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a smaller proportion of births and of marriages than among the community at large.

"Why the proportion of marriages among persons of this persausion should be smaller must be left to every one to explain in his own way. I shall only mention one cause-The children of members of this society generally have for many years past re ceived a thoroughly good education, not grudgingly confined to reading the bible although they value it beyond every other book, but compre hending writing, arithmetic, English grammar, and the elements of geography and mathematics."

To this account from Great Britain we have to add one of a still more extraordinary character, which has recently appeared in the News-papers in our own country. An article has been copied into the Boston Recorder for Sept. 9, from the National Intelli gencer, entitled "Advantage of Temperance," the substance of which is from a Newport paper of February 12, giving the bill of mortality in the Monthly Meeting of Friends in that place.

The Meeting is said to comprise above 400 persons. The number of deaths in five years is but 31, and in that period not one person has died of that society under 48 years of age! The ages of the 31 persons who have died averaged 74. În 1812, eight persons died, the youngest of which was 60 years of age-the oldest 84-of this age there were two. In 1813, also eight died-the youngest 49-the oldest 85. In 1814, but one died, this aged 87. In 1815, five died, the youngest 48, the oldest 90. In 1816, nine died, the youngest 57-the oldest

94.

In view of this extraordinary account the National Intelligencer asks, "To what shall be attributed the full exemption from death of all the young, but the healthy constitutions of the parents? Or to what the almost regular longevity of adults but to habits of regular temperance?"

It may be doubted whether any other society in this country can furnish a table of longevity, or a bill of mortality for 5 years, so extraordinary as the account from Newport. If this and the account of the Friends in

England are correct, and if the facts are to be ascribed to temperance and regular habits, it is much to the honour of the society; and if long life be desirable there is great inducement for other people to imitate the Friends in respect to their moral habits. It is not to be questioned that a very great number of people in our country shorten their lives by intemperance, and that many of those who die in infancy and childhood fall a prey to the diseases entailed upon them by the vices of their parents. Let parents then who have formed or who are forming vicious habits, seriously consider, how they will be able to answer at the bar of God for thus sacrificing their own lives and the lives of their children to gratify their appetites. Are the lives of your offspring of so little value that you may lawfully give them in exchange for inebriating liquors or the pleasures of intemperance!

GREAT FAMINE IN SAXONY, GERMANY.

Extract of a letter from a gentleman in Rosswein, near Dresden, in Saxony, to his son in Harrisburg, dated May 31, 1817.

"SCARCITY and Famine have dreadfully increased since my last let. ter of April 16, of this year. In many places unnatural means are used for the maintenance of the human species, such as in common times are hardly offered to beasts: among other articles, bread is baked of potatoe pealings, bran, and straw of oats, and even of that there is great want. The straw gets ground but contains very little nourishment. I enclose a sample of it.

The people would cheerfully work, but cannot find employ; manufacturers in particular are unable to furnish any, and the alms which are given do not suffice. The prospects for the next harvest are also not good, as the grain stands very thin, because a great deal of it has not come up, owing to the two wet seasons which we have had in succession, by which the grain was injured in the blossom, and almost all harvested in a wet state We must, alas! apprchend, therefore, that this famine will continue during the next winter.

"The present scarcity is far more

oppressive than the former, as there has been little trade for many years, in consequence of which people have not been able to lay up any thing, and therefore are compelled to pawn or sell for a trifle what they have left.”

ORDINATIONS

AND INSTALLATIONS.

IN Park street, Boston, September 3, Rev. Sereno E. Dwight-Introductory prayer by Rev N. W. Taylor of New-Haven; sermon by Rev. Lyman Beecher, of Litchfield, Con. from Psalm xix. 7-10; consecrating prayer by Rev. Dr. Dana, of Newburyport; charge by Rev. Dr. Spring; right hand by Rev. J. Huntington, Boston. On the same day and in the same place, E. P. Swift, Allen Graves, John Nichols, Levi Parsons and Daniel Buttrick, were ordained as Missionaries to the Heathen. The consecrating prayer by Rev. Dr. Worcester, of Sa lem; charge by Rev. Dr. Morse, of Charlestown; right-hand by Rev. J. Bates, of Dedham, Rev. M. Gile, of Milton, Rev. J. Codman, of Dorchester, Rev. J. Huntington, of Boston, and Rev. Richard S. Storer, of Braintreethe address being delivered by Rev. Mr. Bates.

Sept. 11. Rev Isaac Hurd was Installed as pastor of the New Church in Exeter, N. H. The services were performed in the usual order by the following ministers, Rev. A. Abbot, of Beverly; Rev. Dr. Dana, of Newburyport; Rev. Mr. Holt, of Epping; Rev. Mr. Porter, of Rye; Rev. F. Park. man, of Boston, and Rev. Mr. Nichols, of Portland.

Rev. Ira Chase was ordained at Danvers Sept. 17, by the Baptist Association.

Rev. James Colman and Rev. Ed. ward W. Wheelock, were ordained Sept. 10, as Missionaries, at the Meeting House of Rev. Dr. Baldwin, Bos.

ton.

OBITUARY.

Died in England, IIugh Percy, Duke of Northumberland.

In Paris, M. Suard, Secretary of the French Academy, aged 85.

In Ireland, R. L. Edgeworth, Esq. author of many literary works-74.

In Hamburg, Professor E. D. Kbeling-76.

In Germany, Werner, the great mineralogist.

In Hartford, Con. Rev. David Bacon, aged 46.

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In Stoneliam, Mrs. Sarah, wife of Rev. J. H. Stevens-50.

In Lynnfield, Mrs. Sarah Tarbell94. Her husband died aged 96-they lived in a married state more than 70 years.

In Rumney, N. H. widow Abigail Craig-104.

In Cambridge, Mr. Thomas M'Culloch, of the senior class in Harvard University-21. Also, Edward Canfield, of the junior class-20.

In Rome, Mass. Mr. J. Dodge-101.
In Portland, Brig. Gen. T. Osgood

-40.

In South Carolina, Gen. Pickens. In Georgia, Hon. Peter Early, late governor of the state.

At Westport, Paul Cuffee-58.
In Boston, Mr. William Breed-67.
Capt. Nathan. Thayer, merchant-
66.

Mr. Joseph Blake-77.
Hon. B. Hichborn-72.

In Amesbury, the wife of Rev. Mr. Sawyer.

In Ipswich, John D. Andrews, Esq. -27.

In Cambridge, Mrs. E. A. Willard, wife of Professor Willard-28.

In Shrewsbury, Dr. Silas Wheelock --48.

In Bristol, Mrs. Elizabeth, wife of Bishop Griswold.

Letters from New-Orleans state that sickness prevails in that place-that from 20 to 30 persons died daily.

In Carolina County, Virginia, Aug. 22d, Mr. James Bowie was murdered by his negro man Reuben, and his body thrown into the Mill Pond. His head was completely marshed to pieces with a large club. Reuben has escaped.

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"It appears from what has been said, that Christians who are united in the belief of the truth have a right to blame those who think differently from them upon religious subjects."

It will be readily admitted that there are cases, in which those, who are united in the belief of the truth, have a right to blame those who differ from them. In many cases there may be real evidence of blame, and so far as there is evidence of blame, any one may be blamed.

If persons treat religious sentiments with levity and indifference, as though it were of no consequence what is believed or disbelieved; if they show an uncandid spirit in discoursing on religions subjects; if they Vol. V.-No. 11.

ADDRESSED TO THE REMARKS ON HIS CONVEN

have refused to examine impartially, or now refuse so to do; if there be evidence that they embrace error to justify iniquity, to give the reins to their lusts, or to silence an accusing conscience; in such cases persons may be considered as blamable. Those who discover such things in them have a right to blame them. But there may be cases, in which persons have imbibed erroneous opinions, without giving evidence of blame. We, my friend, differ in opinion respecting the leading sentiment of your discourse; and it is clear to my mind, that you have imbibed and propagated an erroneous doctrine; but that I have a right to blame you is not so evident.

In support of your inference you have advanced some things which require special attention. You say,

"The opinion that men ought not to blame one another for thinking differently upon religious subjects is built upon the principle that none can really know that their own sentiments are certainly right. But this is

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a false principle, because there is a plain and infallible rule of faith, which gives those who conform to it, certain evidence of their believing the truth. And a certainty of being right in sentiment, is very different from the strongest confidence of being so."

I am perfectly at a loss, sir, how you came by this opinion, unless it were from your own experience; and if it were from experience that you obtained it, I wish you would as soon as may be convenient, publish to the world, a complete list of those religious sentiments, respecting which you "really know that you are certainly right," and accompany this list with the proofs of your infallibility.

I have, however, some ground of suspicion, that you did not obtain this opinion by experience; for, in respect to many articles of the Christian religion, I suppose that you and I are agreed in sentiment; yet I cannot say I really know that my sentiments, in which I agree with you, are certainly right. I verily believe they are, and I think I receive comfort from them, and on them I rest my hopes of future felicity. This is as far as I dare to affirm.

I will mention another thing, which gives me some reason to doubt, whether your opinions were obtained by experience. President Dwight, I believe, agreed with us, as to the prineiple articles of the Christian faith; yet he considered it as a matter of belief and not of knowledge, whether the scriptures are a revelation from God. In his discourses on "Infidel

Philosophy," he has this remark; "Christians believe that the scriptures are, and Infidels that they are not, a revelation from God. Neither they nor we know, for the case admits not of knowledge, nor can it be determined with certainty. The only question to be determined between the contending parties, is, which

believes on the best evidence ?" p. 57. This being his view respecting the bible itself, it is pretty obvious that he would not have dared to say, I really know that my religious sentiments are certainly right.

Permit me, sir, to ask, In what way does the infallible rule of faith give certain evidence to those who conform to it, that they are right? Or what is the certain evidence which it gives? I wish you had, on this point, been more explicit. However you might obtain your opinion, if you know it to be true, you can doubtless give some information on the subject.

I have sometimes suspected, that you might suppose this opinion to be implied in what Christ said, John vii. 17-" If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself." Though this text might seem, at first view, to favour your opinion, yet, on examination, it may be found less favourable than some have imagined.

Can this text be supposed to imply, that every child, or every man, who has an obedient heart. has such a perfect understanding of all scripture doctrines. or truths, that he may say concerning each proposition, f

really know that this is certainly truth? Or will every such person be able to say this, with regard to all that you would call the great doctrines of the gospel?

There are various constructions which may be given to the text, which will by no means support your opinion.

1. The term doctrine may not be meant to imply all scripture doctrines ; and it may possibly refer to some particular doctrine which Christ had just taught, and which is not stated in the connexion. For in the preceding verses we are informed, that Christ went up into the temple and taught, and that the Jews marvelled, but what he then taught is not related.

2. The term know, in the text, may be meant to imply no more than satisfying and comforting evidence, in distinction from infallible certainty.

3. To know whether the doctrine be of God, may be a different idea from knowing that we certainly understand the doctrine. Christ, we believe, was a teacher sent from God. Through prejudice the Jews rejected the evidence of his divine mission. By the exercise of that humble temper, which is implied in doing the will of God, their eyes would probably have been opened, to see the evidence that he was sent of God, and hence, by doing the will of God, they might have known that his doctrine was of God. Of this, they might have had, the most plenary evidence, without being able to say we really know that our understanding of the doctrine is certainly right.

The last construction of the text is perhaps the most probable. But if you are not satisfied with either of the preceding, I will mention one more.

4. The text contains a promise of what shall be, on condition of doing the will of God: And it may have respect to what shall be known by the obedient in a future world. For it is not said when the promise will be fulfilled.

As I can think of no other passage of scripture, on which you would be so likely to found your opinion, and as I am persuaded this is insufficient for its support, I will now query, whether what you have said on this point has not, in two respects, an evil tendency.

In the first place, has it not a tendency to occasion doubts and perplexity, in the minds of the truly humble and self-diffident, to whom in a special manner the consolations of the gospel ought to be administered?

In the second place, has it not a tendency to countenance and encourage the daring arrogance of the self-sufficient, selfconfident and censorious Pharisee, or enthusiast ?

So far as I have been aequainted with professors of religion, those who give the best evidence of real piety, are not apt to use such self-confident language as your doctrine will justify; I believe, and I hope, are the common language of the humble Christian. But dogmatical enthusiasts of every denomination will pronounce without hesitancy, that they know that their sentiments are right; and the most ignorant of the tribe, are often as

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