AB. I.--A Christian College-Its Instruction and Government... II. Whedon's Freedom of the Will.......... III.-Slavery in the Church Courts.............. I. THE NATURE AND EXTENT OF CHURCH AUTHORITY. II. THE NATION'S SUCCESS AND GRATITUDE. The Sub- PAGE. III.—BAPTIST REVISION OF THE BIBLE. Revision of "The New Testament of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. The common English version, cor- rected by the Final Committee of the American By Rev. Ed. P. Humphrey, D. D. - - VI. THE MEN OF DANVILLE. No. I. A Biographical Sketch of the Rev. John C. Young, Volumes I and II, of this work, may be obtained of the Publishers at $2.00 per volume, or Volumes I, II, and III for the years 1861, 1862, and 1863, at $6 for the set in num- Complet 4-10'-27 19521 DANVILLE REVIEW. No. I. MARCH, 1864. ART. I.-The Nature and Extent of Church Authority. THIS article is intended, in part, as a critique upon a pamphlet of forty pages, by James Brown, Esq., entitled The Church and the State, their Relations to each other; but mainly designed to set forth what we regard as the true doctrine upon the Nature and Extent of Church Authority, to declare "all the counsel of God," as made known in his word. The pamphlet of Mr. Brown is a "review of an article in the Danville Review of December, 1862," this article being the first of two upon "Politics and the Church," which it was our pleasure to write. We should not attempt a rejoinder to his reply, were it not that the case affords a proper occasion not only to correct some apparent misapprehensions of our meaning into which he and possibly some others may have fallen, but to vindicate more fully a doctrine which is vital to the true theory of the church, and essential to the fulfillment of her mission among men. Mr. Brown is an entire stranger to us, but we presume he is a lawyer by profession and a ruling elder in the Presbyterian Church. We must say that we rejoice, in this day of political turmoil, that any of this class of men are disposed to give serious attention to such topics as are discussed in this pamphlet. It appears to be written, for the most part, with fairness, viewed from his particular stand point, and to be pervaded with a general good temper; though his misapprehensions have led him to do us an occasional injustice, and his unwar ranted fears have betrayed him into some harshness of speech toward many of the clergy. We find, on opening the pamphlet, a preliminary note, complaining of the conductors of this Review for not admitting his article into its pages. "The following article," says Mr. Brown, was written for the Danville Review in reply, &c. It was expected that the conductors of that periodical, after having admitted argument on one side of the question, would have fairness and candor enough to allow the other side to be heard also. This, however, was denied, and therefore the appearance of the article in the present form." When Mr. Brown's article was read by the editors, our individual wish was expressed that it might be admitted, but we were overruled. Of this decision Mr. Brown was duly informed. His intimation of a want of "fairness and candor" towards him-rather a serious charge at any time-is probably from a want of due information of what is common law in The jusThe press, conducting periodicals of this character. It is a rule generally governing such in all countries, not to admit articles of the nature of reviews, criticising and controverting those which appear; that such periodicals are established to advocate those opinions which their conductors wish especially to promulgate, and therefore, that there can be no obligation upon them to admit any thing contrary thereto; that their liberty, however, is not abridged by this rule, but when they waive it the case is an exception, of which they are to be the sole judges. It was as an exception that we urged admission in this case. tice of this common law is obvious at a glance. however, is free, and Mr. Brown has availed himself of it. The article opens with a quotation from Edmund Burke, which serves "as a fitting introduction to the thoughts" which the writer wishes "to express on the true relation existing between the Church and the State." This extract from Burke serves as a fitting introduction " quite as well for our purpose also; for it allows us to say of our reviewer, what we have often observed in a large class of writers who side with him, that he assumes the very thing to be proved, and the assumption is of that which is radical as underlying the whole controversy, or he aims at the outset to forestall a judgment in his favor. 66 "Politics and the pulpit," says Burke, "are terms |