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I

AN ADDRESS

TO ALL

LAY EXHORTERS
v AND
LAY PREACHERS
AT CONFERENCES AND OTHER PUBLIC RELI
GIOUS meetings'.
" For we dare not make ourselves of (he number, or compare
ourselves with lome that commend themselves : but they,
measuring Ihemselves by themselves, and comparing them-
selves'amongst themselves, are not wue."— — ST. fafl.

TOGETHER WITH A
Tuettex from the TVev. Moses Stuart
to Mr. Timothy Dwight,
ON
Lay Exertions.. .Spiritual Pride..«Excitement of the
Passions. ..Teaching without having learned...
Usurping the Powers and claiming the
Prerogatives of regularly ordained
Ministers, &_c. d_c. &c.
ANB
REMARKS THEREON. -

3. Q. GR AT, PRINTER, JTEW-U AVEJT...1821.

TO ALL LAY EXHORTERS, $c.

A'S Address to the Lay Preachers of New-Haven
has lately been published^and has been read with sat
isfaction. It is believed, that address has had a salu
tary effect on community ; for it contains such infor
mation as must have been carried home to the hearts
and consciences of those individuals, for whose use it
was especially intended. A careful reading of that
little pamphlet, is recommended to aft who love the
Lord Jesus Christ, or who take an interest in the hon
our, happiness and prosperity of his Church on earth.
It contains such facts, arguments and considera
tions, as are well calculated to convict and convince
those to whom it is addressed, that thy have usurped
Ike prerogatives of ministers ef Jesus Christ, and have
polluted the worship and sanctuaties of the. living God!
It is fully believed, that had you held it ud before
you as a mirror, you could not feil to see in" it your
own likenesses drawn to the life ; and that before this
time you must have been convinced, that you also
(in your public exhibitions) have travelled over for
bidden and holy ground.
In answer to the prayers and tears of many of the
devoted friends of Zion, a hope is entertained, that
all the abuses and pollutions of the ministerial office,
in tbat address pointed out and commented upon,
will be speedily corrected ; so that, in future, pro
fessing Christians on their journey to the kingdom
of heaven, need not fall out by the way.
That pamphlet has, however, been committed to
the keeping of an all-powerful Sovereign, who, no
doubt, will cver-rule all things regarding it, so as to

produce the greatest possible good amongst men, and
his own supreme honour and glory through eternity.
At these Conference Meetings, you have frequent
ly, if not usually, conducted the whole of the reli
gious exercises, without even the aid of a minister of
any Christian denomination whatever ; — you Have
attempted to instruct your hearers in the great lead
ing doctrines of the Gospel ; — you have explained
What you supposed were scripture truths ; — you have
admonished Christians, charging them with coldness,
indifference, and inattention to ths things of reli
gion ; — you have warned sinners to flee from the
wrath to come, as Lot fled from Sodom ; — and at
them, you have exhorted all to leave off sinning, and
to lay hold on the hope set before them ! — It is true,
you have not, like the Lay Preachers of New-Haven,
travelled over the country to do these things : yet
you have exhibited yourselves as preachers in nearly
all the conference meetings in the towns and socie
ties in which you reside ! Your public labours are of
the same kind, have the same tendency, and are
equally unjustifiable.
At these meetings, how often have you addressed
your fellow-men, thereby intending to' edify, instruct
and comfort them ? How often have you pointed out
to them the narrow way, which conducted, to life
eternal ? How often have you showed them the broad
road which leadeth its travellers to everlasting per.
dition 1 How often have you exhorted th.m to dili
gence, in making their calling and' election sure — to
prayer, fasting, humility, faith, hope, and to charity .
How often have you laid open to your listening and
attentive hearers, the bottomless pit, and described
to them the miseries of its tenants ? thereby hoping
to excite in them fear and trembling, lest they should
fall into the hands of an angry and avenging God ;
and thereby hoping to persuade them to" hate and

forsake their sins. How frequently have you at
tempted to administer comfort to your auditors, by
showing them the precious and soul-refreshing prom
ises of the Gospel, and the joys consequeut on their
becoming heirs of God, and joint heirs with Jesu,s
Christ 1 And how repeatedly have you called upon
them to take the yoke of Christ, to imitate his ex
amples, a»4 to hecorne his humble tb-lkiweiPS ? so
tbat, by faith and with patience, they might inherit
eternal life.  And all this is preaching the word..
Can yoUj and dare you, in the presence of a heart-
searching God, say, that all these things, when done
in public worshipping assemblies,. is not preaching?
Except the administration of the holy sacraments —
and what more have the legally authorized bishops,
ministers, priests., and teaGhers, ever done, since the
commencement of the Christian era ?¦ ,
When thus exhibiting yourselves, has it ever oc
curred to you, that without any colour of authority
for the purpose, you have placed yourselves on the
Mount, in Christ's stead,, and there publicly uttered,.
pronounced, and preached, many, if not all th« triiths-
and exhortations which are recorded in that memo
rable and. best of sermons ? Pave you ever been
sensible that you have located yourselves on Mars-
hill,.m the place of St. i'aul, and there pronounced
words ta this effect : " And the tinies of this igno
rance God winked at ; but now commandeth all men
every where to repent" ? ,
When labonring, as youjiave habitually, at confer
ences and other public rhee tings,, both in word and
doctrines, and particularly when narrating your reli
gious experiences, as how the scales fpjl from your
eyes, and how they rnust fall fromtbe eyes of all who
escape eternal per:dttion ; have you once imagined,
that in so doing, you have placed yourselves, on a
level with the great Apostle of the Gentiles,, and'
A2.

6
thereby acted over the paft which God had assigned
to him ? Or rather, have you not heedlessly rushed
into the immediate presence of your Maker, and,
without a single thought of the awful consequences,
set yourselves, as it we're, on the thick bosses of the
buckler of Almighty God ?  Should you, after all
this, attempt to set up, as an excuse for your most
unjustifiable conduct and enthusiasm, your own con
summate ignorance on this interesting subject ; such
an apology never will, and never can, be accepted
at your hands, especially as you have held your
selves up for a long time, as teachers andpreachers in
this enlightened and Christian country !
Do you attempt to vindicate your conduct as
preachers of the Gospel, under these words recorded
in Malachi ? " Then they that feared the Lord, spake
often one lo another." To make it a commission to
hit your case, it should have been in these words :
" Then they thai feared the Lord, preached 'often in
large assemblies and congregations of the people.'''
In the hands of Unitarians, who frequently alter the
Bible, this passage might, when made over anew, be
made to answer your purpose ; but not until some
thing like the proposed alteration shall have been ef
fected, can it help you out of your awfully responsi
ble situation !
St. Paul, in bis Epistle to the Corinthians, says,
But he that prophesieth,- speaketh unto men to edifica
tion, and exhortation, and comfort.
Friends, you have often, in public assemblies,
prophesied, by speaking unto men, with a view to
their edification, exhortation and comfort ! Deny it
not ! And now, in the presence of this Christian com
munity, you are called upon to show your commis
sion or authority for doing these things. Think not
to evade an answer ; for it is the very thing which
all Ministers and Peoph have a full right to demand

of you ; — so that, on lhis«-point,' you stand or fall!
—Suppose a skilful surgeon, just, engaged in the am
putation of a limb from his suffering patient, should
permit a stranger (unskilled in surgery) to wrest from
him his instruments, and perform the operation :
what would you say of such conduct in the stranger?
Or suppose an able counsellor at law, who had been
assigned by the court to plead the cause of a prisoner
on trial for murder, should consent to have this same
stranger (ignorant of the law) present himself before
the court, and argue the case of the prisoner : .what
would you think of such unseemly conduct of the
stranger ? Most unquestionably, you would con
demn it in toto, and would in such cases cry out,
Cuique in artibus, credendum est !
It must be unnecessary to inform you, that jn our
transactions in society, as well as in our municipal
court, no one person can lawfully transact the busi
ness or perform the duties of another, without a le
gal power : — and yet (how absurd !) you have public
ly appeared in the open courts of our God, and there
you have boldly pleaded the cause of Christ, and of
his religion! All this you have done, without even
a shadow of scripture warrant, to justify your incon
siderate conduct i If it is unsafe for one man to
transact the ordinary business of another, without a
legal authority^ -; a fortiori, it must be the height of
presumption and arrogance in you, to preach the
Gospel, and to plead the cause of Christ, in public
assemblies convened for religious worship;, and yet
you constantly perform in conferences and other
public meetings, the very same duties, which de
volved on the apostles, in consequence of the com
mission which they received from Christ ! What an
astonishing spectacle !
Show a clear and distinct scripture warrant for
your teaching, exhorting and preaching, i__ the man-

8
ner you have done, even»although it be only a single
text, and a complete justification shall be awarded to
vou : — but if no such warrant can be found in the
Bible, then your conduct must be laid by the side of
the transactions of Uzza, Uzziah, Korah, Dathan
and Abiram.
Suffer me, however, to ask, what St. Paul intend
ed we should think of his address to the Philippians,
when he charged them to bmeftre of dogs ? He could
not mean, that we should put a literal construction
on his words. What then was his design, when he
recorded that admonition 1 Are you, or can you be
at a loss ? I trow not ! It was most manifestly said,
to instruct us and all Christians to the end of time.
not to listen to, or even hear, the garbled teaching or
preaching of uninstructed and unauthorized puolie
holders-forth, as you are sometimes called ; — and
may the writer be permitted to ask, whether it does
not amount to a direct charge, that all such are dogs,
who cannot legally or properly articulate religious-
truths ? — At any rate, it was a most pointed warning
to the Christians at Philippi, to beware of, and care
fully to shun, all false and unauthorized teachers.
Do you require an express declaration of God',
prohibiting you from interfering with things pertain
ing to the priestly office, like the prohibition and pen
alty under the old testament dispensation ? If this is
what you insist op, tb$n I answer ; it is no wfiere said
in the New TestaweEit, (ip exactly so many words,)
that you shall not adwwter: the Sacraments of Bap
tism and the Lewi's Supper *- therefore, by the force
of .your claim, you have a full right to administer
those ordinances,, these, being no express prohibition.
Again ; since Christ did institute a ministry of recon
ciliation, and since all his ministers have been conse
crated and set apart to then: sacred work, by prayer
and laying on ©f hand^ jif, by this, no greater power

was vested in the ministers, than all other Christians
possessed, — then it will inevitably follow, that the
pretended commission and authority of the Apostles,
was nothing more than a mere mockery and farce.
Blasphemous thought ! It must, therefore, be an
anti-christian quibble for any one to insist on a posi
tive prohibition of God ; — it is also begging the ques
tion in dispute ! — In my turn, I demand, in the pres
ence of our blessed Saviour, who is the great head of
the Church, of you, ail and any, even the least shad1-
ow of an authority for your teaching and preaching
in public assemblies — for, without a warrant express
ly given to you by hi_-K| or his ministers, to' dc what
you arc charged with, and that in the ways of hia
appointment, you are and must be considered as
naked and destitute of authority.
Under the Gospel dispensation, it was enough for
God to make such amplo and rich provisions for a
succession of spiritual teachers and guides, as he did,
without holding up to your view in the Gospel, the
dreadful fate of U'fcza, UzzLiab, Korah, Dathan and
AbiraiR'. i
Beit for ever remembered, that this Christian
community will not rest satisfied with the instruction,
teaching and preaching, of quack-imitation- ministers,
any more than they will submit to the practice of
quack doctors, or the pleading of pettifogging lawv
yers ; neither of which will be endured for a mo
ment : but of the three, we are constrained to con
sider the first as the mos^ontemptible ; as they often
exert themselves very greatly to lead captive silly
women! That you are mere self-taught usurpers,
and (if I may be permitted, orf this painful Occasion,
to use the very words of St. Paul,) are evil workers,
fyc. ; and that this is the fact, mtfst be consi_rjred as
a point for ever settled ! k' *'*'
Christ, in big-Sermon an the Moudt.' warned and,

exhorted all to beware ot false prophets, which he
said would come in sheep's clothing ; that is, who
Would come, claiming a right to perform the public
duties,; and to sustain the high honours of the minis
ters of Jesus Christ! And to shut the mouths of all
such pretenders, and to seal up for ever their unjusti
fiable pretensions, he simply asks, Do men gather
gr.apes of thorns, or figs of thistle's ? To all false
teachers and false prophets, this inquiry contains a
volume of instruction !
But who did the SaviouT mean, by false prophets ?
Did he intend the true and lawfully authorized min
isters, who should or might preach false and unsound
doctrines ? — or did he mean spuriws,self created, and
unauthorized teaehers, who often (if not habitually) do
pervert and garble scripture truths ? Most unques
tionably he intended the latter ; for the plain mean
ing of his words will warrant no other construction !
The subject under consideration requires and
must have plain dealing ! Who then hath made you
Watchtmn, to blow the Gospel trumpet on the walls
of Zion ? Who hath constituted you Shepherds,\a the
Church of Christ, to feed the sheep and the Iambi
with spiritual food ? You ought to call to mind, that
St. Paul, in his Epistle to Titus, says, For there are
yiany unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, especially
they of the circumcision; whose mouths must be stopped,
vxho Subvert whole houses, teaching things which they
ought not, for filthy lucre's snke.
It ought to be remembeg^d; however, that in this
Communication it is not intended to arraign your
motives before the public : it is your practices and
their tendencies, which are the subjects of animad
version. AgaL: ; who hath raised up and instructed you as
Prophets in the church of God ? Who hath made you
prophets and teachers ? and who h-Y-h put into you?

11
hands an authority to intermeddle with the mysteries
of God, by expounding his holy scriptures ? In short,
who has constituted you Stewards of the mysteries of
God ; dispensers of his word ; and that by instructing
the people in their duty, teaching them to observe all
things, whatsoever Christ hath commanded 1 Ministers
of Jesus Christ are his stewards, and are entrusted
with the knowledge of Christ's commands, and are
bound by the strongest obligations, to interpret their
meaning, define their extent, (showing also their rea
sonableness and usefulness ;) and they are also bound
to enforce (by proper motives) a due. and strict observ
ance of them. But who has constituted you stewards,
and made you sufficient for these duties ?
It is true, that you have not as yet claimed to be
rulers of the Chnrch of Christ ; — but you have act
ed and transacted as his ambassadors to this people ;
for you have often, in public worshipping assemblies,
declared to them the terms of reconciliation with God ;
and you have exhorted them to accept of, and comply
with, those terms ! But: after all, no responsibility as
ministers or public teaeber^ rests on you ; you are
under no obligation to be faithful to that trust, which
Christ, reposed in his apostles and ministers : there
fore utter and publish just as much heterodoxy as you
please, and lead as many of your hearers astray from
the true and- genuine doctrines of Christ, as suits
your convenience ; and teach and preach for sound
doctrines, as many of the traditions of men, and old
women's fables, as you may find it necessary to do;
and after all, no responsibility rests on you, further
than that you unadvisedly have rushed into the imr
mediate presence of your God, and, as it is folly be
lieved, have polluted his worship, having no commis
sion to preach his Gospel !
Virtuous people will always esteem highly, those
who are faithful to execute a public legal trust ; and

will as certainly censure and condemn all who inter
meddle without authority in other men's matters ; for
the latter description of persons are and always will
be judged void of principle, and destitute of common
prudence ! And I will as^rt, that no person can safe
ly place confidence in them, when exercising usurped
authority !
It is the duty of ministers to declare^ithe whole
counsel of God, whether men will hear, or whether
they will forbear. — Now there is no such duty which
does or can devolve on you! Ministers are caution
ed against mixing vain and false philosophy with the
pure doctrines of the . Gospel^ and yet, in your
preaching, you may exhibit to your hearers just such
a compound of the doctrines of Christ and of Ma
homet, as you please ; and after all this, you will
remain, without being amenable, as public teachers,
to any ecclesiastical tribunal whatever! so that, in
your public ministrations, if you do notpreach Christ
crucified, all is well ! Obligation and responsibility
must always go together, hand in hand',: — so then, as
you are under no obligation to preach or teach at all,
therefore you are not at all responsible for what you
do preach, be it what it may ! How inconceivably
dangerous is it, after all, for persons who are not well
instructed in the great and -interesting doctrines of
the Gospel of Christ, to sit down and listen to your
teaching and exhortations ! I
St. Paul, tfie great Apostle . under Christ, in his
Epistle to the Thessalonians, says, For our exhorta
tion was not of deceit, nor uncleanness, nor in guile-;
But we are allowed of God to be put- in trust with the
Gospel ; even so we speak ; not as pleasers of men*,
but God, which trieth.our hearts. How and by whom
was-this Apostle putin trust with the Gospel ? How
and by whom have you been put in trust with the.
same Gospel ? You are required to ewiswer these

IS
questions, without deceiving yourselves; for you
cannot deceive those who have critically examined
the subject, and those whose eyes are now fixed on
you. What did this apostle mean by the words, For our
exhortation ? Did he intend private exhortations to
an individual',? or public exhortations in religious as
semblies 1 These questions appear to be satisfactori
ly answered ; for he adds, But we are allowed of God
to be. put in trust with the Gospel : even so we speak ;
that is, so we publicly teach and preach : and so do
you, in all your public speaking and preaching, but
without being put in trust with the Gospel. What is
it to be put in trust with the Gospel ? Is it any thing
or nothing? The putting in trust here mentioned,
was, no doubt, what we understand by a regular and
legal ordination, or setting apart to the work of the
Gospel ministry. Why did not St. Paul, in this pas
sage, say, that without being put in trust with the Gos
pel, even so we speak ? This he dared not say ; for
it seems he had not as much courage on this subject,
as some of you appear to have ! Remember the fate
of Uzza, and others who have interfered with the
priestly office.
Now go to your Saybrook Platform, and there you
will learn the united opinions of all the learned and
pious clergy of the Congregational denomination of
Christians, as by them expressed in the year 1708.
Their words are, Believe, that worship not divinely
commanded, is vain ; nor will answer the necessities
and expectations of a Christian ; — and' is a worship
ping you know not what. Believe, in all divine wor
ship, it is not enough, that this or that act of wor
ship is not forbidden in the word of God ; — if it is not
commanded, and you perforin it, you may fear that
you will be found guilty, and exposed to divine displea
sure. Nadab and Abihu paid dear for offering in di-
B ' .

14
vine worship, that which the Lord commanded them
not. It is an honour done unlo Christ, when you ac
count that only decent, otderly, and convenient in his
house, which depends vpon the institution and appoint
ment of himself, who is the only head and lawgiver of
his Church. Read over this extract a second time,
and then understand, that Nadab and Abihu, sous of
Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire
therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange
fire before the Lord, which he commanded them not.
And there went out a fire from the Lord, and devour
ed them, and they died before the Lord. Now it is
not understood that there was any positive prohibition
against their using the fire which they did ; but be
cause it was not commanded, God destroyed them.
What authority from the scriptures, more pointed
than this, do you require, before you seal up your
lips as public teachers ?
Friends, you, like Nabab and Abihu, have offered"
strange fire, (by preaching the Gospel,) which the
Lord has not commanded you to do, and which you
have never been authorized todo; — therefore you
also tiitght to fear, that you will be found guilty and
exposed to divine displeasure , — and to tremble, lest
fire from the Lord should come down and devour you !
If your public teaching and preaching is not di
vinely commanded, then, (by the deliberate opinion
of the Fathers of your Congregational churches,
published more than one century ago,) your public
worship (by preaching) is vain; — for they declared
it not enough, that this or that act of worship is
not forbidden ; — if it is not commanded, and you per
form it, you ought to fear and tremble, lest you be
found guilty ! This very guilt is what is now charged
upon yoif ; for if you are not authorized to teach in
public religious assemblies, and yet do teach, which
you cannot deny ; then it will follow, as a necessary

lo
and unavoidable consequence, that such conduct a^
you stand justly charged with, is exactly calculated
to shroud the pure religion of Jesus Christ in dark
ness — to clothe the friends of Zion in deep mourning
— to blol out the usefulness of the legal and regidarly
authorised Clergy — and to rend the Church of Christ
in twain ! No doubt can remain on the subject ; for
Jesus Christ, his Apostles, and the Fathers of the
Church to which you belong, have long since done
all that was necessary, to seal up your mouths as ex
horters, .narrators, preachers, and teachers, in wor
shipping assemblies. Hear ye them ! But if you still
persist, and reject the instructions of Christ and his
Apostles, you are at all events in duty bound to re
spect and obey the instructions of the Fathers of
your church., as contained in your ecclesiastical Plat
form ; — but if, after all, you "Still persist, remember
the awful fate of Nadab and Abihu !
One word to those who sit under your preaching,
and listen to your instructions ; and this address will
close. Fellow- Citizens, and Fellow-Christians ! It was to
you that Jesus Christ spoke, when, in his Sermon on
the Mount, he exhorted and commanded all to be
ware of false (unauthorized) prophets : and how dare
you break his positive injunctions, by sitting habitual
ly under the public instructions and preaching of un
authorized lay teachers? It was to you that St.
Paul spoke, when he said, " Beware of dogs, beware
of evil-workers, beware of the concision." These
things he said, being inspired of God ; — of course it
is the command of God ! Sitting as you do, under the
public ministrations of these automaton preachers, how
can you (wilh such q glare of Gospel light around)
pray for a blessing on their instructions ? What ! Ask
a blessing of God on the things he has not command
ed : nny. more, on the very things which he has for-

10
bidden? Why do you suffer " itching ears" to in
duce you to do that, which God has expressly com
manded you to beware of? If you will carefully read
through the New Testament, you will find no one
thing so oftep mentioned, and so much insisted on,
as the admonitions to avoid all " false prophets,"
unauthorized teachers, " dogs," " evil workers,"
&c. ; and no one thing in so many'shapes resisted by
Christ and his Apostles. Still you quietly sit under
their preaching! Is this safe ? is this proper? Let
me add : Read more in your Bibles :-^expel a!» vain
curiosity in religious inquiry! — stop itching ears : —
absent yourselves from all public religious meetings,
(except for prayer and reading.) unless some minis
ter of Jesus Christ be present to conduct the instruc
tions of the meeting : — then, on scripture ground,
you may hope for a blessing in time and through
eternity. " Wherefore, let him that tliinkelh that he standeth,
fake heed lest he fall. Now, in this that / declare
unto you, I praise you not, that ye come together not
for the better, but for the worse."
"And God wrought special miracles by the hands
of Paul: so that from his body were brought unto
the sick, handkerchiefs or aprons., and the diseases
departed from them- Then certain of the vagabond
Jews,exorcis(s, took upon them to call, over them
which had evil spirits, the name of the Lord Jesus,
saying, We adjure you, by Jesus whom Paulprcach-
eth. And there were seven sons of one Seeva, a
Jew,, and chief of the priests, which did so. And
the evil spirits answered and said, Jesus J know, and
Paid I. know ; but who are ye ?x:
LAYMAN,

Professor Stuart's Letter to 3 Jr. Dwight,
with Remarks.
!/V%.VWW«fVW
SINCE the foregoing Pamphlet was sent to the
press, Mr, Dwight, of this city, who is a merchant,
has caused the following letter from the Rev. Pro
fessor Stuart, of Andover, to be published in the
Christian Spectator of July, 1321.
»' To the Editor of the Christian Speclaior.
" Sir — Some time during the last winter, in a let
ter to the Rev. Professor i-tuart, of Andover, I com
municated some information relative to the labours
of the brethren of the two Congregational churches
in this. place. A relation was made particularly of
the scheme pursued by the brethren, in visiting and
holding conferences in the neighbouring villages, and
in the churches and towns more remote ; together
with the manner in which their labours have been
blessed by the Holy Spirit, in causing revivals of
religion to take place all around us. A reply to this
communication was made in April; and as 1 think it
may be useful to the churches of Christ in our coun
try, to know the opinion of so distinguished a minis
ter of the Gospel on this subject, 1 take the liberty
to send you his letter for publication in the Chris
tian Spectator.
"I am Sir, your friend, Timothy Dwight.
"New-Haven, July 10, 1821."

" Anoover, April 27, 1S21.
" My dear Sir — Yours, written some time since,
was duly received, and has been read until it is liter
ally worn out. Soon after receiving it, I communi
cated the substance of it to our meeting, on tbe eve-
B2

18
ritng of the general Monthly Concert of Prayer.
This occasioned it to be inquired after, and read
by all those persons among us, who take peculiar
interest in doing good. This very day, I have lent it,
to be read to-morrow evening in the Conference at
Salem, conducted by laymen ; and where, at present,
a revival is begun.
" I thank God that I have lived to see the day, in
which laymen are beginning to feel as if they had
something to do, as well as ministers, in propagating
the truths of the Gospel. Thus did they in primitive
ages. (See Acts viii. 1 — 4.) It is a most prepos
terous thing for any man to suppose, that he is not
under obligation to use all his powers in the service
of the Church. I bid you God speed, with all my
heart ; and hope in God, that the spirit which is
kindled at New-Haven, will speedily pervade the
Christian world.
" I have only two cautions to suggest ; and these I
think important to the object in question. 1. Let
no one undertake to teach any more than he has
learned. -Let him not usurp the place, or claim the
prerogatives of a regularly ordained minister. This
caution is necessary to preserve good order. 2.
Guard well against all approaches to mere excite
ment of the passions, and appeals to simple, natural
feelings ; in other words, against any enthusiasm or
extravagance. Guard well against a censorious spirit
in respect to Christians who do not at once fall in
with our views, and who are afraid of enthusiasm.
While the object is not at all abandoned, they may
be treated with tenderness ; and when they see the
good effects of the practice, they will fall. in with it.
Guard well against being proud of success ; or be
ing disposed to feel elevated, so as to look with dis
dain on a humble minister, whose labours have not
been blessed. The greatest danger of those whose

19
labours are blessed, is spiritual pride. If this once
enter the sacred inclosureof the church, it will mar
the fairest portion of God's inheritance.
" These things, if ye observe, ye shall. do well."
And observing them — go on, labour, prosper, esteem
the reproaches of men as nothing ; look at the glory
of God and the salvation of never-dying souls ; ajid
then rouse up to renewed and still more vigorous ac
tion. That the Almighty God may bless the labours
of you and your coadjutors in this glorjous work, is
the sincere and fervent prayer of yours,
" Sincerely and affectionately, " M. STUART."
This letter being now public property, draws forth
the following remarks.
I. If Mr. Dwight's letter to the Professor is so im
mensely interesting to all Christians, as to be liter
ally worn out by being read by them, why has not
the Professor been civil enough to the author, and
faithful enough to the Christian Church and world,
to publish it ? And why has not Mr. Dwight, long
since, edified and instructed this part of Zion, by
communicating its contents to and for public, use,
through the medium of the press ? Are not such
negligences wholly unaccountable ? '
' II. If this letter was in truth lent, to be read at
a conference meeting, of which we have no reason
to doubt, why "did hot the Professor tell us, what ex
ercises, other than the reading of the letter, were to
be performed by laymen ; or, at least, intimate what
else in his opinion was or would be proper for them
to do ?
III. If the Professor really thanks God, for length
ening out his life long enough to see the day, in
which laymen begin to feel as if they had something to
do, as well as ministers, in propagating < the truths of
the Gospel, as he asserts,, we are not at liberty to

MS
doubt the fact. But why was riot the Professor kind
enough to teil us, what he had learned from Mr.
pwignt's letter, which thus drew forth his thanks to
Almighty God ? — What new discovery could it be 1
Surely, the Professor knows full well, and by a happy
experience, that laymen have built churches, and
caused them to be dedicated to the public worship
of the living God ; — that they have educated and
supported ministers of Jesus Christ, and the Profes
sor himself with the rest, for the express purpose of
enabling them to preach the Gospel, and to break
to Christians the bread of life. Who besides laymen
have, by their charities, supported Missionary, Bible,
and other Societies, all of which are designed for
the propagation of the truths of the Gospel, as weU
as to promote the honour and glory of God, and the
up-building of the Church of Christ .in this world ?
By whose liberality and Christian charity is the Pro
fessor himself elevated to his high and responsible
station, in relation to, the churches in New-England ?
And by whom and for what purpose is he and are his
family amply supported I Have not laymen, even
since the Professor commenced his interesting and
, important labours of love as a Gospel minister, co
operated with him and other ministers, by their fer
vent and effectual prayers at the throne of Grace,
and even) like Jacob of old, wrestled witt God for
the propagation of the Gospel, for the out-pouring
of his Holy Spirit, and for the conviction and con
version of sinners ? — And yet the Professor thanks
.God, he has lived long enough to see the day, in
which laymen begin to feel as if they had something
to do. in propagating the truths of the Gospel. Sure
ly, the Professor knows full well, that in these and
many other ways, laymen have always been more or
less actively engaged in propagating the truths of the
Gospel* Why then do,es the Professor buret .forth

31
(in his letter) with thanks to God, that laymen now
begin to feel ? — We ask why or how do they begis
to feel? Have they any new light or revelation im
parted to them, which laymen have not always had,
since the primitive ages ? If, by this part of the Pro
fessor's letter, we are to understand that laymen now,
fbr the first time, begin to exhort, teach and preach,
in public religious assemblies, which, since the prim
itive ages, laymen have not done until now ; and
this is what the Professor thanks God for; then we
must indeed acknowledge, that the Professor con
tends, that laymen may of themselves turn evangel
ists, teachers, and preachers of the Gospel.
Here we wish the reader to pause, and compare
this great cause of thankfulness to God, with the
sentiments contained in the subsequent part of the
letter, where the cautions to lay preachers are de
tailed! IV. The Professor asserts roundly, and withoat
qualification, that it is a most preposterous thing for
any man to- suppose, that he is not under obligation
to use all his powers in the service of the church ;
and then bids Mr. Dwight and his coadjutors; God
speed, with all his heart ! Does he intend, by the
Words thus used, natural, or moral powers, or either ?
If he means natural powers ; then, good natural gift?
and endowments of mind, are all which are or can
be necessary, to make any layman a good authorized
and evangelical teacher and preacher. —If this is the
case, then all readers will understand the Professor
to hold it as a sound opinion, that great natural pow
ers entitle their possessors to the use of the Pulpit
and the Altar ; and that those who have these pow
ers, must use them in the work of the Gospel minis
try ! Is this possible ? It must be impossible ! What
then does the Professor mean by such a declara
tion?

<2&
V. The Professor, in his first caution to lay-
preachers, says, Let no one undertake to teach' any
more than he has learned. Pray,-who are, by this ad-'
monition, constituted judges, whether lay exhorter*,
teachers, and preachers, in public religious assem
blies, do in fact teach more than. they have learned,
or not ? Can the Professor wish that the laymen who
preach, "shall measure themselves by themselves,
and compare themselves amongst themselves;" and
then, after all, judge for themselves, whether they do
or do not go beyond what they have learned ? If, un
fortunately, the Professor should wish such a remedy
for such a monstrous evil ; then we say, that he and
St. Paul would greatly disagree ; for St. Paul declares,
that all who do thus, are not wise ! After all, would
not the good old way of holding all public religious
teachers to an examination and ordination, before
they should be permitted to commence their public
labours, be the best and only safe way ? The Pro-
fesso.- adds, " Let him (th. lay preacher) not usurp the
place, or claim the prerogatives, of a regularly ordain
ed minister: This caution is necessary to preserve
good order." But, if. all men are bound to use all
their powers, even such as are adequate to preaching
and administering the holy Sacraments, as the Pro
fessor clearly suggests they must ; why this cau
tion against usurpation, &.c. ? Again ; whyhas not
the Professor, in his letter, intimated what he in
tends by usurpation, and claiming the prerogatives of
ministers ? Here, and on each of these points, he is
as silent as death !
VI. When the Professor directs his lay preachers,
l< to guard well against all approaches to mere excite
ment of the passions, agaiiist enthusiasm and extrava
gance, against a censorious spirit, and against being
proud of success ;" he literally, by this direction, seals
Up" (he mouths, and for ever terminates all the la-

2S
be urs of lay preachers in public religious assemblies" !
He adds ; " The greatest danger of those tuhose labours
are blessed, is spiritual pride ;— if this once enter the
sacred inclosure of the Church, it will mar the fairest
portion of God's inheritance ."' Thus we say, that the
Professor has sealed up the mouths of lay preachers,
under a perpetual injunction not to preach, teach, or
do any one act, which appropriately belongs to the
ministerial office; and he sums up the whole in a
scripture charge : "¦ These things, if ye observe, ye
shall do well."
Christian Reader ! after all, what think ye the
Professor must have seen of usurpation, ignorance,
enthusiasm, pride, extravagance, and censoriousness, in
the letter which he received, and which drew from
him such heavy and particular charges, as his letter
to Mr. Dwight contains ? We wish the lay preachers
to read the letter over and over again ; and then
strictly to observe the injunctions and cautions there
in contained ; and we shall be satisfied with the re
sult. The Professor, most probably to quiet the con
sciences of our lay preachers, cites the four first
Verses of the 8th chap, of Acts, the last of which is
in these words : Therefore, they that were scattered
abroad, went everywhere, preaching the word. Now,
who were they that were scattered abroad ? They
were, the whole Church at Jerusalem, composed of
both men and women ! So then, if this is a commis
sion or warrant for lay preaching, it extends to wo
men as well as to men. Wc trust the Professor, at
this, would startle! But, suppose the church, thus
scattered abroad, was composed wholly of male
members, (the contrary of .which isdcmonstratedhy
history,) then, can it be imagined the Professor intro
duced it into his letter, as a warrant for laymen to
preach the Gospel in public worshipping assemblies ?.

, a4
To,suppose such a thing, would be making him say
to Mr. Dwight, Preach the Gospel ; and in the sane -
letter to give the lay preachers such cautions and di
rections, as to lay them under a perpetual injunction
not to preach at all. The Professor can no doubt
explain his object in introducing that text; and then,
in the same letter, charging the lay preachers not to
avail themselves of it as an authority to preach.
We will venture to assert, that there is not a regu
larly ordained minister in this country, that ever con
sidered that text as a commission for lay preaching.
Why then was it cited in the letter to Mr. Dwight ?
" Not the Whole church at Jerusalem, or the body of
" the laity ;— for what authority had they to preach
" the word ?" Whitby.
" But it appears from history, that women formed
" a part of this number." Scott.
To close , our remarks, we ask all reasonable
men, whether in this letter,*as it stands, the Professor
has not condemned lay preaching as thoroughly as
they have been condemned in the Pamphlet ; and
whether he justifies any one act of the lay preach
ers, which the writer of the Pamphlet censures ?
The Professor has boldly told" all lay preachers
what they must not do ; — and so has the Bible : but
he has sgpt informed them of any one thing which
they may do, as teachers and preachers ; for here
the Bible is silent. The public must judge, whether,
in the letter, there is or is not a wisdom above what
is written !
"Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all
teachers ? Are all workers of miracles ? Have all tha
gift of healing ? Do all speak with tongues ? Do all
interpret ?,? St. Paul.

YALE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

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