Columbia fflnibersiitp in tfje Citp of i^eto ^orfe LIBRARY GIVEN BY S> oei"c?H-y ?a:ried brJ'-B^'iDorf Kn^ bT-XDoney.iry fi/rt c^^^e^A-rr^ THE WRITINGS OF THE LATE ELDER JOHN LELAND, INCLUDING SOME EVENTS m HIS LIFE, WRITTEN BY HIMSELF, WITH ADDITIONAL SKETCHES,&c. MISS L R GREENE, LANESBORO, MASS NEW YORK: PRINTED BV G. W. WOOD, 29 GOLD-STREET. 18 45. tUci^^ 14'^izMri^^fM 0( Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1846, By Miss L. F. Greene, In the Clerk's office of the District Court of the United States for the Southern District of New York. PREFACE The candid reader is earnestly requested, before entering upon the perusal of the following pages, to follow the compiler through a short preface. It was at the suggestion of one of Mr. Leland's family that 1 first thought of attempting this work ; and after her removal by death, it was with the subsequent encouragement and approbation of others, that 1 continued to pursue it. When first proposed to me, 1 viewed it as an impossibility, both on account of my inadequacy, and of the little leisure aflbrded me by a vocation which involved arduous labors and anxious cares ; but an ardent desire to see the wcrk accomplished, and the uncertainty that it would be attempted by an abler hand, together with the consideration that time was continually thinning the number of those who could furnish accurate information, or correct unavoidable mistakes, at length determined me to make the trial. Had I then foreseen, that, by the death of some, and the removal of others, I should be deprived of the aid on which I mainly depended, and left to complete the task alone, I should have yielded entirely to the sense of incompetency which, even wilh the prospect of such assistance, scarcely permitted me to hope for success. It is not, therefore, as a mere matter of form, but with a painful consciousness of the imperfect manner in which the work has been executed, and of the disappoint- ment which many will probably feel on seeing it, that I mention the circumstances under which it was commenced, and some of the embarrassments that have attended its progress and completion. Viewed as a literary performance, I am happy to feel assured, that, so far as my own share in it is concerned, it is beneath the notice of criticism ; on that point, therefore, I am free from solicitude. Circumstances have rendered the task a much more arduous one than I at first anticipated. These circumstances were so unexpected to me, that I should have supposed their occurrence, in this instance, singular, had I not met with the fol- lowing passage, in a book of similar kind, published many years ago, which des- cribes so nearly my own difficulties, that 1 cannot forbear transcribing it. " Vari- ous causes have contributed to create the delay which has attended the publication of the book. It was with considerable difficulty that I collected the materials necessary for my purpose. I had imagined, from the general impression which prevailed, at least, among" (Mr. L.'s) " friends, of the propriety of such a publica- tion, that information would have been spontaneously offered, from every quarter whence it might be furnished. But in this I was disappointed ; and it was some considerable time from the annunciation of my design, before I was sufficiently supplied to commence, with any degree of prudence, the composition of the volume. In addition to this, the laborious duties of my charge, conspired often to suspend the prosecution of the work, for the appearance of which, I knew many to be anxious, but none more so than myself." Several important works it has been impossible to obtain, and I have, therefore, though with deep regret, been com- pelled to omit them. Whether they are entirely out of print, or whether the notices calling for them, have not been seen by those who possess them, or from some cause they were not disposed to furnish them for publication, it is in vain to inquire. Such, however, is the fact. And here I would present my sincere and heartfelt thanks to those kind friends, in various parts of the Union, who have interested themselves in procuring such materials as I have needed, and would assure them, that their efforts, though many of them may have been unsuccessful, shall ever be remembered with gratitude. In one or two instances, writings have been forwarded, supposed by the friends who sent them to be those of Leland, which proved to have been from some other pen ; but my thanks'are equally due to those friends for their |romptness in offering the aid I needed, though their kindness wa^, by that mistake, rendered unavailing. 4 PREFACE. % The object proposed in this work, is a full and correct exhibition of the character and sentiments of John Leland. Every thing, therefore, that seemed calculated to throw additional light on these, or without which the exhibition of them would have been imperfect, has been inserted. Some pieces have been omitted wholly, and others in part, to prevent the unnecessary repetition of the same ideas ; and this has been done, in most cases, except where those ideas are so connected with others, or so brought to bear upon different subjects, that they could not be discon- nected without doing violence to the author's evident meaning. In some of his poetical efforts, Mr. Leland evidently falls below himself. While some of his hymns are equal in poetical merit, as well as in spirituality and devo- tion, to most of those in general use, there are other pieces which are manifestly deficient in the former of these qualities. In such cases, they are inserted, not because of their poetical merit, but for other reasons which their deficiency, in this respect, could not set aside. It is well known that his sentiments, on some subjects, differed from those enter- tained by many of his brethren at the present day. Individuals have, therefore, sometimes attempted to explain his ideas in such a way as to make them harmon- ize with their own \'iews ; in some instances, entirely destroying, by their expo- sition, the force of his own words. This I have had opportunity of knowing, was extremely annoying to him. He has frequently been heard to express the wish that his own language might be permitted to speak for itself, and to express, as he intended it to do, the honest convictions of his own mind. This being known to be his feeling on the subject, it is hoped that if ever any of his writings are re- published, his wishes may be regarded as sacred. His opinions can be by no one better expressed than by himself, and his life is their best comment. The order followed in the arrangement of most of the works is that of the time (as nearly as can be ascertained) when they were written or published. This will enable the reader to trace the workings of his mind, and to discover whatever changes took place in his views from time to time. A number of pieces will, perhaps, appear to those acquainted with them, some- what changed. It may be proper to mention, in regard to such, that there being several copies differing from erch other, I have taken the liberty, in some cases, to put the parts together, and in others to select the one that appeared to me the best. I will only add that the delay in the appearance of the work, since its prepara- tion for the press has been completed, (a period of more than a year,) has been occasioned entirely by the want of a sufficient number of subscriptions to defray the expenses of publication. NOTE. It having been thought advisable, by those who executed the following work, to throw it into smaller type than was at first contemplated, the number of pages falls considerably short of the original estimate, though the same amount of mat- ter is contained. It was deemed most expedient, under the circumstances, to include the whole in one volume ; but it is presumed the consequent reduction in the price, together with the superior style of binding in which it now appears, wiU render it equally satisfactory and acceptable to subscribers. With great reluctance the compiler was obliged to forego the personal exami- nation of the proof-sheets, which could not bedone without occasioning great delay in the issuing of the work. A number of errors of considerable importance re- main uncorrected except in the errata, which the reader is desired to consult. Other inaccuracies in orthography, punctuation, etc., may be observed ; but those which it was supposed the reader would easily understand ai^ correct for him- self, are not noticed in the errata. CONTENTS 1. 1 2- ' 3. 4. 6. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. v^ 25. Preface, Some events in the Life, &c. Further Sketches, &c. The History of Jack Nips, The Bible Baptist, The Virginia Chronicle, The First Rise of Sin, Letter of Valediction on Leaving Virginia, The Rights of Conscience Inalienable, &,c. The Modern Priest, Circular Letter of the Shaftsbury Association, 1793, A Sermon preached at the Funeral of Mrs. Northrop, The Yankee Spy, .... Corresponding letter of the Shaftsbury Association, 1796 A Blow at the Root, An Oration delivered at Cheshire, July 5, 1802, Corresponding Letter of the Shaftsbury Association, 1803 The Government of Christ, a Christocracy, An Elective Judiciary, «Sz,c., Sermon preached at Ankram, Dutchess Co., N. Y., at the Rev. Luman Birch, Lines on the Death of Rev. Lemuel Covell, Experience, .... Biographical Sketch of Rev. Peter Werden, Ten Hymns, viz : The day is past and gone. Wandering pilgrims, mourning Christians, Now the Saviour stands a pleading, Blessed be God for all. Come and taste along with me. How arduous is the preacher's fight Brethren, I have come once more. Think, O my soul, the dreadful day. Christians, if your hearts be warm, I set myself against the Lord, A Budget of Scraps, viz : A Man must have Sense to judge of Sense, A ILittle Cake first, M'..av Men of many Minds, The Bible, The Long Island Indian, . Jemima Wilkinson and the Indian, One thing leads on to another. Dialogue between Philo and Jubal, Self-excuse, Ordination of 330 332 335 336 338 339 340 343 346 CONTENTS. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39. 40. 41. 42. 43. 44. 45. 46. 47. 48. 49. 60. 61. 62. 53. 54. 56. Labecula, or Little Spot, .... The Returning Penitent, . ... Prayer better than Law-suits, He that dwells in a Glass House, must not cast Stones at A Little Good Thing, .... Old They, Exposed, .... The Genealogy of Christ, &c., Speech in the Massachusetts House of Representatives, A Short Narrative of a Five hours Conflict, Address to the Association of the Sons of Liberty, Syllabus of a Sermon preached at Philadelphia, April 17, The Jarring Interests of Heaven reconciled-, &c., Miscellaneous Essays, &c., viz: Which is Best, the Hypocrite or the Clown ? Extracts from a Little sermon, sixteen minutes long, Facts and Questions, Lines on the Death of Rev. John Waller Republicanism the Best Government, &c, Age and Egotism, Hawk and Buzzard, A Thought on Systems, No Holy Orders, but Good Ministers, -Old Pigs want Teats, as well as the Young, Nimrod, Moses, Christ, and the United States, Faith, ..... Saddle-bags Journal, Old Mr. Well's You Can, Antediluvian and Patriarchal, The Parchment. An Allegory, Superficial Thoughts on Angels, On Sabbatical Laws, Broken Leg, .... Catechism, .... Free Thoughts on War, A Ray for the Sun, Missionary Societies. Letter from Palestine, Short Essays on Government, etc.. Appendix to a Pamphlet by Rev. Justus Hull, King's Evil and Priestcraft, Extract of a Letter to an Inquisitive Friend, Short Reflections, . . Address Delivered at Pittsfield, July 5, 1824, From a Charge to a Candidate at his Ordination, Short Remark on Creeds, Extract from a Manuscript read in Connexion with on his Seventieth Birthday, Part of a Speech delivered at Suffield, Conn., Letter to Mrs. Peatross, Extract from a Letter to a Friend, Thoughts, .... Extracts from " Leland Again," Address at Pittsfield, January 8, 1829, Address at the Dedication of the Baptist Meeting Facts and Questions, Extract of a Letter to Col. R. M. Johnson, Transportation of the Mail, Extract of a Letter to Hon. R. M. Johnson, Ljetter to the Editor of the Baptist Chronicle, Others, 1814 a Sermon preached house, Lanesboro. CONTENTS. i 56 t 67 / 68 / 69 / 60 > 61. « 62. 1 63 « 64 ♦ 65 • 66 '• 67 ^ 68 » 69 « » < 70. ■» 71. 72. 73. 74. « 75. 76. 77 K 78. 1 79. 80. 81. 82. 83. Short Sayings, etc., The Result of Observation, Oaths, ..... Extract of a Letter to Rev. John Taylor, Address at Dalton, Mass., January 8, 1831, Letter to Rev. O. B. Brown, Address at North Adams, March 4, 1831, Letter to Thomas Buck, Esq., Va., Address at South Adams, July 4, 1832, Anonymously to Elder James Whitsitt, Address at Cheshire, January 8, 1833, Address at Westfield, March 4, 1833, Dialogue, .... Letter to Thomas Bingham, Esq., Lines Occasioned by the Death of Laura Whitmarsh, Do. do. do. Emeline Whitmarsh, Do. do. do. Rev. Justus Hull, Letter to Hon. R. M. Johnson, Address at Cheshire, August 28, 1834, Letter, ..... Piece Written for his Daughter, I also will sh|w my Opinion, Communication to Signs of the Times, Do. Free Thoughts on Times and Things, Letter to Hon. G. N. Briggs, ... Of Ministerial Duties, .... Advertisement. Great Reward Offered, How long, dear Saviour, O how long, (hymn) How solemn the sight we behold, do. If grace could reach the dying thief, do. Jesus, who reigns in Heaven above, do. The Bible, The Sabbath Examined, Extract from Address at Bennington, August 16, 1839, Posthumous and Miscellaneous, viz., Oaths, -...-. Appeal to the Deist, etc., ... Truth, Do., A Short Comment on 2 Cor. i., 17-20, The Kingdom of Me, .... " Beloved, believe not every Spirit," etc., Sketch of A, B, and C, ... The Book of Job, .... " The Prophet that hath a Dream," etc.. Do., ...... Attending Angels long have waited. Church Contracts, etc., Theomachy, ..... A Huddle of Thoughts, Borrowed Ideas, etc., .... Acrostic. ..... Do., When the Saviour, all-triumphant, When God revealed his grand design. When the Almighty forms the souls above. Thus saith the eternal God. Page 672 583 597 600 603 •608 611 616 618 624 628 633 639 642 644 646 647 648 661 667 659 662 666 671 675 677 680 682 683 683 683 686 688 697 700 701 702 702 703 704 706 706 706 709 710 711 712 712 714 717 718 718 718 719 720 721 8 CONTENTS. Page. Short and unconnected sentences, .... 723 <# " Come," said Moses, " and go with us," - - . 742 » Not much can be expected, - - . . . 743 ■** Must I forever spend my years, .... 744 ^