points of the older states, intermixed with a like kind is taking place every year, in wanderers from Europe-Irish, Scotch, or | hundreds of instances, throughout all the German-proposes that they should think states. Settlers of one denomination are of having a church, or, at least, some place sometimes sufficiently numerous in one of worship. It is ten chances to one if place to build a church for themselves at there be not one or more pious women, or the outset, but in most cases they hold their some pious man with his family, who sigh first meetings for worship in schoolrooms for the privileges of the sanctuary, as once or private houses. enjoyed by them in the distant East. What The rapid increase of the population in is to be done? Some one proposes that some of the new villages and towns of the they should build a good large school- West, when favourably situated for trade, house, which may serve also for holding re- is astonishing, and strikes one particularly ligious meetings, and this is scarcely soon-in its early stages. Thus, when in the er proposed than accomplished. Though possibly made of mere logs and very plain, it will answer the purpose for a few years. Being intended for the meetings of all denominations of Christians, and open to all preachers who may be passing, word is sent to the nearest in the neighbourhood. Ere long some Baptist preacher, in passing, preaches in the evening, and is followed by a Presbyterian and a Methodist. By-and-by the last of these arranges his circuit labours so as to preach there once in a fortnight, and the minister of some Presbyterian congregation, ten or fifteen miles off, agrees to come and preach once a month.

Meanwhile, from the increase of the inhabitants, the congregations, on the Sabbath particularly, become too large for the schoolhouse. A church is then built of framed beams and boards, forming no mean ornament to the village, and capable of accommodating some 200 or 300 people. Erected for the public good, it is used by all the sects in the place, and by others besides. For were a Swedenborgian minister to come and have notice given that he would preach, he might be sure of finding a congregation, though, as the sect is small in America, and by many hardly so much as heard of, he might not have a single hearer that assents to his views. But it will not be long before the Presbyterians, Methodists, or Baptists feel that they must have a minister on whose services they can count with more certainty, and hence a church, also, for themselves. And at last the house, which was a jointstock affair at first, falls into the hands of some one of the denominations and is abandoned by the others, who have mostly provided each one for itself. Or it may remain for the occasional service of some passing Roman Catholic priest, or Universalist preacher.*

Such is the process continually going on in the West, and, indeed, something of *In some places in the Southwestern States, the primitive and temporary churches built for all denominations, in the new villages or settlements, are called "Republican churches;" that is, churches for the accommodation of the public rather than for any one sect. Large schoolhouses, also, erected for the double purpose of teaching and preaching, are called Republican meeting-houses.

State of Alabama in February, 1831, I visited the town of Montgomery in company with a worthy Baptist minister, in the course of an extensive tour through the Western States in behalf of one of our benevolent societies. It was then hardly more than a large village. On the night of the second of the two days we spent in it, we preached in a large schoolhouse, which, if I remember rightly, was the only place for holding religious meetings existing there at the time. We had a good congregation, though a circus was held hard by. Just three years after, when repeating the same tour, I spent a Sabbath and one or two days more at the same spot, but under amazingly different circumstances. In the morning I preached in a Presbyterian church built of frames and covered with boards, and every way comfortable, to at least 600 persons. The church, which reckoned 100 members, had got a young man as pastor, to whom they gave a yearly stipend of $1000. At night I preached in a Baptist church, built of brick, but not quite finished, which could hold 300 persons at least. Besides these, there were one Methodist Episcopal and one Protestant Methodist church, each, in so far as I can recollect, as large as the Baptist church. Then there was an Episcopal church, not less in size, though probably with a smaller congregation, than the Baptist church. And, withal, there was a Roman Catholic church, though not a large one, I believe. All this after an interval of only three years! Eventful years they had been. A revival of religion, which took place during one of them, had brought many souls to the knowledge of salvation.

This was, it is true, an extraordinary case, yet something very similar in kind, although not in degree, is going on at a great many points in the West. I know not what reverses the town of Montgomery may have since undergone, but what I have stated occurred, I know, between the years 1831 and 1834.

On the Genesee River, a few miles above its entrance into Lake Ontario, in the State of New-York, stands a town, incorporated as a city, called Rochester. The place is famous for the vast quantity of flour made at its mills. Twenty-five years ago, it

could show but a few houses scattered here | the trustees, where there are such. Where and there, where now there is a well-built the seats are free, as is the case with very and flourishing city, containing, when I many churches of all denominations in the was there about two years ago, 22,000 in- interior of the country, the minister's salhabitants, and twenty-two churches, many ary is raised by yearly subscription. In the of which were large and fine buildings, Methodist Episcopal churches, with few capable of accommodating congregations exceptions, the ministers are supported by of from 1000 to 1200 persons each. Among collections among the members, quarterly these churches there were two for Ger- public collections, &c. Sometimes, also, mans, and another, I learned, was soon to recourse is partially had to subscriptions, be erected for French and Swiss. especially where there are "stationed" or non-itinerating ministers.

Churches and church property of every description are held, in the United States, Among the Protestant denominations, by trustees chosen by the congregation to the amount of the pastor's salary is deterwhich they belong. The laws of almost mined, in most cases, by the churches every state provide for this. These trus- themselves. In the Methodist churches, tees, who may be two, three, or more in the amount is fixed by the General Confernumber, are authorized to act for the con-ence. In ordinary cases, he receives so gregation, to whom they report, from time to time, the state of the common funds. They are charged, in most cases, with the collection of the pastor's salary, as well as with the general collection and outlay of money for the congregation. Without their consent the church edifice cannot be given to any other than the ordinary religious services of the sanctuary.

much for himself, a like sum for his wife, and so much for each of his children, according to their ages, with certain perquisites besides, such as a family dwellinghouse, a horse, &c., making up altogether a comfortable maintenance for himself and his household. The collections of each"circuit" are expected, generally speaking, to suffice for the salaries of the ministers who occupy them, any deficiency being made up from funds which the Conference may have in hand for meeting such contin

denominations, with two exceptions, receive fixed salaries from their people, and are expected to devote themselves to their proper vocation, and to "live by the altar.” The exceptions are a part of the ministers of the Baptist Church, and all the Quaker preachers. These support themselves by their labour, or from other sources, and preach on the Sabbath.

In some cases, several, if not all of the churches in a city, belonging to a particular communion, are held by a common board of trustees. All the Methodist Epis-gencies. The clergy of all evangelical copal churches of New-York are so held. One corporation has the proprietorship of four of the Reformed Dutch churches in that city, and another holds Trinity Church, and perhaps some others belonging to the Protestant Episcopal denomination. In all denominations, according to general practice, each particular church and congregation has its own trustees, and manages its own "temporal" affairs, being such as relate to the church_edifice, the ground on which it stands, and any other property or stocks belonging to it; and it is only on questions of right to property that the Civil Courts, or even the State Legislatures, or Congress itself, can ever meddle with the affairs of the churches.

CHAPTER V.

THE VOLUNTARY PRINCIPLE DEVELOPED.-HOW

THE SALARIES OF THE PASTORS ARE RAISED.

The Baptists agree with the Methodists in not considering a college education, or an acquaintance with the Greek, Latin, and Hebrew tongues, or the natural and moral sciences, indispensable for a preacher of the Gospel; hence by far the greater number of them have had only an English education, together with such theological knowledge, derived from English sources, as has qualified them, in the opinion of the authorities in their churches, for undertadenominations, however, there are not a king to preach the Gospel. In both these few truly learned men, who have passed through the curriculum of some college, and have diligently added to the acquirements of their preparatory course. The Universally where the seats and pews regular itinerating ministers of the Methoare the property of individuals or families, dist churches receive salaries, and devote and generally where they are rented by the themselves wholly to their ministerial callyear, the salaries of the pastors, and some-ing; whereas very many of the Baptist times all the incidental expenses, are raised by a certain yearly, half-yearly, or quarterly rate upon each pew. The proportion for each pew is fixed by the trustees, or by the elders, or by a committee appointed for that special purpose, but in most cases by

UNDER this head we find different measures adopted by different churches, and in different parts of the country.

ministers, as has been already stated, especially in the Southern and Western, and to a certain extent in the Middle States, receive no salaries at all, or none of any consequence, so that they must support. themselves in some other way.

The preachers among the Friends, who, as the reader is probably aware, may be women as well as men, receive no regular salaries; but those of them who, under the belief that they have a call from the Spirit to give themselves wholly to the work, travel through the country, visiting the Friends'" meetings," a "and preaching in other places, generally, nay, always, if their own means are not abundant, receive considerable presents.

he receives a good many presents. His marriage fees are of some amount. In other parts of the country, and especially in the West, the clergy are not so well provided for. The practice in New-England of giving them presents, whether casually or regularly, and at some set time, does not prevail elsewhere to the same degree.

The salaries of the clergy in the largest and wealthiest churches of the principal cities are handsome, though generally no more than adequate.* Fifteen hundred dollars, 1800, 2000, 2500, are the sums commonly given, and, in a few cases, 3000, 3500, and even 4000. The Presbyterian Church in New-Orleans, I believe, gives its pastor 5000, and the highest of all is that of one of the bishops in the Episcopal Church, which, I have been told, is 6000.†

It is not easy to give any very satisfactory answer to the question, Whether the ministers of the Gospel are well supported in the United States? Using that phrase in the sense which many attach to it, I should say, in giving a general reply to the question, that they are not. That is to say, few, if any, of them receive salaries that would enable them to live in the style in which the wealthiest of their parishioners live. Their incomes are not equal to those of the greater number of lawyers and physicians, though these are men of no better education or higher talents than great numbers of the clergy possess. None of the ministers of the Gospel in the United States derive such revenues from their official stations as many of the parochial cler-abled the trustees to contribute largely gy of England have, to say nothing of the higher dignitaries of the Church in that country. There are few, if any, of them who, with economy, can do more than live upon their salaries; to grow rich upon them is out of the question.*

Yet, on the other hand, the greater number of the salaried ministers in the United States are able, with economy, to live comfortably and respectably. This holds true especially as respects the pastors of the Atlantic, and even of the older parts of the Western States. In New-England, if we except Boston, the salaries of the Congregational, Episcopal, and Baptist pastors are, in the largest towns, such as Providence, Portland, Salem, Hartford, NewHaven, &c., from 800 to 1200 dollars; in the villages and country churches they vary from 300 or 400 to 700 or 800, besides which the minister sometimes has a parsonage" and "glebe," that is, a house and a few acres of land, and, in addition to all, * The statements made by foreigners, in writing about the United States, are sometimes sufficiently ludicrous. For instance, M. Beaumont, in his "Marie, ou Esclavage aux Etats-Unis," accounts for the great number of churches there by the great number of ministers of the Gospel. He says that the ministry is not only very honourable, but very lucrative also; that most of the preachers make a fortune in a few years, and then retire from the ministry, which is the cause of there being so few old men in the pulpits of that country. Anything more absurd on such a subject I cannot imagine. But I will do M. Beaumont the justice to say, that I do not blame him so much as the stupid creatures who gave him such information. The gay Frenchman probably did not set his foot in more than half a dozen churches when in America, and of these not one, it is likely, was Protestant.

Some churches have permanent funds, which go far towards the pastor's support. The corporation of the collegiate churches of the Reformed Dutch Church in NewYork, four in number at present, has enough from this source to pay the salaries of the four pastors. The corporation of Trinity Church (Episcopal) possesses vast funds, the income from which has en

towards the building of churches in the State of New-York. Three of the Presbyterian churches in Newark, New-Jersey, which is nine miles from New-York, and contains 20,000 inhabitants, have permanent funds sufficient for the support of their public services.

But, generally speaking, a permanent fund is found to be rather injurious than beneficial to the churches in the United States. If out of debt, that is, if they owe nothing for their church edifices, lecture-rooms, vestry-rooms, &c., they need no endowment; the hearts of the people will do the rest. I speak of the churches in the older parts of the country. The measures we take for the support of churches in the new settlements, and which are weak as yet, I shall show hereafter.

It often happens that ministers are not

* The clergy are expected to be examples of hospitality and benevolence. They entertain a great deal of company at their houses. Nothing is more common than for ministers of the Gospel, when visiting any place, whether in town or country, to stay with their brethren; and no men among us give so much, in proportion to their means, to all the religious and philanthropic enterprises, as our pastors of every denomination.

† I refer to the Bishop of New-York, who, if he has to pay for a suffragan to take his place as pastor of a church, or co-pastor with others in two or three churches, as well as bear his travelling expenses when visiting his diocese as I doubt not is the case-will not have more than is necessary to support a large family in so expensive a city as NewYork.

As for New-Orleans, it is the most expensive city for supporting a family in the whole Union, and 5000 dollars there would in that respect be not more than half the sum in Philadelphia.

so amply or punctually provided for as they ought to be, through their own fault, and that of the ecclesiastical body to which they belong. Were the duty of supporting well the ministry, preached as often and as plainly as it should be, they would be better provided for. As it is, they are enabled to live, with great economy, in comfort, and a faithful pastor will nowhere be allowed to starve. It is a great matter, too, that in no country in the world are ministers of the Gospel more respected by the people. A great many of them are well-educated men, and, with few exceptions, possess agreeable manners. Many of them belong to families of the first rank in the country;* and as they can at least give their children a good education, with the advantages of which, as well as of a good character, and the good name of their fathers, they are almost invariably prosperous, and often form alliances with the wealthiest and most distinguished families in the country.

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fer somewhat as to the nature and amount of the required evidence of conversion, but all agree as to the necessity of having a truly regenerated ministry; it being obvious, that none should preach the Gospel who have not tasted its power, and submitted their hearts and lives to its transforming influence. How shall a man who does not possess repentance towards God and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ," explain the nature of these to his fellow-men? And how can he who has not been made to exclaim, "Wo unto me if I preach not the Gospel!" discharge the office of a preacher with that earnest desire for the glory of God his Saviour, and for the eternal welfare of men, which alone can be approved in heaven, or be successful on earth? A regenerated and devoted ministry must be the first of ali earthly blessings to a church, and it is the only instrument that can effectually secure the morals of a community, and the stability of a government. In these sentiments I feel assured all evangelical Christians in the United States will concur. No greater curse could, in their opinion, befall a church, next to the abandonment of the true Gospel, than to have an unconverted ministry thrust upon it; and, indeed, the Forward, and HOW THEY BECOME SETTLED latter evil would soon be followed by the

CHAPTER VI.

HOW MINISTERS OF THE GOSPEL ARE BROUGHT

PASTORS.

ALL denominations of evangelical Christians in the United States hold it to be of the highest and, most solemn importance, that no man should enter the holy ministry without well-founded scriptural evidence to his own mind and conscience, that he is "called of the Holy Ghost" to take that office upon him; nor is he admitted to it until he has satisfied the proper authorities of the church to which he belongs of the manifestation of that " call," and of his possessing, in addition to an unblemished character, the talents and acquirements necessary to his being a competent expounder of God's Word.

For a man to take upon him this sacred and responsible office merely that he may obtain an honourable place in society, or gain a decent livelihood, would be held in the highest degree wrong, dangerous to his own soul, and ruinous to the spiritual interests of all who might be committed to his charge. Evangelical Christians may dif

former.

Pious youths are brought forward to the ministry in various ways. Such persons are sometimes found in the situation of apprentices to mechanical trades, or of clerks, or shopmen, or following the plough on their father's farm. The pastor, or some member of the church to which they belong, having discovered their talents, may think these might be employed to advantage in the ministry, instead of being "buried in such engagements. But their own desires should first be ascertained, and should they be found longing to proclaim a crucified Saviour to the world, they ought to be encouraged, while cherishing this feeling, to put themselves into a position for finding and following the will of God.

* I could mention, were it proper, many instances of this. One or two I may state without violating the rules of propriety. No man stood higher in American society than the late General Van Rensselaer, of Albany. One of his sons is labouring as a faithful minister in New-Jersey. The late Hon. Samuel L. Southard, of New-Jersey, was a man of distinguished talents, who had raised himself to the highest offices in the government of his native state, as well as in that of the Union, and died Vice-President of the One of his sons is a most worthy rector of an Episcopal church in New-Jersey. Mr. Southard, I judge from the name, which is common in France, was of Huguenot origin.

same.

It is probably at the prayer-meeting, the Sabbath-school, or the Bible-class, of which I shall have occasion to speak at large hereafter, that the character and abilities of such young persons oftenest show themselves; and from these nurseries of the Church have come forth great numbers of men who are now engaged in the ministry throughout the United States. Many young men, also, who have entered our colleges with other views, become converted there, and are called to preach the Gospel.

When a pious youth of promising talents, and with a strong bent to the ministry, is found without the requisite education, or the means of obtaining it, he is recom mended to the Education Societies, which

can it be accepted without the consent of the Presbytery to which the minister who has received it belongs.

have proved a great blessing to our church- satisfaction, the congregation agree to call es; and when approved of, he is carried him to be their pastor, in doing which they through the course of instruction which must proceed according to the established the church to which he belongs requires rules of the religious body to which they in all who would enter the ranks of its belong. Thus, in the Presbyterian Church, ministers. no call to become pastor of a vacant church The process is much shorter in those can be presented to any one without the churches which, without exacting a course consent of the Presbytery within whose of classical and scientific education at col-bounds the vacancy has taken place; nor lege, or the regular divinity course of a theological school, require only a wellgrounded knowledge of the Scriptures in the English tongue, and of the doctrines which they contain. After a suitable examination on the part of the proper church authorities, the candidate is permitted to exercise his gifts for a season, in order to ascertain whether he is likely to prove an acceptable and useful preacher; and if the result be favourable, he receives full ordination from the proper quarter.

In the Congregational churches of NewEngland, the practice in calling a pastor has been for the church or body of the communicants to make out a call, and for this to be followed by another from the whole congregation, or, rather, from the males who contribute towards the support of public worship, the amount of the proffered salary being stated in the latter call. Among the Methodists, the preachers In the Presbyterian, and most other churchspring from the Classes, as they are called.es, each pewholder, or each head of a famAt the meetings of these companies of professed believers and inquirers, the graces and gifts of pious young men are most commonly discovered. In due time they are brought forward to the quarterly meeting of all the classes of the district. They are there recommended to the notice of the presiding elder, and by him are authorized to teach and preach for a time, but not to administer the ordinances of baptism and the Lord's Supper. Afterward they receive ordination from the hands of the bishop, first as deacons, and subsequently as presbyters or priests, and are employed to preach the Gospel, either as travelling or stationed ministers. In the Congregational Churches, young men are consecrated to the ministry by a council of ministers, commonly called an association;" among the Presbyterians, by a presbytery; among the Episcopalians, by a bishop.

Nor

ily who subscribes towards the pastor's salary for himself and household, and others who subscribe only for themselves, are allowed a voice in the call. Such is the more common practice, and yet there are Presbyterian churches in which none but members that are communicants can vote in calling a pastor. If the people are to be allowed a voice in calling their pastors, it will be found difficult to withhold that right from those who, though not communicants, contribute as much, and perhaps more, than those who are. in a church and congregation in which the people have been well instructed in the truth, and where religion prospers, does any evil of much consequence commonly result from such an extension of the right of voting on such occasions. For when men have been faithfully instructed in the Gospel, it is found that even the unconverted will readily join in calling an effiIn all the churches of the United States, cient minister, even although he be not except the Methodists and Roman Catho- only orthodox, but very zealous and faithlics, the pastors are chosen by the people ful. Such men have sufficient discriminato whom they preach. Among the Metho- tion to know, and often they will say it, dists they are appointed by the Annual Con- that if ever they are to become the reliference, at which a bishop presides, regard gious men they hope one day to be, they being had to the wishes which may be ex-need a faithful pastor to secure that great pressed by the people in favour of certain ministers, as peculiarly fitted, in point of character and talents, for specific localities. The appointment of the priests to their respective churches among the Roman Catholics rests wholly with the bishops.

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When a church belonging to any of the other denominations loses its pastor, by his death or removal to some other place, inquiry is first made for some one not yet settled, or who, if settled, would not object to change his charge, and who, it is thought, would prove acceptable to the flock. The person fixed upon is invited to preach a few times, and should he give

blessing. Such men have sense enough to know that a light-minded, worldly, cold preacher of the Gospel is not likely to prove a blessing to them or their families. But when church and congregation have long been hearing "another Gospel," have become hardened in error, and strongly attached to damnable heresies, it were absurd to expect the unconverted to prefer and seek for a faithful minister. Such a state of things should not be allowed to occur. And then, with respect to all denominations that have a government encompassing and controlling the churches connected with them, there is, in the last