change of opinion. They have alleged, that, in such places of public worship, they seldom or never heard any thing that wounded their feelings, or interfered with their principles, and that they were fond of the good moral lectures which they commonly heard from the preachers. They have remarked, indeed, that a few of the clergymen who ministered in these congregations, (as for example, now and then an Arian who came along) were a little more serious, and disposed to make rather more of the Scriptures, and of Christ, than the other Unitarian preachers were wont to do; and this they could wish were otherwise. But, then, they have remarked, at the same time, that, as the highest Arians, and the lowest Socinians, appeared to regard each other with entire complacency, and evidently made a common cause; and as the most serious of them were infinitely less revolting than the Orthodox, they have, in general, felt very comfortably at home among them. Some who attend at Unitarian places of worship, upon principles, and with feelings of this kind, I personally know; of others I have heard, and have no doubt they are numerous. For the Hopkinsian Magazine. QUERIES RESPECTING REVIVALS. If revivals shall be multiplied in New-England at this period, will they possess the characteristics of those in New York and other States; will they be promoted by the same measures, bear the same features, produce the same effects? This depends on the pleasure of Him, in whose hands all hearts are turned like the rivers of water. It depends also, under his administration, very much on those who will be employed as instruments in the work, especially in conspicuous places. Shall we, then, have "three days' or four days' meetings?" Shall we have "anxious seats," and call for public pledges of a determination to submit to God, or to seek the salvation of the soul? Shall we have constant applications of the subject to sinners from day to day, either in public or private, till they are overcome and submit? Shall we speak of apparent conversions immediately, in our addresses, our letters, our newspapers, and immediately proclaim to the world the instances of hope? Shall we rapidly introduce new measures, with which our churches have been unacquainted, because they appear to have succeeded well after a short trial in other places? Shall we not have a revival unless we do introduce these measures; or, if we have one, will it be far less extensive and powerful? If we hope and pray and labor for a revival, and yet do not put on the new armor, and fall in with the practices of others, shall we act either sinfully or unwisely? I must acknowledge that I feel anxious on these points. I would sooner die than hinder the work of God. On the other hand, I would not mar his work, and deceive souls to their eternal undoing, by adopting unscriptural measures or those unfitted to the character and education and habits of our people. I want light in this matter, and I know many others who want it too. Is it owing to our coldness and unbelief, or have we reason to hesitate, and inquire, and pray for direction? It will be admitted, that these measures have not heretofore been practised in New-England, in the Congregational churches, though they have prevailed among the Methodists and Free Will Baptists. Our most judicious, able, devoted and successful ministers have not adopted th`m, unless to a very limited extent. They have not, for instance, regarded a constant attendance on relig ious meetings for several days in succession, as desirable; and five or six public exercises in a day for three or four days and evenings, are almost one continued, uninterrupted meeting. These meetings are attended with almost every circumstance which can excite emotion, enlist the sympathies of the hearers, and affect the passions. My fears are, that time and opportunity are wanting, for them to search the heart, to review the life, to peruse the Bible, to pray in secret, to collect the thoughts on this most solemn and important of all topics, to know what manner of spirit they are of, and to form their resolutions for eternity in that deliberate manner they ought. In any circumstances, the time of a revival is a most critical period with awakened sinners; and there are ten thousand tendencies to hasty conclusions and false hopes. Under these circumstances, must not those tendencies be multiplied? Is it judicious to call upon anxious sinners to manifest their determinations publicly, by rising, by taking an anxious seat," or in any other manner, so as to pledge themselves to repent and seek the salvation of their souls? My difficulty is, that many will be like to do this, under the excitement of the occasion, in a state of mind far from composed and delib rate; while they are very ignorant of their motives, and ignorant of the real purport of the pledge they give. Remembering the deceitfulness of the human heart, and viewing the natural operation of the predisposing causes, I should expect those to be most ready to promise who would prove the last to fulfil. I should expect a great many cases, that would wring the hearts of ministers and Christian friends with future disappointment. I should expect the most precious and durable fruits from those who formed their resolutions to come over on the Lord's side, in a more retired and trembling manner. I know that some denominations have long had the habit of pronouncing favorably on the cases of anxious sinners as soon as they obtain peace; also of proclaiming them on the spot, and publishing them abroad. I have not doubted too, that there were real conversions among them. But I have always supposed the fact to be well understood, that a large proportion of converts thus encouraged and announced, have "fallen away;" and that in the Congregational churches, the practice was generally regarded as highly injurious to the eventual progress of religion. I should therefore be grieved, as at present advised, to find a similar practice introduced among us. It appears to me full early enough to "number the people," after they have had at least a few weeks to ascertain the nature of their change and give evidence to others." INTELLIGENCE. RELIGIOUS. Rising Army of the Beast.-The increase of Papists in the United States is beyond the belief of those who have not attended to this subject. They count from 35,000 to 40,000 in the city of New-York. They are already the most numerous denomination in Philadelphia; that is to say, they have twelve distinct and crowded congregations every Sabbath, and four large chapels. That is, the twelve officiating priests say mass twelve times, three times in each chapel, and to three distinct congregations, who succeed each other, morning, afternoon, and evening; and they are building two new chapels. The Catholics are in the habit of distributing some 20,000 or 30,000 religious papers weekly. They have the Jesuit, of Boston; a paper at Hartford, Ct., The Truth Teller, of this city; the Metropolitan, of Baltimore, and the Catholic Miscellany of Charleston. They have also papers in the west. In a word, I have now before me letters from Boston-all over the United States--to New Orleans and St. Lewis, stating the astouishing pains, zeal, activity and success of the Jesuits, in making converts to the Roman superstition. And I am warranted to say, that if they increase in the same proportion for the next fifty years, the population of these states being, say 60,000,000, the Roman Catholics will have a majority in the west.-Protestant. 6 The following information, just received, is a striking comment on the above; and shows that, as the army of the Beast is rising,' so his spirit is reviving, in a manner truly appalling to all the friends of freedom, order and religion: "A large and respectable meeting of Protestants in Philadelphia, assembled to celebrate the 12th of July, it being the 141st anniversary of freedom from Popery and oppression. After an appropriate Address and Sermon, they formed a procession, and were proceeding in an orderly manner to the Hall in which a dinner had been prepared; when they were assailed by a mob of Papists, amounting to hundreds, uttering taunts and menaces, and throwing stones and brick-bats; which prevented many of the procession from entering the Hall: and those who did, were still more furiously attacked on their return, and some of them much bruised; who in their own defence, laid many of their assailants prostrate. The whole scene was most riotous, and a shameles and daring outrage upon religious freedom, as well as a bold contempt of the laws of the land. We have not heard that any lives were lost. Several of the ringleaders are in custody." MORAL. A good example.-Eight clergymen of the city of Albany preached a sermon in their respective places of worship the last Sabbath, on intemperence, and two others are to preach on the same subject the ensuing Sabbath. The lec Mr. Graham in New-Jersey.-We learn from Salem, N. J. that Mr Graham has lately given an abbreviated course of lectures, six in number, in that place, with great success. tures were delivered in the meeting house of the Hicksite Friends, being the largest in the village, and it was thronged by Presbyterians, Baptists, Methodists, Friends, and many other sects, without distinction, who seemed to forget all divisions and antipathies, in the grand effort for promoting the Temperance Reformation. The effect was astonishing.-Gen. of Temp POSTAGE OF THIS PAPER. The decision of the Postmaster General, respecting the postage of this periodical, is at length received The following is an extract from his letter, dated "Post Office Department, June 8th, 1831." "To be considered a newspaper, it is necessary the publication should contain advertisements, and a summary of news, or notice of current events.-If, hereafter, any portion of it should be devoted to the information of the day, it will become proper to consider it a newspaper, and to rate the postage on it as such, W. T. BARRY." It may now be considered as settled, that the postage of this paper, to any place within the State in which it is printed, is one cent; to any place without that State, not distant more than one hundred miles, one cent-over a hundred miles, one and a half cent. Errata.--Page 180, line 10, for nearly, read really. THEOLOGICAL WORKS PALEY'S NATURAL THEOLOGY, illustrated by the plates and by a sesection from the notes of James l'axton, with additional notes, original and selected -New edition. WATSON'S THEOLOGICAL INSTITUTES, or a view of the evidences, doctrines, morals and institutions of Christianity, by ichard Watson.Stereotype edition In addition to the above may be found a very valuable collection of Theological and other Books at CORY & BROWN'S, 13, Market-street. AN ESSAY ON THE STATE OF INFANTS, by Rev. Alvan Hyde D. D. Price 10 cents. For sale by HUTCHENS & SHEPARD. Having made it appear that Christ is present with all his tharches; it remains to show, II. For what PURPOSE, he is thus specially present with them. Christ's mediatorial office obliges him to be always present with all the branches of his church, till they are brought to the perfection of holiness and happiness in the kingdom of glory. Tho' Christ by his sufferings and death on the cross, laid a foundation for the pardon and salvation of all whom the Father has given him; yet he has much more to do, in order to complete the work of redemption. He told his disciples after his resurrection from the dead, that the Father had given him all power in heaven and earth; that is, committed the government of the universe into his hands, or set him as King on his holy hill of Zion; or as the apostle said, "set him at his own right hand in heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: and hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things to the church." His office as suprome head of the church requires him to be constantly and actively present with it. For, 1. It requires him to govern and direct all things in the universe in subserviency to his church and people here on earth. He is the present King and God of Zion. The reins of government are committed to his hands. He is now King of kings and Lord of ords. And the Father hath promised him that all nations shall Serve him. It belongs to him to dispose of all the kingdoms and nations of the world, so as best to promote the good of his church in general, and the good of his churches in particular. And in order to do this, he must be constantly present with all his people, and regard all their external circumstances, and cause all the angels in heaven, and all the rulers on earth, and all their subjects, o do whatever is necessary for the prosperity of Zion. He has all instruments and means in his hand, and as the great head of the church, he employs them all in ultimate reference to the salvation of those, whom his Father has given him. He Knows, that the men of the world, as well as the god of the world, |