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Page038

38 THE PRACTICAL CHRISTIAN.'


COMMurUCATIONS.


LETTERS AND RE~ UT~' ANCES.


L. 1\ 1. South Hingham, Mass. J. C. South


Wilbrahlllll, Mass. ($ 2 en closed). F. H. B08­ton,


Mass., sometime out ofseason. G. \ V. S.


Boylston, !\ lass. E . i\ I. = S. Clucinnnti, _ 0 . ­C.


H. \ V estminster, Mass. J. B. P. ShrewB­Lnry,


Mass. ($ 1). N . O. C. Grafton, Mass.


LETTERS CONTINUED.


Manlius, N. Y., Eigth !\ Iomh, 4th, 1840.


Dear Bru\ her- ,


j\ ly mind is still filled wita


dc>! i n , s and det erminations to he actively en­gagerl


in th e cause of truth ; and while I want


th e liberty to beli eve and worsh ip God accord­ing


to the dictat es, influences or light of his


spirit npon my own conscicnre, and to LIller


all my moral convictlona as fr- cly ns the winds


hlow uudrivers flow, I am willing thut you


unrl ev ery oth or person on ' ea rth sl ; ollid have


the sallie liber ty, ' It is clear to Illy mind that


the principles of free itl\,~ tigntioll and discus­sion


ar e agreeab le ' to tile " Spirit and principles


of Ihe Gospel, IIml that cver)' tl'll ~ Chrislian


mllst and will dn all LlIlII clln ue dnne by ' forc"


of argllment to bllild IIJI, all truth, lind tellr


down 1111 eri" or. " It sho\ dd not, however, he our


main ohj ..,,, t to nppose er.. or, hut. til urivance


tl'l;.' h. It is al ~ o cl enl' to my milld, that rh"


mOlllent lilly persou tak e.'! OIle step hcynlld


lim'e of aq,;" m'mt and faith, to accolllpl ish any


ohj ect, he ge ts out of Ihe s pirit of the GOHpel.


The prindples of NOIl, Rt'sislance, nrc truth;'


11 11 th e laws alHI gnv erulllents in tho \ v6r1d nm


llllselhipon thc princip les of lllll ]\ 1os11ic rli.<.


pen stltinn-" an eye fi, r: tn eye, llnd a tooth for


n tooth," " love }' OUI' fr ienrls I' lid hate YOllr en­emies


," " rem! c r evil fi, r e vil," & 1'. But Ihtl


more gloriou s rlispensation ~ f the Gospel will


" Ollll sw . wp Ih'JIII alla\' l'ay : yes, rhe k. ingdolll


o r Chri, t , is destincd Ii, dash in pieces ev ery


other k ing- 110m anrl gO\, Cl'lllllent, IInllramaii.


li ",,~ v e r alii! e\ ' cr. ' T he priIH: iph,'" of it lirc­uJo\'


e your c lleluies," u " CJ · Il I~ · r g'f) od ' f{; r evil,"


" d e fend , not vOllrself, hilt Irw't ill .. Gn, H, o rI


- "' .- - . lL ... " - 1 > ; " 3IIIr-fend


and take I: are of yon." ' fhe ohjector will


say.;....." wIIRI Ilhould Christians do fOI'rllc world,


' if not make laws to gov ern thelll?" I IInsw!' r


u'rge thenl to Huhmit to the gnvernment of


Christ, IIIHI let him rille over 11, lelll. ' S ay 10


diem, Ihro IV }' onrselvcs immediately illto the


arms ofJ.., SIl8, with 1111 that yon have and lire,


till' it is all lIis; he wholly ' giv en up 10 bim-,


willing ' lo be nny tllillg, or nothillg, liShe Imll! s


by th'e Bpiril- kl~ ep the law 01 love that is


wrillcn in yonI' heart6, IIl1d rio hy nil liS you


woulll have, Ih ern do hy yon. Were sueh '


counsels fi, lIowed, . we shonld ' n ot ilef, d any


laws. Bnt what if th ey , won't IlIke this alt 7


vice? Why, as long as th ey will not havA


Christ to rille ( l\' er rlivllI, th ey will ke ep tryillg


to govl lrn rhemse"' es , and eac h other, till thlt


kingdom of Christ d: ishe~ their go vern men ts


amI th ey with Ihem ; an ', j if th ey ,,' an keep anY'


neare.. a.. ight hy meQlIl of th eir laws, Amen.


Yel it is nOI the Christian's dnty to hell' or


elll'ol; ra!{ e ' them in lIH1king hnvs in opposition ,


to Ihe kingdom ofCln: ist, nor IIdvis e th em ' Il)


lem'e tl'leir laws and serve the DC\' iI withollt


Jaws,; hut it is their dilly to llIh'ise and urge


th em 10 leave . heir laws 1II111 come to Christ.


" Thongh Ihe principles lire good, I ca nnot


pr ; lcti ce th ~ 1II till 1111 will ! ) If e very inrli\' id­nal


shoul, 1 wail till ull prac tiee'hhem, they


wOllld - never he practice, lnt all; we can lind


mnst cll.... y int~ practiee, every good principle


now, as individnals, or filii of true hnppinel' 9.


.. Bllt IhcBepl'in ciples nre pe .. fect weakness;.! ­tl,,'


re is no strcngll, in them, \ Ve shollid he left


at rh e IIIl'rcy of.' very evil Hillrir." Not so; ­th


ere is AImighty power in them; 0111' " pidt.


lire so con8tiwterlthat they operate oile upon


IIl1othcr. F" r instllllCe, amlin rnpets'his neigh­hoI',


IInll having sometl ling Il g~ i ll " t him, hegins


10} II1k Iln~ l'ily; his neighhoI' ratdling the spir­it,


hli~ ins to feel the same spidt, and talks


IIng,' il y IIlso. Thlls as onc ril'e ,8 higher, the


olher will, tillIJoth get veq allgry. ' nllt ifhi.


neighhor haHenollgh of the " pirit of the Gos­pel


io he th estronge" t, : tIld not feel linger r ise,


he will talll'to thc lIIun in me ekness, love and


hlllllil ily, and \ Viii ( J" mw the lIngl'y spil'illlll olll


of Ililll, so thul he \ ViII ~ o nJIlY ushllillerl: " or.


1' 01l1<,,, Shi" wrollg. Besides , there i" II Gnd III_


, wllys neal' at IIlllld , nntllfal' " If, Ilml I had rt; lh~,


el' Iru~ 1 in to r1efclId me, - w ithu ut liftin !; a fin-rr:


T'\ Ve should have heen glad to present


our readers wirh rh e Illilt letter of Br. g. 1\ 1.


: S., now in Cincinnllti, hnt. llre so fllll'ofrnaller


having prior clai'uls, th at W I< call1wt in th is No.


In our next we s ha ll plrh lish sC\' tl. ral extracls


" Ii'oUl it. perhaps the whole. '


will~ th ei. l · famili es and del'elllle, lIls) are 10 be be expected from the establishment oj the pro­th


e : n ~ a h Jla n ts ofltle community village, or ' posed Community') Ans. Such a ' communi-n


eigh~ orho~, 1. " ty would flll'nisii a happy home to 1\ I: lI1Y pnre


3.• How rs a tract ofland. or proper quanti- heart ed Christians, who are now scattered


ty ofreal estate, to be obtainedfor su ch an es- abroad, insulated from each othe r, ens la ved hy


tablishm ent? Ans. By me ans ' of II joint a corrupt Church, lind oppressed by the world.


stock fun d, rai sed by subscription in definite It would euahle them to secure, with less se­sha


res , nnd judiciously exp end ed in the pur- \' ere: toil, lind more certainty , a eomforrahle


cha se of the requisite real estate; which es- subsistence for thernselves nnd th eir family de­tate


11I1\' ing be en secured, should he aft er- ' pendents, " It would render- It much ea sier for


wards partly or wholly divided arnonz th e them to re1' 01' 111 many , pernicious huhirs of


joint ' proprietors, ac cording to the value of living, and to promote the, true physical health


th eir sev eral subseriptions- i- unless ' a ll were and comfort of themselves and famili es. It


perfectly agreed 10 hold itin common, would remove them fsom the dominion of mu-


4. Where shol! , the commullity be- located? ny corrupt and demoralizi'ilg influen ce s,' 10


Ans. In th e East or th e West, according to which they are now ex posed. It would enu-eircumstanees.


It should be - on gou.! lnnd hie them to set up nnrl mninr ain a 1mrer relig-capuhle


of th e highest degreeof improvement iou s worship, a hol ier ministry, a 1II0re saluta-at


th e least expen se, in II healthy situation, a ry moral discipline, IIl11l altogether a better


little ret ired from th e hu stle of the vwor hI, spiritual state ofrhiugs. It WO! I'" euuhle them


with a decent wat er privilege, and wirhirr to se nd forth tru e hea rted, rcli giuus/ moral aurl


reach ofa good market tor garden produc- phi lanthropic mis.., iou~ lries into the surround -


tions, I ing world, lor its conversiou- c- nu- n lind women


What should be the llIaxim~ llt size ofthe COIll- who could not bw ' hriherl or fi'igh ten ed into


munit. 1f ') Ans, \ V e think it s hou ld not COIII- suhservieu cy to popular in iquines- e- und wl{ o,!


pri se abov~ one hundred lind fifiy filluilics, and wilen weary,: lll ight relllrn, lik e NOllh's dm'e,


perhaps not so many. More gooll "' ight , he tu ' lhe , window ofa pClleefulllrk, lind find re- '


done h}' estahlishing new cOlllllluuilies_ I'roh- pose. It ' wou ld enable them more ' effeclIllllly


ahly it woulll he hett ,: r to pJant new colonics to pl'Oseente e very hr: mch of mural ret orln ailll


' when more th an fifty families had heen- hro'l improvement" h}' meaU8 01th e Press, of\\ ell


togeth er- especill! ly iflhe e nte rpr ize were at- orrlered schools, and the qualification ortea~ h­templed


ill a ny part of the country where land e r~ to go out and inculcale our hol y prillciples


is not eas ily oh tained . UnriJreseen circ';" n- wh erever tile people mi ght welcomfl th en i. It


/? tunce s, how e v e ~, woulti , more definitely seu le ', woulll enahl e tl! em to hring III' their ehi ldr eu


rllis qu esti ou of sbo: e. Thf' size of different iu the" ullrlllre lind admouition of the Lonl,


comlTlunities mi ght be vari;/ us. No ' prec ise aWllY from those loose and corrnpti! lg in tlu eu-lim


its ca n now be prescribed. ces so prevlliellt alrno~ t every where. It wOllld


6. What , sort of a constitution or compact enahlc tllem. to estalilish IIsylums fill' , the 01' ­would


be properfor the formation af such a com- phau anrl Wlrlow, and th e olltcasl uf men-mUllity')


An s. Something like the followi",' where th ey mi ght he hrought int' 1 th n I" iths of


we shonld tbiuk, would answer th e purpos:; life. In fine, it wOllld he II powerfill coneeu-viz


: \ tflltion of moral light a ud heut, which would


" We the undersigned, professing the p~ inci- mitke praclical Christiallily known IInrl felt hy


pIe s, anrlllclmowle. l ging Ihe , d ul ies, d nclared th e world. It woulll be in lh e , moral lind r e-ill


th e docume; lt'entitled, ;' Standard of pj'acti, , I i gi o ll ~ wodrl, wllllt th e SUIl glass IInri stram


cal Christianity," do, covenant with each olher, e/ Ig ine are in the 1I111l1rnl : ' n ut we forhelJr. ­aud


ugree as lollows, to, wit: . . If one such comlnunitY, collld he es tahlishe rl,


l. ",: Tb a~, , I~ y '! i viu e p fll'l ni ~ siol\ lIuit-"' fi', vor, _ . J 1~ nl '!',~ IIp.~! lt ht';. Jllil-! lfi! D!. CI~ IJ lult ill~~ e, ~:


we will unIte III the formation IInrl estuhlish - over the wh!! le fllce oUhe earlh, till at length


/ IIent of a practical Christian commullity; 10he ~ he king'loms of Ihis world should he IIhsorhed


culled THE FRATF. IlN. t. COMMUNION. mto the glori, otls kingdolll of our Lord ' J es us


2. ThaI we will plII'e1lllse a sUill; h! e tra~ t Chri~ t. Thus the reign of ignorance, selfish .'


of land, Jay out ' the sit l1 ofa " V illage, and , llS ness, pri, le, anrl viol ence '. would be tel'l'lIilt: lted


soon a~ may lie, sett le together hy Ii/ milies in a amollg men, amI the whole great hrothe rh ood


compnet neighhorhood . of our ra cc II well, tugether in IInslwakllhle


3. Thai to thi s end we will createhy slIlI-' peace, unrl cr th e i/ llmed iate f(() \' ernment of


~ criptilJn a join I st ock fuud, ill shllres of fifty Him, 10 whom helongeth the kingdom, power


d ollars'Illleh. and g lory furev el · .


4. That said slilll'es shall be trnll~ ferr: thle hy . Sli~" the e~ peri l11en t he marIe? \ Vho hilS


th e hold ers at thei~ pl easure, pro\' ided only fallh III such " smullthi, ngs?" Let them speak.


that uo share shall be so ld , out ofthe Cumlllu-uion,


until the pnmh; lse thereof ' sha ll , ha ve


heen refils ed hy allwithill the Communinn.


5. ThaI wh eu th e joint s tock fund shall huve


been in ves ted in r eal estate, lIuy stoc k h o l l! ~ r


shall Le cUlit led, npou dem uud, to have h is 0 1'


her jnst portion of the joint property, or a ny


spec ified part th ereof, set off to his 01' her ex ­c


lus ive possession. Aud Ihm it sha ll fill'ev ~ r


be at th e op tion ofth e stockholders, as in divid­nal


s, to coutinue in joint proprielorship wilh


eac h oth er, wholly or iu part, or to dissol ve the


slime hY an equi tuble division , of the cOliJmon


property.


6. Thut this Comlllunion shall from time


to time e lect suc h' qfficiaL servants us nlllY be


deemed nccessary, 1111 of whom shull he illl­mllltiat


ely III'countahle to th eir eonslitlleurs~


suhjcct 10 lheir instruciions, and removable at


their jlle asnre. ' , ,


7. ' That any person professing the princi­ples,


and acknowledging the dnlies rleclarerl in


the forenamed " Standard of ' P l'lIctil'a l Chr is ­tianity,"


llIuy hecome a member of this Com­mlmion,


f, y stlhscrihing this Compllct. '


8. That uny mernher of this Commnnion


mllY he dismissed 01' withdraw n'; Jm the 8: lIlie,


lit IIny time" by ;! ec lar ing snch des'ire or. pur-pose,


in writing. '


9. ' T llIIt nothing herein containcli shall be


construed to cOlilltel!" nCe the sli:.: hlest inter­fer


ence with ' the cOI; sci ence, ril:' ht~, dl; t ies or


r esponsihiliticsof any indi vidnal memher.


,10. Thllt this.. Corillnunion , may lit th eir


pleasnre IIlllend th is Compact, or IIdopt any


rul es IIIHI regnilltinns fill' the tl'llusactiou 01:


hu siuess under Ihe Slime, not repug. llInt t~ its


ge/ wrnl ol~ ect lIud sp irit."


FIS. lLLY; what ' importam advalltag eg may


ltIendon. September 15, 1840.


TlIE PRACTICAL CHRISTIAN,


~


COM~ IU Nl1" lES,


A good deal hils been said among our breth­ren,


in their socialinterviews utvurious tim es,


about the eSlublislllnent of Practical Christian


Communities. We hav e been Irequenrly re ­'


q ues ted of lute 10 JlIY the subj ect before the


readers of this Paper, with II view, to the free


discussion of the general p'l'Oposilio f! and irs


details, We huve lit length conc luded to


comply with this rep eated request, h ~ t in do ­illg


so would resJiectl illly p remise that the


whole matter is ill a IIiere embryo state as yet,


and thar linle more CIlII he done ut present


than to suggesivdiscuss and consider. Wheth­er


in the end uny enterprize of the kilil j will


be deemed desirable, or if desirab le practica­bLe,


remains to be seen, We shall submit our


rough sketch of a geuerul piau lor II counuu­nity,


and leave it to the eriricisrn and nrneud­meut


of the brethren ! Il lurge, The Shakers


and the Moraviuus huve established and maiu- '


taiued communities alter thcir pecul iar fash­ions-'-


n eithir of which we sbould at p, resent


wholly uPIJrove " as Illodels, ~ h u u g h lilliCh ,


might be selected frollJ both w, orlhy ' of 1Illup­tioll.


Wilh us ' a t preseut, perfect individuali~


ty is a fuudameutal idea ofth! J'true man. We


believe th llt by Belling th e illlli\' i dual ' right


with h is CrealOr " ' e shall set social relation - ,


ship right. We iberetore go lor ' nnabr idged


individllalit. l/ of mind, ' c onM, ie n c~, dIlly a ild


responsibility- for direct divine go -.: err! lueut


over Ihe huwan soul- uml 01 course lor liS


little hUlllan gov ernment as po ~ sjbl e. \ Ve


, wis h 10 know wb elher th er e is IIny suc h tbing


as IIlRn's being and doing right li'om th e law


of God written on his heart, wi thontthe aid


ofextcrnal honds and restrain IS. \ Ve Lelieve


this is possible, llIld tlratit is e very man's priv­ilege,


by the gruce ' ofGorl, to ' lIttain to su ch II


Slate. And more tlum this, we believe men


in the flesh will yet hy Ihonsands actuallyar­rive


lit this blessed s tate. Hence our notiolls


ofa practical christian community preclude ve :


, rf much of'the go\' ermental machinery elll­ployed


in hoth tbe' Shaker and Moravian es­tablishments.


' Ve are uot prepared to e lll­bmce


the doctrine of the Shakers respecl ing


marriage, nor th eir plan ' of entire commOll prop­erty.


The Mornvi:; ns, it is trn e, relllin nmr­riage,


prcserve family integ rity, and secnre


the iridivirlual rights of propel'lY & c. Bill


there is too mu ch d elnil and complex ity in


their gov ernment. Both or th ese cI! ISSt'S of


christiunllhavetllken a nohle stantl in fil\' or of


many grent points' of p rne'tica l christianity, liS


have IIlso the F riends, ' Me nnonites and , oth­'


e rs. ' fhey are lights of chri stian exce lle nce,


to which ; ve ' shall do well 10 giv e heed, not


implicitly, as unto perfectioll it self, hilt j lilli ­ciously,


I\ SUIllO lamps IiI at J he gre at light


Christ Je811s, wlli ch y et may be exeellell in


'! lome respects hy n ! Jew pattei'll. E~ Jl ecial ly


would we recommend, should 0111' hrethren


ever underl nke to es tahlish a COllltlllllJoity, that


Ilome suitable persons ue sent to thc . Shal, er


and ! Uol'Rvian estahli shIlJllr, ts, fQr , tile Jlnrpose


of investiglitillg t ~ le practical op eralion o f t!, eir


respeclive systems- in onter thllt notllingre­ally


good might be overlooked or r!' jectel l. ­\


Ve say Ihis Ihe more earne s lly, heclllrsc wc


have made th eforegoiug remarks respecting


their communities ~ holly from ' book kli01, Ill­.


edge, allli not aetnal ohse.' vation, which last


might pe rhaps renll er it necessary to modify


, o u r jn, lgmentin sorne respects. With these


prelillJinary ohsen'alions we now proceed to


tbe hn siness in hand.


1. What is the gre'! t leading idea oj the pro­,


posed comlllUllity? Ans. A compact lIeigh­borhoml


. or village of practical- christialls,


dwelling togethel' hy fillnili es in ) O\' e IlIHI


: peace" insuring to them~ e) ves rh. e coillforls of


~ ife hy ~ gr'ic i/ llI! ral und , mec hallieal ; j/ lll! rstry,


anclde\' oting the entit'e ' r es id ue of th eir intel ·


lectual. r~ ol'lll and I/ hysieal resonrces to the


· ch r istia nizllt ioll and general welfare of the hu ·


, DIa n 1111, e.


2. What is the b'uis ' On which membtr& are


, t~ be admitltd into this community? Ans.-


' Assent to the dOl'umenl known amon~ ,


our friends hy the title rr: T"' Standard of


Practical Christianity." Those who i"' oless


the principles Iln, 1: wknnwledge Ihe dnti l'fl de ,


c~ ared ill tuat Stalldard ( Iogettier, ot cO, urse,

Page 38 of Volume 1 from The Practical Christian 1840-1841

Ballou, Adin

1840