TUNKERS.

A denomination of Seventh-Day Baptists, which took its rise in the year 1724. It was founded by a German, who, weary of the world, retired to an agreeable solitude, within sixty miles of Philadelphia, for the more free exercise of religious contemplation. Curiosity attracted followers, and his simple and engaging manners made them proselytes. They soon settled a little colony, called Ephrata, in allusion to the Hebrews, who used to sing psalms on the border of the River Euphrates. This denomination seem to have obtained their name from their baptizing their new converts by plunging. They are called Tumblers, from the manner in which they perform baptism, which is by putting the person, while kneeling, head first under water, so as to resemble the motion of the body in the action of tumbling. They use the trine immersion, with laying on the hands and prayer, even when the person baptized is in the water. Their habit seems to be peculiar to themselves, consisting of a long tunic or coat, reaching down to their heels, with a sash or girdle round the waist, and a cap or hood hanging from the shoulders. They do not shave the head or beard.

The men and women have separate habitations and distinct governments. For these purposes, they erected two large wooden buildings, one of which is occupied by the brethren, the other by the sisters, of the society; and in each of them there is a banqueting room, and an apartment for public worship; for the brethren and sisters do not meet together even at their devotions.

They used to live chiefly upon roots and other vegetables, the rules of their society not allowing them flesh, except upon particular occasions, when they hold what they call a love feast; at which time the brethren and sisters dine together in a large apartment, and eat mutton, but no other meat. In each of their little cells they have a bench fixed, to serve the purpose of a bed, and a small block of wood for a pillow. They allow of marriages, but consider celibacy as a virtue.

The principal tenet of the Tunkers appears to be this that future happiness is only to be obtained by penance and outward mortifications in this life, and that, as Jesus Christ, by his meritorious sufferings, became the Redeemer of mankind in general, so each individual of the human race, by a life of abstinence and restraint, may work out his own salvation. Nay, they go so far as to admit of works of supererogation, and declare that a man may do much more than he is in justice or equity obliged to do, and that his superabundant works may, therefore, be applied to the salvation of others.

This denomination deny the eternity of

dead have the gospel preached to them by our Saviour, and that the souls of the just are employed to preach the gospel to those who have had no revelation in this life. They suppose the Jewish Sabbath, sabbatical year, and year of jubilee, are typical of certain periods after the general judgment, in which the souls of those who are not then admitted into happiness are purified from their corruption. If any, within those smaller periods, are so far humbled as to acknowledge the perfections of God, and to own Christ as their only Saviour, they are received to felicity; while those who continue obstinate are reserved in torments, until the grand period, typified by the jubilee, arrives, in which all shall be made happy in the endless fruition of the Deity.

They also deny the imputation of Adam's sin to his posterity. They disclaim violence, even in case of self-defense, and suffer themselves to be defrauded, or wronged, rather than go to law.

Their church government and discipline are the same with other Baptists, except that every brother is allowed to speak in the congregation; and their best speaker is usually ordained to be the minister. They have deacons and deaconesses from among their ancient widows and exhorters, who are all licensed to use their gifts statedly.

The Tunkers are not so rigid in their dress and manner of life as formerly; still they retain the faith of their fathers, and lead lives of great industry, frugality, and purity. BAXTERIANS.

The Baxterian strikes into a middle path between Arminianism and Calvinism, and thus endeavors to unite both schemes. With the Calvinist, he professes to believe that a certain number, determined upon in the divine councils, will be infallibly saved; and with the Arminian, he joins in rejecting the doctrine of reprobation, as absurd and impious; admits that Christ, in a certain sense, died for all, and supposes that such a portion of grace is allotted to every man, as renders it his own fault if he does not attain to eternal life.

This conciliatory system was espoused by the famous Nonconformist, Richard Baxter, who was celebrated for the acuteness of his controversial talents, and the utility of his practical writings.

Among Baxterians are ranked both Watts and Doddridge. Dr. Doddridge, indeed, has this striking remark-"That a Being who is said to not tempt any one, and even swears that he desires not the death of a sinner, should irresistibly determine millions to the commission of every sinful action of their lives, and then, with all the pomp and pageantry of a universal judgment, condemn them to eternal misery, on account of these actions, that thereby he may promote the happiness

of others who are, or shall be, irresistibly determined to virtue, in the like manner, is of all incredible things to me the most incredible!"

In the scale of religious sentiment, Baxterianism seems to be, with respect to the subject of divine favor, what Arianism is with respect to the person of Christ. It appears to have been considered by some pious persons as a safe middle way between two extremes.

JUMPERS.

Persons so called from the practice of jumping during the time allotted for religious worship. This singular practice began, it is said, in the western part of Wales, about the year 1760. It was soon after defended by Mr. William Williams-the Welsh poet, as he is sometimes called-in a pamphlet, which was patronized by the abettors of jumping in religious assemblies. Several of the more zealous itinerant preachers encouraged the people to cry out gagoniant-the Welsh for glory-amen, &c., &c., to put themselves in violent agitations, and, finally, to jump until they were quite exhausted, so as often to be obliged to fall down on the floor, or the field, where this kind of worship was held.

WILHELMINIANS.

A denomination in the thirteenth century, so called from Wilhelmina, a Bohemian woman, who resided in the territory of Milan. She persuaded a large number that the Holy Ghost was become incarnate in her person, for the salvation of a great part of mankind. According to her doctrines, none were saved by the blood of Jesus but true and pious Christians, while the Jews, Saracens, and unworthy Christians, were to obtain salvation through the Holy Spirit which dwelt in her, and that, in consequence thereof, all which happened to Christ during his appearance upon earth in the human nature, was to be exactly renewed in her person, or rather in that of the Holy Ghost, which was united to her.

DORRELITES.

A sectary, by the name of Dorrel, appeared in Leyden, Massachusetts, about fifty 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 or the true revelation, which God makes to those whom he raises from spiritual death. The 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

cession 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 worshiped in the same manner as Christ was to be worshiped, as God united to human flesh. This sect was broken up in the following manner:

One of Dorrel's lectures was attended by Captain Ezekiel Foster, of Leyden, a man of good sense, of a strong, muscular frame, and a countenance which bespoke authority. When Dorrel came to the declaration of his extraordinary powers, he had no sooner uttered the words, "No arm can hurt my flesh," than Foster rose, indignant at the imposture he was practising on his deluded followers, and knocked down Dorrel with his fist. Dorrel, in great trepidation, and almost senseless, attempted to rise, when he received a second blow, at which he cried for mercy., Foster engaged to forbear, on condition that he would renounce his doctrines, but continued beating him. Soon a short parley ensued, when Dorrel consented, and did renounce his doctrines in the hearing of all his astonished followers. He further told them, that his object was to see what fools he could make of mankind. His followers, ashamed and chagrined at being made the dupes of such an unprincipled fellow, departed in peace to their homes. Dorrel promised his assailant, upon the penalty of his life, never to attempt a similar imposition upon the people. OSGOODITES.

The Church teaches that among the miraculous powers of every ordained priest, are those of forgiving the sins of such as confess to them, and of changing the bread and wine of the mass into the very body and blood of Christ. The most absolute faith in the literal actual reality of these powers is required of every true believer, and though the individual priest may be a bad man, yet, until formally deposed, he possesses and exercises these delegated powers of the Church by virtue of his holy office.

The Church's doctrine of Sin is worthy of attention. The first division is into original and actual. Of actual sins, seven are capital or deadly: pride, covetousness, lust, gluttony, envy, anger, and sloth. Four deadly sins cry to heaven for vengeance: wilful murder, sodomy, oppression of the poor, and defrauding the laborer of his wages.

The power of working miracles was one of the gifts of the Church, and though now seldom exercised, except in the sacrament, especially of the eucharist and penance, it is still believed to be enjoyed in full plenitude, and is sometimes exercised in the healing of the sick, as it is said to have been formerly in the raising of the dead. Celibacy is enjoined on all persons who enter holy orders, and there are thousands of women as well as men who consecrate their lives to the service of God and to works of charity and mercy. Some of the orders of these we may notice in future numbers.

Next to the worship of the Three Persons of the Trinity, is that of the Holy Virgin, who, according to the fourth and fifth of the Glorious Mysteries, took her place in heaven, and was crowned above all angels and saints. To her, therefore, are continually addressed the most devout supplications, and she is prayed to intercede with her Son as God, and to command him as man, by virtue of her maternal authority. Prayers are also addressed to Michael the Archangel, John the Baptist, the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, and all the Saints, several hundreds in number, whose holiness has given them the right of intercession with Christ in behalf of sin

ners.

The grandest specimens of architecture now existing in the world, are devoted to the worship of God, according to the forms of the Roman Catholic Church. Pictures by the great masters, noble statues, and magnificent plate and jewels, are to be found in many churches. The music is often of a high order, and some of the ceremonies of the Church are of a sublime and impressive cha

racter.

So far as we have been able to judge, by observation, the moral influence of the Roman Catholic Church over its members is usually of a beneficial character. Notwithstanding the celibacy of the priesthood, there is less scandal in regard to them, than in many other

denominations. The members of Catholic churches in this country are generally remarkable for their honesty, chastity, and devotion. So much is this the case, that, to be a member of the Catholic Church, and attend its sacraments, is considered by many employers, who are careful of the morals of their servants, as a sufficient guaranty of honesty and virtue.

The Catholic Church, which appears to have made some progress in this and other Protestant countries, within a few years, expects again to reign supreme over the whole Christian world.

THE GREEK CHURCH.

The separation of the Roman Empire into the Oriental and Occidental, with its two great capitals, Constantinople in the east and Rome in the west, and the elevation of the Bishop of Constantinople to the second rank in the Christian Church, with the differences between the languages and manners of the east and west, led the way to the great schism which has divided it since the fifth century. In 480, sentence of excommunication was pronounced by the Patriarch or Pope of Rome, Felix II., against the Patriarchs of Constantinople and Alexandria, and the Greek Church, as separated from the Roman, dates from that period. A formal union was indeed effected in 510, but two more excommunications, in 733 and 862, widened the breach, and the final aud complete separation of these great branches of the Christian Church was in 1054, when some grievous charges brought by the Patriarch of Constantinople against both the orthodoxy and morality of his western brethren, were answered by Pope Leo IX. by excommunicating him, in a bull of a very severe description.

The principal points in contest, which led to this separation, aside from the differences of language, and manners, and sectional jealousies, were the following:

The Greeks charged the Latins with an innovation upon the original creed, in regard to the Holy Ghost, and in altering the usages of the Church in forbidding priests to marry, repeating the chrism, and fasting on the Jewish Sabbath, the use of unleavened bread at the communion, and eating the blood of animals which had died by strangulation. The Greeks also disputed the sovereignty of the Pope, and though the temporal rulers of the east were anxious to unite with those of the west, to secure their assistance, particularly against the Saracens, the intemperance of zealots on both sides, prevented the success of all their efforts. Neither would yield a jot or tittle of one of the contested points to which we have adverted.

In 1204, the French Crusaders took Constantinople, and the persecutions they inflicted on the Greek Church increased the exasperation of the latter, and though the Emperor