FROM

THE

MILLENNIAL HARBINGER:

FOURTH SERIES.

VOL. VII.]	BETHANY, VA. MARCH, 1857.	[NO. III.

      "Beware, lest any man spoil you, through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ."--Paul to the Colossians.

      There never was a period, perhaps, in which the warning contained in our motto was more needed, than it is at the present moment. The world is full of theories, and systems, each one of which claims the allegiance of the soul, and amidst the clamor, the gentle voice of the meek and lowly Saviour is too often unheeded or unheard. The simple gospel has become too trite to satisfy the vain curiosity of restless minds, and its doctrine is found to be too insipid or unsavory to please the morbid appetite for speculation, which is so characteristic of the present age. Many, even, who profess Christianity, are misled by the false lights of mere human wisdom, and snared in the intricacies of a specious maze of sophistry. Philosophy usurps the place which should be occupied by faith, and empty controversies are substituted for practical religion.

      In a certain sense, indeed, it is lamentably true, that all the Protestant parties are founded upon philosophy, rather than upon the Bible. There is not one of them, which does not hold some philosophical theory of religion, in its relations either to God or man, to which the teachings of the Bible must be made to conform. There is not one of them, which, in its peculiarities, in all that distinguishes it from others, is not purely human, or merely formal. It is the essence,--the common Christianity, which belongs to no party, as such, which can alone be recognized as divine.

      It was against such a condition of things, and the erroneous principles which underlie the whole framework of partyism, that the originators of the present religious movement first made themselves heard in earnest remonstrance. They endeavored to call the attention of the entire religious community to the Bible, as the only true authority in religion, and to the magnitude, solidity, and stability of that ROCK, on which Christ has built his church. They labored to persuade men to abandon their visionary theories and collateral issues, and to unite together in Christian harmony and love, on that true foundation, which is the only practicable basis of Christian union. It has been their anxious desire, and the labor of their lives, (to use the words of their original declaration,) " to restore pure, primitive, apostolical Christianity, in letter and spirit, in principle and practice." Such is a plain and succinct statement of the objects of the present Reformation, which [134] it is most important that all its professed advocates should keep constantly in view.

      Upon the results of this movement, thus far, it is not my present purpose to dwell. It must be admitted, that it has exerted a powerful influence upon religious society; that it has diffused abroad, a vast amount of most valuable scripture truth, which was neglected or unknown; that it has compelled surrounding religious parties greatly to modify their proceedings; that it has removed much of the rubbish of prescription and tradition, and presented, at least to view, the ancient foundations of Christianity. It is due to candor, however, to admit, that there are not wanting, earnest and thoughtful individuals, who fear that the true temple of God has not yet been restored to these foundations; or that, if built, it has not, as yet, been filled with the Divine presence. They think that the proper influence of better views has not been manifested in the religious life; and that the presentation made, professing to be "the truth," the original and primitive apostolic gospel, has not displayed original power and efficacy. They are apprehensive that there has been an exchange of opinions, rather than a change of condition; a readiness to propagate and defend a theory, instead of a willingness to make progress towards that perfection which the gospel enjoins; and that, consequently, there is either some defect in the premises laid down, or, these being true, that they have not yet been carried out to the right issues; or that some system of human philosophy has insidiously intruded itself, and, like the serpent in Eden, seduced the unwary, by the charms of forbidden knowledge.

      That such impressions as these should be entertained by persons of piety and discrimination, is, doubtless, a sufficient ground of serious inquiry into the actual condition of things. Individually, self-examination is ever a most important duty, and it is, undoubtedly, a measure appropriate and useful in a community, to review, occasionally, both its principles and its practice.

      The principles advocated in this Reformation, have been rapidly and most widely diffused. A great religious community has risen up, and continues steadily to enlarge itself in all directions. Under these circumstances, it is probable that the progress of proselytism may be mistaken, by many, for Christian progress, and that mere formalism may be inadvertently accepted for spirituality. It is possible, that confidence in religious views which commend themselves to so many intelligent minds, may be substituted for that individual and personal faith in Christ, which alone can impart life and energy to a religious profession. Let it not, then, be deemed an invidious or [135] an unprofitable undertaking, to survey the field of labor with a scrutinizing eye, that we may see if there be just cause of apprehension, or ground for censure. Nor let it be regarded as a disparagement of truth, if if; should appear that some have blended it with error, and thus enfeebled or neutralized its power.

      And, first, as to the premises, is there any defect in these! Are any of the principles, on which the Reformation is based, erroneous, in whole or in part! We candidly declare, that we have never been able to discover the slightest imperfection here. Nor has the rigid examination, to which they have been subjected, by the most able and acute opposers, during so many years of conflict, yet succeeded in pointing out a single flaw. That the scriptures should be taken as the only guide, in religion, and that each individual should form his heart and conscience, and direct his conduct by that Divine word, which is to judge him "at the last day," is a proposition so abundantly obvious, as to require no proof, and admit of no controversy, at least, in Protestantdom. To urge that we should have an express, "Thus saith the Lord," or an approved scripture precedent for our whole course of thought and and action in religion, both individual and ecclesiastical, is but to say, in fact, in the language of most Protestant creeds, that "the Bible is the only rule of faith and practice." To insist upon the rejection of tradition, and the authority of uninspired men, whether alone, or gathered together in councils or assemblies, in order to resolve doubts, to supply omissions in the sacred revelations, or fabricate articles of belief, is merely to insist upon the legitimate application of the rule of Protestant faith, however it may, unfortunately, have failed to prove the rule of Protestant practice. We regard this great principle, then, which is no less that of Protestantism than of the Reformation for which we plead; as definitely settled for us, even by our opponents, and that there is, consequently, no error, no danger in taking the Christian scriptures as our guide in every thing connected with Christianity, and in exercising the conceded right of private judgment, as to the truths taught, and the duties therein enjoined.

      And, furthermore, when, in carrying out this important principle, we admit believers alone, to baptism, and acknowledge that faith in the Lord Jesus, as the Messiah, is the simple, primitive, Christian faith, to be professed by every convert, and that this notable confession of faith is the rock on which Christ, himself, declared he would build his church, who can show that we are in the slightest degree inconsistent with this principle, or that we do not strictly and rigidly apply it! When "the bond-woman and her son," types of a fleshly seed, were ordered to be cast out, and to have no admission to the [136] privileges of the new covenant; when the "children of faith" were alone to be counted as "the seed;" when the gospel was to be preached among all nations "for the obedience of faith," and we have neither "precept nor precedent" for the admission of any one to baptism in New Testament times, who was not a believer, how manifestly inconsistent we should be with the very fundamental principles of this whole religious movement, if we presumed to foist into Christianity so unwarranted a practice as infant baptism, and one so utterly incompatible with the declared objects and nature of this Divine institution! When, again, the Christian faith is expressly announced to be belief on Christ, and all precedents show that this alone was the confession demanded in apostolic times, and we have neither precept nor precedent for the elaboration of such doctrinal formulas as now constitute the faiths of religious parties, with what propriety could we venture to introduce any similar unauthorized symbol, as a new basis of Christian faith and Christian union! And, when the ancient order of things, and the simple, primitive ordinances of the Christian church are so evidently set forth on the pages of the Sacred Record, with what propriety could we proceed to change or modify them, in order to adapt them to the taste or the caprice of fastidious or fickle minds!

      It is not in the power of any one to show, that, either in the principles on which this religious movement is based, or in the application of these principles to the ministration of the gospel, and the establishment of the church, there has existed any failure or deficiency whatever. This is a matter easily determined by a direct comparison between our proceedings, and the pattern exhibited in the New Testament. For this is not a vague or indeterminate religious movement. It is one well-defined, as to its principles,, and having a fixed, clear, and infallible standard for its practice. This standard is DIVINE. It is in the hands of all, and we fearlessly appeal to it in proof of the assertion, that in regard to the faith and institutions of the Christian church, this is the only religious body that professes and maintains them in their primitive purity and simplicity.

      If, then, there be no defect in the premises, and no failure in regard to the direct ministration of the gospel for the conversion of sinners, or in the ordinances of divine service for the edification of saints, to what cause may we attribute any real or seeming want of conformity or progress, in respect to the religious life! This is a most important question, in regard to which, we desire to present, hereafter, a few reflections.

R. R.

[The Millennial Harbinger 28 (March 1857): 134-137.]