[An Address to the Evangelical Dissenters of the British Empire, from the Yorkshire West-Riding Association of Baptist Churches assembled at Leeds, May 25, 26, and 27, 1847.]Dear Brethren, - We trust you will not think it assumption on our part if we venture to lay before you our view of the dangers which now threaten the churches of Jesus Christ, and of our corresponding duty as faithful servants of the Lord. We only wish to impart and receive the benefit of Christian counsel.
To us evangelical religion appears to be placed in imminent danger; Satan and the world are employing far more dangerous weapons against the church of God than formerly; instead of persecution, they are trying seduction; instead of bonds and imprisonment, liberty, falsely so called; instead of imposing fines, they are holding forth bribes. The old system, which stirred up Christians to resist or escape, to watch and pray, is renounced for one to lull us to sleep. Dissent will now have to pass through that "enchanted ground" of proffered state patronage, on which so many churches have slept never to awake; and on which others are kept from entire and perpetual slumber only by the stimulating efforts of Evangelical Dissenters.
It is too evident to need proof, that all leading statesmen wish for a state-endowment of every religious sect - a plan politically equitable indeed, but a scheme to which, from its open contempt for Revealed Truth, no devout believer can ever be reconciled. The policy of
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modern statesmen has been to get a false principle into our statute book, in some measure too small to arouse universal opposition, and then unblushingly to tell us that we must extend the operation of a principle which we have once admitted. What they dare not attempt at once they compass by degrees. For instance, a small annual grant to Maynooth, begun by a past generation, was their grand argument for our giving it a large and perpetual endowment; a L30,000 grant to all sects for building school-rooms, is the argument why we must go on to bribe the teachers and scholars of all sects. Soon they will plead that they ought to build places of worship for all, out of the national funds, as well as school-rooms, and pay the teacher of religion, as well in the pulpit as in the school. They will first tell us it is absurd for the State to train up Roman Catholic priests, and not afterwards pay them for the work to which it has trained them, and then add that, of course, a Protestant (?) government which pays Romish priests, ought much more to pay the members of all Protestant sects.We wish, then, brethren, to suggest to you the importance of cordial unanimity at this crisis amongst all who love the truth as it is in Jesus, - unanimity in our earnest supplications to God, and in the course we take with and before our fellow-men. In time of persecution, brethren, " prayer has often been made of the church unto God without ceasing." There is even greater need for prayer now. Our temptations are more dangerous, because more insidious. The fire of state-persecution often rendered the fine gold of faith yet finer; but the gifts of state-bribery can only alloy and debase the precious "gift of God." Yet the former we naturally flee from; for the latter we are strongly tempted to open our hand. Never, therefore, has the church of Christ had greater need to plead, in the words of its Head, "Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil." Possibly, God has permitted our legislators to treat with such unwonted contempt our petitions against the Maynooth bill and the Minutes of Privy Council, to make us more earnest petitioners to a throne of grace than to the throne and senators of our land. He wishes to remind us, that, especially in matters touching his church, our principal hope should be, not our supposed influence with the rulers of this world, but our certain influence with the King of kings and Lord of lords. We are sure, brethren, that in this cause "the Lord of Hosts is with us." Let, then, "the God of Jacob be our refuge."
But, secondly, brethren, we should unanimously use right means with our fellow-men. We must not fail to make all our own people thoroughly acquainted with the principles of Dissent. They should all be Dissenters, not from custom, but from intelligent allegiance to Christ. It is our imperative duty to diffuse the knowledge of our principles far more than we have done - by tracts, lectures, and public meetings, thousands, who know not what we mean by the Separation of Church and State, would, if they were informed, approve its self-evident propriety. Thousands more need but a little reasoning in a Christian spirit, in order to convince them.
The Anti-State-Church Conference, and an important meeting of Yorkshire Dissenters, held in the town in which we are assembled, have recommended Dissenters to abstain wholly from mere party politics
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at the next election, and to give no vote at all, where they could not give one for an Anti-State-Church candidate; may we be permitted to second this recommendation? Dissenters are often accused of being political. Let us expose ourselves to such a charge no longer. If we have supported measures which we held to be for the good of the nation, to be political in this sense was simply to be benevolent or just; but, if our accusers mean that we addicted ourselves to party, as such, we have been wrong if we have done this. Let us present no appearance of repeating this wrong; recognise neither of two parties who are equally determined to trample under feet your most sacred principles.The attempt is being made to bring all the churches of Christ in Britain into bondage to the State; reserve your votes for their entire emancipation. Refuse to give them to a spiritual slaveholder: for as such we must regard the legislator who endows religion.
We are aware, brethren, that you will expose yourselves by this course to much obloquy, and be stigmatised by many current epithets of abuse. Be not moved, brethren. Take your stand on principle. Touch not Government money. Vote not for those who would lead you into temptation. God has delivered you from state-persecution; be not so ungrateful to Him as to yield to state-bribery.
Brethren, we have ventured to appeal to you, because our only hope in this contest is in our God, and in the people of our God. Worldly rulers, worldly ecclesiastics, and worldly men, understand not your views of the spirituality of religion. They look upon it chiefly in its social bearings: we in its relation to God and eternity. Ignorant of that spirit by which our Lord governs and supports his church, they vainly imagine to help the church of Christ by state-bribes and the physical force of human law. Let our practical firmness enlighten them. Let us not merit contempt by talking of principle and acting on expediency, by proclaiming our principle as from Heaven, and voting for those who trample on it, as if it were of men. We must steadfastly refuse to vote for the bribers of the church of Christ. It must be a disqualification which no temporal ends will permit us to overlook. Politicians will then begin to examine the cause; they will perceive its merits. They will acquire, in the investigation, a higher sense of the nature of religion itself. Like Pharaoh and his people, if they lose some of their favourites from the next House of Commons, they may be better disposed to let the Lord's people go, - go free from all state bondage, - that they may serve Him.
Events, however, we leave with the Lord. Duty, self-denying duty, is ours. Let us only ask of Him grace to be faithful to His truth, whether in the hour of persecution or in the hour of seduction.
============ [From The Baptist Record and Biblical Repository, London, April, 1847, pp. 418-420. Scanned and formatted by Jim Duvall.]
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