[Continued from third page.) 11
found to exist within the limits of this northern !
continent, it will be owing to the consummation ' ,
of that policy which has been so unjustly assail. j
ed. Only a very brief reference to facts* in con- }
firm at ion of this aseor'icn can in this form be
given, an I yon are, therefore, necessarily referred !
to the report of the Secretary of War'for further
details. To the Cherokces, whose case has per- j
haps excited the greatest share of attention and j
sympathy. the United States have granted in fee.
with a perpetual guaranty of exclusive and
peaceable possession, 13,554, 135 acres of land j
on tho west side of the Mississippi, eligibly sit
uated, in a healthy climate, and in all respects j
better suited to their condition than the country ;
they have left, in excliango for only 9,491,160 !
acres on the east sido of the 6aine river. The j
in '
1'iiited States have, in adumon, nuj-u.-? ... .
pay them ?.>,600,000 for their interest in, and !
improvements on, the lands thus relinquished, j
?1,160,000 for subsistence and other beneficial
purposes ; thereby putting it in their power to
become ono of the most wealthy and independent
separate communitiics, of the same extent,
in tho world.
By the treaties made and ratified with the Mia.
mies, the Chippewas, tho Sioux, the Sacs and
Foxea, and the Winnebugocs, during tho la-t
year, tho Indian title to eighteen million four
hundred and fifty.eight thousand acres has been
extinguished. These purchases have been much
xnore extensive than those of any previous year,
and have, with other Indian expenses, borne very
heavily upon the Treasury. They leave, how.
ever but a small quantity of unbought Indian
lands within the States and Territories ; and tho
legislature and Executive were equally sensible
<4 tho proprioty of a final and more speedy ext n tion
of Indian titles within those limits. 'I he
treaties which were, with a single exception, j
Wu'lt; in pursuance01 previous uppivpuawuno ,ut .
defraying the expanses, have subsequently been !
ratified t>y the Senate, and received the sanction 1
of Congress by the appropriations necessary to!
carry them into effect. Of the tennsupon which j
i hesa important negotiations were concluded, I
can ep?ak from direct knowledge ; and I feci no
difficulty in affirming that the interest of the In.
iJians in the extensive territory embraced by
them is to be paid for at its fair value, and that
no more favcr ible terms have been granted to
to the United States than would have been reasonably
expected in a negotiation with civilized
mop, fully capable of appreciating, and protec- ;
ting thiir o vn rights. For the Indian title to
110,319,697 acres acquired finco the 4th of
Marcch, 1629, the United States have paid
$72,f>6b,05G, in permanent annuities, lands, ro.
servations for Indians, expense of removal and
subsistence, merchandise, mechanical and agricultural
establishments, and implements. When
the heavy expenses in< urredby the United Slates,
and the circumstance thai so large a portion of !
tho entire territory will bo forever unsaleable,
are considered, and this price is compared with
that for which the United States sell thciy own
lands, no on ? can doubt that justico has been
tA fUTn ihp^in these Durchases also. Cer
UUUC H? HIV a ... t
tain it is that the transactions of the Federal
Government with the Indians ha\'e been uni.
form 1 j characterized by a sincere and paramount
desire to promote their welfare; and it must be ]
source of the highest gratification to every i
friend Injustice and humanity toloirn that. not. !
withstandingtlio obstructions from time to time 1
thrown in its way, and the difficulties which have
arisen from the peculiar and impracticable na.
tare of the Indian character, the wise, humane, I
and andevi"!ing policy of the Government in !
tli s the most difficult of ail our relations, toreign 1
ordomostic, has at length been justified to the ?
world in its near approach to a happy and certain
Oammniatioji.
The coiniiiion of th"1 tribes wliich occupy the \
country set apart for them in the West is highly j
prosperous, and encourages the hope of their ;
o '.rly civilization. They have, for the most part, j
abandoned the hunter state, and tnrned their at.
lentiou to agricultural pursuits. All those who ;
have been established for any length of time in j
that fertile region maintain themselves by their i
own industry. There are among them traders .
of no inconsiderable capital, and planters export. !
ing cotton to soinc'exlcut; but the greater num.
bcr are small agriculturists, living in comfort J
udou the produce ofthcir farms. The recent cmi. !
grants, although they have in some instances remorod
reluctantly, have readi'y acqnisced in
their unavoidable destiny. They have found at
once a recompense for past sufferings, and aji
incentive to industrious habits, in the abundance
and comforts around them. There is reason to
believe that all these tribes arc friendly in their |
feelings towards the United States; and it is to j
be hoped that the acquisition of individual wealth,
the pursuits of agriculture, and habits of industry,
will gradually subdue (heir warlike propensities,
am! incline them to maintain peace among
themselves. To effect this desirable object, the
attention of Congress is solicited to the measures
recommended by the Secretary of War for
thoir future government and protection, as well
4Vo:n each other as from the hostility of the warlike
tribes around them, 4nd the intrusions of
the Whites. The po icy ofthe Government has
oiven them a permanent home, and guarantied
to them its peaceful and undisturbed possession.
It on'y remains to give them a government and !
laws which will encourage industry, and secure ;
to them the rewards of their exertions. The j
importance of some lorm of government cannot!
bo too much insisted upon. The earliest effects
will bo te diminish the causes and occasions for 1
hostilities among the tribes, to inspire an interest
in the observance of laws to which ihry will
have themselves assented, and to multiply the j'
s?curities of property, and the motives for self
improvement. Intimately connected with this -1
subject is the establishment of the military de. ! <
fences recommended by the Secretary of War, 1 <
which have been already ref?rred to. Without j I
them the Government will be powerless to re- it
deem its pledges of protection to the emigrating ';
Indians against numerous warlike tribes that ' <
surround tbem, and to provide for the safety of ! i
the frontier settlers of the bordering States. i i
Tire case of the Scinir.ales constitutes at pre- ! I
sent the only exception to the successful efforts j t
of the Government to remove the Indians to the i 1
homes assigned them wes* of th? Mississippi.? i t
Four hundred of this tribe t migrated in 1S3G, i
and fifteen hundred in 1837 and 1838, leaving j i
in the country, it is supposed, about 2,000 In- i <
dians. Tho continued treacherous conduct of ! a
these people ; the savage and unprovoked mur- ; r
dcrs they have lately committed, butchering j t
whole families of the settlers of the Territory, j c
? -11 ? ? Af oov ami maLrtrirr n
WUUUUif llU-4 I1CUUII Ui ujje \JI BV?, ...... | ?
their way into the very centre and heart of the t
count y, so that no part of it i3 free from their j t
ravages; their frcqnent attacks on the lighthouses I l
along that dangerous coast; and the barbarity J 1
with which they have murdered the passengers ; t
and crews of such vessels as have been wrecked j v
upon tlio reefs and keys which border the Gulf, | n
leave the Government no alternative but to con- i ti
linuothe military op?ration9 against them until j tl
they are totally expelled from Florida. j tl
There are other motives which would urge the i p
'GoTcrmnent to pursuo this course towards the j L
Scminoics. The United States have fulfilled in : b;
good faith all their treaty stipulations with the ti
Indian tribes, and have, in every other instance, I c<
insisted upon a like performance of their obliga- tl
tious. To relax from this salutary rule becauss i tl
thek Sc:ninole9 have maintained themselves to pi
long in the Territory they had had relinquished, j c<
and, in defiance of their frequent and solemn en. : tl
gagements, still continud towagca ruthless war ! in
against the United States, would not only evince i vi
a want of constancy on our part, but be of evil J Ir
example in our intercourse with other trtbes.? I
Experience has shown that but little is to be ; pi
gained by the march of armies through a conn, j C
try so intercepted with inaccessible swamp3 and th
marsh; 3. and which, from the fatal character of' to
ihe climate, must be abandoned at the end i fthe in
fT * J ]'rr\
tion the plan submitted by the Secretary of War
in the accompanying report, for the permanent
occupation of the portion of the Territory from
the Indians, and the more efficient protection
of the people of Florida from their inhuman
warrfare.
From the report of the Secretary of the Navy,
herewith transmitted, it will appear that a large
portion of the disposable naval force is either ae.
lively employed, or in a state of preparation for
tho purposes of experience and discipline, and
the protection of our commerce. So effectual
has been this protection, that, so far as tho information
of Government cxt nds, not a single
outrage has been attempted on a vessel carrying
it** fl i<r of the United States within the present
v,,v" "
year, 111 any quarter, however distant or exposed.
The exploring expedition sailed from Norfolk
on the 19th of August last; and information has
been received of its safe airival at the 'eland of
Madeira. Tho best spirit ani ates the officers
and crows, and there is every reason to anticipato
from its efforts results beneficial to commerce and
honorable to tho nation.
It will also be seen that no reduction of the
force now in commission is contemplated. The
unsettled state of a portion of South America
renders it indispensablo that our commerce
should receive protection in that quarter; the
vast a d increasing interests embarked in the
trade of the Indian and China seas, in the whale
fisheries of tho Pacific ocean, and in tho Gulf of
Mexico, require equal attention to their safety ;
and a small squadron may be employed to great
advantage on our Atlantic coast, in meeting sudden
demands for the reinforcement of other b ations,
in aiding merchant vessels in affording
active service to an additional number o *officers
and in visiting the different ports of the
Unf ed States, an accurate knnvl-dgc of which
is obvio-s'y of the highest importance.
The attention of Congress is respectfully call
' 4 ^A ?4- ?. ?. A MA/tAmmanrlinrr
UU IU tllUl purtlUil Ul II1U irpwib icvwiiiiu^uutiig
an inc-oauc in the number f smaller vessels, and
to other suggestions contained in that document.
The rapid increase and wide expansion of oui
commerce, which is every day seeking new avenues
of profitable adventure; the absolute necessity
of a naval force for its protection precisely
in the degree of its extension ; a duo re.
gard to the national rights and honor ; tho recollection
of its form -r exploits, and the antici.
pation of its future triumphs whenever oppor.
tunity presents itself, which wo may rightfully
indulge from tho experience of t.ic past?all
secnf to point to the Navy as a most efficient
arm of our national defenco, and a proper object
ofl gig'ative cnco iragement.
The progress and condition of the Post Office
Department will be seen by reference to the report
of the Postmaster General. The extent of
post roads, covered by mail contracts, is stated
to be 131 S18 miles, and the annual transportation
upon them 31,580.202 miles. The number
of post offices in the United States is 12,553, and
rapidly increasing. The gross revenue for the
year ending on the 30lh day of Juno last was
84.462,145. The accruing expenditures
8117,923 ; excets of expenditures $417,923.?
This has been made up of the surplus
previously on hand. The cashon hand on
the first instant was $314,068. The revenue
for tho year ending June 30, 1838, was
$161,540 more than that for the year ending
June 30, 1837. Tho expenditures of the De.
pnrtmcnt had bcon graduated upon the the anticipation
ofu largely increased revenue. A moderate
curtailment ot mail service consequently
nf.nnsMfv nnfl Ins hf*pn pfflirtcfl In
shield the Department against the danger of em-'
barrassment. Its revenue is now improving, and j
it wil soon resume its onward course in the ;
march of improvsmcnt. I
Your particular attention is requested to so'
much of the Postmaster General's report as re. j
lutes to the transportation of the mails upon rail
roads. The laws on that subject do not seem :
adequate to securo that service, now become al- j
most essential to the public interests, and at the j
samo timo protect tho Department from j
combinations and unreasonable demands.
Nor can I too earnestly request your attention
fo the necessity of providing a more secure building
for this Department. The danger of des.
truction to which its important books and papers
are continually exposed. a6 well from the highly
combustible character of the building occupied
as from that of othors in the vicinity, culls;
for prompt action,
Your attention is again earnestly invited to
the sugg stionsand recommenduttons submitted
at the lost session in respect to tho District of
Columbia.
I feel it my duty, also, to bring to your notice
certain proceedings at law which have receutly :
bocu prosccutod in this District, in the name of'
the United States, on the relation of Messrs. i
Stockton & Stokes, of the State of Maryland,
agiinst the Postmaster General, and which have ;
resulted in the payment of money out of tho Na.!
tional Treasury, for the first time since the cs- j
tablishment of the Government, by Jaw writ of
mandamus, issued by tho Circuit Court of this '
Disrict.
The facts of the case, and the grounds of the .
prooeedings, will be found fully stated in the j
report of the decision ; any additionai intorma. ,
? ?i.:_i J?-..-II i? !
HUH winmi vuu lll.iy ut'eau nm m? Bupjiucu i/? i
(lie proper department. No interference in the J
pasticulur case is contemplated. The money |
has been paid; the claims of the prosecutors)
have been satisfied ; and the whole subject, so j
far as they are concerned, is finally disposed of; i
but it is on the supposition that the case maybe j
regarded as an authoritative exposition of the !
law as it now stands, that I have thought it ne
cessiry to present it to your consideration.
The object of this application to the cir uit
court wa6 to compel the Postmaster General to
carry into effect an award made by the Sellcitor
jf the Treasury, under a special set of Congicss,
for the settlement of certain claims of the nla. I
:ors on the Post Office Department; which !
lwnrd the Postmasscr General declined to cxa
:ute in full, until he should receive further legslative
direction on the subject. If tho duty i
mposlod on the Postmahter General ay tint
aw was to be regarded as one of an official na- (
ure, belonging to hieofficeasa branch o the
Executive, then it is obvious that the constitu- 1
ional competency of the Judiciary to direct and 1
ontrol him in its discharge was necessarily !
Irawu in (juestion. And if the duty so imposed .
>n the Postmaster General was to be considered
is merely ministerial, and not executive, it yet j
omainedtobc shown that the Circuit Court of '
his District had authoiity to interfere by man- '
' ? MAfTo* Ka4AI?A
IUIJJUS t-uwu u Jiunti muuig uv,lu U1-luit utvjj ,
issertcd or claimed by that court. With a view J
o the settlement of these important questions,
he judgment of the Circuit Court was carried *
'V a writ of error to the Supreme Court of the
Lhiited States. In the opinion of that tribunal t
ho duty imposed on the Postmaster General
ras not an official, executive duty, but one of a
le.-cly ministerial nature. The grave constitu.
ionul questions which had been discussed were,
licrcforc, excluded from the decision of the case: t
lie court, indeea, expressly admitting- that, with !;
owcrs and duties properly belonging to the
Ixccutive.no other department can interfere,
y the writ of mandamus; and the question,'1
icrofuro resolved itself into i his: Has Congras j '1
nferred upon the Circuit Court of this District,'
ic power to issue such a writ to an officer of: ^
io General Government, commanding him to, f,
?rfonn a ministerial act ? A majority of the ' J
>urt have decided that it has; but h ive founded | f
icir decision upon a process of reasoning which,' h
' my judgment, renders further legislative pro- j jr
ision indispensable to the public interest and |
ic cqua; administration 01 jusuce.
It has long sinco been decided by I he Su- j ^
ome Comt that neither that tribunal nor the i tr
ircuit (Courts of the United States held within j
e respective States possess the power, c'onicd, j3
both of these high tribunals, (to the lonner j '
' f ic Constitution, and to the luhtr t;r Con. >
? V ^ },- * . . r *tAf! 4 * ??> tV? f
Circuit Court of this District. No such direct
grunt of power to the Circuit Court of this Dis.
trict is claimed; but Ins been held to r suit, by
necessary implication, from several sections ol
tho law establishing the Court. One of these
sections declares that the laws of Maryland, as
they existed at the time of the cession, should
be in forco in that part of the District ceded by
that State; and, by this provision, tho common
law, in civil and criminal cases, as it prevailed in
Maryland in 1801, was established in that part
of the District.
In England, the Court of King's Bench?
because the Sovereign, who, according to the
theory of tho Constitution, is the fountain of jus.
tice, originally sat there in person, and is still
deemed to c present, in construction of law?
alono possesses the high power of issuing tin
writ of mandamus, not only to Inferior jurisdic
tions and corporations, but also to magistrates a ni
| others, commanding them, in tho King's nam*
I to do what their duly requires, in cases wher*
there is a vested right, and 110 other spacifh
remedy. It has been held, in the case referret
to, that, as the Supreme Court of the Unitec
States is, by the Constitution, rendered incom
pelent to exercise this power, and as the Circui
Court of this District is a Court of general juris
diction in cases at common law, and the high
est Court of original jurisdiction in the District
the right to issue the writ of mandamus is in
cident to its common law powers. Anothei
ground relied upon to maintain the power i:
question is, that it wa6 included, by fair con
struction, in rhc power it granted to the cir
cuit Courts ol ihe United States, by the act44 tc
provide for the more convenient organizatior
of the Courts of the United States," passec
13th of February 1801; that the establishing
the Circuit Court of this District, passed th(
27th day of February, 1801, conferred upot
that Court and the judges thereof the same
powers as were by law vested in the Circui1
Courts of the United States and in the judge*
of the said Courts; that the repeal of the firs!
mentioned act, which took place in the noxi
I vpnr. did not divest the Circuit Court of th?
District of the authority in dispute, but left i
still clothed with the powers over the eubjeci
which, it is conceded, were taken away fronr
the Circuit Courts of the United States bj
the repeal of the act of 13th of February 1801
Admitting that the adoption of the laws o
Maryland for a portion of this District oonfen
on tlio Circuit Court thereof, in that portion
the transcendent extra-judicial prerogative pow
ers of the Court of King's Bench, in England
or that either of the acts of Congress, by ncces
sary implication, authorizes tho former Court t<
issue a writ of mandamus to an officer of thi
United States, to compel him to perform a min,
istcriul duty, the consequences are, in one respect
the same. The result in either case is, that the
officers ofthe United States, stationed in differ
ent parts of the United States, are, in respect t(
the performam e cf their official duties, subject t(
different laws and a different supervision; those
in the States to one rule, and those in the Di?
trict of Columbia to another and a very different
; one. In the District the r official conduct is sub
ject to a judicial control, from which in the
States they are exempt.
Whatever differnce of opinion may exist as t(
the expediency of vesting such a power in th<
Judiciary, in a system of government constitu
I ted like that of the Uni ed States, all must agree
that these disparaging discrepancies in the law
! and in the administration of justice ought not te
be permitted to continue ; and as Congress alone
can provide (he remedy, the subject is ?.navoida
bly presented to your consiaorauon.
M. VAN BUREN.
Washington, December 3,1838.
From the Christian Intelligencer.
THE OXFORD TRATCS.
W'c coniinue the extracts from a recent
work published in England, entitled," Essays
on the Church, with some observations
on existing circumstances and dangers, by a
Layman." They more particularly exhibit
the character of the Oxford Tract Theology
41 We have already traced the identity
which exists, between the Popery which
is now up rearing itself in the midst of the
Church of England, and the Popery of
Rome ; and have shewn how very minute
and trivial is the distance which is still left
between them. But it seems advisable, bc^
fore leaving the subject, to resolve these de?
tails into their first principles, and to shew
if possible, in what fundamental points the
preachers of this revived Popery have
erred; bandoning the doctrines of the
Curcli of England, and adopting those of
the great Anti-christian apostacy.
" f. The first grand error, then, iuto
which these teachers fail, is, that of denying
the sufficiency and supremacy of God's
word, the Holy Scriptures, as oar one sole,
and sufficient Rule of Faith : and setting
up as a necessary addition and accompaniment
to if, the Traditions of the Church.
In this they so entirely coincide w ith the Romanists,
that Dr. Wiseman, the Pope's
missionary in this country, has contented
himself with quoting from Mr. Newman's
work, on 'the A rians of the Fourth Century
the following passage :
" * Surely, the Sacred Volume was never
mended, and was not adapted, to teach us
our creed ; however, certain it is, that we
can prove our creed from it, when it has
once been taught us. From the very first,
the rule has been, as a matter
of fact, for the chureh to teach the truth,
?nd then to appeal to the Scriptures in vindication
of its own teaching, upon which
he Romish controversialist remarks :
This is more than sufficient for my pur
pose ; it nui oniy uami sine promises wmcn
[ have laid down, Lut goes as far as I can
tfisb, in I he consequences if draws.' [Wiseman's
5th Lnc.ure, p. 139.]
" In tbo Tracts (or the Times, No. 71,
he same doctrine is thus stated :
"?T hn Bible is the record of necessary
ruih ; and the 4 Church Cathoitc's tradition
s flip interpreter of if."
*' But Ciiillingworth had. long ego, set
is deceit in t e light of truth, with his us.,
inl power and clearness ; ho says, 4 lie
hat would usurp an absolute lordship and
\ rrany over any people, n 'cd put himself to
he trouble and difficulty of abrogating and j
disannulling the laws made to maintain the
ommon liberty ; for h?* may frustrate their in j
"lit, and compass his own design as well, if
he can g't the power and authority to ine;rupt
them as he pleases, and to have
is interpretations and additions stand for I
iws ; if he can rule his people by his laws,
nd his laws by his lawyers. So the Church j
f Homo, to establish her tyrranny over ;
ten's consciences, need not cither to abol- j
h cr corrupt the Holy Scripture^ the nil- '
ir at J supporters of Christian liberty. But
c more expedite way. and therefore the ;
Ir>.n 1 ' t r. - "0,' 'r,
the opinion and esteem of being the public
and authorised interpreter of them, and the
authority ofadding to them what doctrine she
pleased, undsr the tittle of traditions or defi.
! nitions. For by this means, she might bof
serve herself of all those clauses of Scripture
which might be drawn to cast a favorable
countenanceupon her ambitious pretences
?which, had the Scriptures been abolished
she could not have done ; and yet be secure
. enough of having neither Iter power linfted,
s ; nor her corruptions and abuses reformed bj
j them; this being once settled in the minds ol
i men, that unwritten doctrines, if proposed bj
; i her, were to be received with equal reverenct
-1 than of the warfare to be waged, he
1 ; would hardly havo failed to remem
J j ber, that for whole centuries the chie
I i to those that were written ; and that tin
i ?ense of ScriDture was not thnt which i
1 j srcniod to reason and understanding to be
- i but 'hit which the Church of Rome shouh
1 declare it, seem that never so unreasonabli
arid uncongruous.' (Ch4i ling worth's Works
; foi. p. 40.)
44 And it is very important that we shouh
r nlvva>s bear in wind, that it is one unerrinj
1 test of truth or error,?wnether the teacher
of any given doctrine are ready to submi
J to ihejudgment of God's word or not ? 4 T<
j the Law and to the Testimony ; if the;
j speak not according to this word, it is be
r cause there is no light in them.' The Be
< reans are praised by the-Spirit of God, fo
1 that they, being laymen, 1 searched th
i Scriptures daily, whether these things wer
^ so.'
I " But to this test, no teacher of error wi
l ever willingly consent to bo brought. Ii
i the aversion, all shades and contrarieties o
t heresy agree. With the Socinian, reasot
t is to be the judge ;?wi h the Irvingite,4 th
1 Church or * the voice of the Spirit.' Th
1 Quaker equally refuses ihe simple word o
p God, and prefers4 the inward witness
j the Romanist asserts 4 the authority of th<
, Church,' to declare what the sense ofScrip
ture is ;?and the4 Tracts for the Times
' refer us to 4 the Church Catholic's Tradt
li^n ' A rv/4 inncrvntAb no AoaK n a/1 oil />
J Iivjii nuu iijuoiuu^ii uuu uii VJ
s th'-se refuse to abide by flie plain and un
. ambiguous decisions of God's were, w<
? know and are assured, by the mgsl certaii
J of all tests, that it is because there is in eacl
] and in all of them, some human admixture
i which cannot abide this trial."
i " But it has been asked, Do you mean
" then, to set up every man's own private in
1 tepretation of Scripture as his rule c
! faith ? Or, if not, what better guid<
have you to propose than that of th<
> Church's teaching, or the Church's tra
5 dition! It is stran*e that this sophis
[ tical dilemma should have perpHse<
'r any one. But it was well answered in th
> Downside Discussion. T e statute law o
> the realm is the rule of life to all person
' within that realm. We do not mean the stu
ute law according to each man's own pri
vate intepretaiion, but the statue law itself
So the Holy Scripture are our rule of faith
? The Holy Scriptures themselves ; no
the Holy Scrip ures as we choose to inter,
pret them f
t " But it has been objected,?that a mean
ing, an interpretation, must be attached ti
> the words of Scripture, or the mere act o
: reading them will be of uo use :?Is then
each man to attach his own meaning as \u
reads, or ought he not rather to accept thi
intepretuliou of the catholic or universa
church 7
44 The first answer to this, is, that to tin
, great bulk of mankind, to whom, in dealing
with these mat ers, we must always havi
reference,?ihere is no such thing availa.
ble or accessible, as this alleged * interpre
tation of the Catholic church.' Let a mar
turn on which ? ver side he will, he is sure tt
find whatever party he meets, laying clairr
to 4 the consent of antiquity.'
" But the second reply is, that in am
difficulty, a fir more safe and certain guidt
is provided for us, than ail the wit or wisdom
of man could furnish. The promisf
is, that4 the way-faring man,though a fool
shall not err therein,' and this promise i?
mado doubly sure by the means provided
1 for its accomplishment. 4 Your heavenlj
Father will give the Holy Spirit to them
that ask him. Here, then, is an interpreter
incomparably .beyond all that man
could-devise, a sure, an unersing guide:
One ; not a thousand conflicting authori.
ties ; and one too, obtained by4 asking,' instead
ofljing hid in the multudinous volumes
of the Councils and the Fathers."
..ti n . .i .t i i /? t
ii. uut me nexttcaaing anaiunciamental
error of this school consists in an undue
exaltation of what is termed Antiquity.1
Aiming, on the one hand, to pull down the
Scriptures from their rightful elevation, as
the one standard of truth ; they endeavor,
on the other, to elevate most unduly, certain
of the works of men, in such sort as
to bring them nearly to the same level with
God's word.
u To show that we do not misrepresent
the views of these writers we shall just ob.
serve, that in one of their publications, we
are told that to assert the principle of * the
Bibie, and nothing but the Bible,' is to be
guilty of 1 an unthankful rejection of an.
oilier great gift, equally from God,' (Tracts
for the Times, No, 71, p. 8 :) to wit,
'radition. In like manner, a departed
friend is thus lauded
"'He was one of those, who, feeling
strongly the inadequacy of their own intellects
to guide tiiem to religious truth, are
prepared to throw themselves unreserv dly
' nn Revelation, wherever found, in Scripture
> or Antiquity.* (British Critic, Jan. 1839, p.
1224.)
I " Here is an exaltation, without any
! qualication or obscurity, of what is called
4 Antiquity,' to the same rank with ' Scrip,
lure,' as equally the product of 1 Revelation."
And in another page it is said, J
flow little shou'J we know of the interpret
tion of Scripture without the works of On.
gen, of Tertullianf&c.' (Ibid. p. 47.)
" Thus we are at one and the same time
informed, that the writingsof the fathers are
io be looked upon as a portion of revealed
truth ; and that they arc absolutely cssen.
rial to our understanding the Scriptures*
N . ? a ! ffr.f. P'th. ,,
J er of these assertions. Both, clearly, are
J mere assumptions ; and of the boldest, nay
of the most rash and groundless dcscrip
tion."
1 " We have seen that one of the Oxford
- writers talks of1 throwing oursel.es unre.
' servedly on the guidance of Revelation,
whether equal in Scripture or antiquity.'
> And if we ask, what is included under this
) term, * Antiquity, we find that there is no
? intention of confining its application to the
r works of the apostolic Fathers,?to those
f who wrote in the days when the miraculous
r gifts of the Spirit were still vouchsafed to
} the church ;?but that weare to be carried
1 down a course ofcenturis, and still to accept
the perpetually .deteriorating works of the
^ ' J.-* (LA M'nn/tllrtio ftf & t)n
uivines oi me uay, us iuc piuuuvu wi **w
} velation.* It is said,
1 "4 Three centuries and more were ne?
cessary for the infant church to attain her
^ mature and perfect form and due stature.
3 Athanasius, Basil and Ambrose are the
? fully-instructed doctors of her doctrine,
morals, and discipline/(British Mag. vol.
^ | ix. p. 359. '
j 44 4 Now here we have a principle intros
j duccd, which is obviously inconsistent with 1
i the ground previously taken. We were
0 ! first told that the study of* Antiquity* was
y I important, inasmuch as it introduced us to
- the Contemporaries and immediate succes"
sors of the Apos.les. But now it ;s argued,
r j that the Fathers rise in authority and in
0 ! value, in proportion as their distance from
e | the apostolic times increases ! Common
sense will teach us just the contrary. The
" main ground of the respect and venerable
" which the earlier Fathers may justly claim,
' arises from the fact of their having been ac1
tually cnnver*ent either wiih the apostles,
e themselves, or with those appointed by the
c apostles to various offices in the church.
advance two or three hundred years down
" the stream of time, and what is the inevita8
ble result ? You come to a race of divines
who were as far removed from the Apostle
' in distance of time, and probably also in
" likeness of doctrine, as are the present theolf
ogians of Germany, from the days and i'c.2
opinions of Luther and Me^anchon. When
B authority, tl?erefore, is claimed for the wri1
tings of Basil t r Ambrose, we natural de.
1 mand know on what ground the claim is
** e.i VI
made. Not on the existence 01 me spenai
gifts of the Spirit, for those had been with'?
drawn ; not on the score of a personal
- knowledge of the apostles and their ways,
f for this was prevented by the intervention of
9 three centuries ; not on a close adherence
9 to Aposiolic usages; for it is even made
a matter of boast, ihat tbey had ventured/
r e. added to them. What, then, remains
io claim our especial aud submissive attruB
lion ? Nothing, but their intrinsic worth,
' whatever that may be. In otner words, we
s ought to r^ad Basil or Ambrose with just
as much veneration as we readCranmer or
- Ridley, but assuredly with not a whit more.
And, thus weighed and compared together.
? the value of the works of die sixth century
1 will be found to fall fur, very far short of
- those of die sixteenth.
* 111. Tne next fundamental error to
^ which we shall allude, in this school ofiheof
Iogians, is a constant tendency to dwell
more on the * outward and visible sign,"
' than on the * inwnrd and spiritual grace/
I ?to pay greater attention to the form and
j vehicW in which the divine mercy is conveyed
to U9, than to the truth and power of
? the blessing itself. We are aware that
j this imputation lias already been declared
9 to be 'uncharitable / but we know not
how to estimate or describe a bodyofthoo"
logical wri'ers, otherwise than by their pub.
tvnrkci ? nnrl flint is renllv tl?? snirit
} ? ' ? v ? r
} of those works, will hardly l>e denied ;nev1
criheless, to leave no room for cavil, we
will offer an instance or twe in proof.
" I* The Lord Jesus Christ, just before
, his ascension, eommissiorred his apostles
't to * go into all the world, and preach the
, gospel to overy creature." fie charged
them in ' baptize all nations, in the name
j of the Fattier, and of the Son and of the
I Holy Ghost; and to teach them to observe
t all things,' that he that commanded ; and
( he added ' Do, I am with youahvay, even
unto the eud of the world.' Now of the
| power thus vested in the apostles, and the
, authority given to them, (impliedly only,
not expressly to transfer that power to certain
successors ; wc near much from these
writers. It is, in fact, the centre of their
system; for they tell us, that ' The very
notion, that representatives of the apostles
, are now on earth, from whose commun?
ion we may obtain grace, as th > first
, Christian did from the apostles, is surely,
| when admitted, of a most transporting and
persuasive character ; it will supply the
desideration which exhsts in our actual
teaching at this day*' (British Mag, vol. ix~
OAS 1
p. uuy.j
" Here, most clearly, it is the authority,
vested in certain persons by succession,
that is held up as the grand 4 esideratum.*
To be commissioned by those who derive
their own commission in a direct line from
the apostles, and thus from Christ, is the
main thing. But the great end object of
he ministry so commissioned,?namely4 to
preach the gospel to every creature,' is
wholly forgotton ; or the writer, who is so
4 transported' with the idea of having actual
4 representatives of the apostles on
<arth,' would never have lost sight of the
fact, thai an immense majority of these
4 representatives of the apostle9,' now liv- '
ing on the earth, are among the greater
traitors to Christ, and the most bitter enemies
to his gospel, that can possibfc be
c j ii..! up hmi nnt more
KllillUi 11 I'lo niiivi uiiu iiv.
of the ' authority' and the 4 con mission
employment of these 4 representatives of \Jtf
apostles' consisted in hunting out of tjeir i
dens aad caves of the earth/ those fejfreal
I disciples ofChrist,4 of whom the woW was i
not worthy.' But it is evident ty the au ^
thority conferred, is the chief nyrferin this y
writer's eyes; end that theobjrct and end tf
of this mission?the preaching of the gos? A
pel?fills quite a subordinaC place. y
"If. This is placed bq^ooda doubt by, w
the constant preference slfewn forihe Horn- ,n
ieh BD'i?!ocv ovc- *\ f fijrmed "hvcf c.T I
7
of Germany, Scotland, &c. We have already
seen, that Rome is constantly addres.
sed as our 'mother,' 'sister/ and the like,
and4 our present separation from it, declared
be 4 a grievous calamity' [British Mog?
ozine, vol.ix. p. 243 ;] while the church of
Scotland is likened to Samaria, and even to
Israel in a state of utter apostacy. Now this
| is entirely to overlook the inspired description
of Rome, as 4the mother of harlots,
and abominations of the earth: drunken with
I the blood of the saints, and with the blood
I of the martyrs of Jesus ;' and from frhott)
| God commands his people to 4 Come out
that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that
ye receive not of her plagues.'* It is also
entirely to forget the broad and notorious
fact, that Italy, so especially to be epried
as possessing * representatives of the apostles
on ear'h, from whom we may derive
grace,' is a land wholly given up to idolatry,
infidelity, superstition, and degrading
vice; while Scotlond is a country, where
the gospel is preached, and honored, and
believed and where Christians abound, and
faith and the fruits of faith are every where
, visible. But all these things matter not,
when a man acquires a habit of looking
more to forms and names, than to things?
to ordinances and sacraments, more than
to grace and holiness. *jj
"III. The like error runs through all W
their views of the sacraments. The mio,
isters of the ohurch are declared to be the
only ministers in England,1 who have a
right to be perfectly sure that they have the
body and blood of Christ to give to (ho
people.' Thus the value of the sacrament *
is rrnde wholly to depend upon the kind of
ordination received by the minister* instead
of laying, as the Church constantly does,
the chief stress on the faith of theieceiver.
The church declares plainly,'hat unbelievers
do not eat the body and blood of Christ
[Art, xxix. ;] and it also distinctly states,
that what remains after communion, though
consecrated, is nothing but 1 bread and
wine.' Cleary, then, the church look to the
substantial par', the spiritual reception of
the sacrament, by faitb. But the writers
whom we have quoted, by their greatest
stress upon the minor circumstances ofcon- *
secration, whether by a priest or a deacon,
and the like. And their argument goes to
prove, that in iheCtrarch of Scotland, with
hundreds of godly ministers, and thousands
of pious communicants, there has not been
a single real sacrament, for nearly two hundred
years! And that merely because
there lias not been a priest, in the apostolic
succession, to convert the bread and wine
into the bod) andjblood ofChrist; while in infidel
nod debased Spain and Italy,our Lord's
body and blood is constantly offered to the
people, inasmuch as the priests who there
officiate,?unbelievers, themselves, as most
of them are,?ore yet the right line of
4 Apos olic succession.'
POETRY.
From the Imperial Magazine.
THE HARMONY, A MORAVIAN
VESSEL.
[This is a small brig belonging to the United
Brethren, which, for upwards ofSfty years, has
regularly carried provisions, and other commodities,
to their mission stations in Greenland,
Labrador, &c. The missionaries are
entirely *ependent for their supplies upon its
safe arrival. It is customary for the Brethren
4 /r> ? ? fA /IAJ
10 OQer buieuiu prajrn w uvu. uu im ooiuuk,
for its safety; and to welcome its return with
praises and thanksgivings.]
Little bark, thy wings expand,
Catch the gently blowing breeze;
Hasten to the destined land,
Skim across the azure seat;
Seek the distant, chil'ing Pole,
Cheer and bless the longing soul.
There, where Greenland's mountains
raise
High their snowy-crested beads;
Where gay nature seldom strays
Seldom her glad blessings sbed;
There, upon that sterile land,
Dwells a holy Mission band.
Self-devoted to the Lord,
Home's sweet comforts they lesign;
Trusting in His holy word,
On his promise they recline,?
Not in vain?their vessel brings
Bounties from the King of kings.
Precious bark, the Brethren's prayer
On thy hallowed path attends ;
And Jehovah's waich/ul care
Safe the Mission brig defends:
Not a swelling billow's force
Dares to stop its prosperous course.
Far amid the frozen deep
Lies its oft-repeated way:
Yet not icy bonds can keep,
Prayer avails far more than they;
Like to faithful Noah's ark,
'Tie the Christian's sacred bark.
Long hast thou the bills rods,
Long the frozen plain defied;
God, who erst the wa*rs trod*,
Deigns himself to<*> thyjfoider
He who 6torms acalmafne sea,
Still will keep a*d prosper thee.
Still go on to the Pole
Heavily bounties safely bear;
Till tb~' Gospel-he raids tell
Ai'the Goipel-message there:
T?l the sons of Greenland find
,Tesus, Saviour of mankind.
Till ^he fallen race of man
? ""J ?,1 .
/or my aia no more sncui cau ,
V^hen the heaven-projected pian
Shall embrace and rescue all:
/ Wnen, O God ! the world shall prore
All the fulness of thy love!
J.S. B.,Jun.
Is liey, Worcestershire.
ftrntr
Wanted.
A Teacher to take charge of Pleasant Hill
Academy, who is competent to prepare
oung men for entering College ; also to teach
le usual branches of an english education.?
. man ot family would be pre>ered. Appliesons
to bo made to William Sbaw, Mill Grow,
umter district. None need rpply except those
ho can come recommended for eobreitj and
oralitr.
Nor. is. 1939. n*-e?