words of the mouth, but the meditation of the heart; aud in this scene of trial and probation, she enjoyed her reward. In joy she was tranquil, in sorrow resigned; she possessed at all times a peaceful conscience, and participated in an extraordinary degree in that " peace of God which passeth all understanding."

If her unblemished example be copied into the life, her friendship will have

proved a real blessing to all who have been favoured with her society. To her near relatives the hallowed recollections of her life and conversation will, if duly improved, be a striking illustration of the truth of the maxim of holy writ," that the memory of the just is blessed." A. C. Newport, June 14th, 1829.

Bolton District Association.

THE Sixth Half-yearly Meeting of the Bolton District Association was held at Hindley, on Thursday, April 30, 1829. In the absence of Mr. Allard, the Rev. Mr. Marriott, of Risley, conducted the devotional services; and the Rev. Francis Knowles, of Park Lane, preached a discourse from Gal. vi. 9, on the encouragement which the friends of pure Christianity have received to persevere in removing the obstacles which still retard the progress of religious truth. The afternoon was speut in an agreeable manner by a numerous assembly of the ministers and laity of the neighbourhood. Mr. C. J. Darbishire, of Bolton, was in the Chair. In the course of the proceedings a letter was read which had

lately been received from the Rev. J. Kay, formerly of Hindley, now residing in the state of Pennsylvania, in America. The following extract contains information on the state and prospects of Unitarian Christianity in that country, which may be new and interesting to some of

your readers:

"Our views of truth are rapidly advancing in this vast country in every possible direction. Congregatious are springing up in every state of the Union. About seven-eights of the whole body of Quakers or Friends have lately avowed themselves Unitarians, and separated from the small body which still cling to Trinitariau uotions. More than onehalf of the Lutheran ministers are Unitarians, and the body of Lutherans in this country is very large. A spirit of inquiry is extensively afloat, and the period is not far distant when our body will be the most numerous in this vast

and flourishing country. From all this you might infer that we meet with little opposition. Such an inference would be very unjust, for we have to contend for

every inch of ground we gain. The orthodox are more united, more zealous, more bitter, and more unprincipled in their opposition to our views, than I ever influence which the orthodox ministers witnessed in England; and such is the have over their hearers, that it is matter of wonder that we make any progress at all. We can only impute our success to the simplicity of our doctrines and to the mass of evidence which it is easy to adduce in their support.

"When I came to this country, Unitarianism was scarcely known out of Philadelphia and Pittsburg. The whole controul of the orthodox. Now, on both interior of Pennsylvania was under the banks of the Susquehannah, for the distance of one hundred miles, it is received

by large numbers. Since I sat down in Northumberland, three places of worship have been either directly or indirectly built by Unitarians in my neighbourhood; and two others, formerly preachers, have, by purchase and a appropriated exclusively to orthodox transfer by the trustees, been opened for our worship. Five years ago I preached the first Unitarian discourse in this town, the capital of Pennsylvania, when there were but two Unitarians in it, and one of these not well informed. Now, we have a neat brick meeting-house, We have a good congregation, and our capable of accommodating 400 people. prospects are favourable."

The next Meeting of the Bolton District Association will take place at MoorLaue Meeting-house, Bolton, on the last The Rev. Thursday in September. Franklin Baker is appointed the sup porter, and the Rev. James Tayler the preacher, on that occasion.

B.

personage, the Treasurer of the Unita rian Association. He (the Chairman) was happy to have it in his power to acquaint the company that the funds were in a most flourishing condition. For tunately, their Chancellor of the Exchequer had no sinecurists on his books, and no dead weight to provide for. (A laugh.) Toast-" The Treasurer of the Unitarian Association, and prosperity to the Institution;" which was drank with the usual honours.

He

Mr. GIBSON returned thanks. said, it was a source of deep regret to him that he had not the honour of being known to the friends whom he saw around him. Had they known him as well as the nature of his office, and the mode in which he discharged the duties of that office, the honourable Chairman would have been more correct if he stated that the office was merely a sinecure. But waiving that circumstance, he confessed he felt peculiar pleasure in seeing the members of the Association assembled in 1829. As an old member of the Association, he would say, for himself, and he believed he spoke the sentiments of almost every member of the Unitarian body, that they had never dared to promise themselves to meet under circumstances so auspicious as those under which they had met that evening. He trusted they had now gone through the bruut of the battle-that they had fought the great fight for which they had roused themselves and had mustered their forces. They had gone through contumely and reproach; yet he believed he might say that the affronts which had been cast upon them, were less malignant than they had formerly been. They might hope that they, the obnoxious part of the Dissenters (hear, hear), would now be entitled to put in for a share of that loyalty and Christianity which belonged to them, as members of the body of Protestant Dissenters. The most cursory glance at the history of this country would prove that the politicians who had sown the seed never expected to reap the kindly harvest which the people were now reaping. From the era of the revolution the people were the mere stepping-stones to the political factions which obtained an ascendancy in order to misrule the country. These factions always called upon the public for sup. port, that through it they might be enabled to keep their places. But the times were now changed; a feeling had been awakened in the public mind, which no party, or opposition, or faction, could now put down. (Cheers) On that ground he looked forward to the

period when Great Britain should be as conspicuous for the lead she would take in liberal principles, as she was for the misdeeds which in past times she had exercised in Europe. The people had now little to fear from the ministers of the crown, whoever they might be; for, as had been well observed, these persons could only expect to govern the country by acting in unison with the public judgment. The Protestant Dissenters had been instrumental in promoting that great and glorious end; and he was sure that no one would refuse a share of the merit to the class of Unitarian Dissenters. If he knew any thing of the bond of union which kept the Unitarian Dissenters together, it was this-that they respected the dictates of the understanding, and put no limitation on the right of private judg ment. In conclusion he expressed it to be his firm and anxious wish, that whatever associations were united by that bond, they would respect the principles he had mentioned, and of all such he would say, in the words of a toast well known in the city of London, "Root and branch, may they flourish for ever." (Cheers.)

The CHAIRMAN next proposed the "Health of Dr. Drummond, and thanks to him for the forcible, convincing, and eloquent discourse which he had delivered that morning." (Loud applause.)

Rev. Dr. DRUMMOND rose and said, that no expressions of his could do justice to the sentiments which had been inspired by the very kind manner in which his health had been drank. He had come a stranger amongst them, but he had found himself at home, in the midst of friends and brethren; so that this formed one of the happiest days of his life, and oue to which he should always recur with feelings of the most pleasing description. He was proud of the honour which had been done to him, not on his own account, but for reasons of a more serious and important nature. He considered the invitation which he had received from the Unitarians of England as an expression of their desire to secure a more enlarged intercourse with the Unitariaus of Ireland. He felt assured that the chain of love which they had now formed, would become strong and indissoluble; and that they would unite their energies to emancipate the minds of men, and thus secure their real liberties. The reverend gentleman then adverted to the advantages which the Unitarians of Ireland must derive from an intercourse with those in this country, and who

were so far advanced beyond them in intellectual character. It was only of late years, he remarked, that Unitarians had been recognized in Ireland; the greatest prejudices had been excited against them, from the episcopal throne down to the reading-desk. Hence they were exposed to the contumely and insults of every description of fanatics and enthusiasts. There were others, again, whose connexions prevented them from avowing principles, of the truth of which they were partly convinced; and some few who, from higher motives, had ab. stained from professing them. He felt happy, however, that prejudices were giving way, and that a brighter prospect was opening before the Unitarians of Ireland. It had been asserted, that it would be beneficial for all men to stand on common ground: it might be so; but he would urge it upon Unitarians to bend all their efforts to the establishment of their grand fundamental principles; if that were effected, every thing else would follow. The cause of truth in Ireland was much indebted to the efforts of its enemies. Some members of the Synod of Ulster had been anxious to impose the rusty iron yoke of Calvinism, and their exertious to effect this had awaken-ed others from their slumbers to the defence of their liberties. The thunders of orthodoxy and bigotry had been roaring long and loud, but they had raised a spirit of resistance which it would be found impossible to lay. Their spell was now broken, their charm was dissolved, and the black clouds in which they were enveloped were rapidly rolling away. He trusted they would soon witness the commencement of a new, a bright, and a glorious day of knowledge and religion.

The CHAIRMAN proposed, "The memory of our departed worthies." This toast was drank in silence.

Mr. RUTT rose and said, "Mr. Chairman, I am sure you will allow me to detain you, a very few minutes, on the highly interesting subject which you have brought before us, with the expression of so much excellent feeling.

"I recollect, Sir, when my friend who is now sitting near me (Mr. Sturch), with whom I have acted from my youth to promote what we deemed objects of general utility, was occupying, several years since, the Chair, which is filled to day so much to our advantage, he happily remarked, that we should not merely regret the decease of our departed worthies, but also congratulate one another that such men had lived, and lived and laboured in our communion,

"It has been, Sir, one of the most valuable advantages of my life, for which I ought ever to be devoutly grateful to au indulgent Providence, that I have enjoyed the society and friendship of seve ral persous who can scarcely be forgotten whenever we think or speak of our departed worthies. They were men born under more favourable circumstances than some of their predecessors, but prepared, by a knowledge of their principles, a sense of their importance, and an undeviating attachment to the integrity such principles would inspire, to follow their examples, through evil as through good report. They were prepared, like the most wronged and persecuted of those predecessors, to advocate what they esteemed to be the cause of divine truth and of human happiness, even amidst trials of cruel mockings, wrongs, and imprisonments.

"But there are, Sir, I am persuaded, many in this room who have not been able to hear of our departed worthies without recollecting one very lately added to the number, and who was never, I believe, absent from these anniversaries till to-day. I refer to Mr. David Eaton, in whose introduction to a connexion with Unitarians in the metropolis and its vicinity, I had the honour to have a considerable share.

"The admirable Mrs. Lindsey, who animated the pious labours of her excellent husband, whose praise is in our churches, and shared and alleviated all his trials, put into my hands, and I retain it as a valued relic, the letter she had received from Mrs. Cappe, and which Mr. Eaton brought as his introduction to London. The discerning writer there described how he had struggled with the disadvantages and moral dangers of his early life, how he had sought and secured independence by honourable industry, and had occupied the little leisure his condition afforded in acquiring and communicating the most valuable religious knowledge.

"Thus assured, I could not fail to form an acquaintance with Mr. Eaton, and to offer him all the little services in my power. These he was ever disposed to maguify, and they were amply recompensed by observing how he occupied the station and the term of life which Divine Providence assigned to him in promoting, to the extent of his influence, the general good, and especially the interests of this Association, in the formation of which, as growing out of the Unitarian Fund, he is justly acknowledged to have had a principal share.

"How ably and perseveringly he de