^ 
 
 THE ■[ 
 
 >EYANOELICAL RECORD, 2 
 
 
 S 
 
 AND 
 
 WESTERN REVIEW, 
 
 . II.] SEPTEMBER 1813. [No. 9. 
 
 CONTENTS, 
 
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 EVANGELICAL RBCQiiRB,16 1932 ' 
 
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 WESTERN BEVIEWrif't! 
 
 Vol I|.] SEPTEMBER 1813. [No. 9. 
 
 ORIGIJ OF THE RANKINITES OF KEN- 
 TUCKY. 
 
 IT is impossible to have a correct view of the cau- 
 ses of the i-esent state of religion In Kentucky, wick. 
 out attendig to the character and conduct of some of 
 the preachis who first visited the count*. A young 
 country is <ke a young mind — it ma/be moulded 
 into almost Yny shape by those who lave it unde r 
 their control Wise and prudent fathtts and reujii. 
 ers, generally speaking, raise wise andbrudent ch "-, 
 dren— wise &d prudent founders of (e.v , H ,fes anL 
 Colonies in l\e manner, generally spring. Itavc 
 marks of theirVisdom and prudence >r^ permanen- 
 cv and extensivVutilitv of their civ- °r religious m- 
 sututions. It iVith extreme |^.» e ar ll%££ ? 
 observe, mat the present state ^rehg-u. » xw tj, a- 
 mong all denominations «n Kcntuccy, does not lead 
 us to have a high opinion of either the wisdom or the 
 prudence of those who had them under their d.ree- 
 £o„ in the* first stages. H*l the first orgamzanon 
 of our various religious socdja bfn any thing fake 
 good, it is scarcely possible/'" the 'nature of things, 
 Satin the course of fife* or twenty years they 
 should nearly all be in tbf Reseat almost anmhda- 
 
 £ A S mong those who hav been concerned in forming 
 religious societies in K'tucky, the Rev. Adam Ran- 
 kin holds a distinguish J Place. He was the first or 
 second of the Presb-cnan order who settled m the 
 country. All accou- 3 also > a S rse ln swun S» *« a 
 
 V0L.II. Mm 
 
* i S Origin of the Rankinites 
 
 m 'v ■ favourable opportunity for forming permane. 
 foneregatioDS scarcely ever occurred. ft w» a rich 
 soKe settlers generally were a hardy industrious 
 ;°ce-a large number of them was d.rectly from old 
 se tkd congregations in Virginia-or Pennsdvam;- 
 ofl'ehndlaml the danger to wh.ch they were ex- 
 nosed by Indian ravages had a tendency t< preserve 
 rahert an to destroy religious ■ n.press.ms. 
 Rnkin settled at Lexington, which was fnm the be- 
 einning, what it stillcontinues to be, he m tropohs of 
 g" sta ?;_and a lar e e and respectable congregation . 
 appears to have been immediately lormec 
 
 The apostle James has said, that "wJere envying 
 
 iidfetrife are,there are confusion an devegy evil work: 
 
 Acording to this rule we are not to expe-t much good 
 
 H our reviev of religion, as connected vith the mm- 
 
 dons of iMr. Rankin— nil men mus acknowledge 
 
 ;ha? tv* hae icen a man of war from h's youth. He 
 ettlcd atT ex ; ngt0 n in the year ir84^r 85. At what 
 time any of \c brethren settled on tfc same side of 
 ihe Kentucky \^- er W e cannot exactb ascertain. This 
 much, only, is cew m — tn at he ne^er was on good 
 <ovme with any oi\hem, and that in October 1T89, 
 sundry papers \>c-re p^ua^nteJ. t the Presbytery of 
 which he was a member, (fdntai^ing aiaong other 
 things a charge of his having been in theiiabitrof slan- 
 dering his brethren. 
 
 In a new country, wfcre courts'of every kind are 
 only forming — ard wh\e a majority of the members 
 are not only in a great ntasure strangers to one ano- 
 ther, but perhaps, ai=o, whout much experience in 
 judicial proceedings, we \e not to expect all their 
 proceedings marked with tW "regularity and form" 
 which under other circumstv es we consider indis- 
 pensable. In the pamphletsV e f or e USj consequent- 
 
 * These pamphlets are three— \ 
 
 1. A narrative of the process— by -Rankin. 
 
 2. d.uo. by Transylvania Fres^^, 
 
 3. Rcplv— to the above, by A Ranki 
 
Origin of the Rankinites. 419 
 
 ]y, which propose to give us an account of the process 
 which was carried on in the Transylvania Presbytery 
 against Mr. Rankin, we find much matter both for 
 and against him, which is not very closely connected 
 with the real merits of the controversy. After a num- 
 ber of preparatory steps, in which time Mr. Rankin 
 made a trip to Lpndon — the trial at last came o 
 April 1 7$~2. The charges exhibited against him may 
 we tQink be all reduced to two. 
 
 1. His having said on different occasions, and to 
 different persons, "lhat on some extraordinary occa- 
 sions he received special direction from God thrc 
 the medium of dreams" — and 
 
 2. That he had been in the habit of charging all his 
 brethren who used Watts's Psalms, with deism and 
 blasphemy; and of debarring from the table of the 
 Lord all who acquiesced in Watts's Psalms. 
 
 The proof by which the first of these charges was 
 supported, is contained in the following depositions. 
 
 "jrames Cra-cford, deponent, saith, That he invited Mr. Rar.km 
 to assist him in administering the sacrament of the Lord's sup- 
 per; that on the Friday before the sacrament, Mr. Rankin gave 
 him to know, that he could not come to the sacrament, if Dr. 
 Watt's psalms ar.d hymns were used, he could not join in the 
 communion. Said deponent saith, that he returned for answer, 
 that it was the mind of the session: that the request could not be 
 complied with; and accordingly Mr. Rankin did not attend the 
 sacrament. In conversation some time after, in Lexington, said 
 deponent saith, that Mr. Rankin told him that having prayed for 
 direction, it was made known to him in a dream X 1 -he interpreta- 
 tion of which was made known to him with the fullest certainty 
 when he awoke ) that he should not attend the sacrament of the 
 supper: that he saw in his dream the sacrament of the Lord's 
 supper administered by said deponent, and the great or whole 
 dependanca was laid on Watts' psalms, that Watts' hymns were 
 included in the representation of tne psalms; that in ail matters 
 of consequence, he was under an extraordinary diviae dire 
 that in consequence of such direction he moved to and settled in 
 this country. The deponent saith, he is not to be understood, ss 
 affirming the above as literally in the words of Mr. Rankinj but 
 that his words fully communicated the same ideas with the a- 
 bove. Said deponent farther sakh, that Mr% Rankin gave him to 
 
420 Origin of the Rankinites. 
 
 know that the use of Dr. Watts' psalms would be laid aside in the 
 church; the knowledge of this, he obtained in the same extraor- 
 dinary way as above.- that being" asked by the deponent, when 
 this should come to pass, he would not fix the time." 
 
 "/ David Rice do testify , That when at Mr. Rankin's on a cer* 
 fain occasion, he told me, that in all matters of importance in 
 which he was at a loss to know his duty, he was directed in his 
 dreams; that in such cases he prayed the Almighty for direction 
 in this way; that after prayer he dreamed, and was directed in 
 his dreams, as to the manner of his request; that as he was a weak 
 man, God descended to give him instruction in tiiis way. He in- 
 formed me of several instances of his being thus directed, viz. 
 That a certain debate, which happened in Presbytery, had been 
 made known to him before hand; that once in the old settlement.. 
 finding himself at a loss to know whether he ought to sing Watts* 
 psufais or hymns, he prayed for direction in that matter; and had 
 his duty made known to him in a dream; that in the same way he 
 was informed, that a certain candidate for the gospel ministry, 
 ought not to proceed in his trials,- of which candidate, he had the 
 evening before his dream, expressed his very good opinion, and 
 great desire that he should proceed- he told me also that he was 
 directed in his dream to inform me, that he was thus directed in 
 his dreams. I was sensibly affected by this information, and 
 warned Mr. Rankin of the dangerous consequences; that I appre- 
 hended he was on dang-erous ground, subject to be led into great 
 errors and delusions. On which he said, he knew that those who 
 had never experienced it, could form no judgment about it, I 
 then desisted from warning him of the danger he was in; but ex- 
 pressed my great disapprobation of men's relying on their dreams 
 for direction, in matters respecting sin and duty- Before we part- 
 ed, he requested me three or four times, that I would not divulge 
 what he had told me. As soon as he made this request, it struck 
 my mind, that I might probably see the day, when it would be 
 my duty to make it known; yet, as it was committed to me in the 
 confidence of friendship, I resolved to keep the secret, until I 
 should think myself called in duty to divulge it. To me it did not 
 appear that we should long hold communion, and act harmoni- 
 ously together, while we had such different rules of direction, as 
 the sacred scriptures, and night visions." 
 
 Robert Steele, Robert Patterson, John Maxwell 
 and James Trotter, members of* Mr. Rankin's con- 
 gregation, also declared on oath — "that to them indi- 
 vidually, or in their presence, and with respect too- 
 ther matters distinct from those mentioned in the de- 
 positions of Crawford and Rice, Mr. Rankin had 
 
Origin of the Rankinites. 421 
 
 said — that on some occasions he was favoured with 
 something which they understood to be "special rev- 
 elation." 
 
 This charge Mr. Rankin has uniformly denied. 
 He has even said in print, that it was not so much as 
 proved against him. His proof, however, that it was 
 not proved against him, is just this: t( Hc is ready to 
 swear tha: he never had any such conversations as 
 are mentioned in their depositions, with Crawford 
 and Rice — they consequently must be perjured." (Re- 
 ply, page 33. Narrative, page 49.) John Maxwell 
 was not positive, that in the conversation of which he 
 testified Mr. Rankin used the word revealed, though' 
 he is certain that it was a word to that amount. Mr. 
 Rankin is also ready to swear that he never had any 
 such conversation with Mr. Maxwell. (Narrative, 
 page #i.) Patterson was a party concerned in the 
 affair concerning which he gave testimony, (page 43 
 and 44 Narrative,) and Robert Steel must have been 
 mistaken, as in the conversation to which he bears 
 testimony, Mr. Rankin had no intention of commu- 
 nicating such ideas. (Narrative, page 39) 
 
 We consider it our duty to add — "that the writer 
 of this article thinks (he may be mistaken) that Mr^ 
 Rankin has oh more occasions than one* communi- 
 cated to him the idea — ^that on certain occasions Mr. 
 Rankin is some way or other infallibly directed." 
 And we have nearly all the evidence in the world, 
 that some of Mr. Rankin's bosom friends at this mo» 
 ment, as confidently believe that he on some occa- 
 sions is infallible^ as ever the devotees of the Romish 
 church believed in the infallibility of their head. 
 
 * "With respect to one of these occasions, the writer thinks 
 he cannot possibly be mistaken. The amount of what Mr. Rankin on 
 that occasion said, both in conversation and prayer, was— ''That 
 the Transylvania University was cursed of God, and would never 
 prosper — that he had often said so, and the Lord would not let 
 the words of His servant fall to the ground" 
 
 Voh ii, M m % 
 
422 
 
 Origin of the Rankinites. 
 
 I 
 
 To the second charge, viz. his having been in the 
 habit of charging all who used Watts' Psalms with 
 deism and blasphemy, Mr. Rankin has from the be- 
 ginning in substance filead guilty. In the account 
 ■which he himself gives of the process, we find these 
 words — 
 
 1 Naw I affirm, that far any to say, that any thing dictated by 
 the spirit of God, in the old testameut, is opposite to the spirit of 
 the new, is blasphemous— for both testaments were dictated by 
 the same spirit, and cann f »t be opposite to each other. Nothing 
 is a stronger supportfor deism, than to set the wordot God at odds 
 against Itself. To break the harmony of the scriptures, is, to re- 
 proach them — and to reproach the word of God, is to blaspheme 
 it — and all such ignorant and bold blasphemers, and reviiers of 
 the word of God, are justly condemned by it: and so had no right 
 of admission to the Lord's table." Page 26. 
 
 "From what has been said, the following conclusion is self-ev- 
 ident.- that as Br. Watts, has assumed the liberty of dictating 
 what men shall actually and audibly say to God. in their praises, 
 opposing his precepts to divine authority, and preferring his com- 
 positions to the inspired oracles, which are the alone objects of 
 saving faith — surely I wasf justifiable in saying, such sentiments 
 partake of the heresy of those who deny revealed religion, and 
 therefore deistical. Without faith it is impossible to please God — 
 andhethatdoubteth is damned: bat human compositions are not 
 the proper grounds for a divine faith, and ought never to be sub- 
 (Stituted in the place of the infallible word. And for any man, or 
 set of men, to treat such a precious portion of it as David's psalms 
 are, with reproach and contempt in saying "except four or five 
 and twenty select pieces, a wise man would not condescend to 
 make use of" — is certainly an indignity done to the words of truth 
 *nd soberness which cannot be too severely censured." Page 34. 
 
 It is of importance to ascertain here, what was the 
 true state of the question, betwixt Mr. Rankin and 
 his brethren. Mr. Rankin has uniformly said, that 
 the true state of the question was, "Is it warrantable 
 to use in public worship any other psalms, or songs, 
 than a close translation of the book of psalms in the 
 eld testament" — his brethren have as uniformly stated 
 that this was not the question. In their publication 
 they say, 
 
 "Though there was much said in the course of Mr. Ranking 
 boet Dr. Watts, ani his imitation of the psalms, it was not 
 
 i J 
 
Origin of the Rankinites. 423 
 
 because he thought differently from his brethren on this subject, 
 that he was tried and censured. It is hereby declared that his 
 particular sentiments merely in the use of psalmody, were never 
 considered as any ground of censure, or sufficient cause of aliena- 
 tion or affection.- "he was censured for unchristian and uncharitable 
 reflections on his brethren, for their use of Dr. Watts' psalms 
 and hymns, his charging them on this account, with deism, blas- 
 phemy, &c, and that after he had agreed with some of them to 
 exercise mutual forbearance. 
 
 "Those who spread contrary reports, cannot produce a sing'e 
 evidence for it, and those who believe it, do it on the most unwar- 
 rantable foundation. ** Page 15. 
 
 Now we must acknowledge, that after having occa- 
 sionally examined the whole of this matter for nearly 
 ten years, with all the patience we possess, and that 
 too frequently when all our prepossions were in fa- 
 favour of Mr. Rankin,, we have uniformly come to 
 the conclusion that the presbytery's statement is cor- 
 rect — and that Mr. Rankin's statement of the ques- 
 tion is a gross mistake. Our reasons are these: 
 
 1. The synod of New York and Philadelphia, at 
 that time the supreme court of the Presbyterian church 
 in north America, had some considerable time before 
 this controversy, made the subject of psalmody a 
 matter of mutual forbearance. When they allowed 
 the use of Watts' psalms and hymns, they did not 
 prohibit the use of the old version — on the contrary, 
 though we have not the act by us, yet we are pretty 
 confident that in that act it was distinctly intimated, 
 that the new psalms were only to be introduced where 
 it could be done with general edification. Now, this 
 being the fact, the Transylvania Presbytery must 
 have been very stupified, or very wicked indeed, to 
 talk of censuring a man or a congregation, who from 
 conscientious principles still used the old psalms. 
 
 2. There are a considerable number of congrega- 
 tions in different parts of the United States who are 
 still under the authority of the general assembly of 
 the Presbyterian church— and who have not to this 
 day used any psalms but the old version. How has 
 
424 
 
 Origin of the Rankinites. 
 
 it happened that these have not been censured? Nor 
 even so much as disturbed by their brethren who have 
 introduced the new? 
 
 3. The writer of this article has, as has already 
 been intimated,been nearly ten years in this country — 
 he is from principle attached to what is called scrip- 
 tural psalmody — he has never used any other either 
 in public or in private since he came to Kentucky — 
 yet he has had a great deal of religious intercourse, 
 or, if you will, communion, both in public and private, 
 both with ministers and people of the general assem- 
 bly presbyterians — and has never found any difficulty 
 in using his own and his church's psalms. Some o- 
 ther thing then, than the mere article of psalmody was 
 the real cause of Mr. Kan kin's quarreling with his 
 former brethren. His great zeal on this article has 
 all along been nothing but a blind. 
 
 In April, 17 92, as has been already said, Mr. Ran- 
 kin's trial, before the Trannsylvania Presbytery, came 
 on; and after two day's hearing and arguing the case, 
 the Presbytery voted first — "that Mr. Rankin was 
 censurable, without saying what the censure should 
 be." Mr. Rankin being called in, and their decision 
 made known to him, he, as the New Light brethren 
 have since done in a similar case, verbally protested 
 against their proceedings, and declared that he would 
 be no longer a member of the Trannsylvania Presby- 
 tery; and so left the house. The Presbytery then 
 suspended him from the exercise of the ministerial 
 functions, till next stated session. At their next ses- 
 sion, which was in October of the same year, authen- 
 tic information was received, "that Mr. Rankin had 
 actually separated himself from the Presbyterian 
 church, and was active in forming separate societies." 
 They, therefore, not merely for the things proved 
 against him at last meeting, but also for his schisma- 
 tical proceedings, deposed him s in due fcrm,.from the 
 
Origin of the Rankinites. 425 
 
 office of the holy ministry, and declared his pastoral 
 charge vacant.* 
 
 Whatever others may think or say, we must give 
 it as our opinion, that Mr. Rankin was lawfully sus- 
 pended, and afterwards lawfuly deposed, by a regular 
 court of Christ. The general principles which we 
 have already explained and applied to another case, 
 will apply here (See E. Record, vol. II. page 82). 
 So far as church government and good order are con- 
 cerned, there is no difference betwixt Mr. Rankin's 
 case, and the case of Marshall and others. 
 
 * The severity of Presbytery in this case has been a most po- 
 pular subject of declamation. There was, no doubt, much un- 
 christian heat manifested, both within and without doors, and by 
 the partizans of each side; but that the judicial proceedings of 
 Presbytery were marked witk severity, we have no evidence. 
 The charges exhibited against Mr. Rankin were such that no 
 court, which had any regard to its own character, or to the cha- 
 racter of its membersj could pass without notice. The proof in 
 support of the charges was direct and positive, and must be con- 
 vincing, unless we admit the idea that all the witnesses perjured 
 themselves. V/hen the case had been fully heard, the Presbytery 
 voted only that Mr. Rankin was censurable — the censure, whether 
 it should be an admonition or rebuke, or merely requiring a pro- 
 mise of more caution in time to come, was left as an object ot fu- 
 ture inquiry. When Mr. Rankin had declared that he would 
 make no acknowledgment — nay, that he was determined to leave 
 them — the very least that could be done was to suspend him till the 
 next session. Besides this plain statement of matter of fact, 
 it may be of use to attend to the general character of the general 
 assembly Presbyterian courts. An accommodating spirit, aproach- 
 ing to blamable laxness in the exercise o%-hurch discipline, is the 
 general character, rather than a dispositi6n to exercise undue se- 
 verity. This very Trannsylvania Presbytery has, in all other ca- 
 ses, borne, and borne, and accommodated, till the question as- 
 sumed the same shape wHch it assumed when Mr. Rankin slipt 
 away from them; viz. Shall the Presbytery or the culprit rule? In 
 his reply, page 31, Mr. Rankin quotes a declaration of Mr. Craw- 
 ford — "that he should not have been suspended, had he not pro- 
 tested." And, as usual, twists it, to mean something very differ- 
 ent from what it carries. The meaning of it certainly is, "that if 
 Mr. Rankin had manifested any thing like an accommodating spi- 
 rit, something less than suspension would have satisfied Presby- 
 tery." 
 
426 Origin of the Rankinites. 
 
 The manner in which Mr. Rankin has conducted 
 himself, as a public character, since he was separated 
 from his former connections; will be the subject of a 
 subsequent paper. We shall conclude, at this time, 
 by calling the attention of our readers, and, if possi- 
 ble, the attention of all the religious people in Ken- 
 tucky, to our introductory remark: viz. the influence 
 which these things, now stated, have had on fhe pre- 
 sent state of religion among us. 
 
 Fathers Rice, Crawford, and Rankin, are the lead- 
 ers of the people. They are to form a christian 
 church, and have, to all appearance, a fair opportuni- 
 ty of forming a permanent church in Kentucky. They 
 scarcely begin to act till it is evident they have no 
 confidence in each other. It gets from bad to worse: 
 Rankin at last renounces all connection with the o- 
 ther two, and the rest of their brethren. — Nay, open- 
 ly charges them with perjury, and almost every thing 
 which is bad, and draws along with him a number of 
 people. What are the ignorant — what are the unbe- 
 lievers — what are even good serious people to think 
 of these things? There is scarcely a congregation 
 formed, or about to be formed, which is not convul- 
 sed by the contending parties. Woe be to that man 
 who is the cause of these offences. Verily, the blood 
 of generations is chargable on his guilty head. 
 
 The controversy being begun, it is easily carried on; 
 all religion in fact consists in it. Reading the bi- 
 ble, praying in the family, and bringing up children 
 in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, are but 
 subordinate matters. The man who can dispute best 
 is the hero of the day — yet the subject of dispute is a 
 matter no way connected with either their own sal- 
 vation or the salvation of their children. The whole 
 question is — Is Mr. Rankin to be believed in those 
 things in which he flatly gives the lie to the Trannsyl- 
 vania Presbytery? In maintaining the affirmative 
 
Origin of the Rankinites. 427 
 
 6v negative of this question, thousands of stories are 
 raked up and handed about, and this is contending 
 earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints. 
 
 This is not all. Perjury, or at least rash and unne- 
 cessary swearing, becomes a necessarv part of the 
 good work — and God's courts are to be degraded as 
 the instruments. We find, consequently, that in Oc- 
 tober 1793, a committee of what is now the Associate 
 Reformed Presbytery of Monongahela, met in the 
 neighbourhood of Bourbon, and before that commit- 
 tee a number of good and respectable men are brought 
 to contradict by their statements on oath,certain state- 
 ments, which the Trannsylvania Presbytery had made 
 in their publication. This was not a fair and honest 
 way of doing business. — 1st. The members off this 
 committee were strangers in the country, and were 
 er.sily kept from having any intercourse with any but 
 Mr. Rankin and his friends. — 2nd. None of the mem- 
 bers of the Transylvania Presbytery were present to 
 cross examine these witnesses, or to give their way of 
 lg the story. — 3rd. All these witnesses had al- 
 ready publicly pledged themselves to support Mr. 
 Rankin — the most of them had at least for a year 
 and upwards been keenly engaged in supporting his 
 side of the controversy. — and, 4th. All these witnes- 
 ses are made to swear about things, concerning which 
 the spectators of the proceedings of any court, espe- 
 cially of an ecclesiastical court, may be very easily de- 
 ceived. Let us examine a few of these statements. 
 
 The first in order is — Seven men give their oath — 
 "that in the Transylvania Presbytery, April 1792, 
 Mr. Crawiord moved and the Presbytery agreed, 
 that all the charges exhibited against Mr. Rankin 
 should be comprehended in two, of which what he 
 had said against Dr. Watts's Psalmody was one." 
 (Reply, by Rankin, p. 14.) From this deposition Mr. 
 Rankin thinks he proves that the main point to be 
 
428 Origin of the Rankimtes. 
 
 be debated in Presbytery was the unwarrantableness 
 and danger of adopting any human form of psalmo- 
 
 f dyf* But did these witnesses see Mr. Crawford's 
 
 motion in writing? or are thev even positive that 
 these were the very words, nothing more, or nothing 
 
 ;. less, which were in the motion? It is certain it was a 
 
 moiion concerning Watt's psalms and Mr. Rankin — 
 but this is all that is certain from this deposition. It 
 is in fact all which men under their circumstances 
 could testify. We may also suggest by the by — "that 
 the public had even no evidence that these men sup- 
 ported by their oaths, what they are said in Mr. Ran- 
 kin's reply to have sworn to. Their depositions are 
 not given in form, and certainly not in the very words 
 to which they individually swore. 
 
 Again — No less than sixteen witnesses are 
 brought forward to swear, that about the time Mr. 
 Crawford gave his depositions in Presbytery, as well 
 as at other times during the trial, he evidently discov- 
 ered symptoms of great anger. (Reply, p. 20.) And 
 from this state of Mr. Crawford's mind, Mr. Rankin 
 in both his pamphlets argues that Mr. Crawford's 
 testimony is not to be relied on. Now, every per- 
 son who has ever taken any share in debates in church 
 courts, knows that warmth of expression and ges- 
 ture are not always in these cases the symptoms of 
 what in common conversation we call anger. And 
 after all, what was the reason, the necessity, of cal- 
 ling for men's oaths, about a fact of the kind. If it 
 is to operate on one side, it will operate just as much 
 on the other. Mr. Rankin's own ivord, we are bold 
 to say, never was doubted, and never will be doubted, 
 that there was very considcrble heat manifested, both 
 
 * Let it not be said, "that we, as well as the Trannsylvania 
 Presbytery, are afraid of coming to the main question on Psalmo- 
 dy." Our mind on that subject is made up, and if we live, we 
 shall, in its proper place, give a fair and full statement of the con- 
 troversy. As editors of a v?ork intended for general use, we know 
 no man, nor party— but the truth. 
 
Origin of the ttankinites. 429 
 
 by himself and his adversaries, during his memorable 
 trial. 
 
 Fifteen witnesses are next brought forward u> 
 prove, (page 21) "that Mr. Rankin was thejffil who 
 moved, in Presbytery, that Mr. Crawforu should be 
 sworn to tell all he knew of Mr. Rankin." And here 
 the Presbytery and Mr. Rankin are at issue for once; 
 "for they, in their pamphlet, assert, and give some 
 pretty strong reasons for the assertion, that so tar 
 from moving that Mr. Crawford's deposition should 
 be taken, Mr. Ronkin opposed it to his utmost; and 
 that it was not taken till a vote was taken on the sub- 
 ject."* But, be this as it may, it'is just nothing as to 
 
 * In his first pamphlet, page 46, Mr. Rankin compla'ns bitterly 
 that Presbytery, by a vote of the majority, admitted Mr. Craw- 
 ford to be at one and the same time, an accuser, a witness, and a 
 judge- A vote, consequently, was taken, in some form or other, 
 respecting Mr. Crawford. *'The process was evidently carried 
 on on the ground of a fama clamosa." There was properly then 
 no accuser, and no vote could have been taken concerning Mr« 
 Crawford, on this head. The vote, then, must have been, Shall 
 Mr Crawford's deposition be taker.? or, Shall Mr. Crawford, 
 af er he has been admitted as a witness., still keep his seat as a 
 member of the court and a judge? If it was in the first form, it is 
 pretty strong proof that Mr. Rankin was opposed to its being ta- 
 ken. If it w^s in the last form, it certainly was unprecedented 
 in both civil and ecclesiastic courts. 
 
 Mr. Rankin, in the sentence just alluded to, complains also, 
 ■'that Presbytery deposed him from all his ministerial offices for* 
 ever, vitkoitiany liberty of any appeals A most tyrannical Presby- 
 tery indeed! But how is the fact? From the very nature of Pres- 
 byterial government, this wss impossible; as the injured person 
 may always have an appeal from the inferior to the superior court. 
 And Presbytery, in their publication, very justly complains, "that 
 Mr. Rankin did not, when he supposed he was injured, appeal to 
 Synod." But it did not suit Mr. Rankin to have the matter any 
 farther investigated in an orderly court. And the declaration, 
 that he was condemned without the liberty of en appeal, is only 
 one of the many gross falsehoods which he hath printed and circu- 
 lated, and is a pretty good specimen of the manner in wfcich he 
 hath conducted all hu wars. Hence we cannot, as some do. c*ll 
 his wars the •uatt efthe Lord, and his cause the cavse cf G*d- 
 Non tali auxilic, nee defencoribus istiff 
 Jehovah agct. 
 
 Vol. ii. Nn 
 
430 Origin of the Rankinites. 
 
 the main question. It makes no matter who was the 
 fir3t mover. The question is, What is the amount 
 of the deposition when taken? It speaks for itself; 
 and Mr. Crawford's cnaracter, as a man of truth, 
 stcod, while he lived, as fair as ever Mr. Rankin's 
 did. 
 
 But what is the natural tendency of encouraging 
 men solemnly to swear to such points, and under 
 such circumstances? It is certainly very opposite to 
 the scriptural design of an oath— the putting an end 
 to controversy. Such swearing can have no other 
 tendency but to blind good, honest men, and make 
 them, again, the instruments of blinding and ensnar? 
 ing their friends. Instead of having a tendency to 
 put an end to strife, it just makes a number of good, 
 honest men, who formerly lived as christians and 
 friends, sworn enemies to one another. And if there 
 are any of these witnesses already under the influ- 
 ence of dishonest principles, it is just the establish- 
 ment of iniquity by law. It is the beginning of pre- 
 varication, and of every thing which is contrary to 
 sincerity. Hence it is no difficult matter to find men 
 who have got so into the habit of misrepresenting and 
 equivocating, that it is almost an impossibility to get 
 from their mouths a straight story. They have for 
 years made lies their refuge, and God has evidently 
 given them up to the influence of a lying spirit — So 
 true is the declaration of the Apostle, "that where 
 envying and strife are, there are contention and 
 EVERY EVIL WORK.'' 
 
 Note.— Since the above went to the press, we are informed, 
 that the members of the important committee which sat in the 
 neighbourhood of Bourbon, were, A. Rankin and his elder, and 
 the Rev. John Young, from Rockbridge, Virginia. The memory 
 of Mr. Young, as a scholar, preacher, and christian, is dear to all 
 who had any opportunity of being acquainted with him; but in 
 this case he was grossly imposed upon. All things considered, 
 Mr. Rankin was in fact the whole of this committee. He was at 
 once the accuser, the witness, and the judge— and these, too, 
 without giring the accused even an opportunity of iptaking. 
 
Church History, 431 
 
 CRURCH HISTORY. 
 
 LUTHER, THE REFORMER. 
 
 Reformation supposes previous abuses. But we 
 may feel our evils, and be very fir from knowing 
 how to get rid of them. This was remarkably ve- 
 rified in the state of the Church, previous to th e 
 appearance of Martin Luther. Common sense, and 
 the voice of natural conscience, had agreed to the 
 necessity of a reformation, though men knew net 
 the principles on which it ought to proceed. Th/i 
 greatest personages of the times had, in the most 
 solemn manner, declared, that the evils under which 
 the religious community laboured were enormous.* 
 Yet, though the existence of the disease was thus 
 acknowledged, the true remedy was unknown. 
 This remedy was to be drawn only from the word 
 of God; but of this volume almost all parties were 
 equally ignorant. In the year 1517, however, the 
 spirit of Luther was raised up to instruct the igno- 
 rant—to rouse the negligent — and to oppose the 
 scandalous practices cf interested and amoitious 
 ecclesiastical rulers. The Head of the Church 
 crowned his labours with the most astonishing suc- 
 cess — -and we are still reaping the fruits. To gra- 
 tify, as well as to instruct our readers, then, we 
 propose to give them, from Milner's Church His- 
 tory, some account of the character and transac- 
 tions of this extraordinary man. And while we 
 read it, and while we entreat others to read it, we 
 pray ardently, that God, of his abundant mercy, 
 may raise up for us in these Western parts, a few 
 such men. All things considered, we do not think 
 
 * For a short view of these evih, see Evangelical Record, 
 vol. I. p. 36. 
 
f 
 
 432 Church History. 
 
 the churches called christian, in the Southern and 
 Western states, are at this time in a better state 
 than the churches in Germany were, at the sera of 
 the Reformation. We toav, perhaps, in a saparate 
 paper, confirm our opinion by an exhibition of a 
 lew facts. 
 
 Luther, the Saxon reformer, was born in the year 
 1483, at Isleben, a town belonging to the county 
 of Mansfield. His father wrought in the mines of 
 Mansfield, which were at that time very {famous; 
 and, after the birth of his son, Martin Luther, remov- 
 ed to that town, became a proprietor in the mines, 
 discharged public offices there, and was esteemed 
 •y aU men for his integrity. He gave a very liberal 
 education to Martin, who was remarkable for 
 dutiful affection to his parents, in general, though 
 in one instance, to be mentioned presently? he 
 was led away bv the superstition of the times, so as 
 to offend his father exceedingly. After he had made 
 great proficiency in his studies at Magdeburg, Eise- 
 nach, and Erfurih, he commenced master of arts in 
 the university of Erfu*-^ ~* jhe a^e nf ♦;-;^' lv; n rju 
 Having new finished his course of philosophy, he be- 
 gan to give close attention to the science of the civil 
 law, and is said to have intended to advance himself 
 Impleading at the bar; but he was diverted from this 
 purpose bv an accident.* As he was walking in the 
 fields with one of his most intimate friends, his com- 
 panion was suddenly killed by lightning; and Luther 
 himself was so terrified, partly by this event, and 
 partly by the horrid noi?e of the thunder, that while 
 his mind was in the utmost consternation, he formed 
 the hasty resolution of withdrawing from the work), 
 and of thro wing himself into the monastery at Erfurth. 
 
 * Du Pm. Moreri. Msimbour?. 
 
 Some authors say, that Luther's mti*liate friend was found 
 murdered about the same time that he himself was so terrified by 
 
 the thunder. 
 
 i 
 
Church History. 
 
 jo 
 
 v 
 
 His father, a man of plain, but of sound understand- 
 ing, strongly remonstrated. The son as strongly 
 pleaded, what he considered as a terrible call from 
 heaven, to take upon himself the monastic vow. "Take 
 care," replied the father, "that you are not ensnared 
 by a delusion of the devil. " But the mind of Martin 
 was determined; and filial disobedience, in such a 
 case, was looked on as a virtue. To the great grief 
 and mortification of his father, he entered th 
 tery in the year 1505. 
 
 In the second year after Luther had eritei 1 im ) 
 the monastery, he accidentally met with a La' in bible 
 in the library. It proved to him a treasure. Then he 
 first discovered, that there were more scripture pas- 
 sages extant than those which were read to the peo- 
 ple. For the scriptures were at that time very little 
 known in the world. In reading the word of God with 
 prayer, his understanding was gradually enlightened, 
 and he found some beams of evangelical comfort to 
 dart into his soul. The same year he was refreshed in 
 his sickness by the discourse of an old monk, who 
 .showed him that remission of sins . e appre- 
 
 hended by faith alone, and referred him to a passage 
 in Bernard's sermon on the annunciation, where the 
 same doctrine was taught. With incredible ardor he 
 now gave himself up to the study of the s i 5 and 
 
 the books of Augustin. He was at length regarded 
 as the most ingenious and learned man of his order in 
 Germany. But the soul of Luther w— const... 
 panting for something very different from se. 
 glory. 
 
 He was ordained in the year 150/% and in the next 
 year was called to the professorship at Wittenberg by 
 Staupitius, where a theatre was opened for the display 
 of his talents both as a teacher of philosophy and as "a 
 popular preacher. He excelled in both c.rjv.ca^, 
 Eloquent by nature, and powerful in mi : af„ 
 
 Vol. ii. N n 2 
 
 <* • 
 
434 Church History. 
 
 fections, acquainted also in a very uncommon manner 
 with the elegancies and energy of his native tongue, 
 he became the wonder of his age. These things are 
 allowed very liberally by his enemies; 5 * but it ought 
 to be observed, that the exercises of his own mind, 
 by which, under the guidance of the holy Spirit, he 
 was led more and more into christian truth, would na- 
 turally add a strength to his oratory, unattainable by 
 thos; who speak not from thv- heart. Martin Poli- 
 chius, a doctor of law and medicine, exclaimed, "this 
 monk will confound all the doctors, will exhibit new 
 doctrinr, and reform the whole Roman church; for he 
 is intent on reading the writings of ihe prophets and 
 apostles, and he depends on the word of Jesus Christ; 
 this, neither the philosophers nor the sophists can sub- 
 vert.'' He, who spake thus, was himself looked on as 
 a prodigy of wisdom; and, I suppose, a degree of dis- 
 cernment, less than his, might have shown an atten- 
 tive observer, that the didactic plan of Luther was 
 that of an original thinker, who was not likely to con- 
 fine himself to the beaten track, but to produce some- 
 thing new to mankind. M^lnncihon's concise account 
 entirely agrees with this statement. "Polichius," says 
 he, "often declared, that there was a strength of intel- 
 lect in this marxj which he plainly foresaw would pro- 
 duce a revolution in the popular and scholastic religion 
 of the ti r.ts." Nor does it seem at all improbable, but 
 that if Luiher had followed merely the dictates of his 
 own adventurous genius, he might have been the in- 
 ventor of some novel theological schemes and doc- 
 trines. But ah tendency to fanciful excursions in the 
 important concerns of re.igion. was effectually re- 
 strained and chastised in the mind of our reformer by 
 his profound reverence for the written w T ord: more- 
 over, from his first entrance into the monastery, he 
 appears to have been taught of God, and to have beer, 
 
 * P*£e, 18. Maimbourg. Pa^e, 22. Varillasius, 
 
 • 
 
Church History. 435 
 
 led more and more into such discoveries of native de- 
 pravity, as render a man low in his own eyes, and dis- 
 pose him to receive the genuine gospel of Christ. 
 
 In the year 1510, he was sent to Rome on some 
 business, which related to his own monastery, and this 
 he discharged with so much ability and success, that 
 on his return, he was compelled by the vicar general 
 to assume the degree of doctor of divinity. He writes, 
 that he did this with great reluctance, and entirely 
 from obedience to his superiors. It is easy indeed for 
 a man to say this; but, from the mouth of Luther it is 
 with me decisive of its truth. For veracity and inte- 
 grity do evidently appear to have remarkably entered 
 into the character of this reformer, as indeed these 
 virtues are always to be eminently found in those, 
 who have had the most genuine experience of Chris- 
 tianity, The expenses attending this high degree were 
 defrayed by the elector of Saxony, who always admir- 
 ed Luther, and was perfectly convinced of the pro- 
 fundity of his learning and the rectitude of his views 
 in religion. While he had been at Rome, he had dis- 
 covered something of the singularity of his character, 
 which had attracted the attention of the Italian priests. 
 The external rites of religion, which to them were 
 matter of political formality, with him were serious ex- 
 ercises. While they hurried over their exercises of the 
 mass, he performed his with a solemnity and devotion, 
 which excited their ridicule, and they bade him to 
 repeat them with more rapidity. A thoughtful mind 
 like his, could not conceive that religious employ- 
 ments should be discharged with levity, and he re- 
 turned to his monastery more fully convinced than 
 ever, that Rome was not the scene, in which a serious 
 pastor could properly learn the rudiments of religion. 
 He studied and taught the scriptures with increasing 
 ardour and alacrity, and after he had been created 
 doctor, in the year 1512, he expounded the psalms 
 
436 Church History. 
 
 and the epistles to the Romans, to the great satisfac- 
 tion of his audience. He studied the Hebrew and the 
 Greek languages, and highly valued the philological 
 labours of the famous Erasmus of Rotterdam, the re- 
 nowned reviver of classical literature; and while he 
 concurred with that great man in his contempt of mo- 
 nastic trifles, he was intensely studious to learn better 
 and more scriptural notions of God and his attributes, 
 than those which Erasmus so ingeniously satirized. 
 To build was, however, fount, much more arduous, 
 as it is certainly a far more important work, than to 
 pull down; and from the time that Luther was created 
 a doctor of divinity, he ccnsc'ensciously devoted his 
 time and talents to the sacred effice. Already he was 
 suspected of heresy, because of his dislike of the scho- 
 lastic doctrines; and he was induced, both from the 
 natural soundness of his understanding, and from the 
 spiritual exercises of his own heart, to reject the 
 Aristotelian corruptions of theology, and to study the 
 genuine doctrines, of scripture. 
 
 In October, 1516, Luther communicated tj 
 his learned friend Spaiatious, his thoughts cc 
 eernlng of the fathers, and «*;so concerning 
 
 Erasmus's method of interpreting scripture * This 
 mernor;. =crvethe particular attention 
 
 of the reader, as it furnishes judicious and connected 
 observations on Augustin and bis contemporaries, 
 and on the fathers both who preceded and who follow- 
 ed them: .suggest Sec- 
 tions on the comparative merits of theologians in dif- 
 ferent periods, from the days of Cypria e o: 
 Luther, and Erasmus. 
 
 Luther, to Georg. Spalatinus 
 
 " That, which strikes my mind in considering 
 Erasmus, is this: In inn 
 of the righteousness of wo. law, he tm- 
 
 • Lib.i.cp 20. 
 
 / 
 
 . 
 
Church History, 457 
 
 tlerstands by these terms ceremonial observances on? 
 LY. In the next place, though he admits the doctrine 
 of original sin, he will not allow, that the apostle speaks 
 of it in the fifth chapter to the Romans. Now, if he 
 carefully read Augustin's Pelagian Tracts, espe- 
 cially his account of the spirit and the letter, of the 
 guilt of sin and the remission of it; ?md had observed 
 how he speaks in perfect unison with the best of the 
 fathers, from Cyprian to Ambrose, he might have bet- 
 ter understood the apostle Paul, and also have con- 
 ceived more highly of Augustin as an expositor, than 
 he has hitherto done. In dissenting from Erasmus's 
 judgment in this point, I must frankly declare, that I 
 as much prefer Augustin's expositions to those of 
 Jerom as he prefers those of Jerom to Augustin's. 
 I am, it is true, an Augustin monk; but that circum- 
 stance has no influence on my judgment; for till I had 
 read this father's works, I had not the least prejudice 
 in his favour. But I see that Jerom studiously endea- 
 vours to draw every thing to a merely historical mean- 
 ing,* and what is very extraordinary, where he ex- 
 pounds the scriptures as it were occasionally or acci- 
 dentally, as in his epistles for instance, he does it in a 
 much sounder manner than when he interprets pro- 
 fessedly and on purpose. The righteousness of the 
 law is by no means confined to ceremonies; for, though 
 it includes these, it still more directly respects an obe- 
 dience to the whole decalogue, which obedience, when 
 it taktrs place to acertain degree and yet has not Christ 
 for its foundation, though it may produce such men 
 as vour Fabricius's, and your Regulus's, that is, very 
 upright moralists, according to man's judgment, has 
 nothing in it of the nature of genuine righteousness, 
 For men are not made truly righteous, as Aristotle 
 
 * A merely historical meaning" A mere narration of facts, as 
 opposed to a spiritual meaning, and a practical application to every 
 man's conscience. 
 
438 Church History. 
 
 supposes, by performing certain actions which are* 
 externally good, (for they may still be counterfeit cha- 
 racters,) but, men must have righteous principles in 
 the first place, and then they will not fail to perform 
 righteous actions. God first respects Abel,and then his 
 offering.* I beg you would put Erasmus in mind of 
 these things. In so doing, you will discharge the du- 
 ties both of a friend and of a christian. As on the one 
 hand, I hope and wish that he may be celebrated 
 through the christian world, so on the other, I fear 
 many may be induced by the authority of his nam?, 
 to patrenise that literal and lifeless mode of interpre- 
 ting scripture, into which almost all commentators 
 have fallen, since the time of Augustin. I may be 
 thought presumptuous and perhaps seve re in thus 
 criticising many great men: my apology is, that I feel 
 a concern for the cause of true theology, and for the 
 salvation of the brethren." 
 
 A little before the controversy concerning indul- 
 gences, George, duke of Saxony, intreated Staupitius 
 to send him some learned and worthy preacher. The 
 vicar general in compliance with his request, des- 
 patched Luther with'strong recommendations to Dres- 
 den. George gave him an order to preach: the sum 
 of Luther's sermon was this:t That no man ought to 
 despair of the possibility of salvation; that thosr, who 
 heard the word of God with attentive minds, were 
 true disciples of Christ, and were elected, and predes- 
 tinated to eternal life. He enlarged on the subject, 
 and showed that the whole doctrine of predestination, 
 if the foundation- be laid in Christ, was of singular ef- 
 ficacy to dispel that fear, by which men, trembling 
 under the sense of their own unworthiness, are temp- 
 ted to fly from Go who ought to be our sovereign 
 refuge. An honour^ule matron, who attended the pa- 
 lace, and who had heard Luther, was asked by George 
 
 * Gen, iv. f Seek. p. 23. 
 
Church History. 43 9 
 
 the duke, at dinner, how she liked the discourse. I 
 should die in peace, said she, if I could hear such an- 
 other sermon. The duke, in much anger, replied, "I 
 would give a large sum of money, that a sermon of 
 this sort, which encourages men in a licentious course 
 of life, had never been preached." And he repeated 
 this several times. Within the space of a month, the 
 lady was confined in bed by sickness, and soon after 
 died rejoicing in her prospects of future glory. Fabri- 
 cius concludes the account with saying,* "From 
 that time Luther came no more to Dresden." That 
 capital of modern Saxony was then part of" the duke- 
 dom of George, who proved one of the most virulent 
 enemies of lutheranism. He was the uncle of prince 
 Frederic the wise. Like pharisaic formalists in all 
 ages, he perversely misconstrued the doctrine of free 
 salvation by Jesus Christ, which Luther preached, 
 and which is intended to enable humble and repent- 
 ing souls to serve God with lively faith and cheerful 
 hope. The duke of Saxony, I observe, perversely 
 misconstrued this doctrine, as though it had a ten- 
 ancy to persuade men to live in sin; but the good 
 matron abovementioned, who resided at his court, 
 appears to have tasted of that bitterness of true con- 
 viction of sin, which only can render the doctrine of 
 grace delightful and salutary to the mind. 
 
 How precious this doctrine must have been to the 
 mind of Luther himself,may be conceived from a well 
 authenticated circumstance,! which evinces the state 
 of mental bondage, in which he had been held. Hav- 
 ing for manydays neglected,through the intenseness of 
 his studies, to recite the canonical hours, he, in com- 
 pliance with the pope's decrees, and to satisfy his con- 
 science, actually shut himself up in his closet, and re- 
 cited what he had omitted, with punctilious exactness 
 and with such severe attention and abstinence, as re- 
 
 * 0:ig. Sax. lib. yii. f Vol. i. p. 344, Bavar. Seek, p. 21 
 
440 Church History. 
 
 duced his strength exceedingly, brought on nearly a 
 total want of sleep for the space of five weeks, and al- 
 most produced symptoms of a weakened intellect. Is 
 it to be wondered at, that he, who at length found re- 
 lief and liberty by the grace of Christ, should be zeal- 
 ous to preach the mystery of the cross to his fellow 
 creatures? 
 
 I have now laid before the curious reader some in- 
 teresting particulars of the private life of Luther, pre- 
 vious to his assumption of that public character, which 
 has made his name immortal. The serious christian 
 will adore the wisdom and goodness of divine Provi- 
 dence, which, by preparatory exercises of soul, had 
 directed this extraordinary personage into the true 
 light and liberty of the gospel of Christ, and fitted him 
 for the great work to which he was called. At the same 
 time it seems a certain fact, that the Saxon reformer 
 was not induced to act the part, which has given so 
 great a celebrity to his name, fiom motives of personal 
 malice, or of ambition, or of avarice, but purely from 
 the fear of God, from a conscientious regard to evan- 
 gelical truth, from a zeal for the divine glory, and 101 
 the profit of the souls of his fellow creatures. 
 
 The following is extracted from an English publica- 
 tion, and was forwarded to us by a worthy layman of 
 this neighbourhood. 
 
 ON MINISTERS' SALARIES. 
 
 Mr. Editor — 
 
 I have seen, at different times, a page or two of 
 your valuable Magazine occupied in laying before the 
 religious public an account of the inadequate provi- 
 sion which many congregations make for their minis- 
 ters, and arguments used to draw the attention of the 
 
 I 
 
On Ministers* Salaries. 441 
 
 friends of genuine religion to the subject, and to sti- 
 mulate them to exert themselves to render those who 
 minister to them in holy things, in some 'degree com- 
 fortable. But after waiting from year to year-, in ex- 
 ptc ation that some plan would be devised to remedy 
 the evil, and remove all just ground of eumplaint, I 
 have neither seen nor heard, although mv acquaint- 
 ance with the Protestant dissenters, called orthodox, 
 is pretty extensive, that any thing has been done to 
 ameliorate the condition of those who have too much 
 reason to complain. 
 
 Is it not shameful, — does it not argue a want ef all 
 due consideration, that not a few dissenting congre- 
 gations can raise as much at one collection, for cer- 
 tain objects, as they raise for their minister In the 
 whole year? Is there not something in this like de- 
 testable pride, and vain glory,— well knowing that 
 their liberality will be exhibited to the view of all who 
 read certain publications? I have frequently been 
 grieved to hear persons, who should know better, 
 say, "Ministers are only entitled to a bare co?nfiete7ice, 
 a mere subsistence*'* But why, I ask, with a degree 
 of indignation, why, are they entitled to a mere sub- 
 sistence? Are they worse members of civil society 
 than other men? This, surely, will not be affirmed, 
 except by the inveterate enemies of the cross, who, 
 like Haman, say, "$t is not for the king's profit to 
 suffer them to live." Are they worse members of 
 religious society than all others? This, no man in his 
 sober stnses, will dare to avow. Why then, I ask 
 again, have they a right only to a mere subsistence? 
 From what premises do persons who talk in this man- 
 ner draw their conclusions? Not from ihe Mosaic 
 Dispensation; because, under that, a suitable provi- 
 sion was made for the priesthood. Not from the 
 Gospel; because the apostle argues from the provision 
 made for the ministers of religion under the Law, 
 
 Vol. ii. Oo 
 
442 On Ministers' Salaries. 
 
 to what ought to be done under the Gcspel. Not 
 from the principles of common equit) and justice, 
 Which, with scripture, say, that the industrious "la- 
 bourer is worthy of his "hire." It is evident, then, 
 that the premiss from which th( v infer, that minis- 
 ters are only fntided to a mere subsistence, ixisi no 
 where but in gross ignorance, or in what is worse, 
 base ingratitude, and want of affection for their spiri- 
 tual guides. 
 
 Many congregations, when told that thry should 
 be more liberal to their ministers, reply, u vve are a 
 poor people" — and well they may be, who are guilty 
 of such flagrant injustice to their ministers. How 
 can they expect to prosper in their temporal concerns 
 who make no suitable provision for their pastor and 
 his family? Have they not too much reason to fear 
 being cursed in their basket and in their store, while 
 they are so wofully neglectful of their ministers? Let 
 any one go over the whole nation, and he will find 
 those congregations in the most flourishing circum- 
 stances, in their secular affairs, who support their 
 ministers in a decent and comfortable manner. 
 
 Congregations are very apt to put ministers in re- 
 membrance that they are only the servants of the 
 church. Be it so. Then their own account of the 
 matter furnishes, what logicians call argumentum ad 
 homincm. Does not every one know, that the law 
 will oblige a master, who hires a servant into his fa- 
 mily, to find him suitable and sufficient provision? 
 But some may ask, ''what does the w r riter deem suf- 
 ficient?" To this 1 return no answer. Circumstances 
 must determine how much is necessary. But is there 
 not, in every congregation, a person to be found of 
 good common understanding, who knows what is re- 
 quired to cover the expense of a decent, but frugal 
 mode of living? This cannot be doubted. Let him 
 Step forward and tell the rest what ought to be done. 
 
 Ci 
 
On Ministers' Salaries. 443 
 
 Or, let some solid reason be aligned why a minister 
 or the gospel should sit dow.i to a worse dinner, cr 
 Wear a worse coat, than his hearers in moderate cir- 
 cn nst irftes. I know but of one th it can be assign • Ij 
 an I that is — Jt'ten he has it not i his power. Bui; 
 i is h ■ it :ni in his po\/er? 3 ;ca ise, say m my, 
 he is 'ntuled to a hire subsistence, a wrt subsist- 
 enc — a nere subsistence! "Tell it not in Gith " Is 
 no- th w iy in which many Protest nc dissenters trea: 
 their ministers, especially those called orthodox, an 
 eternal disgrace to them? Methinks I hear some as 
 they read, exclaiming, — a libel! — a libel! — Be not 
 alarmed; no libel, but a true statement of lamentable 
 facts. 
 
 Should any think that I am an interested individu- 
 al,— a minister, whose people do not provide for my 
 temporal wants, they are greatly uaisiaken. I have 
 neither church nor congregation; and, consequently, 
 not the least dependance on any: but as it is a busi- 
 ness in which ministers themselves cannot apsear with 
 a good grace, it is high time that the laity should take 
 it up. Pray, what encouragement is there for young 
 men of real religion and talents to enter iato the 
 christian ministry, h/nvever well disposed to it, when 
 they see so many ..godly ministers ami their families 
 struggling with deep poverty, and almost reduced to 
 a state of starvation? I hope the observation which 
 has often been made, by persons of a mean, covetous, 
 and avaricious mind, is become stale, and ceases to 
 influence the minds of those who love the gospel; viz, 
 that u ministers should be kept humble and ^po^r, for 
 then they preach best." This is just as sound rea- 
 soning as to say, that a minister is in the best frame 
 for the calm investigation of divine* subjects, and the 
 discharge of all ministerial, christian, and relative* 
 duties, when his mind is tormented with pain fa! re- 
 prehensions of being involved in debt, and i 
 
444 Data for creating a permanent Fund. 
 
 ing a disgrace to his profession? Who can believe 
 this? 
 
 Should any ask, what plan would the writer wish 
 us to adopt to remedy the evil of which he complains? 
 I know of none superior to that which has long been 
 acted upon in the late Mr. Wesley's Societies. Let 
 him who earns but twelve or fourteen shillings per 
 week lay by one penny per week; and let a person of 
 approved fidelity be chosen, into whose hands it shall 
 be deposited, to be produced on the quarter-day. Let 
 him who earns between 20 and 30 shillings, dedicate 
 two-pence to the support of his minister; and let peo- 
 ple of some property contribute in proportion. Upon 
 this plan, I am bold to say, a sum sufficient to render 
 the minister comfortable will be raised. It needs 
 only to be reduced to practice, to prove its propriety 
 and utility. Some, perhaps, will say, "the man who 
 earns but 12 or 14 shillings per w.tk has more need 
 of having a penny given to him, than one to be taken 
 from him. Granted: but the question is, would he 
 live one degree worse through the week, for having 
 devoted one penny to the purpose specified? I an- 
 swer, no. 
 
 I shall wait a reasonable time, to hear whether 
 what I have written" have any good effect upon the 
 professed disciples of Christ. If it have not, they shall 
 hear from me again through the same medium, if ad- 
 missible, or the most popular newspapers in the coun- 
 try, as I am determined to persevere until tfrcobject 
 in view be obtained. FKILODIKAIOS. 
 
 DATA FOR CREATING A PERMANENT 
 FUND FOR THE SUPPORT OF THE 
 GOSPEL IN ANY GIVEN SOCIETY. 
 
 Not SO miles from Lexington, a small Presbyte- 
 rian society has just ancminal existence, which might 
 
Data for creating a permanent Fund: 445 
 
 at this day have been able, not only to support the 
 whole of a minister's labours, but also to help its 
 neighbours, whether pagan or professed christian's. 
 The facts respecting it are these: — 
 
 Twelve years ago, it counted twelve families as 
 permanent members. It has the same number still. 
 None of these are indeed ranked among the i\ch, but 
 they are all in easy, comfortable circumstances. Du- 
 ring the first three years of their history, they had 
 sermon three or four times in the year, and the Lord's 
 Sapper twice dispensed. The money paid by them 
 during that period to the support of the gospel, might 
 average £25 yearly. 
 
 During the years 1805, 6, and 7, they had what is 
 called constant supply, that is, a clergyman, who lived 
 a day's journey from their meeting house, preached 
 to them in the summer season twice, and in the win- 
 ter season once a month. The money raised for him 
 averaged S80 yearly. 
 
 In 1808, a subscription was issued for the purchas- 
 ing of a small farm, which was to remain the proper- 
 ty of the congregation, and on which their minister 
 was to reside. They soon had as much subscribed 
 as would have purchased a farm of 80 acres, 20 of 
 which were cleared, and the balance in good timber. 
 It so happened, that the object which they at that 
 time had in view, declined settling among them; and 
 other duties put it out of the power of the clergyman 
 who had formerly served them, to attend to them as 
 lie had done. It was urged upon them, that notwith- 
 standing their disappointment in obtaining a pas- 
 tor at that time, they should proceed and purchase 
 their farm; nay, even to proceed, and, by small con- 
 tributions, create another small-fundj and be com- 
 pletely ready when another object was presented* 
 But the habit of the country prevailed — all was given 
 
 Vol. ii. Nr.2 
 
446 Dahijbr creating a permanent Fund. 
 
 upat onct — and they have, from 'that day to this, just 
 barely existed. 
 
 Let us now calculate what this little congregation 
 might this day have had as a permanent fund. 
 Eighty dollars, which, for three years, they 
 
 had paid, without any oppression, - S960 
 
 Deduce from it 240, which was paid as 
 
 above, 240 
 
 And you have S 720 
 
 This, vested in bank stock,woulu produce 860 yearly, 
 atfleast. This, with the farm, & their increased congre- 
 gation, which they, without doubt, also would have 
 had, had they been in a situation to have obtained a 
 settlement a few months ago, when another object 
 was within reach, would have certainly contributed a 
 tund of very extensive, as well as permanent use. 
 But it still holds good that the men of this world are 
 wiser in their generation than the children of light* 
 This congregation, which might have been rich, and 
 enjoying every week the whole of the ordinances of 
 the gospel, is starving in every sense of the word. 
 She receives a scanty spiritual meal twice or thrice a 
 year — with hard scraping, she makes up three or four 
 dollars-to the parson who comes to christen her chil- 
 dren — and her youth, for the want of that ministerial 
 care which the Head of the Church hath ordained, 
 differ little from the youth of avowed infidels. 
 
 N. B.— Perhaps there is not one of our readers, 
 who are not able to name two or three congregations, 
 who are nearly in the same situation with the on« 
 described above. Let us strengthen the things which 
 remain, and which are ready to die. It is never too 
 late to make a vigorous push, 
 
THOMAS T. SKILLMAN 
 
 HAS Or THE PRESS, 
 
 And will publish in the course of a week cr i< . 
 
 TWO DISCOURSES. 
 
 IDelivered about a year ago, 
 BY TIMOTHY DWIGHT, DD. LLD, 
 
 PRESIDENT OF YALE COLLEGE, 
 
 The great object of these discourses is to shew, 
 "that the awful occurrences which have taken place 
 within these last twenty years, are the effusions of the 
 sixth and seventh Apocalyptic vials" — and "that the 
 unexampled exertions which have been made within 
 these ten or fifteen years, for the diffusion of Evange- 
 lical truth, are the commencement of the Millenium." 
 As the subjects are uncommonly grand and interest- 
 ing, the Discourses are nearly one uninterrupted dis- 
 play of the highest grade of oratory. 
 
 We shall adorn our pages with two short extracts. 
 
 The first sets before us the state of society in Paris 
 during that period which has emphatically been called 
 the "reign of terror." 
 
 "The spirit of infidelity has the heart of a wolf, the fangs of a 
 tyger, and the talons of a vulture. Blood is its proper nourish- 
 ment: and it scents its prey wiih the nerves of a hound, and cow- 
 ers over a field of death on the sooty pinions of a fiend. Unlike all 
 other animals of prey, it feeds upun its own kind; and, when glut- 
 ted with the blood of others, turns back upon those who have 
 been its coadjutors, and who, if either its disposition, or its mea- 
 sures, could admit of friendship, would have been its friends. — 
 Between ninety and one hundred rf those, who we-e leaders in 
 this mighty work of destruction, fell by tbe hand of violence. Ene- 
 mies to all men, they were of course enemies *o each other. But- 
 chers of the human race, they soon whetted the knife for each o- 
 ther's throats.- and the tremendous Being-, who rule* the universe, 
 whose existence they had denied in a solemn act of legislation, 
 whose perfections they had made the butt of public scorn and pri- 
 vate insult, whose Son they had crucified afresh, and whose 
 Word they had burnt by the bands of the common hangman/ 
 swept them all by the tafed of violence into &r. unuaiely grave* 
 
448 An address to the Churches under the care 
 
 The tale made every ear which heard it tingle, and every heart 
 chill with horror. It wis, in the langu g ot O.-s.an, "the song 
 of death." It was like »he reign of the ; 1 £ue in a populouscity. 
 Knell tolled upon knell; hearse followed hearse; and c ftm rum- 
 bled after coffin, without a mourner to shed a tear upon the 
 corpse, or a solitary attendant to mark the place nf the grave. 
 From one neiv moon to another , an 1 from one sabbath to another 
 the. world vientjorfh and looked njter the tar cases <J the men. ivh' 
 transgressed- against God; and they uerean abhorring u.,to allfieth.u 
 
 The second sets before us, what is to be realised 
 when the gospel shall have universal influence. 
 
 "This work, my friends and brethren, is the greatest and best 
 that was ever done It was the work of the Reformers: it waj 
 the work of the Apostles. To accomplish it the Holy Ghost came 
 down from heaven: and to procure its accompftSl ment Christ 
 hung upon the cross. It is no other, than to plant trees of righte- 
 ousness throughout the world — to sou the seed of immortal life 
 over the vast desert of man; and to kindle the flame of piety on 
 the altars of a thousand nations. It is to U.kc by the hand the mi- 
 serable votaries of sin and falsehood, the unnumbered heirs of per- 
 dition, and. lead them into the path, which terminates in endless 
 glory. It is to make that straight and narrow path a broad and 
 beaten high-nay, in which rjay faring men, though fools, shall not 
 err It is to change the solitaiy trav. Hers, now and then found in 
 it here t< lore, into a crowd, a stream, a vast tide, of pilgrims, mov- 
 ing onward to eternal Life. It is to fill heaven with inhabitants,' 
 and to multiply sons, and prints, and kings, to God our Father, and 
 our Lord Jesus Christ. It is to plant thrones on the plains of im- 
 mortality, ai.d seat upon them glorious beings jnnumei able, who 
 shall live, and reign, for ever and tvet ." 
 
 Lexington, Ky. y September 23, 1813. 
 
 AN ADDRESS TO THE CHURCHES 
 UNDER THE CARE OF THE WEST 
 LEXINGTON PRESBYTERY. 
 
 Dear Brethren, 
 
 Wc have many things to say to yon, but the limits 
 prescribed will not permit us to be lengthy. We hope, 
 however, you will hear with us, while we address you 
 on several subjects, which we deem interesting to 
 
of the West -Lexington Presbytery. 449 
 
 you, and ourselves as individuals, and as members 
 of social and religious society. Some of these things 
 are applicable to all — others are applicable to some 
 only. He that ought to receive them, let him receive 
 them. 
 
 In your baptism you have had the name of God, 
 the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost called upon you, iu 
 infancy, or in ripe years. You are, then, solemnly 
 bound to perform the duties, and to live the lives 
 of christians. If you do not, whatever you may 
 say, or think on this subject, you practically renounce 
 the holy Trinitv, and give Christianity and your pro- 
 fession the lie.— You *' crucify the Lord Jesus afresh, 
 and put -him to an open shame." Say not, if you 
 were baptized in infancy, it was not your act, and 
 therefore you are not accountable. This is false rea- 
 soning — you were brought into being, and made ac- 
 countable creatures, without y©ur act — you were 
 brought into a state of guilt, and depravity— consti- 
 tuted sinners — subjected to mortality, and innumera- 
 ble evils without your act. Redemption on the part 
 ot God, was provided for you without your act, or 
 choice. You were born in a certain period of time, 
 in a certain part of the world, of certain parents, un- 
 der a certain government, with civil privileges, and 
 restrictions; all without your act, or consent. Di- 
 vine providence determined all these without con- 
 sulting you. And shall he not also place a certain 
 guard over you for your good, and grant you privi- 
 leges which shall be vested in your parent-, or guar- 
 dians in trust, till you are of age, and capable of act- 
 ing for yourselves? This is neither unreasonable nor 
 unscriptural; which we could prove at large, if our 
 limited bounds would admit. You cannot, then, be 
 precisely what you would have been, if you had been 
 born of heathen parents, or in a land where the Bi- 
 ble has never come. You may, indeed, be as profli- 
 gate and wicked; but, be assured, your profligacy and 
 
450 An address to the Churches under the care 
 
 wickedness are more aggravated; because you ar* 
 undi r greater obligations to holiness. God has 
 brought you, who were baptised in infancy, into tkt 
 bonus ml "his covenant, with »ui your consent; an I he 
 ha left you no way to extricate yourselves from 
 guilt, but by submitting to him, and-thus ratifying, on 
 your own behalf, your baptism il obligations. 
 
 As these ooiiga ions w-re at first laid on you thro* 
 youjr parent?, so th;* promises were made to you in 
 the same way. "For the promise is to you an 1 to 
 your children." And this is it, l4 I will be thy God, 
 44 and the God of thy seed. I will pour mv spirit up- 
 44 on thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring." 
 Let us, then, brethren, exhort you, to whomsoever 
 these words apply, by faith to appropriate them to 
 y< ourselves, and they shall be yours for all the pur- 
 poses of salvation: but if you do not, you must learn 
 the consequent s, and they will be awful indeed. 
 
 There are others of you, brethren, who have not 
 only been baptised into the name of the sacred trini- 
 ty, but have once and again approached the table of 
 the Lord, and handled the symbols Of his body and 
 blood. Your profession here was full, open, and pub- 
 lic, before God, the church, and the world. In this 
 you have acknowledged you were hound bv every 
 christian tie. It remains, therefore, that in all things 
 you conduct yourselves as become th the gospel. Your 
 profession speaks louder than , words — it proclaims, 
 "you are not your own, you are bought with a price; 
 "therefore glorify God in your body aud spirit, 
 " which are his.'* It is your incumbent duty, and 
 your great privilege, daily to live a life of meditation 
 and prayer—- reading and hearing the word — spiritu- 
 al mindedness — self denial, and mortific uion to the 
 world — and humble and circumspect walk — in fine, 
 "waiting patiently, and longing for the coming of our 
 Lord Jesus Christ. 5 * But beware of placing the sum 
 of religion in cenain duties, which lie between God 
 
of the West- Lexington Presbytery. 451 
 
 and yourselves; which require little time to perform* 
 and less expense; and which grow eas) by habit, with- 
 out the spirit: and degenerate in o mere form of hy- 
 pocrisy. In the estimation of God, the spirit of the 
 action is the ac ion itseif: every thin^ Ms i* vain ol - 
 Istion; as you may see, Isaiah i. 1 1 — 20. But though 
 these duties shou d be performed to the approbation 
 of God and your own conscience, remember they are 
 hut the half of religion, and the the most selfish half 
 too. They begin with yourselves anc* terminate there 
 t— ihey can add nothing to him who is infinitely per- 
 fect. The benefit is yours individually, and yours 
 exclusively. There is a more noil part, which ter- 
 minates on others, and in which at If has less to do; 
 where it is to be mortified, and noc gratified. This 
 kind of nligion is good, and profitable unto m;.n, 
 tending to draw something out or the sock of human 
 misery, and add to that of happiness* The man 
 whose religion is not profitable to another, will ne- 
 ver thereby profit himself. 
 
 The exercises and evidences of our religion, lie 
 greatly in the right performance of the duties we owe 
 to one another. 
 
 Are you husbands? "Love V' ur wives, and be not 
 bkter against them;" though you should find them, 
 in sc veral r< spects, what they ought not to be — 4 dwell 
 with them according to knowledge, giving honour to 
 the wife as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs 
 together of the grace of life.*' 
 
 Are vou wives? "Submit yourselves to your own 
 husband in all things, as unto the Lord," remember 
 ing, "that the husband is the head of the wife, even 
 as Christ is the h^ad of the church " 
 
 Ave they far from being what they should be? You 
 arc nevertheless "to be obedient to them in the Lord 
 in all things:" for thus the divine authority binds you. 
 The injunctions of die divine law reach the conscience, 
 and this should never he sacrificed to pride, pas- 
 sion, caprice, or any other sinful propensity. 
 
4K3 An address to the Chttrche sunder the care 
 
 Are you children? "Obey your parents in the Lord; 
 for this is right. Honour thy father, and thy mother, 
 that it may be well with thee, and that thou may- 
 est live long on the earth." Your parents have borne 
 much labour and expense, nor', pain* and anxiety for 
 you— suspended hope?, and foreboding fears have 
 alternately filled, and yet fill their bre sts. They 
 yperit your most tender affection, and unreserved o- 
 bedience. The law of God and man have placed you 
 under their care, their tuition, and th ir government, 
 until you arrive at mature years. Your ignorance, 
 your inexperience^ and that rashness so common to 
 yo'Uth, call for their care, their counsel, and restraint. 
 You may feel impatient under these; but be assured 
 they are intended for your good, and if improved, will 
 terminate in good. 
 
 Are you parents? Without unnecessary delay pre- 
 sent your children to the Lord in baptism, and 
 then bring them up in the nurture, and admoni- 
 tion of the Lord." Nurture is food or nourishment, 
 and when applied to the mind, signifies instruction in 
 the knowledge of divine truth. Your children, then, 
 must be religiously taught, and furnished with that 
 knowledge, which is to the soul what food is to the 
 body. The phraze admonition denotes disposing 
 and settling the mind. And what can produce this 
 effect so well as the knowledge, and practice of tho-.e 
 holy doctrines contained in the scripture ^together with 
 the administration of the salutary reproofs, and correc- 
 tions, which they afford? To you, who are parents, 
 God has committed a weighty charge, in which you 
 are or ought to be deeply interested. You have been 
 the instruments of BEING to your children, and 
 they must live forever — you cannot remand them 
 back into non-existence. There is, then, but one 
 course left, in the pursuit of which you mav be the 
 instruments of their happy immortalitv: and that is, 
 to "bring them up in the nurture and admonition of 
 
of the West- Lexington Presbytery. 453 
 
 the Lord." We have heretofore shewn, that God 
 has intrusted you with certain religious immunities, 
 in behalf of your children; if thev forego these through 
 your default, your guilt and punishment in the end 
 must be great. Be not, then, overcarcful to make 
 them great in this world; but strive to make them 
 good. Let your conversation and conduct before 
 your family, be circumspect; coming in and going out 
 in the fear of the Lord. By holy precepts you must 
 fix their minds; by holy examples you must influence 
 their practice. Example only can add weight, when 
 it is put in the scale with divine precepts. 
 
 You may say, you are ignorant: That may be. And 
 it may be greatly your own fault. Have you put 
 yourselves under the care of an able and faithful min- 
 istry? Do you daily read some portion of sacred 
 scripture? Do you meditate day and night in the di- 
 vine law? Do you spend a little annually in procu- 
 ring the best religious Authors, and are you careful 
 to peruse them? Do you every day in yoiir families 
 and in secret, ask divine instruction by humble and 
 fervent prayer? Then you cannot be ignorant— -vou 
 are wise, "understanding what the will of the Lord 
 is." But if you are not thus occupying your time, 
 and your talents, you are ignorant indeed — ignorant 
 of what is most important to be known — and though 
 you should know svery thing else, and possess the 
 whole globe, you will be undone forever. 
 
 Dear brethren, we must repeat to you again that 
 solemn injunction, 4< Ye fathers, provoke not your chil- 
 dren to wrath; but bring them up in the nurture, and 
 admonition of the Lord." If you are weak, use the 
 little strength you have for God, and he will increase 
 it; u he resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to he 
 humble." If you lack wisdom ask it in faith, sin- 
 cerely, fervently, frequently; and it shall be given you> 
 And as you received it improve it, impart it. 
 
 Vol, it, Pp 
 
454 An address to the Churches under the care 
 
 Much depends on how you restrain, and form your 
 children in their younger ye^rs. "Train up a child 
 in tfee way he should go, and when he is old he will 
 not depart from it." If it be possible put your chil- 
 dren under the care of religious teachers, men of 
 your own sentiments — have them previously bound 
 to instruct them in the Shorter Catechism, and some 
 other little religious tracts. See that the holy scrip- 
 tures be introduced into your schools. These may 
 fix truths on their juvenile minds, which will never 
 be forgotten. Take your children with you to the 
 house of God, and keep them there under your par- 
 ticular inspection. Have a seat appropriated for 
 your family, where you can have them und< r your 
 own eye. Promiscuous sitting here, or thene, or any 
 where (though the prevailing mode of this loose 
 country, and in itself of little consequence) has a per- 
 nicious tendency, as it gives giddy youth a better op- 
 portuni y of sauntering, trifling or going out in time 
 of divine service; a custom shamefully practised in 
 most of our churches. So much does it prevail in 
 our guilty land, that youth, especially the male sex, 
 are more liable to be corrupted at the house of God, 
 than at home, or at their secular employments. 
 
 Are any of you servants? "Be obedient to them 
 that are your masters, according to the flesh, with 
 fear and trembling; in singleness of your heart as un- 
 to Christ, Not with eye-service as men-pleasers, 
 but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God 
 from the heart. With good will doing service as to 
 the Lord, and not to men. Knowing that whatsoev- 
 er good thing any man doth, the same shall he receive 
 of the Lord, whether he be bond, or free. Exhort 
 servants to be obedient to their own masters, and to 
 please them well in all things, not answering again," 
 or contradicting, "not purloining," or stealing pri- 
 vately, "but showing all good fidelity; that they mav 
 
of the West- Lexington Presbytery. 455' 
 
 adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things." 
 (See* Eph. 6. 1. Tim. 6. and Tit. 2.) Christianity ad- 
 dresses every man in the relation where it finds him, 
 and exhorts him to the duties arising out of that rela- 
 tion; and upon the faithful performance promises him 
 an impartial reward. It tells him "every man shall 
 be rewarded according to his own work" — he is 
 therefore exhorted to "abide in the calling wherein 
 he is called." It interferes not with earthly govern- 
 ments, with political institutions, nor civil contracts. 
 It recognizes not the rights or the wrongs of civil lib- 
 erty, or bondage. All these are of;" infinitely little 
 moment, when compared with eternity. It tells us, 
 that "godliness with contentment is great gain; that 
 as we brought nothing into this world, so we shall car- 
 ry nothing out; that having food and raiment we should 
 be therewith content." It comes to improve our mor- 
 al state, nut our political, orJy by consequence; that is, 
 its salutary precepts adopted, and brought into ope- 
 ration,jwill indubitably lead all nations to equity and 
 peace, to harmony and happiness. The grand de- 
 sign of the gospel is to ameliorate the state of human 
 beings, even when wickedness abounds — when innu- 
 merable evils, political, civil, and moral prevail. It 
 inculcates that temper of mind, which will bring 
 good out of evil, and make the best of our situation. 
 Let our relation, therefore, be what it may in this 
 world, whether founded in righteousness or unright- 
 eousness, in equal law, or in-oppression, it points us 
 how we may mitigate the evil, lessen the difficulty, 
 ■and enjoy the greatest happiness of which cur cir- 
 cumstances are cnpable. We see then, the grand 
 reason why willing, and faithful obedience are so 
 .strictly enjoined on all servants. Be ye, therefore, 
 honest and upright, as in the sight of your Maker 
 — your situation, neither excuses sabbath-breaking, 
 lying, stealing, nor adultery — crimes of which you 
 are notoriously guilty. Remember all- these are 
 
456 An address to the Churches under the care 
 
 breaches. of the law of God, for which he will judge 
 you at the last clay. 
 
 Ycu may think your lot is hard. But you have 
 privileges, which few in the world enjoy beside your- 
 selves — you have food and raiment; here you stand 
 on a level with your masters. You have, what falls 
 to the lot of few, exemption from a thousand dis- 
 tracting cares and anxieties, which prey upon others 
 and disturb their repose — you risk nothing in this 
 world — have nothing at stake — You are freed from 
 the horrors of war, and all the toils and dangers of 
 military life. Be contented then, with your lot; be 
 humble, and thankful for your privileges, for you are 
 not without them. Improve them to the glory of 
 God and he will own and bless you, "for he is no re- 
 specter of persons." 
 
 Are you masters? That perfect love which extends 
 to every relation in life, lays down your duty also. 
 "Do the same things to them, forbearing threaten- 
 ing, knowing that your master also is in heaven; nei- 
 ther is respect of persons with him. Masters give to 
 your servants that which is just and equal." 11 you 
 Would know what this is, bring yourseh es to that ad- 
 mirable rule laid down by Christ, u Ali things whatso- 
 ever ye would that men should do unto you, do ye 
 even so unto them; for this is the law and the pro- 
 phets." Place yourselves in the state of your ser- 
 vants, and then ask what you justly deserve, and 
 what you have a right to expect. You will answer, 
 If I am" r iV.ithiul, 1 deserve not threats — but just 
 and merciful treatment — sufficient food and raiment, 
 suitable to my station — that rest and refreshment 
 which the law of God and of the land allow one — 
 care, attention in sickness — and at all times, a due re- 
 gard to the interests of n.y soul. These things are 
 what every man of common sense and honesty will 
 admit. You have, therefore, masters explained your 
 
of the JVest- Lexington Presbytery. 457 
 
 own duty to your servants. Thus do, brethren, and 
 you will fall in with the wholesome admonitions of thr- 
 word, and have the approbation of God, and a good 
 conscience. 
 
 On one particular here, however, allow us to add 
 a little more. Your slaves should be taught to red 
 the holy scriptures, especially those who are young, 
 and get such other religious instructions as you can 
 give them, and they can receive. We know, in some 
 parts of the country they will not be admitted into 
 schools, to the shame of a christian nation let it be told. 
 From what principle, we ask, can they be excluded, 
 seeing they are permitted to mix continually in the 
 kitchen, and on the farm? This principle cannot be 
 extracted from the gospel; but must be sought for 
 amon^- the works of darkness. Under these circum- 
 stances, let as many masters as live contiguous unite 
 their efforts, and employ a fit person to teach them 
 for at least one year, and furnish them each with a Bi- 
 ble when they need it. Thus, by expending a few dol- 
 lars upon every one, this degraded class of the human 
 race maybe made acquainted with the sacred records 
 ■ — that light of the wo. id and best gift of God to man. 
 Aid hus you may be the happy instruments of eter- 
 nal sabaiion to those whom the providence of God 
 has placed under y'ctt. 
 
 If what we have here proposed cannot be done, you 
 should endeavour to have it accomplished in vour 
 families, or in some other way if not, you will be 
 guilty in his sight, who regardeth no: the person of 
 the master more than that of the servant. 
 
 As far as it is practicable bring your servants to 
 family and public wovship; and pay due regard to 
 their conduct there. Dear brethren, in whatever 
 sphere you aie called to move, live and act as in the 
 sight of him, who has said, "the time is short, that 
 they that possess be as ihou£u they possessed not— 
 Vox. II, P p 2 
 
458 Review of Clarke's Travels, 
 
 and they that use this world as not abusing it; 'or the 
 fashion of ihe world passeth away." 
 
 Thus conducting, you and they may be one in 
 Christ to all eternity, "where there is neither Barba- 
 rian, Scythian, bond nor free; but Christ is all, and in 
 all." 
 
 To be continued. 
 
 ' FROM THE CHRISTIAN OBSERVER. 
 
 REVIEW. 
 
 Travels in various Countries of Euro fie, Asia, and Af- 
 rica. By Edward Daniel Clarke, LL. D. Part 
 II. Crecce, Egyfit>and Holy Land. Section the First. 
 Cadell and Davies. 1812. 4to. 
 
 Although we do not design to dwell upon the ear- 
 lier stages of the traveller's course, we shall simply 
 trace out his route. This volume then discovers him 
 at Constantinople. He goes from thence by water to 
 the Dardanelles; thence to Mount Gargarus; thence 
 tails down the Hellespont, through the Straits of Scio 
 and Sam os, to Stanchio; thence passes on to Rhodes; 
 to the Gulf of Glaucus; to Egypt; to Rosetta and 
 Aboukir; to Cyprus; to Larncca; to Acre; and, by 
 a southern route, through the tribes oi the Holy 
 Land, to Jerusalem; thence westward to Jaffa, or 
 Joppa; thence, by sea, back again to Acre, where this 
 volume leaves him, and where, we apprehend, the 
 next quarto >olume, at the rate at which these wag- 
 gons of literature move, will in due season take him 
 up. He embarked at Constamin< pie, March 1, 1801, 
 and landed at Acre, from JiifTi, July 16, of the same 
 year; a space of time long enough, perhaps, for a tour 
 on the Wye, but no* for a scrutiny of the Archipe- 
 lago and the exterior and interior of the Mediterra- 
 nean. Considering the shortness of the time, we are 
 
Review of darkens Travels. 459 
 
 indeed astonished at the mass of information collect- 
 ed by the author; but we should have been glad to 
 have felt less of this surprise, or, in other words, if 
 his time had been better proportioned to his tour. It 
 is a happiness, however, that in almost every part of 
 his expedition, Dr. Clarke has had precursors with 
 more leisure upon their hands. In the Holy Land, 
 especially, the tourists are innumerable. A sort of 
 individual crusade has been conducted for ages, and 
 the spoils have been carefully conducted to Europe. 
 What Lord Bacon would hive noted in his "Orga- 
 num" as the deficiency in this department of litera- 
 ture, is nearly such a work as that now supplied by 
 Dr. Clarke; a work condensing the matter, a 'justing 
 the differences, correcting ihe inaccuracies, banishing 
 the superstitions of older wi iters, and investing the 
 subject with those graces of composition which might 
 recommend it to the fastidious ey< s of modern read- 
 ers. The present work is not sufficiently profound 
 to accomplish all these ends; but it is such as to en- 
 dow the subject with high interest, and in great mea- 
 sure to satisfy the laudable curiosity which it exeites. 
 Chapter XI II. conducts the author from Acre to 
 Nazareth. They soon crossed the river Bt'tiis, where 
 Hercules is said to have found the plant colocasia, 
 which effected the cure of his wounds; and whose 
 sands, we are told by Pliny, were first employed in 
 the manufacturing of glass. They also passed at a 
 small distance "that ancient river, the river Kishon." 
 Having arrived at Shifhamer, th y were hospitably 
 received by the Agha, and dismissed to slei p on the 
 roof of the house for fear of u ihe fltras/ 1 whose spe- 
 cific gravity, however, was not such as to disable 
 them from following th ir \ictims. They next en- 
 tered that part of Galilet whi h belonged to the tribe 
 of Ze )ulon, whence is u d "they that handled 
 the pen of ^the wr>. •.'* — * rare distinction in those 
 days, but not so as in ours. The plain was cv^ry 
 
460 Review of Ckrke'' s Travels. 
 
 where covered with spontaneous vegetables flourish- 
 ing in the wildest exuberance. 
 
 The state of religion in the Holy Land, as here 
 sketched by the author, is too curious to be omitted. 
 
 "The Druses, concerning- whom, not withstanding 1 the detailed 
 account published by Niebuhr and by Volney, we have never re- 
 ceived due historical information, worship Jonas, the prophets, 
 and "Mahomet. They nave also Pagan rites.- and some among 
 them certainly offer their highesi adoration to a calf. This ac- 
 count of their religion wo r> xer td from a sensible ai d well-in- 
 formed member or their community. The worship of a calf is 
 accounted for in their Egyptian orgii ; the remains of superstiti. n, 
 equally ancient, being still retained in that country. Although 
 the Vicinity of Mount Libtmus may be considered as ihe residence 
 of the main horde of this people, sti igglers, and detached parties 
 of them, may be found in every part of the H-dy Land. The in- 
 habitants of Stphoury are genei ally Maronites; yet even here we 
 found some Druses. Those of Naz-«r.-t!i are Greeks, Maronites, 
 end Catholics Cana of Galilee is tenanted by Greeks oni} ; so, is 
 the town of Tiberias. In J rusalem there a>*e sects of every de- 
 nomination, and perhaps of almost every religion- upon earth. As 
 to those who call themselves Christians;, in opposition to the Mos- 
 lems, we iound them divided into sects, with whose distinctions 
 we were often unacquainted. It is said there are no Lutherans; 
 am 1 if we add, that under the name of Christianity every degrad- 
 ing superstition and profane rite, equally remote from the en- 
 lightened tenet- of the Gospel and the dignity of human nature, 
 are- professed and tolerated, we shall afford a true picture of the 
 stat* of Society in this country. The cause may be easily as- 
 I The pure Gospel of Christ, every where the herald of 
 it ion. and of science, is almost as little known in the Holy 
 Land as in California or New Holland. A series of legendary 
 traditions, mingled with remains of Judaism, and the wretched 
 phantasies of illiterate ascetics, may now and then exhibit a glir - 
 rnering of heavenly ligh',- but if we seek forthe blessed effects of 
 Christianity in the land of Canaan, we must look for thi t period 
 when 'the desert shall blossom as the rose, and the v.ilderneas 
 become a fruitful field.' " p. 403. 
 
 Tfce following brief extract cannot fail to interest 
 our readers: 
 
 "The dress of the Arabs, in this part of the Holy Land, and 
 indeed throughout all Syria, is simple and uui|brn>: it consists of 
 a blue shirt, descending below the knees, the iegs and feet being 
 
Review of Clarke's Travels. 461 
 
 etposod, or the latter sometimes covered with the ancient cothur- 
 ?:us, or buskin. A cloak is worn of very coaise and heavy camel's- 
 hair clotb, almost universally decorated with bread black-and- 
 white stripes, passing- vertically down the back.- this is of one 
 square piece, with holes for the arms: it has a seam down the 
 back. Made vithout this seam, it is considered of greater value. 
 Here, then, we perhaps beheld the f>rm and materials of our 
 Saviour's garment, for which the soldiers cast lots; being "wiiA- 
 cut seam, woven J r om the top thrbu^hout. i> " p. 421, 
 
 Oar travellers were soon assaulted by threats of 
 the plague in almost every corner of the country. 
 This, however, did not prevent their entering Naza- 
 reth. Its condition, chiefly through the tyranny of 
 its ruler Djezzar Pacha,, is such as to justify (says 
 Dr. Clarke) a repetition of the question — "Can any 
 good thing come out of Nazareth:" The description 
 of a fountain near the city carries us back to the first 
 days of religion. 
 
 "The women were passing to and fro from the town, with 
 pitchers upon their heads. We stopped to view the group of ca 
 inch j with their drivers, who were there reposing, and calling to 
 mind the manners of the most remote ages, we renewed the soli- 
 citation of Abraham's servant unto Rebecca, by the well of Nahor. 
 In the writings of early pilgrims and travellers, this spring is de- 
 nominated 'the Fountain of the Virgin Mar\ ;' and certainly if there 
 be a spot, throughout the Holy Land, that was und"iibttdly hon- 
 oured by her presence, we may consider this to have been the 
 place." p. 427. 
 
 How striking also is the following picture. 
 
 " Scarcely had we resched the apartment prepared for our re- 
 cepcion, when, looking from the window into the cou.^^kbe- 
 longing to the house, we beheld two women grinds: ^^B ^k'> 
 in a manner most forcibly illustrating a saying of ^M ^r s> 
 
 In the centre of the upper stone was a cavity for po^^^^^the 
 corn; and by the side of this an upright wooden handle, for mov- 
 ing the stone. As the operation beg*n, one-of t le women, with 
 ner right hand, pushed this handle to the woman opposite, who 
 again sent U to her companion; thus communictaing a rotatory and 
 very rapid motion to the upper stone; their left hands being all 
 the while employed in supplying, fresh corn, as fast as the bran 
 and flour escaped from the sides of the machine." p 428. 
 
'462 Review qfGlarke^s Travels. 
 
 The convent -of Nazareth is' said to be built ovt : 
 the residence of the Virgin Mary; whence a suppos- 
 ed power to cure the plague is attributed to any part 
 of its waUs. The monks also pretend that the arch 
 of the door-way is self-suspended by a continual mi- 
 racle, although the cheat is discoverable to every eye. 
 Dr. Clarke treats this and the whole train of monkish 
 imposture with honest disdain. How sad is it, that 
 where the Gospel should have made its way amidst 
 contending faiths by the omnipotence of truth, its own 
 children should degrade it to the rank of the lowest of 
 its competitors! Fables may adorn aiabulous religion, 
 but they disfigure and pollute a true one. " A disbe- 
 lief of the whole mummery (says Dr. Clarke) is best 
 suited to the feelings of Protestants, who are, after 
 all, better occupied in meditating the purpose fcr 
 which Jesus died, than in assisting by their presence 
 to countenance a sale of indulgences in the place 
 where Joseph is said to have resided." The pre- 
 scriptive geography of the monks has often deterred 
 i travellers in the sacred land from attempting any cor- 
 rection in the topography. These impostors, for in- 
 stance, in order so shew upon a rock the impression 
 of our Lord's hand when he leapt from the brow of 
 the bill at Nazareth, whence they were about to cast 
 him down, have actually changed the site of the au- 
 cient city. Dr. Clarke, by simply following the map 
 of St. Luke } found himself, as he thinks, on the pre- 
 cise spot where our Lord "passed through the midst 
 of a 'hem." We shall close our examination of this 
 clorne a uwith giving a picture of the author's dormi- 
 
 "The second night after cur arrival, as soon a3 it grew dark, 
 we all stretched ourselves upon the floor of our apartment, not 
 without serious alarm of catching the plague, but tempted by the 
 hope ot obtaining a little repose. This we found impracticable 
 the night before, in consequence of the vermin. The hope was, 
 however, vain*,. not one of our party could close his eyes. Every 
 
Review of l Clarke \s Travels* 463 
 
 instant it was necessary to rise, and endeavour to shake off the 
 noxious animals with which our bodies were covered. In addition 
 to tins penance, we were serenaded, until four o'clock in the 
 morning, the UoUt we had fixed for our departure, by a constant 
 ringug of die chapel bell, as a charm against the plague; by ilie 
 barking of dogs, braying of asses, howLng of jatkalls, and by the 
 squalling of ebtldfen." p. 440. 
 
 In Chapter XIV. we have the author's route from 
 Nazareth to Tiberias, with a highly interesting ac- 
 count of the last named city. He tk left Nazareth at 
 five o'clock on Sunday morning." He will forgive 
 us for asking, v, nether it was not a point of some im- 
 portance for a Christian to shew ihe Jew and Maho- 
 metan, that, although we have cha.ig.-d the day, we 
 have not lessened the sanctity of the oaobath? 
 
 Immediately on opening the chapter, we come to 
 the following important note, supplying that species 
 of incidental evidence to the Gospcio winch is pecu- 
 liar to truth. 
 
 " We came in view of Cana. The striking" evidence concerning 
 the disputed situation of this place, as it is contained in the -vsuida 
 of the request made by the ruler of Captrnaum to our Saviour, 
 when he besought him to heal his sen, only proves how accurately 
 the writings 'of the Evangelists correspond v. ith tiie geography 
 and present appearance of the country. He su, plicate* J*, sus, 
 who was then at Cana, 'that he would came down, and heal his 
 son,' John iv. 47. "TJt descendat, et veniat Capernaum; unde 
 judic«ri potest,' observes the learned Reland. 'Capernaum in in- 
 feriori regione sitam fuisse quam Canane. Erat autem Caperna- 
 um ad mare-.' How singularly this is confirmed, b\ the extraor- 
 dinary features of this part of Syria, will appear in the description 
 given of our journey from Cana towards the sea of Gahlee . ic t he 
 olst verse ot the same chapter ol St. John, it is stated, 'A^^^s 
 now going down his servants met him,' His wholej 
 Cana, according to the position of the place now soJ^ 
 
 A little further on is a passage not less interesting, 
 
 " It is worthy of note, that, walking among these ruins, we saw 
 large malsy stone water-pots, answering the description given of 
 Uic ancient vessels of the country; not preserved nor exhibited 
 
./ 
 
 464 Jieview of Clar/ce y s Travels. 
 
 as relieves, but lying about disregarded by the present inhabi- 
 tants, as antiquities with whose original use they were unac- 
 quail. ted. From their appearance, and the number of them, it 
 was quite clear that a practice of keeping water in large stone 
 pots, each holding from 18 to 27 gallons, was once common in 
 this country." p. 445. 
 
 The next spot that presents itself is the lake of 
 Gennesareth, which has been too often the scene of 
 Christian contemplation to suffer us to pass by it. 
 
 "The lake now continued in view upon our left. The wind 
 rendered its surface rough, anJ called to mind the situation of 
 our Saviour's disciples, when, in one of the small vessels which 
 traverse these waters, they Were tossed in a storm, and saw Je- 
 sus, in the fourth watch of the night, walking to them upon the 
 waves. Often as this object has been painted, combining a num- 
 ber cf circumstances adapted for the representation of sublimity, 
 no artist has been aware of the uncommon grandeur of the scene- 
 ry memorable on account of the transaction. The lake of Gen- 
 nesareth is surrounded by objects well calculated to heighten the 
 solemn impression made by such a picture; and, independent of 
 the local feelings likelj to be excited in its contempl-tion, affords 
 one of the most striking prospects in the Holy Land It is by 
 comparison alone that any due conception of the appearance it 
 presents can be conveyed to the minds of those who have not seen 
 it; and speaking of it comparatively, it may be described as longer 
 and finer than any of our Cumberland and Westmoreland lakt% 
 although perhaps it yields in majesty to the stupendous features 
 of Loch Lomond in Scotland. It does not possess the vastness of 
 t he Lake'cf Geneva, although it much resembles it in particular 
 points of view. The lake oi Locarno in Italy comes nearest to 
 it in point of picturesque beauty, although it is destitute of Miy 
 ihir.p- similar to the islands by which that majestic piece of water 
 js adorned It is inferior in magnitude, and perhaps in the height 
 of ifs surrounding mountains, to the lake Asphaltites,- but its 
 b' ♦ / \, ^and extended surface, covering the bottom of a profound 
 "oned by lofty and precipitous eminences, added to the 
 a certain reverential awe, under which every Chris- 
 L Approaches it, give it a character of dignity unparal- 
 
 InPftlrfalJy similar scenery-" p. 461. 
 
 To be continued. 
 

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