The following Statement of Faith, the original of which was prepared for the Channing church in Newton ... is simply given for the convenience of many in our own connection who desire some brief outline of our faith which they may keep at hand, and to whom this statement may prove acceptable.

STATEMENT OF CHRISTIAN FAITH.

We believe that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament contain a REVELATION of the will of God to man, which is in complete accordance with Reason, and which we accept as our guide in faith and practice. We believe in the Sufficiency of the Scriptures, and the Right of Private Judgment; that in no human tradition, articles, or creed, but in the Bible only, is the religion of Protestants; "so that whatsoever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be required of any man that it should be believed as an article of the faith, or be thought requisite or necessary to salvation."

We believe, with the primitive Christians, in the FATHER, and in the SON, and in the HOLY SPIRIT.

We believe in GOD, the FATHER ALMIGHTY, Creator of heaven and earth, the Absolute, Supreme, Incomprehensible Being, who alone is Self-Existent, Everlasting, Omnipresent, Omnipotent, Omniscient, Unchangeable, Invisible, and Infinitely Holy, Just and Good. We believe in the real and essential Unity of God; that the oneness of his personality is undivided; that God is a Spirit, whom both Nature and Scripture reveal to us as not plural, but strictly One. We believe, that, as the One God and Father of all, He only is entitled to supreme worship; and that the true worshippers should worship the Father in spirit and in truth. We believe in the Paternal Providence of the Deity; that He is not only our Sovereign, but our Heavenly Father; that his justice is in perfect harmony with his mercy; that, in his essence, God is Love.

We believe in JESUS CHRIST, the SON OF GOD,--the brightness of his glory, the express image of his person, the incarnation of the Divine Word; the Mediator between God and man; the infallible Teacher, the sufficient Saviour, the ever-living Head of the Church. We believe that he came out from God, and that in him it pleased the Father that all fulness should dwell; that all power was given him, and all things put under him, He only excepted who did put all things under him. We believe that in him, the Anointed One, the Divine Life was manifested for the redemption of the world; that he was the Wisdom of God and the Power of God to regenerate the human race; that in him God was manifest in the flesh, reconciling the world by his death, and saving it by his life. We believe in the miracles, the resurrection, and the sinless character of the Son of Man; that all prayer should be offered to the Father in his name and spirit; and that he is worthy of honor, love, trust, and obedience, as the Author and Finisher of our faith, our perfect Exemplar, our Master, Redeemer, and Lord.--To us, as to the apostles, there is but One God the Father, and One Lord Jesus Christ. Our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son. We seek that life eternal, which is to know Him, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom He has sent; acknowledging that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

We believe in the HOLY SPIRIT,--that purifying and quickening Power which proceedeth from the Father, and has no personality separate from him; which was signally poured upon the early disciples, and which God is ever ready to give to them that ask it. We believe in the reality an unspeakably importance of this Divine Presence in the Soul; that God himself is really with us, renewing our hearts, illuminating our minds, helping our infirmities, guiding our lives, and abiding with us as the Teacher, the Comforter, and the Sanctifier. We believe in the direct and immediate agency of the Spirit, arousing our souls to a consciousness of their deepest wants, and drawing us to the Son, till Christ is formed within us, and we are sanctified and justified in the name and power of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

We believe in HUMAN DEPRAVITY, the very great and general wickedness of mankind, and the alienation of men from God through ignorance and sin. We believe that this depravity arises from the abuse, perversion, and debasement of man's moral powers; that men have wandered away, and become corrupted by voluntary transgression, for which they are alone responsible. We believe, nevertheless, that all have the law of God written in their hearts, and have power to fulfil it; that our ability is equal to our duty; that we are guilty, not on account of our original constitution, but only on account of our wrong volitions and actions; and that no one is compelled by the necessity of his nature to do evil. We believe that none are wholly righteous, or totally depraved; that tendencies to sin as well as to goodness may be transmitted; yet that all men become sinners only by voluntarily yielding to temptation, consciously neglecting duty, and freely choosing disobedience . that all thereby are estranged from God, and in a state of condemnation, and need pardon and renewing grace.

We believe in the ATONEMENT, OR RECONCILIATION of men to God, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself; that Jesus has done all that was necessary to provide the means and way of our salvation; and that he has suffered, the just for the unjust, to bring us to God, and to make us at one with our Father in heaven. We believe that Christ's mission originated in the infinite love and mercy of the Father, who therefore needed not to be reconciled to us, but we to Him. We consider that our Saviour's sufferings were endured to deliver us not simply from punishment, but chiefly from sin; to save his people from their sins; to take away the sin of the world;--that he died, a sacrifice for sin, for the life of the world, giving himself for us to liberate us from the power of evil, and redeem us from all iniquity. We see, in the agony and crucifixion of the spotless Lamb of God, a most striking exhibition of the exceeding sinfulness of sin, Christ's love for man, God's compassion for the guilty, and his readiness to forgive the returning penitent. The cross appears to us as the very power of God to cleanse and save every soul that believeth; by the contemplation of it, we are inspired with the deepest humility, contrition, and gratitude; are led to the renunciation of our sins; and we, who were afar off, are brought nigh by the blood of Christ, and are thus reconciled to God by the death of his Son.

We believe in the indispensableness of REGENERATION, CONVERSION, newness of heart and life, a radical change of the motives and affections; a putting-off the life of the flesh, and a putting-on the life of the spirit. We believe, that, unless a man is born again from the natural or earthly to the spiritual or heavenly state, he cannot see the kingdom of God. And we believe that we cannot redeem ourselves from ourselves, nor, by our own unaided efforts, renew our inward spiritual being; but that this transformation must be wrought by means of a divine influence, imparted by the Holy Spirit, and received into our souls. And we believe that the true spiritual birth will be followed by a truly spiritual life; that love to God will show itself in love to man; that those who are Christ's will manifest a Christ-life walk and conversation. We hold that faith without works is dead; that charity, or love, is greater than either faith or hope; and that, if any man have not the spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

We believe in the FORGIVENESS AND REMISSION OF SINS through the forbearance of God; that whoso confesseth and forsaketh his sins, will find mercy; that, if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins; and we trust, for our acceptance with God, not in any good works which we have done, but in his literally free and unpurchased grace, made known in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We believe that faith and not opinions, righteousness and not ceremonial, character and not creed, are the test of personal Christianity; that we are saved only so far as we are sanctified; and that there is no condemnation to those who are delivered from the law of sin, and brought into inward harmony with the Divine will, by the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus.

We believe in the Life and IMMORTALITY which have been brought to life through the Gospel. We believe in the reasonableness, necessity, and certainly of a FUTURE RETRIBUTION; that the rewards of righteousness and the punishments of transgression are far greater than can be conceived; that God is long-suffering, patient, forgiving, but will by no means clear the guilty. We believe that they only will enter heaven who have within them the kingdom of heaven; that the wicked cannot by happy until they become holy; that they must experience suffering proportioned to their guilt, while the good will enjoy happiness corresponding to their character.

We believe in the EFFICACY OF PRAYER, the duty of secret and domestic worship, and the obligation of parents to give their children a religious education. We believe that all true Christians should become members of the visible CHURCH, uphold the institutions and observe the ordinances of religion, use faithfully all means which will promote their spiritual progress, and be active in building up God's kingdom in the world.

We believe in the BROTHERHOOD OF MAN; that the strong should bear the infirmities of the weak; that Christians should labor and pray for the removal of all injustice and oppression, ignorance and superstition, and for that consummation when the Gospel of Christ shall be diffused in all the world, and the kingdom of God shall come, and his will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Finally, we believe in the transcendent worth and importance of RELIGION; that its claims and obligations are paramount, not only during temporary excitements, but at all times; and that religion should not be separated from life, nor life from religion. We believe in the necessity of having a living faith, and an experimental knowledge of Christianity; that every one should deliberately consecrate himself to the service of his Maker, become a new creature in Christ Jesus, live with an ever-wakeful sense of the Divine Presence, and have the eternal life abiding in him. We believe that religion consists, not simply in saying, knowing, or doing, but in being; that Christianity is not merely a profession, opinion, or department, but an inward and outward life; that there can be no substitute for personal holiness, a religious character, and a godly life; and, as our present and future happiness is placed in our own hands, that no solicitude can be too deep, and no effort too earnest, to secure the soul's redemption, sanctification, and eternal welfare.

COVENANT OF THE CHURCH AND FORM OF ADMISSION.

You present yourselves here, wishing to manifest your faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and to unite with this Christian Church.

You believe that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament contain a revelation of the will of God, and of what we are to believe and do to obtain remission of sins, acceptance with God, and eternal salvation. You resolve and promise by God's grace assisting you, to search and conform to this revealed Word in heart and life as the rule of your faith and practice.

You promise to observe the ordinances of the Gospel in communion with this Church so long as God shall permit, behaving towards your fellow-members according to Christian precepts.

Humbly asking of God the forgiveness of all your sins, and relying on the assistance of his Holy Spirit, it is your heart's desire and earnest purpose to become a faithful disciple of our Lord and Saviour.

DO YOU THUS COVENANT AND PROMISE?

We then receive you gladly into our number. We welcome you to the communion of Christian hearts. We earnestly desire to sympathize with you, and will endeavor to watch over and support you in the trials of life and the work of duty; and we engage to unite with you in the diligent use of Christian ordinances, and to yield obedience to all truth which shall be made known to us by his spirit and grace. And may God our Father grant that this union formed on earth may be continued in heaven, and fit us for the fellowship of the saints in light. Amen.