derful is it, that so many persons should have united in it; that such persons should have united in it; that they should have acted with so much Christian catholicism; that so many prejudices, which have hitherto been moles, and spots, on the divine aspect of Religion, should have disappeared;, that contributions should have been so extensively, so liberally, so ardently, made; that prayers should have mingled in one strain of supplication from a thousand lands; that the Bible should have traversed the globe with the flight of an Eagle; and that Missionaries should already have proclaimed the tidings of eternal life to the four corners of the earth? The streamlet has already become a river: the river will soon expand into an ocean. Should these efforts cease; should this spirit expire: how many generations of men may pass, before the same mighty advantages will return; before even the attempt may be renewed? "There is a crisis in all human affairs. If seized, it almost ensures success: if lost, every thing is lost with it. Sow in season; and you will reap a rich harvest. Sow out of season; and you will reap nothing. For the great purpose before us the present time is that crisis. Look at these men. GOD summoned them together. Look at their efforts. GoD inspired them. Look at their success. The blessing which created it descended from GoD. The voice of his Providence, powerful and full of Majesty, calls to us, “Go for ward." p. 28. ""The whole world," says St. John, speaking of his own time, "lieth in wick. edness:" lieth, (for such is the indication of the original,) as a man slain lies weltering in his blood. How extensively is this strong picture a portrait of the world at the present moment? Cast your eyes abroad over this great globe, and mark. how vast a portion of its surface is, in the moral sense, an immense field of deaths a place of graves; a catacomb, where souls are buried, to wake no more. Look narrowly. Not a limb moves; not a bosom heaves. Listen. Not a sound trembles on the ear. Life has vanished: and solitude, and silence, brood over this receptacle of departed men. Who would not obey the voice, which commands, "Take ye away the stone from this cave," while the Son of GoD stands before the entrance, ready to call to each of its slumbering inhabitants, "Lazarus come forth?"" pp. 28, 29. "The great duty before us is to rescue men from sin and perdition. All numbers halt; all comprehension, beside that which is infinite, sits down in despair; when the worth of the soul, and the import of its eternal happiness or eternal woe, are to be estimated. Ascend on the wing of thought to the world of life. Station yourselves before the throne of infinite Greatness. Behold there an immortal mind, no longer a rebel against its Maker, no longer an outcast from his kingdom; but a child, an heir of Gov; a joint heir with Jesus Christ to the heavenly inheritance: its sin washed away in the blood of the Lamb: its conflicts ended: its victory achieved: its crown of glory won: and its career of transport commenced, to improve and brighten forever. and Weigh this The third motive is found in "the necessity of this work." From the discussion of this topic, which occupies five pages, concludes the discourse, we were much at a loss which part to select. The first of the following paragraphs closes in a manner so eloquent, so impressive, and so perfectly descriptive of the real state of mankind and of the encouragements to missionary labors, that we have fixed upon it. The second expatiates on the value of a single immortal soul. The third describes the great consummation of successful attempts to save the heathen, and forms the sublime conclusion of this truly admirable discourse. mind, and the blessings treasured up for its enjoyment, with the silver and the gold, the pains and the labors, which you, and all others, may be supposed to contribute for the accomplishment of its salvation: and you will pronounce them all nothing, less than nothing, and vanity. Weigh against such a mind, the world, which we inhabit. Weigh against it the universe, with all its worlds, and suus, and systems: and you will pronounce them, the drop of the bucket, and the small dust of the bal ance." pp. 30, 31. "You are not to rejoice merely in beholding the renovation, virtue, and happiness, of a world. You are not merely to follow in thought a single sanctified spirit, or millions of such spirits to the realms of glory. The day is on the wing in which we, and they, shall hear the voice summoning all who are in their graves to of the Archangel, and the trump of God, come forth. What thoughts will it then awake in the soul; with what emotions will the bosom heave; when the eye looks round upon the divine assembly of perfect minds, re-united to bodies, raised in incorruption, power, and glory; to be conscious, that even one immortal being has been rescued from the second death, and placed in the possession of endless life. How will the heart labor; how will the soul expand with vast conceptions; when it beholds, not one, but hundreds, thousands, millions, led by the efforts of ourselves, and our contemporaries, from the east, and the west, from the north and the south, to the right hand, of the Judge; and acknowledged before the universe as his friends and followers, And O, my brethren, with what ecstacy shall we accompany them to Heaven; seat ourselves by their side; learn from them the story of their salvation; and hear, pronounced by their own lips with a gratitude, which will increase forever, "The glory of this delightful world, the blessings of this immortal life, we owe first to GoD, and next to you?" Unto Him, that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood; and hath made us kings, and priests, unto Gon, even his Father: to him be glory, and dominion, forever and ever! AMEN? pp. 32, 33. We hope our readers will not be satisfied with the foregoing extracts, copious as they are, but will procure the sermon for themselves. We can assure them, that a perusal more than once repeated has not diminished our admiration of it, as a splendid piece of composition, or as a just and forcible appeal to Christians in favor of the missionary cause. L. A reformation of morals practicable and indispensable: A sermon delivered at New Haven, on the evening of Oct. 27, 1812. By LrMAN BEECHER, Pastor of the First Church in Litchfield, (Conn.) New Hav en. 1812. Constitution of the Massachusetts Society for the Suppression of the Board of Counsel prepared for the anniversary of the So. ciety, May, 28, 1813. Connecticut Society for the Promotion of Good Morals. Formed in Hartford, May 19, 1813. THE events of the last quarter of a century, and the signs of the present times, are without a parallel, in the history of the world. Since the commencement of this period, the wheels of Providence have rolled on with unexampled rapidity, shaking terribly the earth in their progress, and threatening still deeper and more awful concussions, than have yet been experienced. Within this period, the fountains of the great moral deep have been broken up, and an overwhelming flood of infidelity has desolated some of the fairest portions of the globe. Within this memorable period, every thing, almost, has been great. The devil has come down with great wrath.* Under his dark banner, the beast and the false prophet have mustered a mighty host, for the subversion of all existing governments and the destruction of Christianity. The wicked, every where, have been giants in wickedness, and in many instances giants in power. While they have walked triumphantly through the earth, they have blasphemously set their mouth against the heavens,t and madly attempted to overthrow the pillars, that support the throne of Omnipotence. Military operations have been conducted on a tremendous scale, and the storm of war has again and again, swept over nearly the whole continent of Europe, with a fury and rapidity wholly unknown and unthought of before. Veteran armies have been destroyed and kingdoms conquered, almost in a day. What are now called mere affairs of outposts would formerly have been considered as great battles. The customary marches of the modern Sennacherib through populous and warlike nations in arms against him, have been such as Hannibal and Cæsar would have deemed it madness to attempt. The Just of dominion has increased with its extension; and the flames of war, which had already consumed nearly every thing valuable throughout a large part of the old world, have rapidly extended, till the two great continents of Europe and America are wrapt in one mighty blaze. But we bless God, that in wrath he has remembered mercy: that there is a bright, as well as a dark side to the cloud, that now hangs over the earth. If the enemy has been coming in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord has lifted up a standard against him. If infidelity has put forth a rank and noxious vegetation, the servants of the Most High have been strengthened to mow it down. If the earth has produced Philistines, the Lord has raised up Samsons to crush them or put them to flight. If the armies of the living God have been defied by a succession of Goliahs, there have not been wanting Davids to meet them with the sling and the stone. If great efforts have been made to destroy the Church, great and successful VOL. IX. efforts have also been made to lengthen her cords and strengthen her stakes. If the prince of darkness has put forth all his strength, the Lord has shown himself stronger than he. If the apostles of infidelity and error have been unusually numerous and zealous, so have been the heralds of the cross. If the furnace of Babylon has been heated seven times hotter than usual, the servants of Jehovah have been seen walking untouched in the flame. If evil men and seducers have been multiplying and waxing worse and worse, the disciples of Christ, we doubt not, have, at the same time, been increasing in numbers and in graces. If the Bible has been attacked with unheard of virulence and blasphemies, it has been defended with unexampled ability and complete success. If, in fine, the dragon has poured forth a flood out of his mouth after the woman, the earth has helped her by swallow ing it up; and, in the mean time, the holy waters from the Sanctuary have begun to flow, in gentle, increasing and fertilizing streams, through the desolate regions of paganism. Yes, (O cheering thought,) God is according to ancient premise building the walls of Zion in troublous times. It is within the short, but momentous period, which we have been contemplating, that HUNDREDS of Bible Societies, and almost all the missionary societies now in existence, have been formed. It is within this period, that Christians of various denominations, in Europe, Asia, and America, have brought their free-will offerings to God, for the promo 47 tion of his cause, with a zeal, and largeness of heart never equalled since the days of the Apostles. And it is within this period, more especially the latter part of it, that efforts to do good, whether on a large scale or a small one, whether at home or abroad, have been eminently crowned with the Divine blessing. Perhaps some of our readers may be ready to think, that in the preceding remarks, we have lost sight of the sermon and the socicties, which are placed at the head of this article. We can assure such, (if such there are,) that though our eye may seem to have wandered, we have steadily kept in view the point at which we aimed, when we sat out. The infant societies of Massachusetts and Connecticut for promoting good morals, are not, indeed, such firm and lofty pillars, in the spiritual temple which God is now building on earth, as are the British and Foreign Bible Society, the great English missionary societies, and many other similar, institutions. But we certainly regard their formation as among the auspicious events of the present day, and indulge the pleasing hope, that under the smiles and guidance of a gracious Providence, they will speedily attain to the vigor and strength of manhood, and bear a distinguish ed part, in bringing about a gen-, eral and thorough reformationthat they will stand as sentinels before the Ark of God; and waxing strong in the Lord and in the power of his might, will do exploits. Mr. Beecher's sermon first claims our attention, as it was preached antecedently to the or ganization of the above named societies,and with the avowed object of pointing out the instant necessity of vigorous and united efforts, on the part of all the wise and good, for the preservation of our moral and religious institutions. The discourse is characterized by perspicuity, plainness and good sense. We regard it as a handsome specimen of clear, strong thinking, and good writing. The sentences are gener ally short, simple and pointed. The style is every where manly, often distinguished by a nervous conciseness, sometimes boldly figurative, and towards the close marked by a good degree of genuine pathos The thoughts, for the most part, are quasi familiar; i. e such as, when suggested, make us wonder why they never struck us just so before. The divisions are natural, and the various illustrations striking. Mr. Beecher comes, like a man of business and skill, directly to the point. He "speaks right on." He is too ardent in the pursuit of his object, to turn aside after flowers, or even to gather them, when they come in his way. If he was ever troubled with the temptation, which so easily besets many wri ters, to sacrifice strength to smoothness, and sense to sound,' he has evidently triumphed over it. Not that he appears to be an enemy to all ornament, or to despise the use of the file. For if his periods are sometimes abrupt, they are often well turned, and never obscure If the bones and sinews and muscles are in some places rather too visible, in others they are handsomely, if not elegantly, covered. If his figures are not invariably supported throughout to the full satisfaction of a mere critic, they are judiciously chosen, and pertineatly introduced. But it is time to give our readers an opportunity to judge of the discourse for themselves, so far as we can do it, by presenting them with a brief analysis, and a few extracts. The text is found in Ez. xxxiii, 10. There fore, O thou son of man, speak unto the house of Israel, Thus ye speak, saying, if our transgres sions and our sins be upon us, and we pine away in them, how should we then live. Mr. Beechcr's doctrine from these words is, "That a work of reformation, in a time of great moral declension, is a difficult, but by no means an impracticable work." To illustrate and enforce this doctrine he proposes, I. To consider some of the difficulties, which may be expected to impede such a work, II. To show, that it is, notwithstanding, entirely practica ble. III. To consider some of the ways in which it may be successfully attempted: And IV. The motives to immediate exertion. The difficulties which the preacher anticipates, are such as result from the number and character of those who must be affected by such a work; particularly, from the selfish who thrive on the vices of othersfrom those whose friends are immoral-from the the timid, falsely called peace-makersfrom the indolent-from those who are too much absorbed in their own concerns to think of the public weal-from the slaves of popularity-from the unmanly dejection of some, and the unwarrantable expectations of others, that Providence will interpose to save us, without the use of means-from the cry of innovation, on the part of some, and of no danger, on the part of others. (To be continued.) RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE, HAMPDEN BIBLE SOCIETY. In conformity to an intimation in p. 330 of our work, we now publish the address of this Society. We have observed, that papers of this kind receive from the wise and reflecting peculiar consideration. They ought to receive it, as they are composed with deliberation, by men of experience, who have a benevolent regard to the best interests of the comED. munity, and of mankind. To Christians of every denomination. THE object of this address is to call your attention to a general, and as far as it is possible, a universal distribution of the Holy Scriptures among all classes of aitizens. Very much has been done in every part of the world by societies formed in Great Britain for this purpose. In almost every part of the United States associations have been formed to accomplish this object; but much more yet remains to be done. We presume you cannot be ignorant of the unrivalled exertions made by the British and Foreign Bible Society, and of the very extensive success which has attended them. This society was first formed in the year 1804, and it appears by their last annual report, that in the last year they expended more than $146,000;* During the year which ended with last April, that Society and other Bible Societies in Great Britain and Ireland expended about $400,000. ED, |