude him from the privileges
pertaining to membership 1.-THE Brothers def
milton Is right, then let him bring the man -steale
70 his communion table at Salem. According Il
| his own reasoning, he being member Of par
ticular visible Church, Is q member OF the visible
| Church of Christ then do be consistent, and in
vite TO the communion table the next soul.drigng
on School Irestutsrmn that may chance TO b.
present at one Of your solemn feasts.
The Brother seems 10 be somewhat startled a
| the conclusions TO which he comes, from the fol
lowing declaration made by myself ON forme
occasion
aThe advocates Of secession declare that tn
bodies from which they have seeded are no
such bodies AZ was the Apostolic Church bu
they have 30 far departed from the doctrines an'
practice Of that Church an to be opposed &
Christi :,
suppose but few friends Of the slave vii
claim that the Old School Presbyterian Church
Ia AZ pure as the Apostolic Church or 10 such I
Church as the Apostolic Church WAS The only
point Of controversy H. have they 80 far departed
from the doctrine and practice Of that Church q
to he opposed to Christ In order to settle TILL
matter intslligently, let us inquire what was tn
doctrine Of the Apostolic Church on this ques
ton of human rights "All things whatsoeve
Won would that men should do unto you, do y
even 80 unto them We all know that this com
mand strikes slavery down at stroke. ! hs
rather man would do anything else 70 me tina
make A slave of me. had rather he would tax
my life than to reduce me and my offspring I
slavery; and 20 would Brother Fullerton. Ifw
are TO be slaves, the dead are to bs praised NOR
than the living
Bat IL this respect 70 human rights essential
true rsligion1 Let the Apostle james snsws