to reverence the Sabbath and house of God, to work hard, and to be honest in all their dealings. Though we have now better-educated mothers, we are compelled to doubt whether we have, on the whole, better mothers. If there is more refinement and intelligence now, is there not more feebleness of character, more dependence on the conventionalities of modern social life, and greater physical, if not mental imbecility? There are noble exceptions, doubtless. But is there not something still wanting in our modern system of female education? In their successful attempts to polish and refine the female character, may the ladies not divest themselves of many of the substantial qualities of our early western mothers? They become more lovely and charming. But do they become more capable of fulfilling their "mission?" We like the views of Mr. Dymond, the Quaker philosopher, on this subject. See his "Essays on Principles of Morality," p. 152, Collins's edition.

PS Duval &C steam hith press Phil

CHAPTER III.

WHEN WERE THE FIRST EFFORTS MADE TO INTRODUCE THE GOSPEL IN THE WEST?

THE trials and sufferings of the early settlers in the West, must have enlisted the sympathies of their friends and their countrymen, generally, east of the mountains. Our own people of the Presbyterian church, we have no doubt, shared largely in the anxieties and prayers of their pious friends and the churches they had left behind, when they took their lives in their hands and came out to pitch their tents in the howling wilderness. It is interesting and instructive to review the various proceedings of the synod of New York and Philadelphia (our highest judicatory till 1789), in reference to the West. At the first meeting of that body, upon their happy reunion in 1758, we find a record respecting the appointment of a solemn fast; that shows not only their sympathy for the suffering people of the frontier settlements, but also in what light they regarded the war with the French and Indians that was then spreading its desolating ravages over the western settlements. This is their language: "Considering the calamities of war, and dangers that threaten us from savage and anti-christian enemies, the ravages and barbarities committed on our borders, and how much our success depends on this campaign"-perhaps the campaign under General Forbes, just about, at that time, to set out for the re-capture of Fort DuQuesne, "and being sensible that God has been greatly provoked by our ingratitude for mercies received, the decay of vital religion, the prevailing of vice and immorality in the land, and the contempt of gospel light, liberty and privileges, we judge ourselves loudly called upon to repentance and humiliation; and accordingly the synod recommend that a

day of fasting and prayer be observed by all the congregations under our care, to deprecate the wrath of God, to pray for a blessing on his Majesty's armaments by sea and land in order to secure a lasting and honorable peace, and in particular for the success of our intended expeditions in America,” (there were three then in progress; one against Louisburganother against Ticonderoga and Crown Point, and the third against Fort Du Quesne,)—for the prosperity of his Prussian Majesty's arms and advancement of the Protestant interest; for the overthrow of anti-christian errors, superstition, and tyranny; and the universal spread of pure and undefiled religion. And it is ordered that the members within the bounds of this province, observe it on the 16th of June next, being the day appointed by this government for that purpose,' &c. (Records, p. 290.) It is manifest that the synod regarded this war in part, if not mainly designed to promote the interests of Antichrist, and to extend the boundaries of the man of sin. It is likewise worthy of notice that President Davies, in his Fast-day Sermon called "the Crisis," preached two years before, in reference to this same war-regarded it much in the same light. "Who can tell," says he, "but the present war is the commencement of this grand decisive conflict between the lamb and the beast; i. e., between the protestant and popish powers? The pope first received his principality and secular authority from Pepin, one of the kings of France; and there seems to be something congruous in it, that France should also take the lead, and be, as it were, the general of his forces, in the last decisive conflict for the support of his authority. This is also remarkable and almost peculiar to the present war, that protestants and papists are not blended together in it, by promiscuous alliances; but France and her allies are all papists, and Britain and her allies are all protestants."

But the sympathies and the action of the synod terminated not here. We find two years after, 1760, the Rev. Messrs. A. M'Dowel and H. Allison are allowed to go out as chap