NOTES ON THE PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICEI OF BAPTIST CHURCHES

NOTES

ON THE

PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE

BAPTIST CHURCHES.

BY FRANCIS WAYLAND.

NEW YORK:
SHELDON, BLAKEMAN & CO., 115 NASSAU STREET.
BOSTON: GOULD & LINCOLN.
CHICAGO: S. C. GRIGGS & CO.

1857.

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1856, by
FRANCIS WAYLAND,
In the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the District of Rhode Island.

CONTENTS.

PAGE Baptists have no Authoritative Confessions of Faith.?The Absence of such Confession a Cause of Union rather than Division

Baptist Views of the Trinity, the Law, Human Depravity, the Atonement, Particular and General

III.

Extent of the Atonement.?Regeneration.?Preaching Christ.?Manner of Preaching, and Reason of it

IV.

Baptist Preaching formerly extempore, that is, without written preparation.?Advantages of this mode of preaching for the cultivation of Pulpit Eloquence

Objections to unwritten Discourses.?These not peculiar to this mode of Public Address

VI.

Language of our early Preachers universally understood.?Their Discourses abounded in illustrations drawn chiefly from the Scriptures

VII.

PAGE Objection answered.?Men of Sense desire Preaching which will move their Consciences.?Error of the older Preachers.-Our Error the Opposite

VIII.

Ministers decreasing in Number.?Older Preachers urged Men to immediate Repentance.?Their Preaching Experimental

IX.

Effects of Preaching on Experimental Religion on Saints and Sinners.?Discriminating Preaching necessary to the Success of the Gospel.

Baptist Views of Qualifications for the Ministry.?We are bound by the Apostolic Rule.?Our Circumstances not essentially different from those of the early Christians

XI.

It is possible to believe our Principles and act at variance with them.?Change in Thirty-five Years.?The Reason of the Saviour's Rule

XII.

By carrying out these Views we should have such a Ministry as Christ has appointed, a more numerous! Ministry, a Ministry adapted to the various wants of Men.?Consequences of the opposite view

XIII.

Objections considered.?Frequent Changes of Ministers.?Ministerial Support.?Our condition demands a Ministry that can in part support itself.?Labor with the hands degrades no one.?Dr. Alexander's friend Mr. Shelburne

XIV.

What should be done to improve our Ministry.?Education of our Children,-Ministers' Duty in this Matter.?Higher Education for those designed for it.?Theological Seminaries.?These views eminently favorable to Ministerial Education

XV.

Universal Obligation resting on all the Disciples of Christ to labor personally for Him.?Sunday?schools.?Colporteurs.?General Inefficiency of Professors of Religion

XVI.

Baptists acknowledge the sole Authority of the New Testament in opposition to Tradition and Decrees of Councils.?Baptism: the Mode of Administering this Ordinance which we consider obligatory

XVII.

Subjects of Baptism.?Reason why Baptists do not Baptize Infants.?We are not convinced by the views given in favor of Infant Baptism.?Its effect upon the Church

XVIII.

Mode of Admission to the Ministry by the Church.?No better Method.?But Churches must do their Duty in this Matter. Entering the Ministry merely as an agreeable Profession

XIX.

PAGE Evidences of a Call to the Ministry our own Consciousness and the Consciousness of our Brethren.?Duty of a Church to a Candidate.?Mistakes in this Matter

XX.

Ordination.?Its Nature.?Importance of examination of the Candidate.?In no other manner can the Ministry be improved

XXI.

The points in which we differ from other Sects important.?The manner in which we have escaped the errors into which others have fallen

XXII.

Hereditary Membership at variance with the idea of the Spirituality of the Church.?Tendency of Infant Baptism to establish Hereditary Membership......................................... 125 XXIII. Other Truths to which Baptists have borne Testimony.?The Spirituality of the Church of Christ.?The Right of Private Judgment.?The Sufficiency of the New Testament as our Rule of Faith and Practice.?The Separation of the Church from the State......... 130 XXIV. Approximation of other Sects to the Principles held by Baptists. The Spirituality of the Church.?The Sufficiency of the New Testament as our Rule of Faith.?Liberty of Conscience......... 139

XXV.

Points in which we have erred by imitation of others.?Church Music

XXVI.

Change of opinion respecting Church Music.?Church Architecture. 153 XXVII. Sabbath Services.?Posture in Prayer.?Reading Notices.?Formula in Baptism.?Services at Weddings and Funerals

XXVIII. Relations between the Church and the Congregation.-Gradual change in this respect.-Unfortunate position of a Minister...... 165 XXIX. Preaching to build up a Society.-Vestry Services.-Church Discipline.-Amusements.-Honesty in Mercantile Dealing........... 171 XXX. Independence of the Churches.-Can a Church properly be represented?................................................ 1 XXXI. Attempts to form a Baptist representation have failed.-Baptist General Convention.-Missionary Union.-No one of all our Benevolent Associations represent the Baptist Denomination.... 183 XXXII. Love to the Saviour the bond which must unite Baptists to each other.-Errors to be avoided in conducting Benevolent Associations.-The special object of a Church must not be transcended. -Infant Dedication.-Concluding Reflections................ 190

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X CONTENTS. XXXIII. PAGE Importance of Public W1rorship.-The Duty of the Disciples of Christ to maintain it.-With us, this Duty requires a universal effort. Difficulties peculiar to our condition......................... 199 XXXIV. Facilities in our Condition for Extension.-Our latest Statistics show a great need of Ministers of the Gospel....................... 206 XXXV. In our present condition what is to be done?-Can Theological Seminaries and Colleges supply our Need? ?The answer given by Statistics.-We need a great number of Ministers, and we need that every Minister be made as efficient as possible............. 212 XXXVI. The Gifts which Christ, on his Ascension, received for his Church. These Gifts bestowed in Answer to Prayer.-What is Effectual Prayer.................................................. 219 XXXVII. Duty of Baptists in new Settlements, where their number is small, to know each other, meet together for Worship, organize Sabbathschools, and seek out for Gifts for the Ministry among themselves. 226 XXXVIII. Duty of feeble Churches to rely, under God, on themselves; to cultivate Talent for the Ministry among their own Members.-Always hold Worship on the Sabbath.-Pay a Ministering Brother for his Time and Expenses; be not ashamed of him if he be a Laboring Man.................................................... 232 XXXIX. Objection, We are Few and Weak, etc.-Would this justify your Course in Converts from Heathenism, or in the Times of the Apostles?-This excuse savors of Pride, not Humility.-Example of the Church in Hamburg..................................... 240

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CONTENTS. Xi XL. PAGE Churches in Cities.-Their special Need of Opportunity to labor for Christ.-Its Effect upon Individual Piety..................... 247 XLI. Means to be used to Improve the whole Ministry.-Theological Seminaries.-Colleges.-Academies.............................. 255 XLII. Our great Reliance for the Improvement of the Ministry is on the Ministry itself.-What a Minister may do in this Work ?The Blessings that will follow such Labor........................ 261 XLIII. Ministers competent to this Work.-Without them it can not be done.-Suggestions to those that have the Ministry in View..... 269 XLIV. Object of Education.-Education not confined to the study of books. -Difficulty of acquiring the habit of continuous thought.-Aids in acquiring it............................................ 276 XLV. Pulpit Assistants.-Different Classes of Sermons.-Doctrinal Sermons. -Practical Sermons................................... 283 XLVI. Experimental, Expository, and Hortatory Sermons............... 289 XLVII. Texts.-Why should a Text be taken at all?-How may it be used? 296 XLVIII. Moral Requisites for Understanding the Scriptures.-Intellectual Preparation.-A Knowledge of the Meaning of the Words, of the Context, and of the Manners and Usages of the Time.......... 303

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xii CONTENTS. XLIX. PAGE Construction of a Sermon.-What is a Sermon?-Acquaintance with the Human Heart, how acquired.-Necessity of unflinching mental effort............................................. 309 L. Importance of Self-reliance. ?Saving Fragments of Thought. Introduction and Close of Sermons.-Style proper for Sermons. Mistakes on this Subject................................... 316 LI. Delivery of a Sermon.-The Natural Tones of Emotion.-Length of Sermons.-All the Services of Worship to be in Harmony with the Sermon. ?Foppery. ?Talking in the Pulpit............... 323 LII. Week-day Services.-Lecture or Conference Meetings. ?Pastoral Visits.-Conversation on Religion.-Conclusion............... 330

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