New-York tribune., 1874-10-26
A BAPTIST CONTROVERSY.

RESULTS OF THE CLOSE COMMUNION
WITHDRAWAL OF THE CHEESEMAN'S BAPiis' o"oNoi ,
FRoM THE AssoUAUoN-A si"Nifi|AN' ~
FRoM TIE PASTOR OF THE MAnei "'
CHURCH. -
Thore has recently been good deal OF con-
among Baptist churches In regard W t"c q"
.,on of omen or close communion Among 'hose s"s-
,sc,ed Of having q leaning toward open communion Is
the Rev Reuben Jeffrey d. d. pastor or the marcy ave-
nue. Baptist Church. On account OF his having
wear or two ago. for the courteous treatment py ho
church OF the Rev. Geo. Pentecost then OF Brookvn'
who had in transcribed the Baptist usaees
of close communion Dr. jeffrey incurred the dspieasue
OF some OF the Baptist ministry, and the Rev. D. "
Fulton, D. d. demanded that he should leave the
Baptist denomination at that time, ana mas preSseu
the matter since Dr. Jeffrey has disclamed the wish
20 agate the subject and has declared that ne was i'll
the main in sympathy with the denomination During
the past year Dr. Futon through the press and other
wise has attacked orthodoxy of Dr. Jeffrey and the
impression has created the Long Island Baptist
Association that the newly organized Marcy Avenue
Church, OF which DR.. Jeffrey is pastor, ought not
to be received in fellowship by that Associa-
tion. At meeting Of the Association last
week the Marcy Avenue Church applied for
admission the application met with such strenuous
opposition that the delegates OF the church withdrew IL
before vote on the question was reached Since the
meeting of the association the Gethsemane Church. in
which the meeting was held, has withdrawn from tho
association on account 1t sad Of the MarceyAvenue
and Lee Avenue churches The Lee Avenue church was
excluded the association last week on aecounto1 w
liberal principles. In order to let his position be
known Dr. Jeffrey has written the following let
ter which he read to his congregation at
The close of the morning services yesterday ::
To THE MARCY AVENUE BAPTIST CHURCH-Dedr
In order to prevent the possibility OF nlsap
prehenslOn take this early opportunity OF declaring
once and for all my attitude on the questions involved
on the moOted matter OF open aud close communion;
Whatever may DC meant by these terms, Tor myseii
emphaticaly and solemnly declare that DeeVe ihat
the prescribed aud imperative terms OF CHRISTIAN dlsc
peship faith in Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
aud submission to baptism the immediate ana pre-
duty of all who sincerely profess sncn ath lhat
baptism consists wholly in the act OF immersion. =,
further believe that the New Testament does not de-
mand further declaration as necessary ior recogl
disciple of Christ aud that the proposition 10
suspend the baptism OF believer upon MIS- previous
pledge TO maintain any inferentla theories aDout no
design OF baptism the relation OF the ordinances or
concerning the attitude which such baptized DeneVers
should MAINTAIN other accredited believers VINO con
ecentiously define the act OF baptism dinerently is a
attempt impose conditions of baptism not authorized
by the Head OF the Church further believe that IN re-
gard such questions each disciple should DC elt 10
exercise of his own liberty 10 form opinions accolu'
ing 10 his own conscientious apprehensons or the teach
tDgs OF the Word OF God and as the spirit o 1ou gives
him understanding -. Ar.
GOSPEL which gdOm OF the trnh and not OF legls
lative enactment to demand by ecclesiastical penalGcs
an opinions which belong solely TO the realm
OF inference and not explicitly commanded ny Tue
revealed terms OF Christian discipleship.
ON all such questions let every man ne fuliy per
suaded in his mind, and let no man judge ano her
fsleth.
And NAV grace mercy, and peace be upon all who
love our Lord Jesus Christ in slucerliy and Truth
REUBEN JEFFREY.