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your resolution to supply every destitute family in the United States with a copy of the holy scriptures within the period of two years. They were also told that this could be effected, provided, among other conditions, that every professor of reli gion would give seventy-five cents for this object. They also heard that it was necessary to act, as well as resolve, and that immediate measures must be taken to pre- vent a total failure of this important enterprise. Valuing as they do the Bible, the richest of heaven's blessings, and Knowing that thousands in the land are without it, they are anxious to do what they can towards carrying into effect the resolution referred to. For this purpose they ask you to accept, in behalf of the Society, the enclosed donation, seventyfive cents from each, making an aggregate of forty-five dollars and seventy-five_cents. CHARLES STARR.

New York, May 14, 1829. P.S.-After witnessing the readiness with which your call is responded to by those whose almost every moment must be redeemed, to enable them to earn their daily bread, I cannot deny myself the gratification of doubling the contribution which they have so generously made. I therefore send you ninety-one dollars and fifty cents.

Yours, &c. C. S.

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Bethel Congregation,

Seven Mile,
Hamilton,

Somerset,

Montgomery,

Pleasant Ridge,
Ripley,
Red Oak,
Strait Creek,
Manchester,
West Union,
Hillsborough,
Rocky Spring,
Bloomingburgh,
Washington,

Salem Congregation,
Concord Congregation,
Two families in Chilicothe,
Two subscriptions for Phi-
ladelphian,

5 37 150

15 871

275

1 811

8 00

18 724

51 24

3 45

17 371

28 56

15 87 375 6 20

6 314 4.00

275

3 98

2.00

In a letter addressed to the Corres ponding Secretary, the Rev. Mr. Barr gives the following statement of the necessities of the church, and the wide fields of use. fulness in the State of Ohio.

"Let the Board think of the melancholy fact, that there are within this State, more than 100 organized churches, of our order, vacant: and I speak after deliberation, when I say, that one hundred more might be now organized, were there ministers, for a suitable time, to pay atten tion to them; and many of these, at the start, would be of much promise. The call is loud, and the circumstances favourable, for the Board to act to much advantage for its own influence, and the welfare of the churches. Make a vigorous effort to assist this State now, and before seven years pass away, you will be richly repaid both in men and money, I trust. The va rious institutions of learning, now in successful operation, will produce educated! men, and the revivals of religion, that have already taken place, will send a considerable number of young men of piety to these institutions. In one congregation I found four or five young men, subjects of a revival, about to commence a course of education preparatory to the ministry. Let us have then, five, six, seven, or ten, if you please, young men, this spring, if possible; one or two as Missionaries, and the others to locate in some of our pro minent places of usefulness."

In respect to the character and labours required of Missionaries to the West, the same correspondent remarks:

“Itinerating must be pursued, if we would preserve our present vacancies, or increase much our borders. Men, willing to labour publickly, and from house to house; willing to endure hardships; con descending to such as are of "low estate," taking pleasure, like their divine Master, in seeking the "lost,”—these are the mea for Missionaries and I can assure you,

that men of some good degree of ener getick, active piety, are those alone that will be any how acceptable or useful;any such minister will be received for his work's sake, and will receive the best accommodations from the people that they can give him."

Prompt Return, and Liberal Proposal.

In reply to the circulars, recently issued from the Office of the Board of Missions of the General Assembly, the following letter was received last week from a gentleman of distinction, and well known liberality, in Pennsylvania. We cannot but indulge the hope, that an example, so benevolent and persuasive, will find many cheerful imitators.

"Dear Sir, I have received your circular, issued at the office of the Board of Missions of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church, of February 25th, and also your private communication of February 23d. I would just remark, that to me it would be extremely injudicious, under any circumstances whatever, to dissolve the Board; and I cannot see what objections any other society or sect of Christians can make, to our own Church exerting herself in that way which may

seem most conducive to promote real piety and enlarge her bounds. I mentioned to Mr., when in your city a few weeks past, to hand in my name as one of the hundred-dollar subscribers; I find it has not been done. I now, Rev. Sir, desire that you may place my name on your list as a subscriber for one hundred dollars per year for ten years. I also mentioned to Mr. that it would not affect my payment yearly, whether the whole number of subscribers should be obtained, or not. There is another Society which I feel it my duty to support, in my small way; I mean your Education Society, to assist indigent pious young men in preparing themselves for the ministry. If it should be thought right by the fathers of our Church in your city to encourage assistance to that Society, I would freely engage to pay one hundred dollars per year, for ten years, on condition that fifty persons shall agree to pay that sum on or before the first day of November next, or at any other time your Committee might think best. I conclude with most heartily wishing success, not only to the exertions of the Presbyterian Church, but to every society which has in view the glory of God, and the christianizing of the world."

The Treasurer of the Trustees of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church aeknowledges the receipt of the following sums for their Theological Seminary at Princeton, N. J. during the month of May last, viz.

Of Henry Chester, Esq., per Andrew Bayard, Esq., for a Check on Grafton
Bank, N. H., on account of the Whelock estate, $471.38, disc. $2.36
Of Rev. Robert M'Cartee, Canal Street Church, N. Y.

$469 02

10 00

Of Rev. John Smith, Otsego Presbytery

5 75

Of Rev. Alonzo Welton, North River Presbytery

5 00

Of Rev. Thomas Barr, Richland Presbytery

Of Dr. Ebenezer Dickey, Oxford, and U. W. Nottingham, New Castle Presbytery

4 00

6 00

Of Rev. George Chandler, Kensington

For rent of a carpenter's shop

Amount received for the contingent fund, Of Rev. Joshua T Russell, collected by him in New York for the New York and New Jersey Professorship

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Of Rev. Eli F. Cooley, collected by him in New Brunswick Presbytery, for ditto

176 50

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Of Rev. Jos. L. Shaffer, do. in Harmony $15, and in Oxford, $20, do.
Of Rev. Samuel L. Graham, from Orange Presbytery for Southern Profes-
sorship

35 00

55 00

Of Rev. Jesse Rankin, Concord Presbytery, for do.

57 13

Of Rev. James L. Marshall, on account of his subscription for the Oriental and Biblical Literature Professorship

70 00

Of Rev. Abraham Williamson, per Rev. Dr. John McDowell, in part of his subscription for the Eumenian Scholarship, $4, and $6 from the Female Benevolent Society of Chester, on his account

Of Rev. George S. Woodhull, for the Senior Class of 1820 Scholarship
And for indigent students of the Seminary

Of Hugh Auchincloss, Esq., Treasurer of New York Presbytery, for ditto
Of Nathaniel Davis, Esq., Treasurer of Albany Presbytery, for ditto
Of Rev. Dr. Ebenezer Dickey, from Rev. Robert White, Fagg's Manor, New
Castle Presbytery, for ditto

Amount received for the Seminary

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Received also for the Board of Missions, viz.

Of Rev. Joshua T. Russell, General Agent, the particulars are published by him

Of ditto from Rev. James W. Alexander, for a mission to our Aborigines

Of ditto

Of ditto

Of ditto

Of ditto

Of ditto

Of ditto

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$105 92 60 00 58.70

257 50

23 63

353 69

843 20

170 85

5.00

Donation from Mrs. E. Taylor, $4, and Miss M. Taylor, $1

Of Miss Olive Sproat, per M. L. Bevan, Esq., her donation
Of Rev. Jacob Green, from Female Missionary Society of Bedford, Aux. to
Board of Missions, annual remittance
Monthly Concert collection

Bible Class do. §3.40, and donation from Miss R. Peck $1
Of Rev. A. O. Patteson, Longrun, Redstone Presbytery
Female Cent Society of Sewickly

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Of Hugh Auchincloss, Esq., Treasurer of New York Presbytery, annual collections

5 00

53 50

158 11

18 17

Of Mr. Samuel Morrow, Fourth Presbyterian Church, ditto

Of Rev. John Mitchelmore, Lewes Presbytery, ditto

Of Rev. Ithamar Pillsgrove, Long Island Presbytery, ditto

Of Rev. Alexander M'Clelland, Derry, Carlisle Presbytery, ditto

Of Rev. R. B. Belville, Neshaminey, annual collections

Of Rev. Peter Hossinger, Waterford and Gravel Run, Erie Presbytery, ditto
Of Rev. A. K. Russel, New Castle Presbytery, ditto

of Rev. John Dorrance, from several congregations in Mississippi Presbytery, being 50 cent subscriptions

Of Rev. George Junkin, from Danville Miss. Soc. Aux. to Board of Missions
Of Rev. M. L. Fullerton, from Rev. James Buchanan, Green Castle $30 00
And from David Elliott, Mercerburg

33 41

39 00

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Of Rev. John Smith, Otsego Presbytery, ditto

Of Rev. Alonzo Welton, North River Presbytery, ditto

Of Rev. David Magie, Elizabethtown Presbytery, ditto

Of Nathaniel Davis, Esq., Treasurer of Albany Presbytery, ditto

Of Rev. James Latta, per Rev. W. Latta, Upper Octorara, New Castle Pres-
bytery, ditto

Of Dr. James Magraw, L. W. Nottingham, and Charleton, ditto, ditto
Of Mr. Simeon Munday, Second Church Woodbridge, Elizabethtown Pres-
bytery, ditto

Of Rev. Jos. Barr, per Rev. A. Babbit, Leacock, New Castle Presbytery,
ditto

Of Rev. John McKnight, from Mrs. Mt. M'Knight, Treas. Fem. Miss. Soc.
Rocky Spring, $16, and from Mrs. A. Chambers, Treas. Fem. Miss. Soc.
Chambersburg, $25.50

Of Rev. Dr. E. Dickey, Oxford, and U. W. N. $6, Fagg's Manor, $11, New
Castle Presbytery

Of Jos. Montgomery, Esq., Fifth Presbyterian Church
Of William Kirkpatrick, Esq., of Lancaster, Pa. his donation

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For the first time since we assumed the editorship of the Christian Advocate, we this month omit altogether a View of Publick Affairs We regret this omission, although we have nothing of great importance to report. But our engagements with the General Assembly, followed by some indisposition, leave us no alternative but either to delay the issuing of our monthly number very unduly, or to omit the article in question for a single month. We have chosen the latter part of the al

ternative.

THE

CHRISTIAN ADVOCATE.

JULY, 1829.

1

Keligious Communications.

LECTURES ON THE SHORTER CATE

CHISM OF THE WESTMINSTER AS-
SEMBLY OF DIVINES-ADDRESSED
TO YOUTH.

LECTURE XL.

(Concluded from page 243.) But according to the answer of our Catechism now under consideration, not only is the use of graven images and sensible symbols of every kind prohibited in the service of God, but we are forbid den to worship him "in any other way not appointed in his word." I will shortly notice a few of these other forbidden ways; and I solicit a particular attention to what I shall offer on this part of the answer before us, because I believe that you whom I address are in far less danger of transgressing the divine precept by the formal use of images, or visible symbols, than of violating it in some of the methods, or instances, now to be specified.

1. We are forbidden by the manifest scope of the second commandment to form, even in our minds, any fanciful representation of the great and invisible Jehovah. The human fancy is exceedingly prone to create forms or phantasms of its own; and it certainly requires some care and effort, to restrain it in religious worship, from framing some image or picture of the unseen Deity; to abstract the mind from every sensible or imagiVOL. VII.-Ch. Adv.

nary object; to set God alone before it, and to fill it with deep awe and 'solemn reverence for that pure, glorious, spiritual, and infinite Being, to whom all our prayers and praises, in order to be acceptable, must be addressed. The duty here stated is clearly implied, or rather explicitly enjoined, by our Saviour, where he says (John iv. 24,) " God is a Spirit, and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth." Many, my dear youth, very many, it is to be feared, transgress the second commandment, in the way to which this particular points your attention.

2. What is called in holy Scripture "will worship," is forbidden by the spirit of the second commandment. By will worship, we are to understand every thing in religion which, not being prescribed in the revealed will of God, has no higher or better origin than the will, invention, or device of man. The sinfulness of this will worship consists in its carrying with it an arrogant implication that the Creator's requisitions, made known in his written word, are imperfect and defective, and need to be amended or supplied by the creature's wisdom, contrivance, or prescription. Thus in some churches called Christian, the sacraments of the New Testament-Baptism and the Lord's Supper-are not administered agreeably to the divine

20

institution, by simply washing with to it therefore that we have a plain scriptural warrant for every religious act, duty, or service, that we either attempt ourselves, or enjoin on others. Without this, whatever show there may be of unusual sanctity, or holy ardour, the issue will always be unhappy. The sin of will worship is committed, and the consequences will, in the end, be unfavourable to pure and undefiled religion.

water in the name of the sacred Three, and by giving and receiving common bread and wine as the memorials of the death and sacrifice of Christ, but with several vain appendages, which are entirely the unauthorized devices and additions of men. Under this head, also, must be ranked a multitude of superstitions, and profane rites and practices; such as endeavouring to unveil future events by applying to fortune tellers, or prognosticators; using unlawful means to prevent or cure diseases, or to obtain an object of any kind, though lawful and desirable in itself; "simony and sacrilege; all neglect, contempt, hindering and opposing the worship and ordinances which God hath appointed."

Certain false appearances of religion, likewise, belong to the class of errors and evils that fall under this particular. When the minds of men become greatly excited by religious considerations, without being suitably enlightened and guarded, they are exceedingly prone to prescribe, both for themselves and others, some extraordinary religious services, or peculiar austerities, or a devotion of their time and property to what they consider sacred uses, which are not required, nor in the least degree countenanced, in the Scriptures of truth. From this root, the whole system of Monkery and Celibacy, with all their attendant follies, impositions, and unnumbered mischiefs of various kinds, have sprung up and been nourished; and to the very same origin may be traced the unhappy and reproachful extravagances, which have been witnessed in some revivals, or supposed revivals of religion, in our own country. A blind, heated, rash, and misguided zeal, has, in various ways, done incalculable injury to the cause of geDuine vital piety. We should see

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3. Those who altogether neglect publick worship, or at any time unnecessarily absent themselves from it, or who disregard any of the ordinances or duties which God has appointed or commanded; and those also who pretend that they can serve him more advantageously in some other way devised and adopted by themselves, must be considered as grossly violating the command before us. "This precept is also transgressed by not attending on the ordinances of God with that holy, humble, and becoming frame of spirit, that the solemnity of the duties themselves, or the authority of God enjoining, or the advantages which we may expect to receive by them, call for. When we do not seriously think what we are going about, before we engage in holy duties, or watch over our own hearts and affections, or else worship God in a careless and indif ferent manner; in which case we may be said to draw nigh to him with our lips, while our hearts are far from him.'"*

Let us now consider "the ressons annexed to the second commandment," which, according to our cstechism, are" God's sovereignty over us, his propriety in us, and the zeal he hath to his own worship." This is to be considered as the exposition of the words in the sacred text-"For I, the Lord thy God, am a jealous God, visiting the ini quity of the fathers upon the children, unto the third and fourth ge

• Ridgley.

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