9th. The Navy and Militia. May the time quickly come, when there shall not be a ship of war on the seas—till then, let every vessel be allowed to arm in its own defence, and let the same be extended to voluntary companies, that may see cause to build navies for trade. But why should gov. ernment be at the expense to guard the speculation of individuals? How. ever, if the condition of the world justifies an American navy of war, may it bring the piratical states, on the coast of Africa, to national justice.

May the malitia always be in readiness, but never be needed.

10th. The Debt. May the debt of the United States be discharged with speed and punctuality; and let not the people be deceived, by baving the funds, established for that purpose, put to other uses.

11th. Commerce. May our exports be so great, and our imports so small, that the balance of trade may be in our favor.

12th. Agriculture. Let Americans improve the extensive, fertile land which the Almighty has given them, and not amuse themselves with the whimsies of circumscribed Islands.

13th. Literature. May our schools, academies and universities, diffuse abundance of light and knowledge abroad, and produce a long list of sages and patriots, whose souls shall so widely expand, that they shall know something more than just how to decline a noun and conjugate a verb.

14th. The American Indians. May the scalping-knife and hatchet be intered in the earth, and their fertile soil be cultivated by themselves. May they excel their white brethren in honesty, liberality and religion.

15th. The Territory of Ohio. May the new state be properly organized by the year 1804, and cast four republican votes into the box at the next presidential election.

16th. The Gospel. The only hope of man: may it prevail everywhere in its virgin purity—free from the legal apparatus and traditional complexion which have long covered its native beauty. May the combination of rulers and priests, church and state, be dissolved, and never re-unite. 17th. The Day. May it be kept as the birth-day of independence, with that gratitude and joy that become free-men and Christians.

Gentlemen: I conclude—I retire. I hope nothing will be done this day, that will disgrace the republican or the Christian.

CORRESPONDING LETTER

OF THE

SHAFTSBURY ASSOCIATION, 1803.

Dear brethren: Amidst the carnage of war, the revolutions of empire, the spasms of contending parties, the jarring interests and turbulent passions of infuriated men, which have deluged the world in confusion, it has been the privilege and delight of the saints, that they have a God to apply to in every time of need—a God, who has been a present help, a refuge from the storm, a strong tower, a munition of rocks, and a hidingplace.

This all-puissant Jehovah, self-glorious in his nature, and independent in all his works, has not confined his glory to the heavens, nor his goodness to the angels of light; but the inhabitants of this world have largely received of the fulness of his grace. Though the Lord be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly. He who has the high heavens for his throne, and the earth for his footstool—before whom all the nations of the earth are as drops of the bucket, or small dust of the balance, in infinite condescension and boundless love, receives and protects every broken heart and contrite spirit; and, for their encouragement, has given them many precious promises, by which they are made partakers of the divine nature. If these foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do? The saints have an omnipotent God on their side, who has promised, with an oath, to be a God unto them, and bless them. With an Almighty Friend, they may triumph over all their mighty foes, and say, "We will not fear what man can do unto us."

Brethren, while the world is emblazoning the virtues of valor, policy and industry, in agriculture, mechanism, and science, we, who are not of the world, wish to treat those virtues as the pigmy valor of game-cocks, the policy of bees, and the industry of ants; and display the noble valor of a Christian, to resist Satan, conquer sin, and destroy error; to be wise in the policy of Christ's kingdom, and industrious in the vineyard of the Lord: that what part soever we are called upon to act in the civil department, we would always esteem the high calling of God, in Christ Jesus, infinitely paramount.

We are not disposed to eulogize the period in which we live, as the only day of light, reason and liberty; nor to despise the pittance of time allotted us, as worse than former days; for the same contest between truth and error, right and wrong, which has been in the world from the begin. ning, still exists. But it is truly pleasing to the children of light, to consider that all the error and wrong of creatures, can never destroy the truth and rigteousness of the Creator.

The day in which we live, is neither dark nor light; not the darkness of sin, superstition and idolatry, nor the clear light of heaven; but at " evening time it will be light;" at the evening of life, as it respects individuals, and the evening of the world, as it applies to all the saints,—then it will be light without darkness.

In some of our churches there have been painful trials, since the last meeting of our association; others have escaped such trials; while some have received showers of heavenly grace.

It is with pleasure we receive your messengers, minutes and letters, from time to time, being confident such a procedure tends to edify the whole body; and, on our part, we shall pursue the same measures, for similar purposes.

Since our last meeting, one of our ministerial brethren (Elder Nathan Haskins, of Savoy,) has departed this life. Help, Lord! for the godly man ceaseth. We hope, however, that our loss is his gain.

Brethren, farewell. May a gracious God preserve us from every evil, and bring us, at last, into the full enjoyment of himself, through a blessed Mediator. Amen.

THE

GOVERNMENT OF CHRIST A CHRISTOCRACY.

FIRST PUBLISHED IN 1804.

THE MAIN QUESTION.

Is the government of Christ according to the genius of the Monarchical, or like Democratical government; or is it distinct from both, being unlike all the governments on earth?

In answering this comprehensive question, I shall, first, consider the genius of Monarchical government; secondly, elucidate the nature of Democratical government; in the third place, I shall endeavor to state the difference between the universal government of the Almighty, the Theocracy of Israel, and the government of Christ, intended in the main question; fourth, I shall attempt to show, that although there are some parts of this government which resemble monarchy, and other parts, democracy, yet it is, upon the whole, different from all other governments, forming, of itself, a Christocracy.

First, I am to consider the genius of Monarchy. The origin, use, extent and abuse of government, are not articles of present investigation, but the genius only, which may be thus described. The monarch on his throne is the fountain of power and honor. His will is law for all his subjects; their privileges are his favors; he is responsible to none of them for his conduct; he appoints and commissions all officers for every department, who are accountable to him alone; he confers honors and pardons on whom he pleases, and takes away the lives of his subjects at pleasure. Some monarchies are absolute, and some are qualified, while others have the monarchical power distributed among a number of nobles, forming what is called aristocracy; but whenever it is understood that men are born to rule, that government is founded in birth, that, by some inconceivable, inexpressible mystery, some are born with a right to rule over others, with out the choice or consent of those ruled, whether this right is held by one king, or a number of nobles, it is monarchical government.

Secondly, I am to elucidate the nature of Democratic government. It

is simply this: that men have the right, and exercise the power, of gov. erning themselves; that all men are born equal, and that government is founded in compact, by mutual agreement for general good. It is most likely that there never was an unlimited democratical government on earth; for among American savages, the women and children have no choice in framing their laws, nor have the hunters as much influence as the chief. Nor does democracy suppose that all the body politic must be present on every legal occasion; but it supposes that all men, ripe in years, have a voice in the choice of their agents, and that they are themselves eligible to office. That all officers are amenable to those who appoint them, and must, at a certain period, return to private life. That those in power, have not and cannot have, any power but what they receive, in small constituent parts, from all the community. It disclaims allegiance to any foreign ty. rant, and to every domestic usurper.

Thirdly, I am to state the difference which exists between the universal government of the Almighty, the Theocracy of Israel, and the government of Christ, intended in the main question.

1st. The great Jehovah is the moral governor of all rational beings. His law is binding on all of them. He requires reasonable service of them all, and they are all accountable to him for their conduct. All the angels in heaven and hell, all men, in the body and out of the body, are under obligation to love and obey God, and acknowledge the Messiah, and their opposition and rebellion have no excuse. Yea, further, in some sort, his government extends over all creation. The material world, which arose at his command, exists by his power, and will be destroyed at his word. In the intermediate time, the seas roll, the winds blow, the clouds fly, the thunder roars, the rain and snow descend, and the earth brings forth her increase in obedience to his will. The beasts of the field, the birds of the air, the fish of the sea, and all the creeping things, were made, are preserved and fed, and will decease by the hands of the Almighty.

2d. The nation of Israel, at Mount Horeb, were formed into an ecclesiastico-political government, and as they received all their laws of religion and government from God alone, their government is called a Theocracy. All the nation, whether good or bad, belonged to that church, for the bounds of the church and the state were commensurate. Those who sinned away their lives in the wilderness, all the sinners of God's people until the time of Christ, together with those in his day, called serpents and generation of vipers, belonged to that Theocracy, as well as the righteous. In the days of Samuel, the government was altered in some respects; kings were appointed instead of judges; but still the Theocracy continued, for those kings were to execute the laws which God had given to the people, and make none themselves. When David was on the throne, the state of the people was considerably changed from what it was when their code of laws