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churches have done all that they ought to do, that they feel all the solicitude, and distress, and sorrow, which they ought for the continued existence of this great evil. There is nothing more probable in itself than that our churches should fail of com

their sympathy and their prayers. We in relation to this subject. Now I have wish them to make a proper allowance no disposition to say that the American for the difficulties of our position; and while they reprove our delays and stimulate our zeal, we wish them to do it in a Christian spirit, not only because it best comports with the religion which we both profess, but also because of its influence upon those among us who are slaveholding up to their whole duty on this subject, ers, the great majority of whom are not more than on almost any other, when we religious men. It is easy to grow indig- consider how they are situated. I do not nant on this subject, and indulge in hard say this by way of apology, but to state epithets; but the "wrath of man worketh. the case truly. But to accuse our churchnot the righteousness of God." There are es throughout the land with approving of those abroad who see no difficulties in our slavery, because, in some parts of the position; to whom the fact that slavery is country, they think they are compelled to entwined about our very vitals, so far at tolerate it as an evil from which circumleast, as one half of the country is con- stances do not at present allow them to cerned, is of no importance; and who extricate themselves (and this is the most vainly imagine that it is enough to de- which can be said against them on this mand that every slaveholder should let his point), is going beyond the bounds of slaves go free. This, indeed, is a very Christian charity. Besides, to charge all simple way of getting rid of the evil; and the American churches, as well as those if it were practicable, it would be well in the fifteen states and territories in which enough. So if all mankind would at once slavery is unknown, as those in the thirof their own accord give up their rebel- teen states, one territory, and one district lion against God and yield a heartfelt obe- in which it does still exist, with the sin of dience to Him, this world might be deliv-"robbery," "man-stealing," etc., is to be ered from sin without the toil of preaching the Gospel, and the employment of so many other instrumentalities which are now found to be necessary. And if all the men in the United States who were engaged in the manufacture and sale of intoxicating liquors twenty years ago had, of their own accord, or upon being simply requested or commanded, abandoned their wicked business; and all who drank such liquors ceased to do so from the same influence, there would have been no need of all the labour and expense which it has cost to promote the cause of Temperance among us. But how vain it is to talk in this way! To overthrow slavery in the United States is a great work-the greatest and most difficult, I hesitate not to say, that ever man undertook to accomplish. And there is nothing but Christianity, employing its blessed influences, LIGHT and LOVE, which can effect it. A good deal of time, and a great deal of patience and prudence will also be required, if we would see this evil come to an end in a peaceful way.

We have sometimes been not a little grieved by the severity-no doubt wholly inconsiderate-and the want of discrimination with which some of our Christian brethren in the Old World have spoken and written respecting the American churches,

read, and which cannot fail to do good. What a contrast between his course and that of some ardent, self-sufficient "friends of humanity," as they consider themselves, who have visited us from Europe within the last seven years, and who accomplished no good whatever for the cause which they profess to

have so much at heart!

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guilty of something more than a mere want of Christian charity.

Nor are some other denunciations of a sweeping nature much less unjust or injurious.

"Let America," said a distinguished Christian minister whom we all love, at a missionary meeting in one of the great capitals of Europe, a few years ago, let America wash the stain of slavery from her skirts, and then she will be worthy to come up and join us in the great work of converting the world." Indeed! and must our American churches be compelled to abstain from attempting to obey the command of their risen Saviour-and which may be one of the means of staying, if not averting the divine wrath, which would otherwise overwhelm their guilty country-until their land be freed from slavery? And if they are to be condemned for national sins which they have not been able to overcome, where are the churches which are to cast the first stone at them? Shall it be those of England, or France, or Holland? Blessed be God, our heavenly Father does not use such language towards us. He deigns to bless our humble efforts to make known his Gospel to the heathen nations, notwithstanding our many sins; nor does He forbid our co-operating with those who love his name in other lands to make known this great salvation to all men. Still more, He condescends to visit the churches in all parts of our land with the effusions of His Holy Spirit, without which, indeed, we might well despair of our country.

But sympathy, love, prayer, and co-operation better become those who love God in all lands, than crimination and recrim

ination. They form one vast brotherhood, England's sweetest religious bard,* with and their trials, their labours, and their which we bring this book to a close : hopes are common. Neither difference of "Come, then, and, added to thy many crowns, language, nor separating oceans, nor diver- Receive yet one, the crown of all the earth, Thou who alone art worthy! It was thine sity of government and of ecclesiastical By ancient covenant, ere Nature's birth; organizations, nor variety of modes of worAnd thou hast made it thine by purchase since, ship, can divide them. They have their And overpaid its value with thy blood. various difficulties to encounter, and their Thy saints proclaim Thee king; and in their hearts respective works to perform. And how Thy title is engraven with a pen they should delight to encourage each other in every good enterprise, rejoice in each other's success, stimulate and reprove each other (when reproof is necessary) with kindness, and not with bitterness; and thus strive to hasten the universal triumph of the kingdom of their common Lord! And how appropriate to them is the prayer of

Dipped in the fountain of eternal love.
Thy saints proclaim Thee king; and thy delay
Gives courage to their foes, who, could they see
The dawn of thy last advent, long desired,
Would creep into the bowels of the hills,
And flee for safety to the falling rocks.
The very spirit of the world is tired

Of its own taunting question, asked so long,
'Where is the promise of your Lord's approacn?'"*

* Cowper-The Task, book vi.

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America (see North America).

Camp-meetings, origin and nature of, 216.
Carolina, North and South, benefits of dissolution of
Church and State in, 115.

Charters of American Colonies, curious character
of, 27, 28.

Cheever, Rev. G. B., extract from lecture of, 319.
Cherokees, removal of the, 298.

Americans, best method for obtaining correct knowl-Christ-ians, origin and belief of the, 280, 281.
edge of, 29.

American Revolution, effects of the, on religion, 102.
morals, character of two foreign censors

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Tract Society, operations of the, 167.

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Prison Discipline Society, 174.

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the, 140.

Christianity, happy influence of, on public order,
332, 333.

Christianity, only remedy for slavery in the United
States, 336, 337.

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Churches, evangelical, missionary efforts of the, 317.

Home Missionary Society, operations of Church, relation of unconverted men to the, 187.

American preaching, character of, 189, 192.

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different methods of, 191.
Unitarian Association, 278.
Theology, great achievement of, 291.
Colonization Society, history of the, 314.
American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Mis-
sions, origin and constitution of the, 300.

history of the, 301.

statistics of the, 304.

plan of, for training a native ministry, 305.
annual meetings of, 306.
publications of the, 307.

Andover Theological Seminary, history of the, 160.
Anecdote of two young ladies under conviction, 212.
Anglo-Saxon Colonists, character of, 23.

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effect of Norman conquests upon, in

England, 29, 30.

Anti-slavery Societies, 176.

Associate Reformed Church, 255.

Atheists, notice of, 286.

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Atonement, doctrine of, illustrated by American Colonists, religious character of the early, 51, 52.
theology, 291.

Ballou, Rev. H., work of, on the Atonement alluded
to, 275.

Banditti, no organized hordes of, in United States,
332.

Baptists, Regular, account of the, 229.

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Roger Williams not the founder of the, Colony at Plymouth, causes of aversion of, to prel-
231, note.

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Congregations, new, how formed, 133.

Congregationalists, parent stock of those in Eng-
land, 224.

Congregationalists, not Dissenters, 225.

present religious system of, 225.

mode of church discipline among, 226.
mode of, for supporting public worship, 227.
nature of the Associations" of, 228.

pastoral office among early, lost by dismis-

sion, 228.
Congregationalists, ordination among, how perform-
ed, 228.
Congregationalists not Independents in practice, 229.
"Consociations" among, nature of, 229.
Congregationalism, opinions of, as to preventing
heresy, 279.

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Dwight, Rev. Dr., opinion of, on union of Church Lutheran Church, Theological Seminary of the, 164.
and State, 115.

Education, attention of Puritans to, 147.

66 societies of different sects, 157, 159.
Edwards, Rev. Jonathan, character of preaching of,
198, 274.

Edwards, Rev. Jonathan, labours of, among the In-
dians, 295.

Eliot, Rev. John, missionary labours of, 294.
English language first introduced in Dutch church-
es of New-York, 65.
Episcopal (see Protestant).

Evangelical Association," account of the, 261.
Evangelical churches, three divisions of, 220.

statistics of missionary efforts of, 317.
General statistics of, 264, 265, 269.

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Foreign Missionary Society of
the, 312..
"Lynch-law" very rarely executed, 332.

Maryland, early settlement of, 18.

effects of early union of Church and State
in, 90, 96.

Maryland, early religious toleration in, 62.

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115.

effects of disunion of Church and State in,

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Massachusetts, dissolution of union of Church and
State in, 112.

Massacre at St. Charles city, Virginia, notice of,
61.

Maternal Societies, 156.

Mather, Cotton, notice of, 101.

Mayhew, Rev. Thomas, missionary labours of, 294.
Mennonists, account of the, 261.

Methodist ministers, salaries of, 323, note.

Methodist Episcopal Church, history and organiza-
tion of, 245, 246.

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religious belief and discipline of, 246.
statistics of the, 249.

Home Missions of, 145.

Foreign Missions of the, 310.

Methodists, Primitive, account of the, 262.
Allenite, notice of the, 262.
Protestant, origin of the, 262.
Calvinistic, notice of the, 263.

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Ministers,

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early opposition to Unitarianism

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Harvard College, when founded, 152.

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in, 276.

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Stilwell, notice of the, 262.
salaries of, how raised, 136.
extent of support of, 137.

how trained and settled, 138.

proportion of evangelical Protestant, to
the population, 322.

Ministers, evangelical, not sufficient for present
need, 323.

Ministers, total amount raised to support, 323.
Montgomery, rapid growth of the town of, 135.
"Moore's Charity School," notice of, 295.
Moravians, notice of the, 81.

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New-England, indebted to the religion of the colo- | Peace societies, 176.
nists for its character, 32, 33.

cause of rapid growth of settlements in, 57.
apology for the Fathers of, 58.
religious character of, 59.

influence of early union of Church and State
in, 91-96.

relations between Church and State in, 87.
proposal to divorce the Church from the
State in, how received, 115.

introduction and history of Unitarianism in,
272, 275.

New-Hampshire, early settlement of, 17, 57.
New-Jersey, early settlement of, 18, 66.

90.

- early eminent ministers of, 67.

66

Penn, William, notice of, 69.
Pennsylvania, early settlement of, 19, 70, 74.
character of colonists of, 70.
Perkins Institution for the Blind, 180.
Philips Academy, notice of, 149.
Piedmont, immigration from, 82.
Plymouth Colony, account of the, 47-51.

ecclesiastical regulations of the, 84.
causes of aversion of, to prelacy, 86.
Plymouth Company, notice of, 52.
Poland, early immigration from, 81.

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tradition respecting the, 82.
Political excitement, recent instances of, and re-
sults, 333.

early relations between Church and State in, Political disturbances in United States, how exag-

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North America, geography of, 9-11.

discovery of, noticed, 15.

account of the Aborigines of, 12-15.
colonization of, 16-23.

curious colonial charters of, 27, 28.
forms of government in, 33, 34.

views of first settlers of, on religious tolera-
tion, 38.

character of early colonists of, 83.

relations between Church and State in, 84.
churches and ministers in, at the Revolu-
tion, 103, 104.

union of Church and State in, gradually dis-
solved, 104.

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gerated abroad, 331.

Political institutions, firm attachment to, 332, note.
Poor and afflicted, how provided for, 177.
Presbyterian Church, history of the, 238.

churches, how organized, 233.
qualifications for ministry in, 233.
Board of Domestic Missions of, 142.
mode of communion in the, 187.
Church Session, how constituted, 234.
deacons not members of, 235,
Presbytery of the, how constituted, 235.
Presbytery, powers of the, 236.
ministry in the, how licensed, 235.
Synod of the, noticed, 236.

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General Assembly of the, nature of, 237.
character and influence of the, 240.

origin and progress of Old and New School
parties in, 242.

differences between Old and New School, 244.
the recent separation in the, 243.

statistics of the, 245.

Board of Foreign Missions of the, 307, 308.
Presbyterians, Cumberland, history of the, 252.
Reformed, distinguishing traits of, 256.

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Primary schools, 146.

Princeton Theological Seminary, notice of, 163.
Prostitution, foreign exaggerated account of, 334,

note.

Protestant religion early established in South Caro-
lina, 123.

Protestant Episcopal Church, account of the, 220.
Puseyism, how extensive in the, 223.
Board of Missions of the, 311.
Theological Institution of the, 164.
Providence, Rhode Island, settlement of, 57.
Public worship, total cost of, in United States, 324,
325..

Public opinion, alleged tyranny of, in United States,
292, note.

Public disturbances and crimes, comparative few--
ness of, 332.

Puritans, origin and character of the, 44-47.
eulogy on the, 33.

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Religious institutions of the United States, best
means of knowing the, 31, 32.

Religious liberty, progress of, in America, 130, 318.
“ present state of, in America, 318.
toleration, extract on, 319.
Religion, state of, in the colonial era, 99.

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exigencies of, in United States, 131.
evangelical, causes of success of, in United
States, 320.

Religion, true source of all success in promoting, 321.

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