can't; he is always preaching something that makes me feel badly; it is insufferable, I can't bear it; I won't bear it. I'll see what can be done towards forming a Unitarian church.”

Thus, could we lift the veil from the minds of the people at Hadley, during these five uneventful years to human appearance, we should witness almost every variety of mental exercise, possibly awakened by gospel verities, in full play; thought contending with thought, passion with passion, prejudice with prejudice, reason and conscience with all; while truth would be seen entering deeper and deeper into the soul, almost daily awakening stronger approval or intenser opposition; and the lines of the embattled hosts becoming more and more distinctly drawn.

Could our eyes be opened as were the eyes of the servant of Elisha, and these years of seed-sowing made to pass before us, we should see spiritual agencies, both from above and from beneath, busy there in the service of their respective masters; the latter fanning the flame of hostility, suggesting cavils, quibbles, objections, and urging on their employees, both in the church and out of it, to the deadly encounter; the former breathing into the hearts of the friends. of truth assurance, courage, magnanimity; inspiring zeal and perseverance.

In the spring of 1815 this inward conflict broke out in more decided action. Wickedness became more bold and rampant; even malignity began to show itself. One dark evening a log was laid in the road and so arranged as to overturn the minister's carriage on his return from a religious meeting. But Providence interposed, and he was preserved. Some had become so exasperated that they were resolved to hear such preaching no longer; a Unitarian organization was contemplated. A large portion of the church still remained cold and formal, had no adequate sense of the importance of the hour, or of the fearful conflict which was daily deepening around them. Some there were, however, who had all along loved the truths so bitterly hated

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by others, and had been growing into conformity with them. They stood manfully together, and rallied around their pastor. They stirred up each other's pure minds by way of remembrance, and took firmer hold of God's strength. They humbly confessed their sins, and in the boldness of covenant faith wrestled with Jacob's determination.

In this year an unpretending pamphlet entitled, "A Brief History of the Progress and Present State of the Unitarian Churches in America," was issued from the Boston press. It was composed wholly of extracts from an English book (Memoirs of Lindsey by Mr. Belsham), and most of the extracts were letters written by "ministers on this side the water to their friends on the other." Some of these letters were written by ministers of Boston avowing Unitarian sentiments, even while they were not only pastors of professedly orthodox churches, but professing themselves substantially orthodox. This pamphlet, uncovering the slow fires of Unitarianism which had been long smouldering beneath the surface, produced a powerful sensation throughout the New England churches. This excitement was communicated, in a greater or less degree, to the people of Hadley; increasing, on the one hand, the restiveness of the dissatisfied under the preaching of their decided pastor; and on the other, the determination and devotedness of those who loved the truth.

The storm long gathering had also been intensified by the decisive church action of Mr. Woodbridge, harmonizing with his preaching on the subject. He had resolutely refused to receive any to the fellowship of the church who gave not. satisfactory evidence of regeneration and consequent union to Christ. This had disturbed many; for it affected not only their ecclesiastical relations, but their social consideration A crisis was evidently approaching. It was a time of deep anxiety to those who were thoughtfully watching the signs of the times. Trouble and division, if not ruin, seemed pending over them. It was, however, but one development

of the moral forces which had been for five years at work. The distinctive truths of the gospel, plainly, pungently, and continually enforced, will inevitably insure ONE OF THREE RESULTS: the people will either bow to their claims; or, becoming callous and indifferent, they will sit quietly under their enforcement; or they will rise in determined resistance. Divine truth is never inoperative. "My word," says Jeho

vah, "shall not return unto me void."

The time of "extremity," which may be called "God's opportunity," had arrived. It was an occasion for him to get glory to his sovereign grace. He suffered the wrath of man to rise, that by his interposition it might praise him. At the right moment he opened the windows of heaven; the rain of the Spirit descended. Songs of triumph were heard both on earth and around the Throne.

Other ministers may have preached perhaps just as decidedly and faithfully as Mr. Woodbridge, and opposition arisen from the same or similar causes. But through the weakness of God's people the enemy has been suffered to prevail; the defender of the faith has been hurled from his position, and souls lost. And the sad work has been done in the name of piety. Some wise ones have said, "Our minister is unpopular among the impenitent, or the young; and these are the classes we especially desire him to reach ; we had better dismiss him, and get one more acceptable to all." The change has been effected; and it has gone further, perhaps, than was intended; the rich blessing in store has been prevented. It was not so in Hadley. The majority of the church stood firmly with Mr. Woodbridge. They held him in his place, and he held on in his great work. When the soil was fully prepared, the harvest was gathered. The Lord came down "travelling in the greatness of his strength." The results were glorious. Let the praise be ascribed to "him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will."

Mr. Woodbridge wrote for one of the journals of the day

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an account of this " wonderful work of God" soon after its We will give it entire, with the exception of

occurrence.

the first paragraph.

"In the spring of 1815, an unusual excitement was produced, which many supposed threatened our union and prosperity as a people, by efforts that were made to restrain violations of the Sabbath, and particularly by the plain exhibition of the distinguishing doctrines of the Gospel. To avoid the pain of hearing these truths inculcated, many avowed a determination of entirely withdrawing from the worship of the sanctuary; some even intimated a wish to separate from the congregation, and attempt the formation of a new society. The public agitation continued through most of the following summer; a growing impatience of restraint among the youth, and an increasing dissipation of manners, were too apparent, threatening to carry before it every relic of rational sobriety, or serious thoughtfulness. The circumstance which, most of all, spread a gloom over our prospects, was, that amid the triumphs of wickedness, the professed friends of Zion, with the exception of a very small number, were apparently little impressed with those views and feelings which the occasion demanded; and our meetings for prayer had become cold and formal.

While such was our situation, a sudden and extraordinary instance of hopeful conversion occurred in a person of respectable connections and considerable influence. He had been roused from a state of carnal security by the sickness and death of his youngest child. He had desired several of his pious neighbors to spend the evening, immediately subsequent to the funeral, in special prayer for himself and family, scarcely suspecting that he had any other conviction of sin than those transient pangs frequently produced by affliction, and which commonly vanish with the cause that produced them. Their surprise was great when, on meeting him at his door, they beheld his countenance, on which, a short time before, they had witnessed only the gloomy expression of grief, now kindled by smiles, while he bade them welcome in the liveliest accents, adding, 'My friends, you think you have come to the house of mourning; it is not so it is the house of rejoicing.'

"Every one was amazed; and some were at first ready to conclude that he must be under the influence of a powerful delusion. But when he told them of the change in his moral feelings, when he talked of his previous convictions, and his present resignation to the will of Heaven, resulting from his discoveries of the excellence and perfection of the divine character, all were constrained to acknowledge the finger of God. At this interview he expatiated, with all the ardor of a young convert, on the obligations of Christians to fidelity in admonishing the impenitent, and tenderly reproved the sluggishness of those around him. From that memorable evening may be dated the beginning of this revival, if by a revival of religion we are to understand what the phrase originally and most probably signifies, a resuscitation of the graces of the saints to vigor and activity. Ilis reproof was not unheeded; by the influence of the Holy Spirit it was carried home to the bosoms of nearly all who formed the little circle. This was towards the last of December; and in a few days the whole neighborhood seemed to be deeply affected by the things of eternity; meetings for prayer and other religious exercises were frequent, crowded, and very solemn.

The children of God manifested a most fervent zeal for the salvation of sinners and the enlargement of Zion. Many of the impenitent were awakened from their lethargy, and almost daily we heard of one and another who had, it was charitably hoped, commenced the song of redeeming mercy. To believers it was a new day of Pentecost- it was as the dawning of millennial glory. While such was the appearance of the little village where the good work commenced, a general stupidity continued, for a number of weeks, to prevail in other parts of the town, and the glorious efforts of grace were observed by many with eyes of suspicion or contempt.

"A day of humiliation and prayer was appointed for the special purpose of imploring the effusions of divine grace. To the surprise of many, and to the joy of the people of God, the house of the Lord was better filled than it had commonly been on the Sabbath; worldly labors were suspended, the assembly was solemn, and it was evident that Ile to whom pertaineth the kingdom, and the power, and