"The friends who were leaders in the English reform, persevered over thirty years firm and faithful, without slander, war or bloodshed. They had the utmost confidence in the justice and righteousness of their cause; they were patient under persecutions, were meek and humble in every defeat, and the light at length shone and they triumphed. Here is a beautiful model for American reformers. LIGHT and TRUTH should be the only weapons used in accomplishing great moral, benevolent and religious objects. Christians in all laudable enterprises should be meek and humble, should possess much of the spirit of their holy Master, render good for evil, and conquer all opposition with love."
"ORDINANCES.--Herein we see the benefit of _institutions_ and _images_ by which past events are preserved by us and transmitted to posterity. National events, Jewish, Roman, Pagan, and Christian ordinances, are _speaking things_, which, as soon as they are abandoned, the events on which they are founded, the impressions and ideas associated with them, are lost."
At the present time, there are a few indications that the active theological minds of the country may at some distant day fall under two general classifications, which, for the want of a better expression at hand, we may call the _centralizers_ and _universalizers_. The latter resolve religion wholly into abstract ideas and principles which freely range through the whole empire of spirit, as gravitation, electricity and light operate through all space. Such rally about no personal centre. The former seek the abstract principles of religion only, or chiefly in their personal investments, and look for their effective radiance in a mediator. This class, for reasons needless to be discussed at this time, are from necessity the great mass, the organized activity of the religious sentiment; and though Mr. Badger had much catholicity in his faith and practice, nothing is plainer than that he centralized all in Christ, who, to him, was the untiring sun in the solar system of God's impartial favor. Thus speaks the following letter:--
"Br. Ross,--I am now better in health, and am trying to go ahead with what little ability I have, in the _one, single, simple_ work of preaching the blessed Gospel. Am I right, or should I be a political minister, and conform to the practice of this corrupt age, and present to my hearers a chowder compound? I follow St. Paul's old, obsolete theology of knowing nothing among the people save Jesus Christ and him crucified."