I must, concern am totally ignorant. On the term "Anabaptists." however, express the Hackney. MR. EDITOR, which I have felt at seeing in some The article in your number for instances in your truly liberal pub. September, under the head Ana. lication, that a zeal for principle baptists, excited a degree of sur. has degenerated into personal ac- prise accompanied with regret. It cusation. In fact, I see nothing is not, indeed, surprising, that an worse in any system than a dispo- advertisement in the Times," sition harshly to censure others should have caught the eye of your for conduct which is perfectly con- correspondent, but it is somes hat sistent with their own views and remarkable, and to be regretted, principles, because they act diffe. that the subsequent advertisements, rently from what we with different in which the misnomer was cor views and principles believe to be rected, did not also catch his eye. right, and what would in fact be The deductions which N. N. right in us under similar circum. makes, may appear to him legiti stances. They who have been so mate, but whether the inquiry be unreasonably severe upon the cha. instituted was calculated to proracter of a late virtuous and ex. duce a conviction that "this sect emplary nobleman, would do well do not object to being called Ana to recollect that Mr. Lindsey him- baptists," the reader may determine. self continued his station in the Your correspondent tells us that church, repeatedly subscribed its he finds ou enquiry that it is "a articles, read its declarations, and meeting-house for the Particular officiated in its worship, for ten or Calvinistic Baptists," and im. years after he became a decided mediately draws the inference just Unitarian, before he discovered noticed. Now, Sir, what appears it to be his duty to resign his pre- rather strange, is, that the result ferment. "Not," says he, (in of his enquiry which one should the humble, modest language of naturally have expected to be, that his Apology, p. 225, and let the meeting-house was for Anathose who are inclined to be cen- baptists, is just the reverse. sorious mark his words and im- true that the Particular or Calvin. bibe his spirit) "Not that I now istic Baptists, as is generally known, justify myself therein; yea, ra- consider the epithet as applied to ther I condemn myself, But as I themselves, reproachful and not have humble hope of the divine descriptive." Their writers uniforgiveness, let not men be too formly establish this statement. Let those A short extract from one of them. rigid in their censures. only blame and condeinn who and which contains the sentiments know what it is to doubt; to be on this subject, of the denomina. in perplexity about things of tion, will only be adduced: “The highest importance; to be in fear people called Anabaptists, scarceof causelessly abandoning a station ly in any thing agree with us, nei assigned by Providence, and being found idle and unprofitable when the great Master came to call for the account of the talent received." It is ther in their civil nor religious principles, nor even in baptism itself: for if we can depend on those that wrote the history of them, and against them, they were for repeating adult baptism, not dle to the band of the supposed performed among them; yea, that delinquent: a transaction of such which was administered among an atrocious and tyrannical nature, themselves when they removed that I should hope, for the honour their communion to another so. of our common Christianity, it ciety nay even in the same has either been grossly misrepre. community, when an excom- sented, or that it is only the soli municated person was received tary proceeding of an unprincipled again ;* besides, if what is reported and unfeeling individual. of them is true, as it may be, their baptism was performed by sprinkling, which we cannot al. low to be true baptism: it is said, that when a community of them was satisfied with the person's faith and conversation, who pro. posed himself for baptism, the pas. tor took water into his hand, and sprinkled it on the head of him that was to be baptized, using these words, I baptize thee in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." Relying on the exercise of your accus. tomed liberality for the insertion of the above remarks in your Repository, I am, Sir, Yours, &c. Burning a Sinner. In your number for August, (p. 501) you entertained, or rather disgusted, your readers, with an account of a teacher amongst the New Connection of General Baptists, in Lincolnshire, enforcing his arguments respecting the wrath of God, and the punishment due to sin, by the absurd and cruel method of applying a lighted can I cordially agree, Mr. Editor, with your correspondent, that it is a duty incumbent upon that connection, to disavow such a method of conversion; I will even go further, and declare without the least degree of reserve, that if the account of that gentleman be correct, it is a duty incumbent upon them immediately to disown the perpetrator of so horrid and diabolical an act. Being myself a member of that connection, and detesting from my very soul, the most remote idea of converting the religion of the meek and merciful Redeemer into a system of cruelty; at the same time supposing the views of the whole body to be, upon that head, in unison with my own; I have anxiously expected some one, or more, of our Societies to have instituted some kind of enquiry, and to have taken some method of ex punging so foul a blot. But as no such enquiry has hitherto taken place, I am led to conclude the omission must be attributed to their being in general ignorant of the transaction: very few of them I suppose being in the habit of reading your Repository. As however this ignorance does not extend to me, I conceive it to be my duty to have the affair investigated; and in order to faci. Cloppenburg. Gangræna: p. 366. litate the business, I request your Spanheim Diatrib. Hist. Sect. 27. + Budneus apud Method. Hist. Ana- correspondent, either by a privatę bapt. 14, p. 96. Gill's Divine Right of letter, or publicly in your Reposi• Infant Baptism, &c. pp. 15, 16. tory, (the latter of which mode should prefer) to favour me with full: deserved applause will await the name and residence, both of you; and you will commence his informant, and the accused your ministry prepared and fitted person. And as the annual As- for your office. sociation of our connection is usually held about midsummer, I farther request him to communicate the desired information previous to that time; so that if it appear ne. cessary, I may have an opportu. nity of laying the case before that assembly. And as you, Sir, by publishing the letter of Mr. Brooke, have certainly held us up to the world in, at least an unfavourable light; I not only hope, but expect it as a kind of right, that you will allow us to justify ourselves, by inserting this, and such other communications as you may receive upon the subject. Hoping that however wide a sunder our views may be in this life, we shall be united at the re. surrection of the just, I subscribe myself, Sir, with sincere good will, Yours, &c. An Enemy to Torture, Letters to a Student. LETTER VII. A new scene now opens upon you: and you are called to give a new and useful direction of all the stores of knowledge with which your mind has been enriched, and and to all the amiable and pious dispositions which you have cultivated. It will not be sufficient to attain to the ends of the function which you are about to assume, that you have genius, learning and elocution. The improvement of these must be the object of unre mitting attention and the application of them must be animated by proper motives. The office of a minister is truly honourable and highly useful. But then it derives its honour from moral and spiritual considerations, and not from those worldly distinc tions which cast a glory round the departments of civil life. To feel the importance and dignity of your character, you must abstract it from the emoluments of wealth and the pre-eminence of rank. The honour before us is of the inPermit me, Eugenius, once tellectual and spiritual kind: such more to address you, and to do it as a pious mind only can relish, under the pleasing anticipation, and immortality only can fully that you have finished your course confer and display. The useful. of studies with improvement and ness of your character is of a concredit: and that you are about genial nature; its effects may not to appear in public life, and to en. be immediate and conspicuous, ter upon the character which has like those secured by the barrister, been the object of your destina- in our courts of law; or which in tion and pursuit. If you follow the first instance affect the proyour studies with diligence, the perty, liberty and fortune of men, review of your academical course as those produced by the eloquence will be pleasing to your own of the senate, and the industry of mind if to that you have added the merchant. The fruits of your the character of the virtuous youth, labours are to be discovered, if and of the pious and amiable they appear at all, only in the ilChristian, your honour will be luminations of the mind, or the im complete and your satisfaction provement of the moral and reli. : gious character, in the slow pro- into any office with just sentiments gress of truth, and the future har- of its nature; of the extent of its vest of knowledge, piety and eter- obligations, and of the importance nal life. Here, again, you will of its leading design, it may be have need, if you would feel a expected, that its duties will be stimulus to the duties of your cha- fulfilled with alacrity and zeal: racter, to abstract your mind, in a and that the office will be supportgreat degree, from present sensible ed with propriety and dignity. things, and to bestow a close at Another advice, which, in this tention on moral and spiritual re- connection I would offer to you is, flections. You must cherish the that you would principally study love of truth your heart should to be, and to show yourself the glow with the ardour of benevo- minister. This is the character lence and devotion: you must en- for which you have been educated: tertain a deep sense of the worth this is the character which you exof the human mind, of the inpor- plicitly avow and this is the tance of divine truth, and of the character which the world expects momentous interests of another you to sustain and adorn. It is life or your ministrations and very desirable that you should preaching will be lifeless and jejune, unite with it the learning of the destitute of the true unction, the scholar, and the politeness of the mere efforts of learning and genius, gentleman. But let it appear, by the amusement or occupation of your whole deportment, and by an hour; uninteresting, unedifying, the manner in which your time is filled up, that it is your prevailing bent to be the minister. Your good sense will easily see, that it is far from my meaning to discou rage a cheerfulness of spirits and the graces of a courteous address or to recommend an austerity and stiffness of manners, an affected gravity andapriestly hauteur. No character can be pleasing which is not natu useless. Let it, then, be submitted to your consideration, whether it be not proper and necessary to enter upon your office with much previous reflection to enquire calmly and seriously, by what motives you are influenced in the choice of it: and to commeuce it with fervent prayer? It is affecting and edify ing to observe what were the work. ings of mind which some of our pious predecessors felt and cherished, and to what exercises of de. votion they gave themselves up, before they appeared in the minis. terial character, or formed a settlement in it. When we enter Dr. JOHN EVANS, the author of the "Discourses on the Christian Temper," when he first took the whole pastoral charge of the congregation, with which he spent the principal part of his life and labours, spent a whole week in solemn retirement, and in extraordinary exercises of devotion Dr. WILLIAM HARRIS, of Crutched Friars, upon his settlement, got the keys of the place of worship, where he was statedly to labour, and going alone, he spent a whole day, in fasting and prayer to God, for direction and blessings in his future work as a minister. Dr. Harris's "Funeral Discourses," p. 288. Dr. Grosvenor's "Funeral Sermon for Dr. Harris,” p. 27. See also a long paper of pious exercises, on a similar occasion, pursued by Mr. MATTHEW HENRY. "Lile, p. 47-57. 12mo. Edition: and the rules laid down for the regulation of his conduct in the ministry, by Dr. COTTON MATHER. Life," by Jennings, p. 29-46. ral, which does not sit easy upon to be attained. Your powers are a person. An artificial sanctity only opened: your thoughts put is disgusting and base. But, while into a proper train: the seed only every thing of that kind is to be of knowledge and piety is sown, carefully avoided, the decorum But a depth of learning, not yet of your office should be carefully fathomed; an extent of science, preserved, and its functions sedu- not yet comprehended; heights lously discharged. You should of wisdom and goodness, not yet be totus in illis. Let it then ap- reached, call for the vigorous ap. pear that your attention is fixed plication of all your time and upon the object of your office, powers; and will continue to fur. and that you are devoted to its nish exercise for the one, and duties. Let your amusements in employment for the other, through your unbended moments, your the remainder of life. All the dress, and your general deport. pleasure, all the honour, which ment, evince that you are mind, you have as yet secured, is that ful of the character you bear. A of a good beginning only. That young minister in the vivacity of will soon be lost if not cherished, youth, and with the gay ideas of improved, and strengthened by that period floating in the head, unwearied attention and diligence. before the character is formed, is "You have not yet attained, nor in particular danger of being are yet perfect." Ars longa, betrayed into levities not con- vita brevis. A noble superstruē. sistent with the dignity, if not ture may be raised on the founda. into indulgences incongruous with tion that has been laid; but withthe purity, of his office. Let out continued, renewed excrtions wisdom establish caution, till it cannot be raised. fixed habits of propriety will su persede this caution. Let not piety sink into languor; let not genius lose its vigour; let But, through all periods of not the first principles of learning life, let the same solicitude, the and science be forgotten, for want same ambition to act in character, of being carried on to higher at. and to excel as a minister, ani. tainments. Your sun, I suppose, mate you. If you feel this lauda. ble emulation, let it be directed to those objects that are more immediately connected with the faithful, honourable, and useful discharge of the duties, and a steady pursuit of the ends, of glory. your office. has risen, and, to the joy of your friends, it rose fair and bright. Let it go on to shine more and more, with increasing brightness to the perfect day, till at last it shall set with a full effulgence of These hints are meant to apply In this view you will see the to you particularly, as a minister. propriety of my urging another But were you to appear in life as point, namely, that you go on a physician, a barrister, or a improving yourself in all know. merchant, the general principles ledge, virtue, and piety. All on which they proceed would ap that you have yet acquired is only ply to either of those walks of life laying the foundation; much, even with truth and energy. If you through a long life, will remain would support dignity of charac |