destroy the harmony of Zion. Rather let us endeavor to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace.* If the exclusion of modern hymns, and the restoration of inspired song, be the price of union, among any of the friends of the Redeemer, let that price without delay be given. I plead for this, as one important step toward a permanent accommodation of differences, among the christians of our country.

Will you, then, can you, ye friends of con. cord, refuse this? While in the name of God you plead for union, while you adduce from the gospel page, and urge with an eloquence, almost more than human, those holy motives, so well adapted to soothe to repose every tur bulent emotion of the mind, and to enlist all the better affections of the heart upon your side, dare you, with all these accents of peace on your lips, refuse this offer? Will you, in place thereof, professedly light a torch at the sacred fire of the altar of God, and, carrying it

Era. 43. Is not this scripture frequently misunderstood and incorrectly applied? Unity and peace are chimed over without regarding their characteristics. "By the unity of the spirit, we are to understand not only a spiritual unity, but also a unity of sentiments, desires, and affections, such as is worthy of, and springs from the Spirit of God." Clarke. Union in falsehoods and contradictions, is not intended by the apostle.

in your hand, kindle in his temple a destructive flame? will you kindle a flame, which consumes the bonds of peace, of love, and all that is cheering to the heart, leaving to the view the cheerless prospect of desolations? For, when angry passions take the place of holy zeal, confusion that of order, or form that of life, ICHІснABOD, the glory is departed, may be inscribed on the doors of our sanctuaries. That an unaccommodating spirit, productive of such consequences, prevails at this day, I cannot easily persuade myself to believe. I shall therefore continue to hope, that no measure consistent with the purity and order of the church, shall be left untried, to accelerate among her sons, a happy unanimity. A brief review of opinions and practices, ancient and modern, on the subject of psalmody, may be interesting to some, and, it is believed, will be subservient to the proposed end, uniformity in this part of sacred worship, and an approximation towards that oneness, so desirable in the church of God.

This oneness, it is too well known, cannot now be found. In purity, in consistency,in firmness, and in elevation of character, the churches, generally, for more than a hundred and fifty

years past, have been losing ground. To be more than convinced of this unpleasant fact, the mind has only to glance at their history. They are broken into fragments. And even in those sections that profess union, the cohesive principle acts with a feeble influence on their constituent parts. Their principles, their forms and matter of worship, are discordant. This is remarkably the case, in that interesting service, which, of all others on earth, most resembles the employment of those perfect spirits who, in unison, strike the harp of glory before the throne of God. Cast your eyes over the several churches; listen to their is the confusion of Babel. What thoughtful christian has not felt and deplored this evil? Amidstall this accumulation of modern hymns, under which our presses and our shelves are groaning, and the public mind confounded, no rallying point can be found, where the redeemed of the Lord may unite in public praise.. But the thought is painful; let it, at present, be no further pursued.

song:

It

It is, nevertheless, a cheering reflection that the articles of faith, on which the sections of the spiritual empire of our Lord, most remote.

from each other, agree, are very numerous and very important; and in the prosperity of that empire of which they are fellow citizens, they have a common interest. That there are jarring views among them, on a few important points, is matter of poignant sorrow; for, in their number, there is no mind so perverted, as to rejoice in the divisions of Zion; no heart so hard, as not to relent at the signs of alienated affections among her sons. Defective in duty is he also esteemed, who, in his proper place, attempts not to heal those wounds, and to harmonize those affections. Success in such an undertaking is not hopeless. These relentings, these numerous and important points of agreement, the common, interest of saints in the progress of truth and peace, give assurance of an ultimate triumph

Let not, then, the infidel rejoice in our unhappy discords. He and his companions, too, have their wars; and they maintain them without a heart. The sons of Zion are friends to truth; children of the same family, they touch with freedom each others mistakes, they reprove with an affectionate heart, and love as brethren still. They well understand the worth

of that compliment, which is couched under a manly appeal to consistency on a point at issue. Differences can never be removed unless they occupy a share of thought, and find a place in free and meek discussion. Discussion, to rise above chicanery, must be plain; to be useful, it must be meek. The result of an opinion is not always seen by its advocate, and when disavowed, though it belong to his system, should not be imputed to the man. And, for that liberality, which, under the shield of venerated names, would save from exposure, sentiments or practices of evil tendency, I know you are not the advocates.

Regardless, then, of the charge of bigotry, a vulgar term, ill defined, and successively applied to all on this side the mansions of absolute skepticism, and from which I shall be freed by your award; as well as from the imputation of violating the laws of charity, a lovely term and lovelier grace, a term, however, which, from lack of knowledge of its import, is often pressed into many an unholy service, uncongenial with its nature, I proceed in my discussion, after adverting to an idea, a mistaken idea indeed, but one which in some