surable scandals. The pastor, upon observation and information of the sin, is to send for the person withdrawing, and instruct, and convince, and admonish him; and upon contumacious obstinacy, the church is to deal with him, as one unruly, and walking disorderly.

(6.) Nevertheless, compassion towards the ignorant, or injured, is very much to determine the more or less vigour, wherewith such offences are to be prosecuted.

211. This sacrament administered to members of other sects.

The privilege of attending upon this Sacrament is not limited to Congregationalists, but is imparted to all, who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity, to whatever religious sect they belong. It is only required, that they be members of an acknowledged christian church, and in regular church standing. And this being the case, they are not only permitted, but are invited, and expected to come to this sacred memorial of the Savior's love. It is an occasion on which Christian feeling, and not party feeling should predominate. It is a feast of charity, in which the distinctions of sect should be obliterated and lost, and emotions of pride, uncharitableness, and jealousy disappear in the gush and overflowings of penitence and gratitude.

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CHAPTER XXIII

CHURCH CONFERENCES.

§ 212 Of Conferences as compared with other religious and ecclesiastical bodies.

One of the most pleasing and happy features in Congregationalism, although it has been but recently realized, is the system of Church Conferences. It will be the object of this chapter to give a brief account of them.

Conferences are permanent bodies, united under a Constitution, and formed solely for religious purposes. Although they agree with Councils in being composed of lay delegates as well as of ministers, they differ in this important respect, that they exercise no acts of authority or discipline. They expressly disclaim all interference in the rights of particular churches. In this particular, they agree with pastoral Associations, although they dif fer very essentially from such associated bodies in admitting lay members. They agree somewhat nearly with the Circular Prayer Meetings, which have prevailed in some neighborhoods of churches in respect to their objects, and the members, of which they are composed; but differ in having a Constitution, by which their proceedings are regulated in a methodical manner, and which gives to them a fixed and permanent character.

Although united prayer is one great object of Church Conferences, it is not all; they seek to cultivate christian intercourse and acquaintance; to learn the state of the churches generally, their wants and their trials; to communicate instruction on subjects of a religious nature; to devise liberal efforts in behalf of those sister churches

that are destitute; and to quicken each other by reproofs, and warnings, and scriptural encouragements, to greater diligence and higher sanctity. But some of these objects require to be more distinctly stated.

213. Objects of Church-Conference.

(1.) Among other objects, to be secured by the system of Conferences, is the offering of united prayer.— Prayer in solitude ascends with efficacy to the throne of God, but multitudes of hearts, united for a common object, and impelled by a common feeling, have greater strength to gain admittance. "I will give thee thanks," says the Psalmist, "in the great Congregation; I will praise thee among much people."

Indeed there are many subjects of prayer, which are of a public nature, and in behalf of which it would be in vain to expect a blessing without a common or public effort. In the economy of divine Providence, means are proportioned to ends; and unless all objects are of a private nature, it will follow, that there are occasions of public and united supplication; for if the end concern all, then the lifting up of a solitary voice, of an isolated and disjointed cry, is not adequate to it. What a blessing, then, are Church Conferences, where prayer is emphatically the voice of the great Congregation, is common and united, and is made to bear on the great, and united, and general interests of religion!

(2.) A second important object is the extension of Christian intercourse and acquaintance.-The opportunities of intercourse among the churches are not frequent, independently of those which are afforded by the Conferences. Their members seldom meet together; they remain ignorant of each other; and are wanting in a suitable Christian interest. This is a great error, and is attended with unhappy consequences. In no way can this

evil be remedied, and Christian intercourse and acquaintance be promoted more effectually, than by the stated system of Conference. At these great assemblies, friendships are formed among those, who were before strangers; the distrust, which results from ignorance of each other, is done away; a foundation is laid for mutual confidence and cooperation. And confidence, and cooperation, and increased acquaintance cannot well exist, without an increase of mutual love.

(3.) Another great object is MUTUAL INSTRUCTION. The knowledge of each generation dies of necessity with its possessors, unless it be communicated to those who succeed them; of course, speculative and practical subjects of a religious nature are to be brought under repeated discussion. It is made an object, therefore, of Conferences, to unfold and inculcate religious truth.

This object is in some measure attained in Associations of ministers, but its benefits are, in great part, limited to their own members; especially as many topics, coming under the examination of such Associations, are not so directly fitted to interest and benefit the lay-members of churches, as topics of a different kind, besides their not being present at the discussion of them. But at Conferences, laymen, as well as ministers, attend; and there is much instruction communicated, which is profitable and important to all alike; not only in the forms of sermons and addresses, but of reports and dissertations.

(4.) A fourth object, which is promoted by the system of Conferences, is the rendering of aid to feeble churches. In vain are Christians assembled together, unless they have a heart to do good. Without benevolent feelings, their prayers are like the tinkling cymbal. But such is the nature of Conferences, that their benevolence is not only strongly called into exercise, but it naturally, and eminently exerts itself in behalf of feeble churches.

An opportunity is afforded to each church to communicate its wants and weakness; and all the circumstances of the meeting are of such a nature, as to excite an interest to relieve them.

(5.) They are also designed and expected to give strength and vigor to individual Christians in the religious life. Our Creator has so formed us, that our minds operate on each other by sympathy. When we notice feelings of penitence, excited in the hearts of others around us, we may expect, from the constitution of our minds, to experience similar feelings kindled up in ourselves, while the well established courage of others confirms and strengthens our own weaker faith. And hence as the Spirit of God does not subvert the laws of the mind, but operates in connexion with them, many come away from these great assemblies, saying, It was good to be there. They found in themselves common trials, and they are strengthened in the exercise of a common hope. "Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend."

214. Early views of Congregationalists Conferences.

on

It was the earnest desire of the fathers of these churches, which was fully evinced by their prayers, their writings, and their good deeds, that the churches might agree & act together as an harmonious body, as a friendly and faithful brotherhood. Such desires were expressed by the Synod of 1662; and various acts, suitable to be put forth in the doings of Councils and Conferences, are expressly named. (See § 146.)

Even before that time, the subject of the communion of churches, exercised in some stated and permanent way, had arrested the attention of the churches at large, and particularly of some highly esteemed individuals. On this point the worthy name of Cotton, so often re.