EV. JOHN WEST was a minister in the state of Virginia, having been licensed by the Methodist church in 1790. He withdrew and labored with the reformers. He was an author of some notoriety, his publications being extensively read. He published a sermon in pamphlet form entitled, "A Key to the Mystery of Iniquity," which had an extensive circulation. But the fruits of his pen tended rather to the breaking down of old habits and modes of thought than to the building up and establishing the new and better way.

      From the time of his withdrawal from the Methodist church, he labored till 1806 and probably longer. He is spoken of as a man of talent. He labored principally in Virginia. The following paragraphs are extracted, with little variation, from the "Key to the Mystery of Iniquity," to wit:

      "All acknowledge that all human productions are liable to error; yet all refuse by penal laws that these errors should be exposed." [52]

      "All acknowledge that it is right for every one to seek, but wrong to find more or less than their teachers have already found for them."

      "All acknowledge that every thing is right as it stands in the Scriptures; yet all uniformly refuse to let them stand so!"

      "All acknowledge that there is a fund of knowledge contained in the Scriptures, and to be obtained by searching; but woe to the man that is successful enough to find out more than his betters! 'He is feared to be the setter forth of some new doctrine,' say they."

      "All acknowledge that it is the duty of every one to grow in the knowledge of Christ, as well as in grace: but then he must not grow faster than his brethren, or at any rate than the leaders of the several sects, else he will surely be declared an heretic!"

      "All acknowledge that there is but one, old right way revealed by heaven to men; yet each party walks in a new way of its own making!"

      "All profess a desire that all Christians should be united; and to convince the world how ardently they desire it, each wears a pretty name, to show that he is separated from all the rest."

      "All acknowledge that the Scriptures are of prime authority; superior to anything that ever was, or will be made by man, because God is the author--and that every commandment is equally binding on all Christians; and yet they have found out a more excellent way!"

      "Ought not those, above all men, who legislate for eternity, be sure that they are exactly right, before they begin? And who can be sure of this, but God himself? How can the receiving Creeds, Confessions of Faith, Discipline, etc., consist with free inquiry, and union? And without free inquiry, how can truth be found? And unless we come to the knowledge of the truth, how can we be saved? " [53]

[LCM 52-53]