I am aware that Mr. Campbell pretends to appeal to the testimony of the primitive fathers of the christian church in support of his views on this subject. He claims "all the apostolical fathers, all the pupils of the apostles, and all the ecclesiastical writers of note, of the first four centuries." See Extra I. Prop. 11. p. 42. And it might be expected, that, in a professed examination of his system, we should pay some attention at least, to this appeal. The expectation is reasonable; and we proceed to answer it by an authority that we have already found of considerable use in this essay; and which Mr. Campbell and his followers will respect. We refer to Mr. Campbell himself, and to a work written by him antecedent to the full development of his system. When the Campbellites refute the answer to the above objection, which is obviously deducible from the following extracts, we shall hold ourselves in readiness to meet it upon other grounds. "That the ancients sometimes (says Mr. C.) used the word regenerate for baptize, I admit; but this was far from being common or general." "Many of those fathers of whom you have heard, are produced by the Catholics in proof of the doctrine of purgatory, and as evidences of the antiquity of praying to saints and angels-they were all full of whimsies. Irenaeus, Justin, Tertullian, Origen, Jerome, Augustine, held and taught wild and extravagant opinions. Some of them taught auricular confession, and the fundamental dogmas of popery." See Campbell's Debate with M' Calla, pp. 365368. Of course we need add nothing to so high authority.

§ III. Unitarianism of the Campbellites.

I employ the term Unitarian, to include both Arian and Socinian; and as contradistinguishing both from Trinitarian. When I charge this sect with Unitarianism, I do not mean to be understood that every individual is either an avowed Arian or Socinian; but that the majority are such. Many of them do not appear to know what the sentiments of their leaders are, on this subject, while others "unhesitatingly avow their conviction that not one single truth or fact as taught by Mr. Campbell can be disproved." See e. g. Mill. Har. V. p. 173.

Ever since the commencement of his publishing the Christian Baptist, Mr. Campbell has been remarkably reserved in the expression of his views respecting the tri-personality in the Godhead; the distinct personality and deity of the Spirit; and

the underived and independent existence of Jesus Christ. In several of his public disputations, his opponents endeavored in vain to draw from him an expression of his views on these subjects; till in his encounter with the Rev. Mr. Jamieson of the Methodist Episcopal Church, at Mount Holly, Kentucky, his resources failed. Mr. Jamieson compelled him to acknowledge that "he did not believe Jesus Christ to be the Supreme God." And the author of this Essay has himself heard the doctrine of the trinity ridiculed in the most indecent manner, in a large assembly, by another leading member of the sect.

The Rev. Dr. Jennings, than whom no one could be better acquainted with the character of this sect, and who accepted a challenge of Mr. Campbell, and met him in debate in Nashville, Tenn., employs the following language: "Among this latter class [the Campbellites], I asserted [during the debate with Mr. Campbell], and still do assert without fear of contradiction, are found, not only avowed Arians, but most of the infidels and semi-infidels or free-thinkers of our country." Debate, p. 81. They fraternize avowed Arians and Socinians, at the same time that they denounce Trinitarians.

The following are specimens of their denunciations. Mr. Campbell addressing Mr. Waterman (Mill. Har. V. 156—8) says: "But you only intend a laugh, in your truly Christian spirit, by way of reprisal for unchurching you,' or the imputation of a Babylonish parentage to your fraternity. Of this I frankly acknowledge I am worthy of accusation.-I have manifested an unchristian' spirit in thinking that the Protestant sects are the impure brood' of the mother of harlots. Well, whose brood are they? Or has the Roman Hierarchy any daughters? And if she have, where shall we find them? Among Jews, Turks, Pagans, or Christians ?-The grace of the priesthood, which dwelt in the legs and arms of pope Leo X, dwelt in the archbishops of York and Canterbury, and now dwells in J. A. Waterman, and all the regularly ordained ministers of the Methodist Episcopal Church."

On p. 147, he utters the following insane sentiment: "There is much strife and division in the christian world; this I attribute to false teaching. Crime and infidelity are on an alarming increase; THIS I CHARGE ON THE PULPIT.' "After this remark, and thousands of others on the same subject equally indecent, can any one doubt whether Mr. Campbell is to all intents and purposes an infidel under a christian garb? Upon this subject,

Paine himself, in the whole compass of his Age of Reason, has not ventured to employ language more scurrilous.

Once more: "There is not a limb of the Old Mother, be it found where it may, that will not be thrown into the burning fire," p. 157. See also p. 186, and Dr. Jennings's Debate, p. 81, 84, 85.

With equal politeness the author of the Mirror, before quoted (and so greatly lauded by Mr. Campbell), remarks: "Well, then, seeing that the spirit of Romanism and Protestantism are the same under similar circumstances,-that they are both the hold of every unclean spirit, and the cage of every unclean and hateful bird, that the kings of the earth have committed whoredom with' both, that they have both trafficked in slaves and the souls of men ;-seeing these things, I turn from the contemplation of these iniquitous scenes, with the conviction that I may as soon look for the religion of the church of Christ among the followers of Confutsee, Zeratusht, Juggernaut, Mohammed, or the worshippers of the great goddess of the Ephesians, as hope to find it in the apostate Isms of Rome, Augsburg, or Geneva," p. 9. In chasteness and elegance this extract rivals the most exquisite flowers of the Age of Reason, the Diegesis of Taylor, or Voltaire's Philosophical Dictionary. Again, on p. 13: "In this country, about 200,000, within the last ten years, have responded to the call, Come out of her, O my people,'

etc.

I have heard this same writer ridicule, in public assemblies, the distinctive doctrines of Trinitarianism, in such language as the following: "The doctrine of the trinity deluged the streets of Constantinople with blood." "Doctrines which cause such atrocities and abominations, are abominable to the Son of God, they are the language of Ashdod."

But the Campbellites not only denounce Trinitarians, they openly fraternize avowed Unitarians.

The Unitarian sect of Christyans is well known in this country, and the reader, if not already acquainted with their sentiments on the subject before us, will have an opportunity to become so presently. In the Mill. Har. Vol. III. No. 3, Mr. Campbell with approbation makes the following extract from one of their papers, edited by Barton W. Stone, well known as a strenuous Unitarian.

"We are happy to announce to our brethren, and to the world, the union of Christians in fact, in our own country. A

few months ago, the reforming Baptists, (known invidiously by the name of Campbellites,) and the Christians in Georgetown and the neighborhood, agreed to meet and worship together. We soon found that we were indeed in the same spirit, and on the same foundation, the New Testament, and wore the same name, Christian. We saw no reason why we should not be one family."

"To increase and consolidate this Union, and to convince all of our sincerity, we, the elders and brethren, have separated two elders, John Smith, and John Rogers. The first, known formerly by the name of Reformer [Campbellite], the latter by the name of Christian. These brethren are to ride together through all the churches, and to be equally supported by the united contributions of the churches of both descriptions."

In the same No. of the Harbinger, Mr. Campbell expresses his gratification at the receipt of this intelligence. He says: "From numerous letters received from Kentucky, we are pleased to learn that BRETHREN Smith, Stone and Rogers, and others -now go for the Apostolic Institutions."

The Christyans and Campbellites are here declared by both parties to stand upon the same foundation, and to be one people. Ministers are sent out by the societies conjointly, to visit the churches in common, and to preach to them; to be supported by contributions from each. And this was of course to promulgate the same doctrines.

Now as Mr. Campbell and his immediate followers have been so very reserved in communicating their views of those doctrines which are regarded by evangelical Christians as fundamental; and as the Christyans have been more communicative on the subject, it will, of course, not be wronging the Campbellites (as they are "one family"), to take for granted that, to ascertain the sentiments of one sect, will be to ascertain the sentiments of both.

I have before me a number of the standard authors of this last named sect. To quote from all would swell these remarks to an unreasonable length. We will, therefore, confine our quotations principally to one. Kinkade's Bible Doctrine, is a textbook of the Christyans. That it may be evident that I do them no injustice by this assertion, I will establish its correctness. 1. Kinkade's Bible Doctrine is sold by the ministers of this sect to their people, as containing the views which they entertain of the religion of Christ. Wherever I have travelled

amongst them, I have found this to be the fact. The same fact has been likewise repeatedly stated in their periodicals. Among others I instance the "Gospel Luminary" of New York.

2. Mr. William Lane, one of the most popular preachers of this sect, declared during his debate with Mr. M'Calla, that it contained the views of the society to which he belonged; and that it contained his views.

3. In the summer of 1831, I wrote to Mr. Frederick Plummer of Philadelphia, a very popular preacher of this society, requesting him to furnish-me with a book, or books, containing a full and accurate expression of the peculiar and distinctive views of the society to which he belonged. He sent me Kinkade's Bible Doctrine, together with a few tracts, one of which he himself had written.

This book, therefore, manifestly contains an acknowledged and approved expression of the views of this society. Let us then see what views they really entertain respecting some of the fundamental doctrines of Christianity.

I. The Trinity. "The arguments that are advanced at the present day against the Trinity will appear to future generations as the arguments of the prophets against the heathen gods do to us now; that is, efforts to disprove self-evident falsehoods." "It will appear strange to future generations that professors of religion in the nineteenth century should need long arguments to convince them that three distinct persons are not one being," p. 48. Trinitarianism runs me into a dilemma between tritheism and Atheism," p. 40.

II. The plenary Deity of Christ. On p. 41 are the following horrible expressións. "If Christ is the self-existent God, and at the same time the son of the same God, then he must be the son of himself. If he is the self-existent God, and if that very self-existent God is the father of our Lord Jesus Christ, then he must be the father of himself. And if he is the father of that being whose son he is, then he must be his own grandfather."

Again: "The testimony which affirms that the individual person of Jesus Christ, is the uncreated, infinite, independent God; and at the same time a created, finite, dependent man, only proves itself unworthy of belief," p. 72. On p. 75 he thus ridicules this sacred subject: "If Christ had been equal with God, in the fullest sense of the word, he would not have denied it; because it is not likely that the Supreme Being