of Christ, "If the light which is in you become darkness, how "great is that darkness !”*

As the law of Christ can never bind the conscience of any soul; so, where there is a difference of faith between married persons, the husband or the wife, whose faith it is so to do, has a just and lawful right to preserve his or her own body in sanctification, and devote it to God, in a life of continence and purity; and this is an inherent right which no law of God nor man can disannul or take away; therefore, no person whatever, can have any right to forbid or hinder such a devotion in either party. Conscience is the throne of God in the soul, and the soul's justification before God, must depend on the purity of its conscience; hence a right to violate the conscience cannot possibly exist in either party. 66 We 66 are not debtors to the flesh, to live after the flesh,Ӡ in any of its gratifications.

If a brother have an unbelieving wife, or a sister an unbelieving husband, and the parties can agree to live together in peace, they are not required to separate on account of their faith; but the believing husband is bound to take care of his unbelieving wife, to provide for her, and treat her with christian kindness and charity, to set her an example of godliness, and give her no just cause of offence. So also the believing wife is bound to live with her unbelieving husband, to treat him with all kindness, to show forth an example of humility, meekness, modesty and faithfulness in all things, to lay no stumbling blocks in his way, nor give him any just cause of offence. But if they cannot live together in peace, they may separate by mutual agreement, and divide their inheritance according to the principles of justice and equity. The Society does not admit of a separation on any other conditions; unless the conduct of the unbelieving party be such that the believer, after having faithfully fulfilled all moral obligations, can be fully justified, both by the laws of God and man, in a final separation. The practice of the Society, in this respect, coincides with the directions of the apostle to the Corinthians.‡

As all people, whether married or unmarried, who have property at their own disposal, are left to their own choice respecting the disposition of themselves and their property; it must therefore depend on their own choice, after having embraced the gospel, whether they will devote either themselves or their property to

*The darkness of such souls is often truly astonishing We have known repeated instances of persons who, aving been once enlightened by the Spirit of Truth, and having reject ed their light, and indulged themselves in actual sin, eoutrary to the dictates of their own conscienees, have gradually sunk into such a state of spiritual darkness, as not only to testify against the pure principles of their former light, but also to run by degrees, into total infidelity. Some have become insensible and regardless of every thing pertaining to religion; others, after contending with different denominations, have run, first into Deism, and then into professed Atheism: and truly, if Atheism can exist in a rational soul, then those who have rejected the greatest light, have been suffered to fall into a state of darkness approach. ing the nearest to it.

† Rom. viii. 12:

See 1 Cor. vii. 12 to 16%

the service of God. But after they have had sufficient time to prove their faith, and gain a full understanding of the principles of the Society, so as to be able to make a deliberate and conscientious choice for themselves, and having settled all their temporal concerns, so as to be free from all outward embarrassments, they may then freely dedicate and devote themselves and their services, together with all their temporal interest, to the service of God, to be forever consecrated to pious and charitable uses, according to the covenant of the Church.

Having deliberately done this, there can be no room for any recantation; because whatever is thus devoted cannot be withdrawn without the sacrilegious violation of a consecrated right. And whoever deliberately violates his faith, and withdraws or separates himself from the Church, after such a solemn dedication, can be viewed, by the faithful, in no other light than as a reprobate And tho the deacons may grant a moderate donation to such a one, as an object of charity; yet his own voluntary act, in putting his hand to a religious covenant, and consecrating himself, his services and property to God, and afterwards turning his back, and actually violating his sacred promises, must forever debar him from any lawful claim to any of the property or services so consecrated. This will appear evident by the following extracts from the writ

ten covenant.

'

"Article IV. We solemnly and conscientiously dedicate, de"vote and give up ourselves and services, together with all our "temporal interest, to God and his people; to be under the care "and direction of such elders, deacons or trustees, as have been, or may hereafter be established in the church, according to the "first Article of this covenant."

"Article VI. We further covenant and agree, that it is, and "shall be the special duty of the deacons or trustees, appointed as "aforesaid, to have the immediate charge and oversight of all and "singular, the property, estate and interest, dedicated, devoted and 66 given up as aforesaid: and it shall also be the duty of the said "deacons or trustees, to appropriate, use and improve the said "united interest for the benefit of the Church, for the relief of the " poor, and for such other charitable and religious purposes as the 66 gospel may require, and the said deacons or trustees, in their "wisdom shall see fit: Provided nevertheless, that all the trans❝actions of the said deacons or trustees, in their use, management "and disposal of the aforesaid united interest, shall be for the ben"efit and privilege, and in behalf of the Church, (to which the "said deacons or trustees are, and shall be held responsible,) and "not for any personal or private interest, object or purpose what"ever."

“Article VIII. As the sole object, purpose and design of our

" uniting in covenant relation, as a church or body of people, in "gospel union, was from the beginning, and still is, faithfully and "honestly to receive, improve and diffuse the manifold gifts of "God, both of a spiritual and temporal nature, for the mutual pro"tection, support, comfort and happiness of each other, as breth"ren and sisters in the gospel, and for such other pious and chari“table purposes as the gospel may require: Therefore, we do, by "virtue of this Covenant, solemnly and conscientiously, jointly "and individually, for ourselves, our heirs and assigns, promise and "declare, in the presence of God and each other, and to all men, that CC we will never hereafter, neither directly or indirectly,make nor "require any account of any interest, property, labor or service, "which has been, or which may be devoted by us, or any of us, to "the purposes aforesaid; nor bring any charge of debt or damage, "nor hold any demand whatever, against the Church, nor against 66 any member or members thereof, on account of any property or ❝ service given, rendered, devoted or consecrated to the aforesaid "sacred and charitable purposes."

The preceding extracts are made from the written covenant of the Church; but every separate Society, being a branch of the Church, has the care and management of its own temporal concerns, and this also is essentially the case with separate families in the Society, whose circumstances will not admit of being immediately connected with the united interest of the Church: hence each society has its separate written covenant, for the protection of the temporal property belonging to it; but where a family is established upon the principles of a united interest, its covenant is essentially the same as that of the Church.

It is an established principle of faith in the Church, that all who are received as members thereof, do freely and voluntarily, of their own deliberate choice, dedicate, devote and consecrate themselves, with all they possess, to the service of God forever.* Hence the property and services of each individual, after being consecrated and improved in the manner specified, must ever be considered as consecrated property, and no longer subject to the legal claims of the former owner.

According to the law of Moses, which was typical of the law of Christ, "No devoted thing that a man shall devote unto the Lord, " of all that he hath, both of man and beast, and of the field of his "possession, shall be sold or redeemed: every devoted thing is "most holy unto the Lord." So also, according to the law of Christ, whatever is dedicated to God, according to the Covenant of the Church, can never be returned or withdrawn, but must forever remain devoted to the objects of the gospel.

* To attempt such a consecration in deceit, would be to agt the part of Ananias and Sapphira, whose fate was a striking evidence of the Divine displeasure against such base hypocrisy See Acts, ch v.

† Lev. xxvii 28.

But as the law of Christ requires that whatever is consecrated to God, should not only be done by a voluntary act; but also that those who undertake it, should be of mature age and understanding, capable of acting deliberately and considerately; therefore, children under age cannot be received into the Church as members; but they may be taken under the care and guardianship of the Society, by the request or free consent of their parents or guardians, together with their own consent. But when they become of lawful age, they must then make their own choice, both with regard to themselves and property, if they are heirs to any property. And it is an established principle in the Society, that children, who are faithful and obedient to their parents until they become of age, are justly entitled to their equal portion of the estate of their parents, whether they continue with the Society or not.

CHAPTER II.

The established Order and Government of the Church. THE government of the Church of Christ is spiritual, and it must always remain so; because it must always be under the power and influence of the Spirit of Christ: otherwise it cannot be the Church of Christ. Any power or authority exercised over the true Church of Christ, which does not proceed from his Spirit, or is not conformable thereto, cannot stand.

A false church may be supported and governed by a false spirit, but it is not so with the true: the cause of truth must be supported and governed by the Spirit of truth. A church founded on human wisdom, supported by human creeds, and governed by human authority, is but a dead body, being destitute of the real life and power of the gospel; of course it cannot withstand the powers of darkness and the corruptions of sin, and therefore becomes, at once, a church of Antichrist, and holds its power and authority in direct opposition to the Spirit of Christ.

The visible head of the Church of Christ on earth, is vested in a Ministry, consisting of male and female, not less than three, and generally four in number, two of each sex. The first in the ministry stands as the leading Elder of the Society. Those who compose the ministry, are selected from the Church, and appointed by the last preceding head or leading character: and their authority is confirmed and established by the spontaneous union of the whole body. This is the true order of election and succession in the Church of Christ, and there never can be any other so long as the Spirit of Christ governs his Church.

This was clearly typified under the Jewish dispensation, which was figurative of the Church of Christ. God appointed

Moses, and Moses appointed Joshua; and so also, God selected David from among the sons of Jesse, and David selected Solomon. And while the Israelites kept the law, this manner of succession was observed and blessed; but when they rebelled, and turned from the law of the Lord, to follow the examples of other nations, the appointment of their leaders was often factious and arbitrary. Under the gospel dispensation, Christ chose his own apostles. "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you," said he. And this was also the order of succession in the primitive church. The apostles appointed their immediate successors; and while this order was faithfully observed, the church was preserved in its union; but when the primitive christians began to be influenced. by the spirit of Antichrist, and the contentions principles of the world, and elected their bishops by strife and debate, the unity of the church was destroyed, and contentions, divisions and animosities followed. By these means the church lost the power of God, and fell under the dominion of Antichrist, and gradually degenerated into an ecclesiastical despotism, and became one with the world.

Those of the United Society who are selected and called to the important work of the ministry, to lead and direct the Church of Christ, must be blameless characters, faithful, honest and upright, clothed with the spirit of meekness and humility, gifted with wisdom and understanding, and of great experience in the things of God. As faithful ambassadors of Christ, they are invested with wisdom and authority, by the revelation of God, to guide, teach and direct his church on earth, in its spiritual travel, and to counsel and advise in other matters of importance, whether spiritual or temporal.

To the Ministry, therefore, appertains the power to appoint ministers, elders and deacons, and to assign offices of care and trust to such brethren and sisters as they shall judge to be best qualified for the several offices to which they may be assigned. Such appointments, being communicated to the members concerned, and having received the mutual approbation of the church, or the family concerned, are thereby confirmed and established until altered or repealed by the same authority. All selfish and aspiring feelings and pursuits are excluded; and, as far as it is practicable, every member is placed within his proper sphere for usefulness. By this means every gift and talent is brought into its proper place, and put into exercise where it can be the most useful.

This is not effected by any worldly wisdom; but by the eternal law of righteousnes in Ged: for no man nor woman, as such, can lead and govern the church of Christ. The church being the body of Christ, is supported by his Spirit, which is the life of that body; consequently the operations of his life upon the members of his