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rights of their country and religion. Many of the pastors acted as chaplains to the various regiments composing that brave band, who so successfully opposed tyranny, and resolving to die freemen, rather than to live slaves, established liberty throughout the land.

Of the Baptists, Washington says, "While I recollect with satisfaction that the religious society of which you are members, have been, throughout America, uniformly and almost unanimously, the firm friends to civil liberty, and the persevering promoters of our glorious revolution: I cannot hesitate to believe that they will be the faithful supporters of a free, yet efficient general government."

Under the new government, though in many of the States our rights were not equal to those of other denominations, we began rapidly to increase; and the prejudices which education and an exclusive preeminence, which some of the other churches enjoyed over us, was calculated to nourish, wore gradually away. Attention was soon turned to a vigorous use of means, calculated to increase converts to holiness and Bible sentiments. Institutions of benevolence were founded, adapted to facilitate the spread of a true faith and scriptural practice through the length and breadth of our land, and as far as possible to give the Gospel to a perishing world.

When we recollect that the force of education, habits and practices of all other denominations, are opposed to our peculiar views, and that a people are slow to cast off the influence of early prepossessions, and that we came in upon the community with our views, not until after other denominations had preoccupied their mind, by preaching and practising in a different way: we are led to believe that God is for us, and we adoringly ask, "What hath God wrought? He hath not dealt so with any people; and as for his judgments, we have not known them. Praise ye the Lord."

As organizations for the speedy fulfilment of our Lord's last command, we have an American Baptist Home Mission Society, which sends out ministers at its charges to preach the Gospel in destitute towns and settlements in various parts of the great Union, and has done much good, especially in the new western and southern States and Territories; one General Convention, for the prosecution of the same cause in foreign lands and among the American Indians; and no society has greater cause for gratitude than this has for the missionaries God has given it, and the success that has attended their consecrated and self-denying labour.

We have about seven colleges, and as many theological seminaries; numerous academies, high and select schools, under our

exclusive influence. Many of our educated members are engaged as professors and teachers in our general literary institutions. Others are bearing a part in the responsibility and usefulness which their various talents impose upon them, in the estimation of their fellow-citizens, and the different offices of trust and honour which they are called upon to fill in our state or national government.

In most of the States we have conventions for the purpose of promoting education, Sunday-schools, and missionary labour-contemplating the supply of those who are destitute of the means of grace, and aiding small and pecuniarily weak churches in supporting competent and acceptable pastors, and other means of usefulness to the people in their immediate or remote vicinity.

Associations of churches in a single county or district of a State are voluntarily formed for social and benevolent action, as the circumstances of their vicinity or the ardour of their piety may demand. Every church being independent, associations have no control over the doctrine or practice of the churches composing the body. Councils can only give advice, and recommend the continuance or withdrawal of fellowship from churches, as they may be worthy or unworthy.

We publish about twenty-five religious periodicals; one quarterly review. We have one National Bible Society, which contemplates mainly, as its field of labour, the supply of the heathen with such translations of the Scriptures as our missionaries shall in faithfulness prepare for them.

Through these benevolent channels about five hundred thousand dollars annually flow from our communicants, who in addition to these contributions support their own pastors, poor members, Sabbathschools and other efforts of usefulness in the individual congregations.

We suppose about four millions of American citizens are dependent on the Baptists for the religious discipline and teaching which they receive, and with the rapid increase of population our responsibilities will also be increased. To meet and supply these solemn wants, we have about nine thousand churches, six thousand ministers; and with nearly one hundred thousand increase since our last statistical information, we have about one million of members-all of whom profess to be followers of the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world.

We have one General Publication Society, for the purpose of circulating books and tracts adapted to the wants of our members, and to become the means of salvation to the perishing, among whom we are commanded to shine as lights in the world.

Such an array of numbers calling themselves Christians, and such organized instrumentalities for the furtherance of their views among men, can but impress the pious of all denominations with the importance of praying for us, that we become not corrupt in doctrine or practice, but maintain the true faith, and continue, with them, that Christlike spirit of co-operation in opposing the kingdom of sin and error, and establishing in all lands the empire of our common Emanuel.

For this may we pray, and to this end may we labour, until the period shall arrive when the relationship of different denominations and official or organized agencies in the church below, shall be absorbed in the adoring views which we shall then enjoy of Him whose fulness filleth all in all.

5

FREEWILL BAPTISTS.

BY THE REV. PORTER S. BURBANK, A. M., HAMPTON, N. H.

FROM the early period in this country's history when Baptists came to be a distinct branch of the Christian Church in America, at the banishment of Roger Williams from the Massachusetts Colony, and his settlement in Rhode Island, different views of the Atonement and Christian Theology generally, have obtained among them; some inclining to Calvinistic, others to Arminian, sentiments. The first Baptist Church in America was of general views, and the Baptists in several of the states were Arminian long before the Freewill Baptist Connexion arose, while others were Calvinistic. As Calvinism became more and more introduced, some churches of general sentiment went down, others went over; others still, were inclined to the Arminian side, but co-operated with those churches which were Calvinistic; and generally there was but one denomination of Baptists in America till the origin of the Freewill Baptists, a little more than sixty years ago. This article on the "Freewill Baptists" will embrace summary sketches of their origin and history, doctrine and usages, and present statistics.

I. ORIGIN AND HISTORY.

The Freewill Baptist Connexion in North America commenced A. D., 1780, in which year its first church was organized. ELDER BENJAMIN RANDALL, more than any other man, in the providence of God, may be regarded the founder of this denomination. He was born in Newcastle, N. H., in 1749, where he lived until of age, during which time he obtained a good mercantile and English education. From a child he was much accustomed to serious meditation and deep religious impressions. He did not, however, experience a change of heart until his 22d year, when the distinguished George Whitefield was the instrument, under God, of his awakening and conversion. It was not long before he became convinced, in spite of his carly education, that believers, and they only, were the proper subjects for

Christian baptism, and that immersion was the only scriptural mode. He was baptized in 1776, and united with the Calvinistic Baptist Church in Berwick. Very soon after this he commenced preaching; and within the first year he saw quite a revival under his preaching, in his own native town. It will be proper here to remark, that Mr. Randall possessed strong and brilliant powers of mind; and though he was not liberally nor classically instructed, yet with a good English education to set out with, by close application and untiring diligence, in a few years he came to be well informed in general knowledge, and especially in biblical literature and practical theology; to which may be added a clear knowledge of human nature, and deep and fervent spirituality. His soul also drank deeply into the doctrine of a full and free salvation. From Newcastle and adjoining towns, where he both met with violent opposition and saw many souls converted, he extended his labours more into the country, and himself soon removed to New Durham. There a great revival commenced under his labours. The work spread also into adjacent towns. About | this time Mr. Randall was several times called to account for his errors, that is, Anti-Calvin sentiments. In one of these public meetings, held July 1779, at the close of the discussions, it was publicly announced by the leading minister, that he had "no fellowship with Brother Randall in his principles." To which Mr. Randall immediately responded: "It makes no difference to me, who disowns me, so long as I know that the Lord owns me: and now let that God be God, who answers by fire; and that people be God's people, whom He owneth and blesseth." In this way was Mr. Randall pushed out, and forced to stand by himself alone. The same year the church in Loudon and Canterbury, with its minister, and the church in Strafford and minister, protested against Calvinism and stood independent, until at an early period they came into the new connexion. By these ministers Mr. Randall was ordained, in March, 1780; and on 30th June, same year, he organized, in New Durham, the first Freewill Baptist Church. "This," in his own words, "is the beginning of the now large and extensive connexion called Freewill Baptists."

The gospel which Elder Randall preached was one of a free and full salvation; and he seemed to preach it with a holy unction, in demonstration of the spirit and in power. He believed that men possessed minds free to will and to act, and that God's exercise of pardoning grace was always compatible with man's free volition; that the gospel invitations were to all men; that the Holy Spirit enlightens and strives with all, and in a general rather than a partial atonement; ⚫ that Christ invites all freely to come to him for life, and that God

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