Adventures and adventurers > Voyages and travels of a Bible

f. • . ,QPi A BIBLE. /( / 13
but when they began to make improvements, as some new
members called them, or rules not founded on the published
will of Christ, the love of that lively church began to wax
cold, both to God and to each other j their zeal began to
slacken apace, and divisions about mere trifles arose; they
j spake evil one against another; and these declensions went
on and increased for some years, till their pastor, who, alas !
had connived at many of their innovations, being struck with
remorse, came forward, at one of their meetings, and expressed
his repentance for unfaithfulness to Jesus and to them. He
then took a review of their first state, and the great comfort
they enjoyed during their former associations ; he then point'
ed out the evils that had crept in amongst them unawares,
and moved, that they should turn to their original conformity
to apostolic rule. Some opposed this ; but, upon the pastor’s
plainly stating the scriptural order of a gospel church, these
i were silenced, and almost the whole church cheerfully agreed
to their reverting to their original simplicity. A few were
offended, and withdrew from the communion of the church,
which was a great mercy ; for it was soon found that only
the corrupting leaven had left them, Now they went on in
their former way ; they found that the Lord was returned to
them of a truth ; then they had rest, and were edified ; and,
1 walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the
: Holy Ghost, were multiplied like the churches in Judea.
This church unanimously declared it their determination,
that I should in every case be their ruler; consequently,
when any matter came before them, I was consulted, and
they adhered to my decision. For example : one of their
1 members began to conform to this present world, and attend
t vain and sinful amusements. The matter was stated to the
church ; then they all looked to me for my counsel. I told
li them, that if any man was in Christ, he must be a new
J creature ; old things would pass away, and all things become
anew. They concluded, from this and other things I said to
them, that a Christian was delivered from the love and prac-
!tice of the evil customs and enjoyments of the wicked ; that
he would find such things hurtful to his soul, and would
flee from them ; wherefore, they thought they had just
grounds for doubting the Christianity of this brother ; and
1 having attended to all that I commanded to be done in such
cases, without producing repentance in him, they excluded
him from their society ; and then earnestly prayed, that
Jesus would make this his own ordinance useful to him,
whom they had just put away from among them. •
A short time after these things took place, there happened
a most violent hurricane, accompanied with an earthquake.
1,