occasional purposes. That economy, indeed, is abolished; yet it does not appear that the original tenth, which was from the beginning, has ever ceased to be a suitable and acceptable portion to be held sacred to the Lord.* Nor should we doubt, that, were it thus held, and charitably and religiously applied, by the people of this land, the Lord would "open to us the windows of heaven, and pour us out a blessing, that there should not be room enough to receive it.

If then we take the average income of the free, white families of this nation at 300 dollars, which is much less than an estimate of no very doubtful data would make it; and compute the families 1,400,000, which probably is not far from the true number; one tenth of the whole will amount annually to 42 millions of dollars. Let this then be the estimated fund for pious and charitable uses; for the maintenance and advancement of the gospel, and for the relief and help of the poor. The poor's tax, in the United States at large, is estimated, at less considerably than a million and a half. If to this we add three times the sum for private charities, which undoubtedly is much more than what is actually contributed,† we shall take from

* There are some, it is hoped not a few, in the present age, who, in a manner not less solemn than that of Jacob at Bethel, have dedicated the tenth to the Lord. To a good mind, the practice can hardly fail to commend itself, as highly suitable and important; since it must tend to correct and restrain our natural covetousness and worldliness, and to induce a habit at once of cheerfulness and carefulness in our charitable distributions. If we should not "withhold more than is meet ;" so neither should we squander our charities. When we hold a tenth of our income sacredly dedicated, we shall no longer regard that portion as our own;-shall no more think of using it for our own purposes, or of wasting it, than we should our neighbour's property;-shall only be concerned to exercise a wise discretion, in applying it to religious and charitable objects.

+ If there are many, especially in our maritime towns, whose private charities exceed this proportion; yet in the country at large the. proportion is much less.

the general fund only six millions of dollars; leaving still 36 millions for religious uses :—more than six times as much as the estimated expense of supporting 8,000 ministers at home, and 2,000 missionaries in heathen lands. And if much more than the amount of this expense might. well be redeemed from a single article of pernicious consumption; what might not be saved from all the various items of worse than superfluous expense.

But if the whole requisite number of ministers might so easily be supported; shall it be thought a heavy burden, while we have not half the number to support, to afford the proposed aid towards the education of young men to supply the deficiency? For aiding the education of the number wanted, the necessary draughts upon the consecrated fund will doubtless be much less, than for supporting the same number as settled ministers and missionaries. For it is reasonably to be hoped, that a considerable proportion of those to be educated will require no charitable aid; and as we would deprecate a system of indolent mendicity, and by all means promote the spirit and habits of manly and generous exertion, none, not eveu the most indigent should be exempted from bearing in part the expenses of their education; even though, by so doing, the time for completing their course should be necessarily prolonged.*

What then is the result of all these facts and estimates? -Plainly this-that we ought to be up and doing without delay, and with all our might; devising and performing liberal things. Our duty has long been neglected. We are vastly in arrears to our God and Saviour, and to

* Not a few among the best ministers in our country have obtained their education, some entirely and others in great part, by their own exertions and earnings. They devised liberal things; and the fact deserves the earnest attention both of pious young men, and of those who manage the public charities for their help.

our fellow beings, in our own country and in heathen lands. To bring up these arrears, a great effort must be made. In order to fulfil what infinite GOODNESS requires of us, for the common salvation, many ministers of the gospel must be provided.-Pious young men for the purpose may be found; and ample means for assisting them in obtaining the requisite education cannot be wanting ;— if the people of our land do not persist in robbing God, impoverishing their own souls, and neglecting the recovery of our ruined race.

The LIBERAL will devise liberal things. With a heart open and free, they will look upon the various objects which claim benevolent aid, and upon the various institutions and methods, designed for advancing the honour of God and the welfare of mankind; and will be solicitous only to contribute to them respectively, of their substance, their influence, and their exertions, in such proportion and manner, as will best promote the common cause. Those who fill the higher ranks of society, if truly liberal, will deeply feel the weighty responsibility of their elevated condition; and remembering that, for all their eminent advantages, they are indebted to HIM who came down from heaven, and laboured, and suffered, and died for them, and for all mankind; they will esteem it their highest honour and privilege to be among the first, in plans and exertions for advancing that cause, which is still as dear as ever to His heart. Those who range in the middle walks of life, if truly liberal, will be emulously forward to shew themselves no less the substantial support of every benevolent design, than they are of the civil state. The rich, if liberal, feeling and acknowledging that the silver and gold are the Lord's, and deeply concerned to acquit themselves wisely and faithfully, as stewards and almoners of his bounty; will sedulously study “to do good; will be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to

communicate. The poor, if liberal, will do what they can; and will have the satisfaction to find, that they can do something for the honour of HIM, who has shown to them most particular regard ;-something towards making many rich. Liberal parents will desire nothing for their children so much as that they may early and largely partake of the Spirit of Christ, and be well fitted and furnished for extended usefulness, in promoting his most gracious design in the everlasting welfare of mankind. Liberal young persons, having made a free-will offering of their youthful prime, and of their whole being, to HIM who hath loved them and redeemed them with his own blood, will feel that they are everlastingly His, to be employed in his service; and, instead of sceking great things for themselves in this world, their hearts will beat high with generous and holy aspiration, to be made instrumental in the raising of many of their fellow beings, with themselves, to glory, and honour, and immortality. The liberal of all classes, high and low, rich and poor, aged and young, where the gospel is richly enjoyed, will account no benevolent efforts or sacrifices too great, for imparting its transcendent blessings to the destitute. Even in destitute places, the liberal, not willing to be recipients from

* In the places and districts of our country here referred to, there are many, who are able to do much, and more who are able to do something, towards the maintenance and furtherance of the gospel. Can they then be truly liberal; and yet, while partaking of the liberalities of their distant brethren, and even of the widow's mites, make no sacrifices, no exertions for their own, their children's, or their neighbours' highest good? If in every destitute place, a liberal association were formed, though small, at first, and feeble, yet active and persevering; much might eventually be done, in preparing the way, and providing the means, for the establishment of the gospel with all its blessings among them, and for the extensive diffusion of its healing and saving influence. And until a spirit for something like this be excited, the prospect, respecting no small proportion of the population of our country, must be gloomy and discouraging. No habit can be more pernicious to a people, than that of doing nothing for the support of the gospel.

the sacred fund of christian charity, will wake up to generous and persevering exertions for obtaining for themselves, and their children, and extending to others, the inestimable means of virtue and salvation; of present and everlasting happiness. The liberal, in this respected assembly, have been devising, and will now, with a view to the object here presented, give an example of liberal things; and by liberal things they shall stand. AMEN.