and baptisms occur almost every week. Thus, in some measure, the light is here shining as a city set upon a hill. This country in general, as it respects religion, is in a most deplorable state, and no place more so than London. My business required me to make a visit to this great Babylon last week, and truly the religious men, so called, are in a most worldly, time serving, sectarian state; while the moral feelings and principles of the business men, of all sorts, are com pletely swallowed up in oppression and selfishness. J WAI LIS. Warren County, Illinois, August 29, 1838 I was at the organizing of a congregation in the south-east part of this county a few warks since: nineteen having given themselves to the Lord, gave themselves to each other in order to be governed by the Lord Jesus and his Apostles. Since, they have had an adtion of ten or twelve, and the prospect is good for more. WM. WHITMAN. Georgetown, Kentucky, September 5, 1838. We have just concluded a four days' meeting near Mount Vernon in Woodford countv. We had the pleasure to witness the good confession from thirteen persons. The brethren were made to rejoice, while sinners evinced the deepest interest and were made to tremThe prospects were good for many more, but we were compelled to leave for other engagements. The speakers were brethren Hunter, Hall, Fleming, and myself. ble J. T. JOHNSON. We had the pleasure of an excursion of two weeks into the Western Reserve, Ohio, and of seeing a large number of my fellow-citizens in the kingdom of the Messiah, some of whom have been my acquaintance and fellow-laborers for almost 18 years-men with whom we took sweet counsel in days long since gone by, for bringing that population under the teaching of the Holy Apostles. At Austintown, Trumbull county, was our first meeting; where, by the computation of many, there were from four to five thousand auditors, and some fifteen hundred disciples assembled. It was a delightful meeting: time, place, circumstances, were all agreeable.— The meeting commenced on Friday evening, and broke up on Monday afternoon. During the meeting some thirty persons confessed the Lord and were immersed; but, as usual on such occasions, the meeting had to break up at the time appointed, though all were satisfied that matters were only got in train and the ears of many engaged just as we closed-a few days more, and we should have had a Kentucky meeting of it. We hasted thence to Warren, Garretsville, Ravenna. Two were immersed after our discourse in Warren. Through Medina we passed to Royalton in Cuyahoga, where we had another fine meeting of the disciples and fellow-citizens. During the meeting, which continued the same time, twenty-four persons were immersed-fourteen when I left on Lord's day evening, and ten on Monday. On our return we spoke to large and attentive audiences in Richfield, Ravenna, New Lisbon. The cause of reformation is generally advancing steadily and firmly on the Western Reserve. So many immersions in a few days is the best proof of it. At the meetings we saw some twenty of the public laboring brethren, who are themselves generally improving in the knowledge of the Scriptures and in a more skilful use of the Sword of the Spirit. In some two or three instances we saw, or thought we saw, a failure in Christian dignity, gravity, and sincerity: we do not say an absolute failure, but an apparent failure. We saw a little too much sharpness, tartness, and belligerency, (pardon the invention of a new word, for I am hard pressed-combativeness would, perhaps, have suited better)-I say, a little too much combativeness in ap pearance. But really there was a general and a decided improvement in all. The brethren know we all want to see one another perfect men in Christ Jesus, and good teachers that need not to be ashamed, rightly and in proper spirit dividing the word of truth. No vinegar, less pepper, and a very little salt, brethren, in your evangelical labors. Persuasion, and a persuasive, feeling, grave, sincere, and affectionate manner, believe me, my young preaching brethren, is worth all the smart sayings, tart sayings, witty sayings, learned sayings, and dialectics which you can crowd into a two hours' speech. He that winneth souls is wise" In South America and in Mexico wild horses, difficult to he caught, are shot through the mane in some ingenious way; after which, it is said, they are easily bridled. A few years since some good evangelists seemed to think that the same theory might be applied to sinners, and that the best way to convert them was to shoot them down by hard sayings, and then persuade them. That day is now past, or fast passing away. A C. Rutland, Ohio, September 7, 1838. 1 Smith, formerly a believer in the that believeth not shall be saved,' has lately confess ed. He no longer believes in Universalism. He was convinced of the error of his system by reading the discussion between you and Skinner. Friend Skinner cannot sustain his R. DOWNING. ism. [I learn there are hopeful signs of many such conversions in different regions.-A. C ] Cincinnati, Ohio, September 10. 1838. I suppose that you have heard of the valuable accessions we have had from the Protestant Methodist Church, of brethren Lucas, Ross, and Brown. The first is a man of first rate talents and a successful recruiter, and will do much for the cause; and, indeed, the ame may be said of the other two. We may expect several others from the same quarter, as they are just on the eve of abandoning Methodism for Christianity I look upon the Conference of the Radical Methodists as broken up during the present session, and such is the opinion of their own members. At our meeting at Carthage, just closed last week, we immersed 19 persons; since which time I have immersed six in this place. J. CHALLEN. I trust many of our Protestant Methodist friends, both preachers and people, will see if to be of no consequence to reforın Episcopal Methodisin. It is not worth the trouble. that they may become Protestant indeed, and carry out their principles as far as the whole New Testament! And we trust that our brethren will receive them with all Christian a fection, and cheerfully and bountifully support such of them as can and will labor in the word and teaching. We want one thousand Evangelists for the coming year. The blessing of the Lord on the labors of a few hundred proclaimers teaches us what we might expect if we had a few thousand. A C. THE CHRISTIAN BAPTIST AND THE NEW VERSION IN ENGLAND. The following notices are from the Baptist Magazine of July last, (1838,) published by Wightman. London; and show how far differently the "Christian Baptist" and the New Translation are regarded by that Press, compared with some of the denominational prints in the United States. I say some: for amongst the American Baptists there are many enlightened men who approve these works as highly as the Baptist Magazine of England. And from many indications I might predict that the day is not many years distant when the most intelligent and devout of that community will wonder why their brethren and fathers reprobated those who inculcate such sentiments, faith, piety, and norality: THE CHRISTIAN BAPTIST. "This is, without all peradventure, one of the most valuable theological works ever imported from the United States. It embraces an extensive range of discussion on topies The most interesting; a great variety of Essays, Letters, Dissertations, &c., of imperishable excellence; and, from the many and pressing inquiries which have been made a ter it during the last two years, there is every reason to expect that the copies now imported will soon be bought up; on which account immediate application should be made, to prevent disappointment." THE NEW VERSION. "The Prefaces and Appendix of this work condense into a small compass a large quan tity of instructive matter, which will repay the attention of every cultivated mind, but will prove especially valuable to those reading and thinking men who lament the want of a classical education. We do not know any work, of so low a price, which would render a diligent inquirer into the meaning of the apostolic writings one tenth part of the assistance which is afforded in this small volume." DR. SLEIGH-MISSING. Dr. Sleigh could not long bask in the sunshine of his fair fame gained by his late prosecution. Brother James Heaslitt of Philadelphia, under date of the 20th August, writes to me-"Sleigh and his family are cleared out. There is no certainty where he is gone: Rumor says to England." Such are the men with whom we have to contend in pleading for truth, righteousness, and general good manners. A.C. THE BEREAN. By some singular omission it was forgotten to be notited on our pares that brother Alexander Graham now of Springfield, Illinois, was then editing The Berean," a monthly periodical, half the size of the Harbinger, at $1,00 in advance, or $1,50 at the end of the year It is neatly executed, on good paper, and contains much sense and A C. valuable information. OUR ARRANGEMENTS AND FUTURE INTENTIONS. BROTHER RICHARDSON having, from the weakness of his eyes, been constrained to give up, in a great measure, both reading and writing, has, for the present volume, been unable to render me any essential assistance. Should his eyes continue to improve, he will furnish one or two articles per number for the next volume. Brother Matthew Clapp will also attend to a portion of my correspondence during my absence, as well as brother Arny-and he will besides furnish an article or two for each number. My intentions in respect of the new series are not yet properly begun to be carried out. We have too many long and rather abstract or controversial pieces for our own taste, and for a portion of the reading community, whom we desire to interest in our pages.So soon as the present controversy with the Universalist is completed, of which but four letters each are now due, I will not admit of controversial or abstract articles over some four pages in length. There is now no need for them. Very little new matter can be adduced for or against those great topics which have frequently been before us for 10 or 15 years. Besides, we have many articles on new subjects, and especially on the subject of Family Education, School Education, Church Education-on New Books, Libraries-Scriptural Words and Phrases-Ancient Usages, Manners, and Customs, &c. &c. waiting for utterance. These must have the first rank in the ensuing numbers. We desire as much statistical information of the progress of the gospel and the history of churches from our correspondents as they can consistently communicate; but we desire it to be clearly and briefly expressed, without unnecessary detail, or too many subordinate particularities. The brethren wish to have a knowledge of one another, of their localities and circumstances. This is a great desideratum, and one of the primary advantages of the periodical press. Will the brethen consider how much pleasure it gives them to hear from others? Then will they let others hear from them? The Harbinger is now read, less or more, in all countries where the English language is spoken, with the exception of one or two islands. Much that is written is republished in various forms and ways; and it is our grand design to make it annually more and more subserve the great cause of a thorough and radical reformation. We can, and we trust we will, still advance towards a higher perfection and a higher degree of public utility. A. C. The "Reformed Clergyman" may be expected in our next; as also other communications laid over. From the Saturday Courier. SONG OF EARTH'S TRAVELLERS. BY H. II. SAUNDERSON. We are passing away, we are passing away, We are passing away, while hope's sweet smile, And visions of bliss the light hours beguile; We are passing away and returning again To the clod of the vale and the dust of the plain; We are passing away, with the spring's bright flowers, In the silence of night and the bustle of day, We are passing away with the kings of the earth, The ininstrel forsakes his ivy crown, And goes to the mansion of silence down; And proudly retires to his couch of death; With the great and the brave, and the fair and the gay, We are passing away, we are passing away! There blooms not a flower when the summer glows, Beneath which the dead do not repose; There is not a spot on hill nor in dale, Which in days gone by hath not had its tale Of one who in beauty's bright array Has pass'd like a dream of the heart away. There peers not a star through the evening's gloom We are passing away; but let's not grieve My "philosophic limb," as you are pleased to term my scriptural arguments, occasions you a great deal of trouble. You can do nothing with it till you have first distorted and shaped it over anew in your 26th letter. When a man in controversy has to manufacture the arguments of his opponent, it is a pretty sure sign that he cannot refute those that his opponent himself adduces. 2. You say my four grand assumptions are, "1. That punishment and chastisement are but two names for one idea. 2. That all punishment necessarily terminates in the reformation of its subjects. 3. That punishment is never properly exemplary, &c. 4. That punishment is not necessary for the honor of the Governor of the universe," &c. That these assumptions "are all false," and hence I "very pradently" am "content simply to assert them." When and where have I ever asserted them? No where they are not to be found in any part of this discussion, nor any other writings of mine. In relation to the first, I have maintained, and do maintain, that punishment and chastisement, if not always, are often used synonymously-that the word rendered punishment, Matth. xxv. 46. means chastisement, and that God chastens all for their profit that they may be partakers of his holiness. Heb. xii. 5--11: Psalm lxxxix. 30--35: 1 Cor. iii. 13-15, and their numerous parallels. 3. Your definition of punishment, viz. "penalty or pain for transgression without any regard to what the issue of that pain or penalty may be," is quite as descriptive of the unfeeling revenge of the savage, as of the righteous administration of our heavenly Father's government. You, however, admit that punishment "may always have three objects in view: 1st. The glory and honor of the Lawgiver; 2d. The good of the offending subject; and 3d. The guardianship and defence of the unoffending.' "Something in other words is due to the King, to the subject, and to his fellows on every transgression." YOL. II.-N. 8. 41 |