and under accountableness to, a gracious and compassionate PARENT, and not an austere and merciless Tyrant; that the sentiment, which should ascend from earth to heaven in grateful recognition of the mission from heaven to earth, is not one of mystery, dismay and terror, but of cheerfulness, resignation, tranquillity and hope. If such were the religion of the world, how many of the deformities which exist in society would be unknown; how much would the evils of life be decreased, and its blessings augmented!

So far as such a system of religion has found its way in the world hitherto, observed Mr S., much may be ascribed to the efforts of the Unitarian clergy; and it must be preserved, and further diffused, by the same means. It does not become the friends of free inquiry and of rational religion, to stand still, and see their ministers reviled, by any combination of men, by whatsoever motives or impulses such combination may be governed. On the contrary, we are bound by every sense of duty and interest to strengthen their hands, and encourage their hearts. Their purpose is to make the world wiser and better; not for themselves, but for the human race. They apply their teaching to the understanding, and to the heart; their avenues are those of plain common sense, the ear, and the eye. They make the sabbath a day of sadness to those only whom they can bring to contrition; to others, a day of social meeting, in which the audience are to be called away from the cares and anxieties of transitory life, and warned of "the certainty of death, and of the uncertainty of the hour." As the sabbath is the appropriate, and perhaps the only proper stated day of general meeting, for social religious instruction, it is of the highest import, that learning, talent,

zeal, and effectiveness should be brought into the services of that day. The means of doing this well deserve the care of those, who are able to aid in making the day precious to the interests of individuals and of society.

All, who are interested in this very serious call to aid the clergy in their labors, must give their own labor, and must contribute the means of making labor effective. Some sectarians, who regard the purposes which we uphold with no friendly eye, show us that labor and money are the means. But who will labor, and who will give? We know that the clergy will labor, but who will give? All should give, who wish to improve the condition of the age, and lay the foundation for future and successive improvement. This is the debt which we owe to posterity for the acts of those, through whom, we are at home, in a land of civil and religious liberty.

The young should give. They are entering the world; deeply are they interested, that it should grow wiser and better. They desire to escape from follies and extravagances; from vain, and worse than profitless pursuits, and to know how to choose, and value, what may be pursued. They can contribute their example, and spare something from their means, to raise the standard of moral and social worth; and they may leave the world with the assurance, that they do leave it better than they found it.

The middle aged should give. They have lived long enough, to know how much more valuable life would have been, if they had found in it settled and acknowledged principles in morals and in religion, to serve as guides in its perplexing and difficult paths; the middle aged have long enough to live, to permit their latter years to redeem the former ones. They will not miss, nor regret, what

ever they may give, to promote the common object of making human life rational, satisfactory and profitable.

Those, who have passed the meridian, should give. They feel how fast the years run round; and how soon all which they can call their own will be numbered. All of them will admit, that their retrospect of life would be far more grateful, if they had lived, and if all around them had lived, under that moral and religious influence, which the Unitarian faith inculcates. Are there none among them who feel, that if life were to be gone over again, they would do something more than they have done, to increase the moral and religious light of their fellow men; and something less for those things, that perish in the using? If it be too late for them to make the world better for themselves; it is not too late to make it better for those, whom they must leave behind to use what themselves cannot carry away.

But it is to females, that an appeal may be made with the certainty of success, whenever the object is to do any good. The debt which woMAN owes to christian revelation, though ever in the process of being paid, can never be discharged. Woman knows what she was, before men were Christians, and how slowly her condition meliorated till the era of the Reformation; she acknowledges, with tearful gratitude, what she has become, since moral and religious refinement have shed their influence on society. It is to mothers, that society now looks, to fix the first and most enduring principles of human character. In the days of prosperity-in the dreariness of adversity-in the bitterness of penitence-the lessons, caught at the maternal knee, spring up, uncalled for, to admonish, or console; perhaps to receive the last tribute of gratitude and veneration.

But what can women do, in the diffusion of moral and religious light? They can give their influence upon all the classes mentioned, and on all others. They can control the extravagance of emulation, folly, and fashion. They can make it the fashion, to spare something from useless decoration and entertainment, to enrich the Unitarian treasury. Not that they have been careless of the good they can do. Far otherwise. There are many, and honorable proofs of their devotedness to the improvement of the age. It should be noticed on this occasion, that in the last year, a sum equal to the maintenance of the domestic missionary in this city, has been contributed by the ladies. This mission, and the manner in which its duties have been performed, attract the notice of the considerate and benevolent, in an eminent degree.

On the whole, concluded Mr S., Liberal Christianity has no occasion to despond. Many of the most intelligent and best informed, among men, are its faithful friends. It will certainly increase and diffuse its influence, in proportion to the means which are used to bring it to the test of human reason. To do this, we must promote public teaching from the pulpit; and promote and satisfy the demand for knowledge, through the press.

If all could be made to feel the importance of this progressive improvement to themselves, to their associates, to their offspring, and to posterity; and if they could be induced to labor and contribute to that extent only, which their dearest interests demand, it cannot be doubted, that the pure and simple revelation of the gospel,-whether called by our peculiar name, or any other-will become, at some time, the only christian religion acknowledged among men.

Mr Sullivan was followed by HON. LEVERETT SaltonSTALL of Salem.

After some introductory observations, he remarked, that we were associated for the promotion of an object, in which we had a common interest,—the cause of what we deemed to be religious truth. We were met together to strengthen each others hands and encourage each others hearts, and it seemed to him desirable, that gentlemen of the laity should take a part in the discussion of topics, which on other occasions, and in a different form, are generally left to the clergy. He had therefore listened with peculiar pleasure to the addresses to the meeting from his friends of the laity.

The remarks of the gentleman, who had been heard with so much gratification, on the manner in which controversy had recently been conducted by our opponents, by gross personalities and attacks on private character, had struck him with great force, and were entitled to great attention. He feared, he said, it was part of a system, well understood, and far extended, to put down Unitarianism, by rendering its distinguished professors odious to the community. It seemed to him important, therefore, that there should be a distinct expression of the sentiments of this Association on the subject, that this meeting should express their disapprobation of this course strongly and clearly; and for this purpose he would offer a resolution, which, he trusted, would meet the views of all present.

Resolved, "That the gross personalities, and libellous insinuations, to be found in religious publications of the day, are to be discountenanced, and severely and openly reprobated by the friends of candor and decency."

This resolution, said Mr S., asserts, that there are gross