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Reformers, and in the two centuries after the Reformation, contains many volumes far superior in Christian light and unction to the best of the Fathers. How poor and unevangelic is Hermas in comparison with our Pilgrim's Progress!" The other passage, dated June, 1830, is as follows: "I know of no book, the Bible excepted as above all comparison, which I, according to my judgment and experience, could so safely recommend as teaching and enforcing the whole saving truth according to the mind that was in Christ Jesus, as the Pilgrim's Progress.' It is, in my conviction, incomparably the best summary of evangelical theology ever produced by a writer not miraculously inspired."

LOUISE MERTON. The Massachusetts Sabbath School Society is pouring out such an issue of excellent publications for the young, that it is impossible for us to notice them all as they come. We turn our attention to this little book, because it is from the pen of an accomplished lady, and suggests the thought, that a large part of this class of books ought to emanate from the female mind. No one can be better qualified for such undertakings, than the mother of a family of bright boys, or the instructress of a school full of life, where all are inquisitive, and eager to learn. Let such exercise their faculty in furnishing food for the young mind, adapted to its wants, and to that most interesting stage of mental growth. "It is no news," says an old writer," in God's harvest, to see women with their sickles a reaping." May there be many such, who like Ruth, the Moabitess, "go not to glean in another field," but gather here the precious sheaves which they shall joyfully bring in their bosoms to the garner of the Lord.

RUNAWAY GIRLS. Among the novel features of the times, is the propensity of young women to forsake the parental roof, and to depart unattended to parts unknown. We have heretofore heard often of elopements, and abductions, and clandestine marriages. But this fashion of girls, to cast themselves loose on the world, is of recent origin. Some cases of this nature have made much noise in the papers, and large rewards have been offered for the fugitives. Others take their flight, and are not thought worth the expense of recovering them. In our judgment, this new token of increasing demoralization among the young, is to be ascribed to the reading provided for them. Vile novellettes, garnished with coarse wood-cuts, the cheapest trash in all the cheap literature of the day, pamper every romantic sentiment and stimulate the thirst for adventure. The imagination is inflamed, and the passions are excited to restless cravings, till the monotony and the restraints of a quiet home become intolerable miseries. Rev. Sydney Smith says, in reference to such compositions, that the grand objection to them is, " that it is impossible to do any thing, or perform any human duty, while we are engaged in reading them. Who can read Mr. Hallam's Middle Ages, or extract the root of an impossible quantity, or draw up a bond, when he is in the middle of Mr. Trebeck and lady Charlotte Duncan? How can the boy's lesson be heard, about the Jove-nourished Achilles, or his six miserable verses upon Dido be corrected, when Henry Granby and Mr. Courtenay are both

making love to Miss Jermyn? Common life palls in the middle of these artificial scenes. All is emotion when the book is open; all dull, flat, and feeble when it is shut." The excitable girl, weak in head and heart, intoxicates her fancy with this "wine of satan," till her father's house seems to her like an imprisoning cage; - and so some pleasant morning, the pretty little miss is "among the missing." When called to breakfast, the bird is fled from the nest and gone to flutter in the forest, till she is snatched by the hawk, or snared by the fowler. Then the parents fall to tearing their hair and smiting their breasts; without so much as suspecting that they may have brought this terrible affliction into their family, by subscribing for the "illustrated newspaper," with its pretended thousand-dollar prize-tales; or by purchasing the tawdry pamphlet, with its silly love-story. Till this washy flood shall be diked out of the home-lots, and all the paltry freight wafted upon it shall be declared contraband on the domestic shores, we must expect the young men to become dashingly wicked, and the young women to become extravagantly foolish. The best dike to be reared against this in-coming flood is a large provision of such reading for the family as shall both interest and edify. Pile up a sea-wall of good books around the hearth and the centre-table. Nor is this enough. Heads of families must, from time to time, make special search, lest some of the unlawful goods be smuggled into the house without their knowledge. Much mischief has thus been wrought in cases within our knowledge, when the parents were unaware of what was going on till the ruinous result has all at once exploded upon them.

MONTHLY RECORD.

The Christian World. This paper, which, for a few years, has been the mouthpiece of that portion of the Unitarians who call themselves revivalists and reformers, will utter their sentiments no more. Its lips are silent in death. This is the only world which has fulfilled the prophetical romancings of the Millerites, by coming to an end in 1848. Doubtless those who find fulfilments of the prophecies in passing events, might decypher in this "the number of the beast."

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Park Street Church. Rev. Mr. Stone of Middletown, Con., is shortly to be installed over this important congregation. This gentleman is thought to be the right material for building up a church. We trust, that under his ministry, that famous and useful church will see great and lasting prosperity.

Legislative Chaplains. The chaplain of the senate of Massachusetts is a good orthodox minister, and the chaplain of the House of Representatives is a Baptist. Both of them were elected by very large majorities. It is within the memory of most of our readers, when it was very rare that any but a Unitarian was chosen to guide

the devotions of the Great and General Court, and implore divine guidance on its counsels, and divine blessing on its acts. The very frequent choice, within a few years, of evangelical ministers to perform this duty, is one of the signs of the times which shew that times have somewhat changed.

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New Church in Lowell Street. A council called for the formation of a church amid a people who have for some time kept up a very promising assembly for public worship, has the subject under advisement. The council has suspended its decision, until a more full expression can be had of the views of the churches, as to the multiplication of religious societies in the present circumstances of the city.

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The Pope's Flight. The news of the departure of the Pope from his dominions, in the dignified guise of a liveried footman, is confirmed. The Roman mob which once glorified the most liberal Pio Nino, now execrates him as a pious ninny, who has not sense enough to be infallible. The Romish priests and prints among us are very wrathful at the treatment which his holiness has received from his subjects, who are soundly abused for their degeneracy. But it is not remembered, that, if the Roman character is deteriorated, it has become so under the influences of popery in its purest and most concentrated form, and in its most unmixed state. There can be no severer condemnation of the system which has had the shaping of them for more than a thousand years.

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The Liberator in Bonds. The last number of this paper has some dismal lamentations over the defections of its friends. It says of the Free Soil party: "Its triumphs have been anything but triumphs to

us.

It has cost the Liberator many subscribers." It complains that "large numbers, once considered its best friends," have discontinued their subscriptions to that paper; that the co-operation of many abolitionists is "utterly at an end," that the labors of lecturers are frequently declined, and that "many of their once largest meetings have failed almost altogether." It is stated that the deserters have carried off their contributions; and pay far more to the Liberty Party, than they ever did to Garrison's coffers or Pillsbury's pockets. "Free Soil," they say, "has done desperately little for us; but it has dug fearful drains into the treasury that sustains us." "The consciences of many have followed their contributions." Many "are now transformed into open scoffers." The consequent want of funds has compelled the State Committee to cut down all their operations, and to reduce their agents in the field to a single pair. The infatuated conductors of the Liberator seem not to be aware, that the blasphemous attacks in their columns upon the sacred Word of God must complete the ruin of their paper.

Ecclesiastical Novelty. Most of our readers are aware that twentythree members of the Reading Church, though forming with their friends a majority of the body, were, or were said to be, excommunicated by the reat. After an intermission of more than a year, the pastor gave

notice, on the first Sabbath of January, that on the following Sabbath, he would administer the sacrament of the Lord's Supper in a hall hired for the purpose, and that none of the excommunicated would be admitted. Accordingly, at the time appointed, he retired from the place of worship, with some fifty of the members of the church, and celebrated the ordinance as arranged. The door was guarded by a janitor, and a town-constable with his pole. Several of the exco:nmunicants claimed the right of admission, but were refused; and several of the other members retired with them, and others did not present themselves at all.

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Revival Meetings in Federal Street. The Unitarians are holding meetings on successive evenings, of the nature of a large conference meeting, for the purpose of raising the standard of spiritual religion among themselves. This is a good omen, shewing that they are dissatisfied with their condition. And if the present excitement does not evaporate in a little small talk on the vague and indefinite generalities of their scheme of belief, and into a little strong talk about different branches of moral reform, it will be well. The sense of spiritual wants will be awakened, - wants such as Unitarianism cannot wants which nothing can satisfy but atoning blood and renewing grace. It is devoutly to be hoped, that this movement may be urged along by the Holy Spirit, till multitudes who are earnestly feeling after the truth, if haply they may find it, may rejoice in finding that which they are seeking yet without knowing what it is. May God guide and bless their seeking!

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ORDINATIONS.

Nov. 5. Mr. B. F. Millerd, Niles, Mich.

Dec. 6. Mr. Nathan B. Rogers, South Church, Hallowell, Me. "Mr. John Wickes, Canaan Four Corners, N. Y.

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"13. Mr. George Bushnell, Fourth Church, Worcester, Ms.

"20. Mr. Ansel D. Harris, Standish, Me. "21. Mr. Peter B. Thayer, Garland, Me.

INSTALLATIONS.

Nov. 14. Rev. Hiram Foote, Janesville, Wis.

Dec. 6. Rev. Harvey D. Kitchel, First Cong. Church, Detroit, Mich. "26. Rev. William Patton, D. D., Hammond Street Church, New

York City.

Jan. 3. Rev. Daniel March, First Cong. Church, Nashua, N. H. "10. Rev. Asaph Boutelle, Lunenburg, Ms.

DEATHS OF MINISTERS.

Nov. 17. Rev. Isaac E. Wilkins, Brownville, Me. æ. 48.

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23. Rev. John Kelley, Hampstead, N. H. æ. 85.

Dec. 14. Rev. Prince Hawes, Brooklyn, N. Y.

æ. 65.

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WE offer a few remarks on one of the relations of what may be called the question of a standing or falling Church among us. This question has reference to the authority of the Sacred Scriptures in matters of faith and practice. It is not, however, with us, as it is with the "liberal denominations" so called, a question respecting the supernatural origin of our religion. Every professedly orthodox person concedes at once, that Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God, and that Christianity is not of men, but from Heaven. We may contend with those who are without, as to the reality of a supernatural revelation. But no warfare can ever be waged on this subject within our own ranks. Let ultra liberalism struggle to retain among Christians a precarious foothold on the brink of the awful abyss of pantheism, into which so many of that order have already plunged. But this is not the battle-ground for us. Before it comes to be a question, with any among ourselves, whether Christianity is truly and miraculously from God, they must have broken fellowship with the Orthodox Church, and embraced systems whose principles shake the foundations of belief.

Nor is there reason to apprehend, that, for a long time to come, any considerable number among us will embrace latitudinarian sentiments on the subject of inspiration. It is generally as true now as it was in the days of Shepard and Cotton, that the Bible is esteemed throughout the Orthodox communion as of full authority on all questions of faith and practice. But our danger lies here.

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