"After a contest of nine years more, against er-erect houses of worship, and organize churches, ror and misrepresentation, it was found that another which have held up the light of divine truth amidst nouse, for the pure worship of God, was necessary; surrounding error, in Medford, Waltham, Cohasand the Lord inclined a pious man, now almost ripe sat, Concord, Walpole, Bridgewater, Cambridgefor heaven [since dead] to erect a meeting-house in port, Brighton, and several other places in this part Essex-street. In the meantime, the Old South of the commonwealth. church was favored with the faithful labors of Mr. "Since 1804, when those eight brethren assemHuntington, first as a colleague, afterwards as suc-bled to inquire what the Lord would have them do, cessor to Dr. Eckley. That church was increased and had not strength of faith enough to pray togein numbers, and in its attachment to the true gos,ther, behold, what God hath wrought! 'Not unto us, pel; and in the year 1822, a delegation of ten not unto us, but unto his great name, be all the brethren was sent by Old South and Park-street glory, for ever.' churches, to strengthen the feeble church in Essexstreet, now called Union Church.

'It should also be mentioned, as matter of praise and gratitude to God, that during the period of de"This first attempt at the system of colonizing clension alluded to above, the two Baptist churches churches was approved and blessed by their gra- in this city, with their venerable pastors, Stillman cious Lord. In 1823 and 1824, the Lord poured out and Baldwin, held fast the faith once delivered to his Spirit on the three churches, and a powerful re- the saints, and that they have established additional vival of religion was the means of adding to Park-churches in commodious houses of worship in street Church one hundred and twenty members; to Charles-street, and in Federal-street, and in the the Old South, one hundred and one; and to Essex- adjoining town of Roxbury, and other places. They street, sixty-two; total in Boston, two hundred and have also had considerable additions to their eighty-three. The work also extended to Mr. Fay's churches during the present revival." church in Charlestown, to which sixty-five were added.

"In 1825, a new meeting-house became neces-spread over the state. In many instances where the sary, to accommodate the friends of truth in South Boston, and was accordingly erected, with the aid of brethren in the above named churches; and another church was organized there, which maintains the truth as it is in Jesus.

philosophical mind, fine taste, and eloquent parts, | compromise with the world; and provided, that who shall have been redeemed from these errors, those who respected the outward means of religion, and who shall present the truth, with pious earnest- but who gave no evidence of its renewing power, ness, to the understanding, by the aid of the ima- should be admitted to membership. It prevented gination and affections, to expel this sophistical spi- secession; but it spread worldliness and death over rit from its last hold among the literary and the the whole church, poite of society.

Of its general feebleness, two little incidents may assist you to a confirmed opinion. When this system was in its power and progress, it managed to get the Massachusetts Bible Society under its control. The consequence was, that the orthodox quietly retired, and formed a society for themselves. The original society, in the hands of the Unitarians, actually disposed, last year, of twenty-one Bibles!

The Unitarian Association, which has in trust the general propagation of their system, by preaching, the distribution of tracts, &c. &c., raises annually about 17,000 dollars! "Rich, but inefficient."

If I were giving a historical sketch of the period, it would gratify me to show how minor causes contributed, with this primary cause, to the bad consummation. But is not this sufficient to satisfy you, that the church had treacherously prepared herself for almost any corruption, and perhaps for none so fully as for Unitarianism? It would leave them in their worldliness, while it would not shock their morality; it would preserve to them the form of religion, while it would not trouble them with its power; it would flatter their reason; applaud their virtue; be satisfied with their compliances; explain away their difficulties; and leave them at ease in their possessions and pleasures!

These statements may well be considered to contain a most beneficial lesson for the churches; and surely, at the present time, it is a lesson that cannot be neglected! Let who will seek the benefits of a State establishment; but let all who would have a wise regard to the interests of true piety, and the nature of the kingdom of heaven, decline them with settled and calm determination.*

LETTER XXXIV.

Having given the facts of this case, let us look into its philosophy. Many have found it extremely difficult to account for this defection; and some have appealed to it as a practical argument against the principles of Independency. After giving the best attention to the case, I am disposed to refer it chiefly to two causes. First, the increasing wealth and consequent worldliness of the people inclined them to it. Their fathers were truly pious; but the children, though brought up strictly, were coming under the influence of worldly prosperity, and were mostly strangers to the regenerating power of religion. MY DEAR FRIEND-I must now, with brevity, make They had a dislike to the strict and mortifying some final references, under the head of Denominaclaims of a regenerated ministry, and yet they tions. The Baptist is a large and thriving commucould not persuade themselves to abandon those nity. It reckons to have 3,397 clergy; 5,345 forms of religion in which they had been rigidly churches; 325,461 communicants; and this, exclueducated. They sought a medium between infi-sive of the Freewill Baptists, the Seventh-day Bapdelity and vital religion. Unitarianism offered one, and it succeeded. The worldly, if they have any, must have a worldly religion.

tists, and the Six Principle Baptists. Its great strength lies in the West and South; and the number of its members is greatly swelled by the large In the next place, it is most certain, that this evil accessions made from the slaves; while that of the arose principally from having made Congregation- ministers is increased by the easy terms on which alism an established and State religion. What the the ministry may be entered. Indeed, in many Puritans did, they did most piously indeed, but not parts, the line of separation between what is cleriwisely. They were suffering for conscience' sake; cal and what is laical is faint indeed. Ignorance yet they did not understand the rights of con- is the patron of ignorance; the people have been science, nor the genius of the New Testament.-there, as they were extensively here, jealous of a The lust of power is so deeply rooted in the hearts learned and well trained ministry; and antinomiof men, that these, perhaps, are among the last anism, which favors ignorance, and is favored by claims of our holy religion to be comprehended and it, has infected a considerable portion of the body. exemplified. They resolved on the establishment They want exceedingly an enlightened ministry, of that religion for which they suffered all things, and they were beginning to awake to this necessity. to the exclusion of every other form of faith and They want also a sound exhibition of the whole discipline. It was made " The Standing Order;" truth, lest, in relaxing from antinomian opinion, it was illustrated by creeds and confessions; and it where it has prevailed, they should fall back into was protected by Test and Corporation Acts, with the opposite extreme. Mainly this body is sound; penal sanctions. It was thus, in their judgment, and has continued sound, while others, have been placed above the reach of accident, and the corrup- corrupted; but it has never passed the ordeal of tion of time. This, however, was poor short-sight state patronage and endowment. It has contributed edness. The very means they had devised for its most honorably its share in overtaking the wants support were the means that humbled it to the dust. of an empire, which has been advancing with a It was provided, that none should dedicate their giant's pace and power. children by baptism, or hold civil offices in the The Methodists are quite as numerous, and are State, except they were in church membership. more efficient. They show a less amount of minisBut, in course of time, many were exceedingly de- ters, but a much larger one of communicants: the one sirous of claiming the religious privilege for their being 2,223, and the other 619,771. Like the Bapchildren, and of seeking the civil distinction for tists, they have a large proportion of slaves in their themselves, who were not at all prepared for fellow-communion; and, like them, they are beginning to ship with a spiritual body. This induced many to take decided measures to secure an educated miadopt a hypocritical profession; while it inclined nistry. They are, in fact, exceedingly like their others, as they derived confidence from numbers, kindred body in our own country, both in their virto complain and resist. The Standing Order, already deteriorated by the action of its own safeguards, found itself in a critical state; and, rather than lose its influence, it proposed the memorable Half-way Covenant. This was, in fact, a sinful

* Of course, these remarks are not meant, in any case, to affect a question of property. I merely seek to express a serious conviction as to the religious efficacy of two systems.

tues and failings. There is a considerable measure | nions, are often slow to do so. There are, however, of ignorance and extravagance in that as there is in this; and they are certainly quite as sectarian. They have their own papers, their own books, their own tracts, their own psalmody, and, I believe I may say, are about to have their own version of the Bible. They depend here, as every where, rather on their method than the talent of their ministry, or the peculiarities of their faith; and this method has wonderful compactness and adaptation to its ends. They are a hive of bees, in which each one has his place, and each one his work to do; and where each, by the movement of all, is constrained to fulfil it; and thus the whole duty of the busy and happy community is completed. The perfect order and unity which reigns at home, prevents the loss of energy by domestic bickerings; and allows them to seek and cull their treasures from the wild and waste world around them. Whatever may have been their failings, they have done more, both in America and Canada, than any other body of Christians, to carry the means of instruction and worship to the most neglected and scattered portions of these regions, and have been most successful in their efforts of Christian philanthropy.

Nothing can be stronger evidence against the sucThey are, I believe, wealthy; and have resources cess of Romanism, than its actual position associatin their people. There are two services, especially, ed with the extraneous assistance afforded to it. which they may render to the churches, and which With hundreds of thousands of dollars to back it, they should consider intrusted to them by Divine it has fallen short in the race with the other denoProvidence. The German settlers in Pennsylva- minations; while they have wanted the unity of nia require to be resuscitated, by decided missionary action which sustained it, and were thrown entirely exertions. The sympathy which the Germans on their native inward resources. Popery cannot would have with their church, and the authority flourish in this land, except every thing proper to it they would have over them, seems to mark this as a should first die out-liberty, conscience, independfield of most important labor, for which they are re-ence, and prejudice. It is not indigenous-it is an markably prepared, and which labor would be eminently blessed. Delegations of the wisest and most pious of their body, to the father land, might contribute most happily to revive the churches in Holland, in their cold and torpid state, and restore them to a true belief in their own faith, and a true practice of their own professions.

Much has been said on the influence and spread Yet the occasion calls for diligence, and a diliof Romanism in this country; and, at the time of gence directed with sagacity as to means and disour visit, great alarm was entertained on the sub-tant results, equal to that of the adversary. If all ject. I must supply you with the means of judg

were to sleep, while the enemy sowed his tares, there might indeed be a most rueful harvest. But It should really seem that the Pope, in the fear here again the Romanists have made a bad choice. of expulsion from Europe, is anxious to find a re- These people are the most wakeful of any known. version in this new world. The crowned heads of They will certainly, when they see the evil, do their the continent, having the same enmity to free po- duty; the only fear is lest they should give the adlitical institutions, which his Holiness has to free versary some advantage by over doing it. Let religious institutions, willingly unite in the attempt them feel that they have to deal with a cautious to enthral this people. They have heard of the ne- foe, and treat him cautiously. They must not be cessities of the West; they have the foresight to see content with a manful onset, such as they have that the West will become the heart of the country, lately made, and expect to demolish at a blow. Let and ultimately determine the character of the whole; them remember that they have to do with a foe, and they have resolved to establish themselves who rests his cause on time and perseverance; there. Large, yea, princely grants have been made whose hand seeks to undermine rather than to from the Leopold Society, and other sources, chiefly, storm; who can smile at a defeat if it put his oppothough by no means exclusively, in favor of this nent off his guard; and who, like the tiger-cat, can portion of the empire that is to be. These sums spring on his prey, when he seems to be moving are expended in erecting showy churches and col-away. It is manifest that success is to be expected

against such a foe, not by an occasional triumph, to see whether the interests of religion really suffer but by a careful observation of his devices, and a by this non-interference. calm indomitable steadiness in resisting them.

You will, perhaps, be disappointed if I dismiss this subject without a reference to the state of Infidelity in this country. You are ready to think it assumes a more determined and evil aspect than with us. But let me ask, can any thing be worse than our Feet-street exhibitions and tracts? I will admit, however, that, though not worse, there is a more general expression of it where it really exists. The people here are altogether under less restraint; and you get the honest opinion quickly. If people profess religion they do it sincerely, and you know it at once, and without shame or reserve; and, for the same reason, if they reject religion, you are advised of it promptly, and without fear.

LETTER XXXV.

MY DEAR FRIEND-I have now to speak of the Religious Economy of the churches. We have noticed the leading differences between the Episcopal church here and in the mother land, already. The agreement between the Presbyterian and Methodist bodies, in the two countries, is so complete as to make discrimination needless. My allusions will, therefore, mostly be to the Congregational churches, when points of discipline are spoken of; while the statements on property and support will apply to all.

The remarks will relate to what is spiritual, or to what is temporal; and my design is not to report a system; but to illustrate the subjects on which there is a difference, leaving those on which we have entire or essential agreement in silence.

But infidelity is not advancing here; it has diminished, and is diminishing. Still, you must understand that it did prevail to an alarming extent. The Revolution brought infidel France into close connection with the people, and the people into a state of strong sympathy with France. Much evil arose, I have, I believe, already described the usual orfrom this cause, to religion; and the leading men der of public worship; it is, in the four principal of the day were seduced, by the sophisms of Vol-denominations, most pleasantly like our own. I taire, Rousseau, and d'Alembert. The Revolution have, nevertheless, something to observe on its manitself, unsettling men's minds, filling them with the ner. The singing, generally, and universally with care of the present, and making an attention to the the Congregationalists, is not congregational. It is means of religion almost impossible, contributed a performance entrusted to a band of singers, more most extensively to the same issue. The settle- or less skilful; and, as such may sometimes afford ment of the war was followed by an unexampled one pleasure, but as an act of worship, it disapcourse of prosperity to America. England was points you greatly; at least, if you have been accuscommitted to renewed and desperate conflict, while tomed to the more excellent way. You have the the carrying trade of the world was slipped into the sense of being a spectator and auditor; not of a hands of the States. This superinduced an extra- participant; and this is destructive of the spirit of vagance of hope, and worldly desire, as fatal, per- devotion. With its best execution, it is not half so haps, as either of the previous causes, to the inte- fine as the concurrent voices of a thousand persons, rests of true and spiritual religion. pouring forth their grateful sentiments in holy psalmody; and, in its lowest estate, it is poor and chilling indeed. A good sermon is often made or marred by the hymn. I fear many a one has been sadly marred by it in New England.

However, that dark and evil day is past. The infidelity of the period which had desolated France, and which threatened, like a wasting flood, to destroy every thing precious in this land and ours, has subsided. Infidelity still exists, and its blas- I recollect, on one occasion, before sermon, that phemous nature is not changed; but it is diminish-beautiful hymn of Watts', "Come, Holy Spirit, ed and crest-fallen. Its stronghold is thought to be Heavenly Dove," &c. was sung. There were some in New York; but what is found here of infidelity seven hundred people present; but the hymn rested bears about the same proportion to New York, as with six or seven persons in the gallery. The last Carlile's shop and the Rotunda do to London. I line of each stanza was left to the female voices. should think, decidedly, that there is not more open, At the line, "And our devotions die," to give the and certainly less covert infidelity in this country than dying notes the more effect, it was left to one voice. in ours. There would be a greater appearance of The young woman kept her breath and diminished this evil in the West, but there would be less in the her tones as long as she could, and then turned East; and the average, I believe is by no means round on her companions and smiled. greater.

certainly," was the cheerful reply. It appeared, however, that there was another party to be consulted. Our wish was conveyed to the singers; and the singers sent their respects, saying, that they' could not sing it, as they were prepared with another piece. The consequence was, that a solemn service was closed, and sadly cooled down, by a performance in which none could join, in which none were meant to join, and in which none cared to join.

On another occasion, which was a special meetThe great sensible benefit to all these denomina- ing of prayer and exhortation for the conversion of tions is, that they are alike unknown to the govern- the world, I inquired of my brethren, uniting with ment. They may have, as we have seen, differ-me in the service, whether we could not close with ences within themselves, and unworthy jealousies the fine doxology, "From all that dwell below the of each other, but these differences are not imbit- skies," &c. and the Old Hundreth tune? "Most tered by political strife. None are liable, on following out the convictions of their conscience towards God, to be thought less loyal to the government than others. None are exalted, and therefore none are abased; none have exclusive privileges, and, therefore, none can complain. The government troubles none, and they bring no trouble to the government. None by patronage are made haughty; and none are made uneasy. All agree to ask no favor, no grant, no tax; and all must be satisfied, while none is given. The government, in this particular, have understood their interests, and keep their engagements most nobly; and, by this means, they have made their yoke light and pleasant; they have taken from their duties half their difficulty, and more than half their responsibility.

In this single view of the case, it must be admitted, that there is great advantage; it remains for us

Much laudable attention is now paid to the psalmody of the churches; and one may hope that it will lead to a preference of congregational singing, as finer in taste, and as essential to an expression of common worship. To be so, it must cease to be professional; for the professors will seek to exclude the people. It must be steadily considered as an act of worship, in which all should unite; and the