This last installment is part of a series that reached up to part 4. We apologize for not realizing that there was additional text in this 5th part that was not in the previous parts. We think the material is essential to understanding what was happening during the Old/New School split in the 1830s. For those who have not read the previous parts we included them in this link:
I beseech brethren of the Abington Association who are halting between two opinions, or perhaps are leaning somewhat to the new measures, whose minds have been partially prejudiced in favor of them, and against brethren who are opposed to them, by the representations of the pamphlet under consideration, and of individuals, ministers or otherwise, say I beseech them to candidly investigate the subject, by reference to the Minutes of the Association, from its beginning down to the present time, together with her constitution together with the Constitution, and see if there is not an essential difference in the Minutes 25 years ago and now; see if there is not now things transacted and recorded in the Minutes that are not to be found in them even ten years back; see if there is not a plain difference in the preaching of Elder John as he is the eldest of the Association. Hence you will be able to discover the truth as it was and as it is, and whether the Association is now what it was 20 or 25 years gone by. I am sensible that to, every impartial reader, I have established clearly the position I assumed in the start, viz; That the Warcik Association is not what she was 20, 30, 40, or 45 years back; and that the Abington Association, as an Association, is NOT NOW what she was in 1820 or 10.
As to Associations, I have no partiality for now attachment to them, only for the purposes before mentioned in the Constitution of Warwick Association; such as maintaining a friendly correspondence, advising each other, trying to strengthen and encourage one another, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, reading, speaking and hearing the word of the Lord, praying and hearing the word of the Lord, praying with all prayer and supplication in spirit, "Glorufying God in our bodies and spirits which are his." Consequently, all parliamentary forms and customs are to be dispensed with, and the greatest simplicity is to be observed among us, as become the followers of Christ. I would that Old School Baptists were more free from Association shackles than they are. It is with this object in view I have been advocating the cause of the Warwick Association; and, although I feel assured of having established, from the documents of the Warwick and Abington Associations, that the former now what it was in its commencement, and that the latter is not, and also, that upon the ground of priority in regard to Associational doctrine and practice, our claim to the name Old school is valid, yet I do not rest here; I have stronger plea to make than that already made, founded upopn law and testimony that will sten when time shall be no longer. In relation to the truth and righteousness of our doctrine and practice, and our claim (as the pamphlet terms it) to the name of Old School Baptist, we go farther back than the commencement of either the Warcik or Abington Associations, - We have a more sure word of prophecy unto which we shall do well to take heed, as unto a light which shines in a dark place. Therefore I have not done with the little pamphlet yet. I quote from it as follows:
The oppoents of Missionary operations call themselves by a worng name; for while they individiously claim to be Old School Baptst, they have departed from the spirit and practice which legitimately resulted from the elementary principles originally taught in the school; they calim, therefore, is not valid.
The above quotation is part of what the pamphlet terms a few reflections, just as its close. In reference to the school, I will take it for granted, it means the Apostolic Church, or school of the disciples, which from the circumstance of its being founded upwards of 1800 years ago, meu with propriety be termed Old School. The teacher of that school we will say is the Lord Jesus Christ, who taught with authority; by the elementary principles, we are to understand the first principles the A, B, C, or constituent principles. And by their being originally taught in the school, we are to understand the instruction which Christ as the teacher, gives to his disciples. Here is the point, the important point in the controversy: What was the instruction of Christ to his disciples in matters of doctrine and practice? In reference to doctrine, the Saviour taught them they were dead in trespasses and sins; that except a man be born of the Spirit, he cannot see the Kingdom of God; that without him they could do nothing; that no man could come to him except the Father draw him; in short, that all that the Father had given him, should come to him.
The language of Christ, in relation to the salvation of a peculiar people, a specific number, is so clear and conclusive, that he must be a skeptic indeed, who disputes this doctrine. In relation to practice, when Christ called his disciples and sent them forth to preach the gospel, he told them to take neither purse nor scrip, neither two coats; and in his sermon on the mount, he taught them to take no thought what they should eat or drink, or wherewithal they should be clothed, for their Heavenly Father knew that they had need of those things, all of which reaching was designed to lead the disciples away from the world, to trust in him. And when (after his resurrection) he enlarged their commission, saying Go ye into all the world, he adds, for their encouragement. And lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the world. To trust in the Lord, then was the sum of the teaching of Christ to his disciples, when sending them forth to preach the gospel. - These are the elementary principles [to trust in the Lord] in foreign lands; yea, in all the world. But, we are by the pamphlet that the Old School brethren have departed from the spirit and practice, legitimately or lawfully or rightfully resulting from the elementary or first principles taught by Christ to his Apostles. then and there the claim to being Old Schol Baptists, is not valid. It is so, that those brethren who are standing aloof from the various numerous religious Societi4s )other than the Church of Christ) and society legitimately resulting from the elementary principles of the gospel?
So the author of this little pamphlet thinks; but he is blind, at least in one eye, he seems to imbibe the notion that the spirit and practice of the present Mission Society system, with all its concimants, and in all its ramifications, are the legitimate result of the instructions of
Christ to his Apostles. Diluted and infatuated man! If the savior, in his instructions and Commission to his apostles, had simply said, go ye, without particularizing and prohibiting as to the how, where et cetera, he might, in that case, have about the same plea urged in favor of for sprinkling of for baptism although it is not commanded it is not forbidden But Jesus not only tells them to go, and as they go, preach, and, in the first instance, not to go into the way of the gentiles, but he charges them to make no preparation for their temporal necessities, not even in taking thought for the Morrow; not but that they would need food and raiment, and places to shield them from the inclemency of the weather, and where their bodies might rest a little, now and then, and be refreshed, and occasionally a little silver of gold perhaps, to pay tribute or toll or something else; but Christ tells them that gentiles seek these things close (temporal supplies) shall be added. Your heavenly father knows you have need of all these things (food, raiment,) therefore give yourselves no uneasiness about the matter; Take no thought; Go and do what I tell you; Preach the preaching I bid you; Take neither purse nor script nor two coats. It is enough that your heavenly father knows your needs; take my word; Trust in me; The Workman is worthy of his meat. Consider the lilies, how they grow; They toil not, neither do they spin, yet Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. If God so clothed the grass of the field, shall he not much more clothe you, oh you of little faith? After the Lord had risen from the dead and was about to go to his father, he told his apostles, go ye into all the world and preach the gospel unto every creature OK.. Gentile as well as Jew must hear; But no other regulations or provisions for their temporal support; no costly equipage or splendid outfit, or promise of the kind; But simply a repetition of what he had before said, in substance, and tending to confirm the man in it. Low I am with you always even to the end of the world.
Now an important inquiry arises, one is to spirit and practice legitimately and rightfully resulting then from these instructions of Christ to his disciples? I answer, that the disposition or spirit of the disciples was when Jesus instructed them, to believe what I told them or taught them, for he taught as one having authority and not as described scribes. Hence the spirit was willing, though the flesh was weak. They had the Spirit of Christ; Therefore they followed him and as evidence that they were in Him, and had His spirit. And loved Him, They kept His commandments; Hence, When the Savior called them, they left all and followed Him, and when He sent them as sheep in the midst of wolves, without script or purse they went at His word, and when they returned, declared they had lacked nothing; They went forth trusting in the Lord, and were not disappointed; And (though they were not commanded to go into all the world, naked and bare-handed, without money, means, government, patronage or protection) they went into all the world, or wherever God in His Providence opened the door, relying on the promise, Lo, I am with you.
Hence the Spirit and practice which legitimately resulted and results from the teachings of Christ in and through the Apostles is a trusting in the Lord, and not an arm of flesh, and a desire to be Conformable. To him. As the pattern, in all things. Another important question here arises. Who has departed from the spirit and practice of the apostles? Let us carefully compare. And, if possible, arrive at The truth as it is. The Lord Jesus Christ Himself personally, or through his Apostles, never authorized any religious society but his church. And as there are now religious societies, such as the missionary, Bible, tract, and temperance, with many more other than the Church of Christ, what shall we say to these things? If the same question were propounded in this case as concerning the baptism of John. (Are these societies from heaven of men?) Should we be placed in the same predicament as those to whom the question was proposed, not to be able to answer (And verily, we had better have no answer than not a correct one )? The pamphlet under consideration, after saying., It is high time that anti-missionary men should open their eyes and see what they are about, Inquiries, in substance, as above stated, (is the missionary cause of God?)
But does not answer the question; Yet thinks if it belongs to the devil, as the mover or instigator, then opposition thereto is hardly needed, because the Savior said., If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself; How then shall his Kingdom stand? The argument, the sum of it is. This, You Had better cease your opposition to missionary operations, lest you should be found to fight against God; And though indeed they. (Missionary operations) Be of the devil [of course. Spiritual wickedness in high places.]. You need not oppose them. They will fall. How weak, How simple, How unscriptural the argument! Upon this principle, the children of God need not oppose the wickedness of any species, for it will all eventually come to a knot. But to the question, Is the Missionary Cause of God? Its answer is important and must be given. It is either from heaven or of men; If from heaven it is of God; If it is of God, those who are engaged in it are doing God's service and his people ought to be employed in it with all the powers and abilities they possess; But if it is of men, the rod of Jehovah will be felt by every child of grace that sustains it. Woe to the wicked! It shall be ill with him.
As to the term. Missionary. Meaning. One sent on a mission, when applied to a minister, sent by Christ, I have no objection to this use or application of it; but by the missionary cause as spoken of in this in the pamphlet., and its general acceptation, is meant., missionary society, operations, including all the links in the chain, from the British or American, foreign or domestic missionary Bible, tract. Or Sunday School Union Society, down to the most trifling (might.) Society in Europe or America. We have said, and say again, that Christ never established any of these societies; When we examined a New Testament for authority for them we can find none there. True, The gospel was instituted by Christ. And through and by his apostles, spread and preached in all the world, for the witness before the end of Jerusalem, or the Jews as a nation came; According to the words of Christ: “And this gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in all the world.” Matthew 24.14. And also, Paul's declaration in his epistle to the Colossians. ( 1.23 ). Speaking of the gospel, he observes: “Which was preached to every creature which is under heaven.”
The pamphlet I am reviewing, with its advocates, assumed the position that the various religious societies before referred to, are the means of spreading the gospel now among the heathen. If indeed those, or similar means were made use of by the Lord, anciently in spreading the Gospel, and the advocates of those means can make it appear from the New Testament, and thus bring to our view, some little similarity between the Italic mission and the missionary efforts, we should at once cease our opposition to them. All we want is to be convinced that they are of the Lord: And we cannot be convinced, but by the word of the Lord; Because we received that as our rule, and only rule in spiritual things. It is not enough that we are pointed to the effects of those efforts in foreign lands, and told of the numbers that are converted to the Christian religion among the heathen; That they have been civilized and traditionalized abundantly. Where the missionaries have gone among them, I have no doubt; And that the Lord has not made some of the dead there, to tear his voice and live, I will not presume to say.
But, knowing that mankind has been, and still are, abundantly persuaded, and induced to say, Lord, Lord, and that many shall say, and thus and so, and the Savior knew them, not; And that. “No man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost,” and knowing also the false representations that are made in our own country, and immediately within the circle of our acquaintance, of revivals of religion, the conversion of sinners, and at protracted meetings, And the doctrine preached, and the practice pursued at those meetings, my faith is necessarily very weak. As to the spirituality of the work among the Heathen. And indeed, could it be made to appear satisfactory that the Lord had converted some souls among the missionary society operations, unless I find Apostolic preset, for example. They once plunged into a labyrinth of difficulties. I know the pamphlet before us, and those engaged with it, charge us with opposing the spread of the gospel because we oppose missionary and other societies. Not so, It is exactly the reverse; We oppose those societies because we are in favor of the spread of The Gospel.; and they, instead of being the means of spreading the Gospel.; Are the means of spreading. Another gospel., which is not another, but a perversion of the gospel of Christ.
The term mean or means is very common in reference to religious matters; And as it is mediocrity or medium in a signification; It is properly applicable to Christ, as the middle man or dazed. Man, mediator medium, or way. Hence when the means of grace, or means of salvation is spoken of, I know of none but Chris “for there is one God, and one mediator. (And no more.) Between God. And men, the man Christ Jesus.” First Timothy 2.5. Christ says, I am the way John. 14.6. “Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is none another name under heaven comma given among men, whereby we must be saved, period.” Acts. 4.12. Jesus Christ is certainly the only medium or channel, through which God has been pleased to reveal Himself and communicate His blessings to His people, and through which His people have access to Him, period. Hence the Savior said to His disciples, “Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the midst of them. ” Matthew 18.20. Again; If you shall ask anything in my name, I will do it. John 14.14. So his people meet in him comma in every sense of the word. They pray in his name, comma, and preach and hear in his name period. Verily comma, he is the way, comma, and the only way the mean comma, and the only mean of salvation period.
The term mean is sometimes used to denote instrument; And when thus used, it is undoubtedly applicable even to the wicked men in the accomplishment of the purposes of God, period. So when the Lord had arisen from the dead, and ascended on high, and the disciples had tarried in Jerusalem, according to his instructions, Till they had received a promise, and the day of Pentecost had fully come, And 3,000 were added to the church, And they continued steadfastly in the apostle's doctrine, fellowship, The boldness of Peter and John in preaching Jesus and the resurrection, though ignorant and unlearned men, had the effect of exciting the jealousy and moving the envy of the rulers and people, insomuch that Peter and John were directly imprisoned, but let loose again and forbidden. To speak any more in this name. Steven also was stoned to death, and James was killed, soon after, with the sword; there was great persecution against the church at Jerusalem, comma, and they were scattered abroad, comma. And they that were scattered went everywhere, preaching the word comma throughout Judea and Samaria, comma, and to the uttermost parts of the earth In this case, wicked men, haters of God and his truth were instruments in His hand of spreading the truth. (The Gospel) and altogether foreign from their intention or design; For they suppose that by charging, threatening, stripping, binding, imprisoning, banishing, and transporting the apostles to distant lands and desolate islands, they would put a stop to the promulgation of their doctrine, and rid the country and the world of those fellows that had. Turned the world upside down.; Not so, comma all the opposition and persecution of their enemies, had directly to contrary effect.
That the missionary, and other kindred societies, are not of God, we argue from the following considerations.
First, there is neither precept nor example for them in our rule of faith and practice comma the scriptures.
Second. These societies are made up of a mixed multitude, as remote from each other in many cases, as to their views of religion, as the North and South Poles; notwithstanding their pretensions to and profession of fellowship and union. Third. The doctrinal sentiments promulgated by the Preachers, and received by the people belonging to those combinations, generally, are spurious; a compound of Fullerism, Socinianism, Antinomianism, and Deism; But all summed up in Arminianism.
4th. They pursue A worldly policy in that, Silver and gold are positively necessary, in order to accomplish their object, period. The. Conversion of the World. Hence it is very common to hear them complain that the pressure of the times has blocked the wheels, and to some considerable extent retarded the motion of machinery, We carry out their own doctrine on this point, and the irresistible conclusion is, that in proportion to the money given, sinners will be converted, consequently, if there is no money given, there will be no converts made. Hence I understand the whole missionary society and human skill, and I think it is more than likely that. (In the language of the little pamphlet.) It Alongs to the Devil as the Prime Mover. There is nothing, either in the origin or execution of those plans, that looks like the wisdom that comes from above; But upon every part or particular, both in design and execution, there seems to be the impress of the wisdom that comes from beneath.
The pamphlet in its closing sentence, presumes the. “Abington Association will see no good reason, for changing her long established, and repeatedly approved course; And as a company of old School Baptists, will doubtless feel renewably determined to steadfastly adhere to our constitutional principles as derived from the Bible, and expressed in their acts and writings, and pursued with undeviating firmness, even since the period of her organization.” In this last quotation from the pamphlet, taken in connection with its general drift and sentiment, from first to last, we are to understand that the approving and supporting the various societies referred to, by the Abbington association. “A Steadfastly adhering to her constitutional principles as derived from the Bible, and expressed in her Acts, writings.” In what article of her constitution?, duster She recognize or recommend those professedly benevolent societies in whole, or in part?
Where does it speak of foreign, or domestic mission Societies, Sunday schools, together with the long catalog in connection? Will the Author, and advocates of the pamphlet have the effrontery to declare that the Abbington Association, in our Constitution and Minutes, has from her organization, supported those measures?? If so, let the responsibility of making the truth of their declarations appear; Or else upon them, or the pamphlet, will rest a scandal of false witnesses. If, indeed, those men who profess to be preachers of the gospel feel so much concern for souls, why do they not preach the truth? and nothing but the truth? (for nothing else will be of any use to souls) if, again, They are so earnest for the spread of the gospel, why do they not preach it faithfully? “For What is the Chaff to the week? Set the Lord.” It is to be feared that they do not know the essence of the gospel; Therefore they cannot preach it. Let the gospel be preached in plainness and faithfulness, and it will spread.
The Minister of Christ will have no concern on this score or; He very well knows that the carnal mind, being enmity to God, stands directly opposed to his gospel, And consequently, the man who is enabled to preach it faithfully, will be esteemed in the enemy, because he preaches the truth, And if the Lord, in his Providence and government, does not restrain the wicked, that man, or such men, will be persecuted and driven from the place to place, and scattered; but such men. Wherever they go, go. Everywhere preaching the word, Whether they go in bonds as prisoners driven before their enemies, or voluntarily by the drawings of their minds, together with the openings of the Providence of God, nothing doubting but that the Lord will go before them, in his Providence, and by his grace, and thus opened away, and lead them. On; That he will also follow them in some way. That shall comfort and console their minds, in regard to their being in the right way. Perhaps it may be God's pleasure to follow them in their ministerial laborers, from place to place by His presence, and the manifestation of the light of His countenance, Through the preaching of the Word, By opening the prison doors to some that are bound, By bringing them out of prison, By losing their fetters and chains, By saying to the prisoners, Go forth and show yourselves, By taking the napkin from their eyes, the bonds from their hands and feet, And letting them go; By separating the wheat from the chaff, by bringing his people out of Babylon to Zion to himself, by establishing them in the order, doctrine, and ordinances of the gospel, by comforting them with the promise of the gospel, which are all yay and Amen in Christ, To the glory of the Father. Thus the Lord. Will be there for the front and rearward. A wall of fire around them, about them, and a glory all in their midst.
In conclusion, I have only to say what a substance I have already, said; The Lord will spread His gospel as wide and far, as He designs, in his own time and way, and the glory of it is, the wayward wind, The wisdom of God shines conspicuously and alone, for it is the way that human wisdom never did, nor ever will devise. Neither will it comprehend; It is emphatically God's way. And. “As the heavens are above the earth, so are His ways above our ways.” Let it be our happiness and privilege to your brethren in the ministry, to go wherever God and His Providence open the door, and as we go, preach; “preach Christ and him crucified, to both Jews and Greeks, Christ the wisdom of God, and the power of God.” And while, in relation to the preachers and preaching of the gospel, there are many adversaries. (As abundantly demonstrated in the word, and by the constant experience of the ministers of Christ.” Yet for our consolation, be it remembered, there is a great and effectual door open unto us of the Lord. Therefore, brethren, let us hold fast to the profession of our faith, without wavering, knowing that he is faithful that promised. “Lo I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.”
Slate-Hill, Orange Co., N.Y., July 4th., 1838
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