We do not understand the particulars respecting these institutions, which are spreading through the country with considerable rapidity; nor do we know from what part, if any, of primitive Christianity they originated. It is true we read There was a certain disciple at Joppa, named Dorcas, who was full of good works and alms-deeds which she did, and it came to pass that she died, whom when they had washed, they laid in an upper chamber," &c. Now, whether these were "Catholic sisters of charity" designated 'nuns," who performed these kind offices, wearing a distinct dress from the rest of the community, or whether they were some of the purified disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, our readers, by a careful examination of the narrative, must decide for themselves. That there is in Nottingham, and throughout England, plenty of scope for the operation of these parties, and consequently for the increase of Catholicism amongst us, is quite certain; nor can it be matter of doubt that the hungry, half-naked, and destitute ignorant poor will be ready enough, under such circumstances, to conform to Catholic requirements: but the question is, are these requirements in accordance with primitive Christianity ? boldly say, they are not.

We

In giving Christianity to the world, Peter, with the eleven apostles demanded that all the first converts should be baptized (immersed) into the name of Jesus, for the remission of sins, and by this means purify their souls in obeying the truth. Till this is done, no acts of charity or of worship, can possibly bring to the individual, the knowledge of salvation in the remission of sins, or secure to any person an intellectual, moral, spiritual, or divine nature, which is the grand design contemplated by the gospel of Jesus Christ. Could the present enjoyment of salvation be realized by these acts of charity, or conformity to Catholic requirements, which for the most part are the traditions of men, then salvation would be of works and not of free favour; unless, indeed, these were the appointed mediums through which the favour of God was to be conveyed to the guilty, but they are not so. Hence we find that not only the poor, but also the rich are embracing the principles of Catholicism.

This system exactly accords with human nature in its enmity to, and separation from God; priests and people, rich and poor, are all well suited, inasmuch as it promotes that spirit of pride and self-dependence and self-importance, which is so inherent in our fallen nature, and which all

are more or less seeking to have gratified by their religious profession. "Heaven is my Throne," says Jehovah, and the "earth is my footstool;" "unto that man will I look, and with him will I dwell, that is poor, and of a contrite spirit, and who TREMBLES AT MY WORD." By these remarks we are not expecting to stop the progress of Catholicism; but here we must leave the subject for the present, and introduce

REMARKS BY MARTIN LUTHER.

"THERE is no sacerdotal caste in Christianity; such is the truth furtively hidden from the church since the first ages, which he forcibly sets forth in the first place.

"That the pope, the bishops, the priests, and all those that people the convents, form the spiritual or ecclesiastical estate, and that princes, nobles, citizens, and peasants, form the secular or lay estate. This is a fine tale, but let no one be frightened at it. All Christians belong to the spiritual estate, and there is no difference between them than that of the functions they discharge. We have one sole faith, one sole baptism, and that is what constitutes a spiritual man. The unction, the tonsure, the ordination, and the consecration the pope or the bishop gives, may make a hypocrite, but never a spiritual man. We are one and all consecrated priests by baptism, as St. Peter has said, You are priests and kings, although it does not belong to all to exercise such functions, for no one can take what is common to all, without the will of the community. But if the consecration of God were not upon us the pope's unction could never make a priest. If ten brothers the sons of a king, having equal rights of inheritance, were to choose one amongst them to administer for them, they would still all be kings, and yet one alone of their number would be administrator of their common power. So it is in the church. If some pious laymen were to be transported to a desert, and not having amongst them a priest consecrated by a bishop, they agree to choose one amongst them, married or not, that man would be verily priest as much as if all the bishops in the world. had consecrated him."-De Aubigne, p. 159.

Such were the sentiments of Luther in the year 1520, and which with one or two exceptions, coincide with our own views on the subject of choosing and ordaining officers in a Christian congregation. It is the simplest matter in the world, and easy to be understood on the principles of common

sense with the Bible in our hands, and by all who will properly reflect and be teachable on the subject.

But the first question which may be asked is, Do those brethren who are chosen to office in the congregation of saints, by that act, become more responsible to Jesus the King, than they were before? or does their responsibility refer more particularly to the congregation, by being accountable to them for the manner in which they fill up their office? We invite some of our senior brethren, or evangelists, to send an essay or two, on these important questions. J. W.

A FEW REASONS FOR A CHANGE OF

POSITION.

Chardon, Ohio, March 1, 1843. FOR the edification of my Christian brethren I offer the following apology :-Christians, all Christians, have a great work to do, and only a little time in which to work. The world is unbelieving, unconverted, unsaved. The Lord has sent out his light and his truth by the agency of his people, to save the disobedient from their sins. He has given us full instruction, and placed in our hands the means necessary to the accomplishment of this great work. Are the means all adapted to the end in view? Yes. It was almost profane to ask the question. Well, then, the Lord's way of saving sinners should be considered infallible-the means of grace ought never to fail. But whom has the Lord proposed to save? The believer in Jesus. (John iii. 15, and Mark xvi. 16.) All who believe the gospel may be infallibly saved from their old sins; and all, every one, who continues to obey the gospel unto the end shall be infallibly saved in the kingdom above. These two salvations must be kept in view. An unsaved believer, then, ought not to be found of very long standing; but there is a very large class of such persons, who are called "seekers," "mourners,' anxious," &c.; and it is well known too, that such persons continue a long time in that state, earnestly desiring to serve the Lord, but know not how they can be introduced directly into his service. Nay, multitudes die in this state of doubts, perplexities, and fears. Wherefore all this? Has the Lord so ordained that remission of sins, salvation, and eternal life, are suspended upon the issue of doubtful causes and considerations which are partly divine and partly human? Nay, verily.

In the present politics of the religious world the conversion of a sinner is a matter of as much uncertainty as the drawing of a prize by a lottery ticket. This ought not so to be. I have never been satisfied with such religious teachers as could not safely and certainly conduct just as many persons into the vineyard of the Lord as were anxious to go in. In short, I am dissatisfied with a system of religious teaching which does not point every believer to an infallible means of salvation without danger or delay. How shocking, in view of the eternal consequences of such a failure, to see, as lately I have seen, forty penitent believers who were willing to do whatever was required, led to the "anxious seat" from time to time, and finally become discouraged and turn away in despair. This is a slow and doubtful way of turning sinners to righteousness. Is the Lord's way of saving sinners thus weak and inefficient? Have not men rather substituted their own way for the gospel way? The effort now making by all parties is sufficient to revolutionize the world shortly if it was not so grossly misdirected: but now the advance of the gospel is not half equal to the increase of population. Sinners are greatly multiplied for the want of a fair and full display of that old gospel which is the power of God unto salvation to every believer. These are, indeed, only a few of the many reasons by which I have been induced to join my efforts with those who discover the following order in the way of approaching and enjoying the fulness of the blessing of the gospel: faith, repentance, baptism, remission of sins, the Holy Spirit. E. G. BENJAMIN.

EXAGGERATED IMAGERY; OR, THE BIBLE OF NO VALUE.

FROM the sublime to the ridiculous there is but one short step. Some good orators and poets, and very many rhymers and declaimers, occasionally make that one short unfortunate step. Among the numerous and various specimens sometimes heard from the rostrum, and read from our periodical press, I have not for some moons met with a more striking example of bad taste, and imagery run mad, than is found in an Ode to the Bible, found in the Signs of the Times, just received this morning, (May 10th.) As a caution to other writers than rhymers-even to some reasoners, I quote the following stanza :—

This little book I'd rather own
Than all the gold or gems

That e're in monarch' coffers shone

Than all their diadems.

Nay, were the seas one chrysolite,

The earth a golden ball,

And diamonds all the stars of night,

This book were worth them all.

Forsooth, then, it were worth nothing; for an earth all gold, and a sea all chrysolite, could not support a single living creature!!! The real value of anything in this material universe is its power of producing or of perfecting spiritual and immortal men. Hence, we say, that the order of nature in this universe is as follows: The mineral kingdom exists for the vegetable; the vegetable for the animal; the animal for the intellectual; the intellectual for the moral; the moral for the spiritual; and the spiritual for the divine. All things therefore, are to be valued in the ratio of their tendency to consummate the last. Now, an earth all gold, and a sea all chrysolite, would be valued neither for the vegetable, animal, intellectual, moral, spiritual, or divine kingdom. Now, to value the Bible by such an earth and sea, is to make it of no value at all. We have much poetic and eloquent nonsense served up in this age of universal authorship, when every man is his own poet, lawyer, doctor, and divine. A. CAMPBELL.

ITEMS OF NEWS

Gravesend, November 12, 1843. BELOVED BROTHER.-May grace, mercy, and peace be multiplied to you, from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ. By the good mercies of God our Father, I have been preserved so far on my journey to New Zealand, being with my baggage on board the "Theresa," my berth being No. 11. Letters addressed to me on board at Plymouth, will find me for a few days hence.

Some of our brethren have expressed a wish to hear about New Zealand, and spoke of the Messenger as a likely medium of communication. I promised to write you inquiring whether you would insert anything upon that subject. It is completely out of the line of articles suitable for insertion, but many of our brethren being poor, information on emigration from one whom they knew, might be of importance.

I will write you a private letter, if the Lord will, from