To Mrs Mary Stone one of the members of the first church
of Christ in Granville.
Samuel
We are now called to one of the most painful and
self denying duties, which is required of us as Christians
who profess to be the friends and followers, of the meek and
lowly, Son of God. As a church we solemnly covenanted
to walk before God in all his holy Ordinances, to seek the
peace & prosperity of the church and to watch over one ano-
ther, as Christ our head and king, both required. The
Obedience to one of the plainest rules of Gods word, we
have convened in Church meeting, to consider a
complaint against you, charging you with faults
which are manifestly, unbecoming a profession of reli-
gion _______ We have furnished with a correct copy of
the articles, from which you will perceive that you
were complained of for neglecting for a long time
the public worship of God in house ___ for neglecting
the Sacrament of the Lords Supper ____ and for
expressing sentiments of irreverence for the Redeemer
of Sinners, and for denying expressly or implicitly
the Inspiration of the some parts of the Holy Scriptures.
After looking to Ease in prayer of the directing influ-
ence of his Spirit ___ The several articles of complaint
were distinctly considered, and the Church Voted
unanimously, that the articles were each of them
supported _______ It now becomes our duty, painful and
as trying as it, to admonish & warn you, in the
language of Christian friendship, to repent and return
to the Saviour, whose cause you have so grieviously wounded _____
Did you not, Dear Madam, when you, joined to this
Church, solemnly covenant, to walk in Gods Ordinances
and to serve God all your life? Did you not profess be-
fore God, angels and men, that you believed the inspi-
ration of the Holy Scriptures ____ and that Jesus of Nazareth
was the true God, and the Saviour of the world? What
let us ask you, was the import of the professions you made
and the covenant you entered into between God and your
own soul? Could it be a trifle, to violate vows so
solemnly made, and by such multitudes witnessed?
Could you by any list, disannul promises made not
to man, but to God himself ______ Most tenderly would
we intreat you to consider, what you have done, and
how you have wounded the Redeemer of sinners in
the house of his friends _____ Most cordially do we
desire your best welfare ____ Most sincerely do we
hope, our admonition will reach some tender feeling
in your heart, and lead you to say ___ What have I done?
Most affectionately do we invite you to return to these
duties you have so long neglected, and to reject that
insidious infidelity, which is like to ruin your precious
soul _____ Impute it to no unfriendly motive, if we
tell you, with Christian plainness, that we tremble
with concern for your everlasting well being beyond
the grave
