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wick, in New-Jersey; the presbyterians have a theological hall at Princeton, also in Jersey. In May, 1821, the general assembly of the presbyterians, and the general synod of the associate reformed church, passed a resolution, uniting the judicatories of the two churches, and joining the associate theological school in the city of New-York, to the presbyterian seminary at Princeton. This resolution was confirmed in May, 1822; and these two important evangelical bodies are now consolidated into one general communion. Mr. Wilks himself acknowledges, that the English state clergy have no regular theological education.

To all this, add the felicitous harmony of many of the nonepiscopalian evangelical churches; as the presbyterian, the Dutch, and the congregational; in exchanging pulpits, in meetings for prayer and Christian conference, in missionary institutions, in Bible societies, in Sunday school associations, in the distribution of religious tracts; in a word, their cordial union in every effort to promote the blessed progress of evangelism; both among their own fellow-citizens, and the perishing millions of the heathen, in foreign, and far distant lands.

The apostolic William Ward, in his "Farewell Letters," bears his full and decided testimony to the exertions, and religious harmony of evangelical Christians, in these United States. He says: the number of religious institutions in America, exceeds, if possible, those of England.

Observe, Mr. Ward does not confine these religious institutions to a comparison, in number with those of the Anglican Church establishment; but includes all denominations in England, dissenters, as well as churchmen. Now, although Mr. Ward's assertion is strictly true, yet it is taking stronger ground, than is required by my present argument; which has merely to combat the assumed necessity of a national church establishment, to promote piety, and prevent heathenism in a country. For, most assuredly, the es

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tablished church of England cannot claim the merit of promoting that dissenting piety, which, as a state church, she has, invariably, calumniated, and persecuted, to the utmost of her power.

Mr. Ward proceeds to say: that Bible, Missionary, Tract, and Sunday school societies, are very numerous. The American Bible Society is a noble institution, doing great good. The orphan asylum, at New-York, has been favoured with such remarkable instances of the Divine care, as to remind one very strongly of the institution of professor Frank, in Germany. The deaf and dumb asylum, at Hartford, Connecticut, under the care of the Rev. Mr. Gallaudet, prospers exceedingly. I spent some hours at the asylum, enjoying a flow of feelings so sacred, and so refined, that I can never lose the recollection of this visit.

Regular prayer meetings, confined to females, are very common in America; which has, also, some institutions that I have not heard of in other countries. At Boston, and at other places, a missionary for the town and neighbourhood is maintained and employed; his work is to carry the Gospel to the poor; to preach in cellars, in garrets, and amongst those who, by their poverty, or peculiar circumstances, or disinclination, are excluded from the public means of grace. I met two or three of these interesting missionaries.

Societies of ladies exist for assisting poor Christian students, by purchasing cloth, and making them clothes. Other ladies unite to work together, one day in a week, fortnight, or month, devoting the produce to some good object. One of the parties reads for the edification of the rest. Separate societies, of girls and boys, are numerous; they have their meetings, and devote a quarter, half, or whole dollar a year, each, to some Christian object. In Mr. Payson's church, at Portland, a number of married females have associated, under a solemn engagement, that the survivors will seek the spiritual good of the

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children, from whom any mother in this association may be removed by death.

The different denominations in this country come together in delightful harmony, and co-operate, without the obstruction of those impediments, which exist in other countries. The Sunday School Union in New-York, exhibits a noble specimen of true Christian feeling; and flourishes accordingly. I found more places of worship in the large towns in America, than in similar towns in Britain, (including both established and dissenting churches,) and much genuine piety among the presbyterians, the congregationalists, the evangelical episcopalians, the methodists, and the baptists; and, as far as my journeying extended, I observed a cheering exhibition of Christian progress.

As in England, all denominations of real Christians are increasing; and all are growing better. The revivals in different sections of the Union are greater than ever. I have made special inquiry into the nature of these revivals, and find, that the far greater portion of those who commence a religious profession under these impressions, continue till death to adorn the doctrine of Divine influence.

Christian missions too, begin to be more and more popular; and the duty of the church to identify them as an integral part of its institutions, begins to be more generally felt and acknowledged in this highly favoured country. What a cheering sight it was, on the 9th of March, 1821, to see coach and wagon loads of missionaries coming into Princeton, on their way to the Indians! The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them. And how still more astonishing that these Indians should be made willing to devote to the education of their children all the dollars paid to them, in annual instalments, for lands, by the government of the United States,

Blessed be God! the appearances in all Christian countries indicate, that we are rapidly passing into a new order of things. Indeed, all the great events

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of our own times seem but the harbinger of his appearance, who is the desire of all nations.

After visiting the states of New-York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New-Hampshire, Maine, New-Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, &c., and the cities of NewYork, Boston, Philadelphia and Baltimore, I was quite amazed at the progress of society in the United States: these towns, these colleges, these courts of justice, these scientific and benevolent institutions, the extent of country cultivated, these state governments, this army, this navy, this powerful general government! Why, my dear brother, when I considered that the other day this whole continent was forest, the exclusive abode of half naked savages and wild beasts; all this scenery appeared before me as the effect of enchantment. What a striking contrast to the deathlike paucity of society among the Indians on the same spot, during the preceding five hundred years.

In passing through Connecticut, I could not but observe, the country must be happy, in which the poor can obtain the respectable education of their children for nothing; where each man of good character, without regard to his sect, can become a legislator; where provisions are excedingly cheap; where, except in particular towns, taxes are few; where there are no tithes, nor the galled feelings arising from the unwise elevation of one part of the people, on a religious account, over the other part; and where the people, (by their delegates and representatives, as in the legislature, whether state or general,) as I had just seen them in Boston, meet in convention, to amend the constitution of the state, with the same good humour, as men go to the annual meeting of the humane society in London. I saw several baptist ministers in this convention; as well as among the legislators of the state of Maine.

Religious services are conducted nearly as in England; but our custom of lining out the hymn scarcely exists; and singing is often profanely abandoned

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to the choir, as though praise may be done by proxy; or the object of Christian worship be partial to such tunes as the congregation cannot acquire. How any one can blame cathedral worship as popish, and admire these exhibitions in the front gallery, I know not. Notes, entreating the prayers of the congregation for the sick, &c., are, in many places, sent up into the pulpit; and directed by these notes, the ministers visit the sick during the week.

Reading the Holy Scriptures does not commonly, I regret to say, make a part of the (nonepiscopal) services of the sanctuary. Dr. Watts, generally, supplies the forms of praise to the American people. There are some selections, the greater part, however, the composition of Watts, by Drs. Dwight, Livingston, and Worcester, and Mr. Winchell. American editions of Dr. Rippon's selection are not uncommon. The reading of sermons prevails to a considerable degree among the congregational, and other ministers. The services are often concluded with a doxology, the people standing. Blacks are members of the same churches, and sit down to the Lord's table with the whites.

Divine service seemed well attended in the states I visited; and among the presbyterians, congregationalists, and baptists, there are but few instances of a dry, formal ministry; though much of it still remains among the episcopalians. Among the baptists there is a considerable portion of that Calvinism, which knows not how to unite duty with sovereignty, obligation with privilege, watchfulness with perseverance, and the necessity of prayer with divine influence. A baptist church, practising open, or Christian communion, I found not; and one or two ministers did not hesitate to avow, that they did not consider pedobaptists within the pale of the visible church! Is it not strange that the people, who still loudly complain that the baptists were imprisoned, and flogged, at Boston, should themselves act upon a