the things that are excellent and which are authorized by his laws, and that you may reject those which are of human device. Then, like trees of righteousness planted by the rivers and streams of his institution, you will be laden with the fruits of righteousness, which are to the honor and praise of God. We are persuaded that if the professors of christianity had labored as diligently for these fruits of the Spirit as they have for unity in opinions, notions, and doctrines of men, it would have superseded persecution in all ages, and in all its diversified forms of imprisonment, tortures, banishment, confiscation, and proscription—all of which are the weapons of the kingdom of darkness.

In him

The primitive christians had one Prophet, one Priest, one Lawgiver, whose laws were their only rule of faith and manners. dwelt all the stores of wisdom to legislate. In him their one faith centered, as the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last of all things. They all professed one and the same faith; by being baptized into his death, they were all initiated into the same body, or church; by the same religious rite of immersion, both Jewish and Gentile believers worshipped one God and Father of All, who was over them all and with them all by his parental care and affection for them, and who was in them all, by the vital energies, the gifts and graces of the one eternal Spirit, who filled, animated, illuminated, guided, supported, quickened, aided, built and dwelt in the one temple or church. They had one hope of enjoying the same blessings and privileges here, and of enjoying glory, honor, immortality, and eternal life hereafter. These seven units laid the foundation for their endeavors to keep the unity of the spirit in the bonds of a peaceable and quiet disposition, which is in the sight of God of great price. Their common wants, infirmities, and persecutions, endeared them to each other, and begat in them the same spirit of compassion, peace, joy, love, humility, and holiness. These few simple and strong ties bound the christians of the two first and pure ages of christianity together. How weak are the cobwebs of human opinions and dogmas compared with the threefold cord of faith, hope, and love!

As there is a great outcry about new things, we hope that the brethren will keep in mind the foundation, the unity, the beauty, the grandeur, and simplicity of that magnificent temple, the gospel church-whose length and breadth covers the whole earth-whose height reaches to heaven-and whose depths are laid in the love of Christ, which passes knowledge.

Hoping that you, and all saints, may be able to comprehend the dimensions of this habitation of God, built upon the foundation of Christ and the Apostles, and the superior Christian Prophets, and that all your joint efforts may promote the peace, order, and prosperity of Zion, we send this letter by our brethren Thomas Bullock, one of our deacons; Samuel Nuckols, John B. Jesse, James Sullivan, Josephus Hewett, and Jacob Creath, Jun. teachers in our church; and by Jacob Creath, Sen. our Bishop.

Since our last association we have immersed eleven; expelled -; dismissed by letter, five; received by letter, six; dead, one; so that our number at present is one hundred and ten.

Done in conference, and by order of the church, Friday, August 9th, 1829. SAMUEL NUCKOLS, Clerk.

JACOB CREATH, Sen. Bishop. N. B. The church received for baptism five persons on this day; but not being prepared, were not immersed.

S. NUCKOLS, Clerk.

Extract of a letter from King William, Va.

"YOU no doubt have heard that there has been some disquietude in our church, in consequence of a general coincidence of views on the part of a good many of the members of the church, with yourself, and of some endeavors to bring it nearer to the "ancient order of things." Capt. C- who spent the evening with you, at brother Dabney's, told me that he mentioned to you the case of a lady who was baptized in this neighborhood; but who objected to becoming a member of our church, because we were "Campbellites." As from the representation which he made to me, he must have given you a very imperfect statement of the case, I will give you a fuller one.

"This lady had been under religious concern for several years, and had been deterred from being immersed in consequence of not having such an "experience" to tell as she had heard others state. She connected with a family, who opposes your views more than any other persons among us, and who had made very unfavorable impressions on her mind in regard to them. She was persuaded by one member of this family (a female member of our church) to offer herself as a candidate for immersion to our church. When she came before us, all that could be got out of her, was, that four or five years ago she became convinced that she was a sinner and was much distressed that she read the scriptures, and found that Jesus Christ had died to save sinners, and that this was the only source of consolation which she had. As to any thing she had felt, she could place no reliance upon it; and although she was questioned a good deal as to her hope, she would not agree she had any other than what proceeded from her belief of what the scriptures taught of the Saviour. She was immersed; and, as I said, declined uniting with our church in consequence of the agitation produced by the division of sentiment in the church. The female friend who persuaded her to be immersed, come with her to visit me, some five or six weeks after, and our conversation turning upon our unpleasant division, she stated, that one source of great distress with herself, was, that persons, who were converted in the neighborhood, would not join our church in consequence of the ado, and appealed to the lady herself, as an instance at hand of the fact. Upon reflecting upon this lady's case, it occurred to me, that her views accorded remarkably with yours; and, some time after being in company with her and her female friend, together with brother B—, who immersed her, I stated to her, that it was strange, she should object to joining us, because we were "Campbellites," as we were called, when she was the only person I had ever known admitted to baptism in the way that you recommend; and appealed to brother B- if it was not so, and he

admitted it. She then observed, that she never had read any of your writings, and that, if she had, she probably might have been saved a great deal of disquietude. She has been quite happy since her immersion; and, she says, you told her experience in the discourses which she heard. She had been taught to believe it was dangerous to read your writings. Her eyes, I hope, are now open. "Another remarkable fact, in regard to this same family, is, that a son of our brother, the head of it, who has been a good deal prejudiced against you, professes to have had his sceptical or infidel sentiments removed through the influence of your writings, and particularly the new translation of the Testament. This circumstance, I hope, will go a good way towards removing their prejucices, as the infidelity of this young man, had been the source of great uneasiness to them. I state the case, because, I doubt not, the information will be gratifying to you."

MANY are opposing they know not what, in opposing the primitive gospel and order of things. And such is the opposition to the cause I have plead, that none can understand what it is, if they will hearken to its opponents and not read for themselves. As easily could any person, during the procuratorship of Pontius Pilate, have learned from the Jewish Sanhedrim the doctrine of Christianity-the character and designs of the Saviour and his Apostles, as learn from the popular preachers and presses what I have written, or what I propose or advocate.

So illiberal, uncandid, and proscriptive are many of the popular leaders, that their whole object appears to be to misrepresent me, and to prejudice the people against my character and writings. I am in those descriptions every thing, or any thing but a christian. I have been much gratified with many occurrences, such as the preceding-persons who, without knowing it, were of the same sentiments and experience with myself, while opposing me unguibus et pedibus, with "tooth and nail," under a character which my opponents had fashioned for me. When they began to examine for themselves, they found it was one thing to read for themselves, and another to take from the pulpit a picture or a narrative drawn by some admirer of a scheme which gave him either his bread or reputation. It is a good and a wise provision in our courts of justice, that no man shall be a juror in any case in which he is immediately, or remotely interested. For the same reason I challenge as jurors the whole herd of them whose living or reputation depends upon the continuance of the present order of things. Ed. C. B.

A DIALOGUE

Between A and B, the one a member of Silver-Creek Association, and the other of Lost-River Association.

A.-Good morning, brother B; I am glad to see you-I have had a wish to see you, and have some plain talk with you ever since your last Association.

B.-Good morning to you brother A; I suppose I may venture to call you brother, as I cannot believe every member of your Associa

tion is a heretic, and my long acquaintance with you forbids the idea that you have been led astray. I have always taken you to be a man of stability and very sound in the faith.

A. That is just to my hand-you have gone right into what I aimed to be at-has not your Association voted to drop correspondence with ours?

B.-Yes, indeed, she has done that very thing.

A. Can you tell me the reason why?

B. I do not know that I can; but reports say that your Association has been corrupted, or led astray by a Mr. Alexander Campbell, and has become heterodox in faith.

A.-I call for proof of the fact. I do not know that the SilverCreek Association has ever been charged with any such a thing.

B.-1 suppose no formal charge has ever been exhibited against your Association; but it is a common talk in our neighborhood, that the Silver-Creek people are Campbellites; and it is said they have admitted Dunkers to their Communion Table, which you know is contrary to the rules and regulations of all regular Baptist churches, and therefore insufferable.

A. Did you ever hear that the Silver-Creek Association had admitted Dunkers to the Lord's Table!

B. As an act of the Association, I never heard that it had been done.

A. In what then has Alexander Campbell led us astray?

B.-I do not think I am able to satisfy you in that either; but I suppose you are aware that it is said by many, that A. Campbell is an Arian or Socinian, by some a Sandemanian, and by others a Deist in disguise; and many, very many of every sect and denomination of Christians, speak of him as a most dangerous heretic and desperately wicked bad man.

A.-Unless

you

have sufficient testimony of what you have related, I should say it is evil speaking-yes, mere slander.

B. As to that, I have to confess that I have not sufficient proof, but it does appear to me, that Campbell has done abundance of harm, and I am seriously alarmed at the rapid spread of heresy, and am much afraid that he has been, and will be the cause of schisms and divisions in all the churches, and ultimately will do the cause he professes to advocate a great injury.

A. You may have just cause of alarm; but I hold you to the point. If I understand you rightly, you do not know, neither have you ever heard of any charge of heresy, or any thing like it, being preferred against the Silver-Creek Association.

B.-I know of no such thing, neither have I ever heard of any charge of any sort ever being preferred against your Association. A.-Well now brother B, is it not astonishing? Just consider the matter seriously-no solid proof that the man, who is accused of leading us astray, is himself in error; and admitting that to be the case, it remains to be proven, that the Silver-Creek Association are followers of him. But our Association has never been legally charged with any thing like it; yet strange to tell, a large majority of your Association voted to reject us; or which is the same, to drop correspondence with us. Now, I would ask, in the name of common

sense, why so much hurry? we ought always to remember, that one false step in the beginning, is apt to do abundance of mischief. The course she has taken, to say the least of it, is imprudent and unscriptural; for if we had been charged with being heterodox in faith, and that charge had been substantiated, then, and in that case, in order to follow Scripture direction, a first and second admonition should have preceded rejection; but you rejected ùs without any charge in a legal way, and consequently, no fair discussion or chance of defence on our part; without proof, or even a charge, of our being guilty of any kind of disorderly conduct, or of any departure from the faith. Now, my dear brother, what have you to say in vindication of the course your Association has taken? have you treated us like brethren? does it appear as if you had any desire to reclaim us, or to heal the wound? or has it not more the aspect of the proceedings of a court of Inquisition? Does it not virtually say, Cut them off-away with them-cast them out of the synagogue? why? because the disorder is catching, the disease is contagious-the faith of our own society, and not only ours, but the craft of all the sects is in danger of being overturned.

B.-Stop brother A; you seem to be getting too warm on the subject; and you know that is not the best way to settle matters. I assure you that I shall not attempt to vindicate the conduct of our Association, any further in what she has done. I confess I was not pleased with it myself to me it seems to discover something of the spirit of persecution in it; but I hope you, as you say you take the scriptures for your sole guide, will in this case let your moderation be known to all men, and by christian forbearance, and in the spirit of meekness your Association will treat with ours in a Christianlike, faithful, and tender manner; and by that means she may be brought to see that the course she has taken is, at least, censurable that she will, at her next meeting, reconsider the matter, and that the wound will yet be healed without loss of life or reputation. A.-I should be glad; yes, indeed, I should rejoice to see peace restored, and union and love abound among us; but I fear that a reconciliation will not be so easily effected; because there are some of our preachers, and many of our people, who have come into the opinion that the creeds and confessions of faith, adopted by the many different sects of professed christians, are, and have for a long time been, the prime cause of schisms and divisions among christians; and since the hasty vote of your Association, they have become more established in that opinion, and much more warm in the cause; and some seem to be determined to preach them down if possible; but that you may not misunderstand me, you will please take notice, we do not so much condemn the doctrines set forth in the creed-we would not say that the doctrine contained in the Baptist Confession of Faith is absolutely unscriptural, but do contend that it is unreasonable, and we think unscriptural, to make abstruse metaphysical questions articles of faith for weak believers to subscribe to; or otherwise be kept out of the church. We insist upon it, that it should suffice for all to subscribe to the plain simple truths of the gospel, taking the whole of the scriptures as the revealed word of God, and the sole rule of faith and manners; and