ry avow only a qualified assent to the Augsburg
Confession. In hope of contributing to the prevalence of truth, and the
interests of that kingdom of God which is based on it, the writer has
carefully re-examined the original documents, and herewith submits the
results to the friends of the General Synod and her basis. Since these
results as to the question, what do the symbols actually teach? are
deduced impartially, as must be admitted, from the original symbolical
books themselves, as illustrated by the writings of Luther, Melancthon,
and of the other Reformers of the same date; those who approve of those
books should so far sustain our work: and those who reject these tenets,
that is, the New School portion of the church, will not object to seeing
a vindication of the reason why they and the General Synod avow only a
qualified assent even to the Augsburg Confession, namely, because these
errors are there taught.

_The topics here discussed,_ are all such as are left free to individual
judgment, both by the Constitution of the General Synod, and that of her
Theological Seminary. Both explicitly bind to the Augsburg Confession,
only so far as the _fundamental_ doctrines, not of that confession, but
of the _Scriptures_ are concerned. A _fundamental_ doctrine of Scripture
is one that, is regarded by the great body of evangelical Christians as
essential to salvation, or essential to the system of Christianity; so
that he who rejects it cannot be saved, neither be regarded as a
believer in the system of Christian doctrine. The doctrinal
peculiarities of no denomination, though often highly important, can
therefore be regarded as _fundamental,_ without unchurching all other
denominations and consigning them to perdition. The topics here
discussed are, 1. Ceremonies of the Mass. 2. Private Confession and
Absolution. 3. The Divine institution of the Christian Sabbath. 4.
Nature of Sacramental Influence. 5. Baptismal Regeneration. 6. The
nature of the Saviour's presence in the Lord's Supper; and, 7. Exorcism.
Now, not one of these is found in the list of fundamentals published by
the Synod of Maryland, and by the great Evangelical Alliance of all the
prominent Christian denominations assembled in London in 1846,
consisting of more than a thousand ministers of Christ, delegated from
nearly all parts of Europe and America. That list is found in the
Lutheran Manual, and is the following:--

"1. The Divine inspiration, authority