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 early 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

commands all men every where to repent. Such were the views of this man of God, such are the Freewill Baptist sentiments now. In the true spirit of a faithful ambassador for Christ, commissioned of God rather than by men, he went forth into the great gospel vineyard, preaching to and praying his fellow-men to be reconciled to God; and the Lord abundantly sealed his ministry. For a while he went on to baptize, adding the converts to the New Durham Church; but soon there were several churches associated with this. It will be proper here to remark, that at the time of the origin of the Freewill Baptists, evangelical piety and the life and power of godliness were at a very low ebb in the two leading denominations in this section of the country. In the Calvin Baptist--we speak generally-there was much of real Antinomianism; much was preached of unconditional election and reprobation, and but little to the impenitent upon immediate repentance and seeking religion;—and in the Congregationalist, experimental religion, in many cases, was scarcely considered a prerequisite to church-membership or to entering the ministry. Churches were in a lax state of discipline, and much of the preaching was little else than dull moral essays, or prosy disquisitions on abstract doctrines. Any reader, at all acquainted with the history of the Church at the period of which mention is here made, will admit the full truth of our statement; while, on the other hand, we take much pleasure in informing the reader that these remarks, in our opinion, have no application whatever, at the present time, to these now truly evangelical and pious denominations. Such then being much of the preaching of the times, it was to have been expected that the preaching of Elder Randall and the other pioneers with him in the cause of free salvation, should occasion much excitement; their sentiments and measures be the subjects of frequent discussion and various opinions; that some would fall in with them, while others would oppose and deride. All these results actually followed. Publishing a full atonement, and gospel salvation free for all to embrace, and exhorting their hearers immediately to turn to God, the Lord working with them: many accepted the glad tidings and embraced religion. Revivals spread. Several ministers and some churches came out from other denominations and united with the new connexion; other ministers were raised up and churches organized, as the reformation extended. One of the first four ministers was liberally and theologically educated. The new sect was every where spoken against; fanaticism, delusion, wildfire, was the cry; and by their enemies they were variously styled, Randallites, General Provisioners, New-Lights, Freewillers, etc. Elder Randall