This over-acted pretence of such unheard of devotion to truth is very often the mere scape-goat of the sins of envy, jealousy, and maliciousness! Nay, these noisy Bedlamites will split churches, and break down characters, and scandalize the cause of Christ in their entire neighbourhood for the sake of the victory in these unhallowed overflowings of intemperate zeal. Our Lord loves mercy, and not sacrifice; peace, and not contention; love and brotherly kindness, and not mere skill in debate. Oh! how lean is the soul, and how haughty the spirit of a regular church debater! Listen to Solomon's judgment in such a case: "He loveth transgression that loveth strife;" and again, "Only by pride cometh contention;" "Cast out the scorner, and contention shall go out; yea, strife and reproach shall cease.”

I trust that after having been sifted in a seven years' trial, the brethren and the churches in this reformation will have overcome most of those difficulties consequent upon first attempts in every thing, and that they will in all cases put out the spirit of contention by prayer and supplication. Prayer will effectually overcome the demon of strife and debate in a church. Praying men " contend earnestly for the truth once delivered to the saints;" but this is always, in reference to those without, not with their brethren! Brethren should enjoy, live upon, and exhibit the excellence of "the faith "-not quarrel about it. And if a brother errs, tell him of it privately, and let him correct the error himself. -Mill. Har., Feb. 1842. J. H.

TEMPERANCE SOCIETIES.

[SOME of our beloved brethren seem to think that teetotalism is to be the means of regenerating the world; or, at least, it must necessarily be advocated as a stepping-stone for the accomplishment of so glorious an object. Hence we have recently had several communications addressed to us, requesting that we take part in upholding this scheme of promoting moral good. This, however, as christians, we cannot do; nor can we oppose it, or any other society formed by worldly men for the destruction of crime of whatever character it may be. Already belonging to an institution divine in its origin and perfectly adapted to the removal of all every vice which can possibly afflict the human family, we have neither desire nor intention of belonging to any other. Temperance societies were first formed, and for a time

and

accomplished much good, but failed to answer the end contemplated by them. After these, tee-total societies sprung up, and have been powerfully sustained, and have succeeded in reforming many drunkards, and no doubt will continue to do so. But if the world could be regenerated by them, we should say the wisdom of God is folly when compared to the wisdom of man.

Paul said, when writing to Timothy, "the love of money," and not drunkenness, "is the root of all evil;" and this we firmly believe to be the fact. But did he, in travelling through the world as an ambassador of Christ to benefit the human family, propose in the abstract, to form anti-lovemoney societies? By no means. He had something higher in motive, more noble in principle, and more certain in its results, to present for the acceptation of the children of men. The love of money, like drunkenness, is only one species of vice; still as it is the very root of all other evils, why not, if we must have human institutions, propose the immediate formation of an anti-love-money society?

That our brethren may understand how things are going on among the brethren in America in reference to tee-totalism, we present them with the following extract of letters, with brother Campbell's remarks appended thereto, as they appear in the Millennial Harbinger for February, 1842.-J. W.]

Bracken County, January 5th, 1842.

FOR my own part, I fear the result. To see disciples of Christ forming such an alliance with the world, has, to me, an awful squinting at fornication. I think the apostle told the truth when he said, "the man of God was thoroughly furnished to every good work;" and if men by their wisdom and experience have discovered a necessity and utility for another moral institution by which to reform the world, and to which the sons of God may give themselves, they have, in my humble judgment, surpassed Deity himself. I am in extreme agony because of this thing. I am wounded to the heart, and scarcely know what to be at. I have determined to stand in opposition so far as disciples are concerned, until I am convinced; and if wrong, I pray conviction. J. H. H.

January 22nd, 1842.

BROTHER CAMPBELL-THERE is a great excitement in our county at this time about temperance, or total abstinence. I believe the excitement is spreading throughout the state.

A large number of our brethren have joined temperance societies; others oppose christians attaching themselves to such societies. In many cases already the feelings of brethren have been hurt with each other, and I look forward with some dread of the consequences. On the one hand, in their great zeal for temperance societies, brethren have accused their brethren, who differ with them, of sinning, &c., and on the other hand, brethren think it wrong for christians to attach themselves to any human institution, either for their own reformation or that of the world. Brother Campbell, I am one who have not been able yet to see that christians are permitted to join such societies; although I, as a christian, have for years set my face against the use of intoxicating liquors in any way except as medicine. It may be that I If so, I wish to W. C. H.

am wrong in the stand that I have taken. be corrected.

CAMPBELL'S RESPONSE TO THE PRECEDING.

WE have long since expressed a conviction that the church of Jesus Christ is a missionary, temperance, bible, education, and philanthropic society; that in the church capacity, christians move in all spiritual and moral good; that we ought not to transfer to any human establishment the honours and the glory due to the Christian institution. But in the present crisis, when many in the church are daily dramdrinkers, and sometimes absolutely intemperate persons, some argue that they too ought to take a temperance pledge, as the christian pledge has, in their case at least, failed. Handsome compliment to the christian pledge, truly!

We would rather say exclude those dram-drinkers, julipsippers, chronic tipplers, and bitters lovers out of the church, and then let them join the temperance society-if that, indeed, can heal them. The church, in pulling down this mammoth evil, as Mr. Everett in one of his temperance efforts has shown it to be,* may in good earnest plead the temperance cause amongst those without. Her members may exhort those without to join the temperance society when they see it necessary or expedient. And certainly if

* Governor Everett enumerates the following as among the evils intemperance has inflicted upon the country within the last ten years, viz.

1. It has cost in direct expences five hundred millions of dollars. 2. It has cost in indirect expences six hundred millions of dollars. 3. It has destroyed three hundred thousand lives.

4. It has sent one hundred thousand children to the poor-houses.

any christian choose to vow that he will never drink wine or strong drink for the sake of saving some from drunkenness, no other christian has a right to get angry with him for so doing. He has this liberty, and no one should feel disposed to take it from him.

I think some of our brethren are, perhaps, too fastidious on this subject. They should rejoice in the present temperance movement, and countenance it so far as to induce those without the church, who need some such restraint, to take the vow of temperance. While I could not myself, as a christian, either take a pledge or recommend to a church to take such a pledge, as if christianity required it, or as if the gospel restraints had become too weak, I would on every proper occasion recommend to those who have not been able to govern this unsanctified appetite, to seek the first opportunity of putting themselves under the control of those who have taken the vice of intemperance into their especial care and keeping, and adopt all the measures and appliances of that institution to save themselves from a vice which, besides all its native ruin and disgrace, has the fatal power of precluding them from the possibility of salvation by the means which divine wisdom and benevolence have provided for that end. A. C.

CO-OPERATION MEETING.

[THE following extracts are from part of the letters received on the subject of co-operation, which, we doubt not, will be read with interest. The unanimity of sentiment expressed by the churches who have written us on this subject, is certainly beyond what we could have expected. We have but one letter against the proposed meeting, for upwards of twenty in its favour. As the conclusion of this matter is to be announced in our next Messenger, it is requested that any or all those churches from whom we have not yet heard, will write us as early in the month as possible. The question for each congregation

5. It has consigned at least one hundred and fifty thousand persons to jails and prisons.

6. It has made at least one thousand maniacs.

7. It has instigated the commission of one thousand five hundred murders.

8. It has caused two thousand persons to commit suicide.

9. It has burnt and otherwise destroyed property to the amount of five millions of dollars.

10. It has made not less than two hundred thousand widows. 11. It has made one million orphans.

12. It has endangered the inheritance left us by our fathers, and fixed a foul blot on the fair fame of America.

Western Temperance Journal,

to determine we judge to be simply this: Is it desirable the churches should unite in consultation, as to what are the best means we can adopt for extending the knowledge of the glorious gospel in the world? This question answered in the affirmative, and all that is required is granted. We do not say what plan is to be adopted for accomplishing this design: this is to be determined by the united counsel of those who may be present, in agreement with the principles of the New Testament. There are some things in which a consultation is unwarranted; such as, whether a congregation of baptized believers are to break bread on the first day of the week; or whether elders should be appointed over them, and whom: while, on other matters, there must be consultation; Paul speaks of "a brother who was chosen of the churches to travel with him" (2 Cor, viii. 19); and of others whom he calls "messengers of the churches," ver. 23. In these matters then there must have been consultation. This distinction maintained, and we need not fear a "synod" or a "Methodist conference." J. F.]

Edinburgh, April 18, 1842.

DEAR BROTHER WALLIS,-The present is to apprize you of the state of feeling among the brethren, so far as 1 can ascertain it, relative to the co-operation meeting proposed in the last Messenger. I was at Kilmarnock and New Mills last week, where I found a very considerable interest on the subject, but no thoughts of ascertaining and reporting the minds of the churches till I particularly directed their attention to the necessity of so doing.

I find that the brethren in Chester, Wrexham, and Shrewsbury are going into the proposal with spirit, having agreed already to send two messengers, should the meeting take place.

Some of the churches in the north of Scotland would willingly go into the matter but for their poverty in not being able to afford the expence it would occasion to them. W. THOMSON.

Louth, April 25, 1842.

Ar a meeting of our brethren, at which brother Scott was present, to take into consideration the proposal contained in the April Messenger, relating to a co-operation of the churches, the following was unanimously agreed to.

1. That it is highly necessary that some steps be taken to further more energetically the extension of the kingdom of Christ upon the earth.

2. That a meeting of messengers from the various churches, as far as practicable, on the best method of carrying out a full proclamation of the gospel in this country, is highly desirable.

3. That the sooner such meeting could be arranged, to be effective, the better.

4. That in the present state of affairs, we would suggest Nottingham as the most eligible town for such meeting.

5. That in absence of information from the other churches in this part of the country, the brethren of Louth and Donington would be happy, if practicable that brothers Scott and Thompson could attend that meeting, and in case brother Thompson cannot make it convenient, brother Scott shall be the representative of the two churches. Yours, most affectionately in Jesus, A. THOMPSON.