Saints glorify God in their death, as in their life, by the exercise and manifestation of holy affections.

"The power of exemplified holiness rises in proportion to the severity of its trial. God is glorified indeed, when he is glorified in the fires of adversity. In the light of these fires, holiness shines sbove any other brightness seen in the earth. But the supreme of evils, the KING of terrors, the horror of the whole living creation, is DEATH-a name that stands for every thing appalling in earth and in hell.-And does the holiness of the saints prevail even against this adversary? Does it meet and conquer, and in a sense abolish this last and chiefest foe? Does it put on its brightest forms of mildness, and majesty, and gladness, and triumph, as it joins itself in conflict with this leviathan of the universe? It does, my brethren; and here is the glory which the saints give to God: here is the excellency of power, the completion of moral evidence, the most efficient of all testimonies to the truth, the importance, the infinite worth, the absolute necessity of religion; the loudest of all protests against the crime and madness of a worldly life."

After several interesting reflections, Dr. S. proceeds to a more direct application of the subject, and to give a brief account of the life, the character, the dying agonies, and the abounding spiritual consolations, of his departed brother. Gladly would we extract all that he has said on this subject, that we might leave on our pages a memorial of one so extensively and deservedly beloved. We must confine ourselves, however, to two or three passages, setting forth his intellectual and Christian character, and his religious senti

ments.

"As to his intellectual character, he was so peculiar, that I have in vain endeavored to put him into any class. The aspect of his n ind, like his countenance, was beautiful; its motions were easy, energetic, quick. He had a sprightly and fertile fancy; a pure taste; an acute and accurate discernment of the force of an argument, the spirit of his author, the beauties and deformities of composition. He loved literature rather than science; strength rather than logical precision; despatch and rapidity in discourse, rather than minute and extended analysis. It was astonishing, the ease and success with which he thought. What fine specimens of composition has he left us, written in about as many hours as others would have deemed sufficient labor for the same number of days. His sermons, always full of beauty, and often too, full of learning, (that is, if the proper proof of learning in discourse be abundant allusions which only learning can make,) were generally the product of a day, and sometimes of a sitting. With such facility and speed he accomplished every thing. His manner of writing was better suited to the press than the pulpit, and his elocution discovered too much modesty and diffidence for the happiest effect. As a public speaker he was rapidly rising, and promised to be second to almost none of his brethren, as an eloquent and efficient advocate of the cause of our beneyolent societies."

"His reading in divinity extended through the various systems; and he neither received as truth, nor rejected as error, what he had not considered in its polemical connexions. He understood and embraced the faith usually called Calvinistic; but not with such a persuasion of having seen the whole truth, as hindered the continuance of free and independent research. Hence he was constantly making accessions to the light, and diminishing the remaining darkness and inconsistency of his theological scheme. The changes which took place in his creed ought rather to be called modifications or corrections-they related to the philosophy, not to the facts and essential doctrines of religion; and were such as gave him freedom, pungency, and practical power in the pulpit."

"He had more fear than confidence, in regard to his spiritual state, though he felt and confessed the obligation to be assured of his calling and election. He was more ready to hear than to tell of spiritual manifestations and comforts -happier in the eminent attainments of others, than in his own measures of spirituality and grace. He loved revivals of religion; rejoiced in opportunities to put himself under their peculiar power, rendered God praise for their prevalence, and constantly prayed for their increase; but yet lamented that he had not more of the spirit of revivals, and was so afraid of his unfitness to labor where these extraordinary effusions of the Spirit were enjoyed, that he tremblingly entered upon any public service in such places.

"He was aware of the peculiar temptations to an unspiritual kind of religion that belong to the elevated circumstances and sphere of life for which he was fitted and disposed by his cast of character, connexions, attainments, and advantages; and he was conscious that his communion with God and his religious joy were not promoted by intercourse with the worldly great and honorable. The best associates he knew to be the most spiritual minded; and from the heartless smiles and courtesies of the world, with what delight did he return to the humble circle of prayerful and devoted christians. Goodness was before greatness, nearness to God before the greatest elevation among men, according to his judgment, his feeling, and his actual preference. He had no alliances or intercourse with men of distinction, which hindered him from loving and delighting in the society of holy persons, however obscure. He abjured fashionable amusements, and loved the house of mourning rather than the house of feasting."

7. The Proper Mode of Conducting Missions to the Heathen. A Sermon delivered before the Society for Propagating the Gospel among the Indians and others in North America, Nov. 5, 1829. By BENJAMIN B. WISNER, Pastor of the Old South Church in Boston. Boston: Putnam and Hunt. 1829.

PP. 44.

The Society for Propagating the Gospel among the Indians and others in North America was incorporated by the Legislature of Massachusetts in 1787. Its charter requires that "the incomes or profits" of its funds be "applied to the purposes of propagating the Gospel among the Indians in North America, and also among other people who, through poverty or other circumstances, are destitute of the means of religious instructions." The number of persons named in the act of incorporation, as originally constituting the society, is twenty-one, who, " with such others as they shall elect," were made a body politic, and empowered to "purchase and hold in succession, lands, tenements, and real estate of any kind, the annual income and profit not to exceed the value of two thousand pounds." At the time of the incorporation of this society, the existence of Unitarianism in this region was unavowed, if not unknown. The whole number of members at this time, according to the list appended to the last annual report, is thirty-five. since Unitarianism in this region was brought to light, in 1815, there has been, as there is now, a majority of Unitarians in this society. Yet it always elected an Orthodox select committee, and all the missionaries oppointed by it, with possibly one exception, were, so far as we have been able to ascertain, Orthodox, till since the death of its late President, the Hon. WILLIAM PHILLIPS, who left

Ever

the society a legacy of $5000. At the annual meeting which took place on the week of his funeral, no change was made. But the next year, the character of the select committee was reversed. And, if we are correctly informed, the only two new missionaries that have been appointed since that time, and previous to the late annual meeting, were Unitarians. One of them, the Rev. Mr. BRIMBLECOME of Norridgewock, Me., soon after his appointment, avowed himself a Universalist, and joined the Universalist Convention of Maine. For this act he has been stricken from the list of missionaries of this society, with what consistency can be best told by its liberal members, who, of course, hold that no man is to be censured for his religious opinions. We were quite disappointed at finding no treasurer's report published the present year; for we hold it to be of the utmost importance that all our benevolent societies account regularly and fully to the public for the funds committed to their trust. From the report for 1827, it appears that, in November of that year, the society had a permanent fund of $28,700, the "probable income" of which was stated to be $1659. To this has since been added the legacy of the late Hon. William Phillips, $5,000, making a total amount of permanent funds, $33,700. The receipts of the society from other sources besides the income of permanent funds in 1827, were $152 88. Here, then, is a fund of $35,000, given for the purpose of propagating evangelical religion, that is henceforth, as fast as such an applica tion of its income can be safely made, to be devoted to the propagation of Unitarianism.

Before this society, soon after it had commenced the course of perversion above described, was preached the sermon now before us. It is assumed by the author, on the authority of the text (Mic. iv. 1-4.) and numerous other predictions, that the time will come, "when genuine Christianity, with its blessed influences on the temporal condition and the eternal prospects of men, shall be diffused among all nations." In accomplishing this glorious revolution, "the efficient agency will be that of the Holy Spirit;" but means must be used, and men must be employed in dispensing them. How, then, shall this instrumentality be directed?

"Shall our primary object be to civilize or to christianize the heathen? And when we come to teach them the doctrines of religion,-whether at the commencement of our efforts for their improvement, or at a subsequent period, shall we inculcate only the simpler and more general principles of our faith? or shall we, at once, present and urge upon their acceptance its most sublime and distinctive truths?"

In answer to these questions, the author shows conclusively, from the directions of Christ, the example of the apostles, and from well authenticated facts-in opposition to the opinions of some, who would be wiser than the primitive preachers of the Gospel-that the heathen nations must first be christianized,—and that, in imparting to them Christianity, we must "at once present, and

urge upon their acceptance, its most sublime and distinctive truths, such as "the incarnation of the Son of God, the propitiation made in his blood for the sins of the world, the lost condition of unrenewed men, the necessity of their renovation by the Holy Spirit, and the endless happiness or misery depending on the character formed in the present life." The facts by which this latter position is sustained are exceedingly interesting, as well as convincing. The following is an account of the conversion of a North American Indian, under the instruction of a Moravian missionary.

"When the missionary came to his tribe he was,' says the history, the greatest drunkard in the whole town; he was quite outrageous in sin, and had even rendered himself a cripple by his debaucheries.' But soon he was remarkably and permanently changed. The drunkard had learned to be sober; and the man, who was as savage as a bear, had become mild and peaceful as a lamb. He afterwards gave the Brethren the following simple and instructive 'account of his conversion.' 'I,' said he, have been a heathen, and have grown old among the heathen; therefore I know how the heathen think. Once a preacher came, and began to tell us that there was a God. We answered him, saying, Dost thou think us so ignorant as not to know that? Go back to the place from whence thou camest?' Then another preacher came to us, and began to say, You must not steal, nor lie, nor get drunk.' To him we answered, Thou fool; dost thou think that we do not know that? Learn first thyself, and then teach thy own people to leave off these practices; for who steal, or lie, or are more drunken than the white men.' Thus we dismissed him. After some time brother Rauch* came into my hut, and sat down by me. He then spoke to me as follows: 'I am come to you in the name of the Lord of heaven and earth. He sends to let you know that he will make you happy, and deliver you from the misery in which you at present lie. For this purpose he became a man, gave his life a ransom, and shed his blood for you.' When he had finished his discourse, he lay down upon a board, fatigued by his journey, and fell into a sound sleep. I then thought, 'What kind of a man is this? There he sleeps. I might kill him, and throw him into the wood, and who would regard it? But this gives him no care or concern.' At the same time, I could not forget his words. They constantly recurred to my mind. Even when I slept, I dreamed of that blood which Christ shed for us. I found this to be something different from what I ever heard before; and I interpreted brother Rauch's words to the other Indians. Thus, through the grace of God, an awakening began among us. Brethren, preach Christ our Saviour, and his sufferings and death, if you would have your words to gain entrance among the heathen.' "t

ERRATA.

In our last number, p. 642, sixth line from the bottom, it is represented that Chubb "became a confessed infidel." The word "confessed" should be omitted.

Page 645, twelfth line from the bottom, for "impossibility," read possibility.

Christian Henry Rauch, the Moravian missionary who had been instrumental in his

conversion.

Brown's History of Missions, vol. i. pp. 396, 397.

THE DECLINE, REVIVAL, AND PRESENT STATE OF EVANGELICAL * RELIGION IN GERMANY.

THE attention of the Christian public has, of late, been called particularly and repeatedly to the great and interesting changes, which religion and religious sentiments have undergone, within from about sixty to eighty years, in that part of Europe of which I am at this time to speak. We have had the appalling sight of a Christian country deluged with infidelity, and all its concomitants of licentiousness and vice. We have witnessed a few noble spirits, a few names written, as we trust, in heaven, engaged in a contest, long and fierce, against a host of enemiesenemies as powerful and malicious, as subtle, decided and persevering as have ever been arrayed against the cause of truth. We have heard the shout of victory raised by the enemy, echoing from one end of the land to the other, proclaiming the supposed extermination of the true religion of Christ. We have seen the believers in Jesus, as a body, overwhelmed, and prostrated with their faces to the dust, bearing their iniquity and the iniquity of their fathers, and drinking at the hand of the Lord the cup of his fury' to the very dregs. We have heard their haughty enemies say, 'Bow down, that we may go over;' and they laid their bodies as the ground and as the street to them that went over.' 'Rase it, rase it,' was the universal shout of the adversaries in that gloomy time, when God drew back his hand, and hid his face from his people; when he made them to pass through the furnace of fire, 'to purge away their dross, and to take away their tin.' But withal, we have seen the wrath of man to praise

The writer of the following article, as will be inferred from the statements and mode of expression, is a German. The account which he gives will be new and interesting to our readers, and, it is presumed, may be relied on as correct.