In one place in South street, "a protracted meeting commenced on Friday, and on the following Sabbath fifty-one new converts were admitted to the communion of the church, and participated in the Lord's Supper. These conversions we are led to understand took place during Friday and Saturday." A new-measure paper in South street says: "Speedy admission to the church seems to be almost the only debated question among the decided friends and promoters of revivals. Four days' meetings, or fifteen days' meetings, inquiry meetings, camp meetings in the newer parts of the Church, the anxious seat, calling out the Church to repent, confess, and reform; urging sinners to repent now, because they can now—all these things are settled, and are regarded without alarm. The other question remains." A pastor in Westerly street, after an account of a meeting in his congregation, says: Young converts are not put on a three months' trial of their faith before joining a church, but are received with joy and confidence by Christians, even on the same day of their conversion.' In an account of a camp meeting in Ohio street, attended by six ministers from different parts, "one hundred and thirty-six hopeful subjects of grace at that meeting were on the spot received into the Church, and sat at the Lord's table.” A minister in Westerly street says: "In several places, we believe, the new converts have been immediately and formally received into the church, before the close of the protracted meeting."

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At a meeting in Westerly street, conducted by Mr. Strangeways, the pastor tells us, "seventy-two were received into the church on the nineteenth day of the meeting." He represented the new converts as desiring this immediate admission, and himself and the church as feeling that "they had no authority to encourage, much less to compel them to live any longer in disobedience." A portion of the church, in another account, say: "Strenuous efforts were made for several days previous, both by the pastor and evangelist, to convince the church of the duty of immediately receiving the new converts.

Nor were the

converts themselves urged with less importunity, to unite immediately with the church. This new measure was insisted on, in defiance of a standing rule of the church, and in opposition to the remonstrances of a respectable portion of the members."

Ard. What must be the results of such hasty admissions, especially of converts made under such a deplorable lack of instruction, who are not taught the doctrines of the Gospel, nor the nature of true religion as distinguished from false, nor cautioned against deceiving themselves with a false hope, but are persuaded if possible to cherish a hope, and make a profession without delay?

Th. One of the synods in Westerly street tells us what they have found some of the results to be, in a part of their churches. After speaking of the changes in the ministry, which have become very frequent, they say: "In consequence of this, the great and glorious doctrines of the Bible are not systematically and fully preached and heard. And some of our church members, especially the recent converts, being without competent instruction, are unsound in the faith. In some instances, the additions sit like an incubus on the heart and energies of the Church. Here is one cause of the present lamentable state of religion among us." A presbytery in Westerly street say: “Another evil we have to regret, and under which our churches suffer, is the effect of too great precipitancy in some instances, in receiving members into the communion of our churches. This has taken place chiefly through the excitation of protracted meetings, so soon as the individuals begin to indulge a hope, without examining them minutely on the great doctrines of grace; or waiting to impart to them the previous and preparatory knowledge and instructions so needful to the commencement of a good hope." The General Assembly of the Presbyterian church, in their pastoral letter, say: "Let not apparent converts be hurried into the Church. Nothing is more directly calculated to injure ultimately the cause of God, and the credit of our holy religion, than urging or permitting individuals to make a public profession of religion, as soon as they have experienced some serious impressions, and flattered themselves that they have been renewed in the temper of their minds."

What sort of converts those were, which were made by the preaching of Mr. Strangeways, may be gathered from one or two accounts more. At the protracted meeting at which seventy-two were received,, just mentioned, more than three hundred were reported by the pastor as converts. Some others were received afterwards; but "of more than two hundred of these, after the most diligent search, nothing can be learned. A member of the church has repeatedly solicited of the pastor a list of the names contained in the whole aggregate, but has been utterly refused." At another protracted meeting, conducted by the same evangelist, a minister who attended as a hearer, says: "At the close of the meeting, which continued fourteen days, the conductor of it remarked in his address that he knew not the exact number, but that more than two hundred souls had been converted since its commencement. An elder from abroad, who had been present, it is believed, the whole time, said there were two hundred and forty-eight converts.. "I have kept a list of their names," said he. Another person, who had kept a list, said this was the true number. This meet

ing was regarded at the time, by the gentleman who conducted it, and by his new-measure friends, as most propitious in its results; and as furnishing one of the most signal and wonderful displays of the triumphs of the power and grace of God, which had been witnessed in our churches in this vicinity, since the introduction of new measures among us. And such was re

ported to be its character, both here and abroad. And had the practice prevailed here, which prevails in many churches in this region, to wit, of receiving persons to the privileges of fellowship as soon as they entertain hopes of conversion, and without opportunity for instruction or for careful and prayerful examination of the ground of their hopes, such perhaps would be still said to be its character. But the pastor of the church informed me about four weeks since, that it appeared from its records that four only of the two hundred and forty-eight reputed converts had been received into the church under his care, in more than thirteen months subsequent to the meeting."

Ard. I should suppose, then, that the great reason why it was deemed so desirable to hurry the new converts into the church, during the excitement of the meeting, was the fear that they would not last; and that if time was given them to lose their excitement, and reflect calmly, and examine themselves, they would not think they were Christians, nor suitable persons to belong to the church.

Th. Yes. And the experience of a few such instances as the last mentioned, where, out of two hundred and forty-eight reputed converts, only four united with the church, or even the one preceding, where more than two hundred of those reported could not be found, a few weeks after the meeting; would tend to show that the great mass of converts so made, were no better than the stony ground hearers. Such men as Mr. Strangeways might wish to get them into the church, for the sake of counting great numbers, and increasing their own reputation as revival men; but no friend of the churches could desire that they should be filled up with converts whose religion would not last a year, to "sit, like an incubus, upon the heart and energies of the church."

F. W. That is the way to keep them. I regard them as real converts; but being kept out of the church, they fell

away.

Th. Those mentioned by the synod, as before quoted, were received into the church; but that did not prevent them from falling away. Like the stony ground hearers, they had no root in themselves, and therefore endured but for a time.

L. S. And you know, a pastor whose people are converted must be very anxious to have them join his church; and if

that is not done soon, they will be in danger of joining other denominations.

Th. That is probably the reason which has most influence to induce ministers and churches to receive those they think new converts, with very little delay, and The desire of having numbers, however, is not a very safe one very little scrutiny. to be indulged. The peace and prosperity of the church is of more importance than its numbers. taken to embody the supposed new converts in a class, for And if proper pains were special instruction suited to their circumstances, to be afterwards received into the Church when they were prepared to be wholesome members, it seems to me that it would be much better, than to hurry them into the Church without preparation, there to hang, like a dead weight upon it, ever afterwards.

L. S. But the apostolic practice appears to be against you. The new converts on the day of Pentecost were received into the church the same day.

Th. The circumstances of the church at that time were very different from what they are now. Ministers were then furnished, by a special divine call, and were qualified for their work, by inspiration, and by miraculous gifts, as well as the grace of God. Now, miracles and inspiration have ceased, and ministers are to be qualified by a long course of study, since none can teach what they have never learned. Then they had the gift of discerning spirits, by which false brethren were sometimes detected. Now, there is no way to judge of the tree, but by observing its fruits, which must have time to grow and ripen. Then there were many powerful causes in operation to deter any from making a profession, unless they were really converted in heart. Now, the circumstances of men under the Gospel are such, that there are many strong inducements to belong to the Church and pass for Christians, when the heart is not right. Then, there was the influence of a clear exhibition of divine truth by the apostles and primitive preachers, to guard against false hopes, and many exhortations to beware of the wiles of the devil. Now, the clear exhibition of divine truth is discouraged, and especially those parts of it which are best adapted to guard against false conversions; and any attempts to caution men against being deceived, are frowned upon and put down; while all are encouraged to hope, and to profess their hope, as soon as possible.. Where the state of things is so different, there is not the same reason which existed in the commencement of the apostles' ministry, for a speedy admission into the Church, while there are strong reasons against it. Now, there is no reason for

haste. There is no reason why we may not carefully apply to this subject the directions of our Lord. If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. For which of you intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, saying, this man began to build, and was not able to finish." This appears to be the very subject before us. It is making a public profession or attachment to Christ. No man ought to do this, till he has counted the cost. A similar caution is implied in another passage. "Why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say ? Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will show you to whom he is like. He is like a man who built a house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock; and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it; for it was founded upon a rock. But he that heareth and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation, built a house upon the earth, against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great." While our Lord requires his true disciples to profess their attachment to him before the world, he requires it to be done with deliberation, with a willingness to give up all for him, with true self-denial, having counted the cost, and digged deep to lay the foundation on the rock which cannot be moved. He does not require a profession, so hastily made, as to render a compliance with his cautions impossible.

CHAPTER XLVII.

Ardent. Among the measures adopted at protracted meetings, mention has been made of calling out the church to make confessions and renew covenant, and the like, and calling the awakened to occupy what are called the anxious seats, or rise in the public assembly, in token of their determination and pledge to attend to religion now, or a promise to give their hearts to God, and the like. All these things seem to be con.