The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1876-02-23

It must be con iessed, however, that their sys-
tenn in this regard needs some kind OF relief
Friends now, as they ever did, begin their
public worship by sitting down in silence
and
WAITING UPON GOD,
with no pre-arranged programme or recog-
nized head, and with perfect liberty to all to
engage in such services as the Spirit may in
dictate. Prayer, preaching, testimony and
song are services owned and blessed of the
Lord, but such is their appreciation of mo-
ments of silence that they are
frequent and protrscted il in them there be
communion with the Lord. They discour-
age the spirit which says in such seasons
don't let the time go to waste" and yet
itual life meetings will not be held entirely
in silence. As to
| SACRED MUSIC
George Fox many times alludes to it in his
writings, but nowhere does he speak against
sacred song when engaged in as the faithful
expression of the soul. Robert Barclay says
in his Apology. prop. XII, sec. 26: "As
to the singing OF psalms, there
will not be need OF any long discourse, for
that the case is just the same as In the two
fess this TO be part of Gods worship, and
very sweet and refreshing, when IL proceeds
from true sense of Gods love in the heart,
and arises from the divine influence of the
spirit which leads souls to breathe forth
sweet harmony, or words suitable to the
present condition." Such is the view taken
by Friends now, and in meetings of
much spiritual life the voice of song
is often heard. They think now, as they
always have, that the expensive and mag
niicent display in churches, to attract
crowd by the fine music. tends to weaken
and not strengthen the cause of Christ. 1t
is stated in the article in your paper that
SIT would be hard to say just what the doc
trine' of this branch Of the Christian church
IL" and 1.-THE different opinions are almost
as numerous as their numbers and are quite
as diverse as their characteristics -
Now, 1 am free to assert that there is not a
body of Christian people in the world who
are more clearly settled in
FAITH AND DOCTRINE,
well defined, and are better united in the
leading principles of evangelical truth than
the orthodox Friends OF to-day. The voice
of the ministry is as the voice of one m an
and sill the people say Amen. They differ
but little from other evangelical churches,
| except in accepting the ordinances
| OF baptism and the supper only in their,
spiritual character. They go, perhaps, fur
Their than most churches in their. acceptance
of the possibilities of divine grace, In its
power to cleanse the heart of the defiling
nature and habits of sin, fill it with love
and kept in perfect obedience to the will
of Christ, by the tullness OF the blessed bap-
tism of the Holy Ghost, but not farther
than many members OF all the churches
who, to day preach holiness 10 the Lord +"
Matters non-essential do in some places
cause little dissensioD, but il is generally
dealt with in such q spirit OF charity, that
liberty of thought and freedom in Christ
through love, is rapidly gaining ground, and
the church Is throwing aside whatever pre-
JUDGE has fastened itself upon 1t. It is
stated that, civilian Penn and George
Whitehead maintained that the doctrine of a
tri-personal God was not found in the scrip
lures, /" and that Penn deniedthat the doctrine
of vlcarious atonement, and justification
by imputed righteousness were taught in
the Bible" Is must be con fessed thai theSs
worthy men said something's, espeui llly ia
their earlier works, that exhloit
WANT OF CLEARNEss
10 their understanding of these great truths.
Penn wrote his SANDY Found twa
Shaker" to which there is the most excep-
ton, az the age of 81, and il is not a matter
of wonder that in the ardor OF debate and
50 young, fail to apprehend the
whole truth. Thirty years later,
with enlarged experience, extended kDowl-
edge. and a heart mellowed with the love OF
Christ, he writes very differently. Again
the Sentinel says: "Their peculiar form OF
CHURCH GOVERNMENT
gives NO power TO any recognized body to
speak for them." While this statement
is in some sense true, 1t is not true that the
', church is without any channel through
which its voice may be heard, or its judg.
> ment taken on matters important to the
3 whole body. When such matters arise IN
q our yearly meeting they are submit
ted TO the sister organizations
before final judgment is reached, and, in
! many instances, a conference Of the yearly
I, meetings has been called to consider such
I matters. In the establishment of new
yearly meeting, the Judgment OF all these
bodies is obtained. Besides there are vari-
} Gus means which tend constantly to keep
Q the church united in one. The commingling
and interchange of ministers from one yearly
s meeting to another, annual eplstles Of
frsternal greeting between all these bodies,
: in which matters OF faith and doctrine are re-
3 iterated, The work and exercise OF the church
8 related and matters OF an unusual charac-
D ter sent forth to all the brethren; the an
s nual general epistle from London-the
{ parent yearly meeting-which is prepared
3 ments of gospel truth, and which
{ finds its way to every family
Q these and other influences tenC
!, constantly to keep the church near together
as one household united in the one faith
But the church Is ready, when the need II
felt, to provide other measures of unity
and as numbers increase and yearly meet
$ ings multiply, the need Of acentral repre-
= sentative organization is felt, aud Is already
a awaiting the judgment of the body.
!, NgHBERs AND STATISTICS.
! "Friends are very Indifferent sbou
their own census, and talk
: no pains to ascertain definitely their owl
strength" This Is mistake. Monthly
!, meetings answer annually questions lik,
, the following, and the answers are. publishes
. with the minutes of the yearly meeting