light, when all men will be Christians; and all Christians, Calvinists and Presbyterians.

Possibly our friends may not have reflected, moreover, that very few private Christians pretend to understand, or adopt, the speculations of Hopkinsianism. They are generally confined to the clergy; so that out of the thousands of professors that are migrating from the East to the South, the greater part are fit materials for Presbyterian churches. They hear plain Calvinistic preachers with more delight than the teachers whose ministry they have lately left; and impute their increase of satisfaction and edification to the superior talents of their new pastors, when in fact it is owing to a difference in the marrow of the divinity with which they are fed.

Some Presbyterian Sessions formally require all communicants to declare, that they "receive and adopt the confession of faith of this church, as containing the system of doctrine taught in the Holy Scriptures." Surely, then, applicants for admission to the churches over which these Sessions preside, cannot honestly, through them, become members, if they receive and adopt not our confession, but some other system of doctrines.

Other Sessions admit members to full communion, without formally proposing the question, Do you receive and adopt the confession? &c. But it is understood by them, and by applicants for admission, that the adoption of our confession is the ground of application and admission. All persons under these circumstances becoming members, tacitly consent to the confession.

If the Session of a church does not propose any question concerning the adoption of the confession, but avowedly receives persons to the stated, full communion of the church, who dissent from it in some points, in such a case a pious Hopkinsian may lawfully become a member.

Candour compels us to admit here, that our Constitution does not require a Session to propose the above question to a private Christian before his admission; but constitutes the officers of the Church judges of the quali fications of members. It is, however, certain, that no man can be ordained, or installed, as a Pastor, or an Elder, in any Presbyterian Church, constitutionally, with

cut declaring that he sincerely receives and adopts the Constitution, without exceptions.

Let us keep the Hopkinsians out of our Sessions and Presbyteries, therefore, and we shall do well.

ARTICLE III. A Sermon delivered at the dedication of the · North Congregational Meeting-House, in New Bedford, June 23d, 1818. By the Rev. John Codman, A. M. of Dorchester, (Mass.) New-Bedford, 1818. pp. 22. 8vo.

In our last number, we designed to treat the Rev. Mr. Codman's discourse on the destruction of Idolatry with impartial justice, and at the same time, to stir up his pure mind by way of remembrance. The best men, in trying circumstances, need to be stimulated to the discharge of their duty. It would be a severe trial to us, were our lot cast in the vicinity of Boston, to persevere in declaring to the hearers of respectable, and in some instances, amiable, and learned Socinian teachers; yea, to those teachers themselves; that the knowledge of the person, offices, and work of the Messiah, is the foundation of the Christian religion; and that the man who knows not Jesus Christ as the "Just God and Saviour," knows nothing as he ought.

Never, for a moment, however, have we suspected our brother Codman of a departure from the fundamental doctrines of Calvinism: on the contrary, we have deemed the Rev. James R. Willson just in his representation of him, in his volume on the Atonement, as the only person known to be a thorough Calvinist in Massachusetts.

Mr. Codman has certainly given the best evidence of his being a good soldier of Jesus Christ. The world presented its allurements to him. An ample fortune invited him to the haunts of dissipation, and to the pursuit of the glories which ordinarily delude the sons of inherited affluence. He might have lived in splendour, all his days, upon the income of his estate; but he loved the Ředeemer, devoted himself to his cause, renounced the gay vanities of his associates, and after a suitable preparation for the work of the ministry, has become a laborious

country clergyman. In Scotland, his mind was stored with her best theology; and unlike his kinsman, the Rev. Charles Lowell, who preached Calvinism in Great Britain, and immediately after, the Socinian catholicism, in Boston; he returned to his native country, to proclaim the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to suffer ecclesiastical persecution for his adherence to the dictates of his conscience. Not long after his settlement in Dorchester, in a pleasant village, five miles from the metropolis of New England, some of his parishioners became disaffected, because he taught that a man ought to abhor himself for his sins; and refused to exchange ministerial labours with any clergyman whom he knew to be an opponent to the deity of Christ. His fidelity to his Master, in persisting to act in this manner, according to his sentiments, and the word of God, induced some of his people to nail up the doors of their pews. One of them fastened a horseshoe to the entrance of his seat, for the purpose, as he said, "of keeping the devil out." He must have intended himself, for we believe, he never entered it again. The disaffected, moreover, brought two large, and respectable councils, to sit in judgment over the conduct of Mr. C. and dismiss him if possible. The result was, that after the Hon. Mr. Dexter, a very distinguished lawyer, had plead the cause of liberality against him, and the Rev. Mr. (now President) Bates, had vindicated his brother's conscientious deportment, no small portion of his wealth was employed in purchasing the pews of those parishioners who were willing to leave him. He became, in this manner, the proprietor of a large portion of the "Meeting-House." The poor and the needy, who knew they were sinners, more than before flocked to his place of worship, that he might, as a servant of the Most High God, show unto them the way of salvation. His audience is still numerous and respectable; and as in duty bound, he still refuses to acknowledge those pretended brethren as Ministers of Christ, who preach another gospel, and another Jesus than our God-man-mediator.

We are most heartily glad, that such a minister of the gospel as this, is one of the most wealthy among his brethren in the United States. He may do much good by

those talents, which in comparison of the true riches only, are styled the mammon of unrighteousness, or rather, the deceitful riches. Indeed, we doubt not but he is making friends in Heaven, by the right use of these temporal possessions, that when these fail, or are left behind, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, with all the holy angels and saints, may receive him into everlasting habitations.

One important mode of doing good is by the gratuitous circulation of such publications as the sermon now before us. It is not so ingenious as the one to which we have already paid some attention; but it contains much more important doctrinal matter. It is appropriate, and evangelical. His text is recorded in Exodus xx. 24. In all places where I record my name, I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee. He considers, very naturally, what is implied in Jehovah's recording his name in any place, and the import of the divine promises "I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee." Under the first head, he teaches, that God's name is recorded in all places in which his character as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, is faithfully exhibited; the gospel of Christ preached in purity and simplicity;-and the worship of God maintained in spirituality. The blessings which the Lord will bestow on his worshipping people are his presence; the pardon of sin; the sanctification of their natures; communion and fellowship with himself, and his people; the hopes of immortality; and, glory beyond the grave.

We conclude our notice and recommendation of this estimable discourse, with one important extract, evincive of the spirit of the whole.

"From our subject we perceive the intimate and established connection between the faithful preaching of the gospel and the presence and blessing of God. Wherever the Name or character of Jehovah is clearly exhibited, wherever his gospel is faithfully preached, and his worship regularly and strictly maintained, there, and there alone, may we expect his presence and blessing. There is nothing in a place of worship itself that is sacred and holy. The walls are consecrated so far, and no farther, as the gospel is preached within them. Whenever a system of delusion and error is substituted for the truth as it is in Jesus in a place of worship, the Name of God is no longer recorded there, the glory has departed,-the ark of God is taken VOL. I.

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No. 4.

away. The most splendid exterior, the lofty dome, the towering spire, the massy column, the solemn grandeur, which distinguish many consecrated buildings, are empty show, and gawdy trifles, if the gospel is not preached within them to poor, perishing sinners,-to hungry, starving, immortal souls;—while the upper room, where the disciples continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, after the ascension of their divine Master, the meanest place, where the saints assemble for prayer and praise, and where the gospel is preached in its purity and simplicity, becomes a BETHEL: for there does the great Jehovah record his Name, and there does he come by the quickening energy of his Holy Spirit, to bless his people with eternal life." p. 20.

ARTICLE IV. Letters addressed to a friend on the following subjects; I. Is God the author of sin? II. On Disinterested Benevolence. III. Is it a part of a Christian Character to be willing to be treated as we deserve? IV. Does disinterested Benevolence in the heart make the subject thereof regard the interest of thousands above his own? Knoxville, Tennessee, 1817. pp. 52. 8vo.

THE REVEREND ISAAC ANDERSON, of Maryville, has subscribed these Letters; and we presume has as much disinterested benevolence, and humility, as any of his Hopkinsian brethren, for the title page, which is destitute of his name, informs us, that "the profits arising from the sale of these LETTERS are to go to the East Tennessee Bible Society." That benevolence, which will induce a man to make every sacrifice which the Word of God requires, which will make a minister of Jesus willing to spend, and be spent, and die, for the cause of his Redeemer, we sincerely pray the Giver of every good and perfect gift to bestow on every individual of our race. Certainly we have never lightly esteemed that love, which suffereth long, and is kind, envieth not, vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth, and beareth all things. May the Rev. Mr. Anderson and ourselves possess a large share of it!

In these Letters he has seen fit to treat us with great