"Church officers should be officially qualified or constituted by ordination. This is according to the example of the apostles. The first deacons were ordained; and I know of no good reason why deacons in our own time should not be set apart to their very responsible office after the same manner." From this survey, it will be seen that while there is little dispute concerning the original New Testament method, or the corresponding form of the early Congregational churches, there is not agree ment of opinion or uniformity of practice at the present time; and yet that a departure from primitive usage has not come by any conviction of the churches as to its impropriety, nor by the recommendation of any council, synod, or association of churches or ministers, but rather by that irreverential carelessness and negligence which, in gaining the substance, is sometimes not sufficiently particular as to the form; especially when churches act separately and according to their own convenience. And omissions thus begun are apt to be perpetuated, partly from indolence, and partly from fear lest the form should be mistaken for the substance. It only remains that we briefly consider the expediency of a public induction into the deaconship. is found in the impression made upon the Church and upon the incumbents of the office by appropriate exercises of ordination. Why should an office for which a brother is selected, after prayer and deliberation, by a formal vote of the Church, and which dates back to the apostles, be treated as a mere committee, on which a man silently takes his place when appointed? Such treatment detracts from its just dignity, and gives it a feeble hold on the respect of the Church, while it lessens the sense of responsibility in him who is elected to the post. On the other hand, a public induction calls attention to the office, creates a sense of its importance, brings out a statement of its duties, and makes a definite starting point under solemn influ This ences to which in after days the officebearer looks back to reinforce his purposes of fidelity. And in this view we are confirmed by all the analogies in the civil state and in the Church. A king has his coronation, and the president, the governor, the mayor, each his inauguration; when the oath of office is taken, principles of action are stated, and duties have their impressive beginning; and no man doubts that the effect is most happy on the ruler and on the people. The value of the practice is, in fact, so obvious, that we inaugurate officers in all kinds of institutions, literary, scientific, commercial, and professional. We carry out the principle in social life, and do not even allow a man and woman to agree privately that they will live together as husband and wife, but compel them to go before a clergyman or magistrate and make a public inauguration of their married life, that shall give it solemnity and recognize its characteristic obligations. And when a man is converted, and wishes to be a Christian without attracting attention, or desires to come into the Church privately, we say, "No; you must confess your faith in Christ publicly, be baptized, if you have not been before, and openly assent to the creed and covenant of the Church." And in like manner we say to the parent who thinks it sufficient privately to dedicate his children to God, "There is a better way; there is the ordinance of infant baptism, which will impress you and the Church much more, and to which in the future both you and your children will look back with tender solemnity." Can any one tell why the same reasoning does not apply to the induction of a deacon into office, in a way of dignity, responsibility, and impressiveness? Why a public ordination following his election, participated in by the pastor and other deacons as representing the authority of Christ and the Church, and its exercise in calling the brother in question to the office, will not have a far better spiritual effect than if he begin his work as though he had been appointed on a temporary committee? Surely to state such a question is to answer it. And in view of undeniable tendencies to negligence of decorum in worship and kindred matters, is it not wisdom for the Congregational churches to adhere as closely as possible to primitive and scriptural forms which carry out the apostolic injunction, "Let all things be done decently and in order," and which conserve and cultivate that spirit of reverence in which, as Americans, we seem to be lacking towards God and man? And if we are to recommend our simple but effec tive Church polity on the ground of its scripturalness, shall we not strengthen our cause in the degree in which we can show that in all possible respects we adhere to the example of the apostles and the early churches? We need to avoid two extremes; that of making forms essential, and thus confounding them with substance, which generates superstition and ends in division; and that of despising and rejecting them entirely, which produces disorder, irreverence, and contempt for ordinances which God has appointed to express and nourish devout feeling. ELIOT. BY REV. SAMUEL WOLCOTT, D. D., CLEVELAND, OHIO. IN some historical researches which I was making a few years ago, I found, in the attic of an old house in Connecticut, a few leaves of a manuscript, yellow with age (which I enclose), and which was evidently a fragment of some student's note-book. I found in it a copy of what purported to be a dying speech of JOHN ELIOT, and preserved it, thinking it probably that of the Apostle Eliot. Indians thereabout. He grew so fast that he was found ripe for heaven many years ago;1 and upon his death-bed uttered such penetrating things as could proceed from none but one upon the borders and confines of eternal glory. It is a pity that so many of them are forgotten; but one of them, I think, we have cause to remember: Well (said he), my friends, there is a dark day coming upon New England; and in so dark a day, I pray, how will you provide for your own security? My counsel to you is, get an interest in the blessed Lord Jesus Christ; and that will carry you to the world's end. "His fourth was a Samuel, born June 22, A. C. 1641, who died a most lovely young man, eminent for learning and goodness, a fellow of the college, and a candidate of the ministry." On turning to the record of the Eliot family in Mather's Magnalia (i. 479), I discovered at once whose death-bed utterance it was, and was able to account for the manuscript; and as an authentic souvenir of this family it possesses, perhaps, sufficient interest to warrant a copy for the press. From the account The Rev. John Eliot, Jr., described of Eliot's six children, as given by above, left a son of the same name, Mather, I extract the following: "His next was a son, born August 31, A. C. 1636. He bore his father's name, and had his father's grace. He was a person of notable accomplishments; and a lively, zealous, and acute preacher, not only to the English at New Cambridge, but also to the wh graduated at Harvard College in 1685, and married Mary Wolcott of Connecticut; and it was among the papers of the 1" Mr. John Elliot, pastour of the church of New Cambridge, d. 13:8: 1668."-Judge Sewall's Almanack. family to which she belonged that this fragment was found. I annex a literal copy of the speech referred to. A SPEECH OF MR. JOHN ELIOT UPON HIS DEATH BED. It being said to him Sr yor crown is even ready for you: to which he answered my crown is ready: Christ hath been a great while preparing a mansion for me, to which I am now going. Oh, wt a solemn thing it is to appear before Jesus Christ, who shall be the judge of all the world! who appeared to John in ye Revelation with eyes as a flame of fire and his feet of fine brass, yet as he took John by his right hand and not by his left, so will he take me by my right hand and not by my left, and present me before the Father, and the Father will receive me, and the Son, the mediator of yo covenant, will receive me, and the holy Ghost will receive me, even me, a worm, that lie here spitting in such a condition, wn yet Christ will kiss me with ye kisses of his mouth, and I shall kiss him and not be despisd. Oh, wonder of mercy! that Christ should love such a worm as I am, yt can love him but a little, yet do love him with all my soul. Oh, what a wonder of mercy, y this little soul of mine should enjoy such blessedness, that am so unworthy of it. I could put myself under a dunghill, I am so vile in myself; yet in the robes of my Saviour, those glorious robes of Christ's righteousness, how beautifull! how comely! how glorious! Glory! Glory! Glory! and if I had strength, I could even do as Abraham did, fall upon my face, and laugh in sense of Christ's love to me, and blessd be God, I have done it many a time in my study; many a time have I fallen upon my face in sense of Christ's love to me; many a time have I supped with Christ in my study, and many a time hath Christ supped with me there, and as Paul said, thanks be to God, who always gives us cause to triumph in Christ, in him I do triumph and will triumph, though vile in myself; yet as Christ saith, I have loved you with an everlasting love, therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee; therefore as Christ saith, look to me and be saved all ye of ye earth; and I do look to him and shall be saved. And these things have I preached, according to ye narrowness that words could express, and some have received them, and I have heard it from them, and others have done as they have done. His mother said to him, You have enjoyed too much of heaven here to live long here; you are now going to your Brother Sam", and to your dear wife, and he answered, Oh, to my dear Saviour! to my dear Saviour! and I shall go to ye old patriarchs, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and I shall go to the spirits of just men made perfect, and have communion with them, tho' I know not in wt way and manner. After some more words, he said, he did believe God would reduce New England into an heap, and leave in it a poor and afflicted people, yt should say, blessed is he yt cometh in ye name of ye Lord. Boston and Massachusetts Collony is coming down! down! down! apace. Transcribd january 20, 1712-3. Let us hope that the "burden" of woe with which the good man closes has been fully borne in the afflictions of former days. In the testimony which it bears to the power of grace divine, the dying utterance which was so "penetrating" to those who heard it, two centuries ago, and the loss of which Mather regretted, comes forth as a fresh witness to the reader of this generation. A WORD FROM COLERIDGE. GREATNESS and goodness are not means but ends! MINISTERIAL ASSOCIATIONS IN MASSACHUSETTS. (ADDITIONAL.) BY REV. A. H. QUINT, NEW BEDFORD, MASS. In an article printed in Volume V. of this Quarterly, we said (page 300) in regard to "Old Colony,"-" All efforts to ascertain the time of its origin have, thus far, failed to do more than to carry it back of 1811, and to make the writer confident that it was the old Plymouth,' re-organized about the time that 'Plymouth and Bay' assumed its denominational character as Unitarian." Charles H. Morse, Esq., of Washington, D. C., has kindly furnished us with a copy (made January 26, 1865) of a paper in his possession in the handwriting of Rev. Jonathan Burr, of Sandwich. It is as follows: The subscribers, earnestly desiring the prosperity of Zion; to receive and to communicate Christian knowledge; to excite and to be excited to diligence and faithfulness in their sacred calling-agree to form themselves into an association by the name of THE UNION ASSOCIATION. Our warrant for the assumption of this title and the explanation which we would give of it, are contained in 1 Cor. i. 10: "Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind, and in the same judgment." In order to the establishment of this Association on the above-stated gospel principles, we agree to adopt the following, as some of the leading and distinguishing articles of the Christian faith; viz.: ARTICLE 1. That God exists in a mysterious, incomprehensible Trinity, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, each from everlasting, the true God, and each, of course, entitled to our supreme love and Christian worship. ART. 2. That in consequence of the original apostasy, all mankind, by nature, are wholly at enmity with God and his holy and righteous government. ART. 3. That those who repent of sin, and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ unto justification and life, are made willing by that invincible operation of the Holy Spirit, which the finally impenitent never receive. ART. 4. That the above-stated difference, which is made between sinners of mankind, is according to the eternal purpose of a holy God, who, for holy reasons, "hath mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.” ART. 5. That those who have been regenerated by the power of the Holy Spirit will be kept by the same power through faith unto eternal salvation. ART. 6. That those who die in impenitence and unbelief will receive the wages of sin, which is endless misery. ART. 7. That all events take place according to the determinate counsel of God, and, under his government, will issue in the highest possible happiness of the universe. It is, moreover, agreed by the subscribers, to adopt and sacredly to maintain the following Constitution as the basis of the Association, viz.: 1. The meetings of the association shall be limited to the following towns, viz.: Plymouth, Sandwich, Wareham, Rochester, New Bedford, Freetown, Berkley, Middleborough, Halifax, Plympton, and Carver. 2. Meetings shall be attended at the houses of the members in rotation, on the second Tuesdays of June, August, and October, annually, to begin at four o'clock P. M., and close on the Thursday following at eight o'clock A. M. 3. Two public exercises shall be attended, on Wednesday, in which the members of the association shall lead, in the following order; viz.: the first and the last settled minister at the first meeting; the second and last but one, at the second meeting; and so on in rotation; except it fall on the minister in whose parish the association meet, in which case the next in order will preach; on which exercises candid, critical, and faithful remarks shall be made by the members and other clergymen present. 4. The senior minister present shall be moderator, who shall open the meeting by prayer, direct the order of exercises, and, when occasion may require, shall call an extra meeting of the association. 5. A scribe shall be chosen annually, to keep a record of the proceedings of the association, etc. 6. The conversation at the meetings shall be on such subjects as are calculated to store the mind with Christian knowledge, and excite to Christian practice and ministerial faithfulness. Some particular subject or subjects shall be proposed at each meeting, to be attended to at the next. On Wednesday morning, at sunrise, or some other time agreed on, the members of the association shall meet to spend a suitable portion of time in prayer, and other devotional exercises. All political and other worldly subjects of conversation shall be scrupulously avoided, as aside from our object in associating. And if there is shall then be requisite that three-fourths of the associated members vote for its adoption. 11. The constitution shall be read annually to the association, immediately after the choice of a scribe. 12. Any business not specified in the foregoing articles, tending to advance the Redeemer's kingdom, shall be attended. NOBLE EVERETT, [Wareham,] LEMUEL LEBARON, [Rochester.] A true copy transcribed from the original, August 18, 1810. In the same article we said (page 302) that "Plymouth and Bay " was "formed occasion for any of the members to lodge by the union of a part of Plymouth' abroad in the parish where the meeting is attended, it shall be their duty, as much as possible, to convince all with whom they are conversant that they serve a Master whose kingdom is not of this world. 7. In order to the approbation of a candidate for the ministry, it shall be required that he be doctrinally and experimentally acquainted with the Christian system of religion, as distinguished by the foregoing articles, and that he discover an ability and aptness to teach. 8. In all entertainments for the association, frugality shall be observed, and no distilled spirits or wines shall be offered to any member of the association. 9. Any member failing to discharge his duty agreeably to this religious compact, or any article thereof, shall be noted and holden to give satisfactory reason for such failure, or in default shall be admonished by the Moderator, except he be delinquent, in which case he shall be admonished by the next in order. And if the nature or frequency of the offence require, he shall be suspended, or expelled by a vote of three-fourths of the associated members. 10. In order to any alteration in this constitution, notice shall be given, and the intended alteration specified, at a previous meeting; it · (II.) and Bay,' somewhere about 1810." From the record above printed, it seems evident that on the secession of a number of members to form the "Union," in 1810, the remainder united the "Plymouth" organization with "Bay," which is still Unitarian. The "Union" Association, memory said was in existence prior to 1811; this document gives its origin in 1810. That it was not a reorganization" of "Plymouth," but the result of a secession therefrom, is now evident. When it took the name of "Old Colony" is not yet discovered. 66 Of the eight signers above, the following names appear in the list of "Plymouth" prior to 1808, when the records ceased: Noble Everett, Thomas Crafts, Thomas Andros, Oliver Cobb, and Lemuel LeBaron. The others, Seth Stetson, Elijah Dexter, and John Shaw, may have belonged to “Bay.” The 8th article, dispensing with liquors at that date (1810), is worthy of historical notice. |