tendence. While you remained with us, up to the time that your minds were poisoned by the deceit and falsehood of others, you found the ordinances amongst us to be spirit and life to your souls. In those days you loved God and your Ministers, you were thankful and happy. "Where is then the blessedness ye Spake of? for we bear you record, that, if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to us. Are we, therefore, become your enemies, because we tell you the truth? They zealously affect you, but not well." (Gal. iv. 15—17.) I have proved, both from Scripture and reason, that God will not extensively own the labours of wicked Ministers, and I defy any man to disprove what I have said on that point: you must, therefore, either deny your own piety, or our wickedness. Is not the securing of our salvation the main thing we have to mind in religion? Now, according to your own account, you obtained saving grace in our Connexion. What did you want more? Why should you meddle with them that are given to change? And what state of mind must you have been in when you could turn your backs on the Ministers and people with whom you had found redemption, to engage in a new untried scheme, as though you had everything in religion to find out? I wish to impress it upon your minds, that you owe much to those who have been instruments in turning you to God; and that it must be a very strong case indeed which can absolve you from your obligations to them, and justify your separation from them. I am quite sure that you can make out no such case: it is, therefore, your duty to repent, and to return to us. But do not misunderstand me. When you left us, some other denominations began to caress you, and invited you to participate in their fellowship; and now I am requesting you to come back to us; and I fear you may suspect that you are very important personages. You were told how wisely and righteously you had acted in leaving us, and what sagacity and independence of mind you would manifest in joining your flatterers. I now ask you to return to us. But why? Not because I esteem you either the best or the wisest of men, but because I think you acted foolishly and wickedly in leaving us. I shall neither court nor flatter you. I have given you the reasons why I believe it to be your duty to measure your steps back again to the old Connexion; and if you can come in the spirit of humility, our door is open to you, and we will welcome you in the name of the Lord. I am happy to say that several, during the past quarter, have rejoined us, and have met with a cordial reception. Upon the same terms I would invite your officers. But, in reference to these, a word of explanation may be proper. It is so common a saying, as to be almost proverbial in the town, that they all want to be masters. I do not think these contentious spirits worth receiving: we have had more than enough of them. These men need to be converted; and, till they feel this, they are unfit for any religious society. We believe, however, that some Leaders and Local Preachers were more deceived than deceivers; and if any of these can stoop low enough to confess they have erred, we will, without any doubtful disputations, hold out to them the right hand of fellowship. LEEDS, July 8th, 1830. I remain, Yours affectionately and faithfully, SMITH'S CHRISTIAN PASTORATE. We have not yet read any review of this most able book which does full justice to the spirit of moderation which pervades it throughout. It is impossible to peruse it without perceiving that Mr. Smith is no mere party man. He is an earnest lover of Scripture truth, and a faithful witness for it in "perilous times:" hence, in his volume before us, he as indignantly repels and rebukes the unscriptural assumption of priestly rule and dominion in the church of Christ by high-minded Ecclesiastics, on the one hand, as he repels and rebukes revolutionary railing and rebellion against divinely-appointed ministerial authority, on the other. We give, in proof of this statement, and for the benefit of our readers, the following extracts from the second section of the book, which is entitled,-THE CHRISTIAN MINISTRY, BY DIVINE APPOINTMENT, SEPARATED FROM ALL WORLDLY PURSUITS AND SECULAR ENGAGEMENTS. In discussing this question, I will not stay to argue the case with those who place all the spiritual offices of the church, and all its didactic exercises, as of necessity, in the hands of the Minister; who, in fact, make the sacred office a caste, into which if a man is once introduced, he can never retire from it, whatever change may take place in his health, his sentiments, or his spirit. It will be sufficient here to declare, that this claim of ministerial prerogative is utterly at variance with the teaching of the Bible....... But while earnestly contending for the scriptural liberty of laymen to take part in the didactic duties of Christ's worship, and even maintaining the necessity of their doing so, in order to conserve the purity, spirituality, and efficiency of the Christian church, I feel equal readiness to assert, and equal firmness in upholding, the scriptural doctrine of a separated ministry, as essential to the constitution of a Christian church, and the extension of the kingdom of Christ in the world. The separate and unsecular character of the Christian ministry may be inferred from the primitive appointment of the Apostles. The great body of the disciples attended the ministry of Christ, and profited by His instruction; but they pursued their usual secular occupations. Notwithstanding their occasional, or even frequent, attendance on the Saviour's preaching, each of them provided for his own support: except, indeed, on two extraordinary occasions, on which a multitude had gone so far after their Divine Teacher, as to be deprived of the means of procuring food. In these instances, the merciful Saviour miraculously supplied their wants. This exception proves the rule, and demonstrates that the persons who attended the Saviour's ministry provided themselves with the necessaries of life, as they had before done. It was not so with the Apostles. Their calling required them to abandon their secular occupations. James and John, Andrew and Peter, left their fishing; Matthew forsook the receipt of custom; and the others acted in like manner. The Apostles, with their Master, had one common fund, out of which their wants were supplied. I am aware that it may be objected, that this arrangement was initial and preparatory, and therefore does not warrant the inference, that such should be the case in the church of Christ when its doctrines and constitution were fully developed. Yet it is important to call attention to the fact, that although the position of the Apostles, during the life of Jesus, was not precisely that which they were afterwards called to hold, the manner and language of their call showed that the abandonment of secular things, and the required devotedness to the service of Christ, were intended to be final and complete. I may instance in the language addressed to Andrew and Peter. "Come ye after me," said the Saviour, "and I will make you to become fishers of men." (Mark. i. 17.) These words can scarcely be referred to the course of action pursued by those Apostles during their Master's life-time: the terms evidently had regard to their subsequent career as ambassadors for Christ. We hear nothing of the success of their ministry prior to the day of Pentecost. It was afterwards that they became "fishers of men." This application of the apostolic call is justified by the fact, that if ever the Apostles returned to their secular occupations, it was for a very brief space, and prior to the ascension of Christ. (John xxi.)........................... But, it is argued, this was not uniformly the case with Ministers, nor even with the Apostles themselves, who, we are reminded, had frequently to resort to secular pursuits in order to procure a supply of their temporal wants. The assertion may excite surprise, but I fully believe that a careful examination of the scriptural record of such cases will supply the most important support to my argument, and the best antidote to the objection. I will notice two or three of these cases. "Neither did we eat any man's bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you." (2 Thess. iii. 8.) "Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling place; and labour, working with our own hands." (1 Cor. iv. 11, 12.) "Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities." (Acts xx. 34.) The first two of these extracts are taken from letters addressed by St. Paul to the members of two Christian churches; the last from an address delivered to the Presbyters of Ephesus. On reading such statements is it not natural to ask, Why does the Apostle mention his secular engagements and labours in this manner? Upon what principle is this pointed reference and precise statement made? I can conceive of no other reason, than that it arose from the acknowledged fact, that the ministerial calling separated men from such occupations. The manner in which the statement is made in each instance, shows that it was unusual to unite such toils with the general course of ministerial duty. But not to rely on this indirect evidence, the New Testament affords the strongest proof of the separate and unsecular character of the ministry. I give prominence here to the language used by Paul when addressing Timothy. The circumstances of the aged Apostle and of the young Evangelist required that there should be here nothing ambiguous or capable of a double meaning. The instructions are given to Timothy as a Minister, for the purpose of directing him as to the judgment to be exercised in the appointment of other Ministers. The Apostle says, "The things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also." And then he immediately adds, “Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier." (2 Tim. ii. 2-4.) No other reference which the Apostle could make would have enforced so powerfully the doctrine under consideration. A soldier is taken away from every business, removed entirely from every professional, commercial, and handicraft occupation, that he may devote his undivided time, strength, and talents to fulfil the behests of him into whose military service he has entered. That this course of devoted action may be prosecuted without interruption, he is provided with all necessary support; so that he entangles himself not with the affairs of worldly business, but devotes himself fully to the interests of the Prince under whose banner he has enlisted. And this is the figurative manner in which the Apostle most strongly illustrates the character of the Christian ministry. Timothy, as a Minister of Christ, is thus, in the estimation of the Apostle, set apart from the concerns of worldly business, precisely as a soldier is so separated; and it is on this accountbecause he is not called to entangle himself in secular affairs-that it becomes, in a very special manner, his duty to " endure hardness" in this holy service.... The history of every nation shows, that men may render essential aid to their country by occasional military service, without forsaking their several secular pursuits. But it is equally certain, that every nation has required the services of men fully devoted to the military profession, and who cannot "please him who hath chosen " them to this duty without an entire relinquishment of the affairs of worldly business. The application of this to the Christian profession is obvious. Every Christian is called, according to his means, to support and extend the kingdom of Christ. Some are by special influence laid under peculiar obligation to teach and exhort: they may be regarded as a sacred militia, called to war for their Prince in their own locality, as far as this can be done without an interference with their temporal business. But Timothy stood in another class. He was laid under solemn obligations so to devote himself to this warfare, as that any divided attention or occupation was incompatible with his duty to his Prince. He was appointed to an office which requires of all called to discharge its sacred functions, that they shall not entangle themselves with any worldly business, but consecrate their entire and zealous service to the spiritual warfare of the kingdom of God..... The whole scope of Scripture teaching thus confirms the doctrine, that the Christian ministry is a separated and unsecular order. Ambassadors for Christ are not to be involved in the cares, perplexities, and business of this world. The men specially called to proclaim glad tidings to a world of sinners are to follow their Master without the camp. The successors of the Apostles in object and spirit, purpose and effort, are to justify their high vocation, and to act upon the declaration of their Master, who said of them, "They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world." (John xvii. 16.) The men whose message of mercy is emphatically the world's hope are taught to regard all earthly things as dung and dross, that they may fulfil their ministry according to the will of God.... .......... Such is the Christian ministry,-selected, chosen, separated men, endued with the special and abiding presence of the Lord Jesus. Since that day, eighteen hundred years have rolled along; generation after generation has found a restingplace in the grave; nations have risen to power, and sunk into oblivion; cycles of science have been filled; and human genius has alternately flourished and waned: yet the Christian ministry remains. We have seen it assailed by fierce persecution: we have seen it pour out its blood as water in the conflict. It has been flattered and caressed by secular power; and individuals have been unfaithful in the day of trial. Men whom God never called have intruded unbidden into the office, and brought dishonour upon the sacred cause; while whole bodies of men professing this holy calling have either, on the one hand, denied the Godhead and atonement of their Saviour, or, on the other, arrogated to themselves vain and superstitious powers. Yet, amid all these proofs that this treasure is placed in earthen vessels, the Gospel ministry remains in all the maturity of its strength. Never did its heavenly teaching reach so many millions of souls; never did the light of its influence affect so many immortal minds; never did it bear a clearer, stronger, more effectual testimony for Christ in the world, than at this day. Never did it stand out more indisputably as a Divine institution; never did the presence and power of Christ more signally educe the wisdom and energy of great and good men for the promotion of His kingdom, or to a larger extent overrule their frailty and infirmity, than now. The Christian ministry is set forth before the church and the world as an undoubted ORDINANCE OF GOD. NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS. *** -We had seen the Preachers' Model Champion, and were as much amused at the temerity of the known writer in attempting to cobble up verses, as we were indignant at his representation of himself as a Wesleyan Delegate. We hope he makes shoes better than he makes verses, or they are certainly not worth having. T. H.-Thanks for your communication. A Shepherd's Duties and Responsibilities.—Received. It is under consideration. LONDON-PRINTED BY JAMES NICHOLS, HOXTON-SQUARE. THE WESLEYAN VINDICATOR AND CONSTITUTIONAL METHODIST. EDITED BY THE REV. SAMUEL JACKSON, AND A SUB-COMMITTEE. MAY, 1851. LETTERS TO YOUNG MEN. (No. IV.) THE DISTRICT-MEETING. YOUNG MEN OF METHODISM,-The District-Meeting, as an ecclesiastical and administrative court, is next to the Conference. It is, in fact, a meeting of a Committee of the Conference. It received its appointment from the Conference; acts under its direction, and on its behalf; and, therefore, bears, in strict phraseology, the title of The District-Committee. It originated among the regulations made by the first Conference after Mr. Wesley's death, in the year 1791, for the preservation of the whole economy of Methodism as he left it. Both the Preachers and the people had rejoiced in the work of God, as it had been carried on during his life-time; but there were fearful apprehensions in many minds, that when he should be removed, the system of Christian doctrine and discipline which he had adopted and maintained so successfully would be interfered with and altered. These apprehensions, as reported to him, you will find mentioned by Mr. Wesley in his writings; and to meet them he gave directions, at one time, that, immediately on his decease, all the Preachers in full connexion should repair to London, and determine in Conference what should be done; but, afterwards, acting on sound legal advice, he enrolled the Deed of Declaration in the High Court of Chancery, which secured to Methodism, in perpetuity, its constitutional principles. That Deed, for the sake of form and legal security, as you know, contained the names of one hundred Preachers, selected by Mr. Wesley; and, as it might be supposed, some of the Preachers, whose names had not been included in the Deed, were afraid that after Mr. Wesley's death their more honoured brethren would abuse their trust, LONDON: PUBLISHED BY JOHN MASON, 14, CITY. ROAD ; F |