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he that readeth shall be saved, but he that believeth shall be saved.
Bidding him farewell, I set out soon after on my journey to Ireland; this
was in March, 1818. In the December of that year, a friend of mine was
about to go to London; I made it a point with him, that he should go
down to Kent, to visit the cottage of my poor brother, to inquire whether
he had entered into his rest, or that he might cheer and comfort his heart,
with the communion of one who rejoiced in the same salvation of his
Lord. My friend, on going to the cottage, found our poor brother still
living-still lying on his back in the same spot on which I had left
him-still rejoicing in his Lord, and drawing water for himself out of the
wells of salvation. He had in the interval, from the preceding March,
learned his letters, learned to spell, and learned to read his Bible. Having
heard this from my friend, on his return to Ireland, and having anxiously
inquired every particular on the subject, I thought it was the last account
I should ever hear of poor Swaizeland; but in April, 1821, I went to
London, and soon after to Kent, to visit the cottage of my friend & anxiety
to learn his faté, did not allow me to wait till I had reached the door.
I called at a miller's cottage, on the heath, to ask if he was still alive;
it was on Thursday, and I was informed, that on the day but one before,
he had entered into his everlasting rest. I inquired if the old woman was
still alive who had attended him, and I was informed that she lived in a
cottage just beside the mill; he had dismissed her, and got his sister to
attend him. We went to the old woman's cottage, and I asked her if she
had not, at one time, attended the poor man who was dead on the heath.
"Oh yes, Sir," said she. What was his character? "When I went to
him first, Sir, he was such an impatient, wicked tempered man, that it
was impossible to live with him; but a gentleman came to read the Bible
to him for some days, and after that he became like a child, so that it
grieved my heart to leave him." The old woman did not recognize me,
but her testimony is of great value, to show that the Gospel of Jesus,
when simply received into the heart, is not only the power of God unto
salvation, but also transforms the vilest character, and turns him, who
had before been a servant of Satan, into a son and servant of the living
God. We went on to the cottage where his remains were lying; the door
was opened by a woman, who was the sister who had attended him; she
was a widow, with five children. I asked her for her brother; she told
me he was dead. "How did he die?" said I. "In great peace with
God, Sir," she said. "What gave him that peace?" I asked.
"Oh,
Sir," she said, "he depended on the blood of the Lord and Saviour Jesus
Christ." "Well," said. I, "how can that give peace?" "Oh, Sir,"
said she, smiling, and expressing herself with joyful confidence, "surely
if a person depends on Jesus, he may die very happy." "And pray,
my friend," said I, "who taught you this?" "Oh, Sir," she replied,
"it was my dear brother who is gone." She then expressed the joy that
she felt, at having been called to attend him during his lingering illness, and
the blessings which his instructions had conveyed to her soul. "I hear,"
said I, "that he had learned to read before he died." "Oh yes, Sir,"
she answered, "and to write too! I have several hymns of his writing."
I entreated her to give me one, but she had lent them all to a gentleman
in London; he learned to write lying on his back, with a pencil and a slate.
I went in to see his remains; I could not have recognized his features; he
was worn to a skeleton; his limbs were all contracted, and shrivelled to
the very bone; but he had fled to Him, who dwelleth where the inhabi-
tants shall no more say, I am sick; who shall change our vile body, that
it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the mighty
working, whereby he is able to subdue all things unto himself.➡Christian
Remembrancer for 1830.

THE

ORTHODOX PRESBYTERIAN.

No. IX.

JUNE, 1830.

VOL. I.

MEETING OF SEPARATISTS FROM THE GENERAL SYNOD OF ULSTER.

UPON Tuesday, 25th May, seventeen Ministers, who have separated from the General Synod of Ulster, assembled, with sixteen Elders, in the Meeting-House of the First Arian Congregation, Belfast. They have denominated themselves, "The Remonstrant Synod of Ulster," though not so numerous as some of our Presbyteries, and though embracing within the sphere of their ministry a population, we opine, which at the most liberal estimate would not outnumber two of our large Orthodox congregations. Still the loss of seventeen Ministers and Congregations appears to effect a formidable breach in the walls of our Presbyterian Zion. But upon examination, we find the loss is more in name than in reality. The Ministers indeed are gone; but generally speaking, a large portion of the congregations remain with the Synod of Ulster. As this is a matter of some statistical importance, we shall, so far as we are able, give a statement of the relative numbers of the Arian and Orthodox parties. We begin at the head of their list. Narrowater was originally a small congregation, and we believe the majority adhere to the Synod of Ulster; and will, no doubt, receive their countenance and protection. Newry has, some time ago, been divided into an Arian and Orthodox congregation: the latter, a flourishing settlement, with an active Minister, remains with the Synod of Ulster. Kilmore is a considerable congregation, totally gone over to the Arians. Banbridge, a large congregation, has been separated into Arian and Orthodox, A promising young Minister has just been ordained, who, together with an increasing and respectable congregation, adheres to the Synod. Carlingford is totally turned Arian; but, we believe, were a sheriff to make a return to a writ of inquiry, he might almost, with truth, declare of it--non est inventus. It is a nominal congregation, that could not furnish even an Elder

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to their Synod. Dromore is a respectable congregation, totally withdrawn from the Synod. In that town, however, the Synod retains an old and flourishing congregation. GreyAbbey congregation has likewise been divided into Arian and Orthodox. The latter has just obtained a site to build a house of worship. The people have subscribed most liberally; they have obtained the countenance and assistance of individuals of influence; and the Orthodox congregation promises to get forward prosperously. We cannot speak of the relative numbers with any approach to confidence ; but we are inclined to believe the divisions are nearly equal. Moira. This is a small congregation, totally gone over to the Arians: the Orthodox members having, from time to time, joined the Seceders. Dunmurry, a respectable congregation, though not numerous, has, with a few exceptions, gone over to the Arians. Moneyrea. This congregation, including a respectable yeomanry, considerable also for its numbers, has entirely gone off to the Remonstrants: the Orthodox members having, from time to time, withdrawn to the Seceders, or to the neighbouring congregations of the Synod of Ulster. Ballee, once a large, now a small congregation, contains several members in respectable circumstances. It has totally withdrawn from the Synod; the few Orthodox members having joined themselves to a neighbouring congregation. Cairncastle. This congregation has divided. The decided majority adhere to the Synod of Ulster. Templepatrick. This was one of the original Presbyterian settlements of Ulster. Here preached Josiah Welsh, the grandson of John Knox. Here was the scene of one of the blessed revivals of religion experienced, in the early days of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. A large portion of the congregation still adheres to the Synod of Ulster, and to the Orthodox sentiments of their fathers. They have experienced the liberal aid of Lord Templetown towards the support of a Minister; and we may still hope and trust, that the seed sown by the hand of Welsh, will grow up abundantly. Crumlin.— This congregation having given over its Orthodox members to the new and prosperous congregation of Dundrod, the small remnant of Arians have entirely gone over to the Remonstrants. Glenarm.-This was originally a small congregation. In spite of difficulties, and in the face of much opposition, onehalf, at least, of the congregation, have adhered to the Synod of Ulster; the other part have joined the Remonstrants. Ballycarry-This was, perhaps, the earliest Presbyterian settlement in Ireland. We believe a great majority of the people have firmly

adhered to the Synod of Ulster. Newtonlimavady. This congregation has been wasted to a shadow; that shadow has totally gone off from the Synod of Ulster.

Thus it will be seen, that while seventeen Ministers have withdrawn from the Synod of Ulster, the breach is filled up by nine Ministers, and nine congregations; leaving barely eight Ministers, and eight congregations that have totally withdrawn from the Orthodox communion. According to the best conjecture we can form, (and in a case like the present, we cannot pretend to more) we do believe that these eight congregations do not contain more families than may be frequently found in one Orthodox congregation of the first class, in the Counties of Down and Antrim. We speak not, thus, as if we put any or special value upon the number of the adherents of Orthodoxy. We judge by the evidence of truth, and not by the number of professors; but because the amount of the Separatists has been exhibited as a most formidable array, and because the loss to the Synod of Ulster has been spoken of as irreparable, we deem it a duty to undeceive the public mind, by exhibiting the probable amount of the secession. If we have, in any thing, underrated the sum total of their forces, the Remonstrants have it in their power to set us right, by giving us the real muster roll of their respective adherents. We believe it also right to state, that while the Remonstrant Ministers are all reputed, either Arians or Socinians, (we should suppose, and we have reason to believe, fourteen Arians, and three Socinians, or something of that kindred,) yet, it is more than probable that not a few of the people adhering to them still profess Orthodox sentiments. To account for the strange phenomenon of an Orthodox people adhering to an Arian or Socinian ministry, we offer the following conjectures:-1. Some, who theoretically hold the truth, are yet infected with the notion, that truth is of little importance. 2. Others have been so long accustomed to a neutralized preaching of the Gospel, that they have not their thoughts exercised to distinguish between right and wrong. 3. Some continue with the Arians from personal attachment to their Ministers. 4. While not a few are persuaded to adhere to them for the present, in the delusive hope, that they may yet, in the exercise of the right of election, obtain an Orthodox ministry.

Having thus briefly analyzed the component elements of the Ario-Socinian Synod, (for we deem it a compound of both) we shall now proceed to give a brief review of their proceedings. These are embodied in twelve resolutions, which

having been, as we presume, previously prepared in private, were publicly moved, and unanimously adopted. These, for sake of distinctness, we shall reduce to three orders:-The first comprehends what we admit and approve; the second, those in which they misrepresent the General Synod of Ulster ; the third, those in which they ingeniously endeavour to establish erroneous principles.

With the first resolution, which affirms→→

"That the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are the only infallible rule of faith and duty, and contain all knowledge necessary for salvation,"

we express our most hearty and unqualified concurrence. The Bible is the religion of Protestants; "the only rule to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy God."

The second resolution asserts:→→→

"That it is the inalienable right of every Christian to search these records of Divine Truth for his own instruction and guidance; to form his own opinions, with regard to what they teach; and to worship God with sincerity, agreeably to the dictates of his own conscience, without privation, penalty, or inconvenience, inflicted by his fellow-men." Upon the first view of this resolution, it might seem equally entitled as the first to command our approbation; and, in some degree, we do approve. Yet there is, in the resolution, the absence of a necessary truth, which compels us to distinguish between what we approve, and what we must condemn. It asserts, that every man has an inalienable right to search the Scriptures; and with this we do most cordially agree. It also asserts, that "every man has an inalienable right to form his own opinions, with regard to what the Scriptures teach;" but, alas! it contains not one single allusion to our need of the teaching of the Spirit of God." How unlike is it to the words of our Saviour, John vi. 45, "They shall be all taught of God." How unlike to his words, John xiv. 26, "But the Comforter, the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things.' Compare these two verses, and they establish the Deity of the Holy Ghost. Compare them with the second resolution of the Remonstrants, and mark how carefully the teaching, or the necessity of the teaching, of the Holy Ghost is excluded from their system. This, after all, is, indeed, their fundamental error, that, in the establishment of their church, the teaching of the Holy Ghost is forgotten.

But we do not merely find fault with this lamentable omission, an omission fatal to their system, but we must condemn that -ambiguity which attaches to their phraseology. When they assert for example "the inalienable right of every man to wor

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