Died at Hartford, Conn. Dec. 25th, Rev. Nathan Strong, D.D. in the 69th year of his age. He had been settled in the ministry forty-three years; and has long sustained the character of an intelligent and faithful minister of the gospel. 1 In Philadelphia, Jan. 16, A. J. Dallas, late Secretary of the Treasury of the United States. In New Bedford, Elisha Thornton, aged 70, an eminent minister in the Society of Friends. In Ipswich, Jan. 1, the wife of Henry Spiller, aged 85-Jan. 3, Mr. Henry Spiller. They had lived together almost 63 years, and were both buried in the same grave. In Boston, Kirk Boot, Esq. aged 61. By his death society has sustained a great loss. Also, Mr. Edward Blake, merchant, aged 46. At Hamilton College, Dec. 28, Rev. Azel Backus, D.D. President of the College. He was a native of Connecticut, educated at Yale College, and settled in the ministry at Bethlem, as Successor of Doctor Bellamy. Upon the establishment of Hamilton College, he was chosen the first President, and has ever since presided over that seminary with great usefulness and reputation. At New Haven, Jan. 11, Rev. Timothy Dwight, D. D. President of Yale College, in the 65th year of his age, and the 22d of his Presidency. Perhaps no College in the United States has ever sustained a greater loss, in the death of a President, than Yale ColJege now sustains in the death of Doctor Dwight and considering the connexion between a College and the community at large, a great loss to a College must be felt as a great loss to the community. A question has occurred to the minds of many, which is not very easy to answer:Where shall be found the man who will fully supply the place of Doctor Dwight, in the office of President? In New Haven from Jan. 1, 1816, to Jan. 1, 1817, the deaths were 72 whites and 10 blacks, total, 82. Sentenced to die.-On Friday, Jan. 10th, HENRY PHILLIPS had his trial for the murder of Gasper Denegri, and was found guilty. On Saturday the sentence of death was pronounced upon him by Chief Justice Parker. This event calls for benevolent sympathy and serious reflection. The situation of the criminal is such as may well excite the compassion and the prayers of Christians. But are not all our fellow beings also under a sentence of death, which is more sure to be executed than that which has been passed by a human tribunal on the unhappy Phillips! And is it not probable that many careless sinners, in this state, will die before the time which the Governour may appoint for his execution? From the sentence of death which has been passed upon all, no human authority can give a discharge. Let all then be as careful to be prepared for death, as they think Phillips ought to be. It would be justly viewed as evidence of great stupidity and hardness of heart, should he spend the residue of his days in vanity and dissipation. Shall others then who are not only under a sentence of death, but liable to die even before this malefactor, indulge themselves in such courses as they would censure in him! It has become a question with many serious and reflecting men, whether it be either useful, or right, for human governments to inflict capital punishment in any case whatever; and the question probably deserves more attention than it has yet received. In a future number, we intend to give a concise view of the arguments on each side of the question, that our readers may have opportunity to judge for themselves. Perhaps some of our correspondents, who have reflected on the subject, will prepare an article for the Christian Disciple. We wish the question to be examined with that ability and candour which its nature and importance demand. No. 3. THE CHRISTIAN DISCIPLE. MARCH, 1817. Vol. V. CHRISTIANITY CONVEYED TO US IN A HISTORICK FORM.. 1 can only presume to suggest a few hints. WE find that the books of the New Testament do not, in any particular place, present us with If the great doctrine of a fua complete formulary or abstract ture life, instead of resting, as it of doctrines and duties, a code now does, on the resurrection of instruction systematically com- and promises of Jesus Christ, posed and formally delivered; which are subjects of historical but christianity is conveyed to investigation, and therefore adus in a historick form, which re- mitting different results in differquires little exercise of the mind ent minds, according to the chato understand the facts and the racter of the inquirer, and the most important conclusions to disposition with which the inquiwhich they lead, but much atten- ry is commenced and pursued, tion to collect, from these miscel- had been written in the skies, as laneous writings, the whole that it were, as supernaturally commay be applicable to the govern municated to every individual, it ment of human life, and the in- would have been attended with crease of our religious knowledge. evidence so irresistible as to have The book of revelation, as it is overpowered and incapacitated -called, is, in this respect, like the the mind for moral exercise; and book of nature, that it excites there would have been left no and rewards perpetual attention. room for that influence of dispoNow, though we know little of sition upon faith, which seems the secret and profound designs to be inseparable from our nature. of the Most High, in his various as moral and probationary beings. dispensations of religion, we think In other words, such a mode of that we can discover many ad- communicating religious truth, as vantages in the mode which he we have supposed, would have has adopted of conveying Chris-rendered it less efficacious; for it tianity. This is a curious and interesting subject, worthy of the most serious discussion. Vol. V. No. 3. I 9 is essential to us, as creatures accountable for our faith, as well as our conduct, that neither the one nor the other should be irresistibly determined. But now the doctrine of our future existence and retribution is so connected with the facts of our Saviour's history, that the whole world has a pledge and assurance of these truths, superiour to mere oral or written declaration, and, at the same time,so much inferiour to the supernatural revelation of it to every individual, as to leave room for the exercise of the mind in inquiring into the proofs, and of the disposition in attending or yielding to them when discovered, and thus the whole subject is exactly adapted to the nature of such beings as we are. Again, If the principles and duties of the Christian religion had been stated to mankind in one accurate system, philosophically composed, instead of being conveyed, as they now are, in histories, and deducible from facts, and exhibited in the lives of the first christians and their Master! do we not see that such a statement would not have been so well adapted to the wants of the majority of mankind, who attend not to abstract propositions, but are far better taught by examples, narratives, and something which affects the senses and imagination? Besides, if the principles of Christianity had been presented in the systematick form we mention, a single errour,either in transcription or translation, would be likely to be followed with the most serious consequences; and a single misinterpretation of a part, would be almost without remedy; whereas in the historick form, in which christianity is now conveyed to us, we have the most important doctrines and precepts frequently recurring in different parts of the story, and connected with facts which serve to explain and limit them; and what is of infinite importance to us, we have the life and example of Jesus running through the whole as a commentary on his instructions. Now,an errour or an obscurity in one place is of little consequence, as it is either cleared up by another, or else if it is a solitary and peculiar passage we may be satisfied that it does not contain any thing absolutely essential to our character and fate as christians; for in such various and diffuse compositions as those in which the knowledge of christianity is conveyed to us, the essentials of the religion must be continually occuring and often repeated in a great variety of forms. I might enumerate many other advantages of this form over a more systematick or compendious method of conveying Christianity. Now, the loss of one of the books of the New Testament would not much affect the evidences or the knowledge which we have of the Gospel; whereas, on the other supposition, the loss of any part would be irreparable; like a defect in the alphabet, or in the elementary book of a child, or like the loss of a volume of the statutes. I will say nothing of the superiour agreeableness of the historical mode over that of abstract THE following important extracts are taken from Mr. Benedict's "General History of the Baptist Denomination :" "The German and Dutch Baptists, appear always to have held sentiments, peculiar to themselves. They deny the lawfulness of repelling force by force, and consider war, in all its shapes, as unchristian and unjust. They are averse to capital punishments; and feeling themselves bound to swear not at all, they will not confirm their testimony with an oath. "Respecting the number of communicants, in the Dutch and Mennonite Baptist churches, I have obtained no information whatever. According to a list in Rippon's Register, there were in 1790, in and out of the Netherlands, two hundred and fiftytwo churches of the Dutch and Mennonite Baptists, in all of which were five hundred and thirty-three ministers. Of these one hundred and seventy-five churches, and two hundred, and seventy-one ministers, were in the Netherlands,and Generalities' Lands. Fifteen churches, in which were ninety-six ministers, were in Prussia. Twenty-seven churches and ninety-two minişters were in Upper Saxony.Twenty-seven churches and for ty-nine ministers were in France. The rest were in Switzerland, Poland, and Russia." Vol. I, pp. 49, 50. This portion of history must be gratifying to intelligent and reflecting friends of peace. If the principles of these Baptists, are properly represented, and if their number has not been diminished since 1790, they amount to two hundred and fifty Peace Societies, with five hundred and thirty-three ministers of peace. To this army of peace-makers, may be added, the congregations of Friends, and the Duhobortsi, on the continent of Europe. Instead of regretting that there are so many of these several sects in Europe, we should rather pray that they may be multiplied a hundred fold. The "mint annise and cummin," about which Christians have contended, are of little importance, when compared to the "weightier matters of the law" and the gospel, or that "wisdom which is from above." on Mr. Benedict has one remark, these European Baptists, which deserves some notice :"The Dutch Baptists held to dipping believers at first; they still retain the subjects of the ordinance, but by a surprising change, some, I know not how many, have departed from the Apostolick mode. And although they still retain the name of Baptists, yet we can have no fellowship with their present mode of administering baptism; for with every real Baptist, pouring, as well as sprinkling, is null and void."-p. 151, 152. According to the principles of Baptists in general, they could not receive, as members of the visible church, the Dutch and Mennonite Baptists, who have been baptized by pouring on water. Let, then, a case be stat ed:-Two brethren apply for admission to a Baptist church. One of them has been baptized by immersion; but he is a famous warriour, and has shed the blood of many; he still retains both the principles and the spirit of war, and is as ready to fight as to pray or eat. The other is a meek Mennonite Baptist, who has been baptized by pouring on water; but he has so learned of Christ, that he abhors both the principles and the spirit of war, and would sooner die, as the Sa viour did, praying for his enemies, than to embrue his hands in their blood. The warriour is received, and the follower of the Lamb is rejected! Now, what must the Prince of Peace say of principles of communion, which lead to such results? This case has been stated, not to reproach our Baptist brethren, but to lead them to reflect ; and not them only, but christians of every denomination, who have established creeds and rules for the admission of members, which would expose them to prefer the bloody warriour, to him who is "meek and lowly of heart." Most of the other sects of warring Christians, have, perhaps, been as inconsistent in this particular, as they have supposed the Baptists to be; and while they have blamed the Baptists for their test of admission, they have established some other, not less injurious to the cause of Christ, and the cause of peace. As we rejoice in the existence of the Baptist Peace Societies, on the continent of Europe, we also rejoice, that a number of Baptist ministers, both in Great Britain, and in the United States, have adopted the principles of peace. We can wish" God speed" to ministers of any denomination, who are disposed to employ their influence in promoting "peace on earth and good will among men." will among men." All churches should be peace societies, and all ministers of religion should be peace-makers; and all those who are truly such, "are ONE in Christ |