Part 20 (1/2)

_Rev. Sir_,--Having taken into serious consideration the whole correspondence which has pa.s.sed between us, I have felt very deep impressions on my mind arising from the following coosiderations.

1st. You and I are accountable beings, and must undoubtedly, sooner or later, be called to account for the propriety, or impropriety of our labours with each other.

2d. Our professional character must, without doubt, be a high consideration in our accountability.

3d. The eyes of society are ever watchful, and G.o.d has made us accountable, not only to himself, but to our fellow creatures, who have a just demand upon us.

While these important considerations were revolving in my mind, I felt a sense of my youth, compared with your age, my inexperience, the p.r.o.neness of the human heart to the vanity of self confidence, the blindness of prejudice to which old and young are more or less subject, and also, the friends.h.i.+p which has. .h.i.therto happily subsisted between us since our first acquaintance.

These circ.u.mstances and those considerations, led my mind to the conclusion that I ought to lay the whole matter before G.o.d, and to ask of him suitable wisdom to guide me in relation to so weighty a subject.

The result of my devotional supplications is a forcible application of the divine direction, given by St. Paul 1 Tim. v. 1, ”Rebuke not an elder but entreat him as a father, and the younger men as brethren.”

How far your communications to me are consistent, or inconsistent with the apostle's direction, in the above test, I do not conceive it my duty to judge, any farther than a discharge of my own duty, pursuant to the apostle's direction, may require. On the most deliberate recapitulation of all which I have written, I cannot now say, that I could wish to recall a single idea, argument, application of scripture, or sentiment; though I will not even suggest that better information might not produce a different conclusion. I trust I have hitherto treated you, sir, and the subjects of your communications with all the propriety of which my understanding is master; and my fervent desire is, that I may complete the labours enjoined on me by the above text, in strict conformity to that most holy spirit which inspired such excellent counsel. Therefore, Rev. Sir, I _entreat you_ as a _father_ to consider,

1st. Whether you entreated your humble servant as a _brother_ when you admonished him for important particulars which you wholly refuse to substantiate either as facts or wrongs?

2d. Whether you entreated me as a brother in refusing to decide, as to your meaning, in the first subject of your admonition, and in not giving me to understand whether I had rightly apprehended you or not?

3d. Whether you entreated me as a brother in not acknowledging an agreement of sentiment on the subject of _repentance_ after I had given _you_ the fullest a.s.surance possible, that I believed in its necessity and importance?

4th. Whether you entreated me as a brother in admonis.h.i.+ng me as an apostate from the true faith of the gospel, while I profess to believe in Christ the Son of G.o.d, as the Saviour of the world; and stand in society, in my various relation by the blessing of G.o.d, unimpeached as to morality?

5th. Whether you entreated me as a brother in admonis.h.i.+ng me against a doctrine which commends the love and mercy of G.o.d in the final reconciliation and everlasting happiness of all unreconciled beings; and in opposing said doctrine with no other argument than saying, in effect, that if the scriptures which prove the doctrine are allowed to mean as they naturally read, other scriptures contradict them! Thus furnis.h.i.+ng the infidel with his darling weapon against the divinity of the scriptures?

6th. Whether you entreated me as a brother in stating those heavy charges against me, in which you _accuse me_ of a _designed mistake_, and of _wilful misapplications_ of scriptures where neither _mistake_ or _misapplications_ of scriptures can be made to appear?

7th. Whether you entreated me as a brother in misrepresenting my preaching when you never heard me perform in the particular capacity of a preacher?

8th. Whether you entreated me as a brother in taking your leave of this correspondence without supporting one single particular of your admonition, or one single charge against me. And also, without acknowledging the incorrectness of your admonition, or the impropriety of your charges.

I entreat you, sir, as a father, to consider whether the spirit which you manifested, in bring such _unreasonable_ charges against me, be consistent with the directions given by St. Paul to Timothy, and also with the example and precept of him who loved his enemies and commanded his disciples to do likewise?