religion, and religious opinions, in New-England, during the early part of the last century.

A professorship of divinity was founded in Harvard college, by a donation from Mr. Thomas Hollis, in honour of whom it has been styled the Hollis professorship. Mr. Hollis, aided by Dr. Coleman, was extremely minute in forming regulations, by which no one except an orthodox divine, one entirely of the Calvinistic creed, should be admitted to fill the divinity chair. Those intelligent Christians, no doubt, even at that early date, saw symptoms of decline in the churches of New-England, which induced them to place many guards around the important chair, which they were erecting in the college. For as early as 1732, we find the errors of Arminius were finding their way into Yale college, a sister institution. In a letter to Mr. Adams, of NewLondon, in Connecticut, dated December 2d, of that year, Dr. Coleman thus expresses himself:-"Give me leave to add one word more concerning the bruit of the prevalence of Arminianism in the college," (of New-Haven). "I am told that you were yourself in much apprehensions, and fears on that head, that you enquired earnestly of your son concerning it; and that the deceased, aged Mr. Woodbridge, of Hartford, a little before his death, was under great concern on that account. It would be acceptable to some friends here, if you would freely write upon that head; more especially if you can vindicate the college from the aspersion. They hope and believe the reverend trustees and rector, have made a faithful enquiry into that matter." Here we discover, that at least a report had spread abroad, that Arminian principles had found their way into the fountains of learning in NewEngland, and that Dr. Coleman, whose reputation was very high, and who maintained the principles then generally prevalent among the New-England clergy, and other pious men of distinction, considered the report one of a very formidable character, and would have thought it a most alarming evil, had it been true, as no doubt, it was.

The particular tenet of the Arminian school in this ancient seminary is not mentioned; but as the doctrine of ge

neral atonement not long after began to prevail among the New-England clergy, it is probable this was the first Arminian principle which was taught in New-England. This is still rendered more probable, as about forty years before this time, a very large body of the reformed clergy of France, after the revocation of the edict of Nantz, had taken refuge in London, and they were nearly all advocates of some of the Salmurensian errors, especially that which respects indefinite atonement. Between the London divines, many of whom embraced the Salmurensian errors, and the NewEngland ministers, there was a very intimate connexion. Dr. Coleman, when in London, was very intimate with the most distinguished of the dissenting preachers of that city. A correspondence had been kept up between them before the time of Dr. Coleman, and the works of the London divines were circulated and read in Massachussetts, Connec⚫ ticut, and the other northern states. The manner in which Dr. Coleman writes to his friend in relation to the Arminianism of the college, shews that whatever the principle was which was said to be embraced in the college, he had not adopted it.

While those errors were stealing into New-England, the church in the middle states did not continue altogether pure. Of the state of theological opinions in the south at that time, little is known. A majority of the leading men of the colony of Virginia were Episcopalians, who procured an establishment of their creed; and the government compelled all other denominations to contribute towards the support of their clergy. The episcopal clergy of Virginia, scarcely published any thing either on theology, or any other subject. The state of learning was very low in that colony. The greater part of their clergy were from the English universities, and these were far from being very learned; nor were they remarkable for their faithfulness in performing ministerial duties, or for the holiness of their lives. They, like their brethren in England, generally embraced the Arminian system; which, no doubt was the cause of the deficiency in vital godliness, with which they are chargeable. There were comparatively, few presby

terians in Virginia, for many years after its first settle

ment.

Maryland was colonized by George Calvert, baron of Baltimore, a Roman Catholic; and the principal part of the emigrants, who followed the destinies of that nobleman, into the new world, were of the same faith with himself. Their doctrines and their policy, long predominated in the colony.

William Penn, the founder of the colony of Pennsylvania, was, in the earlier part of his life, an enthusiastic disciple of George Fox, the father of the Quaker society; and published some small tracts of his own composition, in defence of the peculiar doctrines of Barclay, and the practices of the society. After he became a politician, it is altogether doubtful, whether he was a Quaker, a Roman Catholic, or a mere political manœuverer, without any real regard for any religion. But whatever he may have been in reality, the first settlers of his colony were principally Quakers, and he found it convenient, to maintain an external attachment to the society, and to express great regard for their peculiarities. The founders of the colony were, of course, not believers in the atonement. The chief books which they brought over with them, were Barclay's Apology, and the Tracts of Penn. To these were confined nearly all their reading, and in these was to be found their whole creed. Very little or rather no efforts were made at the settlement of the colony to encourage literature. Penn, himself, was a very illiterate man, as his education was broken off when his father disowned him for joining the Quaker society. Salvation by works, was the only hope of these deluded people.

They did not long retain the undisturbed possession of the government of the colony. Its founder had held out liberal terms, to people of all denominations of Christians, and of all countries, who should settle in Pennsylvania. Thousands embraced the offers which he made, and soon the Scotch, Irish, and German presbyterians, and German Lutherans, became numerous and powerful. English dissenters of various denominations, and episcopalians also, settled un

der the government of Penn. All these united together, at first, to oppose the regime of the Quakers, and afterwards wrested it out of their hands. Though the Germans were numerous, the Irish presbyterians were the most powerful of all the parties which opposed the Quaker system.

In New-York there was a considerable number of Scotch, and some Irish presbyterians. The clergy of the presbyterian churches in the middle colonies, retained the principles which their fathers in Britain held, and were attached to the same form of church government; but were at first without any kind of union, not having been authorized, by the judicatories in Britain, to form themselves into a Presbytery, or Synod. They, however, in time, took up the affair, and constituted an ecclesiastical judicatory, styled the Synod of New-York and Philadelphia. This was modelled upon the Genevan plan, to which they had been accustomed in Britain. The condition of the church in America, the want of unity and co-operation among the ministers from the time. of their emigration to that in which this Synod was formed, and the predisposition of some to Congregationalism, rendered it impossible to impart so vigorous a tone to this body as would have been desirable. The qualifications for ministerial communion, were not so accurately defined as they had been in the presbyterian churches in Europe. The Westminster Confession, however, was adopted; and all who were admitted to membership, were required to profess their belief in all its doctrines, except those which related to the power of the civil magistrate about religious matters. Though the texture of this fabric was not of remarkable firmness, and though many of the clergy were superficial in their literary attainments, yet they were generally pious; and we have no ground to think that any of them were unsound in the doctrines of the gospel. Their profession of adherence to the Westminster Confession of Faith, was no doubt sincere, and the doctrines which they taught agreeable to the truths which it contains. The opportunities of education which the youth destined for the ministry possessed, were

very slender; their study of theology not systematic, and mostly superficial.

The numbers of this body increased rapidly, both from emigration and natural increase; and the want of energy in the original constitution, became more visible as it developed itself, covered a greater extent of country, and embraced a greater number of congregations.

The Presbyterian Church in the United States of America, was thrown into a violent state of agitation, by one of those events, which is usually known in modern times, by the name of a revival of religion. It was effected through the instrumentality of that very extraordinary man, the Rev. George Whitefield. This gentleman, belonged originally to the episcopal church of England. He possessed warm passions and great zeal for practical religion. The lukewarmness which prevailed in the establishment, was not calculated for a man of his warm feelings and ardent piety. He declaimed, with vehemence, against the vices of the time and the want of practical piety among his brethren; and rendered himself extremely obnoxious to the dignitaries of the church. But he set them all at defiance, and threw himself upon the populace, to whom his addresses were very acceptable. He embraced the principal points of the Calvinistic creed, but doctrinal points were not the subjects upon which he dealt in his exhibitions from the pulpit. The condition of man while in a state of nature, exposed to the wrath of heaven, the blessed estate of the righteous, the glories of heaven, and the horrors of the damned, he described in the most vivid manner, and aroused the fears, and awakened the hopes of his auditors by a torrent of the most irresistible eloquence. No preacher, perhaps, ever addressed larger audiences, whose passions he seemed to have entirely under his control. The chief place in Britain, in which his eloquence produced to the full extent the effects at which it aimed, was in Cambuslang, in Scotland. The passions of those who heard him were not only roused, and his vast audiences caused to burst into a flood of tears; but multitudes were heard to cry aloud for mercy, while others were