ing in the Western States. The ordained preachers were but few and distant from each other. Some of the Presbyterian brethren in Kentucky and Tennessee, called to their aid young men of piety and talents who had not passed through a course of academical tuition. The General Assemblies censured their proceedings, and prohibited those evangelists from further engaging in the duties of the ministry. Their anathemas were disregarded. Upon which, after the fashion of their Scottish ancestors in the case of the Erskines and their brethren, the western ministers were denounced as schismatics. The standard of revolt was instantly unfurled, and from this cause has been formed a numerous denomination, called the Cumberland Presbyterians, who still retain their separate organization. Their doctrinal principles are what we usually define as Baxterian upon the five points, but they are specially distinguished by their opposition to the hierarchical assumptions of the older body. Their secession and success were doubtless one main cause of the contracts that were made with the Congregationalists in 1801 and 1808.

The present controversy in the Presbyterian church agitates the denomination from its centre to the circumference, besides affecting very sensibly the other religious communities. Christian benevolence and the means of doing good are paralyzed, and the mischief can only be repaired by a return to the simplicity and godly sincerity, from which there has been so universal and manifest a departure. Both parties must assert gospel doctrine in its purity; and church discipline according to the liberty with which Christ makes his people free; and above all, they must extirpate from their borders the demon of slavery, who now rules sovereign in the American temple of God.

From a large mass of publications which have issued from the press, it is evident to us, that many of the allegations on each side are true. Our own theological opinions are those which the Puritans and Nonconformists maintained; and we do not, therefore, believe that all the theories which American writers have promulged are tenable. Some of them have evidently wandered astray after metaphysical phantoms which flit from the grasp while others have flagrantly violated that royal law of love, without which even prophecy, and the understanding of mysteries and all knowledge, profit nothing. The old school leaders seem to retain the antiquated notions and formalities of the ages by-gone; when missionary enterprise was unknown, and inroads upon the dominion of Satan were quietly left to the 'Lord's time,' when Christians slumbered, without dreaming of the world dead in trespasses and sins,' and branded as fanaticism and disorder every attempt to deliver men from spiritual death, which was not accordant with a prescribed routine, and did not harmonize with the reading of a drowsy sermon. The juniors

appear not to respect this Sanhedrim, and have no desire to be embodied with so sleepy a generation.

III. THE EPISCOPALIANS. At the close of the war between Great Britain and the United States, in 1783, the Episcopal community was reduced almost to a name. The indecorous lives, and the tory principles, of the major part of their priests had either silenced or expatriated them. After much delay, the Archbishop of Canterbury consecrated' some prelates for America; and as they said, by apostolical succession' from Peter, through Pope Boniface and his successors, communicated the Holy Ghos to them that they might carry the celestial donation across the Atlantic, and bestow it upon others.

By some mysterious means, the Vestry of Trinity Church, in New York, at the period of the war, claimed large tracts of land to which it is generally affirmed they have no legal or equitable title. In consequence of the extraordinary enlargement of that city those lands have become immensely valuable, and so fearful was the power which it was conceived would result from the management of a fund so enormous, that the Legislature of New York enacted a law against the accumulation of it; the consequence is, that they are annually obliged to expend a vast revenue in the erection of new churches, and in endowing the ministers appointed to such stations. There are now about 1000 Episcopalian ministers in the United States governed by a regularly constituted prelacy, and conventions formed of clerical and lay delegates.

It appears from their several Miscellanies which we have examined, that there is no small stir in this community. Like their English and Irish counterparts, they are divided. There are high and low churchmen-orthodox and evangelical churchmen-churchmen who strenuously urge the power of godliness, and others who plead for the sufficiency of their forms. The New York churchman is about a semi-infidel in reference to the necessity of divine revelation for the salvation of mankind, and upon the essential topics which are comprised in the Protestant controversy with the Papal hierarchy, is a genuine half Romanist. The Episcopal Reader of Philadelphia denounces those delusions concerning natural religion, baptismal regeneration, the virtue of the priestly office, and the efficacy of the sacraments when administered by a man who can trace his official pedigree through the English state church, and the council of Trent, to the councils of Constance and the Lateran.

The Episcopalians differ also respecting the character of other Christian denominations. A large majority, probably about the same proportion as with us in Britain, assert that the preachers of all other sects are intruders into the ministry, without call, without right, without authority; and that the ordinances admi

appear not to respect this Sanhedrim, and have no desire to be embodied with so sleepy a generation.

III. THE EPISCOPALIANS. At the close of the war between Great Britain and the United States, in 1783, the Episcopal community was reduced almost to a name. The indecorous lives, and the tory principles, of the major part of their priests had either silenced or expatriated them. After much delay, the Archbishop of Canterbury 'consecrated' some prelates for America; and as they said, by apostolical succession' from Peter, through Pope Boniface and his successors, communicated the Holy Ghos to them that they might carry the celestial donation across the Atlantic, and bestow it upon others.

By some mysterious means, the Vestry of Trinity Church, in New York, at the period of the war, claimed large tracts of land o which it is generally affirmed they have no legal or equitable itle. In consequence of the extraordinary enlargement of that ity those lands have become immensely valuable, and so fearful was the power which it was conceived would result from the panagement of a fund so enormous, that the Legislature of New fork enacted a law against the accumulation of it; the conseluence is, that they are annually obliged to expend a vast reveue in the erection of new churches, and in endowing the minisers appointed to such stations. There are now about 1000 Episcopalian ministers in the United States governed by a reularly constituted prelacy, and conventions formed of clerical nd lay delegates.

It appears from their several Miscellanies which we have exmined, that there is no small stir' in this community. Like heir English and Irish counterparts, they are divided. There Te high and low churchmen-orthodox and evangelical churchen-churchmen who strenuously urge the power of godliness, nd others who plead for the sufficiency of their forms. The New ork churchman is about a semi-infidel in reference to the necesty of divine revelation for the salvation of mankind, and upon e essential topics which are comprised in the Protestant controrsy with the Papal hierarchy, is a genuine half Romanist. The piscopal Reader of Philadelphia denounces those delusions conming natural religion, baptismal regeneration, the virtue of the iestly office, and the efficacy of the sacraments when adminised by a man who can trace his official pedigree through the glish state church, and the council of Trent, to the councils of nstance and the Lateran.

The Episcopalians differ also respecting the character of her Christian denominations. A large majority, probably about è same proportion as with us in Britain, assert that the preachs of all other sects are intruders into the ministry, without call, thout right, without authority; and that the ordinances admi

ing in the Western States. The ordained preachers were but few and distant from each other. Some of the Presbyterian brethren in Kentucky and Tennessee, called to their aid young men of piety and talents who had not passed through a course of academical tuition. The General Assemblies censured their proceedings, and prohibited those evangelists from further engaging in the duties of the ministry. Their anathemas were disregarded. Upon which, after the fashion of their Scottish ancestors in the case of the Erskines and their brethren, the western ministers were denounced as schismatics. The standard of revolt was instantly unfurled, and from this cause has been formed a numerous denomination, called the Cumberland Presbyterians, who still retain their separate organization. Their doctrinal principles are what we usually define as Baxterian upon the five points, but they are specially distinguished by their opposition to the hierarchical assumptions of the older body. Their secession and success were doubtless one main cause of the contracts that were made with the Congregationalists in 1801 and 1808.

The present controversy in the Presbyterian church agitates the denomination from its centre to the circumference, besides affecting very sensibly the other religious communities. Christian benevolence and the means of doing good are paralyzed, and the mischief can only be repaired by a return to the simplicity and godly sincerity, from which there has been so universal and manifest a departure. Both parties must assert gospel doctrine in its purity; and church discipline according to the liberty with which Christ makes his people free; and above all, they must extirpate from their borders the demon of slavery, who now rules sovereign in the American temple of God.

From a large mass of publications which have issued from the press, it is evident to us, that many of the allegations on each side are true. Our own theological opinions are those which the Puritans and Nonconformists maintained; and we do not, therefore, believe that all the theories which American writers have promulged are tenable. Some of them have evidently wandered astray after metaphysical phantoms which flit from the grasp while others have flagrantly violated that royal law of love, without which even prophecy, and the understanding of mysteries and all knowledge, profit nothing. The old school leaders seem to retain the antiquated notions and formalities of the ages by-gone; when missionary enterprise was unknown, and inroads upon the dominion of Satan were quietly left to the 'Lord's time,' when Christians slumbered, without dreaming of the world dead in trespasses and sins,' and branded as fanaticism and disorder every attempt to deliver men from spiritual death, which was not accordant with a prescribed routine, and did not harmonize with the reading of a drowsy sermon. The juniors