do.

tion had excited the attention of Gridley, of Granby, from 1 Coriastrangers.

thians, i. 21. Consecrating prayer, Thus, Sir, I have left at least one by Rev. Mr. Parsons, of Amherst. copy of the unadulterated word of Charge, by Rev. Dr. Hyde. Right God, at each of the seven Asiatick hand, hy Rev. Mr. Shepard, and Churches of the Apocaly se; and I Rev. Gordon Dorman, made the trust they are not utterly thrown concluding prayer. away. But whoever may plant, it is God only who can give the in

Candidates. crease; and from his goodness we Mr. Francis Jackson, Cambridge may hope they will, in due time,

David Reed

do.
bring forth fruit, some thirty, Jonathan P. Dabney do.
some sixty, and some a hundred Samuel Gilman
fold.”

Thomas Prentiss do.
Hiram Weston, Duxbury

Samuel Clarke, Cambridge
Ordinations.

Henry Ware

do. At Worcester, Rev. C. A. Good

Rufus Hurlbut do. rich was ordained over the first

Thomas Savage

do. Church in that place. Introductory Seth Alden do. prayer, by Rev. B. Wood, of Upton. Sermon, by Rev. Mr. Goodrich, of Berlin, Conn. Charge, by Rev. Mr. Smith, of Durham. A

OBITUARY. monitory exhortation, by Rev. Mr. Goff, of Millbury. Right hand, by In Hillsborough, Maryland, Rev. Rev. Mr. Nelson, of Leicester. Jesse Lee, late Chaplain to ConConcluding prayer, by Rev. Mr.

gress, aged 59. Whittlesey, of Washington, Connec- In Virginia, Rev. Thomas Lason, ticut.

a minister of the Baptist Church, Wednesday, October 9, at Wil- aged 55. Jiamstown, (Mass.) Rev. Ralph W. In the city of Washington, CoGridley. Introductory prayer, by lumbia, Tobias Lear. Rev. Mr. Marsh, of Bennington, In Milon, New-Hampshire, Hon. Vermont. Sermon, by Rev. Mr. Beard Plumer, aged 62.

How rapid is the flight of time, our country. These occurrences on the use or abuse of which our are adapted to teach people of future destiny depends! Whether every class, that their comforts we are at home or abroad, idle and their subsistence depend on or busy, asleep or awake, sick or causes over which they have no in health, time is passing and control-on the pleasure of Him, eternity approaching. What whose will the elements obey. then can be more reasonable Whether the uncommon coldthan that dependant and accoun- ness of the season had any im. table beings should adopt the mediate connexion with the spots prayer, “ So teach us to number on the sun, or not, it is certain our days, that we may apply our that the hand of God should be hearts unto wisdom ?”

acknowledged' with awe, with As our time is divided into submission and with gratitude: days, weeks, months, and years, With awe, because it is evident it is of useful tendency to observe that He who could produce such its progress, to reflect on its con- a change in the seasons, could, nexion with eternity, to review if he pleased, deprive us of the the course of Providence, and means of subsistence, reduce us frequently to call ourselves to to distress, and destroy our lives, account. If this should be de- by merely increasing the cold of voutly done, it would have a summer : With submission, for happy influence on our hearts, “shall not the Judge of all the and on our lives.

earth do right ;” and “ shall a The year which is soon to living man complain, a man for close, has been distinguished by the punishment of his sins." some occurrences, which demand With gratitude, because the a serious consideration! This chastening has been light comyear has been remarkable for pared with our offences; and cold and frost, during the spring because in the midst of judgand summer months; and for ment, the mercies of the Lord drought in several districts of have been innumerable. Vol. IV. No. 12,

43

WO.

Innumerable indeed are the the land. Such favours demand mercies which have been confer- a grateful heart towards the Prered on the people of this country, server of men. Nor should we in the course of this year. Al be regardless of the mercy of the though the hopes of the husband- Lord, in that so great a number man have been in many respects of the nations of Christendom disappointed, still, by prudence, have shared with us in the blesseconomy and beneficence, the ings of peace. Still, however, amount of suffering may proba- we have reason to lament the bly be rendered far less than unhappy condition of our fellowmany have anticipated. The beings in South-America. There scarcity of provisions, however, the sword has continued its ravwhich in many places must be ages, and spread desolation and felt, will try the faith and pa- What should we think of tience of the poor, and the bene- a race of tigers, which would volence of those who may hav thus torment and destroy one it in their power to relieve the another! Should we not suspect wants of their brethren.

that they had run mad?” The prospect of a scarcity of “Lord, what is man!" bread calls loudly for the united But while we weep for the exertions of all the friends of follies and miseries which yet humanity, to put a stop to the prevail in the world, let us repractice of converting " the staff joice in everything which of life” into liquid fire and the evinces, that the state of society means of death. Perhaps the has been improving in our own design of God, in this calamitous country, and in several of the year, was to open the eyes of nations of Europe. That such people in respect to the practice is the fact we think is evident, of changing the bounties of his not merely from the many reprovidence into means of vice ported instances of reformation and destruction. Hard must be in different places, but from the his heart, who can think of the multiplication and progress of multitudes who will be in want benevolent institutions. Consiof bread, and still persist in derable had been done in several reducing grain to intoxicating of the preceding years; but more liquors, which do a hundred fold in this, than in any other since more mischief than good. “Who- the earth was inhabited by man. so hath this world's goods and Such has been the progress of seeth his brother have need, and Bible Societies in Europe and in shutteth up his bowels of com- America, and such their influpassion towards him, how dwell- ence in other parts of the world, eth the love of God in him !" that there is now an animating

This year our country has been prospect that the earth will soon favoured by an exemption from “be filled with the knowledge of the ravages of pestilence and the Lord.” of war. The voice of health and In the course of this year, the of peace has resounded through American Bible Society has

« Be

been formed and organized, and suffering, gentleness, goodness, many auxiliaries.

faith, meekness, temperance ?" In addition to the many Bible Such a state of things is certainly Societies, an almost innumerable desirable, and we cannot but inmultitude of other religious and dulge the hope, that such a day benevolent Institutions are now has already commenced. in operation in various parts of hold ! how good and how pleathe world, for the diffusion of sant it is for brethreu to dwell useful knowledge, for the con- together in unity.” version of the Heathens, the It is moreover believed, that Jews and the Indians, for reliev- the virulence of party spirit in ing the wants of the needy, for politicks has abated, and that humanizing the minds of men newspapers are conducted in a and improving their condition less exceptionable manner, than and their morals, for abolishing they were in former years. Evesanguinary laws and customs, ry judicious observer of events and for cultivating the principles must have been convinced, that of humanity, benevolence and a thirst for the honours and peace. The combined influence emoluments of office, has been of these various Institutions, un- the principal source of the bickder the direction and smiles of erings and calumnies, by which our heavenly Father, cannot fail society has been agitated, and to hasten the period when light the minds of our citizens alienand truth, love and peace, shall ated one from another. If all overspread the world; when the the writers for newspapers, and savage customs, which have for the various periodical works, filled the world with vice and would unitedly lay aside party misery, shall be regarded with passions, and study the things horrour, and when it shall no which belong to their own peace longer be problematical, whether and the peace of society, the “the Son of man came not to benefits would be incalculable. destroy men's lives, but to save But notwithstanding all the them.

encouraging appearances of reIs it a pleasant dream, result- formation, and all the efforts ing from an enthusiastick desire which have been made to better for such a season, or is it a fact the state of society, we that the baleful comet of conten- aware that there is still much tion among Christians, has pass- room for reform, and that much ed the meridian, and is now remains to be done. We often going down to rise no more? Is hear the phrase “this enlightenit not a fact, that in our region, ed age,” and we admit the proChristians of different opinions priety of the language, in comhave become more aware, that parison with former ages; but it the fruits of the spirit of Christ, is not improbable, that future are not “ hatred, variance, wrath, generations will regard the peo. strife, sedition, and reviling;" ple of the present time, as having but “ love, joy, peace, long- but just emerged from a state of

are

barbarism. They will perhaps, do, to advance the happiness of discover so much errour in the mankind. Let every one also popular opinions and customs of consider, what part he has taken this age, so much inconsistency in regard to the great works of between our practice and the benevolence and mercy, which religion we profess, that they will have originated in the present wonder how we could consider age; whether he has done any ourselves an enlightened people. thing on which he could reflect Our benevolent Institutions will with pleasure, in the prospect probably stand as the best monu- that his life will close with the ments in our favour; but these present year; whether he has will appear associated with much done any thing on which his pos“wood, hay, and stubble,” and as terity will reflect with gratitude. cotemporaries with some of the A multitude of our fellowmost barbarous customs and prac- beings have this year closed their tiees, which ever disgraced the eyes in death ; among whom name of man.

were some who were an honour We are also aware, that there to human nature, and who served may be serious interruptions to their generation by the will of the progress of improvement, God. But, alas ! how many and that success in the most have left the stage, who lived as laudable exertions depends on without God in the world; and the pleasure and blessing of Him who died without baving given with whom " is the residue of the any evidence that they had not spirit," and who superintends in lived in vain, as to any solid adall the revolutions of the natural vantage to themselves, to their and moral world. Without him children, or to the communities we can do nothing. But when of which they were members ! we consider him as the benevo. Let survivors take warning by lent Father of the human race, such melancholy events, lest we cannot but believe, that he they experience the doom of the looks down with the smile of ap- unprofitable servant. probation, to behold the efforts This is not our rest; and this of his friends in promoting the year may yet prove the last to general welfare of the family. many who are now alive. It Nor can we doubt that he will may to the writer; it may to give effect to benevolent exer- thee, O reader! Let us then so tions, and crown them with glo- Jive, that we may be ever ready rious success.

for the awful summons; that As the close of the year is whether we live, we may live to approaching, let every reader the Lord, and whether we die, Seriously consider, what God has we may die to the Lord; and done, what he is doing, and what that whether we live, or die, wo there is reason to suppose he will may be the Lord's.