impartial reader may easily see the perversions, to which the Shakers have subjected these and many such like passages of Scripture." This closes the account of John Woods.

As to my part, I deem it useless to say any thing respecting them, having little personal acquaintance with them. I visited one of their towns in Warren County, Kentucky, in September 1828, for the purpose of obtaining some information as to their fundamental principles, but received no satisfaction from them. They were much reserved when questioned on the subject of religion, and, in fact, on any other subject.

There were no seats in their meeting-house, except one or two short benches near the door, for spectators. The society seated themselves on the floor, the men at one end of the house, the women at the other. Their speaker made a few vulgar observations, and directed the society to prepare for labour. They all rose to their feet, and commenced a kind of tune, without words, and to shake or dance, moving forward abreast, nearly meeting in the centre of the house, and then wheeled about and retreated, shaking dancing, &c. This manœuvre they performed several times, and then seated themselves in the manner before mentioned. Some observations were then made, not worthy of notice here, after which they were dismissed.

They were elegantly situated in Warren County, and their buildings are well finished. Their land and mode of farming, appeared to me equal to any I had ever seen.

There are me

chanicks of every description among them, and they appeared to exercise more industry than any people I was ever acquainted with; and, from Woods's account, we discover that it behoves them so to do, or they are liable to correction.

I have, (from what I have seen with my own eyes,) but little doubt of the correctness of Mr. Woods's account of this singular sect, and regret that he has not given us a more satisfactory account of their rise and manner of first propagating their principles in the East.

CHAPTER LIX.

UNITY OF CHRISTIANS RECOMMENDED.

WE have closed our account of the different sects. I now feel it a duty incumbent on me, to recommend Unity to Christian denominations. We cannot but see, that the want of this, is one grand hindering cause to the prosperity of the church of Christ. We do not all speak the same language. Some is of Paul, some of Apollas, &c. And who must I follow? Shall I again tell you to follow Christ. Take the Gospel, and be governed in your creed by that alone; but do not condemn those who may differ a little in non-essential points from you; remember, the Lord said, he that is not against us is for us.

We sometimes see great differences arise from non-essential points. Whilst in the state of Virginia, in July, 1828, I was sometime in the neighbourhood that gave birth to my existence; I daily heard of appointments for preaching, and felt at first somewhat gratified and rejoiced to think of a revival among my old neighbours, friends and acquaintances; but awful to relate, when I came to enquire more particularly into the cause of so much preaching, more than usual when I lived there, I found it originated from a party spirit. Some points respecting Baptism by immersion, had probably been handled rather free by a young. gentleman in the ministerial order; by this means the principal men in that part of the country were stirred up to investigate the point, and from good authority, I was led to believe that it was quarrelling instead of preaching.

This difference of opinion occasions a great diminution of the number of Christians. Indeed the readiest way in the world to thin heaven and replenish the regions of hell, is to call in the spirit of bigotry. This will immediately arraign, condemn, and execute all those who do not bow down and worship the image of our idolatry. Professing exclusive prerogative, it rejects every other claim. "Stand by, I am sounder than thou. The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, are we!" How many of the dead has this intolerance sentenced to eternal misery, who will shine forever as stars in the kingdom of our Father; whilst it is much to be feared, that many who have denounced the sentence, will be turned off to the left hand in that great day of retribution. How many living characters does it reprobate as enemies to the cross of Christ, who are placing in it all their glory. No wonder, if under the influence of this consuming zeal, we

form lessening views of the number of the saved. Yea, they would be few indeed, if they consisted of none but those who belong to a particular sect;-that believe in election with them, or universal redemption with them,--that worship under a steeple with them, or in a meeting-house with them, that are dipped with them,--or sprinkled with them. But I hope we shall find hereafter that the righteous were not so circumscribed, when we shall see, many coming from the East, and from the West, from the North, and from the South, to set down with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, in the kingdom of glory. It may be a duty to unite ourselves with some body of Christians, and to make an open profession of religion; to walk in the faith and order of the Gospel. But surely we should do very wrong to condemn all who decline it. It is a serious thing to deprive a fellow creature of religion, and to exclude him from eternal life; and what authority have we for so doing, if his life be exemplary, and righteousness and charity blend and prevail in his character? We may say, perhaps, a man may appear to possess these things when he is a stranger to the reality, or his practice may flow from no inward or gracious principle. We will allow this may be the case, and it becomes him to examine himself, and see whether his views and disposition be such as the Gospel requires; but when I form a judgment concerning him, the case is materially altered; I have nothing to do with his motives; I cannot search his heart; his life and conversation only fall under my cognizance, and these are my rules,-"by their fruits shall ye know them."

We know that the Lord hath promised to give his true followers one heart. (Ezekiel, xi, 19, 20,) "And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh: that they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God." This shews the sameness of religion, as to its leading views and sentiments, and the pursuits of Christians. Of the converts at Jerusalem it is said, the multitude of them that believed were of one heart, and of one mind, or soul. Feeling the same wants, and attracted to the same source of relief, they assembled and blended together; they had many hearts before; they followed divers lusts and pleasures; they turned every man to his own way. From these various wanderings, they are called to enter, and to travel one and the same way. Grace produced a unity, and a unity it always will produce. We do not look for a precise unity of opinions, forms, and ceremonies. No; but of something infinitely superior; a oneness of reliance; of inclination; of taste; of hopes and fears; of joys and sorrows.

Though divided from each other by a thousand peculiarities, they all hate sin, they all hunger and thirst after righteousness, they all follow hard after God. Thus with circumstantial diversity, we have essential identity;' the substance as unalterable as the modes are various; the dress changing with times and places; the figure, the members, the soul, always the same.

He also promises a new spirit: "And I will put a new spirit in you," not only different from that which still animates others, but distinguished from that which once influenced us; it was not born with us; we were once strangers to it. Being designed for a new world, new work, and new pleasures, it is necessary for them to have a new spirit. Elevation will only serve to embarrass and encumber a man, unless he is suited to it. A king may advance a slave to a station of eminence; but with a change of condition, he cannot give him a change of disposition; with his new office he cannot bestow a new spirit. But in this manner the Lord qualifies his people for their situation and engagements; and thus they are at home in them; there is a suitableness productive of ease and enjoyment. This is the peculiar glory of the Gospel. Observe all false religions; they take man as he is; they accommodate themselves to his errors and bis passions; they leave him essentially the same. They follow the man; they are formed after his likeness; whereas, here the man changes; he is modelled after the image of religion. The Gospel, instead of flattering, tells him that nothing is to be done while he remains as he now is; that in his present state, he is incapable of performing its duties, and of relishing its joys; that he must be transformed or he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. And what it indispensably requires, it provides for and secures; hence all is order and barmony. For, every thing in the sublime dispensation of the Gospel, and the constitution of the christian church is new; a new covenant, a new Jerusalem, which is the mother of all. We approach God by a new and living way; we sing a new song, called by a new name: according to his promise we look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness; He that sitteth upon the throne saith, "I create all things new."

He also promises to give them a heart of flesh; we find it was a heart of stone before. Take a stone, how cold! If we strike it, it resists the blow, and lay what burden upon it we will, it feels no pressure. Neither will it receive any impression from a seal being applied to it. Such are our hearts by nature, cold, impenetrable, senseless, unyielding, and unsusceptible. What a mercy it is to have this curse removed, and have hearts of flesh! to be enabled to feel; to feel spiritually; to be alive to the powers

of the world to come; to be no longer insensible to divine and heavenly things, when they come in contact with us! And remember, this holy sensibility is evidenced not only by our pleasing emotions, but also by our distressing ones. Tears of sorrow indicate sensation, as well as tears of joy. Is not pain a proof of feeling? Yea, the true christian's heart is an heart of flesh. Bring it to the word of God, it feels. My heart, says David, standeth in awe of thy word. He trembles at thy word, says Isaiah; he opens it with reverence; he bows to its authority; he often compares himself with its demands; he reads the character and doom of apostates, and turns pale; he dreads its threatenings, and longs for an interest in its promises.

Bring it to sin, it feels. A tender conscience, like the eye, is offended with a mote. A dead corpse is unaffected with the deepest wound; the point of a needle makes the living body to writhe. While others do not groan, though charged with heinous crimes, the true christian complains even of infirmities, of wandering thoughts, of earthly affections, and a look from his offended Lord will make him go out and weep bitterly.

Bring it to the dispensation of Providence, it feels. My flesh it trembles for fear of thee, I am afraid of thy righteous judgments. Or does he prosper? He is no stranger to fear, lest his table should be a snare and a trap, and a stumbling block, and a recompense unto him. Bring it to the divine glory, it feels. Rivers of waters run down mine eyes, because men keep not thy law. Bring it to the concerns of others, it feels. He weeps with them that weep; he considers them that are in adversity as bound with them. Who is weak, and he is not weak? Who is offended, and he burns not? For a tender heart is always attended with a tender hand, and a tender tongue. Such is the disposition that is found in all the subjects of divine grace; and why is it produced? To enable us to behold the whole revealed will of God, in a course of active obedience.

This brings us to observe next the practice which religion demands: "that they may walk in my statutes and do them." It is strange that a system of religion should be ever advanced, which if it comprehended obedience and good works at all, places them. in a very inferior situation; seems always afraid to bring them forward; dares not hold them forth as the end and perfection of the whole, to which every thing else leads, and in which every thing else is to terminate; or insist on their being so essentially necessary, that without them, all our pretensions to godliness are vain. But in this decisive manner does he speak of them, who come to bear witness to the truth. "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but