to nothing, before the end of a single year. So the system unfolds its own nakedness, in a practical way. And this nakedness comes to view, in some measure, wherever much account is made of the Anxious Bench. There may bę no methodistical extravagance, no falling down or rolling in the dust, no shouting, jumping or clapping; only the excitement and disorder necessarily belonging to the measure itself; still it is found that conversions made in this way do not as a general thing wear well. No one, whose judgment has been taught by proper observation, will allow himself to confide in the results of a revival, however loudly trumpeted, in which the Anxious Bench is known to have played a prominent part. He may trust charitably that out of the fifty or a hundred converts thus hurried into the Church, some will be found "holding fast the beginning of their confidence firm unto the end;" but he will stand prepared to hear of a great falling away, in the case of the accession as a whole, in the course of no considerable time. Of some such revivals scarce a monument is to be found, at the end of a few months, unless it be in the spiritual atrophy they have left behind. And it often happens that churches instead of growing and gathering strength by these triumphs of grace as they are called, seem actually to loose ground in proportion to their frequency and power. If any weight is to be attached to observations, which are on all sides within the reach of those who choose to inquire, it must be evident that as this

system is in all respects suited to produce spurious conversions, so it is continually producing them in fact, to a terrible extent. For the evil is not to be measured of course simply by the actual amount of open defection, that may take place among those who are thus brought to "embrace religion." So many and so strong: are the considerations that must operate upon a supposed convert, to hold fast at least the form of godliness, after it has been once assumed, though wholly ignorant of its power, that we may well be surprised to find. the actual falling away, in the case of such ingatherings, so very considerable as now represented. As it is, it becomes certain, in the very nature of the case, that this apostacy forms only a part of the false profession from which it springs. While some fall back openly to the world, others remain in the Church, with a name to live while they are dead. This presumption is abundantly confirmed by observation. Very many thus introduced into the Church show too plainly, by their unhallowed tempers, and the general worldliness of their walk and conversation, that they have never known what religion means. They have had their "experience," centering in the Anxious Bench, on which they continue to build their profession and its hopes; but farther than this they give no signs of life. They have no part nor lot in the Christian salvation.

Notoriously, no conversions are more precarious and insecure than those of the Anxious Bench. They take place under such circum

stances precisely, as should make them the object of earnest jealousy and distrust. The most ample evidence of their vanity, is presented on every side. And yet the patrons of the systém are generally ready to endorse them, as though they carried the broad seal of heaven on their face. Of conversions in any other form, they can be sufficiently jealous. They think it well for the Church to use great caution, in the case of those who have been led quietly, under the ordinary means of grace to indulge the Christian hope. They shrink perhaps from the use of the Catechism altogether, lest they might seem to aim at a religion of merely human manufacture. But let the power of the Anxious Bench appear, and strange to tell, their caution is at once given to the winds. This they proclaim to be the finger of God. Here the work of religion is presumed at once to authenticate itself. With very little instruction, and almost no examination, all who can persuade themselves that they are converted, are at once hailed as brethren and sisters in Christ Jesus, and with as little delay as possible gathered into the full communion of the Church. And this is held to be building on the true foundation gold, silver and precious stones, while such as try to make christians in a different way are regarded as working mainly, almost as a matter of course, with wood, hay and stubble. Wonderful infatuation! Stupendous inconsistency.

CHAPTER V...

The Bench vindicated on insufficient grounds:1. As bringing the sinner to a DECISION;-2. As involving him in α COMMITTAL;-3. As giving FORCE TO HIS PURPOSE;— 4. As a penitential DISCIPLINE;-5. As necessary for the purposes of INSTRUCTION;-6. As opening the way for PRAYER.

In view of such disastrous action as we have now been called to contemplate, we ask on what grounds the use of the Anxious Bench is vindicated. These should be of great force, to counterbalance the weight of mischief with which it is attended. No divine appointment is pleaded in its favor.* We could not suppose for a mo

A good deal has been said indeed of the principle of the measure, as presented, according to its friends, in both the Old and New Testaments. But Mr. Denig has just been as successful in vindicating woman-preaching, shouting, rolling, &c., in this way, as the editor of the Lutheran Observer has been in justifying the anxious bench. All fanatical sects are able to muster something from the bible, which seems to cover, in sound at least, the principle of their peculiarities. So every abuse in the Church of Rome came in, under the shadow of pretended scriptural precedent. Her fasts, her vigils, her relics, her penances, &c., all found a show of support in the word of God. The angelic institute of monkery was abundantly commended, by the same authority. Was not

ment indeed, that any appointment of God could be associated with such bad influences and tendencies, as are found to hold in connection with this invention. But it is not pretended to make it of scriptural authority. It is vindicated on other grounds; with variable argument to suit the occasion. These however, are by no means satisfactory.

1. It serves, we are told, to bring awakened sinners to a decision. They are disposed to avoid this. They halt between two opinions. They should not be allowed to leave the sanctuary in this state. The Gospel calls for a present determination. It is well therefore to shut them up to that point. This is done by the Anxious Bench.*

This sounds well.

But what is it that the sinner decides, when he rises and goes forward to

John the Baptist a monk; and Elijah the Tishbite; and Elisha the Son of Shaphat; and the sons of the prophets by Jordan; and the Rechabites; were they not examples in point, so far at least as the principle of the system was concerned? So argued the fathers of the fourth century; and it must be confessed, with full as much reason on their side, as the friends of New Measures have, when they appeal to the bible, in like strain, for the support of their favorite system.

"It presents the conscience with the true issue, and invites the sinner, without delay, to manifest his choice of God, by coming forward. The anxious bench' does not suffer the sinner to go away simply meditating upon what he has heard; to go away in a state of rebellion, &c. But it calls upon him at once to submit to God." "Coming to the 'anxious bench' is a token of submission, and is used as a means wholly to that end."-Davis' Plea, p. 56.