ersons from the Church of Christ, and unchurching
the baptized children of our people who, as well as their parents, are
scripturally entitled to membership in the Church. Having given the
subject much further consideration during the last twelve months, and
having examined all the works on it within my reach, I am, if possible,
more fully confirmed in the views I expressed last year, as both
Wesleyan and scriptural, than when I penned them. And it is not unworthy
of remark, that the only two newspapers in Canada which have combatted
my views have been _The Church_ and _The Catholic Citizen_; and both of
these papers have done so upon the ground that my views were not
compatible with the due authority of the Church to decree dogmas, rites
and ceremonies. I acknowledge myself a heretic according to their creed
of ecclesiastical authority; and I confess that the position I have been
unexpectedly compelled to assume during the last two or three years as
to the right of every man to the Bible, and the rights of individuals
and municipalities against compulsion in regard to taxation for the
support of sectarian schools, has more deeply impressed upon my mind
than ever that the Bible is the only safeguard of civil liberty, and
that "the Bible only ought to be the religion of Protestants;" and
especially in a matter so important as that which determines who are
members and what are the conditions of membership in the Church of
Christ.

I must, therefore, in all frankness and honesty, still declare my
conviction that there is no scriptural authority for the power which is
given to a minister, by the answers to the 4th question in the 2nd
section of the 2nd chapter of our Discipline, to exclude a person from
the Church of God for what is expressly stated not to be "immoral
conduct," namely, not attending a meeting which is not ranked among the
ordinances of the Church in the General Rules of our Societies, which
the 12th section of the 1st chapter of our Discipline does not enumerate
among the "prudential means of grace," even among Methodists, and which
Mr. Wesley stated to be "not spiritual, not of divine institution." I
would never exercise such authority myself; I never have exercised it;
but I will not assume to judge those who think and act otherwise.

I beg, however, that it may not be forgotten, that while I thus speak
and quote the authorities of the Church in respect to class-meeting as a
test or condition of Church m