A preacher, the other day, I am told, had one of his own infants sprinkled, who is in the custom of immersing those once sprinkled by his brethren!! But this was done to save his sheep from straying into another fold. What an easy and accommodating system has Methodism, when reformed, recently become! Sir, says the preacher, if you want to be converted, come up to the altar, and I will pray for you. And if you will get religion, I will sprinkle, pour, or immerse you; once, or twice, as you please; if you will only put your name down on the list of Methodism, or keep it there, I will accommodate your taste: for, as for myself, I have no conscience about it. In this age, when "Cheap Goods" are in every advertisement, and almost on every sign, it would be well to advertise for proselytes; and to have a few handbills posted in all the public places, such as the following:

'Salvation cheap, and on your own terms.

'You may get religion, now, cheaper than ever. If you will call at such a church, come up to the altar, be prayed for, and enrolled, you may have all the rest on your own terms-sprinkling, pouring, dipping; once, or even twice, for nothing: and according to your faith, not mine, shall it be."

This is in accordance with the facts, at all events; and if it appears rather irreverent, thus to state the matter, let the objector remember, that it is more irreverent to afford an occasion for it: and, that we are warranted in thus sounding the alarm, none, acquainted with the facts before us, will have the temerity to call in question.

EDITOR.

Baptist Convention of Eight Persons.

THREE churches, sending EIGHT delegates, who met to form a new chair for a new Vicar, have had the candor and honesty to publish their proceedings under the following pompous title:

"Minutes of the Baptist Convention, held at the Baptist Church in the Forks of Yough: May 25-26, A. D. 1832."

Such is the title to this affair. Then come the details :-*

"1. In accordance with a resolution, passed by the Redstone Association, at its last annual meeting, and agreeably to previous arrangement among themselves, a number of churches met together for the purpose of preparing a Constitution for a new Association, to be formed of churches located on the north side of the United States' turnpike road, now in connexion with the Redstone Association. And after the delivery of a sermon by Dr. James Estep, the meeting was organized by electing brother John Rush, Moderator, and brother William Shadrach, (previously invited to aid in the council,) Clerk.

2. The object of the meeting being stated, the delegates present were called upon to present their commissions; when the following churches were represented:

Church at Forks of Yough-Represented by James Estep, John Sutton, John $torer, and Nathan Estep.

Loyalhannah Church-George Hunt and Joseph Johnstone.
Turkeyfoot Church-John Rush and Abraham Coleburn.

3. Brethren Estep, Shadrach, and Coleburn, were appointed a committee to draft a Constitution, to be submitted to the Convention to-morrow morning." This "brother Shadrach" was no delegate, it seems; but was invited to aid the council, by whom not reported; and thus his name added made "the Baptist Convention" equal to three times three. To these were afterwards added, by special invitation, three spectators; and so it finally amounted to the number of the twelve Apostles.

The new Constitution, framed by this Convention, as published to the world, is styled, "Constitution of the Monongahela Baptist Association;" the Bill of Rights prefixed to which is the following:

"We declare, That all churches are equally free and independent, and have certain indefeasible rights; which are,-receiving, dismissing, censuring, or expelling their own members; tolerating to improve, or licensing to preach, such of their members as appear in their judgment to have gifts and are divinely called to the work of the ministry; and silencing such of their members as may have been tolerated or licensed to preach, if the case may require. And all and every other power and privilege essentially necessary to the free and regular exercise of gospel discipline, and the well being and happiness of the churches respectively; together with every power, and right, and privilege not hereafter mentioned in this Constitution, shall be and remain entire to the churches forever."

6

The council of twelve have very generously declared that "the churches are equally free and independent." They had, then, we say, better keep themselves so; for if they adopt this constitution, they have sold their birthright for a mess of pottage. They have also certain "indefeasible rights," amongst which is that of "tolerating to improve, or licensing to preach, such of their members as appear to have gifts, and are divinely called to the work of the ministry." But how any can appear to be divinely called," or "to have gifts," unless all are "tolerated" to exhibit what they have, is to me a mystery like that of transubstantiation. Again, who gave the churches the "indefeasible right" to "tolerate those divinely called" and sent, is one of the deep things of the Regular Baptist Confession, the bottom of which our vision cannot reach. The "man of sin," we are told by one Paul, exalted himself above God in presuming to "tolerate" those whom God called. Great toleration, indeed! If those only whom God calls and sends to the work of the ministry are to be "tolerated to improve," the churches now free and independent had better take heed lest they have to "tolerate" something which professes only to "tolerate those divinely called to the work of the ministry," to improve their gifts!!! They have another inalienable right declared, which they had better see how they dispose of; that is, the "licensing to preach" those whom God has called to preach. This is surely an important right; for unless they rightly use this right, those whom God has sent will not be permitted to go! and thus they will withstand God! I do not know that ever the Vicar of Christ pretended to more than this; namely, to examine and license those whom God had called and sent to preach his gospel. The Lord sends so many who are not fit, or affords such dubious testimonials, that the churches are bound to take heed lest the work should not be well done!

Next come the sections of the Constitution of the whole Convention. The two first are chiefly worthy of admiration:

"Sect. 1. This Association shall be known by the name of "The Monongahela Baptist Association," and shall always consist of the representatives of the several churches in union with this body, by them duly chosen.

Sect. 2. This Association hereby receive the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament, as the divine and revealed word of God, and as the only infallible rule of faith and practice; and the Regular Baptist Confession of Faith, adopted by the Philadelphia Regular Baptist Association, September 25, A. D. 1742, as generally expressive of the meaning of these Holy Scriptures."

The Association hereby receives the scriptures. It is better now, than never: though we had hoped, that before this time, they had received the scriptures. But is it hereby only, that is, by this Constitution, that they receive them? Well, it was necessary for them to get some hand, or instrument, to receive the holy scriptures! By faith, was the old-fashioned way of receiving the scriptures; but, in this age of invention, a Convention and a Constitution are the better means of receiving the scriptures!! They regard them, however, as the only infallible rule; but, they wish to have along with them a fallible rule, also, which is only "generally" expressive of the meaning of the scriptures. This is one of the rights of the churches, it seems, to have two rules of faith and practice-a fallible, and an infallible rule! But they have mentioned the fallible rule no less than three times, in the seventeen sections of their Constitution, and the infallible rule only once.

Sections five and eight, fully prove how much more serviceable they intend to make the fallible, than the infallible rule of faith and practice:

"Sect. 5. If any church be suspected of departing from the doctrines or discipline of this Association, as set forth in the Confession of Faith and Book of Discipline adopted by this Association, it shall be competent for any church in the fellowship of this Association to make a representation of such departure to the Association, stating the same in writing, and requesting an investigation. Upon which the Association shall proceed to consider the complaint; and if it shall appear to be well founded, shall make out a copy thereof, and cause it to be delivered, as early as possible, to the church complained of, and appoint the next meeting of the Association for the hearing of the parties."

"Sect. 8. Churches applying for admission into this Association, shall have their petition signed by their Clerk; their faith and practice as a church, agreeing with the Regular Baptist Confession of Faith aforesaid, they shall be received by the Moderator giving their first mentioned representative the right hand of fellowship."

Thus the Baptist Convention of eight, becomes twelve; and thus the twelve become Apostles of the Regular Baptist Confession of Faith, by which churches are to be tolerated, received, and excommunicated!!

And yet, I am told, most of these churches are opposed to the Regular Baptist Confession of Faith: and I do know, that some of this very council are, or were, not long since, opposed to such terms of communion; but that, as they could not get letters of dismission from the Redstone Association without bowing, hat in hand, to the Regular Baptist Confession, they concluded to publish this Constitution, as a

lure, to allure the Redstone Regulars to give them honorable letters of dismission; having it in purpose, as soon as they got said honorable dismission, to make a new Constitution, established upon better premises. For our own part, when such compromises are made, and such expedients adopted, to carry a favorite point, by men professing godly sincerity, it so much weakens our confidence in them, that we hesitate in regarding them as sincere in other professions; for, in spite of our charity, we reason thus: If these conscientious Baptists could deliberately publish such professions of attachment to one order of things, for the paltry consideration of the recommendation of William Brownfield & Co. what would they not do for some more popular consideration? It is too small a reward, gentlemen; or rather, you pay too much for letters of dismission. Where is that sterling, unbending integrity, which you preach as the ornament of christian character? Where that attachment to principle which adorned the first preachers of the gospel, and led them like sheep to the slaughter, rather than compromise an article of their belief, or sacrifice a single principle which bound them to the authority of the great Lawgiver?

But you plead that Paul said, being crafty he "caught the people with guile," and thus, by guile, you would catch the Redstone Association. Sound interpreters of the Apostle's words! You put into Paul's lips, the words of his enemies! Paul admits not the charge. He asks them: Did he, or Titus, or any one he sent them, take them by guile, or make a gain of them? You dishonor Paul, by attributing to him what his warmest opponents ascribed to him. Paul not being here to speak for himself, I feel myself bound to say, for him, that he never admitted, himself, or any of his associates, to act from such principles. If you are about to be crafty, and catch William Brownfield by guile, you may do so, if you can; but, I pray you, bring not Paul into the plot, for he has no hand in it. You may expect that notice will be taken of your course by your very candid friend, the EDITOR.

CO-OPERATION.

IT is the wish of many of the disciples and friends of the Reformation, in Virginia, that brother Ainslie be kept, during the ensuing year, constantly in the field, doing the work of an Evangelist; and that he have liberty to devote his time, according to his own views of expediency, in such sections of the country as may most need his labors. The present crisis in Virginia requires some man, mighty in the scriptures, to visit the brethren, and to address the public; especially, as there are so many false representations of the views and designs of the brethren who are devoted to the primitive institutions of christianity. We do hope, that the brethren will not forget, as indeed they do not generally, to be fellow-helpers to the truth, by their contributions to the wants of those who labor all the

time in the word and teaching. The churches around Richmond, who are expected to concur in these measures, may find some brother in Richmond to whom they can forward their contributions, who will have an opportunity of communicating to brother Ainslie at proper intervals. Brother William Bootwright is, it is believed, every way competent to attend on this business; and his devotedness to the cause of truth is such as to warrant the hope of his acceptance of this office, and attention to the duties which the brethren may require him to discharge for them. Will you, brother Campbell, as we have no medium of public communication in Eastern Virginia, lay this matter before the brethren, and request their attention to it, and thus oblige the disciples who wish to co-operate in the good work of the Lord? STEPHEN.

The suggestion appears to us every way reasonable, just, and expedient, in the present crisis. If brother Ainslie can be induced to leave his family and devote his whole time to the work of the Lord, the brethren, no doubt, will cheerfully contribute and co-operate, through an agent in Richmond, for his support in the work; and there is none more fitting than William Bootwright, and I think none will more cheerfully attend to it. Brother Ainslie's well-tried faithfulness, experience, and profound knowledge of the oracles of God, together with his extensive acquaintance, eminently qualify him for rendering to the cause of reformation very essential services. For the wise, a single word is enough. EDITOR.

The Apostles' Creed:

By Barnabas, of Gainesborough, Tennessee.

I SOMETIMES look over a number of your Harbinger, if it falls in my way; not, I must admit, in the expectation of receiving much light from it, for I am growing old, and the time past must suffice with me for profitless controversy; nor for the purpose of seeing with how much skill or severity you can manage your opponents, or how much confidence you can manifest in your own cause; but as a matter of curiosity, and to learn, if I can, what are the "human opinions" which are made a bond of union or terms of communion, between yourself and those who adopt (or symbolize with you in) your "opinions." You see I am candid. Professing yourself to be a lover of truth, you, of course, will not like me the less, or refuse to listen to me, on that account.

I wish now to call your attention to something which arrested mine, on page 344 of your Extras, Nos. 4 and 5, dated in August last. "Q. 39. What is an authoritative creed?

"A. An abstract of human opinions concerning the supposed cardinal articles of Christian faith, which summary is made a bond of union, or term of communion.

"Q. 40. Who has made these creeds?