the rest of the world is produced in a manner analogous to the light, beauty and order of the material universe. By the same spirit who garnished the heavens in the creation, when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy, who brooded upon the face of the waters and rendered them prolific with life, by the same spirit are we quickened from a state of death in sin and raised to life in Christ Jesus our Lord. "If any man be in Christ, he is a new creation, old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."

We have been thus circuitous and particular in describing those to whom our subject directly relates, in order to escape, if possible, the misapprehensions to which our language might be subject from the sectarian notions or nomenclatures, which have imparted to these persons their habits of religious thought and expression. And even the names of converted persons, saints, penetants, regenerated, and the like, whether from the Bible or not, (scriptural phrases are as often used in a cant and sectarian sense as any others,) we shall endeavor to avoid, lest we expose ourselves to the necessity of minuter explanations, and lest a portion of the class whom we have in view, should attach to our terms meanings by which they should feel themselves excluded from the number addressed. We desire, if possible, to pass through all sectarian drapery whether of notions or names, and come directly to every man's experience and consciousness, that things may not be lost sight of by appending to them unfortunate terms.

Allow us to address those who answer to the description we have given, or who feel honestly to desire a character which would bear this description, as holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling. Though we are at present divided from each other and dispersed among all the extant forms of christianity, though we are doing much to counteract each oth

er's influence, are bringing by our dissevered state, great scandal upon the worthy name by which we are called, and, except we throw off the drapery which our religion may have assumed from accidental causes, we do not and cannot recognize each other as brethren, yet, if we could be induced for once to lay aside all these circumstantial appendages, and compare the reality of religion as it has been grafted upon our hearts by the Holy Spirit, we should find to our mutual surprise, that we have all the same basis of christian character, the same religious features, and are members of one family. That we have not the same reason to expect a residence in heaven with those upon whose experience and consciousness these elementary principles have not been grafted, even though they wear the same external drapery with ourselves, that we have to expect such a residence with those, who, without our drapery have the internal perception and feeling of the power of religion, we shall all doubtless concede. The external badges of christianity, which Simon Magus wore in common with Peter, could do nothing to save him from the doom of those who are in the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity.

We entreat you, therefore, brethren,-allow the principles which are at the basis of our common character as christians to operate as a bond of sympathy between us, while we go into a candid, dispassionate, and so far as the habits of our education will admit, an unprejudiced examination of the position we at present occupy in relation to each other, the causes of this state of things, the relations which our own peace, the honor of our Master, and the success of our cause require us to sustain among ourselves, and the measures which promise to secure the establishment of such relations. Of one thing be assured, we shall no farther infringe upon the specific forms of christianity to which any of us may have become at

tached, than we can avoid, in pursuing up and making clear the results of our investigation. And where such infringements do exist, if they are not perfectly impartial, bearing upon one as much as another, it will not be because the writer does not most conscientiously believe that we have all contributed our due share to the present unhappy state of the christian world, and that we shall never be united till we feel and confess this fact with repentance and humilliation.

The present arrogant pretension in every party and sect, that its creed and organization are the very ideal of perfection, the exact model after which the millenial church is to be formed, that all parties must rally around them, besides being the bitter root from which much of our trouble springs, precludes every incipient effort at an adjustment between us, and betrays a narrowness of view and feeling which is equalled only by the utter groundlessness of the assumption. If we were to dip deeper into recorded christianity, we should find that some of its holiest bearings upon life and conduct, have failed as yet to impress themselves on the most perfect sectarian organization in existence. Meager, opaque, and distant from the image of her Lord will the millenial church prove to be, after all the hopes entertained of her perfection, if any system now in the field is to constitute the exact measure of her moral advancement. But, brethren, whatever may be your thoughts on this point, we entreat you to keep in view the common ties that bind the redeemed together, and to remember that these pages have no party but truth, and no interests to subserve except your spiritual improvement, the glory of God, and the salvation of the world.

SECTION III.

Brief view of the field of controversy-portion of it to which our subject relates,

A general view of the field of controversy may perhaps enable us to enter with more success upon our inquiries for those causes of division and dissension which are in themselves reprehensible. This field embraces all those points by which the different bodies bearing the christian name are divided from each other. The existence of truly christian persons in all the sects, which we are bound in charity to admit, forbids that we should throw any of them, or any of the points dividing between them out of the field of this great controversy. We desire to reach all to whom the renewing influence from above has extended. Who among the number on earth for whose sins the blood of Christ has actually atoned, can be excluded from the spiritual brotherhood? That errors envelope him in almost total darkness, so far from being a reason for omitting him from our consideration, is a special call upon us to do what we can to bring him forth into the full liberty of the sons of God. Shall we destroy him for whom Christ died?

There is probably no form of christianty so remote from its primitive elements, as not to retain truly pious persons among its friends. The remedial influence of the gospel is so potent that it can hardly be so far diluted by foreign admixtures as not to produce in particular cases its healing effects. Not only so, but the errors with which it is intermixed are capable of such modifications, as to be the means of even promoting in some minds the growth of piety. Who can pretend that the crucifix and rosary of the Catholic worship may, not only admit of the exercise

of true piety in its devotees, but in some cases actually promote it? These do not in themselves accomplish the work, but serve to bring to view the doctrine of atonement and other important truths which do. Practices as remote from the appointment of inspired men, and as absurd as can well be conceived, may become arbitrarily linked with evangelical associations in the minds of pious men, and so by awakening those associations, may be made to subserve a religious purpose. This does not prove them to be right, because with the most whose confidence they secure the effect is entirely the reverse, and instead of suggesting evangelical thoughts, they operate like the shutter which excludes the sun's rays, to close the avenues of the mind against the introduction of divine light. But it may justify the supposition before expressed, that the class whom we have described as falling directly within the scope of our design, may be dispersed among all the forms of christianity in existence.

That the evils arising, my beloved brethren, from our not being in a condition to act in concert in securing the ends of our holy calling are very great, we are all doubtless prepared to admit. There is no single division of us who are not united more or less with the enemies of religion to oppose its friends. For, if every form of christianity embodies pious men, it is certain that they all include more or less that are not pious. And it is our dispersion among these enemies of God that contributes in a high degree to perpetuate our mutual conflicts. They have no tie with us in common and of course cannot feel a union with the spiritual family. The mere shell of external forms and organizations, being all of which they have any perception, how can it be expected that they should extend their thoughts beyond these in contending for the faith once delivered to the saints? As soon as we should amalgamate they