from facts the most notorious. There is one circumstance, however, already noticed, to which I must be allowed again to refer, as bearing forcibly upon several of the points under discussion. While in the capital of Massachusetts the proportion of settled ministers to the population is one third less than in the state at large; in the Southern States this proportion is more than reversed.

It is a maxim in politics, that the actual results of any important change, often differ most widely from the anticipations of theory; and of course that innovations, though sometimes necessary to be made, are always experiments of hazard. This consideration ought to have the greatest weight in the present instance, because we may have all the advantage of the experiment, without any of the danger. The existing system is believed by many to have been productive of incalculable benefits; and by none will it be maintained to be an evil so intolerable as to demand an immediate alteration. In the neighbouring states the experiment of the change is now making. If upon full trial, this change should not be found to occasion the mischiefs that are apprehended from it, still more, if it should appear positively beneficial, we may at any time imitate their example, and reap all the advantages of their experience. But if, as is most solemnly feared by some of our wisest and best men, the reverse of all this should be proved by the event; if we should see in these states, notwithstanding the protracted operation of established sentiments and habits, one after another of the citizens, under various pretexts, withdrawing their aid from the support of religion, or neglecting to attach themselves to any society for that purpose, till the countenance of numbers shall take away the disgrace of singularity; if, as the necessary consequence of this, we should see parishes broken up, the clergy, from the poverty and precariousness of their support, losing their respectability, and men of talents no longer entering the profession; if we should see youth growing up without the regular instructions of the sabbath, the general sense of the sanctions of futurity disappearing, and the tone of morals universally relaxed; what reason shall we have to bless God, that we have been saved from evils so deplorable. Nor let it be thought, should we follow in this dangerous path, we might at any time retrace our steps. It is easy to relax existing obligations, but to bind them again upon men, when they have been once loosened, is at all times most difficult, and would in this case be impossible; since the very causes which would require such a measure, the increase of irreligion and vice, would most effectually prevent its adoption. Enthusiasm and fanaticism might still New Series-vol. IH.

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occasionally shoot over the multitude, and shed on crowds of gazers a glare of wild and useless excitement; but a system of rational and regular instruction and worship could not be restored. That steady light, which shines into every man's dwelling, and guides him to his daily occupations and duties, which ripens the fruit and tinges the flowers of the earth, and spreads its brightness over a serene and glorious heaven, will have gone down upon us.

MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS.

DR. MAYHEW.

WE extract with much pleasure the following Note to a Sermon preached on the Sunday after the funeral of Rev. Simeon Howard, D. D. and now published among "Sermons on particular occasions, by James Freeman, D. D., Minister of King's Chapel, Boston. Third edition. 1821."

"Dr. MAYHEW may with justice be denominated the first preacher of Unitarianism in Boston, and his religious society the first Unitarian Church. As this fact has lately been called in question by persons, who are unwilling to relinquish so great a name to a side which they call heresy, but who probably have not much knowledge of his writings, and have never conversed with the few surviving friends who still remember him, it is necessary that I should produce evidence of the truth of what I have affirmed. Omitting to cite any passages from his printed Discourses, and the Notes subjoined to them, the first witness I produce is the Rev. Isaac Smith, who informs me, that Dr. Mayhew was the principal means of the republication of Emlyn's Inquiry, which, as is well known to all who are acquainted with the ecclesiastical history of our country, excited much attention at its appearance, and to which an answer was written by President Burr. In this republication Dr. Mayhew was aided by his parishioners, and several other friends, particularly by the late General Palmer and Judge Cranch. I mention the names of these excellent men, because it may lead some persons to make farther inquiries, by which they will obtain additional proof.

"The second witness that I produce is the daughter of Dr. Mayhew, Mrs. Wainwright, who in a letter which I have lately received from her, in answer to one which I wrote on the subject, has put the question forever at rest. After saying, that she

has not the smallest doubt of the fulness of Dr. Howard's belief on this point, she proceeds thus:

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Respecting my father, there is no doubt that the clearest evidence may be given of his having asserted the unity of God in the most unequivocal and plain manner, as early as the year 1753. I have many sermons, from which it appears to me no one could for a moment question his belief. I have a set from the text, 'Prince of Peace.' In the first head he inquires, how Christ came by this title. He speaks of independent and derived authority, and says, 'The former belongs to God alone, who exists necessarily and independently. The Son of God, and all beings, who derive their existence from another, can have only a derived authority.' After speaking of various sources and kinds of authority, he says, 'Lastly, another source of authority is the positive will and appointment of God Almighty, the supreme Lord and Governour of the world; and this is indisputably the source of all that authority our Saviour is clothed with His designation to royal power and exaltation to the throne was from his God and Father.' I can quote many, very many, passages expressive of the same sentiment: so that I have not the shadow of a doubt that my father was full and explicit in his avowal of this opinion from 1753; and perhaps I may get positive proof from an earlier date. I will continue my search, and shall with pleasure supply you with any proof in my power of the faith he was happy enough to enjoy, and courageous enough to avow at the risk of his temporal comfort." I may be allowed to add to this letter of Mrs. Wainwright, that when the assertion, that her father believed the doctrine of the Trinity, was first made several years ago, she expressed to me her surprise at so new a charge, of which she had never heard before. "The third witness that I produce is the illustrious author of the following letter, which is published with his permission.

"DEAR DOCTOR,

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"I thank you for your favour of the 10th, and the pamphlet enclosed, entitled, American Unitarianism.' I have turned over its leaves, and found nothing that was not familiarly known to me. In the preface, Unitarianism is represented as only thirty years old in New-England. I can testify as a witness to its old age. Sixty-five years ago, my own minister, the Rev. Lemuel Bryant; Dr. Jonathan Mayhew, of the West Church in Boston; the Rev. Mr. Shute, of Hingham; the Rev. John Brown, of Cohasset; and perhaps equal to all, if not above all, the Rev. Mr. Gay, of Hingham, were Unitarians. Among the laity how many could I name, lawyers, physicians, tradesmen,

farmers! But at present I will name only one, Richard Cranch, a man who had studied divinity, and Jewish and Christian antiquities, more than any clergyman now existing in New England. More than fifty years ago, I read Dr. Clarke, Emlyn, and Dr. Waterland do you expect, my dear doctor, to teach me any thing new in favour of Athanasianism?-There is, my dear Doctor, at present existing in the world a Church Philosophick, as subtle, as learned, as hypocritical, as the Holy Roman Catholick, Apostolick, and Ecumenical Church. The Philosophical Church was originally English. Voltaire learned it from Lord Herbert, Hobbes, Morgan, Collins, Shaftsbury, Bolingbroke, &c. &c. &c. You may depend upon it, your exertions will promote the Church Philosophick, more than the Church Athanasian or Presbyterian. This and the coming age will not be ruled by inqui sitions or Jesuits. The restoration of Napoleon has been caus ed by the resuscitation of inquisitors and Jesuits. I am and wish to be Your friend, JOHN ADAMS."

Quincy, May 15th, 1815. Rev. Dr. Morse.

"Another charge has been made against Dr. Mayhew, which his daughter has power to contradict. It is confessed by the authors of it, that Dr. Mayhew, in the former part of his ministe rial life, was an Arminian and Unitarian; but they assert that, before his death, he renounced these heresies, and became a Trinitarian and Calvinist. If this is a fact, it is strange that it was never communicated to his parishioners, his family, and his intimate friends. The assertion is so entirely false, that the fact is that his friend, Dr. Cooper of Boston, visited Dr. Mayhew on his death bed, and inquired of him whether he still retained the religious sentiments which he had preached and published, and his answer was, I hold fast my integrity." This information I have received from Mrs. Wainwright; and there can be no doubt of its truth.

"As however almost every false report is indirectly derived from something which is true, the pretence, that Dr. Mayhew changed his religious opinions, may have originated from a fact, which has come to my knowledge, and which probably, as it has passed from mouth to mouth, with a fate not unusual to such reports, has at last reached the ears of some persons disguised and altered in its most material circumstances. The truth is, that not

long before the close of his life he expressed to several of his friends, and among others to the late Dr. West of Boston, from whom I received the account, his regret that he had published so

many tracts on polemical divinity, and that he bad treated some of his adversaries, particularly Mr. Cleaveland, with so much asperity and contempt. Though he was confessedly a good and generous man, yet it must be acknowledged that in his triumphant career of controversy, urged on as he was by the applauding shouts of those, who admired the strength with which he wielded his arguments, he had sometimes aimed too rough and ponderous a weapon at the head of his opponents. But when, on serious and candid reflection, he perceived that he had unnecessarily inflicted pain, he lamented, that he had not always preserved the mild and christian spirit, which becomes a disciple of the meek and benevolent Jesus. The amount of all which is this: Dr. Mayhew regretted that, in his controversial writings, he had been occasionally betrayed into the language of severity;; and the expression of this regret is an honour to him; but there is no evidence, that he ever classed any of his theological senti ments among his faults, or repented of and abjured any part of his former creed.

"To prevent misconceptions, it may be proper to observe, that when I style Dr. Mayhew an Unitarian, I use the word in the sense in which it is commonly understood in America, as denoting those christians, who deny the doctrine of the Trinity, whether they believe the pre-existence of Christ, or not. Dr. Mayhew was an Unitarian of the school of Clarke; and he admitted, not only the pre-existence, but the atonement of Christ."

MR. EDITOR,

DR. MAYHEW'S WORKS.

I WISH to express to you the desire which many persons feel, that the works of Dr. Mayhew should be collected and published. Our country has produced few men more remarkable for their talents, learning, and public spirit, or whose writings have done more for the reputation of their country at home and abroad. He was one of those whose high honour it has been to take a stand in advance of the age in which they lived, and to urge it forward by the intrepidity of their own example, and by enlarged and fearless attempts to promote the progress of the human mind, in spite of all the clamour and obloquy of generations that feared to be wiser than their fathers. His works, therefore, deserve to have a permanent place in the collection of our theological literature. He did more, perhaps, than any other single man to promote that entire freedom of inquiry, and that equal enjoyment of religious rights, which it is so much our happiness to possess. His intrepid spirit overthrew the obsta