The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1874-07-08

baptized children sustain to the Church, and
that they are not, in the sense which he
teaches, members of the Church. And [
will inform him, furthermore, that the figures
in the reports of our churches to the Presby-
terry, from which the statistical tables of our
General Assembly are made up, showing the
number of communicates admitted, aud the
aggregate of communicates, refer exclusively
to such as have been admitted on profession
of conversion and examination. When we
say, for example, that we have $4,000 COM
municants in Virginia, we refer to this class
exclusively. A separate column in all our
reports shows the number of children bap-
tized. [ claim, therefore, that when DR..
Curry speaks of US, Christian candor requires
him to use language that corresponds with
our usage, and to cease his tiresome and un-
just insnuations about Sacramento grace"
as if we believe any more than he does, or
were tainted with the error which affects so
many of his brethren, that there is regener-
atingOr saving virtue in the application of wa
ter to the body. With the blindness that has
happened to this amiable Christian gentle
man on this subject, in respect to other de-
nominations, there is remarkable weakness
of vision with regard to his own. He seems
never to have realized, in the slightest de-
gree, the widespread contagion which affects
the Baptist Church, and 30 mixes up INNER
sion with regeneration and publication, as to
make it an essential part of the former, and
the object of faith, to an alarming and ruin
Gus extent, in the latter. Those who have
seen the practical effects of immersion in
Virginia, and heard the teachings in Baptist
pulpts, and river sides, and mill ponds, read
DR.. Currys language with amazement, when
he says 10 his letter to DIR. Bennett that Bap-
fists only can "logically sustain the doctrine
of justification by faith" because it necessa-
rily excludes "reliance upon forms, sacra-
mental salvation, and baptsmal regenera-
tion"-for this is the very reliance that weak
ems the Baptist membership in all moral and
spiritual influence to degree most painful
to contemplate. Surely DR.. Curry dwells
in an ecclesiastical Utopia, an imaginary
world, where he sees the Baptist Church and
each member thereof radiant with the light
of truth, and we'll nigh perfection in every
good work. If his theory is true, and the
doctrine he claims is indeed the one gener-
ally maintained, and the connection between
truth and duty is not myth, we ought to
find in the Baptist Church such illustrations
of Christian charity, liberality, knowledge,
purity, and goodness, as to make it pre-
eminently an example for all believers-es-
pecially in humility, the mother of all the
graees.
s dismisaing this part Of nv snSiectI l
goslS add two remarks. /. ! VII sscrite
as's sree ess- asi6ta of ,ls to any-
Ching rather than .ss 81 70 raIslsaa n 'se.
ceive. Possibly he has spent 50 muea Of bis
life in political pursuits, and has SO recently
directed his whole attention to ecclesiastical
affairs, that his mistakes are excusabe on the
ground of want of familiarity with these
subjects. 2. l intend no apology as to the
relations which our baptized children sustain
to our Church rejoice that our late Gen.
eral Assembly, in paper which of itself is
sufficient answer to DR.. Curry, has dis
tinctly acknowledged and defined this reIa-
ton. If our Baptist brethren could get rid
of their dogma of immersion, adopt the out
ward confession of the covenant established
with believers concerning their children,
and introduce that careful system of domes
tic training, catechetical instruction, and re-
gard for the Sabbath which is 80 intimately
associated with the faithful observance of the
covenant, then, indeed, would that Church
acquire strength and enlargement whichitS
superiority of members can never give.
A COUNTRY PASTOR.
TO BE CONTINUED.
Not Ashamed.