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social exercises of the churches, either in praying or teaching, but official characters; namely, Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors, and Teachers. These are the divinely appointed agents and organs of the church, by which its public official business of teaching and ruling is to be performed. Wherefore, any business presented to the church in its collective capacity, must be first or immediately presented to its pastors and teachers, and by and through them to the church. Accordingly we find, Acts xiii. 1-3., that "there were in the church which was at Antioch, certain pastors and teachers:" that "as they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away." So much for their mission by and from the church of Antioch; which, when they had accomplished by preaching the gospel first in the Isle of Cyprus, and afterwards in the cities of Perga in Pamphylia, Antioch in Pisidia, and in Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and had converted many, and ordained them elders in every church, with prayer and fasting, they returned "to Antioch, from whence they had been recommended to the grace of God, for the work which they fulfilled. And when they were come, and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done by them; and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles. And there they abode a long time with the disciples." Thus begun and ended the first church mission to the Gentiles.

But still it is objected to the ordination under our immediate.consideration, Acts xiv. 23., that there is no mention made of the laying on of hands. True, but what does that prove? That because the imposition of hands is not mentioned, as well as fasting and prayer, therefore it was not practised upon that occasion? As well might it be argued, that none of the converts made during this mission were baptized; because Paul, in his first sermon, recorded upon this occasion, delivered in the synagogue of Antioch in Pisidia, concludes without mention of baptism, saying, "Be it known unto you, therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins, and by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.”—And because it is not so much as once mentioned in the records of the whole of this very successful tour. But if the laying on of hands, with prayer and fasting, be not the divinely appointed manner of setting apart certain persons to special stated offices in the church, why do we find it used in the first appointment of deacons, Acts vi. 6.? Or why the laying on of the hands of the presbytery, 1 Tim. iv. 14.? Or

why the caution to Timothy to lay hands suddenly on no man? And if all the dirciples be bouud by a moral necessity to preach and baptize, why all the special directions given to Timothy and Titus about choosing and ordaining fit persons for teaching and ruling in the churches?— "faithful men, 'that should be able to teach others"'-men of character and standing, "having a good report of them that are without”—“not novices, lest being lifted up with pride, they should fall into the condemnation of the devil"? &c. &c. Why all this ado about electing and ordaining duly qualified persons, if every disciple, as such, be a preacher, a teacher, a baptist, by a moral necessity? But we know, that the whole body is neither eye, nor ear, nor tongue; and that all the members have not the same office: see Rom. xii. 4.

The objection in your first essay, against the application of 1 Tim. iv. 14. to an official ordination, because it is said to have conferred a special gift, appears quite irrelevant; for surely, the putting of one in possession of an honorable office may be justly styled a gift or favor. Besides, it appears that Timothy received the gift of the Spirit by the laying on of Paul's hands; see 2 Tim. i. 6. Now that the laying on of Paul's hands had an immediate respect to his reception of the Holy Spirit is evident, not only from the uniform intention and effect of the Apostles' hands upon baptized believers, as such: see Acts viil. 14— 17.; but also, from the immediate contextual connexion in which we find it, I Tim. i. 6-18, and ii. 1-7. The whole of which taken together, is to excite Timothy to courage and constancy in the endurance of all manner of hardships in the persevering and faithful discharge of all the duties of his office. Indeed, this is evidently the proper and primary intention of this epistle, which was written by the Apostle in confinement, under that most ruthless tyrant Nero, and in the near prospect of an ignominious death. Wherefore he commences with such considerations, as would have the most direct and powerful tendency to inspire Timothy with fortitude, for the faithful discharge of all his official duties in the face of all opposition; putting him in mind of the special advantages he enjoyed from his pious parents; and from his early acquaintance with the Apostle himself; who salutes him as a "dearly beloved son"-as his "own son in the faith:" reminding him of the special favor he had received at his hands;-of that gift of God which he thus enjoyed; even "the spirit of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." But, in the fourth chapter of the preceding epistle, where the Apostle speaks of the laying on of the hands of the presbytery, he has evidently a direct and immediate respect to the constant, diligent, and faithful performance of all his official duties respectively: and not to the miraculous gift of the Holy Spirit, which he received by

the imposition of the Apostle's hands; saying, ver. 13-16., "Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all. Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee." Thus was Timothy excited to the due and faithful discharge of all his official duties; one of which was, as we learn from the 22d verse of the 5th chapter, to "lay hands suddenly on no man," that he might not be a partaker of other men's sins, by ordaining unqualified persons, contrary to the directions contained in the 3d chapter; and thus, by countenancing such, become a partaker of their evil deeds. 2 John v. 11. And that it was one of the official duties of evangelists to ordain bishops and deacons, the following scriptures taken together demonstrably prove. See 1 Tim. iii. 14, 15., and v. 22., with 2 Tim. ii. 2., and Titus i. 5–9. "These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly: but if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyeelf in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth."--"Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be a partaker of other men's sins: keep thyself pure." ."—"And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who chall be able to teach others also."-"For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city as I had appointed thee: if any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children, not accused of riot, or unruly. For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre; but a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate; holding fast the faithful word, as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers."

Upon the whole, for what other purpose could the imposition of the hands of evangelists and presbyters, mentioned in 1 Tim. iv. 14., and v. 22., be intended, if not for the purpose of ordination to some special official business, to the performance of which the persons were not previously bound, by the common ties of moral obligation? For the communication of spiritual gifts by the imposition of hands, that is, conferring miraculous powers,-(not simply the working of miracles,) -was peculiar to the Apostles. And even in the cases of official ordination, in which the Apostles were concerned, recorded Acts vi.

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6., and xiii. 3. there was no communication of spiritual gifts; for both the ordainers and the ordained were previously filled with the Holy Spirit. For what purpose, then, were the ordained thus set apart? We answer, For a peculiar business-for a special work-to which, in neither case, the ordained were previously bound by the common ties of moral obligation: see Acts vi. 3., and xiv. 26.-the former of which reads thus: "Brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business." The latter thus: "And thence they sailed to Antioch, from whence they had been recommended to the grace of God, for the work which they fulfilled." Hence it is evident, that in both cases, the appointment was purely for official purposes. Respected brother, yours very respectfully,

THOMAS CAMPBELL.

PASSIVE OBEDIENCE AND NON-RESISTANCE. JAMESTOWN, OHIO, 15th October, 1839. Brother Campbell-HAVE patience with me until I make this third communication.

We have some honest-hearted well-meaning men amongst us, who are able to teach others also; who have found doctrines in the scriptures, or think they have found doctrines, which prohibit Christians from taking any part in politics. According to these doctrines a Christian must not hold any office in the political government, nor must he vote for any officer in said government.

These men agree that Christians ought to be subject to "the powers that be:" that they ought to obey kings, magistrates, &c. But they divide obedience into active and passive, and then assume that the obedience required of Christians is passive. Or, to bring the subject before you in plain English, passive obedience means to suffer the penalty of disobedience-i. e. the Christian is commanded to muster or march in the army, he disobeys the command, but pays the fine imposed on him for disobedience. This is what is called passive obedience.

Does any man, who is destitute of ism, believe for a moment that the obedience enjoined by Peter and Paul on all Christians, was of the above mentioned kind? Was it the obedience of disobedience that they enjoined on Christians when they commanded them to obey kings, &c?

But these men feel very strong, and are desirous to discuss this subject publicly. They think it of great importance, and are as much gratified when they make a proselyte, as if they had made a proselyte to the Christian religion. But the worst is not told: They think that this notion is a part and parcel of the gospel, and that it is essential to salvation. This doctrine, when carried out, makes salvation to depend on being separated from all political governments. They must neither vote nor be voted for, else they are not Christians.

576 PASSIVE OBEDIENCE AND NON-RESISTANCE.

Do you think there could be a new sect reared on this foundation? I verily believe there can, and think probably there will.

This new doctrine is called the doctrine of "non-resistance," and is supposed to be fully taught in the Lord's Sermon on the Mount. May the Lord preserve the church from error of every kind! Affectionately yours,

REPLY TO M, WINANS.

M. WINANS.

Beloved brother Winans-THE doctrine of passive obedience, or nonresistance, as you define it to be understood by some, is certainly unscriptural, being neither taught in the Old nor New Testament; though the doctrine of private anger, spite, and revenge; of retaliation of evil for evil; and even of personal self-defence when persecuted for righteousness' sake, are strictly forbidden in both: see Lev. xix. 18. "Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people; but thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." Prov. xvi. 32. "He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit, than he that taketh a city." xx. 12. "Say not thou, I will render to the man according to his work." xxv. 21, 22.. "If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he thirsty, give him drink; for thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the Lord shall reward thee." Matth. v. 30, 41, 44, 45. "I say unto you, that ye resist not evil: but whosover shall smite thee on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. mies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you, and persecute you; that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven." Acts vi. 59, 60. "And they stoned Stephen, calling upon the Lord, and saying,Lord, lay not this sin to their charge." Rom. xii. 17, 19–21. “Recompense to no man evil for evil.--Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves; but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore, if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shall heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good."-So much for passive obedience and non-resistance:

Love your ene

for doing good for evil; with the perfect accordance of both Testaments. And all this without any interference with our political duties; as the subjects of civil government. For he that said, "Resist not evil;" also said, (Matth. xxii. 21.,) “Render to Cesar the things that are Cesar's." And by his Apostles, Peter and Paul, he has given us the most solemn charges to honor kings, to obey magistrates, to be