t the foundation of the
Arminian doctrine of _ability_ and _grace_, are not only
calculated to destroy the energies of the Church, and unhinge the
institutions of society, as I have endeavored to show, but they
go still further; they enter the Christian's closet, and destroy
the life and soul of his private devotions. They are calculated
to dry up every fountain, and destroy every spring of religious
feeling and action." (p. 86.)

Again: "Arminians are without any consistent and harmonious
system of doctrine. It is true that, on speaking of the doctrines
of those who hold to Arminian sentiments, we are in the habit of
using the word _system_, but it is only as a matter of convenience
and courtesy. Some of those doctrines may sustain a logical
connection with others--such as the doctrine of falling from grace,
and the denial of divine efficiency in conversion and sanctification
--but Arminianism, as a whole, is a coat of many colors, that has
been patched and pieced since the days of Pelagius, according to
the taste and caprice of the man that wears it." (p. 156.)

Again: "It requires but half an eye to see, that the view of the
fall of man and the relation we sustain to Adam, as found in the
standards of the Methodist Church, vitiate the whole Gospel
scheme; that the principles growing out of the view there
presented, lead to fundamental error with regard to the nature of
virtue and vice, and destroy all human accountability; that the
nature of the remedy found in the same standards necessarily
destroys all motive to intelligent action and labor upon the part
of the Church in the great work before her, holds out no
encouragement to prayer; degrades the character of God to that of
a debtor and apologist for injuries he has done to the creature;
and exalts the creature to heaven by a kind of semi-omnipotence
of his own. Such consequences as these I say are _dangerous and
ruinous_." (p. 157.)

This book derives its importance from its being adopted by the
Presbyterian Board of Publication, and its bearing the _imprimatur_
of that institution. It is commended by their catalogue as "well
worthy of perusal by those who have doubts as to the scriptural
character of those doctrines which ignorance and prejudice brand
as the horrible dogmas of Calvinism.'" It was published in 1852.

A writer in the _Presbyterian_, of June 25, 1853, thus expresses
his views of Arminianism: "Did we preach Arminianism to the
people, we could