of condemnation it speaks!) that libertines of every age have found the stage a powerful auxiliary to favour their abominable schemes of licentiousness. I speak this without fear of contradiction. I do not say that every person who attends a theatre is thus wickedly disposed, or that some may not escape the pollution; but in every instance there is danger-and to say that all are not corrupted, is to say no more than can be said of the Holy Kiss. It is only the tendency and danger to which we refer, in both cases. I am not pouring out the undigested disgust of a fanatic, nei ther, I trust, of one who is altogether ignorant of the subject. I have read on both sides, I have examined dispassionately, and I cannot but think it the most dangerous engine of licentiousness. This opinion has been strengthened by frequent inquiries of those who have indulged in the amusement, who have, without exception, confessed its dangerous tendency. An Archbishop of the Church of England, (Tillotson) called the Theatre the house of the Devil. A late Bishop of Chichester,' Dr. Hare, in 1 vol. of his works, p. 307, says also, "Will they, (young people,) be able to despise the allurements to false pleasures which surround them on every side? Will not their own passions, their own corrupt nature, when unrestrained, hurry them into a compliance with all temptations? Will not their passions be inflamed by lewd plays, &c. for which fresh provision is made by the erection of a new Theatre, contrived, as it were, on purpose, by the situation of it, to corrupt the morals of those who, of all people, ought to be the last that should have a taste for such pleasures, and kept up in defiance of all authority; but which, it is to be hoped, will soon be demolished by the superior power of the Legislature. Will not, I say, the passions of young people be easily inflamed by a lewd stage, and will not transition from thence be easy to lewd women ?" Beveridge, in his Thesaurus says, that the primitive fathers understood by pomps which they were to renounce, their public plays and shows. I might,

if it were necessary, multiply authorities from writers of the Church of England upon the evil tendency of plays. We have also the opinion of our own Bishops on this important subject; who, at the last General Convention (rendered memorable by this event) gave their united opinion, unhesitatingly condemning the stage as tending to evil. I would then make a humble and respectful appeal to the Clergy of our Church on this subject. If we are to warn from every kind of danger, ought we to be silent upon this. Silent, I will not say any are; since in censures indirect, at least, I believe, all condemn it; but ought they not to name it directly, as an amusement fraught with evil; while almost every night in our cities they witness the Theatres crowded with visitors; the least frequent of whom, perhaps, pays more for this than for the support of the Gospel; and while they witness the same visitors, many of them plunged in all the excesses of sensuality; many more infidel in their principles-nearly all careless in their lives, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God, neglectors and profaners of the Lord's Day, of the Ordinances of the Church, of the preaching of the Gospel pouring out with liberal hand to serve their pleasures, and lust, and pride; but to every call of benevolence and religion, turning a deaf ear, or giving the paltry mite_hard begged, hard strained-while, I say, we witness these things, should we be satisfied with indirect warnings? "The danger of brooks and precipices, in general, Theodorus often sung on his melodious reed: but this or that brook he could scarce venture to mention, lest such of his flock as were near them might consider themselves as reproved, and so be offended." He could say, in general, beware of the lion and the bear: but could not tell a poor wandering sheep, "Thou art particularly in danger:" nor could he say, "In such and such paths the enemy lies in wait to devour thee."* Per

* Vide Smith's Lectures on the Sacred

Office The Beautiful Vision of Theodo rus.

mit me then, with great respect, to solicit the attention of such of the Clergy as are not already in the practice of preaching against this dangerous amusement. Čensure them I do not, because they do not mean to be wanting in their duty. My design is only humbly and respectfully to solicit them to examine the subject. I am fully persuaded that half of the evil of the Theatre "has not been told me;" but yet I have been told enough to form the decided opinion, that there is a loud call for the ministers of Christ' to warn, and warn directly, from any participation in it.

In reading over the Essay in question, we cannot but discover the pure mind from which it proceeded, and the delineation of that pure modesty, which, "like the sensative plant, recoils at the touch, and even appear ance of evil; that modesty, the brightest jewel in female ornament, which an Apostle thought violated by unvailing the head, even in the sanctuary of religion. How then can we reconcile with this, the complete prostitution of this modesty in an unhappy set of females who act upon the stage. I will (what will not be required) suppose that they are all virtuous cha racters, and the reference is only made to the exposure of their persons to the gaze of a public audience which it is their profession to amuse. I speak not of great excesses of immodesty where they assume the dress of the other sex, as is often the case. I speak not of instances like one which was witnessed by Professor Silliman at the Sadler's Wells Theatre, in Eng land, where an actress danced in flesh coloured pantaloons. I will suppose the most modest exhibitions, and then I will put it home to the bosom of every father, husband, son, or brother, whether, under any circumstances, he could consent that his daughter, wife, or sister, or mother, should be thus exposed: nay, I appeal to the ladies themselves, whether every modest feeling would not be violated. I know not what others may think of this objection, but to me it has always appeared unanswerable. I appeal, in conclusion, to the conscience of every

Christian: he prays that God would not lead him into temptation; let him not then expose himself where duty does not call him. I appeal to the conscience of the young: they know that fornication and adultery are crimes next in magnitude to murder, and have been visited by God in every age with exemplary punishment; and if, therefore, they would "flee youthful lust," as they value their souls, and perfect that holiness without which none shall see God-let them shun every occasion and every temptation to impurity. And the Play-house (to its disgrace be it recorded) is ever fraught with these dangers. I appeal solemnly to the consciences of parents-are they safe, are they excusable in indulging and favouring an amusement, which has been condemned as evil by wise and learned divines of every age and every Church, and, lastly, by the venerable Bishop of our own? Should some son or daughter, copying their example, or favoured by their silent indulgence, find in the Theatre the temptation to everlasting ruin, could they answer it to their God, that they had done what in them lay to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord? I think not. Let them then lay the subject seriously to heart, let them not be influenced to the choice of an amusement, to say the least, of such questionable tendency-let them pause and consider well before they are prepared to slight and despise the counsel and warning of so many watchmen upon the walls of Zion, whose duty it is to admonish them as they that must give an account.

FOR THE CHRISTIAN JOURNAL.

On the Death of Miss MARY LIVING

STON.

"The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord."

DIED, on Saturday evening, the third of April, after an illness of six days, and in the fifteenth year of her age, Miss MARY LIVING

STON, eldest daughter of EDWARD P. LIVINGSTON, Esq. of Clermont. The Christian fortitude, hope, and joy, displayed by this young Lady at the solemn hour of death, forcibly point out to parents the duty and advantages of bringing up their Children "in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." At a very tender age she had been accustomed to hear such parts of the Holy Scriptures as it was supposed she could understand; and before she had completed her eighth year, she had read, with her Mother, the whole of the Old and New Testaments. Since that time, she had devoted a portion of each day to read several chapters of the Bible with the females of the family. The Book of Common Prayer, which she had received from her affectionate Grandmother, the late Mrs. R. R. LIVINGSTON, she also constantly and attentively perused, as well alone, as with her Father; and the Catechism, and several Psalms were committed to memory, and clearly understood, at an early period of her life. She possessed an amiable disposition and a kind heart, and on no occasion was she ever known to employ money entrusted to her own disposal, for any other purpose, than to feed the hungry, and to clothe the naked. Cheerful and happy, she engaged readily in recreations suited to her age, and took great pleasure in accommodating herself to the wishes of her younger sisters. To her Parents she was dutiful and affectionate; to all she knew, kind and benevolent. When she was taken sick, it was soon apparent, that Religion afforded her the greatest consolation; she requested her Mother to read the Bible to her, and particularly a Psalm which she had just committed to memory. She often prayed, and mentioned, with much pleasure, a Sermon she

had heard preached by the Rev, Mr. MONTGOMERY, in which the vanity and insufficiency of the world to make us happy, had been clearly shown. This truth appeared to dwell greatly on her mind, and she remarked, that if people would only study the Bible, they would be convinced of it also. The idea that her sickness might terminate in death, early occurred, and her addresses to God, in the presence of her Mother, that he would cleanse her heart, and make her fit to die, were frequent and devout.

When her Father returned to her chamber, after being informed that she could not, probably, live many hours, she asked what the Doctor had said, and whether it was his opinion that she must shortly die? He answered, My dear Child, you know that you are very sick, and I fear that you cannot recover; you know, also, that life and death are in the hands of God. Do you trust in him, and in, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ? Oh, yes, my dear Father, was her reply. Observing her lips to move, he inquired what she said? I am praying to God. Do so, said he, and let me hear you. She then addressed her Heavenly Father and Saviour in the most fervent manner, When her Mother came near her, she desired her Parents to pray with her. After which, on being asked, Whether she was not convinced that Christ had come to save sinners? she answered, Only those who have faith in him. On being interrogated by her Father, Whether she had faith in him? she replied, Oh, yes, Papa! and repeated the Apostles' Creed, and the Lord's Prayer; then told him she had been lately learning another Psalm, and repeated the first 10 or 12 and the two last verses of the 139th Psalm, also some verses from a Hymn of

Dr. WATTS. Again she prayed to God to bless her Parents for instructing her early in Religion, and teaching her to love the Bible. You read it with me, my dear Mother, said she; and you, my dear Father, often read it for me, and instructed me in the Catechism May my sister read it, and love that blessed Book. Oh! how gracious and good has God been to me! To him am I indebted for every thing I might have been born poor, without friends to take care of, or instruct me; instead of which, I have had loving Parents and kind friends, who have allowed me to want for nothing. Only think how kind Christ was, to come on earth to save such poor sinners as 1 am. Overpowered by the consciousness of her own unworthiness, she asked an affectionate Cousin, at her bed-side, Whether she thought her sins would be pardoned? On being answered, That a sense of our sins, and sincere sorrow for them, were the surest grounds to hope for pardon, she again prayed, repeated her confidence in the mercy and merits of her Saviour, declaring that she no longer feared to die. She observed, that it was better for her to die now; for if she lived longer she might become sinful. She then entreated her Heavenly Father to bless all those whose kindness she had experienced during her sickness, mentioning them by name; expressed her gratitude to her Physician, and implored the Divine blessing on him for his care and attention. She also devoutly prayed for her Preceptor. The following pious ejaculations are most distinctly recollected: "Oh Lord, in thee have I trusted, let me never be confounded." "Oh Lord, deal not with us according to our sins". "neither reward us according to our iniquities." "If it is thy will,

oh Heavenly Father, may this cup pass, from me; not mine, but thy will be done." "Oh Lord, thou art the rock of my salvation, and I shall not be confounded." The following was said with great animation: "Who would have thought that this night I should be lying on my dying-bed! Oh, blessed night for me, for I shall sleep in the arms of Jesus-Oh, what a glorious thing it is, to go to my Saviour's kingdom." It is impossible to enumerate the affectionate remarks she addressed to her Parents, and the anxiety she showed lest her death should too sensibly affect her Mother, whom she entreated to be consoled, and recollect, that her sisters and brother would still stand in need of that love and kindness, which she and they had ever experienced. Afterwards she became silent and composed, and when asked if she knew her parents? replied, Yes, you are my dear Mother, and my dear Father. When asked if she felt pain? she answered, No pain-quite happy: and continued so to reply as long as she could articulate, and signified the same, by signs when her voice failed, turning to her Father and kissing him. After laying some time, during which no groan was heard, nor convulsive motion seen, she ceased to breathe; and her spirit, as we trust, fled to the bosom of that Redeemer, on whose atonement she had confidently relied, for pardon and eternal happiness.

New-York, April, 1819.

SWEAR NOT AT ALL.

(From the Panoplist.)

ABOUT a year since, a merchant in one of our sea-ports, on fitting out a ship for India, told the captain, at the time of making the contract for the voyage, that there must be no swearing among the officers and crew; that he (the captain) must engage not to