the separating wall between you and your God is becoming broader and deeper, and more firmly laid. As the number of your sins, too, increases, this wall of separation is growing higher as well as broader; your debt to justice is swelling to a more enormous amount; and the work of repentance is becoming every day and hour more painful and difficult.-Your last hope, then, must be, that God hereafter will be more propitious than he is now, and will grant you the more effectual strivings of his Spirit. It is my earnest prayer that this may be the case; but still, on what grounds is such an interposition of mercy to be reasonably expected? When you are continually offending God by your sins; when you are wearying out his patience by long and criminal delays; if he will not be favorable now, how can you expect he will be more propitious at a later day?

But in conclusion, my dear child, (for full as my heart is, I must conclude,) who has promised you a later day? Where is your assurance of any future time? If you say, 'I will delay religion till another year;' before the seasons of the present year have half revolved, disease and death may invade, and you are gone. Or if you say, 'I will delay religion till another Sabbath ;' recollect that the sun of another Sabbath you may never see. It will rise and shine with its accustomed splendor, but it may shine upon the clods that cover your mouldering remains. We little think, amid the noise and bustle of the world, of the shortness and uncertainty of this our last trial. The young, especially, are prone to flatter themselves with the promise of long life, and to forget the near but dreaded footsteps of death. I readily admit, that you have as much assurance of living many years, as any of your companions; but this, you are aware, is no assurance at all. The shuttle may have already passed the loom, and woven your winding-sheet. The stuff may now be prepared and seasoned, which is to construct your coffin. The feet of those who have entombed others may be almost at the door, to carry your breathless body out. Is this, then, a place to trifle and delay? Is it safe, under such circumstances, to put off at all the work of preparation for a dying hour? No, my dear child, whom I love as myself, and whose salvation is dear to me as my own, you know it cannot be safe. And why then will you do it? Why have you done it? And why do you still think of continuing your delay?—But I can proceed no further, though I know not how or where to stop. Remember that, if you slight this warn ing, you can never have a more solemn one from me ;-and should I not live to meet you again, or to afford you another, you will receive this as my last. I have long hoped, through the mercy of God in Christ, to stand hereafter on the right hand of my Judge. I charge you, my son, to meet me there. Let no worldly pursuit or concern be suffered to take off your thoughts

from this. Seek, first of all, the kingdom of God and his righteousness. Seek these things Now. Yes, Now, in this accepted time and day of salvation-Now, whilst the enemy of your soul is fearing lest you should escape his snare-Now, whilst your best earthly friend is pleading with you and for you with earnestness and hope-Now, whilst the heavens are waiting to rejoice over your repentance and conversion-at this present moment, so critical, so eventful, awake at once from the slumber of sin, break the chain that has so long bound you, and in the strength of Christ-the proffered strength of the omnipotent Spirit-give away your heart and soul to God.

I remain your affectionate father,

Boston, January, 1830.

REVIEWS.

AN ARTICLE ON ASSOCIATIONS IN THE CHRISTIAN EXAMINER, SEPTEMBER 1829.

DURING the month succeeding the publication of this number of the Examiner, we were repeatedly asked if we had read Dr. Channing's famous article on Associations? We mention this circumstance to show, in the first place, that the article is, in this region, a famous one; and, secondly, that we divulge no secret in attributing its authorship to Dr. Channing.

The author seems to have been struck with the existence of the numerous societies around him. "Every thing is now done by societies."" You can scarcely name an object for which some institution has not been formed."-Here is a new power brought to bear on society, and it is a great moral question how it ought to be viewed, and what duties it imposes.

After stating a few of the common arguments in favor of Associations, the author raises a warning voice against their influence. He dwells upon the necessity of keeping the mind independent of foreign powers; makes all virtue to consist in individual action, in inward energy, in self-determination; represents this inward power, which is to triumph over and control the influence of society, as the great object of our moral being; and begs repeatedly and most earnestly that he may not be misunderstood.

In our opinion, the writer of this article commenced with a vague, indefinite prejudice against Associations. It would seem as if he had promised to furnish something for the Examiner, and laying hold of this floating idea about the vast number of societies, and working it up into a portentous "sign of the times," resolved to write an article upon it. Accordingly he lays down a few prin

ciples on which to build a theory respecting the effect of associated effort on the mind. But when he comes to raise his superstructure, he finds that the ground he has taken is by far too broad; his superstructure will not cover his foundation; still he proceeds, evidently under great embarrassment and with many misgivings, to stretch out his tottering frame-work from corner to corner. He qualifies, commends, apologizes, and begs not to be misunderstood so frequently, that the impression left upon the reader, is, that the author mistrusted the soundness of his own work. We say with perfect sincerity, that we found as many arguments in this article. in favor of Associations as against them; for the author being, as in our opinion he generally is, under the influence of the associating principle rather than of stern judgement, was caught by some chance thoughts that came along in connection with his main subject; and being more fond of discursiveness than careful about consistency, has inadvertently brought forward some of the best arguments that are offered in favor of Associations.

We shall not enter at large into the general subject of Associations. If the reader will turn to Dr. Channing's article, he will find as much in their praise as we should dare to advance. He will also be amused with the fact, that much of this praise is given in the way of retraction and apology, and that too, because the author was evidently frightened at the application of his own principles. We agree with him entirely as to the value of an independent judgement, and of freedom from the tyranny of customs and opinions; and we know, too, that we are in danger of losing these by an ill regulated intercourse with the world. But then we were surprised that the writer, with all the reverence for human nature expressed in his Sermon at Providence, should be so much afraid of trusting such "godlike" creatures as men, together. How can their mutual influence be otherwise than salutary? Is the mansion which Christ is preparing for each of his disciples a hermit's cell? Then why does this eulogist of godlike human nature' fear the mutual influence of his fellow beings in this world, if so little change is necessary to fit them for associating in heaven?

The truth is, the writer has not been to the Bible for his knowledge of human nature. He is therefore at the mercy of every floating theory that comes into his mind. His opinion of man, as may be seen by comparing this article with the Sermon referred to, varies with the nature of the subject on which he proposes to write. On every principle of common sense, merely, the author has in this article mistaken our character as social beings. He seems to regard man as possessing a sort of waxen nature, which he has the power of hardening or softening at any moment, as occasion may require. If an unholy influence approaches, he can harden into an unyielding resistance; if a good influence comes

over him, he can, simply by the diffusion of a mysterious warmth, receive its impress, and retain it, ever after, amidst all the adverse influences of the world. The experience of a single day spent in the world is enough to melt this frost-work theory. We should say it was the offspring of a mind, whose knowledge of the world was speculative rather than practical; of one who looked down upon his fellow-creatures with an air of superiority, and would retire into the chambers of his own soul, and shut the doors about him, were it not that some must be admitted to burn incense. The praise which he has elsewhere lavished upon human nature, seems, after reading this article, to have been bestowed chiefly, because human nature was his nature. If we were to act upon the principles here recommended, every heart would be an island surrounded by a cold flood, and cut off from the free interchange of the kindest and best sympathies of man. For since all virtue con

sists in individual action, inward energy, and self determination," we must all become monks and nuns; and "that unostentatious and unpraised society, which God has instituted, a family," and "that shelter, home, which nature rears," must be abandoned. But rather than believe that the writer intended so much as this, we will presume that he has inadvertently crossed his own path, and that he forgot the first part of his article, when he wrote so feelingly in the latter part in praise of domestic Associations. We may account for these contradictions, and for others which abound in his writings, from the fact that he seems never to calculate the tendency of his own principles; so that when he runs against a well-established truth, he must stop, apologize, explain, retract, and "beg not to be misunderstood."

From general principles, the author proceeds to treat of Associations in particular. He begins with a subject which he had no right to speak upon; we mean Revivals of Religion. What can Dr. Channing know about revivals? It is the height of presumption for a man, shut out from the world so long as he has been, to pretend to describe the progress and effects of a revival. But since "the English Traveller," has been through the country, and printed his book, any one can avail himself of his accurate observation, just as if he had been himself an eye-witness. That book is like the lying spirit in the mouth of all the Prophets of Ahab. By means of it, Unitarian ministers, who have never seen a revival, can string together slang phrases about "inquiry meetings," and "sudden conversions," and gratify a morbid appetite in the irreligious community for wholesale and coarse reprobation of those things at which they wonder and perish. Let us see if Dr. Channing's speculative acquaintance with revivals is as accurate as his knowledge of human nature.

"In these feverish seasons, religion, or what bears the name, is spread as by contagion, and to escape it is almost as difficult as to avoid a raging epidemic. Whoever knows anything of human nature, knows the effect of excitement in a crowd. When systematically prolonged and urged onward, it subverts deliberation and self-control. The individual is lost in the mass, and borne away as in a whirlwind. The prevalent emotion, be it love or hatred, terror or enthusiasm, masters every mind, which is not fortified by a rare energy, or secured by a rare insensibility. In revivals, a multitude are subjected at once to strong emotions, which are swelled and perpetuated by the most skilful management. The individual is never suffered to escape the grasp of the leading or subordinate agents in the work. A machinery of social influences, of inquiry meetings, of anxious meetings,' of conferences, of prayer meetings, of perpetual private or public impulses, is brought to bear on the diseased subject, until, exhausted in body and mind, he becomes the passive, powerless recipient of whatever form of impressions it may be thought fit to give him. Happily for mankind, our nature loses its sensibility to perpetual stimulants, and of consequence a revival is succeeded by what is called a dull, dead, stupid season.' This dull time is a merciful repose granted by Providence to the overwrought and oppressed mind, and gives some chance for calm, deliberate, individual thought and action. Thus the kindness of nature is perpetually counterworking the excesses of men, and a religion, which begins in partial insanity, is often seen to attain by degrees to the calmness and dignity of reason."

Now we cannot find it in our hearts to return railing for railing upon such an awful subject. We believe that revivals are the work of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, when we hear one of our fellow beings railing at them, our heart dies within us. There is a sin unto death we may not say particularly, in what it consists, or who has committed it—but we know that it has reference to the Holy Spirit, and he who commits it, Christ has said, "hath never forgiveness." On that soul, the secret curse of the Almighty has fallen; it has sinned against the last effort which God makes for the salvation of man; no strivings of the Spirit shall call it to repentance: it remains this side of eternity only to treasure up wrath. Therefore we always tremble, when we hear a man speaking against revivals, lest it lead him insensibly to the commission of a sin, for the forgiveness of which the great Intercessor will refuse to plead !

The writer comes next to Missionary Societies. As a specimen of his feelings and language towards Orthodox missions, we quote the following.

"So possessed are the minds of multitudes with the supreme importance of this object, that there seems to them a piety in withholding what would otherwise have been thought due to a poor relative, that it may be sent across oceans to pagan lands. We have heard that delicate kindnesses, which once flowed from the more prosperous to the less prosperous members of a large family, and which bound society together by that love which is worth all bonds, are diminished since the late excitement in favor of the heathen. And this we do not wonder at. In truth, we rather wonder that any thing is done for the temporal comfort of friends where the doctrine on which modern inissions chiefly rests, is believed. We refer to the doctrine, that the whole heathen world are on the brink of a bottomless and endless hell; that thousands every day, and millions every year, are sinking into this abyss of torture and wo; and that nothing can save them but sending them our religion. We see not how they who so believe, can give their families or friends a single comfort, much less an ornament of life. They must be strongly tempted, one would think, to stint