OUR VISIT TO BRITAIN

Our correspondent’s ability to do being very limited, our introduction to Glasgow was not of a very promising character. He did the best he could, however; and the most able can do no more. He rented the meeting house in Blackfriars, formerly occupied by the “Christian Chartists,” (but then vacant,) for a week; and advertised the appointments for every night at 8 o’clock, and three times on Lord’s day, as extensively as he deemed prudent, trusting to the supplies afforded by the Scottish custom of casting pence into a receiver at the doors of all the temples at each hour of meeting, for the means of meeting the expenses incurred. The house will seat from 800 to 1000 people; so that when we entered for the first time on Friday evening, the small collection of about 200 people appeared still smaller; and, it was feared, ominous of little or no result amid the 400,000 to whom our existence even, was utterly unknown. We had learned, however, not to confide in omens, nor to despise the day of small things. And, though it was a difficult house to speak in from the boy-babel without, and the high pulpit within, the scattered few sitting in the depths below, and the gallery on a level with the speaker’s head, and entirely empty, we went to work sustained and energised by the majesty and power of the great truths to which we called the attention of the public. We got through, and invited the people to come again. On Saturday evening things improved a little, though an unfavourable night for meeting. On Sunday night there might be about 500 present. Interest increased, until it expressed itself through a member of the “Reform-baptist church,” commonly called “Campbellites,” rising in his pew after we had finished, and proposing that a committee should be formed, whose business it should be to advertise the lectures, and get the people to attend. He thought it was a great pity that such interesting and important subjects should not be heard by a multitude. The suggestion was adopted. A committee of fourteen was organised. Placards and bills were printed. Some were posted on the walls, others converted into “walking advertisements;” and the bills circulated by hand, and exposed in the windows of the shops. The effect was soon manifest. The Blackfriars meeting house filled up, and was judged too small for the multitude expected on Lord’s day, Sunday 24^th. The City Hall was proposed for the meeting on that day. We were invited to visit it, and to see if we thought we could make ourself heard in every part. We found it large indeed; and of capacity to seat 5 or 6000 people. We concluded, however, to make a trial; though we questioned the policy of venturing on so large a place, having considerable doubt as to the possibility of making it appear even respectably seated. A small place filled is much more gratifying than an immense hall with a scanty audience. But our misgivings were over-ruled, and the place was engaged for Sunday night. We arrived at the time appointed to begin. On ascending the platform, 10 or 12,000 eyes were turned upon us. The effect was singular. A sea of up-turned faces were spread out before us. It was calm, but might easily have been lashed into a storm, were our course as the enemy describes it. What had brought this multitude together? Not our personal influence, nor that of a party potent in wealth and number. It was not our “eloquence;” for we do not condescend to ape the orator, or play the fool, for the amusement of the People. No, it was none of these—it was the sterling, heart-moving, nature of the things we presented, that concentrated this crowd in the City Hall. It was a multitude of thoughtful men and women, the former greatly predominating as in all our meetings, who had convened to hear more of the glad tidings of the kingdom of God, which is soon to effectuate the casting down of thrones, and the social regeneration of the world. President Campbell appeared before an audience in this Hall. He knows its capacity, and knows too, how notably inferior the amount of his hearers, notwithstanding the extraneous excitement of his voluntary * (see next page) incarceration for uttering froward words against his anti-slavery opponent, which he styled “suffering for righteousness’ sake!”—and the influence of a party prepared to glorify him to the uttermost, by which they failed not to glorify themselves. Messrs. Campbell and company, who have been our traducers and bitter opponents for a long series of years; —he, the boasted supervisor of a sect in these States, said to number from two to 500,000 members—“the great,” the learned, the eloquent President of Bethany College: —these appeared before the Glasgow public in the same places as we, yet with all their advantages over us, a perfect stranger in the city and without introductions, their audiences diminished with notable decrease from time to time, while ours rapidly advanced to an overwhelming multitude. Let Mr. C. ponder on this. In eight days our hearers increased from 200 to 5 or 6000; and this not on one occasion only; but at three subsequent occupations of the City Hall. He ought to pause, and consider well, if the position we hold in relation to our contemporaries be not of more importance than he is willing to admit. We would advise him to review the past. We desire his approbation as we do that of any ordinary man. No more. He knows we fear him as little as we court him. Our anxiety is that he may be saved, which we believe he cannot be with his present faith and practice; for he is an enemy to the gospel, if we have correctly interpreted it. We are more anxious for his conviction, because he has more power for evil than men in general. Our occasional notices of him are more frequent than of others, because he is the oracle of a multitude, which timidly awaits his thoughts before it will think, if capable of doing so, and act for itself. Show that the oracle is unworthy of faith, and the half million is emancipated from its thrall. This we aim to do, and have accomplished to no inconsiderable extent. The British public was not interested in his speculations. They contained no great regenerating principles, consequently he left no impressions behind him, as a mark upon society by which he might be fragrantly remembered, save by mere partisans, when he bid adieu to “one of the greenest spots in the plantations of grace,” as he styled old England when about to visit it in ’47.

We lectured fifteen times in Glasgow before the delegates assembled; so that having had the ear of the public, it was beyond their power to affect us injuriously, if they should prove so disposed. We suspended our lectures on the 26^th, that we might rest, and have leisure to attend to their proceedings on the 28^th. On the following Lord’s day morning we were to speak at Blackfriars, and at night at the City Hall. These appointments were fulfilled. At the former place, we spoke on Repentance and the Remission of Sins through the name of Jesus; and at the latter, on the Apostacy and its influence on the nations. On the 26^th, the last week night lecture, multitudes could not obtain admission to the house. It was crowded to overflowing; and during our remarks the approbation of the hearers was expressed in a “ruffing” with the feet, a custom “more honoured in the breach than the observance;” and from which we requested them to abstain. We suspect it is long since Glasgow has been so stirred up by the interpretation of the Word of the Kingdom. It is not to be imagined, however, that the feeling excited was one of universal admiration and good will. We heard that some of the clergy were crying out lustily against us. The Rev’d. Mr. Pollock of the State Church, brother of the poet, told his audience that “a villain had come among them from America with his mouth full of lies!” Another of some other sect was denouncing us to crowds on Glasgow Green in unmeasured terms. This was all right. It raised the curiosity of many to hear the “lies” that filled the clergy with so much wrath. All, however, were not of this spirit, among whom was the Rev. Mr. Anderson, relief minister in the city. But he was unpopular with the clergy himself; for he believed the prophets, whose doctrine he advocated, and exposed the profound ignorance of his preaching brethren. They had the will to convert him into “ a specimen,” but the times and the seasons are not convenient for spiritual anatomy. He knows they love him not, and would silence him if they could; but being rich, it is said “very rich,” he is very independent, and beyond the power of their hate and interdiction. He showed himself quite polite and friendly.

The day appointed (September 27,) had now arrived for the meeting of the Convention of Delegates. They assembled at 6 P.M. for preliminary purposes, and to carry out certain pre-arrangements concerning us. Measures had been taken to prejudice the minds of the delegates and others previous to the opening of the meeting. Our “Confession and Abjuration” had been printed and privately circulated, and the following morceaux de bon gout, anglice, “tit bits,” were served up in the October British Millennial Harbinger, which arrived in Glasgow on the 27^th September. “Have you seen the forthcoming Harbinger?” inquired some friends from England we had gone to meet at the station. “We have not. Any more twaddle concerning us?” “Here it is; read for yourself, and judge!”

“We feel,” says the editor, “obliged, honoured, and much encouraged by the expressions of confidence, sympathy, and good-will, received from old and long-tried friends and brethren during the last month. It is true, we have been complained of, for not furnishing the brethren with the subjoined correspondence in our last number; but the cause of its being withheld, at that time, was neither fear nor want of courage. We give it now under the conviction of thereby bringing upon ourselves a full measure of bitter aspersions and unjust reproaches from the party to whom it refers. Still, we have decided upon publishing it: —

Dear Brother Wallis—I received your communication containing inquiries respecting J. Thomas, and instead of sending a personal answer, I thought best to have an action on it by the church, as it may be of importance to our brethren in Britain and Ireland, to know the facts respecting the said individual.

“Mr. Thomas preached a kind of gospel in our city, which was believed by some four or five brethren: some of them immersed one another, and I believe Thomas immersed some of them. They meet every Lord’s day in our city. We have no fellowship with them, believing they have greatly erred from the truth, and in some measure, at least, are following cunningly devised fables. The Lord grant that these deluded ones may see their error, and return back to the simplicity of the gospel of the blessed God. May grace, mercy, and peace, be with all the faithful in Christ Jesus.

“The church of Christ in Green street, to the church of Christ in Barker Gate, Nottingham, England.

Beloved Brethren—We have just received a letter from our esteemed Brother J. Wallis, making inquiries concerning Mr. John Thomas. First, whether he had fellowship with us when he passed through this city on his way to England? —second, whether he is in the fellowship of the churches of the Reformation generally? In answer to the first question, we reply that John Thomas had no communion with us. The answer to the second question is—John Thomas is not in connection or fellowship with any Reformed church in the United States, so far as known to us.

“May grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, be multiplied to you, and to the whole Israel of God.

Such was the document designed to prepare the way for our formal excommunication and repudiation by the Glasgow Convention. Mr. James Wallis’ “conviction” proved to be as truthless as his desire for its verification was earnest and sincere. Nothing would have pleased him, or have suited his purposes better than that we should have poured out upon him “a full measure of bitter aspersions, and unjust reproaches.” But this was not our policy. We had no intention to put ourselves in the wrong by any such expenditure of feeling. “Poor man!” said we on reading it, “What next?” As to Messrs. Monroe and Blair, our astonishment was unmitigated at their untruthfulness and presumption! At the time we had to do with the Green street church they did not belong to it. They were members of “a faction” apart to themselves, having a Bethany student for their “divine,” with whom the Green street church had no more dealings than with the papists. We had “no communion with them,” but we had with Green street; not in 1848, but a few months before; and in May ’48, we lectured in the meeting house at the spontaneous request of the majority, which voted it on the Sunday of Messrs. Monroe and Blair’s election to office, who had made their peace with Green street between our last two visits. They, indeed, would have vetoed our use of the house, but had not the power, being only elected but not installed. These witnesses to what we preached did not hear us then, nor we think at any other time. They know not what we teach, and therefore cannot tell whether we preached the gospel or “a kind of a gospel in their city,” as they term it. Incompetent as they were to testify to the truth, they answered Mr. Wallis’ purpose as most willing tools for any thing promotive of his evil designs against us. The above questions were put and published so as by implication to make the impression, that we had untruly affirmed that we had fellowshipped with the Green street people on our way to England; and that we were in fraternity with “the churches of the Reformation generally.” We had never affirmed this. But during our absence in England, Messrs. Monroe and Blair, we understand, when the October number of the Harbinger was received in New York, were made sufficiently ashamed of themselves for the part they had enacted in this affair, to justify us in now dismissing them to their own peculiar insignificance, without troubling them further in the case.

Thus, their minds being duly biased, and their plans laid, the “knowing ones,” the Gnostics of the Convention, assembled to make, or to do, business, as necessity might appear. After singing and prayer, they elected Mr. Davis of Mollington in Cheshire, to the chair. He appeared to be a man of good disposition and demeanour; and in the discharge of his functions, inoffensive and pliable. He lacked energy, however, quickness of perception, and decision, and was therefore quite unqualified for the management of so ill-mannered and turbulent a convention as this. He was entirely submissive to the counsel of the wire-workers, to whom, doubtless, he gave entire satisfaction; though on one or two occasions, we thought, disposed to be decidedly impartial. He soon recovered himself, however, and things progressed as they had begun. Mr. Davis is the Money-Oracle of the denomination, and therefore a great man in his way. He is well versed in £. s. d., and consequently well qualified for counsel concerning “the best interests” of a cause depending for promotion upon the disinterested labors of evangelical hirelings!

The next functionary of course to be appointed was the secretary. This was a Mr. George Schleselman, a gentleman at the time high in favor, and of fragrant odor in the olfactories of antiheretical and pious orthodoxy. In relation to us, he as “among the keenest of our opponents as he has since told us. Although as secretary his business was writing, and not governing, he could not refrain from sharply telling us to “sit down, and not disturb the meeting,” when, by permission of the chair, we had the floor to speak for ourselves, but owing to the clamour could obtain a hearing neither by his authority, nor at our own request. We suggested, “it would be better for him to mind his writing, and not to interfere;” he concluded so, too; for he interrupted us no more. It may not be out of place to state here, that he attended our lectures afterwards at Dundee where he resides, and with what results will best appear from the following, which reached us a few days before we sailed from Liverpool.

I was glad to see from yours of the 20^th that you had arrived safely again in London from your Continental tour. You would doubtless scan with a curious eye the general elements of the kingdoms through which you passed. These, to us who know what God the Lord will do, have an interest of which none else have any idea. The growing importance of the masses in Europe, their impenetrable ignorance, and unbounded superstition, the crazy nature of the governments which pretend to direct them, and the powerful Sword of the North stealthily approaching their boundaries, are signs extremely momentous, and portend something politically grand. And that grandeur! We know something of what it will be; nay more, of what it will become. It will be broken on the mountains of Israel and utterly destroyed. And what then? Ah! that’s the rub. Ecclesiastical and political speculators will follow us in the heaving and tumbling up and down of nations, but to what end will they fall? Mere dreamers, courting their own honor and scorning the revelations of God, they pretend to worship Jehovah, and yet call his promises impossibilities because they think that things that are, have sprung from things which do appear—with them God has in effect ceased to rule amongst the nations; his arm, powerful once, no longer wields the sword of vengeance: His name, no longer known as “Jealous,” has become “Indifferent;” the impious are to pass peaceably to the grave; and my son will descend to be president of your “Peace Society!” This is their millennium, their church triumphant, their “good time coming!” A mere phantom of the wicked one is this—a kind word of soothing comfort to her children from the scarlet Jezebel of Rome.

As you say, “soft-brained,” indeed, “must they be who in this age of the world, perhaps its dotage, fall down and worship what they’ve helped to make.” Such scenes as you have witnessed, make us long for the One long-looked-for to enlighten the Gentiles; and they induce us to search the scriptures that we may be doubly assured that He is sure to come. And here I must thank you for having drawn my attention to this subject and induced me to search, by which I have been enabled to place confidence in God. I thank you now, because you are about to leave this country; and perhaps you will not consider it out of place to have this gratitude of one expressed on your leaving, who when you arrived ranked among the keenest of your opponents. Having the same confidence, we may expect to meet in the kingdom of God, if not before, if we continue walking and working as the Lord desires. Those only have this hope in them can see the value of denying all fleshly desires, the folly of yielding to sin for a season, when the price we pay for it is eternal joy.

Adieu! then, and that he who holdeth the sea in the hollow of his hand, may grant you a prosperous voyage to the country of your sojourning; and when there, that doors of utterance to make known the Gospel of his salvation to your fellow-men may be abundantly opened, is the prayer of

Such was the effect of what we exhibited in our lectures on the mind of the secretary of the Convention. It overcame his enmity, and turned him into a friend and brother. He was not only convinced of the Gospel of the Kingdom, but brought to its obedience, being united to its king by baptism as well as by faith, that he might receive repentance and remission of sins, and a right to eternal life through his name.

The chairman and secretary being installed, the Delegates proceeded to present their credentials in the order of the inscription of their churches upon the register. When the church at Lincoln was called, we presented its letter, which was received. The presentation of letters being over for the night, they were read in the same order. The Lincoln letter was also read, when a delegate and “evangelist” arose and moved, that Dr. Thomas be refused a seat among them. This was cordially seconded by another. The motion was based upon the allegation that we were not a member of any reformation church in Britain. This objection was pre-eminently sectarian. One would have expected that a convention of “apostolic, or primitive, christians,” would have taken higher ground than this; and have objected to us on the plea, that we aere not a member of Christ’s Body Mystical. Without examining the legality of the baptism of the Lincoln church, they had become of the same faith with us, and therefore, as stated in their letter, we were in fellowship with them in this matter; whether we and the church were recognised by the Invisible as joint-members of the “One Body,” is quite another question: for all conventional purposes we were members of their society, and recognised as such officially by their elder. We objected to their motion that our membership with the believers at Lincoln was no affair of theirs. This was an item they could not consider having no jurisdiction in the case. It belonged exclusively to them at Lincoln. The real question before them was whether the church there was to be recognised as “a reformation church,” or not; if they acknowledged it, and they had done so by officially inscribing it upon their list of churches, then no delegate of a sister church, be he “evangelist,” or layman, nor a plurality of delegates, had any right to say that they should not be represented there. The Lincoln church was in fellowship with all the “reformation churches” in Britain. Its elder was un-exceptionable in standing and character. Had been one of their “evangelists,” having surrendered for the purpose an endowment among the Baptists, but had been superseded by the management of Mr. Wallis. We were in the convention merely as their representative, to do for them what as a society they could not do for themselves; we objected therefore to any motion that made us the subject of personal critique or examination. But as the motion was before them, and would not probably be withdrawn, we demanded a full and impartial investigation of our case, being determined if possible to draw aside the veil and expose to public view the machinations of the faction, which under the cloak of zeal for “the best interests” of men, was seeking its own, and intriguing to close the eyes and the ears of the people against the gospel of the kingdom of God.

Upon this, things assumed a squally appearance. Some cried out one thing, and some another, in the midst of which Machiavel arose, and delivered himself of a rambling excursus upon the elder, and some of the members of the Lincoln church, which had as much to do with the motion before the meeting, as the sowing of tares with the cultivation of the rose. Mr. Wallis having consumed all the time that remained in belittling and misrepresenting his friends, it was proposed to assemble on the morrow at 10 A.M., for the resumption of the matter and other business. “Evangelist” King, we think, proposed that they should meet at 9 instead of 10, for social worship. Sojourning three miles from Glasgow, which we had to walk, and our hosts not being early people, we objected to this change of hour, unless it was agreed in good faith that our case should not be touched until 10 o’clock, which was the earliest we could arrive in the city. One rose and said, he thought they might have social worship without us. We replied, that we thought so too; and that if they deemed it expedient they could meet at 6A.M.; but that our anxiety was that our position and character should not be judged, condemned, and executed in our absence. This was considered by another as a charge against the meeting. This we disclaimed, though of certain present we expressed our distrust. A third said, there was no charge against us. We were glad of this, though one was implied in the motion to exclude us. If, however, he had no charge our remarks did not apply to him; otherwise they did. This pop-gunnery having subsided, it was at length agreed, that they should meet for social worship at 9 A.M., but were not to enter upon the Lincoln case until we arrived at 10 o’clock.

After this arrangement we adjourned to the Mechanic’s Hall to hear a discourse. The text was 1 Corinthians 15: 1-4. The preacher labored to show that the gospel consisted of three facts—the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus! Not a word was said about the kingdom, which, therefore, formed no part of the gospel he was called to preach. It was powerless, motiveless, a mere matter of history. Such gospelation may serve for the bread that perisheth, to the “evangelist” that ministers it; but falling short of the gospel of the kingdom, it can save no man that believes it. The belief of prophecy and doctrine, and not a few historical facts, is the faith that saves us from our sins and gives us a right to eternal life.

Mr. Wallis arose next, and speculated about things secret and revealed. “We have no right,” said he, “to trouble ourselves about things which are not revealed.” No one, we suppose, would object to this; nevertheless, we for one do object to Mr. Wallis’, or Mr. Any-body else’s, knowledge being set up as the measure of the things revealed in the word of God. There are a great many very important things revealed there that it has not entered into Mr. Wallis’s cranium to conceive of. Are we, therefore, not to trouble ourselves about these things, because he and his patrons and friends are ignorant of them? God forbid! Let no man’s ignorance be the measure of our faith or investigation. After much more of the same sort, he at length fell upon the discovery that the apostles never preached the time of the second advent as the hope of the gospel. This was thought to have been aimed at us; though every one present of the multitudes who had heard us, must have seen how egregiously he had missed the mark; for they all know well that we had not preached the time of the advent as the gospel hope. After this fashion, densely befogged, he groped his way through the mist that beclouded him without catching even a glimpse of the brightness beyond. His conclusion was apologetic. He had proved nothing; therefore nothing remained, and the meeting was dismissed.

Next day we arrived at the hour appointed, when the Lincoln case was introduced. A delegate of the Glasgow church made some very pertinent remarks, and suggested the appointment of a committee to consider the matter, with the understanding, as afterwards explained, that we should be regarded in the meantime as its delegate pro tem. This suggestion gave rise to much dispute, in which Mr. Wallis figured conspicuously. As we could only be reached through the Lincoln church, it was thought expedient by him to make it contemptible in the estimation of “the collective wisdom”; so that if it could be made to appear that it was without ecclesiastical character or influence, it would not be difficult, nay all would desire, to be quit of so disreputable a constituent of the Denominational Sanhedrin, or “cooperation society,” of Great Britain and Ireland; and being relieved of its unprofitable and inconvenient fellowship by a vote of excommunication, both church and representative would be conventionally annihilated. So to work he went to disaffect the minds of the delegates, and the people assembled to witness their proceedings. He left nothing unsaid that might subserve so benevolent and holy a purpose. He descanted on the smallness of their number, though they were more numerous than some churches on the list, whose delegates were present. He did not, however, call our attention to this inconvenient fact. He reckoned them up by families and individually by name, not forgetting the young ladies of the flock. H e descended to the narration of personal difficulties; and accused two of their number of dishonourable conduct in commencing a tannery in Lincoln, a place of several thousands of people, because a brother in the church was tanning hides there already! He described the elder as a mere tool in the hands of one of these partners, who could be made to do any thing this same Simon of Joppa, or rather of Lincoln, pleased. Such was the twaddle and petty scandal, with much more of the same sort, that the Editor of the British Millennial Harbinger treated his hearers to on this notable occasion! Had we not known that the whole was a gross and malicious perversion of facts, we should have felt in a very “bad fix” in being the representative of such a church. He had bitten its heel and instilled into the wound no little venom; but fortunately an antidote was at hand, in the intractability of the major part, to prevent the death of his victim. In all he had said, he made no allusion to us. We were with him face to face; and though the real stone of stumbling and rock of offence in his way, he ventured no direct and open attack upon us! He reserved his “work of faith and labour of love” for the absent and defenceless; safely calculating that intrigue and clamour would prevent us from saying a word in their behalf. These cooperation conventions are admirable arenas for the development of every evil work. It will be long ere Britain and Ireland will be evangelised, that is, leavened with the faith and spirit of the gospel, by the emissaries of such assemblies as this. We heard many, both male and female, express their most unqualified disgust at what they witnessed at this notable exhibition of prejudice, turbulence and folly.

After this attack upon our constituents we very naturally requested to be heard in their behalf. The chairman thought it was no more than right we should. With his permission, therefore, we took the floor; with very uncouth utterances proceeding from the men of Fife! “As Dr. Thomas has come here to disturb the meeting, I move,” ejaculated one, “that the case of the Lincoln church be referred to a committee.” “I propose,” exclaimed another, “that Dr. Thomas be requested to sit down!” “We stand here,” said we, “with the approbation of the chair, and are in no hurry. We are making no disturbance, but waiting with singular forbearance and patience till the clamour has subsided. Having no other engagement, we are prepared to stand here all day, if need be, in the hope of being heard.” Up started a third and cried out, “I seconded the motion last night to reject Dr. Thomas; I therefore beg leave to withdraw it!” this was quite a joke for the seconder to withdraw a motion he had not made! Seeing this, probably, the mover called out, “I moved it and will withdraw it!” “Very well,” said we, “then we are to understand that we stand before you as the unrejected representative of the Lincoln church?” Upon this up jumped a very fierce looking personage who bawled out “No-o!” “Let me explain what I mean,” said our friend, “when I suggested a committee.” Having done so, “I move!” said one; “I propose!” cried another; “I wish to say!” exclaimed some one else: —but amid motion upon motion, and amendment upon amendment, the chairman, secretary, and ourselves, lost our bearings altogether! The confusion, worse confounded was so inextricably confused, that it became necessary at length to make a new start; and to decree that all motions should be submitted to the chair in writing. Mr. Wallis, humbled by the evil of his own work, rose and said that “perhaps it would have been more prudent not to have stated what he did about the Lincoln church, but he did it for their information. He would, however, now withdraw what he had said, as it would be best perhaps under the circumstances.” We then remarked, that “this was a most ungracious artifice. He had done all he could to poison the minds of his hearers against his brethren at Lincoln, which perhaps he had succeeded in to some extent; and now fearing an exposure of his evil work, he thought to shelter himself under the formality of a withdrawal. He might withdraw his sting, but the venom and its effects were left behind. His course was neither manly nor honest; but exhibited the meanest and most contemptible species of attack.” Mr. Woodnorth, the Liverpool delegate, said “he thought Dr. Thomas ought to be allowed to extract the poison.” We thought so too, especially as it was in our line.

But, after a little reflection upon the chief actors in this noisy scene, we perceived they were a phrenologically hard-headed and crabbed set, ready to do the bidding of him that used them—mere unreasoning partisans, ready for any mischief that might be carved out for them. We concluded, therefore, it would be best to give them full swing, and let them demolish themselves by their own fatuity. We accordingly expressed our opinion of the spirit that animated them. They might take their own course without further hindrance. We would be an observer, and watch their proceedings. We invited them to be prompt, and if they could, get a vote of the majority to cut off the Lincoln church forthwith. They had evidently prejudged the case, and would hear nothing in its behalf. They might also pass a decree against us, likewise, if they could. Their decision would not affect our cause in any particular. We had left America with peace in our heart and with the firm conviction that the truth was with us. We offered it to them without money and without price; but, they put it away from them and refused it cooperation and a hearing. Be it so. Our course was onward if we even stood alone. Thus we spoke, and having reserved to ourselves the right of future comment on passing events, we resumed our seat to chronicle their deeds.

The men of Fife, an ironside faction of tyrannical spirit, packed a committee of four, with power to choose a fifth, to sit upon the Lincoln case. One man named the whole. This, however, was objected to. Among various suggestions, it was proposed that we should name one half. But this we declined being determined to recognise no committee in the case. “What right,” we inquired, “had they to appoint a committee to sit upon the church at Lincoln more than upon any other on their list; would Nottingham or London endure it?” They were speechless!

Having formed the committee in their own way, they fell to reading letters handed in from the churches, containing counsel and news. Thinking that a little oral news would enliven the monotony of the reading, we interjected some items thereof as the reader progressed alphabetically in his work. As there was no delegate from Newark, and they were so anxious to hear from the churches, we informed them that the elder there considered himself in effect the church; but though opposed to us, was willing we should use his room; and that eight or nine of those who worshipped with him, had visited Lincoln while we were there and had actually partaken of the bread and wine at the same table as we! Was not this a case also for a committee?

The next thing was to register the churches in the Convention’s book of life, alphabetically, with their officials and numbers. When they came to the letter M. Manchester was called. A gentleman responded who said, he was not sent by the church there; but “some who were friendly said Go! And he came!” He added, that “the church did not belong to the reformation, nor could it be persuaded to fellowship it.” Notwithstanding this declaration, there was great anxiety to register it, to put it on the roll by hook or by crook. Their endeavours, however, did not work satisfactorily. At length, losing all patience at the open faced dishonesty of the party that worked the wires, we rose and enquired, “Upon what principle of righteousness were they so desirous to enrol the Manchester church on their list in the face of the unqualified and positive declaration, that it was neither of their reformation nor would it fellowship it; at the same time that they were doing their best to proscribe the Lincoln church, which was in fellowship, and willing to continue with them?” This question put an end to all coquetting with Mr. Go Andicame! Nothing more was said about Manchester, and so its name was omitted.

Two o’clock having arrived, the meeting was adjourned for an hour or so. Many came up and shook us heartily by the hand. While talking with one about Mr. Wallis, the gentleman himself appeared conversing with another behind us. We turned and offered him our hand, believing after all that he was not so much our enemy, as a deceived and misguided instrument of Mr. Campbell to do wrong. We exchanged a powerful, if not hearty, shake. We observed that we had just been speaking of him, and blaming him exceedingly for not coming to hear us in Nottingham where we had spoken more than a dozen times. We thought, if he had done so, he would have abstained from the course he had pursued, and have spared us much misrepresentation. He replied that he had our own words for having renounced the reformation in Virginia with those churches which cooperated with us. This however, is a mere fiction. “This Reformation” is an affair of principles and not of men. It inculcates the “proving all things, and holding fast what is good,” the “calling no man master upon earth,” the “contending earnestly for the faith originally delivered to the saints,” &c. from these principles we have never swerved; but in the spirit of them have gone on towards the perfection to which the scriptures invite us. We hold on to the reformation, which those who renounce and repudiate us have themselves abandoned, having more relish for human tradition and popularity, than for the truth and the tribulation inseparable from it. One remarked, that we seemed fond of strife. Not so. We love peace and retirement from the heartless turmoil of religious partyism and the world. But, believing the truth, hating iniquity, and loving righteousness, we cannot witness injustice, and perversion of the faith, and not contend against it. Mr. “Evangelist” King opined that we were of “a bad spirit.” We suggested to his meekness, that reformation like charity might as well begin at home. If he would exhort his employers to a good spirit, we should have more faith in the neutrality he professed. But, while he ran with the hare and held with the hounds, fawned upon them and worried us, we had no disposition to listen to his exhortations. The prophesyings of hypocrites are abomination to our soul. Had we the patience of Job, the sanctimoniousness of some creatures would exhaust it. They will propose early meetings for “social worship,” and with marred visage and holy tone, breathe forth lackadaisical sentimentality about bad spirits; and at the same time, subject a man from sheer malice, or envy, or something equally vile, for four mortal hours to every annoyance and indignity at their command! Talk of such miserable vanities converting the world! Pshaw! I t is better as it is.

The Lincoln case was not adjudicated till the following day. We were not present to witness the auto da fe, therefore must refer the reader to the letter of our friend below, which he addressed “To the Congregation of Saints at Lincoln;” to wit:

Dr. Thomas would inform you that a committee was appointed to decide whether or not he should be permitted to take part in the late meeting at Glasgow as your deputy. As he was not present on the 29^th September, I write this to inform you what transpired on that occasion.

The committee did not commence its deliberations till the business of the meetings was ended; so that when its report was rejected the proposed penalty of exclusion had been practically and irrevocably inflicted.

Mr. Wardropper was made a member of the committee, in which he occupied the place both of accuser and judge.

The committee passed sentence against you without reading your letter which explained some of your reasons for appointing Dr. Thomas as your deputy, and without hearing him in his own defence.

Bro. Linn, a member of the committee, was interrupted while protesting against the unfairness of its decision. It was with the utmost difficulty we could obtain a hearing for him.

I feel too much distressed to express what I think of such glaring acts of injustice perpetrated by men who profess to be reforming the world—the harbingers of a millennium of justice, peace, and love. O how inconsistent, how Christ-dishonouring, and what a stumbling-block to the people.

Brethren, I sincerely sympathise with you, and the Doctor, and remain your companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom of Jesus Christ.

They were about giving the case the “go-bye;” but it was called up by a friend. We are informed that when the report was read, a gentleman present could not repress his indignation, and cried out “shame, shame!” One of the men of Fife told him to “hold his peace for he was not a delegate; to which the other retorted that he was “an impertinent man!” While Mr. Linn was protesting many were speaking at once; so that confusion crowned their evil work. After all nothing was done. Their report was rejected. The Lincoln church remained in fellowship, nor was any ban decreed proscribing us. Their machinations were completely frustrated; and the Gnostics themselves overwhelmed with confusion and chagrin.

Moses Stuart and Dr. Lee believe that the Apocalypse was all compressed into the last three or four centuries; but Burgh, Todd, and Maitland, that it must all be compressed into the last three or four years of the christian era! These opinions belong to the arctic and antarctic circles of speculation.