and enlarging, as it advances southward, from twenty to nearly a hundred miles broad, the latter being its width in the state of North Carolina. Between this sandy tract and the Alleghany Mountains the land is generally fertile, and produces various crops, according to the climate, such as fine wheat and the other cereal grains in NewJersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Vir

also largely cultivated, cotton in the Carolinas and in Georgia; and on the rich bottom lands along the bays and streams of the sandy tract, rice and indigo.

As we advance northward along this fertile tract intervening between the sand and the mountains, we gradually leave the region of transition and secondary rocks, and enter on that of granite, so that before reaching the State of Maine, primitive rocks abound everywhere, even on the surface of the ground.

Upon a survey.of the whole of this territory, it will be found to possess physical advantages such as few other countries enjoy. While, with the exception of Florida, all parts of it comprise a large proportion of excellent soil, many exhibit the most astonishing fertility. It abounds in the most valuable minerals. Iron is found in several states in great abundance. At various points, but particularly in the Mid-gia; in which last two states tobacco is dle States, there are vast deposites of coal, which is easily conveyed by water carriage to other parts of the country. Even gold is found in considerable quantities in the western parts of North Carolina, and the adjacent parts of South Carolina and Georgia, and some in Virginia and Tennessee. The almost boundless forests of the interior furnish timber suited to all purposes. Navigable rivers everywhere present facilities for trade. On the Atlantic slope, beginning from the east and advancing southwest, we find in succession the Penobscot, the Kennebec, the Merrimac, the Connecticut, the Hudson, the Delaware, the Susquehanna, the Potomac, the Rappahannock, the James River, the Roanoke, the Neuse, the Fear, the Pedee, the Såntee, the Savannah, the Altamaha, and the St. John's, without reckoning many smaller but important streams, navigable by common boats and small steamers. Many of these rivers, such as the Delaware, the Potomac, the Rappahannock, the James, and the Roanoke, expand into noble estuaries before they fall into the ocean; and the coast is indented, also, with many bays, unrivalled in point of extent and beauty. Beginning from the east, we have Portland or Casco Bay, Portsmouth Bay, Newburyport Bay, Massachusetts Bay, Buzzard's Bay, Narragansett Bay, New-York Bay, Amboy Bay, Delaware Bay, Chesapeake Bay, into which twelve wide-mouthed rivers fall, Wilmington Bay, Charleston Bay, &c., &c.

But in point of fertility the Atlantic slope bears no comparison with the Valley of the Mississippi, embracing a territory about six times as large as that of France, and likely, ere long, to be the abode of many millions of the human race. Fifty years ago it contained little more than a hundred thousand inhabitants; the population of the settled part of it amounted, as we have seen, in 1840,* to above six millions, and this, it is calculated from the data supplied in the last forty years, will have increased, in thirty-five years hence, to not much under thirty millions. By the end of the present century it will probably be not less than fifty or sixty millions.

The tabular view on page 22 shows the immense size of the eleven states and two territories already organized in this vast valley; let us now look for a moment to their natural resources.

Ohio, lying between the beautiful river of that name and Lake Erie, comprises 40,260 square miles, and a population of above a million and a half. As England and Wales have 57,929 square miles, and 15,906,829 inhabitants, Ohio, at the same ratio, would have 11,055,066. With the exception of a part of it in the southeast, on the Hockhocking River, there is little poor land in the state. Vast forests cover the greater part of it to this day. Lake Erie on the north, the River Ohio on the south, and several navigable streams flowing from the interior, both to the north and south, give it great natural advantages for

With the exception of part of the eastern coast of Connecticut, a chain of islands, some inhabited, many not, runs parallel to the shore, beginning at Passamaquoddy Bay, and extending to the southern extremity of Florida, and thence round into the Gulf of Mexico, and along its coast, to beyond the western limit of the United States. Thus are formed some of the finest channels for an extensive coasting trade, such as Long Island Sound, Albemarle Sound, Pamlico Sound, and many others. To increase these facilities, canals and rail-commerce; in addition to which, two imroads have been extended along the coast from Portland in Maine, to Charleston in South Carolina, and even farther.

Immediately on the seacoast of the western part of New-Jersey, there commences a belt of sand, which extends along the whole margin of the Southern States, covered with an almost uninterrupted forest of pines,

portant artificial lines of communication, made at great expense, traverse it from

*The exact population of the eleven states and two territories of the Valley of the Mississippi was, without including Western Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Flordia, in 1840, 6,376,972; in 1830 it was 3,342,680; in 1820 it was 2,237,454; in 1810 it was 1,099,180; in 1800 it was 385,647; in 1790 it was only 109,888.

Nearly the whole of this vast valley is SOME persons in Europe entertain the ✔ drained by one great river and its branch- idea, that if the "American plan" of supes, of which no fewer than fifty-seven are porting religion, by relying, under God's navigable for steamboats. Indeed, the blessing, upon the efforts of the people, Missouri, the Arkansas, the Red River, rather than upon the help of the governand the White River, flowing from the ment, has succeeded in that country, it has west, and the Illinois, the Ohio, the Cum- been owing, in a great measure, to the fact berland, and the Tennessee, from the north that the country presented an open field and east, are themselves great rivers. On for the experiment; that everything was the north the great lakes, and on the south the Gulf of Mexico, form openings into this vast region for the commerce of the

institutions to be modified; but that all was favourable for attempting something new under the sun. Now it is hardly possible to entertain an idea more remote from the truth than this.

What follows will demonstrate that, so far from committing religion to the spontaneous support of persons cordially interested in its progress, the opposite course was pursued from the first almost, in all the colonies. In the greater number of the colonies, in fact, men looked to the civil government for the support of the Christian ministry and worship. Now what we have here to consider is not the question whether they were right or wrong in doing so, but the simple fact that they actually did so; and, accordingly, that, so far from what has been called the Voluntary Prin- | ciple having had an open field in America, in those very parts of the country which now, perhaps, best illustrate its efficiency, it had long to struggle with establishments founded on the opposite system, and with strong prepossessions in their favour.

In all such parts of the country many obstacles were opposed to the abandonment of the old system. Good and great men made no secret of their fears that the cause of religion would thus be ruined; that the churches would be forsaken by the people, whose unaided efforts would prove unequal to the expense of maintaining them, and that they could never be induced to attempt it. In fact, as they had never been accustomed to rely upon their own exertions in that matter, and were not aware how much they could do, they were at first timid and discouraged. Another obstacle lay in the unwillingness of those who had enjoyed the influence and ascendency conferred by the old system, to surrender those advantages. Such persons were prone to believe, and naturally sought to impress others with the conviction, no doubt very sincerely, that their resistance to the proposed change was the legitimate fruit of their zeal for the cause of God, and of their dread lest that cause should suffer.

Other obstacles, and those not inconsiderable, had to be encountered, all resulting directly or indirectly from the old system. It will be shown, in due time, that some of the worst heresies in the United States were originated and propagated by measures arising out of the old system. What I mean to say is, that Truth has there encountered powerful obstacles, which we have every reason to believe would not have existed but for that union. Other evils there might have been in the absence of any such union; but, be that as it may, with the obstacles to which I refer, it could not be said that the field was entirely new, far less that it was open. Still mo

cles which the "American plan" of sup-
porting religion had to overcome arose
from the erroneous views of the colonists
on the subject of religious liberty. The x
voluntary system rests on the grand basis
of perfect religious freedom. I mean a
freedom of conscience for all; for those
who believe Christianity to be true, and
for those who do not; for those who prefer
one form of worship, and for those who
prefer another. This is all implied, or,
rather, it is fully avowed, at the first step
in supporting religion upon this plan.

Now it so happened-nor ought we to wonder at it, for it would have been a miracle had it been otherwise-that very many of the best colonists who settled in America had not yet attained to correct ideas on the subject of religious_toleration and the rights of conscience. It required persecution, and that thorough discussion of the subject which persecution brought in its train, both in the colonies and in England and other European countries, to make them understand the subject. And, in point of fact, those who first understood it had learned it in the school of persecution. Such was Roger Williams; such were Lord Baltimore and the Roman Catholics who settled in Maryland; such was William Penn. Accordingly, the three colonies that they founded, Rhode Island, Maryland, and Pennsylvania, including Delaware, were the first communities, either in the New or the Oid World, that enjoyed religious liberty in the fullest extent.

I am sure, indeed, that, as I have already said, the founders of the first American colonies, and those of New-England in particular, did as much for freedom of conscience as could have been expected, and were in that respect in advance of the age in which they lived. If they were intolerant, so were others. If they would not allow Roman Catholics to live among them, the most dreadful examples, be it remembered, of Roman Catholic intolerance were forced upon their attention, and that their policy was merciful in the extreme compared with that of Roman Catholic countries in those days. They merely refused to receive them or to allow them to remain among them, whereas the poor Huguenots of France were not permitted so much as to retire from amid their enemies. If, in some of the colonies, Quakers were treated with great harshness and shocking injustice, what treatment did the members of that sect receive at the same period in England? If the colonists burned witches, was not that done also in Scotland, England, and other countries?

may therefore repeat, that the colonists were in advance of their contemporaries in their views of almost all questions relating to human rights, and that they mainne of the greatest obsta-tained this advance is attested by the insti

tutions that arose among them. But the intolerance with which these were chargeable at first, may be traced to their opinions with regard to the relations which the Church ought to sustain towards the State. And their erroneous views on that subject created obstacles which were with difficulty overcome by the principle of leaving religion, not to the support as well as protection of the State, but to the hearts and hands of persons who have truly received, and are willing to sustain it. These remarks will suffice to show that the field was not so open to that principle in America as some have thought.

CHAPTER XIV.

OBSTACLES WHICH THE VOLUNTARY SYSTEM

more or less flourishes. Such of them as are not decidedly religious in heart and life, greatly risk losing any good impressions they may have brought with them, amid the engrossing cares and manifold temptations of their new circumstances; circumstances in which even the established Christian will find much need of redoubled vigilance and prayer.

The comparative thinness, also, of the population in the United States now is, and must long continue to be, a great obstacle to the progress of religion in that country. I have already stated, that the area of all the territory claimed by its government is somewhat more than 2,000,000 of square miles. Now, leaving out of view the vast region on the Upper Missouri and Mississippi rivers, west and north of Iowa and Wisconsin, and reaching to the Ore

HAS HAD TO ENCOUNTER IN AMERICA: 2. gon Mountains; leaving out of view also

FROM THE NEWNESS OF THE COUNTRY, THE
THINNESS OF THE POPULATION, AND THE UN-
SETTLED STATE OF SOCIETY.

A SECOND class of obstacles which the voluntary system, or, I should rather say, which religion in general has had to encounter in America, comprehends such as are inseparable from its condition as a new country.

the Pacific slope, and looking only to the twenty-six states, three territories, and one district, we have a country of somewhat more than 1,000,000 of square miles, over which the Anglo-American race has more or less diffused itself. But the whole population, including the African race among us, in 1840, was just 17,068,666. That is, upon an average, about seventeen souls to the square mile. If this population were equally diffused over the entire sur

From its very nature, the life of a colonist presents manifold temptations to neg-face of the organized states and territories, lect the interests of the soul. There is the separation of himself and his family, if he has one, from old associations and influences; and the removal, if not from abundant means of grace, at least from the force of that public opinion which often powerfully restrains from the commission of open sin. Now though many of the American colonists fled from persecution and from abounding iniquity, such was not the case with all. Then, there is the entering into new and untried situations; the forming of new acquaintances, not always of the best kind; and even that engrossment with the cares and labours attending a man's removal into a new country, especially in the case of the many who have to earn their bread by their own strenuous exertions. All these things hinder the growth of piety in the soul, and form real obstacles to its promotion in a community.

even then it would be difficult enough to establish and maintain churches and other religious institutions among so sparse a population. Still, perhaps, it could be done. A parish of thirty-six square miles, which would be large enough in point of extent, would contain 612 souls. One twice as large would contain 1224 souls. But although a country would be considered well supplied if it had a pastor for every 1224 souls, still the dispersion of these over seventy-two square miles would necessarily very much curtail the pastor's opportunity for doing good, and prevent the souls under his charge from enjoying the full influence of the Gospel. But the population of the United States is far from being thus equally distributed. Some of the older states are pretty densely settled; not more, however, than is necessary for the easy maintenance of churches, and of a And if such hinderances had a baneful regular and settled ministry. Massachueffect at the outset, they have never ceased setts, the most densely settled of them all, to operate injuriously down to this day. has 102 souls to the square mile; some To say nothing of the foreigners who others, such as Connecticut and Rhode Islcome, year after year, to the American and, have from seventy to eighty; othshores on their way to the Far West, thou- ers, such as New-Jersey, Delaware, Marysands of the natives of the Atlantic slope land, and New-York, will average from annually leave their houses to settle amid forty to fifty. Taking the whole Atlantic the forests of that vast Western region. slope, with the exception of Florida, which In their case there is peculiar exposure to is but little inhabited, the average is twenevil; their removal almost always with- ty-eight, while in the eleven states and two draws them from the powerful influence territories in the Valley of the Mississippi, of neighbourhoods where true religion it is less than ten souls to the square mile.

It is manifest, therefore, that while the population of a large proportion of the Atlantic States, and of parts of the older ones in the West, is hardly dense enough to render the support of Gospel ordinances easy, the difficulty of effecting this is immensely increased in many quarters, but especially in the West, by the inhabitants being much more widely scattered. I shall show in another place how this difficulty is, in a good measure, at least, overcome; here it is enough that I point to its existence.

tionably much exceed an average of 500,000 per annum, unless checked by some great calamity, of which there is no prospect.

Now to provide churches and pastors for such an increase as this is no very easy matter, yet it must either be done, or, sooner or later, the great bulk of the nation, as some have predicted, will sink into heathenism. How far this is likely, judging from what has been done and is now doing, we shall see in another place. Here I simply state the magnitude of the diffi

Finally, the constant emigration from the old states to the new, and even from the older to the newer settlements in the latter, is a great obstacle to the progress of religion in all places from which a part of the population is thus withdrawn. It occasionally happens in one or other of the Atlantic States, that a church is almost broken up by the departure, for the Western States, of families on whom it mainly depended for support. Most commonly, however, this emigration is so gradual, that the church has time to recruit itself from other families, who arrive and take the place of those who have gone away. Thus, unless where a church loses persons of great influence, the loss is soon repaired. In the cities of the East, and their suburban quarters especially, from the population being of so floating a character, this evil is felt quite as much as in the country.

Personal experience alone can give any one a correct idea of the difficulties attend-culty. ing the planting and supporting of churches and pastors in that vast frontier country in the West, where the population, treading on the heels of the Indians, is, year after year, advancing into the forests. A few scattered families, at wide intervals, are engaged in cutting down the huge trees, and clearing what at first are but little patches of ground. In a year or two the number is doubled. In five or six years the country begins to have the appearance of being inhabited by civilized men. But years more must roll away before the population will be dense enough to support churches at convenient distances from each other, and to have ministers of the Gospel to preach in them every Sabbath. Yet this work must be done, and it is doing to an extent which will surprise many into whose, hands this book may fall. But if the thinness of the population be an obstacle, how great must be that of its But it must not be forgotten, that what rapid increase in the aggregate? I say in is an evil in the East, by withdrawing valthe aggregate, for it is manifest that its in- uable support from the churches there, crease in the thinly-settled districts must proves a great blessing to the West, by so far be an advantage. But with this in-transferring thither Christian families, to crease diffusing itself into new settlements, originate and support new churches in we have a double difficulty to contend that quarter. with-the increase itself demanding a great augmentation of churches and ministers, and its continued dispersion rendering it difficult to build the one and support the other, even were a sufficiency of pastors to be found. This difficulty would be quite appalling, if long contemplated apart from the vast efforts made to meet and overcome it. The population of the United States THAT the coexistence in one country was, in 1790, 3,929,827; in 1800, 5,305,925; of two such different races as the Caucasin 1810, 7,239,814; in 1820, 9,638,131; inian and the African, standing to each other 1830, 12,866,920; and in 1840, 17,068,666.* in the relation of masters and slaves, The reader may calculate for himself the should retard the progress of true religion average annual increase during each of the there, it requires but little knowledge of five decades which have elapsed since 1790. human nature to believe. But it is not so easy to ascertain the precise yearly increase. From 1830 to 1840 it was 4,201,746, being at the average rate of 420,174 souls per annum. During the decade from 1840 to 1850, it will unques

* Including seamen in the government service, not included in the enumerations commonly published. Hence the difference between the statements in the

text and those the reader may meet with elsewhere. But the difference is only 6100.

CHAPTER XV.

OBSTACLES WHICH THE VOLUNTARY SYSTEM
HAS HAD TO ENCOUNTER IN AMERICA: 3. FROM
SLAVERY.

Slavery has been a curse in all past time, and by no possibility can it be otherwise. It fosters a proud, arrogant, and unfeeling spirit in the master, and naturally leads to servility and meanness, to deceitfulness and dishonesty, in the slave. Either way it is disastrous to true religion.

But I have no intention to speak here of the nature of slavery, its past history, present condition, or future prospects in