The following is an exchange between M. Winans and Silas E. Shepard, editor of The Primitive Christian. It mentions the editor of another journal, Mr. Badger of the Christian Palladium, who was promoting the practice of “Christian conferences.” Winans wrote to encourage Shepard to address the issue. Shepard’s remarks reveal the difficulty in answering error when discussions were, as he put it, “all on one side.”
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Jamestown, O., 3d February, 1838.
BRO. SHEPARD: The editor of the “Palladium” is making a bold push to sustain Christian Conferences, and he thinks his proofs so strong as to invite discussion. Some of you who are near to him, ought to hint to him that the cases he has called up do not sustain his conferences. The first case is where the church in Judea appointed deacons. But there were not ten or fifteen churches engaged in that matter, nor were there ten or fifteen churches in conference at Antioch, where Barnabas and Saul were ordained. There is but one case recorded where a conference met, and that was to settle a point of doctrine in relation to the Gentles, whether the law of circumcision extended to them as well as to the Jews; and they adjourned sine die, never to meet again.
But the work of the conferences of Mr. Badger, differs exceedingly from the work of the conference held in Jerusalem. Their work had to do with religious practices; it had nothing to do with criminals or ordinations. But Mr. Badger’s conferences are to “examine, receive, command, ordain, and exclude, public men in the church.” The Jerusalem conference was not a tribunal at all. But Mr. Badger’s conferences are regular tribunals meeting at stated periods.
But then the Reformers hold co-operation meetings. This reminds me of the school-master and his boy John. John was guilty of a misdemeanor, and was called to account. Well, said John, if I did wrong, Jake did wrong too; for he did something as well as me. Well, said the school-master, what if Jake did what you say? What has that to do with what you did? I will flog you now, and I’ll flog Jake when I call him up.
Mr. Badger’s arguments will go farther in sustaining the co-operation meetings, which he condemns, than they will in sustaining the conferences for which he contends. The co-operation meetings having no other object in view than consultation about matters of expediency. Whereas conferences are erected into a tribunal to make laws and enforce them. But I would not attempt to defend either of these meetings from the Scriptures, because I doubt whether a full warrant can be found for either of them.
The church is the only tribunal found in the New Testament Scriptures for preachers or people, and it will be necessary for Mr. Badger to shew an appeal from the decision of the church to the conference before he sustains his position.
Affectionately yours,
M. WINANS.
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REMARKS
We should be gratified to discuss the question, Are the “Christian Conferences” authorized by the laws of Jesus Christ? either with Mr. Badger, or some of his brethren who are able to do more honor to the affirmative of the question than he can. But we learned, from experiment, some time since, that the “Palladium” is like the handle of a jug—all on one side.
He published Elder Merrill’s misrepresentations of a debate on the baptism of the Spirit, to which we replied and requested him to republish it. But this required more honesty, and magnanimity, than the whole amount of his capital in these scarce commodities. His refutation on the “Conference” question is perfectly easy. But to get that refutation before his readers, is extremely difficult, and, indeed, judging from the success of our past efforts, wholly out of the question.
We still retain in our recollection the case of “Facts are stubborn things,” and our replies to the articles which appeared in the “Palladium,” under this head. We also called on Mr. Badger to give these replies a place in his pamphlet, but it was all to no purpose. Justice and fairness have no concern with the editorial department of that paper. If you think you can obtain access to the readers of the “Palladium,” we should rejoice to see you make the effort, and to see that effort succeed. We have no doubt but very many of them are honest and pious; and that many of them are disgusted with the vanity, and unfairness of the intolerable burthen of impudence and self-esteem under which their editorial chair has long groaned, there can be but little doubt. And if they do not “remove these deposites,” the destruction of their “denomination” is inevitable. The fact is, as I have been informed, by several persons who ought to know, he has obtained his present elevation purely by his management, and not by any thing like general confidence; and the probability is that he will not continue to edit the “Palladium” twelve months longer. We really hope the Christians will place a gentleman of honor in his chair, and one who will give them the privilege of obeying the precept, “Prove all things, and hold fast of that which is good.”
EDITOR.