the rough surges of the ocean; but before she loses sight of land, meeting a few showers and flaws of wind, and apprehending a tempest a-head, the officers and crew are disheartened, make into the harbor again, to beg their bread in the land of plenty; while the owners become discouraged, and leave her to float with the tide, unused; exciting the pity of wise men, and the laughter of fools. But brethren, let the world be persuaded better things of us. Let our zeal and knowledge co-oper ate. Secondly. Forsake not the assembling of yourselves together, as the manner of some is. Public worship is of vital importance to the welfare of community and the future moral character of our offspring. Let them be taught by parental example and their morals formed by the precepts of Jesus. If you have no public speaker, meet on the Sabbath to read and explain the bible, and to sing God's praise; and if you are not favored with a preacher raised from among yourselves, one will be sent you, or we are neither prophets nor the sons of prophets. God forbid that we should drive our children to the alternative of wandering about on the Sabbath for amusement, or of attending those places of worship, where their ears must be stunned by clerical thunders, their feelings embittered with orthodox illiberality, their heads deranged by doctrinal contradictions, or their tender hearts wrung by the canting sarcasms aimed at the religion of their sincere parents. In the same proportion as they are overawed by the external sanctimony of the preacher and influenced by his misrepresentations, they will be lead to conceive a disesteem for them, whom they should venerate. Fathers and mothers! in the exercise of your abilities and privileges, arise, and secure to your children the blessings of rational religion and sound morality. Thirdly. Another reason for urging an immediate attention to the concerns of our own denomination, and the diffusion of correct principles and precepts, arises from the ambitious measures which are now in opera tion, to prevent the spread of the truth. Societies of every name are formed, and to enlist the abilities, prejudices and resources of the community, the popular slang is excited against those, that refuse to become members. Hireling missionaries, of no reputation at home, are sent abroad, to fan the public passions to a flame, for evangelizing the world, though nothing but sovereign grace or the divine influence, can, as they say, have the least effect! Many unsuspecting and welldisposed christians are members of those Societies, paying their hard earnings to support foreign and calvinistic missions, of the most dangerous and fatal tendency to our civil and religious liberties. The conduct of the most influential Doctors who are at the head of the collusion, goes to show, that if "the powers that be," would permit, they would shut us from their temples, and confine us in dungeons, for our belief. Lovers of truth! shall we not awake from our sleep and proclaim by our deeds, that we are the friends of Jesus? With the tenderest affection and the most sincere regard for our liberal, but mistaken neighbors, let us warn them of the religious aristocracy which is at the door, and will bind us in chains; unless the means are withheld from the avaricious clergy. Look, and be astonished! How often do we hear the apparently grave divine, praying for a more liberal contribution to the missionary cause, or begging for a few cents to save from endless wrath, perishing immortals, and receiving with the smile of a miser, the last dime that industry and poverty could grant, while he himself is in possession of many thousands, regaling mid the splendors of affluence and abundance, without bestowing a shilling that is not remitted by the mistaken liberality of his female friends? How long will this delusion continue to prevail? Can people in this enlightened land, believe such men are the ministers of him, whose home was a work-shop, and his temple, the wave-beaten shore, or the mountain grove Let us be kindly watchful that our own dear connexions and friends are not entangled in their nets of bondage. Fourthly. Let us inquire whether the countenancing of other societies and neglecting our own profession, will not have a direct tendency to continue the remissness of our friends, who have not, as yet, publicly espoused our faith. Their immediate interest, the dread of singularity, incompetency to stand forth in argumentative defence of the cause, together with the inattention too apparent among its professors, unite in perpetuating their bondage. Let all who know the truth, exert their talents for its support, and those who are more favorable to it, than to any other system, make a public declaration of the same, and we would not be a minority. More than half the support of our opposers is derived from those, who are considered by their preachers, as totally depraved and hell-deserving sinners. The most moral and upright of them, are denominated the most dangerous members of society. Friends of Jesus! we have seen these things exhibited in real life, and shall we not now, even now, step forward, maintain the declaration of truth, by christian regulations, unremitting examples, faithful exhortations and fervent prayers? To conclude. BRETHREN: If we are persecuted and misrepresented, let us be steadfast and forgiving. When the enemy mis-represents us, let us be careful that we fairly represent him. By good will, gentleness, truth and prayer we can overcome. Never lose sight of the great pattern of moral and religious excellence. Remember, he said, "Father, forgive." His prayer will be heard and answered, and so will ours, when we pray with the same spirit! However widely scattered abroad, let us be one in heart, striving to serve the Lord Jesus. Theory, of every description, without practice, is like food with no appetite, and strength with a total disinclination to exercise it. God grant we may be both hearers and doers of the word, obeying the commandments which are everlasting life. Eccentric as we may appear in this address, the Lord reward us according to our sincerity, and our zeal for his abundant honor. And now, may the boundless mercy of God overshadow the world and crown with hopeful success the exertions of Zion's friends. Amen. Per order, RUSSELL STREETER. GOOD NEWS. A letter from Rev. T. Bigelow, Palmyra, Portage county, (Ohio,) brings intelligence of the addition of ten preachers, within about one year; viz, three Baptists, two Methodists, two from the Christians, and three young men from the Universalist Societies. A new Church, belonging to the Universalists in Norwich, (Conn.) was dedicated to the worship of the "GOD of the Spirits of ALL flesh," in July last. The believers of the TRUTH, in the following towns, are erecting houses for worskip; viz. Philadelphia, (Penn.) Cambridgeport, Shrewsbury, Western, (Mass.) Providence, (R. I.) Rev. D. Pickering, of Hudson, N. Y. proposes publishing a new selection of Psalms and Hymns, for public and private devotion, containing 420 pages, well executed and neatly bound; for 75 cents each, payable on delivery. Proposals are also received for publishing a monthly work, at Watertown, (N. Y.) entitled "The Herald of Salvation,” each number to contain 16 pages, at one dollar per annum. In a word; we hear, from almost every direction, flattering accounts of the cause of truth. Union and energy is all which is necessary, to ensure the divine blessing, and flourish in the profession of our belief, as long as we are actuated by the principles of Truth Divine. NOTICES. The GENERAL CONVENTION of Universalists will convene, by divine permission, at Warner, (N. H.) the third Wednesday and Thursday, in September, instant. The NORTHERN ASSOCIATION of Universalists is to be holden at Barre, (Vt.) the first Wednesday and Thursday, in October next. The Editor tenders his grateful acknowledgments to the Patrons of the Intelligencer, and solicits their future endeavors to give it a still wider circulation. The present number of subscri bers is rather short of one thousand; to which, no doubt, considerable addition might be made, without much difficulty. The expense for a volume is so trifling, that men, women and children, with a little prudence in their expenditures, may retain enough, each quarter, to obtain a number. Those who have not paid for the first volume, need only be informed that we really want it, to pay the Printer, remembering that two hundred times fifty cents is one hundred dollars, and they will "feel our woes, our wants drive far away." Subscribers in general have been honorably punctual. Correspondents will accept the thanks of the editor, and be assured, that "Nazarenus," and some other instructive pieces will be inserted, in part, in the next number. IMPORTANT QUESTIONS. "Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification." ROм. iv. 25. On this text I shall predicate three questions. 1. How and in what sense was Christ delivered for the offences of those, for whose justification he was raised? 2. After Christ was delivered-could he be released from that state or condition, till the purpose, end, or design was effected, relative to those, for whose offences he was thus delivered? 3. If Christ was released from that state in which he was delivered, have those for whose offences he was involved, a right to reckon themselves released and freed therefrom? J*** Another Conversion in the ministry.-We have just received information by the Boston Universalist Magazine, of the conversion of a Mr. ADIN BALLOU, of Cumberland, (R. I.) preacher of the Christian Order, to the faith of God, that he is not only the Saviour of Christians, but of ALL MEN, Jews and Gentiles. SILENT DEVOTION-SELECTED. As down in the sunless retreats of the ocean, Pure, warm, silent to THEE. As still to the star of its worship, though clouded, True, fond, trembling to THEE. |