1st, It is said they had churches in the apostles' day. True; but the term Church, as Adam Clark says, simply means an assembly or congregation, the nature of which is to be understood from connecting circumstances. Wherever the believers assembled, there was a Church. Hence we read of a Church at Ephesus, Corinth, &c. Sometimes the term _Church_ includes the entire company of believers in every age of the world, as may be seen by looking at the following passages: Eph. i. 22; v. 24, 25, 27; Col. i. 18, 24; Acts xii. 28. Hence the remark, that they had churches in the apostles' days, is no argument in favor of the present existing compacts. There is no intimation that they had articles drawn up on paper, to which they subscribed. We go further:--There is no evidence that they had a record of names; and, however innocent this may seem to be, we regard it an innovation. But, 2d, It may be remarked that, by being banded together, we can watch over each other. But we can watch over each other without these bands; and if we are living and acting in the fear of God, we shall love each other sufficiently well to reprove, rebuke, and exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine. And in _this_ way, we shall "lift up the hands that hang down, and the feeble knees; and, making straight paths for our feet, that which is lame will not be turned out of the way." This is a duty we owe to all the Church; and were it not for these sectarian pens, we could _speak_ the truth to all the Church. We could watch over each other in love--the only _true_ bond of union. And thus, in loving God with all our hearts, and speaking the truth in love, "we shall grow up into Christ, from whom the whole body fitly joined together, and compact by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love."