Since that memorable period, a portion of the Calvinists of our land have favored such excitements, and made them the special objects of their prayers and exertions. A minority have never been convinced of their divine origin and beneficial tendency; and have accordingly observed a respectful silence on the subject, or manfully opposed their prevalence. At this moment, you find several individuals of distinction raising their voices against the unscriptural measures adopted for their production. Among the Calvinists of Europe, such revivals have been comparatively unknown. Those in England are striving at this very time to bring them into existence. They have been excited to this undertaking by the flattering, partial, and, as I believe, de ceptive accounts, of what was taking place in the American churches. They have been led to believe in their practicability, usefulness and divine origin; and have accordingly put in operation some of the machinery necessary for their production. As yet little or no success has attended their exertions. So that it is but a few years since such revivals were introduced into your denomination; and they have never been fostered but by a minority of the whole Calvinistic body. You will also remember that important divisions are now taking place among the adherents of orthodoxy throughout the world. The greater portion in Germany have embraced universal salvation. The most distinguished minister of the party in England, Dr J. P. Smith, has adopted views of the inspiration of scriptures nearly accordant with those embraced by Unitarians, and has even denied Solomon's Song to be any part of the book of revelation. In this country, warm disputes exist on several topics, such as the eternal generation of the Son, the atonement, the depravity of man, and regeneration; so that what is orthodoxy at Princeton is denounced as heresy at Andover. But nearly all the leaders in America are now uniting their forces to crush Unitarianism by the production of these religious excite

ments. Even Dr Taylor, of New Haven, who con sidered himself so severely abused by Dr Woods, of Andover, has not hesitated to visit Boston, and to engage earnestly in this holy warfare.

3. In the third place, what is the fact in relation to the Episcopal denomination? Its members very generally disapprove of these excitements. When they have raged in their immediate neighborhoods, they have successfully labored in checking their progress and influence. One of the American bishops, not long since, denounced them as injurious to the cause of pure religion, and exhorted his clergy to oppose their prevalence. And at this very moment, the editors of their leading journals are raising their voice against such delusions. Take the following sentences from the Philadelphia and Hartford periodical publications. There are some kinds of religious excitement, created by mechanical operations, existing through animal effervescence, and leading to much irregularity, which we are happy to know are not very frequent in the Episcopal church, and are not encouraged by Episcopalians in general, because they are not persuaded of their being in any good degree conducive to true charity or real godliness. They cannot see in them those fruits of faith and piety, which ripen unto eternal life. The bonds of christian. charity are all rent asunder, the meekness and humility of the gospel contemned, the regular ministers of Christ after a season shunned and despised, and self-conceit, spiritual pride, and self-righteousness permitted an unlimited and unyielding ascendency.' This will suffice for the present. A few, however, of both clergy and laity among the Episcopalians entertain different opinions on this subject, and have occasionally united with the revivalists of other sects in the production of these excitements. Now you are aware that there is a great diversity of religious opinions in this denomination. The larger portion of both clergy and laity give an Arminian interpretation to the thirty-nine articles. A re

spectable minority, especially in England, give them a Calvinistic meaning. Many who still remain within the bosom of this church have fully embraced Unitarian sentiments. Some whole societies have adopted an expurgated liturgy. And you must also remember that our pilgrim fathers professed fully to believe in the thirty-nine articles, and found no fault with this formulary of faith. Listen to the following words of Dr Increase Mather. The churches here were planted a noble vine. Indeed, it was not with respect to the fundamentals in doctrine, that our fathers came into this wilderFor they agreed to the doctrinal articles of the church of England as fully as any, and more fully than many of the conformists of that church.' But with all their present diversity of sentiment, the Episcopalians are almost uniformly opposed to modern revivals.

ness.

4. In the fourth place, what is the fact in relation to the Baptist denomination? In our own country, most of its members favor such religious excitements; but in England, even to the present time, such revivals have scarcely had an existence among the believers in immersion. In this sect there is likewise a great diversity of religious sentiment. Take all into the account who are called Baptists, and you will probably find a majority who still adhere to Calvinism. But the number who nave embraced Arminian views is exceedingly large and very respectable, especially in our Western States; and they usually meet with much greater success in producing these excitements than their Calvinistic brethren. Another very large body have renounced human creeds and the peculiarities of orthodoxy, but still hold to immersion and retain the name of Christian Baptists. Alexander Campbell, who had the controversy with Robert Owen in Cincinnati, is the head of this most respectable class. From him I learned the nature of their belief, which is decidedly anti-trinitarian and anticalvinistic; and also the probable amount of their professors, which is very large. Most of this party pro

duce these revivals; and even one of their preachers, baptized several hundred converts, the fruits of his own preaching, within one year. In England, the denomination is divided into particular, or close communion Baptists, and general, or open communicants. The latter division, has, to a very considerable extent, embraced Uintarianism. But neither section favor these religious excitements. So that, upon the whole, the liberal baptists far exceed their orthodox brethren in the frequency and extent of their revivals.

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5. In the fifth place, what is the fact in relation to the Congregational Unitarian denomination? Some of its preachers have formerly believed such excitements beneficial under certain restrictions. They have accordingly adopted the necessary measures for their duction. Their exertions have been crowned with ample success. Without advancing one word of Calvinism, they have succeeded in producing very extensive revivals. They have managed them with so much prudence and resolution as to avoid the most serious evils which are their common attendants; and in this way have received large accessions to their churches. I could refer you to names and dates in proof of this statement. It will however be sufficient to name the late Rev. Abiel Abbot, of Beverly, who had two such excitements during his ministry, and from whom I received a full account of all the measures adopted for their production and regulation. I ought also to add that his experience in these convinced him of their evil tendency. But far the largest portion of this denomination has ever opposed these extravagances on principle; and at this moment I know scarcely an individual who would stand forth in their defence. I will not however speak for others; but for my own part, I must affirm, that I consider all such commotions as the natural result of human machinery. I have conscientiously raised my voice against their prevalence. And when they have been raging in our immediate vicinity,

we have successfully endeavored to preserve our hearers from their baneful influence; and the consequence has usually been, that our numbers have increased rath-er than diminished.

6. In the sixth place, what is the fact in relation to the Christian denomination? Most of its members are favorable to such excitements. They have been greatly indebted to them for the rapid and extensive spread of their peculiar sentiments. Within thirty years, they have established more than one thousand flourishing churches in the United States. They have drawn largely from the Calvinists, the Methodists, the Baptists; and their increase has been essentially aided by their frequent and extensive revivals. In fact, no denomination has produced them so frequently as the Christians, according to their respective numbers. And what are their distinguishing articles of faith? They have authorized one of their elders to publish a history of their origin, progress, opinions and numbers; and from this official document, you learn that they receive the Bible alone as their standard of faith and practice, and pay no allegiance to human creeds or fallible masters; that they uniformly reject the doctrine of the trinity, and the five points of Calvinism, and that they have almost universally embraced Unitarian views of the scriptures. And while preaching these sentiments fully and distinctly, they are almost daily extending their borders, and planting new and respectable churches. I noticed not long since, that one of their preachers had converted and immersed from three to four hundred persons in one year, in the Western States. During my visit among them, I always found them distinguished for good morals and practical piety, although much persecuted and defamed by their orthodox brethren.

Now, sir, you will not I presume question the general correctness of this statement. And what do such facts prove? The five following propositions: 1. That your assertion is altogether untrue. 2. That these revivals