Though we, says the Apostle, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.

It was when papal Rome preached and enforced another gospel than that which the apostles had preached, that the reformed churches of Europe, and England was prominent among them, withdrew from the spiritual rule which she had abused, and exercised the right of selfjudgment.

But when in all essential matters the Word of God is made the rule of doctrine in the constitution of a church; when there are no leading errors, no oppressive forms, no harsh and uncharitable practices, it becomes the duty of every member of the community to submit for conscience sake. Any hasty and capricious separation is schismatical, and is immediately destructive of that unity and

peace

8 Gal. i. 8.

which Christ so frequently and so earnestly enjoined on his followers.

I presume not to judge those, however mistaken in their opinions, who, after a calm and dispassionate inquiry, conscientiously, and from motives purely disinterested, dissent from our church. Much less should I consider any act of violence, or any spirit of hostility against them, justified in a sincere follower of Him who was meek and lowly, and required his disciples to love even their enemies. We may pray for them. We may try with all meekness and sobriety to convince them; but we cannot, without identifying ourselves with the Church of Rome in some of its worst and most unchristian practices, take up the sword of persecution against them, and endeavour to extort from them an unwilling obedience."

"There is nothing certainly more unreasonable, more inconsistent with the rights of human nature, more contrary to the spirit and precepts of the Christian religion, more iniquitous and unjust, more im

When I look around me and behold various denominations of Christians, all labouring to attain the same great object -all striving to be the instruments of giving light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death-though some with less knowledge, and in a temper less disciplined than others; I grieve not at the sight. I grieve when any are found who cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which we have received_but I grieve not at seeing the door of faith opened to the heathen in our land by ministers of other denominations. St. Paul could say, Some indeed preach Christ of envy and strife, and some also of good will.... What then? Notwithstanding every way, whether in pretence or in truth, Christ is preached, and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will

politic, than persecution. It is against natural religion, revealed religion, and sound policy."-LORD MANSFIELD.

1 Luke i. 79.

2

Rom. xvi. 17.

3

rejoice. There are rents in the church universal. The Christian will pray that they reach not to the foundation-that they affect not the corner-stone. Various are the branches which shoot forth from the parent and sustaining vine. The Christian will rejoice if even the least vigorous and perfect are enabled, through the blessing of God, to bear fruit.

4

I have noticed the unwillingness of the first holders of slave property to extend a saving knowledge of the gospel to the imported African. We might infer from allusions to the subject by early writers on the West Indies, that a mistaken interpretation of the laws relating to colonial slavery greatly increased this indisposition to supply the spiritual wants of the slave. I have spoken of the conduct of the Friends as a praiseworthy exception. I should be unjust were I not to admit that from time to time, individuals of our own communion were desirous of convey3 Phil. i. 15. Appendix C.

4

ing to their slaves a knowledge of the truths, and a practical sense of the duties, of religion. But they either miscalculated the appropriate means of obtaining an influence in spiritual matters over the African mind, or they wanted firmness of purpose to enable them to persevere amidst the ridicule of their neighbours, and the disappointment which attended a first attempt. The result too frequently led to the assertion that the negro was debased by an almost brutal incapacity, and was not susceptible of those religious feelings and impressions which are characteristic of a rational being, and thus a plausible excuse was afforded for the dereliction of a positive precept. It is also not impossible that among the profligate and irreligious many were found who were unwilling that the negro should exhibit a sincerity of belief, and a corresponding uprightness of practice, to which his master was a stranger, and they therefore strenuously opposed every attempt to me