)རི་ལོ། REASONS FOR RECEIVING THE ORDINANCE OF CHRISTIAN BAPTISM; TO WHICH ARE ADDED SOME OBSERVATIONS ON THE Lord's Supper; IN A Letter ADDRESSED TO THE SOCIETY OF FRIENDS. BY ELISHA BATES. SECOND EDITION. LONDON: WHITTAKER & CO.; HAMILTON, ADAMS, & CO. ; JOHN WRIGHT, BRISTOL; W. ELLERBY, MANCHESTER; D. MARPLES AND CO., 1836. C 834 1936.66 HARVARD COLLEGE LIBRARY FRIENDS HISTORICAL LIBRARY FEB 7 1935 THE DOCTRINES OF FRIENDS. (From Number 28 of The Miscellaneous Repository.) It is known to many, if not all, of the readers of THE REPOSITORY, that I published, in 1825, a volume bearing the title which stands at the head of this article. When it was about to be published in America, I secured the copy-right, in order to have the control of subsequent editions. My permission was asked and given, for the edition that was published in Leeds; but for no other on this side the Atlantic. The work, however, has been very extensively circulated; there having been printed, probably not less than 15,000 copies. I have felt with increasing weight the responsibility which rests upon me, as its author. And having seen the sad effects which have resulted from suffering unguarded writings on religious subjects, not only to appear in print, but to go down to posterity, uncorrected, I am the more desirous of correcting in my own works, every thing which may appear to demand it. To mislead, or stumble one single inquiring, or unsuspecting mind, would be a circumstance greatly to be lamented. On a careful review of this work on the "Doctrines of Friends," I am convinced that it does not place the important doctrine of Justification in that clear, Scriptural point of view, which it should have done. Nor is it satisfactory to myself on several other points of doctrine. It is therefore my intention, if life and ability should be afforded me, either carefully to revise that work, or to publish another to supersede it. And in the mean time, it would be most agreeable to my wishes, that the further pulication of it should be suspended. E TO THE MEMBERS OF THE SOCIETY OF FRIENDS. DEAR FRIENDS, The relation in which I stand to you, as a member of the same society, and the Christian friendship which I have long felt for many of you individually, demand that I should, at the earliest period that circumstances would admit, inform you of a step, which I have believed it my duty to take, and of the reasons which have led me to it. The subject of the Ordinances having for several years past engaged my attention, in the examination of the correctness or error of our peculiar views in regard to them, it becomes my duty to inform you, with all readiness and candour, the result of my enquiries. I was, as many of you know, a member of this Society by birth-right: and I grew up in a strong attachment to the distinguishing doctrines and manners of our profession. And long did I maintain and defend those sentiments which I had imbibed as truth. In early life, I suffered many sore conflicts of mind, in besetments with temptations, and under powerful convictions of sin. The dangers to which I was exposed, and the distress into which I was often plunged, were greatly increased, by the lack of clear views of Christian doctrine; especially in regard to Faith in Christ, and Justification by Faith, the work of the Holy Spirit, and the duty and privilege of prayer. I It is not my intention to prolong this Letter by discussion on these subjects. mention them to show my early and strong attachment to the Society of Friends, and that through conflicts, which can never be described, I was brought to feel the importance of endeavouring to know, and to do the will of God. He was graciously pleased to regard me in my low estate, and gradually to open my understanding, to understand the Scriptures, on those important points of doctrine, which have an immediate relation to the Salvation of the Soul-among which may be mentioned " Repentance toward God, and Faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ." These points of doctrine formed prominent parts of the controversy, in which, a few years ago, I was engaged in my own country. That controversy, and subse quent events connected with it, through the Providence and Grace of God, were blessed to me, in being the means of directing my attention more closely to the Holy Scriptures, and through the work of the Holy Spirit, extending my views of doctrines of fundamental importance. Having tasted the terrors of the Lord, I was engaged to persuade men. And in doing this, I did not seek for popularity, nor endeavour to adapt my preaching to the taste or the prejudices of my hearers. Many of you can bear me witness, that for preaching the great doctrines of the Gospel, without compromise, I incurred the displeasure of many, who had professed much friendship for me, and who, in various ways, have manifested that displeasure. But I felt bound to submit to the loss of friends, of reputation, or of whatever it might cost me, counting all but as dross, so that I might win Christ. But while engaged in the maintenance of those blessed doctrines of the Gospel, for which I had been made a sufferer, my attention was called to subjects which had been passed over, as requiring no examination. An anxious enquirer asked me, what good reasons, or what were the best reasons, which we had for laying aside the Ordinances? I gave an answer, which, though it did not satisfy the enquirer, put an end to the conversation on the subject. My mind, however, was directed to the Holy Scripture, to find some reasons in addition to those we had already advanced, in support of our peculiar views. The subject of Baptism first engaged my attention. But my disappointment can scarcely be conceived, when, instead of finding additional arguments in favour of the disuse of the Ordinances, I perceived that the very passages on which we had relied, did not support the conclusions we have drawn from them; but, on the contrary, presented evidence of a directly opposite character. Disappointment increased the earnestness of my research. I still hoped to find something which would fully sustain us. And when again and again, every argument which I could frame to myself, was laid prostrate before the simple testimony of Holy Scripture, I determined to suspend my decision, sought for assistance and right direction in prayer, and returned again to the examination of the subject. More than twelve months elapsed before I gave up the hope of finding sufficient evidence in Scripture for believing that we had been right in laying those practices aside. But when at last, the conviction was forced upon me, that our predecessors were not warranted in the disuse of Baptism and the Supper, the difficulties in which they had placed us, by so doing, came fully into view. How to recover what they had thus abandoned, was, and is, attended with difficulties, which can be fully realized only after the mind is convinced upon the primary question. I need not notice those difficulties in detail, on the present occasion. But it is proper to remark, that my mind was turned to the Lord, in frequent and fervent prayer for right direction. Few, if any, of my most intimate friends knew the process through which my mind was led. For as I was not, and could not be, prepared, publicly to promulgate the doctrine, until I was enabled to meet it in a practical way, I found it to be my place, rather to seek knowledge for myself on these subjects, than to undertake to communicate it to others. Sometimes, however, the question arose in conversation, in a way that did not allow me to turn aside from the expression of my own judgment, so far as it had been formed. But being fully convinced, in regard to the abstract question, I was bound to seek for the wisdom which is from above, to direct me in regard to the practical difficulties which arise from our peculiar position. These difficulties were at length removed, but not till the time of my last visit to London. My conclusions were not the result of personal influence, from any quarter whatever, but of the full convictions of my own mind. After several interviews with Dr. J. Pye Smith, I was baptised by him, at his own house, at Homerton, on the 15th inst. A few Christian friends were present. But, though I preferred to pursue a very simple course, in accordance with some of those deeply interesting examples which are recorded of Primitive Believers, I never wished the transaction itself to be regarded, in any degree, in the character of a secret. I am not ashamed of the profession I have made of Faith in our Lord and Saviour, nor of the manner in which that profession was made. I rest on the authority of the commandment of our risen and adorable Redeemer, and the example of the Believers in the purest age of the Church. And while I most tenderly sym pathize with my beloved friends, who may have been alarmed or pained at hearing of the step which I have taken, I do sincerely rejoice, in that sense of the love, and of the Providence of God, which has been given me. And now, in the feeling of brotherly regard, I will endeavour to remove from your minds every painful impression which you may have received on the occasion. And, in the first place, I will remark, that in being baptized, in conformity with the command of Christ, and the example of the Apostles and Primitive Believers, I did not intend to abandon the Society of Friends; it being distinctly understood, that it was not an initiation into the particular Society of which Dr, Pye Smith is a pastor. I shall leave it to my friends, in their official capacity, to say whether to walk as we have the Apostles for an ensample (see Phil. iii, 17), be totally inadmissible in our Society or not. my In disposing of this question, let it be remembered, that there is not, and so far as information extends, there never was, any rule of discipline touching the question. How then can you undertake to censure an individual, as having violated the discipline-in a case in which there is no discipline at all? If you think the dis |