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did not mean by these expressions | o convey apy offensive sentiment , but just to elucidate the fact , that the parties would be constantly opposed to each other . He hoped that by a faithful discharge of their duty , the places of the Arians would be filled up with orthodox men ; he did not conceal his wish that
it should be so ; but of one thiug he was certain , that a human test was not the way to do H . Apothe $ objection was , the holding of ministerial communion with men of contrary sentiments : but whatever was the meaning of the objection , he either did not understand it , or did not concur in it . Communion in
Scripture , means a communion of spirit and affection . He had no difficulty , for instance , in holding communion with Mr . Montgomery in money matters , or in ordinary business of the Synod . But , in propagating the gospel , he could not hold communion with any of the orthodox , who was a worldly-minded man , with one who was intent on the
accumulation of wealth , and who would give £ 10 or £ 20 to the service of Satan , while he would with difficulty dole out some five shillings to promote the cause and worfc of Qod . WHU such a man he could not hold communion . Another ground that was set up was , thai ; there was no standard for this body but the Word of God . The CJwtjans * Cburcl ?
was bound to set forward the Sacred Scriptures as the only book that cop ? tains rules of faith . It was said , we must have some definition of what the Scriptures mean . He did not think so ; he had again and again sought for the grounds of this assertion in the Bible , but he had sought in vain . He saw
there nothing of the sort , and he could not conscientiously accede to it . If a man professes to believe the Bible , he ought to be received . On that profes- > sion , he could recognize him as a Christian , but without examination of his life and character , he could not recognize him as a Christian minister . This wag
the simple mode pursued in primitive times . We are to judge of him by our own conceptions of what the Bible requires $ but there was no criterion by which one part of the Synod could be set apart as Christians , and the others not . That must be determined by the
whole temper , and spirit , and character of the man . Instead of setting up logical men to make a creed or code of laws out of the Scripture , the Scripture itself shquld be our creed . To it we should constantly refer ; and instead of bringing with us our codes of discipline , we should bring our Bibles , anil till we do jthia , wp shall
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never attain the character of a Scripture Church . Instead of suspending over those to whom the examination of our young men i » entrusted , the terrors of the church , we should declare , with the Bible in our hands , whether they have done their duty or not . Church censures are easily got over , but the authority of the Bible is not so readily
dispensed with . Our meetings would thus be rid of the legal forms , and a weight atid a solemnity would be imparted to our proceedings . There was no intention of driving Arians out of the Synod , but there was an intention of driving out Arianisni . The parties might go together , so far as they agree , and when they cannot , they might hold separate meetings ,
without trenching on the integrity of this body . This is what is meant by withdrawing . Let men thus withdraw , when they cannot keep together , and let them keep together when they can . This was the Redeemer ' s ' mode of procedure with the Pharisees , and that of Paul with the Jews at Epbesus and elsewhere . The Jews were then all either Arians , or
rather Socinians ; yet he did not sepa - rate from them , till they contradicted and blasphemed ; and whenever the Arians of the Synod of Ulster get up and contradict and blaspheme , he ( Mr . C . ) will leave them , but not till they make the Synod too hot to hold him . Again , he supported the resolutions , because the Synod might rest satisfied in them ,
and because they would save the necesi * sity of driving out men , under whose authority he as well as others came into that Synod . Would they tnrn out the very men from whom they had received their ministry ? He spoke in relation to those members of Synod who had been ordained by Ariane . They , in parti cular , should lay down the ministry
They had it then from an impure source , and would any man tell him that he should go to the street and permit a parcel of porters to set him apart to the ministry ? But he would exemplify his reasoning . In the Synod of Munster , one of our students has been introduced —a young man of orthodox principles- * - he meant Mr . Ferris , of Fethard . A * mongst those Arians he is permitted
geaceably to act , and to bear testimony to the truth , and if so , he asked any soy ^ eft-mi nded man , what is Mr . Ferris to do ? Wouhf ypu adviae him to withdraw , and come ont from among them . * Now he ( Mr . CO would really aud con * scientiously say to Mr . Ferris , Do not . If they require from you any thing con , tiary to your princlplee-T-if they make tto Synod too hot for you , then with **
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Intelligence . —8 yn $ d of UltteK £ 81
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Aug. 2, 1828, page 581, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2563/page/69/
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