diction over the whole United States. This is, in fact, to carry the principle of Presbyterianism to an unwarrantable length; all the arguments adduced to prove the necessity of such Synods or Assemblies, if worth any thing, prove the necessity of a permanent Ecumenical Synod or Assembly. Recent events, especially the increasing agitation on the subject of slavery, convince us that the day is not very distant, when the other and larger branches of the Presbyterian Church in the United States will be compelled to take the same position, on this subject, with the Associate Reformed Church.

It only remains to add to this historical sketch, that for the last five or six years a correspondence has been going on between the Associate Reformed, the Associate, and the Reformed Presbyterian Churches, with a view to their amalgamation into one body. Among persons of right Christian feelings, and of enlarged minds, there can be but one opinion, as to the desirableness of such a union; but we are sorry to say, that at the present time, the prospect of its accomplishment is by no means flattering. Still, the parties concerned are acting with great caution, and experience proves that in all attempts at union, the dictate of true wisdom, is "festina lente." The great deliberation by which this movement has been distinguished, may at least inspire the hope that when the union does take place, it will be a union that deserves the name. And yet, if it were speedily effected, while we should greatly rejoice, the question would force itself upon us-why should the united Scottish Church maintain a separate existence in America? We confess that we should look upon this as a step towards a yet more blessed consummation. We should look upon it as the harbinger of that day, when Presbyterians, so long divided and alienated, though one in their confession and government, forgetful of their ancient animosities, shall unite their hearts and their energies against that common and mighty foe which is every day putting on renewed strength, that deadly foe by which in other days so many of our Presbyterian fathers were sent to join and increase "the goodly company of martyrs."

We shall conclude the article with the statistics of the church.

I. The Synod of New York, contains four Presbyteries, viz: New York, Saratoga, Washington, and Caledonia. The whole number of ministers is 34; and of congregations, settled and vacant, about 43. The Theological Seminary is at Newburgh, Rev. Joseph McCarroll, D. D., Professor of Theology; the Professorship of Church History is at present vacant.

II. The Synod of the West, about four years since, was turned into a General Synod, having under its care the following particular ones, viz:

1. The East Sub-Synod, containing the following Presbyteries: Big Spring, Monongahela, The Lakes, Mansfield, Steubenville, Blairsville, Second Ohio. The East Synod contains about 60 ministers, and about 100 congregations, settled and vacant. The Theological Seminary is established at Alleghany, near Pittsburg, under the care of Rev. John T. Pressley, D. D., Professor of Theology; Rev. James L. Dinwiddie, Professor of Biblical Criticism; the Professorship of Church History is vacant.

2. The West Sub-Synod contains the following Presbyteries: First Ohio, Chilicothe, Springfield, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan. It numbers about 40 ministers, and 70 or 80 congregations, settled and vacant. The Theological Seminary is established at Oxford, Ohio, under the care of the Rev. Joseph Claybaugh, D. D., Professor of Theology.

III. The Synod of the South, contains the following Presbyteries: First Carolina, Second Carolina, Georgia and Tennessee. The number of ministers is about 25, and of congregations 40. They have a Literary and Theological Institution, called The Clarke and Erskine College, in Abbeville District. The names of the Professors we are unable to give, though we understand the College is in a flourishing condition.

4

HISTORY OF THE BAPTIST S.

BY THE REV. A. D. GILLETTE, A. M.,

PASTOR OF THE ELEVENTH BAPTIST CHURCH, PHILADELPHIA.

WHOEVER thinks of a noble river, as it flows in majesty towards the ocean, without contemplating the bubbling springs and mountain rivulets of which its deep channels are composed?

When we look upon the form and features of some distinguished and useful man, we naturally inquire, Where was he born? Who were his parents? What is the history of his childhood? and by what step in life has he gained that mental, moral and civil elevation, which places him so far above the thousands of his race?

On becoming acquainted with some benign institution, we ask, Whence its origin?-and listen to its history, or the narration of whatever is of moment in its character, with an avidity and interest which bespeak us engaged in no ordinary way.

Our divine Saviour asks, “Whether the baptism of John was from heaven or of men?" We know that the religion which John, Jesus and the Apostles taught, was from heaven. Christianity is no graft from some former tree, no remnant of some old religion, no substitute; but a new and living faith: direct from God-the love of Christ, and the mind of the Spirit; it is a system destined to glorify its divine authorship, and save the souls of such as repent of sins and believe its holy teachings.

It may in truth be said of any people professing and calling themselves Christians, that their principles are from the same source, provided they are according to the Gospel of God. This we fully believe concerning all evangelical Christian churches, irrespective of

names.

The origin of Christian communities, their distinct organization, their history as separate societies, the progress of their sentiments among men, are subjects of curious and profitable investigation,

a fact which we are glad to find is receiving a degree of public attention, somewhat proportionate with its reasonable and legitimate claims upon the intelligent inquirer after truth.

ORIGIN OF THE SENTIMENTS OF THE BAPTISTS.

Mosheim declares the origin of the sentiments of the Baptists to be hid in the remotest ages of antiquity. Milner, the ecclesiastical historian, also shows, that the sentiments of the Baptists were held by the primitive church, and not departed from until the year 253, when Cyprian, an African bishop, decided, "That those whose weak state did not permit them to be washed in water, were yet sufficiently baptized by being sprinkled."

Church history shows us clearly that in every age since the Saviour's advent, there have been communities of Christians among whom were held most, and by some all of the peculiar doctrines of the Baptists of the present day: such were the Piedmontese, Waldenses, and disciples of Gundulphus.

When the Roman papacy sent its monks into Britain for the purpose of converting the people to the dogmas of their spurious faith: British bishops and congregations were found in great numbers worshipping God according to a pure Gospel, and administering baptism and communion to such only as lived a godly life, after the pattern shown them in the Holy Scriptures. These Christian people resided chiefly in the north part of the Island, among whom the "beast and false religion found no favourites." In the south, and among the Kentish people, most of whom were Druids or Pagans, the Roman mission was so far successful, as to persuade many to mingle with their heathen ceremonies others called Christian that were of Roman origin.

The early British Christians held all the evangelical doctrines as essential to church fellowship, and withheld the ordinances of baptism and the Lord's Supper from bad livers and unconscious infants; maintaining that it was the privilege of believers only. And, as up to the fifteenth century immersion was practised in all cases except upon the infirm and sick: it was of course the unquestioned conviction of all, that our practice and sentiments in this thing were according to the Bible; for we now hold that baptism is immersion "in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost." Also with those "ancients" we hold, "that true penitents and sincere Christians only are subjects of baptism."

It is understood by the most intelligent among us, that we are Pro

testants only in the union of sentiment against the Papal heresy, and according to the great truths of the Gospel which we hold in common with all evangelical churches.

We, as a people, never submitted to antichristian Rome; but have given thousands of lives rather than be restrained from worshipping God, through the threats and power of wicked rulers; we never yielded to the "Man of Sin," except in dying by the power of its brute force, its inquisitorial cruelties.

The adherents of our views did not always separate themselves entirely from other communities, or from Christians who did not agree with them in these peculiar sentiments; hence they are not clearly distinguished in the history of early times, and seldom by the name of Baptists: a name we never gave ourselves, but one used by others to signify the primitive and gospel manner of imitating Christ in his divinely appointed ordinances.

Men of our views, such as Milton, and Bunyan, and others, stood high in office, and were embalmed in the affections of the people, who never enjoyed the privileges of a separate connexion, with our present organization and plans of benevolence.

Mosheim says, "In the middle and succeeding ages, there were individuals who professed Baptist sentiments, mixed up with the general body of Christians scattered over a wide surface."

REASONS WHY OUR SENTIMENTS AND HISTORY WERE SO UNKNOWN IN THE EARLY AGES.

The discipline and morals of the large national churches, in the third and fourth centuries, became so antichristian, that such as had the purity of Christ's kingdom at heart, after striving in vain to resist the heathenish innovations, withdrew, as they should have done, from churches no longer worthy of the Christian name. By the corrupted party they were soon confounded with heretics; the favourites of a corrupt government, and a worse faith, even sacrilegiously assumed the name "Catholic."

But the faith of those who retired by themselves was pure, their discipline scriptural, and among them we must look for the Church of Jesus Christ.

This people, in Rome, were called Novatians; in Africa, Donatists; in Greece, Paulicians.

The people holding Baptist or purely gospel sentiments concerning the ordinances of religion, are the people who, under various names,