CHAPTER 6

Here is the sad root of the ways and of the system of Mr. M.:
" He," says Mr. M., " who knows the evil of his own heart, will always take the road where the least faith is needed," that is to say, where he is the least put to the test. Here again the italics are Mr. M.'s.
Is this the Christian walk?
Is he who would follow the road, " where he is put to the least test," the one who follows the Lord Jesus?
This is easily understood, that none dare go beyond his faith, that the sense of our weakness would make us seek the grace of Jesus by faith, while distrusting ourselves. But to establish a system, and to settle one's walk, so as to be as little put to the test as possible, is to avow, in a manner rather astounding, the intention of not following Christ closely. It is a path which the flesh will easily find out.
Yet I doubt that a person could find his own blessing there, and specially if he were a Christian, which I do not doubt Mr. M. is.
A word or two here will make Mr. M.'s object plain. The system which he believes to be biblical " is nowhere," says he, " established." It belongs " to the Church of the future." However, he does not delude himself.
" Our Church of the future," says he, will never do miracles, it will not attain to perfection, nor regenerate that part of the world within its reach;... and at its close we shall boast ourselves of it still less than at its beginning." For the present, nevertheless, he rests on that which remains of old dissent. " Remember," says he, " that you have not, like us poor dissenters, the right, I do not say of justifying, but of explaining your fall," etc.
However, that old dissent does not suit him, although he loves to avail himself of the remembrance of it.
" It is unquestionable," says he, " that there was a narrow spirit amongst the dissenters of certain localities. Perhaps one does still demand too positively the confession of a faith well established, and having the consciousness of itself." "We wish to open our arms to every soul for whom there is a good hope."
" Some years ago dissenters would have been stiff and not easily dealt with. Now we are humbled. We hold to nothing but the unity of brethren. As to the unlucky name of dissent, we like it as little as you do yourselves." Mr. M. here is addressing the scattered brethren who belong to the Church of the future, whose system is to admit, in consequence, "a wise elasticity of forms."
As to the National Church, Mr. M. shows no mercy. It is " a deceitful beacon," " a guide into the ditch," where " all that is most sacred has been cleverly arranged in order to lull to sleep the worldly in a deceitful and deadly sleep." Its members accept the corruption of Christendom.
As regards the Free Church, there is some hope. But discipline! One lesson will do for it. The system which they have imagined in order to come to an agreement as to discipline, is, in Mr. M.'s judgment, " a subterfuge unworthy of those eminent minds and of those upright souls " of which it is composed. It is " an unheard of infringement on dogma "... " an odious and monstrous piece of inconsistency." " The supper of the Lord is left outside to be trodden under the feet of the Gentiles; the holy electoral urn is the center round which its members assemble! " " In matters of interpretation, theologians, when in despair, are capable of anything." However there is hope. " These dear brethren bestir themselves in vain against themselves; their ecclesiastical system will melt away before their Christian sympathies. Doubtless the Free Church will preserve its distinct organization, and unfortunately it will preserve its clergy too." " It is an infringement on divine order." Nevertheless one will rest satisfied. The Free Church " bears two infants in its bosom," and one of them, "with its supper without meaning as regards communicants," will give way to the other. " Spontaneousness is a young and amiable dissent, too young as yet to account to itself for its origin, and besides caring little to bear that name." But one holds out the hand to it. " If an express and mature adhesion is enough to create the Christian family, dissenters will be fully satisfied. We can already hold out our hand to every assembly which desires to be a Christian family." If the present means for making a Christian family do not succeed, the Free Church will add " its veto."And indeed the Free Church has dissenting tendencies and necessities.
I do not know if the soft words of Mr. M. with his sharp lessons, would gain over the Free Church to his advances. I doubt if, such as it is, it will have any future. But there are some dear brethren in its bosom, for whom trials, and the teachings of God Himself, will open a way. Happy are we to have a future in Jesus, when the difficulties of the road are ended. I believe that the Christians of the Free Church have not begun their work on the foundation which God and His word have laid; but I gladly leave them individually in the hands of Him who is always faithful towards His own, loving them and caring for them as His own flesh. Men will make systems. Grace will cause souls to grow in Jesus. He it is who will bring hearts together, and it is neither ecclesiastical constitutions nor agreements which will bring about this result.
As to the " Plymouthists " Mr. M. makes them undergo the fate of National Churches. He gives, besides, directions or details in order to sow division amongst the flocks. One ought to remain there if one has a hope of warning the whole; but, if the principles are too deeply rooted for one to entertain the hope of destroying them, " it is a fretting leprosy in the house. Save yourselves from such a congregation as you would extricate yourself from the grasp of a drowning man." " It is a perfidious enemy." Finally, if my reader has a wish for it, he will find in Mr. M.'s tract instruction cleverly arranged, so as to divide the flocks, to scatter them, and to win over their numbers.
For my part, I have only one frank and sincere piece of advice to give to all those whom Mr. M. may address. It is this: If any one shares the sentiments of Mr. M. on the principles in question, and on the brethren who have embraced them, he will do well, and it will only be what is straightforward and honest, to leave indeed as quickly as he can. I can advise no one, not even with the object of winning others, " to be thus perpetually coasting so close to sin "; for in truth " evil communications corrupt good manners." If you see in us " a fretting leprosy," " a perfidious enemy "; if you believe that we have put before you inviting dishes " because poison is never given alone," no, eat not of them. But do not pretend holding out to them a brotherly hand, to join the brethren unsuspectingly, whilst in secret you are entertaining such an opinion of them.