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regularly and rapidly declining. The number of pious young men, who were able to defray the expense of their own education, was proved by the experience of half a century, not to be, by any means, adequate to provide a remedy for a state of things so deplorable. The alternative before the Christian community was, therefore, manifestly this; either the number of ministers must continue to decline, or pious and indigent youth must be assisted in their studies preparatory to the sacred office.

The first object of the society was obviously to survey the extent of the evils which it would remedy, and then to direct public attention strongly to the subject. An extensive correspondence was commenced, public documents were collected and examined, and agents for inquiry were despatched to various quarters of the country.

For this last named service, Mr. Cornelius received a commission in 1817, on his way to New Orleans. His labors in behalf of the Indian missions, and at New Orleans, prevented him from giving that attention to the subject, which its importance demanded. He collected, however, facts and documents, which were of considerable service. He gives the following account of his labors, in a letter to the Rev. Dr. Pearson, a director of the society, dated New Orleans, January 14, 1818.

"I have often feared that my long silence, in regard to the work appointed me by the education society, should induce the belief that I have become indifferent to it. Far from it. Never have I felt more uniformly the importance of any cause, than that of providing laborers for the Lord's harvest. I do regard it as involving in itself all that is essential in every other benevolent undertaking; and while I have not been able, from previous engagements, to lend to it all that attention which you

originally

desired, those very engagements have led me often to ex

claim, as Whitefield did on a similar occasion, 'O for a thousand tongues, a thousand hands, for Christ!' I do not now remember certainly, whether I answered the letter of commission which you had the goodness to send me while at Washington city. But this I remember, that it interested my feelings more than I can describe. The time, however, which had elapsed since I wrote to you from New York, was so long, that I was doubtful whether the proposal I made of becoming an agent of inquiry, would comport precisely with the views of the directors. I resolved, however, to do all in my power. From Washington to this place, a distance of twelve or fourteen hundred miles, I have made such exertions as were compatible with my other engagements. I conversed with respectable gentlemen on the subject, as I passed along, and obtained their consent to prepare statistical views of their respective districts of country. I am well satisfied, from all which I have yet experienced, that this is the only practicable method of procuring a just view of the condition of the whole nation. I inclose a printed copy of a circular letter which I am sending to gentlemen of distinction in the regions through which I have passed, and to other judicious men in various parts of the western world. In this circular, my object has been to make known as extensively as possible the existence and the objects of the society, and to give such a representation of its character as should challenge the respect of all honorable and benevolent men. Whether I have done justice to the subject, I dare not affirm. I have sought to do it. My heart is deeply concerned in the noble design. Of its success I have no doubt. There is something in its very nature so inviting to the friends of mental culture and refinement, as well as to the Christian, that it cannot fail in due time to awaken and concentrate a greater amount of enlightened feeling than any other

benevolent enterprise can boast, the Bible society perhaps excepted.

"I have already taken measures to obtain a correct statistical view of Virginia, the District of Columbia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Alabama. I have instructed my correspondents to direct their answers to me at New York, at any time previously to July first. May God crown your efforts with glorious

The circular alluded to in the preceding letter has the following paragraphs.

"At such a crisis as this, the establishment of so great and liberal an institution as the American Education Society, deserves to be hailed by every man, with the liveliest joy. In such an undertaking, the littleness of party interest cannot and need not be indulged.

"Let it not be supposed that the evil we deplore is too great to be remedied. Christian effort, if vigorous, united, and persevering, can convey the blessings of a preached gospel to every destitute family in our country. Young men of suitable talents and ardent piety, sufficient to meet the mighty demand, are this moment within the bosom of the Christian church.

Perhaps the fruits of your labor may yet be destined by a rewarding Providence to gladden your own bosom. Do you live in a region which languishes for want of faithful and well-educated ministers of the gospel? Present this institution with a perfect knowledge of your situation, literary, moral, and religious, and if possible, ensure its aid and attention by co-operating in its noble design. Do you feel for the heathen world, and long for the emancipation of more than four hundred millions of our race from spiritual bondage? Give your prayers and influence to a cause which is the only one capable of effecting it.

Do you tremble lest the rising hopes of our common country should yet be dashed by the prevalence of vice and irreligion? Give your prayers and influence to an object, which alone can establish, in the temple of our independence, the pillar of virtue."

It is gratifying to notice these incipient labors of Mr. Cornelius, in an enterprise, which was in subsequent years to be so much indebted to his talents and zeal. The information which he diffused respecting the nature and objects of the society, and the facts which he ascertained concerning the spiritual condition of the country, could not fail of being highly useful.

During the period of his ministry at Salem, he continued to cherish a strong interest in the objects of the society, though he did not labor directly in its behalf till the spring of 1826, a few months previously to his dismission from his pastoral charge. At that time, the society, owing to various causes, was laboring under great embarrassments, and was nearly compelled to suspend its efforts. Mr. Cornelius devised a plan of operations, including several important changes, and consented to undertake an agency, provided the plan should be adopted. The directors coinciding with his views, he commenced his labors, and immediately resuscitated the society. His main object, in a three months' agency, was to procure the establishment of permanent scholarships, or foundations of one thousand dollars each. For every such scholarship, the directors pledged themselves to educate one young man for the ministry. During his absence he wrote in the following manner to his church. "Though the work in which I am engaged is one which I undertook with great reluctance, and though my personal comfort would have been much more promoted by continuing at home, yet I should be blind as well as ungrateful, were I not to perceive the special favor of Heaven which has

attended my efforts, and crowned them with success far beyond my anticipation. I would not be hasty in expressing an opinion on such a subject, but when I look forward, and estimate the results which will most probably follow the new system of measures that has recently been adopted, I cannot resist the belief, that the three months in which I am to be engaged in it, will have been the most useful three months of my life. great moment, involving, deeply involving the social, the political, and the religious interests of our land, and I may say of the world. So it is viewed by the most intelligent and pious in every part of the country through which I have passed.

The cause is one of

"I have now nearly completed my labors in Connecticut, having succeeded in forming a branch society for the State, auxiliary to the American Society, and in procuring subscriptions to the amount of about ten thousand dollars, in Hartford and New Haven. There were strong prejudices against the former system of educating young men, and every education society I met with, was fast declining; but a new state of things now exists. Prejudices are removed, confidence is inspired, and a liberality discovered, which has never before been witnessed, so far as this object is concerned. My visit to the young men assisted by the society in Yale college, was one of very deep interest. Judging from their present character, there is little doubt that many of them will make able and excellent ministers."

At a special meeting of the directors of the American Education Society, in Boston, August 1, 1826, Mr. Cornelius was unanimously chosen secretary of the society.

He soon after prepared the following paper, which was read to his church and congregation, and then submitted to an ecclesiastical council, which was convened by