assured that the parliament of Great Britain, after mature investigation, acknowledged the Unitas Fratrum to be a Protestant episcopal church; and in 1794 an act was certainly passed in their

a our.

they consider episcopal ordination as necessary to qualify the servants of the church for their respective functions, they allow to their bishops no elevation of rank or pre-eminent authority; their church having from its first establishment This sect, like many others, has been governed by synods, consistbeen shamefully misrepresented, "ing of deputies from all the conand things laid to their charge of gregations, and by other subordiwhich they never were guilty. It nate bodies, which they call Conmust, however, be acknowledged, ferences. The synods, which are that some of their converts having generally held once in seven years previously imbibed extravagant are called together by the elders notions, propagated them with zeal who were in the former synod apamong their new friends in a phra-pointed to superintend the whole seology extremely reprehensible; unity. In the first sitting a presiand that count Zinzendorf himself dent is chosen, and these elders sometimes adopted the very im- lay down their office; but they do proper language of those fanatics, not withdraw from the assembly; whom he wished to reclaim from for they, together with all bishops, their errors to the soberness of seniores civiles, or lay elders, and truth; but much of the extrava-those ministers who have the gegance and absurdity which hasneral care or inspection of several been attributed to the count is not congregations in one province, have to be charged to him, but to those seats in the synod without any parpersons, who, writing his extem-ticular election. The other mempore sermons in short hand, print-bers are, one or more deputies ed and published them without his knowledge or consent.

sent by each congregation, and such ministers or missionaries as are particularly called to attend. Women, approved by the congregations, are also admitted as hearers, and are called upon to give their advice in what relates to the ministerial labour among their sex; but they have no decisive vote in the synod. The votes of all the other members are equal.

This eminent benefactor to the United Brethren died in 1760, and it is with reason that they honour his memory, as having been the instrument by which God restored and built up their church. But they do not regard him as their head, nor take his writings, nor the writings of any other man, as the standard of their doctrines, In questions of importance, or which they profess to derive im-of which the consequences cannot mediately from the Word of God. be foreseen, neither the majority of votes nor the unanimous consent of all present can decide; but recourse is had to the lot.

It has been already observed, that the church of the United Brethren is episcopal; but though

For adopting this unusual mode of synod a kind of executive board is deciding in ecclesiastical affairs, chosen, and called The Elders Conthe Brethren allege as reasons ference of the Unity. At present it the practices of the ancient Jews consists of thirteen elders, and is and the apostles; the insufficien- divided into four committees, or cy of the human understanding departments.-1. The Missions amidst the best and purest inten- department, which superintends all tions to decide for itself in what the concerns of the missions into concerns the administration of Heathen countries.-2. The HelpChrist's kingdom; and their owners department, which watches over conâdent reliance on the comfort- the purity of doctrine and the moable promises that the Lord Jesus ral conduct of the different congrewill approve himself the head and gations.-3. The Servants departruler of his church. The lot is ment to which the economical connever made use of but after ma-cerns of the Unity are committed. ture deliberation and fervent pray--4. The Overseers department, of er; nor is any thing submitted to which the business is to see that its decision which does not, after the constitution and discipline of being thoroughly weighed, appear the Brethren be every where mainto the assembly eligible in itself. tained. No resolution, however, In every synod the inward and of any of these departments has outward state of the unity, and the smallest force till it be laid the concerns of the congregations before the assembly of the whole and missions are taken into con- Elders Conference, and have the sideration. If errors in doctrine approbation of that body. The or deviations in practice have powers of the Elders Conference crept in, the synod endeavours are, indeed, very extensive: benot only to remove them, but, by sides the general care which it is salutary regulations, to prevent commissioned by the synods to them for the future. It considers take of all the congregations and how many bishops are to be con-missions, it appoints and removes secrated to fill up the vacancies every servant in the Unity as ciroccasioned by death; and every cumstances may require; authorimember of the synod gives his zes the bishops to ordain presbyvote for such of the clergy as heters or deacons, and to consecrate thinks best qualified. Those who other bishops; and, in a word, have the majority of votes are though it cannot abrogate any of taken into the lot, and they who the constitutions of the synod, or are approved are consecrated ac-enact new ones itself, it is possescordingly; but, by consecration, sed of the supreme executive they are vested with no superiority power over the whole body of the over their Brethren, since it be- United Brethren. hoves him who is the greatest to be the servant of all.

Towards the conclusion of every

Besides this general Conference of Elders, which superintends the affairs of the whole Unity, there

is another conference of elders er to preside over one or more belonging to each congregation, congregations; and a bishop can which directs its affairs, and to discharge no office but by the apwhich the bishops and all other pointment of a synod, or of the ministers, as well as the lay mem- Elders Conference of the Unity. bers of the congregation, are sub- Presbyters among them can perject. This body, which is called form every function of the bishop, the Elders Conference of the Con-except ordination. Deacons are gregation, consists, 1. Of the Mi-assistants to the presbyters much nister, as president, to whom the in the same way as in the church ordinary care of the congregation of England; and in the Brethren's is committed, except when it is churches,deaconnesses are retained very numerous, and then the ge- for the purpose of privately adneral inspection of it is entrusted monishing their own sex, and vito a separate person, called the siting them in their sickness; but Congregation Helper.-2. Of the though they are solemnly blessed Warden, whose office it is to super- to this office, they are not perintend, with the aid of his coun-mitted to teach in public, and far cil, all outward concerns of the less to administer the sacraments. congregation, and to assist every They have likewise seniores civiles individual with his advice.-3. or lay elders, in contradistinction Of a Married Pair, who care par- to spiritual elders, or bishops, who ticularly for the spiritual welfare are appointed to watch over the of the married people.-4. Of a constitution and discipline of the Single Clergyman, to whose care Unity of the Brethren, over the the young men are more particu-observance of the laws of the counlarly committed. And, 5. Of try in which congregations or misthose Women who assist in caring sions are established, and over the for the spiritual and temporal wel-privileges granted to the Brethren fare of their own sex, and who in by the governments under which this conference have equal votes they live. They have economies, with the men. As the Elders Con-or choir houses, where they live ference of each Congregation is an-together in community: the single swerable for its proceedings to the Elders Conference of the Unity, visitations from the latter to the former are held from time to time, that the affairs of each congregation, and the conduct of its immediate governors, may be intimately known to the supreme executive government of the whole church.

men and single women, widows and widowers, apart, each under the superintendance of elderly persons of their own class. In these houses every person who is able,and has not an independent support, labours in their own occupation, and contributes a stipulated sum for their maintenance. Their children are educated with peculiar In their opinion, episcopal con- care; their subjection to their su secration does not confer any pow-periors and elders is singular, and

one observes, "are all of them volunteers; for it is an inviolable maxim with them to persuade no man to engage in missions. They are all of one mind as to the doctrines they teach, and seldom make an attempt where there are not half a dozen of them in the mission. Their zeal is calm,steady, persevering. They would reform the world, but are careful how they quarrel with it. They carry their point by address and the insinuations of modesty and mildness, which commend them to all men, and give offence to none. The habits of silence, quietness, and decent reserve, mark their character. If any of their missionaries are carried off by sickness or casualty, men of the same stamp are ready to supply their place."

appears particularly striking in their missions and marriages. In the former, those who have offered themselves on the service, and are approved as candidates, wait their several calls, referring themselves entirely to the decision of the lot; and, it is said never hesitate when that hath decided the place of their destination. (See p. 165.) In marriage, they may only form a connexion with those of their own communion. The brother who marries out of the congregation is immediately cut off from church fellowship. Sometimes a sister, by express licence from the Elders Conference, is permitted to marry a person of approved piety in another communion, yet still to join in their church ordinances as before. A brother may make his own choice of a partner in the society; but as all intercourse be- As they stand first on the list tween the different sexes is care-of those who have engaged in fully avoided, very few opportu- missionary exertions, we shall nities of forming particular at- here insert a farther account tachments are found, and they of them and their missions, with usually rather refer their choice which I have been favoured by to the church than decide for a most respectable clergyman themselves. And as the lot must of their denomination; "When be cast to sanction their union, brethren or sisters find themselves each receives his partner as a Di- disposed to serve God among the vine appointment; and, however Heathen, they communicate their strange this method may appear wishes and views to the committee to those who consult only their appointed by the synods of the passions or their interests, it is ob- Brethren to superintend the misservable, that no where fewer un-sions in a confidential letter. If, happy marriages are found than on particular enquiry into their among the Brethren. But what circumstances and connections, characterizes the Moravians most, no objection is found, they are and holds them up to the atten-considered as candidates. As to tion of others, is their missionary mental qualifications, much eruzeal. In this they are superior to dition is not required by the any other body of people in the Brerhren. To be well versed in world. "Their missionaries," as the sacred scriptures, and to have

t'ements in St. Elizabeth's parish.

John's, Grace Hill, Grace BayIn 1760: Near Tranquebar, in the East Indies; Brethren's Garden.--In 1764: On the Coast of Labrador; Nain, Okkak, Hopedale.-In 1765: In Barbadoes;

an experimental knowledge of the truths they contain, is judged in--In 1756: In Antigua; at St. dispensably necessary. And it has been found, by experience, that a good understanding joined to a friendly disposition, and, above all, a heart filled with the love of God, are the best and the only essential qualifications of a mis-Sharon, near Bridgetown.-In sionary. Nor are in general the habits of a student so well calculated to form his body for a laborious life as those of a mechanic. Yet men of learning are not excluded, and their gifts have | been made useful in various ways. When vacancies occur, or new missions are to be begun, the list of candidates is examined; and those who appear suitable are call-these places were destroyed, and ed upon, and accept or decline the call as they find themselves disposed."

The following are the names of the settlements of the United Brethren in Heathen countries.

1765: In the Russian part of Asia; Sarepta. In 1775: In St. Kitt's; at Basseterre.-In 1789: In Tobago: Signal Hill (renewed in 1798).

"The Brethren had three flourishing settlements on the river Muskingum, Salem, Gnadenhuetten, and Schoenbrunn, before the late American war, during which

the inhabitants partly murdered, partly dispersed. The settlement Fairfield, in Canada, was made by those of the Indian converts, who were again collected by the missionaries. In 1798, a colony of "Begun in 1732, in the Danish Christian Indians went from thence West India islands. In St. Tho-to take possession of their former mas; New Herrnhut, Nisky. settlements on the Muskingum, In St. Croix, Friedensberg, Fried- which have been given to them ensthal. In St. Jan; Bethany, by an act of Congress, and built a Emmaus.-In 1733: In Green-new town, called Goshen. Part land; New Herrnhut, Lichten-of the Indian congregation will fels, Lichtenau.-In 1734: In remain at Fairfield, in Canada, as North America; Fairfield in Up-a good seed; our missionaries enper Canada, Goshen on the ri-tertaining hopes that the Gospel ver Muskingum.-In 1736: At may yet find entrance among the the Cape of Good Hope; Bavians wild Chippeway tribe inhabiting Kloof (renewed in 1792).-In those parts. 1738: In South America; among the negro slaves at Paramaribo and Sommelsdyk; among the free negroes at Bambey, on the Sarameca; among the native Indians at Hope, on the river Corentyn. --In 1751: In Jamaica; two set

"The mission among the Hottentots at the Cape of Good Hope was begun in 1736, by George Schmidt, a man of remarkable zeal and courage, who laboured successfully among these people, till he had formed a small con