or ready cash, if we contribute to any other institutions in the same manner, or if such be our established ways of doing business, I would not altogether repudiate it; though I admit there is a great deal too much of this promisory note business both in Church and State, and too much of taxing posterity for the good we ought to do ourselves by leading more economical, prudent, temperate, and Christian lives. I am, perhaps, too sensitive on the subject of education; but, really, I regard my brethren and my fellow-citizens as generally too remiss in this great matter. If I had a thousand votes in the State they should all go for universal education at public expense. I would make the literary and moral education of every child born on the territory of the commonwealth the first and paramount duty of the State. I would in the mean time, in the absence of that provision, encourage Sunday schools, private schools, public schools, and church schools, where they could be patronized. I go for schools of every sort so long as there is one of my neighbor's children uneducated.

As I have explained my use of the phrase "senatorial government," I hope your alarms about a pure speech will be allayed, and that that “sign” will, like a cloud without rain, pass away. But as to the "new bond of union" of which you speak, I entirely concur with you, though I know not the case. If any man or set of men introduce any other bond of union than the apostolic, I regard him or them as necessarily heretical, and do most heartily concur with you in protesting against it. This is really a fundamental matter! Some there are, however, of which number I rejoice you are not one, who think and say that if discipline be exercised upon a person for opinionism or for heretically insisting upon schismatical and unscriptural texts, we have got a new bond of union, or have got up a creed, &c. such persons have either never learned or have forgotten the apostolic teaching-that those who departed from the faith, or who thought to build up a party on their own questions and opinions, "were proud, doting about questions, heretical, and to be rejected after a first and second admonition." Instances of this sort may occur so long as we have the same sort of spirits amongst us that were in the primitive church. There were men in Corinth, in Galatia, and other places, that contended with Paul and denounced him as not an Apostle, because he would not take sides with their foolish and untaught questions. We always expect such amongst us. A person who desires to draw away disciples after him and to make a party, would rather be a leader of a score who subscribe to his favorite opinion, though it can make no man holier or happier, than for the sake of all the importunities of the Apostles to preserve the unity of the spirit in the bonds of peace. Such men will always contest the bond

of union, and falsely accuse those who oppose their selfish and sinister purposes. They will not admit, for none of their party ever did admit, that they are the identical persons described in Romans xvi. 17, 18. and 1 Tim. vi. 3, 4, 4.

I ascribe to you the most honorable zeal for the most honorable cause-unreserved submission to the Apostles. This is our profession. But as you admit others have made the good confession and acted not in perfect harmony with it, I only request you to admit that this also is possible in your own case. Your plain, frank, and decided manner need no apology to me: for you see I am just as frank, plain, and decided as yourself. I know you are able to appreciate it; and therefore, in all the kindness of the best feelings, I have examined your reasoning and scriptural quotations, and dissented from them. The brethren have now before them the pro and the con, and in the mean time I think the subject may be safely left to their reflection.

I have much to say on the Elder's office, not yet said; but I must lay it over to a more favorable season. I regret much that the discussion now on hand, and the press of various matters, constrained me to divide your communications and to publish them at intervals so long apart. But our readers are requested to take the whole correspondence and examine it to the end.

Very sincerely your friend and brother, in all allegiance to the Holy Twelve, the Ambassadors of the Immortal King,

A. C.

For the Millennial Harbinger.

CLAIMS OF EVANGELISTS-No. IV.

I Now proceed, according to the promise made in my last, to impart some instruction to such as need it, on the subject of supporting Evangelists.

The Saviour and his Apostles compare Preachers, or Evangelists, to soldiers, to laborers, and to the ministers of the temple.

1. They are called Soldiers.-The Apostle Paul exhorts Timothy the Evangelist to "endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ;" and adds, "No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who hath called him to be a soldier." 2 Tim. ii. 3, 4. Again, the same Apostle, speaking of Preachers, says, "Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges?" 1 Cor. ix. 7. From the above-quoted texts we learn that Preachers are compared to soldiers, and, like them, are entitled to reward for their services.

2. Preachers are also in the Scriptures called Laborers.-"And I beseech you, brethren, to know them which labor among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you." 1 Thess. v. 12. This text suits the description of a Preacher-Elder, and none else, as does also the

following: "Let the Elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially they that labor in word and doctrine." 1 Tim. v. 17.

Now, we can see no reason why the comparison of Preachers to laborers should have been instituted unless there were features of resemblance. There is a likeness in many points. We will mark a few of them.

1. Laborers of whatever description devote themselves, their whole time and energies to the business of their profession; and if they faithfully and profitably perform the labors of their calling, they have neither time nor inclination to follow any other pursuit. The same is true of an Evangelist. And one who would be a useful and an approved servant of Jesus, must, like Timothy, give himself wholly to the work of the ministry. This, however, we have discussed in a previous number.

2. Laborers receive wages. He that reapeth," says the Saviour, "receiveth wages." John iv. 36. Men in every secular employment receive wages, nor think it at all improper to do so; and no sensible man would expect, and no honest man would desire another to perform any species of labor for him, either with the head, hands, or tongue, without compensation. So, neither, according to the word of God and common sense, should Evangelists be expected or desired to devote their time and waste their energies for the benefit of others without ample remuneration. They are men, mortal men, and, like others, need food, clothing, and shelter; and they can no more procure those without money than other men. They should not be desired to hold a protracted meeting, nor even to preach a sermon without compensation. It will take all a man's time to preach a sermon here, another there, and another yonder; and while we may think it does not take him long to come here, and others that he can soon go there, and others again somewhere else, he is found to be constantly on the wing. He has no time to engage in a secular pursuit, and yet the people think the most of his time is unoccupied in preaching.

3. Laborers know how much they are to get before they begin the work. In Matthew, 20th chapter, the owner of the vineyard is represented as agreeing with the laborers he had hired for a denarius a-day. He was not like many people now-a-days-afraid to say how much they are willing to give a preacher; why, I cannot tell, unless they do not intend to give him any thing.

4. Laborers have a right to stipulate the amount they require for their services. "And when they had agreed," or contracted with them, &c.-which shows that the laborers had something to say in fixing the amount they were to receive. An Evangelist has the same right, and it is proper he should exercise it. He knows better than any one else possibly could, how much his circumstances require. He should live as comfortably as his neighbors generally. He should be liberal, and hospitable, and benevolent; which he cannot be unless he receive enough to enable him to be so, in addition to defraying all the necessary expenses of his family. Any man whose judgment is not adequate to guide, and whose moral principle is not strong enough to govern him in his expenditures, is wholly unqualified for the high office of Evangelist. 5. Every good and provident laborer requires for his services, not only enough to sustain himself and family while in employment, but enough also to procure a home and the means of support in after life

when unable to labor. Evangelists have the same right in this respect that others enjoy. They are generally men in ordinary circumstances, as are nearly all the benefactors of our race, and have children to educate and settle, and some of them are blessed with friends, to whom they delight to extend their hospitalities, and they should receive enough to enable them to do so. A rich brother once told me that a man who was unwilling to forego all the pleasures of the world, and to suffer its miseries, was not worthy the title of a disciple of Jesus Christ. I asked him if he was willing to be nearly all the time absent from his fond wife and lovely little children-to leave them at home in a state of suffering and want-and to ride through rain and sunshine, cold and heat, to preach to people who thought, many of them, that they were conferring an honor on him to go and hear him preach? His reply was that nothing would induce him to do it. "How then," said I, "can you desire others to do what you would not be willing to do yourself?" His reply was, that he was not a preacher! "Then," said I, "you want preachers to make all the sacrifice, and the people none." is the common feeling. But my impression is, that professors of Christianity, who are unwilling to make a sacrifice of their money-(and how trifling a sacrifice is this in comparison to that of domestic enjoyment, time, constitution, and all a man has)-are but poor Christians at best, and will get but a humble seat in heaven. All shall be rewarded according to their works, and they that do no good works are not entitled to any reward.

This

6. It is a great and heinous sin not to pay those who labor for us in temporal things. "Woe to him who uses his neighbor's services without wages, and gives him not for his work!" Jer. xxii. 13. "Behold, the hire of the laborers who have reaped down your fields, which is kept back by your fraud, crieth; and the cries of them which have reaped, are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth." Jas. v. 4. If a heavy curse is pronounced against him who uses his fellow's service without wages, and gives him not for his work, what may be expected those will suffer who use the time, and talents, and incessant and hard labor of the Lord's Evangelists for naught, and refuse to remunerate them for their services? If God hears the cries of the oppressed and defrauded reapers, will he not also hear the distresses of the wronged Preachers? Will he not hear the sighs of want and groans of oppression that rise from the heaving bosoms of his hundreds of servants whose "labors of love" go unrewarded by the churches that roll in luxury? Will he suffer with impunity his reapers to be driven from the harvest-field, where men, like ripe wheat, are perishing for the want of the sickle and shelter, by the lean visage of grim poverty and starvation? Will he permit the bitter tears of his Evangelist's wife to be shed in vain? to wear great channels in their cheeks with the distresses of herself and little poverty-stricken children? Is there not to be a day of reckoning when rich Christians will be called to account for the use they have made of the Lord's money? Yes, this day will come; and I fear that many who now think they will be admitted to exalted seats in heaven because they knew so much here, will find themselves excluded from the golden city altogether, because they have done so little for the Lord's Evangelists. I am acquainted with a rich professor of the Christian religion who is in as good a condition to aid 36*

VOL. II.-N. S.

in advancing the cause of Jesus Christ as any one I know, who really boasts that he has never, since he became a Reformer-(I am ashamed to be compelled so to call him)-given one cent to an Evangelist!! This man, with all his riches, is poor, and blind, and naked. Were he to pay all he owes to Evangelists, his riches would do him some good. He might get to heaven; for "when he fails," they might "receive him to everlasting habitations." The Apostle tells us of some who glory in their shame: such certainly is the person named above. "Charge the rich," says the Apostle Paul to Timothy, "to do good, to be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life." 1 Tim. vi. 17--19. Here I must leave the subject for the present. JUSTUS.

For the Millennial Harbinger.

A PERFECT MAN IN CHRIST JESUS-No. 11. In the parable of the sower 1 omitted to notice a lesson taught there in my first number. It appears in the second edition of the parable that the seed which fell among thorns sprang up, but brought no fruit to perfection; that is, it did not get its full growth and ripen for the husbandman's use. Let us remember the cause why it did not: "They were choked with the cares, and riches, and pleasures of this life." What an awful truth is here presented to us! Few seem to be duly sensible of it. Hence we learn that when the mind is choked up with the things of this life we cannot bring forth fruit unto perfection. This secular age demonstrates to us the wisdom and truth of our Great Teacher. The disciples of this age have attained to a perfection upon different principles than those taught us by Jesus Christ. Hence in their proceedings in their congregations, councils, associations, or conventions, they have acted as if they were above their Master: for they do not pretend to say that Jesus Christ has taught them to call Councils, Associations, and Conventions to decide upon who are his disciples and who are not. Jesus Christ taught his hearers, "The disciple is not above his Master, but every one that is perfect shall be as his Master." He informs them in what this perfection consisted. It was not in beholding a mote in a brother's eye, but casting out the beam in our own eye. It was not calling him Lord, Lord, but doing the things he commanded them. It was digging deep, laying their foundation upon what he taught them to do, which the vehemence of no flood or stream could shake. This leads me to remind the reader again of the object of these essays: There can be no assurance of our doing the will of God without a knowledge of his will. This can be obtained only by an attentive perusal, meditation, and prayer over his word, or a proclamation of the gospel.

I will for the present leave the lessons of Jesus Christ, with an intention of returning, and attend to the teaching of the Apostles. Paul, in his letter to the Romans, exhorts them "not to be conformed to this world; but to be transformed by the renewing of their mind, that they may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God."