allied by an internal similarity to the various sects that preceded and prepared the way for the Reformation. High esteem for the express word of God; an ardour of spirit; lively feeling and a zealous striving after an ideal perfection to be reached on earth, were the general characteristics of these sects. An ideal state of the Christian church was present to their imaginations-a certain impetuous desire after the present introduction of the kingdom of God-an impatience which hindered them from awaiting the developments of time-the wish to see that immediately unveiled which can only be manifested in the revolution of ages the endeavour to establish among men as they are, at once and with power, one of the highest moral conceptions ;-all this makes us to perceive in them something great, and fills us with esteem for them, notwithstanding the unavoidable aberrations to be discovered in their history. These sects have vanished; the Waldenses and the Baptists alone have maintained themselves, preserving the principles of the Reformation, casting off the impure elements which the early church had mingled therewith, and expressing them in their ecclesiastical being and life. If, therefore, we would rightly learn the great principle of the Reformation; if we would see how it had already and actually seized the popular mind, and set it on fire-yea, awakened therein an ardour and a power which recoiled not before dangers-then do the Baptists in particular deserve our attention. How early do they appear in church history as an encouraging token, that the holiest wants of man, however long suppressed, can never be rooted up! What an important part do they play, both good and bad, in the times of the Reformation! If here and there their zeal inclined to an excessive enthusiasm, and gave occasion to scenes which have cast a grievous blot upon the Protestant church, it was always the Baptists who pressed on most earnestly, in spite of every obstacle, the work of reformation: so that even the zeal of a Luther appears lukewarmness. How can we explain that men of note, such as Cellarius, afterwards professor at Basle, and Carlstadt, at that time holding an high office in the academy at Wittenberg, were of this sect?-yea, that a man of so much penetration, calmness, and gentleness, as Melancthon, could take into serious consideration the duty of joining this sect, when he began to doubt the scriptural character of infant baptism? People of this way of thinking existed, before Luther, or even Zuingle, lifted up his voice against the ruin of christianity in the Church of Rome. The Baptists appeared contemporaneously with these men. They were found spread far and wide, in every place where the seed of the new doctrines was scattered. The Reformers met everywhere a well-prepared soil. But the opposition that the Baptists met with from the Reformers must not surprise us. It was necessarily connected with the introduction and establishment of Protestantism. The time was come when christian men, who had forsaken the Church of Rome, endeavoured to establish themselves on the very ground which that church had hitherto claimed as her lawful property. Thus there arose a conflict of hostile principles, which on the one hand hindered the work of the Reformation and stopped its progress, and on the other injured its improvement and purity. The Baptists stood in the midst of the strife. Yea, they must suffer not only the attacks of the Romanists, but also those of their fellow Protestants. The martyr-fires kindled by the first, place this in the clearest light. The writings, also, of Luther and his coadjutors, of Calvin and the later reformers, wherein are employed against them the weapons prepared by learning and acumen, testify to the same thing. Likewise the many public disputations held in the early times of the Reformation in various German provinces, and also in the Netherlands, between the Baptists and the Reformed, show this; while the separation of the Baptists from the ecclesiastical fellowship of the Reformers comes frequently into observation, and that not always in the gentlest and most friendly manner. But the history of the Baptists becomes yet more worthy of attention, when it is considered, that they are the only body which from the times of the Reformation until now has maintained itself without state or ecclesiastical assistance. Indubitably there is no ecclesiastical society which has had less connexion with public authorities and rulers than that of the Baptists in and about the Netherlands. Faithful to their principles of preserving themselves separate from the world, and of seeking no state or civic authority, they wished to be neglected by the world. At all times they desired of the ruling powers of their country but one thing-freedom of conscience, the undisturbed confession and exercise of the Christian faith. The mild spirit which has always distinguished the supreme government of the Netherlands early granted this, and gave to them all the privileges to which quiet and industrious inhabitants can lay claim. At first, no direct connexion could be formed between the Netherland Baptists and the state. And even in later days, when the state has laid aside its aversion to them, regarding it as a duty incumbent upon society, and in accordance with the spirit and dictates of Christianity to support them, they have not desired connexion with it for their ecclesiastical union, or sought to strengthen themselves thereby. On the contrary, it has always been their peremptory conviction, and is so still, that religion needs not the power of the state to protect her; indeed, she flourishes and works in greater purity without it. An accurate investigation into the history of the Baptists, confirms the truth which is forced upon us by a perusal of the general history of the church, that corruption then first and worst crept in when the state became confounded with the church, and she took the world into her embrace. But, on the other hand, we are strengthened in the encouraging conviction, that the Christian life is so strongly developed and powerfully manifested in a church existing apart from the state, that it has no need to borrow support from without, but can live by its own internal energy. The Netherland Baptists stand, therefore, as a remarkable phenomenon on the field of general church history, where all churches appear more or less closely connected with the supreme government of various lands. It were superfluous to confirm these remarks by the many examples which history presents to our notice: a single glance at the external condition of the various Protestant sects is here sufficient. A Luther may rejoice in the very powerful protection afforded him by many princes and nobles of Germany, in his bold assaults upon the papal power, and who at length attached themselves to his side. Zuingle and Calvin not only made the good cause the cause of the state, but the latter even obtained a decisive influence over the political condition of his country. The Protestants of the Netherlands at first generally enjoyed the favour of William I. The Calvinistic party, at a later period, won the affections of Maurice, and afterwards saw their system raised to be the religion of the state. The Baptists nowhere found a voice among the temporal powers. They were obliged to seek their power within themselves, and the only things they desired and enjoyed were sufferance and toleration, and that men should grant them the free exercise of their religion. These opinions still prevail among the Baptists of the Netherlands, and they yet retain the conviction that a closer union of their church fellowship with the temporal power, and a fusion of the one with the other, would prepare the way for the corruption of the church, and its final destruction. IV. THE CHURCH OF THE AGE.-MR. GEORGE DAWSON.* RATHER more than three years have elapsed since Mr. George Dawson commenced his career in Birmingham, as the successor to Dr. Hoby in the pastorate of the church meeting at Mount Zion. He at once manifested no little independence both of action and thought. His style of address was free, colloquial, and fluent, and soon attracted a throng of hearers, some belonging to other congregations, and some to none. He refused ordination. He advocated and practised open communion, and early betrayed a want of decided opinions on several of the most important truths of revelation. He was young; but exhibited much confidence and assurance, amounting almost to dogmatism, in the statements to which he did venture to commit himself. It was but natural that the church committed to his oversight should protest against his latitude of sentiment, and seek to recall their pastor to those views of divine truth which they deemed to be of God. This awakened a demonstration of feeling on the part of the mixed assemblage of persons, to whom Mr. Dawson's preaching had been a source of attraction. In the month of September, 1845, in the midst of the discussions and dissensions to which his course had given rise, his friends presented to him a valuable testimonial of their esteem and approbation. From his address on that occasion we present the following extracts. They show the state of his feelings as to the office he filled, and the views which had actuated him during the twelve months preceding. "It appeared to myself and some others, that religion was taught in a manner little calculated to win the hearts of men. We thought it was too much shut up within the walls of churches and chapels-that it was made the peculiar business of priests-that it had acquired a wan and sickly countenance, and to many wore a repelling visage. Whereas we considered that it should be carried abroad, to the forum and the mart; that it should be ever present in the busy haunts of men, an ever present influence. We thought that they who by articles, creeds, or trust-deeds, laid down theological doctrines as a standard for church-membership, were enemies to religious progress and liberty. "I may have been blamed for not exhibiting the gravity and solemnity befitting a minister, but of official gravities and professional sanctities I know nothing. If there be one character more contemptible than another, it is that of a hypocrite; one who assumes to feel what he does not feel. If you ever see a man always solemn, be sure that man is not sincere. No man is always sad. I cannot and will not assume more sanctity than I feel. What I am, I wish to appear. "With the usual ideas of the preacher's position and duty I do not agree: he is too often regarded as employed to defend a creed rather than to search for the truth-more as a mouth-piece of the church or the sect than as a free * A Discourse delivered on the opening of the "Church of the Saviour," Edward Street, Birmingham, on August 8, 1847. By George Dawson, M.A. 2nd edit. London. 1847. VOL. I.-No. III. b L and independent thinker. If I am asked what is my theory of a preacher, I reply, he must possess a good moral character,-something of power; he must be a diligent student, especially of the Bible; he must give to his hearers not merely the results of his study, but the processes by which he has arrived at those results. He should be more of the professor than the dogmatical teacher. He will of course teach what he believes to be the truth, but so that his hearers may think and judge for themselves. He must not expect or desire that all his hearers agree with him in opinion. I wish my hearers to regard themselves as students with me; when you become professors I pray you go where professors meet and are welcomed. It has been objected to my preaching, that it attracts latitudinarians, deists, and infidels. I rejoice in the fact. Could I choose my congregation, I would say, Give me infidels and blasphemers. And to some who have made this objection, I have answered, 'Have you any such in your chapels? No, I know you have not, and I thank God there is at least one chapel in the town where such may be found.' What said our Saviour? 'I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.' There are so many places where the 'select few' can and do associate, that it is well there should be one ark into which may enter both beasts clean and unclean. We are not careless of belief-we are forming a belief—not as divinity students who state their creed on entering college, and there learn to defend it, but as searchers for that as a final result which with them is the primal step. We start to study-we do not know what we may arrive at—we may end in Romanism, if that, after due and earnest study, should appear the truth. I could tell you, if you wished, what I believe to-night, but I cannot tell you what may be my opinions this time next year. My object is to study for myself; if you will study with me, good-if you do not choose to study with me, good again. I am free to follow my course, and you to follow yours." We cannot but of course commend Mr. Dawson's honesty of purpose and character, and which we conceive none desire to assail. Nor do we wholly disapprove of many of the sentiments here uttered, although the tone of his remarks is very little to our taste. It is of the highest importance that the steward of the mysteries of God should be found faithful-should rightly divide the word of truth. This fidelity, however, is not the property of Mr. Dawson alone. It is possible that some others who think differently from him may regard his course as opposed to the oracles of God, and as honestly preach the "creed" he condemns without holding the truth in unrighteousness. To be plain, we have in this passage an example of what is by no means unfrequent in Mr. Dawson's sermons and addresses the insinuation, that those whom it pleases him to call sectarian, orthodox, priests, and the like, utter not their own convictions, display no independence of thought, and are the slaves of systems, creeds, and men. It is by no means clear, however, that Mr. Dawson's theory of a preacher accords with the language of Scripture. It may be right that a teacher should have no fixed opinions on some subjects. But, if we mistake not, Mr. D. holds that there is such a thing as immutable truth, and that that truth may be found in the Bible. If Mr. Dawson has found it, then he does right to teach it; and we may perhaps be permitted to quote a few passages which instruct the preacher how he is to teach his fellow men. These things command and teach. Let no |