the things of it; but in this time I kept clear of worldly schemes and entanglements. I barely supported my family, without increasing my property to any amount worth naming: and in these twelve years, I chiefly attended to my studies and ministerial duties, in my poor manner. I had some success in my ministry; yet not much was apparent; and I had many sinking discouragements at times, but still went forward in a pretty uniform

manner.

After I had lived 'thus about twelve years, and found my family increasing, and my people not able, or not disposed, to give me much assistance, in providing for those dependent on me, I thought it right, in such circumstances, to form some schemes, and take some more pains than I had hitherto taker to get something beforehand, and that my children might have something. I say I then thought this right; but whether I judged right or wrong, I say not yet. When I entered upon worldly schemes, I found them in general a plague, a vexation, and a snare. If I somewhat increased my worldly estate, I also increased sorrow, and incurred blame, in all things except the practice of physick.*

The subject of this sketch continued the practice of physick for near thirty years; and then, finding it inconvenient on account of his advanced age, he encouraged an able young physician to settle near him, and gradually retired from practice, till the whole fell into the hands of his young friend. His charges for medical services were always moderate; and he often united, at the bed-side, and in the family of the sick, the duties of the physician, and the minister of the gospel-With this, as he states, his parishioners were well pleased; and he has been heard to remark, that his pulpit services were never interfered with, in any manner that was embarrassing, by his professional calls as a physician. It was no unusual thing, at and before his time, for ministers of the gospel to be also physicians. The Rev. Jonathan Dickinson, of Elizabethtown, N. J., the first President of New Jersey College, was a practising physician of emi

I had thorns in the flesh, and much fault found with me-which troubles were very justly laid upon me by a holy God; but I have never yet seen that they were just from my fellow creatures, who blamed and injured me. The methods I took to help myself for a worldly maintenance, were chiefly threebuilding a grist mill-buying land when it was cheap, or at a moderate price-and the practice of physick. The last-the practice of physick-never drew my heart and affections from divine things, like other worldly cares. It never seemed ensnaring or hurtful to my spiritual interests, as the world, in other respects, often did: and I would recommend it to ministers for a subsistence, rather than almost any other worldly scheme.

There were no considerable special appearances of religion among the people of my charge, during my ministry, except twice, once

nence; and the Episcopal clergyman of the same place, and at the same time, (it is believed his name was Vaughan) was also a physician. The Rev. Dr. Wilson, period, was distinguished as a physician. of Lewistown, Delaware, at a still later Happily, the assistance now afforded to feeble congregations, in the support of their pastors, by missionary societies, renders the union of two laborious professions, less necessary than once it was. But if a worldly occupation must be resorted to, the writer believes, with the subject of this memoir, that the medical art is the best-the most congenial in its nature, and affording, in its exercise, many opportunities for the performance of important ministerial duty.-EDIT.

This, it is to be noted, was written in 1777, and the writer died in May, 1790. During the time that he lived, after penning this sketch, there were occasionally hopeful additions made to his church, but nothing that could be called a general revival of religion, till the year 1790. Then his ministry was apparently more blest than it had previously ever been; and he died in the midst of the gathering in of the greatest harvest of souls, that he had ever been instrumental in leading to the Saviour. It was indeed a glorious revival of religion-a work silent, deep, and effectual. The editor was called from his home and charge in Philadelphia, to see his fa

in the year 1764, the other in the year 1774. It began in those years, but continued considerably in the next following year, in both instances. In the year 1764, there was a remarkable revival in several parts of the land, especially on the east end of Long Island, and in several contiguous places. We had a small part of the divine shower on our congregation, but not equal to some in neighbouring places. With us there was a general attention to divine things, and there were many under great concern of mind about their eternal interests; there were a number of hopeful conversions, and considerable additions were made to the church. But the revival in 1774 was more remarkable among us. Religion seemed, for a time, to take all before it. I believe it was nearly as much among us as in any of the neighbouring places. Although many who had been under concern of mind lost their religious impressions, yet those who appeared to meet with a real

ther die. But he was dead and buried before the place of his residence could be reached. The scene was highly interesting and affecting. Numbers reproached themselves that they had not opened the state of their minds to their deceased pastor, before he was taken from them. Thirty anxious individuals, who were pressing into the kingdom of God, came

to converse with the editor in one day; and these were but the gleanings of the harvest. Yet this glorious work of grace had been so silently carried on, that a minister of the gospel, only nine miles distant, told the present writer, that he had never heard that there was a revival of religion in that congregation, till he went to attend the funeral of the deceased pastor. The people of this congregation had been thoroughly indoctrinated. Their pastor divided his charge into four sections, in one of which he catechised and conversed with the youth every week, so as to go through the congregation in a month. The consequence was, that the special outpouring of the Holy Spirit on this people, did indeed "come down like rain on the mown grass; as showers that water the earth." There was no noise, no ostentation, but converts were numerous, and the fruits of righteousness abundant.

change, continued to live and act in a Christian manner. If there were any instances of declension or apostacy, they were few. In two or three years, however, religion came to be as usual, with this difference, that there was now a greater number of persons than before the revival, who appeared to be of a religious character.

As to myself, through the whole of my ministry I had many elevations and depressions-times of great fear, darkness and discouragement, and other times of more light, hope and courage. Besides what was common, there were three or four times, when I met with something more than ordina ry. The first was when I lost my wife in 1756. I was for a twelvemonth after that event remarkably stirred up, quickened and engaged. I prayed and preached with an increased sense of divine things. I set myself to visit my people by course, mentioning on the Sabbath what families I would visit on particular days of the following week. I took much pains in many ways, for which I would thank God; for I would give him the glory of exciting and quickening me. Yet I perceived no more success at that time than at others, or in common. People liked and approved what I did, and seemed to be glad of it; but I thought it remarkable that I could not perceive that they had any more affection for me, or readiness to help me out of the worldly difficulties, in which the expenses of my family had involved me-and in general I thought them pretty neglectful of me. Another time was in 1764 and 1765, when there was a revival of religion as beforementioned. I had a small part of that shower of blessing. I was not only abundant in preaching, which I could not have well avoided when people had such an ear to hear, but I was stirred up to seek after opportunities to speak to my people in private, and was

ness. And in this sickness my thoughts ran much on the experience and views I had at college, of being willing to bear eternal pain and misery for the glory of God. I now found it difficult, and perceived there was a difference between actually feeling pain, and the thoughts of enduring it when it is absent. But on the whole, I was fully sensible that the resignation, contentment and satisfaction, in pain and misery, depends wholly on the views and perceptions that are in the mind. That the soul may have such a view and sense of God, of justice and desert, as will swallow up and quite overcome bodily pain and that without some such views, granted by God as a special favour and help to the soul, pain and misery will excite fretfulness, murmuring, and even quarrelling with the ways of God. In this sickness I had remarkable views of the difference between the church and the world, and how much Christ regards his church, or true believers, above all and every thing in the world beside. That Christ's kingdom is not of this world, and that he cares little how things go in the kingdoms of the world, compared with his regard to what they are in his church; and I had clear and strong views of the duty of ministers of the gospel to be wholly engaged to promote the kingdom of Christ, or true religion, in the hearts and practice of men. After recovering health, I by degrees lost the brightness and clearness of these views, and came to my usual frame of mind; though I hope I retain a considerable sense of these divine things to this time. August, 1777.*

(To be continued.)

* At this date the narrative part of the Sketch, as written by its author, closes. The subject of it lived nearly thirteen years after it was written; and it is the purpose of the Editor to continue the biography of his father to the time of his

THE PRESENT STATE OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

No. VIII.

In our last number, our object was to show that the General Assembly, in disposing of the case of Mr. Barnes, acted in a novel and unconstitutional manner. That the Assembly assumed the case as a court, and ended it as a deliberative body-that it was begun presbyterially, and terminated congregationally. It is our present object to let our readers know-for we are persuaded many of them have not yet known-what the case really and truly was; and to make some remarks on the report of the committee, which the Assembly adopted as the award in this case.

We see not in what way the case in question can be made known, so well and so unobjectionably, as by inserting the reference of the Presbytery, in the very terms in which it was laid before the General Assembly. This will indeed occupy a considerable space in our pages; but we consider it as a matter of no inferior importance that the nature of this business should be well understood in the Presbyterian Church; and we therefore bespeak a careful perusal of the following documents from all our readers, and especially from those who are office-bearers in the church.

REFERENCE OF THE CASE OF THE

REV. ALBERT BARNES TO THE GE-
NERAL ASSEMBLY, BY THE PRES-
BYTERY OF PHILADELPHIA.

Resolved, That the whole of the proceedings, from first to last, of this Presbytery, in the case of the Rev. Albert Barnes, be carried by reference to the next General Assembly; and that that judicatory be, and it hereby is, respectfully

and earnestly requested to adjudicate upon, and finally to issue the same, in such manner as, in its wisdom, it shall judge to be most conducive to the purity and peace of the church, and to the promotion of the glory of God.

And whereas, in considering and acting on the case of Mr. Barnes, in this Presby tery, a serious and unhappy difference of opinion has arisen, as well in regard to several questions of constitutional order, as in relation to doctrinal orthodoxy; and considering, moreover, that the subjects which have occasioned controversy and division in this Presbytery may, and do, produce the like lamentable effects in other Presbyteries, so that it has become a concern of deep interest to the whole Presbyterian Church, that a correct course of procedure in relation to these subjects should be clearly ascertained and distinctly delineated; therefore, it is further "Resolved, That this Presbytery, agreeably to a constitutional privilege, do hereby most respectfully and earnestly entreat the Supreme Judicatory of our Church, (however it may be thought that some of the points, hereafter specified, have already been settled, by the constitution of the Church and the decisions of the General Assembly,) to express an unequivocal opinion on the subjects embraced by the following inquiries, viz:

"1. Whether it follows as a matter of course, and of constitutional right, when any member in good and regular standing with one Presbytery, presents to another Presbytery unquestionable evidence of such standing, and requests to be admitted as a member of this latter Presbytery, that he must be received, without farther question or inquiry: Or whether, on the contrary, it is not the privilege of every Presbytery, to judge, primarily, of the qualifications of each, and all, of its own members; and to inquire and examine, (if it be deemed proper so to do) not only into their moral character, but into their soundness in the faith, and other ministerial qualifications; and receive applicants, or refuse to receive them, according as reception or rejection may appear to the Presbytery to be demanded, by a regard to its own welfare, and to the purity and peace of the Church: it being understood, that every decision of a Presbytery in such cases, is subject to be appealed from, or complained of, to a higher judicatory, by any individual who may consider himself to have been aggrieved or injured; and the Presbytery to be liable to have its doings in such cases reversed and censured; provided, that on an appeal or complaint, or on any other review of its proceedings by a higher Judicatory, such Presbytery shall be found to have acted oppressively, capriciously, partially, or erroneously.

"2. Whether, by the constitution of the

Presbyterian Church, it is not competent to any Presbytery, to take up and examine any printed publication, and to pronounce it to be erroneous and dangerous, if so they find it, without, in the first place, commencing a formal prosecution of the author, even supposing it to be known and admitted that the author is a member of its own body; or whether a Presbytery, in every such case, must, when disposed to act on the same, forthwith commence a formal prosecution of the author of the publication, which is believed to contain erroneous and dangerous opinions, or doctrines.

"3. Whether, when a case is in process before a Presbytery, a party implicated, or his friends in his behalf, can, by objecting to the process as unconstitutional, or to the manner in which it is conducted as irregular, and by taking an appeal, on both or either of these grounds, to a higher Judicatory, stay the process of the Presbytery, till the constitutional question, or that of order, shall have been decided by the higher Judicatory or whether a Presbytery, fully satisfied that both the process commenced, and the manner in which it is conducted, are clearly constitutional and orderly, may not proceed with the party to whom the process relates, although such party, or his friends, may object to the measure as unconstitutional and disorderly, and express a desire to appeal from it to a higher Judicatory; it being understood and admitted, that when the process is terminated, it is the unquestionable right of any party, to take an appeal, or make a complaint, to a higher Judicatory, and to seek a reversal of the whole proceedings, believed by the appealing or complaining party to be unconstitutional or disorderly.

"4. Do the doctrinal staudards of the Presbyterian Church embrace the Larger and Shorter Catechisms, as integral and essential parts of the same: Or is that which is entitled "The Confession of Faith," in the book containing our standards, to be considered as alone obligatory: So that in taking his ordination vows, a minister in the Presbyterian Church, after solemnly professing "sincerely to receive and adopt the Confession of Faith of this Church," is still at liberty to object to, and reject, certain parts of the Catechisms, without any implication of his sincerity or orthodoxy.

"5. Whether, in the judgment of the General Assembly, the objectionable points of doctrine, found by this Presbytery in the printed sermon of the Rev. Albert Barnes, entitled "The Way of Salvation," as expressed in their minutes of December last, have been truly and justly found. If the finding of the Presbytery has been erroneous, it is humbly requested, that the errors may be pointed out: