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sands of worthy Frenchmen who feel with the keenest anguish the crimes and disgraces of their country.

CONGREGATIONAL FRIENDS.-While we rejoice in the growing popularity of Congregationalism, we must be patient under the annoyance of seeing its designation stolen, to label off any new compound of folly and fanaticism which craves the benefit of a good name. The new sect is a fungus sprung from that compost of Quakerism, Unitarianism, and Infidelity, called Hicksite Friends. It consists of Comeouters from the Come-outers; and it proposes to make a radical reform in radicalism itself. It has published an "Address to Reformers," duly signed by its scribes, masculine and feminine. From this address, we quote the following passage, containing the only Scripture cited as authority for its sentiments: "The friends of Humanity, of every class, should sedulously cultivate the spirit of harmony and mutual cooperation so beautifully described by one of the prophets of Israel: They helped every one his neighbor; and every one said to his brother, Be of good courage. So the carpenter encouraged the goldsmith, and he that smootheth with the hammer, him that smote the anvil, saying, It is ready for the soldering; AND HE FASTENED IT WITH NAILS THAT IT SHOULD NOT BE MOVED.' Isaiah xli. 6, 7." This is a very unfortunate quotation, for the purpose of those who make it. For when "the prophet of Israel" was writing these words, he was "beautifully describing " the "spirit of harmony and mutual cooperation" of a gang of idolatrous craftsmen making and setting up a false god. In this, and in the preceding chapters, the prophet exposes, in strains of eloquent scorn and irony, the desperate stupidity of idol-worship, in contrast with the service of the true God. The " Congregational Friends," would do better to stick to "inward light." By thus dabbling with Scripture, they have unwittingly confessed that they have only been fabricating and fastening up a new idol! All their "nails " will not prevent it from falling, like Dagon before the ark of the Lord. Quakers are apt to be unlucky in prooftexts. One of them, mentioned by D'Israeli, to prove the text,"Man shall not live by bread alone," persisted in refusing his meals. Thus the literal text proved for him a dead letter, and this practical commentator died of a metaphor. Thus, too, one queer branch of this singular sect is said to justify their dancing in religious worship, by the prophetic injunction: "Turn ye, turn ye!" But any text will serve for those whose heads are already turned.

THE PILGRIMAGE OF ADAM AND DAVID.- This is not a book of which it may be said, "that it has no faults, nor any thing else." Besides other strong objections, as bordering very closely, though called an "allegory," on the regions of romance, it lies open to severe criticism on account of its strange and decidedly infernal machinery. Lucifer, alarmed at the progress of modern missions, is supposed to have undertaken a journey to distant worlds on affairs of state. In one of these, he finds Adam preaching to the sinless inhabitants the story of man's apostacy and redemption. In another, he finds David and Jonathan, united in immortal friendship; and engaged like Adam

in showing forth the wondrous ways of God. Lucifer, at length, returns; and, in a conclave of fallen angels,- unaware of the presence of Mr. Gallaher, who " happens in," he tells his fellow-demons what he has heard and seen, with the design of preparing them for new conflicts with the church. To find such an amount of sacred truth and fervid piety reported only through the lips of Miltonic demons, will grate rather harshly against the grain, with the devout reader, who must feel some reluctance at coming under so much obligation to those "gentlemen in black." And it may be doubted whether even "the children of the devil" will be much conciliated by a book, whose plan represents their father as completely befooled by his own craftiness, and turned into a drudging tool for thwarting his own devices. We are reminded of the Popish bishop in France, who was invited by some infidel rail-road directors, from politic motives, to baptize their locomotives; but finding one of the engines blazoned with the name of "Lucifer," the bishop refused to proceed with the ceremony. Perhaps he was thinking of the old adage, that "the devil hates holy water." Why the prince of darkness should feel any such animosity, is not easy to see; for holy water is one of his neatest inventions for deluding men with the belief, that sins have been washed away, though cleaving to the soul as close as ever.

But apart from such critical objections to the book, which is now stereotyped in a new and elegant edition, we must speak with the highest admiration of its deep and clear views of religious truth, its brilliant eloquence, its life-like vivacity of description, and its thorough originality of matter and manner. It is rare indeed, that we fall in with a volume so excessively readable. "Children will cry for it;" and the aged, in perusing its imaginative and inspiriting pages, will "renew their youth as the eagles." All persons are hereby warned not to take it up till they have leisure to go through with it at one sitting; for otherwise, if they once begin, they will be prodigiously tempted to yield to its attractions, and let business go.

ORDINATIONS.

Aug. 8. Mr. Allen Clarke, Windham, Con., as an Evangelist to

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Illinois.

9. Mr. Wheelock Craig, New Castle, Me.

INSTALLATIONS.

July 11. Rev. S. S. Tappan, Conway, N. H.

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Rev. W. J. Newman, First Church, York, Me.
18. Rev. Wales Lewis, East Parish, Haverhill, Mass.

DEATHS OF MINISTERS.

June 22. Rev. Oliver Cobb, D. D., Rochester, Mass., æ. 80.

July 13. Rev. J. K. Lord, Cincinnati, O., æ. 30.

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16. Rev. Daniel Dorr, D. D., Thompson, Conn., æ. 77.

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1. ESSAY ON THE UNION OF CHURCH AND STATE, by Baptist Wriothesley Noel, M. A. Aεúоvτes év åɣáлn; Eph. iv. 15. New York: Harper and Brothers. 1849.

2. LETTER TO THE CONSISTORY OF THE REFORMED CHURCH OF PARIS, by Frederic Monod, dated Paris, January 5, 1849.

3. SKETCH OF M. MONOD'S FAREWELL SERMON, at the Church of the Oratoire, delivered April 22, 1849.

THE books, the movements, and the men, here referred to, are prominent signs of the times. Just such, indeed, have appeared once and again since the first fatal consent of the church to abandon her theocratic form, and submit to the dominion of an earthly king. But they have never appeared before, under circumstances which warranted the expectation of such consequences. It must be remembered that the permanent displacing of abused power is a feature of this age. All orders of men now readily believe, that human nature is too selfish to be safely entrusted with irresponsible power; that exalting men to office, title, emolument, and authority, does not diminish the strength of the selfish tendency, but rather aggravates it. In the days of the Stuarts there was such an awful reverence for birth and rank, that men came most reluctantly and partially to the conviction, that titled men could be guilty of unqualified wickedness and tyranny. In that day too, the press and the mind were under the control of men in power, who could quickly divert the public gaze from any casual exposure of their wickedness.

But we are fallen on other times. Every man now finds in himself a love of power, and a love of wealth, which he can readily believe to exist also in other men. The conviction has seized

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the common mind, that society is groaning under the load of venerable absurdities and wrongs. There is no doubt that this feeling is now exaggerated and misdirected; and that it often covers in them that exercise it, as much wickedness as it exposes in them that it attacks. Yet besides and above this, there is a sound and enlightened conviction, that abuses, enormous and most injurious, are in existence; and, that they can and must be removed. We have come to a period too, in which nations are less separated, so that when an abuse is exposed and removed in one country, its life is weakened among every other people. And not only is this peculiar feature of our age to be regarded, but also the fact that the English people are remarkably endowed with good sense. They may hesitate to cut off a tumor from the body politic, while they are not yet sure that no artery will be severed in the process. They may pause some time before cutting the Siamese twins asunder; and that too, long after coming to the conclusion that it is a very uncomfortable and unprofitable life for both to be united as they are. Yet, when the eye of that people is once fairly turned to the contemplation of an enormous abuse, they are in a fair way to abolish it. And what if religion should become free in England! The imagination dares not trace the further movements of Providence that may reasonably be expected to follow. The history of the Free Church of Scotland is truly brilliant; and yet what is that? Not the complete abolishing of the unholy alliance of Church and State. It is, at first, only the removing of the accursed weight of the union from some four hundred ministers. And yet the glorious Reformation itself was scarcely more important to Scotland than this deliverance has been; although the deliverance is so partial, and leaves the evil system still to perpetuate hypocrisy and formality, to ensnare the good men who remain in the establishment, and to embarrass good men out of it.

It is reasonable to suppose, that, if the whole system could be abolished in Great Britain, Ireland would at once present, and actually become, an open field to English missionary labor; Scotland would double its Christian vigor and efficiency; and the English churches, of all evangelical creeds, would put on a new aspect of life and spiritual health. For, without going into the subject under the direction of some such faithful and competent guide as Mr. Noel, no one can conceive in what numberless ways,

and to what a fearful extent, the union of Church and State is arresting the progress of true religion in that country; and, through that country, in the world.

To us, the movement of Mr. Noel is, therefore, a sign of the times, most significant and welcome. Contempt, indifference, neglect, the cry of "Our church, our venerable liturgy!" will not avail against him. Dissenters, as they are arrogantly denominated, have now placed in their hands a weapon whose blow will ring through the old cathedrals; and echo in the manses, and prebends' stalls, and bishops' palaces, like a giant battle-axe on gates of steel. Yes; the last great battle in old England, our noble, loved, venerated father-land, is now to be fought. As to monarchy, colonial subjection, and hereditary nobility, if they are ever to cease, we see no reason to doubt that, when their time has come, they will be yielded to a few such struggles in Parliament as banished the corn-laws. But Church and State; that is the great, the embarrassing question for England. And now the war is really begun; the champion is in the field. It is no "Dissenter," but a churchman; no foreigner, but an Englishman; no plebeian, but a man whose blood is supposed by those whom he opposes, to be better than that of his neighbors. Mr. Noel, indeed, combines extraordinary qualifications for this work. He is a man of unquestionable integrity and piety, of great soberness of mind, and soundness of judgment. Occupying a very peculiar position, as one of the Queen's chaplains, and rector of a proprietary chapel, he has been able, from the beginning, to pursue a very independent course, for a metropolitan clergyman. Nor can we doubt that the Bishop of London has breathed more freely since Mr. Noel's resignation of his charge. But if he has thus yielded his power in one form, by withdrawing from the establishment, he has most efficiently employed it in another, by publishing the results of a long, earnest, conscientious, and prayerful study of the connection of the Church with the State. He has uttered no unmanly, no unchristian words. Whoever knows the man, will give him full credit for language like this, in his Preface: Of many of them," (ministers of the establishment,) "I am convinced that they surpass me in devotedness to Christ. While I condemn a State-prelacy, I honor each pious prelate; while I mourn the relations of godly pastors to the State, I no less rejoice in their godliness."

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