friendship, the solemn duty of consecrating yourselves, with your whole soul, and strength and mind, to the service of the Redeemer. Alas! we have to lament cur own great deficiency in this respect. And, believe us, when you come to tread in our parting steps, no pang will be keener than the recollection of time wasted by indolence, or profaned by a worldly spirit; no consolation will be sweeter than to look back upon hours devoted to God. "Gird up," then, "the loins of your minds." Where we have loitered, do ye "so run that ye may obtain." And having fought a good fight," having "finished your course," having "kept the faith," may you at last receive that "crown of righteousness which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give at that day unto all that love his ap, pearing." When you surround the social altar, where we have so often mingled our devotions with yours, may we have a remembrance in your prayers, that we also, whether called to labor in our own or in a foreign land, may "cndure hardness as good soldiers of Jesus Christ," and have at length the unspeakable felicity of being adinitted, with you, into those mansions of rest, where there will be no more conflict with sin, and where those who meet shall meet to part no more for ever. Beloved Brethren, we bid you an affectionate farewell.

We bid you farewell, too, all ye friends of this seminary, who have this day encouraged and animated us by your presence. And will you join us in the last opportunity we have of publicly

expressing our wishes for the prosperity of this establishment, by responding the petition of its venerable founders, when they consecrated it to God;-"devoutly imploring the Father of lights richly to endue with wisdom from above all his servants the visitors and trustees of this seminary, and with spiritual understanding the professors therein; that, being illuminated by the Holy Spirit, their doctrine may drop as the rain, and that their pupils may become trees of renown in the courts of our God, whereby he may be glorified.”.

ANECDOTE.

THE following statement, which is made on the authority of the person who is the subject of it, is thought to exhibit no uncommon case, and to give a fair representation of the depraved heart of man.

The person in question livedas a mere man of the world, careful in a good degree about any thing which would destroy his character among men; but, until about thirty-seven years of age, he appeared to be totally void of any religious principle, and with respect to any thing like religious practice he was but little removed from a mere infidel. About eight years ago he became a hopeful subject of converting grace, and has ever since supported a fair religious character. After this change, he often endeavored to recollect what he previously believed on the subject of religion; but could not recollect any thing which deserved the name of belief. He

had tried to be a Universalist; he had tried to be a Deist;—he had tried to believe that there is no future state; that this world is man's all; and that the sum of human happiness is to make the most of this world, without re. ference to a Supreme being or a future state. There was but one thing in which he could recol lect that he was uniform, and that was, in hating the peculiar truths of the Gospel.

WHAT IS IDOLATRY? From Saurin's Sermons, vol. i, p. 366.

"To consider a creature as the cause of human felicity, is to pay him the homage of adoration, and to commit idolatry. The avaricious man is an idolater; the ambitious man is an idolater; the voluptuous man is an idola ter: and to render to a creature the homage of fear is also idolatry; for supreme fear is as much due to God alone as supreme hope. He, who fears war, and doth not fear the God who sends war, is an idolater. He, who fears the plague, and doth not fear the God who sends the plague, is an idolater.

"It is idolatry, in public or in private adversities, to have recourse to second causes, to little subordinate deities, so as to neglect to appease the wrath of the Supreme God. To consult the wise, to assemble a council, to man fleets, to raise armies, to build forts, to elevate ramparts, and not consider the succor of heaven, which alone is capable of giving success to all such means, is to be guilty of idola try."

PART OF AN ORIGINAL LETTER FROM GOV. BELCHER TO PRES IDENT EDWARDS.

Dear Mr. Edwards.
Sir,

"ALTHOUGH I am often obliged to begin my letters by way of apology for answering your good and very kind letters so unduly, and so much out of course, yet I have great dependence on your candor and goodness, when I mention the date of your last favor of Nov. 14, 1750, which I received about three months after its date.

I am sure I want no love, respect, or affection, for Mr. Edwards, but, although this is a small government, yet the perplexities of it are not so, and those, with my private affairs, I sometimes think too much engross me: Verbum sapienti sat car; and so I will go on.

In answer to all you say, I am quite ashamed and tremble when I think what a mistaken opinion you have of me, who am so worthless a worm. Yet I greatly thank you that it sets before me this lesson, to prostrate myself at the footstool of sovereign grace, that I may be honored with being made though one of the least instruments in advan cing the kingdom of the blessed God, our Savior, in this world.

If I know my own heart I think. I am not ashamed of the cross of Christ: God grant I may never be a shame to it. I am always longing to say, as St. Peter to his Master, Lord Jesus, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Amen and Amen.

As cold waters are to a thirsty

soul, so do the intelligences you send me rejoice my heart, and refresh my bowels; inasmuch as Christ Jesus seems to be casting a compassionate eye upon the poor people in our western borders, and is setting himself up a light to lighten the Gentiles, as well as the glory of his people Israel.

I have an account from my friends in England, as also from Boston, of the generous disposition of some of the royal family, as well as among other well-disposed Christian's, to bring for. ward the civilizing and Christianizing of our Indian neighbors in your parts, for which great praise and honor are due to a gracious and merciful God. I hope the difference you men tion between Col. W and Mr. W is made up; for how can it subsist between good Christians; or how dare they, as they ought, repeat our Lord's most excellent prayer? And since I have got to Stockbridge, let me rejoice exceedingly and congratulate you, that God has lifted up the light of his countenance upon you, in your comfortable settlement at that place; where, in the strength of Christ, may you go on conquering and to conquer, and be the instrument, in the hand of the great Head of the Church, of pulling down the strong holds of sin and Satan, and more especially of taking off the scales from the eyes of the benighted Indians, who have been so long held in chains by the prince of darkness: and may you have many trophies from them to add to your crown of joy, in the great day of the appearance of your Lord and Master: Amen.

I thank you, Sit, for the printed account you sent me of what passed in the council at Northampton, on your affair. Had I been one of the messengers, £ must have been among the number of protesters.

Alas, Sir, what a variety of scenes does God draw for the prospect of his dearest children in this world. The mysteries of his kingdom of providence and grace are what we cannot dive into: for his ways are unsearchable, and past finding out. But our Savior said to his disciples, though you do not now know, you shall know hereafter. Whoever may be so infinitely happy, as to become a subject in God's kingdom of glory, will not see things as in a glass darkly; but all will be plain as face to face. It is then certainly our duty to be always in a state of perfect submission and holy resignation to Divine Providence; and, for my own part, I rest in faith, that in your removal to the place where you now are, God will best of all answer the ends of his own glory.

We are much obliged to you for the kind concern you express towards the welfare of our infant College; and I am sorry to tell you, that Mr. Pemberton's designed voyage to Great-Britain is entirely laid aside, as his people make so great an opposition to his going. And this is a frown of Providence upon our little seminary; but, more especially so since Mr. President Burr has lately received letters from Scotland, that gave a most probable prospect of our obtaining a handsome bounty from the Kirk of Scotland, were some suitable