the visible kingdom of God on earth, except a voluntary profession of faith in Christ. This involves as an essential part of true christianity, the idea of religious liberty. No one can be forced to a voluntary profession, to a cheerful obedience. Hence results the sentiment, that the magistrate has no right to interfere in the affairs of conscience-hence the disconnexion of the church and the state. This too, of course, excludes infant baptism from any place in the present dispensation, which is adapted only to intelligent, free, responsible beings. The first of these necessary consequents, the first to take full possession of the mind of Williams, has been, the first to triumph in this country. Its progress has been slow, but sure. It has advanced amidst mighty strugglings. In 1638, a man was fined in Massachusetts, for writing against the law for the support of religion, and another for reading it.* In 1656, the United Colonies joined in recommending to the courts, to pass laws forbidding the Quakers to enter within their jurisdiction.† Rhode-Island refused to comply, and even appealed to England for aid to enable her to carry out the principles of her charter. In New-York, Episcopacy was estab

* Mass. His. Coll.

+ Trumbull's History of Connecticut.

lished in the four first counties, where all dissenters were obliged to pay to the established clergy, except so far as the Dutch churches, by virtue of an original stipulation, gained an exemption.*

In Carolina and Georgia the support of religion was enforced by law,† and even in Maryland, more liberal than they, liberty was so defined that some who are called christians, could not hold offices of trust, and it was enacted that "Any one speaking reproachfully against the Blessed Virgin or the Apostles, shall be fined five pounds." In 1659-62-93, the Assembly of Virginia, made it penal in parents, to refuse to have their children baptized. very year when measures were commenced for the erection of this house, the Baptist Association of Virginia, appointed a day of fasting, as they said, "to pray for our poor blind persecutors, and for the releasement of our brethren."¶ In that State their desires were remarkably accomplished. Their influence as a people has been

The

Dr. Styles's Discourse on Christian Union. Boston, 1761. + Dr. Styles's Disc.

Bancroft, I, p. 276.

Chalmer's Pol. Ann. I, 218.

Jefferson's Notes, p. 229.

Dr. Semple's History of the Baptists in Virginia.

widely felt on this question there, and we have the testimony of Washington in one of his letters, that the denomination "have been throughout America, uniformly and almost unanimously, the firm friends of civil liberty, and the persevering promoters of our glorious revolution." The same testimony has been reiterated by Jefferson, who brought all the energy of his mind to co-operate with them in promoting a principle which was with him merely an element of his political philosophy, but which was with them a primary doctrine of religious belief.

It was not until 1811, that true religious liberty began to be known in Massachusetts. Before that period, all were taxed to support the established order, and an association was formed among the Baptists to protect their members from illegal oppression. At that time, the law was so modified as to allow every man to pay his tax for the support of that worship which he chose to attend, provided that a certificate of his intention were duly filed with the town clerk. For that change, the efforts of Backus, Leland,† Baldwin, and others, had long been preparing the way. But it was not till 1834, that the last political link which united the church and the

* Benedict, II, 481.

+ Benedict, II, 267, 482.

state was destroyed, and every man was left free to pay much or little, any thing or nothing, for the support of religion. The bill to that effect was passed several times in the House of Representatives, but was lost in the Senate, till at last being referred directly to the people, it was carried at the ballot-boxes by an immense majority. The legal support of religion was pleaded for on the same ground of state necessity as that of common education; but, since that day religion has not declined, and no act has been more popular than the increase of the tax for secular education. It has been lately said by one of her most gifted sons, "Massachusetts may blush, that the Catholic colony of Lord Baltimore, and the Quaker, the blameless Quaker Colony of Penn, were originally founded on the principles of christian right, long before she felt or acknowledged them."*

We have remarked, that from the great principle which distinguishes us as a people, namely, that a voluntary profession of faith is the only tie which can rightfully connect a human being with Christ's visible kingdom, it follows that infant baptism has no place under the Christian dispensation. As we understand it, coming as it is said in the place of circumcision, it is a part

* Judge Story's Centennial Address, p. 57.

of Judaism and not of Christianity. In connexion with the spread of religious liberty, we may well marvel that this other doctrine is now so widely extended; that though opposed at first by wisdom, learning, and power, it now numbers a larger body of supporters than any one of the denominations opposed to it.* This is indeed no proof of its truth; but the fact of its ⚫ success in this country, shows its adaptation to take hold of the popular mind, and to win its way by merely moral force to universal respect, and a general reception. By its own inward energy, only, would we wish it to succeed; God forbid that it should ever gain wide conquests in any other way. What it has done, however, shows it to possess great moral strength, and makes it worthy of the study of every inquiring mind. This will lead us to consider,

II. What are the chief elements of its power? Where lies the secret of its success? We answer: First, In its simplicity.--It is easily understood, very plain, as well as exceedingly obvious. It is not necessarily the result of long theological or philosophical reasonings, but meets the eye of the inquirer on the very surface of the New Testament. Those, therefore, who have not

* American Almanac, 1839.