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The Christian Herald.

VOL. IX.

SATURDAY, MARCH 15, 1823.

No. XXI.

Miscellany.

[REVIEWER REVIEWED, CHRISTIAN UNION, &c. (Concluded from page 612.)

To the Editor of the Christian Herald.

SIR-Under the second head of Mr. Strong's sermon he proposes to point out "some of the probable causes of this judgment," and observes," in our remarks on this head, we are speaking of our sins as a city, as a community, as a people." With this assurance, we did not look for a great degree of individuality in his remarks, either as it regarded churches, or persons, but still we find him offering a few specifications of the sins of each. When he therefore came to notice the sins of the church, we did expect his rebukes to have fallen on her for her divisions, and jealousies, and party feelings. For these we have long felt to be a sore evil in the church on earth; and indeed her great and crying sins in the ears of the God of Zion, who regards all, even the most weak and imperfect of his saints as the apple of his eye. The church, by her divisions, party feelings and contentions, has done more injury to the cause of Christ, and been the means of hardening more souls in impenitence, than all the infidels in the world could have done, had she set before them an example of union, peace, and brotherly love. The Christian church must be united in one fold, under one shepherd. Until this be her happy state, "the king's daughter" cannot be "all glorious within; her clothing," or external appearance, cannot be " of wrought" or beaten "gold;" she cannot be presented "to the king in raiment of needlework," nor will her "garments smell of myrrh, &c." Will there be "envying, and strife, and divisions"§ in the church, in the day of which God has said "the wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf, and the young lion, and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them," &c., and "they shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain?" Entertaining such views, and believing in the fulfilment of these, and many other similar prophecies, what think you, Mr. Editor, was my surprise to learn that the author of this sermon, considers the damning sin in the churches of New-York to be a spirit of union among different sectaries!! Is it possible that Mr S. wishes division and conten

The late Pestilence. + Sermon, page 12. Psalms, xlv. § 1 Cor. iii. 3, || Isa. xi. 6, 13. 81

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VOL. IX.

tion always to pervade the church of God? Is it possible that his heart says, concerning her and her members,

"Havoc, and spoil, and ruin, are my gain !"

Or, is there in his view, no church of Christ on earth, except his own favourite "reformed Zion ?" Will he unchurch all who do not belong to her? and leave to the "uncovenanted mercies of God" all who worship the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, out of her pale ?What a strange paragraph is the following:

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Arminius, whose doctrines were condemned in the Synod [of Dort,] declared, a little before his death, (as he stated in his last will,) that the great object he had in view, in all his theological and ministerial labours, was to unite in one community, cemented by the bonds of fraternal charity, Christians of all sects and of all denominations, (Papists excepted,) whatever their religious sentiments might be. How near many of those who call themselves orthodox, in some churches in this city, are approximating to this spirit, is left for the reader to determine."*

We do not know the feelings of every Christian in this city, who is called "orthodox," but we know of many who desire, and who fervently pray, that Christians may not only "approximate," but actually come up to, and act upon "this spirit." And pray, Mr. Editor, what is "this spirit," the influence of which Mr. S. so much dreads, and against which he warns his brethren with so much zeal? Why simply this, sir, "To unite in one community, cemented by the bonds of fraternal charity, CHRISTIANS of all sects and denominations." And how much, we would ask, does "this spirit" differ from the spirit of the following prayer? "Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one as we are. "Neither pray I for these alone; but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; that they all may be one, as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us; that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them, that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them as thou hast loved me."+

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Are not all CHRISTIANS brethren, in the highest and most perfect sense? Have they not all one Father, and one elder Brother? And can Mr. S., in the spirit of his sermon, say of them, 66 Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!" Or, must he view such union

"with jealous leer malign;"

and at the same time groan inwardly, and say within his heart,

what do mine eyes with grief behold!--

Sight hateful, sight tormenting!!"

If such be his feelings, (which we hope is not the fact) he is surely

* Sermon, note, p. 22.

+ John, xvii. 11, 20-23.

Psalms, cxxxiii. 1.

Reviewer Reviewed, Christian Union, &c.

643

an object of pity, and we pray he may soon be relieved from such an unhappy influence.

This Christian unity, is said to be like "the dew of Hermon" "upon the mountains of Zion :" and it is said that upon this union "the Lord commanded the blessing, even life for ever more. * And is it possible that this can be the sin in the church for which the Lord has commanded his curse, even the pestilence upon this city!!

66

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To show that Mr. S. is not misrepresented in the remarks here offered, we refer to the passage quoted in your review, page 490, in which he condemns the "system of benevolence' and 'union" " which has been manifested" even "by many members of" his own church," and we beg the reader to turn to that passage and see for himself what are the author's views on this important subject.

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This is not the first time that Mr. S. has raised his voice against the Union of Christians. He may probably recollect the time when he said with a kind of contemptuous sneer, "The union of Christians sounds well-there is a charm in the words!" Yes, "the union of Christians" does "sound well," and it will continue to sound well, while it will be eternally reverberated through the heavenly mansions," Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in UNITY." It will sound well to the angels, and to the spirits of the just made perfect; and it will sound well to Jesus, who prayed and who laboured that they all might be one. There is, indeed, a "charm in the words," and in the spirit too; a charm which the touch of no human wand can break. The more sacred truth is applied to it, the more clearly is it seen, the more heavenly it becomes, and the more is its binding influence felt. The spirit which unites Christians who are in so many respects one, though differing in name, and in external modes of worship, is the same spirit which influenced the apostles, and united them "in judgment, affection, doctrine, worship, and labours :" it is the same spirit which, producing love and union among the followers of Christ, evidences the divine original of the doctrines they profess.

Mr. S. has given us the reason why he is the enemy of Christian union if it be allowed to gain the ascendancy, he thinks he must "bid farewell to his reformed Zion." If it were true that his reformed Zion is built up and sustained by party interests, and divisions, and contentions, there might be some cause for his fears: but in this case Mr. S. has misrepresented his own church. The church with which he is connected does not stand on the narrow principle of party interests; but is "built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone." And consequently would not be in the least endangered by the most perfect triumph of Christian union. Neither do we believe any denomination of Christians would lose any thing by the prevalence of such union, but what would be for the interest of Christ's kingdom on earth that they should lose, and therefore, for their own interest.

* Psalm cxxxiii. 3. See the whole passage, sermon pp. 23, 24. Eph. ii. 20.

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To this position, we are confident, every feeling of" sound, substantial, and well informed piety," in this city, and in the world, will give its most hearty concurrence. The spirit of brotherly love, and Christian affection and union will have its privileges and its happiness in spite of all the opposition which its enemies can bring against it. We have no fears that opposition to Christian union will ultimately prevail: our peculiar regret in this instance is, that a minister of the Gospel should lend bis voice, his pen, and the sanction of his name to make the disciples believe that their Lord commands a curse instead of a blessing, on Christian efforts, that they all may be one in the bonds of love; a spiritual "building, fitly framed together," "an habitation of God through the Spirit."t

But Mr. Strong's opposition to Revivals of Religion is the part of the sermon which, in our apprehension, should, more than any other, affect the mind of the Christian community. We say, "opposition to revivals of religion," for every one who reads the sermon must understand, that, by his "system of feeling," which he says "places very little if any value upon the peculiar doctrines of Christ ;" by his "new system of making Christians," which he says "would supersede the plan of God's regenerating grace !!" he means those special outpourings of the holy Spirit usually called revivals of religion. As you have touched on this subject in the review, (although not altogether in an unexceptionable manner,) there seems to be less need of saying much here; but as it involves all our hopes of the enlargement of Christ's kingdom, we must again beg your indulgence for one or two remarks. There can be no doubt but that Mr. S. designed these sarcasms to fall on those churches where revivals have most prevailed, and where, we believe, God has shed the richest of his blessings. If then, by a new system of making Christians" he did mean revivals of religion, he has surely slandered the "churches" alluded to. If he were acquainted with the men and the churches pointed at in this part of his sermon, he would certainly know that no men, or churches impress and urge more constantly the necessity "of God's regenerating grace" than they; and we know not how he could find it in his heart to say what he has. If he did not know this fact, he is more inexcusable for indulging in such remarks upon a case to which he was a stranger. We hope Christians in this city, and in all our land, will pray for those, whom Mr. S. thinks have been spreading "fatal poison," by their "system of feeling" and their" new system of making Christians," that, if any of them are not God's children, they may immediately become such, and also become one in the unity of the spirit, by the faith of the Son of God.

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The Holy Ghost is a Spirit of peace and love; and wherever his influences are diffused, there will be peace and love among the saints of God there will be "union" both in feeling and in action, in the

† Eph. ii. 19-22.

Sermon, p. 23.

* Sermon, p. 23. And the censure of course, falls on the Presbyterian, Reformed Dutch, Baptist, Methodist, Episcopal and Congregational Churches, for all these denominations have been blessed with special tokens of Divine favour in the effusion of the Spirit of grace upon their churches and congregations.

Reviewer Reviewed, Christian Union, &c.

645

most perfect sense in which it can be experienced or witnessed in this world." Independent interest as a separate section,"* among the churches, will be forgotten and lost in the greater object of the honour of Christ in the salvation of sinners and indeed, : it may be expected that according to the measure in which these DIVINE INFluENCES are given, the scene will resemble that of the day of Pentecost. Now the fact, that such feelings have been manifested by some individuals and churches in this city, is to my mind a most striking evidence that the influences of the Holy Spirit have, in just that proportion been shed down upon them. Under these influences it should be no wonder that they become the advocates of Christian union, particularly in their labours for the salvation of sinners; for this is the very nature of such influences. It is, indeed, when taken in this view, that we cease to marvel, at the fact, that at such times "Christian union" becomes a kind of watchword among Christians; since it is only the aspiration of the inward working of the Holy Spirit on their hearts. It is natural to suppose that they would speak of those things which they feel to be so happifying to themselves, that others might come to the same blessedness, and it appears unchristian to call such expressions "the cant of the day," when it is most evident they spring from the spirit of Christian love. This spirit among the saints, and spirit of feeling for the souls of poor sinners, is the same spirit which inspires love for the pure "doctrines of Christ," and him crucified, as the propitiation for the sins of men; and it inculcates these doctrines, that dying sinners may look to him and live, that Christ alone may be "honoured" in their salvation in "this world" and that which is to come. To the friends of " union," revivals, and "feeling" we would say, go on; and fear not but that you shall be more than conquerors; for though your enemies, and them that rise up against you be strong, yet be assured, that He who sent the Holy Ghost to breathe this spirit upon the world, is with you, to lead you to conquest and crown you with glory. He who is for you is Lord of lords: He is greater than those who are against you; we therefore again say, go on, and inculcate more than ever the spirit of union, revivals, and peace among the followers of Christ, and according to the degree of opposition with which you meet, so increase your energies in the holy warfare against sin and Satan: but do not "render evil for evil unto any man :" be careful, and "Let not your good be evil spoken of; for the kingdom of God," in this world is righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. For he that in these things" (i. e. righteousness, peace, &c.) " serveth Christ, is acceptable to God, and approved of men." "Therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another."§ "Peace be to the brethren, and love, with the faith of God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."

We would earnestly entreat all who have named the name of Christ, of whatever sect or denomination, habitually to keep this subject of CHRISTIAN UNION in mind; and to pray constantly and fervently that we all may be ONE in Christ our Redeemer, in the bonds of love. *Sermon, p. 24. Sermon, p. 24. 1 Thess. v. 15. § Rom. xiv. 16-19. Eph. vi. 23.

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