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Life and Travels of William Conrad
Chapter XXV - Circular of Fishing River Association of Baptists
To the several Churches of which she is composed:
BELOVED BRETHREN-Wishing thee health and salvation, and if anything more loving and charming can be expressed from the bowels of the Christian religion, we give all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, and exhort you that you contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the Saints.
Now, in the present age of the church it is like as in ages past, that a great diversity of opinion exists in regard to doctrine; and among other items the doctrine of union has become a source of strife and sometimes of angry contentions, and it is mostly because brethren do not give words their proper bearing and take into consideration that with which it stands associated. When it is rightly explained it will readily appear there is no sufficient ground to become alienated, especially in church relations. It is certainly a matter of great imbecility for brethren to create dissentions in the church about the application of a mere term; for it is contended that the term actual must always be associated with eternal union.
Much confusion has and always will arise about unqualified assertions in reference to actual eternal union; we must therefore absolutely explain what we mean by the term, for the words are not set down in the Bible in an abstract form; and to use the term in an unqualified sense is to confound the eternal infinite existence of God with finite and created beings. It is certainly a sober and acknowledged truth that nothing existed before it was created unless there was something co-evil and co-eternal with God, and if that; something did so exist, we have no evidence in the Bible of its actual union with God; but yet, if it did so exist, then it embodies some of the highest and brightest traits of the divine Jehovah, and of course there would be more than one eternal being. This assumption may do heathens and deists, but a child of God will never acknowledge it, for the apostle says: "To us there is but one God-he the only wise God, and God our Saviour."
This item has been a matter of faith in every age, from the days of Enoch with the holy seers of Israel, the Church in the Jewish dispensation in the apostolic age-even up to the year 1850 they have never deviated nor can they falter in this all-important point. Men, angels, nor demons can not show from the Revelations any other actual eternal being; two seedism or any other extraism to the contrary notwithstanding.
Now, in the investigation of truth we must always keep this point in our minds that the great Jehovah is the only actual self-existent being, and that other beings in heaven, earth, or hell, are created and of course derivative, and therefore not actual eternal beings.
It seems superfluous to labor this topic, for surely no Christian can for a moment indulge the thought that there is any other actual eternal being; but should a contrary position be assumed, then its advocates would have to prove that-first, there is more than one actual eternal being; and, second, that these actual eternal beings were united. But this only wise God is said to fore-know all things whatsoever shall come to pass. Fore-knowledge is then a quality possessed of God, and is used to show that he fore-knew that which did not actually exist, but should in subsequent time have a being or existence; "for he calleth those which be not as though they were, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times the things that are not yet done."
Then, according to this plan, there was embraced in the fore-knowledge of God all his chosen people or distinct objects of his love, who though were not in actual existence, yet the choice was the same as though they were, according to the fore-knowledge of God who gave them a representative existence in Christ.
You may very easily see how God could give them grace, etc., on the principle of a surety, and not on the principle of an actual eternal union.
Hence, Paul says: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in Christ according as he has chosen us in him from the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love."
You see here that the object of predestination was not that we were holy or in actual union, but that we should be so in love-to the praise of the glory of his grace wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
Peter says: "They were elected according to the foreknowledge of God." Then predestination follows this foreknowledge of God in the arrangement to create and bring them into existence. It could not be said in truth that he fore-knew them had they then been in actual existence; for the term fore-knowledge relates to things or persons before they had an actual existence, otherwise the term is obsolete. Hence, then the divine arrangement runs thus:
1st. The Lord Jehovah is the only actual self-existent being who exists by himself, and there is no time past or yet to come; he is not to be measured by time, but all other things or beings are created and derivative.
2nd. This holy Lord God, by the breath of his mouth gave birth to a world, and in the multiplicity of creation made man good and upright, capacitated him to enjoy all the blessings of creation in this state, gave him a law, threatened death in the event of its being transgressed. Adam did sin against this law, and thus brought death temporal and eternal on himself and all his posterity, and they all stand in the eye of the law exposed to destruction.
Now, before all this took place God knew that man would ruin himself and all his posterity, and, therefore God, before this took place, fore-ordained or predetermined to save from this awaited destruction a certain definite portion of these fallen sinners as such, and make them stand and forever magnify the riches of his grace. Then the system may be set down thus:
1st. The actual eternal self-existence of God.
2nd. His fore-knowledge.
3rd. Predestinating sinners to life eternal.
4th. Purposed to conform or unite these sinners to the image of his son.
5th. Calls them by his grace.
6th. Then, by grace, justifies through faith.
7th. Glorifies them both soul and body in endless felicity.
Now, all these blessings were uncreated and eternal; they were treasured in the new covenant made between the father and the son ere time began, and applied to the objects of election in due time, and they, the people of God are said to receive them.
Now, if they receive them, how can it be said that they actually and eternally had them?
Now, to make this matter more plain we will introduce a scriptural example: Andronicus, Junia, and Paul were all elected in Christ at one and the same time; were all chosen in Christ before the world began, and there was no space of time between the gift of these by the Father to the son, and yet in the reception and actual enjoyment of them there was a difference of time; and hence, Paul says: "Andronicus and Junia were in Christ before me; were actually born of God before me."
From this you may easily see that all the blessings of salvation were treasured in Christ before the world began, but not communicated to the objects that were to receive them and be united to Christ by them until he by his spirit makes an application of them to the heart or soul of those redeemed.
We will venture to remark that there is not a Christian in all the universe but was shown by the spirit of grace in due time that he was in league with Satan, and that his soul and body was sunk under the destruction of sin, and so far from being actually united to Christ. He saw under the light of grace that he was condemned by the very law he expected justification by, and therefore, in great anguish of heart with a deep-felt sensibility cries: "O Lord undertake thou for me." The spirit of life awakened this person from the sleep of death, he sees his danger, bewails his case as a sinner united to destruction and no hope of a union according to law. When he fully realizes his entire helplessness, this same spirit of grace which brought him to see himself thus justly condemned shows him that Jesus bore his sins in his own body on the tree of the cross, and infuses in him a faith and hope that Jesus died for his sins, and under the light of this grace he can understand how his sins was imputed or placed to the account of Christ, and for which Christ died. On the other hand he can, with the same light see how he can be justified and actually united and eternally saved by the imputation of Christ's righteousness unto him; he now understands but never before how Christ bore him and carried him all the days of old; and on this point every Christian in the world stands and rejoices in hope of the glory of God.
The foregoing sentiments entirely harmonize with our circular of 1847, which says: "Our broad principles are salvation from first to last through Christ alone, which necessarily embraces election, effectual calling, final perseverance,'' etc.; this covers the entire ground. And God viewed the sinner justified in Christ virtually but not actually. Union we consider eternally virtual but not actual; in the second place actual union arises from the sufferings and death of Christ; then there is a vital or actual union between Christ and these souls and a declarative and actual justification; but so far as time is concerned it requires all this in time, etc. we pass. The actual existence of anything excludes the idea of predestination, but it is said God predestinated his people to be conformed to the image of his son, that he calleth those things which be not as though they were, and therefore could he not love his people which be not as though they were, and could he not elect his people which were not in actual being as though they were.
So, in this way God can give them grace in Christ before they had an actual being, union, or existence, and thus bear them and carry them all the days of old.
David, the prophet of God, in reviewing and discanting on the works of creation at large, as bespeaking the power of God, had also a prophetic view of the Church of God in Jesus, and says: "Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being imperfect, and in thy book were all my members written, which in continuance were fashioned when as yet there was none of them. "As if he had said the matter out of which I was made was without any form, yet was plain and visible to thee, how every veiny muscle, and artery with all the rest of my body which should be brought out of the pattern of them which were in thy eternal mind; and, accordingly, in due time when there was not so much as one of them, they were all fashioned for the several uses designed. Further, this highly, wrought, figurative language was designed to show the ultimate formation or visibility of the Church of Christ as forever existing in the eternal mind when as yet there was none of them.
In this delightful vein of revelation they are said to be members of his body, bone of his bone, flesh of his flesh; he the redeemer, they the redeemed; he the Saviour, they the saved; he the husband, they the bride; he the vine, they the branches; he the shepherd, they the sheep, etc.
Now, all these are relative names and are designed to show that salvation was brought about through the humanity or second person of Christ, but he possesses another more exalted and transcendent being, which is uncreated, self-existent, and almighty, and exists without any creative matter to give him that existence. He is the "Alpha and Omega"-the first cause of all things.
Are these declarations true? if so, then all things in heaven and earth are only derivative.
We think no Christian will dispute this point, but if they should, then the next step is to enter the wild chimerical field of the ancient heathen philosophers who maintained, 4,000 years ago, that there was two self-existent eternal spirits-one said to be good, and the other said to be evil, and that each governs its own dominions and subject. Two-seedism rightly explained approximates this, point and some other systems too; which, at present, would seem invidious to mention. But, if there be eternal souls there may exist an actual eternal union, but unless there be souls in actual eternal existence, there can not be an actual or vital eternal union; for to say that a thing is actually united when it does not exist is talking at random and outside of the Bible, and to say that a soul or sinner is actually united when that soul or sinner does not exist is preposterous to an extreme. There must be an actual existence of the person before there can be an actual union between them.
Again, if there is actual beings in eternal existence, a capital vein of divine revelation is destroyed, which vein is that God is the only eternal self-existent being, for the former system multiplies eternal beings, ad infinitum.
And further, it destroys those Scriptures that speaks of being created in Christ, begotten, born, etc. Creation hath a beginning, whether the thing be one year or twenty millions old, otherwise it is uncreated and eternal. There is also a begetting and being born, but our being born does not give us life; we are born because we have life; but there is a begetting, and previous to this begetting there is no vital or actual existence; but there is eternal decreed, purposed or treasured in Christ before it is given, and in due time we are said to receive it according to the election of grace; and therefore we are said to be the Temple of God, which is holy, which temple ye are.
This item may be beautifully illustrated thus: All the blessings that belongs to this natural world were created by the only creator, God. The earth and seas with all their fullness and glory; the heavens bespeak his glory; the sun arising in the eastern horizon and brilliantly shining in her circuit ruling the day; the moon shedding her luster and silvery rays through the night; the stars bespangling the eternal heavens and all the earth teeming and freighted with all the blessings of life; and yet man, that curious mechanism, the noblest of all God's works, was not yet made, but on the last days of creation he made man. Mark the wisdom that guided all this glorious transaction. That, after he in his wisdom and power had made all the blessings of creation, then and not till then did he make man to enjoy all he had afore made. It would not have done to have changed the order of creation and made man first;, but he made him last to enjoy what he had made before his creation.
Well, now in the redemption and final glorification of all the chosen, elect people of God, before they were spiritually born or spiritually and actually united, the great provision was made and treasured in Christ as the head-was deposited in him as their Saviour, and everything exactly adopted to their spiritual wants, and every exigency that could befall them under all circumstances were treasured in their Redeemer, and in his own time and way by his holy spirit or unerring sovereign grace communicates and makes known to them all the great and glorious provision made before hand for them.
This divine Redeemer makes known to them all the blessings originally stored away in Jesus for them-such as,
1st. The existence of the only wise God, the Saviour.
2nd. His fore-knowledge and predestination of them.
3rd. His effectual calling.
4th. Their justification in him.
5th. Their sanctification.
6th. Their redemption.
7th. Their regeneration.
8th. His preservation of them.
9th. Their transformation of both soul and body in the image of their gracious Redeemer.
Now all these blessings were treasured, deposited, and laid up in Christ before the world began, and revealed to the elect in due or proper time. They, the blessings, were as old as eternity, as it regards their being laid up in the fore-knowledge of God and are as eternal as God; but the elect are not actually in personal possession of them, but are so in the positive determination of an all-powerful God. They kept under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the Father. When he is pleased to redeem them from under the law by the blood of Christ through the powerful operation of his spirit, then, but not till then can they properly be said to be united actually to God. They then can cry Abba father-that is father as it regards their natural creation, and father because of their spiritual or new creation; we then are adopted and vitally united to God, but never actually or vitally before if this is not true. We affirm the doctrine of foreknowledge, predestination, or election to be false. God fore-knows all things, and he is God and will do all his' pleasure; heaven and death may pass away, but God's decrees can not fail.
We have yet to learn where the topic of vital or actual eternal union was ever an item of faith set down in the confession of the Church of Christ. We have looked through every century from John the Baptist until the beginning of the present one, and we can not see any traces of it anywhere; but we can find where she maintained and classed it with all the other blessings of redemption as a link in the same chain of doctrine manifested or written down by Evangelists and Apostles that we were united in decree or purpose, hid in the remote depths of that infinite existence of the eternal Lord, and actually or vitally by the spirit of grace as aforesaid.
Now, our commentators and ecclesiastic historians have been much at fault if the point of vital or actual eternal union was ever an item of faith for not setting it down. But the whole tenor of the ecclesiasticals and commentators go to demonstrate and make plain the position we assume. Indeed we do but follow in the old beaten paths of our fathers for near 1800 years.
There have been, however, of late, a few writers in England and America who have played off their talents and bent all their energies on this point. But, although 1800 years have rolled by, and every point of doctrine has been contested, disputed, and strongly controverted, yet this point seems not to have been thought of until recently.
It is now too late in this dispensation to make improvements on the old platform laid down in the revelations of Jesus Christ and the undying monuments recorded and intermingled in the annals of the church for near eighteen centuries. No convention, general assembly, synod, conference, association or church, no pontiff, prelate, bishop or archbishop, minister or elder, can make any improvement on the wisdom and legislation, doctrine or practice for the well-being and glory of the church of the Lord Jesus Christ.
It needs no additional supplies from any quarter. It is a rich store-house of grace fraught with all the blessings of life-everlasting. It has stood the wrecks that have passed in civil governments, the rising and falling of empires and kingdoms, and we believe it will stand the hurricane (doctrinally) of the nineteenth century, because based on the power of the Lord God omnipotent and his divine revelation.
Now, the different sentiments on this point may be classed thus, and we stand on one or the other:
1st. There is a vital, actual eternal union; not virtual, treasured, or purposed in Christ before the world began, but a real, actual eternal union, and of course those who are thus united are in actual eternal existence, and are as old as eternity, and a transplantation is substituted in the state of regeneration, and that-the infusion of a new eternal creature does not change the person in soul or spirit; does not illuminate, make rejoice, make hope, make believe in Christ to the saving of the soul; does not produce faith, hope, nor charity, but its production is a war between itself and the old man, soul and spirit; and that Jesus Christ died and arose again for the purpose of resurrecting this body and soul, which has never been renewed in the spirit of the mind nor tasted of the grace of God, a vital or actual eternal union, and a new eternal creature are collateral or equal terms; they both stand or fall together.
This position is outside of the bible, and therefore cannot be admitted.
2nd. That a person is only united to God by conforming to the requisitions of the church or commands of the bible and this union he can tie fast by obedience or break by disobedience, which of course is a dissolvable union.
The arminian world endorses this union and is a vein that runs through their whole system, and it is complete without it. (This is a false assumption and must be rejected.)
3rd and lastly. That union is one of the graces of spirit, one of the covenanted blessings treasured Christ before the world began, according to foreseen persons, which foreknowledge and election gave us a representative existence, which existence was in the eternal mind and purpose of Jehovah; but just as complete as though all these things had an actual eternal existence in us, for God speaks of and calleth those things which be not as though they were. And the course of these blessings result in their being conferred, given, made known to the heirs of grace, and they, the elect, are said to receive them, and of course they could not be said to be forever in actual possession of them.
Union then is only one of the links in the great chain of doctrine fastened to the throne of God by eternal love, and all the graces of salvation have their existence in the eternal Lord, and are revealed to the elect upon earth.
This then always has been, and is now the faith of the Regular Baptist Church of Christ. We use the. Term "Regular" to show that the Church has been in existence from the days of John the Baptist. The history of which says the great D. D. Meshelm "lay buried in the remote depths of antiquity."
Then brethren, on this last platform of faith and inquire for the old paths. Turn neither to the right or left, for there will accidental lights arise, and are continually arising; but on this foundation stand and the gates of hell shall never prevail against you.
And lastly, the people of God are not only united to him as their representative from eternity but to him as their shepherd, husband, prophet, priest, king, redeemer, Emanuel, everlasting father and Jehovah, our righteousness; on this stand and plead your union not only by decree or purpose, but vitally or actually by the grace of faith in his name and for the merit and worth of thy divine surety.
And this faith will tell thee that the union of soul and body to thy head is not yet fully and entirely completed; that though the soul is transformed into the image of the spiritual Adam, yet this vile body stands still in connection with the earthy Adam, and is therefore earthly, sensual, and devilish, but will one day be made and united unto the glorious body of our spiritual Adam; for, as we have borne image of the earthly, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
O wonderful transformation to be forever, actually and eternally united, both soul and body, to that glorious head in glorious eternity; especially when we look back and view our fall, our depravity, our rebellion, and departure from God, and our union and league with hell, our hearts callous and stubborn, and bent on our own destruction, and without one single redeeming quality by nature.
The Lord laid all these, our iniquities, on the man that was smitten of God, and he bore them all in his own body on the cross. All our sins was imputed to Christ; even so is his righteousness imputed to us, by which we become united in heart or soul to him as our living head, redeemer, and friend. And this righteousness not only works to the destruction of sin in the soul, but also ultimately to that of the body, which brings them both into actual and eternal union with God in eternity.
If there be, therefore, any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the spirit, if any bowels and mercies-think on these things.
Then, O then let all discordant feelings, jarring notes, strife, contention, and division be forever banished. See, saith the Lord, that you fall not out by the way. O that you may look forward to that happy day when this glorious union shall be gloriously consummated in eternity; and, finally, brethren farewell.
And now, dear reader, I am through mostly if not all my history and record of the various subjects referred to and connected with my pilgrimage thus far, much of which I have written came directly under my own view and observation, and can adopt the language as a man that in the foregoing pages I have at least, with my best powers, aimed to speak what I do know and testify of that I have seen, whether ye receive my witness or shall reject it.
That part of my history which relates to doctrines and heresies that are and have been troubling God's dear circumcised children in these last days-these nays or darkness and gloom that hath overtaken the Zion of our God near the close of this nineteenth century, with the great departures in life and in practice from the old landmarks, of which we have made mention in the above; that which did not come under our own personal observation as eye witnesses. We have given and have in our possession the printed documents to which we referred, as well as those documents, of which we have copied a part of what we have written.
And now feel if not mistaken in heart, as all along the way while writing first and above all, that God might be glorified, and next the comfort and support of the hands that hang down and under the blessing of God serve to strengthen the feeble knees at least in some little degree in this day of darkness and sad decline in our beloved Zion, while all her ways do mourn, and the signs quite ominous that ere long the enemies, the workers of iniquity will come upon us as a flood.
O that the children of God would awake and cry mightily to the Lord that he, by his spirit, lift up a standard and cause darkness and the workers thereof to retreat back to their dark domain.
And lastly, that I am now among the oldest in profession that claims to be an Old School Baptist in our part of Kentucky, and feeling deeply impressed in mind from what I have seen and observed for over twenty years of the various and repeated efforts being made to introduce false doctrines or heresies among the Zion of our God during that long period of time. We have again and again felt in mind the force and importance of Paul's last address to the elders of Ephesus thus: "Take heed therefore unto yourselves and to all the flock over thee which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers to feed the Church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood; for I know this, that alter my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock; also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them."
Therefore, or on which account those elders at Ephesus should keep a strict lookout, and to remember to bear in mind the space of time, and more, how he ceased not to warn every one, night and day, with tears, saying: "Therefore watch and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one, night and day, with tears." 28th, 29th, 30th and 31st verses of 20th Chapter of Acts of the Apostles.
So, on my part, if called of God to the ministry of his word, I have felt for years and do feel as enjoined on those, the elders at Ephesus, that feeble and faint as I am in powers, I confess before God and my brethren a conscientious claim of God and his dear children resting on me with all my own weakness, as well as my great unworthiness to take heed to myself and to all the flock over which the Lord, the Holy Ghost hath made me overseer.
And, as above, having lived near fifty-five years an unworthy member among them, that these, these considerations connected with my own personal knowledge, while thus to mingle and commingle among the people with whom we have been so long identified.
These things have led us to use great plainness of speech in writing the above biography or short history; for while I have narrowly watched the approach of the innovations in their approach and introductions among the dear people of God and the windings and various coils of those and their adherents who were and are still using their remaining powers to spread as well as make fast those already within their coils, and to strive in the mean time in a covert course of procedure to hesitate to speak out in words as they teach and preach in that plain manner in which they have written out their new doctrines, or what we call heresies, as they well know that what they have written in pamphlet form or otherwise will, in this day of novelty, if read at all are soon cast aside, and no more noticed, and so die out of the minds of the reader. While, if they should preach everywhere they went, both at their regular meetings or otherwise in the same plain manner in which they have written out those new doctrines, as a matter of course, those heretical sentiments would be up before the people afresh from time to time, as often as those preachers preached, whether to great or small congregations (if they preached the same things wherever they went), which the faithful minister of God does as he knows that the Gospel of God is one.
Now, to us it is made manifest from what we, ourselves know that the recent or late heresy in its original shape, as first published in 1849, by Elder Thomas P. Dudley, in his circular on the origin, nature, and effects of the Christian Warfare, will not again appear.
When it was first published, Elder Dudley sent me three or four copies of his circular. I soon parted with all the copies but one, wishing all to read and see for themselves; that the worst of all heresies to me it was plain.
At length Elder William Hogan, of Brown County, Illinois, was in among us preaching; at his request I let him have my remaining copy on the warfare, supposing I could easily obtain another; I failed, but at last I obtained through a kind brother another but greatly worn, nearly in two across the middle. I can make out to read it and know it; is all there.
The holding those circulars fast by the members of Licking Association, and not letting them out to those outside their connection, I am led to judge, tells to me plain that there is an object for withholding them, and it is now over twenty-five years since the circular on the warfare was published. Hence, we feel as above, that it will no more appear in its original shape as first published, unless copied and published by some one else besides its original writer. That we have and can see in subsequent documents and minutes of Licking the same sentiments in different shape or expressed by different words, and as before hinted, I am quite confident I know more about the introduction of above heresy as embraced in the circular on the warfare-so often named in this history, than any other now living except its author. And, besides my own personal knowledge I have in possession the printed minutes, circulars, and other printed documents, mostly from 1808, before Licking was organized.
While as yet not separated from Elkhorn Association, and feeling a conviction that unless I made some record-history of said heresy as above named, it might not be known, certainly fifty years hence, how introduced and by whom.
And hence, the historians that may be writing up church history and showing of the strange doctrines and heresies that troubled the Zion of our God near the middle of the nineteenth century, and still continues to be a matter or subject preached and taught in some of the many forms hitherto presented to the hearers.
As we are nearing the last quarter of the present century it would, as we think, be best to copy off and print with this, the circular on the warfare as first published.
Touching the heresy above alluded to, we can say in truth of it as Paul said of Alexander, the coppersmith, that the heresy done us, the Old Baptists in Kentucky and elsewhere, much evil. The Lord reward its author according to his works, of whom be thou aware also, for he hath greatly withstood our words.
And should I live to close the present history and opportunity serve me, I may copy off and have Elder T. P. Dudley's circular on the origin and effects of the Christian Warfare printed at the close of this work, etc.
The reader I hope will bear in mind that the writer does cheerfully accord to the reader and all else the right, the full exercise of their mind and conscience in making their judgments and decisions, and especially on the subject of religion and of the word of God. And humbly ask alike privilege of all to whom this shall come; for I say before God I lie not; that all the way along I strove conscientiously to pursue while writing on the subject of religion and in giving the history of others, as well as my own history, my own judgment and applications, with the meaning of God's word as best I could.
I have used all my powers and utmost strength of mind, to strictly follow the scripture line, for in writing I felt a deep solicitude to glorify God and of him be made a comfort and help in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ. And that the God of all grace supervise and attend the reading of these pages and the truths therein contained to the readers of same, and in the fear of God say from our heart, "To him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his father; to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen."-Last clause of 5th and 6th verses of 1st ch. Revelations. "Now to him that is of power to establish you according to my Gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, but now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the Commandments of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith. To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen."-The three last verses of last chapter of Paul to the Church at Rome. And we write and say to the children of God scattered abroad, and once more especially to the four churches of whom we have written in the above, Forklick, Raysfork, Twincreek and Williamstown, all of which are doubtless under the greatest obligation to give praise and thanksgiving to God, the great shepherd and bishop of their souls, for their supply so abundantly for years of a sound ministry, from afar as Well as near by; and the church of Christ, particular Baptists at Williamstown, still more deeply indebted to her sovereign Lord that from her first organization, (which will be 49 years next November,) she hath all along been much blessed of God, and more in the last years than at the first, for the past year there has not been more than three to four at most of her regular meetings but she had from one to two of God's ministers from far as well as those near by and from different States, as in our judgment as able and faithful gifts as are in the States; and thus far this year nearly a like supply, for Elder E. H. Burman, from Columbia, Mo., was with us the first Saturday and Sunday in this month of July, 1875, and Elder Phillip McInturff, from Pennsylvania, last fall, etc. That I again mention that we at Williamstown should feel of all else the most humbled as well as thankful people to our father in heaven for such supply, and that we have a name and a place on earth among his dear circumcised family, still enabled to hold fast the beginning of our confidence firm to the present. To those churches once more and to all also everywhere that love our Lord Jesus, we say in the words of Paul to his Colossian brethren. Dear brethren and sisters in bonds of love for Christ's sake, O let us hear, yes let us read what Paul the aged advised those whom he loved in the gospel of God's dear son, and when we hear or read it let us adopt it, and under the blessings of God may it serve to keep us on our watchtower while we journey in this vale of tears. Thus he wrote, saying, "As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him; rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving: "Beware, lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the God-head bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power. In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision; made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ. Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead."-6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th verses of 2nd chapter of Colossians.
After our comment is given on a few portions of God's word, our history will be closed, unless something shall occur of interest to the old Baptists, or we should conclude to copy documents, etc.
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