Him for salvation. Nor
did I deny the doctrine of redemption or atonement; but simply
endeavored to put what the New Testament said on these subjects in its
true light. In most of those works, if not in all of them, there are
evidences of undue excitement, and in many of them there are passages
which, in one's calmer and more candid mood, one is obliged to condemn.

I extended my investigations to all religious subjects, endeavoring to
bring my views and proceedings on every point into perfect harmony with
the teachings of Christ and His Apostles. I also did my best, in
connection with my friends, to carry into practice in our church at
Newcastle what we regarded as the New Testament principles of discipline
and church government. The following were among our regulations:--We
would have no fixed payments. All must be given freely. There must be no
charge for admission to the church feasts. We would support our poor
members. We would deal with offenders according to the instructions of
Christ: first, tell them of their faults between them and us alone, &c.,
&c.

We encountered many difficulties in our attempts to carry out some of
our principles. Some, that were able to contribute, were too selfish to
do so, and left the expenses of the church to be met by the generous
few. They would eat like gluttons at the church feasts, but give nothing
towards paying for the provisions. Some seemed to enter the church to
get supported in idleness out of its funds. This seemed to be the case
especially with a blind beggar. He spared no pains in making known his
connection with the church, and its generosity in supporting him, to the
public. This brought in a number of others who were wishful to be
supported. But many of these people, after joining the church, refused
to work. It was plain that we must either give up the attempt to carry
out our generous principles, or else adopt some method of testing people
before admitting them as members, and some wise system of discipline and
government with regard to those already admitted. But we had said so
much about unlimited liberty, that we could do neither the one nor the
other without breaking up the church and building it up anew; and it
seemed too late to do that. So we dragged along as well as we could.
Some lost patience, and went to other churches. Some came to the
conclusion that Christianity as laid down in the New Testament was
impracticable, and so became skeptical. Some kept