The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1869-03-31

1SC. his remarks on creeuS ana COnleS-
sions were erroneous, as confession of faith
is only intended as a synopsis of leading
tru tbs to enable those who believe in the
same doctrines to understand each other in
their views of revealed truth, that they may
live together in harmony. All errorists will
say that they take the Bible as their stand
ard. But if you ask them if they believe in
the supreme divinity of Jesus Christ, or the
eternity of future punishments, they will
most probably answer, no.
2nd All do not believe that immersion is
proper and Scriptural mode of baptism.
Sprinkling with water, as sign of cleansing
and of dedication, was practised from the
days of Moses in the Jewish Church, and
was adopted into the Christian Church as a
rite well understood 1t is intended to re-
present the necessity of the Spirits purify
ing influences, which are always described as
pouring out, shedding forth" ''fal-
ling upon" and are, in no instance, spoken
of as an immersion.
3rd. His plan would have excluded the
precious privilege of infant baptism, the
sign and seal of that covenant in which the
Lord promises that he will be our God and
the God of our offspring.
1t was now evident that he was disciple of
Alexander Campbell, who had recently ap-
peared before the public as Reformer.-
The convert from the Cumberland church
united with him, and they seemed disposed
to carry on the Reformation, as they termed
it, as by storm. They boldly took the ground
that the only means of obtaining forgive
ness of sins was immersion. There was
nothing said of the Spirits influences, of re-
pentance, or faith in the Lord Jesus. The
one great point urged was immersion. When
any one came forward to unite with them,
the only questions asked were, Do you be-
ieve that Jesus is the Son of God, and do
you wish to be immersed for the remission of
your sins? These questions being answered
in the affirmative, they were taken to the
river and immersed. Numbers who had
lived careless and immoral lives were per-
suaded to expect salvation by this means
In few weeks forty or fifty were added to
this new order of things. Such was the state
of things for time that l was excluded from
preaching in the town. AS soon, however,
as it was thought prudent, my members sent
me written request to preach to them at
our usual times in the old State-house The
Sabbath before 1 made thisehange, was in
vited as usual to sit in the pulpit by the side
of the Reformer. He was this day more
than ordinarily abusive of others whom he
styled ''sects" He asserted that Presbyte-
rian ministers practised infant baptism, or
"baby sprinkling," as he called it, alone for
the purpose of increasing their numbers, and
thereby obtaining temporal support
" But" said he, 81 do not wish you to take
my word for it, Here he drew from his
pocket pamphlet and read what he pro-
fessed to be quotation from DR.. Mason,
of New York, proving all he had said. He
went on to say, that the Presbyterian Church
held that the civil government should be un-
der the control of the Church, and that its
were laboring to have it so; and to
prove what he said, he professed to read from
our Form of Government an extract in ac-
cordance with his statement.
AS soon as he concluded his remarks, he
tnrned to me with great apparent regard,
and asked me to conclude with prayer. That
was one of the times l did not feel disposed
to pray just then. l rose and remarked to
the congregation that was willing for them
to judge if Presbyterians were so unprinci-
pied as to profess to perform divine ordi-
nance when their only object was pecuniary
gain-that as to the quotation, said to be
from DIR. Mason, would deny it as his until
shown from his own works. That as respected
our views on civil government, | would let
them hear it from our Confession of Faith
that afternoon. l then announced that on
the next Sabbath and onward | would preach
in the forenoon at the State-house. The
DR.. rose and expressed his profound regret
that his brother at his side should have taken
exceptions to anything he had said; and he
was exceedingly grieved to hear of his inten-
tions to preach to his OWL church apart from
his congregation. He had great esteem for
the Presbyterisns, and wished them to re-
main with his people. He hoped | would
recall my appointment, and occupy his church
in the forenoon thanked him, but repeat
ed the statement that should preach at the
place mentioned. He then remarked that he
would attend there also, and requested his
members to do so likewise.
That afternoon invited him into the pull
pit with me, and when the congregation had
assembled, reached him our Confession of
Faith, and requested him to read the I'd Sec
ton of chapter 8th, Form of Government,
in which it is expressly stated that the
Church sought not to possess any civil juris-
diction, &c. He arose and read the section,
thus fatty contradicting his own statement
and quotation in the forenoon. This was the
last of our intercourse. In the future we
met by ourselves. The DR.. delivered his
heterogeneous church into the hands of the
quondam Cumberland preacher, and left the
L. In q fo,u rnnnths thnir nhnrch mann