CONCLUSION.

In the foregoing pages I proposed to treat | of Rhode Island, the one by Roman Cath of the origin, history, economy, action, and olics, who enjoyed their religious rights at influence of religion in the United States that epoch in no Protestant country, and of America, and in the execution of this the other by a sect of Protestants, who task I have endeavoured to omit nothing could find no toleration either in Massathat seemed requisite to a full elucidation chusetts or Virginia. Nearly fifty years of the subject. The extent of ground ne- later, Pennsylvania was planted as an asycessarily traversed has rendered it indis-lum for persecuted Quakers, who, till then, pensable that I should lay before the reader very numerous details; but these, I trust, he has found at once pertinent and interesting. Here the work properly ends; but I am desirous of recalling the attention of the reader to a few of the most important facts which it brings to light, and briefly to remark upon them, in order, if possible, to render them more useful to those who may be led to contemplate them. Ition which they furnished-in the internal wish, also, to make a reply to several charges against my country, and especially against its religious institutions, which I have heard in certain parts of Europe.

I. THE PROGRESS OF RELIGIOUS LIBERTY IN AMERICA. On this subject so much has been said in the second and third books of this work, that I need do no more than bestow a very brief review upon it. In no part of the world, I apprehend, can we find any progress, in this respect, which can be compared with what has taken place in the United States.

had no place of assured protection and repose in the whole world. The influence of these three asylum-colonies, one in the north, one in the south, and one in the middle of the entire series of plantations, where perfect religious liberty was established at the very outset, and in two of which its reign was never interrupted, though silent, was powerful. The complete demonstra

tranquillity which prevailed, so far as religious questions were concerned, in the absence of all unhappy collisions between the Church and the State, and of corroding jealousies and attritions between the various sects-not only of the justice, but also, of the wisdom of giving to all men the fullest possession of the rights of conscience and of worship, could not be lost upon the other colonies.

Its influence concurred with the many long-protracted and severe discussions. which took place in them, to bring about: ultimately the triumph of better principles. And what is now the state of things in the United States, as regards religious liberty? It is that of the universal enjoy

he Protestant or Catholic-the infidel, the Mohammedan, the Jew, the Deist, has not only all his rights as a citizen, but may have his own form of worship, without the possibility of any interference from any policeman or magistrate, provided he do not interrupt, in so doing, the peace and tranquillity of the surrounding neighbourhood. Even the Atheist may have his. meetings in which to preach his doctrines, if he can get anybody to hear them.*

In the year 1607, the plantation of the Southern group of colonies was commenced within the settlement of Jamestown. In 1620, that of the Northern was begun in the landing of the Pilgrims at Plymouth.ment of this liberty. The Christian-be Though originating in motives as widely different, almost, as possible, and having in view the diffusion of forms of Protestantism, so far as ecclesiastical organization is concerned, as completely antipodal as can be conceived, both were founded in that spirit of intolerance which prevailed at that day throughout the Old World, and which, alas! reigns even yet in so large a portion of it. All that the Puritans who settled in Massachusetts and Connecticut expected to accomplish was the planting of colonies in which they and their children might profess and practise the religion which they preferred. The toleration of other doctrines and other forms of worship formed no part of their desire or design. Nor was there a better spirit in Virginia. In both, the narrow bigotry of Europe struck deep its roots, soon attained a vigorous growth, and brought forth its appropriate fruits.

It is a remarkable fact, that the United States and Texas are the only countries

* Even as it regards the holding of political offices, while the Constitutions of almost all the states, as we have shown in the third book, are founded on Christianity, in a certain sense, and at present make no distinction between Protestants and Roman Catholics, the Jew is, with one exception, nowhere debarred from any civil privilege. There is, I am sorry to say it, one state, that of North Carolina, where the Israelite is still excluded from political privileges; and this, too, under her new Constitution. But it is the only relic of this species of barbarism which re

In the year 1634, the colony of Maryland was founded, and two years later, that I mains among us.

in all Christendom where perfect religious of a power that ought not to exist, that in liberty exists, and where the government itself is tyranny. It implies that you, an does nothing, by "favour" or otherwise, to earthly authority, an earthly power, say promote the interests of any one religion, to me, so condescendingly, I permit you or of any one sect of religionists, more the exercise of your religion. You perthan another. And I cannot but think mit me? And what authority have you to that the very freedom from a thousand permit me, any more than I to permit you? perplexing and agitating collisions, from God permits me, God commands me, and which one sees the governments of other do you dare to say that you tolerate me? countries in the Christian world to be con- Who is he that shall come in between me tinually suffering, furnishes one of the and God either to say yea or nay? Your most powerful arguments which can be toleration itself is tyranny, for you have conceived in favour of leaving religion to no right to meddle with the matter. But its own resources, under the blessing of whenever Church and State are united, its adorable Author. Whatever diversity then there will be meddling with the matof opinion may exist among Christians in ter; and even in this country, if one parAmerica on other subjects, there is none ticular sect were to get the patronage of on this subject. They would all acknowl- the State, there would be an end to our edge, without a moment's hesitation, the perfect religious freedom. views expressed in the following paragraphs, which were uttered lately by a gifted and elegant writer.*

"In the reign of Queen Elizabeth, the poet Southwell, who wrote one of the most exquisitely beautiful death-hymns in "Almost every sect in turn, when tempt- our language, and who seems to have been ed by the power, has resorted to the prac- truly a devout man, was put to death viotice of religious persecution; but to the lently and publicly, no other crime being credit of Rome it must be said that the proved against him but what he honestly baptism of fire is almost exclusively her and proudly avowed, that he had come sacrament for heretics. Good men of al- over into England simply and solely to most all persuasions have been confined preach the Catholic religion. And he in prison for conscience' sake. Bunyan ought to have been left at liberty to preach was the first person in the reign of Charles it; for if the Protestant religion cannot II. punished for the crime of nonconformi- stand against Catholic preaching, it ought ty. Southey's own language has the word to go down. No religion is worth having, punished; it should have been persecuted or worth supporting, that needs racks, or for the virtue; for such it was in Bunyan; Inquisitions, or fires and fagots, to susand any palliation which could be resorted tain it; that dare not or cannot meet its adto for the purpose of justifying an English versaries on the open battle-field of Truth; hierarchy for shutting up John Bunyan in no religion is worth supporting that needs prison, would also justify a Romish hie- anything but the truth and Spirit of God to rarchy for burning Latimer and Ridley at support it; and no establishment ought to the stake. Strange that the lesson of be permitted to stand that stands by perreligious toleration should be one of the secuting others, nor any church to exist last and hardest, even for liberal minds, to that exists by simply unchurching others. learn. It cost long time, instruction, and So, if the English Church Establishment discipline even for the disciples of Christ dared not consider herself safe without to learn it; and they never would have shutting up John Bunyan and sixty other learned it had not the infant Church been dissenters (several of whom were also,, cut loose from the State, and deprived of like himself, clergymen) with him in prisall possibility of girding the secular arm on, the English Church Establishment was with thunder in its behalf. John had not not worthy to be safe; the English Church learned it when he would have called Establishment was a disgrace and an indown fire from heaven to destroy the Sa- jury to the Gospel, and a disgrace and an maritans; nor John, nor his followers, injury to a free people. No church is when they forbade a faithful saint (some worth saving from destruction, if it has to John Bunyan of those days, belike) from be saved by the destruction of other men's casting out devils, because he followed religious liberties; nay, if that be the case not them. And they never would have with it, it ought to go down, and the soonlearned it had the union of Church ander the better. No church is worthy to State been sanctioned by the Saviour. stand that makes nonconformity to its Whenever one sect in particular is united rites and usages a penal crime; it becomes to the State, the lesson of religious tolera- a persecuting church the moment it does tion will not be perfectly learned; nay, this; for, supposing that every man, womwho does not see that toleration itself, ap-an, and child in the kingdom is kept from plied to religion, implies the assumption nonconformity simply by that threat, and

that, through the power of such terror,

* Rev. George B. Cheever, of New-York, in a there comes to be never the need to put Lecture on Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress. such penal laws in execution, and so never

the churches are open, at least in the forenoon, and sermons are preached throughout the limits of the Commonwealth.*

a single subject really molested or punished, still that church is a persecuting church, and that people a persecuted people, a terrified people, a people cowed down, a peo- II. THE TRUE CAUSES OF SUCCESS.- But ple in whose souls the sacred fire of liber- our religious liberty, unbounded and prety is fast extinguishing, a people bound to cious as it is, is not the cause of the sucGod's service by the fear of men's racks. cess which has attended the Gospel in Such a people can never be free; their America. It is only the occasion, if I may cowardice will forge their fetters. A peo- so express myself, not the means, by which ple who will sell themselves to a church the Church of Christ has made so great adthrough fear of punishment, will sell them-vances in the United States. It has wonselves to any tyrant through the same derfully opened the way for this blessed fear; nay, a people who will serve God prosperity; it has removed hinderances, althrough fear of punishment, when they layed prejudices, and placed the country would not serve him otherwise, will serve in a true position in regard to Christianity. Satan in the same way. It has created an open field, in which Truth may contend with Error, clad in her own panoply, and relying on her own weapons.

"If you make nonconformity a crime, you are therefore a persecuting church, whether your name be Rome, or England, or America, even though there be not a single nonconformist found for you to exercise your wrath upon, not one against whom you may draw the sword of your penalty. But it is drawn, and drawn against the liberty of conscience, and every man whom in this way you keep from nonconformity, you make him a deceiver to his God; you make him barter his conscience for an exemption from an earthly penalty; you make him put his conscience, not into God's keeping, but into the keeping of your sword; you dry up the life-blood of liberty in his soul; you make him in his inmost conscience an imprisoned slave, a venal victim of your bribery and terror; and though he may still walk God's earth as others, it is with the iron in his soul, it is with your chain about his neck, it is as the shuffling fugitive from your penalties, and not as a whole-souled man, who, fearing God religiously, fears nothing else. There may, indeed, be no chain visible, but you have wound its invisible links around the man's spirit; you have bound the man within the man; you have fettered him, and laid him down in a cold, dark dungeon, and until those fetters are taken off, and he stands erect and looks out from his prison to God, it is no man, but a slave that you have in your service; it is no disciple, but a Simon Magus that you have in your church."

But though with us "heresy" is nowhere considered to be "treason," and all enjoy equal religious liberty, neither the General Government, nor those of our individual states, are indifferent to religion. One of the most striking proofs of this is to be found in the fact, that every yearalmost without exception in the autumnthe governors of a large majority of our states recommend and name a day to be observed as a Day of Thanksgiving to Almighty God for his mercies, and of supplication for their continuance. And such days are generally observed by Christians of every name. Business is suspended,

Much as I love the perfect liberty of conscience and of worship which we enjoy in America, there are other things which, to my mind, must be regarded as the causes of the success which has attended the efforts of God's people among us to promote his kingdom. Let us notice these for a few moments.

1. There is the grouping of our children, rich and poor, in the Sunday-schools, arranging them in small classes, and bringing their young minds and hearts into contact with the Word of God,

2. There is the continuation of this good work in the Bible-class. What a powerful

pleased to see one of the proclamations issued on The European reader of this work may be such occasions; we subjoin that of the Governor of New-York for the year 1843.

"In obedience to that high sense of gratitude due the Almighty Ruler of the Universe, I do hereby DECEMBER NEXT, to be observed by the people of designate THURSDAY, THE FOURTEENTH DAY OF this state as a day of PRAYER, PRAISE, AND THANKSGIVING TO ALMIGHTY GOD for the numerous and unmerited blessings of the year.

accordance with the wishes of the people, and will "I feel assured that this act of public duty is in meet with universal acquiescence.

"As a people, we have great reason to be thankful, and to praise the Almighty Dispenser of all Good for the continued smiles of His providence on our

state and nation.

During the past year we have been permitted to enjoy our religious and political privileges unmolested. We have been exempt from those ravages of malignant disease which sometimes afflict a people. The season has been highly propitious, and seldom has the harvest been more abundant. As a crowning blessing, the Spirit of the Lord has revived the hearts of Christians, and brought to a saving knowledge many that knew not God.

For the distinguished blessings we have enjoyed, we should raise our hearts in humble adoration to our Father in heaven, thereby presenting to the world the imposing spectacle of the entire population of a great state abstaining from all secular en

gagements on the day designated, and devoting themselves to the service of the Almighty. We should always remember that 'righteousness exalteth a nation."

"Given under my hand, and the privy seal of the state, at the city of Albany, this tenth day of [L. S.] November, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty-three. "WM. C. BOUCE."

means of doing good! and how well cal- preciated, honoured, sought by the Church culated to follow up, or prepare the way as He ought to be? Oh, when shall Chrisfor the instruction around the family altar! tians awake to a proper sense of the desi3. There are our societies for educating rableness, yea, the absolute necessity of in a thorough manner young men of piety His glorious effusion upon the world, in and talents for the work of preaching the order to its conversion, and which is the Gospel. And many hundreds of young subject of so many and so remarkable premen of promise, whom God's Spirit urges dictions? Many who profess the name of to preach salvation to their dying fellow- Christ seem almost not to know whether men, are thus every year brought forward there be a Holy Ghost! for the work.

4. Next come the Home Missionary Societies and Boards, which send forth these young men, when prepared to preach, to the new and destitute portions of the country, and help the people to sustain them.

5. In connexion with these, the Maternal Associations, and other means for impressing on parents the duty of bringing up their children for the Lord, and for aiding them in the attempt, must not be overlooked; nor those efforts which are made to disseminate the Sacred Scriptures and religious tracts and books. These are silent but efficient means of co-operation in this blessed work.

6. And, lastly and chiefly, there remains the preaching of the Word, the most effective of all instrumentalities for the conversion and sanctification of men. There is nothing which may supplant this. And here we have abundant occasion for thankfulness. We have a great many thousands of pious and faithful preachers; very many of whom are able, skilful, and successful labourers in the vineyard of the Lord.

Let the reader review what has been said on all these points in the portions of this work which treat of them, and he will discover the true causes, under God, of the progress which religion has made in America from the first, and especially within the present century.

Now, though the churches in America, taken as a whole, are very far from a proper appreciation of this subject; though even the best of them are far from having attained such views, and from having put forth such action respecting it as they ought to do, yet there is, in all evangelical and truly converted Christians among us, some sense of their dependance upon the Spirit for success in their efforts to grow in grace, as well as to turn sinners unto righteousness. There is, also, much earnest prayer for the outpouring of the Spirit upon their souls, and upon all those who hear or read the Gospel.

There is no one thing which has more decidedly characterized the preaching of our best and most successful divines, or the feelings of our most devoted Christians, than the doctrine of the existence, the personality, the offices, and the saving operation of the Holy Spirit. It has been the great dominant idea, if I may so term it, which has pervaded and influenced the Church of Christ in America during the last hundred years. Hence the esteem in which revivals of religion are held.

To this great subject I cannot but entreat the religious reader to direct his most serious attention. It is one of vital importance. Surely God has led his people to expect a great outpouring of his Spirit in the latter days. And, surely, the world, as well as the Church, has seen the need of such an influence, if it is ever to be brought under the renovating influences of the Gospel to a degree corresponding with its necessities. And whatever importance the author may attach to other portions of this work, beyond all comparison he is desirous that the portion of it which relates to revivals may be most deeply pondered by every reader.

III. THE TRUE SOURCE OF ALL SUCCESS. Still, these must all be considered as only means; the success is of God. "It is not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord." Here is all our hope; even Truth itself is impotent to renovate the heart of man, depraved and debased as he is, without the influence of the Holy Spirit. It is the province of this blessed Agent to take the things of Christ and show them unto men. It is He alone who IV. GROUNDS OF HOPE IN RELATION TO can open the blind eyes, and cause them THE CHURCHES IN AMERICA.-I know of noto see the beauty and fitness of the glori- thing which is so well calculated to inspire ous plan of salvation through the crucified hope in relation to our American churches Son of God. It is he alone who can ren- as the extensive diffusion of the spirit of der the preaching of the Gospel "the pow-missions among them within the last few er of God and the wisdom of God to the salvation of men." And He, blessed be God, can as easily render the same presentation of the glorious Gospel effectual to the salvation of many as of few-of hundreds and thousands, as on the day of Pentecost, as of one.

But, alas! when shall the Spirit be ap-
X

years, for it is the spirit of Christ.
us look at this fact for a moment.

Let

Twenty-five years ago, with the exception of what was doing by a Committee or Board of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church, and the missionary societies of some of the New-England States-and this did not amount to very

much--there was nothing doing in behalf of domestic missions. But within that period have been formed the American Home Missionary Society, which unites all the evangelical Congregational churches in the land, together with the New School Presbyterians; the Board of Domestic Missions of the Old School Presbyterians, the Home Missionary Societies of the Baptists, Methodists, and Free-Will Baptists; and the Boards for Domestic Missions of the Reformed Dutch, Lutheran, German Reformed, Associate, Associate Reformed, Reformed Presbyterian, Protestant Episcopal, Cumberland Presbyterians, and Seventh-day Baptist churches. No denomination is too insignificant to have its Society or its Board of Domestic Missions. And what do we see? Nearly two thousand ordained ministers are labouring in new and destitute neighbourhoods, in the East and the West, to gather congregations and build up churches. What a change! And what a ground of hope!

CIPLE IN AMERICA IN RAISING UP AN ADEQUATE MINISTRY.-That the Voluntary Principle has not been inefficient in America, in this respect, will readily appear from a simple statement of facts.

exclusive, also, of the German United Brethren, and several other little German sects, as well as two or three small Methodist secessions, was, in the year 1843, sixteen thousand three hundred. That is, on an average, one evangelical Protestant minister of the Gospel for rather less than 1135 souls.

If the reader will recur to chapter i. of book iii., he will learn that, at the epoch of the commencement of the Revolution in 1775, the number of ministers of the Gospel, of all denominations, including even the Roman Catholic priests, did not exceed 1441. Indeed, I am sure this estimate is too high. But let us suppose it to be correct. Now, if the population of the country was then three millions and a half, there was one minister of the Gospel for about 2428 souls. But if the population then was only three millions, which I apprehend to be an estimate nearer the truth, then there was one minister, on an average, for nearly 2082 souls. On the other hand, the population of the country at the commencement of 1844 may be fairly estimated at 18,500,000 souls. And if the Moreover, thirty-four years ago there reader will refer to what we have said in was not one Missionary Society in the chapter xvii. of book vi., he will see that United States for the promotion of foreign the number of ordained evangelical or ormissions, save the small one of the Mora- thodox Protestant ministers alone, excluvians. But now the Old and New School sive of the local preachers of the MethoPresbyterians, Congregationalists, Methodist churches (not far, in all, from 8500), dists, Baptists, Episcopalians, Reformed Dutch, Lutherans, Free-Will Baptists, Associate, Associate Reformed, and Reformed Presbyterians, and perhaps some others, as well as the United Brethren, have their Foreign Missionary Societies or Boards, and sustain a greater or less number of men on the foreign field. It cannot be said that they have done all that they It is not here asserted that all these might. But it may be said that they have ministers are pastors, or that they all made a good beginning, and that what they have congregations to which they statedly have done is nothing in comparison with preach. It is certain that a good many what they will do, with God's blessing. are teachers and professors, secretaries That they should have nearly 400 preach- and agents of religious and benevolent soers abroad, besides other labourers, and cieties, who, nevertheless, preach a great raise more than half a million of dollars deal; and many, who are not pastors, for the extension of the Gospel in that direc- preach to churches which are for a time tion, is a subject which calls for thanks to destitute of pastors. But what is here God. It is the wide diffusion of the spirit meant is simply to show the increase of of missions through our churches, rather evangelical ministers of the Gospel, and than its positive and present results, which its decided gain upon the increase of the I am here holding up as a ground of hope. population. The fact is clear and striking; And in that light I am sure it may fairly be there is at present one evangelical Protregarded. It is the best omen for good estant minister in the United States for both to the Church and the nation. It is less than 1100 souls; in 1775 there was our great palladium. It is also our best one minister of the Gospel, of every name, pledge, and even our most certain means, for about 2428 souls, or, at best, for 2082. of prosperity to all the interests of Truth. On the one supposition, the number of As long as the spirit of missions is exist- evangelical ministers is more than twice ent and efficient in our churches of every as great, in proportion to the population, name, we may venture to hope that, what- as was that of the ministers, both Protestever may go wrong in our political organ- ant and Catholic, in 1775, and, on the othization, or however wickedness may aug-er, it is nearly twice as great.' ment, God will regard us in mercy, and say of us as a nation, "Spare it, for there is a blessing in it."

V. EFFICIENCY OF THE VOLUNTARY PRIN

*

priests, and the Unitarian, Universalist, and other heterodox preachers, we should have at this time one preacher for every 800 souls.

*If we were to include the Roman Catholic