THE SOUTHERN 
 
 CHRISTIAN REPOSITORY. 
 
 Vol. I. RALEIGH, MAY, 1S-12. No. 1. 
 
 ,TO THE READER. 
 
 The present Periodical is offered to the denomination, partly as a substitute 
 for the Recorder and Watchman, and partly as a Repository of Literature 
 and Theology, adapted generally to the wants of the South. When we took 
 leave of the readers of the Recorder, in December last, we were confident in 
 the expectation, that that paper would be resumed in the course of a few months. 
 We had made a conditional transfer of our list to our brethren of South Carolina; 
 measures had been adopted for the attainment of adequate funds ; the point of 
 location had been duly settled, and every thing seemed to promise a speedy 
 consummation of the plans and expectations of the parties. Having thus suc- 
 ceeded, as we supposed, in making provision for the continued supply of the 
 Carolinas with an approved Weekly Journal, we considered our responsibilities 
 at an end, and our editorial labors as, probably, finished for ever. Owing to 
 circumstances, however, over which we bad no control, our brethren of South 
 Carolina failed in their attempts to organize a company, as contemplated; and, 
 in consequence, we were disappointed in the sale of our property, and the two 
 States left destitute of any provision for meeting their existing and future de- 
 mands. 
 
 Finding ourselves still in possession of our old lists — seeing this State without 
 any reasonable prospect of supplying itself with a publication — having assurance 
 of the support of a portion of our old subscribers — and believing that, with the 
 facilities still in hand, a periodical might be so contrived as to secure an adequate 
 share of support, we forthwith set ourselves to work to meet the demands and 
 exigencies of the occasion. Of our cogitations on the point, the present work is 
 the result. 
 
 We have said that the present publication is designed, in part, to supply the 
 place of the Recorder and Watchman. We mean until something more 
 acceptable shall be introduced. We shall, accordingly, give to it something of 
 the cast usually adapted to weekly journals, and shall supply its pages with 
 ample summaries of the latest intelligence. But as we design the Repository 
 to possess some of the stateliness of a Review, we shall procure for its pages the 
 best articles, both original and selected, that our resources will enable us to 
 command. In a word, it is our purpose to unite, in the present publication, as 
 far as practicable, the qualities of a weekly journal, with those properly belonging 
 to a respectable quarterly. 
 
 Wc are aware of but one particular, of any moment, in which the advantages 
 of a monthly journal are not fully equal to those of a weekly — and that is, it 
 does not come out so often. This, it will be conceded, is a matter of real con- 
 
 1 
 
2 To the Reader. 
 
 sequence. But, in a religious paper, even this disadvantage is apt to be- over- 
 rated; as it rarely happens that intelligence comes to hand, which loses much 
 of either its interest or its importance by being withheld some one, or two, or 
 three, weeks. In most other respects, a monthly has decided advantages over 
 a common weekly newspaper. Its matter is, or ought to be, more select. It 
 is much more convenient for use. It is more easily, and will be more certainly, 
 preserved. It will be as valuable at the end of five, or ten, or twenty years, as 
 on the day of its publication. And, although last, by no means least, it can be 
 sustained where a weekly paper cannot live. These advantages are all real, 
 and some of them are weighty — none of them ought to be overlooked by our 
 readers. 
 
 We have a word to say respecting our terms. Contrasted with the usual 
 price of Northern publications, to some they may probably seem high. With- 
 out pretending to account for the fact, that some publicaiions are offered so low, 
 we will simply state, that the present periodical, with its superior mechanical 
 execution, and its probable list of subscribers, could not be undertaken at a lower 
 rate. We estimated for a list of 500 subscribers. Should this number be ma- 
 terially exceeded, however — a circumstance which we now think not improb- 
 able — we shall have it in our power to make proportional additions to the number 
 of our pages. That every one may be able to judge lor himself in this matter, 
 it will be sufficient to state, that our present contract with the printer exceeds a 
 thousand dollars per annum. After making due allowance for postage, com- 
 missions, clerk's hire, and such losses as never fail to attend such operations, it 
 is questionable if we shall have any thing left, unless our subscription list shall 
 be made to exceed the number estimated. It is on such excess that we rely 
 for our own compensation. 
 
 With regard to the ability with which the present paper will be conducted, 
 wo have only to say, that we have obtained the promised aid of some of the best 
 writers in this State, and in South Carolina, and hope for similar assistance from 
 each of the other Southern States. Under such circumstances, and with such 
 a measure of patronage as we ought to anticipate, we see no reason why our 
 friends may not expect a paper in every respect worthy of their confidence and 
 their support. 
 
 For further particulars the reader is referred to the last page of the cover. 
 
 P. S. — Should it occur to any to enquire, why it is, that, out of a list of 
 two thousand subscribers, we can now reckon, with confidence, on not more 
 than five hundred — the answer is this : Our brethren in South Carolina are 
 endeavoring to get up a weekly paper for themselves — we can, therefore, make 
 but little calculation on them. Many of our old subscribers are still in arrears — 
 to them it would be useless to send our present paper. Besides this, the hard- 
 ness of the times, our requirement of advanced pay, and the unavoidable rise in 
 our terms, will probably cause others to decline. These considerations have 
 caused us to entertain very moderate expectations, with regard to the immediate 
 patronage of the present publication. Still, however, if our friends will do us 
 and the cause the favor to exert themselves a little, we can see no reason why 
 the paper, as now arranged, may not have a highly respectable circulation. 
 
ILscegetical Theology. 3 
 
 INAUGURAL DISCOURSE, 
 
 Delivered before the Board of Trustees of the Furman 
 Institution, at their Annual Meeting, Dec. 11, 1S41. 
 
 The discourse, of which the foregoing is the title, was delivered before the 
 South Carolina Baptist State Convention, at their last Annual Session, at So- 
 ciety Hill. After a neat and appropriate introduction, the speaker divided his 
 subject into four departments, namely, exegetical, systematic, historical, and 
 practical theology — on each of which he dilated with his usual terseness and 
 point. It would afford us pleasure to copy the whole discourse, did our limits 
 admit. As the case is, however, we must content ourselves with the remarks 
 of the author on his first head. 
 
 We cannot be otherwise than gratified with every attempt we see made, to 
 impress on our rising ministry the importance of an acquaintance with the origi- 
 nal Scriptures. It is no part of our intention to insinuate that a man may not 
 acquire a general knowledge of the Scriptures, or that he may not become ex- 
 tensively useful as a minister of religion, without a knowledge, of the dead lan- 
 guages. Numberless cases may be adduced as evidence to prove exactly the 
 reverse of this. It is certain, however, that no man's acquaintance with the 
 inspired record can become so accurate or so certain, by reading a translation, 
 as it might become by inspecting the very terms which the pen of inspiration has 
 employed ; nor can any one be so confident that he has obtained the sense of 
 an inspired writer, by using a translation, as he can by referring directly, and 
 for himself, to the original document. 
 
 A single remark will render this obvious. A translation is nothing more than 
 the translator's views of the matter translated. For example, if a person would 
 translate a given passage of the New Testament, he must first proceed to con- 
 strue it, that is, to put his own meaning upon it. His next step will be to put 
 that meaning into English, or into the language into which the version is to be 
 made. The consequence is, a translation, at best, can be nothing more than a 
 transcript of the original, as it appears to the mind of the translator. Of course, 
 if the original should happen to be misapprehended by the translator, or if the 
 latter should fail to get a clear and exact perception of his author's meaning, all 
 such misapprehension, or obscurity, or obliquity g( version, would necessarily 
 go into the translation. From this it must be seen that a translation, however 
 excellent, can be but a human production, and, to a critical and independent 
 enquirer after truth, must furnish a subject of inspection very different from that 
 furnished by the original record. In the latter case, the student reads the scrip- 
 tures with his own eyes — in the former, he reads them with the eyes of another. 
 In both cases they may indeed be read with equal correctness ; but every one 
 must see that they cannot be read in both cases with the same satisfaction and 
 the same confidence. 
 
 Nor is there any good reason why our ministers generally should be denied 
 the important privilege of reading the original Scriptures lor themselves. A 
 man of ordinary talents, of good English education, of industrious and persever- 
 ing habits, and not too far advanced in life, might soon qualify himself to read 
 the Scriptures in the very words used by prophets and apostles. And though 
 
Exegetical Theology. 
 
 he might never become a profound scholar, he might become qualified to exa- 
 mine an original text, and to judge of the accuracy of a translation, with a very 
 considerable measure of success. It is well known that some of our best scholars 
 are self-made men ; and some of our ministers, who have been distinguished for 
 their literary attainments, wrought as mechanics, until thirty years of age. We 
 have now particularly in view an old brother, not long since dead, who lived 
 and labored in the eastern part of this State, who, even in bis old age, resorted 
 to the study of the original Scriptures, and long before bis death, became a very 
 tolerable Greek scholar. 
 
 We have frequently recommended this branch of study to the younger classes 
 of our ministers, with the full assurance that, if they could be induced to make 
 the attempt, our most sanguine expectations would be more than realized. And 
 we now insert the observations of Professor Reynolds, not by way of discourage- 
 ment or disparagement to any, but as an occasion of incitement to our younger 
 brethren in the ministry, who have, or who can command, the time, if it be 
 only an hour each day, to apply themselves to the study of the language in 
 which the Saviour and his apostles taught the way of life. Let none forget that 
 important practical lesson of the New Testament — " To him who scrupulously 
 improves what he has, more shall be given, and he shall have abundance." 
 
 "Exegetical Theology embraces all those branches of 
 knowledge which are requisite for the correct interpretation 
 of the sacred Scriptures. These constitute the basis of sacred 
 science ; and, hence, all correct theology must begin with the 
 study of the Old and New Testaments. To interpret them, 
 several helps are necessary. The interpreter must possess a 
 philological acquaintance with the original languages^— the 
 Hebrew of the Old Testament, and the Hellenistic Greek of 
 the New. For some portions of the Old Testament, Chaldee 
 is necessary; and, if the theologian would obtain a deeper 
 knowledge of the Hebrew, he must push his researches into 
 the kindred languages of the Semitish family, Syriac and 
 Arabic. It is now generally conceded that the Greek of the 
 New Testament is not classical. In grammatical structure, 
 the forms, inflections, and signification of words, it indicates 
 the influence of circumstances to which the language of clas- 
 sic literature had never been subjected. It is the language of 
 one country, degenerate by time, and spoken by the people 
 of another; the later Greek idiom, modified by Hebrew form 
 of thought and expression, and applied to Christian topics. — 
 Hence, a knowledge of classic Greek does not, of itself, enable 
 us to interpret the New Testament. The interpreter must 
 walk by the light of the oriental languages. It is the star in 
 the East that leads to the manger of Bethlehem. 
 
 I would not seem to over-rate the importance of the Hebrew 
 language to an interpreter of the Scriptures, surrounded as I 
 
Exegetical Theology; 5 
 
 am by beloved brethren and fathers, who, without an ac- 
 quaintance with it have arrived at clear conceptions of divine 
 truth, and are lights to their generation. But, I think that 
 those of you, who have examined with care the writings of 
 the New Testament, have been inpressed with the fact, that 
 much of the aid and the satisfaction which 3^011 have experi- 
 enced, has been derived from those critics, who have brought 
 to the interpretation of the New Testament, a familiar ac- 
 quaintance with the language of the Old. On this subject, 
 there is, I believe, but one opinion among modern biblical 
 scholars. 
 
 ' So numerous are the references, direct and indirect, in 
 the books of the New Testament to those of the Old, that an 
 accurate acquaintance with the latter, in their original lan- 
 guage, is necessary.' Schleiermacher's Kurze Darstellung 
 des Theol. Stud. § 128. 
 
 'The knowledge of the Hebrew language is indispensable 
 to the theologian.' Hagenbach's Encyclopadie, § 40. 
 
 Prof. Robinson considers 'a knowledge of the Hebrew es- 
 sential to an accurate comprehension of the philology of the 
 New Testament,' and 'one of the means of acquiring a fa- 
 miliarity with the genius and character of the Jewish people, 
 and of becoming endued with an oriental spirit, without which, 
 it is apparent that the New Testament cannot be fully under- 
 stood.' 4 Biblical Repository, p. 176. 
 
 Dr. Campbell remarks, that ' to understand perfectly the 
 language of the New Testament, the knowledge of Hebrew 
 is almost as necessary as that of Greek.' Lectures on Sys- 
 tematic Theology. Lee. 3, p. 103. Note. 
 
 It is not my purpose to dwell on the importance of study- 
 ing the original languages of the Bible. But, there is one 
 consideration, which addresses itself so urgently to us as a 
 denomination, that I cannot pass it by. I allude to the fact 
 that, in our English version, the word which refers to the or- 
 dinance of baptism has been left untranslated; and, therefore, 
 to ascertain its import, we must recur to original sources. — 
 Profound and extensive investigation into the meaning of the 
 untranslated word, has always resulted in the spread of the 
 truth. Is it not amazing that any among us should be opposed 
 to human learning? What do we not owe to the toils of 
 scholarship? Consult your standard Greek lexicographers, 
 and they speak with remarkable unanimity in our favor. — 
 Concentrate upon this subject the rays of Hebrew philology, 
 and (he correctness of our position appears in the light of noon- 
 
6 Exegetical Theology. 
 
 day. Polemics may quibble. They do after their kind. — 
 We turn from them to the great lights of philological learn- 
 ing, and ' rejoice for the consolation.' 
 
 The position which our denomination has recently taken 
 with respect to the heathen world, demands a thorough inves- 
 tigation of the original languages of the Bible. We have 
 abandoned our long-cherished connexion with the American 
 Bible Society, because in giving the word of life to the hea- 
 then, we felt bound to make the original Scriptures, and not 
 the English version, the standard of translation. Hence, it 
 is incumbent on us to furnish missionaries competent to the 
 work of translation. In other respects, also, the original lan- 
 guages of the Bible stand in intimate relation to Foreign Mis- 
 sions. The Hebrew, as has already been stated, is only one 
 of a sisterhood which composes the Semitish class of languages. 
 This class extends, far and wide, through countries over 
 which now hang the shades of moral night. The Arabic is 
 the ecclesiastical language of Persia, the Turkish empire, and 
 all the countries under the dominion of the Arabian impostor; 
 and, with some inconsiderable modifications, is spoken all 
 over Syria, Mesopotamia, and Egypt, in Northern Africa, and 
 along the coasts of Coromandel and Malabar. Syriac is the 
 language of religion and books among the Jacobites, Nesto- 
 rians, and Maronitcs, whose dwellings are on the Syrian 
 mountains, in portions of Mesopotamia, Koordistan, and the 
 Paschalic of Bagdad. The Amharic and Tigre, dialects of 
 the Ethiopic, which is also of Semitish origin, give the mis- 
 sionary access to Abyssinia, and other parts of Africa; and 
 the Romaic, or modern Greek, opens his way to the land of 
 classic recollections, to Thessaly, the islands of the Archipel- 
 ago, Cyprus, and other inviting fields. These lands have 
 been given to the Redeemer for an inheritance. The cres- 
 cent will yet wane before the splendor of the cross. The 
 East will pour her riches into the treasury of the Church; 
 Edom will look, with joy and hope, upon the 'dyed gar- 
 ments' of the Son of God; ' the Egyptians shall know the 
 Lord ;' 'Ethiopia shall stretch out her hands unto God;' and 
 c the outcasts of Israel,' our elder brethren in the covenant of 
 God, once dear to Him as the apple of his eye, and still ' be- 
 loved for the fathers' sakes,' will/cbuild their desolate sanc- 
 tuary, and, on the sacred soil to which they yet fondly cling, 
 as well as in every land to which they may have wandered, 
 will 'sing the song of Moses and the Lamb.' 
 
 May we not hope thai this school of the Prophets will be a 
 
Exegeiical Theology. 7 
 
 nursery of Missionaries, that from this quiet retreat may go 
 forth men of warm hearts and cultivated minds, who will lift 
 up the cross of the Redeemer among the dying Heathen, and 
 claim for him his destined possession. Sure I am, that if any 
 thing could add to the celestial joy of him whose honored 
 name it bears, or draw him, for a moment, from the bliss of 
 the beatific vision, it would be to see the light, which he 
 labored to kindle here, casting its gladdening rays upon the 
 dark places of the earth. 
 
 To the department of exegetical theology, belong also the 
 examination of the sacred text ; proofs of the authenticity and 
 integrity of the canonical books; their origin, age, contents, 
 and character; the history of manuscripts, editions, transla- 
 tions, &c. Here belongs, also, the science of hermeneutics, 
 or the laws of interpretation. A rational system of interpre- 
 tation among us would put to flight the whole army of allego- 
 rizers and spiritualizers, convert their types and shadows into 
 substance, lay an interdict upon their double and triple senses, 
 and put to rest the wasteful ingenuity of those prolific exposi- 
 tors who seek to bring forth from the word of God meanings, 
 ' some thirty, some sixty, and some an hundred fold.' This 
 division also includes biblical antiquities, ecclesiastical, politi- 
 cal and domestic, biblical geography and chronology. The 
 object of these latter studies is to place the interpreter, as 
 nearly as possible, in the situation of those to whom the Scrip- 
 tures were originally addressed; and, be who should attempt 
 to interpret them, without a knowledge of biblical antiquities, 
 would succeed as well as one who, whilst ignorant of the cus- 
 toms of Greece and Rome, should undertake to explain the 
 epistles of Horace, or the orations of Demosthenes. It is well 
 known that, in translating from one language to another,, a lite- 
 ral rendering would frequently make nonsense. Who would 
 infer from a literal translation, that ad ovum means ' until 
 supper-time ?' Without a reference to the fact, that the an- 
 cients measured time by the clepsydra, or water-clock, who 
 would suppose that perdere aquam means 'to lose time,' 
 and/;ms udor cipein means to conclude a speech within the 
 time allotted for its delivery? Without the knowledge to 
 which I have referred, the meaning of those passages of Scrip- 
 ture which speak of putting new wine into old bottles, water- 
 ing the ground with the foot, the early and latter rain, &c. 
 &c. would be unintelligible, and the beautiful allusions of St 
 Paul to the Grecian games would lose all their significance." 
 
8 JL Christian Church. 
 
 NO. I. 
 
 A CPIRISTIAN CHURCH. 
 
 What it is. 
 
 The original Greek term corresponding to the word church, 
 is composed of two expressions, which, when taken together, 
 signify from or out of; and, in its primary and obvious im- 
 j)ort, denotes an assembly of people, called together under 
 any circumstances, and for any purpose. Thus, for example, 
 the disorderly tumult at Ephesus, occasioned by the misre- 
 presentations of Demetrius, the silver-smith, and the lawful 
 and regular assembly, recommended by the town clerk, are 
 both expressed by the original term, ecclesia, church. 
 
 This term is most commonly used, however, when em- 
 ployed in the New Testament, to denote a body or associa- 
 tion of christian disciples; and is applied both to the whole 
 mystical body of Christ, that is, the Christian church gene- 
 ral, and to individual branches or companies of worshippers. 
 Thus, for example, Christ said, "Upon this rock will I build 
 my ecclesia, my church," meaning his empire on earth; and, 
 in like manner, the company of disciples residing at Jerusa- 
 lem, is called "the ecclesia, the church, which is at Jerusa- 
 lem." It is in this last mentioned sense, mainly, that I shall 
 use the word in the present and succeeding numbers. 
 
 By the term church, then, is to be understood a company 
 or congregation of worshippers, regularly organized on gos- 
 pel principles, and voluntarily associated for religious pur- 
 poses. Such were the seven churches of Asia ; such was the 
 church at Antioch ; such was the church that worshipped in 
 the house of Philemon ; and such, in a word, were all the 
 churches of the apostolic age. 
 
 Who co?npose it. 
 
 That the primitive churches were composed of professed 
 believers only, is obvious, in my view, from the following 
 considerations. 
 
 First. There is no provision made in the gospel for the 
 admission of any but such to membership. It is said in the 
 apostolic commission, "lie that believelh and is baptized shall 
 be saved ;" but it is no where intimated that any but such as 
 believe, or, at least, such as make a plausible profession of 
 faith, have any claim to a place among the disciples. 
 
 In the second place, none but such are recognised as mem- 
 bers in the apostolic epistles addressed to the churches. These 
 
d Christian Church, 9 
 
 documents make constant allusion to the saints — to those that 
 are holy — but in no case to infants, nor to any except such as 
 have made a profession of holiness of heart and of practice. 
 
 In the third place, none but such can be esteemed fit for the 
 relation of church members. Those who are not confessedly 
 holy, are obviously unqualified for a place in the household 
 of faith; and infants, who are incapable of voluntary action, 
 must be equally unsuited to become parties to a compact, in 
 which every thing depends on the free and voluntary action 
 of its constituents. 
 
 Finally, in the formation and history of the New Tes- 
 tament churches, we have express mention of "men and wo- 
 men," who believed and were baptized ; but not the remotest 
 allusion to infants, nor to any who had not made a credible 
 profession of their faith in Christ. 
 
 To show the force of this reasoning, so far, at least, as in- 
 fants are concerned, it may be observed, that they, infants, 
 were admitted as parties to the covenant made with Abraham, 
 and were incorporated into the religio-politico institutions of 
 the Jewish commonweallh. Accordingly, the fact is repeat- 
 edly and expressly mentioned as a matter of history — the 
 mode of initiation is described with much particularity — and 
 the circumstance is alluded to on so many occasions, and in 
 so great a variety of forms, that a doubt has never existed on 
 the subject. Instead of any thing like this, however, touch- 
 ing the point under discussion, as has been remarked, the 
 subject of infant church membership has never been so much 
 as hinted at. The contrast is remarkable; and the silence in 
 the latter case, and especially when viewed in connexion with 
 the evidence in the former, furnishes conclusive proof, in my 
 view, that infants were never known as members in the pri- 
 mitive churches. 
 
 Its visibility. 
 
 For the sake of perspicuity, it may he proper to remark 
 here, that the distinction usually made between what is called 
 the visible and the invisible churches, is without any foun- 
 dation in truth. That no such distinction has been made in 
 the Scriptures, must be known to every one familiar with the 
 sacred volume. That the aforesaid distinction is therefore 
 altogether of human origin, and has been adopted for the sake 
 of- convenience in the management of theological disquisi- 
 tions, is not less obvious. Nor can it he much less certain 
 that this, like most other technicalities of the same kind, has 
 
 
10 A Christum Church. 
 
 tended rather to confuse and perplex what was already plain, 
 than to throw light on any portion of the inspired volume. 
 So far as I can see, Christ has one mystical body, one church 
 general on earth, and that is a visible church — consisting of 
 all such as are visibly connected with him, by a constitutional 
 compliance with his visible and actual institutions. But that 
 there is another church, separate and distinct from this, which 
 is exclusively spiritual, and, in any sense of the expression, 
 an invisible church, is certainly not attested by the Scrip- 
 tures; nor is there, so far as I can see ; the remotest allusion 
 to such institution in the whole compass of the sacred record. 
 When I speak of the church general, then I wish to be under- 
 stood as meaning invariably the one visible body or kingdom 
 of Christ on earth, in which are found all his real, actual, and 
 visible institutions ; and when I speak of the particular or in- 
 dividual church.es, I mean those separate and independent 
 communities, which, when taken together, constitute the one- 
 general, consolidated, universal church. 
 
 Baptism indispen sable. 
 
 From the foregoing view of the case, it follows, that bap- 
 tism is an indispensable prerequisite to church membership,. 
 As none can be entitled to fellowship but such as have made 
 a constitutional profession of their faith in Christ, and as bap- 
 tism is the only authorized act by which such profession can 
 be made, it must follow, of course, that baptism must precede, 
 in the order of time, all proper claims to church relationship. 
 Therefore none can become constitutional]} 1 members of the 
 christian church, except such as shall have first submitted to 
 the rite of baptism. 
 
 It must be observed, however, that this last remark can 
 apply only to particular or individual churches, in contradis- 
 tinction from the mystical body of Christ. The case is this ; 
 By the act of baptism the disciple becomes, de facto, a mem- 
 ber of Christ's body, or of the church general. By the same 
 act he makes that profession by which he becomes qualified, 
 other things being equal, for particular church membership. 
 This last object he attains by a special compact entered into- 
 between himself and the parties composing any given indivi- 
 dual church. 
 
 From this last view of the case it will be evident, that a 
 person may he a member of the church general, and, at the 
 same time, may not be a member of any individual church in 
 particular. It is true, he who has a proper connexion with 
 
A Christian Church. il 
 
 the latter, must of course be a member of the former. But 
 it does not follow, on the other hand, that he who belongs to 
 the former, must of necessity belong to the latter. lie who 
 has been validly baptized, unavoidably belongs to the church 
 general, though he may never be associated with any parti- 
 cular body or community of Christians. And, on the same 
 principle, though excluded from a particular church, a person 
 may still be a member of the church general. 
 
 Hgiv constituted. 
 
 That the primitive churches were regularly organized com- 
 munities, voluntarily instituted for religious purposes, and 
 held together by certain fundamental laws, constituting the 
 basis of the compact, will be questioned by no one acquainted 
 with their history. The process observed in forming such 
 organizations is not laid down in the New Testament, and is 
 therefore thought to be immaterial. For the sakeof convenience 
 and utility, some form is found to be necessary, however, and 
 by those of our own faith, the following is generally adopted: 
 First of all, a Constitution, otherwise called a Covenant, is 
 drawn up, containing an outline of the religious belief of the 
 parties, together with the fundamental principles on which 
 the union is formed, and by which the parties engage to be 
 governed. To this instrument the parties contracting give 
 their solemn and unanimous consent, either personally or by 
 their representatives, before the congregation ; in addition to 
 which it is sometimes thought proper for each member to af- 
 fix his own proper signature to the instrument — the whole 
 thus mutually and solemnly pledging themselves to the Lord 
 and to one another. 
 
 The foregoing proceeding is general^, though, I presume, 
 not necessarily, attended by two or more ministers, invited to 
 officiate on the occasion. Without the ministry the aforesaid 
 formality would fail of much of its interest, and an occasion 
 peculiarly favorable to good impressions, would be measur- 
 ably lost. Besides this, the known sanction of the officiating 
 presbytery, and their concurring testimony afterwards, has a 
 happy effect in commending the newly constituted to the fa- 
 vor and confidence of sister churches. Thus it would seem 
 that the constitution of our churches is effected, in fact, by 
 the voluntary and unanimous action of the contracting parties, 
 and the presence of the presbytery is required only as a mea- 
 sure of expediency and of gospel decorum. 
 
12 The Fixed Stars. 
 
 From the foregoing facts result two corollaries, which in- 
 volve no little practical importance. 
 
 The first is, that no member can be constitutionally admit- 
 ted at any subsequent period, without a unanimous vote of 
 the church. As has been seen, a fundamental principle of the 
 compact is that of mutual and reciprocal union. Every indi- 
 vidual enters the compact with his own consent, and with that 
 of every other member. This principle must continue as 
 long as the compact endures. And accordingly, so long as 
 the principle continues, unanimous and reciprocal action must 
 be indispensable to the admission of members. Under such 
 circumstances the receiving of a member without a unanim- 
 ous vote, would be a violation of a fundamental principle of 
 the compact, and a virtual demolition of the whole structure. 
 
 The. second inference is, that a church cannot be constitu- 
 tionally dissolved without the consent of all the members. 
 In most cases, if not in all, whether in religion or in politics, 
 the same power is necessary to uncreate, that is required to 
 create — the same to dissolve, that is necessary to constitute. 
 On this principle, which I think will not be disputed in this 
 case at least, it will be seen, that, as a unanimous act is ne- 
 cessary to form the compact, so a unanimous aci is indispen- 
 sable to disannul it. 
 
 Editor, 
 
 THE FIXED STARS. 
 
 No science hitherto known, fills the mind with such lofty conceptions of Di- 
 vine power, as that relating' to tbe sidereal heavens ; and yet, perhaps, consider- 
 ing its interest, no science is so generally neglected, or, by the common reader, 
 so little understood. 
 
 From the earliest times the mechanism of the heavens, and particularly the 
 magnitude and distances of the stars, together with their motions and relative 
 positions, have attracted the attention of astronomers. And it is wonderful to 
 observe how science has corrected the errors, and improved the knowledge of 
 mankind, on this subject, in different and succeeding ages of tbe world. Prior 
 to tbe time of Copernicus, it was the universal opinion of mankind, that the 
 earth was tbe centre of tbe system, and that the sun, tbe moon, and the stars 
 revolved round it : — also, that the earth was by far the largest and most material 
 portion of tbe universe — that tbe sun and moon were objects next in size — and 
 that tbe stars were nothing more than luminaries of inconsiderable magnitude, 
 and situated at trifling distances from the centre and from each other. 
 
 The discoveries of Copernicus, however, in the sixteenth century, occasioned 
 new and vastly enlarged conceptions of tbe magnitude of the visible heavens. 
 Agreeably to lis theory, which ia now universally received, the earth revolves 
 
The Fixed Stars. 13 
 
 on its axis, and thereby causes the apparent diurnal motions of the heavenly- 
 bodies. Besides this, the earth and the other planets and satellites have an an- 
 nual motion round the sun — and the stars, instead of being bodies of diminutive 
 size, and designed only as ornaments to the sky, are in reality suns, the centres 
 of systems like our own, and situated at distances inconceivably remote from us 
 and from one another. 
 
 Prior to the invention of the telescope, however, nothing was known of the 
 heavens but what could be discerned by the naked eye, Some two or three 
 thousand stars, together with some of the largest planets belonging to the solar 
 system, were all of which mankind had any knowledge. The invention of the 
 telescope introduced a new era in the science of astronomy, and gave a fresh 
 impulse to the study of the heavenly bodies. By the application of the powers 
 of this instrument, the astronomer has been enabled to see into space nearly two 
 hundred times further than before ; that is, the telescope enables the observer 
 to detect and examine stars, placed at a distance from the earth nearly two hun- 
 dred times more remote than the most distant star visible to the naked eye. The 
 consequence has been, that, instead of disclosing some three thousand stars, as 
 was at first supposed, the heavens have been found to reveal innumerable mil- 
 lions of bodies of different magnitudes, colors, combinations, and distances — 
 unfolding a field of infinite interest to the scientific enquirer, and affording a 
 corresponding expansion to our conceptions of tlie created universe. 
 
 And yet even here we find no limit, either to the field of human discovery, or 
 to the creations of infinite wisdom and might. For any thing known as yet, 
 mankind may have but just begun to explore the wonders of infinite space. For 
 any thing at present known, instruments may yet be invented, exceeding the 
 powers of the telescope, far as that instrument exceeds the powers of the human 
 eye ; and revolving wonders in the planetary and siderial systems, transcending 
 what is now known, iar as the latter transcends the speculations of the ancient 
 astrologers. Who can fix a limit to the powers of human invention and disco- 
 very? Still more, who can conceive of a limit to the wonders of infinite power 
 and infinite space ? 
 
 We have met with an article of unusual interest on this subject in a late num- 
 ber of the Christian Review. We have no knowledge of the writer ; but be he 
 who he may, we should be pleased to hear from him again. The article re- 
 ferred to is so full of interest, that it has occurred to us that we could not give 
 our readers a more acceptable treat, than by laying it, in extenso, before them. 
 But as our limits forbid this, at present, we must be satisfied with the author's 
 remarks on the vastness of the " stellar firmament." We shall most probably 
 give attention to the same subject again ; and, in that event, shall be pleased to 
 furnish more extracts from the same source. 
 
 For the satisfaction of the uninformed reader, we will just observe, that the 
 star, Sirius, so frequently mentioned in the following extract, is what is com- 
 monly called the " dog star ;" it is the largest star in tho constellation, Canis 
 Major ; it is one of the brightest and most beautiful objects in the siderial firma- 
 ment ; and may be seen at this season of the year, early in the evening, a little 
 We st of South, and at an elevation of about 35 or 10 degrees. 
 
14 The Fixed Stars. 
 
 11 We cannot pretend to survey the whole of the ample 
 field here opened to our view. Our limits restrict us to the 
 notice of but two or three topics, selected from many which, 
 are all equally interesting. 
 
 First, then, let us collect together under one view, the con- 
 clusions of astronomers upon the distances of the fixed stars 
 — their arrangement, and the consequent vastness of the 
 stellar firmament. Without repeating what we have before 
 said on this subject," it is absolutely certain that the diam- 
 eter of the earth's orbit, equal to about 190,000,000 of miles, 
 "would dwindle to a mere point if seen from the nearest of 
 the fixed stars. Of this fact, there is not, in the judgment of 
 astronomers, the shadow of a doubt. And though we cannot 
 here spread before our readers all the evidence, upon which 
 this conclusion rests, we can assure them that no evidence 
 short of a mathematical demonstration can be stronger. We 
 are sure that every one, who examines the subject, must ad- 
 mit its validity. But the distance, at which the diameter of 
 the earth's orbit would become a mere point, that is to say, 
 less than one second of angular space (which is about the least 
 quantity directly and certainly measurable by the best instru- 
 ments), cannot be less than 19,200,000,000,000 miles, or such 
 that light moving at the rate of 192,000 miles in a second, 
 must be, at least, three and a half years in coming to us. 
 
 From these undoubted facts, the necessary inference is, that 
 the stars are so many suns; and many of them, far greater 
 than our own, and shining with an intrinsic splendor, in com- 
 parison with which ours would fade into a minute star, 
 scarcely, if at all, visible to the naked eye. But, have we 
 any means of knowing, it may be asked, what would be the 
 visible magnitude and brightness of our sun, seen from the 
 distance of a star? Two principles of undoubted truth will 
 -enable us to form a definite opinion upon this point: first, that 
 the visible diameter is inversely as the distance ; and se- 
 condly, that the brightness is inversely as the square of the 
 distance. At double our present distance, for instance, the 
 sun would have half the visible magnitude and one quarter 
 the brightness which it now has. Pursuing this principle, 
 we are altogether sure that, if our sun were seen at 200,000 
 times its present distance, which at most would only equal 
 that of the nearest star, its visible magnitude would be re- 
 duced to the 200,000th part of what it now is, or to less than 
 
 Sec No. II. o/tlie Christian Review, i>. 211. el seq.. 
 
The Fixed Stars. 15 
 
 the 100th part of one second; and its brightness would equal 
 only the 40,000,000,000th part of its present splendor. We 
 are aware that numbers so vast furnish but a very inadequate 
 means of forming a definite conception, but we have nothing 
 better to take their place. It is ascertained, with a good de- 
 gree of certainty, by direct measurement, that the solar bright- 
 ness, diminished in the ratio expressed by those figures, would 
 only equal that of a star of the second magnitude. The con- 
 clusion, therefore, that the stars are, in fact, resplendent suns, 
 is not only admissible, but one which can no longer be re- 
 sisted. 
 
 But the supposition which we have here made with regard 
 to the distance of the stars, is the least which the facts allow. 
 The stars may be — and there arc very strong analogical rea- 
 sons for believing that many of them are — immeasurably be- 
 yond the limits here assigned. Our knowledge on this inte- 
 resting point has, until recently, been wholly negative. One 
 determination has been made, within the last few years, too 
 important not to be noticed in connection with this topic. 
 We refer to the researches of Bessel, of Konigsburg, on the 
 parallax of the fixed stars. Not a little enterprise and self- 
 reliance were necessary to renew an experiment which almost 
 every observer, from the period of the invention of the tele- 
 scope, had tried in vain. This eminent astronomer, in a let- 
 ter to Sir John Herschel, says : "After so many unsuccessful 
 attempts to determine the parallax of a fixed star, I thought 
 it worth while to try what might be accomplished by means 
 of the accuracy which my great Fraunhofer Heliometer gives 
 to the observations." * For this purpose, he selected the 
 double star 61, Cygni, and taking two small stars, the one 
 in the line of the double stars, and the other perpendicular to 
 it, he made, in different seasons of the year, nearly one hun- 
 dred micrometrical measurements of the distance between 
 the middle point of the double stars and each of the others. 
 From these observations, he concluded that the existence of 
 a sensible annual parallax could no longer be doubted : and 
 the most probable value in the case of that star he found to- 
 be ,3'13b*j or a little less than one-third of a second. As- 
 suming this to be the true value, "we find," he adds, "that 
 the distance of the star 61, Ci/gni, from the sun, is 657,700 
 mean distances of the earth from the sun. Light employs 
 10.3 years to traverse this distance." Sturve, of Dorpat, 
 
 * See Loudon and Edinburgh Journal of Science, for January, 1839. 
 
16 The Fired Stars. 
 
 with another of Fraunhofer's magnificent telescopes — the 
 most effective perhaps, all things considered, which has ever 
 been made — had, we believe, previously obtained, by similar 
 observations on a, Lyra, decided indications of an annual 
 parallax. 
 
 From the very high character of Bessel, as a practical as- 
 tronomer, a good degree of confidence is placed in the accu- 
 racy of his determination. We have, then, almost for the 
 first time in the history of astronomy, a positive approxima- 
 tion to the distance of one of the fixed stars. And how vast 
 must that distance be, which light would not traverse in less 
 than ten and one-third years ? But this star is only one of 
 millions which the telescope reveals. How distant are the 
 rest? In the absence of direct and certain evidence, let us 
 follow the guidance of analogy, in meditating upon this ques- 
 tion. There is, then, no presumption at all that all the stars 
 are at the same distance from us. Nor is there the slightest 
 ground to suppose, that all the large stars are situated next, 
 in space, to our system, and all the small ones, in the remoter 
 parts of creation. The most reasonable supposition is, that 
 they arc scattered, not indeed uniformly, for this is incom- 
 patible with appearances, but with such a general tendency 
 to it, as to intermingle great and small stars together through- 
 out the whole vast stellar space. There are many beautiful 
 compact clusters, as in the case of the Pleiades; there are also 
 many vacant spaces, where the most powerful telescope re- 
 veals no light. Yet the only plausible supposition, with re- 
 gard to the general distribution is, that these clusters and 
 these vacant spots, as well as the single stars, are scattered 
 through space with some general approximation to uniformity. 
 Upon this supposition, then, what inference, if any, can be 
 made as to the shape of the sidereal heavens, taken as a 
 whole; and In what part of this great space is our own sys- 
 tem located ? In reply to these questions, we must revert to 
 Herschel's opinion, that the stellar firmament is not spheri- 
 cal, but comprised between two parallel planes. The 
 reader may form a tolerably correct conception of his idea by 
 supposing this space to resemble the shape of a broad, thick 
 plank, the length being much greater than the breadth, and 
 the breadth considerably greater than the thickness. The 
 grounds upon which this opinion rests, will be easily under- 
 stood, if we bear in mind the principles of distribution above 
 made. It is quite manifest, in looking at the heavens with 
 the naked eye, and still more so with the telescope, that some 
 
The Fixed Stars. 17 
 
 Kg 
 
 portions are far richer in stars than others; and it is equally 
 manifest, that there is one great belt extending quite round 
 the heavens, where there is an extraordinary compression of 
 stars. This belt, from the diffused whitish light by which it 
 is distinguished, is called the Milky Way. On one occasion, 
 while observing one of the richest portions of it, Herschel 
 concluded that not less than 50,000 stars, which could be dis- 
 tinctly numbered, passed his field of view, during one sweep 
 of the telescope, embracing a little strip of sky fifteen degrees 
 in length and two in breadth. Other portions present mil- 
 lions and millions, so crowded together as to defy all power 
 of enumeration. And yet the fair presumption is, that those 
 minute telescopic points are separated from each other by in- 
 tervals not less" immense than that which divides them from 
 us. Now this prodigious apparent condensation is accounted 
 for by supposing that iheplanfe of stars before mentioned, is 
 extended lengthwise in the direction of the Milky Way. Our 
 system is conceived to be placed not far from the centre of 
 - breadth and thickness ; and hence, when we look towards the 
 face or broad surface, we see the fewest stars ; when we look 
 towards the edge they become more numerous; while, in 
 looking toward the end, they crowd upon the view in "glo- 
 rious multitudes," which no man can number. To many 
 readers, this idea of Herschel's will doubtless appear altoge- 
 ther fanciful and undeserving the confidence of sound, well- 
 balanced minds. But let it be remembered, that some defi- 
 nite, fixed arrangement there must be; and that certainly 
 there is no such a priori argument in favor of a spherical 
 one, as to preclude every other supposition. In the judgment 
 of astronomers, the hypothesis in question best explains the 
 appearance, and on that ground it has received general favor. 
 Difference in brightness depends, therefore, in many cases, 
 at least, on difference of distance. Let us inquire whether 
 we have any grounds for an opinion as to the relative distance 
 of the nearest star and the most remote. From what has 
 been before said, the only rational conclusion as to the distri- 
 bution, is, that many of the smaller stars are intrinsically of 
 the first magnitude, and appear small only by reason of their 
 vast distance. Now, in *the case of two stars of the same 
 magnitude, we know that their apparent brightness will be 
 inversely as the square of the distances. This principle fur- 
 nishes the means of a comparison. The younger Herschel 
 has ascertained by direct measurement that the average bright- 
 ness of a star of the sixth magnitude, which is about the least 
 
 3 
 
18 The Fixed Stars. 
 
 visible to the naked eye, is equal to only the 324th part of 
 that of Sirius. Many stars visible to the naked eye, must 
 then be eighteen times more remote than Sirius, or such, that 
 light would require at least sixty-three years in coming from 
 them to us ! And this conclusion is not a mere conjecture. 
 It rests upon a supposition plainly the most rational which 
 can be made as to the collocation of large and small stars, and 
 upon direct measurements of the intensity of light, with re- 
 spect to which there may be some error as to the degree of 
 brightness, but none at all as to the principle on which the 
 determinations depend. While we concede, then, that this 
 conclusion is not demonstrative, we maintain that it rests 
 upon the very highest grounds of probability. 
 
 But we have not yet exhausted this subject. We have ad- 
 vanced but a comparatively little way toward the outer limits 
 of the visible universe. If the unaided vision can penetrate 
 thus far into the depths of space, what limits shall we assign 
 to the space-penetrating power of the telescope ? To this in- 
 quiry, Herschel directed great attention; and the result of his 
 investigation was a decided opinion, that with his great forty 
 feet telescope, with a reflector four feet in diameter, and a mag- 
 nifying power of over 6000, he could pick up a star situated 
 at the 192d order of distance; or 192 times more distant than 
 any which can be seen by the naked eye ; — in other words, 
 suppose 192 stars situated in a right line, and separated "from 
 each other by intervals equal to the distance of the most re- 
 mote star visible to the naked eye, the farthest in the series 
 would not surpass the reach of his telescope. Nor will this 
 appear incredible when the powers of his instrument are well 
 understood. And on this point we cannot do better thara 
 quote the following paragraph from our author : 
 
 ' Dwell for a short time on the dimensions and consequent power of this won- 
 derful telescope, and I venture to say you will no longer be skeptical when I 
 speak of seeing into space. If the mirror had reflected all the light which felt 
 upon it, it would virtually have been an eye with a pupil of four feet diameter ; 
 that is, it would have been more powerful than the human eye, by as much as 
 the surface of its enormous disc exceeded the small surface of our pupil ! — And 
 making allowance for much light being unavoidably lost, still how great must 
 have been its power ? That body is faint indeed,, or inconceivably remote, of 
 which it could give us no hope of intimation ; and it is no marvel that it sounded 
 our firmament, mighty as it is, and ranged unwearied among the abysses of the 
 dark infinite beyond. The lustre with which it clothed the bodies in our im- 
 mediate vicinity is said to have been inexpressibly beautiful. Herschel him- 
 self, intent on far discovery, seldom looked at the larger stars; and, because 
 their blaze injured his eye, he rather avoided their transit. But he tells us, that 
 
The Fixed Stars. 19 
 
 at one time, after a considerable sweep with his instrument, " the appearance 
 of Sirius announced itself, at a great distance, like the dawn of the morning, and 
 came on by degrees, increasing in brightness, till this brilliant star at last entered 
 the field of the telescope with all the splendor of the rising sun, and forced ma 
 to take my eye from the beautiful sight." ' 
 
 Reflect for a moment upon the amazing extent to which we 
 are enabled, with the aid of the telescope, to penetrate the 
 depth of the stellar space, so as to pick up and examine a 
 single star, 192 times further than the remotest which can be 
 seen by the naked eye ! or such, that light must occupy more 
 than 12,000 years in coming to us ! And does this fix the 
 limit of creation ? Can it be believed that at this distance, 
 inconceivable as it is, we have reached a point beyond which 
 there is nothing, and where the wearied energies of creative 
 power could do no more ? Have our eyes bebeld tbe last 
 solitary orb, situated on the very verge of creation, and look- 
 ing into the awful vacuity which stretches onward to absolute 
 infinity beyond it ? This we should hardly be prepared to 
 admit, much less to assert, even though our vision could go 
 no farther. But we are not left in doubt on this point. Our 
 most adventurous explorer of the heavens did not stop at this 
 short goal. The spots of diffused nebulous light which are 
 thickly scattered in many parts of the heavens were next ex- 
 amined. Some of them were resolvable into stars, with the 
 use of the lower powers of the telescope. Others, which the 
 lower powers could not resolve, yielded to the higher. And 
 thus, using powers which varied from 400 to over 6000, he 
 found that thehigher the power the greater the number of those 
 faintly shining spots which were resolved into distinct stars. 
 It is computed that many of these nebulous clusters must con- 
 tain at least twenty thousand stars, in a space not more than 
 one-tenth of that covered by the moon's disc. Then, be- 
 sides these resolvable clusters, there are very many others, 
 which as yet remain irresolvable. After many efforts to de- 
 termine the reach of his instrument, Herschel concluded that 
 with its highest powers " he could descry a cluster of 5000 
 individuals, were it situated three hundred thousand times 
 deeper in space than Sirius jirobably is." Light from 
 such a cluster must have occupied at least one million of 
 years in coming to us f Is this impossible? Does it con- 
 tradict any known law of the system ? Does it conflict with 
 any of the analogies which we are able to trace in the physi- 
 cal universe ? Startling and incredible as this conclusion 
 may at first appear, no astronomer would have the hardihood 
 
20 The Progress of Isms. 
 
 to pronounce it impossible. Nay, farther, every sound mind 
 vrould doubtless admit the separate probability of every step 
 in the chain of evidence upon which it depends. It is clearly 
 possible, then, that Herschel, on some clear evening, when 
 the starry firmament was rejoicing in its utmost splendor, 
 may have caught glimpses of light which ten thousand cen- 
 times had only sufficed to transmit from its remote origin to 
 our system ? We say nothing of the bearing of this fact, 
 such allowing it to be, upon the chronology of the creation. 
 We regard it merely as illustrative of the vastness of the 
 material universe. And in what commanding tones does it 
 speak to us of the all-pervading presence and the ineffable 
 glory of that Being, who, from his lofty throne, looks down 
 upon this vast domain, this boundless range of worlds, and 
 covers them all with the shadow of his wing ! 
 
 THE PROGRESS OF.ISMS. 
 
 We perceive by the lalest accounts, that the various Isms of the day are 
 making a headway fully commensurate with the character of the times. 
 
 MillekiSm is rapidly gaining ground. Mr. Miller and his adherents are 
 laboring with great zeal, and a corresponding measuie of success, in making 
 converts to their theory of the conflagration of the world in 1843. Their lec- 
 tures are said to be attended by crowded assemblies, and received with profound 
 attention and respect. Still, however, we do not learn that the world is much 
 the better of all this, or that those who profess to embrace the theory have ma- 
 terially altered their course of life. 
 
 Moemonism also seems to be advancing. Joe Smith, in defiance of all 
 opposition, is said to persevere in the erection of his temple, which is to be the 
 focus of all moral and religions perfection. Not long since, be found a remark- 
 able stone, by means of which he was enabled to work miracles and foretell 
 future events. The latest accounts state that he is now engaged in translating 
 the " Book of Abraham, 1 ' a document said to have been written by the old pa- 
 triarch himself, and to have been found lately in one of the Egyptian, cata- 
 combs. The numbers of this sect are, of course, rapidly increasing ; and 
 Mormonism, notwithstanding its manifold absurdities, bids fair to become a 
 very respectable concern. 
 
 Perfectionism also is going a-head. Like most other new things of the 
 day, the Oberlin theology seems to be getting a very fair run. A church of 
 this order was lately constituted in Nevv York, composed of members chiefly 
 drawn from Presbyterian or Congregational churches of that city. The senti- 
 ments of the sect are said to have spread widely ; and, it is added, a few Bap- 
 lists have partially embraced them. 
 
 Of Abolitionism we have not heard much of late. The Vermont Telegraph, 
 and the Christian Reflector, since the suspension of our paper, have not come to 
 
The Temperance Reform. 21 
 
 hand. We therefore know very little of what is going on among our old friends 
 of the North and East. We presume, however, that the party is making the 
 usual headway among the isms and inventions of the age. By the last accounts, 
 they were drilling their forces for the battle to be fought in 1844. 
 
 Animal, Magnetism, too, seems to be in good odour. Its professors stilL 
 continue to deliver lectures, to perform experiments, and to make proselytes. 
 Young women are still put to sleep, and thereby made to see without eyes, and, 
 for any thing known to us, to hear without ears. It is confidently affirmed that 
 a person fully magnetised, can read a letter without breaking the seal — can ex- 
 plore the interior of the human body without dissection, and, we suppose, of 
 course, can survey any other object, however veiled, however invisible ! ! 
 
 THE TEMPERANCE REFORM. 
 
 The late Temperance Reform commenced in this city in 
 November or December last. At the outset it excited un- 
 usual interest, and was attended and followed by extraordinary 
 results. Persons of all ages and classes of society took the 
 pledge, and many of our most inveterate drunkards were 
 hopefully reformed. The interest, we believe, is still kept 
 up, and, so far as we know, the reformed still retain their in- 
 tegrity. 
 
 The agent from Baltimore, Mr. Carey, himself a reformed 
 drunkard, and the principal instrument in giving an impulse 
 to the movement in this place, was, soon after, sent for from 
 sundry of our towns and villages in this State. In every 
 place to which he went, so far as we have learned, his labors 
 were attended by a success similar to what has been witnessed 
 in this city. Great interest was excited — multitudes signed 
 the pledge — and numbers of drunkards and inveterate topers 
 were reformed. 
 
 From this State, we have understood, the agent went, by 
 invitation, to South Carolina, where a success followed his 
 labors not inferior to that which had been realized in this 
 region. In Charleston, Columbia, and other places, we have 
 been informed, the interest felt, and the good done, were 
 very great. 
 
 We have no means at hand of estimating the amount of 
 interest created, nor of computing the number of reformations 
 effected ; but our impression is, that the present reformation 
 exceeds all that has been heretofore done in the cause of tem- 
 perance, in a ratio almost surpassing computation. 
 
 There are some considerations connected with the present 
 reform, which should not be suffered to pass without remark. 
 
22 The Temperance Reform. 
 
 We allude particularly to the means of excitement — the prin- 
 ciple of operation — and the end contemplated. 
 
 Heretofore, the usual means of exciting and maintaining an 
 interest on the subject of temperance, was the holding of 
 meetings, and the delivering of lectures and speeches. These, 
 in process of time, became threadbare, and, eventually, lost 
 their power to entertain or produce conviction. When Mr. 
 Carey came to this State, he introduced a new mode of pro- 
 ceeding, which was, to request the converts to relate their 
 experience. The personal history of reformed drunkards — 
 including their feelings, their trials, their struggles with the 
 enemy, &c. &c, was heard with wonderful effect. A general 
 and powerful interest was excited. The most abandoned 
 found hope for himself in the experience of others. The 
 evidence contained in matters of fact, appealing, as it must, to 
 the heart and the conscience, as well as to the judgment, was 
 not to be resisted. The consequence was, the moderate 
 drinker forsook his bottle, and the hopeless drunkard his de- 
 spondency; and all came forward together, to unite their in*- 
 fluence for the cause, for themselves, and for one another. 
 
 The principle of operation also was new. Heretofore the 
 practice had been, to receive none to membership whose 
 character was not such as to adorn his profession. And, on 
 the same principle, so soon as a member violated his pledge, 
 he was set adrift on the common tide of dissipation and, ruin. 
 The present principle is, to receive to membership any and 
 all that can be induced to sign the pledge; and then, instead 
 of expelling them when they offend, the principle is, to bear 
 with their infirmity — to sympathise in their misfortunes — to 
 encourage them to try again — and, as far as possible, to throw 
 around them the moral power of the society, to shield them 
 from temptation, and to encourage and strengthen them in 
 the hour of trial. As may be seen, this principle must serve 
 wonderfully to encourage the timid, to strengthen the weak, 
 to succor the tried, to rescue the forsaken and lost, and, in a 
 word, to render the efforts of the society singularly efficient 
 in the work of reformation. 
 
 The end proposed by the new order of societies, is not less 
 novel and commanding than their mode of proceeding, and 
 principle of operation. Until lately, the attention of our so- 
 cieties was confined to the preservation of the temperate. 
 The idea of reforming a confirmed drunkard was scarcely 
 thought of. The really dissolute and abandoned, were con- 
 sidered beyond the reach of help or of hope. To such no 
 
Revivals. 23 
 
 inducement was offered, either to reform, or to attend the 
 temperance meetings. The Washingtonians have learned, 
 however, that the case of the drunkard, even the most in- 
 veterate, is by no means a hopeless one. On the contrary, 
 they make the reclaiming of such a principal object — to this 
 end they adopt their machinery and their efforts — and to this 
 circumstance, it is thought, their unparalleled success is 
 mainly to be attributed. 
 
 We should be pleased to learn more definitely the extent 
 of the reformation in the South, and in this State particularly. 
 We will add, that, if any one will prepare an article on this 
 subject, showing the number of societies that has been formed 
 or revived, and the number of signers and reformed drunk- 
 ards added to each, it shall be more than welcome to a place 
 in our pages. Editor. 
 
 REVIVALS. 
 
 Sixck the commencement of the present year, the most extensive revival that 
 has heen reported is that at Boston, originated, as it seems, under the labors of 
 Mr. Knapp. 
 
 There has been a revival of considerable interest and power in this city. It 
 has been confined mostly to the Methodist and Presbyterian churches ; and has 
 now, we believe, nearly subsided. The number of additions not known. 
 
 There has been a revival of much interest in Fayetteville, in this State. Con- 
 siderable additions were made to the Baptist church, under the care of our 
 brother McDaniel, but we have not been informed how many. 
 
 There is a revival of unusual power, we understand, now in progress in 
 Wilmington, in this State. It has been confined, we learn, chiefly to the Bap- 
 tist church, to which some seventy or eighty persons have been added. 
 
 A revival was in progress, a month ago, in the Baptist congregation in Ports- 
 mouth, Va. Many persons had professed conversion, and many more wer& 
 under conviction for their sins. 
 
 A letter from brother Babcock, of Poughkeepsie, published in the Advocate, 
 alludes to revivals at Rondout village, Patterson, Carmel, Beekmansville, She- 
 nandoa, Fishkill Plains, and Mattoewan, all, we^believe, in the State of New 
 York. 
 
 The N. Y. Baptist Register notices revivals at Oswego, Vernon, Ashford, 
 Hamilton, and Homer, all of the same State. 
 
 The N. H. Baptist Register mentions revivals at Lowell, Mass.; St. Louis, 
 Mo.; Shady Grove, Tenn.; Carrolton, 111.; London, Ohio ; Wilmington, Del; 
 Newcastle, Ky.; and Bethany, Pcnn. 
 
24 Missionary Intelligence,, 
 
 MISSIONARY INTELLIGENCE. 
 
 From Germany and Denmark the latest information is of a highly interesting 
 nature, Mr. Oncken, under date of Hamburg, Feb. 23, writes brother Allen, 
 of New York, to the following effect . 
 
 " Rejoice with me, dear brother, that the Lord is still with 
 us to bless and make us a blessing. We have now fifteen 
 churches, and though many of them have been called to fiery- 
 trials, all have stood their ground and have increased in num- 
 ber, and, I trust, in grace and knowledge. We had to rejoice 
 in an increase of twenty-one converts in 1S41, and seven or 
 eight persons are on the point of being baptized now. Our 
 meetings are crowded to excess, and all bid fair for a far 
 greater extension of the truth as it is in Jesus. 
 
 In Denmark God has kindled a fire,which no created power 
 will be able to destroy, as long as our brethren keep to the 
 Bible. The persecutions to which our brethren have been 
 subjected, have all been overruled by God, to the furtherance 
 of the gospel. 
 
 The missionaries, brethren Mccnster, were liberated in 
 November last, and since then, though strictly prohibited 
 from preaching, they have, proclaimed the glad tidings to 
 multitudes, and many have been converted and baptized." 
 
 From Burmah the latest accounts are both gloomy and encouraging. The 
 following purports to be an extract from a letter, written by one of our mission- 
 aries at Maulmain, under date of Nov. 8, 1S41 : 
 
 " Military movement in Burmah. — ' In regard to the 
 news among us, there is but little of interest. Troops are 
 coming in daily, said to be designed to act only on the de- 
 fensive, and probably it is so. The occasion of their assem- 
 bling at present is, the descent of the king -of Ava, with a 
 large armed force, to Rangoon, where he is entrenching him- 
 self. He refuses, I understand, to give any explanation of 
 the object of his coming. — Rumors have been rife, that his 
 object is none other than to re-conquer the provinces wrested 
 from his predecessor in the last war with the English. The 
 prospect is, that Maulmain will be overrun with soldiers. — 
 The premises of brethren Vinton and Howard have been de- 
 manded and given up for the accommodation of one regiment, 
 very much to our inconvenience, and to the interruption of 
 efforts in the way of schools. What will be the result, we of 
 course cannot know. In my opinion, war is very .doubtful. 
 
 Turning' to God among the Karens. — 'Letters from 
 Arracan tell' us of thousands of Karens who are waiting to be 
 
The Baptist Church, Raleigh. 25 
 
 baptized in the Burmese territories. Who will reap the har- 
 vest ? The Lord determine it, and open the doors that his 
 servants may enter in." 
 
 In Greece, our Missionaries have been, and probably still are, in trouble. 
 Owing to the imprudent zeal of one of the brethren, in distributing tracts at an 
 improper season, popular indignatioitbecame excited, the Missionary premises 
 were assailed by a mob, and nothing but the timely interference of the British 
 authorities saved the building from violence, and the inmates from probable 
 murder. The offender, Mr. Buel, was immediately conveyed to the citadel, 
 under a strong guard, and the mob eventually dispersed by the English soldiery. 
 The excitement, it seems, was among the Greeks, who had been engaged in 
 celebrating a festival in honor of one of their saints, and who, by some means, 
 misconstrued the proceeding of the Missionary as an act of indignity offered to 
 their worship. The transaction referred to, occurred at Corfu, one of the small 
 islands on the eastern coast of the Grecian peninsula. 
 
 From the Sandwich Islands, the intelligence is encouraging, Mr. Coan, a 
 member of the Presbyterian Mission, under date of Hilo, Hawaii, July 5th, 
 1841, thus writes respecting the church under his own charge : 
 
 " Our meetings on the Sabbath have been well attended, 
 and a good degree of religious interest has been sustained 
 during our absence. Some of the back-slidden professors 
 have been reclaimed, and sinners are now coming to me daily 
 to inquire the way of life. Our spiritual prospects, at the 
 present time, are brighter than they have been for six months 
 past, and I return to my work with heart enlarged and lifted 
 up, with hands strengthened by the mighty God of Jacob, 
 and with e)'es waiting and spirit longing for the salvation of 
 the Lord.'' 
 
 THE BAPTIST CHURCH, RALEIGH. 
 
 This church is still destitute of the stated ministry. A calf, we understand,, 
 has recently been extended to Bro. J. L. Pritchard, which has been condition- 
 ally accepted, and the brethren are looking with " strong desire" to the time 
 when they shall be favored with the privileges of a regular ministry. 
 
 The condition of their place of worship has not been materially changed 
 since last November. It has been conveyed by a deed of trust, for the pay- 
 ment of certain debts, amounting to between three and four thousand dollars, 
 and is liable to be sold at auction whenever the creditors shall choose to say the 
 word. The sale has been deferred thus long, we presume, because it was cer- 
 tain that, if sold, the property would not pay the debts ; and besides, perhaps a 
 hope was entertained, that an effort would be made by which the property might 
 be redeemed. Sundry persons have undertaken to make such an effort, anil 
 something has been done, we learn, in the way of taking up subscriptions ; but 
 
 4 
 
 
26 Summary. 
 
 nothing has been effected as yet, on which any dependence can be placed 
 for the removal of existing difficulties. The probability is, however, that, if 
 something decisive be not undertaken soon, the creditors will become impatient, 
 and the trustee will be instructed to sell the property. This much we deem 
 it proper to say, as we know that many of our readers in this State, feel a deep 
 interest in the fate of this unfortunate coricern. 
 
 P. S. It is perhaps proper that we should add here, that we received a let- 
 ter in December last, from Mr. Win, Royster, of Clarksville, Virginia, in which 
 the writer engages to pay $50 for the relief of the church aforesaid, provided the 
 requisite sum can be obtained. The. letter was not published, e.s requested, be- 
 cause it came to hand too late for insertion before the suspension of the Re- 
 corder. 
 
 SUMMARY. 
 
 Difficulties in Rhode Island. — The good people of ibis quiet little State, is 
 is said, are on the point of an open rupture. A discontent has for some time 
 existed, it seems, on account of a supposed inequality in the right of suffrage. 
 The Legislature of last year passed a law, authorizing a Convention to be 
 held in November last, for the purpose of amending the State Constitution-. 
 Some of the provisions of this act not satisfying the people, the latter made a 
 movement in defiance of t:ie Legislative proceeding, which resulted in a Con- 
 vention, which was accordingly held* in October, a month earlier than that au- 
 thorized by the Legislature. This Convention adopted a new Constitution, 
 ■which was in due time submitted to the people, and by them adopted as their 
 own. In the mean time, the authorized Convention was held, and by them 
 also a new Constitution was framed, which, in its turn, was referred to the 
 voters, and by them rejected. The point of contention now is, whether the 
 government shall be organized under the Constitution of November, 184], 
 which, it is said, has received the r.opular sanction, or whether it shall proceed, 
 as it has been doing for years, under the provisions of the charter of Charles II. 
 The government "party favor the latter view — the popular party, the former. 
 Accordingly, the popular party have proceeded to nominate their candidates for 
 State offices, and design to hold an election in due season, with a view of 
 making their new Constitution the law of the land. On the contrary, the gov- 
 ernment.party has declared this proceeding to be treason ; has forbidden any citi- 
 zen to accept an appointment under the new constitution ; and has threatened to 
 stop any further proceedings by force of arms. The popular party, on the other 
 hand, are resolved to carry their point, and, if necessary, to oppose force to 
 force. In this state of the case, both parties are said to be supplying themselves 
 with weapons ; and as the popular party are the most numerous, the Governor 
 has applied to the President of the United States, for the interposition of the- 
 General Government. 
 
 Christening of the Prince of Wales- — Our readers, we presume, are gene- 
 rally acquainted with the fact, that the infant sonof Queen Victoria was chris- 
 
Summary. 27 
 
 tened, some time back, with great pomp and ceremony, by the Archbishop of 
 Canterbury, and thereby constitutecra member of the Church of England. The 
 proceeding was attended by great display, and afforded an occasion of unusual 
 rejoicing to all the faithful subjects of the royal mother. One circumstance at- 
 tended the ceremony, however, which is likely to afford a bone of contention 1 to 
 the people, and perhaps not a little inconvenience to the prince himself. One 
 of the sponsors on the occasion, it seems, was the King of Prussia, who attended 
 in person, in honor of the event, and assumed the usual responsibilities in be- 
 half of the child, But the King of Prussia, it appears, is a Lutheran, and there- 
 fore a dissenter, and, of course, no churchman. This defect, it begins to be 
 seen, is likely to nullify the whole proceeding ; and thereby to impair the claims 
 of the prince to the succession to the throne. The Pussyites, it is said, are mak- 
 ing a great noise on the occasion, and are loudly protesting against the whole 
 proceeding ; and if their numbers should continue to increase as they have done 
 of late, it is thought to be by no means improbable, that the right of succession 
 of the young prince will be eventually set aside, on the ground that he has not 
 been properly initiated into the faith of the. Church of England. 
 
 Disastrous Occurrence. — The new steamer" Medora, was lately blown up at 
 Baltimore, by the bursting of one of her boilers, and the most heart-rending 
 consequences ensued. The boat, it seems, was in the act of leaving the wharf, 
 on an excursion of pleasure, for the purpose of testing her machinery. About 
 100 persons were on board, including stock-holders, citizens, ahd others. Ow- 
 ing to improper management, it is said, the boiler exploded, and occasioned the 
 destruction of the boat, together with a large proportion of the people on board. 
 Some were thrown upon the wharf, others upon adjoining vessels, others into 
 the water, while many were scalded o'r suffocated, and went down with the 
 boat. The vessel belonged to the Norfolk line, had just been completed, and 
 this was the first time her machinery was put in motion. 
 
 Common School Bill o/JVeio York. — The Legislature of New York has at 
 length passed a bill, which, it is said, meets the views of Bishop Hughes, the 
 Roman Catholic prelate, who figured so largely some months ago, at political 
 agitation meetings in the city. Some go so-far as to affirm, that the approbation 
 of the Bishop was obtained before the bill was submitted to the Legislature. 
 The Catholic party, we find, are full of exultation, and are extolling the Bishop 
 on account of his consummate ability and perseverance. The Protestants, on 
 the other hand, are sadly disappointed. Some of them endeavor to persuade 
 themselves that all will be well at last, while others consider the cause of liberty 
 betrayed, and openly charge the Legislature with corruption. For ourselves, 
 we know but little about the provisions of this bill, and of course can form no 
 judgment of its mode of operation. One thing, however, is certain ; in the 
 judgment of both parties, the Catholics have obtained a signal triumph in the 
 State of New York. And we must confess that we are not at all surprised at 
 the circumstance. We consider this bulra part of the grand drama that has been 
 acting in that, and some oi the neighboring States, for years. The love of 
 
28 Summary. 
 
 ehange, of excitement, and of innovation, has become so great of late, that a 
 theory has only to be boldly broached and advocated, to obtain general favor. 
 Possibly our friends in that region may find out, when too late, that nothing is 
 to be gained by forsaking the old paths. 
 
 War in Texas. — A war is said to be progressing between Texas and Mexico; 
 but accounts have been so contradictory, that nothing decisive or satisfactory has 
 been learned. The last reports state, that President Houston had issued his 
 proclamation, declaring the Mexican ports in a state of blockade ; ordering his 
 troops to commence the invasion of Mexico ; and expressing his determination 
 not to stop short of the gates of Metamoras. 
 
 Bishop England, the distinguished Roman Catholic prelate, died lately in 
 Charleston, in the 56th year of his-age. 
 
 A late arrival from England brings the melancholy intelligence, that Aflghan- 
 istan, in the East Indies, captured two or three years ago by the British, has 
 been retaken by the natives, and about 6,000 English troops cut to pieces. Sir 
 William McNaughton, the British Envoy, was treacherously murdered, and his 
 head carried in triumph through the streets. The ladies of the Envoy and of 
 several other officers, are detained as hostages by the Affghans. 
 
 Lord Ashburton, the English Plenipotentiary, by the last accounts, had 
 reached Washington Ciiy, and had been formally introduced to the President. 
 He has come, it is said, fully authorized to adjust all difficuliies existing between 
 this country and Great Britain ; and it is to be hoped that the spirit of concilia- 
 tion, thus evinced by the mother country, will be fully reciprocated by those in 
 authority on this side the water. 
 
 The Bill for the .Abolition of Capital Punishment, which has so long en- 
 grossed the attention of the New York Legislature, lias at length been lost, in 
 the House, by a vote of 45 to 55. This case has terminated differently from 
 what we expected. It only proves, however, that the reign of fanaticism, among 
 our New York friends, is not so absolute as we had supposed. A year or two 
 more will probably be sufficient to carry this bill, with sundry others of a kin- 
 dred stamp. A bill for the abolition of all government, we expect to see intro- 
 duced and advocated in a due course of time. 
 
 Rcneival of Persecutions in Denmark. — The last Baptist Advocate contains 
 a letter under date of Copenhagen, March 1st, 1S42, in which it is stated that 
 the brethren in Denmark are again subjected to confiscation and imprisonment, 
 for dating to worship God according to the dictates of their own consciences. 
 Our brethren seem to be in good heart, however, and strong in the assurance 
 that it will all turn out for the advancement of evangelical religion. 
 
Summary. 29 
 
 Temperance in North Carolina. — It is stated that, on a moderate calcula- 
 tion, 12,000 persons are supposed to have joined the Washingtonians, in this 
 State, since November last. Eternity alone can disclose the amount of good 
 which has been thus effected. 
 
 Revival in Boston and Lowell. — The late revival in Boston is said to have 
 been the most powerful ever known in that city. It is still in progress. There 
 is also a revival in Lowell. The following paragraph, from the N. Y. Baptist 
 Register, will give an idea of the extent of the work in bolh places : 
 
 " A letter to the Christian Watchman says, "that Elder Knapp preached for 
 two weeks at the first Baptist church in that place, holding prayer meetings, at 
 six in the morning, and ten in the forenoon. Over one hundred converts rose 
 last Saturday evening to call the Lord's name blessed ; a large number of whom 
 were heads of families. Yesterday, he commenced his work wilh the Worthen 
 street Baptist church. Over fifty have recently been baptized." The Christian 
 Reflector says, the additions to the Baptist church in Boston by baptism the 
 last month have been as follows, ' first Church, Rev. Mr. Neale, 68 ; Baldwin 
 Place, Rev. Mr. Stow, 54- ; Charles st., Rev. Mr. Sharp, 4 ; Federal st., Rev. 
 Mr. Hague, 9 ; Boylston, Rev. Mr. Turnbull, 65 ; Free, Rev. Mr. Colver, 29 ; 
 Bowdoin Square, Rev. Mr. Cushman, 50 ; South, Rev. Mr. Driver, 53 ; Inde- 
 pendent, (colored,) Rev. Mr. Raymond, 27 ; total 350. The right hand of fel- 
 lowship was extended to all those last Sabbath, and we need not add that it 
 was a day long to be remembered. The good work is still progressing with un- 
 diminished power." 
 
 ANNIVERSARIES. 
 
 The Anniversaries of the Baptist denomination were held in the city of 
 New York during the course of last week. We condense the following state- 
 ments from the Baptist Advocate of Saturday. 
 
 The American and Foreign Bible Society held its fifth annual meeting in 
 the meeting house of the first Baptist Church, on the 26th. The Treasurer re- 
 ported a balance on hand of $2958 19. The following comprise some of the 
 details of the Report of the Board of Managers : 
 
 Number of new Auxiliary Societies recognised during the year, 11. 
 
 Number of Life Members and Life Directors added to the list, 120. 
 
 Number of volumes presented to the Biblical Library during the year, 146. 
 Whole number of volumes in the Library, 623. 
 
 Amount of labor performed by Travelling Agents, 38 months. 
 
 Two corrected editions of the English Bible were printed during the year, 
 embracing 5,000 copies. 
 
 The Report stated that at least $40,000 was wanted for the occupation of 
 present fields the ensuing year ; that not one dollar less ought to be used, while 
 $"10,000 more than that sum could be well applied. Mention was made of the 
 lacts that the English Bible Translation Society, had been approved by more 
 than 700 churches in that country ; that it had the last year received about 
 $15,000, and circulated 18,000 Bibles. 
 
 The acceptance of the Repoit was moved and seconded by brethren Hodge, 
 of Brooklyn, and Dodge, of Philadelphia, each of whom addressed the meet- 
 ing. Addresses were also made by brethren John Peck and Isaac McCoy, upon 
 a resolution in favor of giving the Bible to the aborigines of our own country. 
 Abstracts of these addresses will be given in a luture number. At present, we 
 are obliged to omit all the addresses before the various Societies- 
 After a benediction by Dr. Sharp, the Society adjourned. 
 
30 Summary. 
 
 The American Baj). II. M. Society held its tenth anniversary in the same 
 place, and on the same day. The following summaries are highly interesting : 
 
 FINANCIAL AFFAIRS. 
 
 By the Treasurer's Report, it appears that the total amount of receints for 
 Home Missions, including those of our auxiliaries the past year is §'57,154 72. 
 
 The receipts into the Treasury for twelve months ending on the 15th April, 
 1842, were §12,569 92, being §1,753 II more than last year. The liabilities 
 of the Society at the same date were $10,298 28. The resources, a small 
 amount of which only is immediately available, were §3,963 24, leaving a bal- 
 ance against the Society of §6,335 04. 
 
 Drafts are daily made upon the Treasurer of the parent Society ; a heavy 
 amount of liabilities will be matured on the 1st of May ; and unfavorable an- 
 swers are returned to many applicants lor aid/for want of funds. 
 
 SUMMARY OF MISSIONARY LABOR. 
 
 The whole number of agents and missionaries who have acted under the 
 commission of the Society the past year is 97. These have been employed in 
 20 of the United States and Territories, in Canada and Texas. They have oc- 
 cupied statedly more than 325 stations ; preached 9,485 sermons ; delivered 
 678 public addresses, on various subjects of Christian benevolence ; made 8055 
 pastoral visits, and 145 visits of schools. In the performance of these duties 
 they have travelled 111,688 miies. 
 
 The amount of ordinary ministerial labor performed by them is equal to that 
 of one man 67^- years. 
 
 In addition to the above, a vast amount of labor has been performed by them 
 in protracted meetings, and meetings for moral improvement, in Bible and tract 
 distribution, and in organizing and aiding Sunday schools, temperance and other 
 benevolent societies. 
 
 The number of agents and missionaries reported by auxiliary societies is 270. 
 Their joint labors amount to 133 years for one num. They have occupied more 
 than 336 stations ; preached 24,124 sermons ; made 24,452 pastoral visits, and 
 travelled in the performance of their labors 60,377 miles. Total 367 agents and 
 missionaries ; 33,509 sermons preached ; 200 years labor, and 172,065 miles 
 travelled. 
 
 RESULTS OF LABOR. 
 
 The missionaries of the Society report the baptism of 1495 ; the organization 
 of 36 churches, and the ordination of 16 ministers. They have obtained 2981 
 signatures to the total abstinence pledge, and under their supervision or influ- 
 ence 4654 pupils have been instructed in Sunday schools and Bible classes, by 
 689 teachers. 
 
 Among the Churches aided 4 meeting houses have been completed, and the 
 erection of 13 others has been commenced. Two churches have become able 
 to sustain themselves without further missionary aid. From 42 of the churches 
 §2798,61 have been paid lor benevolent purposes. In the entire number aided 
 are 28 young men preparing for the ministry. 
 
 The missionaries of auxiliaries report the baptism of 2727 persons, and 150 
 temperance pledges have, been obtained by them. Making a total of 4222 bap- 
 tisms, and 3131 temperance pledges. 
 
 The A- Baptist Publication Society, met on the same day in the same 
 place. The following abstract will show the operations Of the Society for the 
 past year : 
 
 The receipts of the Society, including balance, §12,788 05 
 
 Expenditures, 12,489 12 
 
 Balance in Treasury, 298 93 
 
 The Society has published 3000 Banyan's Pilgrim's Progress ; 3000 Howell 
 
 on Communion— Fathers Apples — The Cross — A Catechism — 6 New Tracts 
 
Summary. 81 
 
 — 4 Youth's Tracts. The whole number of pages of Tracts is more than 1,« 
 000,000. 
 
 About $1,700 of the receipts were donations to the Society. The remainder 
 has accrued from the sale of books, the Baptist Record, or has merely passed 
 through the Society as a channel to other institutions and objects. 
 
 The Baptist Board of Foreign Missions met in the place of worship of fho 
 fust Baptist church, on the day succeeding. The following is an abstract from 
 the annual report : 
 
 Receipts through the Churches and Auxiliaries, ' §52,135 00 
 
 From other bodies, 19,054 00 
 
 Balance due the Treasurer, 6,971 56 
 
 78,062 56 
 
 Expended during the year in Asia, 29,956 11 
 
 « » " West Africa, 3,936 00 
 » r Greece, 3,611 00 
 Europe, " < Germany, 2,309 00 
 « •' " C France, 2,786 00 
 
 8,697 00 
 
 North American Indians, 6,186 00 
 
 Secretaries, 3,557 00 
 Agencies, * 2,337 00 
 
 Room rent, Insurance, postage, discount, &c. 3,120 45 
 Expended in behalf of other Bodies not auxiliary to the Convention, 19,054 00 
 
 $78,062 50 
 
 After the reading of the Report, Committees were appointed on various por- 
 tions of its contents. 
 
 A letter was read by the Recording Secretary, brother Stow, of Boston, from 
 brother Richard Fuller, of S. C. expressing his regret that he could not be pres- 
 ent at this meeting, and his strong regard for the mission cause and his Chris- 
 tian brethren. 
 
 It was announced that Jesse Bushyhead, a Cherokee preacher, was present, 
 and would address the meeting. On his being conducted to the desk, the 
 President received him with a most cordial welcome, and expressed his deep 
 interest in the Christianization of the Indians. 
 
 Brother Bushyhead gave a very interesting address, which we shall furnish 
 for the Advocate, and, by request, sung a couple of verses in Cherokee. 
 
 After prayer by brother Noyes, recent missionary to Orissa, adjourned to 
 meet to-morrow at 10 o'clock. 
 
 Missions 20, Stations 75, American Missionaries and Assistants 105, Native 
 Preachers and Assistants 110, schools 44, pupils 800, Churches 69, baptisms 
 this year 600, number of communicants 3,E00 in connexion with the missions. 
 
 Our present number. — We arc not willing that the present number should 
 be received as a specimen of our new publication. It has been got up in greaS 
 haste, and without experience with regard to our limits. In consequence, sev- 
 eral articles, designed for this number, have been excluded. The arrange- 
 ment, in other respects, is not such as we could have wished. Besides, our 
 type does not exactly suit us. Some of it is too small, and some too largo. — 
 These and other defects shall bo remedied, however, provided we get the rigid 
 sort of encouragement from our subscribers. 
 

 32 Poetry. 
 
 THE BEREAVED MOTHER'S LAMENTATION. 
 
 Written for a Mother's Album after the death of her only daughter. 
 
 ■■ 
 There is a time for flowers to bloom, 
 
 A time to fade and die ; 
 A time for vernal showers to fall, 
 
 And stoirns to sweep the sky. 
 
 A time for cheeks to beam with joy, 
 
 For hearts to quake with fears. 
 .For eyes with kind ling' hopes to glow, 
 
 Or swim with flowing tears. 
 
 A flower once on my bosom bloomed ; 
 
 I revelled on its charms; 
 But while I gazed, and smiled, and loved, 
 
 It faded in my arms ! 
 
 But ! the hopes that withered there, 
 Upon that dying bed ! i 
 
 When that bright eye in death was dim, 
 That soul from earth had fled. 
 
 My Mart ! O, my sweetest love ! 
 
 When forced with thee to part, 
 Thou ne'er shalt feel or know 
 
 The grief that wrung my heart. 
 
 When gently pillowed on my breast, 
 
 Thy head in quiet lay, 
 I knew thou wast but fragile dust, 
 
 Thy form but crumbling clay. 
 
 Still, oft I hoped thy smiles would cheer 
 
 My last declining years, 
 Would calm thy mother's heaving sighs, 
 
 And hush her anxious fears. 
 
 But thou, sweet child, hast gone to rest , 
 
 Sleep on, in quiet sleep ; 
 I would not call thee back to earlh; 
 
 Sleep on, in q.uiet sleep. 
 
 From pain and sickness free, within 
 
 Thy Saviour's bosom rest ; 
 Gaze, lovely babe, upon the Lord, 
 
 And be forever blest. 
 
 This vale of tears will soon be past, 
 | Eternity is near ; 
 
 Then, 0, my child ! I'll quell my sighs ; 
 
 1 hope to meet you there. Em©, 
 
THE SOUTHERN 
 
 Vol. I. RALEIGH, JUNE, 1842. No. 2- 
 
 THE END OF THE WORLD IN 1S43. 
 We find the following remarkable paragraph in a late 
 number of the " Signs of the Times." We find also the same 
 paragraph published, with apparent approbation, in Mr. Camp- 
 bell's Millennial Harbinger. 
 
 " One short year more of trials and afflictions, and I shall expect to see Him 
 who will justify himself, his word, and his people, before all flesh ; and then he 
 will cleanse his sanctuary, and make the place of his feet glorious. Then will 
 his tabernacle be with men, and he will dwell among them, and he will be 
 tbeir God, and they shall be his people. Sighing and sorrow shall be done 
 away ; tears shall be wiped from all faces, and death itself be destroyed ; and 
 we shall reign with him on the earth. What a glorious prospect! What a blessed 
 hope ! How full of immortality and eternal life ! Come, Lord Jesus, come 
 quickly." 
 
 The reader may perhaps feel some curiosity, to learn on 
 what sort of authority such a prediction is thus confidently 
 announced to the world. 
 
 This authority, so far as we can see, is found substantially 
 in the following passage from the prophecies of Daniel. There 
 may be some other circumstances, viewed as collateral evi- 
 dence; but it is on the following, we think, that the author 
 mainly relies for the support of his theory : 
 
 " And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then 
 shall the sanctuary be cleansed." Dan. viii. 14. 
 
 The reasoning on this text is the following : 
 
 1. A prophetical day is equivalent to one literal year. 
 Therefore, the whole time specified in the text is 2300 years. 
 
 2. The commencement of these 2300 years is to be dated 
 from the going forth of the command to rebuild Jerusalem, 
 which took place in the 7th year of Artaxerxes Longimanus. 
 Beginning at this point, which was in the year before Christ 
 457, and adding to this last number the whole period of the 
 Christian era to 1S43, we shall have the exact sum of 2300 
 years : in other words, if we date the beginning of the 2300 
 years from the issuing of the decree to rebuild Jerusalem, the 
 period will expire in the year of our Lord 1843; at which 
 
 5 
 
 - 
 
24 The End of the World in 1843. 
 
 time, agreeably to the prophecy, the sanctuary shall be 
 cleansed.- 
 
 3. But the cleansing of the sanctuary is only another form 
 of expression to denote the coming of the Son of Man. 
 Therefore, the coming of the Son of Man to raise the dead, 
 to destroy the wicked, and to reign in righteousness, will 
 take place in 1S43. 
 
 As every one may see, there are but three things needed 
 to moke this reasoning conclusive: first, the proof that the 
 2300 days, in the present case, denote 2300 literal years ; 
 second, the proof that the beginning of the said 2300 years is 
 to be dated from the going iorth of the command to rebuild- 
 Jerusalem; and third, the proof that the cleansing of the 
 sanctuary, and the coming of Christ to reign personally on 
 earth, are but one and the same thing. 
 
 The reader will wish to know, of course, how the writer 
 has succeeded in making out these several items of proof — 
 or rather, he will wish to see, for himself, the proof that has> 
 been adduced in favor of these three several propositions. 
 
 The proof, in the first case, rests on the alleged fact, that, 
 in the famous prophecy of sevent} T weeks, 490 prophetical 
 daj's are reckoned as so many literal years. And, as this 
 mode of reckoning is found to be correct in relation to one 
 prophecy, it is presumed that the same will be correct, when 
 applied to any other prediction by the same author. To the 
 p7'e$nmption, in this case, we take no exception. Although 
 the argument in itself is far from being demonstrative, which, 
 in fact, it ought to be, to justify a position such as that as- 
 sumed by Mr. Miller — still, all things considered, we esteem 
 the reasoning plausible, and therefore concede the point that 
 it is, at least, probable that the 2300 days, in the present case,, 
 were intended to denote 23C0 literal Jewish years. 
 
 The proof, in the second case, namely, that the 2300 years 
 are to be counted from the 7th of Longimanus, is the assump- 
 tion, or rather the assertion, that the said 2300 years, and the 
 seventy weeks, are to be dated from one and the same event. 
 And hence it is concluded, that, as the seventy weeks are to> 
 be dated from the 7th year of Longimanus, the 2300 years- 
 must be counted from the same epoch. 
 
 How far the foregoing assumption is correct, or even- 
 probable, the reader can easily judge from the following facts r 
 In the third yer.r of Bel&hazzar, Daniel had his famous vision 
 of the ram and he-goat, \\ hich seems to relate specially to 
 the time of giving, u both the sanctuary and the host to be- 
 
The End of the World in 1813. 35 
 
 trodden under foot." See Daniel 8th chapter, and particu- 
 larly the 13th and 14th verses. , Of this vision, let it be ob- 
 served, the text under consideration forms a part. 
 
 In the first year of Darius, which, with the consent of Mr. 
 Miller himself, was fifteen years after the last mentioned vi- 
 sion, Daniel had another vision or revelation, in which Ga- 
 briel appeared to him for the purpose of relieving his mind, 
 troubled about the seventy years of Jeremiah, and announced 
 the remarkable prediction of the seventy weeks, which were 
 to be accomplished on Jerusalem, from the promulgation of 
 the edict of Artaxerxes Longimanus to the death of the Mes- 
 siah. See Dan. ix. 24, 25. 
 
 But why, says the reader, should the 2 300 years of the 
 former vision, and the seventy weeks of the latter, be dated 
 from one and the same period ? Because, says Mr. Miller, 
 the two are, in truth, but one and the same vision. But by 
 what rule of interpretation, says the reader, can two revela- 
 tions, relating to entirely different subjects, and taking place 
 at points of time no less than fifteen years apart, be consi- 
 dered one and the same vision ? The evidence of the fact, 
 says Mr. Miller, is to be found in the circumstance, that, as 
 the latter is not called a vision, in so many words, the ex- 
 pression — '-'therefore understand the matter and consider the 
 vision," must of necessity relate to the dream and vision un- 
 der Belshazzar. 
 
 Now, as every one must see, if it were even proved that 
 the 2300 days and the seventy weeks, formed parts of one 
 and the same vision, it would be veryfar from certain that 
 they were to be counted from one and the same epoch. But 
 when it is recollected that these two numbers were given un- 
 der entirely different circumstances — in reference to entirely 
 different subjects — and with an interval of no less than fifteen 
 years between them, we think the reader will agree with us, 
 that Mr. Miller's assumption, respecting the identity of the 
 two visions, and the date of the two numbers, is rather hard 
 of belief. 
 
 On the contrary, if the reader will turn to the passage, Dan. 
 ix. 23, he will sec, at a glance, that the expression — " there- 
 fore understand and consider the vision" — instead of relating 
 to a vision that had been seen and explained fifteen years be- 
 fore, related obviously and necessarily to the matter then to 
 be explained and understood, namely, the matter of the se- 
 venty weeks, Nothing, we arc certain, but the strongest 
 
36 The End of the World in 1843. 
 
 prejudice, or an inveterate propensity to carry a point, can 
 lead to any other conclusion. 
 
 So much for the epoch from which the 2300 years are to 
 be counted. 
 
 We now come to consider our author's third position, 
 namely, that the cleansing of the sanctiLary ', and the com- 
 ing of Christ to judge the world, are expressions used to de- 
 note the same grand events. The evidence on this head 
 consists of the following : 
 
 Seven separate and distinct senses are enumerated in which 
 the term sanctuary is used in the Scriptures. It is used to 
 denote Jesus Christ — Heaven — Judah — the Temple at Jeru- 
 salem — the Holy of Holies — the Earth — and the Saints. 
 "Now," says the author, " which of these sanctuaries does 
 Daniel mean, in the text ? Not the first, Christ, for he is not 
 impure. Not the second, Heaven, for that is not unclean. 
 Not the third, Judah, for that is cut off. Not the fourth, the 
 temple, for that is destroyed. Not the fifth, the Holy of 
 Holies, for that is destroyed also. There are but two things 
 more that may be called sanctuaries, which may or ever will 
 require cleansing, and those are the earth and the church" 
 
 Now mark the reasoning here : It cannot be the temple at 
 Jerusalem, nor the Holy of Holies, because they are destroy- 
 ed. The question is proposed by one saint to another — 
 "How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, 
 and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanc- 
 tuary and the host to be trampled under foot ?" To this 
 question the answer is given — "Unto two thousand three hun- 
 dred days — then shall the sanctuary be cleansed." That is, 
 if this language has any meaning, the sanctuary and the host, 
 evidently meaning the temple at Jerusalem, were, by the 
 prophecy, to be trodden under foot for the space of 2300 
 days; and yet the sanctuary cannot be cleansed at the end ot 
 that time, because it is destro3 ? ed ; in other words, because it 
 is trodden under foot ! 
 
 Mark again — the question, as has been seen, respected the 
 desolation of Jerusalem and the temple. But the answer, 
 says Mr. Miller, relates not to Jerusalem and its restoration, 
 but to the earth, and the church, and the coming of the Son 
 of God to judge the world, and to dwell with men ! The 
 only reason that we have seen assigned for this singular con- 
 struction, is the alleged fact, as before stated, that the temple 
 is destroyed, and therefore can in no sense be cleansed ! 
 
 That the question related to the desolation of the temple at 
 
The End of the World in 1843.- 87 
 
 Jerusalem, is fully conceded by Mr. Miller himself. "By 
 sanctuary," says he, alluding to the 13th verse, " we must 
 understand the temple at Jerusalem and those who worship 
 therein, which was trodden under foot by the pagan king- 
 doms of the world," &c. — and yet, with an inconsistency 
 which, one would suppose, could not fail to strike every one, 
 he gravel}^ maintains ihat the cleansing of this same sanctuary, 
 in the next verse, can be no other than the burning up of the 
 world, and the establishment of the personal reign of Christ 
 among men ! 
 
 Such is the reasoning — such the interpretation of prophecy 
 — such the evidence, by which Mr. Miller has undertaken to 
 overthrow the views of those who have gone before him, and 
 to pledge, not only his own reputation, but even the veracity 
 of the sacred Scriptures, that the conflagration of the earth 
 and the day of reckoning will take place in the space " of one 
 short year" from the present time ! ! 
 
 We of course mean nothing disrespectful to Mr. Miller. 
 Mr. Campbell says, he believes him to be " a good and ex- 
 emplary christian," and one who sincerely believes all he 
 teaches. We know nothing to the contrary. Much less do 
 we mean any thing light or irreverent with regard to that 
 most affecting article of the Christian's faith — the coming of 
 Christ to judge the world. But-we must be allowed to say, 
 that we look on Mr. Miller's prophecy, placing this occur- 
 rence in 1843, as one of the grandest humbugs of this hum- 
 buying a g;e. And this, in our view, is not the worst feature 
 in this proceeding. Besides introducing a mode of interpre- 
 tation, calculated to mislead, its inevitable tendency must be, 
 to bring discredit on the sacred writings. If the word of 
 God has been so strangely written, that the most conflicting 
 theories, may be deduced from its pages, men will say, who 
 can tell what is truth or what is error? And if the event 
 shall prove, as it unquestionably must, that a person making 
 uncommon pretensions to knowledge of the prophecies, may 
 be entirely mistaken respecting the judgment in 1843, what 
 certainty can there be, sinners will be likely to enquire, that 
 the day of judgment will come at all ? or, indeed, that the 
 Bible is by any means what it professes to be? Mr. Miller 
 will have the consolation of knowing, however, that he is not 
 the first man who has made similar pretensions, and yet been 
 confuted by the result — nor the first who has confidently pre- 
 dicted the day of judgment, and yet lived to see and confess 
 his delusion. Editob. 
 
The Laws of Conviction. 
 
 THE LAWS OF CONVICTION. 
 It would, doubtless, be a curious speculation, were the 
 thing practicable, to observe the various processes by which 
 persons of different capacities arrive at the attainment of their 
 several articles of belief- 
 It would, no doubt, be found true, that a very large pro- 
 portion of society, could give no better account of the origin 
 of their creed, whether in religion, morals, philosophy, or 
 politics, than that such was the creed of their fathers. Their 
 fathers believed thus and so; and for that reason they believe 
 (he same. When children, they took it for granted that the 
 views of their parents could not be wrong, and their impres- 
 sions since have not been altered nor reconsidered. In short, 
 their opinions were implanted in infancy, and since then they 
 have only waxed stronger, as the parties have grown in years 
 and in self-confidence. The principle of operation here de- 
 scribed, is what is usually called " the prejudice of education." 
 To this is to be ascribed a large proportion of the sentiments 
 of mankind, including not a few of their errors and absurdi- 
 ties. That such can form no safe or justifiable data, for the 
 support of opinions, on any subject, must be obvious to every 
 person who will give the subject a moment's thought. 
 
 Another source of opinion allied to this, is the force of au- 
 thority. Men who have acquired reputation for wisdom and 
 learning, lay down their views with confidence, and vindi- 
 cate them with vehemence and perseverance. And hence 
 those who mistake assertion for argument, and vehemence 
 for proof, are exceedingly liable to embrace the same creed. 
 Their reasoning on the subject, if indeed they reason at all, 
 is something like this: Our teachers and leaders are men of 
 wisdom and of information. Surely they ought to know 
 what is truth and what error better than we. We can there- 
 fore trust to their judgment with more safety than we can to 
 our own. We will accordingly adopt their sentiments, and 
 espouse their cause. This is what is sometimes called, in the 
 quaint phraseology of the day, " the pinning of one man's 
 faith to another man's sleeve." The truth is, one party be- 
 lieves certain positions, simply because another party, in whom 
 he has confidence, or for whom he entertains a predilection, 
 happens to believe the same. That this is a very question- 
 able mode of forming a creed, can be doubted by no one who 
 is not a believer in human infallibility. And that it is the 
 great means of fabricating and upholding error, is known to 
 every one who has even a moderate acquaintance with men 
 and things. 
 
The Laws of Conviction, 39 
 
 Another source of opinion among men, is the force of in- 
 clination. Men are always prone to believe what suits them, 
 and to disbelieve what suits them not. Under this head may- 
 be classed whatever comes under the influence of taste, of in- 
 terest, of party, or of profession. In a word, men believe in 
 certain things because they wish them to be true, and they 
 disbelieve in other things because they wish them to be un- 
 true. And although this principle is perhaps one of the most 
 potent agents in the formation of human opinions, yet it has 
 unquestionably the least claim to reason, or even to common 
 sense. How exceedingly simple, and how dangerous too, to 
 assent to a proposition merely because it happens to be agree- 
 able to us; or to reject it merely because we dislike it! 
 
 Another source of opinion not less fruitful of error, is what 
 is called " sophistry. " This is a form of reasoning defective 
 in some of its elements, and yet so plausible in its exterior, 
 that it is almost certain to mislead the unpractised or unwary 
 inquirer. It may consist either in drawing a legitimate con- 
 clusion from unsound premises, or in drawing an erroneous 
 conclusion from premises that are sound. In most cases the 
 defect is not readily discovered, and may therefore be easily 
 passed for good logic, especially with such as are not versed! 
 in the arts of argumentation. This principle has always been 
 a fruitful source of opinion, of error, and of deception. It is 
 had in great demand by demagogues, impostors, and errorists 
 of all descriptions, and is one of the principal means employ- 
 ed in support of the various and prevailing crudities of the 
 present day. 
 
 There is but one safe or correct mode of forming opinions 
 on any subject, and that consists in paying due attention to 
 the evidence involved in the case considered. That is, whafe 
 can be clearly and conclusively proved to be true, ought to- 
 be received and believed as such — all else ought to be set 
 aside as unfounded, or at least as doubtful. Nothing should 
 be received as true, nor admitted as evidence in argument, 
 except what has first undergone the test of scrupulous exami- 
 nation, and been fully sustained by competent proof. 
 
 An illustration or two may serve to make our meaning 
 more intelligible. Those who have given any attention to 
 mathematics, are aware that the science begins with a few 
 self-evident propositions — that is, propositions, the truth of 
 which is so obvious that it cannot be doubted. From these, 
 mathematicians proceed to demonstrate certain propositions 
 respecting lines, angles, and figures of various forms. These 
 
40 The Laws of Conviction. 
 
 points being all made certain, they apply them to the mea- 
 surement ot'the surface of the earth, and even to the compu- 
 tation of the magnitudes, distances, and motions of the hea- 
 venly bodies. And what is remarkable about this process is, 
 that truth is discernible at every step — that is, that every step 
 is made a subject of demonstration, before it can be used as 
 evidence in the higher stages of the computation. The con- 
 sequence is, that absolute certainty runs throughout the entire 
 process. Nothing that is doubtful, or speculative, or uncer- 
 tain, can be received as truth, or admitted into the calculation. 
 Respecting the result, therefore, there can be no doubt. It 
 rests on the basis of mathematical demonstration. 
 
 All are more or less familiar with the proceedings in the 
 case of a person tried for murder, or for any other similar 
 offence. The question to be settled is — Is the charge true or 
 false ? To enable the jury to settle this question, the evi- 
 dence in the case is submitted. Great care is taken that evi- 
 dence of the right sort only is introduced. After this, the 
 evidence is sifted, weighed, analyzed, and summed up. The 
 jury are then dismissed to decide the question according to 
 the evidence. Not according to prejudice, or party, or in- 
 clination, or any such thing, but according to the evidence of 
 the prisoner's innocence or guilt. 
 
 In both the foregoing cases, we have a regular process of 
 argumentation. It is true, we have more certainty in- the 
 former case, perhaps, than in the latter; but in both, the pro- 
 cess is substantially the same. In both, the evidence is duly 
 examined. In both, it is submitted to the understanding. In 
 both, it produces conviction, or otherwise, as the case may, 
 be. And in both, the decision or conclusion pronounced, is 
 pronounced agreeably to the amount and quality of the evi- 
 dence in the premises. 
 
 Now what we wish to have understood is, that, although 
 we cannot expect to have mathematical certainty on every 
 proposition of a general character; and although we do not 
 expect all the formalities of a judicial proceeding in every 
 case in which the mind is called on to decide — still we do 
 expect that, in every case, the evidence shall be scrupulously 
 collected and weighed — that, in every case, the mind shall 
 free itself from every bias opposed to the truth — and that 
 every proposition shall be rejected as untrue, or set aside as 
 doubtful, which is not sustained by clear and conclusive 
 evidence. 
 
 Now, suppose every man should proceed on this principle. 
 
Mr. ICncqjp and Ids Revivals. 41 
 
 Suppose every article of his creed in religion, in politics, in 
 philosophy, in ethics, and in every department of science and 
 of literature, should be submitted to a rigid examination, and 
 should be approved or rejected according to the evidence in 
 the case, what an immense amount of matter would be found 
 on hand, in nine cases out often, in the form of opinions, &c. 
 for the support of which not a particle of legitimate evidence 
 could be found ! What an immense amount of error would be 
 found to have been cherished as truth, which could have no 
 other eSect than to vitiate the taste, encumber the judgment, 
 darken the understanding, pervert the principles, and mislead 
 the actions ! What an immense amount of labor would be 
 necessary to free the mind from this vast accumulation of 
 intellectual trash ! After the operation, how small a measure 
 of the pure gold of truth and evidence would be left ! And. 
 yet no man can be said to be properly qualified for the ac- 
 quisition of knowledge, with any tolerable prospect of accu- 
 racy and success, until this operation shall have been per- 
 formed — until he shall have learned how to reason from 
 evidence and proof, and shall have applied the principle 
 aforesaid to the cleansing of his intellectual store-house from 
 the accumulated lumber of years gone by. 
 
 Editor. 
 
 Mr. KNAP? AND HIS REVIVALS. 
 
 There is, beyond a doubt, something remarkable about this persdn and his 
 doings. We have long since learned to look with distrust on men famed for 
 their skill in getting up revivals ; and especially when their proceedings involved 
 measures claiming to be new. We never have been, and, we presume, never 
 shall be, favorable to what are called " new measures." We have always been, 
 of the opinion, that the science of turning sinners to righteousness, was at least 
 as well understood in the days of Christ and his Apostles, as it has been since, 
 or is likely to be in any subsequent age of the world. And hence we have al- 
 ways looked with doubting on any set of measures, for the conversion of men, 
 claiming to be an improvement on the primitive and apostolic practice. 
 
 How far the foregoing remarks are applicable to Mr. Knapp and his opera- 
 tions, our information has never enabled us to decide. Much has been written 
 indeed in praise of his uncommon powers and performances — not a little of 
 which has tended to disgust rather than edify — while some things have been 
 published by his enemies, and therefore go to magnify his faults, or perhaps to 
 misrepresent him altogether. But, from all we have read or heard tell of him, 
 we have never been enabled to form a definite opinion, either of the man or of 
 his modus operandi. 
 
 One thing, however, has seemed to be indisputable ; and that is, that exten- 
 6 
 
 
42 The Perfect Man. 
 
 ?ive religious excitements have attended his' efforts at almost every place where- 
 he has labored. Respecting the precise character of these excitements, we have 
 been nearly as much at a loss as we have been respecting other points. We 
 know that they h ive been highly approved by some ; while they have been dis- 
 approved by others, perhaps equally pious and judicious But there is no doubt 
 with us that powerful and extensive excitements have prevailed in many of the 
 plaees where Mr. Knapp has labored. This fact has been of such uniform oc- 
 currence, and, in the nature of things, is calculated to have so important a bear- 
 ing on the interests of religion and of men, that it is, in our opinion, entitled to 
 the most careful examination. As every one must see, if Mr. Knapp's ara 
 genuine revivals of religion, it concerns us all to be apprised of the fact. It con- 
 cerns us to know, too, by what sort of instrumentality they are effected, and 
 especially whether they are to be ascribed to a:iy peculiarity in the talents, the 
 piety, the measures, or in any of the proceedings of the man. Agreeably to a 
 well known principle in philosophy, similar causes will produce similar effects. 
 If, accordingly, there be connected with Mr. Knapp's labors causes of conver- 
 sion and revival, not generally put in force, it is a matter of the first importance 
 that the fact should be known. In a word, if Mr. Knapp possesses a secret for 
 awakening the attention of men, not in the possession of ministers in general, it 
 is of consequence that this secret should be known and put in practice, in every 
 part of Christendom. For ourselves, at least, we should be more than gratified 
 !o learn something more definite respecting Mr. Knapp's style of preaching and 
 conducting his revivals, and especially to what peculiarities, in either or both, 
 his extraordinary success, in calling attention to religion, is most probably attri- 
 butable. We would therefore take occasion to say, that we should consider it 
 a valuable service rendered to the cause of religion, if some of our friends in Bos- 
 ton or elsewhere, would furnish such an analysis of Mr. Knapp's preaching — 
 his mode of conducting worship — his measures, if any he has — and, in short,, 
 of every thing material connected with his revivals, as would enable a person 
 residing at a distance to form an adequate conception of die whole matter. We 
 should like to know particularly, whether Mr. K. has any thing peculiar in his 
 manner of illustrating and enforcing divine truth. We should be pleased to 
 learn aiso, whether he has any ' £ new measures," and if he has, what they are. 
 While on the subject, we would take occasion to say, that we should be gia- 
 tified if Mr. Knapp could make it suit his convenience to pay us a visit at the 
 South. We are in great need of services here, such as he has rendered in Bos- 
 ton anil other places, and should be more than pleased to form a personal ac- 
 quaintance with bctli himself and his labors of love. Editor.. 
 
 THE PERFECT MAN. 
 
 FROM THE GERMAN UiLMANN. 
 
 The character of Jesus, though thoroughly individual and 
 unlike every other, has yet no such eccentric or peculiar fea- 
 ture, as results from a disproportional comhination of the in- 
 ward faculties. On the contrary, there is in the nature the 
 
Tlie Perfect Man. 43 
 
 most perfect harmony and completeness ; and his acts beat 
 the stamp of universal propriety and rectitude. Who can say, 
 that the peculiar characteristic of Jesus was soundness of 
 judgment, or tenderness of feeling, or richness of fancy, or 
 power of execution ? But all these excellencies are found in 
 him, just in their due proportion, and they work together in 
 uninterrupted harmony. High fervor and gracious mildness; 
 heavenly serenity and absorbing sadness; elevation above 
 earthly pleasure and conditions, and a pure, cheerful enjoy- 
 ment of the same; regal dignity and self-denying humble- 
 ness ; vehement hatred toward sin, and affectionate forbear- 
 ance toward the sinner — all these qualities are combined in 
 his nature in one inseparable whole, in the most perfect sub- 
 ordination. Never was Jesus driven out of his own path; 
 it was a quiet path, and always even. All the manifesta- 
 tions of spiritual life have one great aim ; his whole character 
 has a unity that is perfect, complete within itself. 
 
 It is indeed true, as a saint who knew Christianity from 
 the life, once said in his heart-winning way, " One might well 
 consent to be branded and broken on the wheel, merely for 
 the idea of such a character as Christ's; and if any one should 
 be able to mock and deride, he must be insane. Every man, 
 whose heart is in the right state, will lie in the dust, and re- 
 joice, and adore." It is true; even as a bare idea, the spiri- 
 tual image of Jesus which the Bible holds out to us, is the 
 most dignified and the most precious which is known to our 
 -race. It is an idea, for which one may well be justified in 
 offering up his life. For, we may boldly assert, this idea is 
 •the most sublime to which, in the province of morality and 
 religion, the human mind has been raised. It is the jewel of 
 humanity, and whoever knowingly tarnishes or disfigures it, 
 commits an outrage against the majesty of the heaven-born 
 soul of man, in its most beauteous manifestations. Let it be 
 a fable, it is still the most noble truth which has been either 
 received or communicated by the human mind, and prepon- 
 derates, even as a fable, over a thousand varieties of ordinary 
 experience. But it is not a fable; it is not a bare idea; for 
 the man who was able to produce, from his own invention, 
 such a character, such a pattern, must himself have possessed 
 this greatness of soul, if we deny that he observed it in ano- 
 ther. We must transfer the spiritual and moral greatness of 
 Jesus to his biographer, if we deny it to himself. If we 
 glance at the greatest characters which have been exquisitely 
 pourtrayed to us by the creative power and art of the most 
 gifted poets, do wc find in these characters anything like that 
 
44 How to Promote Peace, 
 
 which is developed in Jesus? And these plain, uncultivated 
 Jewish evangelists, they forsooth were able to invent it ! 
 How far, as an unaided man, did each of these writers of 
 Memorabilia stand below Zenophon and Plato; and yet how- 
 high, in its silent majesty, stands the simple image of Jesus, 
 which the unlettered evangelist presents, above the character 
 that is given to the wisest Greeks, by the two masters of 
 language and rhetoric. 
 
 One of the most striking arguments in favor of Christianity, is the remarkable 
 correspondence which is found to exist between its doctrines and the philosophy 
 of human nature. Inconsequence of this circumstance, it is found that many 
 of the precepts of the New Testament arc not more sound in morals than they 
 are true in philosophy, and successful in practice. What, for example, is so 
 much calculated to assuage the troubled waters of human strife, to subdue the 
 rage of the fiercest resentment, and even to transform an enemy into a friend, 
 as that simple precept of the Apostle, " Overcome evil with good." Of the 
 successful operation of this principle, in subduing the. ferocity of human passion, 
 the following narrative furnishes a fine illustration : 
 
 W TO PROMOTE PEACE. 
 
 A recent number of the Democratic Review contains the 
 following anecdote, illustrating the character of the late Wil- 
 liam JLadd, President of the American Peace Society, a man 
 who by the influence of peace principles became gentle heart- 
 ed, and a pattern in meekness. 
 
 A story which he often told with peculiar relish, will illustrate 
 this moulding of his character — the gradual progress of his mint! 
 in adopting peace principles. "I had," said he, " a line held of 
 grain, growing upon an out-farm some distance from the home- 
 stead. Whenever I rode by, I saw my neighbor Pulsifer's sheep 
 in the lot, destroying my hopes of a harvest. — These sheep 
 were of the gaunt, long-legged kind, active as spaniels ; they could 
 spring over the highest fence, and no partition wall could keep 
 hem out. I complained to neighbor Pulsi.fer about them, sent him 
 frequent messages, but all without avail. Perhaps they would 
 be kept out for a day or two, but tiie legs of the sheep were 
 long, and my grain rather more tempting than the adjoining pas- 
 ture. I rode by again; the sheep were still there; I became 
 angry, and told my men to set the dogs on them, and if that did 
 not do, I would pay them if they would shoot the sheep. 
 
 1 rode away much agitated, for I was not so much of a Peace 
 man then as I am now, and I felt, literally, full of fight. All at 
 once a light Hashed in upon me. I asked myself, would it not be 
 well for you to try in your own conduct the Peace principles you 
 
Curious fact in Astronomy. 
 
 45 
 
 are preaching to others ! I thought it all over, and settled down 
 in my mind as to the best course to be pursued. 
 
 The next day I rode over to see neighbor Pulsifer. I found 
 him chopping wood at his door. " Good morning, neighbor." 
 No answer. " Good morning," I repeated. He gave a kind of 
 grunt, like a hog, without looking up. " I came," continued I, 
 *' to see you about the sheep." At this he threw down his axe, 
 and exclaimed in a most angry manner, fl Now aren't you a pretty 
 neighbor, to tell your men to kill my sheep ! I heard of it — a rich 
 man like you to shoot a poor man's sheep !" 
 
 " I was wrong, neighbor," said I : " but it won't do to let your 
 sheep eat up all that grain ; so I came over to say that I would 
 take your sheep to my homestead pasture, and put them in with 
 mine, and in the fall you may take them back, and if any one is 
 missing, you may take your pick out of my whole flock." 
 
 Pulsifer looked confounded — he did not know how to take me. 
 At last he stammered out, " Now, Squire, are you in earnest?" 
 •' Certainly I am," I answered ; " it is better for me to feed your 
 sheep in my pasture on grass, than to feed them here on grain ; 
 and I see the fence can't keep them out." 
 
 After a moment's silence — " The sheep shan't trouble you any 
 more." exclaimed Pulsifer. " I will fetter them all. But I'll let 
 you know that when any man talks of shooting;, 1 can shoot too ; 
 and when they are kind and neighborly, I can be kind too."-- 
 The sheep never again trespassed on my lot. ''And my friends," 
 he would continue, addressing the audience, " remember that when 
 you talk of injuring your neighbors, they talk of injuring you. 
 When nations threaten to fight, other nations will be ready too. 
 Love will beget love ; a wish to be at peace will keep you in 
 peace. You can only overcome evil with good, there is no other 
 way." 
 
 A CURIOUS FACT IN ASTRONOMY. 
 We state the following on the authority of M. Arngo, the 
 eminent French astronomer. If we place, in a horizontal 
 line, a series of figures, of which the law is evident, each 
 doubling the preceding: 
 
 3 6 12 24 48 96 192 
 
 — and afterwards add four to each, we should have a scries 
 denoting the relative distances of the planets from the sun. 
 Thus :— 
 
 4 7 10 16 28 52 100 196 
 
 Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus. 
 
 If 10 represents the distance of the Earth, 4 will be that of 
 Mercury, 7 Venus, 16 Mars, and 52, 100, and 196, the re- 
 
4G Morals of Popery. 
 
 spective distances of Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus. This law 
 was known as far as 100 before the discover} 7 of Uranus ; and 
 the distance of that planet being found to correspond, affords 
 a very remarkable confirmation of its truth. But it will be 
 observed, that there will be a deficiency of one term between 
 Mars and Jupiter, at the proportional distance of 2S from the 
 Sun. At this point a small planet was some time since dis- 
 covered. This planet was named Ceres; and since, three 
 others have been found — Pallas, Juno, and Vesta; all of 
 which have their orbits so near each other, as to lead astro- 
 nomers to believe that they are fragments of a larger planet, 
 which had been shattered to pieces by some internal explo- 
 sion; or the shock of a cornet. 
 
 From D'Aubigtie's History; 
 MORALS OF POPERY BEFORE THE REFORMATION. 
 
 What a spectacle was presented by the Pontifical Throne 
 in the generation immediately preceding the Reformation ! 
 Home, it must be acknowledged, has seldom been witness to 
 so much infamy. 
 
 Ilodriga Borgia, after living in illicit intercourse with a 
 Roman lady, had continued a similar connection with one of 
 her daughters, by name Rosa Vanozza, by whom he had five 
 children. He was living at Rome with Vanozza, and other 
 abandoned women — as cardinal and archbishop, visiting the 
 churches and hospitals — when the death of Innocent VIII. 
 created a vacancy in ihe Pontifical chair. He succeeded in 
 (obtaining it by bribing each of the cardinals at a stipulated 
 price. Four mules, laden with silver, were publicly driven 
 into the palace of Sforza, the most influential of the cardinals. 
 Borgia became Pope under the name of Alexander VI., and 
 rejoiced in the attainment of the pinnacle of pleasures. 
 
 The very day of his coronation he created his son, Csesar, 
 a ferocious and dissolute youth, archbishop of Valencia, and 
 bishop of Pampcluna. He next proceeded to celebrate in the 
 Vatican Ihe marriage of his daughter Lucrezia, by festivities, 
 at which his mistress Julia Bella was present, and which were 
 enlivened by farces and indecent song. " Most of the eccle- 
 siastics," says a historian, "had their mistresses, and all the 
 convents of the capital were houses of ill fame." Caesar 
 Borgia espoused the cause of the Guelphs, and when by their 
 assistance he had annihilated the power of the Ghibelines, he 
 turned upon the Guc!ph«, and crushed them in their turn. 
 
Morals of Toper y. 4.1 
 
 But he would allow none to share in the spoils of his atroci- 
 ties. In the year 1497, Alexander conferred upon his eldest 
 son the duchy of Benevento. The duke suddenly disappear- 
 ed. That night a faggot-dealer on the banks of the Tiber, 
 saw some person throw a corpse into the river — but he said 
 nothing of it, for such things were common. The duke's 
 body was found. His brother Caesar had been the instigator 
 of the murder. He did not stop here. His brother-in-law 
 stood in the way of his ambition. One day Caesar caused him 
 to be stabbed on the staircase of the Pope's palace, and he 
 was carried, covered with blood, to his own apartments. His 
 wife and sister never left him. Dreading lest Caesar should 
 employ poison, they were accustomed to prepare his meals 
 with their own hands. Alexander placed guards before his 
 door — but Caesar ridiculed these precautions, and on one oc- 
 casion, when the Pope visited him, dropped the remark — 
 u What cannot be done at dinnek may be at supper." Ac- 
 cordingly, he one day gained admittance to the chamber of 
 the wounded man; turned out his wife and sister, and calling 
 Michilotto, the executioner of his horrors, and the only man 
 in whom he placed any kind of confidence, commanded him 
 to strangle his victim before his eyes. Alexander had a fa- 
 vorite named Peroto, whose preferment offended the young 
 duke. Caesar rushed upon him. Peroto sought refuge un- 
 der the Papal mantle, clasping the Pontiff in his arms. Caesar 
 stabbed him, and the blood of the victim squirted in the Pon- 
 tiff's face. "The Pope," adds a cotemporary, and witness 
 of these atrocities, " loves the duke his son, and lives in great 
 fear of him." Caesar was one of the handsomest and most 
 powerful men of his age. Six wild bulls fell beneath his 
 hand in single combat. Nightly assassinations took place in 
 the streets of Home. Poison often destroyed those whom 
 the dagger could not reach. Every one feared to move or 
 breathe, lest he should be the next victim. Caesar Borgia 
 was the hero of crime. The spot on earth where all iniquity 
 met and overflowed was the Pontiff's seat. When man has 
 given himself over to the power of evil, the higher his pre- 
 tensions before God, the lower he is seen to sink in the 
 depths of hell. The dissolute entertainments given by the 
 Pope and his son, Caesar, and his daughter Lucrezia, are such 
 as can neither be described nor thought of. The most im- 
 pure groves of ancient worship saw not the like. Historians 
 have accused Alexander and Lucrezia of incest, but the charge 
 is not sufficiently established. The Pope, in order to rid 
 
43 
 
 General Hides of Conduct. 
 
 himself of a wealthy cardinal, had prepared poison in a small 
 box of sweetmeats, which was to be placed on the. table after 
 a sumptuous feast: the Cardinal, receiving a hint of the de- 
 sign, gained over the attendant, and the poisoned box was 
 placed before Alexander. lie ate of it and perished. The 
 whole city came together, and could hardly satiate themselves 
 with the sight of this dead viper. 
 
 Such was the man who_ filled the pontifical throne at the 
 commencement of the Reformation. 
 
 GENERAL RULES OF CONDUCT. 
 
 1. Never make the forms of religion in others the subject 
 of ridicule. True religious feelings may be expressed in dif- 
 ferent forms, and come with acceptance before Gcd. The 
 form is very much a subject of education or habit — the mere 
 language of the heart. " What is the chaff to the wheat, saith 
 the .Lord ? "' 
 
 2. Never mod: at the infirmities of others: rather let them 
 excite your commiseration and gratitude. Who made you to 
 differ? Dereliction of duty, not misfortune, constitutes 
 crime. 
 
 3. Never exult over the misfortunes of others, net even 
 your enemies. Rejoice in the triumphs of justice, but retain 
 your pit}" for the meanest sinner. Is he not a man, and still 
 susceptible of reformation ? Roes not God bear with him. 
 And should not we ? 
 
 4. Envy not others their prosperity-. This is the mark 
 of a little mind. When we fail of I'm objects we aim at, we 
 should rejoice at the success of others. 
 
 5. Let your aims be high : this will excite to effort. 
 
 6. Be moderate in your expectations: this will prepare 
 yen for defeat. 
 
 7. Never despair. How often has the last struggle brought 
 relief, li there be but one chance of success in a thousand, 
 it is worth a thousand times too much to be thrown away. 
 
 8. Consider how many are less favored than you are. If 
 you cannot gain the heights, be satisfied with a mediocrity, 
 which is always the safest, less subject to changes, and of 
 more equal temperature. 
 
 9. Bear yourself humbly in prosperity. A proud spirit is 
 the product of native meanness. 
 
 10. Maintain a thankful temper. " What hast thou, which 
 thou hast not received?"-' 1 
 
Remarkable Meteoric Appearance. 49 
 
 11. Cultivate a cheerful temper. It will be like the meri- 
 dian sun to the soul. Objects receive their complexion from 
 the medium through which we perceive them. Mountains 
 rise to an unreal height in the darkness. The diamond bor- 
 rows a thousand new brilliants from the sunbeam. So ad- 
 versity bears wiih less oppression, and mercies shine more 
 brightly, on a thankful and cheerful man. " A cheerful 
 temper is the clear blue sky of the soul." 
 
 12. Cherish the conviction of an overruling Providence. 
 This will correct a capricious temper. The race is not al- 
 ways to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor riches to 
 men of understanding. Time and chance happen to all. The 
 lot is cast in the lap, the whole disposing thereof is of the 
 Lord. He is our common Father — and like as a father piti- 
 eth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him.— 
 Would we learn his will, we must study the lessons of his 
 providence as well as of his word. 
 
 UEMARKAULE METEOIMC APPEARANCE. 
 
 From the earliest times luminous bodies have been seen in the air, of vari« 
 ous magnitudes, motions, and aspects. They have differed in size, from the 
 dimensions of the smallest taper, to those of bodies of several feet in diameter. 
 Their motion has generally been rapid, and in a line inclining to the earth. 
 Their general appearance has been that of a body in a state of combustion, 
 having a nucleus or head in front, and leaving a train or tail of flame behind. 
 Their light has been proportional to their size, varying from the glow of the 
 evening fire-fly to the brilliancy of the sun at noon. The larger sort have been 
 generally attended by an explosion, accompanied with a loud noise, and suc- 
 ceeded by the falling of fragments of slate. A stone was^thus precipitated, a 
 few years ago, in the State of Connecticut, which is said to have exceeded a 
 ton in weight, and which buried itself several feet in the earth. 
 
 Of these remarkable phenomena no satisfactory solution has as yet been given. 
 The prevailing, and perhaps the most probable conjecture is, that they consist of 
 combinations of inflammable gases, incidentally formed in the higher regions of 
 the atmosphere, and ignited and exploded by electricity. And although this 
 hypothesis does not account for all the phenomena witnessed on such occasions, 
 still it is perhaps the most plausible, and therefore the best, that the present 
 stale of the science will afford. 
 
 The foregoing remarks have been suggested by an account we see in the 
 papers, of the recent appearance of a meteor of a remarkable character, in the 
 western part of the State of New York'. The following extract, taken origi- 
 nally from the Westfield Messenger of April 13th, will be read with interest by 
 all who are cuiious about such matters : 
 
 7 
 
50 Remarkable Meteoric Jlppearanee: 
 
 Postscript. — Since writing ihe above, we have conversed 
 with Mr. Horace Palmer, who was on his way from Dunkirk 
 to this place, when the meteor appeared. He was two or 
 three miles from Dunkirk, when he appeared to be instantly- 
 surrounded with a most painfully vivid light, proceeding from 
 amass of fluid or jelly like substance, which fell around and 
 upon him,p roducing a sulphureous smell, a great difficulty ©f 
 breathing, and a feeling of faintness, with a strong sensation 
 ©f heat. As soon as he could recover from his astonishment, 
 he perceived the body of the meteor passing above him, seem- 
 ing to be about a mile high. It then appeared to be in diam- 
 eter about the size of a large steamboat pipe, near a mile in 
 length! Ds dimensions varied soon; becoming first much 
 broader, and waning away in diameter and length, until the 
 former was reduced to about eight inches, and the latter a 
 fourth of a mile, when it separated into pieces, which fell to 
 the earth, and almost immediately he heard the explosion, 
 which, he says, was tremendous. On arriving here in the 
 morning, his face had every appearance of having been se- 
 verely scorched; his eyes were much affected, and he did not 
 recover from the shock it gave his system for two or three 
 days. This is really a marvellous story; but Mr. Palmer is 
 a temperate and industrious man, and a man of integrity : 
 and, we believe, any one conversing with him on the subject, 
 would be satisfied that he intends no deception, but describes 
 the scene, as nearly as possible, as it actually appeared. Prob- 
 ably, however, his agitation at his sudden introduction to such 
 a scene, caused the meteor to be somewhat magnified to him. 
 Witnesses here speak of the sparks which were given off; 
 probably one of those sparks fell and enveloped Mr. Palmes. 
 In addition to its light, Mr. Palmer states, that its passage was 
 accompanied by a sound like that of a car moving on a rail- 
 road, only louder. 
 
 At Salem, an observer stated the meteor to be "as large as 
 a house" — rather indefinite, but proving it to have been one 
 of extraordinary magnitude. It was noticed at N. E. Water- 
 ford and Sugar Grove, Pa. ; Harmony, Chautouque, and other 
 towns in this county. The report was heard also at Buffalo. 
 In Chautauque, an observer describes it as six or eight inches 
 in diameter, and half a mile long. 
 
 We learn, also, that it burst about three miles beyond Fre- 
 donia, or about eighteen miles from this place. The report 
 Is, that a fragment has been found, a foot or more in diame- 
 ter, but we know not the original authority of the statement. 
 
Form of Church Government. 5i 
 
 If it did burst where it is represented to have done, and it 
 was seen here until it exploded, its elevation must have been 
 about 35 miles. This is pretty low in comparison with most 
 of them, but it would seem, from the account of Mr. Palmer, 
 that it was much lower still. Perhaps it was not observed 
 here as long as it might have been from good points of vision. 
 Its course is represented by all to have been north easterly. 
 
 In copying the account, the Buffalo Commercial Advertiser 
 saj'S— " At Erie and at Rochester, places about 150 miles 
 apart in a straight line, the light was nearly as vivid as that 
 of day. This shows the immense magnitude and great height 
 of the meteor." 
 
 No. II. 
 FORM OF CHURCH GOVERNMENT. 
 
 In my last number I briefly considered the elements and 
 constitution of a Christian Church, agreeably to the primitive 
 model : in the present, the form of Church Government will 
 claim attention. 
 
 The principles of government on which the primitive 
 churches were organized, were manifestly those of a demo- 
 cracy — that is, those which vested the power in the hands of 
 the people. The members were constitutionally equal in 
 rank, in privilege, and in power. Of course, all authority re- 
 sided originally and by right with them As a part of this 
 system, every church was a perfectly free and independent 
 community, making its own laws, choosing its own officers, 
 exercising its own discipline, and providing for its own wants 
 and interests. Such was evidently the church at Antioch ; 
 such was the church at Jerusalem ; and such, it is believed, 
 were all the churches of apostolic origin. 
 
 That the churches of primitive times were modelled on the 
 principles aforesaid — that they exercised the right and power 
 of self-government — and that they were, in every proper 
 sense of the expression, free and independent communities, 
 is apparent from the following facts : — When the vacancy in 
 the apostleship, occasioned by the defection of Judas Iscariot, 
 was to be fdled, the two candidates were selected, not by the 
 eleven apostles, as might have been supposed, but by the 
 whole church, the whole company of the disciples in full as- 
 sembly met. See Acts i. 15 — 23. When the seven deacons 
 were to be appointed in the church at Jerusalem, they were 
 .ckosen, not by the apostles, nor by the bishops, nor by any 
 
52 Form of Church Government. 
 
 others in authority, but by the " whole multitude of the dis- 
 ciples/' whom the apostles had called together for the pur- 
 pose. Sec Acts vi. 2 — 5. When deputies were to be sent, 
 by the church at Jerusalem, to assist in allaying the dissen- 
 tions at Antioch, which had arisen on the question of circum- 
 cision, the said deputies were chosen, not by the apostles and 
 ciders aleac, but by the apostles and elders in connexion with 
 the whole church. See Acts xv. 22. When an offending 
 member was to be disciplined, agreeably to the instructions 
 of Christ, he was to be brought, not before the session, the 
 deacons, the elders, the bishops, nor even before the apostles, 
 but before " the church." Matth. xviii. 17, IS. When the 
 fornicator was to be excluded from the church at Corinth, it 
 was to be done, agreeably to apostolic injunction, not by any 
 person or party in authority, but by the church " when ga- 
 thered together," or when fully and regularly convened for 
 the purpose. 1 Cor. v. 4. 
 
 The testimony of Dr. Mosheim, whose authority is inferior 
 to that of no other historian, and who will not be likely to be 
 suspected of partiality on this point, is quite worthy of atten- 
 tion : " In those early times every christian church consisted 
 of the people, their leaders, and the ministers or deacons, and 
 these indeed belong essentially to every religious society. 
 The people were, undoubtedly, the first in authority, for the 
 apostles showed, by their own example, that nothing of mo- 
 ment was to be carried on or determined without the consent 
 of the assembly ; and such a method of proceeding was both 
 prudent and necessary in those critical times." Mos. Ec. 
 His. cen. 1, part 2, chap. 2. 
 
 It is not to be understood from the foregoing, that I mean 
 to dispense with the authority of Jesus Christ, as head of the 
 church. On the contrary, he has enacted the constitutional 
 law of his empire, and this law is on record in the New Tes- 
 tament. To this law every church is bound to yield an ab- 
 solute and implicit obedience. The liberty and independence 
 of the churches consist, therefore, not in disannulling nor con- 
 travening the laws of the New Testament, but in carrying 
 out a course of policy which shall be strictly conformable 
 thereto ; not in setting aside or withstanding the authority of 
 Jesus Christ, her King, but in yielding a full and free obedi- 
 ence to all his requirements. In short, it is incumbent on 
 the churches to enact and execute such laws, and to carry on 
 puch proceedings, as shall be judged right and proper, pro* 
 vided always that they shall not conflict with the fundamei - 
 
Form of Church Government, 53 
 
 tal legislation of the New Testament. But the moment that 
 such a conflict commences, the proceeding becomes unconsti- 
 tutional, and may be justly resisted as unauthorised and in- 
 valid. 
 
 Nor is it to be understood from what is stated above, that 
 I mean to set aside or depreciate the powers of those in au- 
 thority. The freedom and equality of the members of a 
 church, like those of every other properly organized commu- 
 nity, consist in making their own regulations, not in trans- 
 gressing them after they are made ; and, likewise, in appoint- 
 ing their own officers, not in resisting their authority, nor in 
 opposing the discharge of their duties. When persons are 
 put into office, therefore, by the free suffrage of the members, 
 their authority is imperative, and cannot be resisted, but by 
 an act of disorder, partaking of the properties of rebellion. 
 And the only practicable mode of dispossessing an officer of 
 his authority, is by removing him from office. This can al- 
 ways be done, however, when circumstances become such as 
 to render it necessary — and in this consist the remedial powers 
 of the church. 
 
 Notwithstanding the principles of the primitive churches 
 were so manifestly democratic, and notwithstanding these are 
 the only principles recognised in the constitution of Baptist 
 churches, yet it not unfrequently happens that our churches 
 are more conformed to the principles of an oligarchy — the 
 government of a few — than to those of a republic. It not un- 
 frequently happens that there are persons who have acquired 
 influence with the majority, to whom the management of 
 aflaiis is measurably confided, and by whom the church, even 
 to the exclusion of official authority, is in fact governed. 
 That this is wrong, in principle and in practice — that it is 
 wrong, both on the part of those who assume authority, and 
 on the part of those who indolently concede it, can be doubted 
 by no one, having even a tolerable conception of a well or- 
 ganized government. Nor can it be questioned, that, to this 
 improper departure from just principles, is to be attributed a 
 large proportion of the strifes and commotions that disturb 
 the order and harmony of our churches. 
 
 I of course mean no reflection here on such brethren as, 
 from the circumstances in which they are placed, are com- 
 pelled to take a leading part in the business of our churches. 
 This is always praiseworthy, and often times it is unavoid- 
 able, owing to the fact, that, did not such take the lead, no- 
 thing would be done. I refer to such only as use their iiiv 
 
51 Form of Church Government.' 
 
 fluence for partizan purposes, and ore apt to consider them- 
 selves as raised up in the church for the special purpose of 
 watching and resisting the encroachments of pastoral autho- 
 rity. The less discerning portion of the members are made 
 to believe that such arc the true guardians of their liberties, 
 and that all who do not cordially fall into the same way of 
 thinking are to be suspected as enemies and betrayers. 
 
 I do mean to convey a gentle rebuke, however, to all such 
 as passively surrender the powers properly belonging to 
 themselves, to the hands of others, however capable, or how- 
 ever worthy. The truth is, every individual member, how 
 humble and obscure soever he may be, is responsible for 
 himself and for the place he fills. It is his duty to have a 
 mind of his own, to cherish a personal concern for the well- 
 being of his church, to take an honest and humble part in all 
 her proceedings, and to keep a watchful, and even a jealous 
 eye over those who are at all inclined to usurp authority, or 
 to "lord it over God's heritage." If indeed every member 
 would thus occupy his post, and realize his responsibilities, 
 and discharge his duties faithfully, in the church and out of 
 it, in most cases those aspiring to undue influence would be 
 put down, the authority of the church would be upheld, or- 
 der and harmony would be preserved, and peace and prospe- 
 rity would cheer and ornament the ways of Zion. 
 
 It is sometimes made a question, whether or not female 
 members are entitled to a vote in the transaction of church 
 business? I think this question might be very easily an- 
 swered, simply by resolving it into another, namely, are fe- 
 males, in the proper sense of the expression, members of our 
 churches? If they are, the question is settled; because all 
 who are fully and properly members, are entitled to equal 
 privileges. Consequently, if one has a right to vote, then 
 have all a right, whether male or female. 
 
 It has always appeared to me, that the ground on which 
 the right of females, in this respect, was disputed, was very 
 frivolous, to say the least. They arc not competent, it is 
 said, in many matters of importance, to vote with discretion. 
 And, I should like to know, if the same thing may not be 
 said, in a great many cases, of the opposite sex ? There are, 
 no doubt, very many cases in which mischief is done by an 
 improper use of this prerogative. But, I should be pleased 
 to know, what, community, constituted on free and equal 
 principles, is not liable to the same abuses ? And I should be 
 «lad to know, too. how the evil is to be avoided ? True, we 
 

 Items. 55 
 
 might have an article in our constitutions or covenants, pro- 
 viding that females shall not have the right to vote. But 
 then, what would become of their liberty and equality ? 
 And what would become, too, of our equal and independent 
 form of church government ? And more than all — is it cer- 
 tain that such provision would accord with the fundamental 
 law of the New Testament? 
 
 While I am clear in the conviction, that, upon the princi- 
 ples of our churches, females have a right' to vote, and cannot 
 justly be deprived of that right, I am also of the opinion, that 
 that right ought to be used by them with much delicacy and 
 discretion. On most questions they can vote without hesita- 
 tion : but on all doubtful or indelicate points, they should 
 either vote with extreme caution, or else suspend their pre- 
 rogative altogether. Editor. 
 
 I T E M S. 
 
 The Wife. — It needs no guilt to break a husband's heart i 
 the absence of content, the mutterings of spleen ; the untidy 
 dress, and cheerless home; the forbidding scowl and deserted 
 hearth; these, and other nameless neglects — without a crime 
 among them — have harrowed to the quick the heart's core of 
 many a man, and planted there, beyond the reach of cure, the 
 germ of dark despair. Oh ! may woman, before that sad sight 
 arrives, dwell on the recollections of her youth, and cherish- 
 ing the dear idea of that tuneful time, awake and keep alive 
 the promise she then so kindly gave. And though she may 
 be injured, not the injuring one — the forgotten, not the for- 
 getful wife — a happy allusion to that hour of peace and love 
 — a kindly welcome to a comfortable home — a smile of love 
 to banish hostile words — a kiss of peace to pardon all the 
 past, and the hardest heart that ever locked itself within the 
 breast of selfish man will soften to her charms, and bid her 
 live as she had hoped, her years in matchless bliss — loved, 
 loving, and content — the soother of the sorrowing hour — the 
 source of comfort, and the spring of joy. — Chambers'' Lon- 
 don Journal. 
 
 Biting- at the Naked Hook. — A minister was walking 
 upon one of our eastern wharves, when he heard a man in a 
 fishing boat just pulled up, swearing very profanely, and re- 
 solved on reproving him. For this purpose he stepped up to- 
 the boat, and began to inquire concerning the manner of tali- 
 
56 Items. 
 
 ing fish. The fisherman answered this inquiry by saying, 
 that for taking such a kind of fish, lie baited his hook with 
 such an article. Said the clergyman, do you not take any 
 without bait ? No, said the fisherman, I never did but once ; 
 one d- — — d fool bit the naked hook. Well, said the clergy- 
 man, the devil is a great fisherman, and to take the ambitious 
 he baits with the honors of the world, and to take the avari- 
 cious he baits with silver and gold, and for the pleasure seek- 
 ers he baits with sensual gratifications, but the profane swearer 
 is like your foolish fish, he bites at the naked hook. — Sword 
 of Truth. 
 
 The Latter-Day Saints in Lancashire. — On Sunday 
 evening last, the Radical or Chartist Chapel, at Middleton, 
 near Manchester, was crowded to excess, when a young man 
 from Manchester, a preacher amongst the Latter-Day Saints, 
 delivered a most extraordinary and singular lecture. In the 
 course of his address he said there were upwards of GOO va- 
 rious religious creeds, but all of them except the Latter-Day 
 Saints were in the dark, and not appointed to preach the gos- 
 pel ; he also declared that the preachers of the Latter-Day 
 Saints could take deadly poison without injury — they could 
 heal the sick by the touching of hands — they could also 
 handle serpents, and they would not hurt them — they could 
 speak and interpret in unknown tongues, and that, he said, 
 had been done to a great extent that day in the Carpenter's 
 Hall, at Manchester, and a surgeon had lately joined their 
 society and given over administering drugs to sick persons ; 
 the above, he said, were signs that the Latter-Day Saints were 
 right, and all others were wrong. On being questioned, he 
 admitted, that there were some persons amongst their society 
 who yet took physic when sick, but he replied they were not 
 properly converted. 
 
 A geologist who has lately travelled in the w r est of France, 
 lias made some curious observations on the accretions of the 
 shores principally in Vendee and the ancient Poitou. Their 
 alluvial increase has been so great, that the spot where an 
 English 64 gun ship was wrecked, in the middle of last cen- 
 tury, is now the centre of a field of corn. The harbour of 
 Pryny is dry, and the port of Rabaud, where, not long ago, 
 vessels of 170 tons entered easily, is now 3000 metres from 
 the sM. The port of St. Gilles is filling up, and the har- 
 bour of Gachere is barred. All this has occurred within 
 
Summary. 57 
 
 a century, and has proceeded altogether from accumulations 
 of sand, for it has been demonstrated by numerous observa- 
 tions made at Brest, that no change has taken place on the 
 coasts of France of the level of the ocean. 
 
 Tj-ants growing in Animals. — Numerous microscopic 
 researches lately made by Dr. Bennet, have led to some im- 
 portant discoveries in pathology. That gentleman, in a com- 
 munication read at the last meeting of the Royal Society, has 
 shown that several diseases in man are to be attributed to 
 millions of minute plants which grow on the surface of his 
 body. These skin diseases have been long known to physi- 
 cians, who, however, have not been acquainted with their 
 real nature. Dr. Bennet has discovered plants growing in 
 the lungs, which are sometimes expectorated by individuals 
 laboring under consumption. Other vegetations have been 
 found in the inferior animals, as in birds, reptiles, fishes, in- 
 sects, and molusca. The facts now announced are likely to 
 cause important changes with regard to the nature and treat- 
 ment of certain disorders. 
 
 SUMMARY. 
 
 The Season. — Scarcely ever have we known a more delightful spring than 
 the present. A mild and equable temperature ; a genial sunshine, relieved by 
 occasional and seasonable showers of rain ; an unusually early and luxuriant 
 growth of vegetation ; together with the promise of a bountiful increase of the 
 fruits of the earth, have tended not a little to inspire the hopes, and to enhance 
 the pleasures of the rural economist. Indeed we know not how any one who 
 has health, and friends, and plenty to eat, and plenty to do, and books and 
 papers to read, (and the Repository among the rest,) placed amid the scenes of 
 rural life, in such a season as this, can be otherwise than happy, contented, and 
 grateful. Were we at all given to poetizing, the contemplation of such a theme 
 could not fail to inspire our muse. But, as this is not the case, we shall con- 
 clude the present article, by gently reproving the ingratitude of those who have a 
 home in the country, have enough of the good things of life, are permitted to taste 
 the freshness of the morning air, are undisturbed by the tumults and commotions 
 of the world, and yet sigh for what they do not possess, and which, if possessed, 
 would only tend to enhance their cares and embitter their enjoyments. If any man 
 on earth can be happy, it is the intelligent and independent agriculturist, whose 
 fortune is placed beyond the fluctuations of the business world, whose very 
 occupation tends to give a healthful impulse to his circulation, and who is sur- 
 rounded on every side with objects calculated to gratify his taste, to kindle hia 
 devotion, to warm his gratitude, to stimulate his industry, to allay his passions, 
 to enhance his benevolence, and to make him in all respects among the wisest, 
 
 8 
 
58 Summcir'ij. 
 
 the best, and the happiest of mortals. While others sigh for preferment, for sf- 
 fice,and for honor ; for the wealth of commerce, the bustle of business, and the 
 pleasures of fashionable life, we would say, with more sincerity than we shall 
 perhaps get credit for, give us a few acres in the country, with a due proportion 
 of flocks and herds, and all the etcetera of agricultural life, and we will ask no 
 more. Here we shall find leisure, amusement, exercise, and work. And more 
 than all the rest — here we shall find fitting occasions for communion with God, 
 and for preparing our heart for a better world. 
 
 The Rhode Island (roubles are still unadjusted. It is said that both Gover- 
 nors have taken the oath of office, both Legislatures have been organized, and 
 both Governments have been in operation. It is stated, further, that several of 
 the officers of the suffrage or popular party have been arrested, on a charge of 
 treason, and have been held to bail for large amounts. The prevailing opinion 
 is, that the popular party will eventually yield, and that all will submit to the 
 Government administered under the old Constitution. 
 
 P. S. — Since the above was prepared, news has been received, that the 
 popular party has yielded, and returned to the quiet habits and subordination of 
 every-day hie. The Pseudo Governor, Dorr, has fled, but no one knows 
 where. 
 
 Temperance in Boston, — The .Mayor and Aldermen of Boston, says ths 
 Baptist Advocate, have decided to grant no licenses to innkeepers, retailers, os 
 victuallers, to sell distilled liquors during the coming year. 
 
 Roman Missions — The following statement, purporting to have been taken 
 from the Boston Recorder, evinces the energy with which the Romanists con- 
 duct their missions ; and shows, at the same time, with what sort of a force Pro- 
 testantism has got to contend. We have never approved the spirit, hor have 
 always liked the means, by which the march of Popery has been resisted in this 
 country. We think there has been too much of the temper with which papists 
 themselves have been used to cure the evils of heresy. We think, however, 
 that it begins to be high time for Protestants to cease the wrangling among 
 themselves, and to unite their energies in checking the progress of "the man 
 of sin." 
 
 " A periodical is published in London once in two months, entitled, ' Annals 
 of the Propagation oi the Faith.' The following statements are abridged from 
 that publication. They are to be taken, perhaps, on account of the prejudices 
 of the writer, with some grains of allowance. The number of archbishops in 
 the papal missions is 26, bishops 95, coadjutors 10, priests 4220, Catholics 
 4,583,800. For the whole catholic world, there are reckoned about 300 bishops, 
 without counting the coadjutors, suffragans, and other prelates ; and more than 
 152 millions of Catholics. Of these, 122,000,000 reside in Europe. In Africa, 
 including the missions, there are 13 bishoprics or vicarates, and 1,181,100 ca- 
 tholics. In the new world there are 73 bishoprics or vicarates, and 26,641,000 
 catholics. In Oceanica are reckoned 7 bishops, about 1200 priests, and 3,100,000 
 catholics. A great proportion of these are in die Ph'illipine islands, where ia a 
 large colony of Spaniards. In Asia is reckoned, in addition, to the missions,, 
 only the archbishopric of G'oa. 
 
Summary. g§ 
 
 The receipts of 1840 amount to nearly 2,500,000 francs, or $48-1,000. More 
 than one half of this sum is subscribed in France. One hundred and twenty 
 thousand copies of the Annals are now printed, viz: 63,000 in French, 17,000 
 in German, 16,000 in English, 12,000 in Spanish, 4,0t)0 in Flemish, 18,000 in 
 Italian, and 2,000 in Portuguese. This number, published six times a -year, 
 gives a total of 720,000 copies. 
 
 The receipts of 1S39 amounted to about two millions offranes, showing an in- 
 crease of £22,000 over those of the preceding year, and being double the amount 
 of the receipts of 1S37, quadruple these of 1S35, and six fold as compared with 
 those of 1S33. 
 
 The writer proceeds in the following strain of self-congratulation. " On be- 
 holding the concourse of the faithful, we are filled with thoughts of consolation. 
 Unity and universality are the most infallible characters to ennoble an institu- 
 tion ; they are the securities for its prosperity, on account of that strength which 
 is in union, of the ardor which is in emulation, and the perseverance which good 
 example keeps up ; if separated from the trunk which unites them, the wide- 
 spread branches soon wither and die. But there are here, moreover, powerful 
 means of moral good ; the spirit of religion is revived by the restoration of ca- 
 tholic brotherhood, henceforth to be maintained by a community of labors and 
 success ; by a monthly circulation of one hundred and twenty thousand copies 
 of the Annals ; and by a continual diffusion of the heroic traditions of the apos- 
 tleship." In the diffusion of " heroic traditions," the Romanists are likely ta 
 receive powerful aid from a section of the English Church. 
 
 Revivals. — Under the head of Revivals, the papers generally abound with 
 interesting accounts of additions made to our churches. We regret that we have 
 nothing cheering on this point from our own State, and from South Carolina. 
 This is owing, in some degree, we suspect, to the, fact, that so short a period has 
 elapsed since the commencement of our publication, that correspondents have 
 not, as yet, had time to transmit their communications. We hope to have some- 
 thing more cheering from these quarters in time for insertion in our next num- 
 ber. From a distance, however, and especially from the northern and eastern 
 States/the accounts are peculiarly interesting. 
 
 The Religious Herald, [Richmond,] of May 12, observes: 
 
 " Accessions continue to be made to the churches of the various evangelical 
 denominations in our city. On Lord's-day, the First Baptist church received 
 an accession of 22 by baptism. The Second church 8, and the Third church 
 the same number. 
 
 The First Presbyterian church has received, on examination, an addition of 
 about 78 members. To the United Presbyterian church 3S. 
 
 Additional accessions have been made to the Methodist church, Shockoe Hill. 
 At Trinity church, a protracted meeting was commenced last week, which is 
 still continued. We understand that several have been converted, and that 
 others are enquiring the way to Zion. 
 
 Christ Church, Episcopal, is now holding a protracted meeting, having reli- 
 gious services every night. This church, the Monumental church, and St. 
 James church, have each received accessions to their membership. 
 
 Night meetings were commenced at St. John's church, on Tuesday, and will 
 be continued throughout the week, and probably for a longer period. 
 
 From present appearances, we trust that many more persons, in the different 
 congregations, are deeply interested on the subject of religion, and we hope that 
 a still larger number of our citizens may find peace and joy in believing." 
 
 The same paper contains accounts of revivals at Cedar creek and Betty ville; 
 znd also at a place called Lickinghole, Goochland co-, all of Virginia. 
 
60 Summary. 
 
 The papers generally, furnish accounts of revivals at Canton, Nonvalk, and 
 Ashford, Conn.; at Rochester, Homer, Utica, Portland, Holland Patent, and 
 at several places in Putnam co., N. Y-; atBedfoid and Indianapolis, Indiana ; 
 at Washington City, D. C; at Cape Elizabeth, Woolwich, Kennebunk, and 
 Lyman, Maine ; at Boston, Lowell, Fall River, and Southborough, Mass.. &c. 
 &c. The revival in Boston, to which we alluded in our last, still continues to 
 progress, though with less effect than heretofore. At Lowell the excitement 
 under the labors of Mr. Knapp is in full operation. The interest is said to be 
 very general and very strong. One hundred and fifty-five persons are reported 
 to have been added to the First Baptist church of that place, a few Sabbaths 
 ago. The following communication, which we copy from the Religious Herald, 
 will doubtless be read with interest ; 
 
 Lowell. — The most extraordinary and gracious work is still progressing in 
 the city, and we are weekly and daily called to witness the power of divine 
 truth, and the triumph of divine grace, in the rescue of souls from the snare of* 
 error and sin. We remarked in our last, that we might give some interesting 
 individual cases. We whl relate a lew. 
 
 A gentleman has related his experience to the First Baptist, church, in sub- 
 stance as follows : — He was a Urhversalist, and attended the First Universalist 
 congregation. He was alarmed for his safety some months since, in the Uni- 
 versalist meeting, by what struck him as not only asburd, but as awful. It was 
 a funeral sermon preached by Mr. Thayer, the minister of the First Universalist 
 
 congregation, on the death of Mr. , a man well known in this city, who 
 
 died a few months since. This traveller to the spirit-world, was known to be 
 intemperate and profane, and blasphemed the name of God and Christ upon his 
 dying bed ; from whence his soul was dismissed with profane language amid 
 the fumes of alcohol, from the body, which was perfectly saturated with brandy. 
 This man, Mr. Thayer preached directly into heaven, which, the convert said, 
 looked so absurd and so awful to him, that it so aroused his conscience that it 
 had never since entirely fallen asleep. He, however, continued to attend the 
 Universalist meeting, until since the commencement of the present revival. — 
 Feeling restless in his mind, he resolved one Sabbath morning that he would go 
 and hear Mr. Knapp, but on arriving at the door of the house, he found it so full 
 that he could not get in, and passed on as usual to the Universalist meeting. — 
 While there, such a gloom and such a honor came over his mind under the ex- 
 ercises, that he wished himself away, and even became so alarmed that he pro- 
 mised God upon his seat, that if he would suffer him to escape from that place 
 of moral darkness and death, he would never go there again while he lived. — 
 Since that time he has attended the First Baptist church, and professes to enjoy 
 peace with God through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. 
 
 The King of Prussia and the English Bajitists — The present King of 
 Prussia, it seems, has set an example of religious toleration in his dominions, 
 which contrasts strongly with the despotism which prevails in the neighboring 
 nations of Germany and Denmark. While in the two latter, the Baptists are 
 pursued with fines, confiscations, and imprisonment, in the former they are al- 
 lowed equal liberty with those of the established religion, in the entertainment 
 of their opinions, and in the observance of their worship. And although this is 
 no more than what is just and proper, still, when the conduct of other and 
 neighboring governments is considered, it is not unworthy of notice and of com- 
 mendation. Accordingly, when the King of Prussia visited England, a few 
 months ago, to attend the christening ol the young Prince of Wales, our brethren 
 
Sammanj. 61 
 
 thought it becoming to address him on the subject. The following is their ad- 
 dress. Whether las Majesty condescended to make a reply, we are not in. 
 formed. 
 
 " Sire : — On behalf of the Baptist Union of Great Britain and Ireland, (a 
 body representing nearly eight hundred churches of that denomination in this 
 kingdom,) we beg permission to approach your Majesty with our most respect- 
 ful congratulations. More especially we desire to express our high gratification 
 that, on the one hand, your Majesty has been earnestly bent on the advance- 
 ment, within the Prussian dominions, of pure and undefiled religion ; and that, 
 on the other, your Majesty has, in a manner equally benevolent and jusf, pro- 
 moled this end by extending liberty of worship to all rcl'gious professions. In 
 particular, we have felt ouiselves called upon to take this opportunity of declar- 
 ing to your Majesty our heartfelt gratitude for the equitable and parental regard 
 which your Majesty has shown to the congregation of Baptists recently estab- 
 lished in the city of Berlin, under the care of the Rev. G. W. Lubmanu, who 
 Avas ordained to the pastoral office in the midst of us, and whom we most cor- 
 dially acknowledge as a fellow-laborer in the gospel. We have the greatest 
 happiness in believing that, should other Baptist congregations arise within the 
 kingdom of Prussia, the King will extend to them, in common with all diversities 
 of religious worship, that equal protection which will foster a spirit of concord 
 among your Majesty's subjects, and cement the affections of an entire people on 
 your Majesty's person and rule. 
 
 May the stable peace and prosperity of your Majesty's dominions, and the 
 conspicuous happiness and loyalty of your Majesty's subjects, reward your en- 
 lightened and beneficent course, and recommend to other sovereigns your illus- 
 trious example. And may Almighty God, who has mercifully enabled ]'our 
 Majesiy to confer on the kingdom of Prussia such important benefits, so graci- 
 ously bless your royal person, that your reign may be pre-eminently fruitful of 
 good, and your name be endeared to the present and to future generations." 
 
 Minutes. — Several enquiries have come to hand lately, respecting the minutes 
 of the last meeting of our Convention in this State. In repl3 r , we would ob- 
 serve, that all that we know on this subject is, that they were printed in the 
 Recorder office, and sot ready for distribution, in December last. We think 
 we were told by the Treasurer, bro. A. J. Battle, that he had sent them to 
 Wake Forest College. 
 
 Temperance. — On this subject, also but little intelligence has come to hand 
 since our last. Mr. Carey, the agent, has gone to Baltimore, we understand, 
 with a view of returning again to this State in the course of a few months. So 
 far as we have learned, however, the cause is still advancing. The friends aro 
 still encouraged ; but few relapses take place ; the lists of signers are gradually 
 increasing, and the cause is receivingdaily accessions of popularity and strength. 
 We subjoin the following items from exchange papers: 
 
 The American Temperance Union. — The Fifth Anniversary of the Union 
 
62 Summary* 
 
 was held in the Broadway Tabernacle, New York, on 'Wednesday evening 
 the 4lh inst. In the absence of the President, John H. Cocke, Esq., of Va., 
 the Chair was taken by the Hon. Thxodoiie FriELiNGHursEN, and the meet- 
 ing was opened with prayer by the Rev. Dr. Cox. 
 
 The meeting was one of the largest ever held in the Tabernacle. Every part 
 of it was crowded at an early hour. The report was read by the Rev. John 
 Marsh, Secretary. The facts presented are most encouraging. The number 
 of pledges to total abstinence principles received since the meeting of the Con- 
 vention at Saratoga,«on the 5th of July last, is over 500,000. Of these, 30,000 
 are from Kentucky, 60,000 from Ohio — 200,000 in the whole West. There, 
 every seventh man who has signed the 'ledge is a reformed drunkard — every 
 fourth a reformed drinker. In New York city there have been 16,000 Wash- 
 ingtonians— in Philadelphia, 20,000. The number of reformed drunkards in 
 the United States is estimated at 50,000, and it is found that they generally 
 keep the pledge. — The Congressional Temperance Society numbers 80 mem- 
 bers. 
 
 The President introduced the Hon. Mr. Marshall of Kentucky, who addressed 
 the meeting in a speech of great eloquence, and with the happiest effect. The 
 Journal of Commerce says — 
 
 " This gentleman electrified the audience, during more than an hour, with 
 one of the most brilliant addresses it has been our fortune to hear on this sub- 
 ject, relieved by frequent sallies of humor. Room would fail to do justice to 
 this speech, which, was listened to, till the close, with the deepest attention, by 
 the audience." 
 
 Temperance in Aiken, S. C. — A great Temperance Reform is going on in 
 Aiken. Already 100 persons have signed the pledge, among whom are some 
 " hard cases ;" of this number 74 are males, and 26 females. But few intem- 
 perate drinkers are now in the place — solitary and alone, they hang out as signs 
 to warn the careless of danger. Wc are pleased to see our neighbor taking such 
 an honorable and worthy stand. Her position and attraction require this move, 
 and we now say, " all hail !" — Hamburgh Journal. 
 
 The Washington Temperance Society in this town now numbers about 450 
 members. Its meetings are held every Friday night, and although they have 
 not lately had that numerous attendance which characterized them at the for- 
 mation of the Society, yet they have been generally of a highly interesting na- 
 ture, and not one has taken place but more or less have signed the pledge ; 
 which is an evidence that the good work is steadily on the increase — Wilmizig~ 
 {•on Chronicle. 
 
 Home Missions. — Our information on this head, at present, happens to be 
 very limited. Our convention, at its last session, we have understood, owing 
 %t a want of fund?, made no appointment of missionaries for the current vear, 
 
Summary. 63 
 
 Of course, we have no reports, and therefore no intelligence from this depart- 
 ment. We have been toltl that several brethren present volunteered a consi- 
 derable amount of gratuitous service, but whether any thing of moment has 
 been accomplished, we have not been informed. Frum the fact that we have 
 heard nothing, we presume that but little has been done. 
 
 From other sources also we have learned but little. The papers on this sub- 
 ject, for a few weeks past, have been unusually barren. 
 
 A Proposition.— To a person really desirous to see the denomination, in 
 this State, furnished with a useful periodical, and who, at the same time, pro- 
 perly appreciates the value of such periodical himself, we are sure that the dif- 
 ference of a dollar or two in the cost can be no object. Still, however, it is our 
 wish, and our purpose, to furnish our subscribers with as much reading matter 
 as we possibly can for the amount of compensation they pay. We therefore 
 respectfully submit the following proposition: On the condition that our sub- 
 scription list shall be raised to 1000 paying subscribers, we hereby engage to 
 increase the number of our pages from thirty-two to forty-eight; and should our 
 list be raised to 1500, we engage to increase the number of pages to sixly-four 
 — that is, to double the number now furnished — without raising the price. 
 It is therefore submitted to the denomination to say, whether we shall have a 
 large and cheap paper, or a small and dear one. As the friends of the cause 
 are personally interested in this matter, it is hoped that they will give the sub- 
 ject their early and efficient attention. ' . Editor. 
 
 Coiihespondexts, — We have as yet received no communications, either fo? 
 insertion, or by way of imparting intelligence. Our pages are, therefore, neces- 
 sarily destituie of that sort of local matter which is peculiarly calculated to giva 
 litem interest, and which nothing but a liberal correspondence can supply. We 
 trust, however, that, in a few weeks, the tide will begin to set in, after which; 
 we presume, we shall have no lack of information. 
 
 Corrections. — In copying the title page of the Inaugural Discourse, in our 
 last number, the name of the author, Prof. J. L. Reynolds, was inadvertently 
 omitted — which omission the reader will please supply. Also, on page 8, in 
 the first sentence of the article entitled " A Christian Church," the words to call, 
 were omitted. The sentence should read thus: "The original Greek term, 
 corresponding to the word church, is composed of two expressions, which, when 
 taken together, signify to call from, or out of," &c. In addition to the above, 
 we observe some two or three verbal errors ; but none of much consequence, if 
 we except a misprint on the first page of the cover, which occurred in part of 
 the impression before it was discovered, respecting the postage. The line shoufcV 
 read thus: " Postage, under 100 miles, 3 cents,- over 100 miles, 5 cents'' 
 
 ** 
 
81 Obituary* 
 
 We forgot to state in our last number, as we intended, that, as a matter of 
 course, we shall send the Repository to such of our subscribers as may have 
 overpaid for the Recorder. They can, if they choose, take the present paper 
 until they shall be refunded ; or, if they shall prefer it, the money shall be sub- 
 ject to their order. 
 
 
 OBITUARY. 
 
 Died, at his residence in Pasquotank county, on the 19th ult,, in the 43rd 
 year of his age, Edward E. Wilson, a highly esteemed member of the Salem 
 (Baptist) church. Brother Wilson was considered, by those who knew him 
 best, an uncommonly good man. He was not only an excellent husband, pa- 
 rent, and master ; an exemplary christian professor ; a zealous patroniser of be- 
 nevolent efforts of every kind ; and a faithful and efficient officer of the church, 
 of which he was deacon for several years : but he possessed those qualities of 
 heart, which are but rarely combined, which need only to be known to be had 
 in universal esteem, and which entitle the possessor, in an eminent degree, to 
 the appellation of a good man. Beyond a doubt, he has gone to receivo his re- 
 ward. He has left a wife and two little children to mourn their irreparable loss. 
 The church, also, of which he was a member, sustained by his removal a severa 
 bereavement. The editor of this paper, too, in the death of brother Wilson, has 
 lost a warm personal friend, whose acquaintance he has enjoyed for a number 
 of years, and at the announcement of whose decease, he felt the anguish of un- 
 feigned regret. 
 
 Also, in Edcnton, on the 2'6th April, Mrfs. !Waui Brooks, daughter of the 
 lite James Gorham, Esq,, of that place, and the wife of the Rev. Josiah H. 
 Brooks, formerly of Chatham county. Mrs. B. had been married scarcely a 
 year, was in about the 10th year other age, was buoyant with the hope of life, 
 and was spending a few weeks with her friends at Edenton, when she was su3* 
 denly arrested by death. Though her summons was sudden, we arc informed 
 it was met with composure and resignation, And though not a professor of' 
 religion, such was the pious tenor of her life, and such the tranquil bearing of 
 her last-moments, as to inspire her friends with a strong hope in her death. 
 She has left a husband, an infant daughter, a widowed mother, and a large 
 circle of friends, to mourn her early removal. We saw her but a few weeks be- 
 fore her decease, and her cheerful aspect, her -agreeable manners, and her num- 
 erous !-:nd attentions, viewed in connexion with her subsequent death, have 
 left a deep and melancholy impression on our heart. Alas! how fickle are all 
 human hopes — how fading all earthly prospects — how frail and evanescent all 
 sublunary good ! To day, all is health, cheerfulness, and joy — to-morrow, the 
 dark mantle of bereavement and mourning overshadows us !