BARTON W. STONE. 5D
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evote themselves to the help of the Lord against themighty. They will aid the brethren, by their counsel,when required ; assist in ordaining elders, or pastors—seek the divine blessing—unite with all Christians—commune together, and strengthen each others’ hands inthe work of the Lord. We design, by the grace of God, to continue in theexercise of those functions, which belong to us as min-isters of the gospel, confidently trusting in the Lord,that he will be with us. We candidly acknowledge,~ in some things we may err, through human infirmi- ; but he will-correct our wanderings, and preservehis church. Let all Christians join with us, in cryingto God day and night, to remove the obstacles whichstand in the way of his work, and give him no rest tillhe make Jerusalem a praise in the earth. We heartilyunite with our Christian brethren of every name, inthanksgiving to God for the display of his goodness inthe glorious work he is carrying on in our Westerncountry, which we hope will terminate in the universalspread of the gospel, and the unity of the church.Thus far the Witnesses of the Last Will and Testamentof the Springfield Presbytery. Why the work alludedto above, on the subject of church government, nevermade its appearance, the writer is not advised. Per-haps the Shaker-difficulty, which shortly after this timearose, was the cause; as it is known that Dunlavy andM’Nemar, two of the Witnesses, were carried awaywith that miserable delusion: and also, that shortly af-ter their defection from the cause, Marshall and Thomp-son began to look back, and | subsequently joined thePresbyterians again. a i ae
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