Treatise on Class Meetings

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1854. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... they derive full and legitimate authority. We have, also, sufficiently explained the mode in which they derive this authority. And thus our second general argument is sufficiently established and brought to a sure conclusion. Section m. further arguments. We might here close the argument for the obligation of class meetings as a term of Church membership. But as this part of the subject, upon which we are writing, is most important, it will not be improper to offer a few thoughts further. We specially desire to treat this part fully and fairly, and to allow full place for any grounds of objection that may be urged against it. We proceed, then, with some further observations. It was previously made sufficiently plain, that all good and well-ordered Churches do more or less require certain things of a prudential character in order to membership, which are not revealed or enjoined in the Scriptures, and which are not essential to Christian character or to salvation. Now, if a Church may not require any such thing, it follows that any person, that all persons, are excused from joining any one of them--excused from joining any at all. Moreover, those within them would be excusable in leaving them, and thus utterly destroying them all. But no one can soberly admit this. It is the duty of every person to unite with, and to continue in the communion of some Church, where he may publicly profess the name of Christ, attend upon the divinelyinstituted ordinances of religion, and worship God. And this secures the principle of the lawfulness of requiring, as a term of Church membership, the observance of a mere pruden tial measure, which is not essential to Christian character, or to salvation. Again: do Churches, by thus requiring such non-essentials, cease to be true Churc...