tism and the Lord's Supper. Baptism is an immersion of the candidate in water, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit; the only proper candidate being one who gives evidence of a change of heart. Communion is a solemn partaking of bread and wine in commemoration of the death and sufferings of Christ. The Freewill Baptists are free communionists, extending an invitation to all members of regular standing in any of the evangelical denominations. The officers in the church are two, elders and deacons. The duty of elders, bishops or ministers, which office by either of these names includes pastors and evangelists, is to preach, administer the ordinances, and take the pastoral care of the church. Ministers are to consecrate themselves wholly to their calling, and to be sustained by the churches. No grade is acknowledged in the Christian ministry. The province of deacons is to attend to the pecuniary concerns of the churches, assist the minister in church labors, supply the communion-table, bear the elements to the communicants, and take the lead in social meetings when necessary. by unanimous vote, but may be excluded by vote of two-thirds. Churches hold monthly conferences, and report once in three months to the Quarterly Meeting by letter and delegates. Though the New Testament is their book of discipline, they have usually written covenants. Some churches commune once in three months, others once in two months, others monthly. Quarterly Meetings are composed of several churches, varying in number according to circumstances. Their sessions are four times a year, continuing two and a half days. The members of a Quarterly Meeting are ministers and such brethren as the churches may select. In these associations, preachers are appointed to supply, in part, destitute churches, candidates for the ministry examined and licensed, councils appointed to attend to ordinations, &c. A Ministers' Conference is held in connection with the Quarterly Meeting. Yearly Meetings are constituted of several Quarterly Meetings, associated in the same manner as churches are in the formation of a Quarterly Meeting. The Yearly Meetings do something at sustaining evangelists or itinerating min the Quarterly Meetings, and adopt other measures for the spread of the gospel. The General Conference is composed of a delegation, most of which are ministers, from all the Yearly Meetings in the connection. It is now held once in three years, its sessions continuing some nine or ten days. Its design is to promote unity, scriptural holiness, Bible doctrine, and Usages of the Denomination.-Gov-isters; transact the relative business of ernment among the Freewill Baptists is not episcopal, but independent or residing in the churches. Each elects its own pastor, exercises discipline over its own members, and is not accountable to the Quarterly Meeting only as a church; that is, Quarterly Meetings cannot discipline church members, but churches only. Churches are organized, and ministers ordained, by a council from a Quarterly discipline, throughout the whole denomi Meeting; and a minister, as such, is sub-nation. ject to the discipline of the Quarterly Meeting to which he belongs, and not to the church of which he is pastor. Believers are admitted as members of the church upon baptism or by letter, always vidual members have no evidence that satisfies their minds, of its having been practiced by the Apostles; 'Agreed, therefore, that all per sons in connection with us, have a free and lawful right to wash their feet or not, as may best answer their consciences to God; neither the performance or neglect of which should cause a breach of Christian fellowship.' Freewill Baptist Faith. p. 111. It is not now generally practised, though not entirely in dessuetude. The General Conference has no powers except such as are committed to the delegates by those bodies which appoint them. It proposes and recommends, but makes not laws for the connection. It is its proper province to deliberate on all such points of doctrine and practice as may be referred to it by the Yearly Meetings, or proposed by its own members, and give such advice as they think the Scriptures warrant, and the welfare of the connection requires. Also to recommend such measures as may promote God's glory and the denomination's interest; such as, Home and Foreign Missionary Societies, book concern, and printing estab lishment, seminaries of learning, and such other benevolent institutions as are necessary for the prosperity of the church. III. PRESENT STATISTICS. REVISED BY THE REV. A. D. WILLIAMS. The Freewill Baptist denomination now extends into most of the United States, Upper and Lower Canada, and the provinces of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. According to the best information on hand, its statistics in June, 1846, were as follows:-114 Quarterly Meetings; 26 Yearly Meetings; 1197 Churches; 806 Ordained Preachers; 209 Licensed Preachers; and 55,232 Communicants. This is however known to fall short of the real number; not including several conferences in the Slave States, with whom we hold no connection, on account of their connection with Slavery. Benevolent Institutions. The "Freewill Baptist Foreign Mission Society" was organized some twelve years ago, and has now three stations in Orissa, a province of Hindostan ; three missionaries and their wives, assisted by a female school teacher and three native preachers; a school at each station; and a small church at each of two of them. Other missionaries have been accepted by the Board, and will sail soon, when it is expected that a mission will be established among the Santals, a people essentially different from the Hindoos, although living in the same country. The "Freewill Baptist Home Mission Society," was instituted about the same time, and has a larger number of missionaries in the field. At present it has several important stations in our large cities, under its charge; as well as several missionaries, at the West. Compared with its resources this Society has been very effective. The "Freewill Baptist Education Society," sustains a Theological Seminary at Whitestown, N. Y., in connection with the Whitestown Seminary. The present number of students in attendance, is 33. Tuition, Room Rent, Library, &c.; free; and it is equally open to students from all denominations. The "Freewill Baptist Sabbath School Union," keeps a depository of Sabbath School books at Dover, N. H. Most of our churches have Sabbath Schools. There are also other benevolent associations, particularly in the causes of temperance and anti-slavery. Literary Institutions. The following institutions are under the control of the Freewill Baptists. Michigan Central College, at Spring Arbor, Mich., Whitestown Seminary, Whitestown, N. Y.; Geauga Seminary, Chester X Roads, Ohio; Smithville Seminary, North Scituate, R. I.; Parsonsfield Seminary, Parsonsfield, Me.; and Strafford Academy, Strafford, N. H. The "Freewill Baptist Printing Establishment," is a chartered association located at Dover, New Hampshire, where most of their books and periodicals are printed. Its Trustees are appointed by the General Conference. The " Morning Star," a weekly newspaper; the "Gospel Rill," a monthly missionary paper; the "Myrtle," a semi-monthly Sabbath School paper, are issued here; and the "Biblical Expositor and Review," is about to be issued in the place of the Quarterly Magazine. REFERENCES. Life of Randall; Buzzell's Magazine; Life of Colby; Freewill Baptist Treatise; Memoirs of David Marks; Freewill Baptist Register; Smart's Biblical Doctrine; Morning Star; Quarterly Magazine; and the Review. HISTORY OF THE FREE COMMUNION BAPTISTS. BY THE REV. A. D. WILLIAMS. THEIR ORIGIN. Ar the close of the seventeenth century, two pernicious errors had crept into ecclesiastical matters in some parts of New England. The first was that experimental religion was not deemed absolutely indispensable to the candidate for the ministry; and the second, which measurably grew out of this, was a spirit of intolerance toward those who differed from the dominant church. To so great an extent was this carried, that the arm of civil power was brought to the aid of the clergy, to compel men to sustain and attend their ministrations. As a consequence, true godliness declined, and when the eloquent and devoted Whitefield sought to resuscitate it, he was bitterly opposed, and denounced from the high seats of learning, and from the pulpit. But the work of God was not thus to be stayed. In spite of persecution and determined opposition, revivals followed him, and although he himself did not organize societies, yet the opposition and errors of the ministry and church induced many to come out from it and establish separate meetings. Many of these were converted under the instrumentality of Whitefield, and took the name of " Separates." During the first half of the eighteenth century, a number of these societies were formed in Rhode Island and Connecticut. Some of them soon, and all finally, became Baptists, without, however, practising close communion. In 1785, these churches united in an association called the "Groton Union Conference," which in 1790 numbered 10 churches, 9 ministers, and 1521 communicants; besides four churches and three ministers which were not then connected with the conference. In the midst of the discussions and difficulties of this division, a church was organized in the town of Westerly, R. I., April 4th, 1750, and Mr. Stephen Babcock ordained its pastor by Elder David Sprague a Baptist, and a Mr. Solomon Paine, a Pedobaptist minister. This church was one of the ten which belonged to the Groton Conference. Ail of these churches were Calvinistic, and, gradually adopting the practice of close communion, were merged into the Stonington Union Association of close Baptists, except the Westerly church, which had previously espoused Arminianism and withdrawn from the conference. It still exists, but without any connection with other churches. GENERAL HISTORY. Just before the close of the eighteenth century, one of the members of this Westerly church, a Mr. Benajah Corp, who had commenced preaching, removed to Stephentown, Renssalaer Co., N. Y. A revival of religion soon resulted from his labors there, and a number were found who desired to be organized into a church. A council was called from Rhode Island and Connecticut, consisting of Elder Babcock of Westerly, and an Elder Crandall, who organized a church and ordained Mr. Corp its pastor. About this time a church was organized in Florida, (now Ames) Montgomery Co., N. Y., and George Elliott ordained its pastor. In 1797 Elder Corp settled in Russia, Herkimer Co., and in 1799 a most powerful reformation resulted from his labors. A church was formed in June, 1800, by Elders Corp and Elliott, over which Elder Corp remained pastor, until his decease in 1838. He however travelled considerable, and assisted in many ordinations and organizations of churches. He was a very useful preacher, much beloved, distinguished for his tenderness of spirit and power of appeal, and died full of years and usefulness. Northrup remained for many years the efficient pastor of the church at Stephentown, and Talman raised up several churches in Canada which were afterwards gathered into a conference. Both died in faith. Another church was gathered in Richfield, Otsego Co., over which John Straight was settled as pastor. Elder Straight proved to be a corrupt man, and the church finally became extinct. Before this how ever a society was gathered in the adjoining town of Plainfield, Oct. 8th, 1822, which still remains a permanent and efficient church. About this time a church was organized in Worcester, and Ezekiel Carr ordained, but Elder Carr dishonored the cause, and the church lost its visibility. John Farley, a member of the Richfield church, commenced preaching in 1801, and was ordained in 1803. He was a young man of vigorous intellect, and proved eminently successful. During all this time opposition and persecution ran high, but against none was it more furious than against Elder Farley. The settlers on the Mohawk river were mostly Dutch, and passionately devoted to the Dutch church, which had then had little more than the name to live. They called him John the Baptist, and took every means to annoy and oppose him. Finding their efforts vain, and that the work of the Lord spread rapidly, they applied to their minister to put him down; but he wisely kept in the distance. At length Major Cassler, Col. Bellinger, and Judge Rosecrants were induced to meet him in a public disputation, but being effectually silenced, they soon quit the contest. He travelled considerable, and revivals followed him wherever he went. As the result, churches were organised in Litchfield, Minden, (now Danube,) Whitmontown, Burlington, Starkville, and subsequently several others. He still lives, but has been disabled from preaching for a long time, by an affection of the throat. The churches had become so numerous that a general meeting or conference was held in 1803, composed of delegates from the several churches. Some say one was held as early as 1801. This conference afterward continued to meet annually, when the best means of promoting the cause of Christ were discussed, and strength gained by uniting in religious services. Devotion seems to be one of the prominent objects of these meetings, although the conference licensed and ordained ministers at the request of the churches of which they were members, and attended to such matters of general interest as came before them. They disclaimed any power to revoke the decisions of individual churches. Councils, with advisory powers, were also appointed to deliberate in matters of difficulty. The name of Free Communion Baptists had already been adopted. From this time, their principles spread and their number rapidly increased. In 1806, churches had been gathered in Canada, Vermont, and Pennsylvania; and a correspondence opened with some General Baptists in Virginia and the Carolinas. This correspondence was, however, soon after interrupted. Many new and efficient preachers were raised up, while the churches were continually strengthened and many new ones gathered in the adjoining towns and counties. There were churches among the Indians at Brothertown and Stockbridge. These tribes were mostly from the state of Rhode Island, and have now nearly dwindled away, and the churches which were subsequently united, have become extinct. They had two or three preachers among them, one of whom, Elder B. G. Fowler, is still living in Wis consin. Elder Nathaniel Dickerson from New Jersey, visited the conference in 1811, and stated that there were about 400 in connection with him, who were similar to the Free Communion Baptists; but from some unknown cause the correspondence was not long continued. Like all other denominations, they had their trials,-their scenes of adversity, as well as of prosperity. Not the least among these, was the defection of some of their ministers, and the consequent dispersion and extinction of several flourishing churches. Notwithstanding this they increased in numbers and influence, so that in 1820, twentyfive churches were represented, containing 2142 members. The Canada and Vermont churches were not represented, and it is probable that others were not. The Pennsylvania Conference, which was principally located in Susquehanna and Wayne counties, and then numbered 700 members, soon began to decline; and the remnants subsequently united with the Freewill Baptists, before the union of the main body. The churches in Massachusetts and Vermont organized a conference, which soon after represented itself to the Freewill Baptist General Conference. They do not appear to have ever had any very close connection with the conference in N. Y. No very regular correspondence was maintained with the conference in Canada. In 1837, it had 11 churches, 8 ministers, and 426 members. Some of these have since joined the Freewill Baptists in that province, and of the rest, the writer has little knowledge. A delegation from the Freewill Baptists attended a conference at Brothertown in 1821, with the proposition of a union of the two bodies. For some reason this was entirely unsatisfactory, and the attempt was not renewed for several years. In the mean time the cause gained ground, and churches multiplied, many having been collected north of the Mohawk river; as well as in Brookfield, Sherburne, Nelson, Columbus, McDonough, Lebanon, and several other places south of it. Thirtyfive churches were represented in 1825, when a division of the conference was made; the river being the dividing line. These were all in the state of New York, the other churches having ceased to represent themselves to this body. The two bodies were called the Northern and Southern Conferences. The ministers, not before mentioned, who during this time had been most active and efficient, were Elders Caleb Easterbrooks, P. W. Lake, William Hunt, Russell Way, Benjamin Rowland, Amasa Dodge, Bennett Hart, and others. Of these, perhaps none were more efficient than Elders Easterbrooks and Hunt. The former was truly a foster father to the churches, possessed of considerable talent, extensive influence, and universally beloved. His death, in 1831, was a severe blow to the churches, from which they hardly recovered. The latter still lives, (1847,) but he is one who has come down to us from another generation. His head is frosted for the grave, and soon its embrace must hide him from our sight. But he goes like a shock of corn fully ripe. Very many will rise up and call him blessed, for but few men have been the instruments of the conversion of more sinners than he. Way, Rowland, and Dodge are also still living. After experiencing the mutations incident to such bodies-the successes and reverses which are the lot of all, thirtyone churches were represented in the two conferences in 1835. Delegates were also, at the same time, appointed by them, which met and formed a General Confer ence of the whole body, which likewise assembled annually. In 1836 the two conferences were each divided, making four Annual Conferences, representing themselves to the General Conference. These conferences were farther sub-divided into ten Quarterly Meetings, which held their sessions four times a year; while the Annual Conferences, which were still held, were composed of delegates from the |