Brownson's Development of Himself [pp. 390-392]

Brownson's Development of himself.
Orestes A. Brownson's Development of Himself.
Editor of the Repertory-In the last number of your valua ble Quarterly, there is a review of Mr. Brownson's last work,
which seems to demand a brief notice by myself. In the work
thus reviewed, (" The Convert; or, Leaves from my Experi ence,") Mr. Brownson has seen fit to honour with a protracted
notice the church at Ballston, Saratoga county, New York, and
certain of its acts, as a leading cause of his abandoning Presbyterianism. As the object of his book is to show his own moral
and intellectual integrity in all his subsequent changes, it is
certainly fair to give him the advantage of having the beginning
of his divergency exhibited as it was.
I will state, therefore, that I was the "pastor" of the church
so often alluded to by him; and although "the time is long
since," all the circumstances of Mr. Brownson's short connection with us are still vivid in my mind; if it were otherwise,
the records of the church, and many living witnesses, can testify
to the facts as I now state them.
Mr. Brownson came to our church in the year 1822, and was
examined and received in the usual manner. He communed
with us once; went to the West, to teach a school, I think;
came back a Universalist, and then entered upon that downward course of changes which has marked his history since.
As to his representation of having professed peculiar views at
the time of his examination, as if he had renounced his own
private opinions, and wanted an infallible guide in the
church, and that we received him on this ground-it is wholly
fabricated, or the merest dream of after years. We had an intelligent Session, but did not, I fear, do our duty faithfully as
to this man's evidences of piety.
His next statement, which I deem it my duty to correct, is
still more remarkable. "On Monday following his admission
into the church," he says, "a meeting of its members was held,
at which we all pledged ourselves, not only to pray for the con
390
[APRIL