The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1867-10-05

For the Bolivar BuIstn.l
Christianity is LiberaIitY and not
Exclusion

loni refusing to exchange paipits with Other
denominations, and not permitting men (
select their own mode of baptism, and re.
nouncing all other denominations as e mere
societies. organizations Of human invsn.
tions,' and such like terms, are calculated
to make more in6dels and sceptics than any
thing else.
Exclusive churches ALLEVIATE christians
from each other. Let Us see how manv
branches of the church are exclusive in
their practice; l. Roman Catholic. 2.
Protestant Episcopal Church. 3. High
Church of England. Missionary Baptist
Church. 5. Christian or Campbelite Church.
6. Primitive Baptist Church Z. Seceders
g. Mormon or Latter Day Saints. These
are all exclusive, and assert that each one is
g The Church, and all the rest are mere So
cieties without the sanction Of God. Some
of them must be wrong. The world looks
at all this arrogance and imbecility, and
says the exclusionist cannot sing the sweet
note that David sung one thousand years
before the advent of Christ: Behold how
good and pleasant tbs for brethren to dwell
together in unity" But it is pleasant to
think that the different Presbyterian and
Methodist, and Congregational and Mora
Wan churches, can meet, and preach and
pray, sing and commune together.
If the exclusive churches, which are pc
culiarly favored of God, would exemplify
higher degree of piety than the unexelnsive
churches, that would be sound argument
in their favor, but there is 10 difference in
this particular
Jesus Christ was not exclusive, " John
answered him, saying, Master; we saw one
casting out devils in thy name and he fol-
loweth not US, and we forbade him, because
he followeth not US. But Jesus said, Forbid
him not, for there is no man which shall do
a miracle in my name that can lightly speak
evil Of me-" Marx, 9th chap 38th and seth
verses. Moses was no exclusive man. And
Moses went out and told the people the
words Of the Lord, and gathered the seventy
men, elders of the people, and set them
round about the tabernacle. And the Lord
came down in cloud and spake unto him,
and took off the spirit that was upon him
and gave it unto the seventy elders, and it
came to pass that when the spirit rested
upon them they prophesied and did not
cease. But there remained two of the men
in the camp; the name Of one was Eldad
and the name of the other was Medad, and
the spirit rested upon them, and they were
of them that were written, but went not out
unto the tabernacle, and they propesied in
the camp. And there rese a young man and
told Moses, and said Eldad and Medad do
prophesy in the camp. And Joshua, the
son of Nun, the servant of Moses, one Of his
young men, answered and said, Ny Lord,
Moses forbid them Moses said unto him,
enviest thou for my sake; would God that
all the Lord people were prophets and that
the Lord would put his spirit upon them
Numbers, 18th chap, 24th, 25th, 26th, 9th,
28th, 29th verses This great man Of God
was no illiberaI narroW-hearted, ignorant,
churlish bigot in religious matters like some
some modern sauans. Peter, the honored
Apostle of Jesus, was impartial and very
liberal christian gentleman, without censO-
robustness save only against religious exelu-
Atonement Then Peter opened his mouth
and said of a truth, I perceive that God is
no respector of persons. But in every na-
ton he that feareth him and worketh right
eousness is accepted with him" Acts, 10th
chap, 34th and 35th verses. 2. Peter per-
mitted every one, under the truth Of inspi-
ration, to choose his own mode Of baptism
in answer to his own good conscience.
" Not the putting away Of the filth Of the
flesh, but the answer Of a good conscience
toward God" The perception of eternal
truth stands clear in this place in giving
fair play, and that no man or men has any
right to choose my mode of baptism. Peter
was no exclusionist in christianity, but was
a bigoted exclusive jew, full of arrogance
ignorance and narrow-heartednes unit II lib
eralized by genuine christianity. Exclusion
| in religion is radicalism in religion-what
one is to politics the other is the same in re-
ligion Paul was no close cOmmunionist
but high-toued, se1fsacrifcing minister oi
/ Christ, and he gloriouslY imbibed the noble
magnanimous sentiments Of christian libe
rality from his divine Master, his remark
upon the qualifications Of disciple for the
sacrament shews him to be such. The per
sonality and singular number constitutes
every man his own judge in this matter
No mode Of baptism from the scriptures i
essential to communion. Close baptism
has about as much sense IN it as clos
communion" and neither has any founda
ton in the scriptures. Not single passag'
can be found to support either of she dog
mas. But let a man examine himself ant
80 let him eat Of that bread and drink 0
that blood" 1st Cor, 1Ith chap. and 28a
verse. Robert Han and Charles SpuEgeOi
are both open communicates and both Bap
tlst preachers.
Exclusive churches constitute despOtism-
viii now prove it. l. For instance, mem
Der Of one Of these exclusive churches Wisl
to withdraw from said church, be makes az
plication for letter Nothing against HI
D moral character, not one word, can be sal