A new sect, professing to be an a.s.sociation of Christians to promote the revival and spread of primitive Christianity, has recently sprung up at Bradford, in England. Its originators, or founders, are a Mr. Barker and a Mr. Trother, who have recently been expelled from the ministry of the New Connection of Methodists, by the annual a.s.sembly or conference of the members of that body, for some difference of opinion on doctrinal points between them and the conference.
TRINITARIANS.
By this term we are to understand those who believe that there are three distinct, persons in the G.o.dhead, the FATHER, SON, and HOLY SPIRIT, the same in substance, equal in power and dignity, and that these _three_ are _one_. Hence it is said they believe in a _triune_ G.o.d. (See Deut. 6:4. 2 Kings 19:15. Ps. 19:1; 83:18; 139:7. Isa. 6:3, 9; 9:6; 11:3; 14:5, 23, 25.
Jer. 17:10; 23:6. Ezek. 8:1, 3. Matt. 3:16, 17; 9:6; 18:20; 23:19. Luke 1:76; 24:25. John 1:1; 2:1; 5:19, 23; 10:30; 16:10, 15. Acts 5:4; 28:23, 25. Rom. 1:5; 9:5; 14:12, 19. 1 Cor. 2:10; 8:6. 2 Cor. 13:14. Phil. 2:5, 6, 7, &c.; 3:21. Heb. 1:3, 6, 10, 11, 12; 9:14; 13:8. 1 John 5:7, 20. Rev.
1:4, 5, 6, 8; 3:14; 5:13, &c.) The Unitarians believe that there is but one person in the G.o.dhead, and that this person is the Father; and they insist that the Trinitarian distinction of persons is contradictory and absurd.
The _unity_ of G.o.d is a doctrine which both parties consider the foundation of all true religion.
Although the doctrine of the Trinity is ostensibly the main subject of dispute between Trinitarians and Unitarians, yet it is in reality respecting the character of Christ. Those who believe in his proper deity very easily dispose of all the other difficulties in the Trinitarian system; while anti-Trinitarians find more fault with this doctrine than any other in the Trinitarian creed; and the grand obstacle to their reception of the Trinitarian faith is removed, when they can admit that Jesus Christ is G.o.d, as well as man; so that the burden of labor, on both sides, is either to prove or disprove the proper deity of the Son of G.o.d.
In proof of this doctrine, the Trinitarians urge many declarations of the Scripture, which, in their opinion, admit of no consistent explanation upon the Unitarian scheme; they there find that offices are a.s.signed to Christ, and to the Holy Spirit, which none but G.o.d can perform; particularly the creation of the world, and the grand decisions of the day of judgment. As they read the Scriptures, the attributes of _omnipotence_, _omniscience_, _omnipresence_, _unchangeableness_, and _eternity_, are ascribed to Jesus Christ; and they infer that a being to whom all these perfections are ascribed must be truly G.o.d, coequal and coeternal with the Father.
The Unitarians, on the other hand, contend that some of these pa.s.sages are interpolations, and that the others are either mistranslated or misunderstood. The pa.s.sage in John, in particular, respecting the _three_ that bear record, &c., has been set aside by such high authority, that they consider it unfair to introduce it in the controversy.
The excellent and learned Stillingfleet, in the preface to his Vindication of the Doctrine of the Trinity, says, "Since both sides yield that the matter they dispute about is above their reach, the wisest course they can take is, to a.s.sert and defend _what is revealed_, and not to be _peremptory_ and quarrelsome about that which is acknowledged to be above our comprehension; I mean as to the _manner_ how the _three persons_ partake of the _divine nature_."
MILLENARIANS.
The Millenarians are those who believe that Christ will reign personally on earth for a thousand years; and their name, taken from the Latin _mille_, a thousand, has a direct allusion to the duration of the spiritual empire.
The doctrine of the millennium, or a future paradisaical state of the earth, it is said, is not of Christian, but of Jewish origin. The tradition is attributed to Elijah, which fixes the duration of the world, in its present imperfect condition, to six thousand years, and announces the approach of a Sabbath of a thousand years of universal peace and plenty, to be ushered in by the glorious advent of the Messiah. This idea may be traced in the Epistle of Barnabas, and in the opinions of Papias, who knew of no written testimony in its behalf. It was adopted by the author of the Revelation, by Justin Martyr, by Irenaeus, and by a long succession of the fathers. As the theory is animating and consolatory, when it is divested of cabalistic numbers and allegorical decorations, it will no doubt always retain a number of adherents.
However the Millenarians may differ among themselves respecting the nature of this great event, it is agreed, on all hands, that such a revolution will be effected in the latter days, by which vice and its attendant misery shall be banished from the earth; thus completely forgetting all those dissensions and animosities by which the religious world hath been agitated, and terminating the grand drama of Providence with universal felicity. We are not unmindful of the prophetic language of Isaiah, (49:22, 23,) together with a sublime pa.s.sage from the book of the Revelation, (11:15,) with which the canon of Scripture concludes-"Thus saith the Lord G.o.d, Behold, I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard to the people. And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers, [they shall become good themselves, and be the protectors of religion and liberty,] and thou shalt know that I am the Lord, for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me. And the seventh angel sounded, and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever." (See Matt 13:29, 30; 27:32.
Luke 17:29, 30. Acts 3:21. Heb. 1:12. Phil. 3:9, 11. 2 Pet. 3:13. Rev.
20:1-6, and chaps. 21, 22. Apoc. chap. 21. Ezek. chap. 36.)
WHITEFIELD CALVINISTIC METHODISTS.
The _Tabernacle_ or _Lady Huntingdon Connection_, formed by Whitefield, is so called from the name given to several places of worship, in London, Bristol, &c. In some of the chapels in this Connection, the service of the church of England is read; in others, the worship is conducted much in the same way as among the Congregationalists; while, in all, the system of supply is more or less kept up, consisting in the employment, for a month or six weeks, of ministers from different parts of the country, who either take the whole duty, or a.s.sist the resident minister. Some of the congregations consist of several thousand hearers; and, by the blessing of G.o.d on the rousing and faithful sermons which are usually delivered to them, very extensive good is effected in the way of conversion. Most of the ministers now employed as supplies in this Connection are of the Congregational order, to which, of late years, there appears to be a gradual approximation; and it is not improbable that ere long both bodies will coalesce. The number of chapels belonging to this body, at the present time, is about sixty, in all of which the liturgy of the church of England is read, and most of her forms scrupulously kept up. The ministers, who used formerly to supply at different chapels in the course of the year, are now become more stationary, and have a.s.sumed more of the pastoral character. They have a respectable college at Cheshunt, in Hertfordshire.
The Calvinistic Methodists in Wales are very numerous.-See _Biographical Sketches_ of Whitefield, Wesley, and Lady Huntingdon.
NONJURORS.
Those who refused to take the oaths to government, and who were, in consequence, under certain incapacities, and liable to certain severe penalties. The members of the Episcopal church of Scotland have long been denominated Nonjurors; but perhaps they are now called so improperly, as the ground of their difference from the established church is more on account of ecclesiastical than political principles.
NONCONFORMISTS.
Those who refuse to join the established church. Nonconformists in England may be considered of three sorts:-1. Such as absent themselves from divine worship in the established church through total irreligion, and attend the service of no other persuasion.-2. Such as absent themselves on the plea of conscience; as, Presbyterians, Independents, Baptists, &c.-3. Internal Nonconformists, or unprincipled clergymen, who applaud and propagate doctrines quite inconsistent with several of those articles they promised on oath to defend. The word is generally used in reference to those ministers who were ejected from their livings by the Act of Uniformity, in 1662. The number of these was about two thousand. However some affect to treat these men with indifference, and suppose that their consciences were more tender than they need be, it must be remembered that they were men of as extensive learning, great abilities, and pious conduct, as ever appeared.
CHRISTIAN CONNECTION.
This denomination, among themselves, are generally called simply _Christians_. This they do merely to denote their character as the followers of Christ; but, when applied to them collectively, it necessarily becomes the name of a denomination. They are sometimes, by their opposers, called _Christ-ians_; but this p.r.o.nunciation of the word they universally reject as very improper.
The Christians began to a.s.sociate and to form a distinct people about the beginning of the nineteenth century, so that they may be said to have existed but about forty years. They seem to have sprung up almost simultaneously in different and remote parts of the country, without any interchange of sentiments, concert of action, or even knowledge of each other"s views or movements, till after a public stand had been taken in several parts of the country.
The first branch arose in Virginia and North Carolina, and consisted of seceders from the Methodists. At first, there were about one thousand communicants.
The northern branch of this denomination sprung up in New England. It commenced by the formation of several new churches, under the administration of a few ministers who had separated themselves from the Baptists, who were soon joined by several other ministers, and nearly whole churches, from the same denomination.
The western branch arose in Kentucky, and was composed of seceders from the Presbyterians. Some of their ministers were men of strong and well-cultivated minds, who urged forward the reform they had undertaken, till they have spread over most of the Western States.
In all these different sections, their leading purpose, at first, appears to have been, not so much to establish any peculiar or distinctive doctrine, as to a.s.sert for individuals and churches more liberty and independence in relation to matters of faith and practice; to shake off the authority of human creeds, and the shackles of prescribed modes and forms; to make the Bible their only guide, claiming for every man the right to judge for himself what is its doctrine, and what are its requirements; and in practice to follow more strictly the simplicity of the apostles and primitive Christians.
This cla.s.s of believers recognize no individual as a leader or founder, and no man claims this high eminence, although several persons were instrumental in giving rise and progress to the society. They point all to Christ as the Leader and Founder, and professedly labor to bring all to the first principles of original, apostolic Christianity.
Seceding, as the first ministers did, from different denominations, they necessarily brought with them some of the peculiarities of faith and usage in which they had been educated. But the two prominent sentiments that led them out, both kept them together, by rendering them tolerant toward each other, and gradually brought them to be very similar both in faith and practice. These two sentiments were, that the Scriptures _only_ should be consulted as a rule of faith and duty, and that all Christians should enjoy universal toleration. Hence scarcely any churches have written creeds, although nearly all record their principles of action. Very few are Trinitarians, though nearly all believe in the preexistence and proper Sonship of Christ. Perhaps not any believe in or practise sprinkling, but almost all practise immersion; from which circ.u.mstance many, though very improperly, call them Christian Baptists.
Perfect uniformity does not exist among all the members of this community, although the approximation to it is far greater than many have supposed it ever could be without a written creed. But there are several important points in which they generally agree fully; and these are regarded as sufficient to secure Christian character, Christian fellowship, and concert of action. Some of these points are the following:-That the Scriptures, including the Old and New Testament, were given by inspiration of G.o.d, and are sufficient to teach what men should believe, and what they should practise. That every man has a right to study the Scriptures, and to exercise his own judgment with regard to their true import and meaning.
That there is one G.o.d, perfect and infinite. That Jesus Christ is the Son of G.o.d in the highest possible sense, and that salvation is found in him alone. That all men have sinned and come short of the glory of G.o.d, therefore are polluted and guilty. That no transgressor can find pardon but by repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. That the Holy Spirit reproves all sinners, and comforts all Christians. That whoever has sinned has also a way of salvation set before him. That pardon and eternal salvation are found alone through regeneration. That none are proper subjects of church membership, or the ordinances except the regenerated. That G.o.d calls men to the ministry, and no others are his true ministers. That perseverance to the end is the only condition on our part that can secure our eternal happiness. That revivals of religion are of the first importance, and should be labored for continually. That every believer should be immersed, and become a public member of some visible church. That every church should continue to observe the Lord"s supper. That there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and of the unjust; and that, at the day of judgment, the righteous and the wicked will be separated, and pa.s.s, the righteous into everlasting life, and the wicked into eternal d.a.m.nation.
On all the above points, there is but very little difference of opinion or practice throughout the whole body.
Candidates for baptism and church membership are required to give the reason of their hope, by a relation of their Christian experience; and persons coming from other churches are expected to furnish satisfactory testimonials of their Christian character.