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we greatly mistake, if it does not exhibit a spirit in the writer, that will prove an effectual antidote to the mischief he intended to effect. It is not for us to tell how any honourable man, any man of conscious integrity, any man that feel's himself incapable of base design and sinister action, could have put the construction which the Moderator did, on what he says was said and done by us, on the occasion to which he adverts. We shall not make a long defence. The whole occurrence to which he refers had completely passed from our mind, till we read his review; nor can we now say that we recollect the half of what he affirms took place: we could not, if our life depended on it, tell, otherwise than by conjecture, a single name that was on the paper which he says we presented to him. But let his statement stand for an accurate exhibition of facts: and then Dr. Green declares most unequivocally, that if he ever performed an innocent action in his life, and one too of very little importance, he thought he did so, when he handed the paper and uttered the words, which the Moderator affirms. that he handed and uttered. What he did he knew was of the same character with what had been done in scores of instances, without any suspicion, ever known to him, of an attempt to corrupt the Moderator, or to use any improper influence with him. It has always been perfectly understood, that the Moderator would use his own judgment in appointing committees, whatever suggestions might be made by othersand hence suggestions have been often and freely made. Hence Moderators themselves have often solicited them-The writer certainly did it, when he was in the chair; and a member of the last Assembly told us, a few days since, that Dr. Beman wished and even urged him to nominate a part, or the

whole, of a committee. But I would not, said the member, for I knew him too well. Dr. Green did not know him so well then as he knows him now, or he too would have been on his guard. But he did know him well enough then, not, consciously, to do even a questionable act in his presence. For the same reason that Dr. Green would not put his head in a lion's mouth, he would not then, or now, knowingly, put it in Dr. Beman's power to stain his character. But in the alleged transaction, he had no conception that what he did was capable of any construction to his disadvantage. If he had done, what was done by the Moderator's friend, the Stated Clerk, and when not a member of the house if, after the Moderator had formed a committee, and written down the name of every member, he had urged the Moderator to withdraw one name, and to insert another, there might have been some colour for the charge of obtrusive interference; but even in this case, a corrupt motive ought not to be imputed. But what Dr. Green did, was only what he verily believes has been done, as to the substance of the thing, at every General Assembly that has met for many years past; and done without any imputation of a sinister design. But then it is to be remembered, that the Assembly never before had such a Moderator as it had at the last meeting

May it never have such another! As to what the Moderator has thrown out about promptership, we have only to say, that if Dr. Green, in his whole life, has prompted Moderators half as much as Dr. Beman, from the Moderator's chair, prompted his friends on the floor of the house, at the last Assembly, it must be acknowledged that Dr. Green has done a very improper thing-But this he does not admit.

We have now done with Dr.

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"Oh! it spoke in power when once I rush'd

In fury o'er Galilee's waves;

When mortals heard it my roarings were hush'd, And I slunk to my secret caves.

"Again shall I heed that holy One When the trumpet sounds abroad;

And my honour'd voice to his judgment throne Shall bear the elect of God.

Review.

The last two numbers of the series of papers that we have just concluded, have been Reviews in fact, though not in name-reviews of Dr. Beman's seven numbers, entitled "Review and Vindication" And the last of our papers occupies, in our present number, a full proportion of the space usually assigned to this department of our work. We had some thoughts, however, of renewing, at this time—although it was somewhat sooner than we had anticipated a call to the duty-our remarks on a publication in the Christian Spectator; in which we are honoured with a notice of what appeared in the Christian Advocate three years ago, on "The best Method of conducting Christian Missions."

Our readers are generally aware that an ecclesiastical Convention met at Cincinnati, Ohio, in November last, with a view to devise, if they could, a plan for conducting missions in the valley of the Mississippi; which should terminate the conflict between the views and operations of the General Assembly's Missionary Board, and those of the American Home Missionary Society. The Convention was a favourite measure of the friends of the A. H. M. S., but it resulted in their grievous disappointment; inasmuch as they were found to be a minority in the body, in which they had cherished the expectation of carrying every thing agreeably to their wishes. But all who

are acquainted with the agents and proceedings of that Society know, that they are not easily discomfited or discouraged. Accordingly, when the Convention published the minutes of their proceedings, which they did in full detail, some of those who had been members of the Convention and found themselves in a minority, came out, under the style of a committee, with a large pamphlet, complaining bitterly of the proceedings of the Convention, and censuring them with great severity. These publications-the proceedings of the Convention, and the appeal to the publick of the committee-are made the subject of a review, in the last quarterly number of the Christian Spectator of New Haven; and our readers would guess right, without being told, that the Spectator appears on the side of the Committee, and argues in their favour, with as much earnestness as if the cause were his own, Indeed we have no need here of any as if; for the cause is really his own. He is the advocate of Congregationalism in opposition to Presbyterianism; and the Home Missionary Society has been, and seems intended still to be, a principal instrument for converting Presbyte rian institutions into auxiliaries of Congregational associations and operations. The Spectator seems to have determined to "take time by the forelock," and to send out, for the present year, this plea in favour of voluntary associations,

as preferable to ecclesiastical organizations in the great and benign work of sending the gospel to the destitute-in time to reach every part of the Presbyterian church before the next meeting of the General Assembly, at which this subject will doubtless come up for discussion. Perhaps, indeed, this publication is only the precursor of another, to be sent on, like the one of last year, to meet the Assembly ad punctum temporis when it shall be convened-How this may be time will disclose. We by no means intend what we now write as a regular Review of the Spectator's Review We have neither time nor space for such a work; and if we had, we think it would be needless. We do not speak merely our own opinion, but that of one gentleman at least, who has been accustomed to look into the Christian Spectator for entertainment and instruction, when we say, that this last born of his children is an abortion. The gentleman, to whom we have referred, seemed to think, as we certainly do, that the most plausible argument used by the Spectator, in favour of voluntary missionary societies is, that without these, Congregational and Independent churches could not send out missions at all. And yet, who sees not, that if it is the scriptural doctrine that to the church, in its distinctive character, is committed the evangelizing of the world, it only follows that any particular church, whose organization will not admit of her taking a part in this great and glorious work, is not built, quo ad hoc, on the foundation laid, and the model exhibited, in the word of God. The Spectator, in reasoning on this point, makes a petitio

Ch. Adv.-VOL. X.

principii-takes for granted a controverted point, that Independent and Congregational church government is scriptural; and therefore that missionary operations conducted by churches are not scriptural, since they cannot be carried on by Independent and Congregational churches in their distinctive character-inasmuch as every such church is a little, unconnected, independent republick, not adequate by itself to sustain an extended Christian mission. But turn the argument the other way, which we think may be done with quite as much, or rather a great deal more, propriety and force; and then it will follow that Independency and Congregationalism are not scriptural, because they do not admit of the scriptural method of conducting Christian Missions.

We pretend not to say who is the writer of this Review; but if we should indulge in conjecture, we should be inclined, from one circumstance, to guess that it was Dr. Beman; because it has adopted his slang, of calling those who prefer Presbyterianism to Congregationalism, "The High Church party." It has also a considerable share of his rancour, against all who wish to sustain the Presbyterian church in its integrity, according to their ordination vows. But be its author who he may, his reasonings are feeble and inconclusive; and we leave it to our brethren in the West, who are perfectly competent to the work, and have, we are glad to perceive, already begun it, to expose the misrepresentations and evil tendency of the pamphlet and the whole cause, of which the Spectator has come forward as an advocate and auxiliary.

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Beman, at least for the present; and we sincerely wish, and we suspect our readers wish it too, that we may never have occasion to mention his name again. It would not have appeared, as it has done, in our pages, if it had not been necessary to characterize the majority of the last Assembly. But in his person, they elevated Murdockism and Finnyism to the Moderator's chair, and his conduct in the chair had their approval; and hence what he was and did, seems necessary to be told, in giving a true view of the present state of the Presbyterian church. Yet we speak it reverentlyGod forbid that we should hate this man, or wish him any evil -We have solemnly charged our heart, in reliance on divine aid, not to do it. To defend the church, and to defend ourselves, we have thought it right-and after many and serious reviews, we still think it right-that his misdeeds should be exposed. But he has had, and with the Lord's help, he shall still have, our poor but sincere prayers, that he may be forgiven-that he may see, repent of, and forsake his errors; and that, through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, he may obtain eternal life.

In the whole series of essays, of which this is the last, we have, if we know our own heart at all, been influenced by a sincere desire, to serve, in the best manner we could, the church in which we were born and educated, in which we have ministered in the gospel of Christ for five-and-forty years; and whose interests and prosperity-indissolubly connected with its purity and peace-ought to be dearer to us than life itself. We knew, when we commenced this series of papers, that we should probably draw on ourselves the vituperations of those whom we opposed; and they have not disappointed us. They have done all in their power to destroy our character, and with

it, the little influence which by a long life spent in serving, or at least in trying to serve, the Presbyterian church, we had, by the blessing of God, obtained. What success they have had, time will disclose. But in the mean time, we are willing they should know, and we wish our friends to know, that they have not greatly disturbed our personal peace. Our covenant God has sustained us, and a good conscience before Him has comforted and cheered us. If now and then a poisoned arrow has annoyed us a little, it has made no lasting or very troublesome wound. The holy oracle says, "if ye suffer for righteousness sake, happy are ye." Our experience has verified the oracle-We have been truly happy, and for us peculiarly so, amidst all the calumny that has been heaped upon us. Blessed God and Saviour! to Thee the praise is wholly due, and to Thee we would humbly ascribe it all.

What is yet in reserve for the Presbyterian church, we know not. In its present state, it is palpably evident, it cannot long remain. The next General Assembly will probably decide, whether its existing organization can continue.

We hope that every true friend of the church will be at his post. Plans are proposed for a new organization, which seem to us to militate irreconcilably with the vital principles of Presbyterianism. We know not how much, or how little countenance, these plans are likely to receive. For ourselves, we protest against them. We are in favour of every degree of accommodation with our brethren, which will consist with a sacred regard to our publick Standards, both doctrinal and governmental, as they now stand; and with a return to the exercise of discipline in our church, agreeably to the tenour and provisions of those Standards. To any thing short of this, we cannot in conscience agree; and we are prepared to

take our lot, whatever it may be, with those, be they few or many, who are of this mind. We hope there will be much and fervent prayer for the divine guidance of the Assembly, in all the deliberations and decisions of the coming session. And we do cherish an

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humble hope that a prayer-hearing and prayer-answering God, the God of our fathers, and of his people in every age, will hear in mercy; and yet interpose for the preservation of our beloved church, in the full integrity of its scriptural creed and ecclesiastical order.

THE WIND.

BY A LADY OF UNION TOWN, PA.

Ps. cxlviii. 8. Stormy wind fulfilling his word.

Wind, stormy wind, whither goest thou,

In thy reckless speed and might;

Come rest in this valley so warm and low,

And sleep off thy terrors to-night.

And the wind seemed to answer, "I travel in haste
At the high behest of the Lord;

Rest, mortal, rest, if indeed thou may'st,

But I must fulfil his word!"

And it "blew where it listed," careering abroad,
With the tempest's ardent force;

The sound of its going was rushing and loud,
But I could not tell its course.

Yet methought when the lightning gleam was past,
And the thunder crash was done,

That I heard the voice of the war-worn blast,

Like the harp's expiring tone.

Then it rose in the valley and circled the hill,
Like a lone bird seeking its nest,

That carols a loud and joyous trill,

Before it retires to rest.

"My task is finished," I fancied it cried,
"I can sleep to the coming morn;

I will fold these wings so wild and wide,
Till the earliest dawn is born.

"Then springing up will I soar aloft,
Far over the seas' blue space;
Or fan with breezes all gentle and soft,
Young childhood's tiny face.

"I bend the pine on the mountain's top,
I curl the mist on its brow,

And shake the dew from the violet's cup,
As I sweep o'er the meadow below.
"I kiss the roses on beauty's cheek,
And heighten their lovely bloom;
I play on her brow amid lilies meek,
And sigh o'er her grassy tomb.
"Lo, anchor'd navies array'd for war,
Await my changeful breath;

And I speed them o'er the ocean afar,
Or hurl them down to death.

"I journey in no contracted path,
I heed no voice but One,

And I traverse the earth in blessing or wrath,
Regarding that voice alone.

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