Year: 1869

our writings, VIZ III tnat SerVeCn OIn


er Gods with full belief in doing so


involuntarily worships Me. I am He
who partaketh of all worship, and am


their reward and yet as have shown


the same idea is taught in the New Tes-


lament, though not so manifestly and


distinctly, as other passages have blind


ed men from seeing it.


In the International Convention OF


the Young mems Christian Association,


held at Portland, not long since, DR..


Crosby, of New Y York. as chairman of a


committee appointed to present Scrip


tural rule by which to determine what


churches should be called Evangelical,


reports Evangelical churches 'to be


those who believe in the atoning sacri-


fee of our Divine Lord and Master, Je-


sus Christ, received by faith as the sole


source of salvation from eternal death.


Saying not word about moral charac-


ter, directly or Indirectly, which. as all


know, is the great end Of all religion


and in regard to which our Saviour un-


doubtedly directed the most Of his


teachings.


We are told that this, notwithstand-


ing, was received with great applause,


and unanimously adopted. However,


perceiving afterwards their blunder. no
doubt, the committee again through Dr..
Crosby, the next day, reported the fol-
lowing long, labored and amended dec
laration 1--WE hold those churches to


be Evangelical, which maintaining the
Holy Scriptures to be the only infallible
rule of faith and practice, believe in the
Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten
oc Of &l,o Eokl, of 4 ho
Lord of Lords, in whom dwelleth the
fulness of the Godhead bodily. (and
who was made sin for US, though know.
ing no sin bearing our sins in his own
body on the tree as the only name un-
der heaven among men, whereby we
may be saved from everlasting punish
ment," which we are also informed, was
received with great applause, and adopt
ed unanimously. leaving US to infer that
any other report from the committee
would have been adopted just as read
lily; thereby showing indeed, very
commendable spirit of union, but at the
same time, a perception truly deplor-
able.


On reading this last report, one would
think that it would have been quite suf-
fcient to have permitted those to be
called Evangelical who held the Holy
Scriptures to be the only infallible rule
of faith and practice, without adding
any thing else whatever. And if they
do add they must do it for one or two
reasons: either that what they add is
not taught in books, or being taught
in their opinion, is not so clear that 'sa
man may run and read," but is suscept-
IDLE of argument to the contrary; and as
the first reason must in Justice be dis
carded because evidently opposed to
their belief, we are left to the second,
which must be admitted to be very
one, as men can have no
right to assume to be true, to the exclu-
sion of others from Christian fello w
ship, that which is not by all acknowl-
enged to be plain, or which admits of
any possibility, of other conclusions
We may cofidently assert that however
man may believe, if one now
and then may be found, who is trying
to shut his eyes to the truth, these at
tempts at self deception do not last for
ever wi Ii q man who is in any respect
seeking after God. He must eventual
y either give up his God, or his belief,
and it would be very unphilosophical, as
we'll as uncharitable to suppose that any
great body Of men composing a church,
could occupy this position, and, for all
lime. These are earnest men, and an
earnest mans declared faith in God is
the most earnest ind truth
ul expression Of the soul. and in all ca
'es when differing from those surround
ng him, and the belief in which he was
cared, it is born Of his deepest strug-
yles. If there is any truth in him you
will find it in his declared faith. Here
8 holy ground upon which it is felt to
,e sacrilege to triae.


But the declaration of the convention
ays nothing about the belief in one God,
he great primal article Of Christianity
t speak of the Father and Son, and if
hese are admitted, it leaves US at liber
y to have the faith Of the Hindoo, with
lis incalculable number of Gods, if we
les re it, and we know that the Hindoos,
Ilso believe in these, or Trinity, like
he Christians, and inferior deities by
lntold millions besides. Perhaps, it
nay DE answered, that this great doc
rine was left to the Scriptures to in
orm us of, which we are to receive as
he rule Of our faith and practice, but if
his be SO, why not leave all other points |
o be settled in the same manner


1t says not a word about Baptism Ell
her. How do our Baptist friends like
hat! nothing about the apostolic sue
essiOn; about consubstantiation of the |
Iutherans, about the new birth believed |
n by the Protestant sects. We are
lad to see. however, that it admits at
asst the Sweedenborgians who have
heretofore been left out of the fold, al
hough they do not believe in three per-
ons, but only one, He who came on the
arth, but believe nevertheless, in the
'ather and Son, as characters of the
anne Being.


AS to Everlasting Punishment" this
eport de evangelizes a number of christ
ans already admitted at various places
he second Adventists and Disciples,
nd also many members of other christ
IN churches believe in annihilation and
, punishment. This rule also rules
ut the earley fathers, Origen and Glen
ut, who believe neither in everlasting