Meanwhile, young gentlemen, I would remind you that there is one science, and one art springing from it, which is chief of all the sciences and of all the arts taught in all the schools under these broad heavens. That science, as defined by the Great Teacher, is the knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ whom he

as commissioned. This, he says, is eternal life. And that art which springs from it, is the noblest and the finest in the universe: it is the art of doing justly, of loving mercy, and of walking humbly with our God.

FISHER THE REVIVALIST.

MADISON, Ia. September 8, 1838. BROTHER Campbell will much oblige the brethren here, and me particularly, if he will send an account of the time that Fisher, the celebrated revival preacher, was a member of the church, and the cause of his separation. Living at some distance from Middletown at that period, I cannot recollect the circumstances distinctly. The reason of this request is, he came to this place last week to get up a revival: a day or two after he came I mentioned to some of the brethren that he had been a member of our body; it came to his ears, and on the night of Wednesday last, he stated from the pulpit that the report was a slander, and that he never had been connected with us either by letter, baptism, experience, or any other way; and took occasion, of course, to say many things of us to prejudice the minds of his hearers. He left town the next morning at 4 o'clock, which prevented my having an interview with him on the subject.

The cause is gaining slowly here at present: however, as the disciples are apparently in earnest, the work will go on.

G. O. ROBINSON. P. S. I will just add, that Fisher could not effect his object; so raised some money and left. G. O. R.

Fisher the Baptist Revivalist was once reckoned a brother amongst the disciples, and was a member of a church near Middletown, Pa., from which he was excluded for disorderly and unehristian behaviour. I think his exclusion, with that of a Mr. Peabody, of similar stamp, took place in the fall of 1831 or 1832. Is it possible that he, a celebrated revivalist among the Baptists, denies that he ever was in communion with our brethren! He brought a letter of introduction to me from brother Daniel Gano, of Cincinnati, July, 1831, after having spoken as a Reformer in the Sycamore meeting-house. We could not allow him to speak because of his ignorance of the scriptures and of language. Having tormented us with his bombast, we bade him be silent and go to school. He went to school, but could not endure the restraints of the church, became disorderly, and was for minor immoralities finally excluded. He went to Pittsburg; got in with the Baptists there, perhaps through their opposition to us; and after some time they found him no great gain-and he left. He is now a fellow-revivalist with his Methodist brother Maffit. Par nobile fratrum!

A. C.

MORALITY OF CHRISTIANS-No. XI.

To teach Christians morality appears like teaching Nature to be herself. To say to Christians, ‘You must love and speak the truth; you must not violate or falsify your word; you must be just and righteous in all your dealings with men; you must be generous, humane, benevolent,' &c.-is like commanding a mother to cherish her tender offspring, or the miser to love his money. These duties are parts of the Christian character, without which a person cannot be a Christian. An orator without language, a logician without reason, a musician without hearing, are just as conceivable as a Christian without truth, honor, honesty, justice, and fidelity.

But in this loose, and indefinite, and degenerate age, we call men Christians from their creeds, rather than from their practices; and make orthodoxy of the essence, and righteousness of the accidents of Christianity: so that right thinking is at least one or two centuries in advance of right doing. We must lay the axe of reformation at the root of this rank flourishing tree of error, and, with voices louder than trumpets, "show Israel their transgressions and Jacob their sins." We must denounce, renounce, and separate from our esteem all unrighteous and unholy persons; for of such is not the kingdom of God.

One of the deadliest plagues of this generation of schisms, is the wide door of licentiousness which it opens to the professed followers of the Messiah. Hypocrites, formalists, nominalists, swell the party as much as the sincere and honest ones. And while the pulse of party beats high, and the zeal for proselytes is as predominating as at present, the rules of discipline will be trampled under foot, and the standard of Christian piety and morality will continue to be lowered down to the pigmy offspring of conflicting humanisins, rather than elevated to the apostolic measures of real Christian excellence and worthiness.

Thousands are now enrolled on the list-books of rival parties, whose names are long since blotted from the book of life for their lack of almost every Christian virtue; and would also have been erased from our rolls, were it not through fear that the Methodists, Presbyterians, Baptists, or something else might have got them, had we severed them as dry, barren branches, from the vine. This gangrenous and putrid mass sickens the whole frame of Christianity, and immeasurably retards the real interests and genuine progress of the true gospel of God. Better have one dozen of genuine disciples of Christ than one hundred lifeless formalists. Christianity has most power in the church and out of it when purely professed. Faith most certainly works, and works by love: it also purifies the heart, and it overcomes the world. Now shall we say that this man has faith, the true faith of Christ, whose faith is a lazy, lounging, indolent, inactive principle, which leaves his heart as full of covetousness, pride, maliciousness, as it found it; and instead of overcoming, is actually overcome by the world. Such a man's faith is neither primitive nor apostolic, and therefore is not saving faith; for the plainest reason in the world-it has not saved him from those sins which work in his heart strong as the crimson current of life, and as the love of it.

Christians must turn their views a thousand times more to the fruits and effects of the profession in themselves and others, else they will

be deceived. A person who does not speak the truth, who does not meet his engagements, who violates his covenants, and who has forfeited the means of doing good in consequence of these aberations, ought to be the subject of discipline as well as the more gross and sensual transgressor: for these, as well as those, are high offenders against the Divine Lawgiver, though under a less opprobrious name. How can we have fellowship with immoral persons, and regard them as Christians, who despise the restraints of Christ's teaching! Can I have confidence in the Christian spirit or character of the man who prevaricates for a shilling-who keeps back his neighbor's propertywho solemnly promises and trifles with his word-who backbites his neighbor, or who deliberately injures his person, property, or good name? Could I not as easily call a Jew a Christian, as call such persons Christian brethren? Can Christ himself own them as his, who trample upon his laws and disdain his authority! My charity, I candidly confess, comprehends not such glaring contradictions.

While any calling themselves Christians walk thus, we may weep over them as the enemies of the cross of Christ; but how can we salute them as brethren "Many walk," said Paul of some of his contemporary professors, "of whom I have already told you, and now tell you again, weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things." Now if such as mind, or unduly devote themselves to the things of this life, are enemies of the cross of Christ, what shall we say of those who circumvent their brethren in the pursuit of this world?

Many an honest and honorable man serves Mammon-honest, and faithful, and true in all his engagements; but supremely given up to the love of the world. Such a person is lost to all that fits and capacitates a man for heaven. And still more, he who violates his neighbor's property for the sake of improving or augmenting his own. Avarice and devotion to wealth are the characteristic signs of this age. They are the worst omens. It was so just at the moment of the deluge. It was so at the moment of the conflagration of the Cities of the Plain. It was so when the Son of Man first came; and will it be otherwise when the Son of Man comes the second time?

I say, they are the worst omens of this our day. Wealth flows in upon the whole nation. Rome rose not so fast in opulence and grandeur. We have learned to go ahead of all Persian, Grecian, Roman efforts. Yet we see and say, that wealth superinduced luxury; and luxuryeffeminacy, debauchery, infamy, and ruin. And, with our eyes open, we madly rush to the vortex of destruction!! What do we mean? Think we that we can drink the same cup and not be intoxicated; drink the same poison, but with impunity: walk in their steps, follow their example, and yet escape their end! It cannot be. Wealth will as certainly ruin this nation as it has ruined Egypt, Assyria, Persia, Rome, and Judea. And we hasten to accumulate it by extortion, falsification, prevarication, circumvention and violence-and yet are Christians!! "Adulteresses and adulterers, know you not that the friendship of this world is enmity against God," and the wealth obtained by such friendship is the reward of iniquity?

How few are conscientious about the means! How many are eager

for the end! Christians, beware! If you labor for wealth, labor not for its sensual or animal gratification; but for its power of doing good. Think of the millions that are consumed in the service of the lusts that war against the soul, for one that is sanctified to the conversion of the world, or to the education, food, and clothing of the poor!

But it is righteousness as respects the property of our neighbor that is the burthen of this part of our series. And who can regard with too much sacredness the rights of his neighbor! The Christian must not seek his own interest at the expense of his neighbor's-no honorable man, no son of Abraham, no son of God can. Brethren, let us look not every one on his own advantage, but on the advantage of our brethren. Above all, let our behaviour be without covetousness; and let us render to all their dues, and in due time.

Maryland, October 10, 1838.

A. C.

For the Millennial Harbinger.

A PERFECT MAN IN CHRIST JESUS-No. III.

Brother Campbell

In my last number I endeavored to show what constituted, or was necessary to constitute, a perfect man in Christ Jesus: a knowledge of his word and obedience to his commandments-being united to the "one body"-to the "one new man.”

Let us now examine the manner in which this perfection was to be exhibited and enjoyed by its possessor and the disciples. Paul prays that his Colossian brethren "may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God." We are exhorted to go on to perfection in doing good; "that every one of us do show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end; that we be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises." In order that we may do so, we must "cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God." It would then follow, "unto the pure all things are pure.' Then our "consciences would be purged from dead works to serve the living God," and we should be better able to keep in subjection that little member "which is said to boast great things is a fire, a world of iniquity among our members-defiles the whole body-setteth on fire the course of nature, and is set on fire of hell"-"an unruly evil, full of deadly poison""no man can tame it." Thus its possessor alone can control it, and make it a scourge or a blessing.

I will here digress a little, and say something of the use of the tongue. Solomon, who had great experience, says, "The tongue of the just is as choice silver" "The mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdom; but the froward or peevish tongue shall be cut out"-"There is that speaketh like the piercing of a sword; but the tongue of the wise is health. The lip of truth shall be established forever; but a lying tongue is but for a moment"-"The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright; but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness”—“A wholesome tongue is a tree of life; but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit"""The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer

of the tongue is from the Lord”—“He that hath a froward or peevish heart findeth no good; and he that hath a perverse tongue falleth into mischief." Did I say the tongue would be a scourge or a blessing? Here is a witness to the fact: "DEATH AND LIFE ARE IN THE POWER OF THE TONGUE, and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof." "Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue, keepeth his soul from troubles "

Thus the Redeemer taught his disciples: "A good man, out of the good treasure of his heart, bringeth forth good things; and an evil man, out of the evil treasure of his heart, bringeth forth evil things. That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment." Thus James taught us, "If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body." This is the perfection we ought to aim at. Paul says, "Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, [if it should be in the mind stifle it,] but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace to the hearers." Again, "Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.' "Again, "Let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ." "For our conversation is in heaven; from whence we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body"—that is, be "a perfect man in Christ Jesus."

THOMAS M. HENLEY.

For the Millennial Harbinger.

CLAIMS

CLAIMS OF EVANGELISTS-No. VI.

1 HAD a conversation a few days ago with several brethren on the subject of sustaining Evangelists. They were all farmers, and were worth from ten to fifty thousand dollars each. They did not generally think, I fear from motives of worldly selfishness, that preachers should receive much for their services. One said he thought they should be kept poor to prevent their becoming proud and abandoning their calling. I asked him whether preachers were naturally worse than other people? He allowed not. I farther inquired whether humility was not a virtue necessary to be possessed by others as well as preachers? He said it was. Then, said I, "If poverty is necessary to keep the preachers humble, is it not equally necessary to keep the people so? and if humility is an indispensable Christian virtue-as all admit-then no one can be otherwise than poor and be a Christian. Then you cannot be a Christian, for you are rich; and if you would be a Christian, you must, on your own principles, become poor. And as the best means of effecting it, I would advise you to sell the most you have and distribute it among the poor preachers; and then if you will be faithful till death,' you shall receive a treasure in heaven." I need not state that this brother did not approve the plan I suggested; "for he was very rich." O! how many prefer worldly riches to a treasure in heaven! King Mammon has almost unlimited control over his subjects He is a demon, at whose shrine honor, and bonesty, and mercy, and friend44*

VOL. II-N. S.