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A HISTORICAL NARRATIVE. \ / \ // ■M l,it.i • > '•{*■ • / \ 4' ■' ■'•'' A , ''f* i&feiC A «es of r,c., sc«f,« YARMOUTH, N. S. : R. HUNTINGTON, PRINTER. 1875. 'S ^ ,Kf' 'f ■/': f.'. '■■i-. / **1 % T J ■S- { »■ /f"» / %-^i^ . ,?t ri ■ t-»f' ' I ** i'/- % ^ .: ^f i ; i iJ V,! U ^ J-: :,'^^;i.- \%'.^ Il thei ,^' vine serv] boui Iliv€ due tion, Prea Tl Tbe val Natu the J Clyd revii? th6se last { wate reviv by ] objec tione i follow «»' ■tl:, J ; -TV ^^UlliOUS REVIVALS EXPOSED, / \.' ..:%, I In the autumn of 1872, the Presbytery of ** Lunenburg and Yarmouth," in connection with the then ** Presbyterian Church of the Lower Pro- vinces," agreed to hold a series of evangelistic services in the several congregations within their bounds. The first of these was held in Clyde River congregation in the month of October. In due course the Presbytery met at LaHave on i'eb. 14th, 1873, for visita/ioi: of the congrega- tion, and on the evening of he same day the Presbytery again met for evangelistic service.] • The meeting was presided over by the pastor. The theme discussed was, ** What is a true Revi- val of Religion ?" The first address was on ** The Nature of a true Revival"; the second on the **Need," and the third on the ** Means." In the first address, by the Rev. M. G. Henry, of Clyde, the characteristics'^ of spurious man-made revivals were pointed out in contradistinction to th6se of a genuine work of grace. And in the last address, by Rev. P. M. Morrison, of Bridge- water, the means resorted to by some so-called revivalists to produce the excitement described by Rev. Mr. Henry, were pointed out, .and objected to as being opposed to the means sanc- tioned by the Word of God. • ..>•»! ^, r,;;%. j A short time subsequent to this meeting, the ^following note was received by the Presbyterian Public Arch: 'ova Scotia HALIFAX. li. S^ / .'■•I- « r. minister at LaHave from the incumbent of the Methodist Circuit : Lunenburg, Feb. 22, 1873. Riv. Mr. McMillan, Manse, LaHave. Dear Sir^ — Having heard of your opinions concerning the work of God in connexion with the Methodist Church at Ritcey's Cove, and of Revivals in general, and feeling assured that such opinions as those promulgated bj yourself and colleagues summoned to your assistance, cannot stand the test of reason or revelation, and are calculated to keep the ungodly asleep in their sins, I beg of you to give me the opportunity of meeting you in your church or mine, after due notice has been given to the public, to test your opinions by the Word of God, which must be your rule and mine. I remain. Dear Sir, ''- Yours truly, . ^ ' [' Joseph Gaetz. ■ ■ .■ ' • . . ... i^ . , To this the following reply Was iflimediately returned : •-• * , Manse, LaHave, Feb. 28th, 1873. Bbv. Joseph Gaetz. j ,, ,. ., , Dear Sir, — ; v', . Your note of date Fetf. 22d is received. Contents noted. Your challenge is accepted. Either Rev. Mr. Morrison or myself will meet yo at the appointed time and place to defend ou; viewii of Revivals, which you "feel assured can wmmi 5 the 3. Lg the bhodist rals in lions as eagues ,nd the ated to beg of ng you las been s by the id mine. i GIaetz. nediately , 1873. received. accepted. L meet you iefend oui jured can- not stand the test of reason or revehition and are calculated to keep the ungodly jisleep in their sins." I have only further to say, that I shall wait on you thi* afternoon with a friend in order to make the necessary arrangements. I remain, Dear Sir, Yours truly, ^ .. D. McMillan. To Rev. Joseph Gaetz, Lunenburg. * .,!... .\ r, . . Full arrangements were accordingly made for the discussion. And on the 2d day of March, at 2 o'clock, P. M., a large assembly met at the Methodist Meeting-house at Ritcey's Cove. The chair having been taken by Rev. Mr. Baxendale, Methodist, and Dr. McGregor, Presbyterian, and prayer offered up by Rev. W. W. Bowers, the controversy commenced. As challenger of course Mr. Gaetz opened the debate. His speech was a jewel too precious to be hidden from the public eye. The opening para- fraph was as follows : ** This is a novel meeting, littie did I think that in the middle of the nine- teenth century, with all the light of civilization and all the blessings of religion, I would be called upon to defend Revivals. But since it is so- — (addressing himself to the respondent)-— I think myself happy. King Agrippa, because I shall auBtrer for myself this day before thee touching all the things whereof I am accuised by the Jews, Wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently.". n; After this brilliant introduction, he devoted a full half hour, in tones that might be adapted to deaf ears in the open air (certainly more sound than sense), to exhibiting the future glory of the Church. Some' of the passages were very fine, their diction and matter unexceptional — for every one knows that Punshon has written and publish- ed very fine passages. Mr. Morrison replied. We need scarcely say that Mr. Morrison accepted the onus of debate, because the remarks made by him at the evange- listic service already referred to were those that chiefly awoke the challenger's ire, and that to him especially was the gauntlet thrown down. Mr. Morrison read the challenge, and pointed out the grave charges therein made against the mem- bers of L. and Y. Presbytery. He showed that there was no name either of persons or denomina- tions mentioned in the addresses to which allusion was made, but that certain practices of certain revivalists were sketched, and that if Mr. Gaetz and his people saw their own image in the picture drawn, and like the " Bog'' in the fable plunged into the water to grapple with a shadow, they only were responsible, and must take the conse- quences. He directed attention to the statement in the challenge, that the test of Scripture was to be applied to the views of Presbyterians on revi- vals, but that the only instance in which Mr. Gaetz quoted Scripture in his address, was one in which it was glaringly misapplied, . though the speaker chuckled over it as a very smart thrust. Mr^ G^etz, the accuser, here appropriated the words of Paul, and addressed them, not to the judge, but to the accused. No ordinary 3jabbath School scholar would make such an absufti blun- ^iife der. lie then showed that whilst the idea in th« address was a true one, no person pretending to deny it, and that it was better set forth in the very addresses tha speaker was attempting to crit- icise — still the address never once touched the pbint at issue in the challenge, which was the unreasonableness, unscripturalness, and destruc- tive character of Presbyterian views of revivals. What are these views Mr. Gaetz did not know, but he (Mr. M.) would tell him. He then gave resume of addresses delivered on the evening in question, appealing to those present on that occa- sion and this, as to the correctness of his report. He closed by describing once more the objection- able practices indulged in by ao-called revivalists, which he regarded as dishonoring to God and dangerous to the souls of men, and called upon Mr. Gaetz, if such practices were indulged in and countenanced by him, to show his scriptural warrant for so doing. Mr. Gaetz flew to his feet, and devoted another half hour, not to the repeating of fine passages, but to some purely original vulgarities and per- sonalities, of which he showed himself to be a finished master. Take this as a specimen : *' Look at the Presbyterian Church in Lunenburg town, 100 years old, and to-day there are only three persons that can pray, and one of the three has of late been so busy, that he has given up pray- ing. Look at the Presbyterian Church over here (Cross Roads Church.) It stands 35 years, and it has to-day only six or seven persons that can pray — and these are indebted to spurious Method- ist revivals/' We need scarcely add that in this ."ST-'W "^^ 8 scurrilous Jiddre.ss, tho point, at issue W!is kept at even a further distance than in the first, s Mr. Morrison replied, lie showed that this was not a war with Methodism or Methodists, but a vindication of Presbyterianism and of the Pres- bytery fiom the false charges made against them, and an exposure of the dangerous methods adopt- ed by certain parties to produce a revival. It was shown that, in connection with no Church, could true revival work be pointed out more fully than with the Presbyterians. It was conclu- sively proven that, while all the speakers at the evangelistic meeting insisted on the importance jind necessity of revivali, that what many desig- nate by that name are only mere temporary ex- citements over something which they call religion, which soon subside into a deadness the very op- posite of religion, from which it is difficult to arouse their victims, and that the means employed to produce such excitements are wrong, because anti-scriptural, and invariably productive of evil fruits. tf! r'KH,';' .. (. The challenge was accepted, because it was felt that the truth needed to be vindicated — that if it was not accepted, error would be permitted to triumph, to the great injury of immortal souls. We leave it to the public, on reading the •* chal- lenge, " to decide whether the course pursued by ui was in accordance with wisdom : and to the ^iidience who listened to the discussion, to say on which side the truth was, and was proved to be fouQd. Thus we have given a necessarily brief notice of that day's discussion. And in leaving this part of our subject we may add, that Mr. ^% %: 9 Gaetz never had the honesty or manline«8 to with- draw his false charges or apologise for his rash and unwarrantable conduct. On several occasions after this, the writer and other members of Presbytery were compelled, owing to the persistent efforts made in different parts of the County by certain parties to prejudice the minds of the people against Presbyterianism, and to proselytize to- their own ranks by means of excitements of falsely-called revivals, to denounce the whole system of cunningly-devised religious quackery, and to exhibit to the people the true means of grace that God has appointed and the fruits which when effectual they iUTariably bring forth — in other words, to set out by Scripture tests the wi^e difference between genuine and i^purious revivals — the true coin with its clear, sharp ring, and the base counterfeit that drops flat and dead from the hand of the forger. Most carefully, however, did we guard against personal attacks, and spurned the very thought of reprisals by the adoption of our calumniator's practice of seeking to drag parties from other denominational connexions to our own. We are not of those who aot as if salvation was eonfined to tkerpntfession of our ism, and make identification with it the one thing needful. We hav charity enough to believe that wherever thegosptlis preached, there souls may be saved. And whilst we mti&t ever feel ourselves bound to, present tti^ whole tnith in opposition to all falsehood, yet we ask none t6 join our ranks except on the ground^ (Hf ^umedt conviction. Bnt this very charity oausect us to look for similar treatment from tb^ hands of J ip<»i«iVi!"i fpfwpif^pni^ff^ ^^^TfW^™!^- KT" ?. ■ *, 10 I , f ■ ■ ... others, and, vfhcn that is refused, to adopt honor- able methods to secur<; the attachment and loyaU ' ty of our people. In t^^ winter of 1874 special efforts were ex- erted in different parts of this County to mis- represent our views, and draw away our people. In justice tp ourselves and the cause which we represent in this County, we advertised a meeting^ to be held at Middle LaHave (where one of it^ese **got-up revivals" was at the time in full blast), ' for the purpose of setting forth true views on the subject _ of f.eviyajs in opposition to the false metl^4s^ anci spurious results seen there. The meiQJ;i|[fg was held in the month of February, in thp Union Church, which was crowded to over- flowing by a deeply-interested audience. Rev. WilUam ^uiBT presided. After devotional cxer- ciaos, and ?l few remj^rks from the chair, T',' ^'*';"^,'^ d^liverdd the first address, of which the folWing; is anoatline. i After a few introductory remarks toaehiog the cireafiistaiices which led to the c^allr ing of 'tibie prefect meeting, he began his |iddres§. thUs:^- i^Ji^ mi^H*)i\b^*)bi o)lj;iff hri^ ^m\ lifo 'h **,ifir yofi wish to discover the various windings of a cro.pkedi p8|,th> , all you have to do Is to dra\j)f^,Qti^^t ^iijiei |)^i^ side, and every devia- tion is i^ <^qe pifiiii,/ C^ tj^e same principle we prapo^jfii tD^d9f^},;yirjijtti <}^^ ^u1\j^,ct on hand t3-night. We j^aU.eji^jii^a^y^r tp show ypa that there is such a tW^ fs >^ *®fi'Uftg^i|uiyp of religion, and we snail also show you that there is such a O \ artai,.'. ■■■.- , ■....;..^l...> Tf^WJW'f^Wf .U" 11 thing as a false, man-made, or spurious revival of religion — the one of God, the other 6i' matt: — the one from above, the other from bcloW!. * '' * ' ** What is popularly cftU^d jofpux day? * ^ rcvi- ' var has come to be looked uppnmth peciiliar distrust. It is ft mournf uH Ikoi tterf iVeni the; ex- ;' cesses attetidaiit and eVil results cdnflisqivent ilpon ■' those spur.ous revivals whith faittsil^csaf a certjain class 'get up,' many persons have been led to conclude that evepy riBvival is ai^ evil, or at least „' that there is no genujhe worlk'' of ^y-rdce thereby „ j^ccomplished. jNow this is an eyiZ as grciat as "• getting up'-as they sa^iii^'rllmi* -f"^" *^ But while we condemn such fanatical zeal, • ^^-^at the satoe titfte vv-^ ft^ust^'faor rua Wto the ^^^ folly 6f d^iying tii^ g^itttiiWberid of" any revival. ' 'Sttchr A efktt^ wo«il#ife 4tt '«itf in 'tHej faipe of »' Sctiptiire as weiriB OhttWjW fejfitwy; >rfi ut J»^ Mdi bt ^v]^a the tooFjf of th§.|I^,^i8^ jC^^qlj.r^^ rise r'\ 4ttd !^rQgr^88!pf m^By ?^>|iv^t}^w^^ /^w^js, j^yned >ar.%md jaQkttQWledge4,pi*,Rp4w;W M*i4?j? ^Wh^ ^^ if) ifor 0|ir in»tmction*,:> l4|fftv/^,.]9ii^y},^.*i^fer.J9 the iCi i-eviwito in ai©iitii|(ftjQf;Rthf^,^ud®q^ifK t^^.j^gie of niilSflteh KiiigftiWf;Dftvi4ijJft»^ l^tti^ v^f^lW^rrand « liViiOithQ UmefpCN^^ja^iA^ aftd,JB%rai^^i^i^aft^s of oi^is-Bible fevivalsoijtivif)! MI/TO '^Lff>»j lo^ i4 •r.iioiU'ij 12 David prays for a revival of the work of God in his own soul, and in other places where he prays that the heritage of the Lord may be revived. And in the proflMetes of Habakkuk it is used where the propb^t, looking at the sins and back- slidings of Isnieiy and conscious of the necessity of a wwk of grace, prays that th^e Lord would revive his work even in the midst of such evil daJS«{'>'.'^i >'>,»f ;.,^.-, ;U ■ •.;,.:;:, ' /; * - 1',-;^ V.f Coming down to New Testament times, we read of several remarkable revivals having taken place. Take as an instance the great revival on the da^ of Pentecost. And perhaps we cannot better discover the nature of a true revival of reli'> j^on than by looking at that Revival in its begin* ning, its development, and its results." -^ Aets, 1 ; ii I ' II After dwelling on this feature of the sulgect at some length, he remarked that the means em- ployed in producing these mighty changes record- ed in the New Testament scriptiures, were just the means which the promoters of spurious revivals he!d most in contempt. A preached gospel is the meant wlikh Qod has ei^ecifdly appointed for toMng sbners ftom darkness to li^t, and from tilie power of Satan onto God. This is the ordi- na^oe of OkiM for saving men. There is no gemiine tknrMi, wliere this is awanting. W here the Wi^rd of €k>d ite its public and private minia- trationa ia set aside or undervalued-^aa is the case in tb0 ** iipuriQUs revives" of this County— -what- aver else is aubatituted in its place, no matter haw good in itaelf-^where the Word of God does . 3 not hold the supremacy .^ the barrenness of nature will remain and leanness will enter the soaL It is written, " Being born again, not of corruptible seed, bat of incortaptible, by the Word of Gody which liveth and abideth forever/' — 1 Peter, I 23. >*!,' ^/ii =.i ('• He then gave an historical summary of the re- markable revivals that took place in the Christian Church from apostolic times down to the remark^ able work of grace now going on in England and dcotland under the sanctified labors of Moody and Sankey— by which he showed clearly that it i% by revivals of religion, or rapid ingathering of many souls, God has heretofore seen fit to elevate his Ohuroh to its season of greatest prosperity. Holding such views on the subject of revivals, he showed how utterly false and preposterous were the charge preferred against him, of being the avowed enemy of revivals. • ; . ^ ; ; .* , j He then passed on to speak of *t spurious revi- vals;" pointed out the danger of such revivals ; denounced the ** penitent-bench" system as a de- lusion and a snare ; exposed the Jesuitical tricks practised by the advocates of this, system, to make converts to their own ranka— converts to error and deception; showed the lengths to which tiiey sometimea went in their blind zeal to obtain converts, by stating that some of these revivalist ministers had aotudly gone into the pews and literally drtigg§d men and wom^n to the edge of their holy growid^ the ** al^Ar/' or the '< b^^nch." He warned aU present that if they woaUl presume ,jvMi"' i I ;! I ;t f r I 1 14 to set aside the means satfctioued by the Word of God for the salvation of souls, to mal^e room for schemes of their own devising, the/ would bring upon themselves a curse aiKl Qpt a bless- ing. -« nf'\ i»idi- h-i*; [\liifii fl'yifl ^/ •*\> N He concluded by reading the following extract from an article on *' Revivals/' in the.Mareh No. (18T4) of *^ Sword AND TBOwBt/' written (b^j?, the editor, the celebrated Mr. Spiirgeon;,vt (imnl , , ft t ■ ■ ;. •• Wpf deprecate mftst soiemnly the ^}|icf8^e§ of certain ve vi valists^ We I anieat tb^ . foolish r^n t , , iind ilals^ dgtctrine, which have poispned former iDoviunents in. certa.in qui^rtera.; It is i^ ndoubtedly most ioiscl|ievous to^ndeav^x to pj^niote i^e^tigion by external means, forsaking the use of ' human words from iiaman hearts, ' »poki^n in <}»ti9H£ eturnest- ness ; it is tanutterabty. evil to snpiHaifit <|the • preacher ?by the priest, ta play: vagpn ,t|i^ : f6iff9 of ] superstition, instead of appealing to tb^ motivesj of the understanding. None can too strongly! denoanii^ thes^ things, and we ai^idnght glad] that al I reasonable ihen' should spcjak against theitf ^ ' whether i >they see thje 'b^ty ai spiritual ^- trntti or nov mi iare giad thatf th abiding health id ' -iboi^' < absttrd . No tta loUijrs or fortnigl df revilf&l ieryides' ciiii> makof uf ^^ the < lack of ' i)<»tattnuoii* iiifissioti' ^and tM eknie9t|i9a» imn iUH'myiki^uwm U >u.«]n .;4* I also felt that I owed it to our Lutheran eople in the vicinity to meet them here to-night, |nd with them to meet our Presbyterian brethren, ho conjointly with us o^vn and occupy this place worsihip, and with whOm our relations have been est intimate and pleasant. As a denomination "^ ^'i^'^ftl^ are as deeply interested in the subject before '*^* * as our Presbyterian brethren can be ; we are sed to the same disturbing and meddlesome uie||ic6s, i^nd are assailed by ^penitent bench* trongly ght : a^ains gpifitua idiscer lyupo Ijlaboriou lipvefftr a li .'abtdln fortoig llaok of »f all: t loccaslon Ivocates m the same covert and unkikid Way. ^i **I have therefore felt it to be my duty to struct o^r people on this subject, and to warn jm a^fnst tiJilb' modern device, freqitently used ma " *?*!»» *'."''WF- 16 to entr&p t]|lm, and to alienate them from • the church of their fathers. > r ;/ mj jou 3.1.; '* I have no desire to conceal my sentiments on this subject ; they have not been hastily formed, but are the result of conviction, observation and experience: threse have led me to reject tbe ** penitent bench,*' or " mourner's bencli," or *• anxious bench " t^ystem. as they aie employed in modern, so-called revival?. '^ I fully concur in the remark made by Rev. Mr. McMillan :. * It is not revivals that we op- pose, but spurious revivals.* I maya^dthat a revival that is produced by the use of Scriptural means, is something which we all pray and tabor for, and in which we would all rejoice ; biit when it is brought about by tl?e use of human iiiven- tione and questionable appliances^ we cajti but look upon it with suspicion and distrust. |,, ,1, *' While we shall aim to speak plainly and pointedly to-night, we yet disclaim all deaire to indulge in offensive perBpnahties ; we wish you to remember, my friends, that it is not individu aH but a system that we denounce as < adelusio and a snare,' — a system whipb persistently pressej itaelf upoQ the attention of those who disse from it, and strives continiially to win the to its support. Pe^i^nt-benoh revivalp are e tolled; its converts ure commended, and ^ are engpuraged to comment themselyes. /Ma: of them, although ignorant, claim superior lig! and boast of a high degitee of oail^tity. ; Mu of this lofity and |ihanmical mrit it bat tJ logical and liiatural prbdnet of this hasty, faulj the ^rt dec «o seeJ foij fijri oua,| iVoi it tri •the is on rmed, [I and I," or ployed y R®^' we op- tbat a riptural ,d fabor ut when n inven- cafi but inly andl deeire to wieb y^^ individn deluBioi disser ivin 17 ^nd un^oriptural system. It is a system, too, that claims a large share of charity ; but this it has more in theory than in practice, — for it is most intolerant toward everything that will re- tard its work of proselytizing. To say aught against it, or to (ju^stion the conversions said to have been efiected in its use, i^", in the judge- ment of its advocates, to oppose revivals, and to be an enemy of spiritual religion. Indeed, it is more than insinuated that those who have not prissed through its ordeal are 'without the wit- ness of the Spirit,' and at beat are but partially converted. In proof of thia^ we need but to witiiefi.s the efforts made to induce those who have been reared under a different system to come jto tli^ ^ bench,' which is generally but the 6r/8t Bten to renouncing and denouncing the cbnrches to which they have previously be^longed, and tQ whiah they are indebted for all t}ie. Qhr^- tian knowledge they possess. ' , * < i . v - ? " The penitent bench system is, we think, very inconsistent — \u fact, is consistent only in being inj^onsistent. Its friends enter into the Evangeli- cal Alliance, and other associations, in which they recognize those not using op approving jthe * bench method ' as brethren sufficiently orthodox to be fellowshipped, and by resoliitibns declare their confidence in them; yet they will go into the charges of these same brethren, and seek to impiess their people with the idea that to follow the teachings of such pastors, or to con- form to such pr^.0tiGes as they approve, is dangi^v- ous^ will jeopardize t\^&r souls, and ejcchide them from heaven, Is such pon^lqct consistent? la it truthful ? la it honest ? r5Hn<>'~T^f'S"! 18 I I i i H- i ** The penitent bench, av a means of i)!'osel3t- ing^ has proven a success ; it has been a inoHt potent means of disturbing peaceful and prosper- ous churches, and of increasing divisions in the Church of Christ. But as a means vt extending the religion of Jesus to the regions beyond, we can but regard it as a failure. It is not the sys- tem that reaches the heathen, or enlightens the ill-informed Romanist. Here, excitement and the machinery of so-called revivals, must give place to the faithful teaching and expounding of the Word of God. If this system is scriptural, and so potent for good, why modify it in. dealing with the cool and calculating unbelief of the classes named ?c.' ju^'twiitj-? a 'i^jtm^}.}- ij'fiH'fi i,x>^Mt v'v-*-->.^ :'^" My acquaintance with the working of this system in this Province is brief and therefore limited ; but I have s^n much of its evil fruits in Canada and the United States. The more I have studied it, the more hav6 I been impressed with its evil tendency. Although the Lutheran Church has no place in it for such a system ; yet there was a time» when a number of our pastors in the United States were carried away by it. One of this number remarked to me, that he believed it to be ^ the lever of Archimedes by which the cold and formal Lutheran Church is to be lifted into a new sphere.' That man, many years since, relinquished that idea as a 'delusion and a snare,' and now deeply regrets the many years he spent in perverting our Lutheran peo- ple. He told me recently, that it was the sad- dest mistake of his life, and he greatly feared he should not live long enough to repair the injury he had done. - > ■ ■■ : fe'K^-^-r^ ti-h ^ ■^kii/iiirr:? .ti --■^'^f noHt iper- tbe ding I, we j the dtbe ice to Word id eo with ;la8se» »f this jrefore I fruits [lore 1 )re88ed theran a; yet afitorg by it. at he iefl by (b is to many elusion many m peo- le sad- kred he injury 19 " The long evenings of winter wore found to he the best time for * getting up'- these revivals. So long as the excitement and attendant pressure lasted the converts were kept well in line ; but when these ceased, and the opening Spring called them into other associations, they soon fell away: * like the pow that was waslied they returned to their wallowing in the mire.' The next winter the same machinery was brought into play, and t he same scenes were re-enacted. /^ ' ! ' ' ' '/ ■V. ^Mt is evident that LAa state of things could not long continue without bad results. Every time these persons * fell from grace/ as they call- By their fruits ye shall know them/ There iday be fiome who reeeive such remarks aS these with scepticism^ and others who may pre^ tend to be shocked at my impiety. But let them not he too hasty. 1 believe in revivals. I daily pray and labor for a true revival of religion. But that I know must come froto God. ' , :> /'It is the earnest, faithful preaching of the gospel) accompanied with earnest^ persevering prayer, that can alone be depended upon for a true revival of religion. Let us, my friend% adhere to the Word, iJie preaching of the gospel^ and prayer, and leave it to others to def<^ and use questioniiible means." < > t ^ -* ^ :' <■ 1 » . K / V • # * . jrai i! \.^f i I .uS!J4i^j? w»*4^««^t^ M n,w^^^^ \\ I ' 21 I at The God you jome 3e in liable r fre- liled ; enest k' by after caud^ Lon at ^hem/ rks a^ pre- them daily But of the vering for a riiendfl) 508pel,^ and % find tooin fdr th^ whole of Mr. llunton's adtnlhibl^ address) of which the above is a synopsis. Mr. Hanton, from observation and experience, knew whereof he affirmed, and handled his subject with intelligemie, eloquence, and a most telling effect. The meeting was next addressed by^ut ; lu ii'nh I »i.^0 ( REV. P. M. MORRISON, ; ifi:4i ": who Spoxe in substance as follows : — ^^*''[ ^'^'/ • '•* We ate here to-night, not to engehd&r ill«- feeling among professing Christians of different denominations) but to exhibit what we hold to be the truth on the all-important subject of revivals of religion; and to show the evils of a system ) operated Widely in this County, With the ostensible object of promoting the interests of the gospel. I allude to the ' pem tent- bench' method of ' get- ting up' miscalled revivals. It is scarcely neces- sary for me to describe this system to such an audience as the present ; its whole machinery is only too faibiliar to your eyes ; so that to give a detailed account of it would be to insult your powers of observation. Let me simply say tha.t not any one particular feature or part of this sys- tem, but the whole system in its entirety, with its aim and results-, is what I now contend against. ' ..... ^ , . , ,;,... V If smy.obJQct against this meeting, that it is On unwarrantable interference, with the, practice of neighboring Christian denominations^ I reply by aslpjag, ^Wno . i& to blame ? The. unfortunate truth is, thfkt the interference origina^tedt as will hero- sifter be shown, with those who now beg for quar- ter .^ There are people in the world exceedingly !lir ! i u 22 brotherly in profession, so loog as you let them have all their own way — which way is to regard all property, do matter to whom it pertains, not surrounded by their own fence, as common hunt- ing-ground, to be scoured and ravaged by them at their pleasure. But if you happen to suggest that other people have private rights, that all good neighbors ought to respect* immediately there is sonnded the cry of persecution, and there is claimed the honor of martyrdom. Some of our neighbors, unfortunately, happen to be of this stamp ; and since we cannot tamely acquiesce in their policy, we prefer being falsely called perse- cutors to being really cowards, and false to ' the faith once delivered to the saints/ Our policy is not retaliation, but self-defence, and defence of the truth. , „ lit ' ■ I I n I object to the whole machinery of the < pefil- tent-bench ' on several grounds, dome of which I will now briefly state : — * ' '-''''" - - ^^w- '* 1. Because it is a human invention. We find nothing resembling it in the practice of inspired preachers and teachers. The weapons of their warfare were the divinely-appointed means of grace, praise, prayer, the Word and sacraments. They had pecfect faith in the power of the * gos- pel of Christ,' and were, therefore, never tempted to abandon it for the weak instruments of human device. If warrant can be pleaded for the peni- tent-bench system from the sacred page^ w« beg to be sappUed with the reference. We have more than once chall^ged our opponents to this isstt^^ but they have never had the temerity to join it. What is the unavoidable inference? \ : -^ 23 Surely that ih^jy themselves do not boliere that the Word of God gives it any countenance The final arbiter of all religious controversy is the Word of God. By its decision, systems of wor- ship) and doctrine must perish or abide. The peniteiitbench can find no footing here, snd must tombi^ to its fall — an inglorious heap of ruins. '" *^ 2,1 1 object te this system, because it presents aft utterly false idea of conversion. It directs attontibn, not to the Cross and the consequent turning from sin to holiness, but to the mere fact of ooming i forward, and kneeling at the bench. I do not say that this is the desire and aim of all who praotioe it -^perish the thought ! — • but I do say that this^ in the very nature of the case, is the aotual tendency. The mere fact that they bftve oome forward to the bench is made by mul- titudes a ground of security. Coming to the b^nch is looked upon as accepting Christ ; it is made the test of their regeneration ; they are new creatures because they have been induced to leaviB the pe'#s and kneel at the bench. In this way carnal security, diat most deadly bane of true religion, is fostered, and immortal souls are rocked asleep in the cradle of a false assurance, beneath the soothing lullaby of a deceived imagination. It will not do for our opponents to say that this is a misrepresentation^ for their own practice con- fiimls it. In eoantisg up the results of what they aret pleased to call *a revival/ produced by this method, they inrariably reckon every one as con- verted, who hafl been ai the bench^ but no others. Is not this e£fectually saying that all who come forward are spiritually safe ? And is it really / ^^ i 24 any wopdlBr that the uninstructed people look upon it as a ground of security ? ^ ^ .:, .■^yj IK ■iV if V*' 3. I ol^ijeict to this system, because it ^d(iU:^/^ es' itself to t^e feelipgs only, and, its a^tioc ; js entirely on the sensibilities ; ,mi consequeijU^A as experience proves, its converts are not geniii^e, but wa.nting in the fruits of holiness. Whoever has taHen the pains to observe^ tnnsthav^been impressed with the fact that during tfa& preaohiiig of the Word, — which generally pteoedes the. ope- rations of this special device, and which is some«> times well done, though oftener, from deartii of Bible truth, very ill, ^ — no results that the benbhw patrons regard as satisfactory are eveC' 'Witnessed; All goes on < decetftly and in order.' ^ It lis not until the bench nKaobi&eiry is set in ibotion that the excitement begins; But theoy ^in propovtum to the ability of the operaton toi;exoite t;he fetirt of the audience, and to show that okmiing to the bench is the sure and only way of life, there is a scene of confusion that Often baffles description. The entire controlling power is the emot'<)nal nature. The converts are drunk with excitement, and can suddenly pr&y or discourse on religion with considerable fluency — we cannot add cohere ency. To this resdlt its advocates confidently point, as an evidence of true conversion ; -and many ar^ silenced by the argument : they cannot understand 'or ^Cdount for it oth^rwise^ ' But there is no difficulty in explaining it on other grbunds. It is Veil ktiown that the sidne effect >: often pro^ duced by some alcoholic stimulant. I halve had persons apply to me for church* privileges under its influence, and they coiild talk religion interr \ i 25 V pon u^ >ever been sbiiig ;o^e- oiiie«> ih of enbli''' is not a that ovtiuosi ifeftrft ^ tke e is & ption. )tT<>iial iment, )ligioii oobeic- deotly ; a,iid cannot theve bunds. Ill) pto*^ ehad 3under interr minably. I know of a woman in the city of F — , who frequently stole away from her husband's side by night, and, becoming at some low groggery * unco fu*,' was sure to fall into raptures— very much resembling those of penitent-bench con* verts— over the heavenly visions she was favored with. Men drunk with excitement are, some- times, in some respects, like men drunk with wine. Saul was among the .prophets : Pharisees made long prayers. Our point is, that speaking on religion, and praying in public, are not infal- lible tests of conversion ; and we submit that it is fully and fairly made out. ** That these results do not flow from the truth taking possession of the heart, is seen from the fact that the Adventists — a class of religious ad- venturers, or perverters of the gospel, — produce the like results by the same system. You have already heard to-night how, a few years ago, they broke up several congregations in the County of Shelburne, making Adventists, but not, alas ! Christians of their adherents, by this very me- thod. ■wo ■)■■ '-r^"!-: ;■' >i : 'i'L ** Again, the test of time and fruit-bearing finds the system and its results to be utterly want- ing. Love, the first in the catalogue of the fruits of the Spirit, given in Paul's epistle to the Gala-f. tians, is markedly absent from penitent-bench cpnverts. When these come — as we will soon see tjiey are often brought — from other denominations, instead of returning to their old fold, to work for the conversion of their brethren, their former chprch'^connection is eschewed and vilified, and ^ J I * > • » * J t ^ » * ' / ' I . :■ ' • t ►■•■:- ,' * ' ■ ', * . ' r C ' ; i ' V f • V li ^ C :|i 26 their pastor particularly denounced in the most unsparing terms, m s i-r. » r; v^ » , ; v.» i /^ /**But what becomes of these converts a few weeks after the excitement is over ? You have already heard. And you have seen it too often in this community. They have gone back to the world ; but, alas ! all the more steeled against the sword of the Spirit, because, as they suppose, they were onee converted. AH kinds of shams are injurious, but sham in religion is deadly, and any system that fosters it is pernicious and its results spurious. *' I do not assert that there are never any per- sons genuinely renewed at these meetings. I am glad to believe that some are. But I hold that they are converted, not as the result of the sys- tem, but in spite of it. They are born of the incorruptible seed of the Word, which is some- times scattered. But this in no lyi^e redeems the system. It is false, and, as far as it bears fruit at all, bears fruit of an evil kind.^? ' 7 J>l>!w Ii' k ** 4. 1 object to this system, because it over- looks the sovereignty of God. This I hold to be one of the most prominent and also one of the most precious doctrines of the Word of God ; and any system that can ignore it is utterly un- scriptural. Now there is no diflSculty in showing that this system does. The time and place for a revival, by this means, are fixed beforehand. The employers of it determine to * get up' a revival, at such a time, and in such a church ; and there and then, according to this theory, the Spirit of God must (3ome. It is even announced beforehand, iometimes, how many shall be converted ! And 27 most I a few ahave [) often to the B»t the le, they kins are y, and ami its my per- I am lold that the sys- n of the is souae- ^ems the >ars fruit it over- told to be [e of the [terly un- showing Lace for a Ind. The reTival, at [there and It of God Iforehand, id ! And then, it is not even every part of the building, in which the saving work may be done, but only at the sadred altar-rail. Does a revival under these circumstances ever fail? Never. It is always *got up* just as the projectors planned. Its •character is thus exhibited ; for true revivals are tsTovighi down, like every other good and perfect gift, from the Father of lights. True revivals are not * got up.' They are from above. They are brought down by the diligent use of the means of grace., — the Word and prayer, — for faith cometh 'l)y hearing the Word of Gad, and the blessings of «alvatiott are granted in answer to believing pray- er, according to the Divine warrant : ^ * For these things will I be enquired of by the house of Israel, to do it foa: them.' God is the hearer of prayer ; but, as He teaches us in the parable of the unjust judge. He uses his own sovereign pleasure as to the time when He will bestow the answer. It is ours to pray constantly in faith, expecting to be heard ; bat not ours to predict* a time when we shall begin to pray, and limit the Spirit of God to that time and place for the answer. , U-; •** 5. I object to this system^ because it introduces confusion into the worship of God, contrary to the order in 1 Cor. xiv. 26. When this system is in operation there are some persons down among the audience inducing them to come up to the bench --^sometimes even dragging them up ; others are engaged in speaking in a half-audible voice to the kneeHng penitents ; others are praying aloud ; and still others are sometimes singing. We testi- fy what we have seen. Now let any one compare this procedure with the instriictions given in the 28 \ \ '3. ^ passage to which we have referred, and then can- didly answer the question, Is it scriptural ? Let me not be misunderstood, as if I taught that per- sonal dealing with the conscience is not required. I know that it is, and the more we have of that, following the preaching of the Word, the better. But I hold that this system does not meet that desideratum, — is neither calculated nor intended to meet it. There are scriptural methods of meeting it: this method is antiscriptural. . ;<„ •* 6. I object to this system, because it is a proselyting system. Its history is notoriously one of proselytism in this County. Through it one denomination has been built up, by drawing from the ranks of others. That body cannot point to one who has < come over to them' on the grounds of conviction alone. They have all been secured through the channel of the penitent-bench. And one of the special objects of the employers of the system, in this County, is to induce the people of other denominatibns to attend their meetings when it is employed, and persuade them, on the plea of becoming Christians, to come forward to the bench and enrol themselves in their communion. It is a common practice, in some parts, to visit the houses of other bodies, and to endeavor to pre- judice the minds of their inmates against the tenets of their own creed. Their own pastors are represented as men who care nothing about their souls, whilst they are willing to endure anything for their well-being, — a protestation sadly falsified when people have the common s^nse to let them know that their guise is too trans- parent, and that they have quite as little fadth P ■ f|;»j f^'' p^' .■[- [I can- ? Let at per- quired, ►f that» better, set that atended hods of it is a lusly one li it one ng from point to grounds 1 secured ch. And ers of the people of ngs when ke plea of the bench }n. It is I visit the to pre- j'ainst the m pastors ling about [to endure •otestation LUion s^nse too trans- llittle faith 29 in thtir * isnC as in any other. Now what shall we say of a system, one of whose main pillars is this proselyting spirit ? What would be thought of the army where the officers of one company sought to recruit it from the ranks of another ? Id it more honorable in the Christian army, for one denomination to seek to steal from another ? Is this the spirit of the great Apostle who would not build on another man's foundation 7 Is it the commission received from the Master — to break into the ranks of fellow-Christians, instead of advancing steadily and bravely against the thick forces of the world ? Surely when the field is the world, and hundreds of millions of its population require yet to be evangelized, it is all but be- neath contempt for any denomination to make an aggressive war on its neighbor. And we may add that but for this unholy 2^al to gain converts from other churches, this iniquitous penitent bench system would have had no local habitation nor name in this fair County of Lunenburg. ^"^ ^' •" Such are some of our objections to the penitent- bench machinery ; we might enumerate others, but we cannot further trespass on your time and patience. But — ere we close — shall we be de- nounced as an enemy of revivals because we decline to subscribe to the bench method of get- ting them up ? So eur opponents have been pleased to deal with us, and they have spared no pains to misrepresent our views. But we point to our past reoord as an emphatic denial of t&eir charges. Whoever knows the history of Presby- teirianism will be satisfied with the proof. Who- jever knows anything of the preaching and the Public Archives of Ho;a Scotia HALIFAX, N. S. '"f'--*^^' '^yfc.'' '^■7 ■"■/■; IhA B> i 30 labors of the humble representatives of Presby- terianism in this County, will understand how baseless is the slander circulated against us. We believe in, we labor for a genuine^ not a spurious revival of God's work in this County. But we do it, to the best of our ability, according to the means which God himself has been pleased to appoint for that purpose. We do it without at- tempting to interfere with the ecclesiastical rela- tionship of our neighbors. We abhor sheep-sttalingi and not less do we detest religious pilfering. We insist on the faithful and pointed exhibition of the truth, accompanied by fervent and believing pray- er, as the means of reviving saints and quickening sinners ; for we believe that < it has pleased God . by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.' These means we dhall continue to em- ploy, strong in the faith of their divine virtue, while we protest against all additions or deviations of men. We trust the time is near, when the word of God shall have free course knd be glorified, in this County and the world. Its preaching has not been in vain in the past, but the present condi- tion of the Church and the world loudly calls for a genuine revival. Mr. Morrison closed, with an appeal to his hearers to accept at once the offers of salvation, and to go forth, at the bidding of the Master, and labor and pray for the conversion of sinners, and the upbuilding of the Church of God. * A\ - jhi *.«"#[*.'•>.« •4ii..> h tj^ytv He said that he, too, a tale could unfold of the foolish rant and dishonorable conduct of penitent- bench advocates, which have so often proved causeis of shame and sorrow. He could tell of the peace of families, of churches, and of whole communities having been broken by such religi- ons quackery ; in some cases by men whose ante- cedents were not of a character to reflect credit on either themselves or the church which em- ployed them. He then proceeded to show that without prayerful dependence upon the Holy Spirit, there could be no depth or reality in our spiritual ex- ercises. i fl t'y'\ u f ,-(\ jf .11 .*-i ,««*.** e ii/iK'W ;'v* > ^■{.t /'J *;^yi"'ii There may be abundance of stir and excite- ment and activity about the things of God — there may he tongue-confessions, lip-conversions — the melting of the eye — where there is no contrition of the heart; apart from the Holy -y.TT '•>" • - ,; ^ t:^' . "7 ^-1 r.'T^^IT'TT' % 32 Spiiit^ there could be no real conversion, no genuine revival. ■. ...^^ .. vj ,.-■...■.■. .,, \t t,'«» »r : .1, |.» . He coAcluded by saying that he fully en4oi;9f)d the aentimentft advanced in all the addresses of the evening and hoped that the interests of truth and godliness in our midst would be prp- moted by the interesting and mstructive disc^?* sion of that night. ...s'^bi,^ iW.uiw ;;iJ ,r^<.v;!b .«; "•'<* orfr /;*v'A ,^l;-'af»tf5 TiliiilcjJ We have thus given a pretty full and accurate report of the addresses delivered at one of the most interesting and iipportant meetings ever held in the County^- a meeting whiob, we may add, produced a powerful impression on the com* munfty in which it was held, and which resulted in successfully confirming the minds of some, opening the eyes of Qthers, and setting aU athinking. r_.pr/iij[f^ it- ^^ ■;!(,, ^,- .u':ju0Mi- 'As a commentary on a part of the system we have thus endeavored to expose, as well as for the vindication of the truth, we publish the fel lowing correspondence, which originated in a conversation which took place in May last past, between the Presbyterian minister at LaHave and the present incumbent of the Methodiist Cir- cuit of Lunenburg, The correspondence 9p^a^8 .,.>.;.■• ■'',"-'■■"',":' '•'.•''■''_''■■•: '■•.•" t ' i ■"" =^""!n~n;-'-*^i'-»--''r--;'"^'J v^.-'^'^-'-ii^^^vK::.',;'.'' ^ - 33 for itself. We maj state in explanation, that on a Sabbath previous to the conversation referred to, Mr. Smith, in his pulpit at Ritcey's Gove, treated his audience to an attempted expose of the soul-destroying doctrines of Presbyterianism — several of the Presbyterian ministers in this County being by name maligned. On this occa- sion he pretended to read verbatim from Confession of Faith, Chap. Ill, and stated that it was therein contained, that God from all eternity determined to make a certain portion of the human family reprobate, and also that He foreordained to damn, them irrespective of moral character to the praise of His glorious justice. • ;: \^-- ^.^ W v. , The conversation turned upon these statements: Mr. Smith asserting that they were there as he publicly stated — Mr. McMillan firmly denying that these statements were found in the Chapter in question. This led to the correspondence, which we now present to the public to decide on which side truth and honesty were proved to be found : ■-1M-* ; ^ , /I LuNBNBURa, April 29, 1876. Rev, Sir, — On referring to your ** confession of Faith" &c., &c., I find both statements I made — and that Rev, Mr, McMillan contradicted, therein contained and taught. i.^:^^"*t: wJ Hoping this correction may suggest caution, f^* I am. Rev. Sir, &c.^ &c., '*i;::; ' Rev. D, McMillan, LaHave. ,ii«$J^l'nvB,?!;.'*-f .V?. 34 Manse, LaHave, May 6, 1875..^ tlev. iSifr, — Tour note to me of the 29th inst. is to hand, in whi<5h you say— ** on referring to your * Confes- sion of Faith' &o., &o., I find both statements i made and i^at Be v. Mr. McMillan contradioted, therein contained and taught/' I)^ot to waste words in extolling the elegance of the above sentence, permit me to say that your syntax and Theology both stand on the same ele- vated level. 7..^- „.-,,.. i I. You say, " I find both statements I made in the Confession of Faith, &c.*' '* You had better borrow again and turn up '< Confession of Faith,'' Chap, iii., and you will find that the word '< reprobate" does not once occur in the Chap, from beginning to end. That tiie word is there you well know was the first "statement" you made, and "that Bev. Mi*. Mc- Millan contradicted." II. The seocAid statement which you made and "thatBev. Mr. McMillan" also " conttadioted"— was that our Confession of Faith contained the following passage, viz. : " God from all eternity damned a certain number of the human family irrespective of moral character to the praise of his glorious justice. 'f Please refer again, Bev. Mr. Smith, to Qhap. iii; Sec. 7, of said Confession of Faith, and you will find the statement to be that the non-eleot God " ordained to dishonor and wrath for their sin, to the pr^se of his glorious jua^ice." These are the statements you made, and that 1 eontradicted. ;i Xk' 35 the kity ^mily bis F. Ill, God Now, Sir, permit me to say that when you still maintain the correctness of said statements after professing to have referred to the Chap, in ques- tion, I am forced to the conclusion : that you must either be incapable of understanding the construction of language that a child might com- prehend, or that you lack the ** essential element." ** Hoping this correction may suggest" not only ** caution" but also honesty in dealing with docu- :, , _ I am, Rev. Sir, &;c. &c;, 7 ,,■>, ; j, ^•i;-' '': ^- '-'■'- -^ -v{ ■.;•-/;.[ D. McMillan^ .. ; N. B. — "Although the word ** reprobate*' does not occur in our ** Symbols," at the same time by no means' understand me as denying the doctrine of Reprobation as set forth in th^ word of God. .^-^ —^-^'i --':-- '^■■.^:-: ---r'^-r. D. McM. '- 1 >■< . ' r .., ►•■ V ■* ', ^ ' •frO^ J { .t - i*i^:.inii''. i]T:''^i^Vu^' C.1. t LuNENBDRG, 17th May, 1876. Rev. D. MoMiw^an. ij- ;: ^^.y;/,;^i .m-: Dear Sir, —Yonr note dated *« April &th 1:87^" acknowledging the receit of eoe from me on the ^* 29th ttlt" came to hand late on ^Saturday night, 15th inst. (May;) iTmnst say your Dates, Denials and Decrees have all to my mind a very striking likeness. Your note. Sir, does you no more credit raan your conversation did you at the time of our last interview. To Rid yourself of the diJQ&culty in- volved in your denial that the term ** Reprobate ' was in the Confession of Faith you substitute Ill "( ■ ,} 36 Chap. III. for *« Confession of Faith" and say, '* The word reprobate does not once occur in the Chapter from beginning to end." Now Sir, this *• Wriggle** is simply contemptible, I said the term was in your *• Confesn. of Fth." You denied it &c., challenged me to find it, it was found only too soon for your Credit. You are therefore as a man to say nothing of higher obligations bound to confess your Error and apologize fbr your denial. In trying to clear up the second thing you de- nied, viz., That the Decree was made irrespec- tive of moral character you have recourse to what I conceive to be Foul misrepresentation — attempt- ing to make me say that the <' Confession of faith" taught, << That God from all. eternity damned a certain number of the human family irrespective of moral character to the praise of his glorious Justice. The above quotation never once passed my lips. I did say that jrour ac- knowledged standards taught, That a part of the human family was eternally Decreed and fore- ordained to be saved, and the rest of them to be lost, irrespective of moral character and that the numbers were so definite that they could be neither increased .nor diminished. Here Mr. McMillan joxuforgs^ coin^ or interpolate the word " Damned'* for ** decreed 9xA foreordained** 'zj.. 1 said the Decree was made, as taught by your standards and acknowledged authorities irrespec- tive of moral character. I say so still, and do most honjBstly believe this view is taught in the book known as *• The Confession of Faith" or **The Church Standards'* See Chap, iii Sec 1, pj S7 re- Ibe the be [r. )rd 2, and elsewhere in said vols, as may hereafter be publicly set forth as occasiop may serve. And now Brother McMillan ^z ' ^ with a man so willingly forgetful (to use the softest terms) of the Teachings of his own ac- knowledged standards' — with a man so ready to misrepresent with garbled statement or quotation — with a man so disingenuous as appears the occu- pant of the Presbyterian Manse of LaUave, I purpose to have nothing more to say or do per- sonally. But with principles that dishonor the Divine Being, and destroy souls for whom Christ died, I shdll deal as the Lord may give sight and grace putting the Presbyterian system of Decrees, Election, Reprobation, Foreordination and irre- sponsibility in one scale, and the Methodist sys- tem of Christ crucified for the world, Repentance toward God and Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, Psalms, Hymns, Spiritual Songs, and Prayers for all men, with man's personal accountability to God, in the other scale ; and let the people judge from time to time which system is the more likely to glorify God — benefit mankind — and result in the general Revival of the work of God in County. Wishing you well for time and eternity rii' .ri.4-fi I am, Rov. Sir, &c. ac. .|, ^ ^j.ij ,. p t*ui f*rTin -. RiCHD. Smith, m The Revd. D. McMillan, &c. &c. |^ j^|¥ ■ . , " r- . V ■ ■ iA... */ T M V.'. ■ ' ■ J V i .. fi ^,'.' .1 JL C! .^' t I r 1 1 38 Manse, LaHave, May 30, 1875. Rev. Richard Smith. Dear Sir, — Yours of the 17th inst. is before me, to which I must now briefly reply. You will allow me to say, at the outset, that upon a perusal of your communication I cannot congratu- late you on any improvement either in your syn- tax or theology. To any person desirous of showing up the blun- ders into which conceited ignorance is apt to fall, your letter presents a very inviting subject. But here I forbear. - -. -- ^ ■ > , . • I. You characterize my definite indication of Chapter iii. of Confession of Faith as not contain- ing the word ** reprobate,'* as a ** wriggle simply contemptible." Let us see. Y >u professed to be dealing with, and quoting from Confession of Faith, Cha,p. iii., therefore, 1st, I confined my attention to it. But 2ndly, the compilers of the Confession of Faith, unlike the Rev. Richard Smith, understood the principles of logic, and consequently made each division of their subject exhaustive and complete. r Ji /rN i , In Chap. iii. they treat of ** God's eternal Decree," and then express fully their statements in reference to predestination and foreordination. To this Chap, therefore, even a child that has advanced so far as to know that books are divided into chapters for the special treatment of certain subjects, would turn for the word in dispute. The Rev. Richard Smith, the great represent- ative of Methodism in this County, it seems has not made so much progress in book knowledge. / 30 will L a LtU- yn- lun- foll, But m of itaiu- Lmply to be on of d my .f the chard and ubject ternal BHiBnts ation. at has ivided certain iresent- [ms has Uledge. Can it be possible that you are now living beneath the very shades of the County Academy ? But, Sir, I not only stated that the word is not to be found in Chap, iii, but also in a note at the close, declared that it does not occur in our Symbols in the sense in which you used it ; yet you say it was found only too soon ** for your credit.*' My cre- dit, Sir, has nothing to fear the lapse of time, if it lasts only until the word '* reprobate " is found in the Confession of Faith in connection with the doctrine of God's Decree^ I demand from you the Chapter and Section of the ** Confession" where the word occurs as you quoted it. Upon your produc- ing these, I will pay $600 cash towards the sup- port of Missionary No. 1 that the Methodists of the Lower Provinces send to the heathen ! On your profession, how can you obtain a $600 subscrip- tion so easily ? . Now, Sir, where is the *^ contemptible wriggle" ? In the serpentine form that coils alarmingly near the Rev. Richard's mind. *' Therefore as a man," you add, ** to say nothing of higher obligations, you are bound to confess your error and apologise for your denial." What higher obligations do you refer to? Does Wesleyan Theology teach that a man can have a higher obligation than as a man? Do you need to ♦^daub your untempered mortar'* with Darwinian evolutionism? As to confession and apology, would it not become the man that can repeatedly asdett that a certain word is found in a document^ when the evidence of his own eyes testifies the contrary, to take the advice to himself? Do you know the proverb, ** Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones/* 40 Mr. Smith, your covering is equally transparent and brittle. --,-^>- :.^''^'^'->- -'^-^ ,^- ^-^..^'^^i^ v<.-;. ..... 't(V. '>*:. II. A very few words will dispose of the second point. Even if it were true, which I deny, that your method of expressing the teaching of our stand- ard was changed, as you claim, by the ** forging, coining or interpolating'* of a word in my last note, still your meaning would not thereby be altered ; for, 1st, any man capable of judging will pronounce my sentence that you disclaim, and the one you sub^tute for it, the very same in sense and mean- ing; and, 2ndly, the point is not whether the parties spoken of are ** damned'* or **lost," (al- though in the broad Bible sense of these vior I can see no difference,) but whether the Confession of Faith teaches that they are foreordained to be lost •* irrespective of moral character." This is what you assert you honestly believe it teaches. This is just exactly the point that I know it does not teach, for the express statement of the Con- fession is, that they are passed by '*for their sin." The belief that these words teach that men's moral character is not taken into the account must be based on ignorance of the force and mean- ing of words, if honest ; otherwise it is utterly dishonest : choose which horn of the dilemma you like. For my own part, I believe the latter is the one by which you are transfixed. ti^V. if <*H- \M'" You threaten to set forth the Presbyterian and Methodist systems of doctrine, &c., to the disad- vantage of the former. Well, Presbyterian doc- trine is a system, full, harmonious, beautiful, like the system of the sun, and if you can and will set I ■w y ll |e y lu le I. I 41 it forth publicly, as it is, I assure you it will be the best service in which you ever engaged, and will prove the most profitable to the people. But, Sir, call not that jumble which you catalogue by the name of the Presbyterian system. If that be your idea of Presbyterianism, then I say ** hands off." Don't be guilty of the meanness, the sin of misrepresenting and caricaturing the truth, in order to hold it up to public scorn. I always charitably allowed that there was some show of system about Methpdist theology, but if , it be really as you describe it, then, certainly primeval chaos never was such confusion. _,. , . The spleen you vent on our old true blue banner reminds me of the infidel who to show his hatred and malice of the Bible sewed it up in the sl^in of a wild animal and then set the dogs on it. In a similar manner you disfigure our doctrines with a false garb, and then hope to destroy them by yelp- ing and biting at the unseemly skin. As for the slang you fling at myself personally, I have only tq gay it is utterly beneath contempt. I am, Yours, 4c, J), McMillan, ^r.,.)::.-!o"G/ T ,(•■ i. 'Jll. Lunenburg, June 7th, 1875. Rev. D. McMillan, i .r.o lir, ^^'j- u.^ ^-ix^,:'!- Dear Sir y-'-^'i^^il} 1' tl ■ioy,'iiihr( fiiidifi ' ^.....■, Your note dated May 30th, lies unread before me except the date and signature. It may be a y^XJ kind letter-r-nay mora a yery pious one, bi;t 42 you will please excuse its unread return for the GFi / lii ■>r 'MLi tf following reasons : viz. — Ist. Those assigned in my former. .,2n4< Yeur statement in the last conversation we had ; viz. ** That Revival Services did more harm-^than any of the crying sins of the day *' npw Mr. McMillan if you can place Preaching The Gospel of Christ, Singing, Psalms, Hymns, & Spiritual songs ofifering up Humble Fervent and Believing prayer & praise in the Adorable Name of the Lord Jesus — on the same level — and in the same category with Drunkenness^ Adultery and Murder— rirying sins of the day'* I am forced to believe ti^ j you are unhappily, an utter stranger to the Converting Grace of God and to the Doc- trines of Divine Revelation ; and that all corres- pondence between us is worse than useless, I pray Rev. Sir, That God may Forgive That Rashi if not Blasphemous utterance — That God in His £tich Grace may change your heart — and bring us both to Heaven. ^..^ ,.^.:,..,.>r^ys..r^ ^.^^.: ■ ' Your well wisher, RiCHD. Smitb. !.» : ;• ■ Manse, LaHave, July 20, 1875. Rev. Riohd. Smith. Dear Sir : ^iiiii- ,../LJd.osrv ja # Yours of the 7th ult. I received, opened and read. Mine returned in it I believed reod. the same treatment from you. f»v/^ « r rr f- I have already proved you guilty of falsehood. You declared in the most positive manner, the fff .^ j*iiiri-niM-r :-iiiLii 43 I did «■?.' """'^presentation wonM ?' • ^ ""ore :„ "" saj' 'n answer to vo,,! u " ''^ impossible enemy to revivals, "TbT^ "^^'^^ «»at I am an ^ng of proper reviS^Yr^Vvi^r ^"^^ ^e^" ann?- .T^' P'-^J^er and nrli^/l' *^' P'-eaching appointed— not mon'. • P'^aise, &c., as GoH i.„ "Penitent Bench .^"and^fr' ^"^h a^ ^he nected with it. Ca °i k ''''*'^* machinery con ^ov, in the face of ^-lok j ,.. •<■■•>■ ^ ' and misrepresentation in btfr'^'^''''^ ^^^od wonder that I doubt the trntK V"^ '"''"«. can you you d,d „„, read mWe Lf l^*""?-^"* C 01 all yoar cant about beli»V.- ""^ '^hat becomes inverting grace, and p^Sor. %^*'*"^«' " As rogues pr.te most Q t^^'^e'^iveness? ''••'"• so some that bear the OhHst.v'*?"^^*^ "^ -——,.-___ _ '^^^s'lafl J|me ease "estnw before '«p|.ia^ ■ (11 a(;{_^ 44 their consciences by transferring their own sins otl other men's shoulders and weeping bitterlj for their doom. Christ said to such — *' Thou hypo- crite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye — and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye." Matt. vii. 5. No doubt you regard you pretended refusal to tead my letter as a smart way of escaping the net set by your own malite^ dishonesty and ignorance in which you were caught— but, Sir, a more cow- ardly or wicked attempt the history of bebate can- not furnish. It is one moreover that avails you nothing — the meshes are thick and strong around you. :.f.->r- ■m^^'i jHirs^j, y;S^.i iy: Yours, &c. .r»vj^ >;> D. McMillan. ■:im v'auvjji _]^Mr>. or '0m ':ixiy '•'f; ■^ii .i{6o> »('k Manse, LaHa^ 1876. iBxv. feiiCHD^ Smith. --^---v. ,.:-...... ^^^^^,.._ ,,. V Dear Sir^ ^ ^'^ On the 20th of July last I addressed to you a note in reply to yours of June 7th — proving you to be ^ilty of falsehood and misrepresentation. To that communication I have as yet received no re- ply. I ^therefore call upon you to retract the false statements Which you made respecting our *< Con- fession o| Faith," and also to apologise fbr your misrepresiBntation of my views regarding the sub- ject of revivals. Now if you do not accede to this my request within 10 days I shall in the in- Kl V 46 terests Df trath and In isimple justice to knyself ex-^ pose jou to the public by publishing the whole correspondence. , i ^U , [; i; 4^ ? ; '■ , ■ " I am, - ■-■o' > ■■' '-'f . •^- YourS) &c. ^ D. McMillan* 'To Rev. Richd; Smith, Lunenburg. • ' As the demand in this last note was not acceded to, the whole correspondence is now published. The unprovoked and unjust attack made on the i doctrines of our Church, more than warrants any strong expressions used in the exposure of thi^ system of wholesale ecclesiastical sheep-stealing, whose zealous promoters seek to justify their course by dishonest means. As tb the Word "reprobate," it but very sel- dom occurs in our standards at all. In the very few instances in which it does occur, it is never used in connection with any statement of God's decree, and certainly never in such a sense as to V leave doubtful the moral character of those thus designated. . . ,1 46 ■r^ , J-mally, our sole aim in the publication of this pamphlet is the defence of truth and of the legiti- mate rights and privileges of Christian denomina- tions in this County. i ito : .•.•-]'■' :;V?^// * . - * r'':'J it j; i in • . .'lie V, ''" t -fw ,- .-I ' '-. ^ '^ ■'^'HiJ-V'f ■ ■i.ii J ■ ' , ui.v 'i ' 'i' r , I« i'f '. " - H , Public Ar-iiJvcs ci flcva Scotia HALiF/p<, N. s. . ' i* 47 K ERRATA. *-eeUa,of,oureoSS;:3 2^''*"''^^'^PP^ ^*^« ^. line 9, point" T'" "these views." ^ **^ 'nterrogatfon after ^•^^ 7. Jine II. i„,„t . « ^«^«2Mi„e20.ror...or",ead..or' P««e 37, line 19. for .. « statements. • read "tCe .T 'T*^ '""^^"'^ir ments. "^'' ^^P'^ss fuUj their state-