human race, all of whom need it, and it is in every respect adapted to the circumstances and wants of all. To the disciples of Christ the work is committed of preaching the gospel to every creature. What form of church polity is best adapted to fulfil this great commission? The true answer to this question will furnish the best practical test by which the comparative merits of different forms may be determined. Fruit is the end to be attained in the planting of churches. For, as of individual Christians, so of churches, "Herein is my Father glorified that ye bear MUCH FRUIT; so shall ye be my disciples; "—or my churches.

That form of church polity will be found to embody the greatest proportion of active elements for moral influence, in which these four things unite, viz: 1. Where a church is composed wholly of converts, who unite with it as volunteers. 2. Where the line is most distinctly drawn between the converted and the unconverted. 3. Where spreading the gospel is made the common work of all, as the leading object in joining the church; and, 4. Where each church is permitted and encouraged, as a distinct independent body, to enlist the voluntary energies of all its members, to advance the cause of Christ in its own way; or, in other words, to be a perfect candlestick to shed forth the light of truth upon the world. All these conditions are violated by every theory of ecclesiastical catholicism, or of national, diocesan, or of geographical churches. The Pædobaptist scheme, in every form, virtually sets aside the principle of voluntary church membership, and abolishes the line of separation between the church and the world. The idea that the infant seed of believers sustain some peculiar relation to the church, in virtue of the faith and membership of their parents, forestalls voluntary discipleship, mingles up the sanctified and the unclean, and weakens the sense of personal obligation to spread the gospel. These conditions all unite in churches constituted and governed according to the principles here advocated, and in no other.

Churches constituted on these principles give scope to the voluntary energies of the entire body of disciples. They show to the world a sample of what they desire all men to become. Every one may know what they call the body of Christ. They have the opportunity to convince

the world, by experiment, how much better and happier is a community of Christians than of sinners. With a polity and government immeasurably superior to that which civil states have ever been prepared to adopt, they may illustrate the superior felicity and moral elevation which the human race would attain, if all were prepared, by the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Spirit, to govern themselves by the laws of Christ. Such a society of men, "not of the world," but "chosen out of the world," still living in the world, yet above ita type of the heavenly state, is precisely what the unconverted world needs, as a living illustration of the practical value of that religion whose mission on earth is to redeem, to sanctify, and to save men, and to reform the world.

Nor are these energies, when concentrated in great public meetings, wasted in debates on questions of mere church politics. If Baptist churches see fit to unite their efforts for the salvation of the world, they meet by their pastors and elders, or delegates, in a voluntary union, for that single purpose. They have no laws or canons to enact, amend, or repeal, because each church takes the laws of Christ alone, as understood by itself, for its government. There are no preachers to be appointed or removed, because each church chooses its own. There are no cases of alleged delinquency to try, because each church attends to all such matters for itself. An association, convention or missionary union, having no control whatever over the doctrines, the fellowship, or the proceedings of any church, has nothing but the want of piety or of good sense in its members, to divert its entire energies from the great work of evangelizing the world. What can be a more glorious sight than a large assemblage of the pastors of well-governed and devoted churches, met together with their elders and wise men, not to settle disputes among themselves, nor among their churches, but to confer on the great subject of preaching the gospel to all mankind, in obedience to the last command of Christ?

The power of the ministry is greater for good, and less for evil, in churches governed by these principles. They put no limit, nor offer any check to the influence of a good A minister of eminently holy life, sound doctrine,

man.

of powerful intellect, subduing eloquence, ardent zeal, and great power of labor, may extend his influence far and wide. Mere official eminence above other ministers could add nothing to his power of doing good; but on the contrary, might make him an object of envy, or of jealousy, or might expose him to be puffed up with pride. To be the successful and beloved pastor and preacher of one church, is as high an exaltation as is safe for any minister, and offers as much scope for usefulness as any one needs. But should a minister prove too fond of power, of show, or pleasure, or of worldly applause, or become heterodox,-if he should become a bad man, openly or secretly, he has no official eminence to sustain him while he might spread the taint of heterodoxy, or immorality, over a whole diocese.* Under a system of church government by which such a man cannot be deposed, nor tried, nor even presented for trial by the "clergy" and people of his charge, but only by the "House of Bishops," a crafty man would render it very difficult, if not impossible, for his people to bring the necessary proof against him.t

For examples of the continuance of notoriously intemperate and corrupt prelates in office long after their indecencies were publicly known, the recent cases of the deposed and suspended Bishops of the Episcopal dioceses of Pennsylvania and New York are sadly in point."

+ Without designing to make any invidious comparisons, it may be proper to illustrate this point by reference to some other religious bodies. The "Protestant Episcopal Church" in this country holds a General Triennial Convention, and in each state there is an annual "Diocesan Convention." In both cases there are three legislative bodies, and the concurrence of all is essential to any enactment, viz., the "House of Bishops," the "House of Clerical," and the "House of Lay Delegates." The two latter may deliberate and vote together or separately, as they choose. At every meeting much time is spent in debating and voting on matters which any church of ordinary intelligence would regulate much better for itself. Questions as trifling as the dress of the clergy often occupy much time, while the work of evangelizing the world is scarcely mentioned.

Recently, a Bishop (prelate) was accused of improper and indecent behaviour. A court of Bishops was summoned from all parts of the United States to try him, when there were ministers enough in his own city far better qualified in all respects, for the duty. After several weeks he is found guilty and is sentenced to suspension from all the functions of his office for an indefinite period of time, and the court dissolves. The consequence is, that the diocese being without a Bishop, no" clergy" can be ordained, no persons can be "confirmed" or received to the communion, no prayer books can be printed, because it is necessary that they should receive the official sanction of the Bishop, and it is even maintained that the Bishop, while under sentence of suspension, cannot resign his office, that being an official act; and yet the court which suspended him is out of being, and cannot, if it would, remove the sentence! The Bishop, therefore, must remain perpetually suspended, and the diocese must suffer the consequences till relieved by his death, or till a new canon is enacted to remove

Churches, conformed to these principles do not often become apostate and corrupt. It is true that unconverted persons may be admitted into churches, and to baptism, even when the assembled body, with the help of the ministry, are the judges of application for admission. But it must be allowed that this plan affords the best safeguard against the intrusion of improper persons. All experience and history shows that a departure from this principle is sure to introduce corruption, and lead to general apostacy. The corruption of the Romish hierarchy is notorious. The English church establishment, though including many good men, holds a sad rivalry with her mother. The want of government patronage, and the influence of other religious bodies, prevents the Episcopal body in this country from going to the same extent. Even the Congregationalists of New England, with all their piety and orthodoxy, their virtue and intelligence, could not retain their purity and soundness in departing from this principle. The practice of introducing infants to some relation to the church, either involving membership or making it a matter of course, on the faith of their parents, in connection with the "Half-way Covenant," was the principal cause of the apostacy of many of their churches. Whereas, although Baptist churches have sometimes become extinct, like the seven churches in Asia, yet an existing apostate one can hardly be found.

But if these dangers exist where the temptations to vanity and ambition are small, and where the strictest measures to prevent the intrusion of improper persons are adopted, what must be the case where no such safeguards are provided? *-where motives to ambition and rivalry exist in the very structure of the body itself? -where even the ministry presents motives to ambition

the difficulty, if indeed an ex post facto law is admissible in such cases! In the meantime parties are formed, feelings embittered, and a numerous and wealthy body of professed disciples of Christ are doing nothing to send abroad the blessed gospel, but much to bring it into reproach at home.

* It was affirmed without contradiction not long since, in a leading Episcopal print, that in the "diocese" of New York, neither law nor usage recognized any other church, than the pewholders of their respective places of worship. They choose their clergy, and they, with the clergy, elect the Bishop, and these bodies together enact all the canons, perform all discipline, and decide questions relating to doctrine and practice! A church composed of believers does not exist, even in theory, nor a ministry chosen by believers!

*

and rivalry? On the contrary, if the piety, the orthodoxy, the whole Christian experience and life of every candidate is freely and fully investigated in open church meeting, previous to baptism, the danger of improper admissions is much less.

But if the tendencies to corruption were equal, there is another consideration which should deter every friend of pure religion, or of human improvement in any sense, from lending his influence to sustain extensive religious establishments calling themselves churches, or "the church; " and that is, their great power for evil when they become corrupt. Who can compute the immense mischief-the blighting, deadening, damning influence of apostate Rome? Arrogating to her hierarchy of unscriptural orders, the title of "Catholic Apostolic Church," and "only true church," her deeds show her to be the "Mother of harlots and abominations of the earth." Her emissaries of falsehood are in every clime, tainting and poisoning the morals and religion of the people, and her resources for the propagation of iniquity seem absolutely exhaustless. Her funds are the price of indulgences for committing sin! The reading of God's word she prohibits-where she has power, she commits it to the flames, and gives the people masses, written in an unknown tongue, in its stead! Wherever she has power, she enforces her iniquitous commands by the penalties of horrid tortures, by imprisonment, confiscation, and death! The whole story of her abominations can never be told.

What mischiefs would have been prevented, had that corrupt establishment long since been swept away! or rather, had it never come into being. And it could not, had the principles here advocated been faithfully adhered to. Or if an apostacy equally extensive had taken place among churches constituted according to these principles, it would not have cursed the earth with the continuance of a monster of iniquity and cruelty unparalleled in the annals of barbarism.

*The apostle declares, "He that desireth the office of a bishop desireth a good work." Now if the word "bishop" means prelate, it is right for every minister to desire to be a prelate, and to use means to be one. If it means, as some Episcopal writers say," the second grade of the ministry," then that office is to be desired as a good work, and not that of a prelate. If it is right to have prelates, it is right for ministers to desire to be prelates; as did the ambitious disciples, in disputing who should be the greatest."

VOL. XI.-NO. XLI.