wonderful dexterity in this art. All their proselytes are formed into small bands, placed under the direction of the most active men, who are called class leaders, by whom they are drilled in such a manner, as is thought best calculated to ensure their adherence to the society. Their operations extend from the district of Maine to the Floridas, and from the shores of the Atlantic to the remotest settlements of the west; but they are always most successful in the ruder sections of society. Would God the enlightened presbyterians had half their zeal!

When a learned clergy are planted in those neighbourhoods in which they have flourished, and schools of literature are opened, immediately the methodists begin to decline, and often, in a short time entirely disappear. In Virginia they are powerful. The destruction of the episcopal church, when its civil establishment was broken down, the deficiency of presbyterian clergy, and generally of the means of religious instruction, opened for them a wide field which they have not failed to cultivate with extraordinary assiduity. In the mountainous districts they have been active in their exertions, with very little to counteract their operations. They hang too on the skirts of population to the west, where the state of society verges towards savagism, and have formed numerous societies destined to vanish before the spreading beams of science and knowledge.

They have not, like learned and acute Arminians, advanced into the regions of Arianism, and Socinianism, which they will certainly do, if a spirit of illuminating grace prevent not, so soon as the condition of society forces them to turn their attention to the cultivation of literature. Hence many of them are theoretical Arminians, and practical Calvinists. In their prayers, they acknowledge the impotency of human nature, and seek for the efficacious operation of the Holy Spirit as necessary to their faith and sanctification: and the merits of Christ, as necessary to their justification. Hence many of them must, in consequence of judgment of charity be allowed to be devout in heart, and exemplary

in their lives. It is through want of intellect, and some degree of grace in the heart, that they habitually pray against their own creed, in their petitions to the throne of grace.

The German Lutheran church is a respectable body, as to numbers and wealth, in Pensylvannia and Maryland. The number of their clergy amounts to about fifty, and they have many vacancies. Many of their ministers have been respectable for learning and talents. Among the most conspicuous have been the Rev. Dr. Muhlenburgh of Lancaster in Pennsylvania, and the Rev. Dr. Helmuth of Philadelphia. Dr. Muhlenburgh acquired considerable celebrity, for his botanical knowledge, and various other literary attainments; but his attempts to diffuse a taste for literature among the Lutheran clergy, generally proved unsuccessful. They have never established a theological seminary, and they labour under the same difficulties, which have depressed the German reformed church. Dr. Helmuth has usually had a few young men under his care, some of whom have passed through the colleges. While the German preachers continue to officiate in a foreign language, daily going into disuse, their churches cannot flourish. In order to become learned, the clergy of the German societies must throw their weight into the English seminaries.

Luther's Catechism is the manual which they employ in the instruction of their children; but they are, like the Lutherans of England and Germany, nearly all Arminians.

They all maintain the doctrine of consubstantiation; or that the body and blood of Christ are in, with, and under the sacramental bread and wine; which, together with the episcopal form of their ecclesiastical government, keeps them and the German reformed church, distinct bodies. There is, however, a good understanding between them; and they often officiate in each other's pulpits; and embrace nearly the same views of the doctrines of grace. Both have nearly the same degree of piety and illumination, though the nominal Calvinists are esteemed the more evangelical.

The protestant episcopal church (of England) has probably increased more slowly, than any other denomination of Christians in the United States, in proportion to the number of their emigrants, and their wealth, intelligence, and the efforts which they have made. This has been owing partly to the form of their church government, whose hierarchy does not well accord with the genius of our republican institutions. It is a plan, that was originally modelled after the form of the Roman monarchy, and in monarchies it has always succeeded best. We have no instance of its ever flourishing to any great extent in a republic, and it is probable it never will. The slowness of its growth, has also in part proceeded from the general lukewarmness of its members, in relation to practical piety,—a lukewarmness which the more pious episcopalians always deplore.

Many of its clergy are men of learning and intelligence; many are of an opposite character; and they are all either in whole, or in part, disciples of the Arminian school. We know not a man among them all in America, who maintains a definite atonement.

In 1784, in a convention of the clergy and congregations of this church in Pennsylvania, an act was passed, adopting the thirty-nine articles of the church of England, and declaring that the doctrines of the church of England, as then professed, should form the creed of the episcopal church in America. Soon after, in the same year, a similar act was passed by a convention of the whole episcopal church in the United States.

The number of their clergy in 1814, without including those of Virginia, from which there were no returns, was one hundred and seventy-nine. Their vacancies are very numerous. They have probably upwards of two hundred ministers, and near two hundred and fifty congregations. Their efforts to enlarge the boundaries of their church are great; and in this way, bishop Hobart has distinguished his zeal for the promotion of the interests of the church to which he belongs. They build splendid edifices, for places of worship, and endow them with great liberality, which is another

mode in which they exert themselves to increase their numbers. In this way considerable effect has been produced, in the western part of the state of New York, among the emigrants from New England. A minister of the episcopal church goes into a neighbourhood in which there is no church; asks the people how much they will contribute to the erection of one; and proposes to make up the deficiency, provided they will accept of an episcopalian minister. Considering their wealth and activity, we can only account for the slowness of their growth, from the causes before mentioned.

In Pennsylvania, there is a society formed, for the propagation of episcopalianism, the annual contribution of whose members, is sufficient to support two or three missionaries; and with such funds, it must produce considerable effect, where there is a very extensive field to cultivate.

It is surprising that a body, possessing so much political wisdom, and such means, has never concentred its efforts for the formation of a theological school. In 1814, a proposition to that effect, was brought before the convention, but it was negatived. Should such a school be formed, and there can hardly exist a doubt but it will, one of two events will occur. Either the episcopal church will become Socinian, or more friendly to Calvinism. The latter event is more probable; as many of their clergy are latterly becoming more evangelical, and a spirit of practical piety begins to be awakened in some sections of the church. Whitby is recommended to their students of theology, and generally read, and approved. But should a theological school be established, and young men, from various and distant parts of the United States, be brought together, their minds would be expanded; some other books than the effusions of Arminians would fall into their hands; and a spirit of liberal enquiry would be awakened. They would read the works of the early reformers, and the yoke of bigotry, which is now bound on their shoulders, would be shaken off.

There have been very few theological writers in the episcopalian church of America. Bishop White, has lately pub

fished a small volume entitled "A Comparison between Calvinism and Arminianism.” He calls the Calvinistic plan 66 a gloomy system;" and no doubt it is to all who do not understand it; applauds Whitby, and exerts himself in the promotion of the Arminian system. Generally it is a very mild work as to the manner; just such as we should expect from the amiable man; but highly toned Arminianism in the sentiments which it contains.

Columbia college in New York, and the university of Pennsylvania, are almost exclusively in the hands of this church. The Rev. Dr. Harris, is president of the former, and the Rev. Dr. Beazely, provost of the latter. These are the only important colleges of which they have the chief direction. But the almost entire banishment of every thing like religion from nearly all our colleges, and grammar schools, except morning prayers, renders most of them nearly neutral as to the propagation of any religious creeds. Harvard university and Yale college, form exceptions to this remark. The minds of youth, however, may be expected to receive a tincture from the modes of thought, and the opinions of their teachers.

To conclude this sketch, a very large majority of the professors of religion in the United States, are either Hopkinsians, or entire Arminians, and as such opposed to the doctrine of a definite atonement. The wealth of the nation is in the hands of error; and the learning is pretty equally divided. Piety is on the side of Calvinism, in all cases, though many pious men are erroneous in some of their opinions.