Then they feel it incumbent upon them to provide some means of discipline for these so-called members.

In case they grow up, and neglect to come with their parents to the Lord's Supper, must they not be disciplined?
Some insist that discipline, in some of its forms, must be administered, and, in certain cases, excommunication must take place.
_Mr.T._ I know it, and I wonder at it.

I should like to ask, who has deputed to any church the power to say when the divine forbearance with a child of the covenant has come to an end?
Does it terminate at the age of twenty-one in the case of male children, and at eighteen in the case of females?
David, when a full-grown man, plead the covenant of God with his mother: "O Lord, truly I am thy servant; I am thy servant, and the son of thine handmaid." Or, does it cease on the child's leaving the parental roof for another place of residence?
Or, on entering upon the married state?
Or, upon the commission of some great act of outward transgression, shall we pronounce the covenant to be dissolved?
Do we not see that we are meddling with a divine prerogative, if we assume to act in such cases?
Expostulations, warnings, entreaties, from parents, pastor, brethren of the church, may always be in place; but further than these we cannot proceed.
"Perhaps, too," said Mr.R., "if discipline were to fall anywhere, it might more justly descend on the parents of such a child." _Mr.T._ The seeming mockery of a church punishing a youth for the neglect of that which he himself never promised to do, would most likely have the effect to drive him to a returnless distance from the church, extinguishing the last ray of hope as to his conversion.

A fit parallel to such proposed church-discipline of children, is found in the practice, which was not uncommon, twenty-five years ago, in a region of our country where great religious excitements prevailed for some time, when it was publicly recommended, in preaching and from the press, that parents who had labored in vain for the conversion of children, should, in certain cases, punish them, to make them submit to God.
_Mr.D._ Is it possible?
_Mr.T._ Yes, sir; and the records of those times furnish instances in which this was done.

Of such means of grace, I am happy to say, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God.
_Mr.S._ Nor shall we probably ever see young people disciplined by the churches, for not repenting and believing the Gospel.