Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, after a public, sincere, and intelligent confession of the faith in Jesus, as necessary to admission to the privileges of the kingdom of the Messiah, and as a solemn pledge on the part of Heaven, of the actual remission of all past sins and of adoption into the family of God.

The Holy Spirit is promised only to those who believe and obey the Saviour. No one is taught to expect the reception of that heavenly Monitor and Comforter as a resident in his heart, till he obeys the gospel.

Thus, while they proclaim faith and repentance, or faith and a change of heart, as preparatory to immersion, remission, and the Holy Spirit, they say to all penitents, or all those who believe and repent of their sins, as Peter said to the first audience addressed after the Holy Spirit was bestowed after the glorification of Jesus, "Be immersed, every one of you, in the name of the Lord Jesus, for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." They teach sinners that God commands all men every where to reform or to turn to God; that the Holy Spirit strives with them so to do by the apostles and prophets; that God beseeches them to be reconciled through Jesus Christ, and that it is the duty of all men to believe the gospel and turn to God.

The immersed believers are congregated into societies according to their propinquity to each other, and taught to meet every first day of the week in honor and commemoration of the resurrection of Jesus, and to break the loaf which commemorates the death of the Son of God, to read and hear the living oracles, to teach and admonish one another, to unite in all prayer and praise, to contribute to the necessities of saints, and to perfect holiness in the fear of the Lord.

Every congregation chooses its own overseers and deacons, who preside over and administer the affairs of the congregations; and every church, either from itself or in co-operation with others, sends out, as opportunity offers, one or more evangelists, or proclaimers of the word, to preach the word and to immerse those who believe, to gather congregations, and to extend the knowledge of salvation where it is necessary, as far as their means extend. But every church regards these evangelists as its servants, and therefore they have no control over any congregation, each congregation being subject to its own choice of presidents or elders, whom they have appointed. Perseverance in all the work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope is inculcated by all the disciples as essential to admission into the heavenly kingdom.

Such are the prominent outlines of the faith and practices of those who wish to be known as the disciples of Christ; but no society among them would agree to make the preceding items either a confession of faith or a standard of practice; but for the information of those who wish an acquaintance with them are willing to give at any time a reason for their faith, hope and practice. (See Appendix, Note E.)

The

A sectary, by the name of Dorrel, appeared in Leyden, Mass. about forty years ago, and made some proselytes. The following are some of his leading sentiments. Jesus Christ is, as to substance, a spirit, and is God. He took a body, died, and never rose from the dead. None of the human race will ever rise from their graves. The resurrection, spoken of in Scripture, is only one from sin to spiritual life, which consists in perfect obedience to God. Written revelation is a type of the substance of the true revelation, which God makes to those, whom he raises from spiritual death. substance is God revealed in the soul. Those, who have it, are perfect, are incapable of sinning, and have nothing to do with the Bible. The eternal life, purchased by Christ, was an eternal succession of natural generation. Heaven is light, and hell is darkness. God has no wrath. There is no opposition between God and the devil, who have equal power in their respective worlds of light and darkness. Those, who are raised, are free from all civil laws; are not bound by the marriage covenant; and the perfect have a right to promiscuous intercourse. Neither prayer, nor any other worship is necessary. There is no law, but that of nature. There is no future judgment; nor any knowledge in the future state, of what is done in this world. God has no forethought, no knowledge of what passes in the dark world, which is hell, nor any knowledge of what has taken place, or will take place in this world. Neither God nor the devil has any power to control man. There are two kinds of perfection, that of the head, and that of the members. The leader is perfect as the head; but none of his followers can be so, in this sense, so long as the leader continues. All covenants, which God has heretofore entered into with man, are at an end; and a new covenant made with the leader, (Dorrel,) in which he has all power to direct, and all the blessings of which must be looked for through him. Neither Moses, nor Christ wrought any miracles. I (says Dorrel) stand the same as Jesus Christ in all respects. My disciples stand in the same relation to me, as the disciples of Christ, did to him. I am to be worshipped in the same manner as Christ was to be worshipped, as God united to human flesh.-(See Massachusetts Spy, 1798.)

EMANCIPATORS.

THIS body of Christians was formed in Kentucky in 1805, by the association of a number of ministers and churches of the Baptist denomination. They differ in no respect from the regular Baptists, except in the decided stand they have taken against slavery, in every branch of it, both in principle and practice, as being a sinful and abominable system, fraught with peculiar evils and miseries, which every good man ought to abandon and bear his testimony against. Their desires and endeavors are, to effect, as soon as it can be done, and in the most prudent and advantageous man

Job 6: 14.-29: 11.
Eccl. 4: 1.-5: 8.

Ps. 12: 5.-103: 6. Isa. 1: 16.-33: 15.

ner both to the slaves and to their owners, the general and complete emancipation of this numerous race of enslaved, ignorant, and degraded beings, who are now, by the laws and customs of the land, exposed to hereditary and perpetual bondage. See Exod. 3: 7, 9.—10: 3.-6: 2.—21: 2, 16. Levit. 19: 18. Deut. 15: 12, 18.-23: 15.-24 : 7. Prov. 16: 8.-22: 16. 58: 6. Jer. 5: 26.-21: 12.-22: 13.-34 : 10, 11, 17.—50: 33, Ezek. 18: 5, 9.-22: 29.-27: 13. Mal. 2: 10. Matt. 5: 7.--7: 12. Rom. 12: 9. 1 Cor. 7: 23. Gal. 5: 13. 1 Tim. 1: 10. Heb. 13: 3. Jas. 2: 13.-5: 4. 2 Pet. 2: 2. 1 John 4: 20. Rev. 18: 11, 13.

34.

6.

Dan. 4: 27. Joel 3: 3,

Luke 4:

Col. 4: 1.

18.--6: 36.

The Emancipators say to Christians of all denominations in the United States, in the words of an eloquent philanthropist, "Banish from your land the remains of slavery. Be consistent with your congressional declaration of rights. Remember, there never was, nor will be, a period when justice should not be done. Do what is just, and leave the event with God. Justice is the pillar that upholds the whole fabric of human society, and Mercy is the genial ray which cheers and warms the habitations of men. The perfection of our social character consists in properly tempering the two with one another; in holding that middle course which admits of our being just, without being rigid, and allows us to be generous, without being unjust. May all the citizens of America be found in the performance of such social duties, as will secure them peace and happiness in this world, and in the world to come life everlasting.'

EPISCOPALIANS;

OR THE PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

THE religious tenets or doctrines of the Episcopalians are contained in the thirty-nine Articles of their church, and in the book of Homilies, consisting of short moral and doctrinal lessons or discourses. These Articles and Homilies are inserted in all their books of common prayer. In these books the doctrines of the trinity, of the atonement and of the renewal of the heart, by the influence of the Holy Spirit, are as fully expressed as in the confession of faith of any other Protestant denomination.

Candidates for the ministry are not obliged, as in the church of England, to sign the thirty-nine articles, but they are required to subscribe the following declaration: "I do believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be the word of God, and to contain all things necessary to salvation; and I do solemnly engage to conform to the doctrines and worship of the Protestant Episcopal Church in these United States."

"The prejudices which have existed against this church appear to be gradually diminishing, and its beautiful and impressive liturgy,

FREE-WILL BAPTISTS-FRIENDS, OR QUAKERS. 27

its apostolic government, and venerable usages, to be better understood, and more correctly appreciated, than in former years."

The learned and very impartial Grotius, speaking of the service of this church, observes, "it comes so near the primitive pattern, that none of the reformed churches can compare with it." (See Appendix, Note F. Also, Church Government.)

FREE WILL BAPTISTS.

THE first church gathered of this order, was in New Durham, N. H. in the year 1780, principally by the instrumentality of Elder Benjamin Randall, who then resided in that town. Soon after, several branches were collected, which united with this church, and several preachers of different persuasions were brought to see the beauties of a free salvation, and united as fellow laborers with Elder Randall.

They believe, that by the death of Christ, salvation was provided for all men; that, through faith in Christ, and sanctification of the Spirit, though by nature entirely sinners, all men may, if they improve every means of grace in their power, become new creatures in this life, and, after death, enjoy eternal happiness; that all, who, having actually sinned, die in an unrenewed state, will suffer eternal misery.

Respecting the divine attributes of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, they in substance agree with other orthodox Christians. They hold the holy Scriptures to be their only rule of religious faith and practice, to the exclusion of all written creeds, covenant, rules of discipline or articles of organization. They consider that elders and deacons are the officers of the church designed in the Scriptures, and maintain that piety and a call to the work to be the essential qualifications of a minister, without regard to literary attainments. (See Appendix, Note G.)

FRIENDS, OR QUAKERS.

THIS class of Christians arose in England about the middle of the 17th century. They were at first called Seekers, from their seeking the truth; and afterwards Quakers, for directing their enemies to tremble at the word of the Lord. They prefer the more endearing appellation of FRIENDS, which has been transmitted to them by their predecessors. George Fox was the first who publicly advocated their principles. He was born in 1624, and died 1690. Ŏf George Fox, the great and good William Penn says,

"He was a man that God endowed with a clear and wonderful depth, a discerner of others' spirits, and very much a master of his own. He was of an innocent life, no busy body nor self-seeker, neither touchy nor critical. So meek, contented, modest, steady, tender, it was a pleasure to be in his company.

"As he was unwearied, so he was undaunted in his services for God. For in all things he acquitted himself like a man, a new and heavenly minded man, a divine and a naturalist, and all of God Almighty's making. I have been surprised at his questions and answers in natural things, that whilst he was ignorant of useless and sophistical science, he had in him the foundation of useful and commendable knowledge, and cherished it every where.

"Thus he lived and sojourned among us, and as he lived, so he died, feeling in his last moments the same eternal power that had raised and preserved him."

The following is a SUMMARY of the doctrines and discipline of the society of Friends, published in London in 1800, and sanctioned by the orthodox society of Friends in this country.

DOCTRINE. We agree with other professors of the Christian name, in the belief of one eternal God, the creator and preserver of the universe; and in Jesus Christ his Son, the Messiah, and Mediator of the new covenant.

When we speak of the gracious display of the love of God to mankind in the miraculous conception, birth, life, miracles, death, resurrection, and ascension of our Saviour, we prefer the use of such terms as we find in Scripture; and contented with that knowledge which divine wisdom hath seen meet to reveal, we attempt not to explain those mysteries which remain under the veil; nevertheless, we acknowledge and assert the divinity of Christ, who is the wisdom and power of God unto salvation.

To Christ alone we give the title of the Word of God, and not to the Scriptures; although we highly esteem these sacred writings, in subordination to the Spirit, from which they were given forth; and we hold, with the apostle Paul, that they are able to make wise unto salvation, through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

We reverence those most excellent precepts which are recorded in Scripture to have been delivered by our great Lord, and we firmly believe that they are practicable, and binding on every Christian; and that in the life to come, every man will be rewarded according to his works. And further it is our belief, that, in order to enable mankind to put in practice these sacred precepts, many of which are contradictory to the unregenerate will of man, every man coming into the world is endued with a measure of the light, grace, or good spirit of Christ; by which, as it is attended to, he is enabled to distinguish good from evil, and to correct the disorderly passions and corrupt propensities of his nature which mere reason is altogether insufficient to overcome. For all that belongs to man is fallible, and within the reach of temptation; but this divine grace, which comes by him who hath overcome the world, is to those who humbly and sincerely seek it, an all-sufficient and present help in time of need. By this, the snares of the enemy are detected, his allurements avoided, and deliverance is experienced through faith in its effectual operation; whereby the soul is translated out of the kingdom of darkness, and from under the power of Satan, into the marvellous light and kingdom of the Son of God.