Now, this is an iron bedstead, sure enough. Mark! there is nothing said about the Bible, but approving the declaration of faith, as recorded in the Church-book. Where in the Bible is there any thing of this kind? Luke tells us, in Acts, that the Lord added to the Church anciently; and those added by any other than the Lord, must be tares. And again, if this idea of connecting persons with this human machinery, is a part of the gospel, why then is there not something in the Bible to support it? The example of Philip is against it. Look for a moment to this circumstance. The angel says to Philip, "Arise, and go toward the south, unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem, unto Gaza, which is desert." He obeys the command, and as he moves toward Gaza, he overtakes or meets with the "Egyptian Eunuch." The Spirit says, "Join thyself to the chariot." He did so, and after listening a few moments, he inquires, "Understandest thou what thou readest?" "How can I, except some man should guide me?" was the reply. Then Philip began to preach to him Jesus. And as they went on their way, the Ethiopian inquires, "What doth hinder me to be baptized?" And Philip said, "If thou believest with all thy heart, thou mayest." He replies, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God." This was the test. The chariot is commanded to stand still; they went down both into the water, and Philip baptized him. And when they were come out of the water, before, as we may conclude, he had time to enter his name on a Church-book, "the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, and the eunuch saw him no more." There is nothing said about his joining the Church after he believed; from the fact that, _by obedience to God_, he already belonged to it. He had entered in by the door (Christ), and all who climb up some other way "are thieves and robbers." But it may be said that we must have something of this kind, because circumstances demand it. But this can be no argument in favor of it; for, if it had been necessary, the apostles would have informed us of it.