mated-because, taken as they are, they form bodies just about large enough for the greatest activity, energy, and unanimity; but if all, or many of them were amalgamated, they would of necessity lose much in these essential particulars. On this point, the remarks heretofore made are deemed sufficient for proof and illustration; but it ought to be taken into view as a consideration of much importance, when we are inquiring in which of the two methods contemplated the cause of God may be most extensively promoted.

The writer has now brought to a close-and he wishes he could have done it in a narrower compass-a statement of the reasons why he believes that the orthodox Christian sects will best consult their own peace and edification, and best promote the cause of God in the world, if, while they retain and carefully cultivate the spirit of brotherly love, and aid and encourage each other in doing good, they maintain their separate standings and distinctive characters-None, it is presumed, will deny that the subject of this essay is important. To the writer it appeared so in the highest degree; and he also thought that a discussion of it would be pe

culiarly seasonable at the present time. He cannot but think that the popular sentiments, relative to this subject, are in several respects incorrect, and their tendency dangerous. He is in a special manner solicitous that the Presbyterian church, to which he belongs, should be aware of its situation and mindful of its duty. It has standards of doctrine, government, and discipline, which its members profess to believe have been derived from the unerring word of God; and if so, they are not to be sacrificed or compromised under the delusive notion that by doing so Christian charity will be consulted and promoted-Every truth and duty taught and enjoined in the word of God is consistent with every other.

The writer also believes that the Presbyterian church is bound to institute and prosecute missions, both domestick and foreign, in her sepa rate and distinctive character, with a responsibility, immediately to herself, of all her missionaries; a responsibility for the doctrines they teach, the labours they perform, and the character they sustain. But this is a topick on which, if permitted, the writer may hereafter offer his thoughts more at large.

FOR THE CHRISTIAN ADVOCATE.

PATRIOTISM IS NOT PIETY.—

The converse of the above position, Mr. Editor, I am willing to admit, and even disposed to maintain-I do maintain that piety is patriotism; nay, that it is the very best patriotism. The truly pious man will, as an inseparable part of his character, love his country, seek to serve it, and to do it all the good in his power. The sacred precept which requires him to love his

Πρεςβύτερος.

neighbour as himself; the benevolence of the gospel which rules in his heart; the Divine injunction which requires him to be subject to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, and his exemplary regard to all the laws of God-will unitedly conspire to render him one of the best members of any commonwealth to which he may belong. The fervent and effectual prayers, moreover, which he will constantly offer up for the Divine blessing on his country, and on its

rulers and legislators, and in answer to which this blessing is often in fact conferred on a people, as well as on individuals-this will render him a better citizen, or subject, than any man will ever be without genuine piety: for there can be no equivalent for the blessing of God; nothing that can possibly come in the place of it-to render either a country prosperous, or an individual happy.

But on the other hand, patriotism is not piety. Men may be patriots, and thousands doubtless have been so, from mere worldly views-from an ardent love of liberty; from a natural and strong attachment to country-the place of their birth, the land of their fathers; from a regard to their own future welfare and prosperity, and that of their descendants and friends; from the love of fame, distinction and renown-that their names may be blazoned while they live, and may descend with honour to future generations. Patriotism (in perhaps nine cases out of ten) actually proceeds from these feelings and motives; and from these principles men may live and act with an incorruptible integrity, and may obtain, and richly deserve, the confidence, the honours, the offices, and the applause of their country, and may have their memory embalmed as benefactors of that country, at and after their death. Nay, sir, I do for myself believe, that when men serve their country faithfully and eminently, from no higher motives than those last mentioned, God often, in a most remarkable manner, gives them their reward in this life. He gives them what they seek and prize-the wealth, the confidence, the love, the applause of men.. But will he give them what they never sought, and never prized? his favour beyond the grave, the eternal enjoyment of himself in that heavenly world, in regard to which he has declared that "except a man be born again VOL. IV. Ch. Adv.

he cannot see it"-Cannot, because he has no preparation for it, and could not enjoy it if admitted there; as well as because he has never possessed that vital union with the Saviour, by which alone any one becomes entitled to the heavenly inheritance; and therefore if admitted there, would be admitted in violation of the truth and justice of God.

Mr. Editor, I wish to state plainly, that I have been led to make these remarks, in consequence of what I have heard much of, and seen much of, in newspapers and pamphlets, within a month past, relative to those two illustrious patriots, who expired on the late Jubilee of the American Union. I honour them as much as any man, and rejoice as much as any man, in seeing that they receive the praise which they so richly merited, by the services which they rendered to their country. But I solemnly protest, as a Christian, against the fashionable practice of representing that a place in the heavenly world has been awarded, and must in justice be awarded to them, because they were patriots of unrivalled worth and eminence. Do I then undertake to say that they have not been admitted to heaven? God forbid. I have no right to say this, in regard to them, nor to any of my fellow sinners. I know not what God may have done in preparing any man, even in his expiring moments, for his blissful presence. I have no right, and I disclaim it utterly, to pronounce unfavourably on the future destiny of any individual of my race. We cannot tell, as our Saviour could, whether a man is, or is not, a son of perdition." But this I do say, that my Bible teaches, and I firmly believe, that "except a man be converted, and become as a little child, he shall in nowise enter into the kingdom of heaven." Whatever services a man may have performed for the benefit of his country, or his race, 3 E

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they will not entitle him, on the ground of merit, to a throne in heaven-To teach this is downright deism; it is broad infidelity; and I exceedingly grieve to see that there is so much of it current in our country. It will never be by his own merit, but only for the merit's sake of our Lord Jesus Christ, that a mansion in glory will be assigned to the best man that ever livedAnd truly rejoiced was I, to see this truth distinctly recognised by the only surviving subscriber of the Declaration of American Independence, the venerable Mr. Carroll. Be he Roman Catholick, or whatever else he may be nominally, in this he speaks to my ear like a true Christian, and I hope he is one. It is inward principle, and not outward action, on which a man's character depends, in the sight of the all seeing and heart searching Jehovah. If a man does important services to his fellow men in his day and generation, from a principle of true love to God, as well as man, he will receive a heavenly reward. If not, he may, as already intimated, have his reward in this world, but he will have none in the world to come.

A PLAIN CHRISTIAN.

FOR THE CHRISTIAN ADVOCATE.

TRANSATLANTICK RECOLLECTIONS.

No. VIII.

“Forsan et hæc olim meminisse juvabit."

Perhaps some may have thought that I spoke too warmly in my last communication, on the subject of permitting those to remain within the pale of our church who are opposed to our standards of doctrine and discipline; and surely this is to be expected from those who think that a man may warrantably overturn the system of our church, provided that he does it in a brotherly

manner. But how differently did David feel, when he complained so pathetically, on the treatment of such a brother: "Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me."

I feel and speak, Mr. Editor, on this subject from experience; and whatever I have said, or shall say, was and will be intended, not to hurt the feelings of any of God's people, but solely for the peace and purity of God's church.

A number of years have now elapsed, and their transactions are long ago recorded in Heaven, since certain members of the General Synod of Ulster, in the north of Ireland, complained that their consciences were grieved and burdened, by reason of being obliged to adopt "a Confession of Faith." They spoke fluently and pathetically, and they spoke with effect, on the hardship of being necessitated to adopt a human and therefore a fallible Confession of Faith, when they had the Holy Scriptures, in all their fulness and purity, to which they were willing at any time to subscribe. Neither, they observed, did those unerring records of Heaven require or impose such a duty upon them; and surely it was hard that brethren should impose a task upon their consciences which was not required by the law of God, and which to them was difficult to bear. They did not wish to be understood as insinuating any disrespect to the Synod's Confession of Faith, or that it contained a single doctrine

which was not to be found in the Bible; but the Bible was the religion of Protestants, and by the Bible alone they wished to be bound. To say the least, the Confession of Faith was useless, and in some cases it might be injurious. If it contained nothing but what the Bible contained, where was its use? And if it contained less or more, its tendency was damnable, the Scriptures being the judge. And who! oh who!

dare say that man, partial, ignorant, fallible man, could compile any synopsis which would exactly embody the mind of the Spirit of God? Looking upon it in this light, then, they believed, nay, they were assured, that their brethren in Christ Jesus would not impose upon them as a duty, what must of necessity grieve their consciences, and perhaps endanger their final salvation; especially as they adhered to the doctrines and discipline of the Presbyterian Church.

The appeal was too much for the Synod. Some of its most guileless and holy members took the part of the appellants. They indeed revered, and ever should revere, and hold by the "Confession of Faith," as the palladium of their church's safety and glory. They thought, indeed, that there was illogical reasoning in their brethren's arguments; but since they held the same faith, and pledged themselves to support the same church government, and since their consciences were so laudably tender-for it was certainly a laudable tenderness to be afraid of adding or deducting from the word of God-and since they were willing to pledge them selves to admit none but such as should be Presbyterians in doctrine and discipline into the church, they would move," that it should be voluntary with the respective Presbyteries of the Synod, to require their candidates to subscribe or not to the Confession of Faith. This, after some debate, was carried, at least in substance; and from that time until lately, the Synod was divided into subscribing and non-subscribing Presbyteries.

But what was the result of this? Oh! it is a tearful tale, but it is a true one, that Arianism and Socinianism, and, indeed, the admission of every error into the church, was the consequence. Yes, and some of the very men too who pleaded so warmly for the exemption, because

their consciences forsooth were so tender, were at that moment Arians and Arminians in their heart. Immediately after it was known that such a Presbytery was a non-subscribing one, the heterodox of all kinds and grades flocked to it, and as they believed the Bible, and were willing to subscribe to all its doctrines, they were admitted without controversy, however gross or erroneous were their sentiments. But great as was the defection, there were many men in the Synod, and several Presbyteries, that did not "bow the knee to Baal," and, for the sake of those, God was pleased to continue to be merciful to them. It is supposed that the "Presbytery of Antrim," a body avowedly Arian, had a hand behind the scenes, in bringing about the above event. Hence, the non-subscribers began to be looked upon by them as brethren; the licentiates of those Presbyteries began to be eligible to the congregations of the Arian Presbytery; and, finally, they became so bold as to avow heresy in almost all its forms. Their boldness, however, was fatal to them; for when "the enemy began to come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord lifted up a standard against him." After things had remained in this situation for some years, Dr. Bruce, of Belfast, famous for his talents and erudition, but infamous for his heretical opinions, published a volume of Sermons, in the introduction of which he exultingly announced, that "Arianism was making slow but certain progress in the Synod of Ulster."

This scandalous charge immediately fired the zeal of the orthodox party; they came out the very next Synod in their might, or rather in the might of their God and of his Christ, and they not only carried a motion, giving the lie direct to Dr. Bruce's assertion, but repealed their former law, which gave permission to Presbyteries to omit

at discretion a subscription to the Confession of Faith."

I believed, at the time this privilege was granted, that its tendency would be fatal, and subversive of the peace and purity of the church; but some did not think so, and were willing to try it, who have since seen their error, and have deeply repented of their concession. This, then, is "an evil under the sun," which I have seen in my own days; and I have simply related it as I have seen it. I do not pretend to say that it is calculated to teach us any thing more important, than if I had informed you that the consequence of a child's putting his hand into the fire was that he got it burned; for to me the event, in either case, was equally to be expected; and yet I thought it proper to record it among my Recollections, as at least a memorable era in the Irish Synod. Presbyterianism in Scotland and in the north of Ireland, is substantially the same, though differing in many respects widely, from Presbyterianism in this country. I wish to be understood, particularly in what I shall say in future upon this subject, as having reference to the "Associate Reformed Synod of Ireland." This body comprised something more than one hundred congregations, at the period to which these Recollections allude; to which they have added since, by Missionary exertions, perhaps ten or twelve others, eight of which have already settled and installed Pastors. In this Synod there is nothing preached but the doctrines of the Confession of Faith. Its most critical and insidious enemy might travel from congregation to congregation through all its bounds, and I would defy him to say, that there was one man unfaithful to the standards of his church. The doctrine which he would hear from one pulpit, he would hear echoed and reechoed in all its fulness and purity from all. It differs then from this

country in this-that you will not hear Hopkinsianism here, Arminianism there, and Calvinism in a third place; but in all and each, the pure and simple doctrines of the New Testament. This is the difference as to the preachers. As to the people, there is still a greater difference. Brought up from infancy to know and respect religion, its doctrines are familiar to them, and these doctrines, as might be expected, they love just in proportion to their knowledge of them. Hence, no sermonizing is so popular as that which enlightens while it feeds, and feeds while it enlightens the soul. They literally love to hear the strictest doctrine of the church, however humiliating to human pride, in its plainest garb. So much is this a fact, that I do conscientiously believe that no sermon would be so popular with them, as an able and lucid exposition of the peculiar and discriminating doctrines of grace. Their motives in going to church seem, in some measure, essentially different from many who belong to the Presbyterian congregations of America. Their primary motive is, to render thanks to God for the mercies of the past; to lament their iniquities, and to implore their Heavenly Father, for Christ's sake, to pardon what his pure eyes have seen amiss; and to grant them spiritual strength to guide and direct them in future. As subordinate to this, they go to receive spiritual information. They expect their minister to be a man "mighty in the Scriptures," able to unfold their doctrines, and to deduce those practical lessons from them, which are so cheering and consolatory to the drooping spirit; and hence, they go as learners to receive information. Nothing is less expected than a sermon to arouse the feelings, without enlightening the understanding: in fact, they are Christianized, if I may so speak, not by the instrumentality of