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propounded a month, no exception coming against them, they 

 making their profession of faith and repentence in their own 

 way, some by speech, others by writing, which was read for 

 them, they were admitted to membership in this church, by 

 consent of the brethren, they engaging in the covenant." 



Thus appeared the entire agreement of authentic history and 

 church records with the principles of the founders in proving 

 the freedom of candidates for church membership in making 

 confession of their own faith in their own way. The Cambridge 

 Platform, of 1648, showed the spirit in which such confessions 

 were to be met on the part of the church ; inculcating " such 

 charity and tenderness to be used as the weakest christian, if 

 sincere, might not be excluded nor discouraged." 



It might be asked, as it sometimes had been, " what possible 

 difference." whether such candidates were required to subscribe 

 to " a written confession," or to make in some other satisfactory 

 mode a profession of their faith 1 The difference in the two 

 modes was self evident and manifestly essential. One accorded 

 with the right of private judgment and the acknowledged suffi- 

 ciency of the Scriptures ; the other contravened these funda- 

 mental principles of protestantism. The one was in harmony 

 with the spirit of Congregationalism ; the other adverse to it. 

 The one in its tendency was beneficent ; the other, pernicious. 

 The one led to increasing knowledge and love of Christian truth ; 

 the other tended to stifle the spirit of free inquiry. The one, 

 in shortj was a delightful privilege, the other an odious impo- 

 sition. 



Our forefathers, of the first generation, were, indeed, '-noble 

 Bereans" in settling their principles of church polity, — search- 

 ing the scriptures daily for divine guidance. We all venerated 

 their principles, though in following them out we might now 

 be led to different conclusions and reject some of their opinions. 

 So too, we all admired the spirit which actuated them, and 

 blessed God for its glorious results, while we felt obliged to 

 disapprove some parts of their conduct ; for where on earth was 

 to be found human perfection ! Charity would gladly throw 



