fearful cause there may be for thee to expect sad things to come." Among the reasons for expecting "sad things to come, are several which are worthy of particular notice. One is as follows: Such instances, doubtless, had begun to appear. Again, Where a fountain shall become corrupt, there the streams will no longer make glad the city of God." "Where churches professing a How strikingly has this been great reformation, shall in their fulfilled in the University of Camconstitution cease to represent un-bridge! What then existed to occasion such an anticipation, we are not particularly informed. Again, to the world the holiness of the Lord Jesus Christ, and of his heavenly kingdom, they will become loathsome to that holy Lord; their glory is gone, and their defence goes with it; the dreadful wrath of heaven will astonish the world with the things which it will do unto them." Whether any churches had already so reformed their constitutions or articles of faith, as to exclude the essentials of Christianity, or there was then reason to apprehend such things would soon be done, we are not particularly informed. Again, "Where a mighty body of people in a country are violently set upon running down the ancient church state in that country, and are violent for the hedge about the communion of the Lord's table to be broken down; the churches there are not far from a tremendous convulsion. This paragraph may explain the last. Some things of that kind no doubt existed. Again, "Where churches are bent upon backsliding, and carried away with a strong spirit of apostacy, whatever minister shall set himself to withstand their evil bents, will pull upon himself an inexpressible contempt and hatred." 66 Finally, there was a town called Amycle, which was ruined by silence. The rulers, because there had been some false alarms, forbade all people, under pain of death, to speak of any enemies approaching them: So, when the enemies came indeed, no man durst speak of it, and the town was lost. Corruptions will grow upon the land, and they will gain by silence. It will be so invidious to do it, no man will dare to speak of the corruptions; and the fate of Amycle will come upon the land. Reader, I called these things prophecy, but I wish I be not all this while writing history." Corruptions have, indeed, grown upon the land; and they have gained by silence. The friends of truth were off their guard, and the advocates of error crept in una. wares. Silence on the great points of gospel doctrine gradually prepared the way, and at length error broke in like an overwhelming flood. Let the churches in this land take warning, before it is too late with us also. A Son of the Pilgrims. FOR THE HOPKINSIAN MAGAZINE. Reply to the queries and observations of J. in the last number, page 189. There may be a want of clear ness, but the writer does not perceive a want of correctness, in the essay, to which J. alludes. In that essay an objection was made to the sentiment, that free, moral agency consists in doin g as on chooses to do. Upon which, J. asks, "Does the writer ever act contrary to present choice?" The answer is readily given in the negative; but it does not hence follow, that the writer may not choose to do many things, which he does not effect, for want of opportunity or power. As doing, in this connexion, is distinguished from choice or volition, it means external action. And, therefore, if free moral agency consisted in doing as one chooses to do; then men could be free, no farther than they are able to do, and actually do, what they choose. But, men may be morally free and accountable, in desiring and choosing to do a thousand things, which they have not opportunity and ability to perform. David was morally free, and did what was acceptable to God, in choosing and intending to build Him a house, though he did not build it. Hence God said to him, "Whereas it was in thine heart to build an house unto my name, thou DIDST WELL that it was in thine heart." And, on the other hand, the forty men, who conspired and bound themselves with an oath to kill Paul, were morally free, and did what was offensive to God and deserving of his wrath, though their hands did not, and could not perform their enterprise. Hence, it was said, in the essay, to be the sentiment of Hopkinsians, that "free moral agency consists, simply, in choosing or willing." Upon this, J. asks, "Are not these powers or acts found with every domestick animal?" The answer is again in the affirmative: but it does not hence follow, that every domestick animal is a free moral agent. All free moral agency may consist in choice, and yet all choice may not be free moral agency. Every being, that chooses or wills, is a free agent; but those beings only, who possess moral discernment, are free moral agents. This was distinctly stated in the essay.Moral agency is not the same thing as a moral agent, he must be able to distinguish between right and wrong, or moral good and evil. This leads J. to ask another ques- ‹ tion: Is not this making con- ! science and understanding one?" I answer, not precisely; but it is making conscience a natural faculty of the mind, which, together: with perception, memory, judgment, and several others, is comprehended under the general term understanding or intellect. Conscience and understanding are not synonymous terms; nor are they to be received as wholly different.' "Understanding," says J. "is a perceptive power." I would rather say, that perception is one of the powers of the understanding. J. adds, "by means of which (the understanding) we distinguish good and evil. Without this power, conscience cannot act." Here, I must beg leave to think, that J. is deficient, both in clearness and correctness; in clearness, because he does not make a proper distinction between the power of perception and the understanding, which comprehends all the natural powers and faculties of the mind; in correctness, because he represents the faculty of conscience as entirely distinct from the understanding. I agree with J. in saying, that "without clear light in the understanding, the decisions of conscience are liable to be wholly wrong." The verdict of conscience is always according to the evidence exhibited before it, whether that evidence be true or false. This, however, is not saying, as some have said, that conscience is one's opinion of his own action:' conscience obliges one to form a favourable or unfavourable opinion of his actions, according to the with J. that conscience urges one to do his duty, and makes him feel his crime, when he neglects it; it being understood, that conscience does this, by teaching him. what is right and duty, and what is wrong and criminal; in consequence of which, he feels bound to do the one, and to blame for doing the other. But, I cannot, with certain philosophers, refer light in which they are viewed. I agree with J. again in saying, that "when the understanding is properly illuminated, conscience discharges its office. But, what is its office? Not to make the moral agent feel his guilt. Feeling belongs to the natural affections, and not to conscience. The office of conscience is, to judge and decide, whether the action, perceived by the enlightened understand-all our feelings to conscience, and ing, is right or wrong, morally good or evil: and until this decision is made, it is impossible that a man should know he has done wrong, or feel a sense of guilt for what he has done. When any voluntary action becomes, by means of light, an object of perception; the conscience determines whether it is right or wrong, and accordingly approves or condemns it. I would not object, however, to saying, so call it "the feeling faculty;" for I believe conscience to be a perceptive faculty, and all our feelings to be natural affections. I conclude, with thanking J. for his frankness, and recommending to him, and to all the readers of the Magazine, an attentive perusal of the VIIIth Sermon, in Dr. Emmons's first volume. A HOPKINSIAN. THE FOOLISH TRAVELLER. please." "Well, Sir," said the A traveller, on his road to B. traveller, "does the road to the came to a place where the road right or to the left lie nearest to suddenly branched out into three. my course?" "A fool," said the He enquired of a clownish fellow,rustic," who asks direction, and who stood near the path, which yet is unwilling to be directed, was his road to B. and was told to must take his own course 99 go directly forward. Now each of the other roads appeared level and pleasant, but this ascended a steep hill, and was very rough and rocky. The traveller enquired, whether he might not take one of the other roads, and was answered that neither of them would lead him to B. "But," said the traveller, "the road directly forward appears so rough and unpleasant, that I have a mind to try one of the others; which, Sir, is the best?" "I cannot tell you,' 99 was the answer; "they both lead wide from your course; and will neither of them bring you a foot nearer to B.; you are determined to take one of them, you must take which you if So ministers of the gospel are often pressed with the question, whether sinners shall pray with unbelieving, impenitent hearts, or not pray at all. The fact is, to neglect to pray is one of the ways to hell; to pray with an unbelieving, impenitent heart, is another; while to pray with a right temper is the only path to heaven; and ministers must direct them accordingly. And if any would know which is the greatest sin, to pray with an impenitent heart, or not pray, I do not know that a minister has the power of deciding. If ministers tell sinners less than their duty, they betray their trust; if they tell them the whole, and ing. sinners will not do it, the sin lies | pray without repenting or believat their door. Those ministers, But whether such men are and those only, who do not believe qualified to preach the gospel, dethat the carnal mind is enmity mands a doubt. against God, may act consistently, while they encourage sinners to Religious Autelligence. CONVERSION OF A UNIVERSALIST MINISTER. From the Christian Secretary, published at Hartford. A. C. Evangelist. which none can pass, except they repent and be washed in the blood of the Lamb. I must therefore abandon and renounce forever this dangerous doctrine, calculated to lead men to follow the dictates of their own evil devices, under the impression of salvation, withsufficiency of the Lord Jesus Christ. out repentance or faith in the all The Rev. Z. Crossman, who has for several years past preached in the Universalist Church at Norwich, but who for a few weeks had been absent, returned to his flock last week, and in a public print announced his intention to preach on the subsequent Sabbath; when that I must one day stand before I feel an awful consciousness on the day appointed he officiated, the judgment bar of God, to give and after the close of the afternoon's discourse, he publicly rean account for the deeds done in nounced the doctrine of Universal and immortal souls of many of my the body, and I fear the precious salvation; and stated in clear and hearers may arise up in judgment impressive language, that, for the against me, as the shepherd of a last nine months he had laboured under strong mental feelings of mended them to God, and requeststraying flock." He then comdoubt and uncertainty, respecting ed that they would through repentthe correctness of the doctrine ance and the washing of regenerwhich he had professed to believe, ation, look to Christ as the only and to preach, and that after dili- medium through which to obtain gently searching the Scriptures-eternal life. As he took his leave, praying frequently and fervently for a right understanding of them. he had come to the conclusion, that the doctrine of Universal Salvation was fallacious, and eminently dangerous to the immortal souls of those who place their trust and confidence in its efficacy. "I have," said he, "closed my last sermon in this house. I have already preached the doctrine of Universal Salvation longer than my conscience would justify. My eyes are now open, and I feel the sting of a reproving conscience. My errors are now plain before me; I can see with unclouded vis-bability of more than £2000 of ion the tremendous gulf between that sum being paid off. I felt the righteous and the wicked, over myself, therefore, under the he desired them on their return to their own dwellings, to read and meditate on the following passages of Scripture: Matt. xiii. 49, Rev. xxii. 11. CHRISTIAN MUNIFICENCE. At one of the late religious anniversaries in London, Sir Thomas Baring related the following anecdote respecting the London Jews' Society: At the first meeting which I attended as President of that Society, I found that it was in debt to no less an amount than £14,000. There seemed to be no human pro gor, one hundred dollars. May many exhibit the piety of their hearts by such good fruits of charity and benevolence. Bos. Rec. PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. At the latest returns, the Presbyterian Church of the United States contained thirteen Synods, seventy-seven Presbyteries, 1015 Ministers, 2444 Congregations, and 112,435 Communicants. The average number of Communicants cessity of declaring that I could not belong to a religious Society which was in debt-that either the means must be found of discharging its incumbrances, or that the Society itself must be annihilated. A single individual at that meeting put into my hands ten thousand pounds! I give to God the glory of this act: for it never would have entered into the heart of that friend to make this sacrifice, had not the will and purpose been given him by a higher power. To this bene-in a Church is forty-six. Excess faction, £2000 were added by the other persons present, about sixteen or eighteen in number; and £2000 more by another individual. In this manner the whole debt of the Society was immediately paid off; and, from that time, it has been rising as a religious society, under the blessing of God, until its annual income has now reached about £1200. Chr. Mirror. MISSIONS. It is an encouraging fact, and one which the faint-hearted friends and hard-hearted enemies of missions would do well to contemplate, the English Missionaries to the Society Islands [Otaheite, &c.] are now supported entirely by the natives; so that the charities which for many years have flowed in that direction, may be diverted into some other channel. BEQUESTS. of Congregations above the number of Ministers, 1429.-In looking at these numbers, several reflections arise: 1. How small a portion of the whole population, even making abundant allowance for Christians of other denominations, are within the pale of the Church! 2. How few the labourers, even in those parts of the vineyard not entirely run to waste! 3. How many are the places in our land, where neither churches nor ministers are to be found? 4. What shall be done? Bos. Tel. UNITED DOMESTIC MISSIONARY SO- This Society was formed about two years since, by the union of several missionary societies in the State of New-York, and was so constituted as to combine efficiency with great weight of character. Thus far it has proceeded with a We learn from the Rev. Wil- degree of energy worthy of its liam Cogswell, of Dedham, the origin. Twenty-five gentlemen Executor of the Will of Miss Lucy have become Directors for life, by Avery, that she made the follow- the payment of $50; one hundred ing bequests:-to the American have become life members, by the Education Society, five hundred payment of $30; and about seven dollars; to the American Board, hundred and twenty are on the two hundred dollars; to the Do- list of annual subscribers, at the mestic Missionary Society of Mas- rate of $3 per year. The receipts sachusetts, one hundred dollars; during the last year were $6394 to the Boston Female Jews' Soci- 93, and the expenditures $6581 ety, one hundred dollars; and to 70. During the year, seventythe Theological Institution at Ban-eight missionaries have been em |