of the
church, they discuss the question, as the sermon has stated, Of what
church are they members? Some reply, Of the church to which their
parents belong. Others say nay, but of the church universal. Then they
feel it incumbent upon them to provide some means of discipline for
these so-called members. In case they grow up, and neglect to come with
their parents to the Lord's Supper, must they not be disciplined? Some
insist that discipline, in some of its forms, must be administered, and,
in certain cases, excommunication must take place.

_Mr. T._ I know it, and I wonder at it. I should like to ask, who has
deputed to any church the power to say when the divine forbearance with
a child of the covenant has come to an end? Does it terminate at the age
of twenty-one in the case of male children, and at eighteen in the case
of females? David, when a full-grown man, plead the covenant of God with
his mother: "O Lord, truly I am thy servant; I am thy servant, and the
son of thine handmaid." Or, does it cease on the child's leaving the
parental roof for another place of residence? Or, on entering upon the
married state? Or, upon the commission of some great act of outward
transgression, shall we pronounce the covenant to be dissolved? Do we
not see that we are meddling with a divine prerogative, if we assume to
act in such cases? Expostulations, warnings, entreaties, from parents,
pastor, brethren of the church, may always be in place; but further than
these we cannot proceed.

"Perhaps, too," said Mr. R., "if discipline were to fall anywhere, it
might more justly descend on the parents of such a child."

_Mr. T._ The seeming mockery of a church punishing a youth for the
neglect of that which he himself never promised to do, would most
likely have the effect to drive him to a returnless distance from the
church, extinguishing the last ray of hope as to his conversion. A fit
parallel to such proposed church-discipline of children, is found in the
practice, which was not uncommon, twenty-five years ago, in a region of
our country where great religious excitements prevailed for some time,
when it was publicly recommended, in preaching and from the press, that
parents who had labored in vain for the conversion of children, should,
in certain cases, punish them, to make them submit to God.

_Mr. D._ Is it possible?

_Mr. T._ Yes, sir; and the records of those times furnish instances in
which this was done. Of such means o