regarded in that light, was not drawn about the
church until the disease had spread widely _within_ the lines.

Past votes may not absolutely pledge a man to a future course of action;
warned in time, such a man may stand neutral in practice; but thus far
they poison the fountains of wholesome unanimity--that, if a man can evade
the necessity of squaring particular _actions_ to his past opinions, at
least he must find himself tempted to square his opinions themselves, or
his counsels, to such past opinions as he may too notoriously have placed
on record by his votes.

But, if such are the continual dangers from reactions in the establishment,
so long as men survive in that establishment who feel upbraided by past
votes, and so long as enemies survive who will not suffer these
upbraidings to slumber--dangers which much mutual forbearance and charity
can alone disarm; on the other hand, how much profounder is the
inconsistency to which the Free church is doomed!--They have rent the
unity of that church, to which they had pledged their faith--but on what
plea? On the plea, that in cases purely spiritual, they could not in
conscience submit to the award of the secular magistrate. Yet how merely
impracticable is this principle, as an abiding principle of action!
Churches, that is, the charge of particular congregations, will be with
_them_ (as with other religious communities) the means of livelihood.
Grounds innumerable will arise for excluding, or attempting to exclude,
each other from these official stations. No possible form regulating the
business of ordination, or of induction, can anticipate the infinite
objections which may arise. But no man interested in such a case, will
submit to a judge appointed by insufficient authority. Daily bread for his
family, is what few men will resign without a struggle. And that struggle
will of necessity come for final adjudication to the law courts of the
land, whose interference in any question affecting a spiritual interest,
the Free church has for ever pledged herself to refuse. But in the case
supposed, she will not have the power to refuse it. She will be cited
before the tribunals, and can elude that citation in no way but by
surrendering the point in litigation; and if she should adopt the notion,
that it is better for her to do _that_, than to acknowledge a sufficient
authority in the court by pleading at its bar, upon this principle once
made public, she will soon be strippe