The Portland daily press., 1866-05-05

than gratitude on mlBe, Is dpouo ~ ~.
gent "a that that only which separates us
inwardly separates us indeed, while that wnicn
unites us jpwardly unites us indeed, SO that
no creed or distance can separate us.
with rerard to those views which have sep
arated between me and many OF my brethren
in the ministry, have only to say that they
have been neither has ny nor lncOnsiderateiy
adopted. but slowly and prayerfully; and if
am in error, l feel confident L shall be led
intimately to the truth. Meanwhile 1 am
content with the assurance that "can Go
nothing against the truth, but for it."* Ii, on
the other hand, my views are in accordance
with Scripture, shall not be COMPOUNDED; for
vet little while and the earth will be heaped
upon those who would elord it over Gods her
itage," and they may know assuredly that the
progress OF truth will be much more certain
than the establishment of their opinions II,
also, it may be Of any benefit to you in your
ecclesiastical relations, would say that as
church, while you have most nobly indicated
your own and your minister's liberty, you have
never either accepted or endorsed my so-called
heresy. Indeed, feeling myself bound by the
creed upon which / accepted the invitation
you extended to me to become your pastor ana
religious teacher, / have never, from the pull
pit, even expressed my views on the points re-
ferred to, much less sought to lead you to en-
brace them.
When I am gone, it will be your duty to
seek another minister as speedily as possible;
and pray God that the one you choose to be
nv successor may be a good man, and full of
the Hoy Ghostand falth." need not tell you,
dear brethren, where you must look for such
man. And when God seads him to you, gath
er around him with loving hearts and ready
hands, prepared to cooperate with him in ey-
cry good word and work. Pray for him. hold
up his hands; be patient with his short com,
ings, and charitable towards his infirmities:
give to him the same generous confidence and
support you have extended to me; and if, as
will most likely be the case, he is not accepta-
BILE to some of YOU, I beseech you not to make
it manifest, SO long as he ministers to the edifi-
cation of the Church. Remember that he has
the sensibilities of man, and that every
faithful minister of Christ has enough to bur
den and sadden him, without the conscious
ness oil the disiavor of those whom he is doing
his best to serve. l would also have YOU,
while jealousy guarding your own liberty,
guarantee to him his liberty. Claiming as
you should the right of dissent and protest.
grant to him the right of preaching to YOU the
truth of Scripture as he holds it. Refuse to
make the pulpit the mere echo of the pews-
Think tor yourselves; take no mans word ::
but remember that your minister is Christ's
ambassador and freeman; not the representa-
tive of yosr beliefs, but the teacher of HIS
truth.
While would have you stand fast in that
liberty wherewith Christ has made you free,
and at the same time guard well the liberty of
Others, would have you also guard carefully
against that false liberalism which would
throw open the doors of our sanctuary to all
forms of error which in these days are seeking
admission to the church under the assumed
name of religion. Never forget that ours is
religion of which Christ is the central hope
and power; and that while we are called upon
to fellowship all true Christians, we are equal
ly forbidden to fellowship any but Christians.
] would have you inquire what manner of
spirit, rather than what manner of creed a
man Is OF; and ii he have the spirit of the
Master, give him your hand in the name of
that Master; If he have not His spirit you
may know that he is none of His, even though
he come to you with the form of sound words,
and let him be unto you as a heather man
and publican. Rebuke no one who is casting
out devils, because he followeth not with you
in doctrine; let him cast them out, bidding
him even God speed in the work, knowing as
suredly that there is but one name which can
cast them out. His work is his guarantee,
that Christ knows him if you do not. Fear
no heresy but that Of the heart; and If you
see man who hates sin, and is striving even
though it be with feeble and faltering steps, to
follow Christ, go to him as brother, love him
anee of your sympathy and prayers. Seek to
honor Christ by being Christlike. De gentle
to the froward; be kind even to the unthank-
ful. Love your enemies, bless them that
curse you, and pray for them which despiteful-
ly use you and persecute you" So shall I" We
be the children of your Father which is in
Heaven" ssilsilt3 a
As to the results of the past two wears of
my ministry, it becomes me to say but little;
for there is day coming which shall try our
work with more impartial judgment than
we can now exercise. This much, however,
I my say: I leave you in a far more prosper
Gus condition than found you. Some prodi-
gals have been led back to the forgiving Faith
er ); some wanderers reclaimed, and many
Christians confessedly quickened and comfort
ed through the foolishness of my preaching
In so far rejoice, and doubtless you will re-
joice. Thanks be unto God, who causeth us
to rejoice
With regard to the character of nv puluit
instruction, / have not sought to convince
you, SO much as to persuade you of the truth
and reasonableness Of Christianity. have
therefore spoken not so much from the head
Il to the head, as from the heart to the heart
and while have carefully Stunned everything
like dogmatizing, have yet earnestly sought
to present the essential doctrines of the gospel
to you, quickened by vital spirit sweet and
attractive. [ have not stunned to declare un
to you the whole counsel of God as have
been taught it by the Spirit: 1 have told YOU
Of the Fathers love, the Sons mission, the
SPIRITS work. have preached to you of sin,
OF righteousness, and judgment to come /
have plainly declared to you the conditions of
salvation, = repentance towards God and
faith in our Lord Jesus Christ"
While have endeavored to bring Chris
tanIty to bear, in power, on the conscience
and will, L have yet striven to show you that
our glorious faith was something more than
mere religion of the conscience or of legal
necessity, and have endeavored to widen
and elevate the scope OF your spiritual vision,
that you might see and realize the full liberty
and joy of life, to which our dear Saviour is
ever calling his people. have tried to i'm
press you with the importance of a higher
conservation of yourselves to God, and to
show you the joy and peace and strength and
victory thence resulting. have told YOU of
that life which, wholly given up to God, is
wholly under the lead OF God" Some of Won
I rejoice to say, have made great attaipments
in this direction; still I had hoped in the en-
thusiasm of my heart, when l first came
among you, to have led you all up nearer to
God, and left you-if at all-on higher level
of spiritual life. But so it may not be. For
give me, dear brethren, that / have been of so
little service to you.
But cannot close without one more word
W tilat CldSS vi LILY uSdrcTS VINO nave uSCeQeQ
with SO much respect and attention to my
preaching for the past two years, and yet who
are apparently but little profited by it. You
know not with what unuttered warnings of
heart have ministered to you, and 1 feel as
sured that you have often felt the power of
the truth, and yet you have practically said to
me until now, "We will hear thee again on
thls matter" And now, what say you? In
tne name of Jesus 1 yet once more offer to
af Sol,
gate OF Life. I say to YOU in his name. that
there IS yet room in heaven, room in the heart
o. S9a lot you; nay, for all repenting SOULS
AND zen of you once again that there is no 9TH
the Gospel While, then, sne Al ~ you uo ,ron
the Fathers love, of the willing Saviour . Of Of
the waiting Spirit. will you not male th %
PrGdgaPs s1 5Ssoye maxi will arise and go to my
hour an occasion not only of joy On earth pw hut
of rejoicing among the angels Of God. whose oss
songs grow sweeter over every repentins snnIS