THE GOSPEL AT ST. CHARLES.

Geneva, Kane Co., Illinois,

March 9, 1851.

Brother John Thomas:

I have been requested by some of the brethren here to give you some account of what we are doing here. I will do this very briefly. You are perhaps aware that the congregation with which you were connected in St. Charles was broken up some years ago—partly on account of dissension, and the dispersion of some of the members. However lamentable the fact, yet it was so. Some of whom you knew have allowed the cares of this age to choke the good seed of the kingdom—while others are in a state of lukewarmness. Some months ago a few persons, unknown to you in the flesh, met together to “search the scriptures,” particularly with respect to the “things of the kingdom of God.” These examinations resulted in good. Conviction of the truth of the things examined was produced on some minds. A congregation was formed in my house of a few disciples who had emigrated from Halifax, England, and one or two formerly connected with the church in St. Charles. Since then bro. Christian has joined us, who, I am happy to say, is now an active and consistent member. Since we were organized so as to attend to the teachings &c., on the first day, three have been added to our number by baptism. We are about 15 in number, and meet alternately at Geneva and St. Charles. As yet we have no meeting house, but are talking about raising means for one. Something must be done. The people are perishing for lack of knowledge—the knowledge of God and Jesus Christ. The seed sown by you while in this section of country, we have reason to believe, was not all scattered in vain. The brethren here would be most happy to have you come out this way, when you set out on your tour of preaching the good news. You will meet with a hearty welcome.

We should like a communication from you, giving us some advice on what is considered by some of us rather a difficult matter. Here it is. Our congregation is composed of individuals who believe the things concerning the Name and Kingdom. Some have obeyed intelligently—others do not see the necessity of re-immersion because they have received a little more light than they had at their first immersion. There are others who were immersed among the Baptists, who were re-immersed for the remission of sins, and who are convinced of the truth, but stagger at the thought of a trine immersion. They say, they don’t want to be going to the water every time they receive a little fresh light, and be laying the first principles over and over again. You can understand and appreciate our position. What ought we to do in this matter? What is our duty? We are in something like a transition state—scarcely knowing what is right or what is wrong. We have no other desire than to do God’s will in the matter, so soon as clearly seen and understood, but we must know before we do. Some think we had better suspend meeting as a congregation until we are better satisfied, while others think it better to attend to christian duties. If you could write us a letter suited to our case we should esteem it a favor. We know of none better able to clear up the matter than yourself.

Hoping that your health is fully restored, so that you are now enabled to attend to your important duties, I am,

Yours affectionately,

In the One Hope,

Benjamin Wilson.

Dear Brother: —You say, that your congregation “is composed of individuals who believe the things concerning the kingdom and name.” This is the scriptural foundation of Christ’s House; and so far you have made a good advance Zion-ward. You agree in faith, and in the faith; continue to be learners that you may increase in faith, and all come into the unity thereof. “Speak the truth to one another in love, that you may grow up into him in all things, who is the head, even Christ.” Do not let those who have been intelligently united to the name (and that union can only be effected understandingly) denounce, or proscribe those who have not been so as yet. Bear with one another. Search out the truth in this spirit, and I doubt not you will ere long all come to see eye to eye in the matter of difficulty; and lift your hands in astonishment that you did not see it before. Be very careful to avoid the leaven of Campbellism, which is proscriptive, overbearing, pharisaical. The salvation of individuals is not predicated on the purity of their neighbor’s faith, though these may be members of the same ecclesiastical organization. It is our duty earnestly to contend for the true faith, but not to cast one another out of the synagogue if we all believe the truth and walk in the light of it. I think you understand all this, and therefore I need not dwell on it more at length. I have great faith in the formative power of the truth. I would have the truth spoken or read, do every thing; human authority nothing. Let the truth act upon men’s hearts after the similitude of a magnet on steel. It is essentially attractive, and will in the end bring all honest and good hearts to an enlightened union with the name which is above every name.

You all know what my practice has been. When I came to understand the things of the kingdom and name of Jesus, in other words, the gospel, some fifteen years after an immersion in times of ignorance, I was immersed again. Not that I believed a plurality of immersions is necessary for one baptism. I believe no such thing; but this I do regard as a self-evident truth, that it is an intelligent, docile and humble appreciation of the gospel of the kingdom in the name of Jesus as the Christ before immersion, that constitutes said immersion the one baptism, or obedience to faith. How can an immersion be “obedience to the faith” while the subject is ignorant of “the faith?” It is the faith which justifies, but it justifies in the act of union to the name: still it is the faith, and not the uniting, which is counted to us for righteousness.

No one should “go to the water every time they receive a little fresh light.” But Baptistism and Campbellism are neither of them light, nor the light. The “gospel” preached by the Baptists, and by the Campbellites is not the gospel of the kingdom, as all Baptists and Campbellites confess when they come to understand it. When they understand it they have not received “a little fresh light,” but they have got their eyes open to the light for the first time. Now the question is, “What ought a man to do who has thus come to the light?” Let him obey the truth in the love of it as unto God and not to men.

No immersed man can “lay the first principles over again” who has come to the knowledge of the truth subsequently to his immersion. The first principles are contained in the things of the kingdom and name conjointly. “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.”

You are doubtless “in a transition state;” and have well determined “to know before you do. But to suspend your meeting would not increase your knowledge; but tend rather to impede your progress. Meetings are useful. They attract the mind to the subject once a week. They exert an influence which counteracts that of the world without. No, my advice is do not suspend, but endeavor to come to unanimity on the subject with as little delay as possible that you may go on to perfection. But if there be one that cannot yet see it his duty to be re-immersed, be patient with him, assist him to an understanding with the light you have; his dubiousness will not endanger you, provided you are faithful in maintaining what you believe right. Act not judicially on his case; the Lord will do thus when he comes.

Thanking you for your list for Elpis Israel, which, I doubt not, will dispel many obscurities from your minds, I remain your’s in the hope of the consolation of Israel,

John Thomas.